Kakaku：2198 saved$21.98
Atavistic Records
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (The Vandermark 5's finest record to date.) 『"The Color of Memory," the eighth official studio recording by the Vandermark 5, is coincidentally both the band's first double album of original material and the last to feature original trombonist Jeb Bishop (Chicago based cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm is slated to be Bishop's replacement in the future). It is also the ensembles most accessible and enjoyable recording to date. Full of up-tempo swing, intricate but memorable horn charts and plenty of lyrically intense soloing, it is perhaps Vandermark and company's finest statement with this line-up.
Vandermark has long demonstrated an affinity for writing catchy, cross-over tunes that appeal to a younger, hipper audience. Despite their multi-part, suite-like structure, Vandermark's writing always employs traditional elements that are recognizable even to casual jazz fans. The pieces featured on this double album were partially inspired by a tour with Norwegian avant jazz ensemble Atomic, with whom Vandermark collaborated on 2004's "Nuclear Assembly Hall." Falling on the jazzier side of the tenuous rock/jazz divide, Atomic's influence on Vandermark is apparent here. His decision to forsake rock oriented structures (prominently featured on earlier releases when Jeb Bishop doubled on electric guitar) to focus on a swing based feel results in an album that is infectious and consistent in its sound.
Opening with "That Was Now," a hard charging riff driven by the sort of obtuse, lurching funk Vandermark and his cohorts excel at, the piece moves suite-like through numerous motifs, yet always keeps the listeners attention. Among the highlights: David Rempis' spiraling, acerbic unaccompanied alto sax cadenza, a spastic, stuttered bass and drum breakdown, Jeb Bishop's menacing, muted, gutbucket trombone excursion and Vandermark's own frenetically multiphonic baritone solo. Between each transition, the principle theme is resurrected to provide a sonic sign post for the listener.
Vandermark always acknowledges his influences, most notably by dedicating his compositions to specific artists, and this album is no exception, but it is in his ensemble writing that his inspirations become most apparent. For example, "Suitcase" and "Chance" emulate a classic West Coast Swing vibe, with their catchy melodies and snappy delivery. "Suitcase" even opens with an angularly funky bass clarinet solo from the leader that would make Eric Dolphy proud. Similarly, "Chance" conjures the ghost of Charles Mingus with its sombre finale. With pieces dedicated to such diverse artists as Art Pepper, Nina Rota, Ray Charles and even The Volcano Suns, this all-encompassing appreciation of Vandermark's helps to expand the stylistic reach of this set of free-bop well past its central focus. Vandermark is never a slave to his influences however, as his explosively intervallic tenor solo on "Burn Nostalgia" demonstrates. Dedicated to Art Pepper, the tune burns at a fearsome energy level its dedicatee never would have imagined in his own music.
Only "Road Work" and the opening half of "Camera" drift into austere modernity. Bowed cymbals, skittering percussion, arco bass harmonics, muted trombone and slinky clarinet lines trade pointillistic shards with one another throughout. But even "Camera" eventually explodes into blistering free-bop featuring another of Bishop's lyrically intense trombone solos.
Except for these few, short chamber-esque excursions, the majority of tunes on "The Color of Memory" are primarily driven along by an ebullient sense of swing. Kent Kessler's walking bass patterns veer from smoky, noir groove to break neck runs with Tim Daisy in full pursuit. Whether bludgeoning his toms into submission or hammering away manically on his ride cymbal, Daisy delivers elastic rhythms with Kessler that both support and challenge their companions' solo flights.
Vandermark's skill at combining intricate, interlocking structures with accessible arrangements is becoming more apparent with each release. With snappy horn hits and melodically concise riffs backing featured soloists at regular intervals, these pieces have a historically aware, semi-nostalgic vibe that the writing of his peers sometimes lacks. This dedication to the form is the secret to The Vandermark 5's popularity.
