Very Best of Neil Diamond: The Original Studio Recordings CD

Very Best of Neil Diamond: The Original Studio Recordings buy CD music The finest example of perfect disco pop, and a record that should be prescribed to musical snobs and manic depressives. The album is a true ambassador of what pop music can be. Jackson whoops and dances through a suite of unforgettable melodies that should be danced to with a smile on your face. Each track offers at least one musical hook, whether it is the beauty of 'Human Nature' (who can resist the 'dada dada da da da') or the 'whoo whoo' of 'Billie Jean'. It's all too good. Principally recorded at Westlake Audio, Los Angeles, California. Additional Tracks Personnel: Vincent Price (rap vocals, spoken vocals); Steve Lukather (guitar, electric bass); Dean Parks, Eddie Van Halen, Paul Jackson, Jr. , David E. Williams (guitar); Larry Andrew Williams (flute, saxophone); Gary Grant, Jerry Hey (trumpet, flugelhorn); William Frank "Bill" Reichenbach Jr. (trombone); David Paich (piano, synthesizer); Greg Phillinganes (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, synthesizer, hand claps); Bill Wolfer (keyboards, synthesizer); Tom Bahler (keyboards, Synclavier); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer, vocoder); Greg "Frosty" Smith, Rod Temperton, Steve Porcaro, David Foster, Brian Banks (synthesizer); Jeff Porcaro, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (drums); James Ingram (hand claps, background vocals); Louis Johnson, Steven Ray (hand claps); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Becky Lopez, Howard Hewett, Janet Jackson, Julia Waters, La Toya Jackson, Maxine Willard Waters, Oren Waters, Bunny Hull (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Bruce Swedien. Audio Remasterer: Bernie Grundman. Recording information: Westlake studios. Editor: Stuart Brawley. Photographers: Stephen Vaughan; Dick Zimmerman; Sam Emerson; Ralph Nelson; Lester Cohen. Arrangers: David Paich; James Ingram ; Quincy Jones; Rod Temperton; Steve Lukather; Steve Porcaro. Personnel includes: Michael Jackson (vocals, percussion); Paul McCartney (vocals); Vincent Price (spoken vocals); Steve Lukather (guitar, bass); Eddie Van Halen, Dean Parks, Paul Jackson (guitar); Larry Williams (flute, saxophone); Jerry Hey (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bill Reichenbach (trombone); David Paich (piano, synthesizer); Greg Phillinganes (Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer, programming); Steve Porcaro (synthesizer, programming); David Foster, Rod Temperton (synthesizer); Tom Bahler (Synclavier); Louis Johnson (bass); Ndugu Chancler, Jeff Porcaro (drums); Paulinho Da Costa ...

Very Best of Neil Diamond: The Original Studio Recordings CD music Adele's 2009 debut album, 19, was a Grammy-winning smash hit that revealed the British singer/songwriter's knack for bittersweet soul and folk-infused love songs that brought to mind an infectious mix of Dusty Springfield and Terry Callier. The album earned her a ton of fans, and interest was high for the inevitable follow-up. In many ways, her sophomore album, the similarly age-appropriate-titled 21, is a continuation of the sounds and themes Adele was working with on 19. She is still the bluesy pop diva with a singer/songwriter's soul and seemingly bottomless capacity for heartbreak. The best thing the album does is to showcase Adele's titanic vocal ability, which -- more than a few times on 21 -- is simply spine-tingling. Last time around we got the gauzy, Callier-esque folk-soul ballad "Daydreamer" to slowly draw us into the album; here, Adele immediately injects us with the propulsive gospel fever-blues anthem "Rolling in the Deep." While the track certainly owes a heavy debt to the punk-blues of Beth Ditto and the Gossip, it is also ridiculously sexy and one of the best singles of any decade. Elsewhere, we get tracks like the blues-inflected Ryan Tedder co-write "Rumour Has It" and the old-school-style soul cut "He Won't Go," which are terrifically catchy, booty-shaking numbers and exactly the kind of songs you want and expect from Adele. Similarly enthralling is the centerpiece of the album, the mega-ballad showstopper "Take It All." Co-written by her "Chasing Pavements" partner Francis White, the song begins with Adele proclaiming "Didn't I give it all?" Delivered starkly at first with Adele set against simple piano accompaniment and later backed by a gospel choir, it's an instant-classic sort of song in the tradition of "The Rose," "And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going," and "All by Myself" that could stand over the years as a career landmark for the singer and a cathartic moment for fans who identify with their idol's Pyrrhic lovelorn persona. Ultimately, Adele does give us her all on 21, and for now that is enough. ~ Matt Collar Editor: Dana Nielsen. Photographer: Lauren Dukoff. Personnel: Adele (vocals). Recording information: AirStudios, London, England; Angel Studios, London, England; Eastcote Studios, London, England; Harmony Studios, West Hollywood, CA; metropolis Studios, London, England; Myaudiotonic Studios, London, England; Patriot Studios, Denver, CO; Serenity Sound, Hollywood, CA; Shangri La Studios, Malibu, CA; Sphere Studios, London, England; Wendyhouse Productions, London, England.

