A masterpiece . . . but wait . . . .
920427
Novels don't usually come with disclaimers but you could make the case for one here. I suppose it might read as follows:

Note: The following novel expresses the belief that man has no shelter from suffering and living the perfect life will not deliver you from evil. There is no inevitable grace.

Roth debunks images and leads you farther and farther into a world where beauty cannot shelter a person from a pervasive ugliness that drifts all over the globe. Even little New Jersey towns with quaint names like "Old Rimrock" where cattle graze and houses from the Revolutionary War sit among fertile fields are not immune. Somehow, amidst this American Pastoral, a "gentile Jew" cannot find his paradise even if it is far away from the sweaty streets of Newark where he grew up within site of factories and cluttered neighborhoods where all the non-Wasps lived. Yes, "Swede" Levov was the hope of his generation of Newark Jews because he looked (and acted) like one of the Wasps (and did so effortlessly). And this "gift" was supposed to guarantee him happiness (happiness meant being more than you were when you were born). Here we have the ultimate myth: This is America! Shed your skin and no longer be ugly, unlikeable or poor and wanting. When you really "make it" you somehow become immune to all of the indecorousness that is the life of most people. You could become one of Horatio Alger's self-made and nevermore worry about your worth or status (the insecurity of most, especially the minority). And where else but America is there such privilege and you too can be privileged, never to suffer the way the rest of the world suffers?

But no, not here. Not anymore, anyway. There is plenty of suffering in the "American berserk" to derail all of the good-willed fantasies of all of the smart and hardworking and handsome Americans out there. The lesson here is that no one is safe (anymore?) from the dangers that lurk in the nethers. Are those evils wrought by the devil aiming to destroy man? Or are they simply absurdities on the loose, with no more concern for their victims than the asteroid for the planet it meets? That is for you to decide, but Roth certainly offers his opinion.

A fascinating book.
499920
This film was positively brilliant!  I did not truely appreciate it until it ended.  It was actually a film that caused me to think...was the Marquis a madman or genius?  The acting is superb and Rush is brilliant as the Marquis.  Some of the scenes may be shocking and disturbing, but taking in the context of the film, they work beautifully.  Why didn't the Academy snatch this gem up?
2326561
Poignant, beautiful, and majestic. A towering work of art. Alas, I have to admit it loses something on the small screen.  But this edition also includes a documentary with fascinating interviews done in 2003 with many of those who worked on the film.  And the music by Nino Rota is, as usual with Rota, gorgeous and evocative.  Poetic, powerful Visconti at his best.  A must-see.

(One can hardly imagine a more perfect adaptation of the brilliant novel, so if you haven't read that first -- well, no matter; you'll still love the movie.)
2851405
This IS musical genius.  Those rating this album with less than five stars are purely wallowing in the shallows.  If you possess any musical appreciation (especially if you play an instrument), you have no option but to highly rate this amazing piece of work.  This may be a bold statement, but prefer it to Mer de Norms (it took a few weeks of listening to come to this conclusion).  Yes, the more I listen to it, the more I crave it.  Mine, MINE, MINE!!...
875792
When a compilation is this great, the whole thing starts to feel like a big Symphony. With peaks and valleys, moments of excitement, moments of repose. I'm happy that another reviewer spoke of high points, but I'm not sure I can really do that. The last three tracks were so beautiful - OK, maybe the Angolan track has the edge...but maybe not. The Epriot one was magnificent, as was the Carnatic one.

If all compilations were as great as these, we wouldn't need composers. OK, just kidding...but am I, really? The non - developmental nature of most of this music (and this is more or less the only reason I need composers) is mitigated by the wealth of associations that these juxtapositions engender.