While this might be the best place to start for those new to Vandermark's music, the only drawback is the double disc price, which is technically unnecessary, since all eight pieces total eighty minutes and could have easily fit on one CD with some minor editing. Nonetheless, "The Color of Memory" is The Vandermark 5's most enjoyable record to date, long time fans will be pleased and novices will find a wealth of riches awaiting them.』
Kakaku：1898 saved$18.98
Pacific Moon [Alleg]
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (If A Cloud Of Butterflys Could Sing) 『I ordered this by mistake, but when I listened to it I was simply entranced. The emotional range is so gorgeous and yet so soothing. I take it with me whenever I go to acupuncture. Ahhhh. I know my chi will flow better just listening to it. I love listening to the koto anyway, and this way it, where it is a tunned a little more to suit the Western ear, it is divine.』
(Haunting, melodic) 『This album will transport you to a quiet space on mossy banks under the falling red leaves of a Japanese maple. Mizuyo's contemporary koto respects the traditions that engendered it and avoids new-age smugness. It deserves repeated listening. A lovely album and companion to her Buddhist-chant inspired Uttara. I had to shop in Tokyo to find these, so I'm delighted they are available in the U.S. through Amazon.com.』
(Haunting, melodic) 『This album will transport you to a quiet space on mossy banks under the falling red leaves of a Japanese maple. Mizuyo's contemporary koto respects the traditions that engendered it and avoids new-age smugness. It deserves repeated listening. A lovely album and companion to his Buddhist-chant inspired Uttara. I had to shop in Tokyo to find these, so I'm delighted they are available in the U.S. through Amazon.com.』
(It grazed my cheek like a gentle wind.) 『I listened to this CD in Jukebox and decided I must have it yesterday. So calming, such beauty, how blessed this artist is to have such a talent.』 『You can feel nature alive in the sound of the koto. Let its soothing energy surround and nurture you.
Most kotos have 13 strings, but the recordings for this album were made with a 25-stringed koto, and in its chords, one can hear sounds of refreshing spring breezes. There is a wide range of notes from the upper and lower registers of the instrument, and as such, it may at times remind you of the harp. The combination of notes produced by the 25 strings springing into the air and disappearing as they go is certain to let you forget your stress and tension, and allow you to enjoy a time of relaxation and ease.
To enhance your enjoyment of the music, fragrant incense sticks are included in the spine of the CD jewel case.』
IPhone 3G used's review (This Band Could Kick Limp Bizkit's Ass) 『One Minute Silence is a band I guarantee you've never heard of. Their music is very original and everyone should own a copy of this CD. All the members of this band are good, especially the bassist and the vocalist known as Yap. Yap is a much better rapper than Fred Durst will ever be. Good tracks on this CD are "New Dogs New Tricks", "South Central", "Stuck Between A Rock And A White Face", "A Waste Of Things To Come" and "And Some Ya Lose". This is what good rap metal should sound like. It sucks that they broke up, though...』
(Ripping rap) 『OMS are definetly one of the best british rap metal acts that ever existed. Too bad they broke up though...anyway, i bet the individual members of OMS will form killer new acts, thats something to look forward to, eh?
Anyway this album shows how OMS has matured during their 3 albums and blended it into a unique sound.
This is another essential british album and the band certainly rival america's best.
Buy it.』
(Dissapointing but Ok) 『From the Reviews I believed this would be a great Cd, but personally I found it very dissapointing, Though they have some good lyrics, the rest of their sound is lacking, the Riffs are repetetive and tired, and the sampling used often gets annoying.』
(Please remain calm !) 『I believe this is the British equivalent of System of a Down. They do rap-metal, but they mess around a lot just like System of a Down. This band is really creative and manages to sound fresh among every other rap-metal bands (mostly american bands). However, I do not care much for their first record even though there are amazing songs on here. Why ? Because I've heard their second album, Buy Now... Saved Later. That one is so good it overshadows Available in All Colors. But still, their debut is worth checking out.
