DVD-A

Toby Keith – Shock’n Y’all (2005) [DVD-AUDIO ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 22, 2019 · Comments off

Since Toby Keith not only can come across as a loudmouth redneck but seems to enjoy being a loudmouth redneck, it’s easy for some listeners to dismiss him as a backwoods right-wing crank — particularly when he succumbs to such easy impulses as mocking Dixie Chick Natalie Maines in concert and naming his 2003 album Shock’n Y’All, not so cleverly spinning the military catch phrase from the second Iraq war into a bad pun. Those listeners aren’t entirely wrong, since he can succumb to reactionary politics, as on swill like “Beer for My Horses,” but Keith isn’t coming from a didactic right-wing standpoint. He’s an old-fashioned, cantankerous outlaw who’s eager to be as oversized and larger than life as legends like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson, who bucked conventions and spoke their minds. Sure, Keith enjoys pandering to the Fox News Republicans “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” won him, and his jingoistic ventures don’t have the humanity and humor of Haggard’s protest songs (although to Keith’s credit they display far more humanity than Sean Hannity and are much more genuine than Steve Earle’s post-9/11 songs), but that doesn’t mean Keith doesn’t have a big, warm heart. In fact, on every album prior to Shock’n Y’All he’s displayed a taste for mawkish sentiment, but what makes this album work is that he’s turned that sentiment into warmth while making the record into the hardest, toughest set of songs he’s yet made. Unleashed gave him the clout to make any kind of music he wanted, and left to his own devices, he’s lonesome, on’ry, and mean, a cheerful advocate of redneck libertarianism with a sly sense of humor. All of which wouldn’t mean much if he wasn’t a strong songwriter, and more than any of his previous works, Shock’n Y’All proves that he’s a steady-handed journeyman, crafting songs in the tradition of classic outlaw country. It’s a deliberately hard-driving, hard-drinking, gutsy country album, yet it doesn’t shy away from modernism, best illustrated on “Sweet,” with its funky rhythms and use of “babelicious” (which rhymes with “delicious,” btw). Even with these modern flourishes, the album is firmly within the hard country tradition, with lots of barroom humor, propulsive rhythms, hearty humor, and a humanity that contradicts the rabble-rousing of Unleashed. And if Keith is more of a party-hearty hound than a profound singer — even when he imagines “If I Was Jesus,” it’s only so he can turn water into wine at parties — that’s now an attribute, not a deficiency, since it gives him focus and sensibility. Keith is happy to be a dirty old SOB, cracking jokes, drinking beer, and flirting with the ladies, and that makes Shock’n Y’All a fun, rough, rowdy album that wins you over despite your better impulses. It’s not polite, but Shock’n Y’All is pure Toby Keith, and the best album he’s done to date. (more…)

T-Bone Walker – Back On The Scene (2003) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 22, 2019 · Comments off

Guitarist T-Bone Walker is one of the links–if not THE link–between the suave, intricate jazz styles of Charlie Christian and Lonnie Johnson and the crackling electricity of Buddy Guy and Jimi Hendrix. Not only is he massively influential as a guitarist, but he was a dynamic showman (played that guitar behind his head way before Hendrix did) and his original songs have become standards (“Stormy Monday Blues”). Originally entitled HOME COOKING, this 1966 album from blues wizard T-Bone Walker, where he’s accompanied by only three other musicians (with no drummer), proves the blues can be mellow without losing the sting or the zing. (more…)

Jonathan Faralli – Percussion XX (1999) [ADVD] {FLAC 24bit/96khz}

DVD-A By admin · May 20, 2019 · Comments off

Jonathan Faralli – Percussion XX (1999)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 76:49 minutes | 1,07 GB | Genre: Classical
DAD to Hi-Res FLAC – Source: ARTS Music 47558-6 | Artwork

Percussion XX showcases the talents of Italian percussionist Jonathan Faralli with a selection of compositions for percussion from the 20th Century. Featuring compositions by Hans Werner Henze, Elliott Carter, John Cage, and Karlheinz Stockhausen, this disc is a welcome addition to our small collection of percussion recordings. (more…)

Studio Voodoo – Studio Voodoo (2002) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 20, 2019 · Comments off

A conceptual “sound experience,” STUDIO VOODOO (Gary Mraz & Ted Price) mixes elements of world music, jazz, flamenco, opera, techno, tribal drumming, and electronica. Impossible to describe in words, this inventive experiment has been acclaimed by musicians across all genres (from Nine Inch Nails’s Chris Vrenna to Mike Simpson of the Dust Brothers.) This aural celebration is a marvel of innovation and intensity. (more…)

