Rory was never a man to sit back and let the world slip by. The 70’s saw him release 10 albums in as many years, work with a great many of his heroes and tour the world. Although his recorded output in the 1980’s was more sporadic he still toured constantly, playing some of the first rock gigs behind the iron curtain as well as cementing his live reputation in Europe and the US. ‘Defender’ his third album of the 80’s, was the first release on his own label. Capo offered him the complete artistic freedom he needed, enabling him to produce the music as he wanted. He admitted “I’m not that organised, but I want anything that I’m doing to be under control, and I want the final say on things”.

Joe Cocker's debut album holds up extraordinarily well across four decades, the singer's performance bolstered by some very sharp playing, not only by his established sideman/collaborator Chris Stainton, but also some top-notch session musicians, among them drummer Clem Cattini, Steve Winwood on organ, and guitarists Jimmy Page and Albert Lee, all sitting in. It's Cocker's voice, a soulful rasp of an instrument backed up by Madeline Bell, Sunny Weetman and Rossetta Hightower that carries this album and makes "Change in Louise," "Feeling Alright," "Just Like a Woman," "I Shall Be Released," and even "Bye Bye Blackbird" into profound listening experiences. But the surprises in the arrangements, tempo, and approaches taken help make this an exceptional album. Tracks like "Just Like a Woman," with its soaring gospel organ above a lean textured acoustic and light electric accompaniment, and the guitar-dominated rendition of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" – the formal debut of the Grease Band on record – all help make this an exceptional listening experience.

Pianist, singer/songwriter, producer, author, and host Ben Sidran is a literate performer known for his engaging, jazz-influenced sound and laid-back, conversational style. Essentially a pianist/vocalist with a storytelling approach in the tradition of Mose Allison, Sidran grew from a supporting player with rocker Steve Miller to a solo performer, and to an award-winning radio and TV host. Along the way, he has produced albums for such luminaries as Allison, Van Morrison, Michael Franks, Rickie Lee Jones, and others.

If not as impressive as Robert Cray's breakthrough recording, Bad Influence, released two years earlier, False Accusations is still a fine album with few missteps. One thing that Cray does very, very well is a blues ballad, something that his soul-inflected vocals and guitar playing suit him for. The result, on this album, is songs like the humorously bittersweet "She's Gone," the determined "The Last Time (I Get Burned Like This)," and "I've Slipped Her Mind," which perfectly captures the mood of the disappointed (but still unrealistically hopeful) suitor. The opener "Porch Light" is a scorcher with a killer bass line, and Cray's guitar on the title track in particular comes through crisp and clean. If a couple of songs (notably "Change of Heart, Change of Mind" and "Playin' in the Dirt") seem a bit lacking in energy, the rest of the CD more than makes up for it.

Warbringer launches a full-speed thrash attack on this explosive metal manifesto! SoCal thrash metal force Warbringer are back to end fans' eager wait with the highly anticipated new album Wrath And Ruin. Dubbed as “one of the best modern thrash outfits” by Exclaim!, Warbringer’s previous record, 2020’s Weapons of Tomorrow, was lauded by fans and critics alike. The album and its tracks received Best of 2020 nods from the likes of Consequence and Loudwire, with PopMatters going as far as to say, “With Weapons of Tomorrow, Warbringer’s inspired take on thrash metal seems to have reached its zenith.”
On Wrath And Ruin, Warbringer continues their furious assault against the powers that be with eight new explosive rippers lyrically focused on inspiring listeners to recognize strength in numbers and actualize their class power…

Wilhelm Furtwangler - Great Live Performances 1939-1954 [80CDs Box Set] (2023)
MP3 320 Kbps | Run Time: 03:14:03:02 | 11.5 Gb
Genre: Classical | Label: Tower Records

The memorial project commemorating the 70th anniversary of Furtwängler's death is an unprecedented 80-disc collection of the first and last live recordings.
It has been 70 years since Wilhelm Furtwängler (January 25, 1886 - November 30, 1954) passed away, but his influence extends even to modern conductors, and even now, no one can surpass him. This 80CD collection includes valuable masterpieces from the following six labels that have been passionate about reproducing masterpieces by great masters.
Tahra was founded in 1993 by Myriam, the daughter of great conductor Herman Scherchen, who was also close friends with Furtwängler, and Rene Tremine, a leading figure in the French Furtwängler Association, and has now ceased operations..

Paavo Berglund - The Warner Edition - Complete EMI Classics & Finlandia Recording [42CD Box Set] (2023)
MP3 320 Kbps | Run Time: 01:15:25:56 | 5.32 Gb
Genre: Classical | Label: Warner Classics

The nine Beethoven Symphonies are considered to be one of the greatest musical testaments of all time and are a key staple in every conductor's repertoire. Simon Rattle performed the complete cycle with the Wiener Philharmoniker in live concerts, recorded for EMI between 29 April and 17 May 2002 at the historic Musikverein in Vienna.'These are not interpretations set in stone, deeply as Rattle has obviously thought them through; and his encouragement of the brilliant VPO woodwind and horn soloists to challenge each other in imagination and individuality adds to the impression of joyful discovery.'

Before becoming a slick, sharp-dressed pop star in the 1980s, Robert Palmer was a soul singer deeply rooted in R&B and funk. Those influences are on full display on his debut album Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley. With a backing band including members of Little Feat and the Meters, the music has a laid-back groove whether Palmer's covering New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint (the title track) or singing originals ("Hey Julia," " Get Outside"). While the music is tight and solid, it is Robert Palmer's voice that is revelatory – he sounds supremely confident among these talented musicians, and they seem to feed off his vocal intensity. Fans of the Meters or people who want to discover the funky side of Robert Palmer should check this one out.

Strictly limited to 1500 deluxe 4CD sets (in 64-page hardback books), the package features all of the original album artwork and inserts, including the 15 page comic book companion to the Robot Woman 2 story.
Gilli Smyth, co-founder of Gong alongside Daevid Allen, formed Mother Gong with Harry Williamson in 1978 and the Robot Woman trilogy is widely accepted as one of the pinnacles of the band's career. Previously only available on 3 vinyl LP releases pressed in small number in the 1980s this long-awaited release heralds the first appearance of Robot Woman 1, 2 and 3 on CD, something devoted Gongsters have been requesting for years. Also included is a fourth disc of fascinating 'Demos and Rarities'; 18 previously unreleased unknown and hidden extras, the earliest of which dates from 1976…

After the guest-star-drenched No Reason to Cry failed to make much of an impact commercially, Eric Clapton returned to using his own band for Slowhand. The difference is substantial – where No Reason to Cry struggled hard to find the right tone, Slowhand opens with the relaxed, bluesy shuffle of J.J. Cale's "Cocaine" and sustains it throughout the course of the album. Alternating between straight blues ("Mean Old Frisco"), country ("Lay Down Sally"), mainstream rock ("Cocaine," "The Core"), and pop ("Wonderful Tonight"), Slowhand doesn't sound schizophrenic because of the band's grasp of the material. This is laid-back virtuosity – although Clapton and his band are never flashy, their playing is masterful and assured. That assurance and the album's eclectic material make Slowhand rank with 461 Ocean Boulevard as Eric Clapton's best albums.