Damanek - On Track

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 54:01
Size: 124,5 MB
Label: GEP
Styles: Progressive Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Nanabohzo and the Rainbow -  7:48
 2. Long Time, Shadow Falls -  7:46
 3. The Cosmic Score -  5:55
 4. Believer-Redeemer -  5:47
 5. Oil Over Arabia -  5:32
 6. Big Parade -  4:14
 7. Madison Blue -  3:11
 8. Dark Sun - 13:42

I’ve mentioned my appreciation for keyboardist/saxophonist Marek Arnold in the past.  His work with Toxic Smile, Cyril, and Seven Steps to the Green Door is absolutely mesmerizing.  Somehow, though, I missed this debut from Damanek, which features his skills in a more prominent way than even some of his normal bands.  Even more so, Marek is only one part of the amazing package that you will find on Damanek’s debut album, “On Track”.  Damanek is like a meeting of the minds.  When I saw the line up, I was absolutely floored.  The band consists of Guy Manning on keys and vocals; Dan Mash on bass; Marek Arnold on keys, sax, and clarinet; and Sean Timms on keys and banjo.  The guests on this album include the likes of Brody Thomas on drums, Antonio Vittozzi on electric guitar, Nick Magnus on keys, Phideaux and Julie King on vocals, Luke Machin on guitar, and several others.  If you follow the prog scene at all, you will know at least a few of those names.  Now, knowing these performers, you can probably guess the style of music here.  This is progressive rock with lots of jazz influence, straight and true.  The music features excellently emotive guitar work with several memorable solos, gorgeous keys and piano, and lots of tenor sax or clarinet in more than just support roles.  This music is as classy and sophisticated as you will probably hear this year.Right off the bat, the album gives us a strong track called “Nanabohzo and the Rainbow”.  This song is eclectic and jazzy, with very clean melodies and a great chorus.  The album, though, never really lets down the audio assault.  Most of the songs are explicitly jazzy, though.  So, we get songs like “Long Time Shadow Falls”, which has this great climactic portion at the end that really does feel immense, but the build up to it is spacey and beautiful.  Another jazzy track would be “Believer – Redeemer”, a funky track with lots of personality.  Some of the tracks have a world music vibe, too, such as “Oil Over Arabia, which features a rather Middle Eastern vibe played on sax, which is something you don’t hear often.  Marek really shines with a stunning sax solo.
Some of the album has this distinctly playful and satirical tone.  The lyrics are definitely a social commentary that ridicules the powers-that-be and other injustices about this world of ours.  In relation to that, some of the songs match this frisky vibe.  “The Cosmic Score” is a lively song that fits this bill, and it features a fantastic synth solo.  “Big Parade” is a very playful, circus-like track that is quite a departure from the rest of the album.  At first, I was a little taken aback, but the song really wins you over eventually, especially because it is so catchy.  It takes the social commentary to the max, but makes it bouncy and spirited somehow.  Guy Manning’s writing skills are obviously inspired and varied.Speaking of lyrics, if I had to level a criticism at the album, I would have to say that the lyrics are at times not written very well.  Nothing too awful, mind you, but I do feel like little words and phrases are added in to make the lyrics fit the music, even if the results are awkward and unnatural to the ear.  I do applaud the restraint shown in the lyrics, though, as the most of it rather subdued and not annoyingly political. I think the final track, “Dark Sun”, is my favorite.  It is very shadowy and darkly jazzy, and there is this badass bass groove to the whole thing that gets my head bobbing.  On top of that, it has some ethereal guitar work that makes it feel even more haunting, too.Overall, Damanek’s debut is a complete success.  “On Track” is a refined trip down satire lane that I’ve really come to appreciate.  The list of performers is definitely impressive, but it is Guy’s writing skills that shine the most.  This is one debut that prog rock fans will love to devour.

On Track

Millenium - 44 minutes

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 51:51
Size: 119,1 MB
Label: Lynx Music
Styles: Progressive Rock/Neo prog
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. The Colours of My Life - 5:13
 2. Liferunner - 4:30
 3. Are we Lost? - 7:28
 4. Calling! - 4:11
 5. My Father Always Said - 8:22
 6. Lost Teddy Bear (Pt's 1-2) - 5:56
 7. 44 Minutes - 8:15
 8. Ending Title (Bonus Track on CD) - 7:52

Musicians:
Lukasz Gall- lead vocals
Piotr Plonka – electric and acoustic guitar
Krzysztof Wyrwa – bass and Warr guitar
Dariusz Rybka – saxophone
Grzegorz Bauer- drums
Ryszard Kramarski – keyboards and acoustic guitar
With:
Karolina Leszko – vocal and backing vocals

This album also closes an important chapter in the history of Millenium because this is the last album recorded by Lukasz "Gall" Galeziowski as main vocalist.

44 minutes

Mike Brookfield - Brookfield

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 48:31
Size: 111,5 MB
Label: Eigen Beheer
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. A Message for Willie Johnson - 4:13
 2. Beaten to Death by the Blues - 4:22
 3. Zombie Craze - 4:08
 4. Suitcase Blues - 5:22
 5. Don't Close the Gates - 3:42
 6. Living In a Better World - 5:05
 7. Letter From the Devil - 4:27
 8. High Class Shoes - 3:54
 9. Gun Crime - 3:42
10. This Restless Heart - 4:37
11. Written In Chains - 4:56

Mike Brookfield is back. For those in the know it’s a welcome return to the recording scene by the Irish based Liverpool blues/rocker who cut the impressive ‘Love Breaks The Fall’ album last year. Newbies will also surely be drawn to an album that is clothed in contemporary finery, but has a traditional blues heart. The meeting of old and new musical influences comes from the lyrical and musical combination of former Horslips lyricist, drummer and sometime Tara Telephone poet Eamon Carr, and guitarist/vocalist Mike Brookfield who provides the musical drive. ‘Brookfield’ is an album interwoven with complementary musical and lyrical ideas that provide several exhilarating moments. And when a bigger picture eventually emerges from the duo’s collective input, it often takes a song far beyond what the bare bones initially offered.
The hard rocking ‘Zombie Craze’ is an example in point.  It’s a potent meeting of a Hendrix wah-wah with Alvin Lee style vocals, which cleverly evoke the lyrical meaning of the craziness of modern life. It’s also the natural sister track to the high octane ‘Gun Crime’, which again leans on a colourful, but meaningful narrative.
The Alvin Lee/Ten Years After influence on ‘Zombie’ extends to following ‘Suitcase Blues’, which is a more complex piece on which Brookfield’s opening guitar lines draw us into an enveloping wall of sound with gospel style bv’s. The suitcase in the title is a metaphor for the character’s sense of regret – if not guilt – voiced over real tonal depth, before a sudden resolution.
‘Brookfield’ is full of layered textures within a big sounding production. It’s carried by an array of guitar tones that bring light and shade to an album that flows from beginning to end.
There’s subtle contrast too, as on ‘Beaten To Death By The Blues’, a song with a downbeat universal message that is actually given a lift by a judicious mix of wah-wah, slide and a spiralling guitar line that builds to a suitable finale.
It’s a fine example of Brookfield’s interpretative abilities as a guitarist. If Eamon Carr digs deep for his lyrics, then Brookfield provides the perfect contemporary foil with his fine guitar playing and a crisp production.The end result is an album full of real passion, hard driving riffs and a vocal style that wraps itself round the edgy lyrics.
The same combination of weighty lyrics and a contrasting uplifting musical arrangement is to be found on ‘Living In A Better World’, one of the album highlights. The combination of an introductory rap over some dreamy guitar,  into a subtle groove with nuanced vocals is arguable the best example of Brookfield’s style.
That said, at the half way point there’s a well crafted, but essentially languid Clapton style ballad called ‘Don’t Close the Gates’. Despite a surprisingly intense guitar solo it sounds a bit forced and out of step with the album as a whole.
The fact that it still just about works, is because ‘Brookfield’ is an album in the old school sense of the word. It’s a coherent set of songs that brings all the subtle contrasting pieces together through Mike’s sense of momentum.
The inner voice might belong to Carr and the guitar stylings to Brookfield, but the two meet in the fast moving middle ground, where the emphasis constantly shifts from strong narratives with sumptuous guitar tones to spirited attacks that give the album its edge.
‘Brookfield’ is a brave step in a new direction and Mike Brookfield has the artistic vision, musical substance and energy to see the project home.
On ‘Letter From The Devil’ he draws on Son House for the song title and his own Texas influences – particularly the early 90′s Arc Angels – for a big strong riff-driven track that  grows on you every time you hear it.
Such is the repeated impact of the track that the following ‘Hi Class Shoes’ sounds almost lightweight, though just like the album as a whole, it rocks sufficiently hard enough to make its mark.
‘Brookfield’ is a well planned, seamlessly executed post-modern blues album. From the opening jangling guitars of ‘A Message For Willie Johnson’, to the closing political Americana ballad ‘Written In Chains’, it successfully straddles both the old and new.
In sum, Eamon Carr and Mike Brookfield have successfully forged a new blues style that cuts a swathe through a sometimes tired old genre. Long may this inventive combination prosper!