It's One Minute Silence's style to start off with a bang, and they do. But things really start to go crazy with Stuck Between a Rock and a White Face, the song that made me discover this band and want to hear more (for a good reason). The two songs after that, A More Violent Approach and Norf*****mality are as good as Stuck Between... At that point, you'll have heard all One Minute Silence has to offer here. The other songs are pretty good too, it's just that they won't sound so fresh after the first five songs. But, hey, if you like the style (and you probably will) every track here is worth listening to.
If you have to buy only one One Minute Silence album, check out Buy Now... Saved Later. But, just like any System of a Down offering, it will make you want to hear more. Available in All Colors is a good choice. And by the way, if you have the chance, check out this band live. Then, you too will have trouble remaining calm.』
(Some people really don't know what they are talking about :P) 『When it comes to Metal/Rap, OMS set the standard. People compare them to RATM and Limp Bizkit, but they are far above that. Their politcal views shine through and their sound it adictive to say the least. Anyone who thinks they are "A substandard Rage Against the Machine" or something along those lines really doesn't listen to the messages in thier songs and hasnt seen them live! They give off a great vibe, an innovative show and their Pit Crew allways leave you smiling, or bleeding ;).』
Kakaku：698 saved$6.98
Sony International
Usually ships in 7 to 11 days IPhone 3G used's review (Un sonido mas maduro) 『Tenia muchas ganas de oir este disco de Fey para ver si aun tenia ese aire juvenil y desenfadado que habia mantenido en sus trabajos anteriores.
Este es un disco que al igual que los anteriores se queda a medio camino entre el pop y el dance, pero esta vez Fey a madurado lo suficiente como para jugar con ritmos mas lentos, suaves y clasicos, lo cual es bueno, pero no estan presentes mas que en la cancion de canela. Seria interezante ver un trabajo de Fey menos pop/dance y mas pop clasico/alternativo, aun asi en el disco se siente un fuerte aire dance y quizas por ello debio ser vapuleado por las masas ya que siendo estricto no es dance, pero tampoco es pop y por ello se escucha medio raro.
Hablando de las letras debo decir que se nota el cambio desde el principio. No se que tanto se involucro Fey con las letras de las canciones pero es una de las partes mas maduras del disco. Ya no son las tipicas canciones medio bobas y enfermizamente adolecentes de los trabajos anteriores, ahora aunque dicen cosas del amor y lo demas lo dice sin tanta cursileria.
El disco viene con 14 temas que son:
Cielo liquido (4/5): Un tema eurodance, muy eurodance para mi gusto pero con un buen ritmo y una buena letra.
La madrugada tu y la radio (4.5/5): Si el primer tema te hacia pensar que el resto del disco era igual este tema rapidamente ta hace cambiar de opinion y ver la madurez del disco. Un ritmo lento con uno que otro sonido artificial enlazado con cuerdas junto con la letra y la forma como Fey la canta... algunos diran que es muy lenta y cansona, yo digo que esta muy buena, tremenda letra, de verdad.
Ni tu ni nadie (3.5/5): Medio dance al estilo modern talking, pero pausada. Un ritmo que muchos diran que fastidia marca la forma como Fey la canta de principio a fin. La letra no esta mal pero el final del coro es monotono y no debieron ponerlo, o al menos no tan marcado. Hay algo mas, los coros al final de la cancion son una pesima idea, son muy altos y agudos al punto de opacar la voz de Fey. Muy mala idea que arruina mas aun la cancion.
La espuma de los dias (4/5): Una cancion con una de las letras mas bellas que he oido en anos, en muchos anos. Fey la canta con sinceridad como si en verdad creyera en la letra... pero en breves segmentos parece que le aburre, son muy breves, casi imperceptibles pero ahi estan. El ritmo de la cancion es lento y la musica esta bien, medio electronica y en puntos tirando un poco a rock con unas guitarras electricas que no desentonan del todo pero que no debieron estar ahi dada la letra. No es una mala cancion, me recuerda we are the world de Michael Jackson.
