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Celtic Woman, Vol. 2

Although featuring some of the same singers who made Celtic Woman, vol. 1 so memorable (notably, Rita Connolly, Marian Bradfield, and Áine Furey), the overall tone of this second volume is at once more amorphous and less positive. New Age wall-of-sound close harmonies abound, and there are occasional nods to the Celtic electronica scene. But the tracks that make the strongest impressions are still those where the voice reigns supreme. Among the latter is The Fallen Angels' stunning a cappella version of She Moved Through The Fair, a tale of thwarted love that is surely Ireland's most chilling ghost story. Altan, led by Mairéad ni Mhaonaigh's girlish soprano, tells how easily an idealistic lover can become a embittered rake. Áine Uí Cheallaigh, accompanied only by a bodhrán, is uncommonly eloquent despite adhering to an old-style lack of histrionics. On the opposite extreme, Capercaillie's Scottish beats-and-puirt-a-beul (mouth music)-laced Hebridean Hale-Bopp is a jaunty, cutting-edge treat. --Christina Roden

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Customer Review:

Wonderful Music

I bought this cd for my husband for his birhtday. We really like celtic and irish music. This cd is very good. We would buy another one in this series.

Not the quality of the first

I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of this CD, it took three weeks between the order and the time it arrived. Was it worth the wait? Yes, but I was still a little disappointed. It wasn't the CD that I was expecting. Celtic Women 1 was an amazing CD. This was still good, but not great.

Still, the CD features some return visitors from the first and a few great songs amongst them. Aine Furey makes a triumphant return with the song Vanities child, which highlights her haunting voice. I anxiously await the release of her band, Bohinta's new CD.

Highlights are:
Rita Connolly - Valparaiso
Fiona Joyce - Lifting the veil
Aine Furey - Vanity Child

If you don't have the first one, buy it first. Followed by the Faire Celts CD which is another tremendous display of the female Celtic voice.

worth the coin

skip vol. 1 and buy this 2nd volume. It will keep you interested for more than one spin.

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Keywords: British Folk; Celtic; Celtic Fusion; Celtic New Age; Celtic/Irish; Contemporary Celtic; Int'l & World Music; Irish Folk; Pop; Traditional Celtic;

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The Soul of Healing Meditations

Featuring the soothing narration of Deepak Chopra over the trancelike music of Adam Plack, The Soul of Healing Meditations serves as an introduction to meditation for neophytes and as a more advanced tool to help overcome a physical ailment and/or emotional toxicity. That may make it sound like a digital elixir, but as Chopra says in his liner notes: "We like to tell our patients (at the Chopra Center for Well Being) that the body is the best pharmacy in the world and is capable of making wonder drugs." His message here is that one can naturally prevail over serious life challenges by becoming more attuned to one's body--by relaxing and filtering out the external world, focusing on and influencing internal sensations and biorhythms, and banishing negative thoughts and focusing on the positive aspects of life. This CD is not meant as a cure-all for physical or emotional ills. Rather, it's a supplemental experience to other treatments or programs, and it shows how enlightening and empowering meditation can be when practiced properly. Its actual effects will depend upon the receptiveness of the listener. Plack's accompanying soundtrack ranges from delicate ambient tones to more active Indian music, appropriately serving the mood of each of the album's eight tracks. --Bryan Reesman

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Customer Review:

Relaxing...

This is a great platform to start your experience of learning to relax and meditate. It truly releases the tensions of the day and renews your sole for a peaceful start to your evening.

The Soul of Healing Meditations

The Soul of Healing Meditations, by Deepak Chopra is wonderful. It is the best meditation tape I have ever used. I love it. Deepak is the best, He knows how to put meaningful material together that works well.

AMAZING!!!

A must CD for renewal and revitalization of the body and spirit. POWERFUL AND DYNAMIC MUSIC AND WORDS! THANK YOU DEEPAK CHOPRA! THANK YOU!!!!

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Keywords: Ethnic Fusion; Meditation; New Age; New Age / Meditation; Pop; Self-Help;

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Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics

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Customer Review:

Relaxation Guaranteed

I bought this cd along with a cd player for my daughter when she was 3 weeks old. The first time I played it for her she was asleep by track 3. Since then I play it softly when I am ready to put her to bed at night (on repeat) and do not turn it off until morning. When she is upset and fussy I will put on the CD and hold her close and she relaxes immediately. I was so pleased with this cd that I am looking into buying the other Baby Einstein CD's for her.

This cd is not for the weak of heart !!!

