Koncocoo

Best Classical

The John Rutter Christmas Album
I have always enjoyed carols ever since I first sang them as a member of my school choir, and it was not long before I began to write carols of my own-in fact my first two published compositions were the Nativity Carol and the Shepherd's Pipe Carol.
Reviews
"Great album. But I still recommend this album to Christians."
"Any lover of John Rutter's work will love this recording."
"Not a single dud on the whole CD."
"John Rutter has a genious for composing Christmas carols."
"Good collection of Rutter's songs sung beautifully."
"I you've never heard John Rutter's music, start with this."
"There is no one today writing choral music like John Rutter, and this collection of his Christmas music is beautifully sung."
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A Dave Brubeck Christmas
You're also treated to two Brubeck originals: To Us Is Given and Run, Run, Run to Bethlehem !
Reviews
"Don't think it will get a lot of airplay at the house."
"A true classic that In played over and over again on Christmas."
"Absolutely love this CD."
"if you like Brubeck youll like this."
"Good addition to holiday collection."
"Dave Brubeck played his music unaccompanied by other musicians, and it was excellent."
"I love jazz interpretations of popular music so Brubeck's renditions of standard Christmas music are quite special."
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Christmas Star: Carols for the Christmas Season
In 1997, this recording became the most successful first-year release in Collegium history.
Reviews
"I absolutely love the arrangements of these familiar Christmas songs."
"I am hoping for recordings for Rudder's Christmas music."
"Absolutely beautiful Christmas album."
"At last, an album of Christmas music that includes nearly all the great old carols, beautifully arranged for choir, organ and orchestra, plus a few less well known but charming tunes."
"Beautiful traditional Christmas carols!"
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Best Hymns

A Festival of Carols in Brass
No Description Available. No Track Information Available Media Type: CD Artist: PHILADELPHIA BRASS ENSEMBLE Title: FESTIVAL OF CAROLS IN BRASS Street Release Date: 09/29/1986. Domestic Genre: CLASSICAL ARTISTS.
Reviews
"No bellowing opera baritones, no screeching sopranoes, no "pop" or "country performers who can't sing, just quietly flowing, joyful, peaceful y reverent Christmas favorites."
"Especially love brass Christmas music."
"In case it's not obvious: This is a recording of instrumental Christmas music arranged for brass instruments and played by a fantastic ensemble."
"This album has always been in my Christmas music rotation and I"m just thankful that I found a replacement CD for one that I lost in my last move for some strange reason so I can continue on with this tradition..."
"I had been thinking about purchasing one copy of this CD for my car, but when the price dropped so low, I just went ahead about bought 4 copies, one for me and 3 extras for friends and family."
"This was an LP that my family played long ago."
"This is my favorite Christmas CD."
"The cd is basic Christmas brass , I was hoping for more variations on the melodies but could not listen to samples before I bought it."
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Best Far East & Asia

The Music of Vietnam
It is a distinctive mix of folk instruments and courtly formality--a highly disciplined and richly ornamented music originally conceived for moments of importance and ceremony. Several unusual instruments are employed, including the dan bau , a one-string guitar with a bamboo stem that bends notes like a whammy bar , and the k'ni , a rifle-shaped fiddle with a mouth attachment that can create a voice-box effect similar to that used by rock guitarists such as Peter Frampton and Joe Walsh in the '70s. The music is so expertly performed and so beautifully sequenced--the focus shifting from ensemble to solo pieces, from stringed instruments to flutes--that attention never wanders. The most exciting pieces feature a clarinet playing long lines over pounding percussion, a combination common to the music of many Southeast Asian nations.
Reviews
"Item as described."
"Truly a nice selection of music from the North and South, played on instruments foreign to the ear in America."
"Not sure who put this together or where it comes from, but it is an excellent set of traditional vietnamese music which is very hard to find good examples of."
"That book(s) for the traditional discs share the same background material and then have notes on the individual selections. I've had this cranked up on my large car stereo and the sound is clean with good separation. I don't have a large collection of east Asian discs but this is easily my favorite."
"Viet Nam is most often identified with communism and with war, which is a pity, because the music of Viet Nam is as expressive and as complex as pieces written by Bach or Beethoven."
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Best Blues