Diselo con flores (4/5): De vuelta al pasado. Con un ritmo de ay que pesado de mecano, pero con el estilo tan caracteristico de Fey. Letra adolecente y tonta, musica medio dance/pop con unas extranas guitarras electricas a medio camino (?). Mencion especial para el coro, el cual la primera vez que oyes dice: pero que estupido!, pero luego de un par de veces ya estas repitiendo sin darte de cuenta (es verdad!, a mi me paso).
Canela (4.5/5): Una de las canciones mas maduras del disco. Enteramente a cuerdas de piano, cello, violin y con una fuerte predominancia de guitarra acustica. Lenta como si fuera una balada muy, muy suave, ideal para dedicarla a quien te guste. Fey la canta con un aire casi de ternura pero con mucha dulzura en su voz. La letra es medio melosa, lo cual no es un problema para mi, pero a los demas le parecera muy dulce para su gusto. Yo creo que es muy bonita y tierna. Nuevamente el problema de los coros esta presente en este tema y es una pena, ya que eso le quita el 5 de 5. Si no fuera porque el coro opaca la voz de Fey en vez de enfatizarla seria una cancion perfecta.
Vuelve (4.5/5): Muy dance y electronica y artificial. Algunos diran que parece musica de video juego y concuerdo en que hay partes en que parece eso, pero tiene un tempo medio rapido que te hace mover la cabeza arriba y abajo sin darte de cuenta. Y si, de vuelta al pasado con la letra. Muy adolecente pero interezante, no por lo que dice sino por como lo dice. No hay mas que decir de ella.
El (3/5): Buen ritmo, buena musica (muy pop), Fey la canta bien... pero en lo personal la letra es... muy inmadura. Supongo que no fue hecha para gente de mi edad pero aun asi no me cuadra. A menos que este ocupado la salto.
Almibar (4/5): Bonita letra, que esta bien en terminos de madurez. La musica es pop/balada con un buen tempo no tan lenta como canela pero no tan rapida como las demas, algo asi como entre canela y el resto del disco. Fey la canta bien. En terminos generales la mayoria no gustara de esta cancion. Pero esta bien.
No tengo novio (2/5): La odio, y lo digo en serio. No me gusta nada. Comienza con un ritmo electrorockero y un coro que no cuadra nada ni al principio ni a la mitad y mucho menos al final. Evidentemente adolecente, no solo en la letra sino tambien en la forma como Fey la canta, con completo desenfado y despreocupacion, casi con rebeldia tipicamente de la pubertad. La letra es demasiado estupida y la musica es casi como un rock de protesta. Francamente y alenjandome de cualquier sentimiento personal por la cancion, creo firmemente que es la peor de todo el disco, un autentico lastre que es lo peor presente en todo el disco. Una lastima. Por supuesto, siempre la paso de largo... asi este ocupado.
El color de los suenos (5/5): La mejor de todo el disco. La musica es un pop casi electronico. El ritmo es medio lento pero esta muy bien. La letra de las estrofas es bastante maduro a excepcion de la del coro que no lo es tanto. La forma como la canta Fey es lo que me llamo mas la atencion, la forma como Fey canta la segunda estrofa (Pasar del vertigo del odio al amor mas violento, es desgraciadamente una simple cuestion de tiempo. Mientras la parte racional de mi cabeza dice que me equivoco, igual que un topo el corazon existe...) es lo que me hace decir que este trabajo musical es mas maduro que los anteriores. Casi no parece que fuera Fey quien canta porque la forma como lo hace es diferente a lo normal, es dificil expresarlo con palabras, deben orila para entender lo que quiero decir. Esta sola cancion hace que le de al disco 5 de 5 estrellas. Excelente.
De corazon a corazon (4/5): De ritmo lento, algunos diran que demasiado, pero esta bien. Estilo pop en la musica, electronicamente sucio cerca de la mitad y pasado la mitad, propuesta interezante considerando que es Fey quien canta. La letra esta bien, aunque no es mi tipo. Fey la canta muy bien. Buena cancion en terminos generales que no le gustara a la mayoria.