Brookfield

Silhouette - Staging The Seventh Wave

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 79:04
Size: 181,3 MB
Label: Progress Records
Styles: Progressive Rock/Neo Prog
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Prologue -  2:31
 2. Betrayed -  1:46
 3. Web Of Lies Part I The Vow -  8:31
 4. Web Of Lies Part II The Plot -  4:23
 5. In Solitary -  6:17
 6. Escape -  5:37
 7. Lost Paradise - 10:09
 8. Betrayed Again -  1:20
 9. Devils Island -  9:12
10. Beyond The Seventh Wave -  7:30
11. Wings To Fly -  5:54
12. Grendel Memories -  5:24
13. When Snow's Falling Down - 10:25

In 2014, Dutch band Silhouette released their fourth studio album, 'Beyond The Seventh Wave'. In 2016, they were filmed and recorded performing the album in its entirety, and this has now been released as a DVD and CD set, along with a few additional songs on the DVD. They wisely had a few additional guests make appearances, the most important of which is an additional guitarist who was there for the whole set (he did try to stay at the back of the stage and out of the way), who assisted in providing some additional heaviness to proceedings, allowing Daniel van der Weijde to provide some delicate solos on his seven-string guitar.
Although their sound is more in common with bands such as Saga than IQ, I did keep being reminded of the former in the way they set up the stage, the use of a backdrop film throughout, a keyboard player who also provides superb vocals when needed, and a rhythm section that just keep it locked down so that the others can take centre stage. Brian de Graeve has a gentle vocal style, never showing any strain, while Erik Laan uses a myriad of keyboards and sings in a similar fashion, so that when they harmonise they do so with aplomb.
This is a powerful album, with lots of drama and dynamic shifts in the music as they tell the story of what happens to the main character (which has been reproduced in the centre of the digipak so that even those who haven't heard the original knows what is happening). Somehow, I have managed to miss all of Silhouette's albums apart from 2012's 'Across The Rubicon', a situation I am going to have to address. The concert footage is well filmed, with multiple cameras and angles, and this is a great introduction to the band.

Staging The Seventh Wave

Silhouette - The World Is Flat and Other Alternative Facts

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 50:10
Size: 115,6 MB
Label: Progress Records
Styles: Progressive Rock/Neo Prog
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. March Of Peace -  5:35
 2. The Flow -  8:46
 3. Six Feet Underground -  9:34
 4. Symphony For A Perfect Moment - 17:54
 5. Sakura -  2:49
 6. Turn It Off -  5:29

Silhouette is proud to announce “The World is Flat And Other Alternative Facts”, our fifth studio album. It contains six songs with a total playing time of nearly 50 minutes. The 18 minute long epic “Symphony for a Perfect moment”, consisting of five parts, is the longest song ever written by the band. The album is unusually diverse and adventurous. While still recognizably Silhouette, this musical journey contains influences of not only the founding fathers of progressive rock, but also of contemporary, modern acts. We won’t tell you which ones, you will have to discover for yourself! What we can tell you is that this artistic evolution is obviously due to the growing influence of the younger members of the band, who were more actively involved in the writing and arranging than on previous Silhouette albums. While The World is Flat is not a concept album like the previous one, lyrically and musically, you will recognize an introspective mood all over the album. “The World is Flat” is foremost a statement about shallowness around us. About the influence of internet trolls, cheating bankers, lying politicians and incomprehensible violence, leading to scared people who don't know whom to trust anymore. Things that should matter don’t seem to matter anymore in public life. Sometimes we feel the strength to stand up against these modern demons. But sometimes we don’t, we cannot take it anymore and we give in to the desire to turn our backs to the flat world. We start searching for existential depth in our private lives, behind the protection of closed blinds in our homes. That is when we discover in the end it is all about living the moment, in the here and now. But also we find that even the most beautiful moments and memories have no meaning unless you can share them with your loved ones.

The World Is Flat and Other Alternative Facts

Clouds on Strings - The Strangest Thing We've Ever Seen

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2010
Time: 49:28
Size: 114,4 MB
Label: Self Released
Styles: Progressive Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Ortuo Ortni - 1:13
 2. The Strangest Thing - 5:18
 3. Dokdokwas - 5:37
 4. Can't Live With 'Em - 5:18
 5. Down to Alaska - 5:55
 6. Hiding Spot - 3:30
 7. Overboard - 8:13
 8. Limbo - 7:33
 9. Heading Home - 6:48

Their sound is generally hard to describe. Varied and eclectic influences but fairly modern sounding for the most part. The music changes a lot but mostly 'rocks' to some extent. The vocals sound almost indie. They remind me at times of the singer from Modest Mouse.
"Ortuo Ortni" is a short and atmospheric keyboard piece with some backwards effects. "The Strangest Thing" starts off sounding like jazz being played on an old, scratchy vinyl record in mono. A goofy childlike melody gets played and then becomes a full rock band playing it loud and in stereo now. This track is generally some kind of symphonic fusion. Nice violin work before the singing begins. Cool synth soloing at the end. "Dokdokwas" has a really cool riff beginning 1 1/2 minutes in. The song actually only gets better from there with great melodies and interplay between the instruments. The song ends with circus-like organ which segues into...
"Can't Live With 'Em." This song has a really interesting middle section featuring a female vocalist singing country-style. She is doing a call-and-response with a male vocalist as another spoken male voice is sort of a referee. Weird but effective. "Down To Alaska" has a riff in it that sounds like a cross between Zeppelin and the Chili Peppers. Towards the end is some cool synth and great melodic guitar. "Overboard" is the longest song but one of the least interesting musically. There is a spoken word part that sounds like it was done using a megaphone. Contains a nice vocal hook mixed with electric piano.
"Limbo" has another great riff starting around 3 1/2 minutes with an awesome spacey synth solo. "Heading Home" has great guitar playing. Cool riffs and chord progressions backed up by sympathetic violin and drumming. There is little or no space between the songs making the whole album appear seamless.

The Strangest Thing We've Ever Seen

Kaipa - Children of the Sounds

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 58:04
Size: 134,0 MB
Label: Insideout
Styles: Progressive Rock/Symphonic Prog
Art: Front + Back

Tracks Listing:
 1. Children Of The Sounds - 11:31
 2. On The Edge Of New Horizons - 17:10
 3. Like A Serpentine - 12:52
 4. The Shadowy Sunlight -  6:57
 5. What's Behind The Fields -  9:32

Musicians:
Patrik Lundström - Vocals;
Aleena Gibson - Vocals;
Hans Lundin - Keyboards & Vocals;
Per Nilsson - Electric & Acoustic Guitars;
Jonas Reingold - Bass;
Morgan Ågren - Drums.
With:
Elin Rubinsztein - Violin

