Enter here for your chance to win one of three New Kids On The Block Prize Packs! Three winners will receive a NKOTB poster and t-shirt! New Kids On The Block’s new track, “Single,” featuring Ne-Yo is available now on iTunes as is the pre-order for Continue

Singer Michael Jackson has turned 50, a shadow of the superstar once known as the “King of Pop” whose records thrilled millions before his bizarre personal life eclipsed his musical brilliance. Unlike Madonna’s 50th birthday bash and launch of Continue

Pop Hits Inna Reggae Vol. 6
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The Best of Top of the Pops ‘73
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50 Pop and Rock Hits for Buskers: The White Book (Music)

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Stars of Country Music: Uncle Dave Macon to Johnny Rodriguez (Music in American Life)

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Amazon.com: Country Music: Marty Stuart: Music Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on “Buy MP3″ or view the MP3 Album. Read more..

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Customer Review: Wow!
This game is the best! With loads of different sounds to play with, it really does what it says on the box! You will be making your own tracks in minutes, get this game!
Customer Review: WoW!!! u can actually make your own music!!!
wow, i cant belive it. when i put it on i started to make my very own music! You can do any music u want, mostly tecno but its great. i cant say anything else, just stunning!
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A robust, heavy duty sheet music tripod stand.
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Customer Review: poptastic
I recently brought this as a present for my ten year old niece, who is now in her element dancing round her bedroom to the likes of Mcfly, Lily Allen and Girls Aloud. The CD does exactly what it says on the tin, and is packed full of fizzy pop tunes. Whilst there is also appearances by slightly more “grown up” acts such as Gwen Stefani and Take That (who I’m old enough to remember screaming for back in the days when they had all five members), I doubt this album would hold out much appeal unless you were a pre teen or a serious pop fan. But my niece and her friends can’t stop singing its praises, so there’s one satisfied customer at least.
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Elvis Costello (Icons of Pop Music) Customer Review: ‘Costello is Marmite on slightly burnt toast ‘
It’s hard to figure who this book is aimed at. As a collection of information it is excellent but exhausting. Fact upon fact is presented. As a text to be examined upon I imagine it would present a perfect example of proof of a student’s ability to retain information. To the casual music fan it may be a handy intro. to Elvis. It may be slightly off putting; the sheer scale of the amount of work may make one think ‘ Where do I begin?’.

Time and again I found myself thinking I would prefer to just listen to the albums and not bother with all this ancillary information. That’s probably a reflection of my primary use of reading matter ie. for pleasure, not for work related information.

Dai does leaven the sheer steamroller effect of all the information by chipping in with some witty asides. P.32. British musical culture bore a striking resemblance to a neatly organized class system . For example , Costello would have aimed to be heard on BBC Radio One ( pop music for youth), his father would have appeared on Radio Two ( popular music for adults), while for both of them Radio Three ( classical music ) would have been beyond reach , the pair of them like father-and-son builders turning up in a white van to fix a big house in the posh, leafy part of town.

A description of the ‘descending, diatonic bass scale’ in Suit Of Lights reads ( in part) P.37 ‘..at the bridge (1′50) Bruce Thomas wanders lonely as a cloud from the G an octave lower twice’

I loved this – p.43 ‘ …Steve Nieve is the key to thinking about Costello’s musical development , at least up to Spike , the Steve Dedalus to Costelloe Bloom. Similarly this – P.83 ‘…Costello is Marmite on slightly burnt toast for breakfast next to the pains aux chocolat of Jeff Buckley or Rufus Wainwright.’

I was rubbing my eyes after reading this P.110 –

”Episode Of Blonde’ (When I Was Cruel) displays a superb control of verbal space ,built on a lively chord progression with salsa piano flourishes. The terrific first line — “I spy for The Spirit of Curiosity’ — establishes an eleven-syllable “norm” for the tempo. By the time of the line beginning “a tornado dropped a funnel” (024), we’re used to the idea of two syllables per beat. The chorus occupies 16 bars between 0,55 and 124, its lines working out as a syllable count of 13, 14, 16. 16 (59 in all). The next section is the one to home in on, a kind of rap between I `24 and 209, occupying 24 beats, eight more than the chorus, all in groups of four. Here the syllable count rises dramatically to encompass lots of wordy detail, to I5, 13, 11, 13, I I, 16, 10, I5 — 104 in all (and that’s the same space as the 59 syllables of the chorus) — followed by the extension with I 5, 14, 19 (48 in all), making the rap 152 syllables in total. That’s a lot of words!’

