The Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess

In 1990 Neil Hannon started recording and releasing under the name The Divine Comedy. Thirty years and twelve great albums later, Hannon is rightly adjudged one of the finest singer songwriters of his generation. To celebrate, Divine Comedy Records are remastering and reissuing nine of the band's classic albums.

Madness - The Rise & Fall (1982) {2CD 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition SALVOMDCD10 rel 2010}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 759 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 244 Mb | Data -> 185 Mb
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© 1982, 2010 Union Square Music / Salvo | SALVOMDCD10
Rock / New Wave / Ska Revival / Reggae / Post Punk

MADNESS THE RISE & FALL (2010 issue UK 2-CD album set - Originally released in 1982, Following the magnificent ska-pop of their debut, One Step Beyond, and the developmental pop majesty of Absolutely and 7, The Rise & Fall shows a band at the very height of their songwriting powers; their maturity and depth of subject matter second to none among their peers.

This transitional recording sees Joe Zawinul moving from the role of jazz pianist to that of a synthesist in the broad sense of the word. The recording, made up of advanced hard bop and post bop themes, includes - with varying degrees of cohesion - passages for cello and violas. The strings never completely meld with the jazz instrumentation, but they also don't get in the way. The title suggests Zawinul sees little value in partitioning music under such headings as "Third Stream" (a rubric for the fusion of jazz and classical music). This view would be famously exemplified in the influential projects with which Zawinul would soon be involved. Zawinul sticks with acoustic piano except for "Soul of a Village", where he improvises in a soul-jazz vein on Fender Rhodes over the tamboura-like droning of a prepared piano…

This transitional recording sees Joe Zawinul moving from the role of jazz pianist to that of a synthesist in the broad sense of the word. The recording, made up of advanced hard bop and post bop themes, includes - with varying degrees of cohesion - passages for cello and violas. The strings never completely meld with the jazz instrumentation, but they also don't get in the way. The title suggests Zawinul sees little value in partitioning music under such headings as "Third Stream" (a rubric for the fusion of jazz and classical music). This view would be famously exemplified in the influential projects with which Zawinul would soon be involved. Zawinul sticks with acoustic piano except for "Soul of a Village", where he improvises in a soul-jazz vein on Fender Rhodes over the tamboura-like droning of a prepared piano…

Joe Zawinul - The Rise & Fall Of The Third Stream (1967) {2012 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series 24bit Remaster WPCR-27124}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 218 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 82 Mb
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© 1967, 2012 Vortex / Rhino / Warner Japan / WEA | WPCR-27124 | Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Third Stream / Piano

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. Although Joe first came to big fame in the US as a funky vamper and soloist behind Cannonball Adderley's big group of the 60s, this early album as a leader has a much more mature sound than Joe's funky work with Cannon – and it rightly earns the "third stream" tag in the title through the use of an enlarged ensemble that includes cello and viola, in addition to the core group of soulful players like Jimmy Owens, Richard Davis, and Freddie Waits. William Fischer's also on the record on tenor, and many of the tracks are his own compositions, with that kind of weird off-kilter, slightly serious approach he used on other Atlantic/Vortex sessions at the time. The mix of soul and serious scoring is actually a pretty darn compelling blend – as you'll hear on tracks like "Lord, Lord, Lord", "Soul Of A Village", and "The 5th Canto".

Two of keyboardist Joe Zawinul's finest recordings as a leader were reissued on this single CD. The Money in the Pocket album from 1965 features Zawinul on acoustic piano in a sextet with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams playing superior hard bop, highlighted by the funky title cut, "If," and "My One and Only Love." The other session utilizes a string quartet, trumpeter Jimmy Owens, and the tenor and arrangements of William Fischer. Its diverse music hints at fusion (Zawinul doubles on electric piano) and has many colorful moments. This gem of a CD is highly recommended.

David Bowie - A Reality Tour (2009) [2CD+DVD] {ISO Records}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 1.13 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 354 Mb
DVD9 -> 7.52 Gb | All Regions | PAL 16:9 | Dolby AC3, 2 ch / Dolby AC3, 6 ch | ~ 140 min | ISO Image
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 148 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2004, 2009 ISO Records / Columbia / Sony Music | 88697588272 / 88697278019
Rock / Pop Rock / Glam Rock / Experimental Rock

Originally released as a home video in 2004, David Bowie's A Reality Tour saw a two-CD audio release slated for January 2010, with three previously unreleased bonus tracks – "Fall Dogs Bombs the Moon," "Breaking Glass," "China Girl" – adding value for those hardcore fans who already own this concert as a DVD. In either the video or audio incarnation, this show, from November 2003 in Dublin, Ireland, is an entertaining and open-hearted set, finding Bowie running through a generous selection of oldies – both hits and album tracks, including songs written by Bowie, like "All the Young Dudes" and "Sister Midnight" – and new songs that hold up well next to the classics.

The Aints! - The Church Of Simultaneous Existence (2018) {2CD Set ABC Music-Universal 6787296}
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© 2018 ABC Music / Universal / Warner Bros. | 6787296
Rock / Alternative / Proto Punk Rock / Aussie Rock

Forty years after the release of one of the greatest Australian debut albums of all time - (I’m) Stranded - Ed Kuepper returns with a brand new band and a brand new contender for the title: The Aints! The Church of Simultaneous Existence.

The set list includes tracks spanning Bowie's 30 plus years in the music business, from The Man Who Sold the World (1970) all the way to Reality (2003), along with collaborations such as "Sister Midnight" (with Iggy Pop) and "Under Pressure" (with Queen). There is a bit more focus, however, on tracks from the albums released since the Earthling World Tour in 1997, Heathen (2002), and Reality, whose tracks constitute 10 of the 30 songs performed.