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Katherine Jenkins: Believe Live From The O2 (DVD)
by Silvertwig242
My impressions of this DVD is that it is more like a 'character' portrayal from song to song, all done to dramatic effect live on stage at the O2 and is I feel, a reflection of a new direction in her singing career thus far. Evidence to support this theory, is her new album (released October 2011 compared to DVD's Xmas 2010) 'Daydream'. ... Her management and no doubt herself are seriously examining what they perceive the public want to see and hear from her in the future, which I believe is a becoming more of a mixture of traditional folk music and light classical, rather than the opera arias she has favoured in the past.
The production of this DVD and the visual quality of her performance on stage is vibrant and alive, somewhat sensual, totally feminine and very carefully managed. Even in the arena of the O2, the cameras capture the intimacy that she has with her dancers on stage and with her audience. However, her new album steers away from the diva in Katherine and concentrates on the traditional genres of folk music and light classical music which I believe is better suited to her husky voice but it more removed from a feeling of belonging in the moment of her music. The DVD is in my opinion over the top but still an enjoyable experience. Her new album in comparison is easier on the ear and has more of a flow than the songs she sings on the DVD.
Indeed, she does attempt to sing Evanescence's 'Bring me to Life' - this becomes a massive finale with all the drama and flair she can muster but it falls short to impress (even with the stage design and costume) as she remains 'unconvincing' in her role. No one could ever outclass Amy Lee.
Daydream in contrast offers a change that is enriched with her own culture and heritage and it is, in most part, sung with ease and style. 'Black is the colour of my true love's hair' is a typical example of the harking back to her folk roots. You can fully hear her love of the music throughout this album.. particularly when she sings 'Carrickfergus' also I do believe that she should have stayed clear of 'And this is my beloved' quite frankly it stinks.
So, in summary, it rather depends on personal preference and what you expect from Katherine, if you want the diva go for the dvd, it is stunning if a little bit over the top, (worth watching just for the butterfly scene alone) but if you want something more relaxing and something more suited to her voice, then go for the CD, honestly, you will not regret it.. just make sure you skip a couple of tracks and you will not be disappointed.
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Lemon Jelly - 64 to 95 (DVD)
by purplezen
This is a DVD of the album of the same name with visual/graphics or animated videos which was released in 2005. Although I am not a doctor or do not have epilepsy myself, I would just like to inform those of you who do or who are sensitive to the following: this DVD does contain flashing or flickering imagery.
Track/Video ... listing
'Come down on me' - Explosive sounding guitar, slightly fibre optic circles, moving in motion with the groove of the music. Shadow figures of a woman appear on the screen in kaleidoscopic form, bending & shaping her way to the movement of the rhythm. All in a red/fiery glow, ending in a swirl shape of a couple entwined together.
'Only time' - Black and white graphics, form into a conveyor belt with photo's on boxes moving along it. Wheels, cogs turning to 'If I only had time' in a slowed down voice. A structural x-ray of the machine is shown throughout. Zooms in on the centre of the cog wheel, opening a spiral (slightly James Bond style). A dark shadow figure of a man is walking on the spot, then noticed he was singing
'Things to pursue, 'If I only had time'. Photo images were then moving along from a square cut out of the top of his head in a slide show motion.
'Don't stop now' - White screen, red squares piled into columns turn and flash to the beat and the bass. Black jigsaw/flat pack box pieces pile up on high stacks, once again to the same flow of sound. Which continues till the end.
'Make things right' - A planetary, starry sky, clouds hover - camera moves to fluorescent fibre optic fantasy land of toadstools, plants. Flowers grow, a butterfly in the main frame flutters by; riding on the wave of the sea. Then flows under the sea, where jellyfish, plankton and eels glide by. The butterfly sings 'Only wanna makes things right'. You enter the mouth of the giant fish, which has human skeletons inside, travel through to his lower end and out there to a fairground outside.
'Shouty track - Lined paper is the backdrop, scribbled drawing slowly appears, creature's mouth opens. "AAAGGHH!"sounds, two creature's in the scene - one head banging swishing his hair the other with his fist up nodding. "OK then", "OK!" were the voices, as one of them volunteers to be clevered, arrowed and tortured in some way continuously, each time you here them speak.
