CHARLELIE COUTURE

CHARLELIE COUTURE
LES NAÏVES (1994)
REMASTER
320 KBPS

CharlElie Couture definitely is a difficult artist to pinpoint. Three years after the bluesy album he recorded in Australia (Victoria Spirit) , he came back with of his more relaxed/chanson oriented offerings to date. Les Naïves is a sweet album where CharlElie's poetry never seemed to match so well his music. All the songs are rather short and the little interluded which have been placed here and there throughout the album give it a sens of unity none of his previous works ever achieved. As you might have guessed, this is my favorite album by Mr. Couture, one I can play either on a rainy day so to bring a little sunshine or when it's sunny so that it bittersweet allures make me feel a little blue. A must try for anyone interested in things French.

1. Sous Le Saule-Music
2. Le Jardinier Dort
3. Méchants Voisins
4. Jacob Marchait
5. Angélique Bigoudis
6. Mona
7. Le Temps, L'Argent, Le Vent
8. Balançoire, Berceuse
9. Le Pays Des Arcs-En-Ciel
10. Rap Non Conventionné
11. Little Car Woman
12. Petite Dame, Petite Auto
13. Je Pense A Vous
14. Les Enfants Du Dimanche Ou L'Amour Divorcé
15. Les Fantômes Dansent
16. Chanson De La Petite Rivière
17. Jacob : 1981
18. Lalala Le Progrès

QUEEN

QUEEN
SHEER HEART ATTACK (1974)
320 KBPS

Queen II was a breakthrough in terms of power and ambition, but Queen's third album Sheer Heart Attack was where the band started to gel. It followed quickly on the heels of the second record — just by a matter of months; it was the second album they released in 1974 — but it feels like it had a longer incubation period, so great is the progress here. Which isn't quite to say that Sheer Heart Attack is flawless — it still has a tendency to meander, sometimes within a song itself, as when the killer opening "Brighton Rock" suddenly veers into long stretches of Brian May solo guitar — but all these detours do not distract from the overall album, they're in many ways the key to the record itself: it's the sound of Queen stretching their wings as they learn how to soar to the clouds. There's a genuine excitement in hearing all the elements to Queen's sound fall into place here, as the music grows grander and catchier without sacrificing their brutal, hard attack. One of the great strengths of the album is how all four members find their voices as songwriters, penning hooks that are big, bold, and insistent and crafting them in songs that work as cohesive entities instead of flourishes of ideas. This is evident not just in "Killer Queen" — the first, best flourishing of Freddie Mercury's vaudevillian camp — but also on the pummeling "Stone Cold Crazy," a frenzied piece of jagged metal that's all the more exciting because it has a real melodic hook. Those hooks are threaded throughout the record, on both the ballads and the other rockers, but it isn't just that this is poppier, it's that they're able to execute their drama with flair and style. There are still references to mystical worlds ("Lily of the Valley," "In the Lap of Gods") but the fantasy does not overwhelm as it did on the first two records; the theatricality is now wielded on everyday affairs, which ironically makes them sound larger than life. And this sense of scale, combined with the heavy guitars, pop hooks, and theatrical style, marks the true unveiling of Queen, making Sheer Heart Attack as the moment where they truly came into their own.

1. Brighton Rock
2. Killer Queen
3. Tenement Funster
4. Flick Of The Wrist
5. Lily Of The Valley
6. Now I'm Here
7. In The Lap Of The Gods
8. Stone Cold Crazy
9. Dear Friends
10. Misfire
11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown
12. She Makes Me (Stormtroopers In Stilettos)
13. In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited

CHARLELIE COUTURE

CHARLELIE COUTURE
CASQUE NU (1997)
320 KBPS

CharlElie Couture is a modern French poet, musician, composer, novelist and painter. His latest effort is a beautiful bluesy album recorded in Chicago with top session bluesmen. This is by no means traditional blues. It's CharlElie blues. A mixture of arty European rock, traditional French "chanson" and Chicago blues. The lyrics are very poetic and full of humour but even if you do not speak French, the music and Mr. Couture's very original voice will charm you. If you like Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Chuck E Weiss and Jacques Brel, you will enjoy this fine album.

1. Intro Chicago
2. La Musique Des Villes
3. Jacques A Dit Ci (Jakadiça)
4. Intro Le Grand Bureau
5. Le Grand Bureau Du Haut
6. Chicago Night Blues
7. Blues Gourmand
8. Les Champions/Tennis Métaphore
9. Valse Vague A L'Ame
10. Elle Danse Pour Oublier
11. Les Mobiles De Calder
12. Ils S'Aiment Sûrement
13. Bob Le Prophète
14. Hobo Piano Blues
15. Casque Nu

RAINBOW

RAINBOW
RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW (1975)
REMASTER
320 KBPS

Rainbow's debut is a great thrill if you're a big fan of Deep Purple's classic lineup (Machine Head in particular). Blackmore continues his melodically soothing guitar sound on this album. "catch the rainbow" is probably the best song here because it will remind you of a sunset in Louisiana and hearing crickets. "man on the silver mountain" is another highlight, and was even a big hit for a brief period in the mid 70's. If you like "smoke on the water" you will like this song too, no doubt.
"Temple of the king" is probably the song to stand out the most because it's a really good adventurous-fantasy type song. It reminds me of that early 80's movie called The Neverending Story. No, not the theme song, I mean the movie itself. Remember that movie? It was about a boy who goes on a magical journey using his imagination. This movie and that song are so similar to each other it's not even funny.
Despite that, this album is mostly about having fun and rocking out with lots of guitars and a really good classic rock sound. Perhaps the best sound a rock record can have found right here. This is mostly a guitar-driven album, with the guitar being the main feature. Worth a try? Absolutely.

1. Man On The Silver Mountain
2. Self Portrait
3. Black Sheep Of The Family
4. Catch The Rainbow
5. Snake Charmer
6. The Temple Of The King
7. If You Don't Like Rock N Roll
8. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves
9. Still I'm Sad

LITFIBA

LITFIBA
12-5-87:
APRITE I VOSTRI OCCHI (1987)
320 KBPS

Released when the band had 5 studio albums under their belt, 12-5-87 (Aprite i Vostri Occhi) was Italian band Liftiba's first live release. Haunted and passionate, this is a real live album with, no studio overdubs, that perfectly pictures the terrific blend of new wave and gothic rock the band displayed in those days. I first heard this one when it was released and still consider it one of the best live albums of all times and the finest music ever released by Liftiba. It is not perfect, but then no real live album is and, its very flaws give it an extra charm I'd have difficulty describing. Anyway, if you want something that rocks, this one's for you.

1. Come un Dio
2. Resta
3. La preda
4. Cane
5. Tziganata
6. Ferito
7. Apapaia
8. Re del silenzio
9. Vendette
10. Luna
11. Ballata

THE GATHERING

THE GATHERING

THE WEST POLE (2009)
192 KBPS

New album from the most famour Dutch band in the universe. In my opinion, it's a return to form compared to their 2006 release, Home.
This album will be released on May 4th, enjoy the advance copy and buy it as soon as you can.

1. When Trust Becomes Sound
2. Treasure
3. All You Are
4. You Promised Me a Symphony
5. The West Pole
6. Capital of Nowhere
7. No Bird Call
8. Pale Traces
9. No One Spoke
10. Constant Run

ARCHIVE

ARCHIVE
LONDINIUM (1996)
320 KBPS

Not enough good things can be written about this album. The haunting melodies intertwine with incredibly well-structured beats, and it is all set off with the beautiful voice of a female lead singer. On about half of the tracks, an MC drops well-formed and intelligent rhymes to make this band (in my opinion) surpass even the heroic efforts put forth by trip-hop greats as Massive Attack.I can only suggest to pick up a copy of Londinium and start to listen and listen again to this fantastic album.

1. Old Artist
2. All Time
3. So Few Words
4. Headspace
5. Darkroom
6. Londinium
7. Man-Made
8. Nothing Else
9. Skyscraper
10. Parvaneh (Butterfly)
11. Beautiful World
12. Organ Song
13. Last Five

CAETANO VELOSO

CAETANO VELOSO
CÊ (2006)
320 KBPS

During his long career, spanning five decades, Caetano Veloso has managed to sustain a remarkable consistency, year after year composing beautiful, inventive, and very often simply ingenious music. His previous album, A Foreign Sound, where Caetano interpreted classics from the American popular music scene, was widely applauded abroad and especially in the U.S., but Brazilian listeners were much less impressed. And truth be told, by Caetano's own high standards and with the exception of a few songs, like the reggae-rap version of Bob Dylan's "It's Alright Ma," A Foreign Sound lacked much of Caetano's usual inspiration. Cê, though much lighter and unpretentious, suffers from the same lack of lucid inspiration that has always been the trademark of Caetano. It is not in anyway a bad album, but after having been spoiled with Caetano's unique brand of musical magic and brilliance for so long, Cê just doesn't excite. For the recording, Caetano teamed up with a trio of young musicians, thus forming a traditional rock band relying on an electric guitar, a bass, drums, and the occasional keyboards. The sound is finely tuned and further helped by the excellent production by Caetano's son Moreno and Pedro Sá. The music ranges from the light, carefree punk-pop of tracks like "Outro" and "Odeio" to the laid-back, sentimental "Não Me Arrependo" and "Minhas Lágrimas." "Musa Híbrida" is an interesting mix of samba and rock, with a touch of '70s funk. On "Não Me Arrependo," Caetano uses influence from both Lou Reed and Peninha, and it is perhaps the most melodically impressive song on the album. On "O Herói," Caetano, in a talking voice, recites the lyrics over a sparse and slightly hip-hop-inspired rock groove. The gentle and sweet "Um Sonho" is another highlight. Cê is an enjoyable, finely crafted, and elegantly executed album.

1. Outro
2. Minhas Lagrimas
3. Rocks
4. Deusa Urbana
5. Wally Salamão
6. Não Me Arrependo
7. Musa Hibrida
8. Odeio
9. Homem
10. Porque?
11. Um Sonho
12. O Heroi

TRIUMPH

TRIUMPH
ROCK & ROLL MACHINE (1977)
REMASTER
320 KBPS

If you like your rock with feel and lots of groove, you need this cd. Triumph was a Canadian band that was pretty big in the late 70's early 80's and this is the cd that got them known the best. Triumph has put out some stinkers, but this one folks totally rocks from start to finish.
This is the newly remastered one and it does sound very good. However the original album's sound quality was also very good considering it was released in the late 70's, so why should we expect anything but top notch quality here? I love this cd and it's one of my favourites for straight ahead classic rock. I'd say it's right up their with Boston's first release. If you like that old fashioned guitar rock, you need this cd in your collection! This release is 100% accurate to the original album that was released way back when. No extra's or cuts, just 100% true to form.

1. Takes Time
2. Bringing It On Home
3. Little Texas Shaker
4. New York City Streets - Part 1
5. New York City Streets - Part 2
6. The City:
I.War March
II. El Duende Agonizante
III. Minstrel's Lament
7. Rocky Mountain Way
8. Rock & Roll Machine

BRIGHT EYES

BRIGHT EYES
I'M WIDE AWAKE, IT'S MORNING (2005)
320 KBPS

Conor Oberst is running on dangerous ground: getting his first Dylan comparisons at age 12, frolicking with Winona Ryder, releasing two separate albums at once. Didn't he learn anything from Ryan Adams's mistakes? It's a good thing he can write such haunting, intimate songs. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (released simultaneously with Digital Ash in a Digital Urn) is the album the Omaha native has always threatened to make, channeling his country rock influences into articulate, witty ballads that come to life with gorgeous harmonies supplied by Emmylou Harris. The tumbling "We Are Nowhere and It's Now" might be his first actual masterpiece, while the words of album closer "Road to Joy" ("I could've been a famous singer if I had someone else's voice/ But failure's always sounded better") indicate that Oberst might have his head screwed on right after all.

1. At the Bottom of Everything
2. We Are Nowhere and It's Now
3. Old Soul Song (for the New World Order)
4. Lua
5. Train Under Water
6. First Day of My Life
7. Another Travelin' Song
8. Land Locked Blues
9. Poison Oak
10. Road to Joy