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The artists change the intrumentation and play with the style; they take music normally in the background and bring it to the foreground, making it fresh again. Why. Some songs have an entirely different feel than the originals, and I can guarantee that, with the mix of styles and artists here, there will be at least one song you don't like.I must agree with many other reviewers, though, and say that the instrumentals are this CDs strongest moments. There's no iconic vocals or character tics to capture, no delivery of words most of the audience has memorized. I recieved this CD as a surprise Christmas gift, and, having been wanting it for quite some time, I was delighted and immediately set about listening to it. The first thing I will tell you is this: come in with an open mind. Because there's much more room for creativity.
I liked this cd a lot, however I feel that some of the bands chosen really messed with the music. Still, I would reccomend to any Nightmare Before Christmas fans as it completes your collection.
Instead, vocals of this album were very mean and hostile, taking a wonderful story of the human spirit and distorting into something truly horrific. The rendition of Making Christmas also misses the point of the lyrics.I will gladly admit that the instrumental tracks provide a wonderful and creative interpretation of the originals.Although it's wonderful to see artists pay tribute to what was certainly a masterwork, this production does not come anywhere close to the original. Fortunately, I listened to a friend's CD before purchasing it myself.I found the production to be flawed because of the heavy use of vocal chorusing and the unpleasant artifacts it created.The most distressing part of the album is that it misses the key message of the original opera: "it's our job but we're not mean". Instead of a tale of desire, longing, and vulnerability this version gives us something angry, hostile, and aggressive.For instance, the headbanging delivery of Kidnap the Sandy Claws masks the fact that there are supposed to be three separate vocal lines with distinct personalities behind them.
The Polyphonic Spree's version of "Town Meeting Song" makes me think I'm listening to the soundtrack to "Hair" or even a little "Rocky Horror Picture Show" but when I heard "Nabbed" by the Yoshida Brothers I had to check to see if I was still listening to the right CD.Alright, there are a few songs where I prefer the original versions (Jack's Obsession by Sparklehorse makes my ears bleed), but a lot of them are just wonderful. Go. I'm not sure but I think all the contributing artists are fans of the film, and no doubt this album is a work of love for a curious film that has changed my life, and the life of other "emo" people before we were given that name.However, if you are not a "hard core" fan then you probably wouldn't get this album. That almost every shirt and sweatshirt I own has Jack on it helps with the love) I have sheet music from the film (and am constantly playing the songs on my bass clarinet), three versions of the soundtrack, an original, a special addition and when I saw Nightmare Revisited I knew I had to have it too. And if you love the music of Mr.
With Corpse Bride scattered throughout. "Oogie Boogie's Song" by Rodrigo Y Gabriela, "Christmas Eve Montage" by RJD2 is a song I blast in my car at Christmas time while I drive around looking at Christmas lights. It has renewed my love for Jack and the Nightmare he created in 1993. Danny Elfman and his voice and you haven't heard of Oingo Boingo 20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection (Eco-Friendly Packaging) you should go and look it up on Amazon right now. I saw Nightmare Before Christmas for the first time when I was 10, sure the movie came out four years earlier, but now I am in my twenties and I love the story and characters more and more each day (I'm sure the fact that I have figurines of the entire cast of characters all over my apartment.
I was impressed at the interpretations these artists had with the songs. If you are a "hard core" fan though, buy this CD.
I remember a day when Manson used to do good covers, but that was over 10 years ago and now he is just a joke. Another high point was the Polyphonic Spree. Let me start out by saying that I love this music, and anything that Danny Elfman does, but with the exception of a few tracks, this is just garbage, I am sorry to say.The version of "This is Halloween" and "Jack's Lament" are just crap. Jack's Lament is a song of pain and suffering, but this bad just plays it, as if they were just reading it off paper and with no emotion at all.Korn did a song on here.that is all that I have to mention for you to understand how terrible that much be.Really the high point on this album are the instrumentals, which for the most part, are extremely good, especially the Rodgrigo Y Gabriella and the Album Leaf to finish the album with at least a nice high point. Okay, their version sounded nothing like the original at all, but at least it was emotional and creative, unlike some of the other junk on here.Also, the version of Sally's Song, okay, not too bad, but they really could have gotten someone better that would have done a 10 times better version I am sure.Overall, I give this a two, almost a three, but really the Korn and Manson versions are awful.
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