Mael Sparks

Paul McCartney - The McCartney Years (2007) [3xDVD9] {Warner/MPL}
3xDVD9 -> 21.6 Gb | All Regions | PAL 16:9 | English (LinearPCM, 2 ch / DTS, 6 ch) | ~ 375m | ISO Images
Subs (en, fr, ger, esp, port, it, ned) | Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (tiff) -> 359 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2007 Warner / MPL | 2564-69836-2
Rock / Soft Rock / Contemporary Pop

It's rather incredible to ponder the fact that with the release of The McCartney Years in late 2007, Paul McCartney has now been making recordings in various mediums for the better part of 40 years–and that's not even including the decade he spent as a member of the world's greatest band. And while some may quibble about certain details of the content and presentation, this three-disc set, packed with videos, concert footage, interviews, documentaries, and more, will surely satisfy the vast majority of Sir Paul's loyal subjects. The dozens of videos, occupying the first two discs and spanning the years from 1970 ("Maybe I'm Amazed," ten years before the emergence of MTV) to 2005 ("Fine Line"), can be viewed in either chronological order or as programmed by Macca himself. Ranging from straight lip-synced performances to various conceptual films, they are a decidedly mixed bag.

The edition of Sulk which was the most common to find while record shopping throughout the late '80s and '90s was originally the American issue. Heavy substitution and track reordering – a typical enough move on the part of American companies no matter what the act – resulted in a radically different record. For some strange reason, the European CD issue of the album relied on this American edition, something only finally rectified as part of an overall reissue program in 2000…

The Associates - Sulk (1982) {2016 2CD Deluxe Edition}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 695 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 232 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1982, 2016 BMG | BMGCAT2CD53
New Wave / Post Punk / Alternative

BMG are to reissue Scottish post-punk band Associates’ first three albums as two-CD deluxe editions, along with a new double-disc anthology. Formed in Scotland in 1976 by Billy MacKenzie (vocals) and Alan Rankine (synths / guitars / programming), the pair settled on the name Associates in 1979 after a short period as The Ascorbic Ones and then for a while in 1979 with the moniker Mental Torture. Their debut album The Affectionate Punch was eventually released (on the Fiction label) in August 1980. The following year the band issued six singles (on another label, Situation Two) whose A and B-sides were gathered on the next long-player, compilation Fourth Drawer Down.

A defining 80s album that still sounds as fresh today as it did in 1982. From the excited insanity of Party Fears Two to the adrenaline rush of Club Country to the drug addled paranoia of No, Sulk is a multi dimensioned album that desperately needs a wider audience in this very one dimensional world. Billy sounds great, Alan is able to keep up (just!) and Sulk is defiant and definite. Gloomy Sunday is sumptuous, sultry and even the tatty version of Love Hangover literally bursts with energy, ideas and excitement.
All changes and switches aside, it's still very much the Associates at probably the best period of their career. Mackenzie's impossibly piercing cabaret falsetto rivals that of obvious role model Russell Mael from Sparks, while Rankine's ear for unexpected hooks and sweeping arrangements turns the stereotypes of early-'80s synth music on their heads…