Big

Bummer. I really enjoyed their debut album so I was pretty excited at the release of A Place To Land but there was nothing here for me to latch onto. I didn't feel connected with any of the songs. Their harmonies still amaze me but the writing on this album didn't quite do it for me this time around. The only track I enjoy is I'm With The Band. If you're new to LBT, go grab their debut album instead... !

Thus was the 2nd CD I got from them and awesome! 16 songs and they are great!

Ever since I saw them open up for Martina McBride in Pittsburgh in '06, I've been a big fan of LBT. I admit I was sceptical when the new cd came out (they had a tough act to follow), but after a few listens, I can't get it out of my cd player. I've never heard a group where it doesn't matter who lead sings, the song sounds great. And their harmonizing is so great, that each song is amazing. I highly recommend this cd to anyone who likes their previous work.

Having grown up listening to country but only liking rock and roll, I never expected to be head over heals for Little Big Town. They bring something fresh and new to today's music that is the perfect tapestry of lyrics, harmonies, melodies, and instumentation. I hear my younger days calling with glimpses of early Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and even Bad Company on their previous release.

As a Southerner, I have never found a voice or voices for that matter that accurately reflected my country music and 70's rock roots. That was until LBT! They ARE the PERFECT FUSION!! I was blessed to see them in concert and they are awesome and love to connect with their audience.

Long live LBT and I give many thanks that they have bestowed upon us their beautiful, harmonious, countryish, rockish, Eagle-ish, Fleetwood Mac-ish sound!

I hope one day they will put their version of "Go Your Own Way" like they do in concert sometimes and on Crossroads on CMT with Lindsay Buckingham.

I love you guys!!

While some songs are good on this album are good, it does not surpass the road to here. if you have to choose between the two choose the road to here. best songs: 1, 2, 13, 16.

Act Your Age does everything but! Goodwin at his best. His arrangements are exciting, fun, surprising, and full of youthful exuberance. The technical production quality is par excellence. The companion 5.1 DVD on a good home theater system will blow you away. Turn it up!

The artists and guests Goodwin has assembled for this Phat Band CD are consummate performers and bring this mix of old and new big band jazz tunes to amazing heights. You'll want to share the experience with everyone!

It is nice to know that just by seeing the name Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band it is a "no-brainer" to purchase. This is the best big band out there with fantastic players and dynamic arrangements. If you ever get a chance to see this group live, pay whatever it costs. You will get your money's worth.

I'm always chasing down the big band sound to add to my jazz music collection, from the old (like Birks Works) to the new (like Maria Schneider - Sky Blue [Standard Edition] CD -(Wallet style packaging with one booklet)), so how it took me so long to discover Mr. Goodwin and his Big Phat Band, I'll never know. But I've found him, and let me tell you, this is the definition of hard-driving, hot swinging, full sounding big band jazz. I bought this CD on the strength of one song, "Senor Mouse", which features Chick Corea on piano. I've since learned that one of Goodwin's and BPB's trademarks is the phenomenal guest musicians they manage to assemble for each new project. Act Your Age continues this tradition, with Patti Austin, Art Tatum, Chick, Dave Grusin, and Lee Ritenour all making an appearance on this recording. Tatum's Yesterdays and Grusin's Punta Del Soul, along with the aforementioned Senor Mouse, are the highlights, but the Goodwin originals, like Hit the Ground Running, Backrow Politics and the title track all threaten to reintroduce big band swing to the popular charts. The band does blues, swing, Latin, bop, and straight up jazz, all with superb tone, high energy, and youthful enthusiasm. Goodwin's arrangements are highly original and always "up", but he challenges the listener, too, with off beat phrasing, intriguing switches, unexpected theme introductions, and subtle backbone. The bonus DVD has everything from band member photos for casual fans, to solo transcriptions for the serious jazz musicians. (They've got boatloads of free stuff on their website, too.) So though you may be "requested" to Act Your Age, I say, don't! Listen to Goodwin and BPB, then feel and act as young as you want. This is what modern jazz music is all about.

