AudiogoN Reviews: Music you might have missed

Music you might have missed

I've been wanting to do this for awhile now. Everyone has in their music collection some real sonic gems that for whatever reason have remained relatively unknown. I've got several in my collection most people have never heard of and thought I'd share a few here. Hopefully others will let us in on some of their own little-known jewels as well. In no particular order...

Joanne Shenandoah--Matriarch
Overheard this gem in an audio store where a guy was auditioning some Wilson speakers. Joanne has taken Native American songs and polished them up for us. Fairly simple, straightforward and maybe a bit repetitive at times, but Joanne's lilting siren voice is wonderful. Check this one out.

Loreena McKennitt--The Book of Secrets
Ok, maybe this one is well known. But if you haven't heard it, you're missing out. In the same genus as Enya but is its own species (and probably better). Just discovered this one and have really enjoyed it.

Fred Benedetti and Peter Pupping--Here Comes the Sun
These two guitarists have put together all-guitar arrangements of popular songs from the 60's and 70's (Beatles, Cat Stevens, Simon & Garfunkel and more). They have a couple different CD's out. This just happens to be one. Great guitar work and well recorded. And the songs are played straight up; they don't try to mess with a good thing.

John Denver--The Wildlife Concert
We've all heard Denver before, but this dual CD is something special. I wasn't a fan of his at all until I heard it. The backup musicians are all top drawer and these renditions of almost all his hits surpass the original versions in every way. This is also available on DVD. I've got both and have really enjoyed them.

Crash Test Dummies--God Shuffled His Feet
Don't let the quirky name fool you. This is good stuff. The lyrics are bizarre but lead singer Brad Robert has a rich baritone voice that makes it all work. I turned my fifty-something-year-old mother into a convert.

Mecano--entre el cielo y el suello
Mecano hail from Spain, and they're virtually unheard of in America unless you happen to speak Spanish. If you don't, you'll miss out on some very unique and poetic lyrics. But the music alone might make it worth it for you. Hard to nail them down, but in general they're sort of a sophisticated Pop sound. Mecano is one of my all time favorite bands.

Soundtrack to The Power of One
If you like Hans Zimmer's The Lion King, you'll enjoy his earlier work here. The Lion King was good, but this is considerably better. It's African choir music with a western touch. Very nice.

Of course, music is a very individual thing, so your mileage may vary. I recommend you log on to a site like amazon.com or cdnow.com and listen to snippets of these CDs before you lay down the long green. But I've enjoyed each of these quite a bit. Hopefully, some of you will find these right up your alley. I'd love to hear recommendations from others. Enjoy!

by Macm on 07-25-01

Follow ups

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

07-25-01 Madeleine peyroux--dreamland few weeks ago, during a ... Ikarus

07-25-01 Billy vera & the beaters - "by request" recorded live i ... Lak

07-25-01 Hello lak. just got off the phone with you, and saw thi ... Blbloom

07-25-01 Rickie lee jones -- "traffic from paradise" in my op ... Garys

07-25-01 Hi blbloom, these were recorded at muscle shoals sound ... Lak

07-25-01 Two wonderful springsteen albums i have just discovered ... John_l

07-25-01 Lak & blbloom: i just picked up the beaters request cd ... Dekay

07-26-01 Variety folks, it's all about variety : ) skyc ... Sean

07-26-01 Thanks to everyone who has contributed thus far. the l ... Macm

07-26-01 Susan tedeschi, her first album, ok believe it or not, ... Blbloom

07-26-01 Couple of canuck bands you really ought to check out. b ... Jeffloistarca

07-30-01 I forgot to mention the phil collins big band- “a ... Lak

08-29-01 At the drive-in's 'relationship of command' is sort of ... Ohlala

08-29-01 Jeff - i agree with you on the tragically hip, except i ... Kthomas

Music you might have missed
If you ever liked Emerson, Lake and Palmer you may just like Synergy aka Larry Fast. Starting in 1975 with "Electronic Realizations for a Rock Orchestra" he created a series of solo moog/syn albums. The CD's were resently re-engineered and remastered by Mr. Fast. Check out his web page http://www.synergy-emusic.com/
Vegasears 08-29-01

