America - Borderlands: From Conjunto To Chicken Scratch (Music Of The Rio Grande Valley Of Texas & Arizona) - Various Artists

Advantages: Brilliant guitar post rock covers a spectrum of emotions
Disadvantages: if you have neigbours you need to play it loud on headphones

...Yes I know "What the hell has that got to do this album". Well last year I went coast to coast in the USA . 16 states, 4 trains,14 buses, and one boat! Like "Desert island discs" I needed music for this monumental trip, but where to start? Traveling light I had to limit myself to half a dozen CD's (having heard that i-Pod's were the most stolen items in the states) So out came my trusty walkman and this was one of my choices of CD. Can you imagine how the power and delicate beauty of this guitar based quartet sounded passing through such places as Nebraska, Mounument Valley, and The Coastal Pacific Highway. This Band hail from Houston, Texas. And I can just hear how thier song writing craft was shaped by the rugged plains and breathtaking scenery. I love the precision and passion and the way they have left some rough edges when mixing... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: hear a true blues legend at his best.
Disadvantages: alot of the tracks are of a similar tempo and style

...content If youv'e never heard of this guy this is your best place to start, this album showcases some of the texas tone masters greatest licks and solos as well as various 'bonus' live tracks. This album is ideal especially for the aspiring guitarist who wants inspiration and material to learn from. 'Lenny' is probably the most memorable track from the album, its a quite mind blowing instrumental that you'll listen to over and over. Lyrics this is not the greatest album to listen to for vocal content, as with a lot of blues artists all the songs are about one thing (bloke thats lost his wife etc..) Cover / Inlay Design and Content The thing i like about srv is there is always loads of album notes with pictures pictures, biogs etc. Good to read while listening.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: The antithesis of commercial rubbish.
Disadvantages: Very few.

...This is must buy as along with being great music is also a documentation of rarely recorded works of a fleeting genre. A number of the artists recorded have never previously been recorded at all and some are now deceased, since these recordings were made. Sufi music is Islamic in nature but has very little to do with organised religion. The music itself is not written or performed to any set standard but rather being truly folk music is passed down from generation to generation. Each individual performance is unique and the genre thus evolves quite organically. These CDs concentrate on Pakistani Sufi music which grew out of Islamic mysticism that developed around the Indus river from the 8th century onwards. The content varies from deeply haunting to light-hearted to the almost surreal in Ghulam Ali Qawwal and Party's "Deewana hai... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful