SiliconDust HDHR-US HDHomeRun Networked Digital TV Tuner (White)</a>) instead. It doesn't have analog, so I reinstalled my old dual-tuner analog card.\n\nWith the HDHomeRun, I now have dual ATSC tuners plus still have the dual NTSC tuners of my old card. No lockups, no codec problems, everything just works! And I don't have to worry about card compatibility with my next computer, since the HDHomeRun works with any computer and any OS. Highly Recommended!"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"**** UPDATED 2-12-2012 ****\n\nI bought this Hauppauge 2250 card in 2010, and had nothing but trouble with the drivers available then (see original review text below). So I gave it a 2-star review and put it on the shelf where it has sat for two years.\n\nHere we are in 2012, and I recently built a new machine. Saw the 2250 laying there and decided to give it another try, using the latest drivers. I am happy to report that it has been running under Windows7 x64 for two weeks now without a single problem. Hauppauge has obviously done some work with the drivers between 2010 and 2012.\n\nI am using this only with Windows 7 Media Center, so cannot comment on the \"WinTV\" application. Media Center detected and configured the tuners, and has been working perfectly with both digital antenna and and our \"in-house\" analog broadcasts.\n\nMy one remaining complaint -- and why it now gets 4 stars rather than 5 stars -- is the amount of time it takes to initialize the card. Rather than making the card's microcode resident, Hauppauge loads it at every boot as part of driver initialization. That adds 15-20 seconds to the boot. Ok, I know that isn't much -- but it seems like forever, given that boot time on this machine was about 12 seconds before putting the 2250 in it, and now it is 27-32 seconds. But that's a small price to pay, as the card works well in every other respect.\n\n***************************\nOriginal review from 2010:\n\nI bought this to replace a dual-tuner analog (NTSC) card, in preparation for the digital (ATSC) transition in June. I still needed analog capability since I have some in-house equipment that broadcasts analog. The dual hybrid tuners of the WinTV-HVR-2250 seemed to be just what I needed.\n\nWhen it works, it works well. But the drivers are problematic. I experienced random lockups when changing channels which could only be resolved by restarting the Media Center receiver service or rebooting. I worked with Hauppauge Technical support, who could only suggest trying the \"beta\" drivers. Those were slightly better and resolved some problems, but not all.\n\nAfter two months of trying to make the Hauppauge card work, I gave up and purchased an external network tv tuner, the <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/SiliconDust-HDHR-US-HDHomeRun-Networked-Digital-TV-Tuner-White/dp/B0010Y414Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">SiliconDust HDHR-US HDHomeRun Networked Digital TV Tuner (White)</a>) instead. It doesn't have analog, so I reinstalled my old dual-tuner analog card.\n\nWith the HDHomeRun, I now have dual ATSC tuners plus still have the dual NTSC tuners of my old card. No lockups, no codec problems, everything just works! And I don't have to worry about card compatibility with my next computer, since the HDHomeRun works with any computer and any OS. Highly Recommended!"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: LOGITECH G35 PC/GAMING HEADSETS\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Great Sound but some significant flaws\n\nReview: There is a lot to like about this headset. Unfortunately, there are significant flaws as well.\n\nThe overall design is very nice, with an easy-to-use volume control, 3 programmable keys, a fold-down boom microphone that auto-mutes in the \"up\" position, along with comfortable ear and head pads. Sound quality is very good, and the 7.1 surround effect (when it works, see below) is amazing. Based on sound quality, comfort, and overall design -- these would get 5 stars. But it doesn't end there.\n\nThe surround decoding relies upon the Logitech Gaming System (LGS) software. Unfortunately, Logitech changed the design of LGS in recent versions, such that the G35 is only seen as a two-channel stereo device by Windows. A few software applications will ignore this, and continue to send full surround information to the headset. But most software will query windows and be told the G35 is a stereo-only device, and only output stereo encoded signals. So if you want the surround feature to fully function, you must install an \"old\" version of LGS, 8.58 or older. If you install the more recent 8.72 or 8.75, you'll get stereo only in most applications and games. *** UPDATE: After many failed attempts, Logitech has finally fixed the surround issue in LGS 8.81, released in March-2016. ***\n\nThe cord is horrible. I repeat, HORRIBLE. This stuff is so stiff you could almost make coat hangers from it. The exterior braid is so abrasive you could almost cut firewood with it. The cable kinks easily, drags on your clothing, chair, and desk, and seems to have an inbred talent for constantly getting in your way. Lest you think the G930 (wireless version of the G35) is the answer, you'll find out it has horrible connectivity issues. What temporary insanity possessed the engineers at Logitech and made them choose this cheap, stiff, horrible cable?? At the risk of invalidating my warranty, I will likely replace the cable -- which is no easy feat, thanks to glued components and soldered connections.\n\nOthers have noted problems with the plastic joints between the ear cups and head band. I have only had these for a week, so it is too early to tell if mine will crack, but I can certainly attest that the plastic pieces involved are thin and simply don't \"look\" up to the task. I will be treating these like fine crystal glassware, in the hopes mine will stay together. But come on Logitech, a couple small pieces of metal here would solve this pervasive problem while adding very little to the cost.\n\nIf they stay in one piece and you can tolerate the stiff cord, these are great! They are comfortable (except for the cord), have excellent sound, the microphone is crystal clear, the controls are convenient and easy to use. Could easily be a 5-star product, if Logitech would simply beef up the ear cup junctions, fix the surround driver, and provide a flexible cord.","Product: The Bluetooth Hands Free Fm Transmitter provides a live full duplex communication solution. It uses Bluetooth technology through FM transmission to your FM car radio. This unit allows you to speak to callers through a built-in DSP microphone (it turns your car stereo into a Giant Bluetooth Headset). All of this is accomplished hassle free without the use of external wires, or expensive custom installation. The device is pairable with any phone equipped with Bluetooth hands-free and stereo A2DP function. Bluetooth A2DP technology enables wireless transmission of music from your iPhone 3Gs and 3G (OS 3.0 Software Update required). With the Bluetooth Hands-free Fm Transmitter you are ready to listen to your favorite tunes without any wire connection!\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Generally works, but cannot use a night\n\nReview: I bought this to connect my Iphone 3GS to my Toyota 4Runner stock radio. The phone connects via bluetooth and will stream music to the radio as promised. Incoming calls ring through the speakers, and pressing the button on the Satechi mutes the music and answers the call.\n\nI can talk hands free using the built-in microphone, then return to music when the call ends. People at the other end of the call say it sounds like I'm in a \"tin box,\" but that they can understand me. The volume level of phone calls is different from the volume level of music, thus you have to turn up the volume for phone calls, then turn it down again for the music.\n\nThe FM transmission is is not perfect, but it works. There is occassional static/interference from power lines, other cars with their own FM transmitters, or signal bleed from local FM stations. This isn't unique to the Satechi, as I have seen the same comments about similar devices from other manufacturers. It is just the compromise you make for a \"wireless\" solution that works with your existing radio.\n\nI would give this product 3 or 4 stars, except for one thing: The display FLASHES CONSTANTLY when playing music, and it is BRIGHT! This makes it very distracting when driving at night.\n\nOverall the unit works as advertised, and if you only drive during the day I could recommend it. But the bright flashing display makes it unusable at night. If you want a unit you can use at night, I recommend looking at other products.\n\n*** UPDATE 7-20-2009 ***\nAs mentioned in other reviews, Satechi technical support is very responsive. They proactively contacted me about the flashing light and are trying to work out a solution. I'll update this review again with the results.\n\n*** UPDATE 7-22-2009 ***\nAfter discussing the problem, Satechi recommended their \"Soundfly BT\" model instead. It is similar to the BT04, with some added features, but most importantly does NOT have a bright flashing display. They graciously offered an exchange, which is in process now. SATECHI SUPPORT GETS 5 STARS, they have really gone out of their way to contact me, work out the issue, and find a way to make me a satisfied customer. I will post a review of the Soundfly BT unit when the exchange is complete.","Product: HP 1410 series switches are unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet switches designed for small businesses looking for entry-level, low-cost networking solutions with a lifetime warranty. The HP 1410 switch series consists of seven models with flexible mounting options that allow customers to choose the best switch to meet their network switching needs. All models have QoS support and IEEE 802.3x flow control features to provide outstanding data efficiency. Simplified plug-and-play operation is enabled by features like Auto-MDIX and auto-speed negotiation. HP has innovated and combined the latest advances in silicon technology to provide some of the most power-efficient switches: 16- and 24-port Fast Ethernet models are the industry's first IEEE 802.3az compliant unmanaged Fast Ethernet switches. The available green features, along with the lifetime warranty, make the HP 1410 switch series ideal for customers seeking low-cost and reliable networking solutions.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Performance, Fantastic Warranty!\n\nReview: I researched a number of 16-port unmanaged, gigabit switches, and quickly narrowed it down to offerings from Cisco, DLink, and Netgear. Specs and pricing were similar, with the Procurve getting slightly better reviews. Once I found that this HP has a LIFETIME warranty with NEXT BUSINESS DAY REPLACEMENT, the decision was easy.\n\nThe switch works great, with full gigabit speeds as promised. The layout and clarity of indicators is excellent, with lighted port numbers indicating a link, flashing port number indicating activity, and a separate LED for each port indicating link rate of 10/100 (off) or 1000 (on).\n\nI am using (10) ports with a mixture of PCs, NAS, streaming video devices, and printers. Everything functions perfectly -- including a gigabit connection on a 175+ feet cable to the other end of the house. The switch is \"barely warm\" to the touch, and perfectly silent (fanless design).\n\nI ordered directly from Amazon, so cannot vouch for other sellers. A few earlier reviews complained about the power supply they received, but the supply I got was a pretty standard, slimline \"wall-wart\". It measures 3\" long by 1\" wide 2.5\" deep, with the 2.5\" being the distance it protrudes from the wall socket or power strip when plugged in. It is oriented horizontally to the outlet, so that it doesn't block the other outlet of a standard duplex outlet. The power cord is about 5' long.\n\nThoroughly happy with the performance, and with the knowledge that if anything goes wrong I can get a next-business-day replacement with the lifetime guarantee.","Product: Rosewill RX-358 U3C SLV Aluminum / Plastic 3.5\" Silver USB3.0 & eSATA External Enclosure\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Problems with Esata and Useless Tech Support\n\nReview: I purchased two of these primarily for the Esata support to be used with 2tb WD drives. Both fail to mount the drive (i.e., Windows7 never sees the drive) when using Esata. They do work with the same 2tb drives using USB3. They do work with smaller drives (tried 750gb and 1tb) using Esata. Same experience with both enclosures on multiple computers, different cables, different power supplies, Win7 and Win8.\n\nContacted Rosewill tech support and told them the 2tb drives wouldn't mount with these enclosures via Esata, and told them the drives were good as they mounted and functioned perfectly in other brand enclosures (Startech) and via USB3 in these enclosures.\n\nInstead of help, I got a lecture about how I shouldn't be swapping drives between enclosures, and told they needed to be reformatted to work. HELLO? I had already explained that they won't mount and cannot be initialized/formatted in that condition. And that they work fine (formatted, initialized, fully functional) in the same enclosure via USB3. The ONLY reason I tried a different enclousre was to verify the drives themselves were good, which they are. The second Rosewill tech said he would escalate the issue and I would get a call/email back. It's been 10 days now, and NO response.\n\nGiven that the USB3 works fine, but Esata fails with the advance format drives, I was inclined to give this three stars even though the Esata is essential for me personally. But the poor technical support experience forces me to deduct another and we end up with two.\n\nIf you don't intend to use large advanced format drives, or don't intend to use Esata, and never have need for tech support -- then this is a good enclosure. It is well built, the fan keeps the drive cool, and USB3 functions well. But if you need Esata and larger drive support, I recommend staying away from this enclosure.","Product: For users with cases that only support external USB 3.0 (Type A) connectors, the SilverStone CP09 adapter cable is a must have when upgrading to motherboards with internal 19pin USB 3.0 header. It converts two external USB 3.0 type A connectors via a pair of flexible cables to a single 19pin connector for connecting to internal USB 3.0 headers.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good solution for Antec P183v3 case\n\nReview: I recently bought an Antec P183v3 case, which has a front panel USB3 port. Unfortunately, the cable for that port terminates in a normal USB \"A\" connector rather than an Internal header plug. Antec expects you to run this \"pass through\" cable out the back of the machine and plug it into one of the rear USB3 ports. After reading those instructions, I wondered why Antec didn't recommend securing it with bailing wire and some chewing gum.\n\nThis adapter came to the rescue, eliminating that mess and keeping the back USB3 ports open. Plugged into the motherboard USB3 header, it provides to USB \"A\" sockets to which the Antec front panel cable could connect.\n\nMy only complaint is that the cables are a bit short and stiff, making positioning/routing a little bit more challenging that it could be. But all in all, it seems to be of high quality materials and provided a good solution to the problem.","Product: The Foscam FI9831W Megapixel Wireless IP Camera features high definition 1280 x 960p video resolution, h.264 video compression, built-in DVR via SD card (upto 32gb), two-way audio, Wi-Fi-N capability, pan/tilt, remote internet viewing, motion detection, night-vision as well as network video recording capability. In addition, it is smartphone compatible (iPhone, Android - app required) as well as viewable over the internet using standard browsers on PC (Firefox, IE & Chrome) or Mac (Safari only). The camera functions well as a smartphone baby, pet or elderly parent monitor or as part of a complete home/office security system with remote internet monitoring ability. (Securing Your Foscam Camera - Important Notice)The FI9831W improves on the FI8910W by adopting high performance media and video processors capable of H.264 video compression which allows for ultra-smooth high definition video transmission, increased FPS and minimal bandwidth consumption. In addition, due to the small file sizes produced by H.264 video compression it has the ability to save tremendous disk space when doing video recording.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Best Value in IP Cameras\n\nReview: The best of the Foscam models so far, in my opinion. Great video quality, good night performance (with and without IR illumination), reasonably stable firmware, and good pan/tilt performance.\n\nSetting the camera up on your network will require some effort. Particularly if you want to access the camera when you are away from home, you will need to understand IP addresses, DHCP reservations or static assignments, DDNS, and port forwarding. If you don't know what those things are, enlist help from a knowledgeable friend or family member, or consider Foscam's paid setup support.\n\nI have seven of these in my house, facing out windows. All have been running at least 6 months, 24 hours x 7 days. All still function perfectly, including video, audio, and pan/tilt.\n\nBeware that when located inside a window you cannot use the IR illumination at night. If you do, it will simply reflect off the window directly into the lens. Fortunately, the IR can be disabled. And even more fortunately, this camera has very good low-light performance -- so if you have an outdoor floodlight or street lamp nearby, the view is surprisingly good at night.\n\nVideo can be set to 960P, 720P, 640x480, 640x360, 320x240, or 320x180. Frame rates up to 30fps are supported. A \"main stream\" and \"substream\" with separate settings allow simultaneous access to streams appropriate for high-bandwidth or low-bandwidth (such as mobile) locations.\n\nI have added a couple photos -- one day, one night -- from the same camera. The illumination in the night photo is from a <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Lithonia-2-LED-Floodlight/dp/B004QXRU6O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Lithonia 2-LED Floodlight</a>, equivalent to two standard 100w incandescent floods. The green vertical line is an aberration from the window it looks through.\n\nThe camera supports a variety of advanced features, including video recording/playback to onboard SD card, and emailing or FTP of motion alerts. Again, setting up email or FTP requires some technical expertise so plan to enlist some help if you aren't a computer nerd.\n\nIf you have multiple cameras, especially different brands/models, then I highly recommend abandoning the camera's web interface and purchasing the <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/BlueIris-Professional/dp/B008YD80KC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">BlueIris Professional</a> software. (NOTE: As of this writing, Amazon has only version3 -- but version4 is available). It is a fantastic program, and very well supported by the author. BlueIris supports just about every IP camera made, thus integrating multiple brands/models into a single interface. It's capabilities for motion detection, recording, alerts, and email far surpass the built-in capabilities of any web cam. It also acts as a server for the iPhone/Android app of the same name, providing all the same capabilities on your mobile devices.\n\nNone of the IPCams I have tried are \"perfect\", but especially when coupled with the BlueIris software these Foscam 9831W's perform very well at a decent price.","Product: white colors\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent Sound, Great Fit!\n\nReview: I was a bit confused when I first received these, as there are a bunch of different wing-shaped silicone pieces and NO instructions on how to choose, install, or position them. I had to look at the photos provided in other Amazon reviews to figure out how to use them. But I have to say that is my only complaint about these great headphones!\n\nWith the lack of instructions overcome, those \"wing-shaped silicone pieces\" are absolute GENIUS. I have never had a pair of ear buds held so solidly, so comfortably. Once you find the correct size \"wing\" for your ear, and get it rotated into the proper position, it fits perfectly and comfortably supports the entire assembly.\n\nThe sound quality is very good as well. Unlike many in this price range, these have great bass that rivals what I have experienced from ear buds costing 3x as much. Mid and high range is good too.\n\nThe instruction manual is well-written and covers electronic functions such as power on/off, pairing, volume/track control, and so forth very well. I would suggest that SoundPeats add some instructions/photos showing how to use the wing-shaped support pieces. But other than that, the instruction manual is more comprehensive and written better than those I have received with similar products from other manufacturers.\n\nA very nice rigid, zippered case is included, as are three sizes of ear-buds, many sizes of ear supports, and a short USB charging cable. These paired easily with my iPhone, iPad, and a Dish Network DVR. All controls worked as expected.\n\nCharging requires removing a small silicone plug which covers the micro-USB receptacle. The plug is tight, making it a little difficult to remove, but on balance that tightness is needed to keep the receptacle protected from water/sweat. When charging, the indicator LED on the RH earphone glows red. It changes to blue when fully charged. Battery life has been about 5-6 hours.\n\nBottom line: Great sound quality, secure and comfortable fit, easy to use controls, lots of different support pieces provided that should allow fitting just about anyone's ears. (Sample product provided for evaluation and review.)","Product: The new EVGA GeForce GTX 980 is powered by the next-generation NVIDIA Maxwell architecture, giving you incredible performance, unmatched power efficiency, and cutting-edge features. Maxwell is the most advanced GPU architecture ever made, designed to be the engine of next-generation gaming. Inspired by light, it was designed to solve some of the most complex lighting and graphics challenges in visual computing. For the first time, gaming GPUs can dynamically render indirect light using the new VXGI (Voxel Global Illumination technology. Scenes are significantly more lifelike as light interacts more realistically in the game environment. Incredible Speed and Power Efficiency The GTX 980 is the world's fastest GPU and the GTX 970 offers the most advanced performance in its class. Each delivers 2x the performance of previous-generation cards, bringing new gaming experiences to virtual reality, HD, and ultra-resolution 4K displays. Dynamic Super Resolution Technology Enable the detail of 4K monitors, on a 1080P display. DSR produces smoother images by rendering a game at a high resolution, then downscaling it to the native resolution of the display using advanced filtering. Super-Smooth and Stutter-Free GeForce GTX 980 and 970 cards support tear-free, super-fast NVIDIA G-Sync monitor display technology, including 4K. Together, these technologies provide the most immersive and competitive gaming experiences possible.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Another Great Card from EVGA\n\nReview: Solid performance, low power consumption and runs cool!\n\nI bought this to upgrade an EVGA 680. Not only does the 980 have double the pixel rate of the 680, it does it while using less power (165w vs 195w) and running about 10C cooler. Simply amazing.\n\nThis is the \"reference\" card, which out-of-the-box is a bit slower than the \"superclocked\" versions. However, you can increase the GPU and Memory clocks via EVGA's free \"PrecisionX\" software.\n\nThis is my third EVGA branded NVidia card. Why EVGA? Go spend some time on their forums, and see how they handle things like firmware problems and RMAs. I've never had a problem, but it is comforting to know the support is there if I ever do. And investigate their \"step up\" program, where anytime within 90 days you can upgrade to a different product for just the price difference.","Product: Seidios SURFACE Combo includes a SURFACE case and SURFACE holster. The SURFACE case is sleek and provides protection from scratches and drops while adding minimal bulk to your Apple iPhone 3G/3GS. Slip the case into a secure spring-clip SURFACE holster for the ultimate carrying solution.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Excellent case and holster\n\nReview: This is an excellent case and holster.\n\nThe case fits the 3G and 3GS like a glove, fully covering the back except for the Apple logo. Some protection is afforded the logo since it is below the level of the case, but those who want to fully protect the logo will want to cover it (perhaps with a piece of screen protector film). It adds minimally to the iPhone size, as it is only 1-2mm thick and shaped to exactly fit the curves of the phone.\n\nThe inside is coated with a felt-like material that gives a tight fit and prevents scratches. The edges wrap around and over the chrome bezel, putting them about 1-2 milimeters above the level of the glass screen. This provides some very minor protection for the screen, in that if you lay the phone face-down on a flat surface (like a desk) the glass is supported 1-2mm above the desk rather than touching. But those who want full screen protection will still want to add a screen protector film.\n\nThe exterior has a matte or \"silk\" finish. This provides enough friction to be easily held without slipping from your hand, yet is not \"grippy\" like the silicon cases and will therefore slide in/out of a pocket or pouch easily and without gathering lint. All controls and ports are fully exposed and conveniently accessible, but this also means there is no protection from splashes/rain. If you are frequently in wet enviornments, you may want to forego this convenience and buy a case that covers buttons and ports too.\n\nA sync or charge cable can be plugged in with the case installed. To use the phone in a dock, you must remove the bottom 1\" of the case -- which separates and slides off leaving the rest of the case still installed. Removing this bottom 1\" is a bit difficult, as it is a tight fit and needs to be pulled \"straight down\" or you risk breaking thin plastic alighnment tabs on each side (reason for 4 star rating instead of 5). It is very easy to reinstall. I decided to forego the dock and just use a cable.\n\nThe holster works very well and appears to be very durable. The clip rotates with firm detents, so it will stay in a vertical or horizontal position and work correctly whether you wear it on your left side, right side, or anywhere in between. The iPhone faces inward, with the glass towards your body and the holster. Although the glass doesn't actually touch the holster, the area of the holster closest to the glass is coated with the same felt-like material as the inside of the case. The spring clip holds the iphone firmly, and the phone is easily snapped in/out of the holster with one hand. It might be possible to accidentally release the clip by brushing against something just right, but I've been using it daily for about 3 weeks now and haven't had this happen.\n\nI don't know how much protection it would add when dropping the phone, and I'm not willing to experiment. If I drop ever drop it, I will update this review at that time. While the case is minimal thickness, the material is flexible and should add SOME impact absorbtion, which in some instances might mean the difference between a bounce and a cracked case or screen.\n\nAll in all, a quality product that provides some protection and a better grip, plus the convenience of a holster at the same time. (Note: The case and holster are sold as a combo, but are also sold separately if you don't want the holster, or want to buy the case now and add the holster later.)","Product: Product Features The pest repeller emits ultrasonic frequency of 22-65KHz, making pests feel uncomfortable by disturbing their central nervous system, just repel pests away without killing them. Parameters - Input Voltage:AC90-250V - Inaudible Ultrasonic Frequency:22 - 65KHz - Output Power:5-6W - Effective Coverage Area:1,200 Sq. Ft. per unit - Operating Temperature Range:0-40?? - Package Including:6 packs Note - If you have any mentioned insect or hamster as pet, please don't use this mouse repellent nearby your pets. - Normally,pests will increase at the beginning of the using days. Because they will get away from the living place after the attack of the ultrasonic.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: USB Ports Really Convenient!\n\nReview: The six USB ports are a great addition, and save a bunch of outlets being used/covered by USB chargers. My old 6-outlet strip really only gave me (3) outlets, because the other three had USB chargers plugged into them. With this strip, the built-in USB power eliminates the need for the charger blocks, and makes all (6) AC outlets usable.\n\nThe power strip measures about 9\" long, by 3-1/4\" wide, and just over 1\" thick. Unlike a lot of power strips with short cords, the cord on this one is nearly 6' long (just over 70\").\n\nThe USB output voltage is rock solid, measured at 5.11v with a 1A load, and 5.04v when loaded with (2) 2.4A devices and (1) 1A device for 5.8A total. This is excellent performance, given that the USB 3.0 specification allows a range of 4.45v - 5.25v. I don't have the equipment to test the surge protection, so I cannot verify that function.\n\nThis has found a home in my office, and I plan to buy another for the kitchen for charging a tablet and phones each night.","Product: Product Features The pest repeller emits ultrasonic frequency of 22-65KHz, making pests feel uncomfortable by disturbing their central nervous system, just repel pests away without killing them. Parameters - Input Voltage:AC90-250V - Inaudible Ultrasonic Frequency:22 - 65KHz - Output Power:5-6W - Effective Coverage Area:1,200 Sq. Ft. per unit - Operating Temperature Range:0-40?? - Package Including:6 packs Note - If you have any mentioned insect or hamster as pet, please don't use this mouse repellent nearby your pets. - Normally,pests will increase at the beginning of the using days. Because they will get away from the living place after the attack of the ultrasonic.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: USB Ports Really Convenient!\n\nReview: The six USB ports are a great addition, and save a bunch of outlets being used/covered by USB chargers. My old 6-outlet strip really only gave me (3) outlets, because the other three had USB chargers plugged into them. With this strip, the built-in USB power eliminates the need for the charger blocks, and makes all (6) AC outlets usable.\n\nThe power strip measures about 9\" long, by 3-1/4\" wide, and just over 1\" thick. Unlike a lot of power strips with short cords, the cord on this one is nearly 6' long (just over 70\").\n\nThe USB output voltage is rock solid, measured at 5.11v with a 1A load, and 5.04v when loaded with (2) 2.4A devices and (1) 1A device for 5.8A total. This is excellent performance, given that the USB 3.0 specification allows a range of 4.45v - 5.25v. I don't have the equipment to test the surge protection, so I cannot verify that function.\n\nThis has found a home in my office, and I plan to buy another for the kitchen for charging a tablet and phones each night.","Product: RUBAN USB automatic barcode scanner scanning barcode bar-code reader with hands free adjustable stand (black) features - brand new & high quality. - With USB port cable, LED and buzzer indicator. - Comfortable operation sense. - Intelligent agc control. - Rich decoded types. Specification: - Interfaces: USB 2.0. - Voltage: DC 5v5%. - Scanning type: Bi-directional. - Scan speed: 200 times/s. - Light source: 650nm visual laser diode. - Handheld switching time: 6s. - Promoting mode: Buzzer indicator lamp. - Printing contract: >25%. - Resolution: 3.3mil. - Bit error rate:1/5million,1/20million. - Scanning width: 30cm. - Button life:50000 times. - Laser life:10000 hours. - Barcode types: Ean-8, ean-13, upc-a, upc-e, code 39, code 93, cod128, ean128, cadaver, industoal 2 of 5, interleave 2 of 5, matrix 2 of 5, msi, Chinese postcode etc. Package include: - 1x cable - 1 x barcode scanner - 1 x stand - 1 x user manual.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: RUBAN USB Barcode Scanner - Light and Fast\n\nReview: This scanner is VERY easy to setup on Windows -- Just plug it in, and it is immediately recognized as a \"keyboard device\" so it works with virtually any software. All programming and option settings are configured by simply scanning barcodes from the user's manual.\n\nThe unit is very light, but is ruggedly constructed. Lots of options, including \"continuous mode\" which eliminates the need to pull the trigger, automatically scanning any barcode placed in front of the unit (works great with the included stand). The \"beep\" tone issued when a barcode is recognized can be change in pitch and volume, or disabled entirely.\n\nI used this to scan hundreds of DVDs into movie database software, and it worked flawlessly. I also tested it with some books and grocery products, just to verify it worked with all those as well. Highly reliable and very fast reads of every code I tried.\n\nExcellent product that is VERY easy to setup, works well, and has plenty of options. Highly recommended!\n\nSample product provided for evaluation and honest review.","Product: The Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle Heavy duty - withstands abuse Fire hose nozzle construction Adjustable spray pattern for all jobs Turns any standard garden hose into multi-function spray tool Patented two-way shutoff Comfort-grip soft rubber Fiberglass reinforced nylon Aircraft aluminum Stainless steel The perfect stream of water for any job\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good but requires maintenance\n\nReview: I bought two of these in Spring 2011. They are \"tough\", work great, and are easy to control with one hand.\n\nWithin a few months, both were leaking a little but not bad enough to warrant a return. By summer 2012 (and now out of warranty), both were leaking badly.\n\nI wrote the company and even though I was out of warranty, they sent replacement o-rings at no charge. It takes less than 5 minutes to take the nozzle apart, take out the old o-rings, put in the new ones, and re-assemble.\n\nAfter replacing the o-rings, both nozzles work like new again. I do wish Bionaire would spend a few cents more on materials, and perhaps use silicon or teflon-encapsulated o-rings that would last longer than a year. But kudos for the overall design, and for standing behind the product even after the warranty is up.\n\nTaking one star away because it requires o-ring replacement every year or two, but otherwise a good product.","Product: Easily protect your yard and garden from deer and rabbits and the damage they cause with Ortho Deer B Gon Deer & Rabbit Repellents. For liquid formulas lightly spray plant leaves, stems, flowers, and branches that need protection. Allow the long-lasting, easy-to-use, no stink formula to dry for 20 minutes before watering. Granule can be applied liberally to the soil around the plants in need of protection. Reapply these products as needed or approximately every 30 days. When you use these repellents near edible plants, do not allow these products to come in contact with those for human or animal consumption.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Has kept the deer away this winter!\n\nReview: I have a small stand of 10 Arborvitae trees that the deer apparently believe I planted just for them. During the rest of the year, I use <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Contech-ScareCrow-Motion-Activated-Sprinklers/dp/B000071NUS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Contech ScareCrow Motion Activated Sprinklers</a> to keep them away. But when freezing weather comes, another approach is needed.\n\nIn past winters, despite using multiple other brands of repellent, the deer have done considerable damage to my arborvitae trees. So this winter I went with a two-pronged approach:\n1) I put up a <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Messina-Repellent-Ribbon/dp/B001U5KH20/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Messina Repellent Ribbon</a>.\n2) I have sprayed the trees (and the repellent ribbon) with this Ortho Deer-B-Gon every three weeks.\n\nSo far, there has been NO damage to the trees this year!! The deer have definitely been through my yard on a regular basis (I have surveillance cameras), but so far they have completely ignored the arborvitaes.\n\nThe built-in sprayer takes a lot of work, as it sprays only a small amount with each \"pull\" of the pump. But it is adequate for small areas. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to spray 10 trees (spraying from ground up to about the 4 foot level).\n\nThe smell is slightly irritating, but not unpleasant. It is \"spicy\" in nature, and if inhaled you can expect to have some nose and throat irritation. I highly recommend spraying when the wind is calm.\n\nAt this point, I recommend Deer-B-Gon for winter protection -- it works!","Product: The Airshield Pro is a self contained lightweight Powered Air Purifying Visor System providing all-in-one protection against dust, non-hazardous fumes and solid particulates, cobmined with eye and face protection against impact and liquid splashes. Unit can be utilized in woodworking applications, laboratory settings, food preperation & processing and agrocultural and horticultural industry.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Top Heavy, Noisy, Expensive\n\nReview: My ten year old Triton powered respirator finally quit. Since the Triton was discontinued, I started searching for something similar to replace it.\n\nThere simply aren't many choices for a powered respirator in this price range. After researching, I decided to give the Trend Airshield Pro a try despite its mixed reviews.\n\nFirst, the good points and why I gave it two stars instead of only one:\n1. The air flow is good,\n2. The filters seem effective at stopping dust,\n3. The battery life is good, with 7+ hours on a charge (my old Triton only lasts about 4 hours).\n\nUnfortunately, the bad points far outnumbered the good.\n1. I found it to be very noisy, because the fan and motor are right on your head. With the Triton's belt-mounted motor/fan, I could still hear my woodturning tools cutting the wood, and I could hear if a car or truck pulled up outside the shop. Not so with the Trend; the noise and vibration from the motor drowned out everything but very loud noises.\n\n2. It leaked air around the shroud, particularly at my ears. The fabric collar did not seal well around of my ears, so there was often air blowing directly across them. This added annoying noise, lowered the flow in front where its really needed, and it was downright uncomfortable having air blowing in my ears. Snapping the ear defenders into place helped with this because they pressed the fabric against my head, but I don't want to wear the ear defenders 100% of the time.\n\n3. The support strap in the top of the helmet was uncomfortable and unstable. Good hard hats / helmets (and this one *should* be good at this price) use multiple fabric straps that conform to the shape of your head and support evenly in all directions. The Trend uses a single, cheap plastic strap horizontally across the top of the head, and that strap has to support the entire weight of the helmet, motor, fan, and battery. A very thin foam wrap around the strap cushions it a little, but not enough -- and the foam began tearing at the seams after adjusting the strap just a few times.\n\n4. The batteries are NiMh, which is acceptable, but at this price point one would expect newer lithium batteries that charge faster and last longer. The battery charger is a cheap, simple transformer that does NOT stop charging when batteries are full. You must manually disconnect it when the batteries are charged to prevent ruining them, but there is no way know exactly when the charge is complete. When smart chargers are available for less than 15 bucks, why is Trend still shipping a cheap $6 transformer instead of a real charger??\n\n5. The weight itself was not an issue for me, as the Trend is only about 1/2 pound heavier than my old Triton helmet. But the position of the weight is very different and problematic. Nearly all of the Trend's 2.8 lbs (with ear defenders) is positioned a couple inches *above* your head, and that gives the weight considerable leverage/moment. It isn't too bad with your head perfectly straight and standing stationary, since the weight is balanced directly above. But when looking slightly below or above horizontal, or moving around the shop, that weight and its high center of gravity causes the helmet to shift uncomfortably and give neck muscles a real workout. After just an hour or so of use at the lathe, the back of my neck was very sore and tired.\n\n6. The ear defenders did not fit my head well, and seemed cheaply made. They have insufficient inward force to seal properly, and as mentioned in another review here, are at an odd angle when the helmet is in its normal position. As a result of not sealing, they were not very effective at blocking noise. They were also difficult to assemble, particularly adding the little \"adapter clips\" that are required for them to snap into the helmet (why aren't these pre-installed?). The cheap plastic \"rods\" that support the muffs felt like they could break at any time from the force required to change positions.\n\n7. The locking adjustment knob at the back did not hold well. To be fair, it worked about 80% of the time -- but the other 20%, after \"clicking\" into the locked position, it would pop back out and loosen up.\n\n8. The visor is supposed to \"tilt up\", so you can keep the helmet on your head while temporarily moving the face shield up out of view. This did not work well at all for two reasons. First, the visor didn't tilt up far enough and the chin-shroud was still hanging down in my eyes. Second, tilting it shifted the motor/battery weight further back, making the entire helmet very \"back heavy\" and even more unstable.\n\n9. Accessories and parts are very expensive. Replacement filters, which are simply two tubes of fabric, sell for 60 dollars. The \"charger\" is a simple 500mA transformer and the charging cradle is a simple piece of plastic with a socket and two electrodes, yet these both sell for over 50 dollars each. Battery packs contain three NiMh AA cells, worth about ten dollars, but sell for over 70 dollars. When considering full life cycle cost, replacement parts and consumables will add considerably to the Trend's already high purchase price.\n\nI really wanted to like the Airshield Pro, but after a couple days my neck muscles were cramping and sore. For someone who works stationary with head level and/or for very short periods, it might be tolerable. But when moving around the shop, or when using it at the lathe and other woodshop tools where line of sight is typically below horizontal, it puts a great deal of strain on the neck. I found it intolerable, if not outright defective due to the air leaks, non-functional ear protectors, slipping adjustment knob, and unusable tilt mechanism. I returned the Trend to Amazon.\n\nWhat's the alternative? I didn't find one at a similar price, but I just couldn't tolerate the Trend so it would have been useless to me at any price. I eventually decided to go with a 3M TR-300-HIK, which is about four times as expensive BUT it is quiet, comfortable, well-balanced, higher quality, NIOSH certified, uses lithium batteries with a smart charger, has regulated air flow, uses a real pleated filter with foam pre-filter (replacements are only 30 bucks), and has rugged, metal-armed Peltor ear protectors that actually fit. The 3M cost way more than I wanted to spend, but is still cheap compared to lung disease.","Product: Philips 433557 23W 100-watt T2 Twister 6500K CFL Light Bulb, 4-Pack\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great \"daylight\" color, same size as incandescent\n\nReview: Some people dislike the \"daylight\" 6500k color temp, but it is EXACTLY what I wanted in my shop.\n\nThey provide nice, even, bright light. They do start at slightly less than full brightness, perhaps 90%, and gradually get to 100% in about 30-45 seconds.\n\nI originally bought some 100w equivalent (19w) Cree 5000k LED bulbs. Light output and color are comparable with these 23W CFL bulbs. The LEDs are 100% instant-on, are rated to last a about 2.5 times as long, use slightly less wattage, and are a little over four times as expensive.\n\nAside from the great output and daylight color, the real advantage of these CFL bulbs is their size/shape: They are almost exactly the same size as a standard incandescent bulb, 4-1/4\" from base to top and 2-3/8\" diameter. The 19w Cree LEDs were 5\" from base to top, and 2-5/8\" in diameter, which makes them too large for some fixtures. These Phillips CFLs fit perfectly in fixtures designed for standard incandescent bulbs.","Product: 3M personal protective equipment sold through Amazon's Industrial and Scientific Department is only intended for US occupational workplace use. This 3M personal protective equipment must be used in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standard (29 CFR 1910.132) and all other applicable health and safety standards, as well as all user instructions, warnings and limitations accompanying each product. It is essential that all product user instructions and government regulations on the use of each product be followed in order for the product to help protect the wearer. Misuse of personal protective equipment may result in injury, sickness, or death. For correct product selection and use, individuals should consult their on-site safety professional or industrial hygienist.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Comfortable, Quiet, and Perfect Fit\n\nReview: Absolutely outstanding quality. Fit PERFECTLY on the 3M Versaflo M100/M300 helmets (I have the M307), and seal PERFECTLY around my ears! I have had three other powered respirator systems, but this is the first one with earmuffs that fit and work 100% as they should.\n\nInstallation is easy and instructions are provided on the box. The earmuffs are labeled for \"right\" and \"left\" (with an X and O, respectively). The M100/M300 helmets have screw attachment holes molded in, so it is just a matter of lining up the holes and installing two included screws on each side.\n\nThe earmuffs are easy to \"click\" into the outward (resting) or inward (sealed on ears) position. When in the outward position, the mounts also rotate back and up to put the earmuffs behind and above the helmet. They add about 9oz to the helmet weight.\n\nComfortable and quiet, with a 24db noise reduction rating. You can't go wrong with 3M and Peltor!"],"string":"[\n \"Product: LOGITECH G35 PC/GAMING HEADSETS\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Sound but some significant flaws\\n\\nReview: There is a lot to like about this headset. Unfortunately, there are significant flaws as well.\\n\\nThe overall design is very nice, with an easy-to-use volume control, 3 programmable keys, a fold-down boom microphone that auto-mutes in the \\\"up\\\" position, along with comfortable ear and head pads. Sound quality is very good, and the 7.1 surround effect (when it works, see below) is amazing. Based on sound quality, comfort, and overall design -- these would get 5 stars. But it doesn't end there.\\n\\nThe surround decoding relies upon the Logitech Gaming System (LGS) software. Unfortunately, Logitech changed the design of LGS in recent versions, such that the G35 is only seen as a two-channel stereo device by Windows. A few software applications will ignore this, and continue to send full surround information to the headset. But most software will query windows and be told the G35 is a stereo-only device, and only output stereo encoded signals. So if you want the surround feature to fully function, you must install an \\\"old\\\" version of LGS, 8.58 or older. If you install the more recent 8.72 or 8.75, you'll get stereo only in most applications and games. *** UPDATE: After many failed attempts, Logitech has finally fixed the surround issue in LGS 8.81, released in March-2016. ***\\n\\nThe cord is horrible. I repeat, HORRIBLE. This stuff is so stiff you could almost make coat hangers from it. The exterior braid is so abrasive you could almost cut firewood with it. The cable kinks easily, drags on your clothing, chair, and desk, and seems to have an inbred talent for constantly getting in your way. Lest you think the G930 (wireless version of the G35) is the answer, you'll find out it has horrible connectivity issues. What temporary insanity possessed the engineers at Logitech and made them choose this cheap, stiff, horrible cable?? At the risk of invalidating my warranty, I will likely replace the cable -- which is no easy feat, thanks to glued components and soldered connections.\\n\\nOthers have noted problems with the plastic joints between the ear cups and head band. I have only had these for a week, so it is too early to tell if mine will crack, but I can certainly attest that the plastic pieces involved are thin and simply don't \\\"look\\\" up to the task. I will be treating these like fine crystal glassware, in the hopes mine will stay together. But come on Logitech, a couple small pieces of metal here would solve this pervasive problem while adding very little to the cost.\\n\\nIf they stay in one piece and you can tolerate the stiff cord, these are great! They are comfortable (except for the cord), have excellent sound, the microphone is crystal clear, the controls are convenient and easy to use. Could easily be a 5-star product, if Logitech would simply beef up the ear cup junctions, fix the surround driver, and provide a flexible cord.\",\n \"Product: The Bluetooth Hands Free Fm Transmitter provides a live full duplex communication solution. It uses Bluetooth technology through FM transmission to your FM car radio. This unit allows you to speak to callers through a built-in DSP microphone (it turns your car stereo into a Giant Bluetooth Headset). All of this is accomplished hassle free without the use of external wires, or expensive custom installation. The device is pairable with any phone equipped with Bluetooth hands-free and stereo A2DP function. Bluetooth A2DP technology enables wireless transmission of music from your iPhone 3Gs and 3G (OS 3.0 Software Update required). With the Bluetooth Hands-free Fm Transmitter you are ready to listen to your favorite tunes without any wire connection!\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Generally works, but cannot use a night\\n\\nReview: I bought this to connect my Iphone 3GS to my Toyota 4Runner stock radio. The phone connects via bluetooth and will stream music to the radio as promised. Incoming calls ring through the speakers, and pressing the button on the Satechi mutes the music and answers the call.\\n\\nI can talk hands free using the built-in microphone, then return to music when the call ends. People at the other end of the call say it sounds like I'm in a \\\"tin box,\\\" but that they can understand me. The volume level of phone calls is different from the volume level of music, thus you have to turn up the volume for phone calls, then turn it down again for the music.\\n\\nThe FM transmission is is not perfect, but it works. There is occassional static/interference from power lines, other cars with their own FM transmitters, or signal bleed from local FM stations. This isn't unique to the Satechi, as I have seen the same comments about similar devices from other manufacturers. It is just the compromise you make for a \\\"wireless\\\" solution that works with your existing radio.\\n\\nI would give this product 3 or 4 stars, except for one thing: The display FLASHES CONSTANTLY when playing music, and it is BRIGHT! This makes it very distracting when driving at night.\\n\\nOverall the unit works as advertised, and if you only drive during the day I could recommend it. But the bright flashing display makes it unusable at night. If you want a unit you can use at night, I recommend looking at other products.\\n\\n*** UPDATE 7-20-2009 ***\\nAs mentioned in other reviews, Satechi technical support is very responsive. They proactively contacted me about the flashing light and are trying to work out a solution. I'll update this review again with the results.\\n\\n*** UPDATE 7-22-2009 ***\\nAfter discussing the problem, Satechi recommended their \\\"Soundfly BT\\\" model instead. It is similar to the BT04, with some added features, but most importantly does NOT have a bright flashing display. They graciously offered an exchange, which is in process now. SATECHI SUPPORT GETS 5 STARS, they have really gone out of their way to contact me, work out the issue, and find a way to make me a satisfied customer. I will post a review of the Soundfly BT unit when the exchange is complete.\",\n \"Product: HP 1410 series switches are unmanaged Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet switches designed for small businesses looking for entry-level, low-cost networking solutions with a lifetime warranty. The HP 1410 switch series consists of seven models with flexible mounting options that allow customers to choose the best switch to meet their network switching needs. All models have QoS support and IEEE 802.3x flow control features to provide outstanding data efficiency. Simplified plug-and-play operation is enabled by features like Auto-MDIX and auto-speed negotiation. HP has innovated and combined the latest advances in silicon technology to provide some of the most power-efficient switches: 16- and 24-port Fast Ethernet models are the industry's first IEEE 802.3az compliant unmanaged Fast Ethernet switches. The available green features, along with the lifetime warranty, make the HP 1410 switch series ideal for customers seeking low-cost and reliable networking solutions.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Performance, Fantastic Warranty!\\n\\nReview: I researched a number of 16-port unmanaged, gigabit switches, and quickly narrowed it down to offerings from Cisco, DLink, and Netgear. Specs and pricing were similar, with the Procurve getting slightly better reviews. Once I found that this HP has a LIFETIME warranty with NEXT BUSINESS DAY REPLACEMENT, the decision was easy.\\n\\nThe switch works great, with full gigabit speeds as promised. The layout and clarity of indicators is excellent, with lighted port numbers indicating a link, flashing port number indicating activity, and a separate LED for each port indicating link rate of 10/100 (off) or 1000 (on).\\n\\nI am using (10) ports with a mixture of PCs, NAS, streaming video devices, and printers. Everything functions perfectly -- including a gigabit connection on a 175+ feet cable to the other end of the house. The switch is \\\"barely warm\\\" to the touch, and perfectly silent (fanless design).\\n\\nI ordered directly from Amazon, so cannot vouch for other sellers. A few earlier reviews complained about the power supply they received, but the supply I got was a pretty standard, slimline \\\"wall-wart\\\". It measures 3\\\" long by 1\\\" wide 2.5\\\" deep, with the 2.5\\\" being the distance it protrudes from the wall socket or power strip when plugged in. It is oriented horizontally to the outlet, so that it doesn't block the other outlet of a standard duplex outlet. The power cord is about 5' long.\\n\\nThoroughly happy with the performance, and with the knowledge that if anything goes wrong I can get a next-business-day replacement with the lifetime guarantee.\",\n \"Product: Rosewill RX-358 U3C SLV Aluminum / Plastic 3.5\\\" Silver USB3.0 & eSATA External Enclosure\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Problems with Esata and Useless Tech Support\\n\\nReview: I purchased two of these primarily for the Esata support to be used with 2tb WD drives. Both fail to mount the drive (i.e., Windows7 never sees the drive) when using Esata. They do work with the same 2tb drives using USB3. They do work with smaller drives (tried 750gb and 1tb) using Esata. Same experience with both enclosures on multiple computers, different cables, different power supplies, Win7 and Win8.\\n\\nContacted Rosewill tech support and told them the 2tb drives wouldn't mount with these enclosures via Esata, and told them the drives were good as they mounted and functioned perfectly in other brand enclosures (Startech) and via USB3 in these enclosures.\\n\\nInstead of help, I got a lecture about how I shouldn't be swapping drives between enclosures, and told they needed to be reformatted to work. HELLO? I had already explained that they won't mount and cannot be initialized/formatted in that condition. And that they work fine (formatted, initialized, fully functional) in the same enclosure via USB3. The ONLY reason I tried a different enclousre was to verify the drives themselves were good, which they are. The second Rosewill tech said he would escalate the issue and I would get a call/email back. It's been 10 days now, and NO response.\\n\\nGiven that the USB3 works fine, but Esata fails with the advance format drives, I was inclined to give this three stars even though the Esata is essential for me personally. But the poor technical support experience forces me to deduct another and we end up with two.\\n\\nIf you don't intend to use large advanced format drives, or don't intend to use Esata, and never have need for tech support -- then this is a good enclosure. It is well built, the fan keeps the drive cool, and USB3 functions well. But if you need Esata and larger drive support, I recommend staying away from this enclosure.\",\n \"Product: For users with cases that only support external USB 3.0 (Type A) connectors, the SilverStone CP09 adapter cable is a must have when upgrading to motherboards with internal 19pin USB 3.0 header. It converts two external USB 3.0 type A connectors via a pair of flexible cables to a single 19pin connector for connecting to internal USB 3.0 headers.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good solution for Antec P183v3 case\\n\\nReview: I recently bought an Antec P183v3 case, which has a front panel USB3 port. Unfortunately, the cable for that port terminates in a normal USB \\\"A\\\" connector rather than an Internal header plug. Antec expects you to run this \\\"pass through\\\" cable out the back of the machine and plug it into one of the rear USB3 ports. After reading those instructions, I wondered why Antec didn't recommend securing it with bailing wire and some chewing gum.\\n\\nThis adapter came to the rescue, eliminating that mess and keeping the back USB3 ports open. Plugged into the motherboard USB3 header, it provides to USB \\\"A\\\" sockets to which the Antec front panel cable could connect.\\n\\nMy only complaint is that the cables are a bit short and stiff, making positioning/routing a little bit more challenging that it could be. But all in all, it seems to be of high quality materials and provided a good solution to the problem.\",\n \"Product: The Foscam FI9831W Megapixel Wireless IP Camera features high definition 1280 x 960p video resolution, h.264 video compression, built-in DVR via SD card (upto 32gb), two-way audio, Wi-Fi-N capability, pan/tilt, remote internet viewing, motion detection, night-vision as well as network video recording capability. In addition, it is smartphone compatible (iPhone, Android - app required) as well as viewable over the internet using standard browsers on PC (Firefox, IE & Chrome) or Mac (Safari only). The camera functions well as a smartphone baby, pet or elderly parent monitor or as part of a complete home/office security system with remote internet monitoring ability. (Securing Your Foscam Camera - Important Notice)The FI9831W improves on the FI8910W by adopting high performance media and video processors capable of H.264 video compression which allows for ultra-smooth high definition video transmission, increased FPS and minimal bandwidth consumption. In addition, due to the small file sizes produced by H.264 video compression it has the ability to save tremendous disk space when doing video recording.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Best Value in IP Cameras\\n\\nReview: The best of the Foscam models so far, in my opinion. Great video quality, good night performance (with and without IR illumination), reasonably stable firmware, and good pan/tilt performance.\\n\\nSetting the camera up on your network will require some effort. Particularly if you want to access the camera when you are away from home, you will need to understand IP addresses, DHCP reservations or static assignments, DDNS, and port forwarding. If you don't know what those things are, enlist help from a knowledgeable friend or family member, or consider Foscam's paid setup support.\\n\\nI have seven of these in my house, facing out windows. All have been running at least 6 months, 24 hours x 7 days. All still function perfectly, including video, audio, and pan/tilt.\\n\\nBeware that when located inside a window you cannot use the IR illumination at night. If you do, it will simply reflect off the window directly into the lens. Fortunately, the IR can be disabled. And even more fortunately, this camera has very good low-light performance -- so if you have an outdoor floodlight or street lamp nearby, the view is surprisingly good at night.\\n\\nVideo can be set to 960P, 720P, 640x480, 640x360, 320x240, or 320x180. Frame rates up to 30fps are supported. A \\\"main stream\\\" and \\\"substream\\\" with separate settings allow simultaneous access to streams appropriate for high-bandwidth or low-bandwidth (such as mobile) locations.\\n\\nI have added a couple photos -- one day, one night -- from the same camera. The illumination in the night photo is from a <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Lithonia-2-LED-Floodlight/dp/B004QXRU6O/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Lithonia 2-LED Floodlight</a>, equivalent to two standard 100w incandescent floods. The green vertical line is an aberration from the window it looks through.\\n\\nThe camera supports a variety of advanced features, including video recording/playback to onboard SD card, and emailing or FTP of motion alerts. Again, setting up email or FTP requires some technical expertise so plan to enlist some help if you aren't a computer nerd.\\n\\nIf you have multiple cameras, especially different brands/models, then I highly recommend abandoning the camera's web interface and purchasing the <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/BlueIris-Professional/dp/B008YD80KC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">BlueIris Professional</a> software. (NOTE: As of this writing, Amazon has only version3 -- but version4 is available). It is a fantastic program, and very well supported by the author. BlueIris supports just about every IP camera made, thus integrating multiple brands/models into a single interface. It's capabilities for motion detection, recording, alerts, and email far surpass the built-in capabilities of any web cam. It also acts as a server for the iPhone/Android app of the same name, providing all the same capabilities on your mobile devices.\\n\\nNone of the IPCams I have tried are \\\"perfect\\\", but especially when coupled with the BlueIris software these Foscam 9831W's perform very well at a decent price.\",\n \"Product: white colors\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent Sound, Great Fit!\\n\\nReview: I was a bit confused when I first received these, as there are a bunch of different wing-shaped silicone pieces and NO instructions on how to choose, install, or position them. I had to look at the photos provided in other Amazon reviews to figure out how to use them. But I have to say that is my only complaint about these great headphones!\\n\\nWith the lack of instructions overcome, those \\\"wing-shaped silicone pieces\\\" are absolute GENIUS. I have never had a pair of ear buds held so solidly, so comfortably. Once you find the correct size \\\"wing\\\" for your ear, and get it rotated into the proper position, it fits perfectly and comfortably supports the entire assembly.\\n\\nThe sound quality is very good as well. Unlike many in this price range, these have great bass that rivals what I have experienced from ear buds costing 3x as much. Mid and high range is good too.\\n\\nThe instruction manual is well-written and covers electronic functions such as power on/off, pairing, volume/track control, and so forth very well. I would suggest that SoundPeats add some instructions/photos showing how to use the wing-shaped support pieces. But other than that, the instruction manual is more comprehensive and written better than those I have received with similar products from other manufacturers.\\n\\nA very nice rigid, zippered case is included, as are three sizes of ear-buds, many sizes of ear supports, and a short USB charging cable. These paired easily with my iPhone, iPad, and a Dish Network DVR. All controls worked as expected.\\n\\nCharging requires removing a small silicone plug which covers the micro-USB receptacle. The plug is tight, making it a little difficult to remove, but on balance that tightness is needed to keep the receptacle protected from water/sweat. When charging, the indicator LED on the RH earphone glows red. It changes to blue when fully charged. Battery life has been about 5-6 hours.\\n\\nBottom line: Great sound quality, secure and comfortable fit, easy to use controls, lots of different support pieces provided that should allow fitting just about anyone's ears. (Sample product provided for evaluation and review.)\",\n \"Product: The new EVGA GeForce GTX 980 is powered by the next-generation NVIDIA Maxwell architecture, giving you incredible performance, unmatched power efficiency, and cutting-edge features. Maxwell is the most advanced GPU architecture ever made, designed to be the engine of next-generation gaming. Inspired by light, it was designed to solve some of the most complex lighting and graphics challenges in visual computing. For the first time, gaming GPUs can dynamically render indirect light using the new VXGI (Voxel Global Illumination technology. Scenes are significantly more lifelike as light interacts more realistically in the game environment. Incredible Speed and Power Efficiency The GTX 980 is the world's fastest GPU and the GTX 970 offers the most advanced performance in its class. Each delivers 2x the performance of previous-generation cards, bringing new gaming experiences to virtual reality, HD, and ultra-resolution 4K displays. Dynamic Super Resolution Technology Enable the detail of 4K monitors, on a 1080P display. DSR produces smoother images by rendering a game at a high resolution, then downscaling it to the native resolution of the display using advanced filtering. Super-Smooth and Stutter-Free GeForce GTX 980 and 970 cards support tear-free, super-fast NVIDIA G-Sync monitor display technology, including 4K. Together, these technologies provide the most immersive and competitive gaming experiences possible.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Another Great Card from EVGA\\n\\nReview: Solid performance, low power consumption and runs cool!\\n\\nI bought this to upgrade an EVGA 680. Not only does the 980 have double the pixel rate of the 680, it does it while using less power (165w vs 195w) and running about 10C cooler. Simply amazing.\\n\\nThis is the \\\"reference\\\" card, which out-of-the-box is a bit slower than the \\\"superclocked\\\" versions. However, you can increase the GPU and Memory clocks via EVGA's free \\\"PrecisionX\\\" software.\\n\\nThis is my third EVGA branded NVidia card. Why EVGA? Go spend some time on their forums, and see how they handle things like firmware problems and RMAs. I've never had a problem, but it is comforting to know the support is there if I ever do. And investigate their \\\"step up\\\" program, where anytime within 90 days you can upgrade to a different product for just the price difference.\",\n \"Product: Seidios SURFACE Combo includes a SURFACE case and SURFACE holster. The SURFACE case is sleek and provides protection from scratches and drops while adding minimal bulk to your Apple iPhone 3G/3GS. Slip the case into a secure spring-clip SURFACE holster for the ultimate carrying solution.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent case and holster\\n\\nReview: This is an excellent case and holster.\\n\\nThe case fits the 3G and 3GS like a glove, fully covering the back except for the Apple logo. Some protection is afforded the logo since it is below the level of the case, but those who want to fully protect the logo will want to cover it (perhaps with a piece of screen protector film). It adds minimally to the iPhone size, as it is only 1-2mm thick and shaped to exactly fit the curves of the phone.\\n\\nThe inside is coated with a felt-like material that gives a tight fit and prevents scratches. The edges wrap around and over the chrome bezel, putting them about 1-2 milimeters above the level of the glass screen. This provides some very minor protection for the screen, in that if you lay the phone face-down on a flat surface (like a desk) the glass is supported 1-2mm above the desk rather than touching. But those who want full screen protection will still want to add a screen protector film.\\n\\nThe exterior has a matte or \\\"silk\\\" finish. This provides enough friction to be easily held without slipping from your hand, yet is not \\\"grippy\\\" like the silicon cases and will therefore slide in/out of a pocket or pouch easily and without gathering lint. All controls and ports are fully exposed and conveniently accessible, but this also means there is no protection from splashes/rain. If you are frequently in wet enviornments, you may want to forego this convenience and buy a case that covers buttons and ports too.\\n\\nA sync or charge cable can be plugged in with the case installed. To use the phone in a dock, you must remove the bottom 1\\\" of the case -- which separates and slides off leaving the rest of the case still installed. Removing this bottom 1\\\" is a bit difficult, as it is a tight fit and needs to be pulled \\\"straight down\\\" or you risk breaking thin plastic alighnment tabs on each side (reason for 4 star rating instead of 5). It is very easy to reinstall. I decided to forego the dock and just use a cable.\\n\\nThe holster works very well and appears to be very durable. The clip rotates with firm detents, so it will stay in a vertical or horizontal position and work correctly whether you wear it on your left side, right side, or anywhere in between. The iPhone faces inward, with the glass towards your body and the holster. Although the glass doesn't actually touch the holster, the area of the holster closest to the glass is coated with the same felt-like material as the inside of the case. The spring clip holds the iphone firmly, and the phone is easily snapped in/out of the holster with one hand. It might be possible to accidentally release the clip by brushing against something just right, but I've been using it daily for about 3 weeks now and haven't had this happen.\\n\\nI don't know how much protection it would add when dropping the phone, and I'm not willing to experiment. If I drop ever drop it, I will update this review at that time. While the case is minimal thickness, the material is flexible and should add SOME impact absorbtion, which in some instances might mean the difference between a bounce and a cracked case or screen.\\n\\nAll in all, a quality product that provides some protection and a better grip, plus the convenience of a holster at the same time. (Note: The case and holster are sold as a combo, but are also sold separately if you don't want the holster, or want to buy the case now and add the holster later.)\",\n \"Product: Product Features The pest repeller emits ultrasonic frequency of 22-65KHz, making pests feel uncomfortable by disturbing their central nervous system, just repel pests away without killing them. Parameters - Input Voltage:AC90-250V - Inaudible Ultrasonic Frequency:22 - 65KHz - Output Power:5-6W - Effective Coverage Area:1,200 Sq. Ft. per unit - Operating Temperature Range:0-40?? - Package Including:6 packs Note - If you have any mentioned insect or hamster as pet, please don't use this mouse repellent nearby your pets. - Normally,pests will increase at the beginning of the using days. Because they will get away from the living place after the attack of the ultrasonic.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: USB Ports Really Convenient!\\n\\nReview: The six USB ports are a great addition, and save a bunch of outlets being used/covered by USB chargers. My old 6-outlet strip really only gave me (3) outlets, because the other three had USB chargers plugged into them. With this strip, the built-in USB power eliminates the need for the charger blocks, and makes all (6) AC outlets usable.\\n\\nThe power strip measures about 9\\\" long, by 3-1/4\\\" wide, and just over 1\\\" thick. Unlike a lot of power strips with short cords, the cord on this one is nearly 6' long (just over 70\\\").\\n\\nThe USB output voltage is rock solid, measured at 5.11v with a 1A load, and 5.04v when loaded with (2) 2.4A devices and (1) 1A device for 5.8A total. This is excellent performance, given that the USB 3.0 specification allows a range of 4.45v - 5.25v. I don't have the equipment to test the surge protection, so I cannot verify that function.\\n\\nThis has found a home in my office, and I plan to buy another for the kitchen for charging a tablet and phones each night.\",\n \"Product: Product Features The pest repeller emits ultrasonic frequency of 22-65KHz, making pests feel uncomfortable by disturbing their central nervous system, just repel pests away without killing them. Parameters - Input Voltage:AC90-250V - Inaudible Ultrasonic Frequency:22 - 65KHz - Output Power:5-6W - Effective Coverage Area:1,200 Sq. Ft. per unit - Operating Temperature Range:0-40?? - Package Including:6 packs Note - If you have any mentioned insect or hamster as pet, please don't use this mouse repellent nearby your pets. - Normally,pests will increase at the beginning of the using days. Because they will get away from the living place after the attack of the ultrasonic.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: USB Ports Really Convenient!\\n\\nReview: The six USB ports are a great addition, and save a bunch of outlets being used/covered by USB chargers. My old 6-outlet strip really only gave me (3) outlets, because the other three had USB chargers plugged into them. With this strip, the built-in USB power eliminates the need for the charger blocks, and makes all (6) AC outlets usable.\\n\\nThe power strip measures about 9\\\" long, by 3-1/4\\\" wide, and just over 1\\\" thick. Unlike a lot of power strips with short cords, the cord on this one is nearly 6' long (just over 70\\\").\\n\\nThe USB output voltage is rock solid, measured at 5.11v with a 1A load, and 5.04v when loaded with (2) 2.4A devices and (1) 1A device for 5.8A total. This is excellent performance, given that the USB 3.0 specification allows a range of 4.45v - 5.25v. I don't have the equipment to test the surge protection, so I cannot verify that function.\\n\\nThis has found a home in my office, and I plan to buy another for the kitchen for charging a tablet and phones each night.\",\n \"Product: RUBAN USB automatic barcode scanner scanning barcode bar-code reader with hands free adjustable stand (black) features - brand new & high quality. - With USB port cable, LED and buzzer indicator. - Comfortable operation sense. - Intelligent agc control. - Rich decoded types. Specification: - Interfaces: USB 2.0. - Voltage: DC 5v5%. - Scanning type: Bi-directional. - Scan speed: 200 times/s. - Light source: 650nm visual laser diode. - Handheld switching time: 6s. - Promoting mode: Buzzer indicator lamp. - Printing contract: >25%. - Resolution: 3.3mil. - Bit error rate:1/5million,1/20million. - Scanning width: 30cm. - Button life:50000 times. - Laser life:10000 hours. - Barcode types: Ean-8, ean-13, upc-a, upc-e, code 39, code 93, cod128, ean128, cadaver, industoal 2 of 5, interleave 2 of 5, matrix 2 of 5, msi, Chinese postcode etc. Package include: - 1x cable - 1 x barcode scanner - 1 x stand - 1 x user manual.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: RUBAN USB Barcode Scanner - Light and Fast\\n\\nReview: This scanner is VERY easy to setup on Windows -- Just plug it in, and it is immediately recognized as a \\\"keyboard device\\\" so it works with virtually any software. All programming and option settings are configured by simply scanning barcodes from the user's manual.\\n\\nThe unit is very light, but is ruggedly constructed. Lots of options, including \\\"continuous mode\\\" which eliminates the need to pull the trigger, automatically scanning any barcode placed in front of the unit (works great with the included stand). The \\\"beep\\\" tone issued when a barcode is recognized can be change in pitch and volume, or disabled entirely.\\n\\nI used this to scan hundreds of DVDs into movie database software, and it worked flawlessly. I also tested it with some books and grocery products, just to verify it worked with all those as well. Highly reliable and very fast reads of every code I tried.\\n\\nExcellent product that is VERY easy to setup, works well, and has plenty of options. Highly recommended!\\n\\nSample product provided for evaluation and honest review.\",\n \"Product: The Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle Heavy duty - withstands abuse Fire hose nozzle construction Adjustable spray pattern for all jobs Turns any standard garden hose into multi-function spray tool Patented two-way shutoff Comfort-grip soft rubber Fiberglass reinforced nylon Aircraft aluminum Stainless steel The perfect stream of water for any job\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good but requires maintenance\\n\\nReview: I bought two of these in Spring 2011. They are \\\"tough\\\", work great, and are easy to control with one hand.\\n\\nWithin a few months, both were leaking a little but not bad enough to warrant a return. By summer 2012 (and now out of warranty), both were leaking badly.\\n\\nI wrote the company and even though I was out of warranty, they sent replacement o-rings at no charge. It takes less than 5 minutes to take the nozzle apart, take out the old o-rings, put in the new ones, and re-assemble.\\n\\nAfter replacing the o-rings, both nozzles work like new again. I do wish Bionaire would spend a few cents more on materials, and perhaps use silicon or teflon-encapsulated o-rings that would last longer than a year. But kudos for the overall design, and for standing behind the product even after the warranty is up.\\n\\nTaking one star away because it requires o-ring replacement every year or two, but otherwise a good product.\",\n \"Product: Easily protect your yard and garden from deer and rabbits and the damage they cause with Ortho Deer B Gon Deer & Rabbit Repellents. For liquid formulas lightly spray plant leaves, stems, flowers, and branches that need protection. Allow the long-lasting, easy-to-use, no stink formula to dry for 20 minutes before watering. Granule can be applied liberally to the soil around the plants in need of protection. Reapply these products as needed or approximately every 30 days. When you use these repellents near edible plants, do not allow these products to come in contact with those for human or animal consumption.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Has kept the deer away this winter!\\n\\nReview: I have a small stand of 10 Arborvitae trees that the deer apparently believe I planted just for them. During the rest of the year, I use <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Contech-ScareCrow-Motion-Activated-Sprinklers/dp/B000071NUS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Contech ScareCrow Motion Activated Sprinklers</a> to keep them away. But when freezing weather comes, another approach is needed.\\n\\nIn past winters, despite using multiple other brands of repellent, the deer have done considerable damage to my arborvitae trees. So this winter I went with a two-pronged approach:\\n1) I put up a <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Messina-Repellent-Ribbon/dp/B001U5KH20/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Messina Repellent Ribbon</a>.\\n2) I have sprayed the trees (and the repellent ribbon) with this Ortho Deer-B-Gon every three weeks.\\n\\nSo far, there has been NO damage to the trees this year!! The deer have definitely been through my yard on a regular basis (I have surveillance cameras), but so far they have completely ignored the arborvitaes.\\n\\nThe built-in sprayer takes a lot of work, as it sprays only a small amount with each \\\"pull\\\" of the pump. But it is adequate for small areas. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to spray 10 trees (spraying from ground up to about the 4 foot level).\\n\\nThe smell is slightly irritating, but not unpleasant. It is \\\"spicy\\\" in nature, and if inhaled you can expect to have some nose and throat irritation. I highly recommend spraying when the wind is calm.\\n\\nAt this point, I recommend Deer-B-Gon for winter protection -- it works!\",\n \"Product: The Airshield Pro is a self contained lightweight Powered Air Purifying Visor System providing all-in-one protection against dust, non-hazardous fumes and solid particulates, cobmined with eye and face protection against impact and liquid splashes. Unit can be utilized in woodworking applications, laboratory settings, food preperation & processing and agrocultural and horticultural industry.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Top Heavy, Noisy, Expensive\\n\\nReview: My ten year old Triton powered respirator finally quit. Since the Triton was discontinued, I started searching for something similar to replace it.\\n\\nThere simply aren't many choices for a powered respirator in this price range. After researching, I decided to give the Trend Airshield Pro a try despite its mixed reviews.\\n\\nFirst, the good points and why I gave it two stars instead of only one:\\n1. The air flow is good,\\n2. The filters seem effective at stopping dust,\\n3. The battery life is good, with 7+ hours on a charge (my old Triton only lasts about 4 hours).\\n\\nUnfortunately, the bad points far outnumbered the good.\\n1. I found it to be very noisy, because the fan and motor are right on your head. With the Triton's belt-mounted motor/fan, I could still hear my woodturning tools cutting the wood, and I could hear if a car or truck pulled up outside the shop. Not so with the Trend; the noise and vibration from the motor drowned out everything but very loud noises.\\n\\n2. It leaked air around the shroud, particularly at my ears. The fabric collar did not seal well around of my ears, so there was often air blowing directly across them. This added annoying noise, lowered the flow in front where its really needed, and it was downright uncomfortable having air blowing in my ears. Snapping the ear defenders into place helped with this because they pressed the fabric against my head, but I don't want to wear the ear defenders 100% of the time.\\n\\n3. The support strap in the top of the helmet was uncomfortable and unstable. Good hard hats / helmets (and this one *should* be good at this price) use multiple fabric straps that conform to the shape of your head and support evenly in all directions. The Trend uses a single, cheap plastic strap horizontally across the top of the head, and that strap has to support the entire weight of the helmet, motor, fan, and battery. A very thin foam wrap around the strap cushions it a little, but not enough -- and the foam began tearing at the seams after adjusting the strap just a few times.\\n\\n4. The batteries are NiMh, which is acceptable, but at this price point one would expect newer lithium batteries that charge faster and last longer. The battery charger is a cheap, simple transformer that does NOT stop charging when batteries are full. You must manually disconnect it when the batteries are charged to prevent ruining them, but there is no way know exactly when the charge is complete. When smart chargers are available for less than 15 bucks, why is Trend still shipping a cheap $6 transformer instead of a real charger??\\n\\n5. The weight itself was not an issue for me, as the Trend is only about 1/2 pound heavier than my old Triton helmet. But the position of the weight is very different and problematic. Nearly all of the Trend's 2.8 lbs (with ear defenders) is positioned a couple inches *above* your head, and that gives the weight considerable leverage/moment. It isn't too bad with your head perfectly straight and standing stationary, since the weight is balanced directly above. But when looking slightly below or above horizontal, or moving around the shop, that weight and its high center of gravity causes the helmet to shift uncomfortably and give neck muscles a real workout. After just an hour or so of use at the lathe, the back of my neck was very sore and tired.\\n\\n6. The ear defenders did not fit my head well, and seemed cheaply made. They have insufficient inward force to seal properly, and as mentioned in another review here, are at an odd angle when the helmet is in its normal position. As a result of not sealing, they were not very effective at blocking noise. They were also difficult to assemble, particularly adding the little \\\"adapter clips\\\" that are required for them to snap into the helmet (why aren't these pre-installed?). The cheap plastic \\\"rods\\\" that support the muffs felt like they could break at any time from the force required to change positions.\\n\\n7. The locking adjustment knob at the back did not hold well. To be fair, it worked about 80% of the time -- but the other 20%, after \\\"clicking\\\" into the locked position, it would pop back out and loosen up.\\n\\n8. The visor is supposed to \\\"tilt up\\\", so you can keep the helmet on your head while temporarily moving the face shield up out of view. This did not work well at all for two reasons. First, the visor didn't tilt up far enough and the chin-shroud was still hanging down in my eyes. Second, tilting it shifted the motor/battery weight further back, making the entire helmet very \\\"back heavy\\\" and even more unstable.\\n\\n9. Accessories and parts are very expensive. Replacement filters, which are simply two tubes of fabric, sell for 60 dollars. The \\\"charger\\\" is a simple 500mA transformer and the charging cradle is a simple piece of plastic with a socket and two electrodes, yet these both sell for over 50 dollars each. Battery packs contain three NiMh AA cells, worth about ten dollars, but sell for over 70 dollars. When considering full life cycle cost, replacement parts and consumables will add considerably to the Trend's already high purchase price.\\n\\nI really wanted to like the Airshield Pro, but after a couple days my neck muscles were cramping and sore. For someone who works stationary with head level and/or for very short periods, it might be tolerable. But when moving around the shop, or when using it at the lathe and other woodshop tools where line of sight is typically below horizontal, it puts a great deal of strain on the neck. I found it intolerable, if not outright defective due to the air leaks, non-functional ear protectors, slipping adjustment knob, and unusable tilt mechanism. I returned the Trend to Amazon.\\n\\nWhat's the alternative? I didn't find one at a similar price, but I just couldn't tolerate the Trend so it would have been useless to me at any price. I eventually decided to go with a 3M TR-300-HIK, which is about four times as expensive BUT it is quiet, comfortable, well-balanced, higher quality, NIOSH certified, uses lithium batteries with a smart charger, has regulated air flow, uses a real pleated filter with foam pre-filter (replacements are only 30 bucks), and has rugged, metal-armed Peltor ear protectors that actually fit. The 3M cost way more than I wanted to spend, but is still cheap compared to lung disease.\",\n \"Product: Philips 433557 23W 100-watt T2 Twister 6500K CFL Light Bulb, 4-Pack\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great \\\"daylight\\\" color, same size as incandescent\\n\\nReview: Some people dislike the \\\"daylight\\\" 6500k color temp, but it is EXACTLY what I wanted in my shop.\\n\\nThey provide nice, even, bright light. They do start at slightly less than full brightness, perhaps 90%, and gradually get to 100% in about 30-45 seconds.\\n\\nI originally bought some 100w equivalent (19w) Cree 5000k LED bulbs. Light output and color are comparable with these 23W CFL bulbs. The LEDs are 100% instant-on, are rated to last a about 2.5 times as long, use slightly less wattage, and are a little over four times as expensive.\\n\\nAside from the great output and daylight color, the real advantage of these CFL bulbs is their size/shape: They are almost exactly the same size as a standard incandescent bulb, 4-1/4\\\" from base to top and 2-3/8\\\" diameter. The 19w Cree LEDs were 5\\\" from base to top, and 2-5/8\\\" in diameter, which makes them too large for some fixtures. These Phillips CFLs fit perfectly in fixtures designed for standard incandescent bulbs.\",\n \"Product: 3M personal protective equipment sold through Amazon's Industrial and Scientific Department is only intended for US occupational workplace use. This 3M personal protective equipment must be used in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standard (29 CFR 1910.132) and all other applicable health and safety standards, as well as all user instructions, warnings and limitations accompanying each product. It is essential that all product user instructions and government regulations on the use of each product be followed in order for the product to help protect the wearer. Misuse of personal protective equipment may result in injury, sickness, or death. For correct product selection and use, individuals should consult their on-site safety professional or industrial hygienist.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Comfortable, Quiet, and Perfect Fit\\n\\nReview: Absolutely outstanding quality. Fit PERFECTLY on the 3M Versaflo M100/M300 helmets (I have the M307), and seal PERFECTLY around my ears! I have had three other powered respirator systems, but this is the first one with earmuffs that fit and work 100% as they should.\\n\\nInstallation is easy and instructions are provided on the box. The earmuffs are labeled for \\\"right\\\" and \\\"left\\\" (with an X and O, respectively). The M100/M300 helmets have screw attachment holes molded in, so it is just a matter of lining up the holes and installing two included screws on each side.\\n\\nThe earmuffs are easy to \\\"click\\\" into the outward (resting) or inward (sealed on ears) position. When in the outward position, the mounts also rotate back and up to put the earmuffs behind and above the helmet. They add about 9oz to the helmet weight.\\n\\nComfortable and quiet, with a 24db noise reduction rating. You can't go wrong with 3M and Peltor!\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":17,"string":"17"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":282,"string":"282"}}},{"rowIdx":283,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A72QUL7C44DL6"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Arm your dogs with our first new design of the reflective neoprene dog harness in FLUORESCENT colors! This is the editor's pick for the breezy Spring & Summer time, which represents Blueberry Pet's new take on the Reflective Neoprene dog harnesses. Already tired of those dull dark shades of neoprene dog harnesses? This spring is the time for you to update your pooches' wardrobe. The neoprene material exhibits good stability and maintains extra comfort. Embedded with 3M reflective materials on part of the webbing, this harness ensures that your pooches are seen even during night time. This new design is available in 4 fluorescent colors, pink, orange, yellow and green.\". The summary of the review text is \"Give your dog comfort with this great harness!\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"The Blueberry padded dog harness vest is a great product! This harness comes in three different sizes and four different colors; sizes available are s/s, s/m, and m/m, the colors available are: green, orange, yellow, and pink. I always like a variety of colors so this is a plus for me. The harness have a nice neoprene layer which gives it a great feel and also protects from oil, heat, and weathering. The harness is also made with 3M reflective material which makes this a great harness for those dark walks! The overall quality of this harness is excellent and my dog seems to love it! I have had no issues what so ever!\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"The Blueberry padded dog harness vest is a great product! This harness comes in three different sizes and four different colors; sizes available are s/s, s/m, and m/m, the colors available are: green, orange, yellow, and pink. I always like a variety of colors so this is a plus for me. The harness have a nice neoprene layer which gives it a great feel and also protects from oil, heat, and weathering. The harness is also made with 3M reflective material which makes this a great harness for those dark walks! The overall quality of this harness is excellent and my dog seems to love it! I have had no issues what so ever!\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: A classic. You'll reach for it every time the wind gets blustery and the temperatures drop. Not only warm, but comfortable, too. Our acrylic watch hat is made of stretchable, 100% acrylic rib-knit fabric for warmth and comfort.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Keep your head warm this winter and look great at the same time with this great hat!\n\nReview: The Hipster Acrylic Knit Watch Hat is a very high quality hat! This hat is a one size fits all and has a fold over cuff; the fold over cuff has a nice hipster label on it. This hat is made from 100% acrylic rib-knit fabric. This hat truly is a one size fits all; I have used this, my husband, and my 7 year old son and it worked just great for all 3 of us! This hat is not only fashionable and great looking it does a great job at keeping your head warm in all weather conditions! I am so happy to see that this hat is available in a total of 6 colors because this way I can purchase one of each and have different colors for different days and know that every day my head is going to stay nice and warm! This is an excellent hat and I highly recommend this for all to give a try; you will not find this great of a hat anywhere for a price as low!\n\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.","Product: If you are an avid outdoors men then you'd know that a good backpack is one of the most important accessory. Then this heavy duty tactical backpack is your ideal choice. Upgrade version: features spacious main compartment with zip around closure, interior zip pocket and mesh pocket, attach detachable & removable zipper single shoulder bag, zipper change purse, which can be use single or attach on the backpack, the detachable bag are an excellent way to stay organized and conveniently locate all of your important tools. This backpack shoulder bag is good for any outdoor, hiking, traveling, cycling and school use. Features: it is crafted from 600d polyester fabric, high intensity and durable. Features spacious main compartment with zip around closure, interior zip pocket and mesh pocket, attach detachable & removable zipper single shoulder bag, zipper change purse. Front storage zip compartments. Grab top handle. Padded and adjustable shoulder straps. Side compression straps. Adjustable & removable chest belt and hip belt. Breathable mesh backing for comfort. Item type: backpacks. backpack usage: normal camping & hiking. size: 48cm(h)*30cm(w)*25cm(l) (18.9*11.8*9.8Inch).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A great backpack for a great price!\n\nReview: This is such a great backpack; I love all the extra things it has! I love that there are detachable bags including; the two detachable bags are a shoulder bag and a zipper change purse. The shoulder bag comes with an extra strap that can be put on and taken off easily and quickly! The two detachable bags are very nice and come with Velcro straps! The backpack has padded and adjustable shoulder straps that are extremely comfortable; as well as side compression straps! The backpack also comes with an adjustable and removable chest belt and hip belt! I really love this backpack and how nice it is! I am very pleased with the overall quality of the backpack and cannot believe the low price! This backpack is more than worth the cost; you will not find a backpack this great anywhere else for such a low price!\n\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.","Product: ****GET MAXIMUM FAT-BURNING, AB TONING RESULTS: Designed especially to target your abdominal area and midsection, this belt will burn stomach fat much faster, leaving you with faster, more improved results****CONTOUR, TONE AND SHRINK YOUR WAIST: This belt can be worn to the gym, while running, or simply throughout the day while performing your daily tasks and activities. It will do its job, while you do yours! ****INCREASES BLOOD-FLOW AND REDUCES CELLULITE: The Dream Trimmer Belt promotes blood flow due to an increase in pressure around the midsection. Increased and stimulated blood flow produces an increase in expelling excess water and toxins from the body, thus resulting in better weight-loss results. The Dream Trimmer also targets cellulite and works its way to decrease visibility****IMPROVE YOUR STANCE & POSTURE: Your stance and your lower back muscles will strengthen, and your back will be heated, causing it to soothe back muscles. The all-around firmness will allow you to stand upright more comfortably, with added support****DREAM TRIMMER SLIP-ON TIGHT-GRIP FIT: The Dream Trimmer differs from all other sweat belt products, due to the unique slip-on technology. The belt is designed to be pulled on, rather than strapped on via Velcro. The reason for this design is that it promotes equilibrium of pressure, and evenly distributes firmness all around your midsection, whereas Velcro belts tend to loosen, or slip off during workouts.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Lose that weight you have been trying so hard to with this great waist trimmer!\n\nReview: This waist trimmer sold by Dream Trimmer is a great product available for both males and females in sizes small, medium, and large for women and sizes medium, large, and extra-large in males. Prior to purchasing this I would double check measurements because you cant always go by small, medium, large etc I would go by your measurements. This waist trimmer is different from most in that you pull this one on instead of using Velcro to put in on and keep it in place; this gives it a nice tight fit without slipping or sliding which is great! This waist trimmer really does work wonders; after my first use I couldn't believe how much sweat there was! The waist trimmer is very comfortable which adds lots of pluses for me; I hate uncomfortable clothing when I am exercising! The overall quality and make of this waist trimmer is excellent I am very pleased and highly recommend it for all!\n\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.","Product: Our sweater design is great for small to medium sized dogs with back length from 8\" through 20\". Inspired by the end-of-the-year holiday season, our designer went beyond and created this gorgeous Fair Isle style sweater for your lovely pooch in this special time of the year. This Fair Isle style dog sweater is ideal for winter and autumn time when your pooches need some extra care. Expertly crafted from the soft acrylic material, this sweater features a timeless Fair Isle pattern throughout the sweater in a handpicked color combination of midnight blue and cream. This is a master piece that represents classic with contemporary kicksand characters. The best part is that we have magically managed to add the golden tinsel threads all over the pattern for a fancy holiday look. Your pooches will appreciate how warm and cozy this sweater is, because they feel like being cuddled up by a fire place!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Keep your dog fashionable and warm this winter with this great dog coat!\n\nReview: The baseball style jacket for my dog was excellent; the quality of the material is great! The jacket fit my dog perfectly and looked absolutely amazing on her; I was very pleased and I am pretty sure she was happy with it to; she really looked great! The jacket is also nice because it has two harness holes on the top for easy access when going outside or on walks! The dog sweater seems to be keeping my dog nice and warm when she is outside; since she has been wearing it she seems to want to be outside longer and not whining as much when its cold outside! The overall quality is excellent and I highly recommend this for all dogs!\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.","Product: Perfect for any small/medium breed, this classic harness looks great on outdoor excursions. The durable canvas outer lining and fleece inner lining feel so soft and the harness is perfect for supporting your dog's shoulders and chest.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Give your dog the comfort they deserve with this great harness!\n\nReview: This dog harness is vest is a nice product to have for your dog! This really is a great dog harness that really helps to stop the pulling habit with the leash hook being on the top! I got mine in a medium in this fit my dog pretty well; it was a little baggy in spots but she still has some growing to do so it will turn out to be a perfect fit! This harness really gives me better control of her without choking her and having her hurt from a collar digging into her neck when she pulls! I am very pleased with this dog harness and recommend all to give it a try!\n\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.","Product: From our Summer-Ready Pastel Must-have Collection, this dog harness is beautifully crafted with trendy pastel colors and comfy styles. One special thing about this harness is the super soft neoprene layer, which exhibits good stability and maintains extra comfort. This harness is also made with 3M reflective thread stitching on its webbing to ease the worry about losing your loved pets. This designer dog harness is available in 4 pastel colors: baby pink, misty blue, orange and green. Other buyers are emptying our racks! What are you waiting for? This is your last chance - get your pets prepared in a high-end neoprene dog harness from the pastel color trends.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Feel safe with this 3M reflective harness!\n\nReview: The no pull dog harness is definitely a must have with dogs! This really is a great dog harness with its 3M reflective threads; this makes it great for walking, running, or jogging and night and easily being seen! The harness has a layer of neoprene which makes this that much better; the neoprene gives its a very comfortable feel as well as keeping the product in good shape! When ordering this product you do want to make sure you carefully measure your dog to make sure the measurements are precise as the chest strap on this harness is not adjustable and as always you want a nice secure fit for safety reasons as well! The harness does come with a collar that matches the harness! I cant tell you how comfortable this is to wear because I cannot physically wear it; but I can tell you that it feels very comfortable and my dog seems to have no problems with it what so ever! I am extremely pleased with how well this product is made and highly recommend to all dog owners!\n\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.","Product: This fleece pullover sweater justifies Blueberry Pet's quality and style. As the buzz goes round the office, everyone is so interested in this piece that could be wearing on a daily basis. Our special winter must have combines the chic look of a sweater with the warmth and softness of fleece. With the timeless classic sweater structure and the cozy shu velveteen material, your loved pets will find plenty of comfort in this well-designed dog sweater/pullover! We have some design details to fascinate our customers and loved pets: fake pockets for style, smart leash holes, and the striped patterns of the neckline and hem. I bet you are now wondering where to order and how to order. Don't hesitate, order now!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Keep your dog fashionable and warm this winter with this great dog coat!\n\nReview: The baseball style jacket for my dog was excellent; the quality of the material is great! The jacket fit my dog perfectly and looked absolutely amazing on her; I was very pleased and I am pretty sure she was happy with it to; she really looked great! The jacket is also nice because it has two harness holes on the top for easy access when going outside or on walks! The dog sweater seems to be keeping my dog nice and warm when she is outside; since she has been wearing it she seems to want to be outside longer and not whining as much when its cold outside! The overall quality is excellent and I highly recommend this for all dogs!\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.","Product: Inspired by the urban chic concept, this harness is Blueberry Pet's first attempt for the classic diamond pattern. Who said only ladies would be allowed to have diamond cuts on their ring fingers. Now, no matter it is a gentleman pup or a lady pup, they are free to pick the either the yellow adorned with light grey or the bold red with dark turquoise bottom layer. Made from high quality neoprene and polyester, this harness is created with heavy duty stitching and materials that would sustain the naughty hard-players in your house. It's strong enough for large breeds, yet light enough for smaller ones. Don't hesitate to get this harness because it is a one-of-a-kind harness that will help you spot your pup anywhere!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Get great control with this dog harness..\n\nReview: This dog harness by Blueberry Pet is excellent! I love that this harness is made from high quality neoprene and polyester. I love using this harness on my dog because I know the stitching and quality of the harness is excellent and I have nothing to worry about while using this with my dog. This harness comes in two different colors and two different sizes; the colors available are red and dark turquoise and yellow and gray, these are available in sizes small and medium. I got this harness is size small and that fits my beagle perfect. On the harness there is a loop that is near the logo make sure not to use this one for the dog leash this is designed only to hold dog charms, tags, pendants, etc. I am very pleased with this dog harness in all areas and highly recommend it to all!\n\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review"],"string":"[\n \"Product: A classic. You'll reach for it every time the wind gets blustery and the temperatures drop. Not only warm, but comfortable, too. Our acrylic watch hat is made of stretchable, 100% acrylic rib-knit fabric for warmth and comfort.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Keep your head warm this winter and look great at the same time with this great hat!\\n\\nReview: The Hipster Acrylic Knit Watch Hat is a very high quality hat! This hat is a one size fits all and has a fold over cuff; the fold over cuff has a nice hipster label on it. This hat is made from 100% acrylic rib-knit fabric. This hat truly is a one size fits all; I have used this, my husband, and my 7 year old son and it worked just great for all 3 of us! This hat is not only fashionable and great looking it does a great job at keeping your head warm in all weather conditions! I am so happy to see that this hat is available in a total of 6 colors because this way I can purchase one of each and have different colors for different days and know that every day my head is going to stay nice and warm! This is an excellent hat and I highly recommend this for all to give a try; you will not find this great of a hat anywhere for a price as low!\\n\\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: If you are an avid outdoors men then you'd know that a good backpack is one of the most important accessory. Then this heavy duty tactical backpack is your ideal choice. Upgrade version: features spacious main compartment with zip around closure, interior zip pocket and mesh pocket, attach detachable & removable zipper single shoulder bag, zipper change purse, which can be use single or attach on the backpack, the detachable bag are an excellent way to stay organized and conveniently locate all of your important tools. This backpack shoulder bag is good for any outdoor, hiking, traveling, cycling and school use. Features: it is crafted from 600d polyester fabric, high intensity and durable. Features spacious main compartment with zip around closure, interior zip pocket and mesh pocket, attach detachable & removable zipper single shoulder bag, zipper change purse. Front storage zip compartments. Grab top handle. Padded and adjustable shoulder straps. Side compression straps. Adjustable & removable chest belt and hip belt. Breathable mesh backing for comfort. Item type: backpacks. backpack usage: normal camping & hiking. size: 48cm(h)*30cm(w)*25cm(l) (18.9*11.8*9.8Inch).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A great backpack for a great price!\\n\\nReview: This is such a great backpack; I love all the extra things it has! I love that there are detachable bags including; the two detachable bags are a shoulder bag and a zipper change purse. The shoulder bag comes with an extra strap that can be put on and taken off easily and quickly! The two detachable bags are very nice and come with Velcro straps! The backpack has padded and adjustable shoulder straps that are extremely comfortable; as well as side compression straps! The backpack also comes with an adjustable and removable chest belt and hip belt! I really love this backpack and how nice it is! I am very pleased with the overall quality of the backpack and cannot believe the low price! This backpack is more than worth the cost; you will not find a backpack this great anywhere else for such a low price!\\n\\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: ****GET MAXIMUM FAT-BURNING, AB TONING RESULTS: Designed especially to target your abdominal area and midsection, this belt will burn stomach fat much faster, leaving you with faster, more improved results****CONTOUR, TONE AND SHRINK YOUR WAIST: This belt can be worn to the gym, while running, or simply throughout the day while performing your daily tasks and activities. It will do its job, while you do yours! ****INCREASES BLOOD-FLOW AND REDUCES CELLULITE: The Dream Trimmer Belt promotes blood flow due to an increase in pressure around the midsection. Increased and stimulated blood flow produces an increase in expelling excess water and toxins from the body, thus resulting in better weight-loss results. The Dream Trimmer also targets cellulite and works its way to decrease visibility****IMPROVE YOUR STANCE & POSTURE: Your stance and your lower back muscles will strengthen, and your back will be heated, causing it to soothe back muscles. The all-around firmness will allow you to stand upright more comfortably, with added support****DREAM TRIMMER SLIP-ON TIGHT-GRIP FIT: The Dream Trimmer differs from all other sweat belt products, due to the unique slip-on technology. The belt is designed to be pulled on, rather than strapped on via Velcro. The reason for this design is that it promotes equilibrium of pressure, and evenly distributes firmness all around your midsection, whereas Velcro belts tend to loosen, or slip off during workouts.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Lose that weight you have been trying so hard to with this great waist trimmer!\\n\\nReview: This waist trimmer sold by Dream Trimmer is a great product available for both males and females in sizes small, medium, and large for women and sizes medium, large, and extra-large in males. Prior to purchasing this I would double check measurements because you cant always go by small, medium, large etc I would go by your measurements. This waist trimmer is different from most in that you pull this one on instead of using Velcro to put in on and keep it in place; this gives it a nice tight fit without slipping or sliding which is great! This waist trimmer really does work wonders; after my first use I couldn't believe how much sweat there was! The waist trimmer is very comfortable which adds lots of pluses for me; I hate uncomfortable clothing when I am exercising! The overall quality and make of this waist trimmer is excellent I am very pleased and highly recommend it for all!\\n\\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: Our sweater design is great for small to medium sized dogs with back length from 8\\\" through 20\\\". Inspired by the end-of-the-year holiday season, our designer went beyond and created this gorgeous Fair Isle style sweater for your lovely pooch in this special time of the year. This Fair Isle style dog sweater is ideal for winter and autumn time when your pooches need some extra care. Expertly crafted from the soft acrylic material, this sweater features a timeless Fair Isle pattern throughout the sweater in a handpicked color combination of midnight blue and cream. This is a master piece that represents classic with contemporary kicksand characters. The best part is that we have magically managed to add the golden tinsel threads all over the pattern for a fancy holiday look. Your pooches will appreciate how warm and cozy this sweater is, because they feel like being cuddled up by a fire place!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Keep your dog fashionable and warm this winter with this great dog coat!\\n\\nReview: The baseball style jacket for my dog was excellent; the quality of the material is great! The jacket fit my dog perfectly and looked absolutely amazing on her; I was very pleased and I am pretty sure she was happy with it to; she really looked great! The jacket is also nice because it has two harness holes on the top for easy access when going outside or on walks! The dog sweater seems to be keeping my dog nice and warm when she is outside; since she has been wearing it she seems to want to be outside longer and not whining as much when its cold outside! The overall quality is excellent and I highly recommend this for all dogs!\\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: Perfect for any small/medium breed, this classic harness looks great on outdoor excursions. The durable canvas outer lining and fleece inner lining feel so soft and the harness is perfect for supporting your dog's shoulders and chest.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Give your dog the comfort they deserve with this great harness!\\n\\nReview: This dog harness is vest is a nice product to have for your dog! This really is a great dog harness that really helps to stop the pulling habit with the leash hook being on the top! I got mine in a medium in this fit my dog pretty well; it was a little baggy in spots but she still has some growing to do so it will turn out to be a perfect fit! This harness really gives me better control of her without choking her and having her hurt from a collar digging into her neck when she pulls! I am very pleased with this dog harness and recommend all to give it a try!\\n\\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: From our Summer-Ready Pastel Must-have Collection, this dog harness is beautifully crafted with trendy pastel colors and comfy styles. One special thing about this harness is the super soft neoprene layer, which exhibits good stability and maintains extra comfort. This harness is also made with 3M reflective thread stitching on its webbing to ease the worry about losing your loved pets. This designer dog harness is available in 4 pastel colors: baby pink, misty blue, orange and green. Other buyers are emptying our racks! What are you waiting for? This is your last chance - get your pets prepared in a high-end neoprene dog harness from the pastel color trends.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Feel safe with this 3M reflective harness!\\n\\nReview: The no pull dog harness is definitely a must have with dogs! This really is a great dog harness with its 3M reflective threads; this makes it great for walking, running, or jogging and night and easily being seen! The harness has a layer of neoprene which makes this that much better; the neoprene gives its a very comfortable feel as well as keeping the product in good shape! When ordering this product you do want to make sure you carefully measure your dog to make sure the measurements are precise as the chest strap on this harness is not adjustable and as always you want a nice secure fit for safety reasons as well! The harness does come with a collar that matches the harness! I cant tell you how comfortable this is to wear because I cannot physically wear it; but I can tell you that it feels very comfortable and my dog seems to have no problems with it what so ever! I am extremely pleased with how well this product is made and highly recommend to all dog owners!\\n\\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: This fleece pullover sweater justifies Blueberry Pet's quality and style. As the buzz goes round the office, everyone is so interested in this piece that could be wearing on a daily basis. Our special winter must have combines the chic look of a sweater with the warmth and softness of fleece. With the timeless classic sweater structure and the cozy shu velveteen material, your loved pets will find plenty of comfort in this well-designed dog sweater/pullover! We have some design details to fascinate our customers and loved pets: fake pockets for style, smart leash holes, and the striped patterns of the neckline and hem. I bet you are now wondering where to order and how to order. Don't hesitate, order now!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Keep your dog fashionable and warm this winter with this great dog coat!\\n\\nReview: The baseball style jacket for my dog was excellent; the quality of the material is great! The jacket fit my dog perfectly and looked absolutely amazing on her; I was very pleased and I am pretty sure she was happy with it to; she really looked great! The jacket is also nice because it has two harness holes on the top for easy access when going outside or on walks! The dog sweater seems to be keeping my dog nice and warm when she is outside; since she has been wearing it she seems to want to be outside longer and not whining as much when its cold outside! The overall quality is excellent and I highly recommend this for all dogs!\\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: Inspired by the urban chic concept, this harness is Blueberry Pet's first attempt for the classic diamond pattern. Who said only ladies would be allowed to have diamond cuts on their ring fingers. Now, no matter it is a gentleman pup or a lady pup, they are free to pick the either the yellow adorned with light grey or the bold red with dark turquoise bottom layer. Made from high quality neoprene and polyester, this harness is created with heavy duty stitching and materials that would sustain the naughty hard-players in your house. It's strong enough for large breeds, yet light enough for smaller ones. Don't hesitate to get this harness because it is a one-of-a-kind harness that will help you spot your pup anywhere!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Get great control with this dog harness..\\n\\nReview: This dog harness by Blueberry Pet is excellent! I love that this harness is made from high quality neoprene and polyester. I love using this harness on my dog because I know the stitching and quality of the harness is excellent and I have nothing to worry about while using this with my dog. This harness comes in two different colors and two different sizes; the colors available are red and dark turquoise and yellow and gray, these are available in sizes small and medium. I got this harness is size small and that fits my beagle perfect. On the harness there is a loop that is near the logo make sure not to use this one for the dog leash this is designed only to hold dog charms, tags, pendants, etc. I am very pleased with this dog harness in all areas and highly recommend it to all!\\n\\nAmazon disclaimer: This product was provided at little to no cost for the purpose of inspection and an unbiased review\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":8,"string":"8"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":283,"string":"283"}}},{"rowIdx":284,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A2WEH6H5AGO94E"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of classic albums from 1972 that are available for the first time on CD. Both albums were produced by Billy Sherrill and feature background vocals by The Jordanaires. Bedtime Story includes two chart hits, the title track reaching #1 and 'Reach Out Your Hand' peaking at #2. The album peaked at # 7 and remained on the Billboard chart for 26 weeks. My Man includes three #1 singles, 'Good Lovin', 'Til I Get It Right' and the title track. The album peaked at #2 and remained on the Billboard chart for 22 weeks. In 1998 Tammy was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, having sold more than 30 million records, reached #1 some 20 times and became the first female country artist to sell a million albums.\". The summary of the review text is \"terrific Tammy Wynette two-fer from 1972\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"From \"Bedtime Story\" (1972) - #7 country/ #133 pop LP\n- \"Bedtime Story\" (1972) - #1 country/ #86 pop single\n- \"Reach Out Your Hand\" (1972) - #2 country\n\nFrom \"My Man\" ('72-73) - #2 country LP\n- \"Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)\" (1971) - #1 country/ #111 pop single\n- \"My Man\" (1972) - #1 country\n- \"'Til I Get it Right\" (1973) - #1 country/ #102 pop\n\nCherry Red/Morello Records deserve kudos for providing us 1970s country/Tammy Wynette fans with this stellar two-fer CD package teaming consecutive classic LPs that sound stunningly vibrant. The original album cover photography is preserved, with its exquisite portraits: Tammy reading to toddler daughter Georgette (currently a superb traditional country vocalist in her own right) on \"Bedtime Story\" and looking classically beautiful on \"My Man.\" The attractive eight-page booklet includes two pages of well-limned, informative, context-supplying notes by country music author and historian Tony Byworth.\n\nThe warm and charming \"Bedtime Story\" is a fine one to start the proceedings, but it's not merely a matter of heartfelt ballads (at which Tammy excelled) throughout, as the irrepressibly catchy, uptempo \"My Man\" proves beyond a doubt. \"'Til I Get It Right\" is subtle and subdued - a masterpiece of quiet determination which is among her very best.\n\nThere are a few cover versions of recent records by other female country artists, such as Brenda Lee (\"If This Is Our Last Time\"), Jean Shepard (\"Just As Soon As I Get Over Loving You\"), and Donna Fargo (the massive crossover hit \"The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.\"). The latter was probably unnecessary - just too big, familiar and indelible a smash hit. However, it's intriguing to hear her excellent interpretation of her then husband George Jones's recent #2 country hit \"Loving You Could Never Be Better.\"\n\n\"The Bridge of Love\" is an unusual track (it was also a B-side) for Tammy Wynette in that it contains an overt social message in the manner of Henson Cargill's \"Skip a Rope\" and Ray Stevens' \"Everything Is Beautiful,\" extolling brotherhood, love and interracial tolerance in the context of children (representing hope for the future). \"Bridge of Love\" cleverly (and hauntingly) incorporates part of the children's tune \"London Bridge Is Falling Down.\"\n\nI suppose some of the material here could easily have come out sappy and clichd in the hands of a lesser artist, but it would be hard to find anyone who sang with more emotional sincerity and commitment than Tammy Wynette. Not just her voice but her phrasing are marvels of nature. My problem with some jazz vocalists is their style over substance. Tammy's brand of syllable and note-bending was completely natural and motivated by her feelings and connection to the lyrics; it was never studied or manufactured for effect. She just had it! And fortunately producer Billy Sherrill knew what to do with it, placing her in the most compatible musical settings. No one's voice ever blended more beautifully than hers when backed by a twangy pedal steel guitar; while the Jordainaires and the Nashville edition provided the sympathetic background harmonies on these two LPs. Also of note is that back-to-back tracks on \"My Man\" were co-written by Tammy; and unsurprisingly they fit her like a glove.\n\nThis two-fer is indispensable for TW fans."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"From \"Bedtime Story\" (1972) - #7 country/ #133 pop LP\n- \"Bedtime Story\" (1972) - #1 country/ #86 pop single\n- \"Reach Out Your Hand\" (1972) - #2 country\n\nFrom \"My Man\" ('72-73) - #2 country LP\n- \"Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)\" (1971) - #1 country/ #111 pop single\n- \"My Man\" (1972) - #1 country\n- \"'Til I Get it Right\" (1973) - #1 country/ #102 pop\n\nCherry Red/Morello Records deserve kudos for providing us 1970s country/Tammy Wynette fans with this stellar two-fer CD package teaming consecutive classic LPs that sound stunningly vibrant. The original album cover photography is preserved, with its exquisite portraits: Tammy reading to toddler daughter Georgette (currently a superb traditional country vocalist in her own right) on \"Bedtime Story\" and looking classically beautiful on \"My Man.\" The attractive eight-page booklet includes two pages of well-limned, informative, context-supplying notes by country music author and historian Tony Byworth.\n\nThe warm and charming \"Bedtime Story\" is a fine one to start the proceedings, but it's not merely a matter of heartfelt ballads (at which Tammy excelled) throughout, as the irrepressibly catchy, uptempo \"My Man\" proves beyond a doubt. \"'Til I Get It Right\" is subtle and subdued - a masterpiece of quiet determination which is among her very best.\n\nThere are a few cover versions of recent records by other female country artists, such as Brenda Lee (\"If This Is Our Last Time\"), Jean Shepard (\"Just As Soon As I Get Over Loving You\"), and Donna Fargo (the massive crossover hit \"The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.\"). The latter was probably unnecessary - just too big, familiar and indelible a smash hit. However, it's intriguing to hear her excellent interpretation of her then husband George Jones's recent #2 country hit \"Loving You Could Never Be Better.\"\n\n\"The Bridge of Love\" is an unusual track (it was also a B-side) for Tammy Wynette in that it contains an overt social message in the manner of Henson Cargill's \"Skip a Rope\" and Ray Stevens' \"Everything Is Beautiful,\" extolling brotherhood, love and interracial tolerance in the context of children (representing hope for the future). \"Bridge of Love\" cleverly (and hauntingly) incorporates part of the children's tune \"London Bridge Is Falling Down.\"\n\nI suppose some of the material here could easily have come out sappy and clichd in the hands of a lesser artist, but it would be hard to find anyone who sang with more emotional sincerity and commitment than Tammy Wynette. Not just her voice but her phrasing are marvels of nature. My problem with some jazz vocalists is their style over substance. Tammy's brand of syllable and note-bending was completely natural and motivated by her feelings and connection to the lyrics; it was never studied or manufactured for effect. She just had it! And fortunately producer Billy Sherrill knew what to do with it, placing her in the most compatible musical settings. No one's voice ever blended more beautifully than hers when backed by a twangy pedal steel guitar; while the Jordainaires and the Nashville edition provided the sympathetic background harmonies on these two LPs. Also of note is that back-to-back tracks on \"My Man\" were co-written by Tammy; and unsurprisingly they fit her like a glove.\n\nThis two-fer is indispensable for TW fans."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Brilliant cinematography, an imaginative screenplay, haunting ballads, and splendid acting combine in this enchanting fantasy based on French legend. The Devil sends two envoys to Earth in the form of a minstrel couple to wreak anarchy on hapless mortals. Much to the Devil's dismay, instead of corrupting the human race, he finds he has no lasting power over affairs of the heart.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: beautifully restored Criterion DVD version of Marcel Carn's \"Les Visiteurs du soir\"\n\nReview: This now 70-year-old French film by the great Marcel Carn has undergone a meticulous digital restoration for its dbut on DVD, and one can again fully appreciate the superb black and white cinematography. The soundtrack has had an impeccable 24-bit remastering, and the new English subtitles are well translated and easy to read on the screen. Also included in the new DVD package is an informative 2009 French documentary on the making of this film in 1942 under Nazi occupation and the Vichy government. In addition, there is a booklet with seven pages of text by film critic and author Michael Atkinson and seven pages of photographs from the film.\n\nAs for the film itself, a romantic fantasy set in medieval France and based on legend, I felt I should dock it a star because it so obviously suffers in comparison to its successor, Carn's ultimate masterpiece, \"Les Enfants du Paradis\" (\"The Children of Paradise\"). After a brilliant start (through the whole banquet sequence), the film gets progressively bogged down in its convoluted plot (that takes too long to resolve itself), becoming overly talky and a bit tedious in the process. However, the ending is so iconic that much of this can be forgiven.\n\nWorth noting is the comment by the renowned French film critic Georges Sadoul regarding \"Les Visiteurs du soir\" (with which I would concur): that some of \"the fantasy is rather forced.\" However, for appreciators and students of French cinema, this is a film that should not be missed, given its historical context. It launched a trend of other notable French films under the Occupation that, beneath a veneer of ostensibly escapist fare that eluded the Fascist censors, contained a subversive subtext of a yearning to be free from the forces of oppression.","Product: As nervy as it is hilarious, this screwball masterpiece from Ernst Lubitsch (Trouble in Paradise) stars Jack Benny (The Jack Benny Program) and, in her final screen appearance, Carole Lombard (My Man Godfrey) as husband-and-wife thespians in Nazi-occupied Warsaw who become caught up in a dangerous spy plot. TO BE OR NOT TO BE is a Hollywood film of the boldest black humor, which went into production soon after the U.S. entered World War II. Lubitsch manages to brilliantly balance political satire, romance, slapstick, and urgent wartime suspense in a comic high-wire act that has never been equaled.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Bold and brilliant anti-Fascist farce -- excellent Criterion Collection package\n\nReview: Everything came together in this superbly nuanced 1942 Ernst Lubitsch comedy filmed in '41 and set in 1939 Warsaw (Poland), except for the timing of its initial release. Between the completion of filming and the film's premiere the U.S. was attacked and brought into the world war; and the film's charismatic female star, Carole Lombard, who gave her finest screen performance here (completely commanding in her comedy and her alluring, enigmatic sexiness), was killed in a plane crash returning home from a war bond rally. With two major comedy-squelching strikes against it, the film was nearly defeated altogether by blasts from short-sighted critics who claimed to be offended by any number of superficial elements (as well as the subject matter itself: farcical satire of Nazis in a defeated and occupied European country), while making no real effort to understand it on a deeper and more subtle level. This was Lubitsch's best film in virtually every aspect of its production, especially its meticulously worked-out story and screenplay in collaboration with the Hungarian and American dramatists Melchior Lengyel and Edwin Justus Mayer, respectively.\n\nThe term \"theater of war\" applies literally to this film, as a troupe of Warsaw stage actors led by husband-and-wife stars Joseph and Maria Tura (Jack Benny and Carole Lombard) cleverly and courageously perform a mission involving a series of risky off-stage performances, with some tricky impersonations, to take down a respected professor operating as a high-level spy and informer for the Nazis. The film is often suspenseful, ironically heightening the impact of the comedy, both in its hilarious running verbal and sight gags and sudden comic surprises. Benny is right there comedically with Lombard, absolutely at the top of his game, and is the only performer in radio, TV or film history who could have pulled off the ingenious, tailor-made (Lubitsch was the son of a tailor in Germany) final scene to perfection.\n\nThere are a number of remarkable supporting performances, featuring several by Lubitsch film veterans: Sig Ruman's Colonel Ehrhardt set the comic template for the overweight, minimally competent, buffoonish yes-man (or \"Heil\"-man) German officer still seen two decades later in watered-down form on \"Hogan's Heroes\"; Felix Bressart's Greenberg provides a moving Jewish perspective; and Tom Dugan as the troupe's faux-Hitler delivers two of the funniest lines in the film. Stanley Ridges nails his villainous role of Professor Siletsky, who subverts his intellectualism to fit Nazi ideology (which is truly frightening). Robert Stack, 17 years before becoming TV's Eliot Ness, plays the heroic young military pilot, who although he is on Joseph Tura (Benny)'s side patriotically, is a thorn in his side due to his romantic obsession with his wife. (Stack is a bit too stiff to be convincing, so it's Benny's exasperated reactions to him that have to be relied upon to derive comedy from this character.)\n\nBoth the black-and-white picture transfer (kept in the original aspect ratio of 137:1) and the sound remastering (24-bit) are top-notch. There is a new audio commentary by film historian David Kalat who loves this film and knows everything about it. Disc Two contains a 53-minute 2010 scholarly French documentary on Lubitsch's film career. The clips are good, but attention, TALKING HEADS ALERT! There is also the 45-minute 1916 silent film comedy, \"Pinkus's Shoe Palace,\" which Lubitsch directed and starred in, playing the Jewish title character who goes from academic failure to rising to the top of the shoe-biz ladder. And finally we get to hear a couple of half-hour radio plays from 1940 and 1943. The first features Jack Benny, Claudette Colbert, Basil Rathbone and Lubitsch as themselves in an extended one-joke routine about Benny's prodigious ego being deflated as he tries to talk his way into a starring screen role. The second is an adaptation of \"To Be Or Not to Be\" starring real-life husband and wife William Powell and Diana Lewis as the Turas, with Sig Ruman reprising his Colonel Ehrhardt. After viewing the film this reduction for radio feels like a perfunctory and hollow exercise (although Ruman still has his same impeccable comic delivery).\n\nThe 28-page accompanying photographically illustrated booklet contains an informative essay on the film, as well as an intriguing Ernst Lubitsch NY Times op-ed defending \"To Be Or Not to Be.\"","Product: Arrow Video UK Edition\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) superb Criterion restoration of a landmark post-WW2 American film\n\nReview: More crime drama/police procedural/manhunt picture than film noir, the real star is New York City itself and the Academy Award winning black-and-white cinematography of Williams Daniels. This was the earliest scripted American film for major release to shoot so extensively on location in a major urban center (107 different real NYC locations).\n\nThe story of murderers and jewel thieves - albeit Oscar nominated - is not really of exceptional quality; and the script has its strained moments, for sure. However, everything is elevated by the phenomenal realism created by the use of all the NYC locations: from the police precinct headquarters, to high society luxury digs, to the teeming squalor of the Lower East Side - and with notable scenes involving elevated trains, a skyscraper under construction and the Williamsburg Bridge. There are two suspenseful foot chase sequences: one at night and one in the daytime.\n\nThe film is full of real people in the background caught in the bustle of their daily lives; and because it was filmed in NYC, a number of secondary roles were cast with then little-known New York stage actors who would later move to Hollywood and become familiar character actors in movies and TV.\n\nThere is, however, a certain unevenness to the film, as its intended semi-documentary style occasionally clashes with the standard melodrama inherent in the script and in the acting styles of some cast members. Somewhat surprisingly, the seemingly miscast (at first glance) Barry Fitzgerald as the veteran lead detective (Det. Lt. Muldoon, with his full familiar Barry Fitzgerald Irish brogue) proves to be highly credible in the role, portraying a reliable pre-WW2-era department holdover.\n\nMuldoon's young protg, Halloran (Don Taylor), recently promoted after the war (in which he served valorously), is a believable presence as a stalwart All-American role-model type with an indefatigable work ethic, stirring one's sympathies and sense of optimism for an America emerging from a long and painful struggle for survival. That the film's co-writer (Albert Maltz) and director (Jules Dassin) would subsequently be blacklisted by Hollywood (Maltz imprisoned and Dassin exiled to Europe) was a sick irony promulgated by cowardly American Fascists and anti-Semites with far too much power and privilege, along with their craven La La Land bootlickers and turncoats.\n\nThis is a new, restored high-definition digital transfer. DVD extra features include a 16-page booklet with a new essay on the film; screenwriter Malvin Ward's commentary from the 1990s; two interviews with scholar-experts offering analyses of both the film and its use of NYC locations; and most special is a 40-minute 2004 interview (in front of an appreciative audience) with the 92-year-old Jules Dassin, whose memory, personal charm and sense of humor were very much intact.","Product: Second release for Georgette on the Heart Of Texas Label, a Justin Trevino production with a duet with Amber Digby on Run Woman Run. Excellent Fiddle, Steel and usual Traditional Country Production. Strong Enough To Cry Don't Come Back Till you Love Me Run Woman Run (w/ Amber Digby) Making Love All Wrong I just Don't Give A Damn A Day Late, A Diamond Short Rainbow Colored Words Broken, Bitter or Better I'm Not Even Close Ways To Make You Talk Where Were You I Don't Love You\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Throwback that's a keeper\n\nReview: 1970 was undeniably a great year for country music, with exceptional artists such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Charley Pride, Lynn Anderson, Sonny James and Mel Tillis all riding high on the country charts. But the reigning king and queen of the genre were George Jones and Tammy Wynette, who that year presented the world their daughter Georgette. And now we have a CD album by Georgette Jones called \"Strong Enough to Cry\" that is truly worthy of her heritage. Not only does it hearken back to the classic era of the seventies, but it is also reminiscent of in-between-generation artists like Janie Fricke and Lorrie Morgan (the latter's catalog being the source of the title song here). What this extraordinarily impressive album does NOT do is cave in to the lamentable trend of today's overhyped, sugar-glazed, pop-rock-oriented lame excuse for \"country music,\" which features only the most clichd and mediocre concessions to what was the golden age of real country music. This is not the place to come if you want to hear screamin', rocked-up GUEE-tar licks and empty-headed drinkin'-beer-on-the-weekend throwaway stuff. Instead, the depth of emotion that Georgette Jones invests in her music will linger with you for a good long while and make you want to come back for more.\n\nGeorgette fronts a group of stellar musicians here who adhere to sublimely tasteful and tuneful traditional arrangements, produced to a timeless tee by Justin Trevino at Heart of Texas Studio in Brady, Texas. Gorgeous steel guitar throughout by Jamie Lennon and the finely honed fiddle of Reggie Rueffer at just the right moments contribute mightily to the pure country appeal. The real revelations of this album are the three original songs co-written by Georgette. The ballad of this bunch, \"Broken, Bitter or Better,\" is a stunner - beautiful almost beyond belief as it deals with making the wisest choices when confronting life's realities. The uptempo \"Ways to Make You Talk\" is beguilingly sexy and clever at the same time; and the final track, \"(I'm Gonna) Out Love You\" (unfortunately mislabeled as \"I Don't Love You\") contains a vow that you'd better believe this woman with whom you have just spent 39 minutes can make good on! The other nine songs, including the aforementioned title track, are well-chosen and well-executed covers, most notably the song \"Run Woman Run\" (done here as a duet with the phenomenal Amber Digby), which her mom took to number one a couple of weeks before she was born. Her voice at times echoes her mother's in a most beautiful and affecting way. She also takes on her father's \"I Just Don't Give a Damn,\" infusing it with an it's-about-time, distaff-side perspective. There are a pair of Johnny Bush (another chart artist in 1970) covers, including the achingly lovely \"Rainbow Colored Words.\"\n\nHighest recommendation possible to Georgette Jones and \"Strong Enough to Cry.\" Here's hoping for a new year (2012) in which an album as superb as this one will be awarded the recognition it richly merits. I'm betting there won't be a more beautiful or a better original song this year than \"Broken, Bitter or Better.\"","Product: 2012 release from the Canadian Jazz vocalist. Another step in her rich and inspired career finds Susie Arioli pushing back the limits of her art with All the Way. The vivacious singer invites US to follow her on a sublime adventure as she brings her finely modulated voice to bear on 13 numbers drawn from the immortal repertoire of the Great American Songbook. Displaying the maturity of performers who are in it for the long haul, Arioli brings her singular touch to legendary themes that she tackles with heartwarming delight. This seventh studio recording reveals her to be in full possession of her talents, her vocal register extended further than ever, and very much conserving the unique sensibility that has been captivating an ever growing public for many years now.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: What a difference \"un jour\" makes!\n\nReview: The only misstep on this otherwise superb CD album is its somewhat soporific start with \"My Funny Valentine\" and \"Time on My Hands.\" Pretty, but too slow and similar to be up top consecutively. Instead, listeners should try starting with the last three tracks (11-13): \"Un jour de diffrence\" (a French-language version of \"What a Difference a Day Made\"); the Gershwins' \"Looking for a Boy\" done in delightfully sprightly style, with the best electric guitar and vibes backing on the album; and a \"Time After Time\" on which Susie's voice at times gives the impression of floating over the notes, it's so breezily and effortlessly rendered. (Nice Cameron Wallis sax solo, too.) \"What a Difference a Day Made\" began life as a Spanish-language song (\"Cuando Vuelvo a Tu Lado\"), so it's not surprising that it is so easily adaptable to French. This is an absolute highlight, with everything coming together: the gorgeous melody; Susie's impeccable phrasing, which is especially refreshing EN FRANAIS; co-producer/arranger (with Susie) Jordan Officer's brilliant guitar (omnipresent on this album); Franois Stevenson's vibrant vibes and a sublime bit of trumpet by Jrme Dupuis-Cloutier, making his only appearance here.\n\nNow, after that three-track \"start\" rivaling just about anything you have ever heard juxtaposed on a female jazz vocal album, you may proceed anywhere else with full enjoyment. The title song pays tribute to Frankie S., but Susie managed to get the better of him (no mean feat!) on the preceding track with her more sympathetic distaff-side version of the Chairman's swingin' \"Here's to the Losers.\" \"Here's That Rainy Day\" is done in a laid-back bossa nova style--not terribly original, but moving and beautiful nonetheless. Her hazy-warm voice makes this an inevitable choice for her. She sizzles on a soft, intimate and reflective short take on \"Come Rain Or Come Shine\"; and she amazes on two longer introspective ballads, \"Forgetful\" and \"There's a Lull in My Life.\" These two are programmed back to back and are thematically of a piece. \"Forgetful\" features a sparser arrangement, buoyed by Jordan's gentle electric guitar, while \"There's a Lull in My Life\" adds piano and sweet tenor sax into the mix.\n\nOne final request for Susie and Jordan for your next album: Donnez-nous plus de VERSIONS FRANAISES, s'il vous plait!","Product: Before they even hit a chord, this supergroup has your attention! Their bloodlines tower above all, as the Allman & Neville Brothers cast a magic spell. They said that rock 'n' roll was dead, but they were wrong. Right now, there's something in the air, as Royal Southern Brotherhood drags their thrilling new brand of blues-rock and white-hot musicianship from the Southern States onto the world stage! In the last seven years, Devon Allman has plotted an old-school ascent, crossing 14 countries on tour and watching as fans and heroes alike fall under his spell. There was a Top 10 hit in Spain with Javier Vargas, albums alongside Jack Bruce, and jam sessions with heavyweights like Les Paul and Billy Gibbons. When Devon takes the stage-either with Honeytribe or during cameos with his father and the Allmans-fans are wowed by a guitarist who can be smooth, savage or seismic, but it's in Royal Southern Brotherhood that you'll hear this modern master playing at full-throttle. Not many guitarists could stand toe-to-toe with him. Step up Mike Zito, the blues ace whose ear for melody provides the counterpoint to his wingman's rocking tendencies. Nominated in 2011 for the Blues Music Foundation's Best Blues Rock Award, and winner of 2010's Blues Music Award for Song of the Year, few stars are rising faster. Giving Royal Southern Brotherhood it's hip-shaking groove are bassist Charlie Wooton and drummer Yonrico Scott, both heavyweight names in their own right, with Charlie's bass chops celebrated on the Southern jam scene for his sets with the Woods Brothers, and Yonrico hitting the skins for luminaries including the Derek Trucks Band, Gregg Allman, and the Allman Brothers themselves.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: \"hsb\" represents a big step up for RSB\n\nReview: With this sophomore effort, Royal Southern Brotherhood takes a big step up, establishing itself as just about the best hybrid blues-rock-funk-and-soul (and throw in some reggae while you're at it) outfit around. This is clearly far more than an Allman-&-Neville Brothers legacy band. In addition to Devon Allman and Cyril Neville, Mike Zito is equally featured, along with Charlie Wooton [bass] and Yonrico Scott [drums and cover painting]. This is an amazingly versatile, talented, and now utterly cohesive group with unlimited potential. All 12 songs are originals, and all five members contributed to the writing on the album. Every song possesses its own distinctly memorable qualities; and if you don't care for the particular style of any one track (not a problem for this reviewer), don't worry, as the next will be substantially different.\n\nFor Santana enthusiasts, \"Groove On\" is likely to be a favorite track, while \"Trapped\" figures to enthrall fans of Clapton-esque early-'70s melodic blues-rock. (Yes, there is genuine guitar wizardry aplenty on this disc.) Songs with a social conscience also abound, starting with the hard-charging opener \"World Blues\" and its \"we-can-rise-above-this-pain\" message of empathy and solidarity with global struggles. The heavy blues-rock of \"Callous\" delves soulfully deeper into the long, hard fight for freedom, justice and equality in this country. And the pair of songs at the end are anthems of hope and healing: \"Takes a Village\" is warm and embracing, although it can't completely escape the \"it-takes-a-village-to-raise-a-child\" clich. The closer's title \"Love and Peace\" says it all, supported by a reassuring reggae rhythm and another striking Santana-esque guitar solo.\n\n\"Rock and Roll\" is Cyril Neville's rousing paean to 1950s rhythm and blues. \"Here It Is\" is funky, sexy soul. And speaking of soul, Devon Allman's \"Shoulda Known\" re-creates mellow, melodic sixties-style soul to a tee, while \"She's My Lady\" is a harmonic, sweet-soul love ballad that you could imagine competing for chart position in 1975 with the likes of the Moments' \"Look at Me (I'm in Love)\" or the Isley Brothers' \"For the Love of You.\" \"Let's Ride\" is funky, heavy rock and soul; and you'll need to enter \"Ritual\" territory (Trk 6) at your own risk: this is down-and-dirty voodoo rock about a night of dangerous lovemaking.\n\nIn the words of John Sinclair from his liner notes: \"There's nothing missing here - the Royal Southern Brotherhood has got it all: heart, blood and soul in glorious abundance.\"","Product: Joe Cocker, legendary singer with a unique, celebrated voice and passionate expression reports back. Fire It Up is the 23th Studio album by English-born Grammy winner. With Fire It Up Joe Cocker linked to the sustainable success of his published in 2010, decorated platinum number-one album, Hard Knocks on. The superb, new follow-up album, which will appear this winter, returned Joe Cocker back in California Emblem Studios by producer Matt Serletic. For Fire It Up produced Cocker and Serletic, who worked with Matchbox Twenty, Santana, Rob Thomas and Collective Soul. Had, in winter 2011 and spring 2012, eleven songs new about another collaboration with Joe Cocker, Matt Serletic says: \"We have gone a step further this time I'm thrilled to hear all the components to which we for the new album. Had brought together. We have wonderful, classic soul numbers, large, powerful ballads and energetic tracks all that finds it's rightful place on the new album. \" Joe Cocker says over the artistic direction of the new album: \"The making of this album felt to me a bit like painting a picture It has been eleven or twelve songs that are as different colors I do not like monotony...\" the Song diversity of the album includes the track \"Eye on the Prize\", the Marc Broussard from New Orleans wrote that the last time the song Hard Knocks contributed. \"I'll Walk in the Sunshine Again\" comes from the often-platinum singer-songwriter Keith Urban. Joe Cocker describes the song as follows:. \"It is a country number, but then again not\" \"The Letting Go\" Charlie Evans wrote with the famous English blues-soul singer Joss Stone and the Grammy-winning Graham Lyle. The irresistible title track (and also the first single), \"Fire It Up\", the hymn text and voluptuous chorus of Joe Cocker is sung with his typical, unrivaled passion, was written by Alan Frew, Harry Reid and Marty Dodson. About this song Joe Cocker says: \"The single\" Fire It Up \"is a special song that gave the album as a whole is a major offense.\" Matt Serletic adds, \"The song has a special energy that we einfingen during the recordings.\"\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Still sizzling 43 years down the road\n\nReview: In 1969, Joe Cocker's first two albums were probably the best first two studio albums by any '60s solo non-instrument-playing rock & roll vocalist. I find it rather astounding, given his extraordinary intensity (not to mention the mileage he has put on himself), that more than forty years later he is still making albums as good as \"Hard Knocks\" (his previous release from 2010-11) and this one.\n\nProducer/arranger Matt Serletic has placed this veteran of Woodstock and \"Mad Dogs & Englishmen\" in a very sympathetic setting, featuring soulful background vocals on more than half the tracks, as well as strong lead guitar work by Ray Parker Jr. Joe takes maximum advantage of the high production values on the powerfully anthemic, humanistically-messaged title song and the even-more-so \"I Come in Peace,\" the knockout track here. Next best is a bit of a surprise: a majestic reading of Keith Urban's \"I'll Walk in Sunshine Again.\" Gary Burr's \"Younger\" is an introspective ballad made to order for a Joe Cocker to interpret at this time in his life. Rob Giles's \"You Don't Need a Million Dollars\" is another touching ballad that sees him reflecting on what is really essential for happiness. Serletic adds Memphis-style horns on the late-'60s-sounding soul romp \"I'll Be Your Doctor\" and on Joss Stone's soulful \"The Letting Go,\" another favorite of mine here. The closing track is sans \"Memphis\" horns but Joe ratchets up the soul quotient on his delivery of Marc \"Walking in Memphis\" Cohn's \"Walk Through This World\" from 1993. On the down side, there are just a couple too many semi-cloying power and love ballads that, while not awful by any means, seem somewhat trite, if not instantly forgettable.\n\nThe \"premium edition\" DVD features six full-length performances of songs from this CD. It is well filmed (showing only the performers on stage) and the sound quality couldn't be better.","Product: Knighted for his service to music, with numerous gold and platinum records and Top 40 Hits, Sir Tom Jones is one of the all time great vocalists to emerge from the British Invasion. Following in the spirited and undaunted footsteps of the critically lauded Praise & Blame (2010), and Pop icon though he is, Jones has delivered a landmark album in 2013 that has a unique kind of magic and is different from anything he has ever done. Spirit in the Room features all new repertoire made up of gospel, blues and Americana, and includes songs by Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Odetta, Paul McCartney, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. Produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Ray LaMontagne, Laura Marling) Spirit in the Room marks a new, adventurous path for Jones, one that is rootsy, bluesy, bold, and raw.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Soulful interpretations (4 and 1/2 stars)\n\nReview: Other than the Southern gospel-blues of Blind Willie Johnson (\"Soul of a Man\"/1930) and the traditional gospel of \"Travelin' Shoes\" (associated with Vera Ward Hall in the '30s), which seem like overflow material from his previous \"Praise & Blame\" album (2010--also produced by Ethan Johns), \"Spirit in the Room\" is a dual-era singer-songwriter covers album. Three of the covered songs (by Odetta, Richard & Linda Thompson, and Leonard Cohen) are from the 1970s and 1980s, while the other five (by Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Joe Henry and Low Anthem) go back no further than three years. While I find that his stunningly powerful take on \"Soul of a Man\" blows everything else away here (Jones is now clearly among the greatest living deep southern soul-blues singers on the planet, no matter that he hails from Wales), he is solidly soulful on everything else. I would even venture to add that all but three of the eight modern-era songs are, to one degree or another, improved by the Jones/Johns pairing of vocals and production values. Ironically, the two that are least up to the originals are two of the finer efforts here: \"Tower of Song\" and \"Hit Or Miss.\" It's just that Leonard Cohen and Odetta operate on another plane and can't be touched. Jones will have to settle for the second-best versions of these songs that one is likely to encounter. I would rate his \"Dimming of the Day\" a dead heat with Richard & Linda Thompson (not that there is any kind of contest afoot); both are soberingly affecting. The best of the rest is easily the hauntingly apocalyptic final (as it would have to be!) track, \"Charlie Darwin\" (the Low Anthem cover). Jones deserves special credit for making Tom Waits listenable (\"Bad As Me\"), Paul McCartney more down home (on \"Come Home\"), and above all for injecting some passion and soul into Paul Simon's simpering \"Love and Blessings\" from last year. The song choice on \"Spirit in the Room\" is just south of four-star, but the overall execution verges on five-star.","Product: 2013 release. The fourteen song album features Ambers fine vocals as well as some of Nashville's legendary \"A-team\" including Lloyd Green, Pig Robbins, and Pete Wade as well as our regular players including Jim Loessberg, Dicky Overbey, Justin Trevino and Randy Lindley. Produced by Justin Trevino & Amber Digby, The World Your Living In has already been called the best Amber Digby album to date by renowned reviewers. The project also includes a duet with Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill on The One I Cant Live Without. Randy Lindley also offers his vocals on the George Jones/Tammy Wynette classic We Loved It Away. 1. It's A Long Way From Heaven (To The World You're Living In) 2. One More Thing I Wished I'd Said 3. How Can I Unlove You 4. She'd Already Won Your Heart 5. Saturday Night 6. You Leave Again 7. The One I Can't Live Without (With Vince Gill) 8. It Won't Be Long (And I'll Be Hating You) 9. Where Will You Go 10. My Imaginatio 11. We Loved It Away (With Randy Lindley) 12. If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone) 13. You Put Me Here Special Bonus Instrumental Track: 14. Little Darlin' (featuring Lloyd Green)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Welcome to the wonderful world of Amber Digby music!\n\nReview: This is the second sensational Justin Trevino-produced album coming out of Heart of Texas Records in Brady, Texas in a little more than a year by a female traditional country artist. The first was Georgette Jones's \"Strong Enough to Cry,\" which featured a duet with Amber Digby. The world this album is living in sounds a lot like that terrific year for female country vocalists: 1971. Lynn Anderson was the CMA female vocalist of the year with her three #1 smashes: \"Rose Garden,\" \"How Can I Unlove You\" (both penned by the late, great Grammy winner, Joe South) and \"You're My Man.\" Other top female hit makers of that year included Tammy Wynette (Georgette Jones's mom), Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Connie Smith, Sammi Smith, Susan Raye, Barbara Mandrell and Billie Jo Spears. Indeed, the most outstanding cover version here by Amber Digby is a sizzling \"How Can I Unlove You.\" Also, Amber and husband Randy Lindley (the pair co-produced this album with Justin Trevino) do an amazingly credible remake of Tammy Wynette and George Jones's \"We Loved It Away\" from 1974. The other redo of a hit from that time period is of Johnny Paycheck's \"It Won't Be Long (And I'll Be Hating You)\" from 1968.\n\nVince Gill is featured on two tracks: as Amber's co-songwriter on the gorgeous and moving \"One More Thing I Wished I'd Said\" and as a duet partner on the shuffling \"The One I Can't Live Without.\" In all, Amber is a writer on six of the songs here, including the beauties \"You Leave Again\" and \"She'd Already Won Your Heart.\" These are country-song-of-the-year caliber but sadly are not pop enough for country. Those last five words (\"not pop enough for country\") are a sad commentary on the current scene. But finishing on an up note, pedal steel guitar legend Lloyd Green, whose genius runs throughout this excellent album, gets to close it with a two-minute bonus instrumental romp through his own \"Little Darlin'.\"\n\nThis is a must-have disc for connoisseurs of real country music from the golden age (who believe this golden age should extend to the present).","Product: CAROLE KING - SONGS OF.. - CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Thorough collection includes all her 1961-62 U.S. and U.K. hit records\n\nReview: Don't be deceived by the front cover picture of Carole King in her late twenties. This 3-disc, 74-track set is entirely devoted to the 17-to-20-year-old Carole King of 1959-1962, starting as a teen girl rocker (which didn't take, but it's fun to listen to!) before moving on to composing hits at an astounding rate: how about 33 different records charting in the U.S. and U.K. in a two-year stretch ('61-62) - all before turning 21! In 1962 she was hitting the charts with a new record every two and a half weeks on average. Teamed with her husband Gerry Goffin, they logged twice as many number one songs in the U.S. in '61-62 (four) as did any other songwriter or songwriting team.\n\nThe four biggest Goffin-King hits of 1961-62:\n- \"The Loco-Motion\" by Little Eva: #1 pop and R&B (U.S.) / #2 (U.K.)\n- \"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\" by the Shirelles: #1 pop [their first #1 record] and #2 R&B (U.S.) / #4 (U.K.)\n- \"Go Away Little Girl\" by Steve Lawrence: #1 pop and #14 R&B (U.S.) / by Mark Wynter: #6 (U.K.)\n- \"Take Good Care of My Baby\" by Bobby Vee: #1 pop [for 3 weeks] (U.S.) / #3 (U.K.)\n\nTwenty-year-old Carole King recorded one chart hit of her own in 1962, \"It Might As Well Rain Until September,\" which rose to #3 in the U.K., while stalling at #22 in the U.S. The largest disparity of this kind was the Crickets' original version of Goffin-King's \"Don't Ever Change\" (notably performed live at the BBC by the Beatles) getting to #5 in the U.K., while failing to chart at all in the U.S.\n\nFive songs appear in two different versions - in those cases in which there were competing Transatlantic hits (such as, most famously, \"Go Away Little Girl\" - the aforementioned Steve Lawrence and Mark Wynter versions - and \"Up on the Roof\" - by the Drifters in the U.S. [#5 pop and #4 R&B] and by Kenny Lynch in the U.K. [#10]). In the case of \"When My Little Girl Is Smiling\" there are three (!) different versions included here: the original U.S. release by the Drifters [#28 pop], plus two competing U.K. covers which coincidentally both peaked at #9.\n\nThe one hit song in this collection not co-written with her husband as lyricist is \"Cryin' in the Rain\" by the Everly Brothers (one of her most alluring melodies in my estimation), which got to #6 in both the U.S. and U.K. She co-wrote this one with Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka's usual collaborator at the time.\n\nDoing the math, if there are 33 hits here, that means there are 41 non-hits. Some of this stuff went pretty low-rent in trying to mine teen hits, with \"Bobby, Bobby, Bobby\" by Jo Ann Campbell being the nadir. But with \"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\" Goffin-King upped the maturity quotient considerably. Unfortunately, they hit 100 on the shame meter with the Phil Spector-produced Crystals' single \"He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss),\" which had to be quickly withdrawn due to its extreme misogyny and endorsement of violence in a relationship.\n\nNot counting \"He Hit Me\" (which, as objectionable as it is, does not stray from the format), there are a couple of glitches with the content (and one with the sound: on \"The Slide\" by Freddie Scott) here. However, with 74 total tracks in play, it's not worth niggling over two of them. Also, I would have preferred less random sequencing, but for such a low-cost package to be this thorough and of such good quality, I'm willing to put up with the odd inconvenience.","Product: Booker T. Jones will follow back-to-back GRAMMY wins for his previous two albums with Sound The Alarm out June 25th on Stax/Concord Music Group. This marks Booker s return to Stax, a label revered for the gritty soul sound he helped create with Memphis first integrated band in the early 60s, and features collaborations with some of the finest talents in modern soul and R&B including Mayer Hawthorne, Anthony Hamilton, Vintage Trouble, Estelle, Gary Clark, Jr., Luke James and more. Booker T wrote or co-wrote all twelve songs on Sound The Alarm. He co-produced the album with brothers Bobby Ross and Issiah IZ Avila, who have worked with Usher and Mary J. Blige. The Avila brothers also play in the rhythm section on most of the tracks. Booker T has won 4 GRAMMY Awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a producer, he has helmed sessions for million sellers including Bill Withers debut album Just As I Am, and Willie Nelson s Stardust. He s written and/or played on some of the most enduring songs of all time including Green Onions, Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay and Born Under A Bad Sign.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: three authentically awesome tracks; the rest is alarmingly awful\n\nReview: More precisely, I'm rating this CD at 2.375 -- and this is painful for me. 1962 was my initial record-buying year (45 rpm singles only) and Booker T & the MGs' \"Green Onions\" was my second instrumental. In other words, I have been a fan for 51 years and will remain so into the future despite this present three-quarters of a misstep.\n\nTracks 12 (\"Father Son Blues\" featuring Booker's son Ted on electric guitar), 7 (\"Austin City Blues\" featuring the guitar work of Gary Clark Jr.) and 11 (\"Your Love Is No Love\" featuring Vintage Trouble with vocalist Ty Taylor) add up to just about sixteen minutes of awesomeness, confirming that Booker T is still the ultimate instrumentalist when he's running the show. For these three tracks: five big stars without question.\n\nThe problem with the other nine tracks is that he ceded the production (or co-production) and co-writing to the Avila Brothers who took an enormous hyper(over)produced $*** [censored] on all of them. So, to these tracks overall, which I listened to at least twice (and most likely never will again), I give 1.5 stars. They are awash in what I call \"car stereo idiot bass\" and hyperpercussion which tend to overwhelm Hall of Famer Booker T's Hammond B3 organ and other keyboards, the putative raison d'tre of this album. Hideously monotonous synth beats and annoying vocal effects are added to one of the two most unlistenable tracks, \"Can't Wait,\" featuring Estelle. Even the background vocals put in by the Avilas are an impediment to enjoyment. On the otherwise instrumental track \"Fun,\" the single word \"fun\" gets repeated ad nauseam, which is not fun. Same thing on \"66 Impala\" (featuring fine percussion by guest artists Pancho Sanchez and Sheila E), only this time it's the monosyllabic interjection \"Hey!\" that gets shouted at you 48 times (!) in three sixteen-shout spurts. This is unimaginably annoying. Besides \"Can't Wait,\" the other Avilas-produced vocal tracks are mired in the mediocrity zone, although Mayer Hawthorne at least puts up a good fight on the opening title track before being defeated by all the excess. Booker T attempts a vocal duet on the excruciatingly mawkish \"Watch You Sleeping,\" which one wishes could have been more drowned out in the production mix. Booker T is a hopelessly bland singer and should never do this on record. His duet partner, Bill Withers's daughter Kori, has a droning whine that should not in any way be confused with actual singing. (There is a 1973 French song on this same theme that is actually poetic and profound and exquisitely interpreted: Berceuse by Franoise Hardy.) At least the horn section on the Avilas tracks is good in a retro soul horn-y way.\n\nThe keeper vocal here is \"Your Love Is No Love\" (featuring Ty Taylor and Vintage Trouble), which is somewhat reminiscent of Booker T & the MGs backing Otis Redding in the 1960s. The combo of Booker T, Gary Clark Jr. on guitar and Gordon Campbell on drums doing Booker T's original \"Austin City Blues\" is virtually indistinguishable from Booker T & the MGs in their prime. This CD couldn't have a better closer than \"Father Son Blues\" (another Booker T original), with Ted Jones's tremendous blues guitar blending so remarkably well with his dad's keyboards and bass. Sublime! They need to record a whole album together! Now that's a five-star idea! (No more exclamation points, I promise.)","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a lovely and heartfelt tribute by Georgette to her mom, Tammy Wynette\n\nReview: Tammy Wynette tribute albums can be put out there till the cows come home, but none of them will ever be as lovely, heartfelt and definitive as this one by her daughter, Georgette Jones. Georgette is an extraordinarily gifted vocalist in her own right, who also possesses qualities that no other singer can match when it comes to this material: she has a greater connection to it than anyone else will ever have -- and she alone has the echo of her mother in her voice. In my opinion, these features make this album doubly moving.\n\nIt certainly doesn't hurt that these songs are classics, which, especially given the exquisite arrangements and performances--both vocal and instrumental--and the production (all natural), you won't likely ever tire of listening to. In keeping with the family nature of this album, Georgette's husband Jamie Lennon provides the piquant steel guitar backing throughout. This is yet another in a series of outstanding Justin Trevino Heart of Texas (Brady, TX) productions -- and as a bonus, Trevino does a very credible vocal take on George Jones's original duet part on \"Take Me\" from 1972 (making it, as it turns out, a particularly moving tribute to the recently deceased country music legend, Georgette's dad). And what a welcome surprise (doing the original David Houston part on \"My Elusive Dreams\" from 1967) to once again hear the deep and mellow baritone of Tony Booth, an unforgettable voice from the 1970s! The 1967 \"My Elusive Dreams\" duet gave Tammy Wynette her first taste of a number one record; and as it so happens, my other four favorites here were all number ones as well: the title song \"Till I Can Make It on My Own\" (1976), \"Stand by Your Man\" (the Grammy Hall of Famer from 1968), \"Till I Get It Right\" (1973) and \"D-I-V-O-R-C-E\" (1968).\n\nAs a very nice touch, the CD booklet includes photos of Georgette growing up with her mom (making this an album in more ways than one!), in addition to the revealing of her mom's banana pudding recipe. I suppose some people will try this and give it a separate rating. For me, the music here is delicious enough!","Product: For Jeff's 3rd Album for eOne Music he has joined together with British Jazz Rock Legend Brian Auger and the signature sound of Brian's B3 Organ. This amazing duo along with Alex Ligertwood on vocals and Steve Ferrone on drums have crafted a timeless journey blending Soul, Jazz and Blues.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: One fine track after another!\n\nReview: The only thing keeping me from naming this the contemporary jazz album of the year is the fact that I already bestowed that honor upon BWB's \"Human Nature\" two months ago (possibly jumping the gun). But to be sure, this a very worthy runner-up.\n\nThey can call this \"contemporary\" jazz but it's also retro - especially retro-1970s, with songs like Curtis Mayfield's \"Pusherman\" from 1972 (the \"Superfly!\" soundtrack, which in my estimation is the greatest ever), Paul Carrack & Ace's \"How Long\" from 1975, and The Police's \"Walking on the Moon\" from 1979 (the latter two featuring vocals by Christopher Cross of 1980 Grammy glory and David Pack of the '70s group Ambrosia, respectively). This '70s vibe is not too surprising given that was the decade of Brian Auger & the Oblivion Express, two of whose members (in addition to Brian) - drummer Steve Ferrone (on all tracks) and vocalist Alex Ligertwood (on two tracks) - are present. Ligertwood once again delivers impressive soul-styled vocals on the Oblivion Express originals \"Happiness Is Just Around the Bend\" (a 1973 single A-side for them -- not the same song as the 1974 Main Ingredient hit with the same title) and \"Whenever You're Ready.\"\n\nI'm just going to go ahead and name \"Pusherman\" the contemporary jazz \"lead single\" of the year, which I would consider to be a very safe bet. It's as if this phenomenal song had been waiting 43 years for a Hammond B3 organ-electric guitar instrumental this brilliantly arranged (including a stellar horn chart) to come along. Golub and Auger really kick it up a notch when called for. Just outstanding!\n\nEven though Jeff Golub is photographed on the cover with his dog, the CD opener is their take on Jimmy Smith's 1964 soul-jazz classic \"The Cat.\" You know right off the bat that you're in for a fantastic listening experience. Track 2 is a grooving melodic delight titled \"Isola Natale,\" another original Auger composition. The ride continues with the relentlessly charging Golub-co-penned title song, which boasts its own compelling melody, and the album just keeps a rolling on from there.","Product: "As full-bodied and comforting as home-baked apple pie" is one apt description of Houston Person's saxophone sound. Inasmuch as this simile attempts to convey the comforting, warm-hearted and accomplished nature of the tenorman's art, it is spot-on, but it must be remembered that Person's roots are in organ-centred R&B. So in addition to a velvety ballad technique Person also possesses an ability to imbue up-tempo material with an irresistible wailing intensity, so his crowd-pleasing bluesy numbers provide welcome variety to this judiciously balanced set.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: \"Nice 'n' Easy does it every time\"!\n\nReview: A soul-jazz leader for 47 years, Houston Person is the nonpareil of melodic, soulful and warm-toned tenor sax players. It's an all-oldies program here of songs from the 1930s to 1960, the year the title song \"Nice 'n' Easy\" was issued as the title song of the Frank Sinatra LP that stayed at #1 nationally for nine weeks. Half the songs here (such as this one) swing in Person's well-established, effortlessly bluesy style, while the other half represent his peerless warm and soulful ballad side. It's a perfect mix, with both sides stellarly exemplified by his takes on the back-to-back 1934 Harold Arlen hits \"Let's Fall in Love,\" which cooks Latin-style with this terrific combo (that includes John di Martino on piano, Chuck Redd on vibes, Ray Drummond on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums) and \"Ill Wind,\" the most pensive and relaxed ballad here. For a favorite, I would unhesitatingly go with \"It's All in the Game,\" the 1912 classical composition \"Melody in A Major\" by future U.S. Vice President Charles G. Dawes that was converted into a 1951 and 1958 pop and R&B hit for Tommy Edwards [#1 both pop and R&B in its 1958 version]. Also of particular interest is the exquisitely mellow and melodic Todd Dameron (who died in 1965) ballad titled \"Sweet Life.\" It bears a 1963 copyright but gets its first issued recording here by Houston Person and company - and it's a beauty.\n\nAs writer Thomas Cunliffe points out in his excellent liner notes, \"This is not music that predicts the next development in jazz...Houston Person and his colleagues play these wonderful songs with soul, swing and spirit.\" I'm glad to say that this disc has no avant-garde, pretentious jazz-snob appeal whatsoever--just impeccably played, gorgeous and soulful sounds you'll want to hear again (and again!).","Product: With 10 tracks that include five new songs and classic covers of Ray Charles \"\"Hard Times\"\" and Luther Ingram's slow burning soul masterpiece \"\"If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Wanna Be Right)\"\" Paul has again come up with an astonishing new album. Rain or Shine is a mixture of original songs and covers which all in all is a collection of songs delivered as only Paul Carrack knows how - with SOUL! Prior to the album release, Paul will be releasing the lead off track entitled \"\"That's All That Matters To Me\"\" that has already gained numerous plays on BBC Radio 2. One of the hardest working figures in modern music, Paul Carrack is celebrating over five decades in the music business. Paul has recently toured the US, the UK and Europe as a member of Eric Clapton's Band The former vocalist of Mike and The Mechanics and the voice behind world-wide hits such as 'How Long' by Ace, Squeeze's 'Tempted' and, of course, the timeless classic 'The Living Years' Carrack is now firmly established as a solo performer. Initially finding fame with Ace where he wrote and sang the classic \"\"How Long\"\". He has gone on to enjoy a successful career that spans 40 years, including guest appearances on over 60 albums, as well as writing for The Eagles, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Michael McDonald and Jools Holland among others. Over the past decade or so Paul has worked increasingly in his own right on many solo albums; Satisfy My Soul (2000), Groovin' (2001), It Ain't Over (2003), Winter Wonderland (2005), Old, New, Borrowed and Blue (2007), I Know That Name (2008), A Different Hat with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (2010) and the current album Good Feeling which came out in September 2012. And last year BBC4 screened The Man With The Golden Voice - a programme that documented Paul's emergence from his Sheffield upbringing to the star he is today!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Rain or shine or any time, this is an ace retro album\n\nReview: Track-by-track appreciations:\n\n1) ***** \"Stepping Stone\" [writer-Paul Carrack]\n- delightful cross between \"How Long (Has This Been Going On)\" and Motown; terrific leadoff track\n\n2) ***** \"That's All That Matters to Me\" [wr-PC]\n- tender mid-tempo expression of love and devotion; superbly constructed pop song\n\n3) **** \"One in a Million\" [wr-PC]\n-somewhat similar to the preceding song, but with a bit more of a Motown-ish feel; the repetition of the line, \"She's my little angel\" comes off as a tad cloying, though\n\n4) ***** \"You Don't Know Me\"\n-originally a 1956 country hit for Eddy Arnold; PC's version is inspired by Ray Charles's top five pop and soul hit from 1962; the combination of PC's effortlessly soulful pipes and this timeless classic is almost too easy\n\n5) ***** \"(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right\"\n-okay, we are really in retro-soul heaven now; this is a superlative cover of the Luther Ingram #3 pop/ #1 soul smash from 1972; PC not only sings up a storm of emotion, his organ fills and mid-track solo inject an even greater dose of soul into the proceedings; plus, this track features the best of all the fine orchestral arrangements on this disc; it should also be pointed out that PC plays six different instruments on \"Rain Or Shine\"; and if that's not enough, he also produced it, along with Peter Van Hooke\n\n6) [4.5 stars] \"Time Waits for No One\" [wr-PC]\n-bouncy, upbeat reflection on the life he's led, love, and how he came by this title \"philosophy\"; a bit breathless and wordy, but he pulls it off like no one else could\n\n7) ***** \"Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)\"\n-another Ray Charles selection (this time one RC co-wrote/from 1961); this one conveys so much meaning with minimal verbiage; PC is the next best thing these days to the late, great RC himself\n\n8) ***** \"I'm Losing You\"\n-1960 French pop song (Connais-tu) by Jean Renard, adapted by Carl Sigman, which became a top ten English-language hit in the US and UK for Brenda Lee in 1963; a nearly forgotten gem of a melodic ballad of emotional desperation that PC touchingly connects with; wow, can he sing!\n\n9) **** \"Life's Too Short\" [wr-PC]\n-like \"Time Waits for No One\" (trk 6), another of PC's \"philosophy\" songs; it comes up a skosh too short by comparison\n\n10) ***** \"Come Rain Or Come Shine\"\n-another timeless ballad -- this one a \"songbook\" standard by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen from 1946; unsurprisingly, PC's principal influence is again Ray Charles, who recorded it in 1959; after listening to this capping title song, all I'm left with is...wow, can he sing, play multiple instruments, compose fine tunes and lyrics, produce...and handle the post-session recording-studio hoovering, no doubt!","Product: Soul singer Bettye Swann first came to international prominence with her now-classic 1967 No. 1 R&B hit, "Make Me Yours." Following a couple of years of recording for Capitol Records, the Louisiana-born songstress was signed to Atlantic Records where she recorded for close to five years (1972-1976). Now, for the first time ever, "Bettye Swann: The Complete Atlantic Recordings" compiled by noted soul music historian David Nathan for Real Gone Music and SoulMusic Records - documents her tenure with Atlantic with a 23-track collection containing everything she recorded for the label, featuring the seven singles released by Atlantic, two of which - "Victim Of A Foolish Heart" and "Today I Started Loving You Again" - became R&B charted hits. The set also features two tracks only released on UK compilations; five previously unissued cuts; and both sides of Bettye's one-off duet with noted R&B songwriter/recording artist Sam Dees. Liner notes by renowned UK music journalist Charles Waring include quotes from Bettye, who resurfaced from retirement in 2013 to perform a one-time show in Britain.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Bettye Swann's swan songs - with Atlantic Records 1972-1976\n\nReview: Atlantic was Bettye Swann's last stop as a recording artist, taking her into her early thirties after a dozen years in the business. All eight of her singles (A & B sides) from this period are here, as well as seven tracks that went unissued at the time (five of which make their CD dbuts).\n\nHer Atlantic dbut, \"Victim of a Foolish Heart,\" was recorded at Muscle Shoals (Alabama) but clearly had a bit of Betty Wright's recent soul and pop smash \"Clean Up Woman\" (out of Miami) flowing through its veins. It was Bettye's [with an \"e\" at the end] biggest hit at Atlantic, rising to #16 soul and #63 pop in 1972.\n\nHer next two releases were right in her sweet spot, covers of country songs: Merle Haggard's subsequently-covered-by-many \"Today I Started Loving You Again\" and Tammy Wynette's #1 country smash \"Till I Get it Right\" from five months earlier. These harked back to her only chart hit at Capitol, \"Don't Touch Me\" [#14 soul/#38 pop in 1969], her soul cover of Jeannie Seely's #2 country hit (and Grammy winner) from 1966. The sweet, high quaver in Bettye's voice lent emotional depth and vulnerability to her interpretations of ballads - melancholy southern country-style ballads in particular -- especially when combined with her soulful rasp and subtle phrasing.\n\n\"Today I Started Loving You Again\" did fairly well in early 1973, reaching #26 soul and #46 pop (two years before becoming a Top Ten country hit for Sammi Smith). Its B-side was an exquisite (with every bow in Fame Studio's musical quiver being used) rendition of Etta James' monumental B-side from five years earlier, \"I'd Rather Go Blind.\" Bettye's take on it is as emotionally fragile as Etta's was frantically powerful in its despair. Bettye's \"Till I Get It Right\" only made it to #88 soul (she would never hit the Hot 100 pop chart again after \"Today I Started Loving You Again\"), despite being comparable in a number of ways to Joe Simon's #1 soul, Grammy-winning cover of Waylon Jennings's \"The Chokin' Kind.\" But that was four years earlier, and the day of the country-soul hybrid song was waning in the '70s. Making this an even stronger single was yet another fine Bettye Swann updating of a B-side oldie gem, Gerry Goffin/Carole King's \"Yours Until Tomorrow\" from a 1966 Dee Dee Warwick disc (which in '68 became a top 40 hit in the U.K. for Gene Pitney).\n\nAtlantic then sent Bettye on a hit-seeking odyssey to Philadelphia in 1974 that came up nearly empty in two tries: The ludicrously overproduced funk-groover \"The Boy Next Door\" managed to dent the soul chart, but its Motown-sixties-sounding follow-up, \"When the Game Is Played on You,\" went nowhere. She returned South for two more solo singles, which were to be her last, in '75 and '76. (There was also a one-off 45 of minimal merit, included at the end of this CD, on the Big Tree label which paired her with Sam Dees.) \"All the Way In Or All the Way Out\" had her back in her country-soul wheelhouse but only rose to #83 soul, pretty much signaling the end of the line.\n\nOf the previously unissued tracks, two (both recorded in Nashville) are magnificent: THE deep southern soul ballad \"Either You Love Me Or You Leave Me\" by \"(If Lovin' You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right\" co-writers Homer Banks and Carl Hampton, and an astonishingly heart-rending four-and-a-half-minute slow read of the Isley Brothers' \"This Old Heart of Mine\" - a peak moment in her singing career that should not be missed by any traditional soul music fan.\n\nIncluded in this package is a 16-page booklet with nine pages of informative liner notes by Charles Waring. Page 14 has a couple of odd glitches: 1) The color is gone from the record label photo repros; and 2) Bettye's last A-side has its title erroneously altered from \"Heading in the Right Direction\" to \"Heading in the Wrong Direction.\" Seeing as how it failed to chart and her recording career was over, this might have been a Freudian slip.\n\nThis collection may have been released on January 7, but I have a feeling it will remain one of my favorite single-artist retrospectives of the year.","Product: Released 2014. A collection of songs written by Merle Haggard. Offered directly by Suzy Bogguss' own record company, Loyal Dutchess Records.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: an inspired album, as luck would have it\n\nReview: It's Suzy Bogguss at her talent peak (1987 to NOW!) meets Merle Haggard at his songwriting peak (1964-1984), and musical magic ensues, making us who get to hear and enjoy this the lucky ones. She sings these Haggard songs like she owns the copyrights on them.\n\nSuzy B. and Doug Crider co-produced this album and put together a kickin' little band that doesn't miss a beat, as well as vocal backing by the likes of Joe Diffie (her hit-making contemporary in the '90s), Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall Stewart, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Matraca Berg and Gretchen Peters.\n\nNo stranger to the songs of Merle Haggard, he was an early inspiration to Suzy, whose first top 50 country hit was a cover of his \"Somewhere Between\" back in 1989. She sounds as inspired as she can be on this disc; on plaintive ballads or on more upbeat stuff, it doesn't really matter -- they all come out like winners. Some were number one Haggard hits (for example, \"If We Can Make It Through December\" was the biggest country hit spanning two years, 1973 and 1974); the single best track here is \"The Bottle Let Me Down\" (originally a #3 hit in 1966), a country blues worthy of Hank Williams; while four others were non-charting B-sides, which seems impossible since we're talking about the modern country standard \"Today I Started Loving You Again,\" \"I Always Get Lucky with You\" (later a #1 smash for George Jones), \"Silver Wings\" (a hit for the Hagers), and Suzy's pièce-de-résistance heartbreak ballad performance here, the achingly beautiful CD closer, \"You Don't Have Far to Go,\" one of Haggard's earliest ones on the Tally label from 1964. These are well-chosen covers, offering a lot of variety and distinctiveness. And that right there is the key to Haggard's magic as a songwriter and to the longevity of his astonishing success.","Product: Recorded throughout 2013 and early 2014, the new album features 12 new songs including 10 originals. Walter appropriately covers John Mayall for the occasion, as he was a member of the Bluesbreakers. Walter searches his soul on this album and lays it bare allowing new appreciation for life. The blues comes full circle; both as a reflective statement about his life and career, and as an all-penetrating desire to get back on stage and do what he loves most.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: soul-baringly direct and deeply felt blues -- a personal masterpiece\n\nReview: \"[I]t was cold at the bottom of the river...where I met my soul.\"\n\nFighting back from a life-threatening illness that found him physically \"wastin' away\" (the title of the harrowingly honest leadoff song here), \"The Blues Came Callin'\" for Walter Trout, and this emotionally powerful (positively incendiary at times), heartfelt, soulful, magnificent album is the result that accompanied his recovery -- a real gift to us. And the bonus DVD is no mere piece of throw-in filler that one can easily do without; it's a beautifully made, extremely moving 41-minute documentary film of his life and musical journey to this point.\n\nTrout (who co-produced the album with Eric Corne) penned ten of the twelve songs here - all but J.B, Lenoir's \"The Whale Have Swallowed Me\" (another one, like \"The Bottom of the River,\" about how bad things can get -- and no jokes, please, about a whale swallowing a trout) and an engaging guest appearance by Trout's old musical mentor John Mayall who contributed the instrumental \"Mayall's Piano Boogie,\" which he created on the spot. (Mayall is also heard on Hammond B3 on the aforementioned title track). The one other instrumental has Trout under the early-'60s influence of the great blues-rock guitarist Freddie (or Freddy) King doing the original shuffle \"Tight Shoes.\" (You'll have to read Trout's own liner notes to learn the humorous source of this title.) Also going back in time for its inspiration (think Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis circa 1957) is the album's most exhilarating vocal romp called \"Take a Little Time,\" which manages to impart an inspirational message, as well. Trout adds his own harmonica on \"The Bottom of the River\" and on \"Willie,\" his scathing indictment of record industry rip-off artists, whom he likens to bone-picking, eye-pecking vultures. He really doesn't feel the need at this point in his refocused life to hold back, as he also targets the lying politicians who do the bidding of the rich and send \"the poor boy off to war.\" It's not, as they say, \"about the glory,\" which is why he believes \"The World Is Goin' Crazy (And So Am I).\" \"Born in the City\" is a smoldering blues laying out his preference for urban life over \"country livin'\": the former boasts of streets that \"are hard and mean,\" which is more natural to him than the latter's \"peaceful and serene\" but where he feels \"so all alone.\" Doing \"Hard Time\" in solitary is how it feels \"when your baby do you wrong,\" which is not reassuring at all, so he closes with a majestic ballad of devotion to his wife Marie titled \"Nobody Moves Me Like You Do.\"\n\nIt's impossible not to be moved by this superlative CD/DVD combination.","Product: Ronnie Earl, along with The Broadcasters his band of over 25 years, presents Good News, a mostly instrumental album of spellbinding intensity and deep soul that will satisfy his growing legion of fans who await each new release.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: It's actually GREAT NEWS when Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters put out a new CD!\n\nReview: May through June of this year may have seen the greatest consecutive three-month period in the history of soulful blues with the releases of Robert Cray's \"In My Soul,\" Dave Specter's \"Message in Blue\" and Ronnie Earl's \"Good News.\"\n\nThe six instrumentals here strike a balance of three slow and three up-tempo, presenting a range of distinctive styles within the genre. The gorgeous \"Marje's Melody\" and the smoldering \"Blues for Henry\" are Earl originals, and Neal Creque's \"Time to Remember\" (first heard on soul-jazz guitarist Grant Green's \"Alive!\" LP from 1970 with Creque on organ) is a magnificent, reflective Latin-jazz style blues, which gets a superb assist from Broadcaster Dave Limina on both piano (the intro) and Hammond B3 organ. The opener, Earl's \"I Met Her on That Train,\" transports us back to Memphis circa the early days of Sun Records, and Limina's original title tune is joyful gospel. Earl's \"Puddin' Pie\" is a tasty shuffle propelled by Limina's B3 and Earl's stinging and searing Chicago-style electric-guitar licks.\n\nDiane Blue supplies the superbly soulful vocals on Sam Cooke's immortal \"A Change Is Gonna Come\"; on a knock-out eleven-minute Earl re-exploration of the Junior Wells-Buddy Guy classic, \"In the Wee Hours\" (from the 1965 Chicago blues landmark LP [on Delmark], Junior Wells's \"Hoodoo Man Blues\"); on the prayerful original (penned by Debbie Blanchard, associate producer of this album), \"Six String Blessing\"; and on the closer, a deep soul-blues take on Ilana Katz Katz's \"Runnin' in Peace,\" a mournful reflection on the 2013 Boston marathon attack. The lyrics end with a plea for love. (Note that this album was recorded in Acton, Massachusetts, outside of Boston.)\n\nThis is an absolutely indispensable addition to the phenomenal oeuvre of Ronnie Earl. The title \"Good News\" almost qualifies as an understatement.","Product: Michael Kiwanuka's second album Love & Hate was recorded in LA and London produced by Grammy Award winner Dangermouse and young up-and-coming producer Inflo. Love & Hate is a fascinatingly assured and resonant body of work following Kiwanuka's acclaimed 2012 debut LP, Home Again. Honest, unabashed, and ambitious, this new record is Kiwanuka emerging from the emotional cocoon of his first album, ready to secure his position as one of the most exciting and renowned talents or our time.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: What's Going On with Love & Hate\n\nReview: Thrilling progressive soul for this century, stunningly produced (by Dangermouse, Inflo, and Paul Butler) and performed by a vocalist and musician (Michael Kiwanuka) with seemingly unlimited talent and vision.\n\nIt is hard not to think of Marvin Gaye's landmark Motown LP \"What's Going On\" (1971) while listening to this: its adventurousness and innovation; its level of introspection as well as deep concern about the world around him, wracked with war, turmoil, poverty, ecological destruction and racial strife. Marvin would no doubt have loved this album with its probing, soul-searching lyrics, and especially its direct confrontation with racial reality, \"Black Man in a White World\" (which Marvin could not have done at Motown); the complex, layered production, arrangements, orchestrations, vocal choruses; and the mix of influences, including traditional soul, prog-rock ( la Pink Floyd), plus some striking gospel and neo-soul touches. While less political than \"What's Going On,\" Kiwanuka's tackling of the topic of race in \"Love & Hate\" harks back to another progressive soul icon, Curtis Mayfield, and what he was able to do on his own Curtom label with the Impressions in the late '60s and solo in the '70s.\n\nSomehow it all coheres, and every song seems to have been worked out in just the right way, as repeated listens tend to confirm. Each track has its own unique feel, and the overall impression I come away with is of a unified whole and an epic work of art that will stand the test of time.","Product: Bettye LaVette is a true legend with a musical career spanning over 50 years, she is now rightly recognized as one of the finest vocalists and one of the great interpreters of song. In Bettye's amazing career she has performed for Barack Obama at his 2009 Presidential inauguration, (duetting with Jon Bon Jovi) and sang a moving interpretation of \"\"Love Reign O'er Me\"\" at the Kennedy Center Honors tribute to The Who (which brought Pete Townshend to tears and stunned Roger Daltrey). Her discography spans five decades, but it is within the past decade that she has finally been recognized as one of America's finest vocal talents. In 2005 she recorded the album \"\"I've Got My Own Hell to Raise\"\", which was produced by Grammy nominated producer Joe Henry, (hailed as one of the best albums of the year by many critics). Joe Henry now reflects; \"\"I've Got My Own Hell To Raise confirmed Bettye's standing as a soul and blues singer nearly without peer, and evidenced for many what had for so long been hidden in plain sight. Two more fine albums followed, both of which were nominated for Grammy Awards: \"\"The Scene Of The Crime\"\" in 2007 and \"\"Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook\"\"in 2010. Now, after almost a decade, the legend that is Bettye LaVette has teamed up with producer Joe Henry once again and the result is a stunning new album, \"\"Worthy\"\", featuring 11 songs composed by writers such as Mick Jagger & Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, John Lennon & Paul McCartney, Mickey Newbury, Beth Nielsen Chapman & Mary Gauthier(who wrote the album title track) and Joe Henry among others. As Joe Henry states; \"\"With every song on \"\"Worthy\"\", Bettye finds the thread that first will unravel it. Then she stitches it all back together until it fits her taut frame and fierce stride, until it bends to meet her; until each song's story is somehow, miraculously, telling her own\"\". \"\"Worthy\"\" is a supreme achievement from a uniquely gifted performer.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Worthy of your attention: Bettye LaVette's dbut on the Cherry Red label [UK]\n\nReview: First of all, you must get the absolutely essential limited deluxe edition with the bonus DVD of Bettye LaVette's 85-minute powerhouse performance at the jazz Caf in London last July. It is pure soul dynamite, far surpassing what any other vocalist currently out there can do in this realm. All 14 songs are done to perfection, but I'll list as my top five her phenomenally moving cover (which she first recorded on Atco in 1973) of Joe Simon's \"Your Time to Cry\" [a #3 soul hit for Simon in '71]; \"Everything Is Broken\" - one of the best soul covers of Bob Dylan; her dbut single as a 16-year-old in 1962, \"My Man - He's a Loving Man\" (which comes with the story of why, despite being a teen from Detroit with a breakout national hit, she couldn't get on \"American Bandstand\"); a spectacular extended version of \"Heaven (The Closest I'll Ever Get)\" that has her traversing the whole room; and as her closer, a reflective and dramatic a cappella reading of Sinead O'Connor's \"I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.\" She is backed on this memorable evening by an impeccable, soul-cookin' four-man band led by keyboardist Alan Hill.\n\nSongs on the 2015 album \"Worthy\" - and their sources (listed in chronological order):\n\n- \"Wait\" -- The Beatles (1965, from \"Rubber Soul\")\n\n- \"Complicated\" -- The Rolling Stones (1967, from \"Between the Buttons\")\n\n- \"When I Was a Young Girl\" -- Savoy Brown (1970, as \"When I Was a Young Boy,\" from \"Raw Sienna\")\n\n- \"Just Between You and Me and the Wall, You're a Fool\" -- The Amazing Rhythm Aces (1977, from \"Toucan Do It Too\")\n\n- \"Bless Us All\" -- Mickey Newbury (1977, from \"Rusty Tracks\")\n\n- \"Unbelievable\" -- Bob Dylan (1990, from \"Under the Red Sky\")\n\n- \"Stop\" -- Joe Henry [co-producer, with Bettye LaVette, of \"Worthy\"] (2001, from \"Scar\")\n\n- \"Where a Life Goes\" -- Randall Bramblett (2008, from \"Now It's Tomorrow\")\n\n- \"Undamned\" -- Over the Rhine (2011, from \"Long Surrender\" - produced by Joe Henry)\n\n- \"Worthy\" -- Mary Gauthier [co-written with Beth Nielsen Chapman] (2014, from \"Trouble and Love\")\n\n- \"Step Away\" -- dbut song written for Bettye LaVette by Christine Santelli and Brian Mitchell\n\nNo matter what the song, Bettye LaVette turns it into deep soul, singing each from the inside out, capturing every nuance of feeling that each lyric can possibly provide. She can't help but make them all personally emotional. Risking a lapse into clich, it's almost impossible to avoid the phrase, \"She makes these songs her own.\"\n\nQuite possibly since Joe Henry co-produced this album with her, his composition \"Stop,\" an enticing and exciting soul tango (with killer piano accompaniment by Patrick Warren), is the track that I'm guessing will have you pressing \"replay\" the most. I enjoy the relentless rockin'-soul vibe of the Stones' \"Complicated\" on which Bettye sounds so much like the now \"happily retired\" Tina Turner (whom I have missed). Beatles purists may have a problem with the nearly unrecognizable, dirge-like, wracked-with-torment Bettye LaVette take on \"Wait\" (from \"Rubber Soul\" but originally written for \"Help!\"), but not if they are really paying attention. The next oldest song, Savoy Brown's \"When I Was a Young Boy\" (changed to \"Girl\" here), will take you back to the sound of turn-of-the-'70s soul. Its if-I-knew-then-what-I-know-now message takes on maximal credibility in Bettye's experienced hands. Her pair of 1977 country covers, \"Just Between You and Me and the Wall, You're a Fool\" and \"Bless Us All\" are revelations. The former is transformed into an anguished soul blues, backed by smoldering electric guitar by Doyle Bramhall II and organ by Patrick Warren. The latter is superlative Southern-soul-style balladry, so sensitive and sincere. Bob Dylan's \"Unbelievable\" feels like an attempt to recreate Bettye's magic on his \"Everything Is Broken,\" but for me the song just doesn't possess the same power or click in quite the same way. The two most recent compositions, which bring the album to its close, create the definite impression of being anthems destined to become part of her live shows: the brand-new \"Step Away\" is catchy mid-tempo soul with horns and an upbeat message; and the title ballad \"Worthy\" takes it home on a most compelling and triumphant note.\n\nI doubt there will be too many albums in 2015 better than this one; and the all-region (\"O\") \"bonus\" DVD is magnificent.","Product: On his 11th album, That Lovin' Feeling, Steve Tyrell celebrates what he calls "the Great American Songbook 2; the next generation of the Songbook," recording seminal rock era classics penned by legendary songwriters (many renowned for hits penned at New York s famed Brill Building) who are also cherished longtime friends. While sharing the enduring magic of timeless songs by the songwriting teams of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich as well as Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, Toni Wine and Carole Bayer Sager, That Lovin' Feeling sets itself apart from most tribute recordings with spirited guest vocal appearances by Mann, B.J. Thomas, Neil Sedaka and Bill Medley in addition to renowned backup singer Judith Hill (featured in the Oscar winning documentary "20 Feet From Stardom") and Tyrell's daughter Lauryn Tyrell. The set also includes key instrumental contributions by Stoller, keyboardist Chuck Leavell, saxophonist Dave Koz and even playful hand claps by Jeff Barry.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: jazz-&-soul-inflected pop oldies done to a \"T\" (as in Tyrell)\n\nReview: Steve Tyrell, with his versatile (jazz/pop/soul), reassuringly raspy voice and burnished vocal style - who can seemingly do no wrong these days - pays homage to a number of the greatest songwriters of the second great wave of 20th century American songwriting (1953-1975 -- from Leiber & Stoller's \"Hound Dog\" to Neil Sedaka's \"Laughter in the Rain\"), all of whom were associates and friends going back to his days as record producer at Scepter Records in NYC in the '60s.\n\nThere are two songs from the 1950s, nine from the '60s (with the median year being 1963, just ahead of the British Invasion), and three from the '70s. The songwriters in question include the immortal Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller (\"Hound Dog,\" \"There Goes My Baby, \"Stand by Me\" [these last two with Ben E. King] and \"On Broadway\"); Burt Bacharach (\"Any Day Now\" [with Bob Hilliard]); Carole King (\"Up on the Roof\" [with Gerry Goffin] and \"Jazzman\" [with David Palmer]); Neil Sedaka (\"Laughter in the Rain\" [with Phil Cody]); Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil (\"On Broadway\" [with Leiber-Stoller], \"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'\" [with Phil Spector], \"Good Good Lovin',\" \"Just a Little Lovin'\" and \"Rock and Roll Lullaby\"; Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich \"Be My Baby\" and \"Chapel of Love\" [both with Phil Spector], and Carole Bayer Sager and Toni Wine (\"Groovy Kind of Love\").\n\nNot that Tyrell couldn't carry these songs on his own, along with his outstanding group of backing musicians on this all-organically-produced album, but what could be better than duets with the great original artists, Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers on \"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin',\" B.J. Thomas on \"Rock and Roll Lullaby,\" and Neil Sedaka on \"Laughter in the Rain\"? For a bit of extra frosting on the cake, Barry Mann teams up vocally with Tyrell on his stellar 1963 co-composition, \"On Broadway.\" On the distaff vocal side, there are major contributions from Judith Hill (especially on \"Good Good Lovin'\") and daughter Lauryn Tyrell on \"Chapel of Love.\" Guest musicians include saxophonist Dave Koz (\"Jazzman\"), Chuck Leavell (piano on a pair of tracks), and the great Mike Stoller himself [since deceased, sadly] (Hammond B3 organ on his 1961 Hall of Fame co-write \"Stand by Me\").\n\nThis is an oldies vocal album that puts so many of the others to shame. Tyrell seems to inhabit these songs and has every nuance down pat. The arrangements are bright and creative (and did I say \"organic\"?!) but don't stray too far from the originals. The most different would have to be the delightful new tweaks to \"There Goes My Baby\" (street-corner doo-woppier, with an a cappella opening), \"On Broadway\" (jazzier), and especially \"Laughter in the Rain\" - but that's with Neil Sedaka himself clearly on board for a slowed-down version somewhat in the manner of what he did with his own remake of \"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do\" in the '70s. \"Hound Dog\" is taken back to its bluesy, pre-Elvis roots. If I had to pick favorites, I would start with \"Rock and Roll Lullaby\" and \"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin',\" because Tyrell's teaming up with B.J. Thomas and Bill Medley, respectively, worked out so well. These two guest stars still sound as great as ever. (And note that it was Tyrell who produced the original 1969 B. J. Thomas version of \"Rock and Roll Lullaby.\") Then, I would have to go with \"Any Day Now,\" since Chuck Jackson, another singer he produced (on Scepter's Wand subsidiary label), was a favorite who inspired him from his earliest days in the business.\n\nThis whole project is inspired! Tyrell's best.","Product: In 1971, Atlantic Records released a pair of Dusty Springfield singles produced by the legendary songwriter/producer Jeff Barry (one-time songwriting and romantic partner of Ellie Greenwich, and author of too many hits to name): "Haunted"/"Nothing Is Forever" and "I Believe In You"/"Someone Who Cares." A restless Dusty, freshly relocating to America from her native England, then departed the label and left an additional 9 songs recorded with Barry in the can, where they stayed until Rhino issued one track, "Faithful" (in mono), as a bonus track on the 1990s CD release of Dusty's 1970 Atlantic album A Brand New Me. The other tracks didn t surface until a subsequent deluxe reissue of Dusty s landmark 1969 album Dusty in Memphis included them as bonus cuts. Now, reissue producer Jim Pierson who tracked down the missing masters after being lost for over two decades has assembled all of Dusty s Barry-produced masters and put them together in a single package for the first time to create the third Dusty Springfield Atlantic Records album as planned in 1971. Real Gone Music s release of Faithful presents these historic Barry-Springfield collaborations exactly as they were originally intended to be heard, with the 12 tracks intended for the album release and one intended for single-only release. All tracks are in stereo, while the liner notes, penned by The Second Disc's Joe Marchese, feature a number of rarely-seen photos of the legendary singer. These stunning pop, soul and gospel flavored selections showcase the iconic singer at the height of her vocal magic. A missing/jumbled part of Dusty s august recorded legacy, finally set right!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: prime 1971 Dusty Springfield - here for the first time as originally intended\n\nReview: Recorded in 1971, \"Faithful\" was intended to be Dusty Springfield's third LP at Atlantic, after \"Dusty in Memphis\" (1969) and \"A Brand New Me\" (1970), and was expected to be released early in 1972. Yet only now (a mere 43 years later!), thanks to Real Gone Music (UK), it is seeing its first release in its complete original album form.\n\nWhite-hot producer at the time, Jeff Barry, was brought over to Atlantic to helm this project (he also arranged, as well as contributing three new songs); and while I'm not going to say this LP, as now thoroughly reconstituted, is as strong overall as its two predecessors, it is definitely playing in the same league. Dusty is as passionate and emotional, sultry and soulful as ever -- and I would contend that at least a couple of her finest performances on record can be found here.\n\nTwo singles from this set did in fact get issued in 1971, but despite their high quality, neither charted nationally. The first single A-side, \"Haunted,\" (written by Barry and Bobby \"Montego Bay\" Bloom) has Dusty in hard-charging Motown mode on a song that reminds me a lot of two by Marvin Gaye that I really liked from 1968 (preceding \"I Heard it Through the Grapevine\"): \"You\" and \"Chained\" (both about love obsessions, as is \"Haunted\"). The Barry-Bloom B-side \"Nothing is Forever\" (a bonus track here, as it was not intended for the \"Faithful\" LP) is a big ballad, Dusty's other specialty besides soulful pop. The second issued single was Jeff Barry's \"I Believe in You,\" which sounds as though it could have been the deepest southern-soul recording ever attempted by a white British artist up to that point. It's one of her greatest moments, but it may have been too specialized for the marketplace at the time, which was mostly driven by radio airplay. The B-side was the dramatic pop ballad with strings, \"Someone Who Cares,\" a 1970 movie theme done first by Kenny Rogers & the First Edition.\n\nIn any event, with these two singles going nowhere; and given Dusty's \"dissatisfaction\" with Atlantic (according to Joe Marchese's informative liner notes), she flew the coop (moving to ABC/Dunhill) before the LP could be released, pretty much assuring its extinction.\n\nBut at least we have it now! And in addition to \"Haunted\" and \"I Believe in You,\" it contains some other truly fine ones. The original, \"Love Shine Down,\" is one of several gospel-tinged numbers (there is also the opener \"I'll Be Faithful,\" whence the LP's title, and its closer, \"I Found My Way Through the Darkness\"), and her performance on it is clearly Aretha-inspired. Interestingly, Dusty does a catchy, uptempo original titled \"All the King's Horses,\" which would appear to have inspired labelmate Aretha's own self-penned 1972 ballad by this exact title.\n\nBesides the aforementioned \"Someone Who Cares,\" the two other cover versions here are of some note [no pun intended]: Carole King's \"You've Got a Friend\" (from \"Tapestry\") has to be one of the most covered songs of the '70s, but Dusty's version was actually one of the very earliest, recorded before \"Tapestry\" even got to the #1 spot. It should be noted that Dusty had regularly been covering Carole's songs for eight years when she recorded this one. But taking the remake cake is a magnificent, heavenly reading (with a gorgeous Barry arrangement) of David Gates/Bread's #1 pop ballad from the previous year, \"Make It with You.\" It could very well be Dusty's most sensual vocal performance ever. She almost seems to be caressing the words as much as singing them; and it doesn't take long before she's floating on air into her highest register. I'll repeat: magnificent!\n\nAnd only four tracks later (with the excellent \"Love Shine Down,\" \"I Believe in You\" and \"Have a Good Life\" in between), she is rocking out southern-style (very credibly, I might add) on the pounding, insistent, electric-guitar-laden \"Natchez Trace.\"\n\nThis is definitely the frontrunner so far in 2015 for finest album reissue of the year.","Product: Originally released in 1967, 'California Nights' is regarded as Lesley's masterpiece. The album comprises seven tracks recorded in New York with producer Bob Crewe and three titles cut with arranger Jack Nitzsche in Los Angeles. Our reissue includes an additional dozen highlights from Lesley's 1965 albums 'My Town, My Guy And Me' and 'All About Love' and three mid-60s recordings that first surfaced from the Mercury vaults in the 1990s.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) Title song dwarfs weaker LP material; ample Ace bonus tracks boost value\n\nReview: Ace [UK] \"California Nights\" hit parade (highest U.S. national pop chart positions):\n\"My Town, My Guy and Me\" (1965) #32 Billboard\n\"I Won't Love You Anymore (Sorry)\" (1965) #61 Cash Box\n\"We Know We're in Love\" (1966) #58 Record World\n\"Off and Running\" (1966) #94 Record World (only \"bubbled under\" in Billboard at #108)\n\"Treat Me Like a Lady\" (1966) \"bubbled under\" at #115 in Billboard\n\"California Nights\" (1967) #11 Cash Box\n\n\"California Nights\" turned out to be '60s pop princess Lesley Gore's last major hit and she was only just turning 21; yet her run which began at age 16 in '63 with her recording of \"It's My Party\" was impressive and memorable, as well as being more enduring than any of her teen girl-pop counterparts'. At least she held her own rather well against the British invasion, although her best record \"You Don't Own Me\" was prevented from becoming a national number one record when the Beatles suddenly crashed the U.S. pop charts with \"I Want to Hold Your Hand\" in early '64. What she couldn't weather as the late sixties approached was the onslaught of more heavyweight, relevant and personal material being generated by her rock and singer-songwriter contemporaries.\n\nIn any event, what is clear now is that whenever Lesley Gore had a distinctive song to work with she did very well with it. All of her hits attest to this; and it should be noted that she co-wrote the first three hits listed chronologically above (all contained in the bonus tracks) - two of them with brother Michael (in 1980 they were Grammy and Oscar nominated for their songwriting on the ballad \"Out Here on My Own\" from the movie \"Fame.\"). \"California Nights\" is a beautifully composed tune by the late Marvin Hamlisch (just a couple years older than Lesley - both are gone now, sadly), who went on to great heights in the business. [For trivia buffs: Hamlisch is the only person ever to have won all of the following awards: Academy Award (3), Grammy (4), Emmy (4), Tony (1), Golden Globe (2) and Pulitzer Prize (1, shared).]\n\nThe Bob Crewe co-writes on the \"California Nights\" album, other than the catchy, undervalued single \"Treat Me Like a Lady\" just sort of blend together with several others, but there are two more that make a strong impression: the single \"Off and Running\" (written by Carole Bayer and Toni Wine/produced by Quincy Jones, who produced \"It's My Party\") is a British beat-influenced rocker with a hot Jack Nitzsche arrangement. It barely cracked one of three national top 100s, yet in retrospect it seems like one of her better efforts. My guess is that it was just too unexpected from her, and neither radio programmers nor her fans would go for it. \"Cry Like a Baby\" is not the same song as the subsequent Box Tops hit, but a genuine soul record (a fairly minor R&B hit for Aretha Franklin while still at Columbia) penned by Jo Armstead, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. These two fine tracks took Lesley out of her pure pop bag and allowed her to shine in very different ways.\n\nThis being an Ace package we get the 16-page deluxe-booklet treatment loaded with colorful photographic realia; while the liner notes by Malcolm Baumgart briefly tell the story behind every one of the 25 recordings.\n\nI just wish there were more songs here that really stood out and would have been fully up to Lesley's Gore level of talent.","Product: 2015 release from saxophonist, vocalist and songwriter Jessy J, one of the brightest stars on the Smooth Jazz scene.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This whole CD is \"paraso mgico\"!\n\nReview: With this, her fifth studio album, it is pretty much indisputable that Jessy J is the queen of Latin-tinged contemporary jazz saxophone (and she is excellent when she picks up the flute as well). She is an impeccable player, and this is her best piece of work from start to finish.\n\nSeven songs here are originals - all of these co-written by Jessy J, who was involved in nearly all of the album's arrangements and some of the production. Guitarist Paul Brown produced, recorded and mixed a number of tracks and plays on five. Keyboardist Gregg Karukas also guest stars on four of the Paul Brown-produced tracks.\n\nLead single \"The Tango Boy\" is endlessly catchy, with its relentlessly pulsating beat, and features Jessy J's most uninhibited playing. Let's just call it the contemporary jazz original lead single of the year. The Cuban-flavored \"Paraso Mgico\" (which I reference in my title here) is a joyous Caribbean delight with Jessy J on flute and leading the colorful Spanish-language chorus. Catch the cool and clever, perfect ending of the song. \"Back to the Basics\" is melodic (as is everything she composes) but has a cool, funky Latin beat and a particularly fine piano solo by Norman Jackson. Opening original \"Una Mas\" combines gracefulness and soulfulness and is followed by the sultry and dreamy title ballad (\"My One and Only One\"). \"Cuba\" (we're back in the Caribbean!) has a swirling melody and features excellent drumming by Iajhi Hampden and a Wes Montgomery-esque guitar solo by Michael Angel. \"Siempre\" features the sultry solo voice of Jessy J, as well as her flute stylings, and a very fine Rusian Sirota piano solo.\n\nHer three well-chosen cover versions, it seems to me, take her out of her usual bag and are the proof that she is the equal of anyone in this contemporary jazz (sometimes called \"smooth jazz\") genre. Her take on The Cure's \"Love Song\" (or \"Lovesong\") is exquisite, possessing a beautiful, rich tenor tone. The percussion, as well as Paul Brown's superb guitar backing and solo, all contribute to a stunning ballad track. (IMO, this is one of the most gorgeous melodies to emerge from pop music in the last 20 years of the 20th century; and it's not hard to see why Adele would make it the only cover version on her second, incredibly successful LP, \"21.\") Then there's the Jessy J version of Toni Braxton's #1 R&B and pop smash from 1996, \"You're Makin' Me High.\" It's melodic, soulful and grooving - and 6:22 seldom goes by this quickly. Paul Brown outdoes himself on this one with his tasty guitar licks and red-hot blues-jazz solo.\n\nAnd finally (and it is in the closing [Trk 10] position) there's my favorite of all, an absolutely loaded-to-the-brim (Jessy J is heard on three instruments; and there is some rare programming here, but it all works in building an astounding wall of sound) instrumental cover of the phenomenal song \"Strawberry Letter 23,\" composed by teenage genius Shuggie Otis in 1971, off his magnificent \"Freedom Flight\" LP, which I was lucky (or perceptive) enough to purchase at the time. There is nothing more to say after this.\n\nWarning: This album is not recommended for jazz snobs and avant-gardists who prefer incoherent, out-of-tune saxophone screeching and fourteen-minute solos.","Product: The Fantastic Four are revered by Motown fans. Their three-year stay with the label resulted in just a couple of issued 45s but the quartet was scheduled for an album release and recorded enough extra originally-unissued tracks to fill a second album. 'The Lost Motown Album' presents the planned 1970 long player in Motown's plan for its running order augmented with more than a dozen gems from the same period. A whopping 14 of these have never seen the light of day before.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a fantastic find! 77 and a 1/2 minutes of solid 1969-70 Motown soul\n\nReview: The Fantastic Four were the rare case of a group that was hot until they joined Motown, hot again after they left Motown, but who had nearly nothing to show for their time there. In fact, these native Detroiters' one hit record at Motown, \"I Love You Madly\" (not in this collection) originally came out on their previous label and was then transferred to Motown's Soul imprint (the label home of Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Jimmy Ruffin, Shorty Long, and the Originals). At Motown they did not receive consistent support and were relegated to second-tier (arguably third-tier) status. (One of their members called it being \"put on the shelf.\") However, they themselves were as consistent as could be, as one can hear across the 25 tracks found here: 12 which were for a projected LP that never materialized, and 13 additional tracks. Both sides of their three issued 1969-1970 singles (the only ones recorded at Motown) are here. I knew of this Detroit group when they were with their previous label (Ric Tic) and had their 1968 soul-chart single \"I've Got to Have You,\" but I never heard these three before.\n\nThe Fantastic Four were blessed with an outstanding, powerhouse lead singer in the portly form of \"Sweet\" James Epps, whom I would situate voice-wise between Darrell \"Open the Door to Your Heart\" Banks and Motown's David Ruffin. Since the projected LP was going to be called \"How Sweet He Is,\" there was no doubt that the plan was to spin James off as a solo act.\n\nFor me, the two most outstanding tracks by a mile from \"How Sweet He Is,\" which should have been A-side singles in my estimation, are their fantastic (hey, it's the right adjective for these!), exquisitely rendered cover versions of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's beautiful duet ballad \"If This World Were Mine\" (written by Marvin) and Jerry Butler's cleverly tuneful \"Just Can't Forget About You.\" Both of these in their original releases had been B-sides and thus way undervalued. - meaning, there could have been huge hit potential to exploit. \"If This World Were Mine\" was the flip side of Marvin and Tammi's \"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You\" and did not receive anywhere near the kind of attention it deserved: only #27 soul nationally and #68 pop. Butler's \"Just Can't Forget About You,\" as the flip side of the #1 soul (and #16 pop) smash \"Hey, Western Union Man,\" was completely ignored. The singles that were put out on the Fantastic Four were solid but just wouldn't have stood out from the crowd enough to have had much impact (that and the lack of promotion).\n\nThe bonus tracks feature a killer version of Johnny Bristol's \"I'm Still a Struggling Man,\" which went on to become Edwin Starr's follow-up hit to \"Twenty-Five Miles.\" Three Bobby Taylor-produced tracks - \"Loving You (Is Hurting Me), \"I Hate Myself for Loving You\" and \"Fan the Flame\" - are excellent, emotive (as the titles suggest) midtempo ballads. (\"Fan the Flame,\" co-written by Smokey Robinson, originally appeared on a Temptations LP.) The uptempo, very catchy and well-constructed \"In a Bad Way\" would have been another fine choice for a Fantastic Four single - it had originally been a 1964 Freddie Gorman single on Ric Tic and was worthy of a second chance.\n\nThis is a typically outstanding Ace/Kent Soul compilation. The sound mastering is flawless - and included is the obligatory photo-filled Ace booklet that never fails. Co-compiler Tony Rounce's six pages of liner notes tell the Fantastic Four's story about as well as it can be told in this format. Sadly, as we learn in the final paragraph, none of the original Fantastic Four survived to see this \"long-overdue retrospective of their time at Motown...\" But Fantastic Four fans now have this pleasure.","Product: It's hard to believe 12 years have passed since 'Pet Projects: The Brian Wilson Productions', one of the first releases in our much-admired Producers series. Not before time, Wilson now joins such greats as Randy Newman, Laura Nyro, Goffin & King, Dan Penn, Bacharach & David, Jackie DeShannon and Serge Gainsbourg in our equally high profile Songwriters series. The collection opens with 'Do You Have Any Regrets?' by Darian Sahanaja of the Wondermints, a rare composition from Wilson's unissued 'Sweet Insanity' album of the early 90s. While Wilson's version was a rather frantic latin-styled piece, Sahanaja's recording is an homage to the 1965-era Beach Boys. Along with collectable tracks by Johnny Wells, Basil Swift, the Castells, Joey & the Continentals, Keith Green and Peggy March, Sahanaja's luxuriant cover makes its legit CD debut here.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Ace Records and Brian Wilson are a recommendable combination\n\nReview: \"Here Today! The Songs of Brian Wilson\" Hit Parade (peak national pop chart positions indicated):\nJan & Dean \"New Girl in School\" (1964) #26\nThe Hondells \"My Buddy Seat\" ('64-65) #61\nThe Tokens \"Don't Worry Baby\" (1970) #71\nHugo Montenegro \"Good Vibrations\" (1969) #87\nBobby Vee \"Here Today\" (1966) #122\n\nMy top 13 (out of 25 total tracks), which includes \"New Girl in School,\" \"Don't Worry Baby\" and \"Here Today\" (listed above) -\n[chronological order]:\nThe Surfaris \"Don't Hurt My Little Sister\" (1965)\nKeith Green \"Girl Don't Tell Me\" (1965)\nBruce & Terry (Bruce Johnston & Terry Melcher) \"Help Me Rhonda\" (1965/unissued until 1998)\nJohnny Wells \"Guess I'm Dumb\" (UK/1967)\nCarmen McRae \"Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)\" (1967)\nNick DeCaro \"Caroline, No\" (1968)\nLittle Peggy March \"Aren't You Glad?\" (1968)\nBetty Everett \"God Only Knows\" (1975)\nKirsty MacColl \"You Still Believe in Me\" (1981)\nDarian Sahanaja \"Do You Have Any Regrets?\" (1994)\n\nOf the above ten, a trio of women (Carmen McRae, Betty Everett and Kirsty MacColl) rule. Jazz chanteuse Carmen McRae's recording of \"Don't Talk\" - produced in London by Johnny Keating, replete with theremin - is a near masterpiece among Brian Wilson/Beach Boys cover versions. Betty Everett's Gene-and-Billy-Page-produced \"God Only Knows\" is an emphatically soulful mid-'70s take on the classic tune. And Kirsty MacColl's \"You Still Believe in Me\" qualifies as an outright masterpiece, taking into account all aspects of the multi-layered production supporting her magnificent, deeply connected reading of the poignant \"Pet Sounds\" ballad from fifteen years earlier.\n\nThe problem with this compilation, though, involves the other twelve tracks which do not make my cut. Most of them are concentrated in the middle of the disc, creating kind of a doughnut effect. Tracks 11 through 17 take the inconsequentiality cake, with Jay & the Americans' \"Things Are Changing\" (a Bob Dylan rip-off title) hitting rock bottom (in more ways than one). It's actually a bizarre piece of Phil Spector-produced propaganda (in the form of an extended public service announcement) urging poor minority kids to go out and get jobs which were supposedly so plentiful. This is an even preachier and more dumbed-down quasi sequel to Jay & the Americans' jingoistic 1963 hit that proclaimed, \"Only in America, land of opportunity...\" This feels like the longest 2:50 ever captured on vinyl and would appear to be here only as a sop to completists.\n\n(Incidentally, a suddenly distracted Homer Simpson stopped reading this review following my \"doughnut\" and \"cake\" references.)\n\nAs usual, one can trust Ace Records to provide the best sound mastering possible, along with a deluxe 20-page full-color booklet chock-full of eye-popping realia and comprehensive liner notes covering each track and artist.\n\nThe effort is here - and there is very little I had ever heard before - but getting through a dozen of the lesser tracks (just about half) felt like a bit of a slog.","Product: Neil Young + Promise of the Real have joined forces and will release a new studio album, entitled The Monsanto Years, on June 29th via Reprise Records. For this guitar-centric, full steam-ahead and highly-charged rock album, Young is joined by Promise of the Real, an LA-based rock band fronted by Lukas Nelson (vocals/guitar), along with Micah Nelson (guitar, vocals), Anthony Logerfo (drums), Corey McCormick (bass) and Tato Melgar (percussion). The ecologically/environmentally-focused album will be released via all retailers and in the Neil Young Official Online Store. The Monsanto Years will be available in a special CD + DVD package, iTunes, and PonoMusic high-resolution audio. Pre-orders begin today, May 26th. Click here to pre-order.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: \"Big Box\" hits the bull's-eye, but beware of message overkill\n\nReview: No question, this is largely diatribe with a lot of repetitive overkill and heavy-handedness; and attempting to listen to the entire 51 minutes in a single sitting will become ponderous, for sure. Yet, one can admire Neil's single-minded focus and be grateful for a singer-songwriter (backed by an outstanding group of musicians) who is not preoccupied with self and who is willing to take on what he considers to be a broader global danger. I find it impossible to doubt the sincerity of his belief that hypercorporatist greed is destroying our way of life and our freedom - and ultimately poses an existential threat to our planet.\n\nTwo of his songs talk about love but not in a mundane way. \"People Want to Hear About Love\" is an engagingly tuneful rocker that deals with the subject ironically, while \"A New Day for Love\" offers a heartfelt message of hope for the future.\n\nThe country-tinged rocker \"Workin' Man\" pulls no punches in describing the plight of small farmers, whom mega-agribusiness is out to crush (if they resist being wholly exploited) using its high-priced corporate attorneys (U.S. Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas - who was once one of these Monsanto \"men with briefcases\" - gets called out for his hypocrisy in this matter).\n\n\"A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop,\" with its punny title and jaunty melody (featuring happy-go-lucky whistling, no less!) is all in-your-face irony, as its lyrics just continue to pile on the outrage to this upbeat tune. The title track piles it on thick as well, only it's heavy, plodding, repetitious, long and drawn out.\n\nBy the way, for anyone who thinks Neil Young sings off key, have you ever heard him before? He has always sung in his OWN key! There is nothing new to say on this score. Q magazine's Mark Blake describes the \"grizzled and angry\" Young's voice as one that \"creaks like an un-oiled silo door.\" At least he said nothing new in a new way! No doubt that the more layered the sound of a track is behind him, the better he sounds.\n\nWhat really makes this album a winner is the presence of a near masterpiece: the song \"Big Box\" (which calls out Walmart by name in one verse) gets everything right musically and lyrically. It is an epic, superbly constructed track that really hits the bull's-eye. Even with its 8:16 running time it doesn't seem too long. I would almost go so far as to call it a \"Layla\" for this century, only political.\n\nFrom \"Big Box\": \"[Plundering, law-breaking] corporations [are getting] too big to fail, too rich for jail...some way, somehow we will prevail.\"\nWrite on, Neil!\n\nThe DVD includes complete versions of every song as they are being recorded. Superb sound and cinematography.","Product: Voted by The Blues Foundation as Blues Guitarist of the Year in 2014, guitar master Ronnie Earl and his band return with an even stronger package of music. Added to the spellbinding intensity and soulfulness of Earl's guitar, is the presence of a horn section for the first time in decades, adding another dimension to his sound. The 13 tracks on Father's Day also feature two special guest vocalists throughout: Diane Blue, whose previous work with Earl created a sensation; and Chicago-based Michael Ledbetter, best known as lead singer of the Nick Moss band. Ledbetter is also a distant relative of the iconic Huddie William Leadbelly Ledbetter, whose 12-string blues style has influenced generations of blues, folk and rock musicians.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: fantastic \"Father's Day\" gift to blues fans\n\nReview: Be prepared for 79 absolutely astonishing minutes of blues magic, with a couple of ultra-soulful R&B ballad oldies and a late-'50s soul-jazz instrumental classic.\n\nFor Chicago West Side blues fans, we get four excellent covers of classics by two of the best of all time, Otis Rush and Magic Sam. A couple of Rush's \"time\" songs, \"Right Place, Wrong Time\" and \"It Takes Time\" receive high-intensity makeovers with Earl's blazing guitar and Michael Ledbetter's powerful, soul-drenched vocals. \"All Your Love,\" my favorite Magic Sam tune, is explored for seven-plus minutes, with another outstanding Ledbetter vocal and plenty of room for Earl to dazzle with his stinging Magic Sam-esque guitar fills and for Dave Limina to delve deep on piano and Hammond B-3 organ. Diane Blue does the vocal honors on Sam's probing, soul-searching \"What Have I Done Wrong.\"\n\nLimina is especially luminescent (on B-3) with Earl on B.B. King's \"I Need You So Bad\" (KIng's recent death really raising the stakes for this track as a tribute). There is also a top-notch bit of New Orleans blues here with a fiery remake of Fats Domino's \"Every Night About This Time.\"\n\nOf Ronnie Earl's three originals, two are impressive soul-blues duets (\"Follow Your Heart\" and \"Higher Love\") with the aforementioned guest vocalists (who appear on twelve of the thirteen tracks), Michael Ledbetter and Diane Blue. The third is the title song \"Father's Day\" by Earl and Ledbetter - very movingly sung by the latter - which deals with the very difficult personal issue of repairing rifts in the family and coming together in peace, understanding and forgiveness while there is still time.\n\nEarl et al (Limina, Jim Mouradian on bass, Lorne Entree on drums) transform themselves into a stellar electric guitar, organ and sax (Mario Perett on tenor, Scott Shetler on baritone) soul-jazz combo with their brilliant rendition of Bobby Timmons' classic \"Moanin',\" first recorded by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1958.\n\nThe variety keeps on going right to the end with the closing gospel tune \"Precious Lord\" sung to a fare-thee-well by Diane Blue.\n\nBut I was most taken aback by the 15 minutes devoted to a pair of early '60s R&B songs: Gladys Knight & the Pips' 1964 hit ballad [#4 R&B / # 38 pop] \"Giving Up\" (written by Van McCoy) is taken to the church of the blues. Just the deepest soul and blues together in a magnificent instrumental arrangement and with a vocal by Michael Ledbetter that will overwhelm you with its soulfulness. Fine song, but I can't imagine what could have inspired such a masterpiece to emerge from it five decades later. Four tracks down, the deep exploration of Bobby Bland's #2 R&B hit ballad from 1960, \"I'll Take Care of You\" (written by Brook Benton and Clyde Otis), stretches out to nine minutes - all instrumental for the second half - with stunningly gorgeous solos by Earl and Limina.\n\nThere is so much intense, smoldering, passionate, high-powered playing and singing on this one CD that it's hard to imagine anything that could ever top it - yet if anyone can, Ronnie Earl will find a way.","Product: 2015 album from Canadian songstress mixing up foot-stompin' country & bittersweet balladry with rock'n'roll attitude! Includes 9 new tunes plus a cover of the Bee Gees classic 'To Love Somebody'.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: realistic depictions of life and love in working-class America\n\nReview: Lindi Ortega's \"Faded Gloryville\" is up there sharing the same rarefied Americana air as Eilen Jewell's stellar \"Sundown Over Ghost Town,\" and we can only hope that these two artistically extraordinary albums will be duking it out for the Best Americana Album Grammy. (When asked to offer a definition of Americana music, I usually respond that it's country music for people with measurable IQs.)\n\nThese songs are realistic depictions of life and love in working-class America where emotional and day-to-day survival can no longer be taken for granted. One can get trapped in a \"Run-Down Neighborhood\" and a woman can find that her man has \"Run Amuck\" amid the \"bars and dirty alleys...whiskey and tequila...uppers, downers, coffee and cocaine.\" \"Faded Gloryville\" is the trickle-down American dream now come crashing down - a place of disillusion where \"nobody wears a crown.\" But she holds out hope that \"Someday Soon\" there will be \"somethin' better [...] waitin' for me...a thousand miles from yesterday.\"\n\nIn addition to the previously cited pair of ballads, the album begins and ends with a pair of strikingly poetic and poignant beauties, \"Ashes\" and \"Half Moon,\" respectively. And by way of contrast, besides the aforementioned \"Run\" songs, there are some other potent rockers as well: the appealingly New Orleans-y \"When You Ain't Home\"; the bouncy, coolly melodic and emphatic \"Tell It Like It Is\"; and her breezy \"I Ain't the Girl,\" which is thematically somewhat reminiscent of Bob Dylan's \"It Ain't Be Babe\" (but from the distaff side five decades later).\n\nThe only song not written or co-written by Lindi Ortega is her splendid Memphis-soul-style cover of an all-time favorite of mine, the Bee Gees' \"To Love Somebody\" from 1967, which they originally intended to be an Otis Redding Memphis soul record. This is one of three tracks not recorded in Nashville but in that other Mecca of Southern sixties soul, Muscle Shoals, Alabama.\n\nExcellent production, songwriting, musicianship, vocals...the works.","Product: Buddy Guy, the legendary award winning blues icon, will release his brand new studio album Born To Play Guitar on July 31st via RCA Records. The follow-up to his 2013 double disc release, Rhythm & Blues, which debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Blues Albums chart, Born To Play Guitar is produced by Grammy Award winning producer/songwriter and Buddy's longtime collaborator Tom Hambridge.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a brilliant musical statement by the elder statesman of blues guitar\n\nReview: At 79, Buddy Guy may be the last surviving still actively recording link to both the blues of the Deep South and the 1960s Chicago electric blues scene. I was wondering what he would do next (in 2015) now that we are definitively in the post-B.B. King era. What I wasn't really expecting was this, one of his greatest albums ever.\n\nFor the first six tracks of this 14-track, 59-minute disc, I was thinking this is very entertaining, very upbeat, sounds great, is well produced (by drummer Tom Hambridge, who wrote or co-wrote all twelve of the original songs here - five with Buddy); and although \"five-star\"-worthy for sure, not necessarily one of his all-time best. Then came Trk 7 and the stellar soul blues of \"Crying Out of One Eye\" (featuring the Muscle Shoals Horns) and a whole parade of fantastic tracks all the way through the closing pair of heart-felt tributes: to B.B. King (the stunning gospel-soul-blues duet \"Flesh & Bone\" with Van Morrison), and the other to his great mentor and friend Muddy Waters (the poignant and brilliantly played - on dual acoustic guitars [with Doyle Bramhall II] - \"Come Back Muddy\").\n\nAlthough the opening title track seeks to explain Buddy's lifelong (or at least since the age of two!) obsession with the guitar, it's Trk 9, \"Turn Me Wild,\" which contains his single best encapsulating refrain: \"The blues done turn me wild, dug deep down in my soul.\" \"Thick Like Mississippi Mud\" (Trk 12) is the real, deep southern stuff again with the Muscle Shoals Horns (who jumped on over to Nashville where this LP was recorded) and Buddy's plaintive and scorching 1957 Stratocaster guitar licks.\n\nBesides the moving B.B. King homage with Van Morrison, Trk 8 takes the cover version duet cake with a terrific R&B (accent on the \"B\") remake of Brook Benton & Dinah Washington's all-time classic from 1960, \"(Baby) You've Got What It Takes\" [the #1 R&B record of the year; and it even got to #2 pop in Cash Box], with Joss Stone doing an astoundingly effective job with the Dinah Washington part. Both of them sound genuinely inspired. Not to slight the other guest stars, Billy Gibbons of Z.Z. Top provides a throaty vocal and blistering guitar alongside Buddy on the raucous, pounding Texas shuffle \"Wear You Out\" (one of those early tracks I found so entertaining); and Kim Wilson of Fabulous Thunderbirds fame guests on harmonica (reminiscent of Junior Wells with Buddy) on Little Walter's \"Too Late\" (a Willie Dixon co-write from 1953), as well as on the spunky original, \"Kiss Me Quick.\"\n\nLastly, something has to be said about Trk 10, another masterpiece (penned by Guy, Hambridge and Gary Nicholson), called \"Crazy World.\" If you have always wanted to hear Buddy Guy express his deepest thoughts about the state of our beleaguered planet - socially, economically, ecologically; crying out against the injustices (as he backs himself with startlingly emotive \"wah-wah\" guitar riffs) - this is it. Very powerful, without trying to be overpowering - and an original-song-of-the-year candidate with \"Crying Out of One Eye\" (if I have anything to say about it...which of course I don't).\n\n I have nothing else to say at this time, as I need to listen to this phenomenal album again (for the I've-lost-count-of-how-many-eth-time in these past few days).","Product: (2LP) 2015 album /song cycle for the TV adaptation of UK music journalist/comedy writer/Radio DJ Danny Baker's 1970s coming-of-age memoir \"Going to Sea in a Sieve\". Housed in a gatefold sleeve with download code.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Squeeze squeeze a lot of memorable moments into this exceptional album\n\nReview: \"I wasted time in a constant panic\nas the Rome around me fell\"\n\n- from \"Cradle to the Grave\" (title song)\n\nApparently, these songs are intended to form the soundtrack of an upcoming BBC TV series based on a book. Who knows when we will be able to watch this show in the U.S., but for the time being it matters not: this is a stunning new album that is instantly classic Chris Difford-Glenn Tilbrook Squeeze - and it's one that easily stands on its own.\n\nThe lyrics are clever and literate - and even if we are not familiar with the characters from the book, the writing of the songs conveys more than enough for us to be able to understand a lot about them. Other songs have universal meaning, such as the title song about life and the brief time we have to live it, but in a most pleasantly pulsating way; or the joyous and breezy \"Happy Days\" with its nostalgia for summer getaways to the country or at the seashore. \"Nirvana\" is a brilliant song about devoted parents who now find themselves lonely empty nesters. The icing on the cake is that it is set to an easy disco beat no doubt meant to convey the couple's long-ago courtship years. \"Open\" is a cool, very much Squeeze-at-their-finest tune about an anxious groom at the altar. There's a succession of songs about the protagonist as an adolescent (very honest stuff here) and young man en route to finding his future. At the end we encounter some wistful, introspective ballads, as the now much older man comes to cherish his past and the whole journey.\n\nSuperb musicianship, backing vocal choruses, arrangements, engineering and sound mastering, and overall production (by Glenn Tilbrook and Laurie Latham). There is also a sweet 12-page booklet with dazzling original artwork and the complete printed lyrics to all of the songs. Everything is here in one ultra-impressive package.","Product: Houston Person still remembers the day in 1950 that changed his life. He was a typical 16-year-old in his hometown of Florence, SC. He sang in the high-school choir and glee club, but he was mostly interested in football and basketball. Then, Christmas morning, his parents gave him a surprise gift: a tenor saxophone. Several decades, hundreds of albums, and thousands of concerts later, his life and career remain centered around the tenor sax. When it comes to soul-jazz, Person has been at the top of the genre for more years than he may care to admit. Through all the different styles coursing through those decades -- from hard bop, through fusion, to avant-garde -- Person has been steadfast in his dedication. All of Houston Person's trademarks are present on his newest recording. With the phenomenal vibes of Steve Nelson and the top-flight rhythm section -- ably led by pianist John di Martino -- Houston & Co. caress the ballads with lush melodicism and swing heartily through the up-tempo numbers.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: warm, melodious tenor sax by a master with a matchless combo\n\nReview: Warm-toned, soulful tenor sax ace Houston Person has been a leader since the 1960s and has never disappointed. Even more amazingly, the quality of his albums, still being produced at a rate of one per year, continues to surpass his already impossibly high standards.\n\nFor anyone who has read my previous review (from eleven months ago) of Houston Person's \"The Melody Lingers On,\" you may have noticed that I just self-plagiarized (not a violation unless I decide to sue myself!), but it all still applies.\n\nThe ten superlative tracks here [totaling more than 63 minutes of exquisite music] were recorded in a single day early this past June. Person, who produced them all impeccably, was 80 at the time (and is now 81), but the cliché about fine wine definitely holds true in his case. And just try to find finer sound recording (engineering, mixing and mastering) for jazz than by the legendary and ageless Rudy Van Gelder at his studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The sequencing of tracks brilliantly juxtaposes different tempos, heightening the listening experience. No matter what the tempo, up-, mid-, or down, the hauntingly soulful and lyrical quality is always there.\n\nChoosing favorites is impossible here: kind of like trying to pick a favorite flavor of ice cream - so much depends on one's mood of the moment. I will start with his midtempo take on the gorgeous Grammy-winning, Academy Award-winning \"The Way We Were\" from 1973-74, music composed by the late Marvin Hamlisch. I can especially \"hear\" Gladys Knight's voice in the phrasing. [For trivia buffs: Marvin Hamlisch is the only individual to have won all of the following awards: Academy Award (3), Grammy (4), Emmy (4), Tony (1), Golden Globe (2), and Pulitzer Prize (1, shared).]\n\nNext, since I also really enjoy it whenever Person goes old-school R&B, I can't get enough of his rockin' take on Rudy Toombs' \"Teardrops from My Eyes,\" Ruth Brown's massive #1 hit from 1950-51. He delivers a change-up on Irving Berlin's \"Change Partners,\" a 1938 Hollywood film standard first performed by Fred Astaire, deftly, transforming it into a bossa nova, an early-sixties genre I never seem to tire of when done well.\n\n\"Crazy He Calls Me,\" a 1949 classic composed by Carl Sigman and devastatingly interpreted by the immortal Billie Holiday, has it all in a Houston Person ballad (the soul, the warmth, the lyricism, the emotion - turned up to \"eleven\" here in Spinal Tap terms). A midtempo \"The Second Time Around\" would have fit Person's \"Nice 'n' Easy\" album from two years ago perfectly, but works here just as well.\n\nIn a bit of a surprise - one that couldn't be more pleasant - \"(I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over\" is taken at a swinging pace, and I don't think I have ever enjoyed it more. Just a refreshing musical palate pleaser. The ballad \"Guilty\" goes back to the early 1930s when it was popularized by crooner Russ Columbo. This one is enhanced, as so many are here, by beautiful vibraphone and piano solos. Another turn-of-the-thirties pop standard, \"On the Sunny Side of the Street\" receives a sprightly once-over replete with the album's only drum solo.\n\nThe title song \"Something Personal,\" beyond the brilliantly meaningful play on words with the artist's name, is a lovely ballad that I don't believe I have ever heard before. The album's closer is something really special: a nearly ten-minute take on Benny Golson's musical homage to Clifford Brown, \"I Remember Clifford.\" This is a most sensitive reading of the tune, with more than time enough for relaxed and melodic solos on vibes, piano and bass.\n\nThe superb musicians supporting Houston Person are Steve Nelson on vibraphone, John di Martino on piano, Ray Drummond on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. All but Martino played on last year's \"The Melody Lingers On.\" And on four tracks James Chirillo distinguishes himself on electric guitar, including very notably the one I have declared my favorite [of the moment], \"The Way We Were.\"\n\nLiner notes writer Willard Jenkins calls this \"another highlight in the discography of a man who truly plays for the people.\" I'll second that emotion.","Product: One Of The Lonely Ones is the newly discovered, never-before-heard, 1969 Roy Orbison album that has never been released until now! Recorded primarily between January and August of 1969 this album is an honest account, arguably more so than any other, of Roy Orbison's life. This album is mixed and expertly mastered by Grammy winning engineers. Package features new, period appropriate, original artwork. 180 gram vinyl with 60 page booklet included.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: dramatic, intriguing, stunning masterpiece LP shelved since 1969\n\nReview: Contained in the attractive 12-page \"One of the Lonely Ones\" accompanying booklet are the superbly written liner notes by Alex Orbison providing us the context in which this magnificent album was created. Roy had undergone two life-shattering tragedies in a two-year period prior to recording this album in 1969, and listeners can tell that he is feeling things very deeply. The title song penned by Roy and Bill Dees is a powerful and uncompromising exploration of the depths of one's own loneliness and is at the same time graceful and melodically gorgeous. Alex explains how this project gave Roy the creative outlet he needed to get beyond the pain - to just focus on the music for a while. The LP was originally intended to be issued the first week of November, 1969, \"but the release never happened until now\" (46 years later). Alex believes that his father would have fully approved of the new final mixes, remastering and sequencing, but he does not speculate on why this brilliant and very personal piece of work was shelved at the time.\n\nSix of the twelve tracks are originals from the Orbison-Dees collaboration and appear consecutively in the middle of the album. While everything else is a ballad, three of these tracks rock at various tempos: \"Laurie\" is a deliberate throwback to the good times of 1962 when the 4 Seasons were on top with \"Sherry\" (and Roy had his \"Dream Baby\" and \"Leah\"), as Roy sings joyously in his highest register about his \"Laurie baby.\" \"Give Up\" has a cool time-shifting arrangement, replete with harmonica. And I can only describe \"Child Woman, Woman Child\" as a rocking and extremely loose take-off (in the sense of musical and lyrical flight) on \"Oh, Pretty Woman.\"\n\nBesides the aforementioned title song \"One of the Lonely Ones,\" which can now join the pantheon of Roy's greatest recordings, we have the intriguing Dees-penned \"Little Girl (In the Big City)\" with its clever and gripping pop arrangement, as well as the only political song Roy ever did, titled \"The Defector.\" It mentions \"the war\" (in Vietnam) and the \"seeds of discontent\" (the protests) in confusing times that find the song's narrator \"walking alone,\" alienated and far away from home. All in barely two minutes. Talk about intriguing!\n\nFor the rest, the LP starts with the inspirational Rodgers & Hart big-ballad showstopper from the 1945 musical \"Carousel,\" \"You'll Never Walk Alone,\" which is right in Roy's astonishing vocal wheelhouse and is clearly a song that held great meaning for him and offered reassurance. This is an emotionally powerful performance, but it sets the stage for what is to follow, as opposed to overwhelming it. We also get a pair of Mickey Newbury gems (\"Leaving Makes the Rain Come Down\" and Sweet Memories\") that feel almost as though they were composed with Roy in mind; two by Sammy King (\"Say No More\" and \"After Tonight\"), which are both exquisite in their own way; and the stunningly beautiful closer that looks toward a better future, \"I Will Always,\" by the legendary country songsmith Don Gibson, for whose work Roy had a special affinity.\n\nVery big thank-yous to Roy's Boys (Alex, Roy Jr. and Wesley) for this great gift that we might otherwise have never been able to hear and enjoy.","Product: With the debut of their first hit, California Dreamin , on the charts, The Mamas and the Papas proclaimed themselves to be a potent new force in the burgeoning West Coast folk-rock movement, announcing to the world that something special and beautiful was happening in California. Now, 50 years to the day after California Dreamin entered the Billboard Hot 100 on January 8, 1966, Real Gone Music is celebrating this very special anniversary by releasing The Mamas and the Papas: The Complete Singles The 50th Anniversary Collection, a two-CD, 53-track set that includes for the first time ever the A and B side of every single the group released, all in their impossible-to-find-on-CD original mono single mixes. But this one-of-a-kind collection which is remastered by Aaron Kannowski, the engineer responsible for Real Gone s acclaimed collections of singles by fellow Dunhill label acts The Grass Roots and Steppenwolf doesn t stop with The Mamas and the Papas singles; it also includes the solo single sides that group members Mama Cass Elliot, Denny Doherty and John Phillips cut for the Dunhill and ABC labels, again in their rare, original single mixes. Co-Producer Ed Osborne s notes feature quotes drawn from extended interviews with Mama Michelle Phillips and Dunhill label head and producer Lou Adler, while the package also includes a number of rarely-seen images of this eminently photographable band. Many of the solo singles and B-sides have never been on CD, let alone in their single mixes; plus, over the course of listening to this set (which clocks in at over 150 minutes) you re going to hear such legendary songs as Monday, Monday, California Dreamin , Creeque Alley, I Saw Her Again, Words of Love, Dream a Little Dream of Me, Glad to Be Unhappy, Dedicated to the One I Love, and It s Getting Better exactly as folks heard them over the radio back in those halcyon days. Due to the unfortunate situation with the Dunhill single master tape reels (supposedly thrown out at the behest of one of the label s owners), Mamas and Papas fans had despaired of ever hearing the group s original singles on CD. Now, after countless hours spent tracking down sources, Real Gone Music is proud to release the most significant addition to The Mamas and the Papas discography in years!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) Monophonic Mamas & Papas\n\nReview: Real Gone promises us the complete 1965-71 singles (A and B sides) in their original mono form - including the post-Mamas & Papas solo Dunhill singles by Mama Cass, John Phillips and Denny Doherty - and delivers it all to a fare-thee-well in just over two and a half hours. The 24-page accompanying booklet is a comprehensive one, with photos (mostly black and white) and 14 pages of well-researched and well-written notes by Ed Osborne that even include explications of any musical differences (other than mono vs. stereo) between the single and LP mixes. Most significantly, the notes recount the whole colorful story of this fascinating foursome who may have flamed out faster than any other group that is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.\n\nObviously this is not the collection for stereophile album fanatics or casual fans of the group. Personally, I tend to be neutral on the mono-vs.-stereo issue, but in cases whereby I owned the original '60s single I really appreciate having the CD version in the identical sonic format. The \"California Dreamin'\" 45 was the first record I acquired in 1966 - before having any idea what a phenomenal musical year it would turn out to be.\n\nSo, IMO, Real Gone has done a five-star job with this double-disc all-singles compilation. My minor ratings deduction thus has only to do with the quality of some of the group's music, particularly relating to a small number of B-sides and the long slog on Disc Two through Mama Cass's sixteen consecutive single sides.\n\nSomewhat in the mold of Phil Spector, who regularly sabotaged B-sides so that radio programmers could make no mistake as to which was the producer's preferred A-side, it seems that Mamas & Papas producer Lou Adler occasionally pulled this same stunt. Certainly there was no mistaking this in the case of \"Dancing Bear\"'s B-side from late '67 (as the group was rapidly going downhill on Dunhill), the execrable \"John's Music Box.\" One of the downsides of some completist collections is that you can get stuck with some throwaways.\n\nWith the Mama Cass solo run, all the sunshine pop and purposely old-timey-sounding stuff wear thin [no pun intended] in a hurry. Her B-sides are particularly weak, reaching the nadir of unlistenability on \"All for Me,\" on which she hums the entire melody and only sings intelligibly for a few seconds of the final fade-out.\n\nOn the upside, non-charting B-side heaven is attained by the Mamas & Papas on their luminescent pop-harmony reworking of the Temptations' soul masterpiece \"My Girl,\" the flip of their late-'68 cover of Bobby Freeman's \"Do You Want to Dance\"; as well as by Denny Doherty (solo) on the gorgeous \"Gathering the Words\" from 1971. Disc Two ends with Denny's next B-side, \"Tuesday Morning,\" the savagely brilliant lampoon of \"Monday, Monday,\" a John Phillips-penned song that Denny notoriously despised (despite its being the group's biggest hit and a Grammy winner, to boot). Folky banjo aside, it is intentionally dreary and dirge-like as it plods repetitively through each day of the week - placing special emphasis of course on \"Monday, Monday\" - as if intoned by a major depressive.\n\nI beg to differ with Denny, even though I get and appreciate what he did there. One cannot really cast doubt on the genius of John Phillips, who was able to take a phrase like \"All the leaves are brown...\" and spin it into pure gold.","Product: Kent kicks off 2016 with a special project that will gladden the hearts of all lovers of Memphis soul and, in particular, those who collect the recordings made at McLemore Avenue, the home of Stax Records. 'The Other Side Of The Trax' brings together 24 Stax single sides from the 'Blue' era never on CD before - and that, in most if not all cases, have not been available on vinyl since their appearance on 45 half a century ago. Most of Stax's top names of the era are featured at least once, with repertoire every bit as good as anything else they cut. Almost all the tracks are taken from Stax's original production masters, apart from Johnnie Taylor's Northern Soul favourite 'Changes' which makes both its CD and stereo debut here.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: B-side myself about these Stax sixties B-sides\n\nReview: In 1991, when I finally took the plunge and began buying CDs, the very first purchase I made (and it's still the best I ever made) was the nine-disc \"Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles 1964-1968\" box set. But if there was one thing about it I wasn't completely enamored with, it was that only around one-fifth of the B-sides were featured. Now, 25 years later, Kent Soul, the greatest label there is for '60s soul reissues, has taken a major step toward righting this \"wrong\" with this present disc containing two dozen 1964-1968 Stax-produced B-sides. As only those which have NEVER been issued on CD before* are included here, there is nothing by Stax's leading stars from this period - Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Booker T & The MG's, and bluesman Albert King - but this only makes this release seem like even more of a priceless rarities collection not to be missed.\n\nLabel mainstays Carla and Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, and William Bell appear on ten tracks, all in fine form. And unless you own(ed) the original vinyl 45s, it is unlikely you have ever heard any of these tracks before. The company's biggest star from its subsequent (post-1968) phase, Isaac Hayes, appears with his instrumental group Sir Isaac & The Do-Dads with their grooving, soul-jazzy (and ultra-rare) \"The Big Dipper\" (1965), one of six of the Stax trax here co-written by him (all of the others being with his soon-to-be songwriting partner David Porter). Two other instrumentals of note are the Mar-Keys' red-hot, horn-driven groover \"Beach Bash\" (1965) and blues guitarist Johnny Jenkins' \"Sleepwalk\"-influenced \"Bashful Guitar.\" Jenkins was clearly not someone Stax was very interested in, but his group's young vocalist who drove him from Macon, Georgia to Memphis sure turned out to be: as it was none other than Otis Redding (!), who was given a bit of time at the end of Jenkins' 1962 instrumental session and wowed everyone with \"These Arms of Mine,\" which he had co-written (it quickly became a #20 national R&B hit - the first charting record on the Volt imprint).\n\nStax was seemingly incapable of producing a bad side, so everything here is worthwhile; but in my opinion, the surprise B-side stars are Barbara & The Browns (by a mile! - just a magnificent, emotive and compelling soul singer was Barbara Brown) with \"You Belong to Her\" and \"Please Be Honest with Me\" (both from 1964); Eddie Purrell with his majestic deep soul ballad \"My Pride Won't Let Me\" (1967); the \"blue-eyed\" Otis Redding-inspired plaintive and pleading balladry of Johnny Daye's \"I Need Somebody\" (1967); and the appropriately growling Dorothy Williams with her bouncy but somewhat intimidating blues, \"Watchdog.\"\n\nGet ready for over an hour of entertaining and often intriguing Stax rarities. As with any Ace/Kent Soul product, the sound mastering is of the highest order. This is an excellent compilation by the always-reliable Tony Rounce, who as usual provides the thoroughly researched, well-written notes contained in the 16-page photo-filled accompanying booklet.\n\n* [In what would appear to be a minor oversight, one of the B-sides here was in fact previously issued on CD: Carla Thomas's \"A Boy Named Tom\" appeared as Trk 11 on the 2007 Warner/Rhino UK release \"Carla Thomas - The Platinum Collection.\"]","Product: Kinked! Kinks Songs & Sessions 1964-1971' is an alternative celebration of the Kinks' first decade, via the songs that 'got away', when a surfeit of strong material was shopped by Davies' then-publisher and management, both in the UK and overseas. These tunes include several signature items never officially recorded by the Kinks: 'I Go To Sleep', 'This Strange Effect', 'All Night Stand'; or released well in advance of the Kinks' own versions. The range of interpreters is wide, from pop-jazz chanteuse Peggy Lee and teen idol Bobby Rydell to Brit-girls the Orchids and Goldie & The Gingerbreads, UK mainstays Herman's Hermits and the Pretty Things, sessioneer Nicky Hopkins, satirist Barry Fantoni, US garage punk avatars the Chocolate Watchband and R&B veterans the Olympics. Several cuts are previously unissued alternate versions / mixes or recent vault discoveries.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: very cool Ace Records Ray (and Dave) Davies Kinks covers compilation\n\nReview: Similar to the early Beatles with Paul McCartney and John Lennon, whose astonishing songwriting prolificacy could not be contained wholly within the confines of the group (too much material at one time for their label to be able to put out on them), Ray Davies of the Kinks also created a wealth of excellent songs that other recording acts were able to pounce on. Here is 67 minutes of superb-sounding recordings (21 mono tracks, 5 in stereo) of Ray Davies songs (and one by brother Dave) - some of which the Kinks never got around to recording - that represent his greatest strengths as a songwriter: early brilliant blasts of visceral R&B-tinged rock and roll energy (largely fueled by Dave's stellar lead guitar riffs) that soon transitioned to even more brilliant and diverse stuff with outstanding original melodies and lyrics that ran the gamut from tender, sweet and optimistic to exceedingly sharp and clever observations and satirical critiques of contemporary British society. Dave is represented only by the opening track, one of those terrific early ravers, \"One Fine Day\" (not to be confused with the 1963 Chiffons hit with that title), done here by Shel Naylor (1964).\n\nI had only heard three of these tracks before, two of them being, in my view, absolute pop gems that should have been big hits but which didn't even \"bubble under\" the national charts; while the other proved to be the only smash hit in this collection, reaching #5 in the U.S. The latter, \"Dandy\" by Herman's Hermits (1966) was overexposed, and I could never really fathom that group's appeal. Ray Davies was bitterly disappointed (with reason) that the Kinks' version was not issued as the U.S. single instead. My two shoulda-been hits are the superb pop-rockers \"When I See That Girl Again\" by Bobby Rydell (1965) and \"I Bet You Won't Stay\" by the Cascades (1966), both of which I only first heard decades later on CD. \"When I See That Girl Again\" should have revived Rydell's flagging career (he never had a Top 100 charter after turning 23), while the Cascades had so much more to offer beyond their original pop masterpiece \"Rhythm of the Rain\" from 1963.\n\nThere are two here that pierced the lower reaches of the British chart: Dave Berry's intriguing \"This Strange Effect\" [#37 in 1965] and the Pretty Thing's \"A House in the Country\" [bottom-feeding for two weeks at #50 in 1966], which combined gritty rock energy with Davies' observational lyrics.\n\nThe girl-group sound is well represented by the Orchids' insistent \"I've Got That Feeling\" and the undervalued Goldie & the Gingerbreads' (from NYC but working in England) \"Look for Me Baby\" - both from 1965 - fun, hook-laden seeming winners, but the latter inexplicably remained in the can.\n\nBest Kinks cover? IMO, it's the Chocolate Watchband's version of \"I'm Not Like Everybody Else\" from 1966 (heard here in a great-sounding alternate mono mix). They do a tremendous job filling out the song and giving it an edgy, classic garage-rock feel.\n\nMost surprising: a non-charting Peggy Lee (!) A-side single from 1965, the lovely and lilting \"I Go to Sleep.\" Petula Clark also shows up with her French-language version of the trenchantly satirical \"A Well Respected Man,\" translated as \"Un Jeune Homme Bien.\" It's quite well done; but while it had little impact in France, it became a #1 single in Québec.\n\nAnother contender for best of disc has to be the latest recording here, \"Nobody's Fool\" by Cold Turkey, released as a British single in 1972. This is a beautifully rendered, haunting (those plaintive guitar licks!) and sad ballad about personal alienation.\n\nI haven't even referred to half of the fine tracks on this magnificent collection that even for Ace Records with its reliable excellence seems special.\n\nThe twenty-page accompanying booklet is a beauty, and the notes by compiler Alec Palao cover every song and recording act. They are wonderfully written and indispensable.\n\nThis is among the very best so far in Ace's continuing songwriters series.","Product: The highly anticipated follow-up to 2012's critically acclaimed 'Finding You Again' proves once more that time has not diminished Bob Lind's brilliance. 'Magellan Was Wrong' contains 12 new recordings including a rare cover of Tom Paxton's 'Bottle Of Wine' and is a testament to Lind's evolution - 50 years after 'Elusive Butterfly', he continues to hone and reshape his style. From the cry-from-the-guts opener 'I Don't Know How To Love You', to the symphonic closing piece 'A Break In The Rain', these songs demonstrate a wide melodic variation.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: finding Bob Lind again...again\n\nReview: \"Magellan was wrong\n This world is flat sometimes...\"\n\nWith age and wisdom come doubt and disillusionment, which we must come to terms with in order to survive. Don't just believe what you've been told and think that is sufficient. The reality we live is something else altogether. Excellent title tune...and it's catchy and instantly memorable. (Written by Bob Lind, as are 11 of the 12 tracks; arranged by Lind with Jamie Hoover, the principal producer here.)\n\nThis is the 50th anniversary of Bob Lind's one and only year on the national charts. In 1966 he had five pop chart entries, running a total of 31 weeks, topped by his brilliant dbut record \"Elusive Butterfly,\" which went to #5 in both the US and the UK. It was also poetic and forever memorable, but we mostly lost track of the elusive Bob Lind until four years ago and his superb comeback album \"Finding You Again\" (also with Jamie Hoover producing), which I reviewed on November 8, 2012. At that time I made the point that \"all his songs are meaningful and intelligent\" and that \"each track is beautifully layered, enhancing every nuance of Lind's impeccable verbal phrasing.\" I added that this \"is what artistic and musical integrity sounds like\"; and that while \"it's not what one might call 'contemporary' (thank goodness), it's timeless.\" I will stay with that. It is very well-crafted singer-songwriter pop (occasionally verging on jazz), which could have been made any time from the '60s until now; but it certainly helps that the author-performer has had half a century of life experience to work with in the interval, so that he can plumb the nuances and complexities he has encountered.\n\nThis album is full of profound reflections about life and love (not that he wasn't originally onto something when he described the latter as \"elusive\"), friendship and alienation; with emotions ranging from joyfulness and hopefulness to the aforementioned doubt and disillusionment. There are a few surprises along the way, such as a comforting song welcoming home returning war veterans (\"You Are Home\"); his one cover version, that being Tom Paxton's \"Bottle of Wine,\" which has more going on under the surface than one might ordinarily realize; and the rare comic relief of \"You, Lola, You!\" - a purposely \"stupid\" love song dedicated to the proposition that love can make one do crazy and stupid things.\n\nThe album's closer, \"A Break in the Rain\" (produced and arranged by Lind), reflects his ultimate takeaway message of light and hope and joy for life, and it features a stunning chorale of female voices.\n\nThis excellent, vibrant-sounding Ace Records (UK) release includes a 16-page booklet with exquisite cover art; full, clearly-printed lyrics, credits and Bob Lind's pithy commentary on each song, as well as forewords by Richard Hawley and Dion DiMucci.\n\nNow that Bob Lind has come up with two superb albums in four years, I am confident and hopeful that there will be more.","Product: Lee Hazlewood transformed Duane Eddy and Nancy Sinatra into major stars, but was unable to work the same magic with Sanford Clark, an Arizona rockabilly whose mellow vocal style anticipated the sound of Ricky Nelson. Clark's one big hit, \"The Fool,\" marries guitarist Al Casey's cribbed blues lick to a Hazlewood song that, stylistically, is halfway between country and rock; Clark's almost monotonous delivery and the hypnotic repetition of the guitar riff mirror the ruminative quality of the lyric. It sounds like a hit, but so do many of Clark's other recordings, so what happened? The Fool compiles all of Clark's Dot sides, from the title track and his minor sophomore hit \"A Cheat\" to the many failed attempts that followed. Also included are most of his Jamie recordings from 1958-1960, which have a stronger country flavor. Nearly a third of the recordings were not issued in their day, including some excellent cuts like the rockabilly tune \"A Cross Eyed Alley Cat\" and the ballad \"Promise Me Baby.\" Dot Records' Randy Wood tried to pattern Clark after Pat Boone on occasion, leading to some regrettable moments like \"Swanee River Rock\" and \"Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens\" (the latter of which Boone also recorded), but most of Clark's repertoire is much better than one might expect of a one-hit wonder. ~ Greg Adams, All Music Guide\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) complete Sanford Clark on Dot and Jamie labels (1956-60)\n\nReview: Sanford Clark \"The Fool\" hit chronology (peak pop and R&B placings noted):\n- \"The Fool\" (1956) #7 pop / #5 R&B\n- \"A Cheat\" (1956) #74 pop (in Billboard)\n- \"Nine Pound Hammer\" (1957) #48 pop (in Cash Box)\n- \"Still As the Night\" (1958) #80 pop (in Cash Box)\n- \"Run Boy Run\" (1959) #108 (in Music Vendor)\n\nGenerous (34-track/running time: 77:36), thorough and deluxe Bear Family Sanford Clark collection with the best sound mastering possible (a given with Bear Family) and a 36-page booklet with ample photos.\n\n\"The Fool\" is a rockabilly masterpiece; and whenever producer/songwriter Lee Hazlewood could give Clark the right song with the right atmospherics (including vocal echo and either Al Casey or Duane Eddy's dazzling electric guitar counterpoint), the results could be haunting and brilliant.\n\nNearly all attempts by Dot Records to push Clark in a more commercial pop (Pat Boone-ish [yuck!]) direction resulted in misfires - a real waste of talent and hard to listen to. Vocally, Clark is sort of a higher-pitched Johnny Cash; and once the mainstream left rockabilly behind, it proved unwise to have Clark stray from a country-folk-tinged sound. His final charter, \"Run Boy Run,\" is strongly Johnny Cash influenced; and his cover of his idol Hank Williams' \"I Can't Help It\" is one of the best of its kind from the late '50s.\n\nClark's last Jamie single (from 1960) is a strong double-sider pairing his own co-write \"Go On Home\" (enhanced by Al Casey's fantastically distorted guitar) with a haunting and soulful version of Johnny Ace's \"Pledging My Love.\" What a wonderful way to close out a disc that starts so stellarly with \"The Fool.\"","Product: We have tried to capture on this album what a listener would hear any Monday night at Theresa's Blues Bar (now defunct) at 48th and Indiana on Chicago's Southside. The blue Monday regulars, including Buddy Guy are joined by the late Otis Spann, the greatest blues pianist of his generation, making his last studio appearance and to whom this album is respectfully dedicated by Junior, the musicians, and...the Delmark staff.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This 2014 Delmark reissue (with its 7 bonus tracks) finally gives us what we missed\n\nReview: An outstanding 1970 Chicago blues LP to begin with (Junior Wells's second for Delmark five years after his phenomenal \"Hoodoo Man Blues\" dbut), on which this stellar blues harpist and raw, powerful and soulful blues singer and his friends - Buddy Guy and Louis Myers (who provided the sensational guitar backing, the great and immortal Otis Spann (thrilling in his last-ever recording sessions shortly before his untimely death), Fred Below (drums) and Earnest Johnson (bass) - got together on two occasions ten days apart (December 30, 1969 and January 8, 1970) to record what they wanted to, how they wanted to -- it is rendered even more essential by these bonus tracks which now make it an artistic whole worthy of reconsideration as a masterpiece.\n\nBesides knockout versions of songs by Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Slim and Eddie Jones (featuring shared vocals with Buddy Guy on Jones's \"Trouble Don't Last)\", this LP was lifted into the stratosphere by a pair of jaw-dropping, soul-baring, largely improvised Junior Wells originals: \"I Could Have Had Religion\" and \"Blues for Mayor Daley.\" The former takes a particularly poignant and unexpected turn when Junior begins to contemplate the recent calamities which had befallen his colleagues: Howlin' Wolf's heart attack, Muddy Waters' very serious injuries from a car wreck, and the untimely death of Magic Sam. Of course, this became all the more poignant by the time the LP was released due to the passing of Otis Spann in the interval. \"Blues for Mayor Daley\" brings up politics and poverty and a plea for the tone-deaf (implied) mayor of Chicago (\"this old man\") to come hold his (Junior's) hand while he tells him \"about the blues\" (i.e., the truth).\n\nThe bonus 34 minutes (bringing the disc's total time to a generous 73 minutes), augmented by some raconteuring and a minute-plus of Otis Spann and Buddy Guy \"Warmin' Up\" (Wow, even their just \"warmin' up\" is classic!), could have made for a very viable LP in its own right. It is here on \"Love Me Baby\" that Buddy Guy really lets loose (immediately preceded by Junior comically admonishing him, \"Don't get jazzy now!\") \"Rock Me\" is a pulsating, slow-burning tribute to Muddy Waters who was laid up in the hospital; and \"Got to Play the Blues\" is a price-of-admission, largely improvised hommage to B.B. King's epic 1969 record \"Why I Sing the Blues,\" with Louis Myers doing the B.B. King honors on guitar; and Junior - well into the song - launching into some inspired vocal impressions of Howlin' Wolf (\"Taildragger\"), Muddy Waters, Tampa Red and Albert King. (There is also a bit of unrecognizable Sam Cooke in there.) Prefacing the imitations hunk, Junior unleashes a rather startling shriek of sheer exultation. This is unmissable stuff; and then there's a very different alternate version of \"I Could Have Had Religion\" sans the ad-lib shout-outs to his suffering or departed comrades. This one focuses more on the tragedy of families being torn apart, bringing Vietnam into the equation (\"When I was in Vietnam, I thought I could never make it back home\" - this was at the dawn of the 1970s).\n\nThis is an absolutely essential reissue with bonus tracks that must be heard.","Product: 18 tracks including, 'Oh Girl', 'Give It Away' and 'We Are Neighbors'. Standard jewelcase. 1998 release.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: It doesn't get better than this for fans of the Chi-Lites' sensational singles\n\nReview: The Chi-Lites Top 15 hits on Billboard's soul chart and Hot 100 pop chart:\n1) \"Oh Girl\" (1972) [#1 soul (2 wks) / #1 pop (1 wk)]\n2) \"Have You Seen Her\" (1971) [#1 soul (2 wks) / #3 pop]\n-- #1 soul hits \"Have You Seen Her\" and \"Oh Girl\" were consecutive Chi-Lites releases\n3) \"(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People\" (1971) [#4 soul / #26 pop]\n4) \"Stoned Out of My Mind\" (1973) [#2 soul / #30 pop]\n5) \"A Letter to Myself\" (1973) [#3 soul / #33 pop]\n6) \"The Coldest Days of My Life\" (1972) [#8 soul / #47 pop]\n7) \"Homely Girl\" (1974) [#3 soul / #54 pop]\n8) \"There Will Never Be Peace\n (Until God Is Seated at the Conference Table)\" (1974) [#8 soul / #63 pop]\n9) \"We Need Order\" ('72-73) [#13 soul / #61 pop]\n10) \"Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)\" ('70-71) [#8 soul / #72 pop]\n11) \"A Lonely Man\" (1972) [#25 soul / #57 pop]\n12) \"I Like Your Lovin' (Do You Like Mine)\" (1970) [#11 soul / #72 pop]\n13) \"Toby\" (1975) [#7 soul / #78 pop]\n14) \"We Are Neighbors\" (1971) [#17 soul / #70 pop]\n15) \"Give It Away\" (1969) [#10 soul / #88 pop]\n\nA superlative entry in the spectacular Japanese Ultra-Vybe Brunswick 1960s/1970s soul reissue series, and it doesn't get better than this for fans of the Chi-Lites' great 45s from the late '60s to mid-'70s. The three discs contain 56 tracks (29 of which charted nationally), all in vibrant stereo, presented chronologically over three discs averaging over an hour each.\n\nListening to this collection will remind you just how excellent and versatile this group is - everything from exquisitely beautiful, mature and sensitive soul ballads to Curtis Mayfield-inspired sociopolitical protest statements delivered with raw and funky soul. The Chi-Lites were the #2-ranking Chicago soul group of the 1970s, behind only Earth, Wind & Fire -- and rank fourth all time among Chicago soul groups, behind E, W & F, The Impressions (speaking of Curtis Mayfield) and The Dells from South Suburban Harvey, IL (all of whom are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame). They were the ninth most popular soul group nationally in the 1970s. And one had to love the fact that the group's lead singer, writer and producer was fortuitously named Eugene Record.\n\nWhile it's great to have the number one hits \"Oh Girl\" and \"Have You Seen Her\" and a soul protest classic like \"(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People,\" any Chi-Lites hits collection would contain these; but there is an astonishing number of Chi-Lites non-charters and B-sides that are way up there in quality too. The lead-off A-side, \"Love Me,\" their 1968 dbut single on the label is an outstanding emotive soul ballad, with definite traces of Jimmy Ruffin at Motown in it. The B-side of \"Have You Seen Her?\" would be in my mythical B-side Hall of Fame: \"Yes I'm Ready If I Don't Get to Go\" is the finest pro-education song I have ever heard, and it is not at all preachy as it delivers its affecting message of the transformative power of education.\n\n\"The Man & the Woman (The Boy & the Girl),\" the flipside of \"A Lonely Man,\" is easily at the level of a hit Temptations A-side; it's impossibly catchy, but it just didn't get heard. And while I'm on the Temptations, the B-side of the very good but non-charting ballad \"To Change My Love\" (also recorded by Brunswick's signature star Jackie Wilson) is a fantastic cover of the Temptations' and Supremes' fantastic cover of Dee Dee Warwick's original \"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me.\"\n\n\"Living in the Footsteps of Another Man\" (the B-side of \"We Need Order\") is another snappy one, yet it recounts a serious personal situation faced by some very good men. The eight-minute-plus reflective beauty \"The Coldest Days of My Life,\" is included in full, as the B-side is Part Two of the record.\n\nThe Chi-Lites most off-beat A-side single, \"My Heart Just Keeps On Breakin',\" sandwiched in-between the 1973 hits \"A Letter to Myself\" and \"Stoned Out of My Mind,\" is an all-out fiddle-driven original country tune! Despite being wholly delightful, it unsurprisingly didn't find much of an audience, and fans were glad to pounce on \"Stoned Out of My Mind\" when it came out. If one listens carefully, one can hear that their biggest hit \"Oh Girl\" has a bit of a country-ballad flavor to it. One Con Hunley happened to notice this, and in 1982 he had a #12 country hit with his sterling country-soul cover of it.\n\nAnd who knew the Chi-Lites ever applied their heavenly harmonies to Ewan MacColl's \"The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face),\" popularized by Roberta Flack? It's the last track [#56] of this stunning collection. There are so many others worthy of mention, but I can't go through them all or we're going to be here for the next three hours and twenty minutes (the approximate duration of this whole set).\n\nThis definitive Chi-Lites package includes a 20-page booklet; however, you may need a Japanese interpreter for the liner notes. Luckily, though, you do get the complete English lyrics to every one of the non-instrumental sides.\n\nDon't let this one get away, Chi-Lites fans!","Product: Subtitled - the Louie Louie Files. An entertaining and fun trawl through the evolution of the ultimate three-chord rock 'n' roll anthem - Louie Louie. True, there have been 'Louie' compilations before but this is definitive - avoiding novelties and instead focusing on the history and influence of the song in the 1950's and 1960's. Artists include Richard Berry & the Pharoahs, Rene Touzet, Chuck Berry, the Kingsmen and more. 2002.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: time to revisit Ace's most unique compilation\n\nReview: With the recent passing of the Kingsmen's \"Louie Louie\" vocalist and group co-founder Jack Ely (4/28/15 at age 71), it's time to re-examine this highly remarkable Ace Records CD that traces the song \"Louie Louie\" from its early influences to its 1957 original version (Richard Berry & the Pharaohs - Berry wrote the song), to its competing early-sixties rock versions out of the Pacific Northwest, to a sampling of eight other diverse-sounding covers, plus a half-dozen close variants or sequels. There are 24 tracks and 72-and-a-half minutes devoted to this micro-study of \"Louie Louie.\"\n\nEvery track has its merits, although a surprise for me was the Beach Boys' 1964 LP-cut version which plays beautifully (with their exquisite harmonies) off the Richard Berry original. To best maintain one's sanity, though (or at least avoid a \"Louie Louie\" overdose), it's probably best to listen to this CD in three or four bite-size pieces.\n\nThe one inescapable conclusion is that the Jack Ely Kingsmen's 1963 mega-hit version is the one that leaps out at you (figuratively) and leaves the rest - as good as a number of them may be - far behind. (I'm identifying the band as the Jack Ely Kingsmen because it continued without him after the recording and before the record became a hit, due to a rupture within the group.) 98% of the time, I would estimate, the original version by the singer-songwriter is best, but occasionally something truly inspired will occur with someone else's recording. I think immediately of Jimi Hendrix doing Bob Dylan's \"All Along the Watchtower\" so powerfully that Dylan himself instantly recognized it and altered the way he subsequently performed the song. The Jack Ely Kingsmen's take (and it was actually done in one single take) on \"Louie Louie\" is one of rock's most magical moments and could never be duplicated. After listening to the clearly-articulated \"Louie Louie\" lyrics repeatedly on this disc, the muffled distortion, slurring and timing gaffe which are part of Ely's vocal never sounded so positively refreshing; and the whole fuzzy-filthy, bass-heavy, unpolished, lo-fi sound of the band signaled a real break from the past in American rock and roll. (Ely is interviewed in the liner notes and explains that the band thought they were doing a warm-up run-through of the song and were shocked they were not going to at least get a second take to get it right. But producer Ken Chase [also interviewed here] wanted the recording to feel live and immediate and, above all, danceable - and he knew he got it in that first take. That was the essence of real rock and roll as opposed to sterile, uninspired, studio-manufactured perfectionism.)\n\nThe historic significance of the Jack Ely Kingsmen version of \"Louie Louie\":\n\nIt was by far the biggest rock and roll and R&B hit record between the time of the JFK assassination in late-November 1963 and the Beatles' taking over the top of the U.S. pop charts at the start of February 1964. On the Billboard Hot 100 it was blocked from the #1 spot for seven consecutive weeks by either or both the Singing Nun's French-language religious folk song \"Dominique\" and Bobby Vinton's cover of the old (1945) Vaughn Monroe romantic pop ballad \"There! I've Said It Again\" - both clearly at the opposite end of the musical spectrum from this smash version of \"Louie Louie.\" As for the other two major national pop charts, it reached #1 for two weeks in Cash Box (January 1964) and one week (New Year's) in Music Vendor. Not well remembered is that its biggest impact was on the R&B chart (Cash Box's was the only major national one at the time) where it was the #1 record for an astounding six weeks - making it the third biggest R&B hit of 1963-1964. Its six weeks at #1 R&B represented the longest run at the top spot of any recognized national R&B/soul chart by a white recording act until well into the first decade of the 21st century!\n\nThen there was the infamous FBI investigation of the record, supposedly to determine whether or not it violated interstate obscenity-trafficking laws and sought to corrupt the youth of America. Despite the real FBI man-hours involved, it was a phony deal (they never bothered to interview Jack Ely who could have instantly informed them to a 100% certainty that there was no hidden vulgarity nor even a single double-entendre in the lyrics he sang - or shouted and slurred as the case may be). It seemed to have been a contrived diversion intended to keep the public duly scandalized and not thinking about the truly scandalous cover-up of the Kennedy killing that was really going on at the time. The FBI's earth-shaking conclusion on \"Louie Louie\" was that it's \"unintelligible at any speed.\"\n\nThere was definitely a conspiracy at Billboard magazine whereby its conservative editorial board kept \"Louie Louie\" from ever attaining its rightful top spot on their influential Hot 100 pop chart during its phenomenal run of popularity. They claimed discretion in banning certain records from the top spot if they didn't feel they met a high-enough standard of musical quality. This was not a problem for Alvin & the Chipmunks, but somehow it came into play here.\n\nIn a delicious case of irony, while the hit version of \"Louie Louie\" (which did get banned in a number of U.S. radio markets - and was most notoriously forbidden by the governor of Indiana!) was eventually cleared of all obscenity suspicions, completely missed - except in France where it was banned from national radio - was the fact that the Belgian Singing Nun's (a.k.a. Soeur Sourire [Sister Smile]) \"Dominique\" contained a blatantly obscene sexual-slang expression (repeated over and over in the chorus!) which of course the good sister was blissfully unaware of. Apparently, French Canada missed it as well.\n\nFor a second delicious scoop of irony, the only bit of unimagined obscenity in the Kingsmen's \"Louie Louie\" went completely unnoticed by the FBI et al - and it did not involve Jack Ely, the vocalist. Instead, at the 0:54 mark, in what evidently passed for just being a random grunt, the drummer Lynn Easton lost his grip on a drumstick and clearly exclaimed, \"F**k!\"","Product: I will ship by EMS or SAL items in stock in Japan. It is approximately 7-14days on delivery date. You wholeheartedly support customers as satisfactory. Thank you for you seeing it.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 3 LPs (on 2 CDs) of classic Bobby Womack 1973-74 soul\n\nReview: Bobby Womack \"Across 110th Street\"/\"Facts of Life\"/\"Lookin' for a Love Again\" Charly [UK] hit chronology (peak positions on national soul [Billboard] and pop [Billboard or Cash Box] singles charts):\n\n\"Across 110th Street\" (1973) #19 soul / #49 pop\n\"Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out\" (1973) #2 soul / #29 pop\n\"I'm Through Trying to Prove My Love to You\" (1973) * #80 soul / #101 pop\n* B-side of \"Nobody Wants You...\"\n\n\"Lookin' for a Love\" (1974) #1 soul (for 3 wks) / #8 pop\n\"You're Welcome, Stop On By\" (1974) #5 soul / #53 pop\n\nOn the Billboard LP chart:\n\"Across 110th Street\" (1973) #6 soul / #50 pop\n\"Facts of Life\" (1973) #6 soul / #37 pop\n\"Lookin' for a Love Again\" (1974) #5 soul / #85 pop\n\n\"Across 110th Street\": Isaac Hayes's \"Theme from Shaft\" won the 1971 Academy Award for best original song, and that seemed to assuage the Hollywood establishment's guilt over ignoring black singer-songwriters; so much so that the following year they completely bypassed the greatest film soundtrack/song combination ever (IMO) in Curtis Mayfield's \"Superfly\" original score and song \"Freddie's Dead.\" To this I would add the third greatest \"blaxploitation\" film theme (in three consecutive years), Bobby Womack's \"Across 110th Street,\" which he wrote with his soundtrack collaborator J.J. Johnson. Again, no nominations, but it's a keenly observed, dynamic recording that was worthy of greater recognition. The LP is almost equally divided between Womack vocals and J.J. Johnson & His Orchestra instrumentals; and it's all cool stuff, although not nearly at the level of the title song (which also appears in instrumental form with powerful, emphatic horns and a hot organ solo at the end). Two other fine Womack songs here are the relaxed and resigned, mid-tempo \"If You Don't Want My Love\" and the relentless soul-blues-funk of \"Do It Right,\" punctuated by Bobby's James Brown-esque (or Wilson Pickett-esque) soul screams.\n\n\"Facts of Life\" is most notable for the strength and variety of its cover versions, starting with what I think is his Womack's all-time best in this category: his take on the brilliant 1920s blues song \"Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out,\" made famous by Bessie Smith's immortal 1929 rendition. His mentor Sam Cooke also recorded it in 1961. which certainly would have inspired him, but remarkably he perfectly adapts the song to his own voice and style, rendering it virtually unrecognizable as anything other than a Bobby Womack record. His cover of Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers' \"That's Heaven to Me\" is a direct and beautiful tribute to Cooke. \"I'm Through Trying to Prove My Love to You\" is sheer Bobby Womack in its testifying style straight out of the mold of his earlier hit \"That's the Way I Feel About Cha.\" The last three tracks are all late-'60s ('67-68) covers: Burt Bacharach-Hal David's \"The Look of Love,\" originally recorded by Dusty Springfield as the theme from the James Bond film \"Casino Royale,\" \"A Natural Man,\" which is his gender-reversed take on Carole King/Gerry Goffin's song for Aretha Franklin - one of her great signature recordings at Atlantic; and Bob Dylan's \"All Along the Watchtower,\" which Jimi Hendrix made his own with his transcendent electric guitar-powered psychedelic-blues-rock version. \"Look of Love\" is done in the manner of his gritty-cool '60s covers of the pop hits \"Fly Me to the Moon\" and \"California Dreamin'\"; \"A Natural Man\" is subdued and poignantly soulful; and the closing \"All Along the Watchtower\" gets an emphatic soul reading with searing guitar backing, but it's no match for Hendrix.\n\nThe \"Lookin' for a Love Again\" LP is dominated by the fantastically propulsive title song, which was Bobby Womack's biggest hit single ever, both soul (the #3 soul hit of 1974) and pop (his only ten pop-chart record ever). Of historical note, it was a remake of the biggest hit The Valentinos (a.k.a. the five Womack Brothers) ever had: the gospel-influenced soul rocker (featuring an 18-year-old Bobby) on Sam Cooke's SAR label reached #8 R&B and was clearly ahead of its time. Also here is the 1974 follow-up hit soul single with an easy-going, conversational style, \"You're Welcome, Stop On By,\" as well as the smoothly delivered slice of Southern soul, \"You're Messing Up a Good Thing.\"\n\nThis is an excellent collection solidly housed in great-looking hard-cover book form (featuring a scene from \"Across 110th Street\" on the cover) with secure, smooth-plastic disc holders on both sides of a 16-page booklet replete with full-color cover art (and additional photos), three pages of song listings and writing credits, and seven pages of informative liner notes by Roger Dopson. In tandem with the 2015 Charly box set \"Preacher\" (which I reviewed 7/24/15), all of Bobby Womack's first eight LPs are included in two neat packages with first-rate sound mastering.","Product: 2008 release. The Golden Age of American Popular Music is fast-becoming as successful series as Ace Records' Golden Age of American Rock 'N' Roll. This spin-off from the main series is a collection of Jazz Hits from the core years of 1958-66. Although some of the titles will be familiar to pop fans such as Dave Brubeck's 'Take Five' or 'The Girl from Ipanema' by Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto, as ever these are leavened by the much less familiar and sometimes quite rare. We've also insisted on the single versions of the tracks, which haven't been available elsewhere, such as 'Watermelon Man' by Herbie Hancock and 'The Sidewinder' by Lee Morgan. Ace.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: best pop-jazz crossover compilation ever on a single disc [running time: 79:09]\n\nReview: I own albums by quite a few of the jazz artists on this disc (Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Cal Tjader, Jimmy Smith, Dave Brubeck, Lee Morgan, Ramsey Lewis, Vince Guaraldi, \"Groove\" Holmes, Ray Bryant and Cannonball Adderley) but not necessarily containing their biggest chart hits - and even less likely to contain versions that match the single edits. (Incidentally, Trk 1 is the CD dbut of the single edit of Herbie Hancock's classic \"Watermelon Man\" from 1962.)\n\nI love the way Ace Records puts these fantastic crossover (jazz to pop) records together in one place, all in their authentic original single-release versions (13 of 28 tracks in stereo - and all sounding excellent), the way I first heard many of them on the radio. If I want to hear Joe Morello's full drum solo on \"Take Five\" (most of which was edited out of the single), I always have the original Dave Brubeck LP (which no jazz fan should be without) to go back to. In the case of Ramsey Lewis Trio's \"The 'In' Crowd\" (the only record in this compilation that I bought when it first came out [1965]), I prefer the livelier single edit to the long version on the LP, which I later acquired.\n\nIncluded is a 24-page booklet featuring colorful supplements on every page, in addition to extensive liner notes by compilation producer Rob Finnis covering every track and artist in an appropriate amount of informative detail.","Product: From 'Captain of Your Ship' in the 60s to 'Shoes' in the 70s, Reparata & the Delrons were a very popular girl group on both sides of the Atlantic. Here are their hits and a selection of their album sides and rarities. 'Captain of Your Ship' was a big hit in the UK, even though it didn't chart in the US. The act was popular in the UK so should have strong domestic appeal. As well as the group's recordings this CD includes Reparata's solo outings including the 70s UK/US hit 'Shoes'. Also includes the Northern Soul monster 'Panic'; a massive dancefloor favourite at Wigan Casino. Sleeve-note by Mick Patrick. ACE. 2005.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: \"71 minutes of teenage angst\" - best Reparata & Delrons CD\n\nReview: Reparata & the Delrons chart chronology (peak national placements):\n\n- \"Whenever a Teenager Cries\" (1965) #35 (in Record World) *\n- \"Tommy\" (1965) #50 (Record World) *\n- \"I Can Tell\" (1966) #110 (in Cash Box)\n- \"I'm Nobody's Baby Now\" #128 (Cash Box)\n- \"Captain of Your Ship\" (1968) #97 (Record World) / #13 in the UK\n- \"Shoes\" [Reparata (solo credit)] (1975) #92 (Billboard) / #42 UK\n\n* [Note that in Billboard magazine Reparata & the Delrons' first two (biggest) hits peaked at an average of 33.5 places lower than their peak positions in Record World and 22 places lower than their peaks in Cash Box.]\n\nFrom Brooklyn, NY and first recording in 1964, Reparata & the Delrons were an undervalued 1960s teen-girl-group-boom trio, who at their best invite comparisons with the Ronettes and especially the Shangri-La's, among others. They rode the second wave (post-British Invasion) of this girl-group phenomenon, entering an already packed-to-the-rafters marketplace; plus, they were further hampered by the lack of a steady label (thus adversely affecting marketing and distribution), production team and group line-up other than leader Mary O'Leary, who chose Reparata (her musically appealing Catholic confirmation name) as her professional one. Until they surprisingly landed a big late-'60s hit in the UK, their greatest success had mainly been confined to the East Coast.\n\n\"Whenever a Teenager Cries\" and \"Tommy\" are the essence of the dramatic teen-angst-laden girl-group genre, in which the central theme involves either pining away over or else being ecstatic about a boyfriend (far more often the former). What is particularly remarkable about Reparata & the Delrons, amply manifested in this generous 30-track collection, is the consistency of quality throughout. One can pick out just about any individual track and wonder why it couldn't have been a breakout A-side 45. Certainly \"Panic\" (unique enough to have stood out had it been heard), \"Mama's Little Girl\" (written by Chip Taylor), \"I Can Hear the Rain,\" \"Weather Report,\" \"Hold the Night,\" or the psych-tinged \"Saturday Night Didn't Happen\" (from 1968) - none of which charted - would be among these.\n\nThe best of all could very well be the Jeff Barry-penned-and-produced \"I'm Nobody's Baby Now,\" with its very strong Phil Spector production influence and its deeply felt and emotionally cutting lyrics. That a record of such fine quality could rise no higher than #128 in 1966 was a definite sign that an adjustment in the group's sound needed to be made. Hence 1968 and the metaphorical light-psych pop (with sound effects) of \"Captain of Your Ship,\" their last chart entry under the group name, and the one that became an impressive hit [#13] in the UK.\n\nThis is by far the most comprehensive and listenable Reparata & the Delrons CD around. Excellent work by the UK's Ace Records in securing all the cross-licensing for these tracks and in engineering the sound (15 of the 30 tracks are in stereo) as well as could be done, given the available early-generation sources. There's a photo-filled 16-page booklet annotated by compilation producer Mick Patrick, incorporating many of Mary (Reparata)'s own words recounting her experiences. I would prefer chronological track sequencing (for example, it makes no sense [and it's a bit disorienting] for \"Captain of Your Ship\" to immediately precede \"When a Teenager Cries\"), but I'm grateful enough for everything that's here to let this go without issuing a formal reprimand. (I'm glad to point out that Ace has greatly improved in this regard.)\n\n[I first listened to this disc eleven years ago and enjoy it just as much now.]","Product: Bettye's comeback has sent R&B lovers reaching back for the early work by this supremely soulful singer. These late-'60s cuts have never been in one comprehensive collection 'til now: her Silver Fox hits He Made a Woman Out of Me and Do Your Duty plus Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go (with Hank Ballard) and several previously unavailable in the U.S., 13 total!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Bettye in Memphis (1969-1970)\n\nReview: Bettye LaVette is better than ever in 2015 at the age of 69 (a 53-year span as a recording artist) as her current LP \"Worthy\" - one of the best of the year so far - will attest. This CD \"Take Another Little Piece of My Heart\" takes us back to late '69/early '70 when Bettye (\"Betty\" then, without the final \"e\" she later added) was still 23 and already on her sixth (!) different record label. This time she found herself on the short-lived Nashville-based Silver Fox imprint, so named not for Charlie Rich but for the guy who had the nickname earlier, Kenny Rogers' brother Lelan Rogers, who ran this SSS International subsidiary and produced these 13 tracks. No LP (such as Dusty Springfield's \"Dusty in Memphis\" earlier that year) emerged from these Bettye LaVette Memphis sessions, but four singles (eight sides) were issued at the time.\n\nBettye's from-deep-in-the-gut, guttural singing style (so unusual for her age) was already well established by this time, and the sounds of Memphis Studio, with the backing of its Dixie Flyers rhythm section, was made to order for this young woman from Detroit who sounded so much more like a Southern R&B/blues singer than she did Motown.\n\nThe four issued singles:\n1) \"He Made a Woman Out of Me\" (1969-70) - typically Bettye in that it held nothing back. It rode the soul charts in December '69/January '70, peaking at #25. This was the only one that appeared on a national pop chart, although barely: only making #118 in Cash Box. A few months later, Bobbie Gentry, in her country-soul style, had a version out that got to #71 on the pop Hot 100.\n\n2) \"Do Your Duty\" (1970) - Yikes! Talk about not holding back! This was a real soul sister's women's liberation song demanding that certain needs, shall we say, be met by her man. This goes well beyond Aretha Franklin's version of Otis Redding's \"Respect\" -- and ironically, its writer, Ronnie Shannon, wrote two of Aretha's other early hits at Atlantic (\"I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You\" and \"Baby I Love You.\"). It climbed to #38 soul in early spring.\n\n3) \"Games People Play\" (1970) - No national chart action at all but a phenomenal soul rendition of the recent Joe South Grammy winner for 1969 Song of the Year. Maybe too recent and the public was \"Games People Played\"-out at the time, although it sounds completely fresh today. The B-side \"My Train's Comin' In\" is a hot one that sounds like another shoulda-been hit.\n\n4) \"Piece of My Heart\" (1970) - Yes, that (\"Take Another Little) Piece of My Heart\" by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns - originally by Erma Franklin (1967) and immortalized by Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company the following year. Make the total three stellar versions in three years. The B-side \"At the Mercy of a Man\" - the CD opener - is funky, bluesy, horn-driven, gutbucket soul that could probably only be sung by her or Tina Turner or Janis Joplin, or possibly Etta James then. Bettye could still sing it now in the same way, but with even more maturity. Alas, no chart action on this single either, so Bettye was off to label number seven.\n\nMost notable of the unissued tracks are the two she sang with Hank Ballard, the former R&B giant who came up with \"The Twist\" and also happened to be a Silver Fox artist at the time: \"Hello Sunshine\" is a solid soul ballad previously recorded by both Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett at Atlantic; and \"Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go\" is a fun recreation of Ballard's own #1 R&B/ #6 pop smash from ten years earlier. But my favorite of all is what could have been one of her signature records had it been released (up there [almost] with \"Let Me Down Easy\" which I bought midway through high school in June 1965): the magnificent southern soul ballad \"Easier to Say (Than Do)\" which has everything working for it: a superlative instrumental track featuring mighty Memphis soul horns and a right-on-the-money background vocal chorus - and above all, a beautifully deep, warm, heartfelt and commanding vocal by Bettye. It was withheld from release most likely due to an another Lelan Rogers-produced version (with the same backing tracks) being out at the time as a Charles Hodges B-side -- ironically on the Calla label, on which Bettye had had her aforementioned biggest hit \"Let Me Down Easy\" four and a half years earlier.\n\nI gleaned the previous nugget of information, as well as a few others, from the five pages of accompanying booklet liner notes by author Bill Dahl. (The best little informational gem is how Bettye got to Lelan Rogers and Silver Fox: it was at the suggestion of the latter's brother Kenny Rogers who thought Bettye's 1968 version of Mickey Newbury's \"What Condition My Condition Is In\" on the obscure Karen label in Detroit was \"the greatest thing [he'd] ever heard\" and \"much better\" than his own breakthrough hit version with the First Edition.)\n\nThis is an excellent Varse Sarabande CD I'm glad I finally got to hear - in yet another great year in the amazing career of Bettye LaVette.","Product: CD reissue of this 1978 collection from \"the First Lady of Country Music\". Originally issued as a double LP, this CD release contains both LPs on one disc. Wynette issued numerous charting albums over three decades, always staying relevant in Country and Pop circles. 20 tracks.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a world of wondrous talent\n\nReview: Almost any recording act with a modicum of sustained success back in the 45 rpm singles era could put out a greatest hits LP and expect to garner a significant amount of sales with it; but it took someone of Tammy Wynette's exalted stature in 1970 (just three and a half years into her magnificent country-chart run) to be able to put out a 20-track, double-disc retrospective of nothing but NON-hits! That's right -- this collection, which reached #8 on the country album chart, contains nary an A-side, only selected tracks from a half-dozen previously issued LPs, just two of which even made it out on B-sides. (One of these is her excellent self-penned midtempo \"Stand By Your Man\" B-side, \"I Stayed Long Enough.\") Yet the quality of this material is so remarkably high that this plays like a double greatest-hits LP.\n\nThe highlights are too numerous to run through, but the shoulda-been single that would have vied for number one is \"Kiss Away\" from 1968, a year when Tammy had three chart toppers as it was, culminating with \"Stand By Your Man.\" This gorgeous Billy Sherrill-Glenn Sutton-penned ballad was turned into a minor hit for Jody Miller a decade later. Producer-writer Sherrill, along with Sutton, also came up with \"Where Could You Go (But to Her),\" the superior (more emotionally invested) answer record to the David Houston (her former duet partner) original (\"Where Could I Go...\") from three years earlier. (The answer record that doesn't work -- nothing to do with Tammy's singing, it's just absurd -- is \"Honey,\" the mawkish Bobby Goldsboro 1968 mega-hit.) Most of this collection features cover versions, going back as far as 1951-53 with her powerhouse renditions of Johnnie Ray's \"Cry\" and Jane Froman's \"I Believe.\" Also top-of-the-line are her takes on Jeannie Seely's, as well as her own husband George Jones's number one hits from 1966 and 1967, respectively, \"Don't Touch Me\" and \"Walk Through This World with Me.\" (Less than successful here is the cover of Bobbie Gentry's 1967 instant classic with a tragic theme, \"Ode to Billie Joe,\" in which an inappropriately jaunty electric guitar part strays into \"Harper Valley P.T.A.\" territory.) But for me, sheer note-perfect brilliance is achieved on her version of Paul McCartney's \"Yesterday\" [running time - 1:56]. Billy Sherrill's production with steel guitar and Tammy's naturally plaintive ballad delivery coalesce to attain maximum effectiveness -- understated but beautiful and deeply felt. I realize it's the most over-recorded song of all time, but this is my favorite version ever by a female singer, and is second only to Ray Charles as far as \"Yesterday\" covers go.\n\nExcellent sound mastering, and the stunning original cover art has been reproduced.","Product: 1980 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK LP FOR THE ZANY COMEDY FILM WITH MUSIC COMPOSED BY PATRICK WILLIAMS, PERFORMANCES BY LEGENDARY EARL KLUGH & HUBERT LAWS! FILM STARRED SUSAN SAINT JAMES, JANE CURTIN, JESSICA LANGE, EDDIE ALBERT, DABNEY COLEMAN; ROBERT SCHEERER DIRECTOR. CULT COLLECTIBLE!\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: 1980 soundtrack LP hardly lets its stars shine\n\nReview: First of all, I can barely tolerate the electric keyboards and bass that infected so much lightweight jazz from this period. It really dates this music in a particularly bad way.\n\nSecondly, five of the ten tracks don't even qualify as songs. They are indistinguishable throwaways of the lite-funk variety marking bits of action in the film; and as such, are of no interest whatsoever. The only \"good\" thing about them is that they are all under two and a half minutes in duration. (I will admit that I got this CD on the strength of the names of the lead artists, jazz flutist Hubert Laws and guitarist Earl Klugh, not knowing that this was from the soundtrack of a film I had never heard of - or else totally forgotten about.)\n\nThat leaves about twenty and a half pleasant-enough minutes if you can put up with the constant electronic sounds and Patrick Williams' soft-core orchestrations. Williams composed and conducted everything here, so this is really a Patrick Williams album, featuring Laws and Klugh in a larger ensemble (and the occasional orchestral supplementation).\n\nThe one standout track is the irresistible \"Piccolo Boogie,\" featuring the lively Brazilian percussion of Paulinho Da Costa. Hubert Laws is flying high in Herbie Mann's air space here, but at least it provides a singular moment of exhilaration.\n\n\"Dream Something\" is an appropriately dreamy ballad, one that gives Earl Klugh a chance to play especially prettily, and the two leads their best moments of dual flute/guitar harmonies. (I was expecting more of a duet album, and this is really the only brief taste of it that we get.)\n\n\"It Is So Easy Loving You\" is the film's orchestral love theme; it's fairly liltingly tuneful but ultimately unmemorable.\n\n\"Night Moves\" is an original Patrick Williams tune (with a most unoriginal title) and the LP's longest track [5:22]; it's electric lite-jazz-funk uplifted by Law's superb flute playing.\n\nIt's unfortunate that the teaming of a pair of peak talents would be largely wasted in this way.","Product: Thom Starr was one of the most talented of surf music's first generation of guitar heroes, a legend on the original South Bay scene where the surf genre was created and nurtured, but his work has been impossible to find, with most recordings remaining completely unreleased and his few official releases long out of print. Now, Sundazed has issued a 22-track collection that includes only one previously released track ( Mr. Moto )-the rest is completely unreleased featuring his legendary 1963 album Sons of the Beach ! All of this comes from original sources, and the big book includes rare photos and a detailed history by surf music expert John Blair. Available on CD or double gold vinyl!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Out of this world!\n\nReview: This is 59 minutes of reverbed guitar and wailing sax heaven; some of the greatest Southern California surf music (from 1963-64) never heard on record prior to this present stellar Thom Starr and the Galaxies collection.\n\nFender Jazzmaster master Starr, heavily influenced by Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, and especially by Paul Johnson of the Belairs (of \"Mr. Moto\" fame) from the local South Bay area, just a year out of high school was composing his own superb surf-style tunes, and he and his band did record a ten-track all-instro LP in 1963 with the brilliant title \"Sons of the Beach.\" Only problem: it fell through the cracks and never got issued by any label. Terrific tracks with titles like \"Strange Fever (Just Before Dawn),\" Woodie Welcome Wagon Part 2,\" \"Surfer's Bubble,\" \"No. 1 Son,\" \"Launching Pad,\" \"Cherry Wipe Out,\" \"Sand Blast\" and \"Jellyfish Kiss\" stayed in the can for the rest of Starr's lifetime. These songs were right in the pocket (or should I say \"pipeline\") of the best surf music out there at the time. The problem I had where I was (in the Midwest) was that we got none of this phenomenal instro-surf-combo stuff except for the Chantays' \"Pipeline\" and the Surfaris' \"Wipe Out.\" For some dumb reason the radio programmers here wouldn't touch this stuff (besides those two that somehow managed to make it through); and when it came to instrumentals we would only get \"safe\" easy-listening ones. (I guess \"safe\" was their reason, and it was indeed a dumb one!)\n\nThe 1964 tracks, a mix of covers of Paul Johnson (\"Mr. Moto,\" \"Bedlam\" \"Squad Car\" and \"Vmonos\") and Dick Dale (\"Shake & Stomp\") songs and his own originals, are even stronger that the '63 stuff - and Starr's original compositions show just how phenomenally gifted he was. \"The Nomad\" is definitely intriguing and \"Renegade\" rocks out, while his only down-tempo one, \"Enchanted Island,\" is a thrillingly (and chillingly) gorgeous masterpiece that needs to be discovered. It is easily one of the best melodic compositions this genre ever produced.\n\nFine, concise and informative liner notes by John Blair (author of \"The Illustrated Discography of Surf Music, 1961-1965\") are contained in the accompanying fold-out card, which adds color photos and track info. The mono sound mastering is excellent throughout. Sundazed, in assembling this whole package, has done what it does best.","Product: 2011 collection. The songs of John Lennon and Paul McCartney were frequently covered in all fields of music. It was inevitable that many of the best covers would emerge from a genre of popular music that was so important to all four Beatles. Come Together presents a cross-section of Lennon & McCartney covers from artists as diverse as hardcore bluesman Lowell Fulson and supreme exponents of \"sweet soul\", the Moments, via such stellar names as Al Green, Chubby Checker, Little Richard, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. Ace Records.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) Ace Records presents Round One of Soul Meets the Beatles\n\nReview: After reviewing this volume's 2016 successor (\"Let It Be...,\" which adds George Harrison-penned songs to the mix), I gave this one another listen and would rate it a half-notch below the second, largely because of the rather iffy inclusions here of \"Why Don't We Do It in the Road,\" Rocky Raccoon\" and \"Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey,\" none of which even Lowell Fulson, the Moments, nor Fats Domino (respectively) could rescue.\n\nOn the other hand, there are quite a few dazzlers on board that should not be missed; so thank you, Ace Records and ace compiler (and excellent booklet notes scribe) Tony Rounce, for bringing us so many worthwhile tracks (16 stereo, 8 mono; superb sound), starting with the disc's closer \"Let It Be\" (1970) by Aretha Franklin. This is a gospel-soul beauty done the way Paul McCartney had envisioned the song as he was writing it.\n\nAlso from 1970, and on the terrific side, is Little Richard performing the song he originally influenced, \"I Saw Her Standing There,\" one of his finest post-1950s rock and soul recordings. And while we're at it, how about Al Green in his early days at Hi Records in Memphis (1969) doing \"I Want to Hold Your Hand\" in his soon-to-be-known unique and impeccable funky soul-preacher style (with flashes of his otherworldly wailing falsetto).\n\nNearly none of these tracks dented the national charts, but one that did is Mister Twister Chubby Checker's cookin' \"Back in the U.S.S.R.\" [#82 pop], his penultimate charter and first in three years.\n\nOne of the best of the soulsters-covering-British-rock subgenre, Otis Redding (whose incredibly rousing take on the Rolling Stones' \"Satisfaction\" is proof enough), does the honors here on \"Day Tripper\" in a previously unissued version. Another fantastic rarity, albeit very different musically, is Maxine Brown's early remake of \"We Can Work It Out\" (1966), featuring an exquisite orchestral arrangement and a lovely, heartfelt lead vocal. This was a B-side that I couldn't believe I was only first hearing 45 years later.\n\nStaying with the great 1960s soulstresses, Mary Wells' \"Please Please Me\" from her 1965 LP of Beatles covers is a delight. The Beatles had made her their featured guest on their first UK tour as headliners, and she had become infatuated with them as much as they had been with her. I especially enjoy when she sings, \"Last night I said these words to MY GUY,\" an ever-so-smooth link to her recent biggest hit ever, \"My Guy\" (penned by Smokey Robinson, who was a major early influence on the Fab Four).\n\nBetween \"Duke of Earl\" (1962) and \"Groovy Situation\" (1970), non-hardcore R&B/soul fans might have lost touch with the work of Chicago's Gene Chandler and thus have never heard his cool, semi-funky, Ray Charles-inspired rendition of \"Eleanor Rigby\" from his 1969 LP \"The Two Sides of Gene Chandler\" [which I reviewed 3/20/15]. You can catch it here (Trk 7).\n\nOne last pleasant surprise - and it directly follows \"Eleanor Rigby\" - is the Vibrations' magnificent reading of \"And I Love Her,\" featuring majestically gorgeous harmonies and a soaring high-tenor lead vocal.\n\nFor these nine tracks, and a number of others as well, this CD is a worthwhile acquisition, as is (even more so, IMO) its aforementioned 2016 follow-up.","Product: UK compilation from the British Pop/R&B vocalist. Beryl Marsden played a key part of the Mersey beat boom of the 1960s and Changes celebrates her 50th year of performing with her entire recorded output. All of Beryl's 1960s singles for Decca and Columbia are present, including her two duets with Peter Barden's / Tony Colton in the Shotgun Express, the hugely collectable Mod dancer 'What She's Got' and an elusive live track from the rare Decca album at the Cavern. Changes also boasts her obscure 1981 single 'Hungry for You' (produced by Pete Barden's) and some fascinating recent recordings, including a version of 'I'll Be There', her performance of which closed the recent TV documentary on the Cavern. RPM.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: from the R&B side of 1960s British girl-pop\n\nReview: 1st half of CD (the Liverpudlian's teenage years, 1963-66): five stars\n2nd half of CD (late-'70s/early-'80s and latter period, 2007-2011): two stars\n\nAlthough she went nearly hitless outside of her home town of Liverpool, Beryl Marsden (ne Hogg) was a dynamic teen vocalist on the local Merseybeat scene, who made a string of terrific singles over a three-year period when she was 16-19 years of age (1963-66). She was clearly on the R&B side of the girl-pop ledger and did some very credible covers of U.S. pop/R&B artists: \"I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)\" [Barbara George], her dbut single; \"When the Lovelight Starts Shining Thru His Eyes\" (The Supremes), \"Everybody Loves a Lover\" (inspired by the Shirelles' version; from a live various artists LP recorded at The Cavern); \"Music Talk\" (Stevie Wonder); and \"Break-A-Way\" (Irma Thomas).\n\nThe one week she spent on one national British chart was with the strong, soulfully sung original ballad \"Who You Gonna Hurt?\" from 1965. But, IMO, her best chance for a breakthrough hit (if her excellent cover of \"I Know\" couldn't do it in the UK) could have been its\npulsating and energetic flipside, a should-have-been girl-pop U.S.-import classic titled \"Gonna Make Him My Baby.\" April Young's original 1965 version may have been a bit too late to have caught the girl-group wave (a problem for Beryl Marsden in the UK also), as it only reached #129 in Cash Box, despite being designated in Billboard as a \"breakout hit\" in Philadelphia. This is a dynamic, right-on-the-money example of the genre that fans of this style need to hear.\n\nFrom 1966, we get a single by the short-lived R&B ensemble The Shotgun Express, featuring both Beryl Marsden and Rod Stewart. Oddly, this orchestral pop-soul hybrid, \"I Could Feel the Whole World Turn Around,\" was atypical of what the group normally did, only serving to alienate fans and squelch any momentum they might have been building.\n\nWhen Beryl re-emerged in a later era, production values on records had drastically changed; and gritty, organically-produced R&B/soul was nowhere to be found. Synthetic music now ruled the pop scene. The less said about her three pop sides included here from 1979 and 1981 the better.\n\nThe eight latter-day tracks (2007-2011) show her to be in great voice, and her co-write \"Too Late\" is a very good '60s-throwback, girl-group-influenced song. Also vocally impressive are her covers of the Shirelles' (obviously an inspirational group for her from the beginning) \"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\" and \"Baby, It's You.\" It's just a bit difficult for fans of records from the 1960s and the way they were produced back then to sit still for the rather annoying, artificially created musical backings relied upon here.\n\nI have been listening to the first twelve tracks repeatedly, and they seem to fly by; but I just can't make myself slog through the rest again.\n\nStill, a fine job by RPM putting together this first-ever Beryl Marsden comprehensive collection. The 16-page accompanying booklet is impressive, with photos and twelve pages of well-written, detailed liner notes by John Reed (with the participation of Beryl Marsden).","Product: 2012 two CD collection devoted to the works of Motown session keyboardist (and Funk Brother extraordinaire) Earl Van Dyke. Originally, some of the Hitsville studio musicians would be ''allowed'' to cut soulful Blues and Jazz tracks for the company's Workshop Jazz label, as long as they handled the regular gig, cutting hits on the Hitsville U.S.A. assembly line. By 1964, however, Workshop Jazz was dead. Motown made good on their promise, somewhat, giving Earl Van Dyke a rare opportunity in the spotlight by issuing in his name a single and a subsequent LP, That Motown Sound. Earl's artistic disappointment belies the gems contained within those vocal-less Motown hits and the additional bonus tracks from Motown's vaults that comprise Disc One of this set. Additional previously unheard nuggets can be found amongst the bonus tracks on Disc Two.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: out of the shadows of Motown\n\nReview: This is truly exceptional: over two and a half hours of instrumental music from Motown Records 1964-1970. The Motown hit factory in the Detroit years (until the move to LA starting in '72) was not exactly known for its instrumentals. In fact, only five Motown instrumental single sides from this era ever charted nationally: four by Jr. Walker & the All Stars and one by Stevie Wonder using the pseudonym Eivets Rednow (his name spelled backwards). And none of these cracked the Top 30 on any of the national pop charts.\n\nHowever, the company in its Detroit heyday was known for its fantastic, extremely consistent and influential session musicians. They were the ones who developed what became identified as \"the Motown sound\" and were its backbone and unsung heroes. Chief among them were bassist James Jamerson and the Detroit jazz organist/pianist Earl Van Dyke whom Jamerson persuaded to give up life on the road and come to work at Motown. Van Dyke was such a powerful and unique player Motown went ahead and released six singles and two LPs under his name. They are all here on these two filled-to-the-brim discs by Hip-O/Select/UMG/Motown - plus ample bonus material, including three ultra-rare (two previously unissued) tracks under Jamerson's name. There is nothing here that is short of smoking hot, despite the fact that none of the issued material ever rang up enough sales to chart nation-wide.\n\nThe first LP, \"That Motown Sound\" (1965) by Earl Van Dyke and the Soul Brothers (Motown felt that the name Soul Brothers had more class than the rhythm section's real name, the Funk Brothers), consists of 12 tracks whose vocals were replaced by EVD's Hammond B3. Most of these tracks are so familiar (\"My Girl,\" \"Nowhere to Run,\" \"Come See About Me,\" \"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You),\" etc., that at first it seems strange to hear EVD's organ chime in at the exact point, for example, you're expecting to hear David Ruffin intone \"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day...\". Each track on its own really cooks, no doubt about it, but you really have to like the soul organ sound to stay with this for 12 straight tracks. Four (!) tracks of Marvin Gaye tunes is excessive (more variety is needed) and will make you miss Marvin's voice.\n\nThe Disc 1 bonus tracks really help out with this variety \"problem,\" as they include both sides of EVD's 1964 dbut single \"Soul Stomp\" and \"Hot 'N' Tot\" (on which those titles tell the whole story), as well as his cool 1966 single \"6 By 6\" with The Motown Brass (Motown's stellar horn section). \"The Flick\" (composed by EVD, Jamerson and guitarist Robert White) is not in its two-part 1966 single form but appears instead in a previously unissued, uncut alternate version, which at 12 minutes long becomes rather tedious (too much of a good thing perhaps). There are also a couple of tracks recorded live in Paris: sizzling, somewhat jazzier reprises of singles heard earlier, \"Soul Stomp\" and from the \"That Motown Sound\" LP, the Marvelettes' \"Too Many Fish in the Sea.\"\n\nDisc 2 is anchored by Van Dyke's second, final and even rarer live LP, \"The Earl of Funk,\" from 1970. Since it is not tied to any previously laid-down tracks, it has the distinct advantage of being freer and looser (although the funk is tight and intense on a number of the dozen tunes here), allowing these superb musicians (George Benson, sax; Uriel Jones, drums; Eddie \"Bongo\" Brown, congas and percussion; in addition to EVD, Jamerson and White) to really shine (and jam [!] on the funk numbers). It's a cool mix of mid-tempo to slow pop and pop-soul ballads of the era (\"Someday We'll Be Together,\" \"My Cherie Amour,\" \"Rainy Night in Georgia,\" \"Wichita Lineman,\" and one from the early '60s, \"Stand by Me\"), one pop-rocker that gets s soul workout (\"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye\"), a bunch that get majorly funked up (The Meters' \"Cissy Strut,\" Sly Stone's \"Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin,\" EVD's previous single \"The Flick\" and two originals: EVD's \"The Stingray\" and the EVD-Henry Cosby-Stevie Wonder co-write \"The Whip-A-Rang,\" as well as a throwback to an earlier era (think Duke Ellington in the '40s), saxophonist George Benson's \"Fuschia [sic] Moods.\" Speaking of this George Benson (as opposed to the singer-guitarist of the same name), he is also amazingly mellow and compelling at the same time on \"My Cherie Amour\" and \"Rainy Night in Georgia.\" Electric guitarist Robert White glows on \"My Cherie Amour\" and is utterly fine on my favorite here, the bluesiest version ever of Ben E. King's \"Stand by Me.\"\n\nThe Disc Two bonus tracks, besides the three James Jamerson features (Wow, does \"Fever in the Funkhouse\" ever live up to its title!), include the moving closer \"Ode to Benny B.\" (dedicated to the recently deceased Funk Brothers drummer Benny Benjamin), on which Stevie Wonder contributes the harmonica part; EVD's final single, \"Runaway Child, Running Wild\"; and two of my other favorites in this collection, which have EVD playing piano: Jimmy Ruffin's \"Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got\" (very slinky and cool) and a previously unissued version of the ever-tuneful \"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby.\" (I know, yet another Marvin Gaye song over a a pre-recorded track; but this is from a different time, and we get to hear EVD on a different instrument.)\n\nThis is an outstanding compilation, with sparkling digitally remastered sound and a colorful, photo-filled 28-page booklet that includes detailed track credits and well-written, informative notes by \"Standing in the Shadows of Motown\" author (and film co-producer) Allan Slutsky, It's a bit too rich for even a couple of sittings; but listened to a bit at a time it's a breath of fresh air for fans of Motown, instrumentals, and sixties soul and funk.","Product: From Real Gone Music comes a discovery that already has the collector community buzzing, and especially those collectors in search of previously unheard stereo--20 tracks discovered deep in the vaults of the Red Bird label, every one of which makes its true stereo debut right here! Founded in 1964 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and run by George Goldner, Red Bird is considered to this day as the girl group label of the '60s, and this collection produced by long-time archivist and engineer Ron Furmanek together with Ash Wells and annotated by James Moniz features the biggest stars on the label roster, and sources its first-time stereo mixes straight from the original master tapes. Among the most notable tracks are Call Me His, a totally unknown and unreleased recording from the great Ellie Greenwich written by a neophyte songwriter named Neil Diamond; an early, unreleased version of The Boy from New York City, recorded by the Ad-Libs back when they were known as The Cheerio's; Go Now by Bessie Banks, a song that became a big hit for The Moody Blues a year later, and I Can t Let Go by Evie Sands, which, similarly, became a hit for the Hollies; I Wanna Love Him So Bad by The Jelly Beans featuring a rare lead vocal from Alma Brewer, and The Young Generation's The Hideaway featuring a very young Janis Siegel before she became a superstar with Manhattan Transfer. Meticulously documented inside a 16-page booklet boasting copious photos and interviews with Siegel, Sands and songwriter/producer Brooks Arthur among many others, The Red Bird Girls Very First Time in True Stereo sheds a new light on the genius artists, songwriters and producers that recorded for the Red Bird label, and displays their work in all its sonic stereo glory.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: enough audiophile revelations to make this collection recommendable\n\nReview: Red Bird (& Blue Cat) Girls in True Stereo 1964-66 hit parade (highest national chart placements given):\n* The Ad Libs \"The Boy from New York City\" (1965) [#6 R&B / #7 pop]\n* The Jelly Beans \"I Wanna Love Him So Bad\" (1964) [#7 R&B / #9 pop]]\n*(the above are both previously unissued alternate versions)\n\nBessie Banks \"Go Now\" (1964) [#40 R&B / #146 pop]\nThe Butterflys \"I Wonder\" (1965) [#91 pop]\nEvie Sands \"Take Me for a Little While\" [#114 pop]\nThe Goodies \"The Dum Dum Ditty\" (1965) [#123 pop]\n\nFirst, why I am docking this collection one star: while there is much here that is a real treat for girl-groupophiles and audiophiles, the \"true stereo\" mix might not in all cases be the best one. The one that really bothers me is my favorite record here, Evie Sands' \"Take Me for a Little While,\" which to me should have been a runaway number one record in 1965 - a brilliantly composed (by Chip \"Wild Thing\" and \"Angel of the Morning\" Taylor and Al Gorgoni) pop-soul gem powerfully delivered by the tremendous young singer. The sad story here, especially since it was a real setback to Evie's career, involved the illegal sale of her test recording to Chess Records who put out Jackie Ross's version of it first, not knowing they were undercutting another company's record. The problem on this present CD is that this mix is seriously flawed, with the instrumentation (especially violins) overwhelming the vocal at a certain point. However, her \"I Can't Let Go\" sounds perfect. It should have been the highly anticipated follow-up to \"Take Me for a Little While,\" but it never got any traction; whereas the Hollies' cover version came close to the Top 40 in the U.S. and rose as high as #2 in the UK.\n\nAlso on the down side for me is the presence of a few too many tracks that are just too saccharine and juvenile about teen love. \"Sugar Boy,\" \"Gee Baby Gee\" and \"How Fine Can One Boy Be,\" by The Butterflys, The Charmettes and the Jelly Beans, respectively, come up consecutively, and I could almost feel the cavities starting. \"The Dum Dum Ditty\" by The Goodies suffers from being too closely modeled on both \"He's a Rebel\" and \"Da Doo Ron Ron\" by The Crystals. It's kind of a cross between the two and not half as good as either. Also, I found the \"hidden\" tracks 21 through 31, with one set of studio outtakes after another, extremely tiresome and will forever avoid them.\n\nBack to the up side: Bessie Banks's \"Go Now\" has never sounded more clear and vibrant. Outstanding! Plus, the informative, well written and researched liner notes by co-compiler James Moniz make it clear beyond a doubt that The Moody Blues did not have the original release of the song. Also, the alternate unissued versions of the hits \"I Wanna Love Him So Bad\" (by The Jelly Beans) and \"The Boy from New York City\" (by The Ad Libs) are well worth hearing for the first time. The arrangements are slightly different, with the latter's being especially striking in its instrumentation. Not only that, it features a breathier vocal by a different lead singer. Ellie Greenwich's melodramatic mini-masterpiece \"You Don't Know\" (produced by Jeff Barry and Shadow Morton) is a real grabber here. Its emotionally authentic false stops, which stretch its length to 3:43, made it an automatic no-go for commercial radio at the time. The minor hit \"I Wonder\" by The Butterflys surprised everyone at the label when this obvious girl-group gem failed to really take off. The problem for a number of records here was that the British Invasion of 1964 had altered popular tastes almost overnight as well as crowding out many terrific girl-group records from radio playlists. A record had to be truly different (like The Shangri-Las' \"Leader of the Pack\" and \"The Boy from New York City\") to get noticed. [Note that the Shangri-Las do not appear in this collection due to the fact that all of their stereo material has been previously released.] One more I quite enjoyed was Roddie Joy's \"He's So Easy to Love,\" which is as close to a Motownish vibe as Red Bird ever got.\n\nRon Furmanek did a fine job co-producing and co-compiling this CD, as well as remastering and remixing it from the original master session tapes. It's a good collection to have, but it falls short of being essential.","Product: Nick Lowe has mined the various strains of American popular music, purposefully ignoring the lines demarking separate genres. Among the most prevalent influences on his style has been country music. On Lowe Country 13 artists--most of them up-and-coming and/or left-of-center-interpret songs from Lowe's 4-decade career. These artists are the leading lights of a new generation who use classic country music as a springboard for their unique musical explorations. In these new, never before released tunes, they vividly display Lowe's trademarks: catchy melodies; clever word play and wit; a sense of fun and musical adventure; and the appropriate delivery of a lyric, whether it be outlandish or heartbreaking.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) High-quality Lowe\n\nReview: Scoping Nick Lowe's available CD catalog I belatedly stumbled upon this album from 14 months ago which features only one artist whose work I knew at all. But since that artist in the lead-off position is Caitlin Rose doing \"Lately I've Been Letting Things Slide\" from Lowe's 2001 \"The Convincer\" album, I was intrigued enough to give this CD of all new recordings a whirl. Good thing I did, for though there are a few pedestrian interpretations of Lowe here, this is overall a solid marriage of a younger generation of country, alt-country, alt-rock, roots and Americana artists and the quirky, catchy lyrical and musical brilliance of England's Nick Lowe. Nothing can top the originals, but that's beside the point. This is a tribute to the artistry of Lowe and the extent to which his music and message are of such relevance and appeal that they translate effortlessly to a new generation of independent-minded artists willing to step away from the assembly line.\n\nIn the large majority of cases here the artists render suitable homage to the words while putting their own often alluring and off-beat spins to the timeless tunes. Ian Gomm, the co-writer of Lowe's biggest U.S. hit single \"Cruel to Be Kind\" is right, however, when he points out that it was \"a definite mistake\" not to include Kelly Harmon's version of the song that was specifically recorded for this project. It's a deliciously quirky and somewhat \"out-there\" rendition superior to several cuts that made it onto this disc in my book (including the just-OK \"When I Write the Book\" by The Unsinkable Boxer). You can catch it on YouTube.\n\nThe seven tracks that stand out the most for me are \"Cracking Up\" (from Lowe's \"Labour of Lust\" [1979]) by Griffin House (I can't get enough of the retro reverbed spy guitar); the aforementioned Caitlin Rose's gorgeous vocal on a lushly countrified \"Lately I've Been Letting Things Slide\"; Robert Ellis's jumpin' \"All Men Are Liars\" which really nails Lowe's comical lyrics (with the priceless Rick Astley/ghastly and pliers/liars rhymes); Hayes Carll's completely credible drawling Texan's take on \"(I'm Gonna Start) Living Again If It Kills Me\"; Chatham County Line's Cajun/bluegrass spin on \"Heart of the City\"; Lori McKenna's moving vibrato which graces the gently acoustic \"What's Shakin' on the Hill\" (from 1990's \"Party of One,\" as is \"All Men Are Liars\"); and Ron Sexsmith's intimate one-man closer, \"Where's My Everything?\" (from Lowe's \"The Impossible Bird\" [1994]). Sexsmith has picked up the Nick Lowe mantle more convincingly than anyone else I can think of.\n\nEnjoy \"Lowe Country\" (with some of the proceeds going to disaster relief funds).","Product: Original and classic Cajun songs.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Je suis fou de cet album (I'm crazy about this album)!\n\nReview: This is yet another brilliant and beautiful piece of work by Zachary Richard, who, as always, does musical and poetic honor to his French Cajun cultural heritage. Twelve of the thirteen tracks are originals, written or co-written by Richard. (There is one traditional Cajun number.) The booklet contains complete lyrics to all the songs in clearly legible print and also includes helpful explanatory notes for five of the songs. One should be aware that everything, apart from a single verse in one song, is in French.\n\nThe title song has him identifying with the plight of the \"fou de Bassan\" (gannet), the seabird that migrates from Newfoundland and Qubec to the Louisiana area (mirroring the migration of the early French Acadians), which unfortunately was the first bird species known to have become a casualty of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster off the Southern Louisiana coast. \"Laisse le vent souffler\" (Let the Wind Blow) encapsulates the Cajun attitude toward any existential threat. \"Clif's Zydeco\" is a lively tribute to the late King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, that you know he would have really appreciated. \"La ballade de Jean Saint Malo\" is about the leader of an insurgent band of runaway slaves in the 1780s during the Spanish colonial occupation of Louisiana. Other favorites (although I could mention every single Richard-penned track!) include \"Orignal ou caribou\" (Moose or Caribou), \"La chanson des migrateurs\" (Song of the Immigrants), \"Crevasse Crevasse,\" \"Lolly Lo\" [pure fun, this one!], and the gorgeously poetic album closer \"Les ailes des hirondelles\" (Wings of the Swallows).\n\nC'est un vrai chef-d'oeuvre de la musique amricaine.","Product: Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of late '80s albums from the Country/Cajun musician. Jo-El Sonnier is one of the most sought after session musicians having worked with Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Mark Knopfler, Robert Cray, Alan Jackson, Hank Williams Jr., Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: quality two-fer of Jo-El Sonnier's peak commercial period: 1987-1990 on RCA\n\nReview: Singles from LP \"Come On Joe\" [peak position on Billboard's Country Singles chart]:\n-\"Come on Joe\" (1987-88) [#39]\n-\"No More One More Time\" (1988) [#7]\n-\"Tear-Stained Letter\" (1988) [#9]\n-\"Rainin' in My Heart\" ('88-89) [#35]\n\nSingles from LP \"Have a Little Faith\":\n-\"(Blue, Blue, Blue) Blue, Blue\" (1989) [#47]\n-\"If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again\" ('89-90) [#24]\n-\"The Scene of the Crime\" (1990) [#65]\n\nTraditional Cajun singer-musician (accordionist) and prior Grammy nominee Jo-El Sonnier opted for a change of pace and scenery and made a second run at Nashville in the late '80s with RCA (the first run was with Mercury in the mid-'70s), with the result being most impressive: a pair of LPs which stayed on the Billboard Country Albums chart for a total of 61 weeks; and as you can see above, seven charting singles, including consecutive top ten records in 1988. Subsequently returning to his Cajun roots he racked up three additional Grammy nominations...and the 2014 Grammy award itself (Best Regional Roots Music Album), presented earlier this year for his masterpiece titled \"The Legacy.\"\n\nThe LP \"Come On Joe\" reached #17 and had a 47-week chart run. It's a Cajun-infused hybrid of soulful, blues-rocking contemporary country and is dynamic from start to finish. The Troy Seals co-write \"No More One More Time\" is the biggest pop-country hit ballad here, but Sonnier really rocks out Cajun-style (chiming in on accordion) on Richard Thompson's \"Tear-Stained Letter, his other Top Ten smash, as well as on Dave Alvin's \"So Long Baby Goodbye.