A much loved score, this Octet, cast in six movements is scored for clarinet, bassoon, horn, two violins, viola, cello and double bass. It was written in 1824 as a commission from the amateur clarinettist Count Ferdinand von Troyer who was an official at the court of Archduke Rudolf, an heir to the Austrian throne. Troyer stipulated that the score should be modelled on Beethoven’s Septet, Op. 20 (1799) a work that at the time was enjoying great popularity in Vienna. At a fertile time for Schubert’s chamber music the Octet was composed during the same period as his String Quartets No. 13 in A minor, D804 ‘Rosamunde’ and No. 14 in D minor, D810 ‘Death and the Maiden’.

Among the many recordings celebrating the 300th anniversary of Chopin's birth, this disc will stand out as an historic record of the composer's extraordinary influence and legacy. Chopin's unique style of piano writing transformed the way in which composers wrote for and thought about the piano. Many composers and pianist-composers have felt moved to pay their respects to Chopin by writing their own works in homage of Chopin. This collection includes works by Mompou, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Godowsky, and others.

The other side of Bob Dylan referred to in the title is presumably his romantic, absurdist, and whimsical one – anything that wasn't featured on the staunchly folky, protest-heavy Times They Are a-Changin', really. Because of this, Another Side of Bob Dylan is a more varied record and it's more successful, too, since it captures Dylan expanding his music, turning in imaginative, poetic performances on love songs and protest tunes alike. This has an equal number of classics to its predecessor, actually, with "All I Really Want to Do," "Chimes of Freedom," "My Back Pages," "I Don't' Believe You," and "It Ain't Me Babe" standing among his standards, but the key to the record's success is the album tracks, which are graceful, poetic, and layered.

Not strictly a "greatest-hits" collection, Love Songs contains Elton John's most famous ballads, from "Your Song" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Featuring two new songs, including the single "You Can Make History (Young Again)," Love Songs is designed for the casual John fan who is familiar with his songs through adult contemporary radio. If you don't fall into that category, the compilation is bound to fall short of expectations, but the record nevertheless works well as a collection of ballads and soft rock.

Eroc (Joachim Heinz Ehrig) started his solo career in 1975 while he was currently the drummer of Grobschnitt. His self titled album can be considered as a cross between Gorbschnitt's typical symphonic amazing music and electronic/synthscapes dominated by numerous original sound manipulations. Despite that he was originally recognised as a drummer, here Eroc is the man behind the machines, controlling solid essays in synth experimentations and electronic collages. His first album is an absolute must in Kraut/ electronic genre, very abstract, emotional and a mix of different moods. This album is an opponent worthy of Klaus Schulze's first realisations in space/"kosmische" electronic music.

Life for Rent doesn't offer anything that drastically different from Dido's debut album, No Angel – the dance beats are marginally fresher, the production is clean and new – but this predictibility is actually rather refreshing because the album delivers on its promise, unlike many sophomore affairs in 2003. That its promise is rather modest doesn't really matter, since Dido is successful at modest songs. She has a sweet, warm voice and a knack for tuneful modern folk-pop that sounds intimate while being confidently catchy and nicely atmospheric. In other words, it retains the feel of No Angel and its two big hits, "Here With Me" and "Thank You," without ever rewriting either song, but contributing songs like "White Flag," "Stoned," "Life for Rent," and "Do You Have a Little Time," which are nearly as memorable.

A ferocious blend of razor-sharp riffs, guttural vocals, and uncompromising intensity, Inverted World plunges listeners into a nightmarish landscape of dystopia, corruption, and existential dread. It’s a bold reaffirmation of Cancer’s legacy - raw, dark, and devastating.

No Secrets in the Family were a Swiss avant-prog band active during the late 1980's and early 1990's. They were heavily influenced by many of the RIO-related bands, in particular the more song-orientated groups like Art Bears, Slapp Happy, Etron Fou Leloublan and News From Babel. The result, as fans of these bands might expect, is playful, quirky art rock which balances discordant elements with melodic touches and places an emphasis on theatrical vocals and complex instrumental interplay. The core group consisted of Annette and Markus Schönholzer who played keys and guitar respectively and shared the main vocal duties, Christian Strässle on violin and saxophone, Daniel Meisenberger on bass and Martin Gantenbein on drums and flute.

Though it appears to be a best-of album, Wind of Change: The Collection mainly focuses on the German rockers' output from the early '90s, entirely skipping over iconic rockers like "Rock You Like a Hurricane" to provide a pretty narrow look at the band's prolific career. Fans of the band should also note that this compilation is a repackaging of 2002's Classic Bites, with the only difference being the packaging.

In terms of hit singles and precise musical vision, it would have been difficult for anyone to have to follow-up the brilliant Spirits Having Flown album, but these industry veterans created a real gem in Living Eyes which seems to have gotten lost in the maze that is their deep catalog. The title track is almost up there with "Spirits Having Flown," which is significant praise, and the song "Paradise" follows suit, pretty and passionate. "Don't Fall in Love With Me" has all three Bee Gees brothers contributing to this ballad with their trademark highly creative hooks. The one downer, unbelievable as it seems, is the hit single "He's a Liar."