Love Actually
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Free Music Notes for Love Actually
Free Music Review: A Feel Good Soundtrack With Star Power That Makes It Shine!
Hit: 5 Stars
Very often, soundtracks serve as a platform for unknown artists to try out material to an audience by slipping a few moments of it into the underscoring of a movie. Over the years, this has become such a common practice that soundtracks have become less and less popular and generally get looked over by consumers.The soundtrack to "Love Actually" does exactly the opposite.
This soundtrack, which features a wide range of talent, includes some of the top names in the music industry today. The songs, a few of which are re-makes of some of the top love ballads of all time, are a collection of pieces that, like the film itself, reflect the many facets of love.
Norah Jones, who has become recognized and praised by the music community world wide, graces this soundtrack with the beautiful ballad "Turn Me On", a beautiful, sultry song that is so much more than its name suggests.
Lynden David Hall provides a new rendition of "All You Need Is Love", which he also sang in the film. This new arrangement, which features a gospel choir, gives a new vitality to this song which will give the listener goosebumps.
Joni Mitchell brings vitality into the blues arrangement of "Both Sides Now", which is haunting in this rendition and her voice wraps itself around the lyrics of love and love lost in a way which touches the soul.
A particular favorite is Eva Cassidy's songbird, which is a beautiful ballad about finding love, and the powerful impact that true love can have. Its a beautiful piece and a definite head turner. Like many of the other ballads on this album, the song is deeply moving.
Don't be mistaken from this review about the substance of this album. Although the soundtrack contains a number of slower pieces, it has a couple of up-tempo songs that are familiar and fun. The Beach Boys "God Only Knows" takes listeners back to a time when these guys were a staple in the music industry, serving as a reminder why-the Beach Boys are as vital today as ever. Kelly Clarkson (of "American Idol" fame) belts out "The Trouble With Love Is", and demonstrates why she is the American Idol....her voice is dynamic, nailing highs and lows in the song with an inflection and skill that gives her the sound of a veteran singer, not the rookie she, in actuality, is.
Other talents included in this soundtrack include the Pointer Sisters with "Jump (For My Love)", Texas, Dido, and a selection from the instrumental scoring of the movie, which was mastefully written by Craig Armstrong.
So whether you are looking to set a romantic atmosphere, or simply looking for a solid collection of great music, this soundtrack is a worthwhile purchase which promises many hours of listening enjoyment. I promise you will actually love the "Love Actually" soundtrack.
Scott Kolecki
Free Music Review: Brilliant for one reason: Mine's English!
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been reading reviews of this CD being a disappointment becuase the US version is missing some tracks from the UK version, or a few have been altered. For example, Maroon 5 is no longer a full cut of Sweetest Goodbye, but now it's a joining of two songs, and this US version has the original Pointer Sisters version of Jump, unlike the UK version which has the new Girls Aloud edition. Both are great, but I feel I should just warn some unsuspecting others. Another difference which is effective on both additions is the Lynden David Hall version of 'All You Need Is Love'. This is a disappointingly dull song with an appaling beat, that doesn't compare to the version in the film and its trailer. Despite the US version's flaws, Love Actually is an excellent CD soundtrack that hands a lot more respectful reputation to the brilliant film. Unlike the US version, the UK soundtrack has two more of the instrumentals. In addition the UK gets the beautiful PM's and Portuguese Love Themes. It also gets the same treatment as the US soundtrack, but in different track order. The UK soundtrack has got the instrumentals last on the CD, whereas the three Christmas songs not displayed on the Amazon.com page are placed in different areas of the CD, and so are more smoothly spaced out.
Those three are all excellent covers. Otis Redding does a surprisingly good rendition of 'White Christmas', Billy Mack's 'Love Is All Around' is hilarious, but lacks the backing vocals of the Motown singers featured at the start of the film, and Olivia Olson's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' is fantastic. The second best song on the CD, just behind Kelly Clarkson's 'Trouble With Love', but definitely the best cover. She has just such an incredible voice for such a young age, and at times can just make you not care about the other tracks! IT'S BRILLIANT!!!
My song preferences rank like this:
1. Kelly Clarkson - Trouble With Love Is
2. Olivia Olson - All I Want For Christmas Is You
3. Beach Boys - God Only Knows
4. Billy Mack - Christmas Is All Around
5. The Calling - Wherever You Will Go
6. Girls Aloud - Jump (For My Love)
7. Maroon 5 - Sweetest Goodbye
8. Otis Redding - White Christmas
9. Dido - Here With Me
10. Norah Jones - Turn Me On
11. Sugababes - Too Lost In You
12. Lynden David Hall - All You Need Is Love
13. Gabrielle - Sometimes
14. Eva Cassidy - Songbird
15. Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
16. Texas - I'll See It Through
17. Wyclef Jean - Take Me As I Am
My instrumental preferences rank like this:
1. PM's
2. Glasgow's
3. Portuguese
Free Music Review: i actually love this cd!
Hit: 5 Stars
Wow, a great soundtrack to an even greater movie! What could be better? I bought this CD minutes after I saw the movie and I love it! The music in the movie is so different. Some of it contempary, some old, but all wonderful!1. "The Trouble With Love Is" (Kelly Clarkson): An amazing love ballad with great vocals.
2. "Here With Me" (Dido): Touching song that plays during a great scene in the movie.
3. "Sweetest Goodbye/Sunday Morning" (Maroon 5): This is a superb new band with a unique sound.