I first downloaded the bonus track "Floating Home" free off of here. I was delighted by the fusion of styles that blended so perfectly into one another without any sense of awkwardness. When I purchased the album shortly afterward, I was enthralled by its variation and simplicity of content. Nevertheless, its general feel is wonderful; the best part about this album, I believe, is that it not only can be used as entertainment music (that is, as the focus of your attention), but can also be used as ambient sounds, especially when working. Individual tracks are also excellent, such as "Señor Mouse," featuring Chick Corea - an excellent guest appearance; "East Coast Envy" and its wandering bass line are a treat; "Yesterdays," which was deservingly nominated for Best Arrangement, features the Art Tatum "re-performance," which is astonishing in its own right. Goodwin's decision to perform with this is a statement of the fact that even as revolutionary musical technologies are invented and displayed, people will never get tired of a good original album, especially when as tasteful and near-perfect as this one.

Gordon Goodwin has put together an amazing group of musicians. This is how the big band of today should sound. No matter what the particular type of song the band is performing, it performs in a magnificent way. I am 80 years old and worked in big bands in the 40s and 50s. Although I haven't played in 50 years, this music has awakened me to truly admire the sounds produced by the Big Phat Band.

This is an absolutely incredible album. The band has never been in better voice and the songs are amazing. One hopes that they will release an album of the concerts they performed after release of this album!

After the Hard and the Easy and a very welcome return to the salt, sea and shores of Newfoundland found in those playful and traditional style songs by the greatest band on earth, I was a little put off by my first few listens to this newest effort. The songs sound good and are well produced but I was a little bored about half way through by, what seemed to me, to be lots of the same old thing. I know it is in vogue to recycle these days, but not when it comes to music. I'm still not sure after a few more listens if this is a good album or not, but I don't hate it as much as I thought I would.
The Bad: Too many attempts at "rock" songs. "Life is Beautiful" is the only GBS cd I don't own and there is a very good reason for that. The guys aren't pop stars and we, their fans, don't expect or WANT them to be. So please stop with the Corr's jingles. They almost made this effort unsalvageable. "Ordinary Day" and "Consequence Free" are already out there and they blow the house down. Everything else in this vein just seems to be a watered down effort. Most GBS albums have a few of these tracks but Fortune's Favor is chock full of them and really bring the thing to a screeching halt. "Love Me Tonight," "Walk On the Moon," "Here and Now," "Dream to Live," "Hard Case," "Dance Dance" and "Heart of Stone" are the skipable tracks and, heck, that's half the album.
The So-So: Some tracks have promise but don't quite deliver. The pipes at the beginning of the first track as well as Alan's strong voice show great promise for "Love Me Tonight" but the song quickly devolves into a song we've heard before. The woman who did the background vocals on "Hard Case" has a phenomenal voice (she only has one solo line) but the song still doesn't quite make it. "Rocks of Marasheen" is one of the few traditional tunes but isn't very memorable (even though the harmonies on the chorus are fantastic). I am also going to drop "Straight to Hell" into this category on fear of being stoned. Sorry, but this is just a weak "Bad As I Am" or "Captain Kidd." It has a little life and a litte fun but not to the level one would expect from GBS.
The Good: There are two fantastic traditional tracks on Fortune's Favor. "England" is absolutely beautiful and "Long Lost Love" is surprisingly powerful, especially on the verses (shame on ya' Molly). Both of these add something new to the GBS catalogue without being easily linked to earlier songs. "Company of Fools" may not be the most original track but it is loads of fun, full of energy, eminently singable and has a really nice hook. Think "Old Black Rum" but with clowns. The truly surprising and most original sounding song on the cd is, oddly enough, "Oh Yeah." It is a straightforward rock anthem (didn't I say I hated those earlier) but it is much harder musically than the other tracks and Alan virtually growls the lyrics. It is fantastic and loads better than "Straight to Hell." Maybe because it is so unexpected--a foot stomping, head banging song from the boys--who would have thunk it. These four songs are worth the price of admission and pump the stars up to four in, what reads to me, like a primarily negative review. I'm not hating. I just wish GBS would have smashed the last two records together and made things a little more balanced.
The Beautiful: The jacket art. And look, this time, both parts is a girl.

