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Very enjoyable except for "Danny Boy" which, with Keating, I thought was dire.
The female duetists were an asset.

I have to agree with the writer of the 1-star review that the actress who plays Elphaba on Broadway (and is featured on the cd) definitely has a disappointing voice compared to the West End actress. However, I do think that the actors playing Glinda and the Wizard, in contrast, have a better voice on Broadway, compensating a little for Elpahaba. I really do hope that a West End version of this cd will become available at some point.

There is simply no topping this album when it comes to brilliant music making. Repeated listens over the years simply reveal more depths, which to me is the sign of wonderful, timeless music. The word classic is over-used, but for me, Dark Side of The Moon goes beyond being a piece of great rock music. It is simply great music. Taken as a complete work, you are unlikely to spend 42 minutes in better company, time and time again. I can think of no other recording that sounds so fresh every time I play it. Absolutely wonderful - and worthy of your attention.

I'm so old that I recall not just Thunder precursors Terraplane, but Terraplane precursors Nuthin' Fancy. Fortunately, unlike me, Thunder mainstays Danny Bowes and Luke Morley just seem to get better and better with the passing of time.

Readers outside the UK might not realise the place that Thunder hold in the hearts of British rock fans, but since the band returned from a brief hiatus in 2002, they've filled the role of best loved British rock band with a series of fine albums and, more importantly, fabulous live shows.

For those who don't know Thunder released their debut Back Street Symphony way back in 1990, and had a string of British hit singles and albums right through the nineties. With Luke Morleys writing allied to the amazing voice of Danny Bowes they've specialised in a blues-rock brand of music which was hugely unfashionable then (and now), following in the traditions of bands like Bad Company.

This is their ninth studio album, following on the heels of the excellent Robert Johnson's Tombstone release of 2006 and sees them, thankfully, sticking to what the do best. Right from the opening track, "On The Radio"', they hit the mark, with a punchy, rocking diatribe against the radio stations and TV channels that have resolutely ignored them over the years. I think it's safe to say that the plethora of swearing will ensure this one misses as well!

They take a look at Hurricane Katrina on "Stormwater", show how a power ballad should be done on "Retribution", and revisit the scene of many a rock band crime on the harmonica enhanced, bluesy, "Have Mercy". Although they do it without resorting to the direct approach Motorhead took on "Jailbait"! There's plenty of tunes that will get the fans clapping and stomping along to on their regular UK tours with "Candy Man" a dead cert for a live outing. After all, you can never have too many "na-na-na's".

Actually, all the ballads are top notch with "Watching Over You" and the acoustic "One Bullet" almost on a par with the aforementioned "Retribution". They show that they still know how to turn up the amps on "Miracle Man" before taking a left turn into the world of US west coast rock on the rootsy, um, "Turn Left at California" before the album goes crashing out on another big rocker, "Honey".

Thunder are one of the great classic rock bands, who've been sadly undervalued throughout their career, despite never having made a bad album. Bang! one stands up as one of their best, so if you've never given them a chance before, this is as good as it gets. If you're already a fan, then this one will have you in raptures.

i cant believe i hear this album now! having recently bought the brilliant Leaders Of The Free World I wanted to discover Elbow. Then I listened to Cast Of Thousands next which i included in my top 10 album list. but then I listened to this album and I was totally knocked off my feet! I just love it. this is music! reading other reviews I was deeply dissapointed they were compared to other bands. some of the reviews which compare elbow to say coldplay would have put off buying this record. If u like music then get all the albums by Elbow. Another band I thought I should recommend is I Am Kloot.

It has already been said here that this album is usually found in non-jazz fans' collections alongside Bob Marley's greatest hits and most probably David Gray's entire ouvre. Perhaps it stands sentry there unplayed, just so its spine can be read, head tilted sideways, begging to impress upon whoever it is browsing through their collection some ill-gotten measure of sophistication? Perhaps they did play it once then decided no, they were right about jazz all along?

Modal, understated, and (aaargh!) cool, or tedious, cicuitous and under-cooked? Amongst aficionados, the most fiercely debated issue with the session is whether you are appreciating it at the correct pitch (an issue with the tape playback speed when it was mastered). That sums up the excitement levels for you. Hardly a dynamic recording to bolster enthusiasm for a novice jazz listener.

Personally, I feel sad for Bobby Timmons. Who? The pianist in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers who wrote 'Moanin'' the year previous to this release. If he had had the temerity to just repeat the head to that tune up a semitone and then back down again as Miles practically does here (on 'So What'), it would be that album redundantly nestling in millions of style magazine-reading cretins' cd collections rather than this (somehow I picture Robert Elms owning 2 dozen copies). I find modal jazz to be a device that is prone to being abused as a way to stretch out lame ideas for twice as long as they need to be, and Miles was always fond of waiting until the cab ride to the studio to write the material. Just saying.

Just so this is not completely written off as a Davis-hating rant, here are my pointers for a few other jazz albums (from the exact same time frame as this: 1958-9) for the uninitiated to peruse rather than this stultifyingly obvious choice. Beware neophytes; no one musical genre can be defined by (and thus written off by) one album and I really do want to encourage more people to listen to jazz. These just strike me as being as accessible as Kind Of Blue.

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Moanin'
Horace Silver - Blowin' The Blues Away
Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin'
Lou Donaldson - Gravy Train
Gil Evans - The Complete Pacific Jazz Sessions
Bennie Green - Soul Stirrin'

My noted Blue Note bias is definitely a factor in this list. But from my own experience, being compelled to study this album as a rock-loving music student, I was put off jazz for several years by its meandering pace and lack of excitement. It took me another 5 years to discover there was more to jazz than Miles.

I'm surprised by the number of reviewers who criticise Katherine because she has not performed in opera and then compare her unfavourably with leading opera singers. Nowhere on this CD (or any of her CDs and DVDs) is she described as an opera singer and her recordings do not claim to be opera. Her recordings do include some arias from opera (though not here) and these are sung very well, but she also includes Welsh songs,(again sadly none on this disc), hyms, songs from musicals and other works. This variety increases that buyers might not like every track. I bought this CD because it contains 'Samcta Maria' set to the music of the Intermezzo from Mascagmi's Cacalleria Rusticana' 'Be Still My Soul' the hymn set to the main theme from Finlandia by Sibelius and 'Somewhere' from West Side Story. All are excellent and I regularly play them. I Who Have Nothing is quite good, as are most of the others. I Will Pray For You is set to the same melody as featured in Fairy Tale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl and it has grown on me despite the orginal being one of my all time favourite Christmas songs.

If you only like Opera then these CDs are not really for you. If like me, you like opera and lots of other musical genres then this is well worth listening to and may well grace your collection. Finally her voice is improving and has not yet reached it's full maturity.

best of their 4 albums.
their most consistent, it really sounds like they are on fire and inspired.
raw rock at its best a-la 70's ac/dc or credence clearwater revival but not mere copyists, they have their own very unique twist on things.
better than the 1st album as this is more cohesive as the 1st was a mix of an earlier e.p and some new songs and as a result sounds a bit disjointed, i doubt they will ever be this good again as their next 2 albums are lacking in both fire and inspiration.

I had the tape of this and loaned it to a woman I worked with, she was then suspended from work and in the interim I left my job to go to another one. In short, I would like it back, so if you are reading this (you know who you are!) can you find some way of getting it back to me? I could just buy a replacement couldn't I? Maybe I will. Anyway, this is more good '...Clue', some hilarious moments, particularly on the anniversary show with Stephen Fry (sound charades is among many funny moments). Clue fans will know what to expect and will not be disappointed. I only give it four stars because the first ever show which was broadcast back in the early seventies and included in this collection is not at all funny, and was, I suppose, only included as a curiosity.

One year on this sounds as fresh as ever but I'm still wondering why they didn't release Girl Overboard as a single??

Apart from this I don't really have much to add to previous reviews, I just thought I should add my 5 stars to the ratings mix...