Brazilian metal veterans Sepultura return with another new album that once again furthers the ever growing evolution of a band that is now approaching 40 years. That’s a long time in anyone’s book but Sepultura have seemingly managed to keep things interesting all the way through including their latest effort.
Quadra is a concept album that, like its 2017 predecessor, expresses the delineated nature of society and the power of money. The album is so titled because its 12 songs are divided into four groups of three songs each. Each grouping showcases a different aspect of the band's musical persona. Exquisitely produced by Jens Bogren, its first section offers the band at its most aggressive in a short set of thrash metal. The main riff in "Isolation" is derived from the pervasive influence of their song "Arise"…

Pink Floyd followed the commercial breakthrough of Dark Side of the Moon with Wish You Were Here, a loose concept album about and dedicated to their founding member Syd Barrett. The record unfolds gradually, as the jazzy textures of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" reveal its melodic motif, and in its leisurely pace, the album shows itself to be a warmer record than its predecessor. Musically, it's arguably even more impressive, showcasing the group's interplay and David Gilmour's solos in particular. And while it's short on actual songs, the long, winding soundscapes are constantly enthralling. The Immersion Edition of Wish You Were Here expands the double-CD Deluxe set with two DVDs and a Blu-ray. Like on the Experience set, the CDs contain a newly remastered version of the proper album and a second disc featuring three live cuts from a November 1974 show at Wembley…

Avid Jazz presents four classic Phil Woods albums, including original liner notes on Volume Three of a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD. “Pairing Off”; “Woodlore”; “Sugan” and “Rights to Swing”.
To continue the tennis analogy taken from the original liner notes of our first serving, “Pairing Off”, we have an ace album to start the first set! Enjoy the fantastic line up as the main protaganists pair off against each other for a swinging set of volleys! Phil Woods and old doubles partner Gene Quill on tenors, Donald Byrd and Kenny Dorham on trumpets, assisted by more than capable “ball boy” Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Liner notes writer Ira Gitler was obviously a sports fan as he again uses a sports analogy on our second selection “Woodlore”…

"Until All The Ghosts Are Gone" is the long awaited album from Anekdoten, a wait of eight years since the excellent "A Time Of Day" (2007). Fortunately it's been worth the wait as it's as good as and sometimes better than most of their back catalogue. It's clearly recognisably Anekdoten with no great leaps in style. The haunting and melancholic melodies, the dynamic rhythm section and of course the ever present Mellotron. "Until All The Ghosts Are Gone" is a crowning achievement for Anekdoten, one of the absolute standout progressive rock albums of 2015.
Japanese papersleeve mini vinyl replica CD with a bonus disc that contains alternative mixes by Hans Fredriksson of "Shooting Star", "If It All Comes Down To You" & "Our Days Are Numbered".

Starting in 1994, Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson began solo recordings described as "experiments in texture," resulting in his work under the name Bass Communion.
After starting with the barely there snippet "Shopping," consisting of vinyl crackle and near-inaudible soft tones, the first Bass Communion album gets down to business with Theo Travis' guest sax work on "Drugged," number one of two songs by that name on the release. The album's other temporary visitor is Robert Fripp, sampled and otherwise distorted and looped by Steven Wilson for the other "Drugged" - otherwise, it's Wilson all the way, creating his own version of ambient music. While comparisons to the works of Eno and others are perhaps inevitable, Wilson doesn't sound like he's trying to ape anybody in particular, but merely pursuing one branch of his own varied musical ends…

Before the arrival of Carlos Santana's eponymous band, the San Francisco rock scene drew the inspiration for its jam-oriented music mainly from blues, rock, and Eastern modalities. Santana added Latin music to the mix, forever changing the course of rock & roll history. On their groundbreaking debut album, the group mix Latin percussion with driving rock grooves. Santana's unique guitar style, alternately biting and liquid, vies with the multiple percussionists for the sonic focus. Unlike later efforts, Santana's first album features an abundance of loose, collective compositions based on a couple of simple riffs ("Jingo," "Soul Sacrifice"). This approach allows for Santana and his bandmates to flex their improvisational muscles to fine effect. The high-energy level on Santana is infectious - the laid-back feel of other '60s San Francisco groups was clearly not for Carlos and co.

The music featured here is actually all right, but the set suffers due to its odd patchwork assembly. Five of the tracks come from a 1963 acoustic session recorded at an apartment on the South Side, featuring Elvin Bishop on guitar, Cotton on vocals and harmonica, Paul Butterfield on harmonica, and Billy Boy Arnold on harmonica (hence the title 3 Harp Boogie). The other four selections are taken from his 1967 Verve album James Cotton Blues Band.

