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The American Amboy Dukes - Migration

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 24 Jan 2010 17:55:14 | Comments : 1

The American Amboy Dukes - Migration
Rock | MP3 | 192 kbps | 65 MB | 1969

“The most prominent feature of Migration (the Amboy Dukes' third recording, originally released on Mainstream records) is the lack of a spaced-out follow-up to the group's biggest hit, "Journey to the Center of Your Mind." Perhaps "terrible" Ted Nugent was starting to win the drug war that was beginning to wage within the band, a war that would ultimately claim more than a few key lineup casualties. No matter the reason, Migration with it's less opaque drug references and general grooviness was given a cool reception at record stores as listeners perhaps became slightly confused about the Michigan band's intentions while pondering Nugent's relatively eclectic musical approach. Case in point: the spot-on version of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers' "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent." Besides this bizarre but affective cover, other highlights include the instrumental opener "Migration" and one of Nugent's all-time favorite songs, "Good Natured Emma." More ambitious than the group's huge-selling effort from the year before, "Migration" might be the better of the two discs, if not the best of the Amboy Dukes' career. ”
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Canned Heat - '70 Concert: Recorded Live In Europe

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 23 Jan 2010 05:02:07 | Comments : 1

Canned Heat - '70 Concert: Recorded Live In Europe
Blues | MP3 | 256 kbps | 85 MB | 2001

“This 1970 concert of the guys is a bit different then others as it shows a somewhat mellower side. There are some great boogie moments here like the first 2 tracks. "That's All Right Mama" features some great guitar work by Harvey Mandel. Alan Wilson does some nice harmonica playing throughout also. Still you can't help but wonder about Alan Wilson's state of mind during the melancholy Pulling Hair Blues and to some degree London Blues where his singing while good has a sadder than usual feel to it. These 2 songs cast an odd downer feel to what is otherwise a pretty upbeat concert. So that is why I say it's a little different side here. All in all a worthwhile addition to your collection. I'd also suggest Live at Topanga Corral.. another great collection of live Canned Heat. .”
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Dan Hill - Longer Fuse

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 23 Jan 2010 03:10:17 | Comments : 0

Dan Hill - Longer Fuse
Pop Rock | MP3 | V0 VBR 180 kbps | 51 MB | 1977

“Dan Hill finally hit the big time with his third record, Longer Fuse, scoring a number three hit with "Sometimes When We Touch." A painfully earnest love song, Hill sounds pained when admits that "Sometimes when we touch/The honesty's too much" — which fits, because sometimes when Hill sings, the honesty's too much. For such a sweet, mellow singer, it's rather shocking that his words are so bluntly candid in their confessionals and as artfully rendered as musings in a diary. Here, he tempers the journal-like tendencies of Hold On, but there are moments that are startling in their forthright honesty, as when "McCarthy's Day" kicks in and you realize that he's talking about his interracial parents on the run during the days of blacklisting. Also, the songs on Longer Fuse hit harder because the production is scaled back, sounding like it's nothing but his voice and guitar even when other instruments are present on every track. Where some singer/songwriters would excel in this stripped, bare setting, there's too much specificity in the words and not enough form in the music to have this stand steadily on its own legs. At times, it's fascinating to hear Hill's earnest voice sing such soul-baring lyrics — it's the equivalent of hearing a journal read aloud — but the album as a whole doesn't follow through on "Sometimes When We Touch," lacking that sentimental soft rock classic's sense of melody and sweetness. Compared to the rest of the record, it seems restrained, which explains a lot about why Longer Fuse doesn't quite work.”
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Poncho Sanchez - Psychedelic Blues

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 22 Jan 2010 21:28:02 | Comments : 1

Poncho Sanchez - Psychedelic Blues
Jazz | MP3 | V2 VBR 212 kbps | 76 MB | 2010

“Poncho Sánchez, a giant on the Latin jazz scene, has developed into something of an elder statesman on that scene, and this is his 24th album for the Concord label. Melding Latin music, jazz, salsa and a host of other influences, Sanchez plays congas with Andrew Synowiec on guitar, David Torres on keyboards; Javíer Vergara on saxophones, Ron Blake on trumpet and flugelhorn, Francisco Torres on trombone, Tony Banda on bass and vocals, George Ortiz on timbale; and Joey De León on percussion and vocals. The album starts strong, with a wonderful cover of Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" which keeps the beautiful melody intact while adding an extra layer of percussion and groove. "Psychedelic Blues" would seem to elude to some type of retro sixties style, but despite the name it is a fast paced and soulful performance that doesn't sound at all dated. F. Torres makes the most of a very nice solo spot on "Silver's Serenade" as do the rest of the horn section and D. Torres who works a Latin feel into Horace Silver's great funky composition. Most of this album works quite well and should appeal to fans of Latin jazz as well as mainstream jazz. Some of the vocals seemed a little cheesy to me at times, but that is a small quibble on what is otherwise a pretty successful album.”
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James Taylor - Acoustic Live & Rarities Vol. 1