As anyone who follows progressive rock knows, the genre came into full fruition and had its heyday in the early-to-mid 70s. It is therefore no great surprise that there are plenty of modern prog rock bands that take many cues from the time period, and strive to put their own spin on the genre. I generally term these types of bands as “retro prog,” and while I enjoy elements of plenty of these bands, their often slavish imitation of past giants wears thin pretty quickly.
It would therefore be easy to lump Sweden’s Kaipa along with the rest of these bands, except for one very important fact: They’re a mid 70s prog rock band, having released their debut album in 1975. Granted, there has been much turn over the past four decades – and only keyboardist/vocalist/band mastermind Hans Lundin remains from the original lineup – but the pedigree is there to give a bit more in terms of authenticity as opposed to homage. And all those years, plus the current line up being in place since 2000, come into play on their soon to be released ‘Children of the Sounds.’
Despite my general aversion to track-by-track reviews, this will (in most part) be just that; mainly because despite the album’s 58-minute run time, there are only five songs, all but one of which are at about the 10-minute mark. The album starts with the title track, and not being familiar with the band other than by reputation until now, it seems to me a very good introduction to the album and the band for fellow new listeners. It begins with strings and a flute, very reminiscent of the 70s before vocalist Aleena Gibson joins in. Her vocals are rather unique and hard to describe; at once controlled yet not so. They are not unpleasant, but not the type most bands would choose as their main voice.
Lyrically, the 11-and-a-half minute opus is basically about the band and the genre and music in general and what they stand for. I have long hated and argued against the oft-heard criticism of prog that it is “pretentious,” as playing an instrument to the best of one’s ability and writing music to challenge oneself is being musically honest. However hearing lyrics such as ‘out of the aged/we’re building something new/we are messengers from the songs from our hearts/we are universal soldiers of art’ I can’t think of a single other word to call it. “Inane, self-praising drivel” comes to mind, but that’s four words and not one. And the lyrics aren’t even especially accurate, as they’re aged, and not doing anything very new. Musically, the song works fine, and there are some very strong melodies and excellent performances from the band. It’s also quite refreshing to hear an album where the bass is clearly audible throughout.
Thankfully, the cringe-inducing lyrics quoted above are relegated to that one song, and the remainder of the album is more typical of prog in general. The following song is the epic on the album, the 17-minute “On The Edge of New Horizons.” It encompasses most everything one would expect from a 70s epic: lengthy impressive instrumental sections and lyrics that form a journey of sound for the listener, focusing in large part on nature, birds and trees, and the narrator’s place in the world. On this track, as the one before, guitarist Per Nilsson really shines and displays some very respectable chops. His solos and general guitar work are more of the David Gilmore school of playing as opposed to the Robert Fripp style – which is to say it depends far more on mood and feeling than it does on technique and surgeon-like precision. The drumming of Morgan Ågren and the bass work of Jonas Reingold work very well together on the frequent instrumental passages, and the whole result of the three of them plus Lundin’s key work is very pleasant and melodic. My one complaint however is that not once on this epic, or any of the other tracks, does the band play all-out and go for it, or build some tension and then release it with a display of intense music and technical skill. It’s really quite let-down, as if Yes decided to leave off Rick Wakeman’s organ intro and musical explosion after the “I Get Up, I Get Down/Seasons of Man” section of “Close To The Edge” – which is really too horrible for any self respecting progressive rock fan to even contemplate.
The next track, “Like A Serpentine,” essentially tells the story of Lundin’s bike rides around his home, and those ride’s inspirations on writing the songs of the album. It’s refreshingly straightforward, yet mystical in the storytelling, and contains some of my favorite music on the album. The album art of a young child walking down a stone path into a magical garden is the perfect representation of this and the previous song; a journey, a hint of wonder, and the long standing pastoral tradition of much classic early prog. And given that the band was bred in such an environment, it sounds much more honest and genuine than the majority of modern albums that try for such an atmosphere. At the same time however, while it’s very pleasant, there’s nothing very new or unique going on, and not the sort of thing I can imagine telling one’s friend that they “HAVE to listen to this new album.”
The final track is the keyboard-heavy “What’s Behind the Fields”, and by this point, the general music and lyrical style has been very well established, and it doesn’t deviate from what we’ve heard before. It is of course very well performed, and has some melodies that grab your ear, and it ends the album fittingly. And while it will hold one’s interest given the playing skill, it sums up the album well – neither blah nor exciting; pleasant, but not really worth getting excited over. In short, it’s an album that after reviewing it, I might toss in once in a blue moon, but nothing I would seek to obtain a copy of.
Kaipa have with ‘Children Of The Sounds’ put out a 70s style progressive rock album that actually has the sound and feel of honesty and authenticity. But at the same time, it is so rooted in the past that it teases more than it thrills, and is more pleasant than engaging. The musicianship is certainly up to par, but they never take advantage of it, resulting in a nice, but unremarkable prog album. Fans of the band will surely enjoy it, as might prog fans who think the genre ended at the close of 1979, or simply prefer a more old-school sound.

Children of the Sounds

Hamilton Loomis - Basics

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 74:02
Size: 169,6 MB
Label: Ham-Bone Records
Styles: Blues/Funky Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Sugar Baby -  4:42
 2. If I Would've -  4:45
 3. Candles and Wine -  5:35
 4. Reason -  3:57
 5. Ain't What It Ain't -  5:14
 6. Breaking Down -  4:54
 7. Looking Into a Dream -  5:22
 8. Getting So Big -  4:57
 9. Cloudy Day -  5:59
10. Come and Get Me -  7:00
11. Love Can Do -  5:23
12. Prayer -  4:58
13. Funky Little Brother - 11:12

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Basics, from Hamilton Loomis and it's really great! Opening with blues rocker, Sugar Baby, bassist, Sabrina LaField also takes the mic. With just a bit of swish in the tail this is a snappy rocker with Loomis on harp and lead guitar joined by Armando Aussenac on drums. Getting into a super funky groove, If I Would've, Loomis is back up front on vocal, guitar and harp creating a purely infectious track. His electrifying guitar riffs and bass lines are tight. Super! With an easy sway, Candles and Wine has just the right feel featuring tasty guitar riffs and cool vocal backing by Aussenac, Fabian Hernandez and Chris Eger. Ain't What It Ain't is a solid rocker with cool vocal blending but what really sets this track apart is super harp and hot slide riffs from Eger. Bluesy ballad, Breaking Down, is pure Loomis and it's a thread that you can trace from release to release. Rich composition, super vocals and warm interwoven instrumentation with Loomis' certain hand on guitar soloing makes this one strong track. a really hot sax solo by Fabian Hernandez bouncing back and forth with Loomis on lead guitar coupled with strong vocals makes Looking Into a Dream another of the top tracks on the release. Funky, Cloudy Day has really nicely arranged instrumentation, punchy sax work, great rhythm and vocals. Another super Loomis creation.  Quiet ballad, Prayer, has strong R&B bones, featuring Loomis' beautiful lead vocals with rich backing vocals and a slick melodic guitar solo. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Funky Little Brother with Sarah Kimberly on keys and trumpet, Reagan Kimberly on drums, Austin Morris on guitar and Daniel Holder on bass with Loomis on lead vocal and guitar and Alex Mckown, Zach Person and Michael Bryan-Harris on guitars. Almost getting into Sly world, this is a great funky rocker and a super closer for a super release. Excellent!

Basics

Albert Castiglia - Up All Night

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 45:00
Size: 105,8 MB
Label: Ruf Records
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Hoodoo on Me - 3:34
 2. I Been Up All Night - 5:27
 3. Three Legged Dog - 3:01
 4. 95 South - 3:54
 5. Knocked Down Loaded - 3:39
 6. Quit Your Bitching - 4:58
 7. Woman Don't Lie - 4:29
 8. Unhappy House of Blues - 5:44
 9. Delilah - 2:54
10. Chase Her Around the House - 3:53
11. You Got Me to That Place - 3:23

2017 release. Up All Night. It's an apt title for Albert Castiglia's seventh album: nobody sleeps when this man is in town. After 27 years of house-rocking studio albums and smack-in-the-mouth live shows, the Florida bandleader is the acknowledged master of red-raw, sweat-and-hair blues that gives it to you straight. Now, the visceral riffs and bruised soul of Up All Night make everything else sound like a lullaby. Up All Night finds Castiglia in a creative swagger after last year's acclaimed Big Dog. What wasn't broke then hasn't been fixed now, with the bluesman once again recording at Dockside Studios, Louisiana, and capturing a warts-and-all mix alongside producer Mike Zito.

Up All Night

Paul Lamb & the Detroit Breakdown - Fly In4mation

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 35:34
Size: 83,3 MB
Label: EE Records
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Fear Free (feat. Eric Gales) - 5:32
 2. Drinkin' rain - 3:41
 3. And a Little Bit More (I Want It All) - 3:56
 4. Shape to Shadow - 5:14
 5. Brotherhoos of the Misunderstood - 4:56
 6. One More Shot - 3:09
 7. My Name (feat. Joanne Shaw Taylor) - 3:38
 8. Living Words - 5:24

Detroit. Few words draw up such emotion and imagery as that one word sentence. It’s really a novel on its own, and it says more about music than most books ever could. One of the things most people forget in this modern era of music is the deep root of blues that comes from Detroit. One man who hasn’t is Paul Lamb and his band The Detroit Breakdown.
Paul grew up in Detroit, listening to a mix of great rock radio like Bob Seger, Stevie Wonder, George Clinton and drew from other outside influences like Hendrix and Stevie Ray as he began to play guitar. After travelling the country seeking out his musical soul and playing with the best of the best, Paul has finally found what he was looking for right here at home.
Listening to Paul Lamb and the Detroit Breakdown is a musical time capsule. It will take you through the drive and riffs of the 70’s, but also has the modern pulse that comes from recording at the legendary Rust Belt Studios(Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker) that keeps it all fresh. He’s not rehashing a memory, he’s brought this music to life.
After extensively touring Europe, highlighted by appearances at Glastonbury and touring with Walter Trout, Peter Green and many others, Paul and the Detroit Breakdown are bringing their music back home, similar to the path Hendrix followed. It all comes back around, much like it does with music and Detroit. Paul carries the torch as well as any native from this great city could ever do.

