Written in its entirety in the UK, without the help of A-list song writers, yet recorded in Nashville with some of Country Music’s finest including Bobby Blazier, Dan Dugmore and Chris Rodriquez, ‘From Where We Stand’ retains a certain Englishness which combined with the ‘Nashville’ sound gives us Ward Thomas’ own individual UK take on Country music. Their authentic Country sound with British influences and stories has been embraced in Nashville and the debut album can boast guest appearances from Grammy Award winner Michael Omartian (who appears on the track “Take That Train”) and Country Music superstar Vince Gill, winner of 18 CMA awards and 20 Grammys.

In his latest album, “The New Me,” Peter again presents a mix of genres rooted in jazz, this time with a cast of top musicians including Rick Britto, Ric Fierabracci, Trevor Kellum, Dave Weckl, and Johannes Zetterberg. The New Me also marks the first album Peter produced without a core band. Peter says about the arrangements, “About %75 of what you hear on the record is MIDI. I really learned a lot about what I can do with MIDI versus what a professional can do with a live instrument. When I track out drums or bass myself, I can get it to sound exactly how I want, but a real pro might take the part to a place I wouldn't have even thought of.”

Secret is a new Melodic Rock project born in Murcia (Spain) in 2012. The line-up comprises of vocalist Jesus Espin (ex-91 Suite)(vocals and backing vocals) and guitarist Ivan Gonzalez (also ex-91 Suite)(guitars, bass, drums and keyboards). After a period of musical inactivity, and given the friendship between them, the pair decided to once again join forces with the idea of just to have "a good time making music they like". From there the pair wrote a number of new songs and the idea formed to complete an album. Finally, the project is realized under the name of Secret and the album titled The End Of The Road. The pair had this to say about the debut album and their new deal: "We are pleased to announce the signing of a contract with MRR (MelodicRock Records) for the release of our first album called The End Of The Road. The album is a mixture of all of the influences that we had through all these years of listening to music. You will find classic hard rock, AOR, country, soul… It's been a long and hard road to walk through but we are really proud of it. And we would love to know what you think of it too. See you soon!"

Not a Drowning Pool tribute band but the latest poprocktastic creation from Willie Dowling (Honeycrack/Jackdaw4) and his co-collaborator Jon Poole (ex-Cardiacs). They have funded this via Pledge Music and they sing and play all the instruments, with Givvi Flynn adding backing vocals and taking lead vocals on ‘Clean’. There is so much to enjoy on here, with plenty going on in the musical background – it’s amazing what a layered sound these two musicians can create. There are Beach Boy approved harmonies (‘Paper, Scissors, Stone’), hints of their previous bands (Jackdaw4 on ‘Twilight Subplot’) and most importantly they carry on the tradition of English musical whimsy. If you like XTC, The Kinks, The Beatles, 10cc – you will love this album trust me.

Triptone's debut album, Hope, shows us the more instrumental and vocal side of talented artist Kick Bong. With vocals by himself and other collaborating artists, Franck Jousselin creates a very unique universe of sound and melody that just makes you chill and mellow out. The combination of chill beats and arrangements with sensual trip-hop vibes is delightful.

QUEEN OF HEARTS is the talented young singer Elizabeth Morphew and after a long gestation period, her debut album ‘Cocoon’has finally arrived. Brought up to the sound of the synthesizer and learning to dance to the beat of electronic drums, the young royal grew up on a strict diet of A-HA, DEPECHE MODE, YAZOO and THE HUMAN LEAGUE, thanks to her dear Queen Mother. She first came to public attention via RED BLOODED WOMEN, a girl group who utilised the template of YAZOO and DEPECHE MODE enough to sound like GIRLS ALOUD produced by Daniel Miller.

Elton Johns The Million Dollar Piano is a residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The show has been running since September 2011 with the most recent leg being 16 shows between March 29 and April 26 2014. The concerts are the culmination of Elton Johns decades-long partnership with Yamaha pianos. This film features classic Elton John tracks from across his extraordinary career performed either with his band, with percussionist Ray Cooper or solo. The multimedia staging is extraordinary with vast screens behind the stage illustrating the songs, and the piano itself acting as a screen for graphics and animations. Elton John is the ultimate live showman and this is the definitive Elton John concert experience.

The Vienna Philharmonic performed its annual Summer Night Concert Schönbrunn, an open air event with free admission, in the unique ambience of the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace on Thursday, May 29, 2014. The Summer Night Concert was conducted for the first time by Christoph Eschenbach. The soloist was Lang Lang.

Hyperion have come up trumps again with another delightful disc of out-of-the-way music. The brainchild of Graham Johnson, it is subtitled "150 Years of English Women Composers", with notes by Sophie Fuller, author of a book due out next year entitled The Pandora Guide to Women Composers. In the course of the programme the performers uncover a host of imaginative, impassioned and/or joyful songs that have lain for too long literally unsung, and revived others that were hugely popular until very recent times. Let me say at once that they couldn't have more perceptive or loving or enthusiastic interpreters than Johnson and Johnson, who excel even their own high standards of singing and playing.

When we look past the extended meditations of the sonatas into the rest of Schubert's piano music, we tend hardly to see beyond the Wanderer Fantasy and the Impromptus. This undervalues the composer's contribution to the work for his instrument, as the Italian pianist Alberto Miodini reveals on an extensive exploration of the sometimes slighter and lighter but often just shorter works he composed through his all-too-short career.

The captivating third and self-titled album from Angus & Julia Stone featuring the single ‘A Heartbreak’ is the best record the siblings have ever made. A record born out of chance and spontaneity with the help of legendary producer Rick Rubin. It when Rubin heard Angus and Julia’s music playing at a friend’s party, he quickly decided he had to get in contact and invited them to LA to work on a new album at his Shangri La Studios in Malibu.

Acoustic roots rocker Dave Alvin is beloved to his fans for his dedication to maintaining the American traditions of rock, blues, folk, and country. An expanded version of the thirty-minute live performance that originally aired on the PBS series Austin City Limits in 1999. Dave Alvin helped to kick-start the American roots rock scene in the early '80s with the band the Blasters, and has since gone on to a career as a solo performer, songwriter, producer, and sideman that's been as well respected as it is eclectic.

Twenty Beck compositions previously released exclusively as stunningly illustrated sheet music have come to life with the help of Norah Jones, Jack White, Laura Marling, Jarvis Cocker, Jack Black and of course Beck himself. The Warby Parker release of Beck Song Reader marks the first officially recorded incarnation of the project, which has already inspired interpretations from hundreds of musicians the world over. The record includes the studio-quality debut of songs previously only played live either by Beck himself or at one of the handful of Song Reader concerts staged over the last two years.

One of the biggest pop stars of the early '60s, Brenda Lee hasn't attracted as much critical respect as she deserves. She is sometimes inaccurately characterized as one of the few female teen idols. More crucially, the credit for achieving success with pop-country crossovers usually goes to Patsy Cline, although Lee's efforts in this era were arguably of equal importance. While she made few recordings of note after the mid-'60s, the best of her first decade is fine indeed, encompassing not just the pop ballads that were her biggest hits, but straight country and some surprisingly fierce rockabilly.