Hoodoo Man Blues
Hoodoo Man Blues is considered by most blues aficionados and fans to be one of the best blues albums of all time. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was chosen by the readers of Living Blues magazine as a top ten Desert Island Blues disc. If you have no experience of the blues and are looking for an entry point or, if you're a blues fan and have yet to come across this stone-cold classic, then grab this release as soon as you can but do it using this vinyl version.
Reviews
"I heard about this album from a thread I started about R&B music I should check out: http://www.amazon.com/forum/music/ref=cm_cd_rvt_np?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1YA4ZE83NG9MC&cdPage=3&cdThread=Tx2G16Z4SBCWZD2#CustomerDiscussionsNew. I don't know anything about Buddy Guy so I googled him. The first thing that came up was: 2015 Lineup | Summerfest, The World's Largest Music Festival. summerfest.com/2015-lineup/Summerfest. Summerfest Artist."
"This is right up there with Otis Rush's late '50s Cobra singles (which weren't created as an album), his Cold Day in Hell (live in Japan in '75), and Howlin' Wolf's '50s music."
"Should be in every Blues Collector's collection, it's a great CD."
"Junior Wells is one of the most soulful blues musicians that ever lived."
"Junior Wells on his harp along with Buddy Guy great album."
"He is accompanied by other first class musicians Budy Guy (Guitar), Jack Meyers (Bass) and Billy Warren. I'm sure this and other music had an influence on Bob Dylan's evolution from traditional (but always original)folk music to his reincarnation as a folk rock & something more musician--and who plays a mean harmonica too. At Newport. Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Muddy Waters. The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions. Live in Cook County Jail. Let's Roll. The Skeleton Key (Widescreen Edition)."
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Best Opera & Vocal

Aria
Aria ~ Aria.
Reviews
"Closing the gap in time and recognizing beauty in a relationship between the rhythms and sound effects of 21st century techno combined with the timeless passion of 19th century opera is an incredible concept!"
"Sexy."
"I had this cd in high school and lost it somewhere along the way."
"Strange new renditions of well-known classic arias, performed with great precision."
"Good quality audio."
"3 CD set."
"You've never heard interpretations such as are recorded here."
"Paul has a wonderfully classical, yet fantastic touch with these pieces, as I've come to expect from him."
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Best Country

Gordon Lightfoot - Complete Greatest Hits
After his career peaked with one of the most unlikely top five hits ever, the gloom-laden 1976 narrative "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," Lightfoot's production tailed off sharply, though this anthology's "Stay Loose" ('86) and "Restless" ('93) are testament to his enduring skills as a songwriter and performer.
Reviews
"We watched a CBS Sunday morning interview with Lightfoot, which shared his continued devotion to native Canada and his type of ballads and story songs."
"Brings back a lot of good times cant go wrong with this one."
"Great collection of many of his favorites."
"Always loved his ballads."
"He has been a favorite of mine for years... this collection brings not only memories and the feelings from long ago, but a new interpretation of the classics he has given us through his long career."
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Best Latin Music

Mariza:fado Em Mim
This twentysomething, Mozambique-born beauty of Portuguese, Spanish, German, African, and Indian descent rapidly rose from the Mouraria district of Lisbon to become fado's newest and brightest star.
Reviews
"BEAUTIFUL!!!"
"Wonderful voice...beautiful...soothing when listening."
"Mariza is one of the great Fado singers."
"Mariza has a lovely voice."
"As a singer of Fado, she ranks amongst the best."
"As I've written before, Mariza is the best."
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Best Pop

Songs About Jane
Maroon 5 aren't the first band to fuse R&B and rock, but they certainly are one of the most convincing.
Reviews
"Absolutely beautiful splattered vinyl."
"But it sounds like trash on vinyl."
"I'm a confirmed baby-boomer and usually buy only 60's and 70's music, but after I got XM radio in my new pickup truck I started hearing a few newer songs that I liked and almost all of them were sung by "Maroon 5". The beat is usually relentless, the chord and key shifts beautiful and often unexpected, and the high vocal harmonies (wish there were more of them) are as precise as Lennon-McCartney or Heart."
"Great music to listen to anytime."
"Buy this CD!"
"I know price shouldn't be a factor, but I found this for just $4 while browsing Amazon's MP3 department."
"Some songs never go out of style and create a mood...and Mr. Levine does it well!"
"I mainly got this album because it was pretty cheap and I love Maroon 5."
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Best Christian & Gospel

