This is the definitive reissue of the first two albums from the rock act that ruled the Pacific Northwest in the early 60s. 2003 compilation includes the albums, "At the Castle" & "The Wailers & Co", along with six bonus tracks from rare singles, most of which have not previously been on CD.

Slayer left a big hole in the metal world with their break-up in 2019. But guitarist Kerry King knew that it wasn't the end for him.
From Hell I Rise is the debut album under the Kerry King banner and features other well-known musicians besides King. Its contributors include Mark Osegueda of Death Angel on vocals, former Vio-lence and Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel, Hellyeah bassist Kyle Sanders, and Slayer and former Testament, Forbidden and Exodus drummer Paul Bostaph.

Marsupilami were an English proto-prog outfit who relocated to the Netherlands. The complexity of their music is quite unusual for the times - we're talking 1970 here, when the big guns such as Yes, Genesis and Crimson were barely coming out of the woodwork. A mixture of blues, experimental jazz and hints of folk, their music is often dark and foreboding, favouring perilously complex structures. Try to imagine a mixture of King Crimson, Jethro Tull, the Strawbs and East of Eden. Their two albums feature weird/oblique melodies and harmonies, lots of heavy keyboards, electric guitar and flute (at times purposely off key), with the drummer pounding on his skins as if his life depended on it. This is very early prog and you particularly feel this in the organ work, which has a typical early 70's psych feel. Their second album, which features an additional member on flute and sax as well as the appearance of the Mellotron, is an ambitious concept album about the brutal culture of ancien Rome - quite a sordid affair, really, but well done.

Craig Taborn's recorded debut as a leader showcases the talented pianist in a variety of settings ranging from post-bop and hard bop to free jazz and avant-garde jazz, with bassist Jaribu Shahid and drummer Tani Tabbal providing strong support throughout the sessions. Taborn's furious opener is "David the Goliath," a turbulent number that blends a driving post-bop attack with an occasionally exotic Middle Eastern flavor. The pianist's "Uproot" is reminiscent of the flights of Cecil Taylor. He also delves into less familiar works by jazz giants, including Ornette Coleman's quirky "Compassion," Horace Silver's relaxing "Shirl," and a jaunty interpretation of John Coltrane's "Bass Blues," the latter showcasing Shahid.

Turkish synthesizer artist Can Atilla sure can sound different from album to album. He did classic Tangerine Dream circa 1980 to a tee on his Ave disc; he did similar treatment to their 90s sound in Waves Of Wheels; now, with Omni, he sounds like energetic Jean-Michel Jarre with a splash of disco and techno.
Uptempo keyboards are flavored by bubbling electronics and peppy rhythms, resulting in alluring tuneage that is resolutely enthralling and engaging. Atillas style fuses contemporary electronics with a rollicking jubilation that is refreshing in a genre of over-serious approaches. The tempos captivate more than the audiences tapping feet, while his nimble-fingered riffs dazzle more than just the appreciative mind. Surging aspects cascade with calculated intent, conspiring to generate tunes that entice as they mesmerize…

Gilgamesh (1975). Esoteric's 2011 remastered reissue of Gilgamesh's 1975 eponymous debut recording provides a 21st century opportunity to investigate a fine group that emerged during the waning days of Britain's Canterbury scene. These Canterbury stylists were formed in 1972 with the core of the band built around Alan Gowen on keyboards and Mike Travis on drums. At various times, the line-up included former Caravan and Hatfield & The North member Richard Sinclair, Mont Campbell (formerly of Egg) and Neil Murray. Gilgamesh is a classic of the Canterbury style and is sure to be a much sought after release by all aficionados of the genre…

Mary Lou Williams spent a fair amount of time in Europe in the early '50s, prior to a temporary hiatus from jazz. This CD from Verve's Jazz in Paris series compiles two separate sessions from 1954; one features a trio, a quintet, and a pair of vocals by blues singer Beryl Bryden, and the other is purely a trio. All of the selections are fairly brief, with only one running over three-and-a-half minutes. The first 11 songs are a bit of a mixed bag. The strongest tracks feature Williams alone ("I Made You Love Paris" and her "Club Francais Blues") or with her trio ("Avalon," "Swingin' for the Guys," and "Memories of You"). Weaker are the four tracks with trumpeter Nelson Williams and tenor saxophonist Ray Lawrence, who aren't up to the playing level of horn players who typically worked with the pianist, though bassist Buddy Banks somewhat makes up for their shortcomings by contributing an enjoyable original ("Leg'n Lou") and a strong solo…

Over the years, the term R&B has been used to describe everything from the 1950s doo wop of the Five Satins to the hip-hop-influenced urban contemporary of Erykah Badu and R. Kelly - in other words, a variety of African-American popular music with roots in the blues. Arbee Stidham was exactly the sort of singer who thrived in the R&B or "race" market after World War II; although essentially a bluesman, he wasn't a blues purist who embraced the 12-bar format 100 percent of the time. But his mixture of blues, jazz, and gospel made him quite popular among what were considered rhythm & blues audiences in the 1940s and 1950s. Recorded for Prestige's Bluesville label in 1960 - eight years before Stidham's death - Tired of Wandering is among his finest albums…

