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Dar Williams – The Green World (2000) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 5, 2019 · Comments off

Dar Williams has succeeded in crafting a number of great songs for her fourth album, The Green World, and the album works on a number of levels. The melodies are memorable, the arrangements are evenly balanced, and the lyrics are well written. Williams kicks things off with “Playing to the Firmament,” an uplifting song full of jingly guitars and soaring vocals. The lyric playfully invites one to lose oneself, like a child playing games, in order to get beyond the seriousness of everyday life. “After All” is a beautiful, fragile song of self-searching with the wonderful line, “Go ahead/Push your luck/Find out how much love the world can hold.” The song builds with quiet intensity, with an organ offering a spare background for Williams’ lyrics. The narrator of “I Won’t Be Your Yoko Ono” playfully wonders if Ono ever thought it would’ve been better to stay solo. The narrator informs her own lover, “I won’t be your Yoko Ono if you’re not good enough for me.” A number of excellent musicians, including guitarist/organist Steuart Smith, bassist Graham Maby, and drummer Steve Holley, join Williams. The band can be front and center on songs like “What Do You Love More Than Love” or quietly fade into the background on “It Happens Every Day.” A Hammond organ is used on a number of cuts to great effect, and Williams is in good voice throughout, delivering her lyrics with relaxed confidence. The album ends with the happy “Another Mystery,” an upbeat tune with lively banjo accompaniment. The Green World is a lovely album, and should be warmly appreciated by Williams’ fans, old and new. (more…)

Dar Williams – The Beauty of the Rain (2004) [DVD-AUDIO ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 5, 2019 · Comments off

Where Mortal City was a consciously reformatted Honesty Room, End of the Summer was an over-the-top break away from Mortal City, and The Green World was an admission that End of the Summer was a forced endeavor, The Beauty of the Rain is Dar Williams’ first recording that truly expands upon the sound of the album before it. For the first time in her career, Williams no longer pushed too hard to readjust her sound, but instead embraced and built upon it. The result is her most comfortable and confident recording to date and the first time Williams did not appear to be ashamed of her previous work. Complete with a heavy roster including John Medeski, Alison Krauss, Béla Fleck, and John Popper, The Beauty of the Rain is a polished and spacious-sounding recording where virtually every track is an easy parade through flourishing arrangements and accessibility. The only song to stand out as a bit off the mark is the initially stunning “Whispering Pines,” which shifts from a lovely, lush backing vocal and keyboard opening to a new age-tinted piano ballad, but when the third verse sets in, guest Cliff Eberhardt’s soulless and strained singing turns it into a poor Disney-style “end-of-picture” duet and the whole song crashes down in a train wreck of poor judgment. Album-opener and extraordinary single “Mercy of the Fallen,” the staccato intricacies of “Closer to Me,” and the understated title track more than make up for this blunder and will certainly please passionate fans as well as increase Dar Williams’ fan base considerably. (more…)

Dan Gibson – Thunderstorm (2004) [DVD-AUDIO ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 5, 2019 · Comments off

Thunderstorm: A Surround Sound Experience SACD will completely transform any living space into the heart of a crackling thunderstorm. Specially designed and produced for SACD (Super Audio Compact Disc), but playable on any standard CD player, you will experience 64 times the clarity, depth, and audio resolution of a traditional CD. And featuring true 5.1 high-resolution surround sound, this Solitudes Thunderstorm SACD offers an audio experience like no other. It really is the next best thing to being there. While this is a continuous play, uninterrupted program, six track points have been created to allow for easy access to preferred sections. This way you can choose to listen to the wildlife and distant birdcalls take cover as the storm rolls in or you can advance to the peak of the storm where the wildlife is silent and all you hear is the thunder and rain. (more…)

Andrew Lockington – Rampage (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/48kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · May 4, 2019 · Comments off

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (OST) from the movie Rampage. Music composed by Andrew Lockington (Incarnate, The Space Between Us). Rampage is a 2018 American action adventure monster film, based on the video game series of the same name by Midway Games. The film written by Ryan Engle, Carlton Cuse, Ryan J. Condal and Adam Sztykiel, directed by Brad Peyton, starring – Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Joe Manganiello, Jake Lacy, Marley Shelton, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

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Crowded House – Crowded House (2002) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 4, 2019 · Comments off

Split Enz needed to end, particularly since founding member Tim Finn found his little brother Neil’s growth spurt uncomfortable, but also because Neil was no longer writing tunes that made sense within the context of a band that ran the gamut from art rock to eccentric new wave. Neil was now writing songs that were undeniably totems of popcraft, but infused with the spirit and introspection of a singer/songwriter. This formula would later become quite popular with artists from Matthew Sweet to the legions of basement auteurs in the pop underground, but this sensibility was relatively unheard of in the mid-’80s — hence the birth of Crowded House. Neil retained Paul Hester from Enz, added Nick Seymour for the trio, and recorded one abandoned attempt at an album before joining with Mitchell Froom for the band’s eponymous debut. At the time, Froom’s clean production seemed refreshing, almost rootsy, compared to the synth pop dominating the mainstream and college scenes at the time, but in retrospect it seems a little overreaching and fussy, particularly in its addition of echo and layers of keyboards during particularly inappropriate moments. But Finn at his best overshadowed this fairly stilted production with his expert songcraft. As it happened, the record was blessed by good timing, and the majestic ballad “Don’t Dream It’s Over” became an international hit, while its follow-up, the breezy “Something So Strong,” also turned into a hit. Both revealed different sides of Finn’s talents, with the first being lyrical and the second being effervescent, but perhaps the truest testaments to his talents are “Mean to Me,” “World Where You Live,” and “Now We’re Getting Somewhere,” songs where the lyrics meld with the melody in a way that is distinctive, affecting, and personal. If the rest of the record doesn’t reach those heights, it’s still good, well-constructed pop, and these aforementioned highlights point the way to Temple of Low Men, where Crowded House (and particularly Finn) came into its own. (more…)

Crosby-Nash – Another Stoney Evening (2002) [DVD-AUDIO ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 4, 2019 · Comments off

The Crosby-Nash subset of CSNY carried with it much of the charm and harmony of the larger group, and together and apart the two singers mined that appeal for several gold albums, especially in the first couple of years after the breakup of CSNY in 1970. They even inspired bootleggers, who released Another Stoney Evening, drawn from one of their 1971 shows. Hence the title of this belated official release, drawn from a different show at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on October 10. Working with acoustic guitars and piano, they sang some of their more popular CSNY songs (“Déjà Vu,” “Teach Your Children”), as well as tunes from their solo albums and songs that would turn up on their duo album the following year. Boasting of having “the loosest show on earth” and making cryptic drug references, they nevertheless sang and played well, overcoming with enthusiasm and craft the relative weaknesses of some of the material — Crosby’s formlessness, Nash’s preciousness. And the camaraderie they shared with each other and their audience even allowed them a certain imperiousness, such as when the drugged performers lectured the drugged audience on how to clap on the right beat. (more…)

Claire Martin – Secret Love (2004) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 4, 2019 · Comments off

“Remarkably, given the immense musical riches that have poured forth from across the pond throughout the past century, there has never been a truly great British female jazz singer. Yes, Annie Ross was born in Surrey, but she was just three when she moved to the States and is definitely more a musical product of her California upbringing. Some would argue Cleo Laine fits the bill, but I’ve never found Laine’s highly stylized trilling particularly appealing, or, more to the point, jazz-centric. Lately, though, British jazz canaries have been busily making up for lost time. High atop the impressive heap is seasoned pro Claire Martin. Since Secret Love is intended as the album that will establish Martin stateside, I’m guessing that the title is intentionally tongue-in-cheek. For in her native land, love for Martin is no secret whatsoever. It is, in fact, her ninth hit album. The Sunday Times has dubbed Martin “the Madonna of British Jazz”, a statement that completely misdiagnoses the nature of Martin’s appeal. What makes her unique is that she’s not a great jazz singer, but rather the combination of two great jazz singers and one of the all-time great pop stylists, blending the jazz smarts of Anita O’Day, the warm-cool coziness of Chris Connor and the slow-meltingly, icy hauteur of Jo Stafford into one bracing cocktail. Listen to Martin dazzle her way through a dozen tracks, hurdling everything from the heart-crushing ache of Where Do You Start, the sophisticated ennui of Love Is a Bore and the raw, soul-stirring power of Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello’s God Give Me Strength with elegant ease and you’ll instantly join the growing legion on this side of the Atlantic determined that she remain a secret no longer.” –Jazz Times (more…)

