Nonetheless

This is where the band’s latest live release, A Sunday Night Above The Rain, succeeds – it reveals the sincerity that has come to define Marillion. The live release is the band’s third installment from the 2013 “Weekends” in Holland, England, and Canada, and features Sunday night performances recorded at both Montreal’s Theatre L’Olympia and Centre Parcs, Port Zelande…

Average White Band are widely and rightly regarded as one of the best ever soul and funk bands. Although probably best known for their global hit, the US #1 single ‘Pick Up The Pieces’, this extensive anthology delves back into their musical history, from the early sessions in 1971, right up to the most recent studio album released this millennium. ‘All The Pieces…’ features the band’s entire catalogue of recorded material on a 19CD box set, which includes all of the original studio albums (and ‘spoilers’ ‘Put It Where You Want It’ and ‘Volume VIII’) in mini-vinyl replica wallets, alternate versions and selected mixes, in this 172-track collection…

Three years after an impressive debut, Rhys Fulber shows his solo project wasn't a one-shot deal nor a lucky stab at reinvention. Extraordinary Ways is similar to Conjure One, in that it's lush and majestic ambient pop. The difference this time around is more in the recording process and Fulber's inspirations. With Conjure One, Fulber traveled the world to record while applying Middle Eastern influences. For Extraordinary Ways, he wrote songs only in Los Angeles and tones down the global ambitions. He again assembles a roster of powerful vocalists with whom he can't go wrong: Jane, Chemda, Tiff Lacey, and Joanna Stevens. Fulber even contributes vocals himself, on an unexpected cover of the Buzzcocks' "I Believe." It's a little out of place, but still interesting. Toward the end, the impact drops down a notch, and one wishes the vocalists had some better melodies with which to work. Nonetheless, this is an engaging and spiritual listen.

Franz Schreker - Complete Songs For Voice And Piano Vol. 2
Jochen Kupfer / Sibylle Ehlert / Anne Buter / Reinild Mees
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 233 MB | Full Artwork: 107 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Channel Classics # CCS 14398 | Country/Year: Netherlands 2000
Genre: Classical | Style: Early 20th Century, Vocal, Songs

This two-cd survey of Franz Schreker's forty-eight completed songs concludes with a selection that provides a sweeping overview of his lyric accomplishment, from prize-winning early efforts as a student at the Vienna Conservatory to a crowning masterpiece, written at the height of his international fame. Although by their number Lieder do not loom large in his creative output (that place is given to his operas, and secondarily to his orchestral works) Schreker's songs nonetheless document each stage of his stylistic development and contain some of his finest music…

‘Arguably the greatest string quartet before the public today’ (The Sunday Times), the Takács Quartet have recorded much of the great Classical and Romantic quartet repertoire during their fruitful career. Now they turn to three masterpieces of the twentieth century.