Anyone listening to this album for the first time would be forgiven for doing a double-take and checking the cover art to make sure they had indeed purchased Paradise Lost's One Second instead of a Depeche Mode record. This 1997 release displays an astounding sonic evolution when compared to the group's previous release, 1995's Draconian Times, and nothing remains of their early death/doom metal origins. Singer Nick Holmes has permanently retired his once-trademark growl, and the guitars, though still dominant, make room for ambient keyboard melodies as well as the occasional drum machine. "Say Just Words" alternates hypnotic guitar-chugging with a memorable chorus, while "Soul Courageous" would fit in perfectly on any Sisters of Mercy record. "Blood of Another" and "Mercy" are other bright spots, and though fans of early Paradise Lost should approach with caution, there's no denying the quality of this radical but impressive departure.

Band on the Run is generally considered to be Paul McCartney's strongest solo effort. The album was also his most commercially successful, selling well and spawning two hit singles, the multi-part pop suite of the title track and the roaring rocker "Jet." On these cuts and elsewhere, McCartney's penchant for sophisticated, nuanced arrangements and irrepressibly catchy melodic hooks is up to the caliber he displayed in the Beatles, far surpassing the first two Wings releases, Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway. The focus found in Band on the Run may have to do with the circumstances of its creation: two former members quit the band prior to recording, leaving McCartney, wife Linda, and guitarist Denny Laine to complete the album alone (with Paul writing, producing, and playing most of the instruments himself)…

As Gerald Heard's liner notes point out, it's difficult to decide whether Chet Baker was a trumpet player who sang or a singer who played trumpet. When the 24-year-old California-based trumpeter started his vocal career in 1954, his singing was revolutionary; as delicate and clear as his trumpet playing, with a similarly bright and vibrato-free tone, Baker simply didn't sound like any previous jazz singer. His first vocal session, recorded in February 1954 and covering tracks seven through 14 of this disc, is so innocent-sounding it's like cub reporter Jimmy Olsen had started a new career as a jazz singer. The album's first six tracks, recorded in July 1956, are even more milk and cookies, thanks in no small part to syrupy material like Frank Loesser's "I've Never Been in Love Before" and Donaldson/Kahn's drippy "My Buddy"…

The Hives, the best live band on the planet and still your new favourite band, are an international rock sensation. They are lauded on all continents for their masterful skill and reckless abandon in the rock music field. They have once again, sooner than expected, created a new body of work the likes of which have never been heard or indeed probably will again. Their seventh opus, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, is a new record full of energy, joy, anger, and life that will make you question reality as you have known it.

This is a mellotron lovers garden of eden! Lots of great keyboard work here and some incredible musicanship. Like so many great Italian recordings, "Ys" demands the listeners full attention throughout. Although this recording has a true '70's reproduced feel to it, it remains very enjoyable with its underground sound. The guitar work is superb and what really stands out is the use of vocals and harmonies throughout.

Born in, Tokushima in 1989, Takuma Ishii has been a new type of pianist, aiming at making classical music more accessible by being active on various media resources. After graduating from the Department of Music at the Tokyo University of the Arts, he entered the Department of Piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he received his Master’s degree in Piano with the highest honors and completed the post-graduate course.In 2016, he won the second prize in the piano section at the Georges Enescu International Competition in Bucharest, Romania, as the first Japanese to win, which has been held since 1958 and has been won by Radu Lupu and Elizabeth Leonskaya.

In late 2003 TD surprised their fans with the announcement of Rockface, a live recording from the 1988 North America tour. The double album was finally released on December 18th, 2003 and features a virtually untouched soundboard recording of the third-last gig of that tour, recorded in Berkeley/San FranciAfter several bootlegs and fan releases this album is the first official recording from that tour featuring the short-time line-up Froese/Haslinger/Wadephul. The sound quality is excellent for a live album, though not always studio standard. One minor flaw is the missing of about three minutes of music on the first disc (according to official information from TDI the sound engineer had to change tapes at that moment)…

"Farasha" is the debut release of the award-winning (e.g. Anton Rubinstein International Competition) soloist and chamber musician Sindy Mohamed on Berlin Classics. The violist recalls her Egyptian, French and German roots and reflects this in a diverse selection of pieces for the viola. The album contains Sonatas for Viola and Piano by Breville and Hinemith, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's Spring Song and a transcribed version of Saint-Saens' Sonata for bassoon and piano op. 168. In addition Sindy Mohamed presents a newly comissioned work by Khaled Al Kammar "Faten Amal Harby" for oud, viola, req and piano.