This is a great album from the guys. The new songs blended in really well in the live set on the current tour. A+++ Also recommended, download the GBS cover of "Gallow's Pole."

Just saw Great Big Sea in concert (NYC - 9/19/08) and fell in love with some of their new songs (Walk on the Moon, Love Me Tonight, England). I had to hear them again!
This CD is not like their old ones - more rocky, less folksy - the love songs pull on the heart, their defiant ones make you want to dance, and their ballads fill you with longing. I wish they had compiled a live CD of these songs because this group ROCKS in person... It's true, the band sounds less like Great Big Sea of 10 years ago, but are they supposed to play the same kind of stuff forever? It might be great for fans, but probably boring for them.
Anyway, lots of catchy phrases, songs to sing along to, and songs to get vertical to.....As far as I know, none of these songs are on previous CDs (although I don't own all 10.)

Following up on "The Hard and the Easy", the boys head back to the sound of "Something Beautiful" with a pop fueled CD. The odd thing is that you don't recognize it's GBS until the 6th song. The first five are cannon fodder. They all sound the same, could be made by any band in the country and I find myself skipping over them quickly. Starting with "Oh Yeah" you finally recognize the boys. From there songs like "Company of Fools", "Banks of Newfoundland" and "Straight To Hell" keep with their theme of newfie music with a modern twist. And they do a pretty good job. Bob Hallett is conspicuously silent not only on the CD but the accompanying DVD. There is limited accordion or flute playing compared to earlier CDs and I don't think he does more than a couple vocals. That's too bad. I find the CD missing heart but "Hard and Easy" was such a great CD any follow-up was bound to suffer. Overall, it's an ok CD.

This is a good record. These guys should be more popular. Really good harmonies and good dancable songs.

I'm extremely impressed with this band! After hearing Boondocks countless times on the radio, I thought they were destined for the one-hit-wonder category. To my suprise, they have tons of stand out tracks on here! Good As Gone, Boondocks, Bones, A Little More You, Looking for a Reason and Welcome to the Family and my favorites!! I highly recommend this CD!!

I'm not the biggest fan of country but I absolutely love this album! Little Big Town have amazing harmonies and every song is spectactular! I love to sing along to these songs as well. There are some fun upbeat songs (like "Boondocks" and "Welcome to the Family" and "Mean Streak"), some Southern rock style songs (like "Good As Gone" and "Bones") and pretty slower paced songs (like "Bring It On Home" and "A Little More You" and "Stay"). Every song showcases this band's signature harmonies and amazing instrumentals. I am really impressed with this album.

Bottom Line : I recommend this album to anyone who loves Country, Pop, Harmony, and amazing songs! Buy it! :)

A friend of mine was listening to my Lady Antebellum CD in my car and said "I have got to let you listen to a CD I have by Little Big Town...I think you'll like them". Wow, was she ever right! This CD is awesome and there is not a song on it I don't like. I sing to all of them and the beat for many is great for working out. They will go far...I hope!

I've had CMT's Crossroads with Little Big Town and Lindsey Buckingham on my Tivo for over a year and I finally watched it today. I admit I watched it only for Buckingham. I think he is so completely under rated as a musician. Anyway, I loved their collaboration. The show gave me chills and made me an immediate fan of Little Big Town. So here I am, buying all of their MP3's that I can get a hand on. Good job Little Big Town, you converted me.

The boys bring swing to the season with their renditions of Christmas classics...even bringing their own compositions like "Rockabilly Christmas" and "Christmas In Tinseltown."

If you are looking to swing and jazz up your Christmas, look no further.

