Alec Benjamin (un)commentary

Alec Benjamin - (Un)Commentary (2022)  Music

Posted by Fizzpop at April 14, 2022
Alec Benjamin - (Un)Commentary (2022)

Alec Benjamin - (Un)Commentary (2022)
WEB FLAC (Tracks) 221 MB | Cover | 34:18 | MP3 CBR 320 kbps | 80 MB
Pop, Singer-Songwriter | Label: Elektra (NEK)

Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Alec Benjamin has announced the release of his sophomore album (Un)Commentary out on April 15th via Elektra Records. The album will feature 13 tracks including the previously released "The Way You Felt," "Older," and "Shadow Of Mine," out now with the accompanying music video directed by Gus Black (Phoebe Bridgers, Sheryl Crow). The song is a moody and mesmerizing piece that speaks to the futility of trying to outrun your demons. Alec observes, "A lot of the time you think your problems are the product of your environment, when in reality they exist inside you." (Un)Commentary came to life through a relentless questioning of the world around him: the pressures and disappointments of adulthood, the indignities of social-media addiction, existential anxiety and angst, and countless other manifestations of what he refers to as "raw human nature."

Alec Benjamin - Narrated For You (2018)  Music

Posted by Domestos at Jan. 3, 2019
Alec Benjamin - Narrated For You (2018)

Alec Benjamin - Narrated For You (2018)
WEB FLAC (tracks) ~ 235.38 Mb | 37:02 | Cover
Pop | Country: USA | Label: Alec Benjamin

Is Alec Benjamin Gen Z’s folk-pop ambassador? The Phoenix area singer-songwriter draws on the poetic sensibilities of his idols—John Mayer, Paul Simon, Eminem, and Jason Mraz—and adds a youthful perspective (“I saw it on the news one day/When the towers fell down/September’s not the same place now,” he sings on “1994,” a tribute to the year he was born). Older listeners will find plenty to connect with; most of these songs are classic coming-of-age stories about shifting family dynamics (“If We Have Each Other”), broken hearts ("Annabelle’s Homework”), and learning things the hard way (“Boy in the Bubble”). Benjamin’s gentle tenor and heart-on-sleeve lyricism evoke a level of intimacy that can feel, at times, like eavesdropping: He spirals into extreme hypotheticals (“If I Killed Someone for You”) and fantasizes about what would be different if he’d been braver (“Water Fountain”). These are heavy admissions, but the bright hooks and tuneful melodies make them go down easier.
Benjamin Sheen - In London Town: British Organ Music on the Dobson Organ of Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue (2022)

Benjamin Sheen - In London Town: British Organ Music on the Dobson Organ of Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue (2022)
WEB FLAC (Tracks +Digital Booklet) 267 MB | Cover | 01:17:42 | MP3 CBR 320 kbps | 179 MB
Classical | Label: CRD Records

CRD is releasing a programme of British organ music on the Dobson Organ of Saint Thomas Church, Fifith Avenue, New York City, played by noted concert organist Benjamin Sheen. This collection contains a swath of organ music from composers such as William Walton, John Ireland, Thomas Tallis and including world premiere recordings of an arrangement of an Elgar piece, In London Town by Benjamin Sheen’s father, Graham Sheen, as well as a world premiere recording on Lacrimae by Andrew Carter, written in the memory of John Scott.
Frankie Gavin & Alec Finn - Frankie Gavin & Alec Finn: Masters Of Irish Music (1977) CD Release 1994

Frankie Gavin & Alec Finn - Frankie Gavin & Alec Finn: Masters Of Irish Music (1977/1994)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 188 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 82 Mb | Scans included
Celtic, Irish Folk | Label: Shanachie | # 34009 | Time: 00:31:43

