Black Angel 2002

For the first time since a clutch of incomplete demos and outtakes were unearthed from Marc Bolan's mid-'60s vault in 1972, and sent into the world as the (hastily withdrawn) Hard on Love album, the compilers haven't simply recycled the 20 solo and T. Rex cuts that made up the original track listing, they have also scoured both private and record company collections for a full picture of every track Bolan recorded during 1966-1967 and, for the first time, brought his early years into the same vivid focus as his later career. The 20 songs that comprised the original Hard on Love/Beginning of Doves album, plus the "Perfumed Garden" bonus track appended to Retroactive's 1998 remastering, are now joined by a further 16 performances, including both alternate takes and previously unreleased songs.

For the first time since a clutch of incomplete demos and outtakes were unearthed from Marc Bolan's mid-'60s vault in 1972, and sent into the world as the (hastily withdrawn) Hard on Love album, the compilers haven't simply recycled the 20 solo and T. Rex cuts that made up the original track listing, they have also scoured both private and record company collections for a full picture of every track Bolan recorded during 1966-1967 and, for the first time, brought his early years into the same vivid focus as his later career. The 20 songs that comprised the original Hard on Love/Beginning of Doves album, plus the "Perfumed Garden" bonus track appended to Retroactive's 1998 remastering, are now joined by a further 16 performances, including both alternate takes and previously unreleased songs.

Warhorse's self-titled debut was a progressive rock-heavy rock meld that was even less humorless than that of Deep Purple, let alone Black Sabbath, the band that they got compared to most frequently. There's a bit of art rock in the Hammond organ, and an operatic earnestness to Ashley Holt's lead vocals. Titles like "Vulture Blood," "Burning," "Ritual," "Solitude," and "Woman of the Devil" are indicative of the group's desire to set a menacing mood, although the songs don't really forcefully hit the mark for which they were probably targeted. A cover of an Easybeats song ("St. Louis"), of all things, is the only non-original. Angel Air's CD reissue adds bonus live versions of four of the album's songs, as well as a demo, "Miss Jane," of a tune that didn't appear on the original LP.

A gifted vocalist whose instrument is both strong and sensual, British jazz singer Malia was born into a family of mixed African and English heritage in the small East African country of Malawi, which borders Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Malia had limited exposure to music growing up - her neighborhood could only tune in two radio stations (one in the native language of Chewa; the other in English), and her father's record collection was dominated by the Beatles. That changed when political unrest forced her family to flee Malawi and relocate to London when Malia was 14 years old. She took great interest in the rich musical landscape that surrounded her, immersing herself in the dance-oriented new wave sounds dominating the English music scene. The music of Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday soon attracted her and transformed her worldview, as she was introduced to influential Black artists for the first time…

A gifted vocalist whose instrument is both strong and sensual, British jazz singer Malia was born into a family of mixed African and English heritage in the small East African country of Malawi, which borders Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Malia had limited exposure to music growing up - her neighborhood could only tune in two radio stations (one in the native language of Chewa; the other in English), and her father's record collection was dominated by the Beatles. That changed when political unrest forced her family to flee Malawi and relocate to London when Malia was 14 years old. She took great interest in the rich musical landscape that surrounded her, immersing herself in the dance-oriented new wave sounds dominating the English music scene. The music of Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday soon attracted her and transformed her worldview, as she was introduced to influential Black artists for the first time…

A gifted vocalist whose instrument is both strong and sensual, British jazz singer Malia was born into a family of mixed African and English heritage in the small East African country of Malawi, which borders Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Malia had limited exposure to music growing up - her neighborhood could only tune in two radio stations (one in the native language of Chewa; the other in English), and her father's record collection was dominated by the Beatles. That changed when political unrest forced her family to flee Malawi and relocate to London when Malia was 14 years old. She took great interest in the rich musical landscape that surrounded her, immersing herself in the dance-oriented new wave sounds dominating the English music scene. The music of Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday soon attracted her and transformed her worldview, as she was introduced to influential Black artists for the first time…

Over its first three albums (if you include the "remix" disc Disguised Masters), Arcturus established a pattern of radically changing its sound each time, a trend that continues with The Sham Mirrors, the band's third "official" studio album. The constant thread throughout all the group's work, and again here, comes from keyboardist/songwriter Steiner "Sverd" Johnsen, whose sinister, often carnival-esque harmonies and dramatic synth arrangements have a pretty clear stamp by now. Beyond that, though, comparisons to other Arcturus albums are difficult. For one thing, the drums and guitars are heavier and more forceful than ever before, and there is more of a traditional metal foundation on this album than on its predecessor, the bizarre, operatic La Masquerade Infernale…

A gifted vocalist whose instrument is both strong and sensual, British jazz singer Malia was born into a family of mixed African and English heritage in the small East African country of Malawi, which borders Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Malia had limited exposure to music growing up - her neighborhood could only tune in two radio stations (one in the native language of Chewa; the other in English), and her father's record collection was dominated by the Beatles. That changed when political unrest forced her family to flee Malawi and relocate to London when Malia was 14 years old. She took great interest in the rich musical landscape that surrounded her, immersing herself in the dance-oriented new wave sounds dominating the English music scene. The music of Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday soon attracted her and transformed her worldview, as she was introduced to influential Black artists for the first time…