And so on. He also tackles the apparent contradictions in Elvis’ public personae. The hater of Thatcherism who fires a hapless engineer ( as told in the Kojak Variety re-issue note) , and so on. Many other facets are explored, way beyond my means of commentary/summarising. His summary is encapsulated by his use of this quote from Suzanne Vega

`Although my ideal, and I have to say lately [19921. I’ve been listening to Elvis Costello, all his songs over the last ten years, and the great thing about what he does is that he still writes about love, thwarted ambition, jealousy, all these basic things in life that aren’t particularly ambitious. Everybody writes about love. But at the same time he’ll do it in a way that it’s his and it’s distinctive. He’s not afraid to use long words, he’s not afraid to use his vocabulary. He’s not afraid to say `I want you’ and say it over and over again for five minutes. And it’s still Elvis Costello. As a songwriter I need to be able to say those things that are a part of everyday life: I need you, I want you. War must end. How you get to say them without sounding like a jerk or sounding simplistic, that’s my next challenge. Because everyone says, `Oh. she’s so intellectual’. But I am trying to communicate. How do you say it but say it in such a way that it seems as if they haven’t heard it before?’

Amongst the insights I was intrigued by was his suggestion that the Brinsley Schwarz 1972 recording of Surrender To The Rhythm was a template for Pay It Back and Sneaky Feelings on MAIT. I played them back-to- back and , lo and behold, it was like they were all recorded on the same day.

The book is worth a read but do prepare to be swamped!

This extract from Dai’s preface gives a more specific detailing of the books contents –

In planning the book, I was keen to avoid a chronological presentation, feeling that a thematic approach was due in Costello’s case.

The first chapter adopts the perspective of the past, in two ways. It examines the basic issue of what we refer to in talking about Elvis Costello’s work, finding examples where this has been presented as a matter of contradiction. An interlude discusses Costello’s “iconic” status by reference to his spectacles. Finally Costello’s various allusions to the music of the past offer a platform to consider the wide range of influences upon his work.

The second chapter is a survey of Costello’s music, with additional sections on recording and voice. The main survey is presented as a conundrum, whereby Costello fits uneasily into being described as a “popular” musician, having later produced works by the procedures of “classical” music. The chapter selects examples from the entire range of Costello’s output, and supports its musical vocabulary with references to specific points in recordings so that, by listening to the recording, the reader will hear the point made. For my part, the musical detail is based primarily on listening and working out at the piano, although, where available, scores were also consulted. The section on Costello’s recording talks about the producer Clive Langer, while the section on voice makes reference to his father, Ross MacManus, among many others.

The third chapter is a discussion of the words of Costello’s songs, and includes a brief review of his collected prose, the liner notes he produced for reissues of his recordings on CD. After a brief review of other authors on Costello’s words, the chapter examines aspects of technique in songwriting, and discusses examples under the familiar division into political songs and songs of romance. In both cases, boundaries to the range of Costello’s subject matter are suggested. The chapter selects from the range of Costello’s output. but focuses on examples from King Of America, Blood And Chocolate, and Spike.

The fourth and final chapter reviews Costello’s reception. focusing on various chart summaries, and his musical influence on others. Selected readings of Costello from journalism and academia are reviewed as case studies .

Managing Artists in Pop Music: What Every Artist and Manager Must Know to Succeed

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Pop Customer Review: Why are you even thinking about this ?
I mean really ? Discotheque aside, there is no reason to listen to this album, ever. If you’re a U2 fan then why aren’t you listening to Joshua Tree, Actung baby, Zooropa or Unforgetable fire, all waaaay better than this. If you’ve never really heard of U2 then go and buy one the U2 albums I just mentioned. It’s not a rubbish album by any means, but if you’re going to listen to this band go for the good stuff, there’s nothing on this album they haven’t done a billion times better elsewhere.
Customer Review: stray effort
U2 I feel tried to become a part of the times with this album, and in my opinion, it didn’t suit them. If you can imagine a middle aged man going through a midlife crisis, dancing badly in a discotheque and trying to be cool. Thats my anagram for this album.
This album is sometimes hit, but mostly miss. They are better playing in the rock genre. And when they do and are at their best, they set the bar for any other act out there.
U2 have never been conventionl but I feel ‘Pop’ was a step too far.

POP MUSIC – washingtonpost.com
Correction to This Article Review of a Smithsonian Folklife Festival concert gave an incorrect name for one of the bands Augie Meyers played in.

Rock And Pop Music
Non-commercial music site 1000’s of tracks in Windows Media format, 1950’s to 1980’s. Site Last 17th June 2008. Dan, Keith & Belinda Welcome you to (Click Image Above To Enter)

The Complete Monterey Pop Festival [2002]
Customer Review: HM Customs- spoiled the moment
It finally arrived. I’ve only watched disc 1 so far – but it was worth the wait. Opening with ” If you’re going to San Francisco” the memories of that era started to come back. I now have the 3 major festivals of the 60s/70s so I can escape the stresses of today for hours at any time.