\" His cover of Louisiana bluesman Slim Harpo's \"Rainin' in My Heart\" from 1961 is already fantastic even before the 2:55 mark when Steve Winwood shows up for his guest organ solo. Someone needs to establish a B-side Hall of Fame; and for 1988 the first inductee would have to be the B-side of \"No More One More Time,\" Sonnier's powerfully poignant, epic take on Randy Newman's \"Louisiana 1927\" - the best Randy Newman cover version I have ever heard. For the LP's closer there is the astonishingly emotive, six-minutes-plus Dennis Walker soul-blues ballad \"I've Slipped Her Mind\" (originally by The Robert Cray Band two years earlier), featuring a smoldering electric guitar solo by Kenny Greenberg (who delivers big-time on \"Tear-Stained Letter,\" \"So Long Baby Goodbye\" and \"No More One More Time\" also).\n\nThe 1990 LP \"Have a Little Faith\" takes its title from Sonnier's cover of John Hiatt's \"Have a Little Faith in Me\" from three years earlier. This album is more ballad oriented, with a second effective Hiatt cover (\"I'll Never Get Over You\"), \"Blue, Blue\" (a second Troy Seals co-write), Allan Clarke's anguished and introspective \"Walls,\" and Jo-El as a convincing Cajun Conway Twitty on \"The Hurt in My Heart.\" This LP's biggest hit \"If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again\" is straight contemporary country, while the opening \"The Scene of the Crime\" and the Sonnier co-penned \"Ooh Ooh Ooh\" have him doing more Cajun-style rockin' out. For the closer, it's traditional Cajun time (foreshadowing his imminent return to his roots) with Iry LeJeune's joyous French-language \"Evangeline Special\" from 1948.\n\nThis is a most worthwhile, high-quality single-disc double LP reissue from the Morello Records division of Cherry Red (UK).","Product: 2013 three CD collection from the iconic Motown quartet. For the first time ever, on the occasion of the group's 50th anniversary with Motown Records, every single from the Four Tops classic period is now in one package. This set contains each A- and B- side, from their first hit to the moment they left the storied label, as well as collector's bonus tracks. Featured among the set's 78 tracks are the group's 16 #1 Pop and R&B hits, from 'Baby I Need Your Loving' to '(It's The Way) Nature Planned It,' and the smashes in-between. Recognizing the group's undying popularity in England, the collection also includes 14 singles issued only in the U.K., from duets with the Supremes to the U.K. Top Three hit 'Simple Game' that featured backing by the Moody Blues. Four Tops: 50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 1964-1972 is accompanied by a booklet filled with detailed information about each single, reproductions of spectacular-looking picture sleeves from around the world, and classic and rare photos of the world's most beloved male vocal groups.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The SINGLE best Four Tops collection!\n\nReview: This is the Four Tops collection I have been waiting the entire CD era for, it's that good! I would not have expected less from a Universal \"Select\" limited edition product, given the company's stellar track record handling the Motown catalog. The sound engineering is as fine as it gets; and I swear I'm hearing instrumental parts on \"Reach Out I'll Be There\" that I never noticed before (and I had the single when it first came out in 1966). All the Tops' B-sides are gathered together for the first time ever in one place, and many of them by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team are better than other artists' A-sides. I like that the set is organized chronologically over its three discs:\n\nDisc One includes their first 13 singles from their Holland-Dozier-Holland era (1964-67). H-D-H penned 24 of those 26 sides -- all but \"Ask the Lonely\" and \"Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever.\" Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier produced all of them. This was the Tops' soul-and-pop prime (as genuine Motown superstars) and no one could ever match Levi Stubbs's lead vocals from this period. Try to imagine anyone else singing \"Ask the Lonely, for example, and you'll know what I mean. (Probably the closest anyone ever came was Johnny Rivers on \"Baby I Need Your Loving.\")\n\nDisc Two opens with the Tops' first non-Motown-sourced side, \"Walk Away Renee\" (1968), a dynamic cover of the Left Banke's 1966 top five U.S. hit. This was an H-D-H production that had been sitting in the vault for a year. Although the Four Tops would never again dent the Billboard pop top ten for Motown after 1967, the second half (1968-1972) of their original stint there, in addition to \"Walk Away Renee,\" had its moments: \"If I Were a Carpenter\" showed they could energize a folk-rock ballad; their last holdover H-D-H song, \"I'm in a Different World\" (Lamont Dozier's personal favorite) deserved a much higher chart placement than #23 soul/#51 pop; \"It's All in the Game\" was Grammy-nominated and featured a startlingly good rearrangement of the #1 song from the 1950s; the Smokey Robinson co-write \"Still Water (Love & Peace)\" is a beauty; and (help me out here!) am I the only one who thinks their version of the Moody Blues' \"Simple Game,\" the lead-off track on Disc Three, is brilliant and worthy of much better than its #90 peak on the Billboard pop chart? (Kudos to the Brits for making it a #3 hit in the U.K.)\n\nDisc Three from Track 7 on consists of the Tops' U.K.-only sides, plus their trio of Italian-language singles. This is where being completist proves to have its ups and downs. Track 7, the U.K. B-side \"Mame\" is a low point. \"Mame\" is lame to begin with and they \"maim\" it even more. But then it is followed by a muscular version of Jimmy Webb's \"Do What You Gotta Do\" that you won't want to miss--so things tend to even out. On the Italian singles that close this 78-track collection, Levi Stubbs's commitment to his Italian-language vocals is remarkable.\n\nThe packaging is exquisite: a sixty-page book-album format loaded with color photos and record sleeve cover reproductions, plus informative comments about every A-side and many B-sides as well. I learned, for example, that as incredible as it may seem, the across-the-board #1 smash (soul/U.S. & U.K. pop) \"Reach Out I'll Be There\" was nearly rejected for release by Motown's Quality Control board. Fortunately, Mr. Big (Berry Gordy) decided to gamble on releasing it because it was \"really different.\" I'll say!","Product: First nationally distributed release from this Boston blue-eyed soul singer/songwriter. He's played hundreds of shows throughout New England, toured Europe, and played with soul greats Al Green, Bettye LaVette, and James Hunter, with whom he's played over 30 shows. Buoyant, contemporary soul music reminiscent of 1970s-era Van Morrison and powered by unique, effortless vocals.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: He may be a \"Dee,\" but this is an \"A\" effort!\n\nReview: This is \"blue-eyed,\" big-hair Bostonian retro-soul at its best, almost as if Jesse Dee stepped right out of 1967 and into 2013. He is a master of the idiom who, quite remarkably, composed all of these fine songs himself or, in two cases, with collaborators. He also co-produced and plays guitar. The arrangements and musicianship are off-the-charts [no pun intended] outstanding, featuring a dynamic four-man soul horn section for that \"Memphis\" touch.\n\nThere is nary an unconvincing sixties-style soul/r&b song here. Among the most impressive in my mind is the deep Southern soul ballad creation \"Boundary Line,\" which places Jesse squarely in Percy Sledge/Otis Redding territory. It comes right on the heels of the driving soul-rocker \"Sweet Tooth,\" which is a blast of startling originality that somehow seems so well-worn at the same time. The powerfully and sincerely delivered \"No Matter Where I Am\" situates us in Tyrone Davis country circa 1969. \"Fussin' and Fightin'\" is five minutes of sheer brilliance, both lyrically and musically, with a stellar horn arrangement throughout. \"I Won't Forget About You\" updates Joe Tex's lyrical cleverness (while adding contemporary references to the Internet) and sweet love testifying. \"From the Start\" is a delightful duet with Rachael Price of Lake Street Drive that features appealing flourishes of early '60s pop, while the ballad \"What's a Boy Like Me to Do?\" recalls those years as well, conjuring up early Aaron Neville. I've checked it out, but I don't think I'll ever be totally convinced that the upbeat closer \"Stay Strong\" did not appear on some\n early Van Morrison LP!\n\nNo sophomore jinx here! This is an exceptional album that will have me waiting for more from this artist.","Product: This 2013 addition to our highly regarded Songwriter series focuses on the husband and wife duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, one of the most respected, most successful and most prolific teams of the modern era. Includes tracks from The Ronettes, Scott Walker, Gene Pitney, The Righteous Brothers, The Drifters, Lou Rawls and many others. Ace.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: another terrific Ace Songwriter series compilation CD\n\nReview: How about the Righteous Brothers, Gene Pitney, Ronnie Spector and Scott Walker on the same disc! And that's just the first four (of 25) tracks!\n\nYou can't go wrong with the Ace Records (U.K.) Songwriters series. Each CD is meticulously compiled, bringing together in one place some 25 selections that represent the breath-taking breadth of the composers' best work and feature a diversity of recording artists. On this, the second Ace disc of Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil (the husband-wife composing team of longest duration) songs, every selection is by a different artist (although the great Bill Medley appears as both a Righteous Brother and solo), each of whose featured song is profiled in the 25-page accompanying booklet that is also loaded with photos and color reproductions of record jackets, labels of 45s, sheet music covers and ad posters. I learned something new from each song profile, such as why the composers cringe whenever they hear their song \"We Gotta Get Out of This Place\" by the Animals come on the radio (despite the royalties they collect on it). Ace's sound mastering is never less than top-of-the-line, so the only thing that could possibly dissuade you from wanting to own these songwriter compilations (other than cost, I suppose) is that you may already have a number of these recordings on other collections. Ace has apparently thought of this and thus intentionally balances these CDs with some big hit versions integral to the songwriters' story alongside a majority of more obscure but high-quality ones that merit being heard and profiled. The assumption is that you most likely would not already own more than a few, if any, of the latter group.\n\nOn \"Born to Be Together\" only ten of the 25 tracks (from 1961-1972) landed on the Billboard Hot 100. The soulfully sung \"This Is a Love Song\" by Bill Medley peaked (if you can call it that) at #112 on the \"Bubbling Under\" chart. The Everly Brothers are represented by the B-side of a #117 song (now that's obscure!), although in the U.K. \"The Girl Who Sang the Blues\" went to #25 in 1963. Some of the best stuff here is taken from album tracks: the most beautiful melody Barry Mann ever composed, \"Angelica\" (accent on the penultimate syllable), comes from Scott Walker's 1967 debut solo album. Stunning! Original Drifter Clyde McPhatter sounds really good covering the second-generation Drifters' hit \"On Broadway\" from his 1964 LP \"Songs of the Big City\"; Bobby Hebb, by the end of the easy-going \"Good, Good Lovin'\" (from his 1966 \"Sunny\" LP), has turned it into smokin' soul; and then there is the brilliant inclusion of the Doris Day 1964 album title track \"Love Him\" produced by her son Terry Melcher. She goes from pure honey-voiced sweetness to full-on vocal power drive in under two minutes and twenty seconds. The album, her last ever to chart, only got to #102 during the height of Beatlemania.\n\nBest single vocal note on this disc: sixteen year-old TV co-star Johnny Crawford (Mark McCain on \"The Rifleman\")'s final one in the #29 1963 hit \"Proud.\" It may be the highest ever hit by a pubescent male on a pop record without a trace of falsetto or shrillness. Wow!\n\nThe most remarkable feature of this CD collection when listened to from start to finish: how Mann and Weil's songs sound so different from each other despite the frenzied pace at which they were creating them during this period. It's hard to believe that \"Angelica\" and \"Shapes of Things to Come\" (from the film \"Wild in the Streets\") could have come from the same couple within a two-year period.\n\nOutstanding CD! We can only hope there will be more to come!","Product: Rare Rockin' Records presents the highly anticipated third volume in their much revered 'Songwriter Masters Series', DAVID GATES - The Early Years 1962-1967. In this third installment, we present an icon of the Industry in David Gates as we take a musical journey back to his pre-Bread days as a songwriter. Prior to being a member of Bread with whom he enjoyed numerous Hot 100 hits in the early 70s, David Gates had a music career that stretched back to 1957. He was a very well respected session musician who quickly stepped up to be both an arranger and producer. A singer in his own right, he was also a prolific songwriter. For the first time, we are bringing together the best of these songs (as a songwriter), 33 in fact, from the golden years of 1962 through 1967. They include many girl group and northern soul rarities. Most of these rare 60s gems make their CD debut. Although his 70s output yielded more hits - 13 with Bread and seven as a solo artist, this does not diminish the quality of David Gates' 60s songs, as the 33 tracks featured on this CD clearly demonstrate. This set is headlined by his biggest song of the 60s: the Murmaids' 'Popsicles And Icicles' and continues with the best and rarest of the songs David Gates wrote in the 60s, from 1962 to 1967, as performed by the Crickets, the Lettermen, Johnny Crawford, Ann-Margret, Shelley Fabares, Connie Stevens, Jody Miller, Merry Clayton and many more. Accompanied by a 32 page booklet, featuring liner notes for all tracks and a David Gates' career perspective from noted rock historian, Brian Gari. Many rare pictures and label scans complete this one of a kind package. 33 tracks in total! Six in stereo.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: \"Never Let (This Compilation) Go\"!\n\nReview: The joy of discovery is all over this exceptional compilation of David Gates-penned songs from 1962 to 1967. It's almost impossible to fathom the amount of good-to-great records made in the 1960s, and here come thirty-one more that I never heard until now, five decades later (!) for all but two of these.\n\nThe ones I knew, unsurprisingly, were the two Billboard Hot 100 entries here: the one-massive-hit Murmaids' \"Popsicles and Icicles,\" which reached #3 in early 1964 just before the Beatles landed on our shores; and the Phil Spector/Darlene Love sound-alike \"My One and Only Jimmy Boy\" by the Girlfriends, which got to #49 at the same time the Murmaids were riding high (it was also the very week \"I Want to Hold Your Hand\" hit number one). Besides these two, only a pair of releases even saw action as B-sides of (Johnny Crawford and Connie Stevens) chart hits.\n\nNearly everything on this CD, from a quality standpoint (Gates's songwriting, the production values and performances), had the potential to become hits, but timing is everything; and the arrival of those four \"moptops\" from Liverpool drastically altered the lay of the land, reducing pop radio airplay (the overwhelming launcher of hits) for U.S. artists.\n\nGates could be accused of copycatism on some of these songs, as they were obviously being crafted to match the various genres that had been selling at the time. Besides the obvious Phil Spector influence on \"My One and Only Jimmy Boy,\" Dorothy Berry's \"You Better Watch Out\" sounds eerily like it could have been a semi-cloned Betty Everett follow-up to \"You're No Good.\" However, Gates is such an inherently strong melodist (his later Bread output attests to this) and is so adept at seemlessly matching his lyrics to his melodies that the large majority of his songs can easily stand on their own.\n\nThe first big revelation here for me was Gates's ability to come up with excellent songs for a number of young female R&B artists (Dorothy Berry, Pat Powdrill, Margaret Mandolph, Gwen Stacey, Merry Clayton), of whom only Merry Clayton was heard from again in a major way.\n\nThe second and even bigger revelation is that my favorite all-time David Gates song \"Never Let Her Go,\" which he himself took to #29 in 1975, was originally released on Capitol Records ten years earlier as Jody Miller's \"Never Let Him Go.\" Jody Miller became a favorite of mine in the '70s when she was scoring on the country charts. Her performance on this record is compelling and made even more moving by her beautifully controlled tight vibrato. If I had known this record existed in 1965 I would have ridden my bike at breakneck speed over to the local record shop to place my order.\n\nThank you, Rare Rockin' Records, for this fantastic CD and CD package, including a 32-page booklet with notes on every song and artist, along with photos and color galore. And thank you, David Gates, for being the brains and talent behind this highly enjoyable music.","Product: Although it wasn't until 1964 when Johnny Rivers finally became a star with his hit "Memphis" he had a career going back to 1958. Here we have the earliest recordings of the 60s superstar getting their most comprehensive reissue yet! He recorded Rockabilly and beat ballads and examples of all of his early attempts at a hit are featured on this full length CD. Anyone entranced with the roots of 60s Pop can't help but be hooked on this collection. Fully detailed liner notes with biography and career achievements.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This is definitely the best one to feature Johnny Rivers' 1958-62 teen records\n\nReview: From 1964 to 1968, going up against the British invasion, no solo male act had more Top Ten records in the U.S. than Johnny Rivers, who had seven, including the number one hit \"Poor Side of Town\" in 1966. This collection covers his teenage years (1958-62), first under his given name, Johnny Ramistella, on his solo debut 45 (recorded in his home town of Baton Rouge), and then using the surname he became famous with, suggested to him by legendary DJ Alan Freed. None of these records charted nationally, a situation which Rivers sings about on his humorous self-penned record \"This Could Be the One\" (this collection's title song). Unfortunately, it also went nowhere.\n\nI think the most hit-worthy track here is \"The Customary Thing\" (not the same as the John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band song, although Cafferty is erroneously listed here as the writer), from 1960, which has him in full-out soul-rockin' mode - an absolute gem that deserved to have been his breakthrough on the Cub label, the R&B subsidiary of MGM Records. It is punctuated with stinging electric blues guitar fills and features dynamic backing vocals.\n\nClearly, Rivers was being encouraged to sound like other artists who were having contemporaneous hits. This was a strategy that didn't do him any favors. His 1958 release on the Gone label has him sounding like a cross between Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis, while tossing in a bunch of hiccuping yelps. Yet, going unisssued by Gone was the outstanding self-written blues-rocker \"One Man Woman,\" on which he uses his fully formed, natural and unmistakably soulful Johnny Rivers Louisiana swamp-drawl voice the nation would come to know so well starting in 1964. By turns, they have him trying to emulate Ricky Nelson, Johnny Burnette, the Everly Brothers (I'm not sure which one), Ral Donner and even Jackie Wilson (not a good idea).\n\nThis makes for a bit of an odd listen, but when Rivers is able to cut loose in his own voice it becomes all the more exciting - such as on the soulful Charlie Rich-influenced songs, \"Knock Three Times\" (nothing to do with the later Tony Orlando & Dawn hit) and \"Losers Can't Win.\" There are three attempts at trying to get a hit out of rocked-up standards like Carl Mann was doing at Sun in Memphis. Irving Berlin's \"Blue Skies\" is severely contorted so as to fit a sort of Del Shannon \"Runaway\" template.\n\nEssaying yet another genre, there are two good country covers here: of Johnny Cash's \"So Doggone Lonesome\" and Lefty Frizzell's \"Long Black Veil.\" It's just another indication of Rivers' versatility, but not a direction he would pursue as a number of Southern rockers eventually did.\n\nThis is by far the best collection of this music. In contrast to some earlier issues of it, Jasmine Records really cares about sound quality and sequencing; also provided are two pages of well-written liner notes.","Product: Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of albums from the Rock 'n' Roll pioneer. The Return of Rock (1965) features Jerry Lee giving his own treatment of classics such as 'Maybelline', 'Roll Over Beethoven' and 'Johnny B. Goode'. Soul My Way (1967) is an album of covers featuring more contemporary material like 'Turn on Your Love Light', 'Treat Her Right' and 'Hey Baby'. Beat Goes On.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This killer BGO two-fer will leave you breathless!\n\nReview: \"This Diamond Ring\" by Gary Lewis & the Playboys was the number one record in the U.S. for the second straight week February 27 through March 5, 1965. What does this have to do with Jerry Lee Lewis, who is definitely not Gary's father (!), you ask? That was the very week founding father of rock & roll Lewis \"peaked\" (if you can call it that) on the same chart at an impossibly low #129 with his greatest single A-side of the 1960s, \"Baby, Hold Me Close,\" an original Jerry Lee co-penned song with an impossibly deep, locked-in-for-three-minutes groove. I have no problem with Gary, comedian/filmmaker Jerry's son, but it should not have happened this way. The fact that Jerry Lee also had an excellent B-side to go with \"Baby, Hold Me Close,\" an entrancing faux-gospel-sounding remake of Frank Brunson's \"I Believe in You\" from 1956, made no difference, unfortunately.\n\nBoth these sides appear on the leadoff album here from 1965, \"The Return of Rock,\" which did a little better chart-wise than the single, reaching #121 on the Billboard album chart. It was actually \"The Killer\"'s highest-placing studio album of the sixties that was not a greatest hits collection. He rocks out big-time on it, but this is, more specifically, full-tilt Southern R&B propelled by his frenetic, one-of-a-kind, rocking and stomping, glissando-filled boogie-woogie piano and unrestrained vocals that never miss a trick or a nuance of the lyrics. His cover versions of Chuck Berry (in particular, \"Roll Over Beethoven\"), Big Joe Turner (\"Flip, Flop and Fly\"), Hank Ballard (\"Sexy Ways\") and \"Corine, Corina\" are the best you'll most likely ever hear. (I suspect that with his Chuck Berry covers he may have been sending a message to the Beatles that you boys had better shape up 'cause ol' Killer Jerry Lee is back in town!).\n\nThe second album contained in full here, \"Soul My Way\" (1967), yielded a pair of super strong singles but nothing that even \"bubbled under\" the Billboard Hot 100. This one altered his sound by toning down the piano and turning up the Memphis-style soul horns and the percussion. It starts with a shredding soul-horn-driven romp through \"Turn On Your Love Light\" (also released on the album's second single), the 1961-62 #2 R&B/#28 pop Grammy and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame song by Bobby Bland (whom, sadly, we lost at the age of 83 this week). The other half of the second single is the James Brown-style original, \"Shotgun Man,\" which is about as deep within the wheelhouse of sixties soul as one can get. In this same wheelhouse we find \"It's a Hang Up Baby\" (also recorded by southern soul-blues man Z.Z. Hill) before the Killer tears through Bruce Channel's \"Hey Baby,\" Roy Orbison's \"Dream Baby\" and Roy Head's \"Treat Her Right\" like he owns them. Speaking of owning a song, he wails and pounds the piano (a bit of a rarity for this LP) on his own \"He Took It Like a Man,\" featuring his craziest lyrics (ever?). Jerry Lee goes pure classic country on a cover of Hank Williams's \"Wedding Bells\" from 1949 and deep southern country-soul on the beautiful, moving ballad \"Holdin' On,\" which was paired with \"It's a Hang Up Baby\" on his first fine but undiscovered single from this album.\n\nThe commercial failure of this great \"Soul My Way\" LP led Jerry Lee to take a major turn and go full out for the country market, with the result being sixteen years of brilliant country chart success: 54 hits, 20 top tens and four number ones.\n\nBut wait just a minute! I haven't gotten to la pice de rsistance yet. We have a historic moment here! Track 16 (the fourth track on \"Soul My Way\") is the ORIGINAL issued version of Mickey Newbury's \"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In),\" which in its \"psychedelicized\" version the following year became Kenny Rogers (with the First Edition)'s dbut hit, reaching #5. Supposedly about an LSD trip gone horribly wrong (\"I tore my mind on a jagged sky\"), this arrangement sounds like the slightly demented stepchild of \"My Babe\" and \"Sixteen Tons\" and features a vocal by Jerry Lee that can only be described as enigmatic (in a way matching his pose on the album's cover). Yikes!\n\nGreat job by BGO on the remastering and on the eight-page booklet with two sets of liner notes (original and updated) on each album. They outdid themselves.","Product: * First time ever reissued * Comprehensive liner notes by Jessica Hundley interviewing all four band members * Unseen photos Remastered from the original tapes. Lee Hazlewood's LHI label only put out interesting albums. Yet despite the psychedelic cowboy's success with Nancy Sinatra and more, being on Lee Hazlewood Industries was no fast-track to success. Gorgeous and talented Detroit, Michigan girl group Honey Ltd had all the makings of a hit band, yet they disappeared after releasing just one album in 1968, a vinyl rarity that now regularly fetches upwards of $2,000. Light In The Attic Records is now looking to set the record straight. Having previously explored both the back catalog of Lee Hazlewood and his LHI label via the You Turned My Head Around 45s Box Set, Honey Ltd's The Complete LHI Recordingspresents everything the group ever recorded. Fans of The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las and Pentangle are in for a treat- Honey Ltd's music blended social commentary with harmony-drenched, psych-soul pop. Even opening track, ''Warrior'', describes the mood of the times, as America sunk into the Vietnam war: ''We must kill more people; strong men are what we need!'' Laura Polkinghome, Marsha Jo Temmer and sisters Joan and Alexandra Sliwin are the girls with the angelic voices. Hailing from Detroit, the four members of Honey Ltd grew up in a culture of soul music and dance shows, yet forming a band was never part of the plan. It simply happened after they sung together in a Wayne State University cafeteria and found they'd silenced the room. By 1967 they had formed a group known as the Mama Cats and were playing shows with local singer Bob Seger. By 1968, against a backdrop of rioting in Detroit, they'd hauled over to Los Angeles to give music a go, and it's there that they hitch-hiked to an audition with Lee Hazlewood on Sunset Boulevard. At the time, Lee Hazlewood Industries was in its prime: the money flowed and the roster swelled. ''I think Lee just sat there for a while and listened, looking at us,'' Temmer recalls. ''He said, 'Yeah, I think we can do something.' You know-- immediately!'' Before long, LHI had the band in the studio with crack session music unit The Wrecking Crew. These were not enlightened times for girl groups. The group were re-named Honey Ltd by Hazlewood, and were put to work on an album without even realizing it. The band were under the impression they were simply recording singles. As a result, the band were unphased by Honey Ltd's commercial failure. The parent label, however, did notice the album's failure but the girls continued on. By the end of 1968, the band joined Bob Hope on the USO tour and headed to Thailand to perform for soldiers. In 1969, Alex married and quit the band, their tenure on LHI was effectively terminated and the remaining members regrouped as country-rock group Eve. But like their music, the girls' outlook remained resolutely sunny. ''Its all a karmic equation, isn't it?'' Temmer recalled. ''So many things to experience and learn and humbly let go of in this journey. Our friendship is based on love- we love each other, always have, always will.''\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Proof that girl-group sunshine-psych-harmony-pop once esisted!\n\nReview: This is a beautifully and lovingly assembled package (with impeccable sound!) featuring the complete 1968-69 recordings of a gorgeous and talented female foursome from Detroit. Known as the Mama Cats in the Motor City, they decided in 1967 to give LA a shot and got signed by Lee Hazlewood's label, the very first door they knocked on. The combination of their looks and ability to create complex and appealing vocal harmonies made recording and marketing them a no-brainer. With Hazlewood producing (fresh from his success with Nancy Sinatra) and the best West Coast session musicians (the Wrecking Crew) backing them, here is their eponymous (under their new name) 1968 album and their four '68-69 singles (two A-sides did not appear on the album), plus a scant amount of unissued material.\n\nDespite a series of major TV appearances, as well as being heavily promoted in the trades, their music went nowhere, and they soon had to briefly settle for being a Las Vegas supporting act, which fell far short of their artistic aspirations. As suddenly as they had arrived, Honey Ltd. were no more. Life and other opportunities intervened.\n\nIn my estimation, there are four standout tracks on this LP, but only one of them was picked as a plug-side single: that being their stunning take on Laura Nyro's \"Eli's Coming\" which far outshone Three Dog Night's hit version). Their \"sunshine-psych-harmony-pop\" masterpiece has to be the self-referentially titled \"Silk 'N Honey,\" written by group members Laura Polkinghome and Marsha Jo Temmer - a real beauty that was the essence of who they were. I think it would have overwhelmed people with its sensuous wall-of-sound harmonies, orchestration and psych distortion effects if they had heard it on the radio. \"I've Got Your Man\" mixes sunshine with a tough attitude in a unique way, replete with a dazzling hook. \"The Warrior\" could have had \"underground\" hit potential as a paradoxical anti-war anthem. (These latter two were written by Laura Polkinghome.)\n\nIn addition to \"Eli's Coming,\" two other A-side singles were covers of well-known songs (probably too well known to have had hit potential at the time): the country-folk standard from the 1950s, \"Silver Threads and Golden Needles,\" and the oft-recorded \"Louie Louie,\" although the girls put their own psych-folk spin on this one.\n\nThe liner notes by Jessica Hundley do a fine job recounting the entire, rather fascinating story of this group that had its brief fling in the LA (and Las Vegas) sunshine. There are superb photos, too -- but then the subjects could hardly be more photogenic.\n\nA Honey Ltd. oddity of note: leading off their album with an anti-war song and then finding themselves on a Bob Hope USO tour in Vietnam.","Product: 2013 two CD collection. Having explored the West Coast with the three volume Music City Sessions, Omnivore Recordings has set its sights on Southern R&B with The South Side Of Soul Street: The Minaret Soul Singles 1967-1976. This 2 CD, 40 track collection gathers all of the A-s and B-s of Minaret's soulful sides for the very first time. Many of these tracks have been out of print for decades, commanding top dollar on the collector's market. While the music is enticing enough, the package features a full-color booklet with extensive liner notes by Bill Dahl detailing not only the history of the label and studio, but of the stories of the artists whose work is showcased on these 20 singles as well. Featuring photographs and commentary from Playground staff past and present,\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: soul gems galore from Minaret Records (West Florida, 1967-76)\n\nReview: I recently reviewed \"The Sound Stage 7 Soul Story\" (for which Bill Dahl wrote the excellent liner notes as he did here in the colorful 20-page booklet) and noted the Nashville label's \"underrated roster of top-notch [Southern soul] talent.\" What we have here is a similar situation, only these Minaret (Valparaiso, Fla.) artists are even more obscure and not one of them ever dented a national chart. Sound Stage 7 at least had one big breakthrough soul (and pop) artist in Joe Simon (multiple national hits and a Grammy), as well as a Grammy-nominated female artist in Ella Washington. Both of these contemporaneous labels specialized in Deep Southern soul mixed with blues and country influences, but Sound Stage 7 had the night-time power of Nashville's 50,000 watt AM radio giant WLAC behind it, as well as some TV exposure, enabling a few of its artists to break through regional barriers. Minaret's product remained confined to the Deep Deep South, and the fact that we are able to hear it now sounding so good (and fresh) is a bit of a miracle.\n\nThe label's lead artist was Big John Hamilton, who could deliver to the hilt on any type of song he either wrote, co-wrote or was handed, whether it be blues, such as his 1967 gem \"The Train\" which leads off Disc One, or his horn-powered Stax/Memphis-style soul follow-up, \"I Have No One,\" or all-out country-soul, such as the first soul cover of the recent minor country hit \"Before the Next Teardrop Falls\" (six years before Freddy Fender took it to the top of the pop and country charts). The only female artist who turns up here, Doris Allen, simply stuns with her soul-shattering dbut single, \"A Shell of a Woman.\" She went on to do a pair of double-sided duet singles with Hamilton, culminating in the absolute champion of the label's entire existence, their nearly contemporaneous cover of Buddy Miles's \"Them Changes\" from 1970. This one pulsates, scintillates and positively rocks out; and where it clearly surpasses the original is in their dual powerhouse vocals. It will definitely pull you back for repeated listens. My other favorite artist here is Genie Brooks with his impossibly catchy 1967 boogaloo \"Fine Time\" b/w the plaintive ballad \"Juanita.\" He returned two years later with the socially aware \"Helping Hand,\" in the tradition of Sam Cooke's \"A Change Is Gonna Come.\" Its B-side is the rollicking \"Funky Broadway\"-inspired title song of this collection (\"South Side of Soul Street\").\n\nFor a forty-track collection of A and B sides the quality quotient is quite high. Surprisingly, the low point is the B-side of Doris Allen's outstanding (previously mentioned) \"Shell of a Woman.\" It's called \"Kiss Yourself for Me\" (Ouch!) and features the refrain, \"Walk up to your mirror and kiss yourself for me.\" (Double ouch!) Fortunately, there is nothing else that will stop you in your tracks (in a bad way) like this one. At least it's well performed.\n\nOmnivore Recordings did a tremendous job assembling this exceptional compilation that does honor to a really fine label whose oeuvre needs to be heard no matter if it's four decades or more later.","Product: Some Gladys Knight fans think that she didn't record as a solo artist until the early 1990s. But In fact, her first solo albums came in the late 1970s, when she provided 1978's Miss Gladys Knight for Buddah and 1979's Gladys Knight for Columbia. The singer's second, and self-titled, solo album is a generally decent effort that ranges from R&B/adult contemporary ballads ("You Loved Away the Pain," "I Just Want to Be With You," "My World") to up-tempo soul-disco offerings like "You Bring Out the Best in Me"and "You Don't Have to Say I Love You," both of which would appeal to a Loleatta Holloway or Thelma Houston fan. Meanwhile, the vibrant, Earth, Wind & Fire-ish "It's the Same Old Song" isn't unlike something that EWF leader Maurice White would have produced for the Emotions in the late 1970s, and Knight's version of Leiber & Stoller's "I (Who Have Nothing)" recalls her dramatic 1964 hit "Giving Up." This LP, which she produced with Jack Gold, is a must have for all Gladys Knight fans.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Gladys goes Pip-less and comes out on top!\n\nReview: Besides Gladys Knight's powerhouse, drop-dead gorgeous vocal, the first thing one notices about track one, this 1979 LP's lead single \"Am I Too Late,\" is that the backing voices that come in behind her for the first time [at 1:33] are female, so different-sounding from the Pips we had become so used to. This album is eponymous because for the second time in their career (the first involved their dbut hit single \"Every Beat of My Heart\" in 1961) Gladys found herself legally (i.e., contractually) separated from her Pips. Even though Gladys was now on Columbia, one of the most major labels out there at the time (with Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney & Wings, James Taylor, etc.), this song, as well as the whole album, was ignored by pop radio. \"Am I Too Late\" did reach #45 on the Billboard soul chart (and the album got to #71 soul).\n\nI originally had this album on cassette, but by the '90s cassettes had gone the way of covered wagons for me, so I'm glad it has finally been reissued on CD. \"Am I Too Late\" was a favorite, but THE favorite of mine here is Gladys's revival of the dramatic and powerful 1963 soul ballad (originally an Italian song) \"I Who Have Nothing.\" Ben E. King took it to #16 soul/ #29 pop in '63, and seven years later Tom Jones reached #14 U.S. pop and #16 British pop with it. This is the deepest exploration the song had ever received, with Gladys's voice, over its four-minutes-plus running time, attaining such magnificently soulful heights that one can't help but think that one of the best soul and pop performances on record during the latter half of the decade went almost completely missed by the greater music-listening public. Terrific orchestral arrangement as well, with violins, a reverbed guitar and percussion all adding mightily to the dramatic effect.\n\nAs if these two fine ballads weren't enough, you can add to them the warm and comforting Sam Dees-penned beauty \"My World,\" \"You Loved Away the Pain\" (wasted as the B-side of the non-charting disco second A-side from the LP, \"You Bring Out the Best in Me\"), and \"The Best Thing We Can Do Is Say Goodbye,\" the seemingly intentional sequel to \"Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye),\" Gladys Knight & the Pips' massive hit [#1 soul/ #2 pop] - and Grammy winner - from six years earlier when they were still with Motown.\n\nUnfortunately, there is some mediocre material here as well that Gladys gets saddled with, including the aforementioned misguided attempt to suddenly turn her into a disco diva (vocally, she is still as good as it gets, but her having anything to do with this stereotyped genre feels like slumming). For a second I might have wavered from my five-star rating based on these few tracks, but the bonus tracks in this expanded edition entirely obviated that possibility. Three very strong ballads that did not make the original cut (due to the perceived need to provide uptempo balance for the 1979 market) appear here for the first time: the 1934 standard \"For All We Know,\" \"Am I Losing You?\" (too close to \"Am I Too Late\" perhaps), and \"It's Me Again,\" another one that sounds like she was back at Motown, only with a female chorus taking the place of the Pips. With these and some alternate single versions, the CD's total running time comes to a generous 78:52.\n\nFine job assembling this package by Funky Town Grooves, and kudos to sleevenotes writer Alex Henderson for his three pages that so ably put it all in context.","Product: VARIOUS ARTISTS - VOL. 12B: COMPLETE MOTOWN SINGLES 1972 (LTD ED) - 5 CD BOX SET\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: (3 and 1/2 stars) A great historical series limps across the finish line\n\nReview: Sure, you get over five and a half hours of music on 12b, 100 tracks and the top ten soul and pop hits \"Superstition\" by Stevie Wonder [#1 both soul & pop], \"Neither One of Us\" by Gladys Knight & the Pips [#1 soul/ #2 pop], \"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone\" by the Temptations [#1 pop /#5 soul], the Academy Award nominated \"Ben\" by Michael Jackson [#1 pop /#5 soul], \"Daddy's Home\" by Jermaine Jackson [#3 soul /#9 pop] and \"Trouble Man\" by Marvin Gaye [#4 soul /#7 pop], plus eleven other charting tracks in the U.S. or the U.K., but what about the other 83 tracks (83% of this collection)? This is where the problem eventually arises. As Motown was completing its relocation to LA, great artists and songwriting teams were being shed left and right while the company was putting out loads of product by instantly forgettable mediocrities with their SoCal rock (some of it laughably pretentious) and watered-down generic soul that never would have made it through quality control in the sixties. There are even some unabashed MOR tracks that will have you lunging for the \"skip\" button. Discs 4 and 5 (#74 & #75 in the series) became unbearable for me with acts like Repairs, Celebration, Martin & Finley, Jerry Ross Symposium, Wolfe, and Puzzle. Only nine of the acts in this entire set were even recording for Motown in 1968, just four years earlier. The preceding volume (12a) had the Marvelettes, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Jimmy Ruffin, David Ruffin, and the Originals, but none of them made it to 12b. The swan song singles by the Four Tops and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles are here serving as dramatic examples of what this company was losing (i.e., its soul).\n\nOddly, among the new signees were popsters-of-the-past Bobby Darin, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, and Lesley Gore. Bobby Darin's take on \"Happy (The Love Theme from 'Lady Sings the Blues')\" was his last charting record [#67 pop /#32 adult contemporary] before his death at the very young age of 37. Lesley Gore's \"She Said That\" is a sad, enigmatic beauty that could not have been less at home than on a Motown label. Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons sound here like they did a decade earlier on Vee Jay; and while these releases went nowhere in this country, one (\"The Night\") reached #7 in the U.K. three years later after it became a huge Northern Soul dance club favorite.\n\nFor me, the best obscure A-sides are both on Disc One: \"Green Grow the Lilacs\" by the Festivals and \"Our Lives Are Shaped by What We Love\" by Odyssey. (Admittedly, not the most promising song titles.) The terribly named Festivals were a three-man soul vocal group who delivered gorgeous harmonies on the lovely, optimistic love song \"...Lilacs.\" \"Our Lives...\" is a surprisingly compelling hippy-trippy slice of soul-jazz by a self-contained biracial LA group. In my view, B-side heaven is attained three times: twice by the Supremes on the Smokey Robinson-penned-and-produced \"Floy Joy\" album tracks \"The Wisdom of Time\" (reflecting Smokey's life-affirming pro-education and pro-tolerance philosophy) and the lilting and sensual \"Over and Over,\" both with sterling arrangements by Paul Riser. The third is young teenager Michael Jackson's take on \"You Can Cry on My Shoulder,\" originally a very minor charter [#116] for Brenda Holloway in 1965. Brenda can't be topped, but this accelerated Gene Page-Willie Hutch arrangement is irresistible and perfect for Michael's high-soaring vocal. It was the B-side of \"Ben,\" one of the great pop vocal performances of all time (and I believe the greatest ever done live on an Academy Awards telecast [1973]).\n\nThis set is beautifully packaged as part of a 130-page book with detailed, highly informative liner notes and too many photographs to count (the format of all the previous volumes as well). And it features a touching prologue by Duke Fakir, the sole surviving member of the Four Tops. Also included is the original 45 of the Temptations' \"Papa Was a Rolling Stone.\" The presentation is five-star deluxe, but sadly the musical quality was fading as Motown faded away from Detroit.","Product: 2013 release from the Blues legend. While Buddy Guy's music is often labeled Chicago Blues, his style is unique and separate. His music can vary from the most traditional, deepest blues to a creative, unpredictable and radical gumbo of the blues, avant rock, soul and free jazz that morphs at each night's performance. In the early '50s he began performing with bands in Baton Rouge. Soon after moving to Chicago in 1957, Guy fell under the influence of Muddy Waters. In 1958, a competition with West Side guitarists Magic Sam and Otis Rush gave Guy a record contract. Soon afterwards he recorded for Cobra Records and Artistic Records. This is the first domestic compilation of the Hall of Fame winner's earliest sides in over 20 years.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: From Baton Rouge to the West Side of Chicago: sensational early Buddy Guy!\n\nReview: Chess Records, the big boy of Chicago blues, may have initially passed on Buddy Guy, the raw 22-year-old just up from Louisiana, but after they got a load of his phenomenal first two singles for upstart Cobra Records in 1958-59, they made sure to snap him up in a hurry, and he spent 1960-67 with them. The West Side Cobra label's first release two years earlier was young southpaw blues guitar wizard Otis Rush's national R&B hit \"I Can't Quit You Baby.\" It was Rush who instantly recognized Guy as a fully formed big-league talent after the two of them put on an impromptu dueling \"axe\" exhibition one night at the 708 Club. Cobra had Guy's first release launch their new Artistic imprint (as Artistic 1501): the magnificent \"Sit Down and Cry (the Blues),\" featuring both Guy and Rush on electric guitar and the bard of the blues, the great Willie Dixon (who penned the song with the collaboration of Guy) on bass. \"Sit Down and Cry (the Blues)\" b/w \"Try to Quit You\" (kind of an answer record to the Rush hit) and \"You Sure Can't Do\" (Guy's tribute to his idol and inspiration Guitar Slim of \"The Things I Used to Do\" fame) b/w \"This Is the End\" are right up there with his great stuff that would follow in the '60s.\n\nAlso here are four sides from 1963 on Chicago's USA Records that have him playing behind the stellar blues vocalist with the big, soaring high tenor wail, Jesse Fortune. Their segment also starts with a classic Willie Dixon number, \"Too Many Cooks.\"\n\nTo really complete the story (and it's a minor miracle that these recordings were still in existence), we get the two original demo tracks Guy laid down in Baton Rouge and brought up with him to Chicago to submit to Chess in 1958. They are raw but powerful, with Guy's trademark slashing and stinging guitar licks already in place -- and amazingly, the vocal chops to match them to a tee.\n\nTrue, there are only four issued Buddy Guy solo sides here from 1958-59, but they are absolutely essential ones; and the accompanying material is easily strong enough to justify this purchase. \"Too Many Cooks\" especially.","Product: Digitally re-mastered release containing a pair of albums from the Jazz great on one disc: Routes and Three Piece Suite. The Routes album sees his collaboration with Earth Wind & Fire continue after the Success of the Sun Goddess album with five tracks composed by members of Earth Wind & Fire, with the remaining tracks written by Allen Toussaint, who also produced the album with Larry Dunn of Earth Wind & Fire. 'Whisper Zone' and 'Colors in Space' being the stand out tracks from the album. 1981's Three Piece Suite sees a softer Jazzier side of Ramsey, and his piano playing style is probably more evident on this album than on Routes, There is even a cover version of Michael Jackson's 'She's Out of My Life.' Cherry Red.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: (one and 1/2 stars) Ramsey unmemorably ushered in the '80s with these two jazz-and-soul-less LPs\n\nReview: This is the once great and soulful Ramsey Lewis lost in bland, mediocre and outdated electro-pop-disco-funk land playing mostly disposable musical fare. The first album (\"Routes\") has him drowning in synths, while the second (\"Three Piece Suite\") is awash in overprominent electric bass and percussion (and in a few cases, pointless dubbed-in strings).\n\nHis shining (Ramsey-of-old) moment is the tender, reflective ballad \"Looking Glass\" from \"Routes\" - and wouldn't you know it, this is the only song where he was involved in the writing...and it's a Steinway Concert Grand solo performance. One can only wonder what it is doing here; or else, why couldn't he have committed himself to a whole album of such worthwhile creative artistry? (Obviously, we know the answer was a cash-grab attempt by his Columbia-label overlords.)\n\n\"Routes\" also has the slight advantage of New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint producing and composing four tracks: \"Crystals 'N' Sequence\" is a short-but-sweet pop-soul effort, while unfortunately the melodically gorgeous \"You Are the Reason,\" which could have been prime Ramsey, is instead sabotaged by an annoyingly repetitive, way-too-prominent electric bass line. (The other two Toussaint productions are of the generally forgettable funk sort that do nothing to enhance his legacy.)\n\nFrom the second LP's title \"Three Piece Suite\" and the cover photo of Ramsey in a black tux, you would expect a classic-jazz result, but what you actually get are songs so forgettable that you'll be forgetting them while still listening to them. It's Ramsey just going through the motions, half-heartedly, and succumbing to the whole overproduced mess.\n\nThese two 1980/1981 LPs were pathetic attempts to milk the last ounces of commercial profit out of the pop-funk and disco crazes which had exceeded their 1978-79 expiration dates. \"Routes\" and \"Three Piece Suite\" limped into the '80s with precious little actual jazz content. What a waste of talent! Ramsey Lewis did do some fine work during his Columbia years, but at least a few of his LPs were treated as not much more than mere commercial product, and the artistic bar was appreciably lowered. Clearly, that is what happened here, and only one outstanding track got through: the solo \"Looking Glass\"; plus the very good Allen-Toussaint-penned pop-soul (not jazz) instrumental \"Crystals 'N' Sequence,\" both from \"Routes.\"","Product: Two CD collection from the British vocalist. Ral has long been acknowledged as the all-time finest Presley 'sound-alike'. He famously registered his breakthrough hit in 1961 with 'Girl of My Best Friend', the song from Elvis Is Back which had been a massive hit for the King in the UK and Europe, but was never issued as a single in the US. Both versions were so aurally alike that when Ral's disc first began to break, it's success was propelled by strong rumors that 'Ral Donner' was actually Elvis, singing under a pseudonym. But although his subsequent releases certainly confirmed the similarity between their voices, Ral turned out to be a great singer in his own right - indeed, his very next release, 'You Don't Know What You've Got', was a million seller. He went on to carve out both a significant career and a big reputation and ironically, rarely recorded other material associated with Elvis until many years later. Moreover, Ral enjoyed legendary status among discerning R&R collectors; whilst not vast, his recorded legacy is of an exceptional standard and by the 70s, he'd become one of the most heavily-bootlegged artists of his era.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: underrated pre-British Invasion pop-rocker from Chicago\n\nReview: This British GVC (Great Voices of the Century) two-disc, 58-track set is the most extensive Ral Donner collection ever as it expands on the two previous ones (also British) from 1991 and 2001. This anthology's title \"Burned!\" is a tip-off to what makes it so special: the inclusion of his 1963 Reprise sides, including the terribly overlooked (except in his home town of Chicago where it got to #17 on WLS) self-penned rocker \"I Got Burned.\" Despite the title phrase, this is probably his coolest record.\n\nRal Donner is mainly known for his three big hits issued on the Gone label in 1961: the Elvis Presley remake \"Girl of My Best Friend\" [#19 nationally on Billboard / #2 in Chicago] (this one started the Elvis sound-alike controversy); You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)\" [his biggest national and international hit: #4 in Billboard / #3 on WLS / #25 in the UK (with a 10-wk chart run)] and \"She's Everything (I Wanted You to Be),\" which peaked in January, 1962 at #10 in Cash Box and #7 on WLS. The latter two hits, as well as all the others from his \"Takin' Care of Business\" LP, appear in both their mono and stereo versions. Donner had eight other sides register on national U.S. charts from 1961-63 but in the lower reaches, with the aforementioned \"I Got Burned\" (relentlessly propulsive while displaying Donner's considerable vocal range) only getting as high nationally as #124 on Billboard's \"Bubbling Under the Hot 100\" chart (despite its success in Chicago).\n\nA main feature the three big hits as well as \"I Got Burned\" have in common is no doubt Donner's remarkable vocal resemblance to Elvis Presley, be they ballads, midtempo or rockers. He admitted that as a teen he was inspired and influenced by the King (and others); and while at times his inflections can get extremely close to Presley's, listening to this whole collection and settling into Donner's vocal wavelength will have you appreciating his own style and versatility in phrasing and range. (Incidentally, Elvis was very favorably impressed by Donner's singing.) To me, he seemed to have a somewhat closer vocal similarity in his middle register to Conway Twitty in his late 1950s rockin' days (on both rockers and ballads). There are a number (probably a bit too high) of dramatic, lovelorn ballads here that place Donner in Gene Pitney territory stylistically (not vocally). One of my favorite tracks in this anthology is Donner's original (unissued) recording of \"Half Heaven, Half Heartache,\" which rose to the top ten at the turn of 1963 when covered by none other than Gene Pitney. The oddest track of all: \"Run Little Linda,\" a ridiculous rip-off of Dion's \"Runaround Sue.\" This one crossed a line even if it may have been intended as a Dion hommage.\n\nThis is a fine, very well sound-mastered, comprehensive 1959-1963 Ral Donner collection that is ideal for fans, although most likely far more than others will need. The hits and the non-hit rockers will keep anyone going, but beware of some saccharine love ballads full of \"heaven, angels and stars above\" imagery so typical of that era. Still, Donner commited fully to his vocals on everything he ever recorded; so Elvis was right to have been impressed.","Product: UK collection containing a pair of albums from the Latin Jazz legend, both of which have been out of print for more than half a century. The 1961 set, IN a LATIN BAG, was produced by Creed Taylor and features Armando Peraza on bongos, Paul Horn on flute, Al McKibbon on bass, Wilfredo Vicente on congas, Johnny Rae on timbales and Lonnie Hewitt on piano. The second part of our presentation is the live recording Saturday Night Sunday Night at the Blackhawk, recorded at the Blackhawk Cafe in San Francisco over a weekend in late January 1962. Here Tjader, Hewitt and Rae are augmented by the young bassist Freddy Schreiber. This collection points up most aspects of Tjader's musical philosophy, from his identification with contemporary Jazz and interest in new material, to his regard for the past and affection for superior show tunes.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: terrific Cal Tjader two-fer from 1961-62\n\nReview: The first complete LP here, an LA studio production from 1961 titled \"In a Latin Bag,\" is an absolute classic in the Latin-jazz genre, with the unbeatable combination of Tjader's vibes, Paul Horn's flute and Lonnie Hewitt's piano on most of the tracks; backed by Al McKibbon on bass and percussion by Wilfredo Vicente (conga) and Johnny Rae (timbales). In addition to their superb takes on Erroll Garner's \"Misty,\" Bronislau Kaper's \"Green Dolphin Street,\" Kurt Weill's \"Speak Low,\" Miklos Rosza's \"Ben Hur\" love theme (Tjader switches to piano and Hewitt to clavietta on this one) and Armando Prez & George Shearing's \"Mambo in Miami,\" the original compositions are outstanding. Singling out the most stunning example by each player-composer here, we have the mesmerizing \"Triste\" by Cal Tjader, with Horn on the rarely-used bass flute (note that this is not the same as the contemporaneous song of the same title by Brazilian bossa nova specialist A.C. Jobim); and the exquisitely melodic (and vibraphone-less) \"Ecstasy\" by Paul Horn.\n\nThe second complete LP on this disc has Cal Tjader leading a relaxed early-1962 set back in his hometown of San Francisco. Recorded over two evenings, it bears the title \"Saturday Night/Sunday Night at the Blackhawk, San Francisco.\" Nicely recorded, sans any audience distractions, it replaces the Latin content of the prior LP with bop, swing, blues, a classic ballad (\"Summertime,\" which Tjader really puts his stamp on over seven minutes) and even soul-jazz with pianist Lonnie Hewitt's \"Noonie's Groove,\" which holds its own with some of the best of that genre that was peaking around that time.\n\nThis l division of Cherry Red Records UK deserves kudos for the fine job it did reissuing these two LPs on a single disc (76+ minutes of music) with excellent sound mastering and all the original cover art, photos and liner notes intact.","Product: Digitally re-mastered and expanded edition of this 1972 album from the late vocalist. Justifiably hailed as her 'career' album, FROM A WHISPER TO a SCREAM re-established the Esther Phillips as a prominent Soul and Jazz artist in 1972, starting her most fruitful period as an international chart maker through her five-year association with Jazz industry veteran Creed Taylor's Kudu Records. Originally a chart-topping child star with the Johnny Otis band in the early '50 s, Little Esther battled drug addiction off and on throughout the '60 s during which she achieved some success with 'Release Me' (1963) and 'And I Love Him' (1965). Esther recorded some critically acclaimed albums for Atlantic before entering rehab in 1969. The sessions for FROM A WHISPER TO a SCREAM in December 1971 found her surrounded by stellar players such as Gordon Edwards (bass), Bernard Purdie (drums), Airto Moreira (percussion), Cornell Dupree and Eric Gale (guitar), Richard Tee (keyboards) and label mate Hank Crawford (on sax on selected tracks).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 2014 Cherry Red/SoulMusic [UK] reissue (with bonus tracks) of a classic 1972 LP\n\nReview: No less an expert than Aretha Franklin thought that this Esther Phillips album \"From a Whisper to a Scream\" was a crowning career achievement by a singer she had idolized since childhood. So, when it was nominated but failed to win the Grammy for Best Female Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance of 1972 (which would have been her first), Aretha considered this to be an injustice and was uniquely positioned to do something about it. As the actual winner in the category (her seventh Grammy award in six years), Aretha decided to meet with Esther for the purpose of personally (and RESPECTfully) presenting her with this latest Grammy statuette trophy that she felt rightfully belonged to Esther Phillips.\n\nNot too many non-\"best-of\" LPs ever produced two greater plug-side singles than what we have here with \"Home Is Where the Hatred Is\" and \"Baby, I'm for Real.\" The former, a cover of Gil Scott-Heron's recent uncompromising and brilliantly composed song about drug addiction, required tremendous personal courage for Esther Phillips to record because it hit so close to home, given her longtime struggle with the song's theme. Kudu label founder/owner/producer Creed Taylor was finally able to persuade her to do it (she had initially wanted no part of it), with the result being a masterpiece both in its vocal performance and on the production/arrangement end. Arranger/conductor Pee Wee Ellis was in charge of an orchestra composed of a bunch of the best available musicians in New York City, mostly rooted in jazz. The latter (\"Baby, I'm for Real\"), is one SHE insisted on recording. It's the gorgeous romantic soul ballad originally by the Originals from 1969 [a #1 soul record], which was co-written (and produced) by Marvin Gaye. The two B-sides from this LP, Eddie Floyd's ode to perseverance, \"'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone,\" and a warm and deeply-felt \"That's All Right with Me,\" are truly superb as well; as are the two Allen Toussaint covers: the brooding, slow-building title song and the bouncy \"Sweet Touch of Love.\" There is no slump in evidence anywhere on this stellar album. Jazz aficionados will be duly impressed that the sound engineering for the original LP was done by legendary studio booth wizard Rudy Van Gelder.\n\nThe four bonus tracks come from the same December 1971 recording sessions and were first issued for this LP's dbut on CD twenty-six years ago. They include the oldies (blues and pop standards, respectively) \"How Blue Can You Get?\" and \"A Beautiful Friendship,\" as well as the brand-new Carole King song \"Brother, Brother.\"\n\nTop-flight sound re-mastering, a 16-page booklet with 10 pages of comprehensive liner notes by SoulMusic founder, reissue producer and writer David Nathan contribute mightily to making this the best total package for this most essential album, \"From a Whisper to a Scream.\"\n_______________________________________________________________________________________________________\n\nOn the charts: #16 soul album / #137 pop album\n\n \"Home Is Where the Hatred Is\": #40 soul single / #86 pop single\n \"Baby, I'm for Real: #38 soul single / #124 pop single","Product: Long before anyone talked about roots rock, Americana, indie rock or alt-country, the Nighthawks were already playing it! For over 40 yrs they've played with many Blues and Rockabilly legends. They opened show after show for Muddy Waters, James Cotton, John Lee Hooker and Carl Perkins, and backed up and recorded with Elvin Bishop, John Hammond & Pinetop Perkins, to name a few. The band opened many doors and forged many touring routes for their contemporaries, including the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, Roomful Of Blues and George Thorogood. Now they're the Legends.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: best R&B, retro-rock & electric blues hybrid LP of the year\n\nReview: \"Well, people, they tell me I'm livin' in sin / I hope to go to hell so I can do it again\" - from \"444 A.M.\"\n\nYou'd have to get up very early in the morning to come up with a more energetic, unpretentious, fun, and highly listenable mix of R&B, retro-rock and electric blues (among several other genres) than what we get here with the ever-reliable Mark Wenner and the Nighthawks' latest. The versatile band is in fine form, delivering top-flight performances throughout, with Wenner's expressive vocals and sizzling harmonica always right on the money, Paul Bell's great guitar work, and the no-holds-barred rhythm section of Johnny Castle on bass (as well as a couple of lead vocals and three excellent writing contributions, including the above-cited title song, \"444 A.M.\"), and Mark Stutso on drums.\n\nThe swingin' Bill Haley & the Comets-influenced rockabilly blues of \"444 A.M.\" leads the way among the originals, but the Mark Wenner-penned (or co-penned) funky blues-rocker \"No Secrets\" and country-rocker \"Honky Tonk Queen\" are right up there too. Johnny Castle and Bill Kirchen came up with the menacing \"High Snakes,\" which sounds like a fugitive from Tony Joe White's terrific swamp-rock-and-blues album \"Hoodoo\" from last year. Castle's closer, \"Roadside Cross,\" is the antithesis, sound-wise, of everything that precedes it: it's a solemn, reflective and haunting acoustic ballad that packs an emotional wallop. If integrity ruled the music business, this would be a candidate for best original song of the year.\n\nBesides a pair of Gary Nicholson co-penned modern blues covers, \"Livin' the Blues\" (written with Tracy Nelson from her 1993 LP, \"In the Here and Now\") and \"(\"The Blues, the Whole Blues) Nothin' But the Blues\" (Amazing Rhythm Aces, 2003), Wenner & Co. clearly favor the 1950-to-1965 musical era, as demonstrated by five of their cover versions: Muddy Waters' \"Louisiana Blues\" (very credible homage to a blues god); the lively, gospel-esque, doo-wop R&B opener, \"Talk That Talk\" by the Du Droppers from 1955 (here retitled \"Walk That Walk\"); back-to-back 1957 and 1958 Elvis Presley movie songs, \"Got a Lot of Livin' to Do\" and \"Crawfish,\" from \"Loving You\" and \"King Creole,\" respectively (superb, seldom-covered Presley); and my favorite performance by the group, the Everly Brothers' \"The Price of Love\" from 1965. [An oddity about the original record is that it went all the way to #2 on the UK pop chart but \"peaked\" in the U.S. at #104, not even making it into the Hot 100.] This is just an all-out smoking, romping-and-stomping take on the song that goes by so much faster than its 4:21 running time would indicate. Fantastic musicianship and vocals. Definitive Nighthawks.\n\nAnd lest I forget to mention it, I'm crazy about the heavily harmonica-infused swamp funk of \"You're Gone.\"\n\nPeerless Nighthawks -- and they produced every note of it!","Product: Double CD reissue of this live album, appearing here on CD for the very first time. The ANN ARBOR BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL is a yearly event held each summer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This festival gathers up the best in blues from around the nation. This album was originally released as a two record set on Atlantic Records in 1972. The album features such Blues luminaries as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Freddie King, Luther Allison, Otis Rush, Bonnie Raitt, Hound Dog Taylor, Dr. John, Koko Taylor, Lucille Spann and many others.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: the Woodstock of the blues\n\nReview: It was a three-day weekend of peace and love of great blues music that began exactly 42 years ago today!\n\nWhat a line-up! How about Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf with Hubert Sumlin, Bobby Bland, Koko Taylor with Willie Dixon, Hound Dog Taylor, Johnny Shines, Otis Rush with Jimmy \"Fast Fingers\" Dawkins, Freddie King, Luther Allison, Mighty Joe Young, 73-year-old recovering stroke victim Sippie Wallace (a female blues icon of the 1920s), and a 22-year-old Bonnie Raitt representing a new generation of female blues artists --a young rising artist eager to learn from and to lend support to her aforementioned septuagenarian idol and inspiration.\n\nBonnie Raitt's tribute to Mississippi Fred McDowell, who passed away just two months earlier, will leave you in awe, but tears may flow when you hear her backing Sippie Wallace on her five-decades-old self-penned classic, \"Women Be Wise.\" At first, you may think Sippie too fragile to take the lead in a venue such as this, but it turns out to be quite the contrary. This qualifies as a musical moment for the ages; and fortunately, it was flawlessly recorded.\n\nThe other very moving moment is the dedication of the festival site to the departed \"sweet giant of the blues,\" Otis Spann. His widow Lucille, after speaking and overcoming her tears, launches into a soul-belting dbut public performance of her self-written tribute to her \"one and only beloved husband.\"\n\nAdding some spicy Cajun gumbo and sax-wailing Motown R&B to the proceedings are Dr. John and Jr. Walker & the All Stars, respectively. But it's the blues giants who really take command: Howlin' Wolf (\"Highway 49\"), Muddy Waters (\"Honey Bee\"), Bobby Bland (\"Ain't That Loving You\"), Johnny Shines (\"Dust My Broom\"), Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers (the rollicking instrumental opener \"Kitchen Sink Boogie\"), Luther Allison (a smoldering \"Please Send Me Someone to Love\"), and an astoundingly powerful take on B.B. King's \"Gambler's Blues by Otis Rush with Jimmy Dawkins.\n\nIf I'm not rushing to extol the virtues of Freddie King's \"Goin' Down\" and Koko Taylor's signature Willie Dixon song \"Wang Dang Doodle,\" it has nothing to do with the quality of the performances, but everything to do with the muddled quality of the sound on these two tracks. Koko Taylor might have been the least mic-dependent singer in blues history, but she and Willie Dixon (on backing vocal) were let down by whatever went wrong with the live sound recording here (although it eventually got righted before the end of the performance). Freddie King was similarly misrecorded, and it's all the way through. Luckily, this problem is not in evidence on any of the other tracks.\n\nOn a sour note (literally, in my opinion) are the two hideously (again, my opinion) discordant \"avant-garde\" jazz tracks, one placed at the end of each of the two discs. I have never found any of this stuff the slightest bit listenable and am glad that there were no more than two examples of this and that they were placed at the end, permitting easy premature ejection.\n\nFinally, I should point out that the only reason I know the full credits for every track is that I still have the original 1973 double LP. They (Wounded Bird) miniaturized the graphics here so that everything would all fit on a single four-page card. The printing in the liner notes and credits is now so microscopic that it would be laughable if it weren't so insulting to the purchaser who certainly would want to have this information in reasonably legible form. (The properly proportionate cover photo of Bobby Bland still looks good though.)","Product: (4CD) Almighty 100-track compilation features Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye, Barrett Strong, Sam Cooke, Little Eva, The Temptations, Gladys Knight, Lou Rawls, Jimmy Ruffin, Dobie Gray and others!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: comprehensive high-quality collection of soul from the dawn of the modern era (1959-1963)\n\nReview: Impressive! 100 tracks over 4 discs, featuring excellent sound (make that VERY impressive, given the age of these records and the rarity of most of them). The two years receiving by far the most focus are 1961 and 1962, when the various influences that would eventually coalesce into the soul genre (as it came to be known later in the 1960s) were clearly in evidence. You can hear the echoes of the harmony-group era, both the bluesier and more rocking sides of R&B, gospel-style singing (which really gave soul its soul), as well as pop - especially the kind that appealed to young people. Put it all together and you can sense that something remarkable was happening. These are well produced (but never overproduced) records that still sound amazingly vibrant and appealing today, especially for fans of '60s soul.\n\nWhile quite a few of the recording artists in this collection were hardly heard from again (making this collection all the more essential historically), it was not for lack of talent. You may be amazed at how good the persistently propulsive and emphatic \"She'll Be Gone\" by Betty O'Brien is. (I never heard of her or this record before and now can't stop listening to it.) And on the other side of the equation, there is a wealth of artists who were either already well established (Sam Cooke, Roy Hamilton, Etta James [the great \"Seven Day Fool\" is here!], The 5 Royales), peaking at the time (Dee Clark, Little Eva, Chuck Jackson, Marv Johnson, Benny Spellman), just starting to make their names (Bobby Bland, Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Baby Washington, Dee Dee Sharp, Mitty Collier, Sugar Pie De Santo), and later break-out stars (Wilson Pickett, Irma Thomas, Maxine Brown, Lou Rawls, The O'Jays, Johnny Nash, Johnnie Taylor, Joe Simon, Jimmy Ruffin, The Tams, Major Lance, Ted Taylor, Dobie Gray). Early Motown is represented by the Miracles, Barrett Strong, Eddie Holland, LaBrenda Ben, The Marvelettes, The Temptations, and Marvin Gaye.\n\nOf added value for me was hearing for the first time records by later favorites of mine on their earlier labels that I had never heard before: Jimmy Ruffin's one-off dbut recording on the Miracle label from 1961 (\"Don't Feel Sorry for Me\"), Joe Simon on the Hush label from 1961 (\"I See Your Face\"), and Johnnie Taylor on Sam Cooke's SAR label from 1962 (\"Rome Wasn't Built in a Day\"). Before listening to this collection I never knew of anything by Robert Knight prior to \"Everlasting Love\" (1967); and here he is on the powerfully pleading, well-orchestrated \"Free Me\" from 1962.\n\nWhat we don't get here is a booklet with notes or musical credits. Real Gone obviously wanted to keep the cost down while providing the most extensive array of great early soul music in a single package. They have succeeded.\n\nBest record in this collection by a one-hit wonder (IMO): Timmy \"Gonna Send You Back to Georgia\" Shaw's shudder-inducing slow blues \"Thunder in My Heart.\"\n\nExcellent find on CD: Sugar Pie DeSanto's first (and biggest, reaching #4) R&B hit, the funky soul blues \"I Want to Know\" on the Veltone label.\n\nAnd how about the first record ever released by Berry Gordy and Tamla-Motown (Tamla 101): Marv Johnson's \"Come to Me,\" which after a distribution deal was subsequently made with United Artists, rose to #6 R&B / #30 pop in early 1959.\n\nAlso of historical note concerning Motown is the appearance of the original version of \"Someday We'll Be Together\" (obviously best known as the 1969-70 #1 pop and soul smash that was Diana Ross & the Supremes' swan song before going their separate ways) by Jackey (Beavers) and Johnny (Bristol) from 1961 on Harvey Fuqua's Tri-Phi label. \"Someday\" co-writer Johnny Bristol would later team with the song's co-writer/producer Fuqua at Motown where they produced (and sometimes also co-wrote for) a number of acts, including Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Jr. Walker & the All Stars, and Gladys Knight & the Pips. Bristol, who had a significant solo recording career after Motown (with the national top ten soul and pop crossover smash \"Hang On in There Baby\" in 1974), was the male voice on the hit Motown version of \"Someday We'll Be Together.\" The Jackey & Johnny original is instantly recognizable but sounds rather primitive compared to its exquisitely produced (by Johnny Bristol!) famous cover.\n\nLeaving aside the star-powered major hits \"Turn On Your Love Light\" (Bobby Bland), \"Bye Bye Baby\" (Mary Wells's dbut, with the raspy voice later emulated by John Lennon on \"Twist and Shout\") and \"Any Day Now\" (Chuck Jackson), the best record of the whole one hundred can be found on Disc Two, Track 15: Nolan Strong & the Diablos' exciting \"Mind Over Matter\" from 1962. Don't miss this one (by that I mean this track and this entire collection)!","Product: UK-only collection from the late blue-eyed soul singer. Compiled by expert Mike Iannarelli, I'm a Star Now is a unique set of mostly unreleased tracks spanning the Italian-American vocalist's entire career. 'With All My Heart', was recorded when Timi was only 15 years old! 'Drive in Movie', 'The First Hurt' and 'Bye Bye Little Boy' were demos from 1959-60. 'This Is My Song', 'Love Is a Wonderful Thing' and 'You've Got Your Troubles' were recorded in 1967 in the Philippines.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: \"Star\" is not the place to start but is worth it for Timi Yuro fans\n\nReview: Warning: \"Due to the absence of original master tapes, most of these tracks were sourced from original acetates which belonged to Timi. Because of the age and the condition of the discs, you may detect surface noise on some tracks but we feel that their historical importance outweighs any sonic issues.\"\n\nThe above disclaimer is found on the last inside page of the accompanying booklet written by compiler Mike Iannarelli. So now you at least get this information that I didn't have upon purchasing this CD. The word \"Rarities\" in the subtitle doesn't necessarily imply substandard sound quality. How bad is the sound, you may be wondering? It gets progressively better, but about the first third of the disc is adversely affected. After that, it reaches acceptability, although audiophiles will not be satisfied (they seldom are).\n\nI, however, was especially pleased with the middle section where between 1967 and 1972 (the middle years, chronologically, of this disc) Timi really turned on the soul. She clearly holds the distinction of being the most soulful middle-of-the-road white female vocalist of all time. Her covers of Clyde McPhatter's \"I'll Belong to You,\" Betty Everett's \"Until You Were Gone\" and the Bee Gees' great \"To Love Somebody\" (with churchy organ backing) are powerhouses. She also rocks the soul on Dave Mason's \"Feeling Alright,\" first recorded by his band Traffic and subsequently transformed into a hit by Joe Cocker.\n\nNext best are her three Chips Moman-produced tracks recorded in Memphis in 1975 (highlighted by \"Two Different Worlds,\" a top ten pop hit in 1956 for Don Rondo), which are the only ones to have been released in their day -- but only in the Netherlands the following year.\n\nIn 1977 disco was everywhere, so Timi, in search of a record deal, waxed a disco-fied version of the early-'60s girl-group oldie \"Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya.\" But with a voice like hers in the midst of a stereotypically cheesy disco production, this sounds like slumming.\n\nShe goes out on a stronger note in 1982 with the song \"Words\" (not the well-known Bee Gees tune) that became a #13 adult contemporary hit in '83 for the male Tunisian-French singer F.R. David.\n\nTimi Yuro completists will thank their stars for \"I'm a Star Now,\" but as my review title says, it's \"not the place to start.\"","Product: Billy Boy Arnold is one of the last of the legendary Chicago Blues harmonica players. In addition to his solo releases, he recorded with Bo Diddley in the Fifties and has been covered by David Bowie, The Yardbirds and The Blasters. Produced by Duke Robillard and backed by stellar musicians, plus the Roomful Of Blues horns, this release showcases a brilliant artist still in his prime. Billy Boy was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: solid showcase for the veteran Chicago blues harpist/singer\n\nReview: If I didn't know better and you told me this album was from 1972, I would believe it - and that's a compliment to the timeless, vintage nature of what 79-year-old R&B/soul-blues harp (harmonica) master Billy Boy Arnold and producer/guitarist Duke Robillard have put together here (13 years after their excellent collaboration \"Boogie 'n' Shuffle\").\n\nArnold's wailing Sonny Boy Williamson [I]-influenced blues harp is always a highlight, but it's his astounding versatility that really carries the day here: everything from 1940s Louis Jordan jump blues to electric blues, to 1950s and '60s R&B, to early-'60s soul jazz, to late-'60s/early-'70s soul. And he can really deliver the goods vocally in every one of these genres with his uniquely compelling, soulful and emotive, been-through-it-all singing.\n\nWith 14 songs (including eleven covers of other artists) the highlights abound, but special mentions must go to the deeply emotive seven-and-a-half-minute gem of a performance on B.B. King's \"Worried Dream\" from 1967 (featuring standout electric blues guitar work by Robillard) and the 1960 soul-jazz classic \"Work Song.\" The latter receives its best vocal version since lyricist (and fellow Chicagoan) Oscar Brown, Jr.'s original interpretation. Arnold's warm, sincere and confessional tone offers a different take on it and is so convincing that if I had the power I would see that he (the narrator of the tale) is immediately released from hard labor on the chain gang!\n\nBeing a big fan of '60s and early-'70s soul, I am particularly pleased with his enthusiastic cover of Ray Charles's 1962 hit \"Don't Set Me Free\" (with searing saxes and trumpet, as well as Raelettes-style backing vocals), Mack Rice's undervalued \"Coal Man\" from 1969, the propulsive 1971 Ann Peebles B-side \"99 Lbs.,\" and Joe Tex's brilliant 1972 social message song \"A Mother's Prayer\" (which unfortunately was largely overlooked as the flipside of his funky mega-hit \"I Gotcha\").\n\nThe only misstep is that Arnold's repetitious, one-joke, double-entendre novelty-song closer \"Keep On Rubbing,\" at six-minutes duration, goes on three times too long for sober ears (just a minor blip after thirteen very solid-to-superb tracks).\n\nThis is the work of a true Chicago living legend and should not be missed.","Product: The Guardian has called Houston Person, an eloquent messenger from a jazz era rooted in traditional blues, black church music, Broadway love songs and the impersonation, by sax, of a singer's tone palette, while Nate Chinen in the New York Times has singled out Nelson's harmonic sumptuousness, jangly clusters, and effervescent artistry. Together they explore the nooks and crannies of ten standards, some familiar, some obscure, with the Rudy Van Gelder sonics yielding up every nuance and inflection of the players.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: another year, another superlative Houston Person album\n\nReview: Warm-toned, soulful tenor sax ace Houston Person has been a leader since the 1960s and has never disappointed. Even more amazingly, the quality of his albums continues to surpass his already impossibly high standards.\n\nAnd speaking of standards, we get three beauties by Rodgers & Hart, one each by Irving Berlin and the Gershwins - plus, a Benny Carter and a Lionel Hampton - all played exquisitely by this sensational combo (featuring Lafayette Harris on piano, Steve Nelson on vibraphone, Ray Drummond on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums), with a variety of clever and highly appealing changes on each. For a favorite (among favorites) I would pick \"Bewitched,\" on which Steve Nelson's stunningly gorgeous vibes take the lead before the song is taken over the top when Person's interior part kicks in. The disc's opener, the warhorse \"My Funny Valentine\" (also Rodgers & Hart), gets revivified by a new, sprightlier, more delightfully playful arrangement (including a cool vibes solo by Nelson) and feels like the quickest 6:22 on record. The versatile rhythm section is rock solid at ballad tempo or can really swing; and I particularly enjoy it when they go soul-jazz and bossa nova (\"You're Nearer,\" the third Rodgers & Hart tune, and Benny Carter's \"Only Trust Your Heart\" get a neat hybrid treatment of these styles).\n\nAlso noteworthy is the Ruth Etting \"twin-spin\" on Trks 8 & 9: \"Try a Little Tenderness\" (a more rhythmic take than usual on this ballad) and \"The Song Is Ended\" (the Irving Berlin song here, from 1928). The great Ruth Etting had popular hits five years apart with both of these; and as a relevant point of information, the title of this CD is derived from the parenthetical subtitle of the latter song: \"(But the Melody Lingers On\"). If that's not a mission statement for what Houston Person does like no one else (but again, with more cleverness and variety), then I'm permanently done with mission statements.\n\nBut hold on, we're not done yet! It's the blues at closing time in the form of pianist Lafayette Harris's own simmering (to put it mildly) \"You Can't Lose with the Blues.\" Nor can you lose with \"The Melody Lingers On\" for 57 totally enjoyable minutes.","Product: The complete recorded output of the R&B/soul group, The Valentinos on the SAR record label, co-founded and co-owned by R&B/soul legend Sam Cooke, who was also the group s producer. The Valentinos comprised the five Womack brothers: Bobby, Cecil, Curtis, Friendly Jr. and Harry. These are amongst the earliest recordings by soul legend Bobby Womack and Cecil Womack, one half of the R&B vocal duo, Womack & Womack (the other half being Linda Cooke, Sam's daughter). Included on the album are fourteen tracks originally released as singles, three originally unreleased recordings. Among the singles are four gospel tracks by the brothers billed as The Womack Brothers. Highlight tracks include the Top 10 R&B hit, "Lookin For A Love" and the Top 40 R&B hit "It s All Over Now," also a huge hit for The Rolling Stones in 1964. The collection spans the years 1961 to 1964.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: complete Valentinos SAR recordings - a major early soul-group breakthrough\n\nReview: The Valentinos on the charts: peak positions noted - national R&B and pop:\n-\"Lookin' for a Love\" (1962) #8 R&B / #63 pop\n-\"I'll Make It Alright\" (1963) #97 pop\n-\"It's All Over Now\" (1964) #21 R&B / #63 pop*\n*[big pop chart discrepancies: #63 Cash Box / #94 Billboard / #112 Record World]\n-\"Everybody Wants to Fall in Love\" (1964) #142 pop (Cash Box)\n\ncover versions:\n-The Rolling Stones: \"It's All Over Now\" (1964) #25 pop / #1 UK**\n**[The Stones' first British #1 (one week in July between The Animals' \"House of the Rising Sun\" and the Beatles' \"A Hard Day's Night\")]\n-Wilson Pickett: \"She's So Good to Me\" (1966) [track on LP \"The Exciting Wilson Pickett\" (#3 R&B / #21 pop)]\n-J.Geils Band: \"Looking for a Love\" ('71-'72) #30 pop (their first chart single)\n-Bobby Womack: \"Lookin' for a Love\" (1974) #1 soul (3 wks) / #8 pop\n\nThe Valentinos (1962-64) are primarily known for having launched the career of the late soul great and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bobby Womack and for their two biggest hits (\"Lookin' for a Love\" and \"It's All Over Now\"), which became even bigger hits later on. In the case of the Rolling Stones and \"It's All Over Now,\" which came out just a month after the Valentinos' original, the original's progress on the pop charts was significantly impaired as the latter came to dominate Top 40 radio airplay. (However, an initially disappointed Bobby Womack would receive ample consolation in the form of songwriter royalties.)\n\nThe new early-sixties term \"soul music,\" as opposed to the existing term \"rhythm & blues,\" originally referred to the secularized adaptations of gospel songs that were becoming hits. The clearest example of this is offered by the juxtaposition on this present CD of Trks 2 and 3, the gospel single \"Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray\" by the Womack Brothers and their dbut secular single \"Lookin' for a Love\" as the Valentinos, a direct adaptation of the former. Sam Cooke, who co-founded and was heavily involved with running SAR, was a major proponent of this new development in black popular music and was only too glad to have his young protgs (the Womack brothers, a.k.a. the Valentinos) become the breakthrough group in this field.\n\nThis is exciting, very raw and emotive, organic-sounding music - all the more so on the tracks featuring Bobby Womack's raspy, gritty, compelling and commanding lead vocals. Some of the others (ironically, on those most influenced by Sam Cooke's smoother sound) make a much lesser impression.\n\nStellar sound engineering by ABKCO Records and a very fine booklet with comprehensive, highly informative liner notes by author Bill Dahl; and also possibly the most thorough individual track and session credits you will see this year for recordings that go back 54 years. Just a superlatively produced compilation by Teri Landi. This is a superb follow-up to last year's L.C. Cooke's \"Complete SAR Recordings.\"","Product: Digitally remastered two CD set containing four albums spanning the years 1965-68 for prolific singer/songwriter Jackie De Shannon, a woman who was very much ahead of her time. Features the albums IN THE WIND, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?, NEW IMAGE and WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW. The song 'What the World Needs Now' was a US Top 10 hit single. Although her recording career slowed down in the 1980s she became a very much in demand songwriter, penning hits such as 'Bette Davis Eyes'.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: four very different Jackie DeShannon LPs in one neat two-disc package\n\nReview: Jackie DeShannon chronological hit parade from this collection (Billboard Hot 100 peak positions):\n\"Needles and Pins\" (1963) #84 (#58 in Cash Box)\n\"Little Yellow Roses\" (1963) #110\n\"What the World Needs Now Is Love\" (1965) #7\n\"A Lifetime of Loneliness\" (1965) #66\n\"I Can Make It with You\" (1966) #68\n\"Windows and Doors\" (1966) #108\n\"Come On Down (From the Top of the World)\" (1967) #121\n\"It's All in the Game\" (1967) #110\n\nThe first LP, \"In the Wind,\" was a 1965 repackaging of her eponymous dbut LP from two years earlier, which was at the commercial height of the folk-music boom. Ten of the twelve tracks here are right in that mold and would seem to have been a rather blatant attempt to cash in on Peter, Paul & Mary's startling success - hence, \"Blowin' in the Wind,\" \"If I Had a Hammer\" and \"Puff (the Magic Dragon)\" are all covered here. Jackie D's \"Blowin' in the Wind\" is on the mournful side, but she nails her other two Dylan covers, \"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright\" and especially the unreleased \"Walkin' Down the Line,\" which she and arranger Jack Nitzsche spin into gold (one of the best early Dylan covers -- it should have been a single). Jackie's native Kentucky drawl is only heard on record on some of these folk tracks, and it is put to good use, adding to her folk/country credibility. But her comfort zone was pop-rock, as opposed to folk, which is clearly why the two standouts here (which also stand out because they are so alien to the LP's dominant theme) are her two pop-rockers, the Sonny Bono and Jack Nitzsche penned \"Needles and Pins\" (a classic British Invasion smash for the Searchers the following year) and her self-penned \"Don't Turn Your Back on Me.\"\n\n\"Are You Ready for This? (1966) could just as well have been called her \"Supremes Meet Burt Bacharach/Hal David Album.\" For some reason (more trend-hopping perhaps?) Jackie becomes Diana DeShannon on a bunch of these tracks that copy a Diana Ross & the Supremes template. But oddly, it's very entertaining, particularly her Supremes-acized take on \"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\" (injecting new life into it), a sizzling \"Love Is Leading Me\" and the \"I Hear a Symphony\" knock-off \"Music and Memories.\" This stuff seems much fresher to me than the Bacharach-David material (I think she was really only an exceptional match for their great song \"What the World Needs Now Is Love\"), \"Windows and Doors\" (with its love \"you can't buy in stores\" weak rhyme); the pity-stoking Gene Pitney-esque \"A Lifetime of Loneliness\" and the atrocious \"So Long Johnny.\" The high-quality single from this LP is definitely the pairing of Chip Taylor's strong and determined ballad \"I Can Make It with You\" b/w her own impressively introspective and assertive \"To Be Myself.\" I also like her \"You Don't Have to Say You Love Me,\" although it cannot escape the shadow of Dusty Springfield's definitive English-language version.\n\nFor \"New Image\" (1967) she is recast as an interpreter of pop standards and adult contemporary fare (better known as \"easy listening\" at the time). With the exception of her own gorgeous composition \"Where Does the Sun Go?\" much of the adult contemporary material feels forced and overdramatic; and in some cases - \"The Carnival Is Closed Today,\" \"The Wishing Doll\" and \"Poor Someone\" - positively inane. Both singles from the LP flopped: \"Come On Down (From the Top of the Hill)\" was an attempt at Laurel Canyon-y adult contemporary that is just too mannered and manufactured-to-be-quirky/charming; and a mid-tempo, just-okay take on the '50s pop standard \"It's All in the Game.\" One of the standards does get a startlingly brilliant treatment, though: her \"Sunday Kind of Love\" (and I'm not comparing her to Etta James) reveals depth and maturity and tremendous interpretive vocal talent (and soul). The only song with any real drive on this LP - and it has appealing lyrics, to boot - is \"Time,\" the obvious (unmade) choice for a single.\n\n\"What the World Needs Now Is Love\" (1968) is a hodgepodge, but at least we get the breakthrough title-song smash from three years earlier here. However, seven of the eleven (not lucky for us!) tracks are repeats from earlier in this same collection. For example, we get \"Where Does the Sun Go?\" twice only twelve tracks apart! (You'll think your CD player suddenly went into random-play mode!).\n\nThe stereo sound (most of the tracks here) is excellent; and there's a 14-page accompanying booklet with all the original LP credit listings and liner notes. Six pages of brand-new notes by John Tobler as well. On the down side, everything in the interior of the booklet (photos, LP cover repros) is in shadowy black and white.\n\nThis is a good deal for fans of Jackie DeShannon in this five-year stretch of the 1960s (pre-\"Put a Little Love in Your Heart\").","Product: (2015/Fantastic Voyage) 90 Tracks, 20-page booklet, US charts compilation 1959-63!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: a bit of the bubbly\n\nReview: This is a veritable treasure trove for fans of this too-often forgotten era of pop and pop-rock (1959-1963) between the first wave of rock & roll and the British \"invasion\" that followed the Beatles in early 1964. Here are 90 of the most forgotten records from this period [total running time: 3 hours, 35 minutes] - ones that NEVER get played on oldies radio because they not only missed reaching the pop Top 40, they missed the entire Billboard Hot 100! (Most oldies radio avoids anything that wasn't at least Top 20.) The case with many of these records is that they were quite popular in some markets, but for some reason were unable to get the radio airplay elsewhere needed to generate broader demand.\n\nA real advantage of a collection like this is that there should be very little duplication with any other CD collection you own. I especially enjoyed the fact that I knew so few of these records, even though by around the mid-point of this time frame I was starting to become aware of everything that was being played on the radio. This is a trip back in time that one can hear with fresh ears. And that reminds me of another advantage: the sound is astonishingly good given the age and relative rarity of these records. Two more advantages: 1) a 16-page booklet with an informative paragraph devoted to each and every artist and record (that's 90 records by 90 different artists); and 2) every record is presented chronologically, giving one a greater sense of the musical flavors of each year.\n\nFor anyone who might think that such lesser hits as these must have been throwaways, let me point out that 13 of the 90 recordings were by future Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. Here's the list: Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, The Crickets, Duane Eddy, The \"5\" Royales, The Flamingos, The 4 Seasons, Barry Mann (in the R&R HOF as a songwriter), Del Shannon, The Temptations, Ike and Tina Turner, and Stevie Wonder (13-year-old Little Stevie Wonder in 1963). Johnny Cash is also in the Country & Western Hall of Fame, as are Glen Campbell, Sonny James, Webb Pierce, Hank Snow and Conway Twitty. And Sarah Vaughan is a Grammy Lifetime Achievement honoree.\n\nOther artists of note appearing in this collection include Arthur Alexander, The Angels, Paul Anka, Bobby Bare, Gary (U.S.) Bonds, Johnny Burnette, Vikki Carr (her competing version of The Crystals' \"He's a Rebel\" from 1962 is on the unconvincing and borderline shrill side), The Chantels, The Del Vikings, Jackie DeShannon, Ral Donner, Shelley Fabares, Barbara George, Clarence Henry, Brian Hyland, Jay & the Americans, Hank Locklin, Aaron Neville, Tony Orlando, The Robins, Tommy Roe, Neil Sedaka, Bobby Vee and Baby Washington.\n\nThere are 14 Billboard \"Bubbling Under\" one-timers who never appeared on any other national chart with this or any other record. Ever heard of the Kenjolairs, Aki Aleong, Vicki Tasso, Doug Warren & the Rays, or Jan Burgens & His New Orleans Syncopators...? I didn't think so.\n\nMy Top 20 from this collection (the highest positions most of these records have ever seen!)\n1) Nolan Strong & The Diablos - \"Mind Over Matter\" (1962) - Detroit proto-soul classic (penned by Devora Brown) with a phenomenal lead vocal by the ethereally high-voiced \"Daddy Rockin'\" Strong and the stellar electric blues-rock guitar of [sounds like it could be Lonnie Mack/Jimi Hendrix icon Robert Ward! (?)] It broke through on WLS (50,000-watt Top 40 radio) in Chicago, reaching #16, but surprisingly went no further. Definitely for fans of Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights' \"Village of Love\" (on the same Fortune label) - and definitely (IMO) one of the best records of 1962.\n\n2) Little Stevie Wonder \"I Call It Pretty Music But the Old People Call It the Blues Pt. 1)\" (1963) - dynamic and propulsive, and by an unmatched talent, but it somehow got lost in the immediate wake of Stevie's phenomenal début single, the #1 pop and R&B smash \"Fingertips, Pt. 2\"\n\n3) Robert Parker \"All Nite Long (Pt. 1)\" (1959) - cookin' and jivin' sax instro that should never have stalled at #113 in its only week on the chart. This was Robert Parker five and half years before his Top Ten hit \"Barefootin'.\"\n\n4) Johnny Cash \"Johnny Yuma, the Rebel\" (1961) - one of the best vocal TV theme songs of all time (from the Western series \"The Rebel\" starring Nick Adams)\n\n5) Big Al Downing \"The Story of My Life\" (1962) - harmonica-powered Southern-style R&B take on Marty Robbins' 1958 country and pop hit (an early Burt Bacharach-Hal David composition). Like \"Mind Over Matter,\" it was a hit on WLS in Chicago [#15] but failed to break nationally.\n\n6) Googie René \"The Slide\" (1960) - sizzling and grooving organ-&-sax-propelled R&B dance-call tune\n\n7) The Temptations \"Paradise\" (1962) - This Temptations chart début record was obviously inspired by The 4 Seasons, with Eddie Kendricks taking the high-voiced lead vocal (in other words, the Frankie Valli part, but in his natural voice, as opposed to Valli's falsetto)\n\n8) Ray Charles \"No Letter Today\" (1963) - Ray in his brilliant country-soul period doing credit to the 1944 Ted Daffan country ballad hit. This one got buried on the flipside of \"Take These Chains from My Heart.\"\n\n9) Conway Twitty \"What a Dream\" (1960) - This otherwise rather ordinary ballad serves as a showcase for seemingly all of the Twitty bird's trademark vocal tricks, especially his guttural croaks.\n\n10) Baby Washington \"Handful of Memories\" (1962) - #16 R&B hit by one of the all-time great voices of the genre\n\n11) Aaron Neville \"Over You\" (1960) - cool, relentlessly rhythmic New Orleans R&B with a neat horn chart. The great Allen Toussaint produced and co-wrote it. It was Neville's first chart record (preceding \"Tell It Like It Is\" by six years) and a significant national R&B hit (reaching #21). [On a very sad note, Toussaint passed way 13 days after I submitted this review, Nov. 10, 2015.]\n\n12) Sam Fletcher \"Time Has a Way\" (1959) - big ballad by the big-voiced Roy Hamilton sound-alike called \"The Man with the Golden Voice\" (which later became Paul Carrack's sobriquet)\n\n13) Jack B. Nimble & the Quicks \"Nut Rocker\" (1962) - original recording of the classic instro by an alternate incarnation of B. Bumble & the Stingers\n\n14) Del Shannon \"I Won't Be There\" (1962) - a good, if not particularly memorable one penned and performed by the talented Shannon, who followed his big chart début year (\"Runaway\" was a breakout #1 smash in '61) with a major chart slump in '62\n\n15) Tony Orlando \"Chills\" (1962) - That's right...Tony Orlando! The 18-year-old New Yorker had an appealing soulful-pop style, and this is a solid Gerry Goffin-Jack Keller-composed song.\n\n16) Duane Eddy \"The Battle\" (1962) - This twangy-guitar version of \"The Battle Hymn of the Republic\" was likely intended as Eddy's answer to his signature instro smash \"Rebel-'Rouser from 1958.\n\n17) The Chantels \"Here It Comes Again\" (1962) - graceful girl-group harmony\n\n18) Eddie Quinteros \"Come Dance with Me\" (1960) - an all-out rockin' tribute to Ritchie Valens who had been gone one year\n\n19) Hank Snow \"Miller's Cave\" (1960) - not a wasted syllable in the telling of this blood-curdling tale set in a forbidding Southern Georgia locale - a #9 country song by one of the greats\n\n20) Bobby Vee \"One Last Kiss\" (1960) - 17-year-old Robert Velline from Fargo was on the cusp of a major breakthrough (with \"Devil Or Angel\"), but only the most comprehensive Bobby Vee collections on CD have ever included this appealing cover of a number from \"Bye Bye Birdie.\"\n\nThe only ones I loathed upon first listen:\n1) Gus Backus \"Wooden Heart\" (1961) - truly terrible Teutonic twaddle (inexplicably, Joe Dowell's version got to #1)\n\n2) The Swe-Danes \"Scandinavian Shuffle\" (1960) - entirely sung in idiotic vocalese (which is redundant) [Beware of the ear-splitting final note - if you are able to make it that far]\n\n3) Robie Lester \"The Miracle of Life\" (1960) - insipid [Beware of bloated song titles that promise more than they can deliver]","Product: CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: definitive work on the King Bee of Louisiana swamp blues and R&B\n\nReview: For admirers of this utterly amazing and unique, modern-era (recording as a lead artist from 1957 to 1970, the year of his premature death at age 45) Louisiana delta blues harmonica master, songwriter and brilliantly expressive vocal interpreter of down-home, often country- and rock-tinged blues and R&B, this \"complete\" (and it is, for all practical purposes, just that) collection (5 discs, 410 minutes [=6 hours, 50 minutes], which averages to 82 minutes [!] per disc) is going to be incredibly difficult to pass up.\n\nThe first two discs contain the entirety of his Excello label issued material, which has all been available on high-quality CDs. The harder question concerns the value of the other three discs: two containing all of the existing alternate takes and material that was unissued in his lifetime, plus the first-time-ever appearance of the last song he ever wrote and recorded (presumably, a home-made demo) during the last month of his life - January, 1970), and one (Disc 5) containing 87 and a half minutes of his live sets (including previously unissued material) from 1961.\n\nI will admit that as a major fan of his since his biggest hit, \"Baby Scratch My Back\" from 1966 (talk about unique!) [#1 R&B / #13 pop in Cash Box], the first blues record I ever got - and I subsequently picked up his incredibly cool cover of Charlie Rich's \"Mohair Sam\" from 1968 (recorded at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals) [#113 pop in Cash Box], as well as his 1969 \"The Best of Slim Harpo\" LP - I was a bit hesitant about this purchase. The clincher for me was the 12 in. X 12 in., 104-page book, available nowhere else but as part of this package. It is colorful and comprehensive and of the highest quality. 62 pages of extremely well-written and detailed notes by Martin Hawkins on Slim's life (and death) and entire career - including each recording session - make it totally indispensable for Harpo-ites. (I would estimate that on its own it would be a $60 item.)\n\nAnd having listened to Discs 2 through 5, I am fully convinced they are worth it as well. Some of the alternate takes are significantly different from the released versions and are arguably even more enjoyable in their own way. The live tracks from '61 are a bit iffy, given that the sub-par amateur sound recording rendered Slim's vocals somewhat muddy. However, his harp and his band's instrumental work come through tolerably well; and the extended live versions of their instrumentals \"Buzzin'\" and \"Moody Blues\" are outstanding - especially the nine-minute latter song which thankfully was mic-ed much better.\n\nUltimately, you can never really go wrong with Bear Family box sets of your favorite musical artists.","Product: Rare Rockin' Records latest installment of their highly acclaimed 'Songwriter Masters Series' packages. Joe South entered the Top 20 with his Grammy winning award song, 'Games People Play' in 1969. The song was featured on his highly respected album, 'Introspect'. Two years later, Lyn Anderson scored a big country/pop hit with another of Joe's songs, 'Rose Garden'. Joe's career, however, began ten years earlier - and he did it all. He was a recording artist, in demand session player, songwriter and producer. He played an important role in the early career of the Tams and Billy Joe Royal and both acts have had rock and roll longevity. 'Golden Records - 1961-1966' brings together the very best of Joe's songs from this period. Some he recorded himself, some he produced for others - but he wrote them all. On this CD, we find hits such as the Tams 'Untie Me' from 1962 and Billy Joe Royal's 'Down In The Boondocks' from 1965. Rare Rockin' Records have also included some rare titles from artists such as the Chips, Vince Everett, Billy Joe Royal and Joe himself. Many are on CD for the first time. Features a 16 page full color booklet with extensive liner notes and label scans. 32 tracks, 8 in stereo with a sound quality that so reflects the title of this CD, 'Golden Records'.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: We knew him when!\n\nReview: This is nearly in a league with the previous Rare Rockin' Records 1960s songwriter disc I reviewed, \"David Gates: The Early Years 1962-1967\" (5/13/13 - five stars). Note the overlapping years covered by these two CDs. That one gets my slight nod because of the greater range of artists who were previously unknown to me, in addition to the appearance of a true classic that I had never been able to find on CD before, Jody Miller's original 1965 version of Gates's \"Never Let Him Go\" (which he himself turned into a solo hit a decade later as \"Never Let Her Go\"). A big difference here (to its favor, I would say) is that we get to hear seven early obscurities performed by the producer/songwriter Joe South himself, as well as with his group called The Chips. South's own \"Concrete Jungle\" is a good example of a whole school of songs from that time period about working people trapped in an urban rat race. If his appealing 1961 single side \"I'm Sorry for You\" sounds somewhat familiar, it may be due to his having strayed a bit too closely over into Jerry Butler's \"He Will Break Your Heart\" [aka \"He Don't Love You\"] 1960 hit territory.\n\nThe question is: will we find anything here reflecting the level of genius associated with the Joe South who gave us \"Games People Play\" (Grammy-winning best song of 1969), \"Rose Garden\" (1971 best song nominee), \"Don't It Make You Want to Go Home,\" \"Walk a Mile in My Shoes,\" \"Hush, \" \"Birds of a Feather,\" \"These Are Not My People, \"How Can I Unlove You,\" \"Fool Me,\" \"All My Hard Times,\" etc.? Yes, but only in the form of the only three hit records here: The Tams' \"Untie Me\" (1962) [#12 R&B / #60 pop in Billboard] and Billy Joe Royal's first two career-defining hits from 1965, \"Down in the Boondocks\" [#6 pop in Cash Box] and \"I Knew Him When\" [#12 in Record World].\n\n\"Untie Me\" is an outstanding Southern R&B record out of Atlanta, rivaling anything of its type from anywhere else in the country at the time. The other Tams selections are all strong and in the mold of what NYC's Brill Building writers and producers were doing with The Drifters and Ben E. King. I should point out that besides the aforementioned three national chart placers, the other 29 tracks here were all new to me.\n\nSouth pal Billy Joe Royal (whom sadly we lost this October 6) had a startling vocal resemblance to Gene Pitney, and \"Down in the Boondocks\" almost outdid Pitney himself in its pure Pitney-esque-ness. \"I Knew You When\" is a superbly composed, produced and preformed mid-'60s record that really stands the test of time. (In early 1983, Linda Ronstadt reached #30 in Cash Box with her cover version.)\n\nAmong the most enjoyable of the rest in my opinion are the two by the remarkable Elvis Presley sound-alike Vince Everett and the even more stunning Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons semi-clone \"Pollyanna\" by the Classics (later famous as the very different-sounding Classics IV of \"Spooky\" and \"Stormy\" fame).\n\nOf the 32 tracks [total running time: 78 minutes], eight are in stereo. The sound quality is excellent, with the exception of a very small number of the obscurities for which there were no original master tapes available (and these imperfections are mild and easily outweighed by the value of the material). The 16-page booklet contains thorough, informative liner notes and an attractive-enough presentation (particularly the front and back covers and the label scans of the 45s).\n\nFine work by this Australian import label (specializing in oldies) that merits our support. And Joe South was the man! So sad that we lost him three years ago.","Product: Rare Rockin' Records latest installment of their highly acclaimed 'Songwriter Masters Series' packages. Joe South entered the Top 20 with his Grammy winning award song, 'Games People Play' in 1969. The song was featured on his highly respected album, 'Introspect'. Two years later, Lyn Anderson scored a big country/pop hit with another of Joe's songs, 'Rose Garden'. Joe's career, however, began ten years earlier - and he did it all. He was a recording artist, in demand session player, songwriter and producer. He played an important role in the early career of the Tams and Billy Joe Royal and both acts have had rock and roll longevity. 'Golden Records - 1961-1966' brings together the very best of Joe's songs from this period. Some he recorded himself, some he produced for others - but he wrote them all. On this CD, we find hits such as the Tams 'Untie Me' from 1962 and Billy Joe Royal's 'Down In The Boondocks' from 1965. Rare Rockin' Records have also included some rare titles from artists such as the Chips, Vince Everett, Billy Joe Royal and Joe himself. Many are on CD for the first time. Features a 16 page full color booklet with extensive liner notes and label scans. 32 tracks, 8 in stereo with a sound quality that so reflects the title of this CD, 'Golden Records'.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: We knew him when!\n\nReview: This is nearly in a league with the previous Rare Rockin' Records 1960s songwriter disc I reviewed, \"David Gates: The Early Years 1962-1967\" (5/13/13 - five stars). Note the overlapping years covered by these two CDs. That one gets my slight nod because of the greater range of artists who were previously unknown to me, in addition to the appearance of a true classic that I had never been able to find on CD before, Jody Miller's original 1965 version of Gates's \"Never Let Him Go\" (which he himself turned into a solo hit a decade later as \"Never Let Her Go\"). A big difference here (to its favor, I would say) is that we get to hear seven early obscurities performed by the producer/songwriter Joe South himself, as well as with his group called The Chips. South's own \"Concrete Jungle\" is a good example of a whole school of songs from that time period about working people trapped in an urban rat race. If his appealing 1961 single side \"I'm Sorry for You\" sounds somewhat familiar, it may be due his having strayed a bit too closely over into Jerry Butler's \"He Will Break Your Heart\" [a.k.a. \"He Don't Love You\"] 1960 hit territory.\n\nThe question is: will we find anything here reflecting the level of genius associated with the Joe South who gave us \"Games People Play\" (Grammy-winning best song of 1969), \"Rose Garden\" (1971 best song nominee), \"Don't It Make You Want to Go Home,\" \"Walk a Mile in My Shoes,\" \"Hush,\" \"Birds of a Feather,\" \"These Are Not My People,\" \"How Can I Unlove You,\" \"Fool Me,\" \"All My Hard Times,\" etc.? Yes, but only in the form of the only three hit records here: The Tams' \"Untie Me\" (1962) [#12 R&B / #60 pop in Billboard] and Billy Joe Royal's first two career-defining hits from 1965, \"Down in the Boondocks\" [#6 pop in Cash Box] and \"I Knew You When\" [#12 pop in Record World].\n\n\"Untie Me\" is an outstanding Southern R&B record out of Atlanta, rivaling anything from anywhere else in the country at the time. The other Tams selections (I should point out that besides the aforementioned three national chart placers, the other 29 tracks here were all new to me) are all strong and in the mold of what NYC's Brill Building writers and producers were doing with The Drifters and Ben E. King.\n\nSouth pal Billy Joe Royal had a startling vocal resemblance to Gene Pitney, and \"Down in the Boondocks\" almost outdid Pitney himself in its pure Pitney-esque-ness. \"I Knew You When\" is a superbly composed, produced and performed mid-'60s record that really stands the test of time. (In early 1983, Linda Ronstadt reached #30 in Cash Box with her cover version.)\n\nAmong the most enjoyable of the rest in my opinion are the two by the remarkable Elvis sound-alike Vince Everett and the even more stunning Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons semi-clone \"Pollyanna\" by The Classics (later famous as the very different-sounding Classics IV of \"Spooky\" and \"Stormy\" fame).\n\nOf the 32 tracks [total running time: 78 minutes], eight are in stereo. The sound quality is excellent, with the exception of a very small number of the obscurities for which there were no original master tapes available (and these imperfections are mild and easily outweighed by the value of the material). The 16-page booklet contains thorough, informative liner notes, and an attractive-enough presentation (particularly the covers and the label scans of the 45s).\n\nFine work by this Australian import label (specializing in oldies) that merits our support. And Joe South was the man! So sad we lost him three years ago.","Product: A 2CD set featuring three albums Link Wray recorded in the early 70s. Wray, his brother Vernon and band decamped to his farm in Maryland where Vernon set up a three-track recorder in an outhouse - the eponymous three-track shack. Three albums resulted from the recording sessions. The music was radically different to what Link had previously recorded - raw and basic, but with vocals and acoustic instruments. His fan base didn't quite know what to make of it - resulting in these albums being the rarest of Link's catalogue. These three albums have appeared on a 2CD set before but one track was not the correct one and all three albums were dubbed from LPs. This time, Ace has managed to track down the master tapes for all three and, at some expense; we present them in the finest sound possible.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Rock's \"Rumble\" man goes rural\n\nReview: Thirteen years after his game-changing guitar instrumental \"Rumble,\" here is Link Wray, likely under the musical influence of The Band, recording in a former chicken shack on his brother's farm in Maryland. The result is the trio of albums we get here on this double-disc set with a running time of two hours sixteen minutes. The circumstances may seem primitive, but the sound they come up with is completely inviting and as clear as a bell.\n\nHis eponymous 1971 \"Link Wray\" LP on Polydor (which got to #186 in Billboard - the only one of the three to chart) is the masterpiece here, although I would highly recommend the following pair as well. That its two phenomenal singles went nowhere is a head-scratcher. First, there's the booming, percussive \"Fire and Brimstone\" with its matchless mix of acoustic and electric guitar and powerful (and frightening) title hook. The whole thing may have been just too overwhelming for the radio. But at least we can take in and appreciate its full power now.\n\nAnd then there's \"Fallin' Rain.\" This one is more subtly powerful, and in my book stands as one of the two greatest singles of the era that never appeared on a national chart (the other being Percy Sledge's version of \"True Love Travels on a Gravel Road\" from two years earlier). It's a contemplative but at the same time impassioned plea to stop all the senseless killing in this world gone insane. He desperately does not want his final line to prove prophetic: \"All there is left is the fallin' rain.\" I put the song up there with the best of 1971: Marvin Gaye's \"What's Going On\" and John Lennon's \"Imagine.\"\n\nIn \"Ice People\" Wray indicts the cold-blooded establishment exploiters of the races, the poor and those who oppose war. The mandolin-propelled \"Black River Swamp\" borrows a bit of \"Fallin' Rain\"'s beautifully affecting melody to express nostalgic wonder for the place where he was born and raised. Wray's voice is raw and real.\n\nThat \"raw and real\" voice had become semi-ravaged enough that for the 1972 successor LP \"Mordicai Jones\" Wray brought in Gene Johnson - with his strong, soulful, Southern-rock and blues voice - to perform the lead vocals. Striking single \"Scorpio Woman,\" which appeared as by \"Mordicai Jones\" (a fictitious name), is another inexplicable missed hit. It is pulsating and mesmerizing and injects some totally cool late-in-the-track psychedelic guitar. The LP opener, \"Walkin' in the Arizona Sun\" - which adds pedal steel guitar - is the graceful, gorgeously delivered vocal beauty here. On \"Days Before Custer,\" Wray whips out the old fuzz-tone on this ominous, cautionary (to say the least) number; while \"The Coca Cola Sign Blinds My Eyes\" is a fantastic, slow acoustic blues. (Pretty sure it's the only song ever with this title!)\n\nThe third LP release here, \"Beans and Fatback,\" came out in the UK in 1973 on the Virgin label and was deemed by Wray to be a bootleg. Ample proof of this would be the fact that the title rockin' country instrumental (with jew's-harp) abruptly cuts off at the 1:35 mark. It also includes two different versions of the traditional \"In the Pines\" (or \"Georgia Pines\"), the longer of which features slide guitar. Wray is back doing the lead vocals on this LP; and while \"Hobo Man\" and \"From Tulsa to North Carolina\" have him very much in The Band mode, he channels his inner Mick Jagger on the relentless, raucous and unabashedly upbeat \"I'm So Glad, I'm So Proud,\" which also appears as a bonus track in its UK single-edit version. My favorite here is the instro \"Right Or Wrong (You Lose)\" with its sensational guitar mix highlighted by scorching electric.\n\nAce Records provides a deluxe 28-page, photo-laden booklet (including all original LP art) with an extensive essay on Link Wray's life and entire career.","Product: Dr. John's biggest chart hits All A & B Sides from US and UK singles between 1968-1974 Liner Notes by Gene Sculatti\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Definitive, very high-quality, 71-minute Omnivore collection of Dr. John's singles for Atco/Atlantic\n\nReview: Dr. John's chronology of Billboard pop chart hits in this collection:\n\"Wash Mama Wash\" (1970) #108\n\"Iko Iko\" (1972) #71 (#50 in Record World)\n\"RIGHT PLACE, WRONG TIME\" (1973) #9\n\"Such a Night\" (1973) #42\n\"(Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away\" (1974) #92 (#72 in Cash Box)\n\nTasty gumbo, as only Dr. John could deliver it, of New Orleans R&B, jazz, blues and soul, rock 'n' roll, menacing and mysterious Creole/Cajun swamp voodoo, and a soupon of psychedelia (the last two influences appear early in this collection when he was still in his \"Dr. John the Night Tripper\" persona). I have always enjoyed the way he growls in his heavy urban N'Awlins accent, which is a unique mlange of Southern and Brooklynese (\"toin\" for \"turn,\" for example).\n\nMalcolm \"Mac\" Rebennack (before he became \"Dr. John\") was a teenage prodigy local piano wizard, session player, songwriter and R&B record producer going back to the late 1950s, but these are the key songs that really put him on the American popular music map. As I suppose many did, I first became aware of him through his strikingly soulful pop-rock smash \"Right Place Wrong Time\" from 1973, which continues to be a staple of oldies radio. (I turn it up loud every time.) \"Such a Night\" (his original and not the same as the much earlier Elvis Presley record) was a delightfully cool follow-up that should have been a bigger hit. Both of these were produced and arranged by his friend, the great New Orleans creator of immortal music, Allen Toussaint. These two tracks stand out, but everything in this collection is entertaining.\n\nThree particularly pleasant surprises for me here are: 1) the opening track, the U.S. promo-only single version of the brilliantly ironic \"The Patriotic Flag Waver\" (1969), which skewers political and social hypocrisy; 2) his very credible 1972 version of Willie Dixon's \"Wang Dang Doodle\" (also a U.S.-only promo single); and 3) an outstanding 1972 collaboration with Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton on Guy's \"A Man of Many Words,\" which was clearly intended as a tribute to the late Otis Redding.\n\nThe package includes a colorful ten-page booklet with five pages of informative new liner notes by Gene Sculatti, and the sound mastering is top-notch.\n\nIf you're a Dr. John fan, you can't go wrong with this CD. (And if you're not, you may become one after listening to this.)","Product: More than two years have passed since the release of our well-received 'Finders Keepers - Motown Girls' CD, so the time has arrived for a second volume. 'Finders Keepers' was a half-and-half mix of previously released titles and unissued recordings from the Motown vaults. Here on 'Love & Affection - More Motown Girls' we've upped the ante and unearthed 25 tracks that have never appeared on CD before, or vinyl for that matter, making the collection a must-have for Motown collectors and female soul and pop buffs alike.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: serious Motownophiles should enjoy this\n\nReview: I am rating this latest excavation of the Motown vaults one star higher than its Motown Girls predecessor \"Finders Keepers\" due to the fact that this collection is completely on point in bringing us 25 tracks that have never been on CD before - and is not in any way a mixed bag containing ringers that were previously issued (and even a major hit in one case). This is the pure stuff, with no more than a couple of tracks I wouldn't want to re-hear anytime soon. The quality of this material on average is most impressive, so that was clearly not the reason these recordings failed to get to the marketplace. It really had more to do with the sheer volume of tremendous music the company was recording in its 1960s prime (all of these recordings date from 1962 to 1969) and the difficulty financing and promoting so much material and so many artists.\n\nI think the best thing here, which may have had the greatest hit potential, is the 1966 demo recording of the powerfully propulsive Ivy Jo Hunter/Stevie Wonder song \"My Love Is Your Love (Forever)\" by Barbara Randolph. Her priority at the time was a budding acting career, but the song did get to Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, appearing on their phenomenal 1967 LP \"Make It Happen,\" which had wall-to-wall terrific tracks including the hits \"The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage,\" \"More Love\" and \"The Tears of a Clown\" (also co-written by Stevie Wonder).\n\nBest vocal performance goes to Brenda Holloway for her sensational singing on a sizzling cover (with strong percussion and horns) of the Jackie Wilson (Berry Gordy co-penned) classic \"Lonely Teardrops.\"\n\nThen there are a pair from the undervalued (and extremely beautiful) Barbara McNair that prove that Motown could go uptown and sophisticated in its balladry if it needed to. \"Come Back Half Way\" (recorded in 1965) is a classy midtempo soul ballad co-written by none other than the great Jimmy Webb who few remember began as a songwriter with Motown. The Bobby Scott co-write \"The Good Times Are Gone\" has McNair doing a big New York City-type ballad la Dee Dee Warwick.\n\nChris Clark, Motown's answer to Dusty Springfield, simply stuns on a 1969 Deke Richards song we are finally getting to hear for the first time (no one else ever recorded it), \"Forgotten,\" with its quasi symphonic arrangement and intriguing lyrics.\n\nMajor Motown stars are present as well with efforts heretofore unheard prior to this project: Gladys Knight & the Pips apply their fine harmonies to the sincere and hook-heavy \"Any Girl in Love (Knows What I'm Going Through)\" from 1966. From the following year , Gladys also brings her emotive delivery to the midtempo excellence of \"The Things Time Can't Erase.\" Martha Reeves (backed by the Andantes and not the Vandellas) pours her heart out beautifully on another top-notch Deke Richards song, \"This Is the Love (I've Been Waiting For).\" And the Marvelettes (Motown's first female group with a number one hit, \"Please Mr. Postman\" in 1961) appear with this collection's insistently uptempo title song, \"Girls Need Love and Affection,\" produced and co-written by Ivy Jo Hunter in 1966.\n\nJust to single out a few more stand-outs, there was a real missed opportunity with pop singer Connie Haines's fantastic take on the catchy and clever 1965 Smokey Robinson-penned-and-produced recording, \"Mr. Pride and Mr. Gloom.\" Hard to believe this was rejected for release while a lesser record got put out on her (her only one at Motown). But at least we get to hear it and enjoy it now! The Lewis Sisters should have had their breakthrough in 1965 with the brilliantly worked-out, hard-charging and hook-laden \"Many Good Times,\" which was relegated to no more than a demo for a Supremes' recording that never materialized. The always outstanding LaBrenda Ben does it again on the minor-key Andr Williams-composed dazzler \"Just Go On Sleeping, as well as on George Fowler's \"Fugitive\" (both from 1964), which has her sounding rather delightfully similar to a young Stevie Wonder! And finally, I'll give honorable mention to Hattie Littles for her powerfully emotive deep contralto reading of \"Now That Love Is Gone\" from '64.\n\nIt's 69 and a half minutes in glorious mono, splendidly compiled by Keith Hughes and Mick Patrick. There's a 16-page accompanying booklet with attractive photos of 15 of the acts here, as well as informative track-by-track annotations by Mr. Hughes. You can't ask for a whole lot more.","Product: 2015 archive release containing the most sought-after Timi Yuro recordings on one CD. Timi is considered to be one of the first blue-eyed soul singers of the rock era. According to one critic: \"Her deep, strident, almost masculine voice, staggered delivery and the occasional sob created a compelling musical presence\". The album Something Bad On My Mind released in 1968 was recorded in London and Los Angeles. It includes the Northern Soul favorite 'It'll Never Be Over For Me' and the fabulous title song from the movie Interlude. Stereo masters have been used for the first time on CD with this release.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Yuro vision: Timi's 1968 British LP (+ rarities)\n\nReview: Well, anyway, two-thirds of the 1968 Liberty LP \"Something Bad on My Mind\" was recorded across the pond, but 100% of it is top-of-the-line soulful pop right in Timi Yuro's wheelhouse, which - using an American idiom - she knocked out of the park. Going to the UK to record in this '60s post-British Invasion time frame was not all that unusual for American artists in this genre given the success that the Walker Brothers and P.J. Proby had been enjoying over there.\n\nFrom start (the Gene Pitney-esque title song \"Something Bad on My Mind\") to finish (a soulful and emotionally charged reading of Frank Sinatra's \"I Can't Believe I'm Losing You,\" there is nary a lull. Timi's own distinctive co-write \"Wrong\" turned up as the flipside of the title song, while a second single teamed the stellar ballad \"I Must Have Been Out of My Mind\" with the gorgeous, lushly orchestrated film theme for the British remake of the romantic drama \"Interlude.\" Timi's already unique deep female voice was even lower due to a cold, and it made her vocal on the latter all the more emotionally gripping.\n\nWith apologies to Tom Jones (I'm a fan, not a basher), her soulful cover of \"I'll Never Fall in Love Again,\" his #2 British smash from the previous year (only top 50 in the U.S.) has it all over his UK chartbuster when it comes to feeling. And I really like her versions of a pair of compelling 1964 soul/pop crossovers, Freddie Scott's \"Hey Girl,\" penned by Carole King and Gerry Goffin (altered to \"Hey Boy\" here), and Baby Washington's \"It'll Never Be Over for Me.\" (Speaking of Tom Jones, the British producer and arranger on this LP, Les Reed, co-wrote a pair of Jones's signature hits, \"It's Not Unusual\" and \"Delilah.\")\n\nThe only flaw - and unfortunately it noticeably affects nearly every track of the 1968 LP - involves the final mix that was used. Mike Iannarelli's booklet notes (three pages, well researched and written) explain what happened, as well as Timi's disappointed reaction upon hearing it. Simply put, the instrumentation and background vocal choruses were turned up too loud at times, rather overwhelming her lead vocals, as powerful as they are. This is still an excellent album, but without this glitch it could have been a great one.\n\nThe twelve \"Unreleased & Rare Liberty Recordings\" extend the disc to 70 minutes and do so with class, while creating further enjoyment. There is more soulful pop, some of which has her sounding remarkably under the influence of her idol, Dinah Washington, with whom she shared producers (Clyde Otis and Belford Hendricks). Just listen to her standout take on Brook Benton's pop and R&B smash ballad \"It's Just a Matter of Time\" (co-written by Benton, Otis and Hendricks) and prepare to be floored by her tone and delivery. When I saw the Trk 20 title, the traditional \"She'll (He'll) Be Coming Round the Mountain,\" I was less than thrilled...until I heard her rendition (!), featuring her superb swinging jazz vocal done with gospel fervor (Timi Meets Dinah and Mahalia!).\n\nThis is an essential two-fer for Timi Yuro fans.","Product: King Curtis was the greatest R&B instrumentalist of all time, period. And it s not much of a contest. Born Curtis Ousley in Fort Worth, Texas in 1934, the saxophonist played on hundreds of the most hallowed recording sessions of all time, everything from the Coasters Yakety Yak to John Lennon s Imagine album. But Curtis wasn t just a superstar sideman; he also was responsible for some of the greatest Pop/R&B instrumental albums of all time, including such Atco label classics as Live at Small s Paradise, King Curtis Plays the Great Memphis Hits, Instant Groove, and, of course, Live at Fillmore West. Often overshadowed by the brilliance of his session work and his long players, however, is the fact that Curtis was actually quite a successful singles artist, notching 25 Pop and 10 R&B hits during his storied career. And, though it was during his tenure(s) at Atco that he recorded the most popular albums of his career, he also cut a mind-boggling 33 singles (including one that was never released until now) for the label. It is this hitherto-untapped treasure trove that Real Gone Music s KING CURTIS: The Complete Atco Singles presents on three CDs in this unprecedented collection. Not only is this the first time on CD for virtually all of these original mono single mixes, but among these 66 tracks are over two dozen sides that never appeared on LP! That s right...even if you own every Atco album King Curtis put out, you have never heard over a third of this set unless you bought all of the original 45s back in the day. And the caliber of the musicianship? Well, as the most in-demand session man in America, Curtis got to know a lot of folks, so appearing on these sessions are the great Muscle Shoals and Memphis studio cats like Cornell Dupree, Jimmy Johnson, Spooner Oldham, Roger Hawkins, Tommy Cogbill, and Reggie Young, plus a few other folks you might have heard of, like Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, and Delaney Bramlett! Not to mention the alternately tender, searing, and soaring sax lines of Mr. Curtis himself, heard on such classic tracks as Memphis Soul Stew, Ode to Billie Joe, and Whole Lotta Love (yes, the Led Zeppelin song) cheek-by-jowl with a host of smokin rare B-sides. Leiber & Stoller Music Publishing head honcho Randy Poe supplies the liner notes (Leiber and Stoller, of course, had a long relationship with Curtis), which we ve put inside a gleaming 8-panel digipak sporting some great photos and Atco single labels. All but two of the 66 tracks have been transferred from tape in the Warner/Atlantic archives, and Mike Milchner of SonicVision provides the meticulous remastering. The R&B retrospective of the year!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: King-size King Curtis Atco singles collection of the highest quality\n\nReview: King Curtis's national chart singles chronology on Atco (peak placements on national soul, pop and easy listening charts)*\n *credited either to King Curtis, The Kingpins, or King Curtis & The Kingpins\n\"Spanish Harlem\" ('65-66) #13 easy listening / #89 pop\n\"Something on Your Mind\" (1967) #31 soul / #120 pop\n\"Jump Back\" (1967) #63 pop\n\"You Don't Miss Your Water\" (1967) #105 pop\n\"MEMPHIS SOUL STEW\" (1967) #6 soul / #33 pop\n\"ODE TO BILLIE JOE\" (1967) #6 soul / #27 pop\n\"For What It's Worth\" (1967) #87 pop\n\"I Was Made to Love Her\" ('67-68) #49 soul / #76 pop\n\"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay\" (1968) #32 easy listening / #84 pop\n\"Valley of the Dolls\" (1968) #83 pop\n\"I Heard It Thru the Grapevine\" (1968) #83 pop\n\"Harper Valley P.T.A.\" (1968) #93 pop\n\"Games People Play\" (1969) #116 pop**\n ** Grammy winner for Best R&B Instrumental Performance\n\"Foot Pattin' Part II\" (1969) #123 pop [B-side of \"Games People Play\"]\n\"Instant Groove\" (1969) #35 soul / #101 pop***\n *** Duane Allman played on the above-three 1969 sides\n\"La Jeanne\" (1969) #128 pop\n\"Teasin'\" (1970) [with Delaney Bramlett, Eric Clapton & Friends] #128 pop\n\"Get Ready\" (1970) #46 soul\n\"Changes - Part II\" (1970) #116 pop\n\"Whole Lotta Love\" (1971) #43 soul / #51 pop\n\"Changes (Part 1) [live] (1971) #109 pop\n\nAn iconic figure in R&B/soul and soul-jazz from the late 1950s until his sudden untimely death in the summer of 1971, Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tenor saxophonist King Curtis (Curtis Ousley) also, as evidenced by the above list, scored more nationally charting pop and soul singles than any other instrumental recording artist from 1966 to 1971 (21). If this achievement isn't at all well known, it probably has to do with the fact that only two of them reached the pop Top 40, and neither made it as high as #25. Instrumental singles, which had been so prevalent early in the 1960s, fell out of fashion and out of Top 40 radio rotations (with relatively few exceptions) during the latter half of the decade. (The other consistent pop and soul crossover instrumentalists of note during this time period with their singles were Booker T & the MGs, Ramsey Lewis, and Willie Mitchell.)\n\nThis present Real Gone/Rhino Custom collection is the first ever to include all of King Curtis's 33 Atco singles (covering both of his stints there, 1958-59 and late-'65-1971), both A and B sides. That's 66 tracks, presented chronologically, over three discs for a total running time of just under two hours fifty-eight minutes. Every track is in the original mono single form (a first on CD for the large majority of them), sounding vibrant, clear and dynamic. Each disc comes securely plugged into its own tray, with the Disc 2 & 3 trays being a snap to fold out of the pack. (Thank you, Real Gone/Rhino Custom for thinking of ease of handling for customers, as well as protecting the discs.) There is a 16-page booklet with eight pages of liner notes that give a good overview of King Curtis's career, adding informative bits about the Atco singles, while offering some facts of interest pertaining to key personnel playing on certain ones. The booklet contains only one interior photo, but it's a cool one covering two pages that shows Curtis with Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller and The Coasters during a 1959 Atlantic recording session. The rear cover has a full-page repro of the \"Jump Back\" single (with that familiar white and yellow Atco label) in its Atco Records sleeve.\n\nThere are far too many musical highlights to enumerate, but Disc 3's final two tracks are of particular note: \"Ridin' Thumb (Parts 1 & 2)\" would have been King Curtis's first Atco single as a singer, but in the wake of his sudden, tragic death three weeks after it was recorded, the decision was made not to release it. Now finally, more than 44 years later, we get to hear it.\n\nMy favorite thing King Curtis did frequently at Atco was to convert pop songs of the day into R&B/soul instrumentals in his signature style. \"Ode to Billie Joe\" and \"For What It's Worth\" were the first two that really caught my full attention. What an ear he had (!) to know he could make something great in his own genre out of a pop-folk and a folk-rock record, respectively. Taking a quirky country story song like \"Harper Valley P.T.A.\" seemed a bridge too far, but he made even that one funky. His playing on the soul-and-classical-music-inspired Procol Harum hit \"A Whiter Shade of Pale\" is nothing short of magnificent; and his take on the Led Zeppelin blues-rocker \"Whole Lotta Love\" must be heard to be believed.\n\nIn 1969, the Grammys got it right, not only by awarding Joe South's \"Games People Play\" both Song of the Year and Best Contemporary Song, but they also honored King Curtis's recording of it for Best Rhythm & Blues Instrumental Performance. He was pitted against that other great sax man of soul, Junior Walker, who definitely needs to join Curtis (posthumously) in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Curtis was nominated in this category three years earlier for \"Spanish Harlem,\" his first release during his second stint with Atco. This is the one that hit it big for him on the Billboard easy listening chart, while being inexplicably ignored in R&B/soul circles.\n\nI don't know how any 2016 reissue is going to top this one.","Product: 2016 five CD set containing a quintet of classic albums by the legendary British vocalist: A Girl Called Dusty, Ev'rythings Coming Up Dusty, Dusty... Definitely, Dusty In Memphis and From Dusty... With Love. The CDs are housed in mini LP sleeves and packaged into a new slim-line slipcase. Dusty was arguably the most recognizable female pop singer to ever emerge out of Britain. Her legendary career spanned four decades and notched 25 Top 20 singles.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Pentad of Dusty's British 1964-70 LPs with superior sound\n\nReview: It's great to have these five prime 1964-1970 Dusty Springfield LPs all together in one neat package and with superb sound worthy of her stellar talent.\n\n\"A Girl Called Dusty\" (1964 / UK release only)\nHighlights include:\n- \"Wishin' and Hopin'\" [#4 U.S. pop (in Cash Box) / not released as a single in the UK]\n- \"You Don't Own Me\" - powerful, inspired cover of the Lesley Gore U.S. smash (a proto-women's liberation song)\n- \"Anyone Who Had a Heart\" - Dusty, like Dionne Warwick stateside, had a great affinity for Burt Bacharach-Hal David songs in the '60s. (\"Wishin' and Hopin'\" was one, and \"Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa\" is here too.)\n- \"Mama Said\" - cool girl-group (The Shirelles) cover version\n- \"Don't You Know\" - unchained Ray Charles '50s R&B; Dusty nearly wails herself hoarse.\n\n\"Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty\" (1965 / UK release / limited U.S. release)\nHighlights include:\n- \"That's How Heartaches Are Made\"\n- \"Oh No, Not My Baby\"\n(The above two girl-soul classics by Baby Washington and Maxine Brown, respectively, are all-time favorites of mine that I purchased in '63 and '64. Dusty handles them like the gems they are. \"Oh No, Not My Baby\" is among a number of Carole King-Gerry Goffin songs she recorded -- another songwriting duo she had a strong affinity for.)\n- \"I Had a Talk with My Man\" - Chicago soul by Mitty Collier (adapted from gospel); Dusty goes deep soul on this one.\n- \"Who Can I Turn To?\" - Dusty stops the show with this oft-recorded '60s show tune, setting the table for her big original ballad \"You Don't Have to Say You Love Me\" the following year.\n\n\"Dusty...Definitively\" (1968 / UK release only)\nHighlights include:\n- \"I Think It's Gonna Rain Today\" - astonishingly personal interpretation of this phenomenal Randy Newman song\n- \"Mr. Dream Merchant\" - as we'll also see with the fifth of this series, Dusty does particularly well with Jerry Butler covers.\n- \"Take Another Little Piece of My Heart\" - it's not just a matter of Erma Franklin's original and Janis Joplin -- make room for Dusty!\n- \"Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone\" - sizzling Motown. Since the Temptations' original wasn't released as a single, this one should have been put out on 45.\n- \"This Girl's in Love with You\" - more Bacharach-David. This is the loveliest version of their top ballad of 1968.\n\n\"Dusty in Memphis\" (1969 / UK and U.S. releases)\nproduced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin -- one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the decade by a female artist. Inspired contributions by everyone involved.\nHighlights (too many to list, but I feel I have to mention two):\n- \"Son of a Preacher Man\" - stellar A-side single that went Top Ten both in the U.S. and UK [also: Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance]\n- \"Just One Smile\" - because it's Randy Newman again and such a beauty\n\n\"From Dusty...With Love\" (1970 / UK release / released in the U.S. as \"A Brand New Me\")\nKenny Gamble-Leon Huff Philly soul production - they had been working with Jerry \"The Ice Man\" Butler; hence, the following two that I'll mention as highlights, which also came out as Butler singles:\n- \"A Brand New Me\" - Dusty's distaff-side version works better. [Top 25 hit in the U.S.]\n- \"Lost\" - right up there with Butler's original but stalled below the Hot 100.\n- \"Joe\" - a tender, yearning ballad (not the same song as Butler's theme from the film \"Joe\")\n\nEach of the five discs comes in replica cardboard copies of the original LPs. Authentic and attractive, but the reduced size makes the sleeve notes (which four of the five contain) impossible to read. Songwriter credits only appear on one of the five, as do musician credits, and they are difficult to decipher as well. This would not be a problem if there was a booklet that contained credits and notes; however, no such luck. This is a reduced-cost collection, but the key is that there is no skimping on sound quality.","Product: The next chapter in our comprehensive reissue programme of Fame recordings and the career of Clarence Carter, this 29-track CD features all of his first two albums 'This Is Clarence Carter' and 'The Dynamic Clarence Carter' plus five previously unreleased bonus tracks. These albums contain six R&B Top 40 singles including two million-selling hits; 'Slip Away' and 'Too Weak To Fight'. The original albums are presented in stereo, so we have rarely heard versions of several tracks including 'Looking For A Fox'. The five bonus tracks are made up of three previously unheard Clarence studio cuts, an early demo recorded with Calvin Scott, and the impassioned demo for 'She Ain't Gonna Do Right'.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Classic Clarence Carter LPs - Muscle Shoals Sixties Southern Soul has never sounded better\n\nReview: \"This Is Clarence Carter\" (1968) [#49 soul album / #200 pop]\n- contains the charting singles:\n-- \"Thread the Needle\" [#38 soul / #98 pop]\n-- \"Looking for a Fox\" [#20 soul / #62 pop]\n-- \"SLIP AWAY\" [#2 soul / #6 pop]\n-- \"Funky Fever\" [#49 soul / #88 pop] [flip side of \"Slip Away\"]\n\n\"The Dynamic Clarence Carter\" (1969) [#22 soul album / #169 pop]\n- contains the charting single:\n-- \"TOO WEAK TO FIGHT\" [#3 soul // #7 pop in Record World / #13 pop in Billboard and Cash Box]\n\nClarence Carter was Fame's top artist, with 21 soul chart hits and seven 1968-70 top tens. His church-influenced baritone and unique, very-personal-to-him phrasing are instantly identifiable and unmistakable, whether he's delivering the deepest of deep soul with a tear in his voice, or else sheer playfulness with his patented joyful chuckle - or anything in-between. His songs can be soulful, funky and grooving. bluesy, country and even pop-ballad-y (Jimmy Webb's \"Do What You Gotta Do\" and Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil's \"You've Been a Long Time Coming,\" for example), but they all come out distinctly Clarence Carter in prime form. Eight songs appearing on these two LPs were written or co-written by CC, including his funky hits \"Thread the Needle, \"Looking for a Fox,\" and of course \"Funky Fever,\" as well as his big follow-up hit to \"Slip Away,\" the fantastic \"Too Weak to Fight,\" which features the lowest, slowest croak on record, perfectly encapsulating the emotional quandary he is in.\n\nCarter's choice of material to cover (besides the aforementioned pop ballad covers) is brilliant, and that includes the Fame label's first hit, Jimmy Hughes's scintillating \"Steal Away\"; the stand-out slow-burning soul blues of Clay Hammond's \"Part Time Love\" (popularized by Little Johnny Taylor) and Etta James's \"I'd Rather Go Blind\" (this is the best-ever male rendition of it); the Doors' \"Light My Fire\" (although he hews closely - maybe a little too closely, out of admiration - to the Jos Feliciano interpretation); the Curly Putnam country ballad \"Set Me Free\" (containing Clarence's movingly-delivered monologue midway); and the country-pop crossover smash \"Harper Valley P.T.A.\" (penned by Tom T. Hall), which he somehow makes amazingly funky.\n\nThe Muscle Shoals musicianship was in its heyday and is phenomenal: the keyboards, guitars, soul horns and saxes, all with startlingly fresh and soulfully powerful arrangements; and, wow those Muscle Shoals rhythm sections (!) and the immediacy of sound that only Fame's founder and engineering/producing wizard Rick Hall could create. (Hall of Fame, indeed!) And did I mention that the guitar legend himself, Duane Allman, played on \"The Dynamic Clarence Carter\"? I had \"The Dynamic Clarence Carter\" LP in 1969 and considered it to be my most vibrant-sounding stereo album. It is not terribly surprising that in Kent Soul's expert hands that same quality (to the extent possible) is retained on CD.\n\nWith that said about the fabulous sound mastering on these two superb LP releases, one should be warned that the five previously unreleased bonus tracks are demos going back to '66-67 - so expect demo-quality sound (so different from everything that comes before on this disc). Still, it's pretty good stuff: the ironically-titled pounding blues \"I'm Happy-Go-Lucky\"; the emphatic \"Take Me, Use Me\" with its strong female backing vocal; the warm country-soul ballad \"There Won't Be Another Sunset\"; and the C.C.-penned closer titled \"I'll Be Over After a While\" is an upbeat pop-gospel-style hybrid by Clarence & Calvin (Clarence came to Fame as part of a duet act) that had potential hit ( la Sam & Dave or James & Bobby Purify) written all over it.\n\nThe 16-page accompanying booklet contains all the color graphics you would ever want associated with these two LPs, along with the original liner notes (reprinted for absolute clarity) and Dean Rudland's brand-new ones.\n\nThis is another outstanding entry in Kent Soul's epic Fame Records series.","Product: A US chart artist for more than 50 years, singer-songwriter-arranger-producer Ray Stevens is one of the best-remembered pop names of the late 60s and early 70s thanks to his continuous presence on the charts and regular TV appearances (including his own show). After early success with Mercury, Stevens recorded for Nashville's Monument Records for nearly five years from late 1965 to early 1970. His tenure with the label provided a stepping stone to the worldwide success he would enjoy in the early 70s with hits 'The Streak', 'Everything Is Beautiful' and 'Misty'. Six of the singles here made the US Hot 100, including the million-selling 1969 Top 10 hit 'Gitarzan'\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Ray Stevens' monumental one-dozen singles (A and B sides) on Monument (1965-1970)\n\nReview: \"Itemize the things you covet\n as you squander through your life...\"\n\n - the start of \"Mr. Businessman\" (Ray Stevens, 1968)\n\nRay Stevens \"Face the Music\" national pop (and country) hit chronology:\n\"Party People\" (1965-66) [wr-Joe South] #130\n\"Freddie Feelgood\" (1966) [wr-RS] #80\n\"Answer Me, My Love\" (1967) [1953/'54 hit for Frankie Laine/Nat \"King\" Cole] #147\n\"Unwind\" (1968) [wr-RS] #44\n\"MR. BUSINESSMAN\" (1968) [wr-RS] #15\n\"The Great Escape\" (1968) [wr-RS] #88\n\"Along Came Jones\" (1969) [orig-The Coasters '59] #21\n\"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down\" (1969) [wr-Kris Kristofferson] #55 country / #76 pop\n\"Have a Little Talk with Myself\" ('69-70) [wr-RS] #63 country / #115 pop\n\"I'll Be Your Baby Tonight\" (1970) [orig/wr-Bob Dylan '69] #112\n\n[not included above: \"Gitarzan,\" since due to a slip-up noticed by astute fans, the original 1969 #7 hit version is not the one appearing as Trk 15 here]\n\nThis uncharacteristic glitch aside, Ace Records (UK) comes through again with a great-sounding comprehensive singles collection by a worthwhile U.S. artist of the golden age of pop-rock music. Nine of the 24 single sides here are in stereo. These are the twelve singles (presented chronologically) recorded by talented singer-songwriter Ray Stevens for Nashville's Monument label during the second half of the 1960s. During the first half of the decade the label's dominant artist by far was Roy Orbison. For Stevens, this was his home between Mercury and Andy Williams' Barnaby label beginning in 1970, for which he had his biggest hit ever, \"Everything Is Beautiful.\" Mostly known for his novelty songs prior to arriving at Monument (especially \"Ahab the Arab\" from 1962), this is where he was determined to establish himself as a serious artist, while not entirely abandoning the novelty genre that delighted so many fans.\n\nIn my opinion, seven of his ten greatest records came during his Monument period: \"Mr. Businessman,\" \"Face the Music\" (these two constituted his strongest single, and was the one I bought in '68), \"Unwind,\" \"Isn't It Lonely Together,\" \"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down,\" \"Party People,\" and \"Have a Little Talk with Myself.\" He penned five of these - all but Kris Kristofferson's gut-wrenching and magnificent \"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down\" (incidentally, Stevens' was the original released version, some ten months ahead of Johnny Cash's #1 country smash with it) and his friend Joe South's \"Party People.\" (One can hear Joe South's influence on Stevens' \"Have a Little Talk with Myself.\")\n\n\"Face the Music\" has a stately semi-classical orchestral arrangement, and I am glad that I got to hear it back then on the flip side of \"Mr. Businessman.\" I was floored by the forceful, uncompromising lyrical content of \"Mr. Businessman\" and still think it's exceptional. That Stevens was able to provide such a compelling and appealing tune for it, while delivering the goods with complete vocal authority, seemed almost miraculous to me.\n\nThe mature, affecting relationship song that followed this spectacular single, \"Isn't It Lonely Together,\" certainly deserved to have received considerable acclaim, but instead was eclipsed by its showier reverse side \"The Great Escape\" and didn't chart at all. A soul-oriented version of \"Isn't It Lonely Together,\" by Robert \"Everlasting Love\" Knight (also out of Nashville), did garner some brief amount of attention, however.\n\nThis CD comes with the usual high-quality, photo-filled Ace booklet - this one is 16 pages long, with an excellent seven-page essay by compiler Tony Rounce.","Product: 'One Track Mind!' - the second in our series of releases by the men of 1960s Motown - takes a tour through the vaults to discover some lost treasures of dance music. Seven of the selections here were previously available only as mp3 downloads. The remaining 17 tracks are previously unissued in any format. From the joyous if primitive sound of Popcorn Wylie to the sophisticated soul of the Fantastic Four, we hope there's something here for even the most armchair-bound dance music fans of today.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: superior sequel to \"Satisfaction Guaranteed: Motown Guys 1961-69\"\n\nReview: This latest Ace/Kent compilation of all unreleased Motown tracks from the 1960s is not only better, in my view, than its Motown Guys predecessor, it's the best of the four Motown Guy/Girl series so far (and I am obviously hoping there will be more). The main difference between this Motown vault collection (compiled by Keith Hughes and Mick Patrick) and the others is the absolute lack of any weak tracks or inclusions seemingly only for their historical curiosity. This one also clearly has the highest danceability quotient. There are a number of tracks that represent missed opportunities for hits in their day, or else for top-notch LP tracks or B-sides (lest we forget that Motown B-sides were most often of extraordinary quality). The all-mono sound is up to the usual best-in-the-business standards of Ace Records, making obscurities from the turn of the '60s sound fresh and vibrant - and a number of these tracks were not even finished products at the time.\n\n\"One Track Mind\"'s track-by-track booklet notes are by Keith Hughes and provide exactly the amount of concise information one needs to understand the context of each recording. The booklet comprises 16 pages and contains 13 artist/group black and white photographs. There are 24 tracks with a 64:38 total running time.\n\nA major mid-'60s Motown fumble may have been not realizing what they had in this collection's title track \"One Track Mind\" by proven previous Motown-stint hit-maker Marv Johnson. This relentlessly propulsive Hank Cosby/Sylvia Moy-penned soul-rocker with sharp and clever lyrics almost suggests the missing link between Stevie Wonder's \"Uptight (Everything's Alright\" and Edwin Starr's \"Twenty-Five Miles.\" And how they could have whiffed on the Miracles' utterly irresistible midtempo dancer \"My Oh My What a Groove\" (Smokey Robinson's spontaneous, joyful and playful title tells the story) from 1963 is anyone's guess. The fantastic call-and-response between Smokey and his Miracles is way up there with \"You've Really Got a Hold on Me,\" but this song feels uniquely of its own inspiration.\n\nThe late Jimmy Ruffin is my all-time favorite singer and he does not disappoint on his 1968 version of the mid-'60s two-time hit, both vocal and instrumental (by Dobie Gray and the Ramsey Lewis Trio, respectively), \"The 'In' Crowd.\" Ruffin's 1967 dbut album \"Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten\" demonstrated his uncanny ability to inject unlimited amounts of soul into previous pop hits, and this track was projected for placement on a subsequent LP. Darned if he doesn't do it again with this more soulful, insistent and compelling take on Dobie Gray's smooth original vocal version.\n\nThe Spinners get to shine on a pair of fine tracks: \"Imagination Is Running Wild\" (completed in 1966) has a killer hook and was co-written (coincidentally) by two of the co-authors of the aforementioned Jimmy Ruffin's phenomenal soul classic from that same year, \"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted\"; and the Johnny Bristol co-penned-and-produced \"Tell Me How to Forget a True Love.\" Also shining on twin tracks are the Temptations with \"I'd Rather Forget\" and the earlier alternate version of \"I Got Heaven Here on Earth,\" with Eddie Kendricks (who co-wrote the latter) singing lead on both.\n\nWe also get a tandem from both Marvin Gaye and Edwin Starr. Marvin's \"A Touch of Venus\" from '64 shows off his smooth midtempo style, but you will need to prepare yourself for the eruption that occurs on his earlier, uninhibited dance number \"Do You Wanna Go with Me.\" Starr was ill-served by the inclusion of the lame \"Sound of Love\" on \"Satisfaction Guaranteed\" but gets his due here with the Eddie Holland/Norman Whitfield tune \"The Girl from Crosstown,\" which has him sounding more like the Edwin Starr we all know. (Gladys Knight & the Pips fans will already know this song as \"The Boy from Crosstown\").\n\nThere are a number of very good one-off vocal appearances here as well, including another one written (and produced) by James Dean and William Weatherspoon of \"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted\" fame: \"Wish I Didn't Miss You So\" by the almost scandalously undervalued Monitors. (The song did make it onto a Four Tops LP, however.) \"Sweet\" James Epps of the Fantastic Four delivers a gem of a heart-and-soul-felt performance on Dean and Weatherspoon's \"I'm Here Now That You Need Me.\" No other vocal sweetening was ever added, including by the other members of the group! Epps was so good his vocal is all one really needs. The ultra-obscure group The Hit Pack prove they were no fluke on the appealing \"Didn't I\"; excellent singer-songwriter Frank Wilson does it again on the CD opener \"I'll Be Satisfied\" (cut in LA with the Wrecking Crew doing the Motown Funk Brothers' thing to a tee); Ivy Jo Hunter's solid demo of his own song \"Where Are You\" intended for (but never recorded by) Chris Clark; and Sammy Ward with \"That Won't Do,\" a 1963 throwback to the R&B era that was on the verge of becoming extinct at Motown.\n\nThere are also three excellent instrumentals, including a pair led by the great Funk Brothers keyboardist Earl Van Dyke: the sizzling, bluesy, soul-jazz organ instro \"Heart to Heart\" from '64 and the beautifully orchestrated, remixed backing track to Brenda Holloway's \"Think It Over (Before You Break My Heart).\" The other (also from '64) is Choker Campbell's Big Band's impressively arranged and orchestrated version of the Impressions' gospel-infused Chicago soul classic \"It's All Right.\"\n\nIt's all \"all right\" on this stunning Motown collection, as far as I'm concerned.","Product: The Bo-Keys genesis happened when members of the Hi Records and Stax rhythm sections intersected with members of The Bar Kays and Gregg Allman band, and an acclaimed composer/ bassist. Maybe you know them from their score to the Oscar-winning film Hustle And Flow. Or, possibly from their appearance in the Samuel L. Jackson/Bernie Mac film Soul Men, which included the Grammy-nominated Soul Musicproduced by Bo-Keys member Scott Bomar. Cyndi Laupers Memphis Blues (also produced by Bomar) Wait, you still dont know The Bo-Keys? Well, that needs to change! The Bo-Keys have been together for nearly two decades, and Omnivore Recordings is proud to unleash their 3rd full-length release, Heartaches By The Number. The Memphis torchbearers explore the intersection of country, folk and soul on Heartaches By The Number. In addition to stunning originals, The Bo-Keys include interpretations of classics from Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan, Swamp Dogg, and Ray Price, to prove that the past will always inform the present. Heartaches By The Number takes you to the root, but offers a current bloom that will continue to amaze. Memphis is the birthplace of rock n roll and home of the blues and it is where The Bo-Keys live and play. So, put a quarter in that jukebox, its time for Heartaches By The Number.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: outstanding Memphis soul (meets country) album\n\nReview: The Bo-Keys' \"Heartache by the Numbers\" soul-covers chronology of originals:\n\n\"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry\"\norig/wr- Hank Williams (1949) [B-side]\nbiggest hit remake: B.J. Thomas (1966) #5 pop\n\n\"Heartaches by the Number\" (wr-Harlan Howard)\norig- Ray Price (1959) #1 country\nbiggest hit remake: Guy Mitchell (1959) #1 pop\n\n\"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights\"\norig/co-wr- Freddie Fender (1960) #82 pop\nbiggest hit remake: Freddy Fender (1975) #1 country / #3 pop\n\n\"Last Date\"\norig/wr- Floyd Cramer [instrumental] (1960) #1 pop / #3 R&B / #11 country\n\n\"The Longer You Wait\"\norig/wr- Merle Haggard (1966) [B-side]\n\n\"Set Me Free\"\norig/wr- Curly Putman (1967) #67 country\nbiggest hit remake: Esther Phillips & the Dixie Flyers (1970) #39 soul / #111 pop\nbiggest country remake: Charlie Rich (1968) #44 country [Charlie Rich's first country-chart hit]\n\n\"I Threw It All Away\"\norig/wr- Bob Dylan (1969) #60 pop [from #3 pop LP \"Nashville Skyline\"]\n\n\"Don't Take Her (She's All I Got)\" [co-written by Jerry \"Swamp Dogg\" Williams]\norig- Freddie North (1971) #10 soul / #30 pop\nbiggest hit remake: Johnny Paycheck (1971) #2 country / #91 pop\nlater hit remake: Tracy Byrd (1997) #4 country\n\nThe Bo-Keys are a tremendously talented soul ensemble whose musical mission is to recreate the excitement and excellence of the great 1960s and 1970s Memphis soul era so closely associated with its two principal record companies Stax and Hi. They have expanded from instrumentals almost exclusively to mostly vocal soul material, with veteran Memphis soul singer Percy Wiggins added to the group.\n\nFor this outing, the group's third studio album, nine of the ten tracks feature vocals, and eight of ten are soulful versions of songs affiliated with country music (listed above). This album comes on the heels of Ace Records (U.K.) excellent series of soul-meets-country/country-meets-soul oldies collections, but I have no idea if that was an inspiration for this project. For me, this a musical hybrid I find particularly appealing and worthwhile. Also worth noting is that I just reviewed 1960s Stax mainstay William Bell's superlative new album (\"This Is Where I Live\") on the reconstituted Stax label, so this current 2016 Memphis soul revival is really something to be treasured.\n\nFor a favorite track (although there is very little separating the ten tracks in terms of their high quality), I would go with this revival of \"Don't Take Her (She's All I Got),\" on which vocalist Percy Wiggins is backed by the Masqueraders (!), Susan Marshall and Reba Russell. I really liked both versions of this song in 1971 (by Freddie North and Johnny Paycheck), whose radio airplay and chart runs partially overlapped each other. \"Set Me Free\" is another one that already had both country and soul versions done of it, with a particularly terrific soul cover by Esther Phillips, who had earlier in her career successfully covered the country classic \"Release Me.\" And Hank Williams' \"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry\" had been turned into Memphis soul on the Hi label by Al Green on his 1973 \"Call Me\" LP.\n\nDylan's \"I Threw It All Away\" sounds like a deep southern soul classic here as interpreted by Percy Wiggins; and a highlight of \"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights\" has to be the amazing hybrid country/blues electric guitar interlude by Joe Restivo, in his Bo-Keys studio album dbut. Floyd Cramer's \"Last Date\" is done with Restivo's fluid guitar replacing Cramer's piano as lead instrument; and there is also a stellar horn arrangement and a bit of soulful organ as well.\n\nThe title song \"Heartaches by the Number,\" the lead-off track, is a special one featuring lead vocal by Hi Records' singer/songwriter Don Bryant, who goes way back to the label's heyday. Great to hear him once again.\n\nThere are two originals here, as well: \"Learned My Lesson in Love\" has the funky, insistent feel of a Hi Records '60s/'70s soul hit, with Wiggins sounding like a cross between Syl Johnson and O.V. Wright. Fun! And \"I Hope You Find What You're Looking For\" (excellent sentiment!) is lively and Mexican-flavored (with more superb horn work) and sounds Freddy Fender-inspired, making it the perfect lead-in for the following track, \"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.\"\n\nThis is truly an enjoyable piece of work from start (\"Heartaches by the Number\") to finish (\"Last Date\").","Product: The great Chicago soul sound of the early 1970s has seldom been better personified on wax than the recordings of the Independents. Protgs of soul giant Jerry Butler and one of the leading groups of their era, between 1972 and 1975 Chuck, Helen, Maurice, Eric and their (non-performing) fifth member Marvin made some of the best and most beautiful music to come out of the Windy City. They were rewarded for their music efforts by a string of Billboard R&B chart hits, most of which also reached the pop Hot 100 too.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: talented but short-lived (1972-74) Chicago soul group\n\nReview: The Independents hit chronology - peak positions on US charts:\n- \"Just As Long As You Need Me\" (1972) #8 soul / #77 pop\n- \"I Just Want to Be There\" (1972) #38 soul / #104 pop\n- \"LEAVING ME\" (1973) #1 soul / #18 pop\n- \"Baby I've Been Missing You\" (1973) #4 soul / #36 pop\n- \"It's All Over\" (1973) #12 soul / #65 pop\n- \"The First Time We Met\" (1974) #20 soul / #103 pop\n- \"Arise and Shine (Let's Get It On)\" (1974) #19 soul / #121 pop\n- \"Let This Be a Lesson to You\" (1974) #7 soul / #63 pop\n\nDuring their three years of existence the Independents were (unofficially) the 15th biggest soul group and 29th biggest US soul chart act overall. They were the Wand label's biggest recording act of the 1970s, and their \"Leaving Me\" (1973) was Wand's first (and only) R&B/soul chart topper since the Kingsmen's \"Louie Louie\" nine years earlier.\n\nWith a pleasing mix of male and one female voices, the group was founded by the Jerry Butler-mentored writing and producing team of Chuck Jackson (not the same Chuck Jackson who, coincidentally, was Wand's top solo soul artist of the 1960s) and Marvin Yancey. (Jackson was also a singing member of the group.) Their biggest early hits were mellow, melodic ballads characteristically featuring a spoken \"rap\" (in the earlier sense of the term) part. Their template was clearly the Chi-Lites' \"Have You Seen Her,\" a #1 soul record from late 1971, shortly before the Independents started recording. The Chi-Lites just happened to be Chicago's top soul outfit of this particular time period and were in the midst of a tremendous run of mellow soul-ballad hits.\n\n\"Leaving Me,\" the Independents' biggest soul and pop crossover hit, is an undisputed early-'70s classic of the genre, but I was most moved by its follow-up \"Baby I've Been Missing You\" with the hypnotic hook of its title refrain and female singer Helen Curry's emotive, soul-piercing solo part. There is also some very good uptempo stuff in this complete collection of their work, but the ballads, starting with \"Just As Long As You Need Me,\" are what really made this group so special.\n\nOutstanding work by Kent Soul and compiler Tony Rounce, author of the excellent liner notes recounting the whole Independents story (which continues with the founders' subsequent association with Natalie Cole), in putting together this nearly 80-minute totally comprehensive Independents CD. All 22 tracks are in stereo, although with some of the master tapes having disappeared, \"certain tracks have been dubbed from pristine vinyl.\" The key word in this disclaimer is \"pristine\"; I couldn't actually tell the difference - and in any event, it's all too enjoyable to be concerned about. As usual, Kent Soul has also provided us a cool, colorful booklet (this one twelve pages).","Product: Located in London's West End, Pye Records boasted a super stable of female talent. Released hot on the heels of our recent 'Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls' collection, 'Scratch My Back! Pye Beat Girls' comprises two-dozen peachy selections from Pye and sister label Piccadilly's 1960s output. The compilation is titled after the opening track by Jan Panter, a Mark Wirtz-produced must-have for those who prefer their girl-pop records beefed up with a dose of fuzz guitar. Tony Hatch, the most successful of Pye's in-house producers, is represented by cherry-picked titles by the Breakaways, Petula Clark, cult favourite Sandra Barry, the Baker Twins and Julie Grant. 'Heart' has to be the rocking-est track Petula ever recorded, so much so that it was covered in the USA by garage band the Remains.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Decca beats Pye (in '60s Brit girl-pop playoffs)\n\nReview: Following on the heels of \"Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls 1962-1970\" is this companion Mick Patrick-compiled Ace Records disc featuring rival label Pye during most of these same years. Three of the artists appear in both: Billie Davis, Dana Gillespie and the Satin Bells. While much of what I said in my five-star review of the former compilation still pertains - certainly the vibrant sound mastering (all but two tracks here are mono) and the extremely attractive 24-page booklet with Mick Patrick's comprehensive and informative notes that cover all the artists and tracks - I found it necessary to dock this latest Brit girl-pop release one star (recommendable, just not as highly) based on the overall quality of the song content.\n\nThere is no doubt that any such compilation with a lineup that includes Sandie Shaw, Petula Clark, Billie Davis, Dana Gillespie, Glenda Collins, Tawny Reed, the Breakaways, Val McKenna, Pat Harris & the Blackjacks, as well as Jan Painter's raucous and stomping, freakbeat, fuzz-toned 1966 title-song opener (\"Scratch My Back\" - no relation to the Slim Harpo Louisiana blues-rocker \"Baby Scratch My Back,\" a U.S. R&B/pop smash the same year), is going to be competitive; but after these ten artists' records there are quite a few tracks remaining - and that is where the drop-off from the Decca predecessor really adds up.\n\nAt the top level, there is nothing here that is as good as Goldie & the Gingerbreads' \"Little Boy\" or Billie Davis's brilliant revival of the old jump blues \"I Want You to Be My Baby\" from the prior collection, although Tawny Reed's \"I Got a Feeling\" (1965), a smoking-hot and soulful cover version of a 1962 Baby Washington B-side, is definitely a stunner. In the U.S. the Hollies had a top 30 hit in 1967 with their \"Pay You Back with Interest,\" but it was not released as a UK single; instead the honors went to the non-charting version we get here by Dana Gillespie, a Donovan folk-rock protge who went on to become a prolific blues belter in Britain - and it's a strong one.\n\nThe only record in this collection that managed to dent the UK top 40 [#32 peak] is \"Run\" by the always reliable Sandy Shaw, from 1966. It has the \"-matics\" locked down with the ambiance created by its words and sounds: enigmatic, dramatic and cinematic (Mick Patrick calls it \"noir-ish\"). The top British female of the era on the U.S. pop charts, Petula Clark, scores here with the steadily-building, impassioned, rock-tinged \"Heart\" (which she co-wrote and adapted from her French hit \"Le Coeur qui bat\"), originally appearing in the U.S. as the B-side of \"You'd Better Come Home\" (1965) [the only Pet Clark record I ever owned]. Billie Davis's self-penned B-side \"Ev'ry Day\" is a credible soul-rocker in no way resembling just a flip-side throwaway.\n\nFrom the Joe Meek stable of brilliantly off-kilter musical creations comes Glenda Collins' 1966 \"Eve of Destruction\"-influenced protest song \"It's Hard to Believe It\" - backed by Meek's eerie orchestral arrangement - whose lyrics were too politically charged for airplay in the UK at that time (much like \"Eve of Destruction,\" which despite becoming a #1 hit in the U.S., was nonetheless banned in some 30 major radio markets, including Chicago; as well as being banned by Radio Scotland and \"restricted\" by the BBC).\n\nThe Breakaways, with their cool and catchy girl-group harmonies, shine on \"He Doesn't Love Me\" (1964); teenager Val McKenna's self-penned tough and tuneful pop-rocker \"Now That You've Made Up Your Mind\" is impressive as well; and going back to 1963, we get the earlier (than the Singing Bluejeans') British cover of Chan Romero's rollicking \"Hippy Hippy Shake\" by Pat Harris & the Blackjacks.\n\nThere are maybe four or five more that are worth hearing, but after that it's pretty much a plunge into mediocrity (or worse) with the remaining nine or ten tracks.\n\nSo ultimately Decca's beat girls beat Pye's 5 to 4 in regulation time [59:34].","Product: 2014 release the 15th solo album from the British guitarist who defined the sound of a generation, Eponymously entitled HANK the album features newly recorded interpretations of some of Hank's favorite summer-themed music, along with one new original recording 'Summer Guitar.' It's Marvin's first new album release since his 2007 UK Top Ten hit GUITAR MAN and consists of 14 tracks, nine of which are arranged by Hank and his son Ben. The album also features some backing vocals from Hank's daughter Tahlia. Hank Marvin is one of the most influential guitar players of all time and has enjoyed a long and successful career, He regularly features high on the list of polls that determine the greatest guitarists of all time and his unique sound and subsequent influence on popular music cannot be underestimated.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: summer, sun and sublime guitars\n\nReview: \"Though we've got to say good-bye for the summer...\" So say the opening lyrics to \"Sealed with a Kiss,\" Brian Hyland's big summer hit ballad from 1962. This all-instrumental album seems to have derived its nostalgic-for-summers-past inspiration from that song, which appears as track #2. This dreamy, leisurely reading of \"SWAK\" with its clear, melodic, echoed and vibrato sound will enthrall fans of the Shadows (Hank Marvin's breakthrough instrumental outfit in the U.K. so many summers ago) and their contemporaneous U.S. counterparts, the Ventures.\n\nHank and his son Ben join forces on both electric (Fender Stratocaster, of course) and acoustic guitar, along with Nunzio Mondia (who shares arranging duties with the Marvins) on keyboards, Roy Martinez (bass), Ben Vanderwal (drums and percussion), Marty Pervan (trumpet/flugelhorn) and Tahlia Marvin (backing vocals -- that's three Marvins for the price of one!). Thirteen of the fourteen tracks are familiar oldies, and the one new composition by the Marvins is a Spanish/gypsy-styled gem titled (no surprise here) \"Summer Guitar.\"\n\nI have too many favorites to go through all of them, but I'll start with the one I find the most brilliant: Gershwin's \"Summertime\" (talk about oldies!). Although among the most recorded songs of all time, this reading of it is startlingly original. The Marvins have reimagined it as the theme from some non-existent, exotic mystery-drama movie from the past. Speaking of movie themes (real ones), they create a haunting dreamscape on Michel Legrand's \"Summer of '42.\" Their take on Johnny Nash's \"I Can See Clearly Now\" switches from acoustic to electric back to acoustic again as it deftly transports you to the Caribbean. I have never enjoyed Stevie Wonder's \"You Are the Sunshine of My Life\" as much as I do here -- all gorgeous melody, no hopelessly clichd words. John Sebastian's (of the Lovin' Spoonfuls) \"Daydream\" is delightfully light as air.\n\nOther summer/sun titles include Eddie Cochran's \"Summertime Blues\" (very Shadows-like rendition), the Beatles' \"Good Day Sunshine\" and my second favorite \"Hank\" tune, the Kinks' (Ray Davies composition) beautifully melodic \"Waterloo Sunset.\" This Mondia arrangement boldly spins it into more of a rock groove that I find majestic. Also on the admirably bold side -- meaning, not afraid to mix things up a bit and stray from the straight melody lines -- are the Marvins' arrangements of the Beach Boys' (Brian Wilson's) \"California Girls\" and especially on \"A Taste of Honey.\" I have heard numerous instrumental versions of the latter, but few that attempt to explore so many hidden corners of the song and bring them to light as this one does.\n\nThis is a refreshingly nostalgic 55-minute listen (while it's still summer -- or anytime, for that matter) that will be especially treasured by admirers of the Shadows and the Ventures.","Product: Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, OBE, known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer. He became one of the most popular vocalists to emerge from the mid-1960s. Since then he has sung nearly every form of popular music - pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, soul and gospel - and sold over 100 million records. Sir Tom has had thirty-six top 40 hits in the UK and nineteen in the US, including It's Not Unusual, Delilah, Kiss and Sex Bomb.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) \"from cabaret to critical acclaim\"\n\nReview: \"If you're lucky and you stick around long enough, you eventually get the chance to sound like yourself...[and] come through real.\"\n\nToward the end of this briskly-paced, very well-told autobiography, Jones reveals his own astonishment that it has taken him until the turn of his seventies (and now beyond) to finally be free to record the type of music he was \"born to do.\" I agree that his three most recent albums (the third was in preparation as he was doing this book a couple of years ago) represent his finest work as a true interpreter of worthy songs.\n\nHis journey from a dreary Welsh coal mining town to the top of the pop charts and transatlantic TV variety host is an enthralling one to read about. The odds against his ever getting out of that place were extremely large, but eventually those big, soulful pipes of his were heard by enough of the right people (Gordon Mills, of course, was the key) in London. And a needle had to be thread to get his breakout hit record, or else he would likely have been back in Pontypridd for good. The story behind that breakthrough song \"It's Not Unusual\" is actually rather unusual, and I enjoy reading about that sort of thing.\n\nWith the great family Tommy Woodward (aka Tom Jones) had back there - parents, older sister, cousins, etc. - and Linda, the only love of his life since childhood (and their son Mark, born when they were sixteen and just married), it probably would have been enough for a reasonably happy life had he never left his home town; but steady employment and finances would have always been a challenge in such a place. Plus, he would have certainly felt some measure of frustration never knowing how far his unique vocal gift might have taken him.\n\n[On a terribly sad note, his lovely wife Linda Woodward passed away this past April. They were married fifty-nine years.]\n\nJones has a phenomenal memory for the details of his life, which along with a wealth of colorful stories, create vivid tableaux of his amazing times. Giles Smith did an excellent job assisting him in the shaping of the whole narrative. Everything sounds authentically in Jones's voice, and there is little attempt to water down his salty language. The humorous asides and comments (often in the form of ironic understatement) as past events are recounted are a particular delight. For example, at an early Decca recording session: \"The Squires [Jones's backing instrumental group] provide the rhythm track, but Peter [Sullivan, the producer] thinks it needs a harmonica solo, so he calls on a session player. Guy named Jimmy Page. Seems quite good. Can play guitar a bit, too, apparently. Wonder what will become of him.\" Jones assumes his readers possess at least a certain amount of requisite prior knowledge of the major players in rock and pop music from the mid-'50s on. The book includes a very useful eleven-page index of names and song titles that appear.\n\nJones's interactions with the famous and fascinating are numerous, but certain ones stand out for being both funny and weird: none more so than Elvis Presley (\"The King\") granting himself free reign, shall we say, of Tom's Las Vegas hotel bathroom while he is showering.\n\nI enjoyed everything in this book, but my small numerical ratings deduction is for what is not mentioned at all: Jones's womanizing during his long absences from home as a young, virile pop star. This is one \"detail\" (it's my turn to use understatement) that he now seems either to have no recollection of, or else no wish to share with the readers. It's rather obviously the latter, as most likely he didn't wish to remind his wife of any of this while she was trying to fight through her illness. He may have rationalized that previous biographies have been over this territory; but by his total silence in the matter, he would appear to be admitting that what others have written is essentially true (especially since he does refute other rumors about himself in this book)."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Brilliant cinematography, an imaginative screenplay, haunting ballads, and splendid acting combine in this enchanting fantasy based on French legend. The Devil sends two envoys to Earth in the form of a minstrel couple to wreak anarchy on hapless mortals. Much to the Devil's dismay, instead of corrupting the human race, he finds he has no lasting power over affairs of the heart.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: beautifully restored Criterion DVD version of Marcel Carn's \\\"Les Visiteurs du soir\\\"\\n\\nReview: This now 70-year-old French film by the great Marcel Carn has undergone a meticulous digital restoration for its dbut on DVD, and one can again fully appreciate the superb black and white cinematography. The soundtrack has had an impeccable 24-bit remastering, and the new English subtitles are well translated and easy to read on the screen. Also included in the new DVD package is an informative 2009 French documentary on the making of this film in 1942 under Nazi occupation and the Vichy government. In addition, there is a booklet with seven pages of text by film critic and author Michael Atkinson and seven pages of photographs from the film.\\n\\nAs for the film itself, a romantic fantasy set in medieval France and based on legend, I felt I should dock it a star because it so obviously suffers in comparison to its successor, Carn's ultimate masterpiece, \\\"Les Enfants du Paradis\\\" (\\\"The Children of Paradise\\\"). After a brilliant start (through the whole banquet sequence), the film gets progressively bogged down in its convoluted plot (that takes too long to resolve itself), becoming overly talky and a bit tedious in the process. However, the ending is so iconic that much of this can be forgiven.\\n\\nWorth noting is the comment by the renowned French film critic Georges Sadoul regarding \\\"Les Visiteurs du soir\\\" (with which I would concur): that some of \\\"the fantasy is rather forced.\\\" However, for appreciators and students of French cinema, this is a film that should not be missed, given its historical context. It launched a trend of other notable French films under the Occupation that, beneath a veneer of ostensibly escapist fare that eluded the Fascist censors, contained a subversive subtext of a yearning to be free from the forces of oppression.\",\n \"Product: As nervy as it is hilarious, this screwball masterpiece from Ernst Lubitsch (Trouble in Paradise) stars Jack Benny (The Jack Benny Program) and, in her final screen appearance, Carole Lombard (My Man Godfrey) as husband-and-wife thespians in Nazi-occupied Warsaw who become caught up in a dangerous spy plot. TO BE OR NOT TO BE is a Hollywood film of the boldest black humor, which went into production soon after the U.S. entered World War II. Lubitsch manages to brilliantly balance political satire, romance, slapstick, and urgent wartime suspense in a comic high-wire act that has never been equaled.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Bold and brilliant anti-Fascist farce -- excellent Criterion Collection package\\n\\nReview: Everything came together in this superbly nuanced 1942 Ernst Lubitsch comedy filmed in '41 and set in 1939 Warsaw (Poland), except for the timing of its initial release. Between the completion of filming and the film's premiere the U.S. was attacked and brought into the world war; and the film's charismatic female star, Carole Lombard, who gave her finest screen performance here (completely commanding in her comedy and her alluring, enigmatic sexiness), was killed in a plane crash returning home from a war bond rally. With two major comedy-squelching strikes against it, the film was nearly defeated altogether by blasts from short-sighted critics who claimed to be offended by any number of superficial elements (as well as the subject matter itself: farcical satire of Nazis in a defeated and occupied European country), while making no real effort to understand it on a deeper and more subtle level. This was Lubitsch's best film in virtually every aspect of its production, especially its meticulously worked-out story and screenplay in collaboration with the Hungarian and American dramatists Melchior Lengyel and Edwin Justus Mayer, respectively.\\n\\nThe term \\\"theater of war\\\" applies literally to this film, as a troupe of Warsaw stage actors led by husband-and-wife stars Joseph and Maria Tura (Jack Benny and Carole Lombard) cleverly and courageously perform a mission involving a series of risky off-stage performances, with some tricky impersonations, to take down a respected professor operating as a high-level spy and informer for the Nazis. The film is often suspenseful, ironically heightening the impact of the comedy, both in its hilarious running verbal and sight gags and sudden comic surprises. Benny is right there comedically with Lombard, absolutely at the top of his game, and is the only performer in radio, TV or film history who could have pulled off the ingenious, tailor-made (Lubitsch was the son of a tailor in Germany) final scene to perfection.\\n\\nThere are a number of remarkable supporting performances, featuring several by Lubitsch film veterans: Sig Ruman's Colonel Ehrhardt set the comic template for the overweight, minimally competent, buffoonish yes-man (or \\\"Heil\\\"-man) German officer still seen two decades later in watered-down form on \\\"Hogan's Heroes\\\"; Felix Bressart's Greenberg provides a moving Jewish perspective; and Tom Dugan as the troupe's faux-Hitler delivers two of the funniest lines in the film. Stanley Ridges nails his villainous role of Professor Siletsky, who subverts his intellectualism to fit Nazi ideology (which is truly frightening). Robert Stack, 17 years before becoming TV's Eliot Ness, plays the heroic young military pilot, who although he is on Joseph Tura (Benny)'s side patriotically, is a thorn in his side due to his romantic obsession with his wife. (Stack is a bit too stiff to be convincing, so it's Benny's exasperated reactions to him that have to be relied upon to derive comedy from this character.)\\n\\nBoth the black-and-white picture transfer (kept in the original aspect ratio of 137:1) and the sound remastering (24-bit) are top-notch. There is a new audio commentary by film historian David Kalat who loves this film and knows everything about it. Disc Two contains a 53-minute 2010 scholarly French documentary on Lubitsch's film career. The clips are good, but attention, TALKING HEADS ALERT! There is also the 45-minute 1916 silent film comedy, \\\"Pinkus's Shoe Palace,\\\" which Lubitsch directed and starred in, playing the Jewish title character who goes from academic failure to rising to the top of the shoe-biz ladder. And finally we get to hear a couple of half-hour radio plays from 1940 and 1943. The first features Jack Benny, Claudette Colbert, Basil Rathbone and Lubitsch as themselves in an extended one-joke routine about Benny's prodigious ego being deflated as he tries to talk his way into a starring screen role. The second is an adaptation of \\\"To Be Or Not to Be\\\" starring real-life husband and wife William Powell and Diana Lewis as the Turas, with Sig Ruman reprising his Colonel Ehrhardt. After viewing the film this reduction for radio feels like a perfunctory and hollow exercise (although Ruman still has his same impeccable comic delivery).\\n\\nThe 28-page accompanying photographically illustrated booklet contains an informative essay on the film, as well as an intriguing Ernst Lubitsch NY Times op-ed defending \\\"To Be Or Not to Be.\\\"\",\n \"Product: Arrow Video UK Edition\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) superb Criterion restoration of a landmark post-WW2 American film\\n\\nReview: More crime drama/police procedural/manhunt picture than film noir, the real star is New York City itself and the Academy Award winning black-and-white cinematography of Williams Daniels. This was the earliest scripted American film for major release to shoot so extensively on location in a major urban center (107 different real NYC locations).\\n\\nThe story of murderers and jewel thieves - albeit Oscar nominated - is not really of exceptional quality; and the script has its strained moments, for sure. However, everything is elevated by the phenomenal realism created by the use of all the NYC locations: from the police precinct headquarters, to high society luxury digs, to the teeming squalor of the Lower East Side - and with notable scenes involving elevated trains, a skyscraper under construction and the Williamsburg Bridge. There are two suspenseful foot chase sequences: one at night and one in the daytime.\\n\\nThe film is full of real people in the background caught in the bustle of their daily lives; and because it was filmed in NYC, a number of secondary roles were cast with then little-known New York stage actors who would later move to Hollywood and become familiar character actors in movies and TV.\\n\\nThere is, however, a certain unevenness to the film, as its intended semi-documentary style occasionally clashes with the standard melodrama inherent in the script and in the acting styles of some cast members. Somewhat surprisingly, the seemingly miscast (at first glance) Barry Fitzgerald as the veteran lead detective (Det. Lt. Muldoon, with his full familiar Barry Fitzgerald Irish brogue) proves to be highly credible in the role, portraying a reliable pre-WW2-era department holdover.\\n\\nMuldoon's young protg, Halloran (Don Taylor), recently promoted after the war (in which he served valorously), is a believable presence as a stalwart All-American role-model type with an indefatigable work ethic, stirring one's sympathies and sense of optimism for an America emerging from a long and painful struggle for survival. That the film's co-writer (Albert Maltz) and director (Jules Dassin) would subsequently be blacklisted by Hollywood (Maltz imprisoned and Dassin exiled to Europe) was a sick irony promulgated by cowardly American Fascists and anti-Semites with far too much power and privilege, along with their craven La La Land bootlickers and turncoats.\\n\\nThis is a new, restored high-definition digital transfer. DVD extra features include a 16-page booklet with a new essay on the film; screenwriter Malvin Ward's commentary from the 1990s; two interviews with scholar-experts offering analyses of both the film and its use of NYC locations; and most special is a 40-minute 2004 interview (in front of an appreciative audience) with the 92-year-old Jules Dassin, whose memory, personal charm and sense of humor were very much intact.\",\n \"Product: Second release for Georgette on the Heart Of Texas Label, a Justin Trevino production with a duet with Amber Digby on Run Woman Run. Excellent Fiddle, Steel and usual Traditional Country Production. Strong Enough To Cry Don't Come Back Till you Love Me Run Woman Run (w/ Amber Digby) Making Love All Wrong I just Don't Give A Damn A Day Late, A Diamond Short Rainbow Colored Words Broken, Bitter or Better I'm Not Even Close Ways To Make You Talk Where Were You I Don't Love You\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Throwback that's a keeper\\n\\nReview: 1970 was undeniably a great year for country music, with exceptional artists such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Charley Pride, Lynn Anderson, Sonny James and Mel Tillis all riding high on the country charts. But the reigning king and queen of the genre were George Jones and Tammy Wynette, who that year presented the world their daughter Georgette. And now we have a CD album by Georgette Jones called \\\"Strong Enough to Cry\\\" that is truly worthy of her heritage. Not only does it hearken back to the classic era of the seventies, but it is also reminiscent of in-between-generation artists like Janie Fricke and Lorrie Morgan (the latter's catalog being the source of the title song here). What this extraordinarily impressive album does NOT do is cave in to the lamentable trend of today's overhyped, sugar-glazed, pop-rock-oriented lame excuse for \\\"country music,\\\" which features only the most clichd and mediocre concessions to what was the golden age of real country music. This is not the place to come if you want to hear screamin', rocked-up GUEE-tar licks and empty-headed drinkin'-beer-on-the-weekend throwaway stuff. Instead, the depth of emotion that Georgette Jones invests in her music will linger with you for a good long while and make you want to come back for more.\\n\\nGeorgette fronts a group of stellar musicians here who adhere to sublimely tasteful and tuneful traditional arrangements, produced to a timeless tee by Justin Trevino at Heart of Texas Studio in Brady, Texas. Gorgeous steel guitar throughout by Jamie Lennon and the finely honed fiddle of Reggie Rueffer at just the right moments contribute mightily to the pure country appeal. The real revelations of this album are the three original songs co-written by Georgette. The ballad of this bunch, \\\"Broken, Bitter or Better,\\\" is a stunner - beautiful almost beyond belief as it deals with making the wisest choices when confronting life's realities. The uptempo \\\"Ways to Make You Talk\\\" is beguilingly sexy and clever at the same time; and the final track, \\\"(I'm Gonna) Out Love You\\\" (unfortunately mislabeled as \\\"I Don't Love You\\\") contains a vow that you'd better believe this woman with whom you have just spent 39 minutes can make good on! The other nine songs, including the aforementioned title track, are well-chosen and well-executed covers, most notably the song \\\"Run Woman Run\\\" (done here as a duet with the phenomenal Amber Digby), which her mom took to number one a couple of weeks before she was born. Her voice at times echoes her mother's in a most beautiful and affecting way. She also takes on her father's \\\"I Just Don't Give a Damn,\\\" infusing it with an it's-about-time, distaff-side perspective. There are a pair of Johnny Bush (another chart artist in 1970) covers, including the achingly lovely \\\"Rainbow Colored Words.\\\"\\n\\nHighest recommendation possible to Georgette Jones and \\\"Strong Enough to Cry.\\\" Here's hoping for a new year (2012) in which an album as superb as this one will be awarded the recognition it richly merits. I'm betting there won't be a more beautiful or a better original song this year than \\\"Broken, Bitter or Better.\\\"\",\n \"Product: 2012 release from the Canadian Jazz vocalist. Another step in her rich and inspired career finds Susie Arioli pushing back the limits of her art with All the Way. The vivacious singer invites US to follow her on a sublime adventure as she brings her finely modulated voice to bear on 13 numbers drawn from the immortal repertoire of the Great American Songbook. Displaying the maturity of performers who are in it for the long haul, Arioli brings her singular touch to legendary themes that she tackles with heartwarming delight. This seventh studio recording reveals her to be in full possession of her talents, her vocal register extended further than ever, and very much conserving the unique sensibility that has been captivating an ever growing public for many years now.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: What a difference \\\"un jour\\\" makes!\\n\\nReview: The only misstep on this otherwise superb CD album is its somewhat soporific start with \\\"My Funny Valentine\\\" and \\\"Time on My Hands.\\\" Pretty, but too slow and similar to be up top consecutively. Instead, listeners should try starting with the last three tracks (11-13): \\\"Un jour de diffrence\\\" (a French-language version of \\\"What a Difference a Day Made\\\"); the Gershwins' \\\"Looking for a Boy\\\" done in delightfully sprightly style, with the best electric guitar and vibes backing on the album; and a \\\"Time After Time\\\" on which Susie's voice at times gives the impression of floating over the notes, it's so breezily and effortlessly rendered. (Nice Cameron Wallis sax solo, too.) \\\"What a Difference a Day Made\\\" began life as a Spanish-language song (\\\"Cuando Vuelvo a Tu Lado\\\"), so it's not surprising that it is so easily adaptable to French. This is an absolute highlight, with everything coming together: the gorgeous melody; Susie's impeccable phrasing, which is especially refreshing EN FRANAIS; co-producer/arranger (with Susie) Jordan Officer's brilliant guitar (omnipresent on this album); Franois Stevenson's vibrant vibes and a sublime bit of trumpet by Jrme Dupuis-Cloutier, making his only appearance here.\\n\\nNow, after that three-track \\\"start\\\" rivaling just about anything you have ever heard juxtaposed on a female jazz vocal album, you may proceed anywhere else with full enjoyment. The title song pays tribute to Frankie S., but Susie managed to get the better of him (no mean feat!) on the preceding track with her more sympathetic distaff-side version of the Chairman's swingin' \\\"Here's to the Losers.\\\" \\\"Here's That Rainy Day\\\" is done in a laid-back bossa nova style--not terribly original, but moving and beautiful nonetheless. Her hazy-warm voice makes this an inevitable choice for her. She sizzles on a soft, intimate and reflective short take on \\\"Come Rain Or Come Shine\\\"; and she amazes on two longer introspective ballads, \\\"Forgetful\\\" and \\\"There's a Lull in My Life.\\\" These two are programmed back to back and are thematically of a piece. \\\"Forgetful\\\" features a sparser arrangement, buoyed by Jordan's gentle electric guitar, while \\\"There's a Lull in My Life\\\" adds piano and sweet tenor sax into the mix.\\n\\nOne final request for Susie and Jordan for your next album: Donnez-nous plus de VERSIONS FRANAISES, s'il vous plait!\",\n \"Product: Before they even hit a chord, this supergroup has your attention! Their bloodlines tower above all, as the Allman & Neville Brothers cast a magic spell. They said that rock 'n' roll was dead, but they were wrong. Right now, there's something in the air, as Royal Southern Brotherhood drags their thrilling new brand of blues-rock and white-hot musicianship from the Southern States onto the world stage! In the last seven years, Devon Allman has plotted an old-school ascent, crossing 14 countries on tour and watching as fans and heroes alike fall under his spell. There was a Top 10 hit in Spain with Javier Vargas, albums alongside Jack Bruce, and jam sessions with heavyweights like Les Paul and Billy Gibbons. When Devon takes the stage-either with Honeytribe or during cameos with his father and the Allmans-fans are wowed by a guitarist who can be smooth, savage or seismic, but it's in Royal Southern Brotherhood that you'll hear this modern master playing at full-throttle. Not many guitarists could stand toe-to-toe with him. Step up Mike Zito, the blues ace whose ear for melody provides the counterpoint to his wingman's rocking tendencies. Nominated in 2011 for the Blues Music Foundation's Best Blues Rock Award, and winner of 2010's Blues Music Award for Song of the Year, few stars are rising faster. Giving Royal Southern Brotherhood it's hip-shaking groove are bassist Charlie Wooton and drummer Yonrico Scott, both heavyweight names in their own right, with Charlie's bass chops celebrated on the Southern jam scene for his sets with the Woods Brothers, and Yonrico hitting the skins for luminaries including the Derek Trucks Band, Gregg Allman, and the Allman Brothers themselves.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"hsb\\\" represents a big step up for RSB\\n\\nReview: With this sophomore effort, Royal Southern Brotherhood takes a big step up, establishing itself as just about the best hybrid blues-rock-funk-and-soul (and throw in some reggae while you're at it) outfit around. This is clearly far more than an Allman-&-Neville Brothers legacy band. In addition to Devon Allman and Cyril Neville, Mike Zito is equally featured, along with Charlie Wooton [bass] and Yonrico Scott [drums and cover painting]. This is an amazingly versatile, talented, and now utterly cohesive group with unlimited potential. All 12 songs are originals, and all five members contributed to the writing on the album. Every song possesses its own distinctly memorable qualities; and if you don't care for the particular style of any one track (not a problem for this reviewer), don't worry, as the next will be substantially different.\\n\\nFor Santana enthusiasts, \\\"Groove On\\\" is likely to be a favorite track, while \\\"Trapped\\\" figures to enthrall fans of Clapton-esque early-'70s melodic blues-rock. (Yes, there is genuine guitar wizardry aplenty on this disc.) Songs with a social conscience also abound, starting with the hard-charging opener \\\"World Blues\\\" and its \\\"we-can-rise-above-this-pain\\\" message of empathy and solidarity with global struggles. The heavy blues-rock of \\\"Callous\\\" delves soulfully deeper into the long, hard fight for freedom, justice and equality in this country. And the pair of songs at the end are anthems of hope and healing: \\\"Takes a Village\\\" is warm and embracing, although it can't completely escape the \\\"it-takes-a-village-to-raise-a-child\\\" clich. The closer's title \\\"Love and Peace\\\" says it all, supported by a reassuring reggae rhythm and another striking Santana-esque guitar solo.\\n\\n\\\"Rock and Roll\\\" is Cyril Neville's rousing paean to 1950s rhythm and blues. \\\"Here It Is\\\" is funky, sexy soul. And speaking of soul, Devon Allman's \\\"Shoulda Known\\\" re-creates mellow, melodic sixties-style soul to a tee, while \\\"She's My Lady\\\" is a harmonic, sweet-soul love ballad that you could imagine competing for chart position in 1975 with the likes of the Moments' \\\"Look at Me (I'm in Love)\\\" or the Isley Brothers' \\\"For the Love of You.\\\" \\\"Let's Ride\\\" is funky, heavy rock and soul; and you'll need to enter \\\"Ritual\\\" territory (Trk 6) at your own risk: this is down-and-dirty voodoo rock about a night of dangerous lovemaking.\\n\\nIn the words of John Sinclair from his liner notes: \\\"There's nothing missing here - the Royal Southern Brotherhood has got it all: heart, blood and soul in glorious abundance.\\\"\",\n \"Product: Joe Cocker, legendary singer with a unique, celebrated voice and passionate expression reports back. Fire It Up is the 23th Studio album by English-born Grammy winner. With Fire It Up Joe Cocker linked to the sustainable success of his published in 2010, decorated platinum number-one album, Hard Knocks on. The superb, new follow-up album, which will appear this winter, returned Joe Cocker back in California Emblem Studios by producer Matt Serletic. For Fire It Up produced Cocker and Serletic, who worked with Matchbox Twenty, Santana, Rob Thomas and Collective Soul. Had, in winter 2011 and spring 2012, eleven songs new about another collaboration with Joe Cocker, Matt Serletic says: \\\"We have gone a step further this time I'm thrilled to hear all the components to which we for the new album. Had brought together. We have wonderful, classic soul numbers, large, powerful ballads and energetic tracks all that finds it's rightful place on the new album. \\\" Joe Cocker says over the artistic direction of the new album: \\\"The making of this album felt to me a bit like painting a picture It has been eleven or twelve songs that are as different colors I do not like monotony...\\\" the Song diversity of the album includes the track \\\"Eye on the Prize\\\", the Marc Broussard from New Orleans wrote that the last time the song Hard Knocks contributed. \\\"I'll Walk in the Sunshine Again\\\" comes from the often-platinum singer-songwriter Keith Urban. Joe Cocker describes the song as follows:. \\\"It is a country number, but then again not\\\" \\\"The Letting Go\\\" Charlie Evans wrote with the famous English blues-soul singer Joss Stone and the Grammy-winning Graham Lyle. The irresistible title track (and also the first single), \\\"Fire It Up\\\", the hymn text and voluptuous chorus of Joe Cocker is sung with his typical, unrivaled passion, was written by Alan Frew, Harry Reid and Marty Dodson. About this song Joe Cocker says: \\\"The single\\\" Fire It Up \\\"is a special song that gave the album as a whole is a major offense.\\\" Matt Serletic adds, \\\"The song has a special energy that we einfingen during the recordings.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Still sizzling 43 years down the road\\n\\nReview: In 1969, Joe Cocker's first two albums were probably the best first two studio albums by any '60s solo non-instrument-playing rock & roll vocalist. I find it rather astounding, given his extraordinary intensity (not to mention the mileage he has put on himself), that more than forty years later he is still making albums as good as \\\"Hard Knocks\\\" (his previous release from 2010-11) and this one.\\n\\nProducer/arranger Matt Serletic has placed this veteran of Woodstock and \\\"Mad Dogs & Englishmen\\\" in a very sympathetic setting, featuring soulful background vocals on more than half the tracks, as well as strong lead guitar work by Ray Parker Jr. Joe takes maximum advantage of the high production values on the powerfully anthemic, humanistically-messaged title song and the even-more-so \\\"I Come in Peace,\\\" the knockout track here. Next best is a bit of a surprise: a majestic reading of Keith Urban's \\\"I'll Walk in Sunshine Again.\\\" Gary Burr's \\\"Younger\\\" is an introspective ballad made to order for a Joe Cocker to interpret at this time in his life. Rob Giles's \\\"You Don't Need a Million Dollars\\\" is another touching ballad that sees him reflecting on what is really essential for happiness. Serletic adds Memphis-style horns on the late-'60s-sounding soul romp \\\"I'll Be Your Doctor\\\" and on Joss Stone's soulful \\\"The Letting Go,\\\" another favorite of mine here. The closing track is sans \\\"Memphis\\\" horns but Joe ratchets up the soul quotient on his delivery of Marc \\\"Walking in Memphis\\\" Cohn's \\\"Walk Through This World\\\" from 1993. On the down side, there are just a couple too many semi-cloying power and love ballads that, while not awful by any means, seem somewhat trite, if not instantly forgettable.\\n\\nThe \\\"premium edition\\\" DVD features six full-length performances of songs from this CD. It is well filmed (showing only the performers on stage) and the sound quality couldn't be better.\",\n \"Product: Knighted for his service to music, with numerous gold and platinum records and Top 40 Hits, Sir Tom Jones is one of the all time great vocalists to emerge from the British Invasion. Following in the spirited and undaunted footsteps of the critically lauded Praise & Blame (2010), and Pop icon though he is, Jones has delivered a landmark album in 2013 that has a unique kind of magic and is different from anything he has ever done. Spirit in the Room features all new repertoire made up of gospel, blues and Americana, and includes songs by Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Odetta, Paul McCartney, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. Produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Ray LaMontagne, Laura Marling) Spirit in the Room marks a new, adventurous path for Jones, one that is rootsy, bluesy, bold, and raw.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Soulful interpretations (4 and 1/2 stars)\\n\\nReview: Other than the Southern gospel-blues of Blind Willie Johnson (\\\"Soul of a Man\\\"/1930) and the traditional gospel of \\\"Travelin' Shoes\\\" (associated with Vera Ward Hall in the '30s), which seem like overflow material from his previous \\\"Praise & Blame\\\" album (2010--also produced by Ethan Johns), \\\"Spirit in the Room\\\" is a dual-era singer-songwriter covers album. Three of the covered songs (by Odetta, Richard & Linda Thompson, and Leonard Cohen) are from the 1970s and 1980s, while the other five (by Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Joe Henry and Low Anthem) go back no further than three years. While I find that his stunningly powerful take on \\\"Soul of a Man\\\" blows everything else away here (Jones is now clearly among the greatest living deep southern soul-blues singers on the planet, no matter that he hails from Wales), he is solidly soulful on everything else. I would even venture to add that all but three of the eight modern-era songs are, to one degree or another, improved by the Jones/Johns pairing of vocals and production values. Ironically, the two that are least up to the originals are two of the finer efforts here: \\\"Tower of Song\\\" and \\\"Hit Or Miss.\\\" It's just that Leonard Cohen and Odetta operate on another plane and can't be touched. Jones will have to settle for the second-best versions of these songs that one is likely to encounter. I would rate his \\\"Dimming of the Day\\\" a dead heat with Richard & Linda Thompson (not that there is any kind of contest afoot); both are soberingly affecting. The best of the rest is easily the hauntingly apocalyptic final (as it would have to be!) track, \\\"Charlie Darwin\\\" (the Low Anthem cover). Jones deserves special credit for making Tom Waits listenable (\\\"Bad As Me\\\"), Paul McCartney more down home (on \\\"Come Home\\\"), and above all for injecting some passion and soul into Paul Simon's simpering \\\"Love and Blessings\\\" from last year. The song choice on \\\"Spirit in the Room\\\" is just south of four-star, but the overall execution verges on five-star.\",\n \"Product: 2013 release. The fourteen song album features Ambers fine vocals as well as some of Nashville's legendary \\\"A-team\\\" including Lloyd Green, Pig Robbins, and Pete Wade as well as our regular players including Jim Loessberg, Dicky Overbey, Justin Trevino and Randy Lindley. Produced by Justin Trevino & Amber Digby, The World Your Living In has already been called the best Amber Digby album to date by renowned reviewers. The project also includes a duet with Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill on The One I Cant Live Without. Randy Lindley also offers his vocals on the George Jones/Tammy Wynette classic We Loved It Away. 1. It's A Long Way From Heaven (To The World You're Living In) 2. One More Thing I Wished I'd Said 3. How Can I Unlove You 4. She'd Already Won Your Heart 5. Saturday Night 6. You Leave Again 7. The One I Can't Live Without (With Vince Gill) 8. It Won't Be Long (And I'll Be Hating You) 9. Where Will You Go 10. My Imaginatio 11. We Loved It Away (With Randy Lindley) 12. If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone) 13. You Put Me Here Special Bonus Instrumental Track: 14. Little Darlin' (featuring Lloyd Green)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Welcome to the wonderful world of Amber Digby music!\\n\\nReview: This is the second sensational Justin Trevino-produced album coming out of Heart of Texas Records in Brady, Texas in a little more than a year by a female traditional country artist. The first was Georgette Jones's \\\"Strong Enough to Cry,\\\" which featured a duet with Amber Digby. The world this album is living in sounds a lot like that terrific year for female country vocalists: 1971. Lynn Anderson was the CMA female vocalist of the year with her three #1 smashes: \\\"Rose Garden,\\\" \\\"How Can I Unlove You\\\" (both penned by the late, great Grammy winner, Joe South) and \\\"You're My Man.\\\" Other top female hit makers of that year included Tammy Wynette (Georgette Jones's mom), Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Connie Smith, Sammi Smith, Susan Raye, Barbara Mandrell and Billie Jo Spears. Indeed, the most outstanding cover version here by Amber Digby is a sizzling \\\"How Can I Unlove You.\\\" Also, Amber and husband Randy Lindley (the pair co-produced this album with Justin Trevino) do an amazingly credible remake of Tammy Wynette and George Jones's \\\"We Loved It Away\\\" from 1974. The other redo of a hit from that time period is of Johnny Paycheck's \\\"It Won't Be Long (And I'll Be Hating You)\\\" from 1968.\\n\\nVince Gill is featured on two tracks: as Amber's co-songwriter on the gorgeous and moving \\\"One More Thing I Wished I'd Said\\\" and as a duet partner on the shuffling \\\"The One I Can't Live Without.\\\" In all, Amber is a writer on six of the songs here, including the beauties \\\"You Leave Again\\\" and \\\"She'd Already Won Your Heart.\\\" These are country-song-of-the-year caliber but sadly are not pop enough for country. Those last five words (\\\"not pop enough for country\\\") are a sad commentary on the current scene. But finishing on an up note, pedal steel guitar legend Lloyd Green, whose genius runs throughout this excellent album, gets to close it with a two-minute bonus instrumental romp through his own \\\"Little Darlin'.\\\"\\n\\nThis is a must-have disc for connoisseurs of real country music from the golden age (who believe this golden age should extend to the present).\",\n \"Product: CAROLE KING - SONGS OF.. - CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Thorough collection includes all her 1961-62 U.S. and U.K. hit records\\n\\nReview: Don't be deceived by the front cover picture of Carole King in her late twenties. This 3-disc, 74-track set is entirely devoted to the 17-to-20-year-old Carole King of 1959-1962, starting as a teen girl rocker (which didn't take, but it's fun to listen to!) before moving on to composing hits at an astounding rate: how about 33 different records charting in the U.S. and U.K. in a two-year stretch ('61-62) - all before turning 21! In 1962 she was hitting the charts with a new record every two and a half weeks on average. Teamed with her husband Gerry Goffin, they logged twice as many number one songs in the U.S. in '61-62 (four) as did any other songwriter or songwriting team.\\n\\nThe four biggest Goffin-King hits of 1961-62:\\n- \\\"The Loco-Motion\\\" by Little Eva: #1 pop and R&B (U.S.) / #2 (U.K.)\\n- \\\"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\\\" by the Shirelles: #1 pop [their first #1 record] and #2 R&B (U.S.) / #4 (U.K.)\\n- \\\"Go Away Little Girl\\\" by Steve Lawrence: #1 pop and #14 R&B (U.S.) / by Mark Wynter: #6 (U.K.)\\n- \\\"Take Good Care of My Baby\\\" by Bobby Vee: #1 pop [for 3 weeks] (U.S.) / #3 (U.K.)\\n\\nTwenty-year-old Carole King recorded one chart hit of her own in 1962, \\\"It Might As Well Rain Until September,\\\" which rose to #3 in the U.K., while stalling at #22 in the U.S. The largest disparity of this kind was the Crickets' original version of Goffin-King's \\\"Don't Ever Change\\\" (notably performed live at the BBC by the Beatles) getting to #5 in the U.K., while failing to chart at all in the U.S.\\n\\nFive songs appear in two different versions - in those cases in which there were competing Transatlantic hits (such as, most famously, \\\"Go Away Little Girl\\\" - the aforementioned Steve Lawrence and Mark Wynter versions - and \\\"Up on the Roof\\\" - by the Drifters in the U.S. [#5 pop and #4 R&B] and by Kenny Lynch in the U.K. [#10]). In the case of \\\"When My Little Girl Is Smiling\\\" there are three (!) different versions included here: the original U.S. release by the Drifters [#28 pop], plus two competing U.K. covers which coincidentally both peaked at #9.\\n\\nThe one hit song in this collection not co-written with her husband as lyricist is \\\"Cryin' in the Rain\\\" by the Everly Brothers (one of her most alluring melodies in my estimation), which got to #6 in both the U.S. and U.K. She co-wrote this one with Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka's usual collaborator at the time.\\n\\nDoing the math, if there are 33 hits here, that means there are 41 non-hits. Some of this stuff went pretty low-rent in trying to mine teen hits, with \\\"Bobby, Bobby, Bobby\\\" by Jo Ann Campbell being the nadir. But with \\\"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\\\" Goffin-King upped the maturity quotient considerably. Unfortunately, they hit 100 on the shame meter with the Phil Spector-produced Crystals' single \\\"He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss),\\\" which had to be quickly withdrawn due to its extreme misogyny and endorsement of violence in a relationship.\\n\\nNot counting \\\"He Hit Me\\\" (which, as objectionable as it is, does not stray from the format), there are a couple of glitches with the content (and one with the sound: on \\\"The Slide\\\" by Freddie Scott) here. However, with 74 total tracks in play, it's not worth niggling over two of them. Also, I would have preferred less random sequencing, but for such a low-cost package to be this thorough and of such good quality, I'm willing to put up with the odd inconvenience.\",\n \"Product: Booker T. Jones will follow back-to-back GRAMMY wins for his previous two albums with Sound The Alarm out June 25th on Stax/Concord Music Group. This marks Booker s return to Stax, a label revered for the gritty soul sound he helped create with Memphis first integrated band in the early 60s, and features collaborations with some of the finest talents in modern soul and R&B including Mayer Hawthorne, Anthony Hamilton, Vintage Trouble, Estelle, Gary Clark, Jr., Luke James and more. Booker T wrote or co-wrote all twelve songs on Sound The Alarm. He co-produced the album with brothers Bobby Ross and Issiah IZ Avila, who have worked with Usher and Mary J. Blige. The Avila brothers also play in the rhythm section on most of the tracks. Booker T has won 4 GRAMMY Awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a producer, he has helmed sessions for million sellers including Bill Withers debut album Just As I Am, and Willie Nelson s Stardust. He s written and/or played on some of the most enduring songs of all time including Green Onions, Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay and Born Under A Bad Sign.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: three authentically awesome tracks; the rest is alarmingly awful\\n\\nReview: More precisely, I'm rating this CD at 2.375 -- and this is painful for me. 1962 was my initial record-buying year (45 rpm singles only) and Booker T & the MGs' \\\"Green Onions\\\" was my second instrumental. In other words, I have been a fan for 51 years and will remain so into the future despite this present three-quarters of a misstep.\\n\\nTracks 12 (\\\"Father Son Blues\\\" featuring Booker's son Ted on electric guitar), 7 (\\\"Austin City Blues\\\" featuring the guitar work of Gary Clark Jr.) and 11 (\\\"Your Love Is No Love\\\" featuring Vintage Trouble with vocalist Ty Taylor) add up to just about sixteen minutes of awesomeness, confirming that Booker T is still the ultimate instrumentalist when he's running the show. For these three tracks: five big stars without question.\\n\\nThe problem with the other nine tracks is that he ceded the production (or co-production) and co-writing to the Avila Brothers who took an enormous hyper(over)produced $*** [censored] on all of them. So, to these tracks overall, which I listened to at least twice (and most likely never will again), I give 1.5 stars. They are awash in what I call \\\"car stereo idiot bass\\\" and hyperpercussion which tend to overwhelm Hall of Famer Booker T's Hammond B3 organ and other keyboards, the putative raison d'tre of this album. Hideously monotonous synth beats and annoying vocal effects are added to one of the two most unlistenable tracks, \\\"Can't Wait,\\\" featuring Estelle. Even the background vocals put in by the Avilas are an impediment to enjoyment. On the otherwise instrumental track \\\"Fun,\\\" the single word \\\"fun\\\" gets repeated ad nauseam, which is not fun. Same thing on \\\"66 Impala\\\" (featuring fine percussion by guest artists Pancho Sanchez and Sheila E), only this time it's the monosyllabic interjection \\\"Hey!\\\" that gets shouted at you 48 times (!) in three sixteen-shout spurts. This is unimaginably annoying. Besides \\\"Can't Wait,\\\" the other Avilas-produced vocal tracks are mired in the mediocrity zone, although Mayer Hawthorne at least puts up a good fight on the opening title track before being defeated by all the excess. Booker T attempts a vocal duet on the excruciatingly mawkish \\\"Watch You Sleeping,\\\" which one wishes could have been more drowned out in the production mix. Booker T is a hopelessly bland singer and should never do this on record. His duet partner, Bill Withers's daughter Kori, has a droning whine that should not in any way be confused with actual singing. (There is a 1973 French song on this same theme that is actually poetic and profound and exquisitely interpreted: Berceuse by Franoise Hardy.) At least the horn section on the Avilas tracks is good in a retro soul horn-y way.\\n\\nThe keeper vocal here is \\\"Your Love Is No Love\\\" (featuring Ty Taylor and Vintage Trouble), which is somewhat reminiscent of Booker T & the MGs backing Otis Redding in the 1960s. The combo of Booker T, Gary Clark Jr. on guitar and Gordon Campbell on drums doing Booker T's original \\\"Austin City Blues\\\" is virtually indistinguishable from Booker T & the MGs in their prime. This CD couldn't have a better closer than \\\"Father Son Blues\\\" (another Booker T original), with Ted Jones's tremendous blues guitar blending so remarkably well with his dad's keyboards and bass. Sublime! They need to record a whole album together! Now that's a five-star idea! (No more exclamation points, I promise.)\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a lovely and heartfelt tribute by Georgette to her mom, Tammy Wynette\\n\\nReview: Tammy Wynette tribute albums can be put out there till the cows come home, but none of them will ever be as lovely, heartfelt and definitive as this one by her daughter, Georgette Jones. Georgette is an extraordinarily gifted vocalist in her own right, who also possesses qualities that no other singer can match when it comes to this material: she has a greater connection to it than anyone else will ever have -- and she alone has the echo of her mother in her voice. In my opinion, these features make this album doubly moving.\\n\\nIt certainly doesn't hurt that these songs are classics, which, especially given the exquisite arrangements and performances--both vocal and instrumental--and the production (all natural), you won't likely ever tire of listening to. In keeping with the family nature of this album, Georgette's husband Jamie Lennon provides the piquant steel guitar backing throughout. This is yet another in a series of outstanding Justin Trevino Heart of Texas (Brady, TX) productions -- and as a bonus, Trevino does a very credible vocal take on George Jones's original duet part on \\\"Take Me\\\" from 1972 (making it, as it turns out, a particularly moving tribute to the recently deceased country music legend, Georgette's dad). And what a welcome surprise (doing the original David Houston part on \\\"My Elusive Dreams\\\" from 1967) to once again hear the deep and mellow baritone of Tony Booth, an unforgettable voice from the 1970s! The 1967 \\\"My Elusive Dreams\\\" duet gave Tammy Wynette her first taste of a number one record; and as it so happens, my other four favorites here were all number ones as well: the title song \\\"Till I Can Make It on My Own\\\" (1976), \\\"Stand by Your Man\\\" (the Grammy Hall of Famer from 1968), \\\"Till I Get It Right\\\" (1973) and \\\"D-I-V-O-R-C-E\\\" (1968).\\n\\nAs a very nice touch, the CD booklet includes photos of Georgette growing up with her mom (making this an album in more ways than one!), in addition to the revealing of her mom's banana pudding recipe. I suppose some people will try this and give it a separate rating. For me, the music here is delicious enough!\",\n \"Product: For Jeff's 3rd Album for eOne Music he has joined together with British Jazz Rock Legend Brian Auger and the signature sound of Brian's B3 Organ. This amazing duo along with Alex Ligertwood on vocals and Steve Ferrone on drums have crafted a timeless journey blending Soul, Jazz and Blues.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: One fine track after another!\\n\\nReview: The only thing keeping me from naming this the contemporary jazz album of the year is the fact that I already bestowed that honor upon BWB's \\\"Human Nature\\\" two months ago (possibly jumping the gun). But to be sure, this a very worthy runner-up.\\n\\nThey can call this \\\"contemporary\\\" jazz but it's also retro - especially retro-1970s, with songs like Curtis Mayfield's \\\"Pusherman\\\" from 1972 (the \\\"Superfly!\\\" soundtrack, which in my estimation is the greatest ever), Paul Carrack & Ace's \\\"How Long\\\" from 1975, and The Police's \\\"Walking on the Moon\\\" from 1979 (the latter two featuring vocals by Christopher Cross of 1980 Grammy glory and David Pack of the '70s group Ambrosia, respectively). This '70s vibe is not too surprising given that was the decade of Brian Auger & the Oblivion Express, two of whose members (in addition to Brian) - drummer Steve Ferrone (on all tracks) and vocalist Alex Ligertwood (on two tracks) - are present. Ligertwood once again delivers impressive soul-styled vocals on the Oblivion Express originals \\\"Happiness Is Just Around the Bend\\\" (a 1973 single A-side for them -- not the same song as the 1974 Main Ingredient hit with the same title) and \\\"Whenever You're Ready.\\\"\\n\\nI'm just going to go ahead and name \\\"Pusherman\\\" the contemporary jazz \\\"lead single\\\" of the year, which I would consider to be a very safe bet. It's as if this phenomenal song had been waiting 43 years for a Hammond B3 organ-electric guitar instrumental this brilliantly arranged (including a stellar horn chart) to come along. Golub and Auger really kick it up a notch when called for. Just outstanding!\\n\\nEven though Jeff Golub is photographed on the cover with his dog, the CD opener is their take on Jimmy Smith's 1964 soul-jazz classic \\\"The Cat.\\\" You know right off the bat that you're in for a fantastic listening experience. Track 2 is a grooving melodic delight titled \\\"Isola Natale,\\\" another original Auger composition. The ride continues with the relentlessly charging Golub-co-penned title song, which boasts its own compelling melody, and the album just keeps a rolling on from there.\",\n \"Product: "As full-bodied and comforting as home-baked apple pie" is one apt description of Houston Person's saxophone sound. Inasmuch as this simile attempts to convey the comforting, warm-hearted and accomplished nature of the tenorman's art, it is spot-on, but it must be remembered that Person's roots are in organ-centred R&B. So in addition to a velvety ballad technique Person also possesses an ability to imbue up-tempo material with an irresistible wailing intensity, so his crowd-pleasing bluesy numbers provide welcome variety to this judiciously balanced set.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"Nice 'n' Easy does it every time\\\"!\\n\\nReview: A soul-jazz leader for 47 years, Houston Person is the nonpareil of melodic, soulful and warm-toned tenor sax players. It's an all-oldies program here of songs from the 1930s to 1960, the year the title song \\\"Nice 'n' Easy\\\" was issued as the title song of the Frank Sinatra LP that stayed at #1 nationally for nine weeks. Half the songs here (such as this one) swing in Person's well-established, effortlessly bluesy style, while the other half represent his peerless warm and soulful ballad side. It's a perfect mix, with both sides stellarly exemplified by his takes on the back-to-back 1934 Harold Arlen hits \\\"Let's Fall in Love,\\\" which cooks Latin-style with this terrific combo (that includes John di Martino on piano, Chuck Redd on vibes, Ray Drummond on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums) and \\\"Ill Wind,\\\" the most pensive and relaxed ballad here. For a favorite, I would unhesitatingly go with \\\"It's All in the Game,\\\" the 1912 classical composition \\\"Melody in A Major\\\" by future U.S. Vice President Charles G. Dawes that was converted into a 1951 and 1958 pop and R&B hit for Tommy Edwards [#1 both pop and R&B in its 1958 version]. Also of particular interest is the exquisitely mellow and melodic Todd Dameron (who died in 1965) ballad titled \\\"Sweet Life.\\\" It bears a 1963 copyright but gets its first issued recording here by Houston Person and company - and it's a beauty.\\n\\nAs writer Thomas Cunliffe points out in his excellent liner notes, \\\"This is not music that predicts the next development in jazz...Houston Person and his colleagues play these wonderful songs with soul, swing and spirit.\\\" I'm glad to say that this disc has no avant-garde, pretentious jazz-snob appeal whatsoever--just impeccably played, gorgeous and soulful sounds you'll want to hear again (and again!).\",\n \"Product: With 10 tracks that include five new songs and classic covers of Ray Charles \\\"\\\"Hard Times\\\"\\\" and Luther Ingram's slow burning soul masterpiece \\\"\\\"If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Wanna Be Right)\\\"\\\" Paul has again come up with an astonishing new album. Rain or Shine is a mixture of original songs and covers which all in all is a collection of songs delivered as only Paul Carrack knows how - with SOUL! Prior to the album release, Paul will be releasing the lead off track entitled \\\"\\\"That's All That Matters To Me\\\"\\\" that has already gained numerous plays on BBC Radio 2. One of the hardest working figures in modern music, Paul Carrack is celebrating over five decades in the music business. Paul has recently toured the US, the UK and Europe as a member of Eric Clapton's Band The former vocalist of Mike and The Mechanics and the voice behind world-wide hits such as 'How Long' by Ace, Squeeze's 'Tempted' and, of course, the timeless classic 'The Living Years' Carrack is now firmly established as a solo performer. Initially finding fame with Ace where he wrote and sang the classic \\\"\\\"How Long\\\"\\\". He has gone on to enjoy a successful career that spans 40 years, including guest appearances on over 60 albums, as well as writing for The Eagles, Diana Ross, Tom Jones, Michael McDonald and Jools Holland among others. Over the past decade or so Paul has worked increasingly in his own right on many solo albums; Satisfy My Soul (2000), Groovin' (2001), It Ain't Over (2003), Winter Wonderland (2005), Old, New, Borrowed and Blue (2007), I Know That Name (2008), A Different Hat with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (2010) and the current album Good Feeling which came out in September 2012. And last year BBC4 screened The Man With The Golden Voice - a programme that documented Paul's emergence from his Sheffield upbringing to the star he is today!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Rain or shine or any time, this is an ace retro album\\n\\nReview: Track-by-track appreciations:\\n\\n1) ***** \\\"Stepping Stone\\\" [writer-Paul Carrack]\\n- delightful cross between \\\"How Long (Has This Been Going On)\\\" and Motown; terrific leadoff track\\n\\n2) ***** \\\"That's All That Matters to Me\\\" [wr-PC]\\n- tender mid-tempo expression of love and devotion; superbly constructed pop song\\n\\n3) **** \\\"One in a Million\\\" [wr-PC]\\n-somewhat similar to the preceding song, but with a bit more of a Motown-ish feel; the repetition of the line, \\\"She's my little angel\\\" comes off as a tad cloying, though\\n\\n4) ***** \\\"You Don't Know Me\\\"\\n-originally a 1956 country hit for Eddy Arnold; PC's version is inspired by Ray Charles's top five pop and soul hit from 1962; the combination of PC's effortlessly soulful pipes and this timeless classic is almost too easy\\n\\n5) ***** \\\"(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right\\\"\\n-okay, we are really in retro-soul heaven now; this is a superlative cover of the Luther Ingram #3 pop/ #1 soul smash from 1972; PC not only sings up a storm of emotion, his organ fills and mid-track solo inject an even greater dose of soul into the proceedings; plus, this track features the best of all the fine orchestral arrangements on this disc; it should also be pointed out that PC plays six different instruments on \\\"Rain Or Shine\\\"; and if that's not enough, he also produced it, along with Peter Van Hooke\\n\\n6) [4.5 stars] \\\"Time Waits for No One\\\" [wr-PC]\\n-bouncy, upbeat reflection on the life he's led, love, and how he came by this title \\\"philosophy\\\"; a bit breathless and wordy, but he pulls it off like no one else could\\n\\n7) ***** \\\"Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)\\\"\\n-another Ray Charles selection (this time one RC co-wrote/from 1961); this one conveys so much meaning with minimal verbiage; PC is the next best thing these days to the late, great RC himself\\n\\n8) ***** \\\"I'm Losing You\\\"\\n-1960 French pop song (Connais-tu) by Jean Renard, adapted by Carl Sigman, which became a top ten English-language hit in the US and UK for Brenda Lee in 1963; a nearly forgotten gem of a melodic ballad of emotional desperation that PC touchingly connects with; wow, can he sing!\\n\\n9) **** \\\"Life's Too Short\\\" [wr-PC]\\n-like \\\"Time Waits for No One\\\" (trk 6), another of PC's \\\"philosophy\\\" songs; it comes up a skosh too short by comparison\\n\\n10) ***** \\\"Come Rain Or Come Shine\\\"\\n-another timeless ballad -- this one a \\\"songbook\\\" standard by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen from 1946; unsurprisingly, PC's principal influence is again Ray Charles, who recorded it in 1959; after listening to this capping title song, all I'm left with is...wow, can he sing, play multiple instruments, compose fine tunes and lyrics, produce...and handle the post-session recording-studio hoovering, no doubt!\",\n \"Product: Soul singer Bettye Swann first came to international prominence with her now-classic 1967 No. 1 R&B hit, "Make Me Yours." Following a couple of years of recording for Capitol Records, the Louisiana-born songstress was signed to Atlantic Records where she recorded for close to five years (1972-1976). Now, for the first time ever, "Bettye Swann: The Complete Atlantic Recordings" compiled by noted soul music historian David Nathan for Real Gone Music and SoulMusic Records - documents her tenure with Atlantic with a 23-track collection containing everything she recorded for the label, featuring the seven singles released by Atlantic, two of which - "Victim Of A Foolish Heart" and "Today I Started Loving You Again" - became R&B charted hits. The set also features two tracks only released on UK compilations; five previously unissued cuts; and both sides of Bettye's one-off duet with noted R&B songwriter/recording artist Sam Dees. Liner notes by renowned UK music journalist Charles Waring include quotes from Bettye, who resurfaced from retirement in 2013 to perform a one-time show in Britain.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Bettye Swann's swan songs - with Atlantic Records 1972-1976\\n\\nReview: Atlantic was Bettye Swann's last stop as a recording artist, taking her into her early thirties after a dozen years in the business. All eight of her singles (A & B sides) from this period are here, as well as seven tracks that went unissued at the time (five of which make their CD dbuts).\\n\\nHer Atlantic dbut, \\\"Victim of a Foolish Heart,\\\" was recorded at Muscle Shoals (Alabama) but clearly had a bit of Betty Wright's recent soul and pop smash \\\"Clean Up Woman\\\" (out of Miami) flowing through its veins. It was Bettye's [with an \\\"e\\\" at the end] biggest hit at Atlantic, rising to #16 soul and #63 pop in 1972.\\n\\nHer next two releases were right in her sweet spot, covers of country songs: Merle Haggard's subsequently-covered-by-many \\\"Today I Started Loving You Again\\\" and Tammy Wynette's #1 country smash \\\"Till I Get it Right\\\" from five months earlier. These harked back to her only chart hit at Capitol, \\\"Don't Touch Me\\\" [#14 soul/#38 pop in 1969], her soul cover of Jeannie Seely's #2 country hit (and Grammy winner) from 1966. The sweet, high quaver in Bettye's voice lent emotional depth and vulnerability to her interpretations of ballads - melancholy southern country-style ballads in particular -- especially when combined with her soulful rasp and subtle phrasing.\\n\\n\\\"Today I Started Loving You Again\\\" did fairly well in early 1973, reaching #26 soul and #46 pop (two years before becoming a Top Ten country hit for Sammi Smith). Its B-side was an exquisite (with every bow in Fame Studio's musical quiver being used) rendition of Etta James' monumental B-side from five years earlier, \\\"I'd Rather Go Blind.\\\" Bettye's take on it is as emotionally fragile as Etta's was frantically powerful in its despair. Bettye's \\\"Till I Get It Right\\\" only made it to #88 soul (she would never hit the Hot 100 pop chart again after \\\"Today I Started Loving You Again\\\"), despite being comparable in a number of ways to Joe Simon's #1 soul, Grammy-winning cover of Waylon Jennings's \\\"The Chokin' Kind.\\\" But that was four years earlier, and the day of the country-soul hybrid song was waning in the '70s. Making this an even stronger single was yet another fine Bettye Swann updating of a B-side oldie gem, Gerry Goffin/Carole King's \\\"Yours Until Tomorrow\\\" from a 1966 Dee Dee Warwick disc (which in '68 became a top 40 hit in the U.K. for Gene Pitney).\\n\\nAtlantic then sent Bettye on a hit-seeking odyssey to Philadelphia in 1974 that came up nearly empty in two tries: The ludicrously overproduced funk-groover \\\"The Boy Next Door\\\" managed to dent the soul chart, but its Motown-sixties-sounding follow-up, \\\"When the Game Is Played on You,\\\" went nowhere. She returned South for two more solo singles, which were to be her last, in '75 and '76. (There was also a one-off 45 of minimal merit, included at the end of this CD, on the Big Tree label which paired her with Sam Dees.) \\\"All the Way In Or All the Way Out\\\" had her back in her country-soul wheelhouse but only rose to #83 soul, pretty much signaling the end of the line.\\n\\nOf the previously unissued tracks, two (both recorded in Nashville) are magnificent: THE deep southern soul ballad \\\"Either You Love Me Or You Leave Me\\\" by \\\"(If Lovin' You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right\\\" co-writers Homer Banks and Carl Hampton, and an astonishingly heart-rending four-and-a-half-minute slow read of the Isley Brothers' \\\"This Old Heart of Mine\\\" - a peak moment in her singing career that should not be missed by any traditional soul music fan.\\n\\nIncluded in this package is a 16-page booklet with nine pages of informative liner notes by Charles Waring. Page 14 has a couple of odd glitches: 1) The color is gone from the record label photo repros; and 2) Bettye's last A-side has its title erroneously altered from \\\"Heading in the Right Direction\\\" to \\\"Heading in the Wrong Direction.\\\" Seeing as how it failed to chart and her recording career was over, this might have been a Freudian slip.\\n\\nThis collection may have been released on January 7, but I have a feeling it will remain one of my favorite single-artist retrospectives of the year.\",\n \"Product: Released 2014. A collection of songs written by Merle Haggard. Offered directly by Suzy Bogguss' own record company, Loyal Dutchess Records.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: an inspired album, as luck would have it\\n\\nReview: It's Suzy Bogguss at her talent peak (1987 to NOW!) meets Merle Haggard at his songwriting peak (1964-1984), and musical magic ensues, making us who get to hear and enjoy this the lucky ones. She sings these Haggard songs like she owns the copyrights on them.\\n\\nSuzy B. and Doug Crider co-produced this album and put together a kickin' little band that doesn't miss a beat, as well as vocal backing by the likes of Joe Diffie (her hit-making contemporary in the '90s), Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall Stewart, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Matraca Berg and Gretchen Peters.\\n\\nNo stranger to the songs of Merle Haggard, he was an early inspiration to Suzy, whose first top 50 country hit was a cover of his \\\"Somewhere Between\\\" back in 1989. She sounds as inspired as she can be on this disc; on plaintive ballads or on more upbeat stuff, it doesn't really matter -- they all come out like winners. Some were number one Haggard hits (for example, \\\"If We Can Make It Through December\\\" was the biggest country hit spanning two years, 1973 and 1974); the single best track here is \\\"The Bottle Let Me Down\\\" (originally a #3 hit in 1966), a country blues worthy of Hank Williams; while four others were non-charting B-sides, which seems impossible since we're talking about the modern country standard \\\"Today I Started Loving You Again,\\\" \\\"I Always Get Lucky with You\\\" (later a #1 smash for George Jones), \\\"Silver Wings\\\" (a hit for the Hagers), and Suzy's pièce-de-résistance heartbreak ballad performance here, the achingly beautiful CD closer, \\\"You Don't Have Far to Go,\\\" one of Haggard's earliest ones on the Tally label from 1964. These are well-chosen covers, offering a lot of variety and distinctiveness. And that right there is the key to Haggard's magic as a songwriter and to the longevity of his astonishing success.\",\n \"Product: Recorded throughout 2013 and early 2014, the new album features 12 new songs including 10 originals. Walter appropriately covers John Mayall for the occasion, as he was a member of the Bluesbreakers. Walter searches his soul on this album and lays it bare allowing new appreciation for life. The blues comes full circle; both as a reflective statement about his life and career, and as an all-penetrating desire to get back on stage and do what he loves most.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: soul-baringly direct and deeply felt blues -- a personal masterpiece\\n\\nReview: \\\"[I]t was cold at the bottom of the river...where I met my soul.\\\"\\n\\nFighting back from a life-threatening illness that found him physically \\\"wastin' away\\\" (the title of the harrowingly honest leadoff song here), \\\"The Blues Came Callin'\\\" for Walter Trout, and this emotionally powerful (positively incendiary at times), heartfelt, soulful, magnificent album is the result that accompanied his recovery -- a real gift to us. And the bonus DVD is no mere piece of throw-in filler that one can easily do without; it's a beautifully made, extremely moving 41-minute documentary film of his life and musical journey to this point.\\n\\nTrout (who co-produced the album with Eric Corne) penned ten of the twelve songs here - all but J.B, Lenoir's \\\"The Whale Have Swallowed Me\\\" (another one, like \\\"The Bottom of the River,\\\" about how bad things can get -- and no jokes, please, about a whale swallowing a trout) and an engaging guest appearance by Trout's old musical mentor John Mayall who contributed the instrumental \\\"Mayall's Piano Boogie,\\\" which he created on the spot. (Mayall is also heard on Hammond B3 on the aforementioned title track). The one other instrumental has Trout under the early-'60s influence of the great blues-rock guitarist Freddie (or Freddy) King doing the original shuffle \\\"Tight Shoes.\\\" (You'll have to read Trout's own liner notes to learn the humorous source of this title.) Also going back in time for its inspiration (think Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis circa 1957) is the album's most exhilarating vocal romp called \\\"Take a Little Time,\\\" which manages to impart an inspirational message, as well. Trout adds his own harmonica on \\\"The Bottom of the River\\\" and on \\\"Willie,\\\" his scathing indictment of record industry rip-off artists, whom he likens to bone-picking, eye-pecking vultures. He really doesn't feel the need at this point in his refocused life to hold back, as he also targets the lying politicians who do the bidding of the rich and send \\\"the poor boy off to war.\\\" It's not, as they say, \\\"about the glory,\\\" which is why he believes \\\"The World Is Goin' Crazy (And So Am I).\\\" \\\"Born in the City\\\" is a smoldering blues laying out his preference for urban life over \\\"country livin'\\\": the former boasts of streets that \\\"are hard and mean,\\\" which is more natural to him than the latter's \\\"peaceful and serene\\\" but where he feels \\\"so all alone.\\\" Doing \\\"Hard Time\\\" in solitary is how it feels \\\"when your baby do you wrong,\\\" which is not reassuring at all, so he closes with a majestic ballad of devotion to his wife Marie titled \\\"Nobody Moves Me Like You Do.\\\"\\n\\nIt's impossible not to be moved by this superlative CD/DVD combination.\",\n \"Product: Ronnie Earl, along with The Broadcasters his band of over 25 years, presents Good News, a mostly instrumental album of spellbinding intensity and deep soul that will satisfy his growing legion of fans who await each new release.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: It's actually GREAT NEWS when Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters put out a new CD!\\n\\nReview: May through June of this year may have seen the greatest consecutive three-month period in the history of soulful blues with the releases of Robert Cray's \\\"In My Soul,\\\" Dave Specter's \\\"Message in Blue\\\" and Ronnie Earl's \\\"Good News.\\\"\\n\\nThe six instrumentals here strike a balance of three slow and three up-tempo, presenting a range of distinctive styles within the genre. The gorgeous \\\"Marje's Melody\\\" and the smoldering \\\"Blues for Henry\\\" are Earl originals, and Neal Creque's \\\"Time to Remember\\\" (first heard on soul-jazz guitarist Grant Green's \\\"Alive!\\\" LP from 1970 with Creque on organ) is a magnificent, reflective Latin-jazz style blues, which gets a superb assist from Broadcaster Dave Limina on both piano (the intro) and Hammond B3 organ. The opener, Earl's \\\"I Met Her on That Train,\\\" transports us back to Memphis circa the early days of Sun Records, and Limina's original title tune is joyful gospel. Earl's \\\"Puddin' Pie\\\" is a tasty shuffle propelled by Limina's B3 and Earl's stinging and searing Chicago-style electric-guitar licks.\\n\\nDiane Blue supplies the superbly soulful vocals on Sam Cooke's immortal \\\"A Change Is Gonna Come\\\"; on a knock-out eleven-minute Earl re-exploration of the Junior Wells-Buddy Guy classic, \\\"In the Wee Hours\\\" (from the 1965 Chicago blues landmark LP [on Delmark], Junior Wells's \\\"Hoodoo Man Blues\\\"); on the prayerful original (penned by Debbie Blanchard, associate producer of this album), \\\"Six String Blessing\\\"; and on the closer, a deep soul-blues take on Ilana Katz Katz's \\\"Runnin' in Peace,\\\" a mournful reflection on the 2013 Boston marathon attack. The lyrics end with a plea for love. (Note that this album was recorded in Acton, Massachusetts, outside of Boston.)\\n\\nThis is an absolutely indispensable addition to the phenomenal oeuvre of Ronnie Earl. The title \\\"Good News\\\" almost qualifies as an understatement.\",\n \"Product: Michael Kiwanuka's second album Love & Hate was recorded in LA and London produced by Grammy Award winner Dangermouse and young up-and-coming producer Inflo. Love & Hate is a fascinatingly assured and resonant body of work following Kiwanuka's acclaimed 2012 debut LP, Home Again. Honest, unabashed, and ambitious, this new record is Kiwanuka emerging from the emotional cocoon of his first album, ready to secure his position as one of the most exciting and renowned talents or our time.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: What's Going On with Love & Hate\\n\\nReview: Thrilling progressive soul for this century, stunningly produced (by Dangermouse, Inflo, and Paul Butler) and performed by a vocalist and musician (Michael Kiwanuka) with seemingly unlimited talent and vision.\\n\\nIt is hard not to think of Marvin Gaye's landmark Motown LP \\\"What's Going On\\\" (1971) while listening to this: its adventurousness and innovation; its level of introspection as well as deep concern about the world around him, wracked with war, turmoil, poverty, ecological destruction and racial strife. Marvin would no doubt have loved this album with its probing, soul-searching lyrics, and especially its direct confrontation with racial reality, \\\"Black Man in a White World\\\" (which Marvin could not have done at Motown); the complex, layered production, arrangements, orchestrations, vocal choruses; and the mix of influences, including traditional soul, prog-rock ( la Pink Floyd), plus some striking gospel and neo-soul touches. While less political than \\\"What's Going On,\\\" Kiwanuka's tackling of the topic of race in \\\"Love & Hate\\\" harks back to another progressive soul icon, Curtis Mayfield, and what he was able to do on his own Curtom label with the Impressions in the late '60s and solo in the '70s.\\n\\nSomehow it all coheres, and every song seems to have been worked out in just the right way, as repeated listens tend to confirm. Each track has its own unique feel, and the overall impression I come away with is of a unified whole and an epic work of art that will stand the test of time.\",\n \"Product: Bettye LaVette is a true legend with a musical career spanning over 50 years, she is now rightly recognized as one of the finest vocalists and one of the great interpreters of song. In Bettye's amazing career she has performed for Barack Obama at his 2009 Presidential inauguration, (duetting with Jon Bon Jovi) and sang a moving interpretation of \\\"\\\"Love Reign O'er Me\\\"\\\" at the Kennedy Center Honors tribute to The Who (which brought Pete Townshend to tears and stunned Roger Daltrey). Her discography spans five decades, but it is within the past decade that she has finally been recognized as one of America's finest vocal talents. In 2005 she recorded the album \\\"\\\"I've Got My Own Hell to Raise\\\"\\\", which was produced by Grammy nominated producer Joe Henry, (hailed as one of the best albums of the year by many critics). Joe Henry now reflects; \\\"\\\"I've Got My Own Hell To Raise confirmed Bettye's standing as a soul and blues singer nearly without peer, and evidenced for many what had for so long been hidden in plain sight. Two more fine albums followed, both of which were nominated for Grammy Awards: \\\"\\\"The Scene Of The Crime\\\"\\\" in 2007 and \\\"\\\"Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook\\\"\\\"in 2010. Now, after almost a decade, the legend that is Bettye LaVette has teamed up with producer Joe Henry once again and the result is a stunning new album, \\\"\\\"Worthy\\\"\\\", featuring 11 songs composed by writers such as Mick Jagger & Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, John Lennon & Paul McCartney, Mickey Newbury, Beth Nielsen Chapman & Mary Gauthier(who wrote the album title track) and Joe Henry among others. As Joe Henry states; \\\"\\\"With every song on \\\"\\\"Worthy\\\"\\\", Bettye finds the thread that first will unravel it. Then she stitches it all back together until it fits her taut frame and fierce stride, until it bends to meet her; until each song's story is somehow, miraculously, telling her own\\\"\\\". \\\"\\\"Worthy\\\"\\\" is a supreme achievement from a uniquely gifted performer.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Worthy of your attention: Bettye LaVette's dbut on the Cherry Red label [UK]\\n\\nReview: First of all, you must get the absolutely essential limited deluxe edition with the bonus DVD of Bettye LaVette's 85-minute powerhouse performance at the jazz Caf in London last July. It is pure soul dynamite, far surpassing what any other vocalist currently out there can do in this realm. All 14 songs are done to perfection, but I'll list as my top five her phenomenally moving cover (which she first recorded on Atco in 1973) of Joe Simon's \\\"Your Time to Cry\\\" [a #3 soul hit for Simon in '71]; \\\"Everything Is Broken\\\" - one of the best soul covers of Bob Dylan; her dbut single as a 16-year-old in 1962, \\\"My Man - He's a Loving Man\\\" (which comes with the story of why, despite being a teen from Detroit with a breakout national hit, she couldn't get on \\\"American Bandstand\\\"); a spectacular extended version of \\\"Heaven (The Closest I'll Ever Get)\\\" that has her traversing the whole room; and as her closer, a reflective and dramatic a cappella reading of Sinead O'Connor's \\\"I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.\\\" She is backed on this memorable evening by an impeccable, soul-cookin' four-man band led by keyboardist Alan Hill.\\n\\nSongs on the 2015 album \\\"Worthy\\\" - and their sources (listed in chronological order):\\n\\n- \\\"Wait\\\" -- The Beatles (1965, from \\\"Rubber Soul\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"Complicated\\\" -- The Rolling Stones (1967, from \\\"Between the Buttons\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"When I Was a Young Girl\\\" -- Savoy Brown (1970, as \\\"When I Was a Young Boy,\\\" from \\\"Raw Sienna\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"Just Between You and Me and the Wall, You're a Fool\\\" -- The Amazing Rhythm Aces (1977, from \\\"Toucan Do It Too\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"Bless Us All\\\" -- Mickey Newbury (1977, from \\\"Rusty Tracks\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"Unbelievable\\\" -- Bob Dylan (1990, from \\\"Under the Red Sky\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"Stop\\\" -- Joe Henry [co-producer, with Bettye LaVette, of \\\"Worthy\\\"] (2001, from \\\"Scar\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"Where a Life Goes\\\" -- Randall Bramblett (2008, from \\\"Now It's Tomorrow\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"Undamned\\\" -- Over the Rhine (2011, from \\\"Long Surrender\\\" - produced by Joe Henry)\\n\\n- \\\"Worthy\\\" -- Mary Gauthier [co-written with Beth Nielsen Chapman] (2014, from \\\"Trouble and Love\\\")\\n\\n- \\\"Step Away\\\" -- dbut song written for Bettye LaVette by Christine Santelli and Brian Mitchell\\n\\nNo matter what the song, Bettye LaVette turns it into deep soul, singing each from the inside out, capturing every nuance of feeling that each lyric can possibly provide. She can't help but make them all personally emotional. Risking a lapse into clich, it's almost impossible to avoid the phrase, \\\"She makes these songs her own.\\\"\\n\\nQuite possibly since Joe Henry co-produced this album with her, his composition \\\"Stop,\\\" an enticing and exciting soul tango (with killer piano accompaniment by Patrick Warren), is the track that I'm guessing will have you pressing \\\"replay\\\" the most. I enjoy the relentless rockin'-soul vibe of the Stones' \\\"Complicated\\\" on which Bettye sounds so much like the now \\\"happily retired\\\" Tina Turner (whom I have missed). Beatles purists may have a problem with the nearly unrecognizable, dirge-like, wracked-with-torment Bettye LaVette take on \\\"Wait\\\" (from \\\"Rubber Soul\\\" but originally written for \\\"Help!\\\"), but not if they are really paying attention. The next oldest song, Savoy Brown's \\\"When I Was a Young Boy\\\" (changed to \\\"Girl\\\" here), will take you back to the sound of turn-of-the-'70s soul. Its if-I-knew-then-what-I-know-now message takes on maximal credibility in Bettye's experienced hands. Her pair of 1977 country covers, \\\"Just Between You and Me and the Wall, You're a Fool\\\" and \\\"Bless Us All\\\" are revelations. The former is transformed into an anguished soul blues, backed by smoldering electric guitar by Doyle Bramhall II and organ by Patrick Warren. The latter is superlative Southern-soul-style balladry, so sensitive and sincere. Bob Dylan's \\\"Unbelievable\\\" feels like an attempt to recreate Bettye's magic on his \\\"Everything Is Broken,\\\" but for me the song just doesn't possess the same power or click in quite the same way. The two most recent compositions, which bring the album to its close, create the definite impression of being anthems destined to become part of her live shows: the brand-new \\\"Step Away\\\" is catchy mid-tempo soul with horns and an upbeat message; and the title ballad \\\"Worthy\\\" takes it home on a most compelling and triumphant note.\\n\\nI doubt there will be too many albums in 2015 better than this one; and the all-region (\\\"O\\\") \\\"bonus\\\" DVD is magnificent.\",\n \"Product: On his 11th album, That Lovin' Feeling, Steve Tyrell celebrates what he calls "the Great American Songbook 2; the next generation of the Songbook," recording seminal rock era classics penned by legendary songwriters (many renowned for hits penned at New York s famed Brill Building) who are also cherished longtime friends. While sharing the enduring magic of timeless songs by the songwriting teams of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich as well as Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, Toni Wine and Carole Bayer Sager, That Lovin' Feeling sets itself apart from most tribute recordings with spirited guest vocal appearances by Mann, B.J. Thomas, Neil Sedaka and Bill Medley in addition to renowned backup singer Judith Hill (featured in the Oscar winning documentary "20 Feet From Stardom") and Tyrell's daughter Lauryn Tyrell. The set also includes key instrumental contributions by Stoller, keyboardist Chuck Leavell, saxophonist Dave Koz and even playful hand claps by Jeff Barry.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: jazz-&-soul-inflected pop oldies done to a \\\"T\\\" (as in Tyrell)\\n\\nReview: Steve Tyrell, with his versatile (jazz/pop/soul), reassuringly raspy voice and burnished vocal style - who can seemingly do no wrong these days - pays homage to a number of the greatest songwriters of the second great wave of 20th century American songwriting (1953-1975 -- from Leiber & Stoller's \\\"Hound Dog\\\" to Neil Sedaka's \\\"Laughter in the Rain\\\"), all of whom were associates and friends going back to his days as record producer at Scepter Records in NYC in the '60s.\\n\\nThere are two songs from the 1950s, nine from the '60s (with the median year being 1963, just ahead of the British Invasion), and three from the '70s. The songwriters in question include the immortal Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller (\\\"Hound Dog,\\\" \\\"There Goes My Baby, \\\"Stand by Me\\\" [these last two with Ben E. King] and \\\"On Broadway\\\"); Burt Bacharach (\\\"Any Day Now\\\" [with Bob Hilliard]); Carole King (\\\"Up on the Roof\\\" [with Gerry Goffin] and \\\"Jazzman\\\" [with David Palmer]); Neil Sedaka (\\\"Laughter in the Rain\\\" [with Phil Cody]); Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil (\\\"On Broadway\\\" [with Leiber-Stoller], \\\"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'\\\" [with Phil Spector], \\\"Good Good Lovin',\\\" \\\"Just a Little Lovin'\\\" and \\\"Rock and Roll Lullaby\\\"; Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich \\\"Be My Baby\\\" and \\\"Chapel of Love\\\" [both with Phil Spector], and Carole Bayer Sager and Toni Wine (\\\"Groovy Kind of Love\\\").\\n\\nNot that Tyrell couldn't carry these songs on his own, along with his outstanding group of backing musicians on this all-organically-produced album, but what could be better than duets with the great original artists, Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers on \\\"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin',\\\" B.J. Thomas on \\\"Rock and Roll Lullaby,\\\" and Neil Sedaka on \\\"Laughter in the Rain\\\"? For a bit of extra frosting on the cake, Barry Mann teams up vocally with Tyrell on his stellar 1963 co-composition, \\\"On Broadway.\\\" On the distaff vocal side, there are major contributions from Judith Hill (especially on \\\"Good Good Lovin'\\\") and daughter Lauryn Tyrell on \\\"Chapel of Love.\\\" Guest musicians include saxophonist Dave Koz (\\\"Jazzman\\\"), Chuck Leavell (piano on a pair of tracks), and the great Mike Stoller himself [since deceased, sadly] (Hammond B3 organ on his 1961 Hall of Fame co-write \\\"Stand by Me\\\").\\n\\nThis is an oldies vocal album that puts so many of the others to shame. Tyrell seems to inhabit these songs and has every nuance down pat. The arrangements are bright and creative (and did I say \\\"organic\\\"?!) but don't stray too far from the originals. The most different would have to be the delightful new tweaks to \\\"There Goes My Baby\\\" (street-corner doo-woppier, with an a cappella opening), \\\"On Broadway\\\" (jazzier), and especially \\\"Laughter in the Rain\\\" - but that's with Neil Sedaka himself clearly on board for a slowed-down version somewhat in the manner of what he did with his own remake of \\\"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do\\\" in the '70s. \\\"Hound Dog\\\" is taken back to its bluesy, pre-Elvis roots. If I had to pick favorites, I would start with \\\"Rock and Roll Lullaby\\\" and \\\"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin',\\\" because Tyrell's teaming up with B.J. Thomas and Bill Medley, respectively, worked out so well. These two guest stars still sound as great as ever. (And note that it was Tyrell who produced the original 1969 B. J. Thomas version of \\\"Rock and Roll Lullaby.\\\") Then, I would have to go with \\\"Any Day Now,\\\" since Chuck Jackson, another singer he produced (on Scepter's Wand subsidiary label), was a favorite who inspired him from his earliest days in the business.\\n\\nThis whole project is inspired! Tyrell's best.\",\n \"Product: In 1971, Atlantic Records released a pair of Dusty Springfield singles produced by the legendary songwriter/producer Jeff Barry (one-time songwriting and romantic partner of Ellie Greenwich, and author of too many hits to name): "Haunted"/"Nothing Is Forever" and "I Believe In You"/"Someone Who Cares." A restless Dusty, freshly relocating to America from her native England, then departed the label and left an additional 9 songs recorded with Barry in the can, where they stayed until Rhino issued one track, "Faithful" (in mono), as a bonus track on the 1990s CD release of Dusty's 1970 Atlantic album A Brand New Me. The other tracks didn t surface until a subsequent deluxe reissue of Dusty s landmark 1969 album Dusty in Memphis included them as bonus cuts. Now, reissue producer Jim Pierson who tracked down the missing masters after being lost for over two decades has assembled all of Dusty s Barry-produced masters and put them together in a single package for the first time to create the third Dusty Springfield Atlantic Records album as planned in 1971. Real Gone Music s release of Faithful presents these historic Barry-Springfield collaborations exactly as they were originally intended to be heard, with the 12 tracks intended for the album release and one intended for single-only release. All tracks are in stereo, while the liner notes, penned by The Second Disc's Joe Marchese, feature a number of rarely-seen photos of the legendary singer. These stunning pop, soul and gospel flavored selections showcase the iconic singer at the height of her vocal magic. A missing/jumbled part of Dusty s august recorded legacy, finally set right!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: prime 1971 Dusty Springfield - here for the first time as originally intended\\n\\nReview: Recorded in 1971, \\\"Faithful\\\" was intended to be Dusty Springfield's third LP at Atlantic, after \\\"Dusty in Memphis\\\" (1969) and \\\"A Brand New Me\\\" (1970), and was expected to be released early in 1972. Yet only now (a mere 43 years later!), thanks to Real Gone Music (UK), it is seeing its first release in its complete original album form.\\n\\nWhite-hot producer at the time, Jeff Barry, was brought over to Atlantic to helm this project (he also arranged, as well as contributing three new songs); and while I'm not going to say this LP, as now thoroughly reconstituted, is as strong overall as its two predecessors, it is definitely playing in the same league. Dusty is as passionate and emotional, sultry and soulful as ever -- and I would contend that at least a couple of her finest performances on record can be found here.\\n\\nTwo singles from this set did in fact get issued in 1971, but despite their high quality, neither charted nationally. The first single A-side, \\\"Haunted,\\\" (written by Barry and Bobby \\\"Montego Bay\\\" Bloom) has Dusty in hard-charging Motown mode on a song that reminds me a lot of two by Marvin Gaye that I really liked from 1968 (preceding \\\"I Heard it Through the Grapevine\\\"): \\\"You\\\" and \\\"Chained\\\" (both about love obsessions, as is \\\"Haunted\\\"). The Barry-Bloom B-side \\\"Nothing is Forever\\\" (a bonus track here, as it was not intended for the \\\"Faithful\\\" LP) is a big ballad, Dusty's other specialty besides soulful pop. The second issued single was Jeff Barry's \\\"I Believe in You,\\\" which sounds as though it could have been the deepest southern-soul recording ever attempted by a white British artist up to that point. It's one of her greatest moments, but it may have been too specialized for the marketplace at the time, which was mostly driven by radio airplay. The B-side was the dramatic pop ballad with strings, \\\"Someone Who Cares,\\\" a 1970 movie theme done first by Kenny Rogers & the First Edition.\\n\\nIn any event, with these two singles going nowhere; and given Dusty's \\\"dissatisfaction\\\" with Atlantic (according to Joe Marchese's informative liner notes), she flew the coop (moving to ABC/Dunhill) before the LP could be released, pretty much assuring its extinction.\\n\\nBut at least we have it now! And in addition to \\\"Haunted\\\" and \\\"I Believe in You,\\\" it contains some other truly fine ones. The original, \\\"Love Shine Down,\\\" is one of several gospel-tinged numbers (there is also the opener \\\"I'll Be Faithful,\\\" whence the LP's title, and its closer, \\\"I Found My Way Through the Darkness\\\"), and her performance on it is clearly Aretha-inspired. Interestingly, Dusty does a catchy, uptempo original titled \\\"All the King's Horses,\\\" which would appear to have inspired labelmate Aretha's own self-penned 1972 ballad by this exact title.\\n\\nBesides the aforementioned \\\"Someone Who Cares,\\\" the two other cover versions here are of some note [no pun intended]: Carole King's \\\"You've Got a Friend\\\" (from \\\"Tapestry\\\") has to be one of the most covered songs of the '70s, but Dusty's version was actually one of the very earliest, recorded before \\\"Tapestry\\\" even got to the #1 spot. It should be noted that Dusty had regularly been covering Carole's songs for eight years when she recorded this one. But taking the remake cake is a magnificent, heavenly reading (with a gorgeous Barry arrangement) of David Gates/Bread's #1 pop ballad from the previous year, \\\"Make It with You.\\\" It could very well be Dusty's most sensual vocal performance ever. She almost seems to be caressing the words as much as singing them; and it doesn't take long before she's floating on air into her highest register. I'll repeat: magnificent!\\n\\nAnd only four tracks later (with the excellent \\\"Love Shine Down,\\\" \\\"I Believe in You\\\" and \\\"Have a Good Life\\\" in between), she is rocking out southern-style (very credibly, I might add) on the pounding, insistent, electric-guitar-laden \\\"Natchez Trace.\\\"\\n\\nThis is definitely the frontrunner so far in 2015 for finest album reissue of the year.\",\n \"Product: Originally released in 1967, 'California Nights' is regarded as Lesley's masterpiece. The album comprises seven tracks recorded in New York with producer Bob Crewe and three titles cut with arranger Jack Nitzsche in Los Angeles. Our reissue includes an additional dozen highlights from Lesley's 1965 albums 'My Town, My Guy And Me' and 'All About Love' and three mid-60s recordings that first surfaced from the Mercury vaults in the 1990s.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) Title song dwarfs weaker LP material; ample Ace bonus tracks boost value\\n\\nReview: Ace [UK] \\\"California Nights\\\" hit parade (highest U.S. national pop chart positions):\\n\\\"My Town, My Guy and Me\\\" (1965) #32 Billboard\\n\\\"I Won't Love You Anymore (Sorry)\\\" (1965) #61 Cash Box\\n\\\"We Know We're in Love\\\" (1966) #58 Record World\\n\\\"Off and Running\\\" (1966) #94 Record World (only \\\"bubbled under\\\" in Billboard at #108)\\n\\\"Treat Me Like a Lady\\\" (1966) \\\"bubbled under\\\" at #115 in Billboard\\n\\\"California Nights\\\" (1967) #11 Cash Box\\n\\n\\\"California Nights\\\" turned out to be '60s pop princess Lesley Gore's last major hit and she was only just turning 21; yet her run which began at age 16 in '63 with her recording of \\\"It's My Party\\\" was impressive and memorable, as well as being more enduring than any of her teen girl-pop counterparts'. At least she held her own rather well against the British invasion, although her best record \\\"You Don't Own Me\\\" was prevented from becoming a national number one record when the Beatles suddenly crashed the U.S. pop charts with \\\"I Want to Hold Your Hand\\\" in early '64. What she couldn't weather as the late sixties approached was the onslaught of more heavyweight, relevant and personal material being generated by her rock and singer-songwriter contemporaries.\\n\\nIn any event, what is clear now is that whenever Lesley Gore had a distinctive song to work with she did very well with it. All of her hits attest to this; and it should be noted that she co-wrote the first three hits listed chronologically above (all contained in the bonus tracks) - two of them with brother Michael (in 1980 they were Grammy and Oscar nominated for their songwriting on the ballad \\\"Out Here on My Own\\\" from the movie \\\"Fame.\\\"). \\\"California Nights\\\" is a beautifully composed tune by the late Marvin Hamlisch (just a couple years older than Lesley - both are gone now, sadly), who went on to great heights in the business. [For trivia buffs: Hamlisch is the only person ever to have won all of the following awards: Academy Award (3), Grammy (4), Emmy (4), Tony (1), Golden Globe (2) and Pulitzer Prize (1, shared).]\\n\\nThe Bob Crewe co-writes on the \\\"California Nights\\\" album, other than the catchy, undervalued single \\\"Treat Me Like a Lady\\\" just sort of blend together with several others, but there are two more that make a strong impression: the single \\\"Off and Running\\\" (written by Carole Bayer and Toni Wine/produced by Quincy Jones, who produced \\\"It's My Party\\\") is a British beat-influenced rocker with a hot Jack Nitzsche arrangement. It barely cracked one of three national top 100s, yet in retrospect it seems like one of her better efforts. My guess is that it was just too unexpected from her, and neither radio programmers nor her fans would go for it. \\\"Cry Like a Baby\\\" is not the same song as the subsequent Box Tops hit, but a genuine soul record (a fairly minor R&B hit for Aretha Franklin while still at Columbia) penned by Jo Armstead, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. These two fine tracks took Lesley out of her pure pop bag and allowed her to shine in very different ways.\\n\\nThis being an Ace package we get the 16-page deluxe-booklet treatment loaded with colorful photographic realia; while the liner notes by Malcolm Baumgart briefly tell the story behind every one of the 25 recordings.\\n\\nI just wish there were more songs here that really stood out and would have been fully up to Lesley's Gore level of talent.\",\n \"Product: 2015 release from saxophonist, vocalist and songwriter Jessy J, one of the brightest stars on the Smooth Jazz scene.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This whole CD is \\\"paraso mgico\\\"!\\n\\nReview: With this, her fifth studio album, it is pretty much indisputable that Jessy J is the queen of Latin-tinged contemporary jazz saxophone (and she is excellent when she picks up the flute as well). She is an impeccable player, and this is her best piece of work from start to finish.\\n\\nSeven songs here are originals - all of these co-written by Jessy J, who was involved in nearly all of the album's arrangements and some of the production. Guitarist Paul Brown produced, recorded and mixed a number of tracks and plays on five. Keyboardist Gregg Karukas also guest stars on four of the Paul Brown-produced tracks.\\n\\nLead single \\\"The Tango Boy\\\" is endlessly catchy, with its relentlessly pulsating beat, and features Jessy J's most uninhibited playing. Let's just call it the contemporary jazz original lead single of the year. The Cuban-flavored \\\"Paraso Mgico\\\" (which I reference in my title here) is a joyous Caribbean delight with Jessy J on flute and leading the colorful Spanish-language chorus. Catch the cool and clever, perfect ending of the song. \\\"Back to the Basics\\\" is melodic (as is everything she composes) but has a cool, funky Latin beat and a particularly fine piano solo by Norman Jackson. Opening original \\\"Una Mas\\\" combines gracefulness and soulfulness and is followed by the sultry and dreamy title ballad (\\\"My One and Only One\\\"). \\\"Cuba\\\" (we're back in the Caribbean!) has a swirling melody and features excellent drumming by Iajhi Hampden and a Wes Montgomery-esque guitar solo by Michael Angel. \\\"Siempre\\\" features the sultry solo voice of Jessy J, as well as her flute stylings, and a very fine Rusian Sirota piano solo.\\n\\nHer three well-chosen cover versions, it seems to me, take her out of her usual bag and are the proof that she is the equal of anyone in this contemporary jazz (sometimes called \\\"smooth jazz\\\") genre. Her take on The Cure's \\\"Love Song\\\" (or \\\"Lovesong\\\") is exquisite, possessing a beautiful, rich tenor tone. The percussion, as well as Paul Brown's superb guitar backing and solo, all contribute to a stunning ballad track. (IMO, this is one of the most gorgeous melodies to emerge from pop music in the last 20 years of the 20th century; and it's not hard to see why Adele would make it the only cover version on her second, incredibly successful LP, \\\"21.\\\") Then there's the Jessy J version of Toni Braxton's #1 R&B and pop smash from 1996, \\\"You're Makin' Me High.\\\" It's melodic, soulful and grooving - and 6:22 seldom goes by this quickly. Paul Brown outdoes himself on this one with his tasty guitar licks and red-hot blues-jazz solo.\\n\\nAnd finally (and it is in the closing [Trk 10] position) there's my favorite of all, an absolutely loaded-to-the-brim (Jessy J is heard on three instruments; and there is some rare programming here, but it all works in building an astounding wall of sound) instrumental cover of the phenomenal song \\\"Strawberry Letter 23,\\\" composed by teenage genius Shuggie Otis in 1971, off his magnificent \\\"Freedom Flight\\\" LP, which I was lucky (or perceptive) enough to purchase at the time. There is nothing more to say after this.\\n\\nWarning: This album is not recommended for jazz snobs and avant-gardists who prefer incoherent, out-of-tune saxophone screeching and fourteen-minute solos.\",\n \"Product: The Fantastic Four are revered by Motown fans. Their three-year stay with the label resulted in just a couple of issued 45s but the quartet was scheduled for an album release and recorded enough extra originally-unissued tracks to fill a second album. 'The Lost Motown Album' presents the planned 1970 long player in Motown's plan for its running order augmented with more than a dozen gems from the same period. A whopping 14 of these have never seen the light of day before.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a fantastic find! 77 and a 1/2 minutes of solid 1969-70 Motown soul\\n\\nReview: The Fantastic Four were the rare case of a group that was hot until they joined Motown, hot again after they left Motown, but who had nearly nothing to show for their time there. In fact, these native Detroiters' one hit record at Motown, \\\"I Love You Madly\\\" (not in this collection) originally came out on their previous label and was then transferred to Motown's Soul imprint (the label home of Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Jimmy Ruffin, Shorty Long, and the Originals). At Motown they did not receive consistent support and were relegated to second-tier (arguably third-tier) status. (One of their members called it being \\\"put on the shelf.\\\") However, they themselves were as consistent as could be, as one can hear across the 25 tracks found here: 12 which were for a projected LP that never materialized, and 13 additional tracks. Both sides of their three issued 1969-1970 singles (the only ones recorded at Motown) are here. I knew of this Detroit group when they were with their previous label (Ric Tic) and had their 1968 soul-chart single \\\"I've Got to Have You,\\\" but I never heard these three before.\\n\\nThe Fantastic Four were blessed with an outstanding, powerhouse lead singer in the portly form of \\\"Sweet\\\" James Epps, whom I would situate voice-wise between Darrell \\\"Open the Door to Your Heart\\\" Banks and Motown's David Ruffin. Since the projected LP was going to be called \\\"How Sweet He Is,\\\" there was no doubt that the plan was to spin James off as a solo act.\\n\\nFor me, the two most outstanding tracks by a mile from \\\"How Sweet He Is,\\\" which should have been A-side singles in my estimation, are their fantastic (hey, it's the right adjective for these!), exquisitely rendered cover versions of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's beautiful duet ballad \\\"If This World Were Mine\\\" (written by Marvin) and Jerry Butler's cleverly tuneful \\\"Just Can't Forget About You.\\\" Both of these in their original releases had been B-sides and thus way undervalued. - meaning, there could have been huge hit potential to exploit. \\\"If This World Were Mine\\\" was the flip side of Marvin and Tammi's \\\"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You\\\" and did not receive anywhere near the kind of attention it deserved: only #27 soul nationally and #68 pop. Butler's \\\"Just Can't Forget About You,\\\" as the flip side of the #1 soul (and #16 pop) smash \\\"Hey, Western Union Man,\\\" was completely ignored. The singles that were put out on the Fantastic Four were solid but just wouldn't have stood out from the crowd enough to have had much impact (that and the lack of promotion).\\n\\nThe bonus tracks feature a killer version of Johnny Bristol's \\\"I'm Still a Struggling Man,\\\" which went on to become Edwin Starr's follow-up hit to \\\"Twenty-Five Miles.\\\" Three Bobby Taylor-produced tracks - \\\"Loving You (Is Hurting Me), \\\"I Hate Myself for Loving You\\\" and \\\"Fan the Flame\\\" - are excellent, emotive (as the titles suggest) midtempo ballads. (\\\"Fan the Flame,\\\" co-written by Smokey Robinson, originally appeared on a Temptations LP.) The uptempo, very catchy and well-constructed \\\"In a Bad Way\\\" would have been another fine choice for a Fantastic Four single - it had originally been a 1964 Freddie Gorman single on Ric Tic and was worthy of a second chance.\\n\\nThis is a typically outstanding Ace/Kent Soul compilation. The sound mastering is flawless - and included is the obligatory photo-filled Ace booklet that never fails. Co-compiler Tony Rounce's six pages of liner notes tell the Fantastic Four's story about as well as it can be told in this format. Sadly, as we learn in the final paragraph, none of the original Fantastic Four survived to see this \\\"long-overdue retrospective of their time at Motown...\\\" But Fantastic Four fans now have this pleasure.\",\n \"Product: It's hard to believe 12 years have passed since 'Pet Projects: The Brian Wilson Productions', one of the first releases in our much-admired Producers series. Not before time, Wilson now joins such greats as Randy Newman, Laura Nyro, Goffin & King, Dan Penn, Bacharach & David, Jackie DeShannon and Serge Gainsbourg in our equally high profile Songwriters series. The collection opens with 'Do You Have Any Regrets?' by Darian Sahanaja of the Wondermints, a rare composition from Wilson's unissued 'Sweet Insanity' album of the early 90s. While Wilson's version was a rather frantic latin-styled piece, Sahanaja's recording is an homage to the 1965-era Beach Boys. Along with collectable tracks by Johnny Wells, Basil Swift, the Castells, Joey & the Continentals, Keith Green and Peggy March, Sahanaja's luxuriant cover makes its legit CD debut here.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Ace Records and Brian Wilson are a recommendable combination\\n\\nReview: \\\"Here Today! The Songs of Brian Wilson\\\" Hit Parade (peak national pop chart positions indicated):\\nJan & Dean \\\"New Girl in School\\\" (1964) #26\\nThe Hondells \\\"My Buddy Seat\\\" ('64-65) #61\\nThe Tokens \\\"Don't Worry Baby\\\" (1970) #71\\nHugo Montenegro \\\"Good Vibrations\\\" (1969) #87\\nBobby Vee \\\"Here Today\\\" (1966) #122\\n\\nMy top 13 (out of 25 total tracks), which includes \\\"New Girl in School,\\\" \\\"Don't Worry Baby\\\" and \\\"Here Today\\\" (listed above) -\\n[chronological order]:\\nThe Surfaris \\\"Don't Hurt My Little Sister\\\" (1965)\\nKeith Green \\\"Girl Don't Tell Me\\\" (1965)\\nBruce & Terry (Bruce Johnston & Terry Melcher) \\\"Help Me Rhonda\\\" (1965/unissued until 1998)\\nJohnny Wells \\\"Guess I'm Dumb\\\" (UK/1967)\\nCarmen McRae \\\"Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)\\\" (1967)\\nNick DeCaro \\\"Caroline, No\\\" (1968)\\nLittle Peggy March \\\"Aren't You Glad?\\\" (1968)\\nBetty Everett \\\"God Only Knows\\\" (1975)\\nKirsty MacColl \\\"You Still Believe in Me\\\" (1981)\\nDarian Sahanaja \\\"Do You Have Any Regrets?\\\" (1994)\\n\\nOf the above ten, a trio of women (Carmen McRae, Betty Everett and Kirsty MacColl) rule. Jazz chanteuse Carmen McRae's recording of \\\"Don't Talk\\\" - produced in London by Johnny Keating, replete with theremin - is a near masterpiece among Brian Wilson/Beach Boys cover versions. Betty Everett's Gene-and-Billy-Page-produced \\\"God Only Knows\\\" is an emphatically soulful mid-'70s take on the classic tune. And Kirsty MacColl's \\\"You Still Believe in Me\\\" qualifies as an outright masterpiece, taking into account all aspects of the multi-layered production supporting her magnificent, deeply connected reading of the poignant \\\"Pet Sounds\\\" ballad from fifteen years earlier.\\n\\nThe problem with this compilation, though, involves the other twelve tracks which do not make my cut. Most of them are concentrated in the middle of the disc, creating kind of a doughnut effect. Tracks 11 through 17 take the inconsequentiality cake, with Jay & the Americans' \\\"Things Are Changing\\\" (a Bob Dylan rip-off title) hitting rock bottom (in more ways than one). It's actually a bizarre piece of Phil Spector-produced propaganda (in the form of an extended public service announcement) urging poor minority kids to go out and get jobs which were supposedly so plentiful. This is an even preachier and more dumbed-down quasi sequel to Jay & the Americans' jingoistic 1963 hit that proclaimed, \\\"Only in America, land of opportunity...\\\" This feels like the longest 2:50 ever captured on vinyl and would appear to be here only as a sop to completists.\\n\\n(Incidentally, a suddenly distracted Homer Simpson stopped reading this review following my \\\"doughnut\\\" and \\\"cake\\\" references.)\\n\\nAs usual, one can trust Ace Records to provide the best sound mastering possible, along with a deluxe 20-page full-color booklet chock-full of eye-popping realia and comprehensive liner notes covering each track and artist.\\n\\nThe effort is here - and there is very little I had ever heard before - but getting through a dozen of the lesser tracks (just about half) felt like a bit of a slog.\",\n \"Product: Neil Young + Promise of the Real have joined forces and will release a new studio album, entitled The Monsanto Years, on June 29th via Reprise Records. For this guitar-centric, full steam-ahead and highly-charged rock album, Young is joined by Promise of the Real, an LA-based rock band fronted by Lukas Nelson (vocals/guitar), along with Micah Nelson (guitar, vocals), Anthony Logerfo (drums), Corey McCormick (bass) and Tato Melgar (percussion). The ecologically/environmentally-focused album will be released via all retailers and in the Neil Young Official Online Store. The Monsanto Years will be available in a special CD + DVD package, iTunes, and PonoMusic high-resolution audio. Pre-orders begin today, May 26th. Click here to pre-order.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"Big Box\\\" hits the bull's-eye, but beware of message overkill\\n\\nReview: No question, this is largely diatribe with a lot of repetitive overkill and heavy-handedness; and attempting to listen to the entire 51 minutes in a single sitting will become ponderous, for sure. Yet, one can admire Neil's single-minded focus and be grateful for a singer-songwriter (backed by an outstanding group of musicians) who is not preoccupied with self and who is willing to take on what he considers to be a broader global danger. I find it impossible to doubt the sincerity of his belief that hypercorporatist greed is destroying our way of life and our freedom - and ultimately poses an existential threat to our planet.\\n\\nTwo of his songs talk about love but not in a mundane way. \\\"People Want to Hear About Love\\\" is an engagingly tuneful rocker that deals with the subject ironically, while \\\"A New Day for Love\\\" offers a heartfelt message of hope for the future.\\n\\nThe country-tinged rocker \\\"Workin' Man\\\" pulls no punches in describing the plight of small farmers, whom mega-agribusiness is out to crush (if they resist being wholly exploited) using its high-priced corporate attorneys (U.S. Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas - who was once one of these Monsanto \\\"men with briefcases\\\" - gets called out for his hypocrisy in this matter).\\n\\n\\\"A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop,\\\" with its punny title and jaunty melody (featuring happy-go-lucky whistling, no less!) is all in-your-face irony, as its lyrics just continue to pile on the outrage to this upbeat tune. The title track piles it on thick as well, only it's heavy, plodding, repetitious, long and drawn out.\\n\\nBy the way, for anyone who thinks Neil Young sings off key, have you ever heard him before? He has always sung in his OWN key! There is nothing new to say on this score. Q magazine's Mark Blake describes the \\\"grizzled and angry\\\" Young's voice as one that \\\"creaks like an un-oiled silo door.\\\" At least he said nothing new in a new way! No doubt that the more layered the sound of a track is behind him, the better he sounds.\\n\\nWhat really makes this album a winner is the presence of a near masterpiece: the song \\\"Big Box\\\" (which calls out Walmart by name in one verse) gets everything right musically and lyrically. It is an epic, superbly constructed track that really hits the bull's-eye. Even with its 8:16 running time it doesn't seem too long. I would almost go so far as to call it a \\\"Layla\\\" for this century, only political.\\n\\nFrom \\\"Big Box\\\": \\\"[Plundering, law-breaking] corporations [are getting] too big to fail, too rich for jail...some way, somehow we will prevail.\\\"\\nWrite on, Neil!\\n\\nThe DVD includes complete versions of every song as they are being recorded. Superb sound and cinematography.\",\n \"Product: Voted by The Blues Foundation as Blues Guitarist of the Year in 2014, guitar master Ronnie Earl and his band return with an even stronger package of music. Added to the spellbinding intensity and soulfulness of Earl's guitar, is the presence of a horn section for the first time in decades, adding another dimension to his sound. The 13 tracks on Father's Day also feature two special guest vocalists throughout: Diane Blue, whose previous work with Earl created a sensation; and Chicago-based Michael Ledbetter, best known as lead singer of the Nick Moss band. Ledbetter is also a distant relative of the iconic Huddie William Leadbelly Ledbetter, whose 12-string blues style has influenced generations of blues, folk and rock musicians.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: fantastic \\\"Father's Day\\\" gift to blues fans\\n\\nReview: Be prepared for 79 absolutely astonishing minutes of blues magic, with a couple of ultra-soulful R&B ballad oldies and a late-'50s soul-jazz instrumental classic.\\n\\nFor Chicago West Side blues fans, we get four excellent covers of classics by two of the best of all time, Otis Rush and Magic Sam. A couple of Rush's \\\"time\\\" songs, \\\"Right Place, Wrong Time\\\" and \\\"It Takes Time\\\" receive high-intensity makeovers with Earl's blazing guitar and Michael Ledbetter's powerful, soul-drenched vocals. \\\"All Your Love,\\\" my favorite Magic Sam tune, is explored for seven-plus minutes, with another outstanding Ledbetter vocal and plenty of room for Earl to dazzle with his stinging Magic Sam-esque guitar fills and for Dave Limina to delve deep on piano and Hammond B-3 organ. Diane Blue does the vocal honors on Sam's probing, soul-searching \\\"What Have I Done Wrong.\\\"\\n\\nLimina is especially luminescent (on B-3) with Earl on B.B. King's \\\"I Need You So Bad\\\" (KIng's recent death really raising the stakes for this track as a tribute). There is also a top-notch bit of New Orleans blues here with a fiery remake of Fats Domino's \\\"Every Night About This Time.\\\"\\n\\nOf Ronnie Earl's three originals, two are impressive soul-blues duets (\\\"Follow Your Heart\\\" and \\\"Higher Love\\\") with the aforementioned guest vocalists (who appear on twelve of the thirteen tracks), Michael Ledbetter and Diane Blue. The third is the title song \\\"Father's Day\\\" by Earl and Ledbetter - very movingly sung by the latter - which deals with the very difficult personal issue of repairing rifts in the family and coming together in peace, understanding and forgiveness while there is still time.\\n\\nEarl et al (Limina, Jim Mouradian on bass, Lorne Entree on drums) transform themselves into a stellar electric guitar, organ and sax (Mario Perett on tenor, Scott Shetler on baritone) soul-jazz combo with their brilliant rendition of Bobby Timmons' classic \\\"Moanin',\\\" first recorded by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1958.\\n\\nThe variety keeps on going right to the end with the closing gospel tune \\\"Precious Lord\\\" sung to a fare-thee-well by Diane Blue.\\n\\nBut I was most taken aback by the 15 minutes devoted to a pair of early '60s R&B songs: Gladys Knight & the Pips' 1964 hit ballad [#4 R&B / # 38 pop] \\\"Giving Up\\\" (written by Van McCoy) is taken to the church of the blues. Just the deepest soul and blues together in a magnificent instrumental arrangement and with a vocal by Michael Ledbetter that will overwhelm you with its soulfulness. Fine song, but I can't imagine what could have inspired such a masterpiece to emerge from it five decades later. Four tracks down, the deep exploration of Bobby Bland's #2 R&B hit ballad from 1960, \\\"I'll Take Care of You\\\" (written by Brook Benton and Clyde Otis), stretches out to nine minutes - all instrumental for the second half - with stunningly gorgeous solos by Earl and Limina.\\n\\nThere is so much intense, smoldering, passionate, high-powered playing and singing on this one CD that it's hard to imagine anything that could ever top it - yet if anyone can, Ronnie Earl will find a way.\",\n \"Product: 2015 album from Canadian songstress mixing up foot-stompin' country & bittersweet balladry with rock'n'roll attitude! Includes 9 new tunes plus a cover of the Bee Gees classic 'To Love Somebody'.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: realistic depictions of life and love in working-class America\\n\\nReview: Lindi Ortega's \\\"Faded Gloryville\\\" is up there sharing the same rarefied Americana air as Eilen Jewell's stellar \\\"Sundown Over Ghost Town,\\\" and we can only hope that these two artistically extraordinary albums will be duking it out for the Best Americana Album Grammy. (When asked to offer a definition of Americana music, I usually respond that it's country music for people with measurable IQs.)\\n\\nThese songs are realistic depictions of life and love in working-class America where emotional and day-to-day survival can no longer be taken for granted. One can get trapped in a \\\"Run-Down Neighborhood\\\" and a woman can find that her man has \\\"Run Amuck\\\" amid the \\\"bars and dirty alleys...whiskey and tequila...uppers, downers, coffee and cocaine.\\\" \\\"Faded Gloryville\\\" is the trickle-down American dream now come crashing down - a place of disillusion where \\\"nobody wears a crown.\\\" But she holds out hope that \\\"Someday Soon\\\" there will be \\\"somethin' better [...] waitin' for me...a thousand miles from yesterday.\\\"\\n\\nIn addition to the previously cited pair of ballads, the album begins and ends with a pair of strikingly poetic and poignant beauties, \\\"Ashes\\\" and \\\"Half Moon,\\\" respectively. And by way of contrast, besides the aforementioned \\\"Run\\\" songs, there are some other potent rockers as well: the appealingly New Orleans-y \\\"When You Ain't Home\\\"; the bouncy, coolly melodic and emphatic \\\"Tell It Like It Is\\\"; and her breezy \\\"I Ain't the Girl,\\\" which is thematically somewhat reminiscent of Bob Dylan's \\\"It Ain't Be Babe\\\" (but from the distaff side five decades later).\\n\\nThe only song not written or co-written by Lindi Ortega is her splendid Memphis-soul-style cover of an all-time favorite of mine, the Bee Gees' \\\"To Love Somebody\\\" from 1967, which they originally intended to be an Otis Redding Memphis soul record. This is one of three tracks not recorded in Nashville but in that other Mecca of Southern sixties soul, Muscle Shoals, Alabama.\\n\\nExcellent production, songwriting, musicianship, vocals...the works.\",\n \"Product: Buddy Guy, the legendary award winning blues icon, will release his brand new studio album Born To Play Guitar on July 31st via RCA Records. The follow-up to his 2013 double disc release, Rhythm & Blues, which debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Blues Albums chart, Born To Play Guitar is produced by Grammy Award winning producer/songwriter and Buddy's longtime collaborator Tom Hambridge.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a brilliant musical statement by the elder statesman of blues guitar\\n\\nReview: At 79, Buddy Guy may be the last surviving still actively recording link to both the blues of the Deep South and the 1960s Chicago electric blues scene. I was wondering what he would do next (in 2015) now that we are definitively in the post-B.B. King era. What I wasn't really expecting was this, one of his greatest albums ever.\\n\\nFor the first six tracks of this 14-track, 59-minute disc, I was thinking this is very entertaining, very upbeat, sounds great, is well produced (by drummer Tom Hambridge, who wrote or co-wrote all twelve of the original songs here - five with Buddy); and although \\\"five-star\\\"-worthy for sure, not necessarily one of his all-time best. Then came Trk 7 and the stellar soul blues of \\\"Crying Out of One Eye\\\" (featuring the Muscle Shoals Horns) and a whole parade of fantastic tracks all the way through the closing pair of heart-felt tributes: to B.B. King (the stunning gospel-soul-blues duet \\\"Flesh & Bone\\\" with Van Morrison), and the other to his great mentor and friend Muddy Waters (the poignant and brilliantly played - on dual acoustic guitars [with Doyle Bramhall II] - \\\"Come Back Muddy\\\").\\n\\nAlthough the opening title track seeks to explain Buddy's lifelong (or at least since the age of two!) obsession with the guitar, it's Trk 9, \\\"Turn Me Wild,\\\" which contains his single best encapsulating refrain: \\\"The blues done turn me wild, dug deep down in my soul.\\\" \\\"Thick Like Mississippi Mud\\\" (Trk 12) is the real, deep southern stuff again with the Muscle Shoals Horns (who jumped on over to Nashville where this LP was recorded) and Buddy's plaintive and scorching 1957 Stratocaster guitar licks.\\n\\nBesides the moving B.B. King homage with Van Morrison, Trk 8 takes the cover version duet cake with a terrific R&B (accent on the \\\"B\\\") remake of Brook Benton & Dinah Washington's all-time classic from 1960, \\\"(Baby) You've Got What It Takes\\\" [the #1 R&B record of the year; and it even got to #2 pop in Cash Box], with Joss Stone doing an astoundingly effective job with the Dinah Washington part. Both of them sound genuinely inspired. Not to slight the other guest stars, Billy Gibbons of Z.Z. Top provides a throaty vocal and blistering guitar alongside Buddy on the raucous, pounding Texas shuffle \\\"Wear You Out\\\" (one of those early tracks I found so entertaining); and Kim Wilson of Fabulous Thunderbirds fame guests on harmonica (reminiscent of Junior Wells with Buddy) on Little Walter's \\\"Too Late\\\" (a Willie Dixon co-write from 1953), as well as on the spunky original, \\\"Kiss Me Quick.\\\"\\n\\nLastly, something has to be said about Trk 10, another masterpiece (penned by Guy, Hambridge and Gary Nicholson), called \\\"Crazy World.\\\" If you have always wanted to hear Buddy Guy express his deepest thoughts about the state of our beleaguered planet - socially, economically, ecologically; crying out against the injustices (as he backs himself with startlingly emotive \\\"wah-wah\\\" guitar riffs) - this is it. Very powerful, without trying to be overpowering - and an original-song-of-the-year candidate with \\\"Crying Out of One Eye\\\" (if I have anything to say about it...which of course I don't).\\n\\n I have nothing else to say at this time, as I need to listen to this phenomenal album again (for the I've-lost-count-of-how-many-eth-time in these past few days).\",\n \"Product: (2LP) 2015 album /song cycle for the TV adaptation of UK music journalist/comedy writer/Radio DJ Danny Baker's 1970s coming-of-age memoir \\\"Going to Sea in a Sieve\\\". Housed in a gatefold sleeve with download code.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Squeeze squeeze a lot of memorable moments into this exceptional album\\n\\nReview: \\\"I wasted time in a constant panic\\nas the Rome around me fell\\\"\\n\\n- from \\\"Cradle to the Grave\\\" (title song)\\n\\nApparently, these songs are intended to form the soundtrack of an upcoming BBC TV series based on a book. Who knows when we will be able to watch this show in the U.S., but for the time being it matters not: this is a stunning new album that is instantly classic Chris Difford-Glenn Tilbrook Squeeze - and it's one that easily stands on its own.\\n\\nThe lyrics are clever and literate - and even if we are not familiar with the characters from the book, the writing of the songs conveys more than enough for us to be able to understand a lot about them. Other songs have universal meaning, such as the title song about life and the brief time we have to live it, but in a most pleasantly pulsating way; or the joyous and breezy \\\"Happy Days\\\" with its nostalgia for summer getaways to the country or at the seashore. \\\"Nirvana\\\" is a brilliant song about devoted parents who now find themselves lonely empty nesters. The icing on the cake is that it is set to an easy disco beat no doubt meant to convey the couple's long-ago courtship years. \\\"Open\\\" is a cool, very much Squeeze-at-their-finest tune about an anxious groom at the altar. There's a succession of songs about the protagonist as an adolescent (very honest stuff here) and young man en route to finding his future. At the end we encounter some wistful, introspective ballads, as the now much older man comes to cherish his past and the whole journey.\\n\\nSuperb musicianship, backing vocal choruses, arrangements, engineering and sound mastering, and overall production (by Glenn Tilbrook and Laurie Latham). There is also a sweet 12-page booklet with dazzling original artwork and the complete printed lyrics to all of the songs. Everything is here in one ultra-impressive package.\",\n \"Product: Houston Person still remembers the day in 1950 that changed his life. He was a typical 16-year-old in his hometown of Florence, SC. He sang in the high-school choir and glee club, but he was mostly interested in football and basketball. Then, Christmas morning, his parents gave him a surprise gift: a tenor saxophone. Several decades, hundreds of albums, and thousands of concerts later, his life and career remain centered around the tenor sax. When it comes to soul-jazz, Person has been at the top of the genre for more years than he may care to admit. Through all the different styles coursing through those decades -- from hard bop, through fusion, to avant-garde -- Person has been steadfast in his dedication. All of Houston Person's trademarks are present on his newest recording. With the phenomenal vibes of Steve Nelson and the top-flight rhythm section -- ably led by pianist John di Martino -- Houston & Co. caress the ballads with lush melodicism and swing heartily through the up-tempo numbers.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: warm, melodious tenor sax by a master with a matchless combo\\n\\nReview: Warm-toned, soulful tenor sax ace Houston Person has been a leader since the 1960s and has never disappointed. Even more amazingly, the quality of his albums, still being produced at a rate of one per year, continues to surpass his already impossibly high standards.\\n\\nFor anyone who has read my previous review (from eleven months ago) of Houston Person's \\\"The Melody Lingers On,\\\" you may have noticed that I just self-plagiarized (not a violation unless I decide to sue myself!), but it all still applies.\\n\\nThe ten superlative tracks here [totaling more than 63 minutes of exquisite music] were recorded in a single day early this past June. Person, who produced them all impeccably, was 80 at the time (and is now 81), but the cliché about fine wine definitely holds true in his case. And just try to find finer sound recording (engineering, mixing and mastering) for jazz than by the legendary and ageless Rudy Van Gelder at his studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The sequencing of tracks brilliantly juxtaposes different tempos, heightening the listening experience. No matter what the tempo, up-, mid-, or down, the hauntingly soulful and lyrical quality is always there.\\n\\nChoosing favorites is impossible here: kind of like trying to pick a favorite flavor of ice cream - so much depends on one's mood of the moment. I will start with his midtempo take on the gorgeous Grammy-winning, Academy Award-winning \\\"The Way We Were\\\" from 1973-74, music composed by the late Marvin Hamlisch. I can especially \\\"hear\\\" Gladys Knight's voice in the phrasing. [For trivia buffs: Marvin Hamlisch is the only individual to have won all of the following awards: Academy Award (3), Grammy (4), Emmy (4), Tony (1), Golden Globe (2), and Pulitzer Prize (1, shared).]\\n\\nNext, since I also really enjoy it whenever Person goes old-school R&B, I can't get enough of his rockin' take on Rudy Toombs' \\\"Teardrops from My Eyes,\\\" Ruth Brown's massive #1 hit from 1950-51. He delivers a change-up on Irving Berlin's \\\"Change Partners,\\\" a 1938 Hollywood film standard first performed by Fred Astaire, deftly, transforming it into a bossa nova, an early-sixties genre I never seem to tire of when done well.\\n\\n\\\"Crazy He Calls Me,\\\" a 1949 classic composed by Carl Sigman and devastatingly interpreted by the immortal Billie Holiday, has it all in a Houston Person ballad (the soul, the warmth, the lyricism, the emotion - turned up to \\\"eleven\\\" here in Spinal Tap terms). A midtempo \\\"The Second Time Around\\\" would have fit Person's \\\"Nice 'n' Easy\\\" album from two years ago perfectly, but works here just as well.\\n\\nIn a bit of a surprise - one that couldn't be more pleasant - \\\"(I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over\\\" is taken at a swinging pace, and I don't think I have ever enjoyed it more. Just a refreshing musical palate pleaser. The ballad \\\"Guilty\\\" goes back to the early 1930s when it was popularized by crooner Russ Columbo. This one is enhanced, as so many are here, by beautiful vibraphone and piano solos. Another turn-of-the-thirties pop standard, \\\"On the Sunny Side of the Street\\\" receives a sprightly once-over replete with the album's only drum solo.\\n\\nThe title song \\\"Something Personal,\\\" beyond the brilliantly meaningful play on words with the artist's name, is a lovely ballad that I don't believe I have ever heard before. The album's closer is something really special: a nearly ten-minute take on Benny Golson's musical homage to Clifford Brown, \\\"I Remember Clifford.\\\" This is a most sensitive reading of the tune, with more than time enough for relaxed and melodic solos on vibes, piano and bass.\\n\\nThe superb musicians supporting Houston Person are Steve Nelson on vibraphone, John di Martino on piano, Ray Drummond on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. All but Martino played on last year's \\\"The Melody Lingers On.\\\" And on four tracks James Chirillo distinguishes himself on electric guitar, including very notably the one I have declared my favorite [of the moment], \\\"The Way We Were.\\\"\\n\\nLiner notes writer Willard Jenkins calls this \\\"another highlight in the discography of a man who truly plays for the people.\\\" I'll second that emotion.\",\n \"Product: One Of The Lonely Ones is the newly discovered, never-before-heard, 1969 Roy Orbison album that has never been released until now! Recorded primarily between January and August of 1969 this album is an honest account, arguably more so than any other, of Roy Orbison's life. This album is mixed and expertly mastered by Grammy winning engineers. Package features new, period appropriate, original artwork. 180 gram vinyl with 60 page booklet included.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: dramatic, intriguing, stunning masterpiece LP shelved since 1969\\n\\nReview: Contained in the attractive 12-page \\\"One of the Lonely Ones\\\" accompanying booklet are the superbly written liner notes by Alex Orbison providing us the context in which this magnificent album was created. Roy had undergone two life-shattering tragedies in a two-year period prior to recording this album in 1969, and listeners can tell that he is feeling things very deeply. The title song penned by Roy and Bill Dees is a powerful and uncompromising exploration of the depths of one's own loneliness and is at the same time graceful and melodically gorgeous. Alex explains how this project gave Roy the creative outlet he needed to get beyond the pain - to just focus on the music for a while. The LP was originally intended to be issued the first week of November, 1969, \\\"but the release never happened until now\\\" (46 years later). Alex believes that his father would have fully approved of the new final mixes, remastering and sequencing, but he does not speculate on why this brilliant and very personal piece of work was shelved at the time.\\n\\nSix of the twelve tracks are originals from the Orbison-Dees collaboration and appear consecutively in the middle of the album. While everything else is a ballad, three of these tracks rock at various tempos: \\\"Laurie\\\" is a deliberate throwback to the good times of 1962 when the 4 Seasons were on top with \\\"Sherry\\\" (and Roy had his \\\"Dream Baby\\\" and \\\"Leah\\\"), as Roy sings joyously in his highest register about his \\\"Laurie baby.\\\" \\\"Give Up\\\" has a cool time-shifting arrangement, replete with harmonica. And I can only describe \\\"Child Woman, Woman Child\\\" as a rocking and extremely loose take-off (in the sense of musical and lyrical flight) on \\\"Oh, Pretty Woman.\\\"\\n\\nBesides the aforementioned title song \\\"One of the Lonely Ones,\\\" which can now join the pantheon of Roy's greatest recordings, we have the intriguing Dees-penned \\\"Little Girl (In the Big City)\\\" with its clever and gripping pop arrangement, as well as the only political song Roy ever did, titled \\\"The Defector.\\\" It mentions \\\"the war\\\" (in Vietnam) and the \\\"seeds of discontent\\\" (the protests) in confusing times that find the song's narrator \\\"walking alone,\\\" alienated and far away from home. All in barely two minutes. Talk about intriguing!\\n\\nFor the rest, the LP starts with the inspirational Rodgers & Hart big-ballad showstopper from the 1945 musical \\\"Carousel,\\\" \\\"You'll Never Walk Alone,\\\" which is right in Roy's astonishing vocal wheelhouse and is clearly a song that held great meaning for him and offered reassurance. This is an emotionally powerful performance, but it sets the stage for what is to follow, as opposed to overwhelming it. We also get a pair of Mickey Newbury gems (\\\"Leaving Makes the Rain Come Down\\\" and Sweet Memories\\\") that feel almost as though they were composed with Roy in mind; two by Sammy King (\\\"Say No More\\\" and \\\"After Tonight\\\"), which are both exquisite in their own way; and the stunningly beautiful closer that looks toward a better future, \\\"I Will Always,\\\" by the legendary country songsmith Don Gibson, for whose work Roy had a special affinity.\\n\\nVery big thank-yous to Roy's Boys (Alex, Roy Jr. and Wesley) for this great gift that we might otherwise have never been able to hear and enjoy.\",\n \"Product: With the debut of their first hit, California Dreamin , on the charts, The Mamas and the Papas proclaimed themselves to be a potent new force in the burgeoning West Coast folk-rock movement, announcing to the world that something special and beautiful was happening in California. Now, 50 years to the day after California Dreamin entered the Billboard Hot 100 on January 8, 1966, Real Gone Music is celebrating this very special anniversary by releasing The Mamas and the Papas: The Complete Singles The 50th Anniversary Collection, a two-CD, 53-track set that includes for the first time ever the A and B side of every single the group released, all in their impossible-to-find-on-CD original mono single mixes. But this one-of-a-kind collection which is remastered by Aaron Kannowski, the engineer responsible for Real Gone s acclaimed collections of singles by fellow Dunhill label acts The Grass Roots and Steppenwolf doesn t stop with The Mamas and the Papas singles; it also includes the solo single sides that group members Mama Cass Elliot, Denny Doherty and John Phillips cut for the Dunhill and ABC labels, again in their rare, original single mixes. Co-Producer Ed Osborne s notes feature quotes drawn from extended interviews with Mama Michelle Phillips and Dunhill label head and producer Lou Adler, while the package also includes a number of rarely-seen images of this eminently photographable band. Many of the solo singles and B-sides have never been on CD, let alone in their single mixes; plus, over the course of listening to this set (which clocks in at over 150 minutes) you re going to hear such legendary songs as Monday, Monday, California Dreamin , Creeque Alley, I Saw Her Again, Words of Love, Dream a Little Dream of Me, Glad to Be Unhappy, Dedicated to the One I Love, and It s Getting Better exactly as folks heard them over the radio back in those halcyon days. Due to the unfortunate situation with the Dunhill single master tape reels (supposedly thrown out at the behest of one of the label s owners), Mamas and Papas fans had despaired of ever hearing the group s original singles on CD. Now, after countless hours spent tracking down sources, Real Gone Music is proud to release the most significant addition to The Mamas and the Papas discography in years!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) Monophonic Mamas & Papas\\n\\nReview: Real Gone promises us the complete 1965-71 singles (A and B sides) in their original mono form - including the post-Mamas & Papas solo Dunhill singles by Mama Cass, John Phillips and Denny Doherty - and delivers it all to a fare-thee-well in just over two and a half hours. The 24-page accompanying booklet is a comprehensive one, with photos (mostly black and white) and 14 pages of well-researched and well-written notes by Ed Osborne that even include explications of any musical differences (other than mono vs. stereo) between the single and LP mixes. Most significantly, the notes recount the whole colorful story of this fascinating foursome who may have flamed out faster than any other group that is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.\\n\\nObviously this is not the collection for stereophile album fanatics or casual fans of the group. Personally, I tend to be neutral on the mono-vs.-stereo issue, but in cases whereby I owned the original '60s single I really appreciate having the CD version in the identical sonic format. The \\\"California Dreamin'\\\" 45 was the first record I acquired in 1966 - before having any idea what a phenomenal musical year it would turn out to be.\\n\\nSo, IMO, Real Gone has done a five-star job with this double-disc all-singles compilation. My minor ratings deduction thus has only to do with the quality of some of the group's music, particularly relating to a small number of B-sides and the long slog on Disc Two through Mama Cass's sixteen consecutive single sides.\\n\\nSomewhat in the mold of Phil Spector, who regularly sabotaged B-sides so that radio programmers could make no mistake as to which was the producer's preferred A-side, it seems that Mamas & Papas producer Lou Adler occasionally pulled this same stunt. Certainly there was no mistaking this in the case of \\\"Dancing Bear\\\"'s B-side from late '67 (as the group was rapidly going downhill on Dunhill), the execrable \\\"John's Music Box.\\\" One of the downsides of some completist collections is that you can get stuck with some throwaways.\\n\\nWith the Mama Cass solo run, all the sunshine pop and purposely old-timey-sounding stuff wear thin [no pun intended] in a hurry. Her B-sides are particularly weak, reaching the nadir of unlistenability on \\\"All for Me,\\\" on which she hums the entire melody and only sings intelligibly for a few seconds of the final fade-out.\\n\\nOn the upside, non-charting B-side heaven is attained by the Mamas & Papas on their luminescent pop-harmony reworking of the Temptations' soul masterpiece \\\"My Girl,\\\" the flip of their late-'68 cover of Bobby Freeman's \\\"Do You Want to Dance\\\"; as well as by Denny Doherty (solo) on the gorgeous \\\"Gathering the Words\\\" from 1971. Disc Two ends with Denny's next B-side, \\\"Tuesday Morning,\\\" the savagely brilliant lampoon of \\\"Monday, Monday,\\\" a John Phillips-penned song that Denny notoriously despised (despite its being the group's biggest hit and a Grammy winner, to boot). Folky banjo aside, it is intentionally dreary and dirge-like as it plods repetitively through each day of the week - placing special emphasis of course on \\\"Monday, Monday\\\" - as if intoned by a major depressive.\\n\\nI beg to differ with Denny, even though I get and appreciate what he did there. One cannot really cast doubt on the genius of John Phillips, who was able to take a phrase like \\\"All the leaves are brown...\\\" and spin it into pure gold.\",\n \"Product: Kent kicks off 2016 with a special project that will gladden the hearts of all lovers of Memphis soul and, in particular, those who collect the recordings made at McLemore Avenue, the home of Stax Records. 'The Other Side Of The Trax' brings together 24 Stax single sides from the 'Blue' era never on CD before - and that, in most if not all cases, have not been available on vinyl since their appearance on 45 half a century ago. Most of Stax's top names of the era are featured at least once, with repertoire every bit as good as anything else they cut. Almost all the tracks are taken from Stax's original production masters, apart from Johnnie Taylor's Northern Soul favourite 'Changes' which makes both its CD and stereo debut here.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: B-side myself about these Stax sixties B-sides\\n\\nReview: In 1991, when I finally took the plunge and began buying CDs, the very first purchase I made (and it's still the best I ever made) was the nine-disc \\\"Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles 1964-1968\\\" box set. But if there was one thing about it I wasn't completely enamored with, it was that only around one-fifth of the B-sides were featured. Now, 25 years later, Kent Soul, the greatest label there is for '60s soul reissues, has taken a major step toward righting this \\\"wrong\\\" with this present disc containing two dozen 1964-1968 Stax-produced B-sides. As only those which have NEVER been issued on CD before* are included here, there is nothing by Stax's leading stars from this period - Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Booker T & The MG's, and bluesman Albert King - but this only makes this release seem like even more of a priceless rarities collection not to be missed.\\n\\nLabel mainstays Carla and Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, and William Bell appear on ten tracks, all in fine form. And unless you own(ed) the original vinyl 45s, it is unlikely you have ever heard any of these tracks before. The company's biggest star from its subsequent (post-1968) phase, Isaac Hayes, appears with his instrumental group Sir Isaac & The Do-Dads with their grooving, soul-jazzy (and ultra-rare) \\\"The Big Dipper\\\" (1965), one of six of the Stax trax here co-written by him (all of the others being with his soon-to-be songwriting partner David Porter). Two other instrumentals of note are the Mar-Keys' red-hot, horn-driven groover \\\"Beach Bash\\\" (1965) and blues guitarist Johnny Jenkins' \\\"Sleepwalk\\\"-influenced \\\"Bashful Guitar.\\\" Jenkins was clearly not someone Stax was very interested in, but his group's young vocalist who drove him from Macon, Georgia to Memphis sure turned out to be: as it was none other than Otis Redding (!), who was given a bit of time at the end of Jenkins' 1962 instrumental session and wowed everyone with \\\"These Arms of Mine,\\\" which he had co-written (it quickly became a #20 national R&B hit - the first charting record on the Volt imprint).\\n\\nStax was seemingly incapable of producing a bad side, so everything here is worthwhile; but in my opinion, the surprise B-side stars are Barbara & The Browns (by a mile! - just a magnificent, emotive and compelling soul singer was Barbara Brown) with \\\"You Belong to Her\\\" and \\\"Please Be Honest with Me\\\" (both from 1964); Eddie Purrell with his majestic deep soul ballad \\\"My Pride Won't Let Me\\\" (1967); the \\\"blue-eyed\\\" Otis Redding-inspired plaintive and pleading balladry of Johnny Daye's \\\"I Need Somebody\\\" (1967); and the appropriately growling Dorothy Williams with her bouncy but somewhat intimidating blues, \\\"Watchdog.\\\"\\n\\nGet ready for over an hour of entertaining and often intriguing Stax rarities. As with any Ace/Kent Soul product, the sound mastering is of the highest order. This is an excellent compilation by the always-reliable Tony Rounce, who as usual provides the thoroughly researched, well-written notes contained in the 16-page photo-filled accompanying booklet.\\n\\n* [In what would appear to be a minor oversight, one of the B-sides here was in fact previously issued on CD: Carla Thomas's \\\"A Boy Named Tom\\\" appeared as Trk 11 on the 2007 Warner/Rhino UK release \\\"Carla Thomas - The Platinum Collection.\\\"]\",\n \"Product: Kinked! Kinks Songs & Sessions 1964-1971' is an alternative celebration of the Kinks' first decade, via the songs that 'got away', when a surfeit of strong material was shopped by Davies' then-publisher and management, both in the UK and overseas. These tunes include several signature items never officially recorded by the Kinks: 'I Go To Sleep', 'This Strange Effect', 'All Night Stand'; or released well in advance of the Kinks' own versions. The range of interpreters is wide, from pop-jazz chanteuse Peggy Lee and teen idol Bobby Rydell to Brit-girls the Orchids and Goldie & The Gingerbreads, UK mainstays Herman's Hermits and the Pretty Things, sessioneer Nicky Hopkins, satirist Barry Fantoni, US garage punk avatars the Chocolate Watchband and R&B veterans the Olympics. Several cuts are previously unissued alternate versions / mixes or recent vault discoveries.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: very cool Ace Records Ray (and Dave) Davies Kinks covers compilation\\n\\nReview: Similar to the early Beatles with Paul McCartney and John Lennon, whose astonishing songwriting prolificacy could not be contained wholly within the confines of the group (too much material at one time for their label to be able to put out on them), Ray Davies of the Kinks also created a wealth of excellent songs that other recording acts were able to pounce on. Here is 67 minutes of superb-sounding recordings (21 mono tracks, 5 in stereo) of Ray Davies songs (and one by brother Dave) - some of which the Kinks never got around to recording - that represent his greatest strengths as a songwriter: early brilliant blasts of visceral R&B-tinged rock and roll energy (largely fueled by Dave's stellar lead guitar riffs) that soon transitioned to even more brilliant and diverse stuff with outstanding original melodies and lyrics that ran the gamut from tender, sweet and optimistic to exceedingly sharp and clever observations and satirical critiques of contemporary British society. Dave is represented only by the opening track, one of those terrific early ravers, \\\"One Fine Day\\\" (not to be confused with the 1963 Chiffons hit with that title), done here by Shel Naylor (1964).\\n\\nI had only heard three of these tracks before, two of them being, in my view, absolute pop gems that should have been big hits but which didn't even \\\"bubble under\\\" the national charts; while the other proved to be the only smash hit in this collection, reaching #5 in the U.S. The latter, \\\"Dandy\\\" by Herman's Hermits (1966) was overexposed, and I could never really fathom that group's appeal. Ray Davies was bitterly disappointed (with reason) that the Kinks' version was not issued as the U.S. single instead. My two shoulda-been hits are the superb pop-rockers \\\"When I See That Girl Again\\\" by Bobby Rydell (1965) and \\\"I Bet You Won't Stay\\\" by the Cascades (1966), both of which I only first heard decades later on CD. \\\"When I See That Girl Again\\\" should have revived Rydell's flagging career (he never had a Top 100 charter after turning 23), while the Cascades had so much more to offer beyond their original pop masterpiece \\\"Rhythm of the Rain\\\" from 1963.\\n\\nThere are two here that pierced the lower reaches of the British chart: Dave Berry's intriguing \\\"This Strange Effect\\\" [#37 in 1965] and the Pretty Thing's \\\"A House in the Country\\\" [bottom-feeding for two weeks at #50 in 1966], which combined gritty rock energy with Davies' observational lyrics.\\n\\nThe girl-group sound is well represented by the Orchids' insistent \\\"I've Got That Feeling\\\" and the undervalued Goldie & the Gingerbreads' (from NYC but working in England) \\\"Look for Me Baby\\\" - both from 1965 - fun, hook-laden seeming winners, but the latter inexplicably remained in the can.\\n\\nBest Kinks cover? IMO, it's the Chocolate Watchband's version of \\\"I'm Not Like Everybody Else\\\" from 1966 (heard here in a great-sounding alternate mono mix). They do a tremendous job filling out the song and giving it an edgy, classic garage-rock feel.\\n\\nMost surprising: a non-charting Peggy Lee (!) A-side single from 1965, the lovely and lilting \\\"I Go to Sleep.\\\" Petula Clark also shows up with her French-language version of the trenchantly satirical \\\"A Well Respected Man,\\\" translated as \\\"Un Jeune Homme Bien.\\\" It's quite well done; but while it had little impact in France, it became a #1 single in Québec.\\n\\nAnother contender for best of disc has to be the latest recording here, \\\"Nobody's Fool\\\" by Cold Turkey, released as a British single in 1972. This is a beautifully rendered, haunting (those plaintive guitar licks!) and sad ballad about personal alienation.\\n\\nI haven't even referred to half of the fine tracks on this magnificent collection that even for Ace Records with its reliable excellence seems special.\\n\\nThe twenty-page accompanying booklet is a beauty, and the notes by compiler Alec Palao cover every song and recording act. They are wonderfully written and indispensable.\\n\\nThis is among the very best so far in Ace's continuing songwriters series.\",\n \"Product: The highly anticipated follow-up to 2012's critically acclaimed 'Finding You Again' proves once more that time has not diminished Bob Lind's brilliance. 'Magellan Was Wrong' contains 12 new recordings including a rare cover of Tom Paxton's 'Bottle Of Wine' and is a testament to Lind's evolution - 50 years after 'Elusive Butterfly', he continues to hone and reshape his style. From the cry-from-the-guts opener 'I Don't Know How To Love You', to the symphonic closing piece 'A Break In The Rain', these songs demonstrate a wide melodic variation.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: finding Bob Lind again...again\\n\\nReview: \\\"Magellan was wrong\\n This world is flat sometimes...\\\"\\n\\nWith age and wisdom come doubt and disillusionment, which we must come to terms with in order to survive. Don't just believe what you've been told and think that is sufficient. The reality we live is something else altogether. Excellent title tune...and it's catchy and instantly memorable. (Written by Bob Lind, as are 11 of the 12 tracks; arranged by Lind with Jamie Hoover, the principal producer here.)\\n\\nThis is the 50th anniversary of Bob Lind's one and only year on the national charts. In 1966 he had five pop chart entries, running a total of 31 weeks, topped by his brilliant dbut record \\\"Elusive Butterfly,\\\" which went to #5 in both the US and the UK. It was also poetic and forever memorable, but we mostly lost track of the elusive Bob Lind until four years ago and his superb comeback album \\\"Finding You Again\\\" (also with Jamie Hoover producing), which I reviewed on November 8, 2012. At that time I made the point that \\\"all his songs are meaningful and intelligent\\\" and that \\\"each track is beautifully layered, enhancing every nuance of Lind's impeccable verbal phrasing.\\\" I added that this \\\"is what artistic and musical integrity sounds like\\\"; and that while \\\"it's not what one might call 'contemporary' (thank goodness), it's timeless.\\\" I will stay with that. It is very well-crafted singer-songwriter pop (occasionally verging on jazz), which could have been made any time from the '60s until now; but it certainly helps that the author-performer has had half a century of life experience to work with in the interval, so that he can plumb the nuances and complexities he has encountered.\\n\\nThis album is full of profound reflections about life and love (not that he wasn't originally onto something when he described the latter as \\\"elusive\\\"), friendship and alienation; with emotions ranging from joyfulness and hopefulness to the aforementioned doubt and disillusionment. There are a few surprises along the way, such as a comforting song welcoming home returning war veterans (\\\"You Are Home\\\"); his one cover version, that being Tom Paxton's \\\"Bottle of Wine,\\\" which has more going on under the surface than one might ordinarily realize; and the rare comic relief of \\\"You, Lola, You!\\\" - a purposely \\\"stupid\\\" love song dedicated to the proposition that love can make one do crazy and stupid things.\\n\\nThe album's closer, \\\"A Break in the Rain\\\" (produced and arranged by Lind), reflects his ultimate takeaway message of light and hope and joy for life, and it features a stunning chorale of female voices.\\n\\nThis excellent, vibrant-sounding Ace Records (UK) release includes a 16-page booklet with exquisite cover art; full, clearly-printed lyrics, credits and Bob Lind's pithy commentary on each song, as well as forewords by Richard Hawley and Dion DiMucci.\\n\\nNow that Bob Lind has come up with two superb albums in four years, I am confident and hopeful that there will be more.\",\n \"Product: Lee Hazlewood transformed Duane Eddy and Nancy Sinatra into major stars, but was unable to work the same magic with Sanford Clark, an Arizona rockabilly whose mellow vocal style anticipated the sound of Ricky Nelson. Clark's one big hit, \\\"The Fool,\\\" marries guitarist Al Casey's cribbed blues lick to a Hazlewood song that, stylistically, is halfway between country and rock; Clark's almost monotonous delivery and the hypnotic repetition of the guitar riff mirror the ruminative quality of the lyric. It sounds like a hit, but so do many of Clark's other recordings, so what happened? The Fool compiles all of Clark's Dot sides, from the title track and his minor sophomore hit \\\"A Cheat\\\" to the many failed attempts that followed. Also included are most of his Jamie recordings from 1958-1960, which have a stronger country flavor. Nearly a third of the recordings were not issued in their day, including some excellent cuts like the rockabilly tune \\\"A Cross Eyed Alley Cat\\\" and the ballad \\\"Promise Me Baby.\\\" Dot Records' Randy Wood tried to pattern Clark after Pat Boone on occasion, leading to some regrettable moments like \\\"Swanee River Rock\\\" and \\\"Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens\\\" (the latter of which Boone also recorded), but most of Clark's repertoire is much better than one might expect of a one-hit wonder. ~ Greg Adams, All Music Guide\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) complete Sanford Clark on Dot and Jamie labels (1956-60)\\n\\nReview: Sanford Clark \\\"The Fool\\\" hit chronology (peak pop and R&B placings noted):\\n- \\\"The Fool\\\" (1956) #7 pop / #5 R&B\\n- \\\"A Cheat\\\" (1956) #74 pop (in Billboard)\\n- \\\"Nine Pound Hammer\\\" (1957) #48 pop (in Cash Box)\\n- \\\"Still As the Night\\\" (1958) #80 pop (in Cash Box)\\n- \\\"Run Boy Run\\\" (1959) #108 (in Music Vendor)\\n\\nGenerous (34-track/running time: 77:36), thorough and deluxe Bear Family Sanford Clark collection with the best sound mastering possible (a given with Bear Family) and a 36-page booklet with ample photos.\\n\\n\\\"The Fool\\\" is a rockabilly masterpiece; and whenever producer/songwriter Lee Hazlewood could give Clark the right song with the right atmospherics (including vocal echo and either Al Casey or Duane Eddy's dazzling electric guitar counterpoint), the results could be haunting and brilliant.\\n\\nNearly all attempts by Dot Records to push Clark in a more commercial pop (Pat Boone-ish [yuck!]) direction resulted in misfires - a real waste of talent and hard to listen to. Vocally, Clark is sort of a higher-pitched Johnny Cash; and once the mainstream left rockabilly behind, it proved unwise to have Clark stray from a country-folk-tinged sound. His final charter, \\\"Run Boy Run,\\\" is strongly Johnny Cash influenced; and his cover of his idol Hank Williams' \\\"I Can't Help It\\\" is one of the best of its kind from the late '50s.\\n\\nClark's last Jamie single (from 1960) is a strong double-sider pairing his own co-write \\\"Go On Home\\\" (enhanced by Al Casey's fantastically distorted guitar) with a haunting and soulful version of Johnny Ace's \\\"Pledging My Love.\\\" What a wonderful way to close out a disc that starts so stellarly with \\\"The Fool.\\\"\",\n \"Product: We have tried to capture on this album what a listener would hear any Monday night at Theresa's Blues Bar (now defunct) at 48th and Indiana on Chicago's Southside. The blue Monday regulars, including Buddy Guy are joined by the late Otis Spann, the greatest blues pianist of his generation, making his last studio appearance and to whom this album is respectfully dedicated by Junior, the musicians, and...the Delmark staff.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This 2014 Delmark reissue (with its 7 bonus tracks) finally gives us what we missed\\n\\nReview: An outstanding 1970 Chicago blues LP to begin with (Junior Wells's second for Delmark five years after his phenomenal \\\"Hoodoo Man Blues\\\" dbut), on which this stellar blues harpist and raw, powerful and soulful blues singer and his friends - Buddy Guy and Louis Myers (who provided the sensational guitar backing, the great and immortal Otis Spann (thrilling in his last-ever recording sessions shortly before his untimely death), Fred Below (drums) and Earnest Johnson (bass) - got together on two occasions ten days apart (December 30, 1969 and January 8, 1970) to record what they wanted to, how they wanted to -- it is rendered even more essential by these bonus tracks which now make it an artistic whole worthy of reconsideration as a masterpiece.\\n\\nBesides knockout versions of songs by Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Slim and Eddie Jones (featuring shared vocals with Buddy Guy on Jones's \\\"Trouble Don't Last)\\\", this LP was lifted into the stratosphere by a pair of jaw-dropping, soul-baring, largely improvised Junior Wells originals: \\\"I Could Have Had Religion\\\" and \\\"Blues for Mayor Daley.\\\" The former takes a particularly poignant and unexpected turn when Junior begins to contemplate the recent calamities which had befallen his colleagues: Howlin' Wolf's heart attack, Muddy Waters' very serious injuries from a car wreck, and the untimely death of Magic Sam. Of course, this became all the more poignant by the time the LP was released due to the passing of Otis Spann in the interval. \\\"Blues for Mayor Daley\\\" brings up politics and poverty and a plea for the tone-deaf (implied) mayor of Chicago (\\\"this old man\\\") to come hold his (Junior's) hand while he tells him \\\"about the blues\\\" (i.e., the truth).\\n\\nThe bonus 34 minutes (bringing the disc's total time to a generous 73 minutes), augmented by some raconteuring and a minute-plus of Otis Spann and Buddy Guy \\\"Warmin' Up\\\" (Wow, even their just \\\"warmin' up\\\" is classic!), could have made for a very viable LP in its own right. It is here on \\\"Love Me Baby\\\" that Buddy Guy really lets loose (immediately preceded by Junior comically admonishing him, \\\"Don't get jazzy now!\\\") \\\"Rock Me\\\" is a pulsating, slow-burning tribute to Muddy Waters who was laid up in the hospital; and \\\"Got to Play the Blues\\\" is a price-of-admission, largely improvised hommage to B.B. King's epic 1969 record \\\"Why I Sing the Blues,\\\" with Louis Myers doing the B.B. King honors on guitar; and Junior - well into the song - launching into some inspired vocal impressions of Howlin' Wolf (\\\"Taildragger\\\"), Muddy Waters, Tampa Red and Albert King. (There is also a bit of unrecognizable Sam Cooke in there.) Prefacing the imitations hunk, Junior unleashes a rather startling shriek of sheer exultation. This is unmissable stuff; and then there's a very different alternate version of \\\"I Could Have Had Religion\\\" sans the ad-lib shout-outs to his suffering or departed comrades. This one focuses more on the tragedy of families being torn apart, bringing Vietnam into the equation (\\\"When I was in Vietnam, I thought I could never make it back home\\\" - this was at the dawn of the 1970s).\\n\\nThis is an absolutely essential reissue with bonus tracks that must be heard.\",\n \"Product: 18 tracks including, 'Oh Girl', 'Give It Away' and 'We Are Neighbors'. Standard jewelcase. 1998 release.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: It doesn't get better than this for fans of the Chi-Lites' sensational singles\\n\\nReview: The Chi-Lites Top 15 hits on Billboard's soul chart and Hot 100 pop chart:\\n1) \\\"Oh Girl\\\" (1972) [#1 soul (2 wks) / #1 pop (1 wk)]\\n2) \\\"Have You Seen Her\\\" (1971) [#1 soul (2 wks) / #3 pop]\\n-- #1 soul hits \\\"Have You Seen Her\\\" and \\\"Oh Girl\\\" were consecutive Chi-Lites releases\\n3) \\\"(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People\\\" (1971) [#4 soul / #26 pop]\\n4) \\\"Stoned Out of My Mind\\\" (1973) [#2 soul / #30 pop]\\n5) \\\"A Letter to Myself\\\" (1973) [#3 soul / #33 pop]\\n6) \\\"The Coldest Days of My Life\\\" (1972) [#8 soul / #47 pop]\\n7) \\\"Homely Girl\\\" (1974) [#3 soul / #54 pop]\\n8) \\\"There Will Never Be Peace\\n (Until God Is Seated at the Conference Table)\\\" (1974) [#8 soul / #63 pop]\\n9) \\\"We Need Order\\\" ('72-73) [#13 soul / #61 pop]\\n10) \\\"Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)\\\" ('70-71) [#8 soul / #72 pop]\\n11) \\\"A Lonely Man\\\" (1972) [#25 soul / #57 pop]\\n12) \\\"I Like Your Lovin' (Do You Like Mine)\\\" (1970) [#11 soul / #72 pop]\\n13) \\\"Toby\\\" (1975) [#7 soul / #78 pop]\\n14) \\\"We Are Neighbors\\\" (1971) [#17 soul / #70 pop]\\n15) \\\"Give It Away\\\" (1969) [#10 soul / #88 pop]\\n\\nA superlative entry in the spectacular Japanese Ultra-Vybe Brunswick 1960s/1970s soul reissue series, and it doesn't get better than this for fans of the Chi-Lites' great 45s from the late '60s to mid-'70s. The three discs contain 56 tracks (29 of which charted nationally), all in vibrant stereo, presented chronologically over three discs averaging over an hour each.\\n\\nListening to this collection will remind you just how excellent and versatile this group is - everything from exquisitely beautiful, mature and sensitive soul ballads to Curtis Mayfield-inspired sociopolitical protest statements delivered with raw and funky soul. The Chi-Lites were the #2-ranking Chicago soul group of the 1970s, behind only Earth, Wind & Fire -- and rank fourth all time among Chicago soul groups, behind E, W & F, The Impressions (speaking of Curtis Mayfield) and The Dells from South Suburban Harvey, IL (all of whom are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame). They were the ninth most popular soul group nationally in the 1970s. And one had to love the fact that the group's lead singer, writer and producer was fortuitously named Eugene Record.\\n\\nWhile it's great to have the number one hits \\\"Oh Girl\\\" and \\\"Have You Seen Her\\\" and a soul protest classic like \\\"(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People,\\\" any Chi-Lites hits collection would contain these; but there is an astonishing number of Chi-Lites non-charters and B-sides that are way up there in quality too. The lead-off A-side, \\\"Love Me,\\\" their 1968 dbut single on the label is an outstanding emotive soul ballad, with definite traces of Jimmy Ruffin at Motown in it. The B-side of \\\"Have You Seen Her?\\\" would be in my mythical B-side Hall of Fame: \\\"Yes I'm Ready If I Don't Get to Go\\\" is the finest pro-education song I have ever heard, and it is not at all preachy as it delivers its affecting message of the transformative power of education.\\n\\n\\\"The Man & the Woman (The Boy & the Girl),\\\" the flipside of \\\"A Lonely Man,\\\" is easily at the level of a hit Temptations A-side; it's impossibly catchy, but it just didn't get heard. And while I'm on the Temptations, the B-side of the very good but non-charting ballad \\\"To Change My Love\\\" (also recorded by Brunswick's signature star Jackie Wilson) is a fantastic cover of the Temptations' and Supremes' fantastic cover of Dee Dee Warwick's original \\\"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me.\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Living in the Footsteps of Another Man\\\" (the B-side of \\\"We Need Order\\\") is another snappy one, yet it recounts a serious personal situation faced by some very good men. The eight-minute-plus reflective beauty \\\"The Coldest Days of My Life,\\\" is included in full, as the B-side is Part Two of the record.\\n\\nThe Chi-Lites most off-beat A-side single, \\\"My Heart Just Keeps On Breakin',\\\" sandwiched in-between the 1973 hits \\\"A Letter to Myself\\\" and \\\"Stoned Out of My Mind,\\\" is an all-out fiddle-driven original country tune! Despite being wholly delightful, it unsurprisingly didn't find much of an audience, and fans were glad to pounce on \\\"Stoned Out of My Mind\\\" when it came out. If one listens carefully, one can hear that their biggest hit \\\"Oh Girl\\\" has a bit of a country-ballad flavor to it. One Con Hunley happened to notice this, and in 1982 he had a #12 country hit with his sterling country-soul cover of it.\\n\\nAnd who knew the Chi-Lites ever applied their heavenly harmonies to Ewan MacColl's \\\"The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face),\\\" popularized by Roberta Flack? It's the last track [#56] of this stunning collection. There are so many others worthy of mention, but I can't go through them all or we're going to be here for the next three hours and twenty minutes (the approximate duration of this whole set).\\n\\nThis definitive Chi-Lites package includes a 20-page booklet; however, you may need a Japanese interpreter for the liner notes. Luckily, though, you do get the complete English lyrics to every one of the non-instrumental sides.\\n\\nDon't let this one get away, Chi-Lites fans!\",\n \"Product: Subtitled - the Louie Louie Files. An entertaining and fun trawl through the evolution of the ultimate three-chord rock 'n' roll anthem - Louie Louie. True, there have been 'Louie' compilations before but this is definitive - avoiding novelties and instead focusing on the history and influence of the song in the 1950's and 1960's. Artists include Richard Berry & the Pharoahs, Rene Touzet, Chuck Berry, the Kingsmen and more. 2002.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: time to revisit Ace's most unique compilation\\n\\nReview: With the recent passing of the Kingsmen's \\\"Louie Louie\\\" vocalist and group co-founder Jack Ely (4/28/15 at age 71), it's time to re-examine this highly remarkable Ace Records CD that traces the song \\\"Louie Louie\\\" from its early influences to its 1957 original version (Richard Berry & the Pharaohs - Berry wrote the song), to its competing early-sixties rock versions out of the Pacific Northwest, to a sampling of eight other diverse-sounding covers, plus a half-dozen close variants or sequels. There are 24 tracks and 72-and-a-half minutes devoted to this micro-study of \\\"Louie Louie.\\\"\\n\\nEvery track has its merits, although a surprise for me was the Beach Boys' 1964 LP-cut version which plays beautifully (with their exquisite harmonies) off the Richard Berry original. To best maintain one's sanity, though (or at least avoid a \\\"Louie Louie\\\" overdose), it's probably best to listen to this CD in three or four bite-size pieces.\\n\\nThe one inescapable conclusion is that the Jack Ely Kingsmen's 1963 mega-hit version is the one that leaps out at you (figuratively) and leaves the rest - as good as a number of them may be - far behind. (I'm identifying the band as the Jack Ely Kingsmen because it continued without him after the recording and before the record became a hit, due to a rupture within the group.) 98% of the time, I would estimate, the original version by the singer-songwriter is best, but occasionally something truly inspired will occur with someone else's recording. I think immediately of Jimi Hendrix doing Bob Dylan's \\\"All Along the Watchtower\\\" so powerfully that Dylan himself instantly recognized it and altered the way he subsequently performed the song. The Jack Ely Kingsmen's take (and it was actually done in one single take) on \\\"Louie Louie\\\" is one of rock's most magical moments and could never be duplicated. After listening to the clearly-articulated \\\"Louie Louie\\\" lyrics repeatedly on this disc, the muffled distortion, slurring and timing gaffe which are part of Ely's vocal never sounded so positively refreshing; and the whole fuzzy-filthy, bass-heavy, unpolished, lo-fi sound of the band signaled a real break from the past in American rock and roll. (Ely is interviewed in the liner notes and explains that the band thought they were doing a warm-up run-through of the song and were shocked they were not going to at least get a second take to get it right. But producer Ken Chase [also interviewed here] wanted the recording to feel live and immediate and, above all, danceable - and he knew he got it in that first take. That was the essence of real rock and roll as opposed to sterile, uninspired, studio-manufactured perfectionism.)\\n\\nThe historic significance of the Jack Ely Kingsmen version of \\\"Louie Louie\\\":\\n\\nIt was by far the biggest rock and roll and R&B hit record between the time of the JFK assassination in late-November 1963 and the Beatles' taking over the top of the U.S. pop charts at the start of February 1964. On the Billboard Hot 100 it was blocked from the #1 spot for seven consecutive weeks by either or both the Singing Nun's French-language religious folk song \\\"Dominique\\\" and Bobby Vinton's cover of the old (1945) Vaughn Monroe romantic pop ballad \\\"There! I've Said It Again\\\" - both clearly at the opposite end of the musical spectrum from this smash version of \\\"Louie Louie.