Northern Soul's Modern Monsters

Listeners have come to expect a lot from Secret Chiefs 3. For Book of Souls, second in the band’s mega-trilogy (first being Book of Horizons, 2004), they demand nothing less than a vertigo-inducing follow-up. True to expectation, Book of Souls: Folio A is a full-length album densely packed with musical skyscrapers. Over a decade in the making, it’s Secret Chiefs 3’s most elaborate work yet. Following the seven-band schemata laid out in Book of Horizons, Book of Souls thoroughly establishes the depth of Secret Chiefs 3’s journey into lost musical possibilities. With productions based in studios in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, the UK and France over the last eleven years, the band’s leader Trey Spruance enlisted a small army of musicians - or actually not so small, since the orchestral tasks demanded by the music seem to be so unlimited…

The third album from the Downes Braide Association, which is Geoff Downes (Asia/Yes) and singer/songwriter Chris Braide, who has worked with a whole host of artists including Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Marc Almond, who appears on this album…

There are two types of thrash metal – there’s the serious stuff and then there’s the fun stuff and Scottish thrashers Thrashist Regime, just by the name alone are clearly the fun type. Their second album “Carnival Of Monsters” is truly like a circus act full of twists and turns and all contained within a tongue in cheek element of good old fashioned thrash metal…

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls - Propaganda (1999) {Naim Audio naimcd036}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 359 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 146 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1999 Naim Audio | naimcd036
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Neo-Bop / Post Bop / Modern Creative

The Rebel Souls second CD shows them quite adept at many styles of instrumental music, including neo-bop, high life, stealth grooves, and even ska. Drummer Sirota leads this Chicago based quintet plus guests through eight original compositions that are played with a spirit and competence that goes beyond their name recognition. The CD kicks off with the jumpin' ska grooves of "Geronimo's Free" with the band augmented by bass trumpeter Ryan Schultz. There's hard swinging selections like "Ten" on a level rivaling Scofield-Brecker-Metheny-Lovano in sound and stance, and the scorching finale "Hemiola."

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls - Vs. the Forces of Evil (2000) {Naim Audio naimcd051}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 325 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 125 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 18 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2000 Naim Audio | naimcd051
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Neo-Bop / Post Bop / Modern Creative

Chicago drummer, bandleader, and composer Ted Sirota has one of the hottest bands around right now with his Rebel Souls. This 2000 date, issued on the British Naim label, is a wonderful precursor to 2004's Breeding Resistance. For starters, this is the first place that Sirota's right-hand man, saxophonist and composer Geof Bradfield, makes an appearance along with fellow reedman Kevin Kizer. Also on hand are Rob Mazurek, guitarist Jeff Parker, and bassist Noel Kupersmith, who have since moved on and have been replaced. But Vs. the Forces of Evil showcases the mature Rebel Souls ensemble sound.

The Progressive Souls Collective and the debut album, Sonic Birth, is the brainchild of German guitarist Florian Zepf. It's an ambitious and massive recording of modern progressive metal…