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Chris Isaak


Danielj

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I'm a big Chris Isaak fan, always have been. His voice is never tiring and his songs are classic. I'm pretty sure that if your mom isn't a fan yet, she will be one after she's listened to his album :thumbsup:

Good choice Dan.

Ooooh yeah :beatnik:

Actually, this Christmas album should be seen as more of a Christmas album than a bona fide Chris Isaak album. This goes with having Bing Crosby and the Rat Pack singing the classics. They're all great and are definitely in the must-have category, but their respective fans will tell you to buy one of their albums if you're interested in their songs. Before you decide buying a Chris Isaak album you must ask yourself a series of questions:

1. Do I like Roy Orbison and other Rockabilly music?

2. Do I like the resounding echoes of old-school Country in my music?

3. Do I mind it if every album doesn't differ much from the previous one?

If you answer yes to one or more of those questions, then you're ready to give his music a try without regretting the purchase. Get 'em in this order:

- Baja Sessions: A collection of covers from his past favourites. This one should be safe in anyone's collection even if you hate Chris Isaak.

- Wicked Game: A selection of songs from the first three albums contains the classic, "Wicked Game" as well as its instrumental version (from David Lynch's Wild At Heart :beatnik: ). Other songs that highlight this compilation: "Lie To Me", "You Owe Me Some Kind Of Love", "Blue Hotel", "Dancin'", and "Blue Spanish Sky". They're all great songs, but these are the better ones to note.

- "Can't Do A Thing (To Stop Me)" [single]: This is perhaps the best song he has recorded. Not much beats this and ranks higher than the best I've heard of anything, period.

- San Francisco Days: The album that spawned the above-mentioned single. This one lays it on heavy with the Country sound, but you'll be amazed at how quickly you take to it all. Get ready for the high-falsetto in "Two Hearts". It hits you with a big surprise, but modern "crooners" like Morrissey are also renown for this.

- "Let Me Down Easy" [single]: If you have a keen ear, you'll hear a few bars in this song quite reminiscent of Sugar Ray's "When It's Over" :headphones:

- Always Got Tonight: His latest album so far (not counting Christmas). The whole album flows real well. I don't think I skipped a song upon subsequent listenings, but I do recall listening to "Cool Love" more than once :headphones:

- Forever Blue: You might as well get the whole album instead of the single that came from it ("Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing"). At this point, you're pretty much a fan :guitar: And if you do bother going this far, you'll be surprised at how much "Somebody's Crying" sounds like "Let Me Down Easy" - almost note for note! This isn't a bad thing, really, since he's the kind of artist who found a formula and kept it (many bands and singers sound the same album to album - NewOrder, for example, has sounded the same for 20 years). If you like this album, then get everything else at your leisure :jack:

Lastly, if ever there's a chance you can see him live, it will be worth your time and money to book. It makes a great gift for mothers, wives, and girlfriends :)

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