Best rock-a-billy Christmas music you could ask for! Upbeat and definitely merry. Heat/Snow Miser song is a great throw-back from my childhood in front of the tv during the holidays.

Although it was late arriving (not in time for Christmas)the cd was just what he wanted.

If you're not prepared to stomp your feet, sway your hips and just generally let loose, this album is not for you. BBVD brings every bit of their modern Big Band, big sound, foot thumpin' style to every one of the tunes on this CD. Great fun to hear them do their thing with Mr. Heatmiser.

Now if you ask me, this is the style of Christmas music you need to be listnin' to before you go out to chop down your neighbors tree to drag it in and use for your Christmas tree because you are too lazy to go out to the state park to chop one down. It gets you in the mood for mischief. I ain't proportion that ya'll ought to go out and chop down your neighbor's tree, I'm just saying that this music will make you feel like getting' up and doing something frisky and possibly naughty.

I love it. So does Mama. Junior don't like it, but that boy is as dumb as a sack of hammer (don't tell his mama I said that because she'll have my hide)

The songs are all here but the excitement you expect from an energetic big band is not here.

Two stars, instead of one, are awarded only because the music was recorded with modern equipment.

The performances were a big disappointment. It's like listening to background music from one of those mini-series produced by ABC television back in the 1970s. You're left thinking the horns are being played by people in their 60s, who lack the lung power to still swing.

I bought this because of the great price, not really expecting such a well-done box set. All the classic tunes from this era are here. While some of the material is for your great-grandparents, some really swings with great performances by the players. The sound is fantastic due to the 24-bit remastering. For the price (I paid about $13) you can't beat this. Nice little case and a small booklet describing the history of jazz up to the big-band era. If you need one box set of this type of music, this will not disappoint.

For a long time I've been looking for a collection of Big Bands' music, every one of them give me a picture of that time, even with the noisy & "gissy" sound of those recordings. This collection bring us the better of those worlds, It's a great play by the BBC Big Band Orchestra, with all that music that bring us back to the time with no ipod, no cd and even no Cassette, with the wonderful audio projection of the Digital Era Sound.
Hope you enjoy it, like i am.

when i bought this i thought that it was a set of recordings made during the 40's. not so. these are 21st century takes on these 40's big band classics. no disappointment here. while i love old-time recordings, having these great versions in all the glory of modern sound is fantastic. the sound is sooo exceptional. powerful and clear. it's as if the orchestra is in your house as the songs burst from your stereo. just a wonderful experience. and what a value! 36 tracks on 3 cds at a budget price. i wholeheartedly recommend this stuff.

This three CD set includes 36 of the best known pieces of big band music from the second World War, and provides a terrific overview of the sound of that era. If you love the strong rhythms and bold brass sounds of this genre, you can't go wrong with this collection. The box set also includes a short booklet describing the history of big band music and explaining how a big band is organized, which provides some useful insights into the music. This is the music that entertained the troops during the war and maintained morale on the home front, and is exciting, warm and nostalgic. These recordings by the BBC Big Band Orchestra are crystal clear, which might be the only flaw in the set...you almost expect to hear the scratchy noise of a phonograph record or the crackle of an AM radio broadcast.

Let's just take Turtle Blues. No bass, no drums, just one guitar, a wonderful piano, Janis and some bar noises. It's gotta be one of the best blues performances on record. If you are new to Janis, this is a very accessible place to start.

Let's think about San Francisco in 1968, saying "How about a nice Gershiwn standard from Porgy and Bess?" It was a pretty outrageous thing to do, and they pulled it off in Summertime.

Ball and Chain is heart wrenching. Check out Big Mama Thorton's version, too. Both great.

For me, those are the enduring highlights, after the Filmore guitars have faded into history. Yes, this was a great guitar band, too. But they did something unique and enduring with the blues.

I have the original album and was concerned that maybe the CD wouldn't measure up in audio quality - not the case at all! It is a great quality and Janis's vocals sound almost like they did in person all those years ago!