Chicago – Chicago V (2002) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 4, 2019 · Comments off

With four gold multi-disc LPs and twice as many hit singles to its credit, Chicago issued its fifth effort, the first to clock in at under an hour. What they lack in quantity, they more than make up for in the wide range of quality of material. The disc erupts with the progressive free-form “A Hit by Varese” — which seems to have been inspired as much by Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s Tarkus (1971) or Yes circa Close to the Edge (1972) as by the Parisian composer for whom it is named. Fully 80 percent of the material on Chicago V (1972) is also a spotlight for the prolific songwriting of Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals). In addition to penning the opening rocker, he is also responsible for the easy and airy “All Is Well,” which is particularly notable for its lush Beach Boys-esque harmonies. However, Lamm’s most memorable contributions are undoubtedly the Top Ten sunshine power pop anthem “Saturday in the Park” and the equally upbeat and buoyant “Dialogue, Pt. 1” and “Dialogue, Pt. 2.” Those more accessible tracks are contrasted by James Pankow’s (trombone/percussion) aggressive jazz fusion “Now That You’ve Gone.” Although somewhat dark and brooding, it recalls the bittersweet “So Much to Say, So Much to Give” and “Anxiety’s Moment” movements of “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon” found on Chicago II.

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Chicago – Chicago II (2003) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 4, 2019 · Comments off

The Chicago Transit Authority recorded this double-barreled follow-up to their eponymously titled 1969 debut effort. The contents of Chicago II (1970) underscore the solid foundation of complex jazz changes with heavy electric rock & roll that the band so brazenly forged on the first set. The septet also continued its ability to blend the seemingly divergent musical styles into some of the best and most effective pop music of the era. One thing that had changed was the band’s name, which was shortened to simply Chicago to avoid any potential litigious situations from the city of Chicago’s transportation department — which claimed the name as proprietary property. Musically, James Pankow (trombone) was about to further cross-pollinate the band’s sound with the multifaceted six-song “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon.” The classically inspired suite also garnered the band two of its most beloved hits — the upbeat pop opener “Make Me Smile” as well as the achingly poignant “Color My World” — both of which remained at the center of the group’s live sets. Chicago had certainly not abandoned its active pursuit of blending high-octane electric rockers such as “25 or 6 to 4” to the progressive jazz inflections heard in the breezy syncopation of “The Road.” Adding further depth of field is the darker “Poem for the People” as well as the politically charged five-song set titled “It Better End Soon.” These selections feature the band driving home its formidable musicality and uncanny ability to coalesce styles telepathically and at a moment’s notice. The contributions of Terry Kath (guitar/vocals) stand out as he unleashes some of his most pungent and sinuous leads, which contrast with the tight brass and woodwind trio of Lee Loughnane (trumpet/vocals), Walter Parazaider (woodwinds/vocals), and the aforementioned Pankow. Peter Cetera (bass/vocals) also marks his songwriting debut — on the final cut of both the suite and the album — with “Where Do We Go from Here.” It bookends both with at the very least the anticipation and projection of a positive and optimistic future. (more…)

Checkfield – Surrounded (2002) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 4, 2019 · Comments off

The sophisticated sounds of Checkfield like you’ve never heard before. Immerse yourself in the music that continues to set the standard for smooth jazz. Digitally remastered to expand the boundaries of 5.1 surround sound. (more…)

Carly Simon – No Secrets (2002) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 4, 2019 · Comments off

Carly Simon’s best album, No Secrets was also her commercial breakthrough, topping the charts and going gold, along with its leadoff single, “You’re So Vain.” That song set the album’s saucy tone, with its air of sexually frank autobiography (“You had me several years ago/When I was still quite naïve”) and its reflections on the jet-set lifestyle. But Simon’s honesty meant that her lyrical knife was double-edged; now that she felt she had found true love (“The Right Thing to Do,” another Top Ten hit, was her celebration of her relationship with James Taylor), she was as willing to acknowledge her own mistakes and regrets as she was to point fingers. But it wasn’t only Simon’s forthrightness that made the album work; it was also Richard Perry’s simple, elegant pop/rock production, which gave Simon’s music a buoyancy it previously lacked. And Perry paid particular attention to Simon’s vocals in a way that made her more engaging (or at least less grating) to listen to.

