Best European Music
The classic original Beatles studio albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In fact, much of the album was written in India."
"I wrote this review in order to assist the general consumer make an informative decision when purchasing a product that they can't touch prior***."
"It's the Beatles' White Album - what else is there to say?"
"It has Bungalow Bill, Back in the USSR, Rocky Racoon, and Blackbird plus a lot more."
"A 2 CD "mini-box" with a picture book, and a small version of a collage poster that may have been part of the original album all those years ago."
"Awesome tunes written/performed by 4 awesome talented me."
"Album cover was slightly warped, but other than that it was sure nice to hear these old songs again."
"I could go in depth about this album in my review, but don't need to: This mono issue has different versions of many tracks that cannot be heard anywhere else, including the Anthology series."
The classic original Beatles studio albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have multiple copies of this album going all the way back to 1968."
"I do think that the fidelity is lacking, despite the fact. that this is a "remastered and enhanced" version."
"All I can really say is....If you like this stereo mix....You will probably like REVOLVER and MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR as well....it isn't that hokey "music-left/vocals-right" wannabe stereo that I have been ragging about....This is actually listenable and enjoyable....The remastering job is pretty good...The biggest flaw is that it tends to be a bit too airey..."
"Good stuff for a 32 year old who would never pay hundreds to hear this is its original form."
"It wasn't voted the best album of all time for nothing!"
"I rated this remastered version 5-stars, even though it doesn't quite match the excitement of hearing the remastered "Yellow Submarine" Beatles' songs version of the movie soundtrack, or the aural assault that occurred in portions of the "Love" sucker soil eel...er, whatever (I'm sorry, I'm just not a fan of the musicals unless they're very, very good). Pepper was once called psycadelic, but the only real psycadelic offerings are "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite," both of which are a sonic delight (especially in this remastered work), the likes of which allow me to "trip" without actually ingesting any chemicals or other mind altering substances."
""A day in a life" Three tunes mastered into one with the utmost precision."
In Rainbows.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In Rainbows represents almost everything good there is about Radiohead past Pablo Honey, maybe with the exception of harder rock side displayed on The Bends and the brilliant first half of OK Computer."
"There's so many good reviews here regarding this release."
"I won't go into detail on the album since most people on here have done that do death, but I will say Reckoner, 15 Step and Weird Fishes are phenomenal songs."
"Having only heard "Creep", I expected this Album to maybe be somewhat boring."
"This is my fifth radiohead album,and as with the others,the more you listen the better it gets."
"Then on "Hail to the Thief" they began to bring back their more rocking side with consistent presence of drums and guitar, though still making much use of electronics and an orchestra. Because basically In Rainbows and "The Eraser" split Hail to the Thief in two, with the electronics going mostly to The Eraser and the acoustic guitar and live drums going mostly to In Rainbows."
"This album is amazing and the music itself is worth 5 stars but this is a review of the vinyl record and the pressings are awful. So I first bought this album from my local Amoeba record store only to find that it had very bad skipping issue's all over the first side, particularly on All I Need, which is one of my favorite tracks so I ended up trading it there and buying something else."
Best Music of British Isles
The classic original Beatles studio albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In fact, much of the album was written in India."
"I wrote this review in order to assist the general consumer make an informative decision when purchasing a product that they can't touch prior***."
"It's the Beatles' White Album - what else is there to say?"
"It has Bungalow Bill, Back in the USSR, Rocky Racoon, and Blackbird plus a lot more."
"A 2 CD "mini-box" with a picture book, and a small version of a collage poster that may have been part of the original album all those years ago."
"Awesome tunes written/performed by 4 awesome talented me."
"Album cover was slightly warped, but other than that it was sure nice to hear these old songs again."
"I could go in depth about this album in my review, but don't need to: This mono issue has different versions of many tracks that cannot be heard anywhere else, including the Anthology series."
Best Continental European Music
"Digital Love" starts off silly and gets sillier, but the monosyllabic lyrics lull the senses just right, allowing the song's summery groove to grab hold with authority. "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is a resounding standout amidst the retro/Vocoder deluge that transpired after Cher's Believe turned the kitchy disco device into a worldwide pop music trend, spinning a clever groove around an ever-escalating string of computerized seduction.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I could listen to this forever, And vinyl really does bring out all the nuances, And I will love it more when I get a new needle for me player."
"The art work upon opening the LP is interesting and the LP's are finely pressed... Ok, the songs are stellar and sort of flow into one another making for one cohesive listen... STANDOUT TRACKS: Face to Face, Digital Love, Harder Better Faster Stronger, Something About Us & Aerodynamic..."
"Unfortunately, after receiving my copy of this record, I found a rather unpleasant click/pop that occurred at the beginning of Aerodynamic. To clarify, I borrowed my friend's copy of Discovery and the clicking/popping did not occur as in my two copies!"
"Nothing wrong with my copy far as I can tell."
"Love it."
"best daft punk album!way better then newer lp."
"Obviously the album itself is gold, but vinyl buyers beware - you're not gonna be happy with how this sounds."
Best Eastern European Music
The sleeve photo of a crocodile's eye with a faint image of Rodrigo and Gabriela superimposed, suits the artists' desire for something which didn't shout "Mexican guitarists" or "Couples." Orion - This epic reworking of the Metallica song is the second time Rodrigo y Gabriela have covered Messrs Hetfield, Ulrich & Co: "A tribute to the style of music we love, it's what kept us playing the guitar through all those Spinal Tap years". Enter Mr John Leckie, legendary producer of Radiohead, The Stone Roses and Muse, to name but a few; to midwife Rod & Gab's musical vision into what you hear today. The story begins back in their homeland, where Rodrigo Sanchez (lead guitar) and Gabriela Quintero (rhythm and guitar-top hand percussion) met as teenagers. And no wonder -- their eruptive mixture of Central and South American folkways, with its propulsive rock rhythms, plus grooves reminiscent of The Gipsy Kings' crowd-pleasing Catalan rumbas, is incredibly infectious. "Ixapa," in which the pair are joined by noted Hungarian Roma (Gypsy) fiddler Roby Lakatos, has a wicked, pan-European swing, while the impossibly fleet "Juan Loco" should delight all comers -- once they catch their collective breaths! Produced by John Leckie (Radiohead, The Stone Roses, Muse), the USA release includes a DVD containing interviews, live performances and other extras.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Personally like 11:11 more."
"Considering I paid no more than $9.00 for the CD DVD all original in packaging that's pretty awesome. That is why I will always prefer Amazon because you can buy the hardcopy music and enjoy it how you like."
"Rod mostly solos with a pick and plays scalar melodies over Gab's percussive/harmonic expressions. I'm very happy I bought this, both for the music and for the DVD that came with it which offers, among other things, an entertaining glimpse of Gabriela's -- ehm -- "irreverent" character."
"So album is good, bonus dvd is good."
"Their work is almost impossible to categorise with aspects of flamenco rock and jazz present."
"Their albums include their individual spin on classics such as "Stairway To Heaven" and "Take Five" as well as their own original heart thumping & sometimes tender creations."
"While Rodrigo provides the melody and lead, Gabriela, in my opinion, is actually the more talented of the two, provides both support and all of the precussion without anything but her guitar."
"These maestros definitely know their stuff...and they take acoustic guitar playing to the next level, by incorporating metal guitar riffs and bits and pieces from just about everywhere-from jazz, rock, classical guitar, and flamenco, into their repertoire."
Best Scandinavian Music
ABBA GOLD (JEWEL BOX).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"However, my memory has softened and I need to hear ABBA and the BeeGees, and Donna Summer and Karla Bonoff once in a while."
"Was deliberating on getting one of the Mamma Mia soundtracks, and then figured it would be better to actually purchase this greatest hits album which contained all of those songs and more."
"Great memories from my teenage years listening to this music."
"I got this in preparation for seeing Mama Mia!"
"A great album with all of Abba's hits."
"This is the perfect round up of all your favorite abba songs!"
