Facing Future
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Free Music Notes for Facing Future
Free Music Review: Aloha Iz
Hit: 5 Stars
Not in recent time has a voice stirred my soul like Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole's. A voice of an angel I thought when I heard him, only to find that I was right. I was saddened to learn that my new found friend had already passed on to a place much better then we know here. This album, Facing Future, will soothe the soul of the most savage beast. It is a compilation of sun drenched, blue water island music, a beautiful Hawaiian version of John Denver's "Country Roads" and an arrangement of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" that will leave you tapping your foot never wanting it to end.
I know in my heart that from on high Judy Garland was throwing Iz her famous big kiss and Louis Armstrong was flashing his huge toothy grin saying "Yeahhhh" when they heard Isreal do his rendition of their trade mark songs and as for John Denver, well I know John was looking down hollering, "Far Out!!".
It seems so right that one day Iz would share a cloud with the likes of Louis, Judy and John but Iz, was a man a head of his time and that included his tragic death at such a young age.
Iz left behind a following of many folks. Unfortunately, like myself, many never knew he existed until after he was gone, but he left a piece of himself behind for us to enjoy in the form of his wonderful music.
So, when everything in your life seems to have gone a bit awry, put Facing Future into your player, lean back, close your eyes and let him make it all right.
As you listen to Iz and you think your hearing the voice of an angel remember........you really are.
Aloha Iz.......
Free Music Review: Beautiful voice and spirit
Hit: 5 Stars
Most people have probably heard the wonderful medley "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" that was used on the soundtracks for Meet Joe Black, Finding Forrester, ER and even for EToys.The voice is supple, ethereal, with only a ukulele accompaniment, and can melt the hardest heart. Then I found out more about Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and was saddened to learn that he died in 1997, due to complications associated with obesity. The man was huge, but what a gentle, beautful voice.
The "Somewhere/Wonderful" medley is only the tip of the iceberg on this excellent disk. This is modern Hawaiian music with passion and taste, not the cheesy stuff for the tourists. Ten years after its release in 1993, this disk is still heavily promoted at record stores and souvenir shops in Hawaii. It's that good.
"Take Me Home Country Road" substitutes Hawaiian geography for West Virginia, but it's still a nice sentiment of family and home.
"Hawai'i '79 Introduction" and "Hawai'i '78" are beautiful, reflective pieces that showcase this talented singer's voice.
Iz also sings about a Hawai'i of earlier times, before being overrun by mainland developers and Japanese tourists. While listening to songs such as "White Sandy Beach of Hawai'i" one can envision the swaying greenery of a cane field and rainbows over the green mountains of Kaua'i. Dig deeper for gems like "Henehene Kou'Aka," sung in the Hawaiian language, with tasty strums of ukulele and natural percussion.
Free Music Review: Iz faces the future and the past
Hit: 5 Stars
One of the things that makes this album so poignent and beautiful is the deep feeling and love Iz has for his people. He feels the pain of his native people having lost their land, and many of them having lost their way and turning to drugs or other bad habits. I learned more about this on youtube, where Iz in his last days strongly exhorted the young people to be strong and free from bad influences. It moved me deeply. In this album, Iz starts right off talking about his family and his father who died of a heart attack, but not only that, but the serious depression his dad had endured. While it seems to hurt him very much, I wonder if Iz lived with his own form of human suffering which led to his problems with obesity. At any rate, he certainly could relate, and you can feel that in his music. In addition to this depth of feeling, his voice is clear and joyous. I've never been to Hawai'i (but I recently started playing the ukulele), nor do I know anything about the Hawaiian language, but still I just love hearing Iz sing in his native tongue. Of course his "Somewhere over the Rainbow", and "White Sandy Beach of Hawai'i" are deserving of their hit status. "Take me home, Country Roads" a little less so. I love how his music is a celebration of the beauty of the Hawaiian music and culture. It is wonderful that the peoples of that country have such a strong and true hero in Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. And that his music lives on for all of us.Free Music Review: Wonderful Voice, Wonderful World
Hit: 5 Stars
Back in the dot-com days, the ads for Toys.com played a nice little eukalele (sp?) riff and a guy humming "Somewhere over the rainbow". I looked and looked and couldn't find out who it was, then I watch that excrutiatingly bad "Meet Joe Black" and it's played (at-least) during the end credits. So I did a search on Amazon and found out who did it and bought his album. I've enjoyed it since day one and still listen to it at-least once a week at work.I recently gave my original copy to a co-worker for a listen. He has a newborn baby and made a point to tell me how much him and his wife have enjoyed listening to this album while spending time with the baby. He told me it smooths out the rough spots in the raising of a cranky newborn and helps relax their home. The melodies and vocals are the stuff of legendary lullabies.
Also, if you like this music, I also think you may enjoy Ladysmith Black Mambazo. You've probably heard them before... they sang on Paul Simon's Grammy Winning album, "Graceland". Not necessarily the same style, but their music is mostly vocal as well. Plus, they both share a tragic past: IZ has passed on. Ladysmith Black Mambazo's lead singer was shot to death.
Back to "IZ" though... you should buy this album. If I heard right, it's the biggest selling Hawaiian album of all time.
Free Music Review: Ethereal Voice
Hit: 5 Stars
My liddle bruddah'--oops, slipped right into the Island Patois there! If you love music as I do and prefer the truly gifted artists over the mass produced pap crowding the airwaves, get any of IZ's cds. I find that they get played when I need to concentrate, when I need to relax, when I need to think. My brother turned me on to Is when he was working in Hawaii. Since then, I can't seem to get enough! His voice floats effortlessly, like a rainbow floating in the morning mist. He has a solid band and his own Ukelele playing is simplicity at its most deceptive. If it were EASY, everyone would sing and play like Iz! His music is a reflection of how you'd feel after a few weeks on a deserted beach in Hawaii, and yes, they do exist! No condos, no traffic, just the rhythm of the rock, the ocean, the life surrounding you. His music is especially poignant in that he died so young (38) and there are so few 'pure' artists of his ilk. By pure artists, I mean people who would play a concert for their cat or a stadium---for artists like these, it is just about the music.
If your taste runs more to metal/hip hop/pop,give this a try. You will find yourself sneaking it into the car, your ipod, wherever you want a little of the beauty and joy in life that was personified and sung by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole.