Dusty At  The Absolute Peak of Her Powers - TEN STARS
598336
Wow... how to put this into words...

When this arrived I threw it on just to quickly check the image quality, intending to watch it when I had some free time. Almost two hours later, unable to turn it off at any point, I'm compelled to sit at the keys for a quick review...

I've never bought into the label of Greatest British Female Vocalist as applied to Dusty. To me, quite clearly and beyond argument, she was and remains the Greatest Female Vocalist of All Time, period, and this superbly crafted DVD I think frames that conclusion in gold and hangs it so high on the wall that it can't be reached.

This is Dusty naked - no interviews interrupting old clips, no guest stars, no bogus sets, and every note is sung and played live. Just Dusty,  three backup singers and a great orchestra offstage, and crazy, very receptive audiences.

Dusty is in great spirits, she's funny, clever, very playful, chatty and Dear God could this woman sing. From that breathy intimate voice that sounds like it's coming from the pillow next to you... to that rockin', belting, jazz drenched powerhouse voice that knocks every ball out of the park be it Motown or supper club standards... this girl could seemingly do anything.

Only the extras are in color - the central body of the disc is in glorious, crystal clear and razor sharp black and white, and she's never looked better. That hair, those eyes, that smile... she's simply stunning. Still photos never did her justice - Dusty was a beautiful woman.

Great camerawork thoughout, with tons of lingering closeups and a genuine understanding of what the slower songs are all about.

This leaves all the other Dusty DVD's far behind. It's the one you've been waiting for, it really is. If you're a serious Dusty fan, imagine what you'd want in a live disc... well, this is better. You'll laugh, a few songs may put a tear in your eye, but you'll mostly be reminded of what a gigantic talent this woman was. Sit in the dark and watch her sing "If You Go Away"... and you may find the earth stops turning for a couple of minutes.
1990368
For what would turn out to be her finest hour, Melissa Etheridge again brought
  down the house with this celebrated highly acclaimed masterpiece in 2004, which
  found her striking up the rock charts in full force that provide every listener across
  the globe with plenty of great music that remains as truly fascinating and timeless.
  Lucky is a bonafide calliber opus that finds her willing to play the record company
  game as she produces some tracks that is heralded with with combination cutting
  edge rock and roll and sound-alike electronic programming, which made it such a
  highly supercharged blockbuster classic. Blasting off with the explosive title track,
  the electrifying track set concludes with other classic hits like This Moment, If You
  Want, Secret Agent, the piano-dominated ballad Meet Me In The Dark, as well as
  the brazen Come Out Tonight.  Plus, you will even get some mature ballads such
  as the fabulous Mercy, the haunting Tuesday Morningan allegory on Americas
  standing in the world following The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks and the time the United
  States would become the sick man of the free world because of those appalling
  Go It Alone policies during the 2000s, and even the high-rocking feminist anthem
  Giant, as they show her mature point of view of the real world today.  Though this
  may be her honest album to date, Lucky even adds extra elements of synthesizer
  works, hip-hop and defining moments, which keep her rocking artistry and the CD
  itself vital in top form and the music in direct form.  Billed as a brightly fascinating
  turning point in her illustrious music career, Etheridge would again demonstrate a
  set of unabashed creativity which makes this masterpiece a timeless and aspiring
  labour of love that will remain just as flawless as ever.
1439831
There is only one word to describe the level  this book is at.....unbeatable. Darkness Shatters is unstoppable! Action Packed, full of drama and excitement, and simply outstanding. This book is also the most emotional book in the series. I s*** you not I all but went into a deep depression while reading this book, and not in a bad way! It only shows how invested I am in this series! I literally can NOT get enough!

Susan Illene does an incredible job with all of her books, but for me, Darkness Shatters is her masterpiece. She takes incredible writing to a whole other Level. From the characters, we've come to know and love, to this magical world she created, Illene is truely genius.  I can not wait for book 6 to be available! I don't know what I am going to do until October 2015, because I have a craving for this series tht simply can't be sated by nothing else but another great book!

I would recommend this book to all lovers of Paranormal Romance and UF lovers as well!