My biggest gripe is that, having paid the price of the DVDs + Vat I then get stung by HM Customs for a further ?14.

Given that I would recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys festivals and music. Janis Joplin and Otis Redding on the same lineup – awesome

Jim

Jim

Customer Review: I KNOW it is fantastic
I KNOW it is fantastic (having viewed some of it with a friend) without even seeing all the extra perfomances on here. And this really should be more widely available in the UK, especially on its 40th anniversary. But I would love to know where the previous ‘reviewers’ got their ‘All Regions’ copies from (????) as all I can find are Region 1 (NTSC) from the Amazon traders I have contacted. So, ARE there ‘all regions’ copies out there, and if so WHERE —- pray tell ???

Onyx Designer Cufflinks – Blue Music Centre Ipod Style – For the Music Lover

Various Artists, DFA PresentsSupersoul Recordings: Nobody Knows Anything
One of the most thrilling, forward thinking and, well, danceable dance label showcases in years

The Totally Awesome 80s Pop Music Trivia Book (Totally Awesome Eighties Trivia)

Pop music – Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change

Pop Music Tickets – Pop Concert Tickets at StubHub!
Pop Music Tickets – Buy and sell Pop Tickets and other Concert Tickets at StubHub! Where Fans Buy & Sell Tickets

Elvis Costello (Icons of Pop Music)
Customer Review: ‘Costello is Marmite on slightly burnt toast ‘
It’s hard to figure who this book is aimed at. As a collection of information it is excellent but exhausting. Fact upon fact is presented. As a text to be examined upon I imagine it would present a perfect example of proof of a student’s ability to retain information. To the casual music fan it may be a handy intro. to Elvis. It may be slightly off putting; the sheer scale of the amount of work may make one think ‘ Where do I begin?’.

Time and again I found myself thinking I would prefer to just listen to the albums and not bother with all this ancillary information. That’s probably a reflection of my primary use of reading matter ie. for pleasure, not for work related information.

Dai does leaven the sheer steamroller effect of all the information by chipping in with some witty asides. P.32. British musical culture bore a striking resemblance to a neatly organized class system . For example , Costello would have aimed to be heard on BBC Radio One ( pop music for youth), his father would have appeared on Radio Two ( popular music for adults), while for both of them Radio Three ( classical music ) would have been beyond reach , the pair of them like father-and-son builders turning up in a white van to fix a big house in the posh, leafy part of town.

A description of the ‘descending, diatonic bass scale’ in Suit Of Lights reads ( in part) P.37 ‘..at the bridge (1′50) Bruce Thomas wanders lonely as a cloud from the G an octave lower twice’

I loved this – p.43 ‘ …Steve Nieve is the key to thinking about Costello’s musical development , at least up to Spike , the Steve Dedalus to Costelloe Bloom. Similarly this – P.83 ‘…Costello is Marmite on slightly burnt toast for breakfast next to the pains aux chocolat of Jeff Buckley or Rufus Wainwright.’

I was rubbing my eyes after reading this P.110 -

”Episode Of Blonde’ (When I Was Cruel) displays a superb control of verbal space ,built on a lively chord progression with salsa piano flourishes. The terrific first line — “I spy for The Spirit of Curiosity’ — establishes an eleven-syllable “norm” for the tempo. By the time of the line beginning “a tornado dropped a funnel” (024), we’re used to the idea of two syllables per beat. The chorus occupies 16 bars between 0,55 and 124, its lines working out as a syllable count of 13, 14, 16. 16 (59 in all). The next section is the one to home in on, a kind of rap between I `24 and 209, occupying 24 beats, eight more than the chorus, all in groups of four. Here the syllable count rises dramatically to encompass lots of wordy detail, to I5, 13, 11, 13, I I, 16, 10, I5 — 104 in all (and that’s the same space as the 59 syllables of the chorus) — followed by the extension with I 5, 14, 19 (48 in all), making the rap 152 syllables in total. That’s a lot of words!’

And so on. He also tackles the apparent contradictions in Elvis’ public personae. The hater of Thatcherism who fires a hapless engineer ( as told in the Kojak Variety re-issue note) , and so on. Many other facets are explored, way beyond my means of commentary/summarising. His summary is encapsulated by his use of this quote from Suzanne Vega

`Although my ideal, and I have to say lately [19921. I’ve been listening to Elvis Costello, all his songs over the last ten years, and the great thing about what he does is that he still writes about love, thwarted ambition, jealousy, all these basic things in life that aren’t particularly ambitious. Everybody writes about love. But at the same time he’ll do it in a way that it’s his and it’s distinctive. He’s not afraid to use long words, he’s not afraid to use his vocabulary. He’s not afraid to say `I want you’ and say it over and over again for five minutes. And it’s still Elvis Costello. As a songwriter I need to be able to say those things that are a part of everyday life: I need you, I want you. War must end. How you get to say them without sounding like a jerk or sounding simplistic, that’s my next challenge. Because everyone says, `Oh. she’s so intellectual’. But I am trying to communicate. How do you say it but say it in such a way that it seems as if they haven’t heard it before?’