As Janis' first mainstream outing, I believe that this album is the finest of her career. You can feel the enthusiasm between the band personnel in the all out "balls to the wall" drive of the music.
Done before the influence of the monied producers, you will hear a miracle. Artists doing what they love.

How do you 'rate' your long-gone youth? I still have the original 33 rpm purchased way back then and play it every so often. I have always feared that something would happen to the album and the music would be lost for good. I love the CD, the sound etc... is excellent - but of course I am used to listening the the original. I cranked my CD player up and I was in Seventh Heaven, moving and singing along with Janis. This has been one of my absolute top favs since it was released. Be proud sad little girl from Port Arthur, we haven't forgotten you and you will always be special to us. You made your mark and it is here to stay.

I'll spare you all the technical details to just say that THIS is the Janis Joplin album that you want if you are only going to own one of her recordings.

Here, you'll get the true, raw Janis Joplin with the band that matched her best of all. The know-it-alls at the studios were always trying to separate her from Big Brother and the Holding Company, supposedly because they were not "professional" enough. Bullcrap!

This is the single beauty of retrospect. This compendium of her songs simply blows "Pearl" away. Her later bands and releases were WAY too superficial and polished to achieve the great rock guttral ambiance that Big Brother yielded.

Just take a listen to "I Need A Man to Love" -- the opening will give you a sense of the entire work. It just bowls me over every time I hear it. I've been a rock guitar player for 40 years and Big Brother did some fine work... and Janis was the perfect complement to their Woodstock-era excellence.

Buy this one -- you'll not be disappointed.

See my "listmania lists" for more great Classic Rock recommendations.

I've been a fan of SSJ for many years. I didn't think I'd ever find anything to surpass Hearts of Stone, but this really does it. I've been ecstatically enjoying this record since I bought it, and so have many others - from my 17 year old daughter's friends, who say - "I thought he was black" to my 11 year old.

I can't do better than to quote from Mark Saleski's blog. Just google him.

[...]

"There are times when a person experiences moments of such extreme happiness that it's difficult to contain the emotion. I suspect that even the most curmudgeonly people have them. I should know, because I have my moments of curmudgeon on a daily basis. Anyway...for me, this "super-happy" can feel like the top of my head popped off, letting a stream of brightly-colored prayer flags out, the message of bliss radiating out to the rest of the world."

That's how it made Mark Saleski feel, and that's how it makes me feel too.

I have a soft spot for Southside & co., and think the first three Jukes albums are great pieces, in the same way the first three Boz Scaggs albums on Columbia are great.

BUT...I never took him or the band entirely seriously; they were more in the line of 'real good local guys who got a big hand up from Springsteen and Van Zandt.' In other words, I was not entirely sure what Southside brought to the game.

I get it now; this is the work of considerable musicians who are technically solid, and loaded with soul - and with the kind of self control you only get on *great* big band records. Southside's a helluva singer, and gets to the heart of Waits' songs - if you can't hear the music in Waits' own records because the instruments or the singer are too eccentric for you, this is the cure.

The other thing this reminds me of, strangely, is Dylan's 'World Gone Wrong.' It's singer versus big mysteries, and everybody wins.

I can't think of the last time a new album moved me so much.

Scott Atkinson
Watertown NY

Being a Jersey Shore musician and fan of Southside and Tom Waits, I find this as one of the best albums he has ever done and the arrangements by La Bamba really show his skills as a new generation big band leader, reminds me of the great big bands of the early seventies ie: Chicago, Electric Flag, Al Kooper's Blood Sweat & Tears and I am not forgetting Buddy Rich and Maynard Furguson. All I have to say is what a shot in the arm for Southside,La Bamba, and lets not forget Tom Waits.This really brings his talent as a songwriter and poet to another level.