Could we still go around the globe today and create such a diverse and unified compilation? Can someone please try?
1775948
An album of outstanding beauty which one must listen to attentively in order to believe, and , after that, listen again and again to appreciate and to savour. The year is 1969 (means, the golden era of forging the music and shaping the sound). The genre?  Difficult and totally unnecessary to define, let's say (in the absence of better term), contemporary chamber music.
Steve Baron? Genius, poet, musician, songwriter ...
Instead of meaningless verbosity of musical critics and journalists, let us read the words of Pete Townshend, because he was THE MUSICIAN himself, and he knew the aching of the shoulder from the strap and the pain of bleeding fingers: "A few of us have been lucky enough to have heard the music of The Steve Baron Quartet before, but living with it ourselves has only made us more anxious to let others hear. I'm afraid, despite my usual abundance of categories, I fail to operate here. My  favourite  category is Rock and Roll. The quartet is definitely that, but also jazz, also folk. Mainly, I think the quartet is a sound which can be recognized and loved. All the musicians are in perfect harmony, all the songs are full of life, all the sounds spontaneously and simultaneously imploding and exploding. Just like nature! The Steve Baron Quartet make (here's the category!) Natural Music" (from the sleeve notes).
The album was released by Tetragrammaton (which has its share of unusual and underrated masterpieces - try Summerhill&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Summerhill/dp/B0043CT8FO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Summerhill</a>), and remains a work of unusual and incredible musical finesse and talent, balancing between strictly acoustic and carefully measured orchestration. It belongs to absolutely different dimension than the anemic likes of Donovan, Tim Buckley or Hardin, stand next to obscure masterpieces of OWL&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Of-Wondrous-Legends/dp/B00140GXGA/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Of Wondrous Legends</a>&nbsp;or Damon the Gypsy&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Song-of-a-Gypsy-Remastered/dp/B001T46WQC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Song of a Gypsy Remastered</a>. It has the appeal of acid folk and the depth of psychedelia.
Perhaps it lacks some pervert qualities important for a vinyl collector, but if you are in search of music, and not misprinted label - then, that's for you.
Steve Baron, who wrote all songs (maybe, my knowledge is not enough, but apart from sublime harmony, it is real urban poetry, intensive, painful and talented, which reminds me of Iosif Brodsky), played acoustic guitar and sang, was joined for this recording by Bill Davidson on lead guitar, Jef Lowell (bass) and Tom Winer (piano & organ) - with them he was touring for almost two years prior. Bill La Vorgna and Herb Lovelle were guest drummers in the studio. The album was produced by fine and experienced jazzman, Mike Berniker - thus, the jazz flavour, perhaps.  Baron himself was not a nonentity in music - before the Quartet, he got into the charts with Bostonian oddballs The Hardly-Worthit Players.
In spite of superior quality, the promotion was almost non-existing, and the Quartet soon stopped gigging.
2972197
Here, I can only echo the sentiments of the other reviewers.  Very well recorded, even brilliant.  Two things, however.  First, the Symphony #3 clocks in at 78 minutes.  When I get a chance, I'm going to pull out my score and follow along and search for cuts.  The performance here is suppose to be uncut.  But, when you consider that this symphony usually clocks-in at around 90 minutes...well, it requires some research.  I will update when I get a chance.  Second, with the inclusion of the Horn Concerto, it is a shame Chandos did not include on a sixth disc the Coloratura Concerto and the Harp Concerto which is in its catalog.

Nonetheless, this is a set that is well worth the time and expense.
1263077
One of the great, overlooked modern classics of 20th century music, Spirit of Eden shows Talk Talk at the peak of their powers-- weaving jazz, blues, ambient, komische, gospel, and too many others to mention in order to create their true masterpiece. "Laughing Stock" gets all the critical love, but this album right here might actually be better.

Back to front, Spirit of Eden is an absolutely masterpiece. There's not a singled wasted note on the entire album. I made a few of my (very generous and permissive) friends listen to this album with no interruptions, and they call came away completely transfixed.