Flor de un dia (3.5/5): Una musica integremente pop, interezante por cierto, que reafirma el matiz mas maduro del disco acompana a una letra que no es cursi ni es vieja, va a medio camino entre madurez y pubertad adolecente. El ritmo medio lento, solo un poco mas rapida que una balada enfatiza la letra que Fey canta como ella suele hacerlo. No es mi tipo de cancion, pero esta bien.
Lye (?/5): La mas interezante y mas decepcionante de todo el disco. Interezante porque el ritmo y la musica son fuera de lo comun dentro del estilo de Fey. Decepcionante porque es una cancion de clausura que recuerda la cancion de apertura del disco Dangerous and moving de T.A.T.U., es decir, Fey no canta. Por el ritmo y la musica le daria facil un 4.5, pero como Fey no canta... pues, prefiero no opinar.
En terminos generales este es un disco diferente a lo que nos tenia acostubrados Fey en Fey y Tierna la noche (primer y segundo disco respectivamente). En lo personal me encantaria escuchar una produccion de Fey que se incline mas por canciones como Canela, la espuma de los dias, la madrugada, tu y la radio y (por supuesto) el color de los suenos; no solo por lo interezante, ritmica, musical y liricamente hablando, que seria sino tambien por probar un estilo diferente en Fey, que de inclinarse hacia ahi pienso y creo seria un acierto. Fey canta a lo largo de todo el disco con esa diccion absolutamente impecable que la caracteriza y eso, para mi al menos, es algo muy bueno y apreciado.
Deben comprarlo?, si eres fan de Fey si, sino mejor escucha antes los discos anteriores para que le cojas el gusto. Si no lo hacen asi y se lanzan a escuchar este disco de una no les va a gustar.
Es un buen disco que debe estar en la coleccion de cualquier aficionado.』
(Buenálbum, diferente a los anteriores.) 『Me gustan mucho las canciones y las letras de esteálbum que son diferentes de los anteriores, definitivamente este álbum es más acústico que los anteriores. También vienen canciones con instrumentos acústicos como "Canela". Mis canciones favoritas de esteálbum son: "Cielo líquido", "la madrugada, tú y la radio", "ni tú ni nadie", "almibar", "él" "Canela" y "No tengo novio" Les recomiendo mucho esteálbum. No se arrepentirán de comprarlo.』
(Different style, boring and dull) 『Enjoying the major success of "Tierna La Noche", Fey goes on to release her third album "El Color de los Suenos." Unlike the previous two albums, "El Color..." is much more slow and acoustic. I'm not one to compare but it seems this album was much of a let-down for me because I really loved the energy from her first two albums.
1. Cielo Liquido 4/5 - This one is much like her previous hits; euro-dance like and full of energy. It is weak in the area of the chorus. Still an excellent song to listen to.
2. La Madrugada, tu y la radio 2/5 - I don't like the synth beats; they're way to repetitive. The song lacks anything special. Once in a blue moon I'll listen to it.
3. Ni tu ni nadie 4/5 - Her first single off this album. Not as fast as "Cielo Liquido" but nonetheless a good catchy beat.
4. La espuma de los dias - 1/5 - The beat is slower and overall it's nothing special. It seems to drone on and on and on...
5. Diselo con Flores 1/5 - Dance song. However, this one suffers from an annoying chorus that repeats itself so much that it drives me nuts by the end of the song! Once in a blue moon I'll listen to this one
6. Canela 2/5 - Acoustic ballad radio hit. I suppose its good, but I don't care much for ballads.
7. Vuelve 1/5 - Fast dance tune, but its very dull and bland.
8. El 1/5 - Another single release. It is a dance song but the melody is a little childish. This song also lacks anything special.
9. Almibar 3/5 - Might be too generous with this but it's an ok song. Not as slow as "Canela" but still along the lines of a ballad.
10. No Tengo Novio 5/5 - Probably my favorite. The tune's not so great, but the lyrics are great! I love the message it sends. Too bad its just an album filler.
11. El color de los Suenos 1/5 - Slower tempo, but a really bad synth melody at the beginning. Another uninteresting, dull and boring tune.
