Various Artists – Southeast of Saturn (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:19:24 minutes | 870 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Third Man Records LLC
A very cool collection from the guys at Third Man. Perhaps the coolest label in the world right now. It makes sense that Detroit had a buzzy, thriving space-rock scene in the ‘90s. What American city’s denizens had a more urgent need to disengage and think outside the grim, post-industrial rustbelt realities? With space-rock (and its close sonic cousin shoegaze) being at once expansive and introspective, it naturally appealed to the young, intelligent artists who gravitated toward its vertiginous orbit.
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The Suffers – Everything Here (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 48:18 minutes | 535 MB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Shanachie
The electrifying eight piece wonder-band The Suffers bring gulf coast soul to the world with ‘Everything Here’.
The Suffers have got everything you need and there’s no need to look further – a heaping dose of soul, a dash of reggae, a splash of jazz, a pinch of salsa, a hint of rock ‘n’ roll and a dollop of hip hop and funk – and that is just a few ingredients simmering inside their magical Gulf Coast soul.
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The Story So Far – Proper Dose (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 33:33 minutes | 421 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Pure Noise Records
After teasing a new album for the past few months, Bay Area pop-punkers the Story So Far have finally released the details of their upcoming fourth LP. Called Proper Dose, the new TSSF record will be out Sept. 21 via Pure Noise Records.
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The Steoples – Wide Through The Eyes Of No One (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 38:27 minutes | 452 MB | Genre: Soul, R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stones Throw
Almost three-and-a-half years after they released Six Rocks, GB and Yeofi Andoh reappeared under their duo alias the Steoples with a fluid if twisting rumination on the ecstasy and agony of a vanishing romance. The veteran underground musicians soon made it known that “Alas Alice” wasn’t a metaphor for the Steoples, as their second album, Wide Through the Eyes of No One, landed within a few months. “Alas Alice” reappears here as a bonus track. Although it isn’t quite congruous with what precedes it, the song indicated the album’s stormy mix of contrasting emotions and sounds, and its effect, a sense of solace — with a tender overarching message to stay openhearted and resolute — in response to turbulence. Whereas much of Six Rocks was purposefully undone and structurally oblique, this set is bound tighter, perhaps a consequence of additional live instrumentation, such as the softly buoyant bass of Joel Whitley. No one integrates and modernizes disparate R&B sounds across eras quite like GB and Andoh do here. Late-’60s psychedelic soul, progressive ’70s folk-jazz (particularly Terry Callier’s), and early-’80s machine soul are all in the mix. In the most energized moments, there are hints of latter-day Masters at Work fusionist dancefloor projects like Nuyorican Soul and Elements of Life, though the constant somber quality in Andoh’s transfixing voice is always present, and there are some eerie currents from what sounds like a Mellotron. The sequencing front-loads the material filled with celebratory spirit and renewed appreciation for the sharing of space (“Ain’t it natural to sing along?”), illuminated with dancing strings, flickering guitar, and caressing female background vocals. It stars to get real dim around “Lonely Behavior,” a chilling ballad of isolation (“When I see my friends, they pixelatin'”). During the second half, the album slips into pitch-black darkness for “Leaning on Me,” with Andoh bewailing his “laces left untied” and “face pushed to the ground,” but it’s drawn beautifully with whirling synthesizers and a layered vocal arrangement evoking the image of the subject being pulled into a vortex. Out of that burbles and churns “The Real Wealth,” where Andoh consults an elder and gets some poetic wisdom that rejuvenates his spirit. It isn’t the last song on the album proper, but it’s the payoff — a heartening one at that. – Andy Kellman
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Thibaut Lenaerts & Philippe Riga – Gabriel Fauré: Songs & Mélodies (2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 53:10 minutes | 898 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © MUSO
Although a great specialist of 17th and 18th century repertories, the tenor Thibaut Lenaerts has chosen for his first solo disc to plunge into the world of Gabriel Fauré’s songs, accompanied by Philippe Riga and the soft, warm tones of a magnificent 1873 Erard piano. An alchemy of colours that promises a superb recital, imbued with a sense of irresistible nostalgia for both performer and listener.