George Strait – Honkytonkville (2003) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 20, 2019 · Comments off

The release of Honkytonkville should make anyone who harbored insane thoughts about George Strait having his best years behind him certifiable. While it may be his 27th album — not counting greatest-hits and Christmas records — Strait sounds hungrier than ever here. Produced by Strait and Tony Brown, the tough barroom ballads and breakneck dance tracks are back with a vengeance, and the material, written by the more imaginative tunesmiths in Nash Vegas, is his strongest in a decade. A quick for-instance is the jukebox-breaking opener, “She Used to Say That to Me,” penned by Jim Lauderdale and John Scott Sherrill. Done is a slick 4/4 with a Wynn Stewart-esque melody line and a lyric that’s as tender as it is tough, Strait wraps that voice of his around all the pain in it and comes out still standing. The title track, written by Buddy Brock, Dean Dillon (who is well represented here), and Kim Williams, is a fiddle-laden traditionalist anthem to the ghosts of people and places gone yet ever present. “Look Who’s Back in Town,” with its gorgeous piano lines (reminiscent of a Billy Sherrill production) sounds like a country version of Johnny Rivers’ “Poor Side of Town,” while everybody had better watch it because “Cowboys Like Us” could signal a return to outlaw country. The weepers work too, such as “Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa,” the Guy Clark-inspired “Desperately” by Bruce Robison and Monte Warden, and the soul-country of “Heaven Is Missing an Angel.” But the barnburner on this one is “I Found Jesus on the Jailhouse Floor.” It may be a gospel song, but it’ll have the honky tonky line dancers pounding the beer before sweating it out on the dancefloor on the Saturday night before Sunday morning. It is completely conceivable to hear this song being done by Merle Haggard’s Strangers in 1967 or by Buck Owens in 1969. “Honk if You Honky Tonk,” another Dillon joint, is harder rocking than anybody but Montgomery Gentry — and they will kick themselves for not recording it first. If the DJs at country radio can hear, they’ll be playing the hell out of this one — it’s got five or six singles if it has one. Not that Strait was ever anything but country; this is the first hard country album of 2003, and he’s got the torch burning bright for the tradition while not giving up an inch of his modernity. (more…)

Sting – Brand New Day (2003) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 20, 2019 · Comments off

By the late ’90s, Sting had reached a point where he didn’t have to prove his worth every time out; he had so ingrained himself in pop culture, he really had the freedom to do whatever he wanted. He had that attitude on Mercury Falling, but it was too somber and serious, everything that its successor, Brand New Day, is not. Light, even effervescent, Brand New Day feels like little else in Sting’s catalog. Not that it represents a new beginning, contrary to what the title may promise. The album is not only firmly within his tradition, it sounds out of time — it’s odd how close Brand New Day comes to feeling like a sequel to Nothing Like the Sun. Musically, that is. The sparkling, meticulous production and the very tone of the music — ranging from light funk to mellow ballads to the Lyle Lovett tribute “Fill Her Up” — are of a piece with Sting’s late-’80s work. That’s the main thing separating it from Ten Summoner’s Tales, his other straight pop album — well, that, and the levity. There are no overarching themes, no political messages on Brand New Day — only love songs, story songs, and, for lack of a better term, inspirational exhortations. This is all a good thing, since by keeping things light he’s managed to craft an appealing, engaging record. It may not ask as much from its audience as Sting’s other ’90s efforts, but it’s immediately enjoyable, which isn’t the case for its cousins. Brand New Day doesn’t boast any new classics, and it does sound a little dated, but it’s well-crafted, melodic, and has a good sense of humor — exactly the kind of record Sting should be making as he embarks on the third decade of his career. (more…)

Steven Wilson – Grace for Drowning (2011) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 20, 2019 · Comments off

