This two-CD set collects most of Celine Dion's essential recordings from her pre-superstar years, when she was a very young French singer, popular in Canada and France. This set starts with the heavily synthesized Euro pop of the 1988 Eurovision contest winner "Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi," which was the song that introduced the singer to international audiences, and is something of a milestone in her career. Many of the songs on this set are fair, and differ from the processed teen pop of the late 1990s because of the ever-present sincerity in Dion's voice. Highlights include the elegant ballads "Tellement J'ai D'amour Pour Toi," "Benjamin," and "La Voix Du Bon Dieu"; the shimmering "Avec Toi" and "Du Soleil Au Coeur"; and the anthemic "C'est Pour Vivre."
From Prefab Sprout's early-'80s singles up through their often brilliant but much maligned album The Gunman and Other Stories in 2001, Paddy McAloon has written some of the finest pop tunes you're likely to hear in your lifetime. Comparisons have been made with Cole Porter, Lennon/McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Jimmy Webb, Elvis Costello, and many others, but he remains a truly original and gifted singer and songwriter. While Prefab Sprout could never be called prolific in terms of physical album releases, McAloon has continued to write and demo material throughout the band's 20-plus-year career.
The eponymous debut album from YouTube sensation and America's Got Talent quarterfinalist Lindsey Stirling – the colorful and uncommonly spirited classical, hip-hop, rock, country, modern dance, and Legend of Zelda/Elder Scrolls-loving violinist – features ten original tracks that dutifully reflect all of those aforementioned styles and influences with moxie to spare. Propelled by the engaging electronic and dubstep-infused single "Crystallize," which yielded 11 million views in less than two months when it was released in its video form in early 2012, Stirling's debut carves out a unique new niche in the classical crossover genre.
Guitar giant Robben Ford’s new album Bringing It Back Home is a stunning study in soul, style and virtuosity that cuts to the heart with its exceptional, emotion-laden musicianship. The disc also brings the five-time Grammy nominated stage and studio legend back to his earliest roots as a performer, playing blues.
Thin Lizzy guitarist and songwriter Scott Gorham spent years debating whether to record new studio material under the band's storied name. Ultimately, he decided not to out of respect for Phil Lynott's memory. Gorham, vocalist Ricky Warwick (the Almighty), drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (Alice Cooper, Megadeth), bassist Marco Mendoza (Ted Nugent, Whitesnake), and partner/guitarist Damon Johnson (Alice Cooper), are the Black Star Riders – named for an outlaw gang in the film Tombstone. All but the drummer have played in the re-formed Thin Lizzy, too. Their debut, All Hell Breaks Loose, features a classic hard rock attack, solid songwriting, and great production by Kevin Shirley.
One track longer than 2006's Sometime World: An MCA Travelogue and four deeper than 1993's Time Was: The Wishbone Ash Collection, 2013's Essential Collection makes up for what it lacks ("Phoenix," "Time Was") with affordability. Priced to move, it covers a lot of ground, offering up a slew of Wishbone Ash classics like "Blind Eye," Warrior," "Ballad of the Beacon," and "Persephone," and while it may lack a handful of notable tracks, there's enough here to satisfy both veterans and newbies alike.