Sweet's earliest recordings - the clutch of 45s issued in the U.K. and Europe between 1968 and 1971 - made it out in a variety of forms in the years following the band's initial breakthrough. Strangely, however, it was not until 1991 - a full 20 years after "Funny Funny" gave them their long-awaited first hit - that the entire canon was pulled together, as Repertoire raided the vaults not only of Fontana and Parlophone, the band's first two labels, but also visited some less-familiar directions as well. The bulk of First Recordings 1968-1971 - tracks one through eight - comprises all four original singles, a mixed bag that ran from the unadulterated pop of "Lollipop Man" and "Slow Motion" to the convincing harder rock of "The Juicer"…

What can one say about a singer who Ella Fitzgerald described as the best voice of all time? What Sarah does is miraculous. Some of the songs are a bit weak, but, she makes them better and the great songs, she absolutely soars. Her phrasing and incredible range (some say 3 octaves, but, it sounds more like 5)make this album worth every penny. Dreamsville, Slow Hot Wind, Mr. Lucky are the highlights. There will never be another female singer with a voice like Sarah. This album is a good reminder.

The first release from Quella Vecchia Locanda is one of the all time Italian prog greats. This excellent debut album has a strong PFM-like attitude with loads of violin and classical themes. Songs are delicate and exceptionally well performed with warm precision. Imagine great 70's sounding keyboard work layered with flute, violin and great guitar work and you have got QVL. The band draw on some pretty heavy classical interludes to build their music on. Along the way we are treated to many thematic mood swings and tempo changes. This album has many standout tracks which combine the classical underground 70's Italian sound with a solid blend of tranquility and beauty. Vocals are very expressive and are full of harmonic textures.

Love Gun was Kiss' fifth studio album in three years (and seventh release overall, peaking at number four on Billboard), and proved to be the last release that the original lineup played on.

The Digipak edition has two bonus tracks.
"Borderland" is the first Amorphis album produced in collaboration with Danish producer Jacob Hansen. Before that, we had made three amazing records at Jens Bogren’s studio. During the planning phase of the project, we strongly felt that it was time to explore something new and see what working with a different producer might bring to the table.
Amorphis has a very distinctive sound and our own way of making music. Having six strong personalities in the band naturally brings its own challenges to the production process, especially for the producer. Jacob was chosen for a couple of key reasons: he has worked with an impressively diverse range of artists, and he’s an incredibly calm, creative, and idea-driven producer…

Carefully selected tunes by great artists and producers from different corners of the world give these compilations the certain ingredients which are known to Jondal fans around the world. A musical journey that pulls you into a mystical world and soothes your soul. Zen-Men, Fous De La Mer, Lenny Ibizarre, Chris Le Blanc, Jean F. Cochois, Lemongrass, Jens Buchert, Blank & Jones, Chris Zippel, Guardner, Bliss and many others. Compiled by DJ Jondal.

Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote the book on Southern rock with their first album, so it only made sense that they followed it for their second album, aptly titled Second Helping. Sticking with producer Al Kooper (who, after all, discovered them), the group turned out a record that replicated all the strengths of the original, but was a little tighter and a little more professional. It also revealed that the band, under the direction of songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, was developing a truly original voice. Of course, the band had already developed their own musical voice, but it was enhanced considerably by Van Zant's writing, which was at turns plainly poetic, surprisingly clever, and always revealing. Though Second Helping isn't as hard a rock record as Pronounced, it's the songs that make the record…

Classic Hits 1938-52 is a five-disc, 123-track collection of Big Joe Turner's earliest recording sessions before finding stardom with his mid-'50s R&B sides. While this JSP set isn't extravagant, it's a luxury to have Turner's sides for National, Aladdin, Freedom, MGM, and Imperial remastered and together in one collection. The final disc also includes the Boss of the Blues' first recordings for Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun of Atlantic Records: "Chains of Love," "Sweet Sixteen," "Poor Lover's Blues," and "Still in Love (With You)." Turner tackles blues, swing, and fiery up-tempo jump blues, assisted by Pete Johnson, Wynonie Harris, Pee Wee Crayton, Budd Johnson, Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino, Joe Houstin, Albert Ammons, Don Byas, Art Tatum, and Hot Lips Page. While this is a collector's dream, the casual listener would do better with Big, Bad & Blue: The Big Joe Turner Anthology on Rhino.