\\\" As for the other two major national pop charts, it reached #1 for two weeks in Cash Box (January 1964) and one week (New Year's) in Music Vendor. Not well remembered is that its biggest impact was on the R&B chart (Cash Box's was the only major national one at the time) where it was the #1 record for an astounding six weeks - making it the third biggest R&B hit of 1963-1964. Its six weeks at #1 R&B represented the longest run at the top spot of any recognized national R&B/soul chart by a white recording act until well into the first decade of the 21st century!\\n\\nThen there was the infamous FBI investigation of the record, supposedly to determine whether or not it violated interstate obscenity-trafficking laws and sought to corrupt the youth of America. Despite the real FBI man-hours involved, it was a phony deal (they never bothered to interview Jack Ely who could have instantly informed them to a 100% certainty that there was no hidden vulgarity nor even a single double-entendre in the lyrics he sang - or shouted and slurred as the case may be). It seemed to have been a contrived diversion intended to keep the public duly scandalized and not thinking about the truly scandalous cover-up of the Kennedy killing that was really going on at the time. The FBI's earth-shaking conclusion on \\\"Louie Louie\\\" was that it's \\\"unintelligible at any speed.\\\"\\n\\nThere was definitely a conspiracy at Billboard magazine whereby its conservative editorial board kept \\\"Louie Louie\\\" from ever attaining its rightful top spot on their influential Hot 100 pop chart during its phenomenal run of popularity. They claimed discretion in banning certain records from the top spot if they didn't feel they met a high-enough standard of musical quality. This was not a problem for Alvin & the Chipmunks, but somehow it came into play here.\\n\\nIn a delicious case of irony, while the hit version of \\\"Louie Louie\\\" (which did get banned in a number of U.S. radio markets - and was most notoriously forbidden by the governor of Indiana!) was eventually cleared of all obscenity suspicions, completely missed - except in France where it was banned from national radio - was the fact that the Belgian Singing Nun's (a.k.a. Soeur Sourire [Sister Smile]) \\\"Dominique\\\" contained a blatantly obscene sexual-slang expression (repeated over and over in the chorus!) which of course the good sister was blissfully unaware of. Apparently, French Canada missed it as well.\\n\\nFor a second delicious scoop of irony, the only bit of unimagined obscenity in the Kingsmen's \\\"Louie Louie\\\" went completely unnoticed by the FBI et al - and it did not involve Jack Ely, the vocalist. Instead, at the 0:54 mark, in what evidently passed for just being a random grunt, the drummer Lynn Easton lost his grip on a drumstick and clearly exclaimed, \\\"F**k!\\\"\",\n \"Product: I will ship by EMS or SAL items in stock in Japan. It is approximately 7-14days on delivery date. You wholeheartedly support customers as satisfactory. Thank you for you seeing it.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 3 LPs (on 2 CDs) of classic Bobby Womack 1973-74 soul\\n\\nReview: Bobby Womack \\\"Across 110th Street\\\"/\\\"Facts of Life\\\"/\\\"Lookin' for a Love Again\\\" Charly [UK] hit chronology (peak positions on national soul [Billboard] and pop [Billboard or Cash Box] singles charts):\\n\\n\\\"Across 110th Street\\\" (1973) #19 soul / #49 pop\\n\\\"Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out\\\" (1973) #2 soul / #29 pop\\n\\\"I'm Through Trying to Prove My Love to You\\\" (1973) * #80 soul / #101 pop\\n* B-side of \\\"Nobody Wants You...\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Lookin' for a Love\\\" (1974) #1 soul (for 3 wks) / #8 pop\\n\\\"You're Welcome, Stop On By\\\" (1974) #5 soul / #53 pop\\n\\nOn the Billboard LP chart:\\n\\\"Across 110th Street\\\" (1973) #6 soul / #50 pop\\n\\\"Facts of Life\\\" (1973) #6 soul / #37 pop\\n\\\"Lookin' for a Love Again\\\" (1974) #5 soul / #85 pop\\n\\n\\\"Across 110th Street\\\": Isaac Hayes's \\\"Theme from Shaft\\\" won the 1971 Academy Award for best original song, and that seemed to assuage the Hollywood establishment's guilt over ignoring black singer-songwriters; so much so that the following year they completely bypassed the greatest film soundtrack/song combination ever (IMO) in Curtis Mayfield's \\\"Superfly\\\" original score and song \\\"Freddie's Dead.\\\" To this I would add the third greatest \\\"blaxploitation\\\" film theme (in three consecutive years), Bobby Womack's \\\"Across 110th Street,\\\" which he wrote with his soundtrack collaborator J.J. Johnson. Again, no nominations, but it's a keenly observed, dynamic recording that was worthy of greater recognition. The LP is almost equally divided between Womack vocals and J.J. Johnson & His Orchestra instrumentals; and it's all cool stuff, although not nearly at the level of the title song (which also appears in instrumental form with powerful, emphatic horns and a hot organ solo at the end). Two other fine Womack songs here are the relaxed and resigned, mid-tempo \\\"If You Don't Want My Love\\\" and the relentless soul-blues-funk of \\\"Do It Right,\\\" punctuated by Bobby's James Brown-esque (or Wilson Pickett-esque) soul screams.\\n\\n\\\"Facts of Life\\\" is most notable for the strength and variety of its cover versions, starting with what I think is his Womack's all-time best in this category: his take on the brilliant 1920s blues song \\\"Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out,\\\" made famous by Bessie Smith's immortal 1929 rendition. His mentor Sam Cooke also recorded it in 1961. which certainly would have inspired him, but remarkably he perfectly adapts the song to his own voice and style, rendering it virtually unrecognizable as anything other than a Bobby Womack record. His cover of Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers' \\\"That's Heaven to Me\\\" is a direct and beautiful tribute to Cooke. \\\"I'm Through Trying to Prove My Love to You\\\" is sheer Bobby Womack in its testifying style straight out of the mold of his earlier hit \\\"That's the Way I Feel About Cha.\\\" The last three tracks are all late-'60s ('67-68) covers: Burt Bacharach-Hal David's \\\"The Look of Love,\\\" originally recorded by Dusty Springfield as the theme from the James Bond film \\\"Casino Royale,\\\" \\\"A Natural Man,\\\" which is his gender-reversed take on Carole King/Gerry Goffin's song for Aretha Franklin - one of her great signature recordings at Atlantic; and Bob Dylan's \\\"All Along the Watchtower,\\\" which Jimi Hendrix made his own with his transcendent electric guitar-powered psychedelic-blues-rock version. \\\"Look of Love\\\" is done in the manner of his gritty-cool '60s covers of the pop hits \\\"Fly Me to the Moon\\\" and \\\"California Dreamin'\\\"; \\\"A Natural Man\\\" is subdued and poignantly soulful; and the closing \\\"All Along the Watchtower\\\" gets an emphatic soul reading with searing guitar backing, but it's no match for Hendrix.\\n\\nThe \\\"Lookin' for a Love Again\\\" LP is dominated by the fantastically propulsive title song, which was Bobby Womack's biggest hit single ever, both soul (the #3 soul hit of 1974) and pop (his only ten pop-chart record ever). Of historical note, it was a remake of the biggest hit The Valentinos (a.k.a. the five Womack Brothers) ever had: the gospel-influenced soul rocker (featuring an 18-year-old Bobby) on Sam Cooke's SAR label reached #8 R&B and was clearly ahead of its time. Also here is the 1974 follow-up hit soul single with an easy-going, conversational style, \\\"You're Welcome, Stop On By,\\\" as well as the smoothly delivered slice of Southern soul, \\\"You're Messing Up a Good Thing.\\\"\\n\\nThis is an excellent collection solidly housed in great-looking hard-cover book form (featuring a scene from \\\"Across 110th Street\\\" on the cover) with secure, smooth-plastic disc holders on both sides of a 16-page booklet replete with full-color cover art (and additional photos), three pages of song listings and writing credits, and seven pages of informative liner notes by Roger Dopson. In tandem with the 2015 Charly box set \\\"Preacher\\\" (which I reviewed 7/24/15), all of Bobby Womack's first eight LPs are included in two neat packages with first-rate sound mastering.\",\n \"Product: 2008 release. The Golden Age of American Popular Music is fast-becoming as successful series as Ace Records' Golden Age of American Rock 'N' Roll. This spin-off from the main series is a collection of Jazz Hits from the core years of 1958-66. Although some of the titles will be familiar to pop fans such as Dave Brubeck's 'Take Five' or 'The Girl from Ipanema' by Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto, as ever these are leavened by the much less familiar and sometimes quite rare. We've also insisted on the single versions of the tracks, which haven't been available elsewhere, such as 'Watermelon Man' by Herbie Hancock and 'The Sidewinder' by Lee Morgan. Ace.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: best pop-jazz crossover compilation ever on a single disc [running time: 79:09]\\n\\nReview: I own albums by quite a few of the jazz artists on this disc (Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Cal Tjader, Jimmy Smith, Dave Brubeck, Lee Morgan, Ramsey Lewis, Vince Guaraldi, \\\"Groove\\\" Holmes, Ray Bryant and Cannonball Adderley) but not necessarily containing their biggest chart hits - and even less likely to contain versions that match the single edits. (Incidentally, Trk 1 is the CD dbut of the single edit of Herbie Hancock's classic \\\"Watermelon Man\\\" from 1962.)\\n\\nI love the way Ace Records puts these fantastic crossover (jazz to pop) records together in one place, all in their authentic original single-release versions (13 of 28 tracks in stereo - and all sounding excellent), the way I first heard many of them on the radio. If I want to hear Joe Morello's full drum solo on \\\"Take Five\\\" (most of which was edited out of the single), I always have the original Dave Brubeck LP (which no jazz fan should be without) to go back to. In the case of Ramsey Lewis Trio's \\\"The 'In' Crowd\\\" (the only record in this compilation that I bought when it first came out [1965]), I prefer the livelier single edit to the long version on the LP, which I later acquired.\\n\\nIncluded is a 24-page booklet featuring colorful supplements on every page, in addition to extensive liner notes by compilation producer Rob Finnis covering every track and artist in an appropriate amount of informative detail.\",\n \"Product: From 'Captain of Your Ship' in the 60s to 'Shoes' in the 70s, Reparata & the Delrons were a very popular girl group on both sides of the Atlantic. Here are their hits and a selection of their album sides and rarities. 'Captain of Your Ship' was a big hit in the UK, even though it didn't chart in the US. The act was popular in the UK so should have strong domestic appeal. As well as the group's recordings this CD includes Reparata's solo outings including the 70s UK/US hit 'Shoes'. Also includes the Northern Soul monster 'Panic'; a massive dancefloor favourite at Wigan Casino. Sleeve-note by Mick Patrick. ACE. 2005.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"71 minutes of teenage angst\\\" - best Reparata & Delrons CD\\n\\nReview: Reparata & the Delrons chart chronology (peak national placements):\\n\\n- \\\"Whenever a Teenager Cries\\\" (1965) #35 (in Record World) *\\n- \\\"Tommy\\\" (1965) #50 (Record World) *\\n- \\\"I Can Tell\\\" (1966) #110 (in Cash Box)\\n- \\\"I'm Nobody's Baby Now\\\" #128 (Cash Box)\\n- \\\"Captain of Your Ship\\\" (1968) #97 (Record World) / #13 in the UK\\n- \\\"Shoes\\\" [Reparata (solo credit)] (1975) #92 (Billboard) / #42 UK\\n\\n* [Note that in Billboard magazine Reparata & the Delrons' first two (biggest) hits peaked at an average of 33.5 places lower than their peak positions in Record World and 22 places lower than their peaks in Cash Box.]\\n\\nFrom Brooklyn, NY and first recording in 1964, Reparata & the Delrons were an undervalued 1960s teen-girl-group-boom trio, who at their best invite comparisons with the Ronettes and especially the Shangri-La's, among others. They rode the second wave (post-British Invasion) of this girl-group phenomenon, entering an already packed-to-the-rafters marketplace; plus, they were further hampered by the lack of a steady label (thus adversely affecting marketing and distribution), production team and group line-up other than leader Mary O'Leary, who chose Reparata (her musically appealing Catholic confirmation name) as her professional one. Until they surprisingly landed a big late-'60s hit in the UK, their greatest success had mainly been confined to the East Coast.\\n\\n\\\"Whenever a Teenager Cries\\\" and \\\"Tommy\\\" are the essence of the dramatic teen-angst-laden girl-group genre, in which the central theme involves either pining away over or else being ecstatic about a boyfriend (far more often the former). What is particularly remarkable about Reparata & the Delrons, amply manifested in this generous 30-track collection, is the consistency of quality throughout. One can pick out just about any individual track and wonder why it couldn't have been a breakout A-side 45. Certainly \\\"Panic\\\" (unique enough to have stood out had it been heard), \\\"Mama's Little Girl\\\" (written by Chip Taylor), \\\"I Can Hear the Rain,\\\" \\\"Weather Report,\\\" \\\"Hold the Night,\\\" or the psych-tinged \\\"Saturday Night Didn't Happen\\\" (from 1968) - none of which charted - would be among these.\\n\\nThe best of all could very well be the Jeff Barry-penned-and-produced \\\"I'm Nobody's Baby Now,\\\" with its very strong Phil Spector production influence and its deeply felt and emotionally cutting lyrics. That a record of such fine quality could rise no higher than #128 in 1966 was a definite sign that an adjustment in the group's sound needed to be made. Hence 1968 and the metaphorical light-psych pop (with sound effects) of \\\"Captain of Your Ship,\\\" their last chart entry under the group name, and the one that became an impressive hit [#13] in the UK.\\n\\nThis is by far the most comprehensive and listenable Reparata & the Delrons CD around. Excellent work by the UK's Ace Records in securing all the cross-licensing for these tracks and in engineering the sound (15 of the 30 tracks are in stereo) as well as could be done, given the available early-generation sources. There's a photo-filled 16-page booklet annotated by compilation producer Mick Patrick, incorporating many of Mary (Reparata)'s own words recounting her experiences. I would prefer chronological track sequencing (for example, it makes no sense [and it's a bit disorienting] for \\\"Captain of Your Ship\\\" to immediately precede \\\"When a Teenager Cries\\\"), but I'm grateful enough for everything that's here to let this go without issuing a formal reprimand. (I'm glad to point out that Ace has greatly improved in this regard.)\\n\\n[I first listened to this disc eleven years ago and enjoy it just as much now.]\",\n \"Product: Bettye's comeback has sent R&B lovers reaching back for the early work by this supremely soulful singer. These late-'60s cuts have never been in one comprehensive collection 'til now: her Silver Fox hits He Made a Woman Out of Me and Do Your Duty plus Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go (with Hank Ballard) and several previously unavailable in the U.S., 13 total!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Bettye in Memphis (1969-1970)\\n\\nReview: Bettye LaVette is better than ever in 2015 at the age of 69 (a 53-year span as a recording artist) as her current LP \\\"Worthy\\\" - one of the best of the year so far - will attest. This CD \\\"Take Another Little Piece of My Heart\\\" takes us back to late '69/early '70 when Bettye (\\\"Betty\\\" then, without the final \\\"e\\\" she later added) was still 23 and already on her sixth (!) different record label. This time she found herself on the short-lived Nashville-based Silver Fox imprint, so named not for Charlie Rich but for the guy who had the nickname earlier, Kenny Rogers' brother Lelan Rogers, who ran this SSS International subsidiary and produced these 13 tracks. No LP (such as Dusty Springfield's \\\"Dusty in Memphis\\\" earlier that year) emerged from these Bettye LaVette Memphis sessions, but four singles (eight sides) were issued at the time.\\n\\nBettye's from-deep-in-the-gut, guttural singing style (so unusual for her age) was already well established by this time, and the sounds of Memphis Studio, with the backing of its Dixie Flyers rhythm section, was made to order for this young woman from Detroit who sounded so much more like a Southern R&B/blues singer than she did Motown.\\n\\nThe four issued singles:\\n1) \\\"He Made a Woman Out of Me\\\" (1969-70) - typically Bettye in that it held nothing back. It rode the soul charts in December '69/January '70, peaking at #25. This was the only one that appeared on a national pop chart, although barely: only making #118 in Cash Box. A few months later, Bobbie Gentry, in her country-soul style, had a version out that got to #71 on the pop Hot 100.\\n\\n2) \\\"Do Your Duty\\\" (1970) - Yikes! Talk about not holding back! This was a real soul sister's women's liberation song demanding that certain needs, shall we say, be met by her man. This goes well beyond Aretha Franklin's version of Otis Redding's \\\"Respect\\\" -- and ironically, its writer, Ronnie Shannon, wrote two of Aretha's other early hits at Atlantic (\\\"I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You\\\" and \\\"Baby I Love You.\\\"). It climbed to #38 soul in early spring.\\n\\n3) \\\"Games People Play\\\" (1970) - No national chart action at all but a phenomenal soul rendition of the recent Joe South Grammy winner for 1969 Song of the Year. Maybe too recent and the public was \\\"Games People Played\\\"-out at the time, although it sounds completely fresh today. The B-side \\\"My Train's Comin' In\\\" is a hot one that sounds like another shoulda-been hit.\\n\\n4) \\\"Piece of My Heart\\\" (1970) - Yes, that (\\\"Take Another Little) Piece of My Heart\\\" by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns - originally by Erma Franklin (1967) and immortalized by Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company the following year. Make the total three stellar versions in three years. The B-side \\\"At the Mercy of a Man\\\" - the CD opener - is funky, bluesy, horn-driven, gutbucket soul that could probably only be sung by her or Tina Turner or Janis Joplin, or possibly Etta James then. Bettye could still sing it now in the same way, but with even more maturity. Alas, no chart action on this single either, so Bettye was off to label number seven.\\n\\nMost notable of the unissued tracks are the two she sang with Hank Ballard, the former R&B giant who came up with \\\"The Twist\\\" and also happened to be a Silver Fox artist at the time: \\\"Hello Sunshine\\\" is a solid soul ballad previously recorded by both Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett at Atlantic; and \\\"Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go\\\" is a fun recreation of Ballard's own #1 R&B/ #6 pop smash from ten years earlier. But my favorite of all is what could have been one of her signature records had it been released (up there [almost] with \\\"Let Me Down Easy\\\" which I bought midway through high school in June 1965): the magnificent southern soul ballad \\\"Easier to Say (Than Do)\\\" which has everything working for it: a superlative instrumental track featuring mighty Memphis soul horns and a right-on-the-money background vocal chorus - and above all, a beautifully deep, warm, heartfelt and commanding vocal by Bettye. It was withheld from release most likely due to an another Lelan Rogers-produced version (with the same backing tracks) being out at the time as a Charles Hodges B-side -- ironically on the Calla label, on which Bettye had had her aforementioned biggest hit \\\"Let Me Down Easy\\\" four and a half years earlier.\\n\\nI gleaned the previous nugget of information, as well as a few others, from the five pages of accompanying booklet liner notes by author Bill Dahl. (The best little informational gem is how Bettye got to Lelan Rogers and Silver Fox: it was at the suggestion of the latter's brother Kenny Rogers who thought Bettye's 1968 version of Mickey Newbury's \\\"What Condition My Condition Is In\\\" on the obscure Karen label in Detroit was \\\"the greatest thing [he'd] ever heard\\\" and \\\"much better\\\" than his own breakthrough hit version with the First Edition.)\\n\\nThis is an excellent Varse Sarabande CD I'm glad I finally got to hear - in yet another great year in the amazing career of Bettye LaVette.\",\n \"Product: CD reissue of this 1978 collection from \\\"the First Lady of Country Music\\\". Originally issued as a double LP, this CD release contains both LPs on one disc. Wynette issued numerous charting albums over three decades, always staying relevant in Country and Pop circles. 20 tracks.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a world of wondrous talent\\n\\nReview: Almost any recording act with a modicum of sustained success back in the 45 rpm singles era could put out a greatest hits LP and expect to garner a significant amount of sales with it; but it took someone of Tammy Wynette's exalted stature in 1970 (just three and a half years into her magnificent country-chart run) to be able to put out a 20-track, double-disc retrospective of nothing but NON-hits! That's right -- this collection, which reached #8 on the country album chart, contains nary an A-side, only selected tracks from a half-dozen previously issued LPs, just two of which even made it out on B-sides. (One of these is her excellent self-penned midtempo \\\"Stand By Your Man\\\" B-side, \\\"I Stayed Long Enough.\\\") Yet the quality of this material is so remarkably high that this plays like a double greatest-hits LP.\\n\\nThe highlights are too numerous to run through, but the shoulda-been single that would have vied for number one is \\\"Kiss Away\\\" from 1968, a year when Tammy had three chart toppers as it was, culminating with \\\"Stand By Your Man.\\\" This gorgeous Billy Sherrill-Glenn Sutton-penned ballad was turned into a minor hit for Jody Miller a decade later. Producer-writer Sherrill, along with Sutton, also came up with \\\"Where Could You Go (But to Her),\\\" the superior (more emotionally invested) answer record to the David Houston (her former duet partner) original (\\\"Where Could I Go...\\\") from three years earlier. (The answer record that doesn't work -- nothing to do with Tammy's singing, it's just absurd -- is \\\"Honey,\\\" the mawkish Bobby Goldsboro 1968 mega-hit.) Most of this collection features cover versions, going back as far as 1951-53 with her powerhouse renditions of Johnnie Ray's \\\"Cry\\\" and Jane Froman's \\\"I Believe.\\\" Also top-of-the-line are her takes on Jeannie Seely's, as well as her own husband George Jones's number one hits from 1966 and 1967, respectively, \\\"Don't Touch Me\\\" and \\\"Walk Through This World with Me.\\\" (Less than successful here is the cover of Bobbie Gentry's 1967 instant classic with a tragic theme, \\\"Ode to Billie Joe,\\\" in which an inappropriately jaunty electric guitar part strays into \\\"Harper Valley P.T.A.\\\" territory.) But for me, sheer note-perfect brilliance is achieved on her version of Paul McCartney's \\\"Yesterday\\\" [running time - 1:56]. Billy Sherrill's production with steel guitar and Tammy's naturally plaintive ballad delivery coalesce to attain maximum effectiveness -- understated but beautiful and deeply felt. I realize it's the most over-recorded song of all time, but this is my favorite version ever by a female singer, and is second only to Ray Charles as far as \\\"Yesterday\\\" covers go.\\n\\nExcellent sound mastering, and the stunning original cover art has been reproduced.\",\n \"Product: 1980 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK LP FOR THE ZANY COMEDY FILM WITH MUSIC COMPOSED BY PATRICK WILLIAMS, PERFORMANCES BY LEGENDARY EARL KLUGH & HUBERT LAWS! FILM STARRED SUSAN SAINT JAMES, JANE CURTIN, JESSICA LANGE, EDDIE ALBERT, DABNEY COLEMAN; ROBERT SCHEERER DIRECTOR. CULT COLLECTIBLE!\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: 1980 soundtrack LP hardly lets its stars shine\\n\\nReview: First of all, I can barely tolerate the electric keyboards and bass that infected so much lightweight jazz from this period. It really dates this music in a particularly bad way.\\n\\nSecondly, five of the ten tracks don't even qualify as songs. They are indistinguishable throwaways of the lite-funk variety marking bits of action in the film; and as such, are of no interest whatsoever. The only \\\"good\\\" thing about them is that they are all under two and a half minutes in duration. (I will admit that I got this CD on the strength of the names of the lead artists, jazz flutist Hubert Laws and guitarist Earl Klugh, not knowing that this was from the soundtrack of a film I had never heard of - or else totally forgotten about.)\\n\\nThat leaves about twenty and a half pleasant-enough minutes if you can put up with the constant electronic sounds and Patrick Williams' soft-core orchestrations. Williams composed and conducted everything here, so this is really a Patrick Williams album, featuring Laws and Klugh in a larger ensemble (and the occasional orchestral supplementation).\\n\\nThe one standout track is the irresistible \\\"Piccolo Boogie,\\\" featuring the lively Brazilian percussion of Paulinho Da Costa. Hubert Laws is flying high in Herbie Mann's air space here, but at least it provides a singular moment of exhilaration.\\n\\n\\\"Dream Something\\\" is an appropriately dreamy ballad, one that gives Earl Klugh a chance to play especially prettily, and the two leads their best moments of dual flute/guitar harmonies. (I was expecting more of a duet album, and this is really the only brief taste of it that we get.)\\n\\n\\\"It Is So Easy Loving You\\\" is the film's orchestral love theme; it's fairly liltingly tuneful but ultimately unmemorable.\\n\\n\\\"Night Moves\\\" is an original Patrick Williams tune (with a most unoriginal title) and the LP's longest track [5:22]; it's electric lite-jazz-funk uplifted by Law's superb flute playing.\\n\\nIt's unfortunate that the teaming of a pair of peak talents would be largely wasted in this way.\",\n \"Product: Thom Starr was one of the most talented of surf music's first generation of guitar heroes, a legend on the original South Bay scene where the surf genre was created and nurtured, but his work has been impossible to find, with most recordings remaining completely unreleased and his few official releases long out of print. Now, Sundazed has issued a 22-track collection that includes only one previously released track ( Mr. Moto )-the rest is completely unreleased featuring his legendary 1963 album Sons of the Beach ! All of this comes from original sources, and the big book includes rare photos and a detailed history by surf music expert John Blair. Available on CD or double gold vinyl!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Out of this world!\\n\\nReview: This is 59 minutes of reverbed guitar and wailing sax heaven; some of the greatest Southern California surf music (from 1963-64) never heard on record prior to this present stellar Thom Starr and the Galaxies collection.\\n\\nFender Jazzmaster master Starr, heavily influenced by Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, and especially by Paul Johnson of the Belairs (of \\\"Mr. Moto\\\" fame) from the local South Bay area, just a year out of high school was composing his own superb surf-style tunes, and he and his band did record a ten-track all-instro LP in 1963 with the brilliant title \\\"Sons of the Beach.\\\" Only problem: it fell through the cracks and never got issued by any label. Terrific tracks with titles like \\\"Strange Fever (Just Before Dawn),\\\" Woodie Welcome Wagon Part 2,\\\" \\\"Surfer's Bubble,\\\" \\\"No. 1 Son,\\\" \\\"Launching Pad,\\\" \\\"Cherry Wipe Out,\\\" \\\"Sand Blast\\\" and \\\"Jellyfish Kiss\\\" stayed in the can for the rest of Starr's lifetime. These songs were right in the pocket (or should I say \\\"pipeline\\\") of the best surf music out there at the time. The problem I had where I was (in the Midwest) was that we got none of this phenomenal instro-surf-combo stuff except for the Chantays' \\\"Pipeline\\\" and the Surfaris' \\\"Wipe Out.\\\" For some dumb reason the radio programmers here wouldn't touch this stuff (besides those two that somehow managed to make it through); and when it came to instrumentals we would only get \\\"safe\\\" easy-listening ones. (I guess \\\"safe\\\" was their reason, and it was indeed a dumb one!)\\n\\nThe 1964 tracks, a mix of covers of Paul Johnson (\\\"Mr. Moto,\\\" \\\"Bedlam\\\" \\\"Squad Car\\\" and \\\"Vmonos\\\") and Dick Dale (\\\"Shake & Stomp\\\") songs and his own originals, are even stronger that the '63 stuff - and Starr's original compositions show just how phenomenally gifted he was. \\\"The Nomad\\\" is definitely intriguing and \\\"Renegade\\\" rocks out, while his only down-tempo one, \\\"Enchanted Island,\\\" is a thrillingly (and chillingly) gorgeous masterpiece that needs to be discovered. It is easily one of the best melodic compositions this genre ever produced.\\n\\nFine, concise and informative liner notes by John Blair (author of \\\"The Illustrated Discography of Surf Music, 1961-1965\\\") are contained in the accompanying fold-out card, which adds color photos and track info. The mono sound mastering is excellent throughout. Sundazed, in assembling this whole package, has done what it does best.\",\n \"Product: 2011 collection. The songs of John Lennon and Paul McCartney were frequently covered in all fields of music. It was inevitable that many of the best covers would emerge from a genre of popular music that was so important to all four Beatles. Come Together presents a cross-section of Lennon & McCartney covers from artists as diverse as hardcore bluesman Lowell Fulson and supreme exponents of \\\"sweet soul\\\", the Moments, via such stellar names as Al Green, Chubby Checker, Little Richard, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. Ace Records.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) Ace Records presents Round One of Soul Meets the Beatles\\n\\nReview: After reviewing this volume's 2016 successor (\\\"Let It Be...,\\\" which adds George Harrison-penned songs to the mix), I gave this one another listen and would rate it a half-notch below the second, largely because of the rather iffy inclusions here of \\\"Why Don't We Do It in the Road,\\\" Rocky Raccoon\\\" and \\\"Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey,\\\" none of which even Lowell Fulson, the Moments, nor Fats Domino (respectively) could rescue.\\n\\nOn the other hand, there are quite a few dazzlers on board that should not be missed; so thank you, Ace Records and ace compiler (and excellent booklet notes scribe) Tony Rounce, for bringing us so many worthwhile tracks (16 stereo, 8 mono; superb sound), starting with the disc's closer \\\"Let It Be\\\" (1970) by Aretha Franklin. This is a gospel-soul beauty done the way Paul McCartney had envisioned the song as he was writing it.\\n\\nAlso from 1970, and on the terrific side, is Little Richard performing the song he originally influenced, \\\"I Saw Her Standing There,\\\" one of his finest post-1950s rock and soul recordings. And while we're at it, how about Al Green in his early days at Hi Records in Memphis (1969) doing \\\"I Want to Hold Your Hand\\\" in his soon-to-be-known unique and impeccable funky soul-preacher style (with flashes of his otherworldly wailing falsetto).\\n\\nNearly none of these tracks dented the national charts, but one that did is Mister Twister Chubby Checker's cookin' \\\"Back in the U.S.S.R.\\\" [#82 pop], his penultimate charter and first in three years.\\n\\nOne of the best of the soulsters-covering-British-rock subgenre, Otis Redding (whose incredibly rousing take on the Rolling Stones' \\\"Satisfaction\\\" is proof enough), does the honors here on \\\"Day Tripper\\\" in a previously unissued version. Another fantastic rarity, albeit very different musically, is Maxine Brown's early remake of \\\"We Can Work It Out\\\" (1966), featuring an exquisite orchestral arrangement and a lovely, heartfelt lead vocal. This was a B-side that I couldn't believe I was only first hearing 45 years later.\\n\\nStaying with the great 1960s soulstresses, Mary Wells' \\\"Please Please Me\\\" from her 1965 LP of Beatles covers is a delight. The Beatles had made her their featured guest on their first UK tour as headliners, and she had become infatuated with them as much as they had been with her. I especially enjoy when she sings, \\\"Last night I said these words to MY GUY,\\\" an ever-so-smooth link to her recent biggest hit ever, \\\"My Guy\\\" (penned by Smokey Robinson, who was a major early influence on the Fab Four).\\n\\nBetween \\\"Duke of Earl\\\" (1962) and \\\"Groovy Situation\\\" (1970), non-hardcore R&B/soul fans might have lost touch with the work of Chicago's Gene Chandler and thus have never heard his cool, semi-funky, Ray Charles-inspired rendition of \\\"Eleanor Rigby\\\" from his 1969 LP \\\"The Two Sides of Gene Chandler\\\" [which I reviewed 3/20/15]. You can catch it here (Trk 7).\\n\\nOne last pleasant surprise - and it directly follows \\\"Eleanor Rigby\\\" - is the Vibrations' magnificent reading of \\\"And I Love Her,\\\" featuring majestically gorgeous harmonies and a soaring high-tenor lead vocal.\\n\\nFor these nine tracks, and a number of others as well, this CD is a worthwhile acquisition, as is (even more so, IMO) its aforementioned 2016 follow-up.\",\n \"Product: UK compilation from the British Pop/R&B vocalist. Beryl Marsden played a key part of the Mersey beat boom of the 1960s and Changes celebrates her 50th year of performing with her entire recorded output. All of Beryl's 1960s singles for Decca and Columbia are present, including her two duets with Peter Barden's / Tony Colton in the Shotgun Express, the hugely collectable Mod dancer 'What She's Got' and an elusive live track from the rare Decca album at the Cavern. Changes also boasts her obscure 1981 single 'Hungry for You' (produced by Pete Barden's) and some fascinating recent recordings, including a version of 'I'll Be There', her performance of which closed the recent TV documentary on the Cavern. RPM.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: from the R&B side of 1960s British girl-pop\\n\\nReview: 1st half of CD (the Liverpudlian's teenage years, 1963-66): five stars\\n2nd half of CD (late-'70s/early-'80s and latter period, 2007-2011): two stars\\n\\nAlthough she went nearly hitless outside of her home town of Liverpool, Beryl Marsden (ne Hogg) was a dynamic teen vocalist on the local Merseybeat scene, who made a string of terrific singles over a three-year period when she was 16-19 years of age (1963-66). She was clearly on the R&B side of the girl-pop ledger and did some very credible covers of U.S. pop/R&B artists: \\\"I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)\\\" [Barbara George], her dbut single; \\\"When the Lovelight Starts Shining Thru His Eyes\\\" (The Supremes), \\\"Everybody Loves a Lover\\\" (inspired by the Shirelles' version; from a live various artists LP recorded at The Cavern); \\\"Music Talk\\\" (Stevie Wonder); and \\\"Break-A-Way\\\" (Irma Thomas).\\n\\nThe one week she spent on one national British chart was with the strong, soulfully sung original ballad \\\"Who You Gonna Hurt?\\\" from 1965. But, IMO, her best chance for a breakthrough hit (if her excellent cover of \\\"I Know\\\" couldn't do it in the UK) could have been its\\npulsating and energetic flipside, a should-have-been girl-pop U.S.-import classic titled \\\"Gonna Make Him My Baby.\\\" April Young's original 1965 version may have been a bit too late to have caught the girl-group wave (a problem for Beryl Marsden in the UK also), as it only reached #129 in Cash Box, despite being designated in Billboard as a \\\"breakout hit\\\" in Philadelphia. This is a dynamic, right-on-the-money example of the genre that fans of this style need to hear.\\n\\nFrom 1966, we get a single by the short-lived R&B ensemble The Shotgun Express, featuring both Beryl Marsden and Rod Stewart. Oddly, this orchestral pop-soul hybrid, \\\"I Could Feel the Whole World Turn Around,\\\" was atypical of what the group normally did, only serving to alienate fans and squelch any momentum they might have been building.\\n\\nWhen Beryl re-emerged in a later era, production values on records had drastically changed; and gritty, organically-produced R&B/soul was nowhere to be found. Synthetic music now ruled the pop scene. The less said about her three pop sides included here from 1979 and 1981 the better.\\n\\nThe eight latter-day tracks (2007-2011) show her to be in great voice, and her co-write \\\"Too Late\\\" is a very good '60s-throwback, girl-group-influenced song. Also vocally impressive are her covers of the Shirelles' (obviously an inspirational group for her from the beginning) \\\"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\\\" and \\\"Baby, It's You.\\\" It's just a bit difficult for fans of records from the 1960s and the way they were produced back then to sit still for the rather annoying, artificially created musical backings relied upon here.\\n\\nI have been listening to the first twelve tracks repeatedly, and they seem to fly by; but I just can't make myself slog through the rest again.\\n\\nStill, a fine job by RPM putting together this first-ever Beryl Marsden comprehensive collection. The 16-page accompanying booklet is impressive, with photos and twelve pages of well-written, detailed liner notes by John Reed (with the participation of Beryl Marsden).\",\n \"Product: 2012 two CD collection devoted to the works of Motown session keyboardist (and Funk Brother extraordinaire) Earl Van Dyke. Originally, some of the Hitsville studio musicians would be ''allowed'' to cut soulful Blues and Jazz tracks for the company's Workshop Jazz label, as long as they handled the regular gig, cutting hits on the Hitsville U.S.A. assembly line. By 1964, however, Workshop Jazz was dead. Motown made good on their promise, somewhat, giving Earl Van Dyke a rare opportunity in the spotlight by issuing in his name a single and a subsequent LP, That Motown Sound. Earl's artistic disappointment belies the gems contained within those vocal-less Motown hits and the additional bonus tracks from Motown's vaults that comprise Disc One of this set. Additional previously unheard nuggets can be found amongst the bonus tracks on Disc Two.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: out of the shadows of Motown\\n\\nReview: This is truly exceptional: over two and a half hours of instrumental music from Motown Records 1964-1970. The Motown hit factory in the Detroit years (until the move to LA starting in '72) was not exactly known for its instrumentals. In fact, only five Motown instrumental single sides from this era ever charted nationally: four by Jr. Walker & the All Stars and one by Stevie Wonder using the pseudonym Eivets Rednow (his name spelled backwards). And none of these cracked the Top 30 on any of the national pop charts.\\n\\nHowever, the company in its Detroit heyday was known for its fantastic, extremely consistent and influential session musicians. They were the ones who developed what became identified as \\\"the Motown sound\\\" and were its backbone and unsung heroes. Chief among them were bassist James Jamerson and the Detroit jazz organist/pianist Earl Van Dyke whom Jamerson persuaded to give up life on the road and come to work at Motown. Van Dyke was such a powerful and unique player Motown went ahead and released six singles and two LPs under his name. They are all here on these two filled-to-the-brim discs by Hip-O/Select/UMG/Motown - plus ample bonus material, including three ultra-rare (two previously unissued) tracks under Jamerson's name. There is nothing here that is short of smoking hot, despite the fact that none of the issued material ever rang up enough sales to chart nation-wide.\\n\\nThe first LP, \\\"That Motown Sound\\\" (1965) by Earl Van Dyke and the Soul Brothers (Motown felt that the name Soul Brothers had more class than the rhythm section's real name, the Funk Brothers), consists of 12 tracks whose vocals were replaced by EVD's Hammond B3. Most of these tracks are so familiar (\\\"My Girl,\\\" \\\"Nowhere to Run,\\\" \\\"Come See About Me,\\\" \\\"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You),\\\" etc., that at first it seems strange to hear EVD's organ chime in at the exact point, for example, you're expecting to hear David Ruffin intone \\\"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day...\\\". Each track on its own really cooks, no doubt about it, but you really have to like the soul organ sound to stay with this for 12 straight tracks. Four (!) tracks of Marvin Gaye tunes is excessive (more variety is needed) and will make you miss Marvin's voice.\\n\\nThe Disc 1 bonus tracks really help out with this variety \\\"problem,\\\" as they include both sides of EVD's 1964 dbut single \\\"Soul Stomp\\\" and \\\"Hot 'N' Tot\\\" (on which those titles tell the whole story), as well as his cool 1966 single \\\"6 By 6\\\" with The Motown Brass (Motown's stellar horn section). \\\"The Flick\\\" (composed by EVD, Jamerson and guitarist Robert White) is not in its two-part 1966 single form but appears instead in a previously unissued, uncut alternate version, which at 12 minutes long becomes rather tedious (too much of a good thing perhaps). There are also a couple of tracks recorded live in Paris: sizzling, somewhat jazzier reprises of singles heard earlier, \\\"Soul Stomp\\\" and from the \\\"That Motown Sound\\\" LP, the Marvelettes' \\\"Too Many Fish in the Sea.\\\"\\n\\nDisc 2 is anchored by Van Dyke's second, final and even rarer live LP, \\\"The Earl of Funk,\\\" from 1970. Since it is not tied to any previously laid-down tracks, it has the distinct advantage of being freer and looser (although the funk is tight and intense on a number of the dozen tunes here), allowing these superb musicians (George Benson, sax; Uriel Jones, drums; Eddie \\\"Bongo\\\" Brown, congas and percussion; in addition to EVD, Jamerson and White) to really shine (and jam [!] on the funk numbers). It's a cool mix of mid-tempo to slow pop and pop-soul ballads of the era (\\\"Someday We'll Be Together,\\\" \\\"My Cherie Amour,\\\" \\\"Rainy Night in Georgia,\\\" \\\"Wichita Lineman,\\\" and one from the early '60s, \\\"Stand by Me\\\"), one pop-rocker that gets s soul workout (\\\"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye\\\"), a bunch that get majorly funked up (The Meters' \\\"Cissy Strut,\\\" Sly Stone's \\\"Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin,\\\" EVD's previous single \\\"The Flick\\\" and two originals: EVD's \\\"The Stingray\\\" and the EVD-Henry Cosby-Stevie Wonder co-write \\\"The Whip-A-Rang,\\\" as well as a throwback to an earlier era (think Duke Ellington in the '40s), saxophonist George Benson's \\\"Fuschia [sic] Moods.\\\" Speaking of this George Benson (as opposed to the singer-guitarist of the same name), he is also amazingly mellow and compelling at the same time on \\\"My Cherie Amour\\\" and \\\"Rainy Night in Georgia.\\\" Electric guitarist Robert White glows on \\\"My Cherie Amour\\\" and is utterly fine on my favorite here, the bluesiest version ever of Ben E. King's \\\"Stand by Me.\\\"\\n\\nThe Disc Two bonus tracks, besides the three James Jamerson features (Wow, does \\\"Fever in the Funkhouse\\\" ever live up to its title!), include the moving closer \\\"Ode to Benny B.\\\" (dedicated to the recently deceased Funk Brothers drummer Benny Benjamin), on which Stevie Wonder contributes the harmonica part; EVD's final single, \\\"Runaway Child, Running Wild\\\"; and two of my other favorites in this collection, which have EVD playing piano: Jimmy Ruffin's \\\"Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got\\\" (very slinky and cool) and a previously unissued version of the ever-tuneful \\\"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby.\\\" (I know, yet another Marvin Gaye song over a a pre-recorded track; but this is from a different time, and we get to hear EVD on a different instrument.)\\n\\nThis is an outstanding compilation, with sparkling digitally remastered sound and a colorful, photo-filled 28-page booklet that includes detailed track credits and well-written, informative notes by \\\"Standing in the Shadows of Motown\\\" author (and film co-producer) Allan Slutsky, It's a bit too rich for even a couple of sittings; but listened to a bit at a time it's a breath of fresh air for fans of Motown, instrumentals, and sixties soul and funk.\",\n \"Product: From Real Gone Music comes a discovery that already has the collector community buzzing, and especially those collectors in search of previously unheard stereo--20 tracks discovered deep in the vaults of the Red Bird label, every one of which makes its true stereo debut right here! Founded in 1964 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and run by George Goldner, Red Bird is considered to this day as the girl group label of the '60s, and this collection produced by long-time archivist and engineer Ron Furmanek together with Ash Wells and annotated by James Moniz features the biggest stars on the label roster, and sources its first-time stereo mixes straight from the original master tapes. Among the most notable tracks are Call Me His, a totally unknown and unreleased recording from the great Ellie Greenwich written by a neophyte songwriter named Neil Diamond; an early, unreleased version of The Boy from New York City, recorded by the Ad-Libs back when they were known as The Cheerio's; Go Now by Bessie Banks, a song that became a big hit for The Moody Blues a year later, and I Can t Let Go by Evie Sands, which, similarly, became a hit for the Hollies; I Wanna Love Him So Bad by The Jelly Beans featuring a rare lead vocal from Alma Brewer, and The Young Generation's The Hideaway featuring a very young Janis Siegel before she became a superstar with Manhattan Transfer. Meticulously documented inside a 16-page booklet boasting copious photos and interviews with Siegel, Sands and songwriter/producer Brooks Arthur among many others, The Red Bird Girls Very First Time in True Stereo sheds a new light on the genius artists, songwriters and producers that recorded for the Red Bird label, and displays their work in all its sonic stereo glory.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: enough audiophile revelations to make this collection recommendable\\n\\nReview: Red Bird (& Blue Cat) Girls in True Stereo 1964-66 hit parade (highest national chart placements given):\\n* The Ad Libs \\\"The Boy from New York City\\\" (1965) [#6 R&B / #7 pop]\\n* The Jelly Beans \\\"I Wanna Love Him So Bad\\\" (1964) [#7 R&B / #9 pop]]\\n*(the above are both previously unissued alternate versions)\\n\\nBessie Banks \\\"Go Now\\\" (1964) [#40 R&B / #146 pop]\\nThe Butterflys \\\"I Wonder\\\" (1965) [#91 pop]\\nEvie Sands \\\"Take Me for a Little While\\\" [#114 pop]\\nThe Goodies \\\"The Dum Dum Ditty\\\" (1965) [#123 pop]\\n\\nFirst, why I am docking this collection one star: while there is much here that is a real treat for girl-groupophiles and audiophiles, the \\\"true stereo\\\" mix might not in all cases be the best one. The one that really bothers me is my favorite record here, Evie Sands' \\\"Take Me for a Little While,\\\" which to me should have been a runaway number one record in 1965 - a brilliantly composed (by Chip \\\"Wild Thing\\\" and \\\"Angel of the Morning\\\" Taylor and Al Gorgoni) pop-soul gem powerfully delivered by the tremendous young singer. The sad story here, especially since it was a real setback to Evie's career, involved the illegal sale of her test recording to Chess Records who put out Jackie Ross's version of it first, not knowing they were undercutting another company's record. The problem on this present CD is that this mix is seriously flawed, with the instrumentation (especially violins) overwhelming the vocal at a certain point. However, her \\\"I Can't Let Go\\\" sounds perfect. It should have been the highly anticipated follow-up to \\\"Take Me for a Little While,\\\" but it never got any traction; whereas the Hollies' cover version came close to the Top 40 in the U.S. and rose as high as #2 in the UK.\\n\\nAlso on the down side for me is the presence of a few too many tracks that are just too saccharine and juvenile about teen love. \\\"Sugar Boy,\\\" \\\"Gee Baby Gee\\\" and \\\"How Fine Can One Boy Be,\\\" by The Butterflys, The Charmettes and the Jelly Beans, respectively, come up consecutively, and I could almost feel the cavities starting. \\\"The Dum Dum Ditty\\\" by The Goodies suffers from being too closely modeled on both \\\"He's a Rebel\\\" and \\\"Da Doo Ron Ron\\\" by The Crystals. It's kind of a cross between the two and not half as good as either. Also, I found the \\\"hidden\\\" tracks 21 through 31, with one set of studio outtakes after another, extremely tiresome and will forever avoid them.\\n\\nBack to the up side: Bessie Banks's \\\"Go Now\\\" has never sounded more clear and vibrant. Outstanding! Plus, the informative, well written and researched liner notes by co-compiler James Moniz make it clear beyond a doubt that The Moody Blues did not have the original release of the song. Also, the alternate unissued versions of the hits \\\"I Wanna Love Him So Bad\\\" (by The Jelly Beans) and \\\"The Boy from New York City\\\" (by The Ad Libs) are well worth hearing for the first time. The arrangements are slightly different, with the latter's being especially striking in its instrumentation. Not only that, it features a breathier vocal by a different lead singer. Ellie Greenwich's melodramatic mini-masterpiece \\\"You Don't Know\\\" (produced by Jeff Barry and Shadow Morton) is a real grabber here. Its emotionally authentic false stops, which stretch its length to 3:43, made it an automatic no-go for commercial radio at the time. The minor hit \\\"I Wonder\\\" by The Butterflys surprised everyone at the label when this obvious girl-group gem failed to really take off. The problem for a number of records here was that the British Invasion of 1964 had altered popular tastes almost overnight as well as crowding out many terrific girl-group records from radio playlists. A record had to be truly different (like The Shangri-Las' \\\"Leader of the Pack\\\" and \\\"The Boy from New York City\\\") to get noticed. [Note that the Shangri-Las do not appear in this collection due to the fact that all of their stereo material has been previously released.] One more I quite enjoyed was Roddie Joy's \\\"He's So Easy to Love,\\\" which is as close to a Motownish vibe as Red Bird ever got.\\n\\nRon Furmanek did a fine job co-producing and co-compiling this CD, as well as remastering and remixing it from the original master session tapes. It's a good collection to have, but it falls short of being essential.\",\n \"Product: Nick Lowe has mined the various strains of American popular music, purposefully ignoring the lines demarking separate genres. Among the most prevalent influences on his style has been country music. On Lowe Country 13 artists--most of them up-and-coming and/or left-of-center-interpret songs from Lowe's 4-decade career. These artists are the leading lights of a new generation who use classic country music as a springboard for their unique musical explorations. In these new, never before released tunes, they vividly display Lowe's trademarks: catchy melodies; clever word play and wit; a sense of fun and musical adventure; and the appropriate delivery of a lyric, whether it be outlandish or heartbreaking.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) High-quality Lowe\\n\\nReview: Scoping Nick Lowe's available CD catalog I belatedly stumbled upon this album from 14 months ago which features only one artist whose work I knew at all. But since that artist in the lead-off position is Caitlin Rose doing \\\"Lately I've Been Letting Things Slide\\\" from Lowe's 2001 \\\"The Convincer\\\" album, I was intrigued enough to give this CD of all new recordings a whirl. Good thing I did, for though there are a few pedestrian interpretations of Lowe here, this is overall a solid marriage of a younger generation of country, alt-country, alt-rock, roots and Americana artists and the quirky, catchy lyrical and musical brilliance of England's Nick Lowe. Nothing can top the originals, but that's beside the point. This is a tribute to the artistry of Lowe and the extent to which his music and message are of such relevance and appeal that they translate effortlessly to a new generation of independent-minded artists willing to step away from the assembly line.\\n\\nIn the large majority of cases here the artists render suitable homage to the words while putting their own often alluring and off-beat spins to the timeless tunes. Ian Gomm, the co-writer of Lowe's biggest U.S. hit single \\\"Cruel to Be Kind\\\" is right, however, when he points out that it was \\\"a definite mistake\\\" not to include Kelly Harmon's version of the song that was specifically recorded for this project. It's a deliciously quirky and somewhat \\\"out-there\\\" rendition superior to several cuts that made it onto this disc in my book (including the just-OK \\\"When I Write the Book\\\" by The Unsinkable Boxer). You can catch it on YouTube.\\n\\nThe seven tracks that stand out the most for me are \\\"Cracking Up\\\" (from Lowe's \\\"Labour of Lust\\\" [1979]) by Griffin House (I can't get enough of the retro reverbed spy guitar); the aforementioned Caitlin Rose's gorgeous vocal on a lushly countrified \\\"Lately I've Been Letting Things Slide\\\"; Robert Ellis's jumpin' \\\"All Men Are Liars\\\" which really nails Lowe's comical lyrics (with the priceless Rick Astley/ghastly and pliers/liars rhymes); Hayes Carll's completely credible drawling Texan's take on \\\"(I'm Gonna Start) Living Again If It Kills Me\\\"; Chatham County Line's Cajun/bluegrass spin on \\\"Heart of the City\\\"; Lori McKenna's moving vibrato which graces the gently acoustic \\\"What's Shakin' on the Hill\\\" (from 1990's \\\"Party of One,\\\" as is \\\"All Men Are Liars\\\"); and Ron Sexsmith's intimate one-man closer, \\\"Where's My Everything?\\\" (from Lowe's \\\"The Impossible Bird\\\" [1994]). Sexsmith has picked up the Nick Lowe mantle more convincingly than anyone else I can think of.\\n\\nEnjoy \\\"Lowe Country\\\" (with some of the proceeds going to disaster relief funds).\",\n \"Product: Original and classic Cajun songs.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Je suis fou de cet album (I'm crazy about this album)!\\n\\nReview: This is yet another brilliant and beautiful piece of work by Zachary Richard, who, as always, does musical and poetic honor to his French Cajun cultural heritage. Twelve of the thirteen tracks are originals, written or co-written by Richard. (There is one traditional Cajun number.) The booklet contains complete lyrics to all the songs in clearly legible print and also includes helpful explanatory notes for five of the songs. One should be aware that everything, apart from a single verse in one song, is in French.\\n\\nThe title song has him identifying with the plight of the \\\"fou de Bassan\\\" (gannet), the seabird that migrates from Newfoundland and Qubec to the Louisiana area (mirroring the migration of the early French Acadians), which unfortunately was the first bird species known to have become a casualty of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster off the Southern Louisiana coast. \\\"Laisse le vent souffler\\\" (Let the Wind Blow) encapsulates the Cajun attitude toward any existential threat. \\\"Clif's Zydeco\\\" is a lively tribute to the late King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, that you know he would have really appreciated. \\\"La ballade de Jean Saint Malo\\\" is about the leader of an insurgent band of runaway slaves in the 1780s during the Spanish colonial occupation of Louisiana. Other favorites (although I could mention every single Richard-penned track!) include \\\"Orignal ou caribou\\\" (Moose or Caribou), \\\"La chanson des migrateurs\\\" (Song of the Immigrants), \\\"Crevasse Crevasse,\\\" \\\"Lolly Lo\\\" [pure fun, this one!], and the gorgeously poetic album closer \\\"Les ailes des hirondelles\\\" (Wings of the Swallows).\\n\\nC'est un vrai chef-d'oeuvre de la musique amricaine.\",\n \"Product: Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of late '80s albums from the Country/Cajun musician. Jo-El Sonnier is one of the most sought after session musicians having worked with Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Mark Knopfler, Robert Cray, Alan Jackson, Hank Williams Jr., Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: quality two-fer of Jo-El Sonnier's peak commercial period: 1987-1990 on RCA\\n\\nReview: Singles from LP \\\"Come On Joe\\\" [peak position on Billboard's Country Singles chart]:\\n-\\\"Come on Joe\\\" (1987-88) [#39]\\n-\\\"No More One More Time\\\" (1988) [#7]\\n-\\\"Tear-Stained Letter\\\" (1988) [#9]\\n-\\\"Rainin' in My Heart\\\" ('88-89) [#35]\\n\\nSingles from LP \\\"Have a Little Faith\\\":\\n-\\\"(Blue, Blue, Blue) Blue, Blue\\\" (1989) [#47]\\n-\\\"If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again\\\" ('89-90) [#24]\\n-\\\"The Scene of the Crime\\\" (1990) [#65]\\n\\nTraditional Cajun singer-musician (accordionist) and prior Grammy nominee Jo-El Sonnier opted for a change of pace and scenery and made a second run at Nashville in the late '80s with RCA (the first run was with Mercury in the mid-'70s), with the result being most impressive: a pair of LPs which stayed on the Billboard Country Albums chart for a total of 61 weeks; and as you can see above, seven charting singles, including consecutive top ten records in 1988. Subsequently returning to his Cajun roots he racked up three additional Grammy nominations...and the 2014 Grammy award itself (Best Regional Roots Music Album), presented earlier this year for his masterpiece titled \\\"The Legacy.\\\"\\n\\nThe LP \\\"Come On Joe\\\" reached #17 and had a 47-week chart run. It's a Cajun-infused hybrid of soulful, blues-rocking contemporary country and is dynamic from start to finish. The Troy Seals co-write \\\"No More One More Time\\\" is the biggest pop-country hit ballad here, but Sonnier really rocks out Cajun-style (chiming in on accordion) on Richard Thompson's \\\"Tear-Stained Letter, his other Top Ten smash, as well as on Dave Alvin's \\\"So Long Baby Goodbye.\\\" His cover of Louisiana bluesman Slim Harpo's \\\"Rainin' in My Heart\\\" from 1961 is already fantastic even before the 2:55 mark when Steve Winwood shows up for his guest organ solo. Someone needs to establish a B-side Hall of Fame; and for 1988 the first inductee would have to be the B-side of \\\"No More One More Time,\\\" Sonnier's powerfully poignant, epic take on Randy Newman's \\\"Louisiana 1927\\\" - the best Randy Newman cover version I have ever heard. For the LP's closer there is the astonishingly emotive, six-minutes-plus Dennis Walker soul-blues ballad \\\"I've Slipped Her Mind\\\" (originally by The Robert Cray Band two years earlier), featuring a smoldering electric guitar solo by Kenny Greenberg (who delivers big-time on \\\"Tear-Stained Letter,\\\" \\\"So Long Baby Goodbye\\\" and \\\"No More One More Time\\\" also).\\n\\nThe 1990 LP \\\"Have a Little Faith\\\" takes its title from Sonnier's cover of John Hiatt's \\\"Have a Little Faith in Me\\\" from three years earlier. This album is more ballad oriented, with a second effective Hiatt cover (\\\"I'll Never Get Over You\\\"), \\\"Blue, Blue\\\" (a second Troy Seals co-write), Allan Clarke's anguished and introspective \\\"Walls,\\\" and Jo-El as a convincing Cajun Conway Twitty on \\\"The Hurt in My Heart.\\\" This LP's biggest hit \\\"If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again\\\" is straight contemporary country, while the opening \\\"The Scene of the Crime\\\" and the Sonnier co-penned \\\"Ooh Ooh Ooh\\\" have him doing more Cajun-style rockin' out. For the closer, it's traditional Cajun time (foreshadowing his imminent return to his roots) with Iry LeJeune's joyous French-language \\\"Evangeline Special\\\" from 1948.\\n\\nThis is a most worthwhile, high-quality single-disc double LP reissue from the Morello Records division of Cherry Red (UK).\",\n \"Product: 2013 three CD collection from the iconic Motown quartet. For the first time ever, on the occasion of the group's 50th anniversary with Motown Records, every single from the Four Tops classic period is now in one package. This set contains each A- and B- side, from their first hit to the moment they left the storied label, as well as collector's bonus tracks. Featured among the set's 78 tracks are the group's 16 #1 Pop and R&B hits, from 'Baby I Need Your Loving' to '(It's The Way) Nature Planned It,' and the smashes in-between. Recognizing the group's undying popularity in England, the collection also includes 14 singles issued only in the U.K., from duets with the Supremes to the U.K. Top Three hit 'Simple Game' that featured backing by the Moody Blues. Four Tops: 50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 1964-1972 is accompanied by a booklet filled with detailed information about each single, reproductions of spectacular-looking picture sleeves from around the world, and classic and rare photos of the world's most beloved male vocal groups.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The SINGLE best Four Tops collection!\\n\\nReview: This is the Four Tops collection I have been waiting the entire CD era for, it's that good! I would not have expected less from a Universal \\\"Select\\\" limited edition product, given the company's stellar track record handling the Motown catalog. The sound engineering is as fine as it gets; and I swear I'm hearing instrumental parts on \\\"Reach Out I'll Be There\\\" that I never noticed before (and I had the single when it first came out in 1966). All the Tops' B-sides are gathered together for the first time ever in one place, and many of them by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team are better than other artists' A-sides. I like that the set is organized chronologically over its three discs:\\n\\nDisc One includes their first 13 singles from their Holland-Dozier-Holland era (1964-67). H-D-H penned 24 of those 26 sides -- all but \\\"Ask the Lonely\\\" and \\\"Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever.\\\" Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier produced all of them. This was the Tops' soul-and-pop prime (as genuine Motown superstars) and no one could ever match Levi Stubbs's lead vocals from this period. Try to imagine anyone else singing \\\"Ask the Lonely, for example, and you'll know what I mean. (Probably the closest anyone ever came was Johnny Rivers on \\\"Baby I Need Your Loving.\\\")\\n\\nDisc Two opens with the Tops' first non-Motown-sourced side, \\\"Walk Away Renee\\\" (1968), a dynamic cover of the Left Banke's 1966 top five U.S. hit. This was an H-D-H production that had been sitting in the vault for a year. Although the Four Tops would never again dent the Billboard pop top ten for Motown after 1967, the second half (1968-1972) of their original stint there, in addition to \\\"Walk Away Renee,\\\" had its moments: \\\"If I Were a Carpenter\\\" showed they could energize a folk-rock ballad; their last holdover H-D-H song, \\\"I'm in a Different World\\\" (Lamont Dozier's personal favorite) deserved a much higher chart placement than #23 soul/#51 pop; \\\"It's All in the Game\\\" was Grammy-nominated and featured a startlingly good rearrangement of the #1 song from the 1950s; the Smokey Robinson co-write \\\"Still Water (Love & Peace)\\\" is a beauty; and (help me out here!) am I the only one who thinks their version of the Moody Blues' \\\"Simple Game,\\\" the lead-off track on Disc Three, is brilliant and worthy of much better than its #90 peak on the Billboard pop chart? (Kudos to the Brits for making it a #3 hit in the U.K.)\\n\\nDisc Three from Track 7 on consists of the Tops' U.K.-only sides, plus their trio of Italian-language singles. This is where being completist proves to have its ups and downs. Track 7, the U.K. B-side \\\"Mame\\\" is a low point. \\\"Mame\\\" is lame to begin with and they \\\"maim\\\" it even more. But then it is followed by a muscular version of Jimmy Webb's \\\"Do What You Gotta Do\\\" that you won't want to miss--so things tend to even out. On the Italian singles that close this 78-track collection, Levi Stubbs's commitment to his Italian-language vocals is remarkable.\\n\\nThe packaging is exquisite: a sixty-page book-album format loaded with color photos and record sleeve cover reproductions, plus informative comments about every A-side and many B-sides as well. I learned, for example, that as incredible as it may seem, the across-the-board #1 smash (soul/U.S. & U.K. pop) \\\"Reach Out I'll Be There\\\" was nearly rejected for release by Motown's Quality Control board. Fortunately, Mr. Big (Berry Gordy) decided to gamble on releasing it because it was \\\"really different.\\\" I'll say!\",\n \"Product: First nationally distributed release from this Boston blue-eyed soul singer/songwriter. He's played hundreds of shows throughout New England, toured Europe, and played with soul greats Al Green, Bettye LaVette, and James Hunter, with whom he's played over 30 shows. Buoyant, contemporary soul music reminiscent of 1970s-era Van Morrison and powered by unique, effortless vocals.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: He may be a \\\"Dee,\\\" but this is an \\\"A\\\" effort!\\n\\nReview: This is \\\"blue-eyed,\\\" big-hair Bostonian retro-soul at its best, almost as if Jesse Dee stepped right out of 1967 and into 2013. He is a master of the idiom who, quite remarkably, composed all of these fine songs himself or, in two cases, with collaborators. He also co-produced and plays guitar. The arrangements and musicianship are off-the-charts [no pun intended] outstanding, featuring a dynamic four-man soul horn section for that \\\"Memphis\\\" touch.\\n\\nThere is nary an unconvincing sixties-style soul/r&b song here. Among the most impressive in my mind is the deep Southern soul ballad creation \\\"Boundary Line,\\\" which places Jesse squarely in Percy Sledge/Otis Redding territory. It comes right on the heels of the driving soul-rocker \\\"Sweet Tooth,\\\" which is a blast of startling originality that somehow seems so well-worn at the same time. The powerfully and sincerely delivered \\\"No Matter Where I Am\\\" situates us in Tyrone Davis country circa 1969. \\\"Fussin' and Fightin'\\\" is five minutes of sheer brilliance, both lyrically and musically, with a stellar horn arrangement throughout. \\\"I Won't Forget About You\\\" updates Joe Tex's lyrical cleverness (while adding contemporary references to the Internet) and sweet love testifying. \\\"From the Start\\\" is a delightful duet with Rachael Price of Lake Street Drive that features appealing flourishes of early '60s pop, while the ballad \\\"What's a Boy Like Me to Do?\\\" recalls those years as well, conjuring up early Aaron Neville. I've checked it out, but I don't think I'll ever be totally convinced that the upbeat closer \\\"Stay Strong\\\" did not appear on some\\n early Van Morrison LP!\\n\\nNo sophomore jinx here! This is an exceptional album that will have me waiting for more from this artist.\",\n \"Product: This 2013 addition to our highly regarded Songwriter series focuses on the husband and wife duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, one of the most respected, most successful and most prolific teams of the modern era. Includes tracks from The Ronettes, Scott Walker, Gene Pitney, The Righteous Brothers, The Drifters, Lou Rawls and many others. Ace.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: another terrific Ace Songwriter series compilation CD\\n\\nReview: How about the Righteous Brothers, Gene Pitney, Ronnie Spector and Scott Walker on the same disc! And that's just the first four (of 25) tracks!\\n\\nYou can't go wrong with the Ace Records (U.K.) Songwriters series. Each CD is meticulously compiled, bringing together in one place some 25 selections that represent the breath-taking breadth of the composers' best work and feature a diversity of recording artists. On this, the second Ace disc of Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil (the husband-wife composing team of longest duration) songs, every selection is by a different artist (although the great Bill Medley appears as both a Righteous Brother and solo), each of whose featured song is profiled in the 25-page accompanying booklet that is also loaded with photos and color reproductions of record jackets, labels of 45s, sheet music covers and ad posters. I learned something new from each song profile, such as why the composers cringe whenever they hear their song \\\"We Gotta Get Out of This Place\\\" by the Animals come on the radio (despite the royalties they collect on it). Ace's sound mastering is never less than top-of-the-line, so the only thing that could possibly dissuade you from wanting to own these songwriter compilations (other than cost, I suppose) is that you may already have a number of these recordings on other collections. Ace has apparently thought of this and thus intentionally balances these CDs with some big hit versions integral to the songwriters' story alongside a majority of more obscure but high-quality ones that merit being heard and profiled. The assumption is that you most likely would not already own more than a few, if any, of the latter group.\\n\\nOn \\\"Born to Be Together\\\" only ten of the 25 tracks (from 1961-1972) landed on the Billboard Hot 100. The soulfully sung \\\"This Is a Love Song\\\" by Bill Medley peaked (if you can call it that) at #112 on the \\\"Bubbling Under\\\" chart. The Everly Brothers are represented by the B-side of a #117 song (now that's obscure!), although in the U.K. \\\"The Girl Who Sang the Blues\\\" went to #25 in 1963. Some of the best stuff here is taken from album tracks: the most beautiful melody Barry Mann ever composed, \\\"Angelica\\\" (accent on the penultimate syllable), comes from Scott Walker's 1967 debut solo album. Stunning! Original Drifter Clyde McPhatter sounds really good covering the second-generation Drifters' hit \\\"On Broadway\\\" from his 1964 LP \\\"Songs of the Big City\\\"; Bobby Hebb, by the end of the easy-going \\\"Good, Good Lovin'\\\" (from his 1966 \\\"Sunny\\\" LP), has turned it into smokin' soul; and then there is the brilliant inclusion of the Doris Day 1964 album title track \\\"Love Him\\\" produced by her son Terry Melcher. She goes from pure honey-voiced sweetness to full-on vocal power drive in under two minutes and twenty seconds. The album, her last ever to chart, only got to #102 during the height of Beatlemania.\\n\\nBest single vocal note on this disc: sixteen year-old TV co-star Johnny Crawford (Mark McCain on \\\"The Rifleman\\\")'s final one in the #29 1963 hit \\\"Proud.\\\" It may be the highest ever hit by a pubescent male on a pop record without a trace of falsetto or shrillness. Wow!\\n\\nThe most remarkable feature of this CD collection when listened to from start to finish: how Mann and Weil's songs sound so different from each other despite the frenzied pace at which they were creating them during this period. It's hard to believe that \\\"Angelica\\\" and \\\"Shapes of Things to Come\\\" (from the film \\\"Wild in the Streets\\\") could have come from the same couple within a two-year period.\\n\\nOutstanding CD! We can only hope there will be more to come!\",\n \"Product: Rare Rockin' Records presents the highly anticipated third volume in their much revered 'Songwriter Masters Series', DAVID GATES - The Early Years 1962-1967. In this third installment, we present an icon of the Industry in David Gates as we take a musical journey back to his pre-Bread days as a songwriter. Prior to being a member of Bread with whom he enjoyed numerous Hot 100 hits in the early 70s, David Gates had a music career that stretched back to 1957. He was a very well respected session musician who quickly stepped up to be both an arranger and producer. A singer in his own right, he was also a prolific songwriter. For the first time, we are bringing together the best of these songs (as a songwriter), 33 in fact, from the golden years of 1962 through 1967. They include many girl group and northern soul rarities. Most of these rare 60s gems make their CD debut. Although his 70s output yielded more hits - 13 with Bread and seven as a solo artist, this does not diminish the quality of David Gates' 60s songs, as the 33 tracks featured on this CD clearly demonstrate. This set is headlined by his biggest song of the 60s: the Murmaids' 'Popsicles And Icicles' and continues with the best and rarest of the songs David Gates wrote in the 60s, from 1962 to 1967, as performed by the Crickets, the Lettermen, Johnny Crawford, Ann-Margret, Shelley Fabares, Connie Stevens, Jody Miller, Merry Clayton and many more. Accompanied by a 32 page booklet, featuring liner notes for all tracks and a David Gates' career perspective from noted rock historian, Brian Gari. Many rare pictures and label scans complete this one of a kind package. 33 tracks in total! Six in stereo.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"Never Let (This Compilation) Go\\\"!\\n\\nReview: The joy of discovery is all over this exceptional compilation of David Gates-penned songs from 1962 to 1967. It's almost impossible to fathom the amount of good-to-great records made in the 1960s, and here come thirty-one more that I never heard until now, five decades later (!) for all but two of these.\\n\\nThe ones I knew, unsurprisingly, were the two Billboard Hot 100 entries here: the one-massive-hit Murmaids' \\\"Popsicles and Icicles,\\\" which reached #3 in early 1964 just before the Beatles landed on our shores; and the Phil Spector/Darlene Love sound-alike \\\"My One and Only Jimmy Boy\\\" by the Girlfriends, which got to #49 at the same time the Murmaids were riding high (it was also the very week \\\"I Want to Hold Your Hand\\\" hit number one). Besides these two, only a pair of releases even saw action as B-sides of (Johnny Crawford and Connie Stevens) chart hits.\\n\\nNearly everything on this CD, from a quality standpoint (Gates's songwriting, the production values and performances), had the potential to become hits, but timing is everything; and the arrival of those four \\\"moptops\\\" from Liverpool drastically altered the lay of the land, reducing pop radio airplay (the overwhelming launcher of hits) for U.S. artists.\\n\\nGates could be accused of copycatism on some of these songs, as they were obviously being crafted to match the various genres that had been selling at the time. Besides the obvious Phil Spector influence on \\\"My One and Only Jimmy Boy,\\\" Dorothy Berry's \\\"You Better Watch Out\\\" sounds eerily like it could have been a semi-cloned Betty Everett follow-up to \\\"You're No Good.\\\" However, Gates is such an inherently strong melodist (his later Bread output attests to this) and is so adept at seemlessly matching his lyrics to his melodies that the large majority of his songs can easily stand on their own.\\n\\nThe first big revelation here for me was Gates's ability to come up with excellent songs for a number of young female R&B artists (Dorothy Berry, Pat Powdrill, Margaret Mandolph, Gwen Stacey, Merry Clayton), of whom only Merry Clayton was heard from again in a major way.\\n\\nThe second and even bigger revelation is that my favorite all-time David Gates song \\\"Never Let Her Go,\\\" which he himself took to #29 in 1975, was originally released on Capitol Records ten years earlier as Jody Miller's \\\"Never Let Him Go.\\\" Jody Miller became a favorite of mine in the '70s when she was scoring on the country charts. Her performance on this record is compelling and made even more moving by her beautifully controlled tight vibrato. If I had known this record existed in 1965 I would have ridden my bike at breakneck speed over to the local record shop to place my order.\\n\\nThank you, Rare Rockin' Records, for this fantastic CD and CD package, including a 32-page booklet with notes on every song and artist, along with photos and color galore. And thank you, David Gates, for being the brains and talent behind this highly enjoyable music.\",\n \"Product: Although it wasn't until 1964 when Johnny Rivers finally became a star with his hit "Memphis" he had a career going back to 1958. Here we have the earliest recordings of the 60s superstar getting their most comprehensive reissue yet! He recorded Rockabilly and beat ballads and examples of all of his early attempts at a hit are featured on this full length CD. Anyone entranced with the roots of 60s Pop can't help but be hooked on this collection. Fully detailed liner notes with biography and career achievements.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This is definitely the best one to feature Johnny Rivers' 1958-62 teen records\\n\\nReview: From 1964 to 1968, going up against the British invasion, no solo male act had more Top Ten records in the U.S. than Johnny Rivers, who had seven, including the number one hit \\\"Poor Side of Town\\\" in 1966. This collection covers his teenage years (1958-62), first under his given name, Johnny Ramistella, on his solo debut 45 (recorded in his home town of Baton Rouge), and then using the surname he became famous with, suggested to him by legendary DJ Alan Freed. None of these records charted nationally, a situation which Rivers sings about on his humorous self-penned record \\\"This Could Be the One\\\" (this collection's title song). Unfortunately, it also went nowhere.\\n\\nI think the most hit-worthy track here is \\\"The Customary Thing\\\" (not the same as the John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band song, although Cafferty is erroneously listed here as the writer), from 1960, which has him in full-out soul-rockin' mode - an absolute gem that deserved to have been his breakthrough on the Cub label, the R&B subsidiary of MGM Records. It is punctuated with stinging electric blues guitar fills and features dynamic backing vocals.\\n\\nClearly, Rivers was being encouraged to sound like other artists who were having contemporaneous hits. This was a strategy that didn't do him any favors. His 1958 release on the Gone label has him sounding like a cross between Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis, while tossing in a bunch of hiccuping yelps. Yet, going unisssued by Gone was the outstanding self-written blues-rocker \\\"One Man Woman,\\\" on which he uses his fully formed, natural and unmistakably soulful Johnny Rivers Louisiana swamp-drawl voice the nation would come to know so well starting in 1964. By turns, they have him trying to emulate Ricky Nelson, Johnny Burnette, the Everly Brothers (I'm not sure which one), Ral Donner and even Jackie Wilson (not a good idea).\\n\\nThis makes for a bit of an odd listen, but when Rivers is able to cut loose in his own voice it becomes all the more exciting - such as on the soulful Charlie Rich-influenced songs, \\\"Knock Three Times\\\" (nothing to do with the later Tony Orlando & Dawn hit) and \\\"Losers Can't Win.\\\" There are three attempts at trying to get a hit out of rocked-up standards like Carl Mann was doing at Sun in Memphis. Irving Berlin's \\\"Blue Skies\\\" is severely contorted so as to fit a sort of Del Shannon \\\"Runaway\\\" template.\\n\\nEssaying yet another genre, there are two good country covers here: of Johnny Cash's \\\"So Doggone Lonesome\\\" and Lefty Frizzell's \\\"Long Black Veil.\\\" It's just another indication of Rivers' versatility, but not a direction he would pursue as a number of Southern rockers eventually did.\\n\\nThis is by far the best collection of this music. In contrast to some earlier issues of it, Jasmine Records really cares about sound quality and sequencing; also provided are two pages of well-written liner notes.\",\n \"Product: Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of albums from the Rock 'n' Roll pioneer. The Return of Rock (1965) features Jerry Lee giving his own treatment of classics such as 'Maybelline', 'Roll Over Beethoven' and 'Johnny B. Goode'. Soul My Way (1967) is an album of covers featuring more contemporary material like 'Turn on Your Love Light', 'Treat Her Right' and 'Hey Baby'. Beat Goes On.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This killer BGO two-fer will leave you breathless!\\n\\nReview: \\\"This Diamond Ring\\\" by Gary Lewis & the Playboys was the number one record in the U.S. for the second straight week February 27 through March 5, 1965. What does this have to do with Jerry Lee Lewis, who is definitely not Gary's father (!), you ask? That was the very week founding father of rock & roll Lewis \\\"peaked\\\" (if you can call it that) on the same chart at an impossibly low #129 with his greatest single A-side of the 1960s, \\\"Baby, Hold Me Close,\\\" an original Jerry Lee co-penned song with an impossibly deep, locked-in-for-three-minutes groove. I have no problem with Gary, comedian/filmmaker Jerry's son, but it should not have happened this way. The fact that Jerry Lee also had an excellent B-side to go with \\\"Baby, Hold Me Close,\\\" an entrancing faux-gospel-sounding remake of Frank Brunson's \\\"I Believe in You\\\" from 1956, made no difference, unfortunately.\\n\\nBoth these sides appear on the leadoff album here from 1965, \\\"The Return of Rock,\\\" which did a little better chart-wise than the single, reaching #121 on the Billboard album chart. It was actually \\\"The Killer\\\"'s highest-placing studio album of the sixties that was not a greatest hits collection. He rocks out big-time on it, but this is, more specifically, full-tilt Southern R&B propelled by his frenetic, one-of-a-kind, rocking and stomping, glissando-filled boogie-woogie piano and unrestrained vocals that never miss a trick or a nuance of the lyrics. His cover versions of Chuck Berry (in particular, \\\"Roll Over Beethoven\\\"), Big Joe Turner (\\\"Flip, Flop and Fly\\\"), Hank Ballard (\\\"Sexy Ways\\\") and \\\"Corine, Corina\\\" are the best you'll most likely ever hear. (I suspect that with his Chuck Berry covers he may have been sending a message to the Beatles that you boys had better shape up 'cause ol' Killer Jerry Lee is back in town!).\\n\\nThe second album contained in full here, \\\"Soul My Way\\\" (1967), yielded a pair of super strong singles but nothing that even \\\"bubbled under\\\" the Billboard Hot 100. This one altered his sound by toning down the piano and turning up the Memphis-style soul horns and the percussion. It starts with a shredding soul-horn-driven romp through \\\"Turn On Your Love Light\\\" (also released on the album's second single), the 1961-62 #2 R&B/#28 pop Grammy and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame song by Bobby Bland (whom, sadly, we lost at the age of 83 this week). The other half of the second single is the James Brown-style original, \\\"Shotgun Man,\\\" which is about as deep within the wheelhouse of sixties soul as one can get. In this same wheelhouse we find \\\"It's a Hang Up Baby\\\" (also recorded by southern soul-blues man Z.Z. Hill) before the Killer tears through Bruce Channel's \\\"Hey Baby,\\\" Roy Orbison's \\\"Dream Baby\\\" and Roy Head's \\\"Treat Her Right\\\" like he owns them. Speaking of owning a song, he wails and pounds the piano (a bit of a rarity for this LP) on his own \\\"He Took It Like a Man,\\\" featuring his craziest lyrics (ever?). Jerry Lee goes pure classic country on a cover of Hank Williams's \\\"Wedding Bells\\\" from 1949 and deep southern country-soul on the beautiful, moving ballad \\\"Holdin' On,\\\" which was paired with \\\"It's a Hang Up Baby\\\" on his first fine but undiscovered single from this album.\\n\\nThe commercial failure of this great \\\"Soul My Way\\\" LP led Jerry Lee to take a major turn and go full out for the country market, with the result being sixteen years of brilliant country chart success: 54 hits, 20 top tens and four number ones.\\n\\nBut wait just a minute! I haven't gotten to la pice de rsistance yet. We have a historic moment here! Track 16 (the fourth track on \\\"Soul My Way\\\") is the ORIGINAL issued version of Mickey Newbury's \\\"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In),\\\" which in its \\\"psychedelicized\\\" version the following year became Kenny Rogers (with the First Edition)'s dbut hit, reaching #5. Supposedly about an LSD trip gone horribly wrong (\\\"I tore my mind on a jagged sky\\\"), this arrangement sounds like the slightly demented stepchild of \\\"My Babe\\\" and \\\"Sixteen Tons\\\" and features a vocal by Jerry Lee that can only be described as enigmatic (in a way matching his pose on the album's cover). Yikes!\\n\\nGreat job by BGO on the remastering and on the eight-page booklet with two sets of liner notes (original and updated) on each album. They outdid themselves.\",\n \"Product: * First time ever reissued * Comprehensive liner notes by Jessica Hundley interviewing all four band members * Unseen photos Remastered from the original tapes. Lee Hazlewood's LHI label only put out interesting albums. Yet despite the psychedelic cowboy's success with Nancy Sinatra and more, being on Lee Hazlewood Industries was no fast-track to success. Gorgeous and talented Detroit, Michigan girl group Honey Ltd had all the makings of a hit band, yet they disappeared after releasing just one album in 1968, a vinyl rarity that now regularly fetches upwards of $2,000. Light In The Attic Records is now looking to set the record straight. Having previously explored both the back catalog of Lee Hazlewood and his LHI label via the You Turned My Head Around 45s Box Set, Honey Ltd's The Complete LHI Recordingspresents everything the group ever recorded. Fans of The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las and Pentangle are in for a treat- Honey Ltd's music blended social commentary with harmony-drenched, psych-soul pop. Even opening track, ''Warrior'', describes the mood of the times, as America sunk into the Vietnam war: ''We must kill more people; strong men are what we need!'' Laura Polkinghome, Marsha Jo Temmer and sisters Joan and Alexandra Sliwin are the girls with the angelic voices. Hailing from Detroit, the four members of Honey Ltd grew up in a culture of soul music and dance shows, yet forming a band was never part of the plan. It simply happened after they sung together in a Wayne State University cafeteria and found they'd silenced the room. By 1967 they had formed a group known as the Mama Cats and were playing shows with local singer Bob Seger. By 1968, against a backdrop of rioting in Detroit, they'd hauled over to Los Angeles to give music a go, and it's there that they hitch-hiked to an audition with Lee Hazlewood on Sunset Boulevard. At the time, Lee Hazlewood Industries was in its prime: the money flowed and the roster swelled. ''I think Lee just sat there for a while and listened, looking at us,'' Temmer recalls. ''He said, 'Yeah, I think we can do something.' You know-- immediately!'' Before long, LHI had the band in the studio with crack session music unit The Wrecking Crew. These were not enlightened times for girl groups. The group were re-named Honey Ltd by Hazlewood, and were put to work on an album without even realizing it. The band were under the impression they were simply recording singles. As a result, the band were unphased by Honey Ltd's commercial failure. The parent label, however, did notice the album's failure but the girls continued on. By the end of 1968, the band joined Bob Hope on the USO tour and headed to Thailand to perform for soldiers. In 1969, Alex married and quit the band, their tenure on LHI was effectively terminated and the remaining members regrouped as country-rock group Eve. But like their music, the girls' outlook remained resolutely sunny. ''Its all a karmic equation, isn't it?'' Temmer recalled. ''So many things to experience and learn and humbly let go of in this journey. Our friendship is based on love- we love each other, always have, always will.''\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Proof that girl-group sunshine-psych-harmony-pop once esisted!\\n\\nReview: This is a beautifully and lovingly assembled package (with impeccable sound!) featuring the complete 1968-69 recordings of a gorgeous and talented female foursome from Detroit. Known as the Mama Cats in the Motor City, they decided in 1967 to give LA a shot and got signed by Lee Hazlewood's label, the very first door they knocked on. The combination of their looks and ability to create complex and appealing vocal harmonies made recording and marketing them a no-brainer. With Hazlewood producing (fresh from his success with Nancy Sinatra) and the best West Coast session musicians (the Wrecking Crew) backing them, here is their eponymous (under their new name) 1968 album and their four '68-69 singles (two A-sides did not appear on the album), plus a scant amount of unissued material.\\n\\nDespite a series of major TV appearances, as well as being heavily promoted in the trades, their music went nowhere, and they soon had to briefly settle for being a Las Vegas supporting act, which fell far short of their artistic aspirations. As suddenly as they had arrived, Honey Ltd. were no more. Life and other opportunities intervened.\\n\\nIn my estimation, there are four standout tracks on this LP, but only one of them was picked as a plug-side single: that being their stunning take on Laura Nyro's \\\"Eli's Coming\\\" which far outshone Three Dog Night's hit version). Their \\\"sunshine-psych-harmony-pop\\\" masterpiece has to be the self-referentially titled \\\"Silk 'N Honey,\\\" written by group members Laura Polkinghome and Marsha Jo Temmer - a real beauty that was the essence of who they were. I think it would have overwhelmed people with its sensuous wall-of-sound harmonies, orchestration and psych distortion effects if they had heard it on the radio. \\\"I've Got Your Man\\\" mixes sunshine with a tough attitude in a unique way, replete with a dazzling hook. \\\"The Warrior\\\" could have had \\\"underground\\\" hit potential as a paradoxical anti-war anthem. (These latter two were written by Laura Polkinghome.)\\n\\nIn addition to \\\"Eli's Coming,\\\" two other A-side singles were covers of well-known songs (probably too well known to have had hit potential at the time): the country-folk standard from the 1950s, \\\"Silver Threads and Golden Needles,\\\" and the oft-recorded \\\"Louie Louie,\\\" although the girls put their own psych-folk spin on this one.\\n\\nThe liner notes by Jessica Hundley do a fine job recounting the entire, rather fascinating story of this group that had its brief fling in the LA (and Las Vegas) sunshine. There are superb photos, too -- but then the subjects could hardly be more photogenic.\\n\\nA Honey Ltd. oddity of note: leading off their album with an anti-war song and then finding themselves on a Bob Hope USO tour in Vietnam.\",\n \"Product: 2013 two CD collection. Having explored the West Coast with the three volume Music City Sessions, Omnivore Recordings has set its sights on Southern R&B with The South Side Of Soul Street: The Minaret Soul Singles 1967-1976. This 2 CD, 40 track collection gathers all of the A-s and B-s of Minaret's soulful sides for the very first time. Many of these tracks have been out of print for decades, commanding top dollar on the collector's market. While the music is enticing enough, the package features a full-color booklet with extensive liner notes by Bill Dahl detailing not only the history of the label and studio, but of the stories of the artists whose work is showcased on these 20 singles as well. Featuring photographs and commentary from Playground staff past and present,\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: soul gems galore from Minaret Records (West Florida, 1967-76)\\n\\nReview: I recently reviewed \\\"The Sound Stage 7 Soul Story\\\" (for which Bill Dahl wrote the excellent liner notes as he did here in the colorful 20-page booklet) and noted the Nashville label's \\\"underrated roster of top-notch [Southern soul] talent.\\\" What we have here is a similar situation, only these Minaret (Valparaiso, Fla.) artists are even more obscure and not one of them ever dented a national chart. Sound Stage 7 at least had one big breakthrough soul (and pop) artist in Joe Simon (multiple national hits and a Grammy), as well as a Grammy-nominated female artist in Ella Washington. Both of these contemporaneous labels specialized in Deep Southern soul mixed with blues and country influences, but Sound Stage 7 had the night-time power of Nashville's 50,000 watt AM radio giant WLAC behind it, as well as some TV exposure, enabling a few of its artists to break through regional barriers. Minaret's product remained confined to the Deep Deep South, and the fact that we are able to hear it now sounding so good (and fresh) is a bit of a miracle.\\n\\nThe label's lead artist was Big John Hamilton, who could deliver to the hilt on any type of song he either wrote, co-wrote or was handed, whether it be blues, such as his 1967 gem \\\"The Train\\\" which leads off Disc One, or his horn-powered Stax/Memphis-style soul follow-up, \\\"I Have No One,\\\" or all-out country-soul, such as the first soul cover of the recent minor country hit \\\"Before the Next Teardrop Falls\\\" (six years before Freddy Fender took it to the top of the pop and country charts). The only female artist who turns up here, Doris Allen, simply stuns with her soul-shattering dbut single, \\\"A Shell of a Woman.\\\" She went on to do a pair of double-sided duet singles with Hamilton, culminating in the absolute champion of the label's entire existence, their nearly contemporaneous cover of Buddy Miles's \\\"Them Changes\\\" from 1970. This one pulsates, scintillates and positively rocks out; and where it clearly surpasses the original is in their dual powerhouse vocals. It will definitely pull you back for repeated listens. My other favorite artist here is Genie Brooks with his impossibly catchy 1967 boogaloo \\\"Fine Time\\\" b/w the plaintive ballad \\\"Juanita.\\\" He returned two years later with the socially aware \\\"Helping Hand,\\\" in the tradition of Sam Cooke's \\\"A Change Is Gonna Come.\\\" Its B-side is the rollicking \\\"Funky Broadway\\\"-inspired title song of this collection (\\\"South Side of Soul Street\\\").\\n\\nFor a forty-track collection of A and B sides the quality quotient is quite high. Surprisingly, the low point is the B-side of Doris Allen's outstanding (previously mentioned) \\\"Shell of a Woman.\\\" It's called \\\"Kiss Yourself for Me\\\" (Ouch!) and features the refrain, \\\"Walk up to your mirror and kiss yourself for me.\\\" (Double ouch!) Fortunately, there is nothing else that will stop you in your tracks (in a bad way) like this one. At least it's well performed.\\n\\nOmnivore Recordings did a tremendous job assembling this exceptional compilation that does honor to a really fine label whose oeuvre needs to be heard no matter if it's four decades or more later.\",\n \"Product: Some Gladys Knight fans think that she didn't record as a solo artist until the early 1990s. But In fact, her first solo albums came in the late 1970s, when she provided 1978's Miss Gladys Knight for Buddah and 1979's Gladys Knight for Columbia. The singer's second, and self-titled, solo album is a generally decent effort that ranges from R&B/adult contemporary ballads ("You Loved Away the Pain," "I Just Want to Be With You," "My World") to up-tempo soul-disco offerings like "You Bring Out the Best in Me"and "You Don't Have to Say I Love You," both of which would appeal to a Loleatta Holloway or Thelma Houston fan. Meanwhile, the vibrant, Earth, Wind & Fire-ish "It's the Same Old Song" isn't unlike something that EWF leader Maurice White would have produced for the Emotions in the late 1970s, and Knight's version of Leiber & Stoller's "I (Who Have Nothing)" recalls her dramatic 1964 hit "Giving Up." This LP, which she produced with Jack Gold, is a must have for all Gladys Knight fans.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Gladys goes Pip-less and comes out on top!\\n\\nReview: Besides Gladys Knight's powerhouse, drop-dead gorgeous vocal, the first thing one notices about track one, this 1979 LP's lead single \\\"Am I Too Late,\\\" is that the backing voices that come in behind her for the first time [at 1:33] are female, so different-sounding from the Pips we had become so used to. This album is eponymous because for the second time in their career (the first involved their dbut hit single \\\"Every Beat of My Heart\\\" in 1961) Gladys found herself legally (i.e., contractually) separated from her Pips. Even though Gladys was now on Columbia, one of the most major labels out there at the time (with Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney & Wings, James Taylor, etc.), this song, as well as the whole album, was ignored by pop radio. \\\"Am I Too Late\\\" did reach #45 on the Billboard soul chart (and the album got to #71 soul).\\n\\nI originally had this album on cassette, but by the '90s cassettes had gone the way of covered wagons for me, so I'm glad it has finally been reissued on CD. \\\"Am I Too Late\\\" was a favorite, but THE favorite of mine here is Gladys's revival of the dramatic and powerful 1963 soul ballad (originally an Italian song) \\\"I Who Have Nothing.\\\" Ben E. King took it to #16 soul/ #29 pop in '63, and seven years later Tom Jones reached #14 U.S. pop and #16 British pop with it. This is the deepest exploration the song had ever received, with Gladys's voice, over its four-minutes-plus running time, attaining such magnificently soulful heights that one can't help but think that one of the best soul and pop performances on record during the latter half of the decade went almost completely missed by the greater music-listening public. Terrific orchestral arrangement as well, with violins, a reverbed guitar and percussion all adding mightily to the dramatic effect.\\n\\nAs if these two fine ballads weren't enough, you can add to them the warm and comforting Sam Dees-penned beauty \\\"My World,\\\" \\\"You Loved Away the Pain\\\" (wasted as the B-side of the non-charting disco second A-side from the LP, \\\"You Bring Out the Best in Me\\\"), and \\\"The Best Thing We Can Do Is Say Goodbye,\\\" the seemingly intentional sequel to \\\"Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye),\\\" Gladys Knight & the Pips' massive hit [#1 soul/ #2 pop] - and Grammy winner - from six years earlier when they were still with Motown.\\n\\nUnfortunately, there is some mediocre material here as well that Gladys gets saddled with, including the aforementioned misguided attempt to suddenly turn her into a disco diva (vocally, she is still as good as it gets, but her having anything to do with this stereotyped genre feels like slumming). For a second I might have wavered from my five-star rating based on these few tracks, but the bonus tracks in this expanded edition entirely obviated that possibility. Three very strong ballads that did not make the original cut (due to the perceived need to provide uptempo balance for the 1979 market) appear here for the first time: the 1934 standard \\\"For All We Know,\\\" \\\"Am I Losing You?\\\" (too close to \\\"Am I Too Late\\\" perhaps), and \\\"It's Me Again,\\\" another one that sounds like she was back at Motown, only with a female chorus taking the place of the Pips. With these and some alternate single versions, the CD's total running time comes to a generous 78:52.\\n\\nFine job assembling this package by Funky Town Grooves, and kudos to sleevenotes writer Alex Henderson for his three pages that so ably put it all in context.\",\n \"Product: VARIOUS ARTISTS - VOL. 12B: COMPLETE MOTOWN SINGLES 1972 (LTD ED) - 5 CD BOX SET\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: (3 and 1/2 stars) A great historical series limps across the finish line\\n\\nReview: Sure, you get over five and a half hours of music on 12b, 100 tracks and the top ten soul and pop hits \\\"Superstition\\\" by Stevie Wonder [#1 both soul & pop], \\\"Neither One of Us\\\" by Gladys Knight & the Pips [#1 soul/ #2 pop], \\\"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone\\\" by the Temptations [#1 pop /#5 soul], the Academy Award nominated \\\"Ben\\\" by Michael Jackson [#1 pop /#5 soul], \\\"Daddy's Home\\\" by Jermaine Jackson [#3 soul /#9 pop] and \\\"Trouble Man\\\" by Marvin Gaye [#4 soul /#7 pop], plus eleven other charting tracks in the U.S. or the U.K., but what about the other 83 tracks (83% of this collection)? This is where the problem eventually arises. As Motown was completing its relocation to LA, great artists and songwriting teams were being shed left and right while the company was putting out loads of product by instantly forgettable mediocrities with their SoCal rock (some of it laughably pretentious) and watered-down generic soul that never would have made it through quality control in the sixties. There are even some unabashed MOR tracks that will have you lunging for the \\\"skip\\\" button. Discs 4 and 5 (#74 & #75 in the series) became unbearable for me with acts like Repairs, Celebration, Martin & Finley, Jerry Ross Symposium, Wolfe, and Puzzle. Only nine of the acts in this entire set were even recording for Motown in 1968, just four years earlier. The preceding volume (12a) had the Marvelettes, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Jimmy Ruffin, David Ruffin, and the Originals, but none of them made it to 12b. The swan song singles by the Four Tops and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles are here serving as dramatic examples of what this company was losing (i.e., its soul).\\n\\nOddly, among the new signees were popsters-of-the-past Bobby Darin, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, and Lesley Gore. Bobby Darin's take on \\\"Happy (The Love Theme from 'Lady Sings the Blues')\\\" was his last charting record [#67 pop /#32 adult contemporary] before his death at the very young age of 37. Lesley Gore's \\\"She Said That\\\" is a sad, enigmatic beauty that could not have been less at home than on a Motown label. Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons sound here like they did a decade earlier on Vee Jay; and while these releases went nowhere in this country, one (\\\"The Night\\\") reached #7 in the U.K. three years later after it became a huge Northern Soul dance club favorite.\\n\\nFor me, the best obscure A-sides are both on Disc One: \\\"Green Grow the Lilacs\\\" by the Festivals and \\\"Our Lives Are Shaped by What We Love\\\" by Odyssey. (Admittedly, not the most promising song titles.) The terribly named Festivals were a three-man soul vocal group who delivered gorgeous harmonies on the lovely, optimistic love song \\\"...Lilacs.\\\" \\\"Our Lives...\\\" is a surprisingly compelling hippy-trippy slice of soul-jazz by a self-contained biracial LA group. In my view, B-side heaven is attained three times: twice by the Supremes on the Smokey Robinson-penned-and-produced \\\"Floy Joy\\\" album tracks \\\"The Wisdom of Time\\\" (reflecting Smokey's life-affirming pro-education and pro-tolerance philosophy) and the lilting and sensual \\\"Over and Over,\\\" both with sterling arrangements by Paul Riser. The third is young teenager Michael Jackson's take on \\\"You Can Cry on My Shoulder,\\\" originally a very minor charter [#116] for Brenda Holloway in 1965. Brenda can't be topped, but this accelerated Gene Page-Willie Hutch arrangement is irresistible and perfect for Michael's high-soaring vocal. It was the B-side of \\\"Ben,\\\" one of the great pop vocal performances of all time (and I believe the greatest ever done live on an Academy Awards telecast [1973]).\\n\\nThis set is beautifully packaged as part of a 130-page book with detailed, highly informative liner notes and too many photographs to count (the format of all the previous volumes as well). And it features a touching prologue by Duke Fakir, the sole surviving member of the Four Tops. Also included is the original 45 of the Temptations' \\\"Papa Was a Rolling Stone.\\\" The presentation is five-star deluxe, but sadly the musical quality was fading as Motown faded away from Detroit.\",\n \"Product: 2013 release from the Blues legend. While Buddy Guy's music is often labeled Chicago Blues, his style is unique and separate. His music can vary from the most traditional, deepest blues to a creative, unpredictable and radical gumbo of the blues, avant rock, soul and free jazz that morphs at each night's performance. In the early '50s he began performing with bands in Baton Rouge. Soon after moving to Chicago in 1957, Guy fell under the influence of Muddy Waters. In 1958, a competition with West Side guitarists Magic Sam and Otis Rush gave Guy a record contract. Soon afterwards he recorded for Cobra Records and Artistic Records. This is the first domestic compilation of the Hall of Fame winner's earliest sides in over 20 years.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: From Baton Rouge to the West Side of Chicago: sensational early Buddy Guy!\\n\\nReview: Chess Records, the big boy of Chicago blues, may have initially passed on Buddy Guy, the raw 22-year-old just up from Louisiana, but after they got a load of his phenomenal first two singles for upstart Cobra Records in 1958-59, they made sure to snap him up in a hurry, and he spent 1960-67 with them. The West Side Cobra label's first release two years earlier was young southpaw blues guitar wizard Otis Rush's national R&B hit \\\"I Can't Quit You Baby.\\\" It was Rush who instantly recognized Guy as a fully formed big-league talent after the two of them put on an impromptu dueling \\\"axe\\\" exhibition one night at the 708 Club. Cobra had Guy's first release launch their new Artistic imprint (as Artistic 1501): the magnificent \\\"Sit Down and Cry (the Blues),\\\" featuring both Guy and Rush on electric guitar and the bard of the blues, the great Willie Dixon (who penned the song with the collaboration of Guy) on bass. \\\"Sit Down and Cry (the Blues)\\\" b/w \\\"Try to Quit You\\\" (kind of an answer record to the Rush hit) and \\\"You Sure Can't Do\\\" (Guy's tribute to his idol and inspiration Guitar Slim of \\\"The Things I Used to Do\\\" fame) b/w \\\"This Is the End\\\" are right up there with his great stuff that would follow in the '60s.\\n\\nAlso here are four sides from 1963 on Chicago's USA Records that have him playing behind the stellar blues vocalist with the big, soaring high tenor wail, Jesse Fortune. Their segment also starts with a classic Willie Dixon number, \\\"Too Many Cooks.\\\"\\n\\nTo really complete the story (and it's a minor miracle that these recordings were still in existence), we get the two original demo tracks Guy laid down in Baton Rouge and brought up with him to Chicago to submit to Chess in 1958. They are raw but powerful, with Guy's trademark slashing and stinging guitar licks already in place -- and amazingly, the vocal chops to match them to a tee.\\n\\nTrue, there are only four issued Buddy Guy solo sides here from 1958-59, but they are absolutely essential ones; and the accompanying material is easily strong enough to justify this purchase. \\\"Too Many Cooks\\\" especially.\",\n \"Product: Digitally re-mastered release containing a pair of albums from the Jazz great on one disc: Routes and Three Piece Suite. The Routes album sees his collaboration with Earth Wind & Fire continue after the Success of the Sun Goddess album with five tracks composed by members of Earth Wind & Fire, with the remaining tracks written by Allen Toussaint, who also produced the album with Larry Dunn of Earth Wind & Fire. 'Whisper Zone' and 'Colors in Space' being the stand out tracks from the album. 1981's Three Piece Suite sees a softer Jazzier side of Ramsey, and his piano playing style is probably more evident on this album than on Routes, There is even a cover version of Michael Jackson's 'She's Out of My Life.' Cherry Red.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: (one and 1/2 stars) Ramsey unmemorably ushered in the '80s with these two jazz-and-soul-less LPs\\n\\nReview: This is the once great and soulful Ramsey Lewis lost in bland, mediocre and outdated electro-pop-disco-funk land playing mostly disposable musical fare. The first album (\\\"Routes\\\") has him drowning in synths, while the second (\\\"Three Piece Suite\\\") is awash in overprominent electric bass and percussion (and in a few cases, pointless dubbed-in strings).\\n\\nHis shining (Ramsey-of-old) moment is the tender, reflective ballad \\\"Looking Glass\\\" from \\\"Routes\\\" - and wouldn't you know it, this is the only song where he was involved in the writing...and it's a Steinway Concert Grand solo performance. One can only wonder what it is doing here; or else, why couldn't he have committed himself to a whole album of such worthwhile creative artistry? (Obviously, we know the answer was a cash-grab attempt by his Columbia-label overlords.)\\n\\n\\\"Routes\\\" also has the slight advantage of New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint producing and composing four tracks: \\\"Crystals 'N' Sequence\\\" is a short-but-sweet pop-soul effort, while unfortunately the melodically gorgeous \\\"You Are the Reason,\\\" which could have been prime Ramsey, is instead sabotaged by an annoyingly repetitive, way-too-prominent electric bass line. (The other two Toussaint productions are of the generally forgettable funk sort that do nothing to enhance his legacy.)\\n\\nFrom the second LP's title \\\"Three Piece Suite\\\" and the cover photo of Ramsey in a black tux, you would expect a classic-jazz result, but what you actually get are songs so forgettable that you'll be forgetting them while still listening to them. It's Ramsey just going through the motions, half-heartedly, and succumbing to the whole overproduced mess.\\n\\nThese two 1980/1981 LPs were pathetic attempts to milk the last ounces of commercial profit out of the pop-funk and disco crazes which had exceeded their 1978-79 expiration dates. \\\"Routes\\\" and \\\"Three Piece Suite\\\" limped into the '80s with precious little actual jazz content. What a waste of talent! Ramsey Lewis did do some fine work during his Columbia years, but at least a few of his LPs were treated as not much more than mere commercial product, and the artistic bar was appreciably lowered. Clearly, that is what happened here, and only one outstanding track got through: the solo \\\"Looking Glass\\\"; plus the very good Allen-Toussaint-penned pop-soul (not jazz) instrumental \\\"Crystals 'N' Sequence,\\\" both from \\\"Routes.\\\"\",\n \"Product: Two CD collection from the British vocalist. Ral has long been acknowledged as the all-time finest Presley 'sound-alike'. He famously registered his breakthrough hit in 1961 with 'Girl of My Best Friend', the song from Elvis Is Back which had been a massive hit for the King in the UK and Europe, but was never issued as a single in the US. Both versions were so aurally alike that when Ral's disc first began to break, it's success was propelled by strong rumors that 'Ral Donner' was actually Elvis, singing under a pseudonym. But although his subsequent releases certainly confirmed the similarity between their voices, Ral turned out to be a great singer in his own right - indeed, his very next release, 'You Don't Know What You've Got', was a million seller. He went on to carve out both a significant career and a big reputation and ironically, rarely recorded other material associated with Elvis until many years later. Moreover, Ral enjoyed legendary status among discerning R&R collectors; whilst not vast, his recorded legacy is of an exceptional standard and by the 70s, he'd become one of the most heavily-bootlegged artists of his era.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: underrated pre-British Invasion pop-rocker from Chicago\\n\\nReview: This British GVC (Great Voices of the Century) two-disc, 58-track set is the most extensive Ral Donner collection ever as it expands on the two previous ones (also British) from 1991 and 2001. This anthology's title \\\"Burned!\\\" is a tip-off to what makes it so special: the inclusion of his 1963 Reprise sides, including the terribly overlooked (except in his home town of Chicago where it got to #17 on WLS) self-penned rocker \\\"I Got Burned.\\\" Despite the title phrase, this is probably his coolest record.\\n\\nRal Donner is mainly known for his three big hits issued on the Gone label in 1961: the Elvis Presley remake \\\"Girl of My Best Friend\\\" [#19 nationally on Billboard / #2 in Chicago] (this one started the Elvis sound-alike controversy); You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)\\\" [his biggest national and international hit: #4 in Billboard / #3 on WLS / #25 in the UK (with a 10-wk chart run)] and \\\"She's Everything (I Wanted You to Be),\\\" which peaked in January, 1962 at #10 in Cash Box and #7 on WLS. The latter two hits, as well as all the others from his \\\"Takin' Care of Business\\\" LP, appear in both their mono and stereo versions. Donner had eight other sides register on national U.S. charts from 1961-63 but in the lower reaches, with the aforementioned \\\"I Got Burned\\\" (relentlessly propulsive while displaying Donner's considerable vocal range) only getting as high nationally as #124 on Billboard's \\\"Bubbling Under the Hot 100\\\" chart (despite its success in Chicago).\\n\\nA main feature the three big hits as well as \\\"I Got Burned\\\" have in common is no doubt Donner's remarkable vocal resemblance to Elvis Presley, be they ballads, midtempo or rockers. He admitted that as a teen he was inspired and influenced by the King (and others); and while at times his inflections can get extremely close to Presley's, listening to this whole collection and settling into Donner's vocal wavelength will have you appreciating his own style and versatility in phrasing and range. (Incidentally, Elvis was very favorably impressed by Donner's singing.) To me, he seemed to have a somewhat closer vocal similarity in his middle register to Conway Twitty in his late 1950s rockin' days (on both rockers and ballads). There are a number (probably a bit too high) of dramatic, lovelorn ballads here that place Donner in Gene Pitney territory stylistically (not vocally). One of my favorite tracks in this anthology is Donner's original (unissued) recording of \\\"Half Heaven, Half Heartache,\\\" which rose to the top ten at the turn of 1963 when covered by none other than Gene Pitney. The oddest track of all: \\\"Run Little Linda,\\\" a ridiculous rip-off of Dion's \\\"Runaround Sue.\\\" This one crossed a line even if it may have been intended as a Dion hommage.\\n\\nThis is a fine, very well sound-mastered, comprehensive 1959-1963 Ral Donner collection that is ideal for fans, although most likely far more than others will need. The hits and the non-hit rockers will keep anyone going, but beware of some saccharine love ballads full of \\\"heaven, angels and stars above\\\" imagery so typical of that era. Still, Donner commited fully to his vocals on everything he ever recorded; so Elvis was right to have been impressed.\",\n \"Product: UK collection containing a pair of albums from the Latin Jazz legend, both of which have been out of print for more than half a century. The 1961 set, IN a LATIN BAG, was produced by Creed Taylor and features Armando Peraza on bongos, Paul Horn on flute, Al McKibbon on bass, Wilfredo Vicente on congas, Johnny Rae on timbales and Lonnie Hewitt on piano. The second part of our presentation is the live recording Saturday Night Sunday Night at the Blackhawk, recorded at the Blackhawk Cafe in San Francisco over a weekend in late January 1962. Here Tjader, Hewitt and Rae are augmented by the young bassist Freddy Schreiber. This collection points up most aspects of Tjader's musical philosophy, from his identification with contemporary Jazz and interest in new material, to his regard for the past and affection for superior show tunes.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: terrific Cal Tjader two-fer from 1961-62\\n\\nReview: The first complete LP here, an LA studio production from 1961 titled \\\"In a Latin Bag,\\\" is an absolute classic in the Latin-jazz genre, with the unbeatable combination of Tjader's vibes, Paul Horn's flute and Lonnie Hewitt's piano on most of the tracks; backed by Al McKibbon on bass and percussion by Wilfredo Vicente (conga) and Johnny Rae (timbales). In addition to their superb takes on Erroll Garner's \\\"Misty,\\\" Bronislau Kaper's \\\"Green Dolphin Street,\\\" Kurt Weill's \\\"Speak Low,\\\" Miklos Rosza's \\\"Ben Hur\\\" love theme (Tjader switches to piano and Hewitt to clavietta on this one) and Armando Prez & George Shearing's \\\"Mambo in Miami,\\\" the original compositions are outstanding. Singling out the most stunning example by each player-composer here, we have the mesmerizing \\\"Triste\\\" by Cal Tjader, with Horn on the rarely-used bass flute (note that this is not the same as the contemporaneous song of the same title by Brazilian bossa nova specialist A.C. Jobim); and the exquisitely melodic (and vibraphone-less) \\\"Ecstasy\\\" by Paul Horn.\\n\\nThe second complete LP on this disc has Cal Tjader leading a relaxed early-1962 set back in his hometown of San Francisco. Recorded over two evenings, it bears the title \\\"Saturday Night/Sunday Night at the Blackhawk, San Francisco.\\\" Nicely recorded, sans any audience distractions, it replaces the Latin content of the prior LP with bop, swing, blues, a classic ballad (\\\"Summertime,\\\" which Tjader really puts his stamp on over seven minutes) and even soul-jazz with pianist Lonnie Hewitt's \\\"Noonie's Groove,\\\" which holds its own with some of the best of that genre that was peaking around that time.\\n\\nThis l division of Cherry Red Records UK deserves kudos for the fine job it did reissuing these two LPs on a single disc (76+ minutes of music) with excellent sound mastering and all the original cover art, photos and liner notes intact.\",\n \"Product: Digitally re-mastered and expanded edition of this 1972 album from the late vocalist. Justifiably hailed as her 'career' album, FROM A WHISPER TO a SCREAM re-established the Esther Phillips as a prominent Soul and Jazz artist in 1972, starting her most fruitful period as an international chart maker through her five-year association with Jazz industry veteran Creed Taylor's Kudu Records. Originally a chart-topping child star with the Johnny Otis band in the early '50 s, Little Esther battled drug addiction off and on throughout the '60 s during which she achieved some success with 'Release Me' (1963) and 'And I Love Him' (1965). Esther recorded some critically acclaimed albums for Atlantic before entering rehab in 1969. The sessions for FROM A WHISPER TO a SCREAM in December 1971 found her surrounded by stellar players such as Gordon Edwards (bass), Bernard Purdie (drums), Airto Moreira (percussion), Cornell Dupree and Eric Gale (guitar), Richard Tee (keyboards) and label mate Hank Crawford (on sax on selected tracks).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 2014 Cherry Red/SoulMusic [UK] reissue (with bonus tracks) of a classic 1972 LP\\n\\nReview: No less an expert than Aretha Franklin thought that this Esther Phillips album \\\"From a Whisper to a Scream\\\" was a crowning career achievement by a singer she had idolized since childhood. So, when it was nominated but failed to win the Grammy for Best Female Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance of 1972 (which would have been her first), Aretha considered this to be an injustice and was uniquely positioned to do something about it. As the actual winner in the category (her seventh Grammy award in six years), Aretha decided to meet with Esther for the purpose of personally (and RESPECTfully) presenting her with this latest Grammy statuette trophy that she felt rightfully belonged to Esther Phillips.\\n\\nNot too many non-\\\"best-of\\\" LPs ever produced two greater plug-side singles than what we have here with \\\"Home Is Where the Hatred Is\\\" and \\\"Baby, I'm for Real.\\\" The former, a cover of Gil Scott-Heron's recent uncompromising and brilliantly composed song about drug addiction, required tremendous personal courage for Esther Phillips to record because it hit so close to home, given her longtime struggle with the song's theme. Kudu label founder/owner/producer Creed Taylor was finally able to persuade her to do it (she had initially wanted no part of it), with the result being a masterpiece both in its vocal performance and on the production/arrangement end. Arranger/conductor Pee Wee Ellis was in charge of an orchestra composed of a bunch of the best available musicians in New York City, mostly rooted in jazz. The latter (\\\"Baby, I'm for Real\\\"), is one SHE insisted on recording. It's the gorgeous romantic soul ballad originally by the Originals from 1969 [a #1 soul record], which was co-written (and produced) by Marvin Gaye. The two B-sides from this LP, Eddie Floyd's ode to perseverance, \\\"'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone,\\\" and a warm and deeply-felt \\\"That's All Right with Me,\\\" are truly superb as well; as are the two Allen Toussaint covers: the brooding, slow-building title song and the bouncy \\\"Sweet Touch of Love.\\\" There is no slump in evidence anywhere on this stellar album. Jazz aficionados will be duly impressed that the sound engineering for the original LP was done by legendary studio booth wizard Rudy Van Gelder.\\n\\nThe four bonus tracks come from the same December 1971 recording sessions and were first issued for this LP's dbut on CD twenty-six years ago. They include the oldies (blues and pop standards, respectively) \\\"How Blue Can You Get?\\\" and \\\"A Beautiful Friendship,\\\" as well as the brand-new Carole King song \\\"Brother, Brother.\\\"\\n\\nTop-flight sound re-mastering, a 16-page booklet with 10 pages of comprehensive liner notes by SoulMusic founder, reissue producer and writer David Nathan contribute mightily to making this the best total package for this most essential album, \\\"From a Whisper to a Scream.\\\"\\n_______________________________________________________________________________________________________\\n\\nOn the charts: #16 soul album / #137 pop album\\n\\n \\\"Home Is Where the Hatred Is\\\": #40 soul single / #86 pop single\\n \\\"Baby, I'm for Real: #38 soul single / #124 pop single\",\n \"Product: Long before anyone talked about roots rock, Americana, indie rock or alt-country, the Nighthawks were already playing it! For over 40 yrs they've played with many Blues and Rockabilly legends. They opened show after show for Muddy Waters, James Cotton, John Lee Hooker and Carl Perkins, and backed up and recorded with Elvin Bishop, John Hammond & Pinetop Perkins, to name a few. The band opened many doors and forged many touring routes for their contemporaries, including the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, Roomful Of Blues and George Thorogood. Now they're the Legends.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: best R&B, retro-rock & electric blues hybrid LP of the year\\n\\nReview: \\\"Well, people, they tell me I'm livin' in sin / I hope to go to hell so I can do it again\\\" - from \\\"444 A.M.\\\"\\n\\nYou'd have to get up very early in the morning to come up with a more energetic, unpretentious, fun, and highly listenable mix of R&B, retro-rock and electric blues (among several other genres) than what we get here with the ever-reliable Mark Wenner and the Nighthawks' latest. The versatile band is in fine form, delivering top-flight performances throughout, with Wenner's expressive vocals and sizzling harmonica always right on the money, Paul Bell's great guitar work, and the no-holds-barred rhythm section of Johnny Castle on bass (as well as a couple of lead vocals and three excellent writing contributions, including the above-cited title song, \\\"444 A.M.\\\"), and Mark Stutso on drums.\\n\\nThe swingin' Bill Haley & the Comets-influenced rockabilly blues of \\\"444 A.M.\\\" leads the way among the originals, but the Mark Wenner-penned (or co-penned) funky blues-rocker \\\"No Secrets\\\" and country-rocker \\\"Honky Tonk Queen\\\" are right up there too. Johnny Castle and Bill Kirchen came up with the menacing \\\"High Snakes,\\\" which sounds like a fugitive from Tony Joe White's terrific swamp-rock-and-blues album \\\"Hoodoo\\\" from last year. Castle's closer, \\\"Roadside Cross,\\\" is the antithesis, sound-wise, of everything that precedes it: it's a solemn, reflective and haunting acoustic ballad that packs an emotional wallop. If integrity ruled the music business, this would be a candidate for best original song of the year.\\n\\nBesides a pair of Gary Nicholson co-penned modern blues covers, \\\"Livin' the Blues\\\" (written with Tracy Nelson from her 1993 LP, \\\"In the Here and Now\\\") and \\\"(\\\"The Blues, the Whole Blues) Nothin' But the Blues\\\" (Amazing Rhythm Aces, 2003), Wenner & Co. clearly favor the 1950-to-1965 musical era, as demonstrated by five of their cover versions: Muddy Waters' \\\"Louisiana Blues\\\" (very credible homage to a blues god); the lively, gospel-esque, doo-wop R&B opener, \\\"Talk That Talk\\\" by the Du Droppers from 1955 (here retitled \\\"Walk That Walk\\\"); back-to-back 1957 and 1958 Elvis Presley movie songs, \\\"Got a Lot of Livin' to Do\\\" and \\\"Crawfish,\\\" from \\\"Loving You\\\" and \\\"King Creole,\\\" respectively (superb, seldom-covered Presley); and my favorite performance by the group, the Everly Brothers' \\\"The Price of Love\\\" from 1965. [An oddity about the original record is that it went all the way to #2 on the UK pop chart but \\\"peaked\\\" in the U.S. at #104, not even making it into the Hot 100.] This is just an all-out smoking, romping-and-stomping take on the song that goes by so much faster than its 4:21 running time would indicate. Fantastic musicianship and vocals. Definitive Nighthawks.\\n\\nAnd lest I forget to mention it, I'm crazy about the heavily harmonica-infused swamp funk of \\\"You're Gone.\\\"\\n\\nPeerless Nighthawks -- and they produced every note of it!\",\n \"Product: Double CD reissue of this live album, appearing here on CD for the very first time. The ANN ARBOR BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL is a yearly event held each summer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This festival gathers up the best in blues from around the nation. This album was originally released as a two record set on Atlantic Records in 1972. The album features such Blues luminaries as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Freddie King, Luther Allison, Otis Rush, Bonnie Raitt, Hound Dog Taylor, Dr. John, Koko Taylor, Lucille Spann and many others.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: the Woodstock of the blues\\n\\nReview: It was a three-day weekend of peace and love of great blues music that began exactly 42 years ago today!\\n\\nWhat a line-up! How about Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf with Hubert Sumlin, Bobby Bland, Koko Taylor with Willie Dixon, Hound Dog Taylor, Johnny Shines, Otis Rush with Jimmy \\\"Fast Fingers\\\" Dawkins, Freddie King, Luther Allison, Mighty Joe Young, 73-year-old recovering stroke victim Sippie Wallace (a female blues icon of the 1920s), and a 22-year-old Bonnie Raitt representing a new generation of female blues artists --a young rising artist eager to learn from and to lend support to her aforementioned septuagenarian idol and inspiration.\\n\\nBonnie Raitt's tribute to Mississippi Fred McDowell, who passed away just two months earlier, will leave you in awe, but tears may flow when you hear her backing Sippie Wallace on her five-decades-old self-penned classic, \\\"Women Be Wise.\\\" At first, you may think Sippie too fragile to take the lead in a venue such as this, but it turns out to be quite the contrary. This qualifies as a musical moment for the ages; and fortunately, it was flawlessly recorded.\\n\\nThe other very moving moment is the dedication of the festival site to the departed \\\"sweet giant of the blues,\\\" Otis Spann. His widow Lucille, after speaking and overcoming her tears, launches into a soul-belting dbut public performance of her self-written tribute to her \\\"one and only beloved husband.\\\"\\n\\nAdding some spicy Cajun gumbo and sax-wailing Motown R&B to the proceedings are Dr. John and Jr. Walker & the All Stars, respectively. But it's the blues giants who really take command: Howlin' Wolf (\\\"Highway 49\\\"), Muddy Waters (\\\"Honey Bee\\\"), Bobby Bland (\\\"Ain't That Loving You\\\"), Johnny Shines (\\\"Dust My Broom\\\"), Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers (the rollicking instrumental opener \\\"Kitchen Sink Boogie\\\"), Luther Allison (a smoldering \\\"Please Send Me Someone to Love\\\"), and an astoundingly powerful take on B.B. King's \\\"Gambler's Blues by Otis Rush with Jimmy Dawkins.\\n\\nIf I'm not rushing to extol the virtues of Freddie King's \\\"Goin' Down\\\" and Koko Taylor's signature Willie Dixon song \\\"Wang Dang Doodle,\\\" it has nothing to do with the quality of the performances, but everything to do with the muddled quality of the sound on these two tracks. Koko Taylor might have been the least mic-dependent singer in blues history, but she and Willie Dixon (on backing vocal) were let down by whatever went wrong with the live sound recording here (although it eventually got righted before the end of the performance). Freddie King was similarly misrecorded, and it's all the way through. Luckily, this problem is not in evidence on any of the other tracks.\\n\\nOn a sour note (literally, in my opinion) are the two hideously (again, my opinion) discordant \\\"avant-garde\\\" jazz tracks, one placed at the end of each of the two discs. I have never found any of this stuff the slightest bit listenable and am glad that there were no more than two examples of this and that they were placed at the end, permitting easy premature ejection.\\n\\nFinally, I should point out that the only reason I know the full credits for every track is that I still have the original 1973 double LP. They (Wounded Bird) miniaturized the graphics here so that everything would all fit on a single four-page card. The printing in the liner notes and credits is now so microscopic that it would be laughable if it weren't so insulting to the purchaser who certainly would want to have this information in reasonably legible form. (The properly proportionate cover photo of Bobby Bland still looks good though.)\",\n \"Product: (4CD) Almighty 100-track compilation features Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye, Barrett Strong, Sam Cooke, Little Eva, The Temptations, Gladys Knight, Lou Rawls, Jimmy Ruffin, Dobie Gray and others!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: comprehensive high-quality collection of soul from the dawn of the modern era (1959-1963)\\n\\nReview: Impressive! 100 tracks over 4 discs, featuring excellent sound (make that VERY impressive, given the age of these records and the rarity of most of them). The two years receiving by far the most focus are 1961 and 1962, when the various influences that would eventually coalesce into the soul genre (as it came to be known later in the 1960s) were clearly in evidence. You can hear the echoes of the harmony-group era, both the bluesier and more rocking sides of R&B, gospel-style singing (which really gave soul its soul), as well as pop - especially the kind that appealed to young people. Put it all together and you can sense that something remarkable was happening. These are well produced (but never overproduced) records that still sound amazingly vibrant and appealing today, especially for fans of '60s soul.\\n\\nWhile quite a few of the recording artists in this collection were hardly heard from again (making this collection all the more essential historically), it was not for lack of talent. You may be amazed at how good the persistently propulsive and emphatic \\\"She'll Be Gone\\\" by Betty O'Brien is. (I never heard of her or this record before and now can't stop listening to it.) And on the other side of the equation, there is a wealth of artists who were either already well established (Sam Cooke, Roy Hamilton, Etta James [the great \\\"Seven Day Fool\\\" is here!], The 5 Royales), peaking at the time (Dee Clark, Little Eva, Chuck Jackson, Marv Johnson, Benny Spellman), just starting to make their names (Bobby Bland, Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Baby Washington, Dee Dee Sharp, Mitty Collier, Sugar Pie De Santo), and later break-out stars (Wilson Pickett, Irma Thomas, Maxine Brown, Lou Rawls, The O'Jays, Johnny Nash, Johnnie Taylor, Joe Simon, Jimmy Ruffin, The Tams, Major Lance, Ted Taylor, Dobie Gray). Early Motown is represented by the Miracles, Barrett Strong, Eddie Holland, LaBrenda Ben, The Marvelettes, The Temptations, and Marvin Gaye.\\n\\nOf added value for me was hearing for the first time records by later favorites of mine on their earlier labels that I had never heard before: Jimmy Ruffin's one-off dbut recording on the Miracle label from 1961 (\\\"Don't Feel Sorry for Me\\\"), Joe Simon on the Hush label from 1961 (\\\"I See Your Face\\\"), and Johnnie Taylor on Sam Cooke's SAR label from 1962 (\\\"Rome Wasn't Built in a Day\\\"). Before listening to this collection I never knew of anything by Robert Knight prior to \\\"Everlasting Love\\\" (1967); and here he is on the powerfully pleading, well-orchestrated \\\"Free Me\\\" from 1962.\\n\\nWhat we don't get here is a booklet with notes or musical credits. Real Gone obviously wanted to keep the cost down while providing the most extensive array of great early soul music in a single package. They have succeeded.\\n\\nBest record in this collection by a one-hit wonder (IMO): Timmy \\\"Gonna Send You Back to Georgia\\\" Shaw's shudder-inducing slow blues \\\"Thunder in My Heart.\\\"\\n\\nExcellent find on CD: Sugar Pie DeSanto's first (and biggest, reaching #4) R&B hit, the funky soul blues \\\"I Want to Know\\\" on the Veltone label.\\n\\nAnd how about the first record ever released by Berry Gordy and Tamla-Motown (Tamla 101): Marv Johnson's \\\"Come to Me,\\\" which after a distribution deal was subsequently made with United Artists, rose to #6 R&B / #30 pop in early 1959.\\n\\nAlso of historical note concerning Motown is the appearance of the original version of \\\"Someday We'll Be Together\\\" (obviously best known as the 1969-70 #1 pop and soul smash that was Diana Ross & the Supremes' swan song before going their separate ways) by Jackey (Beavers) and Johnny (Bristol) from 1961 on Harvey Fuqua's Tri-Phi label. \\\"Someday\\\" co-writer Johnny Bristol would later team with the song's co-writer/producer Fuqua at Motown where they produced (and sometimes also co-wrote for) a number of acts, including Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Jr. Walker & the All Stars, and Gladys Knight & the Pips. Bristol, who had a significant solo recording career after Motown (with the national top ten soul and pop crossover smash \\\"Hang On in There Baby\\\" in 1974), was the male voice on the hit Motown version of \\\"Someday We'll Be Together.\\\" The Jackey & Johnny original is instantly recognizable but sounds rather primitive compared to its exquisitely produced (by Johnny Bristol!) famous cover.\\n\\nLeaving aside the star-powered major hits \\\"Turn On Your Love Light\\\" (Bobby Bland), \\\"Bye Bye Baby\\\" (Mary Wells's dbut, with the raspy voice later emulated by John Lennon on \\\"Twist and Shout\\\") and \\\"Any Day Now\\\" (Chuck Jackson), the best record of the whole one hundred can be found on Disc Two, Track 15: Nolan Strong & the Diablos' exciting \\\"Mind Over Matter\\\" from 1962. Don't miss this one (by that I mean this track and this entire collection)!\",\n \"Product: UK-only collection from the late blue-eyed soul singer. Compiled by expert Mike Iannarelli, I'm a Star Now is a unique set of mostly unreleased tracks spanning the Italian-American vocalist's entire career. 'With All My Heart', was recorded when Timi was only 15 years old! 'Drive in Movie', 'The First Hurt' and 'Bye Bye Little Boy' were demos from 1959-60. 'This Is My Song', 'Love Is a Wonderful Thing' and 'You've Got Your Troubles' were recorded in 1967 in the Philippines.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"Star\\\" is not the place to start but is worth it for Timi Yuro fans\\n\\nReview: Warning: \\\"Due to the absence of original master tapes, most of these tracks were sourced from original acetates which belonged to Timi. Because of the age and the condition of the discs, you may detect surface noise on some tracks but we feel that their historical importance outweighs any sonic issues.\\\"\\n\\nThe above disclaimer is found on the last inside page of the accompanying booklet written by compiler Mike Iannarelli. So now you at least get this information that I didn't have upon purchasing this CD. The word \\\"Rarities\\\" in the subtitle doesn't necessarily imply substandard sound quality. How bad is the sound, you may be wondering? It gets progressively better, but about the first third of the disc is adversely affected. After that, it reaches acceptability, although audiophiles will not be satisfied (they seldom are).\\n\\nI, however, was especially pleased with the middle section where between 1967 and 1972 (the middle years, chronologically, of this disc) Timi really turned on the soul. She clearly holds the distinction of being the most soulful middle-of-the-road white female vocalist of all time. Her covers of Clyde McPhatter's \\\"I'll Belong to You,\\\" Betty Everett's \\\"Until You Were Gone\\\" and the Bee Gees' great \\\"To Love Somebody\\\" (with churchy organ backing) are powerhouses. She also rocks the soul on Dave Mason's \\\"Feeling Alright,\\\" first recorded by his band Traffic and subsequently transformed into a hit by Joe Cocker.\\n\\nNext best are her three Chips Moman-produced tracks recorded in Memphis in 1975 (highlighted by \\\"Two Different Worlds,\\\" a top ten pop hit in 1956 for Don Rondo), which are the only ones to have been released in their day -- but only in the Netherlands the following year.\\n\\nIn 1977 disco was everywhere, so Timi, in search of a record deal, waxed a disco-fied version of the early-'60s girl-group oldie \\\"Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya.\\\" But with a voice like hers in the midst of a stereotypically cheesy disco production, this sounds like slumming.\\n\\nShe goes out on a stronger note in 1982 with the song \\\"Words\\\" (not the well-known Bee Gees tune) that became a #13 adult contemporary hit in '83 for the male Tunisian-French singer F.R. David.\\n\\nTimi Yuro completists will thank their stars for \\\"I'm a Star Now,\\\" but as my review title says, it's \\\"not the place to start.\\\"\",\n \"Product: Billy Boy Arnold is one of the last of the legendary Chicago Blues harmonica players. In addition to his solo releases, he recorded with Bo Diddley in the Fifties and has been covered by David Bowie, The Yardbirds and The Blasters. Produced by Duke Robillard and backed by stellar musicians, plus the Roomful Of Blues horns, this release showcases a brilliant artist still in his prime. Billy Boy was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: solid showcase for the veteran Chicago blues harpist/singer\\n\\nReview: If I didn't know better and you told me this album was from 1972, I would believe it - and that's a compliment to the timeless, vintage nature of what 79-year-old R&B/soul-blues harp (harmonica) master Billy Boy Arnold and producer/guitarist Duke Robillard have put together here (13 years after their excellent collaboration \\\"Boogie 'n' Shuffle\\\").\\n\\nArnold's wailing Sonny Boy Williamson [I]-influenced blues harp is always a highlight, but it's his astounding versatility that really carries the day here: everything from 1940s Louis Jordan jump blues to electric blues, to 1950s and '60s R&B, to early-'60s soul jazz, to late-'60s/early-'70s soul. And he can really deliver the goods vocally in every one of these genres with his uniquely compelling, soulful and emotive, been-through-it-all singing.\\n\\nWith 14 songs (including eleven covers of other artists) the highlights abound, but special mentions must go to the deeply emotive seven-and-a-half-minute gem of a performance on B.B. King's \\\"Worried Dream\\\" from 1967 (featuring standout electric blues guitar work by Robillard) and the 1960 soul-jazz classic \\\"Work Song.\\\" The latter receives its best vocal version since lyricist (and fellow Chicagoan) Oscar Brown, Jr.'s original interpretation. Arnold's warm, sincere and confessional tone offers a different take on it and is so convincing that if I had the power I would see that he (the narrator of the tale) is immediately released from hard labor on the chain gang!\\n\\nBeing a big fan of '60s and early-'70s soul, I am particularly pleased with his enthusiastic cover of Ray Charles's 1962 hit \\\"Don't Set Me Free\\\" (with searing saxes and trumpet, as well as Raelettes-style backing vocals), Mack Rice's undervalued \\\"Coal Man\\\" from 1969, the propulsive 1971 Ann Peebles B-side \\\"99 Lbs.,\\\" and Joe Tex's brilliant 1972 social message song \\\"A Mother's Prayer\\\" (which unfortunately was largely overlooked as the flipside of his funky mega-hit \\\"I Gotcha\\\").\\n\\nThe only misstep is that Arnold's repetitious, one-joke, double-entendre novelty-song closer \\\"Keep On Rubbing,\\\" at six-minutes duration, goes on three times too long for sober ears (just a minor blip after thirteen very solid-to-superb tracks).\\n\\nThis is the work of a true Chicago living legend and should not be missed.\",\n \"Product: The Guardian has called Houston Person, an eloquent messenger from a jazz era rooted in traditional blues, black church music, Broadway love songs and the impersonation, by sax, of a singer's tone palette, while Nate Chinen in the New York Times has singled out Nelson's harmonic sumptuousness, jangly clusters, and effervescent artistry. Together they explore the nooks and crannies of ten standards, some familiar, some obscure, with the Rudy Van Gelder sonics yielding up every nuance and inflection of the players.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: another year, another superlative Houston Person album\\n\\nReview: Warm-toned, soulful tenor sax ace Houston Person has been a leader since the 1960s and has never disappointed. Even more amazingly, the quality of his albums continues to surpass his already impossibly high standards.\\n\\nAnd speaking of standards, we get three beauties by Rodgers & Hart, one each by Irving Berlin and the Gershwins - plus, a Benny Carter and a Lionel Hampton - all played exquisitely by this sensational combo (featuring Lafayette Harris on piano, Steve Nelson on vibraphone, Ray Drummond on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums), with a variety of clever and highly appealing changes on each. For a favorite (among favorites) I would pick \\\"Bewitched,\\\" on which Steve Nelson's stunningly gorgeous vibes take the lead before the song is taken over the top when Person's interior part kicks in. The disc's opener, the warhorse \\\"My Funny Valentine\\\" (also Rodgers & Hart), gets revivified by a new, sprightlier, more delightfully playful arrangement (including a cool vibes solo by Nelson) and feels like the quickest 6:22 on record. The versatile rhythm section is rock solid at ballad tempo or can really swing; and I particularly enjoy it when they go soul-jazz and bossa nova (\\\"You're Nearer,\\\" the third Rodgers & Hart tune, and Benny Carter's \\\"Only Trust Your Heart\\\" get a neat hybrid treatment of these styles).\\n\\nAlso noteworthy is the Ruth Etting \\\"twin-spin\\\" on Trks 8 & 9: \\\"Try a Little Tenderness\\\" (a more rhythmic take than usual on this ballad) and \\\"The Song Is Ended\\\" (the Irving Berlin song here, from 1928). The great Ruth Etting had popular hits five years apart with both of these; and as a relevant point of information, the title of this CD is derived from the parenthetical subtitle of the latter song: \\\"(But the Melody Lingers On\\\"). If that's not a mission statement for what Houston Person does like no one else (but again, with more cleverness and variety), then I'm permanently done with mission statements.\\n\\nBut hold on, we're not done yet! It's the blues at closing time in the form of pianist Lafayette Harris's own simmering (to put it mildly) \\\"You Can't Lose with the Blues.\\\" Nor can you lose with \\\"The Melody Lingers On\\\" for 57 totally enjoyable minutes.\",\n \"Product: The complete recorded output of the R&B/soul group, The Valentinos on the SAR record label, co-founded and co-owned by R&B/soul legend Sam Cooke, who was also the group s producer. The Valentinos comprised the five Womack brothers: Bobby, Cecil, Curtis, Friendly Jr. and Harry. These are amongst the earliest recordings by soul legend Bobby Womack and Cecil Womack, one half of the R&B vocal duo, Womack & Womack (the other half being Linda Cooke, Sam's daughter). Included on the album are fourteen tracks originally released as singles, three originally unreleased recordings. Among the singles are four gospel tracks by the brothers billed as The Womack Brothers. Highlight tracks include the Top 10 R&B hit, "Lookin For A Love" and the Top 40 R&B hit "It s All Over Now," also a huge hit for The Rolling Stones in 1964. The collection spans the years 1961 to 1964.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: complete Valentinos SAR recordings - a major early soul-group breakthrough\\n\\nReview: The Valentinos on the charts: peak positions noted - national R&B and pop:\\n-\\\"Lookin' for a Love\\\" (1962) #8 R&B / #63 pop\\n-\\\"I'll Make It Alright\\\" (1963) #97 pop\\n-\\\"It's All Over Now\\\" (1964) #21 R&B / #63 pop*\\n*[big pop chart discrepancies: #63 Cash Box / #94 Billboard / #112 Record World]\\n-\\\"Everybody Wants to Fall in Love\\\" (1964) #142 pop (Cash Box)\\n\\ncover versions:\\n-The Rolling Stones: \\\"It's All Over Now\\\" (1964) #25 pop / #1 UK**\\n**[The Stones' first British #1 (one week in July between The Animals' \\\"House of the Rising Sun\\\" and the Beatles' \\\"A Hard Day's Night\\\")]\\n-Wilson Pickett: \\\"She's So Good to Me\\\" (1966) [track on LP \\\"The Exciting Wilson Pickett\\\" (#3 R&B / #21 pop)]\\n-J.Geils Band: \\\"Looking for a Love\\\" ('71-'72) #30 pop (their first chart single)\\n-Bobby Womack: \\\"Lookin' for a Love\\\" (1974) #1 soul (3 wks) / #8 pop\\n\\nThe Valentinos (1962-64) are primarily known for having launched the career of the late soul great and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bobby Womack and for their two biggest hits (\\\"Lookin' for a Love\\\" and \\\"It's All Over Now\\\"), which became even bigger hits later on. In the case of the Rolling Stones and \\\"It's All Over Now,\\\" which came out just a month after the Valentinos' original, the original's progress on the pop charts was significantly impaired as the latter came to dominate Top 40 radio airplay. (However, an initially disappointed Bobby Womack would receive ample consolation in the form of songwriter royalties.)\\n\\nThe new early-sixties term \\\"soul music,\\\" as opposed to the existing term \\\"rhythm & blues,\\\" originally referred to the secularized adaptations of gospel songs that were becoming hits. The clearest example of this is offered by the juxtaposition on this present CD of Trks 2 and 3, the gospel single \\\"Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray\\\" by the Womack Brothers and their dbut secular single \\\"Lookin' for a Love\\\" as the Valentinos, a direct adaptation of the former. Sam Cooke, who co-founded and was heavily involved with running SAR, was a major proponent of this new development in black popular music and was only too glad to have his young protgs (the Womack brothers, a.k.a. the Valentinos) become the breakthrough group in this field.\\n\\nThis is exciting, very raw and emotive, organic-sounding music - all the more so on the tracks featuring Bobby Womack's raspy, gritty, compelling and commanding lead vocals. Some of the others (ironically, on those most influenced by Sam Cooke's smoother sound) make a much lesser impression.\\n\\nStellar sound engineering by ABKCO Records and a very fine booklet with comprehensive, highly informative liner notes by author Bill Dahl; and also possibly the most thorough individual track and session credits you will see this year for recordings that go back 54 years. Just a superlatively produced compilation by Teri Landi. This is a superb follow-up to last year's L.C. Cooke's \\\"Complete SAR Recordings.\\\"\",\n \"Product: Digitally remastered two CD set containing four albums spanning the years 1965-68 for prolific singer/songwriter Jackie De Shannon, a woman who was very much ahead of her time. Features the albums IN THE WIND, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?, NEW IMAGE and WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW. The song 'What the World Needs Now' was a US Top 10 hit single. Although her recording career slowed down in the 1980s she became a very much in demand songwriter, penning hits such as 'Bette Davis Eyes'.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: four very different Jackie DeShannon LPs in one neat two-disc package\\n\\nReview: Jackie DeShannon chronological hit parade from this collection (Billboard Hot 100 peak positions):\\n\\\"Needles and Pins\\\" (1963) #84 (#58 in Cash Box)\\n\\\"Little Yellow Roses\\\" (1963) #110\\n\\\"What the World Needs Now Is Love\\\" (1965) #7\\n\\\"A Lifetime of Loneliness\\\" (1965) #66\\n\\\"I Can Make It with You\\\" (1966) #68\\n\\\"Windows and Doors\\\" (1966) #108\\n\\\"Come On Down (From the Top of the World)\\\" (1967) #121\\n\\\"It's All in the Game\\\" (1967) #110\\n\\nThe first LP, \\\"In the Wind,\\\" was a 1965 repackaging of her eponymous dbut LP from two years earlier, which was at the commercial height of the folk-music boom. Ten of the twelve tracks here are right in that mold and would seem to have been a rather blatant attempt to cash in on Peter, Paul & Mary's startling success - hence, \\\"Blowin' in the Wind,\\\" \\\"If I Had a Hammer\\\" and \\\"Puff (the Magic Dragon)\\\" are all covered here. Jackie D's \\\"Blowin' in the Wind\\\" is on the mournful side, but she nails her other two Dylan covers, \\\"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright\\\" and especially the unreleased \\\"Walkin' Down the Line,\\\" which she and arranger Jack Nitzsche spin into gold (one of the best early Dylan covers -- it should have been a single). Jackie's native Kentucky drawl is only heard on record on some of these folk tracks, and it is put to good use, adding to her folk/country credibility. But her comfort zone was pop-rock, as opposed to folk, which is clearly why the two standouts here (which also stand out because they are so alien to the LP's dominant theme) are her two pop-rockers, the Sonny Bono and Jack Nitzsche penned \\\"Needles and Pins\\\" (a classic British Invasion smash for the Searchers the following year) and her self-penned \\\"Don't Turn Your Back on Me.\\\"\\n\\n\\\"Are You Ready for This? (1966) could just as well have been called her \\\"Supremes Meet Burt Bacharach/Hal David Album.\\\" For some reason (more trend-hopping perhaps?) Jackie becomes Diana DeShannon on a bunch of these tracks that copy a Diana Ross & the Supremes template. But oddly, it's very entertaining, particularly her Supremes-acized take on \\\"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow\\\" (injecting new life into it), a sizzling \\\"Love Is Leading Me\\\" and the \\\"I Hear a Symphony\\\" knock-off \\\"Music and Memories.\\\" This stuff seems much fresher to me than the Bacharach-David material (I think she was really only an exceptional match for their great song \\\"What the World Needs Now Is Love\\\"), \\\"Windows and Doors\\\" (with its love \\\"you can't buy in stores\\\" weak rhyme); the pity-stoking Gene Pitney-esque \\\"A Lifetime of Loneliness\\\" and the atrocious \\\"So Long Johnny.\\\" The high-quality single from this LP is definitely the pairing of Chip Taylor's strong and determined ballad \\\"I Can Make It with You\\\" b/w her own impressively introspective and assertive \\\"To Be Myself.\\\" I also like her \\\"You Don't Have to Say You Love Me,\\\" although it cannot escape the shadow of Dusty Springfield's definitive English-language version.\\n\\nFor \\\"New Image\\\" (1967) she is recast as an interpreter of pop standards and adult contemporary fare (better known as \\\"easy listening\\\" at the time). With the exception of her own gorgeous composition \\\"Where Does the Sun Go?\\\" much of the adult contemporary material feels forced and overdramatic; and in some cases - \\\"The Carnival Is Closed Today,\\\" \\\"The Wishing Doll\\\" and \\\"Poor Someone\\\" - positively inane. Both singles from the LP flopped: \\\"Come On Down (From the Top of the Hill)\\\" was an attempt at Laurel Canyon-y adult contemporary that is just too mannered and manufactured-to-be-quirky/charming; and a mid-tempo, just-okay take on the '50s pop standard \\\"It's All in the Game.\\\" One of the standards does get a startlingly brilliant treatment, though: her \\\"Sunday Kind of Love\\\" (and I'm not comparing her to Etta James) reveals depth and maturity and tremendous interpretive vocal talent (and soul). The only song with any real drive on this LP - and it has appealing lyrics, to boot - is \\\"Time,\\\" the obvious (unmade) choice for a single.\\n\\n\\\"What the World Needs Now Is Love\\\" (1968) is a hodgepodge, but at least we get the breakthrough title-song smash from three years earlier here. However, seven of the eleven (not lucky for us!) tracks are repeats from earlier in this same collection. For example, we get \\\"Where Does the Sun Go?\\\" twice only twelve tracks apart! (You'll think your CD player suddenly went into random-play mode!).\\n\\nThe stereo sound (most of the tracks here) is excellent; and there's a 14-page accompanying booklet with all the original LP credit listings and liner notes. Six pages of brand-new notes by John Tobler as well. On the down side, everything in the interior of the booklet (photos, LP cover repros) is in shadowy black and white.\\n\\nThis is a good deal for fans of Jackie DeShannon in this five-year stretch of the 1960s (pre-\\\"Put a Little Love in Your Heart\\\").\",\n \"Product: (2015/Fantastic Voyage) 90 Tracks, 20-page booklet, US charts compilation 1959-63!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: a bit of the bubbly\\n\\nReview: This is a veritable treasure trove for fans of this too-often forgotten era of pop and pop-rock (1959-1963) between the first wave of rock & roll and the British \\\"invasion\\\" that followed the Beatles in early 1964. Here are 90 of the most forgotten records from this period [total running time: 3 hours, 35 minutes] - ones that NEVER get played on oldies radio because they not only missed reaching the pop Top 40, they missed the entire Billboard Hot 100! (Most oldies radio avoids anything that wasn't at least Top 20.) The case with many of these records is that they were quite popular in some markets, but for some reason were unable to get the radio airplay elsewhere needed to generate broader demand.\\n\\nA real advantage of a collection like this is that there should be very little duplication with any other CD collection you own. I especially enjoyed the fact that I knew so few of these records, even though by around the mid-point of this time frame I was starting to become aware of everything that was being played on the radio. This is a trip back in time that one can hear with fresh ears. And that reminds me of another advantage: the sound is astonishingly good given the age and relative rarity of these records. Two more advantages: 1) a 16-page booklet with an informative paragraph devoted to each and every artist and record (that's 90 records by 90 different artists); and 2) every record is presented chronologically, giving one a greater sense of the musical flavors of each year.\\n\\nFor anyone who might think that such lesser hits as these must have been throwaways, let me point out that 13 of the 90 recordings were by future Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. Here's the list: Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, The Crickets, Duane Eddy, The \\\"5\\\" Royales, The Flamingos, The 4 Seasons, Barry Mann (in the R&R HOF as a songwriter), Del Shannon, The Temptations, Ike and Tina Turner, and Stevie Wonder (13-year-old Little Stevie Wonder in 1963). Johnny Cash is also in the Country & Western Hall of Fame, as are Glen Campbell, Sonny James, Webb Pierce, Hank Snow and Conway Twitty. And Sarah Vaughan is a Grammy Lifetime Achievement honoree.\\n\\nOther artists of note appearing in this collection include Arthur Alexander, The Angels, Paul Anka, Bobby Bare, Gary (U.S.) Bonds, Johnny Burnette, Vikki Carr (her competing version of The Crystals' \\\"He's a Rebel\\\" from 1962 is on the unconvincing and borderline shrill side), The Chantels, The Del Vikings, Jackie DeShannon, Ral Donner, Shelley Fabares, Barbara George, Clarence Henry, Brian Hyland, Jay & the Americans, Hank Locklin, Aaron Neville, Tony Orlando, The Robins, Tommy Roe, Neil Sedaka, Bobby Vee and Baby Washington.\\n\\nThere are 14 Billboard \\\"Bubbling Under\\\" one-timers who never appeared on any other national chart with this or any other record. Ever heard of the Kenjolairs, Aki Aleong, Vicki Tasso, Doug Warren & the Rays, or Jan Burgens & His New Orleans Syncopators...? I didn't think so.\\n\\nMy Top 20 from this collection (the highest positions most of these records have ever seen!)\\n1) Nolan Strong & The Diablos - \\\"Mind Over Matter\\\" (1962) - Detroit proto-soul classic (penned by Devora Brown) with a phenomenal lead vocal by the ethereally high-voiced \\\"Daddy Rockin'\\\" Strong and the stellar electric blues-rock guitar of [sounds like it could be Lonnie Mack/Jimi Hendrix icon Robert Ward! (?)] It broke through on WLS (50,000-watt Top 40 radio) in Chicago, reaching #16, but surprisingly went no further. Definitely for fans of Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights' \\\"Village of Love\\\" (on the same Fortune label) - and definitely (IMO) one of the best records of 1962.\\n\\n2) Little Stevie Wonder \\\"I Call It Pretty Music But the Old People Call It the Blues Pt. 1)\\\" (1963) - dynamic and propulsive, and by an unmatched talent, but it somehow got lost in the immediate wake of Stevie's phenomenal début single, the #1 pop and R&B smash \\\"Fingertips, Pt. 2\\\"\\n\\n3) Robert Parker \\\"All Nite Long (Pt. 1)\\\" (1959) - cookin' and jivin' sax instro that should never have stalled at #113 in its only week on the chart. This was Robert Parker five and half years before his Top Ten hit \\\"Barefootin'.\\\"\\n\\n4) Johnny Cash \\\"Johnny Yuma, the Rebel\\\" (1961) - one of the best vocal TV theme songs of all time (from the Western series \\\"The Rebel\\\" starring Nick Adams)\\n\\n5) Big Al Downing \\\"The Story of My Life\\\" (1962) - harmonica-powered Southern-style R&B take on Marty Robbins' 1958 country and pop hit (an early Burt Bacharach-Hal David composition). Like \\\"Mind Over Matter,\\\" it was a hit on WLS in Chicago [#15] but failed to break nationally.\\n\\n6) Googie René \\\"The Slide\\\" (1960) - sizzling and grooving organ-&-sax-propelled R&B dance-call tune\\n\\n7) The Temptations \\\"Paradise\\\" (1962) - This Temptations chart début record was obviously inspired by The 4 Seasons, with Eddie Kendricks taking the high-voiced lead vocal (in other words, the Frankie Valli part, but in his natural voice, as opposed to Valli's falsetto)\\n\\n8) Ray Charles \\\"No Letter Today\\\" (1963) - Ray in his brilliant country-soul period doing credit to the 1944 Ted Daffan country ballad hit. This one got buried on the flipside of \\\"Take These Chains from My Heart.\\\"\\n\\n9) Conway Twitty \\\"What a Dream\\\" (1960) - This otherwise rather ordinary ballad serves as a showcase for seemingly all of the Twitty bird's trademark vocal tricks, especially his guttural croaks.\\n\\n10) Baby Washington \\\"Handful of Memories\\\" (1962) - #16 R&B hit by one of the all-time great voices of the genre\\n\\n11) Aaron Neville \\\"Over You\\\" (1960) - cool, relentlessly rhythmic New Orleans R&B with a neat horn chart. The great Allen Toussaint produced and co-wrote it. It was Neville's first chart record (preceding \\\"Tell It Like It Is\\\" by six years) and a significant national R&B hit (reaching #21). [On a very sad note, Toussaint passed way 13 days after I submitted this review, Nov. 10, 2015.]\\n\\n12) Sam Fletcher \\\"Time Has a Way\\\" (1959) - big ballad by the big-voiced Roy Hamilton sound-alike called \\\"The Man with the Golden Voice\\\" (which later became Paul Carrack's sobriquet)\\n\\n13) Jack B. Nimble & the Quicks \\\"Nut Rocker\\\" (1962) - original recording of the classic instro by an alternate incarnation of B. Bumble & the Stingers\\n\\n14) Del Shannon \\\"I Won't Be There\\\" (1962) - a good, if not particularly memorable one penned and performed by the talented Shannon, who followed his big chart début year (\\\"Runaway\\\" was a breakout #1 smash in '61) with a major chart slump in '62\\n\\n15) Tony Orlando \\\"Chills\\\" (1962) - That's right...Tony Orlando! The 18-year-old New Yorker had an appealing soulful-pop style, and this is a solid Gerry Goffin-Jack Keller-composed song.\\n\\n16) Duane Eddy \\\"The Battle\\\" (1962) - This twangy-guitar version of \\\"The Battle Hymn of the Republic\\\" was likely intended as Eddy's answer to his signature instro smash \\\"Rebel-'Rouser from 1958.\\n\\n17) The Chantels \\\"Here It Comes Again\\\" (1962) - graceful girl-group harmony\\n\\n18) Eddie Quinteros \\\"Come Dance with Me\\\" (1960) - an all-out rockin' tribute to Ritchie Valens who had been gone one year\\n\\n19) Hank Snow \\\"Miller's Cave\\\" (1960) - not a wasted syllable in the telling of this blood-curdling tale set in a forbidding Southern Georgia locale - a #9 country song by one of the greats\\n\\n20) Bobby Vee \\\"One Last Kiss\\\" (1960) - 17-year-old Robert Velline from Fargo was on the cusp of a major breakthrough (with \\\"Devil Or Angel\\\"), but only the most comprehensive Bobby Vee collections on CD have ever included this appealing cover of a number from \\\"Bye Bye Birdie.\\\"\\n\\nThe only ones I loathed upon first listen:\\n1) Gus Backus \\\"Wooden Heart\\\" (1961) - truly terrible Teutonic twaddle (inexplicably, Joe Dowell's version got to #1)\\n\\n2) The Swe-Danes \\\"Scandinavian Shuffle\\\" (1960) - entirely sung in idiotic vocalese (which is redundant) [Beware of the ear-splitting final note - if you are able to make it that far]\\n\\n3) Robie Lester \\\"The Miracle of Life\\\" (1960) - insipid [Beware of bloated song titles that promise more than they can deliver]\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: definitive work on the King Bee of Louisiana swamp blues and R&B\\n\\nReview: For admirers of this utterly amazing and unique, modern-era (recording as a lead artist from 1957 to 1970, the year of his premature death at age 45) Louisiana delta blues harmonica master, songwriter and brilliantly expressive vocal interpreter of down-home, often country- and rock-tinged blues and R&B, this \\\"complete\\\" (and it is, for all practical purposes, just that) collection (5 discs, 410 minutes [=6 hours, 50 minutes], which averages to 82 minutes [!] per disc) is going to be incredibly difficult to pass up.\\n\\nThe first two discs contain the entirety of his Excello label issued material, which has all been available on high-quality CDs. The harder question concerns the value of the other three discs: two containing all of the existing alternate takes and material that was unissued in his lifetime, plus the first-time-ever appearance of the last song he ever wrote and recorded (presumably, a home-made demo) during the last month of his life - January, 1970), and one (Disc 5) containing 87 and a half minutes of his live sets (including previously unissued material) from 1961.\\n\\nI will admit that as a major fan of his since his biggest hit, \\\"Baby Scratch My Back\\\" from 1966 (talk about unique!) [#1 R&B / #13 pop in Cash Box], the first blues record I ever got - and I subsequently picked up his incredibly cool cover of Charlie Rich's \\\"Mohair Sam\\\" from 1968 (recorded at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals) [#113 pop in Cash Box], as well as his 1969 \\\"The Best of Slim Harpo\\\" LP - I was a bit hesitant about this purchase. The clincher for me was the 12 in. X 12 in., 104-page book, available nowhere else but as part of this package. It is colorful and comprehensive and of the highest quality. 62 pages of extremely well-written and detailed notes by Martin Hawkins on Slim's life (and death) and entire career - including each recording session - make it totally indispensable for Harpo-ites. (I would estimate that on its own it would be a $60 item.)\\n\\nAnd having listened to Discs 2 through 5, I am fully convinced they are worth it as well. Some of the alternate takes are significantly different from the released versions and are arguably even more enjoyable in their own way. The live tracks from '61 are a bit iffy, given that the sub-par amateur sound recording rendered Slim's vocals somewhat muddy. However, his harp and his band's instrumental work come through tolerably well; and the extended live versions of their instrumentals \\\"Buzzin'\\\" and \\\"Moody Blues\\\" are outstanding - especially the nine-minute latter song which thankfully was mic-ed much better.\\n\\nUltimately, you can never really go wrong with Bear Family box sets of your favorite musical artists.\",\n \"Product: Rare Rockin' Records latest installment of their highly acclaimed 'Songwriter Masters Series' packages. Joe South entered the Top 20 with his Grammy winning award song, 'Games People Play' in 1969. The song was featured on his highly respected album, 'Introspect'. Two years later, Lyn Anderson scored a big country/pop hit with another of Joe's songs, 'Rose Garden'. Joe's career, however, began ten years earlier - and he did it all. He was a recording artist, in demand session player, songwriter and producer. He played an important role in the early career of the Tams and Billy Joe Royal and both acts have had rock and roll longevity. 'Golden Records - 1961-1966' brings together the very best of Joe's songs from this period. Some he recorded himself, some he produced for others - but he wrote them all. On this CD, we find hits such as the Tams 'Untie Me' from 1962 and Billy Joe Royal's 'Down In The Boondocks' from 1965. Rare Rockin' Records have also included some rare titles from artists such as the Chips, Vince Everett, Billy Joe Royal and Joe himself. Many are on CD for the first time. Features a 16 page full color booklet with extensive liner notes and label scans. 32 tracks, 8 in stereo with a sound quality that so reflects the title of this CD, 'Golden Records'.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: We knew him when!\\n\\nReview: This is nearly in a league with the previous Rare Rockin' Records 1960s songwriter disc I reviewed, \\\"David Gates: The Early Years 1962-1967\\\" (5/13/13 - five stars). Note the overlapping years covered by these two CDs. That one gets my slight nod because of the greater range of artists who were previously unknown to me, in addition to the appearance of a true classic that I had never been able to find on CD before, Jody Miller's original 1965 version of Gates's \\\"Never Let Him Go\\\" (which he himself turned into a solo hit a decade later as \\\"Never Let Her Go\\\"). A big difference here (to its favor, I would say) is that we get to hear seven early obscurities performed by the producer/songwriter Joe South himself, as well as with his group called The Chips. South's own \\\"Concrete Jungle\\\" is a good example of a whole school of songs from that time period about working people trapped in an urban rat race. If his appealing 1961 single side \\\"I'm Sorry for You\\\" sounds somewhat familiar, it may be due to his having strayed a bit too closely over into Jerry Butler's \\\"He Will Break Your Heart\\\" [aka \\\"He Don't Love You\\\"] 1960 hit territory.\\n\\nThe question is: will we find anything here reflecting the level of genius associated with the Joe South who gave us \\\"Games People Play\\\" (Grammy-winning best song of 1969), \\\"Rose Garden\\\" (1971 best song nominee), \\\"Don't It Make You Want to Go Home,\\\" \\\"Walk a Mile in My Shoes,\\\" \\\"Hush, \\\" \\\"Birds of a Feather,\\\" \\\"These Are Not My People, \\\"How Can I Unlove You,\\\" \\\"Fool Me,\\\" \\\"All My Hard Times,\\\" etc.? Yes, but only in the form of the only three hit records here: The Tams' \\\"Untie Me\\\" (1962) [#12 R&B / #60 pop in Billboard] and Billy Joe Royal's first two career-defining hits from 1965, \\\"Down in the Boondocks\\\" [#6 pop in Cash Box] and \\\"I Knew Him When\\\" [#12 in Record World].\\n\\n\\\"Untie Me\\\" is an outstanding Southern R&B record out of Atlanta, rivaling anything of its type from anywhere else in the country at the time. The other Tams selections are all strong and in the mold of what NYC's Brill Building writers and producers were doing with The Drifters and Ben E. King. I should point out that besides the aforementioned three national chart placers, the other 29 tracks here were all new to me.\\n\\nSouth pal Billy Joe Royal (whom sadly we lost this October 6) had a startling vocal resemblance to Gene Pitney, and \\\"Down in the Boondocks\\\" almost outdid Pitney himself in its pure Pitney-esque-ness. \\\"I Knew You When\\\" is a superbly composed, produced and preformed mid-'60s record that really stands the test of time. (In early 1983, Linda Ronstadt reached #30 in Cash Box with her cover version.)\\n\\nAmong the most enjoyable of the rest in my opinion are the two by the remarkable Elvis Presley sound-alike Vince Everett and the even more stunning Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons semi-clone \\\"Pollyanna\\\" by the Classics (later famous as the very different-sounding Classics IV of \\\"Spooky\\\" and \\\"Stormy\\\" fame).\\n\\nOf the 32 tracks [total running time: 78 minutes], eight are in stereo. The sound quality is excellent, with the exception of a very small number of the obscurities for which there were no original master tapes available (and these imperfections are mild and easily outweighed by the value of the material). The 16-page booklet contains thorough, informative liner notes and an attractive-enough presentation (particularly the front and back covers and the label scans of the 45s).\\n\\nFine work by this Australian import label (specializing in oldies) that merits our support. And Joe South was the man! So sad that we lost him three years ago.\",\n \"Product: Rare Rockin' Records latest installment of their highly acclaimed 'Songwriter Masters Series' packages. Joe South entered the Top 20 with his Grammy winning award song, 'Games People Play' in 1969. The song was featured on his highly respected album, 'Introspect'. Two years later, Lyn Anderson scored a big country/pop hit with another of Joe's songs, 'Rose Garden'. Joe's career, however, began ten years earlier - and he did it all. He was a recording artist, in demand session player, songwriter and producer. He played an important role in the early career of the Tams and Billy Joe Royal and both acts have had rock and roll longevity. 'Golden Records - 1961-1966' brings together the very best of Joe's songs from this period. Some he recorded himself, some he produced for others - but he wrote them all. On this CD, we find hits such as the Tams 'Untie Me' from 1962 and Billy Joe Royal's 'Down In The Boondocks' from 1965. Rare Rockin' Records have also included some rare titles from artists such as the Chips, Vince Everett, Billy Joe Royal and Joe himself. Many are on CD for the first time. Features a 16 page full color booklet with extensive liner notes and label scans. 32 tracks, 8 in stereo with a sound quality that so reflects the title of this CD, 'Golden Records'.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: We knew him when!\\n\\nReview: This is nearly in a league with the previous Rare Rockin' Records 1960s songwriter disc I reviewed, \\\"David Gates: The Early Years 1962-1967\\\" (5/13/13 - five stars). Note the overlapping years covered by these two CDs. That one gets my slight nod because of the greater range of artists who were previously unknown to me, in addition to the appearance of a true classic that I had never been able to find on CD before, Jody Miller's original 1965 version of Gates's \\\"Never Let Him Go\\\" (which he himself turned into a solo hit a decade later as \\\"Never Let Her Go\\\"). A big difference here (to its favor, I would say) is that we get to hear seven early obscurities performed by the producer/songwriter Joe South himself, as well as with his group called The Chips. South's own \\\"Concrete Jungle\\\" is a good example of a whole school of songs from that time period about working people trapped in an urban rat race. If his appealing 1961 single side \\\"I'm Sorry for You\\\" sounds somewhat familiar, it may be due his having strayed a bit too closely over into Jerry Butler's \\\"He Will Break Your Heart\\\" [a.k.a. \\\"He Don't Love You\\\"] 1960 hit territory.\\n\\nThe question is: will we find anything here reflecting the level of genius associated with the Joe South who gave us \\\"Games People Play\\\" (Grammy-winning best song of 1969), \\\"Rose Garden\\\" (1971 best song nominee), \\\"Don't It Make You Want to Go Home,\\\" \\\"Walk a Mile in My Shoes,\\\" \\\"Hush,\\\" \\\"Birds of a Feather,\\\" \\\"These Are Not My People,\\\" \\\"How Can I Unlove You,\\\" \\\"Fool Me,\\\" \\\"All My Hard Times,\\\" etc.? Yes, but only in the form of the only three hit records here: The Tams' \\\"Untie Me\\\" (1962) [#12 R&B / #60 pop in Billboard] and Billy Joe Royal's first two career-defining hits from 1965, \\\"Down in the Boondocks\\\" [#6 pop in Cash Box] and \\\"I Knew You When\\\" [#12 pop in Record World].\\n\\n\\\"Untie Me\\\" is an outstanding Southern R&B record out of Atlanta, rivaling anything from anywhere else in the country at the time. The other Tams selections (I should point out that besides the aforementioned three national chart placers, the other 29 tracks here were all new to me) are all strong and in the mold of what NYC's Brill Building writers and producers were doing with The Drifters and Ben E. King.\\n\\nSouth pal Billy Joe Royal had a startling vocal resemblance to Gene Pitney, and \\\"Down in the Boondocks\\\" almost outdid Pitney himself in its pure Pitney-esque-ness. \\\"I Knew You When\\\" is a superbly composed, produced and performed mid-'60s record that really stands the test of time. (In early 1983, Linda Ronstadt reached #30 in Cash Box with her cover version.)\\n\\nAmong the most enjoyable of the rest in my opinion are the two by the remarkable Elvis sound-alike Vince Everett and the even more stunning Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons semi-clone \\\"Pollyanna\\\" by The Classics (later famous as the very different-sounding Classics IV of \\\"Spooky\\\" and \\\"Stormy\\\" fame).\\n\\nOf the 32 tracks [total running time: 78 minutes], eight are in stereo. The sound quality is excellent, with the exception of a very small number of the obscurities for which there were no original master tapes available (and these imperfections are mild and easily outweighed by the value of the material). The 16-page booklet contains thorough, informative liner notes, and an attractive-enough presentation (particularly the covers and the label scans of the 45s).\\n\\nFine work by this Australian import label (specializing in oldies) that merits our support. And Joe South was the man! So sad we lost him three years ago.\",\n \"Product: A 2CD set featuring three albums Link Wray recorded in the early 70s. Wray, his brother Vernon and band decamped to his farm in Maryland where Vernon set up a three-track recorder in an outhouse - the eponymous three-track shack. Three albums resulted from the recording sessions. The music was radically different to what Link had previously recorded - raw and basic, but with vocals and acoustic instruments. His fan base didn't quite know what to make of it - resulting in these albums being the rarest of Link's catalogue. These three albums have appeared on a 2CD set before but one track was not the correct one and all three albums were dubbed from LPs. This time, Ace has managed to track down the master tapes for all three and, at some expense; we present them in the finest sound possible.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Rock's \\\"Rumble\\\" man goes rural\\n\\nReview: Thirteen years after his game-changing guitar instrumental \\\"Rumble,\\\" here is Link Wray, likely under the musical influence of The Band, recording in a former chicken shack on his brother's farm in Maryland. The result is the trio of albums we get here on this double-disc set with a running time of two hours sixteen minutes. The circumstances may seem primitive, but the sound they come up with is completely inviting and as clear as a bell.\\n\\nHis eponymous 1971 \\\"Link Wray\\\" LP on Polydor (which got to #186 in Billboard - the only one of the three to chart) is the masterpiece here, although I would highly recommend the following pair as well. That its two phenomenal singles went nowhere is a head-scratcher. First, there's the booming, percussive \\\"Fire and Brimstone\\\" with its matchless mix of acoustic and electric guitar and powerful (and frightening) title hook. The whole thing may have been just too overwhelming for the radio. But at least we can take in and appreciate its full power now.\\n\\nAnd then there's \\\"Fallin' Rain.\\\" This one is more subtly powerful, and in my book stands as one of the two greatest singles of the era that never appeared on a national chart (the other being Percy Sledge's version of \\\"True Love Travels on a Gravel Road\\\" from two years earlier). It's a contemplative but at the same time impassioned plea to stop all the senseless killing in this world gone insane. He desperately does not want his final line to prove prophetic: \\\"All there is left is the fallin' rain.\\\" I put the song up there with the best of 1971: Marvin Gaye's \\\"What's Going On\\\" and John Lennon's \\\"Imagine.\\\"\\n\\nIn \\\"Ice People\\\" Wray indicts the cold-blooded establishment exploiters of the races, the poor and those who oppose war. The mandolin-propelled \\\"Black River Swamp\\\" borrows a bit of \\\"Fallin' Rain\\\"'s beautifully affecting melody to express nostalgic wonder for the place where he was born and raised. Wray's voice is raw and real.\\n\\nThat \\\"raw and real\\\" voice had become semi-ravaged enough that for the 1972 successor LP \\\"Mordicai Jones\\\" Wray brought in Gene Johnson - with his strong, soulful, Southern-rock and blues voice - to perform the lead vocals. Striking single \\\"Scorpio Woman,\\\" which appeared as by \\\"Mordicai Jones\\\" (a fictitious name), is another inexplicable missed hit. It is pulsating and mesmerizing and injects some totally cool late-in-the-track psychedelic guitar. The LP opener, \\\"Walkin' in the Arizona Sun\\\" - which adds pedal steel guitar - is the graceful, gorgeously delivered vocal beauty here. On \\\"Days Before Custer,\\\" Wray whips out the old fuzz-tone on this ominous, cautionary (to say the least) number; while \\\"The Coca Cola Sign Blinds My Eyes\\\" is a fantastic, slow acoustic blues. (Pretty sure it's the only song ever with this title!)\\n\\nThe third LP release here, \\\"Beans and Fatback,\\\" came out in the UK in 1973 on the Virgin label and was deemed by Wray to be a bootleg. Ample proof of this would be the fact that the title rockin' country instrumental (with jew's-harp) abruptly cuts off at the 1:35 mark. It also includes two different versions of the traditional \\\"In the Pines\\\" (or \\\"Georgia Pines\\\"), the longer of which features slide guitar. Wray is back doing the lead vocals on this LP; and while \\\"Hobo Man\\\" and \\\"From Tulsa to North Carolina\\\" have him very much in The Band mode, he channels his inner Mick Jagger on the relentless, raucous and unabashedly upbeat \\\"I'm So Glad, I'm So Proud,\\\" which also appears as a bonus track in its UK single-edit version. My favorite here is the instro \\\"Right Or Wrong (You Lose)\\\" with its sensational guitar mix highlighted by scorching electric.\\n\\nAce Records provides a deluxe 28-page, photo-laden booklet (including all original LP art) with an extensive essay on Link Wray's life and entire career.\",\n \"Product: Dr. John's biggest chart hits All A & B Sides from US and UK singles between 1968-1974 Liner Notes by Gene Sculatti\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Definitive, very high-quality, 71-minute Omnivore collection of Dr. John's singles for Atco/Atlantic\\n\\nReview: Dr. John's chronology of Billboard pop chart hits in this collection:\\n\\\"Wash Mama Wash\\\" (1970) #108\\n\\\"Iko Iko\\\" (1972) #71 (#50 in Record World)\\n\\\"RIGHT PLACE, WRONG TIME\\\" (1973) #9\\n\\\"Such a Night\\\" (1973) #42\\n\\\"(Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away\\\" (1974) #92 (#72 in Cash Box)\\n\\nTasty gumbo, as only Dr. John could deliver it, of New Orleans R&B, jazz, blues and soul, rock 'n' roll, menacing and mysterious Creole/Cajun swamp voodoo, and a soupon of psychedelia (the last two influences appear early in this collection when he was still in his \\\"Dr. John the Night Tripper\\\" persona). I have always enjoyed the way he growls in his heavy urban N'Awlins accent, which is a unique mlange of Southern and Brooklynese (\\\"toin\\\" for \\\"turn,\\\" for example).\\n\\nMalcolm \\\"Mac\\\" Rebennack (before he became \\\"Dr. John\\\") was a teenage prodigy local piano wizard, session player, songwriter and R&B record producer going back to the late 1950s, but these are the key songs that really put him on the American popular music map. As I suppose many did, I first became aware of him through his strikingly soulful pop-rock smash \\\"Right Place Wrong Time\\\" from 1973, which continues to be a staple of oldies radio. (I turn it up loud every time.) \\\"Such a Night\\\" (his original and not the same as the much earlier Elvis Presley record) was a delightfully cool follow-up that should have been a bigger hit. Both of these were produced and arranged by his friend, the great New Orleans creator of immortal music, Allen Toussaint. These two tracks stand out, but everything in this collection is entertaining.\\n\\nThree particularly pleasant surprises for me here are: 1) the opening track, the U.S. promo-only single version of the brilliantly ironic \\\"The Patriotic Flag Waver\\\" (1969), which skewers political and social hypocrisy; 2) his very credible 1972 version of Willie Dixon's \\\"Wang Dang Doodle\\\" (also a U.S.-only promo single); and 3) an outstanding 1972 collaboration with Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton on Guy's \\\"A Man of Many Words,\\\" which was clearly intended as a tribute to the late Otis Redding.\\n\\nThe package includes a colorful ten-page booklet with five pages of informative new liner notes by Gene Sculatti, and the sound mastering is top-notch.\\n\\nIf you're a Dr. John fan, you can't go wrong with this CD. (And if you're not, you may become one after listening to this.)\",\n \"Product: More than two years have passed since the release of our well-received 'Finders Keepers - Motown Girls' CD, so the time has arrived for a second volume. 'Finders Keepers' was a half-and-half mix of previously released titles and unissued recordings from the Motown vaults. Here on 'Love & Affection - More Motown Girls' we've upped the ante and unearthed 25 tracks that have never appeared on CD before, or vinyl for that matter, making the collection a must-have for Motown collectors and female soul and pop buffs alike.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: serious Motownophiles should enjoy this\\n\\nReview: I am rating this latest excavation of the Motown vaults one star higher than its Motown Girls predecessor \\\"Finders Keepers\\\" due to the fact that this collection is completely on point in bringing us 25 tracks that have never been on CD before - and is not in any way a mixed bag containing ringers that were previously issued (and even a major hit in one case). This is the pure stuff, with no more than a couple of tracks I wouldn't want to re-hear anytime soon. The quality of this material on average is most impressive, so that was clearly not the reason these recordings failed to get to the marketplace. It really had more to do with the sheer volume of tremendous music the company was recording in its 1960s prime (all of these recordings date from 1962 to 1969) and the difficulty financing and promoting so much material and so many artists.\\n\\nI think the best thing here, which may have had the greatest hit potential, is the 1966 demo recording of the powerfully propulsive Ivy Jo Hunter/Stevie Wonder song \\\"My Love Is Your Love (Forever)\\\" by Barbara Randolph. Her priority at the time was a budding acting career, but the song did get to Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, appearing on their phenomenal 1967 LP \\\"Make It Happen,\\\" which had wall-to-wall terrific tracks including the hits \\\"The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage,\\\" \\\"More Love\\\" and \\\"The Tears of a Clown\\\" (also co-written by Stevie Wonder).\\n\\nBest vocal performance goes to Brenda Holloway for her sensational singing on a sizzling cover (with strong percussion and horns) of the Jackie Wilson (Berry Gordy co-penned) classic \\\"Lonely Teardrops.\\\"\\n\\nThen there are a pair from the undervalued (and extremely beautiful) Barbara McNair that prove that Motown could go uptown and sophisticated in its balladry if it needed to. \\\"Come Back Half Way\\\" (recorded in 1965) is a classy midtempo soul ballad co-written by none other than the great Jimmy Webb who few remember began as a songwriter with Motown. The Bobby Scott co-write \\\"The Good Times Are Gone\\\" has McNair doing a big New York City-type ballad la Dee Dee Warwick.\\n\\nChris Clark, Motown's answer to Dusty Springfield, simply stuns on a 1969 Deke Richards song we are finally getting to hear for the first time (no one else ever recorded it), \\\"Forgotten,\\\" with its quasi symphonic arrangement and intriguing lyrics.\\n\\nMajor Motown stars are present as well with efforts heretofore unheard prior to this project: Gladys Knight & the Pips apply their fine harmonies to the sincere and hook-heavy \\\"Any Girl in Love (Knows What I'm Going Through)\\\" from 1966. From the following year , Gladys also brings her emotive delivery to the midtempo excellence of \\\"The Things Time Can't Erase.\\\" Martha Reeves (backed by the Andantes and not the Vandellas) pours her heart out beautifully on another top-notch Deke Richards song, \\\"This Is the Love (I've Been Waiting For).\\\" And the Marvelettes (Motown's first female group with a number one hit, \\\"Please Mr. Postman\\\" in 1961) appear with this collection's insistently uptempo title song, \\\"Girls Need Love and Affection,\\\" produced and co-written by Ivy Jo Hunter in 1966.\\n\\nJust to single out a few more stand-outs, there was a real missed opportunity with pop singer Connie Haines's fantastic take on the catchy and clever 1965 Smokey Robinson-penned-and-produced recording, \\\"Mr. Pride and Mr. Gloom.\\\" Hard to believe this was rejected for release while a lesser record got put out on her (her only one at Motown). But at least we get to hear it and enjoy it now! The Lewis Sisters should have had their breakthrough in 1965 with the brilliantly worked-out, hard-charging and hook-laden \\\"Many Good Times,\\\" which was relegated to no more than a demo for a Supremes' recording that never materialized. The always outstanding LaBrenda Ben does it again on the minor-key Andr Williams-composed dazzler \\\"Just Go On Sleeping, as well as on George Fowler's \\\"Fugitive\\\" (both from 1964), which has her sounding rather delightfully similar to a young Stevie Wonder! And finally, I'll give honorable mention to Hattie Littles for her powerfully emotive deep contralto reading of \\\"Now That Love Is Gone\\\" from '64.\\n\\nIt's 69 and a half minutes in glorious mono, splendidly compiled by Keith Hughes and Mick Patrick. There's a 16-page accompanying booklet with attractive photos of 15 of the acts here, as well as informative track-by-track annotations by Mr. Hughes. You can't ask for a whole lot more.\",\n \"Product: 2015 archive release containing the most sought-after Timi Yuro recordings on one CD. Timi is considered to be one of the first blue-eyed soul singers of the rock era. According to one critic: \\\"Her deep, strident, almost masculine voice, staggered delivery and the occasional sob created a compelling musical presence\\\". The album Something Bad On My Mind released in 1968 was recorded in London and Los Angeles. It includes the Northern Soul favorite 'It'll Never Be Over For Me' and the fabulous title song from the movie Interlude. Stereo masters have been used for the first time on CD with this release.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Yuro vision: Timi's 1968 British LP (+ rarities)\\n\\nReview: Well, anyway, two-thirds of the 1968 Liberty LP \\\"Something Bad on My Mind\\\" was recorded across the pond, but 100% of it is top-of-the-line soulful pop right in Timi Yuro's wheelhouse, which - using an American idiom - she knocked out of the park. Going to the UK to record in this '60s post-British Invasion time frame was not all that unusual for American artists in this genre given the success that the Walker Brothers and P.J. Proby had been enjoying over there.\\n\\nFrom start (the Gene Pitney-esque title song \\\"Something Bad on My Mind\\\") to finish (a soulful and emotionally charged reading of Frank Sinatra's \\\"I Can't Believe I'm Losing You,\\\" there is nary a lull. Timi's own distinctive co-write \\\"Wrong\\\" turned up as the flipside of the title song, while a second single teamed the stellar ballad \\\"I Must Have Been Out of My Mind\\\" with the gorgeous, lushly orchestrated film theme for the British remake of the romantic drama \\\"Interlude.\\\" Timi's already unique deep female voice was even lower due to a cold, and it made her vocal on the latter all the more emotionally gripping.\\n\\nWith apologies to Tom Jones (I'm a fan, not a basher), her soulful cover of \\\"I'll Never Fall in Love Again,\\\" his #2 British smash from the previous year (only top 50 in the U.S.) has it all over his UK chartbuster when it comes to feeling. And I really like her versions of a pair of compelling 1964 soul/pop crossovers, Freddie Scott's \\\"Hey Girl,\\\" penned by Carole King and Gerry Goffin (altered to \\\"Hey Boy\\\" here), and Baby Washington's \\\"It'll Never Be Over for Me.\\\" (Speaking of Tom Jones, the British producer and arranger on this LP, Les Reed, co-wrote a pair of Jones's signature hits, \\\"It's Not Unusual\\\" and \\\"Delilah.\\\")\\n\\nThe only flaw - and unfortunately it noticeably affects nearly every track of the 1968 LP - involves the final mix that was used. Mike Iannarelli's booklet notes (three pages, well researched and written) explain what happened, as well as Timi's disappointed reaction upon hearing it. Simply put, the instrumentation and background vocal choruses were turned up too loud at times, rather overwhelming her lead vocals, as powerful as they are. This is still an excellent album, but without this glitch it could have been a great one.\\n\\nThe twelve \\\"Unreleased & Rare Liberty Recordings\\\" extend the disc to 70 minutes and do so with class, while creating further enjoyment. There is more soulful pop, some of which has her sounding remarkably under the influence of her idol, Dinah Washington, with whom she shared producers (Clyde Otis and Belford Hendricks). Just listen to her standout take on Brook Benton's pop and R&B smash ballad \\\"It's Just a Matter of Time\\\" (co-written by Benton, Otis and Hendricks) and prepare to be floored by her tone and delivery. When I saw the Trk 20 title, the traditional \\\"She'll (He'll) Be Coming Round the Mountain,\\\" I was less than thrilled...until I heard her rendition (!), featuring her superb swinging jazz vocal done with gospel fervor (Timi Meets Dinah and Mahalia!).\\n\\nThis is an essential two-fer for Timi Yuro fans.\",\n \"Product: King Curtis was the greatest R&B instrumentalist of all time, period. And it s not much of a contest. Born Curtis Ousley in Fort Worth, Texas in 1934, the saxophonist played on hundreds of the most hallowed recording sessions of all time, everything from the Coasters Yakety Yak to John Lennon s Imagine album. But Curtis wasn t just a superstar sideman; he also was responsible for some of the greatest Pop/R&B instrumental albums of all time, including such Atco label classics as Live at Small s Paradise, King Curtis Plays the Great Memphis Hits, Instant Groove, and, of course, Live at Fillmore West. Often overshadowed by the brilliance of his session work and his long players, however, is the fact that Curtis was actually quite a successful singles artist, notching 25 Pop and 10 R&B hits during his storied career. And, though it was during his tenure(s) at Atco that he recorded the most popular albums of his career, he also cut a mind-boggling 33 singles (including one that was never released until now) for the label. It is this hitherto-untapped treasure trove that Real Gone Music s KING CURTIS: The Complete Atco Singles presents on three CDs in this unprecedented collection. Not only is this the first time on CD for virtually all of these original mono single mixes, but among these 66 tracks are over two dozen sides that never appeared on LP! That s right...even if you own every Atco album King Curtis put out, you have never heard over a third of this set unless you bought all of the original 45s back in the day. And the caliber of the musicianship? Well, as the most in-demand session man in America, Curtis got to know a lot of folks, so appearing on these sessions are the great Muscle Shoals and Memphis studio cats like Cornell Dupree, Jimmy Johnson, Spooner Oldham, Roger Hawkins, Tommy Cogbill, and Reggie Young, plus a few other folks you might have heard of, like Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, and Delaney Bramlett! Not to mention the alternately tender, searing, and soaring sax lines of Mr. Curtis himself, heard on such classic tracks as Memphis Soul Stew, Ode to Billie Joe, and Whole Lotta Love (yes, the Led Zeppelin song) cheek-by-jowl with a host of smokin rare B-sides. Leiber & Stoller Music Publishing head honcho Randy Poe supplies the liner notes (Leiber and Stoller, of course, had a long relationship with Curtis), which we ve put inside a gleaming 8-panel digipak sporting some great photos and Atco single labels. All but two of the 66 tracks have been transferred from tape in the Warner/Atlantic archives, and Mike Milchner of SonicVision provides the meticulous remastering. The R&B retrospective of the year!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: King-size King Curtis Atco singles collection of the highest quality\\n\\nReview: King Curtis's national chart singles chronology on Atco (peak placements on national soul, pop and easy listening charts)*\\n *credited either to King Curtis, The Kingpins, or King Curtis & The Kingpins\\n\\\"Spanish Harlem\\\" ('65-66) #13 easy listening / #89 pop\\n\\\"Something on Your Mind\\\" (1967) #31 soul / #120 pop\\n\\\"Jump Back\\\" (1967) #63 pop\\n\\\"You Don't Miss Your Water\\\" (1967) #105 pop\\n\\\"MEMPHIS SOUL STEW\\\" (1967) #6 soul / #33 pop\\n\\\"ODE TO BILLIE JOE\\\" (1967) #6 soul / #27 pop\\n\\\"For What It's Worth\\\" (1967) #87 pop\\n\\\"I Was Made to Love Her\\\" ('67-68) #49 soul / #76 pop\\n\\\"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay\\\" (1968) #32 easy listening / #84 pop\\n\\\"Valley of the Dolls\\\" (1968) #83 pop\\n\\\"I Heard It Thru the Grapevine\\\" (1968) #83 pop\\n\\\"Harper Valley P.T.A.\\\" (1968) #93 pop\\n\\\"Games People Play\\\" (1969) #116 pop**\\n ** Grammy winner for Best R&B Instrumental Performance\\n\\\"Foot Pattin' Part II\\\" (1969) #123 pop [B-side of \\\"Games People Play\\\"]\\n\\\"Instant Groove\\\" (1969) #35 soul / #101 pop***\\n *** Duane Allman played on the above-three 1969 sides\\n\\\"La Jeanne\\\" (1969) #128 pop\\n\\\"Teasin'\\\" (1970) [with Delaney Bramlett, Eric Clapton & Friends] #128 pop\\n\\\"Get Ready\\\" (1970) #46 soul\\n\\\"Changes - Part II\\\" (1970) #116 pop\\n\\\"Whole Lotta Love\\\" (1971) #43 soul / #51 pop\\n\\\"Changes (Part 1) [live] (1971) #109 pop\\n\\nAn iconic figure in R&B/soul and soul-jazz from the late 1950s until his sudden untimely death in the summer of 1971, Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tenor saxophonist King Curtis (Curtis Ousley) also, as evidenced by the above list, scored more nationally charting pop and soul singles than any other instrumental recording artist from 1966 to 1971 (21). If this achievement isn't at all well known, it probably has to do with the fact that only two of them reached the pop Top 40, and neither made it as high as #25. Instrumental singles, which had been so prevalent early in the 1960s, fell out of fashion and out of Top 40 radio rotations (with relatively few exceptions) during the latter half of the decade. (The other consistent pop and soul crossover instrumentalists of note during this time period with their singles were Booker T & the MGs, Ramsey Lewis, and Willie Mitchell.)\\n\\nThis present Real Gone/Rhino Custom collection is the first ever to include all of King Curtis's 33 Atco singles (covering both of his stints there, 1958-59 and late-'65-1971), both A and B sides. That's 66 tracks, presented chronologically, over three discs for a total running time of just under two hours fifty-eight minutes. Every track is in the original mono single form (a first on CD for the large majority of them), sounding vibrant, clear and dynamic. Each disc comes securely plugged into its own tray, with the Disc 2 & 3 trays being a snap to fold out of the pack. (Thank you, Real Gone/Rhino Custom for thinking of ease of handling for customers, as well as protecting the discs.) There is a 16-page booklet with eight pages of liner notes that give a good overview of King Curtis's career, adding informative bits about the Atco singles, while offering some facts of interest pertaining to key personnel playing on certain ones. The booklet contains only one interior photo, but it's a cool one covering two pages that shows Curtis with Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller and The Coasters during a 1959 Atlantic recording session. The rear cover has a full-page repro of the \\\"Jump Back\\\" single (with that familiar white and yellow Atco label) in its Atco Records sleeve.\\n\\nThere are far too many musical highlights to enumerate, but Disc 3's final two tracks are of particular note: \\\"Ridin' Thumb (Parts 1 & 2)\\\" would have been King Curtis's first Atco single as a singer, but in the wake of his sudden, tragic death three weeks after it was recorded, the decision was made not to release it. Now finally, more than 44 years later, we get to hear it.\\n\\nMy favorite thing King Curtis did frequently at Atco was to convert pop songs of the day into R&B/soul instrumentals in his signature style. \\\"Ode to Billie Joe\\\" and \\\"For What It's Worth\\\" were the first two that really caught my full attention. What an ear he had (!) to know he could make something great in his own genre out of a pop-folk and a folk-rock record, respectively. Taking a quirky country story song like \\\"Harper Valley P.T.A.\\\" seemed a bridge too far, but he made even that one funky. His playing on the soul-and-classical-music-inspired Procol Harum hit \\\"A Whiter Shade of Pale\\\" is nothing short of magnificent; and his take on the Led Zeppelin blues-rocker \\\"Whole Lotta Love\\\" must be heard to be believed.\\n\\nIn 1969, the Grammys got it right, not only by awarding Joe South's \\\"Games People Play\\\" both Song of the Year and Best Contemporary Song, but they also honored King Curtis's recording of it for Best Rhythm & Blues Instrumental Performance. He was pitted against that other great sax man of soul, Junior Walker, who definitely needs to join Curtis (posthumously) in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Curtis was nominated in this category three years earlier for \\\"Spanish Harlem,\\\" his first release during his second stint with Atco. This is the one that hit it big for him on the Billboard easy listening chart, while being inexplicably ignored in R&B/soul circles.\\n\\nI don't know how any 2016 reissue is going to top this one.\",\n \"Product: 2016 five CD set containing a quintet of classic albums by the legendary British vocalist: A Girl Called Dusty, Ev'rythings Coming Up Dusty, Dusty... Definitely, Dusty In Memphis and From Dusty... With Love. The CDs are housed in mini LP sleeves and packaged into a new slim-line slipcase. Dusty was arguably the most recognizable female pop singer to ever emerge out of Britain. Her legendary career spanned four decades and notched 25 Top 20 singles.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Pentad of Dusty's British 1964-70 LPs with superior sound\\n\\nReview: It's great to have these five prime 1964-1970 Dusty Springfield LPs all together in one neat package and with superb sound worthy of her stellar talent.\\n\\n\\\"A Girl Called Dusty\\\" (1964 / UK release only)\\nHighlights include:\\n- \\\"Wishin' and Hopin'\\\" [#4 U.S. pop (in Cash Box) / not released as a single in the UK]\\n- \\\"You Don't Own Me\\\" - powerful, inspired cover of the Lesley Gore U.S. smash (a proto-women's liberation song)\\n- \\\"Anyone Who Had a Heart\\\" - Dusty, like Dionne Warwick stateside, had a great affinity for Burt Bacharach-Hal David songs in the '60s. (\\\"Wishin' and Hopin'\\\" was one, and \\\"Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa\\\" is here too.)\\n- \\\"Mama Said\\\" - cool girl-group (The Shirelles) cover version\\n- \\\"Don't You Know\\\" - unchained Ray Charles '50s R&B; Dusty nearly wails herself hoarse.\\n\\n\\\"Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty\\\" (1965 / UK release / limited U.S. release)\\nHighlights include:\\n- \\\"That's How Heartaches Are Made\\\"\\n- \\\"Oh No, Not My Baby\\\"\\n(The above two girl-soul classics by Baby Washington and Maxine Brown, respectively, are all-time favorites of mine that I purchased in '63 and '64. Dusty handles them like the gems they are. \\\"Oh No, Not My Baby\\\" is among a number of Carole King-Gerry Goffin songs she recorded -- another songwriting duo she had a strong affinity for.)\\n- \\\"I Had a Talk with My Man\\\" - Chicago soul by Mitty Collier (adapted from gospel); Dusty goes deep soul on this one.\\n- \\\"Who Can I Turn To?\\\" - Dusty stops the show with this oft-recorded '60s show tune, setting the table for her big original ballad \\\"You Don't Have to Say You Love Me\\\" the following year.\\n\\n\\\"Dusty...Definitively\\\" (1968 / UK release only)\\nHighlights include:\\n- \\\"I Think It's Gonna Rain Today\\\" - astonishingly personal interpretation of this phenomenal Randy Newman song\\n- \\\"Mr. Dream Merchant\\\" - as we'll also see with the fifth of this series, Dusty does particularly well with Jerry Butler covers.\\n- \\\"Take Another Little Piece of My Heart\\\" - it's not just a matter of Erma Franklin's original and Janis Joplin -- make room for Dusty!\\n- \\\"Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone\\\" - sizzling Motown. Since the Temptations' original wasn't released as a single, this one should have been put out on 45.\\n- \\\"This Girl's in Love with You\\\" - more Bacharach-David. This is the loveliest version of their top ballad of 1968.\\n\\n\\\"Dusty in Memphis\\\" (1969 / UK and U.S. releases)\\nproduced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin -- one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the decade by a female artist. Inspired contributions by everyone involved.\\nHighlights (too many to list, but I feel I have to mention two):\\n- \\\"Son of a Preacher Man\\\" - stellar A-side single that went Top Ten both in the U.S. and UK [also: Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance]\\n- \\\"Just One Smile\\\" - because it's Randy Newman again and such a beauty\\n\\n\\\"From Dusty...With Love\\\" (1970 / UK release / released in the U.S. as \\\"A Brand New Me\\\")\\nKenny Gamble-Leon Huff Philly soul production - they had been working with Jerry \\\"The Ice Man\\\" Butler; hence, the following two that I'll mention as highlights, which also came out as Butler singles:\\n- \\\"A Brand New Me\\\" - Dusty's distaff-side version works better. [Top 25 hit in the U.S.]\\n- \\\"Lost\\\" - right up there with Butler's original but stalled below the Hot 100.\\n- \\\"Joe\\\" - a tender, yearning ballad (not the same song as Butler's theme from the film \\\"Joe\\\")\\n\\nEach of the five discs comes in replica cardboard copies of the original LPs. Authentic and attractive, but the reduced size makes the sleeve notes (which four of the five contain) impossible to read. Songwriter credits only appear on one of the five, as do musician credits, and they are difficult to decipher as well. This would not be a problem if there was a booklet that contained credits and notes; however, no such luck. This is a reduced-cost collection, but the key is that there is no skimping on sound quality.\",\n \"Product: The next chapter in our comprehensive reissue programme of Fame recordings and the career of Clarence Carter, this 29-track CD features all of his first two albums 'This Is Clarence Carter' and 'The Dynamic Clarence Carter' plus five previously unreleased bonus tracks. These albums contain six R&B Top 40 singles including two million-selling hits; 'Slip Away' and 'Too Weak To Fight'. The original albums are presented in stereo, so we have rarely heard versions of several tracks including 'Looking For A Fox'. The five bonus tracks are made up of three previously unheard Clarence studio cuts, an early demo recorded with Calvin Scott, and the impassioned demo for 'She Ain't Gonna Do Right'.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Classic Clarence Carter LPs - Muscle Shoals Sixties Southern Soul has never sounded better\\n\\nReview: \\\"This Is Clarence Carter\\\" (1968) [#49 soul album / #200 pop]\\n- contains the charting singles:\\n-- \\\"Thread the Needle\\\" [#38 soul / #98 pop]\\n-- \\\"Looking for a Fox\\\" [#20 soul / #62 pop]\\n-- \\\"SLIP AWAY\\\" [#2 soul / #6 pop]\\n-- \\\"Funky Fever\\\" [#49 soul / #88 pop] [flip side of \\\"Slip Away\\\"]\\n\\n\\\"The Dynamic Clarence Carter\\\" (1969) [#22 soul album / #169 pop]\\n- contains the charting single:\\n-- \\\"TOO WEAK TO FIGHT\\\" [#3 soul // #7 pop in Record World / #13 pop in Billboard and Cash Box]\\n\\nClarence Carter was Fame's top artist, with 21 soul chart hits and seven 1968-70 top tens. His church-influenced baritone and unique, very-personal-to-him phrasing are instantly identifiable and unmistakable, whether he's delivering the deepest of deep soul with a tear in his voice, or else sheer playfulness with his patented joyful chuckle - or anything in-between. His songs can be soulful, funky and grooving. bluesy, country and even pop-ballad-y (Jimmy Webb's \\\"Do What You Gotta Do\\\" and Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil's \\\"You've Been a Long Time Coming,\\\" for example), but they all come out distinctly Clarence Carter in prime form. Eight songs appearing on these two LPs were written or co-written by CC, including his funky hits \\\"Thread the Needle, \\\"Looking for a Fox,\\\" and of course \\\"Funky Fever,\\\" as well as his big follow-up hit to \\\"Slip Away,\\\" the fantastic \\\"Too Weak to Fight,\\\" which features the lowest, slowest croak on record, perfectly encapsulating the emotional quandary he is in.\\n\\nCarter's choice of material to cover (besides the aforementioned pop ballad covers) is brilliant, and that includes the Fame label's first hit, Jimmy Hughes's scintillating \\\"Steal Away\\\"; the stand-out slow-burning soul blues of Clay Hammond's \\\"Part Time Love\\\" (popularized by Little Johnny Taylor) and Etta James's \\\"I'd Rather Go Blind\\\" (this is the best-ever male rendition of it); the Doors' \\\"Light My Fire\\\" (although he hews closely - maybe a little too closely, out of admiration - to the Jos Feliciano interpretation); the Curly Putnam country ballad \\\"Set Me Free\\\" (containing Clarence's movingly-delivered monologue midway); and the country-pop crossover smash \\\"Harper Valley P.T.A.\\\" (penned by Tom T. Hall), which he somehow makes amazingly funky.\\n\\nThe Muscle Shoals musicianship was in its heyday and is phenomenal: the keyboards, guitars, soul horns and saxes, all with startlingly fresh and soulfully powerful arrangements; and, wow those Muscle Shoals rhythm sections (!) and the immediacy of sound that only Fame's founder and engineering/producing wizard Rick Hall could create. (Hall of Fame, indeed!) And did I mention that the guitar legend himself, Duane Allman, played on \\\"The Dynamic Clarence Carter\\\"? I had \\\"The Dynamic Clarence Carter\\\" LP in 1969 and considered it to be my most vibrant-sounding stereo album. It is not terribly surprising that in Kent Soul's expert hands that same quality (to the extent possible) is retained on CD.\\n\\nWith that said about the fabulous sound mastering on these two superb LP releases, one should be warned that the five previously unreleased bonus tracks are demos going back to '66-67 - so expect demo-quality sound (so different from everything that comes before on this disc). Still, it's pretty good stuff: the ironically-titled pounding blues \\\"I'm Happy-Go-Lucky\\\"; the emphatic \\\"Take Me, Use Me\\\" with its strong female backing vocal; the warm country-soul ballad \\\"There Won't Be Another Sunset\\\"; and the C.C.-penned closer titled \\\"I'll Be Over After a While\\\" is an upbeat pop-gospel-style hybrid by Clarence & Calvin (Clarence came to Fame as part of a duet act) that had potential hit ( la Sam & Dave or James & Bobby Purify) written all over it.\\n\\nThe 16-page accompanying booklet contains all the color graphics you would ever want associated with these two LPs, along with the original liner notes (reprinted for absolute clarity) and Dean Rudland's brand-new ones.\\n\\nThis is another outstanding entry in Kent Soul's epic Fame Records series.\",\n \"Product: A US chart artist for more than 50 years, singer-songwriter-arranger-producer Ray Stevens is one of the best-remembered pop names of the late 60s and early 70s thanks to his continuous presence on the charts and regular TV appearances (including his own show). After early success with Mercury, Stevens recorded for Nashville's Monument Records for nearly five years from late 1965 to early 1970. His tenure with the label provided a stepping stone to the worldwide success he would enjoy in the early 70s with hits 'The Streak', 'Everything Is Beautiful' and 'Misty'. Six of the singles here made the US Hot 100, including the million-selling 1969 Top 10 hit 'Gitarzan'\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Ray Stevens' monumental one-dozen singles (A and B sides) on Monument (1965-1970)\\n\\nReview: \\\"Itemize the things you covet\\n as you squander through your life...\\\"\\n\\n - the start of \\\"Mr. Businessman\\\" (Ray Stevens, 1968)\\n\\nRay Stevens \\\"Face the Music\\\" national pop (and country) hit chronology:\\n\\\"Party People\\\" (1965-66) [wr-Joe South] #130\\n\\\"Freddie Feelgood\\\" (1966) [wr-RS] #80\\n\\\"Answer Me, My Love\\\" (1967) [1953/'54 hit for Frankie Laine/Nat \\\"King\\\" Cole] #147\\n\\\"Unwind\\\" (1968) [wr-RS] #44\\n\\\"MR. BUSINESSMAN\\\" (1968) [wr-RS] #15\\n\\\"The Great Escape\\\" (1968) [wr-RS] #88\\n\\\"Along Came Jones\\\" (1969) [orig-The Coasters '59] #21\\n\\\"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down\\\" (1969) [wr-Kris Kristofferson] #55 country / #76 pop\\n\\\"Have a Little Talk with Myself\\\" ('69-70) [wr-RS] #63 country / #115 pop\\n\\\"I'll Be Your Baby Tonight\\\" (1970) [orig/wr-Bob Dylan '69] #112\\n\\n[not included above: \\\"Gitarzan,\\\" since due to a slip-up noticed by astute fans, the original 1969 #7 hit version is not the one appearing as Trk 15 here]\\n\\nThis uncharacteristic glitch aside, Ace Records (UK) comes through again with a great-sounding comprehensive singles collection by a worthwhile U.S. artist of the golden age of pop-rock music. Nine of the 24 single sides here are in stereo. These are the twelve singles (presented chronologically) recorded by talented singer-songwriter Ray Stevens for Nashville's Monument label during the second half of the 1960s. During the first half of the decade the label's dominant artist by far was Roy Orbison. For Stevens, this was his home between Mercury and Andy Williams' Barnaby label beginning in 1970, for which he had his biggest hit ever, \\\"Everything Is Beautiful.\\\" Mostly known for his novelty songs prior to arriving at Monument (especially \\\"Ahab the Arab\\\" from 1962), this is where he was determined to establish himself as a serious artist, while not entirely abandoning the novelty genre that delighted so many fans.\\n\\nIn my opinion, seven of his ten greatest records came during his Monument period: \\\"Mr. Businessman,\\\" \\\"Face the Music\\\" (these two constituted his strongest single, and was the one I bought in '68), \\\"Unwind,\\\" \\\"Isn't It Lonely Together,\\\" \\\"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down,\\\" \\\"Party People,\\\" and \\\"Have a Little Talk with Myself.\\\" He penned five of these - all but Kris Kristofferson's gut-wrenching and magnificent \\\"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down\\\" (incidentally, Stevens' was the original released version, some ten months ahead of Johnny Cash's #1 country smash with it) and his friend Joe South's \\\"Party People.\\\" (One can hear Joe South's influence on Stevens' \\\"Have a Little Talk with Myself.\\\")\\n\\n\\\"Face the Music\\\" has a stately semi-classical orchestral arrangement, and I am glad that I got to hear it back then on the flip side of \\\"Mr. Businessman.\\\" I was floored by the forceful, uncompromising lyrical content of \\\"Mr. Businessman\\\" and still think it's exceptional. That Stevens was able to provide such a compelling and appealing tune for it, while delivering the goods with complete vocal authority, seemed almost miraculous to me.\\n\\nThe mature, affecting relationship song that followed this spectacular single, \\\"Isn't It Lonely Together,\\\" certainly deserved to have received considerable acclaim, but instead was eclipsed by its showier reverse side \\\"The Great Escape\\\" and didn't chart at all. A soul-oriented version of \\\"Isn't It Lonely Together,\\\" by Robert \\\"Everlasting Love\\\" Knight (also out of Nashville), did garner some brief amount of attention, however.\\n\\nThis CD comes with the usual high-quality, photo-filled Ace booklet - this one is 16 pages long, with an excellent seven-page essay by compiler Tony Rounce.\",\n \"Product: 'One Track Mind!' - the second in our series of releases by the men of 1960s Motown - takes a tour through the vaults to discover some lost treasures of dance music. Seven of the selections here were previously available only as mp3 downloads. The remaining 17 tracks are previously unissued in any format. From the joyous if primitive sound of Popcorn Wylie to the sophisticated soul of the Fantastic Four, we hope there's something here for even the most armchair-bound dance music fans of today.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: superior sequel to \\\"Satisfaction Guaranteed: Motown Guys 1961-69\\\"\\n\\nReview: This latest Ace/Kent compilation of all unreleased Motown tracks from the 1960s is not only better, in my view, than its Motown Guys predecessor, it's the best of the four Motown Guy/Girl series so far (and I am obviously hoping there will be more). The main difference between this Motown vault collection (compiled by Keith Hughes and Mick Patrick) and the others is the absolute lack of any weak tracks or inclusions seemingly only for their historical curiosity. This one also clearly has the highest danceability quotient. There are a number of tracks that represent missed opportunities for hits in their day, or else for top-notch LP tracks or B-sides (lest we forget that Motown B-sides were most often of extraordinary quality). The all-mono sound is up to the usual best-in-the-business standards of Ace Records, making obscurities from the turn of the '60s sound fresh and vibrant - and a number of these tracks were not even finished products at the time.\\n\\n\\\"One Track Mind\\\"'s track-by-track booklet notes are by Keith Hughes and provide exactly the amount of concise information one needs to understand the context of each recording. The booklet comprises 16 pages and contains 13 artist/group black and white photographs. There are 24 tracks with a 64:38 total running time.\\n\\nA major mid-'60s Motown fumble may have been not realizing what they had in this collection's title track \\\"One Track Mind\\\" by proven previous Motown-stint hit-maker Marv Johnson. This relentlessly propulsive Hank Cosby/Sylvia Moy-penned soul-rocker with sharp and clever lyrics almost suggests the missing link between Stevie Wonder's \\\"Uptight (Everything's Alright\\\" and Edwin Starr's \\\"Twenty-Five Miles.\\\" And how they could have whiffed on the Miracles' utterly irresistible midtempo dancer \\\"My Oh My What a Groove\\\" (Smokey Robinson's spontaneous, joyful and playful title tells the story) from 1963 is anyone's guess. The fantastic call-and-response between Smokey and his Miracles is way up there with \\\"You've Really Got a Hold on Me,\\\" but this song feels uniquely of its own inspiration.\\n\\nThe late Jimmy Ruffin is my all-time favorite singer and he does not disappoint on his 1968 version of the mid-'60s two-time hit, both vocal and instrumental (by Dobie Gray and the Ramsey Lewis Trio, respectively), \\\"The 'In' Crowd.\\\" Ruffin's 1967 dbut album \\\"Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten\\\" demonstrated his uncanny ability to inject unlimited amounts of soul into previous pop hits, and this track was projected for placement on a subsequent LP. Darned if he doesn't do it again with this more soulful, insistent and compelling take on Dobie Gray's smooth original vocal version.\\n\\nThe Spinners get to shine on a pair of fine tracks: \\\"Imagination Is Running Wild\\\" (completed in 1966) has a killer hook and was co-written (coincidentally) by two of the co-authors of the aforementioned Jimmy Ruffin's phenomenal soul classic from that same year, \\\"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted\\\"; and the Johnny Bristol co-penned-and-produced \\\"Tell Me How to Forget a True Love.\\\" Also shining on twin tracks are the Temptations with \\\"I'd Rather Forget\\\" and the earlier alternate version of \\\"I Got Heaven Here on Earth,\\\" with Eddie Kendricks (who co-wrote the latter) singing lead on both.\\n\\nWe also get a tandem from both Marvin Gaye and Edwin Starr. Marvin's \\\"A Touch of Venus\\\" from '64 shows off his smooth midtempo style, but you will need to prepare yourself for the eruption that occurs on his earlier, uninhibited dance number \\\"Do You Wanna Go with Me.\\\" Starr was ill-served by the inclusion of the lame \\\"Sound of Love\\\" on \\\"Satisfaction Guaranteed\\\" but gets his due here with the Eddie Holland/Norman Whitfield tune \\\"The Girl from Crosstown,\\\" which has him sounding more like the Edwin Starr we all know. (Gladys Knight & the Pips fans will already know this song as \\\"The Boy from Crosstown\\\").\\n\\nThere are a number of very good one-off vocal appearances here as well, including another one written (and produced) by James Dean and William Weatherspoon of \\\"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted\\\" fame: \\\"Wish I Didn't Miss You So\\\" by the almost scandalously undervalued Monitors. (The song did make it onto a Four Tops LP, however.) \\\"Sweet\\\" James Epps of the Fantastic Four delivers a gem of a heart-and-soul-felt performance on Dean and Weatherspoon's \\\"I'm Here Now That You Need Me.\\\" No other vocal sweetening was ever added, including by the other members of the group! Epps was so good his vocal is all one really needs. The ultra-obscure group The Hit Pack prove they were no fluke on the appealing \\\"Didn't I\\\"; excellent singer-songwriter Frank Wilson does it again on the CD opener \\\"I'll Be Satisfied\\\" (cut in LA with the Wrecking Crew doing the Motown Funk Brothers' thing to a tee); Ivy Jo Hunter's solid demo of his own song \\\"Where Are You\\\" intended for (but never recorded by) Chris Clark; and Sammy Ward with \\\"That Won't Do,\\\" a 1963 throwback to the R&B era that was on the verge of becoming extinct at Motown.\\n\\nThere are also three excellent instrumentals, including a pair led by the great Funk Brothers keyboardist Earl Van Dyke: the sizzling, bluesy, soul-jazz organ instro \\\"Heart to Heart\\\" from '64 and the beautifully orchestrated, remixed backing track to Brenda Holloway's \\\"Think It Over (Before You Break My Heart).\\\" The other (also from '64) is Choker Campbell's Big Band's impressively arranged and orchestrated version of the Impressions' gospel-infused Chicago soul classic \\\"It's All Right.\\\"\\n\\nIt's all \\\"all right\\\" on this stunning Motown collection, as far as I'm concerned.\",\n \"Product: The Bo-Keys genesis happened when members of the Hi Records and Stax rhythm sections intersected with members of The Bar Kays and Gregg Allman band, and an acclaimed composer/ bassist. Maybe you know them from their score to the Oscar-winning film Hustle And Flow. Or, possibly from their appearance in the Samuel L. Jackson/Bernie Mac film Soul Men, which included the Grammy-nominated Soul Musicproduced by Bo-Keys member Scott Bomar. Cyndi Laupers Memphis Blues (also produced by Bomar) Wait, you still dont know The Bo-Keys? Well, that needs to change! The Bo-Keys have been together for nearly two decades, and Omnivore Recordings is proud to unleash their 3rd full-length release, Heartaches By The Number. The Memphis torchbearers explore the intersection of country, folk and soul on Heartaches By The Number. In addition to stunning originals, The Bo-Keys include interpretations of classics from Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan, Swamp Dogg, and Ray Price, to prove that the past will always inform the present. Heartaches By The Number takes you to the root, but offers a current bloom that will continue to amaze. Memphis is the birthplace of rock n roll and home of the blues and it is where The Bo-Keys live and play. So, put a quarter in that jukebox, its time for Heartaches By The Number.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: outstanding Memphis soul (meets country) album\\n\\nReview: The Bo-Keys' \\\"Heartache by the Numbers\\\" soul-covers chronology of originals:\\n\\n\\\"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry\\\"\\norig/wr- Hank Williams (1949) [B-side]\\nbiggest hit remake: B.J. Thomas (1966) #5 pop\\n\\n\\\"Heartaches by the Number\\\" (wr-Harlan Howard)\\norig- Ray Price (1959) #1 country\\nbiggest hit remake: Guy Mitchell (1959) #1 pop\\n\\n\\\"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights\\\"\\norig/co-wr- Freddie Fender (1960) #82 pop\\nbiggest hit remake: Freddy Fender (1975) #1 country / #3 pop\\n\\n\\\"Last Date\\\"\\norig/wr- Floyd Cramer [instrumental] (1960) #1 pop / #3 R&B / #11 country\\n\\n\\\"The Longer You Wait\\\"\\norig/wr- Merle Haggard (1966) [B-side]\\n\\n\\\"Set Me Free\\\"\\norig/wr- Curly Putman (1967) #67 country\\nbiggest hit remake: Esther Phillips & the Dixie Flyers (1970) #39 soul / #111 pop\\nbiggest country remake: Charlie Rich (1968) #44 country [Charlie Rich's first country-chart hit]\\n\\n\\\"I Threw It All Away\\\"\\norig/wr- Bob Dylan (1969) #60 pop [from #3 pop LP \\\"Nashville Skyline\\\"]\\n\\n\\\"Don't Take Her (She's All I Got)\\\" [co-written by Jerry \\\"Swamp Dogg\\\" Williams]\\norig- Freddie North (1971) #10 soul / #30 pop\\nbiggest hit remake: Johnny Paycheck (1971) #2 country / #91 pop\\nlater hit remake: Tracy Byrd (1997) #4 country\\n\\nThe Bo-Keys are a tremendously talented soul ensemble whose musical mission is to recreate the excitement and excellence of the great 1960s and 1970s Memphis soul era so closely associated with its two principal record companies Stax and Hi. They have expanded from instrumentals almost exclusively to mostly vocal soul material, with veteran Memphis soul singer Percy Wiggins added to the group.\\n\\nFor this outing, the group's third studio album, nine of the ten tracks feature vocals, and eight of ten are soulful versions of songs affiliated with country music (listed above). This album comes on the heels of Ace Records (U.K.) excellent series of soul-meets-country/country-meets-soul oldies collections, but I have no idea if that was an inspiration for this project. For me, this a musical hybrid I find particularly appealing and worthwhile. Also worth noting is that I just reviewed 1960s Stax mainstay William Bell's superlative new album (\\\"This Is Where I Live\\\") on the reconstituted Stax label, so this current 2016 Memphis soul revival is really something to be treasured.\\n\\nFor a favorite track (although there is very little separating the ten tracks in terms of their high quality), I would go with this revival of \\\"Don't Take Her (She's All I Got),\\\" on which vocalist Percy Wiggins is backed by the Masqueraders (!), Susan Marshall and Reba Russell. I really liked both versions of this song in 1971 (by Freddie North and Johnny Paycheck), whose radio airplay and chart runs partially overlapped each other. \\\"Set Me Free\\\" is another one that already had both country and soul versions done of it, with a particularly terrific soul cover by Esther Phillips, who had earlier in her career successfully covered the country classic \\\"Release Me.\\\" And Hank Williams' \\\"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry\\\" had been turned into Memphis soul on the Hi label by Al Green on his 1973 \\\"Call Me\\\" LP.\\n\\nDylan's \\\"I Threw It All Away\\\" sounds like a deep southern soul classic here as interpreted by Percy Wiggins; and a highlight of \\\"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights\\\" has to be the amazing hybrid country/blues electric guitar interlude by Joe Restivo, in his Bo-Keys studio album dbut. Floyd Cramer's \\\"Last Date\\\" is done with Restivo's fluid guitar replacing Cramer's piano as lead instrument; and there is also a stellar horn arrangement and a bit of soulful organ as well.\\n\\nThe title song \\\"Heartaches by the Number,\\\" the lead-off track, is a special one featuring lead vocal by Hi Records' singer/songwriter Don Bryant, who goes way back to the label's heyday. Great to hear him once again.\\n\\nThere are two originals here, as well: \\\"Learned My Lesson in Love\\\" has the funky, insistent feel of a Hi Records '60s/'70s soul hit, with Wiggins sounding like a cross between Syl Johnson and O.V. Wright. Fun! And \\\"I Hope You Find What You're Looking For\\\" (excellent sentiment!) is lively and Mexican-flavored (with more superb horn work) and sounds Freddy Fender-inspired, making it the perfect lead-in for the following track, \\\"Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.\\\"\\n\\nThis is truly an enjoyable piece of work from start (\\\"Heartaches by the Number\\\") to finish (\\\"Last Date\\\").\",\n \"Product: The great Chicago soul sound of the early 1970s has seldom been better personified on wax than the recordings of the Independents. Protgs of soul giant Jerry Butler and one of the leading groups of their era, between 1972 and 1975 Chuck, Helen, Maurice, Eric and their (non-performing) fifth member Marvin made some of the best and most beautiful music to come out of the Windy City. They were rewarded for their music efforts by a string of Billboard R&B chart hits, most of which also reached the pop Hot 100 too.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: talented but short-lived (1972-74) Chicago soul group\\n\\nReview: The Independents hit chronology - peak positions on US charts:\\n- \\\"Just As Long As You Need Me\\\" (1972) #8 soul / #77 pop\\n- \\\"I Just Want to Be There\\\" (1972) #38 soul / #104 pop\\n- \\\"LEAVING ME\\\" (1973) #1 soul / #18 pop\\n- \\\"Baby I've Been Missing You\\\" (1973) #4 soul / #36 pop\\n- \\\"It's All Over\\\" (1973) #12 soul / #65 pop\\n- \\\"The First Time We Met\\\" (1974) #20 soul / #103 pop\\n- \\\"Arise and Shine (Let's Get It On)\\\" (1974) #19 soul / #121 pop\\n- \\\"Let This Be a Lesson to You\\\" (1974) #7 soul / #63 pop\\n\\nDuring their three years of existence the Independents were (unofficially) the 15th biggest soul group and 29th biggest US soul chart act overall. They were the Wand label's biggest recording act of the 1970s, and their \\\"Leaving Me\\\" (1973) was Wand's first (and only) R&B/soul chart topper since the Kingsmen's \\\"Louie Louie\\\" nine years earlier.\\n\\nWith a pleasing mix of male and one female voices, the group was founded by the Jerry Butler-mentored writing and producing team of Chuck Jackson (not the same Chuck Jackson who, coincidentally, was Wand's top solo soul artist of the 1960s) and Marvin Yancey. (Jackson was also a singing member of the group.) Their biggest early hits were mellow, melodic ballads characteristically featuring a spoken \\\"rap\\\" (in the earlier sense of the term) part. Their template was clearly the Chi-Lites' \\\"Have You Seen Her,\\\" a #1 soul record from late 1971, shortly before the Independents started recording. The Chi-Lites just happened to be Chicago's top soul outfit of this particular time period and were in the midst of a tremendous run of mellow soul-ballad hits.\\n\\n\\\"Leaving Me,\\\" the Independents' biggest soul and pop crossover hit, is an undisputed early-'70s classic of the genre, but I was most moved by its follow-up \\\"Baby I've Been Missing You\\\" with the hypnotic hook of its title refrain and female singer Helen Curry's emotive, soul-piercing solo part. There is also some very good uptempo stuff in this complete collection of their work, but the ballads, starting with \\\"Just As Long As You Need Me,\\\" are what really made this group so special.\\n\\nOutstanding work by Kent Soul and compiler Tony Rounce, author of the excellent liner notes recounting the whole Independents story (which continues with the founders' subsequent association with Natalie Cole), in putting together this nearly 80-minute totally comprehensive Independents CD. All 22 tracks are in stereo, although with some of the master tapes having disappeared, \\\"certain tracks have been dubbed from pristine vinyl.\\\" The key word in this disclaimer is \\\"pristine\\\"; I couldn't actually tell the difference - and in any event, it's all too enjoyable to be concerned about. As usual, Kent Soul has also provided us a cool, colorful booklet (this one twelve pages).\",\n \"Product: Located in London's West End, Pye Records boasted a super stable of female talent. Released hot on the heels of our recent 'Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls' collection, 'Scratch My Back! Pye Beat Girls' comprises two-dozen peachy selections from Pye and sister label Piccadilly's 1960s output. The compilation is titled after the opening track by Jan Panter, a Mark Wirtz-produced must-have for those who prefer their girl-pop records beefed up with a dose of fuzz guitar. Tony Hatch, the most successful of Pye's in-house producers, is represented by cherry-picked titles by the Breakaways, Petula Clark, cult favourite Sandra Barry, the Baker Twins and Julie Grant. 'Heart' has to be the rocking-est track Petula ever recorded, so much so that it was covered in the USA by garage band the Remains.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Decca beats Pye (in '60s Brit girl-pop playoffs)\\n\\nReview: Following on the heels of \\\"Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls 1962-1970\\\" is this companion Mick Patrick-compiled Ace Records disc featuring rival label Pye during most of these same years. Three of the artists appear in both: Billie Davis, Dana Gillespie and the Satin Bells. While much of what I said in my five-star review of the former compilation still pertains - certainly the vibrant sound mastering (all but two tracks here are mono) and the extremely attractive 24-page booklet with Mick Patrick's comprehensive and informative notes that cover all the artists and tracks - I found it necessary to dock this latest Brit girl-pop release one star (recommendable, just not as highly) based on the overall quality of the song content.\\n\\nThere is no doubt that any such compilation with a lineup that includes Sandie Shaw, Petula Clark, Billie Davis, Dana Gillespie, Glenda Collins, Tawny Reed, the Breakaways, Val McKenna, Pat Harris & the Blackjacks, as well as Jan Painter's raucous and stomping, freakbeat, fuzz-toned 1966 title-song opener (\\\"Scratch My Back\\\" - no relation to the Slim Harpo Louisiana blues-rocker \\\"Baby Scratch My Back,\\\" a U.S. R&B/pop smash the same year), is going to be competitive; but after these ten artists' records there are quite a few tracks remaining - and that is where the drop-off from the Decca predecessor really adds up.\\n\\nAt the top level, there is nothing here that is as good as Goldie & the Gingerbreads' \\\"Little Boy\\\" or Billie Davis's brilliant revival of the old jump blues \\\"I Want You to Be My Baby\\\" from the prior collection, although Tawny Reed's \\\"I Got a Feeling\\\" (1965), a smoking-hot and soulful cover version of a 1962 Baby Washington B-side, is definitely a stunner. In the U.S. the Hollies had a top 30 hit in 1967 with their \\\"Pay You Back with Interest,\\\" but it was not released as a UK single; instead the honors went to the non-charting version we get here by Dana Gillespie, a Donovan folk-rock protge who went on to become a prolific blues belter in Britain - and it's a strong one.\\n\\nThe only record in this collection that managed to dent the UK top 40 [#32 peak] is \\\"Run\\\" by the always reliable Sandy Shaw, from 1966. It has the \\\"-matics\\\" locked down with the ambiance created by its words and sounds: enigmatic, dramatic and cinematic (Mick Patrick calls it \\\"noir-ish\\\"). The top British female of the era on the U.S. pop charts, Petula Clark, scores here with the steadily-building, impassioned, rock-tinged \\\"Heart\\\" (which she co-wrote and adapted from her French hit \\\"Le Coeur qui bat\\\"), originally appearing in the U.S. as the B-side of \\\"You'd Better Come Home\\\" (1965) [the only Pet Clark record I ever owned]. Billie Davis's self-penned B-side \\\"Ev'ry Day\\\" is a credible soul-rocker in no way resembling just a flip-side throwaway.\\n\\nFrom the Joe Meek stable of brilliantly off-kilter musical creations comes Glenda Collins' 1966 \\\"Eve of Destruction\\\"-influenced protest song \\\"It's Hard to Believe It\\\" - backed by Meek's eerie orchestral arrangement - whose lyrics were too politically charged for airplay in the UK at that time (much like \\\"Eve of Destruction,\\\" which despite becoming a #1 hit in the U.S., was nonetheless banned in some 30 major radio markets, including Chicago; as well as being banned by Radio Scotland and \\\"restricted\\\" by the BBC).\\n\\nThe Breakaways, with their cool and catchy girl-group harmonies, shine on \\\"He Doesn't Love Me\\\" (1964); teenager Val McKenna's self-penned tough and tuneful pop-rocker \\\"Now That You've Made Up Your Mind\\\" is impressive as well; and going back to 1963, we get the earlier (than the Singing Bluejeans') British cover of Chan Romero's rollicking \\\"Hippy Hippy Shake\\\" by Pat Harris & the Blackjacks.\\n\\nThere are maybe four or five more that are worth hearing, but after that it's pretty much a plunge into mediocrity (or worse) with the remaining nine or ten tracks.\\n\\nSo ultimately Decca's beat girls beat Pye's 5 to 4 in regulation time [59:34].\",\n \"Product: 2014 release the 15th solo album from the British guitarist who defined the sound of a generation, Eponymously entitled HANK the album features newly recorded interpretations of some of Hank's favorite summer-themed music, along with one new original recording 'Summer Guitar.' It's Marvin's first new album release since his 2007 UK Top Ten hit GUITAR MAN and consists of 14 tracks, nine of which are arranged by Hank and his son Ben. The album also features some backing vocals from Hank's daughter Tahlia. Hank Marvin is one of the most influential guitar players of all time and has enjoyed a long and successful career, He regularly features high on the list of polls that determine the greatest guitarists of all time and his unique sound and subsequent influence on popular music cannot be underestimated.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: summer, sun and sublime guitars\\n\\nReview: \\\"Though we've got to say good-bye for the summer...\\\" So say the opening lyrics to \\\"Sealed with a Kiss,\\\" Brian Hyland's big summer hit ballad from 1962. This all-instrumental album seems to have derived its nostalgic-for-summers-past inspiration from that song, which appears as track #2. This dreamy, leisurely reading of \\\"SWAK\\\" with its clear, melodic, echoed and vibrato sound will enthrall fans of the Shadows (Hank Marvin's breakthrough instrumental outfit in the U.K. so many summers ago) and their contemporaneous U.S. counterparts, the Ventures.\\n\\nHank and his son Ben join forces on both electric (Fender Stratocaster, of course) and acoustic guitar, along with Nunzio Mondia (who shares arranging duties with the Marvins) on keyboards, Roy Martinez (bass), Ben Vanderwal (drums and percussion), Marty Pervan (trumpet/flugelhorn) and Tahlia Marvin (backing vocals -- that's three Marvins for the price of one!). Thirteen of the fourteen tracks are familiar oldies, and the one new composition by the Marvins is a Spanish/gypsy-styled gem titled (no surprise here) \\\"Summer Guitar.\\\"\\n\\nI have too many favorites to go through all of them, but I'll start with the one I find the most brilliant: Gershwin's \\\"Summertime\\\" (talk about oldies!). Although among the most recorded songs of all time, this reading of it is startlingly original. The Marvins have reimagined it as the theme from some non-existent, exotic mystery-drama movie from the past. Speaking of movie themes (real ones), they create a haunting dreamscape on Michel Legrand's \\\"Summer of '42.\\\" Their take on Johnny Nash's \\\"I Can See Clearly Now\\\" switches from acoustic to electric back to acoustic again as it deftly transports you to the Caribbean. I have never enjoyed Stevie Wonder's \\\"You Are the Sunshine of My Life\\\" as much as I do here -- all gorgeous melody, no hopelessly clichd words. John Sebastian's (of the Lovin' Spoonfuls) \\\"Daydream\\\" is delightfully light as air.\\n\\nOther summer/sun titles include Eddie Cochran's \\\"Summertime Blues\\\" (very Shadows-like rendition), the Beatles' \\\"Good Day Sunshine\\\" and my second favorite \\\"Hank\\\" tune, the Kinks' (Ray Davies composition) beautifully melodic \\\"Waterloo Sunset.\\\" This Mondia arrangement boldly spins it into more of a rock groove that I find majestic. Also on the admirably bold side -- meaning, not afraid to mix things up a bit and stray from the straight melody lines -- are the Marvins' arrangements of the Beach Boys' (Brian Wilson's) \\\"California Girls\\\" and especially on \\\"A Taste of Honey.\\\" I have heard numerous instrumental versions of the latter, but few that attempt to explore so many hidden corners of the song and bring them to light as this one does.\\n\\nThis is a refreshingly nostalgic 55-minute listen (while it's still summer -- or anytime, for that matter) that will be especially treasured by admirers of the Shadows and the Ventures.\",\n \"Product: Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, OBE, known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer. He became one of the most popular vocalists to emerge from the mid-1960s. Since then he has sung nearly every form of popular music - pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, soul and gospel - and sold over 100 million records. Sir Tom has had thirty-six top 40 hits in the UK and nineteen in the US, including It's Not Unusual, Delilah, Kiss and Sex Bomb.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: (4 and 1/2 stars) \\\"from cabaret to critical acclaim\\\"\\n\\nReview: \\\"If you're lucky and you stick around long enough, you eventually get the chance to sound like yourself...[and] come through real.\\\"\\n\\nToward the end of this briskly-paced, very well-told autobiography, Jones reveals his own astonishment that it has taken him until the turn of his seventies (and now beyond) to finally be free to record the type of music he was \\\"born to do.\\\" I agree that his three most recent albums (the third was in preparation as he was doing this book a couple of years ago) represent his finest work as a true interpreter of worthy songs.\\n\\nHis journey from a dreary Welsh coal mining town to the top of the pop charts and transatlantic TV variety host is an enthralling one to read about. The odds against his ever getting out of that place were extremely large, but eventually those big, soulful pipes of his were heard by enough of the right people (Gordon Mills, of course, was the key) in London. And a needle had to be thread to get his breakout hit record, or else he would likely have been back in Pontypridd for good. The story behind that breakthrough song \\\"It's Not Unusual\\\" is actually rather unusual, and I enjoy reading about that sort of thing.\\n\\nWith the great family Tommy Woodward (aka Tom Jones) had back there - parents, older sister, cousins, etc. - and Linda, the only love of his life since childhood (and their son Mark, born when they were sixteen and just married), it probably would have been enough for a reasonably happy life had he never left his home town; but steady employment and finances would have always been a challenge in such a place. Plus, he would have certainly felt some measure of frustration never knowing how far his unique vocal gift might have taken him.\\n\\n[On a terribly sad note, his lovely wife Linda Woodward passed away this past April. They were married fifty-nine years.]\\n\\nJones has a phenomenal memory for the details of his life, which along with a wealth of colorful stories, create vivid tableaux of his amazing times. Giles Smith did an excellent job assisting him in the shaping of the whole narrative. Everything sounds authentically in Jones's voice, and there is little attempt to water down his salty language. The humorous asides and comments (often in the form of ironic understatement) as past events are recounted are a particular delight. For example, at an early Decca recording session: \\\"The Squires [Jones's backing instrumental group] provide the rhythm track, but Peter [Sullivan, the producer] thinks it needs a harmonica solo, so he calls on a session player. Guy named Jimmy Page. Seems quite good. Can play guitar a bit, too, apparently. Wonder what will become of him.\\\" Jones assumes his readers possess at least a certain amount of requisite prior knowledge of the major players in rock and pop music from the mid-'50s on. The book includes a very useful eleven-page index of names and song titles that appear.\\n\\nJones's interactions with the famous and fascinating are numerous, but certain ones stand out for being both funny and weird: none more so than Elvis Presley (\\\"The King\\\") granting himself free reign, shall we say, of Tom's Las Vegas hotel bathroom while he is showering.\\n\\nI enjoyed everything in this book, but my small numerical ratings deduction is for what is not mentioned at all: Jones's womanizing during his long absences from home as a young, virile pop star. This is one \\\"detail\\\" (it's my turn to use understatement) that he now seems either to have no recollection of, or else no wish to share with the readers. It's rather obviously the latter, as most likely he didn't wish to remind his wife of any of this while she was trying to fight through her illness. He may have rationalized that previous biographies have been over this territory; but by his total silence in the matter, he would appear to be admitting that what others have written is essentially true (especially since he does refute other rumors about himself in this book).\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":97,"string":"97"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":284,"string":"284"}}},{"rowIdx":285,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A29N66WIWNN8JK"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Add instant style to your home decor with this gorgeous Woodbridge braided rug. Crafted from durable wool, this beautiful rug features a geometric pattern in rich colors.\". The summary of the review text is \"Beautiful and Well-Made, But on the Thin Side\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I found this at an awesome deal in the Amazon Outlet section. This is a lighter weight braided rug, but it is a very pretty one, especially in the greens/sage color that I chose. The rug has held up to repeated vacuuming and lots of foot traffic quite well with no fraying, loose threads or any other defect. However, because it is a lighter weighted rug, it does tend to bunch up a little, but in all fairness I have this on top of carpet. The heavier weighted braided rugs (the ones from a couple or three decades ago don't do this even on carpet, but are hard to find without paying an arm and a leg, or at the minimum, blood plasma).\n\nBecause the same, drab wall-to-wall generic tan carpeting has followed me in the last 3 homes I've lived in, I have to put something over it to keep from going a little nuts. I'm not kidding, I suffer from \"wood floor envy\" and really, really hate tan carpeting. This helps to break up the monotony of the awful tan carpeting quite nicely. Just keep in mind, it is a lighter weight as it has a thinner, flatter braid than the old-time thicker, heavier rugs folks past their 30's grew up with. Please see my photos for better reference, hopefully they'll give you a better visual on what this charming little rug is like. Overall, I'd give it a 4 1/2 stars if I could. Thanks for reading!"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I found this at an awesome deal in the Amazon Outlet section. This is a lighter weight braided rug, but it is a very pretty one, especially in the greens/sage color that I chose. The rug has held up to repeated vacuuming and lots of foot traffic quite well with no fraying, loose threads or any other defect. However, because it is a lighter weighted rug, it does tend to bunch up a little, but in all fairness I have this on top of carpet. The heavier weighted braided rugs (the ones from a couple or three decades ago don't do this even on carpet, but are hard to find without paying an arm and a leg, or at the minimum, blood plasma).\n\nBecause the same, drab wall-to-wall generic tan carpeting has followed me in the last 3 homes I've lived in, I have to put something over it to keep from going a little nuts. I'm not kidding, I suffer from \"wood floor envy\" and really, really hate tan carpeting. This helps to break up the monotony of the awful tan carpeting quite nicely. Just keep in mind, it is a lighter weight as it has a thinner, flatter braid than the old-time thicker, heavier rugs folks past their 30's grew up with. Please see my photos for better reference, hopefully they'll give you a better visual on what this charming little rug is like. Overall, I'd give it a 4 1/2 stars if I could. Thanks for reading!"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Jam on and on (and on) with the same premium acoustic guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string. This protects not only the outer string surface but also the gaps between the windings where common tone-deadening gunk typically builds up in other brands coated and uncoated guitar strings. Anti-Rust Plating on plain steel strings ensures longer tone life for the entire set. Who wouldnt love more quality playing time between the hassle and cost of string changes? Crafted to last, these acoustic strings constructed with 80/20 (80% copper, 20% zinc) bronze wrap wire boast a warm, robust tone that sounds played-in right out of the pack while still retaining a remarkably clear mid-range presence. The POLYWEB Coating brings a soft, slick, and fast feel to the playing experience. For a more traditionally textured, uncoated feel, try our ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating. The 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating, for example, might be a good fit, especially if youre also looking for a crisper, brighter, and more vibrant tone. For strings that strike a dynamic balance between full-bodied tone and sparkling high-end clarity, our Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings deliver exactly that alongside our NANOWEB Coatings more traditional feel. Of course, the kind of string you play is all a matter of personal preference. Not sure what tone or feel is right for you? Try them out for yourself, and find your new favorite string from Elixir Strings. For a more in-depth look at what makes our strings so special, scroll to the branded info further down the page. Elixir Strings: Great tone. Long life.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My Fingers' FAVORITE Strings\n\nReview: A much more experienced guitarist I knew recommended these strings to me when I first began playing guitar. At the time, I had used D'Addario strings, but took my friend's advice and began using these. I haven't used any other kind of strings since then. I used to practice/play for at least an hour daily back then, and these strings held up very well. Also, as others have stated, these are much easier on the fingers, the \"squeaking\" is greatly lessened, and the tone is very pleasant. My preferred method of playing guitar is fingerstyle/fingerpicking, as opposed to strumming, and the wear and tear on my picking fingers was greatly reduced. And, I have found that these last a good long while for both kinds of guitarists (daily and non-daily) based on my own personal experience when I played quite often, to not as much (now). When I do pick my guitar back up, it is almost always still in tune. For a person who doesn't play that often, (like me), again, these have the added benefit of being easier on the fingers, great for fingerstyle/fingerpicking, or when your fingerpad callouses are fading away due to infrequent playing.","Product: Jam on and on (and on) with the same premium acoustic guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string. This protects not only the outer string surface but also the gaps between the windings where common tone-deadening gunk typically builds up in other brands coated and uncoated guitar strings. Anti-Rust Plating on plain steel strings ensures longer tone life for the entire set. Who wouldnt love more quality playing time between the hassle and cost of string changes? Crafted to last, these acoustic strings constructed with 80/20 (80% copper, 20% zinc) bronze wrap wire boast a warm, robust tone that sounds played-in right out of the pack while still retaining a remarkably clear mid-range presence. The POLYWEB Coating brings a soft, slick, and fast feel to the playing experience. For a more traditionally textured, uncoated feel, try our ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating. The 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating, for example, might be a good fit, especially if youre also looking for a crisper, brighter, and more vibrant tone. For strings that strike a dynamic balance between full-bodied tone and sparkling high-end clarity, our Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings deliver exactly that alongside our NANOWEB Coatings more traditional feel. Of course, the kind of string you play is all a matter of personal preference. Not sure what tone or feel is right for you? Try them out for yourself, and find your new favorite string from Elixir Strings. For a more in-depth look at what makes our strings so special, scroll to the branded info further down the page. Elixir Strings: Great tone. Long life.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My Fingers' FAVORITE Strings\n\nReview: A much more experienced guitarist I knew recommended these strings to me when I first began playing guitar. At the time, I had used D'Addario strings, but took my friend's advice and began using these. I haven't used any other kind of strings since then. I used to practice/play for at least an hour daily back then, and these strings held up very well. Also, as others have stated, these are much easier on the fingers, the \"squeaking\" is greatly lessened, and the tone is very pleasant. My preferred method of playing guitar is fingerstyle/fingerpicking, as opposed to strumming, and the wear and tear on my picking fingers was greatly reduced. And, I have found that these last a good long while for both kinds of guitarists (daily and non-daily) based on my own personal experience when I played quite often, to not as much (now). When I do pick my guitar back up, it is almost always still in tune. For a person who doesn't play that often, (like me), again, these have the added benefit of being easier on the fingers, great for fingerstyle/fingerpicking, or when your fingerpad callouses are fading away due to infrequent playing.","Product: Features: Full Color Display rotates 360 degrees for easy viewing \"Stay Put\" Clip High Sensitivity Vibration Sensor Tuner can be used on front or back of headstock to accommodate left of right-handed players\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Reliable, Convenient and Easy-To-See!\n\nReview: This tuner works very well not only for my daughter's ukulele and mandolin, but also for our acoustic guitars and banjo. I love the small form and accuracy, but most of all, the easy-to-see display. I don't have to strain my eyes to know to see if I need to tune higher or lower, because the red color shows for too low, yellow for too high, and green for just right (in tune). This is especially helpful when I'm trying to do alternative tuning, which I will never learn by ear. The gripper rubber has stayed on well, the clipping action has never lost its strength, and it is my favorite tuner we've had thus far for our stringed instruments tuning needs.\n\nAfter having this a couple of years, it's now time to replace the battery, (CR2032 Lithium 3 volt), but after comparing the cost of a package of 4 batteries and a new tuner, I'm debating just getting another tuner and get a pack of batteries later for the one we currently have and getting more batteries later. Anyway, I love this little tuner, it's small, accurate, easy-to-see and reliable. Thanks for reading!","Product: Prolong your tone with the same acoustic guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string. This protects not only the outer string surface but also the gaps between the windings where common tone-deadening gunk typically builds up in other brands coated and uncoated guitar strings. Anti-Rust Plating on plain steel strings ensures longer tone life for the entire set. Who wouldnt love more quality playing time between the hassle and cost of string changes? Premium by design, these acoustic strings constructed with 80/20 (80% copper, 20% zinc) bronze wrap wire boast a crisp, bright tone with an expressive, vibrant presence. Compared to our original POLYWEB Coating, the ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating allows a more traditionally textured, uncoated feel. The HD Light gauge option you're looking at now, originally developed with Taylor Guitars for their Grand Concert and Grand Auditorium models, is an expertly unique set of gauges for all sorts of guitars, exuding a balanced voice across the strings that's bold and articulate on the high end without sacrificing a rich, full low end. For a slicker, gentler feel, try the original POLYWEB Coating on our 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Strings, which also feature a more robust and rounded tone. For more of a balance between bold and bright, our Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating deliver full-bodied tone and sparkling high-end clarity alongside the same traditional feel as these 80/20 bronze strings. Of course, the kind of string you play is all a matter of personal preference. Not sure what tone or feel is right for you? Try them out for yourself, and find your new favorite string from Elixir Strings. For a more in-depth look at what makes our strings so special, scroll to the branded info further down the page. Elixir Strings: Great tone. Long life.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My Fingers' FAVORITE Strings\n\nReview: A much more experienced guitarist I knew recommended these strings to me when I first began playing guitar. At the time, I had used D'Addario strings, but took my friend's advice and began using these. I haven't used any other kind of strings since then. I used to practice/play for at least an hour daily back then, and these strings held up very well. Also, as others have stated, these are much easier on the fingers, the \"squeaking\" is greatly lessened, and the tone is very pleasant. My preferred method of playing guitar is fingerstyle/fingerpicking, as opposed to strumming, and the wear and tear on my picking fingers was greatly reduced. And, I have found that these last a good long while for both kinds of guitarists (daily and non-daily) based on my own personal experience when I played quite often, to not as much (now). When I do pick my guitar back up, it is almost always still in tune. For a person who doesn't play that often, (like me), again, these have the added benefit of being easier on the fingers, great for fingerstyle/fingerpicking, or when your fingerpad callouses are fading away due to infrequent playing.","Product: The original, dermatologist-recommended basis soap with soothing chamomile for the purest, mildest clean ever. This very caring, ultra pure formula does more than clean sensitive skin. Natural calming agents chamomile and aloe vera soothe and comfort skin.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wonderfully Soothes, Calms and Gently Cleanses Skin\n\nReview: I most often use a tea tree soap, but whenever my skin begins feeling overly dry, chafed or fussy, I switch over to this for a few days and it soothes and calms my sensitive skin. This is also an excellent soap to use when needing a super-gentle and non-irritating cleanser for painful sunburned, windburned as well as razor-burned skin. I try to keep at least one of these Basis Sensitive Skin Bars in the house at all times, it is the most gentle soap that I have ever used.\n\nAdditionally, I discovered this after my youngest daughter experienced eczema a few years back, and this was the only soap at this price point that didn't further irritate it (Cetaphil was the other brand). It is also difficult to find an unscented soap that truly is unscented, but this one has no discernible scent. Basis Sensitive Skin Bar is every bit as good as it's advertised to be!","Product: Gorilla Tape has taken duct tape to a new level. This double thick adhesive tape surpasses ordinary duct tapes, making the list of uses virtually endless. Made with double thick adhesive, strong reinforced backing, and a tough all-weather shell, its the biggest, strongest, toughest thing ever to happen to duct tape. Gorilla Tape is manufactured with a highly concentrated rubber based adhesive two to three times as thick as traditional duct tape. The result is a tape that fills gaps and penetrates rough surfaces. It sticks to rough and uneven surfaces, including wood, stone, stucco and brick, that ordinary duct tapes can't hold. To us, its made the way tape should be: The Toughest on Planet Earth. Directions: Use like any other tape. Tear Gorilla Tape by hand or cut to size with a knife or scissors. It is important to clean the surface and brush off any loose particles and dirt before applying Gorilla Tape. Apply the tape carefully, smoothing out any pockets or rolls. Thats it. Enjoy the strength and durability of Gorilla Tape! To retain adhesive quality, store Gorilla Tape in a cool, dry place. Keep out of direct sunlight. Try storing the tape vertically (rather than laying flat), on a hook or on wax paper. If you have multiple rolls, keep your excess supply wrapped until theyre needed. Gorilla Tape works best at temperatures above 32F (0C). For best results, always apply the tape at room temperature. If Gorilla Tape freezes, it will work just fine once it returns to room temperature. Gorilla Tape can be removed, but with some difficulty and it may leave some residue. To remove any excess residue, we recommend using the tape itself as a blotter. Gorilla Tape should not be used as an electrical tape. Weve found that Gorilla Tape will last a lot longer than regular duct tapes when it comes in contact with moisture. Click on the Gorilla link at the top of this page to see other quality products from the Gorilla Glue Company.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Dependable, Multi-Use Gorilla Tape\n\nReview: I keep a roll of this Gorilla Tape in our home at all times. I have successfully used it to temporarily repair a garden hose, wrapped this several times around a pipe with a small leak, adhered this (double-siding the tape) behind a loose headlight fixture to keep in it in place until I could take it in for repair, covered cracks in storage totes, as well as so many other things over the years.\n\nIt's been a great help and has become a faithful standby in rigging stuff until I could replace it or repair it, saving me money/buying me time until I could get (whatever) repaired, or in the case with storage totes in our basement, saved me the cost of replacing some old totes, (they are hidden and out of the way so the look of the tape on them doesn't bother me).\n\nThis black tape is super sticky and strong, (think duct tape on some serious steroids), seems slightly thicker than traditional, inexpensive silver duct tape- yet I am still able to tear a piece off with no problem. Also, as in the case with the storage totes, it hasn't deteriorated or gotten gummy like duct tape can over time.\n\nOf note, a few years back, there was an article in Popular Mechanics of this tape when compared to others, and it was the clear winner over the other similar/popular tape. In our home, this Gorila tape has been and still remains a clear winner and I highly recommend this!","Product: FOR SENSITIVE TOOTH\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Dentist-Recommended For A Reason- NO MORE PAIN\n\nReview: My dentist recommended this toothpaste to me for my seriously senstive teeth and weak enamel for a reason--IT WORKS! I was fully expecting him to write me some sort of Rx for a prescription, but he recommended this, telling me that this works quite well and to give it a try. I did, and ever since that day for years, I have been using this and buying the 3-packs so that I won't run out. Since I am the only person in my family with this issue, I am the only one who uses it (2 to 4 times daily), and a 3 pack lasts a good, long time (many months).\n\nThe minty flavor in this anti-cavity (and acid protection) fluoride toothpaste is not too strong, but also not overly mild, just an expected, typical mint flavor. It leaves my teeth feeling clean and smooth, and my breath (minty) fresh. Most importantly, it keeps me from having pain when anything very cold or hot touch my teeth WHILE it strengthens my enamel to boot! I haven't had to use straws with every very cold drink anymore, I can even bite into and enjoy a frozen treat whenever I want without pain!\n\n*For Grave's Disease/Hyperthyroidism sufferers: since calcium is leeched from our teeth and bones with this disease, this toothpaste helps to give some extra protection to teeth on the outside. I highly recommend this as heartily as my dentist who is familiar with the Grave's Disease/Hyperthyroidism condition and it's effects on teeth.*\n\nThanks for reading!","Product: Spray on the penetrating blue foam and the power of stain fighting OxiClean works on contact. When the foam turns white, just wipe and rinse. Removes soap scum, soil, hard water stains, calcium, lime, grease and grime. Fresh citrus scent with no fumes.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Effective Cleaner with a Great Scent\n\nReview: I picked up a 2-pack of this bathroom cleaner when my normal brand, SC Johnson Scrubbing Bubbles, was not in stock at the store I was shopping in. I have never used this brand before, but I thought I'd give it a try as the price was reasonable and I thought the color foam action was an interesting concept.\n\nBefore first using this, I gave the can a few good shakes, then sprayed the foam in our tub. The color that came out was more like a purple than a blue, which was nice for me because I like purple, but then it immediately turned white before I was finished spraying. I thought it would take a bit longer to turn white, as the concept is, \"turns white when it's clean,\" but to me that was no biggie. I just let it sit a minute before wiping and rinsing off. It appears to clean my tub, sink, toilet, etc. just as well as my regular Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner. I prefer this cleaner's scent (a light, clean, refreshing scent) over my regular, more expensive cleaner.\n\nAs a side note, Scrubbing Bubbles has changed it's basic spray design (simple push-down spray head) to a plastic capped spray head which leaves my spray finger a bit sore, as I have to press down very hard to get it to spray properly. I think this is a bad move and flawed design on SC Johnson's part, and one which will likely cause me to switch over to Kaboom's Bathroom Cleaner.\n\nAll in all, I am pleased with this Kaboom Bathroom Cleaner, for the scent, the cleaning ability as well as the basic spray nozzle and will be buying more after I run out of my 2 pack, and I recommend this.","Product: Camco RV White Refrigerator Bars are designed to keep order in your RV refrigerator during travel. They are spring loaded to keep items in place. These refrigerator bars extend from 10 to 17\".\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Works Great in our Side by Side Fridge's Freezer\n\nReview: I actually use these in the freezer section of our (full-sized) side by side refrigerator to keep heavy frozen things from falling off the (poorly designed) freezer shelving and onto the tops of our feet/toes. I've had these in the freezer for almost 2 weeks so far, and have not had any trouble with these slipping due to freezer moisture yet, which I was initially concerned about prior to using these. I have them no more than 1 inch above each shelf, just enough to give us a bit of a ledge, but still enough room to reach in and pull out what we need.\n\nThe sizing of these is accurate, and the spring in these is very strong while the outer portion is very sturdy when in place and finished with nice, thick end caps. I am so glad I took a chance on these, they are well-made and have been such a helper in the freezer. Thanks for reading!","Product: This Complete Calligraphy Set Includes: 4 Calligraphy Brushes 5in Long 1 Ceramic Bowl with Dragon Design for Ink 1 Ceramic container with Ink Pad for Stamp 1 Ceramic Calligraphy Brush Stand 1 Ink Stick 1 Ink Stone 1 Stamp Stone (Soap Stone) Everything fits into a compact design elegant Shell Shape Box, Measures: 8.5"x5.75"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Very Nice Beginner's Set\n\nReview: I have really enjoyed this Chinese calligraphy writing and brush painting/sumi set for practicing my Chinese calligraphy/Kanji, as well as using this in my art. It is true that the brushes included (just slightly over 5\" from end to end) are shorter than more traditional brushes, (I expected this with the given dimensions of the case), but for a beginner, this is a really nice set to start out with. The case is attractive enough to leave sitting out when not in use, and I like the ink grinding process, which allows me to increase or decrease the intensity of the pigment according to my needs. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for an inexpensive but nice beginner's Chinese calligraphy set.","Product: Value Series Acrylic Paints like Liquitex BASICS are formulated to offer dependable standards of performance at a more affordable cost. Liquitex BASICS Acrylic Paint is developed for students and artists that need quality at outstanding value. Each color is uniquely formulated to bring out the maximum brilliance and clarity of the individual pigment. 48-Color Spectrum;A heavy body acrylic paint that retains peaks and brush strokes.Contains permanent artist pigments. All colors dry to a satin finish. Intermixable with all Liquitex Professional Acrylic Colors and Mediums. Ideal for learning color theory and color mixing. All colors hold the AP Seal from ACMI and are safe for educational use. Visit our Liquitex Amazon Storefront for full product assortment.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Does What Gesso is Supposed to Do\n\nReview: This (white) Liquitex Acrylic Gesso Surface Prep does exactly what I expected: applies great (white) smooth coverage while providing excellent \"tooth\" to my surface. I always prep my canvas surfaces with gesso before doing any acrylic painting, as I like the smoother surface as opposed to canvas texture and want the extra \"grab\" that gesso provides. Also, like most gessos that I'm aware of, this can be colored/mixed/blended with acrylic paints.\n\nMost recently, I was experimenting with some different techniques predominatly using a deep red and burnt umber, decided I didn't like it, and went over it with this gesso to bascially start over. It took 3 coats to cover it completely, but I only had to wait about 2-4 hours between coats for it to be completely dry. After having let it sit overnight, it was a blank surface and ready to go.\n\nAs far as gessos go, this Liquitex brand is a bit thicker than the Daler Rowney acrylic gesso I use, but because of this, it provides a richer coverage. Also, because of the thickness, I did need to wait a while longer for it to be fully dry than I did with my usual gesso. I think I will keep both brands on hand and use according to my needs, and I recommend this Liquitex brand gesso for when a thicker, fuller consistency and coverage is desired.","Product: Novelty scarves are still in style. With this rectangle loom anyone can be fashionable. Working on the same principle as the round knitting looms, this loom knits a single layer. Simply knit until your scarf is the desired length and finish off.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect For the \"Knitting-Challenged\"\n\nReview: I love the look of knitted items, especially shawls, wraps and scarves- but have found it too confusing to transfer how-to information from books to my brain to my hands. Maybe if I could find a very, very patient person to sit down with me and walk (crawl) me through it, that would change. However, when I saw this and read about it, I went for it, and I am so glad that I did. I have one of these knifty knitters in each length, but this 22 inch long one is my favorite because it allows me to make very wide shawls/wraps VERY EASILY! With this particular size, I made my first \"knitted\" shawl/wrap (please see my photos for a visual idea) from some earthy textured multi-pack yarn bought from my local art/craft supply store's \"bargain bin.\" I prefer the thicker yarns or textured yarns for most projects, they look fuller/better and feel better to me as well.\n\nThe process is quite simple and repetitive, which makes my hands happy while I'm watching TV with my family or just relaxing in the recliner. I am able to do this while watching TV because the process requires very little attention once you get the hang of it, and I only need to glance down occassionaly. It's easy to do in spurts, because at each end of this knitting loom is a little peg that sticks out, and I can simply wrap my yarn at my stopping place on one of these pegs, use a rubber band across the last pair of pegs on my stopping place, clips, or use a piece of tape to secure the yarn itself.\n\nAlso, you don't have to utilize every peg of this loom if you don't want it very wide. You can also use it to make narrower scarves, using only a portion. Right now I'm working on a scarf that is only utilizing 9 pairs of pegs, as my daughters (pre teen and up) currently have my other smaller sized looms.\n\nThis is the most versatile sized loom of the various ones offered, as you can make the \"wonderfully wide\" shawls/wraps or the \"niftily narrower\" scarves with this. It is possible to make throws/aghgans by joining 2 or more of your \"knitted\" pieces together, but I have not yet done that. Making \"knitted\" shawls/wraps and scarves for myself and others on this loom has been very satisfying and easy.\n\nGet it and get started making your winter accessories and gifts early, and don't forget to check out your local art/craft store's bargain bins to get lots of inexpensive yarn, I think you'll be hooked!","Product: Novelty scarves are still in style. With this rectangle loom anyone can be fashionable. Working on the same principle as the round knitting looms, this loom knits a single layer. Simply knit until your scarf is the desired length and finish off.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect For the \"Knitting-Challenged\"\n\nReview: I love the look of knitted items, especially shawls, wraps and scarves- but have found it too confusing to transfer how-to information from books to my brain to my hands. Maybe if I could find a very, very patient person to sit down with me and walk (crawl) me through it, that would change. However, when I saw this and read about it, I went for it, and I am so glad that I did. I have one of these knifty knitters in each length, but this 22 inch long one is my favorite because it allows me to make very wide shawls/wraps VERY EASILY! With this particular size, I made my first \"knitted\" shawl/wrap (please see my photos for a visual idea) from some earthy textured multi-pack yarn bought from my local art/craft supply store's \"bargain bin.\" I prefer the thicker yarns or textured yarns for most projects, they look fuller/better and feel better to me as well.\n\nThe process is quite simple and repetitive, which makes my hands happy while I'm watching TV with my family or just relaxing in the recliner. I am able to do this while watching TV because the process requires very little attention once you get the hang of it, and I only need to glance down occassionaly. It's easy to do in spurts, because at each end of this knitting loom is a little peg that sticks out, and I can simply wrap my yarn at my stopping place on one of these pegs, use a rubber band across the last pair of pegs on my stopping place, clips, or use a piece of tape to secure the yarn itself.\n\nAlso, you don't have to utilize every peg of this loom if you don't want it very wide. You can also use it to make narrower scarves, using only a portion. Right now I'm working on a scarf that is only utilizing 9 pairs of pegs, as my daughters (pre teen and up) currently have my other smaller sized looms.\n\nThis is the most versatile sized loom of the various ones offered, as you can make the \"wonderfully wide\" shawls/wraps or the \"niftily narrower\" scarves with this. It is possible to make throws/aghgans by joining 2 or more of your \"knitted\" pieces together, but I have not yet done that. Making \"knitted\" shawls/wraps and scarves for myself and others on this loom has been very satisfying and easy.\n\nGet it and get started making your winter accessories and gifts early, and don't forget to check out your local art/craft store's bargain bins to get lots of inexpensive yarn, I think you'll be hooked!","Product: Tools to help you shape clay to perfection. Made of hardwood, this set should last a long time and give you years of use. 6 assorted tools for a wide range of functionssmoothing, scraping, texturizing and more. Each tool is about 6-Inch long with a different shaper on each end of tool.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Pretty Good, Very Basic Set\n\nReview: This is a very basic set of 6 clay tools, which are actually like 12 tools due to each piece having 2 different modeling/sculpting ends. I like that each tool is numbered, (#10, #13, #19, #24, #36 and #37), as I couldn't tell in the product photo, although some of the numbers are difficult to read. Each of these hardwood tools were nicely smooth, with the exception of the #37, (with the rounded blunt end). This one was slightly unfinished and raw-feeling, but thankfully not splintery. Although I've seen the flat #10 combing tool in various sets with teeth even and uneven, and in this set, the teeth are not perfectly even. I think this is a pretty good, although slightly flawed set, and expect these tools to last me for several years with normal use.","Product: Clorox Disinfecting Wipes lets you clean and disinfect multi surfaces in one easy step. These sanitizing wipes power through grease, soap scum and grime and kill 99.999% germs that can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours. Each cleaning wipe can effectively kill 99.999% of common of bacteria, including Staph, Salmonella, Strep, MRSA, E. coli and the cold and flu viruses, Human Coronavirus and Influenza A2 Virus, in as little as 30 seconds. They also remove more than 99% of allergens like car and dog dander, dust mite debris, and pollen. These antibacterial wipes are easy to use and work great on a variety of hard, nonporous surfaces, including finished hardwood, stainless steel, mirrors and glass. Ideal for use throughout the house. For convenient cleaning and disinfecting, keep this canister anywhere dirt or germs may build up. Clean and disinfect anytime with the convenience of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Quick, Easy, and Effective for In-Between Cleanings\n\nReview: I try to keep these on hand in the kitchen and bathrooms for in-between cleanings because they are truly quick, easy, and effective and take up very little space in the cabinet. Because these help kill several viruses, during flu season or when a family member has a cold, it's very quick and easy to wipe down doorknobs, bathroom surfaces, refrigerator and cabinet handles, phones, and other hard surfaces. Also, these wipes have never discolored or otherwise damaged any of the surfaces I have used them on, (although I was hesitant when first using these because I associate \"Clorox\" with \"bleach.\")\n\nThe wipes in every container I have bought have been very moist and stand up well to scrubbing. The scent is about as fresh as a disinfecting cleaner can be I suppose, and I do prefer this scent over the other leading brand that I have used. So, in regard to that \"sense\" I think these Clorox Disinfecting Wipes (Fresh Scent) \"wipes\" out the competition! (sorry, I couldn't resist the play on words :)\n\n*Every wipe is very moist*\n*Wipes stand up to scrubbing*\n*Scent is pleasant*\n*Does not harm hard (non-porous) surfaces*\n*Takes up little space, compared to paper towels and cleaner*\n*Quick, convenient, easy to use, and effective*\n*Great for fighting spread of viruses such as cold and flu*\n*Disposable*","Product: Visions of an exotic market are brought to mind with this entrancing candle lantern. May be hung or placed on a tabletop or floor. For use with tealights or votive candles only (not included). Metal and glass. 5 3/4-inch by 5-inch by 10-inch high.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Adds Eclectic, Warm Ambiance to Our Decor\n\nReview: I purchased this lantern and a few others to go with an enchanted forest/Hobbit/LOTR themed Sweet 16 Birthday party. I used a battery operated LED tealight in this, and loved how beautiful it looked! This has a decent weight to it and the amber colored glass just gives whatever LED light a delightful glow, and helps to create a warm, cozy ambiance to the room. I also love the way it looks even when unlit, it works really well with our Bohemian/Asian/multicultural design in that room, although I feel it would work with most any eclectic decor. It is constructed well enough to stand up to several years of indoor use, and the glass insets are secure enough that I don't worry about them falling out. The door to put in the light opens and closes without problems, which isn't always the case with some mass-produced decorative lanterns. I want one of these in every color, it is simply delightful!","Product: Whitmor's Plastic Magazine Organizers are great way to store your magazines, periodicals, school materials or spiral notebooks. They are made of a durable plastic, are easy to assemble and has finger tab . A convenient stainless metal ID plate on the front makes it easy to label the contents of each organizer. Set of five.Whitmor is a 4th generation family-owned and operated business. Since 1946, Whitmor has been dedicated to bringing organization home by creating products that simplify everyday life. Ensuring that those products are built with integrity, value, and innovation is our commitment to you. And our promise is that we will always be here for you should you ever need us as we stand behind our product 100%. Whitmor customer service is available in English and Spanish Monday through Friday from 8am - 4:30pm CST. Call us and we will gladly assist you in your language. You may contact Whitmor toll-free at 1-888-944-8667 or via email at customer_service@whitmor.com.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Works Well Organizing Items On My Bookshelf\n\nReview: I use these to keep various sketchbooks, cardstocks, and packages of photo papers stored neatly on a bookshelf. These have been very handy in helping keep these items at hand and organized. Anything that helps me stay organized is a winner in my book! These are made of flimsy plastic, but I knew that when purchasing them, and for my use, these are exactly what I needed.\n\nI wouldn't even try to store them (with magazines and other flimsy items) on my desk on their own, because they would most certainly bend and fall down. But, when these are fairly snug beside each other on my bookshelf, along with other books to the end of the shelf, they work fine.\n\nI like the happy colors and the little metal ID plate in front of each one to label the contents. The metal studs help to prevent the organizers from falling apart. I found these very easy to assemble in very little time. I would liken the thickness of the plastic material to that of a cereal box's cardboard thickness.\n\nThese plastic magazine organizers are just right for my uses, fit well on my (almost 10\" deep shelf), and would like to purchase an additional set later on for placement on another shelf. Be aware, however, that these are not going to stand up well as in the item's product description photo; I tested these on my desk for this review to be sure, and they bend and do not want to stay up on their own, and when I was able to balance them, the slightest bump made it fall over. For that reason, I am giving this 4 instead of 5 stars, because I feel the photo is somewhat misleading.","Product: Fat Daddio's bread pans are anodized for safety and performance. Seamless, 18-gauge bread pans with no extra metals, welds, or chemical coatings. Safe for citrus based fruits, sauces, and foods. Non-reactive anodized finish will not rust, peel, chip, or flake. Fat Daddio's bakeware heats faster and cools quicker allowing your recipes to turn out the way they should. Easy release and clean up.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Cute Itty Bitty Bread Loaf!\n\nReview: These mini bread pans are ridiculously cute, but make baking little loaves for individual servings seriously easy. This aluminum bread pan baked the little loaf evenly with no burned/dark areas at all. Since we baked this little loaf right along with 2 regular-sized loaves -(at the same time)- all I had to do was keep an eye on its progress. After around 20-25 minutes after putting this into the preheated oven, it was ready (while we left the 2 full-sized loaves in for a bit longer). It was so easy to remove the itty bitty loaf of bread from the pan, with no sticking whatsoever. I wash all of my bread pans by hand, and washing this by hand was easy-peasey. This makes such a cute little bread loaf and makes serving bread with dinner extra special. Since I have several of these, each family member gets their own little loaf of fresh-baked bread which feels like such a treat. Please reference my photo for an idea of how little the loaf is when compared to standard sized loaves. Thanks for reading!","Product: Whitmor's Plastic Magazine Organizers are great way to store your magazines, periodicals, school materials or spiral notebooks. They are made of a durable plastic, are easy to assemble and has finger tab . A convenient stainless metal ID plate on the front makes it easy to label the contents of each organizer. Set of five.Whitmor is a 4th generation family-owned and operated business. Since 1946, Whitmor has been dedicated to bringing organization home by creating products that simplify everyday life. Ensuring that those products are built with integrity, value, and innovation is our commitment to you. And our promise is that we will always be here for you should you ever need us as we stand behind our product 100%. Whitmor customer service is available in English and Spanish Monday through Friday from 8am - 4:30pm CST. Call us and we will gladly assist you in your language. You may contact Whitmor toll-free at 1-888-944-8667 or via email at customer_service@whitmor.com.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Works Well Organizing Items On My Bookshelf\n\nReview: I use these to keep various sketchbooks, cardstocks, and packages of photo papers stored neatly on a bookshelf. These have been very handy in helping keep these items at hand and organized. Anything that helps me stay organized is a winner in my book! These are made of flimsy plastic, but I knew that when purchasing them, and for my use, these are exactly what I needed.\n\nI wouldn't even try to store them (with magazines and other flimsy items) on my desk on their own, because they would most certainly bend and fall down. But, when these are fairly snug beside each other on my bookshelf, along with other books to the end of the shelf, they work fine.\n\nI like the happy colors and the little metal ID plate in front of each one to label the contents. The metal studs help to prevent the organizers from falling apart. I found these very easy to assemble in very little time. I would liken the thickness of the plastic material to that of a cereal box's cardboard thickness.\n\nThese plastic magazine organizers are just right for my uses, fit well on my (almost 10\" deep shelf), and would like to purchase an additional set later on for placement on another shelf. Be aware, however, that these are not going to stand up well as in the item's product description photo; I tested these on my desk for this review to be sure, and they bend and do not want to stay up on their own, and when I was able to balance them, the slightest bump made it fall over. For that reason, I am giving this 4 instead of 5 stars, because I feel the photo is somewhat misleading.","Product: Fat Daddio's bread pans are anodized for safety and performance. Seamless, 18-gauge bread pans with no extra metals, welds, or chemical coatings. Safe for citrus based fruits, sauces, and foods. Non-reactive anodized finish will not rust, peel, chip, or flake. Fat Daddio's bakeware heats faster and cools quicker allowing your recipes to turn out the way they should. Easy release and clean up.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Cute Itty Bitty Bread Loaf!\n\nReview: These mini bread pans are ridiculously cute, but make baking little loaves for individual servings seriously easy. This aluminum bread pan baked the little loaf evenly with no burned/dark areas at all. Since we baked this little loaf right along with 2 regular-sized loaves -(at the same time)- all I had to do was keep an eye on its progress. After around 20-25 minutes after putting this into the preheated oven, it was ready (while we left the 2 full-sized loaves in for a bit longer). It was so easy to remove the itty bitty loaf of bread from the pan, with no sticking whatsoever. I wash all of my bread pans by hand, and washing this by hand was easy-peasey. This makes such a cute little bread loaf and makes serving bread with dinner extra special. Since I have several of these, each family member gets their own little loaf of fresh-baked bread which feels like such a treat. Please reference my photo for an idea of how little the loaf is when compared to standard sized loaves. Thanks for reading!","Product: These beautiful Happy Sales chopsticks are whimsical and fun to use. Set of five comes in a plastic bag with head displayed neatly in cardboard card.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice Smooth, Round Handled Chopsticks Set\n\nReview: These chopsticks have a great weight to them, completely rounded handles and very slight indented lines at the ends. The business ends are a bit thicker than I normally prefer, but I've had such a hard time finding my old brand that was completely rounded at the handles (not squared) and so I just deal with it. I don't like squared handles, and we have little chopstick rests that keep these from rolling off of the table. Cleaning these is so easy by hand, but we go through several a day, so I put them in a chopstick dishwasher basket and they have had no problems with finish fading or wearing off. We've been using these chopsticks for over a month and many, many washes and they still look good as new.","Product: No space? No problem. This over-the-door organizer lies flat against any standard door allowing you to discretely store supplies and items from all around your home. Organizer has 22 spacious see thru vinyl pockets designed with accessibility, durability and maximum storage in mind. The 4 steel hooks included make over-the-door hanging easy. It's made with VentilAir breathable fabric that allows any item you store to breathe and stay fresh. A great storage solution for any need in any room in your home.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Helps Organize Items In Our Bathroom's Tiny Closet\n\nReview: We purchased this for our very small closet in one of our bathrooms since we needed some sort of storage solution for various small items. I like that the width (21 inches) of the 42-Pocket-Over-the-Door Organizer fits inside the bathroom closet's smallish door width. It seems to be well-made, and has held up quite well for almost 1 1/2 years so far.\n\nI use this for storing extra packs of razors, supplements, Band-Aids, hair bands and other small items, and it has made a wonderful difference in helping us keep this bathroom organized and tidy. The pockets hold a surprising amount, and the 3 top metal hooks have not impeded in closing the door, or damaged the top frame of the door or doorframe. The only issue I have found with this is the bottom suction hooks that secure to the velcro wouldn't stay on, so I gave up trying to use them. However, it has proven not to be a real problem, the door organizer stays put on our door just fine without them, (this could perhaps be due to the heavier items such as small bottles of supplements in the pockets). Due to the fact that this closet door is textured, the fact that the suction hooks won't stay on will not affect my rating.\n\nSince we have this on the inside of the door, and not the outside, the color (Beige) that we have didn't really matter to us, but it is a pleasant shade of beige, and accurate to the product photo.\n\nOverall, this was a very good purchase for us and keeps our small items easy to find and grab. This useful organizer is much more sturdy than I anticipated and I am glad we bought it.","Product: Find the right lid, right now! This 40-Piece Food Storage Container Set features the Rubbermaid Easy Find Lid system: the lids snap on to the container bases as well as other same-size lids, so that the right lid is always at your fingertips. These graduated-size containers nest together to give you more space in the fridge or cupboard.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: 4 1/2 Stars--Very Good Set; LIds and Bases are BPA-Free\n\nReview: QUICK SUMMARY OF REVIEW BELOW:\n``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````\n***PRO'S***\n-BPA-Free;\n-Has held up great over several years;\n-Lids secure well;\n-Clever design makes storage more organized and user-friendly;\n-Washes well by hand and dishwasher;\n-Withstands heated drying cycle in dishwasher;\n-Easily see contents through clear containers;\n-Nice variety of sizes provided;\n\n***CON***\n-Does not keep food well in freezer after a couple of months in our experiences with these containers;\n\n***Note: Internal aesthetic damage can occur if microwaved too long or at too high a temperature.***\n```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````\n\n(EXTENDED REVIEW)\nThese Rubbermaid storage containers have served me well for several years, and are still holding up nicely. The unique way that the lids not only snap nicely onto each other, but also snap into the matching container's base. By having the stack of lids snapped together beneath the coordinating and nested containers, our container cabinet is so much more orgainized and user-friendly.\n\nOnce a container has it's lid on, it is secure and I don't worry about it popping off easily and spilling its contents if the container is accidentally dropped. The somewhat squared-off design is nice and makes more sense to me than round containers for optimal utilization of cabinet space. The containers are clear enough to see what is inside, and the red lids are a pleasant shade of red to my eyes and not a loud red. The lids and bases ARE BPA-FREE, which is very important to us.\n\nThese containers and lids have washed well by hand and in the dishwasher as well as withstanding the heat/drying cycle with no problems. There has been some staining/superficial melting inside where the food is due to people having nuked the contents too long or at too high a temperature in the microwave, but this has not affected the functionality of the damaged containers, only the aesthetics. Since I believe this is due more to user error than the containers' quality, this will not affect in my rating.\n\nThe 40 pieces (20 containers with 20 matching lids) has a great variety that should suit most families' needs fairly well. The variety offered in this set includes pieces ranging from little 1/2 cup containers to 7 cup containers. We have purchased additional pieces for the much larger sizes, but we often cook large quantiites of food at a time to have the next day.\n\nWe have also used these in the freezer, and they have done a pretty good job of keeping the food preserved for short periods, a month or less. However, after a couple of months in the freezer, we have noticed some of the contents sealed inside the containers looking questionable with an inordinate amount of ice crystals and possibly freezer-burned. So, while I would recommend these containers for general everyday use, I would not recommend these as a long-term freezer storage option.\n\nAll in all, I am quite pleased with these Rubbermaid containers' quality and value. The ingenious design works wonderfully for maximizing our cabinet storage space and couldn't be easier to store and grab what we need when we need it. I'm giving this set 4 1/2 stars, as the freezer issue isn't that big of a deal to us (we have a Foodsaver machine we have been using for a while to freeze our food). This is the best set of general, everyday use food storage containers that I've had, and I have had a lot of different styles and brands over the years. I really like this set, and I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.","Product: If you're someone who is obsessed with shoes, then the Whitmor Shoe Tower is an absolute essential for you. It offers an affordable way to organize your shoe collection. This shoe storage rack stands almost 55\" tall and can hold up to 30 pairs. Featuring white resin sides with coated metal cross tubes, this Whitmor shoe organizer will continue to provide a reliable storage solution for many years together. You may even snap units together to expand the storage space. Whether you want to keep your heels or flats securely in place, this 30-pair shoe rack comes handy. Easy to care for, just wipe with a clean damp cloth to keep it looking as good as new for years to come. This Whitmor shoe rack assembles in minutes, requiring no tools. Measures: 9\"D x 22.5\"W x 54.75\"H. Whitmor is a 4th generation family-owned and operated business. Since 1946, Whitmor has been dedicated to bringing organization home by creating products that simplify everyday life. Ensuring that those products are built with integrity, value, and innovation is our commitment to you. And our promise is that we will always be here for you should you ever need us as we stand behind our product 100%. Whitmor customer service is available in English and Spanish Monday through Friday from 8am - 4:30pm CST. Call us and we will gladly assist you in your language. You may contact Whitmor toll-free at 1-888-944-8667 or via email at customer_service@whitmor.com.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Perfect for Flats, Skimmers and Sneakers\n\nReview: This shoe rack has helped my daughters organize their collection of flats, skimmers and sneakers. I specifically wanted this particular shoe rack because the bars go straight across from each other, as opposed to being staggered/elevated, which are better for high heels/pumps. With the (staggered bar) racks we've had in the past, the flats and skimmers would easily slide off, but with the bars being parallel to each other/straight across from each other, as in this shoe rack, the shoes (non-heels/pumps) sit perfectly on them and don't come off until you take them off of the rack. I love how easy it is to put together, done in just a couple of minutes or so. We have easily fit 20 pairs of (ladies size 7 and size 8) shoes on it, and it has not bowed or had any structural issues whatsoever. If you have several pairs of flat-heeled shoes that you need to organize, this is a great shoe rack for that.","Product: USA made always with you body pillow is 100-percent polyester fill with 50/50 cotton polyester cover. Extra firm construction gives you support and a comfortable sleep. Hypo-allergenic, it is odorless, mildew free and long lasting. Easy care, machine washable\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Stays Fluffy, Generously Filled\n\nReview: This body pillow is wonderful for when my bones and joints are really achey and I need some extra support. The pillow is generously filled, and the shape \"bounces back\" when I'm not using it. It provides great support and is long enough to support my knees and head on at the same time. The pillow's covering is nothing fancy, but doesn't have any \"crunchy\" noise as some pillows I've had in the past have had. I like also that it is hypoallergenic and has no odor whatsoever, as some new pillows can have.\n\nThis pillow does not come with a pillowcase, but I have queen and standard pillowcases on either end (which covers it completely) until I can get a proper body pillowcase for it.\n\nI like the way it bounces back and stays fluffy, it's exactly what I needed, and recommend this body pillow.","Product: Looking for an easy decorating solution? Slipcovers give your home an instant makeover without the hassle and the cost. Old furniture instantly becomes new with sofa slipcovers, chair slipcovers, loveseat slipcovers. Dress up your furniture with slipcovers made from 100% polyester. Slipcovers are an instant decorating solution if you're looking to change up your decor.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Nice Colors, Sturdy, Stays Put, Fits Freakishly Long and Deep Sofa/Futon/Fold-Out Couch\n\nReview: We have a brown, oddball, deep, extra-long sofaton (what I call a sofa/futon fold-out couch-like piece of furniture) that I bought from Sam's Club quite a while back. It's been next to impossible to find a nice-looking, fitting, STAY-PUT slipcover. I have found some really well-made throws on Amazon, but I really was wanting something more fitted that would add a bit of color to our living room which was being overtaken by brown. I was nervous buying this because I was unsure of the colors, I thought that the purplish color might be weird in our purple-less living room. However, the purple is very subdued and non-offensive, only whispering of its presence. The other colors in this slipcover were already worked into our decor, so it really looks great. Those lovely details aside, what is TRULY amazing to me is that this thing fits our freaky hulk sofaton very well and actually stays put even after a bunch of wriggly butt traffic. It has even stood up to our playful kitty jumping all around on it, no snags, nothing. The fabric is sturdy and rarely requires me to do any smoothing or straightening. This is a keeper and has saved me from going insane from all of the brown (furniture, drapes everything that was on sale that we needed was brown, argh) and constantly smoothing and straightening the other (BROWN) protector.","Product: Nonstick tortilla pan is the healthy way to shape, bake, and create a crispy tortilla bowl. Ready in 5 minutes. Great for taco bowls, salads, dips, and more. As seen on TV. No. PT011124: Material: Metal, Color: Black, Length: 6.5in, Width: 6.5in, Height: 2.5in, Pkg Qty: 4, Package Type: Box\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Well-Made and Fun Taco Shell Pans\n\nReview: I have seen the advertisements for the Perfect Tortilla Pan Set some time, but never took the plunge. However, recently when I was out shopping, I saw these near the checkout (impulse buy/as seen on tv section) and bought this set, and we have enjoyed using them for homemade taco salads.\n\nI used 9\" prepared flour tortillas to make our shells and baked them at a temperature setting of just under 400 degrees for about 6 minutes. The top edges that stuck up from the pans' tops (about 1/2 or so inch) were brown (but not burnt-tasting) and the rest of the sides were pale but crunchy, while the bottoms were not crunchy, but kind of tough-chewy (not a deal-breaker). I may experiment next time I use this set by taking the shells out of the pans the last minute of baking and pop them back into the oven upside down to see if that helps.\n\nThe shells were well-formed and looked pretty nice, but really didn't look very much like the pictures. However, they tasted good and was a nice switch to our tacos/tostadas that we normally have.\n\nI took one star off for the misleading photos on the box, but that's my only gripe. I am not taking a star off for the complete lack of any printed information with this set -(prep, oven temp, recipes, etc.)- because I bought these at a brick and mortar store and not online at Amazon.com, and cannot accurately inform you if this is an issue in reference to the ones being shipped out at present.\n\nAll things considered, we like these and plan on using them frequently in the future.","Product: Brielle Sateen Modal Duvet Covers offers luxury with style. With its silky feel, extremely soft hand, it is like being embraced by clouds. Brilliant colors and contemporary design will liven up your bedroom.Twin Dimensions Duvet Cover: 68 inches wide x 86 inches long Sham: 20 inches wide x 26 inches long Full/Queen Dimensions Duvet cover: 98 inches long x 90 inches wide Shams: 20 inches wide x 26 inches long King Dimensions Duvet cover: 108 inches long x 98 inches wide Shams: 20 inches wide x 36 inches long\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Clouds WISH They Could Be This Soft (And Dry, and Made of Brielle Sateen Modal From Beech...And Come In Other Colors...)\n\nReview: These are the absolute softest, most perfect pillowcases I have ever used! My skin, especially my facial skin, is very sensitive and chafes easily, so I have to be very careful about the sheets and pillowcases that I use. I am the \"Princess and the Pea\" of Pillowcases. I typically have to buy sheets and pillowcases with obscenely high thread counts so that my face doesn't feel raw in the morning. These however, are far above and beyond the highest thread count pillowcases that I have ever slept on. I was fortunate enough to get these a while back in the Amazon outlet, otherwise I would have missed out on the \"wonderful-ness\" of these Brielle 100-Percent Sateen Modal Beech pillowcases.\n\nWhat I'm trying to convey here is that these are ridiculously soft and smooth.\n\nThe only thing that might bother some people, is that these do get wrinkly after washing, but I couldn't care less about that personally. It's a very small trade-off for luxuriously soft pillowcases that I fully look forward to nightly. Even the wrinkles are soft (I don't notice them when I sleep at all). Plus, as someone who is beginning to notice wrinkles on my own skin, I'd say it gives one character... These have never lost their softness, have never become frayed, never pilled and have never said one unkind word to me, they are gentle and easy to spend time with. They are still as soft as ever, even though I repeatedly and without regard to rules wash these on high in hot water AND I dry them on high heat as well. I don't follow the washing instructions. I also tear all of the tags off of all of my pillows. I'm a rebel, a rebel that chafes easily...","Product: Zyliss Fresh is a complete set of resin or glass food storage containers featuring advanced German technology. Fresh containers have a revolutionary seal that is proven to keep food fresher two times long than other food storage containers. The seal is permanently bonded to the lid, using a machine automated process and as a result Fresh containers are 100% leak proof so you can feel confident your contents will stay put. Conventional seals are inserted in a groove of the lid allowing for germs to accumulate in the gaps and water leaks can build up residue. Fresh containers prevents germ formation and are 100% hygienic. Fresh containers also stack together for easy storage and are dishwasher, microwave and fridge/freezer safe. Made in Germany, Fresh Food Storage Containers carry a lifetime guarantee and come in a variety of sizes and sets in both glass and resin. Focusing on functionality, durability, design, cleanliness and safety, Zyliss has relied upon a heritage of excellence that began in Switzerland over 60 years ago. Building on this time-held tradition, the company has advanced to produce and distribute kitchen equipment that is world-renowned. Zyliss has pioneered the design of more than 200 kitchen essentials, with quality and engineering that cannot be duplicated.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Zyliss--Food Storage Container BLISS!\n\nReview: I purchased this and another Zyliss container size to give it a try because I've gotten tired of the lack of quality control issues lately in my other brand. These containers actually do live up to the hype in being airtight, keeping my food fresh, and pretty enough to serve from. These look more like glass than resin or plastic, are extremely sturdy, and have a nice weight to them and the seal is super-duper tight. Also, these fit way better in my fridge than my other long-time brand (Rubbermaid). I just ordered some more Zyliss containers and was inspired to clean out my container cabinet just for these. I don't normally get excited about food storage containers, but these are ridiculously wonderful in every way.\n\nThe only thing that I find challenging is storing these in a limited cabinet space, as they don't slide all the way down into each other. For my purposes, I decided to stack the containers within each other with the lids flat, sitting on top of the stack, which seems to be working well so far. The lids have a special stacking rim to allow these to stay stacked on top of each other, so that's a plus. These containers are worth reconfiguring the dreaded container cabinet, as they are a joy to use and even to see. Also, the fact that Zyliss offers a LIFETIME guarantee on this is beyond anything I have ever heard of before, but I don't expect to be having any problems with mine. I LOVE these! Thank you Zyliss geniuses for making such a quality, ingenious (and pretty) product!","Product: Photoreal PEVA shower curtain of a beach with palm tree. Fun for a novelty splash of design in any bathroom.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Looks Better Than The Photo\n\nReview: It was time to change the look of one of our bathrooms and wanted to get something the whole family would enjoy. Also, we wanted something that we could switch out existing rugs (royal blue) with a sand color. We decided on this shower curtain, as we all liked the tropical theme. This shower curtain allows that color flexibility in switching out rugs and gives a nice scene to enjoy in that bathroom. It is good and heavy, not flimsy like some shower curtains can be, and washes well when put in the washer with a couple of towels to scrub against and clean any film off of. This was a good value for the money, as I priced similar ones elsewhere whose prices made me laugh. I recommend this shower curtain if you want to go tropical without going broke.","Product: Case Compatibility: Compatible with Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 inch Tablet GT-N8000 GT-N8010\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Case For Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2012 edition)\n\nReview: This case is perfect for the 2012 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 that I bought it for. It fits quite well, seems sturdy and well-made. Most of the openings/cutouts are as they should be to allow proper access, with two exceptions: the case does cover the micro SD card slot, but that is no big to me as it is not accessed frequently anyway. The second exception is that if you wish to open the case while you have your device plugged in to the charger, you can't without the case hitting the charging cord where it plugs into the back. Again, for me anyway, this is no big deal. The hand strap is handier than I expected and has proven to be quite useful, as well as the built-in flip stand. I was looking for an inexpensive yet sturdy case that would help keep the tablet well-protected and this fits the bill, or tablet in this case, quite well.","Product: Play and work smarter with the Hisense Chromebook. This slim and lightweight laptop combines speed, security and simplicity packaged in an appealing silver exterior. It runs off the Chrome operating system so you can store your content in Google's Cloud-based storage service and access it anywhere you go. Even more impressive, this laptop only weighs 2.4 pounds, boots up in less than 10 seconds and has an 11.6-inch LED HD screen that pops images in vibrant and true-to-life colors. You can maintain peace of mind about your personal information due to the free virus protection software that's built in to the Chromebook. It also stays synced with your Android phones and tablets and has up to 8.5 hours of battery life to keep you going all day. Use the web camera to stay in touch with family, connect to the Internet or devices with WiFi and Bluetooth features, and attach different devices into the available ports.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Laptop-Schmaptop, This Keeps Me Happy and Productive!\n\nReview: Before purchasing this Hisense Chromebook, I was primarily switching between a desktop, a 10\" Lenovo tablet, and my BLU Studio Energy phone, depending on what sort of task I needed to do. I had been looking for a new (inexpensive) laptop solution for portability, (as my very old 17\" Toshiba laptop is very outdated and tired), but wanted to be able to do extensive typing on a full-sized keyboard/layout without sitting at the desktop. I really didn't want to spend very much, and couldn't anyway, so I set a price point for myself and began looking, researching and reading reviews. I kept coming back to this (and another similarly-priced different brand of Chromebook), but this offered better internal storage and was from a brand I've used before and have had no problems with as of this writing (Hisense TV). I'm really glad I went with this product, because it has exceeded all of my expectations, with the exception of the audio/speakers, which is really difficult for me to hear at times, but more on that later.\n\nThis boots up and shuts down in less than 10 seconds, which is absolutely wonderful for me, as I feel like I'm so often in a hurry or behind anyway. It is surprisingly fast on the web and I can get things done quickly and on the go. It is super-light and slim, but still feels sturdy and I don't worry too much about handling it like it is over-delicate, it is made to be portable and holds its own under lots of different environments/handling throughout the day. I have had this for many months now, and it hasn't slowed down a bit, it is as terrific and speedy as the day I got it, still with room to spare on the 32GB flash drive storage. The battery lasts and lasts in between charges, so I can use it frequently throughout the day without having to be leashed to a wall outlet. I do wish that the Google Chrome Web App Store offered more Google-made apps, but really, I have other android devices that I can get stuff on, so that's no biggie to me.\n\nMy only complaint, which I had read about prior to purchasing, is the poor audio/speakers on this. Because I was looking more for other usability-based criteria, I decided that even if the audio was lacking, it wasn't as important to me as the speed, longevity or other performance-based \"get-it-done\" sort of things that I needed. It's true that the speakers are low even at the highest volume setting. However, as a point of reference, if I'm in the family room with a video playing on this, and the volume on, it is enough to disturb and distract the others in the room who are watching the TV with the TV's volume up pretty loud. But, even in a quiet room, depending on what format/site I'm on, I still find I have to strain at times to hear what is happening, such as what an actor is saying in a movie I'm streaming. I think probably what makes the problem worse is the placement of the speakers, which are on the bottom of this Chromebook. If they were on the top, I think it would make it so much better. It does come with a headset jack, but I really don't like to be tethered, so I often will not use that. Knowing I have the webcam there is handy and creepy at the same time, so I keep that covered with a bit of post-it note and if I need it, I can just remove it.\n\nThe touchpad is easy enough to get the hang of, although there are certain Chromebook-only shortcuts and options that were a bigger learning curve to me, but that is for all Chromebooks I think. I really love the speed of this thing, I can have several tasks going and it doesn't break a sweat, it keeps the pace going strong and I'm able to get what I need to get done quickly wherever I'm at, which was my primary goal. The Bluetooth capability opens up a whole lot more options, as well as the ability of keeping it synced with other devices, helping me to stay more organized.\n\nIt has a slightly textured surface which helps me keep a good grip on it when carrying, but still looks sleek with clean lines and the screen has a bright, clear display even when not charging. I rarely use the other ports that this has, but I like knowing they are there if I do find myself needing them. I thoroughly researched this before getting it, but am still surprised at how much better it is than I thought it would be.\n\nI felt initially when I began looking for a portable laptop-ish solution with a full-sized keyboard that I would be settling when I bought this, but frankly, I no longer feel like I'm settling since using it. I don't think a regular laptop could have performed as well or as fast as this, at least not without spending a vulgar amount of money that I don't have to spend on a high-end laptop anyway. I am extremely pleased with this Hisense Chromebook recommend it all day long.","Product: A high quality Cordura Coin purse for keeping your change organized and safe.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Sturdy, Small, and Convenient\n\nReview: This Manhattan Portage Coin Purse has been handy for trips to the park, our daughters' field trips, as well as other excursions where I've wanted to have some money with me, but didn't want to carry my purse. The fabric is heavy duty, as well as the zipper.\nIt is slightly smaller than I expected, but that hasn't been a problem for what we've used it for (carrying money, ID, change...) The clip attached to it is also heavy duty, and probably one of the things I like the best about it. It has been very easy for our youngest daughter to clip this (with money inside) securely to a belt loop during field trips, and the zipper has never come accidentally open, nor has it come unclipped.\nI would recommend this to anyone who needs something small (it is slightly smaller than I expected) yet sturdy for the purposes that I've described above.","Product: • Totes measure 14.5\" x 15.5\"• Handles measure 11.25\"• 6 bright colors• Non-woven fabricThese Hawaiian print tote bags are a perfect party favor to hand out to guests at your beach party, luau, or tiki party. Totes are made from non-woven fabric and are available in 6 festive colors (sky blue, fuchsia, lime green, lemon yellow, and cherry red) with white floral prints. Each bag measures 14.5\" X 15.5\" and comes complete with 11.25\" handle straps. \n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Multi-Use Tote Bags, Big Hit at Party\n\nReview: We bought these as not only favor bags, but also as nice party favors in and of themselves for our guests at our daughter's tropical-themed birthday party. These are brightly-colored and suprisingly sturdy to be non-woven. The handles are stitched in twice (twice as sturdy) and the dimensions are fairly generous, width being just over 14 1/2 inches, and the height a full 16 inches--(please see my photos above for more detail). In the dozen, you get 2 of each color (blue, yellow, orange, pink, green and red). Many of the children who attended this birthday celebration were using these tote bags at school the very next day, they liked them so well. The only thing I wish was different is that the bottom of the tote bags are single creased, that is, not a boxed bottom (please see my photos). These are also useful for carrying a couple of books and a few other miscellaneous smaller items, for use as a quick beach/pool bag to put 1 big beach towel, pair of sunglasses, sun lotion, a book or magazine, and maybe 1 or 2 other small items, or you could even fold it up and store it in your car's glove box or purse to use to carry smaller items from the store, (because there is no \"boxed\" bottom, my only issue with this bag--this would not make a good grocery tote). Also, as I tend to multi-purpose items, these are also useful for looping the handles on a hanger and placing seasonal items into this such as gloves, scarves and other items you wish to have handy but out of the way in the closet. These were well-received with such comments as, \"Wow- these are nice, thank you!\" and I was very happy to find that the children who attended the party were putting them to good use at school the next day.","Product: We are featuring 8 hand-crafted murano glass work pendants in various designs, mostly floral designs. Each one is carefully designed and is showcased in different shapes: circular, retangular and petal shaped. All pendants comes with a matching necklace, 4 of which are made of a thin rubber and the other 4 made of thinly braided rope with organza ribbon, each necklace is approx. 18\" long. All necklace closures have a lobster claw closure with an adjustable chain backing. These necklaces make great gifts to floral and glass lovers, friends and family members. NOTE: Due to differences between monitor displays, actual color may vary slightly from image. Bundle Monster is a registered trademark of Remi Collections LLC and is exclusively distributed by Bundle Monster. Bundle Monster trademark is protected by Trademark Law.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Eclectic, Funky and Fun (See My Photos)\n\nReview: (Please refer to the photos I've posted to get a general visual on how these work with different colored tops).\nI bought 4 sets of these, 3 for family members (tweens and teens) and 1 for me (oldish), and it was a great purchase. These are exactly as described by the seller and it was a great purchase for our wardrobes. There are many things that we will be able to wear these with, but there are a few outfits that we won't be able to wear these with because of the dark background (with sparkly flecks). The pendants are rather large and chunky, (rough measurements of smallest pendant being about 1\", largest pendant about 2\", see photos for general idea), but these are eclectic, funky and fun and can be worn with a variety of outfits. One probably couldn't wear these well with a delicate or pastel outfit without these clashing, in my opinion. Although the necklaces' cords and ribbons each have clasps, suprisingly, the loop from which they hang are large enough to pull them (ribbons or cords) out and interchange them with the other necklaces' provided cords/ribbons or even replace them with a nice metallic chain, ribbon, cord or whatever of your choice. These can make a solid-colored topped outfit more interesting and add some flair to a tired wardrobe or jewelery collection with a variety of colors and designs to choose from this set of 8 necklaces. I am considering getting a brown or black silken cord necklace and hanging one of these pendants from it from time to time. From preteens, teens and much much older, these have been well received and enjoyed by each of us.\nWe like these so much, that I think they would make great gifts for others as well. I am considering buying another set and giving one individual necklace to each of the guests as a lovely party favor at for one of our daughter's upcoming birthday parties.","Product: Basic solid color crew neck tee\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Runs Small, Very Lightweight, Longer Length\n\nReview: I usually wear a small in women's clothing, a medium in junior's, but ordered this in large since I read this does run small. The fit is like a junior's medium in the large I ordered. I like that the neckline is not very deep and the length on this shirt comes to about mid hip, which is what I wanted. The material is on the thin side, so I wear a cami under it.\n\nThis washes/dries well and has held up better than I thought it would, about 5 washes later. I typically dry this on low, or take it out of the dryer early-mid cycle and hang it if it's in a load on the regular (higher) setting. This shirt has held it's fitted shape well, and the color I ordered it in, Deep Sea, has maintained it's rich blue jewel tone and has not faded at all.\n\nOverall, I like this tee, as I was looking for a basic, higher-necklined, somewhat fitted tee with a longer length. I'm glad I did order one size up, as these shirts do run small, and not true to size.","Product: A sinful martial arts expert and paper maker, Liu Jinxi, starts a new tranquil life with his wife in a quiet Yunnan village in the early 1900s during Chinas transition from monarchy to republic. The peaceful life of Lius family of four is disturbed when he accidentally kills two robbers who threaten his paper workshop. However, detective Xu Baijiu thoroughly analyzes the crime scene and comes up with a different conclusion: Liu is actually a brutal killer who was once the second-in-command of the powerful 72 Demons Gang, for whom rape, pillage and massacre are a way of life. Xus dogged inquiry threatens to dredge up the dark secrets of Lius buried past, threatening not only Liu and his family, but the entire village.\nThis DVD is all-region and will play in North America. The DVD features an pristine anamorphic widescreen picture (1.78:1 aspect ratio). Audio is available in Mandarin and Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1 and dts 5.1 sound is available). Removable subtitles are available in English and Chinese. Special features include a Trailer and a Making Of documentary.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Masterfully Done Film With Intriguing Story and Awesome Martial Arts\n\nReview: Donnie Yen (of Ip Man and Ip Man 2) once again blows me away with an incredible, thoughtful performance in \"Dragon.\" This film's storyline is artfully crafted and put me on the edge of my seat then kicked me out of it, repeatedly, it was so good. The fight scenes were fantastic and action-packed with moves that are a thing of beauty. If you are a fan of Donnie Yen (as I am) or love a great martial arts movie (as I do) with unpredictable twists, then you have to see this.\n\nTakeshi Kaneshiro expertly portrays an intuitive and reflective law enforcement officer (Xu Baijiu) on a quest for truth, and you have to watch this to see if the truth set him free. With great skill and grace, Donnie Yen masterfully plays Liu Jinxi, a multi-faceted character with an abiding desire for peace, but who is thrust into circumstances that put that desire at risk. His beautiful wife, Ayu, (actress, Tang Wei), plays a gentle and vulnerable character with a painful past that tenderly compels you care about her well-being.\n\nWhile the ending might be controversial to some, it is important to remember that at one point in the movie, Liu discusses his view of karma with Xu...For me, everything ties together neatly at the end and is a movie that I plan on adding to my martial arts collection. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and recommend it.","Product: Soul Surfer (2011) / Region 0 DVD / Audio: English / Subtitle: English, Chinese / Actors: AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid / Director: Sean McNamara / 106 minutes\n9787799437279\nA teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Don't Know What to Watch? Watch THIS--Absolutely a MUST-SEE!!!\n\nReview: Whether or not you are a fan of surfing, you will surely become a fan of one surfer, Bethany, after viewing this movie. Her (true) story just moved our entire family and lifted us up in so many ways. We are reminded throughout this movie that God can take any situation, yes even the really bad ones, and bring something better than you could ever imagine out of it. This true story had me crying, cheering, and feeling a deep sense of awe at just how amazing our God is. This is one of those few movies that I can recommend to anyone without the least hesitation. There are so many Biblical truths paralleled and reiterated in the various events in Soul Surfer. For me, without giving too much of the movie away, there is a scene where Bethany is waiting for a wave, while others ask, \"What is she doing?\" This to me is a great example of faith--believing without seeing.\nThere are some big names and great acting in this picture, and the movie is not shy about giving the glory to Jesus. This story is like this generation's \"Joni\" in many ways. Soul Surfer would be a great movie for family movie night, or any time for that matter. This is one we want in our video collection, it's that good. Don't know what to watch? Watch this, you won't be sorry!","Product: The Faguan Deals Car Seat Organizer with Drink Holders makes it easy to keep your car Organized and is great for Eating In The Car. The Ultimate Convenience for people on the go. They are great for Carpooling Kids and on the go Road Trips.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Not Just for the Little Kiddies!\n\nReview: Note: I was given this sample free in exchange for evaluation and honest review purposes.\n\nThis headrest organizer is very useful not just for parents of very young children, but also for anyone who doesnt get to ride shotgun and has to ride in the backseat. In fact, it may be even more useful for the latter because childrens modern safety seats frequently come with cup holders and other little niceties already built-in. When my two teens and I go out together, someone has to sit in the back seat, and this just might make that a little more pleasant for the backseat rider.\n\nIm not entirely sure of what this is made from, but its not a cheapo hard plastic sort of thing, its of a softer more rubbery-feeling plastic material and doesnt feel like it would crack or break easily. Putting it on is as easy as removing the headrest* (see my tip below my review for more info),* placing the 2 chosen holes where the headrest rods go, then sliding the headrest rods over that. The hang-down level of the organizer compartment can be adjusted at the time of installation, as well as afterward by removing the organizer from the straps and going up one set of holes or down one set.\n\nWe decided to go up one set of holes afterward so it wouldnt hang down as far, which made the (tall) cup lean back toward the backseat passenger too much when it was lower. Also, when I initially installed it, I used the first set of holes to insert the rods in, because I felt like there would be extra strap material hitting my neck if I didn't on my particular cars seat.\n\nSomething I wish Id remembered while installing this was to put it on the passenger side, so when its just me in the car, I can just remove the organizer from the straps, swing the straps around to the front of the passenger seat and reattach the organizer to it. This would give me a little something extra to use to put my cup or whatever in this conveniently, and not in the awkwardly placed built-in cupholder of my small car.\n\nI find this to be a useful and well-conceived, nice quality little organizer for my car that serves its purpose well and lives up to its claims. See my photos for more detail (please ignore the pollen particles that have infiltrated everything in my car). Thanks for reading!\n\n*As an aside: When I tried to remove my headrest to slip this organizer on, I couldn't get it off for anything. Finally, after a quick search online, I learned (via popular video sharing site) that pretty much all headrest base caps feature little pinholes on them to insert a very sturdy paperclip to press an internal button and fully release the bar to remove the headrest. I simply pulled the headrest as far as it would normally go, insert the paperclip into the pinhole, then lift that side up; while still holding up that side so it wouldnt click back down, do the same on the other side. My headrest base features a little push-in clip on one side, so I pushed this in while pulling the headrest up after having released the other side via pinhole button release. If this is unclear, please leave your questions at the bottom of the review and Ill be glad to help if I can. (Its way easier than it sounds).","Product: Bright, vivid, non-toxic ink is quick-drying, smear-proof, easy to see from a distance, and provides consistent color quality. Whiteboard markers with durable, fine point tips for thin, detailed lines. Erases cleanly and easily with a dry cloth or Expo eraser. Ink is specially formulated to be low-odor. Perfect for use in classrooms, small offices, and homes. Made in the USA Expo 2 Low-Odor Dry Erase Markers, Fine Point, 4-Pack, Assorted Colors.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Please Help Me To Remember It All! (Works/Erases Great On Mirrors, Too)\n\nReview: I love these Expo Low Odor Fine Tip Dry Erase markers, they work great as expected and without the overwhelming odor that many dry erase markers have. I like the fine tip, it is a nice switch from the chunkier tips and I am able to write smaller yet quite legibly with these finer tips. The (ink) is consistently deep and exactly right. As long as the cap is securely replaced, these last a very long time without drying out.\n\nThe surface that I most often use these markers on is our master bathroom's mirror, which is not frequented by others. I still use sticky notes in other areas of our home, but for things that I am especially worried I may forget -(I have residual memory issues from a previous illness)- I use these primarily for the mirror that I use most often, where I am sure to see it. I keep one of these markers handy in this bathroom, where I can quickly make myself a little note right when I am thinking of it.\n\nI have never had any problems with staining or residue left behind on my mirror (or on my dry erase board) after wiping away (with a dry cloth, tissue or paper towel). I have left these \"mirror notes\" up as long as 3 weeks at a time, and every time the ink wipes away cleanly with no trace of my writing or any sort of mirror staining/damage whatsoever, even in the bathroom's steamy environment.\n\nAs far as what most people use these for, dry erase boards, this is the only brand I trust not to stain my board and it has never let me down with ink quality or erasability, and I happily recommend these markers.","Product: Paper Trimmer features: aluminum surface tripletrack rail design, compact and lightweight swing-out ruler and a durable blade carriage. Perfect for trimming digital photos, business cards, retail tags, invitations, presentation materials and more. Size: 12-inch. Made in China.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: 4 1/2 Stars--Good For The Price\n\nReview: I bought this Fiskars Scrapbooking Paper Trimmer several years ago, and have been surprised at the nice quality for such an inexpensive price. I use this mainly for trimming photos, but have used it in the past for business cards, invitations, small cards, craft-related projects, as well as making small booklets. While you can only do a few sheets of printer paper at a time, (in my experience, no more than 4-5 printing papers), it's been very useful for simple, small tasks. I have always gotten a clean cut with this, (until it was time to replace the track blade, which is to be expected). As of this writing, the track blade replacements are very cheap and easy to find. Replacing the track blade itself is very easy as well.\n\nThe swing-out arm beneath it is a nice little addition, but one I rarely use. My only issue with this trimmer is that the clearish-blue track/ruler in which the track blade rests could be clearer, as it is rather difficult for me to see through when working with blank, white paper. I'd give this 4 1/2 stars if I could, rather than the 4 star rating. Other than that small gripe, this trimmer has been a very handy tool and has served me well. Even with the small issue I mentioned, if you are looking for an inexpensive but nice quality (general purpose) trimmer, this is a good one to consider.","Product: M-301 Stainless Steel Mechanical Pencil - 9-Pack.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My Favorite Mechanical Pencils Because...\n\nReview: These M-301 Stainless Steel Mechanical Pencils are my favorite (mechanical) pencils for several reasons. I love the always-sharp lead point's fineness when writing in the small boxes of my planner, the words and numbers are crisp and clear, and haven't smudged or faded over time. I love the look, weight, and feel of the slim stainless steel barrel and the slightly textured black grip at the bottom. I use these also for very fine detail work in my art. I love not having to stop and sharpen my pencil in the middle of intricate work, and have had no problems erasing marks/mistakes from any of the various art papers I've used.\n\nThe capped, white eraser doesn't look like it would last the life of the lead, but surprisingly, it does. Just a few gentle sweeps of it over your mistake does the trick. Our children also enjoy these very much for math and other schoolwork where a pencil is needed. Finally, the nice, sturdy clip on this mechanical pencil is perfect for clipping within a planner/notebook, where it stays put until it's needed again. All in all, these are fantastic mechanical pencils and I recommend them to anyone looking for an inexpensive but high quality mechanical pencil that is a pleasure to use.","Product: VTech CS6429-4 4-Handset DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: WOW! Over 2 YEARS and STILL GOING STRONG!\n\nReview: We've had this set for over 2 years now, and we have not yet had any problems with any of it yet. We have not had to replace any of the batteries to date. I did follow the instructions to the T in fully charging each handset for the recommended amount of time. Also, we TRY to remember to always put them back on the charger(s) when we are finished talking, or at least within a few hours. This is the first phone set we've owned that we haven't had problems with the battery life. Besides this very important detail, the other reasons why I really like this are:\n\n-No problems with static;\n-Signal stays strong even after about 15 feet outside, which is about 25 feet from nearest base\n-Long, long talk time. Of course, when using the speaker option, talk time is reduced before needing to charge/switch handsets. The phone will alert you with beeping to let you know the battery is dying, and gives enough time to put on charger during conversation and switch to other handset;\n-Speaker option is plenty loud enough;\n-Digital answering system suits our needs, although I sometimes need to press the \"Delete\" button very hard (the design is weird, has a circular button into which the delete, play, skip and repeat buttons are integrated); I would have preferred simple buttons as opposed to the current design. I am used to it now, and all of the other features make it a non-issue for me;\n-Handsets are lightweight and bases take up minimal space;\n-Have placed phone on bathroom counter while showering so wouldn't miss important call and have had no problems from any moisture from the steam;\n-I enjoy all of the options in the manufacturer's product description, including the \"find handset\" feature when I realize one of us didn't put the phone back on the charger, the backlit features, the adjustable ring sounds, and address book built in to each handset;\n-Again, though, what I especially love the most is that the batteries have lasted as long as they have thus far. I don't know if it is because we didn't use any of the handsets until they had FULLY charged according to the manufacturer's instructions, or if we were just EXTREMELY fortunate.\nOverall, this set meets all of our needs and then some!\n\nYou cannot use these to call others in outer space.","Product: Sharpeners, double hole for pencils and colored pencils, 2 ea.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Pleasure To Use--Excellent Quality\n\nReview: I purchased these pencil sharpeners for the Staedtler colored pencils I bought, and these are absolutely the best handheld pencil sharpeners I have found. These are extremely well-made and have a very nice heft/weight to them. The blades are extremely sharp, as they should be, and do not chew up or break the lead in our art pencils. Sharpening pencils with this is very smooth and easy, and the end result is a nicely sharpened and even point. The double holes are great for regular and colored pencils, and eliminate the need to keep up with 2 different sharpeners for 2 different type pencils. These are a pleasure to use and I expect these sharpeners to last for years to come.","Product: With ABS technology for removing jammed documents - 50 x 3 mil hot pockets are included: 20 x 8,5*11, 15 x 4*6, 15 x 3*6\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Purple Cows Has Great Customer Service\n\nReview: I bought this exact model elsewhere to replace my tired, bulky and slow but still functioning laminator. I ran through a document which was on piece of printing paper, and it jammed. I unplugged it, and tried to forcibly remove it. I could not. Had I read the instructions prior to using it, I would have ran through a piece of cardstock beneath my pouched paper and prevented this issue to begin with. I had called the company (after 8pm) that Sunday evening, and left a message, as well as emailed them. The next morning, I received not only an email but also a phone call from Purple Cows. I told them what I had done, explaining exactly what had happened- (my own fault). To my suprise, the representative asked me for my address and told me that they would be shipping me out a brand new one at no cost to me. Remember, this was my own fault, the jamming--I had failed to read the instructions prior to using it. Sure enough, later that week my new Purple Cows laminator arrived. Now, when a company goes that far to make sure that I am pleased with their product, even if I was the one that made a mistake, that is a company that has my business, loyalty and recommendations. I would not hesitate to buy any Purple Cows product again, knowing that they offer excellence in customer service and satisfaction.\nThis little laminator takes up very little room, is kind of sleek and works wonderfully. Just remember to run through a piece of cardstock beneath flimsy or thin projects, and make sure you are guiding it through straight. I love my Purple Cows laminator and knowing it's made by a company that stands behind their products.","Product: Looking for high-quality wireless performance, ease of use, and high-quality low-cost ink in an affordable printer? Meet the KODAK ESP C315 All-in-One Printer. A big, beautiful 2.4\" color display and effortless Wi-Fi connection to your wireless home network1 make printing simple. And with low cost total ink replacement our expanded line of KODAK Pigment-Based, 30 Series Inks help you save on everything you print. Of course, legendary Kodak quality means crisp, sharp text documents, brilliant graphics, and photos that dry instantly and last a lifetime. For easy excellence at a great value, look no further than Kodak.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not A Great Printer, But Great Customer Support, UPDATES\n\nReview: WIRELESS FUNCTION: \"Iffy\"-- worked fine connecting for a room in our home much further away from the router, with more obstacles, (that room's pc OS is Windows 7) but would not complete final connection step for a room much closer to router with less obstacles (that room's pc OS is Vista) weird; however, the ability to print remotely is extremely handy;\nCLOUD FUNCTION: My husband uses an iPhone, and he has raved about the convenience of the \"cloud\";\nPRINT QUALITY: just okay, really bad if printhead is faulty/defective; (please see my photos)\nEASE OF ACCESS TO REPLACE INK CARTRIDGES: Very easy, just lift the hood and lift out old/slip in new; (please see my photos)\nTIME BETWEEN NEEDING TO CHANGE THE 2 INK CARTRIDGES: Using the draft quality more often than the normal quality, the time between needing to change the black cartridge has been frequent, the color less frequent--it seems to drink up the ink quicker than my old HP Deskjet F4440, which is older technology;\nSCANNING OPTION:This has worked consistently well with no problems;\nCOPY OPTION: This also has worked consistently well with no problems;\nLED DISPLAY: Bright, easy to read and adjustable;\nNOISE LEVEL WHEN PRINTING: Suprisingly, this is louder than we expected, not a quiet printer;\nKODAK CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Very good! We didn't have to jump through hoops to get support for what is apparently a faulty printer head, and they are going to send us out a replacement printhead at no charge to us, so I am pleased to say that our experience with Kodak customer support has been a positive one.\n\nOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PRINTER:\n I purchased this printer spur of the moment when it was on sale in a brick and mortar store about 8 months ago with pretty high hopes. I loved the idea of wireless printing, and with the Kodak name, I felt I would be able to print out some pretty high-quaility photos that I had been taking. When I had tried to the wireless function up in my art studio, which is about 30 feet from the router, with only one corner between it and the printer...our network was detected, but this printer never would connect. I followed the directions, and then the troubleshooting steps, but after an hour I was just too frustrated to give it another try. My husband decided to put it in his office, which is about 60 feet away between the router and his office, but was able to wirelessly connect right away. Since then, there have been no problems with it maintaining a good connection. Something we really love about this printer is our children can easily print their homework wirelessly with this printer. My husband loves the cloud features and has found this function to be very handy.\nThe print quality of photos has been just okay, nothing especially great, always using the genuine Kodak ink cartridges, which kind of suprised both of us. However, he uses this primarily for documents with only a small amount of images, so he was satisfied that it printed those out okay.\n However, about a month ago, the print quality greatly deteriorated, leaving reds looking pink, yellow barely printing out, and some portions of the page missing ink. After having replaced the ink cartridges, doing the alignments, cleaning the print heads, last night, we went to the Kodak customer support site, found the printer's model number (ESP C315) and issue (poor print quality) from the drop down menu on the troubleshooting site, then followed the simple troubleshooting steps, At the end of it, the troubleshooter displayed that there is an issue with the printer that cannot be fixed by us, would we like to contact customer support, gave us a referral number, and the chat or email option.\nWe chose the chat option, and after answering a few questions, the support person told us that the printhead had a defect, and they would be sending a new printhead at no charge to us. The support person sent us an email verifiying everything. This morning, we were sent an email stating that this printhead is currently out of stock, but it would be delivered to us as soon as it was available.