One would be hard pressed to come up with a vocalist that sprung out of the ‘70s or ‘80s that is better than ever in 2018. John Waite is one of those rare artists possessing a voice of extraordinary power and emotion that by some miraculous twist of fate and God given gift, has somehow managed to have gotten stronger over time. That commanding vocal prowess is displayed on his new release, Wooden Heart: Acoustic Anthology Volume Two; also out at the same time is a newly reconfigured version of his greatest hits album, BEST. We sat down with John who shared the back story behind his acoustic flavored artistic endeavors, how to circumnavigate changes in the music industry and what legendary artist he wished he could have watched record in the studio.

Carla dal Forno announces her second full-length album, ​Look Up Sharp​, on her own Kallista Records. The London-based artist enters a new era in her peerless output pushing her dub-damaged DIY dispatches to the limits of flawless dream-pop. In a transformative move towards crystal clear vocals and sharpened production, Look Up Sharp is an evolutionary leap from the thick fog and pastoral stillness of her Blackest Ever Black missives, You Know What It’s Like (2016) and The Garden EP (2017).

During the recording of 2016’s Sunlit Youth, Local Natives travelled far and wide—from Malaysia and Nicaragua to Hawaii—in an effort to refresh their sound. This time, they’re keeping it local: The Los Angeles quintet recorded their fourth album at producer Shawn Everett’s studio in downtown LA, and named it after the studio's location. Everett—described by the band as their “sixth member” in an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1—helps the band incorporate lush, meticulous arrangements that brim with detail and texture. Though settled in their home base, their indie-rock sound remains just as exotic and enthralling: “Gulf Shores” and “Someday Now” bring back the Afropop rhythms of 2009’s Gorilla Manor over groovy guitar riffs and inventive sonic tricks. On the jazzy, percussion-heavy “Café Amarillo,” vocalist Taylor Rice contemplates the difficulty of emotional distance (inspired by his recent marriage) as he sails across the English Channel. The sleek psych-pop of “Megaton Mile,” described by the band as “a fun song about the apocalypse,” comes through like a whirlwind of aural delight—and all we can do is dance.

A collaboration between saxophonist Joshua Redman, forward-thinking chamber string ensemble Brooklyn Rider, and composer Patrick Zimmerli, 2019's Sun on Sand is a kinetic, richly attenuated album that straddles the line between jazz and modern classical. The album is comprised of eight compositions culled from a suite by Zimmerli which he and Redman originally premiered in London in 2014. Zimmerli, a jazz-trained saxophonist himself who has garnered acclaim for his hybrid orchestrations, previously supplied orchestral arrangements for Redman on his 2013 album Walking Shadows, and for Brooklyn Rider on their similar collaboration with vocalist Anne Sofie von Otter, 2016's So Many Things.

Aurora is full of state-of-the-art (for 1975) high-powered fusion that differs surprisingly little from the music that Jean-Luc Ponty has played throughout the '80s and '90s. The violinist's quintet (which includes guitarist Darryl Stuermer, keyboardist Patrice Rushen, bassist Tom Fowler, and drummer Norman Fearrington) displays impeccable musicianship and lots of energy. The group was often so tight that the violin, keyboards, guitar, and (to a lesser extent) the electric bass had similar tones, sometimes making it difficult to tell who was soloing at a particular moment. Listeners open to the sound of electronics and funky grooves should be very impressed by the spirited music which combines the adventure of jazz with the sound of rock.

Perhaps it's true that Vladimir Horowitz claimed Leopold Godowsky's 1928 Passacaglia "impossible to play." That hasn't stopped brilliant, note-gobbling supervirtuosos from taking up its uncommon cause. The work treats the opening measure's of Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony as a ground bass from which 44 variations and a gigantic fugue evolve. The increasingly elaborate, upholstered textures and harmonic purple prose often suggest Max Reger huffing and puffing his way through the Gershwin songbook, leaving little time to relax or breathe.

With the supremely funky rhythm section of Marcus Miller (bass), Lenny Castro (percussion) and Omar Hakim (drums) propelling his piano most of the way – the other ringers on a few tracks aren't bad either – you would think that Joe Sample couldn't miss on this solo outing, Spellbound. Indeed, his distinctive piano cannot be mistaken for anyone else's, free of the usual mainstream influences and always a pleasure to groove to. And yet there is something too comfortable, too settled, too automatic about the musicmaking here, as if the grooves are being smothered by a warm, snuggly electric blanket.

it’s not often that you get to hear the music of Anton Eberl (1765-1807), a Viennese composer who was both a pupil and a friend of Mozart (and of course a contemporary and supposed rival of Beethoven as well). These are technically quite competent works whose temperament straddles both classical and romantic styles, but there probably won’t be a rush to an Eberl revival anytime soon.

A selection of the 'B' sides of all their singles since 2015, plus a few more goodies thrown in for good measure!
Drifting Sun are a UK-based Progressive Rock studio project which dates back to the early 90’s when Keyboardist/Composer Pat Sanders left his native France for England with Bass Player Manu Sibona. Their music has been described as dramatic, theatrical, & atmospheric, in the true style of prog rock giants such as Dream Theater, Queensryche, Genesis and Jethro Tull, to name but a few of the bands that influenced their sound.

On ne fait pas plus désolé que le chromatisme à l'orgue qui ouvre ce Requiem, avant que les chœurs n'en reprennent la lente progression en demi-tons qui, cette fois, montent et se poursuivront tout au long de l'œuvre. Enregistrée en 1993, cette version originale - quatre solistes, chœurs, harpe, orgue, quatuor à cordes - contraste, par son intimisme et sa discrétion avec les prodigieux déferlements de Mors et Vita, laissant apprécier la rare plénitude de l'inspiration musicale portée par la rare fougue de tous les interprètes, notamment dans le Dies Irae, dont on dirait les phrases mordues, tant elles sont scandées avec conviction…

Brian Eno & Peter Schwalm + Reiko Okano - Music for Onmyo-Ji (2000) {2CD Set Victor Japan VICP-60980~1}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 524 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 256 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 61 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2000 Victor Entertainment Japan / Opal | VICP-60980~1
Ambient / Experimental / Avant-Garde / Traditional Japan

Music for Onmyo-Ji is a two-CD album of music for the books of Reiko Okano. The first disc is by Reigakusya, the second by Brian Eno and J. Peter Schwalm. A double-CD, released only in Japan, which marks the first major team-up between Brian Eno and Peter Schwalm before their widely released Drawn From Life CD. The music on disc one is comprised of 14 tracks of traditional Japanese instruments, which are more appropriate for this CD, which is meant to accompany the Reiko Okano/Baku Yumemakura manga. The second disc leads one to ask what Schwalm actually adds to the mix in this collaboration.