For prolific British progressive rocker Steven Wilson, the two-CD set Grace for Drowning is his second official solo album, following 2008’s Insurgentes. Recording under his own name, Wilson tends to fall somewhere between his popular Porcupine Tree group project and his ambient recordings as Bass Communion. Grace for Drowning’s two discs are divided into one called Deform to Form a Star and another called Like Dust I Have Cleared from My Eye, both named after tracks on them. In the relatively sparse lyrics that Wilson sings with a calm, British-accented tenor, he seems melancholy at first, apparently suffering from the aftermath of a romantic breakup. “There’s nothing left for me to say or do,” he declares in “Postcard.” By the second disc, he has become angrier about the situation, but the closing title track finds him reaching resolution and moving on. The words are spread out over music that builds and ebbs in a manner that allows for different styles and soloing by Wilson and a few musical guests. He is not abashed about evoking his prog predecessors. The obvious antecedent is Pink Floyd, particularly recalled in the space rock of “No Part of Me.” The 23-minute “Raider II,” coming toward the end, allows room for a flute-and-piano section that could have been excerpted from a Traffic album as well as guitar-bass-drum sections in rapid 6/4 time suggestive of Yes. By the end, Wilson has subsided into an ambient coda on “Like Dust I Have Cleared from My Eye,” as if readying himself for the next Bass Communion album. Grace for Drowning has a particular conception in terms of its emotional journey from sadness through anger to acceptance, but it is also just another in a lengthy discography of albums by Wilson under various names in relatively similar styles. (more…)

Squackett – A Life Within A Day (2012) [DVD-AUDIO ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 20, 2019 · Comments off

In the history of popular music, supergroups have a spotty track record. For every winner, the landscape is littered with many more typically short-lived projects of varying degrees of quality and success. Arguably, they are weighed down by their egos, pedigree, and the high, and often unrealistic, expectations of absolute perfection — every album must be an utter masterpiece. But it usually doesn’t worked out that way. Progressive rock in particular is rather notorious for its attempts at supergroups. Emerson Lake & Palmer rightfully took off, and the original Asia justifiably burned brightly for a short time, but others like GTR and Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe (four-fifths of Yes’ classic Fragile lineup) fizzled after one wildly uneven (at best) album. With that in mind, it’s certainly heartening to hear 2012’s excellent A Life Within a Day by Squackett, the project from Yes bass guitarist Chris Squire and former Genesis and GTR guitarist Steve Hackett. A Life Within a Day leans toward highly melodic pop-flavored sounds but with plenty of the intricate twists and turns and occasional heaviness expected of progressive rock musicians. The liner notes cite the obvious Yes and Genesis influences, as well as that of Led Zeppelin and the Beatles. This music also radiates the sophisticated dreaminess of the Alan Parsons Project. Squire and Hackett share vocals, often with lots of harmonies; Squire’s harmony backing vocals are a crucial but rarely acknowledged component of the Yes sound. Producer/keyboardist Roger King (a longtime member of Hackett’s solo band), drummer Jeremy Stacey, and backing vocalist Amanda Lehmann round out the core of the Squackett band. The ever-changing arrangement of the dramatic and engaging opener “A Life Within a Day” gives the listener a taste of things to come. The hypnotic “Tall Ships,” which originated as Squire was trying out a new bass guitar, gives Hackett the opportunity to stretch out on both classical and electric guitar runs. “Aliens” is a smoothly flowing hybrid of progressive rock and pop. A quirky arrangement drives “Sea of Smiles,” but the catchy chorus and Hackett’s brightly distorted guitar tie it all together. The outstanding “Stormchaser” — definitely the most Led Zeppelin-influenced song on the album — hammers home a steady midtempo rumble with rigid guitar riffs and ghostly keyboards. The ethereal “Can’t Stop the Rain” is highlighted by Lehmann’s backing vocals. As indispensable members of the mightiest titanic groups in progressive rock, expectations were bound to be high; simply put, Squackett’s A Life Within a Day exceeds expectations and is a worthy addition to the legacies of Squire and Hackett. (more…)

SHeDAISY – Whole Shebang (2003) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 20, 2019 · Comments off

SHeDAISY is one of those contemporary country acts who are country in name only. Using the work of Faith Hill, Shania Twain, and the Dixie Chicks as a starting point, the three Osborn sisters — Kristyn, Kelsi, and Kassidy — have created an appealingly polished collection of modern country-pop, which means it sounds as much (if not more) like mainstream, radio-ready adult contemporary pop as it does contemporary country. For purists, that will be a problem, but the fact of the matter is, SHeDAISY does this music very well and their debut, The Whole Shebang, is every bit as winning as Hill’s Faith and Twain’s Come on Over, even if it doesn’t quite match the Dixie Chicks’ Wide Open Spaces. The key to the record’s success is not only the sisters’ harmonies, which are very good, but Kristyn Osborn’s fine songwriting skills. She wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, and while there are a few tunes that feel like filler, most of them are well-crafted, melodic, memorable songs which are distinctive enough to give the group their own identity. The Whole Shebang may not be pure country, but its glossy pop sheen and big hooks, along with SHeDAISY’s charismatic vocals, are enough to make it a winning debut. (more…)