Out of the mysterious mind of Andrea Centazzo came Elektriktus. Originally released on the PDU label in 1976, the LP Electronic Mind Waves offers a collection of eight synth-fueled songs that sound very close to what kraut/cosmische heads were doing at the time, think of Conrad Schnitzler, Deuter or Cosmic Jokers, and also other European experimentalists like Richard Pinhas' Heldon, Spacecraft, Didier Bocquet, Seesselberg, F.G. Experimental Laboratory, Roberto Cacciapaglia or Hydrus. Along with Cacciapaglia and Hydrus, Elektriktus shows the most adventurous experimental sounds under a kraut/cosmische music influence to ever come out of Italy…

Arriving ten years after The Dark Horse Years: 1976-1992, The Apple Years: 1968-75 offers the first act of George Harrison's solo career presented in a handsomely produced, impeccably remastered box set. The outside packaging mirrors The Dark Horse Years but the discs housed inside the box show a greater attention to detail than the previous set: each of the albums is presented as a paper-sleeve mini-LP replicating the original album art (Extra Texture does indeed have extra texture on its sleeve), while the brief hardcover book contains perhaps the glossiest paper to ever grace a rock music box set. Better still, the remastering of all six albums is superb. Supervised by Harrison's son Dhani, the team mastermind by Paul Hicks, who worked on the acclaimed 2009 Beatles remasters, and featuring Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen, bring The Apple Years to the same sonic standard as the 2009 Beatles remasters and the results are rich, deep, and alluring…

Positively intense and powerful music showing off Devin Townsend's aggressive guitar, skills at production and mixing, and perhaps his most up- front vocal performance ever. Despite the overall excellent sound of the album, it lacks the unpredictability in songwriting of Devin's most popular releases, which might make it come across as deceptively simple; after all, there are some big hooks and sing-along melodies throughout this album - which may actually make it the most accessible offering in DT's entire library. However, after a few careful listens it will be evident to fans that "Accelerated Evolution" has Townsend's mighty signature all over it, and there isn't anything simple going on here (scream along if you can!). Recommend to those interested in exploring Devin Townsend's music for the first time - it is easy to listen to and will more than likely hook you to this very talented musician's unique sound.

This is an excellent '60s recording by the down-home urban singer, guitarist, and mandolinist, accompanied by Otis Spann on piano and James Cotton and Big Walter Horton on harmonicas.

Trio Fascination: Edition One (1998). Whether embracing Gunther Schuller's arrangements or paying tribute to Frank Sinatra, Joe Lovano was as consistent as he was unpredictable in the 1990s. Most of his Blue Note output was excellent, and Trio Fascination, Edition One is no exception. This impressive inside/outside date finds Lovano forming a pianoless trio with bassist Dave Holland and drummer Elvin Jones, and the three are very much in sync on originals that range from the dusky "Sanctuary Park" and the haunting "Studio Rivbea" to the very angular "New York Fascination" and the difficult "Cymbalism." Meanwhile, "Impressionistic" is an eerie number with Middle Eastern overtones. The only song on the CD that isn't an original is a very personal interpretation of the standard "(I Don't Stand A) Ghost of a Chance"…

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce a 2CD Anthology by the classic Scottish Progressive Rock group Beggars Opera. Drawing on material from the band’s first four albums, recorded for the legendary Vertigo label, "Nimbus" features 27 of the band’s best tracks.
Formed in Glasgow in 1969 with a line-up of Rick Gardiner (Guitar, Vocals), Alan Park (Keyboards), Martin Griffiths (Vocals), Marshall Erskine (Bass, Flute) and Raymond Wilson (Drums), the band signed to the newly established progressive arm of Philips Records, Vertigo, in 1970. Their debut album, "Act One" gained some success in Europe with tracks such as ‘Poet and Peasant’ and ‘Passacagalia’…

Cybotron was an electronic music duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, by expatriate German Steve Braund (aka Steve Maxwell Von Braund) and Geoff Green in 1975. The group draws heavily on synthesisers, electronic and acoustic percussion, plus saxophone and played minimalist, repetitive progressive-style electronica in a style that emulated the direction of the 1970's German cosmic sounds. The second album, "Colossus" - arguably the peak for Cybotron - was released in 1978. Soundscapes displayed here are very similar to Tangerine Dream (Froese/Franke/Baumann period), but in a more melodic and symphonic way, with more distinct and rythmic parts, and less trance and repetitive loops. Furthermore, Cybotron introduces an instrument not very much used by electronic bands at this moment: the sax! This adds quite a refreshing feeling to the music.