This is nothing short of an stone-cold masterpiece. The vinyl pressing sounds fantastic. What are you waiting for??
2359818
I saw this film last Sunday and thought the visuals and story were great,but the nucleus holding the film together was in fact the music. Clint Mansell ,the Kronos Quartet(whom I'll be seeing in concert this sunday),and Mogwai have accomplished what VERY few film composers of this day and age have been able to:create a nearly flawless masterpiece which makes the film more than a visual experience,but can stand on it's own as a treasured album. You probably won't appreciate the music as much unless you see the film first,though.

I would describe the music as some-what Philip Glass-esque,because it works its way into scenes in waves most of the time which ebb and flow,and then grow in intensity. Some tracks reach enormous heights of intensity,while others ride on the thin line between ambient music and a full,orchestral tone. At the soundtracks highest peak,probably in one of the last tracks,you will find the only really loud music for only a matter of maybe 30 seconds or so,and you should see the film to get a full grasp of how powerful that half-minute truly is!

I cannot believe some of the reviews this film is getting. The Czecks hated it I read,and most of the people who I've talked to that have seen it said they left after about 20 minutes;most left because the montage was too difficult to follow,and one guy even said he left with his girlfreind because "that stupid yoga part with the backdrop of stars was just too artsy."My film teacher is right. Film might be a dead art if all Americans want to see these days is 100% fast-cuts,neo-pop heavy metal infused action sequences,cutie-pie cartoons,and the same 10 love stories re-done every year with different actors and actresses,but the same old premise.

I simply can't comprehend how anyone could become bored watching such a powerfully interesting film such as "The Fountain".Show Hollywood what you'd like to see them produce by seeing this film and buying this soundtrack. I'll support it because I want change.
4142720
yes,i admit-this is an awesome album,and it was probably the best they had done so far,partly due to arrival of dickinson.however,i do think that people overate this album too much,when maiden have done better or equalled this effort with later albums such as Seventh son of a Seventh son,Fear of the Dark,and Brave New World-which are also masterpieces.
The fact of the matter is-people like this album because it has some great songs like CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED,THE PRISONER,THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST,RUN TO THE HILLS,HALLOWED BE THY NAME.
however,the other tracks really arnt that great which is why i cannot call this album a masterpiece.it is still a must for any metal fan though.
3561392
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It has been a very long time since I have found a new fiction writer who hasn't been predictable, boring, and worth the time it takes to make time to read (for those of us who are limited on reading time, this is important!). When you invest precious time in a novel, you expect it to be worthy of your time. Lowboy is a modern masterpiece. This novel will be a crown jewel in the literary world for years to come, and although I haven't read anything else by John Wray, I'm sure his future works will be compared to this work of art. It's like seeing amazing brush strokes on a canvas the way Wray skillfully and painfully describes "Lowboy's" thoughts and struggles to hold on to even the smallest moments of reality.
My only problem with this novel can be seen as minor to some, major to others. Since Lowboy is obviously diagnosed as a "paranoid schizophrenic" from the moment we begin to learn about him, my nitpicking moment is this...children/adolescents are not diagnosed as "schizophrenic" until they are at least 18 years of age or older. Even though they may obviously be schizophrenic, or on the road to the full blown diagnosis, such a diagnosis is not placed on a child under 18 years of age.
That being said, I'm sure that can be a point of discussion for years to come when this book is discussed and papers are written about it in literature classes in high schools and colleges (and this will be one of those required reading books, mark my words). This book is that good. It is a classic. It is beautiful, and it is amazing.
873522
...But after having listened to this album on-and-off for nearly 2 years, having been given it by a good friend and mostly shelved, I have concluded that it is an unmistakable masterpiece.

While I'm no stranger to progressive rock, with Amputechture as my introduction to The Mars Volta it took quite a while to fully absorb their material and begin to appreciate the composition.  But did it!

I've since purchased all of their other work, and I've yet to relinquish Amputechture as my favorite.  The overt (and yet extraordinarily esoteric) religious overtones and meandering mood have convinced me that I've yet to fully peel the piece apart and appreciate everything inside of it -- a work of art, indeed.