Fly In4mation

Greg Izor and Marco Pamdolfi - Homemade Wine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 31:16
Size: 72,0 MB
Label: Blue Janus Music / Tangle Eye
Styles: Blues/Louisiana Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Alabama - 3:52
 2. Don't Get Me Wrong - 3:07
 3. Come on Mary - 2:16
 4. Nothing Can Go Wrong - 3:46
 5. Sarah Jane - 3:15
 6. Morning Train - 2:44
 7. Your Goose Is Cooked - 2:11
 8. Keep it All - 2:36
 9. Scarred and Torn - 3:50
10. Blue Dawn - 3:34

Two masters of blues harmonica have come together to create a batch of original material spanning from traditional blues to R&B. Recorded live, the natural chemistry led to a special album pushing blues forward. A must for any harmonica or blues fan!
Greg Izor and Marco Pandolfi are two masters who came together to record an album to document what they are doing now and their unique chemistry. The album, Homemade Wine, captures their friendship and common roots in harmonica-based-blues, New Orleans R&B, and folk music. 10 original songs penned by Izor and Pandolfi represent a direct link from classic blues to the future, all steeped in the tradition. Izor and Pandolfi were fans of each others' work before meeting. When they first met and played together, they started making plans to record together. It took a few years, but the final product is a labor of love. Recorded live at Homefront Studios in Austin, TX, over the course of three days, and produced by frequent collaborator Josh Fulero, the album was recorded and mixed completely analog, to capture the natural tones and sound the two made together.
Greg Izor came up with a backround in Jazz, Country, Blues, and Folk music. Moving to New Orleans as a teenager, he spent time with his mentor Johnny Sansone, eventually playing in a group Sansone created to encourage young musicians, the King Brisket Boys. He also became steeped in the city's R&B history. Moving to Austin, Izor has been at the forefront of the young lions and new crop of blues musicians, creating a community to push the music forward while staying in the tradition. He helped form the collective Peacemakers, with Mike and Corey Keller, Johnny Bradley, and Willie Pipkin. The musicians he has played with read like a laundry list of heroes: Gatemouth Brown, Eddie Bo, Marcia Ball, Derek O'Brien, Pinetop Perkins, Guitar Shorty, Eddie C. Campbell, Lazy Lester, Paul Oscher, Jerry Portnoy, and Gary Clark Jr.
Marco Pandolfi is widely respected as Italy's finest bluesman. Marco Pandolfi’s presence on the Italian Blues scene goes back more than twenty years. He has been playing in the most important events on the peninsula, winning the respect of the greatest Blues Musicians in Italy and abroad. His performances and his recordings have been reviewed by the most authoritative magazines such as: Il Blues, Blues Revue, Soul Bag, Blues Britain Magazine...). His music is played on radio programs around the world (B.B. King’s Bluesville-XM radio USA, King Biscuit Time-Helena AK, WWOZ New Orleans, WEFT Radio-Champaign, Illinois and more). Twice at the INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE in Memphis, TN (USA): in 2006 with his band Marco Pandolfi & the Jacknives (representing Roots and Blues Association of Parma) and in 2011 in the category solo/duo (representing MOJO STATION, Roma). Pandolfi has performed with some of the most famous Bluesmen worldwide, such as Richard Ray Farrell, Paul Oscher, Bob Margolin, Harvey Brooks, Preston Hubbard, Bob Corritore, Willie King, Tom Walbank, David Lee Durham, Paul Cox, King Edward, Bill Howl-N-Madd Perry, Mickey Rogers, among others.
Marco has also played in Europe and the United States in a variety of clubs, such as : The Rhythm Room, Phoenix AZ; Groundzero, Clarksdale MS and BB’s in Saint Louis MO, and has participated in important International Blues Festival: Freedom Creek Blues Festival-Alabama; Rosedale Blues Festival-Mississippi; DeltaBlues, Narcao Blues -Italy; Rapperswil, St. Gallen, Blues To Bop-Switzerland; Darlington Blues Festival-UK...). In 2008 He was the only European musician invited to the third Delta Groove All Star Blues Revue held at the Groundzero in Clarksdale, Mississippi and the special guest at the 2nd Rocky Mountain Harp Blowdown in Denver, Colorado (the previous year was the turn of Billy Branch and the following was R.J. Mischo). He was the international guest at the Way Of Blues Revue in Jackson, Mississippi. On February 2011, after an outstanding world-wide tour as Blues Harmonica solo player, Pandolfi returned to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in the category solo/duo representing Mojo Station (Rome, Italy) surprising the Beale Street IBC goers with a stunning guitar, harmonica and voice repertoire in the purest Spirit of Low-Down Blues.

Homemade Wine

The Gordon Meier Blues Experience - Magic Kingdom

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 54:53
Size: 126,1 MB
Label: Eigen Beheer
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Howlin' For My Darlin' - 6:13
 2. Stop Draggin' That Chain Around - 3:57
 3. Buddy Buddy Friends - 5:50
 4. Just Keep Ridin' - 4:36
 5. In The Open - 4:55
 6. Red Headed Woman - 4:11
 7. Gold Tail Bird - 4:13
 8. Signifyin' Monkey - 2:59
 9. She Belongs To Me - 2:21
10. Someday Baby - 4:53
11. Gypsy Woman - 5:50
12. The Stumble - 4:49

Bij het horen van de naam van deze voor mij onbekende band verwachtte ik eigenlijk een Duitse of Oostenrijkse band. Dat is dus niet zo want zanger en gitarist Gordon Meier komt uit Western New Jersey, USA. Hij is al geruime tijd bezig in het blueswereldje. Zo speelde hij ruim 25 jaar in de band the Midnight Street Shakers.
Nu is er dus een cd met zijn eigen Blues Experience, bestaande uit bassist Mark Freidman en drummer Lester Veith. Zij worden op de cd nog bijgestaan door de gasten Dennis Gruenling op harmonica, Joe Taino op de slidegitaar en organist Tom Hammer.
Soms kan een cd een leuk aandenken zijn aan een concert van een artiest of band. Dat is ook precies wat ik dacht bij het beluisteren van dit album. Lekkere, ongecompliceerde blues waarvan de nummers het vooral live goed zullen doen.
Er staan twee eigen nummers op dit album. De midtempo boogie Just Keep Ridin’ met prima slide gitaar en het licht funky Someday Baby, dat opgesierd wordt door prima harmonicawerk van Dennis Gruenling.
De rest van de nummers bestaat geheel uit covers. Howlin’ For My Darlin’ is van Howlin’ Wolf en Willie Dixon. In de uitvoering van Meier klinkt het alsof dit nummer door John Lee Hooker gezongen wordt. Dit komt met name door zijn rauwe, rokerige stem. Meier is ook lekker op dreef met priemend gitaarwerk.
John Primer’s Stop Draggin’ That Chain Around zal het zeker goed doen tijdens optredens. Deze shuffle heeft een erg meebrulbaar refrein. De cover van Freddie King’s In The Open valt mij wat tegen. In plaats van een spetterende gitaar cover krijgen we een ietwat tamme soulblues uitvoering. Gelukkig tilt Meier’s gitaarspel het niveau enigszins omhoog. Red Headed Woman van The Hollywood Fats Band (en ook bekend door Canned Heat) krijgt een lekkere laidback jazzy versie met Duke Robillard-achtig gitaarwerk. De slowblues Gold Tail Bird, van Jimmie Rogers, klinkt met name door het prima spel van Meier uit de kunst.
Heel apart is de cover van Johnny Otis’ Signifyin’ Monkey. Een prima funky groover met een humoristische porno tekst. De cover van het Muddy Waters nummer Gypsy Woman klinkt lekker authentiek. Prima rauwe Chicago blues.
Als afsluiter komt er nog een Freddie King cover voorbij. Het overbekende The Stumble krijgt door het warme orgel een lekker swingend soul jasje aangemeten.
Hier moeten we niet moeilijk over doen. Dit is een lekkere blues cd, die doet uitkijken naar de live verrichtingen van deze band.

