MUSIC
NEWS & NOTES SPOTLIGHT
APRIL
2011 RECORD LABEL SPOTLIGHT
POP
& ROCK
DECCA
RECORDS - One of the high priority releases by Decca Records in
early spring 2011 is Bells, introducing Dutch
American singer-songwriter Laura Jansen. Perhaps the flagship
label these days of the Universal Music Group, Decca was originally
based in London back in the mid 60s but with a number of signings
by up and coming U.S. based artists, Decca, at least the New York
based branch
is turning into an internationally focused A&R based label shining
a light on bright new talent. Home to ingenious 70s progressive
bands like Kayak, Focus and Supersister, HollandMs. Jansen's
native countrywas a fantastic jumping off point for Euro-pop
and rock in the 70s. Incorporating a wealth of musical genres,
Laura Jansens style and content fits into a myriad of musical
basketsfrom orch-pop ala Rufus Wainwright and Sean Lennon to
a more keyboard based progressive, Euro-centric pop meets rock vibe
so popular in her native country. Featuring ten tracksincluding
a cover of a song written and recorded by Kings Of Leon entitled,
Use SomebodyBells is already a hit in the
Netherlands, so clearly the folks back in the old country are hoping
Laura breaks big here in the U.S. Ms. Jansen couldnt ask for
a better label then Decca, and she also goes to bat with a crack band
in the studio spearheaded by guitarist/keyboardist and Bells producer
Bill Lefler. Ms. Jansens style is perfectly imbued with
her songs which also gets some intriguing seasoning by her own performance
on the time honored mellotron, which is discernible in the keyboard
sound. Very progressive at times and at times very singer-songwriter
personified, Bells benefits by the strong diversity Ms. Jansen
brings to the 21st century music world. www.LauraJansen.com
/ www.DeccaRecords-US.com
INTRINSIC
MUSIC - One album that was overlooked in 2010 is American
Dreams by jazz vocalist Laurie Antonioli. Her fourth
album, the twelve track CD was recorded in Berkeley, California and
features some great backup players including guitarist Dave McNab,
Matt Clark on piano, drummer Jason Lewis and others.
Most of the tracks are originals co-composed by Laurie while theres
also several covers, including the Rogers & Hammerstein classic
Oh What A Beautiful Morning and America The Beautiful,
appearing in a deconstructed, jazzy arrangement by Dave McNab highlighting
slide guitar and bass clarinet. Commenting on her musical mission,
Ms. Antonioli adds, Its essential that we contribute original
material to keep this art form going. Jazz singers cant exist
on standards alone. March 2010 liner notes by Laurie provides
an interesting background for a most appealing jazzy pop vocal album.
www.LaurieAntonioli.com
J&R
ADVENTURES - The premier blues rock guitar player on Earth today,
Joe Bonamassa brings his sound back into the spotlight with
the 2011 CD release of Dust Bowl. The 12 track
CD was once again produced by Kevin Shirley and the album also
features key contributions by Vince Gill, John Hiatt,
Deep Purples Glenn Hughes, rock legend Blondie Chaplin,
songwriter Pete Wasner and more. Filling out the sound spectrum
on Dust Bowl are other top musicians including drumming great
Anton Fig. Recorded at Black Rock studios in Greece, as well
as in L.A., Dust Bowl has all the hallmarks of Joes early
albums yet contains a certain edge of maturity including an array
of the genre-defying sounds Joe has mastered in the years since. Commenting
on Dust Bowl, Joe adds, This is the best album weve
ever done. Im finding more inspiration in storytelling in my
30s, in writing songs that are about something more profound
than my baby left me. I like albums that are made with the right intentions
and sound organic and a little rough around the edges, like a great
band playing live in the room, and thats what we accomplished
with Dust Bowl. Following the CD releases of 2010s
Black Rock and 2009s Ballad Of John Henry, as
well as the 2010 CD release with his group Black Country Communion,
Joe Bonamassa continues turning heads around and opening up fresh
ears to the evergreen sound of blues-rock greatness. For instance,
the title track, Dust Bowl is one of Bonamassas
great tracks, to which he adds, The title track of the album
just describes my life. It really fits my voice, it fits me as a solo
artist and just has a really nice feel to it. The Dust Bowl
booklet contains a wealth of pics and info behind the album including
insightful liner notes by Joe. www.JoeBonamassa.com
LEGACY
-
As part of their ongoing series of music releases by Heart,
Legacy released Night At Sky Church on DVD and Bluray
disc in March 2011. Recorded and filmed at the Experience Music Project,
Seattles Rock & Roll History Museum on March 5th 2010, the
88 minute DVD features the Wilson sistersAnn & Nancy
Wilsonbacked up by a tight band including electric guitar
hero Craig Bartock. Also on hand here are guest artists Alison
Krauss and Ben Minkboth credited here on vocals and
fiddles. Although Heart had a fine studio album, entitled Red Velvet
Carreleased on Legacy in 2009, for Night At Sky Church
they break out all the big hits including Barracuda,
Crazy On You, These Dreams, Alone
and more. Despite her professionalism on several cohesive tracks here,
Ms. Krauss, at times, kinda looks star struck appearing with her teen
idols. A career spanning live showcase of Hearts best tracks
live, Night At Sky Church captures an electrifying performance
of classic rock. www.Heart-Music.com
/ www.LegacyRecordings.com
LIME - The benefits of yellow and green citrus juices aside, U.K.