Although there were mere months between Frances the Mute and Amputechture, I can't help but feel that this album was in the offing for a while.  If not... wow.
860646
This is a beautifully crafted film, right up there with most other Merchant/Ivory productions. The sense of time and place, the performances, the lyrical mood, the music--all are far above the usual standards of "commercial" filmmaking. E.M. Forster conveyed a powerful message in his novel, and it's right there on the screen. Still....

NOTE TO SCREENWRITERS (with spoilers): As a writer, I was most fascinated by the deleted scenes included with the DVD. There are 2 in particular that I really think Ivory should have kept in the final cut. Watch the film, then watch the deleted material. I'm referring to the scene where Hugh Grant comes to James Wilby's bedroom, and especially the extended version of the final scene between the two on the terrace outside the house. The first scene tells us a lot we really should know about Grant's character. The extended final scene is most important: It is here (in the outtakes) where Maurice (Wilby) has his only moment of strength and resolve. He finally tells his tormentor exactly where to get off the train, and he grows immeasurably in the estimation of the audience. Grant reacts with (momentary) guilt, and when he tries to cover by heartily suggesting the usual lunch in town, Wilby is gone. Grant is left alone on the terrace, calling, "Maurice? Maurice?" into the empty dark. Now, *that's* an exit for the title character! And it really drives home the power of the (included) final image of Grant in his bedroom later, staring out the window while his clueless wife continues to be clueless in the background. If we'd seen the earlier incident in Maurice's bedroom and the full-length final confrontation, how much more powerful that last image would be! Why, oh why did Ivory cut them?!! See if you agree with me.

That aside, this is a remarkable film, one of the few major releases to face a difficult subject head-on (see also: SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY and BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN). But those outtakes are extraordinary--a lesson for screenwriters.
1225510
After finishing an epic story such as this, some people might be inspired to write a long review. Not me.
All I want to say is that it was a masterpiece. Read it. K, bye.
4297400
Asoka is one long seduction, a film so visually stunning as to leave me slack-jawed in amazement. The female lead is heartbreaking and tough at the same time, the male lead is occasionally stilted but overall very good. The music of this film (I cannot find the soundtrack anywhere) stuck in my head for days. The movie goes full-throttle wonderful until the end- a major bit of coitus interruptus, if I dare say so. It ends, leaving you stunned and wondering what the hell happened to Karwauki and Asoka, and what the results of his philosophical awakening were. This film cries out for a sequel, or at least another ten minutes showing us the rest of the story.
All in all, it's fabulous, but be prepared to get mad when the ending leaves you high and dry. It's more than worth the frustration for the first song alone.
3502425
This movie was spectacular!  That is the bottom line, but, that being said, there were some loose ends that should have been tied up.  Most notable would be the imminent battle bewtween the House of Flying Daggers (the good, I guess) and the General's Soldiers (the bad).  I imagine it would have been a great fight sceen.  But that is not where the heart of the movie lies.  The story line is good, not great, and this too is not the highlight of the film, which leaves what, you may ask.  The art direction, cinematography, set design, original score, and near flawless blend of love, action, nature, etc. is what makes this film a 10 in my book.  You can't help but compare this film with Crouching Tiger and/or Hero, but my accolades stem from thinking about the other movies that came out this year - barely one holds a candle to this.  If you just sit back and enjoy the film, the aesthetic superiority, you will have an experience that movies should provide us with - a mixture of emotion, awe and, above all, fun.
4414481
I regard this novel as a 20th-century classic.  I wore out my paperback version and had to buy the hardback.  It annoys me to hear people so often say that they haven't read the novel because they found the movie too disturbing.  Yes, the movie did a good job of representing the novel - but this is a truly extraordinary work of literature!  Not since Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" or Golding's "Lord of the Flies" has such a masterful work been written about the darker side of humanity.  I will defer to the other reviews listed here and use this as a place to ask my own question:  where has Harris gone?  Did he intimidate himself with his own novel?  I understand he only finishes a novel once every 5 years or so, but he is certainly overdue now!