On 3rd November 2013, Paradise Lost performed at the famous Camden Roundhouse as part of their 25th anniversary 'Tragic Illusion' tour. London Abbey Road did a live recording of the show to mark this very special occasion

Danish metallers Pretty Maids strike again, after 2 years, with their new album Carpe Diem, proving they are still alive and kicking in the dawn of the new millenium.
Carpe Diem is characterized for its refreshed sound. This isn't only in terms of production, which is certainly much clearer than in Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing, but their style has changed to a much modern approach of melodic Metal. This change is very pleasant, and the result equally good. Carpe Diem is heavier than its predecessor, with songs new for Pretty Maids (Until It Dies e.g.) but without loosing touch with their more classical past (Invisible Chains).

Maurice Starr (born Larry Johnson; 1953; DeLand, Florida) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. Originally from Lake Helen, Florida, Johnson moved to Boston, Massachusetts, in the early 1970s. As an artist, Johnson was a member of The Johnson Brothers (not to be confused with The Brothers Johnson from Los Angeles, California) and the seminal electro group known as the Jonzun Crew with brothers Michael Jonzun and Soni Jonzun. In 1980, Johnson changed his name to Maurice Starr and recorded two R&B albums, Flaming Starr and Spacey Lady.

Notes from the Booklet: ….. Lipatti's star still shines on us today, and its light is brighter than ever. The reasons are not all strictly musical. "The greatness of the early genius", "the Saint amongst pianists", and other adulatory haloes are still uttered today, obscuring the truth more than anything else. Such misunderstandings emanate from his very limited discography, which led some critics to conclude that Lipatti had learned and mastered but two piano concertos and one recital. The truth is rather different, however: Lipatti performed in public 23 different works for piano and orchestra, and his repertoire contined six complete piano recital programmes. A separate list in this booklet show how extensive his repertoire really was….." [lines by Marc Gertsch/Werner Unger and translated by Mark Ainley]

I used to play flute, and I think this album is fantastic. Not all of the songs are really traditional Christmas songs (I used "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" in my wedding processional, in fact) which means I can enjoy some of them year round without getting strange looks.

Jean-Philippe Rameau - Platee
Hans Rosbaud / Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire / Michel Sénéchal
EAC+LOG+CUE | 2xCD, APE: 438 MB | Partial Artwork | Mono | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: EMI France # 7243 5 73169 2 7 | Country/Year: France 1999, 1956
Genre: Classical | Style: Baroque, Opera

…Comic opera was relatively rare during the Baroque era in France and the musicologist Cuthbert Girdlestone expresses his surprise that none of Rameau's contemporaries seem to have remarked on the innovative nature of Platée. Rameau may have been inspired by a revival of an earlier comic opera, Les amours de Ragonde by Jean-Joseph Mouret, in 1742, or by Joseph Bodin de Boismortier's comic opera-ballet, Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse from 1743.

Ali Campbell - Big Love
EAC+LOG+CUE | WV: 269 MB | Full Artwork: 50 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Virgin Records # VJCP-25173 | Country/Year: Japan 1995
Genre: Pop | Style: Pop, Reggea

…Campbell, as a solo artist during his time with UB40, released two full-length offerings: 1995's Big Love and 2007's Running Free. He left the group in 2008 and released the solo album Flying High a year later.

Various Artists - Just Wailing: 50 Masterpieces By 26 Blues Harmonica Heroes (2013) [2CD] {Fantastic Voyage}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 423 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 290 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 25 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2013 Fantastic Voyage Records | FVDD157
Blues / Harmonica

There’s nothing to compare to the sound of an amplified Hohner Marine Band harmonica in the hands (and mouth) of a master like Little Walter, Walter Horton, Snooky Pryor or Sonny Boy Williamson. All of them were just as adept with the unamplified specimen but the addition of electricity takes this miniscule instrument into a different realm. Many musicians heard here were disciples in one way or another of John Lee Williamson (the original Sonny Boy), who played his harp through a microphone in clubs but never recorded that way. The list of these men is a long one, including Billy Boy Arnold, Walter Mitchell, Doctor Ross, Forrest City Joe and Robert Richard, while Little Walter influenced younger men like Junior Wells, Jerry McCain, James Cotton and George Smith.

Crystal Palace are a progressive rock band from Germany. In the band are Yenz (vocals, bass), Frank Köhler (keys), Frank Brennekam (drums) and Nils Conrad (guitars). Also included are some well-known guests; Colin Edward (Porcupine Tree) and Yogi Lang and Kalle Wallner of RPWL fame. The band has been around since the mid '90s and System Of Events is their sixth studio album. With a name like Crystal Palace one would expect progressive music and that is exactly what you get although this batch of tunes is as melodic as it gets. That is what makes this music so utterly enjoyable; these guys know how to write a good tune…