If it was only for the music, it would get 4.5 to 5 stars...
Constantinos Tzoannopoulos | Greece | 08/09/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"But, unfortunately, Mr. Lord and his record company (EMI) chose to show absolutely no respect to their fans. I have purchased this disc (which is NOT a Red Book CD and Philips has taken the recording industries to court, banning them from labeling "copy-protected" discs with the "Compact Disc Digital Audio" logo; computer company Apple have also announced that "technically and legally" these discs are NOT CDs) and have had nothing but problems playing it. When I bought it, I had a Philips DVD-963SA DVD/SACD player. Guess what? It played with pops and clicks (as if I was listening to a dusty, scratched LP), because of the COPY PROTECTION (which is actually a measure to prevent the discs from being played at all and often causes damage to CD and DVD players, as was the case with Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells 2003 "CD"). The same happened with Julie London's "Love Letters/Feeling Good", again on EMI. Why is that? Simply because the "copy protection" makes the discs completely incompatible with Philips' Red Book and Orange Book standards (the standards for Compact Disc Digital Audio). On my new machine, the Philips DVP-9000S Cineos, playback is intermittent.
Purchase AT YOUR OWN RISK.
You are very likely to end up aggravated, angered by having wasted your money on an unplayable disc, perhaps even forced to get your player in for repairs.
Other than that, IF you manage to find a player that will play this record (and will remain operational), it's a very good musical work; a true showcase of Jon Lord's mastery of his profession. I don't really know how to classify it, though. Classical crossover? 21st-century Progressive Rock? If Mr. Lord and his record company had showed his fans the required respect, I would give it even 5 stars - as I said in the review's title. But, seeing that we are basically victimized by EMI, I have to bash this product, so that they will finally realize that they cannot mistreat customers."
I'm grateful
Rumi | Starkville, MS | 07/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Thank you Jon Lord for making your last two albums of mature, contemplative orchestral music. To anyone considering getting this album or Pictured Within, I can't reccommend them enough. This music is more likely to appeal to folks who've come out the other side of life's foibles, ego trips, hormones and angst...who've seen harsh "realities"...yet still love this world and humanity. To me the music is about life always in motion, evolving. It's introspective, and seems to speak to those moments you've experienced that took your breath away...in beauty, irony or sadness. There are moments in this music that are so heart wrenchingly tender that you just ache with joy upon hearing them.
I would categorize this music as "mostly classical", but it's jazzy is sections, and with vocals in others. If you like Pictured Within, you'll enjoy this album too. I think Amazon has samples from Pictured Within, so go give it a listen if you haven't heard Jon Lord's recent musical style.
This album is a class act. It's worth every penny."
Inspired album
Renato | from São Paulo, Brazil | 11/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wonderfully well-crafted album from one of the most talented musicians ever! Don't expect the guy to deliver something that sounds like Deep Purple. He has now taken a totally different direction. Listen to it without any prejudice and you will be greatly rewarded."
Haunting, yet strangely Joyfull!
Richard C. Woodhouse | Bradford, PA USA | 12/31/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have had this CD for about a year now, and after many listenings, I feel able to review it properly. First I am a big Jon Lord fan, mostly because of his work with Deep Purple. This is not Deep Purple type music! In many ways this record, is in the same style as "Pictured Within", though not quite as melancholy. He had recently lost both of his Parents, when he did that recording, and it definitely had an effect on the music. In this recording he mines some of the same introspective longing, in some of the songs. Yet in this one there is more of a sense of joy, in these songs. There are also some jazzy numbers, with some great musicianship. The music is just so classy, and it causes me to become so introspective when I listen. Of course that my own subjectivity, but I think this music will have pretty much the same effect, on most people. At leas anyone who has lived a while and suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. If you are looking for a more upbeat and rockin offering from Jon, then I would recommend the just fantastic DVD, "Jon Lord and the Hoochie Coochie Men" This DVD has some just smokin Keyboard work from Lord, on the Hammond. Its a small club venue, with a top level blues band in Australia. The "Back at the Chicken Shack" number is worth the price of the DVD. Well, thanks for listening. Happy New Year. Rick Woodhouse Bradford PA"