The first time I listened to this cd, I automatically said ," Man, these guys must have been born in a trash can outside of Hardees!!" But then I listened to the rest, and automatically said," Man , these guys WERE born in a trash can outside of Hardees!!" So the bottom line is that this cd is definitely not for kids, or adults, even though my uncle Remus likes it. The minute he heard the first song, he said, " Ohh, duhawuh!! Gushy!!" I know that part of the review was very disturbing.

Synthesized classics

I was really disappointed to discover that every track on this CD is played on a synthesizer and not by the authentic orchestral instruments for which it was written. Mozart's Minuet in G sounds like it's being played on a (faux) marimba. A recording of actual instruments would be much more beautiful and better for a baby's developing ears.

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Keywords: Bagatelle for Keyboard; Baroque Suite/Partita for Orchestra; Cantata; Children's; Childrens; Choral; Classical Period Variations for Keyboard; Classical Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard; Concerto; Keyboard; Keyboard Work with Descriptive or Unclassified Title; Lullabies; Miscellaneous; Orchestral; Pop; Romantic Music for Voice and Keyboard; Romantic Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard; Romantic Symphony; Romantic Tone Poem/Symphonic Poem for Orchestra; Song Without Words for Keyboard; Symphonic; Transcription; V/A Compilations; Violin Concerto; Vocal;

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Mirabilis

On Mirabilis, the Mediaeval Baebes drill even deeper (and wider) into their chorale sound, making music with ancient roots and timeless designs. An octet of Englishwomen with a penchant for dressing up in flouncy gothic gowns just this side of Victoria's Secret, they've released several albums mining medieval hymns and plainsong. They're still at it here, matching obscure Latin, Gaelic, and old English texts (along with the odd Robert Burns poem) to music that is often newly composed but sounds as if it came out of a Dark Ages court or monastery. But without ever playing instruments more modern than the violin, they bring a modern arranger's head to tunes that float on percussion, recorder, concertina, cittern, hurdy-gurdy, and strings. Under the musical direction of founder Katherine Blake, the harmonies are richer and more complex than on previous Baebes discs. Emily Ovenden's "Temptasyon" flies with soaring three-part harmony and lush accompaniment of strings, both modern and ancient. The Baebes get a little arty on a horror-house reading of "Tam Lin," and they perhaps had to cover "Scarborough Fayre" at some point. But they more than make up for it with the serene "Star of the Sea." This is one time you won't mind having someone get Mediaeval on you. --John Diliberto

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Customer Review:

The swetest sone!

This is the only CD whose release I have been anticipating this year. And I was certainly well rewarded. The Mediaeval Baebes are perhaps the best musical group I've ever discovered. There are no pretenses or elaborate facades to the Baebes, only pure, beautiful, and artful music, which is what attracted me to them with "Salva Nos" and has captured my adoration through their latest CD.

This album is much like their others, in that its tracks alternate between different moods and world flavours; however, it's apparent that they have discovered either more sophisticated recording equiptment or at least have experimented with different effects-- the quality of the sound on Mirabilis is definitely richer and more ethereal than on their other albums.

I'm not sure I like the change; the raw vocals were something unusual that I appreciated in their earlier work. However, they are far from the washed-out Enya-like sounds of New Age music today, and the unique instrumentals are still engaging and surprising.

There isn't anything that should keep a Baebes fan from falling in love with this album as I have; and hopefully, this somewhat poorly worded review (sorry, it's late!) will encourage you to support the band and purchase Mirabilis. :)

A Most Excellent Bunch of Baebes!

Mirabilis is a beatiful album. I've been a fan for years and this album is the best yet. Their voices soar through all the songs. The accompanying instruments do great work and serve to back the vocals and let them be out front and center where they belong.

I wish the Baebes much continued success and hope they will come to the U.S. and visit the West Coast.

Long live the Baebes!

Very, very good...

I have been a fan of the Baebes for several years now, since I picked up Worlds Blysse. I think this is easily their best work with excellent arrangements and packed with plenty of melody and harmony. I am not a medieval music historian, so I won't make an evaluation of historical authenticity. However, it feels very solid and nothing seems out of place (unlike some other medieval-themed music mixed with electric guitars). I recommend it for anyone who enjoys medieval music, especially modern rearrangements of older music.

I will also say that the few critics who lambast their work based on the fact that it is not 100% pure should remember that such is not their intent and these critics should instead focus on whether or not the Baebes have created a CD that is worth listening to over and over. Thank you.

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Keywords: Choral; Early Music; Ethnic Fusion; Goth Rock; Medieval; New Age / Meditation; Pop; Rock/Pop;

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