Amongst the insights I was intrigued by was his suggestion that the Brinsley Schwarz 1972 recording of Surrender To The Rhythm was a template for Pay It Back and Sneaky Feelings on MAIT. I played them back-to- back and , lo and behold, it was like they were all recorded on the same day.

The book is worth a read but do prepare to be swamped!

This extract from Dai’s preface gives a more specific detailing of the books contents -

In planning the book, I was keen to avoid a chronological presentation, feeling that a thematic approach was due in Costello’s case.

The first chapter adopts the perspective of the past, in two ways. It examines the basic issue of what we refer to in talking about Elvis Costello’s work, finding examples where this has been presented as a matter of contradiction. An interlude discusses Costello’s “iconic” status by reference to his spectacles. Finally Costello’s various allusions to the music of the past offer a platform to consider the wide range of influences upon his work.

The second chapter is a survey of Costello’s music, with additional sections on recording and voice. The main survey is presented as a conundrum, whereby Costello fits uneasily into being described as a “popular” musician, having later produced works by the procedures of “classical” music. The chapter selects examples from the entire range of Costello’s output, and supports its musical vocabulary with references to specific points in recordings so that, by listening to the recording, the reader will hear the point made. For my part, the musical detail is based primarily on listening and working out at the piano, although, where available, scores were also consulted. The section on Costello’s recording talks about the producer Clive Langer, while the section on voice makes reference to his father, Ross MacManus, among many others.

The third chapter is a discussion of the words of Costello’s songs, and includes a brief review of his collected prose, the liner notes he produced for reissues of his recordings on CD. After a brief review of other authors on Costello’s words, the chapter examines aspects of technique in songwriting, and discusses examples under the familiar division into political songs and songs of romance. In both cases, boundaries to the range of Costello’s subject matter are suggested. The chapter selects from the range of Costello’s output. but focuses on examples from King Of America, Blood And Chocolate, and Spike.

The fourth and final chapter reviews Costello’s reception. focusing on various chart summaries, and his musical influence on others. Selected readings of Costello from journalism and academia are reviewed as case studies .

AC/DC Lock Up Your Daughters Music Poster
AC/DC Lock Up Your Daughters Music Poster 91×61cm

Tweenies – Play to the Music
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Pop Music: The Text Book

When the Music’s Over: Story of Political Pop

The Dandy Warhols, Earth To The Dandy Warhols
Criticising the Warhols for being arch is like criticizing the Pope for being Catholic.

Top Of The Pops: 1978
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Top of the Pops (TOTP) – The 80s Customer Review: A real blast from the past!!
I found this box set on tv and bought it the next day. It has been really good listening to all the old 80’s tracks. It is full of all those tracks you hear on the radio and recognise and miss hearing. My daughter will not admit to listening to what she describes as ‘wrinkly songs’ but it is amusing to hear her sing along.
Well worth buying if you enjoy listening to songs with real catchy lyrics that are easy to understand
Customer Review: Ahhhhhh I love it, Bring em BACK!!!!
Awwwww this is a Fantastic 3 CD album… Shame they wasn’t more cuz when i finished listening I wanted more lol…

MUST BUY!!!!! it’s great

Amazon.com: Pop: Music
Find, shop for and buy Music at Amazon.com See what’s at the top of the charts and save. We’ve got great prices on the top 40 CDs from this week’s Billboard 200™ album chart.

Pop-Music.com – Pop Music’s Home Page
The Pop Music News Network Paul McCartney NY Secret Show 13 June (Tomorrow!) By: Webmaster on: Tue 12 of Jun, 2007 [19:55 UTC] (7022 reads)

Pop Life
Customer Review: Have to admit, this is catchy…
Normally I don’t like dance music…but there was just something about this CD that caught my ear. The songs are unbelievably catchy, and some are just downright awesome (particularly “Baby When The Lights Go Out”)

Customer Review: Too much hole, not enough hugs….
Good CD, but the influence of K on the dance scene is evident in this album while the influence of E is diminishing. Shame.