*SEE UPDATE BELOW*\n\nIN CONCLUSION: While I would not buy this particular printer again or highly recommend it, I would certainly consider buying another Kodak printer (after doing research, and reading others' reviews) because I have found that the Kodak customer support was courteous and willing to replace what they concluded was a faulty printhead (at no charge or hassle to us 8 months after we purchased this printer). I didn't have to dig out my receipt or jump through any hoops, the Kodak support person seemed earnest in wanting to be sure we were satisfied. That (good customer support) is very important to me and keeps me open and willing to buy another product from a company that backs their products and is willing to send out whatever is necessary to remedy the issue at hand.\n\n*UPDATE*: True to their word, Kodak sent us an email notification today that the replacement printhead has been shipped, only 2 days after the email stating that it was out of stock, but would be sent as soon as it became available. As I stated in my earlier review, I would certainly consider buying another Kodak product, as the customer service is hassle-free and true to their word if a problem with the product should occur. Also, if we find that the print quality is better with the new printhead is better than the regular print quality that we had up until the printouts became clearly defective, I will be sure to come back and *update this review and stars to reflect that, as I can't help but wonder if we never experienced great quality in our print jobs because the printhead that came with the machine was never fully up to snuff to begin with.\n\n*SECOND UPDATE: The printhead replacement arrived within a week of first contacting Kodak support, even with the delay for the out of stock status, and it was super easy to take out the old printhead and putting in the new replacement one. We did not find, however, that the print quality was any better than the quality of the print jobs before any of the problems began. I am very impressed with Kodak support's easy, courteous and prompt customer support and because of that, would consider buying another (but different model) printer from them in the future. So, still 3 stars for our experience with the printer, but 5 stars for Kodak customer support.\n\n*UPDATE: While I received excellent customer service-(via chat) someone else informed me that their experience with customer service as well as the replacement printhead was poor. Also, upon further online research, it appears that it is not uncommon to have issues relating to this printer's printhead.","Product: Rockford's 1400 PSI Electric Pressure Washer is an affordable pressure washer that delivers superior quality at an extremely low price. This pressure washer is lightweight, compact, and perfect for use in home and automotive applications. This pressure washer delivers 1400 PSI/1.4 GPM. This affordable pressure washer includes a 3-piece car care kit, 32-foot power cord with GFCI, quick connector, 20-foot high pressure hose, dirt blaster, and jet-fan spray gun.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Suits Our Well-Water Restrictions And Siding/Deck Cleaning Needs\n\nReview: I bought this primarily because we needed a pressure washer for occasional use with a PSI under 1500 due to the fact that we have well water and need to pay special attention to our water usage so we don't run our well dry with this in conjunction with our present water usage within the home (showers, laundry, dishes, etc.) We use this to pressure wash the siding of our house and to clean the deck every now and then, and it has worked quite well for us. We also like that this has the little (cleaning agent) dispenser option. This pressure washer wouldn't be good for heavy duty jobs aimed very high up, but that's to be expected with a 1400 PSI. It's been handy to have and well, it does do exactly what we bought it for and does it well, (especially considering the lower end of the scale PSI). The 3-piece car care kit is a nice little addition, but what we especially like about it is that it has worked for us and improved the look of the exterior of our home and deck without causing any problems with our well's water supply or function.\n\nOverall, we were pleased with this purchase and are getting some good use out of it.","Product: Your cat will love exploring the mysterious Crackle Chute tunnel that crackles with every step! The side opening is perfect for hide-and-seek and playing chase with other cats. It can also be used for agility training for small dogs. Lightweight and collapsible, the Crackle Chute offers portable fun and stores away easily when playtime is over. The Crackle Chute also helps satisfy your cats instinctual need for independence. SmartyKat gives pet parents the best of all worlds: innovative products, stylish designs, environmental responsibility, and exceptional value with a variety of toys to meet a cats need for play, scratching, wellness, rest, and fun! A member of the Worldwise family of pet products, SmartyKat is grounded in the principles of pet safety, customer satisfaction, and environmental responsibility. SmartyKat products are designed to meet or exceed all applicable safety standards. They are then tested against those standards to ensure they meet our strict quality and safety requirements ensuring theyre safe for all members of your family. SmartyKat offers a complete satisfaction guarantee. If a customer is dissatisfied with a SmartyKat product for any reason, they will replace it or refund it.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent Addition to Parkour Routine~As Told By the Kitteh\n\nReview: Pet Parent's Viewpoint: Our recently adopted 8 1/2 month old \"kitteh\" loves this even more than we expected. At first, she tentatively stepped a little paw in it, testing it, then ventured in when we dangled one of her favorite wand toys in the top opening of the chute. After that, she seemed to get a kick out of the \"crackliness\" of this and would run in and out, in and out, stop, stick her head out of the top, hide, and so on. She really enjoys this, and we enjoy knowing she has something that is self-interactive when needed, and a new added element to our playtime together.\n\nAs told by the \"kitteh\": I was very excited when my pet parents had gotten me a new cardboard box, right there on our doorstep. I was having so much fun with it after my people lifted out the stuff that was in my way. While in my new box, I heard a loud noise, and of course, went to investigate. After I had sufficiently sniffed and rubbed my scent on this object, I found that this is a special crackly hidey tunnel that is most excellent to add into my daily parkour skill routine, especially with the opening at the top, perfect to jump into and out of, showcasing my mad agility skills. I also found that it is a terrific place to stalk my meowmie's ankle as she walks by, enabling me to keep my stealth skills sharp, sharp like my claws. One of my most favorite features of this loudly crackling tunnel is that when my parents are staring at something other than me, such as a \"book,\" \"TV,\" or \"tablet\" all I have to do is run through this, and they are looking at me again, as they should.","Product: Serve Purina Beyond Simply Salmon & Whole Brown Rice Recipe adult dry cat food to your feline companion, and know exactly what ingredients are going into her dish at mealtime. Real salmon is the #1 ingredient in this dry cat food recipe, and every ingredient is purposely chosen by our in-house pet nutritionists. When working together, these ingredients deliver natural nutrition plus essential nutrients to help your cat live a full, healthy life by your side. The formula is crafted without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives so she gets the nourishment she deserves and nothing she doesn't. We believe that when we connect with what's natural, we connect with what's good in food, and that's why this premium cat food is made with real, recognizable ingredients you know and trust. For a tasty experience she'll treasure time and again, offer your feline companion a natural cat food that meets all of your ingredient criteria when you fill her dish with this Purina Beyond recipe.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: We Use This As Treats For Our Cat\n\nReview: Our cat just loves this stuff, but we typically give her the Purina Indoor Cat formula as her main food and give her this as treats, or simply to top off her Purina Indoor Formula Cat Chow. She thinks these are treats, but they are healthier for her and more cost-effective for us (although we still get a bag of treats for her here and there).\n\nThe first time she had this, she made gasping sounds she ate it so fast and we're pretty sure she didn't chew it properly. To solve that, we give her only a few kibbles at a time, and spread them out so she has to take her time. She's had no problems with it causing any digestive issues, so we plan on continuing to buy this along with her regular cat chow.","Product: A \"wall\" organizer designed to hold various household objects with handles of varying thickness. To use this floor mop holder, simply insert a handle into a slot and a rounded, gravity controlled, rolling ball automatically adjusts to the handle's thickness and grips it securely for the ultimate storage solution. Use this broom utility holder the laundry, garage, garden, utility room, offices, and more.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Works Well For Our Purposes\n\nReview: Although this product works well for our purposes, I found that it does not hold the broom, Swiffer, or other long-poled items at the point on the pole in which I put them in. They always slide down to the tip, or cap of the actual pole. Were it not for the capping at the end of the pole/handle, they would slide right through. However, that being said, fortunately, I happened to position the Evriholder Magic Holder at just the right height for this to not be an issue. Also, the fact that all of my floor sweepers have a cap at the end of them, as most nowadays do, keeps them from falling out and thus for us, makes it a good purchase. It is important to note, that in most walls you will need to pre-drill 3 holes in order to put the wall (butterfly/stabilizers?) in. This was not too much trouble and will help prevent the Holder tearing away from the wall with repeated use. Just keep in mind that when you are positioning where to mount it onto your wall, that you want to have it high enough to allow for very possible slippage of the pole to the end cap. Finally, it looks nice on the wall for what it is, and keeps the floor sweepers and accessories organized, off of the floor and out of the way.\n\nThis product does not have magical properties.","Product: GE 30-Watt - 70-Watt - 100-Watt Soft White 3-Way A21 #97493. Use original GE's Soft White when you need a light without glare and harsh shadows. Specifically designed for 3-way lamps in your home or office, GE 3-way bulbs offer a range of light levels. Choose the low light setting for energy savings, higher settings for general and activity lighting. Choose the low light setting for energy savings, higher settings for general and activity lighting.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Occasional Dud, But I Still Like It\n\nReview: I buy these (hard-to-find) bulbs specifically for my bedside 3-way reading lamp. I prefer this incandescent lighting at 30 watts before going to bed while reading a book, as well as the ability to use my bedside lamp as alternate, higher wattage lighting during other hours. I find that because my lamp is close to me, the 30 watt setting is fine for book-reading, while still being soft enough to help me to wind down and settle to sleep. The 70 and 100 watt settings are nicely bright as expected.\n\nThe reason for a 4 star rating rather than 5 is because I've bought many of these throughout the years, and it seems like I get a dud that burns out too quickly (within a month) every 3rd or 4th bulb. It might happen when switching between wattages or just turning on my lamp. I don't flip through my switch carelessly and don't think it's my lamp, I do think it's these bulbs. However, incandescent bulbs in general are getting harder to find, and this particular 30/70/100 wattage is especially difficult for me to find, so I'll take what I can get. Overall, I like it and plan on continuing to buy these while they are available. Thanks for reading!","Product: Elegant and easy, the Indoor/Outdoor Elephant Ceiling Hook (Bronze) from Hangman installs in under a minute. No drilling or pilot hole is necessary. Simply screw in the self-drilling, double-headed Bear Claw Hanger. Snap the elephant hook in place. Swivel to the desired angle and allow the weight of your item to lock into place.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Sturdy, Swiveling and Secure Ceiling Hanger\n\nReview: This Elephant Hook Ceiling Hanger is very sturdy and bigger than I anticipated even after reading the size/dimensions in the product description prior to buying. But, that is actually one of the things that I have appreciated about it. I had purchased this to hang a patio tealight chandelier, except I hung it indoors in preparation for our daughter's Sweet Sixteen some while back, which we've opted to leave up for a while longer to continue to enjoy it. We use LED tealights in the chandelier, so that means frequently needing to reach up there and manually turn them on, which means we are putting some stress on the chandelier itself. Because this hook swivels, that helps to make this task much easier. We were fortunate enough to have a stud right where we wanted to place this (12-15 lb) chandelier, so my husband decided it would be quite sturdy enough with the screw only and without the included plastic anchor.\n\nIn addition to the metal chandelier, we have tulle and artificial vines running through the hook, and have had no problems with it's stability or strength. I chose the white hanger because our ceiling is white, and I didn't want the hook itself to stand out. This hanger is very sturdy and one that I would not hesitate to buy again if I ever need to hang anything of any substantial weight from the ceiling again.","Product: Coloring pencils are the fundamental tools of any budding artist. They are easy to use and produce quality color without the mess of wax or ink. These pencils give young artists and crafters smooth, art quality textures of almost every shade one would need for a beautiful and lasting picture in a more compact size. Each pencil is pre-sharpened so they can be used right out of the box, has long lasting colored lead and is made of real wood to make it resistant to easy breaking under pressure. Each pencil is small enough to fit in any sized pencil case for quick and convenient use, or store them in the handy package to keep them all safe and secure. Mini colored pencils are perfect for either home or school use.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Okay For General Everyday Stuff\n\nReview: I bought these for our children for general doodling and shading in minor projects, and for those purposes these are fine. However, these are not particularly suitable for serious art, such as fine art competitions or major projects. The variety of colors is good, but the depth of color is very light and not heavily pigmented or rich-looking. But, for general, everyday use with a wide spectrum of colors, these are okay. This would be a nice starter set for someone to practice their coloring in/shading techniques before moving on to a higher quality but more expensive set of colored pencils. Not bad, not great, just okay. I'd give 3 1/2 stars if I could, because of the variety of colors in this set.","Product: ONE DOZEN (12)Brand New Canvas PEACE SIGN Tote bags. They measure 8.5\" tall x 8.5\" wide and have coordinating nylon handles These are a nice size for taking a sandwich and drink to work and would also be great as Party Favor Goody Bags. Peace sign is on one side only.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Well-Liked Party Favor Bag\n\nReview: We purchased these for a birthday party as favor bags, which are also great party favors in and of themselves. The colors are rich and vibrant, and I was suprised at how well made and sturdy these are for the price point. And, these are things that will actually get used after the party's over and do wear well after much use. Not only are these great for a child's birthday party, but also a pre-teen's or teen's party. Or for some really free-spirited lighthearted women, this would be a fun little thing to stash in some cosmetic samples, or fragrance samples, and so on. While they are not big, (8 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches), they make a fun impact and can be good to keep sunglasses, a (smaller) paperback and a water bottle in within a larger beach tote. These were a hit at our party and these certainly beat out paper or plastic goodie bags for fun factor and usefulness any day!","Product: Where can you find Barbie when she isn’t out on the town or by the beach? In her Barbie ZipBin 40 Doll Dream House Toy Box & Playmat of course! This beautiful mansion doubles as a storage bin for Barbie dolls and accessories, then unzips to unveil the elegant home interior where you, Barbie and friends can play. Ages 3+. ZipBin Products - Keep it Together. BARBIE and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel, Inc. 2017 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Useful For Storage, Fun as a Small Barbie Playmat for Younger Children\n\nReview: We bought this as well as some more Barbie dolls for a sweet little 4 year old Barbie fan. I love storage items that can do double-duty and was intrigued by the fact that not only was this a storage bin for her Barbies, but that it also could be unzipped and converted into a playmat of sorts for pretend play. Our young friend has enjoyed this as her little Barbie playmat, and her Mom has enjoyed the fact that this is a fun-looking (lidded) storage bin for easy clean-up, and capable of holding several Barbies and accessories when play time is over.\n\nThe zippers are well-made, but younger children may require some assistance to help get this properly zipped up, at least until they get the hang of it. The box and lid are suprisingly sturdy to hold up to normal wear and tear, but not to put any great weight on the top of the zipped-up box. I like that all of the surfaces are easily wipe-able and the box itself is cute enough to leave out in the child's bedroom or play area.\n\nThis Barbie ZipBin as a playmat is fun for younger children as well as useful for keeping their Barbie toys put away neatly. It was a good purchase, I'm glad I bought it.","Product: My Little Pony ponies live in a fun-filled world of friendship! The ponies love spending time together and learning all about each other!\n\nThis is perfect for travel!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Super Gift for My Little Pony Fans\n\nReview: I got this as a gift for a couple of My Little Pony fans, and they absolutely loved them! They had been trying to collect each of the ponies for some time, but were still missing quite a few. Of course, this package comes with the 12 ponies, (six of them special edition) as well as a 2 sided card behind each figurine that has the name, picture of the character on it, and as a description of that pony. They like having the collector's cards as well. It would have been great if I could have found this set with the ponies having brushable hair like some of the larger ones, but these fans didn't seem to mind one bit that it was all completely hard plastic. The ponies are really cute, and I was so glad to have found this on Amazon!","Product: This is a first-hand account of China's cultural revolution. Nien Cheng, an anglophile and fluent English-speaker who worked for Shell in Shanghai under Mao, was put under house arrest by Red Guards in 1966 and subsequently jailed. All attempts to make her confess to the charges of being a British spy failed; all efforts to indoctrinate her were met by a steadfast and fearless refusal to accept the terms offered by her interrogators. When she was released from prison she was told that her daughter had committed suicide. In fact Meiping had been beaten to death by Maoist revolutionaries.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Heartbreaking But Important Book\n\nReview: I read this book a while back upon the recommendation of a friend, and I have not turned any book recommendation down from her since. \"Life and Death in Shanghai\" is written in such a way that I quickly became lost in a horrific era of China's past, as if seen through Nien Cheng's eyes, as if heard from her voice, so descriptive, yet without excess.\n\nWhile this is not an easy read regarding the atrocities, suffering and human nature at some of it's ugliest, the story needed to be told, and needs to be read by anyone who is interested in learning more not only about this part of China's history, but also about the diverse ways that we, as human beings, can react when thrust into insane, cruel and depraved conditions.\nUnder day-in-day-out terrifying circumstances, physical, mental and emotional abuses and pressures, Nien Cheng manages to survive both in body and mind, with a broken heart, but not a broken spirit, as she shares this part of her life with the world with eloquence, painful honesty, and grace."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Jam on and on (and on) with the same premium acoustic guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string. This protects not only the outer string surface but also the gaps between the windings where common tone-deadening gunk typically builds up in other brands coated and uncoated guitar strings. Anti-Rust Plating on plain steel strings ensures longer tone life for the entire set. Who wouldnt love more quality playing time between the hassle and cost of string changes? Crafted to last, these acoustic strings constructed with 80/20 (80% copper, 20% zinc) bronze wrap wire boast a warm, robust tone that sounds played-in right out of the pack while still retaining a remarkably clear mid-range presence. The POLYWEB Coating brings a soft, slick, and fast feel to the playing experience. For a more traditionally textured, uncoated feel, try our ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating. The 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating, for example, might be a good fit, especially if youre also looking for a crisper, brighter, and more vibrant tone. For strings that strike a dynamic balance between full-bodied tone and sparkling high-end clarity, our Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings deliver exactly that alongside our NANOWEB Coatings more traditional feel. Of course, the kind of string you play is all a matter of personal preference. Not sure what tone or feel is right for you? Try them out for yourself, and find your new favorite string from Elixir Strings. For a more in-depth look at what makes our strings so special, scroll to the branded info further down the page. Elixir Strings: Great tone. Long life.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My Fingers' FAVORITE Strings\\n\\nReview: A much more experienced guitarist I knew recommended these strings to me when I first began playing guitar. At the time, I had used D'Addario strings, but took my friend's advice and began using these. I haven't used any other kind of strings since then. I used to practice/play for at least an hour daily back then, and these strings held up very well. Also, as others have stated, these are much easier on the fingers, the \\\"squeaking\\\" is greatly lessened, and the tone is very pleasant. My preferred method of playing guitar is fingerstyle/fingerpicking, as opposed to strumming, and the wear and tear on my picking fingers was greatly reduced. And, I have found that these last a good long while for both kinds of guitarists (daily and non-daily) based on my own personal experience when I played quite often, to not as much (now). When I do pick my guitar back up, it is almost always still in tune. For a person who doesn't play that often, (like me), again, these have the added benefit of being easier on the fingers, great for fingerstyle/fingerpicking, or when your fingerpad callouses are fading away due to infrequent playing.\",\n \"Product: Jam on and on (and on) with the same premium acoustic guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string. This protects not only the outer string surface but also the gaps between the windings where common tone-deadening gunk typically builds up in other brands coated and uncoated guitar strings. Anti-Rust Plating on plain steel strings ensures longer tone life for the entire set. Who wouldnt love more quality playing time between the hassle and cost of string changes? Crafted to last, these acoustic strings constructed with 80/20 (80% copper, 20% zinc) bronze wrap wire boast a warm, robust tone that sounds played-in right out of the pack while still retaining a remarkably clear mid-range presence. The POLYWEB Coating brings a soft, slick, and fast feel to the playing experience. For a more traditionally textured, uncoated feel, try our ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating. The 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating, for example, might be a good fit, especially if youre also looking for a crisper, brighter, and more vibrant tone. For strings that strike a dynamic balance between full-bodied tone and sparkling high-end clarity, our Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings deliver exactly that alongside our NANOWEB Coatings more traditional feel. Of course, the kind of string you play is all a matter of personal preference. Not sure what tone or feel is right for you? Try them out for yourself, and find your new favorite string from Elixir Strings. For a more in-depth look at what makes our strings so special, scroll to the branded info further down the page. Elixir Strings: Great tone. Long life.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My Fingers' FAVORITE Strings\\n\\nReview: A much more experienced guitarist I knew recommended these strings to me when I first began playing guitar. At the time, I had used D'Addario strings, but took my friend's advice and began using these. I haven't used any other kind of strings since then. I used to practice/play for at least an hour daily back then, and these strings held up very well. Also, as others have stated, these are much easier on the fingers, the \\\"squeaking\\\" is greatly lessened, and the tone is very pleasant. My preferred method of playing guitar is fingerstyle/fingerpicking, as opposed to strumming, and the wear and tear on my picking fingers was greatly reduced. And, I have found that these last a good long while for both kinds of guitarists (daily and non-daily) based on my own personal experience when I played quite often, to not as much (now). When I do pick my guitar back up, it is almost always still in tune. For a person who doesn't play that often, (like me), again, these have the added benefit of being easier on the fingers, great for fingerstyle/fingerpicking, or when your fingerpad callouses are fading away due to infrequent playing.\",\n \"Product: Features: Full Color Display rotates 360 degrees for easy viewing \\\"Stay Put\\\" Clip High Sensitivity Vibration Sensor Tuner can be used on front or back of headstock to accommodate left of right-handed players\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Reliable, Convenient and Easy-To-See!\\n\\nReview: This tuner works very well not only for my daughter's ukulele and mandolin, but also for our acoustic guitars and banjo. I love the small form and accuracy, but most of all, the easy-to-see display. I don't have to strain my eyes to know to see if I need to tune higher or lower, because the red color shows for too low, yellow for too high, and green for just right (in tune). This is especially helpful when I'm trying to do alternative tuning, which I will never learn by ear. The gripper rubber has stayed on well, the clipping action has never lost its strength, and it is my favorite tuner we've had thus far for our stringed instruments tuning needs.\\n\\nAfter having this a couple of years, it's now time to replace the battery, (CR2032 Lithium 3 volt), but after comparing the cost of a package of 4 batteries and a new tuner, I'm debating just getting another tuner and get a pack of batteries later for the one we currently have and getting more batteries later. Anyway, I love this little tuner, it's small, accurate, easy-to-see and reliable. Thanks for reading!\",\n \"Product: Prolong your tone with the same acoustic guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string. This protects not only the outer string surface but also the gaps between the windings where common tone-deadening gunk typically builds up in other brands coated and uncoated guitar strings. Anti-Rust Plating on plain steel strings ensures longer tone life for the entire set. Who wouldnt love more quality playing time between the hassle and cost of string changes? Premium by design, these acoustic strings constructed with 80/20 (80% copper, 20% zinc) bronze wrap wire boast a crisp, bright tone with an expressive, vibrant presence. Compared to our original POLYWEB Coating, the ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating allows a more traditionally textured, uncoated feel. The HD Light gauge option you're looking at now, originally developed with Taylor Guitars for their Grand Concert and Grand Auditorium models, is an expertly unique set of gauges for all sorts of guitars, exuding a balanced voice across the strings that's bold and articulate on the high end without sacrificing a rich, full low end. For a slicker, gentler feel, try the original POLYWEB Coating on our 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Strings, which also feature a more robust and rounded tone. For more of a balance between bold and bright, our Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating deliver full-bodied tone and sparkling high-end clarity alongside the same traditional feel as these 80/20 bronze strings. Of course, the kind of string you play is all a matter of personal preference. Not sure what tone or feel is right for you? Try them out for yourself, and find your new favorite string from Elixir Strings. For a more in-depth look at what makes our strings so special, scroll to the branded info further down the page. Elixir Strings: Great tone. Long life.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My Fingers' FAVORITE Strings\\n\\nReview: A much more experienced guitarist I knew recommended these strings to me when I first began playing guitar. At the time, I had used D'Addario strings, but took my friend's advice and began using these. I haven't used any other kind of strings since then. I used to practice/play for at least an hour daily back then, and these strings held up very well. Also, as others have stated, these are much easier on the fingers, the \\\"squeaking\\\" is greatly lessened, and the tone is very pleasant. My preferred method of playing guitar is fingerstyle/fingerpicking, as opposed to strumming, and the wear and tear on my picking fingers was greatly reduced. And, I have found that these last a good long while for both kinds of guitarists (daily and non-daily) based on my own personal experience when I played quite often, to not as much (now). When I do pick my guitar back up, it is almost always still in tune. For a person who doesn't play that often, (like me), again, these have the added benefit of being easier on the fingers, great for fingerstyle/fingerpicking, or when your fingerpad callouses are fading away due to infrequent playing.\",\n \"Product: The original, dermatologist-recommended basis soap with soothing chamomile for the purest, mildest clean ever. This very caring, ultra pure formula does more than clean sensitive skin. Natural calming agents chamomile and aloe vera soothe and comfort skin.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wonderfully Soothes, Calms and Gently Cleanses Skin\\n\\nReview: I most often use a tea tree soap, but whenever my skin begins feeling overly dry, chafed or fussy, I switch over to this for a few days and it soothes and calms my sensitive skin. This is also an excellent soap to use when needing a super-gentle and non-irritating cleanser for painful sunburned, windburned as well as razor-burned skin. I try to keep at least one of these Basis Sensitive Skin Bars in the house at all times, it is the most gentle soap that I have ever used.\\n\\nAdditionally, I discovered this after my youngest daughter experienced eczema a few years back, and this was the only soap at this price point that didn't further irritate it (Cetaphil was the other brand). It is also difficult to find an unscented soap that truly is unscented, but this one has no discernible scent. Basis Sensitive Skin Bar is every bit as good as it's advertised to be!\",\n \"Product: Gorilla Tape has taken duct tape to a new level. This double thick adhesive tape surpasses ordinary duct tapes, making the list of uses virtually endless. Made with double thick adhesive, strong reinforced backing, and a tough all-weather shell, its the biggest, strongest, toughest thing ever to happen to duct tape. Gorilla Tape is manufactured with a highly concentrated rubber based adhesive two to three times as thick as traditional duct tape. The result is a tape that fills gaps and penetrates rough surfaces. It sticks to rough and uneven surfaces, including wood, stone, stucco and brick, that ordinary duct tapes can't hold. To us, its made the way tape should be: The Toughest on Planet Earth. Directions: Use like any other tape. Tear Gorilla Tape by hand or cut to size with a knife or scissors. It is important to clean the surface and brush off any loose particles and dirt before applying Gorilla Tape. Apply the tape carefully, smoothing out any pockets or rolls. Thats it. Enjoy the strength and durability of Gorilla Tape! To retain adhesive quality, store Gorilla Tape in a cool, dry place. Keep out of direct sunlight. Try storing the tape vertically (rather than laying flat), on a hook or on wax paper. If you have multiple rolls, keep your excess supply wrapped until theyre needed. Gorilla Tape works best at temperatures above 32F (0C). For best results, always apply the tape at room temperature. If Gorilla Tape freezes, it will work just fine once it returns to room temperature. Gorilla Tape can be removed, but with some difficulty and it may leave some residue. To remove any excess residue, we recommend using the tape itself as a blotter. Gorilla Tape should not be used as an electrical tape. Weve found that Gorilla Tape will last a lot longer than regular duct tapes when it comes in contact with moisture. Click on the Gorilla link at the top of this page to see other quality products from the Gorilla Glue Company.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Dependable, Multi-Use Gorilla Tape\\n\\nReview: I keep a roll of this Gorilla Tape in our home at all times. I have successfully used it to temporarily repair a garden hose, wrapped this several times around a pipe with a small leak, adhered this (double-siding the tape) behind a loose headlight fixture to keep in it in place until I could take it in for repair, covered cracks in storage totes, as well as so many other things over the years.\\n\\nIt's been a great help and has become a faithful standby in rigging stuff until I could replace it or repair it, saving me money/buying me time until I could get (whatever) repaired, or in the case with storage totes in our basement, saved me the cost of replacing some old totes, (they are hidden and out of the way so the look of the tape on them doesn't bother me).\\n\\nThis black tape is super sticky and strong, (think duct tape on some serious steroids), seems slightly thicker than traditional, inexpensive silver duct tape- yet I am still able to tear a piece off with no problem. Also, as in the case with the storage totes, it hasn't deteriorated or gotten gummy like duct tape can over time.\\n\\nOf note, a few years back, there was an article in Popular Mechanics of this tape when compared to others, and it was the clear winner over the other similar/popular tape. In our home, this Gorila tape has been and still remains a clear winner and I highly recommend this!\",\n \"Product: FOR SENSITIVE TOOTH\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Dentist-Recommended For A Reason- NO MORE PAIN\\n\\nReview: My dentist recommended this toothpaste to me for my seriously senstive teeth and weak enamel for a reason--IT WORKS! I was fully expecting him to write me some sort of Rx for a prescription, but he recommended this, telling me that this works quite well and to give it a try. I did, and ever since that day for years, I have been using this and buying the 3-packs so that I won't run out. Since I am the only person in my family with this issue, I am the only one who uses it (2 to 4 times daily), and a 3 pack lasts a good, long time (many months).\\n\\nThe minty flavor in this anti-cavity (and acid protection) fluoride toothpaste is not too strong, but also not overly mild, just an expected, typical mint flavor. It leaves my teeth feeling clean and smooth, and my breath (minty) fresh. Most importantly, it keeps me from having pain when anything very cold or hot touch my teeth WHILE it strengthens my enamel to boot! I haven't had to use straws with every very cold drink anymore, I can even bite into and enjoy a frozen treat whenever I want without pain!\\n\\n*For Grave's Disease/Hyperthyroidism sufferers: since calcium is leeched from our teeth and bones with this disease, this toothpaste helps to give some extra protection to teeth on the outside. I highly recommend this as heartily as my dentist who is familiar with the Grave's Disease/Hyperthyroidism condition and it's effects on teeth.*\\n\\nThanks for reading!\",\n \"Product: Spray on the penetrating blue foam and the power of stain fighting OxiClean works on contact. When the foam turns white, just wipe and rinse. Removes soap scum, soil, hard water stains, calcium, lime, grease and grime. Fresh citrus scent with no fumes.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Effective Cleaner with a Great Scent\\n\\nReview: I picked up a 2-pack of this bathroom cleaner when my normal brand, SC Johnson Scrubbing Bubbles, was not in stock at the store I was shopping in. I have never used this brand before, but I thought I'd give it a try as the price was reasonable and I thought the color foam action was an interesting concept.\\n\\nBefore first using this, I gave the can a few good shakes, then sprayed the foam in our tub. The color that came out was more like a purple than a blue, which was nice for me because I like purple, but then it immediately turned white before I was finished spraying. I thought it would take a bit longer to turn white, as the concept is, \\\"turns white when it's clean,\\\" but to me that was no biggie. I just let it sit a minute before wiping and rinsing off. It appears to clean my tub, sink, toilet, etc. just as well as my regular Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner. I prefer this cleaner's scent (a light, clean, refreshing scent) over my regular, more expensive cleaner.\\n\\nAs a side note, Scrubbing Bubbles has changed it's basic spray design (simple push-down spray head) to a plastic capped spray head which leaves my spray finger a bit sore, as I have to press down very hard to get it to spray properly. I think this is a bad move and flawed design on SC Johnson's part, and one which will likely cause me to switch over to Kaboom's Bathroom Cleaner.\\n\\nAll in all, I am pleased with this Kaboom Bathroom Cleaner, for the scent, the cleaning ability as well as the basic spray nozzle and will be buying more after I run out of my 2 pack, and I recommend this.\",\n \"Product: Camco RV White Refrigerator Bars are designed to keep order in your RV refrigerator during travel. They are spring loaded to keep items in place. These refrigerator bars extend from 10 to 17\\\".\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Works Great in our Side by Side Fridge's Freezer\\n\\nReview: I actually use these in the freezer section of our (full-sized) side by side refrigerator to keep heavy frozen things from falling off the (poorly designed) freezer shelving and onto the tops of our feet/toes. I've had these in the freezer for almost 2 weeks so far, and have not had any trouble with these slipping due to freezer moisture yet, which I was initially concerned about prior to using these. I have them no more than 1 inch above each shelf, just enough to give us a bit of a ledge, but still enough room to reach in and pull out what we need.\\n\\nThe sizing of these is accurate, and the spring in these is very strong while the outer portion is very sturdy when in place and finished with nice, thick end caps. I am so glad I took a chance on these, they are well-made and have been such a helper in the freezer. Thanks for reading!\",\n \"Product: This Complete Calligraphy Set Includes: 4 Calligraphy Brushes 5in Long 1 Ceramic Bowl with Dragon Design for Ink 1 Ceramic container with Ink Pad for Stamp 1 Ceramic Calligraphy Brush Stand 1 Ink Stick 1 Ink Stone 1 Stamp Stone (Soap Stone) Everything fits into a compact design elegant Shell Shape Box, Measures: 8.5"x5.75"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Very Nice Beginner's Set\\n\\nReview: I have really enjoyed this Chinese calligraphy writing and brush painting/sumi set for practicing my Chinese calligraphy/Kanji, as well as using this in my art. It is true that the brushes included (just slightly over 5\\\" from end to end) are shorter than more traditional brushes, (I expected this with the given dimensions of the case), but for a beginner, this is a really nice set to start out with. The case is attractive enough to leave sitting out when not in use, and I like the ink grinding process, which allows me to increase or decrease the intensity of the pigment according to my needs. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for an inexpensive but nice beginner's Chinese calligraphy set.\",\n \"Product: Value Series Acrylic Paints like Liquitex BASICS are formulated to offer dependable standards of performance at a more affordable cost. Liquitex BASICS Acrylic Paint is developed for students and artists that need quality at outstanding value. Each color is uniquely formulated to bring out the maximum brilliance and clarity of the individual pigment. 48-Color Spectrum;A heavy body acrylic paint that retains peaks and brush strokes.Contains permanent artist pigments. All colors dry to a satin finish. Intermixable with all Liquitex Professional Acrylic Colors and Mediums. Ideal for learning color theory and color mixing. All colors hold the AP Seal from ACMI and are safe for educational use. Visit our Liquitex Amazon Storefront for full product assortment.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Does What Gesso is Supposed to Do\\n\\nReview: This (white) Liquitex Acrylic Gesso Surface Prep does exactly what I expected: applies great (white) smooth coverage while providing excellent \\\"tooth\\\" to my surface. I always prep my canvas surfaces with gesso before doing any acrylic painting, as I like the smoother surface as opposed to canvas texture and want the extra \\\"grab\\\" that gesso provides. Also, like most gessos that I'm aware of, this can be colored/mixed/blended with acrylic paints.\\n\\nMost recently, I was experimenting with some different techniques predominatly using a deep red and burnt umber, decided I didn't like it, and went over it with this gesso to bascially start over. It took 3 coats to cover it completely, but I only had to wait about 2-4 hours between coats for it to be completely dry. After having let it sit overnight, it was a blank surface and ready to go.\\n\\nAs far as gessos go, this Liquitex brand is a bit thicker than the Daler Rowney acrylic gesso I use, but because of this, it provides a richer coverage. Also, because of the thickness, I did need to wait a while longer for it to be fully dry than I did with my usual gesso. I think I will keep both brands on hand and use according to my needs, and I recommend this Liquitex brand gesso for when a thicker, fuller consistency and coverage is desired.\",\n \"Product: Novelty scarves are still in style. With this rectangle loom anyone can be fashionable. Working on the same principle as the round knitting looms, this loom knits a single layer. Simply knit until your scarf is the desired length and finish off.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect For the \\\"Knitting-Challenged\\\"\\n\\nReview: I love the look of knitted items, especially shawls, wraps and scarves- but have found it too confusing to transfer how-to information from books to my brain to my hands. Maybe if I could find a very, very patient person to sit down with me and walk (crawl) me through it, that would change. However, when I saw this and read about it, I went for it, and I am so glad that I did. I have one of these knifty knitters in each length, but this 22 inch long one is my favorite because it allows me to make very wide shawls/wraps VERY EASILY! With this particular size, I made my first \\\"knitted\\\" shawl/wrap (please see my photos for a visual idea) from some earthy textured multi-pack yarn bought from my local art/craft supply store's \\\"bargain bin.\\\" I prefer the thicker yarns or textured yarns for most projects, they look fuller/better and feel better to me as well.\\n\\nThe process is quite simple and repetitive, which makes my hands happy while I'm watching TV with my family or just relaxing in the recliner. I am able to do this while watching TV because the process requires very little attention once you get the hang of it, and I only need to glance down occassionaly. It's easy to do in spurts, because at each end of this knitting loom is a little peg that sticks out, and I can simply wrap my yarn at my stopping place on one of these pegs, use a rubber band across the last pair of pegs on my stopping place, clips, or use a piece of tape to secure the yarn itself.\\n\\nAlso, you don't have to utilize every peg of this loom if you don't want it very wide. You can also use it to make narrower scarves, using only a portion. Right now I'm working on a scarf that is only utilizing 9 pairs of pegs, as my daughters (pre teen and up) currently have my other smaller sized looms.\\n\\nThis is the most versatile sized loom of the various ones offered, as you can make the \\\"wonderfully wide\\\" shawls/wraps or the \\\"niftily narrower\\\" scarves with this. It is possible to make throws/aghgans by joining 2 or more of your \\\"knitted\\\" pieces together, but I have not yet done that. Making \\\"knitted\\\" shawls/wraps and scarves for myself and others on this loom has been very satisfying and easy.\\n\\nGet it and get started making your winter accessories and gifts early, and don't forget to check out your local art/craft store's bargain bins to get lots of inexpensive yarn, I think you'll be hooked!\",\n \"Product: Novelty scarves are still in style. With this rectangle loom anyone can be fashionable. Working on the same principle as the round knitting looms, this loom knits a single layer. Simply knit until your scarf is the desired length and finish off.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect For the \\\"Knitting-Challenged\\\"\\n\\nReview: I love the look of knitted items, especially shawls, wraps and scarves- but have found it too confusing to transfer how-to information from books to my brain to my hands. Maybe if I could find a very, very patient person to sit down with me and walk (crawl) me through it, that would change. However, when I saw this and read about it, I went for it, and I am so glad that I did. I have one of these knifty knitters in each length, but this 22 inch long one is my favorite because it allows me to make very wide shawls/wraps VERY EASILY! With this particular size, I made my first \\\"knitted\\\" shawl/wrap (please see my photos for a visual idea) from some earthy textured multi-pack yarn bought from my local art/craft supply store's \\\"bargain bin.\\\" I prefer the thicker yarns or textured yarns for most projects, they look fuller/better and feel better to me as well.\\n\\nThe process is quite simple and repetitive, which makes my hands happy while I'm watching TV with my family or just relaxing in the recliner. I am able to do this while watching TV because the process requires very little attention once you get the hang of it, and I only need to glance down occassionaly. It's easy to do in spurts, because at each end of this knitting loom is a little peg that sticks out, and I can simply wrap my yarn at my stopping place on one of these pegs, use a rubber band across the last pair of pegs on my stopping place, clips, or use a piece of tape to secure the yarn itself.\\n\\nAlso, you don't have to utilize every peg of this loom if you don't want it very wide. You can also use it to make narrower scarves, using only a portion. Right now I'm working on a scarf that is only utilizing 9 pairs of pegs, as my daughters (pre teen and up) currently have my other smaller sized looms.\\n\\nThis is the most versatile sized loom of the various ones offered, as you can make the \\\"wonderfully wide\\\" shawls/wraps or the \\\"niftily narrower\\\" scarves with this. It is possible to make throws/aghgans by joining 2 or more of your \\\"knitted\\\" pieces together, but I have not yet done that. Making \\\"knitted\\\" shawls/wraps and scarves for myself and others on this loom has been very satisfying and easy.\\n\\nGet it and get started making your winter accessories and gifts early, and don't forget to check out your local art/craft store's bargain bins to get lots of inexpensive yarn, I think you'll be hooked!\",\n \"Product: Tools to help you shape clay to perfection. Made of hardwood, this set should last a long time and give you years of use. 6 assorted tools for a wide range of functionssmoothing, scraping, texturizing and more. Each tool is about 6-Inch long with a different shaper on each end of tool.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Pretty Good, Very Basic Set\\n\\nReview: This is a very basic set of 6 clay tools, which are actually like 12 tools due to each piece having 2 different modeling/sculpting ends. I like that each tool is numbered, (#10, #13, #19, #24, #36 and #37), as I couldn't tell in the product photo, although some of the numbers are difficult to read. Each of these hardwood tools were nicely smooth, with the exception of the #37, (with the rounded blunt end). This one was slightly unfinished and raw-feeling, but thankfully not splintery. Although I've seen the flat #10 combing tool in various sets with teeth even and uneven, and in this set, the teeth are not perfectly even. I think this is a pretty good, although slightly flawed set, and expect these tools to last me for several years with normal use.\",\n \"Product: Clorox Disinfecting Wipes lets you clean and disinfect multi surfaces in one easy step. These sanitizing wipes power through grease, soap scum and grime and kill 99.999% germs that can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours. Each cleaning wipe can effectively kill 99.999% of common of bacteria, including Staph, Salmonella, Strep, MRSA, E. coli and the cold and flu viruses, Human Coronavirus and Influenza A2 Virus, in as little as 30 seconds. They also remove more than 99% of allergens like car and dog dander, dust mite debris, and pollen. These antibacterial wipes are easy to use and work great on a variety of hard, nonporous surfaces, including finished hardwood, stainless steel, mirrors and glass. Ideal for use throughout the house. For convenient cleaning and disinfecting, keep this canister anywhere dirt or germs may build up. Clean and disinfect anytime with the convenience of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Quick, Easy, and Effective for In-Between Cleanings\\n\\nReview: I try to keep these on hand in the kitchen and bathrooms for in-between cleanings because they are truly quick, easy, and effective and take up very little space in the cabinet. Because these help kill several viruses, during flu season or when a family member has a cold, it's very quick and easy to wipe down doorknobs, bathroom surfaces, refrigerator and cabinet handles, phones, and other hard surfaces. Also, these wipes have never discolored or otherwise damaged any of the surfaces I have used them on, (although I was hesitant when first using these because I associate \\\"Clorox\\\" with \\\"bleach.\\\")\\n\\nThe wipes in every container I have bought have been very moist and stand up well to scrubbing. The scent is about as fresh as a disinfecting cleaner can be I suppose, and I do prefer this scent over the other leading brand that I have used. So, in regard to that \\\"sense\\\" I think these Clorox Disinfecting Wipes (Fresh Scent) \\\"wipes\\\" out the competition! (sorry, I couldn't resist the play on words :)\\n\\n*Every wipe is very moist*\\n*Wipes stand up to scrubbing*\\n*Scent is pleasant*\\n*Does not harm hard (non-porous) surfaces*\\n*Takes up little space, compared to paper towels and cleaner*\\n*Quick, convenient, easy to use, and effective*\\n*Great for fighting spread of viruses such as cold and flu*\\n*Disposable*\",\n \"Product: Visions of an exotic market are brought to mind with this entrancing candle lantern. May be hung or placed on a tabletop or floor. For use with tealights or votive candles only (not included). Metal and glass. 5 3/4-inch by 5-inch by 10-inch high.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Adds Eclectic, Warm Ambiance to Our Decor\\n\\nReview: I purchased this lantern and a few others to go with an enchanted forest/Hobbit/LOTR themed Sweet 16 Birthday party. I used a battery operated LED tealight in this, and loved how beautiful it looked! This has a decent weight to it and the amber colored glass just gives whatever LED light a delightful glow, and helps to create a warm, cozy ambiance to the room. I also love the way it looks even when unlit, it works really well with our Bohemian/Asian/multicultural design in that room, although I feel it would work with most any eclectic decor. It is constructed well enough to stand up to several years of indoor use, and the glass insets are secure enough that I don't worry about them falling out. The door to put in the light opens and closes without problems, which isn't always the case with some mass-produced decorative lanterns. I want one of these in every color, it is simply delightful!\",\n \"Product: Whitmor's Plastic Magazine Organizers are great way to store your magazines, periodicals, school materials or spiral notebooks. They are made of a durable plastic, are easy to assemble and has finger tab . A convenient stainless metal ID plate on the front makes it easy to label the contents of each organizer. Set of five.Whitmor is a 4th generation family-owned and operated business. Since 1946, Whitmor has been dedicated to bringing organization home by creating products that simplify everyday life. Ensuring that those products are built with integrity, value, and innovation is our commitment to you. And our promise is that we will always be here for you should you ever need us as we stand behind our product 100%. Whitmor customer service is available in English and Spanish Monday through Friday from 8am - 4:30pm CST. Call us and we will gladly assist you in your language. You may contact Whitmor toll-free at 1-888-944-8667 or via email at customer_service@whitmor.com.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Works Well Organizing Items On My Bookshelf\\n\\nReview: I use these to keep various sketchbooks, cardstocks, and packages of photo papers stored neatly on a bookshelf. These have been very handy in helping keep these items at hand and organized. Anything that helps me stay organized is a winner in my book! These are made of flimsy plastic, but I knew that when purchasing them, and for my use, these are exactly what I needed.\\n\\nI wouldn't even try to store them (with magazines and other flimsy items) on my desk on their own, because they would most certainly bend and fall down. But, when these are fairly snug beside each other on my bookshelf, along with other books to the end of the shelf, they work fine.\\n\\nI like the happy colors and the little metal ID plate in front of each one to label the contents. The metal studs help to prevent the organizers from falling apart. I found these very easy to assemble in very little time. I would liken the thickness of the plastic material to that of a cereal box's cardboard thickness.\\n\\nThese plastic magazine organizers are just right for my uses, fit well on my (almost 10\\\" deep shelf), and would like to purchase an additional set later on for placement on another shelf. Be aware, however, that these are not going to stand up well as in the item's product description photo; I tested these on my desk for this review to be sure, and they bend and do not want to stay up on their own, and when I was able to balance them, the slightest bump made it fall over. For that reason, I am giving this 4 instead of 5 stars, because I feel the photo is somewhat misleading.\",\n \"Product: Fat Daddio's bread pans are anodized for safety and performance. Seamless, 18-gauge bread pans with no extra metals, welds, or chemical coatings. Safe for citrus based fruits, sauces, and foods. Non-reactive anodized finish will not rust, peel, chip, or flake. Fat Daddio's bakeware heats faster and cools quicker allowing your recipes to turn out the way they should. Easy release and clean up.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Cute Itty Bitty Bread Loaf!\\n\\nReview: These mini bread pans are ridiculously cute, but make baking little loaves for individual servings seriously easy. This aluminum bread pan baked the little loaf evenly with no burned/dark areas at all. Since we baked this little loaf right along with 2 regular-sized loaves -(at the same time)- all I had to do was keep an eye on its progress. After around 20-25 minutes after putting this into the preheated oven, it was ready (while we left the 2 full-sized loaves in for a bit longer). It was so easy to remove the itty bitty loaf of bread from the pan, with no sticking whatsoever. I wash all of my bread pans by hand, and washing this by hand was easy-peasey. This makes such a cute little bread loaf and makes serving bread with dinner extra special. Since I have several of these, each family member gets their own little loaf of fresh-baked bread which feels like such a treat. Please reference my photo for an idea of how little the loaf is when compared to standard sized loaves. Thanks for reading!\",\n \"Product: Whitmor's Plastic Magazine Organizers are great way to store your magazines, periodicals, school materials or spiral notebooks. They are made of a durable plastic, are easy to assemble and has finger tab . A convenient stainless metal ID plate on the front makes it easy to label the contents of each organizer. Set of five.Whitmor is a 4th generation family-owned and operated business. Since 1946, Whitmor has been dedicated to bringing organization home by creating products that simplify everyday life. Ensuring that those products are built with integrity, value, and innovation is our commitment to you. And our promise is that we will always be here for you should you ever need us as we stand behind our product 100%. Whitmor customer service is available in English and Spanish Monday through Friday from 8am - 4:30pm CST. Call us and we will gladly assist you in your language. You may contact Whitmor toll-free at 1-888-944-8667 or via email at customer_service@whitmor.com.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Works Well Organizing Items On My Bookshelf\\n\\nReview: I use these to keep various sketchbooks, cardstocks, and packages of photo papers stored neatly on a bookshelf. These have been very handy in helping keep these items at hand and organized. Anything that helps me stay organized is a winner in my book! These are made of flimsy plastic, but I knew that when purchasing them, and for my use, these are exactly what I needed.\\n\\nI wouldn't even try to store them (with magazines and other flimsy items) on my desk on their own, because they would most certainly bend and fall down. But, when these are fairly snug beside each other on my bookshelf, along with other books to the end of the shelf, they work fine.\\n\\nI like the happy colors and the little metal ID plate in front of each one to label the contents. The metal studs help to prevent the organizers from falling apart. I found these very easy to assemble in very little time. I would liken the thickness of the plastic material to that of a cereal box's cardboard thickness.\\n\\nThese plastic magazine organizers are just right for my uses, fit well on my (almost 10\\\" deep shelf), and would like to purchase an additional set later on for placement on another shelf. Be aware, however, that these are not going to stand up well as in the item's product description photo; I tested these on my desk for this review to be sure, and they bend and do not want to stay up on their own, and when I was able to balance them, the slightest bump made it fall over. For that reason, I am giving this 4 instead of 5 stars, because I feel the photo is somewhat misleading.\",\n \"Product: Fat Daddio's bread pans are anodized for safety and performance. Seamless, 18-gauge bread pans with no extra metals, welds, or chemical coatings. Safe for citrus based fruits, sauces, and foods. Non-reactive anodized finish will not rust, peel, chip, or flake. Fat Daddio's bakeware heats faster and cools quicker allowing your recipes to turn out the way they should. Easy release and clean up.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Cute Itty Bitty Bread Loaf!\\n\\nReview: These mini bread pans are ridiculously cute, but make baking little loaves for individual servings seriously easy. This aluminum bread pan baked the little loaf evenly with no burned/dark areas at all. Since we baked this little loaf right along with 2 regular-sized loaves -(at the same time)- all I had to do was keep an eye on its progress. After around 20-25 minutes after putting this into the preheated oven, it was ready (while we left the 2 full-sized loaves in for a bit longer). It was so easy to remove the itty bitty loaf of bread from the pan, with no sticking whatsoever. I wash all of my bread pans by hand, and washing this by hand was easy-peasey. This makes such a cute little bread loaf and makes serving bread with dinner extra special. Since I have several of these, each family member gets their own little loaf of fresh-baked bread which feels like such a treat. Please reference my photo for an idea of how little the loaf is when compared to standard sized loaves. Thanks for reading!\",\n \"Product: These beautiful Happy Sales chopsticks are whimsical and fun to use. Set of five comes in a plastic bag with head displayed neatly in cardboard card.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice Smooth, Round Handled Chopsticks Set\\n\\nReview: These chopsticks have a great weight to them, completely rounded handles and very slight indented lines at the ends. The business ends are a bit thicker than I normally prefer, but I've had such a hard time finding my old brand that was completely rounded at the handles (not squared) and so I just deal with it. I don't like squared handles, and we have little chopstick rests that keep these from rolling off of the table. Cleaning these is so easy by hand, but we go through several a day, so I put them in a chopstick dishwasher basket and they have had no problems with finish fading or wearing off. We've been using these chopsticks for over a month and many, many washes and they still look good as new.\",\n \"Product: No space? No problem. This over-the-door organizer lies flat against any standard door allowing you to discretely store supplies and items from all around your home. Organizer has 22 spacious see thru vinyl pockets designed with accessibility, durability and maximum storage in mind. The 4 steel hooks included make over-the-door hanging easy. It's made with VentilAir breathable fabric that allows any item you store to breathe and stay fresh. A great storage solution for any need in any room in your home.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Helps Organize Items In Our Bathroom's Tiny Closet\\n\\nReview: We purchased this for our very small closet in one of our bathrooms since we needed some sort of storage solution for various small items. I like that the width (21 inches) of the 42-Pocket-Over-the-Door Organizer fits inside the bathroom closet's smallish door width. It seems to be well-made, and has held up quite well for almost 1 1/2 years so far.\\n\\nI use this for storing extra packs of razors, supplements, Band-Aids, hair bands and other small items, and it has made a wonderful difference in helping us keep this bathroom organized and tidy. The pockets hold a surprising amount, and the 3 top metal hooks have not impeded in closing the door, or damaged the top frame of the door or doorframe. The only issue I have found with this is the bottom suction hooks that secure to the velcro wouldn't stay on, so I gave up trying to use them. However, it has proven not to be a real problem, the door organizer stays put on our door just fine without them, (this could perhaps be due to the heavier items such as small bottles of supplements in the pockets). Due to the fact that this closet door is textured, the fact that the suction hooks won't stay on will not affect my rating.\\n\\nSince we have this on the inside of the door, and not the outside, the color (Beige) that we have didn't really matter to us, but it is a pleasant shade of beige, and accurate to the product photo.\\n\\nOverall, this was a very good purchase for us and keeps our small items easy to find and grab. This useful organizer is much more sturdy than I anticipated and I am glad we bought it.\",\n \"Product: Find the right lid, right now! This 40-Piece Food Storage Container Set features the Rubbermaid Easy Find Lid system: the lids snap on to the container bases as well as other same-size lids, so that the right lid is always at your fingertips. These graduated-size containers nest together to give you more space in the fridge or cupboard.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: 4 1/2 Stars--Very Good Set; LIds and Bases are BPA-Free\\n\\nReview: QUICK SUMMARY OF REVIEW BELOW:\\n``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````\\n***PRO'S***\\n-BPA-Free;\\n-Has held up great over several years;\\n-Lids secure well;\\n-Clever design makes storage more organized and user-friendly;\\n-Washes well by hand and dishwasher;\\n-Withstands heated drying cycle in dishwasher;\\n-Easily see contents through clear containers;\\n-Nice variety of sizes provided;\\n\\n***CON***\\n-Does not keep food well in freezer after a couple of months in our experiences with these containers;\\n\\n***Note: Internal aesthetic damage can occur if microwaved too long or at too high a temperature.***\\n```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````\\n\\n(EXTENDED REVIEW)\\nThese Rubbermaid storage containers have served me well for several years, and are still holding up nicely. The unique way that the lids not only snap nicely onto each other, but also snap into the matching container's base. By having the stack of lids snapped together beneath the coordinating and nested containers, our container cabinet is so much more orgainized and user-friendly.\\n\\nOnce a container has it's lid on, it is secure and I don't worry about it popping off easily and spilling its contents if the container is accidentally dropped. The somewhat squared-off design is nice and makes more sense to me than round containers for optimal utilization of cabinet space. The containers are clear enough to see what is inside, and the red lids are a pleasant shade of red to my eyes and not a loud red. The lids and bases ARE BPA-FREE, which is very important to us.\\n\\nThese containers and lids have washed well by hand and in the dishwasher as well as withstanding the heat/drying cycle with no problems. There has been some staining/superficial melting inside where the food is due to people having nuked the contents too long or at too high a temperature in the microwave, but this has not affected the functionality of the damaged containers, only the aesthetics. Since I believe this is due more to user error than the containers' quality, this will not affect in my rating.\\n\\nThe 40 pieces (20 containers with 20 matching lids) has a great variety that should suit most families' needs fairly well. The variety offered in this set includes pieces ranging from little 1/2 cup containers to 7 cup containers. We have purchased additional pieces for the much larger sizes, but we often cook large quantiites of food at a time to have the next day.\\n\\nWe have also used these in the freezer, and they have done a pretty good job of keeping the food preserved for short periods, a month or less. However, after a couple of months in the freezer, we have noticed some of the contents sealed inside the containers looking questionable with an inordinate amount of ice crystals and possibly freezer-burned. So, while I would recommend these containers for general everyday use, I would not recommend these as a long-term freezer storage option.\\n\\nAll in all, I am quite pleased with these Rubbermaid containers' quality and value. The ingenious design works wonderfully for maximizing our cabinet storage space and couldn't be easier to store and grab what we need when we need it. I'm giving this set 4 1/2 stars, as the freezer issue isn't that big of a deal to us (we have a Foodsaver machine we have been using for a while to freeze our food). This is the best set of general, everyday use food storage containers that I've had, and I have had a lot of different styles and brands over the years. I really like this set, and I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.\",\n \"Product: If you're someone who is obsessed with shoes, then the Whitmor Shoe Tower is an absolute essential for you. It offers an affordable way to organize your shoe collection. This shoe storage rack stands almost 55\\\" tall and can hold up to 30 pairs. Featuring white resin sides with coated metal cross tubes, this Whitmor shoe organizer will continue to provide a reliable storage solution for many years together. You may even snap units together to expand the storage space. Whether you want to keep your heels or flats securely in place, this 30-pair shoe rack comes handy. Easy to care for, just wipe with a clean damp cloth to keep it looking as good as new for years to come. This Whitmor shoe rack assembles in minutes, requiring no tools. Measures: 9\\\"D x 22.5\\\"W x 54.75\\\"H. Whitmor is a 4th generation family-owned and operated business. Since 1946, Whitmor has been dedicated to bringing organization home by creating products that simplify everyday life. Ensuring that those products are built with integrity, value, and innovation is our commitment to you. And our promise is that we will always be here for you should you ever need us as we stand behind our product 100%. Whitmor customer service is available in English and Spanish Monday through Friday from 8am - 4:30pm CST. Call us and we will gladly assist you in your language. You may contact Whitmor toll-free at 1-888-944-8667 or via email at customer_service@whitmor.com.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Perfect for Flats, Skimmers and Sneakers\\n\\nReview: This shoe rack has helped my daughters organize their collection of flats, skimmers and sneakers. I specifically wanted this particular shoe rack because the bars go straight across from each other, as opposed to being staggered/elevated, which are better for high heels/pumps. With the (staggered bar) racks we've had in the past, the flats and skimmers would easily slide off, but with the bars being parallel to each other/straight across from each other, as in this shoe rack, the shoes (non-heels/pumps) sit perfectly on them and don't come off until you take them off of the rack. I love how easy it is to put together, done in just a couple of minutes or so. We have easily fit 20 pairs of (ladies size 7 and size 8) shoes on it, and it has not bowed or had any structural issues whatsoever. If you have several pairs of flat-heeled shoes that you need to organize, this is a great shoe rack for that.\",\n \"Product: USA made always with you body pillow is 100-percent polyester fill with 50/50 cotton polyester cover. Extra firm construction gives you support and a comfortable sleep. Hypo-allergenic, it is odorless, mildew free and long lasting. Easy care, machine washable\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Stays Fluffy, Generously Filled\\n\\nReview: This body pillow is wonderful for when my bones and joints are really achey and I need some extra support. The pillow is generously filled, and the shape \\\"bounces back\\\" when I'm not using it. It provides great support and is long enough to support my knees and head on at the same time. The pillow's covering is nothing fancy, but doesn't have any \\\"crunchy\\\" noise as some pillows I've had in the past have had. I like also that it is hypoallergenic and has no odor whatsoever, as some new pillows can have.\\n\\nThis pillow does not come with a pillowcase, but I have queen and standard pillowcases on either end (which covers it completely) until I can get a proper body pillowcase for it.\\n\\nI like the way it bounces back and stays fluffy, it's exactly what I needed, and recommend this body pillow.\",\n \"Product: Looking for an easy decorating solution? Slipcovers give your home an instant makeover without the hassle and the cost. Old furniture instantly becomes new with sofa slipcovers, chair slipcovers, loveseat slipcovers. Dress up your furniture with slipcovers made from 100% polyester. Slipcovers are an instant decorating solution if you're looking to change up your decor.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice Colors, Sturdy, Stays Put, Fits Freakishly Long and Deep Sofa/Futon/Fold-Out Couch\\n\\nReview: We have a brown, oddball, deep, extra-long sofaton (what I call a sofa/futon fold-out couch-like piece of furniture) that I bought from Sam's Club quite a while back. It's been next to impossible to find a nice-looking, fitting, STAY-PUT slipcover. I have found some really well-made throws on Amazon, but I really was wanting something more fitted that would add a bit of color to our living room which was being overtaken by brown. I was nervous buying this because I was unsure of the colors, I thought that the purplish color might be weird in our purple-less living room. However, the purple is very subdued and non-offensive, only whispering of its presence. The other colors in this slipcover were already worked into our decor, so it really looks great. Those lovely details aside, what is TRULY amazing to me is that this thing fits our freaky hulk sofaton very well and actually stays put even after a bunch of wriggly butt traffic. It has even stood up to our playful kitty jumping all around on it, no snags, nothing. The fabric is sturdy and rarely requires me to do any smoothing or straightening. This is a keeper and has saved me from going insane from all of the brown (furniture, drapes everything that was on sale that we needed was brown, argh) and constantly smoothing and straightening the other (BROWN) protector.\",\n \"Product: Nonstick tortilla pan is the healthy way to shape, bake, and create a crispy tortilla bowl. Ready in 5 minutes. Great for taco bowls, salads, dips, and more. As seen on TV. No. PT011124: Material: Metal, Color: Black, Length: 6.5in, Width: 6.5in, Height: 2.5in, Pkg Qty: 4, Package Type: Box\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Well-Made and Fun Taco Shell Pans\\n\\nReview: I have seen the advertisements for the Perfect Tortilla Pan Set some time, but never took the plunge. However, recently when I was out shopping, I saw these near the checkout (impulse buy/as seen on tv section) and bought this set, and we have enjoyed using them for homemade taco salads.\\n\\nI used 9\\\" prepared flour tortillas to make our shells and baked them at a temperature setting of just under 400 degrees for about 6 minutes. The top edges that stuck up from the pans' tops (about 1/2 or so inch) were brown (but not burnt-tasting) and the rest of the sides were pale but crunchy, while the bottoms were not crunchy, but kind of tough-chewy (not a deal-breaker). I may experiment next time I use this set by taking the shells out of the pans the last minute of baking and pop them back into the oven upside down to see if that helps.\\n\\nThe shells were well-formed and looked pretty nice, but really didn't look very much like the pictures. However, they tasted good and was a nice switch to our tacos/tostadas that we normally have.\\n\\nI took one star off for the misleading photos on the box, but that's my only gripe. I am not taking a star off for the complete lack of any printed information with this set -(prep, oven temp, recipes, etc.)- because I bought these at a brick and mortar store and not online at Amazon.com, and cannot accurately inform you if this is an issue in reference to the ones being shipped out at present.\\n\\nAll things considered, we like these and plan on using them frequently in the future.\",\n \"Product: Brielle Sateen Modal Duvet Covers offers luxury with style. With its silky feel, extremely soft hand, it is like being embraced by clouds. Brilliant colors and contemporary design will liven up your bedroom.Twin Dimensions Duvet Cover: 68 inches wide x 86 inches long Sham: 20 inches wide x 26 inches long Full/Queen Dimensions Duvet cover: 98 inches long x 90 inches wide Shams: 20 inches wide x 26 inches long King Dimensions Duvet cover: 108 inches long x 98 inches wide Shams: 20 inches wide x 36 inches long\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Clouds WISH They Could Be This Soft (And Dry, and Made of Brielle Sateen Modal From Beech...And Come In Other Colors...)\\n\\nReview: These are the absolute softest, most perfect pillowcases I have ever used! My skin, especially my facial skin, is very sensitive and chafes easily, so I have to be very careful about the sheets and pillowcases that I use. I am the \\\"Princess and the Pea\\\" of Pillowcases. I typically have to buy sheets and pillowcases with obscenely high thread counts so that my face doesn't feel raw in the morning. These however, are far above and beyond the highest thread count pillowcases that I have ever slept on. I was fortunate enough to get these a while back in the Amazon outlet, otherwise I would have missed out on the \\\"wonderful-ness\\\" of these Brielle 100-Percent Sateen Modal Beech pillowcases.\\n\\nWhat I'm trying to convey here is that these are ridiculously soft and smooth.\\n\\nThe only thing that might bother some people, is that these do get wrinkly after washing, but I couldn't care less about that personally. It's a very small trade-off for luxuriously soft pillowcases that I fully look forward to nightly. Even the wrinkles are soft (I don't notice them when I sleep at all). Plus, as someone who is beginning to notice wrinkles on my own skin, I'd say it gives one character... These have never lost their softness, have never become frayed, never pilled and have never said one unkind word to me, they are gentle and easy to spend time with. They are still as soft as ever, even though I repeatedly and without regard to rules wash these on high in hot water AND I dry them on high heat as well. I don't follow the washing instructions. I also tear all of the tags off of all of my pillows. I'm a rebel, a rebel that chafes easily...\",\n \"Product: Zyliss Fresh is a complete set of resin or glass food storage containers featuring advanced German technology. Fresh containers have a revolutionary seal that is proven to keep food fresher two times long than other food storage containers. The seal is permanently bonded to the lid, using a machine automated process and as a result Fresh containers are 100% leak proof so you can feel confident your contents will stay put. Conventional seals are inserted in a groove of the lid allowing for germs to accumulate in the gaps and water leaks can build up residue. Fresh containers prevents germ formation and are 100% hygienic. Fresh containers also stack together for easy storage and are dishwasher, microwave and fridge/freezer safe. Made in Germany, Fresh Food Storage Containers carry a lifetime guarantee and come in a variety of sizes and sets in both glass and resin. Focusing on functionality, durability, design, cleanliness and safety, Zyliss has relied upon a heritage of excellence that began in Switzerland over 60 years ago. Building on this time-held tradition, the company has advanced to produce and distribute kitchen equipment that is world-renowned. Zyliss has pioneered the design of more than 200 kitchen essentials, with quality and engineering that cannot be duplicated.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Zyliss--Food Storage Container BLISS!\\n\\nReview: I purchased this and another Zyliss container size to give it a try because I've gotten tired of the lack of quality control issues lately in my other brand. These containers actually do live up to the hype in being airtight, keeping my food fresh, and pretty enough to serve from. These look more like glass than resin or plastic, are extremely sturdy, and have a nice weight to them and the seal is super-duper tight. Also, these fit way better in my fridge than my other long-time brand (Rubbermaid). I just ordered some more Zyliss containers and was inspired to clean out my container cabinet just for these. I don't normally get excited about food storage containers, but these are ridiculously wonderful in every way.\\n\\nThe only thing that I find challenging is storing these in a limited cabinet space, as they don't slide all the way down into each other. For my purposes, I decided to stack the containers within each other with the lids flat, sitting on top of the stack, which seems to be working well so far. The lids have a special stacking rim to allow these to stay stacked on top of each other, so that's a plus. These containers are worth reconfiguring the dreaded container cabinet, as they are a joy to use and even to see. Also, the fact that Zyliss offers a LIFETIME guarantee on this is beyond anything I have ever heard of before, but I don't expect to be having any problems with mine. I LOVE these! Thank you Zyliss geniuses for making such a quality, ingenious (and pretty) product!\",\n \"Product: Photoreal PEVA shower curtain of a beach with palm tree. Fun for a novelty splash of design in any bathroom.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Looks Better Than The Photo\\n\\nReview: It was time to change the look of one of our bathrooms and wanted to get something the whole family would enjoy. Also, we wanted something that we could switch out existing rugs (royal blue) with a sand color. We decided on this shower curtain, as we all liked the tropical theme. This shower curtain allows that color flexibility in switching out rugs and gives a nice scene to enjoy in that bathroom. It is good and heavy, not flimsy like some shower curtains can be, and washes well when put in the washer with a couple of towels to scrub against and clean any film off of. This was a good value for the money, as I priced similar ones elsewhere whose prices made me laugh. I recommend this shower curtain if you want to go tropical without going broke.\",\n \"Product: Case Compatibility: Compatible with Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 inch Tablet GT-N8000 GT-N8010\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Case For Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2012 edition)\\n\\nReview: This case is perfect for the 2012 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 that I bought it for. It fits quite well, seems sturdy and well-made. Most of the openings/cutouts are as they should be to allow proper access, with two exceptions: the case does cover the micro SD card slot, but that is no big to me as it is not accessed frequently anyway. The second exception is that if you wish to open the case while you have your device plugged in to the charger, you can't without the case hitting the charging cord where it plugs into the back. Again, for me anyway, this is no big deal. The hand strap is handier than I expected and has proven to be quite useful, as well as the built-in flip stand. I was looking for an inexpensive yet sturdy case that would help keep the tablet well-protected and this fits the bill, or tablet in this case, quite well.\",\n \"Product: Play and work smarter with the Hisense Chromebook. This slim and lightweight laptop combines speed, security and simplicity packaged in an appealing silver exterior. It runs off the Chrome operating system so you can store your content in Google's Cloud-based storage service and access it anywhere you go. Even more impressive, this laptop only weighs 2.4 pounds, boots up in less than 10 seconds and has an 11.6-inch LED HD screen that pops images in vibrant and true-to-life colors. You can maintain peace of mind about your personal information due to the free virus protection software that's built in to the Chromebook. It also stays synced with your Android phones and tablets and has up to 8.5 hours of battery life to keep you going all day. Use the web camera to stay in touch with family, connect to the Internet or devices with WiFi and Bluetooth features, and attach different devices into the available ports.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Laptop-Schmaptop, This Keeps Me Happy and Productive!\\n\\nReview: Before purchasing this Hisense Chromebook, I was primarily switching between a desktop, a 10\\\" Lenovo tablet, and my BLU Studio Energy phone, depending on what sort of task I needed to do. I had been looking for a new (inexpensive) laptop solution for portability, (as my very old 17\\\" Toshiba laptop is very outdated and tired), but wanted to be able to do extensive typing on a full-sized keyboard/layout without sitting at the desktop. I really didn't want to spend very much, and couldn't anyway, so I set a price point for myself and began looking, researching and reading reviews. I kept coming back to this (and another similarly-priced different brand of Chromebook), but this offered better internal storage and was from a brand I've used before and have had no problems with as of this writing (Hisense TV). I'm really glad I went with this product, because it has exceeded all of my expectations, with the exception of the audio/speakers, which is really difficult for me to hear at times, but more on that later.\\n\\nThis boots up and shuts down in less than 10 seconds, which is absolutely wonderful for me, as I feel like I'm so often in a hurry or behind anyway. It is surprisingly fast on the web and I can get things done quickly and on the go. It is super-light and slim, but still feels sturdy and I don't worry too much about handling it like it is over-delicate, it is made to be portable and holds its own under lots of different environments/handling throughout the day. I have had this for many months now, and it hasn't slowed down a bit, it is as terrific and speedy as the day I got it, still with room to spare on the 32GB flash drive storage. The battery lasts and lasts in between charges, so I can use it frequently throughout the day without having to be leashed to a wall outlet. I do wish that the Google Chrome Web App Store offered more Google-made apps, but really, I have other android devices that I can get stuff on, so that's no biggie to me.\\n\\nMy only complaint, which I had read about prior to purchasing, is the poor audio/speakers on this. Because I was looking more for other usability-based criteria, I decided that even if the audio was lacking, it wasn't as important to me as the speed, longevity or other performance-based \\\"get-it-done\\\" sort of things that I needed. It's true that the speakers are low even at the highest volume setting. However, as a point of reference, if I'm in the family room with a video playing on this, and the volume on, it is enough to disturb and distract the others in the room who are watching the TV with the TV's volume up pretty loud. But, even in a quiet room, depending on what format/site I'm on, I still find I have to strain at times to hear what is happening, such as what an actor is saying in a movie I'm streaming. I think probably what makes the problem worse is the placement of the speakers, which are on the bottom of this Chromebook. If they were on the top, I think it would make it so much better. It does come with a headset jack, but I really don't like to be tethered, so I often will not use that. Knowing I have the webcam there is handy and creepy at the same time, so I keep that covered with a bit of post-it note and if I need it, I can just remove it.\\n\\nThe touchpad is easy enough to get the hang of, although there are certain Chromebook-only shortcuts and options that were a bigger learning curve to me, but that is for all Chromebooks I think. I really love the speed of this thing, I can have several tasks going and it doesn't break a sweat, it keeps the pace going strong and I'm able to get what I need to get done quickly wherever I'm at, which was my primary goal. The Bluetooth capability opens up a whole lot more options, as well as the ability of keeping it synced with other devices, helping me to stay more organized.\\n\\nIt has a slightly textured surface which helps me keep a good grip on it when carrying, but still looks sleek with clean lines and the screen has a bright, clear display even when not charging. I rarely use the other ports that this has, but I like knowing they are there if I do find myself needing them. I thoroughly researched this before getting it, but am still surprised at how much better it is than I thought it would be.\\n\\nI felt initially when I began looking for a portable laptop-ish solution with a full-sized keyboard that I would be settling when I bought this, but frankly, I no longer feel like I'm settling since using it. I don't think a regular laptop could have performed as well or as fast as this, at least not without spending a vulgar amount of money that I don't have to spend on a high-end laptop anyway. I am extremely pleased with this Hisense Chromebook recommend it all day long.\",\n \"Product: A high quality Cordura Coin purse for keeping your change organized and safe.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Sturdy, Small, and Convenient\\n\\nReview: This Manhattan Portage Coin Purse has been handy for trips to the park, our daughters' field trips, as well as other excursions where I've wanted to have some money with me, but didn't want to carry my purse. The fabric is heavy duty, as well as the zipper.\\nIt is slightly smaller than I expected, but that hasn't been a problem for what we've used it for (carrying money, ID, change...) The clip attached to it is also heavy duty, and probably one of the things I like the best about it. It has been very easy for our youngest daughter to clip this (with money inside) securely to a belt loop during field trips, and the zipper has never come accidentally open, nor has it come unclipped.\\nI would recommend this to anyone who needs something small (it is slightly smaller than I expected) yet sturdy for the purposes that I've described above.\",\n \"Product: • Totes measure 14.5\\\" x 15.5\\\"• Handles measure 11.25\\\"• 6 bright colors• Non-woven fabricThese Hawaiian print tote bags are a perfect party favor to hand out to guests at your beach party, luau, or tiki party. Totes are made from non-woven fabric and are available in 6 festive colors (sky blue, fuchsia, lime green, lemon yellow, and cherry red) with white floral prints. Each bag measures 14.5\\\" X 15.5\\\" and comes complete with 11.25\\\" handle straps. \\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Multi-Use Tote Bags, Big Hit at Party\\n\\nReview: We bought these as not only favor bags, but also as nice party favors in and of themselves for our guests at our daughter's tropical-themed birthday party. These are brightly-colored and suprisingly sturdy to be non-woven. The handles are stitched in twice (twice as sturdy) and the dimensions are fairly generous, width being just over 14 1/2 inches, and the height a full 16 inches--(please see my photos above for more detail). In the dozen, you get 2 of each color (blue, yellow, orange, pink, green and red). Many of the children who attended this birthday celebration were using these tote bags at school the very next day, they liked them so well. The only thing I wish was different is that the bottom of the tote bags are single creased, that is, not a boxed bottom (please see my photos). These are also useful for carrying a couple of books and a few other miscellaneous smaller items, for use as a quick beach/pool bag to put 1 big beach towel, pair of sunglasses, sun lotion, a book or magazine, and maybe 1 or 2 other small items, or you could even fold it up and store it in your car's glove box or purse to use to carry smaller items from the store, (because there is no \\\"boxed\\\" bottom, my only issue with this bag--this would not make a good grocery tote). Also, as I tend to multi-purpose items, these are also useful for looping the handles on a hanger and placing seasonal items into this such as gloves, scarves and other items you wish to have handy but out of the way in the closet. These were well-received with such comments as, \\\"Wow- these are nice, thank you!\\\" and I was very happy to find that the children who attended the party were putting them to good use at school the next day.\",\n \"Product: We are featuring 8 hand-crafted murano glass work pendants in various designs, mostly floral designs. Each one is carefully designed and is showcased in different shapes: circular, retangular and petal shaped. All pendants comes with a matching necklace, 4 of which are made of a thin rubber and the other 4 made of thinly braided rope with organza ribbon, each necklace is approx. 18\\\" long. All necklace closures have a lobster claw closure with an adjustable chain backing. These necklaces make great gifts to floral and glass lovers, friends and family members. NOTE: Due to differences between monitor displays, actual color may vary slightly from image. Bundle Monster is a registered trademark of Remi Collections LLC and is exclusively distributed by Bundle Monster. Bundle Monster trademark is protected by Trademark Law.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Eclectic, Funky and Fun (See My Photos)\\n\\nReview: (Please refer to the photos I've posted to get a general visual on how these work with different colored tops).\\nI bought 4 sets of these, 3 for family members (tweens and teens) and 1 for me (oldish), and it was a great purchase. These are exactly as described by the seller and it was a great purchase for our wardrobes. There are many things that we will be able to wear these with, but there are a few outfits that we won't be able to wear these with because of the dark background (with sparkly flecks). The pendants are rather large and chunky, (rough measurements of smallest pendant being about 1\\\", largest pendant about 2\\\", see photos for general idea), but these are eclectic, funky and fun and can be worn with a variety of outfits. One probably couldn't wear these well with a delicate or pastel outfit without these clashing, in my opinion. Although the necklaces' cords and ribbons each have clasps, suprisingly, the loop from which they hang are large enough to pull them (ribbons or cords) out and interchange them with the other necklaces' provided cords/ribbons or even replace them with a nice metallic chain, ribbon, cord or whatever of your choice. These can make a solid-colored topped outfit more interesting and add some flair to a tired wardrobe or jewelery collection with a variety of colors and designs to choose from this set of 8 necklaces. I am considering getting a brown or black silken cord necklace and hanging one of these pendants from it from time to time. From preteens, teens and much much older, these have been well received and enjoyed by each of us.\\nWe like these so much, that I think they would make great gifts for others as well. I am considering buying another set and giving one individual necklace to each of the guests as a lovely party favor at for one of our daughter's upcoming birthday parties.\",\n \"Product: Basic solid color crew neck tee\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Runs Small, Very Lightweight, Longer Length\\n\\nReview: I usually wear a small in women's clothing, a medium in junior's, but ordered this in large since I read this does run small. The fit is like a junior's medium in the large I ordered. I like that the neckline is not very deep and the length on this shirt comes to about mid hip, which is what I wanted. The material is on the thin side, so I wear a cami under it.\\n\\nThis washes/dries well and has held up better than I thought it would, about 5 washes later. I typically dry this on low, or take it out of the dryer early-mid cycle and hang it if it's in a load on the regular (higher) setting. This shirt has held it's fitted shape well, and the color I ordered it in, Deep Sea, has maintained it's rich blue jewel tone and has not faded at all.\\n\\nOverall, I like this tee, as I was looking for a basic, higher-necklined, somewhat fitted tee with a longer length. I'm glad I did order one size up, as these shirts do run small, and not true to size.\",\n \"Product: A sinful martial arts expert and paper maker, Liu Jinxi, starts a new tranquil life with his wife in a quiet Yunnan village in the early 1900s during Chinas transition from monarchy to republic. The peaceful life of Lius family of four is disturbed when he accidentally kills two robbers who threaten his paper workshop. However, detective Xu Baijiu thoroughly analyzes the crime scene and comes up with a different conclusion: Liu is actually a brutal killer who was once the second-in-command of the powerful 72 Demons Gang, for whom rape, pillage and massacre are a way of life. Xus dogged inquiry threatens to dredge up the dark secrets of Lius buried past, threatening not only Liu and his family, but the entire village.\\nThis DVD is all-region and will play in North America. The DVD features an pristine anamorphic widescreen picture (1.78:1 aspect ratio). Audio is available in Mandarin and Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1 and dts 5.1 sound is available). Removable subtitles are available in English and Chinese. Special features include a Trailer and a Making Of documentary.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Masterfully Done Film With Intriguing Story and Awesome Martial Arts\\n\\nReview: Donnie Yen (of Ip Man and Ip Man 2) once again blows me away with an incredible, thoughtful performance in \\\"Dragon.\\\" This film's storyline is artfully crafted and put me on the edge of my seat then kicked me out of it, repeatedly, it was so good. The fight scenes were fantastic and action-packed with moves that are a thing of beauty. If you are a fan of Donnie Yen (as I am) or love a great martial arts movie (as I do) with unpredictable twists, then you have to see this.\\n\\nTakeshi Kaneshiro expertly portrays an intuitive and reflective law enforcement officer (Xu Baijiu) on a quest for truth, and you have to watch this to see if the truth set him free. With great skill and grace, Donnie Yen masterfully plays Liu Jinxi, a multi-faceted character with an abiding desire for peace, but who is thrust into circumstances that put that desire at risk. His beautiful wife, Ayu, (actress, Tang Wei), plays a gentle and vulnerable character with a painful past that tenderly compels you care about her well-being.\\n\\nWhile the ending might be controversial to some, it is important to remember that at one point in the movie, Liu discusses his view of karma with Xu...For me, everything ties together neatly at the end and is a movie that I plan on adding to my martial arts collection. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and recommend it.\",\n \"Product: Soul Surfer (2011) / Region 0 DVD / Audio: English / Subtitle: English, Chinese / Actors: AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid / Director: Sean McNamara / 106 minutes\\n9787799437279\\nA teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Don't Know What to Watch? Watch THIS--Absolutely a MUST-SEE!!!\\n\\nReview: Whether or not you are a fan of surfing, you will surely become a fan of one surfer, Bethany, after viewing this movie. Her (true) story just moved our entire family and lifted us up in so many ways. We are reminded throughout this movie that God can take any situation, yes even the really bad ones, and bring something better than you could ever imagine out of it. This true story had me crying, cheering, and feeling a deep sense of awe at just how amazing our God is. This is one of those few movies that I can recommend to anyone without the least hesitation. There are so many Biblical truths paralleled and reiterated in the various events in Soul Surfer. For me, without giving too much of the movie away, there is a scene where Bethany is waiting for a wave, while others ask, \\\"What is she doing?\\\" This to me is a great example of faith--believing without seeing.\\nThere are some big names and great acting in this picture, and the movie is not shy about giving the glory to Jesus. This story is like this generation's \\\"Joni\\\" in many ways. Soul Surfer would be a great movie for family movie night, or any time for that matter. This is one we want in our video collection, it's that good. Don't know what to watch? Watch this, you won't be sorry!\",\n \"Product: The Faguan Deals Car Seat Organizer with Drink Holders makes it easy to keep your car Organized and is great for Eating In The Car. The Ultimate Convenience for people on the go. They are great for Carpooling Kids and on the go Road Trips.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Not Just for the Little Kiddies!\\n\\nReview: Note: I was given this sample free in exchange for evaluation and honest review purposes.\\n\\nThis headrest organizer is very useful not just for parents of very young children, but also for anyone who doesnt get to ride shotgun and has to ride in the backseat. In fact, it may be even more useful for the latter because childrens modern safety seats frequently come with cup holders and other little niceties already built-in. When my two teens and I go out together, someone has to sit in the back seat, and this just might make that a little more pleasant for the backseat rider.\\n\\nIm not entirely sure of what this is made from, but its not a cheapo hard plastic sort of thing, its of a softer more rubbery-feeling plastic material and doesnt feel like it would crack or break easily. Putting it on is as easy as removing the headrest* (see my tip below my review for more info),* placing the 2 chosen holes where the headrest rods go, then sliding the headrest rods over that. The hang-down level of the organizer compartment can be adjusted at the time of installation, as well as afterward by removing the organizer from the straps and going up one set of holes or down one set.\\n\\nWe decided to go up one set of holes afterward so it wouldnt hang down as far, which made the (tall) cup lean back toward the backseat passenger too much when it was lower. Also, when I initially installed it, I used the first set of holes to insert the rods in, because I felt like there would be extra strap material hitting my neck if I didn't on my particular cars seat.\\n\\nSomething I wish Id remembered while installing this was to put it on the passenger side, so when its just me in the car, I can just remove the organizer from the straps, swing the straps around to the front of the passenger seat and reattach the organizer to it. This would give me a little something extra to use to put my cup or whatever in this conveniently, and not in the awkwardly placed built-in cupholder of my small car.\\n\\nI find this to be a useful and well-conceived, nice quality little organizer for my car that serves its purpose well and lives up to its claims. See my photos for more detail (please ignore the pollen particles that have infiltrated everything in my car). Thanks for reading!\\n\\n*As an aside: When I tried to remove my headrest to slip this organizer on, I couldn't get it off for anything. Finally, after a quick search online, I learned (via popular video sharing site) that pretty much all headrest base caps feature little pinholes on them to insert a very sturdy paperclip to press an internal button and fully release the bar to remove the headrest. I simply pulled the headrest as far as it would normally go, insert the paperclip into the pinhole, then lift that side up; while still holding up that side so it wouldnt click back down, do the same on the other side. My headrest base features a little push-in clip on one side, so I pushed this in while pulling the headrest up after having released the other side via pinhole button release. If this is unclear, please leave your questions at the bottom of the review and Ill be glad to help if I can. (Its way easier than it sounds).\",\n \"Product: Bright, vivid, non-toxic ink is quick-drying, smear-proof, easy to see from a distance, and provides consistent color quality. Whiteboard markers with durable, fine point tips for thin, detailed lines. Erases cleanly and easily with a dry cloth or Expo eraser. Ink is specially formulated to be low-odor. Perfect for use in classrooms, small offices, and homes. Made in the USA Expo 2 Low-Odor Dry Erase Markers, Fine Point, 4-Pack, Assorted Colors.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Please Help Me To Remember It All! (Works/Erases Great On Mirrors, Too)\\n\\nReview: I love these Expo Low Odor Fine Tip Dry Erase markers, they work great as expected and without the overwhelming odor that many dry erase markers have. I like the fine tip, it is a nice switch from the chunkier tips and I am able to write smaller yet quite legibly with these finer tips. The (ink) is consistently deep and exactly right. As long as the cap is securely replaced, these last a very long time without drying out.\\n\\nThe surface that I most often use these markers on is our master bathroom's mirror, which is not frequented by others. I still use sticky notes in other areas of our home, but for things that I am especially worried I may forget -(I have residual memory issues from a previous illness)- I use these primarily for the mirror that I use most often, where I am sure to see it. I keep one of these markers handy in this bathroom, where I can quickly make myself a little note right when I am thinking of it.\\n\\nI have never had any problems with staining or residue left behind on my mirror (or on my dry erase board) after wiping away (with a dry cloth, tissue or paper towel). I have left these \\\"mirror notes\\\" up as long as 3 weeks at a time, and every time the ink wipes away cleanly with no trace of my writing or any sort of mirror staining/damage whatsoever, even in the bathroom's steamy environment.\\n\\nAs far as what most people use these for, dry erase boards, this is the only brand I trust not to stain my board and it has never let me down with ink quality or erasability, and I happily recommend these markers.\",\n \"Product: Paper Trimmer features: aluminum surface tripletrack rail design, compact and lightweight swing-out ruler and a durable blade carriage. Perfect for trimming digital photos, business cards, retail tags, invitations, presentation materials and more. Size: 12-inch. Made in China.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: 4 1/2 Stars--Good For The Price\\n\\nReview: I bought this Fiskars Scrapbooking Paper Trimmer several years ago, and have been surprised at the nice quality for such an inexpensive price. I use this mainly for trimming photos, but have used it in the past for business cards, invitations, small cards, craft-related projects, as well as making small booklets. While you can only do a few sheets of printer paper at a time, (in my experience, no more than 4-5 printing papers), it's been very useful for simple, small tasks. I have always gotten a clean cut with this, (until it was time to replace the track blade, which is to be expected). As of this writing, the track blade replacements are very cheap and easy to find. Replacing the track blade itself is very easy as well.\\n\\nThe swing-out arm beneath it is a nice little addition, but one I rarely use. My only issue with this trimmer is that the clearish-blue track/ruler in which the track blade rests could be clearer, as it is rather difficult for me to see through when working with blank, white paper. I'd give this 4 1/2 stars if I could, rather than the 4 star rating. Other than that small gripe, this trimmer has been a very handy tool and has served me well. Even with the small issue I mentioned, if you are looking for an inexpensive but nice quality (general purpose) trimmer, this is a good one to consider.\",\n \"Product: M-301 Stainless Steel Mechanical Pencil - 9-Pack.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My Favorite Mechanical Pencils Because...\\n\\nReview: These M-301 Stainless Steel Mechanical Pencils are my favorite (mechanical) pencils for several reasons. I love the always-sharp lead point's fineness when writing in the small boxes of my planner, the words and numbers are crisp and clear, and haven't smudged or faded over time. I love the look, weight, and feel of the slim stainless steel barrel and the slightly textured black grip at the bottom. I use these also for very fine detail work in my art. I love not having to stop and sharpen my pencil in the middle of intricate work, and have had no problems erasing marks/mistakes from any of the various art papers I've used.\\n\\nThe capped, white eraser doesn't look like it would last the life of the lead, but surprisingly, it does. Just a few gentle sweeps of it over your mistake does the trick. Our children also enjoy these very much for math and other schoolwork where a pencil is needed. Finally, the nice, sturdy clip on this mechanical pencil is perfect for clipping within a planner/notebook, where it stays put until it's needed again. All in all, these are fantastic mechanical pencils and I recommend them to anyone looking for an inexpensive but high quality mechanical pencil that is a pleasure to use.\",\n \"Product: VTech CS6429-4 4-Handset DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: WOW! Over 2 YEARS and STILL GOING STRONG!\\n\\nReview: We've had this set for over 2 years now, and we have not yet had any problems with any of it yet. We have not had to replace any of the batteries to date. I did follow the instructions to the T in fully charging each handset for the recommended amount of time. Also, we TRY to remember to always put them back on the charger(s) when we are finished talking, or at least within a few hours. This is the first phone set we've owned that we haven't had problems with the battery life. Besides this very important detail, the other reasons why I really like this are:\\n\\n-No problems with static;\\n-Signal stays strong even after about 15 feet outside, which is about 25 feet from nearest base\\n-Long, long talk time. Of course, when using the speaker option, talk time is reduced before needing to charge/switch handsets. The phone will alert you with beeping to let you know the battery is dying, and gives enough time to put on charger during conversation and switch to other handset;\\n-Speaker option is plenty loud enough;\\n-Digital answering system suits our needs, although I sometimes need to press the \\\"Delete\\\" button very hard (the design is weird, has a circular button into which the delete, play, skip and repeat buttons are integrated); I would have preferred simple buttons as opposed to the current design. I am used to it now, and all of the other features make it a non-issue for me;\\n-Handsets are lightweight and bases take up minimal space;\\n-Have placed phone on bathroom counter while showering so wouldn't miss important call and have had no problems from any moisture from the steam;\\n-I enjoy all of the options in the manufacturer's product description, including the \\\"find handset\\\" feature when I realize one of us didn't put the phone back on the charger, the backlit features, the adjustable ring sounds, and address book built in to each handset;\\n-Again, though, what I especially love the most is that the batteries have lasted as long as they have thus far. I don't know if it is because we didn't use any of the handsets until they had FULLY charged according to the manufacturer's instructions, or if we were just EXTREMELY fortunate.\\nOverall, this set meets all of our needs and then some!\\n\\nYou cannot use these to call others in outer space.\",\n \"Product: Sharpeners, double hole for pencils and colored pencils, 2 ea.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Pleasure To Use--Excellent Quality\\n\\nReview: I purchased these pencil sharpeners for the Staedtler colored pencils I bought, and these are absolutely the best handheld pencil sharpeners I have found. These are extremely well-made and have a very nice heft/weight to them. The blades are extremely sharp, as they should be, and do not chew up or break the lead in our art pencils. Sharpening pencils with this is very smooth and easy, and the end result is a nicely sharpened and even point. The double holes are great for regular and colored pencils, and eliminate the need to keep up with 2 different sharpeners for 2 different type pencils. These are a pleasure to use and I expect these sharpeners to last for years to come.\",\n \"Product: With ABS technology for removing jammed documents - 50 x 3 mil hot pockets are included: 20 x 8,5*11, 15 x 4*6, 15 x 3*6\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Purple Cows Has Great Customer Service\\n\\nReview: I bought this exact model elsewhere to replace my tired, bulky and slow but still functioning laminator. I ran through a document which was on piece of printing paper, and it jammed. I unplugged it, and tried to forcibly remove it. I could not. Had I read the instructions prior to using it, I would have ran through a piece of cardstock beneath my pouched paper and prevented this issue to begin with. I had called the company (after 8pm) that Sunday evening, and left a message, as well as emailed them. The next morning, I received not only an email but also a phone call from Purple Cows. I told them what I had done, explaining exactly what had happened- (my own fault). To my suprise, the representative asked me for my address and told me that they would be shipping me out a brand new one at no cost to me. Remember, this was my own fault, the jamming--I had failed to read the instructions prior to using it. Sure enough, later that week my new Purple Cows laminator arrived. Now, when a company goes that far to make sure that I am pleased with their product, even if I was the one that made a mistake, that is a company that has my business, loyalty and recommendations. I would not hesitate to buy any Purple Cows product again, knowing that they offer excellence in customer service and satisfaction.\\nThis little laminator takes up very little room, is kind of sleek and works wonderfully. Just remember to run through a piece of cardstock beneath flimsy or thin projects, and make sure you are guiding it through straight. I love my Purple Cows laminator and knowing it's made by a company that stands behind their products.\",\n \"Product: Looking for high-quality wireless performance, ease of use, and high-quality low-cost ink in an affordable printer? Meet the KODAK ESP C315 All-in-One Printer. A big, beautiful 2.4\\\" color display and effortless Wi-Fi connection to your wireless home network1 make printing simple. And with low cost total ink replacement our expanded line of KODAK Pigment-Based, 30 Series Inks help you save on everything you print. Of course, legendary Kodak quality means crisp, sharp text documents, brilliant graphics, and photos that dry instantly and last a lifetime. For easy excellence at a great value, look no further than Kodak.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not A Great Printer, But Great Customer Support, UPDATES\\n\\nReview: WIRELESS FUNCTION: \\\"Iffy\\\"-- worked fine connecting for a room in our home much further away from the router, with more obstacles, (that room's pc OS is Windows 7) but would not complete final connection step for a room much closer to router with less obstacles (that room's pc OS is Vista) weird; however, the ability to print remotely is extremely handy;\\nCLOUD FUNCTION: My husband uses an iPhone, and he has raved about the convenience of the \\\"cloud\\\";\\nPRINT QUALITY: just okay, really bad if printhead is faulty/defective; (please see my photos)\\nEASE OF ACCESS TO REPLACE INK CARTRIDGES: Very easy, just lift the hood and lift out old/slip in new; (please see my photos)\\nTIME BETWEEN NEEDING TO CHANGE THE 2 INK CARTRIDGES: Using the draft quality more often than the normal quality, the time between needing to change the black cartridge has been frequent, the color less frequent--it seems to drink up the ink quicker than my old HP Deskjet F4440, which is older technology;\\nSCANNING OPTION:This has worked consistently well with no problems;\\nCOPY OPTION: This also has worked consistently well with no problems;\\nLED DISPLAY: Bright, easy to read and adjustable;\\nNOISE LEVEL WHEN PRINTING: Suprisingly, this is louder than we expected, not a quiet printer;\\nKODAK CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Very good! We didn't have to jump through hoops to get support for what is apparently a faulty printer head, and they are going to send us out a replacement printhead at no charge to us, so I am pleased to say that our experience with Kodak customer support has been a positive one.\\n\\nOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PRINTER:\\n I purchased this printer spur of the moment when it was on sale in a brick and mortar store about 8 months ago with pretty high hopes. I loved the idea of wireless printing, and with the Kodak name, I felt I would be able to print out some pretty high-quaility photos that I had been taking. When I had tried to the wireless function up in my art studio, which is about 30 feet from the router, with only one corner between it and the printer...our network was detected, but this printer never would connect. I followed the directions, and then the troubleshooting steps, but after an hour I was just too frustrated to give it another try. My husband decided to put it in his office, which is about 60 feet away between the router and his office, but was able to wirelessly connect right away. Since then, there have been no problems with it maintaining a good connection. Something we really love about this printer is our children can easily print their homework wirelessly with this printer. My husband loves the cloud features and has found this function to be very handy.\\nThe print quality of photos has been just okay, nothing especially great, always using the genuine Kodak ink cartridges, which kind of suprised both of us. However, he uses this primarily for documents with only a small amount of images, so he was satisfied that it printed those out okay.\\n However, about a month ago, the print quality greatly deteriorated, leaving reds looking pink, yellow barely printing out, and some portions of the page missing ink. After having replaced the ink cartridges, doing the alignments, cleaning the print heads, last night, we went to the Kodak customer support site, found the printer's model number (ESP C315) and issue (poor print quality) from the drop down menu on the troubleshooting site, then followed the simple troubleshooting steps, At the end of it, the troubleshooter displayed that there is an issue with the printer that cannot be fixed by us, would we like to contact customer support, gave us a referral number, and the chat or email option.\\nWe chose the chat option, and after answering a few questions, the support person told us that the printhead had a defect, and they would be sending a new printhead at no charge to us. The support person sent us an email verifiying everything. This morning, we were sent an email stating that this printhead is currently out of stock, but it would be delivered to us as soon as it was available.*SEE UPDATE BELOW*\\n\\nIN CONCLUSION: While I would not buy this particular printer again or highly recommend it, I would certainly consider buying another Kodak printer (after doing research, and reading others' reviews) because I have found that the Kodak customer support was courteous and willing to replace what they concluded was a faulty printhead (at no charge or hassle to us 8 months after we purchased this printer). I didn't have to dig out my receipt or jump through any hoops, the Kodak support person seemed earnest in wanting to be sure we were satisfied. That (good customer support) is very important to me and keeps me open and willing to buy another product from a company that backs their products and is willing to send out whatever is necessary to remedy the issue at hand.\\n\\n*UPDATE*: True to their word, Kodak sent us an email notification today that the replacement printhead has been shipped, only 2 days after the email stating that it was out of stock, but would be sent as soon as it became available. As I stated in my earlier review, I would certainly consider buying another Kodak product, as the customer service is hassle-free and true to their word if a problem with the product should occur. Also, if we find that the print quality is better with the new printhead is better than the regular print quality that we had up until the printouts became clearly defective, I will be sure to come back and *update this review and stars to reflect that, as I can't help but wonder if we never experienced great quality in our print jobs because the printhead that came with the machine was never fully up to snuff to begin with.\\n\\n*SECOND UPDATE: The printhead replacement arrived within a week of first contacting Kodak support, even with the delay for the out of stock status, and it was super easy to take out the old printhead and putting in the new replacement one. We did not find, however, that the print quality was any better than the quality of the print jobs before any of the problems began. I am very impressed with Kodak support's easy, courteous and prompt customer support and because of that, would consider buying another (but different model) printer from them in the future. So, still 3 stars for our experience with the printer, but 5 stars for Kodak customer support.\\n\\n*UPDATE: While I received excellent customer service-(via chat) someone else informed me that their experience with customer service as well as the replacement printhead was poor. Also, upon further online research, it appears that it is not uncommon to have issues relating to this printer's printhead.\",\n \"Product: Rockford's 1400 PSI Electric Pressure Washer is an affordable pressure washer that delivers superior quality at an extremely low price. This pressure washer is lightweight, compact, and perfect for use in home and automotive applications. This pressure washer delivers 1400 PSI/1.4 GPM. This affordable pressure washer includes a 3-piece car care kit, 32-foot power cord with GFCI, quick connector, 20-foot high pressure hose, dirt blaster, and jet-fan spray gun.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Suits Our Well-Water Restrictions And Siding/Deck Cleaning Needs\\n\\nReview: I bought this primarily because we needed a pressure washer for occasional use with a PSI under 1500 due to the fact that we have well water and need to pay special attention to our water usage so we don't run our well dry with this in conjunction with our present water usage within the home (showers, laundry, dishes, etc.) We use this to pressure wash the siding of our house and to clean the deck every now and then, and it has worked quite well for us. We also like that this has the little (cleaning agent) dispenser option. This pressure washer wouldn't be good for heavy duty jobs aimed very high up, but that's to be expected with a 1400 PSI. It's been handy to have and well, it does do exactly what we bought it for and does it well, (especially considering the lower end of the scale PSI). The 3-piece car care kit is a nice little addition, but what we especially like about it is that it has worked for us and improved the look of the exterior of our home and deck without causing any problems with our well's water supply or function.\\n\\nOverall, we were pleased with this purchase and are getting some good use out of it.\",\n \"Product: Your cat will love exploring the mysterious Crackle Chute tunnel that crackles with every step! The side opening is perfect for hide-and-seek and playing chase with other cats. It can also be used for agility training for small dogs. Lightweight and collapsible, the Crackle Chute offers portable fun and stores away easily when playtime is over. The Crackle Chute also helps satisfy your cats instinctual need for independence. SmartyKat gives pet parents the best of all worlds: innovative products, stylish designs, environmental responsibility, and exceptional value with a variety of toys to meet a cats need for play, scratching, wellness, rest, and fun! A member of the Worldwise family of pet products, SmartyKat is grounded in the principles of pet safety, customer satisfaction, and environmental responsibility. SmartyKat products are designed to meet or exceed all applicable safety standards. They are then tested against those standards to ensure they meet our strict quality and safety requirements ensuring theyre safe for all members of your family. SmartyKat offers a complete satisfaction guarantee. If a customer is dissatisfied with a SmartyKat product for any reason, they will replace it or refund it.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent Addition to Parkour Routine~As Told By the Kitteh\\n\\nReview: Pet Parent's Viewpoint: Our recently adopted 8 1/2 month old \\\"kitteh\\\" loves this even more than we expected. At first, she tentatively stepped a little paw in it, testing it, then ventured in when we dangled one of her favorite wand toys in the top opening of the chute. After that, she seemed to get a kick out of the \\\"crackliness\\\" of this and would run in and out, in and out, stop, stick her head out of the top, hide, and so on. She really enjoys this, and we enjoy knowing she has something that is self-interactive when needed, and a new added element to our playtime together.\\n\\nAs told by the \\\"kitteh\\\": I was very excited when my pet parents had gotten me a new cardboard box, right there on our doorstep. I was having so much fun with it after my people lifted out the stuff that was in my way. While in my new box, I heard a loud noise, and of course, went to investigate. After I had sufficiently sniffed and rubbed my scent on this object, I found that this is a special crackly hidey tunnel that is most excellent to add into my daily parkour skill routine, especially with the opening at the top, perfect to jump into and out of, showcasing my mad agility skills. I also found that it is a terrific place to stalk my meowmie's ankle as she walks by, enabling me to keep my stealth skills sharp, sharp like my claws. One of my most favorite features of this loudly crackling tunnel is that when my parents are staring at something other than me, such as a \\\"book,\\\" \\\"TV,\\\" or \\\"tablet\\\" all I have to do is run through this, and they are looking at me again, as they should.\",\n \"Product: Serve Purina Beyond Simply Salmon & Whole Brown Rice Recipe adult dry cat food to your feline companion, and know exactly what ingredients are going into her dish at mealtime. Real salmon is the #1 ingredient in this dry cat food recipe, and every ingredient is purposely chosen by our in-house pet nutritionists. When working together, these ingredients deliver natural nutrition plus essential nutrients to help your cat live a full, healthy life by your side. The formula is crafted without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives so she gets the nourishment she deserves and nothing she doesn't. We believe that when we connect with what's natural, we connect with what's good in food, and that's why this premium cat food is made with real, recognizable ingredients you know and trust. For a tasty experience she'll treasure time and again, offer your feline companion a natural cat food that meets all of your ingredient criteria when you fill her dish with this Purina Beyond recipe.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: We Use This As Treats For Our Cat\\n\\nReview: Our cat just loves this stuff, but we typically give her the Purina Indoor Cat formula as her main food and give her this as treats, or simply to top off her Purina Indoor Formula Cat Chow. She thinks these are treats, but they are healthier for her and more cost-effective for us (although we still get a bag of treats for her here and there).\\n\\nThe first time she had this, she made gasping sounds she ate it so fast and we're pretty sure she didn't chew it properly. To solve that, we give her only a few kibbles at a time, and spread them out so she has to take her time. She's had no problems with it causing any digestive issues, so we plan on continuing to buy this along with her regular cat chow.\",\n \"Product: A \\\"wall\\\" organizer designed to hold various household objects with handles of varying thickness. To use this floor mop holder, simply insert a handle into a slot and a rounded, gravity controlled, rolling ball automatically adjusts to the handle's thickness and grips it securely for the ultimate storage solution. Use this broom utility holder the laundry, garage, garden, utility room, offices, and more.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Works Well For Our Purposes\\n\\nReview: Although this product works well for our purposes, I found that it does not hold the broom, Swiffer, or other long-poled items at the point on the pole in which I put them in. They always slide down to the tip, or cap of the actual pole. Were it not for the capping at the end of the pole/handle, they would slide right through. However, that being said, fortunately, I happened to position the Evriholder Magic Holder at just the right height for this to not be an issue. Also, the fact that all of my floor sweepers have a cap at the end of them, as most nowadays do, keeps them from falling out and thus for us, makes it a good purchase. It is important to note, that in most walls you will need to pre-drill 3 holes in order to put the wall (butterfly/stabilizers?) in. This was not too much trouble and will help prevent the Holder tearing away from the wall with repeated use. Just keep in mind that when you are positioning where to mount it onto your wall, that you want to have it high enough to allow for very possible slippage of the pole to the end cap. Finally, it looks nice on the wall for what it is, and keeps the floor sweepers and accessories organized, off of the floor and out of the way.\\n\\nThis product does not have magical properties.\",\n \"Product: GE 30-Watt - 70-Watt - 100-Watt Soft White 3-Way A21 #97493. Use original GE's Soft White when you need a light without glare and harsh shadows. Specifically designed for 3-way lamps in your home or office, GE 3-way bulbs offer a range of light levels. Choose the low light setting for energy savings, higher settings for general and activity lighting. Choose the low light setting for energy savings, higher settings for general and activity lighting.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Occasional Dud, But I Still Like It\\n\\nReview: I buy these (hard-to-find) bulbs specifically for my bedside 3-way reading lamp. I prefer this incandescent lighting at 30 watts before going to bed while reading a book, as well as the ability to use my bedside lamp as alternate, higher wattage lighting during other hours. I find that because my lamp is close to me, the 30 watt setting is fine for book-reading, while still being soft enough to help me to wind down and settle to sleep. The 70 and 100 watt settings are nicely bright as expected.\\n\\nThe reason for a 4 star rating rather than 5 is because I've bought many of these throughout the years, and it seems like I get a dud that burns out too quickly (within a month) every 3rd or 4th bulb. It might happen when switching between wattages or just turning on my lamp. I don't flip through my switch carelessly and don't think it's my lamp, I do think it's these bulbs. However, incandescent bulbs in general are getting harder to find, and this particular 30/70/100 wattage is especially difficult for me to find, so I'll take what I can get. Overall, I like it and plan on continuing to buy these while they are available. Thanks for reading!\",\n \"Product: Elegant and easy, the Indoor/Outdoor Elephant Ceiling Hook (Bronze) from Hangman installs in under a minute. No drilling or pilot hole is necessary. Simply screw in the self-drilling, double-headed Bear Claw Hanger. Snap the elephant hook in place. Swivel to the desired angle and allow the weight of your item to lock into place.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Sturdy, Swiveling and Secure Ceiling Hanger\\n\\nReview: This Elephant Hook Ceiling Hanger is very sturdy and bigger than I anticipated even after reading the size/dimensions in the product description prior to buying. But, that is actually one of the things that I have appreciated about it. I had purchased this to hang a patio tealight chandelier, except I hung it indoors in preparation for our daughter's Sweet Sixteen some while back, which we've opted to leave up for a while longer to continue to enjoy it. We use LED tealights in the chandelier, so that means frequently needing to reach up there and manually turn them on, which means we are putting some stress on the chandelier itself. Because this hook swivels, that helps to make this task much easier. We were fortunate enough to have a stud right where we wanted to place this (12-15 lb) chandelier, so my husband decided it would be quite sturdy enough with the screw only and without the included plastic anchor.\\n\\nIn addition to the metal chandelier, we have tulle and artificial vines running through the hook, and have had no problems with it's stability or strength. I chose the white hanger because our ceiling is white, and I didn't want the hook itself to stand out. This hanger is very sturdy and one that I would not hesitate to buy again if I ever need to hang anything of any substantial weight from the ceiling again.\",\n \"Product: Coloring pencils are the fundamental tools of any budding artist. They are easy to use and produce quality color without the mess of wax or ink. These pencils give young artists and crafters smooth, art quality textures of almost every shade one would need for a beautiful and lasting picture in a more compact size. Each pencil is pre-sharpened so they can be used right out of the box, has long lasting colored lead and is made of real wood to make it resistant to easy breaking under pressure. Each pencil is small enough to fit in any sized pencil case for quick and convenient use, or store them in the handy package to keep them all safe and secure. Mini colored pencils are perfect for either home or school use.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Okay For General Everyday Stuff\\n\\nReview: I bought these for our children for general doodling and shading in minor projects, and for those purposes these are fine. However, these are not particularly suitable for serious art, such as fine art competitions or major projects. The variety of colors is good, but the depth of color is very light and not heavily pigmented or rich-looking. But, for general, everyday use with a wide spectrum of colors, these are okay. This would be a nice starter set for someone to practice their coloring in/shading techniques before moving on to a higher quality but more expensive set of colored pencils. Not bad, not great, just okay. I'd give 3 1/2 stars if I could, because of the variety of colors in this set.\",\n \"Product: ONE DOZEN (12)Brand New Canvas PEACE SIGN Tote bags. They measure 8.5\\\" tall x 8.5\\\" wide and have coordinating nylon handles These are a nice size for taking a sandwich and drink to work and would also be great as Party Favor Goody Bags. Peace sign is on one side only.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Well-Liked Party Favor Bag\\n\\nReview: We purchased these for a birthday party as favor bags, which are also great party favors in and of themselves. The colors are rich and vibrant, and I was suprised at how well made and sturdy these are for the price point. And, these are things that will actually get used after the party's over and do wear well after much use. Not only are these great for a child's birthday party, but also a pre-teen's or teen's party. Or for some really free-spirited lighthearted women, this would be a fun little thing to stash in some cosmetic samples, or fragrance samples, and so on. While they are not big, (8 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches), they make a fun impact and can be good to keep sunglasses, a (smaller) paperback and a water bottle in within a larger beach tote. These were a hit at our party and these certainly beat out paper or plastic goodie bags for fun factor and usefulness any day!\",\n \"Product: Where can you find Barbie when she isn’t out on the town or by the beach? In her Barbie ZipBin 40 Doll Dream House Toy Box & Playmat of course! This beautiful mansion doubles as a storage bin for Barbie dolls and accessories, then unzips to unveil the elegant home interior where you, Barbie and friends can play. Ages 3+. ZipBin Products - Keep it Together. BARBIE and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel, Inc. 2017 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Useful For Storage, Fun as a Small Barbie Playmat for Younger Children\\n\\nReview: We bought this as well as some more Barbie dolls for a sweet little 4 year old Barbie fan. I love storage items that can do double-duty and was intrigued by the fact that not only was this a storage bin for her Barbies, but that it also could be unzipped and converted into a playmat of sorts for pretend play. Our young friend has enjoyed this as her little Barbie playmat, and her Mom has enjoyed the fact that this is a fun-looking (lidded) storage bin for easy clean-up, and capable of holding several Barbies and accessories when play time is over.\\n\\nThe zippers are well-made, but younger children may require some assistance to help get this properly zipped up, at least until they get the hang of it. The box and lid are suprisingly sturdy to hold up to normal wear and tear, but not to put any great weight on the top of the zipped-up box. I like that all of the surfaces are easily wipe-able and the box itself is cute enough to leave out in the child's bedroom or play area.\\n\\nThis Barbie ZipBin as a playmat is fun for younger children as well as useful for keeping their Barbie toys put away neatly. It was a good purchase, I'm glad I bought it.\",\n \"Product: My Little Pony ponies live in a fun-filled world of friendship! The ponies love spending time together and learning all about each other!\\n\\nThis is perfect for travel!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Super Gift for My Little Pony Fans\\n\\nReview: I got this as a gift for a couple of My Little Pony fans, and they absolutely loved them! They had been trying to collect each of the ponies for some time, but were still missing quite a few. Of course, this package comes with the 12 ponies, (six of them special edition) as well as a 2 sided card behind each figurine that has the name, picture of the character on it, and as a description of that pony. They like having the collector's cards as well. It would have been great if I could have found this set with the ponies having brushable hair like some of the larger ones, but these fans didn't seem to mind one bit that it was all completely hard plastic. The ponies are really cute, and I was so glad to have found this on Amazon!\",\n \"Product: This is a first-hand account of China's cultural revolution. Nien Cheng, an anglophile and fluent English-speaker who worked for Shell in Shanghai under Mao, was put under house arrest by Red Guards in 1966 and subsequently jailed. All attempts to make her confess to the charges of being a British spy failed; all efforts to indoctrinate her were met by a steadfast and fearless refusal to accept the terms offered by her interrogators. When she was released from prison she was told that her daughter had committed suicide. In fact Meiping had been beaten to death by Maoist revolutionaries.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Heartbreaking But Important Book\\n\\nReview: I read this book a while back upon the recommendation of a friend, and I have not turned any book recommendation down from her since. \\\"Life and Death in Shanghai\\\" is written in such a way that I quickly became lost in a horrific era of China's past, as if seen through Nien Cheng's eyes, as if heard from her voice, so descriptive, yet without excess.\\n\\nWhile this is not an easy read regarding the atrocities, suffering and human nature at some of it's ugliest, the story needed to be told, and needs to be read by anyone who is interested in learning more not only about this part of China's history, but also about the diverse ways that we, as human beings, can react when thrust into insane, cruel and depraved conditions.\\nUnder day-in-day-out terrifying circumstances, physical, mental and emotional abuses and pressures, Nien Cheng manages to survive both in body and mind, with a broken heart, but not a broken spirit, as she shares this part of her life with the world with eloquence, painful honesty, and grace.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":57,"string":"57"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":285,"string":"285"}}},{"rowIdx":286,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A1NQUEOEMM92V3"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Experience the Eureka AirSpeed Pro All Surface Rewind. Proven powercleans carpets better than the No.1 selling bagless upright. Unlike most other vacuums, AirSpeed Pro All Surface Rewind has two wide AirSpeed tubes engineered with an efficient air path with limited bends and turns. This allows more air to pass through the vacuum. The direct air path from floor to cup decreases the distance for dirt to travel, which increases the amount of airflow for powerful suction. For attachment cleaning, simply set the suction control dial to tools. Deep clean carpets, bare floorsturn the brushroll on for powerful cleaning on carpeted floors and area rugs; to prevent dirt and debris from scattering while cleaning bare floors, turn the brushroll off. Soft rubber wheels won't nick or scratch bare floors. Deep clean stairs and upholstered furniture with the 12-ft deluxe stretch hose and on-board tools. Eureka has engineered the AirSpeed Pro All Surface Rewind to provide maximum suction powertested to strict industry standards, Eureka's multicyclonic dust cup system never loses suction and maintains power as you vacuum your home. The Eureka AirSpeed Pro All Surface Rewind boasts a professional, durable design and includes an odor-absorbing HEPA filter that reduces dust and allergens and an automatic cord rewind for quick and easy storage. Also included is a washable dust cup and 5-setting height adjustment.\". The summary of the review text is \"Pretty good machine for the price\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This Eureka upright vacuum is replacing my faithful Oreck of over twenty years. The new machine is plastic and has a cheap feel; a part snapped off during installation. Compared to the Oreck, its also rather heavy: 20 lbs. compared to less than 8 for the Oreck, a fact which makes it much more difficult for this senior citizen to get it upstairs. The controls are foot-pedals which (I would surmise) won't last very long. The cord rewind always leaves a foot or so of cord hanging out.\n\nNevertheless, there are many virtues to this machine. It certainly gets the job doneno complaints on its cleaning power, both with carpet and bare floors. The tool set is tidily affixed to the back of the machine, and they seem to work fairly well for upholstery, stairs, and the like. And no bags! (The Oreck ones were $8 a piece; and for a family with pets, that sum mounts up quickly.) The vacuum mechanism is easy to unlock and clean. Its also nothing as expensive as a new Oreck.\n\nI feel a certain sense of loss with the old Oreck. Maybe Ill grow fonder of this new Eureka as the months go on."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This Eureka upright vacuum is replacing my faithful Oreck of over twenty years. The new machine is plastic and has a cheap feel; a part snapped off during installation. Compared to the Oreck, its also rather heavy: 20 lbs. compared to less than 8 for the Oreck, a fact which makes it much more difficult for this senior citizen to get it upstairs. The controls are foot-pedals which (I would surmise) won't last very long. The cord rewind always leaves a foot or so of cord hanging out.\n\nNevertheless, there are many virtues to this machine. It certainly gets the job doneno complaints on its cleaning power, both with carpet and bare floors. The tool set is tidily affixed to the back of the machine, and they seem to work fairly well for upholstery, stairs, and the like. And no bags! (The Oreck ones were $8 a piece; and for a family with pets, that sum mounts up quickly.) The vacuum mechanism is easy to unlock and clean. Its also nothing as expensive as a new Oreck.\n\nI feel a certain sense of loss with the old Oreck. Maybe Ill grow fonder of this new Eureka as the months go on."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: The Rachael Ray Porcelain II Cookware Collection offers performance, fun colors and solid construction and this stylish and functional 12-Piece Cookware Set has the essential shapes and sizes needed in any kitchen, including a pair of handy baking sheets. The sturdy materials of both the cookware and bake ware promote even heating, helping to reduce hot spots that can burn foods and the porcelain cookware exteriors with their two-tone gradient hue are colorful and durable. Use the small saucepan for Rachael's Salsa Verde Gravy, the stockpot for one of her signature \"stoups\" and the saut, skillets and other pans round out a set that's as versatile as cookware gets. Tempered glass lids on covered pieces form a tight seal with the cookware to help hold in heat and moisture. The distinctive rubberized handles are oven safe to 350F and offer dual-riveted strength and a comfortable grasp while cooking. The set includes two durable carbon steel nonstick cookie sheets with grippy handles that are oven safe to 500F. Get your kitchen going in long-lasting style and performance with every piece of the Rachael Ray Porcelain II 12-Piece Set.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very pleased with this cookware\n\nReview: I have used this cookware for about three weeks now and am very impressed and pleased. My previous pots and pans were bought so long ago that the brand name is worn off the bottom, but I think they were Farberware. I had never used a porcelain-clad pot, nor one with a glass lid. So far both are working well. I was afraid the finish would be too delicate for daily use. I was wrong. And being able to see through the glass top the dish as it is cooking, without lifting the lid, is really nice.\n\nThis is solidly made stuff. I don't understand the complaints of other users that they're too thin. They're twice as thick as what I was used to. And even though they're not dishwasher safe (bummer!), the non-stick coating does make clean-up very easy indeed.\n\nI wish the six-quart stockpot were an eight-quart one, but that's a minor matter. Otherwise I find the pans just the right size. Some have squabbled that the smallest pan is too small; not for me. And the baking sheets are really nice too.\n\nThe cookware can stand medium heat in the oven. The handles don't get too hot. It seems sturdy enough for years of use, maybe as long as my primeval Farberware! For the price, this is a great bargain. Don't hesitate to purchase it.","Product: The Alfrescamore 12\" Pizza Peel allows you to easily escort your uniquely designed pizzas in and out of your oven. Add a little corn meal and you will be good to go for constructing your pizzas directly on the peel. Handle each pizza with ease, knowing you have a minimized chance of dropping a pie with this non-slip rubber grip. When you're done with the pizza peel, you can easily fold it away for simple storage or you can hang it from your grill hooks.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent peel, especially for outdoor use\n\nReview: I am a modestly good homemade pizza cook. Ever since I learned the basics a few years ago, I can produce a pizza far better than any takeout in town. But one thing I had never tried was to bake one in the outdoor grill. This was because all of my previous peels were either wood or some sort of wood/resin composite, and they could not withstand the heat of an open flame.\n\nThis new Cuisinart metal peel really did the job. (And golly are fire-grilled pizzas good!) It is sturdily made and holds the pizza and toppings without bending (something I had been concerned about at first). It folds for easy storage and has an extra-long handle to protect your hands from the flame (though Id still recommend the use of gloves, just in case).\n\nThe relatively dainty foot-square size may be a deal-killer for some buyers, but those dimensions fit my outdoor grill just fine. Though I may use more traditional peels for indoor pies, this will be my standard for outdoor ones. Thanks, Cuisinart!","Product: The Oreck elevate conquer provides maximum maneuverability with swivel steering while delivering powerful, HEPA filtration performance for all types of flooring - carpet, hardwood, tile and more. Its superior filtration technology captures at least 99.97percent of even non-visible particles at 3 microns, including mold spores, pollen, dander, dust & smoke. The saniseal system automatically seals filtration contents upon disposal to lock in dirt & debris, while the extra-large Capacity holds up to 4x the amount of dust, dirt and debris of a typical bagless vacuum.At half the weight of vacuums in its class, the elevate conquer delivers a complete clean for your carpets without the strain of lifting traditional heavy uprights. The full access low-profile design with an extra-extended 35 foot cord and swivel steering enables you to get those hard to reach areas under & around furniture, while the 5 bright led headlights let you finally see what you've been missing. The elevate conquer has a 1 year warranty, which includes 1 free service tune-up at your local Oreck dealer or authorized Oreck service center, to ensure ongoing optimal performance. Take control of your clean with Oreck. The elevate conquer is proudly made in the USA of U.S. & globally-sourced components. Thanks for supporting USA Jobs with your Oreck purchase.To ensure optimal filtration & cleaning performance, only Oreck certified filtration bags beginning with the letters \"AK\" should be used with the Oreck elevate conquer. Damage to the product caused by the installation or use of non-oreck certified filtration bags or components shall not be covered under and is excluded from this warranty.For your detailed & above floor cleaning needs, complement the elevate conquer with the Oreck ultimate handheld canister (CC1600). premium upright filtration bag vacuums, $299+\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Oreck vetran is pleased so far\n\nReview: This is my second Oreck. My first one lasted almost twenty years. Well see if this one lives up to that standard. My first impressions are good. The machine is still fairly lightless than ten poundsand has exceptional suction (though I see that some reviewers disagree). The roller is firm, which might be too rigorous on some delicate rugs; nevertheless, Ive used it on my 25-year old Oriental rug and did fine. The vacuum is so strong that it seems to propel itself. The thirty foot cord is handy, so that I can reach much of my relatively small house without having to change electric plugs frequently. Some object to the lack of a retractable feature, but I have to admit that those seldom worked for methere was always a foot or two that never went in; so the fact that I have to rewind the cord by hand is a plus for me and something I'm used to. I also like (new to this model) the handle halfway down the back, making the vacuum easy to carry upstairs.\n\nThe replacement bags are more outrageously expensive than ever, especially considering that they are not HEPA quality. But I do get a free service tune-up for a year.\n\nThe vacuum is assembled in America of both foreign and domestic parts. The original factory was about fifty miles from my home, but Hurricane Katrina took care of that. They moved to Tennessee but may have branched out by now.\n\nThere are no attachments for furniture or draperies. But all those did for me in earlier machines was weigh too much and fall off much of the time. This Oreck works well on wood floors and tile, as well as carpet. Buy a Dirt Devil for smaller stuff.\n\nIm having much of my house redone this summer, so theres a lot of vacuuming going on lately. This new Oreck has really lived up to the challenge of dirt, grime, and tile grit. Its a tough machine.\n\nThus my first impressions are really good. Yes, $450 (you gotta include shipping) is expensive. Thats up there in the Electrolux range. But Ive been reading the recent reviews for Electrolux, and they're not very good. (Sic transit . . .) Honestly, Im not sure I could have sprung this much for a vacuum without the Vine programs assistance. Yet now that I know how good this machine is (so far, at least), I might have done so anyway. All I can say to you, dear reader, is that this customer is very pleased indeed. Read the other reviewers and see whether this appliance is worth your hard-earned money. Id vote yes.","Product: TRENDnets N300 WiFi Router, model TEW-731BR, offers up to 300 Mbps wireless N networking to share files, play games, and surf the internet. Control access to the internet and manage bandwidth for devices connected to router. For your convenience, the wireless network is setup and pre-encrypted out of the box.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: So far, so good\n\nReview: This Trendnet AC1750 replaces an Apple Airport from about five years ago. Now, I make no claims to be a computer guru, but I do know results. This Trendnet raises my Mbps from 12.5 to over 30. Thats impressive! Like the Airport, this Trendnet won't reach fully into the back yard, so I will still have to use a repeater to get a lot of distance outside the household walls.\n\nAnother user remarked that installation was difficult. I can make no rejoinder here, since I took the easy way out and asked a computer-sci-type neighbor to install it for me. He did so in less than ten minutes. So no complaints from me. (But don't lose the little postage-stamp sticker with the important numbers on it; they are the passwords and login info you're going to need.)\n\nThe price is certainly fair. I recall that my Airport was $200; the Trendnet is half that. I suppose I could spend more, but I see little reason to do so. CNet rates Trendnet routers (the number before this one) among their top eight choices. Only time will tell if this product lasts as long as the Airport, which performed virtually flawlessly for half a decade.\n\nSo far, then, Im quite pleased. If matters turn out differently, Ill post further comments here.\n\nUPDATE: March 2016: It failed. I replaced it with a new Airport. Oh well . . .","Product: Introducing headphones designed so nothing will get between you and your music. Sound True Ultra in-ear headphones deliver deep, rich sound across a wide frequency range. And the sealed acoustic design comfortably immerses you in your music, so you can hear every detail. The proprietary Stay Hear Ultra tips, available in three sizes, stay soft while giving you a secure fit. The inline microphone and remote let you easily switch between calls and music with your smartphone, and provide control for select Samsung and Android models. A carrying case to store and protect your headphones is also included. Available in Charcoal or Frost. Included: Sound True Ultra in-ear headphones; 3 pairs Stay Hear Ultra tips (S, M, L); carrying case; clothing clip.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good phones, even comfortable for a change\n\nReview: I thought I would try in-ear phones one last time: you know the kind, the ones that seal off your ear canal, as opposed to the Apple kind that leave your ear room to breathe. The advantage of the former is that they provide much better sound, plus at least some isolation from the ambient noise around you; the disadvantage is that they make me feel claustrophobicI feel as if can hear and feel my heart beating. (Does anyone else react this way?) The advantage of the Apple-like open-ear phones is that I don't have that feeling; plus the sound is pretty dam good even then.\n\nSo: I gave these a try. And surprise! I like them. They are extraordinarily comfortable. Theres this plastic piece that helps to keep the thing in place in the ear (so that its not all vacuum, as before). They are comfortable. And they don't fit so tight that they make me feel (as I said) claustrophobic. I am quite impressed. There are three sets of inserts, so surely even Lyndon Johnsons ears could find a fit (hmmm . . . I suppose thats a dated joke).\n\nThe Bose sound is its usual magnificent self, with clean highs and profound bass. Theres even a nifty little carrying case. Plus an itty-bitty clothes pin on the right cable to hold it to your shirt.\n\nI am mostly an Apple user (iPhone, iPad), so I wanted to see how many of the features here, designed for Samsung, would work. Well, most of them do: at least the start/stop button; the volume button does not.\n\nId recommend these to any Samsung user in search of a set of earbuds with mic and volume controls, in a unit that is fairly easy to wear.","Product: The PNY CS2211 2.5-inch SATA-III (6GB/s) solid state drive (SSD) is the next generation of XLR8 SSD that offers our highest performance when gaming or transferring large files. The PNY CS2211 was designed to be an ultimate HDD replacement for enthusiasts and gamers, who demand extreme performance from their system.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: An excellent product, if somewhat puzzling to install\n\nReview: This is a splendid solid-state drive that speeded up my aging Dell to the point where I have decided not to replace it. The speed of this device truly is extraordinary. I am very pleased with the performance.\n\nLess satisfactory was the installation process. I confess Im no computer wizard, but Im not a complete moron either. I found the instructions less than . . . well . . . instructive. Finally I called on a neighbor who is a professional technician, and he guided me through the installation. He said he wasn't sure he could have followed the instructions either. I see that others have had no problem here, so Ill just say that Im glad I got the thing installed and to see that it works so well.\n\nThe drive is not cheap. But I think you will get your moneys worth.","Product: Fritz Lang's Expressionistic masterwork continues to exert its influence today, from Chaplin's Modern Times to Dr. Strangelove, and into the late 1990s with Dark City. In the stratified society of the future (Y2K no less), the son o\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A model of digital presentation\n\nReview: This disk can serve as a model of how to do it right. The restoration is virtually flawless. I can't imagine the picture looking any better at its Berlin premiere so many decades ago. Missing passages (about 30 mins.) are filled in with narrative cards so that now the plot makes sense. (It never did in earlier versions that I'd seen.) The symphonic score, which survives, has been orchestrated and joined to the film, a most moving impression. With excellent features on the making of the film and its restoration, plus a splendid commentary by a leading Lang scholar, this DVD will long hold a high place in my library. If you love \"Metropolis\" as much as I do, you owe yourself the pleasure of owning and viewing (repeatedly, as I already have) this splendid disk.","Product: Red laser wireless presenter. The Canon pr1000-r is a compact presenter with slideshow and volume control.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A good, basic presenter; good buy\n\nReview: This is a good, reasonably priced presenter. It is easy to use, fits well in the hand, and should satisfy most users.\n\nOver the years Ive tried many presenters. My top three are this Canon 1000, the Logitech 400 (the older model, not the one sold now), and a Canon 100. Each has its virtues, but he final verdict comes down in favor of the Logitech.\n\nThis Canon 1000 feels good in my hand. The buttons are well positioned, so Im not often pressing the wrong one (thats a problem, for me, with the Logitech). I like the volume control on the side. What I miss is the blackout feature, whereby I can black the screen and coerce my audience to listen to me, not just look mindlessly at a screen. The Canon 100 (and the new version of the Logitech) has a timer on a LED screen, which is essentially useless (to me) and takes up too much space; its also just too small to read without my glasses. The Logitech is easy to uselike this Canon 1000, theres no installation, merely a dongle; and it has the blackout feature I mentioned above. However the new Logitech is about twice the price of the Canon 1000. Worth it? I doubt it.\n\nSo if you're new to these devices, I can heartily recommend the Canon 1000. Your PowerPoint presentations will go smoothly, and youll look lots more professional than being glued to your laptop. The laser pointer is very bright, and Ive not had any problem with distance.\n\nAll in all, recommended.","Product: The Perky-Pet Wall & Post Mount Feeder - a compact and economical feeder for your home! You can hang it on a tree, post or side of your house and simply enjoy your hobby of bird watching. This feeder has a perch ring and a tray and holds up to 1.1 lbs. of seed. It is versatile in its use yet very easy to fill and clean.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Good feeder; not squirrel proof\n\nReview: I live in a woods. Lots of squirrels. So when I put out a bird feeder, I expect it mostly to be a squirrel feeder. As much as I've looked, I've never found anything that was squirrel-proof.\n\nUnfortunately this Perky-Pet measures up (down?) to exactly the customary standard. It's a nifty-looking feeder. The top and bottom are sturdy metal. It cleans up nicely. It can be mounted in several ways. It holds a modestly generous amount of seed. The problem is that the seed-holder is plastic, and the squirrels (advertising to the contrary) massacred it within a few days, turning a small opening for birds into a Holland Tunnel for squirrels.\n\nIf you live in a metro area and want a wall-mount feeder near a window, this unit might be ideal. We more rural dwellers must seek out something a bit more substantial.","Product: The Quick Pizza Cutter is designed for cutting your pizzas with quick, easy and simple motions. Its sharp, stainless steel blade allows you to portion your dough as you prepare to make your delicious pizzas. Make your pizzas ready to serve seconds after they are finished cooking. This pre-sharpened blade comes ready to cut and the long rubber grip allows for comfortable and controlled cutting.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent blade-style pizza cutter\n\nReview: Hands down, this is the best pizza cutter Ive ever owned. As an obsessive pizza baker, I think Ive tried them all. I have a drawer full of pizza wheels. Then I discovered the blade-style pizza cutter. What a difference! The wheelseven the expensive stainless steel onesoften resulted in a gooey mess. These rocker blades really do the trick. This particular Cuisinart model is heavier and easier to use than any other Ive tried. I especially like the plastic handle (the sort of plastic that OXO uses, it seems to me). Its heavier than my other ones and really works well, with good balance and heft. It even has a hole drilled in the side so I can mount it on a hook. The package says its pre-sharpened, but it still needed to be honed, at least for my use. But be warned: it is not dishwasher safe; hand wash only.\n\nHighly recommended. Well done, Cuisinart.","Product: The Maverick ET-632 Remote BBQ Smoker Thermometer is a must-have for anyone who loves to grill or smoke fish, poultry and meat. The set features a receiver, transmitter and 2 temperature probes to monitor internal temperature of both food and grill itself from 250 feet away! The unit is easy to program; the wireless receiver with LCD beeps and flashes when meat temperature goes above your pre-programmed settings. The receiver also beeps and flashes if internal grill temperature falls above or below your programmed range. Both probes are heat-safe to 572 degrees Fahrenheit. Convenient to carry, simply clip the receiver to your belt or use the wire stand to stand upright on the countertop or hang nearby. This unit can be used in the oven or smoker too! The lost signal alert warns you if your transmitter is out of range or has lost the radio frequency signal. Your meat, barbecue, and timer settings are stored even if the unit is turned off. The easy-to-read LCD display has a back-light for use at night or in low-light conditions. 4 AAA batteries and instruction booklet included.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: For smoking, not grilling\n\nReview: This product works very well. But the Amazon description is misleading. Down South, at least, we make a distinction between grilling and barbequing. This product is for the latter, not the former as Amazon suggests. It is for a smoker (or your grill used as a smoker). It is for thick cuts of meat, not your average Friday-night ribeye steak. The box even cautions that the product is for a SMOKER (in caps) and has a big X over a gas grill. Be ye warned. Smoker, not grill. So if you have a smoker, don't hesitate to buy this thermometer. The price is right, and it works well.\n\nThe instructions are difficult to follow, but once you get it all figured out, the setup is effective and the product acts as advertised. I confess I don't use my smoker nearly as much as my gas grill, so Im buying an instant-read thermometer now. But Im still glad to have this product to use when required. Thank you, Amazon Vine. And thank you for reading."],"string":"[\n \"Product: The Rachael Ray Porcelain II Cookware Collection offers performance, fun colors and solid construction and this stylish and functional 12-Piece Cookware Set has the essential shapes and sizes needed in any kitchen, including a pair of handy baking sheets. The sturdy materials of both the cookware and bake ware promote even heating, helping to reduce hot spots that can burn foods and the porcelain cookware exteriors with their two-tone gradient hue are colorful and durable. Use the small saucepan for Rachael's Salsa Verde Gravy, the stockpot for one of her signature \\\"stoups\\\" and the saut, skillets and other pans round out a set that's as versatile as cookware gets. Tempered glass lids on covered pieces form a tight seal with the cookware to help hold in heat and moisture. The distinctive rubberized handles are oven safe to 350F and offer dual-riveted strength and a comfortable grasp while cooking. The set includes two durable carbon steel nonstick cookie sheets with grippy handles that are oven safe to 500F. Get your kitchen going in long-lasting style and performance with every piece of the Rachael Ray Porcelain II 12-Piece Set.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very pleased with this cookware\\n\\nReview: I have used this cookware for about three weeks now and am very impressed and pleased. My previous pots and pans were bought so long ago that the brand name is worn off the bottom, but I think they were Farberware. I had never used a porcelain-clad pot, nor one with a glass lid. So far both are working well. I was afraid the finish would be too delicate for daily use. I was wrong. And being able to see through the glass top the dish as it is cooking, without lifting the lid, is really nice.\\n\\nThis is solidly made stuff. I don't understand the complaints of other users that they're too thin. They're twice as thick as what I was used to. And even though they're not dishwasher safe (bummer!), the non-stick coating does make clean-up very easy indeed.\\n\\nI wish the six-quart stockpot were an eight-quart one, but that's a minor matter. Otherwise I find the pans just the right size. Some have squabbled that the smallest pan is too small; not for me. And the baking sheets are really nice too.\\n\\nThe cookware can stand medium heat in the oven. The handles don't get too hot. It seems sturdy enough for years of use, maybe as long as my primeval Farberware! For the price, this is a great bargain. Don't hesitate to purchase it.\",\n \"Product: The Alfrescamore 12\\\" Pizza Peel allows you to easily escort your uniquely designed pizzas in and out of your oven. Add a little corn meal and you will be good to go for constructing your pizzas directly on the peel. Handle each pizza with ease, knowing you have a minimized chance of dropping a pie with this non-slip rubber grip. When you're done with the pizza peel, you can easily fold it away for simple storage or you can hang it from your grill hooks.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent peel, especially for outdoor use\\n\\nReview: I am a modestly good homemade pizza cook. Ever since I learned the basics a few years ago, I can produce a pizza far better than any takeout in town. But one thing I had never tried was to bake one in the outdoor grill. This was because all of my previous peels were either wood or some sort of wood/resin composite, and they could not withstand the heat of an open flame.\\n\\nThis new Cuisinart metal peel really did the job. (And golly are fire-grilled pizzas good!) It is sturdily made and holds the pizza and toppings without bending (something I had been concerned about at first). It folds for easy storage and has an extra-long handle to protect your hands from the flame (though Id still recommend the use of gloves, just in case).\\n\\nThe relatively dainty foot-square size may be a deal-killer for some buyers, but those dimensions fit my outdoor grill just fine. Though I may use more traditional peels for indoor pies, this will be my standard for outdoor ones. Thanks, Cuisinart!\",\n \"Product: The Oreck elevate conquer provides maximum maneuverability with swivel steering while delivering powerful, HEPA filtration performance for all types of flooring - carpet, hardwood, tile and more. Its superior filtration technology captures at least 99.97percent of even non-visible particles at 3 microns, including mold spores, pollen, dander, dust & smoke. The saniseal system automatically seals filtration contents upon disposal to lock in dirt & debris, while the extra-large Capacity holds up to 4x the amount of dust, dirt and debris of a typical bagless vacuum.At half the weight of vacuums in its class, the elevate conquer delivers a complete clean for your carpets without the strain of lifting traditional heavy uprights. The full access low-profile design with an extra-extended 35 foot cord and swivel steering enables you to get those hard to reach areas under & around furniture, while the 5 bright led headlights let you finally see what you've been missing. The elevate conquer has a 1 year warranty, which includes 1 free service tune-up at your local Oreck dealer or authorized Oreck service center, to ensure ongoing optimal performance. Take control of your clean with Oreck. The elevate conquer is proudly made in the USA of U.S. & globally-sourced components. Thanks for supporting USA Jobs with your Oreck purchase.To ensure optimal filtration & cleaning performance, only Oreck certified filtration bags beginning with the letters \\\"AK\\\" should be used with the Oreck elevate conquer. Damage to the product caused by the installation or use of non-oreck certified filtration bags or components shall not be covered under and is excluded from this warranty.For your detailed & above floor cleaning needs, complement the elevate conquer with the Oreck ultimate handheld canister (CC1600). premium upright filtration bag vacuums, $299+\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Oreck vetran is pleased so far\\n\\nReview: This is my second Oreck. My first one lasted almost twenty years. Well see if this one lives up to that standard. My first impressions are good. The machine is still fairly lightless than ten poundsand has exceptional suction (though I see that some reviewers disagree). The roller is firm, which might be too rigorous on some delicate rugs; nevertheless, Ive used it on my 25-year old Oriental rug and did fine. The vacuum is so strong that it seems to propel itself. The thirty foot cord is handy, so that I can reach much of my relatively small house without having to change electric plugs frequently. Some object to the lack of a retractable feature, but I have to admit that those seldom worked for methere was always a foot or two that never went in; so the fact that I have to rewind the cord by hand is a plus for me and something I'm used to. I also like (new to this model) the handle halfway down the back, making the vacuum easy to carry upstairs.\\n\\nThe replacement bags are more outrageously expensive than ever, especially considering that they are not HEPA quality. But I do get a free service tune-up for a year.\\n\\nThe vacuum is assembled in America of both foreign and domestic parts. The original factory was about fifty miles from my home, but Hurricane Katrina took care of that. They moved to Tennessee but may have branched out by now.\\n\\nThere are no attachments for furniture or draperies. But all those did for me in earlier machines was weigh too much and fall off much of the time. This Oreck works well on wood floors and tile, as well as carpet. Buy a Dirt Devil for smaller stuff.\\n\\nIm having much of my house redone this summer, so theres a lot of vacuuming going on lately. This new Oreck has really lived up to the challenge of dirt, grime, and tile grit. Its a tough machine.\\n\\nThus my first impressions are really good. Yes, $450 (you gotta include shipping) is expensive. Thats up there in the Electrolux range. But Ive been reading the recent reviews for Electrolux, and they're not very good. (Sic transit . . .) Honestly, Im not sure I could have sprung this much for a vacuum without the Vine programs assistance. Yet now that I know how good this machine is (so far, at least), I might have done so anyway. All I can say to you, dear reader, is that this customer is very pleased indeed. Read the other reviewers and see whether this appliance is worth your hard-earned money. Id vote yes.\",\n \"Product: TRENDnets N300 WiFi Router, model TEW-731BR, offers up to 300 Mbps wireless N networking to share files, play games, and surf the internet. Control access to the internet and manage bandwidth for devices connected to router. For your convenience, the wireless network is setup and pre-encrypted out of the box.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: So far, so good\\n\\nReview: This Trendnet AC1750 replaces an Apple Airport from about five years ago. Now, I make no claims to be a computer guru, but I do know results. This Trendnet raises my Mbps from 12.5 to over 30. Thats impressive! Like the Airport, this Trendnet won't reach fully into the back yard, so I will still have to use a repeater to get a lot of distance outside the household walls.\\n\\nAnother user remarked that installation was difficult. I can make no rejoinder here, since I took the easy way out and asked a computer-sci-type neighbor to install it for me. He did so in less than ten minutes. So no complaints from me. (But don't lose the little postage-stamp sticker with the important numbers on it; they are the passwords and login info you're going to need.)\\n\\nThe price is certainly fair. I recall that my Airport was $200; the Trendnet is half that. I suppose I could spend more, but I see little reason to do so. CNet rates Trendnet routers (the number before this one) among their top eight choices. Only time will tell if this product lasts as long as the Airport, which performed virtually flawlessly for half a decade.\\n\\nSo far, then, Im quite pleased. If matters turn out differently, Ill post further comments here.\\n\\nUPDATE: March 2016: It failed. I replaced it with a new Airport. Oh well . . .\",\n \"Product: Introducing headphones designed so nothing will get between you and your music. Sound True Ultra in-ear headphones deliver deep, rich sound across a wide frequency range. And the sealed acoustic design comfortably immerses you in your music, so you can hear every detail. The proprietary Stay Hear Ultra tips, available in three sizes, stay soft while giving you a secure fit. The inline microphone and remote let you easily switch between calls and music with your smartphone, and provide control for select Samsung and Android models. A carrying case to store and protect your headphones is also included. Available in Charcoal or Frost. Included: Sound True Ultra in-ear headphones; 3 pairs Stay Hear Ultra tips (S, M, L); carrying case; clothing clip.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good phones, even comfortable for a change\\n\\nReview: I thought I would try in-ear phones one last time: you know the kind, the ones that seal off your ear canal, as opposed to the Apple kind that leave your ear room to breathe. The advantage of the former is that they provide much better sound, plus at least some isolation from the ambient noise around you; the disadvantage is that they make me feel claustrophobicI feel as if can hear and feel my heart beating. (Does anyone else react this way?) The advantage of the Apple-like open-ear phones is that I don't have that feeling; plus the sound is pretty dam good even then.\\n\\nSo: I gave these a try. And surprise! I like them. They are extraordinarily comfortable. Theres this plastic piece that helps to keep the thing in place in the ear (so that its not all vacuum, as before). They are comfortable. And they don't fit so tight that they make me feel (as I said) claustrophobic. I am quite impressed. There are three sets of inserts, so surely even Lyndon Johnsons ears could find a fit (hmmm . . . I suppose thats a dated joke).\\n\\nThe Bose sound is its usual magnificent self, with clean highs and profound bass. Theres even a nifty little carrying case. Plus an itty-bitty clothes pin on the right cable to hold it to your shirt.\\n\\nI am mostly an Apple user (iPhone, iPad), so I wanted to see how many of the features here, designed for Samsung, would work. Well, most of them do: at least the start/stop button; the volume button does not.\\n\\nId recommend these to any Samsung user in search of a set of earbuds with mic and volume controls, in a unit that is fairly easy to wear.\",\n \"Product: The PNY CS2211 2.5-inch SATA-III (6GB/s) solid state drive (SSD) is the next generation of XLR8 SSD that offers our highest performance when gaming or transferring large files. The PNY CS2211 was designed to be an ultimate HDD replacement for enthusiasts and gamers, who demand extreme performance from their system.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: An excellent product, if somewhat puzzling to install\\n\\nReview: This is a splendid solid-state drive that speeded up my aging Dell to the point where I have decided not to replace it. The speed of this device truly is extraordinary. I am very pleased with the performance.\\n\\nLess satisfactory was the installation process. I confess Im no computer wizard, but Im not a complete moron either. I found the instructions less than . . . well . . . instructive. Finally I called on a neighbor who is a professional technician, and he guided me through the installation. He said he wasn't sure he could have followed the instructions either. I see that others have had no problem here, so Ill just say that Im glad I got the thing installed and to see that it works so well.\\n\\nThe drive is not cheap. But I think you will get your moneys worth.\",\n \"Product: Fritz Lang's Expressionistic masterwork continues to exert its influence today, from Chaplin's Modern Times to Dr. Strangelove, and into the late 1990s with Dark City. In the stratified society of the future (Y2K no less), the son o\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A model of digital presentation\\n\\nReview: This disk can serve as a model of how to do it right. The restoration is virtually flawless. I can't imagine the picture looking any better at its Berlin premiere so many decades ago. Missing passages (about 30 mins.) are filled in with narrative cards so that now the plot makes sense. (It never did in earlier versions that I'd seen.) The symphonic score, which survives, has been orchestrated and joined to the film, a most moving impression. With excellent features on the making of the film and its restoration, plus a splendid commentary by a leading Lang scholar, this DVD will long hold a high place in my library. If you love \\\"Metropolis\\\" as much as I do, you owe yourself the pleasure of owning and viewing (repeatedly, as I already have) this splendid disk.\",\n \"Product: Red laser wireless presenter. The Canon pr1000-r is a compact presenter with slideshow and volume control.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A good, basic presenter; good buy\\n\\nReview: This is a good, reasonably priced presenter. It is easy to use, fits well in the hand, and should satisfy most users.\\n\\nOver the years Ive tried many presenters. My top three are this Canon 1000, the Logitech 400 (the older model, not the one sold now), and a Canon 100. Each has its virtues, but he final verdict comes down in favor of the Logitech.\\n\\nThis Canon 1000 feels good in my hand. The buttons are well positioned, so Im not often pressing the wrong one (thats a problem, for me, with the Logitech). I like the volume control on the side. What I miss is the blackout feature, whereby I can black the screen and coerce my audience to listen to me, not just look mindlessly at a screen. The Canon 100 (and the new version of the Logitech) has a timer on a LED screen, which is essentially useless (to me) and takes up too much space; its also just too small to read without my glasses. The Logitech is easy to uselike this Canon 1000, theres no installation, merely a dongle; and it has the blackout feature I mentioned above. However the new Logitech is about twice the price of the Canon 1000. Worth it? I doubt it.\\n\\nSo if you're new to these devices, I can heartily recommend the Canon 1000. Your PowerPoint presentations will go smoothly, and youll look lots more professional than being glued to your laptop. The laser pointer is very bright, and Ive not had any problem with distance.\\n\\nAll in all, recommended.\",\n \"Product: The Perky-Pet Wall & Post Mount Feeder - a compact and economical feeder for your home! You can hang it on a tree, post or side of your house and simply enjoy your hobby of bird watching. This feeder has a perch ring and a tray and holds up to 1.1 lbs. of seed. It is versatile in its use yet very easy to fill and clean.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Good feeder; not squirrel proof\\n\\nReview: I live in a woods. Lots of squirrels. So when I put out a bird feeder, I expect it mostly to be a squirrel feeder. As much as I've looked, I've never found anything that was squirrel-proof.\\n\\nUnfortunately this Perky-Pet measures up (down?) to exactly the customary standard. It's a nifty-looking feeder. The top and bottom are sturdy metal. It cleans up nicely. It can be mounted in several ways. It holds a modestly generous amount of seed. The problem is that the seed-holder is plastic, and the squirrels (advertising to the contrary) massacred it within a few days, turning a small opening for birds into a Holland Tunnel for squirrels.\\n\\nIf you live in a metro area and want a wall-mount feeder near a window, this unit might be ideal. We more rural dwellers must seek out something a bit more substantial.\",\n \"Product: The Quick Pizza Cutter is designed for cutting your pizzas with quick, easy and simple motions. Its sharp, stainless steel blade allows you to portion your dough as you prepare to make your delicious pizzas. Make your pizzas ready to serve seconds after they are finished cooking. This pre-sharpened blade comes ready to cut and the long rubber grip allows for comfortable and controlled cutting.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent blade-style pizza cutter\\n\\nReview: Hands down, this is the best pizza cutter Ive ever owned. As an obsessive pizza baker, I think Ive tried them all. I have a drawer full of pizza wheels. Then I discovered the blade-style pizza cutter. What a difference! The wheelseven the expensive stainless steel onesoften resulted in a gooey mess. These rocker blades really do the trick. This particular Cuisinart model is heavier and easier to use than any other Ive tried. I especially like the plastic handle (the sort of plastic that OXO uses, it seems to me). Its heavier than my other ones and really works well, with good balance and heft. It even has a hole drilled in the side so I can mount it on a hook. The package says its pre-sharpened, but it still needed to be honed, at least for my use. But be warned: it is not dishwasher safe; hand wash only.\\n\\nHighly recommended. Well done, Cuisinart.\",\n \"Product: The Maverick ET-632 Remote BBQ Smoker Thermometer is a must-have for anyone who loves to grill or smoke fish, poultry and meat. The set features a receiver, transmitter and 2 temperature probes to monitor internal temperature of both food and grill itself from 250 feet away! The unit is easy to program; the wireless receiver with LCD beeps and flashes when meat temperature goes above your pre-programmed settings. The receiver also beeps and flashes if internal grill temperature falls above or below your programmed range. Both probes are heat-safe to 572 degrees Fahrenheit. Convenient to carry, simply clip the receiver to your belt or use the wire stand to stand upright on the countertop or hang nearby. This unit can be used in the oven or smoker too! The lost signal alert warns you if your transmitter is out of range or has lost the radio frequency signal. Your meat, barbecue, and timer settings are stored even if the unit is turned off. The easy-to-read LCD display has a back-light for use at night or in low-light conditions. 4 AAA batteries and instruction booklet included.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: For smoking, not grilling\\n\\nReview: This product works very well. But the Amazon description is misleading. Down South, at least, we make a distinction between grilling and barbequing. This product is for the latter, not the former as Amazon suggests. It is for a smoker (or your grill used as a smoker). It is for thick cuts of meat, not your average Friday-night ribeye steak. The box even cautions that the product is for a SMOKER (in caps) and has a big X over a gas grill. Be ye warned. Smoker, not grill. So if you have a smoker, don't hesitate to buy this thermometer. The price is right, and it works well.\\n\\nThe instructions are difficult to follow, but once you get it all figured out, the setup is effective and the product acts as advertised. I confess I don't use my smoker nearly as much as my gas grill, so Im buying an instant-read thermometer now. But Im still glad to have this product to use when required. Thank you, Amazon Vine. And thank you for reading.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":11,"string":"11"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":286,"string":"286"}}},{"rowIdx":287,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AKMJJES6FE2M5"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"On the frontlines there is but onemandment...thou shalt killProduct InformationWarhammer 40000: Dawn of War follows the exploits of the Blood Ravens a SpaceMarine chapter whose past is shrouded in mystery. Brother Captain GabrielAngelos and his faithful sub-mander the powerful psyker Librarian IsadorAkios bring the Blood Ravens to bear on a growing Ork threat to the plaTartarus. However things on the battle-scarred pla are not as they seem andsoon our heroes find themselves in the midst of a plex plot involving OrksEldar and the evil forces of Chaos.Wele to the new generation of real-time strategic warfare. Warhammer 40000:Dawn of War delivers a level of visual detail never before seen in an RTS.Hundreds of units clash on the battlefields of the dark future unleashingmassive destruction through a stunning battery of long-range weaponry beforeclosing in for the finish. Incredible kill animations bring science fictionbat to life like never before and the gritty future-gothic Warhammer 40000setting provides a striking tableau for the chaos and carnage of this grim darkfuture where there is only war!Product HighlightsSquad-based TacticsCommand squads of units in the white-hot forge of battle. Reinforce squads onthe fly and adapt them on the battlefield to engage specific enemies by addingheavy anti-vehicle weapons rapid-firing anti-personnel armament or wargeardesigned to crush the morale of your opponents. Attach mander units to yoursquads to gain additional offensive and defensive capabilities. Deploy mixedforces of infantry armored vehicles lumbering war machines and daemons inyour struggle for dominance of the battlefield.Four Unique RacesCommand the army of your choice. Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War showcases fourraces from Games Workshop's Warhammer 40000 setting: the tough and austereSpace Marines the raucous and destructive Orks the enigmatic Eldar and themalevolent forces of Chaos. With a unique battery of units and structures at itsdisposal each race field\". The summary of the review text is \"\"Brothers! Let us destroy this alien filth!\" (4.5 stars)\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I am a fan of real-time strategy (RTS) games and have played most of the major ones that have come out over the past several years, such as Age of Empires, Empire Earth, Warcraft, and Rise of Nations. However, there is something very special about this one. Most RTS games have you sparring with your opponent(s) until one of you gets knocked out or assimilated. Not with W40K: Dawn of War. It's non-stop kicks in the groin until one of you doubles over and then gets decapitated with a buzzing chainsword. This is by far one of the most graphic games I've ever played. It gives you a front-row seat to an all-out brutal spectacle of carnage and savagery. The game is at once cute, entertaining, dark, grim, and horrifying. Rarely does a match last over 45 minutes and most are over (at least the single-player matches) in 30 minutes or less. It's heart-pumping, adrenaline-rushing action from start to finish--and it's great the whole time. Overall, DoW is very well put together and should be in the collection of any strategy gamer.\n\nGameplay: W40K is much like other RTS games in which you build buildings which produce units which seize territory and kill enemy units. However, all of the collecting of resources has been nicely steamlined. Instead of hoarding the usual food, gold, timber, stone, and so forth, you seize strategic points and build plasma generators. That's it! Your peons are used only for building and repair, no collecting. Thus, the game allows you to concentrate much more on battlefield strategy. And believe me, you'll need to. Unlike Age of Empires or Rise of Nations in which national borders or walls can protect you for a while from your foes, your enemies in this game often stop by within the first 30-60 seconds of gameplay. And they don't send a nice welcoming committee either. The gameplay is visceral, bloody, and furious from then on. You absolutely can't win without capturing strategic points and to do this means that you have to always be expanding. Of course, this means that you are always at war.\n\nThankfully, each of the four sides that you can play are all designed for war. The space marines (my personal favorites) are the human faction. They are tough and well-rounded and fight well in close quarters and at a distance. The Chaos marines are an evil version (but not a duplicate) of the space marines and employ demons and dark magic, as well as a good mix of infantry and artillery. The Orks lust for war and often attempt to wipe out enemies by their sheer numbers. The Eldars are a very advanced race of aliens who specialize in various military tactics and have teleportation abilities. Overall, the races seem pretty balanced with the 1.3 patch, though I have only played single-player games and always play with the space marines.\n\nThe single-player campaign has 11 missions, and it is quite good. However, I wish the game had shipped with one or two more campaigns. Very surprisingly, the game does not ship with a map or scenario editor, though the developers released a rather complicated one later on their website. Fortunately, there is a good variety of maps which come with the game (and the patches included a few more), which should keep both solo players like me as well as the online crowd happy for a while. (...) You can also replay recorded games to see how the computer plays. This will probably be worthwhile to some gamers, since the computer plays very well on the standard and hard difficult levels and is probably near impossible to beat on the insane difficulty setting (which I haven't tried yet).\n\nGraphics: A beautiful, well-polished, fully animated game. This is really where the game shines. The landscapes give you the sense of a future torn by perpetual war and grim carnage. The units all have their own unique animations and finishing moves. Even if you zoom the camera in close they still look great. Combat is actually very entertaining to watch, even when you are losing! And all of the special effects are done well. I wish that the camera could be zoomed out a bit further so that you could see more of the battlefield. However, this is a very minor thing, since the mini-map allows you to focus in on various hotspots. And I must say a word about the introductory movie. It is probably the best cinematics I have ever seen in a game. It's very high quality and captures the mood of the game perfectly.\n\nSound: Very good voice acting (except for the Chaos side), well-done music, and the sound effects are perfect. There are a lot of little sound bites in the game that are witty and dark at the same time. I have no real complaints in this area, except the Chaos forces sound a bit too whiny.\n\nTechnical Issues/Documentation: At least with the 1.3 patch installed, the game has been perfectly stable on my machine. No crashes, freezes, or any other problems, even after playing for 8 hours straight. I wish I could say that for all of the games I've bought over the last few years. The manual does a decent job giving you the basics, but should have said a bit more about the units and buildings. Thankfully, the tutorials are very useful and the single-player campaign also eases you into the game nicely.\n\nReplayability/Value: Tons of replay value, even for solo players like me. There is also a fairly active online community for those into the multiplayer scene. There are enough maps that come with the game to allow you to configure all kinds of match ups and scenarios. Also, there are many more player-made maps and mods that can be downloaded from various DoW-related website. RTS games are known for their replayability and this game does not disappoint. I bought this game for $50, and it was worth every cent. I highly recommend it to all computer gamers, particularly those into strategy games.\n\nRating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I am a fan of real-time strategy (RTS) games and have played most of the major ones that have come out over the past several years, such as Age of Empires, Empire Earth, Warcraft, and Rise of Nations. However, there is something very special about this one. Most RTS games have you sparring with your opponent(s) until one of you gets knocked out or assimilated. Not with W40K: Dawn of War. It's non-stop kicks in the groin until one of you doubles over and then gets decapitated with a buzzing chainsword. This is by far one of the most graphic games I've ever played. It gives you a front-row seat to an all-out brutal spectacle of carnage and savagery. The game is at once cute, entertaining, dark, grim, and horrifying. Rarely does a match last over 45 minutes and most are over (at least the single-player matches) in 30 minutes or less. It's heart-pumping, adrenaline-rushing action from start to finish--and it's great the whole time. Overall, DoW is very well put together and should be in the collection of any strategy gamer.\n\nGameplay: W40K is much like other RTS games in which you build buildings which produce units which seize territory and kill enemy units. However, all of the collecting of resources has been nicely steamlined. Instead of hoarding the usual food, gold, timber, stone, and so forth, you seize strategic points and build plasma generators. That's it! Your peons are used only for building and repair, no collecting. Thus, the game allows you to concentrate much more on battlefield strategy. And believe me, you'll need to. Unlike Age of Empires or Rise of Nations in which national borders or walls can protect you for a while from your foes, your enemies in this game often stop by within the first 30-60 seconds of gameplay. And they don't send a nice welcoming committee either. The gameplay is visceral, bloody, and furious from then on. You absolutely can't win without capturing strategic points and to do this means that you have to always be expanding. Of course, this means that you are always at war.\n\nThankfully, each of the four sides that you can play are all designed for war. The space marines (my personal favorites) are the human faction. They are tough and well-rounded and fight well in close quarters and at a distance. The Chaos marines are an evil version (but not a duplicate) of the space marines and employ demons and dark magic, as well as a good mix of infantry and artillery. The Orks lust for war and often attempt to wipe out enemies by their sheer numbers. The Eldars are a very advanced race of aliens who specialize in various military tactics and have teleportation abilities. Overall, the races seem pretty balanced with the 1.3 patch, though I have only played single-player games and always play with the space marines.\n\nThe single-player campaign has 11 missions, and it is quite good. However, I wish the game had shipped with one or two more campaigns. Very surprisingly, the game does not ship with a map or scenario editor, though the developers released a rather complicated one later on their website. Fortunately, there is a good variety of maps which come with the game (and the patches included a few more), which should keep both solo players like me as well as the online crowd happy for a while. (...) You can also replay recorded games to see how the computer plays. This will probably be worthwhile to some gamers, since the computer plays very well on the standard and hard difficult levels and is probably near impossible to beat on the insane difficulty setting (which I haven't tried yet).\n\nGraphics: A beautiful, well-polished, fully animated game. This is really where the game shines. The landscapes give you the sense of a future torn by perpetual war and grim carnage. The units all have their own unique animations and finishing moves. Even if you zoom the camera in close they still look great. Combat is actually very entertaining to watch, even when you are losing! And all of the special effects are done well. I wish that the camera could be zoomed out a bit further so that you could see more of the battlefield. However, this is a very minor thing, since the mini-map allows you to focus in on various hotspots. And I must say a word about the introductory movie. It is probably the best cinematics I have ever seen in a game. It's very high quality and captures the mood of the game perfectly.\n\nSound: Very good voice acting (except for the Chaos side), well-done music, and the sound effects are perfect. There are a lot of little sound bites in the game that are witty and dark at the same time. I have no real complaints in this area, except the Chaos forces sound a bit too whiny.\n\nTechnical Issues/Documentation: At least with the 1.3 patch installed, the game has been perfectly stable on my machine. No crashes, freezes, or any other problems, even after playing for 8 hours straight. I wish I could say that for all of the games I've bought over the last few years. The manual does a decent job giving you the basics, but should have said a bit more about the units and buildings. Thankfully, the tutorials are very useful and the single-player campaign also eases you into the game nicely.\n\nReplayability/Value: Tons of replay value, even for solo players like me. There is also a fairly active online community for those into the multiplayer scene. There are enough maps that come with the game to allow you to configure all kinds of match ups and scenarios. Also, there are many more player-made maps and mods that can be downloaded from various DoW-related website. RTS games are known for their replayability and this game does not disappoint. I bought this game for $50, and it was worth every cent. I highly recommend it to all computer gamers, particularly those into strategy games.\n\nRating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: PC GAMER the #1 PC games magazine. The lastest game reviews, gaming news, tips, tricks and strategies to get the most out of your computer gaming experience.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Caters directly to the PC gamers out there\n\nReview: I really like this magazine and have subscribed for the past 3 years. PC GAMER caters directly to PC gamers, each month reviewing several games and previewing several others. Although you can get demos and such online, this magazine also bundles a dvd that contains demos and other things to preview. The articles are generally well written, and most of the ratings are reasonable, with one big exception (see below).\n\nMy only problem with PC GAMER is its \"world exclusive reviews,\" where a company will allow the editors to be the first to review some highly anticipated game. The problem is whatever game is reviewed in this matter invariably gets a high score (85%+), almost regardless of quality. In its latest world exclusive, Hellgate: London received a score of 89%--a full 15 percentage points higher than the game's average review rating at Gamerankings[dot]com. I know that this arrangement is supposed to please everyone: PC GAMER gets the early scoop, readers buy the mazagine to read the early scoop, and the game developer sells more copies of the game thanks to PC GAMER's early endorsement. But in my opinion, this scheme compromises the integrity of an otherwise very good magazine.\n\nAnyhow, I recommend PC GAMER to anyone who has at least a casual interest in PC gaming.","Product: CD-ROM Video Game\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: The absolute creepiest of all...\n\nReview: One warning up front: this game is not for people who don't like horror movies. Actually, it's even scarier than a good horror film, since you are interacting with the subject matter and the monitor is right in your face. \"Undying\" is definitely the creepiest, most frightening gaming experience I have had in 25 years of playing computer games. The game is not great, but it does a number of things well.\n\nGameplay: You are called to Ireland in 1923 to help a friend who believes that he is being haunted by his four cursed siblings (all dead). You start at the family mansion with a revolver and a single spell as you track down clues. From there, you go on to a mausoleum, monastery, pirates cove, two other planes (Oneiros and the Eternal Autumn), and a few other places to confront each sibling. The most frightening scenes take place in the mansion and the monastery, with monsters jumping through windows, coming out of the floor, and falling from ceilings. And there are a lot of nice touches that will get you, such as the scry spell that lets you see some disturbing images that are not apparent to the naked eye. You can't trust any mirrors, windows, or even candles. The enemy AI is among the best I've seen. Monsters attack in packs, dodge, hide behind things, and generally try to shock the hell out of you. The atmosphere for at least the first half of the game is incredibly creepy and foreboding, largely due to some good visual effects and some truly excellent sound work. There were many times that I found myself paranoid about being in a well-lit room with only one door. You can just imagine the feeling of being in the bottom of a dark dungeon, surrounded by all sorts of disturbing sounds and enemies with no exit door in sight!\n\nUnfortunately, all is not well with \"Undying.\" While the control scheme is clear and probably typical for first-person shooters, it can be hard to cycle through weapons and spells during combat. Also, the quality of the storyline takes a nose-dive about halfway through. The game has a five-star beginning and a one-star ending. The first third of the game (the Lizbeth chapter) is superb and well done and is easily the best part of the game. The last chapter (Bethany) should not have been included, since the use of cavemen (yes, cavemen) was really just silly and had no place in a horror-themed game. The last encounter involving an unexpected opponent was unnecessarily hard (on medium difficulty setting) and downright ridiculous. Thankfully, there are not many jumping sequences in the game, but there are a few that are truly frustrating. I would advise anyone playing this game to have a walkthrough guide handy (there are good ones at [...] and [...] Although you can't really get lost in this game since it guides you by locking you out of certain areas, there are 5-10 places that you can get stuck. Generally, I only needed a walkthrough to find a few well-hidden secret passages and to figure out the tricky combat patterns required to defeat two of the bosses.\n\nRegarding technical matters, the game comes with a nice well-written journal, in addition to the in-game journal. You can't save the game at the exact spot that you want, but instead only at the last loading screen. It took me about 35 hours to complete the game on medium difficulty. I found no bugs in the game after patching it, but it still crashed to desktop a few times during the loading of auto-saves.\n\nGraphics: Good, but by no means great. Character/monster models are convincing and architecture and landscape are done well. Lighting effects build atmosphere, and there are some very nice special effects. The big problem with graphics is how the natural environment is rendered. Some bodies of water and all skies are just awful. There is nothing worse than hearing the howling wind outside just to find that the sky looks like a first-grader's watercolor painting. Except for these issues, graphics are quite adequate.\n\nSound: This area deserves 5 stars. Whoever did the sounds for this game knows how to scare people. The music itself is good and can be intense when it needs to be, but the sound effects are truly amazing. All of the things that you would expect in a horror game are there, including howling wind, monster growls, shattered windows, dripping water (or blood), and hideous laughter that comes out of nowhere. However, there are a few things that you won't be expecting, such as the playful laughter of children in a room that has a known history of grotesque happenings. The sound people did a fine job on this game.\n\nIn sum, I recommend \"Undying\" to anyone who likes horror-themed entertainment and first-person shooters. While it will frustrate you in a few places and the storyline ends with a whimper, the overall package is good enough to warrant many hours of your time.","Product: Death is his business. And business is good.Product InformationEnter the realm of a retired assassin forced back into action by treason. Youmay be a hired killer but you still have a sense of loyalty and justice.Visit the dark recesses of a world corrupted by crime greed degradation anddishonor. And a past that catches up with you.Trust no one - if the price is right the finger of your most trusted allywill be on the trigger. Your targets may hide in the most remote areas ofthe pla but their destruction is never prevented - only postponed.Learn your trade - master your tools - overe your obstacles - outsmartyour enemies - eliminate your targets. Remember - rash decisions bleedconsequences. Know when to strike instantly know when to take your time. Chancefavors the prepared player. Failure is not an option - it is a privilegereserved for those who do not try hard enough.You have returned - and you will track down the organization that forced youout of retirement. You may find that the enemy is closer than you think -retrace your steps and you will prevail. Investigate target location Find an entry point Subdue the opposition Disguise yourself Eliminate the target Exit undetectedProduct Features Completely open-ended game play experience that allows you to balance surgical precision with visceral violent outbursts. A deadly game of disguise allows you to assume the identity of your victims. Lethal arsenal at your disposal to make every kill an experience to savor. Massively upgraded game engine features in mission saves selectable first and third person playable perspectives and enhanced graphics.Product Reviews\"Travel the world meet interesting people...and kill them.\" - Gamespy.Minimum Requirements Windows 98/Me/XP Pentium III 450MHz or equivalent 128MB RAM DirectX 8.1 patible graphics card DirectX 8.1 patible sound card 16X CD-ROM Drive Keyboard Mouse 800MB of free hard drive spaceRemend\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Suspenseful!!! (4 1/2 stars)\n\nReview: This game is one of the most intense and suspenseful gaming experiences I've ever had. You are a hitman for hire trotting around the world and taking care of business. There are 20 missions, tons of weapons, great music, and again, some VERY intense gameplay.\n\nGameplay: I can't say it enough--suspense and intensity! The game is designed to be played in whatever way you choose. You can go in with guns blazing (which works much of the time, depending on the difficulty setting) or you can lurk in the shadows, behind corners, and within a variety of disguises. The game encourages you to use stealth and rewards you for being strategic and limiting \"collateral\" damage. Most missions will allow you to take out your target without harming anyone else. However, there are a few missions in which you'll have to send more than one person to the morgue. Much of the gameplay boils down to surveillance, getting disguises, staying away from guards (and most civilians), dragging and hiding bodies, finding and disposing of your target(s), and escaping. The real fun comes with choosing a strategy for the job and all of the tension created when you're sneaking around and trying to avoid being discovered. The only quirks I experienced with gameplay was the oversensitivity of the guards on a few occasions. Otherwise, this is a very entertaining game. It lasted me about 40 hours on expert (medium) difficulty.\n\nVisual: Very well-done. The weapons look and act realistic, and the settings (St. Petersburg, Malaysia, Nuristan, India, Japan, and Sicily) are all attractive and convincing, with weather effects, region-appropriate language, and great architecture. The graphics are not state-of-the-art, but they are still quite good and create immersive atmospheres.\n\nSounds: The soundtrack by Jesper Kyd is probably the best I have heard in a game. It is orchestral, but fits the atmosphere of the game very appropriately. It also adds tension at the right times and does give you the sense that you are doing your deeds in faraway places and different cultures. The voice-acting is good, and people talk in the appropriate languages. All weapons sound as they should. Even the sound of the footsteps of your assassin are determined by whatever terrain he is walking/running on.\n\nReplay value: I definitely intend to play this one again, since there is more than one way to complete the missions. Also, the more strategic and secretive you are, the higher your rating and rewards.\n\nAll together, Hitman 2 is an excellent game for anyone who likes stealth missions and intense gameplay.","Product: Travel through multiple game paths, taking control of the motion picture trilogy's heroes. Defend the walls of Minas Tirith as Gandalf; raise the Army of the Dead as Aragorn, LEGOlas, or Gimli; and more.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Could have been great, but...\n\nReview: I'm a fan of the LotR's movies and really adore EA's Battle for Middle Earth 2. Return of the King has all of the earmarks of a great game, but is crippled by a few unpardonable flaws. I recommend it only to the most fanatical fans of the movies/books and those who have the patience to wrestle with this very frustrating game.\n\nGameplay: I think this game is best played with a gamepad, although it can be played with keyboard and mouse. It's the usual button-smashing adventure game. You get to fight battle sequences from the movies as one of the major good-guy characters (Aragon, Frodo, Gandalf, etc.). The game has some light role-playing elements such as leveling up and gaining new abilities. However, it is primarily an adventure game involving killing a lot of orcs. It's good, mindless fun for a while until you realize how many times you are replaying levels due to the difficulty. I'm not great at these kinds of games, but I'm pretty decent and persistent. But the difficulty of this game (even on \"easy\") is just outrageous. It wouldn't be so bad if you could save the game whenever you wanted or if the checkpoint saves were more frequent. But no. You could play though 20 minutes of gameplay and kill 199 orcs. However, because you didn't get orc #200, you have to restart the level again. I must have replayed the level with Aragon and the undead king over 30 times, and still couldn't beat it. It just makes no sense. I'm not one to give up on a game easily, but this one just became a chore by mission 4 or 5. A pity since it was quite fun in the beginning.\n\nGraphics: Looks really good and captures the spirit and mood of the movies. The cutscenes are straight from the movies and blend in well with the gameplay. Character models are dated by today's standards, but still look decent. The camera is very erratic and can easily make the game much harder by swinging around to some funky angle. And you have no control over it at all.\n\nSounds: Everything is in order here. Great background music from the movies, voice acting is spot on, and special effects are believable.\n\nTechnical issues/documentation: Thin, but functional manual. The game was perfectly stable on my computer, although I never finished it. Overall, a well polished game.\n\nValue: If you can get it for $10 or less, it might be worth a try. I would suggest playing the demo first, although it is easier than the game itself. Again, be forewarned: this is a very frustrating game due to the absence of a real save system. If you don't mind replaying a mission 5-50 times, go for it. Otherwise, save your money and time.\n\nPros:\n+good production values\n+nice graphics, music, and voice acting\n+action can be intense and very reminiscent of the movies\n\nCons:\n-absolutely ridiculous difficulty, even on \"easy\"\n-no real save system to speak of","Product: Combining the best parts of role playing games and first-person action games, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines plunges players into the dark and gritty vampire underworld of modern day L.A. as a recently embraced fledgling vampire in the service of the city's dark Prince.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A very good vampire RPG!\n\nReview: I have to admit that I hesitated a good while before buying Bloodlines, because of all of the reviews that mentioned bugs. However, I liked the screenshots and the vampire theme and decided to give it a chance. At least with the patch installed, I really enjoyed the game and found no significant or show-stopping bugs. It looks great, the NPC are very interesting and well developed, and the quests can be funny, dark, and quite elaborate. The game, even with the patch, does have a few technical problems as well as some other flaws. However, if you like vampire stories and role-playing games, then Bloodlines is definitely worth a try.\n\nGameplay: Character creation (you can be 1 of 7 types of vampires) is interesting, allowing you to customize a male or female vampire that has been recently sired. You have several choices of abilities and skills, but character creation is not as deep as in some RPGs like Morrowind. During the game, you earn experience points that you can use to increase certain skills, attributes, or disciplines (your vampiric powers). This system generally works well, but don't expect to max out many of these areas by the end of the game (thus, choose your character-development path wisely).\n\nThe game is rather linear in progression, although there are a number of side quests and your character is allowed to solve some quests in 2 or 3 different ways. Movement and combat are much like typical first-person shooters, and melee weapons are much more powerful than guns (a good sword will take you through about the whole game--I like the shotgun, though). There are a few good scares in the game (such as a haunted hotel and an encounter at a park), but the developers missed a lot of great opportunities to really scare players. Overall, the story is a very good one, and you'll meet some fascinating characters (like VV, Gary, Jack) who have great dialogue. The quests are well done and often multi-layered, but there are a few areas where things get bogged down, such as when you are trying to reach certain bosses. You often have to go through an hour or two of encounters with their minions in order to reach them. I have only played the game through once as a male Toreador, but I think I did about all of the side quests, in addition to the main quests. There was only one quest in a graveyard that I found too frustrating to complete, but thankfully it was an optional side quest.\n\nGraphics: The graphics look realistic (based on the Source engine), but I didn't get good framerates walking around the 4 cities. There are some long load times between levels, which improve drastically depending on how much RAM you have (I would suggest at least 768MB). The four cities are all very well rendered, but a bit small. Character models look good, as do most animations, but many models are repeated. Overall, you'll need a good video card to enjoy the game thoroughly.\n\nSound: There is a lot of good atmosphere in this game, thanks to some good music, great voice acting, and ambient sounds. I am not into heavy metal music, but it just seemed to fit well in this game's gothic scenes. However, even with the patch, there are still some sound issues, especially occasional studdering (increasing my RAM seemed to improve this a bit for me). Also, the game crashed to desktop about 8 times.\n\nReplayability/Value: Overall, I am very pleased with this game. The game will last about 40 solid hours the first time through. In my view, there is not much replay value here. While it might be interesting to try another vampire clan or the other gender, there's not much difference in how the story unfolds. There are at least two alternate endings, but the difference is only about twenty seconds of cutscenes. Still, if you like role-playing games, first-person shooters, and vampire stories, then I highly recommend Bloodlines. I hope there's a sequel.","Product: Unleash the Hammer of the EmperorProduct Information[Requires the original Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War game to play]Winter Assault is the expansion pack to the 2004's RTS Game of the Year Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War Winter Expansion Pack RTS game lets you take mand. Lost amongst the ruins of a leveled city lies an Emperor Class Titan a war vessel of untold power forged in the pla-wide furnaces of Mars and revered by billions as the epitome of Imperial dominance. The one who controls it will mand the power to destroy or defend a world. The Imperials will summon it to overe great evil Chaos will corrupt it for their own designs Orks will destroy it in their bloodlust and Eldar will disregard it in their arrogance.Product FeaturesTake mand of a pletely new race the Imperial Guard in 12 new single player missions.Battle against the Space Marine Eldar Ork and Chaos races each with brand new units.Direct your troops in all out war across harsh new winter battlegrounds with enhanced urban terrain and additional interactive objects and structures.Revel in new and improved gameplay features including a new tech tree hundreds of new animations and endless new strategies.Dominate 20 new multiplayer maps with advanced online features including observer mode arranged team play and improved auto match.Windows RequirementsRequires the original Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War game to playWindows 98 Me 2000 XP1.8 GHz Intel Pentium III or equivalent AMD Athlon XP processor256 MB of RAM2.5 GB Hard Drive space4X CD-ROM drive32 MB DirectX 9.0b patible AGP Vidoe Card with Hardware Transform and LightingDirectX 9.0b patible Sound Card 16-bit soundKeyboardMouseMultiplayer Requirements1 disc/player per puterInter Cable modem DSL or 56.6 kbps modem for online multiplayer playNetwork: TCP/IP pliant work\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Excellent expansion for a great game (4.5 stars)\n\nReview: Winter Assault is one of those expansions that adds a lot of new content to a game. Since I have already posted a review of Dawn of War at this site, I won't go into too much detail here about this game. However, overall, this is a wonderful addition to one of my favorite games ever.\n\nThe biggest change is the addition of a new race, the Imperial Guard. The Guard stresses entrenched defense as a tactic, backed up by strong vehicles and artillery. While not quite as flashy or alien as some of the other races, the Guard is a nice addition to the game. Also, the other four races each get a new unit, as well as modified tech trees which are well thought out.\n\nThe single-player campaigns in Winter Assault are very well done. They allow you to play each of the races (except the Space Marines), and each mission has multiple parts and objectives. There is also a surprise appearance of another alien race in the last mission, which adds a nice twist to the story. Additionally, there are about 20 new multiplayer maps that come with Winter Assault. The AI has been improved so that it's more aggressive, techs faster, and uses a diverse array of units. There are some minor pathfinding issues for some units, but the game is just a blast to play.\n\nThis game still looks great, and Winter Assault adds some new environments and weather effects. It's still a shame that the developer did not release modding tools with this version of the game, although I suspect that they will update the tools that can be downloaded from their website ([...] The sound effects are also quite good, and most of the new voices are done well, along with the new music.\n\nIf you have any interest whatsoever in strategy games, then I highly recommend both the original game and this expansion. This is one of the best real-time strategy games I've played and is easily in the same league as Rise of Nations, Warcraft 3, and the Age of Empires series.","Product: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is single-player role-playing action in the world of the popular Elder Scrolls game. The Emperor of Tamriel has been assassinated and the killer still runs loose. Meanwhile, no heir sits on the throne. With no Emperor upon the throne, the gates of Oblivion open wide and demons invade. Your quest is to find the lost heir and place him on the throne, before demons destroy the land. Next-generation graphics with pixel-shader effects for high-definition TVs, creating lifelike towns & dungeons and the most realistic forests\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Excellent Follow-up to Morrowind (4.5 stars)\n\nReview: Morrowind is perhaps my favorite video game of all time. Thus, I eagerly awaited the sequel, Oblivion. In most ways, this game either met or exceeded my expectations. The developers took the reviews and fan feedback about Morrowind seriously and have made a game that will likely be regarded as a classic many years from now. Oblivion is by no means a perfect game, but it packs in so much gaming goodness that it's hard to find much fault.\n\nGameplay: Like Morrowind, the concept here is free-form, openended exploration. The gaming world is absolutely huge with tons of stuff to do. Want to explore caves, dungeons, and ruins? Go ahead, there are dozens. Like questing? Join the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Thieves Guild, Arena, and/or Dark Brotherhood. Or, just talk to the locales who'll have plenty for you to do. The main quest centers around finding the heir to the throne of Cyrodiil, which will require you to visit the hellish realm of Oblivion and close various gates. It's a decent storyline altogether, but nothing as epic or absorbing as Baldur's Gate 2 or even Morrowind. Overall, the various quests in this game are much improved over Morrowind's, and many have multiple parts and interesting background stories. Unless you blast through the main quest (about 30 hours) without doing any other tasks, it would easily take 200 hours to see and do everything this game has to offer.\n\nThe controls for the game are typical for first-person shooters, although the game can be played a bit awkwardly from a third-person perspective. There are several hotkeys for weapons and spells. Combat is very engaging and will require some practice to get used to. Opponents will block, dodge, use power attacks, and generally fight in an effective way. Stealth is improved a bit over Morrowind, with a lighting/awareness system much like that of the game Thief. Also, being a mage in this game is a viable option, and the alchemical system should even appeal to non-mages. And like Morrowind, you can create your own custom classes, and the face generation system is very detailed. The user interface is easy to read and organizes items, spells, skills, and so forth in a logical way. It can't be scaled by resolution, so when it's open it covers the whole screen.\n\nThankfully, there are many improvements over Morrowind (and most any other computer RPG out there). Dungeons and caves are creepier and have traps, multiple areas, and lots of loot. One complaint about Morrowind was that it got too easy too quickly. Few people will have that complaint about Oblivion. Most creatures are leveled, meaning that they get stronger as the player character advances in level. This keeps the game challenging throughout, though it still seems a bit weird to have a 25-level warrior with the best weapons and armor having trouble with a goblin warlord or dread zombie. Anyhow, NPCs in this game are rather lively, living their own lives, having somewhat dynamic conversations, all-spoken dialogue, and many animations (eating, sleeping, horse riding, etc.). And then there are the nice little touches, such as houses to buy, display cabinets for your loot (or to be looted), a solid bartering system, the lockpicking minigame, and the exhilarating arena matches (you can fight or just bet). Also, the journal is great and sorts your quests well.\n\nGiven all of its strengths, the problems with the game are mostly minor and annoying, nothing major. I would have liked to have seen a bit more variety in the Oblivion plane. Once you've closed one gate, it's wash, rinse, and repeat for the others (you'll have to close at least 10). It gets old quick. This also goes for the dungeons, caves, and other adventuring areas. The best way to keep things interesting is to do various tasks at the same time--some guild questing, dungeon crawling, and miscellaneous quests. Otherwise, any single activity can get a bit monotonous. Sadly, the horses are not as fun as they could have been. There are different breeds with different characteristics, but in the end they are largely a cosmetic addition. You cannot fight while mounted, they cannot carry items for you, and they are somewhat expensive. Also, opponents have a knack for targeting your mount, even once you've dismounted. In about 100 hours of gameplay, I purchased over a dozen horses due to the fact that they died so frequently. Ultimately, since there are other fast travel options and since a character with a high Speed skill can outrun some horses, a steed is a questionable purchase.\n\nGraphics: State-of-the-art. Period. This is a beautiful game by any standard. Be ready to take a lot of screenshots. It's all there: lush forests, snow-capped mountains, torrential rains, reflective water, breathtaking sunsets, quaint towns, eerie dungeons, and much more. Every item in the game looks realistic, including character faces and animations. The Havok physics engine nicely enhances the experience. All of this, of course, means that you'll have to have a pretty good computer to enjoy the game at max settings. On a 3.0ghz Pentium IV with 1GB of RAM and Geforce 6600GT video card, I managed 1024x768 resolution with most settings on medium (Bloom on, along with grass and water reflections). Unlike Morrowind, this game is very scalable, so people with a wide range of computers should be able to make the game playable. The developers really went the extra mile on the visuals, and I certainly appreciate it.\n\nSounds: Well done for the most part. Many of the voices from Morrowind are back, but in much greater quantity since all dialogue is spoken. There are many creature sounds and environmental effects, all of which are appropriate. While I loved Jeremy Soule's music for Morrowind, his efforts here are lackluster. The game's soundtrack is very understated and fails to adequately set the tone in many situations. Actually, I had to purposely listen for the music a lot of the time, which shouldn't be the case.\n\nTechnical Issues: Fortunately, this game goes against the grain for this particular developer. Up until now, Bethesda had a well-deserved reputation for releasing buggy games. However, Oblivion was remarkably stable on my computer and very well-polished. Admittedly, it did crash about 10 times, resulting in a few corrupted saved games. However, most of the crashes took place as I tried to reload saved games, which is not a big problem since I save very often. There were none of the Morrowind-style crashes where you're just walking along and... BAM!!!--desktop. Ten crashes in 100 hours of gameplay is a ratio that I can definitely tolerate.\n\nThe game comes with a good manual and a map of the gaming area. The opening sequence serves as a tutorial and is well done. Also, it is much quicker to get into the game than Morrowind, which required you to listen to the opening theme music as the game loaded.\n\nReplayability/Value/: If you buy into the premise of the game (openended exploration and questing), this is a great value. I've played a lot of games, and nothing quite touches the bang-for-the-buck that Elder Scrolls games have. There is a construction set for the PC version that can be downloaded for free at [...] Also, like Morrowind, modders are going to have a field day with this game, which should lead to some quality third-party mods for downloading. Overall, if you liked Morrowind, you should really like Oblivion. If you have never played an Elder Scrolls game, this is a fine one to start with.\n\nOverall rating: 4.5 stars","Product: Condemned: Criminal Origins allows players to experience the unnatural, as they track down serial killers and bring them to justice. Play as Ethan Thomas, an FBI agent in the Serial Crimes Unit (SCU), whose pursuit of relentless serial killers leads him through detailed urban environments filled with sociopaths who lurk on the edge of humanity. Condemned maintains an intense, focused pace -- players can never be sure what waits around each corner. Meticulously crafted 5.1 surround-sound will cue players to the location of offscreen enemies Next-generation lighting, mapping, and filtering techniques provide for environments of unprecedented detail and visual quality\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A decent game, but could have been much more\n\nReview: I played the demo for this game and liked it a lot. It has a very chilling atmosphere, and I liked the serial killer story line. The retail game overall is worth a look if you are into first-person shooters and the horror genre. But after finishing the game (about 10-12 hours), I was left with the impression that Condemned could have been so much more if more thought had gone into the story line.\n\nGameplay: The story line is somewhat trite. You're an FBI agent who is framed for killing two cops, and you have to figure out the mystery while the FBI and the real killer are stalking you. Nothing special there. The game is genuinely creepy with dimly lit environments, good use of sound effects, and a number of grotesque opponents. However, after a while, you'll get very use to fighting the same 8-10 character models and crawling through the same shabby buildings and subway tunnels. The big problem with the game is that it lacks tension. There is little rhyme or reason to your investigation except for the fact that there's a serial killer on the loose. You do get the feel for being a crime investigator, since you use forensic tools and have a virtual laboratory at your disposal. But it all seems forced after a while as the game guides you through a linear story line and in many instances tells you exactly what to do next. There are a few cheap scares, but the game is more creepy and foreboding than outright scary. Unfortunately, the game leaves a number of unanswered questions--as if it were setting up a sequel, and I found the ending unsatisfying.\n\nTo its credit, Condemned does get a number of things right. The melee combat is well done and frenetic. Most of the fighting in the game is done with axes, sledgehammers, pipes, and other hand-held items. You can block, dodge, do combos, and finishing moves. The firearms, while powerful, are much less interesting since they are almost always low on ammo. Thankfully, there are no jumping sequences in this game and really no puzzles. The straightforward nature of the gameplay is both its strength and weakness, but you can adjust the difficulty level to increase the game's challenge.\n\nGraphics: A pretty good looking games. Character models and animations are convincing, and environments are very detailed though repetitive after a while. Lighting effects are especially well done.\n\nSound: There is very good use of sound effects to make the game creepy. Creaking floors, growls, footsteps, weapon impacts, etc. are all convincing. Voice acting is passable, and I actually liked the theme song that plays when the main menu is open. The developers seem to understand that its not the visuals but the sounds that make a game creepy (good visuals, of course, help).\n\nTechnical issues: I think the game may have crashed once, but otherwise it was very stable. The manual is decent, and the opening sequence of the game serves as a tutorial. The controls are typical for a first-person shooter.\n\nReplayability/Value: There is no reason to replay this game given its linearity. The outcome will always be the same, and there are no sub-plots or additional missions to unlock. If you like the FPS or horror genre, the game is worth a look. But be sure to get it at a discount.\n\nPros:\n+creepy and atmosphere\n+convincing sound effects\n+good graphics\n+dynamic melee combat\n\nCons:\n-repetitive gameplay\n-lackluster ending and some unanswered questions\n-missed opportunities in the scares department\n\nOverall rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)","Product: MODEL- MS-CD13682WI VENDOR- MICROSOFT CORPORATION FEATURES- Microsoft Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends PC Take the next big leap in the real-time strategy (RTS) genre. Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends is the highly anticipated second installment in the award-winning RTS franchise for Windows Rise of Nations.* Conquer the World Campaign The immensely popular Conquer the World (CTW) campaign returns with exciting updates.* Genre-defining graphics and special effects Cutting-edge industry-leading technology combines with awe-inspiring art design to create gameplay and environments unlike anything ever seen.* Innovations in the RTS genre Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends evolves the franchise's trademark gameplay features--such as borders attrition huge armies clashing and the building of cities--but with innovative twists.* Streamlined and intuitive gameplay Improved army and research interfaces make for easier and more streamlined gameplay with less emphasis on micromanagement.* New options for multiplayer and online play Several new innovative multiplayer features allow even a 20-minute game to be a rewarding experience.* Compelling and integrated story line Transport yourself into a fantastical world where you must guide a young inventor's struggle to unravel his world's ancient past and unite its people against an unimaginable threat. -- SPECIFICATIONs ----------------------------------ESRB RATING - T for TeenGENRE/CATEGORY- Real-Time Strategy (RTS)SYSTEM - PCREQUIREMENTS - Windows XP/Windows Vista 1.4 GHz Processor 4.5 GB free hard drive space 64MB Video Card with hardware transform and lighting DX9 hardware compatibility and audio board with speakers and/or headphones. Internet Connection 56.6 kbps or better for internet play\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Mediocre follow-up to a great game\n\nReview: I am a huge fan of Rise of Nations. It took the exciting real-time strategy formula of the Age of Empires games and perfected it. I was hoping that Rise of Legends would be a worthy successor, and on a few levels it is. However, after playing through the campaign and a few skirmishes, it's largely forgettable.\n\nGameplay: The game can be quite fun at times. The three races are fairly distinct, with their own heroes, structures, and backstories. The city building is perhaps the most innovative part of the game. While there is some base sprawl that is characteristic of these kinds of games, it looks more orderly and planned. The kinds of buildings that you build determine your progress up the tech tree. Each race has a good selection of units.\n\nThe campaign serves to introduce you to the three races and their heroes. The storyline is not particularly compelling and feels overly long by the time that you get to the end. It is a mix of metamap movement and real-time battles, but not as well done as in Rise of Nations and other games. The game also has a skirmish mode, and the patches have added a healthy number of maps. But the battles feel very ordinary, especially since none of the units have any voice acknowledgments or personalities.\n\nGraphics & Sound: The game is very attractive. Some of the maps are gorgeous. The units are well-crafted and distinct, and the special effect are quite adequate. The most disappointing thing about the game is that the units are so quiet. After playing games like Dawn of War or Battle for Middle Earth 2 where each unit has spoken dialogue, to play a game that is largely silent just doesn't cut it. It makes the whole experience flat and uninspired. On the bright side, the music is very reminiscent of the excellent Rise of Nations soundtrack.\n\nDocumentation/Technical Issues: The manual that comes with the game is descent. The game did crash on me a number of time in the campaign, even after patching. Thankfully, you can save the game at any point and don't have to rely upon any checkpoint foolishness.\n\nReplayability/Value: The campaign is worth a good playthrough and maybe a second one at some time. The skirmish mode is really the hook for RTS games, but the one in this game is just too generic and devoid of character. If you liked Rise of Nations, you'll probably be ambivalent toward Rise of Legends. There are a number of things to like here and that will remind you of Rise of Nations. However, it just doesn't quite measure up to the grand sweep and groundbreaking gameplay of its predecessor.","Product: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade features two new playable races, the Tau Empire and the Necrons, bringing the number of totally unique races to an unprecedented seven. In addition to the two new playable races, Dark Crusade will feature an all-new single player campaign centering on the conquest of a \"meta-map,\" with each territory captured giving tangible rewards to the occupying force. A greatly expanded multiplayer component and a completely unique economy model for the Necrons will present gamers with the most compelling Dawn of War game to-date. Customize and manage a persistent army as you sweep across the planet Customize the appearance and abilities of your commander unit as he grows in power and influence Discover the dark secrets of a planet shrouded in mystery\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great Expansion for a Superb game (4.75 stars)\n\nReview: This is by far one of the best expansions I've played for any game. It might actually be the best. It not only adds two races to the existing five, but also offers new gameplay modes. And get this: it's a stand alone expansion! If you don't own the original game, don't worry. You can buy this one, and it's like getting Dawn of War and Winter Assault free (though you can only play the Necrons and Tau online). I almost gave this game five stars, but couldn't quite get over some very minor flaws (which will probably be fixed with a patch). However, the Dawn of War series remains my favorite RTS game of all time.\n\nGameplay: It's stlll the visceral, animated combat, great voice acting, wonderful streamlined resource system, and gritty W40K universe that was introduced in Dawn of War. However, the game now has what it lacked previously, and that is a lengthy single-player campaign with lots of replay value. Now there is a strategic metamap of the planet of Kronus that you can conquer with any of the 7 races. The map has about 25 territories, and each race starts with a headquarters that must not be conquered, or else that race loses. It's a good story, and the gameplay also works out well. You can fight battles in real-time over each territory or let the computer auto-resolve it (I suggest fighting in real time to be safe). The difficulty of the battles depends upon how large the armies (or Honor Guards) of the attacker and defender are, as well as any objectives that you must complete during the battle. On the standard and hard difficulty settings, some battles are very easy and others are darn near impossible (I couldn't beat the \"Hard\" Orks at Hyperion Peaks for nothing).\n\nThe gameplay has been tweaked in a number of ways. The AI is decent and now will do things that it did not do previously (like cloak Eldar bases and make Sentinels for the IG--although it will not make Basilisks for the IG in skirmish or Fire Prisms for Eldar, which I hope will be fixed with a patch). Also, there is now a stealth element to the game that adds a new tactical layer to battles. Elite units such as Terminators, Obliterators, and super vehicles are now capped so that you can't have more than one or two of each. This is actually a good thing, since it makes other units more useful in the late game and limits the spamming of elite units, which should be rare units in the first place. The two new races, Necron and Tau, are great and have distinctive styles. The Tau are a ranged race which outshoots all others, but is weak in close combat and melee. The Necron are an \"undead\" race bent upon destroying all life. They are slow and methodical and are somewhat vulnerable in the early game. However, if they last long enough to get some of their powerful units out, they are a force to be reckoned with. Their late game is strong, especially if they get their Monolith fully operational. You can think of the Tau as specializing in riddling opponents with holes from afar, while the Necrons are content with slowly strangling their enemies to death. All together, these new races make Dawn of War an even better game.\n\nGraphics: The game still looks great, even though the base engine is two years old. No RTS game sports better animations, and the new units look nice. It's just a good-looking game.\n\nSounds: The game has loads of personality, due to the excellent voice acting. The new races don't add much to this though, since the Tau have rather bland quotes and the Necrons have none at all. But the other races have great lines performed by good voice actors. Also, the music is quite good, and each race gets its own theme song, so to speak. All of the special-effects sounds are appropriate.\n\nReplay value/technical issues: Because you can play the campaign as any of seven races, the game has the kind of replay value that the series has previously lacked. Also, the single-player skirmishes never get old to me, especially since there are seven races now. Furthermore, there are some talented mappers and modders out there who have greatly enhanced the gameplay over the past two years, and I suspect this will continue. On a technical note, the game, as always, has been very stable on my computer. I wish that the manual had included descriptions of all seven races, since some people will not have manuals for Dawn of War and Winter Assault. Also, there are a few minor bugs such as the Basilisk and Fire Prism ones mentioned above and an instance in which I saw a deployed heavy weapons team oddly gliding over the terrain. However, Relic has been good about patching the game, and I believe they will fix these minor issues.\n\nFinal Word: If you are an RTS fan or a fan of the W40K universe, you probably already have the original game. If not, there is absolutely no reason not to pick up Dark Crusade. It's one of the true bargains out there, since you get the equivalent of the original game and two expansions for $30 (as of Oct. 2006). I really look forward to seeing what Relic comes up with next for the Dawn of War license.\n\nRating: 4.75 stars (out of 5)","Product: Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-Earth II: The Rise of the Witch-King expands the universe Tolkiem created. This expansion pack to the fan favorite game series lets you command the rise of evil in Middle-earth while experiencing the epic battles that took place before the films. Become the leader of an evil faction and lead an invasion of the peaceful kingdom of Arnor, home of Aragorn's ancestors. To fully experience the evil side of Middle-earth, gamers can now play as the all new Angmar faction in skirmish, multiplayer, and War of the Ring modes.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good expansion for a classic game\n\nReview: This is an expansion pack that does what all expansions should do: it improves upon the original game and adds new content. While RotWK does not revolutionize the basic gameplay of BFME2, it is a worthwhile addition.\n\nGameplay: The expansion simply adds more to the intense, visually stunning RTS that is BFME2. The single-player campaign introduces the story of the Witch-king's rise to power and allows you to play the bad guys, which is fun in this instance. There are 8 mission, plus an epilogue that allows you to play the kingdom of Arnor (a carbon copy of Men of the West). The campaign, at least on normal difficulty, can be quite hard in places, and you might be surprised to find yourself repeating a few of the missions. Overall, it is an adequate diversion, which will take about 5-6 hours to complete.\n\nThe create-a-hero system is much improved. Now, you can create your own in-game avatar using a power-purchasing system that makes sense and will allow for some diversity in the game. You can make a \"cheap\" hero, who can be afforded during the early game, or make an expensive one that will almost rival Sauron. A few new powers have been added, along with a troll class and some more clothing/armor options. Truthfully, the new power-purchasing system should have been added with a patch, so that people with the original game could receive this fix. In any event, the new system here is much welcomed and makes player-made heroes more balanced and interesting.\n\nThe best improvement of the original gameplay comes with the changes to the War of the Ring (WotR) mode. Now, the armies that you create in the RTS skirmishes carry over to the strategic map and can be moved around with your 4 heroes. There is an upkeep cost that keeps this army persistence feature from getting out of hand. Also, you can build more things from the strategic map, such as siege maps and unit upgrades. Finally, the AI plays a bit smarter. For example, it will retreat when it is losing a fight. Also, AI opponents put up a better fight than before and will build walls occasionally. The WotR mode also has about 10 new territories added to it.\n\nThe major addition to the game is the new Angmar faction, led by the Witch-king. It is a mixture of fallen men, trolls, and sorcerers. It's distinctive enough to be truly considered a separate race. The most fun unit is the thrallmaster, who can summon a squad of units on the fly to fit most any situation. The sorcerers are interesting too, but fragile and require some close micromanagement. Angmar's heroes are decent, with the Witch-king and Rogash (a powerful troll) being the best ones. Each of the existing races get a couple new units, including an elite \"mini-hero\" horde, which is not always worth the high cost (compared to just recruiting a new hero from the fortress).\n\nGraphics: Basically the same as BFME2, which is to say that they are quite good. On a good computer, you'll be able to enjoy some beautiful textures, convincing unit animations, weather effects, and other nice graphics.\n\nSound: The music is based on the movie soundtrack, which is great. Voice acting is pretty decent. As with BFME2, the ambient sounds, unit acknowledgements, and combat audio are well done.\n\nStability/technical issues: The game has been quite stable on my machine. I used to get a crash or two on the WotR strategic map, but no more. The manual does a decent job explaining the new faction and improvements to gameplay.\n\nReplayability/Value: With the improved create-a-hero system, more persistent armies in the War of the Ring Mode, new units for existing races, and the new Angmar faction, this expansion gives the original game even more longevity. The single-player campaign, though a challenge, is largely forgettable. However, it's the skirmishes and the WotR strategic game (finally fixed!) that will keep you coming back to this great game.","Product: Faithful to the Warhammer license Warhammer: Mark of Chaos puts the focus squarely on the battlefield with a real-time combat system that gives the player unprecedented customization and control of his army. An epic battle rages following a brutal Chaos invasion where four fully playable armies (Empire Chaos Skaven and High Elves) as well as additional controllable races (Orcs Dwarfs Vampires and Goblins) clash on a massive battlefield.FEATURES:MASTER THE ART OF WAR: Warhammer: Mark of Chaos is about WAR focusing on the armies and battles while de-emphasizing the tedious aspects of base and resource management.EPIC VISCERAL BATTLES ON A MASSIVE SCALE: Epic sense of both scale and detail where big demons and huge beautifully rendered battalions clash with thousands of characters battling on screens in intricate detail.USE ENVIRONMENTS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE: A variety of buildable features and randomized destructible terrains such as forests swamps plains and tundra change the shape of the battlefield and add a layer of strategy that provides infinite replayability.COMMAND HEROES AND CHAMPIONS: As armies move from battle to battle in an epic war Heroes and Champions learn new tactics unlock new abilities command larger units even challenge other Champions in a duel to the death.CUSTOMIZE YOUR ARMY: WARHAMMER: Mark of Chaos takes customization to a new level by allowing for body part swaps weaponand armor enhancements and more powerful controls to paint units and customize banners. Additionally players can accent armies with mercenaries and Dogs of War augmenting the look and play of their army for a unique game experience.VARIETY OF PLAY MODES: Dynamic cooperative campaign mode and a full assortment of multiplayer modes for both casual and competitive gamers.Format: WIN 2000XP Genre: ENTERTAINMENT Rating: RP UPC: 722674400145 Manufacturer No: 40014\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A good game, though room for improvement\n\nReview: I've never played the table-top version of Warhammer, but this game seemed to be a fairly interesting take on the age-old elves, orcs, and dwarf formula that appears in so many games nowadays. I'm a huge fan of Relic's Dawn of War franchise, so I decided to pick this game up. Overall, I'm glad that I got this game; it's a solid product with lots of potential for expansion. However, it also has plenty of room for improvement, and I would suggest that anyone considering this game to play the demo first.\n\nGameplay: The game is true to the standard real-time strategy (RTS) formula, minus the harvesting and base building. You pick and customize your units before each battle and then fight it out against other armies in open fields or sieges. Some of the battles feel somewhat epic, especially the castle sieges. But there are never more than about 400-500 units on the map at any give time. Hero units play a huge role in the game. They can \"level up\" and collect items like heroes in roleplaying games, duel against other heroes, and give bonuses to the troops that they command. The hero system, as it stands now, needs to be refined a bit more so that heroes don't level up too fast (I had one go from 10th to 35th level in less than 5 minutes in one skirmish game!). However, I generally like what heroes add to gameplay. The game does have some tactical elements to it. Things such as morale, terrain, flanking, charges, and unit-counters do come into play. Units with broken morale will flee, which can end a battle quickly. Cavalry is underpowered and does not nearly justify its cost. There is friendly fire in this game, but only in the case of area-of-effect weapons like cannon. In my opinion, that's good enough. I killed too many of my own soldiers with Hellfire Cannon in the single-player campaign to want any more varieties of friendly fire!\n\nThere are two single-player campaigns that come with the game. One for Chaos and one for the Empire. Playing through each (about 20-25 hours all together) will allow you to use all four playable races (Men, Elves, Chaos, and Skaven), as well as some minor races (Orcs and Dwarves). There are a variety of missions, from sieges and kill-all-enemies maps to duels and some minor dungeon crawling. The campaigns tell a decent story , though a linear one with very little replay value. The game includes both a single-player skirmish mode and online modes. It's good fun, but my biggest gripe has to do with the very small number of maps. Even with the 1.2 patch that came out at the same time the game was released, there are only 15 skirmish maps. Of that number, only 8 can be played as single-player skirmishes! This is really a shame and inexcusable. As with all other RTS games, the shelf life of this one will depend on whether the developer provides strong support with patches that fix bugs and add new content (like maps), as well as whether modders kick in.\n\nGraphics: This is an absolutely gorgeous game. The terrain and environments are beautifully done, and the models themselves are finely detailed. The only dull spot here is the animations, which are decent but not up to par with the likes of Relic's Dawn of War or EA's Battle for Middle Earth 2. The intro movie is phenomenal and the cutscenes are pretty good as well. The graphics go a long way toward setting the atmosphere of the game.\n\nSounds: Everything is pretty good in this area. Weapons sound appropriate, the music is boisterous and epic, and the voice acting is mostly solid. It actually sounds like some of the Chaos voice actors were imported from Dawn of War, which is fine with me since the voices are so appropriately wicked.\n\nTechnical issues: I have had no crashes, freezes, stutters, or any other problems with this game with the 1.2 patch installed. I am running it on a fairly good computer (E6600 dual-core processor, 2 gigs of RAM, Geforce 7900GTO video card). The game comes with a very good manual that explains the gameplay and units, and the in-game tutorial is pretty good. Also, I have had no issues with the camera, which rotates and zooms fine. For some reason, the game comes on 6 CDs, with no DVD option available. In this day and age, I don't think that any game that takes up more than 4 CDs should be released without a DVD option.\n\nValue: As an RTS gamer, I liked this game very much. It's a good blend of tactical gaming, roleplaying elements, and a fantasy-based storyline. Due to the severe lack of maps, I don't think it's worth $50 (more like $30). However, if the developer steps up to the plate and releases several more (free) skirmish maps and makes some other adjustments with patches, I could recommend it more firmly. Also, a good, meaty, well-thought out expansion could do wonders for this game.\n\nRating: 3.75 stars (out of 5)","Product: March 2047.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Shiny new paint on an old-school game (still fun, though)\n\nReview: I am new to the Command and Conquer series, so I bought C&C3 with no particular expectations. I thought that the demo--which I recommend you play before buying--was merely decent, but decided to give the game a shot. If you are into real-time strategy (RTS) games, this one is worth a try. It is fairly easy to pick up and play, has lengthy campaigns, and it looks great. However, this is, at best, second-tier gaming in my book. When compared to the likes of Dawn of War or Battle for Middle Earth 2, C&C3 doesn't fair well. However, it does have its moments and can provide some good entertainment.\n\nGameplay: This game has a late 1990s feel to it. It's an RTS game where back-and-forth resource collecting, tank rushing, and unit spamming still rule the day. But to its credit, these throwback features are put together fairly well. The game does allow for some strategic decision-making, despite itself. For example, you can tech fast to big tanks and the super-weapon and hope that the enemy does not show up in the meantime. Or, you can depend on air power to take out strategic targets and take a chance on the enemy not having good air defenses. Or, you can raid the enemy base with an expensive commando early on. Or, you can take a chance and construct turrets all over the place and play a defensive game, at least for a while. Sometimes, tank spam will win the day, but not always. A mixed force is usually best if you don't know what your enemy is up to.\n\nThe campaigns are somewhat interesting overall. Each of the three races (GDI, NOD, and Skrin) have their own story lines, which will allow you to become familiar with each side. There are a good 35 missions in all which should keep you preoccupied for a while. The missions are uneven in quality and difficulty. Some are fairly easy and straightforward and can be completed in 10 minutes. A few will require repeated, frustrating efforts and are based on questionable design decisions. The stories are tied together by cutscenes that are generally decent, especially for NOD.\n\nThe AI holds its own pretty well in skirmishes. It switches up its strategies, flanks your base, and fights aggressively. You can set the AI to behave in various ways based on your gameplay style and skill level. Unfortunately, the game ships with only about 20 skirmish maps, with the typical over-abundance of 2-player maps. However, a map editor has been released by the developer, and a few decent player-made maps have appeared. I assume that the inevitable expansion pack will include more maps, missions, and units.\n\nC&C3 flaws are largely tolerable and relate primarily to it being a re-make of an older game. Its familiarity as a traditional RTS is both its greatest strength and weakness. The resource model is straight out of classic RTS games like the Age of Empires series, Warcraft games, and other C&C games. Some will find this enjoyable. However, it leads to the ugly base sprawl and pathfinding problems that are the bane of such games, as well as games that degenerate into who can destroy the other player's harvesters and refineries the fastest. Very few of the newer gameplay mechanics that are found in recent RTS games are found here, such as hero units, RPG-style leveling (well, units do gain experience, but you hardly notice), or alternative win conditions (you must annihilate the enemy in every game to win). Since you can climb the tech tree so fast and spam units so ridiculously, you never feel any attachment to any of them. And gameplay is fast and furious. I hope that an expansion introduces some sort of hero units or roleplaying elements to the game, along with some caps on the number of super units that can be made (at least things like Mammoth tanks should be more expensive). Anyhow, as I said before, some people are going to like this traditional style of gameplay. At least the game has modern amenities like hotkeys, save/load options, and easily adjustable difficulty levels.\n\nVisuals: The game looks great, especially on high settings. Explosions, heat exhaust effects, unit animations, and map features are very well done. Each side looks distinctive. The interface is a lot like that of Battle for Middle Earth 2; necessary information is easy to get to without being in the way. The cutscenes, while a bit to melodramatic at times, do tell the story well, and the actors are all usually convincing, besides the fact that they are talking to the camera most of the time.\n\nSound: Units make appropriate sounds and have decent voice acting. They don't have the personality of a game such as Dawn of War or even Warcraft 3, but they're good enough. The game's music is also decent, but not memorable.\n\nTechnical issues: The game comes with a good manual that explains the basics. The tutorial mission is only for GDI; there should have been a tutorial mission for all three races. The game has run nearly flawlessly on my computer, with only one crash in about 50 hours of gameplay. I suppose it should run well on most mid-range and better computers.\n\nReplayabiity/Value: Since RTS games probably offer the best replay value for the dollar of any gaming genre, anyone who likes RTS games should get good value from C&C3. There is an online community, and the AI poses a good challenge. I would not be interested in replaying the campaigns any time soon, but could see running through them again at some point. If you are a fan of the C&C series, I imagine this is a no-brainer buy. For those (like me) with no previous experience with C&C, play the demo first. I overall recommend this game.\n\nPros:\n\n--Great graphics, scalable to various computer set-ups.\n\n--Good AI, entertaining campaigns, decent skirmish mode\n\n--Easy to pick up and learn\n\n--Some strategic depth, despite itself\n\n--Fast and furious gameplay\n\nCons:\n\n--Fast and furious gameplay\n\n--Spamalicious; badly needs either caps on super units, more balance, and/or increased costs\n\n--Old-fashion gameplay, with unsightly base sprawl and tired resource collection model\n\n--Only 20 skirmish maps, with too many 2-player maps\n\n--A few very frustrating campaign missions","Product: Intense terror meets unrestrained, explosive action as seven psychic soldiers unleash occult warfare against the darkest evil in a game world. Created by legendary horror icon Clive Barker.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Quite decent game, but could have been great\n\nReview: I greatly anticipated this game, since I had enjoyed Clive Barker's Undying a few years ago. Similar to many others, the mediocre reviews scared me away when Jericho was initially released. Still, after waiting for the price to drop to less than $20, I picked it up. For that cost, I am not disappointed at all. This is a fun, team-based shooter with a great story, beautiful graphics, and some interesting gameplay dynamics. The game does have its annoyances, but overall I found it to be 15+ hours of solid entertainment.\n\nGameplay: The story is pretty good. In a nutshell, you and your team (Jericho) are out to defeat the Firstborn, God's initial, botched attempt at creating a being in his own image. You'll be traveling with your team through caves, coliseums, battlefields, underground dungeons, and so forth fighting off various abominations. The real interesting thing here is the team-based fighting that allows you to jump between team members and use their weapons and special abilities. It works pretty well, and you will probably have 1 or 2 favorites after a while (the sniper girl was my favorite). Team mate AI is decent, but not stellar. You will often find yourself running between fallen squad members to revive them during the tougher fights. However, pathfinding is quite good, and Jericho members know how to use cover, scout, etc.\n\nThe gist of the game is simply blasting monsters, which is both the game's major strength and weakness. On the positive side, the weapons are very satisfying to use, as are the special abilities. On the negative side, the fact that you have so much firepower at your disposal makes the game anything but scary. Only on occasions when you have to do part of a mission with only 1 or 2 squad members does the game produce a good amount of tension. Like Resident Evil 4, there are a few quick button-pressing sequences that I found rather fun after a while, but some people may not like. There are not many of them, and the average player should be able to get beyond them after 1-2 tries. The game is pretty linear and you can't get lost, so there is no need for a minimap. Again, if you are looking for a good scare here, you won't find many. However, the game does excel as a team-based shooter, and Barker's subject matter is fresh enough.\n\nGraphics: Gorgeous game. A lot of attention was paid to detail, especially on monster and character models. The environments look great as well. Sky textures are still not that good, but not nearly as awful as those in Undying. The physics system adds a touch of realism to explosions and the like. Please note: This game is not for the squeamish. Although it is not really a scary game, there are A LOT of disturbing images, as one would expect in a Clive Barker product.\n\nSound: Hit and miss. The music is generally appropriate and related to the action on the screen. The Jericho members actually have well-rendered personalities and a lot of good (though often profane) dialogue. However, you'll eventually get tired of repetitive acknowledgments like \"Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!\" The use of sound in the game does not quite live up to its full potential, since there were many lost opportunities to really scare the pants off of players by using the right sounds at the right time. However, there is really no big problem here.\n\nDocumentation/Technical issues: The game comes with a decent manual. Jericho was released on multiple platforms, but the PC version does not feel like a port. That is, the mouse and keyboard work well as controls. I was pleased to find the game in such a well-polished state technically. I did not experience a single crash, freeze, or hiccup. The game does have the checkpoint save system, which I detest though the checkpoints were usually not far apart.\n\nReplayability/value: Although you can unlock certain minor things as you play, there is really no reason to go through this game twice. When the story ends--and it ends very abruptly, it really is over. Given the team-based nature of the game, an online co-op mode would seem appropriate, but this is strictly a single-player affair. If you are a fan of shooters or Clive Barker's work, this is worth the current price of admission ($15-$20).\n\nPros:\n+Interesting and flexible team-based action\n+Great weapons and special abilities\n+Excellent graphics\n+Decent sound and dialogue\n+Intriguing Clive Barker story\n+Polished and stable\n\nCons:\n-Strictly linear with little replay value\n-Not really scary, though some disturbing content\n-Some people will not like the quick-button mini-games\n-Checkpoint save system\n-Abrupt ending","Product: Medieval: Total War Gold Edition is the compilation of the critically-acclaimed Medieval: Total War and its official expansion pack - Total War Kingdoms. Set in the turbulent Middle Ages, Medieval puts you in command of your own empire as you crush neighboring kingdoms and unify all of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Medieval: Total War Kingdoms features four entire campaigns centered on expanded maps of the British Isles, Teutonic Northern Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. In Medieval II, you were only given a glimpse of South America, but in Kingdoms, vast tracts of land in both North and South America have been opened up for you to conquer. All-new factions from the New World are also now fully playable, including the Aztecs, Apaches, and Mayans. In both games, you rule all aspects of your kingdom throughout centuries of medieval warfare. Lay siege to mighty fortresses and command vast armies across the battlefields of Europe and North Africa. This is Total War.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great historical RTS game\n\nReview: Have you ever discovered a great game years after its release and got it for an outrageously low price, which made the game all the more sweet? Well, that's my experience with Medieval 2 Gold (M2G). I picked the game up for less than $10 recently and played through one of the campaigns. It's an impressive mix of real-time strategy and turn-based gaming that gets a lot of things right. It's not perfect by any means, but it has a good amount of depth, content, and production values which are more than worth the current price of admission.\n\nGameplay: M2G is set between 1000-1500 in what can loosely be called the medieval age. You can choose from one of well over a dozen countries to rule, and you'll responsible for managing political, military, economic, and cultural affairs. At its heart, M2G is a game of war and conquest, so winning battles over various towns and cities is the key to ultimate victory. However, these battles (which can be quickly auto-resolved or fought in real-time mode) are part of a realistic rendering of medieval life, where you'll be exploring the seas, patronizing the arts, experimenting with gunpowder, and burning heretics. The factions have their own campaigns and tech trees that are distinct enough to warrant spending at least some time with each of them. Nonetheless, most people will probably start out with a handful of favorites, which could still account for literally months of gameplay alone. Each faction has a short campaign, which usually consist of conquering 15 provinces and eliminating 1 or 2 other factions from the game, as well as a long campaign that requires conquering 45 provinces. Occasionally, you are given small quests to complete for rewards, which breaks up the monotony of moving around troops, upgrading cities, and grinding through an extensive research tree. Also, events such as crusades, plagues, natural disasters, and so forth also keep things interesting. I have only played the short campaign for the Moors, which lasted about 20 hours. I really couldn't imagine investing the time in the long campaign, though some more patient gamers might find it worthwhile.\n\nOn the less favorable side, M2G has a significant learning curve and can become tedious and repetitive in the late game when you are juggling governors, generals, provinces, and resources which are all starting to sound and look alike. This is worsened by the lack of a manual, though the game has a solid tutorial and in-game hint system. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate. I found medium difficulty to be a very acceptable challenge, and you could easily lose a game after just one ill-advised war against an AI opponent. The strategic AI itself is adequate, especially on the turn-based metamap. However, I did notice a few quirks, such as enemy AI units that didn't move when I bombarded them from afar with catapults and fire arrows (the AI generally does not handle sieges well). Also, the diplomatic system, though overall convincing, does seem to keep AI factions in alliances that are usually disadvantageous to the player.\n\nGraphics & Sound: The game looks impressive, especially in the real-time battles. Character models and animations are well crafted, and the natural environments and structures are diverse and nicely protrayed. M2G has voice acting in native accents, which adds a bit of color and authenticity. The background music seems appropriate to the culture and history of each faction, and the sound effects are convincing (even funny in some instances). The game was put together with a lot of care, and it shows.\n\nDocumentation/Technical Issues: As mentioned earlier, M2G unfortunately does not come with a manual, either printed or electronic. Thus, much of the learning of the game will come with experience, though the tutorial missions and in-game tips are very helpful. The game has been perfectly stable on my computer, with no freezes, crashes, etc. M2G is modding friendly, so you can easily change a number of thing, such as campaign win conditions and so forth. For the more adventurous, there is still an active modding community and a number of user-created mods available online. Fortunately, the only DRM that comes with the game is an offline disk-check and keycode--none of the online accounts and remote server foolishness that has plagued single-player PC games as of late.\n\nReplayability/Value: For the current price, this game is a steal. Any of the small complaints that I have are completely overshadowed by the high production values and quality--even educational--entertainment that M2G represents. Given all of the different campaigns, factions, locales, and random events, each playthrough is unique, though this is a game that can easily absorb hours of your time before you even notice. I highly recommend it to anybody who likes strategy games (or history!).\n\nPros\n+Great blend of RTS and turn-based gaming\n+High production values\n+Wide array of factions and locales\n+Good amount of content\n+No annoying DRM\n+Helpful user interface\n+Good tutorials and tips system\n\nCons\n-Campaigns (even the short ones) are long\n-Learning curve is significant (no manual)\n-Can get boring and repetitious after a while\n-A few minor AI quirks","Product: Medieval: Total War Gold Edition is the compilation of the critically-acclaimed Medieval: Total War and its official expansion pack - Total War Kingdoms. Set in the turbulent Middle Ages, Medieval puts you in command of your own empire as you crush neighboring kingdoms and unify all of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Medieval: Total War Kingdoms features four entire campaigns centered on expanded maps of the British Isles, Teutonic Northern Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. In Medieval II, you were only given a glimpse of South America, but in Kingdoms, vast tracts of land in both North and South America have been opened up for you to conquer. All-new factions from the New World are also now fully playable, including the Aztecs, Apaches, and Mayans. In both games, you rule all aspects of your kingdom throughout centuries of medieval warfare. Lay siege to mighty fortresses and command vast armies across the battlefields of Europe and North Africa. This is Total War.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great historical RTS game\n\nReview: Have you ever discovered a great game years after its release and got it for an outrageously low price, which made the game all the more sweet? Well, that's my experience with Medieval 2 Gold (M2G). I picked the game up for less than $10 recently and played through one of the campaigns. It's an impressive mix of real-time strategy and turn-based gaming that gets a lot of things right. It's not perfect by any means, but it has a good amount of depth, content, and production values which are more than worth the current price of admission.\n\nGameplay: M2G is set between 1000-1500 in what can loosely be called the medieval age. You can choose from one of well over a dozen countries to rule, and you'll responsible for managing political, military, economic, and cultural affairs. At its heart, M2G is a game of war and conquest, so winning battles over various towns and cities is the key to ultimate victory. However, these battles (which can be quickly auto-resolved or fought in real-time mode) are part of a realistic rendering of medieval life, where you'll be exploring the seas, patronizing the arts, experimenting with gunpowder, and burning heretics. The factions have their own campaigns and tech trees that are distinct enough to warrant spending at least some time with each of them. Nonetheless, most people will probably start out with a handful of favorites, which could still account for literally months of gameplay alone. Each faction has a short campaign, which usually consist of conquering 15 provinces and eliminating 1 or 2 other factions from the game, as well as a long campaign that requires conquering 45 provinces. Occasionally, you are given small quests to complete for rewards, which breaks up the monotony of moving around troops, upgrading cities, and grinding through an extensive research tree. Also, events such as crusades, plagues, natural disasters, and so forth also keep things interesting. I have only played the short campaign for the Moors, which lasted about 20 hours. I really couldn't imagine investing the time in the long campaign, though some more patient gamers might find it worthwhile.\n\nOn the less favorable side, M2G has a significant learning curve and can become tedious and repetitive in the late game when you are juggling governors, generals, provinces, and resources which are all starting to sound and look alike. This is worsened by the lack of a manual, though the game has a solid tutorial and in-game hint system. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate. I found medium difficulty to be a very acceptable challenge, and you could easily lose a game after just one ill-advised war against an AI opponent. The strategic AI itself is adequate, especially on the turn-based metamap. However, I did notice a few quirks, such as enemy AI units that didn't move when I bombarded them from afar with catapults and fire arrows (the AI generally does not handle sieges well). Also, the diplomatic system, though overall convincing, does seem to keep AI factions in alliances that are usually disadvantageous to the player.\n\nGraphics & Sound: The game looks impressive, especially in the real-time battles. Character models and animations are well crafted, and the natural environments and structures are diverse and nicely protrayed. M2G has voice acting in native accents, which adds a bit of color and authenticity. The background music seems appropriate to the culture and history of each faction, and the sound effects are convincing (even funny in some instances). The game was put together with a lot of care, and it shows.\n\nDocumentation/Technical Issues: As mentioned earlier, M2G unfortunately does not come with a manual, either printed or electronic. Thus, much of the learning of the game will come with experience, though the tutorial missions and in-game tips are very helpful. The game has been perfectly stable on my computer, with no freezes, crashes, etc. M2G is modding friendly, so you can easily change a number of thing, such as campaign win conditions and so forth. For the more adventurous, there is still an active modding community and a number of user-created mods available online. Fortunately, the only DRM that comes with the game is an offline disk-check and keycode--none of the online accounts and remote server foolishness that has plagued single-player PC games as of late.\n\nReplayability/Value: For the current price, this game is a steal. Any of the small complaints that I have are completely overshadowed by the high production values and quality--even educational--entertainment that M2G represents. Given all of the different campaigns, factions, locales, and random events, each playthrough is unique, though this is a game that can easily absorb hours of your time before you even notice. I highly recommend it to anybody who likes strategy games (or history!).\n\nPros\n+Great blend of RTS and turn-based gaming\n+High production values\n+Wide array of factions and locales\n+Good amount of content\n+No annoying DRM\n+Helpful user interface\n+Good tutorials and tips system\n\nCons\n-Campaigns (even the short ones) are long\n-Learning curve is significant (no manual)\n-Can get boring and repetitious after a while\n-A few minor AI quirks","Product: An epic battle rages on in the official add-on toWarhammer: Mark of ChaosProduct Information[Requires the Full Version of Warhammer: Mark of Chaos to run]Take mand of the armies of the unruly orcs and goblins and the dreaded darkelves in their quest for domination of the Warhammer world. Warhammer: Mark ofChaos - Battle March brings two new armies and a host of new units to thedefinitive Warhammer Fantasy Battle electronic gaming experience. Takingplace shortly after the events in Mark of Chaos the Orcs and Goblins and DarkElves enter the fray; looking to tip the scale of power from the Empire andChaos armies. Battle for supremacy online in multiple modes including thenew World Domination Mode. Hone your Champions to learn new tacticsunlock powerful abilities and engage in duels to the death.The Warhammer WorldSuffused with corrupting magical energy torn apart by battle and doomed to aneternity of war the Warhammer world teeters upon the brink of utterannihilation. It is a grim unforgiving world where every creature must strivefor survival. It is a world where magic and superstition blot out all hope of abetter future where peace and enlightenment are not even distant dreams. Warsare fought with faith as much as steel as bloodthirsty gods hunger for soulswhile the lives of mortals are but brief flickers of light against aneverlasting inferno of slaughter. It is a dark age a bloody age where themighty rule and destroy the weak. It is an age for conquerors sorcerers andheroes. These are the End Times.Though humanity is the most populous race mankind shares this world with agreat many strange and dangerous creatures and men are far from united againstthe perils they face. In the dark forests and gale-swept mountains goblins digtheir dank lairs plotting their constant raids. Brutal Orcs - green-skinnedbrutes who thrive on war - sweep across nations in devastating invasions. Unseenby human eyes beneath the surface the Under-Empire of the Skaven gna\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: A decent expansion, but could have been so much more\n\nReview: I really like the potential of this game. If the developers had put a bit more effort into this, this series could go toe-to-toe with the best strategy games out there. Of course, the problem is that the effort was a half-hearted one. I personally do not regret the purchase, but I do hope that Namco will give up the Warhammer license and allow another developer/publisher to have a crack at it.\n\nFirst, the good things. The game looks great. A lot of care has been taken in the making of models and environments. The gritty Warhammer world comes out clearly in the visuals. The voice acting is pretty good as well. I like the hero dynamics and the big battles, even though they have a chaotic mob feel to them. The game ships with a number of maps, so you can play skirmishes after finishing the campaign, which is focused on the two new races (orcs and dark elves). I found the game to be very stable on my computer, which is not always the case with PC games nowadays.\n\nOkay, the stuff that I didn't like. Where to begin: Unit animations, while improved over the original game, still do not give you the sense that visceral combat is taking place. Also, there is a lack of gameplay modes in single-player (just the campaign and skirmish). While the campaign is decent, it is quite hard in several missions, even on the normal difficulty level. And you cannot save the game within a mission. Thus, if you fail a mission (and you will), you have to start over. A map editor did not ship with the game, thus modding is not really supported. The game just feels a bit sterile and empty in other ways that are hard to describe.\n\nAfter having played games such as Battle for Middle Earth 2 and Dawn of War, this game left me frustrated about all of its unrealized potential. The developer has not been known for releasing many patches or providing other support, so I do not imagine that the game will be improved upon in the future.\n\nIf you liked the original game (Mark of Chaos), Battle March is more of the same. There is not much here for those, like me, who primarily play single-player beyond the campaign. The game can be played on-line, but I am not sure that there's much of a community. In sum, there are better strategy games out there.\n\n3.5 stars","Product: CONTAINS DIABLO III AND DIABLO III REAPER OF SOULS EXPANSION SET.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Merely okay, nothing special\n\nReview: This game is okay for what it is. The story is intriguing during the first act, but quickly degenerates into just grabbing loot and upgrading stats and equipment. In the Diablo tradition, D3 has a clickety, arcade feel, and that's fine. But about half way through the campaign, I had to ask myself why am I bothering with this. None of the characters are memorable, the combat is incredibly repetitious, and even the boss fights lack tension or drama. The included expansion is simply more of the same, and the main boss seems to completely lack conviction or clear purpose. D3 is inferior to Diablo 2 in all respects except for graphics. Maybe this would be a bit more fun in co-op mode (which I haven't tried), but I had to force myself to complete the single-player campaign. At best, the game is a tick above mediocre.","Product: Now you can deter robbery, theft, and vandalism without the high cost of a real security camera. When placed in your home or business, even the most sophisticated criminals will think the premise is guarded by a high-tech surveillance system and go in search of an easier target. In fact, this is an actual surveillance camera that has been modified into a \"dummy\" or fake security camera. This unit does contain a flashing light. The camera features authentic video cable and a fully adjustable mounting bracket that will let you install the camera quickly and easily using the included stainless steel screws. Dimensions of the camera are 5 one half inches x 3 inches x 2 and one half inches (without rain shield). With the rain shield the dimensions increase to 7 x 3 x 3 inches. The camera requires 2 AA batteries that are not included.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Realistic and easy to install, but should be complemented with other security measures\n\nReview: I just installed four of these \"cameras\" around the house yesterday. They go up pretty easily (the mounting screws are too soft though), and they do look real if you are no closer than about 10 feet. I view these items as simply a supplemental layer of home protection that should be used in conjunction with other tactics, such as an actual in-home security system or a good neighborhood watch program.\n\nTo get the best bang for the buck out of these cameras, pick up a couple of signs (one for the back and front of the property, or other access points) stating that you have continuous video surveillance operating. If you don't have an in-home security system, pick up a couple of security signs as well that give the impression that you do. Of course, never tell anyone--certainly not neighbors, coworkers, or casual acquaintances--that the cameras are fake or that you don't have a security system indoors. If you do, the joke could eventually be on you. Also, don't overdo it with signs and/or stickers. Don't overcompensate for the fake security items by posting too many \"thief beware\"-type messages. This might tip off one of the smarter burglars, and certainly a professional criminal would probably figure out the lark.\n\nI have mixed feelings about using the flashing red light on these cameras. On the one hand, these fake cameras are only a deterrent if people know that they are in place. The light does bring attention to them, and I would guess that the casual, opportunistic thief or the teenage hoodlum would be intimidated by a camera with a flashing light. However, for anyone else who thought about it for a minute, they would ask, \"Wouldn't a flashing red light right in the lens of the camera obscure the video recording?\" or \"Doesn't a flashing red light on a camera usually mean the battery's dead (or dying) or that the camera is in pause mode?\" or \"How many security cameras have you come across at stores or other establishments with flashing red lights?\" If anyone stakes out your home long enough (or simply does a Google search for \"fake security cameras\"), they are liable to figure out what's going on. And an experienced criminal with any knowledge of security equipment will figure it out much sooner. Thus, I think that use of the red light should be limited and situational, and probably best avoided all together if you have some good signage and stickers that will draw attention to the camera's presence.\n\nAnyhow, again, these fake cameras should complement other security tactics (real or deceptive) and not be a sole strategy by themselves. It's simply a single layer of protection that will probably work for a good number of people in many circumstances, but I do highly recommend at least a few signs, posters, and/or stickers for maximum effectiveness. Also, camera placement is important--these should be placed overhead for the full intimidation effect and far enough away to guard against close visual scrutiny or tampering by would-be criminals (or curious neighbors and friendly visitors). Aim the cameras at points of entry like doors or vulnerable windows, not just toward the street or driveway.\n\nI am happy with this purchase and recommend this product, but only with use with other related items (signs/stickers, etc.) and a good dose of common sense.","Product: G.G.Martinsen\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Poor workmanship. Look elsewhere.\n\nReview: After barely any usage, this item literally fell apart. The bottom came off for some reason when I tried to plug my ear phone in. As I tried to put the casing back together, the lithium battery wire broke. Of course, these sorts of items are disposable in the first place--when the battery dies (or gets disconnect somehow), it's time to throw it away.\n\nThe menu navigation was never intuitive, nor was charging the battery (you never knew when it was fully charged). The ideal set up would be having an mp3/4 player with traditional replaceable batteries or a lithium battery that could be easily replaced (like a cell phone's). In the future, I am going to try to avoid this disposable lithium battery foolishness all together.","Product: The Elliptical machine Provides a total body (legs, hips, buttocks, arms & shoulders), low-impact, cardiovascular workout for all family members, regardless of ability level. This unit resembles a walking or jogging machine. Your feet move in a natural elliptical motion, providing a no-impact workout for less stress on the joints. As you walk, your hands grasp poles that move in conjunction with your leg motion. This results in a smooth, fluid movement that tones arms, chest, back, hips, legs, and glutei. Better than a treadmill!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great so far (4.5 stars)\n\nReview: We decided to turn our garage into a mini-gym to cut down on the cost of a family YMCA membership. We've had this elliptical since November 2013. It has been very sturdy and reliable thus far. It took me about an hour to fully construct; the directions are pretty clear. You can adjust the pedaling resistance to your liking, and you'll certainly get a good workout. I docked it half a star for minor creaking sounds that occurred after about a month of use, though these noises can be readily fixed by a shot of WD40 or a few drops of machine oil. Also, I'm not sure if the calorie counter is calibrated accurately. Otherwise, well worth the price and the savings on the Y membership."],"string":"[\n \"Product: PC GAMER the #1 PC games magazine. The lastest game reviews, gaming news, tips, tricks and strategies to get the most out of your computer gaming experience.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Caters directly to the PC gamers out there\\n\\nReview: I really like this magazine and have subscribed for the past 3 years. PC GAMER caters directly to PC gamers, each month reviewing several games and previewing several others. Although you can get demos and such online, this magazine also bundles a dvd that contains demos and other things to preview. The articles are generally well written, and most of the ratings are reasonable, with one big exception (see below).\\n\\nMy only problem with PC GAMER is its \\\"world exclusive reviews,\\\" where a company will allow the editors to be the first to review some highly anticipated game. The problem is whatever game is reviewed in this matter invariably gets a high score (85%+), almost regardless of quality. In its latest world exclusive, Hellgate: London received a score of 89%--a full 15 percentage points higher than the game's average review rating at Gamerankings[dot]com. I know that this arrangement is supposed to please everyone: PC GAMER gets the early scoop, readers buy the mazagine to read the early scoop, and the game developer sells more copies of the game thanks to PC GAMER's early endorsement. But in my opinion, this scheme compromises the integrity of an otherwise very good magazine.\\n\\nAnyhow, I recommend PC GAMER to anyone who has at least a casual interest in PC gaming.\",\n \"Product: CD-ROM Video Game\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: The absolute creepiest of all...\\n\\nReview: One warning up front: this game is not for people who don't like horror movies. Actually, it's even scarier than a good horror film, since you are interacting with the subject matter and the monitor is right in your face. \\\"Undying\\\" is definitely the creepiest, most frightening gaming experience I have had in 25 years of playing computer games. The game is not great, but it does a number of things well.\\n\\nGameplay: You are called to Ireland in 1923 to help a friend who believes that he is being haunted by his four cursed siblings (all dead). You start at the family mansion with a revolver and a single spell as you track down clues. From there, you go on to a mausoleum, monastery, pirates cove, two other planes (Oneiros and the Eternal Autumn), and a few other places to confront each sibling. The most frightening scenes take place in the mansion and the monastery, with monsters jumping through windows, coming out of the floor, and falling from ceilings. And there are a lot of nice touches that will get you, such as the scry spell that lets you see some disturbing images that are not apparent to the naked eye. You can't trust any mirrors, windows, or even candles. The enemy AI is among the best I've seen. Monsters attack in packs, dodge, hide behind things, and generally try to shock the hell out of you. The atmosphere for at least the first half of the game is incredibly creepy and foreboding, largely due to some good visual effects and some truly excellent sound work. There were many times that I found myself paranoid about being in a well-lit room with only one door. You can just imagine the feeling of being in the bottom of a dark dungeon, surrounded by all sorts of disturbing sounds and enemies with no exit door in sight!\\n\\nUnfortunately, all is not well with \\\"Undying.\\\" While the control scheme is clear and probably typical for first-person shooters, it can be hard to cycle through weapons and spells during combat. Also, the quality of the storyline takes a nose-dive about halfway through. The game has a five-star beginning and a one-star ending. The first third of the game (the Lizbeth chapter) is superb and well done and is easily the best part of the game. The last chapter (Bethany) should not have been included, since the use of cavemen (yes, cavemen) was really just silly and had no place in a horror-themed game. The last encounter involving an unexpected opponent was unnecessarily hard (on medium difficulty setting) and downright ridiculous. Thankfully, there are not many jumping sequences in the game, but there are a few that are truly frustrating. I would advise anyone playing this game to have a walkthrough guide handy (there are good ones at [...] and [...] Although you can't really get lost in this game since it guides you by locking you out of certain areas, there are 5-10 places that you can get stuck. Generally, I only needed a walkthrough to find a few well-hidden secret passages and to figure out the tricky combat patterns required to defeat two of the bosses.\\n\\nRegarding technical matters, the game comes with a nice well-written journal, in addition to the in-game journal. You can't save the game at the exact spot that you want, but instead only at the last loading screen. It took me about 35 hours to complete the game on medium difficulty. I found no bugs in the game after patching it, but it still crashed to desktop a few times during the loading of auto-saves.\\n\\nGraphics: Good, but by no means great. Character/monster models are convincing and architecture and landscape are done well. Lighting effects build atmosphere, and there are some very nice special effects. The big problem with graphics is how the natural environment is rendered. Some bodies of water and all skies are just awful. There is nothing worse than hearing the howling wind outside just to find that the sky looks like a first-grader's watercolor painting. Except for these issues, graphics are quite adequate.\\n\\nSound: This area deserves 5 stars. Whoever did the sounds for this game knows how to scare people. The music itself is good and can be intense when it needs to be, but the sound effects are truly amazing. All of the things that you would expect in a horror game are there, including howling wind, monster growls, shattered windows, dripping water (or blood), and hideous laughter that comes out of nowhere. However, there are a few things that you won't be expecting, such as the playful laughter of children in a room that has a known history of grotesque happenings. The sound people did a fine job on this game.\\n\\nIn sum, I recommend \\\"Undying\\\" to anyone who likes horror-themed entertainment and first-person shooters. While it will frustrate you in a few places and the storyline ends with a whimper, the overall package is good enough to warrant many hours of your time.\",\n \"Product: Death is his business. And business is good.Product InformationEnter the realm of a retired assassin forced back into action by treason. Youmay be a hired killer but you still have a sense of loyalty and justice.Visit the dark recesses of a world corrupted by crime greed degradation anddishonor. And a past that catches up with you.Trust no one - if the price is right the finger of your most trusted allywill be on the trigger. Your targets may hide in the most remote areas ofthe pla but their destruction is never prevented - only postponed.Learn your trade - master your tools - overe your obstacles - outsmartyour enemies - eliminate your targets. Remember - rash decisions bleedconsequences. Know when to strike instantly know when to take your time. Chancefavors the prepared player. Failure is not an option - it is a privilegereserved for those who do not try hard enough.You have returned - and you will track down the organization that forced youout of retirement. You may find that the enemy is closer than you think -retrace your steps and you will prevail. Investigate target location Find an entry point Subdue the opposition Disguise yourself Eliminate the target Exit undetectedProduct Features Completely open-ended game play experience that allows you to balance surgical precision with visceral violent outbursts. A deadly game of disguise allows you to assume the identity of your victims. Lethal arsenal at your disposal to make every kill an experience to savor. Massively upgraded game engine features in mission saves selectable first and third person playable perspectives and enhanced graphics.Product Reviews\\\"Travel the world meet interesting people...and kill them.\\\" - Gamespy.Minimum Requirements Windows 98/Me/XP Pentium III 450MHz or equivalent 128MB RAM DirectX 8.1 patible graphics card DirectX 8.1 patible sound card 16X CD-ROM Drive Keyboard Mouse 800MB of free hard drive spaceRemend\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Suspenseful!!! (4 1/2 stars)\\n\\nReview: This game is one of the most intense and suspenseful gaming experiences I've ever had. You are a hitman for hire trotting around the world and taking care of business. There are 20 missions, tons of weapons, great music, and again, some VERY intense gameplay.\\n\\nGameplay: I can't say it enough--suspense and intensity! The game is designed to be played in whatever way you choose. You can go in with guns blazing (which works much of the time, depending on the difficulty setting) or you can lurk in the shadows, behind corners, and within a variety of disguises. The game encourages you to use stealth and rewards you for being strategic and limiting \\\"collateral\\\" damage. Most missions will allow you to take out your target without harming anyone else. However, there are a few missions in which you'll have to send more than one person to the morgue. Much of the gameplay boils down to surveillance, getting disguises, staying away from guards (and most civilians), dragging and hiding bodies, finding and disposing of your target(s), and escaping. The real fun comes with choosing a strategy for the job and all of the tension created when you're sneaking around and trying to avoid being discovered. The only quirks I experienced with gameplay was the oversensitivity of the guards on a few occasions. Otherwise, this is a very entertaining game. It lasted me about 40 hours on expert (medium) difficulty.\\n\\nVisual: Very well-done. The weapons look and act realistic, and the settings (St. Petersburg, Malaysia, Nuristan, India, Japan, and Sicily) are all attractive and convincing, with weather effects, region-appropriate language, and great architecture. The graphics are not state-of-the-art, but they are still quite good and create immersive atmospheres.\\n\\nSounds: The soundtrack by Jesper Kyd is probably the best I have heard in a game. It is orchestral, but fits the atmosphere of the game very appropriately. It also adds tension at the right times and does give you the sense that you are doing your deeds in faraway places and different cultures. The voice-acting is good, and people talk in the appropriate languages. All weapons sound as they should. Even the sound of the footsteps of your assassin are determined by whatever terrain he is walking/running on.\\n\\nReplay value: I definitely intend to play this one again, since there is more than one way to complete the missions. Also, the more strategic and secretive you are, the higher your rating and rewards.\\n\\nAll together, Hitman 2 is an excellent game for anyone who likes stealth missions and intense gameplay.\",\n \"Product: Travel through multiple game paths, taking control of the motion picture trilogy's heroes. Defend the walls of Minas Tirith as Gandalf; raise the Army of the Dead as Aragorn, LEGOlas, or Gimli; and more.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Could have been great, but...\\n\\nReview: I'm a fan of the LotR's movies and really adore EA's Battle for Middle Earth 2. Return of the King has all of the earmarks of a great game, but is crippled by a few unpardonable flaws. I recommend it only to the most fanatical fans of the movies/books and those who have the patience to wrestle with this very frustrating game.\\n\\nGameplay: I think this game is best played with a gamepad, although it can be played with keyboard and mouse. It's the usual button-smashing adventure game. You get to fight battle sequences from the movies as one of the major good-guy characters (Aragon, Frodo, Gandalf, etc.). The game has some light role-playing elements such as leveling up and gaining new abilities. However, it is primarily an adventure game involving killing a lot of orcs. It's good, mindless fun for a while until you realize how many times you are replaying levels due to the difficulty. I'm not great at these kinds of games, but I'm pretty decent and persistent. But the difficulty of this game (even on \\\"easy\\\") is just outrageous. It wouldn't be so bad if you could save the game whenever you wanted or if the checkpoint saves were more frequent. But no. You could play though 20 minutes of gameplay and kill 199 orcs. However, because you didn't get orc #200, you have to restart the level again. I must have replayed the level with Aragon and the undead king over 30 times, and still couldn't beat it. It just makes no sense. I'm not one to give up on a game easily, but this one just became a chore by mission 4 or 5. A pity since it was quite fun in the beginning.\\n\\nGraphics: Looks really good and captures the spirit and mood of the movies. The cutscenes are straight from the movies and blend in well with the gameplay. Character models are dated by today's standards, but still look decent. The camera is very erratic and can easily make the game much harder by swinging around to some funky angle. And you have no control over it at all.\\n\\nSounds: Everything is in order here. Great background music from the movies, voice acting is spot on, and special effects are believable.\\n\\nTechnical issues/documentation: Thin, but functional manual. The game was perfectly stable on my computer, although I never finished it. Overall, a well polished game.\\n\\nValue: If you can get it for $10 or less, it might be worth a try. I would suggest playing the demo first, although it is easier than the game itself. Again, be forewarned: this is a very frustrating game due to the absence of a real save system. If you don't mind replaying a mission 5-50 times, go for it. Otherwise, save your money and time.\\n\\nPros:\\n+good production values\\n+nice graphics, music, and voice acting\\n+action can be intense and very reminiscent of the movies\\n\\nCons:\\n-absolutely ridiculous difficulty, even on \\\"easy\\\"\\n-no real save system to speak of\",\n \"Product: Combining the best parts of role playing games and first-person action games, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines plunges players into the dark and gritty vampire underworld of modern day L.A. as a recently embraced fledgling vampire in the service of the city's dark Prince.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A very good vampire RPG!\\n\\nReview: I have to admit that I hesitated a good while before buying Bloodlines, because of all of the reviews that mentioned bugs. However, I liked the screenshots and the vampire theme and decided to give it a chance. At least with the patch installed, I really enjoyed the game and found no significant or show-stopping bugs. It looks great, the NPC are very interesting and well developed, and the quests can be funny, dark, and quite elaborate. The game, even with the patch, does have a few technical problems as well as some other flaws. However, if you like vampire stories and role-playing games, then Bloodlines is definitely worth a try.\\n\\nGameplay: Character creation (you can be 1 of 7 types of vampires) is interesting, allowing you to customize a male or female vampire that has been recently sired. You have several choices of abilities and skills, but character creation is not as deep as in some RPGs like Morrowind. During the game, you earn experience points that you can use to increase certain skills, attributes, or disciplines (your vampiric powers). This system generally works well, but don't expect to max out many of these areas by the end of the game (thus, choose your character-development path wisely).\\n\\nThe game is rather linear in progression, although there are a number of side quests and your character is allowed to solve some quests in 2 or 3 different ways. Movement and combat are much like typical first-person shooters, and melee weapons are much more powerful than guns (a good sword will take you through about the whole game--I like the shotgun, though). There are a few good scares in the game (such as a haunted hotel and an encounter at a park), but the developers missed a lot of great opportunities to really scare players. Overall, the story is a very good one, and you'll meet some fascinating characters (like VV, Gary, Jack) who have great dialogue. The quests are well done and often multi-layered, but there are a few areas where things get bogged down, such as when you are trying to reach certain bosses. You often have to go through an hour or two of encounters with their minions in order to reach them. I have only played the game through once as a male Toreador, but I think I did about all of the side quests, in addition to the main quests. There was only one quest in a graveyard that I found too frustrating to complete, but thankfully it was an optional side quest.\\n\\nGraphics: The graphics look realistic (based on the Source engine), but I didn't get good framerates walking around the 4 cities. There are some long load times between levels, which improve drastically depending on how much RAM you have (I would suggest at least 768MB). The four cities are all very well rendered, but a bit small. Character models look good, as do most animations, but many models are repeated. Overall, you'll need a good video card to enjoy the game thoroughly.\\n\\nSound: There is a lot of good atmosphere in this game, thanks to some good music, great voice acting, and ambient sounds. I am not into heavy metal music, but it just seemed to fit well in this game's gothic scenes. However, even with the patch, there are still some sound issues, especially occasional studdering (increasing my RAM seemed to improve this a bit for me). Also, the game crashed to desktop about 8 times.\\n\\nReplayability/Value: Overall, I am very pleased with this game. The game will last about 40 solid hours the first time through. In my view, there is not much replay value here. While it might be interesting to try another vampire clan or the other gender, there's not much difference in how the story unfolds. There are at least two alternate endings, but the difference is only about twenty seconds of cutscenes. Still, if you like role-playing games, first-person shooters, and vampire stories, then I highly recommend Bloodlines. I hope there's a sequel.\",\n \"Product: Unleash the Hammer of the EmperorProduct Information[Requires the original Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War game to play]Winter Assault is the expansion pack to the 2004's RTS Game of the Year Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War Winter Expansion Pack RTS game lets you take mand. Lost amongst the ruins of a leveled city lies an Emperor Class Titan a war vessel of untold power forged in the pla-wide furnaces of Mars and revered by billions as the epitome of Imperial dominance. The one who controls it will mand the power to destroy or defend a world. The Imperials will summon it to overe great evil Chaos will corrupt it for their own designs Orks will destroy it in their bloodlust and Eldar will disregard it in their arrogance.Product FeaturesTake mand of a pletely new race the Imperial Guard in 12 new single player missions.Battle against the Space Marine Eldar Ork and Chaos races each with brand new units.Direct your troops in all out war across harsh new winter battlegrounds with enhanced urban terrain and additional interactive objects and structures.Revel in new and improved gameplay features including a new tech tree hundreds of new animations and endless new strategies.Dominate 20 new multiplayer maps with advanced online features including observer mode arranged team play and improved auto match.Windows RequirementsRequires the original Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War game to playWindows 98 Me 2000 XP1.8 GHz Intel Pentium III or equivalent AMD Athlon XP processor256 MB of RAM2.5 GB Hard Drive space4X CD-ROM drive32 MB DirectX 9.0b patible AGP Vidoe Card with Hardware Transform and LightingDirectX 9.0b patible Sound Card 16-bit soundKeyboardMouseMultiplayer Requirements1 disc/player per puterInter Cable modem DSL or 56.6 kbps modem for online multiplayer playNetwork: TCP/IP pliant work\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent expansion for a great game (4.5 stars)\\n\\nReview: Winter Assault is one of those expansions that adds a lot of new content to a game. Since I have already posted a review of Dawn of War at this site, I won't go into too much detail here about this game. However, overall, this is a wonderful addition to one of my favorite games ever.\\n\\nThe biggest change is the addition of a new race, the Imperial Guard. The Guard stresses entrenched defense as a tactic, backed up by strong vehicles and artillery. While not quite as flashy or alien as some of the other races, the Guard is a nice addition to the game. Also, the other four races each get a new unit, as well as modified tech trees which are well thought out.\\n\\nThe single-player campaigns in Winter Assault are very well done. They allow you to play each of the races (except the Space Marines), and each mission has multiple parts and objectives. There is also a surprise appearance of another alien race in the last mission, which adds a nice twist to the story. Additionally, there are about 20 new multiplayer maps that come with Winter Assault. The AI has been improved so that it's more aggressive, techs faster, and uses a diverse array of units. There are some minor pathfinding issues for some units, but the game is just a blast to play.\\n\\nThis game still looks great, and Winter Assault adds some new environments and weather effects. It's still a shame that the developer did not release modding tools with this version of the game, although I suspect that they will update the tools that can be downloaded from their website ([...] The sound effects are also quite good, and most of the new voices are done well, along with the new music.\\n\\nIf you have any interest whatsoever in strategy games, then I highly recommend both the original game and this expansion. This is one of the best real-time strategy games I've played and is easily in the same league as Rise of Nations, Warcraft 3, and the Age of Empires series.\",\n \"Product: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is single-player role-playing action in the world of the popular Elder Scrolls game. The Emperor of Tamriel has been assassinated and the killer still runs loose. Meanwhile, no heir sits on the throne. With no Emperor upon the throne, the gates of Oblivion open wide and demons invade. Your quest is to find the lost heir and place him on the throne, before demons destroy the land. Next-generation graphics with pixel-shader effects for high-definition TVs, creating lifelike towns & dungeons and the most realistic forests\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Excellent Follow-up to Morrowind (4.5 stars)\\n\\nReview: Morrowind is perhaps my favorite video game of all time. Thus, I eagerly awaited the sequel, Oblivion. In most ways, this game either met or exceeded my expectations. The developers took the reviews and fan feedback about Morrowind seriously and have made a game that will likely be regarded as a classic many years from now. Oblivion is by no means a perfect game, but it packs in so much gaming goodness that it's hard to find much fault.\\n\\nGameplay: Like Morrowind, the concept here is free-form, openended exploration. The gaming world is absolutely huge with tons of stuff to do. Want to explore caves, dungeons, and ruins? Go ahead, there are dozens. Like questing? Join the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Thieves Guild, Arena, and/or Dark Brotherhood. Or, just talk to the locales who'll have plenty for you to do. The main quest centers around finding the heir to the throne of Cyrodiil, which will require you to visit the hellish realm of Oblivion and close various gates. It's a decent storyline altogether, but nothing as epic or absorbing as Baldur's Gate 2 or even Morrowind. Overall, the various quests in this game are much improved over Morrowind's, and many have multiple parts and interesting background stories. Unless you blast through the main quest (about 30 hours) without doing any other tasks, it would easily take 200 hours to see and do everything this game has to offer.\\n\\nThe controls for the game are typical for first-person shooters, although the game can be played a bit awkwardly from a third-person perspective. There are several hotkeys for weapons and spells. Combat is very engaging and will require some practice to get used to. Opponents will block, dodge, use power attacks, and generally fight in an effective way. Stealth is improved a bit over Morrowind, with a lighting/awareness system much like that of the game Thief. Also, being a mage in this game is a viable option, and the alchemical system should even appeal to non-mages. And like Morrowind, you can create your own custom classes, and the face generation system is very detailed. The user interface is easy to read and organizes items, spells, skills, and so forth in a logical way. It can't be scaled by resolution, so when it's open it covers the whole screen.\\n\\nThankfully, there are many improvements over Morrowind (and most any other computer RPG out there). Dungeons and caves are creepier and have traps, multiple areas, and lots of loot. One complaint about Morrowind was that it got too easy too quickly. Few people will have that complaint about Oblivion. Most creatures are leveled, meaning that they get stronger as the player character advances in level. This keeps the game challenging throughout, though it still seems a bit weird to have a 25-level warrior with the best weapons and armor having trouble with a goblin warlord or dread zombie. Anyhow, NPCs in this game are rather lively, living their own lives, having somewhat dynamic conversations, all-spoken dialogue, and many animations (eating, sleeping, horse riding, etc.). And then there are the nice little touches, such as houses to buy, display cabinets for your loot (or to be looted), a solid bartering system, the lockpicking minigame, and the exhilarating arena matches (you can fight or just bet). Also, the journal is great and sorts your quests well.\\n\\nGiven all of its strengths, the problems with the game are mostly minor and annoying, nothing major. I would have liked to have seen a bit more variety in the Oblivion plane. Once you've closed one gate, it's wash, rinse, and repeat for the others (you'll have to close at least 10). It gets old quick. This also goes for the dungeons, caves, and other adventuring areas. The best way to keep things interesting is to do various tasks at the same time--some guild questing, dungeon crawling, and miscellaneous quests. Otherwise, any single activity can get a bit monotonous. Sadly, the horses are not as fun as they could have been. There are different breeds with different characteristics, but in the end they are largely a cosmetic addition. You cannot fight while mounted, they cannot carry items for you, and they are somewhat expensive. Also, opponents have a knack for targeting your mount, even once you've dismounted. In about 100 hours of gameplay, I purchased over a dozen horses due to the fact that they died so frequently. Ultimately, since there are other fast travel options and since a character with a high Speed skill can outrun some horses, a steed is a questionable purchase.\\n\\nGraphics: State-of-the-art. Period. This is a beautiful game by any standard. Be ready to take a lot of screenshots. It's all there: lush forests, snow-capped mountains, torrential rains, reflective water, breathtaking sunsets, quaint towns, eerie dungeons, and much more. Every item in the game looks realistic, including character faces and animations. The Havok physics engine nicely enhances the experience. All of this, of course, means that you'll have to have a pretty good computer to enjoy the game at max settings. On a 3.0ghz Pentium IV with 1GB of RAM and Geforce 6600GT video card, I managed 1024x768 resolution with most settings on medium (Bloom on, along with grass and water reflections). Unlike Morrowind, this game is very scalable, so people with a wide range of computers should be able to make the game playable. The developers really went the extra mile on the visuals, and I certainly appreciate it.\\n\\nSounds: Well done for the most part. Many of the voices from Morrowind are back, but in much greater quantity since all dialogue is spoken. There are many creature sounds and environmental effects, all of which are appropriate. While I loved Jeremy Soule's music for Morrowind, his efforts here are lackluster. The game's soundtrack is very understated and fails to adequately set the tone in many situations. Actually, I had to purposely listen for the music a lot of the time, which shouldn't be the case.\\n\\nTechnical Issues: Fortunately, this game goes against the grain for this particular developer. Up until now, Bethesda had a well-deserved reputation for releasing buggy games. However, Oblivion was remarkably stable on my computer and very well-polished. Admittedly, it did crash about 10 times, resulting in a few corrupted saved games. However, most of the crashes took place as I tried to reload saved games, which is not a big problem since I save very often. There were none of the Morrowind-style crashes where you're just walking along and... BAM!!!--desktop. Ten crashes in 100 hours of gameplay is a ratio that I can definitely tolerate.\\n\\nThe game comes with a good manual and a map of the gaming area. The opening sequence serves as a tutorial and is well done. Also, it is much quicker to get into the game than Morrowind, which required you to listen to the opening theme music as the game loaded.\\n\\nReplayability/Value/: If you buy into the premise of the game (openended exploration and questing), this is a great value. I've played a lot of games, and nothing quite touches the bang-for-the-buck that Elder Scrolls games have. There is a construction set for the PC version that can be downloaded for free at [...] Also, like Morrowind, modders are going to have a field day with this game, which should lead to some quality third-party mods for downloading. Overall, if you liked Morrowind, you should really like Oblivion. If you have never played an Elder Scrolls game, this is a fine one to start with.\\n\\nOverall rating: 4.5 stars\",\n \"Product: Condemned: Criminal Origins allows players to experience the unnatural, as they track down serial killers and bring them to justice. Play as Ethan Thomas, an FBI agent in the Serial Crimes Unit (SCU), whose pursuit of relentless serial killers leads him through detailed urban environments filled with sociopaths who lurk on the edge of humanity. Condemned maintains an intense, focused pace -- players can never be sure what waits around each corner. Meticulously crafted 5.1 surround-sound will cue players to the location of offscreen enemies Next-generation lighting, mapping, and filtering techniques provide for environments of unprecedented detail and visual quality\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A decent game, but could have been much more\\n\\nReview: I played the demo for this game and liked it a lot. It has a very chilling atmosphere, and I liked the serial killer story line. The retail game overall is worth a look if you are into first-person shooters and the horror genre. But after finishing the game (about 10-12 hours), I was left with the impression that Condemned could have been so much more if more thought had gone into the story line.\\n\\nGameplay: The story line is somewhat trite. You're an FBI agent who is framed for killing two cops, and you have to figure out the mystery while the FBI and the real killer are stalking you. Nothing special there. The game is genuinely creepy with dimly lit environments, good use of sound effects, and a number of grotesque opponents. However, after a while, you'll get very use to fighting the same 8-10 character models and crawling through the same shabby buildings and subway tunnels. The big problem with the game is that it lacks tension. There is little rhyme or reason to your investigation except for the fact that there's a serial killer on the loose. You do get the feel for being a crime investigator, since you use forensic tools and have a virtual laboratory at your disposal. But it all seems forced after a while as the game guides you through a linear story line and in many instances tells you exactly what to do next. There are a few cheap scares, but the game is more creepy and foreboding than outright scary. Unfortunately, the game leaves a number of unanswered questions--as if it were setting up a sequel, and I found the ending unsatisfying.\\n\\nTo its credit, Condemned does get a number of things right. The melee combat is well done and frenetic. Most of the fighting in the game is done with axes, sledgehammers, pipes, and other hand-held items. You can block, dodge, do combos, and finishing moves. The firearms, while powerful, are much less interesting since they are almost always low on ammo. Thankfully, there are no jumping sequences in this game and really no puzzles. The straightforward nature of the gameplay is both its strength and weakness, but you can adjust the difficulty level to increase the game's challenge.\\n\\nGraphics: A pretty good looking games. Character models and animations are convincing, and environments are very detailed though repetitive after a while. Lighting effects are especially well done.\\n\\nSound: There is very good use of sound effects to make the game creepy. Creaking floors, growls, footsteps, weapon impacts, etc. are all convincing. Voice acting is passable, and I actually liked the theme song that plays when the main menu is open. The developers seem to understand that its not the visuals but the sounds that make a game creepy (good visuals, of course, help).\\n\\nTechnical issues: I think the game may have crashed once, but otherwise it was very stable. The manual is decent, and the opening sequence of the game serves as a tutorial. The controls are typical for a first-person shooter.\\n\\nReplayability/Value: There is no reason to replay this game given its linearity. The outcome will always be the same, and there are no sub-plots or additional missions to unlock. If you like the FPS or horror genre, the game is worth a look. But be sure to get it at a discount.\\n\\nPros:\\n+creepy and atmosphere\\n+convincing sound effects\\n+good graphics\\n+dynamic melee combat\\n\\nCons:\\n-repetitive gameplay\\n-lackluster ending and some unanswered questions\\n-missed opportunities in the scares department\\n\\nOverall rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)\",\n \"Product: MODEL- MS-CD13682WI VENDOR- MICROSOFT CORPORATION FEATURES- Microsoft Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends PC Take the next big leap in the real-time strategy (RTS) genre. Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends is the highly anticipated second installment in the award-winning RTS franchise for Windows Rise of Nations.* Conquer the World Campaign The immensely popular Conquer the World (CTW) campaign returns with exciting updates.* Genre-defining graphics and special effects Cutting-edge industry-leading technology combines with awe-inspiring art design to create gameplay and environments unlike anything ever seen.* Innovations in the RTS genre Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends evolves the franchise's trademark gameplay features--such as borders attrition huge armies clashing and the building of cities--but with innovative twists.* Streamlined and intuitive gameplay Improved army and research interfaces make for easier and more streamlined gameplay with less emphasis on micromanagement.* New options for multiplayer and online play Several new innovative multiplayer features allow even a 20-minute game to be a rewarding experience.* Compelling and integrated story line Transport yourself into a fantastical world where you must guide a young inventor's struggle to unravel his world's ancient past and unite its people against an unimaginable threat. -- SPECIFICATIONs ----------------------------------ESRB RATING - T for TeenGENRE/CATEGORY- Real-Time Strategy (RTS)SYSTEM - PCREQUIREMENTS - Windows XP/Windows Vista 1.4 GHz Processor 4.5 GB free hard drive space 64MB Video Card with hardware transform and lighting DX9 hardware compatibility and audio board with speakers and/or headphones. Internet Connection 56.6 kbps or better for internet play\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Mediocre follow-up to a great game\\n\\nReview: I am a huge fan of Rise of Nations. It took the exciting real-time strategy formula of the Age of Empires games and perfected it. I was hoping that Rise of Legends would be a worthy successor, and on a few levels it is. However, after playing through the campaign and a few skirmishes, it's largely forgettable.\\n\\nGameplay: The game can be quite fun at times. The three races are fairly distinct, with their own heroes, structures, and backstories. The city building is perhaps the most innovative part of the game. While there is some base sprawl that is characteristic of these kinds of games, it looks more orderly and planned. The kinds of buildings that you build determine your progress up the tech tree. Each race has a good selection of units.\\n\\nThe campaign serves to introduce you to the three races and their heroes. The storyline is not particularly compelling and feels overly long by the time that you get to the end. It is a mix of metamap movement and real-time battles, but not as well done as in Rise of Nations and other games. The game also has a skirmish mode, and the patches have added a healthy number of maps. But the battles feel very ordinary, especially since none of the units have any voice acknowledgments or personalities.\\n\\nGraphics & Sound: The game is very attractive. Some of the maps are gorgeous. The units are well-crafted and distinct, and the special effect are quite adequate. The most disappointing thing about the game is that the units are so quiet. After playing games like Dawn of War or Battle for Middle Earth 2 where each unit has spoken dialogue, to play a game that is largely silent just doesn't cut it. It makes the whole experience flat and uninspired. On the bright side, the music is very reminiscent of the excellent Rise of Nations soundtrack.\\n\\nDocumentation/Technical Issues: The manual that comes with the game is descent. The game did crash on me a number of time in the campaign, even after patching. Thankfully, you can save the game at any point and don't have to rely upon any checkpoint foolishness.\\n\\nReplayability/Value: The campaign is worth a good playthrough and maybe a second one at some time. The skirmish mode is really the hook for RTS games, but the one in this game is just too generic and devoid of character. If you liked Rise of Nations, you'll probably be ambivalent toward Rise of Legends. There are a number of things to like here and that will remind you of Rise of Nations. However, it just doesn't quite measure up to the grand sweep and groundbreaking gameplay of its predecessor.\",\n \"Product: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade features two new playable races, the Tau Empire and the Necrons, bringing the number of totally unique races to an unprecedented seven. In addition to the two new playable races, Dark Crusade will feature an all-new single player campaign centering on the conquest of a \\\"meta-map,\\\" with each territory captured giving tangible rewards to the occupying force. A greatly expanded multiplayer component and a completely unique economy model for the Necrons will present gamers with the most compelling Dawn of War game to-date. Customize and manage a persistent army as you sweep across the planet Customize the appearance and abilities of your commander unit as he grows in power and influence Discover the dark secrets of a planet shrouded in mystery\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great Expansion for a Superb game (4.75 stars)\\n\\nReview: This is by far one of the best expansions I've played for any game. It might actually be the best. It not only adds two races to the existing five, but also offers new gameplay modes. And get this: it's a stand alone expansion! If you don't own the original game, don't worry. You can buy this one, and it's like getting Dawn of War and Winter Assault free (though you can only play the Necrons and Tau online). I almost gave this game five stars, but couldn't quite get over some very minor flaws (which will probably be fixed with a patch). However, the Dawn of War series remains my favorite RTS game of all time.\\n\\nGameplay: It's stlll the visceral, animated combat, great voice acting, wonderful streamlined resource system, and gritty W40K universe that was introduced in Dawn of War. However, the game now has what it lacked previously, and that is a lengthy single-player campaign with lots of replay value. Now there is a strategic metamap of the planet of Kronus that you can conquer with any of the 7 races. The map has about 25 territories, and each race starts with a headquarters that must not be conquered, or else that race loses. It's a good story, and the gameplay also works out well. You can fight battles in real-time over each territory or let the computer auto-resolve it (I suggest fighting in real time to be safe). The difficulty of the battles depends upon how large the armies (or Honor Guards) of the attacker and defender are, as well as any objectives that you must complete during the battle. On the standard and hard difficulty settings, some battles are very easy and others are darn near impossible (I couldn't beat the \\\"Hard\\\" Orks at Hyperion Peaks for nothing).\\n\\nThe gameplay has been tweaked in a number of ways. The AI is decent and now will do things that it did not do previously (like cloak Eldar bases and make Sentinels for the IG--although it will not make Basilisks for the IG in skirmish or Fire Prisms for Eldar, which I hope will be fixed with a patch). Also, there is now a stealth element to the game that adds a new tactical layer to battles. Elite units such as Terminators, Obliterators, and super vehicles are now capped so that you can't have more than one or two of each. This is actually a good thing, since it makes other units more useful in the late game and limits the spamming of elite units, which should be rare units in the first place. The two new races, Necron and Tau, are great and have distinctive styles. The Tau are a ranged race which outshoots all others, but is weak in close combat and melee. The Necron are an \\\"undead\\\" race bent upon destroying all life. They are slow and methodical and are somewhat vulnerable in the early game. However, if they last long enough to get some of their powerful units out, they are a force to be reckoned with. Their late game is strong, especially if they get their Monolith fully operational. You can think of the Tau as specializing in riddling opponents with holes from afar, while the Necrons are content with slowly strangling their enemies to death. All together, these new races make Dawn of War an even better game.\\n\\nGraphics: The game still looks great, even though the base engine is two years old. No RTS game sports better animations, and the new units look nice. It's just a good-looking game.\\n\\nSounds: The game has loads of personality, due to the excellent voice acting. The new races don't add much to this though, since the Tau have rather bland quotes and the Necrons have none at all. But the other races have great lines performed by good voice actors. Also, the music is quite good, and each race gets its own theme song, so to speak. All of the special-effects sounds are appropriate.\\n\\nReplay value/technical issues: Because you can play the campaign as any of seven races, the game has the kind of replay value that the series has previously lacked. Also, the single-player skirmishes never get old to me, especially since there are seven races now. Furthermore, there are some talented mappers and modders out there who have greatly enhanced the gameplay over the past two years, and I suspect this will continue. On a technical note, the game, as always, has been very stable on my computer. I wish that the manual had included descriptions of all seven races, since some people will not have manuals for Dawn of War and Winter Assault. Also, there are a few minor bugs such as the Basilisk and Fire Prism ones mentioned above and an instance in which I saw a deployed heavy weapons team oddly gliding over the terrain. However, Relic has been good about patching the game, and I believe they will fix these minor issues.\\n\\nFinal Word: If you are an RTS fan or a fan of the W40K universe, you probably already have the original game. If not, there is absolutely no reason not to pick up Dark Crusade. It's one of the true bargains out there, since you get the equivalent of the original game and two expansions for $30 (as of Oct. 2006). I really look forward to seeing what Relic comes up with next for the Dawn of War license.\\n\\nRating: 4.75 stars (out of 5)\",\n \"Product: Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-Earth II: The Rise of the Witch-King expands the universe Tolkiem created. This expansion pack to the fan favorite game series lets you command the rise of evil in Middle-earth while experiencing the epic battles that took place before the films. Become the leader of an evil faction and lead an invasion of the peaceful kingdom of Arnor, home of Aragorn's ancestors. To fully experience the evil side of Middle-earth, gamers can now play as the all new Angmar faction in skirmish, multiplayer, and War of the Ring modes.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good expansion for a classic game\\n\\nReview: This is an expansion pack that does what all expansions should do: it improves upon the original game and adds new content. While RotWK does not revolutionize the basic gameplay of BFME2, it is a worthwhile addition.\\n\\nGameplay: The expansion simply adds more to the intense, visually stunning RTS that is BFME2. The single-player campaign introduces the story of the Witch-king's rise to power and allows you to play the bad guys, which is fun in this instance. There are 8 mission, plus an epilogue that allows you to play the kingdom of Arnor (a carbon copy of Men of the West). The campaign, at least on normal difficulty, can be quite hard in places, and you might be surprised to find yourself repeating a few of the missions. Overall, it is an adequate diversion, which will take about 5-6 hours to complete.\\n\\nThe create-a-hero system is much improved. Now, you can create your own in-game avatar using a power-purchasing system that makes sense and will allow for some diversity in the game. You can make a \\\"cheap\\\" hero, who can be afforded during the early game, or make an expensive one that will almost rival Sauron. A few new powers have been added, along with a troll class and some more clothing/armor options. Truthfully, the new power-purchasing system should have been added with a patch, so that people with the original game could receive this fix. In any event, the new system here is much welcomed and makes player-made heroes more balanced and interesting.\\n\\nThe best improvement of the original gameplay comes with the changes to the War of the Ring (WotR) mode. Now, the armies that you create in the RTS skirmishes carry over to the strategic map and can be moved around with your 4 heroes. There is an upkeep cost that keeps this army persistence feature from getting out of hand. Also, you can build more things from the strategic map, such as siege maps and unit upgrades. Finally, the AI plays a bit smarter. For example, it will retreat when it is losing a fight. Also, AI opponents put up a better fight than before and will build walls occasionally. The WotR mode also has about 10 new territories added to it.\\n\\nThe major addition to the game is the new Angmar faction, led by the Witch-king. It is a mixture of fallen men, trolls, and sorcerers. It's distinctive enough to be truly considered a separate race. The most fun unit is the thrallmaster, who can summon a squad of units on the fly to fit most any situation. The sorcerers are interesting too, but fragile and require some close micromanagement. Angmar's heroes are decent, with the Witch-king and Rogash (a powerful troll) being the best ones. Each of the existing races get a couple new units, including an elite \\\"mini-hero\\\" horde, which is not always worth the high cost (compared to just recruiting a new hero from the fortress).\\n\\nGraphics: Basically the same as BFME2, which is to say that they are quite good. On a good computer, you'll be able to enjoy some beautiful textures, convincing unit animations, weather effects, and other nice graphics.\\n\\nSound: The music is based on the movie soundtrack, which is great. Voice acting is pretty decent. As with BFME2, the ambient sounds, unit acknowledgements, and combat audio are well done.\\n\\nStability/technical issues: The game has been quite stable on my machine. I used to get a crash or two on the WotR strategic map, but no more. The manual does a decent job explaining the new faction and improvements to gameplay.\\n\\nReplayability/Value: With the improved create-a-hero system, more persistent armies in the War of the Ring Mode, new units for existing races, and the new Angmar faction, this expansion gives the original game even more longevity. The single-player campaign, though a challenge, is largely forgettable. However, it's the skirmishes and the WotR strategic game (finally fixed!) that will keep you coming back to this great game.\",\n \"Product: Faithful to the Warhammer license Warhammer: Mark of Chaos puts the focus squarely on the battlefield with a real-time combat system that gives the player unprecedented customization and control of his army. An epic battle rages following a brutal Chaos invasion where four fully playable armies (Empire Chaos Skaven and High Elves) as well as additional controllable races (Orcs Dwarfs Vampires and Goblins) clash on a massive battlefield.FEATURES:MASTER THE ART OF WAR: Warhammer: Mark of Chaos is about WAR focusing on the armies and battles while de-emphasizing the tedious aspects of base and resource management.EPIC VISCERAL BATTLES ON A MASSIVE SCALE: Epic sense of both scale and detail where big demons and huge beautifully rendered battalions clash with thousands of characters battling on screens in intricate detail.USE ENVIRONMENTS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE: A variety of buildable features and randomized destructible terrains such as forests swamps plains and tundra change the shape of the battlefield and add a layer of strategy that provides infinite replayability.COMMAND HEROES AND CHAMPIONS: As armies move from battle to battle in an epic war Heroes and Champions learn new tactics unlock new abilities command larger units even challenge other Champions in a duel to the death.CUSTOMIZE YOUR ARMY: WARHAMMER: Mark of Chaos takes customization to a new level by allowing for body part swaps weaponand armor enhancements and more powerful controls to paint units and customize banners. Additionally players can accent armies with mercenaries and Dogs of War augmenting the look and play of their army for a unique game experience.VARIETY OF PLAY MODES: Dynamic cooperative campaign mode and a full assortment of multiplayer modes for both casual and competitive gamers.Format: WIN 2000XP Genre: ENTERTAINMENT Rating: RP UPC: 722674400145 Manufacturer No: 40014\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A good game, though room for improvement\\n\\nReview: I've never played the table-top version of Warhammer, but this game seemed to be a fairly interesting take on the age-old elves, orcs, and dwarf formula that appears in so many games nowadays. I'm a huge fan of Relic's Dawn of War franchise, so I decided to pick this game up. Overall, I'm glad that I got this game; it's a solid product with lots of potential for expansion. However, it also has plenty of room for improvement, and I would suggest that anyone considering this game to play the demo first.