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The Spirit of Gambo – John Jenkins – Late Chamber Music (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 01:05:27 minutes | 1,18 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stockfisch Records
The chamber music on this recording was likely composed during the time Jenkins was living in the homes of the Dereham and L’Estrange families. Where Lawes ‘music is often edgy and bizarre in character, Jenkins’ compositions from this period are clearly intended to counterbalance the uncertain and risky circumstances that prevailed during the turbulent years of the Civil War. It’s not for nothing that Andrew Ashbee, the great English Jenkins connoisseur, titled his book “The Harmonious Musick of John Jenkins”.
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The Z.E.N. Trio – Brahms & Dvořák Piano Trios (2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:10:41 minutes | 1,21 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Universal Music Ltd.
The Z.E.N. Trio came on the scene suddenly in 2017, getting signed to Deutsche Grammophon and touring for the first time in the fall of that year in top venues in the U.K. and in Asia. It’s easy to hear on this debut album what attracted the heavy-hitters to this young group. The trio’s name has nothing to do with Buddhism; the initials are those of the first names of the group members, Zhang Zuo, Esther Yoo, and Narek Hakhnazaryan. They are a suitably international group (Zuo is Chinese, Yoo Korean-American-Belgian, and Hakhnazaryan Armenian), brought together as members of the BBC’s Generation program. The three players have reached a high level as an ensemble in a very short time, with an entirely confident performance of the Brahms Piano Trio in B major, Op. 8, presented in its revised and shortened version from late in the composer’s life. The Z.E.N. Trio even captures a bit of the emotion-recollected-in-tranquillity quality of this later version. But the real standout is the Dvorák Piano Trio in E minor, Op. 90 (“Dumky”), where the group not only jells as a unit, but offers a distinctive and beautifully persuasive interpretation. They deemphasize the dance element in these six movements, which is rather elusive anyhow, and draw strong contrasts among the movements, with faster-than-usual tempos in both the Lento maestoso and Allegro vivace of the opening movement, setting up gorgeous, mysterious slow movements that evoke the nature music of Dvorák’s last years. It’s a riveting performance of this trio from start to finish, and it amply demonstrates why this new group is not just one to watch, but a very hot ticket.
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The South Side Movement – The South Side Movement (1973)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 33:46 minutes | 742 MB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Roadshow Records
Beginning as the backing band for the soul duo Simtec & Wylie, The Southside Movement issued their self-titled debut in 1973 which featured the breakbeat favourite I’ve Been Watching You, a song that went on to be sampled by a slew of famed contemporary artists including the Beastie Boys, Jadakiss, Erykah Badu, Beck and Hieroglyphics. This digital reissue gives new, high-res life to a soul classic.
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The Soul Searchers – Salt of the Earth (1974/2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 40:50 minutes | 777 MB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Sussex Records
Another great Funk album, dating from 1974 including funky hits ‘Blow Your Whistle, ‘Funk For The Folks’, ‘If It Ain’t Funky’ , and one of the most sampled tracks ever ‘Ashley’s Roachclip’, a great mid tempo funky instrumental with a perfect beat. Also check their great version of ‘Close To You’ which has been popular on the London 2 step scene, showing a mellow soul side to the band, who at this time featured Bennie Braxton as singer along side Chuck Brown. Essential Funk and Breaks album.
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The Sons Of Truth – A Message From The Ghetto (1972/2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 48:06 minutes | 1,89 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax
The ultimate funk and gospel amalgam. One of the greatest examples of religious grooves meeting big 70s funk rhythms. Released on HighResAudio for the first time.
When we started the BGP Funk & Jazz Classics series earlier this year we had an idea that we would put a few albums out, and that would be that. But as we reach our third batch of five we have found that there is a whole world of sought-after original albums, which for a myriad of reasons have failed to turn up in the reissue racks. This time we have come up with something very special, digging deep into the Stax Records vaults to rescue five of the most collectable albums on the label.
The Sons Of Truth LP appeared on Stax’s Gospel Truth subsidiary. The group look like they could be in Funkadelic, while their music is a blend of compelling funk and harmony soul that doesn’t appear to be based on traditional gospel in any way. Cuts from this album have started to be played in progressive soul clubs.