Very Best of Neil Diamond: The Original Studio Recordings songs Initial pressings of this first edition contain a bonus disc. Recorded between 1970 & 2002. Includes liner notes by Paul Gambaccini. Greatest Hits 1970-2002 is a nearly flawless double-disc set commemorating Elton John's three-decade career. Disc one features what may arguably be John's most essential work: Seeing songs such as "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Candle in the Wind," and "Bennie and the Jets" -- not to mention "Your Song," "Rocket Man," and "Tiny Dancer" -- lined up back to back reaffirms just how diverse, and yet universal, his songwriting talent is. Disc two finds this talent maturing gracefully into the '80s, '90s, and beyond, touching on pop gems like "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," "I'm Still Standing," and "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" as well as his Lion King classic "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" and the Aida duet "Written in the Stars" with LeAnn Rimes. The collection also finds room for the highlights of his most recent albums, including Made in England's "Believe" and "Blessed," The Big Picture's "Something About the Way You Look Tonight," and Songs from the West Coast's "This Train Don't Stop Here Anymore." For most casual fans, Greatest Hits 1970-2002 will replace the need for collections such as Greatest Hits, Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, and Greatest Hits, Vol. 3, although these collections are still worthwhile as of-their-time retrospectives of John's work. ~ Heather Phares All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Very Best of Neil Diamond: The Original Studio Recordings album for sale Includes liner notes Peter Guralnick and Ernst Mikael Jorgensen. Commemorating the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, 30 #1 HITS presents a career-spanning serving of the King's chart-toppers. Dating back to "Heartbreak Hotel" (which was inspired by a suicide note printed in the Miami Herald), most of these cuts have become indelibly etched into the fabric of pop culture and each has a unique story behind it. "Love Me Tender" has its origins in the Civil War ballad "Aura Lee," "It's Now Or Never" found Elvis Americanizing the Neapolitan ballad "O Sole Mio," and "Wooden Heart" likewise was converted from a German children's song. This Memphis native's choice of artists to cover was equally intriguing and includes Hollywood legend Al Jolson ("Are You Lonesome Tonight?"), New Orleans soul shouter Smiley Lewis ("One Night"), blues great Big Mama Thornton ("Hound Dog"), and country titan Hank Snow ("[Now And Then There's] A Fool Such As I"). Further testimony of Presley's long-lasting appeal is the inclusion of the JXL Radio Edit Remix of "A Little Less Conversation," a UK #1 that not only enabled Elvis to have more chart-toppers than The Beatles, but also became a hit in a number of other countries including the United States. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Incl. Bonus Track "A Little Less Conversation" Compilation producer: David Bendeth. Personnel: Elvis Presley (vocals); Myrna Smith, Charles Prescott, J.D. Sumner, Rad Robinson, Jon Dodson, Kathy Westmoreland, The Stamps, The Sweet Inspirations, Ben Speer, Gordon Stoker, Millie Kirkham, Brock Speer (vocals). Audio Mixers: David Bendeth; Ray Bardani. Audio Remasterers: George Marino; Ted Jensen. Audio Remixer: David Bendeth. Recording information: 01/10/1956-10/29/1976. Introduction by: Peter Guralnick. Photographers: Alfred Wertheimer; Albert Watson . Personnel includes: Elvis Presley (vocals); Gordon Stoker, Ben Speer, Brock Speer, Rad Robinson, Jon Dodson, Charles Prescott, Millie Kirham, Sherrill Nelson, Kathy Westmoreland, Myrna Smith; The Jordanaires; The Surfers; The Sweet Inspirations; The Imperials; J.D. Sumner & The Stamps. Producers include: Steve Sholes, Chet Atkins, Chips Moman, Felton Jarvis, Elvis Presley.

Very Best of Neil Diamond: The Original Studio Recordings CD music Chicago commemorates 35 years of playing together with the career-spanning 2-CD anthology ONLY THE BEGINNING. This Windy City septet started out as one of the few '60s groups aside from Blood, Sweat & Tears and The Electric Flag to fuse a full horn section with a rock band. Chicago's early hits included more aggressive fare like "25 Or 6 To 4," "Beginnings," and a scorching cover of The Spencer Davis Group's "I'm A Man," but they became known as a ballads band as the '70s progressed. AM hits like "Saturday In The Park," "Just You 'N' Me," and "Baby, What A Big Surprise" helped solidify this reputation. Despite stumbling in the late '70s and getting dropped by Columbia Records, Chicago neatly landed on its feet at Warner Brothers. Their chart assault in the '80s continued with ballads like "Hard To Say I'm Sorry/Look Away," "Hard Habit To Break," and the quintessential prom theme/wedding song "You're The Inspiration." Hits sans Peter Cetera (who left in 1985), include "Chasin' The Wind." Wrapping up this 40-song set is "Sing, Sing, Sing," a new collaboration with The Gipsy Kings. Out-of-print in the US. Subtitled - Only The Beginning. Double disc with 39 hit singles spanning Chicago's complete 35-year history. Including the #1 singles 'If You Leave Me Now,' 'Hard To Say I'm Sorry' and 'Look Away'. Booklet features detailed liner notes by Bill DeYoung. Rhino Records Includes liner notes by Bill DeYoung. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Producers include: James William Buercio, Phil Ramone, David Foster, Bruce Fairbairn, Ron Nevison. Compilation producers: Chicago, David McLees.

Very Best of Neil Diamond: The Original Studio Recordings buy CD music Take note that this 2011 double-disc collection is billed not as the best of Bob Seger, it's the best of Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band -- a rule the compilers immediately bend in two directions by including the Bob Seger System's 1968 debut single "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" (in its mono mix, collectors note) and "Wait for Me" from Seger's 2006 comeback Face the Promise. Along with two unreleased cuts -- a reworking of Little Richard's "Hey Hey Hey Hey" subtitled "Going Back to Birmingham" and originally cut in 1989, a perfectly fine cover that's overshadowed by the first release of Seger's version of Tom Waits' "Downtown Train," which he scrapped after Rod Stewart had a hit with a suspiciously similar arrangement -- and "Katmandu," a cut from 1975's Beautiful Loser that rightly gets grandfathered into the prime of the Silver Bullet Band, those are the only songs cut outside of Seger's golden decade of 1976-1987. Much of Seger's previous two hits collections is repeated here -- all but three of the 14 songs from 1994's Greatest Hits (two of the absent numbers are naturally the comp's newly recorded bonus cuts) and half of the 16 tunes from 2003's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 are here -- and while there are certainly strong songs missing, whether it's "Sunspot Baby" or "Understanding," this has all the giant hits in a tidy, thoroughly entertaining package. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Recording information: A&M Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA (10/06/1980); Ambience Recording, Farmington Hills, MI (10/06/1980); Bayshore Studios, Coconut Grove, FL (10/06/1980); Boston Garden, Boston, MA (10/06/1980); Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, CA (10/06/1980); Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI (10/06/1980); Criteria Studios, Miami, FL (10/06/1980); Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Sheffield, AL (10/06/1980); Nimbus Nine Studios, Toronto, Ontario (10/06/1980); Oasis Studios, Los Angeles, CA (10/06/1980); Pampa Sound Studios, Detroit, MI (10/06/1980); Studio 55, Hollywood, CA (10/06/1980); United Sound Systems, Detroit, MI (10/06/1980).