Revival In Belfast
Revival In Belfast captures the passionate worship of Robin Mark and the Christian Fellowship Church in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Reviews
"HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY ROBINS WORK, I OFTEN WOULD USE THESE SONGS IN MY CONCERTS AND THE FOLKS WOULD SING WITH ME. I MADE IT VERY CLEAR, THE WERE NOT SPECTATORS AT A RELIGIOUS CONCERT, BUT PARTICIPATORS IN A WORSHIP SESSION FOR JESUS CHRIST OUR KING, HIGH AND LIFTED UP."
"5 stars are not enough!"
"But add the message of Jesus to the simple, singable nature of much Irish song, and you have a mix that can't be beaten. "Garments of Praise," "Shout to the North," and Revival, the first 3 tracks, all have hooks I catch myself singing sometimes on my daily walk to work."
"If you love Christian music, you deserve to own this album."
"Every piece is a statement and a prayer for the people, the land, and revival. This particular album was used in prison ministry in Fort Worth, Texas, and proved to be invaluable."
"This is a unique, uplifting, utterly brilliant worship album. The message in the songs is uplifting and spiritual, and the music itself is wonderful."
"Beautiful & soul inspiring!"
"It is a lovely blend of the Celtic sound of pipes and violins with the beat and words of the best praise music."
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Best Miscellaneous

Calm Within: Music for Relaxation of Body and Mind - Perfect for Massage, Spa, Yoga, Meditation
THE MOST RELAXING MUSIC FOR SLEEP RELAXING MUSIC FOR KIDS MEDITATION MUSIC CD YOGA MUSIC CD THE MOST SOOTHING MUSIC FOR BABY MUSIC THERAPY SONGS and MUSIC THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION SPA MUSIC CD RELAXING MUSIC FOR DOGS AND CATS MEDITATION MUSIC FOR KIDS MASSAGE MUSIC CD MEDITATION MUSIC FOR RELAXING AND DREAMING THE MOST CALMING MUSIC THERAPY FOR CHILDREN and MUSIC THERAPY IN SCHOOLS MUSIC FOR STRESS RELIEF THE MOST RELAXING MUSIC CD YOU WILL FIND. The songs on Calm Within: Music for Relaxation of Body and Mind are designed to bring on a sense of ease through repetition of musical phrases, and positive memory association, initiated to bring listeners to a happy space making this the ideal SOOTHING MUSIC CD perfect for SPA MUSIC FOR MASSAGE , MASSAGE MUSIC FOR DEEP RELAXATION , SOOTHING MUSIC TO SLEEP TO and MUSIC THERAPY GIFTS .
Reviews
"Lovely soundtrack that I play in the therapeutic suite where I work."
"I play relaxation music, at night, for peaceful sleep."
"This is very relaxing music."
"I listen to this CD when I'm in my sauna."
"I love this cd."
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Best Dance & DJ

Discovery
"Digital Love" starts off silly and gets sillier, but the monosyllabic lyrics lull the senses just right, allowing the song's summery groove to grab hold with authority. "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is a resounding standout amidst the retro/Vocoder deluge that transpired after Cher's Believe turned the kitchy disco device into a worldwide pop music trend, spinning a clever groove around an ever-escalating string of computerized seduction.
Reviews
"I could listen to this forever, And vinyl really does bring out all the nuances, And I will love it more when I get a new needle for me player."
"The art work upon opening the LP is interesting and the LP's are finely pressed... Ok, the songs are stellar and sort of flow into one another making for one cohesive listen... STANDOUT TRACKS: Face to Face, Digital Love, Harder Better Faster Stronger, Something About Us & Aerodynamic..."
"Unfortunately, after receiving my copy of this record, I found a rather unpleasant click/pop that occurred at the beginning of Aerodynamic. To clarify, I borrowed my friend's copy of Discovery and the clicking/popping did not occur as in my two copies!"
"Review for the Music: Amazing."
"Nothing wrong with my copy far as I can tell."
"Love it."
"Obviously the album itself is gold, but vinyl buyers beware - you're not gonna be happy with how this sounds."
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Best Soundtracks

