Various Artists - VH1 Storytellers

It's difficult to fathom the thinking behind this overview of VH1's popular Storytellers series. Begin with the fact that the actual stories are expunged from the recording. If you want the tales behind the songs, you'll have to read the booklet. So the music is left to stand on its own, but with each of the 15 artists allowed one selection to make their mark, even those that stand tall don't stand for long. David Bowie brings a tremendous focus to "China Girl"; Sheryl Crow and Stevie Nicks mix their voices in "Strong Enough" to striking effect; and the Eurythmics's "Here Comes the Rain Again" improves upon the hit original. On the downside, Jewel's caterwauling in "Who Will Save Your Soul" (the singer gets tangled up in a ball of yarn as she meows into the mic) makes one want to use "scat" in the feline rather than the Fitzgerald sense of the term. --Steven Stolder Amazon.com

JOHN, What were you thinking???

I love to hear different versions of songs I like, at least if they are well done. This CD is excellent in that respect.

Eurythmics approaches "Here Comes the Rain Again" with an acoustic guitar and a slower tempo than the original.

David Bowie opens China Girl with solo piano before returning to original tempo with a full band (SRV is not in this recording.)

"Crash" is done just right with ONLY 2 acoustic guitars, the way it was meant to be done.

Even John Cougar's tired old "Jack & Diane" gets new life, it's a tuff, tight version with a few new tricks...which is where my beef comes in...John Cougar Mellencamp rapping??? No,no - I don't think so...but sadly, yes. He screws up an excellent performance trying to show off his tan. He gets into the stereo-typical "Say Go Bo-z, go Bo-z" chant - I kid you not, and that's the good part.

JCMellencamp, you ain't a rapper. Know your limitations, son.

Anyway, that's the only reason I docked the CD 1 star.

The CD has a number of performers I don't much care for, but they are all versions worth having. November 19, 2005

Nice collection from a cool show...

Nice collection from a cool show. Includes David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, Pretenders, Counting Crows, Dave Matthews, Lisa Loeb, John Popper, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Eurythmics, Natalie Merchant, John Melloncamp, Elvis Costello, The Bee Gees and "surprise...surprise" the strongest cut Who Will Save Your Soul by Jewel. They did it right by not including the preceding story of each song on the CD but they did print them on the liner notes, therefore you won't have to listed to intro over and over. But where's the original storyteller Ray Davies? And wouldn't Bruce Springsteen be great on this show? September 12, 2004

Poor recording quality plagues the CD....

Maybe the person mastering the recording had a bad day, but I found it difficult to listen to, even though I enjoy alot of the music. Also, the magic of the Storytellers series is lost, because they omitted the artist's telling the stories. The stories are printed in the liner notes. Jewel gives a very good romp in "Who will save your soul". John Popper of Blues Traveler does a very interesting piece, which is an open letter to Satan regarding Steven, a childhood friend who had several tragic moments in his life. "Rain King" is excellent! With all of these wonderful tracks, it is a shame the recording wasn't mastered very well. I have relegated the disc to my work desk, where it plays through cheap computer speakers. I would have rated it much lower, but the content it very good and is the only saving grace of the disc. Audiophiles need not apply, as you will be utterly disappointed. November 29, 2000

Inconsistent

"VH1 Storytellers" has some definite high points, such as "Rain King" (Counting Crows), "Crash Into Me" (Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds), "Regarding Steven" (Blues Traveler), and "Jack & Diane" (John Mellencamp). However, the low points on this CD are so low that it makes for a difficult listen, like the endless meandering at the end of "Who Will Save Your Soul?" (Jewel). All in all not a bad CD but, again, difficult to listen through from beginning to end. The best song on this CD is "Rain King". Give it a listen. July 28, 2000

A few surprises

Missing the stories! They are in the liner notes... but most of the poignancy of the "Storytellers" events is in the actual TELLING of the stories... I really love Counting Crows' "Rain King" but have a hard time listening it severed from Adam Duritz' introduction. Then again... after one or two "hears" of the stories it would likely get pretty old... after all, it is all about the music. Thus, four stars instead of three. As for the music: Those of you who must have your music polished and technically perfect... you'll never get the soul... as Jewel obviously does. So she's no Lady Day... but I was very impressed just the same. She is a throwback to that old Janis Joplin/Carole King/Joni Mitchell improvisational stuff from the '70s and I personally LOVE it. Best part... her little snicker (those who've heard it know what I'm talking about - she was having a good time). Stevie is wonderful, as is Bowie and Dave Mathews... but the hardest piece to ignore is that haunting, edgy Blues Traveler piece. It grows on me... at first I really didn't want to deal with it and then it occured to me that it's been a while since I heard commercial music that required one to "deal with it". Good show, John Popper... Annie Lennox and the guitar... let's have some more of that, Annie... Annie? Annie? Will we EVER have another fully original CD from you? John Cougar had fun but was absurd... one listen to that was enough. If I want rap I'll listen to Tupac. Let's not talk about Barry Gibb, and better leave that Lisa Loeb piece alone... a great rendition but WHY did they put it right behind Jewel? Pacing is not one of the stengths of this CD, but it is a collection after all. Still, the strength of five or six songs is worth the CD. I have read a review or two expressing dissapointment that only one song per artist is presented... well, that is the point of a collection... remember "MTV Unplugged"? If one wants more than one song per artist... buy their CD... (I'd say download it but RIP Napster...). OK, 4 stars it is. Buy this CD. It's a good one. Who knows... maybe your kids will even like it, John Cougar notwithstanding. July 28, 2000

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