"Friends gave me an old CD I could not get to transfer to my Kindle, so I purchased this so I could enjoy this delightful collection on-the-go."
"Abba Gold - Their Greatest Hits all on Lp Album."
Best African Music
The fury stirred up among the Nigerian police and military by Fela’s confrontational Alagbon Close (1974) and Kalakuta Show (1976), and the beatings and harassments Fela and Africa 70 suffered as a consequence, were as nothing compared to the reprisals following 1976’s Zombie. Within months of its release, a brutal army attack left Fela’s Kalakuta Republic compound burnt to the ground and many of its residents, including Fela, assaulted and seriously injured. On the title track, over an urgent, quick-march accompaniment from Afrika 70, Fela and the backup singers ridicule the mindset of men in uniform. Go and quench!” Each phrase is followed by the women singers’ taunting response, “Zombie!” Fela continues: “No brains, no job, no sense joro jara jo; tell am to go kill joro jara jo; tell am to go quench joro jara jo (meaning, “no brains, no job, no sense left right left; tell him to go kill left right left; tell him to go die left right left.”) The army’s response was terrible... On 18 February, 1977, around 1,000 soldiers, most of them armed, swooped on Kalakuta.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Black music without concessions."
"Fellastico as always."
Best North American Music
2009 remaster of the groundbreaking 1969 album, his first with Crazy Horse, from the original analogue master tapes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The album included a number of extraordinary songs, among them being: "Cinnamon Girl", "Cowgirl In The Sand", and "Down By The River." Neil Young made a distinct mark for himself earlier in the California folk-rock scene as a member of the popular, but short-lived group, Buffalo Springfield, with his outstanding songwriting and guitar playing. Neil Young even went to the extreme and left the band entirely for a brief period of time to pursue his work in the studio in a different manner, and on his own terms, with Nitzsche's assistance. At about the same time, Stephen Stills, Neil Young's former colleague from the Buffalo Springfield, joined David Crosby, a close friend from The Byrds and Graham Nash, another friend from the British band, The Hollies, to form a vocal band named, "Crosby, Stills, and Nash." At the suggestion of the president of the record company, Neil Young joined the trio in the studio in a collaboration of sorts."
"A highly underrated guitar player who has produced music so unique and powerful it will never be matched."
"Neil Young's Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere...Timeless Classic Rock on heavy weight 180 gram vinyl...Vinyl is the ultimate audio source."
"I have purchased this album many times, and many times I have loaned, lost or worn it out, it always gets replaced."
"This is Neil Young rocking out big time, his guitar riff duels with Danny Whitten are especially crunchy on Down By The River. When this album was released all the college late night AOR FM stations were playing cuts, then it became too popular to be "cool" and then a few years later people looked back and said that maybe, just maybe, this is as good as it got with Neil Young?"
"Makes me want to head out to the country and sit on a sandy shore of a river with my cowgirl girlfriend!"
"The late night FM staples are there, of course, with Cowgirl in the Sand and Down by the River, but other gems are there, too, like Running Dry (Requiem for The Rockets) and that ethereal, haunting violin by Bobby Notkoff (thanks, Google)."
"This has always been one of my favorite Neil Young albums and I think Neil has always been at his best with Crazy Horse."
Best Caribbean & Cuban Music
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend Vinyl LP.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you have a home theater with 5.1 Surround sound and an appreciation for the art of music and quality audio, you will LOVE this set."
"Bought it as a surprise for my mother to go along with a Bluetooth suitcase record player from Amazon as well."
"THE MOST GORGEOUS VINYL IN MY COLLECTION!!!"
"Great song."
"How can you go wrong with Bob Marley?!?"
"I love Bob Marley and this CD has lots of the old favorites."
"What can I say, It's one of my all time favorite artist and albums. Wore the last disk out."
"There is just something about Bob Marley's music and sound."