\\n\\nGameplay: The game is true to the standard real-time strategy (RTS) formula, minus the harvesting and base building. You pick and customize your units before each battle and then fight it out against other armies in open fields or sieges. Some of the battles feel somewhat epic, especially the castle sieges. But there are never more than about 400-500 units on the map at any give time. Hero units play a huge role in the game. They can \\\"level up\\\" and collect items like heroes in roleplaying games, duel against other heroes, and give bonuses to the troops that they command. The hero system, as it stands now, needs to be refined a bit more so that heroes don't level up too fast (I had one go from 10th to 35th level in less than 5 minutes in one skirmish game!). However, I generally like what heroes add to gameplay. The game does have some tactical elements to it. Things such as morale, terrain, flanking, charges, and unit-counters do come into play. Units with broken morale will flee, which can end a battle quickly. Cavalry is underpowered and does not nearly justify its cost. There is friendly fire in this game, but only in the case of area-of-effect weapons like cannon. In my opinion, that's good enough. I killed too many of my own soldiers with Hellfire Cannon in the single-player campaign to want any more varieties of friendly fire!\\n\\nThere are two single-player campaigns that come with the game. One for Chaos and one for the Empire. Playing through each (about 20-25 hours all together) will allow you to use all four playable races (Men, Elves, Chaos, and Skaven), as well as some minor races (Orcs and Dwarves). There are a variety of missions, from sieges and kill-all-enemies maps to duels and some minor dungeon crawling. The campaigns tell a decent story , though a linear one with very little replay value. The game includes both a single-player skirmish mode and online modes. It's good fun, but my biggest gripe has to do with the very small number of maps. Even with the 1.2 patch that came out at the same time the game was released, there are only 15 skirmish maps. Of that number, only 8 can be played as single-player skirmishes! This is really a shame and inexcusable. As with all other RTS games, the shelf life of this one will depend on whether the developer provides strong support with patches that fix bugs and add new content (like maps), as well as whether modders kick in.\\n\\nGraphics: This is an absolutely gorgeous game. The terrain and environments are beautifully done, and the models themselves are finely detailed. The only dull spot here is the animations, which are decent but not up to par with the likes of Relic's Dawn of War or EA's Battle for Middle Earth 2. The intro movie is phenomenal and the cutscenes are pretty good as well. The graphics go a long way toward setting the atmosphere of the game.\\n\\nSounds: Everything is pretty good in this area. Weapons sound appropriate, the music is boisterous and epic, and the voice acting is mostly solid. It actually sounds like some of the Chaos voice actors were imported from Dawn of War, which is fine with me since the voices are so appropriately wicked.\\n\\nTechnical issues: I have had no crashes, freezes, stutters, or any other problems with this game with the 1.2 patch installed. I am running it on a fairly good computer (E6600 dual-core processor, 2 gigs of RAM, Geforce 7900GTO video card). The game comes with a very good manual that explains the gameplay and units, and the in-game tutorial is pretty good. Also, I have had no issues with the camera, which rotates and zooms fine. For some reason, the game comes on 6 CDs, with no DVD option available. In this day and age, I don't think that any game that takes up more than 4 CDs should be released without a DVD option.\\n\\nValue: As an RTS gamer, I liked this game very much. It's a good blend of tactical gaming, roleplaying elements, and a fantasy-based storyline. Due to the severe lack of maps, I don't think it's worth $50 (more like $30). However, if the developer steps up to the plate and releases several more (free) skirmish maps and makes some other adjustments with patches, I could recommend it more firmly. Also, a good, meaty, well-thought out expansion could do wonders for this game.\\n\\nRating: 3.75 stars (out of 5)\",\n \"Product: March 2047.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Shiny new paint on an old-school game (still fun, though)\\n\\nReview: I am new to the Command and Conquer series, so I bought C&C3 with no particular expectations. I thought that the demo--which I recommend you play before buying--was merely decent, but decided to give the game a shot. If you are into real-time strategy (RTS) games, this one is worth a try. It is fairly easy to pick up and play, has lengthy campaigns, and it looks great. However, this is, at best, second-tier gaming in my book. When compared to the likes of Dawn of War or Battle for Middle Earth 2, C&C3 doesn't fair well. However, it does have its moments and can provide some good entertainment.\\n\\nGameplay: This game has a late 1990s feel to it. It's an RTS game where back-and-forth resource collecting, tank rushing, and unit spamming still rule the day. But to its credit, these throwback features are put together fairly well. The game does allow for some strategic decision-making, despite itself. For example, you can tech fast to big tanks and the super-weapon and hope that the enemy does not show up in the meantime. Or, you can depend on air power to take out strategic targets and take a chance on the enemy not having good air defenses. Or, you can raid the enemy base with an expensive commando early on. Or, you can take a chance and construct turrets all over the place and play a defensive game, at least for a while. Sometimes, tank spam will win the day, but not always. A mixed force is usually best if you don't know what your enemy is up to.\\n\\nThe campaigns are somewhat interesting overall. Each of the three races (GDI, NOD, and Skrin) have their own story lines, which will allow you to become familiar with each side. There are a good 35 missions in all which should keep you preoccupied for a while. The missions are uneven in quality and difficulty. Some are fairly easy and straightforward and can be completed in 10 minutes. A few will require repeated, frustrating efforts and are based on questionable design decisions. The stories are tied together by cutscenes that are generally decent, especially for NOD.\\n\\nThe AI holds its own pretty well in skirmishes. It switches up its strategies, flanks your base, and fights aggressively. You can set the AI to behave in various ways based on your gameplay style and skill level. Unfortunately, the game ships with only about 20 skirmish maps, with the typical over-abundance of 2-player maps. However, a map editor has been released by the developer, and a few decent player-made maps have appeared. I assume that the inevitable expansion pack will include more maps, missions, and units.\\n\\nC&C3 flaws are largely tolerable and relate primarily to it being a re-make of an older game. Its familiarity as a traditional RTS is both its greatest strength and weakness. The resource model is straight out of classic RTS games like the Age of Empires series, Warcraft games, and other C&C games. Some will find this enjoyable. However, it leads to the ugly base sprawl and pathfinding problems that are the bane of such games, as well as games that degenerate into who can destroy the other player's harvesters and refineries the fastest. Very few of the newer gameplay mechanics that are found in recent RTS games are found here, such as hero units, RPG-style leveling (well, units do gain experience, but you hardly notice), or alternative win conditions (you must annihilate the enemy in every game to win). Since you can climb the tech tree so fast and spam units so ridiculously, you never feel any attachment to any of them. And gameplay is fast and furious. I hope that an expansion introduces some sort of hero units or roleplaying elements to the game, along with some caps on the number of super units that can be made (at least things like Mammoth tanks should be more expensive). Anyhow, as I said before, some people are going to like this traditional style of gameplay. At least the game has modern amenities like hotkeys, save/load options, and easily adjustable difficulty levels.\\n\\nVisuals: The game looks great, especially on high settings. Explosions, heat exhaust effects, unit animations, and map features are very well done. Each side looks distinctive. The interface is a lot like that of Battle for Middle Earth 2; necessary information is easy to get to without being in the way. The cutscenes, while a bit to melodramatic at times, do tell the story well, and the actors are all usually convincing, besides the fact that they are talking to the camera most of the time.\\n\\nSound: Units make appropriate sounds and have decent voice acting. They don't have the personality of a game such as Dawn of War or even Warcraft 3, but they're good enough. The game's music is also decent, but not memorable.\\n\\nTechnical issues: The game comes with a good manual that explains the basics. The tutorial mission is only for GDI; there should have been a tutorial mission for all three races. The game has run nearly flawlessly on my computer, with only one crash in about 50 hours of gameplay. I suppose it should run well on most mid-range and better computers.\\n\\nReplayabiity/Value: Since RTS games probably offer the best replay value for the dollar of any gaming genre, anyone who likes RTS games should get good value from C&C3. There is an online community, and the AI poses a good challenge. I would not be interested in replaying the campaigns any time soon, but could see running through them again at some point. If you are a fan of the C&C series, I imagine this is a no-brainer buy. For those (like me) with no previous experience with C&C, play the demo first. I overall recommend this game.\\n\\nPros:\\n\\n--Great graphics, scalable to various computer set-ups.\\n\\n--Good AI, entertaining campaigns, decent skirmish mode\\n\\n--Easy to pick up and learn\\n\\n--Some strategic depth, despite itself\\n\\n--Fast and furious gameplay\\n\\nCons:\\n\\n--Fast and furious gameplay\\n\\n--Spamalicious; badly needs either caps on super units, more balance, and/or increased costs\\n\\n--Old-fashion gameplay, with unsightly base sprawl and tired resource collection model\\n\\n--Only 20 skirmish maps, with too many 2-player maps\\n\\n--A few very frustrating campaign missions\",\n \"Product: Intense terror meets unrestrained, explosive action as seven psychic soldiers unleash occult warfare against the darkest evil in a game world. Created by legendary horror icon Clive Barker.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Quite decent game, but could have been great\\n\\nReview: I greatly anticipated this game, since I had enjoyed Clive Barker's Undying a few years ago. Similar to many others, the mediocre reviews scared me away when Jericho was initially released. Still, after waiting for the price to drop to less than $20, I picked it up. For that cost, I am not disappointed at all. This is a fun, team-based shooter with a great story, beautiful graphics, and some interesting gameplay dynamics. The game does have its annoyances, but overall I found it to be 15+ hours of solid entertainment.\\n\\nGameplay: The story is pretty good. In a nutshell, you and your team (Jericho) are out to defeat the Firstborn, God's initial, botched attempt at creating a being in his own image. You'll be traveling with your team through caves, coliseums, battlefields, underground dungeons, and so forth fighting off various abominations. The real interesting thing here is the team-based fighting that allows you to jump between team members and use their weapons and special abilities. It works pretty well, and you will probably have 1 or 2 favorites after a while (the sniper girl was my favorite). Team mate AI is decent, but not stellar. You will often find yourself running between fallen squad members to revive them during the tougher fights. However, pathfinding is quite good, and Jericho members know how to use cover, scout, etc.\\n\\nThe gist of the game is simply blasting monsters, which is both the game's major strength and weakness. On the positive side, the weapons are very satisfying to use, as are the special abilities. On the negative side, the fact that you have so much firepower at your disposal makes the game anything but scary. Only on occasions when you have to do part of a mission with only 1 or 2 squad members does the game produce a good amount of tension. Like Resident Evil 4, there are a few quick button-pressing sequences that I found rather fun after a while, but some people may not like. There are not many of them, and the average player should be able to get beyond them after 1-2 tries. The game is pretty linear and you can't get lost, so there is no need for a minimap. Again, if you are looking for a good scare here, you won't find many. However, the game does excel as a team-based shooter, and Barker's subject matter is fresh enough.\\n\\nGraphics: Gorgeous game. A lot of attention was paid to detail, especially on monster and character models. The environments look great as well. Sky textures are still not that good, but not nearly as awful as those in Undying. The physics system adds a touch of realism to explosions and the like. Please note: This game is not for the squeamish. Although it is not really a scary game, there are A LOT of disturbing images, as one would expect in a Clive Barker product.\\n\\nSound: Hit and miss. The music is generally appropriate and related to the action on the screen. The Jericho members actually have well-rendered personalities and a lot of good (though often profane) dialogue. However, you'll eventually get tired of repetitive acknowledgments like \\\"Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!\\\" The use of sound in the game does not quite live up to its full potential, since there were many lost opportunities to really scare the pants off of players by using the right sounds at the right time. However, there is really no big problem here.\\n\\nDocumentation/Technical issues: The game comes with a decent manual. Jericho was released on multiple platforms, but the PC version does not feel like a port. That is, the mouse and keyboard work well as controls. I was pleased to find the game in such a well-polished state technically. I did not experience a single crash, freeze, or hiccup. The game does have the checkpoint save system, which I detest though the checkpoints were usually not far apart.\\n\\nReplayability/value: Although you can unlock certain minor things as you play, there is really no reason to go through this game twice. When the story ends--and it ends very abruptly, it really is over. Given the team-based nature of the game, an online co-op mode would seem appropriate, but this is strictly a single-player affair. If you are a fan of shooters or Clive Barker's work, this is worth the current price of admission ($15-$20).\\n\\nPros:\\n+Interesting and flexible team-based action\\n+Great weapons and special abilities\\n+Excellent graphics\\n+Decent sound and dialogue\\n+Intriguing Clive Barker story\\n+Polished and stable\\n\\nCons:\\n-Strictly linear with little replay value\\n-Not really scary, though some disturbing content\\n-Some people will not like the quick-button mini-games\\n-Checkpoint save system\\n-Abrupt ending\",\n \"Product: Medieval: Total War Gold Edition is the compilation of the critically-acclaimed Medieval: Total War and its official expansion pack - Total War Kingdoms. Set in the turbulent Middle Ages, Medieval puts you in command of your own empire as you crush neighboring kingdoms and unify all of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Medieval: Total War Kingdoms features four entire campaigns centered on expanded maps of the British Isles, Teutonic Northern Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. In Medieval II, you were only given a glimpse of South America, but in Kingdoms, vast tracts of land in both North and South America have been opened up for you to conquer. All-new factions from the New World are also now fully playable, including the Aztecs, Apaches, and Mayans. In both games, you rule all aspects of your kingdom throughout centuries of medieval warfare. Lay siege to mighty fortresses and command vast armies across the battlefields of Europe and North Africa. This is Total War.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great historical RTS game\\n\\nReview: Have you ever discovered a great game years after its release and got it for an outrageously low price, which made the game all the more sweet? Well, that's my experience with Medieval 2 Gold (M2G). I picked the game up for less than $10 recently and played through one of the campaigns. It's an impressive mix of real-time strategy and turn-based gaming that gets a lot of things right. It's not perfect by any means, but it has a good amount of depth, content, and production values which are more than worth the current price of admission.\\n\\nGameplay: M2G is set between 1000-1500 in what can loosely be called the medieval age. You can choose from one of well over a dozen countries to rule, and you'll responsible for managing political, military, economic, and cultural affairs. At its heart, M2G is a game of war and conquest, so winning battles over various towns and cities is the key to ultimate victory. However, these battles (which can be quickly auto-resolved or fought in real-time mode) are part of a realistic rendering of medieval life, where you'll be exploring the seas, patronizing the arts, experimenting with gunpowder, and burning heretics. The factions have their own campaigns and tech trees that are distinct enough to warrant spending at least some time with each of them. Nonetheless, most people will probably start out with a handful of favorites, which could still account for literally months of gameplay alone. Each faction has a short campaign, which usually consist of conquering 15 provinces and eliminating 1 or 2 other factions from the game, as well as a long campaign that requires conquering 45 provinces. Occasionally, you are given small quests to complete for rewards, which breaks up the monotony of moving around troops, upgrading cities, and grinding through an extensive research tree. Also, events such as crusades, plagues, natural disasters, and so forth also keep things interesting. I have only played the short campaign for the Moors, which lasted about 20 hours. I really couldn't imagine investing the time in the long campaign, though some more patient gamers might find it worthwhile.\\n\\nOn the less favorable side, M2G has a significant learning curve and can become tedious and repetitive in the late game when you are juggling governors, generals, provinces, and resources which are all starting to sound and look alike. This is worsened by the lack of a manual, though the game has a solid tutorial and in-game hint system. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate. I found medium difficulty to be a very acceptable challenge, and you could easily lose a game after just one ill-advised war against an AI opponent. The strategic AI itself is adequate, especially on the turn-based metamap. However, I did notice a few quirks, such as enemy AI units that didn't move when I bombarded them from afar with catapults and fire arrows (the AI generally does not handle sieges well). Also, the diplomatic system, though overall convincing, does seem to keep AI factions in alliances that are usually disadvantageous to the player.\\n\\nGraphics & Sound: The game looks impressive, especially in the real-time battles. Character models and animations are well crafted, and the natural environments and structures are diverse and nicely protrayed. M2G has voice acting in native accents, which adds a bit of color and authenticity. The background music seems appropriate to the culture and history of each faction, and the sound effects are convincing (even funny in some instances). The game was put together with a lot of care, and it shows.\\n\\nDocumentation/Technical Issues: As mentioned earlier, M2G unfortunately does not come with a manual, either printed or electronic. Thus, much of the learning of the game will come with experience, though the tutorial missions and in-game tips are very helpful. The game has been perfectly stable on my computer, with no freezes, crashes, etc. M2G is modding friendly, so you can easily change a number of thing, such as campaign win conditions and so forth. For the more adventurous, there is still an active modding community and a number of user-created mods available online. Fortunately, the only DRM that comes with the game is an offline disk-check and keycode--none of the online accounts and remote server foolishness that has plagued single-player PC games as of late.\\n\\nReplayability/Value: For the current price, this game is a steal. Any of the small complaints that I have are completely overshadowed by the high production values and quality--even educational--entertainment that M2G represents. Given all of the different campaigns, factions, locales, and random events, each playthrough is unique, though this is a game that can easily absorb hours of your time before you even notice. I highly recommend it to anybody who likes strategy games (or history!).\\n\\nPros\\n+Great blend of RTS and turn-based gaming\\n+High production values\\n+Wide array of factions and locales\\n+Good amount of content\\n+No annoying DRM\\n+Helpful user interface\\n+Good tutorials and tips system\\n\\nCons\\n-Campaigns (even the short ones) are long\\n-Learning curve is significant (no manual)\\n-Can get boring and repetitious after a while\\n-A few minor AI quirks\",\n \"Product: Medieval: Total War Gold Edition is the compilation of the critically-acclaimed Medieval: Total War and its official expansion pack - Total War Kingdoms. Set in the turbulent Middle Ages, Medieval puts you in command of your own empire as you crush neighboring kingdoms and unify all of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Medieval: Total War Kingdoms features four entire campaigns centered on expanded maps of the British Isles, Teutonic Northern Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. In Medieval II, you were only given a glimpse of South America, but in Kingdoms, vast tracts of land in both North and South America have been opened up for you to conquer. All-new factions from the New World are also now fully playable, including the Aztecs, Apaches, and Mayans. In both games, you rule all aspects of your kingdom throughout centuries of medieval warfare. Lay siege to mighty fortresses and command vast armies across the battlefields of Europe and North Africa. This is Total War.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great historical RTS game\\n\\nReview: Have you ever discovered a great game years after its release and got it for an outrageously low price, which made the game all the more sweet? Well, that's my experience with Medieval 2 Gold (M2G). I picked the game up for less than $10 recently and played through one of the campaigns. It's an impressive mix of real-time strategy and turn-based gaming that gets a lot of things right. It's not perfect by any means, but it has a good amount of depth, content, and production values which are more than worth the current price of admission.\\n\\nGameplay: M2G is set between 1000-1500 in what can loosely be called the medieval age. You can choose from one of well over a dozen countries to rule, and you'll responsible for managing political, military, economic, and cultural affairs. At its heart, M2G is a game of war and conquest, so winning battles over various towns and cities is the key to ultimate victory. However, these battles (which can be quickly auto-resolved or fought in real-time mode) are part of a realistic rendering of medieval life, where you'll be exploring the seas, patronizing the arts, experimenting with gunpowder, and burning heretics. The factions have their own campaigns and tech trees that are distinct enough to warrant spending at least some time with each of them. Nonetheless, most people will probably start out with a handful of favorites, which could still account for literally months of gameplay alone. Each faction has a short campaign, which usually consist of conquering 15 provinces and eliminating 1 or 2 other factions from the game, as well as a long campaign that requires conquering 45 provinces. Occasionally, you are given small quests to complete for rewards, which breaks up the monotony of moving around troops, upgrading cities, and grinding through an extensive research tree. Also, events such as crusades, plagues, natural disasters, and so forth also keep things interesting. I have only played the short campaign for the Moors, which lasted about 20 hours. I really couldn't imagine investing the time in the long campaign, though some more patient gamers might find it worthwhile.\\n\\nOn the less favorable side, M2G has a significant learning curve and can become tedious and repetitive in the late game when you are juggling governors, generals, provinces, and resources which are all starting to sound and look alike. This is worsened by the lack of a manual, though the game has a solid tutorial and in-game hint system. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate. I found medium difficulty to be a very acceptable challenge, and you could easily lose a game after just one ill-advised war against an AI opponent. The strategic AI itself is adequate, especially on the turn-based metamap. However, I did notice a few quirks, such as enemy AI units that didn't move when I bombarded them from afar with catapults and fire arrows (the AI generally does not handle sieges well). Also, the diplomatic system, though overall convincing, does seem to keep AI factions in alliances that are usually disadvantageous to the player.\\n\\nGraphics & Sound: The game looks impressive, especially in the real-time battles. Character models and animations are well crafted, and the natural environments and structures are diverse and nicely protrayed. M2G has voice acting in native accents, which adds a bit of color and authenticity. The background music seems appropriate to the culture and history of each faction, and the sound effects are convincing (even funny in some instances). The game was put together with a lot of care, and it shows.\\n\\nDocumentation/Technical Issues: As mentioned earlier, M2G unfortunately does not come with a manual, either printed or electronic. Thus, much of the learning of the game will come with experience, though the tutorial missions and in-game tips are very helpful. The game has been perfectly stable on my computer, with no freezes, crashes, etc. M2G is modding friendly, so you can easily change a number of thing, such as campaign win conditions and so forth. For the more adventurous, there is still an active modding community and a number of user-created mods available online. Fortunately, the only DRM that comes with the game is an offline disk-check and keycode--none of the online accounts and remote server foolishness that has plagued single-player PC games as of late.\\n\\nReplayability/Value: For the current price, this game is a steal. Any of the small complaints that I have are completely overshadowed by the high production values and quality--even educational--entertainment that M2G represents. Given all of the different campaigns, factions, locales, and random events, each playthrough is unique, though this is a game that can easily absorb hours of your time before you even notice. I highly recommend it to anybody who likes strategy games (or history!).\\n\\nPros\\n+Great blend of RTS and turn-based gaming\\n+High production values\\n+Wide array of factions and locales\\n+Good amount of content\\n+No annoying DRM\\n+Helpful user interface\\n+Good tutorials and tips system\\n\\nCons\\n-Campaigns (even the short ones) are long\\n-Learning curve is significant (no manual)\\n-Can get boring and repetitious after a while\\n-A few minor AI quirks\",\n \"Product: An epic battle rages on in the official add-on toWarhammer: Mark of ChaosProduct Information[Requires the Full Version of Warhammer: Mark of Chaos to run]Take mand of the armies of the unruly orcs and goblins and the dreaded darkelves in their quest for domination of the Warhammer world. Warhammer: Mark ofChaos - Battle March brings two new armies and a host of new units to thedefinitive Warhammer Fantasy Battle electronic gaming experience. Takingplace shortly after the events in Mark of Chaos the Orcs and Goblins and DarkElves enter the fray; looking to tip the scale of power from the Empire andChaos armies. Battle for supremacy online in multiple modes including thenew World Domination Mode. Hone your Champions to learn new tacticsunlock powerful abilities and engage in duels to the death.The Warhammer WorldSuffused with corrupting magical energy torn apart by battle and doomed to aneternity of war the Warhammer world teeters upon the brink of utterannihilation. It is a grim unforgiving world where every creature must strivefor survival. It is a world where magic and superstition blot out all hope of abetter future where peace and enlightenment are not even distant dreams. Warsare fought with faith as much as steel as bloodthirsty gods hunger for soulswhile the lives of mortals are but brief flickers of light against aneverlasting inferno of slaughter. It is a dark age a bloody age where themighty rule and destroy the weak. It is an age for conquerors sorcerers andheroes. These are the End Times.Though humanity is the most populous race mankind shares this world with agreat many strange and dangerous creatures and men are far from united againstthe perils they face. In the dark forests and gale-swept mountains goblins digtheir dank lairs plotting their constant raids. Brutal Orcs - green-skinnedbrutes who thrive on war - sweep across nations in devastating invasions. Unseenby human eyes beneath the surface the Under-Empire of the Skaven gna\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: A decent expansion, but could have been so much more\\n\\nReview: I really like the potential of this game. If the developers had put a bit more effort into this, this series could go toe-to-toe with the best strategy games out there. Of course, the problem is that the effort was a half-hearted one. I personally do not regret the purchase, but I do hope that Namco will give up the Warhammer license and allow another developer/publisher to have a crack at it.\\n\\nFirst, the good things. The game looks great. A lot of care has been taken in the making of models and environments. The gritty Warhammer world comes out clearly in the visuals. The voice acting is pretty good as well. I like the hero dynamics and the big battles, even though they have a chaotic mob feel to them. The game ships with a number of maps, so you can play skirmishes after finishing the campaign, which is focused on the two new races (orcs and dark elves). I found the game to be very stable on my computer, which is not always the case with PC games nowadays.\\n\\nOkay, the stuff that I didn't like. Where to begin: Unit animations, while improved over the original game, still do not give you the sense that visceral combat is taking place. Also, there is a lack of gameplay modes in single-player (just the campaign and skirmish). While the campaign is decent, it is quite hard in several missions, even on the normal difficulty level. And you cannot save the game within a mission. Thus, if you fail a mission (and you will), you have to start over. A map editor did not ship with the game, thus modding is not really supported. The game just feels a bit sterile and empty in other ways that are hard to describe.\\n\\nAfter having played games such as Battle for Middle Earth 2 and Dawn of War, this game left me frustrated about all of its unrealized potential. The developer has not been known for releasing many patches or providing other support, so I do not imagine that the game will be improved upon in the future.\\n\\nIf you liked the original game (Mark of Chaos), Battle March is more of the same. There is not much here for those, like me, who primarily play single-player beyond the campaign. The game can be played on-line, but I am not sure that there's much of a community. In sum, there are better strategy games out there.\\n\\n3.5 stars\",\n \"Product: CONTAINS DIABLO III AND DIABLO III REAPER OF SOULS EXPANSION SET.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Merely okay, nothing special\\n\\nReview: This game is okay for what it is. The story is intriguing during the first act, but quickly degenerates into just grabbing loot and upgrading stats and equipment. In the Diablo tradition, D3 has a clickety, arcade feel, and that's fine. But about half way through the campaign, I had to ask myself why am I bothering with this. None of the characters are memorable, the combat is incredibly repetitious, and even the boss fights lack tension or drama. The included expansion is simply more of the same, and the main boss seems to completely lack conviction or clear purpose. D3 is inferior to Diablo 2 in all respects except for graphics. Maybe this would be a bit more fun in co-op mode (which I haven't tried), but I had to force myself to complete the single-player campaign. At best, the game is a tick above mediocre.\",\n \"Product: Now you can deter robbery, theft, and vandalism without the high cost of a real security camera. When placed in your home or business, even the most sophisticated criminals will think the premise is guarded by a high-tech surveillance system and go in search of an easier target. In fact, this is an actual surveillance camera that has been modified into a \\\"dummy\\\" or fake security camera. This unit does contain a flashing light. The camera features authentic video cable and a fully adjustable mounting bracket that will let you install the camera quickly and easily using the included stainless steel screws. Dimensions of the camera are 5 one half inches x 3 inches x 2 and one half inches (without rain shield). With the rain shield the dimensions increase to 7 x 3 x 3 inches. The camera requires 2 AA batteries that are not included.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Realistic and easy to install, but should be complemented with other security measures\\n\\nReview: I just installed four of these \\\"cameras\\\" around the house yesterday. They go up pretty easily (the mounting screws are too soft though), and they do look real if you are no closer than about 10 feet. I view these items as simply a supplemental layer of home protection that should be used in conjunction with other tactics, such as an actual in-home security system or a good neighborhood watch program.\\n\\nTo get the best bang for the buck out of these cameras, pick up a couple of signs (one for the back and front of the property, or other access points) stating that you have continuous video surveillance operating. If you don't have an in-home security system, pick up a couple of security signs as well that give the impression that you do. Of course, never tell anyone--certainly not neighbors, coworkers, or casual acquaintances--that the cameras are fake or that you don't have a security system indoors. If you do, the joke could eventually be on you. Also, don't overdo it with signs and/or stickers. Don't overcompensate for the fake security items by posting too many \\\"thief beware\\\"-type messages. This might tip off one of the smarter burglars, and certainly a professional criminal would probably figure out the lark.\\n\\nI have mixed feelings about using the flashing red light on these cameras. On the one hand, these fake cameras are only a deterrent if people know that they are in place. The light does bring attention to them, and I would guess that the casual, opportunistic thief or the teenage hoodlum would be intimidated by a camera with a flashing light. However, for anyone else who thought about it for a minute, they would ask, \\\"Wouldn't a flashing red light right in the lens of the camera obscure the video recording?\\\" or \\\"Doesn't a flashing red light on a camera usually mean the battery's dead (or dying) or that the camera is in pause mode?\\\" or \\\"How many security cameras have you come across at stores or other establishments with flashing red lights?\\\" If anyone stakes out your home long enough (or simply does a Google search for \\\"fake security cameras\\\"), they are liable to figure out what's going on. And an experienced criminal with any knowledge of security equipment will figure it out much sooner. Thus, I think that use of the red light should be limited and situational, and probably best avoided all together if you have some good signage and stickers that will draw attention to the camera's presence.\\n\\nAnyhow, again, these fake cameras should complement other security tactics (real or deceptive) and not be a sole strategy by themselves. It's simply a single layer of protection that will probably work for a good number of people in many circumstances, but I do highly recommend at least a few signs, posters, and/or stickers for maximum effectiveness. Also, camera placement is important--these should be placed overhead for the full intimidation effect and far enough away to guard against close visual scrutiny or tampering by would-be criminals (or curious neighbors and friendly visitors). Aim the cameras at points of entry like doors or vulnerable windows, not just toward the street or driveway.\\n\\nI am happy with this purchase and recommend this product, but only with use with other related items (signs/stickers, etc.) and a good dose of common sense.\",\n \"Product: G.G.Martinsen\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Poor workmanship. Look elsewhere.\\n\\nReview: After barely any usage, this item literally fell apart. The bottom came off for some reason when I tried to plug my ear phone in. As I tried to put the casing back together, the lithium battery wire broke. Of course, these sorts of items are disposable in the first place--when the battery dies (or gets disconnect somehow), it's time to throw it away.\\n\\nThe menu navigation was never intuitive, nor was charging the battery (you never knew when it was fully charged). The ideal set up would be having an mp3/4 player with traditional replaceable batteries or a lithium battery that could be easily replaced (like a cell phone's). In the future, I am going to try to avoid this disposable lithium battery foolishness all together.\",\n \"Product: The Elliptical machine Provides a total body (legs, hips, buttocks, arms & shoulders), low-impact, cardiovascular workout for all family members, regardless of ability level. This unit resembles a walking or jogging machine. Your feet move in a natural elliptical motion, providing a no-impact workout for less stress on the joints. As you walk, your hands grasp poles that move in conjunction with your leg motion. This results in a smooth, fluid movement that tones arms, chest, back, hips, legs, and glutei. Better than a treadmill!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great so far (4.5 stars)\\n\\nReview: We decided to turn our garage into a mini-gym to cut down on the cost of a family YMCA membership. We've had this elliptical since November 2013. It has been very sturdy and reliable thus far. It took me about an hour to fully construct; the directions are pretty clear. You can adjust the pedaling resistance to your liking, and you'll certainly get a good workout. I docked it half a star for minor creaking sounds that occurred after about a month of use, though these noises can be readily fixed by a shot of WD40 or a few drops of machine oil. Also, I'm not sure if the calorie counter is calibrated accurately. Otherwise, well worth the price and the savings on the Y membership.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":21,"string":"21"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":287,"string":"287"}}},{"rowIdx":288,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A3CDDTHIN6RBZ4"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Shoot music videos at the LEGO Friends Pop Star TV Studio with the film camera and clapper board. There are sliding backgrounds and various props to create the best set. Reverse the stage to film Livi's acceptance speech at an awards ceremony. Includes a Livi mini-doll figure.\". The summary of the review text is \"Many great design elements\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"4/5 overall\n4/5 building experience\n5/5 parts\n4/5 playability\n4/5 value for money\n\nThis set had a lot of good parts and looked good as a whole.\n\nThe plate is sturdier than a baseplate. Its bottom pattern is different from smaller plates, probably to manage the size.\n\nI particularly liked the spotlights. The black stickers blended in well with the black background. The scaffolding is a part I've seen before, but not often. The speakers are a common design in Friends music sets, but I like the color scheme here and using a jumper plate to angle them. That being the same color as the base means it blends in well. The podium and trophy reminds me of 30205 Pop Star Red Carpet in a good way.\n\nThe 1x2x5 in transparent blue is striking from both sides and works for either. The mechanism turns fairly smoothly. The giant water jets are cool either foreground or background. For production reasons, it makes sense to use a flame mold in a different color. I liked having some detail and working movement on the camera cart.\n\nAs usual, I had no trouble following set instructions. It's often a bit hard to align stickers, but especially so for the recessed white panel here."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"4/5 overall\n4/5 building experience\n5/5 parts\n4/5 playability\n4/5 value for money\n\nThis set had a lot of good parts and looked good as a whole.\n\nThe plate is sturdier than a baseplate. Its bottom pattern is different from smaller plates, probably to manage the size.\n\nI particularly liked the spotlights. The black stickers blended in well with the black background. The scaffolding is a part I've seen before, but not often. The speakers are a common design in Friends music sets, but I like the color scheme here and using a jumper plate to angle them. That being the same color as the base means it blends in well. The podium and trophy reminds me of 30205 Pop Star Red Carpet in a good way.\n\nThe 1x2x5 in transparent blue is striking from both sides and works for either. The mechanism turns fairly smoothly. The giant water jets are cool either foreground or background. For production reasons, it makes sense to use a flame mold in a different color. I liked having some detail and working movement on the camera cart.\n\nAs usual, I had no trouble following set instructions. It's often a bit hard to align stickers, but especially so for the recessed white panel here."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: 100% GUARANTEE!. We sell used movies from our DVD rental kiosk, every movie is visually inspected and buffed with a commercial DVD buffer before shipping if needed. We do not include any Ultra Violet codes, digital copy codes, or the 2nd extras disk. Movie may not be in original case, but will be in a standard DVD or Blu-Ray case with original artwork.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: First rate thriller, historical to boot\n\nReview: Argo was a brilliant fast-paced thriller all the way through, even without the historical context. The relatively recent history added to what was already a great movie, and yes, I'm aware that would be Hollywoodized)\n\nIt seemed reasonable from the Iranian perspective to point out that the US installed the brutal secular dictator that the Islamic fundamentalists overthrew. Middle Eastern politics often seems to be a choice between those two unpleasant options. I already knew that, but the film reminded me of it.\n\nI noticed that the Farsi was sometimes subtitled and sometimes not, probably to illustrate whether an English-speaking character understood, an effective tactic. I wonder if turning on the BluRay's subtitles would have translated the rest as well. (I'm reminded of Game Of Thrones, which created a fictional foreign language for similar purposes, and that dialogue _was_ translated in the DVD subtitles)\n\nI figured the military personnel were Marines since the USMC typically provides security detachments for US diplomatic facilities. It seems they were simply overwhelmed by the massive numbers of the mob.\n\nI was amused by the sarcasm about Hollywood in the scenes relating to setting up the fake film production. I wonder if it was self-deprecating humor or rants about what the creators had to deal with when interacting with other Hollywood types.\n\nI noticed the media cover story was indeed necessary, to get them past the last layer of airport security.\n\nThe changes from real life sometimes imperiled the film as a historical document, but did not hurt and sometimes even helped it as art and entertainment. I've learned from fiction adaptations that sometimes changes have to be made to maintain the story's effectiveness in a different format or account for practical production concerns.\n\nMany changes heightened the drama yet further, which seems reasonable. The six Americans had actually stayed in two Canadian diplomats' houses, and simplifying that seems reasonable. However, Canada's contribution to the planning was downplayed, and Britain and New Zealand were inaccurately disparaged. That's an annoying habit of American media, to downplay the contributions of even other Western countries.","Product: dvd\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Brilliant introduction to/way to get hooked on series\n\nReview: I heard about the series as the movie was about come out and saw it in a theater opening weekend. It instantly made me a huge fan of the series I rewatched it twice on home video, but did not watch any of the special features. I noticed a lot more the 2nd viewing and a bit more the 3rd time.\n\nAmazing. Among other things, it was great at being an action movie with a plot. Collins did an excellent job of putting deep themes in a youth-friendly context. Excellent setting and storyline. Riveting pacing. Most scenes were fast paced, telling a lot of story in minimal time. A few key scenes felt slower, which seemed like an appropriate use of contrast to highlight their importance to the story - the prime examples were the reaping, Katniss' private session and Rue's death. The characterization/acting was great - idealized, yet still imperfect and identifiable.\n\nI was happy with the movie and want more at the same time; it is a good thing when the worst you can say is that you want more. The movie seemed to be a very effective adaptation overall. Mostly, the movie changes seemed not bad just different, although Peeta seemed much more impressive in the book. Some third person scenes were a great way to do exposition in a movie format, as opposed to the book's strict first person - the prime examples were Crane's appearances and the District 11 riot. I was certainly able to follow the movie without the book. I've now read each of the books twice. I was able to follow the 2nd book based on the 1st movie without having read the 1st book yet.\n\nOne of my few criticisms is how some of the violence was masked with shaky camera work. I at least wish that the censoring had been less obtrusive. That might be about getting a PG-13, aiming at teenage girls in general, or simply a moviemaking screwup. Shaky camera work did fit the hallucination plot point. I didn't care for the score; I thought it was overbearing in the emotional scenes.\n\nThere were a few apparent plot holes\nhow did District 12 get away with lax Peacekeepers?\nwhy didn't they continue shooting at Katniss? (Was Peeta that persuasive? Is Clove limited at throwing knives upwards?)\nwhy didn't Cato finish off Peeta? (okay, maybe Cato was also reeling form the tracker jacker attack)\nwhy did Clove delay in killing Katniss and thus lose her chance?\n\nKatniss' volunteering reminded me of Mulan.\n\nI was struck by how some, especially Peeta, kept their humanity.\nI liked the alternating views, although I felt there could have been more from outside the arena at times.\n\nI liked Caesar and Effie. The interview scene emphasized Caesar's showmanship. Many of the non-12 interviews weren't shown at all or shown in short clips, an exampel of the fast pacing). Glimmer was so bubbly, the tribute parade was the main topic in Katniss' interview, and that Katniss was stunned for a bit before she hulks out. The president and gamemaker in particular were a subtle yet undeniable evil. How come their physical apperance that was relatively unmodified (by Capitol standards)?\n\nI figured there might be dramatic tension when the two from the same district face each other, and there was.\n\nDistrict 12 clearly resembled Depression-era Appalachia. The garish colors and advanced technology of the Capitol seemed like intentional exaggerated contrast.\n\nWhen Katniss said she never wanted kids, it reminded me of \"you're thrown the worst fear that can ever be hurled, fear to bring children into the world\" from Bob Dylan's \"Masters Of War\".\n\nTo me, Haymitch came off as a sad drunk; it was obvious his experiences had driven him to drink.\n\nI wonder if the other tribute parade outfits were *caricatured* representations of each district. Also, that scene was the most obvious Roman/gladiator connection. For instance, I noticed some Roman salutes - right arm pointed upward, bent at the elbow, palm facing left (the Fascist version is locked elbow, palm facing down).\n\nI wondered why more districts didn't train volunteers (though Katniss had experience from all that bowhunting).\n\nI'm not sure what was real, what was done for the cameras and what became real because the characters acted that way. I'd say this is another one of Collins' artistic points. The Katniss/Peeta relationship (with her having to play along) is a prime example of that.\n\nConcern about Jen's weight seemed like usual Hollywood image BS, not to mention that the males weren't a target. Katniss and Gale are hunters anyway, and Peeta is from the relatively good part of town. Jen usually acted Katniss' age, but it occasionally showed that she's a few years older, particularly in the scenes with Rue. With fiction in general, many youth characters seem older, but many adult characters are idealized too.\n\nI figured something was up with the pile of stuff, but I first thought the dirt piles were makeshift burials for the tributes who died early. Rue's small size must have helped navigate the minefield before Katniss took her shots to set it off. It was a striking moment when the failed guard quickly got his neck snapped.\n\nRue's scenes with Katniss were the most genuinely emotional part of the movie, including Katniss' funeral ritual and the District 11 riots after Rue's death.\nIs the characters' race a point or a coincidence? District 11 _is_ poor, Southern, agricultural and black. I noticed Cinna's non-flamboyance more than his race. I can imagine readers overlooking a small section of the book, especially if it's _convenient_ for them to do so.\n\nProp-wise, I was impressed by the camo jobs and the sleek weaponry. (I wonder why the arrows didn't have four-bladed broadheads)\n\nThe Katniss/Rue hand gesture reminded me of the Boy Scout sign (that uses the three middle finders of the _right_ hand, with different arm/elbow positioning)\n\nAt the time, I thought \"What happened to District 13? Redistricting?\" and \"What became of the rioting in District 11?\". This was explained later in the series.\nFirst person narration limits exposition, which can be both good and bad. Collins created a new setting and only shows us a little bit of it.\nI wish there was another scene during or after the credits.\n\nMy favorite scene? Peeta's interview.","Product: US only LP pressing of the debut album from the New York singer. On The Fame, it's as if Gaga took two parts Dance-Pop, one part Electro-Pop, and one part Rock with a splash of Disco and burlesque and generously poured it into the figurative martini glasses of the world in an effort to get everyone drunk with her Fame. 'The Fame is about how anyone can feel famous,' she explains. 'Pop culture is art. It doesn't make you cool to hate pop culture, so I embraced it and you hear it all over The Fame. But, it's a sharable fame. I want to invite you all to the party. I want people to feel a part of this lifestyle.' Universal. 2008.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Darn fine pop album\n\nReview: Somewhere around 4 stars\n\nNow, I had a few pop tracks here and there, but I had largely dismissed the genre. This album is so darn good at what it is that it got me hooked. Maybe it's an example of what pop music _can_ be. I first gave Gaga a listen last December and didn't fully become hooked until a few months later. (Or maybe I was a Gaga-holic right from the start, and just didn't admit it at first.) I'm mainly into the classic stuff, and some modern indie material, so liking LG so much certainly shook things up for me.\nMany of the tracks sure are catchy, but this as a whole is much more than just another pack of bubblegum. It's a shiny wrapper, to be sure, but in this case, there sure seems to be a lot beneath it. The thunderous blend of pop/dance/electro with this kind of talent and artistic personality is something brilliant indeed.\n\nThis album is exuberantly really _fun_. That's why I think the \"Let's have some fun; this beat is sick\" lyric from LoveGame fits so well. Yet still put together quite well for the most part.\nI like both the silly lyrics and the deeper ones.\n\n\"Paparazzi\" is probably my favorite. I love the dual meaning/extended metaphor, and the singing style used here.\nJust Dance is a thundering highly energetic juggernaut (not even Colby O and Akon can slow it down? :P)\nSo is LoveGame.\nPoker Face is another really fun one.\n\nOf the non-singles, I especially like \"Paper Gangsta\" - though the song is dragged out a bit, I love how its lyrics rip into fakers, doubters, et cetera.\n\nThe lyrics of \"The Fame (song)\" and \"Money Honey\" can seem vain or something like that. But with Gaga, I quite simply feel that they were likely taken over-the-top on purpose. Gaga's a wily one, alright.\n\nGaga can and does work well outside of thundering-dance-hit mode, and \"Brown Eyes\" & \"Summerboy\" do quite alright at illustrating that. \"Summerboy\" also has the interesting lyrical angle of putting the female as the one in charge of the hit-and-run situation.\n\nGaga admits herself that \"'Eh, Eh' is my simple pop song about finding someone new and breaking up with the old boyfriend.\". It's alright, I guess, but Eh Eh is my least favorite amongst the singles.\n\nStarstruck has a cool hook, but it gets somewhat repetitive, and I dislike Flo Rida's rap interlude.\n\nI love most of the songs on this album, but I can't 5-star it because I admit I do see a few weak points.\n\nHowever, to borrow from the lyrics of Just Dance, I love this record even if I can't see straight any more.","Product: 2010 debut album from the American singer/songwriter who achieved fame as featured vocalist on Flo Rida's hit single 'Right Round'. Animal was executive produced by Dr. Luke (Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, and Avril Lavigne) and includes collaborations with producers Max Martin and Benny Blanco. The album's first smash single, 'TiK ToK', has had TV placements in the Project Runway promo spots, Melrose Place and So You Think Can Dance.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Is Animal as bad as people said it was? Almost but not quite.\n\nReview: Ke$ha, Animal\n2, maybe 2.5, stars out of 5\n\nIronically, I decided to listen to this album because of all the people talking trash about it. I asked myself \"is it as bad as people said it was?\". The answer? Almost but not quite.\n\nThe banal lyrics sometimes got frustrating, but the weaknesses in musicianship were more annoying than the content. The screeching and studio trickery were a problem, but less so on some tracks. Sometimes the singing is relatively decent, sometimes the beats are alright, but this often doesn't happen on the same track. Yet despite the musical weaknesseses, this album can be rather fun at times. Sometimes this album reminds me why I dismissed modern mainstream pop.\n\nHungover and Animal were surprisingly emotional, Dancing With Tears In My Eyes somewhat so.\nBlind and Stephen are overwrought, with Blind being especially screechy.\nThe rest are all pretty fun.\n\nKe$ha's music is alright in small quantities, but can get grating quickly. As such, the tracks can be nice as part of a larger rotation.","Product: What makes this band band truly remarkable? Their insightful lyrics? Memorable melodies? Blow-your-mind live performances? Dropkick Murphys are all of those things along with their boundless enthusiasm, infectious energy and supreme devotion to their loyal fans - fans who have been eagerly awaiting this release. Recorded over 6 nights and 7 shows in March 2009 this live CD and Hi-Def DVD package puts the band's hot ticket live show experience in your own home.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: One of today's coolest bands at their best\n\nReview: Live highlights from one of my favorite modern bands. Their shows in the Boston area the week of St. Patrick's Day are the stuff of legend, and these are picked from their 2009 shows. The multiple sources are edited together seamlessly. Excellent tracklist if you like their newer stuff. If you like their older stuff as well or instead, 2002's \"Live On St. Patrick's Day\" is great for that.\n\nDKM has a lot of great heavy arrangements of Irish folk classics. Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya, (F)lannigan's Ball, Captain Kelly's Kitchen, and Fields Of Athenry all fit that bill very well. They also have a lot of great originals - Caught In A Jar, one of my favorite older DKM songs, does appear here. The Dirty Glass is what I call a vocal duel, rather than a duet per se. Here, it's Liza Graves parrying with Ken and Al. Many of the others channel their local pride, especially for local athletics.","Product: 2012 four CD collection containing music from Patty Smith, Rise Against, Pete Townshend, Diana Krall, My Morning Jacket, Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Jackson Browne, Sugarland, Joan Baez, Flogging Molly, Joe Perry, Bad Religion and many others. Two iconic forces that have impacted the past 50 years -- the life-saving human rights activism of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Amnesty International and the incomparable artistry of Bob Dylan -- are being saluted by musicians who contributed new or previously unreleased recordings to Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International. Almost 30 tracks on the album were mixed gratis by famed engineer Bob Clearmountain. Bob Ludwig and Adam Ayan of Gateway Mastering donated their mastering services. The album cover illustration is by Grammy Award winning artist Mick Haggerty.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: good deal even without the charity aspect\n\nReview: This album is a good deal even without the charity aspect.\nIt's sometimes nice to hear Dylan's brilliant songwriting come from less-grating voices.\nI appreciate the large variety of both Dylan songs and covering artists. Some of the Dylan songs were new to me. This was a nice introduction to parts of his catalogue, but it means I can't really compare those to the originals.\n\nMost artist/song pairs are new. The exceptions:\nThe album ends with Bob Dylan's 1964 original release version of \"Chimes Of Freedom\".\n\"One Too Many Mornings\" appeared on a couple of Johnny Cash albums.\nAdele covered \"Make You Feel My Love\" on her album 19 and has often sung it live. (There's a live version here.)\n\nAs for the pop star appearances: Miley Cyrus' \"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go\" was a pleasant surprise (at least coming from her). Ke$ha's \"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright\" was emotionally overwrought and largely acapella, which highlighted her whiny voice.\n\nI've been a huge fan of Flogging Molly for years; their version of The Times They Are A Changin' is a highlight.\n\nPete Seeger (Forever Young) and Marianne Faithful (Baby Let Me Follow You Down) have aged but still pleasant voices. Age was even less of an issue for Kris Kristofferson (Quinn The Mighty Eskimo).\n\nJohnny Cash even makes \"One Too Many Mornings\" sound like a Johnny Cash song, as he did with \"It Ain't Me Babe\" decades ago.\nThere were many other interesting different versions too.\nRedOne's \"Knocking On Heaven's Door\" felt like a bland facsimile.\nDMB's version of Watchtower almost didn't sound like the original.","Product: Mc Lars ~ Graduate\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Inventive Name For My \"The Graduate\" Review :)\n\nReview: MC Lars, The Graduate\n4.64 stars out of 5\n\nIn general, the album consists of inventive, often-funny, lyrical ideas.\nThough I like a lot of Lars' material, this is the album that initially introduced me to him, and remains one of my favorites of his.\n\n\"Download this Song\", \"Hot Topic is Not Punk Rock\", \"Generic Crunk Rap\" and \"Signing Emo\" all brilliantly take aim at the mainstream music industry that Lars is decidedly not part of. [This stems in part from the DIY component of his punk-rock influences; musically-speaking, Lars effectively blends this with various other genres.] However, Lars is still upbeat and positive, rather than morosely tearing into The Industry, sometihng some indies seem to have a habit of doing too much of as far as I'm concerned.\n\n\"iGeneration\" is an anthem with a large club beat to match the scale.\nIts new-generation lyrical theme (and the heavy Internet-media component thereof) somewhat connects it to \"Download this Song\".\n\n\"Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock\" effectively raises the common worry of rebel/outsider imagery being appropriated without bringing the core attitude along, as well as posers more generally.\n\"Generic Crunk Rap\" bemoans the sorry state of a lot of mainstream rap - not just a plug for smart indie rappers such as himself, but also a tribute to great classic MCs. (Grandmaster Flash, KRS-One, Run-DMC, Rakim, Chuck D and De La Soul are specifically named here, but Lars has mentioned other genre favorites elsewhere.)\n\n\"21 Concepts\" has Lars rapping out his bad unfinished song ideas over the Tetris theme music. I mean, come on, that's geek-classic. Some of the mentioned ideas at least made it to the stage of the \"21 Concepts\" b-sides compilation, and work fairly well there, some never appeared at all.\n\n\"Roommate from Hell\" - drops a lot of Satan references to explain how bad his new dorm-mate is. mc chris cameos as the title character. Funny concept executed very well.\n\n\"Ahab\" has Lars channeling his English degree in order to rap about Moby Dick. \"If I Had a Time Machine, That Would Be Fresh\", \"Internet Relationships (Are Not Real Relationships)\", \"Space Game\" are also wonderful celebrations of geeky culture topics\n\n\"The Dialogue\" (with Ill Bill) is an effective integration of comments on their musical influence with some comment on general sociopolitical themes. Respect, y'all, both where you came from and where they come from.\n\n\"Rapgirl\", one of the slower pieces, is apparently a reference to Kristine Flaherty (K. Flay). [the 'Suburban Rap Queen' lyric refers to Flay's title.] evidently a former romantic partner (who to this day is still a friend and business/artistic collaborator. Love how he disclaims his disclaimer in the intro, by the way.\n\n\"Six Degrees Of Kurt Cobain\" is my only 'meh' for the album, but hey, thirteen out of fourteen ain't bad.","Product: Stretch out with Livi the pop star in her luxurious Limo. Help yourself to a drink from the mini bar while you watch TV. Look on as Livi poses for the camera on the red carpet before she meets Olivia at the interview booth to talk about her latest show. Includes 2 mini-doll figures: Livi the pop star and Olivia.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Good value and clever design\n\nReview: 5/5 overall\n5/5 building experience\n5/5 parts\n4/5 playability\n5/5 value for money\n\nThis was a good deal on another good Friends Pop Star set. At 10c per piece, LEGO rounded down to $25 MSRP instead of up to $30 as with 41104 Dressing Room.\n\nThe limo itself was very detailed and well designed. I'm reminded of 41100 Heartlake Private Jet. However, that had no pilot and this has no driver. I particularly liked the working trunk and 4 footrests. Two minidolls can sit down right next to each other. I also liked the 1x1 round tiles instead of 1x1 round plates since those are so common. Pearl gold instead of white wheels was also a nice touch.\n\n1x2's under the edge of the red carpet (instead of big plates under the whole thing) was a good way to make that section wider. It would be easy to make it longer with multiple copies of the set or loose parts.\n\nAs usual, minidolls don't sit down well, so I removed the tiles and had them stand in the chairs. Putting a wheelbase on its side was one of many clever design decisions. The angled backdrop was unique, especially the embedded stars. Different layers of plates were a good way to do the steps.\n\nI also liked the building around the classic camera piece. The bouquet and bouquet holder were a bit fragile together.","Product: Give Livi a superstar makeover for her big performance! The LEGO Friends Pop Star Dressing Room folds out to create different areas with a mirrored vanity desk and clothes rail with fabric skirts. Get glammed up in the foldout Pop Star Dressing Room! Livi the pop star has a big show tonight and Emma is her stylist. Help Emma choose an amazing outfit for Livi to wear on stage, then sit Livi down at the vanity desk to have her hair done. Which style and accessories will you choose tonight? Then it's time to relax before the performance. Fold the dressing room back to create a special doggy pampering area for Livi's Dalmatian, Cookie. Put him in his doggy bed with a bone while Livi sits on the sofa to read some fan mail. The show is about to start, so put the finishing touches to Livi's makeover, take a glamorous fabric skirt from the hangers and dress Livi with it. Now, she really looks like a superstar! Includes Livi the pop star and Emma mini-doll figures, plus Cookie the Dalmatian. Features a foldout Dressing Room with opening door, vanity desk with mirror, swivel chair, clothing rail with hangers, tilting full-length mirror, sofa, opening mini-fridge element, functioning mailbox and a doggy bed. Accessory elements include electric blue and pink wigs, hair accessories, 3 fabric skirts, beauty product containers, flowers, fan mail, fruit, bottle, magazine and a bone for Cookie.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great introduction to the Pop Star subtheme\n\nReview: 5/5 building experience\n4/5 parts\n5/5 playability\n4/5 value for money\n\nI got this set half off, and wanted to build it myself because the theme reminded me of my Lady Gaga phase. The dog is a cute touch by itself and reminds me of hers. The arch looked novel. I'm interested in more of the series.\n\nI love the packaging. The countours on the end and the shinier printing in some places stand out. I can open one end without destroying the box. This is the first time I've built a set with numbered bags, which really does help organize a build. Like many sets, I wish the instructions laid flat. It was cute to show a minidoll opening the set.\n\nThere were a lot of cool pieces, but many small or limited use ones. I like the more realistic look of Friends minis, thoguh I wish they would stay put sitting down, and it was a bit hard to attach both skirt tabs.\n\nIt was fun and not too easy or hard to build, but I have some minor problems with the design.\n\nOverall, the mirror area was too crowded, especially with pick up and put down of items in the finished space. Why couldn't the cabinet have two drawers? I ended up with a lot of loose accessories. The chair can't turn fully with the cabinet in the way and the counter immediately above it. I decided to move the chair one stud to the left and raise the counter by one plate. I would have liked more color on the chair. The back wall used multiple small pieces where fewer large ones would have fit. I especially would've liked some 2x2 corners instead of more 1x1's and 1x2's.\n\nWhen folded, the model was easy to carry and looked good when not in use. The different ways of unfolding should expand play options.","Product: Build Leonard and Sheldon's living room for display and role play! Construct the detailed LEGO Ideas version of Leonard and Sheldon's living room from hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory including 7 minifigures. Indulge your inner genius and build this LEGO version of Leonard and Sheldon's living room as seen in the hit American sitcom The Big Bang Theory! This set was created by two LEGO fan designers-Ellen Kooijman from Sweden and Glen Bricker from the USA-and selected by LEGO Ideas members. Featuring loads of authentic details to satisfy all The Big Bang Theory devotees and including minifigures of all seven main characters from the show, it's ideal for display or role-play fun. Includes 7 minifigures with assorted accessory elements: Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Howard, Raj, Amy and Bernadette. Features Leonard and Sheldon's living room with all the iconic elements from the sitcom, including a telescope, whiteboard, DNA display model and various ornaments.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great for fans of both the show and LEGO\n\nReview: As a fan of the show and LEGO, I just had to get this. It fulfilled both sets of expectations.\n\nThe LEGO Ideas boxes are great; opening on the top makes them much more reusable. The instruction book having regular binding was a nice touch, and useful for managing a larger build. It was sometimes hard to distinguish colors, particularly black/dark blue, reddish brown with dark red or medium flesh. The instructions took a lot of space to explain some things that I felt could have been expressed more compactly. However, LEGO often has those problems.\n\nEnglish, French and Spanish versions of the intro and outro blurbs seemed excessive and inflated the size of the booklet, but it was fine for the short quotes interspersed through the actual instructions.\n\nThe MSRP of $60 is high, but the set is generally on sale for a bit under $50, which seems reasonable by LEGO standards for the contents. A bunch of small pieces inflate the piececount, although that's useful for detail. There are many and custom minifigures, along with rare shapes, colors and/or prints. Two tone arms (Sheldon) or legs (Bernadette, Amy), and double-faced heads, are a nice touch on higher-end minis. The minis aren't perfect, particularly Howard, but they all evoke the characters. The Penny-Bernadette-Amy, and Sheldon-Leonard, groups of heads were hard to distinguish.\n\nLipstick as markers makes sense to reuse a mold, but they wouldn't stay put in the tray.\n\nThe model is nice and compact, but felt a little busy towards the end of the build, and it felt odd for just the whiteboard and black chair to be loose.","Product: Brave the river with LEGO Friends Adventure Camp Rafting. Challenge yourself on the rapids with the rafting boat and oars, river bridge with finish clock and a falling tree function to add to the challenge. This set comes with a plastic fabric tent and camping accessories to enjoy a night in the wild. Includes Andrea and Olivia mini-dolls plus a bear.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Goes very well with the subtheme\n\nReview: 4/5 building experience\n5/5 parts\n5/5 playability\n4/5 value for money\n\nThis is a great part of Adventure Camp. The overall appearance is a great match for 41122, the Tree House. I love the detail on both; the trees were similar but the fire pit stands out. I liked the signpost that pointed to both that and the Archery Range.\n\nThe raft could barely fit through the bridge. It looks too hard to expand with more plates.\n\nIt was nice to have an extra tent cover; I even built another tent with the same pieces in (mostly) different colors. However, I wish the end flaps stayed shut on their own.\n\nIt was a good deal once marked down.\n\nAs is common for LEGO:\nMost instruction steps were small and almost too easy. (The overall build was straightforward but not too easy)\nFurniture with a smooth tile surface doesn't work - here that happened with the bench the marshmallow sticks were rested on.\nA bunch of small pieces inflated the piececount.\nFriends can go nicely with similarly themed regular LEGO, in this case Hiker from Minifigures Series 16. (Ironically, it was Boy Scout camp experience that got me interested in these girl camp sets)","Product: Starfleets finest stand at the ready on the U.S.S. Enterprise Bridge collector construction set by Mega Bloks Star Trek! Recreate your favorite moments when you build this classic bridge, and pose iconic characters like Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and Sulu at their stations in the ships command center. Inspired by Star Trek: The Original Series, this detailed set features a helm console, computer stations with viewscreens, turbolift doors that open, and a swiveling captains chair. Open up the hinged sections, or illuminate the viewscreens from behind for a dynamic display. The four highly detailed, super-poseable micro action figures each come with their own signature uniform and an authentic accessory. Ideal for ages 14 and up.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice big model with minor problems\n\nReview: Compared to LEGO minifigures and minidolls, I like the more realistic look and movement of MegaBloks figures, especially as a change of pace. My copy had an extra Uhura and wasn't missing the others (Kirk, Spock, Sulu) - I could deal with LEGO being that kind of sloppy.\nMegaBloks doesn't have numbered bags for each stage of the build like LEGO does. This makes larger builds particularly frustrating - it's hard to find the bag with the right part and deal with so many opened bags. The build got a lot easier near the end, maybe because there were fewer parts to look through, as expected. In general, I love seeing models take shape. When fully assembled, it's hard to disconnect the sections, but that might be good for model stability. The sections weren't quite level, but that might be me or my building surface rather than MegaBloks. Overall, the fit of the pieces is quite decent, only a few a bit tight or a bit loose.\nThe hinges don't move much but allow the sections to be connected at an odd angle; LEGO also does that sometimes.\nI decided to display it with the characters sitting down. A pin attaching to the back is odd, but maybe it allows for the figures to look more realistic, somewhat like minidolls. The captain's chair didn't seem high enoguh to actually fit Kirk, so I raised it with a random brick. The set didn't come with Chekov, so I grabbed him from Day of the Dove (that set is relatively cheap and an army builder, so him missing from this set isn't so much of a problem). I also grabbed a random redshirt to fill the sixth chair.\nThe red bars with black supports have trouble staying in place on the deck.","Product: Help! Lor San Tekka's desert home is under attack by the First Order Flametrooper! Swoop to the rescue with Poe Dameron in the Resistance X-Wing Fighter with its opening wings and cockpit, 4 spring-loaded shooters, retractable landing gear, removable hyperdrive at the back and detachable BB-8 Astromech Droid. You must help Lor San Tekka before the trooper destroys his home with this action-filled LEGO Star Wars toy!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Finally have an X-Wing and am mostly pleased\n\nReview: As a kid, even medium sized sets like the #7140 / #7142 X-Wing were out of my price range (or maybe I could've gotten them instead of lots of little sets). Now, bigger sets like this are well within reach.\n\nThe stormtrooper and antiaircraft gun seemed somewhat gratuitous, but it's common for LEGO to include a small model from the other faction so the set has more play value by itself.\n\n4 wings/engines didn't get too repetitive to build.\n\nThe top and bottom wings don't look quite aligned, whether or not I noticed the sand blue 2x2 plate during the upper wing builds. The wings stay steady when locked open, but not when closed.\n\nI loved watching the ship take shape - the structure in bags 1 and 2, the wing spreading mechanism in 3, the wings on each side in 4 and 5. 5 also has the ammunition; I'm storing it off the ship so as to not stress the firing mechanisms.\n\nAs usual, I'm glad I waited for a sale. Also, this was cheaper than #75102 Poe's X-Wing, nearly the same except for the color scheme and accessories.","Product: Lego, Friends, Jungle Air Boat with Olivia Bagged (30115)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Cute little Friends set that blends in with other LEGO\n\nReview: 4/5 overall\n3/5 building experience\n4/5 parts\n4/5 playability\n4/5 value for money\n\nI got this for a couple dollars along with some 30205's. Small sets with LEGO people are often a good deal.\n\nThe bag seemed bigger than necessary for the contents.\n\nFriends sets often fit in with traditional sets on a similar topic, and this does that particularly well. There are lots of boats and animals in the LEGO world. Lime is one of my favorite rare colors, and it doesn't clash as much as some pastels.\n\nThe footrest really secures the figure; I love this since minidolls often have trouble staying put. The lilypad layout was nice but the frog could've mroe distinctly looked like a frog.\n\nThe design and build were very straightforward even for a small set.","Product: Stephanie's cool hot dog van has a seating area on the roof with the best view of the Amusement Park! Dress Nate up as a giant hot dog to drum up business, put sausages on the grill and pop them into buns to feed the hungry customers. Have some fairground fun taking pictures as Stephanie puts her face through the carnival cut-out boards nearby. And there's a crazy distorted mirror for even more giggles! A cool toy for 8-year-olds.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Another Friends food success\n\nReview: 5/5 building experience\n4/5 parts\n4/5 playability\n3/5 value for money\n\nThe vehicle looking like a hot dog is awesome. The red was obviously a sausage, but it took building it to notice that the rounded tan ends were like a bun.\n\nThe actual building experience was simple and fun.\n\nThe photo booth really highlights the carnival feel of the Amusement Park theme. Someone wearing a product-related costume is a more common promotional device. However, this set and especially the photo setup had an overabundance of small models to go with the main build.\n\nAs usual for Friends, the smooth furniture isn't actually useful to seat minidolls, so I either don't build it or replace tiles with 1x2x1 panel with center divider (part 93905). The long plate for a roof is a bit flimsy, so I braced it with a plate underneath. A 2x6 isn't enough. A 6x10, which fills the whole space, is too tight. A 6x8 fits great.\n\nIt's a better food cart than 60150 Pizza Van and is a good complement to the Friends pizzerias 41092 and 41311.\n\nThe price was a bit much for the piececount, but the set was often on sale.","Product: Dance with the Dragons book\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not up to the 1st three books or even the 4th, but OK\n\nReview: George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons\n\nThis book became annoyingly slow-paced compared to the first three books and even the fourth.\n\nI felt like several of the early POV characters were old friends that I was reunited with, especially since I hadn't ready book 3 in awhile and that's when we last saw them.\n\nI like Jon's tense negotiations with Stannis. Jon seemed to be trying to offer neutral advice like a maester might. Also, I wonder if he was trying to get Stannis out of the way by sending him elsewhere. I loved the setting feel of most of the Jon chapters.\n\nI'm honestly unsure what I feel about Daenerys' leadership.\n\nTheon's story was an amazing chilling description of torture.\n\nI identified with Tyrion's cover story strategy, basing it on personal experience he did have, which would help him stay in character and make it plausible.\n\nI loved it the way Davos talked trash when speaking the truth at Manderly's court. Heck, a lot of people in that hall were being brutally honest. Even as a Robb fan, Rhaegar Frey had a point with his rant about Robb's poor decisions.\n\nThe theory that Bloodraven is Bran's guru is obvious when reading that Bran chapter.\n\nObviously, the Ramsay/\"Arya\" wedding was a cruel farce, but I liked the detail about how weddings work for followers of the old gods.","Product: Title: Dune, Frank Herbert (Hardcover)\nBinding: Hardcover\nClassics of Modern Literature\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Unique even amongst classic sci-fi\n\nReview: A lot of great sci-fi focuses on the effect the technological environment has on the people within it. Few if any sci-fi works do this better than Dune. The anti-technology Butlerian Jihad highlights that. Like many of the classics, it creates a brilliant setting, but goes above and beyond with that.\n\nWith the political intrigue that dominates the setting, it's appropriate that Paul's outmanuevering of the Emperor is a key part of the climax, one of my many favorite scenes. Irulan as part of the deal (not to mention Leto keeping Jessica as a legal concubine) highlighted marriage as pragmatic, while the bit about viewing Chani as his real wife also highlighted marriage as romantic.\n\nI first noticed Paul's story as a bildungsroman (about a young character mentally growing up), but it also seems to fit the hero's journey archetype.\n\nHerbert has a brilliant way of handling religion.","Product: Title: Dune, Frank Herbert (Hardcover)\nBinding: Hardcover\nClassics of Modern Literature\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Unique even amongst classic sci-fi\n\nReview: A lot of great sci-fi focuses on the effect the technological environment has on the people within it. Few if any sci-fi works do this better than Dune. The anti-technology Butlerian Jihad highlights that. Like many of the classics, it creates a brilliant setting, but goes above and beyond with that.\n\nWith the political intrigue that dominates the setting, it's appropriate that Paul's outmanuevering of the Emperor is a key part of the climax, one of my many favorite scenes. Irulan as part of the deal (not to mention Leto keeping Jessica as a legal concubine) highlighted marriage as pragmatic, while the bit about viewing Chani as his real wife also highlighted marriage as romantic.\n\nI first noticed Paul's story as a bildungsroman (about a young character mentally growing up), but it also seems to fit the hero's journey archetype.\n\nHerbert has a brilliant way of handling religion.","Product: The Extreme\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Another Animorphs classic - and I thought Rochester was cold!\n\nReview: Marco's bragging added something to the recap intro; either can be kind of stale by themselves, but they blended well.\n\nSo Marco's dad likes classical music. Interesting piece of canon information. Also, Marco BSing in class fits his sense of humor and helps deal with the academic impact of being an Animorph. Marco's failed date was great comic relief and did a good job of tying together the classical music and BSing points.\n\nMarco had a great read of the other Animorphs' personalities. Rachel being referred to in canon as a mall-rat amused me. Jake once eating a whole pie on a dare is a great example of his non-serious side.\n\nThe Chee covering for the kids in their non-Animorph lives makes sense. I wonder why we don't see more of that.\n\nI knew that Andalites not wearing clothes is why it's hard to morph clothes. It's good to see that acknowledged in canon.\n\n99 percent waiting around and 1 percent sheer terror? I've heard combat described along those lines, so it was interesting to see the books say that. But - hey! Iron Maiden is not dinosaur rock! They are one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time!\n\nAx impersonating Visser Three was something cool I don't recall hearing much of before.\n\nBitter cold is interesting as a different challenge, the Venber as a new plot device. There was some cool stuff about a Blade ship's internal layout.\n\nWhy do the human Animorphs insist on using English idioms with Ax? His puzzlement is wholly understandable. I try to avoid using nonstandard English with someone I know isn't a native speaker. Granted, some things are so ingrained that it's hard to avoid them.\n\nHow morphs fit the extreme cold is a great example of the series' animal information combining with plot points.\n\nIt's great to see Cassie as the calm one. She's coaxed people to morph and demorph when necessary before. Usually I see Jake as the sensible Animorph because of his tough but necessary decisions.\n\nArctic or Antarctic. Good job, Cassie. Glad someone figured it out. But didn't Ax say you were heading north? Granted, they're all out of it in the cold, and there may have been a change of direction. The book did remember this eventually. I wondered if Andalite senses notice anything unique about the polar regions.\n\n\"Reports of their extinction may have been greatly exaggerated\" sounds like Mark Twain's death quote about a premature obituary. Did Ax stumble across that in-character or is KAA passing that off as a coincidence? Is he being funnier lately, is it just more grating in these circumstances, does Marco notice it more than the other POVs?\n\nI figured sentience would help them avoid predators while in prey morph, so I was glad to see that addressed in character.\n\nThe local instantly seemed like he could serve a lot of purposes in the story. Animal spirits would be a good way to fit this new knowledge into his existing framework. The Star Trek analogy (nice to see that again) apparently helped get the truth across. The points about certain sport hunters came in loud and clear.\n\nThese Venber being a Yeerk computer does explain the resurrection process somewhat - I got it, Ax. Also, it fits with the melted Venber as computer superconductor line, which now seems like foreshadowing.\n\nBug fighters having passenger capacity -of one or two- is good to know. Quick sabotage is the way to go with guerilla warfare. Bird morphs are handy for escaping aircraft.\n\nMarco relishing the heat was a funny twist on a heavy reflective ending. The Animorphs weren't responsible for what happened to the Venber, of course, but I can see how that information would hit them hard.\n\nTrouble even getting to the base was a good extension of the mission itself. I was surprised at how long it took, that the actual battle was a short conclusion. Yet there was plenty going on; the other stuff wasn't filler. Also, the environmental descriptions were vivid throughout."],"string":"[\n \"Product: 100% GUARANTEE!. We sell used movies from our DVD rental kiosk, every movie is visually inspected and buffed with a commercial DVD buffer before shipping if needed. We do not include any Ultra Violet codes, digital copy codes, or the 2nd extras disk. Movie may not be in original case, but will be in a standard DVD or Blu-Ray case with original artwork.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: First rate thriller, historical to boot\\n\\nReview: Argo was a brilliant fast-paced thriller all the way through, even without the historical context. The relatively recent history added to what was already a great movie, and yes, I'm aware that would be Hollywoodized)\\n\\nIt seemed reasonable from the Iranian perspective to point out that the US installed the brutal secular dictator that the Islamic fundamentalists overthrew. Middle Eastern politics often seems to be a choice between those two unpleasant options. I already knew that, but the film reminded me of it.\\n\\nI noticed that the Farsi was sometimes subtitled and sometimes not, probably to illustrate whether an English-speaking character understood, an effective tactic. I wonder if turning on the BluRay's subtitles would have translated the rest as well. (I'm reminded of Game Of Thrones, which created a fictional foreign language for similar purposes, and that dialogue _was_ translated in the DVD subtitles)\\n\\nI figured the military personnel were Marines since the USMC typically provides security detachments for US diplomatic facilities. It seems they were simply overwhelmed by the massive numbers of the mob.\\n\\nI was amused by the sarcasm about Hollywood in the scenes relating to setting up the fake film production. I wonder if it was self-deprecating humor or rants about what the creators had to deal with when interacting with other Hollywood types.\\n\\nI noticed the media cover story was indeed necessary, to get them past the last layer of airport security.\\n\\nThe changes from real life sometimes imperiled the film as a historical document, but did not hurt and sometimes even helped it as art and entertainment. I've learned from fiction adaptations that sometimes changes have to be made to maintain the story's effectiveness in a different format or account for practical production concerns.\\n\\nMany changes heightened the drama yet further, which seems reasonable. The six Americans had actually stayed in two Canadian diplomats' houses, and simplifying that seems reasonable. However, Canada's contribution to the planning was downplayed, and Britain and New Zealand were inaccurately disparaged. That's an annoying habit of American media, to downplay the contributions of even other Western countries.\",\n \"Product: dvd\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Brilliant introduction to/way to get hooked on series\\n\\nReview: I heard about the series as the movie was about come out and saw it in a theater opening weekend. It instantly made me a huge fan of the series I rewatched it twice on home video, but did not watch any of the special features. I noticed a lot more the 2nd viewing and a bit more the 3rd time.\\n\\nAmazing. Among other things, it was great at being an action movie with a plot. Collins did an excellent job of putting deep themes in a youth-friendly context. Excellent setting and storyline. Riveting pacing. Most scenes were fast paced, telling a lot of story in minimal time. A few key scenes felt slower, which seemed like an appropriate use of contrast to highlight their importance to the story - the prime examples were the reaping, Katniss' private session and Rue's death. The characterization/acting was great - idealized, yet still imperfect and identifiable.\\n\\nI was happy with the movie and want more at the same time; it is a good thing when the worst you can say is that you want more. The movie seemed to be a very effective adaptation overall. Mostly, the movie changes seemed not bad just different, although Peeta seemed much more impressive in the book. Some third person scenes were a great way to do exposition in a movie format, as opposed to the book's strict first person - the prime examples were Crane's appearances and the District 11 riot. I was certainly able to follow the movie without the book. I've now read each of the books twice. I was able to follow the 2nd book based on the 1st movie without having read the 1st book yet.\\n\\nOne of my few criticisms is how some of the violence was masked with shaky camera work. I at least wish that the censoring had been less obtrusive. That might be about getting a PG-13, aiming at teenage girls in general, or simply a moviemaking screwup. Shaky camera work did fit the hallucination plot point. I didn't care for the score; I thought it was overbearing in the emotional scenes.\\n\\nThere were a few apparent plot holes\\nhow did District 12 get away with lax Peacekeepers?\\nwhy didn't they continue shooting at Katniss? (Was Peeta that persuasive? Is Clove limited at throwing knives upwards?)\\nwhy didn't Cato finish off Peeta? (okay, maybe Cato was also reeling form the tracker jacker attack)\\nwhy did Clove delay in killing Katniss and thus lose her chance?\\n\\nKatniss' volunteering reminded me of Mulan.\\n\\nI was struck by how some, especially Peeta, kept their humanity.\\nI liked the alternating views, although I felt there could have been more from outside the arena at times.\\n\\nI liked Caesar and Effie. The interview scene emphasized Caesar's showmanship. Many of the non-12 interviews weren't shown at all or shown in short clips, an exampel of the fast pacing). Glimmer was so bubbly, the tribute parade was the main topic in Katniss' interview, and that Katniss was stunned for a bit before she hulks out. The president and gamemaker in particular were a subtle yet undeniable evil. How come their physical apperance that was relatively unmodified (by Capitol standards)?\\n\\nI figured there might be dramatic tension when the two from the same district face each other, and there was.\\n\\nDistrict 12 clearly resembled Depression-era Appalachia. The garish colors and advanced technology of the Capitol seemed like intentional exaggerated contrast.\\n\\nWhen Katniss said she never wanted kids, it reminded me of \\\"you're thrown the worst fear that can ever be hurled, fear to bring children into the world\\\" from Bob Dylan's \\\"Masters Of War\\\".\\n\\nTo me, Haymitch came off as a sad drunk; it was obvious his experiences had driven him to drink.\\n\\nI wonder if the other tribute parade outfits were *caricatured* representations of each district. Also, that scene was the most obvious Roman/gladiator connection. For instance, I noticed some Roman salutes - right arm pointed upward, bent at the elbow, palm facing left (the Fascist version is locked elbow, palm facing down).\\n\\nI wondered why more districts didn't train volunteers (though Katniss had experience from all that bowhunting).\\n\\nI'm not sure what was real, what was done for the cameras and what became real because the characters acted that way. I'd say this is another one of Collins' artistic points. The Katniss/Peeta relationship (with her having to play along) is a prime example of that.\\n\\nConcern about Jen's weight seemed like usual Hollywood image BS, not to mention that the males weren't a target. Katniss and Gale are hunters anyway, and Peeta is from the relatively good part of town. Jen usually acted Katniss' age, but it occasionally showed that she's a few years older, particularly in the scenes with Rue. With fiction in general, many youth characters seem older, but many adult characters are idealized too.\\n\\nI figured something was up with the pile of stuff, but I first thought the dirt piles were makeshift burials for the tributes who died early. Rue's small size must have helped navigate the minefield before Katniss took her shots to set it off. It was a striking moment when the failed guard quickly got his neck snapped.\\n\\nRue's scenes with Katniss were the most genuinely emotional part of the movie, including Katniss' funeral ritual and the District 11 riots after Rue's death.\\nIs the characters' race a point or a coincidence? District 11 _is_ poor, Southern, agricultural and black. I noticed Cinna's non-flamboyance more than his race. I can imagine readers overlooking a small section of the book, especially if it's _convenient_ for them to do so.\\n\\nProp-wise, I was impressed by the camo jobs and the sleek weaponry. (I wonder why the arrows didn't have four-bladed broadheads)\\n\\nThe Katniss/Rue hand gesture reminded me of the Boy Scout sign (that uses the three middle finders of the _right_ hand, with different arm/elbow positioning)\\n\\nAt the time, I thought \\\"What happened to District 13? Redistricting?\\\" and \\\"What became of the rioting in District 11?\\\". This was explained later in the series.\\nFirst person narration limits exposition, which can be both good and bad. Collins created a new setting and only shows us a little bit of it.\\nI wish there was another scene during or after the credits.\\n\\nMy favorite scene? Peeta's interview.\",\n \"Product: US only LP pressing of the debut album from the New York singer. On The Fame, it's as if Gaga took two parts Dance-Pop, one part Electro-Pop, and one part Rock with a splash of Disco and burlesque and generously poured it into the figurative martini glasses of the world in an effort to get everyone drunk with her Fame. 'The Fame is about how anyone can feel famous,' she explains. 'Pop culture is art. It doesn't make you cool to hate pop culture, so I embraced it and you hear it all over The Fame. But, it's a sharable fame. I want to invite you all to the party. I want people to feel a part of this lifestyle.' Universal. 2008.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Darn fine pop album\\n\\nReview: Somewhere around 4 stars\\n\\nNow, I had a few pop tracks here and there, but I had largely dismissed the genre. This album is so darn good at what it is that it got me hooked. Maybe it's an example of what pop music _can_ be. I first gave Gaga a listen last December and didn't fully become hooked until a few months later. (Or maybe I was a Gaga-holic right from the start, and just didn't admit it at first.) I'm mainly into the classic stuff, and some modern indie material, so liking LG so much certainly shook things up for me.\\nMany of the tracks sure are catchy, but this as a whole is much more than just another pack of bubblegum. It's a shiny wrapper, to be sure, but in this case, there sure seems to be a lot beneath it. The thunderous blend of pop/dance/electro with this kind of talent and artistic personality is something brilliant indeed.\\n\\nThis album is exuberantly really _fun_. That's why I think the \\\"Let's have some fun; this beat is sick\\\" lyric from LoveGame fits so well. Yet still put together quite well for the most part.\\nI like both the silly lyrics and the deeper ones.\\n\\n\\\"Paparazzi\\\" is probably my favorite. I love the dual meaning/extended metaphor, and the singing style used here.\\nJust Dance is a thundering highly energetic juggernaut (not even Colby O and Akon can slow it down? :P)\\nSo is LoveGame.\\nPoker Face is another really fun one.\\n\\nOf the non-singles, I especially like \\\"Paper Gangsta\\\" - though the song is dragged out a bit, I love how its lyrics rip into fakers, doubters, et cetera.\\n\\nThe lyrics of \\\"The Fame (song)\\\" and \\\"Money Honey\\\" can seem vain or something like that. But with Gaga, I quite simply feel that they were likely taken over-the-top on purpose. Gaga's a wily one, alright.\\n\\nGaga can and does work well outside of thundering-dance-hit mode, and \\\"Brown Eyes\\\" & \\\"Summerboy\\\" do quite alright at illustrating that. \\\"Summerboy\\\" also has the interesting lyrical angle of putting the female as the one in charge of the hit-and-run situation.\\n\\nGaga admits herself that \\\"'Eh, Eh' is my simple pop song about finding someone new and breaking up with the old boyfriend.\\\". It's alright, I guess, but Eh Eh is my least favorite amongst the singles.\\n\\nStarstruck has a cool hook, but it gets somewhat repetitive, and I dislike Flo Rida's rap interlude.\\n\\nI love most of the songs on this album, but I can't 5-star it because I admit I do see a few weak points.\\n\\nHowever, to borrow from the lyrics of Just Dance, I love this record even if I can't see straight any more.\",\n \"Product: 2010 debut album from the American singer/songwriter who achieved fame as featured vocalist on Flo Rida's hit single 'Right Round'. Animal was executive produced by Dr. Luke (Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, and Avril Lavigne) and includes collaborations with producers Max Martin and Benny Blanco. The album's first smash single, 'TiK ToK', has had TV placements in the Project Runway promo spots, Melrose Place and So You Think Can Dance.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Is Animal as bad as people said it was? Almost but not quite.\\n\\nReview: Ke$ha, Animal\\n2, maybe 2.5, stars out of 5\\n\\nIronically, I decided to listen to this album because of all the people talking trash about it. I asked myself \\\"is it as bad as people said it was?\\\". The answer? Almost but not quite.\\n\\nThe banal lyrics sometimes got frustrating, but the weaknesses in musicianship were more annoying than the content. The screeching and studio trickery were a problem, but less so on some tracks. Sometimes the singing is relatively decent, sometimes the beats are alright, but this often doesn't happen on the same track. Yet despite the musical weaknesseses, this album can be rather fun at times. Sometimes this album reminds me why I dismissed modern mainstream pop.\\n\\nHungover and Animal were surprisingly emotional, Dancing With Tears In My Eyes somewhat so.\\nBlind and Stephen are overwrought, with Blind being especially screechy.\\nThe rest are all pretty fun.\\n\\nKe$ha's music is alright in small quantities, but can get grating quickly. As such, the tracks can be nice as part of a larger rotation.\",\n \"Product: What makes this band band truly remarkable? Their insightful lyrics? Memorable melodies? Blow-your-mind live performances? Dropkick Murphys are all of those things along with their boundless enthusiasm, infectious energy and supreme devotion to their loyal fans - fans who have been eagerly awaiting this release. Recorded over 6 nights and 7 shows in March 2009 this live CD and Hi-Def DVD package puts the band's hot ticket live show experience in your own home.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: One of today's coolest bands at their best\\n\\nReview: Live highlights from one of my favorite modern bands. Their shows in the Boston area the week of St. Patrick's Day are the stuff of legend, and these are picked from their 2009 shows. The multiple sources are edited together seamlessly. Excellent tracklist if you like their newer stuff. If you like their older stuff as well or instead, 2002's \\\"Live On St. Patrick's Day\\\" is great for that.\\n\\nDKM has a lot of great heavy arrangements of Irish folk classics. Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya, (F)lannigan's Ball, Captain Kelly's Kitchen, and Fields Of Athenry all fit that bill very well. They also have a lot of great originals - Caught In A Jar, one of my favorite older DKM songs, does appear here. The Dirty Glass is what I call a vocal duel, rather than a duet per se. Here, it's Liza Graves parrying with Ken and Al. Many of the others channel their local pride, especially for local athletics.\",\n \"Product: 2012 four CD collection containing music from Patty Smith, Rise Against, Pete Townshend, Diana Krall, My Morning Jacket, Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Jackson Browne, Sugarland, Joan Baez, Flogging Molly, Joe Perry, Bad Religion and many others. Two iconic forces that have impacted the past 50 years -- the life-saving human rights activism of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Amnesty International and the incomparable artistry of Bob Dylan -- are being saluted by musicians who contributed new or previously unreleased recordings to Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International. Almost 30 tracks on the album were mixed gratis by famed engineer Bob Clearmountain. Bob Ludwig and Adam Ayan of Gateway Mastering donated their mastering services. The album cover illustration is by Grammy Award winning artist Mick Haggerty.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: good deal even without the charity aspect\\n\\nReview: This album is a good deal even without the charity aspect.\\nIt's sometimes nice to hear Dylan's brilliant songwriting come from less-grating voices.\\nI appreciate the large variety of both Dylan songs and covering artists. Some of the Dylan songs were new to me. This was a nice introduction to parts of his catalogue, but it means I can't really compare those to the originals.\\n\\nMost artist/song pairs are new. The exceptions:\\nThe album ends with Bob Dylan's 1964 original release version of \\\"Chimes Of Freedom\\\".\\n\\\"One Too Many Mornings\\\" appeared on a couple of Johnny Cash albums.\\nAdele covered \\\"Make You Feel My Love\\\" on her album 19 and has often sung it live. (There's a live version here.)\\n\\nAs for the pop star appearances: Miley Cyrus' \\\"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go\\\" was a pleasant surprise (at least coming from her). Ke$ha's \\\"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright\\\" was emotionally overwrought and largely acapella, which highlighted her whiny voice.\\n\\nI've been a huge fan of Flogging Molly for years; their version of The Times They Are A Changin' is a highlight.\\n\\nPete Seeger (Forever Young) and Marianne Faithful (Baby Let Me Follow You Down) have aged but still pleasant voices. Age was even less of an issue for Kris Kristofferson (Quinn The Mighty Eskimo).\\n\\nJohnny Cash even makes \\\"One Too Many Mornings\\\" sound like a Johnny Cash song, as he did with \\\"It Ain't Me Babe\\\" decades ago.\\nThere were many other interesting different versions too.\\nRedOne's \\\"Knocking On Heaven's Door\\\" felt like a bland facsimile.\\nDMB's version of Watchtower almost didn't sound like the original.\",\n \"Product: Mc Lars ~ Graduate\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Inventive Name For My \\\"The Graduate\\\" Review :)\\n\\nReview: MC Lars, The Graduate\\n4.64 stars out of 5\\n\\nIn general, the album consists of inventive, often-funny, lyrical ideas.\\nThough I like a lot of Lars' material, this is the album that initially introduced me to him, and remains one of my favorites of his.\\n\\n\\\"Download this Song\\\", \\\"Hot Topic is Not Punk Rock\\\", \\\"Generic Crunk Rap\\\" and \\\"Signing Emo\\\" all brilliantly take aim at the mainstream music industry that Lars is decidedly not part of. [This stems in part from the DIY component of his punk-rock influences; musically-speaking, Lars effectively blends this with various other genres.] However, Lars is still upbeat and positive, rather than morosely tearing into The Industry, sometihng some indies seem to have a habit of doing too much of as far as I'm concerned.\\n\\n\\\"iGeneration\\\" is an anthem with a large club beat to match the scale.\\nIts new-generation lyrical theme (and the heavy Internet-media component thereof) somewhat connects it to \\\"Download this Song\\\".\\n\\n\\\"Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock\\\" effectively raises the common worry of rebel/outsider imagery being appropriated without bringing the core attitude along, as well as posers more generally.\\n\\\"Generic Crunk Rap\\\" bemoans the sorry state of a lot of mainstream rap - not just a plug for smart indie rappers such as himself, but also a tribute to great classic MCs. (Grandmaster Flash, KRS-One, Run-DMC, Rakim, Chuck D and De La Soul are specifically named here, but Lars has mentioned other genre favorites elsewhere.)\\n\\n\\\"21 Concepts\\\" has Lars rapping out his bad unfinished song ideas over the Tetris theme music. I mean, come on, that's geek-classic. Some of the mentioned ideas at least made it to the stage of the \\\"21 Concepts\\\" b-sides compilation, and work fairly well there, some never appeared at all.\\n\\n\\\"Roommate from Hell\\\" - drops a lot of Satan references to explain how bad his new dorm-mate is. mc chris cameos as the title character. Funny concept executed very well.\\n\\n\\\"Ahab\\\" has Lars channeling his English degree in order to rap about Moby Dick. \\\"If I Had a Time Machine, That Would Be Fresh\\\", \\\"Internet Relationships (Are Not Real Relationships)\\\", \\\"Space Game\\\" are also wonderful celebrations of geeky culture topics\\n\\n\\\"The Dialogue\\\" (with Ill Bill) is an effective integration of comments on their musical influence with some comment on general sociopolitical themes. Respect, y'all, both where you came from and where they come from.\\n\\n\\\"Rapgirl\\\", one of the slower pieces, is apparently a reference to Kristine Flaherty (K. Flay). [the 'Suburban Rap Queen' lyric refers to Flay's title.] evidently a former romantic partner (who to this day is still a friend and business/artistic collaborator. Love how he disclaims his disclaimer in the intro, by the way.\\n\\n\\\"Six Degrees Of Kurt Cobain\\\" is my only 'meh' for the album, but hey, thirteen out of fourteen ain't bad.\",\n \"Product: Stretch out with Livi the pop star in her luxurious Limo. Help yourself to a drink from the mini bar while you watch TV. Look on as Livi poses for the camera on the red carpet before she meets Olivia at the interview booth to talk about her latest show. Includes 2 mini-doll figures: Livi the pop star and Olivia.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Good value and clever design\\n\\nReview: 5/5 overall\\n5/5 building experience\\n5/5 parts\\n4/5 playability\\n5/5 value for money\\n\\nThis was a good deal on another good Friends Pop Star set. At 10c per piece, LEGO rounded down to $25 MSRP instead of up to $30 as with 41104 Dressing Room.\\n\\nThe limo itself was very detailed and well designed. I'm reminded of 41100 Heartlake Private Jet. However, that had no pilot and this has no driver. I particularly liked the working trunk and 4 footrests. Two minidolls can sit down right next to each other. I also liked the 1x1 round tiles instead of 1x1 round plates since those are so common. Pearl gold instead of white wheels was also a nice touch.\\n\\n1x2's under the edge of the red carpet (instead of big plates under the whole thing) was a good way to make that section wider. It would be easy to make it longer with multiple copies of the set or loose parts.\\n\\nAs usual, minidolls don't sit down well, so I removed the tiles and had them stand in the chairs. Putting a wheelbase on its side was one of many clever design decisions. The angled backdrop was unique, especially the embedded stars. Different layers of plates were a good way to do the steps.\\n\\nI also liked the building around the classic camera piece. The bouquet and bouquet holder were a bit fragile together.\",\n \"Product: Give Livi a superstar makeover for her big performance! The LEGO Friends Pop Star Dressing Room folds out to create different areas with a mirrored vanity desk and clothes rail with fabric skirts. Get glammed up in the foldout Pop Star Dressing Room! Livi the pop star has a big show tonight and Emma is her stylist. Help Emma choose an amazing outfit for Livi to wear on stage, then sit Livi down at the vanity desk to have her hair done. Which style and accessories will you choose tonight? Then it's time to relax before the performance. Fold the dressing room back to create a special doggy pampering area for Livi's Dalmatian, Cookie. Put him in his doggy bed with a bone while Livi sits on the sofa to read some fan mail. The show is about to start, so put the finishing touches to Livi's makeover, take a glamorous fabric skirt from the hangers and dress Livi with it. Now, she really looks like a superstar! Includes Livi the pop star and Emma mini-doll figures, plus Cookie the Dalmatian. Features a foldout Dressing Room with opening door, vanity desk with mirror, swivel chair, clothing rail with hangers, tilting full-length mirror, sofa, opening mini-fridge element, functioning mailbox and a doggy bed. Accessory elements include electric blue and pink wigs, hair accessories, 3 fabric skirts, beauty product containers, flowers, fan mail, fruit, bottle, magazine and a bone for Cookie.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great introduction to the Pop Star subtheme\\n\\nReview: 5/5 building experience\\n4/5 parts\\n5/5 playability\\n4/5 value for money\\n\\nI got this set half off, and wanted to build it myself because the theme reminded me of my Lady Gaga phase. The dog is a cute touch by itself and reminds me of hers. The arch looked novel. I'm interested in more of the series.\\n\\nI love the packaging. The countours on the end and the shinier printing in some places stand out. I can open one end without destroying the box. This is the first time I've built a set with numbered bags, which really does help organize a build. Like many sets, I wish the instructions laid flat. It was cute to show a minidoll opening the set.\\n\\nThere were a lot of cool pieces, but many small or limited use ones. I like the more realistic look of Friends minis, thoguh I wish they would stay put sitting down, and it was a bit hard to attach both skirt tabs.\\n\\nIt was fun and not too easy or hard to build, but I have some minor problems with the design.\\n\\nOverall, the mirror area was too crowded, especially with pick up and put down of items in the finished space. Why couldn't the cabinet have two drawers? I ended up with a lot of loose accessories. The chair can't turn fully with the cabinet in the way and the counter immediately above it. I decided to move the chair one stud to the left and raise the counter by one plate. I would have liked more color on the chair. The back wall used multiple small pieces where fewer large ones would have fit. I especially would've liked some 2x2 corners instead of more 1x1's and 1x2's.\\n\\nWhen folded, the model was easy to carry and looked good when not in use. The different ways of unfolding should expand play options.\",\n \"Product: Build Leonard and Sheldon's living room for display and role play! Construct the detailed LEGO Ideas version of Leonard and Sheldon's living room from hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory including 7 minifigures. Indulge your inner genius and build this LEGO version of Leonard and Sheldon's living room as seen in the hit American sitcom The Big Bang Theory! This set was created by two LEGO fan designers-Ellen Kooijman from Sweden and Glen Bricker from the USA-and selected by LEGO Ideas members. Featuring loads of authentic details to satisfy all The Big Bang Theory devotees and including minifigures of all seven main characters from the show, it's ideal for display or role-play fun. Includes 7 minifigures with assorted accessory elements: Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Howard, Raj, Amy and Bernadette. Features Leonard and Sheldon's living room with all the iconic elements from the sitcom, including a telescope, whiteboard, DNA display model and various ornaments.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for fans of both the show and LEGO\\n\\nReview: As a fan of the show and LEGO, I just had to get this. It fulfilled both sets of expectations.\\n\\nThe LEGO Ideas boxes are great; opening on the top makes them much more reusable. The instruction book having regular binding was a nice touch, and useful for managing a larger build. It was sometimes hard to distinguish colors, particularly black/dark blue, reddish brown with dark red or medium flesh. The instructions took a lot of space to explain some things that I felt could have been expressed more compactly. However, LEGO often has those problems.\\n\\nEnglish, French and Spanish versions of the intro and outro blurbs seemed excessive and inflated the size of the booklet, but it was fine for the short quotes interspersed through the actual instructions.\\n\\nThe MSRP of $60 is high, but the set is generally on sale for a bit under $50, which seems reasonable by LEGO standards for the contents. A bunch of small pieces inflate the piececount, although that's useful for detail. There are many and custom minifigures, along with rare shapes, colors and/or prints. Two tone arms (Sheldon) or legs (Bernadette, Amy), and double-faced heads, are a nice touch on higher-end minis. The minis aren't perfect, particularly Howard, but they all evoke the characters. The Penny-Bernadette-Amy, and Sheldon-Leonard, groups of heads were hard to distinguish.\\n\\nLipstick as markers makes sense to reuse a mold, but they wouldn't stay put in the tray.\\n\\nThe model is nice and compact, but felt a little busy towards the end of the build, and it felt odd for just the whiteboard and black chair to be loose.\",\n \"Product: Brave the river with LEGO Friends Adventure Camp Rafting. Challenge yourself on the rapids with the rafting boat and oars, river bridge with finish clock and a falling tree function to add to the challenge. This set comes with a plastic fabric tent and camping accessories to enjoy a night in the wild. Includes Andrea and Olivia mini-dolls plus a bear.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Goes very well with the subtheme\\n\\nReview: 4/5 building experience\\n5/5 parts\\n5/5 playability\\n4/5 value for money\\n\\nThis is a great part of Adventure Camp. The overall appearance is a great match for 41122, the Tree House. I love the detail on both; the trees were similar but the fire pit stands out. I liked the signpost that pointed to both that and the Archery Range.\\n\\nThe raft could barely fit through the bridge. It looks too hard to expand with more plates.\\n\\nIt was nice to have an extra tent cover; I even built another tent with the same pieces in (mostly) different colors. However, I wish the end flaps stayed shut on their own.\\n\\nIt was a good deal once marked down.\\n\\nAs is common for LEGO:\\nMost instruction steps were small and almost too easy. (The overall build was straightforward but not too easy)\\nFurniture with a smooth tile surface doesn't work - here that happened with the bench the marshmallow sticks were rested on.\\nA bunch of small pieces inflated the piececount.\\nFriends can go nicely with similarly themed regular LEGO, in this case Hiker from Minifigures Series 16. (Ironically, it was Boy Scout camp experience that got me interested in these girl camp sets)\",\n \"Product: Starfleets finest stand at the ready on the U.S.S. Enterprise Bridge collector construction set by Mega Bloks Star Trek! Recreate your favorite moments when you build this classic bridge, and pose iconic characters like Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and Sulu at their stations in the ships command center. Inspired by Star Trek: The Original Series, this detailed set features a helm console, computer stations with viewscreens, turbolift doors that open, and a swiveling captains chair. Open up the hinged sections, or illuminate the viewscreens from behind for a dynamic display. The four highly detailed, super-poseable micro action figures each come with their own signature uniform and an authentic accessory. Ideal for ages 14 and up.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice big model with minor problems\\n\\nReview: Compared to LEGO minifigures and minidolls, I like the more realistic look and movement of MegaBloks figures, especially as a change of pace. My copy had an extra Uhura and wasn't missing the others (Kirk, Spock, Sulu) - I could deal with LEGO being that kind of sloppy.\\nMegaBloks doesn't have numbered bags for each stage of the build like LEGO does. This makes larger builds particularly frustrating - it's hard to find the bag with the right part and deal with so many opened bags. The build got a lot easier near the end, maybe because there were fewer parts to look through, as expected. In general, I love seeing models take shape. When fully assembled, it's hard to disconnect the sections, but that might be good for model stability. The sections weren't quite level, but that might be me or my building surface rather than MegaBloks. Overall, the fit of the pieces is quite decent, only a few a bit tight or a bit loose.\\nThe hinges don't move much but allow the sections to be connected at an odd angle; LEGO also does that sometimes.\\nI decided to display it with the characters sitting down. A pin attaching to the back is odd, but maybe it allows for the figures to look more realistic, somewhat like minidolls. The captain's chair didn't seem high enoguh to actually fit Kirk, so I raised it with a random brick. The set didn't come with Chekov, so I grabbed him from Day of the Dove (that set is relatively cheap and an army builder, so him missing from this set isn't so much of a problem). I also grabbed a random redshirt to fill the sixth chair.\\nThe red bars with black supports have trouble staying in place on the deck.\",\n \"Product: Help! Lor San Tekka's desert home is under attack by the First Order Flametrooper! Swoop to the rescue with Poe Dameron in the Resistance X-Wing Fighter with its opening wings and cockpit, 4 spring-loaded shooters, retractable landing gear, removable hyperdrive at the back and detachable BB-8 Astromech Droid. You must help Lor San Tekka before the trooper destroys his home with this action-filled LEGO Star Wars toy!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Finally have an X-Wing and am mostly pleased\\n\\nReview: As a kid, even medium sized sets like the #7140 / #7142 X-Wing were out of my price range (or maybe I could've gotten them instead of lots of little sets). Now, bigger sets like this are well within reach.\\n\\nThe stormtrooper and antiaircraft gun seemed somewhat gratuitous, but it's common for LEGO to include a small model from the other faction so the set has more play value by itself.\\n\\n4 wings/engines didn't get too repetitive to build.\\n\\nThe top and bottom wings don't look quite aligned, whether or not I noticed the sand blue 2x2 plate during the upper wing builds. The wings stay steady when locked open, but not when closed.\\n\\nI loved watching the ship take shape - the structure in bags 1 and 2, the wing spreading mechanism in 3, the wings on each side in 4 and 5. 5 also has the ammunition; I'm storing it off the ship so as to not stress the firing mechanisms.\\n\\nAs usual, I'm glad I waited for a sale. Also, this was cheaper than #75102 Poe's X-Wing, nearly the same except for the color scheme and accessories.\",\n \"Product: Lego, Friends, Jungle Air Boat with Olivia Bagged (30115)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Cute little Friends set that blends in with other LEGO\\n\\nReview: 4/5 overall\\n3/5 building experience\\n4/5 parts\\n4/5 playability\\n4/5 value for money\\n\\nI got this for a couple dollars along with some 30205's. Small sets with LEGO people are often a good deal.\\n\\nThe bag seemed bigger than necessary for the contents.\\n\\nFriends sets often fit in with traditional sets on a similar topic, and this does that particularly well. There are lots of boats and animals in the LEGO world. Lime is one of my favorite rare colors, and it doesn't clash as much as some pastels.\\n\\nThe footrest really secures the figure; I love this since minidolls often have trouble staying put. The lilypad layout was nice but the frog could've mroe distinctly looked like a frog.\\n\\nThe design and build were very straightforward even for a small set.\",\n \"Product: Stephanie's cool hot dog van has a seating area on the roof with the best view of the Amusement Park! Dress Nate up as a giant hot dog to drum up business, put sausages on the grill and pop them into buns to feed the hungry customers. Have some fairground fun taking pictures as Stephanie puts her face through the carnival cut-out boards nearby. And there's a crazy distorted mirror for even more giggles! A cool toy for 8-year-olds.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Another Friends food success\\n\\nReview: 5/5 building experience\\n4/5 parts\\n4/5 playability\\n3/5 value for money\\n\\nThe vehicle looking like a hot dog is awesome. The red was obviously a sausage, but it took building it to notice that the rounded tan ends were like a bun.\\n\\nThe actual building experience was simple and fun.\\n\\nThe photo booth really highlights the carnival feel of the Amusement Park theme. Someone wearing a product-related costume is a more common promotional device. However, this set and especially the photo setup had an overabundance of small models to go with the main build.\\n\\nAs usual for Friends, the smooth furniture isn't actually useful to seat minidolls, so I either don't build it or replace tiles with 1x2x1 panel with center divider (part 93905). The long plate for a roof is a bit flimsy, so I braced it with a plate underneath. A 2x6 isn't enough. A 6x10, which fills the whole space, is too tight. A 6x8 fits great.\\n\\nIt's a better food cart than 60150 Pizza Van and is a good complement to the Friends pizzerias 41092 and 41311.\\n\\nThe price was a bit much for the piececount, but the set was often on sale.\",\n \"Product: Dance with the Dragons book\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not up to the 1st three books or even the 4th, but OK\\n\\nReview: George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons\\n\\nThis book became annoyingly slow-paced compared to the first three books and even the fourth.\\n\\nI felt like several of the early POV characters were old friends that I was reunited with, especially since I hadn't ready book 3 in awhile and that's when we last saw them.\\n\\nI like Jon's tense negotiations with Stannis. Jon seemed to be trying to offer neutral advice like a maester might. Also, I wonder if he was trying to get Stannis out of the way by sending him elsewhere. I loved the setting feel of most of the Jon chapters.\\n\\nI'm honestly unsure what I feel about Daenerys' leadership.\\n\\nTheon's story was an amazing chilling description of torture.\\n\\nI identified with Tyrion's cover story strategy, basing it on personal experience he did have, which would help him stay in character and make it plausible.\\n\\nI loved it the way Davos talked trash when speaking the truth at Manderly's court. Heck, a lot of people in that hall were being brutally honest. Even as a Robb fan, Rhaegar Frey had a point with his rant about Robb's poor decisions.\\n\\nThe theory that Bloodraven is Bran's guru is obvious when reading that Bran chapter.\\n\\nObviously, the Ramsay/\\\"Arya\\\" wedding was a cruel farce, but I liked the detail about how weddings work for followers of the old gods.\",\n \"Product: Title: Dune, Frank Herbert (Hardcover)\\nBinding: Hardcover\\nClassics of Modern Literature\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Unique even amongst classic sci-fi\\n\\nReview: A lot of great sci-fi focuses on the effect the technological environment has on the people within it. Few if any sci-fi works do this better than Dune. The anti-technology Butlerian Jihad highlights that. Like many of the classics, it creates a brilliant setting, but goes above and beyond with that.\\n\\nWith the political intrigue that dominates the setting, it's appropriate that Paul's outmanuevering of the Emperor is a key part of the climax, one of my many favorite scenes. Irulan as part of the deal (not to mention Leto keeping Jessica as a legal concubine) highlighted marriage as pragmatic, while the bit about viewing Chani as his real wife also highlighted marriage as romantic.\\n\\nI first noticed Paul's story as a bildungsroman (about a young character mentally growing up), but it also seems to fit the hero's journey archetype.\\n\\nHerbert has a brilliant way of handling religion.\",\n \"Product: Title: Dune, Frank Herbert (Hardcover)\\nBinding: Hardcover\\nClassics of Modern Literature\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Unique even amongst classic sci-fi\\n\\nReview: A lot of great sci-fi focuses on the effect the technological environment has on the people within it. Few if any sci-fi works do this better than Dune. The anti-technology Butlerian Jihad highlights that. Like many of the classics, it creates a brilliant setting, but goes above and beyond with that.\\n\\nWith the political intrigue that dominates the setting, it's appropriate that Paul's outmanuevering of the Emperor is a key part of the climax, one of my many favorite scenes. Irulan as part of the deal (not to mention Leto keeping Jessica as a legal concubine) highlighted marriage as pragmatic, while the bit about viewing Chani as his real wife also highlighted marriage as romantic.\\n\\nI first noticed Paul's story as a bildungsroman (about a young character mentally growing up), but it also seems to fit the hero's journey archetype.\\n\\nHerbert has a brilliant way of handling religion.\",\n \"Product: The Extreme\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Another Animorphs classic - and I thought Rochester was cold!\\n\\nReview: Marco's bragging added something to the recap intro; either can be kind of stale by themselves, but they blended well.\\n\\nSo Marco's dad likes classical music. Interesting piece of canon information. Also, Marco BSing in class fits his sense of humor and helps deal with the academic impact of being an Animorph. Marco's failed date was great comic relief and did a good job of tying together the classical music and BSing points.\\n\\nMarco had a great read of the other Animorphs' personalities. Rachel being referred to in canon as a mall-rat amused me. Jake once eating a whole pie on a dare is a great example of his non-serious side.\\n\\nThe Chee covering for the kids in their non-Animorph lives makes sense. I wonder why we don't see more of that.\\n\\nI knew that Andalites not wearing clothes is why it's hard to morph clothes. It's good to see that acknowledged in canon.\\n\\n99 percent waiting around and 1 percent sheer terror? I've heard combat described along those lines, so it was interesting to see the books say that. But - hey! Iron Maiden is not dinosaur rock! They are one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time!\\n\\nAx impersonating Visser Three was something cool I don't recall hearing much of before.\\n\\nBitter cold is interesting as a different challenge, the Venber as a new plot device. There was some cool stuff about a Blade ship's internal layout.\\n\\nWhy do the human Animorphs insist on using English idioms with Ax? His puzzlement is wholly understandable. I try to avoid using nonstandard English with someone I know isn't a native speaker. Granted, some things are so ingrained that it's hard to avoid them.\\n\\nHow morphs fit the extreme cold is a great example of the series' animal information combining with plot points.\\n\\nIt's great to see Cassie as the calm one. She's coaxed people to morph and demorph when necessary before. Usually I see Jake as the sensible Animorph because of his tough but necessary decisions.\\n\\nArctic or Antarctic. Good job, Cassie. Glad someone figured it out. But didn't Ax say you were heading north? Granted, they're all out of it in the cold, and there may have been a change of direction. The book did remember this eventually. I wondered if Andalite senses notice anything unique about the polar regions.\\n\\n\\\"Reports of their extinction may have been greatly exaggerated\\\" sounds like Mark Twain's death quote about a premature obituary. Did Ax stumble across that in-character or is KAA passing that off as a coincidence? Is he being funnier lately, is it just more grating in these circumstances, does Marco notice it more than the other POVs?\\n\\nI figured sentience would help them avoid predators while in prey morph, so I was glad to see that addressed in character.\\n\\nThe local instantly seemed like he could serve a lot of purposes in the story. Animal spirits would be a good way to fit this new knowledge into his existing framework. The Star Trek analogy (nice to see that again) apparently helped get the truth across. The points about certain sport hunters came in loud and clear.\\n\\nThese Venber being a Yeerk computer does explain the resurrection process somewhat - I got it, Ax. Also, it fits with the melted Venber as computer superconductor line, which now seems like foreshadowing.\\n\\nBug fighters having passenger capacity -of one or two- is good to know. Quick sabotage is the way to go with guerilla warfare. Bird morphs are handy for escaping aircraft.\\n\\nMarco relishing the heat was a funny twist on a heavy reflective ending. The Animorphs weren't responsible for what happened to the Venber, of course, but I can see how that information would hit them hard.\\n\\nTrouble even getting to the base was a good extension of the mission itself. I was surprised at how long it took, that the actual battle was a short conclusion. Yet there was plenty going on; the other stuff wasn't filler. Also, the environmental descriptions were vivid throughout.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":19,"string":"19"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":288,"string":"288"}}},{"rowIdx":289,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AROSU3CGT54JU"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"In May 2012 Anathema released WEATHER SYSTEMS, the most acclaimed and successful album of a career that has spanned over two decades. The album scored high in numerous critics end of year polls around the world and cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting and progressive bands around. Following the release of the album, the band embarked on a lengthy world tour. The European leg of the tour opened with a triumphant one-off show at the ancient Roman theatre of Philippopolis with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra in September 2012. Directed by celebrated filmmaker Lasse Hoile (Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Dream Theater), UNIVERSAL captures the magic of the event on a 2 Disc (CD + DVD) set.\". The summary of the review text is \"So stunning, you'll want to watch it again and again\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"One of my favorite concert DVDs of all time! I bought \"Universal\" at the gig I attended during Anathema's recent North American tour (September 2013) and watched the following night - and felt as though I'd been transported back to the show. Of course, the \"Universal\" concert is no ordinary Anathema gig. This nearly 2 1/2 hour set was performed in an outdoor venue in Bulgaria surrounded by ancient Roman ruins, and with an orchestra. The string arrangements blend seamlessly in with Anathema's songs - not just those from the band's past two studio albums, \"We're Here Because We're Here\" and \"Weather Systems,\" but those from the older releases as well. The sound quality is fantastic, and the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking - crisp, crystalline, and colorful. This DVD is a great way to relive past Anathema concert experiences and (if you only have Anathema's more recent albums) be introduced to their older material / sound."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"One of my favorite concert DVDs of all time! I bought \"Universal\" at the gig I attended during Anathema's recent North American tour (September 2013) and watched the following night - and felt as though I'd been transported back to the show. Of course, the \"Universal\" concert is no ordinary Anathema gig. This nearly 2 1/2 hour set was performed in an outdoor venue in Bulgaria surrounded by ancient Roman ruins, and with an orchestra. The string arrangements blend seamlessly in with Anathema's songs - not just those from the band's past two studio albums, \"We're Here Because We're Here\" and \"Weather Systems,\" but those from the older releases as well. The sound quality is fantastic, and the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking - crisp, crystalline, and colorful. This DVD is a great way to relive past Anathema concert experiences and (if you only have Anathema's more recent albums) be introduced to their older material / sound."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: 2013 album from Dutch singer, songwriter and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen AKA Ayreon. The genius progressive metal artist will release a new album under the title of his Ayreon project. a release date wasn't announced yet, thought on October 2012 Arjen Anthony Lucassen said it will probably take a year for the album to be ready. He also stated that the album would be the start of a new story apart from the previous Ayreon albums. and confirmed the presence of drummer Ed Warby as usual.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A true playground of sound\n\nReview: Originally I wasn't thrilled with the format of Arjen Lucassen's eighth Ayreon album, \"The Theory Of Everything.\" Four 20+ songs divided into a total of 42 tracks, ranging in length from 20-something seconds to just under 4 minutes... Ay yi yi. But with each spin, I've learned to leave my disgruntlement behind. \"The Theory Of Everything\" is just that fantastic. It contains that familiar fusion of progressive rock, heavy metal, electronic music, and folk instruments from past Ayreon albums. However, it's more experimental and instrumental than its predecessors. Some of the divided segments take on a normal verse-chorus structure, while others act as melody-driven monologues, conversations, or arguments. Recurring motifs and lyric verses also connect the songs themes and the characters conflicts. Hooks and contrasts abound here, as do solos from guest musicians such as ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess, and Nightwish piper Troy Donockley, among others.\n\nConcept-wise, this new Ayreon story isn't \"out of this world,\" as past albums have dealt with outer space and science fiction plots. \"Theory\" centers on human struggles with ambition, greed, finding one's life purpose, and solving one of physics most elusive equations. And the vocal line-up... Honestly, I don't know how Arjen keeps creating stellar singing casts with each album. Each vocalist plays their role with convincing emotion. I was particularly impressed by Marco Hietala as the Rival (he truly \"acted\" out his lines and is so much fun to listen to) and Cristina Scabbia as the Mother (a real comeback quality-wise, after letdowns with her past two Lacuna Coil albums).\n\nIn short: No other artist comes close to creating a playground of sound the way that Arjen Lucassen does on his Ayreon records. \"The Theory Of Everything\" needed some time to grow on me - and it has done so, substantially. I even think I'd rank \"Theory\" right behind \"01011001\" as my favorite Ayreon album of all time.","Product: ELYSION was founded in 2006 when guitarist and mastermind of the band Johnny Zero recruited talented musicians with different musical backgrounds to shape up a highly promising team. The musical approach consisted of many shades of atmospheric and metal elements mixed with pop/rock as well as alternative/electro and gothic influences. Elysion has been invited to headline important rock and metal events and also had the pleasure to support a great number of top artists of the scene, including The Gathering, Christian Death, Diary Of Dreams, and Star Industry. Their debut album 'Silent Scr3am' was released in December 2009, enjoying an overwhelmingly warm welcome in the music scene. The artwork of their new album 'Someplace Better' was created by Gustavo Sazes (Arch Enemy, Morbid Angel, Manowar, Kamelot, Amaranthe).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: No Sophomore Slump for Elysion on Someplace Better\n\nReview: Elysions second album, Someplace Better shows the Greek gothic metallers continuing their formula of short, simple, and catchy songs with dark, dreamy moods and electronic influences. It sounds a lot like the bands 2009 debut CD Silent Scr3am at first, but several listens or, even better, a shuffle mix of songs from both albums reveals a slight shift. Nid and Johnny Zeros guitarwork has grown subtly heavier and more dynamic. And since Christianna had only sung vocals on Silent Scr3am, Someplace Better is the first Elysion release to feature her lyrics and melodies. (Previous frontwoman Maxi Nil had penned the lyrics for Silent Scr3am before leaving Elysion to join Visions Of Atlantis in 2008.) Christiannas writing style fits Elysion so well, its almost impossible to tell someone different is responsible this time.\n\nThe darkening shades in Elysions music can be heard on Someplace Betters first two tracks, the nu-metal-esque Made Of Lies and the anthemic title track. Our Fate and Breakfree also showcase denser guitars but with faster tempos. Other tracks like Fairytale, What Lies Beneath, and Awake would have suited Silent Scr3am just as well as this new album had Elysion written them earlier in their career. As for ballads, Elysion adds a string quartet to The Promise and the acoustic Transparent, a lovely touch that works well on both songs.\n\nPersonally, I prefer Silent Scr3am over Someplace Better. None of the songs on the latter reach the same memorable heights as the formers strongest moments. That doesnt undermine the consistency heard from track to track on Someplace Better. This is a solid, satisfying follow-up that Elysion fans will sing along with and headbang to for the rest of the year. Fans of Evanescence, current-day Lacuna Coil, or H.I.M. who haven't heard of Elysion before should also be pleased with what they find on Someplace Better.\n\nHighlights: Fairytale, Our Fate, Breakfree","Product: 2014 release, the sixth studio album from the Dutch Symphonic Metal band. Hydra finds the band moving forward into a more earthy and modern direction while remaining fast, heavy and uniquely Within Temptation. The album contains guest appearances by Metalcore singer Howard Jones (ex-Killswitch Engage), rapper Xzibit, classical-crossover/symphonic metal vocalist Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish) and alternative rock singer Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum).\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: It all comes down to personal tastes with \"Hydra\"\n\nReview: Boy did I have to wrack my brain to figure out how I felt about this album. And anyone who knows my taste in music well enough knows that Within Temptation has been one of my favorite bands for nearly a decade. So, naturally, I was excited for the Dutch symphonic metal band's sixth studio album, Hydra. This is WT's most sprawling set to date, with songs that draw from every possible corner of their sound. Thunderously heavy, dreamy and pop-tinged, bombastic and cinematic, airy and melancholy - you truly get it all here. Hydra also features four guest vocalists with equally unique sounds: metalcore titan Howard Jones (ex-Killswitch Engage), soprano star Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish, now solo), Soul Asylum frontman David Pirner, and - bet you didn't see this coming - rapper Xhibit.\n\nThe overall opinions on Hydra have been as varied as the sounds WT explores on Hydra: Some people love it, others don't, and still others are torn by it. I'm in that third category - which has turned this from a normal CD-reviewing experience into hair-yanking agony.\n\nTruthfully, I enjoy a number of songs from Hydra. \"Dangerous\" absolutely rocks, with palpable tension, stormy rhythms, and one of the most unexpectedly awesome vocal collaborations I've ever heard. Other dramatic uptempo numbers (\"Tell Me Why,\" \"Silver Moonlight\") whisk you away to metal fantasyland, while the strongest ballads (particularly \"Edge Of The World\") envelop you with evocative melodies and arrangements. Some tracks also hearken back to older WT records; \"Covered By Roses,\" for example, would have fit The Heart Of Everything as well as Hydra. Then then are songs that either I've remained indifferent toward after several listens or that fall short of WT's usual high standards of lyrics (\"Dog Days,\" particularly the chorus) and overall impact (\"Let Us Burn\" lacks that special \"kick-off\" spark). Finally, four is an annoying high number of guest collaborations on a rock or metal albums. It's nice to see and hear WT in that kind of spirit, but it's overkill. They're who I really want to listen to when I play a WT album.\n\nMy best advice when it comes to Hydra is to listen with an open mind. You might love everything you hear, or you might not. Or you might seesaw back and forth, like I did. And you'll find this rift in opinions in the reviews you'll read on Hydra on Amazon as well as webzine and print reviews. Personally, I like Hydra, but it's inconsistent. I skip over a few tracks because they don't appeal to me, and one or two others get little more than a shrug as my reaction. This doesn't mean I'm jumping off the WT bandwagon. It just means this album leaves me dissatisfied, and it's hard to hide it when one of your all-time favorite artists leaves you feeling that way.\n\nHighlights: \"Dangerous,\" \"Silver Moonlight,\" \"Edge Of The World\"","Product: 2014 limited edition 2X vinyl LP pressing of their sixth studio album. Napalm.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Fighting the urge to switch to Xandrias older albums while writing this review\n\nReview: Recently Ive noticed a pattern with my opinions about female-fronted symphonic metal albums: When a band releases what ends up becoming my favorite album of theirs, their next release fails to impress me. This has happened with Epica (I loved 2009s Design Your Universe, then was bored by 2012s Requiem For The Indifferent) and earlier this year with Within Temptation (The Unforgiving was my favorite album of 2011, while Hydra needs a miracle to make my Top 10 of 2014). Unfortunately, Im now adding Xandria to this list. The German quintets new album Sacrificium has its moments but doesn't electrify as its predecessor, Neverworlds End, had done.\n\nLet me be clear: I wasn't expecting a repeat of the last album. With Dianne van Giersbergen replacing previous frontwoman Manuela Kraller last year, I knew Sacrificium would be different. And it is, with a slight power metal edge, a greater choir presence, and a more sophisticated air almost like Epica without the male grunts. As for Dianne, fans who are familiar with her work with her other band Ex Libris already know she OWNS the mic. Her expressiveness and operatic gymnastics rival the likes of Floor Jansen and Tarja Turunen. Dianne shows shades of her vocal colors on Xandrias new material, but she doesnt paint with her entire palette. Instead, she takes a more conservative and reserved approach that pales in comparison to her Ex Libris recordings. Comparing the work of two different metal bands here may not be the fairest way to review. But with Ex Libris releasing a new album just a few months ago and Diannes outstanding performance there still fresh in my mind, its awfully hard not to.\n\nWhat disappoints me more about Sacrificium, though, is that none of the new songs stand out to me. Theyre not terrible, but most of them sound well, like filler. I remember very little about this album when I finish it, so I walk away unmoved each time. Also, my brain just cant process Sacrificium as a Xandria album. Its convinced that a completely different band is playing. Sure, this albums equally as bombastic as Neverworlds End, but the latter album retained the playfulness and sensuality wed heard from Xandria on other older albums, going back as far as Ravenheart. I cant detect those qualities anywhere on Sacrificium, and I miss them.\n\nSacrificium does have its bright spots. Stardust funnels a flurry of guitars, choirs, and synth-strings through an exhilarating worm hole, complete with (what sounds like) a sci-fi lyrical slant thats new for Xandria and works well. Betrayer, on the other hand, breathes down the listeners neck with saturated, throttling guitars. No competition here for the title of this albums Soulcrusher. (If you own Neverworlds End, you know what Im talking about.) Temple of Hate, the short yet pretty Our Neverworld, and the exquisite winter-tale The Undiscovered Land are also worth revisiting.\n\nI cant say the same for the rest of Sacrificium, though. Even while listening to this CD to write this review, Im fighting the urge to switch to other Xandria albums in my collection. Stylistically it may be a good example of symphonic metal's grandiloquence. But as a listener, I want to be stirred or inspired I want to feel something beautiful. Indifference with streaks of pleasure is what Sacrificium makes me feel, and I wouldn't call that beautiful.\n\nHighlights: Stardust, The Undiscovered Land, Betrayer","Product: EPICA THE QUANTUM ENIGMA\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: This \"Enigma\" has restored my faith in Epica and their music\n\nReview: I've been an Epica fan since 2006 and either liked or loved all of their albums, with Design Your Universe my all-time favorite of theirs. Then came Requiem For The Indifferent in 2012. No matter how many times I listened to it, I walked away bored by its musical wanderings and lack of inspiring melodies. So, when Epica announced the release date for their sixth studio album The Quantum Enigma, I hoped like a maniac that the Dutch symphonic metallers wouldn't disappoint me again. I wasn't looking for another Design Your Universe, just an improvement over last time. Now I can breathe a sigh of relief - because The Quantum Enigma hasn't let me down. In fact, I like it more with each spin.\n\nChange seems to be the overall theme on this album. Instead of continuing with long-time producer Sascha Paeth, Epica worked with Joost van der Brook, who's produced albums for a slew of other female-fronted metal bands (Stream of Passion, Xandria, ReVamp). The Quantum Enigma also features live strings for the first time since 2005's Consign To Oblivion, a massive professional choir instead of a \"choir-like\" group of session vocalists, and a more modern metal sound. Mark Jansen and Isaac Delahaye have really honed the guitar sound for the new material; it's thick, complex, razor-sharp, and at times appealingly tangled and chaotic. This new edginess gives fresh perspective on some songs (\"The Second Stone,\" \"The Essence of Silence,\" \"Chemical Insomnia\") while enhancing the band's triumphant sound of old on others (the title track, \"Sense Without Sanity,\" \"Unchain Utopia\").\n\nThe Quantum Enigma's brightest highlights show Epica's ability to reveal subtleties in complex arrangements. The title track is a stunning example; it's a 12-minute blossoming flower, unfolding in the same purposeful way as past climactic epics. And how about those memorable hooks and melodies? They were sorely missing from Requiem... and now make a welcome return. The strongest hooks transfer effortlessly from one instrument to another, from ascending keyboard / guitar lines on \"Natural Corruption\" to the graceful Oriental wind and acoustic notes on the gorgeous instrumental \"The Fifth Guardian.\" As for melodies, the title track's call-for-action choral chants are bound to stir concert crowds to sing along, while bonus track \"In All Conscience\" boasts the band's most majestic chorus ever.\n\nI have to admit, my initial impression of The Quantum Enigma was tainted by the first two tracks. The flurry of excessive high notes in \"Originem\" grates on my nerves, while \"The Second Stone\" starts off exhilarating but loses its energy come chorus-time. Together they soured my mood enough for the rest of the album on that first listen. Now I skip those two tracks and listen to the rest of the CD thinking, \"Hey, this is better than I originally thought!\" I say that now because The Quantum Enigma is a stronger, more memorable collection of songs than Requiem.... Some melodies and musical moments do fall flat or feel recycled, and sometimes I wish frontwoman Simone Simons would sing with more emotion like how she did on past albums. Overall, though, I enjoy this set almost as much as I enjoy Design Your Universe and 2007's The Divine Conspiracy.\n\nI can't say that every fan who was dissatisfied with Requiem will like this new album more. But for me personally, The Quantum Enigma rights the ship that was tipping two years ago. The grittier direction, improved songwriting quality, and return of live strings all help to inject new life into the music. So, in short, this album has restored my faith in Epica. And in a year when other big names in the female-fronted metal realm haven't satisfied me, The Quantum Enigma is an ultimately gratifying winner.\n\nHighlights: \"The Quantum Enigma,\" \"In All Conscience\" (bonus track), \"Natural Corruption,\" \"The Essence of Silence,\" \"The Fifth Guardian\" (instrumental)","Product: Anathema Distant Satellites German 2-LP vinyl set\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Anathema dons a slightly altered coat for \"Distant Satellites,\" but not a new soul\n\nReview: If I told you Id been eagerly awaiting Anathemas tenth studio album Distant Satellites, it would be the understatement to end all understatements. These British prog rockers have been my favorite band of the past couple years and the easiest way for me to describe their previous album, 2012s Weather Systems, is a profoundly life-changing experience. So, believe me when I say Ive tried and failed to not revert to childlike giddiness while waiting for Distant Satellites to come out. And while Distant Satellites doesnt come close to matching the impact of its predecessor (which I was expecting), it succeeds in charting its own course through Anathemas ever-evolving style.\n\nRoughly the first half of Distant Satellites sounds much like the Anathema weve come to know over the past two studio albums. Still present are the swelling arrangements, winding structures, simple lyrics, and affecting vocals of Vincent Cavanagh and Lee Douglas. However, with the increased use of keyboards, the new material feels more atmospheric and less organic. The overall mood has also shifted, from life-affirming hope and brightness to darker, more contemplative shadows. Yet, the songs still carry that attention to nuance and feeling that allows Anathema to transcend the typical expectations of music.\n\nKick-off track The Lost Song Pt 1 offers the first evidence of change. It takes 3 minutes for the guitars to break in, but fans will recognize the bed of strings, off-beat rhythms, and pirouetting piano notes as part of Anathemas signature. The Lost Song Pt 3 and Anathema use similar approaches; the former begins with subtle keyboards and brisk drumming before the rock elements burst in, while the latter broods on oceanic strings and piano teardrops while recalling Anathemas early days. Other highlights include the guitar-driven rollercoaster ride Dusk (Dark Is Descending) and the ballad Ariel, which overflows with a love so palpable it breaks your heart in the most beautiful way.\n\nThe second half of Distant Satellites strips down the music to synthesizers and programming. Yep, Anathema goes electronic for the albums last four tracks and believe it or not, they're not that bad. In fact, they retain Anathemas spirit. Crescendos sneak their way into the breezy title track and the whirlpooling Take Shelter, as do live strings on the latter. Even the instrumental Firelight is pervaded with the surreality, emotion, and intensity weve come to know from Anathema. Youre Not Alone is the only failed experiment, in my opinion. The digi-rock guitar distortions are pretty cool, but Danny and Vincent repeat the same verse for 3 minutes. I have to press Skip for this track; otherwise, I might just pull my hair out.\n\nWhile I don't mind the new direction on Distant Satellites Well, Im still on the fence about it. Electronic music doesnt move me the way that more organic and band-oriented music does. If Anathema were to shift to a prog electro-rock fusion sort of like Atomas Skylight, that would be awesome. Theyd work marvels with that style. But, honestly, Anathema won't really be Anathema if the Cavanaghs permanently cut down on their vivid, evocative guitarwork. I hope they don't make that mistake on future albums.\n\nFor now, lets view Distant Satellites as Anathema donning a slightly altered coat, not a new soul. Id describe the color as Northern Lights: arresting, ethereal, vibrant with dark undertones, changing with the moods of each track. Fans may need time to adjust to the changes, and even then some are bound to reject the electronic ventures outright. In the end, though, Anathema have crafted another beauty with Distant Satellites. It doesnt rival the bands previous two studio albums, but its a welcome addition to their catalog and deserving of praise for its gleaming, unique personality.\n\nHighlights: Ariel, Anathema, Dusk (Dark Is Descending)","Product: The Gothic/Metal sensation from Germany, Lyriel's musical repertoire ranges from dreamy ballads, a pinch of medieval tunes, to heavy Rock songs with elements of Classical and Celtic Folk music. Distinct, related musical genres merge and become a new, particular style in Lyriel's music. Lyriel distinguish themselves from other bands in the genre by featuring live violin and cello on stage, instead of using keyboard-generated strings. The band can play its entire repertoire either as a heavier Rock set, or a folky acoustic set, which further highlights the musicians' versatility. Front woman Jessica Thierjung impresses with a diverse use of her voice, whose sound can take any form between powerful and mellow.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Finally fell in love with Lyriel's music, thanks to \"Leverage\"\n\nReview: Folk metal's not my thing. I can't explain why; it just doesn't appeal to me. As a result, I've never cared for Lyriel's music - until last year. The band took a new approach on their fourth album, \"Leverage.\" The music is heavier and streamlined, less folky, and highly enjoyable. I'd describe the new material as melodic metal, with the melodic aspects coming from singer Jessica Thierjung, cellist Linda Laukamp, and violinist Joon Laukamp. Thierjung was the biggest surprise for me on this album. The only side I'd heard of her voice before was emotive yet delicate. She still sings that way on \"Leverage,\" but she also shows a lot more power and range now. She's not afraid to belt it out when she needs to. As for the two string instruments, they take the place of any bombastic orchestras or choirs and range in tone from wavering backdrops to playful injections of Celtic influence. They give Leverage a down-to-earth, authentic feel while hinting at Lyriel's past. Did I mention how fun \"Leverage\" is to listen to? It makes me want to buy a pair of ghillies and learn Irish step-dancing. Or, maybe traditional German folk dancing is more appropriate, since Lyriel's from Germany. But you get the idea, I'm sure!","Product: No synopsis available.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: More Orchestral, Less Heavy, but an Edenbridge Classic Regardless\n\nReview: Edenbridge is one of many bands Ive been meaning to check out for years. And after diving through their extensive back catalog in June, I felt prepared to tackle the long-running Austrian symphonic metal bands eighth studio album, The Bonding, for a CD review at a metal webzine. And did I enjoy the challenge!\n\nEdenbridge scaled back on the metal this time to let the orchestral arrangements, lush soundscapes, and Sabine Edelbachers regal voice take center stage. The shift made sense, given the personal circumstances that inspired The Bondings lyrical themes of life, loss, and spirituality. Not to mention the live orchestra is what I love most about this album. Very few symphonic metal bands (except Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Stream of Passion) use live strings and wind instruments on their studio albums these days because of the expense. Hearing the real stuff on The Bonding adds a rich, film-score quality that truly makes symphonic metal, well, symphonic. My only word of caution about The Bonding is about its slow pace. Although the ballads are exquisite and contribute to the album's spiritual, wistful tone, there aren't enough uptempo tracks to balance things out. Otherwise, if you loved MyEarthDream or were disappointed by Solitaire, The Bonding is another reason to keep on loving Edenbridge's music.","Product: Australia's finest export for melodic metal, VANISHING POINT formed in the early 1990's and issued their first album 'In Thought' in 1997. Their latest album, 'Distant To The Sun' proves to be the perfect blend of progressive rock/ metal/gothic/melodic AOR the band is known for. The album was mixed at Greenman Studios in Germany by Sebastian 'Seeb' Levermann (Orden Ogan) and is recommended for fans of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Joe Satriani, and Nightwish.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Welcome back, Vanishing Point!\n\nReview: I first heard of Vanishing Point in 2011 when frontman Silvio Massaro joined prog-symphonic metallers and fellow Australians Divine Ascension for the duet \"Answers\" (featured on Divine Ascension's As The Truth Appears - a great album, by the way!). Silvio's powerful and gravelly yet melodic voice caught my attention right away, and I knew I'd have to check out his band and their music. Turns out Vanishing Point was in the midst of a hiatus due to lineup changes and creative blocks at the time. Now they've returned with Distant Is The Sun, their first album in 7 years and a superb example of melodic power metal.\n\nDistant Is The Sun combines the fast tempos and rapid-fire rhythms of power metal with lush keyboards and synths and occasional progressive turns. This description might cause new listeners to think Vanishing Point's a Kamelot copycat -that couldn't be further from the truth. Vanishing Point focuses more on guitar muscle and opts for symphonic atmospheres instead of full-blown bombast. Lead single \"Where Truth Lies\" is a fantastic example of Vanishing Point's sound, with an incredible chorus that sticks in your head long after the song finishes.\n\nAs most power metal bands do, Vanishing Point sticks mostly to uptempo tracks on Distant Is The Sun. \"King Of Empty Promises,\" the title track, and \"Circle Of Fire,\" which features Sonata Arctica singer Tony Kakko, are among the strongest of the bunch. The band does foray into ballad territory with the rousing sing-along \"Let The River Run\" and the forlorn \"Story Of Misery.\" They also surprise listeners with two exceptional instrumentals, the short yet power-packed \"Beyond Redemption\" and the delicately acoustic \"April.\"\n\nAt the same time, Distant Is The Sun has its flaws. Power metal has never been known for its variety, and this record's an example of that. It excels at maintaining energy from start to finish, but after an hour's worth of almost all uptempo tracks my brain feels as though it's run a marathon. Vanishing Point also overindulge themselves musically at times. With a few songs, they cram in too many dramatic elements (usually synth-strings) or rhythm enhancers (staccato riffs, machine-gun drumming and double-kicking) all at once and risk overwhelming the listener.\n\nApart from that, Vanishing Point have done themselves proud with Distant Is The Sun. They capture their genre's melodramatic glory by relying on guitar muscle and melodic flair and not so much on symphonic bravado. This record should win back long-time Vanishing Point fans as well as attract new followers who enjoy Kamelot, Sonata Arctica, Silent Force, and other similar bands. And when an album can succeed with that goal, you know you've got a winner.\n\nHighlights: \"King Of Empty Promises,\" \"Where Truth Lies,\" \"Let The River Run,\" \"April\"","Product: This is the long awaited fourth installment of George R R Martin's classic \"A Song of Ice and Fire\", continuing the most ambitious and imaginative epic fantasy since \"The Lord of the Rings\". \"A Feast for Crows\" brings to life dark magic, intrigue, and terrible bloodshed as the war-torn landscape of the Seven Kingdoms is threatened by destruction as vast as any in its violent past. The War of the Five Kings has ripped Westeros apart. The bloodthirsty, treacherous and cunning Lannisters occupy the Iron Throne, with allies as ruthless as themselves. Lord Frey was host at the Red Wedding, so called for the massacre of the guests, their screams unheard above the music of the feast. Euron Crow's Eye is as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, sworn to deliver the whole of Westeros to the ironborn. No less to be feared are their enemies. The Starks of Winterfell and the Martells of Dorne seek vengeance for their dead. And the last of the Targaryens, Daenerys Stormborn, will bring fire and blood to King's Landing when her young dragons reach their terrifying maturity. The last war fought with dragons was a cataclysm powerful enough to shatter the Valyrian peninsula, now a smoking, demon-haunted ruin half drowned by the sea. Against a backdrop of alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel! and the coldest hearts.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Savored this \"Feast\" more than I thought I would\n\nReview: When I first opened A Feast For Crows, I felt uneasy - no, reluctant. A Storm of Swords, the previous installment of George R.R. Martin's feverishly popular \"A Song of Fire and Ice\" saga, was good but still boggled my brain to the point where I was thinking, \"Maybe I should quit this series...\" I knew I'd only get more of that in A Feast For Crows. Plus, I was aware and disappointed that three of my favorite POV characters (Danaerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion) wouldn't appear in this book. But in the end, the reader in me wasn't a nitpicking carrion crow, but a hungry reveler savoring every morsel of the banquet.\n\nLike its predecessors, A Feast For Crows is a juicy fruit of conflict, lust, blood, and manipulation. The various points of view contribute to this. Martin continues storylines for several fan favorites (Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Jaime Lanniser, Samwell Tarly) while finally offering glimpses into the heads of other familiar faces (Cersei Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Asha Greyjoy). He also introduces us to new players (and potential \"Game\"-changers) from Dorne and the Iron Islands, as both locales have now been drawn into the overall picture after the events of A Storm Of Swords. Alliances once thought unbreakable are tested and ripped apart. Secrets are shared and spilled. Strategies are carefully woven in the shadows - and often shredded by the agendas of other characters. Then again, isn't that what this \"Song of Ice and Fire\" has been based on since the beginning?\n\nDespite my initial hesitation, I really enjoyed the new POVs and settings introduced in A Feast For Crows. Dorne entranced me completely; it contains the same debauchery and political chess matches seen at King's Landing, but it seems more colorful, lush, and exotic. Arianne Martell, Princess of Dorne, is hands down my favorite new character. She embodies the lusciousness of her homeland while easing herself into Martin's catalog of strong female characters with her persistence, stubbornness, and desire to overcome her wounded past. And wow, did I enjoy Cersei's take! She proves her status as the saga's \"Lady You Love To Hate\" as readers get a first-hand look into her machinations, as well as the start of what could be her downfall. Out of the returning POV characters, my trophy goes to Jaime. His evolution has become increasingly arresting with each book. He's still the arrogant, headstrong knight from A Game Of Thrones, but he's clearly plagued by guilt over his (unintentional) role in his father's death and questioning his loyalty to his sister / lover Cersei. Where Jaime goes from here, I have no clue but definitely want to follow.\n\nI can't say I hated or disliked anything about A Feast For Crows, but the fact that some of the new POV characters have only one chapter annoyed me. If someone's viewpoint matters only for a few pages, why include it at all? Why not write the chapter from the perspective of a character who's guaranteed to pop up more often as the series continues? Here's hoping this \"single-shot\" error doesn't become a habit in A Dance With Dragons.\n\nFor now, though, I'm relishing the Westeros smorgasbord again. A Feast For Crows has renewed my interest in \"A Song of Fire and Ice.\" And even though it's missing some of series' most exciting characters, I welcome most of the new additions and can see their potential significance in the slowly unfolding plot. It's fascinating to see how wide the net of impact has been cast beyond King's Landing. To me, that hints at universal implications of the saga's eventual ending - and at Martin's unprecedented writing genius. Now I definitely have to read A Dance With Dragons before Season 5 of the HBO show begins next year.","Product: Dance with the Dragons book\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not bad, but definitely my least favorite in the Song of Fire And Ice saga\n\nReview: Oyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....\n\nThere. I said it. Because as much as I've enjoyed George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Fire And Ice saga, this latest book was a bear. I wanted to love it, especially since Martin himself signed the white-and-gold behemoth during his book tour. Alas, A Dance With Dragons. You'll only get a \"like\" from me.\n\nA Dance With Dragons doesn't exactly begin where its predecessor, A Feast For Crows, ends. Martin had originally planned for both books to a single book, then realized it needed to be split due to length. Instead of doing a chronological split, he pieced the books together by location. Feast centered on Dorne, King's Landing, the Iron Isles, the Eyrie, and Braavos - which meant certain major characters didn't appear at all. Dance, on the other hand, revisits northern Westeros, the Wall, and Slaver's Bay before drawing the other major settings back into the fray. So, for a good while, the events of Dance actually parallel those in Feast, then continue on and bring back POV characters from Feast. Confused yet? *shakes the bugs out of her brain*\n\nIt took a while for my brain to wrap itself around how the two novels were split. Once I did, I slipped back easily into one of the grittiest and most unpredictable fantasy worlds ever created. Martin knows how to keep readers on their toes - and fearing for characters' lives. Even after all the bloody fights, ravenous trysts, political schemes, and gut-wrenching betrayals that came before, there's a 99-percent chance that any guesses you have about what comes next will be obliterated. Or, more appropriately, roasted by dragonfire.\n\nAnd who better to roast a reader's expectations than George R.R. Martin? In many ways, A Dance With Dragons is a testament to Martin's strengths as a writer. He's great at building compelling character arcs, with Theon Greyjoy being his shining (and awfully tortured) star in Dance. He also excels at intertwining plot threads, reuniting and separating characters and bringing together others for the first time in ways that (once the reader gets all the necessary clues) make complete sense. And finally, Martin can turn words the way wizards cast spells. Sometimes he goes overboard with details, thus slowing the story's pace. But when he sculpts the English language as he does in sections like Melisandre's chapter, you can't help but forgive him a little. Here's one of my favorite excerpts from said chapter, on Page 407:\n\n\"Visions danced before her, gold and scarlet, flickering, forming and melting and dissolving into one another, shapes strange and terrifying and seductive. She say the eyeless faces again, staring out at her from sockets weeping blood. Then the towers by the sea, crumbling as the dark tide came sweeping over them, rising from the depths. Shadows in the shape of skulls, skulls that turned to mist, bodies locked together in lust, writhing and rolling and clawing. Through curtains of fire great winged shadows wheeled against a hard blue sky.\"\n\nFor me, the biggest draw of A Dance with Dragons was the return of my three favorite POV characters of the series. Tyrion Lannister still wields his wits and indulges in wine and women no matter where he's plopped down in Westeros or the Free Cities. He never fails to make me laugh or ceases to amaze me by dusting himself off and getting back on his feet. Jon Snow continues to be one of the few characters with a true moral compass, and because of it he struggles under the weight of his new role as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. I sympathized for him as his fellow watchers questioned everything about him - his honor, his decisions of right vs wrong, even his authority - yet I never stopped rooting for him. As for Danaerys Targaryen, Dance shows her at her most vulnerable, and I sensed it in each of her chapters despite the confident facade she maintained. And when the Mother of Dragons feels powerless by what's going on around her, you know things aren't boding well.\n\nI won't say more about specific characters. At this point in the infamous \"game of thrones,\" the cast probably numbers in the HUNDREDS. Exaggeration? Maybe, but it sure feels that big. More POV characters are introduced in this book; some are familiar faces, others are brand new. In fact, there are so many people to keep track of now that it's hard to find room in my heart to care for them unless they stand out in some way. One new POV character in particular has only four or five chapters to connect with readers, but he never does. (At least, not with me.) So when that character died, I knew I should have felt sorry for him. Instead, I felt... well, nothing.\n\nThis ties in with A Dance With Dragon's biggest misstep: its poorly handled structure. Between an exciting first quarter and heart-stopping final quarter, the middle half snails along with few characters doing anything interesting or important. Sometimes I wanted to throw my hands up in the air, because I couldn't see the point of the section I had just read. Several other quirks regarding POVs and the previously mentioned \"location split\" irritated me as Dance crawled along - and I still remember some of the reactions they provoked:\n\n1) Characters with only one chapter (\"What was the point??\")\n2) Characters who disappear after the novel's halfway point (\"Wait a minute. What happened to that guy? I haven't read about him in 300 pages.\")\n3) Characters last seen in the third book, A Storm of Swords (\"Ummmm... what happened to this person when I last read about him two books and 2 years ago?\")\n4) Characters who appeared in all the previous books but not in Dance (\"If I can't remember what happened to Mr. X at the end of Book #3, how am I going to remember what happened to Miss Y in Book #4 when Book #6 finally comes out?\")\n\nI tried very hard to avoid being snarky here. But when a book makes me seesaw between awe and frustration, the review should reflect those feelings, right?\n\nSo, in a beast-sized nutshell, A Dance With Dragons still sucked me in and took me on a ride, and I liked it for the most part. But it was also the most mind-numbing and maddening romp I've had through the Seven Kingdoms so far. I hope The Winds Of Winter is an improvement over Dance, especially in terms of organization and pacing. All that being said, I'm still a fan of George R.R. Martin and A Song Of Ice And Fire. I love too many of the characters who are still alive (although if you've read the book, too... please tell me You-Know-Who isn't dead! That loss will completely and utterly gut me if it's true), and I'm glad that I've finally caught up on all the books. Though at the TV show's current clip, that won't matter much longer...","Product: One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail! Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions -- Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) -- each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a \"perfect society.\" At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family's group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly \"perfect society.\" To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A rewarding second installment, and an improvement over \"Divergent\"\n\nReview: After seeing the recently released \"Divergent\" film (I read Divergent the book last year), I grabbed Insurgent off my bookshelf and started reading it when I got home. It was an excellent idea; the plot, characters, and world were all fresh in mind, so diving into Insurgent felt like slipping into my most comfortable pair of jeans. And like with Divergent, I had a hard time putting down Insurgent once I started reading it. The major difference? I was more satisfied with the sequel than I was with the original.\n\nWith Insurgent, Veronica Roth has mastered the art of suspense. She excels with writing action and maintaining a brisk, breathless clip, even during the quieter scenes. And gosh, does she know how to create a plot twist. They always come at the right times - and regardless of whether it's a shocking betrayal from someone Tris believed was an ally or a surprise rescue by someone she swore was an enemy, the twists never fail to leave readers agape, even after each character's motives have been revealed.\n\nI also came away pleased with the evolution of Tris and Four / Tobias's relationship. Their attraction to one another in Divergent seemed almost purely physical, with little substance. It's still this way when Insurgent begins - and then BOOM! Between Tris's hasty decisions that put her life at constant risk, Tobias's disagreements with Tris' (often correct) intuition, and the secrets they hide from one another, the couple grows deeply concerned and frustrated with one another. The arguments that follow explode on the page, and it's terrific. Once the anger fades, the reader clearly sees why these two characters care about each other and can truly root for Tris and Four to succeed together.\n\nWhile I have no complaints about plot or characters, the first several chapters almost suffocated me with Tris' guilt trip over killing her friend Will in the previous book. I completely understand it was a traumatic experience for Tris, but how necessary was it her to wallow in her grief and remorse afterwards to the extent and length of time that she does? If it wasn't for Roth's exhilarating writing style, continuing to read this book would have been a burden. Thankfully the anguish lifts once Tris accepts Will's death, making the rest of Insurgent a rewarding experience.\n\nOther critiques I have for Insurgent are nitpicks and pet peeves. For example, way too many chapters and individual scenes within chapters begin with Tris waking up. More variety in scene and chapter beginnings would have made these transitions less repetitive. Otherwise, I found Insurgent a thrilling and satisfying second act to Roth's Divergent series. It's rare that the second book in a trilogy betters the first - and since Divergent left me excited yet dissatisfied, I was all the more pleased that Insurgent improved on all the areas where its predecessor was lacking. Now I look forward to reading the trilogy's finale, Allegiant. I do know how that last book ends (it's impossible to avoid reading the online discussions because of the controversy it caused) and how it's a dual narrative switching between Tris and Tobias, but I'm going to read Allegiant with an open mind and reserve all opinions for when I've finished it.","Product: The fourth volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. Now a major Sky Atlantic TV series from HBO, featuring a stellar cast. . The Lannisters are in power on the Iron Throne. The war in the Seven Kingdoms has burned itself out, but in its bitter aftermath new conflicts spark to life. The Martells of Dorne and the Starks of Winterfell seek vengeance for their dead. Euron Crow's Eye, as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, returns from the smoking ruins of Valyria to claim the Iron Isles. From the icy north, where Others threaten the Wall, apprentice Maester Samwell Tarly brings a mysterious babe in arms to the Citadel. As plots, intrigue and battle threaten to engulf Westeros, victory will go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel and the coldest hearts.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Savored this \"Feast\" more than I thought I would\n\nReview: When I first opened A Feast For Crows, I felt uneasy - no, reluctant. A Storm of Swords, the previous installment of George R.R. Martin's feverishly popular \"A Song of Fire and Ice\" saga, was good but still boggled my brain to the point where I was thinking, \"Maybe I should quit this series...\" I knew I'd only get more of that in A Feast For Crows. Plus, I was aware and disappointed that three of my favorite POV characters (Danaerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion) wouldn't appear in this book. But in the end, the reader in me wasn't a nitpicking carrion crow, but a hungry reveler savoring every morsel of the banquet.\n\nLike its predecessors, A Feast For Crows is a juicy fruit of conflict, lust, blood, and manipulation. The various points of view contribute to this. Martin continues storylines for several fan favorites (Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Jaime Lanniser, Samwell Tarly) while finally offering glimpses into the heads of other familiar faces (Cersei Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Asha Greyjoy). He also introduces us to new players (and potential \"Game\"-changers) from Dorne and the Iron Islands, as both locales have now been drawn into the overall picture after the events of A Storm Of Swords. Alliances once thought unbreakable are tested and ripped apart. Secrets are shared and spilled. Strategies are carefully woven in the shadows - and often shredded by the agendas of other characters. Then again, isn't that what this \"Song of Ice and Fire\" has been based on since the beginning?\n\nDespite my initial hesitation, I really enjoyed the new POVs and settings introduced in A Feast For Crows. Dorne entranced me completely; it contains the same debauchery and political chess matches seen at King's Landing, but it seems more colorful, lush, and exotic. Arianne Martell, Princess of Dorne, is hands down my favorite new character. She embodies the lusciousness of her homeland while easing herself into Martin's catalog of strong female characters with her persistence, stubbornness, and desire to overcome her wounded past. And wow, did I enjoy Cersei's take! She proves her status as the saga's \"Lady You Love To Hate\" as readers get a first-hand look into her machinations, as well as the start of what could be her downfall. Out of the returning POV characters, my trophy goes to Jaime. His evolution has become increasingly arresting with each book. He's still the arrogant, headstrong knight from A Game Of Thrones, but he's clearly plagued by guilt over his (unintentional) role in his father's death and questioning his loyalty to his sister / lover Cersei. Where Jaime goes from here, I have no clue but definitely want to follow.\n\nI can't say I hated or disliked anything about A Feast For Crows, but the fact that some of the new POV characters have only one chapter annoyed me. If someone's viewpoint matters only for a few pages, why include it at all? Why not write the chapter from the perspective of a character who's guaranteed to pop up more often as the series continues? Here's hoping this \"single-shot\" error doesn't become a habit in A Dance With Dragons.\n\nFor now, though, I'm relishing the Westeros smorgasbord again. A Feast For Crows has renewed my interest in \"A Song of Fire and Ice.\" And even though it's missing some of series' most exciting characters, I welcome most of the new additions and can see their potential significance in the slowly unfolding plot. It's fascinating to see how wide the net of impact has been cast beyond King's Landing. To me, that hints at universal implications of the saga's eventual ending - and at Martin's unprecedented writing genius. Now I definitely have to read A Dance With Dragons before Season 5 of the HBO show begins next year.","Product: One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail! Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions -- Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) -- each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a \"perfect society.\" At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family's group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly \"perfect society.\" To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Gripping Read, With Room For Improvement (In Later Books)\n\nReview: After I finished the Hunger Games trilogy, a couple friends recommended that I read \"Divergent,\" a best-selling dystopian YA novel about a teenage girl who switches factions after receiving inconclusive - and potentially dangerous - test results about her character. (To keep this review short, feel free to check out other reviewers' synopses of \"Divergent,\" as many of them cover it quite well.) While I enjoyed \"Divergent,\" certain aspects of the story bothered me. First, the violence described in \"Divergent\" is shocking at times, more so than any fight scene in The Hunger Games. Second, I didn't find Tris and Four's relationship believable enough. I could tell that Four admires Tris for her audacity and self-respect, and that they're physically attracted to one another. But... why else does Tris gravitate to Four? Unless I missed something, I honestly don't see other reasons. That said, Roth really draws you into the novel. Her active, vivid storytelling injects thrills and suspense at the right moments and is a treat for readers with cinematic imaginations (i.e., picturing scenes as they happen). So by the two-thirds mark (around the final stages of the Dauntless initiation), I didn't want to put the book down. I plan to read \"Insurgent\" and \"Allegiant\" (in that order) in the near future, with the hope that they will satisfy me more than \"Divergent\" did.","Product: New\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: The most bookish fun I've had in Westeros since A Game Of Thrones\n\nReview: Actual Rating: 4.25 out of 5\n\nBefore Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, and Ned Stark were born, there was A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Ser Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight with origins unknown even to him, travels the continent of Westeros in search of lords who need an extra swordsman. His squire is a mystery, too - a young, shaven-head boy who goes by the nickname Egg, but is really Prince Aegon Targaryen. And in this trio of novellas, which is complemented by Gary Gianni's stunning illustrations, readers learn how this unlikely pair meets, watch their relationship grow, and discover what both characters are willing to do for one another.\n\nI struggled with A Dance With Dragons last year because of its length, overabundance in detail, and the \"grimdark\" aspects wearing on me. Knight's novellas, however, are collectively a fresh drink of water. I loved both lead characters for different reasons. Ser Duncan (a.k.a. Dunk) isn't the sharpest blade on the belt, but he's humble, stubbornly loyal, and admirably courageous. And Egg is full of personality: bright, daring, and too outspoken for his own good. Together, they offer a candid, wide-eyed perspective into a land where morality and chivalry are often rejected for personal pleasure and agenda.\n\nAs for the novellas, each builds on the history that fans may already know about Westeros, with more insight into the reign of House Targaryen. And, each is delightfully entertaining thanks to Egg's youthful bluntness (seriously, he can be so funny!) and Dunk's knack for getting in over his head. \"The Sworn Sword\" is my favorite, with subtle romance and Dunk's steadfastness despite being caught in a web of deception. The other two stories are also very good, though they suffer from long-winded description. And with few scene breaks (and no chapter breaks), sometimes it took too long to feel like I could come up for air. But the characters and the gorgeously detailed illustrations make A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms more than worthwhile. This is seriously the most fun I've had in Westeros in a while - unless you count the Game of Thrones TV show, of course. ;)","Product: City of Light\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Enjoyed this futuristic, post-apocalyptic urban / paranormal fantasy more than I thought I would!\n\nReview: In Keri Arthur's City of Light, the survivors of a brutal war between humans and shape-shifters live in constant fear and artificial light. Bombs had torn the veil between worlds, letting vampires, wraiths, and other death spirits into Earth; and the light is the only means of keeping them away from the living. One of the survivors is Tiger, a humanoid super-soldier created to lure information from the enemy and intent on living the rest of her days in hiding. But when Tiger rescues a little girl from vampires, she learns that the girl and other children had been abducted by something that shouldn't exist: a light-immune wraith. It's a mystery that hits close to Tiger's heart, and one that compels her to investigate the abductions - and risk her very life because of who she is.\n\nParanormal or urban fantasy isn't my usual fare. But after reading a review of City of Light at The Bibliosanctum (and winning a giveaway copy - thanks again, ladies!), I was intrigued enough to check it out. And did it deliver! The world-building is robust and stunning, featuring several paranormal species, magic, sci-fi technology and weapons, and a post-apocalyptic Earth still reeling from the supernatural mess its inhabitants made. It really feels \"lived in\" and unique, especially since the creatures are portrayed in new ways without seeming unfamiliar. And, Tiger kicks butt as a protagonist. She's analytical, independent, and fiercely protective of the ghosts she lives with. She's also aware of the world's negative perceptions of her kind, and her fight to keep her true identity a secret makes the story incredibly compelling.\n\nAs much as Arthur's world-building impressed me, it could have been handled better. There's a lot of information to take in, and a good deal of it is dumped at the beginning, which makes things overwhelming at first. Also, while I don't mind sex scenes, the limited sex in City of Light was too detailed and manipulative for my tastes. I understand why they were written that way, given Tiger's \"lure\" rank, but I didn't enjoy them. That being said, I remained invested in City of Light through its heart-stopping (and heart-breaking) ending. It's an exciting, engrossing read that defies paranormal or urban fantasy stereotypes and was a lot more fun than I expected it to be.","Product: 2015 Bloomsbury trade paperback, Elizbeth Gilbert. Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilberts books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. - Amazon\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: As a writer, I can relate to Elizabeth Gilbert's \"Big Magic\" so much :)\n\nReview: Actual Rating: 4.5 out of 5\n\nCreativity can be a vast and elusive topic to explore. Yet in Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert (best known for Eat Pray Love) embraces the subject with passion, humor, and boundless joy. Each section brims with wisdom from Gilbert's own experiences (successes, failures, and lessons from all) and the perspectives of other creative individuals, from fellow authors to artists, musicians, and teachers. At the core of it all, though, is the idea of \"magic\" - a nebulous yet fulfilling blend of curiosity, courage, and spirituality. And by taking Gilbert's guidance to heart, readers can find their own ways of incorporating more \"magic\" into their lives and become their most empowered, creative selves.\n\nIt's difficult to review a book like Big Magic, since its material is so subjective and its audience so specific. However, as a writer pursuing her dreams on the side, I can relate to Gilbert's messages. So. MUCH. Reading Big Magic was like seeing many of my own feelings and attitudes about creativity acknowledged in print. I also love a number of the new insights Gilbert offered, and how she structured the book into sections based on traits that can help readers foster their creativity. Her frankness takes some getting used to, but her enthusiasm, grace, and sincerity gives the writing a warm, sparkling energy that beckons you to laugh, smile, or gasp in wonder.\n\nNot all readers will agree with Gilbert's wisdom. A couple of her points don't align with my own beliefs on creativity. Some reviewers have also misinterpreted Gilbert's spirituality angle, saying that she calls creativity a kind of religion. I understand Gilbert's stance, since I too feel a spiritual connection with my craft - and not once did I feel like she was deifying the subject. So, while I highly recommend Big Magic, it's not a book for everyone. The right people, however, will glean gold and gems from this meditation / coaching session / treasure trove, and come away feeling inspired and ready to embark on their dreams.","Product: Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: While I don't love \"The Silmarillion,\" I now have a deeper appreciation for Tolkien's imagination and world-building\n\nReview: How does one begin a review on a tome that Tolkienites call \"the Bible of Middle-Earth\"? The only way might be to nod in agreement. Even knowing how The Silmarillion was different from The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, and reading it slowly as a result, didn't quite prepare me for the demands this book would place on me as a reader. However, J.R.R. Tolkien was the author who opened the gates of fantasy literature for me, and I intend to read anything he's ever written about Middle-Earth. So I dutifully plowed through The Silmarillion and came away with wide-eyed bewilderment and a greater respect from Tolkien's work.\n\nFor those of you who haven't read The Silmarillion: This is not a novel. Rather, it's a cross between a short story collection and an encyclopedia on a fictional world. The tales that comprise The Silmarillion recount the early days of Middle-Earth, from the birth of the Elves, to the rise of Morgoth and his loyal servant Sauron, to the coming of Men and Dwarves, and much more in between. One of the common threads is the Silmarils, a trio of jewels created by the Elf Fanor and later stolen by Morgoth. This led to the first wars between the Dark Lord and the peoples of Middle-Earth, as well as conflicts within the Elvish race and between their Men and Dwarf neighbors. You'll find betrayals and romance, slayings and torture, friendships and alliances, sibling rivalries and dysfunctional families - and a dragon or two for good measure. This might sound like a summary for any book from the Song Of Fire And Ice Saga. However, this is Tolkien and Middle-Earth, not George R.R. Martin and Westeros. Meaning that while Tolkien doesn't shy away from those topics, he handles them carefully and in the unadorned writing style that trademarks his other works.\n\nSo much happens in The Silmarillion that it's impossible to discuss actual plots, characters, and so forth without repeating the entire book. If I had to choose my favorite tales, I'd say \"Ainulindal\" (\"The Music of the Ainur\"), \"Valaquenta\" (an explanation of who the Ainur were), and \"Of Beren and Luthien.\" All three contain some of the most exquisitely written passages I've ever read by Tolkien. \"Ainulindal\" in particular is an origin story, relating the birth of the eternal spirits known as the Ainur and how they created music together before they were granted permission to enter and govern the world that eventually became Middle-Earth. It's difficult to describe in more detail, but the idea behind it was beautifully executed. \"Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin\" and \"Of the Voyage of Erendil and the War of Wrath\" were also quite memorable, and two of The Silmarillion's more tragic tales.\n\nIt's worth noting that \"Of Trin Turambar\" is an abbreviated version of the the novel-length The Children of Hrin. I read that book a couple years ago, but wasn't aware it would pop up in The Silmarillion until I checked the Table of Contents. Not that I minded; reading The Silmarillion's version refreshed my memory on the story of Trin, his younger sister Nienor, and the curse Morgoth cast on them after capturing their father Hrin. Also, even though The Silmarillion (or the copy I have of it) is almost 450 pages long, the final tale ends on Page 366. The remaining pages are family trees, maps, pronunciation guides, and an index of all the character and location names that appear during The Silmarillion. These extras - especially the maps and the Index of Names - were quite helpful as I read the book.\n\nI was advised to read The Silmarillion slowly, and in hindsight I'm grateful for that advice. This isn't a massive book in terms of page count, but the number of characters, places, conflicts, and so on is staggering. Reading one tale per sit-down helped me digest everything gradually without getting overwhelmed. After a while, though, it became a real challenge to remember who everyone was and what they had done in the past. This is where the Index of Names came in handy.\n\nOne thing I always have to remember when reading Tolkien is his writing style. It tends to be simple and dry, emphasizing narrative over expressiveness or emotion (with some exceptions). That kind of writing was acceptable by publishing standards back in Tolkien's days. I personally have a harder time enjoying that style, though it hasn't prevented me from loving The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. But with The Silmarillion, I often felt like I was reading a history textbook. Which The Silmarillion sort of is, but it made my experience more of an obligation than a pleasurable ride. Struggling to keep characters' names and roles in early Middle-Earth straight only compounded the problem further. I'm not sure how else to explain this, especially since I knew The Silmarillion had a different purpose from his more traditional stories... But I didn't come away loving this book as other Tolkien enthusiasts have.\n\nMaybe this is the best way to summarize my feelings about The Silmarillion: While Tolkien may not be my favorite writer in terms of his style of writing, I now have a deeper appreciation for his imagination and the depth of his world-building. He created for Middle-Earth a history as rich, layered, and turbulent as our own. That's what makes it so believable, and such an accomplishment. That said, I'd only recommend The Silmarillion to die-hard Tolkien fans, or anyone who truly wants to know everything about Middle-Earth. This is a dense and demanding read that requires patience and the right mindset."],"string":"[\n \"Product: 2013 album from Dutch singer, songwriter and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen AKA Ayreon. The genius progressive metal artist will release a new album under the title of his Ayreon project. a release date wasn't announced yet, thought on October 2012 Arjen Anthony Lucassen said it will probably take a year for the album to be ready. He also stated that the album would be the start of a new story apart from the previous Ayreon albums. and confirmed the presence of drummer Ed Warby as usual.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A true playground of sound\\n\\nReview: Originally I wasn't thrilled with the format of Arjen Lucassen's eighth Ayreon album, \\\"The Theory Of Everything.\\\" Four 20+ songs divided into a total of 42 tracks, ranging in length from 20-something seconds to just under 4 minutes... Ay yi yi. But with each spin, I've learned to leave my disgruntlement behind. \\\"The Theory Of Everything\\\" is just that fantastic. It contains that familiar fusion of progressive rock, heavy metal, electronic music, and folk instruments from past Ayreon albums. However, it's more experimental and instrumental than its predecessors. Some of the divided segments take on a normal verse-chorus structure, while others act as melody-driven monologues, conversations, or arguments. Recurring motifs and lyric verses also connect the songs themes and the characters conflicts. Hooks and contrasts abound here, as do solos from guest musicians such as ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess, and Nightwish piper Troy Donockley, among others.\\n\\nConcept-wise, this new Ayreon story isn't \\\"out of this world,\\\" as past albums have dealt with outer space and science fiction plots. \\\"Theory\\\" centers on human struggles with ambition, greed, finding one's life purpose, and solving one of physics most elusive equations. And the vocal line-up... Honestly, I don't know how Arjen keeps creating stellar singing casts with each album. Each vocalist plays their role with convincing emotion. I was particularly impressed by Marco Hietala as the Rival (he truly \\\"acted\\\" out his lines and is so much fun to listen to) and Cristina Scabbia as the Mother (a real comeback quality-wise, after letdowns with her past two Lacuna Coil albums).\\n\\nIn short: No other artist comes close to creating a playground of sound the way that Arjen Lucassen does on his Ayreon records. \\\"The Theory Of Everything\\\" needed some time to grow on me - and it has done so, substantially. I even think I'd rank \\\"Theory\\\" right behind \\\"01011001\\\" as my favorite Ayreon album of all time.\",\n \"Product: ELYSION was founded in 2006 when guitarist and mastermind of the band Johnny Zero recruited talented musicians with different musical backgrounds to shape up a highly promising team. The musical approach consisted of many shades of atmospheric and metal elements mixed with pop/rock as well as alternative/electro and gothic influences. Elysion has been invited to headline important rock and metal events and also had the pleasure to support a great number of top artists of the scene, including The Gathering, Christian Death, Diary Of Dreams, and Star Industry. Their debut album 'Silent Scr3am' was released in December 2009, enjoying an overwhelmingly warm welcome in the music scene. The artwork of their new album 'Someplace Better' was created by Gustavo Sazes (Arch Enemy, Morbid Angel, Manowar, Kamelot, Amaranthe).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: No Sophomore Slump for Elysion on Someplace Better\\n\\nReview: Elysions second album, Someplace Better shows the Greek gothic metallers continuing their formula of short, simple, and catchy songs with dark, dreamy moods and electronic influences. It sounds a lot like the bands 2009 debut CD Silent Scr3am at first, but several listens or, even better, a shuffle mix of songs from both albums reveals a slight shift. Nid and Johnny Zeros guitarwork has grown subtly heavier and more dynamic. And since Christianna had only sung vocals on Silent Scr3am, Someplace Better is the first Elysion release to feature her lyrics and melodies. (Previous frontwoman Maxi Nil had penned the lyrics for Silent Scr3am before leaving Elysion to join Visions Of Atlantis in 2008.) Christiannas writing style fits Elysion so well, its almost impossible to tell someone different is responsible this time.\\n\\nThe darkening shades in Elysions music can be heard on Someplace Betters first two tracks, the nu-metal-esque Made Of Lies and the anthemic title track. Our Fate and Breakfree also showcase denser guitars but with faster tempos. Other tracks like Fairytale, What Lies Beneath, and Awake would have suited Silent Scr3am just as well as this new album had Elysion written them earlier in their career. As for ballads, Elysion adds a string quartet to The Promise and the acoustic Transparent, a lovely touch that works well on both songs.\\n\\nPersonally, I prefer Silent Scr3am over Someplace Better. None of the songs on the latter reach the same memorable heights as the formers strongest moments. That doesnt undermine the consistency heard from track to track on Someplace Better. This is a solid, satisfying follow-up that Elysion fans will sing along with and headbang to for the rest of the year. Fans of Evanescence, current-day Lacuna Coil, or H.I.M. who haven't heard of Elysion before should also be pleased with what they find on Someplace Better.\\n\\nHighlights: Fairytale, Our Fate, Breakfree\",\n \"Product: 2014 release, the sixth studio album from the Dutch Symphonic Metal band. Hydra finds the band moving forward into a more earthy and modern direction while remaining fast, heavy and uniquely Within Temptation. The album contains guest appearances by Metalcore singer Howard Jones (ex-Killswitch Engage), rapper Xzibit, classical-crossover/symphonic metal vocalist Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish) and alternative rock singer Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum).\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: It all comes down to personal tastes with \\\"Hydra\\\"\\n\\nReview: Boy did I have to wrack my brain to figure out how I felt about this album. And anyone who knows my taste in music well enough knows that Within Temptation has been one of my favorite bands for nearly a decade. So, naturally, I was excited for the Dutch symphonic metal band's sixth studio album, Hydra. This is WT's most sprawling set to date, with songs that draw from every possible corner of their sound. Thunderously heavy, dreamy and pop-tinged, bombastic and cinematic, airy and melancholy - you truly get it all here. Hydra also features four guest vocalists with equally unique sounds: metalcore titan Howard Jones (ex-Killswitch Engage), soprano star Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish, now solo), Soul Asylum frontman David Pirner, and - bet you didn't see this coming - rapper Xhibit.\\n\\nThe overall opinions on Hydra have been as varied as the sounds WT explores on Hydra: Some people love it, others don't, and still others are torn by it. I'm in that third category - which has turned this from a normal CD-reviewing experience into hair-yanking agony.\\n\\nTruthfully, I enjoy a number of songs from Hydra. \\\"Dangerous\\\" absolutely rocks, with palpable tension, stormy rhythms, and one of the most unexpectedly awesome vocal collaborations I've ever heard. Other dramatic uptempo numbers (\\\"Tell Me Why,\\\" \\\"Silver Moonlight\\\") whisk you away to metal fantasyland, while the strongest ballads (particularly \\\"Edge Of The World\\\") envelop you with evocative melodies and arrangements. Some tracks also hearken back to older WT records; \\\"Covered By Roses,\\\" for example, would have fit The Heart Of Everything as well as Hydra. Then then are songs that either I've remained indifferent toward after several listens or that fall short of WT's usual high standards of lyrics (\\\"Dog Days,\\\" particularly the chorus) and overall impact (\\\"Let Us Burn\\\" lacks that special \\\"kick-off\\\" spark). Finally, four is an annoying high number of guest collaborations on a rock or metal albums. It's nice to see and hear WT in that kind of spirit, but it's overkill. They're who I really want to listen to when I play a WT album.\\n\\nMy best advice when it comes to Hydra is to listen with an open mind. You might love everything you hear, or you might not. Or you might seesaw back and forth, like I did. And you'll find this rift in opinions in the reviews you'll read on Hydra on Amazon as well as webzine and print reviews. Personally, I like Hydra, but it's inconsistent. I skip over a few tracks because they don't appeal to me, and one or two others get little more than a shrug as my reaction. This doesn't mean I'm jumping off the WT bandwagon. It just means this album leaves me dissatisfied, and it's hard to hide it when one of your all-time favorite artists leaves you feeling that way.\\n\\nHighlights: \\\"Dangerous,\\\" \\\"Silver Moonlight,\\\" \\\"Edge Of The World\\\"\",\n \"Product: 2014 limited edition 2X vinyl LP pressing of their sixth studio album. Napalm.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Fighting the urge to switch to Xandrias older albums while writing this review\\n\\nReview: Recently Ive noticed a pattern with my opinions about female-fronted symphonic metal albums: When a band releases what ends up becoming my favorite album of theirs, their next release fails to impress me. This has happened with Epica (I loved 2009s Design Your Universe, then was bored by 2012s Requiem For The Indifferent) and earlier this year with Within Temptation (The Unforgiving was my favorite album of 2011, while Hydra needs a miracle to make my Top 10 of 2014). Unfortunately, Im now adding Xandria to this list. The German quintets new album Sacrificium has its moments but doesn't electrify as its predecessor, Neverworlds End, had done.\\n\\nLet me be clear: I wasn't expecting a repeat of the last album. With Dianne van Giersbergen replacing previous frontwoman Manuela Kraller last year, I knew Sacrificium would be different. And it is, with a slight power metal edge, a greater choir presence, and a more sophisticated air almost like Epica without the male grunts. As for Dianne, fans who are familiar with her work with her other band Ex Libris already know she OWNS the mic. Her expressiveness and operatic gymnastics rival the likes of Floor Jansen and Tarja Turunen. Dianne shows shades of her vocal colors on Xandrias new material, but she doesnt paint with her entire palette. Instead, she takes a more conservative and reserved approach that pales in comparison to her Ex Libris recordings. Comparing the work of two different metal bands here may not be the fairest way to review. But with Ex Libris releasing a new album just a few months ago and Diannes outstanding performance there still fresh in my mind, its awfully hard not to.\\n\\nWhat disappoints me more about Sacrificium, though, is that none of the new songs stand out to me. Theyre not terrible, but most of them sound well, like filler. I remember very little about this album when I finish it, so I walk away unmoved each time. Also, my brain just cant process Sacrificium as a Xandria album. Its convinced that a completely different band is playing. Sure, this albums equally as bombastic as Neverworlds End, but the latter album retained the playfulness and sensuality wed heard from Xandria on other older albums, going back as far as Ravenheart. I cant detect those qualities anywhere on Sacrificium, and I miss them.\\n\\nSacrificium does have its bright spots. Stardust funnels a flurry of guitars, choirs, and synth-strings through an exhilarating worm hole, complete with (what sounds like) a sci-fi lyrical slant thats new for Xandria and works well. Betrayer, on the other hand, breathes down the listeners neck with saturated, throttling guitars. No competition here for the title of this albums Soulcrusher. (If you own Neverworlds End, you know what Im talking about.) Temple of Hate, the short yet pretty Our Neverworld, and the exquisite winter-tale The Undiscovered Land are also worth revisiting.\\n\\nI cant say the same for the rest of Sacrificium, though. Even while listening to this CD to write this review, Im fighting the urge to switch to other Xandria albums in my collection. Stylistically it may be a good example of symphonic metal's grandiloquence. But as a listener, I want to be stirred or inspired I want to feel something beautiful. Indifference with streaks of pleasure is what Sacrificium makes me feel, and I wouldn't call that beautiful.\\n\\nHighlights: Stardust, The Undiscovered Land, Betrayer\",\n \"Product: EPICA THE QUANTUM ENIGMA\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: This \\\"Enigma\\\" has restored my faith in Epica and their music\\n\\nReview: I've been an Epica fan since 2006 and either liked or loved all of their albums, with Design Your Universe my all-time favorite of theirs. Then came Requiem For The Indifferent in 2012. No matter how many times I listened to it, I walked away bored by its musical wanderings and lack of inspiring melodies. So, when Epica announced the release date for their sixth studio album The Quantum Enigma, I hoped like a maniac that the Dutch symphonic metallers wouldn't disappoint me again. I wasn't looking for another Design Your Universe, just an improvement over last time. Now I can breathe a sigh of relief - because The Quantum Enigma hasn't let me down. In fact, I like it more with each spin.\\n\\nChange seems to be the overall theme on this album. Instead of continuing with long-time producer Sascha Paeth, Epica worked with Joost van der Brook, who's produced albums for a slew of other female-fronted metal bands (Stream of Passion, Xandria, ReVamp). The Quantum Enigma also features live strings for the first time since 2005's Consign To Oblivion, a massive professional choir instead of a \\\"choir-like\\\" group of session vocalists, and a more modern metal sound. Mark Jansen and Isaac Delahaye have really honed the guitar sound for the new material; it's thick, complex, razor-sharp, and at times appealingly tangled and chaotic. This new edginess gives fresh perspective on some songs (\\\"The Second Stone,\\\" \\\"The Essence of Silence,\\\" \\\"Chemical Insomnia\\\") while enhancing the band's triumphant sound of old on others (the title track, \\\"Sense Without Sanity,\\\" \\\"Unchain Utopia\\\").\\n\\nThe Quantum Enigma's brightest highlights show Epica's ability to reveal subtleties in complex arrangements. The title track is a stunning example; it's a 12-minute blossoming flower, unfolding in the same purposeful way as past climactic epics. And how about those memorable hooks and melodies? They were sorely missing from Requiem... and now make a welcome return. The strongest hooks transfer effortlessly from one instrument to another, from ascending keyboard / guitar lines on \\\"Natural Corruption\\\" to the graceful Oriental wind and acoustic notes on the gorgeous instrumental \\\"The Fifth Guardian.\\\" As for melodies, the title track's call-for-action choral chants are bound to stir concert crowds to sing along, while bonus track \\\"In All Conscience\\\" boasts the band's most majestic chorus ever.\\n\\nI have to admit, my initial impression of The Quantum Enigma was tainted by the first two tracks. The flurry of excessive high notes in \\\"Originem\\\" grates on my nerves, while \\\"The Second Stone\\\" starts off exhilarating but loses its energy come chorus-time. Together they soured my mood enough for the rest of the album on that first listen. Now I skip those two tracks and listen to the rest of the CD thinking, \\\"Hey, this is better than I originally thought!\\\" I say that now because The Quantum Enigma is a stronger, more memorable collection of songs than Requiem.... Some melodies and musical moments do fall flat or feel recycled, and sometimes I wish frontwoman Simone Simons would sing with more emotion like how she did on past albums. Overall, though, I enjoy this set almost as much as I enjoy Design Your Universe and 2007's The Divine Conspiracy.\\n\\nI can't say that every fan who was dissatisfied with Requiem will like this new album more. But for me personally, The Quantum Enigma rights the ship that was tipping two years ago. The grittier direction, improved songwriting quality, and return of live strings all help to inject new life into the music. So, in short, this album has restored my faith in Epica. And in a year when other big names in the female-fronted metal realm haven't satisfied me, The Quantum Enigma is an ultimately gratifying winner.\\n\\nHighlights: \\\"The Quantum Enigma,\\\" \\\"In All Conscience\\\" (bonus track), \\\"Natural Corruption,\\\" \\\"The Essence of Silence,\\\" \\\"The Fifth Guardian\\\" (instrumental)\",\n \"Product: Anathema Distant Satellites German 2-LP vinyl set\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Anathema dons a slightly altered coat for \\\"Distant Satellites,\\\" but not a new soul\\n\\nReview: If I told you Id been eagerly awaiting Anathemas tenth studio album Distant Satellites, it would be the understatement to end all understatements. These British prog rockers have been my favorite band of the past couple years and the easiest way for me to describe their previous album, 2012s Weather Systems, is a profoundly life-changing experience. So, believe me when I say Ive tried and failed to not revert to childlike giddiness while waiting for Distant Satellites to come out. And while Distant Satellites doesnt come close to matching the impact of its predecessor (which I was expecting), it succeeds in charting its own course through Anathemas ever-evolving style.\\n\\nRoughly the first half of Distant Satellites sounds much like the Anathema weve come to know over the past two studio albums. Still present are the swelling arrangements, winding structures, simple lyrics, and affecting vocals of Vincent Cavanagh and Lee Douglas. However, with the increased use of keyboards, the new material feels more atmospheric and less organic. The overall mood has also shifted, from life-affirming hope and brightness to darker, more contemplative shadows. Yet, the songs still carry that attention to nuance and feeling that allows Anathema to transcend the typical expectations of music.\\n\\nKick-off track The Lost Song Pt 1 offers the first evidence of change. It takes 3 minutes for the guitars to break in, but fans will recognize the bed of strings, off-beat rhythms, and pirouetting piano notes as part of Anathemas signature. The Lost Song Pt 3 and Anathema use similar approaches; the former begins with subtle keyboards and brisk drumming before the rock elements burst in, while the latter broods on oceanic strings and piano teardrops while recalling Anathemas early days. Other highlights include the guitar-driven rollercoaster ride Dusk (Dark Is Descending) and the ballad Ariel, which overflows with a love so palpable it breaks your heart in the most beautiful way.\\n\\nThe second half of Distant Satellites strips down the music to synthesizers and programming. Yep, Anathema goes electronic for the albums last four tracks and believe it or not, they're not that bad. In fact, they retain Anathemas spirit. Crescendos sneak their way into the breezy title track and the whirlpooling Take Shelter, as do live strings on the latter. Even the instrumental Firelight is pervaded with the surreality, emotion, and intensity weve come to know from Anathema. Youre Not Alone is the only failed experiment, in my opinion. The digi-rock guitar distortions are pretty cool, but Danny and Vincent repeat the same verse for 3 minutes. I have to press Skip for this track; otherwise, I might just pull my hair out.\\n\\nWhile I don't mind the new direction on Distant Satellites Well, Im still on the fence about it. Electronic music doesnt move me the way that more organic and band-oriented music does. If Anathema were to shift to a prog electro-rock fusion sort of like Atomas Skylight, that would be awesome. Theyd work marvels with that style. But, honestly, Anathema won't really be Anathema if the Cavanaghs permanently cut down on their vivid, evocative guitarwork. I hope they don't make that mistake on future albums.\\n\\nFor now, lets view Distant Satellites as Anathema donning a slightly altered coat, not a new soul. Id describe the color as Northern Lights: arresting, ethereal, vibrant with dark undertones, changing with the moods of each track. Fans may need time to adjust to the changes, and even then some are bound to reject the electronic ventures outright. In the end, though, Anathema have crafted another beauty with Distant Satellites. It doesnt rival the bands previous two studio albums, but its a welcome addition to their catalog and deserving of praise for its gleaming, unique personality.\\n\\nHighlights: Ariel, Anathema, Dusk (Dark Is Descending)\",\n \"Product: The Gothic/Metal sensation from Germany, Lyriel's musical repertoire ranges from dreamy ballads, a pinch of medieval tunes, to heavy Rock songs with elements of Classical and Celtic Folk music. Distinct, related musical genres merge and become a new, particular style in Lyriel's music. Lyriel distinguish themselves from other bands in the genre by featuring live violin and cello on stage, instead of using keyboard-generated strings. The band can play its entire repertoire either as a heavier Rock set, or a folky acoustic set, which further highlights the musicians' versatility. Front woman Jessica Thierjung impresses with a diverse use of her voice, whose sound can take any form between powerful and mellow.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Finally fell in love with Lyriel's music, thanks to \\\"Leverage\\\"\\n\\nReview: Folk metal's not my thing. I can't explain why; it just doesn't appeal to me. As a result, I've never cared for Lyriel's music - until last year. The band took a new approach on their fourth album, \\\"Leverage.\\\" The music is heavier and streamlined, less folky, and highly enjoyable. I'd describe the new material as melodic metal, with the melodic aspects coming from singer Jessica Thierjung, cellist Linda Laukamp, and violinist Joon Laukamp. Thierjung was the biggest surprise for me on this album. The only side I'd heard of her voice before was emotive yet delicate. She still sings that way on \\\"Leverage,\\\" but she also shows a lot more power and range now. She's not afraid to belt it out when she needs to. As for the two string instruments, they take the place of any bombastic orchestras or choirs and range in tone from wavering backdrops to playful injections of Celtic influence. They give Leverage a down-to-earth, authentic feel while hinting at Lyriel's past. Did I mention how fun \\\"Leverage\\\" is to listen to? It makes me want to buy a pair of ghillies and learn Irish step-dancing. Or, maybe traditional German folk dancing is more appropriate, since Lyriel's from Germany. But you get the idea, I'm sure!\",\n \"Product: No synopsis available.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: More Orchestral, Less Heavy, but an Edenbridge Classic Regardless\\n\\nReview: Edenbridge is one of many bands Ive been meaning to check out for years. And after diving through their extensive back catalog in June, I felt prepared to tackle the long-running Austrian symphonic metal bands eighth studio album, The Bonding, for a CD review at a metal webzine. And did I enjoy the challenge!\\n\\nEdenbridge scaled back on the metal this time to let the orchestral arrangements, lush soundscapes, and Sabine Edelbachers regal voice take center stage. The shift made sense, given the personal circumstances that inspired The Bondings lyrical themes of life, loss, and spirituality. Not to mention the live orchestra is what I love most about this album. Very few symphonic metal bands (except Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Stream of Passion) use live strings and wind instruments on their studio albums these days because of the expense. Hearing the real stuff on The Bonding adds a rich, film-score quality that truly makes symphonic metal, well, symphonic. My only word of caution about The Bonding is about its slow pace. Although the ballads are exquisite and contribute to the album's spiritual, wistful tone, there aren't enough uptempo tracks to balance things out. Otherwise, if you loved MyEarthDream or were disappointed by Solitaire, The Bonding is another reason to keep on loving Edenbridge's music.\",\n \"Product: Australia's finest export for melodic metal, VANISHING POINT formed in the early 1990's and issued their first album 'In Thought' in 1997. Their latest album, 'Distant To The Sun' proves to be the perfect blend of progressive rock/ metal/gothic/melodic AOR the band is known for. The album was mixed at Greenman Studios in Germany by Sebastian 'Seeb' Levermann (Orden Ogan) and is recommended for fans of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Joe Satriani, and Nightwish.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Welcome back, Vanishing Point!\\n\\nReview: I first heard of Vanishing Point in 2011 when frontman Silvio Massaro joined prog-symphonic metallers and fellow Australians Divine Ascension for the duet \\\"Answers\\\" (featured on Divine Ascension's As The Truth Appears - a great album, by the way!). Silvio's powerful and gravelly yet melodic voice caught my attention right away, and I knew I'd have to check out his band and their music. Turns out Vanishing Point was in the midst of a hiatus due to lineup changes and creative blocks at the time. Now they've returned with Distant Is The Sun, their first album in 7 years and a superb example of melodic power metal.\\n\\nDistant Is The Sun combines the fast tempos and rapid-fire rhythms of power metal with lush keyboards and synths and occasional progressive turns. This description might cause new listeners to think Vanishing Point's a Kamelot copycat -that couldn't be further from the truth. Vanishing Point focuses more on guitar muscle and opts for symphonic atmospheres instead of full-blown bombast. Lead single \\\"Where Truth Lies\\\" is a fantastic example of Vanishing Point's sound, with an incredible chorus that sticks in your head long after the song finishes.\\n\\nAs most power metal bands do, Vanishing Point sticks mostly to uptempo tracks on Distant Is The Sun. \\\"King Of Empty Promises,\\\" the title track, and \\\"Circle Of Fire,\\\" which features Sonata Arctica singer Tony Kakko, are among the strongest of the bunch. The band does foray into ballad territory with the rousing sing-along \\\"Let The River Run\\\" and the forlorn \\\"Story Of Misery.\\\" They also surprise listeners with two exceptional instrumentals, the short yet power-packed \\\"Beyond Redemption\\\" and the delicately acoustic \\\"April.\\\"\\n\\nAt the same time, Distant Is The Sun has its flaws. Power metal has never been known for its variety, and this record's an example of that. It excels at maintaining energy from start to finish, but after an hour's worth of almost all uptempo tracks my brain feels as though it's run a marathon. Vanishing Point also overindulge themselves musically at times. With a few songs, they cram in too many dramatic elements (usually synth-strings) or rhythm enhancers (staccato riffs, machine-gun drumming and double-kicking) all at once and risk overwhelming the listener.\\n\\nApart from that, Vanishing Point have done themselves proud with Distant Is The Sun. They capture their genre's melodramatic glory by relying on guitar muscle and melodic flair and not so much on symphonic bravado. This record should win back long-time Vanishing Point fans as well as attract new followers who enjoy Kamelot, Sonata Arctica, Silent Force, and other similar bands. And when an album can succeed with that goal, you know you've got a winner.\\n\\nHighlights: \\\"King Of Empty Promises,\\\" \\\"Where Truth Lies,\\\" \\\"Let The River Run,\\\" \\\"April\\\"\",\n \"Product: This is the long awaited fourth installment of George R R Martin's classic \\\"A Song of Ice and Fire\\\", continuing the most ambitious and imaginative epic fantasy since \\\"The Lord of the Rings\\\". \\\"A Feast for Crows\\\" brings to life dark magic, intrigue, and terrible bloodshed as the war-torn landscape of the Seven Kingdoms is threatened by destruction as vast as any in its violent past. The War of the Five Kings has ripped Westeros apart. The bloodthirsty, treacherous and cunning Lannisters occupy the Iron Throne, with allies as ruthless as themselves. Lord Frey was host at the Red Wedding, so called for the massacre of the guests, their screams unheard above the music of the feast. Euron Crow's Eye is as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, sworn to deliver the whole of Westeros to the ironborn. No less to be feared are their enemies. The Starks of Winterfell and the Martells of Dorne seek vengeance for their dead. And the last of the Targaryens, Daenerys Stormborn, will bring fire and blood to King's Landing when her young dragons reach their terrifying maturity. The last war fought with dragons was a cataclysm powerful enough to shatter the Valyrian peninsula, now a smoking, demon-haunted ruin half drowned by the sea. Against a backdrop of alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel! and the coldest hearts.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Savored this \\\"Feast\\\" more than I thought I would\\n\\nReview: When I first opened A Feast For Crows, I felt uneasy - no, reluctant. A Storm of Swords, the previous installment of George R.R. Martin's feverishly popular \\\"A Song of Fire and Ice\\\" saga, was good but still boggled my brain to the point where I was thinking, \\\"Maybe I should quit this series...\\\" I knew I'd only get more of that in A Feast For Crows. Plus, I was aware and disappointed that three of my favorite POV characters (Danaerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion) wouldn't appear in this book. But in the end, the reader in me wasn't a nitpicking carrion crow, but a hungry reveler savoring every morsel of the banquet.\\n\\nLike its predecessors, A Feast For Crows is a juicy fruit of conflict, lust, blood, and manipulation. The various points of view contribute to this. Martin continues storylines for several fan favorites (Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Jaime Lanniser, Samwell Tarly) while finally offering glimpses into the heads of other familiar faces (Cersei Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Asha Greyjoy). He also introduces us to new players (and potential \\\"Game\\\"-changers) from Dorne and the Iron Islands, as both locales have now been drawn into the overall picture after the events of A Storm Of Swords. Alliances once thought unbreakable are tested and ripped apart. Secrets are shared and spilled. Strategies are carefully woven in the shadows - and often shredded by the agendas of other characters. Then again, isn't that what this \\\"Song of Ice and Fire\\\" has been based on since the beginning?\\n\\nDespite my initial hesitation, I really enjoyed the new POVs and settings introduced in A Feast For Crows. Dorne entranced me completely; it contains the same debauchery and political chess matches seen at King's Landing, but it seems more colorful, lush, and exotic. Arianne Martell, Princess of Dorne, is hands down my favorite new character. She embodies the lusciousness of her homeland while easing herself into Martin's catalog of strong female characters with her persistence, stubbornness, and desire to overcome her wounded past. And wow, did I enjoy Cersei's take! She proves her status as the saga's \\\"Lady You Love To Hate\\\" as readers get a first-hand look into her machinations, as well as the start of what could be her downfall. Out of the returning POV characters, my trophy goes to Jaime. His evolution has become increasingly arresting with each book. He's still the arrogant, headstrong knight from A Game Of Thrones, but he's clearly plagued by guilt over his (unintentional) role in his father's death and questioning his loyalty to his sister / lover Cersei. Where Jaime goes from here, I have no clue but definitely want to follow.\\n\\nI can't say I hated or disliked anything about A Feast For Crows, but the fact that some of the new POV characters have only one chapter annoyed me. If someone's viewpoint matters only for a few pages, why include it at all? Why not write the chapter from the perspective of a character who's guaranteed to pop up more often as the series continues? Here's hoping this \\\"single-shot\\\" error doesn't become a habit in A Dance With Dragons.\\n\\nFor now, though, I'm relishing the Westeros smorgasbord again. A Feast For Crows has renewed my interest in \\\"A Song of Fire and Ice.\\\" And even though it's missing some of series' most exciting characters, I welcome most of the new additions and can see their potential significance in the slowly unfolding plot. It's fascinating to see how wide the net of impact has been cast beyond King's Landing. To me, that hints at universal implications of the saga's eventual ending - and at Martin's unprecedented writing genius. Now I definitely have to read A Dance With Dragons before Season 5 of the HBO show begins next year.\",\n \"Product: Dance with the Dragons book\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Not bad, but definitely my least favorite in the Song of Fire And Ice saga\\n\\nReview: Oyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....\\n\\nThere. I said it. Because as much as I've enjoyed George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Fire And Ice saga, this latest book was a bear. I wanted to love it, especially since Martin himself signed the white-and-gold behemoth during his book tour. Alas, A Dance With Dragons. You'll only get a \\\"like\\\" from me.\\n\\nA Dance With Dragons doesn't exactly begin where its predecessor, A Feast For Crows, ends. Martin had originally planned for both books to a single book, then realized it needed to be split due to length. Instead of doing a chronological split, he pieced the books together by location. Feast centered on Dorne, King's Landing, the Iron Isles, the Eyrie, and Braavos - which meant certain major characters didn't appear at all. Dance, on the other hand, revisits northern Westeros, the Wall, and Slaver's Bay before drawing the other major settings back into the fray. So, for a good while, the events of Dance actually parallel those in Feast, then continue on and bring back POV characters from Feast. Confused yet? *shakes the bugs out of her brain*\\n\\nIt took a while for my brain to wrap itself around how the two novels were split. Once I did, I slipped back easily into one of the grittiest and most unpredictable fantasy worlds ever created. Martin knows how to keep readers on their toes - and fearing for characters' lives. Even after all the bloody fights, ravenous trysts, political schemes, and gut-wrenching betrayals that came before, there's a 99-percent chance that any guesses you have about what comes next will be obliterated. Or, more appropriately, roasted by dragonfire.\\n\\nAnd who better to roast a reader's expectations than George R.R. Martin? In many ways, A Dance With Dragons is a testament to Martin's strengths as a writer. He's great at building compelling character arcs, with Theon Greyjoy being his shining (and awfully tortured) star in Dance. He also excels at intertwining plot threads, reuniting and separating characters and bringing together others for the first time in ways that (once the reader gets all the necessary clues) make complete sense. And finally, Martin can turn words the way wizards cast spells. Sometimes he goes overboard with details, thus slowing the story's pace. But when he sculpts the English language as he does in sections like Melisandre's chapter, you can't help but forgive him a little. Here's one of my favorite excerpts from said chapter, on Page 407:\\n\\n\\\"Visions danced before her, gold and scarlet, flickering, forming and melting and dissolving into one another, shapes strange and terrifying and seductive. She say the eyeless faces again, staring out at her from sockets weeping blood. Then the towers by the sea, crumbling as the dark tide came sweeping over them, rising from the depths. Shadows in the shape of skulls, skulls that turned to mist, bodies locked together in lust, writhing and rolling and clawing. Through curtains of fire great winged shadows wheeled against a hard blue sky.\\\"\\n\\nFor me, the biggest draw of A Dance with Dragons was the return of my three favorite POV characters of the series. Tyrion Lannister still wields his wits and indulges in wine and women no matter where he's plopped down in Westeros or the Free Cities. He never fails to make me laugh or ceases to amaze me by dusting himself off and getting back on his feet. Jon Snow continues to be one of the few characters with a true moral compass, and because of it he struggles under the weight of his new role as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. I sympathized for him as his fellow watchers questioned everything about him - his honor, his decisions of right vs wrong, even his authority - yet I never stopped rooting for him. As for Danaerys Targaryen, Dance shows her at her most vulnerable, and I sensed it in each of her chapters despite the confident facade she maintained. And when the Mother of Dragons feels powerless by what's going on around her, you know things aren't boding well.\\n\\nI won't say more about specific characters. At this point in the infamous \\\"game of thrones,\\\" the cast probably numbers in the HUNDREDS. Exaggeration? Maybe, but it sure feels that big. More POV characters are introduced in this book; some are familiar faces, others are brand new. In fact, there are so many people to keep track of now that it's hard to find room in my heart to care for them unless they stand out in some way. One new POV character in particular has only four or five chapters to connect with readers, but he never does. (At least, not with me.) So when that character died, I knew I should have felt sorry for him. Instead, I felt... well, nothing.\\n\\nThis ties in with A Dance With Dragon's biggest misstep: its poorly handled structure. Between an exciting first quarter and heart-stopping final quarter, the middle half snails along with few characters doing anything interesting or important. Sometimes I wanted to throw my hands up in the air, because I couldn't see the point of the section I had just read. Several other quirks regarding POVs and the previously mentioned \\\"location split\\\" irritated me as Dance crawled along - and I still remember some of the reactions they provoked:\\n\\n1) Characters with only one chapter (\\\"What was the point??\\\")\\n2) Characters who disappear after the novel's halfway point (\\\"Wait a minute. What happened to that guy? I haven't read about him in 300 pages.\\\")\\n3) Characters last seen in the third book, A Storm of Swords (\\\"Ummmm... what happened to this person when I last read about him two books and 2 years ago?\\\")\\n4) Characters who appeared in all the previous books but not in Dance (\\\"If I can't remember what happened to Mr. X at the end of Book #3, how am I going to remember what happened to Miss Y in Book #4 when Book #6 finally comes out?\\\")\\n\\nI tried very hard to avoid being snarky here. But when a book makes me seesaw between awe and frustration, the review should reflect those feelings, right?\\n\\nSo, in a beast-sized nutshell, A Dance With Dragons still sucked me in and took me on a ride, and I liked it for the most part. But it was also the most mind-numbing and maddening romp I've had through the Seven Kingdoms so far. I hope The Winds Of Winter is an improvement over Dance, especially in terms of organization and pacing. All that being said, I'm still a fan of George R.R. Martin and A Song Of Ice And Fire. I love too many of the characters who are still alive (although if you've read the book, too... please tell me You-Know-Who isn't dead! That loss will completely and utterly gut me if it's true), and I'm glad that I've finally caught up on all the books. Though at the TV show's current clip, that won't matter much longer...\",\n \"Product: One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail! Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions -- Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) -- each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a \\\"perfect society.\\\" At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family's group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly \\\"perfect society.\\\" To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A rewarding second installment, and an improvement over \\\"Divergent\\\"\\n\\nReview: After seeing the recently released \\\"Divergent\\\" film (I read Divergent the book last year), I grabbed Insurgent off my bookshelf and started reading it when I got home. It was an excellent idea; the plot, characters, and world were all fresh in mind, so diving into Insurgent felt like slipping into my most comfortable pair of jeans. And like with Divergent, I had a hard time putting down Insurgent once I started reading it. The major difference? I was more satisfied with the sequel than I was with the original.\\n\\nWith Insurgent, Veronica Roth has mastered the art of suspense. She excels with writing action and maintaining a brisk, breathless clip, even during the quieter scenes. And gosh, does she know how to create a plot twist. They always come at the right times - and regardless of whether it's a shocking betrayal from someone Tris believed was an ally or a surprise rescue by someone she swore was an enemy, the twists never fail to leave readers agape, even after each character's motives have been revealed.\\n\\nI also came away pleased with the evolution of Tris and Four / Tobias's relationship. Their attraction to one another in Divergent seemed almost purely physical, with little substance. It's still this way when Insurgent begins - and then BOOM! Between Tris's hasty decisions that put her life at constant risk, Tobias's disagreements with Tris' (often correct) intuition, and the secrets they hide from one another, the couple grows deeply concerned and frustrated with one another. The arguments that follow explode on the page, and it's terrific. Once the anger fades, the reader clearly sees why these two characters care about each other and can truly root for Tris and Four to succeed together.\\n\\nWhile I have no complaints about plot or characters, the first several chapters almost suffocated me with Tris' guilt trip over killing her friend Will in the previous book. I completely understand it was a traumatic experience for Tris, but how necessary was it her to wallow in her grief and remorse afterwards to the extent and length of time that she does? If it wasn't for Roth's exhilarating writing style, continuing to read this book would have been a burden. Thankfully the anguish lifts once Tris accepts Will's death, making the rest of Insurgent a rewarding experience.\\n\\nOther critiques I have for Insurgent are nitpicks and pet peeves. For example, way too many chapters and individual scenes within chapters begin with Tris waking up. More variety in scene and chapter beginnings would have made these transitions less repetitive. Otherwise, I found Insurgent a thrilling and satisfying second act to Roth's Divergent series. It's rare that the second book in a trilogy betters the first - and since Divergent left me excited yet dissatisfied, I was all the more pleased that Insurgent improved on all the areas where its predecessor was lacking. Now I look forward to reading the trilogy's finale, Allegiant. I do know how that last book ends (it's impossible to avoid reading the online discussions because of the controversy it caused) and how it's a dual narrative switching between Tris and Tobias, but I'm going to read Allegiant with an open mind and reserve all opinions for when I've finished it.\",\n \"Product: The fourth volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. Now a major Sky Atlantic TV series from HBO, featuring a stellar cast. . The Lannisters are in power on the Iron Throne. The war in the Seven Kingdoms has burned itself out, but in its bitter aftermath new conflicts spark to life. The Martells of Dorne and the Starks of Winterfell seek vengeance for their dead. Euron Crow's Eye, as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, returns from the smoking ruins of Valyria to claim the Iron Isles. From the icy north, where Others threaten the Wall, apprentice Maester Samwell Tarly brings a mysterious babe in arms to the Citadel. As plots, intrigue and battle threaten to engulf Westeros, victory will go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel and the coldest hearts.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Savored this \\\"Feast\\\" more than I thought I would\\n\\nReview: When I first opened A Feast For Crows, I felt uneasy - no, reluctant. A Storm of Swords, the previous installment of George R.R. Martin's feverishly popular \\\"A Song of Fire and Ice\\\" saga, was good but still boggled my brain to the point where I was thinking, \\\"Maybe I should quit this series...\\\" I knew I'd only get more of that in A Feast For Crows. Plus, I was aware and disappointed that three of my favorite POV characters (Danaerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion) wouldn't appear in this book. But in the end, the reader in me wasn't a nitpicking carrion crow, but a hungry reveler savoring every morsel of the banquet.\\n\\nLike its predecessors, A Feast For Crows is a juicy fruit of conflict, lust, blood, and manipulation. The various points of view contribute to this. Martin continues storylines for several fan favorites (Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Jaime Lanniser, Samwell Tarly) while finally offering glimpses into the heads of other familiar faces (Cersei Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Asha Greyjoy). He also introduces us to new players (and potential \\\"Game\\\"-changers) from Dorne and the Iron Islands, as both locales have now been drawn into the overall picture after the events of A Storm Of Swords. Alliances once thought unbreakable are tested and ripped apart. Secrets are shared and spilled. Strategies are carefully woven in the shadows - and often shredded by the agendas of other characters. Then again, isn't that what this \\\"Song of Ice and Fire\\\" has been based on since the beginning?\\n\\nDespite my initial hesitation, I really enjoyed the new POVs and settings introduced in A Feast For Crows. Dorne entranced me completely; it contains the same debauchery and political chess matches seen at King's Landing, but it seems more colorful, lush, and exotic. Arianne Martell, Princess of Dorne, is hands down my favorite new character. She embodies the lusciousness of her homeland while easing herself into Martin's catalog of strong female characters with her persistence, stubbornness, and desire to overcome her wounded past. And wow, did I enjoy Cersei's take! She proves her status as the saga's \\\"Lady You Love To Hate\\\" as readers get a first-hand look into her machinations, as well as the start of what could be her downfall. Out of the returning POV characters, my trophy goes to Jaime. His evolution has become increasingly arresting with each book. He's still the arrogant, headstrong knight from A Game Of Thrones, but he's clearly plagued by guilt over his (unintentional) role in his father's death and questioning his loyalty to his sister / lover Cersei. Where Jaime goes from here, I have no clue but definitely want to follow.\\n\\nI can't say I hated or disliked anything about A Feast For Crows, but the fact that some of the new POV characters have only one chapter annoyed me. If someone's viewpoint matters only for a few pages, why include it at all? Why not write the chapter from the perspective of a character who's guaranteed to pop up more often as the series continues? Here's hoping this \\\"single-shot\\\" error doesn't become a habit in A Dance With Dragons.\\n\\nFor now, though, I'm relishing the Westeros smorgasbord again. A Feast For Crows has renewed my interest in \\\"A Song of Fire and Ice.\\\" And even though it's missing some of series' most exciting characters, I welcome most of the new additions and can see their potential significance in the slowly unfolding plot. It's fascinating to see how wide the net of impact has been cast beyond King's Landing. To me, that hints at universal implications of the saga's eventual ending - and at Martin's unprecedented writing genius. Now I definitely have to read A Dance With Dragons before Season 5 of the HBO show begins next year.\",\n \"Product: One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail! Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into five factions -- Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) -- each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue, in the attempt to form a \\\"perfect society.\\\" At the age of sixteen, teens must choose the faction to which they will devote their lives. On her Choosing Day, Beatrice renames herself Tris, rejects her family's group, and chooses another faction. After surviving a brutal initiation, Tris finds romance with a super-hot boy, but also discovers unrest and growing conflict in their seemingly \\\"perfect society.\\\" To survive and save those they love, they must use their strengths to uncover the truths about their identities, their families, and the order of their society itself.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Gripping Read, With Room For Improvement (In Later Books)\\n\\nReview: After I finished the Hunger Games trilogy, a couple friends recommended that I read \\\"Divergent,\\\" a best-selling dystopian YA novel about a teenage girl who switches factions after receiving inconclusive - and potentially dangerous - test results about her character. (To keep this review short, feel free to check out other reviewers' synopses of \\\"Divergent,\\\" as many of them cover it quite well.) While I enjoyed \\\"Divergent,\\\" certain aspects of the story bothered me. First, the violence described in \\\"Divergent\\\" is shocking at times, more so than any fight scene in The Hunger Games. Second, I didn't find Tris and Four's relationship believable enough. I could tell that Four admires Tris for her audacity and self-respect, and that they're physically attracted to one another. But... why else does Tris gravitate to Four? Unless I missed something, I honestly don't see other reasons. That said, Roth really draws you into the novel. Her active, vivid storytelling injects thrills and suspense at the right moments and is a treat for readers with cinematic imaginations (i.e., picturing scenes as they happen). So by the two-thirds mark (around the final stages of the Dauntless initiation), I didn't want to put the book down. I plan to read \\\"Insurgent\\\" and \\\"Allegiant\\\" (in that order) in the near future, with the hope that they will satisfy me more than \\\"Divergent\\\" did.\",\n \"Product: New\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: The most bookish fun I've had in Westeros since A Game Of Thrones\\n\\nReview: Actual Rating: 4.25 out of 5\\n\\nBefore Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, and Ned Stark were born, there was A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Ser Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight with origins unknown even to him, travels the continent of Westeros in search of lords who need an extra swordsman. His squire is a mystery, too - a young, shaven-head boy who goes by the nickname Egg, but is really Prince Aegon Targaryen. And in this trio of novellas, which is complemented by Gary Gianni's stunning illustrations, readers learn how this unlikely pair meets, watch their relationship grow, and discover what both characters are willing to do for one another.\\n\\nI struggled with A Dance With Dragons last year because of its length, overabundance in detail, and the \\\"grimdark\\\" aspects wearing on me. Knight's novellas, however, are collectively a fresh drink of water. I loved both lead characters for different reasons. Ser Duncan (a.k.a. Dunk) isn't the sharpest blade on the belt, but he's humble, stubbornly loyal, and admirably courageous. And Egg is full of personality: bright, daring, and too outspoken for his own good. Together, they offer a candid, wide-eyed perspective into a land where morality and chivalry are often rejected for personal pleasure and agenda.\\n\\nAs for the novellas, each builds on the history that fans may already know about Westeros, with more insight into the reign of House Targaryen. And, each is delightfully entertaining thanks to Egg's youthful bluntness (seriously, he can be so funny!) and Dunk's knack for getting in over his head. \\\"The Sworn Sword\\\" is my favorite, with subtle romance and Dunk's steadfastness despite being caught in a web of deception. The other two stories are also very good, though they suffer from long-winded description. And with few scene breaks (and no chapter breaks), sometimes it took too long to feel like I could come up for air. But the characters and the gorgeously detailed illustrations make A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms more than worthwhile. This is seriously the most fun I've had in Westeros in a while - unless you count the Game of Thrones TV show, of course. ;)\",\n \"Product: City of Light\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Enjoyed this futuristic, post-apocalyptic urban / paranormal fantasy more than I thought I would!\\n\\nReview: In Keri Arthur's City of Light, the survivors of a brutal war between humans and shape-shifters live in constant fear and artificial light. Bombs had torn the veil between worlds, letting vampires, wraiths, and other death spirits into Earth; and the light is the only means of keeping them away from the living. One of the survivors is Tiger, a humanoid super-soldier created to lure information from the enemy and intent on living the rest of her days in hiding. But when Tiger rescues a little girl from vampires, she learns that the girl and other children had been abducted by something that shouldn't exist: a light-immune wraith. It's a mystery that hits close to Tiger's heart, and one that compels her to investigate the abductions - and risk her very life because of who she is.\\n\\nParanormal or urban fantasy isn't my usual fare. But after reading a review of City of Light at The Bibliosanctum (and winning a giveaway copy - thanks again, ladies!), I was intrigued enough to check it out. And did it deliver! The world-building is robust and stunning, featuring several paranormal species, magic, sci-fi technology and weapons, and a post-apocalyptic Earth still reeling from the supernatural mess its inhabitants made. It really feels \\\"lived in\\\" and unique, especially since the creatures are portrayed in new ways without seeming unfamiliar. And, Tiger kicks butt as a protagonist. She's analytical, independent, and fiercely protective of the ghosts she lives with. She's also aware of the world's negative perceptions of her kind, and her fight to keep her true identity a secret makes the story incredibly compelling.\\n\\nAs much as Arthur's world-building impressed me, it could have been handled better. There's a lot of information to take in, and a good deal of it is dumped at the beginning, which makes things overwhelming at first. Also, while I don't mind sex scenes, the limited sex in City of Light was too detailed and manipulative for my tastes. I understand why they were written that way, given Tiger's \\\"lure\\\" rank, but I didn't enjoy them. That being said, I remained invested in City of Light through its heart-stopping (and heart-breaking) ending. It's an exciting, engrossing read that defies paranormal or urban fantasy stereotypes and was a lot more fun than I expected it to be.\",\n \"Product: 2015 Bloomsbury trade paperback, Elizbeth Gilbert. Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilberts books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. - Amazon\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: As a writer, I can relate to Elizabeth Gilbert's \\\"Big Magic\\\" so much :)\\n\\nReview: Actual Rating: 4.5 out of 5\\n\\nCreativity can be a vast and elusive topic to explore. Yet in Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert (best known for Eat Pray Love) embraces the subject with passion, humor, and boundless joy. Each section brims with wisdom from Gilbert's own experiences (successes, failures, and lessons from all) and the perspectives of other creative individuals, from fellow authors to artists, musicians, and teachers. At the core of it all, though, is the idea of \\\"magic\\\" - a nebulous yet fulfilling blend of curiosity, courage, and spirituality. And by taking Gilbert's guidance to heart, readers can find their own ways of incorporating more \\\"magic\\\" into their lives and become their most empowered, creative selves.\\n\\nIt's difficult to review a book like Big Magic, since its material is so subjective and its audience so specific. However, as a writer pursuing her dreams on the side, I can relate to Gilbert's messages. So. MUCH. Reading Big Magic was like seeing many of my own feelings and attitudes about creativity acknowledged in print. I also love a number of the new insights Gilbert offered, and how she structured the book into sections based on traits that can help readers foster their creativity. Her frankness takes some getting used to, but her enthusiasm, grace, and sincerity gives the writing a warm, sparkling energy that beckons you to laugh, smile, or gasp in wonder.\\n\\nNot all readers will agree with Gilbert's wisdom. A couple of her points don't align with my own beliefs on creativity. Some reviewers have also misinterpreted Gilbert's spirituality angle, saying that she calls creativity a kind of religion. I understand Gilbert's stance, since I too feel a spiritual connection with my craft - and not once did I feel like she was deifying the subject. So, while I highly recommend Big Magic, it's not a book for everyone. The right people, however, will glean gold and gems from this meditation / coaching session / treasure trove, and come away feeling inspired and ready to embark on their dreams.\",\n \"Product: Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: While I don't love \\\"The Silmarillion,\\\" I now have a deeper appreciation for Tolkien's imagination and world-building\\n\\nReview: How does one begin a review on a tome that Tolkienites call \\\"the Bible of Middle-Earth\\\"? The only way might be to nod in agreement. Even knowing how The Silmarillion was different from The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, and reading it slowly as a result, didn't quite prepare me for the demands this book would place on me as a reader. However, J.R.R. Tolkien was the author who opened the gates of fantasy literature for me, and I intend to read anything he's ever written about Middle-Earth. So I dutifully plowed through The Silmarillion and came away with wide-eyed bewilderment and a greater respect from Tolkien's work.\\n\\nFor those of you who haven't read The Silmarillion: This is not a novel. Rather, it's a cross between a short story collection and an encyclopedia on a fictional world. The tales that comprise The Silmarillion recount the early days of Middle-Earth, from the birth of the Elves, to the rise of Morgoth and his loyal servant Sauron, to the coming of Men and Dwarves, and much more in between. One of the common threads is the Silmarils, a trio of jewels created by the Elf Fanor and later stolen by Morgoth. This led to the first wars between the Dark Lord and the peoples of Middle-Earth, as well as conflicts within the Elvish race and between their Men and Dwarf neighbors. You'll find betrayals and romance, slayings and torture, friendships and alliances, sibling rivalries and dysfunctional families - and a dragon or two for good measure. This might sound like a summary for any book from the Song Of Fire And Ice Saga. However, this is Tolkien and Middle-Earth, not George R.R. Martin and Westeros. Meaning that while Tolkien doesn't shy away from those topics, he handles them carefully and in the unadorned writing style that trademarks his other works.\\n\\nSo much happens in The Silmarillion that it's impossible to discuss actual plots, characters, and so forth without repeating the entire book. If I had to choose my favorite tales, I'd say \\\"Ainulindal\\\" (\\\"The Music of the Ainur\\\"), \\\"Valaquenta\\\" (an explanation of who the Ainur were), and \\\"Of Beren and Luthien.\\\" All three contain some of the most exquisitely written passages I've ever read by Tolkien. \\\"Ainulindal\\\" in particular is an origin story, relating the birth of the eternal spirits known as the Ainur and how they created music together before they were granted permission to enter and govern the world that eventually became Middle-Earth. It's difficult to describe in more detail, but the idea behind it was beautifully executed. \\\"Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin\\\" and \\\"Of the Voyage of Erendil and the War of Wrath\\\" were also quite memorable, and two of The Silmarillion's more tragic tales.\\n\\nIt's worth noting that \\\"Of Trin Turambar\\\" is an abbreviated version of the the novel-length The Children of Hrin. I read that book a couple years ago, but wasn't aware it would pop up in The Silmarillion until I checked the Table of Contents. Not that I minded; reading The Silmarillion's version refreshed my memory on the story of Trin, his younger sister Nienor, and the curse Morgoth cast on them after capturing their father Hrin. Also, even though The Silmarillion (or the copy I have of it) is almost 450 pages long, the final tale ends on Page 366. The remaining pages are family trees, maps, pronunciation guides, and an index of all the character and location names that appear during The Silmarillion. These extras - especially the maps and the Index of Names - were quite helpful as I read the book.\\n\\nI was advised to read The Silmarillion slowly, and in hindsight I'm grateful for that advice. This isn't a massive book in terms of page count, but the number of characters, places, conflicts, and so on is staggering. Reading one tale per sit-down helped me digest everything gradually without getting overwhelmed. After a while, though, it became a real challenge to remember who everyone was and what they had done in the past. This is where the Index of Names came in handy.\\n\\nOne thing I always have to remember when reading Tolkien is his writing style. It tends to be simple and dry, emphasizing narrative over expressiveness or emotion (with some exceptions). That kind of writing was acceptable by publishing standards back in Tolkien's days. I personally have a harder time enjoying that style, though it hasn't prevented me from loving The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. But with The Silmarillion, I often felt like I was reading a history textbook. Which The Silmarillion sort of is, but it made my experience more of an obligation than a pleasurable ride. Struggling to keep characters' names and roles in early Middle-Earth straight only compounded the problem further. I'm not sure how else to explain this, especially since I knew The Silmarillion had a different purpose from his more traditional stories... But I didn't come away loving this book as other Tolkien enthusiasts have.\\n\\nMaybe this is the best way to summarize my feelings about The Silmarillion: While Tolkien may not be my favorite writer in terms of his style of writing, I now have a deeper appreciation for his imagination and the depth of his world-building. He created for Middle-Earth a history as rich, layered, and turbulent as our own. That's what makes it so believable, and such an accomplishment. That said, I'd only recommend The Silmarillion to die-hard Tolkien fans, or anyone who truly wants to know everything about Middle-Earth. This is a dense and demanding read that requires patience and the right mindset.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":18,"string":"18"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":289,"string":"289"}}},{"rowIdx":290,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A2RWHTNM5P3I8Y"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"The Tommy Hilfiger brand has become a symbol of the all-American spirit and continues to be regarded as one of the most recognized global lifestyle brands. The Tommy Hilfiger handbag collection is fun, glamorous and designed to recharge your wardrobe. Stay a step ahead in great spirited colors and luxurious fabrics with Tommy Hilfiger.\". The summary of the review text is \"Good utilitarian mid sized bag\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This is a solidly made bag out of good, but not great leather. The bag with the handle fits comfortable under the arm for carrying securely. The size is exactly perfect for someone who wants to carry a 10 inch ipad in their purse (I tested it). There is a pocket in the size that fits the current generation of oversize phone. The handles are attached with decorative metal grommets around the holes so the handle won't be ripping out after a few uses. I got the black one and it has a pebble grain. Other bags I have in the price range have similar leather.\n\nI like to carry a small bag, but sometimes I want something larger. This bag is not so large as to be overwhelming but large enough to be useful."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This is a solidly made bag out of good, but not great leather. The bag with the handle fits comfortable under the arm for carrying securely. The size is exactly perfect for someone who wants to carry a 10 inch ipad in their purse (I tested it). There is a pocket in the size that fits the current generation of oversize phone. The handles are attached with decorative metal grommets around the holes so the handle won't be ripping out after a few uses. I got the black one and it has a pebble grain. Other bags I have in the price range have similar leather.\n\nI like to carry a small bag, but sometimes I want something larger. This bag is not so large as to be overwhelming but large enough to be useful."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: The ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Acoustic is the most lightweight and compact pro-quality 2-channel acoustic guitar/vocal amp on the market today. Players frequently comment that the Lunchbox Acoustic is \"the most natural sounding acoustic amp\" they have ever used. ZT Amplifiers went to great effort to achieve this result, careful to avoid \"coloring\" the instrument's sound, and instead making your guitar sound like your guitar - just louder. And by utilizing the amp's power to assure the low frequencies so important to acoustic guitars remain strong despite the 6.5\" speaker size, ZT Amplifiers succeeded in making the Lunchbox Acoustic sound much bigger than it is. Individual controls for the dedicated microphone and instrument channels combine with clean, room-filling amplifier power, anti-feedback circuitry, a pro-grade reverb, external speaker output, and an effects loop for plenty of flexibility. You can even add pre-recorded tracks via the 1/8\" aux input. There is simply no other amp as easy to transport and gig with than a ZT amp, and for the acoustic player, it's the ZT Lunchbox Acoustic.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Use as a Portable Bass Amp\n\nReview: My use for this amp is a little outside of the ordinary. I use it as a portable amp for playing UBass in small ukulele jam sessions. The primary amp that I use is the Phil Jones Double Four (which is a 75 watt wonder), but sometimes I don't want to carry even that. This Lunchbox Jr is small enough that I can throw it in my suitcase when I go out of town. And sometimes when I am playing with small groups, the Phil Jones is more than I need.\n\nThis amp will work fine with a bass. ZT Amplifiers says that its guitar amps can handle bass without damage. However, the volume is fine for a few acoustic players but the speakers start to buzz pretty quickly, especially on the low E. You won't get a really low low bass sound, but it is good enough for busking or playing with a small group of acoustic players. The tone is quite acceptable.\n\nZT sells an adapter that can take alkaline batteries and power the amp. However, I have been using an external, rechargeable 9v power supply\nthat is meant for recharging phones and laptops. It works great and is very economical to use.\n\nI had the Roland Micro cube RX which I sold because It was big and heavy, had terrible battery life, had a poor tone and less volume than I could get with the Lunchbox Jr. I know the Roland has its advocates but I found it unusable.\n\nI also have the Yamaha THR10 which is a little bigger than the Lunchbox, has a slightly better (deeper) bass tone, but can't get as much volume as the Lunchbox Jr. It works ok as a quiet practice amp but isn't loud enough to be used when playing with others.\n\nI bought the Lunchbox Jr. on sale so it was quite a bit cheaper than the Phil Jones Double Four. If you do acoustic jams and gigs with a bass, there is nothing better than the Phil Jones, but the lunchbox jr is the only other small portable amp I've found that is loud enough with a tone that is acceptable.","Product: Inside Dimension: Overall Length 62.50cm (24.61in); Upper Bout 16.00cm (6.30in); Lower Bout 20.00cm (7.87in); Waist 15.00cm (5.91in); Body Depth 7.00cm (2.76in)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: On the Small Side, Poor Hardware, Still Nice Case\n\nReview: I bought the red one. My plan was to use it for a Luis Feu de Mesquita (LFDM) tenor that I was waiting for. Unfortunately it was too small. The size is smaller than the fiberglass Crossrock case that I have. The fiberglass comes with an insert to make smaller tenors fit smugly. This one does not.\n\nI ended up putting the LFDM in the fiberglass case and another tenor in the ABS molded case. I like having the option to put some ukes in cases other than the standard black case. This case seems fairly strong but the hardware is cheaper than it should be at this price point. The fiberglass model, which is $100 more expensive, is definitively a higher quality case all around. The cheaper hardware is a bit of a pain because the closing mechanism is imprecise.\n\nThis case will fit a Pono or almost any standard Hawaiian tenor but it will not fit any non-standard or large bodied tenor. Ponos run a bit large so it has a bit of room, but if your tenor is a larger size, the fiberglass model will fit but not this one.","Product: FLY 3 Bass is an innovative mini amp that that gives you huge tone on the go. Beyond being an incredible, portable bass amp, the FLY 3 Bass also comes with an MP3 / LINE IN jack built-in, allowing you to connect to your MP3 player, mobile phone, laptop, tablet etc. and jam along to your favorite tracks; the Speaker Emulated Output jack can also be used with headphones or for recording. Combine the FLY 3 Bass with the included extension cab to create a 6 Watt stereo set-up for an amazing portable speaker system or computer speakers to play your music through.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The combo pack much better than single speaker combo\n\nReview: I have or have had just about every portable, battery operated Bass guitar amp and guitar amp. Most of my bass playing is the UBass with ukulele jam groups (like the other reviewer). Usually I use a Phil Jones Double 4 with a laptop battery.\n\nHowever, sometimes I go to smaller jams or smaller rooms and even the Phil Jones is more than I need to carry. The Blackstar Fly 3 will definitely do the job in a largish room with 15 or so players. It actually sounds terrific. Not as loud, but a bit more punch that the Double Four. Sometimes there are ukulele players who are very sensitive who like the bass very much in the background but still present. These little Fly3 boxes do the trick.\n\nThe key is to use both the amp and cabinet. I really would not recommend the single combo. The single combo to me seems pretty much like every other baby combo amp, (Orange, Vox) that runs on AA batteries. The sound breaks up pretty quickly. Add on the second cab and you get both more volume and more depth, a fuller bass sound.","Product: Designed to play the same notes as a standard bass guitar (E, A, D, G low to high), this extremely portable bass is a pleasure to use and sounds great! It includes a preamp for amplified use with volume, bass, and treble control . Aquila Nylgut strings are installed which absorb less moisture to assure tuning stability and the gauged strings of varying densities provide increased accuracy of fret-intonation Also included are a rosewood fretboard and basswood body. Measurements: Overall length: 30" Scale length: 20 3/4" Length of body: 13 3/4" Thickness of body: 1 1/2" Width of upper bout: 8 1/2" Width of lower bout: 10 1/4" String size Aquila Nylgut: .085,.105,145,185 Width of neck at the nut: 1 13/16" Width of neck at the 9th fret: 2 1/8" Thickness of neck at the nut: 11/16" Thickness of neck at 9th fret: 7/8" Weight: only 4 1/2 pounds!\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Not on a par with the Acoustic\n\nReview: I bought this item from Rondo Music and returned it.\n\nThis review is directed at those who think that the Acoustic Model is pretty good (which it is) and who think the solid body might be pretty good too (it's not).\n\nI play UBass pretty regularly and I have the Acoustic Kala Mahogany, the Kala Sub UBass (their Asian made solid body), the Kala California Model (American Made), and the Rondo Acoustic.\n\nMost of the time you get what you pay for. Astonishingly, the Rondo Acoustic UBass is surprisingly good and better than what you'd expect for the cost. Unfortunately, the magic does not translate over the to the solid body. The one I had was a piece of junk. Poor pickups, sloppy construction, terrible sound.","Product: Interchangeable gripsGaming-grade laserOnboard memory to save settingsWeight tuning to personalize feel and control of mouseAdjustable sensitivity; shift from pixel-precise targeting (200dpi) to lightning-fast maneuvers (up to 5700dpi)Dual-mode scroll wheel with precise click-to-click and hyper-fast scrollingSuper-slick (Polytetrafluoroethylene) feetWorks with Windows 7 XP and Vista Includes wide load and precision grips weight-cartridge tuning weights and case\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Nice feel, precise tracking\n\nReview: I like to do \"casual\" gaming, but I'm not one for serious games. However, I have found that even for simple games like Collapse, Snood or simple shooters, a good mouse can make a big difference. Thus even though I really don't need five different levels of adjustment, I want a mouse that feels good in my hand and that has a precise laser. I end up acquiring mice that have far more features than I want because they have the best lasers.\n\nThis mouse is an example. It comes with two grips (I prefer the smooth one). It feels great in the hand, as nice as any mouse I've ever used. The laser is quick and precise. I never miss a shot because the mouse won't respond. However, I'm not a big fan of all the features and I really don't care all that much for the system of adding the weights. I tend to find that the extra buttons are things that it becomes a bit too easy to hit by mistake. Overall though a very nice gaming mouse with a good feel in the hand and responsive laser.","Product: The Ear Force Z60 is the first PC gaming headset to unleash game changing 7.1 channel DTS Headphone:X Surround Sound on any PC or Mac. Delivering incredible bass response through PC gamings largest speakers at 60mm, you get an outstanding audio advantage from Surround Sound Audio Modes for games, movies and music plus Dynamic Chat Boost keeps your communications above the action. Add in quick access to audio controls including separate game and chat volume. All this audio power with no waiting or software to install on any PC, Mac or Netbook. The Ear Force Z60 will be in stores on September 12, 2014.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Comfortable. Better than I thought.\n\nReview: I am very picky about headphones, and I actually liked these much better than I expected. The primary reason being that they are quite comfortable and the drivers are not too close too the ear.\n\nThere are times when headphones are necessary. I like to play Rocksmith but the rest of my household doesn't like when I play it. This way I bother no one. I've got a lot of headphones, many of them very high end. I keep changing them out because to me headphones are essentially uncomfortable. What I like about these is that with the 60mm drivers the headset is bigger and the drivers are further from my ear. This makes me able to wear them longer than almost any other head set.\n\nThe external control and the ability to change sound types without software is a clever idea. Unfortunately I don't care all that much for the processing. It doesn't do much except add a slight layer of artificiality to the sound. I prefer the headphones plugged straight into the audio jack of my MacBook Air.\n\nOverall sound quality is OK. It is a bit artificial and a bit harsh. On some songs it makes the saxophone sound like it is coming from a synthesizer. I've got lots of headphones that sound better, but these might be the most comfortable on my head. So, for the purpose, as a gaming headset, I like these a lot.","Product: The 100-hour* Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier guards against problems caused by dry air in the home. It features an easy to fill large 1.5 gallon tank, ideal for use in medium sized rooms. Unlike other humidifiers that grow slimy mold on the water tank surface, Silver Clean Protection is embedded in the tank to fight the growth of mold and mildew on the surface of the water tank. Thanks to ultrasonic technology, it disperses a fine mist into the air, and is ultra-quiet making it ideal to have on while you sleep. The humidifieris equipped with the option for warm or cool mist, a night light and variable mist control. A low water indicator light lets you know when it's time to refill the water tank. PureGuardian humidifiers create a better home environment for those suffering from colds, allergies and dry skin. Note: Run time is based off of running the unit on low speed, also depends on atmospheric conditions.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good for mist, no thermostat\n\nReview: If you think of this as a humidifier that you are going to put on when you sleep, or for periods of time, then it is quite nice. If you are looking for something to leave on all the time for general humidity I probably would not recommend this.\n\nOn the plus side it is very quiet, and it does not need a filter. You can select cold or warm mist. It also has light where you can see the water, which is kind of fun, and you can turn that light off to sleep.\n\nOn the negative side it seems kind of flimsy. I expect the plastic tank to eventually degrade, sooner rather than later. I have another humidifier with a thermostat that is much more robust that I leave on in the room all the time. But I like adding this one in to supplement with a warm mist.\n\nMy primary purpose is to humidify a room where I keep musical instruments that can dry out. Adding the extra humidity enables me a little more control over the climate depending upon the weather.\n\nEdited to reflect use over time: I've been using this regularly for a few months now and I like it even more. It is very easy to fill, and it has done a great job of keeping the room humidified. As winter and using the heater tends to really dry things out I have very much appreciated having this. Using this humidifier and a space hearted in my room I find that I sleep much more soundly. No waking up with a dry mouth. I wake up in the morning and I am not sore and stiff. I do much less night time coughing. I also can leave it on all the time, unlike my initial assessment; I just don't have a very large mist coming out of it.","Product: Light Effects by Artscape, creates the visual effect and sparkle of textured glass. Light effects window films refract light producing a three-dimensional quality. These thin, translucent films provide privacy while still allowing natural light to enter the room. Artscape films are easily applied to any smooth glass surface. They do not use adhesives and are easily removed if needed. They can be trimmed or combined to fit any size window. The images have a repeating pattern left to right and top to bottom and can be used either vertically or horizontally. These films provide UV protection and are the perfect decorative accent for windows that require continued privacy. Artscape patented products are all made in the USA. Film will appear dark until removed from the protective paper backing and placed on the window.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Didn't care for it.\n\nReview: Eh? So this is a sheet of plastic that you put on your window. It is sort of decorative and sort of allows privacy while letting light through. The sheet can be cut to fit individual panes or placed over an entire window. I'm not sure I know what I was thinking when I ordered this. We sometimes put see through decorations on the window so birds won't hit it. I guess I thought we could use these sheets. The thing is that its really kind of ugly and it lets light through but you can't see through it. I'm also not finding it useful for using on my front door because I'm not good enough at cutting it to get sheets that neatly fit the panes. And in any event, its kind of ugly and cheap looking.","Product: The Tribest Sousvantis the easiest way to bring gourmet restaurant results into the comfort of your own kitchen. The Sousvant's innovative all-in-one design, removable carafe, and powerful 1000W circulator will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Experience the intense flavor and luscious textures that sous vide brings to even the simplest of recipes. Vegetables stay snappy and rich in flavor. Ribs and roasts turn out perfectly moist with that fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Never overcook a steak again. The Sousvant is the easy way to get high-end restaurant results in an easy to use package. It's sous vide made simple. No experience necessary.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great cooker, but not sold on sous vide\n\nReview: This cooker is a great design. It's very easy to use and to clean. However, so far I'm not sold on sous vide cooking. I made chicken and it tasted kind of nasty - probably because it was a grocery store chicken that would have been nasty any other way that I made it. The chicken did have a soft texture but I'd probably cook it at a higher temperature and for longer if I tried it again. I made asparagus and to me it was no different than asparagus made in the microwave.\n\nI think this might turn out to be a good way to poach fish. The bottom line though for me is that the cooker itself is really nice, but I'm a long way from being a fan of this method of cooking.","Product: Closed Super-Aural Design Neodymium Magnets For Superior Sound Reversible Earcups 30Mm Driver Units For High-Quality Sound Compact Foldable Design Concealed Oxygen-Free Copper Cord Gold-Plated Mini Plug Includes Unimatch Plug Adapter Sleek Silver Metallic Finish\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great for TV Watching, Poor for Music\n\nReview: This is the best headphone I have found for watching TV or listening to voice.\n\nHowever, for music it is sibilant, harsh has too much treble. Bass is weak. Extremely fatiguing.\n\nI own or have owned just about every high end headphone on the market. Overall these are better than most $35-40 headphones, but both the Koss Porta Pro and Sennheiser PX100 in the same price range are vastly more musical, lighter weight and more portable.\n\nHowever, the reason I keep these around is because I have never found a better headphone for TV watching or listening to spoken recordings. I can make out very clearly with little strain, exactly what is being said. They are quite comfortable and the long cord is nice.","Product: Experience the joy of reading a variety of your favorite books all stored digitally in one compact device. The slimmer, redesigned Digital eBook Reader lets you carry a stack of books in one hand. The Digital eBook Reader holds about 160 eBooks or hundreds more with Optional removable Memory cards. Its portable size makes it the perfect travel companion, allowing you to read a variety of books whenever and wherever you want. With thousands of eBook titles available at The eBook Store from Sony, you can choose to Download new releases, classics and popular book titles as well as view other document formats such as Adobe PDF10, RTF, TXT, BBeB and Microsoft Word. Its long Battery life lasts up to 7,500 continuous page turns, and the amazing paper-like screen technology is easy on the eyes. Offers a unique, on-the-go reading experience and is the perfect travel companion. With a compact and lightweight design, you can take it almost anywhere and read your books whenever and wherever you want. More compact than many paperbacks, it weighs about 9 ounces (without cover), is 1/3\" thin, and holds up to 160 eBooks. You can easily hold it in one hand, and with its rechargeable battery, you can turn up to 7,500 continuous pages on a single charge. Up to 7,500 page turns on full charge Audio and picture playback Dual SD Card and Memory Stick Pro Duo Expansion Slot Mountable USB Drive Charges via USB Unit Dimensions (Approx.) - 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.3 (175 x 122 x 8mm) / Weighs 9 ounces Includes Soft Case, USB Cable, Quick Start Guide, CD-ROM Limited Warranty - Labor- 90 days from the date of purchase; Parts- 1 Year from the date of purchase Windows compatible only\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Good, but not as good as Kindle 2\n\nReview: A lot of the reviews published here on Amazon are pretty old for technology. As an avid reader who has both the Kindle 1 and Kindle 2 as well as the Sony PRS 505, I'd like to add some observations in light of the current state of the market.\n\nThe three stars are awarded because this unit is a notch inferior to the Kindle 2, and the Kindle 2 is not quite good enough for five stars.\n\nStrengths of the PRS 505:\n\nSupports PDF and with upgraded firmware allows pdf reflow (but loses formatting).\n\nForm factor easy to hold in hand.\n\nComes with good, usable cover (hear that Amazon) you don't have to pay extra for.\n\nReadable screen.\n\nCalibre, which is a free ebook manager not included in the package but easily downloaded, is excellent.\n\nCan retain page numbers.\n\nSometimes reformatting pdfs and mobi files for reformatting give better formatting than mobi conversions for Kindle.\n\nNegatives:\n\nUgly user interface. The Kindle UI is simple much more elegant, cleaner and easier to use.\n\nNo internet connectivity, not even wifi.\n\nSony software is awful, unless you plan to use Sony ebook store don't bother with it.\n\nCan't just drop books into directory like with Kindle.\n\nFont resizing is slow and cumbersome.\n\nPage turns and overall functioning slower than Kindle.\n\nRapid charging and ability to charge while you read require buying aftermarket charger (note: PSP chargers available cheap are just as good as PRS chargers).\n\nFull page pdf files are tiny, reflow them and you lose formatting.\n\nI bought this for pdf support. I read a lot of long documents that are pdf or doc formatted. In the past I would print them, because I just don't find it possible to properly concentrate on something like a long contract on a computer screen. I started to read them on my Kindle, but I was frustrated by the loss of formatting. The Sony Reader supports pdf better than the Kindle, but it has it's own quirks and problems. I look forward to the Kindle DX.\n\nMeanwhile I do think the Sony PRS 505 is \"better\" than the Kindle 1 which is awkward to hold and which makes losing page position too easy. However, the Kindle 2 is far superior - if only it had pdf support.\n\nThe ugly US on the PRS 505 really makes me appreciate the elegance of the UI on the Kindle.\n\nTo me lack of wireless support is not a big deal. (I'd prefer that the Kindle supported Wifi rather than Whispernet.) Connecting to the PC with a cable is easy enough but wifi would be nice.\n\nAdded June 10, 2009:\n\nAfter having used the 505 a little longer I like it better than I did at first. I still think the interface is too cluttered and the Sony Software is awful.\n\nHowever, thanks to the Calibre freeware, getting books into the 505 is quite easy. I do find that the 505 fits in my hand a little more nicely than the Kindle, and the reading experience is very good. I got mine for $250 and I've seen them from time to time for as little as $200. Thus it is quite a bit cheaper than the Kindle.\n\nI'm finding that I like having one device that isn't internet connected. For buying books online, the Kindle is dramatically better than the 505. For books that I put on the reader myself, I prefer the 505. Also the 505 works very well with the DRM from the ebooks from my local library on line.\n\nThe Kindle and the 505 are getting about equal use from me. If I were going to have only one I'd stick with the Kindle, but I like them both.","Product: Experience the joy of reading a variety of your favorite books all stored digitally in one compact device. The slimmer, redesigned Digital eBook Reader lets you carry a stack of books in one hand. The Digital eBook Reader holds about 160 eBooks or hundreds more with Optional removable Memory cards. Its portable size makes it the perfect travel companion, allowing you to read a variety of books whenever and wherever you want. With thousands of eBook titles available at The eBook Store from Sony, you can choose to Download new releases, classics and popular book titles as well as view other document formats such as Adobe PDF10, RTF, TXT, BBeB and Microsoft Word. Its long Battery life lasts up to 7,500 continuous page turns, and the amazing paper-like screen technology is easy on the eyes. Offers a unique, on-the-go reading experience and is the perfect travel companion. With a compact and lightweight design, you can take it almost anywhere and read your books whenever and wherever you want. More compact than many paperbacks, it weighs about 9 ounces (without cover), is 1/3\" thin, and holds up to 160 eBooks. You can easily hold it in one hand, and with its rechargeable battery, you can turn up to 7,500 continuous pages on a single charge. Up to 7,500 page turns on full charge Audio and picture playback Dual SD Card and Memory Stick Pro Duo Expansion Slot Mountable USB Drive Charges via USB Unit Dimensions (Approx.) - 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.3 (175 x 122 x 8mm) / Weighs 9 ounces Includes Soft Case, USB Cable, Quick Start Guide, CD-ROM Limited Warranty - Labor- 90 days from the date of purchase; Parts- 1 Year from the date of purchase Windows compatible only\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Good, but not as good as Kindle 2\n\nReview: A lot of the reviews published here on Amazon are pretty old for technology. As an avid reader who has both the Kindle 1 and Kindle 2 as well as the Sony PRS 505, I'd like to add some observations in light of the current state of the market.\n\nThe three stars are awarded because this unit is a notch inferior to the Kindle 2, and the Kindle 2 is not quite good enough for five stars.\n\nStrengths of the PRS 505:\n\nSupports PDF and with upgraded firmware allows pdf reflow (but loses formatting).\n\nForm factor easy to hold in hand.\n\nComes with good, usable cover (hear that Amazon) you don't have to pay extra for.\n\nReadable screen.\n\nCalibre, which is a free ebook manager not included in the package but easily downloaded, is excellent.\n\nCan retain page numbers.\n\nSometimes reformatting pdfs and mobi files for reformatting give better formatting than mobi conversions for Kindle.\n\nNegatives:\n\nUgly user interface. The Kindle UI is simple much more elegant, cleaner and easier to use.\n\nNo internet connectivity, not even wifi.\n\nSony software is awful, unless you plan to use Sony ebook store don't bother with it.\n\nCan't just drop books into directory like with Kindle.\n\nFont resizing is slow and cumbersome.\n\nPage turns and overall functioning slower than Kindle.\n\nRapid charging and ability to charge while you read require buying aftermarket charger (note: PSP chargers available cheap are just as good as PRS chargers).\n\nFull page pdf files are tiny, reflow them and you lose formatting.\n\nI bought this for pdf support. I read a lot of long documents that are pdf or doc formatted. In the past I would print them, because I just don't find it possible to properly concentrate on something like a long contract on a computer screen. I started to read them on my Kindle, but I was frustrated by the loss of formatting. The Sony Reader supports pdf better than the Kindle, but it has it's own quirks and problems. I look forward to the Kindle DX.\n\nMeanwhile I do think the Sony PRS 505 is \"better\" than the Kindle 1 which is awkward to hold and which makes losing page position too easy. However, the Kindle 2 is far superior - if only it had pdf support.\n\nThe ugly US on the PRS 505 really makes me appreciate the elegance of the UI on the Kindle.\n\nTo me lack of wireless support is not a big deal. (I'd prefer that the Kindle supported Wifi rather than Whispernet.) Connecting to the PC with a cable is easy enough but wifi would be nice.\n\nAdded June 10, 2009:\n\nAfter having used the 505 a little longer I like it better than I did at first. I still think the interface is too cluttered and the Sony Software is awful.\n\nHowever, thanks to the Calibre freeware, getting books into the 505 is quite easy. I do find that the 505 fits in my hand a little more nicely than the Kindle, and the reading experience is very good. I got mine for $250 and I've seen them from time to time for as little as $200. Thus it is quite a bit cheaper than the Kindle.\n\nI'm finding that I like having one device that isn't internet connected. For buying books online, the Kindle is dramatically better than the 505. For books that I put on the reader myself, I prefer the 505. Also the 505 works very well with the DRM from the ebooks from my local library on line.\n\nThe Kindle and the 505 are getting about equal use from me. If I were going to have only one I'd stick with the Kindle, but I like them both.","Product: LITE%2DON eTAU208 8x DVD%B1RW Super AllWrite Slim Drive with LightScribe %2D %28Double%2Dlayer%29 %2D DVD%2DRAM%2F%B1R%2F%B1RW %2D 8x 8x 8x %28DVD%29 %2D 24x 24x 24x %28CD%29 %2D External %2D Black %2D Retail\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This is What I've been Waiting For\n\nReview: This is the portable DVD drive I've been waiting for. I have a rather large external CD/DVD that is basically a desktop unit in a case. It works great, but it is not portable. I have an LG unit that has a slide in and is supposedly \"pure\" USB, but it actually has two connectors and takes up two USB inputs, one for supplementary power. I find that unit to be buggy and not always work; I also don't like the slide in slot because I forget to take out my disk and need to power it up to get it out.\n\nWhat I've wanted for a long time was a small portable unit, barely bigger than the size of a disk, that pops open and runs on one USB port without the need for external power. Why the top load? Well, first of all its operation is mechanical - if I forget a disk is in there it doesn't require power to take it out, and secondly it can play mini dvds. The convenience of a single connector is really nice.\n\nThe USB cable fits on a slot on the bottom of the drive so it is easy to carry and not get tangled with other cords. If you have a netbook or small laptop without a DVD player, or if sometimes you'd like a second one, this unit is perfect. And it is also inexpensive.\n\nIt also seems to work just fine. I tried loading some programs that give me problems on the LG unit and this one ran with no problems and felt very responsive. The laptop I used it on is Windows 7 64 bit, so compatibility should not be a problem with any Windows unit.","Product: Created in partnership with ZAGG, the Logitech Keyboard Case gives you an extra measure of convenience and style. Careful crafting from precision-cut, aircraft-grade aluminum makes it look and feel great. With high-density padding, Bluetooth paired keyboard, a recess behind the keyboard to stand your iPad 2, the Logitech Keyboard Case is your perfect on-the-go companion for iPad 2.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Connects Easily, Decent Keyboard\n\nReview: This keyboard works well if you want to use your iPad for note taking. I recently went to a training session with a colleague and he used it for two days and it worked great. I have found that it makes a bluetooth connection very well and I haven't had a problems with the continuity of the connectivity. The keyboard fits the iPad nicely in its stand. However, the iPad does not fit quite as well as I would like it to for a carrying case. Also, I have my iPad in a skin that I have to remove to use it with the keyboard.\n\nI do like the feel of the keyboard and it looks good with the iPad. I'm not sure I really have a lot of need for a separate keyboard with the iPad, but if you do, then this is a decent product.","Product: Put USB charging right where you need it at night: on your nightstand! The RC142 offers all the features of a large-display clock radio, with the extra convenience of a USB charging port for your smartphone or other portable device. It even has an aux-in for your MP3 player or smartphone, dual-wake alarms that let you set separate alarm times to wake up, and brightness control that lets you set the clock display to high or low.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Looks better in pictures\n\nReview: This alarm clock looks better in the pictures on the website and on the box than it does when you get it out of the box. The impression of holding the product itself is that it is a pretty cheap piece of gear. It doesn't feel particularly substantial. Once you set the time and put it on the shelf though it looks pretty nice. I appreciate the slim form factor. The ability to plug in a phone or USB device is also a nice touch. You can also plug in an MP3 device and play music through the tinny low quality typical clock radio speakers if you desire. It has a compartment for a backup battery and needs a 9v battery for that. Overall a decent alarm clock. Extra points for slim form factor and USB plug.","Product: The Jot Pro Dampening Stylus was created to capture the precision of a calligrapher and the stroke of an artist. Unlike the fat rubber tips of other styluses, Jot's ballpoint makes a finer line. The precision disc lets you see exactly where your mark will be made, giving you the most natural digital stroke. Not only should it meet your needs, but a stylus should have style. The brushed aluminum and steel rivals the craftsmanship of luxury pens. Jot plays nice with all capacitive touch screens, making it the best stylus for iPad and Android Tablets.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: OK, Screen is problem, not stylus\n\nReview: In the past I've had an HP tablet with Wacom screen and stylus. The active screen and stylus allow a pretty good degree of control over the pen. However, the screen is nowhere near as responsive as the newer capacitative screens on the ipad and android tablets. Every now ant then I've missed the wacom precision. I've tried various styli, and they don't work very well.\n\nI had fairly high hopes for this stylus because the sharp point looks like it can offer more precision. Alas, I didn't find this much better than a stylus with the eraser tip. If anything it is just more fragile. The problem is the screen, not the stylus. Capacitative screens work great with your finger but don't offer the precision inking of an active screen.","Product: Onkyo IE-HF300 in-ear headphones extract the full dynamic potential from audio recordings & are portable enough to stick in your back pocket. Featuring a large, low-impedance transducer, these headphones balance silky smooth bass with an open and natural mid-range. Tough aluminum and ABS resin hybrid construction provides the necessary rigidity to tame resonance and minimize distortion. Crystal-clear audio comes courtesy of an audiophile-grade, super-conductive copper cable wrapped in transparent elastomer insulation to minimize touch noise. Detachable gold-plated MMCX connectors allow easy cable replacement in case of accidental damage. Available in a burnished black aluminum finish, these comfortable and stylish IEMs are ready to make your music come alive.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Impressive for an IEM\n\nReview: Onkyo is known for making consumer electronic equipment of good value and high quality. They succeed with these IEMs at a first-time product that is worthy of the brand.\n\nI've got a pile of high end headphones, and I enjoy them. But generally I don't love in ear monitors (IEMs). The only pair I have handy that still work are a set of A-Jays that I use with my iPhone. These Onkyo IEMs are surprisingly nice. In enjoy listening to them more than the A-Jays. The marketing material says the Onkyo's have a bigger driver than other IEM; it may make a difference because these have very tight, musical and pronounced bass. They also have a considerable amount of treble and a nice mid range. I'm not one of those people who measures sound curves, but to my ear these are very enjoyable. They also offer a reasonable amount of sound stage for an IEM (IEMs have horrible sound stage and part of what I dislike about them is they almost always put the music in the center of my head which I find annoying). They are also pretty comfortable. Although I don't find the IEM style comfortable so I'm not sure how I'd feel about wearing these hours at a time.\n\nThe removable cable is a nice feature as cable failures are usually what causes me to replace IEMs. The cable is of high quality. The cables are a bit noisy when I move around - this is a common IEM problem. These are a good value in the price range. They are worthy of listening to even for the most critical ear.","Product: Belkin HDMI to VGA Projector Adapter (Supports HDMI 2.0)\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good Device, Terrible Description\n\nReview: I thought this device was an HDMI to VGA adapter, and that's what it is. However, it is very confusing.\n\nIt is an HDMI to VGA adapter plus jack for plugging in sound. If you want to go from a laptop or computer with a full-sized (NOT MINI) HDMI (it won't work with your Mac unless you first use a mini to full-sized HDMI converter. It allows you to bring the sound out of the HDMI jack and plug it into the device that has a VGA port.\n\nThe package says all kinds of stuff about use your iPad with Airplay and Apple TV to connect to a projector. IMPORTANT. If you want to use this to connect your iPad to a projector you must use Apple TV. It doesn't work straight out of an iPad.\n\nIt's a fine HDMI to VGA jack, but the package (and it has no instructions) is somewhat misleading. There is nothing uniquely special about this one for use with an iPad.","Product: The powerful EX5230 Pro ensures professional presentations in virtually any setting, even in large venues with ambient light. Offering high brightness and XGA resolution, this powerful performer ensures engaging presentations with sharp detail. And, it features fast wireless connectivity, making it easy to project content from laptops, smartphones, and tablets (optional wireless LAN module required). Builtin HDMI delivers digital video and audio with just one cable, while Epson's Simple Setup Suite enables flexible positioning and rapid setup. It's the ideal projector for busy professionals whose presentations demand proven performance.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great quality picture, a bit heavy\n\nReview: This is a great projector if your primary concern is a good picture, even in a light room. I've been using projectors since the advent of laptops, and it's clear they've improved remarkably. This one has plenty of connections, and comes with a light carrying case, which is nice.\n\nHowever, it's really quite big and bulky, much bigger than the other projector we use in my company. Since I am often trying to show what is on my screen outside of my office, in a deposition, hearing or courtroom, carrying something this heavy is less than desirable since I'm usually already laden down with notebooks, a laptop and other equipment.\n\nIf you are using it mostly stationary in your home or a fixed conference room then this projector is a fantastic value.","Product: Even top headphones such as the beyerdynamic T 51 p cannot be used to their full potential with mobile devices. The transformation of the digital sound data for the analog headphone playback seldom meets genuine hi-fi standards. The A 200 p from beyerdynamic is a solution to this problem. It meets demanding audio requirements and provides you with significantly improved sound on-the-go. Hifi-Experience instead of standard sound The A 200 p circumvents the internal signal processing of the connected player and receives the pure digital music data first. After converting the digital data to analogue music signals, a high-quality amplifier controls the output to the connected headphones. All of this results in a level of audio quality that was previously not possible for travelling audiophiles. Previously unheard details, better contoured and deeper bass, as well as natural instrument and vocal reproduction transform standard portable sound into a true hi-fi experience. Lightweight and compact in a pocket-format With dimensions of 55 x 55 x 13 mm, the A 200 p is extremely compact and lightweight. It fits easily in your pocket and can be stored together in your headphones carrying case. The integrated battery provides you with up to 11 hours of uninterrupted listening pleasure; enough even for long-haul flights. In addition, the A 200 p also makes it easier for you to control playback using its buttons for play/pause, as well as for skipping between tracks. You can easily adjust ...\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Best DAC for iPad.\n\nReview: This is probably the best DAC available for use with the newer iPhones and iPads. There are very few devices that work directly from the lightning connector.\n\nThe amp is not terribly powerful. It definitely enhances the sound of the Beyerdynamic T50p and T70. The T70 is 250 ohms and benefits from an amp out of the iPad, although it work reasonably well without one. This amp is a particularly good synergy with those phones. On the other hand this amp does not provide enough oomph for the T1 which is 600 ohms. When I use the T1 I have used this amp as a DAC and then another amp. It would be nice if this amp had a line out option so it isn't really ideal, but there are not a lot of DAC options for the iPad.","Product: With the AC1200 MAX Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE6700), you can easily expand the range of your existing wireless router. Simply plug the device into a standard wall outlet where you need stronger Internet connectivity--say, an upstairs bedroom or office or another remote area of your home. The RE6700 repeats the signal from the router and redistributes it to reduce wireless dead spots.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Seems to work and setup was easy\n\nReview: There is a lot of interference in my house, and the wifi into the living room is generally very frustrating. About a year ago I got a TPLink range extender for about $20 and it made a big difference. However, about three months ago it became ineffective. It did not stop functioning - it just stopped being useful, There are so many sources of interference that I went about removing a number of items, and ultimately I got wifi working OK in the living room, but not great.\n\nWhen I was offered this Linksys range extender, I jumped at the chance. Indeed, at least for now it seems to provide vastly improved network performance into my living room. It is designed for push button or manual setup. I prefer the manual method. Linksys did a good job of providing a method for setup that even a non technical user could easily do the manual setup. I commend them for that, usually the manual setup on these types of devices is tricky, requiring straight through network cables and knowledge of IP addresses. This range extender requires none of that. It can be set up via the wireless and there is a special internet address for the setup. We'll see how well it is working in a few months but so far I think the result is a noticeable improvement.\n\nEdited to remove one star: Unfortunately this range extender has a problem with my cable router. It loses connection and when I get up in the morning need to unplug and restart the range extender for it to find the router again. Otherwise it works fine, but this connection issue is annoying.","Product: The new Linksys AC750 Boost Dual-Band Wi-Fi Range Extender with Exclusive Spot Finder Technology eliminates Wi-Fi dead zones throughout a home including, patio, garage, second floors and more. With a simple setup with Push Button Connect and Spot Finder Technology for optimal placement and performance it will boost your Wi-Fi signal coverage up to 6,500 square feet. Cross band Technology maximizes simultaneous use of dual bands while Beam forming focuses and strengthens the Wi-Fi signal. With Wi-Fi speeds up to N300 & AC433 Mbps you will expand your Wi-Fi coverage in large and multi-storied homes with two adjustable, external antennas. You will gain enhanced wired speeds for a Smart TV, gaming console, Blu-ray Disc player other Wi-Fi device using the Gigabit Ethernet port. Works with all Wi-Fi routers.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Seems to work and setup was easy\n\nReview: There is a lot of interference in my house, and the wifi into the living room is generally very frustrating. About a year ago I got a TPLink range extender for about $20 and it made a big difference. However, about three months ago it became ineffective. It did not stop functioning - it just stopped being useful, There are so many sources of interference that I went about removing a number of items, and ultimately I got wifi working OK in the living room, but not great.\n\nWhen I was offered this Linksys range extender, I jumped at the chance. Indeed, at least for now it seems to provide vastly improved network performance into my living room. It is designed for push button or manual setup. I prefer the manual method. Linksys did a good job of providing a method for setup that even a non technical user could easily do the manual setup. I commend them for that, usually the manual setup on these types of devices is tricky, requiring straight through network cables and knowledge of IP addresses. This range extender requires none of that. It can be set up via the wireless and there is a special internet address for the setup. We'll see how well it is working in a few months but so far I think the result is a noticeable improvement.\n\nEdited to remove one star: Unfortunately this range extender has a problem with my cable router. It loses connection and when I get up in the morning need to unplug and restart the range extender for it to find the router again. Otherwise it works fine, but this connection issue is annoying.","Product: The Bose Solo 5 TV sound system is a one-piece soundbar that brings noticeably better sound to all your favorite TV programs. It's engineered to help clearly reproduce everything from dialogue to details. And for even more clarity, its dialogue mode makes every word easier to hear. This soundbar is so versatile you can place it almost anywhere. And with Bluetooth connectivity, you can play your favorite wireless music through the speaker, too. The sleek design of your flat-screen TV is beautiful to look at. Unfortunately, there's little room left for speakers. That's why dialogue and quiet passages can be so hard to hear. The Solo 5 TV sound system is an easy solution, with advanced technologies that deliver the clear audio your TV can't. And dialogue mode makes every word even easier to understand without having to adjust the volume from scene to scene. If distorted sound secure cable connections on the sound bar and TV or other connected sources. Troubleshoot-if the sound bar is connected to a tv output labelled variable reduce the tv volume. If wall mounting the sound bar, adjust the audio If you remove the sound bar from the wall, repeat to return the sound bar to default audio settings. Unplug the power cord for at least one minute and reconnect. NOTE: Kindly refer the user manual before usage of the product and High efficient Bluetooth connectivity acquired at maximum distance of 30 feet and also troubleshooting can be found on page 30\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good dialog, natural sound, weak bass.\n\nReview: This sound bar has good sound coming from small speakers. It does enhance dialog, suffers from too little bass, needs more hookup options and has a remote that's way too big.\n\nI have tried many different ways to get decent sound out of my Sony flatscreen that I've had about 6 years. The TV speakers are simply terrible. My first attempt was a Sony soundbar that I used about year, but the sound was barely better than the built in speakers and the soundbar would weirdly turn my TV off and on at odd times and exhibit other crazy behavior. Then I switch to a 5.1 home speaker system and went through a few different speakers. The overall sound could be good but I never could get the right balance where I could hear the dialog.\n\nIn desperation I switched to a Zvox sound base. That resulted in much easier to hear dialog but the sound was somehow artificial sounding and \"off\". It is also too boomy and I found I had to disconnect the subwoofer. Given the chance to try this Bose Soundbar I decided why not.\n\nWell on the good side the sound of the Bose soundbar is quite natural. It can fill my spacious living room with a high ceiling. And dialog is as clear as with the Zvox. On the downside, even with the bass boost, it just doesn't have enough bass. And oddly it doesn't have a connection for an optional subwoofer. It also has an enormous remote that is way too complicated and takes up too much room when most things are coming with smaller remotes.\n\nAt the moment if I want to hear dialog I am left with the choice between the Zvox which has enough bass (maybe too much) but sounds oddly artificial or the Bose which sounds more natural but which lacks bass. What I'd really like is the sound of a good home theatre setup that has comprehensible dialog. However, I do like the small size of the soundbar and in many situations I'd choose the form factor over sound quality.","Product: Think of the Music Streamer III as a product that makes the music coming out of your computer sound as good as possible. Technically, the MS III is an external sound card for computers. To improve your computer&#39;s sound quality the MS III takes over the job of processing the digital music stream from the computer that is critical to producing great sound. While its cost is quite low, its performance is anything but.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great upgrade for my computer near field system.\n\nReview: This DAC is a massive improvement in sound quality over the USB DAC I have been using. I was using a Tascam US-366 when my previous device was no longer supported by Windows 8. I was OK with it until I started using my headphones with some degree of regularity. I've been using a separate DAC/Amp for my headphones but I wanted something to use with my near field system that sits at my computer. Wow! Here I was thinking a DAC is a DAC. The sound is much less harsh, has more detail and tons more bass. Great upgrade.\n\nOne warning. This came in a box with no documentation. I got no sound when I plugged it in. I needed to go to the HRT website and read the directions which require reconfiguring you speaker and sound choices. Once I did that it worked great. Also mine came with no USB cable in the box.","Product: Performance in its purest form. Misfit ray is our most minimal and versatile tracker. It delivers the fitness and sleep tracking you need to stay motivated, including steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, activity tagging, and sleep duration and quality. It also never needs charging and is water-resistant to 50 meters, so it can be worn constantly. That means more data, better insights, and more powerful motivation. Rays clean lines create a form that is as much about fashion as it is about function. Wear it stacked with a smart Watch and cuff, or Customize it to your style - it features hidden 8-mm spring bars that allow it to be worn with almost any standard accessory, including Watch bands, bracelets, or necklaces.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Unobtrusive but needs work.\n\nReview: On the plus side the Misfit Ray is small and unobtrusive. I don't notice it when it is on my arm. Without a watch its not as useful as my Fitbit, but the Fitbit makes my arm itch and the Ray does not.\n\nThe manual contains directions that are all pictures - better than bad English - but still as nearly incomprehensible. After I figured out how to put in the batteries (which did not go easily for me because they wanted to go in sideways) it did sync up pretty easily. The accuracy however is only so so at best. No worse than my Fitbit. If you want to use sleep tracking, you need to inform the App that you are going to sleep, otherwise the Ray will show any still time as sleep.\n\nThe batteries are not rechargeable which is a plus if you have a tendancy to let devices run down, but it also means they have to be replaced every few months.\n\nAll in all I think this entire product category is a little immature. I found the Ray to be fairly inaccurate but no worse than the Fitbit.","Product: From celebrated director Penny Marshall comes the story of a girl who did everything wrong but got everything right. Make way for Beverly (Drew Barrymore), a smart, beautiful young woman who can't wait to grow up, much to the frustration of her police sergeant father (James Woods). Her life takes its first detour when she gets pregnant at age sixteen. The baby's father, her husband (Steve Zahn), turns out to need more mothering than her newborn son. But through all the trouble, Beverly makes a life that's more than she ever imagined and lives a story that's waiting to be told. Join the ride and watch Beverly kick life where it counts.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Coulda Been a Contenda\n\nReview: Once upon a time there was a rebellious, bright, funny, teenager named Beverly Donofrio. She was trapped in a working class Catholic family in a suburban neighborhood in the 1960s, and the only way she could - in her befuddled and wrong-headed teenage way - figure out how to escape was to do what many other teens with underdeveloped judgment have done and will continue to do to get out - she got pregnant at 17, got married to a loser, and was divorced by 19. She spent eight years on welfare, yet managed to raise her son, go to an elite eastern college, get a masters degree from Columbia, and become a successful writer. She wrote a memoir that I consider a minor classic called \"Riding in Cars with Boys\" which signaled an important cultural shift in attitudes toward women, because it was the story of a \"bad\" girl who wasn't ashamed of it. If this movie, which bears the title of that memoir, had retold the story told in that book, it could have been a great movie.\nInstead, what we get is a high concept TV movie of the week type story about \"babies having babies\" in which a 15 year old girl gets pregnant, marries the father who she's too dumb even to realize is a drug addict, stays married to him a number of years, develops a dysfunctional relationship with her son whom she is barely able to love, and ends up up being taken care of emotionally by her preppy, shallow ultimately emotionally confused son. From everything I've seen in video interviews with Beverly Donofrio and her son, and from the book, and other articles I've read, this just isn't remotely her story or her character.\nI've read a lot of reviews that focus on how great Drew Barrymore was aging from15 to 35, and what a challenging role this was. Well, I thought she did OK with the mess of a script and the character, but the script and character make no sense. Why did she have to be 15? In real life Beverly was pregnant at 17. The real story is that Beverly (who by all acccounts from life was a loving if unconventional mother) managed, son in tow, to go to college and graduate school (not study for her GED - Beverly finished high school with her class) all the while on welfare (not working double shifts at the diner). Why not tell that story - which is far more interesting than this silly moralistic tale - of the trials and failures of a teenage mother? And if you remove the distracting framing device of having her confront her husband at 35, then you could have a role where the actress ages from 17 to 27, a lot less difficult to do.\nThere is one superb performance in this movie, and that is Steve Zahn as the junkie husband and father. But Drew Barrymore as Beverly Donofrio just seems to lack the edge, the funny, rebellious, in your face presence that Beverly Donofrio has. I grew up with lots of bad girls just like her in an Italian neighborhood in the suburbs of a big city in the fifties and sixties. Those girls had some real sass. This girl portayed by Drew Barrymore just doesn't have that. In fact, she seems too much like a \"nice\" girl and doesn't fit the situation.\nIf you can set aside what this movie should have been and could have been and take it on its own terms, it is well made - the production values are good, the period evocations are effective, the settings are interesting, the use of cars as a character is well-done. It's at least watchable on that level, and I also enjoyed the contribution by Lorraine Bracco as well as that of Steve Zahn (James Woods just gives me the creeps and I can't forget it in whatever role he's in). I'm disappointed though that it's not a movie telling the story in the book.","Product: TOPS Docket Diamond Premium Stationery Tablets feature premium stationery-quality sheets with fine laid finish. The elegant watermarked paper has 25% cotton content and a subtle texture. Paper is made from 100% recycled fiber with 30% post-consumer fiber and is double-stitched at the top for added durability. The extra strong rigid backboard makes note taking easy, even when you're away from your desk. Letr-Trim perforations mean clean and easy sheet removal. Each TOPS Docket Diamond Premium Stationery Tablet measures 8.5 x 11.75 inches and has 50 legal/wide ruled white sheets per pad, and is available in a convenient 2-pad pack. Since 1952, TOPS has provided quality products and services to businesses throughout the world. TOPS continues that commitment providing innovative, high quality value-added paper products for the office, school and home. Whether it's a multi-part form, notebooks, writing pads, record books, or any of the hundreds of items we offer, you can count on TOPS products to help!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: -- Does not bleed through -- Does not feather -- Nice thick paper -- Good for note taking with most ...\n\nReview: This review will focus on the suitability of this paper for fountain pens. The usual wisdom is that recycled paper won't work for fountain pens but the truth is not that simple.\n\nThis paper will, in fact, work quite well for fountain pens in some applications. The surface is course and it will bit into the nib a bit. But this paper will not feather and it will not bleed through. The paper is thick. It is only lined on one side. Overall if you want to use a fountain pen with a legal pad, these pads will work with most pens.\n\nPros:\n-- Does not bleed through\n-- Does not feather\n-- Nice thick paper\n-- Good for note taking with most normal writing nibs, even works with 1.0 mm stub\n-- Works fine with Pilot Parallel 1.5\n\nCons:\n-- Color is greyish and ink colors not shown to best advantage\n-- Surface of paper is rough\n-- Lines only on one side\n-- Scored at the top but hard to tear evenly.\n-- Does not work with most italic or fude nibs.","Product: Red Barn filled bones are available in six mouthwatering flavors, packed into White, cut femur bones. While your dog enjoys the rich filling, their teeth are getting cleaner from the natural bone. One reviewer says, Lamb is great for the coat, because quality ingredients provide protein and nutrition.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great for aggressive chewers\n\nReview: One of our greyhounds thinks she is part goat and part lab. She'll eat anything. She's also young, full of energy (unusual for a greyhound) and would chase a ball all day if I would throw it. While she is overall a very good dog, she is also prone to be destructive unless kept tired and entertained. Unfortunately, along with a willingess to eat anything she has a sensitive stomach so the vet has become quite fond of her.\n\nThese filled bones don't bother her stomach as a lot of treats do. She also loves them, as does our other greyhound. It takes them less than an hour to get all the filling out (quite a feat) and they still like to carry the bones around for days, gnaw on them and lick them. These are a bit pricey but cheaper than damage to my furniture and possessions.\n\nWe use all the various flavors of these. The bones don't make a mess.","Product: Royal Pet Inc. presents the 4.5-Inch TPR Squeaker Ball for Dogs from their awesome \"Gnawsome\" collection which comes in various colors. Gnawsome Squeaker Balls feature a loud internal squeaker, and features a gum-massaging, spiky texture; its unique design ensures no choking hazards only fun! The highly vivid colors are ideal for engaging with your dog day or night, soft, safe and durable; suitable to play with in the yard, home, park, or shore. Produced from food-grade, BPA-free TPR (thermo-plasticized rubber) material in assorted colors, sized at 4.5-inch diameter, this Squeaker Ball is suitable for larger dogs. Since establishing in 1996, Royal Pet, Inc. has become a cooperative global supplier of products that enhance the lives of pets and their humans. Core Values include: Adaptability, Honesty, Innovation, Knowledge, Results, and the Global Viewpoint. Recognizing the important role that pets play in people's lives, all products and brands are developed via the simple principle of delivering maximum-grade items which enhance your and your pets' quality of life. Royal Pet Inc. understands pets are \"Family.\" They also understand there are about 2.7 million healthy shelter-animals that remain un-adopted each year, and only about 30 percent of pets in the homes come from shelters or rescues. Royal Pet, Inc. does all it can to help shelters and rescue groups. In 2015 alone the company donated almost $75,000 worth of items for consumption to numerous shelters and rescues in the companys home State of Minnesota. The Royal Pet, Inc. broad spectrum of products includes everything from waste management solutions, toys, rawhide and extruded treats, plus excellent pet apparel.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: My Dog loves this toy\n\nReview: One of my dogs is a Greyhound who thinks she is a lab - she is ball crazy and she loves to swim. For some reason she loves this particular ball most of all. Something about the combination of the squeaking and the rubber bristles must make it feel really good to her. I have to keep this away from her when we are not using it to play fetch because I'm sure that - like everything else - she would rip it to shreds. But all I have to do is bring this ball out to the back yard and start squeaking it and I can get her to run after it over and over. Then she comes in the house and goes to sleep instead of doing what she does when she isn't tired - which is destroying everything in sight.","Product: One GREENIES Fresh Dental Treat is all it takes for clean teeth, fresh breath and a happy dog. Your dog can't wait to sink their teeth into these delicious dental dog chews because they are bursting with breath-freshening mint flavor and feature a delightfully chewy texture that fights plaque and tartar. Irresistibly tasty and incredibly powerful, GREENIES Treats for Dogs are recommended by veterinarians for at-home oral care. Best of all, these natural dog treats are made with highly soluble ingredients that are safe and easy to digest. Give your dog the mouth-wowing treat that helps promote their overall health with GREENIES Dog Treats.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Prefer the Original, these are OK\n\nReview: My two greyhounds are huge fans of Greenies. Of course, it's hard to say how meaningful that is because they'll eat pretty much anything they find on the ground. But they seem to have a great enthusiasm for Greenies that is almost on the level with Salmon Skin and peanut butter. Unfortunately they are also fans of their own turds so their breath can be pretty disgusting. Greenies do a great job of getting rid of some of that foulness. That said, I think the mint in these particular Greenies is meant to appeal to humans more than dogs. And I think these have a bit of an off-putting odor as the herb/mint combination is not particularly appealing to the human nose. Nonetheless my dogs scarf these up with almost as much gusto as the original Greenies.","Product: The DeLonghi TRD40615E High Performance Radiant Heater, with electronic controls, is the fastest heater with a revolutionary new design that effectively and efficiently heats cold rooms with 25% more radiant surface. The patented thermal chimney effect quickly circulates warmed air throughout the room producing maximum heat with a low surface temperature. Plus, the advanced Eco-Plus function, intelligently selects the ideal power level based on the delta between the current room temperature and the set temperature resulting in 20% - 40% energy savings!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Easy to move around, good looking.\n\nReview: This heater seems very solidly made and looks good. The wheels fold out smoothly, and the cord nicely wraps around a supplied holder. It can easily be stowed unobtrusively in a room although it is quite large. I got it for its anti-freeze feature. This feature allow it to sense when the temperature is approaching freezing and then it will turn on. It heats up quickly and is not too hot to the touch. Unfortunately, I can't really test it much at this time or leave it on for long because we are in the middle of a string of 100 degree plus days. I think it will be very nice to have though when the weather gets colder.\n\nEdited:Added a star. Now that the weather is cold I've been using this heater and it's great. It is quiet and puts out comfortable heat. My house is a ranch house and the heat is often not well-distributed. Putting this in the bedroom makes sleep a lot more comfortable at night without having to heat up the whole house.\n\nA minor design nit. Why does the chord extend from the front of the unit. The chord comes out from the same side as the controls. It would be a lot easier to place this heater if the chord came out the back.","Product: The Torch 250 Power Hub and Flashlight is the most versatile, reliable source of power and light for any situation. Boasting a powerful, 4,400 mAh lithium battery, 250 total lumen output, a 1.5A USB port to charge your gear, as well as a built-in solar panel and hand crank, this multi-function flashlight is the only piece of gear you'll need in an emergency. Built-in USB charging cable, solar panel and hand crank for bright light anywhere. Red light for emergencies, USB port to charge your phone.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Well made some small nits.\n\nReview: This is a very cleverly designed and useful product. Living in earthquake company I appreciate a flashlight that is this versatile. Three charging options, sun, hand crank and plug in are very nice to have. Light output is great.\n\nMy one nitpick is that the shape is awkward and not very ergonomic. It's kind of hard to hold comfortably which you crank (a very last ditch method of charging). It is also not that comfortable to hold in my hand as a flashlight. My other smaller nitpick is that you charge it with a \"tail\" of a usb cord that is seems to me is fragile and a bit of an annoyance. I'd rather have it charge by standard micro usb. However, these things do not take away from the overall utility of keeping one of these around.","Product: The DT122K heavy duty indoor 7-day digital plug-in timer can be used for 24-hour or 7-day programming. It allows for up to 7 on/off programmed events. This timer utilizes an astronomic feature to keep track of daily sunrise/sunset changes and automatic daylight saving time adjustment. The random feature will vary the time your lights turn ON by a few minutes to give your home a \"lived in\" look. It has two grounded receptacles. Includes a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery with a minimum 7-day life to retain date and time. Programs will not be lost in the event of a power failure. This plug-in timer is suitable for use with indoor christmas tree lights or seasonal decorations that require an on/off schedule. UL listed. 15A, 125VAC, 60Hz.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Heavy Duty. Three Prongs. Two Outputs.\n\nReview: This timer is much better than I expected. We use timers to set our lamps so that the dogs room isn't dark if we are not here. This timer is extremely nice because it is quite heavy duty. It has some great features. It uses a three pronged plug. Every other timer we've ever had only had two prongs. Since most things these days have three prongs that was a real limitation. It also is the only timer I've seen with two output plugs. It's a bonus that it has a light sensing feature. Also, because it is heavy duty and digital I am hoping that it lasts. We have had to replace our timers pretty frequently, with no mechanical parts this one should last longer.","Product: Dr. Thomas J. Stanley began studying the affluent in 1973. His coauthored New York Times best-seller, The Millionaire Next Door, was released in 1996, and has sold over 2,500,000 copies worldwide. Thomas followed his first book with Marketing to the Affluent, ranked among the ten outstanding business books by the editors of Best of Business Quarterly. His second New York Times best-seller, The Millionaire Mind, explored Americas financial elite and how they became so when it came out in 1999. The author, who lives in Atlanta, holds a doctorate of business administration from the University of Georgia in Athens and was formerly a professor of marketing at Georgia State University.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Interesting Bits and Pieces Just OK Overall\n\nReview: There are some interesting bits and pieces in this book, most of which are generally familiar to readers of Stanley's other books. However, on the whole the book doesn't amount to much, wavering between sociological analysis and how to while not actually being either.\n\nWhat is clearly stated, but somewhat hidden is that this is not a book about women \"millionaires\" in general. It is based on responses to a questionaire by a group of women business owners with incomes over $100,000 and a net worth between $1 million and $25 million. Not included at all are women professionals, women who have amassed over $1 million by working in corporations, or women who might have made their money as partners in majority male owned businesses. It is not surprising that the women millionaires in this study have not departed much in their consumption or living habits from their middle class roots. It's impossible to say whether his conclusions are even mildly relevant to women who might have made just as much or more money in other ways, and who may account for a larger number of women millionaires.\n\nThere were a few observations in the book that I did find to be interesting enough that I didn't feel like I wasted my time. One observation was about how many of the millionaire women had married a type he called \"Marginal Bob\". (I call them losers). I have observed this phenomenon scores of times in high achieving women, and it's the first time I've seen it documented. Another was the chapter about women who came from dysfunctional families but who were still quite successful.\n\nTo me the book felt like fairly pedestrian (and not very well written) how-to advice cloaked in the pretense of scientific investigation. At least the advice is to be frugal, don't overspend, be supportive of others, pick business opportunities based on types of businesses that actually make money, be persistant, etc. At least the book doesn't pretend there is a simple overnight way to be a millionaire. I would find a meaningful empirical study of successful women to be far more interesting. I would have also preferred if he had been more straightforward about what he was really studying. I picked this book up and bought it off the remainder table, and I'm not surprised it ended up there. It just isn't very good. At least it isn't dispensing bad advice and it does have some interesting nuggets.","Product: Marcus Sakey is the author of four novels, three of which are in development as feature films. He has been nominated for or won an Anthony, Barry, Macavity, and ITW Thriller Award.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Fun, Brisk Like a Heroes episode\n\nReview: This book felt like an episode of the TV show heroes. The main character is engaging and the story is well-plotted. The book does suffer to some degree from the formula that affects most science fiction. Start with a description of a world that is different. In this case it is something resembling the current world a few years in the future except that random people are born with \"abilities\". This is usually the best part of the story and it is in this novel too. Put the \"fish out of water\" hero in some situation where the hero is on the run. Throw in a relationship with romantic tension. Resolve the story. I usually get bored once the on the run part starts. In this case I kept reading. Even though I found the story completely predictable, I kept turning the pages, read it in one sitting and enjoyed it."],"string":"[\n \"Product: The ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Acoustic is the most lightweight and compact pro-quality 2-channel acoustic guitar/vocal amp on the market today. Players frequently comment that the Lunchbox Acoustic is \\\"the most natural sounding acoustic amp\\\" they have ever used. ZT Amplifiers went to great effort to achieve this result, careful to avoid \\\"coloring\\\" the instrument's sound, and instead making your guitar sound like your guitar - just louder. And by utilizing the amp's power to assure the low frequencies so important to acoustic guitars remain strong despite the 6.5\\\" speaker size, ZT Amplifiers succeeded in making the Lunchbox Acoustic sound much bigger than it is. Individual controls for the dedicated microphone and instrument channels combine with clean, room-filling amplifier power, anti-feedback circuitry, a pro-grade reverb, external speaker output, and an effects loop for plenty of flexibility. You can even add pre-recorded tracks via the 1/8\\\" aux input. There is simply no other amp as easy to transport and gig with than a ZT amp, and for the acoustic player, it's the ZT Lunchbox Acoustic.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Use as a Portable Bass Amp\\n\\nReview: My use for this amp is a little outside of the ordinary. I use it as a portable amp for playing UBass in small ukulele jam sessions. The primary amp that I use is the Phil Jones Double Four (which is a 75 watt wonder), but sometimes I don't want to carry even that. This Lunchbox Jr is small enough that I can throw it in my suitcase when I go out of town. And sometimes when I am playing with small groups, the Phil Jones is more than I need.\\n\\nThis amp will work fine with a bass. ZT Amplifiers says that its guitar amps can handle bass without damage. However, the volume is fine for a few acoustic players but the speakers start to buzz pretty quickly, especially on the low E. You won't get a really low low bass sound, but it is good enough for busking or playing with a small group of acoustic players. The tone is quite acceptable.\\n\\nZT sells an adapter that can take alkaline batteries and power the amp. However, I have been using an external, rechargeable 9v power supply\\nthat is meant for recharging phones and laptops. It works great and is very economical to use.\\n\\nI had the Roland Micro cube RX which I sold because It was big and heavy, had terrible battery life, had a poor tone and less volume than I could get with the Lunchbox Jr. I know the Roland has its advocates but I found it unusable.\\n\\nI also have the Yamaha THR10 which is a little bigger than the Lunchbox, has a slightly better (deeper) bass tone, but can't get as much volume as the Lunchbox Jr. It works ok as a quiet practice amp but isn't loud enough to be used when playing with others.\\n\\nI bought the Lunchbox Jr. on sale so it was quite a bit cheaper than the Phil Jones Double Four. If you do acoustic jams and gigs with a bass, there is nothing better than the Phil Jones, but the lunchbox jr is the only other small portable amp I've found that is loud enough with a tone that is acceptable.\",\n \"Product: Inside Dimension: Overall Length 62.50cm (24.61in); Upper Bout 16.00cm (6.30in); Lower Bout 20.00cm (7.87in); Waist 15.00cm (5.91in); Body Depth 7.00cm (2.76in)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: On the Small Side, Poor Hardware, Still Nice Case\\n\\nReview: I bought the red one. My plan was to use it for a Luis Feu de Mesquita (LFDM) tenor that I was waiting for. Unfortunately it was too small. The size is smaller than the fiberglass Crossrock case that I have. The fiberglass comes with an insert to make smaller tenors fit smugly. This one does not.\\n\\nI ended up putting the LFDM in the fiberglass case and another tenor in the ABS molded case. I like having the option to put some ukes in cases other than the standard black case. This case seems fairly strong but the hardware is cheaper than it should be at this price point. The fiberglass model, which is $100 more expensive, is definitively a higher quality case all around. The cheaper hardware is a bit of a pain because the closing mechanism is imprecise.\\n\\nThis case will fit a Pono or almost any standard Hawaiian tenor but it will not fit any non-standard or large bodied tenor. Ponos run a bit large so it has a bit of room, but if your tenor is a larger size, the fiberglass model will fit but not this one.\",\n \"Product: FLY 3 Bass is an innovative mini amp that that gives you huge tone on the go. Beyond being an incredible, portable bass amp, the FLY 3 Bass also comes with an MP3 / LINE IN jack built-in, allowing you to connect to your MP3 player, mobile phone, laptop, tablet etc. and jam along to your favorite tracks; the Speaker Emulated Output jack can also be used with headphones or for recording. Combine the FLY 3 Bass with the included extension cab to create a 6 Watt stereo set-up for an amazing portable speaker system or computer speakers to play your music through.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The combo pack much better than single speaker combo\\n\\nReview: I have or have had just about every portable, battery operated Bass guitar amp and guitar amp. Most of my bass playing is the UBass with ukulele jam groups (like the other reviewer). Usually I use a Phil Jones Double 4 with a laptop battery.\\n\\nHowever, sometimes I go to smaller jams or smaller rooms and even the Phil Jones is more than I need to carry. The Blackstar Fly 3 will definitely do the job in a largish room with 15 or so players. It actually sounds terrific. Not as loud, but a bit more punch that the Double Four. Sometimes there are ukulele players who are very sensitive who like the bass very much in the background but still present. These little Fly3 boxes do the trick.\\n\\nThe key is to use both the amp and cabinet. I really would not recommend the single combo. The single combo to me seems pretty much like every other baby combo amp, (Orange, Vox) that runs on AA batteries. The sound breaks up pretty quickly. Add on the second cab and you get both more volume and more depth, a fuller bass sound.\",\n \"Product: Designed to play the same notes as a standard bass guitar (E, A, D, G low to high), this extremely portable bass is a pleasure to use and sounds great! It includes a preamp for amplified use with volume, bass, and treble control . Aquila Nylgut strings are installed which absorb less moisture to assure tuning stability and the gauged strings of varying densities provide increased accuracy of fret-intonation Also included are a rosewood fretboard and basswood body. Measurements: Overall length: 30" Scale length: 20 3/4" Length of body: 13 3/4" Thickness of body: 1 1/2" Width of upper bout: 8 1/2" Width of lower bout: 10 1/4" String size Aquila Nylgut: .085,.105,145,185 Width of neck at the nut: 1 13/16" Width of neck at the 9th fret: 2 1/8" Thickness of neck at the nut: 11/16" Thickness of neck at 9th fret: 7/8" Weight: only 4 1/2 pounds!\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Not on a par with the Acoustic\\n\\nReview: I bought this item from Rondo Music and returned it.\\n\\nThis review is directed at those who think that the Acoustic Model is pretty good (which it is) and who think the solid body might be pretty good too (it's not).\\n\\nI play UBass pretty regularly and I have the Acoustic Kala Mahogany, the Kala Sub UBass (their Asian made solid body), the Kala California Model (American Made), and the Rondo Acoustic.\\n\\nMost of the time you get what you pay for. Astonishingly, the Rondo Acoustic UBass is surprisingly good and better than what you'd expect for the cost. Unfortunately, the magic does not translate over the to the solid body. The one I had was a piece of junk. Poor pickups, sloppy construction, terrible sound.\",\n \"Product: Interchangeable gripsGaming-grade laserOnboard memory to save settingsWeight tuning to personalize feel and control of mouseAdjustable sensitivity; shift from pixel-precise targeting (200dpi) to lightning-fast maneuvers (up to 5700dpi)Dual-mode scroll wheel with precise click-to-click and hyper-fast scrollingSuper-slick (Polytetrafluoroethylene) feetWorks with Windows 7 XP and Vista Includes wide load and precision grips weight-cartridge tuning weights and case\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Nice feel, precise tracking\\n\\nReview: I like to do \\\"casual\\\" gaming, but I'm not one for serious games. However, I have found that even for simple games like Collapse, Snood or simple shooters, a good mouse can make a big difference. Thus even though I really don't need five different levels of adjustment, I want a mouse that feels good in my hand and that has a precise laser. I end up acquiring mice that have far more features than I want because they have the best lasers.\\n\\nThis mouse is an example. It comes with two grips (I prefer the smooth one). It feels great in the hand, as nice as any mouse I've ever used. The laser is quick and precise. I never miss a shot because the mouse won't respond. However, I'm not a big fan of all the features and I really don't care all that much for the system of adding the weights. I tend to find that the extra buttons are things that it becomes a bit too easy to hit by mistake. Overall though a very nice gaming mouse with a good feel in the hand and responsive laser.