Lots of retro images flash up on the screen such as cassettes or food items. Lots of fists in the air from a gig. Stools, barrels being thrown. Continuation of hitting each other ensues with clubs and all sorts in time to the music and guitar riff. Dark, sinister caper, fits with my sense of humour.
*a personal favourite*
'Stay with you' - Colourful rolling hills and stars move simultaneously (similar to a lava lamp in flow style). Shadows of birds in flight. Shadow figurine of a dancing girl/ballerina, figures of people dancing, dolphins diving in the air through the floaty rainbow wave moment.
'The slow train' - White screen, harmonising vocals, yellow graphic rectangular shape sliding along like a train across the back drop. This shape moves slowly along, then others in different colours are along side .
'A man like me' - Animated man with a green frog helmet on, then another man this time with a black helmet of a frog, waves a magic wand and red and white (sixties style) circles float around with a purple back ground. The green helmet man decides to run away the other man chases after him. Many surreal images emerge during the running including :- houses shooting lasers from their eyes, mountains firing aubergines and elephants firing mice from their trunks.
'Go' - A forest, slow movement of the camera moving across the screen, a shadow figure of a man to the left walks slowly across the images of land, grass, trees and fields. He has a transparency to him so you can see all the graphics of the changing scenery through him. Fast words move in motion to William Shatner's voice as he names places and uses exciting descriptive words to tell the tale.
Conclusion
Every piece of music of this album fits perfectly with the animation, and each of the shapes, colours and symmetry flows wonderfully into each video. Taking you on a modern , Psychedelic trip - naturally.
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Char Music to Harmonize Your Energy (DVD+CD)
by xxfoxyredxx
When I first mentioned to my best mate of many years that I had bought this cd and dvd set for a quid in Poundland I got two immediate responses from her as well as an eye roll. First was that I'd been ripped off with a load of rubbish, and secondly that I must drunk. Actually I didn't feel ripped off getting both a cd and a dvd for the ... price I paid for it and secondly I was not drunk...just desperate and looking for some sort of enlightenment as well as some much needed energy, as this is meant to give us all according to the blurp on the casing.
How many of us with the lives we have are tired, stressed out and basically out of synch? I think most of us are knackered in this day and age with kids, jobs, lack of money and not enough sleep and so on.
Me I have no kids thankfully (not something I've ever really wanted) but because I suffer with M.E, a thyroid complaint and a spine condition ,with noisy neighbours and a city centre flat I'm permanently left feeling exhausted and stressed out. Although I try to rest quite often something always needs doing or stops me. I do a review to keep occupied or do cleaning or something productive instead of just relaxing.
I struggle to get to sleep as I can't relax enough with noise from all hours coming from my neighbours and drunk people in the town and so I either wait till I think things have really gone quiet and then try get to sleep or I was downing a bottle of wine (or two), far too often to blank everything out which wasn't only on its way to making me feel alcohol dependent, but broke, hung over and grumpy but most of all even more tired out and it interfered even more with my M.E so I had to put a stop to it.
So like I say when I saw this cd/dvd for only a quid I had the attitude that if it works great, if not its only a quid I lost. My idea was to play at it night, quietly through my dvd player (which also of course plays cds) with earphones on to relax me and maybe help me fall asleep!
My mate unconvinced and wanting me to go see a psychiatrist at this point with all my new age bits and pieces and mumojumbo speak surrounding me laughed so much that the first time I watched the dvd and cd I locked her in my home, tucked her up in bed next to me and told her to at least give it a go....which she did!
The Set:
Well what you get is one dvd box with two cds within it one of the cds is a brown colour and that it is a cd the other is olive green and that tells us it is a dvd and on both we are clearly told what they are. Within the case there is a colourful booklet that tells us all about our chakras which is what this cd is meant to harmonise, balance and put back energy kind of back into and help us to rejuvenate ourselves. The case it comes in as does the cardboard outer case and the booklet has a nice photograph of a very chilled out looking Char Margolis who is a spiritualist and believes in holistic therapies and she has written many books on the matter including this offering which was released in 2006.
