Still Colin Bass

Beethoven · Complete Symphonies · Staatskapelle Dresden · Colin Davis
APE+CUE 1.7 GB | MP3 HQ (Tracks) 703 MB | Booklet | EASY CD-DA 12 | No Log | RAR 3% Rec | 1995

"There has not been a Beethoven cycle like this since Klemperer's heyday, or Bruno Walter's", "The sound is glorious, full and forward and beautifully clear," Gramophone.

Dog Faced Hermans were a Scottish band that rode the line of polyrhythmic post-punk bands such as The Ex (whom their guitar player later joined after DFH broke up), but were also influenced in equal measure by cats like Ornette Coleman. “Hum of Life”, one of their final efforts, marks the turning point between post-punk slashy guitar style, and a more global influence (African rhythms and jazz trumpet lines).

For much of the '90s, Aretha Franklin acted as if she couldn't even care about appealing to a younger audience. She rarely recorded, and when she did, it was usually slick adult contemporary material. That's what makes the fresh A Rose Is Still a Rose such a surprise. Although it certainly has its share of predictably glossy ballads fit for adult radio (usually produced by Narada Michael Walden or Michael Powell), the most notable element of the album is that Franklin collaborates with fresh talent, all of whom are either prominent rap figures or at least fluent in hip-hop.

Along with Mackerras' EMI recording, which appeared at the same time (1966/67), Davis' Messiah established the standard for properly scaled, tastefully ornamented renditions using modern instruments. Like all classic recordings, the musical values embodied on these two well-filled discs haven't diminished a bit. You can still enjoy Davis' lively and sympathetic direction, enthusiastic singing and playing by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, two fabulous female soloists, and though the men are a bit less distinguished, they certainly don't drag the standards down to any significant degree.

"minor Masterpiece" is the 2nd album and with a stellar lineup including many from album 1. Now we have Joe Vitale (Joe Walsh, Eagles, CSN etc) as drummer. "Hair in a G-String" from 2016 has remained as No:2 album of the year on Progarchives. It could be labelled Prog before there was Prog. Split this into the written piece "Hair in a G-String" (about 46 minutes) & "Songs not in G" (About 36 minutes) and you'd have a prog album and a melodic rock album.
"minor Masterpiece" is a treat of a variety of styles and approaches. Colin is often inspired by the early seventies for the diversity and daring of the music of that time and it shows on this wonderful new offering from CTP.

A must-have, regarding the recent events which have characterized the life of Andie Latimer, whose title- "The Opening Farewell"- is emblematic: a collection of famous immortal tracks like the sensible "Ice" or the intelligent "Spirit of Water" (regardless the fantastic "Lunar Sea" from "Moodmadness" and "Mother Road" from "Dust and Dreams") and a few less famous tunes, such as "Slow Yourself Down", "Another Night" or "For today"…