Sad Beauty

Formed in 1980, Watford band Sad Lovers & Giants carved a unique furrow through the 1980s independent music scene, creating music which was haunting, atmospheric, melodic and evocative and which somehow straddled post-punk, synth pop, psychedelia and indie.

Recently I stumbled over the simplest yet most profound message, somewhere I least expected it - in a children s story. It said: "have courage and be kind." In my opinion this is all it takes and sums it all up. "Basically it's all quite simple!" "Have courage": be open, don't be afraid of change or the new and the unknown, dare to go out there and do things, believe in yourself and be who you really are. "Be kind": always consider, listen, include and appreciate the people and the world around you, because in one way or another we are connected with everyone and everything.

Abou-Khalil's album "Songs For Sad Women" radiates with charming, elegiac beauty. Consisting of four players - on oud (Arab lute), on duduk (Armenian shawm), on serpent (a mysterious brass instrument from the Middle Ages) and drums -, the band's rather singular instrumental mixture makes for an extraordinary sound experience. This is so emotional music, heart-gripping, relaxed and haunting. The album's guest star is Gevorg Dabaghyan, one of the most famous players of the duduk, Armenia's traditional oboe and national symbol.

We are thankful to be here today celebrating the Grateful Dead's most lauded studio masterpiece with a 50th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION. Available on October 30th, the three-CD set will feature the original album with newly remastered audio, plus one of the most requested archival recordings in the Dead's vault - the unreleased concert recorded on February 18, 1971 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. On stage that night, the Dead debuted a whole new batch of songs, five in all: “Wharf Rat,” “Playing In The Band,” “Bertha,” “Greatest Story Ever Told” and “Loser.”