Rory Block Blues Walkin' Like A Man A Tribute To Son House (2008)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. What a fantastic way for artists from many genres to honor a man who has nurtured great music his entire life, Jeff Lynne. Lynne Me Your Ears contains many familiar ELO and Jeff Lynne classic tunes, some done very much like the originals, but others are done with new style, in a new vision and yet with love and respect for the original.
Given Lynne's love of melody, it's no surprise that the compilation is top-loaded with some of the best power pop acts of the '90s and 2000s (the Shazam, Michael Carpenter, Sparkle*Jets U.K.)…

An Anthology - The Elektra Years is a double-disc, 33-song set that offers a comprehensive overview of Paul Butterfield's eight years with the label. His first two albums, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and East-West, were seminal, groundbreaking records that blurred the boundaries between blues, jazz and rock, suggesting everything from blues-rock to psychedelia. They were stunning achievements which proved difficult to match, but Butterfield's remaining albums for the label all had a few good cuts. An Anthology does a nice job of rounding up those highlights, picking the best moments from uneven records; consequently, it's quite a valuable package for listeners who simply want a sampling from those later albums instead of purchasing them individually. Butterfield's first two albums remain necessary listens in their own right, but this set offers an excellent summary of his entire stint with Elektra.

Not just a great tribute, but one of the best blues releases in years. England's premier blues band, The Hoax, follow up last year's fantastic album, "Big City Blues" with this great 'tribute' to B.B. King. The twin guitars of Jesse Davey and Jon Amor are absolutely on fire throughout the entire set, singer Hugh Coltman's voice has never sounded better, and the rhythm section of Robin Davey on bass & Mark Barrett on drums are rock solid. Complemented by a smokin' horn section and keyboards for this recording, the band really gives the listener the impression that they all really love these songs, and their idol that they pay tribute to with each and every note played. Not only one of the best 'tribute' albums I have ever heard, but one of the finest blues albums I have had the pleasure of listening to in years.

This 15-track CD is a tribute to those days when the Big Apple proved to be a genuine crucible for a whole host of remarkable talents. From Joan Baez to Allen Ginsberg, from John Lee Hooker (with whom Dylan shared a bill in 61) to The Foc’sle Singers (featuring Bob's pals Dave Van Ronk and Paul Clayton), welcome to your soundtrack to this month's issue. Welcome to Dylan's Scene.

Various Artists - The Rough Guide To Unsung Heroes Of Country Blues (2015) {World Music Network RGNET1334CD rec 1926-35}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 200 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 172 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 10 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1926-35, 2015 World Music Network / Music Rough Guides | RGNET1334CD
Blues / Country Blues / Pre-War Blues / Early American Blues

On this excellent release from the World Music Network's ever-reliable Rough Guide series, a host of unknown early blues artists get their due. While Robert Johnson, Son House, and a handful of other greats from the 1920s and '30s have become widely recognized icons of the pre-war blues era, so many lesser-known, though no less talented, players have slipped through the cracks. Opening with Henry Thomas' spirited "Fishing Blues" (complete with a pan flute solo), The Rough Guide to Unsung Heroes of Country Blues winds its way through a series of wonderful and obscure country-blues gems.

An Anthology - The Elektra Years is a double-disc, 33-song set that offers a comprehensive overview of Paul Butterfield's eight years with the label. His first two albums, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and East-West, were seminal, groundbreaking records that blurred the boundaries between blues, jazz and rock, suggesting everything from blues-rock to psychedelia. They were stunning achievements which proved difficult to match, but Butterfield's remaining albums for the label all had a few good cuts. An Anthology does a nice job of rounding up those highlights, picking the best moments from uneven records; consequently, it's quite a valuable package for listeners who simply want a sampling from those later albums instead of purchasing them individually. Butterfield's first two albums remain necessary listens in their own right, but this set offers an excellent summary of his entire stint with Elektra.