A Love Supreme by John Coltrane Easily one of the most important records ever made, this was John Coltrane's pinnacle studio outing. Recorded at the end of 1964, Trane's classic quartet of Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, and Jimmy Garrison stepped into the studio and created one of the most thought-provoking, concise, and technically pleasing albums of their bountiful relationship. Here, Trane is at his peak while the rest of the group is remarkably in tune with Coltrane's spiritual vibe. It is almost impossible to imagine a world without A Love Supreme having been made, and it is equally impossible to imagine any jazz collection without it.
The downside to a success like Thriller is that it's nearly impossible to follow, but Michael Jackson approached Bad much the same way he approached Thriller -- take the basic formula of the...
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Since Michael Jackson botched his first hits collection by pairing it with a new album of material in a double-disc set, making it considerably less attractive for those legions of listeners who want...
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Norah Jones' debut on Blue Note is a mellow, acoustic pop affair with soul and country overtones, immaculately produced by the great Arif Mardin. (It's pretty much an open secret that the 22-year-old...
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Vocalist Josh Groban delivers his first Christmas themed album with 2007's Noel. Once again produced by longtime "man behind the curtain" David Foster, the album features more of Groban's dewy,...
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The Best of Simon & Garfunkel supersedes Greatest Hits as the best compilation of the duo, with more tracks (20 compared to Greatest Hits' 14). Among the new additions are some notable hits: "Hazy...
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Greatest Hits is an excellent, thorough 14-track collection containing all of Journey's big hits, from 1978's "Wheel in the Sky" to 1986's "I'll Be Alright Without You." Although the songs aren't...
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The first sound on Back in Black is the deep, ominous drone of church bells -- or "Hell's Bells," as it were, opening the album and AC/DC's next era with a fanfare while ringing a fond farewell to...
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The critical consensus at the end of 2000 was that it had been one of the weakest film years in recent memory. Which may have been true, despite O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the Coen brothers'...
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Few observers expected that Whitney Houston's first big-screen role in 1992's The Bodyguard would generate a phenomenon. Not that the film itself was a phenomenon -- it was a healthy success, due not...
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Chronicle, Vol. 1 contains every one of Creedence Clearwater Revival's original 19 hit singles -- including "Proud Mary," "Bad Moon Rising," "Green River," "Down on the Corner," "Travelin' Band," "Up...
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The pivotal American Idol moment for Carrie Underwood was when she teased her hair to the heavens and sang Heart's "Alone," belting out the power ballad with sincerity and a natural flair for drama....
This is Roger Waters's two-disc meditation on the travails of a rock star, whose unhappy life causes him to build a psychological barrier between himself and the rest of the world. Contains the...
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Mostly recorded without Brian Jones -- who died several months before its release (although he does play on two tracks) and was replaced by Mick Taylor (who also plays on just two songs) -- this...
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Simon Cowell's "man band" creation Il Divo bring their perfect hair and immaculate throats into the crowded holiday genre with the creatively titled Christmas Collection, a heavily decorated box of...
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For over 20 years, Bob Seger was one of the best mainstream rock & rollers in America, developing a distinctive body of honest, hard-rocking songs. More songs than can be put on this single-disc set,...
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The Baby Einstein series continues with Lullaby Classics, a collection of lullabies from some of classical music's best-known composers. The album begins with an aptly sparkling rendition of Mozart's...
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The success of the musical revue Smokey Joe's Café, which ran on Broadway between 1995 and 2000, and the book musical Mamma Mia!, which opened on Broadway in 2001 and was still running in the fall of...
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Celine Dion's Falling into You returned the Canadian vocalist to the top of the American charts, and for good reason. Although the album is formulaic, it's a well-executed, stylish, and catchy...
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In 1990, the joint efforts of the World Cup and the Three Tenors provided opera singing with its biggest ever foray into the pop charts. Unassuming tenor Paul Potts, originally from Bristol, took...
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Singer/songwriter Jack Johnson writes songs that just feel good, sticking to an equation that combines his warm, relaxed voice with an acoustic guitar. That cozy formula made him a favorite among...
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Recoils from fame usually aren't as subdued as Norah Jones' third album, Not Too Late, but such understatement is customary for this gentlest of singer/songwriters. Not Too Late may not be as barbed...
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They may be hyped by the British press as no less than the second coming of Nirvana, but on Highly Evolved the Vines offer something more interesting than yet another trawl through flannel-clad angst...
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Sweetness rules on Colbie Caillat's debut, Coco, which is perhaps only appropriate for an album bearing that name. The record doesn't play like a toasty mug of chocolate on a winter's day, though; it...
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...Peter, Paul And Mary continue their folk music magic for children. The album was recorded before a live audience of children and their families and feature the trio's renowned harmonies on such...
Fronted by the husband-and-wife team of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, the Arcade Fire's emotional debut -- rendered even more poignant by the dedications to recently departed family members...
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