label Lime Records continues to confound
and surprise musically. First off on Lime in 2008, in his post-SYN
haze, Chris Squire hits and runs then releases a religio-rock prog
type album, perhaps attoning for past syns? (lol) Then of course he
kicks Jon Anderson out of YES! You cant make this stuff up folks.
Anyway, so here we are in the dawn of Spring 2011 and of course then
the name my old record company distributor and CD manufacturer, Doug
Lexa, from 1987 turns up on a press release for the 2011 CD entitled
Here In The Golden Rays from Limes latest pop
discovery Haight-Ashbury. Featuring the brother / sister team
of multi-instrumentalist Scott Ashbury and vocalist / bassist
Kirsty Ashburyjoined here by Kirstys co-lead vocalist
and percussionist Jentheyve been described by some
as a sort of meeting of West Coast psych-pop ala the Mamas And the
Papas, with the hip downtown NYC scene of Nico era Velvet Underground.
In other words, the Haight-Ashbury sound sets the way-back machine
to 1968a time the Haight-Ashbury sound emanating from San Francisco
was in full hippie bloom. The CD cover art is suitably retro, albeit
from the very early 60s folk scene, but it hardly gives any
pretense of the intricate fascination of the sound inside. www.LimeRecords.com
PIE RECORDS - With their record label based out here on
Long Island, Lez Zeppelin is described as All Girls,
All Zep, All The Time. The quartet of frisky female rockers
makes good on their Led Zeppelin devotion with a true to form, note
for note remake of the famous Led Zeppelin 1 album from 1969
with the 2011 CD release of Lez Zeppelin 1. Uncanny
pagan innuendoes aside, the cover art must be seen to be believed
while the gals really acquit themselves in style, acting out their
Zeppelin 1 fantasy with nine classic covers encompassing the entire
original album. Guitarist in the group, Steph Paynes offers
a stunning recreation of the guitar licks and leads of Jimmy Page
while singer Shannon Conley has her Robert Plant stance down
to a tee. The Lez Zep rhythm section of Megan Thomas (bass)
and Leesa Harrington Squyres pounds out the big beat while
ace production from Perry Margouleff and William Wittman
sets it right on a fitting tribute to a once in a lifetime rock
music album classic. www.LezZeppelin.com
INSTRUMENTAL
ANGEL
AIR - Angel Air have a number of CD reissues as well as newer
albums from bass guitar legend Mo Foster in their extensive
back catalog. Angel Airs 2011 CD release of Mo's latest solo
album, entitled Bass Themes compiles 30 instrumentals
that borders on instrumental rock and pop and even smooth jazz and
soundtracks. With Fosters bass up front, the album benefits
from added appearances from Ray Russell (guitars) Tony Hymas
(keyboards) and a number of drummers, including Ralph Salmins,
and percussionists, including Group 87 drummer Peter Van Hooke.
