Personnel: Juvelen (programming); Patrik Berger (programming). Photographer: Jordi Vives.From the opening seconds of "Don't Mess" -- two crisp snare hits and a sudden blast of syncopated, celebratory synth-funk -- it's clear that Juvelen is aiming for pop's big leagues. Crucially -- because modern pop stardom is nothing if not a self-fulfilling prophecy -- Jonas Pettersson has the cocksure, charismatic swagger, and the songs (also important), to make you think he's already there. Look no further than the banal but still perhaps slyly boastful title of the suave Swede's first full-length. 1's stunning kick-off track "Don't Mess" has all the excitement of a vintage Michael Jackson floor-filler (think "Wanna Be Starting Something"), while "Hanna," among others, channels classic Prince in its... Less

Personnel: Maggie Polk (violin); Molly Kien (cello). Recording information: Bloomington, IN; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA.Arranger: Papa M.Papa M's Two continues David Pajo's series of singles made up of songs recorded in different cities across the U.S.A. The old folk standard "Black Is the Color" was recorded in Chicago by Pajo solo. His fragile voice and gentle acoustic playing gives the song the feel of late-night bedroom recording. It is also strangely reminiscent of one of Simon & Garfunkel's quieter, more foreboding moments. "Mary Was the Kind" was recorded in Bloomington, IN, with the help of Molly Kein on cello and Maggie Polk on violin. Pajo's oddly echoed vocals and the soaring strings bring a sense of unease to the dark lyrics and the beautiful melody. As much as Pajo seems... Less

Composers: Harry McVeigh; Charles Cave; Jack Brown.Lyricist: Charles Cave.White Lies: Charles Cave (vocals); Jack Brown (drums); Harry McVeigh. Personnel: Oliver Langford, Sato Kotono, Stephen Hussey, Sammy Bishai, Gillon Cameron, Ben Lee, Anna Kirkpatrick (violin); Jake Walker, Rachel Robson, Fiona Leggat, Nina Foster (viola); Ian Burdge, Daniel Keane, Rhian Porter, Sara Wilson, Isabelle Dunn, Wayne Urquhart (cello); Tom Fry, Andy Waterworth , Rory McFarlane (double bass).Arranger: Ed Buller.From West London comes the powerful rock trio White Lies, a band whose sound is simultaneously familiar and refreshingly new. DEATH offers just a glimpse into the band's immense potential with a charming blend of post-punk, New Wave, and alternative rock. Their sound being something of a hybrid of... Less

This is a continuous in-the-mix CD compiled and mixed by DJ Naw-T-Boy.Personne l: Ben Ofoedu (vocals).Audio Mixers: Joe "Naw-T-Boy" Nardi; Lex VanCoeverden; Gigi D'Agostino.Audio Remixers: Slobodan Petrovic, Jr.; Sven r-g.Surge Recordings' #1 Dance Album is a compilation that throws together 14 Euro-dance hits from the past couple years. While most tracks -- such as Eiffel 65's "Blue (Da Ba Bee)," Run-D.M.C vs. Jason Nevins' "It's Like That," Chicane's "Don't Give Up," Alice Deejay's "Better Off Alone," Gigi D'Agostino's "I'll Fly With You (L'Amour Toujours)," and ATB's "9PM (Till I Come)" -- were successful in U.S. clubs, the disc remains Eurocentric, featuring a handful of cuts that didn't catch on as well in the States. There are dozens of compilations like this one. Clubbers might... Less

Al B. Sure! could be heard on the airwaves and seen on cruise ships, but as a recording artist, he was missing in action for over 15 years, until he signed with Hidden Beach and recorded HONEY I'M HOME with longtime collaborator Kyle West. He was never completely out of the picture, at least not throughout the majority of the '90s, as he wrote and produced for the likes of Jodeci, H-Town, Usher, and Johnny Gill, but most casual R&B followers assumed he just slid off the map. HONEY I'M HOME certainly does not sound rusty--it could be the singer's tenth album as easily as it is his fourth, with his voice (particularly the falsetto) in fine condition. It's not atypical for a Hidden Beach release either, grounded in subtle and relaxed productions, and Al B. tends to stick to mature "grown... Less

The first of Kompakt's consistently great Total series, 1999's Total 1 also doubles as the first true document of the label's unique stamp on German techno. Kompakt's first compilation, Koln Kompakt, actually focused on related labels like Profan, Auftrieb, and New Trance Atlantic, with none of the tracks coming from prior Kompakt releases. (The first Kompakt 12" was actually released ten months after Koln.) Total 1, however, reveals a Trojan horse of sorts from the label, with numerous fine producers jumping out of the woodwork to flex their muscles. Most of these tracks are from the initial batch of singles from the label; the remainder originate elsewhere. On one end of the Total 1 spectrum you have minimal house; on the other end, there's experimental techno. Some tracks stick to one... Less