Best Middle Eastern Music
Debut solo album by Yasmine Hamdan, written and produced in collaboration with Marc Collin (Nouvelle Vague).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm selective about music of any kind, but this music was like finding that mysterious sweet spot on the radio dial between middle eastern world music and popular music. I don't have any music quite like this in my collection, but it reminds me slightly of instruments and/or vocals from these bands and artists: Bjork, Irfan (Bulgarian group), Cocteau Twins, Tanita Tikaram, Camera Obscura... but... the vocals on Ya Nass are what set this apart from a lot of music."
"She has little recorded work, young, talented, concerned enough with building her kind of music in her native Lebanon she tends to turn down recordings, contracts which would have her appearing on the Continent and singing in French and English in addition to Arabic."
"This solo debut by Yasmine Hamdan is a delight."
"The sound is compelling, and it adds to the ambiance in a way to not understand any of the lyrics... well, except for habibi, but I have no idea how it fits into the theme of the song."
"her voice is hauntingly beautiful."
"I am enjoying this CD and listen to it often!!"
"Her voice is so alluring and she sings with such emotion that you can feel what the songs are about even without understanding Arabic."
"The Arab answer to the late Amy Winehouse."
Best Far East & Asian Music
1 CD (Random) + 100P Photobook + 20p The Note of 'The Most Beautiful Moment In Life' + 1 Photocard (Random 1 out of 28 Photocard + 1 Special photocard in limited quantity) + Special Stickers // This is the official release and will be counted towards Billboard / Hanteo / Gaon Charts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm listening to the album for the 3rd time in a row."
"The only thing I'm upset about is that I didn't get the poster... which I for sure thought I would get since this was the link that Bighit posted on their twitter."
"Just finished listening to it for the first time through!"
"I'm listening right now and to hear such great vocals and unexpected beat drops makes me happy."
"I pre-ordered the album for my sister's birthday gift."
"Comes with everything as promised and a special song plus commentary from the members in the book though it is all in Korean so be aware of that."
"I love the album so much I bought 3 - one for myself, one for a white elephant gift exchange and one for a fellow BTS stan!"
"I have a 15 year old niece that's obsessed with BTS and this was their newest album."
Best South & Central American Music
Deluxe expanded version of the Pop diva's massively successful album features seven bonus tracks including three new songs, a megamix and versions of "E.T" featuring Kanye West, "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)".
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I purchased this album for my little Sun Goddess who has a high taste of music and is not really in to lollypop music! I rather kids listen to this type of music which is at least meaningful and musically valuable, than listen to lollypop music and baseless mindless techno and rap."
"its a fun album."
"Pop music history, the singles are iconic."
"Very uplifting album."
"Love Katy Perry's songs on this complete collection, still listen to teenage dream, we all had them."
"what a great album."
"One of the best cd's ever."
Best Indian & Pakistani Music
Features performances from George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar, Leon Russell, and Billy Preston. The publicity-shy former Beatle could've easily written a check and forgotten all about the matter--impoverished East Pakistani refugees stranded in India--but instead recruited some of his most talented and compassionate friends and created an event remembered as much for the quality of its music as the purity of its intent. Highlights include Billy Preston's rousing "That's the Way God Planned It" and Dylan's heartfelt five-song set, starting with "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have this LP, but wanted it electronically for my smart phone."
"The CD was just great."
"great concert and good sound!"
"takes me back to the time."
"Amazing concert!"
"Harrison was on top of his game, great sound recording."
"So happy to have this."
Best Music of the Pacific Islands
Most touching are the string-backed laments that open and close the album, "Hawai'i '78 Introduction" and "Hawai'i '78," initially a reflection on his father's death, later on the passing of Hawaii's native culture. Best known is his medley "Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World," which played over the closing credits of the film Meet Joe Black .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I stumbled across Israel while I was looking for a copy of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and when I sampled it I said to myself "yes, this voice is from somewhere over the rainbow" The combination of his voice with his ukulele is simple in content yet profoundly deep and resonant in it's spirit."
"Terrific music."
"No problems or complaints."
"Excellent product as advertised."
"Purchased as gift."
"Love this CD it's beautiful music."
"Izzi combines traditional with modern songs on this album."
"I only like one song on it."