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 22 Jan 2010 05:58:00 | Comments : 2

James Taylor - Acoustic Live & Rarities Vol. 1
Covers included
Folk | MP3 | 192 kbps | 74 MB | 2008

“Acoustic live and rarities vol. 1 with some Beatle songs. There is also a Vol. 2”
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Ofra Harno - Imagine

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 22 Jan 2010 05:35:21 | Comments : 1

Ofra Harno - Imagine
Classical | MP3 | 192 kbps | 87 MB | 1996

“In the late '80s and early '90s it had become somewhat fashionable, trendy, and chic for symphony orchestras to perform and record rock & roll classics. Indeed, some of the orchestral transcriptions of Yes and Pink Floyd are amazing and even essential. No rock & roll artists have been more exposed in this light than the Beatles. There are literally dozens of CDs available of John Lennon/Paul McCartney tunes by symphony orchestras, classical pianists, and/or chamber orchestras. Imagine by Ofra Harnoy is one of the best. This CD features Harnoy on solo cello accompanied at times by the Oxford String Quartet or the Armin String Quartet. But the real treats on this outstanding CD are her solo performances. Harnoy plays with such grace, restraint, and feeling that these pieces, sans vocals, take on new meaning. Hearing these familiar pop tunes in ambient and minimalist stylings is a delightful experience. Lennon and McCartney have been justifiably hailed as the greatest songwriting duo ever. Their lyrics tell great stories and are great poetry. Harnoy's restrained and reverent cello tells new versions or adds chapters to the originals. Her version of "Michelle" becomes a bittersweet dirge and powerful dark minimalism. "Yesterday" will have deep listeners contemplating their own fates and mourning losses. Of course, no Beatles collection is complete without George Harrison or Ringo Starr selections. Harnoy's arrangements of "Here Comes the Sun" and "Octopus' Garden" are brilliant. There are two of Lennon's solo compositions as well. The title track, "Imagine," is killer. "Free As a Bird," one of the "lost pieces," is true to form also. Oddly enough, there are no pieces from McCartney's solo career. This CD is lots of fun, entertaining as hell, and absolutely essential for ambient listeners and fans of the Fab Four.”
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Kellie Rucker - Blues Is Blues

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 20 Jan 2010 20:57:47 | Comments : 3

Kellie Rucker - Blues Is Blues
Blues | MP3 | VBR V2 183 kbps | 71 MB | 2010

“The recipe for vocalist and harmonica player Kellie Rucker’s music includes a big bowlful of blues, a spoonful of rock, a pinch of zydeco, a zest of swing, a half-cup of Americana, and a dash of soul music. The result is deliciously irresistible! Over the course of a professional career that has spanned more than 25 years, Rucker has appeared on the bill or onstage with such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Stephen Stills, Albert Collins, James Cotton, ZZ Top, Dan Hicks, Warren Zevon, Little Feat, and B.B. King.”
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Gretchen Wilson - Greatest Hits

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 20 Jan 2010 20:52:51 | Comments : 2

Gretchen Wilson - Greatest Hits
Country | MP3 | VBR V2 195 kbps | 54 MB | 2010

“So this is what it comes to in the 21st century music business. It’s where an artist like Gretchen Wilson comes out of nowhere, skyrockets to the top of the charts with her first single “Redneck Woman,” which becomes an anthem, sells millions and millions of copies of her debut album, Here for the Party, releases two more fine offerings -- All Jacked Up and One of the Boys (her best) -- and then gets dropped by her label because she can’t duplicate her initial success. To be fair, Wilson never had a chance to sell as many records as her debut again; it was an anomaly that plenty of acts have been party to. (Remember the Counting Crows?). Her final Columbia album is this Greatest Hits package. As a compilation, Wilson’s hits offering succeeds because it contains all the singles -- all of which were very successful videos played in heavy rotation on CMT and GAC, too. It contains ten studio cuts that include “Redneck Woman,” “All Jacked Up,” “Come to Bed,” “When I Think About Cheatin’,” “Homewrecker,” “California Girls,” and “Politically Incorrect” (with a fine duet appearance by Merle Haggard), and “One of the Boys.” In other words, it has everything the more casual listener would ever want on a best-of set. Hardcore fans already have these tracks, but this makes for a great mixtape. As a bonus, there’s an eleventh track: her own killer live rendition of Heart’s “Barracuda.” Wilson began her own imprint, Redneck Records, where she continues to record and tour very successfully.”
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Joe South - Games People Play - Joe South

