The second of two collaborations involving Moebius and Gerd Beerbohm, "Double Cut" sounds miles away from the relatively harmless electronic/pop experiments of solo work by Moebius or Cluster. Consisting of only four extended tracks, the album expresses the dark side of electronics courtesy of the repetitive trance-state on "Hydrogen" and "Minimotion." "Double Cut" is much closer to electronic inheritors in the experimental and techno fields than Moebius' usual new age pursuits.

A collection of 6 CD, which includes all the studio albums by American alternative rock band from Sacramento at the moment. Best-known for their ubiquitous hit "The Distance," Cake epitomized the postmodern, irony-drenched aesthetic of '90s geek rock. Their sound freely mixed and matched pastiches of widely varying genres – white-boy funk, hip-hop, country, new wave pop, jazz, college rock, and guitar rock – with a particular delight in the clashes that resulted. Their songs were filled with lyrical non-sequiturs, pop-culture references, and smirky satire, all delivered with bone-dry detachment by speak/singing frontman John McCrea. Cake's music most frequently earned comparisons to Soul Coughing and King Missile, but lacked the downtown New York artiness of those two predecessors; instead, Cake cultivated an image of average guys with no illusions and pretensions about their role as entertainers. At the same time, critics lambasted what they saw as a smugly superior attitude behind the band's habitual sarcasm.

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…

Accurately dubbed "the Queen of Chicago blues" (and sometimes just the blues in general), Koko Taylor helped keep the tradition of big-voiced, brassy female blues belters alive, recasting the spirits of early legends like Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Big Mama Thornton, and Memphis Minnie for the modern age. Taylor's rough, raw vocals were perfect for the swaggering new electrified era of the blues, and her massive hit "Wang Dang Doodle" served notice that male dominance in the blues wasn't as exclusive as it seemed. After a productive initial stint on Chess, Taylor spent several decades on the prominent contemporary blues label Alligator, going on to win more W.C. Handy Awards than any other female performer in history, and establishing herself as far and away the greatest female blues singer of her time. Collection includes: Koko Taylor (1969); South Side Lady (1973); I Got What It Takes (1975); The Earthshaker (1978); From The Heart Of A Woman (1981); Queen of the Blues (1985); Jump For Joy (1990).

A live recording from the Generation Axe tour, featuring Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi, will be released on June 28. Titled Generation Axe—The Guitars That Destroyed the World: Live In China, the collection culls performances from the tour’s 11-city run in Asia in 2017. The album will be released via earMUSIC as a CD digipak, limited colored 2LP+download and digital.

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…