Thunder Out of China

Phil Collins - Face Value (1981). Phil Collins' first solo album, 1981's Face Value, was a long time coming, but it proved worth the wait, both for the Genesis drummer/vocalist himself and fans of thoughtful, emotionally charged pop. He'd been wrestling with the idea of doing a solo record for years, finding great inspiration in the pain caused by an impending divorce and craving artistic independence after years of collaboration. Many of the songs ended up on Genesis' 1980 album Duke - and "Against All Odds" was pocketed for later use - but he kept enough to make an album that stands as a classic moment of '80s pop/rock. Collins produced the album himself and played keyboards and drums, calling in friends and the Earth, Wind & Fire horns to fill out the songs…

Virgin Killer (1976). Virgin Killer is the first of four studio releases that really defined the Scorpions and their highly influential urgent metallic sound. It was released in 1976 and was the first album of the band to attract attention outside Europe. The album was a step in the band's shift from psychedelic music to hard rock. For the first time in the band's career the line-up stayed the same with Klaus Meine on vocals, Uli Jon Roth on lead guitar, Rudolf Schenker on rhythm guitar, Francis Buchholz on bass, and Rudy Lenners on drums. The nine tracks were laid down with Dieter Dierks producing. The band is in top form and churns out some melodic yet blistering heavy rock. Virgin Killer is full of heavy songs and exceptionally, fast, innovative guitar leads by Uli Jon Roth. These songs are infectious and Uli's guitar solo on the Jimi Hendrix inspired "Polar Nights" exhibits the thunder-heavy riffs and grooves that make it a classic…

As it goes all great things come to an end. But, we have the ability to hold forever the sounds of the past. This is the best of the best of ACCEPT…

Accept is a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, formed in 1976 by guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and former members Udo Dirkschneider (vocals) and Peter Baltes (bass). Their beginnings can be traced back to the late 1960s, when the band got its start under the name Band X. Accept's lineup has changed over the years, which has included different singers, guitarists, bassists and drummers…

Jon Anderson's first project following his departure from Yes was to reunite with the equally airy Vangelis for a collaborative effort as Jon and Vangelis. Short Stories actually marks their second collaboration – the first took place on Vangelis' 1975 album, Heaven and Hell, with the track "So Long Ago, So Clear." The pair returns to that song's successful formula of combining Anderson's otherworldly voice with Vangelis' pithy melodies in a few spots on their debut together, notably for the popular single "I Hear You Now" (which recalls Vangelis' "To the Unknown Man") and the middle section of "Far Away in Bagaad." Otherwise, Short Stories favors amorphous arrangements that feature wisps of melody and little more (a style that has its precedent on Yes' Tormato rather than their own solo work to date).

Jon Jang & The Pan-Asian Arkestra - Tiananmen! (1993) {Soul Note 121223-2}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 289 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 128 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 27 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1993 Soul Note | 121223-2
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Experimental Big Band / World Fusion / Piano

After the Tianenmen Square slaughter in China, pianist Jon Jang wrote the five-part "Tianenmen" to depict the hopes and dreams of the demonstrators, along with the sad reality. This CD has the full work, plus "Butterfly Lovers Song." Jang's adventurous music, which looks both back to the ancient past and toward the future, is expertly interpreted by his unusual group, which includes two musicians utilizing traditional Chinese instruments, flutist James Newton, three reeds, a trumpeter, a trombonist, bassist Mark Izu, percussionist Anthony Brown, and Jang's piano. Emotional and haunting music.