JOHNNY CASH Walk The Line Music Poster
JOHNNY CASH Walk The Line Music Poster 91×61cm

Nu Pop
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Zoom Karaoke Pop Hits 1 – Double CD+G Album – 40 Songs Featuring 40 pop high-quality karaoke favorites from the last year or so, this is a great compilation for everyone as Disc 1 features all female songs and Disc 2 features all male songs. [DISC 1] 01. SMILE (Lily Allen) 02. HUNG UP (Madonna) 03. STICKWITU (The Pussycat Dolls) 04. I WISH I WAS A PUNK ROCKER (Sandi Thom) 05. CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD (Kylie Minogue) 06. FROM PARIS TO BERLIN (Infernal) 07. RED DRESS (The Sugababes) 08. SWAY (The Pussycat Dolls) 09. BECAUSE OF YOU (Kelly Clarkson) 10. COOL (Gwen Stefani) 11. CRAZY CHICK (Charlotte Church) 12. SUDDENLY I SEE (KT Tunstall) 13. BEEP (The Pussycat Dolls) 14. PUT YOUR RECORDS ON (Corinne Bailey Rae) 15. SORRY (Madonna) 16. FAME (Irene Cara) 17. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN (Cyndi Lauper) 18. I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW (Tiffany) 19. DANCING QUEEN (Abba) 20. I WILL SURVIVE (Gloria Gaynor) [DISC 2] 01. IS THIS THE WAY TO AMARILLO (Tony Christie) 02. BAD DAY (Daniel Powter) 03. VALERIE (The Zutons) 04. NO TOMORROW (Orson) 05. I DON’T FEEL LIKE DANCIN’ (The Scissor Sisters) 06. YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL (James Blunt) 07. FREE LOOP (Daniel Powter) 08. THAT’S MY GOAL (Shayne Ward) 09. YOU RAISE ME UP (Westlife) 10. CRAZY (Gnarls Barkley) 11. ROCK DJ (Robbie Williams) 12. OBVIOUSLY (McFly) 13. SPEED OF SOUND (Coldplay) 14. ALL TIME LOVE (Will Young) 15. BETTER TOGETHER (Jack Johnson) 16. STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU (Stealers Wheel) 17. DON’T STOP ME NOW (Queen) 18. DELILAH (Tom Jones) 19. HELP! (The Beatles) 20. BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP (The Foundations)

Pop Music’s Home Page allSTARS To Sing In A Cube And Also Slam The British Press By: Esmond on: Read more..

Pop Is…: +DVD

Two highly challenging dance works at the Edinburgh International Festival last week looked in some ways quite similar – throbbing, minimal music, small groups of contemporary dancers trying to create new relationships between sound and movement Read more..