Rhino Flashback's four-disc 25 Years of R&B box collects the series' 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1968 installments. Despite the brevity of the playlists, these are all above average budget-line compilations, boasting some true classics of the genre like "In the Midnight Hour" (Wilson Pickett), "Try a Little Tenderness" (Otis Redding), "Soul Man" (Sam & Dave), and "Chain of Fools" (Aretha Franklin). There are far better and more comprehensive soul and R&B collections out there, but for the average listener, it's hard to go wrong with these tracks, all of which appear here in their original versions. ~ James Christopher Monger

Tokio Hotel - Best of (2CD/1DVD) The new Best of, 3 disc set by Tokio Hotel features all of their best tracks + 2 previously unreleased songs - the first song the band ever recorded professionally in a recording studio in 2003 and has never been on any of their previous releases: "Mädchen aus dem All" ("Girl From Outer Space") and "Hurricanes And Suns" recorded in 2009. CD 1 (English Album): 1. Darkside Of The Sun 2. Monsoon 3. Hurricanes And Suns (New Track - 2009) 4. Ready, Set, Go! 5. World Behind My Wall 6. Scream ... Less

FIELD,J. - SON 1/2/3/4/NOCTURES 3/7/17 [CD NEW]Label: UMGD/TELARC Format: CD Release Date: 28 May 2002 Brand New, Sealed, ships usually within three business days, depending on availability. Album Tracks 1. I. Allegro Moderato 2. II. Rondo: Allegretto 3. I. Allegro Moderato 4. II. Allegro Vivace 5. I. Non Troppo Allegro, Ma Con Fuoco E Con Espressione 6. II. Rondo; Allegretto Scherzando 7. I. Moderato 8. II. Rondo: Moderato 9. Un Poco Allegretto 10. Moderato 11. Lento

Recorded between 1961 & 1969.This compilation is just what it says: number one hits on the American charts from the 1960s. It has a leg up on some similar anthologies, though, by virtue of its sheer quantity: 26 songs spanning the entire decade, which is pretty good value for a single CD. While it's true the selection is a little arbitrary, on the whole it's really good, and whether you care about chart statistics or not, it's an excellent disc if you're looking for an all-purpose collection of 1960s pop/rock classics. There are many core classics here, spanning rock, soul, pop, and the British Invasion: the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," Del Shannon's "Runaway," the Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman," Martha & the Vandellas' "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave," Manfred Mann's "Do Wah Diddy... Less

Hurt: J. Loren Wince (vocals, guitar); Evan Johns (piano, drums, percussion); Joshua Ansley (bass guitar, background vocals); Paul Spatola. Personnel: Paul Spatola (guitar, background vocals); Evan Johns (piano, drums, percussion). Audio Mixer: Mick Guzauski. Recording information: Hammersound, Chatsworth, CA; Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA.Maybe it was inevitable that a band would come along that would fuse together art-metal, grunge, nu-metal, prog rock and emo -- after all, the fusion seems both logical and appealing, doesn't it? -- but Hurt's 2006 debut Vol. 1 nevertheless seems to come out of left field. It's not only the kind of album whose title feels sadly truncated -- it's just begging for more information either before or after the Vol. 1 -- but it feels like it exists in an... Less

Personnel: Raoul Björkenheim (guitar, viola da gamba); Ståle Storlokken (keyboards, electronics); Morgan Ågren (drums).Audio Mixer: Kai Andersen. Recording information: Stlantis Studio, Stockholm, Sweden.The debut release by this ensemble, drawing together four players with a wide variety of performance credentials under their belt, ranging from Paul Schütze and Jah Wobble to Marc Ribot and Melt Banana, is an enjoyable rather than a remarkable exploration into experimental improvisation, though with enough moments to recommend at least an initial listen. The six untitled tracks, apparently drawn from a larger number recorded, range from the lengthy to the short, the explosive to the slow burn; at their best they do readily show how the quartet members are well attuned to one another's... Less

