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Taj Mahal - Like Never Before (1991)

Posted By: Designol
Taj Mahal - Like Never Before (1991)

Taj Mahal - Like Never Before (1991)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 327 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 138 Mb | Scans ~ 68 Mb
Label: Private Music | # 261 679 | Time: 00:47:19
Contemporary Blues, Rhythm & Blues, Jazz-Blues, Country-Blues

This record was originally released in 1991 after Taj had taken a break for a number of side projects including children's records. He was obviously refreshed - the record is full of new ideas and incorporates new production techniques, check out the lovely song "Every wind in the river" and also the scratching and rap stylings of "Squat that rabbit". A bit radical for blues but both work very well. Taj revists the song "Giant step" and also takes the traditional blues "Blues with a feeling" to New Orleans, with an added dash of steel guitar (!?!). Guests include banjo player David Johnson, guitarist David Lindley, Andy Kravitz and Bill Summers and the backing band sound great throughout. This is a really good, imaginative record that saw Taj coming back to form and his next couple of records in the 90s were even better.

Van Morrison - Back On Top (1999) Expanded Remastered Reissue 2008

Posted By: Designol
Van Morrison - Back On Top (1999) Expanded Remastered Reissue 2008

Van Morrison - Back On Top (1999) Expanded Remastered Reissue 2008
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 411 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 143 Mb | Scans ~ 179 Mb
Label: Exile, Polydor | # 5305453 | Time: 01:02:32
Genre: Blues, Blues-Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Blue-Eyed Soul

Back on Top is the twenty-seventh studio album by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in 1999 by Point Blank. This album marks a slight return to the forms of music he is most known for: blues and R&B. Upon the album's release, Rolling Stone reviewed it as "one Monet and nine Norman Rockwells", the "Monet" being "When the Leaves Come Falling Down" which it called a masterpiece. The 29 January 2008 reissued and remastered version of the album contains two bonus tracks: an alternative take of "Philosopher's Stone" and a new arrangement of Fats Domino's song, "Valley of Tears".

The Connells - Stone Cold Yesterday: Best Of The Connells (2016)

Posted By: Rtax
The Connells - Stone Cold Yesterday: Best Of The Connells (2016)

The Connells - Stone Cold Yesterday: Best Of The Connells (2016)
FLAC (tracks) - 431 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 146 MB
1:00:49 | Alternative Rock | Label: The Bicycle Music Company

Stone Cold Yesterday: The Best of The Connells is the band's first ever greatest hits, collecting re-mastered versions of their modern rock hits from 1987 to 1998, including their first ever radio hit "Stone Cold Yesterday" and their influential worldwide phenomenon "'74-75," with album production by Mitch Easter (REM), Hugh Jones (Simple Minds), Tim Jones (Whiskeytown) and Jim Scott (Tom Petty).

Kenny Neal - Hoodoo Moon (1994)

Posted By: Designol
Kenny Neal - Hoodoo Moon (1994)

Kenny Neal - Hoodoo Moon (1994)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 319 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 117 Mb | Scans ~ 113 Mb
Label: Alligator Records | # ALCD 4825 | Time: 00:51:02
Modern Electric Blues, Swamp Blues, Louisiana Blues

Kenny Neal is such a terrific singer that he can make any kind of blues sound good. On Hoodoo Moon, Neal does the Delta blues justice on a version of Elmore James's "It Hurts Me Too," and does a fine job on the Chicago blues with "I'm a Blues Man." He even pulls off some James Brown funk on "Just One Step." Nonetheless, Neal makes his most valuable contributions when he allows his Louisiana roots to show. On "Don't Fix Our Love," for example, Neal lays his blues-harmonica solo and gravelly vocal over a New Orleans second-line parade rhythm. Lucky Peterson plays the Professor Longhair-like piano part expertly and does the same with the Fats Domino-like piano triplets on "Why Should I Stay." "The Real Thing" and the album's title track boast the slippery shuffle beat of upstate Louisiana's swamp blues.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Robert Shaw - Philip Glass: Itaipu; The Canyon (1993)

Posted By: Designol
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Robert Shaw - Philip Glass: Itaipu; The Canyon (1993)

Philip Glass: Itaipu; The Canyon (1993)
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, conducted by Robert Shaw

EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 285 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 187 Mb | Scans included
Classical, Minimalism, Choral | Label: Sony Classical | # SK 46352 | 00:55:52

Itaipu (1989) is something of a cantata-cum-symphony-cum-oratorio with no clear text. Its topic is the world's largest hydroelectric dam, built on the Rarana River between Paraguay and Brazil, and the piece–in Glass's trademark punctuating minimalism–is filled with distinct South American instrumentation, particularly in the percussion. The music itself is noble, conjuring the human endeavor to build the five-mile-wide dam near the town of Itaipu. The Canyon (1988) is about no canyon in particular but tonally suggests the mystery of canyons in general. Both these compositions are among Glass's better works.

Opa - Goldenwings (1976) + Magic Time (1977) [2 LP on 1 CD, 1997]

Posted By: Designol
Opa - Goldenwings (1976) + Magic Time (1977) [2 LP on 1 CD, 1997]

Opa - Goldenwings (1976) + Magic Time (1977) [2 LP on 1 CD, 1997]
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 467 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 179 Mb | Scans included
Fusion, Latin Jazz, Jazz-Rock, Candombe | Label: Milestone | # MCD-47074-2 | 01:14:19

In 1997, it came as a quite a surprise when Fantasy reissued Opa's albums Golden Wings (1976) and Magic Time (1977) on a single 74-minute CD – surprising because the fusion trio had only a very small following; its albums were far from big sellers, and the original LP versions were in print for only a few years. If one notices some similarity between the melodic blend of jazz, rock, funk, pop, and Brazilian music heard on this disc and Airto Moreira's CTI dates of the 1970s, it's no coincidence – Moreira produced both Golden Wings and Magic Time and plays percussion on both of them. Opa members Hugh Fattoruso (keyboards, vocals), George Fattoruso (drums, vocals, percussion), and Ringo Thielmann (bass, vocals) often worked with the percussionist and his wife, Flora Purim, in the 1970s, and his influence clearly rubbed off. It's regrettable that Opa were never as commercially successful as either Moreira or Purim, although this CD points to the fact that it wasn't due to a lack of rewarding material.

The King's Noyse - Stravaganze: 17th Century Italian Songs and Dances (1995)

Posted By: Designol
The King's Noyse - Stravaganze: 17th Century Italian Songs and Dances (1995)

Stravaganze: 17th Century Italian Songs and Dances (1995)
The King's Noyse; David Douglas, director & violin; Andrew Lawrence-King, harp

EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 326 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 191 Mb | Scans included
Genre: Classical | Label: Harmonia Mundi | # HMU 907159 | Time: 01:18:34

The King's Noyse are a terrific ensemble who have made a lot of very good discs indeed over the years. This is among them. It is billed as a disc from 1995 of dance music and song from Italy between about 1580 and 1650, which though strictly accurate, may be a little misleading. Lively dance rhythms are certainly there, but a good deal of the disc is contemplative and sometimes rather melancholy in feel. There are single works by both Monteverdi and Gesualdo but the other works are largely by much more obscure composers, and although I know a little of some like Rovetta and Castello, most were completely new to me. I always like to be introduced to new composers, and the music is very fine throughout the disc.

Daniel Ash - Coming Down (1991) US Limited Edition

Posted By: Designol
Daniel Ash - Coming Down (1991) US Limited Edition

Daniel Ash - Coming Down (1991) US Limited Edition
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 246 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 97 Mb | Scans ~ 93 Mb
Alternative Rock, Post-Punk | Label: RCA | # 3076-2-R | Time: 00:42:18

Coming Down is the first solo album from former Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, and Love and Rockets guitar player Daniel Ash. First single "This Love" was a #2 hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the U.S., where his former bandmates Peter Murphy and David J had already scored Top 10 hits. Natasha Atlas sings and plays instruments on most tracks.

Tinariwen - Kel Tinariwen (2022)

Posted By: delpotro
Tinariwen - Kel Tinariwen (2022)

Tinariwen - Kel Tinariwen (2022)
XLD Rip | FLAC (tracks+log+.cue) - 231 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 84 Mb | 00:36:14
World, Desert Blues | Label: Wedge Records

A revelatory discovery in the Tinariwen archives, Kel Tinariwen is an early cassette tape recorded in the early 90s that never received a wider release, and sheds new light on the band's already rich history. Not having yet developed the fuller band sound that they became internationally established with, Kel Tinariwen features their trademark hypnotic guitar lines and call-and-response vocals weaving in between raw drum machine rhythms and keyboard melodies that almost evoke an Arabic take on 80s synth-pop. There's distinct parallels with the sounds found on this tape and the work uncovered in recent years by cratedigger labels such as Awesome Tapes From Africa, Sahel Sounds and Sublime Frequencies.

Food (Iain Ballamy, Arve Henriksen, Mats Eilertsen, Thomas Stronen) - Food (1999)

Posted By: Designol
Food (Iain Ballamy, Arve Henriksen, Mats Eilertsen, Thomas Stronen) - Food (1999)

Food (Iain Ballamy, Arve Henriksen, Mats Eilertsen, Thomas Strønen) - Food (1999)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 260 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 123 Mb | Scans ~ 118 Mb
Contemporary Jazz, Free Improvisation, Avant-Garde | Label: Feral | # ASFA 101 | 00:51:23

There have been countless attempts to counteract the inherently boring nature of the CD as an artefact and the approach adopted by Feral shapes up better than some on the strength of this first release, which takes some excellent music by saxophonist Iain Ballamy (in the company of three young Norwegian musicians) and packages it with a set of intriguing print artworks by Dave McKean in an elegant library case. On the other hand, we may now be so accustomed to the blandness of the format that any attempt to escape it seems like a distraction. While debating this, it's important not to forget to play the disc, which is quite remarkable and a far cry from Ballamy's formative years in the sprawling bloke-jazz outfit Loose Tubes. Recorded live at the Molde Jazz Festival in 1998, it's astounding that this music seems to date from the very beginning of Ballamy's association with these musicians, given their obvious level of empathy.

Milt Hinton - Old Man Time (1990) 2CDs

Posted By: Designol
Milt Hinton - Old Man Time (1990) 2CDs

Milt Hinton - Old Man Time (1990) 2CDs
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 734 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 342 Mb | Scans ~ 53 Mb
Classic Jazz, Swing | Label: Chiaroscuro | # CR(D) 310 | Time: 02:29:40

This double-CD set gave bassist Milt Hinton an opportunity to engage in reunions with many of his old friends from the 1930s. The seven sessions were compiled during a 12-month period and the results are often delightful. The opening "Old Man Time" is sung by Hinton himself, and it is both insightful and humorous. The other highlights include Joe Williams singing "Four or Five Times" (which features some very rare Flip Phillips clarinet), three bass guitar duets with Danny Barker, appearances by Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Al Grey, Ralph Sutton, and the formation of a group called "The Survivors" that has guitarist Al Casey at age 75 being the youngest member; the latter band also includes 85-year-old trumpeter Doc Cheatham, Eddie Barefield, Buddy Tate and even Cab Calloway. A lot of storytelling takes place during the songs and, in addition to the 92½ minutes of music, there are two "Jazzspeaks." The 13-minute one features Hinton, Calloway, Cheatham and Barefield reminiscing about their experiences in the early days, while a marvelous 45-minute monologue by the bassist covers most of his long and productive life and is consistently fascinating. Highly recommended.

James Cotton - The Best Of The Verve Years (1995)

Posted By: Designol
James Cotton - The Best Of The Verve Years (1995)

James Cotton - The Best Of The Verve Years (1995)
XLD | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 497 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 213 Mb | Scans included
Genre: Blues | Label: Verve/PolyGram | # 314 527 371-2 | Time: 01:16:21

Taken from the high-energy harpist's first three albums for Verve following his split from Muddy Waters (including the entirety of his fine eponymous 1967 debut), this 20-track anthology is a fine spot to begin any serious Cotton collection. In those days, Cotton was into soul as well as blues – witness his raucous versions of "Knock on Wood" and "Turn on Your Lovelight," backed by a large horn complement. Compiler Dick Shurman has chose judiciously from his uneven pair of Verve follow-ups, making for a very consistent compilation.

Geoffrey Downes - Evolution (1994) {Japan 1st Press}

Posted By: popsakov
Geoffrey Downes - Evolution (1994) {Japan 1st Press}

Geoffrey Downes - Evolution (1994) {Japan 1st Press}
EAC Rip | FLAC (Img) + Cue + Log ~ 324 Mb | MP3 CBR320 ~ 131 Mb
Full Scans | 00:51:23 | RAR 5% Recovery
Soft Rock, Synth-Pop | Jimco Records #JICK-89486

Solo album of instrumental covers by the former member of The Buggles, Asia & Yes. Geoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock songwriter, record producer, keyboardist, icon. Downes created The Buggles with Trevor Horn in 1977. After three years of songwriting and recording process, their first album, The Age of Plastic, was released in 1980. Now recognized as a highly influent album and a landmark of the electropop era, it also spawned the single "Video Killed the Radio Star", that was No. 1 on the singles charts of sixteen countries. The same year, both Horn and Downes joined Yes and recorded the album Drama as a part of the band. The following year however, Yes disbanded.

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing..... (20th Anniversary Endtrospective Edition) (1996/2016)

Posted By: Rtax
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing..... (20th Anniversary Endtrospective Edition) (1996/2016)

DJ Shadow - Endtroducing….. (20th Anniversary Endtrospective Edition) (1996/2016)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks, cue, log) - 963 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 380 MB
2:46:00 | Electronic, Abstract, Trip Hop | Label: UMC

2016 has been a stellar year for experimental hip hop luminary DJ Shadow, aka Josh Davis, with the release of his critically acclaimed studio album The Mountain Will Fall – his first release in five years – drawing praise from all corners, from the Guardian who called the record “impressive in its inventiveness” to MOJO who claimed “Shadow is back in the frame” and AV Club who hailed it as “DJ Shadow’s best work since his early-aughts heyday”. For many, it is Shadow’s 1996 debut album Endtroducing that they keep returning to, widely regarded as a groundbreaking release that paved the way for experimental hip hop and changed the shape of electronic music from that point on. Upon its release The Guardian gave it a 5* review and called it “One of the most daring and original albums of recent times”, continuing, “This is genius”, while Spin wrote that the album ""practically folds you into its symphonic fantasia, the coming-of-age story of a 24-year-old bunk-bed dreamer."" Almost a decade later Pitchfork awarded Endtroducing a perfect 10 in their review of the 2005 Deluxe Edition, calling the record “deeply spiritual.”

Geoffrey Downes & New Dance Orchestra - Vox Humana (1992) {Japan 1st Press}

Posted By: popsakov
Geoffrey Downes & New Dance Orchestra - Vox Humana (1992) {Japan 1st Press}

Geoffrey Downes & New Dance Orchestra - Vox Humana (1992) {Japan 1st Press}
EAC Rip | FLAC (Img) + Cue + Log ~ 327 Mb | MP3 CBR320 ~ 133 Mb
Full Scans | 00:51:04 | RAR 5% Recovery
Art Rock, Soft Rock, Shynt-Pop | Jimco Records #JICK-89127

After the end of Yes, Downes and Horn resumed working on a second Buggles album, Adventures in Modern Recording, released in 1981. The same year, Downes founded Asia with fellow former Yes member Steve Howe, former King Crimson member John Wetton, and former Emerson, Lake & Palmer drummer Carl Palmer. The weak commercial performance of Adventures in Modern Recording, associated with Downes being busy with Asia and Horn wanting to be focusing on being a record producer, led to the disbanding of The Buggles. Yes subsequently reformed in 1983, without them, but with Horn producing.