There have been a number of Syd Barrett compilations but, remarkably, 2010’s An Introduction to Syd Barrett is the first to combine Pink Floyd material with his solo recordings, so it truly provides an introduction in a way no previous collection has. It’s possible to quibble that there are a few Floyd songs that should have made it here - mostly selections from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, including “Astronomy Domine” and “Lucifer Sam,” but this favors the non-LP early singles “Arnold Layne,” “See Emily Play,” and “Apples and Oranges,” which do point the way toward such solo cuts as “Octopus,” “Baby Lemonade,” “Terrapin,” “Gigolo Aunt,” and “Effervescing Elephant,” all present and accounted for here. Some may also quibble about inclusions of new mixes for “Here I Go," “Octopus,” “She Took a Long Cool Look,” “Dominoes,” and “Matilda Mother,” preferring the original mixes…

In the '70s, there was no shortage of posthumous Jimi Hendrix releases. Reprise and other labels knew that Hendrix's fans were an incredibly loyal and devoted bunch, and they knew that serious collectors would snag any Hendrix LP they could get their hands on. One of those posthumous releases was Crash Landing, which Reprise assembled in 1975. The LP's best-known tracks include "Message to Love" and "With the Power," both of which find Hendrix leading his Band of Gypsies power trio. Also enjoyable is a remake of the famous "Stone Free." But despite the presence of some gems, Crash Landing isn't essential - this record is strictly for collectors, and they are the ones who will want to hear such rarities as "Captain Coconut" (a psychedelic instrumental) and "Peace in Mississippi" (which is also instrumental and is the heaviest thing on the album)…

Standards, a couple of competent originals and ballads are the menu for guitarist Randy Johnston's second album. He has a fluid style, plays in the full-toned, relaxed, taut fashion of Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell, and has the versatility to handle blues, soul-jazz and interpretations of show tunes. The nine-song program includes lengthy reworkings of "Willow Weep For Me" and "You Are Too Beautiful," a good treatment of Junior Mance's "Jubilation" and Johnston's own "9 W Blues" and "One For Detroit." Finely tuned, expertly performed light jazz with a touch of funk, soul and blues.

Of all Robert Cray albums, over a career that has now spanned 20 years, this is the one I keep coming back to time and time again. I Was Warned is not one of Robert Cray's more critically acclaimed or commercially successful albums, yet for me it's a handsome, undemanding record that is full of great songs and superb playing. As a practitioner of the blues, Cray has been instrumental in it's re-emergence as a popular art-form in the 80's and 90's, however he has never considered himself to be a 'bluesman' - preferring to call his sound a blues/soul/rock hybrid. I Was Warned tends towards soul and rock. There is a definite feel-good factor to 'Just A Loser' and 'I'm A Good Man', both carry an irresistable groove and Cray clearly revels in his everyman tales of love and life. 'The Price I Pay' is a meditation on fading love, it is one of Cray's finest ballads - a side of his music that seems to get overlooked. 'On The Road Down' is blisteringly good also and showcases some fine guitar-work.

This Italian funky progressive/fusion album is absolutely charming and funny. The influences are so numerous that it is impossible to mention all of them. The miscellaneous keyboards and percussions are very nervous and complex; the keyboards can be also very floating and relaxing. There are rhythmic piano, moog solos a la Triumvirat, rhythmic organ, and the album has an obvious jazzy/funky influence a la Weather Report of the 70's. The very elaborated, precise and fast drums have a structured Phil Collins' or Bill bruford's style of the mid 70's. There are tons of miscellaneous Latin & African percussions. The bass is quite loud and elaborated. The album is fully instrumental.

Adelbert von Deyen is a relatively obscure electronic artist whose style is very similar to the famed Klaus Schulze, even down to the album covers! Rightfully so, he claims Schulze as his main influence. His career lasted from the late Seventies to the early to mid-Eighties. "Atmosphere", Adelbert von Deyen's third release, is the first album on which he starts to show his own musical style and direction rather than sounding like a clone of Klaus Schulze. The title track still has a strong Schulze influence but there are now unique touches and differences that distinguish this as Von Deyen's work. The result is a much more satisfying release than either "Sternzeit" or "Nordborg".
The two short opening tracks are reminiscent of Ashra. "Time Machine" is bouncy, fast paced electronic music while "Silverrain" is a gentler, melodic piece which reminds of some of the tracks on Ashra's "New Age of Earth"…

Jim Steinman (the melodramatic writer behind Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell) is the author of many of the tracks here, and they have his typical rock & roll Sturm und Drang, especially when the backup group consists of members of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Also on hand are The Blasters, Maria McKee, and Ry Cooder. The album's hit single turned out to be Dan Hartman's "I Can Dream about You".