Sound & Recording September 2020

Over six previous albums, Kentucky's Black Stone Cherry continued to prove that their hoary hybrid of Southern rock, grunge, post-metal, and hard rock remains vital. The Human Condition underscores their deserved reputation as the brotherhood of Southern swamp metal, but there is immense growth in their creative process. Previously, BSC's recording process always involved cutting basic tracks while playing live on the studio floor. Working in bassist Jon Lawhon's Monocle Studios, the band did a 180: For the first time ever, they meticulously multi-tracked every note and sound. The sonic detail is indeed expansive, but the group sacrificed none of their power or swagger.

For almost a decade, Agnes Obel has been one of the most independent and original artists in contemporary music. Now she has returns with her highly anticipated new album Myopia – through Deutsche Grammophon.

Prairie is the project of multi-instrumentalist and producer Marc Jacobs, hailing from Brussels with roots in The Netherlands. On stage, Prairie plays with two or three musicians and together they re-create a free association of musical ideas and atmo- spheres. Prairie has played in selected venues and festivals across Europe and for instance toured with Apparat. “And the Bird Said: Cut Me Open and Sing Me” is the second full length album on Denovali Records.

Robinsongs is so proud to be releasing the first Double CD Career Anthology of the R&B supergroup Con Funk Shun. Between January 1977 and October 1986, Con Funk Shun, a seven-piece group originating from Vallejo, a waterfront city in Northern California's Bay Area, racked up 25 R&B hits in their native USA, including the No. 1 R&B single, ‘Ffun’. They were renowned for serving up addictive slices of brassy, dance floor funk but also had a profoundly romantic side; excelling at slow, smooth, passionate ballads. The group was driven by the twin talents of vocalists and songwriters, Michael Cooper and Felton Pilate II, whose contrasting musical characteristics would come to define the group's distinctive sound and style.

To any rock music fan of the last 50 years, Steve Howe needs no introduction. Best known as the guitarist for progressive rock band Yes, he has enjoyed a prolific recording and performing career spanning five decades. In addition to his solo work, Steve has released more than 50 albums with bands such as Yes and Asia and guest appeared with the likes of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Lou Reed and Queen. Love Is is Howe’s 17th solo record, comprising ten songs: five with current Yes singer, Jon Davison, singing harmonies and playing bass guitar and five instrumental tracks rotating through the running order.

Limited 26 disc box set. Ultimate Boxed Set Edition of one of rock music's seminal debut albums. Blu-ray 4 features all-new, 2020, Dolby Atmos mix by Steven Wilson. Complete, fully mixed stereo recording sessions feature on Blu-ray, DVD and across six CDs. Blu-Rays also feature the original master edition of the 1969 album mix in 24/96 stereo, the 2019 stereo and 5.1 mixes, the 2009 stereo and 5.1 mixes, a complete alternate album comprising 2019 mixes and more…

Blind Ego is the "solo" side project of RPWL guitarist Karlheinz "Kalle" WALLNER. Wallner states that the Ego part of the name is derived from his desire to make music from a very personal space. He says that Blind comes from his total commitment to this solo work…