The DVD:
Ok this runs for about 1 hour and its totally boring. I suggest only watching this once and getting it over and done with to be honest as Char speaks at length with Dr Robert Vinson who has composed and put together the tracks on the cd with her help. On the dvd we are told all about chakras, what they do and how music can help to soothe and energise them and the notes used that 'speak' to them and wake them up sort of thing.
I only watched this once as this almost put us to sleep watching this alone but the information is important so you can understand what the cd is meant to do, however I found the booklet much easier to read through than to watch all this boring stuff!
The CD:
First off I better explain where and what you chakras are. I knew about chakras before I got this set and its always been a bit of an interest to me. Basically chakra's are energy points in the body and we all have 7 of them. We start at the bottom and work up so you have a root/base chakra which is situated at the base of the spine which is actually considered to be associated with the adrenaline gland and it handles basic survival and sexual energy. Then you have the second chakra point which is the Sacral Chakra kind of near your belly button area. This chakra is associated with the very centre of your emotions and gender identity. Then we move on to the third chakra which is between your naval and sternum and it is associated with the pancreas and this is meant to be a very powerful chakra which can control an manipulate any incoming energy. This is meant to align your brain with your physical being. Your fourth chakra is you heart one and this chakra allows you to channel love both inside and out of yourself. If this isn't aligned it can be difficult to keep a good perspective on things! The fifth chakra is the throat one and to do with the thyroid gland (important to me of course). The throat of course is the centre for great communication and making and keeping commitments. It is also the main chakra used by psychics and for hearing voices etc. The sixth chakra is the 3rd eye (brow). Keeping this in synch and clear is important for higher mental and intuitive abilities and is associated with the pituitary gland and finally the seventh chakra is the crown chakra and that is meant to give the highest level of spiritual knowledge.
The music on the cd lasts 1 hour and is split into seven compositions all lasting about the same length of time really. You can listen to the whole cd, meant to give us utter and complete relaxation an to leave us feel rejuvinated or you can simply listen to what you think you may need. After reading my little low down on chakras, if by now you believe they exist you can fully see the importance of opening them up and spring cleaning them from time to time and by doing so we are meant to feel reenergised, balanced and more positive.
Using The CD:
Its best to lie down, relax or meditate and half way after listening to this cd the first time both me and my mate fell into blissful sleep and awoke feeling amazing! Seriously! Even my mate loves this cd now as much as I do and she actually went and bought not only herself one but her mum one too!
The Tracks:
Each one is different. Some are fast tempo, some slower all with no random mind jolting notes all. It is just soft music really. Each track consists of different notes of course to make a tune however each chakra is meant to respond best to a particular note:
Root/Base: Note of C, colour red
Sacral: Note of D, colour orange
Solar Plexus: Note of E, colour yellow
Heart: Note of F, colour emerald green
Throat: Note of G, colour Sapphire blue
3rd Eye/Brow Note of A colour indigo
Crown: Note of B colour violet
The reason I note the colours is cos some people may want to use crystals on chakras either when listening to this cd or just to energise them at any time. I personally own crystals so sometimes do place that colour crystal onto the chakra area either when listening to this cd or just alone to help reenergise and realign myself. I have a friend who also wears the colour corresponding to the chakra area from time to time too and she believes that works for her very well indeed!
Throughout each track you will detect a base note of the one given above highly within it. Some tracks or quite heavy and deep some more light hearted and whimsical but I have to admit that I find them all unique and rather relaxing.
Do I Believe This Set Works?:
For me yes I do and thats the main thing of course. I enjoy the music though not the dvd and find musically and the way its put together is great with a good high quality sound to it. I always seem to nod off to this but do I believe that the 'notes' speak to my chakras?.....Well not really though it soothes my troubled brow kind of thing and listening to this cd last thing at night, just after drinking a Horlicks and spraying lavender mist on my pillow feels a very positive step in the right direction for me an my frayed nerves.
Do I Recommend This Set?:
Actually yes I do. It looks a nice set and at a pound (I have only seen this in Poundland stores so far on the high street) I do if not for the music alone. However this set is available on Amazon priced at about a fiver and for a dvd and a cd that offers relaxation and balance into your life I'd give it a whirl if I was you and your into alternative things like I am! Also this is presented so nicely it would make a lovely little gift for someone who is into this sort of thing!
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