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Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club (2000) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 2, 2019 · Comments off

This album is named after a members-only club that was opened in Havana in pre-Castro times, a period of unbelievable musical activity in Cuba. While bandleader Desi Arnaz became a huge hit in the States, several equally talented musicians never saw success outside their native country, and have had nothing but their music to sustain them during the Castro reign. Ry Cooder went to Cuba to record a musical documentary of these performers. Many of the musicians on this album have been playing for more than a half century, and they sing and play with an obvious love for the material. Cooder could have recorded these songs without paying the musicians a cent; one can imagine them jumping up and grabbing for their instruments at the slightest opportunity, just to play. Most of the songs are a real treasure, traversing a lot of ground in Cuba’s musical history. There’s the opening tune, “Chan Chan,” a composition by 89-year-old Compay Segundo, who was a bandleader in the ’50s; the cover of the early-’50s tune “De Camino a la Verada,” sung by the 72-year-old composer Ibrahim Ferrer, who interrupted his daily walk through Havana just long enough to record; or the amazing piano playing on “Pablo Nuevo” by 77-year-old Rubén González, who has a unique style that blends jazz, mambo, and a certain amount of playfulness. All of these songs were recorded live — some of them in the musicians’ small apartments — and the sound is incredibly deep and rich, something that would have been lost in digital recording and overdubbing. Cooder brought just the right amount of reverence to this material, and it shows in his production, playing, and detailed liner notes. If you get one album of Cuban music, this should be the one. (more…)

Bucky Pizzarelli – Swing Live (2001) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 2, 2019 · Comments off

Bucky Pizzarelli leads a strong quintet through this intimate live set at Makor, a Manhattan night spot. The seven-string guitarist is always game for anything, and with a superb group — including nearly everyone’s first-call bassist, Michael Moore, clarinetist Allan Vaché, vibraphonist Peter Appleyard (who previously worked with Benny Goodman, as did Michael Moore and the leader), and drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie — the veteran leads his group through seven favorites from the swing era. The set sounds very relaxed and informal, as if the musicians were playing for their own fun and had no idea tapes were rolling. A snappy take of “Perdido” and an extended workout of “Limehouse Blues” are but two of the memorable tracks recorded that evening. Suffice to say that if you own more than a couple of CDs featuring Bucky Pizzarelli, then you should pick up this very rewarding release. (more…)

Bruce Dickinson – Balls To Picasso (2004) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 2, 2019 · Comments off

Balls to Picasso is a Hard rock album by Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, released in 1994. It is the second effort in Dickinson’s solo career and the first released after he had officially left Iron Maiden. (more…)

Brides Of Destruction – Here Come The Brides (2004) [DVD-Audio ISO]

DVD-A By admin · May 2, 2019 · Comments off

Evidently, Brides of Destruction’s lineup was in flux from the beginning. Word was Adema drummer Kris Kohls contributed for a minute, as did post-glory era Mötley Crüe shouter John Corabi. Corabi ends up with a guitar credit in the liners to Here Come the Brides, BoD’s Sanctuary debut, but he’s long gone from the official lineup of bassist Nikki Sixx, guitarist Tracii Guns, ex-All-4-One tour drummer Scott Coogan, and LA hangabout London LeGrand on vocals. The sound? By-the-numbers Los Angeles metal with slight post-grunge updates. “Shut the F*** Up” draws on Generation Swine-era Crüe, while “I Got a Gun” reaches eagerly for classic Queensrÿche. The Brides play well as a unit, and LeGrand makes up for his lack of nuance with power. The collaboration between Sixx and Guns should make Here Come the Brides noteworthy to their fans, while casual metal listeners will look to the glut of heavy riffing and dedication — with occasional detours — to the classic pointed boots-and-velvet shirts Los Angeles sound. (more…)