Music you might have missed
Sean,The Division Bell by Pink Floyd is a real sleeper! This album IMO is one of their best! It sounds very,very good also.I picked up a still sealed copy on eBay that is blue,transparent vinyl a while back for $18...it gets lots of spin time!
David99 08-29-01

Music you might have missed
SKYCLAD; IRRATIONAL ANTHEMS No singing, no dancing, no music would be the best summation of this CD. Every song is the same flat pounding drums and gruff yelling and roaring guitars with no musical line. Good heavy metal music like Metallica or Dream Theatre has a uulation and not just unending pounding. If there is anything folklike within this unending noise it escaped me and wouldn't have made much difference anyway. Now if you want angry unending pounding with at least some musical line you could listen to Toxic which also stinks but at least they are louderfasterangrier than Skyclad and I guess this is what it is about. You know an althletic event instead of a musical one. If you are looking for hard rocking music that is fun try Hedningarna "Hippyoke"(sp) a Swedish band that blends folk music in a rock beat format. I wonder if the reason that audiophiles don"t read/write a lot about software (music) is that there is a big risk of being misled by someone elses opinion. If music is just my opinion/your opinion then why would I be interested in your opinion or you in mine. If a review is well written you may be able to detect someones preferences and viewpoint and therby gain more useful information. Also reading multiple reviews from non professionals (or maybe even professionals) can help triangulate a better impression. While amateur reviewers may be overly enthusiastic, professional reviewers tend to be jaded or rather conventional and awed by a performers sales/popularity. Therefore I have found it difficult to get a real good impression from these reviewers even though the reviews are better written and the reviewer has more and broader experience with music. Thanks for your ear for MHO.
Jmob02 06-13-03

Music you might have missed
A contribution from over the pond and forgive me if "Blue Nile" are familiar to you. A band discovered, used for Linn's early recordings. They only made 3 recordings and all are sublime, atmospheric, melancholic productions with great musicianship.
A Walk Across the Rooftops
Hats
Peace at Last
David12 09-07-03

Music you might have missed
Here in the Washington, Dc area, Eva Cassiday is well known, but she may not be elsewhere. Her live CD, "At Blues Alley" is easily the best female vocal recording I've got, even though it does not have the "Over the rainbow" cut that got played on BBC. This became a hit in England, 6 years after her death, and sparked a revival of interest in her music.
Highly recommended.
Mikebalto 02-11-04

RE: Jeff Saphin This
Saphin released a new CD Called: "Saphin is Tim Essquare starring in
'Time of the Signs"". I found it here: www.cdbaby.com/cd/saphin3
senuti@hotmail.com 09-30-04

My top 5 dark horses out of almost 1000 CDs
Bruce Cockburn: Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws (NOT the Remaster)

Mark Isham: Blue Sun

Modeski Martin and Wood: It's a Jungle In Here

Carman McRae: Sings Monk

And Finally

Kip Hanrahan: Tenderness (German Release):

This is by Far my best sounding CD and the music is very unique. If you can find it get it! Outdistances many acclaimed discs such as the FIM release of Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue, BTW if the copy you get is only Medocre your likely listening to the domestic release.
This is a tough disc to find but worth the search.
Musicfirst 11-22-04

Music you might have missed
If you can get into single instrument recordings, try the Quin zither. It is a magical Chinese instrument, and a good recording of it is an incredible experience that will affect you no matter your mood.
Also try the Shakuhichi flute, an instrument that can express extreme tenderness.
There was a singer/songriter called Laura Nyro, who wrote most of the songs that made a group called The Fifth Dimension famous. Her recording New York Tendaberry is a wild ride in dynamics and emotion. Her passing is a great loss to music. Thank you.
Array1138 11-25-04

Music you might have missed
John Hiatt's latest vinyl is pretty amazing material from him, anything by The Rosebuds, ditto - Andrew Bird, Rocco Deluca and the Burden, Gregory Alan Isakov.
Slaw 05-08-12