CD-Charts Position 1

Life & Works of Verdi

Search: Trials
by: Verdi

Release Date April 15, 2003

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Handel - Alcina / Sutherland, Rescigno

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by: George Frideric Handel, Nicola Rescigno, Joan Sutherland

Release Date August 05, 2000
Musically and vocally this recording is good. What is rather disruptive are the stage sounds - thumps, bumps and knocks, probably due to the poor placement of the microphones where they pickup extra stage as well as audience noise. Technology when recording live performances has improved greatly, this however should not detract from the overall excellence of the singers and the musical direction of this recording.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Blast Tyrant

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by: Clutch

Release Date March 30, 2004
This is good, ol' fashioned blues rock music at its best. The music is a mix of hard rock, stoner rock, funk, and blues (think Cactus meets Monster Magnet). The music is exceptionally well done and surprisingly original. The singer, Neil Fallon, has a limited vocal range that's deep, raspy, and powerful (think Dave Wyndorf of Monster Magnet). However, he distinguishes himself in that he writes some of the most incredibly intelligent and bazaar lyrics you'll hear in modern music today. For example, on the song 'The Mob Goes Wild', he sings: "Everybody move to Canada and smoke lots of pot. Everybody move to Canada right now. Here's how we do it. Bum rush the border guard before he and his dog ever knew it." That might not sound like brainy ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Frankenstein: The Rock Opera

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by: Morse, Perkinson Greenlee

Release Date October 23, 2003
I'm a bit of a music buff, and I bought this album out of curiosity. The music is well done, but the vocals could have been better. The singers weren't horrible, but I kind of got the feeling that they were the composer(s) and friends.

I would be interested to hear a recording performed by actor/singers.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Arc Music: World Music Catalogue on CD

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by: Various Artists

Release Date August 12, 2003
I'm a bit of a music buff, and I bought this album out of curiosity. The music is well done, but the vocals could have been better. The singers weren't horrible, but I kind of got the feeling that they were the composer(s) and friends.

I would be interested to hear a recording performed by actor/singers.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Arc Music: World Music Catalogue on CD

Search: Trials
by: Various Artists

Release Date June 04, 2002
I'm a bit of a music buff, and I bought this album out of curiosity. The music is well done, but the vocals could have been better. The singers weren't horrible, but I kind of got the feeling that they were the composer(s) and friends.

I would be interested to hear a recording performed by actor/singers.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Heart's Devotion: Overcoming Life's Challenges

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by: Various Artists

Release Date February 19, 1999
I'm a bit of a music buff, and I bought this album out of curiosity. The music is well done, but the vocals could have been better. The singers weren't horrible, but I kind of got the feeling that they were the composer(s) and friends.

I would be interested to hear a recording performed by actor/singers.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

In the Plain

Search: Trials
by: Savage Rose

Release Date March 28, 2006
A 1969 Classic ( actually released in December 1968 in Denmark). What is Savage Rose? An answer could be," A remarkably soulful voice, great classical inspired compositions, skilled musicianship and a touch of "Traffic" and "Pink Floyd".

This album is not as immediately catchy as their 1968 debut, but with outstanding songs like "Long Before I Was Born" ( a little Mott the Hoople" piano on that ), "The Shepherd and Sally" and the hit-single "Evening's Child" you'll soon be caught in.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg [Complete] [Germany]

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by: Joseph Keilberth

Release Date July 01, 1989
This performance isn't just "very good" as the other reviewer said; it's fan-freaking-tastic and in some ways unique and it's one of my two "desert-island" Meistersingers. (Yes, I need two. The other is Bayreuth 1960 with Knappertsbusch and Windgassen and Josef Greindl but that's another review). Otto Wiener definitely gets a bad rap because he's a midrange baritone with a broad, open top rather than a thick, Wotanesque bass-baritone, and because is timbre is distinctive (or peculiar, depending on your attitude), with lots of nasal resonance and upper harmonics. It bothers some people but it doesn't bother me at all. He has a loud, carrying voice--he was the Herrufer of choice at Bayreuth for a long time and in demand all over for Beethoven's 9th ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Einstein on the Beach

Search: Trials
by: Philip Glass

Release Date September 28, 1993
This work is the last of the strictly minimalistic compositions by Philip Glass and in my opinion his best. The re-recording successfully addresses some issues the first version had, and at the same time creates new. The overall sound is a bit darker and more romantic, which makes it easier to listen to, while not sacrificing the minimalist feel. Aside from production, the choir is at another level compared to the other recording. The incredibly fast ending (Spaceship) is unlike anything minimalism has produced, intense and powerful. Some argue that this version is dull - no, it just makes some passages emotionally colored, be it romantic or theatrical. But, there are some drawbacks. The beginning of the Trial had a wonderful interplay between Johnson, ... Read More: