Boomerang's eponymous 1971 debut also proved to be their last (though a shelved second album remains stashed away somewhere), and its surprisingly stripped-down and unfettered blues-rock approach will probably surprise those familiar with vocalist/organist Mark Stein's earlier work with psychedelic overlords Vanilla Fudge. Clearly inspired by the white-knuckled intensity of Led Zeppelin's first two albums, economic hard rockers like "Juke It," "Cynthia Fever," and "The Peddler" attempted to deliver the same thrilling brand of sheer power masking barely reigned-in virtuosity.

The New Colony Six started out as one of the better garage bands to come out of the Midwest in the mid-'60s, playing tough British Invasion-style rock & roll (their "At the River's Edge" made it onto the Nuggets box set), and they later evolved into a surprisingly sophisticated and skillful pop group that scored nationwide hits with the singles "Love You So Much" and "Things I'd Like to Say." However, this collection of odds and ends doesn't quite play to either side of the band's personality; in fact, most of the 24 songs aren't actually by the New Colony Six, with 11 tunes by the Raymond John Michael Band (which featured three NC6 alumni, singer Ray Graffia, drummer Chick James, and keyboard man Craig Kemp) and one each by Junior and Graffia, both latter-day Ray Graffia projects…

Energy abounds from these German thrashers. Hot on the heels of last year’s solid Blood on Canvas album, Death Squad Chronicles as the seventh album sees the group expand back to a quintet with the arrival of second guitarist Dominik - yet no lapse in bone crushing material. Taking a lot of the classic 80s material from early demos or albums and giving this a spit shine polish befitting of the band’s 40th anniversary, the record also includes two new songs to prove their vitality remains razor sharp.
Speedy riffs bounce next to equally rabid rhythmic-style vocals, the additional gang-like punch and relentless tempo pummeling indicative of these musicians appeal to a lot of the ardent thrash followers especially across the German/ European scene…

Once you’ve heard Pat Metheny you will always recognise him, no matter what company he’s in or what instrument he’s playing, be it a simple acoustic guitar or some unlikely invention of his own. Beneath it all there’s a frank, open-hearted tunefulness that keeps the music airborne. This double album, recorded at the end of a year-long tour by his Unity Band, is as polished and sophisticated as any, but moments such as the opening melody of This Belongs to You or the gradual unfolding of Born are just plain elegant. There’s a similar quality about saxophonist Chris Potter’s playing, and all four are so relaxed in each other’s company that everything flows beautifully.

Marsbéli Krónikák (The Martian Chronicles) is one of the greatest symphonic prog albums of all time. Solaris provide some great swirling keyboards (and lots of them), injected with some incredible flute, bass and guitar, surrounded by complex drumming . This recording moves in and out of many different moods throughout the recording taking on many different personas. This is some of the coolest space instrumental prog you will ever hear. The intro is quite psyched out and has some alien child like voices throughout providing an very uneasy feeling. After the "Martian Chronicle Suite" we are treated to a couple of extra tracks which seem to blend in quite well actually.

Analogue Productions presents Hybrid SACD editions of Jimi Hendrix Experience's landmark 1967 album Axis: Bold as Love. Newly remastered by by noted mastering engineer Bernie Grundman from the original analog master tapes, it contains both the mono and stereo mixes for each historic title in sensational pure DSD sound.

ASYNC – REMODELS is an album of "reconstructions" of tracks from Japanese producer Ryuichi Sakamoto's nineteenth solo studio album async (2017). The album includes eleven reworks (twelve on the Japanese release) by producers such as Jóhann Jóhannsson, Fennesz, Cornelius, Oneohtrix Point Never, Electric Youth, and Arca. Released in Japan in December 2017 by Commmons and in February 2018 in other countries by Milan Records, ASYNC – REMODELS garnered generally positive critical reviews and peaked at number 15 on the Billboard American Top Classical Albums chart.

Digitally remastered edition of this album from the pianist, poet and composer extraordinaire from Montenegro. Funky Tramway is often considered to be one of the rarest and most well de-veloped of Janko Nilovic's records, easily rivaling his famous cult album Rythmes Contemporains. And yet, apart from a few already compiled tracks and enthused descriptions on the web from lucky record hunters here and there, little was actually known about this opus which only made its way into the hands of lucky or enlightened collectors. The tracks take on a real cosmic dimension thanks to the judicious use of backing vocals and synths. Hiding behind its beautifully naive sleeve (painted by the composer's wife) lies a great record which dares to wager an exciting and rebellious fusion, delectably playing with the codes. A compendium which brings the entire career of the Yugoslavian composer into perspective.

Erik Truffaz received an early introduction into the world of a professional musician, thanks to his saxophone-playing dad. When he was ten years old, the French trumpeter began performing in his father's dance band. As he grew older, Truffaz performed with other bands in the region until he was 16 and heard Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. The great jazz trumpeter's music inspired him to learn more, and he set off for Switzerland's Geneva Conservatoire, where he became a student. Truffaz's repertoire expanded to works by Mozart and Verdi, and he performed as part of L'Orchestre de Suisse Romande. He also played in cover bands before establishing a group called Orange. The band concentrated on Truffaz's compositions. Among its members was Marc Erbetta, a drummer who continued to play with Truffaz as the trumpeter evolved…