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Customer Review: By no means a miss, but not exactly a smash hit. Fred Astaire’s last leading man role in a movie musical
There are a number of good things about Silk Stockings, but there also is a professional finality about the movie that makes it easier to observe than to be delighted by it. It was one of the last of the big MGM musicals coming from Arthur Freed’s production unit. It was the last musical Fred Astaire made as the lead. It was the last film directed by Rouben Mamoulian. It was based on the last Broadway musical Cole Porter wrote. Silk Stockings also was used to make a statement about the excesses some thought were ruining films and music…the advent of rock and roll and the technological changes in films with wide screen and stereo sound. It even takes a crack at the fashion for ballet in many musicals. You’ve got to be very clever and original to successfully parody things which are already self-parodies. Silk Stockings, even with its many entertaining moments, isn’t that clever. The story is based on Ninotchka, the female Soviet commissar who comes to Paris and finds romance reluctantly…and then enthusiastically. Paris is presented as a place where decadence was never more innocent and persuasive. Steve Canfield (Fred Astaire) is a Hollywood producer in Paris who plans to make a film starring a famous film star (Janis Paige), using the music of a famous Soviet composer who isn’t thrilled at returning to Moscow. Three Soviet bureaucrats (Peter Lorre, Jules Munshin and Joseph Buloff), bumblers all, have been sent to retrieve him…but they fall prey to the charms of Paris, too. So one of the toughest, most dedicated commissars is sent to bring them all back. She is Nina Yoshenko (Cyd Charisse), and she is as humorless as a training manual. Canfield piles on the charm, Ninotchka finally softens, romance blossoms. And then, of course, a misunderstanding arises. Ninotchka returns to Moscow, but a bit of sly dealing by Steve gets her back to Paris. The misunderstanding is solved, love blossoms anew, and East-West relations, at least for Steve and Ninotchka, warm up considerably. Marriage is just a kiss and a dance away. One of the things that seems so odd is that, for a Fred Astaire film, Astaire spends a good deal of time doing knee drops, full-length on-the-floor sprawls and athletic dance moves that limit the sophisticated and smooth Astaire style. He was 59 when he made the picture, and this might explain the relative shortness of some of the sequences. Still, while he is assured and immensely watchable (and while he can still do wonders with a cane), three major dance productions he is in just seem choppy. Most of the songs from the Broadway show were retained and Porter wrote a couple of new ones. It’s become routine with Porter to say that whatever his latest show was, the score was never one of his best. In this case, it’s true. The romantic songs are great, but the topical speciality numbers just seem tired. –”Too Bad” is a raucous song and dance involving the three Soviet flunkies, Steve and three ladies Steve brought to convince the flunkies they don’t need to hurry to go back to Moscow. There’s a nice sequence involving Astaire dancing with each of the women. Watching Peter Lorre gamely taking part, however, I didn’t find very funny. He had health problems, was over-weight and it showed. –”Paris Loves Lovers” is a charming song Astaire sings to Charisse, and then she counterpoints in the reprise. –”Stereophonic Sound,” for me, just isn’t particularly clever or funny. Janis Paige plays a character who has no subtlety, and she delivers the song the same way. This is the first of the production numbers that have Astaire sliding under desks and dropping onto the floor. –”It’s a Chemical Reaction, That’s All.” This clever little throw away is used by Ninotchka to explain to Steve that love is nothing more than predictable chemistry. When the electro-magnetic of the hemale Meets the electro-magnetic of the female, If right away she should say, ‘This is the male,’ It’s a chemical reaction, that’s all. And though you fascists may answer with kisses The same applies when you’re mister and missus. Hey diddle diddle with middle class kisses. It’s a chemical reaction that’s all. –Which leads immediately to one of Porter’s first-class songs, “All of You,” which includes the naughty line that sends schoolboys to sniggering every time they hear it. The song is sung by Astaire to a skeptical Charisse. I love the looks of you, the lure of you. I’d love to make a tour of you, The arms, the eyes, the mouth of you, The east, west, north, and the south of you. I’d love to gain complete control of you And handle even the heart and soul of you. So love at least a small percent of me, do. ‘Cause I love all of you. –”Satin and Silk,” a speciality number for Paige. –”Silk Stockings.” This is one of Porter’s great brooding, throbbing latin melodies, danced by Cyd Charisse. –”Without Love” is such a paean to the wholesome hetero love of a woman for a man that Porter must have had a great time writing the lyrics. –”Fated to Mated” is a jaunty song sung by Astaire to Charisse which leads into an extended dance routine for them. The dance is the second number that winds up more athletic than we’re used to. –”Josephine,” another speciality number for Paige, much abbreviated from the Broadway version. –”Siberia,” a not-too-funny specialty number for Lorre, Munshin and Buloff. –”The Red Blues.” This is probably the second least inspired number by Porter. It’s redeemed by a driving arrangement, vivid choreography and a knock-out performance by Charisse. She was a skilled, precise dancer who could handle any steps they gave her. She does a great job here. –”The Ritz Roll and Rock.” Astaire is said to have asked Porter to come up with a big finale number that would poke fun at all the changes in the musical scene that had been happening in the Fifties. This was the result and, to my view, it simply isn’t very good. The song lacks cleverness and wit. Astaire was always expert, but this has him starting out in a classic white tie and tails pose, then sends him spinning on the floor and finishing by smashing his top hat with his fist. As Cyd Charisse said years later in one of the extras on the DVD, “Though Fred was wonderful, it was clear that the age he had come to emulate was over.” This number just doesn’t do the job. Astaire, as always, is first class. Charisse is easy to look at and a fine dancer. George Tobias, as a commissar in Moscow and Ninotchka’s boss, gives a sly and dead-pan performance. Some of Porter’s songs are very good. Mamoulian brought the film in on time and under budget. And Silk Stockings was a success with ticket buyers. The DVD transfer is excellent. There are several light-weight extras, the best of which is a 1934 musical short based on Porter’s Fifty Million Frenchman. It stars Bob Hope and a singer-dancer named Dorothy Stone. It only runs 21 minutes but it features four fine Porter songs from the show, including Hope singing “You Do Something to Me.” At any excuse for a cue, a group of chorus girls and boys prance in to dance with that endearingly clunky style of early musicals.
Customer Review: Fred and Cyd Together Again and A Delight!
Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse re-team and give us another excellent MGM musical. Produced at a time when fans of musicals were beginning to wane, this is an absolute classic. Highlights from this include Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse dancing at any time during the movie, and Janis Paige singing Satin and Silk. Overall, a brilliant movie with brilliant songs to match.
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Like the Tin Man’s heart, the true test of a real classic is how much it is loved by others. The enduring charms of The Wizard of Oz have easily weathered the vicissitudes of changing fashions making the film one of the world’s best-loved, most-quoted and frequently imitated movies.

