Month: January 2018

Twisted Sister – Love Is For Suckers (1987/2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 12, 2018 · Comments off

Although Twisted Sister’s final studio album wasn’t as commercially successful as its predecessors, it is still Twisted in every way and a great record. Released in 1987, the album took its cue from the cock-rock, pop-metal explosion happening at the time. But despite the obvious influence of this trend, the band retains it’s heavy sound.

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Twisted Sister – Come Out And Play (1985/2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 12, 2018 · Comments off

Armoury Records begins the process of remastering and reissuing a number of albums from New York metal band Twisted Sister. “Come Out And Play” is the follow up to the monstrous “Stay Hungry” album that catapulted Twisted Sister to the masses. “Come Out And Play” includes a number of stylistic diversions, including a lighthearted cover of the ’50s standard “Leader of the Pack”, and a song in which several non-heavy metal stars (Billy Joel, Brian Setzer, among others) are featured, “Be Chrool to Your Scuel”. There are also songs that are reminiscent of the band’s heavy metal past, like the title track and “Kill Or Be Killed”.

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Trapt – Trapt (2002/2012) [Official Digital Download 24bit/48kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 12, 2018 · Comments off

The California rock band Trapt’s self-titled, second studio album under Warner Bros. Records. The album features the group’s hit single “Headstrong” that reached number 16 on the Billboardhot 100 and hit No. 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks. Trapt became certified platinum in 2003, making it the most successful album produced by the band.

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Tim Berne’s Snakeoil – Incidentals (2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 11, 2018 · Comments off

Much like other musicians from the post-free scene, such as Julius Hemphill, Tim Berne is already looking to break the lines and build upon the uncomfortable. For the last thirty years, the saxophonist from New York has been one of these active troublemakers, of these jazzmen who are willing to try everything, and disrupt anything. Leader of the band Snakeoil, Berne released a fascinating fourth album for the ECM label: inIncidentals, which he recorded with Oscar Noriega on the bass clarinet, Ryan Ferreira on the electric guitar, Matt Mitchell on piano and Chas Smith on drums, he continues his beautiful destabilising campaign, while always keeping one hand on the sacred scriptures of tradition (to better shake them up?). Less and less attracted to chamber music, the Snakeoil adventure becomes all the more fascinating. And the way carefully written music blends with highly sophisticated improvisations on Incidentals is truly reaching new heights. Cerebral and demanding, here is a beautiful contemporary jazz album.

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Them – The Complete Them 1964-1967 (2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 11, 2018 · Comments off

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release The Complete Them 1964-1967, a comprehensive 3CD anthology bringing together the historic first recordings of Van Morrison.

The most thorough collection of Morrison’s early studio and live performances ever assembled, THE COMPLETE THEM 1964-1967 includes all material recorded for the first two Them albums–The Angry Young Them (1965) and Them Again (1966)–in addition to singles, demos, live sessions, alternate takes and rarities (from 1964-1967), many of them long unavailable or previously unreleased.

All tracks on The Complete Them 1964-1967 have been newly remastered for this collection, ensuring the best possible listening experience for both new and seasoned fans of Van Morrison.

Formed in Belfast, Ireland in the early 1960s, Them’s original five man lineup consisted of Van Morrison (lead vocals, saxophone, harmonica), Alan Henderson (bass guitar), Ronnie Millings (drums), Billy Harrison (guitar, vocals) and Eric Wrixon (keyboards). Taking their name from a 1954 science-fiction horror film, Them played for the first time in April 1964 at Belfast’s Maritime Hotel, their set consisting of raw, dynamic interpretations of R&B, blues and soul music fueled by 18-year-old Van Morrison’s undeniable power, presence and charisma. Within a few weeks, Them became the hottest band in Belfast, packing the Maritime with overflow crowds and spontaneous, dynamic shows. (more…)

The Mountain Goats – We Shall All Be Healed (2004/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 11, 2018 · Comments off

Releasing music as The Mountain Goats in various permutations – first as a quintet, then as a duo, often by himself – the songs of default Californian John Darnielle generally dwell on one or a combination of five subjects: conflicts within relationships that lead to irreducible contradictions, food, water, the mythology of pre-Columbian Mexico, and animals that can talk. We Shall All Be Healed – marked a change in approach by revisiting and reconstructing a dark period in Darnielle’s life. All of the songs were based on people John used to know, most of whom are probably dead or in jail by now. (more…)

Tasha Thomas – Midnight Rendezvous (1979/2013) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 11, 2018 · Comments off

Tasha Thomas was an American singer-songwriter and actress. “Midnight Rendezvous” was released in 1979, and spun off two more disco hits in “Hot Buttered Boogie” and “Street Fever“. Unfortunately, Thomas’ health took a turn for the worse; she was diagnosed with cancer and spent much of the early ’80s battling the disease.

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Hiram Bullock – Late Night Talk (1997) [Japan 2016] {SACD ISO + FLAC}

SACD / DSD By admin · January 10, 2018 · Comments off

Though he passed from cancer in 2008 at the young age of 52, jazz and rock guitarist Hiram Bullock lives on in the music he left behind. A music lover from the start, he played saxophone and bass guitar before claiming his place as a guitarist at the age of 16. He went on to appear on several albums with saxophonist David Sanborn, as well as other artists’ session for record producer Phil Ramone. Mr. Bullock later started the 24th Street Band and the group made three albums. The 24th Street Band made several appearances on “Late Night With David Letterman” whenever Letterman’s keyboardist Paul Shaffer needed a band. Shaffer dubbed them The World’s Most Dangerous Band while Mr. Bullock, himself, earned the nickname “The Barefoot Guitarist”. Those joining Mr. Bullock for the Late Night Talk album include organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, Joe Locke on electric and acoustic vibs, acoustic bassist Ed Howard and Idris Muhammad on drums. (more…)

Stu Williamson – Stu Williamson (1958/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 10, 2018 · Comments off

West Coast jazz trumpeter Stu Williamson recorded this album in Los Angeles in 1956 with some of the best studio musicians of the day. He is accompanied on different tracks by a young Charlie Mariano on alto sax, Bill Holman on tenor sax and Mel Lewis on drums, while older brother Claude Williamson plays piano throughout the session. (more…)

Shakra – Snakes & Ladders (2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 10, 2018 · Comments off

Shakra is a Swiss Hard Rock band founded in the late 1990s. “Snakes & Ladders” is the 11th Studio album, released less than 2 years have past since the last SHAKRA Album “High Noon”, that’s shows the come back of former singer Mark Fox. 12 brand new tracks from the Swiss Hard Rock Legends.

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Sean Jones – Live From Jazz At The Bistro (2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 10, 2018 · Comments off

The young jazz veteran trumpeter Sean Jones believes passionately in championing the creative arc of artists who are committed to their life journey. “I think the progression of the art form [jazz] comes with people being allowed to be themselves in their rawest form with no compromise”, he has noted and added, “My body of work is going to show a progression of who Sean Jones is in the most honest form”. (more…)

Sarah McLachlan – Wintersong (2006/2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 10, 2018 · Comments off

Wintersong is a holiday album by Sarah McLachlan. The record features popular Christmas songs, including: “Silent Night”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “Christmas Time Is Here” and many more. (more…)

Sam Most – Plays Bird, Bud, Monk and Miles (1957/2013) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 10, 2018 · Comments off

Sam Most switches from his usual instrument, the flute, to the clarinet on this 1957 album that pays tribute to the songs of Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis. The eight songs here are divided into two sessions: one featuring Most leading a 16-piece orchestra and another with Most backed by a sextet. Both bands were made up of a combination of East Coast musicians.

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Roy Gaines – I Got The T-Bone Walker Blues (1999/2015) [Official Digital Download DSF DSD64/2.82MHz + FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 10, 2018 · Comments off

“A modern blues masterpiece.” — Real Blues

Roy Gaines is the greatest living blues guitarist that you probably don’t know anything about. He also possesses one of the most magnificent blues voices around. Born in Houston in 1937, Roy started playing the guitar as a teenager and soon developed a reputation as an instrumental prodigy. By 14, he was actually being invited on stage to play with the legendary T-Bone Walker during the latter’s live gigs in Houston and became known as T-Bone Jr. By his early 20s, Gaines was playing and recording with Roy Milton’s band in LA, but returned to Houston to join the Duke/Peacock blues label as a full time session guitarist on such seminal blues recordings as Bobby Bland’s “It’s My Life Baby” and Junior Parker’s “Driving Me Mad.”

This album is a loving and well-crafted tribute by Gaines to Walker, his close friend and personal mentor. Gaines has been described as “the greatest living T-Bone interpreter” by Jazz Times. The superb original recording released in 1999 is enhanced to even higher sonic standards by the SACD remaster. (more…)

Roberta Flack – Quiet Fire (1971/2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · January 10, 2018 · Comments off

Quiet Fire is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, released in November 1971 by Atlantic Records. It was recorded at Atlantic Recording Studios, Regent Studios, and The Hit Factory in New York City. The album peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape, and its single “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” charted at number 76 on the Hot 100.

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