Led Zeppelin redefined rock in the Seventies and for all time. They were as influential in that decade as the Beatles were in the prior one. Their impact extends to classic and alternative rockers alike. Then and now, Led Zeppelin looms larger than life on the rock landscape as a band for the ages with an almost mystical power to evoke primal passions. - from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's web page on the band s 1995 inductionIt's rare that a group can truly rock today s world, but the arrival of MOTHERSHIP, the first-ever comprehensive 2CD Led Zeppelin compilation with the soon to follow re-release of The Song Remains The Same on CD & DVD and a concert event reuniting Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones qualifies. Produced by Page and mixed by Kevin Shirley, MOTHERSHIP's 24... Less

Personnel: Hilario Durán (piano); Dione Taylor (vocals); Rob Piltch (guitar); Globalis Symphony Orchestra (strings); Luis Denis, Vern Dorge, John Johnson (alto saxophone); Jeff King , Quinsin Nachoff (tenor saxophone); Poli Cousse, Perry White (baritone saxophone); Jason Logue, Alex Kundakcioglu, Brian O'Kane, Alexis Baro (trumpet); Alistair Kay, Phil Gray , William Carn (trombone); Colin Murray (bass trombone); Roberto Occhipinti (electric bass); Horacio "El Negro" Hernández (drums); Joaquin Hidalgo (congas, bongos, bata, guiro); Rosendo Leon (timbales).One of the top virtuoso pianists from Cuba, Hilario Duran had been receiving accolades and critical attention for his playing, arranging, and composing for some time before 2006's FROM THE HEART. Duran's playing takes center stage, but... Less

It may not have been the most natural match in music history, but the marriage of Sparks' focus on oddball pop songs to the driving disco-trance of Giorgio Moroder produced the duo's best album in years. From the chart hits "Number One Song in Heaven" and "Beat the Clock" to solid album tracks like "La Dolce Vita," No. 1 in Heaven surprises by succeeding on an artistic and commercial level despite the fact that neither the Mael brothers nor Moroder tempered their respective idiosyncrasies for the project. Moroder's production is just as dizzying, chunky, and completely rhythm-driven as on his best work with Donna Summer, and the Mael brothers prove on "Tryouts for the Human Race" and "Academy Award Performance" that their bizarre songwriting wasn't compromised. ~ John Bush

Liner Note Author: Robert K. Oermann. Photographer: Norman Seeff.By the time Alabama embarked on its 2003 American Farewell Tour, it had become one of the most commercially successful groups in country music history, racking up more than 40 country chart-toppers. This hits collection features a score of the best, and provides a fine overview of the band's career in the process. Taking its cues equally from honky-tonk music and arena rock, while sporting long hair, casual clothing, and flashy double-neck guitars (recalling Led Zeppelin more than Lefty Frizzell image-wise), the ensemble revolutionized the look and sound of country music like few others before or since.While some of Alabama's songs feature old-style close-harmony singing and lyrics that revel in the group's rural roots... Less

Jefferson Airplane: Grace Slick, Spencer Dryden, Marty Balin, Jack Casady,Paul Kantner, Jorma Kaukonen, Signe Anderson, Skip Spence. Producers: Matthew Katz, Tommy Oliver, Rick Jarrard, Al Schmidt.THE WORST OF JEFFERSON AIRPLANE features material from 1966-1969.Jefferso n Airplane: Paul Kantner (vocals, guitar); Marty Balin, Grace Slick, Signe Anderson (vocals); Jorma Kaukonen (guitar, background vocals); Jack Casady (bass guitar, background vocals); Skip Spence, Spencer Dryden (drums).The title, of course, is an ironic joke and very much emblematic of the Airplane's sensibility; this was a group, you'll recall, that would go on to give its own version of Apple Records the not-so-user-friend ly moniker Grunt. In any event, on its own obviously un-definitive terms, THE WORST OF JEFFERSON... Less

Personnel: Elenore Choate, Katie Kirkpatrick, Gayle Levant (harp); Eun Mee Ahn, David Ewart, Rebecca Bunnell, Gil Romero, Katia Popov, Tamara L. Hatwan, Mark Sazer, Alan Grunfeld, Barbara Porter, Phillip Levy, Pat Johnson , Lily Chen, Franklyn D'Antonio, Michael Ferril, Mari Tsumura, Razdan Kuyumjian, Horia Moroaica, Joel Derouin, Julie Rogers, Mark Robertson , Sid Page, Richard Altenbach, Bruce Dukov, Natalie Leggett, Sara Parkins, Roger Wilkie, Armen Garabedian, Darius Campo, Michael Markman, Josephina Vergara, Berj Garabedian, Mario Diaz de Leon, Haim Shtrum (violin); Larry Corbett (viola, cello); Matt Funes, Shawn Mann, Carole Castillo, Kazi Pitelka, Andrew Picken, Carrie Holzman-Little, Vicki Miskolczy, John Scanlon, Brian Dembow, Roland Kato, Janet Lakatos, Maria Newman, Simon... Less

Personnel: Terrence Russell (vocals); Carlos Goméz (percussion). Audio Mixers: Chris Kibble; Gordon Smith.Audio Remixers: Jan "Yannick" Elverfeld; Marek Bartkuhn. Recording information: Axis Studios, New York, NY.