12. De corazon a corazon - 0/5 - There's no definate melody to this song. It starts off somewhat silent, then picks up to some weird tempo. After the chorus is some weird video game-like noises. Awful song.
13. Flor de un dia 1/5 - Ballad. Boring, boring boring, but not as bad as de corazon a corazon
14. Iye 3/5 - This is not really a song, it's some kind of conclusion (57 seconds long). It's upbeat and catchy and I actually LIKE it better than half the songs on this album.
Overall, I do not recommend this album if you're trying out Fey for the first time; this is not a good representation of her true style. True, the dance gets boring after a while, but the effort put into this album is evident. If I weren't such a Fey fanatic and an album collector, I would have sold this.
I do like the artwork, though. The CD insert reveals four interchangable covers in red, blue, yellow and green if you're ever bored and feel like swapping covers. Other than that, not much else.』
(Diferente...hacia el futuro!) 『En "El color de los sueños," Fey presenta un material más completo y maduro. Su canciones no son de lo más movidas cómo en sus anteriores producciones, pero la letra de cada canción es más llena y con pie y cabeza. Sí, este album suena más acustico, pero siento que con este álbum, Fey nos estaba preparando parael futuro: para su producciones que venian. Si han siguido los pasasos de Fey estos últimos años, podran darce cuenta que su música ya no es la misma que lo que fue en "Fey" o "Tierna la noche." Sus últimos dos discos son más maduros en sonidos y en letras. Por ejemplo, "Vertigo," uno de sus mejores disco pero con menos exitos, tiene canciones completamente compuestas por ella.
Pero bueno, regresando alálbum "El color de los sueños," es un disco que cuando salio, desepciono mucho a los fans de Fey. Pero también, gano el respeto de mucho de sus fans y de las criticas. Para, un "harcore" fan de Fey, me encanta este disco. Es un disco que tiene más que los demás.
~Héctor
p.d: Laúltima canción, "Lye" debe de ser haci, incompleta. La razón es porque el que este escuchando el disco, deben leer la letra de la canción.』
(Esta bien) 『Compre este CD hace una semana y ya lo escuche ayer. Me parece un disco muy interesante d escuchar ya q tine esas letras q dicen mucho de una manera diferente. Obviamente debo decir, este disco suena un poco mas acustico q los anteriores, pero d todas formas lleva mucha energia y mucho sentimiento; y claro, ya estabamos acostumbrados a escuchar bastante energia y mucho ritmo y fiesta. De todas formas, este disco es chevere para escucharlo durante una noche en la playa con tus amigos; y también, demuestra q Fey es buena en ritmos diferentes y sabe poner sus canciones en un buen orden, sin llegar a aburrir. Muy bien por Fey, me gusto el disco!!
P.D: xq la cancion "lye" no viene completa? Por eso di 4 estrellas』
Kakaku：1499 saved$14.99
Sony
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (EXCELSA PSICODELIA DESDE EL SUR DE LOS VIENTOS.....) 『LEJOS DE TODO, LEJOS DE LA TECNOLOGIA, DE LOS RECURSOS MECANICOS DE LAS PERILLAS, PERO CERCA DE LOS SENTIDOS, DE LA PUREZA VIRGINAL DEL AISLAMIENTO SURGE ESTA GEMA ARGENTINA DE PSICODELIA URGENTE, ALTIVA, ORGULLOSA Y SOBRETODO SENCILLA, SENCILLA COMO LA MUSICA QUE ESCAPA DE TRES INSTRUMENTOS PERO HACE PIE EN UNA TORMENTA INQUIETANTE DE SENSACIONES..OBRA CREADA PARA 2 DISCOS, PARTIDA POR LA MITAD POR LA FRIA COMERCIALIZACION, ESTA OBRA NECESITA SER ESCUCHADA....TEMAS COMO SANGRE DEL SOL, LA TIERRA DL GITANO, PASCUAL, VA A SALIR UN LUGAR..NOS LLEVAN DE LOS OIDOS A TIERRAS EXTRAÑAS.....EL OTRO VOLUMEN CON HOMBRE DE LAS CUMBRES, HACE CASI 200 AÑOS Y OTRAS GEMAS REQUIERE TAMBIEN LA INMEDIATA ESCUCHA...HACEME CASO, ESCUCHALOS JUNTOS..ASI EL VIAJE ES COMPLETO!!!!!!!!!!!』 『Paper sleeve version.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Acquire a Taste for Stina) 『Like most first-time listeners, I was somewhat taken aback by Nordenstam's little-girl delivery. But, once I got past the squeeky-ness and began to really listen... Stina is a revelation, bringing a palette of tonal colors and lyrical insight to the table, reminiscent of singer/songwriters as diverse as Joni Mitchell and Fleming McWilliams. Rarely matched in the genre, her music is more than just intelligent, its remarkably listenable. "His song" fills my Sunday afternoons with soft, jazzy reveries and "I'll be crying for you" is almost pop. Songs like "Alan Bean" have developed a cult-like following and have made this album a must-have. It's been said numerous times that Stina's music isn't for everyone. It's not. Only those with working ears can appreciate this Scandinavian treasure.』
