Sparkling Gold

Though many remember only their 1967 hit, "Happy Together," the Turtles were one of the more enjoyable American pop groups of the '60s, moving from folk-rock inspired by the Byrds to a sparkling fusion of Zombies-inspired chamber pop and straight-ahead, good-time pop reminiscent of the Lovin' Spoonful, the whole infused with beautiful vocal harmonies courtesy of dual frontmen Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. Though they hit number one in 1967 with the infectious "Happy Together," the Turtles scored only three more Top Ten hits and broke up by the end of the '60s.

Oumou Sangare first caught America's ear when she joined the popular Africa Fete tour in 1995. A celebrated singer in Mali since her childhood, and an outspoken proponent of social justice for African men and women, Sangare rocks the Wassoulou sound, characterized by gently rollicking acoustic instrumentation, an insistent rhythm, a vaguely Arabic feel, and down-to-earth lyrics about the concerns of the common person. This two-disc set offers a retrospective of her work since 1990 along with eight new and unreleased recordings. The older material has been remastered to sparkling clarity.

Much can be said about the late Amy Winehouse, one of the U.K.'s flagship vocalists during the 2000s. The British press and tabloids seemed to focus on her rowdy behavior, heavy consumption of alcohol, and tragic end, but fans and critics alike embraced her rugged charm, brash sense of humor, and distinctively soulful and jazzy vocals. Her platinum-selling breakthrough album, Frank (2003), elicited comparisons ranging from Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan to Macy Gray and Lauryn Hill. Interestingly enough, despite her strong accent and vernacular, one can often hear aspects of each of those singers' vocal repertoires in Winehouse's own voice. Nonetheless, her allure had always been her songwriting – almost always deeply personal but best known for its profanity and brutal candor.

If there’s one thing both an elf and a dwarf could agree on, it’s that a little aesthetic brilliance goes a long way. This is why we’re so thrilled to share that Mondo, in partnership with Amazon Studios and Sparks and Shadows, is releasing a gorgeous limited-edition version of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘s season one soundtrack. This 10 CD set is an expansion of Mondo’s previous two CD-version of the soundtrack. While the original soundtrack is also gorgeous, this new collector’s edition takes the epic sounds of The Rings of Power to a whole new level./quote]

Friedrich Hartmann Graf - Six Flute Quartets
Konrad Hünteler, flute / Members of the Festetics Quartet
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 324 MB | Full Artwork: 94 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: MDG "Gold" # 311 0520-2 | Country/Year: Germany 1994
Genre: Classical | Style: Classical Period, Quartet, Flute

“Hünteler’s disc is a gem. The tone of Hünteler’s flute is luscious, the passagework sparkling and limpid, the shaping of the phrases intimate and expressive, and the sounds of the strings blend beautifully … Highly recommended.“ (Fanfare)