There have been numerous compilations of the best of B.B. King's recordings for the Modern label in the 1950s and early '60s, and if you've already picked up one of them, there isn't an urgent reason to replace or upgrade it with this CD. If not, however, this certainly makes a good bid to be considered as the best single-disc anthology of this era. The 25 tracks include many of his biggest hits and most famous classics from the period, among them "3 O'Clock Blues," "Woke Up This Morning," "Every Day I Have the Blues," "Sweet Little Angel," "Sweet Sixteen," "How Blue Can You Get?," and "Rock Me Baby," and the lesser-known tunes are of equal or near-equal quality. It's true that if you have a bit more cash and time, you might be better off with the two-CD, 40-track Original Greatest Hits,... Less

Cold Water Flat: Paul Janovitz (guitar, vocals), Ted Silva (bass), Paul Harding (drums). Additional personnel: White Shadow (harmonica), Rabbi Suede (Hammond B-3, Mellotron). Recorded at Fort Apache, Cambridge, Massachusetts. All songs written by Paul Janovitz, Paul Harding and Ted Silva.Personnel: Paul Janovitz (vocals, guitar); Paul Harding (drums). Recording information: Fort Apache, Cambridge, MA.Photographer: Jason Talerman.Taking lyrical and some musical inspiration from R.E.M., this self-titled album is somewhat bland, but the music and vocals are heartfelt and emotional. ~ John Bush

Personnel includes: Al Green, Annie Lennox.Producers include: Dave Stewart, Willie Mitchell, Eban Kelly, Jimi Randolph, Paul Zaleski. Compilation producer: Mike Ragogna.Recorded between 1985 and 1989. Includes liner notes by Licia L. Shearer. Digitally remastered by Doug SChwartz (Audio Mechanics, Los Angeles, California). Photographers: Alan Messer; David Corio; Howard Rosenberg. Unknown Contributor Role: Annie Lennox.By the mid-'70s Al Green's string of Willie Mitchell- produced hits for the Hi label had ended. The singer went through a life-changing experience that resulted in his redirecting his energies into the ministry. Deciding that he could work in the both the religious and secular worlds, he re-emerged on the A&M label. While his arrangements had some contemporary touches and... Less

THE GQ TRIBUTE ALBUM contains songs associated with Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart as well as GQ originals.GQ includes: Emanuel Rahiem Le Blanc (vocals, guitar); Charles Crews (guitar, keyboards); Bill Liston (flute, saxophone); Rick Baptist (trumpet); Alex Iles (trombone); Jarold Davis (bass); Willie Ornelas (drums).Recorded at Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, California. Recording information: Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, CA.Another goodie from ITP Records. GQ's lead singer and guitarist, Emanuel Rahiem LeBlanc uncannily clones the phrasings and vocal inflections of Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart. A new song "Star In Your Eyes" sounds like an old Billy Stewart tune, but isn't, and "Time For Classics," tributes' the good ole days, the Originals ("Baby I'm For Real") assist GQ on the... Less

Personnel: Ben Thomas (bandoneon, vibraphone, percussion); Chris Stover (trombone, congas); Alex Chadsey (piano).Audio Mixer: Masa Fukudome. Recording information: Ice Station Zebra, Seattle, WA (07/26/2010- 07/27/2010). Photographer: Maria Jeffs.A collaboration between vibraphonist Ben Thomas (already an established artist with Origin Records), pianist Alex Chadsey, and trombonist Chris Stover, Q.E.D. is seemingly an effort at exploratory composition. The trio takes turns presenting compositions throughout Yet What Is Any Ocean..., showcasing different elements of the bandmembers' performance abilities as well as different elements of their musical inspirations. Thomas' "Put the Ball in the Box" could easily double as an old Chick Corea composition, while his "Tangent 5" mimics some of... Less

Personnel: Juvelen (programming); Patrik Berger (programming). Photographer: Jordi Vives.From the opening seconds of "Don't Mess" -- two crisp snare hits and a sudden blast of syncopated, celebratory synth-funk -- it's clear that Juvelen is aiming for pop's big leagues. Crucially -- because modern pop stardom is nothing if not a self-fulfilling prophecy -- Jonas Pettersson has the cocksure, charismatic swagger, and the songs (also important), to make you think he's already there. Look no further than the banal but still perhaps slyly boastful title of the suave Swede's first full-length. 1's stunning kick-off track "Don't Mess" has all the excitement of a vintage Michael Jackson floor-filler (think "Wanna Be Starting Something"), while "Hanna," among others, channels classic Prince in its... Less