It’s now as ubiquitous an American pop-cultural icon as McDonald’s, making judging the movie purely on its own merits an almost impossible task. Judy Garland’s tragic later life, for example, makes her na?ve and utterly beguiling Dorothy seem all the more poignant in retrospect. But this at least is clear: much of this movie’s success depends on the winning appeal of Garland’s “Everygirl” figure, who creates the vital identification and empathy necessary to carry the audience with her into the land of Oz. We always care deeply about Dorothy, her quest for home and the strength of her friendship with her companions. Garland’s assured dancing and singing routines with her ideally cast Broadway comedy co-stars Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr and Jack Haley are still endlessly delightful, of course, and the songs and score (by Arlen, Harburg and Stothart) are as good as anything in the Hollywood musical canon. It is Garland’s deeply felt rendition of “Over the Rainbow” that is both the film’s emotional core and the reason why adults as much as children the world over still respond so strongly to this movie. So long as people long for home and the love of their friends and family, the nostalgic appeal of Oz will never fade.

On the DVD: another splendid digital restoration from the MGM vaults keeps this wonderful classic as vivid and alive as it was back in 1939, if not more so. The 1.33:1 picture is clear and defined, bursting with the vibrant colours of Oz (you can even see the wires holding up the Lion’s tail). Even more remarkably, because the original microphone tapes have been preserved the soundtrack has been remastered in 5.1 stereo, thereby accentuating the lush tones of the MGM orchestra and Garland’s famous singing.

The disc is also chock full of extras, including outtakes, audio sequences, composer Harold Arlen’s backstage movies, extracts from earlier silent Oz films, clips from the Academy Awards and interviews with the stars among many other fascinating nuggets. The new 50-minute documentary hosted by Angela Lansbury, and irritatingly narrated in the present tense, is oddly the weakest part, with too little hard information and too much padding about how everyone loves the movie. The only gripe is Warners’ trademark cardboard slipcase, which is awkward and easily damaged. But this is still an essential disc for the young at heart everywhere. –Mark Walker
List Price: ?18.99
Amazon Price: ?3.98
Used Price: ?2.79
Customer Review: Magical movie!
This movie is so iconic it is deeply ingrained in our culture. As a little girl, and as an adult too, we all want a magical pair of “Dorothy” shoes. The movie’s message is very simple; there’s no place like home. The magical world of Oz is in technicolor whereas the scenes in Kansas are in black and white. This helps to show how enticing Oz is. The characters are pretty damn good, they don’t make em like that anymore. All of the characters go through a personal journey in the film; to get home, to become brave, to get a heart. The plot is as delightful as the characters and the setting, with a dash of humour added in; a must see for young and old, even my quite sensitive 6yr old daughter can handle the scarier bits. The replay value is immeasurable, I have seen the movie so many times and will watch it many times more. The music is enchanting too! Overall I think this movie is a must see. I would rate it 9/10
Customer Review: Quite simply a classic
This is one of the all time best films. I can’t wait for my babies to be big enough to watch this as I am sure they will get as much fun out of it as I did when I was little. Why write this comment? To remind people that just because it is an old film does not mean that it is not suitable for children of today. Buy it for them and you and you will remember why you loved it so much! Simply amazing.
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Pop Jr [CD + DVD] Customer Review: Great for kids
I bought this for my daughter when she was 3 as she loves music. She is now 5 and I am not sure which she has used more the cd or the dvd. She dances and sings away for hours, it’s great.
Customer Review: Good fun cd / dvd
I brought this dvd / cd set for my daughters 6th birthday party. We had a disco / karaokee party for boys and girls, and it was a huge success mainly down to this dvd & cd set. We had karaokee sessions, disco competition & all the other party games using this set, and both my 3 yr old son & my daughter often play the dvd and dance around to it. It’s nice to have something that isn’t aimed at the older children.

Bob Dylan (Icons of Pop Music)

Sometimes we all need to escape from the all too serious world of reality. Sometimes you just want to play some music that just makes you feel good. Plastic Heroes are perfectly named with a wink and a nod towards those that take it all too seriously Continue

Let Me Die a Woman The Phoenix Foundation Play Sample Play Video Add to Cart Light Tony Barnao Play Sample Play Video Add to Cart Get Back Home Kiri Play Sample Play Video Add to Cart Threw Love Down the Drain John Goudge Play Sample Play Video Add Continue

Posters: The Fratellis Poster – Costello Music (36 x 24 inches)