\",\n \"Product: The Ear Force Z60 is the first PC gaming headset to unleash game changing 7.1 channel DTS Headphone:X Surround Sound on any PC or Mac. Delivering incredible bass response through PC gamings largest speakers at 60mm, you get an outstanding audio advantage from Surround Sound Audio Modes for games, movies and music plus Dynamic Chat Boost keeps your communications above the action. Add in quick access to audio controls including separate game and chat volume. All this audio power with no waiting or software to install on any PC, Mac or Netbook. The Ear Force Z60 will be in stores on September 12, 2014.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Comfortable. Better than I thought.\\n\\nReview: I am very picky about headphones, and I actually liked these much better than I expected. The primary reason being that they are quite comfortable and the drivers are not too close too the ear.\\n\\nThere are times when headphones are necessary. I like to play Rocksmith but the rest of my household doesn't like when I play it. This way I bother no one. I've got a lot of headphones, many of them very high end. I keep changing them out because to me headphones are essentially uncomfortable. What I like about these is that with the 60mm drivers the headset is bigger and the drivers are further from my ear. This makes me able to wear them longer than almost any other head set.\\n\\nThe external control and the ability to change sound types without software is a clever idea. Unfortunately I don't care all that much for the processing. It doesn't do much except add a slight layer of artificiality to the sound. I prefer the headphones plugged straight into the audio jack of my MacBook Air.\\n\\nOverall sound quality is OK. It is a bit artificial and a bit harsh. On some songs it makes the saxophone sound like it is coming from a synthesizer. I've got lots of headphones that sound better, but these might be the most comfortable on my head. So, for the purpose, as a gaming headset, I like these a lot.\",\n \"Product: The 100-hour* Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier guards against problems caused by dry air in the home. It features an easy to fill large 1.5 gallon tank, ideal for use in medium sized rooms. Unlike other humidifiers that grow slimy mold on the water tank surface, Silver Clean Protection is embedded in the tank to fight the growth of mold and mildew on the surface of the water tank. Thanks to ultrasonic technology, it disperses a fine mist into the air, and is ultra-quiet making it ideal to have on while you sleep. The humidifieris equipped with the option for warm or cool mist, a night light and variable mist control. A low water indicator light lets you know when it's time to refill the water tank. PureGuardian humidifiers create a better home environment for those suffering from colds, allergies and dry skin. Note: Run time is based off of running the unit on low speed, also depends on atmospheric conditions.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good for mist, no thermostat\\n\\nReview: If you think of this as a humidifier that you are going to put on when you sleep, or for periods of time, then it is quite nice. If you are looking for something to leave on all the time for general humidity I probably would not recommend this.\\n\\nOn the plus side it is very quiet, and it does not need a filter. You can select cold or warm mist. It also has light where you can see the water, which is kind of fun, and you can turn that light off to sleep.\\n\\nOn the negative side it seems kind of flimsy. I expect the plastic tank to eventually degrade, sooner rather than later. I have another humidifier with a thermostat that is much more robust that I leave on in the room all the time. But I like adding this one in to supplement with a warm mist.\\n\\nMy primary purpose is to humidify a room where I keep musical instruments that can dry out. Adding the extra humidity enables me a little more control over the climate depending upon the weather.\\n\\nEdited to reflect use over time: I've been using this regularly for a few months now and I like it even more. It is very easy to fill, and it has done a great job of keeping the room humidified. As winter and using the heater tends to really dry things out I have very much appreciated having this. Using this humidifier and a space hearted in my room I find that I sleep much more soundly. No waking up with a dry mouth. I wake up in the morning and I am not sore and stiff. I do much less night time coughing. I also can leave it on all the time, unlike my initial assessment; I just don't have a very large mist coming out of it.\",\n \"Product: Light Effects by Artscape, creates the visual effect and sparkle of textured glass. Light effects window films refract light producing a three-dimensional quality. These thin, translucent films provide privacy while still allowing natural light to enter the room. Artscape films are easily applied to any smooth glass surface. They do not use adhesives and are easily removed if needed. They can be trimmed or combined to fit any size window. The images have a repeating pattern left to right and top to bottom and can be used either vertically or horizontally. These films provide UV protection and are the perfect decorative accent for windows that require continued privacy. Artscape patented products are all made in the USA. Film will appear dark until removed from the protective paper backing and placed on the window.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Didn't care for it.\\n\\nReview: Eh? So this is a sheet of plastic that you put on your window. It is sort of decorative and sort of allows privacy while letting light through. The sheet can be cut to fit individual panes or placed over an entire window. I'm not sure I know what I was thinking when I ordered this. We sometimes put see through decorations on the window so birds won't hit it. I guess I thought we could use these sheets. The thing is that its really kind of ugly and it lets light through but you can't see through it. I'm also not finding it useful for using on my front door because I'm not good enough at cutting it to get sheets that neatly fit the panes. And in any event, its kind of ugly and cheap looking.\",\n \"Product: The Tribest Sousvantis the easiest way to bring gourmet restaurant results into the comfort of your own kitchen. The Sousvant's innovative all-in-one design, removable carafe, and powerful 1000W circulator will have you cooking like a pro in no time. Experience the intense flavor and luscious textures that sous vide brings to even the simplest of recipes. Vegetables stay snappy and rich in flavor. Ribs and roasts turn out perfectly moist with that fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Never overcook a steak again. The Sousvant is the easy way to get high-end restaurant results in an easy to use package. It's sous vide made simple. No experience necessary.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great cooker, but not sold on sous vide\\n\\nReview: This cooker is a great design. It's very easy to use and to clean. However, so far I'm not sold on sous vide cooking. I made chicken and it tasted kind of nasty - probably because it was a grocery store chicken that would have been nasty any other way that I made it. The chicken did have a soft texture but I'd probably cook it at a higher temperature and for longer if I tried it again. I made asparagus and to me it was no different than asparagus made in the microwave.\\n\\nI think this might turn out to be a good way to poach fish. The bottom line though for me is that the cooker itself is really nice, but I'm a long way from being a fan of this method of cooking.\",\n \"Product: Closed Super-Aural Design Neodymium Magnets For Superior Sound Reversible Earcups 30Mm Driver Units For High-Quality Sound Compact Foldable Design Concealed Oxygen-Free Copper Cord Gold-Plated Mini Plug Includes Unimatch Plug Adapter Sleek Silver Metallic Finish\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for TV Watching, Poor for Music\\n\\nReview: This is the best headphone I have found for watching TV or listening to voice.\\n\\nHowever, for music it is sibilant, harsh has too much treble. Bass is weak. Extremely fatiguing.\\n\\nI own or have owned just about every high end headphone on the market. Overall these are better than most $35-40 headphones, but both the Koss Porta Pro and Sennheiser PX100 in the same price range are vastly more musical, lighter weight and more portable.\\n\\nHowever, the reason I keep these around is because I have never found a better headphone for TV watching or listening to spoken recordings. I can make out very clearly with little strain, exactly what is being said. They are quite comfortable and the long cord is nice.\",\n \"Product: Experience the joy of reading a variety of your favorite books all stored digitally in one compact device. The slimmer, redesigned Digital eBook Reader lets you carry a stack of books in one hand. The Digital eBook Reader holds about 160 eBooks or hundreds more with Optional removable Memory cards. Its portable size makes it the perfect travel companion, allowing you to read a variety of books whenever and wherever you want. With thousands of eBook titles available at The eBook Store from Sony, you can choose to Download new releases, classics and popular book titles as well as view other document formats such as Adobe PDF10, RTF, TXT, BBeB and Microsoft Word. Its long Battery life lasts up to 7,500 continuous page turns, and the amazing paper-like screen technology is easy on the eyes. Offers a unique, on-the-go reading experience and is the perfect travel companion. With a compact and lightweight design, you can take it almost anywhere and read your books whenever and wherever you want. More compact than many paperbacks, it weighs about 9 ounces (without cover), is 1/3\\\" thin, and holds up to 160 eBooks. You can easily hold it in one hand, and with its rechargeable battery, you can turn up to 7,500 continuous pages on a single charge. Up to 7,500 page turns on full charge Audio and picture playback Dual SD Card and Memory Stick Pro Duo Expansion Slot Mountable USB Drive Charges via USB Unit Dimensions (Approx.) - 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.3 (175 x 122 x 8mm) / Weighs 9 ounces Includes Soft Case, USB Cable, Quick Start Guide, CD-ROM Limited Warranty - Labor- 90 days from the date of purchase; Parts- 1 Year from the date of purchase Windows compatible only\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Good, but not as good as Kindle 2\\n\\nReview: A lot of the reviews published here on Amazon are pretty old for technology. As an avid reader who has both the Kindle 1 and Kindle 2 as well as the Sony PRS 505, I'd like to add some observations in light of the current state of the market.\\n\\nThe three stars are awarded because this unit is a notch inferior to the Kindle 2, and the Kindle 2 is not quite good enough for five stars.\\n\\nStrengths of the PRS 505:\\n\\nSupports PDF and with upgraded firmware allows pdf reflow (but loses formatting).\\n\\nForm factor easy to hold in hand.\\n\\nComes with good, usable cover (hear that Amazon) you don't have to pay extra for.\\n\\nReadable screen.\\n\\nCalibre, which is a free ebook manager not included in the package but easily downloaded, is excellent.\\n\\nCan retain page numbers.\\n\\nSometimes reformatting pdfs and mobi files for reformatting give better formatting than mobi conversions for Kindle.\\n\\nNegatives:\\n\\nUgly user interface. The Kindle UI is simple much more elegant, cleaner and easier to use.\\n\\nNo internet connectivity, not even wifi.\\n\\nSony software is awful, unless you plan to use Sony ebook store don't bother with it.\\n\\nCan't just drop books into directory like with Kindle.\\n\\nFont resizing is slow and cumbersome.\\n\\nPage turns and overall functioning slower than Kindle.\\n\\nRapid charging and ability to charge while you read require buying aftermarket charger (note: PSP chargers available cheap are just as good as PRS chargers).\\n\\nFull page pdf files are tiny, reflow them and you lose formatting.\\n\\nI bought this for pdf support. I read a lot of long documents that are pdf or doc formatted. In the past I would print them, because I just don't find it possible to properly concentrate on something like a long contract on a computer screen. I started to read them on my Kindle, but I was frustrated by the loss of formatting. The Sony Reader supports pdf better than the Kindle, but it has it's own quirks and problems. I look forward to the Kindle DX.\\n\\nMeanwhile I do think the Sony PRS 505 is \\\"better\\\" than the Kindle 1 which is awkward to hold and which makes losing page position too easy. However, the Kindle 2 is far superior - if only it had pdf support.\\n\\nThe ugly US on the PRS 505 really makes me appreciate the elegance of the UI on the Kindle.\\n\\nTo me lack of wireless support is not a big deal. (I'd prefer that the Kindle supported Wifi rather than Whispernet.) Connecting to the PC with a cable is easy enough but wifi would be nice.\\n\\nAdded June 10, 2009:\\n\\nAfter having used the 505 a little longer I like it better than I did at first. I still think the interface is too cluttered and the Sony Software is awful.\\n\\nHowever, thanks to the Calibre freeware, getting books into the 505 is quite easy. I do find that the 505 fits in my hand a little more nicely than the Kindle, and the reading experience is very good. I got mine for $250 and I've seen them from time to time for as little as $200. Thus it is quite a bit cheaper than the Kindle.\\n\\nI'm finding that I like having one device that isn't internet connected. For buying books online, the Kindle is dramatically better than the 505. For books that I put on the reader myself, I prefer the 505. Also the 505 works very well with the DRM from the ebooks from my local library on line.\\n\\nThe Kindle and the 505 are getting about equal use from me. If I were going to have only one I'd stick with the Kindle, but I like them both.\",\n \"Product: Experience the joy of reading a variety of your favorite books all stored digitally in one compact device. The slimmer, redesigned Digital eBook Reader lets you carry a stack of books in one hand. The Digital eBook Reader holds about 160 eBooks or hundreds more with Optional removable Memory cards. Its portable size makes it the perfect travel companion, allowing you to read a variety of books whenever and wherever you want. With thousands of eBook titles available at The eBook Store from Sony, you can choose to Download new releases, classics and popular book titles as well as view other document formats such as Adobe PDF10, RTF, TXT, BBeB and Microsoft Word. Its long Battery life lasts up to 7,500 continuous page turns, and the amazing paper-like screen technology is easy on the eyes. Offers a unique, on-the-go reading experience and is the perfect travel companion. With a compact and lightweight design, you can take it almost anywhere and read your books whenever and wherever you want. More compact than many paperbacks, it weighs about 9 ounces (without cover), is 1/3\\\" thin, and holds up to 160 eBooks. You can easily hold it in one hand, and with its rechargeable battery, you can turn up to 7,500 continuous pages on a single charge. Up to 7,500 page turns on full charge Audio and picture playback Dual SD Card and Memory Stick Pro Duo Expansion Slot Mountable USB Drive Charges via USB Unit Dimensions (Approx.) - 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.3 (175 x 122 x 8mm) / Weighs 9 ounces Includes Soft Case, USB Cable, Quick Start Guide, CD-ROM Limited Warranty - Labor- 90 days from the date of purchase; Parts- 1 Year from the date of purchase Windows compatible only\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Good, but not as good as Kindle 2\\n\\nReview: A lot of the reviews published here on Amazon are pretty old for technology. As an avid reader who has both the Kindle 1 and Kindle 2 as well as the Sony PRS 505, I'd like to add some observations in light of the current state of the market.\\n\\nThe three stars are awarded because this unit is a notch inferior to the Kindle 2, and the Kindle 2 is not quite good enough for five stars.\\n\\nStrengths of the PRS 505:\\n\\nSupports PDF and with upgraded firmware allows pdf reflow (but loses formatting).\\n\\nForm factor easy to hold in hand.\\n\\nComes with good, usable cover (hear that Amazon) you don't have to pay extra for.\\n\\nReadable screen.\\n\\nCalibre, which is a free ebook manager not included in the package but easily downloaded, is excellent.\\n\\nCan retain page numbers.\\n\\nSometimes reformatting pdfs and mobi files for reformatting give better formatting than mobi conversions for Kindle.\\n\\nNegatives:\\n\\nUgly user interface. The Kindle UI is simple much more elegant, cleaner and easier to use.\\n\\nNo internet connectivity, not even wifi.\\n\\nSony software is awful, unless you plan to use Sony ebook store don't bother with it.\\n\\nCan't just drop books into directory like with Kindle.\\n\\nFont resizing is slow and cumbersome.\\n\\nPage turns and overall functioning slower than Kindle.\\n\\nRapid charging and ability to charge while you read require buying aftermarket charger (note: PSP chargers available cheap are just as good as PRS chargers).\\n\\nFull page pdf files are tiny, reflow them and you lose formatting.\\n\\nI bought this for pdf support. I read a lot of long documents that are pdf or doc formatted. In the past I would print them, because I just don't find it possible to properly concentrate on something like a long contract on a computer screen. I started to read them on my Kindle, but I was frustrated by the loss of formatting. The Sony Reader supports pdf better than the Kindle, but it has it's own quirks and problems. I look forward to the Kindle DX.\\n\\nMeanwhile I do think the Sony PRS 505 is \\\"better\\\" than the Kindle 1 which is awkward to hold and which makes losing page position too easy. However, the Kindle 2 is far superior - if only it had pdf support.\\n\\nThe ugly US on the PRS 505 really makes me appreciate the elegance of the UI on the Kindle.\\n\\nTo me lack of wireless support is not a big deal. (I'd prefer that the Kindle supported Wifi rather than Whispernet.) Connecting to the PC with a cable is easy enough but wifi would be nice.\\n\\nAdded June 10, 2009:\\n\\nAfter having used the 505 a little longer I like it better than I did at first. I still think the interface is too cluttered and the Sony Software is awful.\\n\\nHowever, thanks to the Calibre freeware, getting books into the 505 is quite easy. I do find that the 505 fits in my hand a little more nicely than the Kindle, and the reading experience is very good. I got mine for $250 and I've seen them from time to time for as little as $200. Thus it is quite a bit cheaper than the Kindle.\\n\\nI'm finding that I like having one device that isn't internet connected. For buying books online, the Kindle is dramatically better than the 505. For books that I put on the reader myself, I prefer the 505. Also the 505 works very well with the DRM from the ebooks from my local library on line.\\n\\nThe Kindle and the 505 are getting about equal use from me. If I were going to have only one I'd stick with the Kindle, but I like them both.\",\n \"Product: LITE%2DON eTAU208 8x DVD%B1RW Super AllWrite Slim Drive with LightScribe %2D %28Double%2Dlayer%29 %2D DVD%2DRAM%2F%B1R%2F%B1RW %2D 8x 8x 8x %28DVD%29 %2D 24x 24x 24x %28CD%29 %2D External %2D Black %2D Retail\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This is What I've been Waiting For\\n\\nReview: This is the portable DVD drive I've been waiting for. I have a rather large external CD/DVD that is basically a desktop unit in a case. It works great, but it is not portable. I have an LG unit that has a slide in and is supposedly \\\"pure\\\" USB, but it actually has two connectors and takes up two USB inputs, one for supplementary power. I find that unit to be buggy and not always work; I also don't like the slide in slot because I forget to take out my disk and need to power it up to get it out.\\n\\nWhat I've wanted for a long time was a small portable unit, barely bigger than the size of a disk, that pops open and runs on one USB port without the need for external power. Why the top load? Well, first of all its operation is mechanical - if I forget a disk is in there it doesn't require power to take it out, and secondly it can play mini dvds. The convenience of a single connector is really nice.\\n\\nThe USB cable fits on a slot on the bottom of the drive so it is easy to carry and not get tangled with other cords. If you have a netbook or small laptop without a DVD player, or if sometimes you'd like a second one, this unit is perfect. And it is also inexpensive.\\n\\nIt also seems to work just fine. I tried loading some programs that give me problems on the LG unit and this one ran with no problems and felt very responsive. The laptop I used it on is Windows 7 64 bit, so compatibility should not be a problem with any Windows unit.\",\n \"Product: Created in partnership with ZAGG, the Logitech Keyboard Case gives you an extra measure of convenience and style. Careful crafting from precision-cut, aircraft-grade aluminum makes it look and feel great. With high-density padding, Bluetooth paired keyboard, a recess behind the keyboard to stand your iPad 2, the Logitech Keyboard Case is your perfect on-the-go companion for iPad 2.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Connects Easily, Decent Keyboard\\n\\nReview: This keyboard works well if you want to use your iPad for note taking. I recently went to a training session with a colleague and he used it for two days and it worked great. I have found that it makes a bluetooth connection very well and I haven't had a problems with the continuity of the connectivity. The keyboard fits the iPad nicely in its stand. However, the iPad does not fit quite as well as I would like it to for a carrying case. Also, I have my iPad in a skin that I have to remove to use it with the keyboard.\\n\\nI do like the feel of the keyboard and it looks good with the iPad. I'm not sure I really have a lot of need for a separate keyboard with the iPad, but if you do, then this is a decent product.\",\n \"Product: Put USB charging right where you need it at night: on your nightstand! The RC142 offers all the features of a large-display clock radio, with the extra convenience of a USB charging port for your smartphone or other portable device. It even has an aux-in for your MP3 player or smartphone, dual-wake alarms that let you set separate alarm times to wake up, and brightness control that lets you set the clock display to high or low.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Looks better in pictures\\n\\nReview: This alarm clock looks better in the pictures on the website and on the box than it does when you get it out of the box. The impression of holding the product itself is that it is a pretty cheap piece of gear. It doesn't feel particularly substantial. Once you set the time and put it on the shelf though it looks pretty nice. I appreciate the slim form factor. The ability to plug in a phone or USB device is also a nice touch. You can also plug in an MP3 device and play music through the tinny low quality typical clock radio speakers if you desire. It has a compartment for a backup battery and needs a 9v battery for that. Overall a decent alarm clock. Extra points for slim form factor and USB plug.\",\n \"Product: The Jot Pro Dampening Stylus was created to capture the precision of a calligrapher and the stroke of an artist. Unlike the fat rubber tips of other styluses, Jot's ballpoint makes a finer line. The precision disc lets you see exactly where your mark will be made, giving you the most natural digital stroke. Not only should it meet your needs, but a stylus should have style. The brushed aluminum and steel rivals the craftsmanship of luxury pens. Jot plays nice with all capacitive touch screens, making it the best stylus for iPad and Android Tablets.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: OK, Screen is problem, not stylus\\n\\nReview: In the past I've had an HP tablet with Wacom screen and stylus. The active screen and stylus allow a pretty good degree of control over the pen. However, the screen is nowhere near as responsive as the newer capacitative screens on the ipad and android tablets. Every now ant then I've missed the wacom precision. I've tried various styli, and they don't work very well.\\n\\nI had fairly high hopes for this stylus because the sharp point looks like it can offer more precision. Alas, I didn't find this much better than a stylus with the eraser tip. If anything it is just more fragile. The problem is the screen, not the stylus. Capacitative screens work great with your finger but don't offer the precision inking of an active screen.\",\n \"Product: Onkyo IE-HF300 in-ear headphones extract the full dynamic potential from audio recordings & are portable enough to stick in your back pocket. Featuring a large, low-impedance transducer, these headphones balance silky smooth bass with an open and natural mid-range. Tough aluminum and ABS resin hybrid construction provides the necessary rigidity to tame resonance and minimize distortion. Crystal-clear audio comes courtesy of an audiophile-grade, super-conductive copper cable wrapped in transparent elastomer insulation to minimize touch noise. Detachable gold-plated MMCX connectors allow easy cable replacement in case of accidental damage. Available in a burnished black aluminum finish, these comfortable and stylish IEMs are ready to make your music come alive.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Impressive for an IEM\\n\\nReview: Onkyo is known for making consumer electronic equipment of good value and high quality. They succeed with these IEMs at a first-time product that is worthy of the brand.\\n\\nI've got a pile of high end headphones, and I enjoy them. But generally I don't love in ear monitors (IEMs). The only pair I have handy that still work are a set of A-Jays that I use with my iPhone. These Onkyo IEMs are surprisingly nice. In enjoy listening to them more than the A-Jays. The marketing material says the Onkyo's have a bigger driver than other IEM; it may make a difference because these have very tight, musical and pronounced bass. They also have a considerable amount of treble and a nice mid range. I'm not one of those people who measures sound curves, but to my ear these are very enjoyable. They also offer a reasonable amount of sound stage for an IEM (IEMs have horrible sound stage and part of what I dislike about them is they almost always put the music in the center of my head which I find annoying). They are also pretty comfortable. Although I don't find the IEM style comfortable so I'm not sure how I'd feel about wearing these hours at a time.\\n\\nThe removable cable is a nice feature as cable failures are usually what causes me to replace IEMs. The cable is of high quality. The cables are a bit noisy when I move around - this is a common IEM problem. These are a good value in the price range. They are worthy of listening to even for the most critical ear.\",\n \"Product: Belkin HDMI to VGA Projector Adapter (Supports HDMI 2.0)\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good Device, Terrible Description\\n\\nReview: I thought this device was an HDMI to VGA adapter, and that's what it is. However, it is very confusing.\\n\\nIt is an HDMI to VGA adapter plus jack for plugging in sound. If you want to go from a laptop or computer with a full-sized (NOT MINI) HDMI (it won't work with your Mac unless you first use a mini to full-sized HDMI converter. It allows you to bring the sound out of the HDMI jack and plug it into the device that has a VGA port.\\n\\nThe package says all kinds of stuff about use your iPad with Airplay and Apple TV to connect to a projector. IMPORTANT. If you want to use this to connect your iPad to a projector you must use Apple TV. It doesn't work straight out of an iPad.\\n\\nIt's a fine HDMI to VGA jack, but the package (and it has no instructions) is somewhat misleading. There is nothing uniquely special about this one for use with an iPad.\",\n \"Product: The powerful EX5230 Pro ensures professional presentations in virtually any setting, even in large venues with ambient light. Offering high brightness and XGA resolution, this powerful performer ensures engaging presentations with sharp detail. And, it features fast wireless connectivity, making it easy to project content from laptops, smartphones, and tablets (optional wireless LAN module required). Builtin HDMI delivers digital video and audio with just one cable, while Epson's Simple Setup Suite enables flexible positioning and rapid setup. It's the ideal projector for busy professionals whose presentations demand proven performance.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Great quality picture, a bit heavy\\n\\nReview: This is a great projector if your primary concern is a good picture, even in a light room. I've been using projectors since the advent of laptops, and it's clear they've improved remarkably. This one has plenty of connections, and comes with a light carrying case, which is nice.\\n\\nHowever, it's really quite big and bulky, much bigger than the other projector we use in my company. Since I am often trying to show what is on my screen outside of my office, in a deposition, hearing or courtroom, carrying something this heavy is less than desirable since I'm usually already laden down with notebooks, a laptop and other equipment.\\n\\nIf you are using it mostly stationary in your home or a fixed conference room then this projector is a fantastic value.\",\n \"Product: Even top headphones such as the beyerdynamic T 51 p cannot be used to their full potential with mobile devices. The transformation of the digital sound data for the analog headphone playback seldom meets genuine hi-fi standards. The A 200 p from beyerdynamic is a solution to this problem. It meets demanding audio requirements and provides you with significantly improved sound on-the-go. Hifi-Experience instead of standard sound The A 200 p circumvents the internal signal processing of the connected player and receives the pure digital music data first. After converting the digital data to analogue music signals, a high-quality amplifier controls the output to the connected headphones. All of this results in a level of audio quality that was previously not possible for travelling audiophiles. Previously unheard details, better contoured and deeper bass, as well as natural instrument and vocal reproduction transform standard portable sound into a true hi-fi experience. Lightweight and compact in a pocket-format With dimensions of 55 x 55 x 13 mm, the A 200 p is extremely compact and lightweight. It fits easily in your pocket and can be stored together in your headphones carrying case. The integrated battery provides you with up to 11 hours of uninterrupted listening pleasure; enough even for long-haul flights. In addition, the A 200 p also makes it easier for you to control playback using its buttons for play/pause, as well as for skipping between tracks. You can easily adjust ...\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Best DAC for iPad.\\n\\nReview: This is probably the best DAC available for use with the newer iPhones and iPads. There are very few devices that work directly from the lightning connector.\\n\\nThe amp is not terribly powerful. It definitely enhances the sound of the Beyerdynamic T50p and T70. The T70 is 250 ohms and benefits from an amp out of the iPad, although it work reasonably well without one. This amp is a particularly good synergy with those phones. On the other hand this amp does not provide enough oomph for the T1 which is 600 ohms. When I use the T1 I have used this amp as a DAC and then another amp. It would be nice if this amp had a line out option so it isn't really ideal, but there are not a lot of DAC options for the iPad.\",\n \"Product: With the AC1200 MAX Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE6700), you can easily expand the range of your existing wireless router. Simply plug the device into a standard wall outlet where you need stronger Internet connectivity--say, an upstairs bedroom or office or another remote area of your home. The RE6700 repeats the signal from the router and redistributes it to reduce wireless dead spots.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Seems to work and setup was easy\\n\\nReview: There is a lot of interference in my house, and the wifi into the living room is generally very frustrating. About a year ago I got a TPLink range extender for about $20 and it made a big difference. However, about three months ago it became ineffective. It did not stop functioning - it just stopped being useful, There are so many sources of interference that I went about removing a number of items, and ultimately I got wifi working OK in the living room, but not great.\\n\\nWhen I was offered this Linksys range extender, I jumped at the chance. Indeed, at least for now it seems to provide vastly improved network performance into my living room. It is designed for push button or manual setup. I prefer the manual method. Linksys did a good job of providing a method for setup that even a non technical user could easily do the manual setup. I commend them for that, usually the manual setup on these types of devices is tricky, requiring straight through network cables and knowledge of IP addresses. This range extender requires none of that. It can be set up via the wireless and there is a special internet address for the setup. We'll see how well it is working in a few months but so far I think the result is a noticeable improvement.\\n\\nEdited to remove one star: Unfortunately this range extender has a problem with my cable router. It loses connection and when I get up in the morning need to unplug and restart the range extender for it to find the router again. Otherwise it works fine, but this connection issue is annoying.\",\n \"Product: The new Linksys AC750 Boost Dual-Band Wi-Fi Range Extender with Exclusive Spot Finder Technology eliminates Wi-Fi dead zones throughout a home including, patio, garage, second floors and more. With a simple setup with Push Button Connect and Spot Finder Technology for optimal placement and performance it will boost your Wi-Fi signal coverage up to 6,500 square feet. Cross band Technology maximizes simultaneous use of dual bands while Beam forming focuses and strengthens the Wi-Fi signal. With Wi-Fi speeds up to N300 & AC433 Mbps you will expand your Wi-Fi coverage in large and multi-storied homes with two adjustable, external antennas. You will gain enhanced wired speeds for a Smart TV, gaming console, Blu-ray Disc player other Wi-Fi device using the Gigabit Ethernet port. Works with all Wi-Fi routers.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Seems to work and setup was easy\\n\\nReview: There is a lot of interference in my house, and the wifi into the living room is generally very frustrating. About a year ago I got a TPLink range extender for about $20 and it made a big difference. However, about three months ago it became ineffective. It did not stop functioning - it just stopped being useful, There are so many sources of interference that I went about removing a number of items, and ultimately I got wifi working OK in the living room, but not great.\\n\\nWhen I was offered this Linksys range extender, I jumped at the chance. Indeed, at least for now it seems to provide vastly improved network performance into my living room. It is designed for push button or manual setup. I prefer the manual method. Linksys did a good job of providing a method for setup that even a non technical user could easily do the manual setup. I commend them for that, usually the manual setup on these types of devices is tricky, requiring straight through network cables and knowledge of IP addresses. This range extender requires none of that. It can be set up via the wireless and there is a special internet address for the setup. We'll see how well it is working in a few months but so far I think the result is a noticeable improvement.\\n\\nEdited to remove one star: Unfortunately this range extender has a problem with my cable router. It loses connection and when I get up in the morning need to unplug and restart the range extender for it to find the router again. Otherwise it works fine, but this connection issue is annoying.\",\n \"Product: The Bose Solo 5 TV sound system is a one-piece soundbar that brings noticeably better sound to all your favorite TV programs. It's engineered to help clearly reproduce everything from dialogue to details. And for even more clarity, its dialogue mode makes every word easier to hear. This soundbar is so versatile you can place it almost anywhere. And with Bluetooth connectivity, you can play your favorite wireless music through the speaker, too. The sleek design of your flat-screen TV is beautiful to look at. Unfortunately, there's little room left for speakers. That's why dialogue and quiet passages can be so hard to hear. The Solo 5 TV sound system is an easy solution, with advanced technologies that deliver the clear audio your TV can't. And dialogue mode makes every word even easier to understand without having to adjust the volume from scene to scene. If distorted sound secure cable connections on the sound bar and TV or other connected sources. Troubleshoot-if the sound bar is connected to a tv output labelled variable reduce the tv volume. If wall mounting the sound bar, adjust the audio If you remove the sound bar from the wall, repeat to return the sound bar to default audio settings. Unplug the power cord for at least one minute and reconnect. NOTE: Kindly refer the user manual before usage of the product and High efficient Bluetooth connectivity acquired at maximum distance of 30 feet and also troubleshooting can be found on page 30\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good dialog, natural sound, weak bass.\\n\\nReview: This sound bar has good sound coming from small speakers. It does enhance dialog, suffers from too little bass, needs more hookup options and has a remote that's way too big.\\n\\nI have tried many different ways to get decent sound out of my Sony flatscreen that I've had about 6 years. The TV speakers are simply terrible. My first attempt was a Sony soundbar that I used about year, but the sound was barely better than the built in speakers and the soundbar would weirdly turn my TV off and on at odd times and exhibit other crazy behavior. Then I switch to a 5.1 home speaker system and went through a few different speakers. The overall sound could be good but I never could get the right balance where I could hear the dialog.\\n\\nIn desperation I switched to a Zvox sound base. That resulted in much easier to hear dialog but the sound was somehow artificial sounding and \\\"off\\\". It is also too boomy and I found I had to disconnect the subwoofer. Given the chance to try this Bose Soundbar I decided why not.\\n\\nWell on the good side the sound of the Bose soundbar is quite natural. It can fill my spacious living room with a high ceiling. And dialog is as clear as with the Zvox. On the downside, even with the bass boost, it just doesn't have enough bass. And oddly it doesn't have a connection for an optional subwoofer. It also has an enormous remote that is way too complicated and takes up too much room when most things are coming with smaller remotes.\\n\\nAt the moment if I want to hear dialog I am left with the choice between the Zvox which has enough bass (maybe too much) but sounds oddly artificial or the Bose which sounds more natural but which lacks bass. What I'd really like is the sound of a good home theatre setup that has comprehensible dialog. However, I do like the small size of the soundbar and in many situations I'd choose the form factor over sound quality.\",\n \"Product: Think of the Music Streamer III as a product that makes the music coming out of your computer sound as good as possible. Technically, the MS III is an external sound card for computers. To improve your computer&#39;s sound quality the MS III takes over the job of processing the digital music stream from the computer that is critical to producing great sound. While its cost is quite low, its performance is anything but.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great upgrade for my computer near field system.\\n\\nReview: This DAC is a massive improvement in sound quality over the USB DAC I have been using. I was using a Tascam US-366 when my previous device was no longer supported by Windows 8. I was OK with it until I started using my headphones with some degree of regularity. I've been using a separate DAC/Amp for my headphones but I wanted something to use with my near field system that sits at my computer. Wow! Here I was thinking a DAC is a DAC. The sound is much less harsh, has more detail and tons more bass. Great upgrade.\\n\\nOne warning. This came in a box with no documentation. I got no sound when I plugged it in. I needed to go to the HRT website and read the directions which require reconfiguring you speaker and sound choices. Once I did that it worked great. Also mine came with no USB cable in the box.\",\n \"Product: Performance in its purest form. Misfit ray is our most minimal and versatile tracker. It delivers the fitness and sleep tracking you need to stay motivated, including steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, activity tagging, and sleep duration and quality. It also never needs charging and is water-resistant to 50 meters, so it can be worn constantly. That means more data, better insights, and more powerful motivation. Rays clean lines create a form that is as much about fashion as it is about function. Wear it stacked with a smart Watch and cuff, or Customize it to your style - it features hidden 8-mm spring bars that allow it to be worn with almost any standard accessory, including Watch bands, bracelets, or necklaces.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Unobtrusive but needs work.\\n\\nReview: On the plus side the Misfit Ray is small and unobtrusive. I don't notice it when it is on my arm. Without a watch its not as useful as my Fitbit, but the Fitbit makes my arm itch and the Ray does not.\\n\\nThe manual contains directions that are all pictures - better than bad English - but still as nearly incomprehensible. After I figured out how to put in the batteries (which did not go easily for me because they wanted to go in sideways) it did sync up pretty easily. The accuracy however is only so so at best. No worse than my Fitbit. If you want to use sleep tracking, you need to inform the App that you are going to sleep, otherwise the Ray will show any still time as sleep.\\n\\nThe batteries are not rechargeable which is a plus if you have a tendancy to let devices run down, but it also means they have to be replaced every few months.\\n\\nAll in all I think this entire product category is a little immature. I found the Ray to be fairly inaccurate but no worse than the Fitbit.\",\n \"Product: From celebrated director Penny Marshall comes the story of a girl who did everything wrong but got everything right. Make way for Beverly (Drew Barrymore), a smart, beautiful young woman who can't wait to grow up, much to the frustration of her police sergeant father (James Woods). Her life takes its first detour when she gets pregnant at age sixteen. The baby's father, her husband (Steve Zahn), turns out to need more mothering than her newborn son. But through all the trouble, Beverly makes a life that's more than she ever imagined and lives a story that's waiting to be told. Join the ride and watch Beverly kick life where it counts.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Coulda Been a Contenda\\n\\nReview: Once upon a time there was a rebellious, bright, funny, teenager named Beverly Donofrio. She was trapped in a working class Catholic family in a suburban neighborhood in the 1960s, and the only way she could - in her befuddled and wrong-headed teenage way - figure out how to escape was to do what many other teens with underdeveloped judgment have done and will continue to do to get out - she got pregnant at 17, got married to a loser, and was divorced by 19. She spent eight years on welfare, yet managed to raise her son, go to an elite eastern college, get a masters degree from Columbia, and become a successful writer. She wrote a memoir that I consider a minor classic called \\\"Riding in Cars with Boys\\\" which signaled an important cultural shift in attitudes toward women, because it was the story of a \\\"bad\\\" girl who wasn't ashamed of it. If this movie, which bears the title of that memoir, had retold the story told in that book, it could have been a great movie.\\nInstead, what we get is a high concept TV movie of the week type story about \\\"babies having babies\\\" in which a 15 year old girl gets pregnant, marries the father who she's too dumb even to realize is a drug addict, stays married to him a number of years, develops a dysfunctional relationship with her son whom she is barely able to love, and ends up up being taken care of emotionally by her preppy, shallow ultimately emotionally confused son. From everything I've seen in video interviews with Beverly Donofrio and her son, and from the book, and other articles I've read, this just isn't remotely her story or her character.\\nI've read a lot of reviews that focus on how great Drew Barrymore was aging from15 to 35, and what a challenging role this was. Well, I thought she did OK with the mess of a script and the character, but the script and character make no sense. Why did she have to be 15? In real life Beverly was pregnant at 17. The real story is that Beverly (who by all acccounts from life was a loving if unconventional mother) managed, son in tow, to go to college and graduate school (not study for her GED - Beverly finished high school with her class) all the while on welfare (not working double shifts at the diner). Why not tell that story - which is far more interesting than this silly moralistic tale - of the trials and failures of a teenage mother? And if you remove the distracting framing device of having her confront her husband at 35, then you could have a role where the actress ages from 17 to 27, a lot less difficult to do.\\nThere is one superb performance in this movie, and that is Steve Zahn as the junkie husband and father. But Drew Barrymore as Beverly Donofrio just seems to lack the edge, the funny, rebellious, in your face presence that Beverly Donofrio has. I grew up with lots of bad girls just like her in an Italian neighborhood in the suburbs of a big city in the fifties and sixties. Those girls had some real sass. This girl portayed by Drew Barrymore just doesn't have that. In fact, she seems too much like a \\\"nice\\\" girl and doesn't fit the situation.\\nIf you can set aside what this movie should have been and could have been and take it on its own terms, it is well made - the production values are good, the period evocations are effective, the settings are interesting, the use of cars as a character is well-done. It's at least watchable on that level, and I also enjoyed the contribution by Lorraine Bracco as well as that of Steve Zahn (James Woods just gives me the creeps and I can't forget it in whatever role he's in). I'm disappointed though that it's not a movie telling the story in the book.\",\n \"Product: TOPS Docket Diamond Premium Stationery Tablets feature premium stationery-quality sheets with fine laid finish. The elegant watermarked paper has 25% cotton content and a subtle texture. Paper is made from 100% recycled fiber with 30% post-consumer fiber and is double-stitched at the top for added durability. The extra strong rigid backboard makes note taking easy, even when you're away from your desk. Letr-Trim perforations mean clean and easy sheet removal. Each TOPS Docket Diamond Premium Stationery Tablet measures 8.5 x 11.75 inches and has 50 legal/wide ruled white sheets per pad, and is available in a convenient 2-pad pack. Since 1952, TOPS has provided quality products and services to businesses throughout the world. TOPS continues that commitment providing innovative, high quality value-added paper products for the office, school and home. Whether it's a multi-part form, notebooks, writing pads, record books, or any of the hundreds of items we offer, you can count on TOPS products to help!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: -- Does not bleed through -- Does not feather -- Nice thick paper -- Good for note taking with most ...\\n\\nReview: This review will focus on the suitability of this paper for fountain pens. The usual wisdom is that recycled paper won't work for fountain pens but the truth is not that simple.\\n\\nThis paper will, in fact, work quite well for fountain pens in some applications. The surface is course and it will bit into the nib a bit. But this paper will not feather and it will not bleed through. The paper is thick. It is only lined on one side. Overall if you want to use a fountain pen with a legal pad, these pads will work with most pens.\\n\\nPros:\\n-- Does not bleed through\\n-- Does not feather\\n-- Nice thick paper\\n-- Good for note taking with most normal writing nibs, even works with 1.0 mm stub\\n-- Works fine with Pilot Parallel 1.5\\n\\nCons:\\n-- Color is greyish and ink colors not shown to best advantage\\n-- Surface of paper is rough\\n-- Lines only on one side\\n-- Scored at the top but hard to tear evenly.\\n-- Does not work with most italic or fude nibs.\",\n \"Product: Red Barn filled bones are available in six mouthwatering flavors, packed into White, cut femur bones. While your dog enjoys the rich filling, their teeth are getting cleaner from the natural bone. One reviewer says, Lamb is great for the coat, because quality ingredients provide protein and nutrition.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great for aggressive chewers\\n\\nReview: One of our greyhounds thinks she is part goat and part lab. She'll eat anything. She's also young, full of energy (unusual for a greyhound) and would chase a ball all day if I would throw it. While she is overall a very good dog, she is also prone to be destructive unless kept tired and entertained. Unfortunately, along with a willingess to eat anything she has a sensitive stomach so the vet has become quite fond of her.\\n\\nThese filled bones don't bother her stomach as a lot of treats do. She also loves them, as does our other greyhound. It takes them less than an hour to get all the filling out (quite a feat) and they still like to carry the bones around for days, gnaw on them and lick them. These are a bit pricey but cheaper than damage to my furniture and possessions.\\n\\nWe use all the various flavors of these. The bones don't make a mess.\",\n \"Product: Royal Pet Inc. presents the 4.5-Inch TPR Squeaker Ball for Dogs from their awesome \\\"Gnawsome\\\" collection which comes in various colors. Gnawsome Squeaker Balls feature a loud internal squeaker, and features a gum-massaging, spiky texture; its unique design ensures no choking hazards only fun! The highly vivid colors are ideal for engaging with your dog day or night, soft, safe and durable; suitable to play with in the yard, home, park, or shore. Produced from food-grade, BPA-free TPR (thermo-plasticized rubber) material in assorted colors, sized at 4.5-inch diameter, this Squeaker Ball is suitable for larger dogs. Since establishing in 1996, Royal Pet, Inc. has become a cooperative global supplier of products that enhance the lives of pets and their humans. Core Values include: Adaptability, Honesty, Innovation, Knowledge, Results, and the Global Viewpoint. Recognizing the important role that pets play in people's lives, all products and brands are developed via the simple principle of delivering maximum-grade items which enhance your and your pets' quality of life. Royal Pet Inc. understands pets are \\\"Family.\\\" They also understand there are about 2.7 million healthy shelter-animals that remain un-adopted each year, and only about 30 percent of pets in the homes come from shelters or rescues. Royal Pet, Inc. does all it can to help shelters and rescue groups. In 2015 alone the company donated almost $75,000 worth of items for consumption to numerous shelters and rescues in the companys home State of Minnesota. The Royal Pet, Inc. broad spectrum of products includes everything from waste management solutions, toys, rawhide and extruded treats, plus excellent pet apparel.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: My Dog loves this toy\\n\\nReview: One of my dogs is a Greyhound who thinks she is a lab - she is ball crazy and she loves to swim. For some reason she loves this particular ball most of all. Something about the combination of the squeaking and the rubber bristles must make it feel really good to her. I have to keep this away from her when we are not using it to play fetch because I'm sure that - like everything else - she would rip it to shreds. But all I have to do is bring this ball out to the back yard and start squeaking it and I can get her to run after it over and over. Then she comes in the house and goes to sleep instead of doing what she does when she isn't tired - which is destroying everything in sight.\",\n \"Product: One GREENIES Fresh Dental Treat is all it takes for clean teeth, fresh breath and a happy dog. Your dog can't wait to sink their teeth into these delicious dental dog chews because they are bursting with breath-freshening mint flavor and feature a delightfully chewy texture that fights plaque and tartar. Irresistibly tasty and incredibly powerful, GREENIES Treats for Dogs are recommended by veterinarians for at-home oral care. Best of all, these natural dog treats are made with highly soluble ingredients that are safe and easy to digest. Give your dog the mouth-wowing treat that helps promote their overall health with GREENIES Dog Treats.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Prefer the Original, these are OK\\n\\nReview: My two greyhounds are huge fans of Greenies. Of course, it's hard to say how meaningful that is because they'll eat pretty much anything they find on the ground. But they seem to have a great enthusiasm for Greenies that is almost on the level with Salmon Skin and peanut butter. Unfortunately they are also fans of their own turds so their breath can be pretty disgusting. Greenies do a great job of getting rid of some of that foulness. That said, I think the mint in these particular Greenies is meant to appeal to humans more than dogs. And I think these have a bit of an off-putting odor as the herb/mint combination is not particularly appealing to the human nose. Nonetheless my dogs scarf these up with almost as much gusto as the original Greenies.\",\n \"Product: The DeLonghi TRD40615E High Performance Radiant Heater, with electronic controls, is the fastest heater with a revolutionary new design that effectively and efficiently heats cold rooms with 25% more radiant surface. The patented thermal chimney effect quickly circulates warmed air throughout the room producing maximum heat with a low surface temperature. Plus, the advanced Eco-Plus function, intelligently selects the ideal power level based on the delta between the current room temperature and the set temperature resulting in 20% - 40% energy savings!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Easy to move around, good looking.\\n\\nReview: This heater seems very solidly made and looks good. The wheels fold out smoothly, and the cord nicely wraps around a supplied holder. It can easily be stowed unobtrusively in a room although it is quite large. I got it for its anti-freeze feature. This feature allow it to sense when the temperature is approaching freezing and then it will turn on. It heats up quickly and is not too hot to the touch. Unfortunately, I can't really test it much at this time or leave it on for long because we are in the middle of a string of 100 degree plus days. I think it will be very nice to have though when the weather gets colder.\\n\\nEdited:Added a star. Now that the weather is cold I've been using this heater and it's great. It is quiet and puts out comfortable heat. My house is a ranch house and the heat is often not well-distributed. Putting this in the bedroom makes sleep a lot more comfortable at night without having to heat up the whole house.\\n\\nA minor design nit. Why does the chord extend from the front of the unit. The chord comes out from the same side as the controls. It would be a lot easier to place this heater if the chord came out the back.\",\n \"Product: The Torch 250 Power Hub and Flashlight is the most versatile, reliable source of power and light for any situation. Boasting a powerful, 4,400 mAh lithium battery, 250 total lumen output, a 1.5A USB port to charge your gear, as well as a built-in solar panel and hand crank, this multi-function flashlight is the only piece of gear you'll need in an emergency. Built-in USB charging cable, solar panel and hand crank for bright light anywhere. Red light for emergencies, USB port to charge your phone.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Well made some small nits.\\n\\nReview: This is a very cleverly designed and useful product. Living in earthquake company I appreciate a flashlight that is this versatile. Three charging options, sun, hand crank and plug in are very nice to have. Light output is great.\\n\\nMy one nitpick is that the shape is awkward and not very ergonomic. It's kind of hard to hold comfortably which you crank (a very last ditch method of charging). It is also not that comfortable to hold in my hand as a flashlight. My other smaller nitpick is that you charge it with a \\\"tail\\\" of a usb cord that is seems to me is fragile and a bit of an annoyance. I'd rather have it charge by standard micro usb. However, these things do not take away from the overall utility of keeping one of these around.\",\n \"Product: The DT122K heavy duty indoor 7-day digital plug-in timer can be used for 24-hour or 7-day programming. It allows for up to 7 on/off programmed events. This timer utilizes an astronomic feature to keep track of daily sunrise/sunset changes and automatic daylight saving time adjustment. The random feature will vary the time your lights turn ON by a few minutes to give your home a \\\"lived in\\\" look. It has two grounded receptacles. Includes a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery with a minimum 7-day life to retain date and time. Programs will not be lost in the event of a power failure. This plug-in timer is suitable for use with indoor christmas tree lights or seasonal decorations that require an on/off schedule. UL listed. 15A, 125VAC, 60Hz.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Heavy Duty. Three Prongs. Two Outputs.\\n\\nReview: This timer is much better than I expected. We use timers to set our lamps so that the dogs room isn't dark if we are not here. This timer is extremely nice because it is quite heavy duty. It has some great features. It uses a three pronged plug. Every other timer we've ever had only had two prongs. Since most things these days have three prongs that was a real limitation. It also is the only timer I've seen with two output plugs. It's a bonus that it has a light sensing feature. Also, because it is heavy duty and digital I am hoping that it lasts. We have had to replace our timers pretty frequently, with no mechanical parts this one should last longer.\",\n \"Product: Dr. Thomas J. Stanley began studying the affluent in 1973. His coauthored New York Times best-seller, The Millionaire Next Door, was released in 1996, and has sold over 2,500,000 copies worldwide. Thomas followed his first book with Marketing to the Affluent, ranked among the ten outstanding business books by the editors of Best of Business Quarterly. His second New York Times best-seller, The Millionaire Mind, explored Americas financial elite and how they became so when it came out in 1999. The author, who lives in Atlanta, holds a doctorate of business administration from the University of Georgia in Athens and was formerly a professor of marketing at Georgia State University.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Interesting Bits and Pieces Just OK Overall\\n\\nReview: There are some interesting bits and pieces in this book, most of which are generally familiar to readers of Stanley's other books. However, on the whole the book doesn't amount to much, wavering between sociological analysis and how to while not actually being either.\\n\\nWhat is clearly stated, but somewhat hidden is that this is not a book about women \\\"millionaires\\\" in general. It is based on responses to a questionaire by a group of women business owners with incomes over $100,000 and a net worth between $1 million and $25 million. Not included at all are women professionals, women who have amassed over $1 million by working in corporations, or women who might have made their money as partners in majority male owned businesses. It is not surprising that the women millionaires in this study have not departed much in their consumption or living habits from their middle class roots. It's impossible to say whether his conclusions are even mildly relevant to women who might have made just as much or more money in other ways, and who may account for a larger number of women millionaires.\\n\\nThere were a few observations in the book that I did find to be interesting enough that I didn't feel like I wasted my time. One observation was about how many of the millionaire women had married a type he called \\\"Marginal Bob\\\". (I call them losers). I have observed this phenomenon scores of times in high achieving women, and it's the first time I've seen it documented. Another was the chapter about women who came from dysfunctional families but who were still quite successful.\\n\\nTo me the book felt like fairly pedestrian (and not very well written) how-to advice cloaked in the pretense of scientific investigation. At least the advice is to be frugal, don't overspend, be supportive of others, pick business opportunities based on types of businesses that actually make money, be persistant, etc. At least the book doesn't pretend there is a simple overnight way to be a millionaire. I would find a meaningful empirical study of successful women to be far more interesting. I would have also preferred if he had been more straightforward about what he was really studying. I picked this book up and bought it off the remainder table, and I'm not surprised it ended up there. It just isn't very good. At least it isn't dispensing bad advice and it does have some interesting nuggets.\",\n \"Product: Marcus Sakey is the author of four novels, three of which are in development as feature films. He has been nominated for or won an Anthony, Barry, Macavity, and ITW Thriller Award.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Fun, Brisk Like a Heroes episode\\n\\nReview: This book felt like an episode of the TV show heroes. The main character is engaging and the story is well-plotted. The book does suffer to some degree from the formula that affects most science fiction. Start with a description of a world that is different. In this case it is something resembling the current world a few years in the future except that random people are born with \\\"abilities\\\". This is usually the best part of the story and it is in this novel too. Put the \\\"fish out of water\\\" hero in some situation where the hero is on the run. Throw in a relationship with romantic tension. Resolve the story. I usually get bored once the on the run part starts. In this case I kept reading. Even though I found the story completely predictable, I kept turning the pages, read it in one sitting and enjoyed it.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":35,"string":"35"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":290,"string":"290"}}},{"rowIdx":291,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"AK3A8J7RTCKOL"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"2.0\" for a product with description \"Stroll around in comfort by making a stylish fashion statement with these Clarks Collection Evianna Peal womens loafers. The classic slip on design of these loafers has been interestingly enhanced by a hook and loop closure. Premium quality leather graces the uppers in an elegant way, while the fabric lining and sockliner aid in providing full day comfort with sweat absorbency. An ortholite footbed adds durability to these Clarks Collection Evianna Peal womens loafers, which is further enhanced by a TPR outsole.\". The summary of the review text is \"Have to return; too tight and totally unlike the comfort of my other Clarks in the same size\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I'm so disappointed. I have a pair of Clarks shoes that are the same size and fit entirely differently, and did from the start. Those Clarks are SOOO comfortable, I just look forward to slipping my feet into them. These shoes are not even close to comfortable. These are just not as wide or as big as the other 9.5 Clarks that I have. I have to have comfortable shoes for my work; if I wanted uncomfortable shoes, I would have ordered some heels. They feel tight on the top of my foot, which I have never experienced with ANY shoe brand in the past. I don't know if these are a fluke, and sized wrong, or what. I have not had any problems with similar styles in other brands. I have Alegria shoes that are super comfortable and fit perfectly every time. There's no \"breaking in time\" and it's possible these Clarks would benefit from a \"breaking in\" but I don't have the time for that and it's just not worth the blisters to see IF they might feel better after breaking them in."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I'm so disappointed. I have a pair of Clarks shoes that are the same size and fit entirely differently, and did from the start. Those Clarks are SOOO comfortable, I just look forward to slipping my feet into them. These shoes are not even close to comfortable. These are just not as wide or as big as the other 9.5 Clarks that I have. I have to have comfortable shoes for my work; if I wanted uncomfortable shoes, I would have ordered some heels. They feel tight on the top of my foot, which I have never experienced with ANY shoe brand in the past. I don't know if these are a fluke, and sized wrong, or what. I have not had any problems with similar styles in other brands. I have Alegria shoes that are super comfortable and fit perfectly every time. There's no \"breaking in time\" and it's possible these Clarks would benefit from a \"breaking in\" but I don't have the time for that and it's just not worth the blisters to see IF they might feel better after breaking them in."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Suet Log with Perches (Set of 1)\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Squirrels seem to love it....but couldn't lure in the birds.\n\nReview: I had to return this. Sadly, I used the very same suet the birds ate at another feeder but I could not get them to come to this feeder. I suspect it was because I live in the city and the city birds may not be attracted to this \"woody\" looking option as much as their typical bird feeders they see at houses throughout the blocks. They may not like the \"rustic\" look where they eat. Ha ha! I really have no idea what the failure was from.....it's the EXACT same suet that was gobbled in another feeder......near this one. But, they just didn't want anything to do with this feeder. The squirrels, however, seemed to have no qualms about eating from this! I was really hopeful that I would have a new way to give them suet and maybe attract the kind of birds that are not coming as often to the other suet....the nuthatches that like to grab on sideways, etc. It's also a very short perch so maybe these birds didn't like that style, I'm not sure. I'm honestly baffled, I thought it was going to be a great addition to the bird feeding gallery here. But, instead, it was rejected by all but the squirrels.","Product: Suet Log with Perches (Set of 1)\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Squirrels seem to love it....but couldn't lure in the birds.\n\nReview: I had to return this. Sadly, I used the very same suet the birds ate at another feeder but I could not get them to come to this feeder. I suspect it was because I live in the city and the city birds may not be attracted to this \"woody\" looking option as much as their typical bird feeders they see at houses throughout the blocks. They may not like the \"rustic\" look where they eat. Ha ha! I really have no idea what the failure was from.....it's the EXACT same suet that was gobbled in another feeder......near this one. But, they just didn't want anything to do with this feeder. The squirrels, however, seemed to have no qualms about eating from this! I was really hopeful that I would have a new way to give them suet and maybe attract the kind of birds that are not coming as often to the other suet....the nuthatches that like to grab on sideways, etc. It's also a very short perch so maybe these birds didn't like that style, I'm not sure. I'm honestly baffled, I thought it was going to be a great addition to the bird feeding gallery here. But, instead, it was rejected by all but the squirrels.","Product: The Washi Tape Chomper by We R Memory Keepers is an innovative chomper that easily cuts washi tape into a variety of shapes and sizes including banners, arrows and tabs. Cuts more than just washi tape. Also cuts paper, cardstock, ribbon and more! Add interest and a unique design to scrapbook layouts, handmade cards, journals, albums, banners and more! Washi Tape helps you add color, interest and design to any crafting project. Join the washi tape revolution and take your creativity to the next level. The We R Memory Keepers Washi Tape Chomper works with any standard sized washi tape, but was designed for use with all We R Memory Keepers washi products (sold separately).\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: I would have given 2 stars until I watched the video and learned how it's supposed to be used\n\nReview: I wish I had looked at these reviews before this impulse buy elsewhere (I always regret not at least checking Amazon, and I usually regret it if I don't buy here too!)\n\nI had to watch the video on how to use it; I couldn't believe it was that much work! So, the video helped, it made it a little less work, and this gets the cut done nicely and it does make it nice and straight (provided you line up your tape correctly!) so for that, it's good. It is not like a punch though, it's not quick and easy like that. You have to line up your washi and set it up so it cuts in the right spot, etc. So, it's really more work than I had imagined when I purchased it, so for that, it's a 4 stars. Before I watched the video it would have been 2 stars!","Product: BO bunny-acrylic stamp blocks. The perfect set for your clear and cling stamps! this package contains one 2x2 inch stamp block one 3-1/4x2 inch stamp pad and one 5-1/2x4 inch stamp block. Imported.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good; could be 5 stars if they had smooth corners\n\nReview: Admittedly, this is my first set of these acrylic blocks but I would have expected them to be rounded more/smooth on the corners and not sharp at all since they will be handled so much and there also could be children working with these. I can't say I would consider them dangerously sharp, but they are uncomfortable if you happen to grab it on the corner; it would just seem logical to round the corners more so they're not so square. The lines are really handy to line the stamp up on, so that's definitely a perk. The stamps stick to them just fine so they seem to be good for their purpose. I just don't \"love them\" because of those very square corners.","Product: This stencil is used as a perfect writing guide for a number of applications including: wedding invitations, envelope addressing, post cards, thank you cards, scrapbooking, recipes, journaling, and other scenarios requiring precision when writing. It is also a writing ruler with up to four inches of marked measurements. It gives you the ability to add a professional yet personal touch to your writing.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love using it on envelopes, but it has other uses...\n\nReview: I have been using a regular ruler and measuring between the lines so they are the same distance but this makes it SO much easier! This is especially handy for addressing envelopes, but it's handy for any kind of jotting down in a journal or smashbook or any kind of scrapbooking. It's a great little tool that makes it much faster to get straight lines. The bonus of the other lines that are just showing helps align the rest if you choose. The measure at the bottom acts as a normal small ruler and it is super helpful for a quick measurement of a small area, such as the envelope. It comes in a reusable case also, that seems to be made of a durable or very heavy card stock, almost to cardboard strength. There is just something about receiving something hand written that makes it all the more special and people think their handwriting isn't good enough; it doesn't matter, it's that you took the time to address an envelope with your own handwriting that matters. You cared enough to make it yourself! For sharing my experience, I received a coupon; hope it was helpful.","Product: The easiest way to stamp is to be able to view your stamp layout before committing to the paper-Fiskars Clear Stamps are the perfect choice for fool-proof stamping. Versatile, high quality clear stamps cling to any of our stamp plates, and can be easily arranged, re-arranged, saved and re-used. Many different designs, shapes and sizes. Several stamps designed to work with Fiskars Squeeze Punches. Long-lasting, Fiskars stamps will not yellow over time.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Love birds, love the images but the \"poem\" bird doesn't work very well\n\nReview: These are over $10 in the local craft store (JoAnne Fabrics) and I'm surely glad I didn't pay that much for them. I LOVE birds and was so excited to make some cards (I donate to Love for the Elderly, more love letters, cards for hospitalized kids, etc) with birds on them, for inspiration. This was the perfect set. Or so it seemed. The thing I didn't like so much is with the biggest bird, with the saying about singing their song, the best saying of all, doesn't come out very clearly when stamped. I'll attach the example. I tried different colors; still. Hard to read. I really wanted it to be just like it is on the image on the set, but it's just not quite clear enough to read, so that's just disappointing. The other stamps work fine and I do like them, but that one was my favorite and it failed to show as the image shows. :( This isn't something that can be \"drawn\" in or edited afterwards as I do with some stamps that don't completely transfer properly. Hope this helps....","Product: Washi is a style of paper that is made by hand in the traditional manner. It is made of natural fibers commonly from the bark of the gampi tree, mitsumata shrub, or mulberry. However, washi also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat. Our Washi Masking Tape is not only strong, but the decorative designs are attractive as well. Use these tapes for decorating your planner or calendar, tape up your photos or decorate your photo album with them, or use them for gift wrapping purposes. These tapes are also great for scrapbooking or any other creative project you have in mind!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Bright variety--love me some washi tape!\n\nReview: Magnets, cards, storage containers, ornaments, phone case, business cards, planner, calendar, journal, bible, bookmarks, pencils, pens, picture frames, chalk board, dry erase board, wrapping paper, notebook, wall art, snack bag, letters, art, gift tags, twist ties, paper clips, edge of papers, napkin rings, pencil tin, switch plate, clock, the list is endless on the many many uses of washi tape! I love this set because it's a good variety and very colorful. I purchased another set and there is one roll that is a duplicate with this one but otherwise, these are all new for me and I love new washi tapes!! The little gift tag accessories are a bonus! I'm afraid I tend to underuse the washi and not do as much as I could with it because I want to save/savor it! I don't ever want to run out so I tend to hoard it....is this just me or do you know what I mean?! My favorite ones are the ones I REALLY struggle with putting on stuff because I'm afraid down the road I will find something better that I really want to use it for and it will be gone! That's just me.....I tend to do that with things that i love......I need to let go and use it now and just trust that if it's meant to be for a project later, I can buy more......and maybe find more that I like. For years I saw only a little bit of these but now there are SOOOOOO many to choose from! I want them all! I think the funniest thing I used them on was balloons. They really dressed it up! I received this set at a discount for my honest review. Please note if it was helpful for you. Go Washi!","Product: NORTH COAST ORGANICS Naked Organic Deodorant, 2.5oz\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This. Is. It. A NATURAL deodorant that WORKS!!\n\nReview: This is the one! I have been trying all kinds of natural options for deodorant and they don't work so well....to where I'm self conscious about whether others can smell it or if it's just me being overly cautious. There have been times where my husband said my deodorant failed me. I have tried Lafe's and I really like that smell but sometimes it doesn't get rid of the body odor of the pits, just masks it. Anyway, I tried Tom's and I tried several others as well. All the same, they work for a bit but not through a work day. THIS ONE DOES!! It's pretty amazing! It definitely gets me through the work day and does a pretty fair job of holding up through most of a work out. At the end of the night, more than 12 hours after application and a work out, it's starting to fail.....but that is WAY better than the others that couldn't even make it through work!\n\nIt's a little coarse going on, not smooth like the Lafe's, but it goes on and it WORKS. Did I mention it lasts all day and how relieved I am to finally find a NATURAL option that makes it through my work day?\n\nIt also doesn't really have a scent......which I have never done before, I always like a fresh smell when applying deodorant. But, I'm sold. It doesn't have to smell good...it works! (It doesn't stink, it just doesn't have much of a smell at all, especially not when you have it on, I can't tell I have applied anything)","Product: An Amazon Brand.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: OH do these feel GOOD on a cold night!!\n\nReview: Oh. My. Heavens. We had considered flannel sheets for years......we even bought a set once, but had to return them because they didn't fit our deep pocketed mattress, and just gave up. We only want them when it's cold out...not all year long. So, the years passed....and we had COLD sheets. This set was a game changer!! They truly do have deep pockets and fit our Queen very well. They washed nicely and are thicker than expected. Getting into bed at night with these sheets feels SOOOOOO warm compared to our other sheets!! Love these. The truest test will be if they pill after several washings. If they do, I will be back to change from the 5 star rating they are getting today----but I hope because of the quality, that they don't. I can't tolerate pilling sheets.....that's another reason we hesitated to get flannel sheets.....afraid of the pilling.","Product: This Food Network 9-speed touch pad blender whips up smoothies and milkshakes with ease. The blender's touch pad lets you choose from nine speed options to create a variety of delicious treats. Features: Powerful 600-watt motor efficiently blends food and liquids. \nNine speeds with pulse control provide the perfect blend. \nDetachable stainless steel blades lend convenience when cleaning.\nLarge glass jar makes enough for guests.\nDetails:\n48-oz. capacity\n600 watts\nHand wash\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Only 2 (conflicting) reviews-I didn't know what to think!\n\nReview: Two reviews for this when I looked it up, one bad; one good. I was really hesitant to get it because I don't know the brand and the one review saying it was \"bad\". The price was right and the style was right and I needed a blender! I thought about the Ninja as I read how great that was but I just didn't like all the extra parts. I like simple. This blender is simple and great! I really wanted something that would crush ice to make smoothies--that was my goal; without it being horrendously loud. I had purchased a Hamilton Beach but it was too loud and took forever to get the job done. This one is much faster, much quieter, much easier, and looks better too! I have only used it for smoothies so I can't say how other features work--but I think the quality is there on this one.","Product: With its space saving design and attractive finish, the Cottage Collection Wall Cabinet provides a beautiful place for concealed storage in any bathroom. The wall cabinet features a full-size towel bar, an open shelf for storage or decorative display, and a large storage area hidden behind doors. The cabinet is made of durable engineered wood, which is able to withstand a humid bathroom environment. The cabinet has rich wainscoting on its doors and back panel, and its white laminate finish is attractive and easy to clean. Assembly and installation are easy, and mounting hardware is included. Zenna Home by Zeniths toll-free USA based Customer Service department is available (800-892-3986) to answer any additional questions.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Cute for an extra bathroom\n\nReview: We purchased this to match our sink/cabinet for our new bathroom and it matches quite well and looks good! It gives just a bit of extra room for storage inside and even another option for hanging a towel. (Though we don't use that for towels as it's right above the toilet and that's more than this germophobe could tolerate!) It arrived safely and it didn't take long at all for my husband to hang it. It fits perfectly above the toilet and gives the room a bit of a home feel instead of a bare wall and I like that it \"hides\" things instead of having a shelf where everything is just out there (collecting germs....the toilet again!) for everyone to see. Because the theme of the bathroom is a sandy beach, it was a good place to add my sandpipers! The nest is actually some potpourri to give a little scent naturally, without the chemical sprays people tend to use in bathrooms. I couldn't give it a 5 because I don't love it....although it totally serves the purpose, it's not outstanding and seems a bit on the cheap side with the doors, hubby had to adjust so they were straight....or as close as we could get to straight. We wouldn't have put this where it would actually be used much, like in our main bathroom, where we are in and out of the cabinet all the time. It didn't seem sturdy enough for that kind of traffic, but for the extra bathroom, it's good.","Product: \"No One Can Function Without a Good Nights Sleep!\" Our MERIDIAN ROOM DARKENING WINDOW CURTAINS Promotes Better Sleeping Conditions and a Quieter Indoor Environment within your BUDGET. If You Have a Non Traditional Sleeping Schedule, Work Shifts, Napping Childern or Just Enjoy Your Morning Sleep-ins, These Panels/Drapes are DESIGNED FOR YOU! Our Window Treatment is PERFECT for Any BEDROOM to Block Out the Street Lights and Reduce the Noise and Sounds Coming from Outside! Hanging these curtains in your LIVING/DINING ROOM will create a Dramatic Ambiance, or in the OFFICE or MEDIA ROOM to Minimize Glare on the TV! The Thermal Insulated Backing and Triple-Pass Thermal Coating Back Layer will SAVE YOU MONEY on Energy Costs (Heating and Cooling) Reduces the Cold Drafts that can enter a Room and Minimizes the Hot Sun from entering the Room, Keeping YOUR ROOM Cool in Summer and Warm in Winter. Designed for a look of Elegance, the Grommets are spaced in such a way that the drapery forms neat pleated gatherings when left partially open. Internal Grommet Diameter is 1.5 Inch to fit your Rods Nicely. The Panels are 100 -Percent Polyester and are Sold as a Set of 2. EACH PANEL is 52 -Inches Wide and the PAIR Together are 104 -Inches Wide. This Room Darkening Set will Block over 90% of The Light Beaming in Your Room and Come in 4 Length Sizes (63\", 84\", 96\" and 108\") ORDER NOW to SAVE MONEY and BRING BEAUTY TO YOUR HOME!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Take into consideration the grommet style reduces the width once they are hung....I didn't think of that....\n\nReview: I'm not used to shopping for curtains, it has been years since I did and have never bought these \"grommet\" style tops. They look really nice that way and I was excited to get these to use as room dividing curtains. If you are not used to buying grommet curtains, they are different when you consider the size you need. Curtains I have don't have grommets, so they hang just like they lie flat. The grommets make the curtains have the wavy look, they force them to be nice looking and not flat....the down side to that is that it reduces their width. So, just take that into consideration. I didn't think about it and cut it too close and it's not covering the whole area that I thought it would, even though it measures less than the curtain size--because the grommets make them not flat, they are not as wide once they are hung. The sizes have to be true to size lying flat, so they're accurate with the size, I just failed to realize (and it didn't give me a hint) that the grommets would cut so much off of their width. These are nice curtains but they seem a little bit like shower curtain material. No matter to me, it's not like people are feeling them....they do the job as room dividers. I can't speak to keeping the light out as that was not my intent and they're not covering a window so I can't speak to it. The thing I can say is, they look really nice. I definitely like them and if I had the extra $, I would order another set so they could look better hanging and have better room division. Hope this review helps someone, I sure wish I had read this info and saved myself from ordering until I could order enough to cover the whole 96\".","Product: 1. Pillow measures 17\" x 10.5\" x 5\" and compacts down small. 2. Pillow has shredded memory foam that is ultra soft and provides solid support. Works as a pillow and lumbar pillow. \"This Pillow is the softest thing in the world and it's not so fluffy so it gives you good support\" 3. Patented design allows you to easily roll up pillow and secure under flap and pull draw string tight to make small for travel. 4. Includes carabiner to attached to bag etc. when traveling. 5. This is one pillow, one side is light gray in color the other side is dark grey in color. Great as a car pillow, truck pillow, airplane pillow, lower back pillow, nursing pillow, travel pillow, lower back pain pillow and much better than those travel inflatable pillows. This pillow can also have a slight smell when newly opened common with memory foam but this will fade with time.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great little pillow for on the go or around the house!\n\nReview: This is a nice sized pillow for multiple uses. I really love the velvety feel of the outsideI don't travel a lot but I can see where it would be quite handy for taking on a trip to sleep along the way. I will use it at home also; not just for travel. When I want to recline on the loveseat or sofa, if I also want to watch tv, I'm too far back; just need a little lift to get my head in the position so I don't quite so easily fall asleep. And, though it's not as it is intended, I use it to put between my knees when lying on my side also as I have back problems and it's also too uncomfortable for my knees to be together so this is the perfect size for that also. The only thing that I don't like is that the shredded memory foam feels lumpy. It's something to get used to. I'm used to pillows feeling smooth and I even have a memory foam one that doesn't have the shredded so I wasn't thinking about how the shredded memory foam would feel so completely different; lumpy. I still like it and it still does as it says and it is advertised as shredded; it was my observation of the difference. I received a discount to share my experience; hope it's helpful to someone.\n\n***** UPDATE****** when washing for the first time, secure the tie. I have to re-string it through now after a wash.","Product: Storage with style;)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I would totally buy more of these bins!\n\nReview: I purchased these little boxes for the shelves in the bedroom. The project was to get some organization without dressers, outside the closet. These are sturdy enough to hold the socks and etc. that we have added to them and they are also versatile enough to fold up and store somewhere if they are not needed. I really like the color and I liked the price too. To me, they do not seem cheaply made or easily torn, etc. I'm happy with the quality they provide for the price. They aren't something you could put heavier items in but they hold quite a load of socks just fine! The stripes on the inside really give it a more sophisticated and modern look, but the brown on the outside looks most classic and those handles are handy for pulling the bin out of the shelf that it is on. I don't think I would want it any other way. There are some that are at the top but that would be kind of awkward I think. This is perfectly spaced from the top to provide a good cosmetic appeal, but also functionality. I'm all about the function!! (And the price!)","Product: Classically styled and updated with the latest Timex timekeeping technology, the Timex T29271 women's watch makes a great accent to both your everyday and business wear. It features a round silver watch case that frames a good dial background with Arabic numerals. This watch also features a 10-year battery life, water resistance to 165 feet (50 meters), and a date display at 3 o'clock. With the Quick Date function, you can set the date on the watch without turning the crown for every 24-hour period. Just pull the stem halfway out, and turn until desired date is reached. The Indiglo night-light uniformly lights the surface of the watch dial using patented blue electroluminescent lighting technology. It uses less battery power than most other watch illumination systems, enabling your watch battery to last longer.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Unable to remove links myself without instructions/tool, takes too long to set the date...heavy duty and pretty tho\n\nReview: I like the looks but it's a very heavy feeling watch that has a date that would take me forever to get to the 20th by turning the hand all those times from the 4th...it says quick set for the date but I didn't find instructions on how to quick set it. Should have a barcode to scan to get a video or something if there really is a quick way to do it. Additionally, I have a larger size wrist (7.5 or 8) and it was HUGE. I would have to remove a lot of the links and I'm not sure how I'm expected to do that with no tool or instructions. I could take it to a jeweler but the benefit of ordering online is to not have to go to a store, so that defeats the purpose. Because of all of that, I have to send it back. It's not the watch itself that is a problem, but the set up. I will just buy it in the store if I'm going to have to take it to a store anyway.","Product: The womens Alegria Collette Print slide sandal lends eye-catching elegance and utility. Crafted from handstitched leather, this slide sandal boasts glittering straps on the vamp with beaded logo for an appealing look. There is an adjustable buckle closure for easy on/off and a snug fit. The footbed is removable and comes in medium and wide widths. The insole is made of polyurethane, cork, and memory foam for a custom fit and superior support. Sturdy and slip resistant rocker bottom PU outsole offers firm grip on all the surfaces and induces natural walking gesture to allow better posture, decrease stress on muscles, joints and back. Pair this Alegria Collette Print womens slide sandal with your attire for that stunning look.Sizing comments: Euro true to fit\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I bought black and white; black are wonderful shoes, white were defective; didn't fit right\n\nReview: I bought a black pair that felt wonderful and I wore them on my feet all day long. However, for some reason, this pair just didn't feel right. It was as if they had a flaw in the insole or something. I'm not sure how to describe it. They just didn't feel as comfortable as the black version. I can't say I would re-purchase anyway, they were just a bit to sparkly/blingy for my taste. I would definitely have worn them if they felt as good as the black version but they just didn't feel right so they had to go.\n\nOther than this pair, I have had really good results with Alegria, I just wish they weren't so pricey and had more to offer in the way of styles.\n\nUPDATE: Looks like the lower rating went on the black pair. Just to clarify, the black are great...I love them and can wear them without any pain or anything, on my feet all day. The white I didn't keep because they just didn't fit right. I think they were defective somehow.","Product: The To Go Convertible is a practical daily bag and a weekend warrior, fit for a heaping handful of kid supplies or some kale chips and an extra-thick paperback. Several small organizer pockets and two outside water bottle pockets make it a natural at long walks, light-duty shopping trips, outings with a little one, or any occasion that calls for quick access to your loot. Alternate D-ring attachments allow you to convert from crossbody to backpack with ease, and the top flap closes securely with an adjustable buckle.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: I love Haiku as a company--ECO-friendly and QUALITY--but not the closure on this purse\n\nReview: First let me say that Haiku is QUALITY and made from RECYCLED products! That is why I choose Haiku, it's not for the steal on the price! (cough) Unfortunately, I have to return it. After having a flap that was magnetic closure (love my Derek Alexander!) for so long, having this flap that requires two of my hands to close it, is out of the question. You can choose not to click it closed, there's an interior zipper but 1. I never do the zippers and 2. I'm not liking how it looks when I don't click it closed, it just hangs there under the purse looking unkempt. So, if you don't mind using two hands to click the closure closed at the bottom of the flap, OR you don't mind 1/2 of that closure flapping under the purse, this is great! I love the slide pockets on each side and then under the flap there are two more. The purse is adorable! I just wish it had a different design for closure. I'm going with the ascend instead.","Product: The Harmony is as easy-going as they come. Its elegant and compact silhouette makes it a winner at both the office and dinner. The roomy main compartment holds a change of clothes, large wallet and other sundries, while interior pockets keep the small stuff together. For extra security while traveling, a hidden toggle passes through the zipper to hold it closed.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Finally found the perfect size purse with the perfect handles!\n\nReview: I love Haiku. They stand behind their products and are an eco-friendly company that I respect. I looked at this for a long time; spending that much on a purse is hard for me. However, I know Haiku LASTS and I figured if it was wide enough, it would work. I was just afraid that the opening/zipper would not be wide enough to easily get things in and out and I don't like a narrower opening than the bottom of the purse has, it seems to be hard to find things in those purses. This is great! I love the handles for a quick grab or to put on my arm and throw the crossbody inside, and I love the crossbody option also. I like to have options with how I carry purses and this offers the perfect options! I wish there were pockets on the outside is all. (I prefer more organization with more outer pockets but I suppose those purses aren't as cute as this one!) I love it. I wish they would make them in more colors because in the spring, I'm going to need a spring color! In the photos you can see all I put in here and still have room for more.\n\nUpdate: Still using this every day and love the size. The only concern is the zipper. I'm not usually one to zip my purse unless it's convenient and this is not. The zipper starts on a piece that kind of hangs inside the purse and it feels like I have to fish it out to zip it closed. Fortunately for me, I'm not in an area where I have to always be concerned with making sure my purse is closed. If I lived in a city where I was in public a lot, I would not like the way the zipper is. Fortunately for me, I don't need the zipper often and can live with that being a negative. Just thought I would share that for those who might need to really make use of the zipper. There is even a little extra protection you can do with the zipper so it cannot be immediately unzipped but I have never used that.","Product: Gorgeous, casual and amazingly comfortable, the new Alegria Petal is everything a girl could ask for. Crafted with premium leather upper these gorgeous flats also come with a leather lining for maximum breathability and moisture control, so you will feel amazing all day long. Boasting of a memory foam and latex cushioned footbed for unparalleled comfort, it rests on top of a slip-resistant rubber outsole for spectacular traction and grip on a variety of surfaces, offering you the best stability, looks and comfort on the market. So dont hesitate and add the new Algeria Petal to your collection today!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: They're different than other Alegrias but still have unbeatable comfort for ballet style shoes!\n\nReview: If I didn't already love Alegria shoes, the lack of 4+ stars would have kept me from buying these for sure. I'm so glad I decided to give them a try because they are just what I wanted! A ballet/cute looking flat that is COMFORTABLE!! They are definitely the most comfortable ballet style I have ever had on my feet. I have tried many and my feet just can't stand shoes that don't have the cushion in the heels and the support as well as the roominess without being bulky. These do have a more narrow toe box than my others but my toes didn't complain at all. I wore them all day at work (only on my feet part time) and then walked around two large shopping centers with them on without a problem. So, I was on them for hours without sitting and had no problems whatsoever. I just ordered another pair....this time not paying the additional to make sure I can return them because I now know these are the ballet style I have been searching for! I am tired of wearing boots with my ankle pants and leggings....time to move into spring with these ballet cuties!\n\n****UPDATE**** 2nd PAIR***** For the 2nd pair, I chose the plain black style and they are different. They don't seem as roomy as the first pair (black with texture, shown in photo). The toe box seems a bit smaller and they even look different side by side (adding more photos). I love this pair also but they're not QUITE as comfortable as the first pair. Regardless, more than any other black ballet style I have owned so still 5 stars....just think they may differ a bit in the fit based on the one you select, which I find odd!\n\n****UPDATE*** 3rd pair*** okay, so these just keep getting better! The gold fleck style is my favorite fit. Compared to the others, in the same size (10), the gold flecks fit the best. The others are roomier and sometimes can feel a bit on the large side, like I could have downsized to 9.5. But these fit perfectly! And so cute! I wish they were just solid tan instead of gold fleck but it does give them an extra bit of dressiness so I can wear them to work feeling more dressed up than if they were just solid and suede looking! LOVE THESE SHOES!","Product: This style is perfect for those in the nursing, hospitality and other occupational fields because of its ability to provide unmatched comfort and support. The Jill from Alegria® helps keep your day fun and fresh! Leather upper. Hook-and-loop mary jane instep strap, with a stylish button accent, offers a secure and custom fit each and every time. Ultra soft leather interior helps promote good foot health with its breathability, keeping feet dry. Latex and cork footbed forms to your foot's natural shape and can be removed for personal orthotics. PU outsole is engineered to reduce heel and central metatarsal pressure and the bottom is flat to increase stability. Rocker outsole also propels you through the gait cycle, rocking you from heel to toe in a natural motion, resulting in less tired feet and body at the end of the day. Imported. Measurements: Heel Height: 1 in Weight: 9 oz Platform Height: 1⁄2 in Product measurements were taken using size 36 (US Women's 6-6.5), width Wide. Please note that measurements may vary by size.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: They are super comfortable! The velcro closure is something used each time to get them on and off though...\n\nReview: Most of the time I'm happy with Alegria shoes but these are REALLY comfortable. One of my favorites for sure. I didn't wear these around the house first or anything. I wore them to work and was on my feet and did a lot of walking and they felt good throughout. No breaking in period or anything. I say they felt somewhat small because I have other Alegria's in the same size that fit perfectly fine with socks on and I wore these without socks and they fit. So, I'm not sure if they design them so that they are smaller when they're not generally worn with socks? Not sure. It seems to be the case though. I wear a size 40 all day long and these are 40's and feel good. Yet, I have 40's in another style that I wear with thicker socks and they fit well....so it is possible that they're designed to be that way for those styles that are more likely to have socks involved. One thing I did learn the hard way, that I need to have that thicker portion in the heel area so it fits right and doesn't rub and cause problems. These have them as do most Alegria's I have seen, but there are some floating around out there that do not have that and I didn't notice and expected the same comfort my others have provided but it was not the case with those. Hope this helps!","Product: The Worlds most Cushe Shoe THE END Introducing the Cushe W Slipper Hellyer. This womens slip on casual shoe features a canvas upper and a manuka honeycomb grip outsole. The Slipper Hellyer comes in multi bright colors to match any outfit! Slip on a pair of Cushe Slipper Hellyer this season and your feet will thank you!\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: VERY cute but quite narrow!\n\nReview: These are a bit more narrow and thin soled than I expect of a shoe, I guess maybe it's a slipper? It didn't read that way so I expected it to be a shoe. It is very cute and comfortable but if you need any kind of arch support, I would not recommend it. I don't need arch support so I was good for a few hours on my feet in these, as long as I wasn't on a surface with rocks or small stones because I could feel right through them. They are definitely cute and comfortable for slipping on quickly and go GREAT with capris for sure, for bare feet, but they just didn't meet my expectations for the price. If they were to say they were narrow, I would not have purchased them. Usually I have no trouble with shoes as long as they are normal width but these seemed quite narrow and although they are flexible and didn't rub or cause any blisters or anything, they just didn't feel wide enough on the sole. They are SO cute though!","Product: This versatile hand bag is great for carrying a lot of items in an orderly fashion.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love this multi-pocketed organizing light weight purse!!\n\nReview: I sure hope Derek Alexander starts making this purse in other color options!! I got the black one and I LOVE it!! It's totally light weight and organized, plenty flexible with the crossbody vs. shorter strap options. I am amazed with all the pockets! I wanted organization and this is it!! It's large enough that I can throw in additional items that I wouldn't carry daily such as a book or the mail or a water bottle, etc for convenience. I didn't notice it when I ordered, but when I received the purse, it came with a guarantee for quality to last! I was really thrilled with that. But, durability is evident and I don't think it will be falling apart or breaking. I could only find this in 3 colors and I really need one that is brighter for SPRING!!","Product: Versatile enough to be a compact work bag or an everyday purse, the Note Bag will keep you organized during your busy day. It has an interior slip pocket to fit your tablet, plus an organization panel, zipper pocket and key fob. The exterior has slip and zipper pockets for easy access on the go. Carry it over your shoulder or go hands free with the adjustable cross body strap.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Love Haiku bags; lots of organization, lots of cute!\n\nReview: Haiku bags are awesomely organizational and comfortable with versatility and options that seem to be hard to find elsewhere. I bought this purse and used it for a season before I realized I really needed something a bit bigger. I went with the Derek Alexander; which has more options with the pockets and the size. I prefer that one and will stick to it, but this one is much more appealing if you're not needing more pockets (has plenty!) and care about the fashion aspect. This one is adorable and I love it, just wish it were a bit bigger! I looked and looked for another option that would be just right but I couldn't find one, it was either smaller, or too much bigger than this one. Not the size I was looking for. If this one was deeper (wider bottom), I think I would have kept it until it was worn out....it would have been big enough then. But, it's a bit thin on the bottom and I have a low tolerance for purses falling over when I set them down. I like a fatter bottom so they stand up on their own. Haiku is definitely quality products and definitely CUTE!! And, they are eco-friendly!","Product: Stability, flexibility, softness and lightness performance features are complimented with a formed fit and climate control resulting in Rockport's most advanced biomechanical design to date. WALK360 is the pinnacle of walking footwear from the city to the trail. The best walking shoe Rockport ever made, the Rockport Walk 360 Walking Women's Ballet.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Run quite small and too high on the top of the heel of the shoe\n\nReview: I was terribly disappointed in these; I typically wear a 9.5. I can even wear a 9 in some shoes with no socks. However, these 9.5 shoes were too small. So, even if they fit great otherwise, they were the wrong size by quite a bit. I would say they fit a whole size smaller. Then there is the top of the back of the heel that comes up way too high and I could tell just by putting them on my feet that it was going to be uncomfortable in that spot. I didn't even put both shoes on, that's how terribly these fit. Unfortunately, I have to pay to ship them back now after buying them on 6 pm. Lesson learned! Buy from Amazon, from where they can be returned in cases like this where I'm trying a new brand out because it looked comfortable and people rated well. They are nice and light and the memory foam in the footbed is a nice touch but it's just not able to make up for the rest.","Product: Purchase this leak-proof and durable water bottle for sport, leisure and office. Bring spice to your everyday drinking. Lemons, strawberries, kiwi, and many other fruits can help you create delicious infused water. Already you can conjure up in no time your homemade detox drink for a healthy start to the day and a sufficient amount of liquid during the day. Our bottles are made of BPA-free Tritan, odorless, virtually unbreakable and dishwasher safe. Get the one of our three trendy vivid colors (blue, green or red-pink), and surprise your loved ones,\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Similar to what I would find at the Dollar Tree store locally....for $1\n\nReview: I could go to the local dollar tree and get a very comparable product for $1. This comes with a black neoprene-style cover that smells terrible; no way would I be able to drink from the bottle if it were on it; the smell is too strong. It has that tire or rubbery kind of smell that is really strong. I didn't even get to try out the infuser feature as I wanted to make sure first that it didn't leak. It leaked with just water in it. The quality of this plastic seems incredibly cheap.\n\nIf you don't mind the leaking and don't care about the black neoprene-style cover stinking terribly, this might be okay for you. It was not for me. I received this item at a discount for an honest review.","Product: 1,Compitable with Fitbit Alta Plum Large , Wrist Size 6.7-8.1 inch. 2,Classic bands for an easy look you'll love all day. 3,Fitbit Alta Bands Leather Watch Band\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I needed something lightweight that wasn't silicone--this is it!\n\nReview: If you're looking for a Larger size, this would fit that request for sure. I have used size \"Large\" for all my Alta bands. That way, there is room. It seems I could probably get away with a medium since there is always so much room left to expand, but I'm just generally used to ordering larger sizes with clothing, so I go with that for my wrist too. This band is more like a watch band. It's comfortable to wear, it's not heavy like some of the other metal bands, and I don't feel a thing on my wrist. There isn't the rubbery texture that things tend to get stuck on when I wear the rubber or silicone style bands. Those are good too, but this is more of a work attire kind of band, if you dress up at all for work, or for other events where you're not wanting to look so casual as to wear the silicone. It's easy to adjust, which was huge. You just open the little lock with the tool provided and you slide it to where it will fit best. Then clip the other side into place and snap it to secure. Easy! Faster on and off than I found the buckle kind to be also. I received a discount to share my experience; hope it helps.","Product: Simply Fit board - the workout board with a twist - the fun, easy way to engage your core and get fit in minutes a day! The product that Lori Greiner found, available in: Blue, Green, Magenta, Orange.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Feet slide inward as I'm using it, no grip to keep feet in place, not feeling like it's doing anything core wise\n\nReview: I was super excited about getting this but it's really not worth the money for this piece of plastic. It's smaller than I thought, there is not much room for changing up the routine by spreading your feet farther apart. I have mine by the handles and then they slide down as I twist. I think adding a couple inches would be better, especially given the cost. Also, it would be better to have some kind of gripping on the board to keep your feet in place. You can see the circles on here that may seem like they would keep your feet in place, but mine slide inward as I'm using it and I have to pause to readjust my feet position. I haven't noticed a bit of difference the next day, I expected to be sore after doing this for 25 minutes straight. Nothing. It's fun and super easy to do but disappointing for a work out for sure. (Disclaimer, super easy for those with good balance, my husband did not find it easy; he couldn't do it)","Product: Xlear Spry Gum, Peppermint, 100 Count (Pack of 2)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Dental Hygienist asked what I was doing different to keep my teeth so clean..this is one thing!\n\nReview: As a gum-addict, I had chewed the store brand gum for my whole life, going from Trident to Extra to whatever I could find on sale and indulging in the ever-loved bubble gum balls. I had heard about Xylitol but I didn't pay much attention until I had a root canal and decided to take another look at oral care. I switched to an all natural toothpaste and decided to go with Xylitol gum and cut down on my sugar intake. I expected the gum to taste terrible since it was a healthier alternative, but this gum is awesome! It holds the flavor longer than I expected, and is just the right size to chew with just one piece instead of needing two. It's safer for my teeth so I feel better about it. I have tried both the peppermint and spearmint version and like them both, but peppermint always seems to me to be more of a breath freshener than spearmint, so I usually go with this one. It is in health food stores but is far more expensive that way. I always buy it on Amazon because the price is so much better. I haven't paid attention to whether it's the same seller or varied sellers, the product is the same and I always like it. It's truly all I have chewed for over 16 months now. My dental hygienist asked me what I was doing differently as she hardly had any work to do for my 6 month cleaning; I told her I'm using natural toothpaste and chewing this Xylitol gum. I'm not brushing more frequently and only cut back on sugar in my diet. So, I figure, the little extra I spend on this gum, if I do, is far less than the amount I am saving in dental work!","Product: These dual brush pens have a versatile and flexible nylon fiber brush tip on 1 end that creates medium or bold strokes by simply changing brush pressure. The fine tip on the other end is for smooth straight lines or writing. The resilient nylon brush retains its point, stroke after stroke. The ink is water-based and blendable: use 2 colors together, or use the colorless blender pen. The pen tips self-clean after blending so there is no messy clean-up! Use these pens for coloring, rubber stamping, hand-lettering, doodling, journaling, and more. Perfect for fine art techniques. The ink is acid-free, non-toxic, odorless, and non-bleeding. Each package contains 10 pens (9 colored, 1 colorless). Available in a variety of color schemes, each sold separately. Conforms to ASTM D 4236.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: IMO they didn't blend or color any easier than other markers...\n\nReview: I had seen so many videos and read so many reviews raving about these markers. I didn't find them to be the same color as shown in this and I didn't find the blender pen very helpful, etc. I'm terribly disappointed...as you can see in the photo, the blending isn't worth the price; I can do this kind of work with cheap markers if I want this result. I tried various techniques from videos of Tombow markers blending but I could not make it happen nicely....I thought these markers made it easier...I didn't find them any different from the off-brands. The lighter color here is the \"sand\" but it's much darker than sand and doesn't even blend well when coloring...and this is decent paper.","Product: The Vista squirrel resistant feeder is for the serious bird enthusiast. This rugged double-sided feeder will attract a wide array of birds to your yard, while spring-activated perches work to keep squirrels away. This feeder features a simple and functional design, the two counter balance perches are adjustable to three positions and prove useful and effective at feeding the birds and not the squirrels. Holding up to 6 lbs of birds favorite mixed seed, sunflower seeds, peanut halves or safflower, this large capacity requires less frequent filling. Stop birds from shoveling food out with the no waste seed saver baffle.Durable, green powder coated steel top and bottom, acrylic body and a zinc-plated steel hanger. Lift the roof for easy filling and cleaning, while acrylic body shows when feeder is empty. The overhanging roof and hopper keeps the seed dry and protected from the elements and the steel top and bottom withstands all types of weather and unwanted critters in your backyard for many seasons. Squirrels weight on perch triggers a metal shield to cover the seed tray and shut off seed supply. Fully assembled, hangs from tree branch or outdoor supports with included heavy duty hanger.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Chickadees, yellow finches, nuthatches, sparrows, house finches, all the little birds love it....I fill this one least of all\n\nReview: The squirrels do NOT get food out of this feeder and for that, I love it. However, the birds tend to hesitate as well. Only the small birds seem to eat from it--sparrows, chickadees, etc. The cardinals want nothing to do with it. :( I keep it as an option if they are all out...since the squirrels can't get to it, it lasts and there is always food in this one.\n\nUPDATE: I have changed this to 5 stars after having it for over a year. The food lasts longest in this feeder and the birds are really coming to this one more than any now! I think it just took some time to get used to it and I did set up a different feeder for the larger birds and now they stick to that one. So, it's great to feed the smaller birds from this and larger from the other. All I use is black oil sunflower seeds. One of the things I really like about this is it seems to deter the flicking of seeds so easily. My other feeders lose a lot of seeds to flicking and they land on the ground. This has the bars in it to keep the seed more in place and the little \"shelf\" on top is used for the little birds to crack the seeds open. There are lots of gold finches this year at this feeder and we're loving it. The squirrels get a little bit but it seems that they don't stick around because it's not easy enough for them. They move on quite quickly. The chipmunks do the same. They do get a little bit but I don't mind giving them a little bit....so basically, it seems this restricts the amount for them, while the birds love it. Perfect! It's actually not often the squirrels venture to try...but I happened to catch this one today...he didn't stay long/get much....and left on his own.","Product: The BDT250 has a durable, coated, compact aluminum base in a low-profile design. Fins provide largesurface area to make the unit run cooler while putting out the same amount of heat as conventional de-icers. Channels within the base promote water flow as the water is heated. Cooler running, coating, and flowing water all combine to reduce mineral buildup. Multiple thermostats allow efficient control while providing over-temperature protection. The BDT250 is safe to use in plastic bird baths and comes with a 10-foot cord.\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: DIED after only 2 MONTHS of minimal use! SO frustrating!\n\nReview: So, at first I gave this more stars because when we first bought it, it worked. It kept at least half of the bird bath from freezing over. (We found that kind of strange though, it seems it would have done the entire bird bath since it was such a small area and 250 watts should have covered it all) Well, it didn't even make it through ONE winter and it's dead. We even purchased the cover for the plug where it connects and put that on to protect it. There isn't even kids or traffic where this is, only our dogs would have stepped on it. So, this is a COLOSSAL disappointment and I'm quite irritated that it lasted long enough to not be able to return it. Total WASTE OF MONEY. My last bird bath de icer cost far less and lasted 4 years. I'll go back to that. (No more Allied Precision since I couldn't find a way to contact them on here to let them know it failed so soon for absolutely no reason and give them the opportunity to replace it)","Product: WoodLink is the exclusive licensee for the manufacturing of birding products to the design specifications of the National Audubon Society. The ultimate 18-inch wrap around black metal squirrel baffler is made of textured powder coated steel. Installs easily. Raccoon resistant. Defeats squirrels every time. Mount 4 to 5-feet above the ground. No need to remove bird feeder when mounting. Secure black coupler (included) around any 1/2-inch to 1-3/8-inch pole or shepherd hook. Snaps apart with inward pressure on each side of the seam.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Saves the suet and food from the chipmunks and MOST squirrels! (There's always that one or two....that just have to outsmart!)\n\nReview: This was very easy to put on, and fits a variety of size poles, ours is pretty skinny and it still worked. It keeps the chipmunks and squirrels from climbing up the pole like they used to do for sure. However, the smarter squirrels have found a way to bypass it by jumping to the suet feeder, right over this squirrel baffle! We'll be searching for a taller shepherds hook next! The baffle will still be used, and with any luck, it will be tall enough to where the acrobatic squirrels can't just jump right up to the feeder! (The photo is taken from inside our house)\n\n***Update*** I had to take away a star because it didn't keep the squirrels away for long. It's been a battle of the wills! They were jumping to the pole ABOVE where this is and sitting on it to have their feast at the feeder! So, we got some pipes and made the shepherds hook higher up and moved this down the pole so they couldn't sit on it and eat the seed if they managed to jump that high. They are deterred but it's because it's hard for them to hang on and get into the food with the squirrel proof feeder that closes with their weight. This is only useful to keep the cute little chipmunks from having a seat in the feeder and stuffing their cheeks and coming back for more.","Product: WoodLink is the exclusive licensee for the manufacturing of birding products to the design specifications of the National Audubon Society. The ultimate 18-inch wrap around black metal squirrel baffler is made of textured powder coated steel. Installs easily. Raccoon resistant. Defeats squirrels every time. Mount 4 to 5-feet above the ground. No need to remove bird feeder when mounting. Secure black coupler (included) around any 1/2-inch to 1-3/8-inch pole or shepherd hook. Snaps apart with inward pressure on each side of the seam.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Saves the suet and food from the chipmunks and MOST squirrels! (There's always that one or two....that just have to outsmart!)\n\nReview: This was very easy to put on, and fits a variety of size poles, ours is pretty skinny and it still worked. It keeps the chipmunks and squirrels from climbing up the pole like they used to do for sure. However, the smarter squirrels have found a way to bypass it by jumping to the suet feeder, right over this squirrel baffle! We'll be searching for a taller shepherds hook next! The baffle will still be used, and with any luck, it will be tall enough to where the acrobatic squirrels can't just jump right up to the feeder! (The photo is taken from inside our house)\n\n***Update*** I had to take away a star because it didn't keep the squirrels away for long. It's been a battle of the wills! They were jumping to the pole ABOVE where this is and sitting on it to have their feast at the feeder! So, we got some pipes and made the shepherds hook higher up and moved this down the pole so they couldn't sit on it and eat the seed if they managed to jump that high. They are deterred but it's because it's hard for them to hang on and get into the food with the squirrel proof feeder that closes with their weight. This is only useful to keep the cute little chipmunks from having a seat in the feeder and stuffing their cheeks and coming back for more.","Product: The Perky-Pet Small Panorama Wild Bird Feeder is sure to attract many birds to your backyard. The innovative design of this feeder allows the seed to dispense into the tray and stops dispensing once the tray is full. As the birds continue to dine from the circular perch, the seed is replenished into the tray so it remains consistently full. This feeder also features the Sure-Lock cap system, an exclusive squirrel proof feature which ensures the lid stays put and squirrels cant get into the seed. The Small Panorama holds 2 lb. of seed and features a rustic brown finish. Remember to clean your wild bird feeders every two weeks with a mild soap and water solution.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Birds seem to like it!\n\nReview: This is a cute little feeder for smaller birds, though we did have a blue jay having a meal at it too. It took a few days for the birds to adjust to the new feeder as it was a change, but they accepted it and seem to like it. (I use black oil sunflower seed)\n\nI can't give it 5 stars because I don't think it's going to be so easy to refill it in the winter. When it's full of snow, trying to press the button and slide that top up to put feed in is going to be quite a challenge I think. If not, I'll be happy to come back and give 5 stars. I wasn't thinking about that when I bought it; I got it for the size and versatility as well as the good reviews.","Product: 350ftx 2inch in value roll The tape uses high quality reflective Diamond Patterns and noise from tape twisting in wind alarming birds of danger to scare away all types of birds and pests. Prevent bird damage,perfect for garden,crops and other property from bird. Repellent tape is harmless and chemical-free Repellent tape is light weight,easier to install and use Do not stare at in direct sunlight for extended periods of time\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Not just for scaring birds!\n\nReview: I really love products that prove to be useful for more than one purpose and usually try to find multiple uses, especially when it's a \"seasonal\" item. In Michigan, I don't need to scare the birds from berries and fruit trees all year, so instead of this tape sitting around when I have no fruit to protect, I decided to put it to use! It's intended uses is for scaring birds off and it does work well for that because it is HIGHLY reflective on both sides (more so than some other scare tapes I have had) and it also makes a crinkle type noise in the wind, which helps deter the birds, and saving berries or the fruit, etc. (This looks far better than a scare crow of years ago and it's way easier too!) Aside from that though, I couldn't resist using some of it for more fun things! CRAFTS! You can buy similar paper in the cardstock section in stores, and it is thicker and you can get it with sticky on the back and etc. That stuff does work best for the crafty stuff, but this stuff works too and in the long run, a much less costly option if you use that a lot. I didn't, but I will be using this for crafty things also. I make and donate cards to \"Cards for Hospitalized kids\" and I'm including a picture of a card I made (not yet complete, but just an idea) with this scare tape accenting it! It's not just for scaring at all! I'm totally loving this stuff. This is the 2\" wide strip, which is the smaller; there is also a wider option and that's even better for crafting! I received a discount to share my experience; hope it's helpful to someone.","Product: Add the Hookery durable black powder coated steel 90 inch tall shepherd hook anywhere in your yard to hang of your favorite plant, birdfeeder, or yard ornament. Made of heavy-duty 1/2\" square stock steel to hold your heaviest of plants. When placed securely into the ground this double hook will hold up to 30 lbs.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: No way is this worth it....it doesn't even look straight and pieces together so it has some movement that can scare birds\n\nReview: I like that this is simple but it does not look like the picture; that shows a straight pole; it's not straight. (I have to return this even though it's a hassle) Anyway, it is not straight like the picture and is nowhere near worth the cost. I tried putting it in several different places and they were all showing the bend before I even put a feeder on it....I can't imagine it holds what it claims.\n\nYou can't see in the picture that it is in 3 pieces. One of the hooks comes off and the top part separates from the bottom. I think that is what makes it look so crooked. Maybe one piece is damaged and bent....but I never even put ONE feeder on this, I simply assembled it and this is how crooked it looks.","Product: Homeopathic remedy provides temporary relief from constant scratching, itching, gnawing and hair loss caused by allergies. Helps to detoxify the skin from the inside, leaving the coat thick and shiny.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: It really worked to stop my little dachshund from his seasonal itching\n\nReview: I have a rescued dachshund terrier mix (or not mix, who knows?!) who gets really itchy in the spring and in the fall. We're not sure what it is that causes this, but it's regular and it's very annoying for the poor baby! I tried some benadryl, giving very cautiously, but then I found this online and it had good reviews so I thought it was worth a try. It really worked!! He didn't mind it at all and it worked within a week or so to reduce his itching and he was done itching completely shortly after that. I'm not sure if it's dry skin or something outdoors, or what is causing it but we picked up on that it is a seasonal thing so it's nothing to take him to the vet over. It's not fleas, it's just some kind of skin irritation or dry skin or something that makes him itch like he has fleas. This stuff really worked! I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again! He's super fussy about what he eats so I was a bit concerned about him thinking it tasted bad and having a \"fight\" but he didn't even seem to notice when I put it on a little piece of bread, he gobbled it down as if it were nothing added. This may not work for every skin itch or ailment, but his was a seasonal thing that didn't cause any real serious issues, just more of an annoyance for him.","Product: The use of dog nail clippers can be painful for your pet. Dremel simplifies pet grooming for owners and animals with this cordless Pet Nail Rotary Tool. This kit allows you to quickly, easily and safely trim your pet's nails. The rechargeable, battery-powered device uses a 60-grit sanding drum to comfortably trim toenails in a manner that is designed to be harmless and humane. With easy to follow instructions included in the kit, you'll be grooming pet nails in minutes.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Works just like our groomer uses....\n\nReview: Have had this for over 2 years now and never could get my dogs to get used to it. They aren't afraid of the noise or the dremel (anymore) but still do not want anything to do with the actual dremel on their nails. It's not the fault of the dremel though, it's just my fussy dachshunds! The dremel is much like the groomer uses that we take them to and while I coddle them, she does this and it works. So, if your dog is fussy about touching their feet, it will take a considerable amount of work to get this to be old hat on your own. It's been YEARS that we do this at the groomers every 4 weeks without fail and they still wiggle and squirm through it....not something I can do at home. But the item is pretty quiet and does the job just as well as the groomers dremel so if you have tolerant dogs, this would be great!","Product: The Ruffwear Roamer Leash is a stretch webbing leash that can be hand-held or waist-worn. Wavelength stretch webbing allows humans and canines to be connected, with an extended range. The Ruffwear-designed Talon Clip provides a strong and secure attachment. Available in two sizes: Large is 7.3 ft (2.2m), stretches to 11 ft (3.4m); Medium is 5.5 ft (1.7m), stretches to 7 ft (2.1m). Washing Instructions: Hand wash with mild detergent; Air dry.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Worth it--the stretch makes for a much smoother walking experience!\n\nReview: We bought this Ruffwear Roamer leash for one of our dogs to try it out before investing in a 2nd leash for the other dog after seeing it in a pet store and balking at the price. However, we soon found there was nothing even close to comparable for the quality, durability, and light weight metal on this leash. Our dogs are small breed but we wanted the length that this provides because they love to run ahead and smell. The main reason we wanted this leash was because it offered the flexibility of the \"stretch\" so they wouldn't suddenly feel a yank back when they got to the end of the length of their leash. This stretch idea is fabulous!! As for the length, choosing the large; I can see where this may sound like it's a bit too long for the well-behaved larger dogs who obey commands better, but they have that covered also with the grab section of the leash! You can easily grab the grab handle to make the leash more manageable/short in a situation where it may be needed for crossing streets, etc. We love this leash enough to have spent the $ to buy one for each dog. It's an expensive leash but it's one-of-a-kind and seems like it's durable enough to last forever.","Product: Life's An Itch - No More Sneezing or Wheezing Respiratory, Allergy & Skin Support is used holistically as a natural anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, anti-histamine, anti-fungal, antiseptic, antimicrobial & decongestant for acute & chronic allergens & pathogens; proven to relieve and eliminate most allergy sensitivities, reducing inflammation and cooling histamine and mast cell response; used for all types of allergies including Acute, Atopic, Contact & food allergies; Allergic & Acute Moist Dermatitis (hot spots); skin rashes, scratching, rubbing, foot chewing & fur pulling related to allergies and inflammation; used holistically for coughs, colds, flu, pneumonia, laryngitis, esophagitis (GERD, reflux), rhinitis & sinusitis; in the holistic treatment of Infectious Canine Tracheobronchitis; Kennel Cough; Bordetella, Parvovirus & Feline Upper Respiratory Infection (URI); used holistically for Panleukopenia; Pasteurella; Non-Inflammatory Hereditary Myotonia; Non-Inflammatory Metabolic Myopathy; Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV); Feline Infections Peritonitis (FIP) & Feline Leukemia Virus Infection (FeLV); for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD); Pulmonary Mineralization & Ossification of the lungs; for viral, bacterial & respiratory infections & disorders; for foot & mouth disease. Ephedrine Free.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: It really helped my itchy/snotty dachshund babies!\n\nReview: We use this Life's An Itch Allergy supplement for both of our rescued dachshunds. The younger one is very prone to itchy skin in the spring and fall for some reason and this really resolved it quite promptly. I think it took a week or two and his itching was totally gone. Other things hadn't worked and he really goes crazy with the itching. He's fussy and doesn't even like some treats, but he drank it down like it was a treat! The other dachshund is 12, and I got it for him for his stuffy nose/cough after a trip to the vet landed us with two expensive antibiotics that didn't resolve it. This doesn't resolve his snotty nose/cough, but it definitely improves it and keeps him stable, and he LOVES it! Drinks it like a liquid treat!\nTwice I ran out (I should get Prime for faster shipping!) and I could tell the difference when he wasn't getting this. It definitely helps both the itch and the \"snotty\" nose for each of our dogs.\n\nI just WISH THIS CAME IN A LARGER QUANTITY for LESS!","Product: The \"No Pull\" Dog harness from Quality On A Budget provides a safe, effective means to control your excited pet, while allowing them the freedom to explore and reducing stress due to tugging on the animals neck. Large Size : Neck - 23.5\" - 33.5\" Waist - 26.5\" - 39.5\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Easy on, easy off....and it helps slow them down!\n\nReview: We have two rescued dachshunds and they each want to be the first one to the next tree, then the next bush, then the next whatever...and they pull to get there fastest. We have had several other harnesses that are different style that look more \"comfortable\" and we prefer this one. Those that we have are the style that have the fabric on the chest instead of the strap like this has. The comfortable looking style distributes the pull more so it's not as effective to stop the pulling and they end up putting pressure on their trachea somehow anyway. (We also have stretchy leashes so they are not as likely to get a sharp pull all at once) This fits more across the chest with a smaller distribution area so they feel more restriction when they pull. It makes sense that these work better than the other style, I just wish I would have realized it long ago and saved us a lot of pulling and a lot of hearing the coughing/gagging/hacking noise of the collar and then that other style harness putting pressure on their poor little necks. You can see Oscar as the model for this one (So very handsome in his new harness!), and I tried to capture the reflective part with the flash, we do like that there is some reflection included. I received a discount for sharing my experience, hope it helps."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Suet Log with Perches (Set of 1)\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Squirrels seem to love it....but couldn't lure in the birds.\\n\\nReview: I had to return this. Sadly, I used the very same suet the birds ate at another feeder but I could not get them to come to this feeder. I suspect it was because I live in the city and the city birds may not be attracted to this \\\"woody\\\" looking option as much as their typical bird feeders they see at houses throughout the blocks. They may not like the \\\"rustic\\\" look where they eat. Ha ha! I really have no idea what the failure was from.....it's the EXACT same suet that was gobbled in another feeder......near this one. But, they just didn't want anything to do with this feeder. The squirrels, however, seemed to have no qualms about eating from this! I was really hopeful that I would have a new way to give them suet and maybe attract the kind of birds that are not coming as often to the other suet....the nuthatches that like to grab on sideways, etc. It's also a very short perch so maybe these birds didn't like that style, I'm not sure. I'm honestly baffled, I thought it was going to be a great addition to the bird feeding gallery here. But, instead, it was rejected by all but the squirrels.\",\n \"Product: Suet Log with Perches (Set of 1)\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Squirrels seem to love it....but couldn't lure in the birds.\\n\\nReview: I had to return this. Sadly, I used the very same suet the birds ate at another feeder but I could not get them to come to this feeder. I suspect it was because I live in the city and the city birds may not be attracted to this \\\"woody\\\" looking option as much as their typical bird feeders they see at houses throughout the blocks. They may not like the \\\"rustic\\\" look where they eat. Ha ha! I really have no idea what the failure was from.....it's the EXACT same suet that was gobbled in another feeder......near this one. But, they just didn't want anything to do with this feeder. The squirrels, however, seemed to have no qualms about eating from this! I was really hopeful that I would have a new way to give them suet and maybe attract the kind of birds that are not coming as often to the other suet....the nuthatches that like to grab on sideways, etc. It's also a very short perch so maybe these birds didn't like that style, I'm not sure. I'm honestly baffled, I thought it was going to be a great addition to the bird feeding gallery here. But, instead, it was rejected by all but the squirrels.\",\n \"Product: The Washi Tape Chomper by We R Memory Keepers is an innovative chomper that easily cuts washi tape into a variety of shapes and sizes including banners, arrows and tabs. Cuts more than just washi tape. Also cuts paper, cardstock, ribbon and more! Add interest and a unique design to scrapbook layouts, handmade cards, journals, albums, banners and more! Washi Tape helps you add color, interest and design to any crafting project. Join the washi tape revolution and take your creativity to the next level. The We R Memory Keepers Washi Tape Chomper works with any standard sized washi tape, but was designed for use with all We R Memory Keepers washi products (sold separately).\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: I would have given 2 stars until I watched the video and learned how it's supposed to be used\\n\\nReview: I wish I had looked at these reviews before this impulse buy elsewhere (I always regret not at least checking Amazon, and I usually regret it if I don't buy here too!)\\n\\nI had to watch the video on how to use it; I couldn't believe it was that much work! So, the video helped, it made it a little less work, and this gets the cut done nicely and it does make it nice and straight (provided you line up your tape correctly!) so for that, it's good. It is not like a punch though, it's not quick and easy like that. You have to line up your washi and set it up so it cuts in the right spot, etc. So, it's really more work than I had imagined when I purchased it, so for that, it's a 4 stars. Before I watched the video it would have been 2 stars!\",\n \"Product: BO bunny-acrylic stamp blocks. The perfect set for your clear and cling stamps! this package contains one 2x2 inch stamp block one 3-1/4x2 inch stamp pad and one 5-1/2x4 inch stamp block. Imported.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good; could be 5 stars if they had smooth corners\\n\\nReview: Admittedly, this is my first set of these acrylic blocks but I would have expected them to be rounded more/smooth on the corners and not sharp at all since they will be handled so much and there also could be children working with these. I can't say I would consider them dangerously sharp, but they are uncomfortable if you happen to grab it on the corner; it would just seem logical to round the corners more so they're not so square. The lines are really handy to line the stamp up on, so that's definitely a perk. The stamps stick to them just fine so they seem to be good for their purpose. I just don't \\\"love them\\\" because of those very square corners.\",\n \"Product: This stencil is used as a perfect writing guide for a number of applications including: wedding invitations, envelope addressing, post cards, thank you cards, scrapbooking, recipes, journaling, and other scenarios requiring precision when writing. It is also a writing ruler with up to four inches of marked measurements. It gives you the ability to add a professional yet personal touch to your writing.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love using it on envelopes, but it has other uses...\\n\\nReview: I have been using a regular ruler and measuring between the lines so they are the same distance but this makes it SO much easier! This is especially handy for addressing envelopes, but it's handy for any kind of jotting down in a journal or smashbook or any kind of scrapbooking. It's a great little tool that makes it much faster to get straight lines. The bonus of the other lines that are just showing helps align the rest if you choose. The measure at the bottom acts as a normal small ruler and it is super helpful for a quick measurement of a small area, such as the envelope. It comes in a reusable case also, that seems to be made of a durable or very heavy card stock, almost to cardboard strength. There is just something about receiving something hand written that makes it all the more special and people think their handwriting isn't good enough; it doesn't matter, it's that you took the time to address an envelope with your own handwriting that matters. You cared enough to make it yourself! For sharing my experience, I received a coupon; hope it was helpful.\",\n \"Product: The easiest way to stamp is to be able to view your stamp layout before committing to the paper-Fiskars Clear Stamps are the perfect choice for fool-proof stamping. Versatile, high quality clear stamps cling to any of our stamp plates, and can be easily arranged, re-arranged, saved and re-used. Many different designs, shapes and sizes. Several stamps designed to work with Fiskars Squeeze Punches. Long-lasting, Fiskars stamps will not yellow over time.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Love birds, love the images but the \\\"poem\\\" bird doesn't work very well\\n\\nReview: These are over $10 in the local craft store (JoAnne Fabrics) and I'm surely glad I didn't pay that much for them. I LOVE birds and was so excited to make some cards (I donate to Love for the Elderly, more love letters, cards for hospitalized kids, etc) with birds on them, for inspiration. This was the perfect set. Or so it seemed. The thing I didn't like so much is with the biggest bird, with the saying about singing their song, the best saying of all, doesn't come out very clearly when stamped. I'll attach the example. I tried different colors; still. Hard to read. I really wanted it to be just like it is on the image on the set, but it's just not quite clear enough to read, so that's just disappointing. The other stamps work fine and I do like them, but that one was my favorite and it failed to show as the image shows. :( This isn't something that can be \\\"drawn\\\" in or edited afterwards as I do with some stamps that don't completely transfer properly. Hope this helps....\",\n \"Product: Washi is a style of paper that is made by hand in the traditional manner. It is made of natural fibers commonly from the bark of the gampi tree, mitsumata shrub, or mulberry. However, washi also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat. Our Washi Masking Tape is not only strong, but the decorative designs are attractive as well. Use these tapes for decorating your planner or calendar, tape up your photos or decorate your photo album with them, or use them for gift wrapping purposes. These tapes are also great for scrapbooking or any other creative project you have in mind!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Bright variety--love me some washi tape!\\n\\nReview: Magnets, cards, storage containers, ornaments, phone case, business cards, planner, calendar, journal, bible, bookmarks, pencils, pens, picture frames, chalk board, dry erase board, wrapping paper, notebook, wall art, snack bag, letters, art, gift tags, twist ties, paper clips, edge of papers, napkin rings, pencil tin, switch plate, clock, the list is endless on the many many uses of washi tape! I love this set because it's a good variety and very colorful. I purchased another set and there is one roll that is a duplicate with this one but otherwise, these are all new for me and I love new washi tapes!! The little gift tag accessories are a bonus! I'm afraid I tend to underuse the washi and not do as much as I could with it because I want to save/savor it! I don't ever want to run out so I tend to hoard it....is this just me or do you know what I mean?! My favorite ones are the ones I REALLY struggle with putting on stuff because I'm afraid down the road I will find something better that I really want to use it for and it will be gone! That's just me.....I tend to do that with things that i love......I need to let go and use it now and just trust that if it's meant to be for a project later, I can buy more......and maybe find more that I like. For years I saw only a little bit of these but now there are SOOOOOO many to choose from! I want them all! I think the funniest thing I used them on was balloons. They really dressed it up! I received this set at a discount for my honest review. Please note if it was helpful for you. Go Washi!\",\n \"Product: NORTH COAST ORGANICS Naked Organic Deodorant, 2.5oz\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This. Is. It. A NATURAL deodorant that WORKS!!\\n\\nReview: This is the one! I have been trying all kinds of natural options for deodorant and they don't work so well....to where I'm self conscious about whether others can smell it or if it's just me being overly cautious. There have been times where my husband said my deodorant failed me. I have tried Lafe's and I really like that smell but sometimes it doesn't get rid of the body odor of the pits, just masks it. Anyway, I tried Tom's and I tried several others as well. All the same, they work for a bit but not through a work day. THIS ONE DOES!! It's pretty amazing! It definitely gets me through the work day and does a pretty fair job of holding up through most of a work out. At the end of the night, more than 12 hours after application and a work out, it's starting to fail.....but that is WAY better than the others that couldn't even make it through work!\\n\\nIt's a little coarse going on, not smooth like the Lafe's, but it goes on and it WORKS. Did I mention it lasts all day and how relieved I am to finally find a NATURAL option that makes it through my work day?\\n\\nIt also doesn't really have a scent......which I have never done before, I always like a fresh smell when applying deodorant. But, I'm sold. It doesn't have to smell good...it works! (It doesn't stink, it just doesn't have much of a smell at all, especially not when you have it on, I can't tell I have applied anything)\",\n \"Product: An Amazon Brand.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: OH do these feel GOOD on a cold night!!\\n\\nReview: Oh. My. Heavens. We had considered flannel sheets for years......we even bought a set once, but had to return them because they didn't fit our deep pocketed mattress, and just gave up. We only want them when it's cold out...not all year long. So, the years passed....and we had COLD sheets. This set was a game changer!! They truly do have deep pockets and fit our Queen very well. They washed nicely and are thicker than expected. Getting into bed at night with these sheets feels SOOOOOO warm compared to our other sheets!! Love these. The truest test will be if they pill after several washings. If they do, I will be back to change from the 5 star rating they are getting today----but I hope because of the quality, that they don't. I can't tolerate pilling sheets.....that's another reason we hesitated to get flannel sheets.....afraid of the pilling.\",\n \"Product: This Food Network 9-speed touch pad blender whips up smoothies and milkshakes with ease. The blender's touch pad lets you choose from nine speed options to create a variety of delicious treats. Features: Powerful 600-watt motor efficiently blends food and liquids. \\nNine speeds with pulse control provide the perfect blend. \\nDetachable stainless steel blades lend convenience when cleaning.\\nLarge glass jar makes enough for guests.\\nDetails:\\n48-oz. capacity\\n600 watts\\nHand wash\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Only 2 (conflicting) reviews-I didn't know what to think!\\n\\nReview: Two reviews for this when I looked it up, one bad; one good. I was really hesitant to get it because I don't know the brand and the one review saying it was \\\"bad\\\". The price was right and the style was right and I needed a blender! I thought about the Ninja as I read how great that was but I just didn't like all the extra parts. I like simple. This blender is simple and great! I really wanted something that would crush ice to make smoothies--that was my goal; without it being horrendously loud. I had purchased a Hamilton Beach but it was too loud and took forever to get the job done. This one is much faster, much quieter, much easier, and looks better too! I have only used it for smoothies so I can't say how other features work--but I think the quality is there on this one.\",\n \"Product: With its space saving design and attractive finish, the Cottage Collection Wall Cabinet provides a beautiful place for concealed storage in any bathroom. The wall cabinet features a full-size towel bar, an open shelf for storage or decorative display, and a large storage area hidden behind doors. The cabinet is made of durable engineered wood, which is able to withstand a humid bathroom environment. The cabinet has rich wainscoting on its doors and back panel, and its white laminate finish is attractive and easy to clean. Assembly and installation are easy, and mounting hardware is included. Zenna Home by Zeniths toll-free USA based Customer Service department is available (800-892-3986) to answer any additional questions.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Cute for an extra bathroom\\n\\nReview: We purchased this to match our sink/cabinet for our new bathroom and it matches quite well and looks good! It gives just a bit of extra room for storage inside and even another option for hanging a towel. (Though we don't use that for towels as it's right above the toilet and that's more than this germophobe could tolerate!) It arrived safely and it didn't take long at all for my husband to hang it. It fits perfectly above the toilet and gives the room a bit of a home feel instead of a bare wall and I like that it \\\"hides\\\" things instead of having a shelf where everything is just out there (collecting germs....the toilet again!) for everyone to see. Because the theme of the bathroom is a sandy beach, it was a good place to add my sandpipers! The nest is actually some potpourri to give a little scent naturally, without the chemical sprays people tend to use in bathrooms. I couldn't give it a 5 because I don't love it....although it totally serves the purpose, it's not outstanding and seems a bit on the cheap side with the doors, hubby had to adjust so they were straight....or as close as we could get to straight. We wouldn't have put this where it would actually be used much, like in our main bathroom, where we are in and out of the cabinet all the time. It didn't seem sturdy enough for that kind of traffic, but for the extra bathroom, it's good.\",\n \"Product: \\\"No One Can Function Without a Good Nights Sleep!\\\" Our MERIDIAN ROOM DARKENING WINDOW CURTAINS Promotes Better Sleeping Conditions and a Quieter Indoor Environment within your BUDGET. If You Have a Non Traditional Sleeping Schedule, Work Shifts, Napping Childern or Just Enjoy Your Morning Sleep-ins, These Panels/Drapes are DESIGNED FOR YOU! Our Window Treatment is PERFECT for Any BEDROOM to Block Out the Street Lights and Reduce the Noise and Sounds Coming from Outside! Hanging these curtains in your LIVING/DINING ROOM will create a Dramatic Ambiance, or in the OFFICE or MEDIA ROOM to Minimize Glare on the TV! The Thermal Insulated Backing and Triple-Pass Thermal Coating Back Layer will SAVE YOU MONEY on Energy Costs (Heating and Cooling) Reduces the Cold Drafts that can enter a Room and Minimizes the Hot Sun from entering the Room, Keeping YOUR ROOM Cool in Summer and Warm in Winter. Designed for a look of Elegance, the Grommets are spaced in such a way that the drapery forms neat pleated gatherings when left partially open. Internal Grommet Diameter is 1.5 Inch to fit your Rods Nicely. The Panels are 100 -Percent Polyester and are Sold as a Set of 2. EACH PANEL is 52 -Inches Wide and the PAIR Together are 104 -Inches Wide. This Room Darkening Set will Block over 90% of The Light Beaming in Your Room and Come in 4 Length Sizes (63\\\", 84\\\", 96\\\" and 108\\\") ORDER NOW to SAVE MONEY and BRING BEAUTY TO YOUR HOME!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Take into consideration the grommet style reduces the width once they are hung....I didn't think of that....\\n\\nReview: I'm not used to shopping for curtains, it has been years since I did and have never bought these \\\"grommet\\\" style tops. They look really nice that way and I was excited to get these to use as room dividing curtains. If you are not used to buying grommet curtains, they are different when you consider the size you need. Curtains I have don't have grommets, so they hang just like they lie flat. The grommets make the curtains have the wavy look, they force them to be nice looking and not flat....the down side to that is that it reduces their width. So, just take that into consideration. I didn't think about it and cut it too close and it's not covering the whole area that I thought it would, even though it measures less than the curtain size--because the grommets make them not flat, they are not as wide once they are hung. The sizes have to be true to size lying flat, so they're accurate with the size, I just failed to realize (and it didn't give me a hint) that the grommets would cut so much off of their width. These are nice curtains but they seem a little bit like shower curtain material. No matter to me, it's not like people are feeling them....they do the job as room dividers. I can't speak to keeping the light out as that was not my intent and they're not covering a window so I can't speak to it. The thing I can say is, they look really nice. I definitely like them and if I had the extra $, I would order another set so they could look better hanging and have better room division. Hope this review helps someone, I sure wish I had read this info and saved myself from ordering until I could order enough to cover the whole 96\\\".\",\n \"Product: 1. Pillow measures 17\\\" x 10.5\\\" x 5\\\" and compacts down small. 2. Pillow has shredded memory foam that is ultra soft and provides solid support. Works as a pillow and lumbar pillow. \\\"This Pillow is the softest thing in the world and it's not so fluffy so it gives you good support\\\" 3. Patented design allows you to easily roll up pillow and secure under flap and pull draw string tight to make small for travel. 4. Includes carabiner to attached to bag etc. when traveling. 5. This is one pillow, one side is light gray in color the other side is dark grey in color. Great as a car pillow, truck pillow, airplane pillow, lower back pillow, nursing pillow, travel pillow, lower back pain pillow and much better than those travel inflatable pillows. This pillow can also have a slight smell when newly opened common with memory foam but this will fade with time.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Great little pillow for on the go or around the house!\\n\\nReview: This is a nice sized pillow for multiple uses. I really love the velvety feel of the outsideI don't travel a lot but I can see where it would be quite handy for taking on a trip to sleep along the way. I will use it at home also; not just for travel. When I want to recline on the loveseat or sofa, if I also want to watch tv, I'm too far back; just need a little lift to get my head in the position so I don't quite so easily fall asleep. And, though it's not as it is intended, I use it to put between my knees when lying on my side also as I have back problems and it's also too uncomfortable for my knees to be together so this is the perfect size for that also. The only thing that I don't like is that the shredded memory foam feels lumpy. It's something to get used to. I'm used to pillows feeling smooth and I even have a memory foam one that doesn't have the shredded so I wasn't thinking about how the shredded memory foam would feel so completely different; lumpy. I still like it and it still does as it says and it is advertised as shredded; it was my observation of the difference. I received a discount to share my experience; hope it's helpful to someone.\\n\\n***** UPDATE****** when washing for the first time, secure the tie. I have to re-string it through now after a wash.\",\n \"Product: Storage with style;)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I would totally buy more of these bins!\\n\\nReview: I purchased these little boxes for the shelves in the bedroom. The project was to get some organization without dressers, outside the closet. These are sturdy enough to hold the socks and etc. that we have added to them and they are also versatile enough to fold up and store somewhere if they are not needed. I really like the color and I liked the price too. To me, they do not seem cheaply made or easily torn, etc. I'm happy with the quality they provide for the price. They aren't something you could put heavier items in but they hold quite a load of socks just fine! The stripes on the inside really give it a more sophisticated and modern look, but the brown on the outside looks most classic and those handles are handy for pulling the bin out of the shelf that it is on. I don't think I would want it any other way. There are some that are at the top but that would be kind of awkward I think. This is perfectly spaced from the top to provide a good cosmetic appeal, but also functionality. I'm all about the function!! (And the price!)\",\n \"Product: Classically styled and updated with the latest Timex timekeeping technology, the Timex T29271 women's watch makes a great accent to both your everyday and business wear. It features a round silver watch case that frames a good dial background with Arabic numerals. This watch also features a 10-year battery life, water resistance to 165 feet (50 meters), and a date display at 3 o'clock. With the Quick Date function, you can set the date on the watch without turning the crown for every 24-hour period. Just pull the stem halfway out, and turn until desired date is reached. The Indiglo night-light uniformly lights the surface of the watch dial using patented blue electroluminescent lighting technology. It uses less battery power than most other watch illumination systems, enabling your watch battery to last longer.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Unable to remove links myself without instructions/tool, takes too long to set the date...heavy duty and pretty tho\\n\\nReview: I like the looks but it's a very heavy feeling watch that has a date that would take me forever to get to the 20th by turning the hand all those times from the 4th...it says quick set for the date but I didn't find instructions on how to quick set it. Should have a barcode to scan to get a video or something if there really is a quick way to do it. Additionally, I have a larger size wrist (7.5 or 8) and it was HUGE. I would have to remove a lot of the links and I'm not sure how I'm expected to do that with no tool or instructions. I could take it to a jeweler but the benefit of ordering online is to not have to go to a store, so that defeats the purpose. Because of all of that, I have to send it back. It's not the watch itself that is a problem, but the set up. I will just buy it in the store if I'm going to have to take it to a store anyway.\",\n \"Product: The womens Alegria Collette Print slide sandal lends eye-catching elegance and utility. Crafted from handstitched leather, this slide sandal boasts glittering straps on the vamp with beaded logo for an appealing look. There is an adjustable buckle closure for easy on/off and a snug fit. The footbed is removable and comes in medium and wide widths. The insole is made of polyurethane, cork, and memory foam for a custom fit and superior support. Sturdy and slip resistant rocker bottom PU outsole offers firm grip on all the surfaces and induces natural walking gesture to allow better posture, decrease stress on muscles, joints and back. Pair this Alegria Collette Print womens slide sandal with your attire for that stunning look.Sizing comments: Euro true to fit\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I bought black and white; black are wonderful shoes, white were defective; didn't fit right\\n\\nReview: I bought a black pair that felt wonderful and I wore them on my feet all day long. However, for some reason, this pair just didn't feel right. It was as if they had a flaw in the insole or something. I'm not sure how to describe it. They just didn't feel as comfortable as the black version. I can't say I would re-purchase anyway, they were just a bit to sparkly/blingy for my taste. I would definitely have worn them if they felt as good as the black version but they just didn't feel right so they had to go.\\n\\nOther than this pair, I have had really good results with Alegria, I just wish they weren't so pricey and had more to offer in the way of styles.\\n\\nUPDATE: Looks like the lower rating went on the black pair. Just to clarify, the black are great...I love them and can wear them without any pain or anything, on my feet all day. The white I didn't keep because they just didn't fit right. I think they were defective somehow.\",\n \"Product: The To Go Convertible is a practical daily bag and a weekend warrior, fit for a heaping handful of kid supplies or some kale chips and an extra-thick paperback. Several small organizer pockets and two outside water bottle pockets make it a natural at long walks, light-duty shopping trips, outings with a little one, or any occasion that calls for quick access to your loot. Alternate D-ring attachments allow you to convert from crossbody to backpack with ease, and the top flap closes securely with an adjustable buckle.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: I love Haiku as a company--ECO-friendly and QUALITY--but not the closure on this purse\\n\\nReview: First let me say that Haiku is QUALITY and made from RECYCLED products! That is why I choose Haiku, it's not for the steal on the price! (cough) Unfortunately, I have to return it. After having a flap that was magnetic closure (love my Derek Alexander!) for so long, having this flap that requires two of my hands to close it, is out of the question. You can choose not to click it closed, there's an interior zipper but 1. I never do the zippers and 2. I'm not liking how it looks when I don't click it closed, it just hangs there under the purse looking unkempt. So, if you don't mind using two hands to click the closure closed at the bottom of the flap, OR you don't mind 1/2 of that closure flapping under the purse, this is great! I love the slide pockets on each side and then under the flap there are two more. The purse is adorable! I just wish it had a different design for closure. I'm going with the ascend instead.\",\n \"Product: The Harmony is as easy-going as they come. Its elegant and compact silhouette makes it a winner at both the office and dinner. The roomy main compartment holds a change of clothes, large wallet and other sundries, while interior pockets keep the small stuff together. For extra security while traveling, a hidden toggle passes through the zipper to hold it closed.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Finally found the perfect size purse with the perfect handles!\\n\\nReview: I love Haiku. They stand behind their products and are an eco-friendly company that I respect. I looked at this for a long time; spending that much on a purse is hard for me. However, I know Haiku LASTS and I figured if it was wide enough, it would work. I was just afraid that the opening/zipper would not be wide enough to easily get things in and out and I don't like a narrower opening than the bottom of the purse has, it seems to be hard to find things in those purses. This is great! I love the handles for a quick grab or to put on my arm and throw the crossbody inside, and I love the crossbody option also. I like to have options with how I carry purses and this offers the perfect options! I wish there were pockets on the outside is all. (I prefer more organization with more outer pockets but I suppose those purses aren't as cute as this one!) I love it. I wish they would make them in more colors because in the spring, I'm going to need a spring color! In the photos you can see all I put in here and still have room for more.\\n\\nUpdate: Still using this every day and love the size. The only concern is the zipper. I'm not usually one to zip my purse unless it's convenient and this is not. The zipper starts on a piece that kind of hangs inside the purse and it feels like I have to fish it out to zip it closed. Fortunately for me, I'm not in an area where I have to always be concerned with making sure my purse is closed. If I lived in a city where I was in public a lot, I would not like the way the zipper is. Fortunately for me, I don't need the zipper often and can live with that being a negative. Just thought I would share that for those who might need to really make use of the zipper. There is even a little extra protection you can do with the zipper so it cannot be immediately unzipped but I have never used that.\",\n \"Product: Gorgeous, casual and amazingly comfortable, the new Alegria Petal is everything a girl could ask for. Crafted with premium leather upper these gorgeous flats also come with a leather lining for maximum breathability and moisture control, so you will feel amazing all day long. Boasting of a memory foam and latex cushioned footbed for unparalleled comfort, it rests on top of a slip-resistant rubber outsole for spectacular traction and grip on a variety of surfaces, offering you the best stability, looks and comfort on the market. So dont hesitate and add the new Algeria Petal to your collection today!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: They're different than other Alegrias but still have unbeatable comfort for ballet style shoes!\\n\\nReview: If I didn't already love Alegria shoes, the lack of 4+ stars would have kept me from buying these for sure. I'm so glad I decided to give them a try because they are just what I wanted! A ballet/cute looking flat that is COMFORTABLE!! They are definitely the most comfortable ballet style I have ever had on my feet. I have tried many and my feet just can't stand shoes that don't have the cushion in the heels and the support as well as the roominess without being bulky. These do have a more narrow toe box than my others but my toes didn't complain at all. I wore them all day at work (only on my feet part time) and then walked around two large shopping centers with them on without a problem. So, I was on them for hours without sitting and had no problems whatsoever. I just ordered another pair....this time not paying the additional to make sure I can return them because I now know these are the ballet style I have been searching for! I am tired of wearing boots with my ankle pants and leggings....time to move into spring with these ballet cuties!\\n\\n****UPDATE**** 2nd PAIR***** For the 2nd pair, I chose the plain black style and they are different. They don't seem as roomy as the first pair (black with texture, shown in photo). The toe box seems a bit smaller and they even look different side by side (adding more photos). I love this pair also but they're not QUITE as comfortable as the first pair. Regardless, more than any other black ballet style I have owned so still 5 stars....just think they may differ a bit in the fit based on the one you select, which I find odd!\\n\\n****UPDATE*** 3rd pair*** okay, so these just keep getting better! The gold fleck style is my favorite fit. Compared to the others, in the same size (10), the gold flecks fit the best. The others are roomier and sometimes can feel a bit on the large side, like I could have downsized to 9.5. But these fit perfectly! And so cute! I wish they were just solid tan instead of gold fleck but it does give them an extra bit of dressiness so I can wear them to work feeling more dressed up than if they were just solid and suede looking! LOVE THESE SHOES!\",\n \"Product: This style is perfect for those in the nursing, hospitality and other occupational fields because of its ability to provide unmatched comfort and support. The Jill from Alegria® helps keep your day fun and fresh! Leather upper. Hook-and-loop mary jane instep strap, with a stylish button accent, offers a secure and custom fit each and every time. Ultra soft leather interior helps promote good foot health with its breathability, keeping feet dry. Latex and cork footbed forms to your foot's natural shape and can be removed for personal orthotics. PU outsole is engineered to reduce heel and central metatarsal pressure and the bottom is flat to increase stability. Rocker outsole also propels you through the gait cycle, rocking you from heel to toe in a natural motion, resulting in less tired feet and body at the end of the day. Imported. Measurements: Heel Height: 1 in Weight: 9 oz Platform Height: 1⁄2 in Product measurements were taken using size 36 (US Women's 6-6.5), width Wide. Please note that measurements may vary by size.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: They are super comfortable! The velcro closure is something used each time to get them on and off though...\\n\\nReview: Most of the time I'm happy with Alegria shoes but these are REALLY comfortable. One of my favorites for sure. I didn't wear these around the house first or anything. I wore them to work and was on my feet and did a lot of walking and they felt good throughout. No breaking in period or anything. I say they felt somewhat small because I have other Alegria's in the same size that fit perfectly fine with socks on and I wore these without socks and they fit. So, I'm not sure if they design them so that they are smaller when they're not generally worn with socks? Not sure. It seems to be the case though. I wear a size 40 all day long and these are 40's and feel good. Yet, I have 40's in another style that I wear with thicker socks and they fit well....so it is possible that they're designed to be that way for those styles that are more likely to have socks involved. One thing I did learn the hard way, that I need to have that thicker portion in the heel area so it fits right and doesn't rub and cause problems. These have them as do most Alegria's I have seen, but there are some floating around out there that do not have that and I didn't notice and expected the same comfort my others have provided but it was not the case with those. Hope this helps!\",\n \"Product: The Worlds most Cushe Shoe THE END Introducing the Cushe W Slipper Hellyer. This womens slip on casual shoe features a canvas upper and a manuka honeycomb grip outsole. The Slipper Hellyer comes in multi bright colors to match any outfit! Slip on a pair of Cushe Slipper Hellyer this season and your feet will thank you!\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: VERY cute but quite narrow!\\n\\nReview: These are a bit more narrow and thin soled than I expect of a shoe, I guess maybe it's a slipper? It didn't read that way so I expected it to be a shoe. It is very cute and comfortable but if you need any kind of arch support, I would not recommend it. I don't need arch support so I was good for a few hours on my feet in these, as long as I wasn't on a surface with rocks or small stones because I could feel right through them. They are definitely cute and comfortable for slipping on quickly and go GREAT with capris for sure, for bare feet, but they just didn't meet my expectations for the price. If they were to say they were narrow, I would not have purchased them. Usually I have no trouble with shoes as long as they are normal width but these seemed quite narrow and although they are flexible and didn't rub or cause any blisters or anything, they just didn't feel wide enough on the sole. They are SO cute though!\",\n \"Product: This versatile hand bag is great for carrying a lot of items in an orderly fashion.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love this multi-pocketed organizing light weight purse!!\\n\\nReview: I sure hope Derek Alexander starts making this purse in other color options!! I got the black one and I LOVE it!! It's totally light weight and organized, plenty flexible with the crossbody vs. shorter strap options. I am amazed with all the pockets! I wanted organization and this is it!! It's large enough that I can throw in additional items that I wouldn't carry daily such as a book or the mail or a water bottle, etc for convenience. I didn't notice it when I ordered, but when I received the purse, it came with a guarantee for quality to last! I was really thrilled with that. But, durability is evident and I don't think it will be falling apart or breaking. I could only find this in 3 colors and I really need one that is brighter for SPRING!!\",\n \"Product: Versatile enough to be a compact work bag or an everyday purse, the Note Bag will keep you organized during your busy day. It has an interior slip pocket to fit your tablet, plus an organization panel, zipper pocket and key fob. The exterior has slip and zipper pockets for easy access on the go. Carry it over your shoulder or go hands free with the adjustable cross body strap.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Love Haiku bags; lots of organization, lots of cute!\\n\\nReview: Haiku bags are awesomely organizational and comfortable with versatility and options that seem to be hard to find elsewhere. I bought this purse and used it for a season before I realized I really needed something a bit bigger. I went with the Derek Alexander; which has more options with the pockets and the size. I prefer that one and will stick to it, but this one is much more appealing if you're not needing more pockets (has plenty!) and care about the fashion aspect. This one is adorable and I love it, just wish it were a bit bigger! I looked and looked for another option that would be just right but I couldn't find one, it was either smaller, or too much bigger than this one. Not the size I was looking for. If this one was deeper (wider bottom), I think I would have kept it until it was worn out....it would have been big enough then. But, it's a bit thin on the bottom and I have a low tolerance for purses falling over when I set them down. I like a fatter bottom so they stand up on their own. Haiku is definitely quality products and definitely CUTE!! And, they are eco-friendly!\",\n \"Product: Stability, flexibility, softness and lightness performance features are complimented with a formed fit and climate control resulting in Rockport's most advanced biomechanical design to date. WALK360 is the pinnacle of walking footwear from the city to the trail. The best walking shoe Rockport ever made, the Rockport Walk 360 Walking Women's Ballet.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Run quite small and too high on the top of the heel of the shoe\\n\\nReview: I was terribly disappointed in these; I typically wear a 9.5. I can even wear a 9 in some shoes with no socks. However, these 9.5 shoes were too small. So, even if they fit great otherwise, they were the wrong size by quite a bit. I would say they fit a whole size smaller. Then there is the top of the back of the heel that comes up way too high and I could tell just by putting them on my feet that it was going to be uncomfortable in that spot. I didn't even put both shoes on, that's how terribly these fit. Unfortunately, I have to pay to ship them back now after buying them on 6 pm. Lesson learned! Buy from Amazon, from where they can be returned in cases like this where I'm trying a new brand out because it looked comfortable and people rated well. They are nice and light and the memory foam in the footbed is a nice touch but it's just not able to make up for the rest.\",\n \"Product: Purchase this leak-proof and durable water bottle for sport, leisure and office. Bring spice to your everyday drinking. Lemons, strawberries, kiwi, and many other fruits can help you create delicious infused water. Already you can conjure up in no time your homemade detox drink for a healthy start to the day and a sufficient amount of liquid during the day. Our bottles are made of BPA-free Tritan, odorless, virtually unbreakable and dishwasher safe. Get the one of our three trendy vivid colors (blue, green or red-pink), and surprise your loved ones,\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: Similar to what I would find at the Dollar Tree store locally....for $1\\n\\nReview: I could go to the local dollar tree and get a very comparable product for $1. This comes with a black neoprene-style cover that smells terrible; no way would I be able to drink from the bottle if it were on it; the smell is too strong. It has that tire or rubbery kind of smell that is really strong. I didn't even get to try out the infuser feature as I wanted to make sure first that it didn't leak. It leaked with just water in it. The quality of this plastic seems incredibly cheap.\\n\\nIf you don't mind the leaking and don't care about the black neoprene-style cover stinking terribly, this might be okay for you. It was not for me. I received this item at a discount for an honest review.\",\n \"Product: 1,Compitable with Fitbit Alta Plum Large , Wrist Size 6.7-8.1 inch. 2,Classic bands for an easy look you'll love all day. 3,Fitbit Alta Bands Leather Watch Band\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I needed something lightweight that wasn't silicone--this is it!\\n\\nReview: If you're looking for a Larger size, this would fit that request for sure. I have used size \\\"Large\\\" for all my Alta bands. That way, there is room. It seems I could probably get away with a medium since there is always so much room left to expand, but I'm just generally used to ordering larger sizes with clothing, so I go with that for my wrist too. This band is more like a watch band. It's comfortable to wear, it's not heavy like some of the other metal bands, and I don't feel a thing on my wrist. There isn't the rubbery texture that things tend to get stuck on when I wear the rubber or silicone style bands. Those are good too, but this is more of a work attire kind of band, if you dress up at all for work, or for other events where you're not wanting to look so casual as to wear the silicone. It's easy to adjust, which was huge. You just open the little lock with the tool provided and you slide it to where it will fit best. Then clip the other side into place and snap it to secure. Easy! Faster on and off than I found the buckle kind to be also. I received a discount to share my experience; hope it helps.\",\n \"Product: Simply Fit board - the workout board with a twist - the fun, easy way to engage your core and get fit in minutes a day! The product that Lori Greiner found, available in: Blue, Green, Magenta, Orange.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Feet slide inward as I'm using it, no grip to keep feet in place, not feeling like it's doing anything core wise\\n\\nReview: I was super excited about getting this but it's really not worth the money for this piece of plastic. It's smaller than I thought, there is not much room for changing up the routine by spreading your feet farther apart. I have mine by the handles and then they slide down as I twist. I think adding a couple inches would be better, especially given the cost. Also, it would be better to have some kind of gripping on the board to keep your feet in place. You can see the circles on here that may seem like they would keep your feet in place, but mine slide inward as I'm using it and I have to pause to readjust my feet position. I haven't noticed a bit of difference the next day, I expected to be sore after doing this for 25 minutes straight. Nothing. It's fun and super easy to do but disappointing for a work out for sure. (Disclaimer, super easy for those with good balance, my husband did not find it easy; he couldn't do it)\",\n \"Product: Xlear Spry Gum, Peppermint, 100 Count (Pack of 2)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Dental Hygienist asked what I was doing different to keep my teeth so clean..this is one thing!\\n\\nReview: As a gum-addict, I had chewed the store brand gum for my whole life, going from Trident to Extra to whatever I could find on sale and indulging in the ever-loved bubble gum balls. I had heard about Xylitol but I didn't pay much attention until I had a root canal and decided to take another look at oral care. I switched to an all natural toothpaste and decided to go with Xylitol gum and cut down on my sugar intake. I expected the gum to taste terrible since it was a healthier alternative, but this gum is awesome! It holds the flavor longer than I expected, and is just the right size to chew with just one piece instead of needing two. It's safer for my teeth so I feel better about it. I have tried both the peppermint and spearmint version and like them both, but peppermint always seems to me to be more of a breath freshener than spearmint, so I usually go with this one. It is in health food stores but is far more expensive that way. I always buy it on Amazon because the price is so much better. I haven't paid attention to whether it's the same seller or varied sellers, the product is the same and I always like it. It's truly all I have chewed for over 16 months now. My dental hygienist asked me what I was doing differently as she hardly had any work to do for my 6 month cleaning; I told her I'm using natural toothpaste and chewing this Xylitol gum. I'm not brushing more frequently and only cut back on sugar in my diet. So, I figure, the little extra I spend on this gum, if I do, is far less than the amount I am saving in dental work!\",\n \"Product: These dual brush pens have a versatile and flexible nylon fiber brush tip on 1 end that creates medium or bold strokes by simply changing brush pressure. The fine tip on the other end is for smooth straight lines or writing. The resilient nylon brush retains its point, stroke after stroke. The ink is water-based and blendable: use 2 colors together, or use the colorless blender pen. The pen tips self-clean after blending so there is no messy clean-up! Use these pens for coloring, rubber stamping, hand-lettering, doodling, journaling, and more. Perfect for fine art techniques. The ink is acid-free, non-toxic, odorless, and non-bleeding. Each package contains 10 pens (9 colored, 1 colorless). Available in a variety of color schemes, each sold separately. Conforms to ASTM D 4236.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: IMO they didn't blend or color any easier than other markers...\\n\\nReview: I had seen so many videos and read so many reviews raving about these markers. I didn't find them to be the same color as shown in this and I didn't find the blender pen very helpful, etc. I'm terribly disappointed...as you can see in the photo, the blending isn't worth the price; I can do this kind of work with cheap markers if I want this result. I tried various techniques from videos of Tombow markers blending but I could not make it happen nicely....I thought these markers made it easier...I didn't find them any different from the off-brands. The lighter color here is the \\\"sand\\\" but it's much darker than sand and doesn't even blend well when coloring...and this is decent paper.\",\n \"Product: The Vista squirrel resistant feeder is for the serious bird enthusiast. This rugged double-sided feeder will attract a wide array of birds to your yard, while spring-activated perches work to keep squirrels away. This feeder features a simple and functional design, the two counter balance perches are adjustable to three positions and prove useful and effective at feeding the birds and not the squirrels. Holding up to 6 lbs of birds favorite mixed seed, sunflower seeds, peanut halves or safflower, this large capacity requires less frequent filling. Stop birds from shoveling food out with the no waste seed saver baffle.Durable, green powder coated steel top and bottom, acrylic body and a zinc-plated steel hanger. Lift the roof for easy filling and cleaning, while acrylic body shows when feeder is empty. The overhanging roof and hopper keeps the seed dry and protected from the elements and the steel top and bottom withstands all types of weather and unwanted critters in your backyard for many seasons. Squirrels weight on perch triggers a metal shield to cover the seed tray and shut off seed supply. Fully assembled, hangs from tree branch or outdoor supports with included heavy duty hanger.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Chickadees, yellow finches, nuthatches, sparrows, house finches, all the little birds love it....I fill this one least of all\\n\\nReview: The squirrels do NOT get food out of this feeder and for that, I love it. However, the birds tend to hesitate as well. Only the small birds seem to eat from it--sparrows, chickadees, etc. The cardinals want nothing to do with it. :( I keep it as an option if they are all out...since the squirrels can't get to it, it lasts and there is always food in this one.\\n\\nUPDATE: I have changed this to 5 stars after having it for over a year. The food lasts longest in this feeder and the birds are really coming to this one more than any now! I think it just took some time to get used to it and I did set up a different feeder for the larger birds and now they stick to that one. So, it's great to feed the smaller birds from this and larger from the other. All I use is black oil sunflower seeds. One of the things I really like about this is it seems to deter the flicking of seeds so easily. My other feeders lose a lot of seeds to flicking and they land on the ground. This has the bars in it to keep the seed more in place and the little \\\"shelf\\\" on top is used for the little birds to crack the seeds open. There are lots of gold finches this year at this feeder and we're loving it. The squirrels get a little bit but it seems that they don't stick around because it's not easy enough for them. They move on quite quickly. The chipmunks do the same. They do get a little bit but I don't mind giving them a little bit....so basically, it seems this restricts the amount for them, while the birds love it. Perfect! It's actually not often the squirrels venture to try...but I happened to catch this one today...he didn't stay long/get much....and left on his own.\",\n \"Product: The BDT250 has a durable, coated, compact aluminum base in a low-profile design. Fins provide largesurface area to make the unit run cooler while putting out the same amount of heat as conventional de-icers. Channels within the base promote water flow as the water is heated. Cooler running, coating, and flowing water all combine to reduce mineral buildup. Multiple thermostats allow efficient control while providing over-temperature protection. The BDT250 is safe to use in plastic bird baths and comes with a 10-foot cord.\\n\\nRating: 1.0\\n\\nSummary: DIED after only 2 MONTHS of minimal use! SO frustrating!\\n\\nReview: So, at first I gave this more stars because when we first bought it, it worked. It kept at least half of the bird bath from freezing over. (We found that kind of strange though, it seems it would have done the entire bird bath since it was such a small area and 250 watts should have covered it all) Well, it didn't even make it through ONE winter and it's dead. We even purchased the cover for the plug where it connects and put that on to protect it. There isn't even kids or traffic where this is, only our dogs would have stepped on it. So, this is a COLOSSAL disappointment and I'm quite irritated that it lasted long enough to not be able to return it. Total WASTE OF MONEY. My last bird bath de icer cost far less and lasted 4 years. I'll go back to that. (No more Allied Precision since I couldn't find a way to contact them on here to let them know it failed so soon for absolutely no reason and give them the opportunity to replace it)\",\n \"Product: WoodLink is the exclusive licensee for the manufacturing of birding products to the design specifications of the National Audubon Society. The ultimate 18-inch wrap around black metal squirrel baffler is made of textured powder coated steel. Installs easily. Raccoon resistant. Defeats squirrels every time. Mount 4 to 5-feet above the ground. No need to remove bird feeder when mounting. Secure black coupler (included) around any 1/2-inch to 1-3/8-inch pole or shepherd hook. Snaps apart with inward pressure on each side of the seam.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Saves the suet and food from the chipmunks and MOST squirrels! (There's always that one or two....that just have to outsmart!)\\n\\nReview: This was very easy to put on, and fits a variety of size poles, ours is pretty skinny and it still worked. It keeps the chipmunks and squirrels from climbing up the pole like they used to do for sure. However, the smarter squirrels have found a way to bypass it by jumping to the suet feeder, right over this squirrel baffle! We'll be searching for a taller shepherds hook next! The baffle will still be used, and with any luck, it will be tall enough to where the acrobatic squirrels can't just jump right up to the feeder! (The photo is taken from inside our house)\\n\\n***Update*** I had to take away a star because it didn't keep the squirrels away for long. It's been a battle of the wills! They were jumping to the pole ABOVE where this is and sitting on it to have their feast at the feeder! So, we got some pipes and made the shepherds hook higher up and moved this down the pole so they couldn't sit on it and eat the seed if they managed to jump that high. They are deterred but it's because it's hard for them to hang on and get into the food with the squirrel proof feeder that closes with their weight. This is only useful to keep the cute little chipmunks from having a seat in the feeder and stuffing their cheeks and coming back for more.\",\n \"Product: WoodLink is the exclusive licensee for the manufacturing of birding products to the design specifications of the National Audubon Society. The ultimate 18-inch wrap around black metal squirrel baffler is made of textured powder coated steel. Installs easily. Raccoon resistant. Defeats squirrels every time. Mount 4 to 5-feet above the ground. No need to remove bird feeder when mounting. Secure black coupler (included) around any 1/2-inch to 1-3/8-inch pole or shepherd hook. Snaps apart with inward pressure on each side of the seam.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Saves the suet and food from the chipmunks and MOST squirrels! (There's always that one or two....that just have to outsmart!)\\n\\nReview: This was very easy to put on, and fits a variety of size poles, ours is pretty skinny and it still worked. It keeps the chipmunks and squirrels from climbing up the pole like they used to do for sure. However, the smarter squirrels have found a way to bypass it by jumping to the suet feeder, right over this squirrel baffle! We'll be searching for a taller shepherds hook next! The baffle will still be used, and with any luck, it will be tall enough to where the acrobatic squirrels can't just jump right up to the feeder! (The photo is taken from inside our house)\\n\\n***Update*** I had to take away a star because it didn't keep the squirrels away for long. It's been a battle of the wills! They were jumping to the pole ABOVE where this is and sitting on it to have their feast at the feeder! So, we got some pipes and made the shepherds hook higher up and moved this down the pole so they couldn't sit on it and eat the seed if they managed to jump that high. They are deterred but it's because it's hard for them to hang on and get into the food with the squirrel proof feeder that closes with their weight. This is only useful to keep the cute little chipmunks from having a seat in the feeder and stuffing their cheeks and coming back for more.\",\n \"Product: The Perky-Pet Small Panorama Wild Bird Feeder is sure to attract many birds to your backyard. The innovative design of this feeder allows the seed to dispense into the tray and stops dispensing once the tray is full. As the birds continue to dine from the circular perch, the seed is replenished into the tray so it remains consistently full. This feeder also features the Sure-Lock cap system, an exclusive squirrel proof feature which ensures the lid stays put and squirrels cant get into the seed. The Small Panorama holds 2 lb. of seed and features a rustic brown finish. Remember to clean your wild bird feeders every two weeks with a mild soap and water solution.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Birds seem to like it!\\n\\nReview: This is a cute little feeder for smaller birds, though we did have a blue jay having a meal at it too. It took a few days for the birds to adjust to the new feeder as it was a change, but they accepted it and seem to like it. (I use black oil sunflower seed)\\n\\nI can't give it 5 stars because I don't think it's going to be so easy to refill it in the winter. When it's full of snow, trying to press the button and slide that top up to put feed in is going to be quite a challenge I think. If not, I'll be happy to come back and give 5 stars. I wasn't thinking about that when I bought it; I got it for the size and versatility as well as the good reviews.\",\n \"Product: 350ftx 2inch in value roll The tape uses high quality reflective Diamond Patterns and noise from tape twisting in wind alarming birds of danger to scare away all types of birds and pests. Prevent bird damage,perfect for garden,crops and other property from bird. Repellent tape is harmless and chemical-free Repellent tape is light weight,easier to install and use Do not stare at in direct sunlight for extended periods of time\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Not just for scaring birds!\\n\\nReview: I really love products that prove to be useful for more than one purpose and usually try to find multiple uses, especially when it's a \\\"seasonal\\\" item. In Michigan, I don't need to scare the birds from berries and fruit trees all year, so instead of this tape sitting around when I have no fruit to protect, I decided to put it to use! It's intended uses is for scaring birds off and it does work well for that because it is HIGHLY reflective on both sides (more so than some other scare tapes I have had) and it also makes a crinkle type noise in the wind, which helps deter the birds, and saving berries or the fruit, etc. (This looks far better than a scare crow of years ago and it's way easier too!) Aside from that though, I couldn't resist using some of it for more fun things! CRAFTS! You can buy similar paper in the cardstock section in stores, and it is thicker and you can get it with sticky on the back and etc. That stuff does work best for the crafty stuff, but this stuff works too and in the long run, a much less costly option if you use that a lot. I didn't, but I will be using this for crafty things also. I make and donate cards to \\\"Cards for Hospitalized kids\\\" and I'm including a picture of a card I made (not yet complete, but just an idea) with this scare tape accenting it! It's not just for scaring at all! I'm totally loving this stuff. This is the 2\\\" wide strip, which is the smaller; there is also a wider option and that's even better for crafting! I received a discount to share my experience; hope it's helpful to someone.\",\n \"Product: Add the Hookery durable black powder coated steel 90 inch tall shepherd hook anywhere in your yard to hang of your favorite plant, birdfeeder, or yard ornament. Made of heavy-duty 1/2\\\" square stock steel to hold your heaviest of plants. When placed securely into the ground this double hook will hold up to 30 lbs.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: No way is this worth it....it doesn't even look straight and pieces together so it has some movement that can scare birds\\n\\nReview: I like that this is simple but it does not look like the picture; that shows a straight pole; it's not straight. (I have to return this even though it's a hassle) Anyway, it is not straight like the picture and is nowhere near worth the cost. I tried putting it in several different places and they were all showing the bend before I even put a feeder on it....I can't imagine it holds what it claims.\\n\\nYou can't see in the picture that it is in 3 pieces. One of the hooks comes off and the top part separates from the bottom. I think that is what makes it look so crooked. Maybe one piece is damaged and bent....but I never even put ONE feeder on this, I simply assembled it and this is how crooked it looks.\",\n \"Product: Homeopathic remedy provides temporary relief from constant scratching, itching, gnawing and hair loss caused by allergies. Helps to detoxify the skin from the inside, leaving the coat thick and shiny.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: It really worked to stop my little dachshund from his seasonal itching\\n\\nReview: I have a rescued dachshund terrier mix (or not mix, who knows?!) who gets really itchy in the spring and in the fall. We're not sure what it is that causes this, but it's regular and it's very annoying for the poor baby! I tried some benadryl, giving very cautiously, but then I found this online and it had good reviews so I thought it was worth a try. It really worked!! He didn't mind it at all and it worked within a week or so to reduce his itching and he was done itching completely shortly after that. I'm not sure if it's dry skin or something outdoors, or what is causing it but we picked up on that it is a seasonal thing so it's nothing to take him to the vet over. It's not fleas, it's just some kind of skin irritation or dry skin or something that makes him itch like he has fleas. This stuff really worked! I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again! He's super fussy about what he eats so I was a bit concerned about him thinking it tasted bad and having a \\\"fight\\\" but he didn't even seem to notice when I put it on a little piece of bread, he gobbled it down as if it were nothing added. This may not work for every skin itch or ailment, but his was a seasonal thing that didn't cause any real serious issues, just more of an annoyance for him.\",\n \"Product: The use of dog nail clippers can be painful for your pet. Dremel simplifies pet grooming for owners and animals with this cordless Pet Nail Rotary Tool. This kit allows you to quickly, easily and safely trim your pet's nails. The rechargeable, battery-powered device uses a 60-grit sanding drum to comfortably trim toenails in a manner that is designed to be harmless and humane. With easy to follow instructions included in the kit, you'll be grooming pet nails in minutes.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Works just like our groomer uses....\\n\\nReview: Have had this for over 2 years now and never could get my dogs to get used to it. They aren't afraid of the noise or the dremel (anymore) but still do not want anything to do with the actual dremel on their nails. It's not the fault of the dremel though, it's just my fussy dachshunds! The dremel is much like the groomer uses that we take them to and while I coddle them, she does this and it works. So, if your dog is fussy about touching their feet, it will take a considerable amount of work to get this to be old hat on your own. It's been YEARS that we do this at the groomers every 4 weeks without fail and they still wiggle and squirm through it....not something I can do at home. But the item is pretty quiet and does the job just as well as the groomers dremel so if you have tolerant dogs, this would be great!\",\n \"Product: The Ruffwear Roamer Leash is a stretch webbing leash that can be hand-held or waist-worn. Wavelength stretch webbing allows humans and canines to be connected, with an extended range. The Ruffwear-designed Talon Clip provides a strong and secure attachment. Available in two sizes: Large is 7.3 ft (2.2m), stretches to 11 ft (3.4m); Medium is 5.5 ft (1.7m), stretches to 7 ft (2.1m). Washing Instructions: Hand wash with mild detergent; Air dry.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Worth it--the stretch makes for a much smoother walking experience!\\n\\nReview: We bought this Ruffwear Roamer leash for one of our dogs to try it out before investing in a 2nd leash for the other dog after seeing it in a pet store and balking at the price. However, we soon found there was nothing even close to comparable for the quality, durability, and light weight metal on this leash. Our dogs are small breed but we wanted the length that this provides because they love to run ahead and smell. The main reason we wanted this leash was because it offered the flexibility of the \\\"stretch\\\" so they wouldn't suddenly feel a yank back when they got to the end of the length of their leash. This stretch idea is fabulous!! As for the length, choosing the large; I can see where this may sound like it's a bit too long for the well-behaved larger dogs who obey commands better, but they have that covered also with the grab section of the leash! You can easily grab the grab handle to make the leash more manageable/short in a situation where it may be needed for crossing streets, etc. We love this leash enough to have spent the $ to buy one for each dog. It's an expensive leash but it's one-of-a-kind and seems like it's durable enough to last forever.\",\n \"Product: Life's An Itch - No More Sneezing or Wheezing Respiratory, Allergy & Skin Support is used holistically as a natural anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, anti-histamine, anti-fungal, antiseptic, antimicrobial & decongestant for acute & chronic allergens & pathogens; proven to relieve and eliminate most allergy sensitivities, reducing inflammation and cooling histamine and mast cell response; used for all types of allergies including Acute, Atopic, Contact & food allergies; Allergic & Acute Moist Dermatitis (hot spots); skin rashes, scratching, rubbing, foot chewing & fur pulling related to allergies and inflammation; used holistically for coughs, colds, flu, pneumonia, laryngitis, esophagitis (GERD, reflux), rhinitis & sinusitis; in the holistic treatment of Infectious Canine Tracheobronchitis; Kennel Cough; Bordetella, Parvovirus & Feline Upper Respiratory Infection (URI); used holistically for Panleukopenia; Pasteurella; Non-Inflammatory Hereditary Myotonia; Non-Inflammatory Metabolic Myopathy; Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV); Feline Infections Peritonitis (FIP) & Feline Leukemia Virus Infection (FeLV); for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD); Pulmonary Mineralization & Ossification of the lungs; for viral, bacterial & respiratory infections & disorders; for foot & mouth disease. Ephedrine Free.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: It really helped my itchy/snotty dachshund babies!\\n\\nReview: We use this Life's An Itch Allergy supplement for both of our rescued dachshunds. The younger one is very prone to itchy skin in the spring and fall for some reason and this really resolved it quite promptly. I think it took a week or two and his itching was totally gone. Other things hadn't worked and he really goes crazy with the itching. He's fussy and doesn't even like some treats, but he drank it down like it was a treat! The other dachshund is 12, and I got it for him for his stuffy nose/cough after a trip to the vet landed us with two expensive antibiotics that didn't resolve it. This doesn't resolve his snotty nose/cough, but it definitely improves it and keeps him stable, and he LOVES it! Drinks it like a liquid treat!\\nTwice I ran out (I should get Prime for faster shipping!) and I could tell the difference when he wasn't getting this. It definitely helps both the itch and the \\\"snotty\\\" nose for each of our dogs.\\n\\nI just WISH THIS CAME IN A LARGER QUANTITY for LESS!\",\n \"Product: The \\\"No Pull\\\" Dog harness from Quality On A Budget provides a safe, effective means to control your excited pet, while allowing them the freedom to explore and reducing stress due to tugging on the animals neck. Large Size : Neck - 23.5\\\" - 33.5\\\" Waist - 26.5\\\" - 39.5\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Easy on, easy off....and it helps slow them down!\\n\\nReview: We have two rescued dachshunds and they each want to be the first one to the next tree, then the next bush, then the next whatever...and they pull to get there fastest. We have had several other harnesses that are different style that look more \\\"comfortable\\\" and we prefer this one. Those that we have are the style that have the fabric on the chest instead of the strap like this has. The comfortable looking style distributes the pull more so it's not as effective to stop the pulling and they end up putting pressure on their trachea somehow anyway. (We also have stretchy leashes so they are not as likely to get a sharp pull all at once) This fits more across the chest with a smaller distribution area so they feel more restriction when they pull. It makes sense that these work better than the other style, I just wish I would have realized it long ago and saved us a lot of pulling and a lot of hearing the coughing/gagging/hacking noise of the collar and then that other style harness putting pressure on their poor little necks. You can see Oscar as the model for this one (So very handsome in his new harness!), and I tried to capture the reflective part with the flash, we do like that there is some reflection included. I received a discount for sharing my experience, hope it helps.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":41,"string":"41"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":291,"string":"291"}}},{"rowIdx":292,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A1WTYALNQNQG99"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Winner Grand Prize, Documentary - Cinequest Film Festival Celesta Davis has been on both Oprah and Primetime Live to talk about Awful Normal Celesta and Karen Davis grew up in a loving family. They shared many wonderful childhood moments and, at the time, thought it all was normal. But when Karen and Celesta were molested in 1978, little was being done about sexual abuse. Their parents' lack of action was neither questioned nor challenged, including years of continued social contact with the perpetrator, his wife and their two young children. This made for some not-so-normal memories. Twenty-five years later, feeling unresolved, they begin their quest to find the man who took advantage of their innocence and to ask him something that has haunted them for almost their entire life: \"Why?\" Director Davis takes one of the most personal journeys to tell her and her family's remarkable story, exploring the inner depths of a woman's psyche, which has been harmed, but refuses to be broken. A testament to the fragility and strength of the human spirit, Awful Normal explores the ripple effect of a single action across generations and families and puts these women literally face to face with their demons.\". The summary of the review text is \"a stunning film...'results' are not always as perceived...\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I normally don't address opinions put forth by other reviewers -- and when I do, I try to do so with respect and tolerance, which is the spirit in which I'm writing this.\n\nThe review below labels this with a 'yawn', and found it boring and pointless...? Anyone whose life has even been touched by sexual abuse -- either personally, or through a loved one being victimized -- will understand the amount of courage it took for Celesta Davis and her family to go through with contacting and confronting the man who abused her when she was a child. My best friend is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse -- I've seen courage in her over the past 9 years that has amazed me. I'm proud to call her my hero.\n\nRather than being a fictionalized and sensationalized piece of 'Hollywood entertainment', AWFUL NORMAL is a well-made, deeply moving documentary that pulls no punches. Confronting one's abuser -- either immediately or after years of suffering the effects of the abuse -- is one of the most emotionally shattering, painful moves a survivor can make...and one of the most empowering and healing. It doesn't matter if the resulting confrontation isn't an ultra-dramatic scene involving the offender throwing himself on his knees in front of her and begging for forgiveness -- the sheer act of the survivor finding the strength and courage to open up and speak about the abuse publicly is a big step in closing old wounds.\n\nThe film shows the entire painful, painstaking process -- making the decision to find the abuser and make contact, wavering between courage and despair right up to the last moment, tearful, open-hearted discussions between Celesta, her mother and her sister. No punches are pulled, and no attempt seems to have been made to falsely portray courage or resolve that wasn't there 100% of the time.\n\nThis is a brutally honest, powerful and important film -- and as important as it was for Celesta to make the decision to confront her abuser, then to follow through on such a daunting task, it's just as important that this film be seen widely, so that more people can understand just how much damage can be done...and what courage it takes to heal. Maybe then we'd hear fewer people say callous things like 'Oh...she just needs to get over it.'\n\nPlease. This wasn't meant to be 'entertaining'."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I normally don't address opinions put forth by other reviewers -- and when I do, I try to do so with respect and tolerance, which is the spirit in which I'm writing this.\n\nThe review below labels this with a 'yawn', and found it boring and pointless...? Anyone whose life has even been touched by sexual abuse -- either personally, or through a loved one being victimized -- will understand the amount of courage it took for Celesta Davis and her family to go through with contacting and confronting the man who abused her when she was a child. My best friend is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse -- I've seen courage in her over the past 9 years that has amazed me. I'm proud to call her my hero.\n\nRather than being a fictionalized and sensationalized piece of 'Hollywood entertainment', AWFUL NORMAL is a well-made, deeply moving documentary that pulls no punches. Confronting one's abuser -- either immediately or after years of suffering the effects of the abuse -- is one of the most emotionally shattering, painful moves a survivor can make...and one of the most empowering and healing. It doesn't matter if the resulting confrontation isn't an ultra-dramatic scene involving the offender throwing himself on his knees in front of her and begging for forgiveness -- the sheer act of the survivor finding the strength and courage to open up and speak about the abuse publicly is a big step in closing old wounds.\n\nThe film shows the entire painful, painstaking process -- making the decision to find the abuser and make contact, wavering between courage and despair right up to the last moment, tearful, open-hearted discussions between Celesta, her mother and her sister. No punches are pulled, and no attempt seems to have been made to falsely portray courage or resolve that wasn't there 100% of the time.\n\nThis is a brutally honest, powerful and important film -- and as important as it was for Celesta to make the decision to confront her abuser, then to follow through on such a daunting task, it's just as important that this film be seen widely, so that more people can understand just how much damage can be done...and what courage it takes to heal. Maybe then we'd hear fewer people say callous things like 'Oh...she just needs to get over it.'\n\nPlease. This wasn't meant to be 'entertaining'."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: lllpo\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: IS ALL OF THIS TAMPERING REALLY NECESSARY...?\n\nReview: To start with, I have to say that if you haven't seen this film, PLEASE read William Trevor's novel first. You must experience Trevor's luminous writing before enduring what Atom Egoyan has done to it.\nThat being said, there are a lot of good things about this film. The cast is superb -- Elaine Cassidy is perfect as Felicia, and a better choice than Bob Hoskins as Mr. Hilditch I can't imagine. Both of them turn in memorable performances here.\nThe thing that makes it impossible for me to give this film a higher recommendation is Egoyan's inexplicable urge to add elements to Trevor's story. Without writing a 'spoiler' review, I'll just mention that the entire 'videotape' take on Hilditch's 'memory lane', as well as the cooking videos he watches are products of Egoyan's imagination -- they were not present in the novel, and it certainly didn't lack for their non-existence. It annoys me that Egoyan couldn't leave well enough alone -- and it makes me wonder if he succumbs to this temptation with every film he's done. I'm about to read Russell Banks' novel 'The sweet hereafter' to find out...","Product: Waking Ned Devine [VHS] (1998)\nIan Bannen (Actor), David Kelly (Actor), Kirk Jones (Director) | Rated: PG | Format: VHS Tape\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: HEARTWARMING, MEMORABLE, AND GENTLY FUNNY...\n\nReview: This film, written and directed by Kirk Jones III, is one of my all-time favorites - and it's only 5 years old. Telling the story of how unimaginable riches can affect the lives of people in a small Irish village, the writing and the characterizations here are absolutely perfect. Without making fun of the people who live in the village, Jones manages to find the humor in their lives - and in this situation - and he lays it out before our eyes in a very loving, respectful way. When I first saw this in the theatre, I laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks - not at mindless slapstick, but at real, deep humor. Some of the tears were from pure emotion as well - these are characters who will get into your heart and stay there for years to come.\nThe two main protagonists here are lifelong pals Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly - fans of FAWLTY TOWERS will remember him as the bumbling carpenter O'Reilly) - there is nothing in the world they would hesitate to do for each other, with the honesty and love that a long, deep friendship breeds. Jackie is married to Annie (Fionnula Flanagan) - Michael is a widower who is obviously still very much in love with his departed wife (much to the consternation of a precious widow who lives in the village). An inanimate character in the story is the Irish Lottery - many people in the village are regular players, each with his/her own dream of what to do with the winnings, should they fall their way. One morning after a drawing on TV, Jackie discovers that there is a winner in the village, unidentified. He and Michael hatch a scheme to find out the identity of the lucky party and make sure they are fast friends with them - when they discover that their old friend Ned Devine is the winner, they assume their job will be an easy one. There's a small catch - Ned died of shock when he realized that he had hit the jackpot. The rest of the film revolves around Jackie's newly-revised scheme - sure that he's doing what Ned would have wanted, he is determined to convince the man from the Lotto that Ned is alive. Let the shenanigans and general hilarity begin - along with some genuinely touching emotional moments, and more than a little drama and suspense.\nWe are treated to a wonderful cast of characters the likes of which is rare in a comedic film - each and every one of them is so very well-developed, and even the ones that display humorous aspects are never presented as caricatures. This is where the respect held by Jones for his story and characters becomes valuable to the point of being a rare, precious thing. The interplay between the various characters is extremely well-drawn. Annie's attempts to coax `the boys' back from a `life of crime and prison' are from her heart - it's easy to see that she loves Michael almost as much as her husband. The on-again-off-again courtship between Pig Finn (James Nesbitt) and Maggie O'Toole (Susan Lynch, who played the Selkie in THE SECRET OF ROAN INNISH) is sweet but never cloying - and Eileen Dromey is absolutely perfectly detestable as `the witch' Lizzy Quinn, whose greed and contempt for her neighbors threatens to throw a spanner into the works for everyone.\nIf you've managed to miss this gem - don't wait any longer. Since it wasn't a huge box-office smash, it might be a little hard to find for rental - so go ahead and take the plunge and buy a copy. I guarantee you won't want to watch it just once.","Product: RABBIT-PROOF Fence -- featuring the Golden Globe-nominated score by Peter Gabriel - is a powerful true story of hope and survival and has been met with international acclaim! At a time when it was Australian government policy to train aboriginal children as domestic workers and integrate them into white society, young Molly Craig decides to lead her little sister and cousin in a daring escape from their internment camp. Molly and the girls, part of what would become known as Australia's \"Stolen Generations,\" must then elude the authorities on a dangerous 1,500-mile adventure along the rabbit-proof fence that bisects the continent and will lead them home. As shown by this outstanding motion picture, their universally touching plight and unparalleled courage are a beautiful testament to the undying strength of the human spirit!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: '...FOR THEIR OWN GOOD...'\n\nReview: Director Phillip Noyce, who has several notably successful films - both `artistically' and `commercially' - to his credit, has given viewers something very special indeed in this effort. RABBIT-PROOF FENCE is moving and absorbing, and goes a long way in illustrating to the world the injustices that have been done to indigenous peoples - NOT just the Aborigines in Australia - in the name of `doing what is best for them'. In attempting to impose what they think is best, colonizers from time immemorial have shattered and destroyed millions of families and lives - their arrogance has trampled on the souls of so many. Facing up to this is the first step in righting wrongs, and - hopefully - in preventing their recurrence. A novel I read recently - FUGITIVE PIECES, by Anne Michaels - summed it up nicely: `History is the poisoned well, seeping into the groundwater. It is not the unknown past we're doomed to repeat, but the past we know.' In other words - learning about the mistakes of the past is all well and good, but if we don't learn FROM these mistakes, we have accomplished nothing.\nThis film is based on a book that chronicles the true story of three young girls on a perilous and courageous journey across 1500 miles of Outback terrain - terrain that is unforgiving as only that in Australia can be. Ripped from their families by `well-meaning' government policies designed to civilize and train `half-caste' children (children born of mixed blood) and assimilate them back into white society, `breeding out the Black' over the course of 2-3 generations, the girls (ranging in age from 7 to 14) are traumatized beyond belief. The strength and heart they show is moving and inspiring - if children can rise up and stand against the odds thrown against these three, we can accomplish anything. The children who were thus `removed to government care' came to be known as `the stolen generations'.\nNoyce was moved by the story itself - in the form of a screenplay presented to him - to make this film. With successes in the past with such works as THE QUIET AMERICAN, THE BONE COLLECTOR, and two Harrison Ford box-office smashes, PATRIOT GAMES and CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, he had the reputation to make this film happen - and it's a treasure. I'll agree wholeheartedly with another reviewer below - the accompanying documentary on the making of the film, in which we can see the process used to find the three children to portray the main roles (the girls chosen had never acted before) is fascinating. One part of the documentary shows the filming of the scene in which the girls are taken by government agents, literally torn from their mothers' arms - even knowing it was `only a scene in a film', when it was over there were tears in the eyes of not just the actors, but the director and film crew as well. This is VERY moving subject matter - and it translates to the screen incredibly well, without ever lapsing into maudlin sentimentality.\nAside from the three girls (Everlyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury and Laura Monaghan), everyone else in the cast does a nice job as well. Kenneth Branagh does a fine, understated turn as A.O.Neville, the government official charged with `protecting' the Aboriginal peoples in his region. Notable also is the well-known Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil - veteran of such classics as Peter Weir' THE LAST WAVE and Nicolas Roeg's WALKABOUT). His presence is electrifying, as always - his portrayal of Moodoo the Tracker is successful on many levels, allowing him to illustrate how hard it was for an Aborigine to be `in the service' of the white man's government. Moodoo's own daughter is a pupil at the government-run school where the three girls have been placed - so, while his loyalties to the government lead him to track the runaways, he is able to feel sympathy for their plight at the same time, admiring their skills and (I suspect) secretly hoping that they will elude him.\nWith all of these components adding up to a fine piece of filmmaking, I can't neglect to mention the amazing soundtrack music, composed and performed by Peter Gabriel. He has taken the story into his heart and provided the viewer with nothing less than the spirit of the girls, their ordeal, story and courage, in musical form. Incorporating many elements of Aboriginal music into his work makes it more powerful still - it's an important element that makes an outstanding contribution to the overall effect of the film.\nThere is violence in this film - both overt and psychological - but it is a violence that is an intrinsic part of the story. There is no nudity that I remember - if it was present, it was so much a part of the lives depicted that it flowed naturally into the scheme of things. There is only a hint of sexuality. How in the world can a film be successful without sex, nudity, senseless violence, foul language and drugs? This one does it - by taking a moving story (never forget: taken from life) and painting it carefully, honestly and with great feeling onto the screen. This is a film that should be seen by everyone - don't be afraid to view it with your entire family.","Product: new\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: TECHNOLOGICALLY -- AND EMOTIONALLY -- BREATHTAKING CINEMA\n\nReview: One of the most visually stunning films ever made, Alexandr Sokurov's RUSSIAN ARK is a landmark creation on many levels, many of which have been touted in numerous articles and reviews. From a purely technological aspect, it's the first feature-length film ever made using a single camera photographing a single 96-minute shot in one take, with no edits. The documentary feature on the DVD gives the viewer an inside look at the challenges of this approach - made more daunting by the fact that during the winter in St. Petersburg, the crew only had about 4 hours of daylight with which to work. The logistics requiring the crew surrounding the camera - including the director - to stay out of view, even as the cinematographer spun 360 from time to time, are a major work or choreography in themselves. Sokurov's dedication to his project - and the dedication of his crewmembers - is both apparent and very moving.\nIn an interview included in the `making of' documentary on the DVD, the director states `I'm sick of editing. I don't want to experiment with time. I want to screen real time - it should be as it is. One doesn't have to fear the flow of time.' So many filmmakers are so concerned that their audience's attention span is so short that they will become bored if things don't `move right along' - it lowers cinema to the `lowest common denominator', fails to challenge the audience, and, in the final analysis, insults the viewer's intelligence. There's no danger of that in any of Sokurov's work - the viewer's mind (and emotions) are given quite a workout, and, as with physical exercise, are stronger for it in the end.\nSome critics - who perhaps have no patience for being required to think about what they're seeing - criticize Sokurov and other visionary directors (such as the great Andrei Tarkovsky) as being cold and emotionless. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sokurov has stated in several forums that one of the goals of RUSSIAN ARK - and all of his work - is to evoke strong emotions in the viewer. The methods of his creation might be different from those we have come to expect from the major Hollywood studios - but they are very effective, and more thought provoking in the bargain.\nIn RUSSIAN ARK we experience Russia's treasured museum, the Hermitage, from the point of view of a `visitor' - we never see his face, only hear his voice and thoughts (by Sokurov himself) as he walks through the Winter Palace, viewing tableaux from 300 years of Russian history enacted before his eyes. He is accompanied for most of his journey by another character - unnamed in the film, but based on the Marquis de Custine, who published a travel book in 1839 entitled EMPIRE OF THE CZAR: A JOURNEY THROUGH ETERNAL RUSSIA - with whom he converses and debates the scenes they see before them. We witness Peter the Great berating one of his generals; a play written by the Tsarina is performed for her and selected guests; the appearance before the Tsar of a delegation from Persia, there to apologize for the murder of a Russian diplomat in their country; a grand ball featuring a full symphony orchestra and hundreds of dancers (perhaps the visual climax of the film); and in perhaps the film's most poignant moment, we witness Tsar Nicolas and his family dining together, blissfully unaware of their impending fate. Along the journey from room to room, from tableau to tableau, the viewer, along with the narrator and the Marquis, can gaze upon some of the most breathtaking art the world has ever produced. Even the building itself, with its incredible architecture and opulent outfittings, is a character in its own right - Sokurov's vision has brought the Hermitage to life in a way that draws the viewer right into every frame.\nThe director has succeeded marvelously in his effort to show the `living' aspects of history, of art. Museums have an undeserved reputation for being `dead' places - they couldn't be more alive. The dangers in abandoning or forgetting our past have been shown time and time again, in both social and political theatres. As the Marquis states at one point during the film, `Everyone can see the future - but no one remembers the past.'\nSokurov stated that he had long held a dream of `making a film in one breath' - he has achieved that beautifully in RUSSIAN ARK, and it will take your breath away as well. This is cinema for the time capsule.\nAs far as I have been able to ascertain, the only other Sokurov film available in the US is MOTHER AND SON - check it out as well, and pray that more of his work will become accessible.\nThe best way to see any great film is, of course, on the screen - so don't pass up any opportunity to experience him in that way, either.","Product: A Legendary Yankee Log-Driver Settles In For A Long, Hard Fightwhen He & His Fiesty American Indian Mate Are Ordered Off Theirsoon-To-Be-Flooded Land By The Company Boss.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A GREAT ADAPTATION OF A WONDERFUL STORY\n\nReview: Director Jay Craven's adaptation of Howard Frank Mosher's 'Where the rivers flow north' is one of the finest transitions from literature to the screen I've ever witnessed. Craven is obviously an admirer of Mosher's work -- he also directed 'A stranger in the Kingdom', another piece of fine writing from this Vermont writer.\nThe cast is absolutely superb -- especially Rip Torn and Tantoo Cardinal. Torn throws himself into what could be the finest role of his career with such totality that he BECOMES Noel Lord, the fiercely independent former lumberjack who is the center of this story. Tantoo Cardinal's portrayal of Lord's live-in housekeeper/common-law wife is dead-on as well. I'm both amazed and disappointed that neither of them were nominated for Oscars when this film was released -- I suppose it was overlooked among all of the 'blockbusters' that year, which is a real shame. Performances of this calibre should be acknowledged. The only character that's a little hard to swallow for me is the power company executive played by Michael J. Fox -- Fox is a good actor in his own right, but he just looks too much like a kid in this role. I guess there's a curse attached to youthful looks, no matter how much people want them.\nThe score by the Horseflies is also first rate -- it fits the mood and scenery perfectly.\nCraven has done a nice job here in bringing the character of early 20th century Vermont to the screen -- locations, angles, sets, all combine to transport the viewer to the time and place of the story.\nAnd the story itself...? One of the most compelling portrayals of the fiercely independent American pioneer spirit ever -- a trait that is on the wane in this day and age. When it appears in modern times, the person is often looked upon with suspicion and disdain. In Noel Lord, we have a character whom we can admire for his values, and even for his stubbornness.\nThis is not a stodgy 'period piece' -- this is a vibrant look at an era that is gone, and a type of character that has all but vanished. These are not gold-plated heroes, but real people, with both strengths and weaknesses at play within them. struggling in a harsh environment to live their lives and at the same time be at peace with the world in which they live. Like today, there are those who weild power that would have it otherwise.\nThis is one of my favorite films of the modern era -- I cannot recommend it highly enough.","Product: Declared \"luminously beautiful\" by the New York Times, Andrey Zvyagintsev's The Return is a stunning mixture of visionary allegory, urgent suspense and road movie momentum. Zvyagintsev's equal skill with lush visuals, lucid storytelling and breathtaking realism easily netted The Return the prestigious Golden Lion and the Best First Feature Film Award at the Venice International Film Festival. Within the emotional vacuum of a fatherless childhood, young brothers Andrei (Vladimir Garin) and Ivan (Ivan Dobronravov) have grown closer than most siblings. But when they least expect it, the father the boys have never known returns. Under the cool midnight sun of a coastal Russian summer, Andrei and Ivan eagerly hop into a car for a week long fishing trip with a complete stranger they desperately need to believe is their father. but as they travel deeper into the Russian wilderness, their journey devolves from vacation to boot camp to father-sons love triangle and ultimately to a test of wills that pushes to the brink of violence. As it dawns on the boys that the man who could be their father might be trying to abandon, exploit or kill them, The Return's Jungian landscape gives way to fervid Freudian rage, shocking loss and bittersweet redemption. Harried as one of the most auspicious film debuts since Badlands or The 400 Blows, The Return is both a gorgeous contemporary thriller and an astute updating of vanguard Soviet filmmaking. Disturbing, tender, transcendent, The Return's skillful marriage of psychological complexity to mythic imagery effortlessly evokes the watershed films of Andrei Tarkovsky and Roman Polanski.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: from the heart to the soul...?\n\nReview: ...from the heart of (first-time!) director Andrey Zvyagintsev to the soul of the viewer, that is. This film is nothing short of amazing. The story is moving, believable and deep on both psychological and emotional levels -- the cinematography, writing and pacing are right on target -- and the acting is as close to perfect as either a director OR audience can imagine.\n\nKonstantin Lavronenko plays the long-lost father with just the right mix of strength, mystery and cool understatement -- his character would give many actors an excuse to overplay and draw attention away from the young men portraying the sons, the true centers of the film. The balance he achieves here is a tribute to the care with which he pursues his craft.\n\nThe two young actors who play brothers Andrey and Ivan (Vladimir Garin and Ivan Dobronravov, respectively) turn in some of the most believable, moving performances I've ever seen from people their age. The depths of emotion and commitment they give to their roles is extraordinary -- it's a level of quality that is a joy to see in actors of ANY age, but to see it in these who are so young is incredible.\n\nThe fact that this is director Zvyagintsev's first feature film tells me that this is indeed a filmmaker to watch -- and I don't think a film of this quality can be written off as 'beginner's luck'. His talent is formidable -- I look forward to seeing more from him.\n\nThe story unfolds at just the right pace -- the audience is given no clues as to what will happen next, and is kept is just as much suspense as the characters in the film. The honors this film received at the Venice Film Festival were justified -- I can recommend it without reservation to anyone, whether they favor 'art house' cinema or simply a well-made film telling a compelling story.\n\nAdditionally -- it's nice to see Kino expanding the scope of their 'special features' on this DVD. They've released a good number of quality films, but the 'extras' on the ones I've seen have been a little thin. This one has a really nice documentary (63 min) included, a 'film about the film', a well-made and informative look behind the scenes.","Product: France released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Dutch ( Subtitles ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Documentary, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: An Albanian woman living in Belgium finds her dreams of opening a snack bar with her boyfriend leading to tragedy after she agrees to marry a Russian Mafioso in order to gain citizenship. All Lorna wanted was to start a small business with her loving boyfriend, but in order to make that happen she would first have to gain citizenship. Local mobster Fabio claims that he can make that happen if Lorna agrees to a sham marriage with a man named Claudy. After gaining Belgian citizenship, Lorna discovers that a high-profile Russian Mafioso is also seeking legal entry into Belgium, and soon. He's willing to pay a hearty sum in order to marry Lorna, but in order for that second marriage to be possible Fabio will have to have Claudy killed. Will Lorna be able to remain silent as Fabio's deadly plot unfolds, and what will become of her if Fabio finds out that she has warned Claudy of the impending danger he faces? SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Cannes Film Festival, European Film Awards, ...Lorna's Silence ( Le silence de Lorna ) ( Il matrimonio di Lorna )\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: An engrossing film, as only the Darennes could make...\n\nReview: When a viewer takes in a film by the Dardenne brothers, theres work to be done. The Belgian auteurs don't lay everything out in an a + b = c order like so many directors one has to pay attention. Its not as if their films are overly obtuse or difficult they reflect life, and the pieces of life rarely fit together like an entry-level jigsaw puzzle. The details of characters and plot are there to be discovered / uncovered as the film progresses its a process that places more responsibility on the shoulders of the viewerbut its more than worthwhile, engendering an interaction that, like a good exercise session, has an invigorating effect and leaves a sense of involvement and satisfaction in accomplishment in its aftermath. The process also embeds the film and the mica-like layers of thought that engendered it in the mind of the viewer, encouraging a reflection on what has been experienced that is as natural as that stimulated by events in the real world. The world depicted in the Dardennes films is a very real one indeed as real as that created by the great French director Robert Bresson in his work. Their work is by no means derivative of Bressons, but hes an obvious influence theyve taken bits and pieces of his philosophy of cinema and added them to their own ideas and goals, moving the art form forward as only those who create from their soul can do. I think Bresson would admire their work I don't think hed feel as if they had copied him.\n\nCombining these techniques with actors who have the ability to transform themselves into their characters with an incredible ease and naturalness, captured on film and brought to the screen with their almost instantly recognizable invisible photography that places the viewer in the scene with the characters, participating as a witness, rather than simply watching a film, makes for one of the most unique experiences in contemporary cinema. Their films are works of high art that can instantly be appreciated by any viewer who offers attention the depth of character and situation that is embodied in them can invest a depth of empathy in an audience that is a rare thing indeed.\n\nHow else could filmmakers take such characters as a junkie and a woman who has allowed herself to be involved with petty criminals in a marriage-for-citizenship scam and make us care about them, experiencing and recognizing the humanity in these far-less-than-perfect people? The titular Lorna (exquisitely portrayed by Arta Dobroshi) is a recent immigrant from Albania to Belgium, where the film is set. She has entered into a marriage with Claudy Moreau (Jrmie Renier, veteran of two other Dardenne films, La promesse [1996] and Lenfant [2005], as well as works by other directors) in order to achieve Belgian citizenship. Claudy is a junkie, and has been chosen by Fabio, a petty criminal working as a cab driver, as an easy target for the game he is playing. Fabio is in league with the Russian mafia the long-term plan calls for Claudy to be killed, leaving Lorna a widow and free to remarry a Russian who is also seeking citizenship. Everyone gets a cut of the money involved, including Lorna's boyfriend Sokolexcept of course for Claudy, who is viewed as disposable Hes only a junkie, says Sokol.\n\nThe very first scene of the film shows money being exchanged, Lorna apparently depositing a sum into an account. Currency changes hands so much on screen that it almost becomes another character but on careful observation, its actually multiple charactersor at least possessing multiple personalities depending on its source, destination, and purpose. Sometimes it is a negative force driving characters apart sometimes a positive one that has the potential of drawing them together.\n\nThe scheme seems to be foolproofuntil Lorna begins to see Claudy not as a disposable pawn, but as a human being. The emotional process through which she passes is one of subtle shifts, but it is every bit as gut-wrenching as Claudys attempts to rid himself of his drug habit, desperate to reclaim his life. She agrees to help him stay clean if he will agree to a divorce, freeing her to move on to the next step in the scheme being directed by Fabio. The cab-driving would-be crime magnate, however, is not interested in any change of plans and the conflicts deepen and become more complicated. All of this begins to play on Lornas conscience and psyche, the colors of her emotions shift and change hue, imperceptibly at first and she also begins to see that those with whom she is playing this game are less concerned with her long-range plans than she first thought. As the plotline circles become tighter and tighter, the tension naturally increases, leading to a conclusion that I won't revealbut one that is unexpected, as are so many conclusions in life itself. Her silence is multifold information given by her is doled out frugallyto herself as well as to others.\n\nThere are some noticeable differences between this film and the earlier work by the Dardennes but their style is intact, merely showing their growth as writers / directors, as well as employing some improved tools such as the use of 35mm cameras instead of their usual 16mm. Theres even a bit of music at the end of the film, a conscious decision they made in order to allow the mood to fade slowly, much like a sustained note on a piano that ends a piece with a lingering, languid decay. The in-your-face shots are still here, along with camera work designed and executed in such a way as to enhance the viewers sense of true presence in the film. Working from their script with their actors, they're willing to listen to ideas from the cast, implementing some if they feel that the film is improved by their inclusion. Its a nice combination of a give-and-take process over which they maintain ultimate control and one about which they speak at length in one of the interviews (the other being with Arta Dobroshi) that is included as an extra in this, the UK edition of the DVD (its due to be released in the US by Sony in January of 2010 hopefully the same extras and image / sound quality will be present). These elements are hallmarks of their style, placing their work on a higher plane than most contemporary cinema a level that, thankfully, they manage to meet and surpass with each release. Experiencing their films can bring one into closer contact with ones own humanity by virtually inhabiting the characters created and brought to life on the screen: art that promotes empathy and understanding, which has a value far beyond that of mere entertainment.","Product: 1 \t\tI Should Have Known Better \t3:52 \t\n2 \t\tTwo People In A Room \t2:09 \t\n3 \t\tThe 15th \t3:04 \t\n4 \t\tThe Other Window \t2:07 \t\n5 \t\tSingle K.O. \t2:22 \t\n6 \t\tA Touching Display \t6:55 \t\n7 \t\tOn Returning \t2:05 \t\n8 \t\tA Mutual Friend \t4:26 \t\n9 \t\tBlessed State \t3:28 \t\n10 \t\tOnce Is Enough \t3:23 \t\n11 \t\tMap Ref. 41N 93W \t3:36 \t\n12 \t\tIndirect Enquiries \t3:34 \t\n13 \t\t40 Versions \t3:27 \t\n \tBonus Tracks\n14 \t\tSong 1 \t3:02 \t\n15 \t\tGet Down 1 + 2 \t4:27 \t\n16 \t\tLet's Panic Later \t3:20 \t\n17 \t\tSmall Electric Piece\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: (3.1 miles ESE of Melrose, Iowa)\n\nReview: I've been a big fan of Wire ever since I heard their first album, PINK FLAG. Beginning (more or less) as a group of visual artists wanting to expand into music, embracing the (at the time adventurous) punk sensibility and approach to their new medium, Wire (Colin Newman, Bruce Gilbert, Graham Lewis and Robert Gotobed) have -- as true artists -- never been afraid to allow their art to develop. From album to album, the listener can easily hear the progression made by this group. As they became more and more competent on their chosen instruments, taking them (and all of their aspects and possibilities) into their hands as tools, much like an artist might work with different brushes or methods of applying paint, they have always been true to their own vision, never sacrificing it for the sake of commericial appeal.\nThat being said, there are examples on almost every recording they've made of songs that 'could have been' hits. The most notable example on 154 is 'Map ref. 41N 93W' -- combining a truly 'catchy', hummable melody with intelligent (but not obscure) lyrics, in a 'radio-friendly' length, I think this song is one of the best singles ever released by a 'non-commercial' band. The wordplay in this song -- as in so many of their works -- is stunning.\nMost of the songs on 154 are short -- with the exception of 'A touching display', there's nothing here over 4'30\". Each one is a mini-masterpiece, displaying many different styles of sound sculpting. The band plays most of the instruments themselves (coaxing some amazing sounds from the standard guitar/bass/drums format), with some synth added by Mike Thorne (their producer), and occasional contributions on voice, flute, viola and cor anglais from four other guests. None of the 'outside' instrumental additions compromise the 'group' effort of the band, however -- this is Wire's creation, from start to finish.\nThe band's lyrics are always intelligent and literate -- as in the above-mentioned 'Map ref.', stimulating wordplay abounds, and images and emotions are brilliantly conveyed.\nI was listening to this cd in my car yesterday with my (nearly) 16 year-old daughter, whose tastes are of course more contemporarily oriented -- she was impressed with it. I think it's something that will continue to stand the test of time -- art is, after all, timeless. I would easily rank this among my 'top ten favorite rock albums of all time'.","Product: LP\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: AS SMOOTH AS IT GETS...\n\nReview: ...in fact, this album should be pictured in the dictionary under the entry for 'smooth'. A more perfect combination couldn't be imagined -- Johnny Hartman's rich, smooth voice aided and abetted by John Coltrane's sax, backed by the finest players that ever accompanied the sax great. Mix that with some of the classiest ballads ever written, and you have an album that is essential to ANY serious collection.\nEvery single track on this cd is a gem. Hartman pours out the words like honey -- Coltrane and McCoy Tyner play simply gorgeous 'backing' parts, and Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones provide their inimitable foundation to it all.\nThere's not a note out of place -- and all the musicians shine like stars in the night sky, without getting in each other's way or stepping on any toes, true masters at their craft, and loving every minute of it. You can hear that love of this music on this disc.","Product: British prog group's 1973. Six tracks including 'The Talking Drum'. Standard Jewelcase.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: FOR THE THINKING LISTENER...\n\nReview: ...and that's not to say that this is unemotional music, or that it's elitist (although some who prefer less thoughtful music might consider it to be just that). When I read comments comparing this album to IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING, or other works from other KC eras, I'm compelled to remind listeners that they MUST consider the various incarnations of the band more than they consider each individual album - the personalities of these varying amalgamations (all captained by Robert Fripp, the band's eternal driving force) are each unique in their own way.\nThe personnel that make up the edition of King Crimson represented here are, for my tastes, the band at its finest, most creative and challenging. Abandoning the more orchestrated sound favored on the first few KC albums - IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING, IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON, ISLANDS and LIZARD - Fripp has pared his ensemble and sound down to a more minimalist approach, while still creating music that is filled with power, subtleties and imagination.\nFripp's guitar is one of the most recognizable instruments in progressive rock. His complete control, his restrained yet incredibly powerful playing, his unique use of sustain, his amazing dexterity - all combine into a musical personality unlike any other. As a directing force, it's been said that he's a hard taskmaster - but with the vision he possesses, and the creative forces at work within him (not to mention the unbelievable string of `results' in his career), I can't imagine him being much more of a `democratic' leader. There's too much at stake here. Listen to his playing on every single track - no one else sounds or plays like this. I've been listening to him play for over 30 years, and he still makes my jaw drop.\nThe rhythm section here - what an inadequate term for the talents of these three individuals - is simply stunning. John Wetton - a veteran of British rockers Family (with several fine recordings to their credit), adds his dexterity on bass as well as a voice that could never be mistaken for anyone else. At times he sounds like he's reaching for the notes with all of his might - the timbre of his voice, and the emotion with which he sings, makes it a beautiful, expressive instrument. Bill Bruford is one of rock's greatest drummers - his work with Yes prepared him well for the intricacies of King Crimson's music, a leap I believe that led him into a much more demanding sense of his art. Jamie Muir - the consummate percussionist - left the band soon after this album was recorded, reportedly because he was unwilling to travel. His mark on this album is indelible, and his influence on Bruford's subsequent work is easy to see.\nDavid Cross, playing violin, viola and mellotron lends the band a sense of the orchestral arrangements that dominated the earlier recordings - but, again, in a more minimalist sense. His playing can be both delicate and aggressive, as the arrangement requires.\nThis album is nothing short of a revelation - it shows that rock music can be both powerful and intelligent. I was fortunate enough to hear this band (minus Muir, of course), in 1972, just before this album's US release. I knew that Fripp had put a new band together - and, having been a KC fan for several years already, I was doubtful that anything I heard could top those early recordings. The band lifted the audience off the ground and didn't replace them until after the final notes had died - it was one of those musical experiences that live in the heart of the listener for a lifetime. I was so struck by the power and glory of this band that I managed to see them five times over the next year and a half. The follow-up album by this grouping, STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, RED (as a trio, minis David Cross) and the live album USA (recorded before Cross left the band, but with his parts re-recorded in the studio because of sound problems), showed that this album was not a fluke - this was something very, very special. This album is an essential component of any serious listener's collection - it will change the way you listen to music.","Product: GERRY MULLIGAN & PAUL DESMOND - QUARTET - CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: still stunning, 50 years on...\n\nReview: This recording - originally issued as BLUES IN TIME - is one for the ages. It's amazing to think, while listening to this album, that it was recorded almost 50 years ago, in August 1957. It just illustrates that great music is timeless - it's as fresh and relevant today as when it was new. I would have been 7 or 8 years old when the LP was originally released - sadly, I hadn't yet discovered the wonders of jazz...if I had heard this at the time, my head would probably have exploded.\n\nThe 50s were a particularly exciting time for jazz - the mid-to-late 40s had produced some of the greatest players of all time, experimentation was embraced, and styles were shooting off in all directions, much to the benefit of both the musicians and listeners. Gerry Mulligan, who would prove his staying power over the years, remaining vital to the end of his days, had been largely responsible for the mind-blowing arrangements and overall sound on Miles Davis' landmark BIRTH OF THE COOL sessions (recorded in the late 40s, released on LP in 1957) - Paul Desmond had established his reputation as well, and was a highly respected member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The Brubeck group's recording of Desmond's composition `Take five' did as much as any other event to spread the popularity / acceptance of jazz beyond the smoky nightclubs where it was featured.\n\nGerry Mulligan was known all his life as an irrepressible sit-in player - he would show up at gigs by other musicians, planned or impromptu, and play along. In standard arrangements or when improvising, his work was stellar. One such sit-in, at a 1954 Carnegie Hall appearance by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, was the first instance of Mulligan and Desmond sharing a stage - the two reedmen found an instant rapport, but had difficulty bringing any recording plans to fruition due to label contract conflicts. Through a series of trade-offs, GERRY MULLIGAN / PAUL DESMOND was recorded later that year and released by Fantasy Records. BLUES IN TIME in 1957 was followed by TWO OF A MIND (on Verve) in 1962, and WE'RE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME (on Atlantic) in 1972, which also included Dave Brubeck.\n\nComing out of the age of Charlie Parker - and undoubtedly feeling Bird's great shadow, as did any sax player of that time - Desmond carved out his own niche with his alto, combining the energy of bebop with one of the keenest senses of melody and harmony in the field. He was where the freedom and energy of New York met the `cool' of the California jazz scene - he combined these two (and other elements) effortlessly and seamlessly, with a quiet humility, always showing the greatest admiration and respect for fellow players. There's a great story about someone musing aloud to Desmond whether Brubeck would have `made it' without him - Desmond quickly and gently replied, `I never would have made it without Dave. He's amazing harmonically, and he can be a fantastic accompanist. You can play the wrongest [sic] note possible in any chord, and he can make it sound like the only right one.'\n\nBLUES IN TIME is a dream of a session. There are originals by both Mulligan and Desmond, along with some standards of the day - `Body and soul'; a great quasi-bebop rendition of `Tea for two' that you might not recognize without reading the title; and the Rodgers / Hart classic `Lover'. It's hard to pick standouts here - but I would have to give a nod to Desmond's `Blues in time' and `Wintersong', as well as Mulligan's great `Line for Lyons' (did he ever record a bad version of this tune...?) and `Stand still'. Mulligan's rich baritone and Desmond's lyrical alto dart and weave in and out of each other's lines, finding harmonies, laying down supporting riffs, and sometimes just laying out - I can just picture one or the other simply stepping back to dig what the other is playing. There's not a single line where one gets in the way of the other - the whole album is a joy, from beginning to end, with the two leaders being supported very ably by Joe Benjamin on bass and Dave Bailey on drums.\n\nThis is one of those classics that no jazz enthusiast should be without - and, truthfully, something that should be in the collection of anyone who enjoys jazz...or any great music...at all. The currently available version seems to have been re-mastered with reasonable care, and only lists for $[...]. What are you waiting for...?","Product: Tim Buckley - S/T - Cd\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: '...LISTEN TO MY MAGIC VOICE'\n\nReview: That's the way I remember reacting to this recording when I first heard it, back in 1966 - it's as stunning now as it was then. It's incredible that he was only 19 years old when he made it - the voice, the intelligence and emotion, the songwriting, are all what you would expect from a much older, more seasoned artist. Did I mention his voice? Of course I did - but that voice is one thing that set Tim apart from so many of his contemporaries (and from so many current artists as well). He had amazing control and an unbelievable range - he could soar upward and upward, seemingly without limits, without slipping into an obvious falsetto. The songs on this recording are a foreshadowing of the incredible work that was to come - and perhaps of the apogee that his creativity (and his life) attained too soon. Like all of his fans, I was crushed when he died in 1975 at 28.\nThe songs here - all written by Tim, or co-written with lyricist Larry Beckett - shine like diamonds. Recorded and released during the folk-rock era, the arrangements and instrumentation reflects that influence, but with an individuality and earnestness that raises them above the crowd. The opening lines of `Song of the magician' sum it up nicely: `When I sing, I can bring everything on the wind flying down from dizzy air...' Buckley's voice always had that power - and combined with some of the most beautifully poetic lyrics ever set to music, the songs on this album (and most of his subsequent releases), it's demonstrated again and again.\nHighlights? Almost every song is a highlight, but my favorites are `I can't see you', `Wings', `Song of the magician', `Valentine melody', `Song slowly song', and `She is'. The only two here that don't completely work for me are the more straightforward `Understand your man' and, to a lesser extent, `Grief in my soul' - but I can't recall ever listening to this cd and skipping over them. There is magic in this music - a magic that continued to smolder and burn in Tim's work, through all of the stylistic changes he would manifest. It's an incredibly powerful, moving start to a breathtakingly creative career.","Product: Brand New\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: JAZZ-TINGED VIBES FROM 'THE VOICE'\n\nReview: This is one of my favorite albums by Tim Buckley, and marks his first forays into a 'jazzier' style. Each of the albums he recorded in his brilliant, too-short career has a distinct personality -- the closest relative to HAPPY SAD would have to be the sadly out-of-print BLUE AFTERNOON (PLEASE, someone, make this available again!!!), released shortly after on Frank Zappa & Herb Cohen's Straight Records. Buckley, unhappy with his relationship with Elektra, had signed with Straight -- and the label began releasing albums by him before his contract with Elektra was fulfilled, causing a bit of confusion in the marketplace at the time. HAPPY SAD (Elektra) was followed closely by BLUE AFTERNOON (Straight), which was followed closely by LORCA (Elektra), then STARSAILOR (Straight again). Too much product in too short a time proved more than the market could bear -- and Tim's record sales (and to a lesser extent, his radio play) suffered. The fans he already had delighted, however -- more of his brilliance to enjoy.\nThe album features a small ensemble, several of whom would remain the core of Buckley's band for several years to come. Subdued electric guitar, bass, vibes, marimba and percussion surrounded Tim's trademark 12-string and his incredibly capable soaring voice. The first two tracks, 'Strange feelin' and 'Buzzin' fly' draw the listener in gently but firmly as Tim weaves his spell, the rhythms gently swaying, the tunes melodic and memorable. The third track, 'Love from room 109 at the Islander', is much more dreamlike in mood and tone, more freeform in style -- but again, Tim's art is magnetic. 'Dream letter' and 'Sing a song for you' are similarly slow-paced, with the frenetic, extended workout of 'Gypsy woman' in between, giving Tim (and the band) a chance to 'stretch out' a bit more.\nBuckley's life was tragically short -- how many great artists could you say THAT about...? -- but his legacy is, thankfully, preserved in some great, timeless recordings. He moved along the musical highway from folk-rock to poetic pop to jazz to all-out free-form experiments, then back to a more 'commercially viable' jazz-funk-pop sound on his last recordings. His music was always intelligent and imaginative -- and always as challenging as it was rewarding.","Product: CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: ...IT MUST RUN IN THE FAMILY\n\nReview: With the release of this fine cd, Bebel Gilberto shows that, while she may have inherited some of her legendary father's musical talent, she is definitely an artist with an individuality and direction all her own. She caresses the words to these songs as only Brazilian practitioners of the samba can do, and, with the help of Belgian keyboard wizard and producer Marc Hollander (founding member of the 70s experimental band Aqsaq Maboul), takes the form into new territory, utilizing -- tastefully -- studio technology and electronic rhythms to gently augment and metamorphasize them into her own unique vision.\nThe tunes on this disc swing and sway just the way you would expect, but with a slight edge -- and the combination of techniques works very well indeed.\nBebel's voice is alternately soft, sexy, playful and wistful as she works her way through this set of tunes, most of which she had a hand in composing. Her voices -- overdubbing used to really nice effects -- swirl around the listener, pulling them into her world. This music, even while being upbeat in places, is overall very relaxing, but never uninteresting -- there's a lot going on here for the discerning listener to appreciate.\nIf you're looking for a fresh take on Brazilian samba, give this excellent disc a listen -- I don't think you'll be disappointed.","Product: Giant's fifth album, remastered by the band members themselves and includes a few live tracks as a bonus.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A GREAT, IMAGINATIVE BAND IN THEIR PRIME\n\nReview: The version of this I have is a re-issue of a re-issue - the original album (1973), GLORIOUSLY remixed, packaged in a miniature reproduction of the original lp sleeve, with two bonus live tracks from 1974 & 1976. The second of the live tracks, `In a glass house', is a pretty muddy, echo-y recording - but why quibble? This album is one of the best of the era from a prog band.\nGentle Giant were a band of extremely creative, talented multi-instrumentalists - no one played only one instrument, and seeing them juggle parts in concert was a real treat. Critics have accused them over the years of being `cold' and `emotionless' - nothing could be further from the truth. It's easy to hear how much fun they're having with this complex music - and if you ever had the opportunity to see them perform live, it was easy to see as well. None of the musically ambidextrous goings-on were performed just for the sake of showing off - their music is well thought-out, played with abandon and perfection at the same time, accompanied by intelligent and thoughtful lyrics. Every single member of the band has a huge part to contribute - nothing is left to chance, and it's as fun for the listener to hear it all come together as it must have been for the band to perform it.\nI've played versions of this album for people over the years who have never heard of the band - they've never failed to come away from the experience being impressed - it's jaw-droppingly good. This is a classic of the genre - and a must-have for any true collector.","Product: 2CD set combines '5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion' with 'The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter'. Highlights include 'Chinese White', 'No Sleep Blues' and 'Nightfall.' Originally released in 1967 & 1968.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: TWO OF THEIR MOST IMPORTRANT RECORDINGS TOGETHER\n\nReview: With the release of their eponymous first album, the ISB made it know to the music listening public that a new force had arrived - one which would inject some energy and vitality into the folk music scene in the UK and the world. With the appearance of this album, THE 5,000 SPIRITS or THE LAYERS OF THE ONION, there could be little doubt that something special had been born. It was released originally in 1967 - at the height of the psychedelic music movement, filled with rapidly expanding imaginations and creativity at work, breaking new ground right and left. I feel it stands head and shoulders above most other releases of its day, in many ways, and should be regarded as a classic for its lyrical content alone. Musically, the ISB were going places - and drawing from sources - that other artists would only dare to touch in years to come. I believe it was their long-time producer, Joe Boyd, who once said that the ISB was the original `world music' group - he couldn't have stated it better.\nThe set opens with Mike's `Chinese white' - the bowed gimbri played by Robin on this track lets the listener know right away that things have `expanded' a bit since the band's 1966 release. `The bent twig of darkness grows the petals of the morning', sings Mike - a beautiful image worthy of traditional Asian poetry. Mike's other songs on this album run the gamut from love songs (`Painting box' and the eternally lovely `Gently tender') to humorous looks at our place in the world (`Little cloud' and `The hedgehog's song') to a song offering encouragement to the listener to reach for his full potential (`You know what you could be'). The seriousness of some of his topics is gently offset by a childlike quality that, through the ensuing years, would infuse most of his writing with an innocence that would endear it to his fans.\nRobin's offerings here are for the most part more serious than Mike's - but there is humor in his writing as well, as is evidenced by `No sleep blues' and the hilarious `Way back in the 1960s'. His `First girl I loved' - covered by Judy Collins as `First boy I loved' on her WILDFLOWERS album - is simply one of the most beautiful songs ever written to a first love, looking back with honesty and tenderness on the gifts exchanged, both physical and emotional. His guitar work on this song is (as always) astonishingly creative and lovely. In 'The eyes of fate', he muses `O who can see in the eyes of Fate all life alone in its chronic pattern?' He is one of the most amazingly talented writers ever to pen a verse.\nTHE HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER is the third album by the ISB, recorded in late 1967 and released in early 1968. Combining instruments and melodies from the far corners of the earth with lyrics unequalled in their day (and rarely since) reflecting on everything from humankind to the natural world, from love to violence, from ancient mysticism to modern realities, the ISB made music like no one else. It spoke - and still speaks - to the heart, the soul, the mind and the body.\nThe album begins with a trio of Robin Williamson compositions, extremely varied in their presentation, but all tied together by myth. 'Koeeoaddi there' mixes images from Williamson's childhood, including imaginings, songs and games shared with his playmates (including Licorice McKechnie). The variegated visions are pulled together by the chant that becomes the refrain: 'Earth, water, fire and air met together in a garden fair - put in a basket bound with skin. If you answer this riddle, you'll never begin'. The third track, 'Witch's hat', is quite simply one of Williamson's most beautiful songs. The visions his words invoke are dark and crystalline, fog-shrouded shapes moving in the woods - the kind of stuff that scares the hell out of kids and grown-ups alike, but which is beautiful at the same time.\nThe album's longest composition, Mike Heron's 'A very cellular song' follows. It's a tour-de-force, encompassing several styles of music and themes - including a West Indian funeral song. His subject is nothing less than the beauty and interconnected nature of life itself, told from the level of a single cell. This has been singled out by many reviewers as not only the high point of this album, but of the band's career as well -- and to be sure, from this period onward, it remains one of their most adventurous, popular pieces. Heron's 'Mercy I cry city' is next - a simple man's troubled view of the confusion we call 'civilization'. Humor and innocence play large roles in these lyrics, as in several of Mike's songs over the years (check out 'Cousin Caterpillar' on their WEE TAM/THE BIG HUGE).\nAnother trio of Robin's songs follow. The first of these, 'Waltz of the new moon', incorporates spiritual images from China, India and the Nordic countries of Europe into a swirling tapestry. Dolly Collins' harp and harpsichord arrangements of this song are especially beautiful. This piece flows effortlessly, seamlessly (and appropriately) into the next tune, 'The water song', another of Williamson's most moving pieces, an ode to the beauty, energy and sacredness of water itself. \"Three is a green crown' follows, a beautiful but separate companion to his later work 'Creation' (on CHANGING HORSES), with many mystical references to the process by which the earth was formed, and life appeared and progressed. This is a very hopeful song (I believe), encouraging us to learn all we can about the earth and each other - through knowledge and understanding will come peace: '...the book of life is open to us, there'll be no secrets between us'.\nMike Heron's 'Swift as the wind' is next, in which a child's parents scoff at his nightmare visions - but the visions belong to the child, not the parents - and the fear and dread he feels are very real to him. 'Nightfall', a Williamson composition concerning the power of the night and of sleep itself, end the album very fittingly: 'O sleep come to me, you who are night's daughter, and I'll give you my eyes for the colors that rise as time's echoes reflect on your water...O river of sight flow through me, washing thoughts of the day on your waters away...for the morrow that dawns never knew me'.\nThis double-disc package brings together two if the Incredible String Band's most creative and important recordings. It's nice to have them available together at an affordable price.","Product: Two beautiful records, 1968 & 1969 releases feature such ISB faves as 'You Get Brighter', The Yellow Snake' & 'Lordly Nightshade. Remastered & recommended! Collectors' Choice. 2002.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: O, I REMEMBER IT ALL FROM BEFORE...\n\nReview: When Elektra's US division released this recording in America in late spring/early summer of 1968, they were unsure that it would be marketable as a two-record set, so it was issued as two separate lps. Given the unpredictability of the music market, this was probably a prudent decision -- but I'm glad to see that Hannibal has honored the ISB's original intent and made it available as a reasonably-priced double cd. The two albums should definitely be considered as a whole.\nThis was the first release I bought by the ISB -- and I was hooked immediately on the exotic melodies, the instruments gathered from all corners of the earth...and the lyrics. I was attending college at the time, and I showed some of the lyrics to my English professor -- he instantly recognized them as songs, but he was very impressed with the quality and depth of the poetry. The songs address a wide variety of topics -- life, love, spirituality, mankind's place in the scheme of things -- and do so with intelligence, insight and gentle wit.\nThe arrangements on this set are decidedly less complex -- but, I think, just as adventurous -- as those on the preceding recording THE HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER (which came out just 4-5 months earlier). They are perfectly suited to the season of the year -- lighter, less complicated than the darker mood of the prvious album. The lyrics are allowed to dominate.\nI think I was a fan from the opening bars of 'Job's tears', the first track. I was mesmerized by the beauty and depth of these songs. Yes, I was at an impressionable age (I was 18) -- but as the years have passed under the bridge, I've found that I can return to these recordings (and, indeed, most of the ISB's work) again and again, still spellbound by the wonder of the music found here. The work has aged well.\nLater in their career, the ISB ventured more into electric instruments -- being pushed there, I suspect, by folks at their new label, Island, thinking that perhaps a more electric sound might be more marketable (Island was the home stable to period stalwarts such as Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, John Martyn and Richard Thompson). Some of these later experiments came off well, some less successfully -- but throughout their career, until their demise in the 1970s, the ISB were always interesting.\nWilliamson and Heron remained individually active after the band split -- Williamson being extremely prolific -- and I was happy to see last year that they're working together again, that the ISB has been reformed. There are tours and new recordings in the works -- I'll look forward to both eagerly. Meanwhile, I know I'll continue to enjoy their catalogue -- especially this set, which is probably my favorite of their many releases.","Product: VALENTIN SILVESTROV - BAGATELLEN UND SERENADEN - CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: the still waters of time...\n\nReview: In his notes to the 2004 ECM release of Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov's REQUIEM FOR LASRISSA (dedicated to his wife, Larissa Bondarenko, who died in 1996), music critic Paul Griffiths makes a statement that cuts to the heart of Silvestrov's art : `Time in Valentin Silvestrov's music is a black lake. The water barely moves, the past refuses to slide away, and the slow, irregular stirrings of an oar remain in place.' This sense of `stopped time' pervades many of the composer's works - it seems to me a bit of an aural equivalent of what the great Russian film director Andrei Tarkovsky did in his cinematic masterpieces. Tarkovsky called it `sculpting in time'. In Silvestrov's music, time seems to stand still to the point of disorientation - some of his larger, longer works seem to give the impression of constantly `ending', only to continue. He calls his music `post-symphonic', and the titles of several of his works reflect this: `Postludium' and `Postlude' appear here and there. The listener is left with a sense of dj vu - has this music been experienced before, perhaps in another lifetime? In one of his pieces from the mid-70s, `Kitsch music for piano', there's a movement entitled `A metaphor for Schubert and Chopin', leaving the listener with the impression that this music must have been written by a composer centuries ago - exactly the effect for which Silvestrov was reaching. I think perhaps it's not so much that Silvestrov is trying to `stop time' - it's more like he's setting the listener afloat in that `lake', where the present and the past touch and interact. Memory becomes as tangible as present existence - tenses merge and blur. Herbert Glossner, in the booklet accompanying the ECM release of Silvestrov's SYMPHONY NO. 6, appropriately quotes Marcel Proust (from REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST) : `And all at once the memory returned.' Memory, in the music of Valentin Silvestrov, is as much a physical dimension as space.\n\nAfter the obvious starting point in the composer's mind, Silvestrov's compositions begin on the piano. Over the years, I have found that the brief tastes of the composer himself at the keyboard that have been offered on three releases - `Four songs after Osip Mandelstam', for baritone and piano, recorded in 1986 and released WITH SILENT SONGS by both Megadisc and ECM; `Unsnaya musika 1 & 2', included with the song cycle STUFEN, recorded in 1999 and released by Magadisc; and `Hymne 2001', which appears on LEGGIERO, PESANTE, recorded in 2001 and released by ECM - to be some of the most moving music I've ever heard. Thus it was with great anticipation that I awaited the release of BAGATELLEN UND SERENADEN, ECM's newest offering of his works - over half of the album features the composer at the piano, alone, performing some of his most intimate, moving works...many of which he says have never been written down on paper. According to the notes, the composer often works on compositions in this manner, holding snippets of melody in his mind for long periods of time before putting it in writing - thus the pieces are allowed to find their own voice naturally, over time. The sense of physically plucking memories out of time is therefore strengthened by the very process through which the pieces come into being. His music has been described as `a dialogue with silence' - each note, each phrase is given a life of its own and allowed to move and breathe naturally, without artifice. More than any composer I've ever heard, living or not, Silvestrov combines elements of the avant-garde (the school in which he matured) and the neo-romantic - he does it seamlessly and without pretension, holding the melody above all else, even in the most dense and dissonant passages of his larger works. The music has a living flow unlike that of any other composer.\n\nI'm by no means a classical music scholar - and what I'm expressing here is intended to be more on an emotional response level than anything so exacting or analytical. Hearing these piano pieces directly from the hands of the composer is a very moving experience for me - it's extremely personal and conversational, as if he's speaking through the keyboard and my soul is responding.\n\nThe other half of this CD is comprised of works for chamber orchestra, two of which - `Der Bote' (1996) and `Zwei Dialog emit Nachwort' (2001-02) feature the wonderful playing of Alexei Lubimov, long a fine, sensitive interpreter of Silvestrov's keyboard compositions. The orchestra is the Mnchener Kammerorchester, under the able direction of Christoph Poppen. These are pieces of aching beauty - but one shouldn't take that to indicate that they are `fluff' by any means. Silvestrov's works are always of strong substance and intellectual depth - every note does its part to complete the effect of the whole, and nothing is left to chance or done without consideration.\n\nAs one might expect, the production on this release is superb - ECM has long been known for the highest level of audio quality. In the case of the solo piano pieces presented here, they've outdone themselves. Rather than `placing' the listener in close proximity to the performer (some engineers seem to think the listener should practically be inside the piano). Sound engineer Stephan Schellmann and producer Manfred Eicher have achieved a sonic miracle - when I listen to this recording, it's as if I'm sitting about halfway back in the recording space. The element of memory and the feeling of experiencing this music over a `quiet distance', seemingly intangible and untouchable qualities, are brilliantly conveyed by the recording.\n\nThis disc presents some of the most important and moving work by a composer whom Arvo Prt has called `one of the greatest composers of our time' - no small bit of praise. I can heartily recommend any the ECM releases that showcase his work - and especially Bagatellen und Serenade. As an introduction to an important composer, it's a great place to start exploring.","Product: In her native Brazil, Rosa Passos is known and loved as \"a feminine Joao Gilberto.\" For a singer/songwriter who carries the soulful cool of bossa nova into a new age, there can be no higher compliment. Mingling the classics of Gilberto, Jobim, Barroso and other masters of Brazilian song with her own enchanting works, Passos sings in a sweet, warm, totally-in-tune voice that the Los Angeles Times has hailed as \"sounding a bit like the legendary Elis Regina but with the rhythmic articulation of Ella Fitzgerald.\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: another gem from Rosa Passos...\n\nReview: I stumbled across a new CD by Rosa Passos today - an artist whose material I will buy without hesitation, given the quality of the work she's done over the course of her career. Rosa's voice is simply one of the most beautiful musical instruments on the planet. When world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma first discovered Rosa's music, he wrote to her and said `I've fallen in love with your voice...' - he later played on her 2004 release, AMOROSA, and the two of them have since worked on other projects together. I'm certain that many other listeners, famous or not, have been touched by the beauty of her music in a similar fashion - I know that I have. The material she chooses is always first-rate (including her own compositions), arranged and performed with impeccable style and grace.\n\n2006's ROSA featured just her voice and guitar - an album of breathtaking beauty, and one that I can return to again and again without any fear of it wearing thin. On her new release, ROMANCE, she returns to the small-group setting she has used to such fine advantage through the years - her lovely voice is framed perfectly by 6-7 very sensitive and capable accompanists. There are no more than 6 players on any given track, and it's obvious that everyone is listening to all of the contributors - no one tries to outshine anyone. The arrangements (all by individual band members except for one group effort) are thoughtful, fresh and relaxed.\n\nThe songs on ROMANCE come from the pens of some of Brazil's all-time greats - the ubiquitous Antonio Carlos Jobim, along with Vinicius De Moraes, Ivan Lins, Chico Buarque, Joo Donato, Djavan, Dorival Caymmi, and others. These writers have gifted so many great compositions to the world of Brazilian music, many of which have become standards - in Rosa's hands, they become her own. She pours her heart and soul into her singing, but in such a gentle, natural way that nothing ever comes across as sounding forced or disingenuous. The songs have strength and emotion, coupled with the soft touch of a night breeze off the ocean or a morning warmed gently by the sun. The fact that Rosa sings in Portuguese takes absolutely nothing away from the feelings she communicates - there's an intimacy in her delivery that leaves me feeling that she's singing just for me. It's that captivating.\n\nI can heartily recommend ROMANCE - that being said, everything I've heard by her is of the highest quality, a world of incredibly beautiful music. Her recordings ROSA (2006), AMOROSA (2004) and ENTRE AMIGOS (AMONG FRIENDS, with the great American jazz bassist Ron Carter) are especially noteworthy - but it would be impossible to go wrong buying anything she has released.","Product: In her native Brazil, Rosa Passos is known and loved as \"a feminine Joao Gilberto.\" For a singer/songwriter who carries the soulful cool of bossa nova into a new age, there can be no higher compliment. Mingling the classics of Gilberto, Jobim, Barroso and other masters of Brazilian song with her own enchanting works, Passos sings in a sweet, warm, totally-in-tune voice that the Los Angeles Times has hailed as \"sounding a bit like the legendary Elis Regina but with the rhythmic articulation of Ella Fitzgerald.\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: another gem from Rosa Passos...\n\nReview: I stumbled across a new CD by Rosa Passos today - an artist whose material I will buy without hesitation, given the quality of the work she's done over the course of her career. Rosa's voice is simply one of the most beautiful musical instruments on the planet. When world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma first discovered Rosa's music, he wrote to her and said `I've fallen in love with your voice...' - he later played on her 2004 release, AMOROSA, and the two of them have since worked on other projects together. I'm certain that many other listeners, famous or not, have been touched by the beauty of her music in a similar fashion - I know that I have. The material she chooses is always first-rate (including her own compositions), arranged and performed with impeccable style and grace.\n\n2006's ROSA featured just her voice and guitar - an album of breathtaking beauty, and one that I can return to again and again without any fear of it wearing thin. On her new release, ROMANCE, she returns to the small-group setting she has used to such fine advantage through the years - her lovely voice is framed perfectly by 6-7 very sensitive and capable accompanists. There are no more than 6 players on any given track, and it's obvious that everyone is listening to all of the contributors - no one tries to outshine anyone. The arrangements (all by individual band members except for one group effort) are thoughtful, fresh and relaxed.\n\nThe songs on ROMANCE come from the pens of some of Brazil's all-time greats - the ubiquitous Antonio Carlos Jobim, along with Vinicius De Moraes, Ivan Lins, Chico Buarque, Joo Donato, Djavan, Dorival Caymmi, and others. These writers have gifted so many great compositions to the world of Brazilian music, many of which have become standards - in Rosa's hands, they become her own. She pours her heart and soul into her singing, but in such a gentle, natural way that nothing ever comes across as sounding forced or disingenuous. The songs have strength and emotion, coupled with the soft touch of a night breeze off the ocean or a morning warmed gently by the sun. The fact that Rosa sings in Portuguese takes absolutely nothing away from the feelings she communicates - there's an intimacy in her delivery that leaves me feeling that she's singing just for me. It's that captivating.\n\nI can heartily recommend ROMANCE - that being said, everything I've heard by her is of the highest quality, a world of incredibly beautiful music. Her recordings ROSA (2006), AMOROSA (2004) and ENTRE AMIGOS (AMONG FRIENDS, with the great American jazz bassist Ron Carter) are especially noteworthy - but it would be impossible to go wrong buying anything she has released.","Product: With a career that started in the mid-50s and continues to this day, Norman Blake continues to astound with his Country-Folk-Bluegrass guitar technique that transcends genre, technological changes and the whims of pop culture. Hes been a mainstay in both the Johnny and June Carter Cash bands; he was on Dylans Nashville Skyline, played with Kristofferson, Baez and John Hartford; guested on the ground-breaking Will the Circle Be Unbroken album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and was a contributor to the Coen Brothers O Brother, Where Art Though? motion picture and soundtrack and three other films by them. Blake has 38 albums, a signature guitar line from Martin and the adulations of players worldwide. Wood, Wire & Words is the first recording of all original Blake marterial in over 30 years.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Don't ever doubt that Norman's still got the touch...\n\nReview: I bought this album without one whit of worry about the quality of the music it contains. Ive been a fan of Norman Blakes music (and Nancy Blake) for decades, and I had no doubt that this would be yet another recording of his that I would treasure. As soon as I heard his fingers on the strings in the first track, I knew I was right. Sure, hes getting up there in years, and now and then you can hear it in his voice but that just adds to the authenticity of his music. Theres a deep love for this music in his performances its blindingly apparent to anyone wholl give this album even a casual listen. One has to marvel imagining what Norman has seen and experienced over the course of his life not just the musicians with whom hes played, but all of the life experiences hes garnered. You can hear it all in these songs, as on every recording hes ever made.\n\nNormans picking has lost a bit of its dexterity and feeling his fingers glide over the fret board and strings seemingly effortlessly. Of course, thats how the great ones sound and Norman is definitely in that company. He loves his guitars and his music like he loves life, and thats a blessing to his listeners.\n\nIf you love flatpicking acoustic guitar, you owe it to yourself to check out this album its as fine as anything hes ever done. Normans music doesnt fade or become weak with time it ages like a fine sipping whiskey. I for one will do my best to be at the head of the line anytime he makes a new recording. I feel so fortunate that I was able to see Norman and Nancy in concert here in Austin at the Cactus Caf back in the 80s I sat there watching and listening, completely transfixed. Anytime I put on one of his albums, I literally bask in it.\n\nHes a treasure, and this album is one more jewel in his catalogue.","Product: 1991 reissue on One Way of the respected prog veterans third album, originally released on Capitol in 1972. The album marked several major turning points in their career - it was their first for Capitol after leaving Island Records; it was the first with\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: 3RD RENAISSANCE ALBUM, 1ST BY THIS GROUP...\n\nReview: If that title seems a little confusing, there's a good reason. This is actually the third lp from Renaissance, the group formed out of the ashes of The Yardbirds, founded by Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf and drummer Jim McCarty. After two imaginitive early albums, Relf died in a freak home electrocution and McCarty left the band. Between the second album and this release, the entire personnel of the band changed -- not one person who plays on this recording was on the last one (the band's name, meaning of course 'rebirth', is now doubly appropriate). There is some continuity -- McCarty had a hand in two of the songs ('Kiev' and 'Bound for infinity'), and the band's classical influences remain strong.\nThis is the first time listeners were exposed to the beautiful vocals of Annie Haslam, soon to become one of progressive rock's most respected voices. John Tout's masterful keyboard work dominates instrumentally -- from the open bars of the first track, a causal listener might think a classical disc might have been substituted by mistake, but with the entry of Jon Camp's bass and Terry Sullivan's drums, the classical and rock influences mesh thoroughly and effectively. Rob Hendry's guitar work is tasteful throughout as well. An added treat is the guest appearance by Francis Monkman (ex-Curved Air) on synthesizer on the final track, 'Rajah Khan'.\nThroughout their long career, the music of Renaissance was always very impresionistic and evocative -- and the evidence of that can be heard very clearly on this excellent recording. By the time of their next release, ASHES ARE BURNING, the band had gelled even further, and they were off and running, composing their own material and making a very respectable name for themselves in the area of progressive rock.\nAn essential audio document of an important genre. Nice to see it available at a reasonable price.","Product: Instant 1971 Classic by the British Progressive/Psychedelic/Jazzy Rockers Caravan, who Came Up Through the Artsy, Canterbury (Near Kent, England) Scene of the Late Sixties. Includes the Twenty-Two Minute, Forty-Two Second Epic \"Nigel Blows the Horn\".\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: TAKE A CANTERBURY PILGRIMAGE...\n\nReview: If you've never experienced the innocence and eclecticism that was Caravan, you might as well start with this, their finest album. They did a lot of other nice work, before and after (IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, FOR GIRLS WHO GROW PLUMP IN THE NIGHT, parts of WATERLOO LILY...), but this cd shows them at their best.\nDavid Sinclair played keyboards -- organ, piano and mellotron -- and did some harmony vocals. His Hammond organ dominated the band's sound, but never in a heavy-handed way, and his mellotron work was groundbreaking. He used the instrument to play leads, not just to invoke swelling string section fills, as most practitioners did. His cousin Richard Sinclair played bass and acoustic guitar and sang most of the leads -- he has a pleasant but distinctive, unquestionably British voice, perfectly suited to their material (he later lent his talents to the shatteringly talented ensemble Hatfield and the North). Pye Hastings played guitar (mostly rhythm and some nice understated lead work -- he was, thankfully, never a posing 'guitar god') and did some of the lead vocals, and Richard Coughlin provided the rhythmic foundation with his tasteful drumming. From time to time, Pye's brother Jimmy Hastings appears on flute and sax, adding to the slightly jazzy feel of their arrangements.\nThere is humor and whimsy in Caravan's music and lyrics -- but never to the point of making them seem silly. This is intelligently crafted music, but music that will bring a smile to your face --- progressive, thought-provoking and hummable at the same time. This band, and this album in particular, is one of the highlights of the 70s British music scene -- and it has aged well. The album is as enjoyable today as when it was released, in 1971.","Product: Straight cut jean with hand-sanding, whiskering, and embroidered reverse Fleur de Lis on back pockets.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: OUR SONG IS BUT A CANDLE THAT WILL ONE DAY FADE AWAY\n\nReview: ...not these songs. They are, each and every one of them, jewels of the art - and they will endure. Tom Rapp refers to jewels in the lyrics of three of them - `The jeweler', `Rocket man' and `The old man' - and his compositions are indeed jewel-like, both lyrically and melodically so far ahead of their time that it's no surprise that he never achieved commercial success. His work was always critically acclaimed - but the albums released originally by Warner subsidiary Reprise (of which this was the second) were allowed, shamefully, to languish out-of-print for too many years. Released as a four-cd boxed set in 2003, they are available individually, as of today - to which I for one am most grateful to the San Francisco-based Water label. This album was one of my favorite recordings of the 70s - I remember wearing out more than one copy of the LP. It's been too many years since I've heard it - I've listened to it all the way through 3-4 times today, and it hasn't lost one iota of the charm with which it held me rapt (or should that be `Rapp'ed'...? [sorry...]) through so many listenings all those years ago.\nThe first track, `The jeweler', is one of the most beautifully poetic, moving lyrics I've ever heard. Rapp's portrait of the old man who, after closing his shop, sits up late in the dark, lovingly polishing old coins with `...spit and cloth and ashes' is a poignant one. His imagery is absolutely perfect and beautiful - `...he makes them shine with ashes, he knows the use of ashes, he worships God with ashes.' The booklet notes (by Edwin Pouncey) lean toward the interpretation that the implication is that the jeweler `...must suffer for the adoration of money' - the song seems to speak to me more of the old man's love for beautiful things, of his attempts to restore them to their former beauty. He can shine the coins, removing `the thumbprints from so many ages' - he cannot remove the scratches. Most of the time, he is conscious of this limitation - but all the same, he works on them into the night: `...both his hands will blister badly, they will open painfully, and the blood flows from his hands...he wishes he could cure the scars...when he forgets, he sometimes cries.'\nJewels are mentioned again in the third track, `Rocket man' (NOT the same as the song by the same title written by Elton John) - in this case, as a double image: the jewels of a mother's tears, the jewels of the father's imagination being the stars themselves. The song (inspired by a story by sci-fi great Ray Bradbury) is sung from the perspective of the son of a `rocket man', an astronaut. The boy and his mother are all too aware of the dangers inherent in the father's work - it seems that they do not speak of it, but rather acknowledge it silently: `...and on my mother's face, as lonely as the world in space, I could read the silent cry: that if my father fell into a star, we must not look upon that star again.' Thus, when the father's ship is swallowed by a solar flare, the mother and son go out when `...the sky was cloudy or the sun was blotted out, or to escape the pain we only went out when it rained.'\nThe quality of the songwriting is repeated in every track - even the short instrumental `From the movie of the same name' is quite lovely. Rapp addresses issues of the day: man's inhumanity to man (`Tell my why'), the horrors of war (`Margery', `Riegel', and `When the war began'), as well as love and loneliness (`God save the child', `Song about a rose') - and songs that are simply (an appropriate/inappropriate word here) about the human condition, and life (the two mentioned above, plus `The old man'). His songs, while dealing with issues and feelings that are modern, have a medieval mood to them - and this can be attributed to both his lyrics and his music. The use of orchestral instruments in the arrangements here (and in his other albums as well) enhances the mood of the pieces nicely, elevating them above the level of `pop music' - which is one reason, perhaps, that the Pearls Before Swine albums never realized a wider audience. It's a pity - but it's too often the case.\nThis album is a treasure - a shining moment from the 1970s that's every bit as beautiful and vital today. It's aged extremely gracefully - pass it up at your peril.","Product: NTSC/Region 0. The king of Bossa Nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim, gives a glittering concert, shot in Los Angeles and featuring Jobim's brilliant ensemble of leading Brazilian musicians and singers. From the daring, benchmark sounds of `Desafinado' (partly responsible for launching the Bossa craze in the 1950's) to Jobim's most philosophical classic `Aguas de Maro' (Waters of March), the intricate yet always engaging and enveloping sound of Jobim's music makes this concert a standout. Collaborating with such luminaries as the great Jacques Morelembaum on cello and Paulo Braga on drums, intertwining textures of flute and guitar with those of his piano, backed by a tight female vocal section , Jobim makes abundantly clear the talent and technique that made him an international superstar. As an added attraction, Brazilian superstar singer Gal Costa joins the ensemble for five gorgeous numbers - including an especially deft finale. A thrilling evening. Tracks include 'One Note Samba', 'Samba de Soho', 'Anos Dourados' and more. Immortal.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: bought it, returned it...\n\nReview: I've been a fan of Jobim's music for years -- his songs contain so much beauty and emotion, and his influence is (deservedly) widespread. The problem I had with this DVD is that for some reason, he chose to sing the entire show in English -- and does so having to constantly refer to notes lying on his piano. I've long enjoyed listening to his songs sung in the original Portuguese -- I don't speak the language (I know only a few words), but that, to me, is part of the beauty of these songs (and other 'world music' as well). The native language of a song is part of the soul of the work -- when it's 'watered down' for American listeners it takes away so much from the original (at least for me).\n\nThe musicians are first-rate, the playing and arrangements are fine, and technically (picture and sound) the recording is first-rate. If the language issue isn't an important one to you, then I can recommend this DVD -- it was just too much of a 'deal-killer' for me.","Product: It's an album of songs on which Peter plays all the instruments.... Peter's last solo studio recording, Incoherence, was released in 2004, having been completed a day before he had a heart attack. Since then he's been occupied with the Van der Graaf Generator reunion, first in recording Present and then in the run of live shows undertaken in 2005; he was also responsible for remastering the VdGG catalogue. In 2006 Veracious, a set of live duo performances with Stuart Gordon, was released and Peter also remastered the solo CDs which he had recorded for Charisma in the 70s. Little wonder, then, that when he came to write and record Singularity intimations of mortality and considerations of history both public and personal were uppermost in his mind. The main theme here is the long dive down into not being who we were....Perhaps inspired by the early Charisma recordings, Singularity is absolutely a solo record on which Peter sings and plays all instruments alone.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: the artist as mortal...\n\nReview: This very welcome new release is Peter's first completely solo recording - in the truest sense of the word - in many years. Just after the final mixes were finished on his last studio album, 2004's INCOHERENCE, Peter suffered a heart attack - and the thoughts and reflections that naturally accompany such a brush with `crossing the line' are very powerfully at work on Singularity. True art is immortal - artists are not. On his notes concerning the recording and release of this album on his website, Sofa Sound, Peter states `...I suppose I can say that most of these songs are Cautionary Tales. Intimations of mortality are present in almost every line...' Those who are familiar with the depth and scope of Peter's work know just what level of quality to expect from his lyrics...those for whom this might be their first exposure are in for a treat. Long-time fans will in no way be disappointed with SINGULARITY - and in many ways, this is an excellent place for newcomers to begin to discover the wonders of Hammill's work.\n\nSeveral of the songs give voice to concerns about living our lives to the fullest and the soul-searching we might do at the end of our time on this mortal coil. In the relatively upbeat opening track, `Our eyes give it shape', the singer reflects on the uselessness of acting too late (`...it comes as no surprise that changing all the locks when the horses have bolted is a useless exercise.'), and the treasure of enjoying the small things (`...the simple pleasure is the mystery spice of life...a simple pleasure in the simple things makes life great.'). `Event horizon' follows, more laid-back musically with beautifully layered acoustic guitars - a more direct reference to Peter's `cardiac episode', wherein the singer finds himself `Flat on my back, I can feel myself falling into a singular state of mind', he repeatedly invokes the image of `crossing the line' - but hopefully after having the opportunity of `...dotting the i's' and `crossing the t's'.\n\n`Famous last words', the third track on the album, is another song about looking back too late in regret, chiding the addressee: `You'll go out in style, to the last in denial of what anything's meant.' The track begins with a surreal, faraway chorus of tweaked voices (all Peter, of course), singing-chanting in a preview of the song-ending coda: `It's a little too late for sorry...', rather like a Greek chorus chiming in to make sure the point is made to the listener, at the same time a bit like listening to one's own subconscious (conscience?) - a very effective beginning, especially when it ties into the song's ending.\n\n`Maybe my mother' is perhaps one of the most personal, moving songs Peter has ever recorded, painting a vivid picture of aging and losing touch with the world. He describes her poignantly: `...distance encamped in her eyes, not quite oblivious but close to a state of inertia, in which she won't even realise how everything's passing her by.' The lyrics speak of the inevitability of aging and death as simply parts of life: `Some journeys we make alone, somehow we'll leave all we've known.' Instrumentally this track is built around the piano, with other layers kept to a minimum - very befitting the lyrical content.\n\n`Vainglorious boy' is a bit of self-deprecation on the artist's part - and not the first time Peter has poked a pin at his own balloon, a sign that he doesn't take himself too seriously (nor should the listener).\n\n`of wire, of wood' is a short instrumental, the title referring to the sources of sound in a piano. The music bears a sense of foreboding and pent-up energy, the piano being joined as the piece progresses by some sort of tuned percussion which has a bit of a kalimba-like feeling to it. It's a perfect introduction to the next song, `Friday afternoon', which addresses the harsh reality that we never know what tragedy seemingly unrelated events will create when the paths of two fates cross. `Blind drunk, he met you head on, on a normal Friday afternoon' - and the singer laments the loss of his friend: `...sometimes we're pulled up short, quick shockingly defenceless. I don't know what to do: my piano's out of tune...' The tuned percussion from `of wire, of wood' returns toward then end, a musical crossing of paths between the foreboding intro and the story itself - a chillingly effective yet subdued link between the two.\n\nThe album ends with `White dot' - a vibrantly surreal song such as only Peter Hammill can create, with layered backward vocals starting us down a road that has us riding a looped piano track and hanging on for all we're worth as the tortured, unreal vocals sing of the mortal danger of an empty mind and life, of drifting through our time with no purpose or meaning. The end could come at any moment: `A time to think is now at a premium...though in the pink in every outward appearance, inside it's white dot time' - `white dot' perhaps referring to the last vestige of light on a television screen when the power has been turned off. The arrangement brilliantly conveys pressure, the closing in of a threatening cacophony, the weight of life.\n\nPeter's output is staggering - between recordings issued under his own name, those made with Van der Graaf Generator, and `other projects', they number an incredible 55 releases (which includes, as far as I can tell, only around 4 compilations of material released in other forms). All of this since 1969 - and he's still (thankfully) going strong. His albums encompass a wide variety of styles, employing few or myriad instruments and voices, simple or unbelievably complex arrangements - but the quality of his art has never wavered. The listener can always expect music and lyrics that will intelligent and thought-provoking...sometimes even a bit of fun. SINGULARITY continues a chain of creativity that I hope will continue for many years to come.","Product: Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: WRITING WITH AN ARTIST'S TOUCH\n\nReview: GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING is simply one of the most stunningly beautiful pieces of writing I've come across in some time. Chevalier's prose falls onto the page lightly, with a grace that makes it seem effortless. Like Vermeer's colors, light and shadows, it is lovingly and carefully constructed, built up in layers, each shining through with its own invaluable contribution to the whole.\nThe girl in the painting is possessed of a natural, unassuming beauty -- there are none of the haughty airs affected by the 'high-born' ladies she serves, by the wives of her master's (Vermeer's) patrons, present in her expression. Her lovely face is a refreshing respite from the ones so often found in the paintings of the day -- her eyes are deep, honest and wide, taking in the world around her quietly and gently, missing very little.\nThese perceived characteristics in Vermeer's subject are brought to life vividly by Chevalier in this novel. Griet -- brought into service to Vermeer's family as a kindness, after her father, a tile painter, loses his trade after being blinded in a kiln accident -- is instantly likable. She has a good soul, and loves her family dearly. She is modest and unpretentious -- when she feels desires welling up within her, whether material or emotional in nature, she is discomforted by them.\nWhen Vermeer and his wife come to the home of Griet and her parents to meet her for the first time, she is in the kitchen preparing food for her family. The eye of the artist is immediately drawn to her work on the counter -- she is cutting vegetables, and she has arranged them, without thinking about the reasons, by colors, arrayed like wedges cut from a wheel. Vermeer senses an innate artistic sensibility within her -- it is an image that will remain with him.\nWhen Griet comes to stay at Vermeer's house, living among his family, she quickly slips into the eddys and currents of 17th century Dutch family politics -- once again, without having to stop for more than a moment and consider, she intuitively knows whom she can count on to be fair, jealous, powerful, scheming, &c. She sees that the real power of the household rests not with Catharina, Vermeer's wife, but in his mother-in-law, Maria Thins. At the same time, the older woman sees in Griet something special -- this young woman (only 16 when she arrives) is no ordinary girl.\nGriet is entrusted with cleaning the master's studio on a daily basis -- with the explicit instructions that, other than leaving the area cleaner, she must never leave a sign that she has been there. She must be especially careful of the objects arranged in the area that Vermeer is painting -- they must never be moved. She undertakes this task cleverly, devising a system of her own whereby she can lift the objects and clean under them, replacing them exactly where she found them. Her work is careful and thorough and sensitive to Vermeer's wishes -- and she finds him more and more appreciative of her efforts.\nThere is one particularly moving scene (among many in this novel) wherein Vermeer takes a moment to explain to Griet how seemingly pure colors contain within them other shades that are more subtle. He asks her what color the clouds are that she sees out the window -- she replies that they are white. He asks her to look again -- and she begins to see shades of blues and greys and pinks in them. She begins to understand how difficult it is for a painting to be born, for the effect to be such that it deeply touches and moves the viewer.\nOne of Vermeer's patrons takes a licentious interest in Griet -- she resists his advances and attempts to avoid him when he comes to the house. Eventually, he persuades Vermeer to do a portrait of Griet for him -- a task that must be undertaken without the knowledge of Vermeer's wife, and, indeed, most of his family. Only the artist's mother-in-law, Maria Thins, knows about the portrait. As he works on it over a period of several months, it becomes more and more apparent to Griet that the completion of the painting will very likely signal her departure from the household. Along with other emotional events in her life during this period, it places a very real strain on her. She must come to terms with her situation, her view of herself, and her future -- within or without the artist's household.\nThe book gives the reader an exceptionally clear of what life must have been like in 17th century Delft -- not only among the more privileged classes, but among the working people as well. Without coming across as patronizing in any way, Chevalier gives a sensitive rendering of these people and their times -- and in the process gives the reader a moving, entertaining experience that will not soon be forgotten.\nIt's probably a bad habit on my part, but I normally steer clear of 'best sellers', preferring to stick to lesser-known authors and first novels -- I find, as a rule, that they tend to take more chances than someone attempting to write something for mass consumption. I have to admit that I avoided this novel for a while, knowing how well it has sold -- and I'll admit that that was a mistake. This is a book that well deserves all of the praise that it has received -- I can well understand how it has moved so many people. It's a wonderful thing to see something so well-written and uncompromising at the same time to be so widely appreciated.","Product: The story of a stone-age weapon and tool maker who learned to use the gift of stones\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: ON THE CUSP OF ANOTHER AGE\n\nReview: Jim Crace's novel of the coming of the Bronze Age to a small village somewhere in Europe (I'm guessing) is an engrossing, entertaining read. The village of his story makes its living by stone -- its inhabitants all either work it or trade the results to others. They know little of the outside world, and feel little curiosity about it. The story centers around a youth who loses part of an arm after being shot with an arrow -- his new handicap makes him useless to his family and neighbors, since he can no longer work. He begins to spend more and more time wandering further and further afield. When he brings back stories of what he has seen -- embellishing it more, and with greater skill, as time goes by -- he begins to see his narrative skill as a way to make himself valuable once again. The villagers gather around him at night, greedily drinking in his words.\nDuring on of his expeditions, he comes across a woman living in a hut on a heath -- she is a widow, caring for an infant girl, scavenging what she can from her surroundings, selling herself to whoever will have her to earn food and clothing. The boy befriends her and the child -- on repeated visits, he comes to view them as a second family. During once such visit, her home is destroyed by farmers who dwell nearby, and she is left with nothing. The boy takes her and the child back to his village to live with him -- and her presence there stirs up a great deal of suspicion and jealousy, making life much more difficult than the boy had envisioned.\nCrace's tale is crafted skillfully -- his prose invokes the period in a very believable way. The concerns, outlooks and beliefs of his characters speak more than their conversations could possibly convey about the life they lived, about the difficulties of their time. When events transpire to bring them knowledge that things are changing in the world around them -- the advent of bronze -- they are at first scornful, then struck cold with fear. They know the world as they know it is coming to an end.\nTold alternately as a story around a fire by the boy as an adult, and by his daughter remembering what things were like when she was a child, this is a novel that is easy to read in one sitting -- it's that involving and compelling. This is an enlightening tale as well as an entertaining one -- and a book I will not soon forget.","Product: Set against the unforgiving landscape of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, these stories are all concerned with the complexities and mysteries of the human heart. Steeped in memory and myth and washed in the brine and blood of the long battle with the land and the sea, they celebrate a passionate engagement with the natural world and a continuity of the generations in the face of transition - in the face of love and loss.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: TALENTED, DEFINITELY -- BUT NOT MY CUP OF TEA...\n\nReview: Fans of Alistair MacLeod, please understand -- I respect his writing abilities, but this book disappointed me. Perhaps it's too much in the vein of what little I've read of Hemingway and London -- but it just didn't hold me like I anticipated...and yes, I read it all the way through.\nThere were some stories I liked more than others -- but for the most part, I found them to be uninvolving. His descriptive talents are immense, and his feeling for his subjects and their setting -- Canada's beautiful but harsh Cape Breton Island, for the most part -- is obviously deep and heartfelt. Perhaps his characters and his storylines are just a little too rough-hewn for me, I can't really put my finger on it.\nI'm glad I read this book -- I had heard a lot about MacLeod's work in the last year or so -- and I won't go so far as to recommend that others NOT read him. As I said, his talents are genuine and obvious, and others might enjoy these stories more than I did. By all means, if you enjoy reading the work of a craftsman, don't ignore this man's writing.\nI've read collections of short stories in the past year that I enjoyed more -- by Russell Banks, John Biguenet, Adria Bernardi, and (my favorite) William Trevor.","Product: Here is one of those rare novels, so captivatingly original, so absurdly funny, surprising and moving, that it crosses all boundaries. In 1971 Mao's campaign against the intellectuals is at its height. Our narrator and his best friend, Luo, distinctly unintellectual but guilty of being the sons of doctors, have been sent to a remote mountain village to be 'reeducated'. The kind of education that takes place among the peasants of Phoenix Mountain involves carting buckets of excrement up and down precipitous, foggy paths, but the two seventeen-year-olds have a violin and their sense of humour to keep them going. Further distraction is provided by the attractive daughter of the local tailor, possessor of a particularly fine pair of feet. Their true re-education starts, however, when they discover a comrade's hidden stash of classics of great nineteenth-century Western literature - Balzac, Dickens, Dumas, Tolstoy and others, in Chinese translation. They need all their ingenuity to get their hands on the forbidden books, but when they do their lives are turned upside down. And not only their lives: after listening to their dangerously seductive retellings of Balzac, the Little Seamstress will never be the same again. Without betraying the truth of what happened, Dai Sijie transforms the bleak events of China's Cultural Revolution into an enchanting and unexpected story about the resilience of the human spirit and the magical power of great storytelling.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A CHARMING, MESMERIZING LOOK AT A TROUBLED TIME\n\nReview: Dai Sijie's little novel is a masterpiece of subtlety, history, and the resilience of the human mind and spirit. His characters are caught up in one of the most horrifying events of the modern era - the Chinese Cultural Revolution - and are challenged not only to survive in the physical sense, but in the intellectual sense as well. They hang on desperately to their lives, their intellect and their friendship - and their story is both moving and inspiring, and not without some healthy humor. The love story that makes up part of the plot is both a familiar and a singular one - and very touching in many ways, without being maudlin. I read the book in a single sitting, in a couple of hours - but I plan to re-read it, taking more time with it, in order to savor the language and emotions a little further.\nThe story told here is one that is uniquely Chinese, but one that is universal at the same time. Despite (or perhaps because of) all of the attention given to the Cultural Revolution by the media and by governments in the West, little is really known outside of China of what it was actually like to pass through this time. This book is an invaluable look at a huge event that changed the lives of millions of people forever - a look at how grand plans made by leaders (no matter how well-intentioned) can go horribly wrong when put into action.\nThere's a mention on the jacket of this novel that it's being made into a film - after reading it, I can easily imagine it. The writing is extremely visual - I could picture the characters and the action with little effort. In the hands of the right director and writer, it could be done with timeless results. I hope that the author is involved in the process - the gentle power and beauty of his language should be retained as much as possible.","Product: A seductive story of suspicion, fear and moral corruption, this is the tale of 10-year-old Marsha. Her life is in turmoil following the collapse of her parents' marriage, and the brutal murder of a local boy. When the shy bachelor from next door begins to take an interest in Marsha's mother, Marsha is drawn into a cruel spiral of events that quickly spins out of control. 'Immaculate and impressive' - \"The Literary Review\".\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: JUST UNDER THE VENEER OF A TRANQUIL ENVIRONMENT...\n\nReview: ...there are usually all sorts of things going on. Suzanne Berg's gently compelling novel A CRIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD is set in the early 1970s -- Nixon is in the White House, Watergate is a breaking story. People are beginning to see the cracks in the feet of the statues of their leaders -- they are beginning to see that the world is not the idyllic place they have enjoyed imagining during the 50s and 60s. It is becoming real -- and it is beginning to intrude into their daily lives.\nThe novel is told from the point of view of Marsha Eberhardt -- a ten year-old girl with an older brother and sister (twins) who torment her (isn't that included in the 'job descriptions' of older siblings?); a mother who is intelligent but wearing blinders, scrambling to find her place in life; and a father who has pretty much stepped out of the family picture, having an affair and running off with his wife's sister. Combine all of these emotional drains with the general 'responsibilities' of being a ten year-old girl and the fact that the tranquility of their 'Leave it to Beaver' type neighborhood has just been shattered by the molestation and murder of a young boy, and life-changing circumstances are geared into motion.\nMarsha's story is told by her adult self, looking back over the span of 25 years or so at the events that formed her outlook on the world -- and at the way she perceived them, and the way that there perceptions guided them along. As much as a look at the events themselves and how they played out -- and there is indeed a palpable aura of mystery here -- the novel addresses the way we respond to events that occur around us, and how the responses we form affect not only our lives but the lives of those around us. Yes, that's right, there's a moral dilemma/lesson to be had here, but not to worry -- Berne's skill and empathy for her characters, as well as her respect for them and for her readers, keeps this from becoming in any way 'preachy'. This is a compelling, intelligent story -- and it's one that will be as relevant for years to come as it is for us today.\nGosh -- writing that's intelligent, a bit of a learning experience, and entertaining all at the same time. Not a bad way to spend some reading time. Highly recommended.","Product: Text: English, Spanish (translation)\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A STUNNING, DIZZYING CREATION\n\nReview: TERRA NOSTRA stands as Carlos Fuentes' most incredible achievement -- and as one of the great books of the 20th Century. The depths and heights of Man's history swirl around the reader as a controlled maelstrom -- grab a handle and hang on for dear life. In this masterpiece, Fuentes attempts nothing less than to transfer the last 500 years or so of the New World -- including its origins in the Old -- into words. Alternately achingly real and mind-bendingly surreal, the story unfolds almost as a jigsaw puzzle falling into place before the reader's eyes.\nAs cliched as it might sound, this is truly a work that MUST be experienced by any reader who recognizes the awesome power of language in the hands of a master craftsman -- there is nothing else like it in Western literature."],"string":"[\n \"Product: lllpo\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: IS ALL OF THIS TAMPERING REALLY NECESSARY...?\\n\\nReview: To start with, I have to say that if you haven't seen this film, PLEASE read William Trevor's novel first. You must experience Trevor's luminous writing before enduring what Atom Egoyan has done to it.\\nThat being said, there are a lot of good things about this film. The cast is superb -- Elaine Cassidy is perfect as Felicia, and a better choice than Bob Hoskins as Mr. Hilditch I can't imagine. Both of them turn in memorable performances here.\\nThe thing that makes it impossible for me to give this film a higher recommendation is Egoyan's inexplicable urge to add elements to Trevor's story. Without writing a 'spoiler' review, I'll just mention that the entire 'videotape' take on Hilditch's 'memory lane', as well as the cooking videos he watches are products of Egoyan's imagination -- they were not present in the novel, and it certainly didn't lack for their non-existence. It annoys me that Egoyan couldn't leave well enough alone -- and it makes me wonder if he succumbs to this temptation with every film he's done. I'm about to read Russell Banks' novel 'The sweet hereafter' to find out...\",\n \"Product: Waking Ned Devine [VHS] (1998)\\nIan Bannen (Actor), David Kelly (Actor), Kirk Jones (Director) | Rated: PG | Format: VHS Tape\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: HEARTWARMING, MEMORABLE, AND GENTLY FUNNY...\\n\\nReview: This film, written and directed by Kirk Jones III, is one of my all-time favorites - and it's only 5 years old. Telling the story of how unimaginable riches can affect the lives of people in a small Irish village, the writing and the characterizations here are absolutely perfect. Without making fun of the people who live in the village, Jones manages to find the humor in their lives - and in this situation - and he lays it out before our eyes in a very loving, respectful way. When I first saw this in the theatre, I laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks - not at mindless slapstick, but at real, deep humor. Some of the tears were from pure emotion as well - these are characters who will get into your heart and stay there for years to come.\\nThe two main protagonists here are lifelong pals Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly - fans of FAWLTY TOWERS will remember him as the bumbling carpenter O'Reilly) - there is nothing in the world they would hesitate to do for each other, with the honesty and love that a long, deep friendship breeds. Jackie is married to Annie (Fionnula Flanagan) - Michael is a widower who is obviously still very much in love with his departed wife (much to the consternation of a precious widow who lives in the village). An inanimate character in the story is the Irish Lottery - many people in the village are regular players, each with his/her own dream of what to do with the winnings, should they fall their way. One morning after a drawing on TV, Jackie discovers that there is a winner in the village, unidentified. He and Michael hatch a scheme to find out the identity of the lucky party and make sure they are fast friends with them - when they discover that their old friend Ned Devine is the winner, they assume their job will be an easy one. There's a small catch - Ned died of shock when he realized that he had hit the jackpot. The rest of the film revolves around Jackie's newly-revised scheme - sure that he's doing what Ned would have wanted, he is determined to convince the man from the Lotto that Ned is alive. Let the shenanigans and general hilarity begin - along with some genuinely touching emotional moments, and more than a little drama and suspense.\\nWe are treated to a wonderful cast of characters the likes of which is rare in a comedic film - each and every one of them is so very well-developed, and even the ones that display humorous aspects are never presented as caricatures. This is where the respect held by Jones for his story and characters becomes valuable to the point of being a rare, precious thing. The interplay between the various characters is extremely well-drawn. Annie's attempts to coax `the boys' back from a `life of crime and prison' are from her heart - it's easy to see that she loves Michael almost as much as her husband. The on-again-off-again courtship between Pig Finn (James Nesbitt) and Maggie O'Toole (Susan Lynch, who played the Selkie in THE SECRET OF ROAN INNISH) is sweet but never cloying - and Eileen Dromey is absolutely perfectly detestable as `the witch' Lizzy Quinn, whose greed and contempt for her neighbors threatens to throw a spanner into the works for everyone.\\nIf you've managed to miss this gem - don't wait any longer. Since it wasn't a huge box-office smash, it might be a little hard to find for rental - so go ahead and take the plunge and buy a copy. I guarantee you won't want to watch it just once.\",\n \"Product: RABBIT-PROOF Fence -- featuring the Golden Globe-nominated score by Peter Gabriel - is a powerful true story of hope and survival and has been met with international acclaim! At a time when it was Australian government policy to train aboriginal children as domestic workers and integrate them into white society, young Molly Craig decides to lead her little sister and cousin in a daring escape from their internment camp. Molly and the girls, part of what would become known as Australia's \\\"Stolen Generations,\\\" must then elude the authorities on a dangerous 1,500-mile adventure along the rabbit-proof fence that bisects the continent and will lead them home. As shown by this outstanding motion picture, their universally touching plight and unparalleled courage are a beautiful testament to the undying strength of the human spirit!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: '...FOR THEIR OWN GOOD...'\\n\\nReview: Director Phillip Noyce, who has several notably successful films - both `artistically' and `commercially' - to his credit, has given viewers something very special indeed in this effort. RABBIT-PROOF FENCE is moving and absorbing, and goes a long way in illustrating to the world the injustices that have been done to indigenous peoples - NOT just the Aborigines in Australia - in the name of `doing what is best for them'. In attempting to impose what they think is best, colonizers from time immemorial have shattered and destroyed millions of families and lives - their arrogance has trampled on the souls of so many. Facing up to this is the first step in righting wrongs, and - hopefully - in preventing their recurrence. A novel I read recently - FUGITIVE PIECES, by Anne Michaels - summed it up nicely: `History is the poisoned well, seeping into the groundwater. It is not the unknown past we're doomed to repeat, but the past we know.' In other words - learning about the mistakes of the past is all well and good, but if we don't learn FROM these mistakes, we have accomplished nothing.\\nThis film is based on a book that chronicles the true story of three young girls on a perilous and courageous journey across 1500 miles of Outback terrain - terrain that is unforgiving as only that in Australia can be. Ripped from their families by `well-meaning' government policies designed to civilize and train `half-caste' children (children born of mixed blood) and assimilate them back into white society, `breeding out the Black' over the course of 2-3 generations, the girls (ranging in age from 7 to 14) are traumatized beyond belief. The strength and heart they show is moving and inspiring - if children can rise up and stand against the odds thrown against these three, we can accomplish anything. The children who were thus `removed to government care' came to be known as `the stolen generations'.\\nNoyce was moved by the story itself - in the form of a screenplay presented to him - to make this film. With successes in the past with such works as THE QUIET AMERICAN, THE BONE COLLECTOR, and two Harrison Ford box-office smashes, PATRIOT GAMES and CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, he had the reputation to make this film happen - and it's a treasure. I'll agree wholeheartedly with another reviewer below - the accompanying documentary on the making of the film, in which we can see the process used to find the three children to portray the main roles (the girls chosen had never acted before) is fascinating. One part of the documentary shows the filming of the scene in which the girls are taken by government agents, literally torn from their mothers' arms - even knowing it was `only a scene in a film', when it was over there were tears in the eyes of not just the actors, but the director and film crew as well. This is VERY moving subject matter - and it translates to the screen incredibly well, without ever lapsing into maudlin sentimentality.\\nAside from the three girls (Everlyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury and Laura Monaghan), everyone else in the cast does a nice job as well. Kenneth Branagh does a fine, understated turn as A.O.Neville, the government official charged with `protecting' the Aboriginal peoples in his region. Notable also is the well-known Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil - veteran of such classics as Peter Weir' THE LAST WAVE and Nicolas Roeg's WALKABOUT). His presence is electrifying, as always - his portrayal of Moodoo the Tracker is successful on many levels, allowing him to illustrate how hard it was for an Aborigine to be `in the service' of the white man's government. Moodoo's own daughter is a pupil at the government-run school where the three girls have been placed - so, while his loyalties to the government lead him to track the runaways, he is able to feel sympathy for their plight at the same time, admiring their skills and (I suspect) secretly hoping that they will elude him.\\nWith all of these components adding up to a fine piece of filmmaking, I can't neglect to mention the amazing soundtrack music, composed and performed by Peter Gabriel. He has taken the story into his heart and provided the viewer with nothing less than the spirit of the girls, their ordeal, story and courage, in musical form. Incorporating many elements of Aboriginal music into his work makes it more powerful still - it's an important element that makes an outstanding contribution to the overall effect of the film.\\nThere is violence in this film - both overt and psychological - but it is a violence that is an intrinsic part of the story. There is no nudity that I remember - if it was present, it was so much a part of the lives depicted that it flowed naturally into the scheme of things. There is only a hint of sexuality. How in the world can a film be successful without sex, nudity, senseless violence, foul language and drugs? This one does it - by taking a moving story (never forget: taken from life) and painting it carefully, honestly and with great feeling onto the screen. This is a film that should be seen by everyone - don't be afraid to view it with your entire family.\",\n \"Product: new\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: TECHNOLOGICALLY -- AND EMOTIONALLY -- BREATHTAKING CINEMA\\n\\nReview: One of the most visually stunning films ever made, Alexandr Sokurov's RUSSIAN ARK is a landmark creation on many levels, many of which have been touted in numerous articles and reviews. From a purely technological aspect, it's the first feature-length film ever made using a single camera photographing a single 96-minute shot in one take, with no edits. The documentary feature on the DVD gives the viewer an inside look at the challenges of this approach - made more daunting by the fact that during the winter in St. Petersburg, the crew only had about 4 hours of daylight with which to work. The logistics requiring the crew surrounding the camera - including the director - to stay out of view, even as the cinematographer spun 360 from time to time, are a major work or choreography in themselves. Sokurov's dedication to his project - and the dedication of his crewmembers - is both apparent and very moving.\\nIn an interview included in the `making of' documentary on the DVD, the director states `I'm sick of editing. I don't want to experiment with time. I want to screen real time - it should be as it is. One doesn't have to fear the flow of time.' So many filmmakers are so concerned that their audience's attention span is so short that they will become bored if things don't `move right along' - it lowers cinema to the `lowest common denominator', fails to challenge the audience, and, in the final analysis, insults the viewer's intelligence. There's no danger of that in any of Sokurov's work - the viewer's mind (and emotions) are given quite a workout, and, as with physical exercise, are stronger for it in the end.\\nSome critics - who perhaps have no patience for being required to think about what they're seeing - criticize Sokurov and other visionary directors (such as the great Andrei Tarkovsky) as being cold and emotionless. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sokurov has stated in several forums that one of the goals of RUSSIAN ARK - and all of his work - is to evoke strong emotions in the viewer. The methods of his creation might be different from those we have come to expect from the major Hollywood studios - but they are very effective, and more thought provoking in the bargain.\\nIn RUSSIAN ARK we experience Russia's treasured museum, the Hermitage, from the point of view of a `visitor' - we never see his face, only hear his voice and thoughts (by Sokurov himself) as he walks through the Winter Palace, viewing tableaux from 300 years of Russian history enacted before his eyes. He is accompanied for most of his journey by another character - unnamed in the film, but based on the Marquis de Custine, who published a travel book in 1839 entitled EMPIRE OF THE CZAR: A JOURNEY THROUGH ETERNAL RUSSIA - with whom he converses and debates the scenes they see before them. We witness Peter the Great berating one of his generals; a play written by the Tsarina is performed for her and selected guests; the appearance before the Tsar of a delegation from Persia, there to apologize for the murder of a Russian diplomat in their country; a grand ball featuring a full symphony orchestra and hundreds of dancers (perhaps the visual climax of the film); and in perhaps the film's most poignant moment, we witness Tsar Nicolas and his family dining together, blissfully unaware of their impending fate. Along the journey from room to room, from tableau to tableau, the viewer, along with the narrator and the Marquis, can gaze upon some of the most breathtaking art the world has ever produced. Even the building itself, with its incredible architecture and opulent outfittings, is a character in its own right - Sokurov's vision has brought the Hermitage to life in a way that draws the viewer right into every frame.\\nThe director has succeeded marvelously in his effort to show the `living' aspects of history, of art. Museums have an undeserved reputation for being `dead' places - they couldn't be more alive. The dangers in abandoning or forgetting our past have been shown time and time again, in both social and political theatres. As the Marquis states at one point during the film, `Everyone can see the future - but no one remembers the past.'\\nSokurov stated that he had long held a dream of `making a film in one breath' - he has achieved that beautifully in RUSSIAN ARK, and it will take your breath away as well. This is cinema for the time capsule.\\nAs far as I have been able to ascertain, the only other Sokurov film available in the US is MOTHER AND SON - check it out as well, and pray that more of his work will become accessible.\\nThe best way to see any great film is, of course, on the screen - so don't pass up any opportunity to experience him in that way, either.\",\n \"Product: A Legendary Yankee Log-Driver Settles In For A Long, Hard Fightwhen He & His Fiesty American Indian Mate Are Ordered Off Theirsoon-To-Be-Flooded Land By The Company Boss.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A GREAT ADAPTATION OF A WONDERFUL STORY\\n\\nReview: Director Jay Craven's adaptation of Howard Frank Mosher's 'Where the rivers flow north' is one of the finest transitions from literature to the screen I've ever witnessed. Craven is obviously an admirer of Mosher's work -- he also directed 'A stranger in the Kingdom', another piece of fine writing from this Vermont writer.\\nThe cast is absolutely superb -- especially Rip Torn and Tantoo Cardinal. Torn throws himself into what could be the finest role of his career with such totality that he BECOMES Noel Lord, the fiercely independent former lumberjack who is the center of this story. Tantoo Cardinal's portrayal of Lord's live-in housekeeper/common-law wife is dead-on as well. I'm both amazed and disappointed that neither of them were nominated for Oscars when this film was released -- I suppose it was overlooked among all of the 'blockbusters' that year, which is a real shame. Performances of this calibre should be acknowledged. The only character that's a little hard to swallow for me is the power company executive played by Michael J. Fox -- Fox is a good actor in his own right, but he just looks too much like a kid in this role. I guess there's a curse attached to youthful looks, no matter how much people want them.\\nThe score by the Horseflies is also first rate -- it fits the mood and scenery perfectly.\\nCraven has done a nice job here in bringing the character of early 20th century Vermont to the screen -- locations, angles, sets, all combine to transport the viewer to the time and place of the story.\\nAnd the story itself...? One of the most compelling portrayals of the fiercely independent American pioneer spirit ever -- a trait that is on the wane in this day and age. When it appears in modern times, the person is often looked upon with suspicion and disdain. In Noel Lord, we have a character whom we can admire for his values, and even for his stubbornness.\\nThis is not a stodgy 'period piece' -- this is a vibrant look at an era that is gone, and a type of character that has all but vanished. These are not gold-plated heroes, but real people, with both strengths and weaknesses at play within them. struggling in a harsh environment to live their lives and at the same time be at peace with the world in which they live. Like today, there are those who weild power that would have it otherwise.\\nThis is one of my favorite films of the modern era -- I cannot recommend it highly enough.\",\n \"Product: Declared \\\"luminously beautiful\\\" by the New York Times, Andrey Zvyagintsev's The Return is a stunning mixture of visionary allegory, urgent suspense and road movie momentum. Zvyagintsev's equal skill with lush visuals, lucid storytelling and breathtaking realism easily netted The Return the prestigious Golden Lion and the Best First Feature Film Award at the Venice International Film Festival. Within the emotional vacuum of a fatherless childhood, young brothers Andrei (Vladimir Garin) and Ivan (Ivan Dobronravov) have grown closer than most siblings. But when they least expect it, the father the boys have never known returns. Under the cool midnight sun of a coastal Russian summer, Andrei and Ivan eagerly hop into a car for a week long fishing trip with a complete stranger they desperately need to believe is their father. but as they travel deeper into the Russian wilderness, their journey devolves from vacation to boot camp to father-sons love triangle and ultimately to a test of wills that pushes to the brink of violence. As it dawns on the boys that the man who could be their father might be trying to abandon, exploit or kill them, The Return's Jungian landscape gives way to fervid Freudian rage, shocking loss and bittersweet redemption. Harried as one of the most auspicious film debuts since Badlands or The 400 Blows, The Return is both a gorgeous contemporary thriller and an astute updating of vanguard Soviet filmmaking. Disturbing, tender, transcendent, The Return's skillful marriage of psychological complexity to mythic imagery effortlessly evokes the watershed films of Andrei Tarkovsky and Roman Polanski.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: from the heart to the soul...?\\n\\nReview: ...from the heart of (first-time!) director Andrey Zvyagintsev to the soul of the viewer, that is. This film is nothing short of amazing. The story is moving, believable and deep on both psychological and emotional levels -- the cinematography, writing and pacing are right on target -- and the acting is as close to perfect as either a director OR audience can imagine.\\n\\nKonstantin Lavronenko plays the long-lost father with just the right mix of strength, mystery and cool understatement -- his character would give many actors an excuse to overplay and draw attention away from the young men portraying the sons, the true centers of the film. The balance he achieves here is a tribute to the care with which he pursues his craft.