Ballads in Blue

In addition to being one of the top tenor saxophonists of his generation, Eric Alexander has developed quite a following in Japan, as evidenced by his series of recordings for the Venus label. These 2004 sessions with pianist Mike LeDonne, bassist John Webber, and drummer Joe Farnsworth are much in the mold of John Coltrane's Ballads album of the early '60s…

ELO fans who found in Long Distance Voyager a new Discovery can be excused for thinking there's no Time like The Present. Just as ELO's follow-up to the sweeping Discovery seemed tame by comparison, so The Present failed to match the grandiose arrangements of the Moodies' previous record. It's still a solid effort, bolstered by strong songwriting and pleasant melodies, but as good as the opening "Blue World" is, its downbeat message is no substitute for the clarion call of "The Voice." The Present seems to make a conscious effort to scale back the arena-size sound of their previous album, returning to the warmly rendered ballads of old…

Fve CD set. The complete Eyeless in Gaza Cherry Red recordings, compiled and curated by Martyn Bates and Pete Becker. Their entire 1981-1986 output for the label re-worked into five thematic suites by the band, bringing new life and light to familiar and much-loved material. Includes the classics 'Invisibility', 'Veil Like Calm', Kodak Ghosts Run Amok', 'New Risen' and many more. A brilliant introduction for the curious and a fascinating re-visit for long-term fans. During the first half of the 1980s, few artists cut a path as individual and self-contained as Eyeless in Gaza. Over six albums and several classic singles, the duo followed their muse in multiple different directions at once, unrestrained by any desire to fit in with whatever was going on around them. Bursts of primal electronica sat comfortably alongside reflective ballads and lo-fi recordings and polished productions were equally valued, all of it pulled together by Martyn Bates' unmistakable vocals and a singular, minimalist approach to songwriting.

The Rolling Stones - Black And Blue (1976) {2005 Japan MiniLP, TOCP-66455}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 264 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 94 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 19 Mb
© 2005 Toshiba / EMI / Virgin | TOCP-66455
Rock / Blues Rock / Hard Rock

The Rolling Stones recorded Black and Blue while auditioning Mick Taylor's replacement, so it's unfair to criticize it, really, for being longer on grooves and jams than songs, especially since that's what's good about it. Yes, the two songs that are undeniable highlights are "Memory Motel" and "Fool to Cry," the album's two ballads and, therefore, the two that had to be written and arranged, not knocked out in the studio; they're also the ones that don't quite make as much sense, though they still work in the context of the record. No, this is all about groove and sound, as the Stones work Ron Wood into their fabric. And the remarkable thing is, apart from "Hand of Fate" and "Crazy Mama," there's little straight-ahead rock & roll here. They play with reggae extensively, funk and disco less so, making both sound like integral parts of the Stones' lifeblood. Apart from the ballads, there might not be many memorable tunes, but there are times that you listen to the Stones just to hear them play, and this is one of them.

Johnny 'Jacko' Faithfull was one of the last of a dying breed of uniquely Australian characters – a country singer, bush poet, showman and larrikin. A raconteur for the everyday man. He toured extensively in Australia and New Zealand, rubbing shoulders with heroes of Australian country music such as Ted Egan and even Slim Dusty. According to local legend, Dusty even recorded one or two of Faithfull's original compositions. Whilst there's no shortage of modern day Australian country singers, few have the authority or experience to write and sing of the land and it's people the way that Jacko did.