Late last year, Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings arm reissued the rock-meets-classical interpretation of Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf conceived by Jack Lancaster (Blodwyn Pig) and Robin Lumley (Brand X). Now, on March 25, Esoteric will turn its attention to the next album from the pair of Lancaster and Lumley. The 1976 concept album Marscape […]
Continue ReadingI wandered so aimless, life filled with sin/Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night/Praise the Lord, I saw the light... Though Hank Williams is often remembered today as much for his hellraising ways as for his venerable songbook - a remarkable one that crossed genre lines via such stone-cold standards as "Hey, Good […]
Continue ReadingThe legacy of Philadelphia International Records is as mighty as the famous three men most associated with the label: co-founders and songwriter-producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and songwriter-producer-conductor-arranger Thom Bell. The three men didn't do it alone, though; the PIR story involves the dozens of talented artists, musicians, songwriters, producers, and arrangers who passed […]
Continue ReadingWelcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to discover! This week's got some choice soundtracks plus rock, hip-hop, country, and classic vocalists. Depeche Mode, Construction Time Again | The 12" Singles (Warner/Rhino) (iTunes / Amazon) […]
Continue ReadingA recent release from Urban Legends and UMe has paired the late Godfather of Soul, James Brown, with producer and multi-instrumentalist Stro Elliot of The Roots. Black and Loud: James Brown Reimagined by Stro Elliot, featuring ten new remixes of Brown's funk classics, is available now on digital platforms as well as standard black vinyl […]
Continue ReadingWelcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the titles arriving in stores today! Mary Wilson, The Motown Anthology (Motown/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) The Motown Anthology is the ultimate retrospective of Mary Wilson, multi-hyphenate talent: singer, activist, author, fashion icon, actress, mother, grandmother, friend, trailblazer, legend, Supreme. This first-ever […]
Continue ReadingMight as well jump: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab has announced that Van Halen's first six multi-platinum albums originally released on the Warner Bros. label will be coming to hybrid stereo SACD (playable on all CD players) as well as to audiophile-standard UltraDisc One-Step 180-gram, 45 RPM vinyl. The band's incendiary debut Van Halen (1978) is […]
Continue ReadingOver a career spanning 50 years, Kraftwerk have influenced artists from David Bowie to Depeche Mode. The pioneers of electronic music and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have long been at the vanguard of innovation in music, and continue to perform and tour today. Hip-hop/electro progenitors Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force incorporated […]
Continue ReadingUPDATED 3/1/22: As one of the seven members of Chicago as featured on their 1969 debut album Chicago Transit Authority, bassist-singer Peter Cetera's soaring tenor became an integral component of the band's sound on such hits as "25 or 6 to 4," "Feelin' Stronger Every Day," "Just You 'n' Me," and "(I've Been) Searching So Long." […]
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