Artist: TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCH</br>genre: Popular Music</br>product type: Compact Disc</br>Release Date: 11-APR-2000</br>Returns Accepted?: Yes</br></br>Product Description</br></br>No Description Available<br>No Track Information Available<br><b>Media Type: </b>CD<br><b>Artist: </b>TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA<br><b>Title: </b>BEETHOVEN'S LAST NIGHT<br><b>Street Release Date: </b>04/11/2000<br><Domestic or Import: </b>Domestic<br><b>Genre: </b>XMAS INSTRUMENTAL</br></br>Amazon.com</br></br>Trans-Siberian Orchestra's first two recordings?? a pair of late-'90s Christmas albums?? hinted that some day TSO might evolve into a latter-day <I>ELO</I> or even an <I>ELP</I>. Instead?? this overwrought concept album shares more common ground with ALW (Andrew Lloyd Webber) or Meat Loaf. TSO?? in fact?? aims to retrace a path once traveled by producer Jim Steinman?? the mastermind behind the theatrical?? over-the-top rock opuses that briefly transformed Mr. Loaf and Bonnie Tyler ("clipse of the Heart") into mass-audience favorites. TSO ringmaster Paul O'Neill (once a guitarist in Broadway productions of <I>Jesus Christ Superstar</I> and <I>Hair</I>) here ditches the holiday themes and instead scores a simple-minded fairy tale (whose text spans a 32-page CD booklet) that involves Beethoven's soul?? the devil?? and an imaginary Symphony No. 10. Too often?? the music is the servant of the project's thin plot?? and the rock-classical instrumental bravura that initially attracted public attention to TSO (at times?? the group sounds like a symphonic Boston) is obscured by overheated vocal rantings. Meanwhile?? the guitar-driven rendering of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony ("m") is mundane. Yet?? one vocal track?? "ter the Fall" with singer Patti Russo?? jumps off the record as a Tyler-esque knockout?? raging with emotion and melodic luster. It doesn't save the album?? but it helps. <I>--Terry Wood</I></br><br/>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004S7LII into a wall.