Magic Kingdom

Jimmie Vaughan Trio & Mike Flanigin - Live At C-Boy's

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 36:04
Size: 83,3 MB
Label: Proper Records
Styles: Blues/Jazzy Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. You Can't Sit Down - 3:00
 2. Hey! Baby - 4:01
 3. Can't Buy Me Love - 2:57
 4. Saint James Infirmary - 4:34
 5. Come on Rock Little Girl - 4:17
 6. Dirty Work at the Crossroads - 4:53
 7. Frame for the Blues - 5:50
 8. Cleo's Mood - 6:28

When Jimmie Vaughan isn’t out fronting his big “Tilt-A-Whirl” band, there’s nothing he likes more than grooving in this fine trio at C-Boy’s Heart and Soul in his hometown of Austin, Texas.
These very cool recordings – oozing with the late-night club atmosphere of Steve Wertheimer’s gem on South Congress Avenue – perfectly capture Mike Flanigin’s mastery of the mighty Hammond B3 and Frosty Smith’s attentive drumming which form the bedrock for Jimmie to lay down some of that trademark peckin’ guitar.
Jimmie Vaughan’s style as a player, songwriter and bandleader can be thought of as an amalgamation of so many influences. Known for his deceptively simple yet complex attack, his clean, uncluttered style capitalizes on conveying the emotion and message within the music, He utilizes raw emotion, simplicity, and an elegance that is powerful and accessible, yet communicates exactly what he feels inside. It’s an approach that has earned him the respect of many of the greats of contemporary music, and guest appearances on such albums as B.B. King and Eric Clapton’s Riding With The King, Bob Dylan’s Under The Red Sky, Willie Nelson’s Milk Cow Blues, Carlos Santana’s Havana Moon and Don Henley’s Inside Job.

Live At C-Boy's

The Gaddabouts - The Gaddabouts

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2011
Time: 41:36
Size: 95,8 MB
Label: RacecarLotta Records
Styles: Folk Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Never So Far Away - 3:24
 2. Let It Slide - 4:08
 3. Remind Me - 3:05
 4. My Heart - 5:07
 5. They Say Everything - 2:39
 6. Gonna Hold on - 3:23
 7. Mad Dog - 3:00
 8. Good Day - 2:26
 9. Good for Me - 4:25
10. More Than Anybody - 4:37
11. Feelin' Better - 5:16

Musicians:
Edie Brickell – vocals, guitar;
Andy Fairweather Low – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar;
Pino Palladino – bass, guitar;
Steve Gadd – drums, percussion.
Additional musicians:
Joey DeFrancesco – piano, organ, Rhodes piano, melodica, trumpet
Gil Goldstein – accordion, Hammond B3 organ
Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone
Marcus Rojas – tuba
Luisito Quintero – congas
Dan Block – clarinet

A New York supergroup of sorts, the Gaddabouts is fronted by singer/songwriter Edie Brickell, anchored by drummer Steve Gadd, and featuring guitarist Andy Fairweather-Low and bassist Pino Palladino. Their eponymous 2011 debut -- released just a week after Brickell's self-titled 2011 album -- is in comfortable territory for the group’s singer/songwriter, filled with the kind of rangy, loping folk-rock that turned her into a star back in 1988, but it also has an element of serious cabaret swing and torch song, plus a bit of blues, the group so dexterous they slide into these old-timey threads without causing a ripple. The songs are all sturdy enough, but the appeal of The Gaddabouts is that relaxed, seasoned professionalism: the band has considerable chops but they never flaunt their skill, they lay back into the groove and it’s hard not to find their easy sway ingratiating.
The Gaddabouts

Sula Bassana - The Night

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2009
Time: 51:41
Size: 118,4 MB
Label: Sulatron Records
Styles: Progressive Rock/Psychedelic/Space Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. In Space -  5:54
 2. Lost In Space -  6:50
 3. The Night - 15:29
 4. Meteorritt -  7:07
 5. Kosmokrator - 16:18

Musicians:
Dave Schmidt - vocals (2,5), guitars, basses, synths (Korg, Moog, Roland), Mellotron, organ, drums, gong, computer, producer;
With:
Stefan Koglek - vocals (3).

Another reissue from the the fevered brow of Dave Schmidt aka the hardest working man in music. 'The Night' was first released in 2009 on vinyl on Norway's Pancromatic Records and the 500 copies soon sold out, likewise a 300 copy repress in 2013 (on top of this, 1000 CD versions also sold out). Now Sulatron Records have released another CD edition....and those who missed out first (and second) time round, or have yet to experience 'The Night' would be well advised to take advantage and get it...now...before it sells out again!
Sula played everything on the album....everything, which is, and I quote from his website "Gibson SG; Fender Strat, Fender and Elvis basses; Roland, Moog and Korg synthesizers; Mellotron; organ; Trixon drums; computer; gong and other little stuff...". The only outside help came in the shape of Stefan Koglek of stoner / psychedelic group Colour Haze, who contributes vocals to 'The Night - part 2', mastering duties yet again fall to soundsmith EROC and the artwork is by german Sci-Fi artist Frank Lewecke.
The album itself is pure spacerock, with occasional nods to krautrock and psychedelia and, as with with all of Sula Bassana's output, the quality is exceptional, and even within the seemingly narrow label of spacerock, there is plenty of variety to keep the listener hooked. Opener 'In Space' starts with an ominous rumble followed by some synths straight out of a John Carpenter film and then the track turns into what sounds like space-lounge (and I mean that in a good way!)- it has a real Shadowsy / sixties spy film vibe about it, albeit with some fantastic spacey effects, an infectious beat and rumbling bass - an intriguing way to introduce the album. 'Lost In Space' is pure spacerock...some eastern melodies permeate the chugging motorik grooves and the cosmic electronica with some groovy mellotron added for good measure. 'The Night' is the centrepiece of the album - a fifteen minute opus split into four parts. After an atmospheric, even eerie, start the vocals of Stefan Koglek join over some workman-like guitars. It has a really 'classy' feel about it and at times you think it would fit nicely onto the B-side of Bowie's 'Diamond Dogs' such is the atmosphere it creates. The gradual build continues - some lovely psych guitarwork kicks in and the tempo is cranked up, and then it comes full circle and evolves into a gentle, hazy number reminiscent of early Floyd. 'Meteorritt' starts with some harsh guitar chords before becoming a more straightforward spacerock workout - probably the most 'Hawkwind' sounding track on the album....and that's no bad thing. 'Kosmokrator' is another lengthy track at just over sixteen minutes and is where Sula really lets his space wings stretch, like a huge cosmic eagle. There are some fab freakouts over more hypnotic motorik rhythms interspersed with periods of calm with undercurrents of spacey synths (and it climaxes with a huge gong strike!). It is simultaneously comfortable and familiar and yet sounds incredibly fresh.....this is how good spacerock should sound (I was talking to a mate the other day who was unfamiliar with the whole concept...had never even heard of Hawkwind!...and I played this track as a benchmark).
It is no surprise that the former editions of 'The Night' sold out...anyone who likes spacerock / krautrock NEEDS to have this album so get yourself over to Sulatron Records and grab it while you still can, I don't imagine it will hanging around. This is a work of supreme musicianship and craft that hits all the buttons.

The Night

Alkozaur - Fatal System Error

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 56:36
Size: 130,0 MB
Label: Musea Parallele
Styles: Progressive Rock/Neo-Prog
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Mind - 3:04
 2. White Room - 5:48
 3. Alone - 5:50
 4. No End Of The World - 5:55
 5. Dune - 4:45
 6. Dead In The Air - 7:47
 7. Quiet Sunday - 5:06
 8. Lakota - 5:40
 9. Defeat - 3:07
10. Here I Am - 6:32
11. Remind - 1:12
12. Fatal System Error - 1:43

ALKOZAUR is a French Progressive rock band, influenced by GENESIS, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD, or more recently PORCUPINE TREE. The first album "Serum Of Life" (Musea Parallele, 2011) displays atmospheric, precise and unusual compositions. Here's a subtle and energetic album, with rhythms sometimes surprising, born after several years of maturation and passion. Six years after, ALKOZAUR is at it again with "Fatal System Error" (Musea Parallele, 2017). This new piece of work gives a warm energy and an original colour, the bass here taking as much importance as the guitars. The emotion of the voices and melodies, the originality and percussion of the rhythms, the sequence of themes are some of the many assets of this second album, which confirms the great talent of the group. To be discovered !

Fatal System Error

Los Deltonos - Los Deltonos

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 43:54
Size: 100,6 MB
Label: Folc Records
Styles: Blues Rock/Rockin Blues
Art: Front

 1. Intro - 0:49
 2. Sur - 3:17
 3. No Saber - 2:19
 4. La Verdad - 2:54
 5. Magia - 4:08
 6. Caviar - 2:25
 7. Colisiуn - 5:58
 8. Mas Cencerro - 2:14
 9. Sanmartin - 3:53
10. Impostor - 2:44
11. Tiempos Mejores - 3:36
12. Al Final de la Escapada - 3:53
13. Caracartуn - 2:30
14. Banda en Movimiento - 3:06

Musicians:
Hendrik Rover -vocals, guitars;
Fernando Macaya- vocals, guitars;
Pablo - bass;
Javi Arias -drums.

