High Betcover!!

Nearly a decade on from the height of the Corrs' success, lead vocalist Andrea finally releases her debut solo album, albeit perhaps too late for anyone to really take notice – which is a shame, as the majority of Ten Feet High eschews the over-produced MOR that has dogged her group's recent output, and instead offers a collection of eclectic pop songs that are both lyrically and musically inventive. Opener "Hello Boys" sets the precedent as Andrea seductively purrs her way through a Goldfrapp-esque electro-pop stomper, complete with dirty bassline and electric guitar solo. It's a statement of intent you couldn't possibly have predicted, but it's far from the only time she strays from her comfort zone. First single "Shame on You," an antiwar protest based on Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong, is given an ethereal tinge by Nellee Hooper's understated production, while "Champagne Through a Straw" is a satirical tirade against the culture of celebrity, dressed up as calypso-style breezy summer pop. The album does occasionally misfire. "Take Me I'm Yours" is a rather pointless retread of the Squeeze classic, the simple lullaby melody of "I Do" is perhaps a bit too cloying, and occasionally she sounds rather disinterested, interestingly more so on the less experimental tracks that could have easily fit on Talk on Corners. Ultimately, Ten Feet High is perhaps too left-field for Corrs fans and not left-field enough to attract new converts, but it's a bold and sometimes brave record that promises an interesting solo career ahead.

Jericho was a surprise. The reunited Band, minus guitarist Robbie Robertson, created an album that built on their strengths by using carefully selected contemporary songwriters and covers. Although it lacked the resonance of Music From Big Pink or even Stage Fright, the group sounded fresh and it was a better album than most of the Band's solo records. High on the Hog, the second album by the reunited Band, isn't quite as good but it has a number of stellar moments. The key to the album's success isn't the material – they're saddled with a couple of weak songs – but the group's interplay. By now, the musicians have developed a sympathetic interaction that sounds ancient but still living, breathing and vital. It's a joy to hear them play and that's what carries High on the Hog over its rough spots.

Animals is the tenth studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd, released in January 1977. A concept album, it provides a scathing critique of the social-political conditions of late 1970s Britain, and presents a marked change in musical style from their earlier work. Animals was recorded at the band's studio, Britannia Row, in London, but its production was punctuated by the early signs of discord that several years later would culminate in keyboardist Richard Wright leaving the band. The album's cover image, a pig floating between two chimneys on Battersea Power Station, was conceived by bassist and writer Roger Waters, and photographed by long-time collaborators Hipgnosis. The album was released to generally positive reviews in the United Kingdom, where it reached number 2. It was also a success in the United States, reaching number 3 on the Billboard 200, and although it scored on the American charts for only six months, steady sales have resulted in its certification by the RIAA at four times platinum.

Niacin - High Bias (1998) {HDCD Stretch Records} (ft. Chick Corea)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 474 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 26 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1998 Stretch Records / Concord | SCD-9017-2
Jazz / Fusion / Jazz Rock

Niacin showed a great deal of promise on its self-titled debut album of 1996, and there were no signs of the infamous sophomore slump on the fusion trio's second album, High Bias. Recalling the '70s experiments of John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever and the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band, this exciting CD served as a reminder that the freedom of jazz and the intensity of rock can complement one another in a major way.