Twelve Pieces is mostly gentle and lyrical jazz, something to enjoy with wine and a cozy fire. But it’s not sleepy; because of its stylistic diversity it stays interesting without the need to be bold or aggressive. Mainieri and Busstra meld nicely, Eric van der Westen provides excellent support on the double bass, and drummer Pieter Bast provides a lesson on rhythmic adaptation across jazz styles; his work on brushes is noteworthy throughout.

Aaron Neville is an unlikely example of a '60s soul hero who managed to reinvent himself as a '90s pop star without compromising his integrity. Drawing on pop as well as the type of New Orleans soul that put him on the map, Neville proved that he could once again be quite marketable. Like Warm Your Heart, The Tattooed Heart isn't on a par with Neville's early efforts, but nonetheless has a lot going for it.

2011 release from modern New Age artist Sam Grawe AKA Hatchback. Like its predecessor, Colors Of The Sun (2008), it is full of California sunshine and open space, but this time Hatchback ventures further afield, crafting a widescreen epic that travels deep into a territory once considered off limits to new age. Could it really be that a new age of new age is here? Although resuscitating out-of-bounds areas of the record shop has become something of a hipster calling card (witness the revivals of folk and disco), Grawe has had a lifelong appreciation for the genre, stemming from summer nights listening to public radio's Music from the Hearts of Space and years scouring without irony the $1 new age bins for synthesizer-based artists such as Vangelis, Cluster, Michael Rother, Brian Eno, Harold Budd, Iasos, Popol Vuh, Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream. Zeus and Apollo pays tribute to those gods of new age, while stepping boldly into the 21st century.

'R'Evolution' is the soundtrack to a visionary instrumental opera that depicts with sounds, beats, harmonies and visuals the birth, life, decay and death of our world, and a possible rebirth with a New Vision. Stylistically, this crosses electronic music, references the Klaus Schulze style swirling, dense atmospheric pads, contemporary chill-out that's not too dissimilar to Schiller, occasional nods to the style of dark ambient electronica circa Witchcraft, with a little Jon Serrie style space music thrown in for good measure. The album succeeds firstly and most importantly because it's an emotive and compelling listen, and secondly because it's all cleverly interwoven with simple but interesting rhythms that hint at ethnic origins while remaining totally contemporary. A great choice of sounds and atmospherics plus the occasional vocal textures add an air of mystery, and even occasional suspense, making for a hugely satisfying listening experience. The album is superbly produced and the music draws you in and doesn't let go. An exceptionally intriguing album.

"Fixin To Die" is the new G. Love album produced by Seth and Scott Avett.

Eric Clapton - One More Car, One More Rider (2002) [2CD] {Reprise}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 841 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 22 Mb
© 2002 Reprise / Warner | 48374-2
Rock / Blues Rock / British Blues / Contemporary Pop

When Eric Clapton hit the road in support of 2001's REPTILE, rumors abounded that this would be his last tour. If this hearsay turns out to be true, take consolation in the fact that the live 2-CD ONE MORE CAR, ONE MORE RIDER serves as a nifty souvenir from that particular string of shows. Benefiting from a crystal clear sound mix and a stellar back-up group whose members include keyboardists David Sancious and Billy Preston, Slowhand delivers a heavy mix of his most recent forays into contemporary adult pop and certain classic rock warhorses that would have benefited from early retirement.