Dusty Pieces

Noted for his original compositions and arrangements as well as for his cover versions, Maxence Cyrin is now back with Aurora, an album which sees the French artist’s touching piano melodies augmented with strings and subtle electronic tonalities.Aurora, a new album dedicated to Cyrin’s own compositions, brings together a series of 16 pieces performed on the piano (two grand pianos, a Steinway and a Fazioli), which are joined by a string trio as well as various more understated devices, sounds and electronic effects.

Rosanne Philippens is considered one of the most promising violin talents in the Netherlands. Her open and communicative style of performance won her first prizes at competitions including the Dutch National Violin Competition in 2009 and the Freiburg International Violin Competition in 2014. This release from Channel Classics focuses on Polish and Russian works inspired by myths and legends. Philippens is joined by pianist Julien Quentin as well as the Nationaal Jeugd Orkest led by Xian Zhang in performances of Szymanowski's Mythes and Violin Concerto and Stravinsky's Chanson Russe and L'Oiseau de Feu.

Patrick McDermott began his North Americans project with two albums: 2013’s No_No, and 2015’s Legends. Both records were dense affairs, with blocks of sound shifting and moving like melting glaciers to create a gorgeous, impenetrable, collection of digital drones. Though they sounded nothing like what would come a bit later, both records showcased McDermott’s understanding of mood and composition.

'Contraband' marks the debut LP for what basically amounts to Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) fronting Guns N Roses (including Duff McKagan and Slash).

Like its predecessor, 'Tell Him, Popcorn Brit Girls 1960-62' (JASCD861), this 68-track, 2-CD set takes a look at the UK's favourite female singers in the pre-Beatles era.
It once again features 'usual suspects' like Helen Shapiro, Susan Maughan, Julie Grant, Carol Deene, The Vernons Girls (who sing the title track), Maureen Evans, Kathy Kirby, Anita Harris, Jackie Trent, Lynn Cornell, Glenda Collins, etc., not forgetting Dusty, when she was a Springfield. Juxtaposed against newcomers like Grazina, Candy Sparling, Simone Jackson, Christine Quaite, Susan Singer, Patsy Ann Noble, Patti Lynn, Suzy Cope, Jackie Frisco, Cherry Roland, Jan & Kelly, etc. Also, members of the established 'old guard', Alma Cogan, The Beverley Sisters, Petula Clark, Marion Ryan, Lita Roza, Cleo Laine, Jackie Lee, Ruby Murray, Pat Reader, Lorne Lesley, Ottilie Patterson, etc. This is another superb collection of hits and collectors' rarities, many of the latter appearing here for the first time on CD.

Floral Embroidery reawakens the age-old practice of embroidery, giving to it a new and modern twist. In this book, you will find 10 embroidery patterns that weave together stunning colours, ancient stitches, and florals picked from your grandmother’s garden. From simple patterns, to more complex and intricate pieces, your creativity will grow and flourish.

First released in 2004 as a private CD-R run then later re-released formally in 2006, the softly spooked-out acid folk of The Pirate's Gospel is a captivating debut from Alela Diane, whose enthusiasm and ability for a then-extremely-fresh learner on guitar is quite something. Recorded by her father, who also helps perform on many tracks along with other friends and family members, the disc showcases Alela Diane's knack for gentle, immediate melodies and her fine voice, possessed of a hint of twang that suggests a combination of Dusty Springfield and Kristin Hersh, with a rich maturity beyond her years. The high and lonesome catch on songs like "Foreign Tongue" and "Clickity Clack" is quite something, while the interplay of vocals and guitar on the latter is particularly beautiful. Like her contemporary Larkin Grimm, she brings older forms of music to life with vivid performances, sometimes striking imagery, and a love for surprising little touches, such as the line "And a choir of little children sing along" from "Pieces of String," which is, indeed, sung by two young kids. The title track may just be the standout among them all with its low, moody backing vocals and an appropriate hint of sea shanty atmosphere in the chorus, while guest banjo from Matt Gottschalk adds a further tinge of mysteriousness. It's important to note that the 2006 version of the album differs greatly from the private release — the sequencing is somewhat altered, while a number of tracks are dropped, and a separate one, "Can You Blame the Sky?," is added. Both versions of the album are excellent but the earlier CD-R release is worth seeking out if one enjoys the later edition, especially for such fine songs as "Gypsy Eyes" and "Heavy Walls." - Review by Ned Raggett

A great collaboration of Vangelis and his muse, the greek actress and operatic singer Irene Papas. The compositions included are adaptions of traditional greek songs by Vangelis. This folk music is rather austere but quite evocative and uses mostly those typically Mediterranean modal harmonies. The vocals, in Greek, become an important instrument of Vangelis' sound design. The atmospheres are strong and the soundscapes are dramatic and dynamic. Enjoy an inspired album.