The Soft Pink Truth – Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase? (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 43:30 minutes | 851 MB | Genre: Electronic, Ambient, Leftfield
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Thrill Jockey
The Soft Pink Truth is Drew Daniel, who also forms one half of acclaimed electronic duo Matmos. Started as an outlet to explore visceral and sublime sounds that fall outside of Matmos’ purview, it draws on knowledge of rave, black metal, and crust punk obscurities to subvert and critique genre expectations. On this record Daniel takes a bold and surprising new direction, moving beyond simple plunderphonic sampling and opening up a genuine dialogue with other musicians, Daniel left room in his compositions for moments of genuine surprise, capturing the freeform, communal energy of a DJ set or live improvisation session more than a recording project. It feels ethereal but full, both ambiently hypnotic, and deliciously danceable.
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The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – Illusory Walls (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 01:10:29 minutes | 857 MB | Genre: Indie Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Epitaph
Sometimes, the best place to begin is at the end. If you really want to dig deep into Illusory Walls, the fourth album by The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, it definitely helps to do that. That’s because epic closer “Fewer Afraid”-all 19 minutes, 44 seconds of it-doesn’t just revisit the themes and ideas on the ten songs that precede it, but also offers a self-aware summary of the Connecticut band’s entire history. It’s the conclusion of all the stories within the record as well as a nod to all the lives that helped make them-little glimpses of everything that’s come before, on both a micro, immediate level, and a more universal one. “That song is a higher level look at my whole life and the whole world,” explains vocalist/guitarist David F. Bello, “as well as the album, our band and our discography. It places the band in the context of the rest of the world, as if we’re listening to everything that came before. It touches on all the themes of the previous songs, but there are also callbacks to songs from earlier in our career. But in this song, they’re the object, not the subject-I’m talking about a world in which these things happen, not talking about these things happening.”
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Title: The Rolling Stones – Steel Wheels Live (Live From Atlantic City, NJ, 1989)
Release Date: 2020
Genre: Rock
Production/Label: Eagle Vision Europe
Duration: 02:37:48
Quality: Blu-ray
Container: BDMV
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Audio codec: LPCM, DTS-HD
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 29980 kbps / 1080i / 29.970 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio #1: LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio #2: DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4964 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Size: 43,92 GB
Having not hit the road for most of the 80s, The Steel Wheels Tour was an astounding return for the Rolling Stones, not least as it was the longest they had by that point undertaken. It was also to be their last with Bill Wyman. Steel Wheels Live was recorded towards the end of the band’s 60-date run through the stadiums of North America, in the second half of 1989. Special guest appearances from Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Eric Clapton and John Lee Hooker.
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Title: The Rolling Stones – Bridges To Bremen
Release Date: 2019
Genre: Rock
Production/Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Duration: 02:48:54
Quality: Blu-ray
Container: BDMV
Video codec: AVC
Audio codec: PCM, DTS-HD
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 27985 kbps / 1080i / 29.970 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio 2: DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4995 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Size: 42,78 GB
Eagle Rock Entertainment has officially announced that it will release on Blu-ray/2CD, as well as vinyl and DVD/2CD, The Rolling Stones: Bridges to Bremen. Street date is June 21.
Bridges to Bremen captures a complete show from the final leg of the Rolling Stones year-long tour in support of their Bridges to Babylon album, which achieved Platinum and Gold status in multiple markets upon the album’s original release in 1997.
Ever the innovators, The Bridges To Babylon Tour was one of firsts – the first time the band went on the road with a permanent, and now infamous, B-stage, and also the first time that fans could vote on the band’s website for a track they wanted to hear at the show – “Memory Motel” in the case of the Bremen fans, making each show on the tour unique.
Opening with “Satisfaction”, a snake-hipped Jagger, sporting a bright yellow shirt & scarf, is a streak of canary-colored lightning, while Keith prowls the stage in a tiger print duster coat. Lisa Fisher accompanies Jagger on vocals for a storming version of “Gimme Shelter”, and Bridges single “Saint of Me” receives a rousing welcome. By Stones standards, Bremen was an intimate show, a 40,000 fan-strong hot ticket, for which the band enthusiastically kicked out 155 minutes of unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll.
This concert film has been meticulously restored from the original masters, and the audio remixed and remastered from the live multitrack recordings. Four tracks from the band’s Soldier Field performances in Chicago are included as bonus features on all physical visual formats.
The release of Bridges To Bremen comes at a busy time for the band – Honk, a brand new Best Of compilation featuring 36 essential Stones tracks from 1971 to 2016’s Blue & Lonesome (with the deluxe also featuring 10 live tracks recorded at stadiums around the world) is released on April 19th by Polydor
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