Llevaban tiempo Los Deltonos amenazando con una involucion, entendiendo esta como algo no precisamente negativo. Porque si su acercamiento al country y sonidos adyacentes vivio su gran momento con la publicacion de “GT” en 2005, desde entonces sus discos han ido dando pequenos pasitos de regreso a sus origenes, marcados por el blues-rock vitaminado. El ultimo de ellos, “Salud!” (2015) –si no tenemos en cuenta el minielepe “Six-Pack Vol II”–, ya ponia dificil calificarlo como musica de raices, y hacerlo con este nuevo seria equivocado.
Poco queda ya de aquello en Los Deltonos, era algo que se me antojaba necesario. Como ya he expresado en mas de una ocasion, los discos en solitario de su lider de Hendrik Rover junto a los Miticos GT’s se parecian demasiado a los de su banda y era imprescindible separar ambos proyectos. De manera consciente o inconsciente eso es lo que hace este disco homonimo. ?Ah! La mania de los discos homonimos… ?Tan dificil es ponerle un titulo a un disco? Aunque pensandolo bien quiza, en este caso, la cosa esta mas que justificada. Porque Los Deltonos se reafirman con este album, y vuelven a sonidos que nos retrotraen a “Tres hombres enfermos” (1990) o “Bien, mejor” (1992). Quiza por ello tiene mas sentido que nunca titular un disco con su propio nombre: estos son Los Deltonos en 2017 y asi se quieren mostrar.
Trece temas –a los que se suma una pequena introduccion que no llega al minuto de duracion– integran este trabajo mucho mas inspirado esta vez en lo musical que en lo lirico. Y es que Hendrik sigue siendo un esplendido letrista, pero tengo la impresion de que en este album las letras son un simple vehiculo para lo que realmente importa, la parte instrumental. No hay mas que pararse en ‘Sur’, un notable texto para un excelente blues-rock. La guitarra de Rover asume todo el protagonismo, igual que sucede en ‘No saber’, ‘La verdad’ o ‘Caracarton’ y Fernando Macaya, Pablo Z, y Javi Arias funcionan como una locomotora perfecta dispuesta a pasar por encima de cualquier cosa que se les ponga por delante. Se echan de menos frases memorables, esas dosis de ingenio a las que tan habitualmente nos tiene acostumbrados Rover y que hacen su escritura diferencial, pero su verborrea sigue estando al alcance de muy pocos. Quiza solo debemos ‘tocarle la cresta’ con ese ‘Mas cencerro’ en la que claramente ha optado por despreocuparse de la letra para convertirla en una excusa con la que marcarse, otra vez, un excelso trabajo instrumental. Minucias. Porque el caso es que los cantabros han vuelto a facturar un trabajo esplendido que no hace sino confirmarlos como la mejor banda en lo suyo de este pais. Y es que no hay grupo de rock and roll que suene como Los Deltonos. Asi que mejor lo aceptamos y empezamos a rendirles pleitesia.

Los Deltonos

Andy Layfield - On This Road

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 19:13
Size: 44,1 MB
Label: Self Released
Styles: Blues/Blues Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Mr. Bankman - 3:54
 2. Roosterman - 3:52
 3. No Horses - 3:48
 4. Cougar - 3:48
 5. Matrix - 3:49

“On This Road” signifies the beginning of a new musical chapter for Andy with a primary focus on injecting energy and groove into the writing and recording process. You’ll hear a personal thread through the lyrics with 2 songs about mates (Roosterman & Cougar), plus 3 songs about financial blues and the struggles of living in the modern world (Mr Bankman, No Horses & Matrix)"
~ https://andylayfield.bandcamp.com/album/on-this-road-ep

On This Road

Threshold - Legends of the Shires

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 40:46 + 41:36
Size: 93,8 MB + 95,9 MB
Label: Nuclear Blast
Styles: Progressive Metal
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
CD1
1. The Shire (Part 1) -  2:04
2. Small Dark Lines -  5:24
3. The Man Who Saw Through Time - 11:52
4. Trust The Process -  8:44
5. Stars And Satellites -  7:20
6. On The Edge -  5:20

CD2
1. The Shire (Part 2) -  5:25
2. Snowblind -  7:03
3. Subliminal Freeways -  4:51
4. State Of Independence -  3:38
5. Superior Machine -  5:01
6. The Shire (Part 3) -  1:22
7. Lost In Translation - 10:20
8. Swallowed -  3:54

There is an exhilarating moment of revelation, approximately three and a half minutes into Stars and Satellites, the fifth track on this new album from Threshold, where the building crescendo in the wall of sound abruptly halts, leaving just an isolated keyboard and echoed vocal accompanied by a simple bass line, perfectly framed and accentuated by the silence. Fifteen seconds later the most glorious guitar solo penetrates and swells to fill the soundscape followed, 30 seconds later, by the arrival of an exquisite layered harmony which enthrals, embraces and carries you away.
The experience is richly suffused with significant resonances. Fans will immediately identify with the archetypal ‘signature’ Threshold sound it evokes. More importantly, however, they will forge clear links with the charged intensity of Subsurface (2004) and the driving energy of Dead Reckoning (2007). After the relatively simpler approach and heavier direction taken by their previous release For the Journey (2014), the band appear to have deliberately mined the musical resources of their back catalogue and rekindled the creative fire and the exuberant spirit of earlier times. It is an experience which feels, literally, like coming home.
Legends of the Shires is deeply ambitious, not just in terms of being a double album but precisely because it joyfully explores layers of progressive complexity and delights in the new found emotional excitement and expressiveness which it affords. Thoughtful echoes of the inventive depths scaled by the iconic Pilot in the Sky of Dreams (Dead Reckoning) and Ground Control (Subsurface) find invigorating focus and absorbing vibrancy in songs which are elegantly intricate and intelligently crafted.
Even a casual glance at the track listing indicates that the majority of songs exceed five minutes; The Man Who Saw Through Time weighs in at nearly 12 minutes, Lost in Transition is over 10, with Trust the Process at nearly 9 minutes and Stars and Satellites more than 7. Built around a structure of extended and continuous song writing, the album clearly displays a more natural approach which has been carefully refined and lovingly crafted. Complex song structures, the frequent changes of tempo, shifting rhythms and transient moods reflect a refined ‘craft’ being brought to bear, a compositional art which holds everything that is best about Threshold together in a wonderfully organic balance.
Yet this is no mere imitation of or slavish return to the past. Far from it. The band state that Legends of the Shires marks the beginning of “a new chapter” in their musical journey, one where “we’ve gone much deeper and we’ve been much more progressive”. Such an assured statement of intent is supported in part by the openness created by the extended song format, the new found freedom to break out of conventional restrictions and the confidence to stretch out and go beyond previous releases in playing with a variety of ideas, sounds and influences.
But it is also confirmed in much larger part by the enhancements the band have brought to the album which clearly point to a more refined sound, a greater finesse to the writing that allows a more enriched and intense musical experience to emerge. What strikes you immediately is the greater role played at all levels by the keyboards which really do infuse and permeate the music both in terms of having more prominence as a solo instrument as well as providing layer after layer of luscious textures contrasted with emphatic, supporting interventions.
These often set the stage for some of the most gorgeous melodies and frequent multi-layered harmonies you have ever heard on a Threshold album. Returning singer Glynn Morgan brings the perfect voice to lead and expose every nuance and every refinement in what is a thrilling and remarkable vocal performance. The sparkling mix provides greater separation and clarity of the instruments which in turn delivers a cleaner, more muscular sound which throws all the combined complexity into sharper relief. And even then, you will still need to listen carefully in order to catch the hidden delights and clever surprises.
Legends of the Shires is an outstanding achievement and easily the best album Threshold have ever created. Exploring deep seated and even political concerns with how we find our place in the world and the ways in which we relate to others, it conveys an inspired musical experience that hopefully marks a turning point in their sometimes turbulent story. It radiates imagination, exudes inventiveness and presents a triumphant tour de force in terms of an organic musical vision which flows with energy, bite and a compelling natural momentum. Mesmerising, at times spell-binding, it is well worth a listen.

