"No Mercy," with special effects recorded at Madison Square Garden, has the sentiment of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer." The double entendre being the rock musician oftentimes works on the same stage as the fighter, of course, punching away in the ring of life. Nils Lofgren is a veteran who has performed with Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and so many others, working here with producer Bob Ezrin who helped create Pink Floyd's The Wall. As with any great artist, Ezrin brings in his various contacts which color the recordings he makes, insuring a product that is as much the producer's as it is Nils Lofgren's. Dick Wagner co-wrote the hits "Only Women Bleed" and "You And Me" with Alice Cooper…

THE TRACY G GROUP, the band featuring former DIO and WWIII guitarist Tracy "G" Grijalva., will release its new album, "Tramp", on October 13 via Sonic Night Music Club. Joining Tracy on the disc are drummers Ray Luzier (KORN) and Patrick Johansson (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, W.A.S.P.) as well as vocalist Michael Beatty and bassist Randy Oviedo.
According to a press release, "Tramp" "showcases Tracy G's blend of modern-day heavy metal." It "features bone-crushing riffs and a barrage of both instrumental and lyrical intensity along with all the guitar-hero-level licks."

Building on the success of their 2015 debut, Baptized In The Rio Grande, and two years of backbreaking cross-country tours, Sons Of Texas set out to stake a claim in the increasingly clustered arena of mainstream hard rock. Straight from the top, their sophomore outing opens with a fast-paced onslaught of taut, scorching riffage and storming tempos, with Feed The Need and Down In The Trenches showcasing a penchant for muscular hooks and big melodic choruses. Forged By Fortitude doesn’t lack might or swagger but it does fall well short of establishing a distinctly original sound. The middle of the album spirals into a punchy mid-tempo morass of generic, guitar-driven post-grunge, although the shout-out fervour of Slam With The Lights On closes the album on a high note. Though undeniably well-crafted, Forged By Fortitude plays it far too safely to mark the band’s breakout moment.

Something Special is the thirteenth studio album by American band Kool & the Gang, released in 1981. It was the group's third consecutive Platinum-certified album.

Royal Winter Music by Hans Werner Henze (1926–2012) and Nocturnal after John Dowland by Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) were both inspired by the culture of Elizabethan England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries; more precisely, by the plays of William Shakespeare (1564–1616) and the music of lutenist-composer John Dowland (1563–1626). Henze and Britten both drew on tradition, and they shared a special liking for vocal music. They both composed a lot for the voice, and the guitar works on this release are likewise very lyrical in places.

This extraordinary CD features an interesting chapter in music history that has given rise to many a speculation: Ludwig van Beethoven’s only opera, Leonore, in the world-premiere recording of the version of 1806.

This is undoubtedly one of the best straightahead jazz records of the 1990s. It is a crowning achievement for drum legend Roy Haynes, who emerged as a bandleader relatively late in his career. Together with tenor saxophonist Craig Handy, pianist David Kikoski, and bassist Ed Howard, Haynes explores time-honored standards as well as bop and post-bop classics. The truly outstanding tracks are Chick Corea's awe-inspiring "Steps," Thelonious Monk's catchy "Bye Ya," the Miles Davis bop vehicle "Sippin' at Bells," and a greasy, in-the-pocket reading of "I Thought About You." Bookending the album are two traditional tunes: "Brown Skin Girl," made famous by Harry Belafonte, and "Anniversary," a traditional melody associated with Al Jolson. Both tracks feature Kikoski on electric piano, an unexpected touch that makes for delicious icing on the cake. An unforgettable record.

Recorded live in France in 1982 but not released on CD in the U.S. until 1990, Heart Still Beating isn't quite in a class with Roxy Music's first live album, Viva, but nonetheless gives us a lot to be excited about. Lead singer Bryan Ferry and guitarist Phil Manzanera sound quite inspired much of the time, and Manzanera delivers some excellent solos…

Three years as a Delphian artist have seen Sean Shibe record music from seventeenth-century Scottish lute manuscripts to twenty-first-century works for electric guitar, picking up multiple editor's choices and award nominations for each release, as well as the Royal Philharmonic Society's prestigious Young Artist of the Year accolade. Now he turns to the music of J. S. Bach, with three works whose obscure early performance history belies their status as repertoire staples for modern guitarists.

One of the newest and most surprising discoveries in the 60's & 70's rock rarities field. Guitarist William Nowik recorded this obscure instrumental record back in 1974 in the NY area. It has such a deep feeling, nothing anyone could have done without really loving it aside of any commercial view. Psychedelic, progressive, very early Floyd sounding at times, Crimson- esque, and a kind of sound that reminds on the British early 70's underground but with an experimental, trippy touch. 14 tracks in total but played like suites. Seems only 200 copies were pressed and never distributed, so it needed 35 years to be discovered…