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 20 Jan 2010 05:43:34 | Comments : 0

Joe South - Games People Play - Joe South
Covers included
Folk | MP3 | 320 kbps | 243 MB | 2006

“Singer/songwriter Joe South (born Joe Souter) began his career as a country musician, performing on an Atlanta radio station and joining Pete Drake's band in 1957. The following year, he recorded a novelty single, "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor," and became a session musician in Nashville and at Muscle Shoals. South appeared on records by Marty Robbins, Eddy Arnold, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde), and Simon & Garfunkel ("The Sounds of Silence"). During the '60s, South began working on his songwriting, crafting hits for Deep Purple ("Hush") and several for Billy Joe Royal, including "Down in the Boondocks." South began recording his own material in 1968, scoring a hit with the Grammy-winning "Games People Play" (Song of the Year) the following year. While South produced hits like "Don't It Make You Want to Go Home" and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes," Lynn Anderson had a smash country and pop hit in 1971 with South's "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden."
South took several years off after his brother's suicide in 1971, moving to Maui and living in the jungles. He had proven a rather prickly character, recording a song entitled "I'm a Star"; he was also busted for drugs and, never entirely comfortable performing, was known for an antagonistic stance in concert (he once suggested that audience members start dancing around the concert hall and kiss his ass as they approached the stage). South briefly returned in 1975 with the Midnight Rainbows LP but retired from recording and performing soon afterwards. South returned in 1994 in a London concert showcasing American Southern performers and has since re-entered the music publishing industry		”
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Joe South - Introspect - Don't It Make You Want To Go Home

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 19 Jan 2010 23:32:49 | Comments : 0

Joe South - Introspect - Don't It Make You Want To Go Home
Covers included
Rock | MP3 | 320 kbps | 246 MB | 2003

“These two late-'60s albums were released at the peak of Joe South's commercial success and visibility, coinciding with his hits "Games People Play" (which appears on 1968's Introspect) and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" (which is on 1969's Don't It Make You Want to Go Home?). This Raven reissue combines both records onto one CD, with the addition of the way-cool psychedelic soul outing "Hole in Your Soul" (from the Games People Play album) as a bonus track. As no less than 14 of the 22 tracks also appear on Raven's own Anthology: A Mirror of His Mind — Hits and Highlights 1968-1975 — nine of Introspect's 11 cuts, in fact, are also on Anthology — it could be questioned whether listeners who have that best-of really need this too. Still, it does capture South at the peak of his powers, at the time where his idiosyncratic brand of pop/rock was really coming together, drawing from country, gospel, soul, the increasing freedom for personal expression opened up by the singer/songwriter movement, and a bit of psychedelia, kind of like a thinking person's B.J. Thomas. Introspect is perhaps the more memorable of the pair, if only for including "Games People Play" and South's version of "Rose Garden," which became a huge hit a couple years later for Lynn Anderson. Anyone who likes the sound South forged on Introspect, however, will also like the similar Don't It Make You Want to Go Home?, which has some relatively little-known quality songs like "Shelter" and "Clock Up on the Wall," as well as items too off the wall to make it onto best-of comps (particularly the spooky psychedelic blues-rock jam "A Million Miles Away"). Throughout, there's the sense of a man finding his own voice, one that, whether explicitly or subtly, was urging a search for an uplifting commonality among both musical genres and humanity in general.”
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Tommy Tucker - Hi-Heel Sneakers

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 19 Jan 2010 17:36:00 | Comments : 1

Tommy Tucker - Hi-Heel Sneakers
Covers included
R&B | MP3 | 160 kbps | 67 MB | 1995

“A dozen of his best blues and soul outings for producer Herb Abramson, including the two hits, the grinding soul rockers "Just for a Day," "I Don't Want 'Cha," and "I Warned You About Him" (oodles of Ray Charles influence on all of 'em), and an absolutely stunning "Come Rain or Come Shine." The 1995 CD reissue adds eight bonus tracks from the mid-'60s that were not on the original LP, including the single "Alimony," effectively making it a Tommy Tucker best-of.”
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Fanny - Fanny

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 19 Jan 2010 17:07:49 | Comments : 0