(Singing like a sky blue silk scarf floating in the breeze) 『Very blue, even the "happy" song..Alan Bean.Sweet innocent melancholy. Listen to it on a blue day. It's pastel blue so you won't get more blue, it will just be a sountrack to your mood.』 『Import edition of the ethereal Swedish singer/songwriter's 1991 album for Warner Brothers. For fans of 4AD.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Three Fun Episodes from the First Season) 『"Shapes, Sounds and Colors with Bear!" features three great episodes of the show "Bear in the Big Blue House." The episodes are "A Wagon of a Different Color," "Listen Up" and "Shape of a Bear."
In "A Wagon of a Different Color," Bear wants to take everyone to the market, but finds that Ojo has taken his wagon to give it a new paint job. Everyone in the Big Blue House learns about colors. Ojo learns that they can be mixed and Treelo learns about all of the great colors that make up him. Meanwhile, Tutter frets about the color of what to wear.
"Shape of a Bear" is, naturally, all about shapes. The characters learn some great things about shapes, such as that they all have their own unique shapes and about the unique properties of a rectangle.
"Listen Up" is a fun episode about sounds. Treelo makes sounds that annoy Ojo at first, but Bear helps out. Later, everyone goes on a campout.
Great episodes featuring great songs and writing. A fun release.
The version I'm reviewing is the original Columbia Tristar release. There's also an updated Disney version available, although I don't know if it's really that much different from the Columbia Tristar release. Probably not.』
(Grows with your child) 『We've owned our copy of these three episodes of "Bear in the Big Blue House" since mid-July, when our son was only 9 months old. Today he's 14+ months old, and there hasn't been one day, since he watched Bear for the first time, that he hasn't loved it. Bear is both entertaining and educational: playing with songs, words, shapes and a host of colorful characters (personally I love Tutter!), my son cannot avoid enjoying himself and smiling every time we put this DVD on.』
(AWESOME SEQUEL- profound ending) 『This show is definitely one of the best shows we've found for kids. The characters are gentle and real, and help kids learn some of those important basic lessons. The only thing we don't like is the "Shadow" segments, which my whole family finds quite twisted and creepy, so we just fast forward. After watching MANY other kids shows, we came to the conclusion that most of them will help you raise a mentally DEFICIENT child, like Barney, or the Teletubbies, which offer negligible amounts of actual substance. Entertain your kids, yes, but don't retard their growth in the process. Give them something entertaining that will engage them and help them to learn from. Bear In The Big Blue House is one of the only shows we let our daughter watch. She had a vocabulary of over 50 clearly understandable words (including Bear, Ojo, and Tutter) at 14 months old, and is now assembling simple sentences at 16 months (like "the dog is barking"). She also sings songs on key as well! WOW! Thanks to the BitBBH potty training show, she is also working on POTTY TRAINING! I'm not saying Bear is THE reason, but he helped along the way. Thanks Bear!』
(This Bear has style!) 『Normally you wouldn't be able to find many kid shows that are fun for the kids and when they sing, actually sound pretty good! This DVD is great! Gage my son LOVES "What's in the mail" and absolutely loves the song "shape of a bear". He laughs when Bear gets right up to the camera and sings to him. And he loves when I pick him up and we dance to Bear's songs. Bear is so fun and we love the rest of the cast too!』