4. "Turn Me On" (Norah Jones): This song is GORGEOUS! Norah's voice is pure bliss. This song is so blunt and beautiful. "I'm just sitting here waiting for you to come home and turn me on."
5. "Take Me As I Am" (Wyclef Jean feat. Sharissa): Cute little love song, funky beat.
6. "Songbird" (Eva Cassidy): slow sweet love song.
7. "Wherever You Will Go" (The Calling): Amazing smash hit that moves you!
8. "Jump (for my love)" (The Pointer Sisters): This is the song in the movie that Hugh Grant dances to and it makes me laugh when I hear the song. :)
9. "Both Sides Now" (Joni Mitchell): Great pretty song. This song plays during an emotional scene in the movie.
10. "All You Need Is Love" (Lynden David Hall): CLASSIC SONG. Sung beautifully and makes you feel good.
11. "God Only Knows" (The Beach Boys): Another classic tune that brings back memories.
12. "I'll See It Through" (Texas): Okay song.
13. "Too Lost In You" (Sugarbabes): Neat sound, sounds like a cross between Sade and Pink.
14. "Glasgow Love Theme" (Craig Armstrong): Theme song of the movie. It's just a piano playing, but it sounds beautiful.
BONUS TRACKS!!!!!
15. "White Christmas" (Otis Redding): CLASSIC Christmas song with that great Otis Redding sound.
16. "Christmas Is All Around Me"(Billy Mack): This song plays several times during the movie and it's such a funny/cute song and you'll see why when you view the movie.
17. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (Olivia Olson): This young girl sings this Mariah Carey classic tune during the movie and it's such a cute scene. She has an angelic voice.
All in all, AMAZING soundtrack, do not miss out on these great songs! Make sure you get the cd that includes the bonus tracks. :)
Free Music Review: Love Actually, This CD Very Much
Hit: 5 Stars
My review refers to the UK version of the album. I researched before I purchased the US version, and I am glad that I did. I'm sure the US version is good, but it lacks some great songs that sum up the whole theme of the film. One major song missing from the US version is Billy Mack's 'Christmas Is All Around'. How they missed this one, I'm sure I'll never figure out, but it is a major part of the entire movie. On top of it, it's a great song, really fun to sing and dance around to, to get you in the holiday spirit!
A couple of other songs worthy of mentioning before you purchase the US version and realize you made a mistake: Otis Reddings 'White Christmas' (I've never heard this song sung quite like Otis does it, he updates a very classic song), Gabrielle's 'Sometimes' (soulful song, has alot of meaning), and two of Craig Armstrong's instrumental's 'PM's Love Theme' and 'Portugese Love Theme' (these two songs will remind you all over again of the feelings you felt while watching the movie on the big screen- hopefulness, happiness, and of course, love).
Now that I mentioned all but one of the songs that were forgotten on the US version, I'll tell you about the the final one. It is an overplayed Mariah Carey Christmas song (I think she's the artist, I'm not a fan), sung by Olivia Olsen, 'All I Want For Chirstmas'. The only thing that saves this song for me is that it is sung by Olivia Olsen, who is a very young girl with an amazing singing talent. That is the only reason I appreciate the song being included on the CD.
I also want to mention that even though the UK version is more expensive, if you go directly to Amazon.co.uk and order it from them, it's cheaper (I paid $19.04 total including shipping), and it is delivered in one week instead of two to three weeks on Amazon.com.
To sum it all up, I love the soundtrack as much as I did the movie, it's upbeat, will get you singing and dancing, and hopefully into the holiday spirit!!!
** I am editing my review slightly because I did not realize, as most wouldn't until they actually purchased the US version or read a couple of the helpful reviews left by others, that Billy Mack and Olivia Olsen's songs were included on the soundtrack. I do, however, still think that the UK version is the most complete ensamble because it does include those extra few songs I mentioned above.
Free Music Review: "To me, (it is) perfect"
Hit: 5 Stars
This is an excellent CD that captures all of the emotions evoked in the movie, from the smiles evoked in "All you Need is Love," the tears and heartache of "Both Sides now," the hilarity of "Wherever you will Go," the energy of "jump," the lusting and longing of Norah Jones' song, and the tenderness of the Love Actually theme (the specific scene it evokes for me is when Keira Knightly is watching her wedding video).
If you haven't seen the movie yet, what I just said (and my review's title) makes no sense to you, and I do recommend you watch the movie before purchasing this. I am confused by reviews complaining of missing tracks - my version had everything (i think), including Billy Mack's song (it does grow on you after you see the movie!)
For those of you who enjoy singing, this is a great soundtrack for singing along to, and nerd that I am, a karaoke version of this album would be a wonderful thing.
Also, I never liked the Mariah Carey song, but I love it here - the context (and amazing voice) work wonders for it.
Kelly Clarkson totally proves why she won American Idol on the first song of the CD - the first few times I listened to the disc I didn't reference the song list, and I remember wondering who had this gorgeous, soulful, mature voice. You can't imagine my surprise when I saw that it was Kelly Clarkson - she sounds amazing.
Eva Cassidy's Songbird is probably my favorite track - it is absolutely brilliant and was a wonderful selection that prompted me to buy her album of the same name. This song is truly a treasure.
I loved the two Maroon 5 songs on track 3 - they are both excellent, but I wish they hadn't cut the first one off. I'm sure it's just a tease to entice you to purchase their album, but I wish they had awarded us the full benefit of the two songs.
This is truly one of my favorite CDs, it has a long shelf life, and it's a great addition to any collection.