Remaster 1994

This title was initially issued in 1976 as a two-LP compilation of the Canterbury progressive rockers' output between the years 1970 and 1974. Additionally, as a "value for money" enticement for those who had already purchased Caravan's back catalog, the set also included a previously vaulted live version of "For Richard" taken from the band's U.S. tour warmup gig on September 1, 1974, at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon, U.K. Fast-forward nearly two decades to the advent and subsequent proliferation of the extended and sonically superior compact disc medium. In those early days, the band was haphazardly represented by only a few difficult-to-locate and sonically disappointing European best-of titles that not only poorly characterized the band's work, but in a few cases were actually mastered from vinyl…

Face To Face - Big Choice (1994) {2016 Remaster with 2 Bonus Tracks Fat Wreck Chords FAT 971-2}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 369 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 109 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 65 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1994, 2016 Antagonist Records / Fat Wreck Chords | FAT 971-2
Rock / Punk Rock / Alternative Rock / Punk Revival / New Wave / Skatepunk / Punk Pop

The success of the hit single "Disconnected" on Los Angeles radio station KROQ catapulted Face to Face to a new level of popularity, causing their 1995 release, Big Choice, to sell more than 100,000 copies – a first for the southern California punk band. "Disconnected" had appeared on their previous album Over It, but the band redid it for Big Choice, making it a bit heavier and adding a somewhat humorous exchange with a "record producer" about whether to include the song on the album because they didn't want to be labeled sell-outs. The conversation ends with the band declaring "there's no way in hell this song is going on this record" and then launching right into "Disconnected."

When Stone Temple Pilots returned to the studio in 1994 to record the band's second album, the quartet was facing the high expectations set by its debut Core (1992), which sold more than eight million copies and earned a Grammy® Award. The release of Purple on June 7, 1994 would cement their place as one of the definitive bands of their generation as the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard album chart on its way to selling more than six million copies.

Thelonious Sphere Monk - Monk's Blues (1968) {Columbia CK53581 rel 1994}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 363 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 134 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 38 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1968, 1994 Columbia / Legacy / Sony Music | CK 53581
Jazz / Bop / Post Bebop / Modal Jazz / Piano

Thelonious Monk meets the mighty Oliver Nelson – the hip bigger band arranger who was helping so many other artists find their groove back in the 60s! The result is less Nelson-led than some of Oliver's other albums of the time – and instead, the arranger is nicely respectful of Monk's core sound – and still manages to led Thelonious keep the frontline strong on piano, and work with familiar players are the core who include Charlie Rouse on tenor, Larry Gales on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. Nelson's touch seeks mostly to augment the Monkish lines with some larger horn shadings – sometimes a bit upbeat, but never more swinging than Monk might want. There's enough of a blue tone here to keep this one nicely in line with the rest of the 60s Columbia catalog for Thelonious – and titles include "Monk's Point", "Consecutive Seconds", "Let's Cool One", and "Rootie Tootie". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Blue Monk" and "Round Midnight".