Kosmo Sound

An ardent nationalist, Geirr Tveitt found inspiration in the folk melodies of the Hardanger fjord and promoted this little-known material in his songs and orchestral works. Tveitt's music is tinged with nostalgia and Norwegian brooding, communicated in a familiar neo-Romantic style that was considered reactionary by critics, but was easily accepted by audiences. The Piano Concerto No. 5, premiered by Tveitt in 1954, is in three movements. The piece is agreeably melodic with modal inflections, yet it has enough muscularity and harmonic bite in places to suggest the influence of Ravel and Prokofiev. Nils Mortensen executes the piano part with hard-edged brilliance, and the orchestral accompaniment is strong without overwhelming the soloist. The Variations on a Folksong from Hardanger is, loosely, a concerto for two pianos and orchestra. Less coherent than the Piano Concerto No. 5, the Variations tend to ramble, and Tveitt's self-indulgence and impulsiveness may have contributed to this piece's episodic construction. Mortensen and fellow pianist Sveinung Bjelland are a solid pair, always synchronized and audible above the orchestra. The Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ole Kristian Ruud, plays with sufficient vigor and color, though this moody music affords them few opportunities to shine. The sound is fairly soft in places, so volume adjustments may be necessary.

The Clash - London Calling (1979) {2004 Columbia 25th Anniversary Edition} [2CD+DVD]
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 869 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 317 Mb | Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 401 Mb
All Regions | PAL 4:3 | English (LinearPCM, 2 ch) | DVD5 -> 2.78 Gb | ~ 45m | ISO Image
Subs: English, Francais, Italiano, Deutsch, Espanol, Nederlands | 5% repair rar
© 2004 Columbia | 517928 3
Rock / Punk / New Wave

If punk rejected pop history, LONDON CALLING reclaimed it, albeit with a knowing perspective. The scope of this double set is breaktaking, encompassing reggae, rockabilly and the group's own furious mettle. Where such a combination might have proved over-ambitious, the Clash accomplish it with swaggering panache. Guy Stevens, who produced the group's first demos, returns to the helm to provide a confident, cohesive sound equal to the set's brilliant array of material. Boldly assertive and superbly focused, London Calling contains many of the quartet's finest songs and is, by extension, virtually faultless.

The Clash - London Calling (1979) {1986 CBS Remaster + 2004 Columbia 25th Anniversary Edition} [3CD+DVD]
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 1.29 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 474 Mb | Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 422 Mb
All Regions | PAL 4:3 | English (LinearPCM, 2 ch) | DVD5 -> 2.78 Gb | ~ 45m | ISO Image
Subs: English, Francais, Italiano, Deutsch, Espanol, Nederlands | 5% repair rar
© 1989, 2004 Columbia / Sony Music | 460114 2 / 517928 3
Rock / Punk / New Wave

Give 'Em Enough Rope, for all of its many attributes, was essentially a holding pattern for the Clash, but the double-album London Calling is a remarkable leap forward, incorporating the punk aesthetic into rock & roll mythology and roots music. Before, the Clash had experimented with reggae, but that was no preparation for the dizzying array of styles on London Calling. There's punk and reggae, but there's also rockabilly, ska, New Orleans R&B, pop, lounge jazz, and hard rock; and while the record isn't tied together by a specific theme, its eclecticism and anthemic punk function as a rallying call.