Now playing at Whizzo
Look below to find comments on what is in the CD player, the DVD player
and some interesting theme compilation cassettes I've done.
Comments always welcome, just email
me!
See my list of recommended books, CDs and
DVDs
Just played
Kalan
Porter: Awake In A Dream - What an amazing interpreter of popular music. I was shocked when
Kalan Porter survived to the end of the 2004
Canadian Idol competition. I thought, "Surely the Canadian
public won't vote for this talented guy." Boy, was I wrong! Way to go
Canada! Kalan Porter can sing the Yellow Pages... and make you
buy all the products. He can find the guts of a song's lyric, and then explode
an interpretation. Listen to this guy! Now!!
- My only complaint is the song selection. Can there be a more vanilla,
"Middle-Of-The-Road" song? C'mon... maybe they need a Canadian Songwriting Idol
to generate some superior material! Oh well, the album comes out November 16...
I can wait. I expect to be listening to Kalan Porter for a
long, long time...
Just watched
SPIDER-MAN 2- Nice! I missed this one in the theatres, but what a show on DVD!
Since Sam Rami doesn't have to waste a lot of screen time on origin stories
(only one this time), there is more action, more character development and more
story this time around. I believe this sequel is more enjoyable than the first.
If you liked the web-slinging segment that ended the first movie... get out to
the store right now and buy this movie. They have perfected the "Spyder-Cam"
and you will feel like you're swinging along with Peter thtough the streets of
New York City. And top marks to the writer of Aunt May's speech... very cool.
Get the Widescreen -- Fullscreen is for whiny TV lovers.
- STAR WARS
TRILOGY
- Finally! George Lucas has released his epic
masterpiece a year ahead of schedule... and I am grateful for that.
Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back
(1980) and Return Of the Jedi (1983), introduced us to the
adventures of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill),
Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess
Leia (Carrie Fisher). Not to forget our other
favourite human and non-human characters: C3PO,
R2-D2, Darth Vader,
Chewbacca, Lando Calrission, Obi-Wan
Kenobi and Yoda.
- Some will nit-pick that these aren't the original theatrical films,
but the additions and changes are welcome and effective. These are great action
films, without the gratuitous blood and gore. Fun for the whole family. I
highly recommend the set... and don't forget to watch the fourth disc and all
those great features.
- Also, get the WIDESCREEN edition -- see the whole
movie!
Compilation
cassettes
- PEI Vacation
- Heading out for summer vacation is always a good excuse for making
some tapes. This year, two tapes for the long drive to Canada's Maritime
provinces. One especially for Kelly (5 years old)
and one based on the travelling theme:: I've Been
Everywhere - PEI 2000 Road Trip.
- Pop Radio Classics
- Based on some excellent CDs from Varèse Sarabande's Vintage
line, three tapes of Sixties and early Seventies songs played on pop radio. The
songs are from the Sunshine Days, Dick
Bartley's Collector's Essentials: The '60sand On The
Radio series. All highly recommended! Check out tapes
#1, #2 and #3.
- Diamond Chills
- The Beautiful-Noise Internet
Mailing List solicited members' opinions on the Neil
Diamond songs that sent chills up your spine. This tape compiles those
shiver-inducing numbers. Check out Diamond
Chills.
- Just My Imagination
- The Cranberries song title recalled that great
Temptations single. The rest just fell into place. Not a
concept so much as a review of recent CD purchases. Check out
Just My Imagination.
- All Star Musical Recordings
- In late 1998 the powers that be (The Really Useful Company) decided
that instead of a cast album the musical Whistle Down The
Wind (Andrew Lloyd Webber & Jim
Steinman) needed an all-star recording. They recruited Tina
Arena, Meat Loaf, Boyzone,
Bonnie Tyler, Tom Jones and more to record
the songs. The result? A British chart topper! The folks behind
Aida (Disney) copied the idea in 1999 for the musical
formerly known as Elaborate Lives (Elton
John & Tim Rice). I reduced both efforts to a
single cassette best of the best all stars. At
least in my opinion.
- Christmas Songs
- Two tapes of seasonal songs and carols. One recorded in for
Christmas 1994 and one for
Christmas 1995.
- Group Harmony from the Sixties
- Two tapes of great vocal harmony songs from the sixties.
This Magic Moment and Anything Goes.
- Vinyl Beginnings
- Compilation of my earliest singles (45's) purchases. Trying to
recreate the sounds of late sixties radio. Early 45s
#1, Early 45s #2.
- Sentimental Journey
- Two tapes of classic pop songs by the great vocalists of the 1940s
and 1950s. Tape #1 (1942 to 1950) and
Tape #2 (1947 to 1959).
- No Doze Mix
- A musical program designed to counter sleepiness. Apply aurally at
high volume for best effect. Dancing shoes optional. Not to be taken at
bedtime. Great for the car or housework! No
Doze.
- Double Plays
- This series is a chance for me to feature back-to-back songs by some
of my favourite performers. I try to find a pair of songs from the same album
or period... no filler allowed! There are 5 tapes (so far):
Double Plays; More Double
Plays; Return of Double Plays;
Double Plays Encore; 6-4-3
Double Play
- Summer In April
- The 1995 Mixed Closing Bonspiel at the Oakville Curling Club was a
summer-theme extravaganza. Speakers were placed above the ice and the curlers
rocked their way through the day. Rip Curl Presents:
Sounds Of Sun & Surf; Beach Blanket Bonspiel; Sun,
Sand & Sweeping; Muscle Beach Bonspiel;
Shooting The Curl; and, finally, a tape for dancing
during the band's breaks: Happening Holiday Hits.
The last one loses the summer theme, but the songs are great!
- Covered, Uncovered & Recovered
- The originals aren't always the best or most interesting versions of
songs. This collection gathers hits that songwriters had with other writer's
material, cover versions of other artists hits, original versions that became
hits for other artists and early versions of songs that were re-recorded for
release. Every one a different interpretation from the original work.
Covered, Uncovered & Recovered
- 1970
- A great year to listen to "Top 40" radio! I've compiled two tapes of
my favourite songs from that year... and I may just make another one (or ten).
Tape One: I Can't Take The Way He Sings But I Love To
Hear Him Talk; Tape Two: Just Yesterday
Morning
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Last update: Wed Aug 2 23:28:06 EDT 2006
Kalan
Porter's
