Bright Memory V26.11.2020 Goldberg

To date ten years ago, Steve Lee, frontman of Swiss-based hard rock powerhouse Gotthard, lost his life in a terrible motorcycle accident on the Interstate 15 in Nevada, USA. It was a shock for rock fans and it was a deep cut for Gotthard. Steve Lee was an important contributor for the band and Gotthard’s successful cruise through the worlds of hard rocking music. Not having him around anymore put some question marks on the list. Luckily Gotthard decided to continue, having also found with Nic Maeder another excellent singer and frontman…

In honour of Arvo Pärt's 85th birthday on September 11, 2020. Arvo Pärt’s compositions were and are often inspired by external circumstances. Evidence of this can be seen in the selection of works for and with piano, which Onutė Gražinytė chose for her debut recording. The “Lamentate” was inspired by Anish Kapoor’s sculpture “Masyas”; in 1977 he dedicated the Variations for the healing of Arinushka” to his daughter; “Pari intervallo” was inspired by the ensemble “Hortus Musicus”, and the list goes on… “Für Alina” is of particular importance to the Lithuanian pianist as she knows the mother of the piece’s dedicatee. Onutė Gražinytė was astounded by the simple notation. “First you ask yourself: What is this?” Her playing reveals that she has understood. “Arvo Pärt has reached the core. It’s no coincidence that he dedicated many piano pieces to children and let a boy sing the “Our Father”.

Britain's Katie Melua returns to her intimate pop sound with 2020's artfully textured Album No. 8. The album is Melua's first proper studio follow-up to 2013s Ketevan and arrives four years after her majestic holiday collaboration with the Gori Women's Choir, In Winter. While a return to her original alternative pop style, Album No. 8 is nonetheless a creative departure from her past work. Produced by Leo Abrahams, it finds Melua in a deeply introspective mood, crafting lightly experimental songs that evince the influence of '70s Krautrock and more-contemporary indie rock influences. Most noticeable in this tonal shift is a change in Melua's vocals.