Oracular Spectacular
The term Oracular Spectacular might not mean much, if anything, at all–it’s essentially nonsensical–but that doesn’t stop it feeling exactly right. Here is a band that treats dizzy cross-eyed awe and a vast bounding sense of sonic weightlessness as their yardstick, jostling to surpass themselves on a track-by-track basis and aiming for the musical equivalent of performing somersaults in tye-dye t-shirts off the rings of Jupiter. MGMT seemingly submit this debut album as an application to acquire and even supersede The Flaming Lips’ previously uncontested mantle as spiritual leaders of over-sized Technicolor psychedelic-indie with a soul, weird but not so weird that swelling crowds and even flirtations with the charts aren’t a foregone conclusion. “Time to Pretend” opens and sets a tone for the record, producer David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev) providing a familiar expanse for them to riff across with bull’s-eye synths, massive drums and their twist on the template–retro 80s electro and abstract shapes, see Suicide and the Talking Heads for reference. “The Youth” is centred around a hypnotically looping refrain that recalls Pink Floyd and David Bowie, as interpreted by a mellow Secret Machines and the brilliant “Pieces of What” is Ryan Adams spinning through cosmos with classic Neil Young on his headphones. “Future Reflections” meanwhile stand on its hands on a line somewhere in-between XTC and Ween. Thrillingly eclectic, endlessly colourful and never predictable. It’s all a bit ridiculous, but indeed spectacularly so. –James Berry
List Price: ?11.99
Amazon Price: ?7.98
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Customer Review: Spectacular “oracular”
Putting a label on the debut album by MGMT is a toughie. They’re sort of a synth-psychedelic-space-indie-noisepop band. And they break an awful lot of rules in their debut album “Oracular Spectacular,” a vibrant, colorful little album that sounds like a cascade of summer flowers. They have a few wrinkles yet to iron out, but their music has a unique and striking sound, and they obviously know how to craft solid pop music with a foot-tapping beat, and a slightly eerie sound. It opens with squeaks, bubbling noises, and finally with a slow-building electric riff smothered in twisted synth. “I’m feelin’ rough, I’m feelin’ raw, I’m in the prime of my life/Let’s make some music make some money find some models for wives… This is our decision to live fast and die young/We’ve got the vision, now let’s have some fun…” the soft layered vocals intone. Well, at least there’s no pretense about plans for the future, even if it means “I’ll miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog and my home,” and ends up with divorce, more models, and “We’ll choke on our vomit and that will be the end/We were fated to pretend.” They slow down a little with the guitar-led, sparkling pop of “Weekend Wars,” and the shimmering psychedelic echoes of the languid “The Youth” (”We could flood the streets/with love or light or heat/whatever!”). But then they happily speed back up again — beat-heavy funky tunes, undulating playful synthpop, and rapid-pattering electronic psychedelica. Styles are jumbled seamlessly. As the album’s end approaches, the songs get even more complex, as if the band is learning the ropes as they go along. We have an acoustic-led ballad, a sly rippling pop melody, and a dancy, intimate-sounding finale — not to mention the utterly sublime “Of Moons, Birds & Monsters,” a deliriously beautiful psychpop melody strung with colourful synth, spacey sound effects, and guitars that chime like church bells. “Oracular Spectacular” is the sound of a magnificently talented band that is still getting its bearings, and exploring the blended sound they’ve created. Most of the songs on this album are of good quality but not brilliant — and then MGMT suddenly bursts forth in full-blown musical splendor, with some truly larger-than-life pop rippling with exquisite instrumentation. Much of that instrumentation comes from the subtle percussion, and a series of guitars that can drive the melody forwards like a speeding car, then can suddenly turn into a mass of psychedelic blurs, murmurs and chimes. You can hear some handclaps and what sounds like kettle drums buried in there as well, plus the occasional bashed cymbals. But the synth is nothing short of gorgeous, and it permeates every song in the album. Sometimes it’s a chirp, tweak, squeak or electronic chime on the edges, but sometimes it’s a sweep of truly exquisite shimmering sound. “The Handshake” sounds like it was recorded underwater at times. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden’s soft voices are layered through most of the album, although occasionally one of them sings solo. It adds an otherworldly sound as their vibrant lyrics explore youthful revels, rock’n'roll, otherworldly transformations (”My liquid silver arms extended/These waves aren’t far apart… I am fire, where’s my form?”) and who knows what else (”Why’d you cut holes in the face of the moon base?/Don’t you know about the temperature change/In the cold black shadow?”). “Oracular Spectacular” lives up to its name — outstanding music that only promises to become better, shimmering with colorful pop and boundless imagination.
Customer Review: Deserves all praise
The first time I heard of MGMT was on the last episode of “Skins”, the track played was “Time To Pretend”, and on the strength of this, I bought the album. I am glad to say its the best investment in an album I have made in years. Like a fine meal to gorge on made from the following ingrediants of Bowie, T-Rex (marc Bolan) Scisor Sisters, and even a dash of Erasure, blended on a remixed soundtrack to Rocky Horror sang at Woodstock. Lock yourself in a room and lose yourself.

Top Of The Pops: 1978

The Rough Guide to Cult Pop (Rough Guide Music Guides)