While Foster released his first solo album, Bel Assis, back
in 1988, Bass Themes consists primarily of production
musicfilm music and various soundtrack pieces recorded
between 1983 and 2009. www.AngelAir.co.uk
BARABAN RECORDS - A superb sounding album of solo acoustic guitar
magic, Wait, by guitarist Val Bonetti contains
nine tracks that just seems to fly by. Acoustic instrumental finger
style music may be Bonettis specialty,
with a touch of ragtime guitar chops, but the jazzy edge gives the
sound a real swinging vibe. That jazzy edge in Bonettis sound
comes out on the albums lone cover of Three Views Of A
Secret, composed by jazz bass legend Jaco Pastorius. In the
CD liner notes, Bonetti describes Jaco as the greatest bass
player ever. Throughout the 33 minute CD, Bonetti lets his musical
imagination run wild and his track by track commentary gives added
insight into what makes Bonettis guitar sound so cool. www.ValBonetti.com
CREATIVE SOUL JAZZ - If the mark of a great album is one that
you can play and replay again and again, then the 2011 CD from guitarist
Drew Davidsen, entitled Spin Cycle fits into
that category. Featuring ten tracks of guitar-centric smooth jazz
magic, Drews latest CD is time well spent for jazz guitar fans.
Although obviously a great choice for fans of jazz legends like Wes
Montgomery as well as more relatively recent guitar icons like George
Benson and Larry Carlton, theres also a neat fusion edge here
and regarding some tracks on Spin Cycle, several music critics
have even drawn comparisons to the instrumentals written by Dickey
Betts for the Allman Brothers Band back in the early 70s. Of
course, Spin Cycle is much more smooth jazz influenced and
guitar based than that. Recorded and mixed in Franklin, Tennessee,
the Spin Cycle CD features a number of great players backing
up Drewincluding John Hammond (drums) Gary Lunn (bass)
and keyboardist Eric Copeland, while the magic studio touch
of Bill Whittington puts the finishing touches on whats
sure to be considered one of the top jazz guitar instrumental albums
of 2011. www.DrewDavidsen.com
EXPANDING RECORDS - Over in the U.K. Expanding Records is keeping
the ambient instrumental music art form alive and well with a 2010
CD release from Italian soundtrack composer Teho Teardo. The
appropriately entitled Soundtrack Work 2004-2008 captures
25 tracks of atmospheric instrumental musical vignettes that borrows
both from ambient music king Brian Eno as well as Teardos obvious
main musical influence, the king of soundtracks, the brilliant Ennio
Morricone. In fact none other than Morricone himself added in brief
liner notes to the CD packaging calling Teardos release a beautiful
album. The backing on the album is mostly string dominated with
Teardo filling up the sound stage with guitars, bass, piano, keyboards
and various electronics. Throughout the CD, the stage setting sounds
inside clearly portrays Teardo as an important new name in the world
of soundtrack music. www.ExpandingRecords.com
/ www.TehoTeardo.com
HAMMOND BEAT - Based out in Oregon, the Hammond Beat label releases
very 60s inspired instrumentals that would fit on any number
of James Bond type action soundtracks ala John Barry with Vic Flick.
The Italian band, The Link Quartet, with several high profile
Hammond Beat album releases, not only evokes the Euro type of spy
/ surf soundtracks but theres also an influence from the the
bluesy / jazzy American groups like Booker T. & The MGs. One of
Hammond Beats biggest acts, The Link Quartet released 4
in early 2011. Produced by Hammond Beat boss Kahlil Breithaupt
and the Link Quartet, the twelve track 4 balances a mix
of mainly instrumental spy/surf tracks with the occasional vocal,
three in fact and sung in French no less. The five piece band features
a balanced mix of instrumentation highlighted by the Hammond groove
of Link Four composer Paolo Apollo Negri and the
Cropper-esque guitar of Marco Majo Murtas. To coincide
with their latest Link Quartet release, Hammond Beat have a number
of recent CD titles out in 2011 including a solo album by Link Quartet
keyboardist Paolo "Apollo" Negri entitled The Great Anything
and On The 1 from Texas soul lounge band Flyjack. www.HammondBeat.com
JAZZ GUITAR RECORDS - A mainstay of the NYC jazz guitar scene,
Lou Volpe is going to make his fans happy with his 2011 CD
entitled Hear And Now. Featuring Lou backed up
by a band of in-synch players including Onaje Allan Gumbs (piano),
Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Buddy Williams (drums), the
sound of Hear And Now is timeless. Throughout the ten track
CD, Volpe shows great respect for the legendary guitar styles of legends
like Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell. Here And Now finds Lou
Volpe merging the past while breaking new ground with some modern,
jazzy yet quite smooth jazz guitar stylings. Over the years, the NYC
native has toured with Bette Midler and Judy Collins and hes
toured and composed music with jazz icon Herbie Mann. Certain to be
regarded as one of Lou's best albums, 2011's Hear And Now is
a timeless yet thoroughly engaging album bound to please music buffs
and CD collectors who appreciate tasteful instrumental guitar jazz.
www.LouVolpeJazz.com
MOONJUNE
RECORDS - Based in downtown Manhattan, Moonjune continues to break
new ground in the instrumental jazz and rock world with the U.S. CD
debut from Israeli jazz-fusion band Marbin. Entitled Breaking
The Cycle, the eleven track album is slightly derivative
of late 70s Euro fusioneers like Pekka Pohjola and Ragnarök,
and, in places, the ECM style of Terje Rypdal, yet Marbin manages
to attain a rarified sonic glow thanks to some amazing electric guitar
work of Dani Rabin and the sax work of Danny Markovitch
who join forces here with American players Steve Rodby (bass)
and Paul Wertico (drums) and several guest artists including
noted percussionist Jamey Haddad. Mixing jazz-rock with traces
of progressive instrumental rock, jazz, folk and ambient music, the
results are often sonically stunning. With their first Marbin album,
Moonjunes executive producer Leonardo Pavkovic has come
up with one of the labels most unique and satisfying albums
yet. www.moonjune.com
MOONJUNE RECORDS - The legacy of British art rock legend Soft
Machine can be traced all the way back to 1968 / early 69 when
they released their famous Soft Machine and Soft Machine
Vol. 2the latter an album that is still revered in music
circles around the world. Its been light ages since the early
Soft's years with Robert Wyatt and Mike Ratledge and sadly Hugh Hopper
is no longer walking the earth. U.K. guitar great John Etheridge
continues paying tribute to the erstwhile Canterbury art-rock
legends with a 2011 CD release from his group Soft Machine Legacy
entitled Live Adventures Recorded live in
Austria and Germany in October 2009, the nine track CD features Etheridge
grooving alongside mid 70s Soft's bass player Roy Babbington,
U.K. drumming great John Marshall and Theo Travis on
sax and flute. Armed with several originals, Soft Machine Legacy cover
a range of classic Soft Machine on Live Adventures, including
music written by former Soft Machine icons Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper,
and Karl Jenkins. Etheridge and company sound very much inspired by
that cosmic, on the edge spirit of the original Soft Machine, showing
how a band that started in the 60s continues to sprout new limbs
in a whole new century. www.moonjune.com
MS
RECORDS - A well rounded acoustic instrumental guitar player,
Mark Sganga has composed some really nice sounding instrumentals
for his 2010 CD An Evening In Rio. A rising star
in the instrumental smooth jazz music world, Sganga offsets that side
of his sound with several key vocal tracks that reveals a fondness
for Brazilian sounds and styles. Mark also pays tribute to jazz greats
with covers of Birdland (Weather Report) and Fire
(Jimi Hendrix). Of course what ever guitar based style he plays is
underscored by a tasty smooth jazz groove with visions of the tropical
splendors of Miami and Rio. Sgangas well rounded guitar instrumental
originals and occasional Brazilian / English vocal numbers are backed
up with a tasty studio groove with guest spots from the great Nikki
Parrott (bass, backing vocals) along with a number of drummers,
percussionists and keyboardists. www.MarkSganga.com
SMITHEREEN RECORDS The 2011 CD release by jazz bassist
Sean SmithTrust is getting rave reviews
in the guitar community. On Smiths third solo album as a leader,
he gets synchronized support from top rated jazz guitarist John
Hart, John Ellis on sax and drummer Russell Meissner.
With Hart comping furiously and soloing in abundance, much here sounds
inspired by the 60s jazz sound of John Coltrane and Kenny Burrell,
and Smith keeps an even keel on an album of uniquely mainstream yet
modern jazz. Seeking to spread the word about his instrumental jazz-based
CD releases, Smith founded his own label and then found the freedom
to create adding, I cant tell you how empowering it is
for an artist to have complete control over every aspect of a projectnot
only the music but the entire presentation, adding Im
already looking forward to the next CD with the quartet as I have
many compositions Id like to record. With its uptown jazzy
horn / guitar instrumentals, Trust is a safe pick to click
for modern jazz fans. www.SeanSmithJazz.com
STARLAND MUSIC - Winning all kinds of awards and selling
quite a few CDs in the process, Beauty And Fire,
from guitarist Tomas Michaud combines flamenco guitar
sounds with piano, drums and keyboards. With all songs composed by
Tomas, the 12 track album features a number of musicians who fully
support these lush sounding guitar-centric tracks. Based out in Alameda,
California, Michaud is also the founder of the Starland Music Center
where he teaches his Starland guitar system to up and coming guitarists.
Theres plenty of fine instrumental, World Beat inspired nuevo
flamenco guitar stylings to please listeners and guitarists alike.
After taking a listen to Beauty And Fire, you might want to
go go back the take a listen to Michauds six other CD releases.
www.WorldMelodies.com
TEXACALLI
- During the late 60s, the 70s and much of the 80s,
Finlands progressive rock scene revolved around the song writing
genius of rock innovator Jim Pembroke and Finnish jazz-rock pioneer
Pekka Pohjola. By 1990 or 91, there then emerged a fully blown
Finnish surf-rock guitar music scene around recording bands such as
Laika & The Cosmonauts. In fact even now, dozens of great Finnish
instrumental Shadows style bands are still quite popular throughout
the Finnish music world. One guitarist carrying on the tradition of
great instro guitarists like Hank Marvin and John Blakeley is Finnish
guitarist Janne Louhivuori. Whats even more amazing is
throughout the 2011, 13 cut CD release of Yin N
Twang, Louhivuori handles all the guitars and in fact,
through the process of overdubbing, he sounds like a whole band. On
a mixed bag of guitar goodies that will make the grade among surfers,
jazzers and even fans of Duane Allman style instro rock, Louhivuori
takes you to that place where Finnish fondness for the Shadows style
guitar instrumental music meets the windswept beaches where bands
like The Ventures and The Sandals (with our Mr. Blakeley) created
a whole new guitar culture back in the '60s. Theres even some
nice slide guitar touches on track six, The Ghost Of Shiloh
that sounds a little like George Harrison cutting a lost side with
Duane Eddy. www.texicalli.net
/ www.JanneLouhivuori.com
REISSUES & RETROSPECTIVES
COLUMBIA
LEGACY -
Because we only had small little transistor radios back in the early
60s, 1961 to 1966, a magical trip to the record store meant
stocking up on the latest 45 rpm records. All this, at a time when
you were only as cool as your picture sleevewe all took mono
for granted. It really only wasnt until sonic geniuses like
Herb Belkinfounder of Mobile Fidelitywho shined a light
on the true possibilities of audio on CD back in the late 90s,
that the sound of mono on CD was even taken seriously again. Collectors
of the greatest pop and rock recordings began seeking out mono mixes
of the Beatles back in the late 90s and although it took quite
a lot of time, EMI did finally relent and they did a magnificent job
on the Beatles catalog in monocollecting en masse all their
albums except Abbey Road, which was only released in mono on
Lp in Brazil. Although the 60s albums of Bob Dylan were
never taken as seriously as albums by The Beatles were, a year after
EMI reissued the mono Beatles box, Columbia did release a Bob Dylan
mono box set appropriately entitled The Original Mono Recordings.
Dylan fans who might not yet have the hundred dollars to plunk
down for the box, could do far worse than picking up on a single disc
distillation of Columbia's Dylan mono box set appropriately entitled
The Best Of The Original Mono Recordings, released at
the same time as Dylans extensive 9 CD mono box set. The single
disc of The Best Of The Original Mono Recordings is
just thata fantastic 15 cut overview CD, with all tracks in
glorious mono, and touching upon many highlights of Dylans extensive
60s albums catalogstarting with Song To Woody
and Blowin In The Wind in 1962/63 and ending with
I Want You (from Blond On Blond), and Ill
Be Your Baby tonight and All Along The Watchtower
(two highlights from John Wesley Harding). As if that wasnt
reason enough to take a listen, The Best Of The Original Mono Recordings
is the only place (it was never on a Dylan studio album)
to actually get to hear a mono mix of what some commonly refer to
as Dylans greatest 60s songPositively 4th
Street, which was recorded during the summer of 65. The
packaging of The Best Of The Original Mono Recordings is also
quite impressive, with full credits, excellent artwork and detailed
2010 liner notes by Greil Marcus, the famous Rolling Stone
mag alum who further explains the lure of the now historic
60s flavored mono recordings of Bob Dylan. www.BobDylan.com
GONZO MULTIMEDIA - An offshoot of the prolific Voiceprint label
in the U.K., Gonzo Multimedia are going to make YES fans quite happy
with the 2011 four disc set of YES - Union Live.
The 2 CD / 2 DVD set mainly features a concert of the Union
era YES band caught live in California on August 8th 1991. The
1991 Union album was a monumental moment in YES history as
it featured a coming together of the classic 70s YES with Steve
Howe and Rick Wakeman and the 80s / early 90s
YES with Trevor Rabin. As such, the massive set also features
key contributions from YES founders Jon Anderson, Chris
Squire, Tony Kaye, Bill Bruford with Alan White,
the drummer who changed the band forever when Bill Bruford joined
King Crimson in early 73. The massive sound of this never to
happen again YES big band is superbly captured on an impressive package
which includes the original Union film of the concert from
the Shoreline Amphitheater and additional film footage spread over
two DVDs, along with a first ever soundtrack of the film spread over
two CDs. Bonus cuts on the second DVD includes bootleg footage of
the band, some bonus audio tracks in both 5.1 and stereo mixes as
well as more Union era YES from various concerts in the U.S.
and the U.K. Featuring classic YES artwork of Roger Dean, the
packaging of the four disc set is quite definitiveincluding
voluminous liner notes, rare color pics, collectible inserts and exhaustive
discography information. Of course, the Union Live package
draws on tracks from both classic YES and the 90125 era YES
so its still quite amazing to see both Steve Howe and Trevor
Rabin sharing the spotlight playing guitars on the same stage on songs
propelled by the mighty drumming sound of both Alan White and Bill
Bruford. For YES fans, who enjoyed the Union album, in all
its fleeting glory, it doesnt get much better than Union
Live. www.GonzoMultimedia.co.uk
HEAR MUSIC - Over in L.A., Concord Music Groups offshoot
label Hear Music released both a CD and DVD of the 2007 reunion of
Carole King & James Taylor entitled Live At The Troubadour.
As a companion to that 07 show, Hear Music now offers a
stunning DVD documentary entitled Troubadours - The Rise Of
The Singer Songwriter. The 91 minute, 2011 documentary
ostensibly focuses around the histories of King and Taylorsuperbly
merging then and nowbut instead winds up as a sprawling, encyclopedic
look at L.A. during the heyday of the year 1970, back when King and
Taylor made their respective commercial breakthroughs as solo artists.
The movie does this great balancing act, of blending the now and then,
while also managing to encompass an impressive and comprehensive history
of the L.A. music scene circa 70 / 71, especially as it
revolved around the famous Troubadour nightclub in West L.A. A literal
whos who of L.A. pop icons appear in interview form throughout
the superbly produced documentary discussing their own experiences
at the Troubadour and the entire L.A. scenefrom The Byrds
David Crosby and Roger McGuinn to Jackson Browne,
Cheech & Chong to name just a few, while also including
rock critics Robert Hilburn and Robert Christgau. In
addition to the historic video documentary, the DVD release is accompanied
by a ten track CD featuring signature songwriter tracks from key songwriting
greats including King and Taylor as well as Randy Newman, Tom
Waits, Warren Zevon, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt,
Kris Kristopherson, Linda Ronstadt and rockers Little
Feat. www.ConcordMusicGroup.com
PROPER MUSIC - Over in the U.K. Proper is doing things well...proper!
Properly, props, propitious.... Apropos might be another good word
for a new, well 2011 (only 989 years till 3000) release of a 5 disc
version of Keys To Ascension. A controversial
Yes album when it came out around early 1997-ish, that release
event was marked by a reunion of the Topographic Oceans era
bandthe late 73 YES with then new drummer Alan White.
On that sprawling musical monster that is Topographic Oceans,
White nearly stole the album
spotlight with his thunderous drumming style made famous on his recordings
with John Yes is the answer Lennon. The winter of 73-74
is one that for sure will go down in musical history and is never
to be forgotten. Well now, decades after the fact and at the dawn
of the internet revolution by 1996, Topographic Oceans was
revived again, near 25 years later, during the 96 Keys reunion
shows and subsequent double CD studio album that spawned out of the
reunion. The redux of the all time Yes masterpiece The Revealing
Science Of God is near perfect on both the live version CD and
DVD versions presented here. In fact, the song was/is so great, in
my opinion Yes was never able to reach that musical pinnacle again
in the studio but they came close. Five discsfour CDs and one
DVDrecaptures the live shows with that fleeting glimpse of Rick
Wakeman and Steve Howe in the same Yes lineup. Also included
here is the famous Keys To Ascension studio tracks compiled
on the one studio CD here. It's still so strange to think that after
this album, Squire and Sherwood properly changed the YES sound to
more fit the coming internet era and in my opinion Open Your Eyes
was the best YES album of the '90s, but Howe publicly said he
didn't like those albums which is so strange considering his work
with Asia. As one of the rare believers that YES was on the right
track with Open Your Eyes and the Conspiracy, I'm still wanting
to form an opinion on this Keys studio album. Nevertheless,
perhaps the coolest reason to check out Propers 5 disc version
of Keys isthe sound is great throughoutthe accompanying
DVD. The amazing cinematography on the DVD is enhanced by some vivid
special effectsfor instance during the beginning and end of
The Revealing Science Of God Jon Andersons legendary
song lyrics appear scrolling across the screen and theres other
very cool visual scenery appearing throughout the live DVD. As if
that wasnt enough, bonus tracks on the DVD includes Chris
Squire putting together a new commentary track throughout what
appears to be a pretty well done documentary regarding what I guess
could be described as a story behind the ultimate classic rock YES
tracks that were redone at the Keys live shows. As another
bonus track here, theres a complete Yes concert from 1979, from
the Tormato era. Of course, this Tales era Yes lineup,
live in '96 at the Keys show, was soon to fade from the scene
and in its place at the end of 97 emerged a new supercharged
Yes mainly featuring the music of Squire and then Yes guitarist /
producer Billy Sherwood. Of course, Squire and Sherwood were behind
the Open Your Eyes era Yes and, ever the musical purist, Steve
Howe was unhappy with that stuff, which is a real shame because Squire
would then take that sound to new heights with his bands, the Conspiracy
(2000-2003) and then in 2005 with a revival of his early pre-Yes band
with his now estranged partner Steve Nardelli and the Syn. Anyway,
Propers 5 disc version of Keys To Ascension is the most
thorough version of the Keys album to date. The CD sound is
great throughout, while the DVD on hand makes this box set type package
a must for Yes fans and prog-rock watchers. www.JonAnderson.com
SUNDAZED
RECORDS - Started by Sony reissue expert Bob Irwin way back in
the late 80s, Sundazed has slowed down somewhat over the past
few years, even getting more heavily into vinyl remasters than the
CD craze that started them off. Even so, every so often Sundazed comes
up with a real winner of a CD remaster and high on the list in 2011
is a Sundzed mono CD reissue of the final album from The Yardbirds
entitled Little Games. What makes this Sundazed
CD version of Little Games so special is the fact that its
taken from a mono mix of the album master and it sounds simply fantastic.
Back in the mid to late 60s, audio geniuses like the Yardbirds
producer Mickie Most really knew how to maximize the mono art
form on disc. Released back in 1967, Little Games found remaining
Yardbirds founders Keith Relf, Jim McCarty and Chris
Dreja in the studio one last time with soon to be Led Zeppelin
founder Jimmy Page. Like Cream, The Yardbirds were way ahead
of their time musically, and as such the Little Games album
features a split mix of blues, rock and period piece psychedelia,
which was at its zenith back in 1967. This 2011 mono CD remaster of
Little Games features the original artwork from the 67
Lp originally released on Epic Records in the U.S. Despite having
Jimmy Page calling the shots on lead guitar and some brilliant, as
usual, song writing by the late great Keith Relf and drumming / vocalist
genius Jim McCarty, Little Games might not have been The Yardbirds
at their zenith, but it comes close. Kicking off with the still fascinating
title track and ending with a pair of period piece bonus tracks, Little
Games is still highly recommended listening for Yardbirds fans
and for that matter, listeners interested in the history of classic,
essential 60s British rock. www.sundazed.com
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