Various Artists, Blue Man Group, Brian Eno & Geoffrey Oryema, David Lanz, Enigma, Enya, Jessie Cook, Kitaro, Moby, Eight Others - Pure Moods, Vol. III

What's most surprising about the Pure Moods series is not that it is so popular, but that the music on it actually represents some of the best New Age and modern instrumental music, rather than scraping the barrel. For every piece of Enya pop froth--like her "Only If," which opens the album--there is a deep and impassioned exploration like Sheila Chandra's virtually a cappella "Ever So Lonely/Eyes/Ocean." Yanni's bombastic "On Sacred Ground" is balanced by Moby's soulful trance groove, "Porcelain." Sometimes those juxtapositions don't work out well. The overwrought romanticism of pianist David Lanz's "Cristofori's Dream" can only suffer being sandwiched between the soul-searing vocals of Peter Gabriel's "Games Without Frontiers (Massive/DB Mix)" and the Geoffrey Oryema/Brian Eno hymn, "Land of Anaka." With more than a quarter of the album drawn from the 1980s, there are some influential early gems here for new listeners, including Kitaro's wistful "Silk Road" and Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence." --John Diliberto Amazon.com

Pure Moods, Vol. III

I did not find that I enjoyed it as much as Pure Moods, Vol. I

Pure Moods Vol I, I think is still the best January 11, 2007

Almost Perfect!!

Anyone who's actually reading an online review of a Pure Moods album has to be, in my most humble of opinions, an established fan of the franchise, and I'm no exception: I LOVE Pure Moods. I have all 5 installments and Christmas Moods.

But on Pure Moods III, there is one song that simply does not belong: "Silk Road" by Kitaro. That has to be the most annoying, shrill, plodding sequence of sounds I've ever come across. I only listen to that track about 33% of the time. (I sporadically listen to it, just to see if I can hear it differently that time.) I would like to make a burn of this CD that does not contain that song.

Everything else rocks my socks.

Buy Pure Moods. November 16, 2006

AWESOME!

If you are looking for meditation or tranquility from daily stress I recommend not only this CD, but the entire collection. I have all the Pure Moods collection and keep buying more New Age music. I feel I've invested my money in good music. I listen to pretty much anything from soft music, Rock, Salsa, Calypso to Dance-Techno music, but when I don't feel like listening to loud music, I listen to these CD collection, specially on a Sunday to reconnect with relaxation to start another heavy woking week. Also, if you like gospel, I'm sure you'll love these even though is not quite gospel music. You just reconnect yourself spiritually in this material world. September 6, 2006

One of the best!

Pure Moods volume 3 is probably the second best in the series after the original Pure Moods. With mainstays such as Yanni and Enigma how can you go wrong? Powerful tracks like "Deliver Me" from Sarah Brightman and Peter Gabriel's "Games without Frontiers" highlight this release. As with the rest of the Pure Moods series this is very good and worthy of repeat listenings. Other great CD's include Imogen Heap, any Digital Moodz CD and Enigma's 1st CD or LSD. May 17, 2006

One of the Best in the New Age Genre

Pure Moods: Vol. 3 is one of my favorite New Age CDs, which is such beautiful mix of sublime music from various artists. Suprisingly, the CD both energizes and calms.

Games Without Frontiers by Peter Gabriel has such a satisfying, mellow groove, yet it seems to take the spirit straight to higher plains. It's not only ear candy, but enhances altered states of consciousness.

On Sacred Ground is one of my favorite Yanni songs, and it's on here, too! All I can say is "major goosebumps." It's like being in the Universal Cathedral of Spirit and having God sing to you.

Diva Sarah Brightman adds her smooth soprano voice to the track called Deliver Me. It has a pop groove, but weaved into the background is the etheric keyboards that gives it that flavor that appeals to both the ear and the spirit. When I listen to this song, I feel my heart chakra just blow wide open, receiving the love that the Universe provides in abundance.

Dela Dela by Sacred Spirit starts off with a deep flute reminiscent of a Native American ceremony. Although a pop beat ensues, the song is still undergirded by the strings, which makes it feel orchestral, but very tribal. The tribal aspects is punctuated by what sounds like Native American chanting, but then the female lead takes over once again. It's a song that penetrates, daring you to look away...but you just can't. Then it segues back into the strings, which sucks you right back in to the groove.

The only song I'm not particularly crazy about is Enya's Only If; it's a good song, but so much of Enya's music is overplayed, especially for movie trailers and soundtracks.

This CD contains Christofori's Dream (the 1988 piano masterpiece) as well as songs by Moby, Brian Eno, Enigma, and others, for a total of 16 songs. December 2, 2005

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