Lanomali Totem

"4" captures Diagonal in full creative flow and with a new twist to their sound as they incorporate elements of space rock, kosmische and post rock to bolster their well-established progressive rock roots. That adage of waiting ages for a bus and two or more come along at the same time seems applicable to their recent productivity. Returning only two years after the release of their previous LP "Arc", this is a notable break from tradition, having left five and seven year gaps before the previous two. And after much deliberation, the band settled on following in the footsteps of Soft Machine and Led Zeppelin in naming the album after its chronological appearance. The result is an assured work that functions wonderfully as a logical progression from "Arc" yet at the same time has enough shift in sonics to illuminate a different facet of the band.

The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (1974) [Japan Mini LP Edition, 2005] {TOCP-66454}
Virgin Benelux B. V. CDV2733 | Toshiba-EMI TOCP-66454
EAC rip | FLAC + CUE + LOG -> 318Mb | MP3 @320 -> 109Mb
Full Artwork @300 dpi (jpg)

After years of building off their rhythm and blues credentials, the title IT'S ONLY ROCK & ROLL insinuates a lowbrow rock aesthetic, but on this album the Rolling Stones mixed rock's aggression with an unparalleled appreciation for soul music. … Full DescriptionFrom their joyous cover of the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" to "Time Waits For No One," Mick Jagger boldly duplicates the feel of James Brown's early singles. But the band gives their sources a twist, with the heavily funk-based "Fingerprint File" sounding more like Isaac Hayes's "Shaft" than "Satisfaction," and "Dance Little Sister" coming across like a high school R&B band hopped up on adrenaline.

Zazie - Zest Of (2008)
Label: Mercury | 2 CD's | MP3 @192 kbps | 103 + 98.5 MB
Genre Pop/Rock

Biography by Jason Ankeny
Zazie was one in a long line of French models and actresses turned pop stars, rocketing to overnight success with her 1993 debut single, "Sucré Sale." Born Isabelle de Truchis de Varennes in Boulogne-Billancourt on April 18, 1964, she grew up enamored of French chanson icons like Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel, and Barbara, and at ten began studying violin, soon adding piano and guitar to her curriculum. As a teen Zazie also began writing her own songs, and continued working on original material while studying psychotherapy. After graduation, the statuesque brunette launched a career as a professional model, becoming a familiar face in French fashion spreads and advertisements over the decade to follow. Finally in 1992 Zazie resumed her musical aspirations in full, traveling to England to record her debut album at Peter Gabriel's renowned Real World Studios. Je, Tu, Ils, titled in tribute to American psychotherapist Howard Buten, followed a year later and launched the smash "Sucré Sale," which earned the singer Best Female Newcomer of the Year honors at the annual Victoires de la Musique awards. The follow-up, Zen, was even more warmly received, acclaimed for both Zazie's smart, wry lyrics and its seamless integration of contemporary pop idioms with traditional instruments spanning from the accordion to the djembé. In addition to writing and recording her third LP, Made in Love, in 1998, that same year Zazie composed material for Johnny Hallyday, including the blockbuster hit "Allumer le Feu." A subsequent tour yielded her first concert LP, Made in Live. In the wake of 2001's La Zizanie, the singer shelved tour plans after discovering she was pregnant. Her daughter Lola was born in August 2002, and that same year Zazie received the Victoires de la Musique award for Best Female Artist of the Year. Her next LP, 2004's Rodéo, balanced its electronic sheen with her most personal and intimate lyrics to date. Totem followed in 2007.

After flirting (albeit mildly) with alternative rock on Counterparts, Rush returns to classic progressive rock on Test for Echo. Cutting back many of the AOR production flourishes that hampered most of their late-'80s and early-'90s releases, the band concentrates on the sounds and styles that made albums like Moving Pictures huge successes in the late '70s and early '80s. Test for Echo is all instrumental gymnastics and convoluted song structures, all of which demonstrate each member's skills…