\\n\\nThe two young actors who play brothers Andrey and Ivan (Vladimir Garin and Ivan Dobronravov, respectively) turn in some of the most believable, moving performances I've ever seen from people their age. The depths of emotion and commitment they give to their roles is extraordinary -- it's a level of quality that is a joy to see in actors of ANY age, but to see it in these who are so young is incredible.\\n\\nThe fact that this is director Zvyagintsev's first feature film tells me that this is indeed a filmmaker to watch -- and I don't think a film of this quality can be written off as 'beginner's luck'. His talent is formidable -- I look forward to seeing more from him.\\n\\nThe story unfolds at just the right pace -- the audience is given no clues as to what will happen next, and is kept is just as much suspense as the characters in the film. The honors this film received at the Venice Film Festival were justified -- I can recommend it without reservation to anyone, whether they favor 'art house' cinema or simply a well-made film telling a compelling story.\\n\\nAdditionally -- it's nice to see Kino expanding the scope of their 'special features' on this DVD. They've released a good number of quality films, but the 'extras' on the ones I've seen have been a little thin. This one has a really nice documentary (63 min) included, a 'film about the film', a well-made and informative look behind the scenes.\",\n \"Product: France released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), Dutch ( Subtitles ), English ( Subtitles ), French ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: 2-DVD Set, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Documentary, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: An Albanian woman living in Belgium finds her dreams of opening a snack bar with her boyfriend leading to tragedy after she agrees to marry a Russian Mafioso in order to gain citizenship. All Lorna wanted was to start a small business with her loving boyfriend, but in order to make that happen she would first have to gain citizenship. Local mobster Fabio claims that he can make that happen if Lorna agrees to a sham marriage with a man named Claudy. After gaining Belgian citizenship, Lorna discovers that a high-profile Russian Mafioso is also seeking legal entry into Belgium, and soon. He's willing to pay a hearty sum in order to marry Lorna, but in order for that second marriage to be possible Fabio will have to have Claudy killed. Will Lorna be able to remain silent as Fabio's deadly plot unfolds, and what will become of her if Fabio finds out that she has warned Claudy of the impending danger he faces? SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Cannes Film Festival, European Film Awards, ...Lorna's Silence ( Le silence de Lorna ) ( Il matrimonio di Lorna )\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: An engrossing film, as only the Darennes could make...\\n\\nReview: When a viewer takes in a film by the Dardenne brothers, theres work to be done. The Belgian auteurs don't lay everything out in an a + b = c order like so many directors one has to pay attention. Its not as if their films are overly obtuse or difficult they reflect life, and the pieces of life rarely fit together like an entry-level jigsaw puzzle. The details of characters and plot are there to be discovered / uncovered as the film progresses its a process that places more responsibility on the shoulders of the viewerbut its more than worthwhile, engendering an interaction that, like a good exercise session, has an invigorating effect and leaves a sense of involvement and satisfaction in accomplishment in its aftermath. The process also embeds the film and the mica-like layers of thought that engendered it in the mind of the viewer, encouraging a reflection on what has been experienced that is as natural as that stimulated by events in the real world. The world depicted in the Dardennes films is a very real one indeed as real as that created by the great French director Robert Bresson in his work. Their work is by no means derivative of Bressons, but hes an obvious influence theyve taken bits and pieces of his philosophy of cinema and added them to their own ideas and goals, moving the art form forward as only those who create from their soul can do. I think Bresson would admire their work I don't think hed feel as if they had copied him.\\n\\nCombining these techniques with actors who have the ability to transform themselves into their characters with an incredible ease and naturalness, captured on film and brought to the screen with their almost instantly recognizable invisible photography that places the viewer in the scene with the characters, participating as a witness, rather than simply watching a film, makes for one of the most unique experiences in contemporary cinema. Their films are works of high art that can instantly be appreciated by any viewer who offers attention the depth of character and situation that is embodied in them can invest a depth of empathy in an audience that is a rare thing indeed.\\n\\nHow else could filmmakers take such characters as a junkie and a woman who has allowed herself to be involved with petty criminals in a marriage-for-citizenship scam and make us care about them, experiencing and recognizing the humanity in these far-less-than-perfect people? The titular Lorna (exquisitely portrayed by Arta Dobroshi) is a recent immigrant from Albania to Belgium, where the film is set. She has entered into a marriage with Claudy Moreau (Jrmie Renier, veteran of two other Dardenne films, La promesse [1996] and Lenfant [2005], as well as works by other directors) in order to achieve Belgian citizenship. Claudy is a junkie, and has been chosen by Fabio, a petty criminal working as a cab driver, as an easy target for the game he is playing. Fabio is in league with the Russian mafia the long-term plan calls for Claudy to be killed, leaving Lorna a widow and free to remarry a Russian who is also seeking citizenship. Everyone gets a cut of the money involved, including Lorna's boyfriend Sokolexcept of course for Claudy, who is viewed as disposable Hes only a junkie, says Sokol.\\n\\nThe very first scene of the film shows money being exchanged, Lorna apparently depositing a sum into an account. Currency changes hands so much on screen that it almost becomes another character but on careful observation, its actually multiple charactersor at least possessing multiple personalities depending on its source, destination, and purpose. Sometimes it is a negative force driving characters apart sometimes a positive one that has the potential of drawing them together.\\n\\nThe scheme seems to be foolproofuntil Lorna begins to see Claudy not as a disposable pawn, but as a human being. The emotional process through which she passes is one of subtle shifts, but it is every bit as gut-wrenching as Claudys attempts to rid himself of his drug habit, desperate to reclaim his life. She agrees to help him stay clean if he will agree to a divorce, freeing her to move on to the next step in the scheme being directed by Fabio. The cab-driving would-be crime magnate, however, is not interested in any change of plans and the conflicts deepen and become more complicated. All of this begins to play on Lornas conscience and psyche, the colors of her emotions shift and change hue, imperceptibly at first and she also begins to see that those with whom she is playing this game are less concerned with her long-range plans than she first thought. As the plotline circles become tighter and tighter, the tension naturally increases, leading to a conclusion that I won't revealbut one that is unexpected, as are so many conclusions in life itself. Her silence is multifold information given by her is doled out frugallyto herself as well as to others.\\n\\nThere are some noticeable differences between this film and the earlier work by the Dardennes but their style is intact, merely showing their growth as writers / directors, as well as employing some improved tools such as the use of 35mm cameras instead of their usual 16mm. Theres even a bit of music at the end of the film, a conscious decision they made in order to allow the mood to fade slowly, much like a sustained note on a piano that ends a piece with a lingering, languid decay. The in-your-face shots are still here, along with camera work designed and executed in such a way as to enhance the viewers sense of true presence in the film. Working from their script with their actors, they're willing to listen to ideas from the cast, implementing some if they feel that the film is improved by their inclusion. Its a nice combination of a give-and-take process over which they maintain ultimate control and one about which they speak at length in one of the interviews (the other being with Arta Dobroshi) that is included as an extra in this, the UK edition of the DVD (its due to be released in the US by Sony in January of 2010 hopefully the same extras and image / sound quality will be present). These elements are hallmarks of their style, placing their work on a higher plane than most contemporary cinema a level that, thankfully, they manage to meet and surpass with each release. Experiencing their films can bring one into closer contact with ones own humanity by virtually inhabiting the characters created and brought to life on the screen: art that promotes empathy and understanding, which has a value far beyond that of mere entertainment.\",\n \"Product: 1 \\t\\tI Should Have Known Better \\t3:52 \\t\\n2 \\t\\tTwo People In A Room \\t2:09 \\t\\n3 \\t\\tThe 15th \\t3:04 \\t\\n4 \\t\\tThe Other Window \\t2:07 \\t\\n5 \\t\\tSingle K.O. \\t2:22 \\t\\n6 \\t\\tA Touching Display \\t6:55 \\t\\n7 \\t\\tOn Returning \\t2:05 \\t\\n8 \\t\\tA Mutual Friend \\t4:26 \\t\\n9 \\t\\tBlessed State \\t3:28 \\t\\n10 \\t\\tOnce Is Enough \\t3:23 \\t\\n11 \\t\\tMap Ref. 41N 93W \\t3:36 \\t\\n12 \\t\\tIndirect Enquiries \\t3:34 \\t\\n13 \\t\\t40 Versions \\t3:27 \\t\\n \\tBonus Tracks\\n14 \\t\\tSong 1 \\t3:02 \\t\\n15 \\t\\tGet Down 1 + 2 \\t4:27 \\t\\n16 \\t\\tLet's Panic Later \\t3:20 \\t\\n17 \\t\\tSmall Electric Piece\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: (3.1 miles ESE of Melrose, Iowa)\\n\\nReview: I've been a big fan of Wire ever since I heard their first album, PINK FLAG. Beginning (more or less) as a group of visual artists wanting to expand into music, embracing the (at the time adventurous) punk sensibility and approach to their new medium, Wire (Colin Newman, Bruce Gilbert, Graham Lewis and Robert Gotobed) have -- as true artists -- never been afraid to allow their art to develop. From album to album, the listener can easily hear the progression made by this group. As they became more and more competent on their chosen instruments, taking them (and all of their aspects and possibilities) into their hands as tools, much like an artist might work with different brushes or methods of applying paint, they have always been true to their own vision, never sacrificing it for the sake of commericial appeal.\\nThat being said, there are examples on almost every recording they've made of songs that 'could have been' hits. The most notable example on 154 is 'Map ref. 41N 93W' -- combining a truly 'catchy', hummable melody with intelligent (but not obscure) lyrics, in a 'radio-friendly' length, I think this song is one of the best singles ever released by a 'non-commercial' band. The wordplay in this song -- as in so many of their works -- is stunning.\\nMost of the songs on 154 are short -- with the exception of 'A touching display', there's nothing here over 4'30\\\". Each one is a mini-masterpiece, displaying many different styles of sound sculpting. The band plays most of the instruments themselves (coaxing some amazing sounds from the standard guitar/bass/drums format), with some synth added by Mike Thorne (their producer), and occasional contributions on voice, flute, viola and cor anglais from four other guests. None of the 'outside' instrumental additions compromise the 'group' effort of the band, however -- this is Wire's creation, from start to finish.\\nThe band's lyrics are always intelligent and literate -- as in the above-mentioned 'Map ref.', stimulating wordplay abounds, and images and emotions are brilliantly conveyed.\\nI was listening to this cd in my car yesterday with my (nearly) 16 year-old daughter, whose tastes are of course more contemporarily oriented -- she was impressed with it. I think it's something that will continue to stand the test of time -- art is, after all, timeless. I would easily rank this among my 'top ten favorite rock albums of all time'.\",\n \"Product: LP\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: AS SMOOTH AS IT GETS...\\n\\nReview: ...in fact, this album should be pictured in the dictionary under the entry for 'smooth'. A more perfect combination couldn't be imagined -- Johnny Hartman's rich, smooth voice aided and abetted by John Coltrane's sax, backed by the finest players that ever accompanied the sax great. Mix that with some of the classiest ballads ever written, and you have an album that is essential to ANY serious collection.\\nEvery single track on this cd is a gem. Hartman pours out the words like honey -- Coltrane and McCoy Tyner play simply gorgeous 'backing' parts, and Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones provide their inimitable foundation to it all.\\nThere's not a note out of place -- and all the musicians shine like stars in the night sky, without getting in each other's way or stepping on any toes, true masters at their craft, and loving every minute of it. You can hear that love of this music on this disc.\",\n \"Product: British prog group's 1973. Six tracks including 'The Talking Drum'. Standard Jewelcase.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: FOR THE THINKING LISTENER...\\n\\nReview: ...and that's not to say that this is unemotional music, or that it's elitist (although some who prefer less thoughtful music might consider it to be just that). When I read comments comparing this album to IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING, or other works from other KC eras, I'm compelled to remind listeners that they MUST consider the various incarnations of the band more than they consider each individual album - the personalities of these varying amalgamations (all captained by Robert Fripp, the band's eternal driving force) are each unique in their own way.\\nThe personnel that make up the edition of King Crimson represented here are, for my tastes, the band at its finest, most creative and challenging. Abandoning the more orchestrated sound favored on the first few KC albums - IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING, IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON, ISLANDS and LIZARD - Fripp has pared his ensemble and sound down to a more minimalist approach, while still creating music that is filled with power, subtleties and imagination.\\nFripp's guitar is one of the most recognizable instruments in progressive rock. His complete control, his restrained yet incredibly powerful playing, his unique use of sustain, his amazing dexterity - all combine into a musical personality unlike any other. As a directing force, it's been said that he's a hard taskmaster - but with the vision he possesses, and the creative forces at work within him (not to mention the unbelievable string of `results' in his career), I can't imagine him being much more of a `democratic' leader. There's too much at stake here. Listen to his playing on every single track - no one else sounds or plays like this. I've been listening to him play for over 30 years, and he still makes my jaw drop.\\nThe rhythm section here - what an inadequate term for the talents of these three individuals - is simply stunning. John Wetton - a veteran of British rockers Family (with several fine recordings to their credit), adds his dexterity on bass as well as a voice that could never be mistaken for anyone else. At times he sounds like he's reaching for the notes with all of his might - the timbre of his voice, and the emotion with which he sings, makes it a beautiful, expressive instrument. Bill Bruford is one of rock's greatest drummers - his work with Yes prepared him well for the intricacies of King Crimson's music, a leap I believe that led him into a much more demanding sense of his art. Jamie Muir - the consummate percussionist - left the band soon after this album was recorded, reportedly because he was unwilling to travel. His mark on this album is indelible, and his influence on Bruford's subsequent work is easy to see.\\nDavid Cross, playing violin, viola and mellotron lends the band a sense of the orchestral arrangements that dominated the earlier recordings - but, again, in a more minimalist sense. His playing can be both delicate and aggressive, as the arrangement requires.\\nThis album is nothing short of a revelation - it shows that rock music can be both powerful and intelligent. I was fortunate enough to hear this band (minus Muir, of course), in 1972, just before this album's US release. I knew that Fripp had put a new band together - and, having been a KC fan for several years already, I was doubtful that anything I heard could top those early recordings. The band lifted the audience off the ground and didn't replace them until after the final notes had died - it was one of those musical experiences that live in the heart of the listener for a lifetime. I was so struck by the power and glory of this band that I managed to see them five times over the next year and a half. The follow-up album by this grouping, STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, RED (as a trio, minis David Cross) and the live album USA (recorded before Cross left the band, but with his parts re-recorded in the studio because of sound problems), showed that this album was not a fluke - this was something very, very special. This album is an essential component of any serious listener's collection - it will change the way you listen to music.\",\n \"Product: GERRY MULLIGAN & PAUL DESMOND - QUARTET - CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: still stunning, 50 years on...\\n\\nReview: This recording - originally issued as BLUES IN TIME - is one for the ages. It's amazing to think, while listening to this album, that it was recorded almost 50 years ago, in August 1957. It just illustrates that great music is timeless - it's as fresh and relevant today as when it was new. I would have been 7 or 8 years old when the LP was originally released - sadly, I hadn't yet discovered the wonders of jazz...if I had heard this at the time, my head would probably have exploded.\\n\\nThe 50s were a particularly exciting time for jazz - the mid-to-late 40s had produced some of the greatest players of all time, experimentation was embraced, and styles were shooting off in all directions, much to the benefit of both the musicians and listeners. Gerry Mulligan, who would prove his staying power over the years, remaining vital to the end of his days, had been largely responsible for the mind-blowing arrangements and overall sound on Miles Davis' landmark BIRTH OF THE COOL sessions (recorded in the late 40s, released on LP in 1957) - Paul Desmond had established his reputation as well, and was a highly respected member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The Brubeck group's recording of Desmond's composition `Take five' did as much as any other event to spread the popularity / acceptance of jazz beyond the smoky nightclubs where it was featured.\\n\\nGerry Mulligan was known all his life as an irrepressible sit-in player - he would show up at gigs by other musicians, planned or impromptu, and play along. In standard arrangements or when improvising, his work was stellar. One such sit-in, at a 1954 Carnegie Hall appearance by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, was the first instance of Mulligan and Desmond sharing a stage - the two reedmen found an instant rapport, but had difficulty bringing any recording plans to fruition due to label contract conflicts. Through a series of trade-offs, GERRY MULLIGAN / PAUL DESMOND was recorded later that year and released by Fantasy Records. BLUES IN TIME in 1957 was followed by TWO OF A MIND (on Verve) in 1962, and WE'RE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME (on Atlantic) in 1972, which also included Dave Brubeck.\\n\\nComing out of the age of Charlie Parker - and undoubtedly feeling Bird's great shadow, as did any sax player of that time - Desmond carved out his own niche with his alto, combining the energy of bebop with one of the keenest senses of melody and harmony in the field. He was where the freedom and energy of New York met the `cool' of the California jazz scene - he combined these two (and other elements) effortlessly and seamlessly, with a quiet humility, always showing the greatest admiration and respect for fellow players. There's a great story about someone musing aloud to Desmond whether Brubeck would have `made it' without him - Desmond quickly and gently replied, `I never would have made it without Dave. He's amazing harmonically, and he can be a fantastic accompanist. You can play the wrongest [sic] note possible in any chord, and he can make it sound like the only right one.'\\n\\nBLUES IN TIME is a dream of a session. There are originals by both Mulligan and Desmond, along with some standards of the day - `Body and soul'; a great quasi-bebop rendition of `Tea for two' that you might not recognize without reading the title; and the Rodgers / Hart classic `Lover'. It's hard to pick standouts here - but I would have to give a nod to Desmond's `Blues in time' and `Wintersong', as well as Mulligan's great `Line for Lyons' (did he ever record a bad version of this tune...?) and `Stand still'. Mulligan's rich baritone and Desmond's lyrical alto dart and weave in and out of each other's lines, finding harmonies, laying down supporting riffs, and sometimes just laying out - I can just picture one or the other simply stepping back to dig what the other is playing. There's not a single line where one gets in the way of the other - the whole album is a joy, from beginning to end, with the two leaders being supported very ably by Joe Benjamin on bass and Dave Bailey on drums.\\n\\nThis is one of those classics that no jazz enthusiast should be without - and, truthfully, something that should be in the collection of anyone who enjoys jazz...or any great music...at all. The currently available version seems to have been re-mastered with reasonable care, and only lists for $[...]. What are you waiting for...?\",\n \"Product: Tim Buckley - S/T - Cd\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: '...LISTEN TO MY MAGIC VOICE'\\n\\nReview: That's the way I remember reacting to this recording when I first heard it, back in 1966 - it's as stunning now as it was then. It's incredible that he was only 19 years old when he made it - the voice, the intelligence and emotion, the songwriting, are all what you would expect from a much older, more seasoned artist. Did I mention his voice? Of course I did - but that voice is one thing that set Tim apart from so many of his contemporaries (and from so many current artists as well). He had amazing control and an unbelievable range - he could soar upward and upward, seemingly without limits, without slipping into an obvious falsetto. The songs on this recording are a foreshadowing of the incredible work that was to come - and perhaps of the apogee that his creativity (and his life) attained too soon. Like all of his fans, I was crushed when he died in 1975 at 28.\\nThe songs here - all written by Tim, or co-written with lyricist Larry Beckett - shine like diamonds. Recorded and released during the folk-rock era, the arrangements and instrumentation reflects that influence, but with an individuality and earnestness that raises them above the crowd. The opening lines of `Song of the magician' sum it up nicely: `When I sing, I can bring everything on the wind flying down from dizzy air...' Buckley's voice always had that power - and combined with some of the most beautifully poetic lyrics ever set to music, the songs on this album (and most of his subsequent releases), it's demonstrated again and again.\\nHighlights? Almost every song is a highlight, but my favorites are `I can't see you', `Wings', `Song of the magician', `Valentine melody', `Song slowly song', and `She is'. The only two here that don't completely work for me are the more straightforward `Understand your man' and, to a lesser extent, `Grief in my soul' - but I can't recall ever listening to this cd and skipping over them. There is magic in this music - a magic that continued to smolder and burn in Tim's work, through all of the stylistic changes he would manifest. It's an incredibly powerful, moving start to a breathtakingly creative career.\",\n \"Product: Brand New\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: JAZZ-TINGED VIBES FROM 'THE VOICE'\\n\\nReview: This is one of my favorite albums by Tim Buckley, and marks his first forays into a 'jazzier' style. Each of the albums he recorded in his brilliant, too-short career has a distinct personality -- the closest relative to HAPPY SAD would have to be the sadly out-of-print BLUE AFTERNOON (PLEASE, someone, make this available again!!!), released shortly after on Frank Zappa & Herb Cohen's Straight Records. Buckley, unhappy with his relationship with Elektra, had signed with Straight -- and the label began releasing albums by him before his contract with Elektra was fulfilled, causing a bit of confusion in the marketplace at the time. HAPPY SAD (Elektra) was followed closely by BLUE AFTERNOON (Straight), which was followed closely by LORCA (Elektra), then STARSAILOR (Straight again). Too much product in too short a time proved more than the market could bear -- and Tim's record sales (and to a lesser extent, his radio play) suffered. The fans he already had delighted, however -- more of his brilliance to enjoy.\\nThe album features a small ensemble, several of whom would remain the core of Buckley's band for several years to come. Subdued electric guitar, bass, vibes, marimba and percussion surrounded Tim's trademark 12-string and his incredibly capable soaring voice. The first two tracks, 'Strange feelin' and 'Buzzin' fly' draw the listener in gently but firmly as Tim weaves his spell, the rhythms gently swaying, the tunes melodic and memorable. The third track, 'Love from room 109 at the Islander', is much more dreamlike in mood and tone, more freeform in style -- but again, Tim's art is magnetic. 'Dream letter' and 'Sing a song for you' are similarly slow-paced, with the frenetic, extended workout of 'Gypsy woman' in between, giving Tim (and the band) a chance to 'stretch out' a bit more.\\nBuckley's life was tragically short -- how many great artists could you say THAT about...? -- but his legacy is, thankfully, preserved in some great, timeless recordings. He moved along the musical highway from folk-rock to poetic pop to jazz to all-out free-form experiments, then back to a more 'commercially viable' jazz-funk-pop sound on his last recordings. His music was always intelligent and imaginative -- and always as challenging as it was rewarding.\",\n \"Product: CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: ...IT MUST RUN IN THE FAMILY\\n\\nReview: With the release of this fine cd, Bebel Gilberto shows that, while she may have inherited some of her legendary father's musical talent, she is definitely an artist with an individuality and direction all her own. She caresses the words to these songs as only Brazilian practitioners of the samba can do, and, with the help of Belgian keyboard wizard and producer Marc Hollander (founding member of the 70s experimental band Aqsaq Maboul), takes the form into new territory, utilizing -- tastefully -- studio technology and electronic rhythms to gently augment and metamorphasize them into her own unique vision.\\nThe tunes on this disc swing and sway just the way you would expect, but with a slight edge -- and the combination of techniques works very well indeed.\\nBebel's voice is alternately soft, sexy, playful and wistful as she works her way through this set of tunes, most of which she had a hand in composing. Her voices -- overdubbing used to really nice effects -- swirl around the listener, pulling them into her world. This music, even while being upbeat in places, is overall very relaxing, but never uninteresting -- there's a lot going on here for the discerning listener to appreciate.\\nIf you're looking for a fresh take on Brazilian samba, give this excellent disc a listen -- I don't think you'll be disappointed.\",\n \"Product: Giant's fifth album, remastered by the band members themselves and includes a few live tracks as a bonus.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A GREAT, IMAGINATIVE BAND IN THEIR PRIME\\n\\nReview: The version of this I have is a re-issue of a re-issue - the original album (1973), GLORIOUSLY remixed, packaged in a miniature reproduction of the original lp sleeve, with two bonus live tracks from 1974 & 1976. The second of the live tracks, `In a glass house', is a pretty muddy, echo-y recording - but why quibble? This album is one of the best of the era from a prog band.\\nGentle Giant were a band of extremely creative, talented multi-instrumentalists - no one played only one instrument, and seeing them juggle parts in concert was a real treat. Critics have accused them over the years of being `cold' and `emotionless' - nothing could be further from the truth. It's easy to hear how much fun they're having with this complex music - and if you ever had the opportunity to see them perform live, it was easy to see as well. None of the musically ambidextrous goings-on were performed just for the sake of showing off - their music is well thought-out, played with abandon and perfection at the same time, accompanied by intelligent and thoughtful lyrics. Every single member of the band has a huge part to contribute - nothing is left to chance, and it's as fun for the listener to hear it all come together as it must have been for the band to perform it.\\nI've played versions of this album for people over the years who have never heard of the band - they've never failed to come away from the experience being impressed - it's jaw-droppingly good. This is a classic of the genre - and a must-have for any true collector.\",\n \"Product: 2CD set combines '5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion' with 'The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter'. Highlights include 'Chinese White', 'No Sleep Blues' and 'Nightfall.' Originally released in 1967 & 1968.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: TWO OF THEIR MOST IMPORTRANT RECORDINGS TOGETHER\\n\\nReview: With the release of their eponymous first album, the ISB made it know to the music listening public that a new force had arrived - one which would inject some energy and vitality into the folk music scene in the UK and the world. With the appearance of this album, THE 5,000 SPIRITS or THE LAYERS OF THE ONION, there could be little doubt that something special had been born. It was released originally in 1967 - at the height of the psychedelic music movement, filled with rapidly expanding imaginations and creativity at work, breaking new ground right and left. I feel it stands head and shoulders above most other releases of its day, in many ways, and should be regarded as a classic for its lyrical content alone. Musically, the ISB were going places - and drawing from sources - that other artists would only dare to touch in years to come. I believe it was their long-time producer, Joe Boyd, who once said that the ISB was the original `world music' group - he couldn't have stated it better.\\nThe set opens with Mike's `Chinese white' - the bowed gimbri played by Robin on this track lets the listener know right away that things have `expanded' a bit since the band's 1966 release. `The bent twig of darkness grows the petals of the morning', sings Mike - a beautiful image worthy of traditional Asian poetry. Mike's other songs on this album run the gamut from love songs (`Painting box' and the eternally lovely `Gently tender') to humorous looks at our place in the world (`Little cloud' and `The hedgehog's song') to a song offering encouragement to the listener to reach for his full potential (`You know what you could be'). The seriousness of some of his topics is gently offset by a childlike quality that, through the ensuing years, would infuse most of his writing with an innocence that would endear it to his fans.\\nRobin's offerings here are for the most part more serious than Mike's - but there is humor in his writing as well, as is evidenced by `No sleep blues' and the hilarious `Way back in the 1960s'. His `First girl I loved' - covered by Judy Collins as `First boy I loved' on her WILDFLOWERS album - is simply one of the most beautiful songs ever written to a first love, looking back with honesty and tenderness on the gifts exchanged, both physical and emotional. His guitar work on this song is (as always) astonishingly creative and lovely. In 'The eyes of fate', he muses `O who can see in the eyes of Fate all life alone in its chronic pattern?' He is one of the most amazingly talented writers ever to pen a verse.\\nTHE HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER is the third album by the ISB, recorded in late 1967 and released in early 1968. Combining instruments and melodies from the far corners of the earth with lyrics unequalled in their day (and rarely since) reflecting on everything from humankind to the natural world, from love to violence, from ancient mysticism to modern realities, the ISB made music like no one else. It spoke - and still speaks - to the heart, the soul, the mind and the body.\\nThe album begins with a trio of Robin Williamson compositions, extremely varied in their presentation, but all tied together by myth. 'Koeeoaddi there' mixes images from Williamson's childhood, including imaginings, songs and games shared with his playmates (including Licorice McKechnie). The variegated visions are pulled together by the chant that becomes the refrain: 'Earth, water, fire and air met together in a garden fair - put in a basket bound with skin. If you answer this riddle, you'll never begin'. The third track, 'Witch's hat', is quite simply one of Williamson's most beautiful songs. The visions his words invoke are dark and crystalline, fog-shrouded shapes moving in the woods - the kind of stuff that scares the hell out of kids and grown-ups alike, but which is beautiful at the same time.\\nThe album's longest composition, Mike Heron's 'A very cellular song' follows. It's a tour-de-force, encompassing several styles of music and themes - including a West Indian funeral song. His subject is nothing less than the beauty and interconnected nature of life itself, told from the level of a single cell. This has been singled out by many reviewers as not only the high point of this album, but of the band's career as well -- and to be sure, from this period onward, it remains one of their most adventurous, popular pieces. Heron's 'Mercy I cry city' is next - a simple man's troubled view of the confusion we call 'civilization'. Humor and innocence play large roles in these lyrics, as in several of Mike's songs over the years (check out 'Cousin Caterpillar' on their WEE TAM/THE BIG HUGE).\\nAnother trio of Robin's songs follow. The first of these, 'Waltz of the new moon', incorporates spiritual images from China, India and the Nordic countries of Europe into a swirling tapestry. Dolly Collins' harp and harpsichord arrangements of this song are especially beautiful. This piece flows effortlessly, seamlessly (and appropriately) into the next tune, 'The water song', another of Williamson's most moving pieces, an ode to the beauty, energy and sacredness of water itself. \\\"Three is a green crown' follows, a beautiful but separate companion to his later work 'Creation' (on CHANGING HORSES), with many mystical references to the process by which the earth was formed, and life appeared and progressed. This is a very hopeful song (I believe), encouraging us to learn all we can about the earth and each other - through knowledge and understanding will come peace: '...the book of life is open to us, there'll be no secrets between us'.\\nMike Heron's 'Swift as the wind' is next, in which a child's parents scoff at his nightmare visions - but the visions belong to the child, not the parents - and the fear and dread he feels are very real to him. 'Nightfall', a Williamson composition concerning the power of the night and of sleep itself, end the album very fittingly: 'O sleep come to me, you who are night's daughter, and I'll give you my eyes for the colors that rise as time's echoes reflect on your water...O river of sight flow through me, washing thoughts of the day on your waters away...for the morrow that dawns never knew me'.\\nThis double-disc package brings together two if the Incredible String Band's most creative and important recordings. It's nice to have them available together at an affordable price.\",\n \"Product: Two beautiful records, 1968 & 1969 releases feature such ISB faves as 'You Get Brighter', The Yellow Snake' & 'Lordly Nightshade. Remastered & recommended! Collectors' Choice. 2002.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: O, I REMEMBER IT ALL FROM BEFORE...\\n\\nReview: When Elektra's US division released this recording in America in late spring/early summer of 1968, they were unsure that it would be marketable as a two-record set, so it was issued as two separate lps. Given the unpredictability of the music market, this was probably a prudent decision -- but I'm glad to see that Hannibal has honored the ISB's original intent and made it available as a reasonably-priced double cd. The two albums should definitely be considered as a whole.\\nThis was the first release I bought by the ISB -- and I was hooked immediately on the exotic melodies, the instruments gathered from all corners of the earth...and the lyrics. I was attending college at the time, and I showed some of the lyrics to my English professor -- he instantly recognized them as songs, but he was very impressed with the quality and depth of the poetry. The songs address a wide variety of topics -- life, love, spirituality, mankind's place in the scheme of things -- and do so with intelligence, insight and gentle wit.\\nThe arrangements on this set are decidedly less complex -- but, I think, just as adventurous -- as those on the preceding recording THE HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER (which came out just 4-5 months earlier). They are perfectly suited to the season of the year -- lighter, less complicated than the darker mood of the prvious album. The lyrics are allowed to dominate.\\nI think I was a fan from the opening bars of 'Job's tears', the first track. I was mesmerized by the beauty and depth of these songs. Yes, I was at an impressionable age (I was 18) -- but as the years have passed under the bridge, I've found that I can return to these recordings (and, indeed, most of the ISB's work) again and again, still spellbound by the wonder of the music found here. The work has aged well.\\nLater in their career, the ISB ventured more into electric instruments -- being pushed there, I suspect, by folks at their new label, Island, thinking that perhaps a more electric sound might be more marketable (Island was the home stable to period stalwarts such as Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, John Martyn and Richard Thompson). Some of these later experiments came off well, some less successfully -- but throughout their career, until their demise in the 1970s, the ISB were always interesting.\\nWilliamson and Heron remained individually active after the band split -- Williamson being extremely prolific -- and I was happy to see last year that they're working together again, that the ISB has been reformed. There are tours and new recordings in the works -- I'll look forward to both eagerly. Meanwhile, I know I'll continue to enjoy their catalogue -- especially this set, which is probably my favorite of their many releases.\",\n \"Product: VALENTIN SILVESTROV - BAGATELLEN UND SERENADEN - CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: the still waters of time...\\n\\nReview: In his notes to the 2004 ECM release of Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov's REQUIEM FOR LASRISSA (dedicated to his wife, Larissa Bondarenko, who died in 1996), music critic Paul Griffiths makes a statement that cuts to the heart of Silvestrov's art : `Time in Valentin Silvestrov's music is a black lake. The water barely moves, the past refuses to slide away, and the slow, irregular stirrings of an oar remain in place.' This sense of `stopped time' pervades many of the composer's works - it seems to me a bit of an aural equivalent of what the great Russian film director Andrei Tarkovsky did in his cinematic masterpieces. Tarkovsky called it `sculpting in time'. In Silvestrov's music, time seems to stand still to the point of disorientation - some of his larger, longer works seem to give the impression of constantly `ending', only to continue. He calls his music `post-symphonic', and the titles of several of his works reflect this: `Postludium' and `Postlude' appear here and there. The listener is left with a sense of dj vu - has this music been experienced before, perhaps in another lifetime? In one of his pieces from the mid-70s, `Kitsch music for piano', there's a movement entitled `A metaphor for Schubert and Chopin', leaving the listener with the impression that this music must have been written by a composer centuries ago - exactly the effect for which Silvestrov was reaching. I think perhaps it's not so much that Silvestrov is trying to `stop time' - it's more like he's setting the listener afloat in that `lake', where the present and the past touch and interact. Memory becomes as tangible as present existence - tenses merge and blur. Herbert Glossner, in the booklet accompanying the ECM release of Silvestrov's SYMPHONY NO. 6, appropriately quotes Marcel Proust (from REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST) : `And all at once the memory returned.' Memory, in the music of Valentin Silvestrov, is as much a physical dimension as space.\\n\\nAfter the obvious starting point in the composer's mind, Silvestrov's compositions begin on the piano. Over the years, I have found that the brief tastes of the composer himself at the keyboard that have been offered on three releases - `Four songs after Osip Mandelstam', for baritone and piano, recorded in 1986 and released WITH SILENT SONGS by both Megadisc and ECM; `Unsnaya musika 1 & 2', included with the song cycle STUFEN, recorded in 1999 and released by Magadisc; and `Hymne 2001', which appears on LEGGIERO, PESANTE, recorded in 2001 and released by ECM - to be some of the most moving music I've ever heard. Thus it was with great anticipation that I awaited the release of BAGATELLEN UND SERENADEN, ECM's newest offering of his works - over half of the album features the composer at the piano, alone, performing some of his most intimate, moving works...many of which he says have never been written down on paper. According to the notes, the composer often works on compositions in this manner, holding snippets of melody in his mind for long periods of time before putting it in writing - thus the pieces are allowed to find their own voice naturally, over time. The sense of physically plucking memories out of time is therefore strengthened by the very process through which the pieces come into being. His music has been described as `a dialogue with silence' - each note, each phrase is given a life of its own and allowed to move and breathe naturally, without artifice. More than any composer I've ever heard, living or not, Silvestrov combines elements of the avant-garde (the school in which he matured) and the neo-romantic - he does it seamlessly and without pretension, holding the melody above all else, even in the most dense and dissonant passages of his larger works. The music has a living flow unlike that of any other composer.\\n\\nI'm by no means a classical music scholar - and what I'm expressing here is intended to be more on an emotional response level than anything so exacting or analytical. Hearing these piano pieces directly from the hands of the composer is a very moving experience for me - it's extremely personal and conversational, as if he's speaking through the keyboard and my soul is responding.\\n\\nThe other half of this CD is comprised of works for chamber orchestra, two of which - `Der Bote' (1996) and `Zwei Dialog emit Nachwort' (2001-02) feature the wonderful playing of Alexei Lubimov, long a fine, sensitive interpreter of Silvestrov's keyboard compositions. The orchestra is the Mnchener Kammerorchester, under the able direction of Christoph Poppen. These are pieces of aching beauty - but one shouldn't take that to indicate that they are `fluff' by any means. Silvestrov's works are always of strong substance and intellectual depth - every note does its part to complete the effect of the whole, and nothing is left to chance or done without consideration.\\n\\nAs one might expect, the production on this release is superb - ECM has long been known for the highest level of audio quality. In the case of the solo piano pieces presented here, they've outdone themselves. Rather than `placing' the listener in close proximity to the performer (some engineers seem to think the listener should practically be inside the piano). Sound engineer Stephan Schellmann and producer Manfred Eicher have achieved a sonic miracle - when I listen to this recording, it's as if I'm sitting about halfway back in the recording space. The element of memory and the feeling of experiencing this music over a `quiet distance', seemingly intangible and untouchable qualities, are brilliantly conveyed by the recording.\\n\\nThis disc presents some of the most important and moving work by a composer whom Arvo Prt has called `one of the greatest composers of our time' - no small bit of praise. I can heartily recommend any the ECM releases that showcase his work - and especially Bagatellen und Serenade. As an introduction to an important composer, it's a great place to start exploring.\",\n \"Product: In her native Brazil, Rosa Passos is known and loved as \\\"a feminine Joao Gilberto.\\\" For a singer/songwriter who carries the soulful cool of bossa nova into a new age, there can be no higher compliment. Mingling the classics of Gilberto, Jobim, Barroso and other masters of Brazilian song with her own enchanting works, Passos sings in a sweet, warm, totally-in-tune voice that the Los Angeles Times has hailed as \\\"sounding a bit like the legendary Elis Regina but with the rhythmic articulation of Ella Fitzgerald.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: another gem from Rosa Passos...\\n\\nReview: I stumbled across a new CD by Rosa Passos today - an artist whose material I will buy without hesitation, given the quality of the work she's done over the course of her career. Rosa's voice is simply one of the most beautiful musical instruments on the planet. When world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma first discovered Rosa's music, he wrote to her and said `I've fallen in love with your voice...' - he later played on her 2004 release, AMOROSA, and the two of them have since worked on other projects together. I'm certain that many other listeners, famous or not, have been touched by the beauty of her music in a similar fashion - I know that I have. The material she chooses is always first-rate (including her own compositions), arranged and performed with impeccable style and grace.\\n\\n2006's ROSA featured just her voice and guitar - an album of breathtaking beauty, and one that I can return to again and again without any fear of it wearing thin. On her new release, ROMANCE, she returns to the small-group setting she has used to such fine advantage through the years - her lovely voice is framed perfectly by 6-7 very sensitive and capable accompanists. There are no more than 6 players on any given track, and it's obvious that everyone is listening to all of the contributors - no one tries to outshine anyone. The arrangements (all by individual band members except for one group effort) are thoughtful, fresh and relaxed.\\n\\nThe songs on ROMANCE come from the pens of some of Brazil's all-time greats - the ubiquitous Antonio Carlos Jobim, along with Vinicius De Moraes, Ivan Lins, Chico Buarque, Joo Donato, Djavan, Dorival Caymmi, and others. These writers have gifted so many great compositions to the world of Brazilian music, many of which have become standards - in Rosa's hands, they become her own. She pours her heart and soul into her singing, but in such a gentle, natural way that nothing ever comes across as sounding forced or disingenuous. The songs have strength and emotion, coupled with the soft touch of a night breeze off the ocean or a morning warmed gently by the sun. The fact that Rosa sings in Portuguese takes absolutely nothing away from the feelings she communicates - there's an intimacy in her delivery that leaves me feeling that she's singing just for me. It's that captivating.\\n\\nI can heartily recommend ROMANCE - that being said, everything I've heard by her is of the highest quality, a world of incredibly beautiful music. Her recordings ROSA (2006), AMOROSA (2004) and ENTRE AMIGOS (AMONG FRIENDS, with the great American jazz bassist Ron Carter) are especially noteworthy - but it would be impossible to go wrong buying anything she has released.\",\n \"Product: In her native Brazil, Rosa Passos is known and loved as \\\"a feminine Joao Gilberto.\\\" For a singer/songwriter who carries the soulful cool of bossa nova into a new age, there can be no higher compliment. Mingling the classics of Gilberto, Jobim, Barroso and other masters of Brazilian song with her own enchanting works, Passos sings in a sweet, warm, totally-in-tune voice that the Los Angeles Times has hailed as \\\"sounding a bit like the legendary Elis Regina but with the rhythmic articulation of Ella Fitzgerald.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: another gem from Rosa Passos...\\n\\nReview: I stumbled across a new CD by Rosa Passos today - an artist whose material I will buy without hesitation, given the quality of the work she's done over the course of her career. Rosa's voice is simply one of the most beautiful musical instruments on the planet. When world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma first discovered Rosa's music, he wrote to her and said `I've fallen in love with your voice...' - he later played on her 2004 release, AMOROSA, and the two of them have since worked on other projects together. I'm certain that many other listeners, famous or not, have been touched by the beauty of her music in a similar fashion - I know that I have. The material she chooses is always first-rate (including her own compositions), arranged and performed with impeccable style and grace.\\n\\n2006's ROSA featured just her voice and guitar - an album of breathtaking beauty, and one that I can return to again and again without any fear of it wearing thin. On her new release, ROMANCE, she returns to the small-group setting she has used to such fine advantage through the years - her lovely voice is framed perfectly by 6-7 very sensitive and capable accompanists. There are no more than 6 players on any given track, and it's obvious that everyone is listening to all of the contributors - no one tries to outshine anyone. The arrangements (all by individual band members except for one group effort) are thoughtful, fresh and relaxed.\\n\\nThe songs on ROMANCE come from the pens of some of Brazil's all-time greats - the ubiquitous Antonio Carlos Jobim, along with Vinicius De Moraes, Ivan Lins, Chico Buarque, Joo Donato, Djavan, Dorival Caymmi, and others. These writers have gifted so many great compositions to the world of Brazilian music, many of which have become standards - in Rosa's hands, they become her own. She pours her heart and soul into her singing, but in such a gentle, natural way that nothing ever comes across as sounding forced or disingenuous. The songs have strength and emotion, coupled with the soft touch of a night breeze off the ocean or a morning warmed gently by the sun. The fact that Rosa sings in Portuguese takes absolutely nothing away from the feelings she communicates - there's an intimacy in her delivery that leaves me feeling that she's singing just for me. It's that captivating.\\n\\nI can heartily recommend ROMANCE - that being said, everything I've heard by her is of the highest quality, a world of incredibly beautiful music. Her recordings ROSA (2006), AMOROSA (2004) and ENTRE AMIGOS (AMONG FRIENDS, with the great American jazz bassist Ron Carter) are especially noteworthy - but it would be impossible to go wrong buying anything she has released.\",\n \"Product: With a career that started in the mid-50s and continues to this day, Norman Blake continues to astound with his Country-Folk-Bluegrass guitar technique that transcends genre, technological changes and the whims of pop culture. Hes been a mainstay in both the Johnny and June Carter Cash bands; he was on Dylans Nashville Skyline, played with Kristofferson, Baez and John Hartford; guested on the ground-breaking Will the Circle Be Unbroken album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and was a contributor to the Coen Brothers O Brother, Where Art Though? motion picture and soundtrack and three other films by them. Blake has 38 albums, a signature guitar line from Martin and the adulations of players worldwide. Wood, Wire & Words is the first recording of all original Blake marterial in over 30 years.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Don't ever doubt that Norman's still got the touch...\\n\\nReview: I bought this album without one whit of worry about the quality of the music it contains. Ive been a fan of Norman Blakes music (and Nancy Blake) for decades, and I had no doubt that this would be yet another recording of his that I would treasure. As soon as I heard his fingers on the strings in the first track, I knew I was right. Sure, hes getting up there in years, and now and then you can hear it in his voice but that just adds to the authenticity of his music. Theres a deep love for this music in his performances its blindingly apparent to anyone wholl give this album even a casual listen. One has to marvel imagining what Norman has seen and experienced over the course of his life not just the musicians with whom hes played, but all of the life experiences hes garnered. You can hear it all in these songs, as on every recording hes ever made.\\n\\nNormans picking has lost a bit of its dexterity and feeling his fingers glide over the fret board and strings seemingly effortlessly. Of course, thats how the great ones sound and Norman is definitely in that company. He loves his guitars and his music like he loves life, and thats a blessing to his listeners.\\n\\nIf you love flatpicking acoustic guitar, you owe it to yourself to check out this album its as fine as anything hes ever done. Normans music doesnt fade or become weak with time it ages like a fine sipping whiskey. I for one will do my best to be at the head of the line anytime he makes a new recording. I feel so fortunate that I was able to see Norman and Nancy in concert here in Austin at the Cactus Caf back in the 80s I sat there watching and listening, completely transfixed. Anytime I put on one of his albums, I literally bask in it.\\n\\nHes a treasure, and this album is one more jewel in his catalogue.\",\n \"Product: 1991 reissue on One Way of the respected prog veterans third album, originally released on Capitol in 1972. The album marked several major turning points in their career - it was their first for Capitol after leaving Island Records; it was the first with\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: 3RD RENAISSANCE ALBUM, 1ST BY THIS GROUP...\\n\\nReview: If that title seems a little confusing, there's a good reason. This is actually the third lp from Renaissance, the group formed out of the ashes of The Yardbirds, founded by Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf and drummer Jim McCarty. After two imaginitive early albums, Relf died in a freak home electrocution and McCarty left the band. Between the second album and this release, the entire personnel of the band changed -- not one person who plays on this recording was on the last one (the band's name, meaning of course 'rebirth', is now doubly appropriate). There is some continuity -- McCarty had a hand in two of the songs ('Kiev' and 'Bound for infinity'), and the band's classical influences remain strong.\\nThis is the first time listeners were exposed to the beautiful vocals of Annie Haslam, soon to become one of progressive rock's most respected voices. John Tout's masterful keyboard work dominates instrumentally -- from the open bars of the first track, a causal listener might think a classical disc might have been substituted by mistake, but with the entry of Jon Camp's bass and Terry Sullivan's drums, the classical and rock influences mesh thoroughly and effectively. Rob Hendry's guitar work is tasteful throughout as well. An added treat is the guest appearance by Francis Monkman (ex-Curved Air) on synthesizer on the final track, 'Rajah Khan'.\\nThroughout their long career, the music of Renaissance was always very impresionistic and evocative -- and the evidence of that can be heard very clearly on this excellent recording. By the time of their next release, ASHES ARE BURNING, the band had gelled even further, and they were off and running, composing their own material and making a very respectable name for themselves in the area of progressive rock.\\nAn essential audio document of an important genre. Nice to see it available at a reasonable price.\",\n \"Product: Instant 1971 Classic by the British Progressive/Psychedelic/Jazzy Rockers Caravan, who Came Up Through the Artsy, Canterbury (Near Kent, England) Scene of the Late Sixties. Includes the Twenty-Two Minute, Forty-Two Second Epic \\\"Nigel Blows the Horn\\\".\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: TAKE A CANTERBURY PILGRIMAGE...\\n\\nReview: If you've never experienced the innocence and eclecticism that was Caravan, you might as well start with this, their finest album. They did a lot of other nice work, before and after (IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, FOR GIRLS WHO GROW PLUMP IN THE NIGHT, parts of WATERLOO LILY...), but this cd shows them at their best.\\nDavid Sinclair played keyboards -- organ, piano and mellotron -- and did some harmony vocals. His Hammond organ dominated the band's sound, but never in a heavy-handed way, and his mellotron work was groundbreaking. He used the instrument to play leads, not just to invoke swelling string section fills, as most practitioners did. His cousin Richard Sinclair played bass and acoustic guitar and sang most of the leads -- he has a pleasant but distinctive, unquestionably British voice, perfectly suited to their material (he later lent his talents to the shatteringly talented ensemble Hatfield and the North). Pye Hastings played guitar (mostly rhythm and some nice understated lead work -- he was, thankfully, never a posing 'guitar god') and did some of the lead vocals, and Richard Coughlin provided the rhythmic foundation with his tasteful drumming. From time to time, Pye's brother Jimmy Hastings appears on flute and sax, adding to the slightly jazzy feel of their arrangements.\\nThere is humor and whimsy in Caravan's music and lyrics -- but never to the point of making them seem silly. This is intelligently crafted music, but music that will bring a smile to your face --- progressive, thought-provoking and hummable at the same time. This band, and this album in particular, is one of the highlights of the 70s British music scene -- and it has aged well. The album is as enjoyable today as when it was released, in 1971.\",\n \"Product: Straight cut jean with hand-sanding, whiskering, and embroidered reverse Fleur de Lis on back pockets.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: OUR SONG IS BUT A CANDLE THAT WILL ONE DAY FADE AWAY\\n\\nReview: ...not these songs. They are, each and every one of them, jewels of the art - and they will endure. Tom Rapp refers to jewels in the lyrics of three of them - `The jeweler', `Rocket man' and `The old man' - and his compositions are indeed jewel-like, both lyrically and melodically so far ahead of their time that it's no surprise that he never achieved commercial success. His work was always critically acclaimed - but the albums released originally by Warner subsidiary Reprise (of which this was the second) were allowed, shamefully, to languish out-of-print for too many years. Released as a four-cd boxed set in 2003, they are available individually, as of today - to which I for one am most grateful to the San Francisco-based Water label. This album was one of my favorite recordings of the 70s - I remember wearing out more than one copy of the LP. It's been too many years since I've heard it - I've listened to it all the way through 3-4 times today, and it hasn't lost one iota of the charm with which it held me rapt (or should that be `Rapp'ed'...? [sorry...]) through so many listenings all those years ago.\\nThe first track, `The jeweler', is one of the most beautifully poetic, moving lyrics I've ever heard. Rapp's portrait of the old man who, after closing his shop, sits up late in the dark, lovingly polishing old coins with `...spit and cloth and ashes' is a poignant one. His imagery is absolutely perfect and beautiful - `...he makes them shine with ashes, he knows the use of ashes, he worships God with ashes.' The booklet notes (by Edwin Pouncey) lean toward the interpretation that the implication is that the jeweler `...must suffer for the adoration of money' - the song seems to speak to me more of the old man's love for beautiful things, of his attempts to restore them to their former beauty. He can shine the coins, removing `the thumbprints from so many ages' - he cannot remove the scratches. Most of the time, he is conscious of this limitation - but all the same, he works on them into the night: `...both his hands will blister badly, they will open painfully, and the blood flows from his hands...he wishes he could cure the scars...when he forgets, he sometimes cries.'\\nJewels are mentioned again in the third track, `Rocket man' (NOT the same as the song by the same title written by Elton John) - in this case, as a double image: the jewels of a mother's tears, the jewels of the father's imagination being the stars themselves. The song (inspired by a story by sci-fi great Ray Bradbury) is sung from the perspective of the son of a `rocket man', an astronaut. The boy and his mother are all too aware of the dangers inherent in the father's work - it seems that they do not speak of it, but rather acknowledge it silently: `...and on my mother's face, as lonely as the world in space, I could read the silent cry: that if my father fell into a star, we must not look upon that star again.' Thus, when the father's ship is swallowed by a solar flare, the mother and son go out when `...the sky was cloudy or the sun was blotted out, or to escape the pain we only went out when it rained.'\\nThe quality of the songwriting is repeated in every track - even the short instrumental `From the movie of the same name' is quite lovely. Rapp addresses issues of the day: man's inhumanity to man (`Tell my why'), the horrors of war (`Margery', `Riegel', and `When the war began'), as well as love and loneliness (`God save the child', `Song about a rose') - and songs that are simply (an appropriate/inappropriate word here) about the human condition, and life (the two mentioned above, plus `The old man'). His songs, while dealing with issues and feelings that are modern, have a medieval mood to them - and this can be attributed to both his lyrics and his music. The use of orchestral instruments in the arrangements here (and in his other albums as well) enhances the mood of the pieces nicely, elevating them above the level of `pop music' - which is one reason, perhaps, that the Pearls Before Swine albums never realized a wider audience. It's a pity - but it's too often the case.\\nThis album is a treasure - a shining moment from the 1970s that's every bit as beautiful and vital today. It's aged extremely gracefully - pass it up at your peril.\",\n \"Product: NTSC/Region 0. The king of Bossa Nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim, gives a glittering concert, shot in Los Angeles and featuring Jobim's brilliant ensemble of leading Brazilian musicians and singers. From the daring, benchmark sounds of `Desafinado' (partly responsible for launching the Bossa craze in the 1950's) to Jobim's most philosophical classic `Aguas de Maro' (Waters of March), the intricate yet always engaging and enveloping sound of Jobim's music makes this concert a standout. Collaborating with such luminaries as the great Jacques Morelembaum on cello and Paulo Braga on drums, intertwining textures of flute and guitar with those of his piano, backed by a tight female vocal section , Jobim makes abundantly clear the talent and technique that made him an international superstar. As an added attraction, Brazilian superstar singer Gal Costa joins the ensemble for five gorgeous numbers - including an especially deft finale. A thrilling evening. Tracks include 'One Note Samba', 'Samba de Soho', 'Anos Dourados' and more. Immortal.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: bought it, returned it...\\n\\nReview: I've been a fan of Jobim's music for years -- his songs contain so much beauty and emotion, and his influence is (deservedly) widespread. The problem I had with this DVD is that for some reason, he chose to sing the entire show in English -- and does so having to constantly refer to notes lying on his piano. I've long enjoyed listening to his songs sung in the original Portuguese -- I don't speak the language (I know only a few words), but that, to me, is part of the beauty of these songs (and other 'world music' as well). The native language of a song is part of the soul of the work -- when it's 'watered down' for American listeners it takes away so much from the original (at least for me).\\n\\nThe musicians are first-rate, the playing and arrangements are fine, and technically (picture and sound) the recording is first-rate. If the language issue isn't an important one to you, then I can recommend this DVD -- it was just too much of a 'deal-killer' for me.\",\n \"Product: It's an album of songs on which Peter plays all the instruments.... Peter's last solo studio recording, Incoherence, was released in 2004, having been completed a day before he had a heart attack. Since then he's been occupied with the Van der Graaf Generator reunion, first in recording Present and then in the run of live shows undertaken in 2005; he was also responsible for remastering the VdGG catalogue. In 2006 Veracious, a set of live duo performances with Stuart Gordon, was released and Peter also remastered the solo CDs which he had recorded for Charisma in the 70s. Little wonder, then, that when he came to write and record Singularity intimations of mortality and considerations of history both public and personal were uppermost in his mind. The main theme here is the long dive down into not being who we were....Perhaps inspired by the early Charisma recordings, Singularity is absolutely a solo record on which Peter sings and plays all instruments alone.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: the artist as mortal...\\n\\nReview: This very welcome new release is Peter's first completely solo recording - in the truest sense of the word - in many years. Just after the final mixes were finished on his last studio album, 2004's INCOHERENCE, Peter suffered a heart attack - and the thoughts and reflections that naturally accompany such a brush with `crossing the line' are very powerfully at work on Singularity. True art is immortal - artists are not. On his notes concerning the recording and release of this album on his website, Sofa Sound, Peter states `...I suppose I can say that most of these songs are Cautionary Tales. Intimations of mortality are present in almost every line...' Those who are familiar with the depth and scope of Peter's work know just what level of quality to expect from his lyrics...those for whom this might be their first exposure are in for a treat. Long-time fans will in no way be disappointed with SINGULARITY - and in many ways, this is an excellent place for newcomers to begin to discover the wonders of Hammill's work.\\n\\nSeveral of the songs give voice to concerns about living our lives to the fullest and the soul-searching we might do at the end of our time on this mortal coil. In the relatively upbeat opening track, `Our eyes give it shape', the singer reflects on the uselessness of acting too late (`...it comes as no surprise that changing all the locks when the horses have bolted is a useless exercise.'), and the treasure of enjoying the small things (`...the simple pleasure is the mystery spice of life...a simple pleasure in the simple things makes life great.'). `Event horizon' follows, more laid-back musically with beautifully layered acoustic guitars - a more direct reference to Peter's `cardiac episode', wherein the singer finds himself `Flat on my back, I can feel myself falling into a singular state of mind', he repeatedly invokes the image of `crossing the line' - but hopefully after having the opportunity of `...dotting the i's' and `crossing the t's'.\\n\\n`Famous last words', the third track on the album, is another song about looking back too late in regret, chiding the addressee: `You'll go out in style, to the last in denial of what anything's meant.' The track begins with a surreal, faraway chorus of tweaked voices (all Peter, of course), singing-chanting in a preview of the song-ending coda: `It's a little too late for sorry...', rather like a Greek chorus chiming in to make sure the point is made to the listener, at the same time a bit like listening to one's own subconscious (conscience?) - a very effective beginning, especially when it ties into the song's ending.\\n\\n`Maybe my mother' is perhaps one of the most personal, moving songs Peter has ever recorded, painting a vivid picture of aging and losing touch with the world. He describes her poignantly: `...distance encamped in her eyes, not quite oblivious but close to a state of inertia, in which she won't even realise how everything's passing her by.' The lyrics speak of the inevitability of aging and death as simply parts of life: `Some journeys we make alone, somehow we'll leave all we've known.' Instrumentally this track is built around the piano, with other layers kept to a minimum - very befitting the lyrical content.\\n\\n`Vainglorious boy' is a bit of self-deprecation on the artist's part - and not the first time Peter has poked a pin at his own balloon, a sign that he doesn't take himself too seriously (nor should the listener).\\n\\n`of wire, of wood' is a short instrumental, the title referring to the sources of sound in a piano. The music bears a sense of foreboding and pent-up energy, the piano being joined as the piece progresses by some sort of tuned percussion which has a bit of a kalimba-like feeling to it. It's a perfect introduction to the next song, `Friday afternoon', which addresses the harsh reality that we never know what tragedy seemingly unrelated events will create when the paths of two fates cross. `Blind drunk, he met you head on, on a normal Friday afternoon' - and the singer laments the loss of his friend: `...sometimes we're pulled up short, quick shockingly defenceless. I don't know what to do: my piano's out of tune...' The tuned percussion from `of wire, of wood' returns toward then end, a musical crossing of paths between the foreboding intro and the story itself - a chillingly effective yet subdued link between the two.\\n\\nThe album ends with `White dot' - a vibrantly surreal song such as only Peter Hammill can create, with layered backward vocals starting us down a road that has us riding a looped piano track and hanging on for all we're worth as the tortured, unreal vocals sing of the mortal danger of an empty mind and life, of drifting through our time with no purpose or meaning. The end could come at any moment: `A time to think is now at a premium...though in the pink in every outward appearance, inside it's white dot time' - `white dot' perhaps referring to the last vestige of light on a television screen when the power has been turned off. The arrangement brilliantly conveys pressure, the closing in of a threatening cacophony, the weight of life.\\n\\nPeter's output is staggering - between recordings issued under his own name, those made with Van der Graaf Generator, and `other projects', they number an incredible 55 releases (which includes, as far as I can tell, only around 4 compilations of material released in other forms). All of this since 1969 - and he's still (thankfully) going strong. His albums encompass a wide variety of styles, employing few or myriad instruments and voices, simple or unbelievably complex arrangements - but the quality of his art has never wavered. The listener can always expect music and lyrics that will intelligent and thought-provoking...sometimes even a bit of fun. SINGULARITY continues a chain of creativity that I hope will continue for many years to come.\",\n \"Product: Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: WRITING WITH AN ARTIST'S TOUCH\\n\\nReview: GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING is simply one of the most stunningly beautiful pieces of writing I've come across in some time. Chevalier's prose falls onto the page lightly, with a grace that makes it seem effortless. Like Vermeer's colors, light and shadows, it is lovingly and carefully constructed, built up in layers, each shining through with its own invaluable contribution to the whole.\\nThe girl in the painting is possessed of a natural, unassuming beauty -- there are none of the haughty airs affected by the 'high-born' ladies she serves, by the wives of her master's (Vermeer's) patrons, present in her expression. Her lovely face is a refreshing respite from the ones so often found in the paintings of the day -- her eyes are deep, honest and wide, taking in the world around her quietly and gently, missing very little.\\nThese perceived characteristics in Vermeer's subject are brought to life vividly by Chevalier in this novel. Griet -- brought into service to Vermeer's family as a kindness, after her father, a tile painter, loses his trade after being blinded in a kiln accident -- is instantly likable. She has a good soul, and loves her family dearly. She is modest and unpretentious -- when she feels desires welling up within her, whether material or emotional in nature, she is discomforted by them.\\nWhen Vermeer and his wife come to the home of Griet and her parents to meet her for the first time, she is in the kitchen preparing food for her family. The eye of the artist is immediately drawn to her work on the counter -- she is cutting vegetables, and she has arranged them, without thinking about the reasons, by colors, arrayed like wedges cut from a wheel. Vermeer senses an innate artistic sensibility within her -- it is an image that will remain with him.\\nWhen Griet comes to stay at Vermeer's house, living among his family, she quickly slips into the eddys and currents of 17th century Dutch family politics -- once again, without having to stop for more than a moment and consider, she intuitively knows whom she can count on to be fair, jealous, powerful, scheming, &c. She sees that the real power of the household rests not with Catharina, Vermeer's wife, but in his mother-in-law, Maria Thins. At the same time, the older woman sees in Griet something special -- this young woman (only 16 when she arrives) is no ordinary girl.\\nGriet is entrusted with cleaning the master's studio on a daily basis -- with the explicit instructions that, other than leaving the area cleaner, she must never leave a sign that she has been there. She must be especially careful of the objects arranged in the area that Vermeer is painting -- they must never be moved. She undertakes this task cleverly, devising a system of her own whereby she can lift the objects and clean under them, replacing them exactly where she found them. Her work is careful and thorough and sensitive to Vermeer's wishes -- and she finds him more and more appreciative of her efforts.\\nThere is one particularly moving scene (among many in this novel) wherein Vermeer takes a moment to explain to Griet how seemingly pure colors contain within them other shades that are more subtle. He asks her what color the clouds are that she sees out the window -- she replies that they are white. He asks her to look again -- and she begins to see shades of blues and greys and pinks in them. She begins to understand how difficult it is for a painting to be born, for the effect to be such that it deeply touches and moves the viewer.\\nOne of Vermeer's patrons takes a licentious interest in Griet -- she resists his advances and attempts to avoid him when he comes to the house. Eventually, he persuades Vermeer to do a portrait of Griet for him -- a task that must be undertaken without the knowledge of Vermeer's wife, and, indeed, most of his family. Only the artist's mother-in-law, Maria Thins, knows about the portrait. As he works on it over a period of several months, it becomes more and more apparent to Griet that the completion of the painting will very likely signal her departure from the household. Along with other emotional events in her life during this period, it places a very real strain on her. She must come to terms with her situation, her view of herself, and her future -- within or without the artist's household.\\nThe book gives the reader an exceptionally clear of what life must have been like in 17th century Delft -- not only among the more privileged classes, but among the working people as well. Without coming across as patronizing in any way, Chevalier gives a sensitive rendering of these people and their times -- and in the process gives the reader a moving, entertaining experience that will not soon be forgotten.\\nIt's probably a bad habit on my part, but I normally steer clear of 'best sellers', preferring to stick to lesser-known authors and first novels -- I find, as a rule, that they tend to take more chances than someone attempting to write something for mass consumption. I have to admit that I avoided this novel for a while, knowing how well it has sold -- and I'll admit that that was a mistake. This is a book that well deserves all of the praise that it has received -- I can well understand how it has moved so many people. It's a wonderful thing to see something so well-written and uncompromising at the same time to be so widely appreciated.\",\n \"Product: The story of a stone-age weapon and tool maker who learned to use the gift of stones\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: ON THE CUSP OF ANOTHER AGE\\n\\nReview: Jim Crace's novel of the coming of the Bronze Age to a small village somewhere in Europe (I'm guessing) is an engrossing, entertaining read. The village of his story makes its living by stone -- its inhabitants all either work it or trade the results to others. They know little of the outside world, and feel little curiosity about it. The story centers around a youth who loses part of an arm after being shot with an arrow -- his new handicap makes him useless to his family and neighbors, since he can no longer work. He begins to spend more and more time wandering further and further afield. When he brings back stories of what he has seen -- embellishing it more, and with greater skill, as time goes by -- he begins to see his narrative skill as a way to make himself valuable once again. The villagers gather around him at night, greedily drinking in his words.\\nDuring on of his expeditions, he comes across a woman living in a hut on a heath -- she is a widow, caring for an infant girl, scavenging what she can from her surroundings, selling herself to whoever will have her to earn food and clothing. The boy befriends her and the child -- on repeated visits, he comes to view them as a second family. During once such visit, her home is destroyed by farmers who dwell nearby, and she is left with nothing. The boy takes her and the child back to his village to live with him -- and her presence there stirs up a great deal of suspicion and jealousy, making life much more difficult than the boy had envisioned.\\nCrace's tale is crafted skillfully -- his prose invokes the period in a very believable way. The concerns, outlooks and beliefs of his characters speak more than their conversations could possibly convey about the life they lived, about the difficulties of their time. When events transpire to bring them knowledge that things are changing in the world around them -- the advent of bronze -- they are at first scornful, then struck cold with fear. They know the world as they know it is coming to an end.\\nTold alternately as a story around a fire by the boy as an adult, and by his daughter remembering what things were like when she was a child, this is a novel that is easy to read in one sitting -- it's that involving and compelling. This is an enlightening tale as well as an entertaining one -- and a book I will not soon forget.\",\n \"Product: Set against the unforgiving landscape of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, these stories are all concerned with the complexities and mysteries of the human heart. Steeped in memory and myth and washed in the brine and blood of the long battle with the land and the sea, they celebrate a passionate engagement with the natural world and a continuity of the generations in the face of transition - in the face of love and loss.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: TALENTED, DEFINITELY -- BUT NOT MY CUP OF TEA...\\n\\nReview: Fans of Alistair MacLeod, please understand -- I respect his writing abilities, but this book disappointed me. Perhaps it's too much in the vein of what little I've read of Hemingway and London -- but it just didn't hold me like I anticipated...and yes, I read it all the way through.\\nThere were some stories I liked more than others -- but for the most part, I found them to be uninvolving. His descriptive talents are immense, and his feeling for his subjects and their setting -- Canada's beautiful but harsh Cape Breton Island, for the most part -- is obviously deep and heartfelt. Perhaps his characters and his storylines are just a little too rough-hewn for me, I can't really put my finger on it.\\nI'm glad I read this book -- I had heard a lot about MacLeod's work in the last year or so -- and I won't go so far as to recommend that others NOT read him. As I said, his talents are genuine and obvious, and others might enjoy these stories more than I did. By all means, if you enjoy reading the work of a craftsman, don't ignore this man's writing.\\nI've read collections of short stories in the past year that I enjoyed more -- by Russell Banks, John Biguenet, Adria Bernardi, and (my favorite) William Trevor.\",\n \"Product: Here is one of those rare novels, so captivatingly original, so absurdly funny, surprising and moving, that it crosses all boundaries. In 1971 Mao's campaign against the intellectuals is at its height. Our narrator and his best friend, Luo, distinctly unintellectual but guilty of being the sons of doctors, have been sent to a remote mountain village to be 'reeducated'. The kind of education that takes place among the peasants of Phoenix Mountain involves carting buckets of excrement up and down precipitous, foggy paths, but the two seventeen-year-olds have a violin and their sense of humour to keep them going. Further distraction is provided by the attractive daughter of the local tailor, possessor of a particularly fine pair of feet. Their true re-education starts, however, when they discover a comrade's hidden stash of classics of great nineteenth-century Western literature - Balzac, Dickens, Dumas, Tolstoy and others, in Chinese translation. They need all their ingenuity to get their hands on the forbidden books, but when they do their lives are turned upside down. And not only their lives: after listening to their dangerously seductive retellings of Balzac, the Little Seamstress will never be the same again. Without betraying the truth of what happened, Dai Sijie transforms the bleak events of China's Cultural Revolution into an enchanting and unexpected story about the resilience of the human spirit and the magical power of great storytelling.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A CHARMING, MESMERIZING LOOK AT A TROUBLED TIME\\n\\nReview: Dai Sijie's little novel is a masterpiece of subtlety, history, and the resilience of the human mind and spirit. His characters are caught up in one of the most horrifying events of the modern era - the Chinese Cultural Revolution - and are challenged not only to survive in the physical sense, but in the intellectual sense as well. They hang on desperately to their lives, their intellect and their friendship - and their story is both moving and inspiring, and not without some healthy humor. The love story that makes up part of the plot is both a familiar and a singular one - and very touching in many ways, without being maudlin. I read the book in a single sitting, in a couple of hours - but I plan to re-read it, taking more time with it, in order to savor the language and emotions a little further.\\nThe story told here is one that is uniquely Chinese, but one that is universal at the same time. Despite (or perhaps because of) all of the attention given to the Cultural Revolution by the media and by governments in the West, little is really known outside of China of what it was actually like to pass through this time. This book is an invaluable look at a huge event that changed the lives of millions of people forever - a look at how grand plans made by leaders (no matter how well-intentioned) can go horribly wrong when put into action.\\nThere's a mention on the jacket of this novel that it's being made into a film - after reading it, I can easily imagine it. The writing is extremely visual - I could picture the characters and the action with little effort. In the hands of the right director and writer, it could be done with timeless results. I hope that the author is involved in the process - the gentle power and beauty of his language should be retained as much as possible.\",\n \"Product: A seductive story of suspicion, fear and moral corruption, this is the tale of 10-year-old Marsha. Her life is in turmoil following the collapse of her parents' marriage, and the brutal murder of a local boy. When the shy bachelor from next door begins to take an interest in Marsha's mother, Marsha is drawn into a cruel spiral of events that quickly spins out of control. 'Immaculate and impressive' - \\\"The Literary Review\\\".\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: JUST UNDER THE VENEER OF A TRANQUIL ENVIRONMENT...\\n\\nReview: ...there are usually all sorts of things going on. Suzanne Berg's gently compelling novel A CRIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD is set in the early 1970s -- Nixon is in the White House, Watergate is a breaking story. People are beginning to see the cracks in the feet of the statues of their leaders -- they are beginning to see that the world is not the idyllic place they have enjoyed imagining during the 50s and 60s. It is becoming real -- and it is beginning to intrude into their daily lives.\\nThe novel is told from the point of view of Marsha Eberhardt -- a ten year-old girl with an older brother and sister (twins) who torment her (isn't that included in the 'job descriptions' of older siblings?); a mother who is intelligent but wearing blinders, scrambling to find her place in life; and a father who has pretty much stepped out of the family picture, having an affair and running off with his wife's sister. Combine all of these emotional drains with the general 'responsibilities' of being a ten year-old girl and the fact that the tranquility of their 'Leave it to Beaver' type neighborhood has just been shattered by the molestation and murder of a young boy, and life-changing circumstances are geared into motion.\\nMarsha's story is told by her adult self, looking back over the span of 25 years or so at the events that formed her outlook on the world -- and at the way she perceived them, and the way that there perceptions guided them along. As much as a look at the events themselves and how they played out -- and there is indeed a palpable aura of mystery here -- the novel addresses the way we respond to events that occur around us, and how the responses we form affect not only our lives but the lives of those around us. Yes, that's right, there's a moral dilemma/lesson to be had here, but not to worry -- Berne's skill and empathy for her characters, as well as her respect for them and for her readers, keeps this from becoming in any way 'preachy'. This is a compelling, intelligent story -- and it's one that will be as relevant for years to come as it is for us today.\\nGosh -- writing that's intelligent, a bit of a learning experience, and entertaining all at the same time. Not a bad way to spend some reading time. Highly recommended.\",\n \"Product: Text: English, Spanish (translation)\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A STUNNING, DIZZYING CREATION\\n\\nReview: TERRA NOSTRA stands as Carlos Fuentes' most incredible achievement -- and as one of the great books of the 20th Century. The depths and heights of Man's history swirl around the reader as a controlled maelstrom -- grab a handle and hang on for dear life. In this masterpiece, Fuentes attempts nothing less than to transfer the last 500 years or so of the New World -- including its origins in the Old -- into words. Alternately achingly real and mind-bendingly surreal, the story unfolds almost as a jigsaw puzzle falling into place before the reader's eyes.\\nAs cliched as it might sound, this is truly a work that MUST be experienced by any reader who recognizes the awesome power of language in the hands of a master craftsman -- there is nothing else like it in Western literature.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":32,"string":"32"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":292,"string":"292"}}},{"rowIdx":293,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"ARMD5LRBY9NSC"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Danielle Bourdon was born and raised in Corona, California. This is her second novel and first co-authored project. She lives in Texas with her husband, two sons, and their black cat Sheba.\". The summary of the review text is \"Bound by Blood by Kimberely Hoyt\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This is a typical paranormal vampire/human romance in that the main protagonist is a human who falls in love with a vampire. But it is less than typical when the romance leads to time travel and King Henry's Court. The difference made it interesting and gave a new twist on what could have been a tired story.\n\nLaurel is from a farm in Kansas. Headed to NYC with her best friend they have made a stop over in a small town in order to work and save the money to find an apartment and jobs in the big city. They work in a bar which has an unusual cast of characters working and frequenting it.\n\nSebastian is a vampire, not just any vampire but the Prince of Europe. He has a special attachment to the area Laurel is living in so keeps a home there and visits often. On one of his visits he meets Laurel in a cemetery where he rescues her from a man who is following her, walks her home and begins a romance with her. The romantic tension builds slowly and believably most of the time. One of the best things about this book was the slow build up. It gave time for the characters to develop and for the reader to care about them.\n\nThe time travel scenes were both funny and tragic. There was enough detail to make you wonder how you would do if suddenly taken back in time. No plastic toothbrushes, no toilet facilities, no deodorant. Oh My! Is our protagonist able to blend in with a society she is totally unfamiliar with?\n\nYou will just have to read it and find out.\n\nKaren Bryant Doeing"},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"This is a typical paranormal vampire/human romance in that the main protagonist is a human who falls in love with a vampire. But it is less than typical when the romance leads to time travel and King Henry's Court. The difference made it interesting and gave a new twist on what could have been a tired story.\n\nLaurel is from a farm in Kansas. Headed to NYC with her best friend they have made a stop over in a small town in order to work and save the money to find an apartment and jobs in the big city. They work in a bar which has an unusual cast of characters working and frequenting it.\n\nSebastian is a vampire, not just any vampire but the Prince of Europe. He has a special attachment to the area Laurel is living in so keeps a home there and visits often. On one of his visits he meets Laurel in a cemetery where he rescues her from a man who is following her, walks her home and begins a romance with her. The romantic tension builds slowly and believably most of the time. One of the best things about this book was the slow build up. It gave time for the characters to develop and for the reader to care about them.\n\nThe time travel scenes were both funny and tragic. There was enough detail to make you wonder how you would do if suddenly taken back in time. No plastic toothbrushes, no toilet facilities, no deodorant. Oh My! Is our protagonist able to blend in with a society she is totally unfamiliar with?\n\nYou will just have to read it and find out.\n\nKaren Bryant Doeing"},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Christina Larmer is a journalist, magazine editor and author of nine books including An Island Lost, A Plot To Die For (second in the Ghostwriter Mystery series), The Agatha Christie Book Club, and the non-fiction book A Measure of Papua New Guinea (Focus; 2008). She grew up in the tropics and spent several years working in London, Los Angeles and New York, but now lives with her musician husband and two sons in the Byron Bay hinterland of Northern NSW, Australia. Christina is passionate about crime fiction and when shes not scribbling away, can be found immersed in a classic Agatha Christie.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Fun Australian Mystery! Killer Twist by C. A. Lamer\n\nReview: Having lived for several years in Australia I love books by Australian authors. They give me a chance to remember the places I have been, things I did and the people and country I fell in love with.\n\nKiller Twist is a nice little cozy mystery that takes place in the Sydney area. Both the city and the suburbs. Nicely written with a good sense of style and locale the story is fun and interesting. The clues are well placed and paced and given without too much ado, just enough to be able to catch on, which is the mark of a good cozy.\n\nRecommended as a fun, easy breezy read, with a well defined protagonist, interesting secondary characters and easy style. Lot's of local flavor here which catches the imagination.\n\nKaren Bryant Doering\nParents' Little Black Book\nMistBlueEeyore@gmail.com","Product: Andrew was born in 1978. Raised in picturesque Lincoln he spent his infancy watching the jousting at the castle in summer, and his childhood playing kiss chase in the fields behind his house; he always wanted to be a knight... or a rogue... a knightish rogue perhaps? Having escaped an adjuster's life in London Insurance land, Andrew now teaches English as a foreign language. He has taught in Thailand, Taiwan, Argentina and is now teaching in Spain. Andrew has now completed his second Blackstone & Brenwen novel \"Swansong for a Sibling\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Blackstone & Brenwen: The Mirror & The Meretrix\n\nReview: There is nothing quite so compelling as a story that takes all preconceived notions and turns them on their heels. Even more so when our childhood stories are given a new treatment and we find the hero's of our favorite stories may not be exactly who we thought they were.\n\nPoor Jack is in trouble for stealing from the giant. Without the able defense assistance of the firm of Blackstone & Brenwen he may find his goose cooked, literally.\n\nLittle Red Ridding Hood is in a pickle. She is accused of murdering the prince while he was disguised as a wolf. The Red Queen wants her head and Snow White is ready to make that happen.\n\nOh my!\n\nA very detailed and fun fantasy world is created by the author that becomes more realistic and believable as the story unfolds. Well thought out and crafted the characters come to life with personality and charm. Throw in a little courtroom drama and a winner is born.\n\nA story I would recommend without a pause.\n\nKaren Bryant Doering,\nParents' Little Black Book","Product: Roxe Anne Peacock is the author of two short stories and seven poems. The Rockford Chamber of Commerce sponsored a juried art book, Art Rockford, copyright 2004, which Roxe Anne was asked to participate in. It sold at Barnes & Noble and Borders, Rockford Art Museum, and at other book venders throughout the Rock River Valley area. While raising five daughters, she was a Girl Scout leader, 4-H leader, and hosted several AFS students. She participated in Civil War re-enactments for over ten years, helped host ladies teas for the public, participated in Civil War balls, and helped educate the public at living histories. She also appeared on CSPAN in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. At the present, Roxe Anne is working on another mystery and a historical cookbook. She enjoys her pug, Spike, and being with family and friends.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Leave No Trace by Roxe Anne Peacock\n\nReview: Jessica is about to graduate High School but things are starting to fall apart. Her best friend and class valedictorian is missing and Jessica is going to be giving Sandy's speech instead. Then Jessica is told another classmate is missing. It can't be a coincidence that two of the graduating senior girls have disappeared can it? How does that happen? I don't want to tell anymore of the plot because I don't want to give any spoilers but it is a good one that includes some slithery critters and dark caverns.\n\nMs. Peacock has given us a very interesting, suspensful and intriguing mystery set in the southwestern United States in the Carlsbad Caverns area. The story is very well written with characters who are believable, sympathetic and compelling. Each time I read one of Ms. Peacock's novels I am impressed with her ability to bring her young adult characters to life.\n\nThe storyline is well developed and the characters' back stories make sense and are added appropriately to move the plot forward. With good dialogue that is realistic and a bit of romance that is age appropriate to its target audience, this story moves forward at a good pace and flow.\n\nWhile this is a YA novel it is one that can be enjoyed by adults as well.\n\nRead Time: Adult 4 to 5 hours, YA approx. 6 hours\n\nKaren Bryant Doering,\nParent's Little Black Book","Product: ABOUT THE AUTHOR (a.k.a. Join My Alaskan Army) Email me. No, seriously, email me. kingnovel@gmail.com. Go do it. Right now. I love keeping my ear to the very heart of the publishing industrywhich means I have to talk to you. I think entertaining and inspiring others is the most important thing about writing, and if Im doing my job right, people will actually want to tell me what they think. So, dammit, if you were entertained or inspired, I wanna hear from you. Im utterly freakin serious. In case youre still not convinced, consider this: Im a lifelong Alaskan. We do things differently here. With the roving grizzly bears (yes, I live in the Bush, not like those pussies in town) and my closest neighbor a mile away, it gets kinda lonely when its just me and my computer and a big, vast wilderness out my back door. I want to talk to the people who are reading my books, because who the hell else am I going to talk to?! In case youre concerned about writing to a complete stranger, I assure you Im totally approachable, in my random, quirky, too-much-time-without-sun kind of way. Ive spent my entire life (starting at three years old!) working on writing as an art form, and Ive poured my heart and soul into the twenty (ish) books Ive written, so you can be damn sure I want feedback. I mean, putting together these (utterly brilliant, totally awesome) masterpieces and then getting nothing but silence is like building the Eiffel Tower and having people gomeh. So shoot me an email at kingnovel@gmail.com and let me know your thoughts on the book! I respond to every email I get (though sometimes it takes longer than others). Oh, and friend me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kingfiction (authors need friends, too) and check my Author Page https://www.facebook.com/sknovel for the latest writerly news and updates. Or, even better, hop on over to Amazon and check out my other character-driven series, like The Legend of ZERO: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTKA42Y/ or Millennium Potion: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007W6RBSE/ or, heck, even my Boston Teaparty in Space sci-fi adventure Outer Bounds: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IO7QAGO/ to see some of my other compelling characters in action!\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Alaskan Fire (Guardians of the First Realm) by Sara King\n\nReview: A refreshing new view of the paranormal world set in the Alaskan wilderness where many supernaturals have fled to protect themselves from the encroachment on the land by humans. Living in a tenuous harmony each has carved out a patch of ground that will sustain them for food and hide them from humans.\n\nInto this world comes Blaze. A woman with a passion for sustainable farming, a need to hide out from a world that has little acceptance or room for a 6'4\" redhead with unconventional looks and a temper to match. As she tries to turn a run down and abandoned hunting and fishing resort into a successful business she turns to a local handyman, Jack, for assistance and experience. Little does she know that her resort is on land he considers his own. Staked out by him and protected by his alternate wereanimal he has little use for the tenderfoot who has decided to revive the resort.\n\nThe novel is a fun and shows a new take on the usual romantic fantasy of supernatural men and human women. It was easy to read, flowed well and the characters were different from the usual. Recommended as a quick and easy read, I will read more from this author.\n\nKaren Bryant Doering,\nParents' Little Black Book\nMistBlueEeyore@gmail.com","Product: Suzy Turner is a Yorkshire lass who moved to Portugal when she was ten. Although she continues to live in south western Europe with her husband, a fondness for travel led her to Canada for the first time in 2009. It was there, within the spectacular surroundings of British Columbia, that she was inspired to write The Raven Saga.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Raven (The Raven Saga) by Suzy Turner\n\nReview: Lilly finds her entire world turned upside down the day she comes home to an empty apartment. Her parents are no longer in residence and she has been left to fend for herself. As the police investigate, Lilly is sent from England to Canada to live with the grandfather she has no memory of. Once there she learns family secrets that may contain clues to the mystery of why her father left her and who she really is.\n\nFor the first time Lilly has a family who cares for her, friends who are open and accepting and a home full of laughter and warmth. But behind the facade there are still questions to be answered and a mystery to be solved. Who is Lilly, really?\n\nThe novel is uneven in places and leaves little to be discovered by giving too many clues, it is still interesting and a fun read.\n\nYoung Adult 13+.\n\nKaren Bryant Doering,\nParents' Little Black Book\nMistBlueEeyore@gmail.com","Product: Brand New. Never opened\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Like running a marathon without getting a glass of water at the end.\n\nReview: I am neither a fan of the Harry Potter series or not a fan. I read them at the time my granddaughters and niece were reading the series to keep up with the books that had \"taken over\" their young lives. While I didn't find the Potter series to be especially well written, I always kept in mind that it was written for children. The Casual Vacancy is not a children's book and should not be read with the same kind of expectations.\n\nKnowing the setting was a small English village I looked forward to reading it. I love cozy's set in small towns, general fiction set in small towns and in fact, I live in a small town and am familiar with how they tend to operate. They are pretty much the same no matter what country you live in, because people are the same around the world. Having said that, this story may have been set in a small town but it reads more like a city.\n\nWas it good? No not really. Nor was it especially poor. The author tried a bit too hard to bring too many characters into the story which left character development rather sparing. I felt as if she were trying hard to create an epic novel which fell flat. The beginning was slow, the middle interesting and the ending was manipulative. I didn't find myself either liking or identifying with any of the protagonists which is a necessary feature if you want people to enjoy the story.\n\nNo, Ms, Rowling, the ending did not make me cry. Instead I felt like I had run a marathon and come in so far behind the sponsors had already taken away the drinks table. Cut out a third and it just might work.\n\nKaren Bryant Doering,\nParents' Little Black Book\nMistBlueEeyore@gmail.com","Product: CA Woolf was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends. Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006. CA was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young CA first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time. She worked her way through college and went to work full time straight after graduation and there was little time to write. Then in 1990 she and two friends started a round robin writing a story about pirates. She found that she missed the writing and kept on with other stories. In 1992 she joined Colorado Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America. Unfortunately, the loss of her job demanded she not renew her memberships and her writing stagnated for many years. In 2001, she saw an ad in the paper for a writers conference being put on by CRW and decided she'd attend. One of her favorite authors, Catherine Coulter, was the keynote speaker. CA was lucky enough to have a seat at Ms. Coulter's table at the luncheon and after talking with her, decided she needed to get back to her writing. She rejoined both CRW and RWA that day and hasn't looked back. CA credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she's made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity. OTHER TITLES AVAILABLE CENTAURI DAWN CENTAURI TWILIGHT CENTAURI MIDNIGHT CENTAURI SERIES THE COMPLETE COLLECTION THE SWORDS OF GREGARA JENALA THE SWORDS OF GREGARA RIZA THE SWORDS OF GREGARA - HONORA WEBSITE www.CAWoolf.com\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: The Swords of Gregara-Jenafa, a sci-fi romance by Cynthia Woolf\n\nReview: This is a short story which takes place on the planet Gregara.\n\nJenala Delasa is the orphaned daughter of a miner. She has worked the mine alone since the death of her father. Never quite hitting a major vein but still making enough to make ends meet, barely.\n\nSantro is looking for revenge. He is searching for the man who brought pain and grief to his family. He tracks him to Rucem, the capital. Where he witnesses his enemy in a sword fight.\n\nI don't want to say more about the story as it is short and I don't want to give the plot away.\n\nThis is a difficult review for me. The storyline is creative, the major characters are interesting and the setting is well developed. The story has an old west mining community feel about it which worked very well. The two main protagonists have a bit of sizzle between them and the non human character was fun.\n\nBut there are some problems. In a short story where each word must carry weight in order to move the plot forward, this story has too many words. Incidents of importance in both characters back stories are repeated taking major space from character development and plot flow. The \"bad guy\" is never developed with sufficient believability. Another character is given a major role in the beginning and then just drops out of the story never to return.\n\nBut overall, even with the problems, this is an interesting concept which would do very well with further development. Ms. Woolf has shown us she has the talent to bring a story idea to life. She shows ability in her writing. So we are going to rate it as 3.5 Stars with the hope that the author will tighten it up, give her characters a little more depth and then re-submit it to us for review.\n\nKaren Bryant Doering,\nParents' Little Black Book"],"string":"[\n \"Product: Christina Larmer is a journalist, magazine editor and author of nine books including An Island Lost, A Plot To Die For (second in the Ghostwriter Mystery series), The Agatha Christie Book Club, and the non-fiction book A Measure of Papua New Guinea (Focus; 2008). She grew up in the tropics and spent several years working in London, Los Angeles and New York, but now lives with her musician husband and two sons in the Byron Bay hinterland of Northern NSW, Australia. Christina is passionate about crime fiction and when shes not scribbling away, can be found immersed in a classic Agatha Christie.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Fun Australian Mystery! Killer Twist by C. A. Lamer\\n\\nReview: Having lived for several years in Australia I love books by Australian authors. They give me a chance to remember the places I have been, things I did and the people and country I fell in love with.\\n\\nKiller Twist is a nice little cozy mystery that takes place in the Sydney area. Both the city and the suburbs. Nicely written with a good sense of style and locale the story is fun and interesting. The clues are well placed and paced and given without too much ado, just enough to be able to catch on, which is the mark of a good cozy.\\n\\nRecommended as a fun, easy breezy read, with a well defined protagonist, interesting secondary characters and easy style. Lot's of local flavor here which catches the imagination.\\n\\nKaren Bryant Doering\\nParents' Little Black Book\\nMistBlueEeyore@gmail.com\",\n \"Product: Andrew was born in 1978. Raised in picturesque Lincoln he spent his infancy watching the jousting at the castle in summer, and his childhood playing kiss chase in the fields behind his house; he always wanted to be a knight... or a rogue... a knightish rogue perhaps? Having escaped an adjuster's life in London Insurance land, Andrew now teaches English as a foreign language. He has taught in Thailand, Taiwan, Argentina and is now teaching in Spain. Andrew has now completed his second Blackstone & Brenwen novel \\\"Swansong for a Sibling\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Blackstone & Brenwen: The Mirror & The Meretrix\\n\\nReview: There is nothing quite so compelling as a story that takes all preconceived notions and turns them on their heels. Even more so when our childhood stories are given a new treatment and we find the hero's of our favorite stories may not be exactly who we thought they were.\\n\\nPoor Jack is in trouble for stealing from the giant. Without the able defense assistance of the firm of Blackstone & Brenwen he may find his goose cooked, literally.\\n\\nLittle Red Ridding Hood is in a pickle. She is accused of murdering the prince while he was disguised as a wolf. The Red Queen wants her head and Snow White is ready to make that happen.\\n\\nOh my!\\n\\nA very detailed and fun fantasy world is created by the author that becomes more realistic and believable as the story unfolds. Well thought out and crafted the characters come to life with personality and charm. Throw in a little courtroom drama and a winner is born.\\n\\nA story I would recommend without a pause.\\n\\nKaren Bryant Doering,\\nParents' Little Black Book\",\n \"Product: Roxe Anne Peacock is the author of two short stories and seven poems. The Rockford Chamber of Commerce sponsored a juried art book, Art Rockford, copyright 2004, which Roxe Anne was asked to participate in. It sold at Barnes & Noble and Borders, Rockford Art Museum, and at other book venders throughout the Rock River Valley area. While raising five daughters, she was a Girl Scout leader, 4-H leader, and hosted several AFS students. She participated in Civil War re-enactments for over ten years, helped host ladies teas for the public, participated in Civil War balls, and helped educate the public at living histories. She also appeared on CSPAN in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. At the present, Roxe Anne is working on another mystery and a historical cookbook. She enjoys her pug, Spike, and being with family and friends.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Leave No Trace by Roxe Anne Peacock\\n\\nReview: Jessica is about to graduate High School but things are starting to fall apart. Her best friend and class valedictorian is missing and Jessica is going to be giving Sandy's speech instead. Then Jessica is told another classmate is missing. It can't be a coincidence that two of the graduating senior girls have disappeared can it? How does that happen? I don't want to tell anymore of the plot because I don't want to give any spoilers but it is a good one that includes some slithery critters and dark caverns.\\n\\nMs. Peacock has given us a very interesting, suspensful and intriguing mystery set in the southwestern United States in the Carlsbad Caverns area. The story is very well written with characters who are believable, sympathetic and compelling. Each time I read one of Ms. Peacock's novels I am impressed with her ability to bring her young adult characters to life.\\n\\nThe storyline is well developed and the characters' back stories make sense and are added appropriately to move the plot forward. With good dialogue that is realistic and a bit of romance that is age appropriate to its target audience, this story moves forward at a good pace and flow.\\n\\nWhile this is a YA novel it is one that can be enjoyed by adults as well.\\n\\nRead Time: Adult 4 to 5 hours, YA approx. 6 hours\\n\\nKaren Bryant Doering,\\nParent's Little Black Book\",\n \"Product: ABOUT THE AUTHOR (a.k.a. Join My Alaskan Army) Email me. No, seriously, email me. kingnovel@gmail.com. Go do it. Right now. I love keeping my ear to the very heart of the publishing industrywhich means I have to talk to you. I think entertaining and inspiring others is the most important thing about writing, and if Im doing my job right, people will actually want to tell me what they think. So, dammit, if you were entertained or inspired, I wanna hear from you. Im utterly freakin serious. In case youre still not convinced, consider this: Im a lifelong Alaskan. We do things differently here. With the roving grizzly bears (yes, I live in the Bush, not like those pussies in town) and my closest neighbor a mile away, it gets kinda lonely when its just me and my computer and a big, vast wilderness out my back door. I want to talk to the people who are reading my books, because who the hell else am I going to talk to?! In case youre concerned about writing to a complete stranger, I assure you Im totally approachable, in my random, quirky, too-much-time-without-sun kind of way. Ive spent my entire life (starting at three years old!) working on writing as an art form, and Ive poured my heart and soul into the twenty (ish) books Ive written, so you can be damn sure I want feedback. I mean, putting together these (utterly brilliant, totally awesome) masterpieces and then getting nothing but silence is like building the Eiffel Tower and having people gomeh. So shoot me an email at kingnovel@gmail.com and let me know your thoughts on the book! I respond to every email I get (though sometimes it takes longer than others). Oh, and friend me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kingfiction (authors need friends, too) and check my Author Page https://www.facebook.com/sknovel for the latest writerly news and updates. Or, even better, hop on over to Amazon and check out my other character-driven series, like The Legend of ZERO: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTKA42Y/ or Millennium Potion: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007W6RBSE/ or, heck, even my Boston Teaparty in Space sci-fi adventure Outer Bounds: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IO7QAGO/ to see some of my other compelling characters in action!\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Alaskan Fire (Guardians of the First Realm) by Sara King\\n\\nReview: A refreshing new view of the paranormal world set in the Alaskan wilderness where many supernaturals have fled to protect themselves from the encroachment on the land by humans. Living in a tenuous harmony each has carved out a patch of ground that will sustain them for food and hide them from humans.\\n\\nInto this world comes Blaze. A woman with a passion for sustainable farming, a need to hide out from a world that has little acceptance or room for a 6'4\\\" redhead with unconventional looks and a temper to match. As she tries to turn a run down and abandoned hunting and fishing resort into a successful business she turns to a local handyman, Jack, for assistance and experience. Little does she know that her resort is on land he considers his own. Staked out by him and protected by his alternate wereanimal he has little use for the tenderfoot who has decided to revive the resort.\\n\\nThe novel is a fun and shows a new take on the usual romantic fantasy of supernatural men and human women. It was easy to read, flowed well and the characters were different from the usual. Recommended as a quick and easy read, I will read more from this author.\\n\\nKaren Bryant Doering,\\nParents' Little Black Book\\nMistBlueEeyore@gmail.com\",\n \"Product: Suzy Turner is a Yorkshire lass who moved to Portugal when she was ten. Although she continues to live in south western Europe with her husband, a fondness for travel led her to Canada for the first time in 2009. It was there, within the spectacular surroundings of British Columbia, that she was inspired to write The Raven Saga.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Raven (The Raven Saga) by Suzy Turner\\n\\nReview: Lilly finds her entire world turned upside down the day she comes home to an empty apartment. Her parents are no longer in residence and she has been left to fend for herself. As the police investigate, Lilly is sent from England to Canada to live with the grandfather she has no memory of. Once there she learns family secrets that may contain clues to the mystery of why her father left her and who she really is.\\n\\nFor the first time Lilly has a family who cares for her, friends who are open and accepting and a home full of laughter and warmth. But behind the facade there are still questions to be answered and a mystery to be solved. Who is Lilly, really?\\n\\nThe novel is uneven in places and leaves little to be discovered by giving too many clues, it is still interesting and a fun read.\\n\\nYoung Adult 13+.\\n\\nKaren Bryant Doering,\\nParents' Little Black Book\\nMistBlueEeyore@gmail.com\",\n \"Product: Brand New. Never opened\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Like running a marathon without getting a glass of water at the end.\\n\\nReview: I am neither a fan of the Harry Potter series or not a fan. I read them at the time my granddaughters and niece were reading the series to keep up with the books that had \\\"taken over\\\" their young lives. While I didn't find the Potter series to be especially well written, I always kept in mind that it was written for children. The Casual Vacancy is not a children's book and should not be read with the same kind of expectations.\\n\\nKnowing the setting was a small English village I looked forward to reading it. I love cozy's set in small towns, general fiction set in small towns and in fact, I live in a small town and am familiar with how they tend to operate. They are pretty much the same no matter what country you live in, because people are the same around the world. Having said that, this story may have been set in a small town but it reads more like a city.\\n\\nWas it good? No not really. Nor was it especially poor. The author tried a bit too hard to bring too many characters into the story which left character development rather sparing. I felt as if she were trying hard to create an epic novel which fell flat. The beginning was slow, the middle interesting and the ending was manipulative. I didn't find myself either liking or identifying with any of the protagonists which is a necessary feature if you want people to enjoy the story.\\n\\nNo, Ms, Rowling, the ending did not make me cry. Instead I felt like I had run a marathon and come in so far behind the sponsors had already taken away the drinks table. Cut out a third and it just might work.\\n\\nKaren Bryant Doering,\\nParents' Little Black Book\\nMistBlueEeyore@gmail.com\",\n \"Product: CA Woolf was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends. Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006. CA was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young CA first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time. She worked her way through college and went to work full time straight after graduation and there was little time to write. Then in 1990 she and two friends started a round robin writing a story about pirates. She found that she missed the writing and kept on with other stories. In 1992 she joined Colorado Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America. Unfortunately, the loss of her job demanded she not renew her memberships and her writing stagnated for many years. In 2001, she saw an ad in the paper for a writers conference being put on by CRW and decided she'd attend. One of her favorite authors, Catherine Coulter, was the keynote speaker. CA was lucky enough to have a seat at Ms. Coulter's table at the luncheon and after talking with her, decided she needed to get back to her writing. She rejoined both CRW and RWA that day and hasn't looked back. CA credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she's made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity. OTHER TITLES AVAILABLE CENTAURI DAWN CENTAURI TWILIGHT CENTAURI MIDNIGHT CENTAURI SERIES THE COMPLETE COLLECTION THE SWORDS OF GREGARA JENALA THE SWORDS OF GREGARA RIZA THE SWORDS OF GREGARA - HONORA WEBSITE www.CAWoolf.com\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: The Swords of Gregara-Jenafa, a sci-fi romance by Cynthia Woolf\\n\\nReview: This is a short story which takes place on the planet Gregara.\\n\\nJenala Delasa is the orphaned daughter of a miner. She has worked the mine alone since the death of her father. Never quite hitting a major vein but still making enough to make ends meet, barely.\\n\\nSantro is looking for revenge. He is searching for the man who brought pain and grief to his family. He tracks him to Rucem, the capital. Where he witnesses his enemy in a sword fight.\\n\\nI don't want to say more about the story as it is short and I don't want to give the plot away.\\n\\nThis is a difficult review for me. The storyline is creative, the major characters are interesting and the setting is well developed. The story has an old west mining community feel about it which worked very well. The two main protagonists have a bit of sizzle between them and the non human character was fun.\\n\\nBut there are some problems. In a short story where each word must carry weight in order to move the plot forward, this story has too many words. Incidents of importance in both characters back stories are repeated taking major space from character development and plot flow. The \\\"bad guy\\\" is never developed with sufficient believability. Another character is given a major role in the beginning and then just drops out of the story never to return.\\n\\nBut overall, even with the problems, this is an interesting concept which would do very well with further development. Ms. Woolf has shown us she has the talent to bring a story idea to life. She shows ability in her writing. So we are going to rate it as 3.5 Stars with the hope that the author will tighten it up, give her characters a little more depth and then re-submit it to us for review.\\n\\nKaren Bryant Doering,\\nParents' Little Black Book\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":7,"string":"7"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":293,"string":"293"}}},{"rowIdx":294,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A247M2SSLKTSHY"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"3.0\" for a product with description \"Katie Penryn spent a happy and somewhat wild childhood on the East African coast during the fifties and sixties. Her father worked for the British High Commission and her mother ran a dairy farm up country. Katie now lives in the beautiful Dordogne, in the South West of France, where she runs a creative center for writers and artists offering retreats and painting holidays.\". The summary of the review text is \"I'd Award 3 3/4 Stars, If I Could\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I'm a bit torn in trying to review this book. If it were possible to award it 3 1/2 or 3/4 stars, I'd do so. At the beginning I found myself liking the book very much indeed, despite the deplorably cutesy cover art. (A photograph of the coast of France would have been so much more appropriate to the story!) The novel is well written and well-edited, and the main character, a successful woman despite her struggle with dyslexia, is especially intriguing. The setting after the family's move to France is alluring. The introduction of a supporting character with, shall we say, unexpected abilities, was well-done.\n\nI didn't find it credible, though, that the police in any country would work so hard to railroad an innocent women and conclude a case with nothing but the most minimal of circumstantial evidence, almost certain to be thrown out in court. And I began to lose interest in the story once the characters began to deploy their magical abilities almost exclusively to locate the real murderer. The freeze spell especially irritated me (think the freeze ray in \"Despicable Me\" !) The final passages of the book felt hurried, the situations (even for a magical fantasy) unlikely.\n\nHowever, because I did like the characters and the setting, and because much of the book was intriguing, I won't write off the possibility of reading other books in the series."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"I'm a bit torn in trying to review this book. If it were possible to award it 3 1/2 or 3/4 stars, I'd do so. At the beginning I found myself liking the book very much indeed, despite the deplorably cutesy cover art. (A photograph of the coast of France would have been so much more appropriate to the story!) The novel is well written and well-edited, and the main character, a successful woman despite her struggle with dyslexia, is especially intriguing. The setting after the family's move to France is alluring. The introduction of a supporting character with, shall we say, unexpected abilities, was well-done.\n\nI didn't find it credible, though, that the police in any country would work so hard to railroad an innocent women and conclude a case with nothing but the most minimal of circumstantial evidence, almost certain to be thrown out in court. And I began to lose interest in the story once the characters began to deploy their magical abilities almost exclusively to locate the real murderer. The freeze spell especially irritated me (think the freeze ray in \"Despicable Me\" !) The final passages of the book felt hurried, the situations (even for a magical fantasy) unlikely.\n\nHowever, because I did like the characters and the setting, and because much of the book was intriguing, I won't write off the possibility of reading other books in the series."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: This item includes the Savannah Sofabed solid hardwood frame only. (if you want a mattress and cover you will need to order them separately). THREE POSITIONS - Our unique design allows the sofa to be easily adjusted from fully upright to a comfortably reclined position. When you are ready for bed, nothing could be easier, simply lift the front edge and slide back. This sofabed goes from upright to reclined to bed in seconds! ABOUT POPLAR HARDWOOD - The Savannah sofabed frame is made of smooth, clean, unfinished poplar hardwood. The wood has been kiln dried and planed on 4 sides to be smooth to the touch. The wood takes stain or paint exceptionally well but most of our customers elect to leave it as is and enjoy the beauty of natural wood. ***IMPORTANT NOTICE - This item requires assembly, we include all hardware and step-by-step instructions.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very good quality for the money\n\nReview: It took my two sisters and I only about 1 1/2 hours to assemble this futon, and there was only one point (lifting the back onto the slots) in which we found the instructions totally confusing -- a simple close-up drawing of this part of the assembly process would have greatly helped. I would definitely recommend two people, minimum, to do the assembly, just so you have the extra pair of hands needed to hold one part steady while adding another part. The wood is lovely; tulip poplar, white, well-sanded. I saw only one spot where I will definitely need to do some light sanding prior to finishing. Even unfinished, the frame is very attractive. There was one knothole in the wood that, if it had been on the seat portion of the frame, might have produced a weak spot, but it was (fortunately or by design) on the upper back. I haven't yet attempted making it into a bed; I suspect it will be quite heavy to move the frame into that position, but at least it is sturdy. As a couch, it is very comfortable. All in all, I am very pleased with this futon.","Product: This frame comes with WOODEN posts which give it an elegant look and feel. The brushed metal frame is durable and will serve you for years.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Seems very sturdy, easily assembled\n\nReview: Good quality for the under-$200 I paid for it. Metal slats are welded to the frame, and are no more than 4 inches apart, as recommended for the Tuft & Needle mattress I paired it with. It is not intended for both a mattress and box frame; it's meant for use with memory foam.. The posts are a good, hard wood. I am 62 years old, and assembled it by myself in 1 1/2 hours, despite the fact that the instructions totally suck. The minimally necessary allen wrenches are included for assembly, but I recommend at least a pair of pliers to hold the nuts in place while tightening the bolts. There are exactly the needed number of bolts and nuts included, no spares, so don't misplace one or you'll be making a trip to the hardware store. One bolt was badly machined and would not accept the nut, but fortunately, I had one of the correct size in my own stash. There are no washers included, of course, to make the nuts secure, so if you don't want to be replacing the nuts somewhere down the road, I'd recommend you pick some up before starting to assemble it. It seems very sturdy and is definitely attractive. UPDATE: After painfully stubbing my toe multiple times on the central legs that hold the frame in place, I covered them with heavy foam rubber wrapped in duct tape. These legs can't be moved, but they are precisely where one stands to make the bed or change the sheets. Ouch!.","Product: The Fruit of the Loom Womans Cotton Stretch Extreme Comfort Bra is one of best sellers. Unlined to give a smooth natural look, this bra is perfect for everyday wear. Fruit of the Loom has been one of Americas most trusted brands for over 160 years. We promise to deliver quality undergarments at an affordable pricealways. Start everyday happy with Fruit of the Loom.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Very comfortable and in colors I couldn't get elsewhere\n\nReview: I had originally purchased some of these bras from HerRoom.com, and chose to purchase two more on Amazon only because the pink and red colors weren't available from the other provider, and also because, for some unfathomable reason, one cannot purchase Fruit of the Loom bras directly from the Fruit of the Loom website. (Go figure!) I'm not certain why these two feel ever-so-slightly snugger than the ones I purchased elsewhere, but it probably has something to do with the underpaid Asian seamstress who stitched them. In any case, just like my others, the bras are truly extremely comfortable--no chafing or rubbing, and they seem to hold the ladies in place very well. I wash lingerie by hand, and these cotton bras seem to hold up better than the synthetic fabrics I was previously wearing, but I doubt I would wash these by machine. I note that some other reviewers complain that the bras have gone from a three-hook to a two-hook closure, but not having purchased them in the previous form, I'm still very pleased with them. I was also astonished at how quickly they arrived from this seller.","Product: Pamela Grandstaff grew up in West Virginia and lives in the beautiful Ohio River Valley. In addition to the Rose Hill Mystery Series, she has written two books for children: Ella's New Hat and Her Terrible Cat, and June Bug Days and Firefly Nights. For more information visit RoseHillMysteries.com\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good, but hard to keep all the characters straight\n\nReview: A book that is well-written and edited, with characters all having surprising emotional depth, and a bit amusing in part. Nevertheless, a very leisurely pace is a hallmark of this mystery story. I have to admit that I merely skimmed a couple of parts, trying to get back to the meat of the mystery. Also, for those in the reading audience who've recently endured the loss of a loved one to cancer or to Alzheimer's disease, parts of this novel might prove a bit upsetting (or not; reading of others enduring the same problems might be a relief to some). If I had any real problem with the book, it was the fact that there are so many, many characters. Despite having read the previous book, I found myself confused at more than one point; a character list would have been helpful. Still, all of the many characters played an important role in the unfolding mystery, and I did enjoy the book.","Product: Carole is the author of the cozy mystery series, \"The Terrified Detective.\" She has also had stories published in a number of anthologies such as \"Chicken Soup for the Soul.\" She currently lives in Dallas, Texas, but is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, which is the setting for her terrified detective.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A Refreshing Take on the Cozy Genre\n\nReview: It was refreshing to read a mystery in which the sleuth is actually reluctant to do the sort of crazy things with which so many mystery heroines seem to have no problem, such as snoop through a suspect's office. I found myself liking the fact that the protagonist admitted to quaking in her shoes! A tribe of quirky but likeable family members added a touch of humor to the story, and although I'd fingered the murderer early on, there were enough false clues and red herrings thrown in to make me second-guess myself. I enjoyed the character development, too; some of the characters quite surprised me, taking off in a very different direction than I would have anticipated. The book was much longer than most cozy mysteries -- whether that is a plus or a minus is, I suppose, according to your personal preferences. I enjoyed the detail, myself, and despite the length, the story remained suspenseful throughout and the pace never slowed.","Product: Elise Sax writes hot and hilarious happy endings. She worked as a journalist, mostly in Paris, France for many years but always wanted to write fiction. Finally, she decided to go for her dream and write a novel. She was thrilled when An Affair to Dismember, the first in the Matchmaker Mysteries series, was sold at auction. Elise is an overwhelmed single mother of two boys in Southern California. She's an avid traveler, a swing dancer, an occasional piano player, and an online shopping junkie. Friend her on Facebook: facebook.com/ei.sax.9 Send her an email: elisesax@gmail.com You can also visit her website: elisesax.com And sign up for her newsletter to know about new releases and sales: elisesax.com/mailing-list.php\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I never give a book 5 stars, BUT!\n\nReview: I almost never award 5 stars to a book, but this book was absolutely the funniest mystery I've read in years--and that includes all the Stephanie Plum novels. I laughed so hard at a couple of spots in the story that I darned near choked! The characters are all just that--characters!--and so much fun. The mystery is actually a full-blown mystery, with unexpected plot twists and turns, turning the reader's suspicions now on this character, now on that one. The writing is first class, too. My 80-something Dad is a major Janet Evanovich fan but doesn't have a Kindle and wouldn't touch mine if I gave it to him free with five extra years of life, so I hurried to the website to find him a paperback copy, because I know he will be calling me, drowning in laughter, trying to say, \"Did you read that part where....\" Absolutely can't wait to read more in this series.","Product: Sandra Baublitz is a lover of all animals. She has always loved dogs and cats. A Dog Detective series originally began as a contest entry. Paws creation was influenced by the Beethoven movies and the authors desire to own a Saint Bernard. The author never got the opportunity to own a St. Bernard, and her current cats will not allow a new edition. Ms. Baublitz expresses her love of the breed by continuing to write about Clarissa and Paw and their mystery adventures. She hopes her readers enjoy reading them as much as she enjoys writing them.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A worthwhile clean mystery\n\nReview: The book was basically well-written and edited. Since this is the first book of the series, I have to say that I found the beginning of the story to be a little abrupt. I felt a little confusion over exactly who these characters were, and why one of the protagonists was investigating the death; one expects that if coming partway into a series, but a little more explanatory material at the very start would not have gone amiss. For readers who prefer a book without sexual innuendo or commentary, this story would definitely please them. Although I found it a little bit unbelievable that the characters would jump into the dog show world having virtually no knowledge of how to conduct themselves,and without any real preparation, the author managed to make it work without making the plot too contrived. And I always find it a bit beyond credibility when an amateur sleuth does something as dangerous and foolhardy as search a suspect's room (using lock picks, no less), but, again, the author managed to make the plot fairly credible. All in all, a worthwhile read."],"string":"[\n \"Product: This item includes the Savannah Sofabed solid hardwood frame only. (if you want a mattress and cover you will need to order them separately). THREE POSITIONS - Our unique design allows the sofa to be easily adjusted from fully upright to a comfortably reclined position. When you are ready for bed, nothing could be easier, simply lift the front edge and slide back. This sofabed goes from upright to reclined to bed in seconds! ABOUT POPLAR HARDWOOD - The Savannah sofabed frame is made of smooth, clean, unfinished poplar hardwood. The wood has been kiln dried and planed on 4 sides to be smooth to the touch. The wood takes stain or paint exceptionally well but most of our customers elect to leave it as is and enjoy the beauty of natural wood. ***IMPORTANT NOTICE - This item requires assembly, we include all hardware and step-by-step instructions.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very good quality for the money\\n\\nReview: It took my two sisters and I only about 1 1/2 hours to assemble this futon, and there was only one point (lifting the back onto the slots) in which we found the instructions totally confusing -- a simple close-up drawing of this part of the assembly process would have greatly helped. I would definitely recommend two people, minimum, to do the assembly, just so you have the extra pair of hands needed to hold one part steady while adding another part. The wood is lovely; tulip poplar, white, well-sanded. I saw only one spot where I will definitely need to do some light sanding prior to finishing. Even unfinished, the frame is very attractive. There was one knothole in the wood that, if it had been on the seat portion of the frame, might have produced a weak spot, but it was (fortunately or by design) on the upper back. I haven't yet attempted making it into a bed; I suspect it will be quite heavy to move the frame into that position, but at least it is sturdy. As a couch, it is very comfortable. All in all, I am very pleased with this futon.\",\n \"Product: This frame comes with WOODEN posts which give it an elegant look and feel. The brushed metal frame is durable and will serve you for years.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Seems very sturdy, easily assembled\\n\\nReview: Good quality for the under-$200 I paid for it. Metal slats are welded to the frame, and are no more than 4 inches apart, as recommended for the Tuft & Needle mattress I paired it with. It is not intended for both a mattress and box frame; it's meant for use with memory foam.. The posts are a good, hard wood. I am 62 years old, and assembled it by myself in 1 1/2 hours, despite the fact that the instructions totally suck. The minimally necessary allen wrenches are included for assembly, but I recommend at least a pair of pliers to hold the nuts in place while tightening the bolts. There are exactly the needed number of bolts and nuts included, no spares, so don't misplace one or you'll be making a trip to the hardware store. One bolt was badly machined and would not accept the nut, but fortunately, I had one of the correct size in my own stash. There are no washers included, of course, to make the nuts secure, so if you don't want to be replacing the nuts somewhere down the road, I'd recommend you pick some up before starting to assemble it. It seems very sturdy and is definitely attractive. UPDATE: After painfully stubbing my toe multiple times on the central legs that hold the frame in place, I covered them with heavy foam rubber wrapped in duct tape. These legs can't be moved, but they are precisely where one stands to make the bed or change the sheets. Ouch!.\",\n \"Product: The Fruit of the Loom Womans Cotton Stretch Extreme Comfort Bra is one of best sellers. Unlined to give a smooth natural look, this bra is perfect for everyday wear. Fruit of the Loom has been one of Americas most trusted brands for over 160 years. We promise to deliver quality undergarments at an affordable pricealways. Start everyday happy with Fruit of the Loom.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Very comfortable and in colors I couldn't get elsewhere\\n\\nReview: I had originally purchased some of these bras from HerRoom.com, and chose to purchase two more on Amazon only because the pink and red colors weren't available from the other provider, and also because, for some unfathomable reason, one cannot purchase Fruit of the Loom bras directly from the Fruit of the Loom website. (Go figure!) I'm not certain why these two feel ever-so-slightly snugger than the ones I purchased elsewhere, but it probably has something to do with the underpaid Asian seamstress who stitched them. In any case, just like my others, the bras are truly extremely comfortable--no chafing or rubbing, and they seem to hold the ladies in place very well. I wash lingerie by hand, and these cotton bras seem to hold up better than the synthetic fabrics I was previously wearing, but I doubt I would wash these by machine. I note that some other reviewers complain that the bras have gone from a three-hook to a two-hook closure, but not having purchased them in the previous form, I'm still very pleased with them. I was also astonished at how quickly they arrived from this seller.\",\n \"Product: Pamela Grandstaff grew up in West Virginia and lives in the beautiful Ohio River Valley. In addition to the Rose Hill Mystery Series, she has written two books for children: Ella's New Hat and Her Terrible Cat, and June Bug Days and Firefly Nights. For more information visit RoseHillMysteries.com\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Good, but hard to keep all the characters straight\\n\\nReview: A book that is well-written and edited, with characters all having surprising emotional depth, and a bit amusing in part. Nevertheless, a very leisurely pace is a hallmark of this mystery story. I have to admit that I merely skimmed a couple of parts, trying to get back to the meat of the mystery. Also, for those in the reading audience who've recently endured the loss of a loved one to cancer or to Alzheimer's disease, parts of this novel might prove a bit upsetting (or not; reading of others enduring the same problems might be a relief to some). If I had any real problem with the book, it was the fact that there are so many, many characters. Despite having read the previous book, I found myself confused at more than one point; a character list would have been helpful. Still, all of the many characters played an important role in the unfolding mystery, and I did enjoy the book.\",\n \"Product: Carole is the author of the cozy mystery series, \\\"The Terrified Detective.\\\" She has also had stories published in a number of anthologies such as \\\"Chicken Soup for the Soul.\\\" She currently lives in Dallas, Texas, but is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, which is the setting for her terrified detective.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A Refreshing Take on the Cozy Genre\\n\\nReview: It was refreshing to read a mystery in which the sleuth is actually reluctant to do the sort of crazy things with which so many mystery heroines seem to have no problem, such as snoop through a suspect's office. I found myself liking the fact that the protagonist admitted to quaking in her shoes! A tribe of quirky but likeable family members added a touch of humor to the story, and although I'd fingered the murderer early on, there were enough false clues and red herrings thrown in to make me second-guess myself. I enjoyed the character development, too; some of the characters quite surprised me, taking off in a very different direction than I would have anticipated. The book was much longer than most cozy mysteries -- whether that is a plus or a minus is, I suppose, according to your personal preferences. I enjoyed the detail, myself, and despite the length, the story remained suspenseful throughout and the pace never slowed.\",\n \"Product: Elise Sax writes hot and hilarious happy endings. She worked as a journalist, mostly in Paris, France for many years but always wanted to write fiction. Finally, she decided to go for her dream and write a novel. She was thrilled when An Affair to Dismember, the first in the Matchmaker Mysteries series, was sold at auction. Elise is an overwhelmed single mother of two boys in Southern California. She's an avid traveler, a swing dancer, an occasional piano player, and an online shopping junkie. Friend her on Facebook: facebook.com/ei.sax.9 Send her an email: elisesax@gmail.com You can also visit her website: elisesax.com And sign up for her newsletter to know about new releases and sales: elisesax.com/mailing-list.php\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: I never give a book 5 stars, BUT!\\n\\nReview: I almost never award 5 stars to a book, but this book was absolutely the funniest mystery I've read in years--and that includes all the Stephanie Plum novels. I laughed so hard at a couple of spots in the story that I darned near choked! The characters are all just that--characters!--and so much fun. The mystery is actually a full-blown mystery, with unexpected plot twists and turns, turning the reader's suspicions now on this character, now on that one. The writing is first class, too. My 80-something Dad is a major Janet Evanovich fan but doesn't have a Kindle and wouldn't touch mine if I gave it to him free with five extra years of life, so I hurried to the website to find him a paperback copy, because I know he will be calling me, drowning in laughter, trying to say, \\\"Did you read that part where....\\\" Absolutely can't wait to read more in this series.\",\n \"Product: Sandra Baublitz is a lover of all animals. She has always loved dogs and cats. A Dog Detective series originally began as a contest entry. Paws creation was influenced by the Beethoven movies and the authors desire to own a Saint Bernard. The author never got the opportunity to own a St. Bernard, and her current cats will not allow a new edition. Ms. Baublitz expresses her love of the breed by continuing to write about Clarissa and Paw and their mystery adventures. She hopes her readers enjoy reading them as much as she enjoys writing them.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A worthwhile clean mystery\\n\\nReview: The book was basically well-written and edited. Since this is the first book of the series, I have to say that I found the beginning of the story to be a little abrupt. I felt a little confusion over exactly who these characters were, and why one of the protagonists was investigating the death; one expects that if coming partway into a series, but a little more explanatory material at the very start would not have gone amiss. For readers who prefer a book without sexual innuendo or commentary, this story would definitely please them. Although I found it a little bit unbelievable that the characters would jump into the dog show world having virtually no knowledge of how to conduct themselves,and without any real preparation, the author managed to make it work without making the plot too contrived. And I always find it a bit beyond credibility when an amateur sleuth does something as dangerous and foolhardy as search a suspect's room (using lock picks, no less), but, again, the author managed to make the plot fairly credible. All in all, a worthwhile read.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":7,"string":"7"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":294,"string":"294"}}},{"rowIdx":295,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A2GGJD57YJ63CQ"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"Talia Hunter is the author of the Rich List Series, pairing whip-smart heroines with the heroes who deserve them. Her motto is, if you arent laughing, you arent doing it right. Shes a city girl whos moved to the country, and has plenty of bug spray to prove it. When she's not writing, you'll usually find her Googling important questions such as how to cope with a runaway zucchini crop (make fritters), and narrowing down exactly what kind of giant hairy spider might be eyeballing her from the washing tub. If you like to enjoy plenty of laughs, sighs, and tears on your way to an HEA, sample her Rich List Series by downloading a free book from her website. www.taliahunter.com\". The summary of the review text is \"Light and enjoyable read...\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Lacey Gibson has lived at the Baxter her entire life, no matter that it is crumbling around her, it is her home and nothing can convince her to move.\n\nBronson Reyne has big plans for the Baxter, but renovating it is not one of them. After meeting Lacey he is pulled into a winner takes all bet in which he has to prove himself and survive one week living in the conditions of the Baxter.\n\nWith Lacey and Bronson sharing space and fighting their attraction for each other, something has to give if Lacey will be able to save the building she loves.\n\nI enjoyed this book. Lacey is very stubborn and she really is not able to see reason of how unsafe of a condition the building she lives in is in. But, she loves it and the life she and her family has had there so she is unwilling to let it slip away. Bronson while portrayed as a playboy is anything but, and he acts like such a sweet and caring guy when it comes to Lacey, even if he cant ultimately give her want she wants.\n\nI would have liked a little more storyline other than the large amount dedicated to Lacey and Bronson living in the pretty disgusting ruins of the building.\n\nThis book was a light and enjoyable read. I loved the ending, and it was all in all a satisfying and well written read.\n\nI received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"Lacey Gibson has lived at the Baxter her entire life, no matter that it is crumbling around her, it is her home and nothing can convince her to move.\n\nBronson Reyne has big plans for the Baxter, but renovating it is not one of them. After meeting Lacey he is pulled into a winner takes all bet in which he has to prove himself and survive one week living in the conditions of the Baxter.\n\nWith Lacey and Bronson sharing space and fighting their attraction for each other, something has to give if Lacey will be able to save the building she loves.\n\nI enjoyed this book. Lacey is very stubborn and she really is not able to see reason of how unsafe of a condition the building she lives in is in. But, she loves it and the life she and her family has had there so she is unwilling to let it slip away. Bronson while portrayed as a playboy is anything but, and he acts like such a sweet and caring guy when it comes to Lacey, even if he cant ultimately give her want she wants.\n\nI would have liked a little more storyline other than the large amount dedicated to Lacey and Bronson living in the pretty disgusting ruins of the building.\n\nThis book was a light and enjoyable read. I loved the ending, and it was all in all a satisfying and well written read.\n\nI received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Powerful, emotional and superbly sexy, you don't want to miss this story...\n\nReview: After the death of her mother, Affton Reed is a new student in a new city and only interested in keeping her head down and getting through high school. She knows who Cable McCaffrey is... everyone in town does. But, she notices his suffering when no one else has, and no matter how much she wants to, she can't sit idly by and watch drugs destroy him like they did her mother.\n\nCable James McCaffrey is going down a dangerous and drug fueled path. Not caring about anyone or anything but himself, his only objective is to numb himself to the world that surrounds him. Until the day that his selfishness took everything...\n\nA few years later Affton and Cable see each other again, under very different circumstances. They couldn't be more opposite, and they've never really liked each other. She is destined for great things, and he is an addict with no sense of purpose. But below the surface, Affton and Cable are both the same broken and lost souls...\n\n\"Everyone else had been a distraction, but Affton Reed, she was a destination. She was the place I wanted to go and maybe, just maybe, she was the place where I wanted to stay. She was the place I was going to have to work my ass off to reach.\"\n\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\n\nRecovered is a beautifully written and tangible story of loving an addict against all odds...\n\nCable has recently been released from prison, and in order to stay out he is required to maintain his sobriety. Still the angry and fractured man he was before being incarcerated, his desire to stay sober seems like a lost cause. Until, his new sober companion arrives, and he has something new, and enticing to focus on.\n\nAffton has no desire to revisit the life of taking care of an addict. She has seen how this story ends, and it wasn't pretty. But, with little choice, she is persuaded to spend an entire summer doing just that, with the one man she has always been painfully aware of.\n\nThere are so many reasons that Cable and Affton should stay away from each other. His addiction being at the center of them all. But, they understand each other like no one ever has, and they both want the best things for each other through it all...\n\nI loved this story!!! This was my first book by this author and I can not wait to read many MORE!! Cable and Affton's relationship is incredibly complicated, based in the reality of addiction and the task of overcoming their demons. Powerful, emotional and superbly sexy, you don't want to miss this story.\n\nI received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.","Product: RC Boldt is the wife of Mr. Boldt, a retired Navy Chief, mother of Little Miss Boldt, and former teacher of many students. She currently lives on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, enjoys long walks on the beach, running, reading, people watching, and singing karaoke. If youre in the mood for some killer homemade mojitos, cant recall the lyrics to a particular 80s song, or just need to hang around a nonconformist who will do almost anything for a laugh, shes your girl.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: This book is HILARIOUS...\n\nReview: Ever since Sarah's best friend Maggie has been dating Jack's best friend Ry... Sarah and Jack have had some serious sexual tension and a mutual attraction that just will not go away. Being two extremely busy people and not wanting to complicate their friendships they have steered clear of each other... until they don't...\n\nBut what may start out as one lone case of blue balls takes on a whole new uncomfortable level once Sarah and Jack start to spend some real time together...\n\nThis book is HILARIOUS. Seriously, if you want to have a light, sweet and laugh out loud (depending on where you are reading... uncomfortable) read, this is the book for you. Fair warning... there is a LONG drawn out case of blue balls here... so beware that you will be in for the long haul of the sex-not-happening between Sarah and Jack... the book has it's title for a reason!\n\nI really enjoyed this book, and for those of you who have read Clam Jamalready will be delighted in the continuation of Maggie and Ry's story as well!\n\nI received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.","Product: Tia Louise is the USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of When We Touch, the One to Hold and Dirty Players series, and co-author of the #4 Amazon bestseller The Last Guy. She loves books (as long as they have romance), chocolate (the darker the better), strong coffee, and sparkling wine. After being a teacher, a book editor, a journalist, and finally a magazine editor, she started writing love stories and never stopped. Louise lives in the Midwest with her trophy husband, two teenage geniuses, and one grumpy cat.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Wanted to love it...\n\nReview: 3 Stars\n\nPart Two of the Duet. 5 years and 7 months after Under the Lights.\n\nMark Fitzhugh has spent a lot of time searching for Lara and just when he thinks he has her near and will be able to protect her she vanishes again.\n\nLara Hale loves Mark and wants nothing more to be with him. But she has unfinished business to attend to and Mark is too good of a person to be dragged into it.\n\nI really wish I could have loved this duet. The story itself was very intriguing, and the characters were strong and would stop at nothing for justice. While the writing was very well done, the story seemed to drag and didn't hold my interest all that much. I loved Mark, he is protective and so in love with Lara. I didn't feel much for Lara and her sister Molly (ugh, Molly) except I loved that they were some sort of vigilantes and were all about getting rid of the people who had wronged them.\n\nI received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.","Product: Jennifer Lyon is the pseudonym for USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Apodaca. Jen lives in Southern California where she continually plots ways to convince her husband that they should get a dog. After all, they met at the dog pound, fell in love, married and had three wonderful sons. So far, however, she has failed in her doggy endeavor. She consoles herself by pouring her passion into writing books. To date, Jen has published more than twenty books and novellas, won numerous awards and had her books translated into multiple languages, but she still hasnt come up with a way to persuade her husband that they need a dog. Jen loves connecting with fans. Visit her website at www.jenniferlyonbooks.com or follow her at https://www.facebook.com/jenniferlyonbooks.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Quick and fun read\n\nReview: Lexie meets Nick while she is the wedding planner at his sisters wedding, while the two are attracted to each other, they part with only a kiss shared between them. Four months later Lexie's life has drastically changed. She has disappeared from her job and where she lives due to not only some trouble with the law, but more importantly she is afraid she has a stalker.\n\nLexie and Nick can only deny their attraction for so long before their close quarters and Lexie's problems bring them closer together.\n\nI liked this story, it went very quickly due to it being a novella, but still managed to give a good background and story line for both characters. Add in a little mystery and some sexual tension, it was a nice quick read. I received this book for free for my unbiased review."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Powerful, emotional and superbly sexy, you don't want to miss this story...\\n\\nReview: After the death of her mother, Affton Reed is a new student in a new city and only interested in keeping her head down and getting through high school. She knows who Cable McCaffrey is... everyone in town does. But, she notices his suffering when no one else has, and no matter how much she wants to, she can't sit idly by and watch drugs destroy him like they did her mother.\\n\\nCable James McCaffrey is going down a dangerous and drug fueled path. Not caring about anyone or anything but himself, his only objective is to numb himself to the world that surrounds him. Until the day that his selfishness took everything...\\n\\nA few years later Affton and Cable see each other again, under very different circumstances. They couldn't be more opposite, and they've never really liked each other. She is destined for great things, and he is an addict with no sense of purpose. But below the surface, Affton and Cable are both the same broken and lost souls...\\n\\n\\\"Everyone else had been a distraction, but Affton Reed, she was a destination. She was the place I wanted to go and maybe, just maybe, she was the place where I wanted to stay. She was the place I was going to have to work my ass off to reach.\\\"\\n\\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\\n\\nRecovered is a beautifully written and tangible story of loving an addict against all odds...\\n\\nCable has recently been released from prison, and in order to stay out he is required to maintain his sobriety. Still the angry and fractured man he was before being incarcerated, his desire to stay sober seems like a lost cause. Until, his new sober companion arrives, and he has something new, and enticing to focus on.\\n\\nAffton has no desire to revisit the life of taking care of an addict. She has seen how this story ends, and it wasn't pretty. But, with little choice, she is persuaded to spend an entire summer doing just that, with the one man she has always been painfully aware of.\\n\\nThere are so many reasons that Cable and Affton should stay away from each other. His addiction being at the center of them all. But, they understand each other like no one ever has, and they both want the best things for each other through it all...\\n\\nI loved this story!!! This was my first book by this author and I can not wait to read many MORE!! Cable and Affton's relationship is incredibly complicated, based in the reality of addiction and the task of overcoming their demons. Powerful, emotional and superbly sexy, you don't want to miss this story.\\n\\nI received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: RC Boldt is the wife of Mr. Boldt, a retired Navy Chief, mother of Little Miss Boldt, and former teacher of many students. She currently lives on the southeastern coast of North Carolina, enjoys long walks on the beach, running, reading, people watching, and singing karaoke. If youre in the mood for some killer homemade mojitos, cant recall the lyrics to a particular 80s song, or just need to hang around a nonconformist who will do almost anything for a laugh, shes your girl.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: This book is HILARIOUS...\\n\\nReview: Ever since Sarah's best friend Maggie has been dating Jack's best friend Ry... Sarah and Jack have had some serious sexual tension and a mutual attraction that just will not go away. Being two extremely busy people and not wanting to complicate their friendships they have steered clear of each other... until they don't...\\n\\nBut what may start out as one lone case of blue balls takes on a whole new uncomfortable level once Sarah and Jack start to spend some real time together...\\n\\nThis book is HILARIOUS. Seriously, if you want to have a light, sweet and laugh out loud (depending on where you are reading... uncomfortable) read, this is the book for you. Fair warning... there is a LONG drawn out case of blue balls here... so beware that you will be in for the long haul of the sex-not-happening between Sarah and Jack... the book has it's title for a reason!\\n\\nI really enjoyed this book, and for those of you who have read Clam Jamalready will be delighted in the continuation of Maggie and Ry's story as well!\\n\\nI received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: Tia Louise is the USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of When We Touch, the One to Hold and Dirty Players series, and co-author of the #4 Amazon bestseller The Last Guy. She loves books (as long as they have romance), chocolate (the darker the better), strong coffee, and sparkling wine. After being a teacher, a book editor, a journalist, and finally a magazine editor, she started writing love stories and never stopped. Louise lives in the Midwest with her trophy husband, two teenage geniuses, and one grumpy cat.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Wanted to love it...\\n\\nReview: 3 Stars\\n\\nPart Two of the Duet. 5 years and 7 months after Under the Lights.\\n\\nMark Fitzhugh has spent a lot of time searching for Lara and just when he thinks he has her near and will be able to protect her she vanishes again.\\n\\nLara Hale loves Mark and wants nothing more to be with him. But she has unfinished business to attend to and Mark is too good of a person to be dragged into it.\\n\\nI really wish I could have loved this duet. The story itself was very intriguing, and the characters were strong and would stop at nothing for justice. While the writing was very well done, the story seemed to drag and didn't hold my interest all that much. I loved Mark, he is protective and so in love with Lara. I didn't feel much for Lara and her sister Molly (ugh, Molly) except I loved that they were some sort of vigilantes and were all about getting rid of the people who had wronged them.\\n\\nI received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.\",\n \"Product: Jennifer Lyon is the pseudonym for USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Apodaca. Jen lives in Southern California where she continually plots ways to convince her husband that they should get a dog. After all, they met at the dog pound, fell in love, married and had three wonderful sons. So far, however, she has failed in her doggy endeavor. She consoles herself by pouring her passion into writing books. To date, Jen has published more than twenty books and novellas, won numerous awards and had her books translated into multiple languages, but she still hasnt come up with a way to persuade her husband that they need a dog. Jen loves connecting with fans. Visit her website at www.jenniferlyonbooks.com or follow her at https://www.facebook.com/jenniferlyonbooks.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Quick and fun read\\n\\nReview: Lexie meets Nick while she is the wedding planner at his sisters wedding, while the two are attracted to each other, they part with only a kiss shared between them. Four months later Lexie's life has drastically changed. She has disappeared from her job and where she lives due to not only some trouble with the law, but more importantly she is afraid she has a stalker.\\n\\nLexie and Nick can only deny their attraction for so long before their close quarters and Lexie's problems bring them closer together.\\n\\nI liked this story, it went very quickly due to it being a novella, but still managed to give a good background and story line for both characters. Add in a little mystery and some sexual tension, it was a nice quick read. I received this book for free for my unbiased review.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":4,"string":"4"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":295,"string":"295"}}},{"rowIdx":296,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A1HWMU2XORHEI4"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"4.0\" for a product with description \"The Best Day, Thurston Moore?s first solo record since 2010?s Demolished Thoughts, radiates with both his signature dynamism of dense thrashing electric guitars as well as blissful 12-string acoustic ballads. Recorded with Thurston?s current band line-up of James Sedwards (guitars, UK), Deb Googe (of My Bloody Valentine, bass, UK) and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth, drums, USA), there are also a some tracks that feature all instrumentation by Thurston.\". The summary of the review text is \"Thurston heading in the right direction...\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"So if we were keeping score(which I am), then Kim Gordon was whipping Thurston Moore in regards to the quality of post-breakup records. Her Body/Head album from last year was miles ahead of Moore's mediocre Chelsea Light Moving album that came out last year as well. She made an album that was just as much a performance art piece as it was serious artistic statement. The faux swagger of Chelsea Light Moving only made Thurston Moore look like the old dude trying to be a young dude; not the aging-with-grace sonic pioneer showing that he still had it in him to make cool, crazy noise. Well Moore switched gears and has released an album under his own name, put together a new band that includes Sonic Youth drum basher Steve Shelley, My Bloody Valentine bassist Debbie Googe, and guitarist James Sedwards of UK math-punk trio Nought. The Best Day is light years above Chelsea Light Moving and is a solid 50 minutes of post-2000s Sonic Youth noise.\n\nPost-2000s Sonic Youth. I'm referring to the albums Murray Street, Sonic Nurse, and Rather Ripped. In the Sonic Youth canon these records were lighter in sound and texture, but more rambling and expansive. The band found a streak of epic lollygagging that tickled my fancy just fine. These albums felt layered and deep; not jagged, painful, and angry like the Sonic Youth of the 80s and early 90s. The Best Day lingers in the mid-2000s for inspiration and an overall sonic palate. \"Speak to the Wild\" sounds like a re-imagined \"Disconnection Notice\", with Moore and Sedwards filling the cracks with jangly riffs and Googe adding a nice low end depth to the sound. \"Forevermore\" is dark, post-punk cloaked in a krautrock beat. It's 11 minutes of tension and release. It's also the best thing Thurston Moore has done in a long time. \"Tape\" is an intricate acoustic track that brings to mind both Nels Cline great work on his Coward album, as well as Moore's own work on his Trees Outside The Academy album from a few years ago. \"The Best Day\" is about as straightforward rock 'n roll as Moore gets. It's a fun rocker with an honest-to-God pentatonic blues scales guitar solo. It's good stuff, with some interesting eastern guitar runs thrown in there for good measure as well. \"Detonation\" has a punk rock burn with Moore almost sounding like an early 80s Michael Stipe. It's R.E.M., hungover and out-of-tune. It's old school Sonic Youth done by new school Thurston Moore. \"Grace Lake\" starts out quiet and pretty before slowly folding in onto itself and unfurling into aural fire and smoke. \"Germs Burn\" closes the record on a lighter note; whiffs of Sonic Youth past mingle with the possible future of this great new collaborative band.\n\nThurston Moore has caught up, artistically speaking, with his ex. If he can keep this band together I gladly look forward to what they have in store for us next."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"So if we were keeping score(which I am), then Kim Gordon was whipping Thurston Moore in regards to the quality of post-breakup records. Her Body/Head album from last year was miles ahead of Moore's mediocre Chelsea Light Moving album that came out last year as well. She made an album that was just as much a performance art piece as it was serious artistic statement. The faux swagger of Chelsea Light Moving only made Thurston Moore look like the old dude trying to be a young dude; not the aging-with-grace sonic pioneer showing that he still had it in him to make cool, crazy noise. Well Moore switched gears and has released an album under his own name, put together a new band that includes Sonic Youth drum basher Steve Shelley, My Bloody Valentine bassist Debbie Googe, and guitarist James Sedwards of UK math-punk trio Nought. The Best Day is light years above Chelsea Light Moving and is a solid 50 minutes of post-2000s Sonic Youth noise.\n\nPost-2000s Sonic Youth. I'm referring to the albums Murray Street, Sonic Nurse, and Rather Ripped. In the Sonic Youth canon these records were lighter in sound and texture, but more rambling and expansive. The band found a streak of epic lollygagging that tickled my fancy just fine. These albums felt layered and deep; not jagged, painful, and angry like the Sonic Youth of the 80s and early 90s. The Best Day lingers in the mid-2000s for inspiration and an overall sonic palate. \"Speak to the Wild\" sounds like a re-imagined \"Disconnection Notice\", with Moore and Sedwards filling the cracks with jangly riffs and Googe adding a nice low end depth to the sound. \"Forevermore\" is dark, post-punk cloaked in a krautrock beat. It's 11 minutes of tension and release. It's also the best thing Thurston Moore has done in a long time. \"Tape\" is an intricate acoustic track that brings to mind both Nels Cline great work on his Coward album, as well as Moore's own work on his Trees Outside The Academy album from a few years ago. \"The Best Day\" is about as straightforward rock 'n roll as Moore gets. It's a fun rocker with an honest-to-God pentatonic blues scales guitar solo. It's good stuff, with some interesting eastern guitar runs thrown in there for good measure as well. \"Detonation\" has a punk rock burn with Moore almost sounding like an early 80s Michael Stipe. It's R.E.M., hungover and out-of-tune. It's old school Sonic Youth done by new school Thurston Moore. \"Grace Lake\" starts out quiet and pretty before slowly folding in onto itself and unfurling into aural fire and smoke. \"Germs Burn\" closes the record on a lighter note; whiffs of Sonic Youth past mingle with the possible future of this great new collaborative band.\n\nThurston Moore has caught up, artistically speaking, with his ex. If he can keep this band together I gladly look forward to what they have in store for us next."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Ultra slim, new mid size design, progressive scan, JPEG, MP3 playback, multi disc resume, multi brand TV remote, energy Star.Connection: 1 x component video output ( RCA Phono x 3 ) - rear, 1 x composite video output ( RCA Phono ) - rear, 1 x digital audio output (coaxial) ( RCA Phono ) rear.What's in the box: Sony dvp-sr210p progressive scan DVD player, a/V cable, 2 x AA batteries, Remote control (rmt-d197a), 1-year parts & 90-Day labor Warranty.\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Progressive Scan...without an HDMI connection??\n\nReview: I'm sure as a plain old DVD player it's fine. The problem is that when I see \"progressive scan\", I assume it has an HDMI port. It does not. So when I hooked it up to my parent's new 43 in Plasma it looked like, well, crap. Granted, it doesn't say there's an HDMI connection, but my Denon DVD player w/Progressive Scan did and it's 7 years old. I just assumed....wait, what's that saying about assuming?? Anyways....if you want a DVD player for your old tube tv then this would be fine and at a good price. If you're looking for a dvd player for your modern digital tv(aka, plasma, LCD, LED), then buy something else that can be connected with an HDMI cable. Or better yet, just buy a Blue Ray player for $20 more.","Product: Fate sees the Philadelphia-based quintet filtering the gamut of American popular music into its own idiosyncratic brand of blue-eyed, dilated-pupil soul. As ever, Dr. Dog makes magic from an enduring pop palette of intricate harmonies, shape-shifting melodies, and ramshackle audio ingenuity - all presented through the band's slightly skewed and utterly individualistic outlook. Dr. Dog have toured with Wilco, Strokes, Raconteurs, Black Keys, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Magic Numbers, Cold War Kids, and more.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Dr. is in....\n\nReview: If you're reading this, then you are familiar with Dr. Dog already, so please go buy this album. Buy several copies and pass them out to the uninitiated. Buy more copies and leave copies in your neighbors mailboxes. Buy even more and send them to our boys in Iraq, Afghanistan, and any other armpit of the world our soldiers may be. If you're new to Dr. Dog, please buy this album. Then buy 'We All Belong', then buy 'Easy Beat'. And if you can, go see them live. This is an absolutely beautiful album. Army Of Ancients is like a conversation with a loved one long dead. Savoring every word, knowing at some point you will wake up and they will be gone. The Breeze, Hang On, and The Old Days come at you like an old photo album you thought was long lost in a fire years before. The Ark is like a lost Abbey Road song that Lennon/McCartney wrote in a alternate universe where they grew up in Philly instead of Liverpool...From first song to last, this is soul-cleansing music. Music only once heard in your dreams and in childhood memories that may or may not have happened...if music could save us, this would be that music...Dr. Dog, thank you!!!","Product: While he has had multiple releases in single and EP forms, this is SBTRKT's first full-length, and about that he says "This release is the culmination of a longer period of constant writing and collaboration, tracks on previous EPs were written as singular pieces. This record is much more of a whole project, more representative of my thoughts and ideas as an artist and each track was completed with the aim to be coherent together."\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: songs for android holidays\n\nReview: Amok is a record not about stories and narrative. It's not a record about capturing that magical spark created by five musicians playing together in the studio. It's not even a concept record about a dystopian society. No, Amok is a record about feel. It's a record about movement and flow. If you haven't been under a rock for the last 13 years then you'll know that Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich have been experimenting with this sort of music for sometime now. Radiohead's Kid A was the door swinging open in the beat lab and Thom and Nigel screaming \"It's alive! It's alive!!\" From that moment on electronic music has been an integral part of Radiohead's(Thom Yorke's) DNA. Thom Yorke hasn't made it a secret that he loves dance music as well, dj'ing at clubs and rubbing elbows with the likes of Four Tet, Flying Lotus, and Modeselektor. He's even spent entire videos dancing like a replicant getting electrocuted. The man likes to shake his odd groove thing.\n\nBeneath all the hype -the amazing group of musicians(Yorke, Godrich, Flea, Waronker, Refosco), the shadow of Radiohead lingering over the proceedings, and Yorke and his freaky deeky dancing- this is an amazing album of dark, electro beauty. It's the musical equivalent of John Henry and the steam-powered hammer not in a race to the bitter end, but actually working together to get it done. Man(or men) and machine coming together to create something mysterious and engaging. I don't liken this to a Radiohead side project as so many have. This is Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich drinking coffee all through the night cutting and pasting, assembling like a couple mad scientists. I see this more as a Miles Davis/Teo Macero-spirited affair. What were inspired performances in the studio have become the veritable limbs of a musical Frankenstein's monster. Pieces sewn together, carefully stitched on digital fabric and powered by five guys' love of making music together. Making righteous sounds and releasing those sounds onto the world. From the `Born Under Punches(The Heat Goes On)-inspired opener `Before Your Very Eyes', to `Defaut' and it's blippy, low frequency ear drum abuse, to the slithering synth of `Ingenue', this record has one agenda and that is to feed a carnal urge in our minds. 'Unless' opens like a 1970s Dario Argento film before the percussion rushes in to save the track from morbidity. `Stuck Together Pieces' brings that spirit of Remain In Light back, will Flea's prominent bass line carrying this track the whole way through. You can almost picture a Live From The Basement session with these guys zoning out to this excellent song.\n\nThis album is sensual, calculated, and has a mainline into a subconscious located in some chromed-out future. This album plays like a cyberpunk novella written by Henry Miller on an LSD binge. All funky, futuristic, and slithery. It's being swallowed by the whale, and liking it.","Product: Our product to treat is a regular product. There is not the imitation. From Japan by the surface mail because is sent out, take it until arrival as 7-14 day. Thank you for you seeing it.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Buy the ticket, take the ride...\n\nReview: Django Django are a british quartet that met in Edinburgh, Scotland while in art school. And from the sound of their self-titled debut they don't pull their influences from the usual bag of musical inspiration. The Beatles? Nah. Nirvana? No way. Try putting a genre on these guys. I dare you. There's no shoegaze, grunge, garage rock, 90s alternative, chillwave or math rock. These lads defy a label. Throw some names around like Syd Barrett, Animal Collective, The Beta Band and even Devo and possibly, just possibly, you might be on the right track.\n\nThe album opener is a short little instrumental that comes in like Tangram- era Tangerine Dream, which then leads us into `Hail Bop'. A nice slice of 60s psychedelic that would've fit nicely somewhere on Piper at the Gates of Dawn. If Pink Floyd doesn't butter your toast, relax. We're just getting started. `Default' comes in like a storm. Continuing on with the 60s psych flavor, a nice groovy retro guitar is added to the mix. With robot bleeps and blips this track has a real spacey, futuristic vibe. And thanks to the Devo-esque kinetic drums you'll want to hop out of your comfy spot on the couch and dance like it's 1981. At one point on the track `Skies Over Cairo' you'd swear someone was playing the desert level on Super Mario Bros. `Zumm Zumm' is like a b-side off of Merriweather Post Pavillion. It's like `Lion In A Coma' through a funhouse mirror. On several occasions throughout this kinetic, futuristic and funky-in-a-Devo-way album, Django Django seem to be carrying the torch that Animal Collective began running with on Merriweather. These are pop sensibilities run through a confectioners oven, sprinkled with sugar and hallucinogenics. Anxious rhythms, pulsating synths and pop harmonies somwhere between Syd Barrett-era Floyd, Ride and a barbershop quartet on ether.\n\nThe sound of this record has a real `sat in the attic for years' kind of vibe. There's a real analog warmth to the synths. As if Kraftwerk lent out their Trans Europe Express-era moogs to these blokes for the weekend. I know there's plug-ins for that kind of aged, buzzy analog tape vibe. But I like to think Django Django recorded this robot love making soundtrack in a dank, dark, and mildewed studio with a 30 year old 8-track reel-to-reel running, and a drunk, 63 year old sound engineer named Simon running the board. Splicing takes together like Macero and Miles did with Bitches Brew nearly 40 years ago. A studio much like Muscle Shoals, except located on the Isle Of Wight, instead of the Crimson Tide.\n\nDjango Django has given us an album of dance music for the living room booty shakers. This is psychedelic music for the non-medicated. This is inspirational music for the carpoolers, full-timers and those just hanging out. We have been initiated. Now prepare to be blown away. No magic mushrooms required.","Product: We were all knocked out by the Frankie Rose and the Outs album in 2010; the effortlessness of its gorgeous girl-pop mantras, the intimate immensity of its Spector-esque walls of reverb, the beauty of a song sung sweetly over the most graceful two-chord vamps. But are we ready for the new Frankie Rose? Interstellar is a revelation, an album that floats free of its maker s history time spent with Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls and Crystal Stilts and offers the listener something strangely other, as alien as it is familiar, as compelling as it is enchanting. Talking with Rose about the record, it s clear she was itching for a new start. The first big indication: production by Le Chev, remixer supreme (for Lemonade, Narcisse, Passion Pit and Rose s own Candy ) and ensemble member of Fischerspooner, etc. I wanted [Interstellar] to be totally different, and I knew I had to work with someone who would lend fresh ideas.... I wanted to make a particular record and I knew Le Chev would be the one who could help me do it. So, gone is reverb as the holy route to pop-grandeur, scaling a wall of teenage tears, and in its place is the confident swagger of a singer and auteur building the simplest of pop moves into aching, full-blown melodramas, grabbing hold of an emotion and riding its darker waves. Had We Had It spins the sweetest sugar from chords that ascend into the firmament a heavenly, palatial blur. Gospel / Grace rumbles with passion, a New Order-esque one-finger guitar figure leading the listener into the depths mapped by the chorus. Apples for the Sun is breathtaking, with Rose singing out across a lone piano, before a glorious web of voice and organ pirouettes into the air, an arbor of pleasure connecting the verse with its instrumental shadow, a coda slowly slipping from view. A lot of Interstellar seems to be about disappearing into, or finding and reveling in, this kind of imaginary zone, something Rose confirms: The whole record is about dreaming of some other place. And as the audience drifts into the heartbreaking closer The Fall, which floats out to sea on a lunar-aquatic cello riff that s pure Arthur Russell, they re ready to conquer those other places, too, to let Rose guide them out of the album s spell and land them back in the sensual world, slightly altered, adrift and in awe.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A throwback to the beginning of alternative\n\nReview: If you're not familiar with Frankie Rose, let me fill you in: Brooklyn-based Frankie Rose was an original member of garage rock staples Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls before going out on her own in 2009. She released her first full length album under the name Frankie Rose and the Outs in 2010. She's dropped the Outs, and Frankie Rose is now in.\n\nFrankie Rose's new album Interstellar starts with title track 'Interstellar'. It begins with ambient synths and Frankie singing in her best Elizabeth Fraser croon before the song kicks into an all out drum extravaganza, complete with reverbed guitar and thick analog synth strings. 'Know Me' is up next with a heavy early 80s sound, a sound which plays a big part on this great new record. Think Head on the Door-era Cure with Debbie Harry pushing Robert Smith off to the side. It's a great track that'll make you long for Juno synths and Factory Records heyday. 'Gospel/Grace' is yet another tapestry of 80s nuggets, with heavy reverbed synths and drums, but with a very organic feel to it. 'Daylight Sky' is a gem of a track. If New Order, The Motels and Gary Numan had gotten together for a weekend recording session on the lower east side in 1981, it might've sounded like this great song. 'Pair of Wings' begins like a nuanced Zombies track with Dolores O'Riordan taking vocal duties. It's a gem of a song, slowly building with synths and timpani till it wavers off into an emotional coda.\n\nWith so many artists, the retro game can be a sink or swim sort of situation. You can take the past and make it your own. Put a new spin on an old record, if you will. Or you can flail helplessly amongst vintage gear and out dated fashion. Frankie Rose does the former with Interstellar. She takes influences like Cocteau Twins, the Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees and New Order and makes them into an artistic statement. Frankie Rose has the perfect voice and songwriting chops to make this kind of record. It's a love letter to 80s new wave and alternative.\n\nFrankie Rose has stepped out of the garage and is ready for her close-up.","Product: The angular, intricate, and intelligent compositions of Hospitality signal a sophisticated new pop voice. Singer Amber Papini's idiosyncratic songwriting coupled with the band's rich arrangements on their self-titled debut explore youth, New York, and the bittersweet commingling of past and present in a way that feels just right, right now. Produced by Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells), this self-titled album is recommended for fans of Camera Obscura and Twin Sister.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Another great Brooklyn band...of course.\n\nReview: There was a time, back around 2008-2009, when it seemed like every new band that was gracing Pitchfork's home page was from Brooklyn. The Antlers, Bear In Heaven, Dirty Projectors, MGMT, The National(via Ohio). And surprisingly, most of these bands lived up to the hype. But at some point I got to be rather disgruntled with the whole `Brooklyn Scene'. Mostly to due with myself and needing to hear about a new scene. When was the Ann Arbor indie music explosion going to happen? I'd totally be down with the Pittsburgh electronic scene, or the Peoria art rock scene.\n\nBut, being a realist and eventually giving in to the common sense that lurks somewhere behind my cerebral cortex, I gave in to the Brooklyn scene. I love quite a bit that's come out of Brooklyn. The Antlers, Bear In Heaven, LCD Soundsystem, Grizzly Bear, MGMT, The National(via Ohio), Sufjan Stevens(via Michigan) and the Sweathogs. Add to that list of Brooklyn bands, Hospitality.\n\nThere's a warmness to Hospitality's self-titled debut. It's one of those records that makes you feel good. Makes you grin from ear to ear. There's a bouncy jubilance to songs like `Friends of Friends' and `The Right Profession'. The arrangments are simple, yet never twee. There's a rough edge to the poppy and punky guitar. I'm reminded of Deerhoof's guitar blast moments on albums like Friend Opportunity and The Runners Four. Song-wise, `Friends of Friends' is an in-your-face pop confection that could give the dead a pulse. 'Betty Wang' sounds like a Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks b-side. Something left off of Mirror Traffic perhaps. `Julie' changes things up a bit. With more of a down beat and hazy organ in the background, the tracks `slow build-up that never quite finds resolution' leaves you feeling unnerved and wanting more.\n\nThere's influences-a-plenty here: from 60's pop courtesy of the Velvet Underground and the Zombies, to more guitar blasting and punky swagger in the neighborhood of the aformentioned Deerhoof, Best Coast and Karen O on one of her sunnier days. Vocally, lead yelper Amber Papini has a huge voice. Big and in the front of the mix, she belts out words as if her life depended on it. Echoes of Juliana Hatfield, Bethany Cosentino and especially Allison LaBonne of the more obscure indie band The Owls. Papini can be sweet as pie and yet you get the feeling she could give you the shiner of a lifetime if the mood struck her. She makes these great tunes pop.\n\nWith this great debut, we can only look forward to more great albums from this band. If you like your pop a little on the loud, catchy and at times melancholy side, be sure to grab this record.\n\nBrooklyn, you've done it again. Damn you.","Product: 2012 release, the sixth album from the Chicago-based singer/songwriter. Break It Yourself is the follow-up to his critically successful albums Noble Beast and Armchair Apocrypha. Features the single 'Eyeoneye'.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Let the music speak for itself\n\nReview: Andrew Bird is a fussy one. He makes music that sounds like it was painstakingly composed, recorded and mixed. Notes are meticulously plucked upon his violin. Every whistle is precisely blown through perfectly puckered lips. Every beat, nuance and mood has it's place. Every song is fussed over till it's just right. This has been Andrew Bird's modus operandi ever since the first Bowl of Fire release Thrills, in 1998. With his newest effort, the breezy and beautiful Break It Yourself, Mr. Bird has left fussy outside the barn door and let the songs take us where they may.\n\n`Desperation Breeds' starts the album off with reverbed harmonies, as if ghosts from the past are beckoning us to enter. Then plucked acoustics and Bird's nuanced croon takes us by the hand and into this new world he's created. After the short but sweet instrumental `Polynation', Andrew Bird takes us into the beautiful world of `Danse Caribe'. Easily one of Andrew Bird's best tracks to date. The loose, free and collaborative vibe Bird was going for on this new album does this track justice. `Danse Caribe' floats in our ear and takes us to a sandy, warm place. With it's caribbean vibe and floating rhythm, \"You go mistaking clouds for mountains\", says the whistling man with the violin. Indeed. 'Give It Away' is reminiscent of something off of his 2001 effort Swimming Hour. A mid song rhythm shift gives this track a nice change of scenery. `Eyeoneye' is like The Walkman's `The Rat' recorded by the Punch Brothers, at first. With heavily-reverbed electric guitar and an almost angsty tone to Bird's voice(well, as angsty as Andrew Bird can get), this is the most straightforward rock song on the album, possibly of his career to date. A great slab of indie rock goodness. Fear not, halfway through we get some patented Andrew Bird whistling and glockenspiel. \"Lazy Projector\" sounds like the Cowboy Junkies covering the Pixies. Great song with beautiful backing vocals by the always lovely Nora O'Connor. `Lusitania' is a dusty little number with big drums, strummed acoustics and guest vocals by St. Vincent. A truly beautiful track and reason enough for a St. Vincent/Andrew Bird collaborative record. Buried towards the end of this album is an 8 minute beauty called `Hole In The Ocean'. This song combines all of the elements that make Andrew Bird's music so special: songwriting prowess, compositional muscle and cinematic storytelling through sound and fury. Musically, it's very reminiscent of Noble Beast's instrumental companion album Useless Creatures. Andrew Bird recently wrote and performed the soundtrack to the film Norman. This song is the perfect example of why he's made for scoring film.\n\nAt times, I find myself pining for that fussy songsmith that gave us such gems as `Plasticities', `Heretics' and `Fitz and Dizzyspells'. Hugely ornamented, overly anxious and catchy songs that fill every nook and cranny in your cranium. But I'm starting to like this new, laid back Andrew Bird. Break It Yourself is a folksy, breezy and loose collection of songs. Not overly done. Not too sparse. This time around Mr. Bird lets the songs go in what direction they may. And we're all the better for it.","Product: Debut 2012 album! Gutsy blues-rock 'n' swampy garage-soul outta Alabama, for fans of Tina Turner and The Bellrays. Includes \"Hold On\".\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Southern soul with a side of grit...\n\nReview: I'm listening to Alabama Shakes debut album Boys & Girls and I can only think one thing: Damn. If you have a voice like Brittney Howard's, there is only one thing the creator of the universe had in store for you, and that is sing, baby. Sing.\n\n`I Found You' is one of those songs that ends up on a million mix tapes. It's sweet, soulful and melancholy sound will make a thousand lovelorn souls sigh and lay their heads on the universe's shoulder. This isn't a bunch of Dartmouth dropouts putting on an Al Green record and suddenly thinking they're modern purveyors of white boy soul. No. Alabama Shakes is the real deal, and they've got the golden pipes to prove it. `Hang Loose' will make even the whitest boys and girls want to shake what they got. `Rise To The Sun', with it's hammond organ, rasta rhythm and chorus that explodes in your ears like Pop Rocks makes you want to stand up and shout at the top of your lungs \" I hurt! I need love, too!\". A song like `You Ain't Alone' in the hands of any of these other modern day wanna be soul queens would just sound, well, like American Idol Karaoke night at the local sports bar. But in the hands of Brittney Howard and the fellas in Alabama Shakes it sounds like a lost track from Janis Joplin's Pearl sessions. This girl has got the chops. Tina Turner? Aretha Franklin? Mavis Staples? Janis Joplin? Yeah, she's right up there with the best of `em.\n\nProduction-wise, it's got a nice grit to it. It's not all spit-shined and prettied up for the masses. This is not retail store box dinner soul music. Sorry Adele, Duffy and whoever else bought Dusty In Memphis and decided to be a singer, you need to go to the back of the line. Alabama Shakes got it covered. Try imagining any of the above mentioned busting out a track like `Heartbreaker' with the same amount of heart and teary-eyed sincerity. There isn't a plug-in that can create that sort of truth in the voice. And the title track? Southern soul hasn't been put to tape like that since Muscle Shoals heyday. When Brittney Howard sings \"Be mine, baby\", by God you're gonna seriously consider it.\n\nAlabama Shakes brings the soul, the funk and the groove that will keep you coming back for years to come. The menu titled Boys & Girls is a southern-fried concoction of flavors you've tasted in the past, but with some new spices added. Come hungry, and come back often.","Product: The Orwells. Still in high school, the Chicago band has been bashing out rock n roll together since middle school. They know their s**t. Steeped in the Stooges, Replacements and Ramones, the band came of age in the late '00s just as the Black Lips, King Khan, Harlem and Ty Segall began garnering national attention. The collective effect was nothing short of a sort of clarion call - one that rang out, piercing suburban high school hallways and hangouts.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Same as it ever was....\n\nReview: I'm not sure where to start with The Orwells. From what I can tell they're young. Like maybe still in high school young. A bunch of young punks from suburban Chicago that started jamming in the basement of Mr. Orwell's house. Isn't that how they always start out? The basement or the garage, take your pick. They rock that sort of barely hanging on by a thread kind of sound. Garage rock with a capital `G'. If you drink enough cheap beer, smoke enough lousy cigarettes and listen to enough Blue Cheer, MC5, The Strokes and Black Lips, chances are you'll end up sounding just like The Orwells. Is that good or bad? Well, that depends.\n\nThe Orwells have made a name for themselves with this song called `Mallrats'(La La La) and for good reason: it's pretty catchy. Maybe ten understandable words and someone talking over what sounds like a phone line and a chorus consisting of \"La La La\", you really can't go wrong. The star here is the fuzzed out guitars and cymbal crashing drums. It has a White Blood Cells vibe to it, with a wink and a nod to `Fell In Love With A Girl'. Fun stuff. There are quite a few odes sprinkled throughout this garage and punk-inflected album. `All The Cool Kids' starts out with a snippet of Janet Leigh being eviscerated by Anthony Perkins in Psycho, then they jump into this Blue Cheer psych-out jam. `Painted Faces and Long Hair' could be a Black Lips b-side. 13th Floor Elevators are represented here on the song `Hallway Homicide'. `In My Bed' is where Julian Casablancas's career ended up, in case he was still looking for it. They mine the classic garage and punk nuggets, sprinkle throughout and let the dice fall where they may. There's some Memphis twang strewn on a few tracks as well. The Orwells definitely did their homework.\n\nIf you're looking for new ground to be broken or something wholly original, then check out Animal Collective or Swans. If you want something that'll get you through the next 40 minutes till quitting time or something to keep your ears company for that drive to the city, then give The Orwells a try.","Product: Limited 200gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold sleeve includes digital download. 2013 solo release from the My Morning Jacket mainman. Regions Of Light And Sound of God was written, produced and all instruments performed by Jim James (with the exception of strings and percussion) in Louisville, KY. The music on the album is inspired by life and the novel in woodcuts 'Gods' Man' by Lynd Ward. James' full time job, My Morning Jacket, has sold over a million albums in the US alone. Their last album debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Cosmic soul, no jacket required\n\nReview: Jim James has always come across as an old soul. He's younger than me, yet he seems so much older and wiser in his voice and his music. It's like he was born into this world a wise old man. James also comes across as a soul singer disguised as a bearded shaman. My Morning Jacket has always walked a fine line between straight up, no holds barred rock n' roll and more experimental fare, starting with 2005s Z. But within those confines Jim James has always had a knack for adding a bit of soulful, R&B panache to the proceedings. On 2009s supergroup collaboration Monsters of Folk James got to show us more of that side on that album's opening track `Dear God(Sincerely M.O.F.)' I think if you were looking for a beginning DNA strand that leads us to James' excellent new Regions of Light And Sound of God, `Dear God' would be it. Jim James has left his morning jacket at home and is donning a whole new wardrobe. One that is old, worn in just right, and one he needs to break out more often.\n\n`State Of The Art(A.E.I.O.U)' opens the record, slowly building into one of hell of a slow jam. Starting with his voice and a piano, then adding a funky drum beat, bass, and a skronky little guitar line it builds into a late night groove you won't be able to remove from your head. From there he goes right into `Know Till Now', a 6 minute plus Marvin Gaye-like meditation. A skittish beat, what sounds like sampled noise, and a heavy low end this track fills every blank space with some sort of spaced-out funk. James' voice sounds knowing and warm, like some ethereal entity calling from another time and place. It's a song that requires two or three listens before you lock into the rhythm. Once you do you never want to leave the head space it creates. `Dear One' sounds more like Jim James' main gig; in particular something that might've ended up on 2011s `Circuital'. With the exception of the synth underneath the song, it has the feeling of a hug from an old friend. `A New Life' starts out with a lilting and longing mood to James' voice as he strums on an acoustic guitar. Soon enough though, the music builds up and the track takes off like a cosmic Sam Cooke track. Part Brill Building and part Marvin Gaye's Here, My Dear. It's a beautiful song and a great way to end side A. Side B starts with `Exploding', a beautifully picked guitar line and a ghostly lead line played over it. An instrumental opening that leads into `Of The Mother Again', another groovy exploration into Man's search for meaning. `Actress' continues James' exploration into soulful crooning, heavy grooves, and yearning for something more. The record seems to lose a bit in the pacing towards the end, though this doesn't affect the overall impact of this incredible album.\n\nThroughout Regions of Light And Sound of God Jim James surpasses all expectations. This album seems to be both his most experimental work to date, and his most accessible simultaneously. It's as if he's shaven off the beard to show us who is truly underneath all the whiskers. He has graciously put his search for meaning and spiritual fulfillment to tape for us to share in. Lynd Ward's God's Man may have been the inspiration, but Jim James had made something wholly original and inspiring in itself.","Product: Double vinyl LP pressing. 2013 sophomore album from Boise native Trevor Powers AKA Youth Lagoon. Wondrous Bughous is the follow-up to his widely acclaimed 2011 release The Year of Hibernation. Powers says this album spawned from what he describes as becoming more ''fascinated by the human psyche and where the spiritual world meets the physical world.'' Powers describes the writing process of his first album as a way for his mind to communicate with his body, not the other way around. It seems the same can be said for Wondrous Bughouse.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: \"You're playing a song, one that's for me\"....\n\nReview: Wondrous Bughouse is an album that from beginning to end fills you with joy. It comes over you in waves of awestruck and wide-eyed wonderment. Trevor Powers looks to the skies and questions whom or whatever may or may not be looking down on us. Where The Year of Hibernation was a quiet entry into a bedside journal at 2 am, Wondrous Bughouse is a technicolor daydream. It's a primal scream directly at the universe -which at it's core- is as univeral as it gets. Trevor Powers has given us what is bound to be one of best albums of the year. A kaleidoscope of sound and emotions, a Kool Aid acid test where no chemicals are required. Just open ears and an open mind.\n\n`Through Mind and Back' is a carnival mirror. It's a distorted version of melody and harmony. You get the feeling the quiet, lo fi bedroom sound of The Year of Hibernation may have followed Powers to album number two, that is until `Mute' comes pouring from the speakers like the scene in The Wizard of Oz where we go from black and white to bright color. The sound is big, full, and immediate. Ben H. Allen's influence in the production and sound creating is evident. The twisty, wavering keys and chorused guitars shimmer in the air. This intense shift in the sonics for Youth Lagoon may be quite jarring for those that hold TYoH in such high regard. All I can say to them is stick with this record. Trevor Powers hasn't lost any of his intimacy as a songwriter. His paintings are as personal as ever; he's merely gotten a much bigger canvas and a more diverse palette of colors to choose from now. `Attic Doctor' is a bizarre carnival ride. A calliope run on nitrous oxide. It's sinister, sweet, and ethereal all at once. With its waltz time signature, ample amounts of ear candy, and dream-like haze, this song shows Trevor Powers can do more than quiet and intimate. `The Bath' goes back to a more refined, quiet sound, albeit with the sonic explorations skills of Ben H. Allen at Youth Lagoon's disposal. `Pelican Man' builds slowly into a cathartic release, giving a feeling that I can only describe as heart swelling. I've listened to this record several times now and I keep going back to one name: Brian Wilson. I can't help but compare Wondrous Bughouse to Wilson's long gestated and recently released SMilE. It's utter exuberance and child-like wonder pervade this record. This isn't a literal comparison. This is in spirit. I can't tell you how many times listening to this record I just stopped what I was doing and just let it wash over me. `Dropla' is the centerpiece of this record. A song about dying and what happens when we die. Or, maybe the anger and resentment we feel when someone we love dies. I don't know. It's a mantra of a song. I could picture a child repeating the line \"You'll never die, you'll never die, you'll never die\", at the bedside of a loved one, thinking in their heart it would make a difference in the end. It's a beautiful track that would never have had the weight it carries had it been recorded in the same lo fi bedroom fashion of TYoH. `Sleep Paralysis' sounds like a song beamed in from some other time, found on some radio frequency lost for years. `Daisyphobia' ends this immense album on a dream-like note. It's as if Trevor Powers is singing from the edge of a chasm, one that separates us from that euphoric dream world this album comes from and the world it leaves us behind in. Back through the looking glass you go, Alice.\n\nTrevor Powers, aka Youth Lagoon, has made a beautiful record. Wondrous Bughouse is uplifting, melancholy, strange, and wonderful. It's also one of the best albums you're likely to hear this year.","Product: 2013 release, the sixth album from the Alt-Rock trio. The first single, 'Let The Day Begin, is actually a cover, and a thoughtful homage to beloved Michael Been of The Call, also Robert Been's father and honorary fourth member of BRMC. This song propelled The Call into mass consciousness when it reached #1 in the US on the Mainstream Rock charts in 1989 and became their biggest crossover hit, thanks to the big arena-rock hook. The song embodies The Call's optimistic message and BRMC rip through the roaring track as if it was their own.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: \"Your soul was only yours to keep, it's buried in me now.\"\n\nReview: `Fire Walker' opens quietly. It's like opening a long forgotten book and beginning what would be many incredible chapters. `Fire Walker' is the opening sentence to a band's reawakening. Robert Levon Been doesn't come out swinging, but swaying ever so lightly. Tension and sadness permeate his voice as he sings lines like \"Your soul was only yours to keep, It's buried in me now, A bullet from the shell it leaves, It strips it to the ground\". The song never gets above a masterful solemnity, and that's how Specter At The Feast begins a new chapter for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, one of their best albums in years.\n\nThen comes the rock. That familiar fuzzy bass, the straining guitar squalls, and the tribal drums return in full bombast form on `Let The Day Begin', an instant BRMC classic. It encapsulates all the things BRMC have used to build their sound since forming in 1998; tension, gutter grime, and a fist-pumping bravado. At the heart of this leather-clad band, there is a straight-up rock `n roll band that wants nothing more than to make an arena filled with fans scream at the top of their lungs and sing along. They're the U2 of the black leather jacket union. They're the saviors of the freaks and geeks. A song like `Returning' is a scratched and bleeding open hug for the disenfranchised. `Lullaby' has the feel of a lost classic. Been has never sounded this earnest and, well, lovely. The death of Robert Levon Been's dad in 2010 has given Specter At The Feast an ample amount of heartache and reflection that -for good or bad- has never been so present on any previous BRMC album. `Returning', `Lullaby', `Some Kind Of Ghost', and `Sometimes The Light' bring an air of remorse, introspection, and ultimately redemption to this record.\n\nThere's also still plenty of fire and grime in tracks like `Hate The Taste', `Rival', and the excellently Jesus and Mary Chain-like `Teenage Disease', one of the best rock `n roll screeches you're likely to hear this year. I hear a song like `Teenage Disease' and I can't help but be reminded of New York by way of Detroit punk metal rockers Warrior Soul. Though only prominent for maybe a 5 year span, Warrior Soul's Korey Clarke had a voice that sounded battered, bruised and bloody, yet still retained a soul and power that kept you enthralled. Robert Levon Been has that same ability. Check out 1991s Drugs, God, and the New Republic for proof of Warrior Soul's short-but-sweet moment of rock `n roll glory. Specter At The Feast's closer `Lose Yourself' is a long and bittersweet goodbye, with a melancholy sound that hints at early British band Straitjacket Fits.\n\nAfter a mid-2000s lull with albums like Howl, Baby 81, and the straight up bizarre The Effects of 333, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club seemed to be on the road to healing with 2010s Beat The Devil's Tattoo. With Specter At The Feast BRMC have proven to us once again they are one of the best rock `n roll bands working today. Robert Levon Been has also proven the best way to healing is through songs. This is a raucous rock `n roll comeback, and a bittersweet goodbye. The best kind of book.","Product: The Black Angels' most revelatory collection thus far, ''Indigo Meadow'' marks the Austin, Texas based band's fourth full-length release, following 2010's acclaimed ''Phosphene Dream.'' Once again the Black Angels prove themselves the undisputed avatars of contemporary psychedelic rock, simultaneously exalting the genre's kaleidoscopic past as they thrust it further into the future. Now a four-piece ably supported behind the board by producer/mixer John Congleton (David Byrne & St. Vincent, Explosions In The Sky, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) the band have brought new focus to their wide-ranging song craft, the righteous riffs and dogmatic drones gaining increased power as they fuel a more expansive emotional terrain. A 21st century trip as transcendent as any in the canon, ''Indigo Meadow'' masterfully affirms The Black Angels full-throttle commitment to the psychedelic ethos of creativity, community and boundless experimentation.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: \"you've been a problem since the moment I met ya.\"\n\nReview: As soon as those tribal drums start in and that Psycho-esque dissonance pipes up you pretty much know what you're in for throughout the next 45 minutes or so. Indigo Meadow isn't any great leap for The Black Angels. Did you like Phosphene Dream? Well you're probably going to like Indigo Meadow just fine. All the hallmarks of a Black Angels album are here; BRMC posturing, Nuggets borrowing, cult-ish vibe and dark psychedelia. Add just a touch of pop seasoning and you have yourself a plate full of goodies that aren't good for you, but they taste pretty decent going down.\n\n\"Indigo Meadow\" starts things off like a Black Angels album should start; complete with big drums, \"evil\"-sounding guitars, and Alex Maas singing \"Lay your hands, on my chest girl, you've been a problem since the moment I met ya\". It's a sound that's permeated every album The Black Angels have put out since 2006. Nothing more, nothing less. A noticeable difference is the production. It's much cleaner and polished than previous albums. This may be good or bad, depending on how you like your psychedelic rock delivered to your ears. \"Evil Things\" goes a little more metal with an almost Black Sabbath feel until the bridge when it stops momentarily for a quick `flower power' moment. Pretty soon the organ comes in and it sounds like Tony Iommi jamming with The Doors. \"Don't Play With Guns\" is the biggest change in their sound, with an almost pop feel to it and Maas sounding as if the spirit of Black Francis took over his body for the recording. This song at times has a Pixies sound to it, though I don't think that was a conscious decision on The Black Angels part. Just happenstance I suppose.\n\nA band that never seems to get mentioned as an influence on so many of these stoner/space/psych rock outfits is The Doors. Maybe it's just not cool to mention the `Lizard King' anymore, I don't know, but listening to quite a few of these songs on Indigo Meadow I'm reminded so much The Doors that I feel I must mention them. \"Holland\" would've fit just fine on Waiting For The Sun, for example. And \"Always Maybe\"? There's an empty spot on Strange Days where it could've sat. But The Doors aren't the only band I hear in the distant and gloomy echo of the Fulltone Tape Echo and the Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb. \"Love Me Forever\" sounds like a Byrds and The Animals collaboration until the fuzzed-out riff comes in to remind us that these guys like things loud, too. And there's still plenty of Strawberry Alarm Clock and 13th Floor Elevators acid-tinged tracers, err, I mean traces. Closing track \"Black Isn't Black\" is the best of the lot. A doom and gloom dark blues psych monster of a track that -to my ears- sounds like a band not wearing their influences on their sleeves, but a band taking their influences and making something completely their own. Here's hoping \"Black Isn't Black\" is the jumping off point next time around.\n\nThe Black Angels have taken their sound not a step up, but a good few steps forward at least. The sound is brighter, but the haze lingers.","Product: On their debut full-length, Western Massachusetts' Speedy Ortiz manages a bit of magic by conjuring the spirits of classic American indie rock, while twisting those ghosts into new shapes. It's easy to hear the influences of Helium, Jawbox, and Chavez on this album, as well as nods to contemporaries Grass is Green, Pile, and Roomrunner. Sweet vocal harmonies run up against gnarly distortion, aided by basic, chunky bass parts and heavy, fill-laden drums. The album was recorded in a few days in November at Justin Pizzoferrato's (Dinosaur Jr., Chelsea Light Moving) studio, Sonelab.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Between Polvo and Pavement...\n\nReview: You know, I try to be \"with it\", and \"in the know\". I want to be \"up to date\" on all the relevant music of today. Even as a kid in short pants growing up in rural Hoosierville I was always buying cassettes at my local record store. If there was some new band everyone was talking about you could be sure I had that in my cassette deck. Granted, being the age I was and my geographical location most of these cassettes were of the hair metal variety. It was 1984 kids. And it was Northeast Indiana. I wasn't listening to R.E.M., Husker Du, The Cure, and Echo and the Bunnymen...not yet, anyways. So as a grown up I'm still trying to keep up on all the relevant indie rock coming down the pike. The early 90s indie rock scene has been raped and pillaged over the last couple years rather dramatically. Some of these revivals have been rather impressive(Yuck, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Parquet Courts), while others have not(Tribes, anyone?). Speedy Ortiz is here to show us their own brand of Pavement dance moves and Nada Surf mope. They seem to have all the right moves. All the off-kilter rhythms and interesting guitar lines are there, and with lead singer/guitarist Sadie Dupuis' smart lyrics and biting storytelling they seem to have everything they need to win those jaded indie rock oldsters(old hipsters) approval and love.\n\nI'll just say this right off the bat, there's more Polvo love than Pavement going on here. First off, they're too good of musicians to be Pavement disciples. Pavement were sloppy, stoned, and completely oblivious, which is what made them so good. Speedy Ortiz are much more meticulous in their songwriting and structure. Tracks like \"Pioneer Spine\", \"Tiger Tank\", and \"Casper(1995)\" owe a greater debt to albums like Cor-Crane Secret and Without A Sound than they do to Slanted & Enchanted and Bakesale. Dupuis writes lyrics that are more pointed and direct than Malkmus and Barlow as well. She sounds like a less stoned and more world weary Liz Phair. Midway through the album the band hits a three-in-a-row winning streak with \"No Below\", \"Gary\", and \"Fun\" where the band puts down the intricacies and noodling guitar lines for earnestness, melody, and even some emoting in Sadie Dupuis' vocals. Great songwriting and storytelling. \"Gary\" sounds like Pavement once the THC clouds settled and Malkmus decided he was serious about this songwriting thing. Midway through the song explodes into a fuzzed-out wall and things get beautifully noisy. \"Fun\" is short and sweet. \"Criminally twisted, puny little villian\", Dupuis sings over a quick pace and a jangly guitar that blows up into a Polvo-like crush before the song ends as it started. \"MKVI\" ends the album with seven minutes of foreboding guitar noise and a rhythm that plods along. It's a more of a statement than a final song.\n\nIf you're like me, you tend to just listen to the those indie rock staples of the 90s -Pavement, Dinosaur Jr, Polvo, Sebadoh- as opposed to looking for that fix in current bands with folks in their mid-twenties. Maybe because it makes me feel a hell of a lot older when I'm hearing \"kids\" playing the music of my early 20s. But if you must listen to current bands reviving the golden years of slacker rock, then Speedy Ortiz will treat you right. Major Arcana is a solid listen.","Product: 'Shelter' is the fourth album by contemporary shoegazers Alcest, the destination of a long creative musical journey into vast new territories. More than ever, the French outfit embraces the dreamy guitar textures of shoegaze and blends it with the sweetness of British band Cocteau Twins - dream pop pioneers of the mid to late 80's era, epic, soundtrack-like melodies and progressive song structures. The album, which also features a guest appearance from Slowdive's Neil Halstead, was recorded at Sundlaugin Studio, Iceland, with Sigur Rs producer Birgir Jn Birgisson who masterfully gave 'Shelter' its light and ethereal sound.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: An epic musical journey\n\nReview: Alcest is a french Shoegaze band. Well, that's what they want you to believe. Who's \"they\"? Lazy writers, basically. I actually disagree with this statement. Sure, they've been a big influence on Deafheaven. Sunbather was a beautiful mix of jagged black metal and dreamy shoegaze soundscapes, but that doesn't mean Alcest are a shoegaze band. One listen to their newest album Shelter and it's clear that Alcest mastermind Neige is doing something far more grand than anything those mopey shoegaze folks ever did.\n\nListening to \"Opale\", the second song on the excellent Shelter, you get that big, swelling feeling in the chest. Triumphant, grand, emotional, and overall uplifting. This is the kind of song Chris Martin would love to open an album with; or maybe something to play during Olympic spots on NBC. Either way, it's a beautiful track that may be dipping its toes in those shoegaze waters, but is firmly planted in lighter, happier terrain. Alcest is more Sigur Ros than My Bloody Valentine. \"La nuit marche avec moi\" gets a bit darker. The song has a post-rock sound to it, reminiscent of Mogwai in atmospheric mode. \"Voix Sereines\" is a slow burner, with the kind of chord changes and sweeping, engulfing reverb Explosions in the Sky use to swallow you whole. The guitars are light and dreamy, while the drums are subtle yet carry you along. This song does evoke a bit of the shoegaze/dream pop feel, albeit more along the lines of Whirr, especially around the four minute mark when the guitars explode into a wall of buzzing fuzz. Epic. And title track \"Shelter\" brings to mind The Jesus and Mary Chain in full-on pop mode. This track sounds like what would've transpired had the Reid brothers recorded A Rush of Blood to the Head instead of those Coldplays. Open skies, daydreaming in a field, longing for a love lost...you get the picture. The ten minute sprawl of \" Dlivrance\" is truly inspiring. It's dark, contemplative, and carries you along through an aural journey. It's a song that begins almost like a lament, but builds into something larger and inspiring even. There's a point where the song shifts from quiet melancholy to something bigger, tougher. A touch of grand metal shows through. It's that moment where the clouds open and those hidden rays of light shine through. There's such an amazing build in this song that you barely notice when it begins to wind down. Neige creates cinematic sound and heart-breaking emotion like nobody's business.\n\nTo call Alcest 'shoegaze' is a bit lazy, but accurate nonetheless. Shelter is the culmination of years creating, crafting, and refining ones sound. Neige employs many styles to make his own special brand of musical journeys. It's a grand journey to take.","Product: 2014 release, the second album from the Electronic Rock duo from Saratoga Springs, New York. Formed in 2007, Phantogram is Josh Carter (vocals, guitars) and Sarah Barthel (vocals, keyboards). The band name was partially inspired by an optical illusion called a phantogram, in which two-dimensional images appear to be three-dimensional. They described their sound as \"street beat, psych pop\". According to Josh, their music has \"lots of rhythms, swirling guitars, spacey keyboards, echoes and airy vocals.\" Phantogram has played and toured with bands including: The xx, Ra Ra Riot, M83, Metric, Beach House, Zero 7, Yeasayer and countless others.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The Beats Go On\n\nReview: Phantogram could've very easily gotten lost in the massive wave of boy/girl electronic duos that made their way into our ears since 2009. They've rode the wave along with bands like The Bird and the Bee, Matt and Kim, Chairlift, and Sleigh Bells into that hip hop-inflected indie dance pop that was either catchy or grating. Fortunately for Phantogram they are blessed with the amazing voice of Sarah Barthel and the studio prowess of Josh Carter. They're unique in a sea of many interesting but not necessarily long lasting bands. Their 2009 full-length debut was a rather breathtaking album filled with rough-around-the-edges pop tracks hidden under electronic beats and at times an industrial roughness that made you think you were hearing something more than just electronic pop. Barthel's voice is what made that album so unique, while Carter's programming and studio expertise made the beats more than just cookie cutter loops run through some Pro Tools plug-in. Eyelid Movies felt organic, not processed. Four years and one e.p. later Barthel and Carter have returned with a polished piece of electro/industrial pop gold called Voices. While not as sublime and dark as it's predecessor, Voices builds on Phantogram's strengths: Sarah Barthel and those beats.\n\nRight out of the gate \"Nothing But Trouble\" comes roaring out of the speakers, all studio shine and spit-polished. There's no mistaking Barthel's voice, for sure. But there's something a little stale about the beat. Nothing distinguishable from any other electronic band playing on internet radio. Mid-song Carter comes in with some guitar work that is reminiscent of classic 80s Cure and brings the song up a few notches. We then go right into the club banger \"Black Out Days\" that seems to want to be some sort of radio hit. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose. It just sorta goes through the motions. Decent enough, but as one 80's commercial pondered, \"Where's the beef?\" The answer is \"Fall In Love\", a soul-inflected track that reminds the listener why Phantogram is so great. All the elements are there, popping and clicking. Now we're talking. Barthel's ethereal voice floats above the excellent programming. This is 21st century pop music at it's finest. Catchy, yet still interesting and new to the ears. Hello, Phantogram. \"Never Going Home Again\" sounds like a b-side from Phil Collins' No Jacket Required, with Carter singing and giving us something to savor and reminisce with at the same time. This is the kind of track that would've been a huge radio hit in 1985. Sadly, neither pop music or radio exist like this anymore.\n\nOkay, so pretty much after the first two songs this album kicks into gear and becomes this massive record filled with ear candy and interesting production. \"The Day You Died\" is big and emotional with a chorus that soars. \"Howling At The Moon\" brings back some of that weirdness Eyelid Movies delivered in spades. You'll be cranking this and blowing the speakers in your Camry for sure. \"Bill Murray\" is sublime. A beautiful ballad that should be playing at the coolest proms on the planet this spring. \"My Only Friend\" closes this record out on a melancholy note. Much like Eyelid Movies excellent closer \"10,000 Claps\", \"My Only Friend\" is proof of the power in Sarah Barthel's sweet, beautiful, and longing voice. The production is 80s-centric reverbed beats and hand claps. It's perfect.\n\nVoices continues what Eyelid Movies started, with better production and bigger choruses. While there have been some really great and interesting guy/gal duos over the last few years, Phantogram have proven they've got staying power. They've got the beats. They've got the voice. They've got the songs.","Product: 2014 release from the critically acclaimed singer/songwriter. Annie Clark, better known by her stage name, St. Vincent, is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She began her music career as a member of The Polyphonic Spree and was also part of Sufjan Stevens' touring band before forming her own band in 2006. Her debut album was Marry Me, and was followed by Actor (2009). Her third album Strange Mercy was released on September 13, 2011. Clark has opened shows for such acts as Television, Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird, Jolie Holland, John Vanderslice, Death Cab for Cutie and Grizzly Bear.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Saint by any other name....\n\nReview: Oh Annie Clark, I think you're pretty super. I've thought you were pretty super ever since 2007. You were this sorta weird and quirky girl that was so way cooler than me. You played the guitar the way I wish I could've played. You made each fuzzed-out riff and melody seem effortless, while I'd make it seem like work and slightly(completely)pretentious. You walked that fine line between artistic achievement and pop sensibiltiy. You're like this bizarro version of the popular girl at school. You could hang out with the jocks and the in-crowd; yet you could also talk about your favorite Siouxsie Sioux and King Crimson record with the goths and prog kids. You came out of the gate like a fully-formed artistic force. There was no mistaking that twinkle in your eye. Marry Me was your introduction, while Actor was your mission statement. You don't know this, but I saw you in 2009 open for Andrew Bird. I'll just say this, our Topiary-loving friend didn't have a chance. He spent his portion of the evening licking his wounds and pretending to be a rock star just to save face from the blistering set you opened the evening up with. Strange Mercy felt like a victory lap, mixed with all the idiosyncrasies and indelible pop finesse you've sharpened like a deadly weapon over the last four years. After a David Byrne collaboration that seemed like a match made in a heaven David Lynch would create you have returned with St. Vincent, a self-titled album that shows you in your finest form yet. Okay, I'll leave you alone now Annie. Gonna talk about your new record.\n\n\"Rattlesnake\" opens St. Vincent on a funky note, with a sound like a cross between interstellar disco and 80s King Crimson. Annie Clark has made this kind of sound -organic mixed with a processed flair- her calling card. \"Birth In Reverse\" is a wonky and manic track that sports this great line \"Oh what an ordinary day/ Take out the garbage, masturbate/ I'm still holding for the laugh.\" \"Prince Johnny\" is more of a slow burner. Again, she writes these exquisite lines that are both poetic and subversive. \"Remember the time we went and snorted/ A piece of the Berlin Wall that you'd extorted/ And we'd had such a laugh of it/ Prostrate on my carpet.\" She writes words like a writer, not a lyricist. Broken people looking for love; looking for something to hold onto. I hear a track like \"Huey Newton\" and could see a St. Vincent and Trent Reznor partnership birthing something quite wonderful. Throughout Clark's career there has always been this underlying base of industrial barb wire. Halfway through \"Huey Newton\" the guitar gets this red-lined blow out sound as if it's about to melt the speakers, while Clark pumps up the attitude and machismo in her voice. It's a genius track, really. And \"Digital Witness\"? Her time spent with David Byrne shows in the tight horn section, while the chorus brings up echoes of 80s disco. And her guitar? Reznor, are you listening? \"I Prefer Your Love\" is a beautiful track written for Clarks's mom. \"I, I prefer your love to Jesus\" Clark sings over synth strings and a simple beat. Next to \"Marry Me\" it's one of her most sublime tracks yet.\n\nSt. Vincent from start to finish shows Annie Clark at her best. Each album she's released since 2007 has been a progression; an evolution into more of the artist she's supposed to be. St. Vincent has released one of the best albums of the year, and the best of Annie Clark's career yet.\n\nAnd Annie, I think Andrew Bird wants a rematch. It's the least you can do.","Product: Only two years ago, the three members of Corrosion of Conformity released to much acclaim their first album in over five years. 'Corrosion of Conformity isn't a comeback album or an example of diminishing returns,' noted Invisible Oranges. 'It's a testament to immense talent and the elusive endowment of staying power.' Now ready to once again excite their legion of fans, the trio presents their ninth studio album, simply titled IX. Over three decades of playing together clearly shows; a notable comfort and ease glows on each of the album's songs. Be it southern groove, the championing of all things doom, or the band's cherished punk rock roots, IX contains eleven more reasons to simply love this band. With touring plans already mounting up, 2014 will be another strong busy year for Mike Dean, Woody Weatherman and Reed Mullin.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Corrosion Of Conformity Destroy on IX\n\nReview: I didn't start listening to Corrosion of Conformity till 1994. It was the next phase in their sound. Before the album Deliverance they were a hardcore punk band. They had street cred and lots of hardcore punk fans. But Deliverance saw the band head in more of a dirge-filled, Sabbath-oozing direction. Pepper Keenan as lead vocalist the band embarked on a journey to take over alternative music one song at a time. Wiseblood was just as good as Deliverance, if not better, and they continued to mix and match doom and gloom metal with a punk attitude until 2001s America's Volume Dealer. That album bordered on southern rock and made me want to forget the name Corrosion of Conformity. They attempted to redeem themselves with In The Arms of God before taking a hiatus till 2010. Their self-titled was a return to their hardcore days with the original trio finding that Animosity-era magic. With IX they continue the streak and add in some of that doom and gloom magic along with some classic thrash. This is Corrosion of Conformity in classic form. Look out, you little whippersnappers.\n\n\"Brand New Sleep\" is a sludge-filled dirge, with a penchant for Sleep-filled doom and a dusting of 70s dizziness in those phaser pedals. It's a classic, bluesy doom song that opens the album on the right note. \"Elphyn\" brings Sabbath into the fold opening with the distant sound of thunder before blasting into a \"Children of the Grave\" hustle in the rhythm. Woody Weatherman's guitar tone is a calling card, with it's overpowered Gibson howl and this song howls all over the place. \"Denmark Vesey\" is a straight-up thrash song, sounding like a cross between classic Venom and Overkill. As much as I love their albums with Pepper Keenan at the helm, they just weren't hitting these thrash and speed metal tunes with Keenan. A song like \"The Nectar\", with it's breakneck rhythm and classic speed metal vocals, just wasn't an option on an album like Deliverance or Wiseblood. A little over a minute into this song we shift down to first gear and trudge along like some post-apolcalyptic war machine destroying everything in its path. This is southern metal sludge, something Mastodon and Kylesa used to do really well. Corrosion of Conformity are showing these younger bands up on IX. Neither one of those bands have recorded a song like \"On Your Way\" in years. A meaty riff that could feed a village and metal drums that sound like a beast running through the wilds. \"Tarquinius Superbus\" sounds like a Helloween and Bad Brains mash-up. It's pure adrenaline and has a chorus that sticks in your head all day. \"Who You Need To Blame\" has a groove that brings to mind some of those classic earworm riffs from Deliverance. For the all-around metal fan or for someone like me who grew up in the 80s listening to bands on Metal Blade Records and lots of thrash this album is a smorgasbord of metal goodness.\n\nIf you lost interest in CoC after America's Volume Dealer like I did, you should revisit them. IX is a new metal classic. Hardcore, thrash, speed, and sludge-y doom are awaiting to destroy your hearing and give your whiplash.","Product: THE SEGALL HAS LANDED. And it s fully loaded, with everything that TY SEGALL (and you and me) are gonna need in the world to come. Heads up! It s coming down fast. Sticking his hand deeper into the machines all around him, TY is reaching ever further to the outer limits of inner space orbited throughout TWINS and SLEEPER. And now more than ever, the chunks of the world that came before are like asteroids formed in his image . . . picking up speed . . . . Still fighting the power with all the energy that a deter- mined mind-patriot can conjure, Ty s a fighter who loves, a surfer, a spaceman, and yeah, a casualty like you, he ll never be free. But unlike you, he knows it and when he goes down and his head cracks in two, out pour the multi-colored manias that make up MANIPULATOR. Sour-sweet declarations fea- turing freaks and creeps alike: The Singer, The Faker, Mister Main, Susie Thumb, the Connection Man, and The Crawler, to name but a mutant fistful. To see these peeps, to realize their dreams and visions, TY kept working, kept writing, laying down more tracks than ever. New musi- cal expressions pop and surprise relentlessly throughout all the knockout tunes of MANIP- ULATOR with many sounds in the mix but LP most of all, SO many guitars! So Many. And different kinds of strings - the strangled-neck solo of The Singer, recalling the good old days down by the river with Neil. Numbed-and-unplugged discursions spiraling away from the funk on Mister Main. Three-quarter quartets raising their din in a few key places. Waves of sparkling acoustics with ominous, Lovely undertones and then, torrents of filthy git-grunge, exploding into the chorus, washing everything away, fusing the black- ness of SABBATH with the grime and grab-ass of the STOOGES and the sweet swinging tones of the STONES. All in the name of getting high- er on the music. Why have one guitar solo when you can have a few in the same space? There s so little time, and a LOT to say. In order to ensure that he got it all out, TY called a few friends to fill in special parts on certain MANIPULATOR songs. He got great touches from CHRIS WOODHOUSE (piano, synth & percussion), SEAN PAUL PRESLEY (vocals), BRIT LAUREN MANOR (vocals), STEVE NUTTING (drums), IRENE SALZER (violin), JESSICA IVRY (cello), MATTHIAS MCENTIRE (viola) and the TY SEGALL band (MIKAL CRONIN, CHARLES MOOTHEART, EM- ILY ROSE EPSTEIN). Plus, MIKAL arranged the strings and everyone played awesomely. The clarion call/siren song of his guitar....clouds of guitar billowing, blood rushing to the head, the tempera- ture going from blue to red....TY s on a mission, working to change chemistry through music with the streamlined pop and helium-cooled vocals of MANIPULATOR. These seventeen songs take many forms, as if TY is finally releasing all the thoughts that have been holding him down, that made him pick up the ax to begin with. By the end of MANIPULATOR, you ll feel that he must have chased all the demons but it s a big world, and MANIPULATOR has only begun to fight.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Rock N' Roll Scuzzed-Out Masterpiece\n\nReview: I have to be completely honest here, okay? I've never been much of a fan of this guy called Ty Segall. Yeah, I know this is a shocking revelation to the world at large, but I felt I needed to get that out in the open before I went any further with this review. I will say that I've always admired the guy and his rather prolific output. If he's not putting out something under his own name then he's putting something out with one of his West Coast garage/psych brethren. While everyone around me hailed Segall as the second coming of rock n' roll, I responded with a less than enthusiastic \"meh.\" I bought last year's Sleeper and found it to be an earnest little record that didn't feel the need to hide behind piles of hiss and feedback(not that I have anything against hiss and feedback.) I think with me it's always been this feeling that Segall was hiding behind the noise instead of wielding it as one of his many weapons in his rock n' roll arsenal. Well, I am here to admit dear readers that I was dead wrong about the 26 year-old wunderkind from Orange County and his newest masterpiece, the double album Manipulator, is proof of just how wrong I was.\n\nListening to albums like Melted, Goodbye Bread, and Twins you get the feeling Ty has listened to his fair share of late-60s psych, garage, and a healthy dose of Blue Cheer, Stooges, and Black Sabbath, so when you throw on Manipulator for the first time you're instantly thrown off by the cleaned up production and locked-in grooves. The needle in the red levels of ear bleeding volume are replaced with Hunky Dory-era Bowie glam. The acoustic guitar almost seems attached to the drums as each strum accents the snare on \"Tall Man Skinny Lady\". It has a \"Queen Bitch\" vibe with Segall sporting a hell of a falsetto. I have to say right here that the drums on this album sound incredible. The extra time Segall took to make this record shows wonderfully in the engineering. The drums and bass work together on this album like they never have previously. Manipulator doesn't lose any of Ty Segall's DIY-approach to album making, but there's a clarity here that's never been present before. At times it comes off as the Stooges making The White Album. \"The Singer\" starts out like an acoustic ballad and then morphs into a T. Rex strut. \"Mister Main\" and \"Green Belly\" sport some great rhythm as the drums and bass lock in together and never let up. There's still plenty of face-melting guitar, like on the blistering \"The Connection Man\" and the opening build-up of \"The Faker\" before it rolls through the speakers with a rock n' roll chug. And I dare you not to pump your fists to \"The Crawler\". It's like an unholy union of Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath run through the Bay area speed metal scene. Face melting, man. Manipulator takes everything Segall has dabbled in previously and churns it out into this proto glam/psych/metal sound that's just about perfect.\n\nIf Ty Segall hasn't already released his breakthrough album, I believe he just has with Manipulator. And as someone who never bought into the hype of Mr. Segall before, I'm here to say I'm buying now. I'm a believer in this Orange County wunderkind.","Product: 2014 vinyl LP pressing. While ecological unease worries at the edges of Steve Gunn's bold full-band album 'Way Out Weather'-the breathing sea of the billowing title track, the bad wind and moon over \"Wildwood,\" the polluted pyramid and blue bins in \"Shadow Bros,\" the desert heat sickness of \"Atmosphere\"-the resonance of the title is primarily metaphorical and oblique. Written largely while on tour, the record is an elliptical but seductive travelogue, more engaged with navigating foreign (\"way out\") emotional landscapes, and with grasping at universal threads of language and narrative, than with bemoaning rising sea levels. Despite the album-opening lyric to the contrary, \"Way Out Weather\" is an uncommon song in Steve Gunn's discography. Sonically and lyrically the album demonstrates a radical evolution, lighting out for lusher, more expansive, and impressionistic territories; it's his first major work as an artist for whom the studio provides a critical context. A more enigmatic and elevated affair than it's predecessor,'Way Out Weather' completes Gunn's satisfying transformation into a mature songwriter, singer, and bandleader of subtlety and authority. It ranks as most impressive and inviting record yet, an inscrutable but entirely self-assured masterpiece. Belying their ambitious new scale and scope, most of these songs arrived at Westtown, New York's scene-seminal Black Dirt Studio as skeletal solo demos. An enthusiastic and generous collaborator-recently he has partnered with Kurt Vile, Michael Chapman, Mike Cooper, the Black Twig Pickers, Cian Nugent, et al.-Gunn assembled an accomplished group of comrades to flesh out the full arrangements, trusting the germinal songs to an instinctual process of spontaneous composition, transposition, and improvisation. The WOW studio band comprised longtime musical brothers Jason Meagher (bass, drones, engineering), Justin Tripp (bass, guitar, keys, production), and John Truscinski (drums), in addition to newcomers Nathan Bowles (drums, banjo, keys: Black Twig Pickers, Pelt); James Ellington (guitar, lap steel, dobro: Freakwater, Jeff Tweedy); Mary Lattimore (harp, keys: Thurston Moore, Kurt Vile); and Jimy SeiTang (synths, electronics: Stygian Stride, Rhyton.) 'Way Out Weather is Steve's career-defining statement to date. Lightning changes things; the soul burns.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Outstanding Album From A Former Violator\n\nReview: Steve Gunn makes music that is simple sounding on the surface, but underneath theres a complexity hiding under the breezy sway and summertime shine. Hes an incredible guitarist that shows he can handle pretty much anything that comes at him. On his latest, Way Out Weather, its all about southern jangle with an east coast sophistication.\n\nWhen I heard last years excellent Time Off I wasn't aware that Steve Gunn played in Kurt Viles live band The Violators. Now that I know that I can really hear that Vile laid back drawl in Gunns music. While Vile is firmly planted in the rock and folk camps in his songs, Steve Gunn sticks with a more earthy, organic sound. Though, he can kick it up a notch as well. Drifter is a hard-driving tune with some great Allman Brothers-like guitar. And Atmosphere has an almost psychedelic vibe to it with Gunn singing through a Leslie speaker. Steve Gunns voice is a smoother version of Califones Tim Rutilis crackling, whispy voice. And Steve Gunns music does bring to mind that Chicago bands rustic and at time acoustic-driven sound, though Gunn is more subtle and intricate. Hes a clever songwriter in that he hides his prodigious playing under simple, pleasing music. Way Out Weather brings to mind Allman Brothers Brothers and Sisters and the Deads Workingmans Dead. The latter showing a band in their prime taking it easy while still dropping jaws at their musical proficiency. Wildwood has a nice shuffle rhythm and some great guitar run through a Leslie speaker. Millys Garden is a mover and a shaker. Its a breezy track that could soundtrack a million road trips and don a thousand mix tapes. It will please fans of the Dead and Real Estate alike. It even has a little bit of the Stones in there with the great lap steel guitar. Shadow Bros is the blues, but of a different shade than what were used to. The acoustics crackle and jangle as Steve Gunn sings along to the beautiful waltz-time track. Fiction keeps that easy feel flow going with a touch of melancholy just underneath. Tommys Congo closes the album out on an almost tribal note, with a mantra-like guitar line that keeps repeating.\n\nThere seems to be a mantra-like feel to Steve Gunns music. It repeats itself over and over, lulling you into a meditative state till you almost forget theres music playing. It transcends from just a song to something much deeper.\n\nWay Out Weather is a record from start to finish that effortlessly flows and moves like a river in the country or a subway in the city. Its one of those rare records that will appeal to many that cant see eye to eye normally. Its an album that brings folks together and lets them nod their heads together in unison. Simple and sophisticated.","Product: Plowing into the Field of Love is the third album from Copenhagen s ICEAGE. It is new, bold and forceful. Channeling the rage and emotion of their tempestuous early releases into finely honed musicianship, Plowing Into The Field of Love features piano, mandolin, viola and organ atop Johan Suurballe-Wieth s razor-sharp guitars and the lolloping, synchronized rhythm section of Jacob Tvilling Pless and Dan Kjr Nielsen. The record has a clear, uncompressed sound, and Elias Bender Rnnenfelt s desperate vocals are out front, nakedly accountable for the words.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Iceland's Finest Keep Getting Better\n\nReview: Iceage have come a long way from their vicious post-punk beginnings. New Brigade was dark, angry and monstrous. It was the sound of torn fingers and bloody guitar necks. You're Nothing seemed to be a continuation of that sound, albeit with more experience under these young, Danish lads belts. On Iceage's new album, Plowing Into the Fields of Love, these guys have opened the flood gates and have released a record so varied and expansive that if it weren't for Elias Bender Rnnenfelt's unique vocals you wouldn't know it was the same band. It's a huge step forward and a hell of an album.\n\n\"On My Fingers\" starts the album out like a funeral dirge written by The Fall and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. A doomed romantic vibe permeates and pulsates in the piano and Rnnenfelt's vocal delivery. \"The Lord's Favorite\" has a cow punk shuffle and chiming guitars that gives this great track a Smiths vibe. There's a lightness to this song that hasn't been heard previously and it's a welcome surprise. I think even Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros might have had some fun with this one. \"Glass Eyed, Dormant, and Veiled\" has a punk rock jangle mixed with an almost doomed, goth sound. \"Let It Vanish\" sounds like Joy Division fronted by Sid Vicious. It has that Manchester darkness, but with youthful energy those post-punks could never quite muster. \"Abundant Living\" could be the love child of The Smiths, Love and Rockets, and Drivin N Cryin. \"Cimmerian Shade\" has all that nasty vitriol that got Iceage their reputation for intense and bloody live shows. It's tension-filled and waiting to explode at any moment. \"Plowing Into the Field of Love\" is a ramshackle track that ends the album on a drunken Pogues stumble that nearly falls out of the speakers.\n\nIt's one thing for a band to get ambitious and attempt some sort of grand gesture on a record. Usually they just end up reverting back to the same old thing next time around. But Iceage aren't being ambitious here. They've just grown up, and their music has grown right along with them.","Product: Recorded in a barn-turned-studio in rural Ontario, the seven songs that make up Viet Cong were born largely on the road, when Flegel and bandmates Mike Wallace, Scott Munro and Daniel Christiansen embarked on a 50-date tour that stretched virtually every limit imaginable. Close quarters hastened their exhaustion but also honed them as a group. You can designate records as seasonal, and you can feel Viet Cong's bleakness and declare it wintry. But the only way you get a frost is when there's something warmer to freeze up. So yes, Viet Cong is a winter album, but only until it is a spring record, then a summer scorcher, then an autumn burner, then it ices over again.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Dark, Menacing, and Beautiful\n\nReview: \"Newspaper Spoons\" opens like a distant canon firing into the abyss. An overblown kick drum beats like a death knell before Matt Flegel sings \"Writhing violence essentially without distortion, Wired silent, vanishing into the boredom\". It's a hell of a way to open a debut album, but that's just the kind of album Viet Cong is. With every turn your put through an aural wringer. Your mind is blown and your head feels like it's going to explode. Welcome to 2015, the year of Viet Cong.\n\nThe band is one half of the former Calgary band Women. When that band broke up, bassist Matthew Flegel wanted to start a band with guitarist Scott Munro. They enlisted Women drummer Michael Wallace and guitarist Daniel Christiansen and Viet Cong was born. They released a cassette-only EP that was sold at gigs in 2012. That album showed a spry, post-punk informed band with darker tendencies. On Viet Cong they fully embrace the darkness and get down to some serious gothic tendencies. \"Pointless Experience\" stabs with siren-like guitars and Flegel's heavily-reverbed vocals. It's as if Interpol put the suits away and embraced the gutter. Lyrics sound like the prose of a post-apocalyptic survivor. Flegel sings \"Failed to keep the necessary papers for evacuation, Hideously synchronized with cold and cruel arithmetic\". Viet Cong don't do paint-by-numbers lyrics. It's poetic and dystopian. \"March Of Progress\" starts out with white noise, as if looking for signs of life on an old tube television. Pretty soon distorted drums come through the fuzz like war drums as wavering synths move back and forth as if stuck in a vacuum. Vocals come in beautifully, harmonies singing \"Lately there's a wound that needs some healing soon, Before the infection can set in.\" Soon enough the song kicks into an almost new wave drum beat and the guitars become chime-y and have more of a post-punk jangle.\n\nYou get the feeling through the darkness and shadowy entities that haunt this record that there's an element of healing going on here. It's like the aural version of prolonged exposure therapy. You keep going over the pain through each song until it loses the hurt. A song like \"Bunker Buster\" is all splintered guitar jabs and post-punk strut. It's like Mission of Burma in swagger mode. Munro and Christiansen are making some of the most interesting and intriguing guitar noise that I've heard in a very long time. \"Continental Shelf\" has elements of A Place To Bury Stranger's wall-of-guitar noise in the songs verses before becoming quite eerie and beautiful in the chorus. Lyrically it's doomed, tragic, and oddly moving. Flegel has a knack for doomed and romantic lyrics. Dream-like, dystopian, and darkly vague. He paints dark landscapes that you can occasionally catch something dimly lit hiding amongst the shadows. \"Continental Shelf\" is a massive song that gives you a world to get lost in, at your own risk of course. \"Silhouettes\" has the dark, bass-y pulse of Luis Vasquez' The Soft Moon with new wave synths hanging over the proceedings. It's a hell of a track. The album closes on the epic and mammoth dirge \"Death\". It's over 11 minutes of new wave, post-punk, and dark wave haze. It feels like this cycle of mourning and healing. The vocals fade and the song turns into this churning, swirling sea of noise and madness.\n\nViet Cong feels vital and intense. It's blood spurting on the canvas. It's embracing the scars that come with the wounds of the past. Embracing the fact you survived and lived to tell about it. This album feels revolutionary. Viet Cong is pure, raw, bloody rock and roll at it's best.","Product: Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper is the fifth studio album from Animal Collective founding member and critically acclaimed solo artist Noah Lennox, a.k.a. Panda Bear. It finds our hero leaving the airy minimalism of 2011s Tomboy and unpacking his sonic toolbox again (with the help of Pete Sonic Boom Kember), rearranging the multitude of his disparate influences into the ever-morphing concoction he refers to as the soup. Old school hip-hop textures and production techniques meld with the intuitive, cyclical melodies he has become known for, for a sound that is at once dense and playful.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Panda Bear Meets Noah Lennox\n\nReview: \"Sequential Circuits\" is really the best way Noah Lennox could bring us into the world of his newest musical hallucination called Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper. With its percolating synths, fluid gurgles, and Lennox' own angelic harmonies floating above the song like paisley-colored clouds the song is a perfect mix of both Panda Bear's previous musical endeavors and his work with Animal Collective. It doesn't seem to take sides in regards to the more loopy, drugged exuberance of Person Pitch or the more restrained and desolate soundscapes of that albums follow-up, 2011s Tomboy. Then \"Mr. Noah\" comes rolling in and all bets are off. It's weird, trippy, and a kaleidoscope of vocals and massive, bouncy rhythms. It's basically saying Panda Bear isn't going to give us a repeat of anything. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is easily Panda Bear's best and densest album yet.\n\nI don't know too many casual fans of Panda Bear's music. You are either all in or you just don't bother with Noah Lennox' records. I think to some ears a Panda Bear album is just a lot of weird noise with big beats and pretty vocals. But I think that casual listener is underestimating Noah Lennox. A song like \"Crosswords\" sounds on the surface to be a nice beat, synths, and Mr. Lennox' Brian Wilson-like vocal harmonies. But you dig in a little deeper and you start to hear the layers of sonic treasure. That's the true beauty of Panda Bear's music: the layers. The music is more like psychedelic mantras than songs. \"Come To Your Senses\" is also like that. The music envelopes you. It consumes you. Then \"Butcher Baker Candlestick Maker\" has the feel of some dark children's nursery rhyme. Vocals bounce from left to right, ping ponging in your head. It has a trance-like effect, much like so many of Lennox' songs. No one is making music like this, except for Noah Lennox.\n\nAll of Panda Bear's albums are other worlds that you are invited to inhabit for the duration of their play time. Noah Lennox creates these worlds in such a way to where you can decide what these worlds inhabit. Good juju or bad juju. There's both the feeling child-like exuberance and something darker lurking; sometimes in the same song. Person Pitch was like the stoner's Odyssey and Oracle. It felt like this drugged excursion across some strange and beautiful land. It was an album that felt all-encompassing and welcoming. Tomboy on the other hand felt lonely and mired in self-doubt and desolation. Those aren't knocks. That was just the vibe. Those songs for the most part felt like one guy sitting in an empty room creating these vast landscapes. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper takes both of those feelings and turns them into a celebration. A celebration of coming to terms with mortality. \"Boys Latin\" is exuberance in that acknowledgement, as is the beautiful \"Tropic of Cancer\". With its harp loop and Noah Lennox' mournful vocal it's sad like an old doo-wop song from the 50s. It feels like a song that was recorded on the moon, looking at the Earth in the distance. At one point it even brings a refrain from \"Somewhere Over The Rainbow\" to mind. Just for a moment.\n\nPanda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is the kind of album you commit to. It's not just some cool music you throw on as background noise. It's too good for that. It's too deep for that. It feels like if played at the right time in the right circumstances it could transport you to some other dimension. Probably that dimension Noah Lennox came from before landing in ours. I imagine it's a beautiful and frightening place. And I bet Brian Wilson vacations there. Either way, buy the album and take the ride.","Product: John Carpenter has been responsible for much of the horror genre's most striking soundtrack work in the fifteen movies he's both directed and scored. The themes can instantly flood his fans' musical memory with imagery of a menacing shape stalking a babysitter, a relentless wall of ghost-filled fog, lightning-fisted kung fu fighters, or a mirror holding the gateway to hell. The all-new music on Lost Themes asks Carpenter's acolytes to visualize their own nightmares. As is Carpenter's style, repetition is the key to the thundering power of these tracks, their energy swirling with shredding chords, soaring organs, unnerving pianos and captivating percussion. Horror fans will be reminded of Carpenter's past works, as well as ancestors like Mike Oldfeld's Tubular Bells and Goblin's Suspiria. \"They're little moments of score from movies made in our imaginations,\" Carpenter says. \"Now I hope it inspires people to create films that could be scored with this music.\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Horror Maestro's Album Debut\n\nReview: John Carpenter colored at least two generations' dreams in burnt fall hues. Faded browns,sbr123-johncarpenter-lostthemes-1400_1024x1024 oranges, yellows, and reds, topped with gray, overcast skies bled into our psyche and made us re-imagine Halloween in a whole new way. In a way where the fear we felt walking down the sidewalk in our Darth Vader costume holding a grocery bag full of Hershey and Nestle confections wasn't something made up in our own minds and imaginations. It was something very real. The Bogeyman wasn't just contained in a campfire ghost story; the Bogeyman was lurking just up the street ahead waiting for you. Carpenter defined a genre of horror and indie films with 1978s Halloween. From there he made films that would go on to inspire fans and fledgling filmmakers alike for years to come. Part of the appeal of his films, besides the very distinctive look(color, lighting, cinematography) were the scores he created to help push the story along. He used modern technology with classic touches to make haunted, eerie, and pulsating soundtracks. The Prophet 5 and 10 synths were used by Carpenter to create classic scores for Assault On Precinct 13, Halloween I,II,and III, The Fog, Christine, and The Prince of Darkness just to name a few.\n\nFor a certain portion of the music-loving population these scores Carpenter created(in the case of Halloween along with Alan Howarth) are as important as the films themselves. They define an era of horror film where auteurs like John Carpenter made what to the common eye appeared to be \"cheap thrills\" kind of horror. But looked at a little deeper there was more going on. These scores act as a time machine of sorts to back to those days. Before \"the gorier the better\" adage took hold. Much like those films, the scores were classics. Lost Themes is John Carpenter's debut standalone album of instrumental tracks. Music for films never made by Carpenter. It's a soundtrack to whatever your imagination can come up with. It's every bit as good as you'd think, with only a few moments where it staggers a bit.\n\nLost Themes is filled with great, haunting moments. \"Vortex\" feels like an opening steadicam shot through neon lit city streets. The lights reflecting off puddles along the sidewalks as someone makes their way through an urban landscape dimly lit. \"Obsidian\" is a driving track that feels like a chase through the night. \"Fallen\" is melancholy and dream-like. \"Purgatory\" is menacing and mournful, while \"Night\" is arpeggiated menace. Every track is a single word title, and I think that works well for these songs.\n\nCarpenter, along with his son who helps his dad out on Lost Themes, creates dark moods and aural experiences with a singular precision. Some songs suffer from at times a dated sound here and there. \"Mystery\" moves along nicely until \"rock\" drums enter the picture and add an element of Trans-Siberian Orchestra to the proceedings which slows down the songs initial tension. \"Wraith\" gets bogged down a bit towards the end with a guitar part that seems to have been pulled from a Savatage song from 1987. \"Domain\" sounds more like Australia's The Night Terrors than John Carpenter, but these are just small issues. Nothing that bogs the album down too much.\n\nBands like Sinoia Caves, The Night Terrors, and Night Flights have been making synth-heavy records over the last few years that borrow heavily from John Carpenter's scores and they do it well, without aping Carpenter too bad. More homage than anything else. But it's great to see and hear the \"Master of Horror\" himself putting out a standalone record of original music. Lost Themes is both a throwback to classic Carpenter soundscapes and a modern take on synth-driven music. He may not be making movies like he used to, but if this album is any indication, he's certainly not running short of creativity or artistic wealth. Not by a long shot.","Product: On Escape From Evil, Lower Dens Jana Hunter emerges: cerebral and hot-blooded, rash and incorruptible, and, crucially, possessing of a loud, clear voice. Hunter is stepping up and taking center stage has emboldened every other aspect of the band. Escape From Evil is a cinematic, tonally rich work. The sounds are clean and warm. The pulse of the album is strong. Escape from Evil marks the follow-up to 2012 s Nootropics.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Giving In To The Pop...\n\nReview: Escape From Evil feels like a breezy reprieve from the dense, claustrophobic world of Lower Dens' previous album, the dark masterpiece Nootropics. On that 2012 record, singer/songwriter Jana Hunter wanted to create this world within the grooves. A world not easily found. Only after a few spins did that records genius show itself. With Escape From Evil it feels as if Lower Dens have opened the shades and let some light shine in. Its gloriously catchy and shimmers like a cross between Talk Talk and Cliff Martinez Drive S/T. Theres nothing to dig through on here. Even the dark lyrical content cant bring this album into the doldrums. Escape From Evil will slink into your brain and not be easily exorcised.\n\nJana Hunter has a unique voice. Its gruff yet smooth. She can carry a pop melody beautifully and not burn you out with saccharine-y overzealous abandon. Suckers Shangri-la has an almost Til Tuesday sway to it. Shimmering synths, reverbed percussion, and processed guitars give you the impression weve set the wayback machine for 1982. Slight touches of melancholy permeate the chorus. Its mournful pop gloom. Ondine is subtle and longing as Hunter sings Ill treat you better, either a cry for a second chance or a chance to do better than the current lover. This holds some of Nootropics dark motorik tendencies, but with more emphasis on the radio dial. To Die In L.A. is almost giddy in its upbeat rhythm and Hunters exquisite vocals. The War On Drugs and Merchandise aren't the only current artists that can ape the best of the 80s beautifully. Lower Dens proves a true knack for recreating the decade of neon lights, Michael Mann, and gated reverb.\n\nLower Dens gives in to their pop tendencies completely on this album, and its a beautiful thing. Quo Vadis, Your Heart Still Beating, and Non Grata are all steeped in electro grooves, 80s dance floor lights, and an unabashed love of melody. Company has a krautrock backbone and jagged synths that buzz in your ears as Hunter anchors the song firmly for us to crawl inside of and get lost in. The chorus has a gallop to it that is hard not to get lost in.\n\nFrom start to finish, Lower Dens Escape From Evil is a catchy, pop-fueled record that captivates and sucks you in. When a band can take the essence of the 80s and use that decades musically sunny disposition and mix it with the earthier, darker elements of whats transpired within those 30 years in-between it can be a riveting listen. The War On Drugs, Merchandise, and Diana are bands that take that love of the 80s and can reinvent it into something new, creative, and vital. Lower Dens has done that as well, and quite masterfully.","Product: 2012 release, the fifth album from the San Francisco-based Roots Rock band. Equal parts dust, groove, Folk, Rock, dirt, mercury, earth, barn, chaos and gamble, beer, water melon sugar, the Eel River and the great land that surrounds it, all sewn into classic Americana songs full of luscious melodies and hip grinding grooves. Howlin' Rain is unfiltered music, lending to both its glory and its grit and blemishes.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: If you like your rock Santana side up, then hit play...\n\nReview: Dear reader, do names like Leslie West, Rod Argent, Ken Hensley and Carlos Santana mean anything to you? Or what about Deep Purple, Mountain, Uriah Heep and Steely Dan? If after reading those names you felt an involuntary surge of stomach acid come up your throat, then do as Bob Seger once said, and turn the page.\n\nOkay, now that those whippersnappers have moved on to their current issue of Under The Radar, let's talk about Howlin Rain's new long player The Russian Wilds. This drunken, stoned and southern California-drenched record will appeal to those of us who enjoy their songs long. Light on filler and heavy on the jam. This is 70's soul rock in the tradition of Grand Funk Railroad and Rare Earth. This is 70's hard rock in the loving likeness of albums like Machine Head, The Magician's Birthday and Abraxas.\n\nHowlin Rain is fronted by Ethan Miller who fronted the fuzzed out psych rock band Comets On Fire. Fans of Comets On Fire will more than likely scratch their heads in bewilderment as soon as `Self Made Man', The Russian Wild's opening track, starts up. With it's hammond b-3 inflected opening, then into something resembling Wolfmother fronted by Leslie West, this is light years away from Comets' 2004 debut Cathedral. Midway through we get into something resembling Carlos Santana jamming with Steely Dan, complete with guitar solo, organ and latin percussion. Welcome to throwback territory. `Phantom In The Valley' is very reminiscent of the Eagles staple `Hotel California' if Graham Bonnet took vocal duties and Joe Walsh's 12-string was replaced with a hammond b-3 and a leslie speaker. `Can't Satisfy Me Now' is a hard rock soul hybrid that brings to mind Head East, Argent and a pre-'Red Rocker' Sammy Hagar wailing away at the mic. `Dark Side' has a Can't Buy A Thrill vibe with prominent electric piano and organ. Once again the Sammy Hagar-ish vocals take over the track with screams not commited to tape since the late eighties. Not sure if the Hagar vocal inflections are intended or not, but the similarities are uncanny. No 70s nugget is left unturned, as there's even a nod of the oversized hat to Looking Glass' one hit wonder `Brandy' in the track `Beneath Wild Wings'. Far out, man.\n\nThe most surprising aspect of this record is the production duties were handled by none other than studio guru Rick Rubin. Rubin brings a very natural, organic sound to the record. You feel like you're listening to a lost gem found in the bargain bin at the local record store, rather than a bunch of hipsters wearing mom and dad's musty 70's duds that have been packed away in the attic for 30 years. Rubin gives The Russian Wilds a hazy basement sound and a munchie-driven hunger to pick up a Les Paul and a bag of chips at the same time.\n\nIf you are a child of the 70s, grew up on a steady diet of AOR radio and like your music equal parts rockin', soulful and with a bit of machismo thrown in, then give The Russian Wilds a spin. Now pass those chips, man.","Product: After a 2011 UK Tour supporting Muse and a US tour with Interpool, White Rabbits return with Milk Famous, the new studio album and follow-up to the critically acclaimed It s Frightening\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: The Ghost of Spoon Lingers\n\nReview: At times while listening to White Rabbit's new long player Milk Famous, I found myself wondering if that trepidation I was feeling regarding this record was about style over substance, or the fact that this record sounds so similar to big brother Spoon. But after a beer or two and my third listen I said to myself \"Lighten up, it's just rock `n roll. Don't be such a joykill.\" So I grabbed another beer, dropped the needle and listened some more.\n\nThe Spoon references are there a-plenty on album opener `Heavy Metal'. With it's groove-inflected bass line, pensive guitar swirls and backwards piano coming in and out of the mix like vapor, singer and keyboardist Stephen Patterson sets the mood with this nugget of dark, indie funk. `I'm Not Me' is a great pop song turned inside out and twisted every which way. The big drum sound White Rabbits made their name with is here in full force. `Hold It To The Fire' is what I imagine pop music will sound like in the future. Nuanced and floating in this space of tension and beauty. This is pop music Jon Brion would create after wearing a rag soaked in ether. Patterson has a lilting voice. He sounds damaged. This is one of the true highlights on a record filled with great retro pop moments. `Everyone Can't Be Confused' starts with the line \"Are you slowly spacing out?\" At times on this record I do feel like I'm spacing out. Listen to `Temporary' and tell me that it doesn't remind you of Reach The Beach-era Fixx. Side B suffers from the aformentioned `style over substance' a bit. Tracks like `It's Frightening' and `Danny Come Inside' seem to be fillers ornamented by a master producer. Songs that were almost there, so producer Mike McCarthy slapped some glaze on `em and put `em in the oven for an extra five minutes. `Back For More' has a sound reminiscent of White Rabbits first album, Fort Nightly. A tropicalia vibe mixe with Costello's `Watching The Detectives'. `The Day You Won The War' sounds like something off of Spoon's Kill The Moonlight. Something like `Don't Let It Get You Down' on speed.\n\nAs much as the sound of this record is influenced by Britt and company, there's no mistaking Patterson's young-ish voice for Britt Daniel's jagged, soulful croon. Patterson brings a youthful, dare I say, hopeful vibe to these sometimes claustrophobic, anxious songs.\n\nIt's impossible not to bring up the Spoon similarities. They're there front and center. But I don't think it was intentional on the part of White Rabbits. This record was produced by Mike McCarthy. The man behind such Spoon classics at Girls Can Tell, Kill The Moonlight, Gimme Fiction and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. He's a master record producer and has a distinctive style. Just as Nigel Godrich does, Mike McCarthy puts his signature sound on everything he does. So, White Rabbits don't necessarily sound like Spoon, as much as a Mike McCarthy-produced band. Besides, so what if White Rabbits pull a few tricks out of the Spoon magic bag? I don't hear people complaining that Pavement drank at The Fall's musical well. Or that Quentin Tarantino borrowed a few tricks from Peckinpah. As long as they put their own spin on something great, I only see that as a plus.\n\nWhite Rabbits continue the trend of bettering themselves with each release. Never abandoning their original sound, only honing it and whittling it down to the essentials: groove, melody and tension. Milk Famous has plenty of all three, and then some.","Product: The Soft Moon was never intended for the public's ears, but you found it, were drawn in by its danger, and insisted that others hear. Oakland's Luis Vasquez began the project in order to better know his own self. He'd holed up in his apartment and let the tape roll, allowing gut and memory guide him. Those twin sherpas, however, led him to a place of darkness, claustrophobia and dread: a musical waste land moving to a Motorik tic, its edges made jagged in the image of early post-punk, swathed in the moody atmosphere of vintage darkwave.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Soundtrack for the Tram\n\nReview: From the opening seconds of The Soft Moon's starkly lit and at times apocalyptic-sounding new album Zeros, album opener 'It Ends' sets the mood. That mood is dark, propulsive, atmospheric and addictive. It's what was playing in an S&M club somewhere in the Eastern Block in 1981. It's what was pounding the wall of a German Disco in 1979. It's what made a 20 year old Robert Smith put on eyeliner and pick up a guitar. This is the essence of Ian Curtis, Alan Vega and Peter Murphy. Sex clubs, kinky sex, black leather and dark thoughts.\n\nWelcome to the world of The Soft Moon and Luis Vasquez.\n\nVasquez started The Soft Moon by himself, with the intent of creating an all-emcompassing music project. Something that would touch on sight and sound. With The Soft Moon's self-titled LP from 2010 he set the tone: a band propelled by music that created a mood. Vocals are minimal, if not completely non-existent on a good portion of the album. With Zeros, Luis Vasquez has found the balance between song and mood. After the Suicide-fueled opener 'It Ends', 'Machines' comes in like Joy Division violated by Trent Reznor's 1989 production values. Vocals hissed more than sung over a menacing electronic beat with synth stabs coming in and out. Title track 'Zeros' has a 154-era Wire vibe with Vasquez's \"Ahhs\" echoing in the background. Gary Numan is haunting this track as well.\n\nThe (Pain)& Pleasure Principle.\n\n'Insides' sounds as if The Soft Moon is lost inside a cavernous synth punk gorge, waiting to be devoured by the cold and dark as sunlight fades. The Cure's 'A Hundred Years', with a dash of dark humor for good measure. 'Remember The Future' is heavy on the flanged bass and bee buzz synth. Instrumental and propulsive, it's a great soundtrack for a midnight ride on the tram.\n\nEach track encapsulates a feeling of isolation, claustrophobia, and a dizziness that once you're into a song for 30 seconds you can't see the light at the beginning or end. You're just in the song. At times this album is part soundtrack to a nightmare, and at times Eraserhead industrial noise with a Bauhaus afterglow. 'Crush', 'Die Life' and 'Lost Years' all are self-explanatory titles to what they contain within: a disco in purgatory. A dance club in post-apocalyptic Berlin. A beat that propels you to the brink.\n\nThis album isn't for the casual listener. You have to be comfortable with the dark side of post punk and new wave. Lots of bands as of late have taken to recreating the sounds of early 80s alternative and new wave. A few are doing a hell of a job with it, such as Wild Nothing, Diiv, Merchandise and Craft Spells. The Soft Moon can be put into that group, albeit in their own sub-category. They're not out to make it onto a John Hughes soundtrack. They're aiming for Wim Wenders, Alex Cox or Ridley Scott. Zeros aims for a tribal, primal and darkly sexual landscape. They hit the mark, over and over.","Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Garage Groove From Down Under\n\nReview: Melbourne's Beaches new album She Beats has all the ingredients that help make an excellent record: loud guitars, dreamy, reverbed vocals, a solid rhythm section, and NEU!s Michael Rother's seal of approval(plus his guitar playing on a couple tracks). She Beats is a mix of lo fi graininess, zone-out atmosphere, psychedelic colors, and some good old fashioned rock n' roll bombast.\n\n\"Out of Mind\" opens the album with some jangly guitar spray before the song jumps into gear and brings to mind Primal Scream's noise/melody recipe for ear candy. The song puts off a tape hiss, lo fidelity vibe, all the while never sounding too lo fi. The dark aural shades only add to the song's mystique and proves to enhance the already dreamy vibe. \"Keep On Breaking Through\" rolls in on a steady ride cymbal and some reverbed guitars, giving the song an almost \"Riders On The Storm\" sound, minus the thunderstorm sound effects before the space echo takes the track into the milky way. Beaches, while they conjure dreamy soundscapes and ambience in the form of swirling guitar chords and echoed riffs, don't fall under any sort of shoegaze category. These Melbourne ladies play guitar with bravado and attitude more in tune with the likes of Erik \"Ripley\" Johnson or Wayne Kramer, as opposed to Kevin Shields or Andy Bell. They don't coax sound from their instruments as much as they pull them out with swift, stern strokes. \"The Good Comet Returns\" brings to mind old Cure, back when they were still a 3-piece with something to prove. \"Distance\" is the centerpiece track with Michael Rother jumping in on guitar to give it that motorik drive. Vocals barely treading the musical waters become part of the overall sound as opposed to being the centerpiece. Vocals are merely another instrument used to paint on the canvas. Vocal duties are shared throughout the band, but all the voices seems to blend into one. \"Weather\" is a loud and brash tune that brings Sonic Y0uth to mind, both in its disorienting guitar squall and its Kim Gordon-esque vocals. Beaches tendency to explore the limits of the guitar on this record give it that Sonic Youth spirit throughout. \"Granite Snake\", the other tune Michael Rother puts his musical stamp on rides along a steady drum beat and echoed feedback and distortion for five and a half glorious minutes. She Beats revels in these beautifully noisy soundscapes. It's refreshing to hear a band enjoy making such a ruckus, and making it sound so effortless. \"Tanzanite\" has a bit of a Ride sound, most notably in the harmonies lurking in the mix. \"Runaway\", the closing track, opens with a lone bass line bringing The Breeders to mind. The Deal sisters continue to haunt the track with the slightly off-kilter vocals and noisy guitar. There's even some surf rock in the tremolo guitar towards the end.\n\nBeaches She Beats is a wonderfully noisy album. Its unabashed love for noisy guitars, swirling atmosphere, and at times Krautrock tendencies makes it an album to be enjoyed with a beer, headphones, or cranked speakers. The beer is a must.","Product: TRACKLISTING: 01.3AM SPIRITUAL 02.IDOL 03.GLOSSED 04.XXIII 05.FOOL PROOF 06.WHITE OATH 07.ONLY NATURAL 08.BEST FRIEND 09.CHEER UP 10.VARSITY\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Trading Garage Skronk for Pop Finesse\n\nReview: When you compare Smith Western's self-titled debut from 2009 with their brand new long player Soft Will the progression is pretty staggering. Going from a Nuggets-like lo fi overblown sound with songs such as \"Dreams\", \"Boys Are Fine\", and the Gary Glitter-meets-The Troggs \"Girl In Love\" to something like Soft Will's \"Idol\", a crisp, clean, 80s leaning pop track that hangs somewhere between NRBQ's \"Little Floater\" and dreamier moments of OMD, I can imagine some of those old school fans have to be a little put off. Me personally? I never jumped on the bandwagon back in 2009. I was too enthralled with Flaming Lips great freakout known as Embryonic to care about some kids from Chi-town recording on their dad's 4-track. But once Dye It Blonde came out in 2011 these brothers plus one got my attention. They cleaned up the fidelity and you could hear clearly that these guys love a good pop song and sweet melody. With Soft Will they have come full circle. Smith Westerns have said the hell with it and have made that completely ironic-free, heartfelt 80s-leaning pop record that they wanted to make way back in 2009 when they were still worrying about finals and graduating high school.\n\nIf you're honest with yourself, you knew this album was coming down the pike. Despite the tape hiss and overblown meters, that self-titled debut was brimming with pop hooks and harmony. You were just too enamored with the whole garage rock thing. They weren't that different from another up-and-comer in 2009, that Ty Segall guy. Where Segall remained in the grit and fuzz, Smith Westerns followed their inner Alan Parsons and decided to go all hi-fidelity. \"3am Spiritual\" is all melancholy strumming and minor key sad eyes before the keys come in and bring this song into some kind of alternate universe where the dBs were fronted by Chris Difford. It's all swishy guitars and big harmonies. This is an attention grabber of a track. \"Idol\" continues the no-nonsense pop charm and is one of the best pop songs I've heard in quite a long time. Here's pop music kids. Not your One Directions, or Taylor Swifts, or whatever is pumped out of a computer at 90,000 watts per channel. In that alternate universe where I don't lose my wallet at Cedar Point in 1992 \"Idol\" would be HUGE, and would be played ad nauseum on MTV 3. \"Glossed\" sounds like what George Harrison should've sounded like in 1983, with a nice little synth line floating just below the mix to give it a wistful quality. \"XXIII\" is indie rock piano balladry at its finest. Tears For Fears for the modern age. Procol Harum for the Willamsburg crowd. \"Only Natural\" is big and intimate all in one. Fans of Mikal Cronin's MCll will find much to love with this song. \"Varsity\" is all shimmering synths and head-in-the-clouds vocals. Yet another great song.\n\nSure, they're not gritty garage rock anymore. No more lo fi, meters-in-the-red fuzziness. But you know what? There's something quite refreshing about a band that says the heck with it and makes the record they want to make. Unabashed, earnest pop songs with all the emotional swelling that comes every time you watch the credits roll to a John Hughes film. This is a mixtape to first love, heartbreak, summer jams, saying \"hello\", and saying \"goodbye\".\n\nThese kids from Chi-town have my attention now. Roll credits.","Product: 2013 FAT POSSUM RECORDS CD\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Sometimes change isn't a bad thing...\n\nReview: Yuck dropped one of the most surprising and enjoyable chunks of music nostalgia in 2011 with their debut album. There was plenty to sit back and get reminiscent about on that record. My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr, Lush, and even bits of Pavement's DNA were found all over that ratty, scrappy record. But the nice thing was that head Yuckster Daniel Blumberg wasn't satisfied with being just some early 90s alternative jukebox. No, he gave these old, classic noises a new life. With his youthful whine and scrappy guitar squall Blumberg and co-Yuck founder Max Bloom seemed to be on the way to being the next great band out of the UK. Then Daniel Blumberg decided to leave Yuck(cue Fat Possum Record executives long sigh.) So what's a promising, young, alternative rock band to do? Pick themselves up by their bootstraps and keep on keeping on. Max Bloom stepped into the lead singer spot and along with fellow bandmates Mariko Doi, Jonny Rogoff, and Ed Hayes got back to the studio and recorded the proper follow-up to that great self-titled debut. Glow & Behold is both triumphant and bittersweet. Triumphant in that the rest of Yuck proved they didn't need Blumberg to continue on with making great music, but bittersweet in that it's a reminder of what might have been had they been able to keep together.\n\n\"Sunrise In Maple Shade\" opens the record in instrumental mode. The doorway through to the house that 90s indie rock built. Close your eyes and you swear it's a Terror Twilight lost track. Soon enough \"Out Of Time\" rolls in and its melancholy chord changes and Real Estate vibe sucks you right in. Max Bloom lacks the whine that Blumberg made Yuck's trademark sound, but that's not a bad thing. Bloom's voice is more assured and can carry a melody further than Blumberg could. The band as a whole seem more confident and less ramshackle. Maybe it's having one album under their belt, or maybe it's that Yuck V.1 was a completely different band. Either way, this isn't a group attempting to rekindle that band's \"magic\". This is a band moving on. \"Lose My Breath\" is another great upbeat song that captures both the grit and glitter of some of those great alternative pop college radio staples. Something like a Jesus and Mary Chain and Hope Sandoval mash up. \"Rebirth\" is a haze of Kevin Shields-like guitar noise and a pop hook that will embed itself in your brain for days. I don't think Yuck V.1 would've gotten away with this sort of wide-eyed songwriting. \"Nothing New\" is acoustic strums and girl group minor key drama that would've sounded right at home on a Teenage Fanclub record. \"Glow And Behold\" closes the record on a Big Star-meets-Ride vibe, which then rides the album out on a single guitar loop.\n\nThe biggest change since Blumberg left is that the production is decidedly more \"hi-fi\", and the songwriting is much more open-hearted and earnest. There doesn't seem to be any need to hide those big, sappy pop hooks in guitar noise, feedback, and disenchantment. That debut was lightning in a bottle. It was an anomaly that rarely happens when bands wear their influences so proudly and openly, and at times this new album seems to lack a bit from not having that debut's scrappy charm. But Glow & Behold was never meant to be that debut all over again. It's essentially a new beginning, and Yuck is off to a good start.","Product: Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing including bonus CD edition. 2014 debut album from the British Indie band. Featuring the anthemic, \"The Swan\" (an altered take from the EP version), \"Cut the Grass\" and \"Fall\", a track that was quickly declared a \"catchy-as-f*ck soaring-guitar anthem\" by Stereogum.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: UK Shoegazers Do It Right\n\nReview: Cheatahs singer and guitarist and general lead guy Nathan Hewitt wears his influences proudly on his sleeve. Listening to Cheatahs self-titled LP they echo in every nook and cranny. The fuzzy, tremolo-bent chords, the reverbed and echoing vocals, and the steady pulse of drums and bass moving in unison harken back to a time in the late 80s when bands like My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver, Chapterhouse, and Slowdive were making a name for themselves in the UK and abroad as the purveyors of this new kind of loud, abrasive, yet at times very melancholy music called shoegaze. I think Hewitt -originally from Edmonton, Canada but moved to London- had a few of those albums running through his head. Much like bands such as Yuck, Young Prisms, and even Speedy Ortiz, Cheatahs aren't making something new here, or even re-writing what was already done. What they are doing is writing some great songs in the key of Shields, Bell, and Mascis.\n\nOpening with a short instrumental interlude, the album explodes into Geographic, a noisy little number that sounds like Kevin Shields guesting on Doves Lost Souls. Imagine Catch The Sun sped up to 45rpms and Kevin Shields doing some of his chord bending magic, then youd have a good idea of what this song is about. Northern Exposure, to the best of my knowledge has nothing to do with the quirky 90s TV show, but it does bring to mind the blown out pop of Teenage Fanclub and the fuzzed-out glee of Bug-era Dinosaur Jr. Its a great song that also brings to mind Canadas reigning indie rock Godfathers Sloan as well. Mission Creep brings things down a notch, but in no way does it get sleepy. From the get go this is a guitar album, and Hewitt seems to enjoy playing his six-string. Many layers of stomp box-colored guitars paint the canvas here, which seems to extend clear back to the early 90s indie rock heyday. Hewitts vocals bring to mind Fountains of Waynes Chris Collingwood, had he fronted Straitjacket Fits. IV is a real gem. If I didn't know this was Cheatahs Id say Kevin Shields was back at it and making a new record. Full of wavering, fuzzy chords and hazy vocals, this track is a mixture of beautiful guitar sonic dizziness and great melancholy pop finesse in the vocals. A shoegaze slacker anthem.\n\nTheres nothing to skip over on this record. Hewitt and Cheatahs seem to have made an album with no filler. From indie fuzz pop(Get Tight) to an almost classic rock strut(The Swan) and of course shoegaze indifference(IV, Leave To Remain, Fall, Loon Calls), Cheatahs is a record to play loudly and frequently. Nathan Hewitt wears his influences proudly on his sleeve, and thats just fine with me.","Product: Imagene Peise: Atlas Eets Christmas LP - vinyl album/LP (12\" size), released 2014 in Europe by Warner Bros. Records (9362-49339-3), Barcode: 093624933939 -- Record Store Day exclusive release, limited to 5000 copies, red vinyl -- Genre: Electronica\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: An Alternative To The Usual Christmas Standards\n\nReview: There are more Christmas albums floating around out there than you can shake a candy cane-colored stick at, so why be enthralled with yet one more? Well, Imagene Peise and her Atlas Eets Christmas definitely stands out among the sea of green and red and mistletoe-kissed rehashes. With its Middle-Eastern lean and slightly dusty-sounding ambiance you'd think you were sitting in a cafe in Baghdad back in 1971 and not your living room in 2014. It's a pleasant and slightly mysterious collection of Christmas song covers.\n\nWho is Imagene Peise? Well, according to the few nuggets of information I could find on the interweb she's an Iraqi jazz pianist, and the on the back sleeve of the album cover it says the album was recorded in the early 70s. She recorded the record with Ominog Bangh on the laughing/crying glider synthesizer and Shineyou Bhupal on drones/sitar/baritone tambura. This is the only recording of Peise that exists and she was rumored to have committed suicide in 1978. It's all very sad when you look at it. Well, it is until you realize this is all just a ruse by none other than The Flaming Lips. Yes, Imagene Peise(Imagine Peace, anyone?) is an alias for the incredibly talented Steven Drozd. It's a pretty clever put-on, actually. Drozd's amazing piano chops are all over this album. I can understand their reasoning for creating this character in order to put out a Christmas album. The Lips have flooded the musical landscape as of late, and I'm sure in order to add a little mystery to the recent Black Friday Record Store Day they decided to put out a Christmas album under the nom de plume of a tragic figure such as a doomed Iraqi jazz pianist.\n\nSo how is the album? It's damn good. In fact, it's the most refreshing collection of Christmas standards I've heard in a very long time. Imagine the Vince Guaraldi Trio recreating the Peanuts Christmas album deep in the heart of Baghdad, with possibly some hallucinogenics involved. There is an air of mystery to this album that lends itself quite well to the back story the Lips provided for this release. If it weren't for the artwork(which resembles most of the Lips artwork), the Coyne-esque vocals that show up on two of the album's songs, and the sticker that says \"Love Is The Answer- Merry Christmas From The Flaming Lips!\" on the album sleeve, you really could let yourself fall for this Imagene Peise. It's a truly beautiful and exotic collection of songs that feel both happy, inspiring, and sad as well. The idea of a young Iraqi musician playing Christmas standards in the heart of the Middle East and playing them so well and with such love almost creates this sense of togetherness that I feel we desperately need right about now.\n\nThe Flaming Lips have given us another musical gift, and one we can enjoy every holiday season from here on out.","Product: A golden despondency is how Kevin Barnes translates the meaning behind Aureate Gloom, the title he gave of Montreals thirteenth full-length album. The oxymoron is one Barnes says best describes the overall state of his life and mental outlook while working on the record penning lyrics so personal they sound like entries ripped from a journal that should be permanently kept under lock and key. I was going through a very stormy period in my life and felt like I was just completely trashed, reveals Barnes. I might be guilty of sharing or exposing too much of my private life, but to me the best albums are those that help people connect with an artist on a deep, human level and that do so without too much artifice or evasiveness. Aureate Gloom was recorded directly to tape with musicians Kevin Barnes (guitar, vocals), Clayton Rychlik (drums), Bob Parins (bass), Bennett Lewis (guitar), and JoJo Glidewell (keys), plus the help of engineer Drew Vandenberg. The strength of the members musical rapport was instantly apparent. The group completed nearly a song a day and even wrote a brand new track on the spot, Apollyon Of Blue Room, whose title references a supposedly haunted bedroom in a hacienda on the studio grounds. With Aureate Gloom, of Montreal have created one of the most unflinching, confessional and starkly emotional albums in their career.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: 'Aureate Gloom' is anything but gloomy\n\nReview: Kevin Barnes has made a livelihood out of playing dress up on of Montreal albums; from a peaceof montreal and love paisley troubadour, to a pop-centric studio loner, to a manic depressant, anxiety-ridden groove maker, to a transvestite hooker. Barnes has taken character-driven songwriting to new heights. The thing is, I think each character Barnes has taken on have all been elements of himself. Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer seemed to be the most biographical hed gotten on any album up to that point, using that record as a jumping off point into two albums(Skeletal Lamping and False Priest) where he got lost in those records worlds. In 2013 with the release of Lousy With Sylvianbriar, Barnes opened the studio doors to friends and recorded as a real band, live in the studio directly to tape. The result was a buzzing, breathing record filled with late 60s nostalgia by way of the Stones and Bob Dylan. Now, with Aureate Gloom Kevin Barnes stuck with that living, breathing formula in the studio and traded in the late 60s nostalgia for mid-70s New York grime. The Stones and Dylan have been shelved for Televisions beatnik post-punk and Talking Heads jitters. of Montreal haven't sounded this vital and in-the-moment since 2007.\n\nBassem Sabry is all funk and disco skronk, and it puts us in Barnes headspace right away. It sounds like Talking Heads, had they gone full-on disco. The song shifts as Barnes sings Ill never follow, no kind of masters voice with a melancholy lean before the song refrain I believe in witches, I believe in you fades us out. Its a great opening track, and one that seems to encompass everything thats great about a Kevin Barnes song. Last Rites At The Jane Hotel is filled with all kinds of gnarly attitude and jagged regret. Empyrean Abattoir starts out like an IRS-era R.E.M., all tight high hat and driving bass before the song gets mildly frantic and psychedelic in the chorus. Aluminum Crown floats on a cloud of disenchantment as Barnes sings Ive been cursed by troubled dreams, Ive been hurt by troubled dreams, before the song kicks in jangly new wave mode half way through. Virgilian Lots is classic of Montreal, with genteel backing vocals and some classic Barnes vernacular.\n\nI think the most striking thing about Aureate Gloom is how good this band sounds. They sound like a cohesive, rock n roll machine willing to perform whatever pops into Kevin Barnes head and with great ease and vigor. Barnes did the studio loner thing for quite a few years, and with much success. Hell, I will throw fisiticuffs with anyone that says anything bad about Skeletal Lamping as I feel its a genius and masterful mess. But by 2011 I think the formula for of Montreal needed some tinkering. Adding living, breathing cohorts to the mix to help Barnes create his aural mazes and melody-painted panic attacks was just what this band needed. Estocadas, for my money, is the greatest example of that. Its rock swagger, psychedelic blues, and overall melancholy bridge epitomizes everything Barnes is capable of. He shows the verbiage hes known for is no match for heart-on-sleeve pain and pissed-on aspirations. Estocadas is baroque and gritty and damn near perfect.\n\nIf youve never been a fan of of Montreal, Im not sure the tide will turn with Aureate Gloom. Its very much an of Montreal record; which is to say its still fussy, labyrinthine, and sometimes a hard pill to choke down. Thing is, those exact things are what make of Montreal fans come back for more. Kevin Barnes creates musical tapestries that you can get lost in. He creates worlds that look familiar and strangely perverse at all once. You commit to an of Montreal album. Youre rewarded with raw art and pained emotion. Aureate Gloom is of Montreal at their grittiest and gnarliest yet.","Product: ZOMBI - SHAPE SHIFT - CD\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Heavy Synth For The Apocalypse\n\nReview: Listening to the heavy synth band Zombi is like zoning out to the opening credits of some imaginary sci fi or horror film. As you listen to the synth strings well up andzombi-shapeshift overpower the mix, and the Neil Peart-like precision of the drums you can almost picture some imaginary scene of intense space flight. Or in other parts you can see an eerie, foreboding street light illuminating the way to some blood-soaked finale for a group of horny coeds.\n\nWhat I'm trying to say here is that Zombi's music is very specific. It pulls from a very particular emotional pool. Keyboardist/bassist Steve Moore and ace drummer Anthony Paterra were obviously very much influenced by 70's and 80's horror films and the soundtracks that scored them(they named the band after George A. Romero's 1978 classic Dawn of the Dead. 'Zombi' was the name given to it for it's Italian release.) Goblin, John Carpenter scores, as well as the baroque leanings of composers like Fabio Frizzi and Walter Rizzati echo in the progressive tendencies of Zombi's music. Since 2004 Zombi have put out five albums, their newest is the excellent Shape Shift. A double album filled with dark synth landscapes, progressive drumming, and an overall feel of an epic score to the best sci fi masterpiece you'll probably never see.\n\nIf heavy synth music isn't your thing, then you may want to turn around right now. In fact, I'm not even sure why you're still reading this. When you step into Zombi's musical world you should know what to expect. \"Pillars of the Dawn\" is the opening salvo that greets you at Club Zombi, and it's killer. Heavy groove permeates the track and Paterra lays down some killer rhythm leaving Steve Moore open to fill the nooks and crannies with an oscillating synthesizer pulse. If in the wrong hands, heavy synth can fall into the category of \"cheesy\" very quickly. That's never been a problem for Moore and Paterra as they also pull just as much from progressive rock as they do horror soundtracks. \"Total Breakthrough\" has the feel of Rush's \"Subdivisions\" mixed with a touch of The Fixx before the track takes off into the outer rims of the universe. \"Mission Creep\" keeps the drum 'n bass show going while an arpeggiated synth rolls along effortlessly. This would be playing in the arcade as some kid is beating the hi-score on some mysterious video game. As he wins he gets sucked into the machine and has to fight his way back through the game, this time for real. At least that's what I see.\n\nI think one of the biggest strong suits that Zombi possess is their ability to pull you out of the everyday and throw you in some other headspace. The cinematic qualities of their music is undeniable. The fact that Steve Moore has made a name for himself as a film composer helps that. His scores for The Guest and Cub are filled with these amazing moments of depth and mood creation. Those attributes bleed well over into what he does in Zombi. A song like \"Interstellar Package\" really puts you on some dark and desolate spacecraft in the middle of the cosmos. Paterra brings the mood up when needed and pulls back at just the right moment. It's a stunning 8-minute trip through the blackness of space. Shape Shift is filled with these moments from the very beginning, and closing track \"Siberia II\" ends this spaced-out trip with over 14 minutes of dark synth slow burn. It's a song that builds on itself slowly, never changing motifs or even tempo. It reminded me of the excellent \"1966 - Let The New Age Of Enlightenment Begin\" off of Sinoia Caves' Beyond The Black Rainbow S/T from last year. It's menacing and hypnotic, just how we like it.\n\nShape Shift is the most prolific album by Zombi yet. It's a mix of the epic and grand, as well as the harder edged progressive they've done in the past. This is also their most accessible album to date. If you've thought about delving into the world of Zombi, Shape Shift is a great place to start.","Product: Sunn O))) have announced Kannon, a new studio album due December 4 through Southern Lord. It was produced by Randall Dunn, who also did 2006's Altar and 2009's Monoliths and Demolitions, and features contributions from Attila Csihar (Void), Oren Ambarchi, Rex Ritter, and Steve Moore. LP is housed in a deluxe Stoughton tip-on jacket.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: It's no Monoliths and Dimensions, but what is?\n\nReview: How do you find yourself listening to Sunn O)))? What makes you decide to buy tickets to see Sunn O)), donning cloaks and floating in a sea of fog machine emissions in some small theater as the ceiling tiles shake and plaster cracks and crumbles from the sheer hellish volume they create? In the past I've listened to Sunn O))) out of morbid curiosity. Their music always felt like the beginning of some doom metal song stretched out for 10 minutes, then nothing. Droning feedback, sub-level riffs quiver and quake under the weight of ample fuzz and d-tuned strings, and faint hissed whispers for vocals make their way out of the muck and mire of their songs. They seem adamant about what they do. There doesn't seem to be any hesitation in the delivery, so I think they're quite good at creating these dark passages of music. The lack of drums and any real discernible rhythm creates a wooziness whey you listen. Without drums pushing the song along the guitars create almost this sea of black we begin floating in. Stranded in this droning, doom-filled body of water our small vessel nearly capsizes as wave after wave of volume and squealing swells of noise crash on the bow. There is never a horizon with Sunn O))), just impenetrable blackness.\n\nKannon is the first true full-length record from Sunn O))) since 2009. It's not nearly the black hole of drone that Monoliths and Dimensions was, but very little is. What it is, however, is three songs that clock in at a little over 33 minutes and deliver on the promise of a new Sunn O))) record, which is sheer volume and dark atmosphere.\n\nI was listening to Kannon Saturday night at home while my wife and I sat in the living room reading. About two minutes into \"Kannon 2\", the second track on the album my wife looked at me with a squinting look on her face and went \"Ahhhhhh\", pointing at the speakers. I said \"What's wrong? Is it hurting your ears?\", in regards to the screaching feedback and sub-level drone emanating from my Pioneer tower speakers. \"Yeah. Just a little\", she said wincing.\n\nThat's really all you need to know about Kannon. It's not for everybody, but it might just be for you. If you're at all familiar with Sunn O))) then you know what to expect. I will say this, \"Kannon 3\" has almost an upbeat feel in the drone-y delivery of the hellish squalls and shrieks. It has more of a sea chantey vibe, had a pirate ship been sucked into a wormhole and shot out into an alternate universe in slow motion. But overall, it seems to be business as usual. Which, I think overall is a good thing. There's certain bands you don't want to change all that much. You want them to retain those things that made them special and unique, whether it be ear-shattering volume, breakneck speed, chanting, or sludge-y, soupy riffs played at the speed of blood-tinged molasses dripping down a white canvas. Oh, and cloaks. Don't forget the cloaks.\n\nSo how do you find yourself listening to Sunn O)))? Well if it's with your wife it better be with headphones."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Ultra slim, new mid size design, progressive scan, JPEG, MP3 playback, multi disc resume, multi brand TV remote, energy Star.Connection: 1 x component video output ( RCA Phono x 3 ) - rear, 1 x composite video output ( RCA Phono ) - rear, 1 x digital audio output (coaxial) ( RCA Phono ) rear.What's in the box: Sony dvp-sr210p progressive scan DVD player, a/V cable, 2 x AA batteries, Remote control (rmt-d197a), 1-year parts & 90-Day labor Warranty.\\n\\nRating: 2.0\\n\\nSummary: Progressive Scan...without an HDMI connection??\\n\\nReview: I'm sure as a plain old DVD player it's fine. The problem is that when I see \\\"progressive scan\\\", I assume it has an HDMI port. It does not. So when I hooked it up to my parent's new 43 in Plasma it looked like, well, crap. Granted, it doesn't say there's an HDMI connection, but my Denon DVD player w/Progressive Scan did and it's 7 years old. I just assumed....wait, what's that saying about assuming?? Anyways....if you want a DVD player for your old tube tv then this would be fine and at a good price. If you're looking for a dvd player for your modern digital tv(aka, plasma, LCD, LED), then buy something else that can be connected with an HDMI cable. Or better yet, just buy a Blue Ray player for $20 more.\",\n \"Product: Fate sees the Philadelphia-based quintet filtering the gamut of American popular music into its own idiosyncratic brand of blue-eyed, dilated-pupil soul. As ever, Dr. Dog makes magic from an enduring pop palette of intricate harmonies, shape-shifting melodies, and ramshackle audio ingenuity - all presented through the band's slightly skewed and utterly individualistic outlook. Dr. Dog have toured with Wilco, Strokes, Raconteurs, Black Keys, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Magic Numbers, Cold War Kids, and more.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Dr. is in....\\n\\nReview: If you're reading this, then you are familiar with Dr. Dog already, so please go buy this album. Buy several copies and pass them out to the uninitiated. Buy more copies and leave copies in your neighbors mailboxes. Buy even more and send them to our boys in Iraq, Afghanistan, and any other armpit of the world our soldiers may be. If you're new to Dr. Dog, please buy this album. Then buy 'We All Belong', then buy 'Easy Beat'. And if you can, go see them live. This is an absolutely beautiful album. Army Of Ancients is like a conversation with a loved one long dead. Savoring every word, knowing at some point you will wake up and they will be gone. The Breeze, Hang On, and The Old Days come at you like an old photo album you thought was long lost in a fire years before. The Ark is like a lost Abbey Road song that Lennon/McCartney wrote in a alternate universe where they grew up in Philly instead of Liverpool...From first song to last, this is soul-cleansing music. Music only once heard in your dreams and in childhood memories that may or may not have happened...if music could save us, this would be that music...Dr. Dog, thank you!!!\",\n \"Product: While he has had multiple releases in single and EP forms, this is SBTRKT's first full-length, and about that he says "This release is the culmination of a longer period of constant writing and collaboration, tracks on previous EPs were written as singular pieces. This record is much more of a whole project, more representative of my thoughts and ideas as an artist and each track was completed with the aim to be coherent together."\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: songs for android holidays\\n\\nReview: Amok is a record not about stories and narrative. It's not a record about capturing that magical spark created by five musicians playing together in the studio. It's not even a concept record about a dystopian society. No, Amok is a record about feel. It's a record about movement and flow. If you haven't been under a rock for the last 13 years then you'll know that Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich have been experimenting with this sort of music for sometime now. Radiohead's Kid A was the door swinging open in the beat lab and Thom and Nigel screaming \\\"It's alive! It's alive!!\\\" From that moment on electronic music has been an integral part of Radiohead's(Thom Yorke's) DNA. Thom Yorke hasn't made it a secret that he loves dance music as well, dj'ing at clubs and rubbing elbows with the likes of Four Tet, Flying Lotus, and Modeselektor. He's even spent entire videos dancing like a replicant getting electrocuted. The man likes to shake his odd groove thing.\\n\\nBeneath all the hype -the amazing group of musicians(Yorke, Godrich, Flea, Waronker, Refosco), the shadow of Radiohead lingering over the proceedings, and Yorke and his freaky deeky dancing- this is an amazing album of dark, electro beauty. It's the musical equivalent of John Henry and the steam-powered hammer not in a race to the bitter end, but actually working together to get it done. Man(or men) and machine coming together to create something mysterious and engaging. I don't liken this to a Radiohead side project as so many have. This is Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich drinking coffee all through the night cutting and pasting, assembling like a couple mad scientists. I see this more as a Miles Davis/Teo Macero-spirited affair. What were inspired performances in the studio have become the veritable limbs of a musical Frankenstein's monster. Pieces sewn together, carefully stitched on digital fabric and powered by five guys' love of making music together. Making righteous sounds and releasing those sounds onto the world. From the `Born Under Punches(The Heat Goes On)-inspired opener `Before Your Very Eyes', to `Defaut' and it's blippy, low frequency ear drum abuse, to the slithering synth of `Ingenue', this record has one agenda and that is to feed a carnal urge in our minds. 'Unless' opens like a 1970s Dario Argento film before the percussion rushes in to save the track from morbidity. `Stuck Together Pieces' brings that spirit of Remain In Light back, will Flea's prominent bass line carrying this track the whole way through. You can almost picture a Live From The Basement session with these guys zoning out to this excellent song.\\n\\nThis album is sensual, calculated, and has a mainline into a subconscious located in some chromed-out future. This album plays like a cyberpunk novella written by Henry Miller on an LSD binge. All funky, futuristic, and slithery. It's being swallowed by the whale, and liking it.\",\n \"Product: Our product to treat is a regular product. There is not the imitation. From Japan by the surface mail because is sent out, take it until arrival as 7-14 day. Thank you for you seeing it.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Buy the ticket, take the ride...\\n\\nReview: Django Django are a british quartet that met in Edinburgh, Scotland while in art school. And from the sound of their self-titled debut they don't pull their influences from the usual bag of musical inspiration. The Beatles? Nah. Nirvana? No way. Try putting a genre on these guys. I dare you. There's no shoegaze, grunge, garage rock, 90s alternative, chillwave or math rock. These lads defy a label. Throw some names around like Syd Barrett, Animal Collective, The Beta Band and even Devo and possibly, just possibly, you might be on the right track.\\n\\nThe album opener is a short little instrumental that comes in like Tangram- era Tangerine Dream, which then leads us into `Hail Bop'. A nice slice of 60s psychedelic that would've fit nicely somewhere on Piper at the Gates of Dawn. If Pink Floyd doesn't butter your toast, relax. We're just getting started. `Default' comes in like a storm. Continuing on with the 60s psych flavor, a nice groovy retro guitar is added to the mix. With robot bleeps and blips this track has a real spacey, futuristic vibe. And thanks to the Devo-esque kinetic drums you'll want to hop out of your comfy spot on the couch and dance like it's 1981. At one point on the track `Skies Over Cairo' you'd swear someone was playing the desert level on Super Mario Bros. `Zumm Zumm' is like a b-side off of Merriweather Post Pavillion. It's like `Lion In A Coma' through a funhouse mirror. On several occasions throughout this kinetic, futuristic and funky-in-a-Devo-way album, Django Django seem to be carrying the torch that Animal Collective began running with on Merriweather. These are pop sensibilities run through a confectioners oven, sprinkled with sugar and hallucinogenics. Anxious rhythms, pulsating synths and pop harmonies somwhere between Syd Barrett-era Floyd, Ride and a barbershop quartet on ether.\\n\\nThe sound of this record has a real `sat in the attic for years' kind of vibe. There's a real analog warmth to the synths. As if Kraftwerk lent out their Trans Europe Express-era moogs to these blokes for the weekend. I know there's plug-ins for that kind of aged, buzzy analog tape vibe. But I like to think Django Django recorded this robot love making soundtrack in a dank, dark, and mildewed studio with a 30 year old 8-track reel-to-reel running, and a drunk, 63 year old sound engineer named Simon running the board. Splicing takes together like Macero and Miles did with Bitches Brew nearly 40 years ago. A studio much like Muscle Shoals, except located on the Isle Of Wight, instead of the Crimson Tide.\\n\\nDjango Django has given us an album of dance music for the living room booty shakers. This is psychedelic music for the non-medicated. This is inspirational music for the carpoolers, full-timers and those just hanging out. We have been initiated. Now prepare to be blown away. No magic mushrooms required.\",\n \"Product: We were all knocked out by the Frankie Rose and the Outs album in 2010; the effortlessness of its gorgeous girl-pop mantras, the intimate immensity of its Spector-esque walls of reverb, the beauty of a song sung sweetly over the most graceful two-chord vamps. But are we ready for the new Frankie Rose? Interstellar is a revelation, an album that floats free of its maker s history time spent with Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls and Crystal Stilts and offers the listener something strangely other, as alien as it is familiar, as compelling as it is enchanting. Talking with Rose about the record, it s clear she was itching for a new start. The first big indication: production by Le Chev, remixer supreme (for Lemonade, Narcisse, Passion Pit and Rose s own Candy ) and ensemble member of Fischerspooner, etc. I wanted [Interstellar] to be totally different, and I knew I had to work with someone who would lend fresh ideas.... I wanted to make a particular record and I knew Le Chev would be the one who could help me do it. So, gone is reverb as the holy route to pop-grandeur, scaling a wall of teenage tears, and in its place is the confident swagger of a singer and auteur building the simplest of pop moves into aching, full-blown melodramas, grabbing hold of an emotion and riding its darker waves. Had We Had It spins the sweetest sugar from chords that ascend into the firmament a heavenly, palatial blur. Gospel / Grace rumbles with passion, a New Order-esque one-finger guitar figure leading the listener into the depths mapped by the chorus. Apples for the Sun is breathtaking, with Rose singing out across a lone piano, before a glorious web of voice and organ pirouettes into the air, an arbor of pleasure connecting the verse with its instrumental shadow, a coda slowly slipping from view. A lot of Interstellar seems to be about disappearing into, or finding and reveling in, this kind of imaginary zone, something Rose confirms: The whole record is about dreaming of some other place. And as the audience drifts into the heartbreaking closer The Fall, which floats out to sea on a lunar-aquatic cello riff that s pure Arthur Russell, they re ready to conquer those other places, too, to let Rose guide them out of the album s spell and land them back in the sensual world, slightly altered, adrift and in awe.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: A throwback to the beginning of alternative\\n\\nReview: If you're not familiar with Frankie Rose, let me fill you in: Brooklyn-based Frankie Rose was an original member of garage rock staples Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls before going out on her own in 2009. She released her first full length album under the name Frankie Rose and the Outs in 2010. She's dropped the Outs, and Frankie Rose is now in.\\n\\nFrankie Rose's new album Interstellar starts with title track 'Interstellar'. It begins with ambient synths and Frankie singing in her best Elizabeth Fraser croon before the song kicks into an all out drum extravaganza, complete with reverbed guitar and thick analog synth strings. 'Know Me' is up next with a heavy early 80s sound, a sound which plays a big part on this great new record. Think Head on the Door-era Cure with Debbie Harry pushing Robert Smith off to the side. It's a great track that'll make you long for Juno synths and Factory Records heyday. 'Gospel/Grace' is yet another tapestry of 80s nuggets, with heavy reverbed synths and drums, but with a very organic feel to it. 'Daylight Sky' is a gem of a track. If New Order, The Motels and Gary Numan had gotten together for a weekend recording session on the lower east side in 1981, it might've sounded like this great song. 'Pair of Wings' begins like a nuanced Zombies track with Dolores O'Riordan taking vocal duties. It's a gem of a song, slowly building with synths and timpani till it wavers off into an emotional coda.\\n\\nWith so many artists, the retro game can be a sink or swim sort of situation. You can take the past and make it your own. Put a new spin on an old record, if you will. Or you can flail helplessly amongst vintage gear and out dated fashion. Frankie Rose does the former with Interstellar. She takes influences like Cocteau Twins, the Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees and New Order and makes them into an artistic statement. Frankie Rose has the perfect voice and songwriting chops to make this kind of record. It's a love letter to 80s new wave and alternative.\\n\\nFrankie Rose has stepped out of the garage and is ready for her close-up.\",\n \"Product: The angular, intricate, and intelligent compositions of Hospitality signal a sophisticated new pop voice. Singer Amber Papini's idiosyncratic songwriting coupled with the band's rich arrangements on their self-titled debut explore youth, New York, and the bittersweet commingling of past and present in a way that feels just right, right now. Produced by Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells), this self-titled album is recommended for fans of Camera Obscura and Twin Sister.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Another great Brooklyn band...of course.\\n\\nReview: There was a time, back around 2008-2009, when it seemed like every new band that was gracing Pitchfork's home page was from Brooklyn. The Antlers, Bear In Heaven, Dirty Projectors, MGMT, The National(via Ohio). And surprisingly, most of these bands lived up to the hype. But at some point I got to be rather disgruntled with the whole `Brooklyn Scene'. Mostly to due with myself and needing to hear about a new scene. When was the Ann Arbor indie music explosion going to happen? I'd totally be down with the Pittsburgh electronic scene, or the Peoria art rock scene.\\n\\nBut, being a realist and eventually giving in to the common sense that lurks somewhere behind my cerebral cortex, I gave in to the Brooklyn scene. I love quite a bit that's come out of Brooklyn. The Antlers, Bear In Heaven, LCD Soundsystem, Grizzly Bear, MGMT, The National(via Ohio), Sufjan Stevens(via Michigan) and the Sweathogs. Add to that list of Brooklyn bands, Hospitality.\\n\\nThere's a warmness to Hospitality's self-titled debut. It's one of those records that makes you feel good. Makes you grin from ear to ear. There's a bouncy jubilance to songs like `Friends of Friends' and `The Right Profession'. The arrangments are simple, yet never twee. There's a rough edge to the poppy and punky guitar. I'm reminded of Deerhoof's guitar blast moments on albums like Friend Opportunity and The Runners Four. Song-wise, `Friends of Friends' is an in-your-face pop confection that could give the dead a pulse. 'Betty Wang' sounds like a Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks b-side. Something left off of Mirror Traffic perhaps. `Julie' changes things up a bit. With more of a down beat and hazy organ in the background, the tracks `slow build-up that never quite finds resolution' leaves you feeling unnerved and wanting more.\\n\\nThere's influences-a-plenty here: from 60's pop courtesy of the Velvet Underground and the Zombies, to more guitar blasting and punky swagger in the neighborhood of the aformentioned Deerhoof, Best Coast and Karen O on one of her sunnier days. Vocally, lead yelper Amber Papini has a huge voice. Big and in the front of the mix, she belts out words as if her life depended on it. Echoes of Juliana Hatfield, Bethany Cosentino and especially Allison LaBonne of the more obscure indie band The Owls. Papini can be sweet as pie and yet you get the feeling she could give you the shiner of a lifetime if the mood struck her. She makes these great tunes pop.\\n\\nWith this great debut, we can only look forward to more great albums from this band. If you like your pop a little on the loud, catchy and at times melancholy side, be sure to grab this record.\\n\\nBrooklyn, you've done it again. Damn you.\",\n \"Product: 2012 release, the sixth album from the Chicago-based singer/songwriter. Break It Yourself is the follow-up to his critically successful albums Noble Beast and Armchair Apocrypha. Features the single 'Eyeoneye'.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Let the music speak for itself\\n\\nReview: Andrew Bird is a fussy one. He makes music that sounds like it was painstakingly composed, recorded and mixed. Notes are meticulously plucked upon his violin. Every whistle is precisely blown through perfectly puckered lips. Every beat, nuance and mood has it's place. Every song is fussed over till it's just right. This has been Andrew Bird's modus operandi ever since the first Bowl of Fire release Thrills, in 1998. With his newest effort, the breezy and beautiful Break It Yourself, Mr. Bird has left fussy outside the barn door and let the songs take us where they may.\\n\\n`Desperation Breeds' starts the album off with reverbed harmonies, as if ghosts from the past are beckoning us to enter. Then plucked acoustics and Bird's nuanced croon takes us by the hand and into this new world he's created. After the short but sweet instrumental `Polynation', Andrew Bird takes us into the beautiful world of `Danse Caribe'. Easily one of Andrew Bird's best tracks to date. The loose, free and collaborative vibe Bird was going for on this new album does this track justice. `Danse Caribe' floats in our ear and takes us to a sandy, warm place. With it's caribbean vibe and floating rhythm, \\\"You go mistaking clouds for mountains\\\", says the whistling man with the violin. Indeed. 'Give It Away' is reminiscent of something off of his 2001 effort Swimming Hour. A mid song rhythm shift gives this track a nice change of scenery. `Eyeoneye' is like The Walkman's `The Rat' recorded by the Punch Brothers, at first. With heavily-reverbed electric guitar and an almost angsty tone to Bird's voice(well, as angsty as Andrew Bird can get), this is the most straightforward rock song on the album, possibly of his career to date. A great slab of indie rock goodness. Fear not, halfway through we get some patented Andrew Bird whistling and glockenspiel. \\\"Lazy Projector\\\" sounds like the Cowboy Junkies covering the Pixies. Great song with beautiful backing vocals by the always lovely Nora O'Connor. `Lusitania' is a dusty little number with big drums, strummed acoustics and guest vocals by St. Vincent. A truly beautiful track and reason enough for a St. Vincent/Andrew Bird collaborative record. Buried towards the end of this album is an 8 minute beauty called `Hole In The Ocean'. This song combines all of the elements that make Andrew Bird's music so special: songwriting prowess, compositional muscle and cinematic storytelling through sound and fury. Musically, it's very reminiscent of Noble Beast's instrumental companion album Useless Creatures. Andrew Bird recently wrote and performed the soundtrack to the film Norman. This song is the perfect example of why he's made for scoring film.\\n\\nAt times, I find myself pining for that fussy songsmith that gave us such gems as `Plasticities', `Heretics' and `Fitz and Dizzyspells'. Hugely ornamented, overly anxious and catchy songs that fill every nook and cranny in your cranium. But I'm starting to like this new, laid back Andrew Bird. Break It Yourself is a folksy, breezy and loose collection of songs. Not overly done. Not too sparse. This time around Mr. Bird lets the songs go in what direction they may. And we're all the better for it.\",\n \"Product: Debut 2012 album! Gutsy blues-rock 'n' swampy garage-soul outta Alabama, for fans of Tina Turner and The Bellrays. Includes \\\"Hold On\\\".\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Southern soul with a side of grit...\\n\\nReview: I'm listening to Alabama Shakes debut album Boys & Girls and I can only think one thing: Damn. If you have a voice like Brittney Howard's, there is only one thing the creator of the universe had in store for you, and that is sing, baby. Sing.\\n\\n`I Found You' is one of those songs that ends up on a million mix tapes. It's sweet, soulful and melancholy sound will make a thousand lovelorn souls sigh and lay their heads on the universe's shoulder. This isn't a bunch of Dartmouth dropouts putting on an Al Green record and suddenly thinking they're modern purveyors of white boy soul. No. Alabama Shakes is the real deal, and they've got the golden pipes to prove it. `Hang Loose' will make even the whitest boys and girls want to shake what they got. `Rise To The Sun', with it's hammond organ, rasta rhythm and chorus that explodes in your ears like Pop Rocks makes you want to stand up and shout at the top of your lungs \\\" I hurt! I need love, too!\\\". A song like `You Ain't Alone' in the hands of any of these other modern day wanna be soul queens would just sound, well, like American Idol Karaoke night at the local sports bar. But in the hands of Brittney Howard and the fellas in Alabama Shakes it sounds like a lost track from Janis Joplin's Pearl sessions. This girl has got the chops. Tina Turner? Aretha Franklin? Mavis Staples? Janis Joplin? Yeah, she's right up there with the best of `em.\\n\\nProduction-wise, it's got a nice grit to it. It's not all spit-shined and prettied up for the masses. This is not retail store box dinner soul music. Sorry Adele, Duffy and whoever else bought Dusty In Memphis and decided to be a singer, you need to go to the back of the line. Alabama Shakes got it covered. Try imagining any of the above mentioned busting out a track like `Heartbreaker' with the same amount of heart and teary-eyed sincerity. There isn't a plug-in that can create that sort of truth in the voice. And the title track? Southern soul hasn't been put to tape like that since Muscle Shoals heyday. When Brittney Howard sings \\\"Be mine, baby\\\", by God you're gonna seriously consider it.\\n\\nAlabama Shakes brings the soul, the funk and the groove that will keep you coming back for years to come. The menu titled Boys & Girls is a southern-fried concoction of flavors you've tasted in the past, but with some new spices added. Come hungry, and come back often.\",\n \"Product: The Orwells. Still in high school, the Chicago band has been bashing out rock n roll together since middle school. They know their s**t. Steeped in the Stooges, Replacements and Ramones, the band came of age in the late '00s just as the Black Lips, King Khan, Harlem and Ty Segall began garnering national attention. The collective effect was nothing short of a sort of clarion call - one that rang out, piercing suburban high school hallways and hangouts.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Same as it ever was....\\n\\nReview: I'm not sure where to start with The Orwells. From what I can tell they're young. Like maybe still in high school young. A bunch of young punks from suburban Chicago that started jamming in the basement of Mr. Orwell's house. Isn't that how they always start out? The basement or the garage, take your pick. They rock that sort of barely hanging on by a thread kind of sound. Garage rock with a capital `G'. If you drink enough cheap beer, smoke enough lousy cigarettes and listen to enough Blue Cheer, MC5, The Strokes and Black Lips, chances are you'll end up sounding just like The Orwells. Is that good or bad? Well, that depends.\\n\\nThe Orwells have made a name for themselves with this song called `Mallrats'(La La La) and for good reason: it's pretty catchy. Maybe ten understandable words and someone talking over what sounds like a phone line and a chorus consisting of \\\"La La La\\\", you really can't go wrong. The star here is the fuzzed out guitars and cymbal crashing drums. It has a White Blood Cells vibe to it, with a wink and a nod to `Fell In Love With A Girl'. Fun stuff. There are quite a few odes sprinkled throughout this garage and punk-inflected album. `All The Cool Kids' starts out with a snippet of Janet Leigh being eviscerated by Anthony Perkins in Psycho, then they jump into this Blue Cheer psych-out jam. `Painted Faces and Long Hair' could be a Black Lips b-side. 13th Floor Elevators are represented here on the song `Hallway Homicide'. `In My Bed' is where Julian Casablancas's career ended up, in case he was still looking for it. They mine the classic garage and punk nuggets, sprinkle throughout and let the dice fall where they may. There's some Memphis twang strewn on a few tracks as well. The Orwells definitely did their homework.\\n\\nIf you're looking for new ground to be broken or something wholly original, then check out Animal Collective or Swans. If you want something that'll get you through the next 40 minutes till quitting time or something to keep your ears company for that drive to the city, then give The Orwells a try.\",\n \"Product: Limited 200gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold sleeve includes digital download. 2013 solo release from the My Morning Jacket mainman. Regions Of Light And Sound of God was written, produced and all instruments performed by Jim James (with the exception of strings and percussion) in Louisville, KY. The music on the album is inspired by life and the novel in woodcuts 'Gods' Man' by Lynd Ward. James' full time job, My Morning Jacket, has sold over a million albums in the US alone. Their last album debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Cosmic soul, no jacket required\\n\\nReview: Jim James has always come across as an old soul. He's younger than me, yet he seems so much older and wiser in his voice and his music. It's like he was born into this world a wise old man. James also comes across as a soul singer disguised as a bearded shaman. My Morning Jacket has always walked a fine line between straight up, no holds barred rock n' roll and more experimental fare, starting with 2005s Z. But within those confines Jim James has always had a knack for adding a bit of soulful, R&B panache to the proceedings. On 2009s supergroup collaboration Monsters of Folk James got to show us more of that side on that album's opening track `Dear God(Sincerely M.O.F.)' I think if you were looking for a beginning DNA strand that leads us to James' excellent new Regions of Light And Sound of God, `Dear God' would be it. Jim James has left his morning jacket at home and is donning a whole new wardrobe. One that is old, worn in just right, and one he needs to break out more often.\\n\\n`State Of The Art(A.E.I.O.U)' opens the record, slowly building into one of hell of a slow jam. Starting with his voice and a piano, then adding a funky drum beat, bass, and a skronky little guitar line it builds into a late night groove you won't be able to remove from your head. From there he goes right into `Know Till Now', a 6 minute plus Marvin Gaye-like meditation. A skittish beat, what sounds like sampled noise, and a heavy low end this track fills every blank space with some sort of spaced-out funk. James' voice sounds knowing and warm, like some ethereal entity calling from another time and place. It's a song that requires two or three listens before you lock into the rhythm. Once you do you never want to leave the head space it creates. `Dear One' sounds more like Jim James' main gig; in particular something that might've ended up on 2011s `Circuital'. With the exception of the synth underneath the song, it has the feeling of a hug from an old friend. `A New Life' starts out with a lilting and longing mood to James' voice as he strums on an acoustic guitar. Soon enough though, the music builds up and the track takes off like a cosmic Sam Cooke track. Part Brill Building and part Marvin Gaye's Here, My Dear. It's a beautiful song and a great way to end side A. Side B starts with `Exploding', a beautifully picked guitar line and a ghostly lead line played over it. An instrumental opening that leads into `Of The Mother Again', another groovy exploration into Man's search for meaning. `Actress' continues James' exploration into soulful crooning, heavy grooves, and yearning for something more. The record seems to lose a bit in the pacing towards the end, though this doesn't affect the overall impact of this incredible album.\\n\\nThroughout Regions of Light And Sound of God Jim James surpasses all expectations. This album seems to be both his most experimental work to date, and his most accessible simultaneously. It's as if he's shaven off the beard to show us who is truly underneath all the whiskers. He has graciously put his search for meaning and spiritual fulfillment to tape for us to share in. Lynd Ward's God's Man may have been the inspiration, but Jim James had made something wholly original and inspiring in itself.\",\n \"Product: Double vinyl LP pressing. 2013 sophomore album from Boise native Trevor Powers AKA Youth Lagoon. Wondrous Bughous is the follow-up to his widely acclaimed 2011 release The Year of Hibernation. Powers says this album spawned from what he describes as becoming more ''fascinated by the human psyche and where the spiritual world meets the physical world.'' Powers describes the writing process of his first album as a way for his mind to communicate with his body, not the other way around. It seems the same can be said for Wondrous Bughouse.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"You're playing a song, one that's for me\\\"....\\n\\nReview: Wondrous Bughouse is an album that from beginning to end fills you with joy. It comes over you in waves of awestruck and wide-eyed wonderment. Trevor Powers looks to the skies and questions whom or whatever may or may not be looking down on us. Where The Year of Hibernation was a quiet entry into a bedside journal at 2 am, Wondrous Bughouse is a technicolor daydream. It's a primal scream directly at the universe -which at it's core- is as univeral as it gets. Trevor Powers has given us what is bound to be one of best albums of the year. A kaleidoscope of sound and emotions, a Kool Aid acid test where no chemicals are required. Just open ears and an open mind.\\n\\n`Through Mind and Back' is a carnival mirror. It's a distorted version of melody and harmony. You get the feeling the quiet, lo fi bedroom sound of The Year of Hibernation may have followed Powers to album number two, that is until `Mute' comes pouring from the speakers like the scene in The Wizard of Oz where we go from black and white to bright color. The sound is big, full, and immediate. Ben H. Allen's influence in the production and sound creating is evident. The twisty, wavering keys and chorused guitars shimmer in the air. This intense shift in the sonics for Youth Lagoon may be quite jarring for those that hold TYoH in such high regard. All I can say to them is stick with this record. Trevor Powers hasn't lost any of his intimacy as a songwriter. His paintings are as personal as ever; he's merely gotten a much bigger canvas and a more diverse palette of colors to choose from now. `Attic Doctor' is a bizarre carnival ride. A calliope run on nitrous oxide. It's sinister, sweet, and ethereal all at once. With its waltz time signature, ample amounts of ear candy, and dream-like haze, this song shows Trevor Powers can do more than quiet and intimate. `The Bath' goes back to a more refined, quiet sound, albeit with the sonic explorations skills of Ben H. Allen at Youth Lagoon's disposal. `Pelican Man' builds slowly into a cathartic release, giving a feeling that I can only describe as heart swelling. I've listened to this record several times now and I keep going back to one name: Brian Wilson. I can't help but compare Wondrous Bughouse to Wilson's long gestated and recently released SMilE. It's utter exuberance and child-like wonder pervade this record. This isn't a literal comparison. This is in spirit. I can't tell you how many times listening to this record I just stopped what I was doing and just let it wash over me. `Dropla' is the centerpiece of this record. A song about dying and what happens when we die. Or, maybe the anger and resentment we feel when someone we love dies. I don't know. It's a mantra of a song. I could picture a child repeating the line \\\"You'll never die, you'll never die, you'll never die\\\", at the bedside of a loved one, thinking in their heart it would make a difference in the end. It's a beautiful track that would never have had the weight it carries had it been recorded in the same lo fi bedroom fashion of TYoH. `Sleep Paralysis' sounds like a song beamed in from some other time, found on some radio frequency lost for years. `Daisyphobia' ends this immense album on a dream-like note. It's as if Trevor Powers is singing from the edge of a chasm, one that separates us from that euphoric dream world this album comes from and the world it leaves us behind in. Back through the looking glass you go, Alice.\\n\\nTrevor Powers, aka Youth Lagoon, has made a beautiful record. Wondrous Bughouse is uplifting, melancholy, strange, and wonderful. It's also one of the best albums you're likely to hear this year.\",\n \"Product: 2013 release, the sixth album from the Alt-Rock trio. The first single, 'Let The Day Begin, is actually a cover, and a thoughtful homage to beloved Michael Been of The Call, also Robert Been's father and honorary fourth member of BRMC. This song propelled The Call into mass consciousness when it reached #1 in the US on the Mainstream Rock charts in 1989 and became their biggest crossover hit, thanks to the big arena-rock hook. The song embodies The Call's optimistic message and BRMC rip through the roaring track as if it was their own.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"Your soul was only yours to keep, it's buried in me now.\\\"\\n\\nReview: `Fire Walker' opens quietly. It's like opening a long forgotten book and beginning what would be many incredible chapters. `Fire Walker' is the opening sentence to a band's reawakening. Robert Levon Been doesn't come out swinging, but swaying ever so lightly. Tension and sadness permeate his voice as he sings lines like \\\"Your soul was only yours to keep, It's buried in me now, A bullet from the shell it leaves, It strips it to the ground\\\". The song never gets above a masterful solemnity, and that's how Specter At The Feast begins a new chapter for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, one of their best albums in years.\\n\\nThen comes the rock. That familiar fuzzy bass, the straining guitar squalls, and the tribal drums return in full bombast form on `Let The Day Begin', an instant BRMC classic. It encapsulates all the things BRMC have used to build their sound since forming in 1998; tension, gutter grime, and a fist-pumping bravado. At the heart of this leather-clad band, there is a straight-up rock `n roll band that wants nothing more than to make an arena filled with fans scream at the top of their lungs and sing along. They're the U2 of the black leather jacket union. They're the saviors of the freaks and geeks. A song like `Returning' is a scratched and bleeding open hug for the disenfranchised. `Lullaby' has the feel of a lost classic. Been has never sounded this earnest and, well, lovely. The death of Robert Levon Been's dad in 2010 has given Specter At The Feast an ample amount of heartache and reflection that -for good or bad- has never been so present on any previous BRMC album. `Returning', `Lullaby', `Some Kind Of Ghost', and `Sometimes The Light' bring an air of remorse, introspection, and ultimately redemption to this record.