Seal – IV (2004) [DVD-AUDIO ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 19, 2019 · Comments off

Besides taking his usual multi-year hiatus before releasing Seal IV, the artist scrapped a whole album’s worth of material, feeling he couldn’t stand behind the strength of the songs (should this be Seal IV.I?). It’s disappointing, then, that the songs on Seal IV lack any of the Grammy-grabbing flair of his earlier releases. What saves it is a conviction that is high enough to overcome, a voice that is more driven than usual, and some genuine moments of songwriting inspiration. “Let Me Roll” has a cool swagger and fun wordplay, and the yearning ballad “Loneliest Star” is only a few steps away from “Kiss from a Rose.” Opener “Get It Together” offers an Up With People understanding of the state of the world with its “everyone is beautiful” sentimentality, but it’s the funky backbeat and gritty vocals that make it more Al Green than Lee Greenwood. A re-recording of Seal’s collaboration with Jakatta, “My Vision” is given new life through more restrained than usual production from Trevor Horn. The absence of Horn’s usual bombast throughout the album allows Seal’s voice (in every sense of the word) to be the focus. It’s a good move, and if the totally solid Jakatta-sourced track is any indication, a break from Horn might be beneficial next time. Despite being heavy with unexceptional tunes, Seal IV has enough going for it to warrant the next four years of anticipation. (more…)

Seal – Best: 1991-2004 (2005) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 19, 2019 · Comments off

Reusing the cover from his 1994 self-titled release — as opposed to his 1991 or 2003 self-titled release — makes Seal’s discography all the more confusing, but that’s the only mistake made on this glorious collection. Seal’s partnership with producer Trevor Horn has yielded some of the most elegantly soulful and richly textured pop music of the preceding 20 years. Best: 1991-2004 picks and chooses from their output perfectly, orders it in a way that makes sense, and remembers a couple compilation and soundtrack appearances to make itself worthwhile for Seal’s faithful. If you’ve owned a radio at sometime in the past two decades, a quarter of the disc will be familiar. But radio’s compressed delivery of “Crazy,” “Kiss From a Rose,” and others don’t do these grand songs justice; plus, anytime you can put a Trevor Horn production on the headphones is a rewarding experience. The songs from the lesser Seal IV come off much stronger in these surroundings, and the inclusion of a bunch of album tracks you forgot about but shouldn’t have speaks to the compilers’ keen understanding of Seal’s career. The new recording of Bacharach-David’s “Walk On By” is sweet, fair, and no disappointment, but it’s Seal’s take on Steve Miller’s “Fly Like an Eagle” or Echo & the Bunnymen’s “Lips Like Sugar” that proves him an great interpreter of other’s tunes and able to shine without Horn’s help (the positive and empowering “My Vision” is the third and final track without Horn). The greatness of Seal’s first two albums keeps the collection from being “the only Seal CD you’ll ever need.” Instead, Best: 1991-2004 is a fantastic overview of a hit-or-miss artist that soars when he’s got the right material. This is all the right material and an unquestionable success. (more…)

Santana – Shaman (2003) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 19, 2019 · Comments off

Nobody could have predicted the success of the star-studded Supernatural in 1999, but it revitalized the career of Santana, plus Clive Davis, who cooked up the whole idea of the comeback in the first place. Given its blockbuster status, a sequel that followed the same blueprint was inevitable, which is exactly what 2002’s Shaman is. If anything, there’s even less Carlos Santana here, proving that he and Davis are among those that believe that Supernatural was a success because of Rob Thomas and “Smooth,” not the typically tasteful, excellent guitar playing. And, no surprise, Thomas has a strong presence here even if he doesn’t sing. He writes two songs, flexing his muscles as a neo-soul songwriter (not badly, either, on cuts sung by Musiq and Seal), and providing the template for all the guests here: they want to launch a new stage of their career, finding a wider audience. Outside of Seal (who has a comeback of his own to launch) and Placido Domingo (who does these things because he can), everybody here has hearts to win and something to prove, and they do a mixed job of it. P.O.D. falls on its face with the embarrassing “America,” but Chad Kroeger far outshines anything he’s done with a surprisingly subtle and soulful “Why Don’t You & I,” easily better than anything by Nickelback. But this points out the problem on the record — each song is tailored to the strengths of the lead singer, not the strengths of Santana, who’s left with piddly, forgettable instrumental interludes and playing endless lines beneath the vocal melodies. Who can blame him? It’s the only chance he really gets to play on this album. On the whole, it holds together no better or no worse than Supernatural — it’s the same record, essentially. True, there wasn’t anything as awful as “America” or the foolish aural press release “Since Supernatural,” but there was nothing as joyous and wonderful as the Michelle Branch-sung “The Game of Love.” Written by the team behind the New Radicals’ modern pop classic “You Get What You Give,” it’s every bit as soaring melodic and irresistible; it may not be Santana — it sounds even less like Santana than “Smooth” — but it’s perfect pop, the best pop single of 2002, for reasons that have nothing to do with Santana. (more…)