Legends of the Shires 

Motorpsycho - The Tower

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 84:52
Size: 194,9 MB
Label: Stickman Record
Styles: Progressive Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. The Tower -  8:41
 2. Bartok of the Universe -  6:07
 3. A.S.F.E. -  6:55
 4. Intrepid Explorer -  9:50
 5. Stardust -  3:34
 6. In Every Dream Home -  8:23
 7. The Maypole -  3:39
 8. A Pacific Sonata - 15:39
 9. The Cuckoo -  7:19
10. Ship of Fools - 14:41

We’re very happy to announce that Motorpsycho has recorded another studio album and that it will be released on September 8th! Titled The Tower, it is one of Motorpsycho’s hardest and most adventurous records to date. Recorded on the US West Coast earlier this year, it also debuts the band’s brand new drummer, Tomas Järmyr. You can read band insider Bob LeBad’s take on it more closely on Motorpsycho’s website here. The album will be available as a double LP with special packaging, double CD and of course digitally. All wrapped up in mind-blowing artwork, we know you’re going to love this one.
Kenneth Kapstad’s June 2016 departure from Motorpsycho left the remaining psychos Hans Magnus Ryan and Bent Sæther fending for themselves. An almost ten-year ride was over, and things were again changing in the Psychoverse.
After a fall busy at the Trøndelag teater, writing and performing the Begynnelser music live for 40 performances, the search for a replacement started, and by December 2016 Tomas Järmyr had become the new drummer in Motorpsycho. The fit was natural, and it didn’t take more than a couple of rehearsals for the old-timers Snah and Bent to figure this out: the chemistry was there from the get go, and by mid-January enough new material was ready for the band to start contemplating recording.
When the initial plan to work with Alain Johannes fell through due to conflicting schedules, the back-up plan – to self-produce with engineer Noah Shain and executive producer Dave Raphael at White Buffalo in Downtown L.A. – became reality, and in early March the band found themselves in Los Angeles, well-rehearsed and ready to record.
The band and their cohorts hoped to get most of the work done over a three-week period, and tracking began on March 6. After about ten days of recording basic tracks for the more brutal stuff at White Buffalo, the gang decamped to Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree to focus on a little more laid-back material. Three effective days with Hayden Scott and Dave Catching out there in the desert added a little light to the prevailing darkness in most of the material, and also added a little clear desert air to the proceedings. The remaining week was spent in L.A. tracking vocals and adding overdubs.
After a few weeks of further work back in Norway, Noah Shain mixed the songs in L.A. in May and Wim Bult mastered the album in Apeldoorn in late June. Dave Raphael oversaw these phases of the work, and he really is the man to blame for the sound of this record: the band used his guitars and his amps in the studio and the music was recorded by his mics, his pre-amps and his EQs. This is the sound of Awtac and Fucktone, and the band is understandably obviously really really happy with the results!
As ever stretching the boundaries of their musical understanding and looking for new ways to express themselves, this is a pretty adventurous album even by Motorpsycho standards. It is easy to hear that both the new environment and the new co-conspirators influenced the band: this sounds nothing like any previous Motorpsycho album! Musically this is in parts the hardest album Motorpsycho has perpetrated in a while, and the material runs the gamut from short and sweet to lengthy and mean – even touching on heavy or stoner rock in places. It certainly is of a rather more explosive nature than most of their last album Here Be Monsters: the sounds are gnarlier and the riffs bigger, and where the last album to some perhaps was a tad too introvert, this album reflects the period it was written and is more concerned with us than me – with changes in society rather than personal issues.  These are strange days, and the lyrics reflect this.
Surviving yet another change in personnel, Motorpsycho bounces back and shows yet again that the band is bigger than the individual players and that it intends to survive whatever challenges fate throws at it. The Tower, then, is a statement of intent from a band that is very much alive and kicking: this is the start of a new era in the Psychoverse, and the album stands as proof that there’s bite in the old dog yet!

The Tower

Solomon King & the Chosen - Jack Me up

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 40:40
Size: 93,7 MB
Label: Unsigned Project
Styles: Rock/Blues Rock
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Jack Me up - 3:37
 2. Under the Sun - 6:00
 3. Baby Does Me Good - 2:20
 4. Frankie & Johnnie - 4:57
 5. Bad to Me - 2:39
 6. Love & Happiness - 3:39
 7. Train - 5:34
 8. Whiter Shade of Pale - 5:03
 9. Be My Baby - 2:57
10. Addicted to Love - 3:51

There are those that simply play the blues and some people that have lived them, and there are those like SOLOMON KING who have done both. With songs in True Blood, a Grammy entrant nomination for Under the Sun and a new album just around the corner, it's time to revisit that Johnny Cash-esque sound wrapped up in the blues sound that made him an enigma. "That Voice" Is Back!

Jack Me up

Doug Petibone - Gone

Bitrate: 192K/s
Year: 2014
Time: 35:52
Size: 50,0 MB
Label: Dppj Records
Styles: Rock/Americana
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Love Sick - 3:55
 2. California - 3:53
 3. Sugar - 3:46
 4. Gone - 4:19
 5. Big Love - 3:30
 6. Just Right - 5:41
 7. Old Friend - 3:21
 8. Long Haul - 4:18
 9. Baby What You Want Me to Do - 3:04

Musicians:
Doug Pettibone- Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals
Lucinda Williams- Vocals
Anne McCue- Vocals
Chris Peirce- Vocals
Bill Frisell- Guitar
Jim Christie- Drums
Hector Espinosa- Percussion
Taras Prodaniuk- Bass
Sebastian Stienberg- Upright Bass
Phil Parlapiano-Keyboards
Rob Burger- Keyboards
Juan Covarrubias- Keyboards
Peter Schimke- Keyboards

This record will save lives, make people smart, happy, sad, fall in love, break up, make up, get married, lose weight, live longer and be better kissers!
In the music world, ‘sideman’ is a term used to describe a member of a band who supports the main act. Their employment can range from a single gig to a long, steady career with a single marquee artist. Their job is to make their employer sound good, and the amount of attention they receive can also vary widely – from nameless jobbers to players who have made supporting other artists their primary claim to fame and source of income. It can be a great gig, because the members of the band can go to the mall without being mobbed while their boss suffers the trappings of fame. Guitarist Doug Pettibone has been the right-hand-man for revered songwriter Lucinda Williams for over a decade, accompanying her both in the studio and onstage. Although playing in Lucinda’s band is his main gig, he has also worked with a long list of household names, not the least of which are Keith Richards, Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, Norah Jones, Sting, Steve Earle, Elvis Costello, Jewel and Tift Merritt. But Pettibone is far being from the kind of sideman that just plays guitar next to the singer. He also writes, produces and plays a multitude of instruments with a near virtuosic flair. All of these skills are showcased on his brand new album, Gone, released in February of 2014. Far from being the vanity project of a journeyman guitarist, Gone finds Pettibone showcasing his considerable skills as an artist in his own right. All the amazing guitar parts and tones that are the hallmark of Pettibone’s playing are evident on Gone, and the liner notes read like a who’s who of top echelon musicians. Perhaps most pleasantly surprising is the confidence of his vocals as the songs veer from breezy Southern California Byrds-style pop to blues of both the jazzy and down and dirty kind.
Written by Joe Armstrong.

Gone

Charlie A Court - Bring on the Storm

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2006
Time: 47:28
Size: 108,8 MB
Label: 6K7 Music
Styles: Soul Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Big Dark Canyon - 4:43
 2. Take Me Down - 4:38
 3. Give It All to You - 4:54
 4. Broken Man - 4:43
 5. If You Go - 3:57
 6. Bring on the Storm - 4:18
 7. Isolation Blues - 3:11
 8. Heartaches of a Fool - 3:46
 9. Seeing You Around - 3:42
10. Yes You Are - 4:26
11. I've Got Dreams to Remember - 5:05
11. I've Got Dreams To Remember (5:05)