Frankie Gavin and Alec Fin provide a vintage 1977 duet of Irish fiddle and bouzouki (large octave mandolin) that has withstood the test of time. Frankie and Alec are founding members of the group De Danann, a group that only recently retired after over 30 years of great music. Frankie is a legendary fiddle player known for his fast and fluid style. Alec is playing counterpoint and double lead bouzouki in complete synch. This could be called the typical old pub style back when it was rare to find more than two or three musicians playing together. The happiness of the music is overpowering and immediately stimulates toe tapping if not Irish style dancing.
Benjamin Luxon & Norman Del Mar - Stanford: Songs of the Sea, Songs of the Fleet & Symphony No. 3 "Irish" (2024)

Benjamin Luxon & Norman Del Mar - Stanford: Songs of the Sea, Songs of the Fleet & Symphony No. 3 "Irish" (2024)
FLAC (tracks), Lossless | 1:28:51 | 380 Mb
Genre: Classical

Benjamin Luxon This British baritone enjoyed an international career propelled by a handsome instrument and a musical intelligence that allowed equal space for warmth of feeling. Against the attractiveness of vocal timbre, however, was the presence of a strong vibrato that frequently reached the point of intrusiveness, especially at higher volume. Nonetheless, Benjamin Luxon forged many memorable performances, a number of them preserved on disc. His Mussorgsky recital was warmly praised by the critical press and won the endorsement of native Russian-speaking listeners as well. In addition to opera and concert performances, he is appreciated for his work in restoring respect in parlor songs of the late 19th and early 20th century. As a student at London's Guildhall School of Music, Luxon studied with Walther Grünner. After finding himself a prizewinner at Munich's International Voice Competition, he soon launched upon a career. Luxon became a member of the English Opera Group in 1963, accompanying the troupe to the Soviet Union during his first season. After success in such roles as Tarquinius in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Sid in Albert Herring, Britten called upon Luxon to sing the role of Owen Wingrave for that opera's 1971 television production premiere. Also during 1971, he appeared with the English Opera Group at the San Francisco Opera.
Alec Frank-Gemmill & Alasdair Beatson - A Noble and Melancholy Instrument (2017)

Alec Frank-Gemmill & Alasdair Beatson - A Noble and Melancholy Instrument (2017)
Music for horns and pianos of the 19th century
Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Franz Strauss, Gioacchino Rossini,
Camille Saint-Saëns, Alexander Glazunov, Paul Dukas, Gilbert Vinter

EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 234 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 161 Mb | Artwork included
Genre: Classical | Label: BIS | # BIS-2228 SACD | Time: 01:05:56

The 19th century saw huge developments in the design of many musical instruments. In some cases changes were adopted more or less universally: the fortepiano that Mozart knew, a five-octave instrument constructed entirely of wood, had by around 1900 grown into the modern grand piano with over seven octaves and a cast-iron frame. With other instruments, progress was less streamlined. As late as 1865, the natural, valveless horn of Beethoven's time remained the instrument of choice for Brahms when he wrote his famous Horn Trio, and when valves began to be introduced, makers and musicians in Germany, France and Vienna favoured different solutions, offering different results in terms of sound and requiring different playing techniques. The present disc is a unique combination of recital and history lesson, with a young British team performing music from between 1800 and 1942 on no less than eight different historic instruments: four horns and four pianos.

Alec K. Redfearn & The Eyesores - 2 Studio Albums (2003-2006)  Music

Posted by gribovar at Dec. 23, 2021
Alec K. Redfearn & The Eyesores - 2 Studio Albums (2003-2006)

Alec K. Redfearn & The Eyesores - 2 Studio Albums (2003-2006)
EAC Rip | FLAC (image+.cue+log) - 631 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 236 MB | Covers - 8 MB
Genre: Avant-Prog | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Corleone, Nort East Indie