5 Stars
1608548
Its amazing that an artist whose career spans over 7 decades is now reaching her peak. Without a doubt, this is her best album since World War 2. I would argue that is her best work period. Greater than her best acting role (Cheryl Gibbons in All Night Long), her best theater performance (Pins and Needles) and her best movie direction (The Mirror Has Two Faces).  As an actress who sings, Barbra has always excelled at finding the right balance of musicianship and expressiveness. Her most significant limitation has been the saccharin quality of her voice. This voice made her ideal for her classics such as Emily (The Movie Album) and Queen of the Night (performed live at Carnegie Hall), but made it a little more difficult for other types of music. But genius that she is, she found other techniques to tackle rock, soul, disco, and country. Just take a listen to her rendition of John Lennons Mother (Barbra Joan Streisand). She replaces Lennons screams with her perfect portamentos and achieves the same impact. These clever choices were the key to her greatest albums: Butterfly and Emotion. It was impossible to imagine her surpassing the magnificence of those two albums which contain some of her greatest interpretations (Guava Jelly, Grandmas Hands, Life on Mars, Emotion, Time Machine) But almost exactly 32 years later, she has done it, and created what may be her definitive albumher Mona Lisa. What has made it possible are the changes in her voice. The saccharine smoothness is not as overwhelming as it once was. Now there is a distinct rasp that appears in all of her Encore performances. This raspiness has added character and added a new dimension to her voice in a manner reminiscent of Bonnie Tyler and Bob Dylan. When she sings, Take me to a world you can feel the angst and pain in her voice, and you know how much it hurts to sing those lyrics. Her selection of co-stars is her best ever. Usually, she surrounds herself with lesser talents (in all fairness, who is as talented as she is?). This time, however, she has found a number of voices that are a match to her own. Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, and Seth MacFarlaneits as if she has brought the Three Tenors back to life. I was mesmerized when the male partner started singing in Ill Be Seeing You. I thoughtOMG, is that Luciano Pavarotti? I immediately grabbed the jewel case and looked for the singers name. I was stunned when I saw it was Chris Pine. I kept thinking that cant be that silly actor in Star Trek. But indeed it was. That is yet another great talent of Streisandto find undiscovered talent and bring out the best. Bravo, Chris Pine! I will never look at Star Trek the same way again. After the talking intro on Climb Every Mountain, the singing starts and in comes a powerful voice which at first I thought was Whitney Houston. Again, I grabbed the jewel case to see who it was. Again I was stunnedit was Wanda from In Living Color (Jamie Foxx). Brava, Wanda! No discussion of Encore is complete without addressing one of its defining featuresthe frequent talking. Every song has mini-scripts in it to create a back drop. This is the single most outstanding innovation of Encore. Some of these lines contain the most impact, like when she points out that the last syllable of her last name is pronounced sand, like sand on the beach. This is the most impactful statement on Encore and it brings it all together. No, I don't mean that millions of us (including Siri) have finally learned to pronounce her name correctly. I mean it shows how nuances make a difference, how the obvious isn't so obvious, and how looking more closely and listening more intently can reveal new details that you did not see before. That is why Encore, even though it relies on songs that have all been recorded by other artists, is new and refreshing each time you listen to it. I honestly don't see how this collection could be better, though I had hoped she would do a new take on People. BOFFO! Brava, Barbra! Encore! Encore! Encore!
3312090
We purchased the DVD, "Always",by Kelli O'Hara after watching her on the NBC 4th of July extravaganza.  We were totally smitten with her range, the purity of her sound, and the beauty of her voice, not to mention that she is as beautiful to look at as she is to listen to!  "Always" runs the gamut of her extraordinary talent, from the titled old ballad to the hilarious "They Don't Let You In The Opera (if you're a country star)".  How many times have you heard "The Party's Over"?  When Kerri sings it, you have heard it for the first time. The wistfullness of her voice in "This Nearly was Mine" brings tears.
1619390
Dusty Definitely was released in Britain about a year after the sublime Dusty in Memphis. It reached the lower reaches of the British charts and was not released at that time in the United States. The two albums are as stylistically removed from one another as if they were by two very different singers which is more evidence that Dusty is quite simply the best female singer to have come out of the British Isles. Dusty Definitely has been obscured by the deserved high praise lavished upon Dusty in Memphis, but Dusty Definitely is an astonishingly varied and accomplished set of songs in its own right: From the rousing Tamla-Motownish opener "Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone", the clatteringly ear-splitting beat of "Love Power", the husky-toned "This Girl's In Love With You", the spine-tingling sadness of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" to the album's warm closer, the sultry "Second Time Around", Dusty Defintely is a maddeningly beautiful set. The CD includes four bonus tracks which perfectly fit the closing reflective mood of the album.

We know that this album - like all good Dusty Springfield albums - was made under very, very trying conditions - with more than some of those trying conditions attributable to Dusty's never-satisfied, exhausting perfectionism. Whatever the pain surrounding the making of Dusty Definitely, the end result more than justifies it.
152529
Her magic is completely unique and epic enough to rival that of her friend Nate Temple. She kicks supernatural butt in the best boots ever made, and she will keep you on the edge of your seat.
2554940
This girl hits you with sheer energy.  In your face and high impact.  Amazing lyrics and music!
2815607
I am a big fan of 10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant. It has been tough waiting so long for a new album after her last release (The excellent "The House Carpenter's Daughter"). The long wait has been amply rewarded with the two-disc set "Leave Your Sleep." The album details are covered enough in the product description and other reviews, so I will not go into the impressive list of contributing musicians and amazing process Merchant used in making the album.