Rush – Sectors – Fly By Night (2011) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 19, 2019 · Comments off

Prior to one of Rush’s first U.S. tours, original drummer John Rutsey split from the band, since he wasn’t prepared to commit to the band’s rigorous touring schedule. And it proved to be a blessing in disguise, since his replacement was to become one of the most respected rock drummers of all time, Neil Peart, who would also steer the band towards success with more challenging material — starting with Fly by Night. While the title track and the album-closing ballad, “In the End,” still had Zeppelin roots, the album isn’t as straightforward as the debut. Rush’s first bona-fide classic, “Anthem,” is included, while the over eight-minute “By-Tor and the Snow Dog” helped pave the way for the group’s future epics (“2112,” “Cygnus X-1,” etc.), and introduced the fans to Peart’s imaginative lyric writing, often tinged with science-fiction themes. The reflective and melodic “Making Memories” is an underrated early composition, while “Beneath, Between, & Behind” is a furious heavy rocker. Fly by Night may not be one of Rush’s finest albums, but it is one of their most important — it showed that the young band was leaving their Zep-isms behind in favor of a more challenging and original direction. (more…)

Rush – Sectors – A Farewell to Kings (2011) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 19, 2019 · Comments off

On 1977’s A Farewell to Kings it quickly becomes apparent that Rush had improved their songwriting and strengthened their focus and musical approach. Synthesizers also mark their first prominent appearance on a Rush album, a direction the band would continue to pursue on future releases. With the popular hit single “Closer to the Heart,” the trio showed that they could compose concise and traditionally structured songs, while the 11-minute “Xanadu” remains an outstanding accomplishment all these years later (superb musicianship merged with vivid lyrics help create one of Rush’s best all-time tracks). The album-opening title track begins with a tasty classical guitar/synth passage, before erupting into a powerful rocker. The underrated “Madrigal” proves to be a delicately beautiful composition, while “Cinderella Man” is one of Rush’s few songs to include lyrics penned entirely by Geddy Lee. The ten-minute tale of a dangerous black hole, “Cygnus X-1,” closes the album on an unpredictable note, slightly comparable to the two extended songs on 1975’s Caress of Steel. A Farewell to Kings successfully built on the promise of their breakthrough 2112, and helped broaden Rush’s audience on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. (more…)

Rush – Sectors – Signals (2011) [DVD-AUDIO ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 19, 2019 · Comments off

Instead of playing it safe and writing Moving Pictures, Pt. II, Rush replaced their heavy rock of yesteryear with even more modern sounds for 1982’s Signals. Synthesizers were now an integral part of the band’s sound, and replaced electric guitars as the driving force for almost all the tracks. And more current and easier-to-grasp topics (teen peer pressure, repression, etc.) replaced their trusty old sci-fi-inspired lyrics. While other rock bands suddenly added keyboards to their sound to widen their appeal, Rush gradually merged electronics into their music over the years, so such tracks as the popular MTV video “Subdivisions” did not come as a shock to longtime fans. And Rush didn’t forget how to rock out — “The Analog Kid” and “Digital Man” were some of their most up-tempo compositions in years. The surprise hit, “New World Man,” and “Chemistry” combined reggae and rock (begun on 1980’s Permanent Waves), “The Weapon” bordered on new wave, the placid “Losing It” featured Ben Mink on electric violin, while the epic closer “Countdown” painted a vivid picture of a space shuttle launch. Signals proved that Rush were successfully adapting to the musical climate of the early ’80s. (more…)