Tom Waits and Southside Johnny Lyon. The imagry is undeniably gritty. In your mind's eye you can see two guys in a dark old man's bar. They'll be sitting in either a booth in the corner or at the end of the bar; either way, they're be in shadow. You also will avoid eye contact 'cause there's nothing but toughness to be seen here. And yet, you're talking about the men that gave us 'Jersey Girl' and 'Hearts of Stone,' so they are capable of wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

This album has been of pet project of Southside for a while. First as a dream and then as a genuine recording effort in 2005 and 2006. But, Southside Johnny covering Tom Waits wasn't going to be a walk in the park. A walk along the boardwalk early Sunday morning after the bars and clubs have closed or along an alley under the same conditions; those could be the case. Now, let's add a big band sound to it...really heavy horn section led by long-time partner Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg. That puts yet another twist on the songs of the enigmatic Mr. Waits and the blues wail of Mr. Lyon. The fact that it has been released says buckets about Southside's opinion of Tom Waits. I have to wonder what Waits thinks of this effort. Hopefully, he will see it as the act of love and respect that - to my mind - it is.

The result: one excellent recording.

This CD is more about LaBamba's band than it is hearing Southside Johnny singing Tom Waits. I really wanted to hear Southside's take on Waltzing Matilda but that would be too slow and wouldn't fit the flavor of the CD.

One of my new favorite CDs. I especially like "What Life Would Be Like". "Another Day in Paradise" is the old 80's Phil Collins hit.

Big Daddy Weave has impressed me since their debut album One & Only, which included the hit song Audience Of One. The next 3 albums included the hits Fields of Grace, Without You and Everytime I Breathe. If you like southern rock like Dave Matthews Band and Third Day, then you'll enjoy this band, who mingles excellent musicianship and vocals with incredible lyrics which are biblical and challenging.

What Life Would Be Like is definitely the best overall album by this great band and is one of my top 10 albums of 2008. You Found Me kicks off the album with a great introspective calling out to God in prayer. The hit title track What Life Would Be Like is truly an anthem of faith and a real challenge to all believers to wonder what life would be like if we let Jesus live through you and me. There are truly no filler songs on this album and once again there are a couple of cover songs and they are better than ever. Revive Us Again is a hymn re-write and extremely worshipful and then I was amazed by the excellent version of Another Day In Paradise, which actually is better than the original version by Phil Collins. The next songs Right With You and Falling Into You are also personal songs of worship and the closer Just Like Somebody Else is a great rocker and great way to close out this amazing album.

this cd is incredible!!!!! i have all there albums and this is my favorite yet. its more upbeat and the lyrics are amazing to!!! my favorite track is #2, what life would be like, but all the songs are great!!! buy it NOW!!

BDW Is one of the best christian Bands in the last 8 years and every album they make just keep on getting better like this one.
I hope some day BDW Comes to La Crosse, Wisconsin So I Can see them Live.
Please BDW Come to La Crosse Someday.

Just cant live with out this sound in my collection I have now 2 of the disks. I cant wait until I get the rest of them. I must have them all. I cant get enough of the Big band swing sound nor that of the Brass section in this band. This is a must hear to get it!! This is a "GET IT" kind of sound.

I can ount on my left hand the number of CDs I have heard which are enjoyable from start to finish. This song is full of fun, catchy numbers. From the more famous ("You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three") to the unusual ("Mambo Swing") this CD keeps the listener entertained and does not fall into the trap of working so hard to find a "sound" that all of the songs sound too similar. The range is provided here, and you should give it a try.

Fun music and very enjoyable. I don't reccomend collecting multiple albumns by this group, however, because their music tends to sound the same.

this has to be my favorite bbvd cd. great to blast in the car for any ride and to dance to.

We used to see these guys play on the Nashville club circuit in the late 1990s, and bought the CD at that time. the energy of their live performances comes through on this New Orleans-style jazz compilation. From the back beat to the great rhythms, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will have you snapping your fingers, tapping your toes, and wishing you had more of their stuff. I highly recommend it.