Following the varied programming of Johannes Brahms: Works for Solo Piano, Vol. 1, Barry Douglas presents a mix of early and late pieces to give the second volume emotional balance, and sets a series of short pieces against a monumental masterpiece. Douglas is a thoughtful and eloquent performer, and his Brahms has the hallmarks of serious consideration and introspection; nothing here is superfluous or simply offered for show. The sensitive selection of three Ballades and three Intermezzi to frame the muscular Rhapsody Op. 119/4, gives the first part of the program an internal unity and feeling of logical organization, even though the shifting moods feel as effortless and unplanned as clouds passing on a sunny afternoon. The Sonata No. 3 is placed at the end of the recital, as befits its stature, and Douglas' interpretation gives it the feeling of gravitas and inevitability. Yet it also partakes of the fleeting moods that were carefully prepared in the early part of the program, so Douglas' shaping of this album shows great care in preparation.

One of the great blues albums of the early '80s, Classified captures the legendary New Orleans pianist James Booker not long before his premature death at the age of 43 on November 8, 1983. Recorded in a series of sometimes problematic sessions in 1982 – producer Scott Billington details them in his terrific liner notes on the 2013 reissue of the record, which is remixed and expanded – Classified appeared just a few months before Booker's death, so it's hard not to read it as something of a final statement.

Equal parts psychedelic and psychotic, Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats take listeners on another mind-melting, proto-metal journey on their trippy third outing, Mind Control. Every detail - from the sound that feels as influenced by the harmonies of the British Invasion as it is by the ominous blues of Black Sabbath, to the archival-looking album covers - helps to give the album the feel of some sort of forgotten gem rather than a modern invention. And while listeners might not find much in the way of innovation on a record like Mind Control, there's plenty of trance-inducing fun to be had, making it a must-listen for those who like to spend their days in the psychedelic end of the pool.

As stylistically different as Karol Szymanowski's two violin concertos are, they share a brilliance of orchestration that clearly identifies them with their composer. The Violin Concerto No. 1 is the most complex of the two in its evocative scene painting, exotic harmonies, and extremely virtuosic cadenza, while the Violin Concerto No. 2 stands in striking contrast with its long-breathed rhapsodic melodies and comparative directness and simplicity.

Listeners have come to expect a lot from Secret Chiefs 3. For Book of Souls, second in the band’s mega-trilogy (first being Book of Horizons, 2004), they demand nothing less than a vertigo-inducing follow-up. True to expectation, Book of Souls: Folio A is a full-length album densely packed with musical skyscrapers. Over a decade in the making, it’s Secret Chiefs 3’s most elaborate work yet. Following the seven-band schemata laid out in Book of Horizons, Book of Souls thoroughly establishes the depth of Secret Chiefs 3’s journey into lost musical possibilities. With productions based in studios in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, the UK and France over the last eleven years, the band’s leader Trey Spruance enlisted a small army of musicians - or actually not so small, since the orchestral tasks demanded by the music seem to be so unlimited…

Willem Mengelberg - The Concertgebouw Recordings (2013) {15CD Box Set Decca rec 1939-1941}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 2.85 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 2.01 Gb
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© 1939-41, 2013 Decca / Universal Music | 0289 480 7636 9
Classical / Orchestral

Mengelberg attached huge importance to what he considered a link between Beethoven and himself. For through his studies in conducting, theory and composition in Cologne under Franz Wullner, a friend of Anton Schindler who in turn had been a friend, secretary, biographer and pupil of Beethoven himself, he felt that there was a oral tradition passed down to him. At times the conductor does get near to Beethoven's metronome markings with his swift tempi. Well, Mengelberg is not boring.

Arab-American composer Mohammed Fairouz combines diverse materials in his music, ranging from elegies for the dead (Jewish as well as Arab, and American on September 11, 2001, as well as Middle Eastern), to fusions of Arab and Western materials, to high-spirited neo-classic fun. The mixture has appealed to cultural theorists such as Gayatri Spivak, who in the booklet to this Naxos release calls Fairouz's music "musical labor, seemingly effortless." The intent is to present Middle Eastern cultures not as exotic, and not as victimized, but as whole, complex entities showing musical influences from a variety of sources.