The follow-up studio release from acclaimed Canadian diamond in the rough, Charlie A'Court. The new recording dives deep into emotional ties to chronic pain, depression, helplessly in love and life on the road.
Combine a rich, rhythm & blues upbringing with soulful, adult-contemporary song writing and you have the foundation of one of Atlantic Canada's brightest new stars. 2004 ECMA nominee, Charlie A'Court has emerged as an emotionally charged and soul touching performer, whose music reaches out to others, touching audiences at venues all over. Whether it's his stirring solo performances, or his fiery full band concerts, A'Court takes the music down a direct path to the listeners' heart and soul.
With the release of his debut album, Color Me Gone, A'Court wrapped up a tremendously successful 2003, and has started off on the right foot for 2004. In 2003, Charlie placed 2nd in the acoustic division of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN., as the only Canadian competitor. At the 15th East Coast Music Awards in Halifax, A'Court was nominated for Best New Artist as well as taking home the hardware for Best Blues Artist. A'Court also made his national debut on the televised show as a performer in a tribute to Canadian rock icon, Myles Goodwyn of April Wine.
In the past year, A'Court has toured extensively throughout Canada and abroad. With headlining performances under his belt at festivals like the Stan Rogers' Folk Fest, Riverfront Jubilee, Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, Saint John Jazz & Blues Fest, Ottawa Blues Fest, A'Court has opened for high profile artists including John Reischman and the Jaybirds, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Harry Manx, Colin James, and ex-Rolling Stone guitarist Mick Taylor. A'Court has also recently launched an international career by releasing Color Me Gone in Europe. Accompanying the release were two very successful tours throughout Germany, opening for Australian slide-guitar legend Dave Hole, Sugar Blue (former harmonica play for the Rolling Stones), and legendary British r&b/rock group, Procol Harum, whose most recognizable hit is Whiter Shade of Pale.
A'Court's momentum in 2004 has shown no signs of slowing down. Charlie was nominated for Best New Artist at the Maple Blues Awards and Best Male Artist at the East Coast Music Awards earlier this year. A'Court has been writing new material for his follow-up album, released a live album in Europe with a successful tour that involved opening for classic rock legend, Vanilla Fudge, opened a Maritime tour for blues rocker George Thorogood & The Destroyers, and made a special guest appearance on Dave Gunning's new album, two-bit world. A'Court also had one of his songs, Be My Angel, included on a Keith's Beer Compilation CD in which over 45,000 copies have been distributed.
The album's debut single, "You've Got a Friend in Me" has been grabbed by radio stations across Atlantic Canada as well as receiving regular, national air-play on CBC radio. Halifax rock station, Q104 placed the single at #50 on their Top 104 Songs of 2003 and at #5 on "Route 104" - Top Ten Homegrown Tunes of 2003. The single also charted 12 weeks on the Rock 20 Countdown. The follow up single, "Carolina", was received with open arms and reached the #2 position on the East Coast Kitchen Racket - Top Ten. Charlie's modern blues style, mixed with his contemporary songwriting has created a mass appeal, enabling A'Court's material to be added to regular and heavy rotations on rock radio and adult contemporary stations.
Fueled by emotion and a desire for delivering powerful music, Charlie A'Court is grabbing a hold of the music industry and attracting the attention of audiences everywhere with gutsy vocals and his colourful yet solid guitar playing.

Bring on the Storm

Peter Ward - Blues on My Shoulders

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 50:18
Size: 116,1 MB
Label: Gandy Dancer Records
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. She Took It All - 3:08
 2. Which Hazel - 3:10
 3. Blues on My Shoulders - 3:16
 4. Collaborate - 4:55
 5. Shiprock - 2:36
 6. What Can I Do to You - 3:10
 7. It's On Me - 4:23
 8. Southpaw - 4:09
 9. A Little More - 5:17
10. On the Ropes - 3:08
11. Colletta - 3:38
12. Kansas City Blues - 4:23
13. Drummin' Willie - 4:58

Guitarist Peter Ward announces an October 20 release date for his new CD, Blues on My Shoulders, on Gandy Dancer Records. Besides Ward on guitar and vocals, special guests on the new disc include multiple Blues Music Award-winning guitar legend Ronnie Earl, Sax Gordon Beadle on sax and the members of Sugar Ray and the Bluetones: Sugar Ray Norcia (vocals and harmonica), “Monster” Mike Welch (guitar), Anthony Geraci (piano), Michael “Mudcat” Ward (Peter’s brother – bass) and Neil Gouvin (drums).
“It pleases me to present Blues on My Shoulders, my first solo project,” Peter Ward says about the new album. “I wrote the words and music to 12 of the 13 songs. I grew up wearing out the vinyl records trying to understand how Robert Jr. Lockwood, Tiny Grimes, Louis Meyers and Jimmy Rogers made songs sound so good. It's what I wanted to do. I was lucky to sit in often with my friend (and former roommate) Ronnie Earl and play alongside many of my musical heroes. A highlight was touring with the Legendary Blues Band: Joe Willie ‘Pinetop’ Perkins, Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith, Calvin ‘Fuzz’ Jones and Jerry Portnoy, who had brilliantly backed Muddy Waters for years. The way they played blues was everything I believed in, then and now. Willie Smith was an inventive drummer — and a wily character. I pay tribute to him in the song, ‘Drummin' Willie.’ The track ‘Which Hazel’ is my homage to Chuck Berry. Sugar Ray Norcia honored me by singing the heck out of ‘Collaborate,’ a tribute to Lockwood and Lonnie Johnson. I appreciate that Ronnie Earl and Sax Gordon Beadle accepted my invitation to perform on two songs: ‘A Little More’ and ‘It's On Me.’ ‘Southpaw’ is my ode to lesser-known left-handed swing guitarist Dickie Thompson, who worked with organist and front man Wild Bill Davis. My instrumental, ‘Shiprock,’ reminds me of a hallowed part of Navajo country I visited with my wife Mai Cramer, who died of breast cancer in 2002 and previously hosted a popular blues program every weekend for 24 years on WGBH-FM. She was an avid supporter of the blues and its purveyors. I think she would have liked Blues on My Shoulders. I hope you do.”
As a teenager growing up in Lewiston, Maine, Peter and his brother Michael (“Mudcat”) listened intently to blues records and went to see Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Taj Mahal and Hubert Sumlin whenever they performed in the area. Peter played blues with Mudcat and did gigs also with his younger brother Jeff, who died in 1991. “Jeff was too young to drink, but club owners would let him in so he could play bass with New York City drummer Ola Dixon and me,” Ward recalls.
Ward later moved to Boston and played in various bands, frequently sitting in with Sugar Ray & the Bluetones, who then featured his brother and Ronnie Earl, and backed blues artists such as Jimmy Rogers, Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson and Lowell Fulson.
“In the Big Apple, I was thrilled when Otis Rush told me I played chords like an ‘old man,’ Ward remembers. “In 1978, each week I drove across I-90 to Rochester, N.Y. to play blues for three nights with guitarist-vocalist Joe Beard. Beloved there, Joe had once been a neighbor of Son House. In the 1980s, I loved everything about touring with the Legendary Blues Band — the traveling and camaraderie, but especially the way we played blues in an unhurried, improvisational way. We recorded a CD for Rounder Records that featured Duke Robillard, whose brilliant guitar I had first heard at a high school dance.
“I married Mai Cramer, who spun records for Boston station WGBH-FM every weekend from 1978 until 2002, when she died of breast cancer. Her fans and I stage a fundraiser in her honor each spring for charity at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass. Headliners have included Jody Williams, Luther ‘Guitar Junior’ Johnson, Lurrie Bell, Ron Levy and Eddie Taylor, Jr. In 2010, I produced Goodbye Liza Jane: Hello Western Swing, a CD of western swing (a cousin to the blues) with Herb Remington, an original member of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. In recent years I've begun writing songs, as I culled the many snippets of melodies and phrases stuck in my mind. It's fun to turn thoughts into songs and then sing them while people dance. It's been a blast, and it's not over.”

Blues on My Shoulders

Jimmy Barmatan & The Cocooners - Bourbon Church

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 46:20
Size: 106,3 MB
Label: Gaztelupeko Hotsak
Styles: Rock, Funk / Soul, Blues
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Living Down the Higway - 4:28
 2. Bla Bla - 3:24
 3. Like the Grown Needs the Rain - 4:29
 4. Strange Fly of the Bird - 3:58
 5. Bourbon Church - 3:47
 6. Oceans of Caresses - 5:04
 7. In Memoriam - 5:20
 8. I?m Alone - 3:45
 9. Rocking & Swimming & Rocking On - 4:19
10. Back Way Home - 3:24
11. Distance With Your Lies - 4:16

The 6th record of Jimmy Barnatan transits the subgenres of the blues (soul, rhythm and blues, country, funky, blues rock ...), and in these rhythms has been based to include the showgirls and give them the important role they played in the years 50. "Bourbon Church" is a work carefully calculated in the musical thanks to the tandem formed by Barnatan himself and guitarist Sergio Gonzalez in the composition, accompanied by the usual The Cocooners with Ruben Rodriguez on drums, Dani Simons on bass return to From the roots music to create a unique and nontransferable concept that already from the beginning is adorned with gospel thanks to The Cocoonettes (Xenia San Jose, Carol Martin, Mabel Sierra, Mara Mena, Isabel Palacios, Berta Lopez and Lara Rodriguez) . Recorded in the studies Vu meter of the hand of Javier Lopez Jato "Javeta".

Bourbon Church