Frames Live Shepherds Bush Empire
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Patricia Vonne GUITARS & CASTANETS (enhanced). Measured/CoraZong
Looking at the cover art of this album, pencil-slim, black-haired Patricia Vonne looks as feisty as the music she performs. And if you like Tex-Mex laced with old-fashioned guitar-riffing rock, then you are going to love this album…
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Kate Bush AERIAL. EMI
It’s been a long time since this icon of British pop produced a brand new album, but the long wait is over. Double album ARIEL is ultimately a story of two very different albums – one stunning, and one that had me struggling a tad.
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Martha Wainwright & Teddy Thompson Live
Liverpool Academy 2, 18 November, 2005
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Francoiz Breut UNE SAISON VOLEE. Bella Union
Breut’s beautiful last album was followed by her music for the major movie hit Amelie. This young French artist is well established on home territory while enjoying an underground following over in the UK. I loved the previous album for its originality, introspection and strong melodic quality.
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Dirty Three CINDER. Bella Union
So what do you get when you marry up a great independent record label with an independent and quite unique trio of Aussie instrumentalists? You get an amazing album called CINDER. You also get a supreme example of the radical difference between what the large record companies want you to hear on radio, and the very best that you have to discover for yourself. Now as long as you understand and accept this, the musical world is your oyster. I learnt this important lesson many years ago, and discovered the Dirty Three while listening to a 1998 Cat Power album. Backing Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) on the album were instrumental displays that dazzled and obliged me to read the sleeve notes. Bingo! I then went on the Internet and acquired my first Dirty Three album entitled HORSE STORIES. It remains my favourite D3 album and after you buy this one you really must buy HORSE STORIES. Then you’ll tell your friends, “Hey, I’ve discovered this band called the Dirty Three and they’ll blow your mind, I promise you!” And that’s how really great music is discovered. Or you can take a short-cut and just log onto Shakenstir…
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Dirty Three & Josh Pearson Live
Academy 3, Manchester, 13 November 2005
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My Chemical Romance Live
Carling Apollo, Manchester. 8 November 2005
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Blue Note THE ARTIST SELECTS Series
The late 50’s and 60’s was the golden age of modern jazz, and Blue Note’s archive of great material by the very greatest jazz artists of our time is bulging at the seams. Not only was the jazz arguably the most adventurous and exploratory, but the quality of recordings was such that it is hard to match, even with today’s technology. Much of the latter was due to the extraordinary skills and loving care of recording engineers and producers of the time, including the legendary Rudy Van Gelder. So, if you audiophiles out there are looking for music that will reveal the full potential of your undoubtedly major hi-fi investments, look no further. The even better news is that these superb revivals from Blue Note come under the category of middle-price offerings. In short, they are as cheap as chips and offer the best value in today’s music market.
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Johnathan Rice & Eileen Rose Live
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Shakenstir Photo Supplement |
DPK: Digital Press Kit |
Neil Cowley Trio |
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