The aspect of "Leave Your Sleep" that impresses me most is the high quality of Merchant's voice. She has never sounded this good, which is saying something. Sure, the selection of poetry is awesome and the music itself is brilliant, but it is Natalie's vocals that tie everything together and make this album such a masterpiece. She delivers perfect vocals throughout the two discs. Given the wide variety of styles among the 26 songs, one would think there might be a few so-so songs. Not so. Natalie can take virtually any genre and make it her own. I am enjoying everything about "Leave Your Sleep." It will take me more time to fully digest everything about the album, but so far after listening through the discs several times I am amazed at how my already lofty expectations have been exceeded. I only hope that Natalie doesn't leave us hanging so long between this album and her next.
1574386
What a great DVD release. I've been a Dusty fan for quite a while and have seen most of the compilation / documentary videos of her that are out there, many of which consist of either lip-synched performances or clutzily-edited snippets. Finally, we have what we've been waiting for and what she deserves: excerpts from her late '60s eponymous BBC show. Here we get to see Dusty Springfield looking and sounding her very best. For those who remember and love her from this period or for young people who should be introduced to a gifted song stylist, one who didn't need backup dancers or jarring camera and light effects to mesmerize an audience, you can't go wrong buying this very generous DVD (more than two-and-a-half hours) which shows off Dusty's ability to sing almost any genre of popular music better than just about anyone. Best of all, there's no unwanted filler; it's all Dusty and it's all good. I only wish the monaural sound and black-and-white picture could have been better--more like the old Judy Garland Show DVDs, recorded several years earlier but with obviously much better technology--but we're fortunate to have this invaluable document of a superb talent who faded too quickly and left us too soon.

The DVD extras, all from '70s broadcasts, are real gems too, demonstrating how a supremely talented singer, even as time and cigarettes diminish her instrument, can become an even greater interpreter of song as she matures.
3843689
Its Janet at an all new level.  She proves that she is all woman both strong and vulnerable, independent yet needy, and the most incredibly sexy artist out there.  As with each of her successive albums, she has matured and it leaves me aching for the next already!  Thanks forever Janet!!
963318
Etta is in her finest form and at the height of her powers on these 10 tunes. I have had the great privalege of seeing Etta live many times and she just seems to get better.  Etta's emotional and rich interpertation of "At Last" is one of the best readings this song has ever had. Etta swings like only she can on "You're A Sweetheart" "He's My Guy" "You're Driving Me Crazy" and especially on "Wonder Why." But without a doubt the highlight of this album is the coda -- a medley of "Cottage For Sale" and "Don't Take Your Love From Me" ,,, you'd have to be crazy to do that. My favorite jazz singer shows off her versatality and ability to transform any tune into a song that can only belong to Etta Jones.
278398
Hail Queen Latiffa from above.  This is an awesome and unexpected disc burnt by her holiness.  The voice is supreme, the arrangements are classic.  The total package is a hit for one and for all.  Her agent should be reving her up for the talk show circuits to  promote this jewel of brilliance.  Certainly, this is a disc that is required in everyone's collection.
3781113
I got the limited edition vinyl and it is one of my best sounding records in my collection. Shelby does a wonderful job in her tribute to Dusty. it's like she's sitting in the room with you. Highly recommended!
2765533
Amazingly gorgeous album.. rich and varied songs, lush and layered at times, and other times more acoustic and sparse. All with Lisa's gorgeous voice shimmering throughout. This is an album with so much depth, far surpassing the simplicity of her previous albums. Would we dare to say 'a mature album' ? Anyway, it's beautiful! It's on repeat non-stop here.
4641611
As much as can be made of her genetic predisposition to brilliance, I only know of her parents' work through a couple of songs each. So, all I can base this review on is the absolute brilliance of the album. This is a recording that will stop you dead in your tracks, from beauty to rage to both simultaneously, and done flawlessly. Martha's vocal range is astonishing (I haven't been jolted by a voice so much since I was a kid and heard Kate Bush for the first time) and the songs and arrangements are so tight, so moving, it really takes you to a whole other place. Totally accessible, yet highly unpredictable. And while the McGarrigle voice and Wainwright edge are there, you also can feel the weary beauty of an artist like Lisa Germano or the ravaged nobility of Marianne Faithfull in the mix as well. Just to speculate, imagine the children of immense musical genius a tragically destructive relationship with someone like Joseph Arthur might bring. It would stagger the mind. If you like music and like your music with passion and intelligence, you MUST buy this .
793566
This is a terrific box set spanning all of Dusty's career from her early days to her very last recording before her untimely death. The audio quality is the best I've heard on many of the selections, and the selections are not limited to "greatest hits." There are some lesser-known tracks, too. The set as a whole is a fitting tribute to the great talent, showing off the various facets of her recording history. If you love Dusty, this set is right up there with food, clothes, and shelter.