A doo wop vocal group from the Pittsburgh area, the Vogues started well in the mid-'60s with "You're the One," an infectious bit of folk-rock with enough of a British Invasion feel to earn it heavy play on AM radio. This set from Rhino combines their early singles for Co & Ce Records with the later work from Warner Brothers Records in an effective overview of the band's history. It's the best single disc of the Vogues out there, and really has everything you need, including that little miracle of a song, "Five O'Clock World."

David Bowie - Never Let Me Down (1987) {1995 Virgin CDVUS 98}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 425 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 147 Mb
Full Artwork @ 400 dpi (png) -> 98 Mb
© 1995 Virgin / David Bowie | CDVUS 98 / 7243 8 40986 2 9
Rock / Contemporary Pop / Dance Rock

After having spent the the mid-'80s putting on his acting shoes for Absolute Beginners and Labyrinth, Bowie returned to music by grabbing his usual henchmen Carlos Alomar and Carmine Rojas and joining forces with old schoolmate Peter Frampton. NEVER LET ME DOWN found Bowie writing or co-writing everything with the exception of Iggy Pop's "Bang Bang." Songs such as "Day-In Day-Out" and "Time Will Crawl" were perfect Bowie songs that worked opposite ends of the spectrum; the everyday reality of a struggling woman living on the periphery of society versus the ambiguity of time itself.

Following on the heels of their 1975 smash Spirit of the Boogie, Kool & the Gang hit the road to tour the album and record new material. One tumultuous show, at London's Rainbow Theatre, became the core of Love & Understanding. Three live tracks, "Hollywood Swinging," "Summer Madness," and a dreamily mellow "Universal Sound," are all excellent reminders of just how good this band could sound when they found the vibe and had the funk firmly in hand. Love and Understanding remains a remarkable album, recorded at a time when the band was still reveling in the grip of pure funk, uncorrupted by the mainstream.

Lee Morgan - The Complete Blue Note Lee Morgan Fifties Sessions (1995) [4CD] {Mosaic MD4-162}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 1.63 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 615 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 52 Mb
© 1995 Mosaic Records / Blue Note | MD4-162
Jazz / Hard Bop / Trumpet

Lee Morgan recorded for Blue Note in the late '50s, playing seven dates between 1956 and 1958. Morgan was still in his teens at the time and half of the joy of The Complete Blue Note Lee Morgan Fifties Sessions is hearing the trumpeter develop at a rapid rate. The four-disc box set The Complete Blue Note encompasses sessions with Horace Silver, Paul Chambers, Benny Golson, Wynton Kelly, Sonny Clarke, Doug Watkins, and Art Taylor. Morgan may have been young at the time these were recorded, but he was impressive even at the beginning, playing blistering hard bop and lyrical ballads with equal ease. He may have gone on to record greater, more influential albums but this music remains exciting, vital, and simply joyous.

The most unusual aspect to this Ernie Watts recording is that the great tenor is joined by a two-bass quartet. Eddie Gomez on acoustic and Steve Swallow on electric blend together quite well, are featured in a delightful version of Oscar Pettiford's "Tricotism" and (with pianist Geri Allen and drummer Jack DeJohnette) keep the accompaniment consistently stimulating. Ernie Watts is in top form throughout this fine modern mainstream date, playing with both passion and lyricism on a variety of standards and originals (which, in addition to four songs from the leader, include one apiece from DeJohnette and Swallow). ~ AllMusic

Solid is a companion piece to the Grant Green classic Matador, recorded about a month later with the same rhythm section, and also not issued until 1979. Green is once again accompanied by the Coltrane supporting team of pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones, plus bassist Bob Cranshaw; this time, however, Green is also joined on the front line by James Spaulding on alto sax and Joe Henderson on tenor. ~ AllMusic