(great for kids!) 『This dvd loaded with extras is a great learning experience for kids! My two year old loves to watch them make colors! It's full of fun and great songs!』 『Come on into the big blue house and learn all about shapes, sounds, and colors with Bear and his friends. This crystal-clear DVD features three separate episodes and four sing-along numbers. In "A Wagon of a Different Color," Ojo plans to surprise Bear by giving his red wagon a new coat of paint--and not just solid red, either. With a little help from Bear, Pip, and Pop, Ojo learns how to combine colors to create a real masterpiece. "Shape of a Bear" takes a look at the many shapes around us and celebrates everyone's unique form. "Listen Up" finds Bear and his friends camping out at the otter pond and listening to, imitating, and identifying the sounds around them. Sing-along tracks with karaoke-style captions include "Some of the Colors I See," "Me, I'm the Shape of a Bear," "Listen Up," and "What's in the Mail Today?" Since most kids can't get enough of Bear's jazzy songs, these sing-along tracks are sure to have kids dancing and singing along to their favorite Bear songs. (Ages 2 to 7)--Tami Horiuchi』
IPhone 3G used's review (A labor of love, but the songs aren't first rate) 『As a concept album, Hampson's 1997 tribute to Walt Whitman earned critical praise for its sensitivity and musicality. There's no doubt that the singer is in rare form here--it would be hard to imagine any of this repertoire better sung. He isn't a good reciter of poetry in the four spoken tracks. The major drawback, however, is that none of these songs are close to being masterpieces, and quite a few are decidedly minor. The avid listener can cncentrate on the poetry instead of the music, I suppose--Hampson's enunciation is crystal clear--but after six or seven items couched in the same rather timid Anglo-American art song form, this lavor of love becomes rather taxing as a listening experience. Taken a few at a time, however, these are intriguing choices that combine into a unqiue recital.』
(Couldn't find another place to ask, thus this line.) 『Am looking for the bugle calls commonly used when raising the flag and lowering it. Specifically, I am looking for "To the Colors" and "Retreat" in bugle calls. Do you have it?
kwyoung@pol.net』
『This dashing and intelligent tribute to Walt Whitman's poetry as art song puts commitment to artistry at center stage. With uncommon sensitivity and magnificent voice, Thomas Hampson lovingly interprets 22 songs by various composers, successfully capturing the emotional range of the American bard's verse by delicately caressing the poetry and, alternately, igniting its every nuance. These song settings enhance the innate music in Whitman's poems, giving them passionate expression in another dimension. Craig Rutenberg's stellar accompaniment is a lesson in effective collaboration. Hampson's interspersing of four poetry readings is below this recording's interpretive caliber, but it's a nice touch. Non-Whitman-heads may find the entire recording a bore, though.- -Barbara Eisner Bayer』
Kakaku：150 saved$1.50
Voy Pictures
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Not So Great) 『There wasn't enough on the video to keep the attention of my 20-month old granddaughter.』
(Recommended for little ones from birth to three years of age.) 『Voy Baby: Discovering Colors is a bilingual English/Spanish DVD featuring Latin motifs, music, puppets, and bright colors. Though Voy Baby is created by Latinos, especially for Latino babies, the stimulating and educational benefits of this cultural appreciation program make for quality parent-child viewing in households everywhere. Recommended for little ones from birth to three years of age. 56 minutes, fullscreen, color.』 『ASIN: B000KF0DKC
This title is called "You Are Alone", not "Your Are Alone". Please revise the title; thanks!』
大満足！北国のホタテ・いくら・ボタンエビがぎっしり！
