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Little Dreamer

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Beth Rowley

May 19, 2008
Was wondering what to buy recently when I saw a review of this album and an interview with the singer in a sunday magazine.Turns out that this is a brilliant album,and has traces of blues,gospel,pop,country,and a touch of the brilliant Karen Carpenter about it.

Stand-out tracks for me include the intense deep gospel of Nobody's Fault But Mine and One Cloud,and the lighter yet still uplifting pop of So Sublime and i Shall Be Released.

A varied collection then in some ways,yet with a pleasing undercurrent of blues running throughout the whole album to string it all together and give it a sense of identity.

Really uplifting and at times extremely powerful! For once the hype may be justified!

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I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Martha Wainwright

May 12, 2008
Believe me, it's usually the other way round. Usually I have nothing but praise for the man and his show that introduce me to so many fantastic artists. But in the case of this album, seeing Martha Wainwright perform on that show before purchasing `I Know You're Married, but I've Got Feelings Too' has ruined me, because if I hadn't seen her perform live I would have been blissfully unaware that in the right form this collection of songs presents an absolutely incredible portrait of a uniquely charismatic singer/song-writer. But not when they're delivered with decidedly less passion on an over-produced album that is not a proper showcase for these beautifully written songs and the tortured/passionate voice that always performs to perfect spine-tingling ... Read More:

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O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Various Artists

August 28, 2000
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

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All I Intended to Be

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Emmylou Harris

June 09, 2008
Takes a couple of listenings, but after that it just blows you away. Several standout songs, particularly "How she could sing The Wildwood flower" (which I took to be a reference to an earlier generation of the Carter Family rather than June Cater and Johnny Cash) "Gold" is just beautiful, but particularly the magnificent "Sailing Round the Room". Anybody remember the last poor, or even average, album Emmylou made?

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Meet Glen Campbell

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Glen Campbell

August 25, 2008
Long awaited new album from Glen - to start on a slight negative it took me three times playing the CD for it to really kick in - and when it did it was brilliant. Slightly over produced and the CD is too "loud" - but what a great return to Capitol Records!!!! Like Johnny Cash later CD's songs you would not usually associate with Glen - but he makes them each his own. Stand out tracks for me are Tom Petty's "Walls" (made to sound like a 60's Campbell record) and John Lennon's "Grow Old With Me". In fact I can't take the CD off the player and each and every track gets better and better the more you listen. This is far superior to the rather bland Neil Diamond release earlier this year and this CD certainly deserves the same recognition - and air play! Welcome back ... Read More:

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At Folsom Prison / At San Quentin (Remastered / Expanded) (2CD)

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Johnny Cash

January 30, 2006
I ordered this set after seeing it advertised in an email from Amazon. I was not very familiar with Johnny Cash, with the exception of Boy named Sue and Ring of Fire. This double CD really has blown me away. Cash's voice is great but the entertainment comes as much from his banter with the prisoners as from the songs, many of which have jail themes. All in all a great showcase for a natural performer. The sound quality is also excellent demonstrating better stereo effects than many modern albums.

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Aha Shake Heartbreak

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Kings Of Leon

November 01, 2004
After the impact of their brilliant debut album, the Kings' follow-up album was eagerly anticipated. And they delivered BIG time!

Aha Shake Heartbreak (though an odd name for an album) simply solidifies the thoughts among many (myself included) that the KOL are the best rock band to have come out of America for a long, long time.

It is chock-full of lively, driving numbers, awash with Caleb's Southern, twangy drawl, Nathan's snappy and precise drumming (check out "Velvet Snow") and Matthew and Jared's solid bass-lines and catchy riffing.

Top tracks include "Slow Night, So Long", "The Bucket", "Velvet Snow" and "Taper Jean Girl". "Milk" is a bit of an odd song as it's hard to understand what the opening lyrics are about, but it does build ... Read More:

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Dreams of Breathing Underwater

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Eliza Carthy

June 23, 2008
Brilliant, witty, rude, anarchic, multi-styled, multi-layered !
Eliza Carthy produces a career-highlight album
Styles and boundaries are blown aside in a magical display of contemporary (Hard to categorise as 'Folk') music
Musicianship throughout is superb from all participants and lyrics are at once thought-provoking and amusing
'Oranges and Sea-salt' is a classic
This album puts Eliza right up there with Richard Thompson as one of our national treasures !

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Ring Of Fire: The Legend Of Johnny Cash

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Johnny Cash

November 21, 2005
This is a great intro to new fans of Johnny Cash, a true icon whose music covered several generations.

When I first played it and the trumpets of Ring of Fire came on I wandered if I'd done the right thing ! The early tracks are pure 50s country, a complete contrast to the later U2/Depeche Mode covers/corroborations. There's something for everyone here but don't just buy it for the later stuff.

Cash has an amazing deep and warm voice, full of charisma and soul. It would have almost been worth being banged up in the notorious San Quentin to have seen him play live there. One of rock and roll's original bad boys, he lived his life and sang as he saw it.

For me and probably other non die-hard country fans, the later tracks probably have more ... Read More:

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Kitty Daisy and Lewis

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Country
by: Kitty Daisy & Lewis

July 28, 2008
Wonderful, infectious, unaffected, honest, direct, delicious, good old-fashioned, wholly entertaining, aural experience. Just driven up to Edinburgh with this blasting on CD. Four of us - we all loved it. A teeny teeny bit evocative of the great George Melley in live performance -in nicest possible way (powerful immediacy and gusto, we mean). Heard it on R4's 'Loose Ends' on Saturday 2nd August and ordered at once. BTW recommended on the cover to turn volume up to max for maximum enjoyment. We did.