Recording information: Darkchild Studios; Dean-Land Studios, Malibu, CA; Lair Studios, Los Angeles, CA.Creator: Stephanie Hsu.Illustrator: Ray Ray.In a matter of months, this four-member boy group, assembled by producers Vincent Herbert (Lady Gaga) and Walter Millsap (Alicia Keys), went from opening for Janet Jackson to shutting down malls and headlining their own tour. "My Girl," a peppy pop-R&B single released in February 2011, provided the group with all the momentum it needed, and it only helped that they were filling a void with clean content targeted at tween and teen girls. Like "My Girl," much of #1 Girl involves songwriting input from Millsap, Candice Nelson (co-author of Timbaland's "The Way I Are"), and Lakeisha Gamble; those three, along with several other writers, craft an... Less

Sunn O))): Greg Anderson, Stephen O'Malley (guitar). Additional personnel: Julian Cope (vocals); Joe Preston, Runhild Gammelsaeter, Rex Ritter.Recorded at Magnetic Park Studios, Portland, Oregon.Audio Mixers: Greg Anderson ; Rex Ritter; Stephen O'Malley. Recording information: ??/1996-12/2002.Do om metal isn't a huge market; you won't find an abundance of doom metallers headlining Madison Square Garden or bragging about their ability to sell more CDs than Madonna, Janet Jackson, or Pearl Jam. But it does have a small cult following, and those who are seriously into doom metal can be very passionate about it. One of the more ambitious and musical bands in the doom field is Sunn0))), whose White1 favors the sort of complexity and intricacy one expects from progressive rock. Sunn0))) has the... Less

2 LPs on 1 CD; both CDs are available seperately. Personnel: B.B. King (vocals, guitar); Kenny Sands (trumpet); Johnny Board, Bobby Forte (tenor saxophone); Duke Jethro (piano); Leo Lauchie (bass); Sonny Freeman (drums). Producer: Johnny Pate.Reissue producer: Andy McKaie.Recorded live at The Regal Theatre Chicago, Illinois on November 21, 1964. Includes liner notes by Dick Shurman & Rick Ward.Digitally remastered by Eric Labson (MCA Music Media Studios, North Hollywood, California). Personnel: B.B. King (vocals, guitar); Kenny Sands (trumpet); Johnny Board, Bobby Forte (tenor saxophone); Duke Jethro (piano); Leo Lauchie (bass); Sonny Freeman (drums).Recorded live at The Regal Theatre, Chicago, Illinois on November 21, 1964. Includes liner notes by Rick Ward & Leonard Feather.No matter... Less

Personnel: Andy Ross (flute, piccolo, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Chris Bowden (alto saxophone); Ralph Lamb (trumpet, flugelhorn); Mat Colman (trombone); Kaidi Tatham (Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet); Jake Wherry (bass guitar); Mickey Moody (drums); Patrick Dawes (percussion); Ollie Teeba (turntables). Audio Mixer: Kenny Jones .Recording information: Wessex Studios (02/01/2000- 02/02/2000). Photographer: Guy Woodhams. Originally released in 2000 on two 10" slabs of vinyl, Session 1 is a take-home version of the Herbaliser's live show, which means "funky" and "exciting" to anyone who has seen the usually electronic duo jam on-stage with this organic band. Jazzy, lively, and filled with breakbeats hip-hop DJs should lift, the set features songs from the duo's first three,... Less

Personnel: Andy Ross (flute, piccolo, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Chris Bowden (alto saxophone); Ralph Lamb (trumpet, flugelhorn); Mat Colman (trombone); Kaidi Tatham (Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet); Jake Wherry (bass guitar); Mickey Moody (drums); Patrick Dawes (percussion); Ollie Teeba (turntables). Audio Mixer: Kenny Jones .Recording information: Wessex Studios (02/01/2000- 02/02/2000). Photographer: Guy Woodhams. Originally released in 2000 on two 10" slabs of vinyl, Session 1 is a take-home version of the Herbaliser's live show, which means "funky" and "exciting" to anyone who has seen the usually electronic duo jam on-stage with this organic band. Jazzy, lively, and filled with breakbeats hip-hop DJs should lift, the set features songs from the duo's first three,... Less