The Last Dance

Now & Forever After
$15.98
Save the Last Dance is, at first glance, only a moderate deviation from its fellows. Deviation begins in their music. Where many groups fall short is in balancing their vocals with the rest of their instruments, drowning one out or undervaluing another. This cd is the first of the group's recordings to become a part of my own collection, because their balance is well thought out and carries through all their recordings.
These lyrics are generally very prominently in the foreground, and the music seems arranged around them, but the instruments have their own spotlights, moving into the foreground themselves. For being in a genre that is largely considered to be a fringe, this group manages to carry on the clean sort of sound that was found in older rock, where each aspect of a recording is considerately in its place, and never attempts to upstage itself.
In the end, this album is not merely a compilation of their greatest work, but shows the standards to which they have held themselves, pairing their passion and enthusiasm with smooth, almost laid-back presentation.

The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying
$88.40
I have to read this for a sociology class. I am through Chapter 5. The editors do a good job of designing the chapters to cover a diversity of viewpoints. Conclusions in the Financing section are challenged in a new book by TR Reid in "The Healing of America." The book provides a solid overview of issues related to death and dying, very helpful.

Whispers In Rage
$16.98
This is my first time I have ever heard of The Last Dance, not to mention their music. I didn't know what to expect from them. I have to admit that it took me a few listens for the music to grow on me. Now that I have allowed the music to grow on me, I must say that I like this band and their cd "Whispers in Rage" quite a bit. The band kinda reminds me of Bella Morte but with more synthesizers and less guitars. The first track "Nightmare" is easily one of my favorite tracks off the album with its hypnotic trance-like beats. This track was an immediate favorite of mine. "Rage" is one of the songs that I had to listen to over and over for it to grow on me. Overtime "Rage" has become another favorite track. I can hear and feel the emotion that Jeff Diehm puts into his vocals on this song. I absolutely love "Wonderlust" with its pulsating synthesized melodies and the wall of guitar riffs. It is one of the catchier songs on the album. This song could have easily come out of the '80s with its new wave hooks. The album isn't perfect by far. The music didn't grab me right away. It took me a few listens for it to sink into me before reviewing the album. Some of the songs were longer than they should have or simply should have been left off the album like the last two tracks "Silently She" and "51051". Otherwise I dug "Whispers in Rage". I thought it was a good introduction to the band for this new fan.

Save the Last Dance
$12.98
Are you a dancer? Do you have a dream you just don't think you can do anymore? Save the last dance is an emontional ride through sarah Johnson's life, from her living with her mother; to moving to Philadelphia with her fatherwhen her mother passes away. Sarah does not want to dance anymore because of her mothers death, when she meets a boy at school named Derek who pushes her to finish her dream to become a ballet dancer at Julliard. When you watch this movie you will want to finish what you always wanted to do, this movie pulls you in from the very start. You'll understand everything Sarah's going through when her life changes for good.

-Shauna Cunningham