The aptly titled and much-sampled Feels So Good represents the creative apex of Grover Washington, Jr.'s sublime electric funk sound. Its shimmering, soulful grooves refute the argument that smooth jazz is little more than mere ambience, combining expert playing and intricate songwriting to create music that is both compelling and comforting. Arranger Bob James is in top form here, creating the spacious, rich milieus that are his trademark, but regardless of the name above the title, bassist Louis Johnson is the real star of the show. His supple rhythms percolate like coffee, adding oomph to the bottom of highlights "Hydra" and "Knucklehead" while Washington's cream-and-sugar soprano sax solos soar over the top.

A decade after their last studio release, Yes has issued Fly from Here, and it's not only a keeper, but as good as any record to come from the group since 1974. Consisting here of Chris Squire (bass, vocals), Steve Howe (guitars, vocals), Alan White (drums), Geoff Downes (keyboards), and Benoit David (lead vocals), and with Trevor Horn producing, an obvious connection can be made between this album and 1980's Drama. But Fly from Here is a long way from that earlier album, even if the songs do possess a good deal of drama. Downright urgency is closer to it. Benoit David may not have Jon Anderson's range, but he makes up for it with deep expressiveness; and that, coupled with virtuoso-level playing and wonderfully elegant mixing of the vocals, allows this album to stand alongside the group's best work of the last 35 years…

The multi-talented musician Jens Buchert from Stuttgart is one the most popular international producers from the German Downbeat, Ambient, Lounge, Chillout scene. He is known for his ambient and electronic music projects Space Night, Café Solaire, Pacha compilation, Ibiza Chillout, Sunset Chill, Savannah Beach Club and last but not least the Café Abstract series. "Electronic Space Odyssey - Transcending Lounge Music" is a compilation of older stuff mixed with smoking new tracks.

When Opeth released Heritage in 2011, they had completed the transformation from their death metal origins through progressive death metal in the early 2000s, to full-on prog rock that celebrated their love of Camel, Jethro Tull, ELP, and more. 2014's excellent Pale Communion furthered those notions as frontman and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt's own vision began to emerge. Sorceress is the third installment in this phase of the band's career, and while considerably different and more exploratory than its precursors, it also references Opeth's earlier efforts like Ghost Reveries and Blackwater Park, but goes further than either in its diversity.
Uncharacteristically, Åkerfeldt wrote the album quickly. He enlisted Tom Dalgety as co-producer (who also engineered and mixed) and Opeth recorded it in twelve days at Rockfield Studios in Wales…

By licensing these previously unreleased live and studio tracks (plus some previously released but rare material) from the Special Markets division of EMI-Capitol Music, the mail-order company Collectors' Choice Music has legitimized Quicksilver Messenger Service recordings that had floated around on bootlegs and quasi-legal discs for many years. The performances all date from 1967-1968, a period during which Quicksilver consisted of lead guitarist John Cipollina, rhythm guitarist and singer Gary Duncan, bassist David Freiberg, and drummer Greg Elmore. As Richie Unterberger points out in his liner notes, "They were not so much singer-songwriters as they were virtuoso players and creative interpreters and stylists. They were not the greatest of vocalists or composers." True, but in Cipollina, with his tremolo-laden leads, they had one of the great San Francisco guitarists of the '60s…

Avid Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered 2CD second set release from Kenny Burrell, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details. “Earthy” (with The Prestige All Stars); “Kenny Burrell”; “On View At The Five Spot Café” (with Art Blakey) and “A Night At The Vanguard”.
For our second exploration of the work of Kenny Burrell we have divided this 2CD set into a studio side and a live side in order to contrast the many styles and nuances of the playing of this great Detroit guitarist. We begin with “Earthy” an album Kenny led for The Prestige All Stars (an ever evolving group of jazz musicians who would come together for a recording date and then split to do their own thing). On this occasion Kenny leads a fine set of musicians in a fiery five set recording…

A companion to Elements Of King Crimson 2014 Tour Box, the 2015 Elements Tour Box is a limited edition release created exclusively for sale at King Crimson's concerts and via the band's official online outlets. The set contains a 24 page tour booklet and two CDs featuring extracts, elements from studio recordings, alternate takes, live tracks, rehearsals and finished recordings from 1969 - 2015 (much previously unreleased on CD).
A fascinating audio history/alternate best of/introduction to the band, which includes every KC line-up across its two discs.
Packaged in DVD-sized fold out digipak style book case, the accompanying booklet features sleeve-notes by co-compiler Sid Smith, photos of memorabilia, full info about the current tour and a number of band and individual photos taken by Tony Levin.

Vangelis uses ringing synthesizer textures and stately rhythms to evoke the majesty of China, in a similar fashion to another of his "geography" works, Antarctica. While a few tracks use acoustic piano and other organic instruments, the centerpieces "Chung Kuo," "The Dragon" and "Himalaya" use bracing percussion and synthesizer effects to emphasize the subjects (each reflected by its title).