_Not Really Record Reviews

Album reviews from a guy who probably hasn't listened to the entire disc...

   Recent  |  [1]2000  |  [2]1999  |  [3]1998
   
Last update: 26AUG01

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   _Rating System (in Secret Satan Signs): from  [INLINE] [INLINE]
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_Recent Reviews

   _Various - _Classic Disney Box_ - Disney, ?
   Generous, inexpensive, imported (and probably out-of-print) collection
   collecting Volumes #1-5 of Disney's now-discontinued _Classic Disney_
   series.  Compiling fifty-plus years of TV, movie, and theme-park
   themes, the 120-some tracks are mostly songs, though with a nice
   amount of incidental music sprinkled throughout.  (e.g., the lengthy
   instrumental passages in, say, "Pink Elephants on Parade" or "I Wanna
   Be Like You.")  The albums were issued in the late '90's, so the set
   includes all the recent-est stuff, like "Hercules" and "A Bug's
   Life."  Of course, the song quality drops as bit-- and sometimes _more_
   than a bit-- as the tracks become more recent and less like bonafide
   classics.  (Unless they count as _pre-manufactured_ classics, that
   is.)  So, expect to get good use from your fast-forward button...
   8/01.
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   Various - _Classic Rock Instruments, Vol. 1-5_ - Rhino, ?
   Box set collecting five volumes of "classic" instrumentals, each
   volume of which is available separately and is categorized as
   _1950's_, _1960's_, _1970's_, _Soul_, and _Surf_.  Gobs of great stuff
   here, such as my personal fave _Popcorn_, which this reviewer hasn't
   heard in forever. The only gripe is a non-gripe: more, please, both in
   terms of omitted songs (none of which come to mind, mind you) and
   additional, as-of-yet-to-be-compiled material, such as _Volume #6:_
   _Rockin' TV Themes_, an album practically begging to be created. 5/01.
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   Halford - _Live_ _Insurrection_ - Metal Is, 2001
   Double-disc embarrassment of live-in-the-studio sounding riches-- the
   notes note most were recorded during sound checks-- highlighting the
   better- (and some lesser-) known tracks from Priest, Fight, and
   Halford's sole solo album _Resurrection_.  Three studio tracks, too:
   an uptempo screamer that's newly penned and a pair of previously
   unreleased Judas Priest songs,_ Prisoner of Your Eyes_ and _Heart of a
   Lion_, re-recorded by Halford. The last three are less remarkable than
   expected; the live tracks good 'n' strong and largely
   as-of-yet-digested by Yours Truly. And, come to think of it, _Heart of
   a Lion _was previously released, previously recorded by Racer X, the
   former band of current Priest drummer Scott Travis. 5/01.
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   Jim Nabors - _16 Most Requested Songs_ - Sony, 1989
   _Songs of Inspiration_ - Sony, 1987
   Pair o' compilations from ol' Gomer Pyle, the basso profundo singer
   sounding considerably less corny than he did in his heyday. Guess it's
   the same reason Tom Jones keeps getting better with age, not to
   mention the contrast to a couple intervening decades worth of
   considerably less-melodic, less-soaring popular music. Wish each
   offered more big, Vegas-style, with-backing-band-and-orchestra
   numbers. Maybe there's a box set (!) available somewhere... 5/01.
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   Copyright 2001 by Michael J. Legeros
   
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