For a Few Fuzz Guitars More is the sequel to A Fistful of Fuzz and like the first volume, features plenty of fuzz guitar. The feel of this collection is garagier (if that's a word) than A Fistful of Fuzz, but both volumes draw primarily from the late 1960s…

It's kinda hard to be into Progressive Rock and not be aware of Premiata Forneria Marconi. This classic Italian band was formed more than 40 years ago and it is still running the long run!…

TRIX was formed in 2004, led by drummer Noriaki Kumagai (ex-Casiopea), with bassist Mitsuru Sutoh (ex-T-Square) and now guitarist Yuya Komoguchi and keyboardist AYAKI has joined the group. Their very ear-catcy music with thrilling techniques, and entertaining stage performance have been widely accepted among fans. Some of their songs are featured as the main theme of TV programs.

Yellow Loveless is a tribute album featuring cover versions of the 11 songs from My Bloody Valentine's 1991 record Loveless. The album was released on January 23, 2013 by High Fader Records, coincidentally just after the announcement of My Bloody Valentine's third studio album, mbv (2013). The album features exclusive covers by Japanese artists from various genres, including sludge metal band Boris and pop punk group Shonen Knife.

Leon Thomas became a star on the back of his original cut of The Creator Had A Master Plan recorded with Pharaoh Sanders. This success was consolidated with four studio albums and several live sessions recorded for Flying Dutchman. A year as a member of Santana brought him to the attention of an even wider audience. His yodeling style allied with deep blues roots has influenced several generations of jazz singers, most recently the Grammy Award-winning jazz star of 2012, Gregory Porter. Leon Thomas' music mixed spiritualism with African influences and became important to the acid jazz scene, where he was sampled by Galliano, while his records became sought after collector's items. In recent years the soul crowd has pushed up the value of his 45s Love Each Other and Just In Time To See The Sun. The Creator… pieces together the very best tracks from his five years at Flying Dutchman, including his collaborations with the Pharaoh Sanders band on his debut album, The Creator Has A Master Plan and Let The Rain Fall On Me; later more soul-influenced numbers, and the apocalyptic spiritual jazz masterpiece Shape Your Mind To Die. We have also found a previously unreleased full length version of his live favorite Um Um Um.

Soft Machine - Seven (1973) {2013 Columbia Japan Mini LP Blu-spec CD2 SICP 30167}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 279 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 101 Mb
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© 1973, 2013 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP-30167
Rock / Art Rock / Experimental / Jazz Rock

Cardboard sleeve (mini LP) reissue from Soft Machine features the high-fidelity Blu-spec CD2 format (compatible with standard CD players). This series features the following albums: "Third," "Fourth," "Fifth," "Six," and "Seven." *Blu-spec CD2 is the next generation Compact Disc that employs the Phase Transition Mastering, the technology developed for mastering of Blu-ray discs, to further perfect the acclaimed characteristics of Blu-spec CD. Fully compatible with standard CD players, Blu-spec CD2 completely alters the experience of music.

Soft Machine - Six (1973) {2013 Columbia Japan Mini LP Blu-spec CD2 SICP 30166}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 478 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 179 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 43 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1973, 2013 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 30166
Rock / Art Rock / Experimental / Jazz Rock

Cardboard sleeve (mini LP) reissue from Soft Machine features the high-fidelity Blu-spec CD2 format (compatible with standard CD players). This series features the following albums: "Third," "Fourth," "Fifth," "Six," and "Seven." *Blu-spec CD2 is the next generation Compact Disc that employs the Phase Transition Mastering, the technology developed for mastering of Blu-ray discs, to further perfect the acclaimed characteristics of Blu-spec CD. Fully compatible with standard CD players, Blu-spec CD2 completely alters the experience of music.