The Eyesores is the best known project of Alec K. Redfearn, a Rhode Island songwriter/composer/musician (who primarily plays accordion). He was made the front man of the band with their third album, Every Man For Himself & God Against All. The band grows and shrinks with the needs of the various projects, but in general also includes Olivia Geiger on violin, Margie Wienk on vocals, cello, and double bass, Ann Schattle on french horn, Erica Schattle on bassoon, Domenick Panzarella on guitar, and Matt Mclaren on drums. Redfearn himself is known for playing his accordion like a guitar (through the use of distortion, drone and noise). The band started as an outlet for Redfearns more singer/songwriter material, but has grown far from these roots, and have since brought their music to film scores, theatrical performances, and dance troupes.
Benjamin Frith - John Field: Piano Music, Volume 1 (Nocturnes and Sonatas) (1999) [Re-Up]

Benjamin Frith - John Field: Piano Music, Vol. 1 (Nocturnes and Sonatas) (1999)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 160 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 147 Mb | Scans included
Genre: Classical | Label: Naxos | # 8.550761 | Time: 01:01:39

Fifteen years before Chopin wrote his first “nocturne”, Irish pianist/composer John Field composed his Nocturne No. 1 in E-flat major, followed by at least 15 more pieces in the same style. In these short works for solo piano, Field–who was one of the most celebrated pianists in the world during the first quarter of the 19th century–put form to the idea of a contemplative, lyrical composition, specifically tailored to the piano’s expressive capabilities. These “night” pieces are primarily characterized by a dominant, gracefully flowing melody, with most of the harmonic activity in the pianist’s left hand. Although other pianists have recorded at least some of Field’s Nocturnes–most notably John O’Conor (Telarc) and Miceál O’Rourke (Chandos)–Benjamin Frith’s own uniquely inflected, poetic readings have a satisfying aura of intimacy cast in the warm colors of his well-tempered, expertly recorded piano. Although O’Conor’s playing is more lyrical, with more fluid legatos, Frith generally takes more time–and these invariably lovely pieces blossom just as fully and brilliantly.

Benjamin Appl & James Baillieu - Forbidden Fruit (2023)  Music

Posted by delpotro at June 20, 2023
Benjamin Appl & James Baillieu - Forbidden Fruit (2023)

Benjamin Appl & James Baillieu - Forbidden Fruit (2023)
WEB FLAC (tracks) - 251 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 161 Mb | Digital booklet | 01:09:38
Classical, Vocal | Label: Alpha Classics, Outhere Music

Temptation, prohibition, good, evil… ‘how relevant are these in today's world?’ asks Benjamin Appl. With the complicity of pianist James Baillieu, we are taken on a musical arc from simple folk songs through to the great song composers such as Schubert, Schumann and Wolf, along the way visiting the French masters Debussy and Poulenc, exploring ‘new objectivity’ with Weill and Eisler and enjoying compositions by Casucci, Heggie and others. The metaphor of forbidden fruit gives Benjamin and James a wide range of possible interpretations. Whilst some of the song settings centre on sensuality, others focus on socially immoral topics such as incest or sensitive subjects such as abortion. The German baritone embodies each of these stories with a passion and dramatic sense that makes this album a kaleidoscopic and astonishing journey through time and space.

Lakecia Benjamin - Pursuance: The Coltranes (2020)  Music

Posted by delpotro at June 7, 2020
Lakecia Benjamin - Pursuance: The Coltranes (2020)

Lakecia Benjamin - Pursuance: The Coltranes (2020)
WEB FLAC (tracks) - 446 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 171 Mb | 01:12:40
Jazz | Label: Ropeadope Records

On March 27, 2020, the dynamic young saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin delivers her masterwork, Pursuance: The Coltranes. A cohesive walk through the lineage of the jazz artform, Benjamin’s third full-length release as a leader pays homage to two of the greatest musical innovators of the 20th century, John and Alice Coltrane. As Abiodun Oyewole iterates as part of Benjamin’s rendition of Coltrane’s classic “Acknowledgment” off of the groundbreaking album ‘A Love Supreme’, “John Coltrane was a vessel, taking us to the house of god, he spoke to god in the language god knew, in the language of sound.