\\n\\nThere's also still plenty of fire and grime in tracks like `Hate The Taste', `Rival', and the excellently Jesus and Mary Chain-like `Teenage Disease', one of the best rock `n roll screeches you're likely to hear this year. I hear a song like `Teenage Disease' and I can't help but be reminded of New York by way of Detroit punk metal rockers Warrior Soul. Though only prominent for maybe a 5 year span, Warrior Soul's Korey Clarke had a voice that sounded battered, bruised and bloody, yet still retained a soul and power that kept you enthralled. Robert Levon Been has that same ability. Check out 1991s Drugs, God, and the New Republic for proof of Warrior Soul's short-but-sweet moment of rock `n roll glory. Specter At The Feast's closer `Lose Yourself' is a long and bittersweet goodbye, with a melancholy sound that hints at early British band Straitjacket Fits.\\n\\nAfter a mid-2000s lull with albums like Howl, Baby 81, and the straight up bizarre The Effects of 333, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club seemed to be on the road to healing with 2010s Beat The Devil's Tattoo. With Specter At The Feast BRMC have proven to us once again they are one of the best rock `n roll bands working today. Robert Levon Been has also proven the best way to healing is through songs. This is a raucous rock `n roll comeback, and a bittersweet goodbye. The best kind of book.\",\n \"Product: The Black Angels' most revelatory collection thus far, ''Indigo Meadow'' marks the Austin, Texas based band's fourth full-length release, following 2010's acclaimed ''Phosphene Dream.'' Once again the Black Angels prove themselves the undisputed avatars of contemporary psychedelic rock, simultaneously exalting the genre's kaleidoscopic past as they thrust it further into the future. Now a four-piece ably supported behind the board by producer/mixer John Congleton (David Byrne & St. Vincent, Explosions In The Sky, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) the band have brought new focus to their wide-ranging song craft, the righteous riffs and dogmatic drones gaining increased power as they fuel a more expansive emotional terrain. A 21st century trip as transcendent as any in the canon, ''Indigo Meadow'' masterfully affirms The Black Angels full-throttle commitment to the psychedelic ethos of creativity, community and boundless experimentation.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: \\\"you've been a problem since the moment I met ya.\\\"\\n\\nReview: As soon as those tribal drums start in and that Psycho-esque dissonance pipes up you pretty much know what you're in for throughout the next 45 minutes or so. Indigo Meadow isn't any great leap for The Black Angels. Did you like Phosphene Dream? Well you're probably going to like Indigo Meadow just fine. All the hallmarks of a Black Angels album are here; BRMC posturing, Nuggets borrowing, cult-ish vibe and dark psychedelia. Add just a touch of pop seasoning and you have yourself a plate full of goodies that aren't good for you, but they taste pretty decent going down.\\n\\n\\\"Indigo Meadow\\\" starts things off like a Black Angels album should start; complete with big drums, \\\"evil\\\"-sounding guitars, and Alex Maas singing \\\"Lay your hands, on my chest girl, you've been a problem since the moment I met ya\\\". It's a sound that's permeated every album The Black Angels have put out since 2006. Nothing more, nothing less. A noticeable difference is the production. It's much cleaner and polished than previous albums. This may be good or bad, depending on how you like your psychedelic rock delivered to your ears. \\\"Evil Things\\\" goes a little more metal with an almost Black Sabbath feel until the bridge when it stops momentarily for a quick `flower power' moment. Pretty soon the organ comes in and it sounds like Tony Iommi jamming with The Doors. \\\"Don't Play With Guns\\\" is the biggest change in their sound, with an almost pop feel to it and Maas sounding as if the spirit of Black Francis took over his body for the recording. This song at times has a Pixies sound to it, though I don't think that was a conscious decision on The Black Angels part. Just happenstance I suppose.\\n\\nA band that never seems to get mentioned as an influence on so many of these stoner/space/psych rock outfits is The Doors. Maybe it's just not cool to mention the `Lizard King' anymore, I don't know, but listening to quite a few of these songs on Indigo Meadow I'm reminded so much The Doors that I feel I must mention them. \\\"Holland\\\" would've fit just fine on Waiting For The Sun, for example. And \\\"Always Maybe\\\"? There's an empty spot on Strange Days where it could've sat. But The Doors aren't the only band I hear in the distant and gloomy echo of the Fulltone Tape Echo and the Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb. \\\"Love Me Forever\\\" sounds like a Byrds and The Animals collaboration until the fuzzed-out riff comes in to remind us that these guys like things loud, too. And there's still plenty of Strawberry Alarm Clock and 13th Floor Elevators acid-tinged tracers, err, I mean traces. Closing track \\\"Black Isn't Black\\\" is the best of the lot. A doom and gloom dark blues psych monster of a track that -to my ears- sounds like a band not wearing their influences on their sleeves, but a band taking their influences and making something completely their own. Here's hoping \\\"Black Isn't Black\\\" is the jumping off point next time around.\\n\\nThe Black Angels have taken their sound not a step up, but a good few steps forward at least. The sound is brighter, but the haze lingers.\",\n \"Product: On their debut full-length, Western Massachusetts' Speedy Ortiz manages a bit of magic by conjuring the spirits of classic American indie rock, while twisting those ghosts into new shapes. It's easy to hear the influences of Helium, Jawbox, and Chavez on this album, as well as nods to contemporaries Grass is Green, Pile, and Roomrunner. Sweet vocal harmonies run up against gnarly distortion, aided by basic, chunky bass parts and heavy, fill-laden drums. The album was recorded in a few days in November at Justin Pizzoferrato's (Dinosaur Jr., Chelsea Light Moving) studio, Sonelab.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: Between Polvo and Pavement...\\n\\nReview: You know, I try to be \\\"with it\\\", and \\\"in the know\\\". I want to be \\\"up to date\\\" on all the relevant music of today. Even as a kid in short pants growing up in rural Hoosierville I was always buying cassettes at my local record store. If there was some new band everyone was talking about you could be sure I had that in my cassette deck. Granted, being the age I was and my geographical location most of these cassettes were of the hair metal variety. It was 1984 kids. And it was Northeast Indiana. I wasn't listening to R.E.M., Husker Du, The Cure, and Echo and the Bunnymen...not yet, anyways. So as a grown up I'm still trying to keep up on all the relevant indie rock coming down the pike. The early 90s indie rock scene has been raped and pillaged over the last couple years rather dramatically. Some of these revivals have been rather impressive(Yuck, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Parquet Courts), while others have not(Tribes, anyone?). Speedy Ortiz is here to show us their own brand of Pavement dance moves and Nada Surf mope. They seem to have all the right moves. All the off-kilter rhythms and interesting guitar lines are there, and with lead singer/guitarist Sadie Dupuis' smart lyrics and biting storytelling they seem to have everything they need to win those jaded indie rock oldsters(old hipsters) approval and love.\\n\\nI'll just say this right off the bat, there's more Polvo love than Pavement going on here. First off, they're too good of musicians to be Pavement disciples. Pavement were sloppy, stoned, and completely oblivious, which is what made them so good. Speedy Ortiz are much more meticulous in their songwriting and structure. Tracks like \\\"Pioneer Spine\\\", \\\"Tiger Tank\\\", and \\\"Casper(1995)\\\" owe a greater debt to albums like Cor-Crane Secret and Without A Sound than they do to Slanted & Enchanted and Bakesale. Dupuis writes lyrics that are more pointed and direct than Malkmus and Barlow as well. She sounds like a less stoned and more world weary Liz Phair. Midway through the album the band hits a three-in-a-row winning streak with \\\"No Below\\\", \\\"Gary\\\", and \\\"Fun\\\" where the band puts down the intricacies and noodling guitar lines for earnestness, melody, and even some emoting in Sadie Dupuis' vocals. Great songwriting and storytelling. \\\"Gary\\\" sounds like Pavement once the THC clouds settled and Malkmus decided he was serious about this songwriting thing. Midway through the song explodes into a fuzzed-out wall and things get beautifully noisy. \\\"Fun\\\" is short and sweet. \\\"Criminally twisted, puny little villian\\\", Dupuis sings over a quick pace and a jangly guitar that blows up into a Polvo-like crush before the song ends as it started. \\\"MKVI\\\" ends the album with seven minutes of foreboding guitar noise and a rhythm that plods along. It's a more of a statement than a final song.\\n\\nIf you're like me, you tend to just listen to the those indie rock staples of the 90s -Pavement, Dinosaur Jr, Polvo, Sebadoh- as opposed to looking for that fix in current bands with folks in their mid-twenties. Maybe because it makes me feel a hell of a lot older when I'm hearing \\\"kids\\\" playing the music of my early 20s. But if you must listen to current bands reviving the golden years of slacker rock, then Speedy Ortiz will treat you right. Major Arcana is a solid listen.\",\n \"Product: 'Shelter' is the fourth album by contemporary shoegazers Alcest, the destination of a long creative musical journey into vast new territories. More than ever, the French outfit embraces the dreamy guitar textures of shoegaze and blends it with the sweetness of British band Cocteau Twins - dream pop pioneers of the mid to late 80's era, epic, soundtrack-like melodies and progressive song structures. The album, which also features a guest appearance from Slowdive's Neil Halstead, was recorded at Sundlaugin Studio, Iceland, with Sigur Rs producer Birgir Jn Birgisson who masterfully gave 'Shelter' its light and ethereal sound.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: An epic musical journey\\n\\nReview: Alcest is a french Shoegaze band. Well, that's what they want you to believe. Who's \\\"they\\\"? Lazy writers, basically. I actually disagree with this statement. Sure, they've been a big influence on Deafheaven. Sunbather was a beautiful mix of jagged black metal and dreamy shoegaze soundscapes, but that doesn't mean Alcest are a shoegaze band. One listen to their newest album Shelter and it's clear that Alcest mastermind Neige is doing something far more grand than anything those mopey shoegaze folks ever did.\\n\\nListening to \\\"Opale\\\", the second song on the excellent Shelter, you get that big, swelling feeling in the chest. Triumphant, grand, emotional, and overall uplifting. This is the kind of song Chris Martin would love to open an album with; or maybe something to play during Olympic spots on NBC. Either way, it's a beautiful track that may be dipping its toes in those shoegaze waters, but is firmly planted in lighter, happier terrain. Alcest is more Sigur Ros than My Bloody Valentine. \\\"La nuit marche avec moi\\\" gets a bit darker. The song has a post-rock sound to it, reminiscent of Mogwai in atmospheric mode. \\\"Voix Sereines\\\" is a slow burner, with the kind of chord changes and sweeping, engulfing reverb Explosions in the Sky use to swallow you whole. The guitars are light and dreamy, while the drums are subtle yet carry you along. This song does evoke a bit of the shoegaze/dream pop feel, albeit more along the lines of Whirr, especially around the four minute mark when the guitars explode into a wall of buzzing fuzz. Epic. And title track \\\"Shelter\\\" brings to mind The Jesus and Mary Chain in full-on pop mode. This track sounds like what would've transpired had the Reid brothers recorded A Rush of Blood to the Head instead of those Coldplays. Open skies, daydreaming in a field, longing for a love lost...you get the picture. The ten minute sprawl of \\\" Dlivrance\\\" is truly inspiring. It's dark, contemplative, and carries you along through an aural journey. It's a song that begins almost like a lament, but builds into something larger and inspiring even. There's a point where the song shifts from quiet melancholy to something bigger, tougher. A touch of grand metal shows through. It's that moment where the clouds open and those hidden rays of light shine through. There's such an amazing build in this song that you barely notice when it begins to wind down. Neige creates cinematic sound and heart-breaking emotion like nobody's business.\\n\\nTo call Alcest 'shoegaze' is a bit lazy, but accurate nonetheless. Shelter is the culmination of years creating, crafting, and refining ones sound. Neige employs many styles to make his own special brand of musical journeys. It's a grand journey to take.\",\n \"Product: 2014 release, the second album from the Electronic Rock duo from Saratoga Springs, New York. Formed in 2007, Phantogram is Josh Carter (vocals, guitars) and Sarah Barthel (vocals, keyboards). The band name was partially inspired by an optical illusion called a phantogram, in which two-dimensional images appear to be three-dimensional. They described their sound as \\\"street beat, psych pop\\\". According to Josh, their music has \\\"lots of rhythms, swirling guitars, spacey keyboards, echoes and airy vocals.\\\" Phantogram has played and toured with bands including: The xx, Ra Ra Riot, M83, Metric, Beach House, Zero 7, Yeasayer and countless others.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: The Beats Go On\\n\\nReview: Phantogram could've very easily gotten lost in the massive wave of boy/girl electronic duos that made their way into our ears since 2009. They've rode the wave along with bands like The Bird and the Bee, Matt and Kim, Chairlift, and Sleigh Bells into that hip hop-inflected indie dance pop that was either catchy or grating. Fortunately for Phantogram they are blessed with the amazing voice of Sarah Barthel and the studio prowess of Josh Carter. They're unique in a sea of many interesting but not necessarily long lasting bands. Their 2009 full-length debut was a rather breathtaking album filled with rough-around-the-edges pop tracks hidden under electronic beats and at times an industrial roughness that made you think you were hearing something more than just electronic pop. Barthel's voice is what made that album so unique, while Carter's programming and studio expertise made the beats more than just cookie cutter loops run through some Pro Tools plug-in. Eyelid Movies felt organic, not processed. Four years and one e.p. later Barthel and Carter have returned with a polished piece of electro/industrial pop gold called Voices. While not as sublime and dark as it's predecessor, Voices builds on Phantogram's strengths: Sarah Barthel and those beats.\\n\\nRight out of the gate \\\"Nothing But Trouble\\\" comes roaring out of the speakers, all studio shine and spit-polished. There's no mistaking Barthel's voice, for sure. But there's something a little stale about the beat. Nothing distinguishable from any other electronic band playing on internet radio. Mid-song Carter comes in with some guitar work that is reminiscent of classic 80s Cure and brings the song up a few notches. We then go right into the club banger \\\"Black Out Days\\\" that seems to want to be some sort of radio hit. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose. It just sorta goes through the motions. Decent enough, but as one 80's commercial pondered, \\\"Where's the beef?\\\" The answer is \\\"Fall In Love\\\", a soul-inflected track that reminds the listener why Phantogram is so great. All the elements are there, popping and clicking. Now we're talking. Barthel's ethereal voice floats above the excellent programming. This is 21st century pop music at it's finest. Catchy, yet still interesting and new to the ears. Hello, Phantogram. \\\"Never Going Home Again\\\" sounds like a b-side from Phil Collins' No Jacket Required, with Carter singing and giving us something to savor and reminisce with at the same time. This is the kind of track that would've been a huge radio hit in 1985. Sadly, neither pop music or radio exist like this anymore.\\n\\nOkay, so pretty much after the first two songs this album kicks into gear and becomes this massive record filled with ear candy and interesting production. \\\"The Day You Died\\\" is big and emotional with a chorus that soars. \\\"Howling At The Moon\\\" brings back some of that weirdness Eyelid Movies delivered in spades. You'll be cranking this and blowing the speakers in your Camry for sure. \\\"Bill Murray\\\" is sublime. A beautiful ballad that should be playing at the coolest proms on the planet this spring. \\\"My Only Friend\\\" closes this record out on a melancholy note. Much like Eyelid Movies excellent closer \\\"10,000 Claps\\\", \\\"My Only Friend\\\" is proof of the power in Sarah Barthel's sweet, beautiful, and longing voice. The production is 80s-centric reverbed beats and hand claps. It's perfect.\\n\\nVoices continues what Eyelid Movies started, with better production and bigger choruses. While there have been some really great and interesting guy/gal duos over the last few years, Phantogram have proven they've got staying power. They've got the beats. They've got the voice. They've got the songs.\",\n \"Product: 2014 release from the critically acclaimed singer/songwriter. Annie Clark, better known by her stage name, St. Vincent, is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She began her music career as a member of The Polyphonic Spree and was also part of Sufjan Stevens' touring band before forming her own band in 2006. Her debut album was Marry Me, and was followed by Actor (2009). Her third album Strange Mercy was released on September 13, 2011. Clark has opened shows for such acts as Television, Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird, Jolie Holland, John Vanderslice, Death Cab for Cutie and Grizzly Bear.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Saint by any other name....\\n\\nReview: Oh Annie Clark, I think you're pretty super. I've thought you were pretty super ever since 2007. You were this sorta weird and quirky girl that was so way cooler than me. You played the guitar the way I wish I could've played. You made each fuzzed-out riff and melody seem effortless, while I'd make it seem like work and slightly(completely)pretentious. You walked that fine line between artistic achievement and pop sensibiltiy. You're like this bizarro version of the popular girl at school. You could hang out with the jocks and the in-crowd; yet you could also talk about your favorite Siouxsie Sioux and King Crimson record with the goths and prog kids. You came out of the gate like a fully-formed artistic force. There was no mistaking that twinkle in your eye. Marry Me was your introduction, while Actor was your mission statement. You don't know this, but I saw you in 2009 open for Andrew Bird. I'll just say this, our Topiary-loving friend didn't have a chance. He spent his portion of the evening licking his wounds and pretending to be a rock star just to save face from the blistering set you opened the evening up with. Strange Mercy felt like a victory lap, mixed with all the idiosyncrasies and indelible pop finesse you've sharpened like a deadly weapon over the last four years. After a David Byrne collaboration that seemed like a match made in a heaven David Lynch would create you have returned with St. Vincent, a self-titled album that shows you in your finest form yet. Okay, I'll leave you alone now Annie. Gonna talk about your new record.\\n\\n\\\"Rattlesnake\\\" opens St. Vincent on a funky note, with a sound like a cross between interstellar disco and 80s King Crimson. Annie Clark has made this kind of sound -organic mixed with a processed flair- her calling card. \\\"Birth In Reverse\\\" is a wonky and manic track that sports this great line \\\"Oh what an ordinary day/ Take out the garbage, masturbate/ I'm still holding for the laugh.\\\" \\\"Prince Johnny\\\" is more of a slow burner. Again, she writes these exquisite lines that are both poetic and subversive. \\\"Remember the time we went and snorted/ A piece of the Berlin Wall that you'd extorted/ And we'd had such a laugh of it/ Prostrate on my carpet.\\\" She writes words like a writer, not a lyricist. Broken people looking for love; looking for something to hold onto. I hear a track like \\\"Huey Newton\\\" and could see a St. Vincent and Trent Reznor partnership birthing something quite wonderful. Throughout Clark's career there has always been this underlying base of industrial barb wire. Halfway through \\\"Huey Newton\\\" the guitar gets this red-lined blow out sound as if it's about to melt the speakers, while Clark pumps up the attitude and machismo in her voice. It's a genius track, really. And \\\"Digital Witness\\\"? Her time spent with David Byrne shows in the tight horn section, while the chorus brings up echoes of 80s disco. And her guitar? Reznor, are you listening? \\\"I Prefer Your Love\\\" is a beautiful track written for Clarks's mom. \\\"I, I prefer your love to Jesus\\\" Clark sings over synth strings and a simple beat. Next to \\\"Marry Me\\\" it's one of her most sublime tracks yet.\\n\\nSt. Vincent from start to finish shows Annie Clark at her best. Each album she's released since 2007 has been a progression; an evolution into more of the artist she's supposed to be. St. Vincent has released one of the best albums of the year, and the best of Annie Clark's career yet.\\n\\nAnd Annie, I think Andrew Bird wants a rematch. It's the least you can do.\",\n \"Product: Only two years ago, the three members of Corrosion of Conformity released to much acclaim their first album in over five years. 'Corrosion of Conformity isn't a comeback album or an example of diminishing returns,' noted Invisible Oranges. 'It's a testament to immense talent and the elusive endowment of staying power.' Now ready to once again excite their legion of fans, the trio presents their ninth studio album, simply titled IX. Over three decades of playing together clearly shows; a notable comfort and ease glows on each of the album's songs. Be it southern groove, the championing of all things doom, or the band's cherished punk rock roots, IX contains eleven more reasons to simply love this band. With touring plans already mounting up, 2014 will be another strong busy year for Mike Dean, Woody Weatherman and Reed Mullin.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Corrosion Of Conformity Destroy on IX\\n\\nReview: I didn't start listening to Corrosion of Conformity till 1994. It was the next phase in their sound. Before the album Deliverance they were a hardcore punk band. They had street cred and lots of hardcore punk fans. But Deliverance saw the band head in more of a dirge-filled, Sabbath-oozing direction. Pepper Keenan as lead vocalist the band embarked on a journey to take over alternative music one song at a time. Wiseblood was just as good as Deliverance, if not better, and they continued to mix and match doom and gloom metal with a punk attitude until 2001s America's Volume Dealer. That album bordered on southern rock and made me want to forget the name Corrosion of Conformity. They attempted to redeem themselves with In The Arms of God before taking a hiatus till 2010. Their self-titled was a return to their hardcore days with the original trio finding that Animosity-era magic. With IX they continue the streak and add in some of that doom and gloom magic along with some classic thrash. This is Corrosion of Conformity in classic form. Look out, you little whippersnappers.\\n\\n\\\"Brand New Sleep\\\" is a sludge-filled dirge, with a penchant for Sleep-filled doom and a dusting of 70s dizziness in those phaser pedals. It's a classic, bluesy doom song that opens the album on the right note. \\\"Elphyn\\\" brings Sabbath into the fold opening with the distant sound of thunder before blasting into a \\\"Children of the Grave\\\" hustle in the rhythm. Woody Weatherman's guitar tone is a calling card, with it's overpowered Gibson howl and this song howls all over the place. \\\"Denmark Vesey\\\" is a straight-up thrash song, sounding like a cross between classic Venom and Overkill. As much as I love their albums with Pepper Keenan at the helm, they just weren't hitting these thrash and speed metal tunes with Keenan. A song like \\\"The Nectar\\\", with it's breakneck rhythm and classic speed metal vocals, just wasn't an option on an album like Deliverance or Wiseblood. A little over a minute into this song we shift down to first gear and trudge along like some post-apolcalyptic war machine destroying everything in its path. This is southern metal sludge, something Mastodon and Kylesa used to do really well. Corrosion of Conformity are showing these younger bands up on IX. Neither one of those bands have recorded a song like \\\"On Your Way\\\" in years. A meaty riff that could feed a village and metal drums that sound like a beast running through the wilds. \\\"Tarquinius Superbus\\\" sounds like a Helloween and Bad Brains mash-up. It's pure adrenaline and has a chorus that sticks in your head all day. \\\"Who You Need To Blame\\\" has a groove that brings to mind some of those classic earworm riffs from Deliverance. For the all-around metal fan or for someone like me who grew up in the 80s listening to bands on Metal Blade Records and lots of thrash this album is a smorgasbord of metal goodness.\\n\\nIf you lost interest in CoC after America's Volume Dealer like I did, you should revisit them. IX is a new metal classic. Hardcore, thrash, speed, and sludge-y doom are awaiting to destroy your hearing and give your whiplash.\",\n \"Product: THE SEGALL HAS LANDED. And it s fully loaded, with everything that TY SEGALL (and you and me) are gonna need in the world to come. Heads up! It s coming down fast. Sticking his hand deeper into the machines all around him, TY is reaching ever further to the outer limits of inner space orbited throughout TWINS and SLEEPER. And now more than ever, the chunks of the world that came before are like asteroids formed in his image . . . picking up speed . . . . Still fighting the power with all the energy that a deter- mined mind-patriot can conjure, Ty s a fighter who loves, a surfer, a spaceman, and yeah, a casualty like you, he ll never be free. But unlike you, he knows it and when he goes down and his head cracks in two, out pour the multi-colored manias that make up MANIPULATOR. Sour-sweet declarations fea- turing freaks and creeps alike: The Singer, The Faker, Mister Main, Susie Thumb, the Connection Man, and The Crawler, to name but a mutant fistful. To see these peeps, to realize their dreams and visions, TY kept working, kept writing, laying down more tracks than ever. New musi- cal expressions pop and surprise relentlessly throughout all the knockout tunes of MANIP- ULATOR with many sounds in the mix but LP most of all, SO many guitars! So Many. And different kinds of strings - the strangled-neck solo of The Singer, recalling the good old days down by the river with Neil. Numbed-and-unplugged discursions spiraling away from the funk on Mister Main. Three-quarter quartets raising their din in a few key places. Waves of sparkling acoustics with ominous, Lovely undertones and then, torrents of filthy git-grunge, exploding into the chorus, washing everything away, fusing the black- ness of SABBATH with the grime and grab-ass of the STOOGES and the sweet swinging tones of the STONES. All in the name of getting high- er on the music. Why have one guitar solo when you can have a few in the same space? There s so little time, and a LOT to say. In order to ensure that he got it all out, TY called a few friends to fill in special parts on certain MANIPULATOR songs. He got great touches from CHRIS WOODHOUSE (piano, synth & percussion), SEAN PAUL PRESLEY (vocals), BRIT LAUREN MANOR (vocals), STEVE NUTTING (drums), IRENE SALZER (violin), JESSICA IVRY (cello), MATTHIAS MCENTIRE (viola) and the TY SEGALL band (MIKAL CRONIN, CHARLES MOOTHEART, EM- ILY ROSE EPSTEIN). Plus, MIKAL arranged the strings and everyone played awesomely. The clarion call/siren song of his guitar....clouds of guitar billowing, blood rushing to the head, the tempera- ture going from blue to red....TY s on a mission, working to change chemistry through music with the streamlined pop and helium-cooled vocals of MANIPULATOR. These seventeen songs take many forms, as if TY is finally releasing all the thoughts that have been holding him down, that made him pick up the ax to begin with. By the end of MANIPULATOR, you ll feel that he must have chased all the demons but it s a big world, and MANIPULATOR has only begun to fight.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Rock N' Roll Scuzzed-Out Masterpiece\\n\\nReview: I have to be completely honest here, okay? I've never been much of a fan of this guy called Ty Segall. Yeah, I know this is a shocking revelation to the world at large, but I felt I needed to get that out in the open before I went any further with this review. I will say that I've always admired the guy and his rather prolific output. If he's not putting out something under his own name then he's putting something out with one of his West Coast garage/psych brethren. While everyone around me hailed Segall as the second coming of rock n' roll, I responded with a less than enthusiastic \\\"meh.\\\" I bought last year's Sleeper and found it to be an earnest little record that didn't feel the need to hide behind piles of hiss and feedback(not that I have anything against hiss and feedback.) I think with me it's always been this feeling that Segall was hiding behind the noise instead of wielding it as one of his many weapons in his rock n' roll arsenal. Well, I am here to admit dear readers that I was dead wrong about the 26 year-old wunderkind from Orange County and his newest masterpiece, the double album Manipulator, is proof of just how wrong I was.\\n\\nListening to albums like Melted, Goodbye Bread, and Twins you get the feeling Ty has listened to his fair share of late-60s psych, garage, and a healthy dose of Blue Cheer, Stooges, and Black Sabbath, so when you throw on Manipulator for the first time you're instantly thrown off by the cleaned up production and locked-in grooves. The needle in the red levels of ear bleeding volume are replaced with Hunky Dory-era Bowie glam. The acoustic guitar almost seems attached to the drums as each strum accents the snare on \\\"Tall Man Skinny Lady\\\". It has a \\\"Queen Bitch\\\" vibe with Segall sporting a hell of a falsetto. I have to say right here that the drums on this album sound incredible. The extra time Segall took to make this record shows wonderfully in the engineering. The drums and bass work together on this album like they never have previously. Manipulator doesn't lose any of Ty Segall's DIY-approach to album making, but there's a clarity here that's never been present before. At times it comes off as the Stooges making The White Album. \\\"The Singer\\\" starts out like an acoustic ballad and then morphs into a T. Rex strut. \\\"Mister Main\\\" and \\\"Green Belly\\\" sport some great rhythm as the drums and bass lock in together and never let up. There's still plenty of face-melting guitar, like on the blistering \\\"The Connection Man\\\" and the opening build-up of \\\"The Faker\\\" before it rolls through the speakers with a rock n' roll chug. And I dare you not to pump your fists to \\\"The Crawler\\\". It's like an unholy union of Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath run through the Bay area speed metal scene. Face melting, man. Manipulator takes everything Segall has dabbled in previously and churns it out into this proto glam/psych/metal sound that's just about perfect.\\n\\nIf Ty Segall hasn't already released his breakthrough album, I believe he just has with Manipulator. And as someone who never bought into the hype of Mr. Segall before, I'm here to say I'm buying now. I'm a believer in this Orange County wunderkind.\",\n \"Product: 2014 vinyl LP pressing. While ecological unease worries at the edges of Steve Gunn's bold full-band album 'Way Out Weather'-the breathing sea of the billowing title track, the bad wind and moon over \\\"Wildwood,\\\" the polluted pyramid and blue bins in \\\"Shadow Bros,\\\" the desert heat sickness of \\\"Atmosphere\\\"-the resonance of the title is primarily metaphorical and oblique. Written largely while on tour, the record is an elliptical but seductive travelogue, more engaged with navigating foreign (\\\"way out\\\") emotional landscapes, and with grasping at universal threads of language and narrative, than with bemoaning rising sea levels. Despite the album-opening lyric to the contrary, \\\"Way Out Weather\\\" is an uncommon song in Steve Gunn's discography. Sonically and lyrically the album demonstrates a radical evolution, lighting out for lusher, more expansive, and impressionistic territories; it's his first major work as an artist for whom the studio provides a critical context. A more enigmatic and elevated affair than it's predecessor,'Way Out Weather' completes Gunn's satisfying transformation into a mature songwriter, singer, and bandleader of subtlety and authority. It ranks as most impressive and inviting record yet, an inscrutable but entirely self-assured masterpiece. Belying their ambitious new scale and scope, most of these songs arrived at Westtown, New York's scene-seminal Black Dirt Studio as skeletal solo demos. An enthusiastic and generous collaborator-recently he has partnered with Kurt Vile, Michael Chapman, Mike Cooper, the Black Twig Pickers, Cian Nugent, et al.-Gunn assembled an accomplished group of comrades to flesh out the full arrangements, trusting the germinal songs to an instinctual process of spontaneous composition, transposition, and improvisation. The WOW studio band comprised longtime musical brothers Jason Meagher (bass, drones, engineering), Justin Tripp (bass, guitar, keys, production), and John Truscinski (drums), in addition to newcomers Nathan Bowles (drums, banjo, keys: Black Twig Pickers, Pelt); James Ellington (guitar, lap steel, dobro: Freakwater, Jeff Tweedy); Mary Lattimore (harp, keys: Thurston Moore, Kurt Vile); and Jimy SeiTang (synths, electronics: Stygian Stride, Rhyton.) 'Way Out Weather is Steve's career-defining statement to date. Lightning changes things; the soul burns.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Outstanding Album From A Former Violator\\n\\nReview: Steve Gunn makes music that is simple sounding on the surface, but underneath theres a complexity hiding under the breezy sway and summertime shine. Hes an incredible guitarist that shows he can handle pretty much anything that comes at him. On his latest, Way Out Weather, its all about southern jangle with an east coast sophistication.\\n\\nWhen I heard last years excellent Time Off I wasn't aware that Steve Gunn played in Kurt Viles live band The Violators. Now that I know that I can really hear that Vile laid back drawl in Gunns music. While Vile is firmly planted in the rock and folk camps in his songs, Steve Gunn sticks with a more earthy, organic sound. Though, he can kick it up a notch as well. Drifter is a hard-driving tune with some great Allman Brothers-like guitar. And Atmosphere has an almost psychedelic vibe to it with Gunn singing through a Leslie speaker. Steve Gunns voice is a smoother version of Califones Tim Rutilis crackling, whispy voice. And Steve Gunns music does bring to mind that Chicago bands rustic and at time acoustic-driven sound, though Gunn is more subtle and intricate. Hes a clever songwriter in that he hides his prodigious playing under simple, pleasing music. Way Out Weather brings to mind Allman Brothers Brothers and Sisters and the Deads Workingmans Dead. The latter showing a band in their prime taking it easy while still dropping jaws at their musical proficiency. Wildwood has a nice shuffle rhythm and some great guitar run through a Leslie speaker. Millys Garden is a mover and a shaker. Its a breezy track that could soundtrack a million road trips and don a thousand mix tapes. It will please fans of the Dead and Real Estate alike. It even has a little bit of the Stones in there with the great lap steel guitar. Shadow Bros is the blues, but of a different shade than what were used to. The acoustics crackle and jangle as Steve Gunn sings along to the beautiful waltz-time track. Fiction keeps that easy feel flow going with a touch of melancholy just underneath. Tommys Congo closes the album out on an almost tribal note, with a mantra-like guitar line that keeps repeating.\\n\\nThere seems to be a mantra-like feel to Steve Gunns music. It repeats itself over and over, lulling you into a meditative state till you almost forget theres music playing. It transcends from just a song to something much deeper.\\n\\nWay Out Weather is a record from start to finish that effortlessly flows and moves like a river in the country or a subway in the city. Its one of those rare records that will appeal to many that cant see eye to eye normally. Its an album that brings folks together and lets them nod their heads together in unison. Simple and sophisticated.\",\n \"Product: Plowing into the Field of Love is the third album from Copenhagen s ICEAGE. It is new, bold and forceful. Channeling the rage and emotion of their tempestuous early releases into finely honed musicianship, Plowing Into The Field of Love features piano, mandolin, viola and organ atop Johan Suurballe-Wieth s razor-sharp guitars and the lolloping, synchronized rhythm section of Jacob Tvilling Pless and Dan Kjr Nielsen. The record has a clear, uncompressed sound, and Elias Bender Rnnenfelt s desperate vocals are out front, nakedly accountable for the words.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Iceland's Finest Keep Getting Better\\n\\nReview: Iceage have come a long way from their vicious post-punk beginnings. New Brigade was dark, angry and monstrous. It was the sound of torn fingers and bloody guitar necks. You're Nothing seemed to be a continuation of that sound, albeit with more experience under these young, Danish lads belts. On Iceage's new album, Plowing Into the Fields of Love, these guys have opened the flood gates and have released a record so varied and expansive that if it weren't for Elias Bender Rnnenfelt's unique vocals you wouldn't know it was the same band. It's a huge step forward and a hell of an album.\\n\\n\\\"On My Fingers\\\" starts the album out like a funeral dirge written by The Fall and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. A doomed romantic vibe permeates and pulsates in the piano and Rnnenfelt's vocal delivery. \\\"The Lord's Favorite\\\" has a cow punk shuffle and chiming guitars that gives this great track a Smiths vibe. There's a lightness to this song that hasn't been heard previously and it's a welcome surprise. I think even Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros might have had some fun with this one. \\\"Glass Eyed, Dormant, and Veiled\\\" has a punk rock jangle mixed with an almost doomed, goth sound. \\\"Let It Vanish\\\" sounds like Joy Division fronted by Sid Vicious. It has that Manchester darkness, but with youthful energy those post-punks could never quite muster. \\\"Abundant Living\\\" could be the love child of The Smiths, Love and Rockets, and Drivin N Cryin. \\\"Cimmerian Shade\\\" has all that nasty vitriol that got Iceage their reputation for intense and bloody live shows. It's tension-filled and waiting to explode at any moment. \\\"Plowing Into the Field of Love\\\" is a ramshackle track that ends the album on a drunken Pogues stumble that nearly falls out of the speakers.\\n\\nIt's one thing for a band to get ambitious and attempt some sort of grand gesture on a record. Usually they just end up reverting back to the same old thing next time around. But Iceage aren't being ambitious here. They've just grown up, and their music has grown right along with them.\",\n \"Product: Recorded in a barn-turned-studio in rural Ontario, the seven songs that make up Viet Cong were born largely on the road, when Flegel and bandmates Mike Wallace, Scott Munro and Daniel Christiansen embarked on a 50-date tour that stretched virtually every limit imaginable. Close quarters hastened their exhaustion but also honed them as a group. You can designate records as seasonal, and you can feel Viet Cong's bleakness and declare it wintry. But the only way you get a frost is when there's something warmer to freeze up. So yes, Viet Cong is a winter album, but only until it is a spring record, then a summer scorcher, then an autumn burner, then it ices over again.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Dark, Menacing, and Beautiful\\n\\nReview: \\\"Newspaper Spoons\\\" opens like a distant canon firing into the abyss. An overblown kick drum beats like a death knell before Matt Flegel sings \\\"Writhing violence essentially without distortion, Wired silent, vanishing into the boredom\\\". It's a hell of a way to open a debut album, but that's just the kind of album Viet Cong is. With every turn your put through an aural wringer. Your mind is blown and your head feels like it's going to explode. Welcome to 2015, the year of Viet Cong.\\n\\nThe band is one half of the former Calgary band Women. When that band broke up, bassist Matthew Flegel wanted to start a band with guitarist Scott Munro. They enlisted Women drummer Michael Wallace and guitarist Daniel Christiansen and Viet Cong was born. They released a cassette-only EP that was sold at gigs in 2012. That album showed a spry, post-punk informed band with darker tendencies. On Viet Cong they fully embrace the darkness and get down to some serious gothic tendencies. \\\"Pointless Experience\\\" stabs with siren-like guitars and Flegel's heavily-reverbed vocals. It's as if Interpol put the suits away and embraced the gutter. Lyrics sound like the prose of a post-apocalyptic survivor. Flegel sings \\\"Failed to keep the necessary papers for evacuation, Hideously synchronized with cold and cruel arithmetic\\\". Viet Cong don't do paint-by-numbers lyrics. It's poetic and dystopian. \\\"March Of Progress\\\" starts out with white noise, as if looking for signs of life on an old tube television. Pretty soon distorted drums come through the fuzz like war drums as wavering synths move back and forth as if stuck in a vacuum. Vocals come in beautifully, harmonies singing \\\"Lately there's a wound that needs some healing soon, Before the infection can set in.\\\" Soon enough the song kicks into an almost new wave drum beat and the guitars become chime-y and have more of a post-punk jangle.\\n\\nYou get the feeling through the darkness and shadowy entities that haunt this record that there's an element of healing going on here. It's like the aural version of prolonged exposure therapy. You keep going over the pain through each song until it loses the hurt. A song like \\\"Bunker Buster\\\" is all splintered guitar jabs and post-punk strut. It's like Mission of Burma in swagger mode. Munro and Christiansen are making some of the most interesting and intriguing guitar noise that I've heard in a very long time. \\\"Continental Shelf\\\" has elements of A Place To Bury Stranger's wall-of-guitar noise in the songs verses before becoming quite eerie and beautiful in the chorus. Lyrically it's doomed, tragic, and oddly moving. Flegel has a knack for doomed and romantic lyrics. Dream-like, dystopian, and darkly vague. He paints dark landscapes that you can occasionally catch something dimly lit hiding amongst the shadows. \\\"Continental Shelf\\\" is a massive song that gives you a world to get lost in, at your own risk of course. \\\"Silhouettes\\\" has the dark, bass-y pulse of Luis Vasquez' The Soft Moon with new wave synths hanging over the proceedings. It's a hell of a track. The album closes on the epic and mammoth dirge \\\"Death\\\". It's over 11 minutes of new wave, post-punk, and dark wave haze. It feels like this cycle of mourning and healing. The vocals fade and the song turns into this churning, swirling sea of noise and madness.\\n\\nViet Cong feels vital and intense. It's blood spurting on the canvas. It's embracing the scars that come with the wounds of the past. Embracing the fact you survived and lived to tell about it. This album feels revolutionary. Viet Cong is pure, raw, bloody rock and roll at it's best.\",\n \"Product: Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper is the fifth studio album from Animal Collective founding member and critically acclaimed solo artist Noah Lennox, a.k.a. Panda Bear. It finds our hero leaving the airy minimalism of 2011s Tomboy and unpacking his sonic toolbox again (with the help of Pete Sonic Boom Kember), rearranging the multitude of his disparate influences into the ever-morphing concoction he refers to as the soup. Old school hip-hop textures and production techniques meld with the intuitive, cyclical melodies he has become known for, for a sound that is at once dense and playful.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Panda Bear Meets Noah Lennox\\n\\nReview: \\\"Sequential Circuits\\\" is really the best way Noah Lennox could bring us into the world of his newest musical hallucination called Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper. With its percolating synths, fluid gurgles, and Lennox' own angelic harmonies floating above the song like paisley-colored clouds the song is a perfect mix of both Panda Bear's previous musical endeavors and his work with Animal Collective. It doesn't seem to take sides in regards to the more loopy, drugged exuberance of Person Pitch or the more restrained and desolate soundscapes of that albums follow-up, 2011s Tomboy. Then \\\"Mr. Noah\\\" comes rolling in and all bets are off. It's weird, trippy, and a kaleidoscope of vocals and massive, bouncy rhythms. It's basically saying Panda Bear isn't going to give us a repeat of anything. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is easily Panda Bear's best and densest album yet.\\n\\nI don't know too many casual fans of Panda Bear's music. You are either all in or you just don't bother with Noah Lennox' records. I think to some ears a Panda Bear album is just a lot of weird noise with big beats and pretty vocals. But I think that casual listener is underestimating Noah Lennox. A song like \\\"Crosswords\\\" sounds on the surface to be a nice beat, synths, and Mr. Lennox' Brian Wilson-like vocal harmonies. But you dig in a little deeper and you start to hear the layers of sonic treasure. That's the true beauty of Panda Bear's music: the layers. The music is more like psychedelic mantras than songs. \\\"Come To Your Senses\\\" is also like that. The music envelopes you. It consumes you. Then \\\"Butcher Baker Candlestick Maker\\\" has the feel of some dark children's nursery rhyme. Vocals bounce from left to right, ping ponging in your head. It has a trance-like effect, much like so many of Lennox' songs. No one is making music like this, except for Noah Lennox.\\n\\nAll of Panda Bear's albums are other worlds that you are invited to inhabit for the duration of their play time. Noah Lennox creates these worlds in such a way to where you can decide what these worlds inhabit. Good juju or bad juju. There's both the feeling child-like exuberance and something darker lurking; sometimes in the same song. Person Pitch was like the stoner's Odyssey and Oracle. It felt like this drugged excursion across some strange and beautiful land. It was an album that felt all-encompassing and welcoming. Tomboy on the other hand felt lonely and mired in self-doubt and desolation. Those aren't knocks. That was just the vibe. Those songs for the most part felt like one guy sitting in an empty room creating these vast landscapes. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper takes both of those feelings and turns them into a celebration. A celebration of coming to terms with mortality. \\\"Boys Latin\\\" is exuberance in that acknowledgement, as is the beautiful \\\"Tropic of Cancer\\\". With its harp loop and Noah Lennox' mournful vocal it's sad like an old doo-wop song from the 50s. It feels like a song that was recorded on the moon, looking at the Earth in the distance. At one point it even brings a refrain from \\\"Somewhere Over The Rainbow\\\" to mind. Just for a moment.\\n\\nPanda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is the kind of album you commit to. It's not just some cool music you throw on as background noise. It's too good for that. It's too deep for that. It feels like if played at the right time in the right circumstances it could transport you to some other dimension. Probably that dimension Noah Lennox came from before landing in ours. I imagine it's a beautiful and frightening place. And I bet Brian Wilson vacations there. Either way, buy the album and take the ride.\",\n \"Product: John Carpenter has been responsible for much of the horror genre's most striking soundtrack work in the fifteen movies he's both directed and scored. The themes can instantly flood his fans' musical memory with imagery of a menacing shape stalking a babysitter, a relentless wall of ghost-filled fog, lightning-fisted kung fu fighters, or a mirror holding the gateway to hell. The all-new music on Lost Themes asks Carpenter's acolytes to visualize their own nightmares. As is Carpenter's style, repetition is the key to the thundering power of these tracks, their energy swirling with shredding chords, soaring organs, unnerving pianos and captivating percussion. Horror fans will be reminded of Carpenter's past works, as well as ancestors like Mike Oldfeld's Tubular Bells and Goblin's Suspiria. \\\"They're little moments of score from movies made in our imaginations,\\\" Carpenter says. \\\"Now I hope it inspires people to create films that could be scored with this music.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Horror Maestro's Album Debut\\n\\nReview: John Carpenter colored at least two generations' dreams in burnt fall hues. Faded browns,sbr123-johncarpenter-lostthemes-1400_1024x1024 oranges, yellows, and reds, topped with gray, overcast skies bled into our psyche and made us re-imagine Halloween in a whole new way. In a way where the fear we felt walking down the sidewalk in our Darth Vader costume holding a grocery bag full of Hershey and Nestle confections wasn't something made up in our own minds and imaginations. It was something very real. The Bogeyman wasn't just contained in a campfire ghost story; the Bogeyman was lurking just up the street ahead waiting for you. Carpenter defined a genre of horror and indie films with 1978s Halloween. From there he made films that would go on to inspire fans and fledgling filmmakers alike for years to come. Part of the appeal of his films, besides the very distinctive look(color, lighting, cinematography) were the scores he created to help push the story along. He used modern technology with classic touches to make haunted, eerie, and pulsating soundtracks. The Prophet 5 and 10 synths were used by Carpenter to create classic scores for Assault On Precinct 13, Halloween I,II,and III, The Fog, Christine, and The Prince of Darkness just to name a few.\\n\\nFor a certain portion of the music-loving population these scores Carpenter created(in the case of Halloween along with Alan Howarth) are as important as the films themselves. They define an era of horror film where auteurs like John Carpenter made what to the common eye appeared to be \\\"cheap thrills\\\" kind of horror. But looked at a little deeper there was more going on. These scores act as a time machine of sorts to back to those days. Before \\\"the gorier the better\\\" adage took hold. Much like those films, the scores were classics. Lost Themes is John Carpenter's debut standalone album of instrumental tracks. Music for films never made by Carpenter. It's a soundtrack to whatever your imagination can come up with. It's every bit as good as you'd think, with only a few moments where it staggers a bit.\\n\\nLost Themes is filled with great, haunting moments. \\\"Vortex\\\" feels like an opening steadicam shot through neon lit city streets. The lights reflecting off puddles along the sidewalks as someone makes their way through an urban landscape dimly lit. \\\"Obsidian\\\" is a driving track that feels like a chase through the night. \\\"Fallen\\\" is melancholy and dream-like. \\\"Purgatory\\\" is menacing and mournful, while \\\"Night\\\" is arpeggiated menace. Every track is a single word title, and I think that works well for these songs.\\n\\nCarpenter, along with his son who helps his dad out on Lost Themes, creates dark moods and aural experiences with a singular precision. Some songs suffer from at times a dated sound here and there. \\\"Mystery\\\" moves along nicely until \\\"rock\\\" drums enter the picture and add an element of Trans-Siberian Orchestra to the proceedings which slows down the songs initial tension. \\\"Wraith\\\" gets bogged down a bit towards the end with a guitar part that seems to have been pulled from a Savatage song from 1987. \\\"Domain\\\" sounds more like Australia's The Night Terrors than John Carpenter, but these are just small issues. Nothing that bogs the album down too much.\\n\\nBands like Sinoia Caves, The Night Terrors, and Night Flights have been making synth-heavy records over the last few years that borrow heavily from John Carpenter's scores and they do it well, without aping Carpenter too bad. More homage than anything else. But it's great to see and hear the \\\"Master of Horror\\\" himself putting out a standalone record of original music. Lost Themes is both a throwback to classic Carpenter soundscapes and a modern take on synth-driven music. He may not be making movies like he used to, but if this album is any indication, he's certainly not running short of creativity or artistic wealth. Not by a long shot.\",\n \"Product: On Escape From Evil, Lower Dens Jana Hunter emerges: cerebral and hot-blooded, rash and incorruptible, and, crucially, possessing of a loud, clear voice. Hunter is stepping up and taking center stage has emboldened every other aspect of the band. Escape From Evil is a cinematic, tonally rich work. The sounds are clean and warm. The pulse of the album is strong. Escape from Evil marks the follow-up to 2012 s Nootropics.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Giving In To The Pop...\\n\\nReview: Escape From Evil feels like a breezy reprieve from the dense, claustrophobic world of Lower Dens' previous album, the dark masterpiece Nootropics. On that 2012 record, singer/songwriter Jana Hunter wanted to create this world within the grooves. A world not easily found. Only after a few spins did that records genius show itself. With Escape From Evil it feels as if Lower Dens have opened the shades and let some light shine in. Its gloriously catchy and shimmers like a cross between Talk Talk and Cliff Martinez Drive S/T. Theres nothing to dig through on here. Even the dark lyrical content cant bring this album into the doldrums. Escape From Evil will slink into your brain and not be easily exorcised.\\n\\nJana Hunter has a unique voice. Its gruff yet smooth. She can carry a pop melody beautifully and not burn you out with saccharine-y overzealous abandon. Suckers Shangri-la has an almost Til Tuesday sway to it. Shimmering synths, reverbed percussion, and processed guitars give you the impression weve set the wayback machine for 1982. Slight touches of melancholy permeate the chorus. Its mournful pop gloom. Ondine is subtle and longing as Hunter sings Ill treat you better, either a cry for a second chance or a chance to do better than the current lover. This holds some of Nootropics dark motorik tendencies, but with more emphasis on the radio dial. To Die In L.A. is almost giddy in its upbeat rhythm and Hunters exquisite vocals. The War On Drugs and Merchandise aren't the only current artists that can ape the best of the 80s beautifully. Lower Dens proves a true knack for recreating the decade of neon lights, Michael Mann, and gated reverb.\\n\\nLower Dens gives in to their pop tendencies completely on this album, and its a beautiful thing. Quo Vadis, Your Heart Still Beating, and Non Grata are all steeped in electro grooves, 80s dance floor lights, and an unabashed love of melody. Company has a krautrock backbone and jagged synths that buzz in your ears as Hunter anchors the song firmly for us to crawl inside of and get lost in. The chorus has a gallop to it that is hard not to get lost in.\\n\\nFrom start to finish, Lower Dens Escape From Evil is a catchy, pop-fueled record that captivates and sucks you in. When a band can take the essence of the 80s and use that decades musically sunny disposition and mix it with the earthier, darker elements of whats transpired within those 30 years in-between it can be a riveting listen. The War On Drugs, Merchandise, and Diana are bands that take that love of the 80s and can reinvent it into something new, creative, and vital. Lower Dens has done that as well, and quite masterfully.\",\n \"Product: 2012 release, the fifth album from the San Francisco-based Roots Rock band. Equal parts dust, groove, Folk, Rock, dirt, mercury, earth, barn, chaos and gamble, beer, water melon sugar, the Eel River and the great land that surrounds it, all sewn into classic Americana songs full of luscious melodies and hip grinding grooves. Howlin' Rain is unfiltered music, lending to both its glory and its grit and blemishes.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: If you like your rock Santana side up, then hit play...\\n\\nReview: Dear reader, do names like Leslie West, Rod Argent, Ken Hensley and Carlos Santana mean anything to you? Or what about Deep Purple, Mountain, Uriah Heep and Steely Dan? If after reading those names you felt an involuntary surge of stomach acid come up your throat, then do as Bob Seger once said, and turn the page.\\n\\nOkay, now that those whippersnappers have moved on to their current issue of Under The Radar, let's talk about Howlin Rain's new long player The Russian Wilds. This drunken, stoned and southern California-drenched record will appeal to those of us who enjoy their songs long. Light on filler and heavy on the jam. This is 70's soul rock in the tradition of Grand Funk Railroad and Rare Earth. This is 70's hard rock in the loving likeness of albums like Machine Head, The Magician's Birthday and Abraxas.\\n\\nHowlin Rain is fronted by Ethan Miller who fronted the fuzzed out psych rock band Comets On Fire. Fans of Comets On Fire will more than likely scratch their heads in bewilderment as soon as `Self Made Man', The Russian Wild's opening track, starts up. With it's hammond b-3 inflected opening, then into something resembling Wolfmother fronted by Leslie West, this is light years away from Comets' 2004 debut Cathedral. Midway through we get into something resembling Carlos Santana jamming with Steely Dan, complete with guitar solo, organ and latin percussion. Welcome to throwback territory. `Phantom In The Valley' is very reminiscent of the Eagles staple `Hotel California' if Graham Bonnet took vocal duties and Joe Walsh's 12-string was replaced with a hammond b-3 and a leslie speaker. `Can't Satisfy Me Now' is a hard rock soul hybrid that brings to mind Head East, Argent and a pre-'Red Rocker' Sammy Hagar wailing away at the mic. `Dark Side' has a Can't Buy A Thrill vibe with prominent electric piano and organ. Once again the Sammy Hagar-ish vocals take over the track with screams not commited to tape since the late eighties. Not sure if the Hagar vocal inflections are intended or not, but the similarities are uncanny. No 70s nugget is left unturned, as there's even a nod of the oversized hat to Looking Glass' one hit wonder `Brandy' in the track `Beneath Wild Wings'. Far out, man.\\n\\nThe most surprising aspect of this record is the production duties were handled by none other than studio guru Rick Rubin. Rubin brings a very natural, organic sound to the record. You feel like you're listening to a lost gem found in the bargain bin at the local record store, rather than a bunch of hipsters wearing mom and dad's musty 70's duds that have been packed away in the attic for 30 years. Rubin gives The Russian Wilds a hazy basement sound and a munchie-driven hunger to pick up a Les Paul and a bag of chips at the same time.\\n\\nIf you are a child of the 70s, grew up on a steady diet of AOR radio and like your music equal parts rockin', soulful and with a bit of machismo thrown in, then give The Russian Wilds a spin. Now pass those chips, man.\",\n \"Product: After a 2011 UK Tour supporting Muse and a US tour with Interpool, White Rabbits return with Milk Famous, the new studio album and follow-up to the critically acclaimed It s Frightening\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: The Ghost of Spoon Lingers\\n\\nReview: At times while listening to White Rabbit's new long player Milk Famous, I found myself wondering if that trepidation I was feeling regarding this record was about style over substance, or the fact that this record sounds so similar to big brother Spoon. But after a beer or two and my third listen I said to myself \\\"Lighten up, it's just rock `n roll. Don't be such a joykill.\\\" So I grabbed another beer, dropped the needle and listened some more.\\n\\nThe Spoon references are there a-plenty on album opener `Heavy Metal'. With it's groove-inflected bass line, pensive guitar swirls and backwards piano coming in and out of the mix like vapor, singer and keyboardist Stephen Patterson sets the mood with this nugget of dark, indie funk. `I'm Not Me' is a great pop song turned inside out and twisted every which way. The big drum sound White Rabbits made their name with is here in full force. `Hold It To The Fire' is what I imagine pop music will sound like in the future. Nuanced and floating in this space of tension and beauty. This is pop music Jon Brion would create after wearing a rag soaked in ether. Patterson has a lilting voice. He sounds damaged. This is one of the true highlights on a record filled with great retro pop moments. `Everyone Can't Be Confused' starts with the line \\\"Are you slowly spacing out?\\\" At times on this record I do feel like I'm spacing out. Listen to `Temporary' and tell me that it doesn't remind you of Reach The Beach-era Fixx. Side B suffers from the aformentioned `style over substance' a bit. Tracks like `It's Frightening' and `Danny Come Inside' seem to be fillers ornamented by a master producer. Songs that were almost there, so producer Mike McCarthy slapped some glaze on `em and put `em in the oven for an extra five minutes. `Back For More' has a sound reminiscent of White Rabbits first album, Fort Nightly. A tropicalia vibe mixe with Costello's `Watching The Detectives'. `The Day You Won The War' sounds like something off of Spoon's Kill The Moonlight. Something like `Don't Let It Get You Down' on speed.\\n\\nAs much as the sound of this record is influenced by Britt and company, there's no mistaking Patterson's young-ish voice for Britt Daniel's jagged, soulful croon. Patterson brings a youthful, dare I say, hopeful vibe to these sometimes claustrophobic, anxious songs.\\n\\nIt's impossible not to bring up the Spoon similarities. They're there front and center. But I don't think it was intentional on the part of White Rabbits. This record was produced by Mike McCarthy. The man behind such Spoon classics at Girls Can Tell, Kill The Moonlight, Gimme Fiction and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. He's a master record producer and has a distinctive style. Just as Nigel Godrich does, Mike McCarthy puts his signature sound on everything he does. So, White Rabbits don't necessarily sound like Spoon, as much as a Mike McCarthy-produced band. Besides, so what if White Rabbits pull a few tricks out of the Spoon magic bag? I don't hear people complaining that Pavement drank at The Fall's musical well. Or that Quentin Tarantino borrowed a few tricks from Peckinpah. As long as they put their own spin on something great, I only see that as a plus.\\n\\nWhite Rabbits continue the trend of bettering themselves with each release. Never abandoning their original sound, only honing it and whittling it down to the essentials: groove, melody and tension. Milk Famous has plenty of all three, and then some.\",\n \"Product: The Soft Moon was never intended for the public's ears, but you found it, were drawn in by its danger, and insisted that others hear. Oakland's Luis Vasquez began the project in order to better know his own self. He'd holed up in his apartment and let the tape roll, allowing gut and memory guide him. Those twin sherpas, however, led him to a place of darkness, claustrophobia and dread: a musical waste land moving to a Motorik tic, its edges made jagged in the image of early post-punk, swathed in the moody atmosphere of vintage darkwave.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Soundtrack for the Tram\\n\\nReview: From the opening seconds of The Soft Moon's starkly lit and at times apocalyptic-sounding new album Zeros, album opener 'It Ends' sets the mood. That mood is dark, propulsive, atmospheric and addictive. It's what was playing in an S&M club somewhere in the Eastern Block in 1981. It's what was pounding the wall of a German Disco in 1979. It's what made a 20 year old Robert Smith put on eyeliner and pick up a guitar. This is the essence of Ian Curtis, Alan Vega and Peter Murphy. Sex clubs, kinky sex, black leather and dark thoughts.\\n\\nWelcome to the world of The Soft Moon and Luis Vasquez.\\n\\nVasquez started The Soft Moon by himself, with the intent of creating an all-emcompassing music project. Something that would touch on sight and sound. With The Soft Moon's self-titled LP from 2010 he set the tone: a band propelled by music that created a mood. Vocals are minimal, if not completely non-existent on a good portion of the album. With Zeros, Luis Vasquez has found the balance between song and mood. After the Suicide-fueled opener 'It Ends', 'Machines' comes in like Joy Division violated by Trent Reznor's 1989 production values. Vocals hissed more than sung over a menacing electronic beat with synth stabs coming in and out. Title track 'Zeros' has a 154-era Wire vibe with Vasquez's \\\"Ahhs\\\" echoing in the background. Gary Numan is haunting this track as well.\\n\\nThe (Pain)& Pleasure Principle.\\n\\n'Insides' sounds as if The Soft Moon is lost inside a cavernous synth punk gorge, waiting to be devoured by the cold and dark as sunlight fades. The Cure's 'A Hundred Years', with a dash of dark humor for good measure. 'Remember The Future' is heavy on the flanged bass and bee buzz synth. Instrumental and propulsive, it's a great soundtrack for a midnight ride on the tram.\\n\\nEach track encapsulates a feeling of isolation, claustrophobia, and a dizziness that once you're into a song for 30 seconds you can't see the light at the beginning or end. You're just in the song. At times this album is part soundtrack to a nightmare, and at times Eraserhead industrial noise with a Bauhaus afterglow. 'Crush', 'Die Life' and 'Lost Years' all are self-explanatory titles to what they contain within: a disco in purgatory. A dance club in post-apocalyptic Berlin. A beat that propels you to the brink.\\n\\nThis album isn't for the casual listener. You have to be comfortable with the dark side of post punk and new wave. Lots of bands as of late have taken to recreating the sounds of early 80s alternative and new wave. A few are doing a hell of a job with it, such as Wild Nothing, Diiv, Merchandise and Craft Spells. The Soft Moon can be put into that group, albeit in their own sub-category. They're not out to make it onto a John Hughes soundtrack. They're aiming for Wim Wenders, Alex Cox or Ridley Scott. Zeros aims for a tribal, primal and darkly sexual landscape. They hit the mark, over and over.\",\n \"Product: NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Garage Groove From Down Under\\n\\nReview: Melbourne's Beaches new album She Beats has all the ingredients that help make an excellent record: loud guitars, dreamy, reverbed vocals, a solid rhythm section, and NEU!s Michael Rother's seal of approval(plus his guitar playing on a couple tracks). She Beats is a mix of lo fi graininess, zone-out atmosphere, psychedelic colors, and some good old fashioned rock n' roll bombast.\\n\\n\\\"Out of Mind\\\" opens the album with some jangly guitar spray before the song jumps into gear and brings to mind Primal Scream's noise/melody recipe for ear candy. The song puts off a tape hiss, lo fidelity vibe, all the while never sounding too lo fi. The dark aural shades only add to the song's mystique and proves to enhance the already dreamy vibe. \\\"Keep On Breaking Through\\\" rolls in on a steady ride cymbal and some reverbed guitars, giving the song an almost \\\"Riders On The Storm\\\" sound, minus the thunderstorm sound effects before the space echo takes the track into the milky way. Beaches, while they conjure dreamy soundscapes and ambience in the form of swirling guitar chords and echoed riffs, don't fall under any sort of shoegaze category. These Melbourne ladies play guitar with bravado and attitude more in tune with the likes of Erik \\\"Ripley\\\" Johnson or Wayne Kramer, as opposed to Kevin Shields or Andy Bell. They don't coax sound from their instruments as much as they pull them out with swift, stern strokes. \\\"The Good Comet Returns\\\" brings to mind old Cure, back when they were still a 3-piece with something to prove. \\\"Distance\\\" is the centerpiece track with Michael Rother jumping in on guitar to give it that motorik drive. Vocals barely treading the musical waters become part of the overall sound as opposed to being the centerpiece. Vocals are merely another instrument used to paint on the canvas. Vocal duties are shared throughout the band, but all the voices seems to blend into one. \\\"Weather\\\" is a loud and brash tune that brings Sonic Y0uth to mind, both in its disorienting guitar squall and its Kim Gordon-esque vocals. Beaches tendency to explore the limits of the guitar on this record give it that Sonic Youth spirit throughout. \\\"Granite Snake\\\", the other tune Michael Rother puts his musical stamp on rides along a steady drum beat and echoed feedback and distortion for five and a half glorious minutes. She Beats revels in these beautifully noisy soundscapes. It's refreshing to hear a band enjoy making such a ruckus, and making it sound so effortless. \\\"Tanzanite\\\" has a bit of a Ride sound, most notably in the harmonies lurking in the mix. \\\"Runaway\\\", the closing track, opens with a lone bass line bringing The Breeders to mind. The Deal sisters continue to haunt the track with the slightly off-kilter vocals and noisy guitar. There's even some surf rock in the tremolo guitar towards the end.\\n\\nBeaches She Beats is a wonderfully noisy album. Its unabashed love for noisy guitars, swirling atmosphere, and at times Krautrock tendencies makes it an album to be enjoyed with a beer, headphones, or cranked speakers. The beer is a must.\",\n \"Product: TRACKLISTING: 01.3AM SPIRITUAL 02.IDOL 03.GLOSSED 04.XXIII 05.FOOL PROOF 06.WHITE OATH 07.ONLY NATURAL 08.BEST FRIEND 09.CHEER UP 10.VARSITY\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Trading Garage Skronk for Pop Finesse\\n\\nReview: When you compare Smith Western's self-titled debut from 2009 with their brand new long player Soft Will the progression is pretty staggering. Going from a Nuggets-like lo fi overblown sound with songs such as \\\"Dreams\\\", \\\"Boys Are Fine\\\", and the Gary Glitter-meets-The Troggs \\\"Girl In Love\\\" to something like Soft Will's \\\"Idol\\\", a crisp, clean, 80s leaning pop track that hangs somewhere between NRBQ's \\\"Little Floater\\\" and dreamier moments of OMD, I can imagine some of those old school fans have to be a little put off. Me personally? I never jumped on the bandwagon back in 2009. I was too enthralled with Flaming Lips great freakout known as Embryonic to care about some kids from Chi-town recording on their dad's 4-track. But once Dye It Blonde came out in 2011 these brothers plus one got my attention. They cleaned up the fidelity and you could hear clearly that these guys love a good pop song and sweet melody. With Soft Will they have come full circle. Smith Westerns have said the hell with it and have made that completely ironic-free, heartfelt 80s-leaning pop record that they wanted to make way back in 2009 when they were still worrying about finals and graduating high school.\\n\\nIf you're honest with yourself, you knew this album was coming down the pike. Despite the tape hiss and overblown meters, that self-titled debut was brimming with pop hooks and harmony. You were just too enamored with the whole garage rock thing. They weren't that different from another up-and-comer in 2009, that Ty Segall guy. Where Segall remained in the grit and fuzz, Smith Westerns followed their inner Alan Parsons and decided to go all hi-fidelity. \\\"3am Spiritual\\\" is all melancholy strumming and minor key sad eyes before the keys come in and bring this song into some kind of alternate universe where the dBs were fronted by Chris Difford. It's all swishy guitars and big harmonies. This is an attention grabber of a track. \\\"Idol\\\" continues the no-nonsense pop charm and is one of the best pop songs I've heard in quite a long time. Here's pop music kids. Not your One Directions, or Taylor Swifts, or whatever is pumped out of a computer at 90,000 watts per channel. In that alternate universe where I don't lose my wallet at Cedar Point in 1992 \\\"Idol\\\" would be HUGE, and would be played ad nauseum on MTV 3. \\\"Glossed\\\" sounds like what George Harrison should've sounded like in 1983, with a nice little synth line floating just below the mix to give it a wistful quality. \\\"XXIII\\\" is indie rock piano balladry at its finest. Tears For Fears for the modern age. Procol Harum for the Willamsburg crowd. \\\"Only Natural\\\" is big and intimate all in one. Fans of Mikal Cronin's MCll will find much to love with this song. \\\"Varsity\\\" is all shimmering synths and head-in-the-clouds vocals. Yet another great song.\\n\\nSure, they're not gritty garage rock anymore. No more lo fi, meters-in-the-red fuzziness. But you know what? There's something quite refreshing about a band that says the heck with it and makes the record they want to make. Unabashed, earnest pop songs with all the emotional swelling that comes every time you watch the credits roll to a John Hughes film. This is a mixtape to first love, heartbreak, summer jams, saying \\\"hello\\\", and saying \\\"goodbye\\\".\\n\\nThese kids from Chi-town have my attention now. Roll credits.\",\n \"Product: 2013 FAT POSSUM RECORDS CD\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Sometimes change isn't a bad thing...\\n\\nReview: Yuck dropped one of the most surprising and enjoyable chunks of music nostalgia in 2011 with their debut album. There was plenty to sit back and get reminiscent about on that record. My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr, Lush, and even bits of Pavement's DNA were found all over that ratty, scrappy record. But the nice thing was that head Yuckster Daniel Blumberg wasn't satisfied with being just some early 90s alternative jukebox. No, he gave these old, classic noises a new life. With his youthful whine and scrappy guitar squall Blumberg and co-Yuck founder Max Bloom seemed to be on the way to being the next great band out of the UK. Then Daniel Blumberg decided to leave Yuck(cue Fat Possum Record executives long sigh.) So what's a promising, young, alternative rock band to do? Pick themselves up by their bootstraps and keep on keeping on. Max Bloom stepped into the lead singer spot and along with fellow bandmates Mariko Doi, Jonny Rogoff, and Ed Hayes got back to the studio and recorded the proper follow-up to that great self-titled debut. Glow & Behold is both triumphant and bittersweet. Triumphant in that the rest of Yuck proved they didn't need Blumberg to continue on with making great music, but bittersweet in that it's a reminder of what might have been had they been able to keep together.\\n\\n\\\"Sunrise In Maple Shade\\\" opens the record in instrumental mode. The doorway through to the house that 90s indie rock built. Close your eyes and you swear it's a Terror Twilight lost track. Soon enough \\\"Out Of Time\\\" rolls in and its melancholy chord changes and Real Estate vibe sucks you right in. Max Bloom lacks the whine that Blumberg made Yuck's trademark sound, but that's not a bad thing. Bloom's voice is more assured and can carry a melody further than Blumberg could. The band as a whole seem more confident and less ramshackle. Maybe it's having one album under their belt, or maybe it's that Yuck V.1 was a completely different band. Either way, this isn't a group attempting to rekindle that band's \\\"magic\\\". This is a band moving on. \\\"Lose My Breath\\\" is another great upbeat song that captures both the grit and glitter of some of those great alternative pop college radio staples. Something like a Jesus and Mary Chain and Hope Sandoval mash up. \\\"Rebirth\\\" is a haze of Kevin Shields-like guitar noise and a pop hook that will embed itself in your brain for days. I don't think Yuck V.1 would've gotten away with this sort of wide-eyed songwriting. \\\"Nothing New\\\" is acoustic strums and girl group minor key drama that would've sounded right at home on a Teenage Fanclub record. \\\"Glow And Behold\\\" closes the record on a Big Star-meets-Ride vibe, which then rides the album out on a single guitar loop.\\n\\nThe biggest change since Blumberg left is that the production is decidedly more \\\"hi-fi\\\", and the songwriting is much more open-hearted and earnest. There doesn't seem to be any need to hide those big, sappy pop hooks in guitar noise, feedback, and disenchantment. That debut was lightning in a bottle. It was an anomaly that rarely happens when bands wear their influences so proudly and openly, and at times this new album seems to lack a bit from not having that debut's scrappy charm. But Glow & Behold was never meant to be that debut all over again. It's essentially a new beginning, and Yuck is off to a good start.\",\n \"Product: Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing including bonus CD edition. 2014 debut album from the British Indie band. Featuring the anthemic, \\\"The Swan\\\" (an altered take from the EP version), \\\"Cut the Grass\\\" and \\\"Fall\\\", a track that was quickly declared a \\\"catchy-as-f*ck soaring-guitar anthem\\\" by Stereogum.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: UK Shoegazers Do It Right\\n\\nReview: Cheatahs singer and guitarist and general lead guy Nathan Hewitt wears his influences proudly on his sleeve. Listening to Cheatahs self-titled LP they echo in every nook and cranny. The fuzzy, tremolo-bent chords, the reverbed and echoing vocals, and the steady pulse of drums and bass moving in unison harken back to a time in the late 80s when bands like My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver, Chapterhouse, and Slowdive were making a name for themselves in the UK and abroad as the purveyors of this new kind of loud, abrasive, yet at times very melancholy music called shoegaze. I think Hewitt -originally from Edmonton, Canada but moved to London- had a few of those albums running through his head. Much like bands such as Yuck, Young Prisms, and even Speedy Ortiz, Cheatahs aren't making something new here, or even re-writing what was already done. What they are doing is writing some great songs in the key of Shields, Bell, and Mascis.\\n\\nOpening with a short instrumental interlude, the album explodes into Geographic, a noisy little number that sounds like Kevin Shields guesting on Doves Lost Souls. Imagine Catch The Sun sped up to 45rpms and Kevin Shields doing some of his chord bending magic, then youd have a good idea of what this song is about. Northern Exposure, to the best of my knowledge has nothing to do with the quirky 90s TV show, but it does bring to mind the blown out pop of Teenage Fanclub and the fuzzed-out glee of Bug-era Dinosaur Jr. Its a great song that also brings to mind Canadas reigning indie rock Godfathers Sloan as well. Mission Creep brings things down a notch, but in no way does it get sleepy. From the get go this is a guitar album, and Hewitt seems to enjoy playing his six-string. Many layers of stomp box-colored guitars paint the canvas here, which seems to extend clear back to the early 90s indie rock heyday. Hewitts vocals bring to mind Fountains of Waynes Chris Collingwood, had he fronted Straitjacket Fits. IV is a real gem. If I didn't know this was Cheatahs Id say Kevin Shields was back at it and making a new record. Full of wavering, fuzzy chords and hazy vocals, this track is a mixture of beautiful guitar sonic dizziness and great melancholy pop finesse in the vocals. A shoegaze slacker anthem.\\n\\nTheres nothing to skip over on this record. Hewitt and Cheatahs seem to have made an album with no filler. From indie fuzz pop(Get Tight) to an almost classic rock strut(The Swan) and of course shoegaze indifference(IV, Leave To Remain, Fall, Loon Calls), Cheatahs is a record to play loudly and frequently. Nathan Hewitt wears his influences proudly on his sleeve, and thats just fine with me.\",\n \"Product: Imagene Peise: Atlas Eets Christmas LP - vinyl album/LP (12\\\" size), released 2014 in Europe by Warner Bros. Records (9362-49339-3), Barcode: 093624933939 -- Record Store Day exclusive release, limited to 5000 copies, red vinyl -- Genre: Electronica\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: An Alternative To The Usual Christmas Standards\\n\\nReview: There are more Christmas albums floating around out there than you can shake a candy cane-colored stick at, so why be enthralled with yet one more? Well, Imagene Peise and her Atlas Eets Christmas definitely stands out among the sea of green and red and mistletoe-kissed rehashes. With its Middle-Eastern lean and slightly dusty-sounding ambiance you'd think you were sitting in a cafe in Baghdad back in 1971 and not your living room in 2014. It's a pleasant and slightly mysterious collection of Christmas song covers.\\n\\nWho is Imagene Peise? Well, according to the few nuggets of information I could find on the interweb she's an Iraqi jazz pianist, and the on the back sleeve of the album cover it says the album was recorded in the early 70s. She recorded the record with Ominog Bangh on the laughing/crying glider synthesizer and Shineyou Bhupal on drones/sitar/baritone tambura. This is the only recording of Peise that exists and she was rumored to have committed suicide in 1978. It's all very sad when you look at it. Well, it is until you realize this is all just a ruse by none other than The Flaming Lips. Yes, Imagene Peise(Imagine Peace, anyone?) is an alias for the incredibly talented Steven Drozd. It's a pretty clever put-on, actually. Drozd's amazing piano chops are all over this album. I can understand their reasoning for creating this character in order to put out a Christmas album. The Lips have flooded the musical landscape as of late, and I'm sure in order to add a little mystery to the recent Black Friday Record Store Day they decided to put out a Christmas album under the nom de plume of a tragic figure such as a doomed Iraqi jazz pianist.\\n\\nSo how is the album? It's damn good. In fact, it's the most refreshing collection of Christmas standards I've heard in a very long time. Imagine the Vince Guaraldi Trio recreating the Peanuts Christmas album deep in the heart of Baghdad, with possibly some hallucinogenics involved. There is an air of mystery to this album that lends itself quite well to the back story the Lips provided for this release. If it weren't for the artwork(which resembles most of the Lips artwork), the Coyne-esque vocals that show up on two of the album's songs, and the sticker that says \\\"Love Is The Answer- Merry Christmas From The Flaming Lips!\\\" on the album sleeve, you really could let yourself fall for this Imagene Peise. It's a truly beautiful and exotic collection of songs that feel both happy, inspiring, and sad as well. The idea of a young Iraqi musician playing Christmas standards in the heart of the Middle East and playing them so well and with such love almost creates this sense of togetherness that I feel we desperately need right about now.\\n\\nThe Flaming Lips have given us another musical gift, and one we can enjoy every holiday season from here on out.\",\n \"Product: A golden despondency is how Kevin Barnes translates the meaning behind Aureate Gloom, the title he gave of Montreals thirteenth full-length album. The oxymoron is one Barnes says best describes the overall state of his life and mental outlook while working on the record penning lyrics so personal they sound like entries ripped from a journal that should be permanently kept under lock and key. I was going through a very stormy period in my life and felt like I was just completely trashed, reveals Barnes. I might be guilty of sharing or exposing too much of my private life, but to me the best albums are those that help people connect with an artist on a deep, human level and that do so without too much artifice or evasiveness. Aureate Gloom was recorded directly to tape with musicians Kevin Barnes (guitar, vocals), Clayton Rychlik (drums), Bob Parins (bass), Bennett Lewis (guitar), and JoJo Glidewell (keys), plus the help of engineer Drew Vandenberg. The strength of the members musical rapport was instantly apparent. The group completed nearly a song a day and even wrote a brand new track on the spot, Apollyon Of Blue Room, whose title references a supposedly haunted bedroom in a hacienda on the studio grounds. With Aureate Gloom, of Montreal have created one of the most unflinching, confessional and starkly emotional albums in their career.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: 'Aureate Gloom' is anything but gloomy\\n\\nReview: Kevin Barnes has made a livelihood out of playing dress up on of Montreal albums; from a peaceof montreal and love paisley troubadour, to a pop-centric studio loner, to a manic depressant, anxiety-ridden groove maker, to a transvestite hooker. Barnes has taken character-driven songwriting to new heights. The thing is, I think each character Barnes has taken on have all been elements of himself. Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer seemed to be the most biographical hed gotten on any album up to that point, using that record as a jumping off point into two albums(Skeletal Lamping and False Priest) where he got lost in those records worlds. In 2013 with the release of Lousy With Sylvianbriar, Barnes opened the studio doors to friends and recorded as a real band, live in the studio directly to tape. The result was a buzzing, breathing record filled with late 60s nostalgia by way of the Stones and Bob Dylan. Now, with Aureate Gloom Kevin Barnes stuck with that living, breathing formula in the studio and traded in the late 60s nostalgia for mid-70s New York grime. The Stones and Dylan have been shelved for Televisions beatnik post-punk and Talking Heads jitters. of Montreal haven't sounded this vital and in-the-moment since 2007.\\n\\nBassem Sabry is all funk and disco skronk, and it puts us in Barnes headspace right away. It sounds like Talking Heads, had they gone full-on disco. The song shifts as Barnes sings Ill never follow, no kind of masters voice with a melancholy lean before the song refrain I believe in witches, I believe in you fades us out. Its a great opening track, and one that seems to encompass everything thats great about a Kevin Barnes song. Last Rites At The Jane Hotel is filled with all kinds of gnarly attitude and jagged regret. Empyrean Abattoir starts out like an IRS-era R.E.M., all tight high hat and driving bass before the song gets mildly frantic and psychedelic in the chorus. Aluminum Crown floats on a cloud of disenchantment as Barnes sings Ive been cursed by troubled dreams, Ive been hurt by troubled dreams, before the song kicks in jangly new wave mode half way through. Virgilian Lots is classic of Montreal, with genteel backing vocals and some classic Barnes vernacular.\\n\\nI think the most striking thing about Aureate Gloom is how good this band sounds. They sound like a cohesive, rock n roll machine willing to perform whatever pops into Kevin Barnes head and with great ease and vigor. Barnes did the studio loner thing for quite a few years, and with much success. Hell, I will throw fisiticuffs with anyone that says anything bad about Skeletal Lamping as I feel its a genius and masterful mess. But by 2011 I think the formula for of Montreal needed some tinkering. Adding living, breathing cohorts to the mix to help Barnes create his aural mazes and melody-painted panic attacks was just what this band needed. Estocadas, for my money, is the greatest example of that. Its rock swagger, psychedelic blues, and overall melancholy bridge epitomizes everything Barnes is capable of. He shows the verbiage hes known for is no match for heart-on-sleeve pain and pissed-on aspirations. Estocadas is baroque and gritty and damn near perfect.\\n\\nIf youve never been a fan of of Montreal, Im not sure the tide will turn with Aureate Gloom. Its very much an of Montreal record; which is to say its still fussy, labyrinthine, and sometimes a hard pill to choke down. Thing is, those exact things are what make of Montreal fans come back for more. Kevin Barnes creates musical tapestries that you can get lost in. He creates worlds that look familiar and strangely perverse at all once. You commit to an of Montreal album. Youre rewarded with raw art and pained emotion. Aureate Gloom is of Montreal at their grittiest and gnarliest yet.\",\n \"Product: ZOMBI - SHAPE SHIFT - CD\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Heavy Synth For The Apocalypse\\n\\nReview: Listening to the heavy synth band Zombi is like zoning out to the opening credits of some imaginary sci fi or horror film. As you listen to the synth strings well up andzombi-shapeshift overpower the mix, and the Neil Peart-like precision of the drums you can almost picture some imaginary scene of intense space flight. Or in other parts you can see an eerie, foreboding street light illuminating the way to some blood-soaked finale for a group of horny coeds.\\n\\nWhat I'm trying to say here is that Zombi's music is very specific. It pulls from a very particular emotional pool. Keyboardist/bassist Steve Moore and ace drummer Anthony Paterra were obviously very much influenced by 70's and 80's horror films and the soundtracks that scored them(they named the band after George A. Romero's 1978 classic Dawn of the Dead. 'Zombi' was the name given to it for it's Italian release.) Goblin, John Carpenter scores, as well as the baroque leanings of composers like Fabio Frizzi and Walter Rizzati echo in the progressive tendencies of Zombi's music. Since 2004 Zombi have put out five albums, their newest is the excellent Shape Shift. A double album filled with dark synth landscapes, progressive drumming, and an overall feel of an epic score to the best sci fi masterpiece you'll probably never see.\\n\\nIf heavy synth music isn't your thing, then you may want to turn around right now. In fact, I'm not even sure why you're still reading this. When you step into Zombi's musical world you should know what to expect. \\\"Pillars of the Dawn\\\" is the opening salvo that greets you at Club Zombi, and it's killer. Heavy groove permeates the track and Paterra lays down some killer rhythm leaving Steve Moore open to fill the nooks and crannies with an oscillating synthesizer pulse. If in the wrong hands, heavy synth can fall into the category of \\\"cheesy\\\" very quickly. That's never been a problem for Moore and Paterra as they also pull just as much from progressive rock as they do horror soundtracks. \\\"Total Breakthrough\\\" has the feel of Rush's \\\"Subdivisions\\\" mixed with a touch of The Fixx before the track takes off into the outer rims of the universe. \\\"Mission Creep\\\" keeps the drum 'n bass show going while an arpeggiated synth rolls along effortlessly. This would be playing in the arcade as some kid is beating the hi-score on some mysterious video game. As he wins he gets sucked into the machine and has to fight his way back through the game, this time for real. At least that's what I see.\\n\\nI think one of the biggest strong suits that Zombi possess is their ability to pull you out of the everyday and throw you in some other headspace. The cinematic qualities of their music is undeniable. The fact that Steve Moore has made a name for himself as a film composer helps that. His scores for The Guest and Cub are filled with these amazing moments of depth and mood creation. Those attributes bleed well over into what he does in Zombi. A song like \\\"Interstellar Package\\\" really puts you on some dark and desolate spacecraft in the middle of the cosmos. Paterra brings the mood up when needed and pulls back at just the right moment. It's a stunning 8-minute trip through the blackness of space. Shape Shift is filled with these moments from the very beginning, and closing track \\\"Siberia II\\\" ends this spaced-out trip with over 14 minutes of dark synth slow burn. It's a song that builds on itself slowly, never changing motifs or even tempo. It reminded me of the excellent \\\"1966 - Let The New Age Of Enlightenment Begin\\\" off of Sinoia Caves' Beyond The Black Rainbow S/T from last year. It's menacing and hypnotic, just how we like it.\\n\\nShape Shift is the most prolific album by Zombi yet. It's a mix of the epic and grand, as well as the harder edged progressive they've done in the past. This is also their most accessible album to date. If you've thought about delving into the world of Zombi, Shape Shift is a great place to start.\",\n \"Product: Sunn O))) have announced Kannon, a new studio album due December 4 through Southern Lord. It was produced by Randall Dunn, who also did 2006's Altar and 2009's Monoliths and Demolitions, and features contributions from Attila Csihar (Void), Oren Ambarchi, Rex Ritter, and Steve Moore. LP is housed in a deluxe Stoughton tip-on jacket.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: It's no Monoliths and Dimensions, but what is?\\n\\nReview: How do you find yourself listening to Sunn O)))? What makes you decide to buy tickets to see Sunn O)), donning cloaks and floating in a sea of fog machine emissions in some small theater as the ceiling tiles shake and plaster cracks and crumbles from the sheer hellish volume they create? In the past I've listened to Sunn O))) out of morbid curiosity. Their music always felt like the beginning of some doom metal song stretched out for 10 minutes, then nothing. Droning feedback, sub-level riffs quiver and quake under the weight of ample fuzz and d-tuned strings, and faint hissed whispers for vocals make their way out of the muck and mire of their songs. They seem adamant about what they do. There doesn't seem to be any hesitation in the delivery, so I think they're quite good at creating these dark passages of music. The lack of drums and any real discernible rhythm creates a wooziness whey you listen. Without drums pushing the song along the guitars create almost this sea of black we begin floating in. Stranded in this droning, doom-filled body of water our small vessel nearly capsizes as wave after wave of volume and squealing swells of noise crash on the bow. There is never a horizon with Sunn O))), just impenetrable blackness.\\n\\nKannon is the first true full-length record from Sunn O))) since 2009. It's not nearly the black hole of drone that Monoliths and Dimensions was, but very little is. What it is, however, is three songs that clock in at a little over 33 minutes and deliver on the promise of a new Sunn O))) record, which is sheer volume and dark atmosphere.\\n\\nI was listening to Kannon Saturday night at home while my wife and I sat in the living room reading. About two minutes into \\\"Kannon 2\\\", the second track on the album my wife looked at me with a squinting look on her face and went \\\"Ahhhhhh\\\", pointing at the speakers. I said \\\"What's wrong? Is it hurting your ears?\\\", in regards to the screaching feedback and sub-level drone emanating from my Pioneer tower speakers. \\\"Yeah. Just a little\\\", she said wincing.\\n\\nThat's really all you need to know about Kannon. It's not for everybody, but it might just be for you. If you're at all familiar with Sunn O))) then you know what to expect. I will say this, \\\"Kannon 3\\\" has almost an upbeat feel in the drone-y delivery of the hellish squalls and shrieks. It has more of a sea chantey vibe, had a pirate ship been sucked into a wormhole and shot out into an alternate universe in slow motion. But overall, it seems to be business as usual. Which, I think overall is a good thing. There's certain bands you don't want to change all that much. You want them to retain those things that made them special and unique, whether it be ear-shattering volume, breakneck speed, chanting, or sludge-y, soupy riffs played at the speed of blood-tinged molasses dripping down a white canvas. Oh, and cloaks. Don't forget the cloaks.\\n\\nSo how do you find yourself listening to Sunn O)))? Well if it's with your wife it better be with headphones.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":36,"string":"36"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":296,"string":"296"}}},{"rowIdx":297,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A3N2GP1TNKGD2C"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"2.0\" for a product with description \"The Revd Dr David Instone-Brewer is Senior Research Fellow and Technical Officer at Tyndale House, Cambridge. A Baptist minister, his hobby is computer programming. A rabbinic scholar, he is author of many academic and popular articles, and of 'Divorce and Remarriage in the Church: Biblical Solutions for Pastoral Realities', published by Paternoster.\". The summary of the review text is \"Not My Cup of Tea ...\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/The-Jesus-Scandals-Why-He-Shocked-His-Contemporaries-and-Still-Shocks-Today/dp/0857210238/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">The Jesus Scandals: Why He Shocked His Contemporaries (and Still Shocks Today)</a>by David Instone-Brewer is written in a lively, bold style with a strong scriptural basis. Biblical references are found through out each chapter.\n\nThis book delves into how Jesus' friends and enemies really thought about him and their reactions to his teachings. The author then takes the next step and shows us how Jesus' teaching are still shocking the world today.\n\nIt's separated into three sections: Scandals in Jesus' Life, Scandals Among Jesus' Friends and Scandals in Jesus' teachings. It can be read as a whole or broken down into stand alone chapters. I recommend reading it in chapters as I found the book to be a bit overwhelming when trying to read it as a whole.\n\nThe concepts and parallels shared in <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/The-Jesus-Scandals-Why-He-Shocked-His-Contemporaries-and-Still-Shocks-Today/dp/0857210238/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">The Jesus Scandals: Why He Shocked His Contemporaries (and Still Shocks Today)</a>are definitely thought provoking and interesting but overall. I didn't particularly enjoy reading this book.\n\nMany thanks to Kregel publications for the opportunity to review this book. My views and thoughts are an honest representation of my thoughts and feelings regarding this book."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/The-Jesus-Scandals-Why-He-Shocked-His-Contemporaries-and-Still-Shocks-Today/dp/0857210238/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">The Jesus Scandals: Why He Shocked His Contemporaries (and Still Shocks Today)</a>by David Instone-Brewer is written in a lively, bold style with a strong scriptural basis. Biblical references are found through out each chapter.\n\nThis book delves into how Jesus' friends and enemies really thought about him and their reactions to his teachings. The author then takes the next step and shows us how Jesus' teaching are still shocking the world today.\n\nIt's separated into three sections: Scandals in Jesus' Life, Scandals Among Jesus' Friends and Scandals in Jesus' teachings. It can be read as a whole or broken down into stand alone chapters. I recommend reading it in chapters as I found the book to be a bit overwhelming when trying to read it as a whole.\n\nThe concepts and parallels shared in <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/The-Jesus-Scandals-Why-He-Shocked-His-Contemporaries-and-Still-Shocks-Today/dp/0857210238/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">The Jesus Scandals: Why He Shocked His Contemporaries (and Still Shocks Today)</a>are definitely thought provoking and interesting but overall. I didn't particularly enjoy reading this book.\n\nMany thanks to Kregel publications for the opportunity to review this book. My views and thoughts are an honest representation of my thoughts and feelings regarding this book."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: Arnold Ytreeide is a fine storyteller who cares deeply about spiritual growth in families. Ytreeide is the founder of Storyteller Productions and lives with his wife and two children in Nampa, Idaho.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wonderful Family Advent Book!\n\nReview: Ishtar's Odyssey: A Family Story for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide is the fourth in his Advent book series but it can be read as a stand alone book or as part of the series.\n\nIt is a historical fiction book that is strongly based on Biblical truths, Bible verses and of course, the story of Christ's birth. Mr. Ytreeide has brought history to life through this book (and series) that the whole family will enjoy as an Advent devotional.\n\nThe story is divided into short chapters to be read aloud for each day of Advent. After each chapter there is a short summation by the author with end of chapter \"thinking points\" that can be used to discuss what was just read aloud. He also includes a Bible verse for each day as well.\n\nThere are suggestions throughout the book that can be used to help bring the story \"to life\" even more. There is a list of Persian food that Isthar ate during his journey next to a \"comparable meal for today\" as well. At the back of the book there is a list of dates for \"Advent through the years\" that I think is extremely helpful.\n\nAll in all, Ishtar's Odyssey is a wonderful story and devotional that parents, children and families can share together to experience and celebrate the wonder and joy of the Advent season!\n\nThank you to Kregel publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.","Product: Catherine is a former nurse, and has written for the Nursing Standard as well as Women Alive, Parentwise and (currently) Rejoice Always. She is author of God Knows Your Name.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Open, Honest and Inspirational!\n\nReview: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Under-the-Rainbow-A-Mother-s-Experiences-of-the-Promises-of-God/dp/0857214454/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Under the Rainbow: A Mother's Experiences of the Promises of God</a> by Catherine Campbell is one of the most beautiful books I have read this year! The story she shares is an amazing one and she does so with honesty and openess.\n\nMs. Campbell writes of her (and her family's) experiences of the joy and heartache of raising two daughters born with significant medical issues. She describes the beauty and challenges of their lives as well as the tremendous heartache and grief she felt when both her daughters passed away. Through all of the sadness, loss and storms, she found healing and understanding through her faith in God.\n\nOut of her deepest sorrow came an understanding of God's love for us and the promises He has given to us. With this, Ms. Campbell offers hope and an understanding of God's promises and love for those who feel hopeless.\n\n<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Under-the-Rainbow-A-Mother-s-Experiences-of-the-Promises-of-God/dp/0857214454/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Under the Rainbow: A Mother's Experiences of the Promises of God</a> by Catherine Campbell is truly inspirational and I highly recommend reading it!\n\nMany thanks to Kregel Publications for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.","Product: When not writing Jeanne Skartsiaris also works as a Sonographer. Prior to that she was a medical/legal photographer for a plaintiffs law firm. She attended creative writing courses at Southern Methodist University and is a member of Romance Writer's of America and the local chapter, Dallas Area Romance Authors. Also the author of Surviving Life. She lives in Dallas, Texas. Look for Jeanne - on Facebook at Jeanne Skartsiaris, Author, and Twitter, @jskartsiaris. Her web address is www.jeanneskartsiaris.com.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: An Exceptional and Engaging Book!\n\nReview: The beauty and mystique of Snow Globe's cover grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go so I decided to read it. I wasn't sure if this book was a good fit for me but I was taken by surprise and found I really enjoyed it!\n\nI found Snow Globe to be at times humorous, sad, loving, engaging and the thriller/suspense part had me on \"the edge of my seat\". All in all, a very good story! Snow Globe also reminded me that it's best \"not to judge a book by it's cover\" and that people are not always who and what they seem to be.\n\nIf you're into reading the author's notes as the end of the book, I highly recommend it. She has an interesting story of how she came up with the ideal of this book!\n\nThank you to CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform and Netgalley for the opportunity of receiving a free book in exchange for an honest review.","Product: Karen Williamson worked as a London primary school teacher and publisher's editor before launching a successful career as a full-time writer. With three children of her own, she specializes in Bible stories for young readers.Amanda Enright trained in London at Camberwell College of Art, the Royal College of Art and St Martin's College of Art, winning a prize for drawing and a Special Student Award at the Annecy film festival. Amanda is inspired by Matisse and Picasso, and by beautiful old and new children's books, vintage fabrics and toys.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Great Gift for Children!\n\nReview: My Little Life of Jesus is a wonderful introduction for young children to learn about God's word and His love for us. The book's hardcover will withstand being used and read time after time. It's illustrations are colorful, creative and definitely eye-catching. The story is written in a simple yet beautiful way that will delight the heart of children.\n\nMy Little Life of Jesus lends itself to reading for parents and children or a great book for an older child to start reading on their own. Frankly,the message contained in this book is truly for children of all ages!\n\nMany thanks to Kregel Publications for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest and personal review of this book."],"string":"[\n \"Product: Arnold Ytreeide is a fine storyteller who cares deeply about spiritual growth in families. Ytreeide is the founder of Storyteller Productions and lives with his wife and two children in Nampa, Idaho.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Wonderful Family Advent Book!\\n\\nReview: Ishtar's Odyssey: A Family Story for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide is the fourth in his Advent book series but it can be read as a stand alone book or as part of the series.\\n\\nIt is a historical fiction book that is strongly based on Biblical truths, Bible verses and of course, the story of Christ's birth. Mr. Ytreeide has brought history to life through this book (and series) that the whole family will enjoy as an Advent devotional.\\n\\nThe story is divided into short chapters to be read aloud for each day of Advent. After each chapter there is a short summation by the author with end of chapter \\\"thinking points\\\" that can be used to discuss what was just read aloud. He also includes a Bible verse for each day as well.\\n\\nThere are suggestions throughout the book that can be used to help bring the story \\\"to life\\\" even more. There is a list of Persian food that Isthar ate during his journey next to a \\\"comparable meal for today\\\" as well. At the back of the book there is a list of dates for \\\"Advent through the years\\\" that I think is extremely helpful.\\n\\nAll in all, Ishtar's Odyssey is a wonderful story and devotional that parents, children and families can share together to experience and celebrate the wonder and joy of the Advent season!\\n\\nThank you to Kregel publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.\",\n \"Product: Catherine is a former nurse, and has written for the Nursing Standard as well as Women Alive, Parentwise and (currently) Rejoice Always. She is author of God Knows Your Name.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Open, Honest and Inspirational!\\n\\nReview: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Under-the-Rainbow-A-Mother-s-Experiences-of-the-Promises-of-God/dp/0857214454/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Under the Rainbow: A Mother's Experiences of the Promises of God</a> by Catherine Campbell is one of the most beautiful books I have read this year! The story she shares is an amazing one and she does so with honesty and openess.\\n\\nMs. Campbell writes of her (and her family's) experiences of the joy and heartache of raising two daughters born with significant medical issues. She describes the beauty and challenges of their lives as well as the tremendous heartache and grief she felt when both her daughters passed away. Through all of the sadness, loss and storms, she found healing and understanding through her faith in God.\\n\\nOut of her deepest sorrow came an understanding of God's love for us and the promises He has given to us. With this, Ms. Campbell offers hope and an understanding of God's promises and love for those who feel hopeless.\\n\\n<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Under-the-Rainbow-A-Mother-s-Experiences-of-the-Promises-of-God/dp/0857214454/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Under the Rainbow: A Mother's Experiences of the Promises of God</a> by Catherine Campbell is truly inspirational and I highly recommend reading it!\\n\\nMany thanks to Kregel Publications for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.\",\n \"Product: When not writing Jeanne Skartsiaris also works as a Sonographer. Prior to that she was a medical/legal photographer for a plaintiffs law firm. She attended creative writing courses at Southern Methodist University and is a member of Romance Writer's of America and the local chapter, Dallas Area Romance Authors. Also the author of Surviving Life. She lives in Dallas, Texas. Look for Jeanne - on Facebook at Jeanne Skartsiaris, Author, and Twitter, @jskartsiaris. Her web address is www.jeanneskartsiaris.com.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: An Exceptional and Engaging Book!\\n\\nReview: The beauty and mystique of Snow Globe's cover grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go so I decided to read it. I wasn't sure if this book was a good fit for me but I was taken by surprise and found I really enjoyed it!\\n\\nI found Snow Globe to be at times humorous, sad, loving, engaging and the thriller/suspense part had me on \\\"the edge of my seat\\\". All in all, a very good story! Snow Globe also reminded me that it's best \\\"not to judge a book by it's cover\\\" and that people are not always who and what they seem to be.\\n\\nIf you're into reading the author's notes as the end of the book, I highly recommend it. She has an interesting story of how she came up with the ideal of this book!\\n\\nThank you to CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform and Netgalley for the opportunity of receiving a free book in exchange for an honest review.\",\n \"Product: Karen Williamson worked as a London primary school teacher and publisher's editor before launching a successful career as a full-time writer. With three children of her own, she specializes in Bible stories for young readers.Amanda Enright trained in London at Camberwell College of Art, the Royal College of Art and St Martin's College of Art, winning a prize for drawing and a Special Student Award at the Annecy film festival. Amanda is inspired by Matisse and Picasso, and by beautiful old and new children's books, vintage fabrics and toys.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Great Gift for Children!\\n\\nReview: My Little Life of Jesus is a wonderful introduction for young children to learn about God's word and His love for us. The book's hardcover will withstand being used and read time after time. It's illustrations are colorful, creative and definitely eye-catching. The story is written in a simple yet beautiful way that will delight the heart of children.\\n\\nMy Little Life of Jesus lends itself to reading for parents and children or a great book for an older child to start reading on their own. Frankly,the message contained in this book is truly for children of all ages!\\n\\nMany thanks to Kregel Publications for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest and personal review of this book.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":4,"string":"4"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":297,"string":"297"}}},{"rowIdx":298,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A24PMY25BH3X5T"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"5.0\" for a product with description \"Violet James, MSM is an entrepreneur, marketing and business manager, award-winning web designer, and artist. She has over 20 years experience in business consulting, marketing and management. She is the cofounder of NewDayCounseling.org, Christian-Kindle-Books.com and NewDayHealthyLiving.com. Violet has authored several best-selling books.\". The summary of the review text is \"An excellent resource with useful tools and websites to prepare you for business ownership\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"If you desire to start a business this is a great resource to begin where you will gain a perspective of the necessary things to consider. With an abundance of websites Violet James offers, this inexpensive e-book will avail you to make considerations before, during, and after your business gets underway. Some of the things you will find in this book includes the following:\n~~resources to help you find a profitable business idea\n~~How to obtain a business license and insurance\n~~sites to assist you in creating your business plan including mentoring, workshops, and counseling\n\nBecause the legalities in running a business is crucial, Violet James has aided the reader with handy sites to find information regarding\n*patent\n*trademark\n*service mark\n*copyright\nLearn of the various accounting software available that will make record keeping much more efficient.\n\nAlthough this is not a lengthly book it will definitely propel you in the right direction with many resources just a click away. I recommend this to all potential business owners and give it a 5 star rating."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"If you desire to start a business this is a great resource to begin where you will gain a perspective of the necessary things to consider. With an abundance of websites Violet James offers, this inexpensive e-book will avail you to make considerations before, during, and after your business gets underway. Some of the things you will find in this book includes the following:\n~~resources to help you find a profitable business idea\n~~How to obtain a business license and insurance\n~~sites to assist you in creating your business plan including mentoring, workshops, and counseling\n\nBecause the legalities in running a business is crucial, Violet James has aided the reader with handy sites to find information regarding\n*patent\n*trademark\n*service mark\n*copyright\nLearn of the various accounting software available that will make record keeping much more efficient.\n\nAlthough this is not a lengthly book it will definitely propel you in the right direction with many resources just a click away. I recommend this to all potential business owners and give it a 5 star rating."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: A book of hope that leads readers beyond the frustration and guilt of trying to please others to the charming, liberating grace of God. For the growing number of people who feel that life should be more than grim-faced religion, this book offers a glorious alternative--the truth that sets us free. Swindoll is the bestselling author of Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Freedom from legalistic bondage\n\nReview: During our lifetime we may experience those around us that live in bondage and lack the understanding of God's grace. Typically they lack spontaneity, creativity, and kill joy with their words, pen, attitude, and/ or behavior. I may in fact be speaking of you and if so know there is help on the way with Charles Swindoll's book The Grace Awakening. If you live in shame, fear, and intimidation know it is not God's best and that there is hope. Grace, as Swindoll points out, is meant to be received and lived out to the fullest. If a grown adult with perhaps years of bondage, it may be hard for you to imagine living life to the fullest with open arms. Grace will enable you to allow others room to make their own decisions, while you become more tolerant, forgiving, and cultivate habits of entwined laughter. \"For there to be true maturity, people must be given room to grow, which includes room to fail, to think on their own, to disagree, to make mistakes.\"\nPractical suggestions for guarding against extremes will be very helpful in living a life of healthy balance. Many denominations run a legalistic way of doing things that compels people, out of fear, to perform works in order to try and win the favor of God.\nOn the flip side however, Swindoll is very aware and prepares the reader to realize, that grace is not an excuse for acts of disobedience and twisting Scripture to accommodate desires that go against Godly principles.\nWithin the sphere of grace is real talk- up close and personal- regarding insecurity, weakness, abrasiveness, compromise, and pride.\nWith the turning of each page you will discover revelation that Swindoll has gathered from years of ministry. His information will speak volumes to your life and, if applied, will free your soul allowing you the understanding of grace as it applies to biblical principles which we are to govern ourselves by.","Product: This is a handbook on the biblical principles of integrity and loyalty. It lays important foundations for congregational health and right spiritual attitudes. Topics include relationships, the meaning of life, how a blood covenant works, financial accountability, and more!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Training manual to develop leadership and character\n\nReview: This tremendous resource should be in every ministerial leaders hands for it teaches the model of biblical covenant relationships and how individuals should function among one another. This is not information as it relates to building ministries. Many desire that and have fallen short time and again. Rather, it is in building up the body of people with an understanding and demonstration of living out biblical covenant relationships. This handbook by Keith Intrater will mirror the heart of God.\n\nIntrater understands that God is not looking so much for a large organization as for a body of believers that can continue to grow with time and effort extended among one another. It is in trusting relationships where security is formed. Obedience to the Spirit becomes evident and fears that hinder spiritual growth are removed. As readers plunge in this book preferably together as a ministerial team they will learn how to ensure faithfulness and commitment to the very relationships that are precious in God sight. You will learn what to look for in a potential servant leader and then how to develop deeper relationships.\n\nBecause the building of relationships is never void of problems, love must pursue, restore, and deal directly with offenses. The author believes interpersonal reconciliation takes priority over personal rights. \"In almost any situation where we have been part of a division, if we would be willing to admit our wrong and assume responsibility for the blame, the division would likely soon be ended and mended.\" The markers of godly character are given as are characteristics of elders and pastors.\n\nIt is not just areas within a church body that are developed but family priorities and Godly role distinctions are mentioned to develop the entire personhood. In an era where commitments are often lacking and relationships seem to be more shallow, Keith Intrater brings us back to the source of God's mandate that love and bonding are precursors to advancement. Using the plumbline of God's word measure where your organization lies while implementing proven practices that invest in the lives of others.","Product: John Bunyan (1628-1688) was born in Elstow, England, and his life was spared twice in his early years, something he believed God had done for a special purpose. In November 1660, when Bunyan arrived to preach in the little town of Lower Samsell, he was informed that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. Unwilling to denounce his Christian faith and his calling to the ministry, he was imprisoned for twelve years. Among the many writings he published during his imprisonment are The Holy City, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, and the most famous, The Pilgrim's Progress. After his release, he continued to write and publish stirring works that have endured through time. Among these classics are The Holy War, Bunyan's Visions of Heaven and Hell (originally entitled My Sojourn to Heaven and Stopover in Hell), and Journey to Hell: The Life and Death of Mr. Badman.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Hope provided while enduring the dry seasons of life\n\nReview: Author and minister John Bevere does not just write about the wilderness experience but has experienced it firsthand and now wants to share with us how we can have victory in the wilderness. Because Christlike character and the pure motives of our heart are important to God, He allows wilderness times, known also as dry seasons, to invade our lives. Truly it is a test of our affections. It does not mean He disapproves of us but that He wants to purify us so that our affections are not on the things we do but on Him alone. It is a highway of holiness that cleanses or removes that which weakens or defiles. It is there that the separation will occur between individuals who will wait on Him from those who will build programs based on their own ability and not God's directives. This too happens within churches and it is the Lord's desire to purge Her so She shall be a place of refuge from the evil storms of the world.\nThink it not strange when you encounter various trials as Bevere states that every spiritual promotion must first come the preparation for that level. Learn how to stay strong in the midst of trials and draw the water of refreshing from the fountain of God.\nThis book was written in 1992 and is an excellent piece of encouragement to those in seemingly barren places. You will find yourself encouraged and renewed in your faith.","Product: Bryan Zimmerman is a life long entrepreneur who from his early childhood has constantly tested the boundaries of conformity. Always seeking a way to forge his own path and never accepting what is merely presented, he has achieved great success in multiple industries. With his blue collar background, the thing he prides himself most on is meeting and talking with people. \"I'm as laid back as they come\" he says, \"I still prefer a handshake and a conversation over sending emails\". Having run a construction company for almost 10 years, Bryan brought his brick and mortar business values to his internet businesses and achieved success very quickly. With his current company having processed over $70 Million dollars, Bryan is in high demand for consulting as well as speaking engagements. Refusing to conform to what society deems a successful person should look like, what he enjoys most is blending in and meeting new people.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Some tips for gaining favor and working more productively\n\nReview: Bryan Zimmerman, you will discover has looked stereotypical mind sets in the face and dared to be different. So different in fact that he has gone from waiter to a 70 million dollar online business breaking all the social etiquette expectancies. Today, financially set as an entrepreneur he in everyday casual conversation-like language will share the edge with you on things that have set him apart and helped him rise in nearly all his endeavors.\n\nThe art of getting to know others and doing for them may sound simple but the rationale is profound in terms of how this will benefit you for promotions and favor. As you learn to remove negativity from your thinking and practice visualizing your success while paying attention to the things others don't will give you as he states \"the edge\".\n\nThis is a disciplined approach that can be adopted for any endeavor and can lead you to getting more done per time frame than most. Whether discipline and focus is easier or harder for you there will still be some time management helps he offers that is essential for getting the bang for your buck per hour you work. At the end of the book Zimmerman gives a weekly sample for example of how you can use each minute to grow your online business. He is seasoned in knowing what works to generate online traffic with the creativity to turn ideas repetitively into customer sales. If you are a beginner and desire to make money online it will take you time to both learn, establish your brand, and generate a sizable e- mail list. This book is not a quick fix to making millions but he has done so out of the HABITS that he shares leading to success in ALL areas.\n\nMore than reading this book will be a willingness to raise your sleeves up and dig hard and deep, probably compromising sleep and social endeavors for a season. You will not learn how to be an expert in your online business but will need to take these steps and begin to apply them which will gain you further knowledge down the road. No get rich quick scheme but shave off areas that have hindered your past and boldly forge ahead with these tips.","Product: J C Ryle (1816-1900) was the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, England. Thoroughly Evangelical in his doctrine and uncompromising principles, Ryle was a prolific writers, vigorous preacher and faithful pastor.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A must read for church leadership and seriously committed Christians\n\nReview: I can't think of a more timely book in the day we are living in then this one entitled Holiness by J.C. Ryle. Before I proceed, it's imperative that this book is not for every Christian. Rather, it is for those willing in deed rather than mere knowledge, to take up their cross daily and get on board with what holiness represents in actuality. J.C. Ryle will have you discover that holiness is much more then mental assent but a determination to press into the things of God while detesting the same things that grieve our heavenly father.\n\nThis comprehensive volume encompasses 20 papers written to provide a plumbline with which Christians can discover who they really are at the core. Discover, for example, that there are sins of omission and commission. \"I am persuaded that the more light we have the more we see our own sinfulness; the nearer we get to heaven the more we are clothed with humility\". Learn the distinctions between justification and sanctification.\n\nThe Christian life, you will discover, is one whereby we must pro actively fight the flesh, worldly influences, and schemes of the devil. This detailed read is best absorbed in small segments with much meditation. In an easy to understand presentation parallels will be drawn from Scripture and life events that will help cement the concept of what a \"true \"follower of Christ should exemplify.\n\nI recommend this for individual and small group studies and dare say it is a must read for church leadership. Author J.C.Ryle(1816-1900) was the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool. During his life he was a writer, Pastor and Evangelical preacher. There are several other works by him well worth exploring.","Product: Benjamin L. Reynolds is an accomplished author and ordained minister. Well educated with a B.A. in Law and Society, a Masters of Christian Studies, and a Certificate Diploma in Client Server programming, Mr. Reynolds is well equipped to help others through his faith, his writing, and his ministry. Prior to his serving as a Senior Pastor, Mr. Reynolds was a computer programmer, but he has always had a passion for Christian literature and helping others. He wrote his first novel, When the Trumpet Sounds: Examining the Resurrection of the Church, after having a near death experience due to complications with Ulcerative Colitis. After this unique and heartfelt experience, Mr. Reynolds felt a deep desire to research and deepen his understanding and knowledge of Bible Prophecy, the afterlife, prayer, fasting, miracles, healing, angels, and demons. Mr. Reynolds has authored 10 books and is passionate about writing in the Christian fiction and non-fiction categories. His non-fiction books include Ask and it Shall be Given: 3 Steps to Guaranteed Results in Prayer, The Ten Greatest Prayers of the Bible, The Ten Greatest Miracles of the Bible, 40 Days of Faith, Living in the New Millennium and Beyond, and Ready for the Rapture, His fiction books include Seven Years Until Eternity: The Rise of the Antichrist, Sons of God Daughters of Men, The Penny, and A Change in Time. In addition to his writing, Mr. Reynolds also serves as a senior pastor, as foreign missions secretary for the Metropolitan Apostolic Fellowship organization, and regularly ministers to churches in the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. When he isnt writing or preaching, Mr. Reynolds loves spending time with his friends and family. He credits them with his faith and his positive outlook and is eternally grateful that they helped him to recuperate from 4 major surgeries and continue to help him overcome health challenges.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Enhance your answer to prayer\n\nReview: We as Christians know the importance and necessity of prayer but sometimes find it difficult to discipline ourselves or understand the principles behind prayer that lead to breakthroughs. Author Benjamin Reynolds, who is also an ordained minister and Foreign Missions Secretary, has carefully compiled this book in order to help you enhance your prayer life while guiding you to things you should and should not do in regards to prayer. He has divided this book into 3 sections- asking, seeking, and knocking- in order to show us what our prayers should mainly consist of, discovering who God is and what He has purposed for our life, and understanding the obstacles that prevent us from receiving answers.\n\nIt is faith, he believes, that unlocks what we ask for as well as our obedience to fulfill our God-given purpose. The Holy Spirit, the Great Teacher, tells us what we need to do as we strive to build a consistent prayer life.\n\nYou will find this resource a genuine help as these principles will unlock the key to your prayers. At the end of this book is a 7 day devotional that has morning and evening sections with themes, lessons, and questions to help solidify the message. Along with this resource you will find other helpful books from this author to aid you in your Christian journey.","Product: A lifelong resident of Minnesota, S. L. (Sharon) Smith was born in St. Cloud and moved to the Twin Cities after graduating from St. Catherine University in St. Paul. For Blinded by the Sight, S. L. drew upon her education in psychology, a career with vast amounts of law enforcement interaction, and her thrill for the investigative hunt. A voracious reader since childhood and a lover of mysteries, she used her knowledge of Minnesota and human nature to create a gripping story. S. L. is a member of the National Writers Union and Sisters in Crime (an organization that supports mystery writers).\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Action packed suspense with great readability\n\nReview: Running Scared is an action packed drama centered around who was the culprit in the nearly deadly kill of Nicholas Rice. What Rice feared most, yet shared little, would come upon him in the form of a stalker no one would have believed the identity of. Author S.L.(Sharon) Smith has used her expertise in writing with her psychology background and flair for investigative crime suspense in what I would term as a well crafted masterpiece.\n\nThe investigative duos systematic well thought of questioning would only create more questions as to who drove the LeSabre and what was the motive. Smith will take you through family and neighbor questioning, high school student investigations, and the ultimate foot chase that would reveal more than would be anticipated.\n\nThe saying \"never judge a book by its cover\" surely applies to this thriller as does a deeper look into the heart and motives behind one's actions. What begins as a secretive affair would spiral into life changing reality for both the Rice and Norman families. So many questions to answer on every turn. The drama and suspense will keep you glued to your seat for hours. This crime thriller will not lose you from 1 character to the next but will flow with an excellent readability and no down time to catch your breath. Not only will your perspective change but so too will your empathy barometer.\n\nThis life scenario was complied by the extensive appreciative help Smith gained from law enforcement, chief investigators, fire marshals, and emergency medicine Physicians. It's up front drama, with plenty of twists and turns, is a page turning book I highly recommend.","Product: For thousands of years, the Jewish people have celebrated the Passover Seder, remembering how God redeemed them from a life of slavery in Egypt. In the New Testament, we find that God designed this Passover meal (and even many of the Jewish traditions that surround it) to point His people to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.\n\nJohn Pontier spent two and a half years living in Israel with his family, where they were privileged to participate in both Orthodox Jewish and Messianic Passover celebrations. They returned to the United States determined to remember God's provision as revealed in the Seder meal. Since then, John has led Seders for many different churches, including Household of Faith Community Church in Hillsboro, Oregon, where he serves as an elder.\n\nThis booklet will help you celebrate a Christ-centered Seder meal - a celebration of God's abundant grace and provision for His people.\n\nThis Christian version of the Passover Haggadah (\"the telling\" or Seder liturgy) includes:\n\n Traditional blessings in both English and Hebrew\n Relevant Scripture readings from Old and New Testaments\n Preparation notes, checklists, and recipes to help you plan a Seder dinner for your own family or church group\n\nScripture quotations are from the NKJV translation.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A great resource to solidify Biblical truths\n\nReview: In reading this book I am reminded that the Lord today continues to have a special place in His heart for the Jewish people. His will for all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, is that we not forget the great truths in the Word and in the happenings that occurred in the past from aspects of the exodus story. It is a Passover Seder that author John Pointier has fell in love with while spending 2 1/2 years in Israel, and now celebrates it with family and many different church groups.\n\nThis is an excellent resource to educate you on what each element represents while helping you gain a deeper love for the price that was paid on your behalf and the goodness and mercy of God extended. You will be walked through the step by step process that the Lord celebrated in the upper room the night He was betrayed. Each of the 4 cups of wine within the meal will represent sanctification, plagues, redemption, and praise.\n\nI do not want to give away each detail except to say that this is an excellent resource to continually refer to as I know many will want to incorporate this meal on a regular yearly basis. To aid in the completion of the ceremony, at the end of the book there is a checklist with recipes to help one prepare the evening Seder. Too is a description of what each table should comprise of as a set-up especially if many are to partake of this.\n\nAs many actively participate in this meal and pass this along to new generations the Exodus story will capture heart-felt anointed revelation unsurpassed. I give this book a 5 star rating and highly recommend it for every family and church library.","Product: Adam is a preacher, teacher, and bestselling author of nearly forty books on the Christian faith. Through his travels he's seen the need for a new awakening and a new revival: A revival of the heart. Come join Adam on this journey of redemption and experience God like never before!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Key prayers for critical areas in the lives of Christians\n\nReview: Author Adam Houge also wears the hats of preacher and teacher and in these roles has compiled another one of his fine books. Along with 7 key prayers are the themes that encompass God's love, abiding and being led by the Spirit, walking in love, seeking truth, and our words. Because there are seven it makes an excellent daily devotional and because these are paramount to the Christian's success, this should be read until the themes become such a part of our lives.\n\nIn the first prayer author Houge will share why this is by far so vital to us as Christians. When we understand the love of God in a Rhema way it propels us to want to be and do all we can for Christ. Minister Houge believes we need to be spiritually minded daily in thought and action. The examples brought forth will help propel you to want to do right while you learn and seek His voice for guidance.\n\nBecause the Word of God is the plumb line of all truth you will be exhorted to pray before seeking out the Scriptures with an unbiased mind, and for the Holy Spirit, the Great Teacher to speak into your heart. Being an example for Christ, Hogue exhorts, means walking in love and being mindful of what comes out of our mouths. These scriptures, teachings, and prayers will fortify your relationship with the Lord. I recommend this e-book as the contents serve as a cornerstone to Christianity.","Product: Adam is a preacher, teacher and Christian author. He is a devoted husband and father of 3 boys. Through His travels he’s seen the need for a new awakening and a new revival: A revival of the heart. Come join Adam on this journey of redemption and experience God like never before!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Strategies for effective Bible memorization\n\nReview: Minister and Author Adam Houge, throughout his many years as a Christian and guiding others in Spiritual matters, has found it critical for himself and Believers to gain strategies on Bible memorization. He believes it should be done while under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The 5 simple steps he outlines for us has been field tested by him personally and this has allowed him to memorize entire books of the Bible word for word.\n\nHis passion for writing this book stems out of a belief that we will not always have our Bibles with us when encountering others and the Word needs to be etched upon our hearts. It reminded me of 2 Tim. 4:2 : \"Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season.\". Securing a proper location with limited distractions is essential. He will teach you how to prepare the secret place and strategies you can use to prepare yourself to memorize. Learn how the Peg Technique and Image Streaming can benefit your ability to recall.\n\nAs a man of God fully yielded to Christ, his desire is that, after prayer and worship, that you discern how God is speaking to you. When the emotional connection is made it can be easier to recall what He placed on your heart. While learning strategy techniques you will also learn to sensitize yourself more fully to the Lord.\n\nAdam Houge has other resources that will also benefit your Christian walk. He has a heart to see the body of Christ mature and walk in authentic truth.","Product: 6th Ed. (2000)\nSigned by author\nPages clean and unmarked\nCover, very nice\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A Guide to understanding miracles and increasing your faith.\n\nReview: World wide evangelist of close to 60 years, Morris Cerullo knows the reality of miracles operating in the lives of others today. He exhorts us in this work to partner with the Holy Spirit in stretching your faith and trust to believe God for the impossible. Whether you are facing tough odds or need a fusion to better understand God's power, this resource will empower you to advance and step into your God-given rights as His child. From a tender age of eight, when he was ready to jump to his death from an orphanage window, God would lead him from miracle to miracle. At age 15, following a glimpse of hell God took him through, he would answer the call to service. Today he reflects: \"I have watched God as He has restored sight to the blind, opened deaf ears, healed the lame, and performed miracle after miracle in response to the cries of people around the world. \"\n\nCerullo offers five steps to miracles that will help you enter into a new realm of living. Using many biblical and personal miracles he proves God worked and continues to work today. \"In God's total plan and purpose for you, he planned that miracles be part of your life. He want you to live in a rhythm of miracles where miracles our normal part of your life. \"Throughout the steps the reader will learn the following as catalysts for miracles:\n Surrendering your will to His\n Keeping your eyes on the \"bigness \"of God and His ability\n Drawing nearer to Him.\n Saturating oneself in the word of God\n Acting on God's word\n Ridding yourself of self-sufficiency\n\nThe final chapters comprise five of the many miracles got performed in his life. They build faith. Infuse trust. Ultimately it changes one's paradigm into believing in the impossible. At the end of the book is an invitation to except Christ. I recommend this work to those that need greater belief and understanding and the realm of miracles. The reader will discover how trust and obedience are often needed on our part beforehand. It is an easy to understand book filled with scriptures to enhance your face.\n\nDr. Cerullo is recognized worldwide is one of the leading prophets of the 21st century. He flows in the realm of signs, wonders, and miracles both nationally and internationally.","Product: Ron Larson pastors The River in Kansas City, Missouri. He has planted churches, taught in seminary and Bible schools, and trained leaders worldwide during his 28 years of ministry. He holds Master's of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Kathy, have three sons: Steve, Matt, and Dan.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Proven methods to experience Christ in His fullness\n\nReview: This is a book that requires action and a mindset to appropriate the resources already in our midst faith and full focus on Christ. This mindset refuses to wait for another \"tomorrow \" when actions of today position us for power and revelation. In a clear straightforward way,Ron Larson, who has planted churches, trained leaders worldwide, and currently serves as a pastor in Missouri, boldly challenges individuals and churches to step into a faith response to what we know is true, especially when we sense nothing happening. \"There is nothing more lifeless then perpetuating methods that fit a particular move of God that the Holy Spirit is no longer breathing life upon... The Spirit must hover and create something fresh so that the unfolding revelation of Jesus Christ can continue. \"\n\nBecause wrong expectations cause us to look in the wrong direction for God, Larson exhorts us to not allow affliction, tribulation and difficulty to miss the \"now\" of Christ. \"The revelation of Christ, release of power and sharing of His sufferings go together and serve to release the fullness of Christ on earth. Having our identity in anything but Christ can lead us, he says, to dwell on other's faults which will obscure the brilliance of Christ being seen. He will shatter the \"works \"mentality and help others enjoy relational intimacy with Christ. Learn how to create an environment where the fivefold ministry can operate and how a prophetic vision can keep the church from running wild.\n\nThere is much covered in this resource and other important areas include the following:\n strongholds that hold us back\n Why we need to adopt the new covenant mindset\n Seven Keys to restoring ministry leaders\n How the apostolic reveals Christ\n\nThis is a highly suggested resource for ministry leaders as it can take them to the next level. It's challenging and the methods are proven. Unlock stagnation and see Jesus in all His brilliance. This five star book will revolutionize your thinking and methodology.","Product: \"Why would a minister, a man devoted to bringing new life and purpose to the hopeless, consider ending his own life? Here is the frank, revealing story of evangelist James Robison and his life-long struggle to defeat the forces that sought to destroy him physically, mentally, and spiritually.\"\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A beautiful story of a miraculous man of God\n\nReview: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Thank-God-I-m-Free-The-James-Robison-Story/dp/0840776101/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Thank God, I'm Free: The James Robison Story</a>. Many are aware of the television program Life Today in which James Robison and his wife host daily. This book written back in 1988, will be a treasure to read and glimpse at how God worked miraculously in the life of James Robison. Born as a product of rape he lived an unsettled life as a child moving constantly amongst a poverty upbringing. The promise told to his mother before his birth of him bringing joy to the world would be the only thing that prohibited her from aborting him. The hand of God protected him from the womb and throughout his early and adolescent life. When he gave his heart to the Lord he did it wholeheartedly while accepting the call in his spirit to be an evangelist. You must read to see all the facets woven together that would make God choose him, at age 19, to preach revivals all over the country with millions getting saved. So many incredible details will fill your heart as you cheer on the underdog to victory. Indeed God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise so that no man can boast.\nThe time when he first met Betty will warm your heart and you will learn first hand accounts of their transparent confessions, vulnerabilities, and fears that will allow you to grow deeper in respect for them.\nJames Robison came to a common crossroad popular ministers face when he realized at age 27 that he became too busy and that Jesus didn't have first place in his life.\nPopularity can divide and criticism can escalate when the Lord gets a hold of you and radically changes your mindset; Mr. Robison's belief in the healing and delivering power of God caught positive and negative attention but gave him a voice to speak out the truth within his heart. A man of passion and love, hear too of his voice of reconciliation and love for ministers under fire\nand condemnation.\nLet this book serve as a trophy in your bookcase by realizing that often the greater the trials and pain one goes through in life, the greater the anointing will God pour out. A time of emptying yourself, even your identity, can be a time where God can build you up in His power to do mighty works. This book testifies that it is all by grace. James Robison, I am sure would tell you to think it not strange when you go through fiery trials. A committed, surrendered life to Him can exchange ashes for beauty. Get a glimpse of the beauty displayed within the heart of this most tender man as you read his life story.","Product: About the Author: Lao American writer, Linda Pharathikoune was born in Savannah, Ga to immigrant parents displaced after the Vietnam War. She struggled with her identity throughout her life and in 2013, she bought a one-way ticket to Indonesia, ditched her decade long career, and sold all of her belongings... all on an intuitive whim. With only a suitcase and carry-on bag in tow, she set out on an unplanned, live-by-the-seat-of-her-pants adventure to discover what she'd been missing all along: her-SELF. She has since returned to the states and lives in a small mountain town in Southern California where the welcome sign says, \"Welcome to Idyllwild! Home of adventure, music, art, and harmony!\" The town's mayor is a Golden Retriever named Mayor Max. She's crazy about this place. She is the CEO and Senior Writing Coach of The Writing Room, LLC. Come by and connect with her on Facebook.com/audaciousL.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Inspiring hope in the midst of heartaches\n\nReview: This courageous book is filled with the realities of heartbreak and family break ups yet it instills a vice of hope and courage to rise again. Author Linda Pharathikoune has carried the weight of her past which included:\n Abandonment by both parents at different times\n Tossed from family member to family member\n feeling unloved and unwanted\n Never able to say goodbye to her dad that passed away\n\nThis book is written in a conversation-like way with a page-turning plot that is hard to put down. As the author takes the reader from the various stages of her life up to present-day, the pain she shares will actually be the propellant that catapults her to truth. In an ongoing effort to discover \"self\"and find harmony in her family dynamics she will embark on a one-way trip to Bali Indonesia, perform standup comic routines, visit a spiritualist and, most importantly, shift her perspective from blaming other people to taking ownership and asking for forgiveness.\n\nA suicide attempt at age 13 and the death of her alcoholic dad and brother would spiral her life downward. Mother would pick her up from foster care and move her from Georgia to California. Burdened with her past, she describes her life as generating fear, self-doubt, and paralysis. This work however will inspire others to know that relationships can be restored as hers has with years of resentment she had toward her mother. Her journey, though unique, has the ingredients necessary in healing any strained relationship willingness and forgiveness. Linda Pharathikoune is a CEO and Senior Writing Coach of The Writing Room LLC. I recommend this book for its captivating plot and practical lessons learned and shared with others. For this reason, I give it a five star rating.","Product: Lagos has written poetry, stage plays, screenplays and short stories for over twenty years. In addition to Butterflies Wake, she has written the Beyond Earth Series as well as over a dozen short stories that have been published in the Giant Tales Anthologies. Lagos resides in Massachusetts with her husband and daughter.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: An underground female mafia that rights the \"wrong\" of those that have no voice\n\nReview: Justice should prevail, especially when the justice system is supposed to be advocates for those that need appropriate voice representation. Author Arlene Lagos has come aboard in her book Butterflies Wake to form a group that will represent those that the justice system has remained in apathy towards. Born will be this fictional work where the underground female mafia is created as a voice and action for abused woman and children.\n\nUsing her Developmental Psychology degree, Lagos will skillfully weave various character happenings and punishments into an engaging work. Come along the winding staircase and through the metal door and you'll enter the world where \"The Butterflies\" congregate to plan assignments and punishments for victims of:\n-spousal abuse\n-Child molestation\n-political crookedness\nThe Butterflies are a mix of women from vastly different backgrounds yet united in one cause to see to it that each of the \"wrong \"will be dealt with swiftly.\n\nThough working in unassuming ways, private to the public eye, things will change rather quickly when one of their members come up missing. It is the circulating questions that threaten their exposure. As you discover the fate of the missing person and the outcome of their organization it will keep you engaged from start to finish.","Product: Lagos, a native of Massachusetts has written poetry, stage plays, screenplays and short stories for over 20 years. She has written multiple genres' including the science-fiction fantasy, \"Beyond Earth Series\", The Women's Fiction novels, \"Butterflies Wake\" and \"Butterflies Rising\", as well as several short stories published in the \"Giant Tales\" Anthologies. This is Lagos' first children's middle-grade novel inspired by her daughter. Her goal in life is to create and to inspire the world around her. Lagos currently resides in Massachusetts with her family.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: A story depicting what a difference one person can make\n\nReview: Outside the circle is a wonderful story for middle grade students as it demonstrates how vital one person can make in the course of time. Lead character Emma shares her fears of recess because she finds herself sitting alone without any friends. With her best friend that moved to New York over the summer she declares \"everyone seems to have a friend to play with but me! \". As she heads to her typical tree with her book day by day she finds herself in the same predicament. An idea prompted by her teacher Mrs. Daniels along with the principal is a friendship circle in the playground in which students indicate they would be interested in playing with others.\n\nWhile other students would laugh at the circle and the popular kids push others in it for a laugh, others like Emma, find themselves afraid to go in the circle though they desire friendship. A suggestion by her grandmother will bring out boldness in Emma that you will discover will make the biggest difference in her class. As she stands in the circle not only will she acquire one friend but others will come along as well.\n\nThis is a sweet story that helps children overcome their fears and realize things could change for the better rather quickly. Emma's circle of friends will be vastly different from one another which also stimulates others to accept and embrace differences. This story also demonstrates what a difference one person can make. As students learn to never underestimate how one's contribution in anyway can be vital, they will also learn the power of choice in making decisions wisely.\n\nEmma's friendship with three others will enter them in a contest in order to win a playground set for their school. Sparked by a visit to the Senior Center, the girls will discover a practical need that can be demonstrated in the contest. As you discover the outcome of the contest, you will also discover the value of friendships, and how doing things afraid can often be beneficial in the long run.\n\nAlong with individual children reading this book alone, I also find it as a valuable resource for parents to read to their children this bedtime story or for teachers to read this aloud to the class. It has many sections throughout where pause could be taken and reflection and discussion take place. The author has done a great job in sustaining interest in the reader and having a plot with much practical application. For these reasons, I give it a five star rating."],"string":"[\n \"Product: A book of hope that leads readers beyond the frustration and guilt of trying to please others to the charming, liberating grace of God. For the growing number of people who feel that life should be more than grim-faced religion, this book offers a glorious alternative--the truth that sets us free. Swindoll is the bestselling author of Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Freedom from legalistic bondage\\n\\nReview: During our lifetime we may experience those around us that live in bondage and lack the understanding of God's grace. Typically they lack spontaneity, creativity, and kill joy with their words, pen, attitude, and/ or behavior. I may in fact be speaking of you and if so know there is help on the way with Charles Swindoll's book The Grace Awakening. If you live in shame, fear, and intimidation know it is not God's best and that there is hope. Grace, as Swindoll points out, is meant to be received and lived out to the fullest. If a grown adult with perhaps years of bondage, it may be hard for you to imagine living life to the fullest with open arms. Grace will enable you to allow others room to make their own decisions, while you become more tolerant, forgiving, and cultivate habits of entwined laughter. \\\"For there to be true maturity, people must be given room to grow, which includes room to fail, to think on their own, to disagree, to make mistakes.\\\"\\nPractical suggestions for guarding against extremes will be very helpful in living a life of healthy balance. Many denominations run a legalistic way of doing things that compels people, out of fear, to perform works in order to try and win the favor of God.\\nOn the flip side however, Swindoll is very aware and prepares the reader to realize, that grace is not an excuse for acts of disobedience and twisting Scripture to accommodate desires that go against Godly principles.\\nWithin the sphere of grace is real talk- up close and personal- regarding insecurity, weakness, abrasiveness, compromise, and pride.\\nWith the turning of each page you will discover revelation that Swindoll has gathered from years of ministry. His information will speak volumes to your life and, if applied, will free your soul allowing you the understanding of grace as it applies to biblical principles which we are to govern ourselves by.\",\n \"Product: This is a handbook on the biblical principles of integrity and loyalty. It lays important foundations for congregational health and right spiritual attitudes. Topics include relationships, the meaning of life, how a blood covenant works, financial accountability, and more!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Training manual to develop leadership and character\\n\\nReview: This tremendous resource should be in every ministerial leaders hands for it teaches the model of biblical covenant relationships and how individuals should function among one another. This is not information as it relates to building ministries. Many desire that and have fallen short time and again. Rather, it is in building up the body of people with an understanding and demonstration of living out biblical covenant relationships. This handbook by Keith Intrater will mirror the heart of God.\\n\\nIntrater understands that God is not looking so much for a large organization as for a body of believers that can continue to grow with time and effort extended among one another. It is in trusting relationships where security is formed. Obedience to the Spirit becomes evident and fears that hinder spiritual growth are removed. As readers plunge in this book preferably together as a ministerial team they will learn how to ensure faithfulness and commitment to the very relationships that are precious in God sight. You will learn what to look for in a potential servant leader and then how to develop deeper relationships.\\n\\nBecause the building of relationships is never void of problems, love must pursue, restore, and deal directly with offenses. The author believes interpersonal reconciliation takes priority over personal rights. \\\"In almost any situation where we have been part of a division, if we would be willing to admit our wrong and assume responsibility for the blame, the division would likely soon be ended and mended.\\\" The markers of godly character are given as are characteristics of elders and pastors.\\n\\nIt is not just areas within a church body that are developed but family priorities and Godly role distinctions are mentioned to develop the entire personhood. In an era where commitments are often lacking and relationships seem to be more shallow, Keith Intrater brings us back to the source of God's mandate that love and bonding are precursors to advancement. Using the plumbline of God's word measure where your organization lies while implementing proven practices that invest in the lives of others.\",\n \"Product: John Bunyan (1628-1688) was born in Elstow, England, and his life was spared twice in his early years, something he believed God had done for a special purpose. In November 1660, when Bunyan arrived to preach in the little town of Lower Samsell, he was informed that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. Unwilling to denounce his Christian faith and his calling to the ministry, he was imprisoned for twelve years. Among the many writings he published during his imprisonment are The Holy City, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, and the most famous, The Pilgrim's Progress. After his release, he continued to write and publish stirring works that have endured through time. Among these classics are The Holy War, Bunyan's Visions of Heaven and Hell (originally entitled My Sojourn to Heaven and Stopover in Hell), and Journey to Hell: The Life and Death of Mr. Badman.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Hope provided while enduring the dry seasons of life\\n\\nReview: Author and minister John Bevere does not just write about the wilderness experience but has experienced it firsthand and now wants to share with us how we can have victory in the wilderness. Because Christlike character and the pure motives of our heart are important to God, He allows wilderness times, known also as dry seasons, to invade our lives. Truly it is a test of our affections. It does not mean He disapproves of us but that He wants to purify us so that our affections are not on the things we do but on Him alone. It is a highway of holiness that cleanses or removes that which weakens or defiles. It is there that the separation will occur between individuals who will wait on Him from those who will build programs based on their own ability and not God's directives. This too happens within churches and it is the Lord's desire to purge Her so She shall be a place of refuge from the evil storms of the world.\\nThink it not strange when you encounter various trials as Bevere states that every spiritual promotion must first come the preparation for that level. Learn how to stay strong in the midst of trials and draw the water of refreshing from the fountain of God.\\nThis book was written in 1992 and is an excellent piece of encouragement to those in seemingly barren places. You will find yourself encouraged and renewed in your faith.\",\n \"Product: Bryan Zimmerman is a life long entrepreneur who from his early childhood has constantly tested the boundaries of conformity. Always seeking a way to forge his own path and never accepting what is merely presented, he has achieved great success in multiple industries. With his blue collar background, the thing he prides himself most on is meeting and talking with people. \\\"I'm as laid back as they come\\\" he says, \\\"I still prefer a handshake and a conversation over sending emails\\\". Having run a construction company for almost 10 years, Bryan brought his brick and mortar business values to his internet businesses and achieved success very quickly. With his current company having processed over $70 Million dollars, Bryan is in high demand for consulting as well as speaking engagements. Refusing to conform to what society deems a successful person should look like, what he enjoys most is blending in and meeting new people.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Some tips for gaining favor and working more productively\\n\\nReview: Bryan Zimmerman, you will discover has looked stereotypical mind sets in the face and dared to be different. So different in fact that he has gone from waiter to a 70 million dollar online business breaking all the social etiquette expectancies. Today, financially set as an entrepreneur he in everyday casual conversation-like language will share the edge with you on things that have set him apart and helped him rise in nearly all his endeavors.\\n\\nThe art of getting to know others and doing for them may sound simple but the rationale is profound in terms of how this will benefit you for promotions and favor. As you learn to remove negativity from your thinking and practice visualizing your success while paying attention to the things others don't will give you as he states \\\"the edge\\\".\\n\\nThis is a disciplined approach that can be adopted for any endeavor and can lead you to getting more done per time frame than most. Whether discipline and focus is easier or harder for you there will still be some time management helps he offers that is essential for getting the bang for your buck per hour you work. At the end of the book Zimmerman gives a weekly sample for example of how you can use each minute to grow your online business. He is seasoned in knowing what works to generate online traffic with the creativity to turn ideas repetitively into customer sales. If you are a beginner and desire to make money online it will take you time to both learn, establish your brand, and generate a sizable e- mail list. This book is not a quick fix to making millions but he has done so out of the HABITS that he shares leading to success in ALL areas.\\n\\nMore than reading this book will be a willingness to raise your sleeves up and dig hard and deep, probably compromising sleep and social endeavors for a season. You will not learn how to be an expert in your online business but will need to take these steps and begin to apply them which will gain you further knowledge down the road. No get rich quick scheme but shave off areas that have hindered your past and boldly forge ahead with these tips.\",\n \"Product: J C Ryle (1816-1900) was the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, England. Thoroughly Evangelical in his doctrine and uncompromising principles, Ryle was a prolific writers, vigorous preacher and faithful pastor.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A must read for church leadership and seriously committed Christians\\n\\nReview: I can't think of a more timely book in the day we are living in then this one entitled Holiness by J.C. Ryle. Before I proceed, it's imperative that this book is not for every Christian. Rather, it is for those willing in deed rather than mere knowledge, to take up their cross daily and get on board with what holiness represents in actuality. J.C. Ryle will have you discover that holiness is much more then mental assent but a determination to press into the things of God while detesting the same things that grieve our heavenly father.\\n\\nThis comprehensive volume encompasses 20 papers written to provide a plumbline with which Christians can discover who they really are at the core. Discover, for example, that there are sins of omission and commission. \\\"I am persuaded that the more light we have the more we see our own sinfulness; the nearer we get to heaven the more we are clothed with humility\\\". Learn the distinctions between justification and sanctification.\\n\\nThe Christian life, you will discover, is one whereby we must pro actively fight the flesh, worldly influences, and schemes of the devil. This detailed read is best absorbed in small segments with much meditation. In an easy to understand presentation parallels will be drawn from Scripture and life events that will help cement the concept of what a \\\"true \\\"follower of Christ should exemplify.\\n\\nI recommend this for individual and small group studies and dare say it is a must read for church leadership. Author J.C.Ryle(1816-1900) was the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool. During his life he was a writer, Pastor and Evangelical preacher. There are several other works by him well worth exploring.\",\n \"Product: Benjamin L. Reynolds is an accomplished author and ordained minister. Well educated with a B.A. in Law and Society, a Masters of Christian Studies, and a Certificate Diploma in Client Server programming, Mr. Reynolds is well equipped to help others through his faith, his writing, and his ministry. Prior to his serving as a Senior Pastor, Mr. Reynolds was a computer programmer, but he has always had a passion for Christian literature and helping others. He wrote his first novel, When the Trumpet Sounds: Examining the Resurrection of the Church, after having a near death experience due to complications with Ulcerative Colitis. After this unique and heartfelt experience, Mr. Reynolds felt a deep desire to research and deepen his understanding and knowledge of Bible Prophecy, the afterlife, prayer, fasting, miracles, healing, angels, and demons. Mr. Reynolds has authored 10 books and is passionate about writing in the Christian fiction and non-fiction categories. His non-fiction books include Ask and it Shall be Given: 3 Steps to Guaranteed Results in Prayer, The Ten Greatest Prayers of the Bible, The Ten Greatest Miracles of the Bible, 40 Days of Faith, Living in the New Millennium and Beyond, and Ready for the Rapture, His fiction books include Seven Years Until Eternity: The Rise of the Antichrist, Sons of God Daughters of Men, The Penny, and A Change in Time. In addition to his writing, Mr. Reynolds also serves as a senior pastor, as foreign missions secretary for the Metropolitan Apostolic Fellowship organization, and regularly ministers to churches in the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. When he isnt writing or preaching, Mr. Reynolds loves spending time with his friends and family. He credits them with his faith and his positive outlook and is eternally grateful that they helped him to recuperate from 4 major surgeries and continue to help him overcome health challenges.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Enhance your answer to prayer\\n\\nReview: We as Christians know the importance and necessity of prayer but sometimes find it difficult to discipline ourselves or understand the principles behind prayer that lead to breakthroughs. Author Benjamin Reynolds, who is also an ordained minister and Foreign Missions Secretary, has carefully compiled this book in order to help you enhance your prayer life while guiding you to things you should and should not do in regards to prayer. He has divided this book into 3 sections- asking, seeking, and knocking- in order to show us what our prayers should mainly consist of, discovering who God is and what He has purposed for our life, and understanding the obstacles that prevent us from receiving answers.\\n\\nIt is faith, he believes, that unlocks what we ask for as well as our obedience to fulfill our God-given purpose. The Holy Spirit, the Great Teacher, tells us what we need to do as we strive to build a consistent prayer life.\\n\\nYou will find this resource a genuine help as these principles will unlock the key to your prayers. At the end of this book is a 7 day devotional that has morning and evening sections with themes, lessons, and questions to help solidify the message. Along with this resource you will find other helpful books from this author to aid you in your Christian journey.\",\n \"Product: A lifelong resident of Minnesota, S. L. (Sharon) Smith was born in St. Cloud and moved to the Twin Cities after graduating from St. Catherine University in St. Paul. For Blinded by the Sight, S. L. drew upon her education in psychology, a career with vast amounts of law enforcement interaction, and her thrill for the investigative hunt. A voracious reader since childhood and a lover of mysteries, she used her knowledge of Minnesota and human nature to create a gripping story. S. L. is a member of the National Writers Union and Sisters in Crime (an organization that supports mystery writers).\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Action packed suspense with great readability\\n\\nReview: Running Scared is an action packed drama centered around who was the culprit in the nearly deadly kill of Nicholas Rice. What Rice feared most, yet shared little, would come upon him in the form of a stalker no one would have believed the identity of. Author S.L.(Sharon) Smith has used her expertise in writing with her psychology background and flair for investigative crime suspense in what I would term as a well crafted masterpiece.\\n\\nThe investigative duos systematic well thought of questioning would only create more questions as to who drove the LeSabre and what was the motive. Smith will take you through family and neighbor questioning, high school student investigations, and the ultimate foot chase that would reveal more than would be anticipated.\\n\\nThe saying \\\"never judge a book by its cover\\\" surely applies to this thriller as does a deeper look into the heart and motives behind one's actions. What begins as a secretive affair would spiral into life changing reality for both the Rice and Norman families. So many questions to answer on every turn. The drama and suspense will keep you glued to your seat for hours. This crime thriller will not lose you from 1 character to the next but will flow with an excellent readability and no down time to catch your breath. Not only will your perspective change but so too will your empathy barometer.\\n\\nThis life scenario was complied by the extensive appreciative help Smith gained from law enforcement, chief investigators, fire marshals, and emergency medicine Physicians. It's up front drama, with plenty of twists and turns, is a page turning book I highly recommend.\",\n \"Product: For thousands of years, the Jewish people have celebrated the Passover Seder, remembering how God redeemed them from a life of slavery in Egypt. In the New Testament, we find that God designed this Passover meal (and even many of the Jewish traditions that surround it) to point His people to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.\\n\\nJohn Pontier spent two and a half years living in Israel with his family, where they were privileged to participate in both Orthodox Jewish and Messianic Passover celebrations. They returned to the United States determined to remember God's provision as revealed in the Seder meal. Since then, John has led Seders for many different churches, including Household of Faith Community Church in Hillsboro, Oregon, where he serves as an elder.\\n\\nThis booklet will help you celebrate a Christ-centered Seder meal - a celebration of God's abundant grace and provision for His people.\\n\\nThis Christian version of the Passover Haggadah (\\\"the telling\\\" or Seder liturgy) includes:\\n\\n Traditional blessings in both English and Hebrew\\n Relevant Scripture readings from Old and New Testaments\\n Preparation notes, checklists, and recipes to help you plan a Seder dinner for your own family or church group\\n\\nScripture quotations are from the NKJV translation.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A great resource to solidify Biblical truths\\n\\nReview: In reading this book I am reminded that the Lord today continues to have a special place in His heart for the Jewish people. His will for all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, is that we not forget the great truths in the Word and in the happenings that occurred in the past from aspects of the exodus story. It is a Passover Seder that author John Pointier has fell in love with while spending 2 1/2 years in Israel, and now celebrates it with family and many different church groups.\\n\\nThis is an excellent resource to educate you on what each element represents while helping you gain a deeper love for the price that was paid on your behalf and the goodness and mercy of God extended. You will be walked through the step by step process that the Lord celebrated in the upper room the night He was betrayed. Each of the 4 cups of wine within the meal will represent sanctification, plagues, redemption, and praise.\\n\\nI do not want to give away each detail except to say that this is an excellent resource to continually refer to as I know many will want to incorporate this meal on a regular yearly basis. To aid in the completion of the ceremony, at the end of the book there is a checklist with recipes to help one prepare the evening Seder. Too is a description of what each table should comprise of as a set-up especially if many are to partake of this.\\n\\nAs many actively participate in this meal and pass this along to new generations the Exodus story will capture heart-felt anointed revelation unsurpassed. I give this book a 5 star rating and highly recommend it for every family and church library.\",\n \"Product: Adam is a preacher, teacher, and bestselling author of nearly forty books on the Christian faith. Through his travels he's seen the need for a new awakening and a new revival: A revival of the heart. Come join Adam on this journey of redemption and experience God like never before!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Key prayers for critical areas in the lives of Christians\\n\\nReview: Author Adam Houge also wears the hats of preacher and teacher and in these roles has compiled another one of his fine books. Along with 7 key prayers are the themes that encompass God's love, abiding and being led by the Spirit, walking in love, seeking truth, and our words. Because there are seven it makes an excellent daily devotional and because these are paramount to the Christian's success, this should be read until the themes become such a part of our lives.\\n\\nIn the first prayer author Houge will share why this is by far so vital to us as Christians. When we understand the love of God in a Rhema way it propels us to want to be and do all we can for Christ. Minister Houge believes we need to be spiritually minded daily in thought and action. The examples brought forth will help propel you to want to do right while you learn and seek His voice for guidance.\\n\\nBecause the Word of God is the plumb line of all truth you will be exhorted to pray before seeking out the Scriptures with an unbiased mind, and for the Holy Spirit, the Great Teacher to speak into your heart. Being an example for Christ, Hogue exhorts, means walking in love and being mindful of what comes out of our mouths. These scriptures, teachings, and prayers will fortify your relationship with the Lord. I recommend this e-book as the contents serve as a cornerstone to Christianity.\",\n \"Product: Adam is a preacher, teacher and Christian author. He is a devoted husband and father of 3 boys. Through His travels he’s seen the need for a new awakening and a new revival: A revival of the heart. Come join Adam on this journey of redemption and experience God like never before!\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Strategies for effective Bible memorization\\n\\nReview: Minister and Author Adam Houge, throughout his many years as a Christian and guiding others in Spiritual matters, has found it critical for himself and Believers to gain strategies on Bible memorization. He believes it should be done while under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The 5 simple steps he outlines for us has been field tested by him personally and this has allowed him to memorize entire books of the Bible word for word.\\n\\nHis passion for writing this book stems out of a belief that we will not always have our Bibles with us when encountering others and the Word needs to be etched upon our hearts. It reminded me of 2 Tim. 4:2 : \\\"Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season.\\\". Securing a proper location with limited distractions is essential. He will teach you how to prepare the secret place and strategies you can use to prepare yourself to memorize. Learn how the Peg Technique and Image Streaming can benefit your ability to recall.\\n\\nAs a man of God fully yielded to Christ, his desire is that, after prayer and worship, that you discern how God is speaking to you. When the emotional connection is made it can be easier to recall what He placed on your heart. While learning strategy techniques you will also learn to sensitize yourself more fully to the Lord.\\n\\nAdam Houge has other resources that will also benefit your Christian walk. He has a heart to see the body of Christ mature and walk in authentic truth.\",\n \"Product: 6th Ed. (2000)\\nSigned by author\\nPages clean and unmarked\\nCover, very nice\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A Guide to understanding miracles and increasing your faith.\\n\\nReview: World wide evangelist of close to 60 years, Morris Cerullo knows the reality of miracles operating in the lives of others today. He exhorts us in this work to partner with the Holy Spirit in stretching your faith and trust to believe God for the impossible. Whether you are facing tough odds or need a fusion to better understand God's power, this resource will empower you to advance and step into your God-given rights as His child. From a tender age of eight, when he was ready to jump to his death from an orphanage window, God would lead him from miracle to miracle. At age 15, following a glimpse of hell God took him through, he would answer the call to service. Today he reflects: \\\"I have watched God as He has restored sight to the blind, opened deaf ears, healed the lame, and performed miracle after miracle in response to the cries of people around the world. \\\"\\n\\nCerullo offers five steps to miracles that will help you enter into a new realm of living. Using many biblical and personal miracles he proves God worked and continues to work today. \\\"In God's total plan and purpose for you, he planned that miracles be part of your life. He want you to live in a rhythm of miracles where miracles our normal part of your life. \\\"Throughout the steps the reader will learn the following as catalysts for miracles:\\n Surrendering your will to His\\n Keeping your eyes on the \\\"bigness \\\"of God and His ability\\n Drawing nearer to Him.\\n Saturating oneself in the word of God\\n Acting on God's word\\n Ridding yourself of self-sufficiency\\n\\nThe final chapters comprise five of the many miracles got performed in his life. They build faith. Infuse trust. Ultimately it changes one's paradigm into believing in the impossible. At the end of the book is an invitation to except Christ. I recommend this work to those that need greater belief and understanding and the realm of miracles. The reader will discover how trust and obedience are often needed on our part beforehand. It is an easy to understand book filled with scriptures to enhance your face.\\n\\nDr. Cerullo is recognized worldwide is one of the leading prophets of the 21st century. He flows in the realm of signs, wonders, and miracles both nationally and internationally.\",\n \"Product: Ron Larson pastors The River in Kansas City, Missouri. He has planted churches, taught in seminary and Bible schools, and trained leaders worldwide during his 28 years of ministry. He holds Master's of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Kathy, have three sons: Steve, Matt, and Dan.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Proven methods to experience Christ in His fullness\\n\\nReview: This is a book that requires action and a mindset to appropriate the resources already in our midst faith and full focus on Christ. This mindset refuses to wait for another \\\"tomorrow \\\" when actions of today position us for power and revelation. In a clear straightforward way,Ron Larson, who has planted churches, trained leaders worldwide, and currently serves as a pastor in Missouri, boldly challenges individuals and churches to step into a faith response to what we know is true, especially when we sense nothing happening. \\\"There is nothing more lifeless then perpetuating methods that fit a particular move of God that the Holy Spirit is no longer breathing life upon... The Spirit must hover and create something fresh so that the unfolding revelation of Jesus Christ can continue. \\\"\\n\\nBecause wrong expectations cause us to look in the wrong direction for God, Larson exhorts us to not allow affliction, tribulation and difficulty to miss the \\\"now\\\" of Christ. \\\"The revelation of Christ, release of power and sharing of His sufferings go together and serve to release the fullness of Christ on earth. Having our identity in anything but Christ can lead us, he says, to dwell on other's faults which will obscure the brilliance of Christ being seen. He will shatter the \\\"works \\\"mentality and help others enjoy relational intimacy with Christ. Learn how to create an environment where the fivefold ministry can operate and how a prophetic vision can keep the church from running wild.\\n\\nThere is much covered in this resource and other important areas include the following:\\n strongholds that hold us back\\n Why we need to adopt the new covenant mindset\\n Seven Keys to restoring ministry leaders\\n How the apostolic reveals Christ\\n\\nThis is a highly suggested resource for ministry leaders as it can take them to the next level. It's challenging and the methods are proven. Unlock stagnation and see Jesus in all His brilliance. This five star book will revolutionize your thinking and methodology.\",\n \"Product: \\\"Why would a minister, a man devoted to bringing new life and purpose to the hopeless, consider ending his own life? Here is the frank, revealing story of evangelist James Robison and his life-long struggle to defeat the forces that sought to destroy him physically, mentally, and spiritually.\\\"\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A beautiful story of a miraculous man of God\\n\\nReview: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Thank-God-I-m-Free-The-James-Robison-Story/dp/0840776101/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Thank God, I'm Free: The James Robison Story</a>. Many are aware of the television program Life Today in which James Robison and his wife host daily. This book written back in 1988, will be a treasure to read and glimpse at how God worked miraculously in the life of James Robison. Born as a product of rape he lived an unsettled life as a child moving constantly amongst a poverty upbringing. The promise told to his mother before his birth of him bringing joy to the world would be the only thing that prohibited her from aborting him. The hand of God protected him from the womb and throughout his early and adolescent life. When he gave his heart to the Lord he did it wholeheartedly while accepting the call in his spirit to be an evangelist. You must read to see all the facets woven together that would make God choose him, at age 19, to preach revivals all over the country with millions getting saved. So many incredible details will fill your heart as you cheer on the underdog to victory. Indeed God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise so that no man can boast.\\nThe time when he first met Betty will warm your heart and you will learn first hand accounts of their transparent confessions, vulnerabilities, and fears that will allow you to grow deeper in respect for them.\\nJames Robison came to a common crossroad popular ministers face when he realized at age 27 that he became too busy and that Jesus didn't have first place in his life.\\nPopularity can divide and criticism can escalate when the Lord gets a hold of you and radically changes your mindset; Mr. Robison's belief in the healing and delivering power of God caught positive and negative attention but gave him a voice to speak out the truth within his heart. A man of passion and love, hear too of his voice of reconciliation and love for ministers under fire\\nand condemnation.\\nLet this book serve as a trophy in your bookcase by realizing that often the greater the trials and pain one goes through in life, the greater the anointing will God pour out. A time of emptying yourself, even your identity, can be a time where God can build you up in His power to do mighty works. This book testifies that it is all by grace. James Robison, I am sure would tell you to think it not strange when you go through fiery trials. A committed, surrendered life to Him can exchange ashes for beauty. Get a glimpse of the beauty displayed within the heart of this most tender man as you read his life story.\",\n \"Product: About the Author: Lao American writer, Linda Pharathikoune was born in Savannah, Ga to immigrant parents displaced after the Vietnam War. She struggled with her identity throughout her life and in 2013, she bought a one-way ticket to Indonesia, ditched her decade long career, and sold all of her belongings... all on an intuitive whim. With only a suitcase and carry-on bag in tow, she set out on an unplanned, live-by-the-seat-of-her-pants adventure to discover what she'd been missing all along: her-SELF. She has since returned to the states and lives in a small mountain town in Southern California where the welcome sign says, \\\"Welcome to Idyllwild! Home of adventure, music, art, and harmony!\\\" The town's mayor is a Golden Retriever named Mayor Max. She's crazy about this place. She is the CEO and Senior Writing Coach of The Writing Room, LLC. Come by and connect with her on Facebook.com/audaciousL.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Inspiring hope in the midst of heartaches\\n\\nReview: This courageous book is filled with the realities of heartbreak and family break ups yet it instills a vice of hope and courage to rise again. Author Linda Pharathikoune has carried the weight of her past which included:\\n Abandonment by both parents at different times\\n Tossed from family member to family member\\n feeling unloved and unwanted\\n Never able to say goodbye to her dad that passed away\\n\\nThis book is written in a conversation-like way with a page-turning plot that is hard to put down. As the author takes the reader from the various stages of her life up to present-day, the pain she shares will actually be the propellant that catapults her to truth. In an ongoing effort to discover \\\"self\\\"and find harmony in her family dynamics she will embark on a one-way trip to Bali Indonesia, perform standup comic routines, visit a spiritualist and, most importantly, shift her perspective from blaming other people to taking ownership and asking for forgiveness.\\n\\nA suicide attempt at age 13 and the death of her alcoholic dad and brother would spiral her life downward. Mother would pick her up from foster care and move her from Georgia to California. Burdened with her past, she describes her life as generating fear, self-doubt, and paralysis. This work however will inspire others to know that relationships can be restored as hers has with years of resentment she had toward her mother. Her journey, though unique, has the ingredients necessary in healing any strained relationship willingness and forgiveness. Linda Pharathikoune is a CEO and Senior Writing Coach of The Writing Room LLC. I recommend this book for its captivating plot and practical lessons learned and shared with others. For this reason, I give it a five star rating.\",\n \"Product: Lagos has written poetry, stage plays, screenplays and short stories for over twenty years. In addition to Butterflies Wake, she has written the Beyond Earth Series as well as over a dozen short stories that have been published in the Giant Tales Anthologies. Lagos resides in Massachusetts with her husband and daughter.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: An underground female mafia that rights the \\\"wrong\\\" of those that have no voice\\n\\nReview: Justice should prevail, especially when the justice system is supposed to be advocates for those that need appropriate voice representation. Author Arlene Lagos has come aboard in her book Butterflies Wake to form a group that will represent those that the justice system has remained in apathy towards. Born will be this fictional work where the underground female mafia is created as a voice and action for abused woman and children.\\n\\nUsing her Developmental Psychology degree, Lagos will skillfully weave various character happenings and punishments into an engaging work. Come along the winding staircase and through the metal door and you'll enter the world where \\\"The Butterflies\\\" congregate to plan assignments and punishments for victims of:\\n-spousal abuse\\n-Child molestation\\n-political crookedness\\nThe Butterflies are a mix of women from vastly different backgrounds yet united in one cause to see to it that each of the \\\"wrong \\\"will be dealt with swiftly.\\n\\nThough working in unassuming ways, private to the public eye, things will change rather quickly when one of their members come up missing. It is the circulating questions that threaten their exposure. As you discover the fate of the missing person and the outcome of their organization it will keep you engaged from start to finish.\",\n \"Product: Lagos, a native of Massachusetts has written poetry, stage plays, screenplays and short stories for over 20 years. She has written multiple genres' including the science-fiction fantasy, \\\"Beyond Earth Series\\\", The Women's Fiction novels, \\\"Butterflies Wake\\\" and \\\"Butterflies Rising\\\", as well as several short stories published in the \\\"Giant Tales\\\" Anthologies. This is Lagos' first children's middle-grade novel inspired by her daughter. Her goal in life is to create and to inspire the world around her. Lagos currently resides in Massachusetts with her family.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: A story depicting what a difference one person can make\\n\\nReview: Outside the circle is a wonderful story for middle grade students as it demonstrates how vital one person can make in the course of time. Lead character Emma shares her fears of recess because she finds herself sitting alone without any friends. With her best friend that moved to New York over the summer she declares \\\"everyone seems to have a friend to play with but me! \\\". As she heads to her typical tree with her book day by day she finds herself in the same predicament. An idea prompted by her teacher Mrs. Daniels along with the principal is a friendship circle in the playground in which students indicate they would be interested in playing with others.\\n\\nWhile other students would laugh at the circle and the popular kids push others in it for a laugh, others like Emma, find themselves afraid to go in the circle though they desire friendship. A suggestion by her grandmother will bring out boldness in Emma that you will discover will make the biggest difference in her class. As she stands in the circle not only will she acquire one friend but others will come along as well.\\n\\nThis is a sweet story that helps children overcome their fears and realize things could change for the better rather quickly. Emma's circle of friends will be vastly different from one another which also stimulates others to accept and embrace differences. This story also demonstrates what a difference one person can make. As students learn to never underestimate how one's contribution in anyway can be vital, they will also learn the power of choice in making decisions wisely.\\n\\nEmma's friendship with three others will enter them in a contest in order to win a playground set for their school. Sparked by a visit to the Senior Center, the girls will discover a practical need that can be demonstrated in the contest. As you discover the outcome of the contest, you will also discover the value of friendships, and how doing things afraid can often be beneficial in the long run.\\n\\nAlong with individual children reading this book alone, I also find it as a valuable resource for parents to read to their children this bedtime story or for teachers to read this aloud to the class. It has many sections throughout where pause could be taken and reflection and discussion take place. The author has done a great job in sustaining interest in the reader and having a plot with much practical application. For these reasons, I give it a five star rating.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":16,"string":"16"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":298,"string":"298"}}},{"rowIdx":299,"cells":{"question_id":{"kind":"string","value":"A963RX20PGRO8"},"question":{"kind":"string","value":"Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of \"3.0\" for a product with description \"BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.\". The summary of the review text is \"Call of the Wild - love conquers all\"."},"answer":{"kind":"string","value":"A classic children's book - or is it? Sheila Burnford (1918-84) has said she never wrote it to be a children's book, and indeed it's written in a very realistic manner - no talking animals here. The main theme is loyalty - pet loyalty to their masters, to one another, and human loyalty to animals. It's all very saccharin sweet. A more believable story would have shown the animals internal struggle between returning to the wild (going feral), versus the safety and comforts of remaining captive under human care (one of the great themes of literature). Alas, Burnford is not that kind of writer, and anyway Jack London did it best in <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/The-Call-of-the-Wild/dp/0451527038/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">The Call of the Wild</a>. Interestingly though, Burnford did adopt London's technique of describing the dogs actions and mannerisms as a third party observer, and not delve into the animals thoughts (such as in <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Black-Beauty/dp/0439228905/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Black Beauty</a>). The more I think about it, the more London's influence seems apparent, Burnford is sort of like London's better half (who was somewhat dark). For what it is, the story is appealing, love conquers all, it was Burnford's most famous work and spawned at least 2 well known movie adaptations."},"correct_answer":{"kind":"string","value":"A classic children's book - or is it? Sheila Burnford (1918-84) has said she never wrote it to be a children's book, and indeed it's written in a very realistic manner - no talking animals here. The main theme is loyalty - pet loyalty to their masters, to one another, and human loyalty to animals. It's all very saccharin sweet. A more believable story would have shown the animals internal struggle between returning to the wild (going feral), versus the safety and comforts of remaining captive under human care (one of the great themes of literature). Alas, Burnford is not that kind of writer, and anyway Jack London did it best in <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/The-Call-of-the-Wild/dp/0451527038/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">The Call of the Wild</a>. Interestingly though, Burnford did adopt London's technique of describing the dogs actions and mannerisms as a third party observer, and not delve into the animals thoughts (such as in <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Black-Beauty/dp/0439228905/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Black Beauty</a>). The more I think about it, the more London's influence seems apparent, Burnford is sort of like London's better half (who was somewhat dark). For what it is, the story is appealing, love conquers all, it was Burnford's most famous work and spawned at least 2 well known movie adaptations."},"documents":{"kind":"list like","value":["Product: 224pages. in8. Broch.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: A Year in Provence\n\nReview: Mayle's vision of Provence is mostly fantasy. It's true, the details of food and weather and habits are accurate, but it rings of 19th century English colonial patriarchy. The French \"peasants\" are portrayed like happy go lucky children living in a Romanticized garden of Eden uncorrupted by the real world of London and Paris. Mayle is the benevolent Patriarch in contrast to the towns cast of cartoonish personalities (it's no accident this book was adapted to a comedic TV series). If it was a novel at least there would be a plot, but instead it's a faux anthropological survey with Mayle studying the life and habits of local natives and imparting information for those back home who wish to follow his colonial ambitions (Mayle was in advertising). Its been said travel writing is stuck in the 19th century and this is a prime example of the genre with a modern voice. The book has been very popular - it really is very enjoyable at a certain level - but believing the fantasy and traveling there expecting a similar experience is being complicit in a form of modern day colonialism. Mayle apparently has since left Provence because the town changed - one can only imagine why.\n\nWith that said I enjoyed reading about Provence and plan to read Alphonse Daudet's `Lettres de mon moulin` or <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Letters-From-My-Windmill/dp/0140443347/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Letters From My Windmill</a> published in 1869 - it is beloved in France and offers perhaps an authentic French perspective on the region just before modernization.","Product: Controversial and compelling, \"In Cold Blood\" reconstructs the murder in 1959 of a Kansas farmer, his wife and both their children. Truman Capote's comprehensive study of the killings and subsequent investigation explores the circumstances surrounding this terrible crime and the effect it had on those involved. At the centre of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible yet entirely and frighteningly human. The book that made Capote's name, In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of journalistic skill and powerfully evocative narrative.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Anarachy in the heartland : an American story\n\nReview: An excellent piece of investigative journalism. Although called the first \"non-fiction novel\" I don't consider it a novel. To do so would suppose that journalism is objective, it is not, and anyway by most accounts Capote mostly got it right. It's gripping journalism, extremely well researched, and very American. The juxtaposition of Capote, a liberal New Yorker, among the conservative mid-westerners should not go unnoticed. It strikes a chord with the American paradoxical character of \"the new\" versus \"stability\"; change versus safety; the search for frontier versus authenticity; the fear of anarchy versus the fear of authority; liberal versus conservative. On the one side the ultimate in safety, security and authority is represented by the Clutter family - and on the opposite side the killers, younger and free, represent change, \"the new\" and anarchy. Capote instinctively tapped into this dialectic and became part of it himself as an upstart homosexual New Yorker in the middle of stable, secure and patriarchal Kansas. This sort of \"meta\" author mirroring the story is the real aesthetic and creative achievement that has kept it a classic while later \"new journalism\" works, characterized by their use of literary techniques applied to non-fiction, have rarely if ever exceeded Capote's initial genesis.","Product: Yale University Press 1976. History text; notees, bibliography, index, 280 pages.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Romanticism and the Middle Ages\n\nReview: <a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/The-Making-of-the-Middle-Ages/dp/0300002300/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">The Making of the Middle Ages</a> is a study of the period 972 to 1204. Before Southern wrote this book in 1952, the period has traditionally been called the High Middle Ages or the \"Renaissance of the 12th Century\". However Southern sees it as more than a Renaissance (usually thought of as a period of *re* discovery of classical texts and ideas), but also a period of *new* and original ideas and institutions. Southern says the period \"had been overtaken by a creative spirit, which was not derived from the past, but nourished by a medley of influences both past and present.\" What is the \"creative spirit\"? According to Southern, it is Romanticism, which can be defined as a heightened sense of self-consciousness in perceiving the physical and natural world, both in the secular and spiritual.\n\nIt was with the publication of \"Making\" that decades of subsequent research into the period has focused on Romanticism as the primary creative movement that helped propel European culture from a backwater throughout the early middle ages to a leading civilization by 1500. The Virgin Cult, courtly love, the Arthurian tradition, the origins of Gothic architecture, are just a few of the peculiar institutions and ideas that have been re-examined from a Romantic viewpoint. And it is for that reason \"Making\" is so often classified as one of the most important medieval history books of the 20th century. Further, it was groundbreaking stylistically because it legitimized speculative and imaginative cultural history, which has found many imitators, such as Peter Brown (<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/The-World-of-Late-Antiquity/dp/0393958035/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">The World of Late Antiquity</a>) and Robin Lane Fox (<a data-hook=\"product-link-linked\" class=\"a-link-normal\" href=\"/Pagans-and-Christians/dp/0141022957/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\">Pagans and Christians</a>). It's influence on generation or two of Medieval scholars can not be over-estimated and it still remains one of those classic books every medieval student is familiar with.\n\nAlthough \"Making\" is accessible and readable by anyone, the books intent as described above is subtle and nuanced, in particular outside of the \"state of the art\" of medievalism in 1952 which saw the 12th century as a Renaissance at best, or a \"dark age\" at worst. This was a revolutionary and groundbreaking book for its day and is as interesting today for historiographical reasons, some of the actual content has since been refuted. Literary speaking, it is well written and delightful. It does contain interesting anecdotes about the period, but this is not a survey text and those looking for a introduction to the Middle Ages may be disappointed if not bedazzled.","Product: Text: English, French\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Civility - a lost virtue\n\nReview: _George Washington's Rules of Civility_ was written by a young teenage Washington as part of a classroom assignment in 1745. He copied down, probably dictated by a teacher, the 110 \"Rules of Civility\". Rules range from the banal to the profound, from the peculiar to the universal. Some of the more entertaining examples include the age-old rule of double-dipping: \"If you dip your bread or meat into the gravy, do not do so immediately after biting a piece off..\" while other rules reveal some thankfully forgotten habits: \"Bones, peel, wine and the like should not be thrown under the table...\"\n\nThis volume is edited by John Phillips and includes a fascinating investigation of the rules origins, going back through many authors and variations, originating with a Florentine Italian Humanist in the early 16th century. This type of book is part of the genre known as the Courtesy Book which were popular in the Middle Ages and Renaissance as ways for \"new men\" to enter polite society. Today books like this would be called self-help, although it is unfortunate the basic rules of civility are not longer part of standard education. This is a great little volume full of timeless wisdom. That fact that George Washington wrote it down at age 14 makes it all the more fascinating to connect the past in a relevant way with the present that I think most people can easily connect with."],"string":"[\n \"Product: 224pages. in8. Broch.\\n\\nRating: 3.0\\n\\nSummary: A Year in Provence\\n\\nReview: Mayle's vision of Provence is mostly fantasy. It's true, the details of food and weather and habits are accurate, but it rings of 19th century English colonial patriarchy. The French \\\"peasants\\\" are portrayed like happy go lucky children living in a Romanticized garden of Eden uncorrupted by the real world of London and Paris. Mayle is the benevolent Patriarch in contrast to the towns cast of cartoonish personalities (it's no accident this book was adapted to a comedic TV series). If it was a novel at least there would be a plot, but instead it's a faux anthropological survey with Mayle studying the life and habits of local natives and imparting information for those back home who wish to follow his colonial ambitions (Mayle was in advertising). Its been said travel writing is stuck in the 19th century and this is a prime example of the genre with a modern voice. The book has been very popular - it really is very enjoyable at a certain level - but believing the fantasy and traveling there expecting a similar experience is being complicit in a form of modern day colonialism. Mayle apparently has since left Provence because the town changed - one can only imagine why.\\n\\nWith that said I enjoyed reading about Provence and plan to read Alphonse Daudet's `Lettres de mon moulin` or <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Letters-From-My-Windmill/dp/0140443347/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Letters From My Windmill</a> published in 1869 - it is beloved in France and offers perhaps an authentic French perspective on the region just before modernization.\",\n \"Product: Controversial and compelling, \\\"In Cold Blood\\\" reconstructs the murder in 1959 of a Kansas farmer, his wife and both their children. Truman Capote's comprehensive study of the killings and subsequent investigation explores the circumstances surrounding this terrible crime and the effect it had on those involved. At the centre of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible yet entirely and frighteningly human. The book that made Capote's name, In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of journalistic skill and powerfully evocative narrative.\\n\\nRating: 5.0\\n\\nSummary: Anarachy in the heartland : an American story\\n\\nReview: An excellent piece of investigative journalism. Although called the first \\\"non-fiction novel\\\" I don't consider it a novel. To do so would suppose that journalism is objective, it is not, and anyway by most accounts Capote mostly got it right. It's gripping journalism, extremely well researched, and very American. The juxtaposition of Capote, a liberal New Yorker, among the conservative mid-westerners should not go unnoticed. It strikes a chord with the American paradoxical character of \\\"the new\\\" versus \\\"stability\\\"; change versus safety; the search for frontier versus authenticity; the fear of anarchy versus the fear of authority; liberal versus conservative. On the one side the ultimate in safety, security and authority is represented by the Clutter family - and on the opposite side the killers, younger and free, represent change, \\\"the new\\\" and anarchy. Capote instinctively tapped into this dialectic and became part of it himself as an upstart homosexual New Yorker in the middle of stable, secure and patriarchal Kansas. This sort of \\\"meta\\\" author mirroring the story is the real aesthetic and creative achievement that has kept it a classic while later \\\"new journalism\\\" works, characterized by their use of literary techniques applied to non-fiction, have rarely if ever exceeded Capote's initial genesis.\",\n \"Product: Yale University Press 1976. History text; notees, bibliography, index, 280 pages.\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Romanticism and the Middle Ages\\n\\nReview: <a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/The-Making-of-the-Middle-Ages/dp/0300002300/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">The Making of the Middle Ages</a> is a study of the period 972 to 1204. Before Southern wrote this book in 1952, the period has traditionally been called the High Middle Ages or the \\\"Renaissance of the 12th Century\\\". However Southern sees it as more than a Renaissance (usually thought of as a period of *re* discovery of classical texts and ideas), but also a period of *new* and original ideas and institutions. Southern says the period \\\"had been overtaken by a creative spirit, which was not derived from the past, but nourished by a medley of influences both past and present.\\\" What is the \\\"creative spirit\\\"? According to Southern, it is Romanticism, which can be defined as a heightened sense of self-consciousness in perceiving the physical and natural world, both in the secular and spiritual.\\n\\nIt was with the publication of \\\"Making\\\" that decades of subsequent research into the period has focused on Romanticism as the primary creative movement that helped propel European culture from a backwater throughout the early middle ages to a leading civilization by 1500. The Virgin Cult, courtly love, the Arthurian tradition, the origins of Gothic architecture, are just a few of the peculiar institutions and ideas that have been re-examined from a Romantic viewpoint. And it is for that reason \\\"Making\\\" is so often classified as one of the most important medieval history books of the 20th century. Further, it was groundbreaking stylistically because it legitimized speculative and imaginative cultural history, which has found many imitators, such as Peter Brown (<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/The-World-of-Late-Antiquity/dp/0393958035/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">The World of Late Antiquity</a>) and Robin Lane Fox (<a data-hook=\\\"product-link-linked\\\" class=\\\"a-link-normal\\\" href=\\\"/Pagans-and-Christians/dp/0141022957/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8\\\">Pagans and Christians</a>). It's influence on generation or two of Medieval scholars can not be over-estimated and it still remains one of those classic books every medieval student is familiar with.\\n\\nAlthough \\\"Making\\\" is accessible and readable by anyone, the books intent as described above is subtle and nuanced, in particular outside of the \\\"state of the art\\\" of medievalism in 1952 which saw the 12th century as a Renaissance at best, or a \\\"dark age\\\" at worst. This was a revolutionary and groundbreaking book for its day and is as interesting today for historiographical reasons, some of the actual content has since been refuted. Literary speaking, it is well written and delightful. It does contain interesting anecdotes about the period, but this is not a survey text and those looking for a introduction to the Middle Ages may be disappointed if not bedazzled.\",\n \"Product: Text: English, French\\n\\nRating: 4.0\\n\\nSummary: Civility - a lost virtue\\n\\nReview: _George Washington's Rules of Civility_ was written by a young teenage Washington as part of a classroom assignment in 1745. He copied down, probably dictated by a teacher, the 110 \\\"Rules of Civility\\\". Rules range from the banal to the profound, from the peculiar to the universal. Some of the more entertaining examples include the age-old rule of double-dipping: \\\"If you dip your bread or meat into the gravy, do not do so immediately after biting a piece off..\\\" while other rules reveal some thankfully forgotten habits: \\\"Bones, peel, wine and the like should not be thrown under the table...\\\"\\n\\nThis volume is edited by John Phillips and includes a fascinating investigation of the rules origins, going back through many authors and variations, originating with a Florentine Italian Humanist in the early 16th century. This type of book is part of the genre known as the Courtesy Book which were popular in the Middle Ages and Renaissance as ways for \\\"new men\\\" to enter polite society. Today books like this would be called self-help, although it is unfortunate the basic rules of civility are not longer part of standard education. This is a great little volume full of timeless wisdom. That fact that George Washington wrote it down at age 14 makes it all the more fascinating to connect the past in a relevant way with the present that I think most people can easily connect with.\"\n]","isConversational":false},"profile_size":{"kind":"number","value":4,"string":"4"},"task":{"kind":"string","value":"longlamp_3"},"split_kind":{"kind":"string","value":"user_based"},"id":{"kind":"number","value":299,"string":"299"}}}],"truncated":false,"partial":false},"paginationData":{"pageIndex":2,"numItemsPerPage":100,"numTotalItems":14745,"offset":200,"length":100}},"jwt":"eyJhbGciOiJFZERTQSJ9.eyJyZWFkIjp0cnVlLCJwZXJtaXNzaW9ucyI6eyJyZXBvLmNvbnRlbnQucmVhZCI6dHJ1ZX0sImlhdCI6MTc3ODI5MjU2Mywic3ViIjoiL2RhdGFzZXRzL01lbW9yeUFzTW9kYWxpdHkvTG9uZ0xhTVAtMyIsImV4cCI6MTc3ODI5NjE2MywiaXNzIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9odWdnaW5nZmFjZS5jbyJ9.EvKV_v3MZBTE3vvWIIBbqXv6FstTC2tVNgYl0ML9o3bDDvS1Oy8z5DRkMsmB9pML8OsGzDG2TFp1Sh-Y-ykIBw","displayUrls":true,"splitSizeSummaries":[{"config":"default","split":"train","numRows":14745,"numBytesParquet":685612512},{"config":"default","split":"validation","numRows":1826,"numBytesParquet":81282560},{"config":"default","split":"test","numRows":1822,"numBytesParquet":90474619}]},"discussionsStats":{"closed":0,"open":1,"total":1},"fullWidth":true,"hasGatedAccess":true,"hasFullAccess":true,"isEmbedded":false,"savedQueries":{"community":[],"user":[]}}">
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A33IJGLTVS5MDS | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "1.0" for a product with description "The HP Wireless Elite v2 Desktop combines a modern, high-end keyboard with a standard size mouse that matches perfectly. You'll love the ultra-slim keyboard and comfortable, highly functional mouse.... | When plugged into a rear USB port of my desktop PC that sits under the desk, the wireless connection is spotty and both mouse and keyboard are very laggy. This is more noticeable with the mouse, but I can definitely observe that the keyboard has the same issue. The mouse is unusable in this configuration, because it sl... | When plugged into a rear USB port of my desktop PC that sits under the desk, the wireless connection is spotty and both mouse and keyboard are very laggy. This is more noticeable with the mouse, but I can definitely observe that the keyboard has the same issue. The mouse is unusable in this configuration, because it sl... | [
"Product: The Boraam Industries 40224 24-Inch Cathedral Swivel Stool in ES Cherry finish features. Solid hardwood construction. Black faux leather seat over high-density foam. Durable ball-bearing for full, 360 degree swivel. Flared legs and footrest provide comfort and stability. Attractive design, built with soli... | 36 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 200 |
A1T78S9EI9IN73 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Pilot G2 Gel Ink Refills fit the G2, G2 Limited, G2 Pro, G6, Dr. Drip LTD., Dr. Grip Gel, Precise Gel BeGreen, G-Knock BeGreen and Q7 and B2P Gel Ink pens. These ink refills contain smooth writing, ... | Why does anyone still use regular ballpoint pens? These are so much better. They're superior to any commonly available pen I've ever used and inexpensive to boot.
The 0.5mm is the best for general use (office, note taking, etc.). The 0.38 is great as well, if you like to write small and with precision (heck, you can w... | Why does anyone still use regular ballpoint pens? These are so much better. They're superior to any commonly available pen I've ever used and inexpensive to boot.
The 0.5mm is the best for general use (office, note taking, etc.). The 0.38 is great as well, if you like to write small and with precision (heck, you can w... | [
"Product: Includes 3 pieces 2\"x 8 1/2\" that's over 2 feet of GT5000! Enough for 2-4 handguns. Now you can customize the look and feel of your handgun or rifle to get that positive grip that you have been looking for. It is not a pre-cut template, put it exactly where you need it. It does not add significant thick... | 28 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 201 |
A2W0XCWOK3MW6F | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "FITS NOTEBOOKS UP TO 13.3 10 MM EVA FOAM PADDING PROTECTS FROM BUMPS and SCRATCHES WHILE STILL REMAINING SLIM FOR CONVENIENT BAG IN BAG STORAGE UNIQUE WRAP CONSTRUCTION PROVIDES EASY ENVELOPE-STYLE... | This is a basic laptop sleeve. It won't wow anyone for looks. It is matte black with a 1 by 3 inch Case Logic rubber or vinyl Logo. The zipper extends about 2 inches down the left and right side and along the top. There two tubes of soft protective material on the top, left, and right sides. The bottom is a seamless fo... | This is a basic laptop sleeve. It won't wow anyone for looks. It is matte black with a 1 by 3 inch Case Logic rubber or vinyl Logo. The zipper extends about 2 inches down the left and right side and along the top. There two tubes of soft protective material on the top, left, and right sides. The bottom is a seamless fo... | [
"Product: Need a heater to keep indoor areas warm? The NewAir AH-600 1500W low profile baseboard heater is a great choice! Capable of heating areas up to 250 square feet, this heater combines the unobtrusive design of a traditional baseboard heater with all the convenience of a portable space heater. Choose from 5 ... | 18 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 202 |
A3MLO4GAD2O9DL | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "A trio of bumbling, down-and-out buddies make a comically inept foray into the world of crime in this irresistibly off-beat tale of big-time dreams and small-time larceny starring William Forsythe (... | Although there's a tip of the hat in the end credits to Italian writer Italo Calvino, the entire first sequence of this great crime comedy was inspired by Mario Monicelli's 1958 film, Big Deal on Madonna Street (also the basis for another recent crime comedy, Welcome to Collinville, as well as the first part of Woody A... | Although there's a tip of the hat in the end credits to Italian writer Italo Calvino, the entire first sequence of this great crime comedy was inspired by Mario Monicelli's 1958 film, Big Deal on Madonna Street (also the basis for another recent crime comedy, Welcome to Collinville, as well as the first part of Woody A... | [
"Product: Back To School\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A great temporary cure for the blues\n\nReview: Rodney delivers the goods here. I mean, let's face it, he was the ONLY reason to watch Caddyshack. He is one doggone funny guy. The one liners here are great and there are plenty of 'em. Plus you get to see Rober... | 69 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 203 |
ARP3JDEBKU8P3 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "paperback, vg++". The summary of the review text is "Quick, predictable, a shadow of classic Feist.". | After several sub-par collaborations and video game novelizations, Raymond E. Feist returned to epic fantasy in 2003 with "Talon of the Silver Hawk," Book 1 of the Conclave of Shadows. The boy Talon saw his tribe slaughtered and was raised by the Conclave, founded at the close of Feist's previous Serpent War Saga. Af... | After several sub-par collaborations and video game novelizations, Raymond E. Feist returned to epic fantasy in 2003 with "Talon of the Silver Hawk," Book 1 of the Conclave of Shadows. The boy Talon saw his tribe slaughtered and was raised by the Conclave, founded at the close of Feist's previous Serpent War Saga. Af... | [
"Product: This is the long awaited fourth installment of George R R Martin's classic \"A Song of Ice and Fire\", continuing the most ambitious and imaginative epic fantasy since \"The Lord of the Rings\". \"A Feast for Crows\" brings to life dark magic, intrigue, and terrible bloodshed as the war-torn landscape of ... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 204 |
AFU2OC83XKJMW | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "Vacuum Insulated Flip Top Food Jar - Black/Stainless - 10 oz.Features:Thermos vacuum insulation technology for maximum temperature retention, hot or coldDurable stainless steel interior and exterior... | I like soup. I make soup and related family members i.e., stews, chills, ragouts. Soup is good for lunch in the winter. Therefore, I thought this stylish 1 1/2 cup stainless steel thermos from, yes, Thermos would be a home run. Sorry, this one is definitely not hitting it out of the park. Or even past home plate. I can... | I like soup. I make soup and related family members i.e., stews, chills, ragouts. Soup is good for lunch in the winter. Therefore, I thought this stylish 1 1/2 cup stainless steel thermos from, yes, Thermos would be a home run. Sorry, this one is definitely not hitting it out of the park. Or even past home plate. I can... | [
"Product: Cook's Illustrated provides readers with recipes, cooking techniques, and product and food recommendations exhaustively developed in our extensive Test Kitchen facility - the same kitchen featured on our cooking show, America's Test Kitchen. Included are best ways to prepare favorite American dishes -- fr... | 16 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 205 |
A3LAYCTGSO1IQR | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Soft, durable faux fur shell with fun leopard print Sprung steel frame maintains long and labyrinth cat tunnel shape Features crackle lining, a peephole in the middle toy for playing fun Sizable cat... | My furrrocious hypurrractive 7 pound 2 year old cat can't keep her paws off this tunnel, especially when I keep on luring her into it by putting the toy in the middle hole of the tunnels which makes her rush into the tunnel to try and grab it and then I move the toy again to the outside of one of the tunnel branches. ... | My furrrocious hypurrractive 7 pound 2 year old cat can't keep her paws off this tunnel, especially when I keep on luring her into it by putting the toy in the middle hole of the tunnels which makes her rush into the tunnel to try and grab it and then I move the toy again to the outside of one of the tunnel branches. ... | [
"Product: Prevent Cavities, Long lasting Freshness. Strengthens teeth and gums.\n\n100% vegetarian natural toothpaste\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: no more dental visits for me!\n\nReview: I have a HEAVY history since childhood of dental problems with root canals and bleeding gums and currently gingivitis as my main p... | 15 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 206 |
A2PNOU7NXB1JE4 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Quicken WillMaker Plus is the easiest way to create your estate plan, whether it's your first time or you want to update a previous plan. You'll be guided through the process from beginning to end w... | I like Quicken products and this is no exception. In my case it has a lot of features that I didn't need. This version provides a free ebook of Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law and an one year subscription to its Online Living Trust which I was glad it did. I also signed up to be a complete organ donor, the brain ha... | I like Quicken products and this is no exception. In my case it has a lot of features that I didn't need. This version provides a free ebook of Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law and an one year subscription to its Online Living Trust which I was glad it did. I also signed up to be a complete organ donor, the brain ha... | [
"Product: Quickly and conveniently take accurate humidity and temperature readings with the Fluke 971.The Fluke 971 is invaluable for facility maintenance and utility technicians, HVAC-service contractors, and specialists who assess indoor air quality (IAQ). Lightweight and easy to hold, the Fluke 971 is the perfec... | 44 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 207 |
AO4BFCYF271XY | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Thermaltake N0028USU HDD Docking Station. The picture is for display only and the hard drive is not included.". The summary of the review text is "Great idea has been useful for quick fixes but for ... | This is a useful product for people who do a lot of work on PCs I have used it many times to quickly grab a drive and GHOST it (duplicate a drive) or CCC it (mac equivalent to ghost). For that purpose it is useful I will plug it in and forget about it and come back several hours later. I express the several hours thin... | This is a useful product for people who do a lot of work on PCs I have used it many times to quickly grab a drive and GHOST it (duplicate a drive) or CCC it (mac equivalent to ghost). For that purpose it is useful I will plug it in and forget about it and come back several hours later. I express the several hours thin... | [
"Product: Created to improve the gaming experience the Razer Onza is designed with unique features including two extra buttons that bring an element of customization to the Xbox 360 controller. Putting two Multi-Function Buttons (MFB) at the fingertips, the Razer Onza allows gamers to configure the controller to th... | 26 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 208 |
A1OXH6BF4LJEVH | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "1.0" for a product with description "The Crock-Pot Little Dipper Warmer is a big convenience for sauces, dips, and entertaining. Simply add your ingredients or a premade dip, plug in, and enjoy. For small gatherings or parties, the Lit... | The directions but not the box say this is not for cooking, but merely for keeping dips warm. On top of that, the cord is so short that use of an extension cord is virtually mandatory. It does not keep the food warm enough to meet the 140 degree minimum for warm foods to be safe. And the clinchers--you really have t... | The directions but not the box say this is not for cooking, but merely for keeping dips warm. On top of that, the cord is so short that use of an extension cord is virtually mandatory. It does not keep the food warm enough to meet the 140 degree minimum for warm foods to be safe. And the clinchers--you really have t... | [
"Product: This brand new picture frame is manufactured in the USA at our facility in Ithaca, Michigan using the best materials and tools available. Our picture and poster frames LARGER THAN OR EQUAL TO 12x18 inches (inside dimensions) include clear ACRYLIC facing, a rigid cardboard backing and hanging hardware. Som... | 13 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 209 |
A3RX6E9EP1J5WW | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "A healthy digestive tract is critical to overall health and well-being. In addition to breakdown and absorption of nutrients, digestive health can also have a significant impact on other body system... | I was using a different product, one I also reviewed quite highly, but after my old man doggie had his latest bout with a persistent infection and some more surgery, we needed something a bit stronger to help his gut. He had to be on 2 months of strong antibiotics of multiple kinds (sulfa and PCN) and that will tear up... | I was using a different product, one I also reviewed quite highly, but after my old man doggie had his latest bout with a persistent infection and some more surgery, we needed something a bit stronger to help his gut. He had to be on 2 months of strong antibiotics of multiple kinds (sulfa and PCN) and that will tear up... | [
"Product: Hypafix Dressing Retention Tape: 2\" X 10 Yds Each\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Absolute Best Bandaging Tape Ever\n\nReview: I've been caring for a family member post surgery for a couple of months and when you bandage anything at all for that long, the skin begins to break down. Yeah, I know that's gross, ... | 30 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 210 |
A2T0A3DUB6M3O2 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "3mm Liquid Chalk Marker. Reversible Chisel/Bullet Tip - 100% Water Based - Odorless - Erases with Water - Dust Free - Non-Toxic - Eco Friendly. For Use On: Chalkboard Decals, Windows, Plastic, Metal... | This is a chalk marker that can be used on chalkboard, labels, colored papers, etc.
The tip of the chalk marker is rounded so it's good for writing. The tip is also removable and reversible.
The texture of the liquid chalk is the same as normal chalk that you write on the blackboard, except thicker and harder to erase... | This is a chalk marker that can be used on chalkboard, labels, colored papers, etc.
The tip of the chalk marker is rounded so it's good for writing. The tip is also removable and reversible.
The texture of the liquid chalk is the same as normal chalk that you write on the blackboard, except thicker and harder to erase... | [
"Product: 60 Eye patches + 30 spot patches with polymer technology, skin firms from high-concentrated essence ingredients. For fragile skin around the eyes, moisture is replenished while elasticity is increased. Reduces the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles these are jelly-like patches soaked with gold and eg... | 24 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 211 |
A1I5DPGZGR92L7 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "T.R. Horne is an avid reader, reviewer and all around critic of things written and non-written (just ask her husband...). She writes suspense novels for the most part but flirts with her first love,... | Girl Soldier by T. R. Horne is an action packed novel about family, commitment, and sense of duty. It revolves around the search for a CIA agent gone rogue and how a girl makes a decision that changes her life forever.
Rain grew up without a mother figure, as his mom abandoned her and her dad at a very early stage of ... | Girl Soldier by T. R. Horne is an action packed novel about family, commitment, and sense of duty. It revolves around the search for a CIA agent gone rogue and how a girl makes a decision that changes her life forever.
Rain grew up without a mother figure, as his mom abandoned her and her dad at a very early stage of ... | [
"Product: Rich Leder has been a working writer for more than two decades. His screen credits include 18 produced television films for CBS, Lifetime, and Hallmark, feature films for Paramount Pictures, Tri-Star Pictures, and Left Bank Films, and four novels for Laugh Riot Press. He has been the lead singer in a Detr... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 212 |
A3KF79AODCE7YE | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "LG Electronics GP40NB40 8X USB 2.0 Portable Slim DVDARW External Drive, Retail (Black)". The summary of the review text is "A Great & Basic CD/DVD Drive for Less!". | Considering the price, this is basic external CD/DVD drive that works. For some who use external drive extensively, might want to consider higher end product that will endure wear & tear of the drive. Others who use infrequently (once in a while), this LG might fit the bill.
1. It is decently built. Made of plastic, w... | Considering the price, this is basic external CD/DVD drive that works. For some who use external drive extensively, might want to consider higher end product that will endure wear & tear of the drive. Others who use infrequently (once in a while), this LG might fit the bill.
1. It is decently built. Made of plastic, w... | [
"Product: Everybody loves a bright white smile. Safely enhance your smile every day without giving up the foods and drinks you love! The Philips Sonicare HealthyWhite+ rechargeable toothbrush is proven to remove up to 100% more stains for whiter teeth in only 1 week versus a manual toothbrush.TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS ... | 59 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 213 |
A8F39WKS6MFHA | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "VERY-GOOD TRADE-PAPERBACK". The summary of the review text is "a running book that could've used more info on running". | I'm not a runner, far from it, but my elderly father is. Dad took up running when he was in his 50s and, until he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2004, he ran 19 marathons.
Anyway, I thought it'd be interesting to read this book by a Japanese novelist who is also a marathoner and a triathlete. I was hoping he could... | I'm not a runner, far from it, but my elderly father is. Dad took up running when he was in his 50s and, until he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2004, he ran 19 marathons.
Anyway, I thought it'd be interesting to read this book by a Japanese novelist who is also a marathoner and a triathlete. I was hoping he could... | [
"Product: This is the second printing of the Dell Paperback version from 1965. It features a cover illustration by Garrido.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: a good, but not great, Tey\n\nReview: I love mysteries from the golden age (this one is from the early 1950s) and I've enjoyed the other Josephine Tey mysteries I've... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 214 |
A2F8R40Z2OMIJM | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Never Used". The summary of the review text is "Amazing Silent Film with Style". | I'd seen pictures from this film for years. Whenever people would talk about "German Expressionism" it seems like stills from this film would follow. I took a risk and ordered it and got a great surprise!
First of all, this film is crafted incredibly well considering the year (1919 I think ...) it was made. The sto... | I'd seen pictures from this film for years. Whenever people would talk about "German Expressionism" it seems like stills from this film would follow. I took a risk and ordered it and got a great surprise!
First of all, this film is crafted incredibly well considering the year (1919 I think ...) it was made. The sto... | [
"Product: Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 - Digital video camera - USB\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Good Deal, Good Quality\n\nReview: This cam was very easy for me -- so easy that I got my dad to buy one. He's 72 and had no problem setting it up and using it either.\nThe Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 is my first webcam, so... | 21 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 215 |
A16YP0WWDDBN41 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "One choice can transform you. Pass initiation. Do not fail! Thrilling urban dystopian fiction debut from exciting young author. In sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior's world, society is divided into fi... | As soon as I picked up Insurgent, I knew I would love it. Divergent, the first book in the series, is one of my favorite books, well, ever. Veronica Roth just has a way with words. Her writing will draw you in and keep you hostage until you finish the book. She knows her way around an intriguing plot and characters so ... | As soon as I picked up Insurgent, I knew I would love it. Divergent, the first book in the series, is one of my favorite books, well, ever. Veronica Roth just has a way with words. Her writing will draw you in and keep you hostage until you finish the book. She knows her way around an intriguing plot and characters so ... | [
"Product: dvd\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Minor Issues With It, But Overall Really Enjoyed\n\nReview: So over the weekend I went and saw The Hunger Games. I personally thought it was a good film adaptation because a book that turns into a film always has its flaws. Now, I'm not going to write about what the film is... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 216 |
A2XVRCU5DQBULH | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "VHS". The summary of the review text is "Average action from Li...". | The one reason to see "The One" is for the fight scenes, which are done considerably well, looking sleek and smooth. The rest of the movie falls under itself in tired cliches, a silly plot, and weak acting. But the action is cool. The story involves a multiverse, a collection of different universes. Everyone has a copy... | The one reason to see "The One" is for the fight scenes, which are done considerably well, looking sleek and smooth. The rest of the movie falls under itself in tired cliches, a silly plot, and weak acting. But the action is cool. The story involves a multiverse, a collection of different universes. Everyone has a copy... | [
"Product: Star Trek: The Movie Collection (6pc) [VHS]\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: The perfect box set for any Trekkie...\n\nReview: I was thrilled when I found this box set containing the first six \"Star Trek\" films in their two-disc collector's editions. I had to get it. Let's take a look shall we?\n\"Star Trek: ... | 26 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 217 |
A1WHR7X6P7G145 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "WHO HAS TIME TO DRINK BAD TASTING WINE? We at VinoVelli do not and dont expect any of our customers to either. HOW DOES THIS WINE AERATOR COMPARE TO A WINE AERATOR POURER THAT ATTACHES TO THE TOP OF... | This wine aerator is terrific! The first time I used it was when my book club met at my home. Yes, it added a bit of a dramatic feel but it really does give you a nice filtration with the strainer and our wine tasted better , no doubt about it. There is no need to wait for the wine to breathe. That was a real plus, ... | This wine aerator is terrific! The first time I used it was when my book club met at my home. Yes, it added a bit of a dramatic feel but it really does give you a nice filtration with the strainer and our wine tasted better , no doubt about it. There is no need to wait for the wine to breathe. That was a real plus, ... | [
"Product: sold out\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: You Need This On Hand!\n\nReview: This is my second order from Coredy, and I am pleased with their products. I work from home, so connectivity and wifi speed are critical to me. This Coredy wifi dongle is working great for me so far. It's tiny, folks! So don't drop it (... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 218 |
A2F3SXHT6RBV81 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, Orlando Jones. Weird alien germs invade a sleepy desert town in this hilarious comedy. 2001/color/102 min/PG-13/widescreen.". The summary of the review text is "What ... | Life is relative. I learn more and more each day that true joy
does not come from what we have but from what we appreciate. This was a weird ghost busters out in the desert and the caves in Arizona. There this primitive science fiction tale was filled with bugs, worms, slugs, frogs, and other alien life forms multif... | Life is relative. I learn more and more each day that true joy
does not come from what we have but from what we appreciate. This was a weird ghost busters out in the desert and the caves in Arizona. There this primitive science fiction tale was filled with bugs, worms, slugs, frogs, and other alien life forms multif... | [
"Product: This rousing musical, based on the stories of Shalom Aleichem, takes place in pre-revolutionary Russia and centers on the life of Tevye (Topol), a milkman who is trying to keep his family's traditions in place while marrying off his three older daughters.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: An Unjustice to the Inn... | 90 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 219 |
A1Z6MUH1HI9UO2 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Start with the 3 rings next to each other When solve the 3 rings would link with each other like magic ;).". The summary of the review text is "Great for any puzzler looking for a fun challenge.". | I have loved solving puzzles and games in the same genre since I was a child. Recently I have been working on a variety of Rubik's cubes and when looking at cube games I came across this. I had not previously ever played with one and was fascinated with the concept. My whole family has loved playing with this. I pu... | I have loved solving puzzles and games in the same genre since I was a child. Recently I have been working on a variety of Rubik's cubes and when looking at cube games I came across this. I had not previously ever played with one and was fascinated with the concept. My whole family has loved playing with this. I pu... | [
"Product: This is a beautiful Lapis Lazuli smooth oval specimen. Deep blue with some pyrite and white calcite . About 1 3/4 inch long , sizes vary slightly; the colors are gorgeous with golden iron pyrite, white calcite, natural ; this treasure would definitely make a very rare and collectable piece.\n\nRating: 5.0... | 14 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 220 |
A24YX7JKCR70ZT | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Lana Pecherczyk is the author of the Urban Fantasy novel Hunting for Witches - the first in The Ludus series. She lives in Perth, Western Australia and loves writing mashups of the fantasy, science ... | Hunting for Witches is a novel written in first person from Roo's point of view. She's a little different, but at the same time, you feel like she could be you, or at least someone you know. She has family issues, has that "different" problem, has had some trouble in her life, and is a single young lady who is unsure... | Hunting for Witches is a novel written in first person from Roo's point of view. She's a little different, but at the same time, you feel like she could be you, or at least someone you know. She has family issues, has that "different" problem, has had some trouble in her life, and is a single young lady who is unsure... | [
"Product: Enjoy fresh brewed tea in no time with 1500 watts of power that boils water quickly and keeps the warming plate at the ideal temperature. Brew tea with ease and speed thanks to a 1.7-L tea kettle featuring a removable, washable water filter, automatic shutoff once water has boiled and a dual water window.... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 221 |
A2EGSV7LMEWX4T | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "AS Rock Z77 PROFESSIONAL-M LGA1155/ Intel Z77/ Quad CrossFirex and Quad SLI/ SATA3&USB3.0/ A&GbE/ MATX Motherboard". The summary of the review text is "Seriously powerfull m-atx motherboard". | I bought this mother board for my new computer and am pretty impressed so far. It's had done all it has been billed to. With a i7-3770t processor in it and 32 gigs of ram plus hard drives and dvd drives the system is only consuming about 15 to 17 watts of power while browsing the internet. Performance wise it is very ... | I bought this mother board for my new computer and am pretty impressed so far. It's had done all it has been billed to. With a i7-3770t processor in it and 32 gigs of ram plus hard drives and dvd drives the system is only consuming about 15 to 17 watts of power while browsing the internet. Performance wise it is very ... | [
"Product: Display your classic sense of style with the traditional 24-inch Windsor bar stool from Winsome Wood. This chair features a swivel seat and contoured back for maximum comfort, and is made of solid beech wood with a natural finish.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Good Chair on first impression\n\nReview: Update... | 20 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 222 |
A3CE57YNGVWBQN | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Johari West shirts are made from 100% high grade Indonesian cotton and have top stitch detail on the collar, shoulders, and sleeves with monogramed Johari West buttons. The Johari West Hawaiian or t... | This is the second Johari West Hawaiian shirt I've bought in the last couple of weeks. The first one (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Indo-Sapphire-Tropical-Cotton-Batik-Shirt-By-Johari-West/dp/B00A7Y4H30/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Indo Sapphire Tropical Cotton Batik Shirt By Johar... | This is the second Johari West Hawaiian shirt I've bought in the last couple of weeks. The first one (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Indo-Sapphire-Tropical-Cotton-Batik-Shirt-By-Johari-West/dp/B00A7Y4H30/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Indo Sapphire Tropical Cotton Batik Shirt By Johar... | [
"Product: Premiere CD release of magnificent Michel Legrand score for Charles Jarrott filming of Sidney Sheldon novel, starring Marie-France Pisier, John Beck, Susan Sarandon. Opulant, ravishing beauty of France locale, lush romanticism of story tinged with overtones of murder, generous montage sequences relying on... | 32 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 223 |
A2IUNO0HFYFXGN | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "This remote suit for more VIZIO internet or 3D internet TV, some TV models knoning as below: E472VL E472VLE E552VL M320SR M420SV M470SV M550SV E3D420VX M420SR E460ME E3D470VX E3D320VX M470SV M550SV ... | We ordered this remote as a replacement for the remote that came with our tv. Our original one broke after being dropped by the kids several times. This remote is the exact one that came with our tv. It works great. All we had to do was put in the batteries. It arrived in a decent time frame. May order another one, jus... | We ordered this remote as a replacement for the remote that came with our tv. Our original one broke after being dropped by the kids several times. This remote is the exact one that came with our tv. It works great. All we had to do was put in the batteries. It arrived in a decent time frame. May order another one, jus... | [
"Product: With over 70 years of experience in the School and Office Supply markets, Charles Leonard Inc. is not just one of those online Pop-Up shops that are here today and gone tomorrow! With Charles Leonard products, rest assured that our products provide the quality and value you expect. With strong, thin color... | 6 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 224 |
A2INX8B6VXUVW6 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "A retrospective of an American original - the varied works of Rodd Keith (aka Rod Rogers), the musical auteur of MSR's send-us-your-lyrics record label, and the insane genius of Beat Of The Traps an... | All of the songs here are "song-poems". They are the product of ads where the reader was asked to "send us your lyrics". Anyone who responded to the ad invariably got a response saying something like "the lyrics you sent are great, we would love to set your song to music and record it, if you will just submit a nomim... | All of the songs here are "song-poems". They are the product of ads where the reader was asked to "send us your lyrics". Anyone who responded to the ad invariably got a response saying something like "the lyrics you sent are great, we would love to set your song to music and record it, if you will just submit a nomim... | [
"Product: 30 of Eddie Blazonczyk's Biggest Hits on 2 Compact Discs. This one is a MUST for any Versatones' fan!\nTrack listing:\nCD 1\nMy Marylou Polka\nBeer Barrel Polka\nClarinet Polka\nI Love Everybody Waltz\nWhen I Hear The Music Polka\nJust Like I Love You Polka\nHey Cavalier Polka\nBaby Doll Polka\nApple, Pea... | 128 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 225 |
A14SRB2VNHKO3J | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "One cold night in a most unlikely corner of Chicago Will Grayson crosses paths with Will Grayson Two guys with the same name running in two very different circles suddenly find their lives going in ... | This is the story of Will Grayson. Well, actually it's the story of Will Grayson and the other Will Grayson. Though their names might be the same, the two teenage boys couldn't be more different. One Will Grayson abides by a philosophy of apathy and silence, a mere shadow to his flamboyantly gay and very large BFF, Tin... | This is the story of Will Grayson. Well, actually it's the story of Will Grayson and the other Will Grayson. Though their names might be the same, the two teenage boys couldn't be more different. One Will Grayson abides by a philosophy of apathy and silence, a mere shadow to his flamboyantly gay and very large BFF, Tin... | [
"Product: Is the saving of innocent lives a worthy cause when everyone else condemns you for the act? This burden weighs on Bocca's heart as he continues his fight against Midnight Hiyoko. But who is the real enemy? Later Bocca and Sayoko arrive at a town filled with mechanical mice and meet a girl who could be a w... | 10 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 226 |
AFHOVCMLDWQM0 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "With a musical trajectory that spans nearly a decade, ISIS has emerged from the frozen recesses of New England to become an internationally renowned force in underground music. Critically revered as... | What can we say about Isis that we haven't already said at this point. They are the masters. The Lords of epic, brooding, slow burn, metallic post rock majesty. And rightfully so. Every record has managed to push forward, exploring new territory, without losing what it is that makes us like them so much. Which is tough... | What can we say about Isis that we haven't already said at this point. They are the masters. The Lords of epic, brooding, slow burn, metallic post rock majesty. And rightfully so. Every record has managed to push forward, exploring new territory, without losing what it is that makes us like them so much. Which is tough... | [
"Product: Jellyfish - Spilt Milk - Cd\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: ABSOLUTELY IS, one of the best pop records EVER MADE\n\nReview: I am definitely a master of hyperbole. We admit it. So many of my reviews boldly proclaim records to be \"the best ever\" or \"the most retarded ever\" or the ever popular \"most f-cked e... | 29 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 227 |
A4YZH1ZTGR4J0 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Erin Nicholas is the author of sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines a... | As posted on The Smutty Kitty reviewed by KittyKelly
5 out of 5 Licks
I really, really liked this book. I loved that both Phoebe and Joe's initial plan was to win the heart of someone else and they wound up falling for each other. Don't get me wrong, you can see it coming from a mile away, but it was so much fun wa... | As posted on The Smutty Kitty reviewed by KittyKelly
5 out of 5 Licks
I really, really liked this book. I loved that both Phoebe and Joe's initial plan was to win the heart of someone else and they wound up falling for each other. Don't get me wrong, you can see it coming from a mile away, but it was so much fun wa... | [
"Product: Throw Your Old Oven Mitts Away! Are you fed up with the smelly, stained oven mitts that you keep using in your kitchen or on the BBQ? Are you tired of your oven mitts soaking up water or burning your hands? Premier Kitchen gloves are the best solution! We guarantee it, and so do tons of other customers! E... | 6 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 228 |
ASGI7E0AJ8H5X | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "Keep all your favorite Skylanders ready for action! The Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Carrying Case has compartments that hold up to 8 of your Skylanders Interaction Figures. The full-zip enclosure k... | My son wanted a special storage case for his skylander guys. We looked at this one, but ended up returning it because it just wasn't worth the price. As another reviewer pointed out, this doesn't hold the portal itself, it is just designed to hold the character figures. That part was fine with us, we were looking more ... | My son wanted a special storage case for his skylander guys. We looked at this one, but ended up returning it because it just wasn't worth the price. As another reviewer pointed out, this doesn't hold the portal itself, it is just designed to hold the character figures. That part was fine with us, we were looking more ... | [
"Product: Skylanders Spyro's Adventure: Hex\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Fierce and Powerful Female Character\n\nReview: Playing video games has always been a fun activity for my husband and son to do together, but I never really got into any of the games. Then we got the Skylanders game/set for Christmas, and it ha... | 39 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 229 |
A35CCGJDNXUDY9 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Yubi Power High capacity power bank is Produced with the highest standards and quality in mind. Intelligent circuitry provides safe and efficient charging. Top quality high tech battery cells with p... | I never knew I needed one of these until I got one. Now, I cannot do without it! This is an amazing charger! Once charged, Kindles and phones can be easily charged several times each! This useful charger comes with various attachments that make it very versatile! Imagine having a charger right in your purse the next ti... | I never knew I needed one of these until I got one. Now, I cannot do without it! This is an amazing charger! Once charged, Kindles and phones can be easily charged several times each! This useful charger comes with various attachments that make it very versatile! Imagine having a charger right in your purse the next ti... | [
"Product: Mahogany body 18 silver nickel frets Rosewood fingerboard and bridge Mahogany neck Tenor Sized\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Kala KA-S Soprano Ukulele\n\nReview: This little uke has one mighty sound! Comfortable to cradle in your arms, this ukulele has a clear, melodic, sweet sound. It is made of an attracti... | 40 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 230 |
AFZNJHDGE0DUJ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "The explosive final season of one of the most beloved science fiction TV series of all time! Captain Dylan Hunt (Kevin Sorbo Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) has never had it easy. He s been trappe... | I've always found Kevin Sorbo to be a great actor, and I've enjoyed seeing him as Hercules in "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys." When I first watched "Andromeda," I felt alittle uneasy because I seemed to perceive the show with a bias that Sorbo would be returning as Hercules in the future. How dense was I? But then, ... | I've always found Kevin Sorbo to be a great actor, and I've enjoyed seeing him as Hercules in "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys." When I first watched "Andromeda," I felt alittle uneasy because I seemed to perceive the show with a bias that Sorbo would be returning as Hercules in the future. How dense was I? But then, ... | [
"Product: Nyc, Year 2095. A Floating Pyramid Has Emerged In The Skiesabove, Inhabited By Ancient Egyptian Gods. They Have Castjudgment Down Upon Horus, One Of Their Own. Now He Must Find Ahuman Host Body To Inhabit & Search For A Mate To Continue Hisown Life.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Good Film, But Lacks Strong P... | 13 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 231 |
AY0ZHIXG0RVDL | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "radical and ethically challenging case for the complete separation of money and state, and a case for the privatization of money production. It is a sweeping and learned treatise that is rigorous, s... | This book provides an excellent explanation of the consequences of money production, fractional-reserve banking, inflation, etc. It also provides a concise history of those topics and gives sources for interested readers. As with all books that come out of an Austrian perspective, this one should come with a warning: t... | This book provides an excellent explanation of the consequences of money production, fractional-reserve banking, inflation, etc. It also provides a concise history of those topics and gives sources for interested readers. As with all books that come out of an Austrian perspective, this one should come with a warning: t... | [
"Product: This versatile style has a water-resistant leather upper with a heelstay that can be worn as a shoe or as a slide. Soft microfiber synthetic suede lining with anti-microbial treatment, elasticized gore on vamp provides a customizable fit, hand-sewn whip stitching and embroidered logo detail. All-weather r... | 6 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 232 |
A281YN2K4M72JQ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "The Precision Pet extreme rabbit shack II is constructed of solid Wood with a fold up weatherproof, plastic corrugate roof for protection against the elements. Includes 2 sets of flooring: Wood slat... | Picked this up at Costco and definitely did not pay the $350 I see it listed here. If I did, this would be a one star, angry review. For a first time chicken coop, this was not bad. It had the basics, it got us started. Instead this is a disappointed two star review.
Let me list some of the problems we had with it:
-... | Picked this up at Costco and definitely did not pay the $350 I see it listed here. If I did, this would be a one star, angry review. For a first time chicken coop, this was not bad. It had the basics, it got us started. Instead this is a disappointed two star review.
Let me list some of the problems we had with it:
-... | [
"Product: This candle recreates that first toasty waft escaping from the oven, drawing everyone to the kitchen for a warm slice of buttered bread. Light the wick to set the mood for brunch, dinnertime, or a festive holiday feast. Any meal that starts with this delicious fragrance simply can't go wrong. Village cand... | 12 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 233 |
A3P45K6YTTLGI1 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Australian Ken Ham is one of the most in-demand Christian conference speakers in the United States. He is the executive director of Answers in Genesis, a creationist organization based in Kentucky, ... | A volume like this can only make a good deep scratch the surface of established science dogmas and partly reveal their hollow cores. The book raises and begins to answer some of the more interesting questions about origins. It succeeds in raising significant doubt about the non-creationist explanations and whets the ... | A volume like this can only make a good deep scratch the surface of established science dogmas and partly reveal their hollow cores. The book raises and begins to answer some of the more interesting questions about origins. It succeeds in raising significant doubt about the non-creationist explanations and whets the ... | [
"Product: It was supposed to be a simple birthday weekend in Southern California. But when sunrise arrives two hours early in the form of a haunting light from an unknown source, a group of friends watch in terror as people across the city are drawn outside and swept into massive alien ships that have blotted out t... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 234 |
A3BOUPGDLG7QPP | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Male nurse Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) is poised to propose to his girlfriend Pam (Teri Polo) during a weekend stay at her parents' home. But here's the catch... he needs to ask her father first. Alas... | I have a love hate relationship with Ben Stiller. When he's "on", he's on like few others. However, maybe it's his agent, maybe he's desperate to escape typcasting, but he's picked some real stinkers to lead in.
This isn't one of them.
In fact, this is the best movie I've seen him in by a good margin. Owing much to ... | I have a love hate relationship with Ben Stiller. When he's "on", he's on like few others. However, maybe it's his agent, maybe he's desperate to escape typcasting, but he's picked some real stinkers to lead in.
This isn't one of them.
In fact, this is the best movie I've seen him in by a good margin. Owing much to ... | [
"Product: The incredible Apple 10GB iPod lets you carry and easily organize about 2,500 songs in the palm of your hand. The great design of the iPod features an all-touch interface for enhanced durability and sensitivity, and a 2\" grayscale LCD display with LED backlight. Using the included iTunes software, you ca... | 10 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 235 |
A1YPL39YAQZWW | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Stevan V. Nikolic was born in Belgrade, Serbia in 1958 and moved to New York, USA in 1987. He began his literary career as a poet before turning to non-fiction and fiction. As a writer, he spent las... | Nikolics work On the Square is a non-fiction novel that delves into Freemasonry. There is an extensive history of freemasonry throughout the world as well as information regarding the different degrees within freemasonry and the different types of freemasonry practiced internationally.
Before reading this book, I had ... | Nikolics work On the Square is a non-fiction novel that delves into Freemasonry. There is an extensive history of freemasonry throughout the world as well as information regarding the different degrees within freemasonry and the different types of freemasonry practiced internationally.
Before reading this book, I had ... | [
"Product: Debra is a native New Yorker who made her escape to the suburbs. She often returns to her hometown to visit her favorite deli for a bagel with butter, because theres no better bagel than a New York bagel. When not in search of bagels, Debra spends her time running Book Enthusiast Promotions, an online pro... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 236 |
A3W4W7A4KG1GK | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "This CD is an out of print collectible! It is the 1992 Sony Music Special Products release. Catalog A-18002.". The summary of the review text is "I Look Back Now And Say Yes With A Smile!!". | What I mean by my Title is I thoroughly enjoyed The Archies during their Hit Making Years and I also agree with The Reviewer "WB" on his/her "April 20th 2001 Review" on this CD. This is another Quality "Repertoire" Product on a 1960s Group and it sounds Great!! Even today: Most people recognize "Sugar Sugar". It became... | What I mean by my Title is I thoroughly enjoyed The Archies during their Hit Making Years and I also agree with The Reviewer "WB" on his/her "April 20th 2001 Review" on this CD. This is another Quality "Repertoire" Product on a 1960s Group and it sounds Great!! Even today: Most people recognize "Sugar Sugar". It became... | [
"Product: Audio CD\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: The Rascals Were Much More Than 1968's \"Time Peace\"\n\nReview: Actually that Classic Atlantic LP by these Hall Of Famers was called \"Time Peace: The Rascals Greatest Hits\".\n\n In Referance to Brian's December 1st 2012 Amazon Review on this 2-CD Package: you will f... | 38 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 237 |
AOFGOUMXLMVZS | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Made from aluminum, known for its sturdiness as well as being an excellent heat conductor, this stockpot is ideal for slow simmering and is the best solution for all your cooking needs whether it be... | We have had this item for several months, and it has done what it was meant to do.
I purchased this because we needed more room for soups, vegetables, etc. The 10 quarts give plenty of room.
Some of the Positives of the stockpot are the price and clear lid. Also, it is incredibly easy to clean and we have used it wit... | We have had this item for several months, and it has done what it was meant to do.
I purchased this because we needed more room for soups, vegetables, etc. The 10 quarts give plenty of room.
Some of the Positives of the stockpot are the price and clear lid. Also, it is incredibly easy to clean and we have used it wit... | [
"Product: Newly designed for hot and cold beverages! Make iced or hot tea or coffee, or mix juice, powdered drinks and baby formula with a few tugs of the plunger. Fresh dots pattern. Dishwasher safe. 2 quart capacity.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Can't find anything better\n\nReview: We purchased this because we dri... | 13 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 238 |
A2OBZW6JIRROX6 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy and a little bit of real. She likes to write st... | Well like a whole lot of other K B fans this was by far my FAVORITE from the series so far.... Colton and Rylee grab by your hearts and don't let go not even for one second! This book let us see what was going on inside Colton and I'll admit it had me crying some tears but it was all worth it to understand what he was... | Well like a whole lot of other K B fans this was by far my FAVORITE from the series so far.... Colton and Rylee grab by your hearts and don't let go not even for one second! This book let us see what was going on inside Colton and I'll admit it had me crying some tears but it was all worth it to understand what he was... | [
"Product: Dragonbane\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Dragons and Demons Oh My!!!\n\nReview: Okay so after reading some of the other reviews I have to say I'm on the fence with a lot of them.....was this my favorite from the Dark Hunter Series, without a doubt, that would be a NO but I still enjoyed the story of Max the ... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 239 |
ANYN8KNP1UMJ7 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Jennifer Laurens is the author of the Heavenly series, Overprotected, A Season of Eden, Falling for Romeo, Magic Hands, Nailed and An Open Vein. She has 6 children, one of whom has autism.". The sum... | This book has an introduction that is worthy of Hollywood. Some bits of it are a cross between Mulholland Drive and Sunset Boulevard. But then you get to the bits that appear rushed, unexplained and you think the author had better things to do with her time than to let the reader know what was happening.
Don't get me ... | This book has an introduction that is worthy of Hollywood. Some bits of it are a cross between Mulholland Drive and Sunset Boulevard. But then you get to the bits that appear rushed, unexplained and you think the author had better things to do with her time than to let the reader know what was happening.
Don't get me ... | [
"Product: Book by Parsons, Lindsey J.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Long -Winded but Good\n\nReview: I really wanted to love this book. When you pass 20% of the story, you are captivated and engrossed. Then, as the story progresses some more you find yourself caught on a very long-winded journey. The writing is excell... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 240 |
A2YATE2EMMY3N5 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Tara West writes books about dragons, witches, and handsome heroes while eating chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate. She's willing to share her dragons, witches and heroes. Keep your hands off her... | Murphy's Law can't begin to explain Ashley's afterlife. The author doesn't bore you with things going on in Ash's life before she dies. Tara West opens the book with Ashley's death and it begins to get funny and sometimes kinda gross (in a funny way) from that point on. No matter what Ashley says or does she just can't... | Murphy's Law can't begin to explain Ashley's afterlife. The author doesn't bore you with things going on in Ash's life before she dies. Tara West opens the book with Ashley's death and it begins to get funny and sometimes kinda gross (in a funny way) from that point on. No matter what Ashley says or does she just can't... | [
"Product: Sylvia Day Crossfire Series: Bared to You, Reflected in You, Entwined in You. Books have been read one time, and are in good condition with some wear on front paperback cover. No highlighting and minimal wear on individual pages. Originally purchased at Barnes and Nobel for $15 each (combined value of... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 241 |
A3VQLTB724O77W | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "The acclaimed fourth film from groundbreaking writer and director Quentin Tarantino (PULP FICTION, JACKIE BROWN), KILL BILL VOLUME 1 stars Uma Thurman (PULP FICTION), Lucy Liu (CHARLIE'S ANGELS, CHI... | I'm not convinced. Okay, so there were references. Hundreds of them, many of which I surely missed. And many of which unquestionably pleased Quentin Tarentino, but did little for me. And yes, it was stylish, wonderfully visual, drawing from a huge range of styles.
But it was silly. Just...Plain...(dramatic pause, ... | I'm not convinced. Okay, so there were references. Hundreds of them, many of which I surely missed. And many of which unquestionably pleased Quentin Tarentino, but did little for me. And yes, it was stylish, wonderfully visual, drawing from a huge range of styles.
But it was silly. Just...Plain...(dramatic pause, ... | [
"Product: VHS TAPE\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Not \"Good\", but Pretty Fun Nevertheless...\n\nReview: Eraser is exactly the kind of movie that demonstrates the paucity of Hollywood's imagination--not in filmmaking, but in celebrating its own peculiar achievements. Eraser never set out to be a \"good\" film, and it ... | 41 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 242 |
A2SWGQVH78I33R | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "WODISON cooler lunch bag, you will need it no matter working or traveling. The bag's insulated design keeps food fresh, and you neednt to put them in the refrigerator while youre working. If you wan... | <div id="video-block-R2FXZLV5OAP7L1" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1Qt-fo8IJS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/412hGi1... | <div id="video-block-R2FXZLV5OAP7L1" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1Qt-fo8IJS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/412hGi1... | [
"Product: PRO Series Power/Ground Distribution T-Block with Three 4 Gauge Inputs\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: Come on Stinger...Really? Cap just falls off.\n\nReview: I purchased this and another distribution block on the same day. I pulled out the Stinger for my Tahoe and got everything hooked up. It does except Tr... | 97 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 243 |
A1IXJK1NYTSMJU | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "In your kitchen, you are the Head Chef. With the Dash Chef Series Digital Blender, you have 1,400-watts of power to blend and craft velvety soups, fresh smoothies, savory dips, ice cream, sauces and... | Unbelievable at the price point. I owned a Blendtec - and like this even better. Just as strong - smoothies just as smooth. Folks describe this as loud - not compared to a Blendtec it isn't. Blendtec is so LOUD I would have to leave the room. The other reviews cover most all the good points so I will add a few. The uni... | Unbelievable at the price point. I owned a Blendtec - and like this even better. Just as strong - smoothies just as smooth. Folks describe this as loud - not compared to a Blendtec it isn't. Blendtec is so LOUD I would have to leave the room. The other reviews cover most all the good points so I will add a few. The uni... | [
"Product: For over 100 years consumers have trusted Thermos brand products to keep their foods and beverages hotter, cooler and fresher. Today this tradition continues with an array of products for every purpose. Element 5 by Thermos is designed to go wherever your journey takes you and to enhance the experience of... | 24 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 244 |
A3CYFDQZH4H5GL | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "8 songs". The summary of the review text is "Robert Smith's Darkest Hour". | Unquestionably this was Robert Smith's darkest hour. This 8-track release is oppressive in its bleak attack. It deserves 5 stars due to its sheer brilliance and originally; nothing ever sounded like this before or since. But for newcomers reading these great reviews be forewarned - I did not use the word oppressive by ... | Unquestionably this was Robert Smith's darkest hour. This 8-track release is oppressive in its bleak attack. It deserves 5 stars due to its sheer brilliance and originally; nothing ever sounded like this before or since. But for newcomers reading these great reviews be forewarned - I did not use the word oppressive by ... | [
"Product: Serpent & the Rainbow [VHS]\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Surprisingly Excellent Creepy Drama/Horror\n\nReview: Though not nearly as famous as \"Scream\" or \"Nightmare on Elm Street\", this is possibly Craven's best film. It isn't a terrifying movie but is a spooky film with a smart, well written story. Thi... | 29 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 245 |
APRHZYE8U0IGM | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Our screen protectors are made from Optical Grade Crystal Film which are custom cut to ensure a perfect fit every time. Constructed in five layers; a scratch resistant surface polymer, a hardened pr... | Super Shieldz' description of this screen protector is absolutely right on point. It is very, very easy & simple to apply and as a bonus, you get a LIFETIME warranty. What more can you ask for, especially when the product minimally meets and/or exceeds expectations. I most definitely & highly recommend this offering fr... | Super Shieldz' description of this screen protector is absolutely right on point. It is very, very easy & simple to apply and as a bonus, you get a LIFETIME warranty. What more can you ask for, especially when the product minimally meets and/or exceeds expectations. I most definitely & highly recommend this offering fr... | [
"Product: Conveniently store and charge two DUALSHOCK 4 controllers with Nyko's Charge Base for PlayStation 4. The Charge Base for PlayStation 4 comes with 2 custom USB Charge Adapters that attach to the Micro-USB port on the controller, leaving the ergonomics and grip of the PS4 controller unchanged. The patented ... | 25 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 246 |
A1LVZOK9F7K4CN | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "During the Gulf War, members of cut-off platoon are captured and brainwashed by a large corporation to return to the United States following the war as their pawns. When one of the soldiers becomes ... | Why remake The Manchurian Candidate? The original is perfect. Meryl Steep and Denzel Washington are great, but how can you replace Angela Lansbury and Frank Sinatra? Jonathan Demme is one of my favorite directors, but lately he's only doing remakes of superior films (he remade Charade as The Trouble with Charlie).
... | Why remake The Manchurian Candidate? The original is perfect. Meryl Steep and Denzel Washington are great, but how can you replace Angela Lansbury and Frank Sinatra? Jonathan Demme is one of my favorite directors, but lately he's only doing remakes of superior films (he remade Charade as The Trouble with Charlie).
... | [
"Product: OUT OF PRINT\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Queer Eye gone horribly wrong...\n\nReview: For some reason, this movie is classified as horror. It is not - it is a comedy: a very, very, very black comedy. Just watch Christian Bale's over-the-top performance - everything is played for laughs. The murders are n... | 56 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 247 |
A1QW8S87I5LKRS | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "To use Quick Spair, simply remove the valve cap, attach the hose and press the green button. In just seconds, the puncture is sealed and the tire is inflated. Quick Spair is non-flammable and cleans... | IMPORTANT TIP - make sure to completely inflate your tire at a gas station or with an electric pump after using this stuff because the pressure in the can probably won't seal the tire to the rim. If your leak continues or returns after using it, that might be the reason. The puncture might be fixed but air can leak fro... | IMPORTANT TIP - make sure to completely inflate your tire at a gas station or with an electric pump after using this stuff because the pressure in the can probably won't seal the tire to the rim. If your leak continues or returns after using it, that might be the reason. The puncture might be fixed but air can leak fro... | [
"Product: Product InformationExpress your ideas with more brilliance and clarity using the innovative new tools in Microsoft Word 2004 for Mac. The gold standard in word processing works harder than ever for you with improved reference tools dynamic reviewing capabilities and enhanced views for organizing your thou... | 18 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 248 |
AM5PM9T8COWAJ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery, and the paranormal, his ... | 4 Hearts Reviewed by Pixie
This story is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone.
When Beau gets divorced from his cheating husband theres only one place he thinks of going to lick his wounds, to the small town he grew up. Not sure what to do now Beau spots an ad for a personal chef and decides to check it ... | 4 Hearts Reviewed by Pixie
This story is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone.
When Beau gets divorced from his cheating husband theres only one place he thinks of going to lick his wounds, to the small town he grew up. Not sure what to do now Beau spots an ad for a personal chef and decides to check it ... | [
"Product: Who am I? Good question... I am many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. I have pretty, pretty boys who live in my head, who don't let me sleep at night unless I give them life with words. I like it when they do dirty, dirty things...but I like it even more when they fall in love. I used to thin... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 249 |
AJIDIVBILJKO0 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "The Moto 360 features a 1.56-inch LCD touch screen that displays alerts from your compatible Android device.". The summary of the review text is "The pros and cons of the magnificent moto 360!". | Pros: still the stylish watch out right now
For its features battery last all day so that's a plus.
Supports most major apps
It's different from most watches interface, I had the pebble,time.
Right screen size, doesn't feel too big
Fast, it never lags at anything it does.
Customizable, there are a lot of wa... | Pros: still the stylish watch out right now
For its features battery last all day so that's a plus.
Supports most major apps
It's different from most watches interface, I had the pebble,time.
Right screen size, doesn't feel too big
Fast, it never lags at anything it does.
Customizable, there are a lot of wa... | [
"Product: Installation Dash Kit for Single or Double DIN Radios for Nissan Armada/Pathfinder 2008-2013 vehicles\n\nRating: 2.0\n\nSummary: I miss my stock buttons though/firmware update issues\n\nReview: It works well. I'm yet to update my firmware of my truck for this kit. I do have bugs with the. Screen not turni... | 18 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 250 |
A3U3BEZMH3F01Q | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Helen Mirren is Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison who is promoted to Detective Superintendent. In this Fourth series three two-hour episodes are included: The Lost Child, Inner Circles, The Sc... | I think that the Prime Suspect series of police procedurals are some of the best ones I've ever seen (the Inspector Lynley series is also great but those are a bit different than the PS ones). This particular season has three stories:
"The Lost Child": This is probably the most intense and disturbing. A child is app... | I think that the Prime Suspect series of police procedurals are some of the best ones I've ever seen (the Inspector Lynley series is also great but those are a bit different than the PS ones). This particular season has three stories:
"The Lost Child": This is probably the most intense and disturbing. A child is app... | [
"Product: Take complete control of your kingdom like never before and grow it into a continents-spanning empire through diplomacy, trade, espionage, and war! Join the Crusades as a Christian or Muslim empire and battle over the fate of the Holy Land. Raise mighty armies to crush your neighbors and conquer all of Eu... | 48 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 251 |
A3UOQQ685P2SL7 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Mia Sheridan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. Her passion is weaving true love stories about people destined to be together. Mia lives in Cincinnati, Ohio ... | Kyland is about the everyday struggle in life to be better, to do better things with your life and to follow your dreams, to never give up and to give back if the opportunity presents itself. Its about making the most of your circumstances and as the old saying goes If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Thats exact... | Kyland is about the everyday struggle in life to be better, to do better things with your life and to follow your dreams, to never give up and to give back if the opportunity presents itself. Its about making the most of your circumstances and as the old saying goes If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Thats exact... | [
"Product: I recently discovered those school vocational assessments are really interesting and probably correct! Who would have thought, hey? You see, I clearly remember taking one of those in Year 11 (for my US friends, I think that equates to junior year in high school). Anyway, semantics. Well, the results came ... | 10 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 252 |
ARG7WTYP8L66M | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "lllpo". The summary of the review text is "Mr Hilditch's Home for Wayward Girls". | William Trevor is a wonderful writer; but I am now convinced that Atom Egoyan is an even greater filmmaker. When one compares the novel with the film, it is Trevor who suffers.
Felicia is knocked up by a visiting Irish lad who lives around Birmingham. Without letting her family know that she has gone far beyond their ... | William Trevor is a wonderful writer; but I am now convinced that Atom Egoyan is an even greater filmmaker. When one compares the novel with the film, it is Trevor who suffers.
Felicia is knocked up by a visiting Irish lad who lives around Birmingham. Without letting her family know that she has gone far beyond their ... | [
"Product: vhs\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Epic Sweep, a Cast of Thousands, and Some Great Acting\n\nReview: If for no other reason than his production of GETTYSBURG, Ted Turner deserves to be remembered with thanks by generations of filmgoers to come -- long after everyone has forgotten the flap over colorization.\n... | 14 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 253 |
A2DWSTTDE2UDUK | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "1.0" for a product with description "Condition and protect your favorite pair of Frye® boots from the rain with the Frye Leather Conditioning Cream.
Product packaging has been updated and may appear different from images.
Condition... | Normally I read reviews before purchasing an item, but this time I didn't because I thought, "Well, Frye's a company that takes pride in the quality of its primary product, its boots. If Frye put their name on this product, then I can trust it to be the best waterproofer for Frye boots." Thank goodness I DID read the... | Normally I read reviews before purchasing an item, but this time I didn't because I thought, "Well, Frye's a company that takes pride in the quality of its primary product, its boots. If Frye put their name on this product, then I can trust it to be the best waterproofer for Frye boots." Thank goodness I DID read the... | [
"Product: The Rabbit TV USB gives you access to over 2000 free internet TV stations and over 9000 radio stations! Just plug Rabbit TV in, and turn any computer into the most incredible entertainment system ever! Now you can watch thousands of internet cable TV shows on your computer for free, whenever you want! The... | 49 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 254 |
A225M67ZQPS2C6 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "As long as I can remember, I've made up adventures. I admit the early creative stories featured me riding the range with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and saving the West. What a disappointment to learn... | High Stakes Bride: Men of Stone Mountain is a wonderful western romantic story with very believable well-developed characters. The story begins when Mary Alice Price runs away from her awful stepbrothers who sold her to the meanest man in Texas to pay off their gambling debts. Alice runs into former U.S. Marshall Zach ... | High Stakes Bride: Men of Stone Mountain is a wonderful western romantic story with very believable well-developed characters. The story begins when Mary Alice Price runs away from her awful stepbrothers who sold her to the meanest man in Texas to pay off their gambling debts. Alice runs into former U.S. Marshall Zach ... | [
"Product: L. M. Montgomery was born in Clifton, Prince Edward Island, in 1874. A prolific writer, she published many short stories, poems and novels but she is best known for Anne of Green Gables and its sequels, inspired by the years she spent on the beautiful Prince Edward Island. Montgomery died in Toronto in 19... | 12 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 255 |
A2E5XMD6VDNK6L | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "One size fits most. Durable and made to last season after season. Each animal has a different fun action (each hat sold separately). Made from acrylic and polyester. Spot clean only. Imported.". The... | Got this for my daughter for the winter. I love this hat it is made very well & pretty sturdy. I was impressed with the quality and was a little hesitant because I was not sure what to expect. It is pretty thick in my opinion so it keeps my daughters head warm. It can also fit my head and my Husbands head. My daughter ... | Got this for my daughter for the winter. I love this hat it is made very well & pretty sturdy. I was impressed with the quality and was a little hesitant because I was not sure what to expect. It is pretty thick in my opinion so it keeps my daughters head warm. It can also fit my head and my Husbands head. My daughter ... | [
"Product: Train Whistles Perfect For Party Favors and Stocking Stuffers!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Sounds just like a Choo Choo Train!\n\nReview: Ever hear 8 wooden train whiistles go off all at the same time & continuously going off?Lol my nieces & nephews had a ball with these. We have a few Thomas the Engine fa... | 69 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 256 |
A1OZA52DFY3SHD | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Calvin Klein's Rome 28" Upright is a hardside travel case with a lightweight yet durable exterior. The 8 spinner wheels are guided by the telescopic push button handle. Expandable exterior casing pr... | The Calvin Klein Rome carry on bag is a quality mid-priced hard shell piece of luggage.
This carry on rollerboard is an attractive addition to any luggage collection, but its highly functional too. It doesnt have all the bells and whistles of a high piece, like a Tumi, but it worked well for my two recent flights. F... | The Calvin Klein Rome carry on bag is a quality mid-priced hard shell piece of luggage.
This carry on rollerboard is an attractive addition to any luggage collection, but its highly functional too. It doesnt have all the bells and whistles of a high piece, like a Tumi, but it worked well for my two recent flights. F... | [
"Product: Mic Preamp and USB Audio Interface\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Great sounds from a not-so-stand-alone pre amp\n\nReview: The UH-700 is a fantastic sounding preamp that just misses perfection.\n\nThe UH-700 comes with the main unit, a power cord, a USB cable and a quick start guide. For starters, you'll ne... | 101 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 257 |
A2GL934UT3XENH | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "The officially licensed Turtle Beach Ear Force XL1 is the perfect headset upgrade for Xbox 360 players. With premium 50mm speakers, the XL1 delivers superior audio quality for all your favorite game... | I read on the box that Turtle Beach Ear Force XL1were great for gaming specifically for XBox 360, and also Skype, which I do a lot more. I ordered them and found I no longer had the correct plug ins on the back of my desk top PC (when did they quit using those?) any way, with the help of a 'y' adapter (also sold on Ama... | I read on the box that Turtle Beach Ear Force XL1were great for gaming specifically for XBox 360, and also Skype, which I do a lot more. I ordered them and found I no longer had the correct plug ins on the back of my desk top PC (when did they quit using those?) any way, with the help of a 'y' adapter (also sold on Ama... | [
"Product: The Interplak by Conair Rechargeable Power Toothbrush is proven to remove over 90-percent of plaque. The all-in-one triple-action care provides cleaning, polishing and massaging. 8 Individual bristle tufts spin and conterspin to reduce plaque effectively and extend deep between teeth, while shorter tufts ... | 25 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 258 |
A2PTZUQ4ORZSUQ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Lizzy Ford is the author of the sweet paranormal romance series: "Rhyn Trilogy" and "War of Gods" series; and the young adult fantasy/paranormal trilogies, The Foretold, and Witchling. She has also ... | I won't offer a plot synopsis of this engaging paranormal-erotic full length novel by Lizzie Ford except to say that you need to wrap your head around the various "clans" in play: once done, the rest of the story clicks into place just fine.
Plot-wise, ZR works at two levels. First, there's Zoey's POV (broadly speaki... | I won't offer a plot synopsis of this engaging paranormal-erotic full length novel by Lizzie Ford except to say that you need to wrap your head around the various "clans" in play: once done, the rest of the story clicks into place just fine.
Plot-wise, ZR works at two levels. First, there's Zoey's POV (broadly speaki... | [
"Product: Vintage videotape\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Watchable & curiosity value\n\nReview: Set in the post-war Malayan Emergency and filmed entirely on location this is a very rare beast indeed. I got it from Amazon as a bundle with The Sands of the Kalahari and sat down one afternoon to watch it with entirely ... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 259 |
A29KJ1B32SL5FD | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Golden pothos is a popular house plant well known for its long, trailing stems that can grow to 8 ft (2.4 m) or more. A tree-climber in its native tropical habitat, this plant has aerial roots that ... | I received a very healthy plant nearly identical to the picture of the 4" pot. Green, healthy, alive, and with potential. I received the plant a few days ago and placed it in a 6" planter right away and it looks great. There were MANY roots and they were very long with little soil. They were not dry as the plant was wr... | I received a very healthy plant nearly identical to the picture of the 4" pot. Green, healthy, alive, and with potential. I received the plant a few days ago and placed it in a 6" planter right away and it looks great. There were MANY roots and they were very long with little soil. They were not dry as the plant was wr... | [
"Product: Wooden Coffin Incense Burner - Vines 12\" - Brass Inlays - Storage Compartment\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Great Style Incense Burner - Some Variations from Image - Easy Cleanup\n\nReview: I have always used the ramp style incense burners for many years. Once the ashes build up it is difficult to empty wit... | 32 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 260 |
A680RUE1FDO8B | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "The Case Logic DCB-303 Vertical Flash Camcorder Case is perfect for flash camcorders. Featurees side storage pockets for cables and accessories and internal pocket for additonal memory cards. Should... | I have a lot of Case Logic products, including CD, utility and camera cases. Without exception, each is well designed and well constructed.
This case is no exception.
Designed for compact digital camcorders, it is commodious enough to older Mini DV tape camcorders like the Canon Elura 180.
The case is well designed ... | I have a lot of Case Logic products, including CD, utility and camera cases. Without exception, each is well designed and well constructed.
This case is no exception.
Designed for compact digital camcorders, it is commodious enough to older Mini DV tape camcorders like the Canon Elura 180.
The case is well designed ... | [
"Product: Develop and strengthen hands, fingers, wrists and forearms with a few simple, do-anywhere squeezing exercises. Latex-free balls come in a set of three resistance levels, so you can gradually build strength and stamina to achieve a stringer grip. Xerciser balls can be heated or chilled for different applic... | 200 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 261 |
A3GN2VVEGMBTXO | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Karey is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Final... | Lydia went to North Carolina to have an adventure. But it did not turn out how she planned it. At the airport her luck changes and she meets Blake. As they are waiting for the flight to Denver it gets canceled and they decide to have a little adventure. It includes hunting down an old friend of Blakes grandfather. Ly... | Lydia went to North Carolina to have an adventure. But it did not turn out how she planned it. At the airport her luck changes and she meets Blake. As they are waiting for the flight to Denver it gets canceled and they decide to have a little adventure. It includes hunting down an old friend of Blakes grandfather. Ly... | [
"Product: Working for the National Park Service has given Kim and her husband the opportunity to work and live in Grand Teton, Hawaii Volcanoes, Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, and Wind Cave national parks, and on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi. Residing amid some of Americas most stunning landscap... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 262 |
A3NUTPYMMT2Q16 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Sensodyne True White Extra Fresh Toothpaste - 3 oz (3 Pack) Packaging may vary". The summary of the review text is "If you love your smile to sparkle than this is the stuff!!!!". | Ok, Ok sure there are a whole lot of whitening toothpastes out there but here's the thing about this brand. If you use bleaching trays like I do, you often have to battle the dreaded tooth sensitivity issue, yes...you know I am right. The super thing about this toothpaste is that if you use it between whitening tray tr... | Ok, Ok sure there are a whole lot of whitening toothpastes out there but here's the thing about this brand. If you use bleaching trays like I do, you often have to battle the dreaded tooth sensitivity issue, yes...you know I am right. The super thing about this toothpaste is that if you use it between whitening tray tr... | [
"Product: This premium quality peacock print scarf is a great addition to your collection of fashion accessories. Unique and pretty pattern, Soft to touch and comfortable to wear, trendy and versatile, thin and lightweight. Wide enough to be used as a scarf or a shawl / warp. Perfect for all seasons. Brings you sim... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 263 |
A357EQO27VKAF | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Jiffy 10 Quart Seed Starting Mix". The summary of the review text is "the nature of the beast". | To all of you who found it hard to wet: that is the nature of peat. The point of peat is that it retains moisture so that your pots don't dry out too fast. But starting from a dry mix, the peat will resist getting wet. What I do is pour the seed starting mix into a bucket or other container, add water, and work wit... | To all of you who found it hard to wet: that is the nature of peat. The point of peat is that it retains moisture so that your pots don't dry out too fast. But starting from a dry mix, the peat will resist getting wet. What I do is pour the seed starting mix into a bucket or other container, add water, and work wit... | [
"Product: Keeping the standard for clean set on high, with the Hoover Windtunnel Multi-Cyclonic Bagless Canister you have a great all-around vacuum for a thorough floor-to-ceiling clean. A canister vacuum is ideal if you have a higher ratio of hard flooring in your home. Designed with a detachable telescopic wand a... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 264 |
ABZVP5553IQIF | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Nancy Haviland is an award-winning, bestselling romantic suspense author who writes about her possessive alpha males and their obsessively loved women from her home in Southwestern Ontario. Her grea... | Lucian Fane has just lost his brother. His conscience. The one he had sworn he would always protect. And now his demons demand vengeance and the city to drown in blood. Knowing that he will destroy everything in his path, guilty or innocent, Lucian tries to get the madness in his head under control and focus his wrath ... | Lucian Fane has just lost his brother. His conscience. The one he had sworn he would always protect. And now his demons demand vengeance and the city to drown in blood. Knowing that he will destroy everything in his path, guilty or innocent, Lucian tries to get the madness in his head under control and focus his wrath ... | [
"Product: Please Read Notes: Brand New, International Softcover Edition, Printed in black and white pages, minor self wear on the cover or pages, Sale restriction may be printed on the book, but Book name, contents, and author are exactly same as Hardcover Edition. Fast delivery through DHL/FedEx express.\n\nRating... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 265 |
A3V15SFD7918WZ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Deluxe Moving Boxesare printed with This Side Up Arrows and feature convenient check boxes for In-House room destinations. Enjoy this product and more from the Packaging Wholesalers.". The summary... | This is a corrugated cardboard box. Each one costs a little over $2.50 a box. It's made of decent material (thick corrugations, though single and not doubled). The size is convenient for things that aren't too dense (so choose something else for items like books, dishes, etc; this box would be better for lighter things... | This is a corrugated cardboard box. Each one costs a little over $2.50 a box. It's made of decent material (thick corrugations, though single and not doubled). The size is convenient for things that aren't too dense (so choose something else for items like books, dishes, etc; this box would be better for lighter things... | [
"Product: Boiron was founded in 1932 in Lyon, France, by twin brothers and pharmacists Jean and Henri Boiron. As the world leader in homeopathic medicines, Boiron is a $852 million public company with 3,700 employees and distribution in 59 countries. It is best known for Oscillococcinum, a top-selling flu medicine,... | 85 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 266 |
A2M6B16568F7KH | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "SeagateBackup Plus Desktop drives are available in capacities up to 8TB and come with a USB 3.0 hub option. With cross-platform compatibility, exceptional reliability and speed, you can back up just... | My husband and I have talked multiple times about getting an external hard drive. This one arrived unfortunately a few days after our main PC died. I hooked this up to my laptop since I have the family pics saved there. I am also the volunteer treasurer for a non-profit so it makes me feel better to have this extra bac... | My husband and I have talked multiple times about getting an external hard drive. This one arrived unfortunately a few days after our main PC died. I hooked this up to my laptop since I have the family pics saved there. I am also the volunteer treasurer for a non-profit so it makes me feel better to have this extra bac... | [
"Product: Guild Wars 2\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: my 19 yo son really liked this game\n\nReview: I've had trouble getting into MMO's in the past, partially because they've all spent the last eight years playing catch-up to World of Warcraft, with few trying to deviate from its continued use of grinding to pad time.... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 267 |
A156BJH0EQUOJQ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Becca Andre lives in southern Ohio with her husband, two children, and an elderly Jack Russell Terrier. A love of science and math (yes, shes weird like that), led to a career as a chemist where she... | I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written, the characters were very believable and the world building was brilliant. There was a lot of action and it was a fast paced plot. The relationship dynamic between Addie and Rowan was a fiery temperament, antagonistic and witty. Thankfully no insta-love in this st... | I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well written, the characters were very believable and the world building was brilliant. There was a lot of action and it was a fast paced plot. The relationship dynamic between Addie and Rowan was a fiery temperament, antagonistic and witty. Thankfully no insta-love in this st... | [
"Product: hi ladies we have this beautiful pink with delicate black embroidery , we have it in the larger cup sizes . At the back it has the 3 deep and 3 in hook and eye size adjusters , it has the slightly wider straps which give additional support . Also the straps are adjustable so you choose which size is best ... | 6 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 268 |
AZMOM619PTO5B | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Friends go trick-or-treating on halloween while dressed up in costumes. They are approaching a spooky house with creepy decorations and a black cat. Friends on Halloween 1000 pc Jigsaw Puzzle - Fini... | all the pieces were included, the quality was fair... there were a few bent ends and some dangling 'chads'...
the bad: this is one of the wierdest puzzles i have done... there is only 'one' shape used through the body of the puzzle... '2' knob pieces... the edge has a few one knob pieces... because almost 25% of the ... | all the pieces were included, the quality was fair... there were a few bent ends and some dangling 'chads'...
the bad: this is one of the wierdest puzzles i have done... there is only 'one' shape used through the body of the puzzle... '2' knob pieces... the edge has a few one knob pieces... because almost 25% of the ... | [
"Product: Nothing warms the soul and soothes the spirit like a bright crackling fire on a cool night. With soothing scenery and calming music, HD Moods Fireplace will help you relax and unwind from a hectic day. Featuring a crackling natural wood fireplace, it s perfect for people who want to bring a colorful sprin... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 269 |
A14L2638XC00EZ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Wellness TruFood Baked Blends Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food is healthy, natural potato free, wheat free and grain free puppy food for puppies made with a unique trilogy blend of whole-prey protein... | A little over a year ago, I signed up with our animal shelter to foster a mother cat with a litter of five newborn kittens. The plan was to choose one to adopt and return the others to the shelter when they were old enough to adopt. You probably can guess how that story ended: We were able to find homes for two of t... | A little over a year ago, I signed up with our animal shelter to foster a mother cat with a litter of five newborn kittens. The plan was to choose one to adopt and return the others to the shelter when they were old enough to adopt. You probably can guess how that story ended: We were able to find homes for two of t... | [
"Product: Designed to be as easy to use as your manual, while delivering superior results and a better experience. With more brush strokes in a day than your manual in a month, PowerUp removes more plaque, helps reduce cavities and improve gum health.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Gets the job done, and good for those... | 52 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 270 |
A36L9WIM7WM5IG | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "All it takes is a press of a button to get delicious results with the Hamilton Beach Wave Power Blender. Built with the patented Wave-Action system, this blender works to continuously pull the mixtu... | My last blender was an old Waring push-button in Harvest Gold, so I was really looking forward to using the new replacement. Right out of the box, it's a larger blender, and while the various parts seem substantial, the light weight plastic they are made from doesn;t inspire confidence. Also as a result of this, the co... | My last blender was an old Waring push-button in Harvest Gold, so I was really looking forward to using the new replacement. Right out of the box, it's a larger blender, and while the various parts seem substantial, the light weight plastic they are made from doesn;t inspire confidence. Also as a result of this, the co... | [
"Product: Combine your creativity with the unparalleled power of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X8 to design graphics and layouts, edit photos, and create websites. With advanced support for Windows 10, multi-monitor viewing and 4K displays, the suite lets first-time users, graphics pros, small business owners and design... | 22 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 271 |
A3GXIIUS36J8MC | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Debra is a native New Yorker who made her escape to the suburbs. She often returns to her hometown to visit her favorite deli for a bagel with butter, because theres no better bagel than a New York ... | Finding Us by Debra Presley was a great and fast read that I devoured in one session. It looks like we will be getting a good new series with Nucci Securities. And imagine my surprise when I saw this is ONLY her debut novel, well lets say I hope we will see more interesting novels from her. Her writing is fluent, flawl... | Finding Us by Debra Presley was a great and fast read that I devoured in one session. It looks like we will be getting a good new series with Nucci Securities. And imagine my surprise when I saw this is ONLY her debut novel, well lets say I hope we will see more interesting novels from her. Her writing is fluent, flawl... | [
"Product: Jane Harvey-Berrick writes thoughtful, life-affirming romances for mature audiences.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: ...it should also be understood as a lesson not to judge\n\nReview: Lets talk about expectations\n\nWhen you hear that an author whos previous books you liked - and I mean REALLY liked - release... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 272 |
A1Y78WGTPIN9YV | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Quick Shipping !!! New And Sealed !!! This Disc WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. A multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is request to view it in USA/Canada. Please Review Description.". The summ... | I am a fan of the 3 first shopaholic books (after that they get redundant w/ Becky never really learning to stop spending so dang much). Sophia Kinsella's Rebecca "Becky" Bloomwood is a comedic take on a woman with an obsessive need to buy designer clothes. This of course puts her into a crazy amount of debt to credito... | I am a fan of the 3 first shopaholic books (after that they get redundant w/ Becky never really learning to stop spending so dang much). Sophia Kinsella's Rebecca "Becky" Bloomwood is a comedic take on a woman with an obsessive need to buy designer clothes. This of course puts her into a crazy amount of debt to credito... | [
"Product: Two talented son-and-dance men (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas\n\nReview: A beautiful classic Christmas movie. Love the songs, acting and the plot of the movie. This is a s... | 14 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 273 |
A2SW2UJAJBWQYS | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country, is a former schoolteacher, an accomplished musician, and an award-winning author of more than eighty books, many of which have appeared on bestse... | While this book in no way is as good as some of Ms. Lewis' earlier works, I have to say that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. I've read several reviews that practically bashed it, saying that it's too depressing, that there are too many characters to follow, that there are loose... | While this book in no way is as good as some of Ms. Lewis' earlier works, I have to say that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. I've read several reviews that practically bashed it, saying that it's too depressing, that there are too many characters to follow, that there are loose... | [
"Product: I just couldnt design a cookware line without adding a collection of beautiful oven-to-table stoneware. Theyre essential for some of my favorite recipes, like sweet and savory pies, quick breads and meatloaf, and of course, casseroles galore. I like how they look and feel just like hand-thrown pottery, an... | 5 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 274 |
A2HW6URUDFZ0Z9 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "King for a Day Fool for a Lifetime [Audio CD] FAITH NO MORE". The summary of the review text is "It's Grown On Me...". | When I first got K4AD, F4AL I was disappointed. The best songs were the ones off of Who Cares A Lot?, them being "Digging The Grave"(my favorite on the CD), "The Gentle Art Of Making Enemies", and "Evidence." This was probably 'cause I got this a month or two after Angel Dust, which was a masterpiece. I had high expect... | When I first got K4AD, F4AL I was disappointed. The best songs were the ones off of Who Cares A Lot?, them being "Digging The Grave"(my favorite on the CD), "The Gentle Art Of Making Enemies", and "Evidence." This was probably 'cause I got this a month or two after Angel Dust, which was a masterpiece. I had high expect... | [
"Product: Their finest hour ... essential modern brutality!!\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: \"You Tell A Thousand Lies, Been Told A Thousand Times...\"\n\nReview: Lyrics. One major thing I look for in good metal are lyrics. One of the things that drew me here, but I'll address that later... Many have called this album ... | 17 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 275 |
AJRZ98VIOES0U | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Gary Shore directs and Luke Evans stars in this fantasy horror origin story. The film follows Vlad Tepes (Evans) and his struggle to protect his family and his people from the malevolent Ottoman sul... | I have to admit, I didn't think I would watch Dracula Untold and end up liking it. The previews were boring as hell. Luke Evans didn't seem like he had the talent to hold this project together. The MPAA slapped this with a PG-13 rating... Or was it director Gary Shore trying to reach a wider audience during the film's ... | I have to admit, I didn't think I would watch Dracula Untold and end up liking it. The previews were boring as hell. Luke Evans didn't seem like he had the talent to hold this project together. The MPAA slapped this with a PG-13 rating... Or was it director Gary Shore trying to reach a wider audience during the film's ... | [
"Product: Meister MMA's CarryAll Convertible Backpack Duffel Bag is the perfect bag to carry all your gear comfortably. It can be carried as a duffel or worn as a backpack, as the backpack straps can be used or tucked away in seconds. The bag is made of the same strong fabric used in motorcycle protective gear. Thi... | 23 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 276 |
A1G16X40H9MPYA | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Glenys Nellist was born and raised in a little village in northern England. The author of fifteen titles, including two popular book series: Love Letters from God and Snuggle Time, her writing refle... | If you have young children, you're aware of how excited they are when the mailwoman stops and there is a letter for them. In Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girls Heart (Zonderkidz, 2107) by Glenys Nellist (illustrated by Rachel Clowes), there are over a dozen letters to your girl.
The book is made up of s... | If you have young children, you're aware of how excited they are when the mailwoman stops and there is a letter for them. In Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girls Heart (Zonderkidz, 2107) by Glenys Nellist (illustrated by Rachel Clowes), there are over a dozen letters to your girl.
The book is made up of s... | [
"Product: Mirabelle and her traveling family band, the Veggie Tones, are determined to make their next gig at Vegetable Square Garden. On their journey, a fierce winter snowstorm hits, and the family gets stuck at a run-down resort! Mr. Beet, the grumpy manager, makes them sing - and clean - for their supper. Why i... | 6 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 277 |
A3TD7HLTDWZ382 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Avatar is the story of ex-Marine Jake, a paraplegic war veteran, who finds himself thrust into hostilities on a distant planet filled with exotic life forms, Pandora. As an Avatar, a human conscious... | Don't get me wrong, I liked Avatar. It's a "good" movie and the Blu-Ray transfer is absolutely gorgeous, the best looking Blu-Ray by far in my collection. The screen resolution is so sharp and colorful it will make your eyes bleed.
What I don't get is the Avatar hype. Like I said, I think Avatar is a "good" movie w... | Don't get me wrong, I liked Avatar. It's a "good" movie and the Blu-Ray transfer is absolutely gorgeous, the best looking Blu-Ray by far in my collection. The screen resolution is so sharp and colorful it will make your eyes bleed.
What I don't get is the Avatar hype. Like I said, I think Avatar is a "good" movie w... | [
"Product: Transformers Wii\n\nRating: 1.0\n\nSummary: Disapointing as the movie upon which it's based\n\nReview: I rented this game and played as both an autobot and a decepticon for a mission or two. This was enough to occupy my time for roughly 20 minutes. By then, I was already completely bored with the game. ... | 23 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 278 |
AK8UX6Y8KBH2S | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Men classed Claudius as a pitiful fool. Reluctantly launched into the purple, he emerges as a man who erred on the side of good nature and credulity.". The summary of the review text is "A cynical a... | This novel, like its antecedent I, Claudius, will mesmerize those who love classical history, although casual readers may find it tedious. The two works together form a fictional autobiography of the Roman emperor Claudius, who - at least in this literary incarnation - is both an astute observer of first century Roman... | This novel, like its antecedent I, Claudius, will mesmerize those who love classical history, although casual readers may find it tedious. The two works together form a fictional autobiography of the Roman emperor Claudius, who - at least in this literary incarnation - is both an astute observer of first century Roman... | [
"Product: Stylish reissue of a classic first published in the 1970s: Hunter S Thompson's ether-fuelled, savage journey to the heart of the American Dream. 'We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold! And suddenly there was a terrible roar all around us and the sky w... | 8 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 279 |
A1Z26XII4FV1EY | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "slightly used yellowing pages shelf worn". The summary of the review text is "Tell the story so no one ever forgets". | I had read other books about the Holocaust, but never Night, Elie Wiesels memoir about being sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland during World War II. The New York Times calls it a slim volume of terrifying power and I couldn't agree more.
In 1944, Wiesel was deported by the Germans from his town of Sig... | I had read other books about the Holocaust, but never Night, Elie Wiesels memoir about being sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland during World War II. The New York Times calls it a slim volume of terrifying power and I couldn't agree more.
In 1944, Wiesel was deported by the Germans from his town of Sig... | [
"Product: Illus. in color. An allergy to roses causes this city horse many problems until, one time, his sneezes save the day.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: A Big KERCHOO Saves the Day!\n\nReview: Heres another book I remember from long ago and this ones also about a horse, a farm and a city. Robert the horse is alle... | 9 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 280 |
A3UH8APHKYPTVU | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Brenna Aubrey is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of contemporary romance stories that center on geek culture. She has always sought comfort in good books and the long, involved stories she weaves in ... | This is a difficult book to review. There wasn't a whole lot of action or things happening in this book, but there was a deep introspection and soul-baring look into what was going on in Mia's and Adam's heads and hearts. Whereas in the second book, At Any Turn, I wanted to whack Mia upside the head a few times, in th... | This is a difficult book to review. There wasn't a whole lot of action or things happening in this book, but there was a deep introspection and soul-baring look into what was going on in Mia's and Adam's heads and hearts. Whereas in the second book, At Any Turn, I wanted to whack Mia upside the head a few times, in th... | [
"Product: C. J. DARLINGTON is the award-winning author of the Thicker than Blood series. She has also written Jupiter Winds, the first book in a teen space adventure series. C. J. makes her home in Pennsylvania with her family, dogs, and a Paint mare named Sky.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Okay, but could have been b... | 11 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 281 |
A3U2P99WZMO6TV | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "The 1229 from Hauppauge is a HVR-2255 Media Center Kit Bundle. It is a PCIe TV Tuner board with dual (two) hybrid tuners. Both tuners have analog and digital reception that allows recording of two c... | **** UPDATED 2-12-2012 ****
I bought this Hauppauge 2250 card in 2010, and had nothing but trouble with the drivers available then (see original review text below). So I gave it a 2-star review and put it on the shelf where it has sat for two years.
Here we are in 2012, and I recently built a new machine. Saw the 22... | **** UPDATED 2-12-2012 ****
I bought this Hauppauge 2250 card in 2010, and had nothing but trouble with the drivers available then (see original review text below). So I gave it a 2-star review and put it on the shelf where it has sat for two years.
Here we are in 2012, and I recently built a new machine. Saw the 22... | [
"Product: LOGITECH G35 PC/GAMING HEADSETS\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Great Sound but some significant flaws\n\nReview: There is a lot to like about this headset. Unfortunately, there are significant flaws as well.\n\nThe overall design is very nice, with an easy-to-use volume control, 3 programmable keys, a fold-d... | 17 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 282 |
A72QUL7C44DL6 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Arm your dogs with our first new design of the reflective neoprene dog harness in FLUORESCENT colors! This is the editor's pick for the breezy Spring & Summer time, which represents Blueberry Pet's ... | The Blueberry padded dog harness vest is a great product! This harness comes in three different sizes and four different colors; sizes available are s/s, s/m, and m/m, the colors available are: green, orange, yellow, and pink. I always like a variety of colors so this is a plus for me. The harness have a nice neoprene... | The Blueberry padded dog harness vest is a great product! This harness comes in three different sizes and four different colors; sizes available are s/s, s/m, and m/m, the colors available are: green, orange, yellow, and pink. I always like a variety of colors so this is a plus for me. The harness have a nice neoprene... | [
"Product: A classic. You'll reach for it every time the wind gets blustery and the temperatures drop. Not only warm, but comfortable, too. Our acrylic watch hat is made of stretchable, 100% acrylic rib-knit fabric for warmth and comfort.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Keep your head warm this winter and look great at t... | 8 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 283 |
A2WEH6H5AGO94E | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of classic albums from 1972 that are available for the first time on CD. Both albums were produced by Billy Sherrill and feature background vocals by T... | From "Bedtime Story" (1972) - #7 country/ #133 pop LP
- "Bedtime Story" (1972) - #1 country/ #86 pop single
- "Reach Out Your Hand" (1972) - #2 country
From "My Man" ('72-73) - #2 country LP
- "Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)" (1971) - #1 country/ #111 pop single
- "My Man" (1972) - #1 country
- "'Til I Get it Right" (1... | From "Bedtime Story" (1972) - #7 country/ #133 pop LP
- "Bedtime Story" (1972) - #1 country/ #86 pop single
- "Reach Out Your Hand" (1972) - #2 country
From "My Man" ('72-73) - #2 country LP
- "Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)" (1971) - #1 country/ #111 pop single
- "My Man" (1972) - #1 country
- "'Til I Get it Right" (1... | [
"Product: Brilliant cinematography, an imaginative screenplay, haunting ballads, and splendid acting combine in this enchanting fantasy based on French legend. The Devil sends two envoys to Earth in the form of a minstrel couple to wreak anarchy on hapless mortals. Much to the Devil's dismay, instead of corrupting ... | 97 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 284 |
A29N66WIWNN8JK | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Add instant style to your home decor with this gorgeous Woodbridge braided rug. Crafted from durable wool, this beautiful rug features a geometric pattern in rich colors.". The summary of the review... | I found this at an awesome deal in the Amazon Outlet section. This is a lighter weight braided rug, but it is a very pretty one, especially in the greens/sage color that I chose. The rug has held up to repeated vacuuming and lots of foot traffic quite well with no fraying, loose threads or any other defect. However, be... | I found this at an awesome deal in the Amazon Outlet section. This is a lighter weight braided rug, but it is a very pretty one, especially in the greens/sage color that I chose. The rug has held up to repeated vacuuming and lots of foot traffic quite well with no fraying, loose threads or any other defect. However, be... | [
"Product: Jam on and on (and on) with the same premium acoustic guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string. This protects not only the outer string surface but also th... | 57 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 285 |
A1NQUEOEMM92V3 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Experience the Eureka AirSpeed Pro All Surface Rewind. Proven powercleans carpets better than the No.1 selling bagless upright. Unlike most other vacuums, AirSpeed Pro All Surface Rewind has two wid... | This Eureka upright vacuum is replacing my faithful Oreck of over twenty years. The new machine is plastic and has a cheap feel; a part snapped off during installation. Compared to the Oreck, its also rather heavy: 20 lbs. compared to less than 8 for the Oreck, a fact which makes it much more difficult for this senior ... | This Eureka upright vacuum is replacing my faithful Oreck of over twenty years. The new machine is plastic and has a cheap feel; a part snapped off during installation. Compared to the Oreck, its also rather heavy: 20 lbs. compared to less than 8 for the Oreck, a fact which makes it much more difficult for this senior ... | [
"Product: The Rachael Ray Porcelain II Cookware Collection offers performance, fun colors and solid construction and this stylish and functional 12-Piece Cookware Set has the essential shapes and sizes needed in any kitchen, including a pair of handy baking sheets. The sturdy materials of both the cookware and bake... | 11 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 286 |
AKMJJES6FE2M5 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "On the frontlines there is but onemandment...thou shalt killProduct InformationWarhammer 40000: Dawn of War follows the exploits of the Blood Ravens a SpaceMarine chapter whose past is shrouded in m... | I am a fan of real-time strategy (RTS) games and have played most of the major ones that have come out over the past several years, such as Age of Empires, Empire Earth, Warcraft, and Rise of Nations. However, there is something very special about this one. Most RTS games have you sparring with your opponent(s) until... | I am a fan of real-time strategy (RTS) games and have played most of the major ones that have come out over the past several years, such as Age of Empires, Empire Earth, Warcraft, and Rise of Nations. However, there is something very special about this one. Most RTS games have you sparring with your opponent(s) until... | [
"Product: PC GAMER the #1 PC games magazine. The lastest game reviews, gaming news, tips, tricks and strategies to get the most out of your computer gaming experience.\n\nRating: 4.0\n\nSummary: Caters directly to the PC gamers out there\n\nReview: I really like this magazine and have subscribed for the past 3 year... | 21 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 287 |
A3CDDTHIN6RBZ4 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Shoot music videos at the LEGO Friends Pop Star TV Studio with the film camera and clapper board. There are sliding backgrounds and various props to create the best set. Reverse the stage to film Li... | 4/5 overall
4/5 building experience
5/5 parts
4/5 playability
4/5 value for money
This set had a lot of good parts and looked good as a whole.
The plate is sturdier than a baseplate. Its bottom pattern is different from smaller plates, probably to manage the size.
I particularly liked the spotlights. The black stick... | 4/5 overall
4/5 building experience
5/5 parts
4/5 playability
4/5 value for money
This set had a lot of good parts and looked good as a whole.
The plate is sturdier than a baseplate. Its bottom pattern is different from smaller plates, probably to manage the size.
I particularly liked the spotlights. The black stick... | [
"Product: 100% GUARANTEE!. We sell used movies from our DVD rental kiosk, every movie is visually inspected and buffed with a commercial DVD buffer before shipping if needed. We do not include any Ultra Violet codes, digital copy codes, or the 2nd extras disk. Movie may not be in original case, but will be in a ... | 19 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 288 |
AROSU3CGT54JU | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "In May 2012 Anathema released WEATHER SYSTEMS, the most acclaimed and successful album of a career that has spanned over two decades. The album scored high in numerous critics end of year polls arou... | One of my favorite concert DVDs of all time! I bought "Universal" at the gig I attended during Anathema's recent North American tour (September 2013) and watched the following night - and felt as though I'd been transported back to the show. Of course, the "Universal" concert is no ordinary Anathema gig. This nearly 2 ... | One of my favorite concert DVDs of all time! I bought "Universal" at the gig I attended during Anathema's recent North American tour (September 2013) and watched the following night - and felt as though I'd been transported back to the show. Of course, the "Universal" concert is no ordinary Anathema gig. This nearly 2 ... | [
"Product: 2013 album from Dutch singer, songwriter and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen AKA Ayreon. The genius progressive metal artist will release a new album under the title of his Ayreon project. a release date wasn't announced yet, thought on October 2012 Arjen Anthony Lucassen said it will probably take a year... | 18 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 289 |
A2RWHTNM5P3I8Y | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "The Tommy Hilfiger brand has become a symbol of the all-American spirit and continues to be regarded as one of the most recognized global lifestyle brands. The Tommy Hilfiger handbag collection is f... | This is a solidly made bag out of good, but not great leather. The bag with the handle fits comfortable under the arm for carrying securely. The size is exactly perfect for someone who wants to carry a 10 inch ipad in their purse (I tested it). There is a pocket in the size that fits the current generation of oversi... | This is a solidly made bag out of good, but not great leather. The bag with the handle fits comfortable under the arm for carrying securely. The size is exactly perfect for someone who wants to carry a 10 inch ipad in their purse (I tested it). There is a pocket in the size that fits the current generation of oversi... | [
"Product: The ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Acoustic is the most lightweight and compact pro-quality 2-channel acoustic guitar/vocal amp on the market today. Players frequently comment that the Lunchbox Acoustic is \"the most natural sounding acoustic amp\" they have ever used. ZT Amplifiers went to great effort to achiev... | 35 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 290 |
AK3A8J7RTCKOL | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "Stroll around in comfort by making a stylish fashion statement with these Clarks Collection Evianna Peal womens loafers. The classic slip on design of these loafers has been interestingly enhanced b... | I'm so disappointed. I have a pair of Clarks shoes that are the same size and fit entirely differently, and did from the start. Those Clarks are SOOO comfortable, I just look forward to slipping my feet into them. These shoes are not even close to comfortable. These are just not as wide or as big as the other 9.5 Cla... | I'm so disappointed. I have a pair of Clarks shoes that are the same size and fit entirely differently, and did from the start. Those Clarks are SOOO comfortable, I just look forward to slipping my feet into them. These shoes are not even close to comfortable. These are just not as wide or as big as the other 9.5 Cla... | [
"Product: Suet Log with Perches (Set of 1)\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: Squirrels seem to love it....but couldn't lure in the birds.\n\nReview: I had to return this. Sadly, I used the very same suet the birds ate at another feeder but I could not get them to come to this feeder. I suspect it was because I live in t... | 41 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 291 |
A1WTYALNQNQG99 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Winner Grand Prize, Documentary - Cinequest Film Festival Celesta Davis has been on both Oprah and Primetime Live to talk about Awful Normal Celesta and Karen Davis grew up in a loving family. They ... | I normally don't address opinions put forth by other reviewers -- and when I do, I try to do so with respect and tolerance, which is the spirit in which I'm writing this.
The review below labels this with a 'yawn', and found it boring and pointless...? Anyone whose life has even been touched by sexual abuse -- either... | I normally don't address opinions put forth by other reviewers -- and when I do, I try to do so with respect and tolerance, which is the spirit in which I'm writing this.
The review below labels this with a 'yawn', and found it boring and pointless...? Anyone whose life has even been touched by sexual abuse -- either... | [
"Product: lllpo\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: IS ALL OF THIS TAMPERING REALLY NECESSARY...?\n\nReview: To start with, I have to say that if you haven't seen this film, PLEASE read William Trevor's novel first. You must experience Trevor's luminous writing before enduring what Atom Egoyan has done to it.\nThat being s... | 32 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 292 |
ARMD5LRBY9NSC | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Danielle Bourdon was born and raised in Corona, California. This is her second novel and first co-authored project. She lives in Texas with her husband, two sons, and their black cat Sheba.". The su... | This is a typical paranormal vampire/human romance in that the main protagonist is a human who falls in love with a vampire. But it is less than typical when the romance leads to time travel and King Henry's Court. The difference made it interesting and gave a new twist on what could have been a tired story.
Laurel is... | This is a typical paranormal vampire/human romance in that the main protagonist is a human who falls in love with a vampire. But it is less than typical when the romance leads to time travel and King Henry's Court. The difference made it interesting and gave a new twist on what could have been a tired story.
Laurel is... | [
"Product: Christina Larmer is a journalist, magazine editor and author of nine books including An Island Lost, A Plot To Die For (second in the Ghostwriter Mystery series), The Agatha Christie Book Club, and the non-fiction book A Measure of Papua New Guinea (Focus; 2008). She grew up in the tropics and spent sever... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 293 |
A247M2SSLKTSHY | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "Katie Penryn spent a happy and somewhat wild childhood on the East African coast during the fifties and sixties. Her father worked for the British High Commission and her mother ran a dairy farm up ... | I'm a bit torn in trying to review this book. If it were possible to award it 3 1/2 or 3/4 stars, I'd do so. At the beginning I found myself liking the book very much indeed, despite the deplorably cutesy cover art. (A photograph of the coast of France would have been so much more appropriate to the story!) The n... | I'm a bit torn in trying to review this book. If it were possible to award it 3 1/2 or 3/4 stars, I'd do so. At the beginning I found myself liking the book very much indeed, despite the deplorably cutesy cover art. (A photograph of the coast of France would have been so much more appropriate to the story!) The n... | [
"Product: This item includes the Savannah Sofabed solid hardwood frame only. (if you want a mattress and cover you will need to order them separately). THREE POSITIONS - Our unique design allows the sofa to be easily adjusted from fully upright to a comfortably reclined position. When you are ready for bed, nothing... | 7 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 294 |
A2GGJD57YJ63CQ | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "Talia Hunter is the author of the Rich List Series, pairing whip-smart heroines with the heroes who deserve them. Her motto is, if you arent laughing, you arent doing it right. Shes a city girl whos... | Lacey Gibson has lived at the Baxter her entire life, no matter that it is crumbling around her, it is her home and nothing can convince her to move.
Bronson Reyne has big plans for the Baxter, but renovating it is not one of them. After meeting Lacey he is pulled into a winner takes all bet in which he has to prove h... | Lacey Gibson has lived at the Baxter her entire life, no matter that it is crumbling around her, it is her home and nothing can convince her to move.
Bronson Reyne has big plans for the Baxter, but renovating it is not one of them. After meeting Lacey he is pulled into a winner takes all bet in which he has to prove h... | [
"Product: Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 295 |
A1HWMU2XORHEI4 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "4.0" for a product with description "The Best Day, Thurston Moore?s first solo record since 2010?s Demolished Thoughts, radiates with both his signature dynamism of dense thrashing electric guitars as well as blissful 12-string acousti... | So if we were keeping score(which I am), then Kim Gordon was whipping Thurston Moore in regards to the quality of post-breakup records. Her Body/Head album from last year was miles ahead of Moore's mediocre Chelsea Light Moving album that came out last year as well. She made an album that was just as much a performance... | So if we were keeping score(which I am), then Kim Gordon was whipping Thurston Moore in regards to the quality of post-breakup records. Her Body/Head album from last year was miles ahead of Moore's mediocre Chelsea Light Moving album that came out last year as well. She made an album that was just as much a performance... | [
"Product: Ultra slim, new mid size design, progressive scan, JPEG, MP3 playback, multi disc resume, multi brand TV remote, energy Star.Connection: 1 x component video output ( RCA Phono x 3 ) - rear, 1 x composite video output ( RCA Phono ) - rear, 1 x digital audio output (coaxial) ( RCA Phono ) rear.What's in the... | 36 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 296 |
A3N2GP1TNKGD2C | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "2.0" for a product with description "The Revd Dr David Instone-Brewer is Senior Research Fellow and Technical Officer at Tyndale House, Cambridge. A Baptist minister, his hobby is computer programming. A rabbinic scholar, he is author ... | <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Jesus-Scandals-Why-He-Shocked-His-Contemporaries-and-Still-Shocks-Today/dp/0857210238/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Jesus Scandals: Why He Shocked His Contemporaries (and Still Shocks Today)</a>by David Instone-Brewer is written in a lively, bol... | <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Jesus-Scandals-Why-He-Shocked-His-Contemporaries-and-Still-Shocks-Today/dp/0857210238/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Jesus Scandals: Why He Shocked His Contemporaries (and Still Shocks Today)</a>by David Instone-Brewer is written in a lively, bol... | [
"Product: Arnold Ytreeide is a fine storyteller who cares deeply about spiritual growth in families. Ytreeide is the founder of Storyteller Productions and lives with his wife and two children in Nampa, Idaho.\n\nRating: 5.0\n\nSummary: Wonderful Family Advent Book!\n\nReview: Ishtar's Odyssey: A Family Story for A... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 297 |
A24PMY25BH3X5T | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "5.0" for a product with description "Violet James, MSM is an entrepreneur, marketing and business manager, award-winning web designer, and artist. She has over 20 years experience in business consulting, marketing and management. She i... | If you desire to start a business this is a great resource to begin where you will gain a perspective of the necessary things to consider. With an abundance of websites Violet James offers, this inexpensive e-book will avail you to make considerations before, during, and after your business gets underway. Some of the... | If you desire to start a business this is a great resource to begin where you will gain a perspective of the necessary things to consider. With an abundance of websites Violet James offers, this inexpensive e-book will avail you to make considerations before, during, and after your business gets underway. Some of the... | [
"Product: A book of hope that leads readers beyond the frustration and guilt of trying to please others to the charming, liberating grace of God. For the growing number of people who feel that life should be more than grim-faced religion, this book offers a glorious alternative--the truth that sets us free. Swindol... | 16 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 298 |
A963RX20PGRO8 | Generate the review text written by a reviewer who has a given an overall rating of "3.0" for a product with description "BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.". The summary of the review text is "Call of the Wild - love conquers all". | A classic children's book - or is it? Sheila Burnford (1918-84) has said she never wrote it to be a children's book, and indeed it's written in a very realistic manner - no talking animals here. The main theme is loyalty - pet loyalty to their masters, to one another, and human loyalty to animals. It's all very sacchar... | A classic children's book - or is it? Sheila Burnford (1918-84) has said she never wrote it to be a children's book, and indeed it's written in a very realistic manner - no talking animals here. The main theme is loyalty - pet loyalty to their masters, to one another, and human loyalty to animals. It's all very sacchar... | [
"Product: 224pages. in8. Broch.\n\nRating: 3.0\n\nSummary: A Year in Provence\n\nReview: Mayle's vision of Provence is mostly fantasy. It's true, the details of food and weather and habits are accurate, but it rings of 19th century English colonial patriarchy. The French \"peasants\" are portrayed like happy go luc... | 4 | longlamp_3 | user_based | 299 |
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