The Last Of The Mohicans Soundtrack
This is a production rife with odd pairings: English actor Daniel Day-Lewis joining up with the Mohawks; James Fenimore Cooper adapted by Michael Mann; disparate composers Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman teaming up.
Reviews
"This is THE BEST MOVIE SOUNDTRACK EVER!"
"Out of all the tracks I've been listening to, The Kiss, Cora, and Massacre/Canoes are my favorite bits of score."
"Love this album."
"Original music is priceless."
"My favorite track is "The Kiss"; we recently saw a very talented violinist named Christian Hebel perform this work live, which introduced me to the score as a whole."
"Perfect condition."
"I have never seen the movie and just bought this for the music."
"I am addicted to this soundtrack for years."
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Best New Age

Christmas
At times, the analog synthesizers used in this 1984 recording sound dated and a little cheesy, particularly on "Deck the Halls" and "Good King Wenceslas." As pleasant and soothing as a Willard Scott birthday wish, Christmas does offer one selection that truly merits "classic" status: the reverent, prayerful, slow-motion interpretation of "Silent Night" ("Stille Nacht") for piano and strings that closes the album--a beautiful and heart-touching work.
Reviews
"arrived faster than expected and is perhaps my favorite manheim steamroller album played all the way through with out any notice of scratches as well."
"love all mannheim steamroller."
"Wouldn't be Christmas without it."
"Great music , but I should have looked at what the songs were."
"My favorite Christmas cd!"
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Best Broadway & Vocalists

Les Miserables - The Musical That Swept the World 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
To celebrate 10 years as the world's most popular musical, the cast of Les Misérables threw a phenomenal birthday party at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1995.
Reviews
"This concert version is by far the best cd of the wonderful Les Mis."
"This particular cd/music is my husbands favorite...ever!"
"Its combination of rousing ensemble songs and poignant solo, duet and trio ballads is just right and this version includes some great extras, like 18 Jean Valjeans from around the world singing "Do You Hear the People Sing" in turn and together."
"This particular CD is full of beautiful voices and because it is the entire audio of the show, when listening you can fell you are sitting in the audience watching the show."
"Given as a gift and it was loved."
"Greatest musical of all time."
"I saw the 10th anniversary performance on PBS several years ago and just recently saw the movie."
"...it will spoil you for all other versions, no doubt about it and l have seen and heard them all including the latest movie atrocity version catering to name recognition, obviously not singing abilities."
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Best Alternative Rock

In the Aeroplane over the Sea
Contrary to most pop experimentalists, NMH songs stretch way past the two-minute mark: "Two Headed Boy" transforms from a Guided by Voices-ish romp into a New Orleans big band funeral march, "The Fool" is as catchy as anything Poi Dog Pondering ever produced, and "Holland" builds up to a crescendo of saw, Uillean pipes, a chorus of voices, and fuzzed-out guitar.
Reviews
"I've always loved this album and am happy to have it on vinyl!"
"Delivery was fairly quick, but the one thing I'd say is that the packaging wasn't great - the plastic on the album cover was quite badly cracked on both sides."
"Saw them live at Markarth, amazing, moved me to tears."
"Bought this on a whim after reading all the positive reviews and it did not disappoint."
""On Avery Island" is also good, but I feel that this album is probably the most essential to any Neutral Milk Hotel fan."
"These guys are one of those little known who skated by the flood of success with this exquisite album, who all but disappeared from the scene for years, only to come back to droves of fans who've been simmering with this album, waiting and wanting for more more more."
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Best Rap & Hip-Hop

All Eyez on Me Explicit Lyrics
The very first double album in rap, "All Eyez on Me" was a critical and popular success, shooting all the way up to number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart.
Reviews
"No matter what your background is- most of his fans can relate to something in his lyrics."
"i am so happy with my cd purchase."
"One of my Favorites out of my Tupac album collection."
"Very good product 100% recommended, 2 thumbs up!"
"Excellent price!!!!"
"great product arrived on time!"
"my favorite album would buy it again if i need to."
"I bought the vinyl version of this album as a Christmas gift for my son."
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