Blu Spec CD

In some ways UK represented both the last hurrah of progressive music's golden age, and the standard by which all other supergroups that followed would be judged. The impeccable technical precision, complex yet modern arrangements, and dynamic live performances made them an overnight legend whose reputation has far outlasted their brief existence. No other supergroup, progressive or otherwise, has had such an immediate and lasting impact. Recorded live September 11, 1978 at Paradise Theatre in Boston, this recording is finally available after long been only found as a bootleg. Two tracks with the original UK line-up, rather than the more familiar 2nd (Danger Money and later) UK line-up.

The original idea was for Art Garfunkel to record an album of songs written by Jimmy Webb. But when the leadoff single, "Crying in My Sleep," failed to make the charts, Columbia Records withdrew the album and induced Garfunkel to put together a cover of Sam Cooke's "(What A) Wonderful World" with Paul Simon and James Taylor harmonizing. The single and a revised version of the album then made the Top 40. But Watermark is still a Garfunkel-Sings-Webb album, except for one song. And the initial idea was a good one: Garfunkel handles Webb's wistful pop songs well, and he has made good choices from Webb's songbook, dating back to the '60s, though avoiding his big bits.

Fate for Breakfast is the fourth solo studio album by Art Garfunkel, released in March 1979 on Columbia Records. It was his first album to miss the U.S. Billboard Top 40 (charting at 67) and his first album containing no U.S. Top 40 singles. Yet the album garnered international success, reaching the top-ten in some European countries. The European release includes "Bright Eyes", which was featured in the film version of the novel Watership Down, and reached the number-one spot in the United Kingdom, becoming the biggest-selling single of 1979 there. The album was issued in six different sleeves, each with a different shot of Art Garfunkel at the breakfast table. David Sanborn covered "And I Know" entitled "Love Will Come Someday" for his 1982 album As We Speak. Also on the album is a cover of Cliff Richard's 1976 hit "Miss You Nights".

In August 1981, Garfunkel released his fifth solo album Scissors Cut (US No. 113, UK No. 51). This album included the Gallagher & Lyle hit "A Heart in New York" (US No. 61). The UK version contains the track "The Romance" rather than "Bright Eyes". The album was co-produced by Roy Halee, who also co-produced the Simon & Garfunkel albums, including Bridge over Troubled Water. Paul Simon makes a brief appearance on "In Cars" performing background vocals. Near the end of the song, Garfunkel sings lines from "Scarborough Fair" – an old English ballad covered by Simon and Garfunkel on the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme). The album is dedicated to his late partner, Laurie Bird, and includes a partial photograph of her on the rear cover.

Before I Forget is a 1982 album by Jon Lord, featuring a largely conventional eight-song line-up, no orchestra. The bulk of the songs are either mainstream rock tracks ("Hollywood Rock and Roll", "Chance on a Feeling") or, specifically on Side Two, a series of very English classical piano ballads sung by mother and daughter duo, Vicki Brown and Sam Brown (wife and daughter of entertainer Joe Brown) and vocalist Elmer Gantry. The album also features prolific session drummer (and National Youth Jazz Orchestra alumnus) Simon Phillips, Cozy Powell, Neil Murray, Simon Kirke, Boz Burrell and Mick Ralphs. Lord used synthesizers more than before, principally to retain an intimacy with the material and to create a jam atmosphere with old friends like Tony Ashton.

"Havana Candy" was Patti Austin's second solo album and was produced by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen. Stylistically, it's very similar to its predecessor and Patti's passionate and emotive vocals are truly magical and spellbinding on gorgeous ballads like "I Just Want To Know", "Little Baby" and "That's Enough For Me". While not commercially successful, "Havana Candy" is a Patti Austin classic which anyone who loves good music should not miss out on.

For some reason, the second Elf record, 1974's Carolina County Ball, was released under the title L.A./59 in the United States and Japan, while the more widely accepted title was used in the U.K. and Europe. The Ronnie James Dio-led outfit was becoming increasingly entwined with Deep Purple – Roger Glover was producing the band, they appeared on the Deep Purple-owned Purple record label in the U.K., and the group was working frequently with Ritchie Blackmore – and their music began taking on a more powerful, more complex, more Deep Purple-like sound because of it. The more or less straight-up boogie rock of the Elf debut was not entirely abandoned for this follow-up, but tracks like "Annie New Orleans" and "Carolina County Ball" have a depth that goes beyond the accomplishments of the group's previous, self-titled offering. Difficult to obtain, this long out-of-print release is a true find for fans of Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Ronnie James Dio's best solo efforts of the '80s.