The "Ungrateful Heart" CD by Dominic Chianese was released Tuesday.
Fifteen songs are in Italian. An original tune, and one other are in English.
Dom  has a really "thin" voice, and CAN NOT sing in tune!!!
He may single-handedly have set back Italian Ballads a millennium!!!!!

Judge for yourself. Following the article, there is a "hyperlink" to a site to hear
most? (more than you might be able to handle) of  the album, with Real Player.

Am I too harsh??

On another Note: AOL reports: "The amount of outpouring we've seen from AOL on the message boards, the number of hits there have been is astronomical to me for an album of Italian songs."

What conclusion would you draw from that statement, after you hear his voice????
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AOL Gets Into The Record Act

Los Angeles Times
Sunday, June 1, 2003
Calendar Section, Popeye

If the AOL Time Warner conglomerate does un-merge, as has been speculated, the America Online side of the split may still have a hand in the record business. AOL is for the first time a full partner in releasing an album, and plans to seek out independent labels and artists for similar deals.

AOL has joined as a partner with the Grandstand Entertainment label for "Ungrateful Heart," a collection of Italian-originated standards sung by Dominic Chianese. He plays elderly Uncle Junior on "The Sopranos," which airs on HBO, an AOL Time Warner cable channel. The album is due in stores Tuesday.

Bill Wilson, vice president and general manager of AOL Music, says this is a natural step from AOL campaigns that helped launch Michelle Branch and Avril Lavigne, and in turn spurred the Internet giant's monthly First Break program for new artists.

"We have a formal equity and marketing relationship with this," Wilson says. "This is an opportunity to show what we can do in partnering. The question is always how do you put it in front of people. The fact that we have 15 million people who are with AOL gives us an advantage."

This is not exactly a blueprint pop-chart project, but the early results are noteworthy. Chianese has already taped a "Sessions @ AOL" interview and performance program, served as the host of an online radio station and been featured on several other sites within AOL. It's exposure that Grandstand President Ken Levy credits for substantial pre-orders through Amazon.com.

"Here's an album that's 15 Italian songs and one original," says Levy, who was head of creative services for Arista Records for 15 years.

"The amount of outpouring we've seen from AOL on the message boards, the number of hits there have been is astronomical to me for an album of Italian songs."

Wilson hopes this will demonstrate AOL's potential for working with other artists who don't make a good fit in the current major-label world.

"We're talking to artists who have come off of major record deals," he says.

"It affords opportunities for artists setting up their own labels who have distribution outlets but no marketing and promotion. I think you'll see us doing things along these lines in the next six to eight months with artists who have had great careers but may not be million-sellers now."
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>From Grandstand Entertainment's Press Release in part:

On this new CD, Dominic explores his extraordinary aggressive vocal range [RAA Note: WHAT???? You have to be Kidding!!!!!]while using his acoustic guitar as the CD’s centerpiece.

Dedicated to his Grandfather Dominico, this CD features 19 Italian intimate and familiar classics including “Core ngrato” (Ungrateful Heart) the title track, which Dominic performed on the 3rd season finale of the Sopranos.

“I grew up in New York City in the 30’s and 40’s. My strongest memory of my grandfather is when he sang these passionate songs out of the window facing the Hudson River from his third story apartment. I will never forget this vision”.

Also included on this ultimate romantic collection are “Parla Piu Piano” (Speak Softly Love from The Godfather), “O Sole Mio,” the inspiration for Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never”, and the sentimental “Mama”. Also, included are two English tracks “Song a Napolitano” which was written by Dominic and “Funiculi, Funicula”.
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Listen to the "Ungrateful Heart" CD, Heart Wrenching Italian Ballads
Netscape Music
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/music/ch/
styles/world.jsp?floc=MU-STYLE-HOME-WRL
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