Fanny - Fanny
Rock | MP3 | 320 kbps | 92 MB | 1970

“This disc features the self-titled debut from Fanny, the first all-female rock & roll band signed to a major record label. The self-contained quartet not only sports exceptional musicianship, but also some highly original pop and rock compositions. Under the tutelage of veteran record producer Richard Perry, Fanny challenged (and by all accounts won) the hearts and minds of the prevailing male-dominated recording industry of the early '70s. Fanny is a solid effort with original rockers such as "I Just Realized," "Changing Horses," and "Seven Roads" arguably outweighing the inspired covers of Cream's "Badge" and the obscure Billy Vera/Judy Clay tune "It Takes a Lot of Good Loving." Mixed in with those harder-edged tracks are the comparatively mellow — yet decidedly hip — "Bitter Wine," "Candlelighter Man," and "Conversation With a Cop." Prior to the U.S. release of Fanny and before Nickey Barclay officially joined the band, an alternate version of the album was issued in Canada. This adaptation — christened "Fanny .50" by vinyl collectors and enthusiasts alike — is different in several notable ways. Most apparent is the unique running order substituting the tracks "Changes," "One Step at a Time,""Nowhere to Run," "Ladies Choice," and "New Day" with "I Just Realised," "Candlelighter Man," "Changing Horses," "Bitter Wine," "It Takes a Lot of Good Lovin'," and "Shade Me." While no exact figures exist in regards to how many copies were pressed or subsequently sold, it has become one of if not the most collectible entry in the band's Reprise Records discography. The Internet-only sonic boutique Rhino HandMade — online at www.rhinohandmade.com — has issued First Time in a Long Time: The Reprise Recordings, which contains both versions of this landmark album. ”
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The Idle Race - Back To The Story

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 14 Jan 2010 06:33:59 | Comments : 0

The Idle Race - Back To The Story
Rock | MP3 | 320 kbps | 344 MB | 1996

“The Idle Race are a beloved band of British psychedelia collectors, because the music was rare, because the band was Jeff Lynne's first significant group, and because the music was, by and large, very good. There is a bit of a relative judgment there — this is not music that stands among the very best of British pop-psych of the '60s, since it's not as innovative or consistent as the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Move, or even Tomorrow, but it's certainly among the best of the second tier, as singles like "Impostors of Life's Magazine," "Big Chief Wooly Bosher," and "Girl at the Window" illustrate. Since this band itself is a collector's item, it only makes sense for collectors to seek out EMI Premier's 1996 collection Back to the Story, which was only available for a brief period (possibly a matter of months) the year of its release. This is the complete Idle Race, containing the three albums (Birthday Party, Idle Race, Time Is), the ten non-album tracks, three previously unreleased alternate versions and two songs from the Nightriders, Lynne's first band. This is a treasure trove for both British psych and ELO fanatics, and while the best of this is on See for Miles' The Best of Idle Race, the hardcore are going to seek this out. But they will pay a price — just five years after its release, this was going for well over 120 dollars a pop on eBay. Is it worth it? If you have the cash and the inclination — the pure bloodlust to own this, damn the cost! — it probably is, but having that crazed collector mentality will is essential to shelling out that price. But if it can be found at an affordable price, by all means get it. [Finally, Back to the Story did show up in a much more affordable Zonophone edition in 2007.]”
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Best Internet Links
Posted by :: Alex | Date :: Aug 20, 2008 19:05:00 | [ 34 comments ]


George Harrison - Let It Rock Around The World

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 12 Jan 2010 23:39:40 | Comments : 1

George Harrison - Let It Rock Around The World
Covers included
Rock | MP3 | 256 kbps | 214 MB | 2002

“
“Two radio shows featuring George Harrison. On the Alan Freeman program George plays several acoustic guitar versions of his songs which have been previously available out of this context. On disc two there's the 'I Got Stung' track which has been previously released on Yellow Cat's own 'I Got Stung' ”
”
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Big Brother And The Holding Company - The Lost Tapes

Posted By : azorkamane | Date : 11 Jan 2010 19:39:30 | Comments : 2

Big Brother And The Holding Company - The Lost Tapes
Coves included
Rock | MP3 | 320 kbps | 354 MB | 1995

“The Lost Tapes combines previously unreleased material with performances that have been floating around on bootlegs for years. Listening to these early live recordings from late 1966 and early 1967, it's hard to imagine that this is the same band that would level the audience at the Monterey Pop Festival — alongside Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding — and propel Janis Joplin into superstardom. The 26 songs are a loose mix of originals from their self-titled Mainstream album, along with cover versions of "Amazing Grace," "Hi Heel Sneakers," "Let the Good Times Roll," "I Know You Rider," and "Moanin' at Midnight." By far, the oddest cover is "Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!," which musically has absolutely nothing in common with the version performed in the Russ Meyer film by the Bostweeds. The rambling spoken intro is longer than the actual song itself! Very weird! This material is unquestionably sloppy and miles away from the slick soul-rock Joplin would perform with Full Tilt Boogie and the Kozmic Blues Band after leaving Big Brother in late 1968. It's also what makes this relic so charming; hearing a young Janis Joplin not burdened with being the star, but just another member of the band, relaxed and playful. Airline's 2008 version of The Lost Tapes was licensed from Big Brother & the Holding Company, with 24-bit remastering and notes by drummer David Getz and guitarist Sam Andrew.”
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