Slaughter – Stick it to ya [1990; 2003 Remaster Inc. 4 Bonus Tracks]

Face To Face - Don't Turn Away (1992) {2016 Remaster with 2 Bonus Tracks Fat Wreck Chords FAT 963-2}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 342 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 99 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 51 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1992, 2016 Fat Wreck Chords | FAT 963-2
Rock / Punk Rock / Alternative Rock / Punk Revival / New Wave / Skatepunk / Punk Pop

Considered by many fans to be a classic, this debut on Fat Wreck Chords (originally released on Doctor Strange, with only a few thousand copies shipped before the company went out of business) qualifies as a '90s punk must-have. The first (and by far the rawest) of three Face to Face recordings to include alt-rock radio mega-hit "Disconnected," this 13-track disc reveals a band on the brink of punk stardom. Don't Turn Away features original members Matt Riddle on bass, Rob Kurth on drums, and singer/guitarist Trevor Keith – the one constant in what would become an ever-shifting lineup.

Malia - Yellow Daffodils (2003) {Epic 503369/5 - bonus tracks}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 435 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 138 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 85 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2003 Epic / Rêve Orange / Sony Music | 503369/5
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Neo Soul / Soul Jazz / Jazz Pop

Malia's vocal style is one that's powerful, jazzy, classy, and daring from a musical perspective. The different tracks on the album showcase her willingness to experiment with big-band, jazz, hip-hop, soul, and international sounds. A couple of tracks that stand out are the up-beat "Lifting you high," her sensual and seductive "India Song," and her rendition of "solitude." It is quite a shame that this artist will (probably) never see her album being released in the uS, as her style doesn't "fit" the mold of the American urban and R&B stations. It is too classy to be noticed by fans of simple stuff like Ashanti or Mariah Carey.

First and foremost, punters should be aware: Heritage of the Blues: Ridin' High Live is not a new live album by California bluesman Joe Louis Walker. This is a single-disc compilation from the two Live at Slim's dates in November of 1990 that were previously issued on Hightone. These sides have been remastered, and three unreleased tracks have been thrown in to the mix: "Alligator," "Prove Your Love," and "Personal Baby." That said, this is a very tight, completely rollicking set that showcases Walker at a turning point in his career when he was just becoming known on a national scale. His playing is fiery, raw, and stinging. His singing is full of emotion and good-natured blues grace, and his band kicks ass. The three new tracks do beg the question as to why they were left off the initial two albums, and revisiting "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing" with Texas blues and R&B goddess Angela Strehli still sends chills down the spine…

Trumpeter Donald Byrd's second jazz album during his comeback after years of playing R&B/funk and then totally neglecting his horn finds him starting to regain his former form. The strong supporting cast (altoist Kenny Garrett, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Donald Brown, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Al Foster) sometimes overshadows the leader on this CD but the music overall (modern hard bop) is rewarding. The sextet performs originals by Byrd, Henderson, Donald Brown, Bobby Hutcherson, James Williams and Duke Ellington ("I Got It Bad").

Robbie Nevil first came to prominence in the late '70s and early '80s as a songwriter. He wrote hits songs for such acts as: El DeBarge, Earth Wind & Fire, Al Jarreau, Kool & the Gang, and the Pointer Sisters. In the mid-'80s Capitol was focusing on launching a new pop label, Manhattan, and after an audition, Nevil was the label's first signing. He released two albums for the Manhattan label in 1986 and 1988, then another for EMI in 1991 before abandoning singing and returning to a songwriting and production career. Wot's It to Ya compiles the best songs of Nevil's singing career from his three albums including his three Top 20 hit singles, "C'est la Vie," "Dominoes," and the title track, "Wot's It to Ya." Practically forgotten in the glut of mid-'80s pop music, this is the first and only compilation of Robbie Nevil's musical legacy.