This mid-'90s DCC Jazz edition of the John Coltrane (tenor sax)/Paul Quinichette (tenor sax) title Cattin' with Coltrane and Quinichette (1959) contains the same excellent remastering and bonus tracks as its standard silver pressing - without the superfluous expense of a 24-karat gold disc. Audiophile pressing or naught, what remains as the centerpiece are the selections that the co-leads cut during a mid-May 1957 session with Mal Waldron (piano), plus a rhythm section consisting of Julian Euell (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums). Waldron - who penned all the album's originals - proves why he is one of the best composer/arrangers for Coltrane. His stylish tickling of the 88s sets the pace with a stealthy and sinister platform for Coltrane's bluesy blowing, followed by Quinichette's exceedingly soulful solo…

Windom End is a progressive rock band from Falun/Stockholm Sweden.
The seed for what was to become Windom End was planted back in 2007. During a heated debate among a group of friends, Pierre Stam and Tomas Nyström bonded over the greatest questions mankind has ever pondered: Who is Actually the greatest guitar player of all time. ”Steve Rothery”, they both proclaimed in unison. Strangers up until that moment, their eyes instantly locked. After staring at each other in disbelief for a second their lips once again parted as they shouted: ”Best Friends!”. The very next day, the duo started writing music together.
Pierre was already involved in the progressive death metal band In Mourning, with whom he released four albums and toured Europe…

Doesn't the beginning of "The Step" sound like Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell"? Maybe. It does for a tic anyway, before vocalist Nic Offer starts emoting all cool over eight layers of bass, spidery guitar, horns, and drums that wait patiently for the break. And when that break finally arrives, it falls out of the verse like Franzia from silver Mylar. Party time, baby! Let's keep it going with the bass groove of "Hammerhead," or "KooKooKa Fuk-U"'s chattering cool-part-of-town disco. On this, their self-titled debut for Gold Standard Laboratories, !!! trash the axiom that says bands influenced by angular post-punk must be populated by dour misanthropes who sport wallet photos of Ian Curtis. "If you're looking for a friend/You can kiss my ass!" Offer declares on "KooKooKa Fuk-U," and encourages suicide for - wait for it - someone else…

An exceptional project from Manfred Schunke (vocals, electronic effects) and Klaus Schulze (drums) with Apama Chakravarti (on harmonium, tamboura, vocals), Ed Key (vocals, instruments). The concept is about Man creation and human, technological evolution throw ages. Musically the music alternates vibrant dronescapings, cosmic, electro-acoustic noises, esoteric doom like choirs and weird dreamy folk evocations. Their interlocking sound can be compared in some aspects to Organisation's embryonic electronic approach, Klaus Schulze first efforts in agitated drones and Popol Vuh / Deuter mystical sense of composition. Hermetic but monumental and now cult.

Solid Silver is the last Quicksilver album to fit into the group's original time line - although this was really a reunion rather than an actual continuation of their previous work, reestablishing however briefly the classic core lineup of Dino Valente, John Cipollina, David Freiberg, Greg Elmore, and Gary Duncan. And the results are impressive, even at times glorious and soaring, and not just on Valente's compositions, which fill six of the ten slots on the album. His work is as good as ever, and the haunting "Cowboy on the Run" was practically worth the price of the album. But it's Gary Duncan's "Gypsy Lights" that opens the album on a powerful yet lyrical (and memorable) note, and in more of a pop vein than listeners are accustomed to from this band; David Frieberg's "I Heard You Singing" isn't bad, either, and is a lot closer to the band's classic sound…

French music always sounded different from english or american pop music. Not only because of the language, but also because of it’s very unique sound. Blank & Jones have been travelling to france since the 1980s and always brought home some musical souvenirs. It started with names like Mylene Farmer, Niagara, Etienne Daho or Vanessa Paradis, later artists like Benjamin Biolay or Keren Ann followed. After their Paris trip in spring 2013, where they shot the music video for “Days Go By” with Coralie Clement, they decided to present these new Pop Sensations from France on Bonheur & Mélancolie. This exclusive collection brings you stars like Benjamin Biolay or Sébastien Tellier but also presents new talents like Éléphant, Rose, Berry, Loane or Vincent Delerm…

Originally released on Atlantic as Ella Loves Cole and then reissued on Pablo with two extra cuts from 1978, this set features the great Ella Fitzgerald (still in excellent form) backed by an orchestra arranged by Nelson Riddle performing an extensive set of Cole Porter songs. Fifteen years earlier Fitzgerald had had great success with her Cole Porter Songbook and this date, even with a few hokey arrangements, almost reaches the same level. Trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison and pianist Tommy Flanagan are among the supporting cast. Highlights include "I Get a Kick out of You," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "All of You," "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and "Just One of Those Things."