The Explorers Club - Grand Hotel (2012)

The Explorers Club - Grand Hotel , 2012

  Now this band sure took their sweet time releasing a new album but the wait has been well worth it.   Grand Hotel is a Grand Album !  They took their ode-to-Beach Boys...tossed in a good shot of Herb Alpert and added some Enoch Light and James Last for good measure.  The end result is a total flashback to the Age of Sterophonics and space-age pop and an album that I adore.
   Great vocal harmonies and excellent song writing make this album not to be missed.
They just dont make em like this anymore !  

Morten Harket - Letter From Egypt (2008)

Morten Harket - Letter From Egypt (2008)

  Morten Harket may not be an immediately recognized name but he was the lead singer for Norway's 80's pop sensational band "A-HA".     I followed A-Ha pretty closely over the years and became a huge fan of Harket's vocals.   "Letter From Egypt" was one of his solo albums from 2008 that captured Harket at a time in his life when the age of A-ha was ending and he was going more solo.  This album is chalked up with some pretty poppy tunes with a certain AOR aspect as well making this more than just a Pop album.  Songs like "Darkspace" and "With You-With Me" shows the depth is songwriting and musicianship Harket has in his soul.

Jane Siberry - City (2001)

Jane Siberry - City (2001)

  When I was in University in London I remember going to see Jane Siberry on her "The Walking" tour which was the first time I saw washing machines and a clothes line on stage.  It was one of the true defining moments at that time in my life and still to this day I love the music of Jane Siberry.
   City is really a fine little collection of "Odds and Sods" taken from a number of different and unrelated points in her life.  Musically the moods are varied with some fantastically artistic bits as you would expect.  For me two of the great tracks off this album is her own version of "Calling All Angels" and "It Can't Rain All The Time" from the soundtrack to The CROW.   
   

Genesis - Wind & Wuthering (1977)

 Genesis - Wind & Wuthering (1977)   SACD

In 1977 something happened to Genesis........The album was `Wind and Wuthering`` and the music carried the deep musical progressions of early Genesis with some lighter poppy tendencies which started to creep into their music.  I am a Genesis fan....always have been and always will be and slowly I have been picking up all the Nick Davis SACD Remasters as I find them reasonably priced....as you know there are some lunatics asking way too much for these discs.
If you are not familiar with the post Gabriel era Genesis then I can assure you that Phil Collins does a reasonable job on the vocals in replacement of Peter Gabriel. Musically "Wind and Wuthering" from 1977 was another great album from this band who began on this album to show signs of pop and progressive rock combined. No question that Afterglow is one of the truly great Genesis tracks! ...still give me the shivers when I hear it....

Now how is the SACD transfer you ask ? well....I can assure you that this is an excellent transfer that sounds great. Excellent clarity and nice instrumental depth. Nick Davis is responsible for the 5.1 mix and unlike many of the critics out there I think he did a very good job on these albums. The music is bright and clear and in many ways I feel like I have never heard the album until now !
I also have been able to hear things that I never heard before from my vinyl and 1st edition CD sources.
If you are a fan of Genesis or this album then I recommend you pick it up.......


  

Colin Hay - Gathering Mercury (2011)

Colin Hay - Gathering Mercury

  Colin Hay was the voice of The Men At Work and since those days has done nothing but write great music and release a handful of excellent albums....with perhaps here in review is my personal favourite one of the lot !    This guys just has the voice !  .....an exceptional one.........
   So Send Somebody ....cause I'm stranded............cries Colin Hay..........
  "Gathering Mercury" is a delicate album of deep lyrical meaning and personal conviction delivered in a timeless manner using all the emotional connections that are only thru thru voice of Colin Hay.
   The title track is perhaps my favourite ditty Hay ever released.......a tune that I can't stop playing....
 Fans of The Men At Work (unless I am still the only fan out there) will love this album to death......a very strong album full of excellent songs.
   For me this is already one of the "memory albums" as my pals Kevin, Anne and Luc were in Montreal with me recently and on Monday am I was standing all alone on the Rail Tracks listening to this album in amazement as I waited for the 10:10 am train to Toronto.     Although I was alone......I had Colin with me on my journey.....2 hours later I was listening to this album AGAIN..............
Needless to say I was gathering mercury all along the way..............
 

Shania Twain - Up! (2003)

Shania Twain - Up !  (2003) SACD

  Well I am not sure what happened to me......but I am in love with Shania Twain.........wait......i mean her music!     Up!   is a great pop album.....and way better then her "Come on Over" album which I found a little too "New Country" for me, but this album really is solid from start to finish!
  I could not believe my ears when I heard her obvious allusion to Pink Floyd's Money on "Ka-Ching!" which is a very powerful song that really makes you think about the money and credit card world we live in.

   I am not sure what happened to me but this weekend I became a Shania Twain fan !

Uh Oh !

hey for all those who are laughing at me ....take the Up! Challenge......put this album on your stereo and watch what happens......

I am definitely UP !

Marshall Crenshaw (1982)

Marshall Crenshaw , 1982 Mobile Fidelity SACD

Marshall Crenshaw's debut album released in 1982 is a masterpiece of power pop. Released about the same time as the rise of MTV and all those nasty 80's videos, Crenshaw released a pop friendly album that has stood the test of time. Naturally I was excited to see this album released by MOFI and I must say that they have done an excellent job in re-presenting this recording in glorious SACD!

This mofi is an excellent balanced mix with a high degree of instrumental clarity and separation. The drums are a key part of the mix and are nicely contrasted and not in your face. Crenshaw's vocals are in the front but not so far that you feel like it is somewhere else (a complaint i have with the Pretenders Mofi release).

If you are not familiar with this album you should give this a wee spin and if you like what you hear I would recommend you snag this on SACD.

...oh yeah and get ready to dance !

Elton John SACD (1969)

Elton John (1969) Island Records SACD

  The early Elton John albums are to die for......and although this was his 2nd album it really all started here with this album in collaboration with Bernie Taupin.  On this album Elton started to really combine strings and orchestra with the band and fuse lyrics in a way that was pretty ground breaking.  `Sixty Years On` is one of the great numbers

  Elton ever wrote and really could have come off of the Moody Blues `Days of Future Pass`album with is delicate orchestration and pop magical`ness.  `The King Must Die`is another pure magical moment as well that will have you memorized.

Julie London - London By Night (1958)

Julie London - London By Night (1958) Remaster

   Julie London had one of the greatest voices of all time......timeless and perfect.   Every darn time she just gets me "right there"....something that words just can`t express.    London By Night is a great late night chillin album for when you just need to kick back and take er easy.    This is one of THE Melancholy albums of all time.

Toy Matinee (1990)

Toy Matinee , 1990
 
Toy Matinee (1990)
Patrick Leonard - keyboards
Kevin Gilbert - vocals

Annie Lennox - A Christmas Cornucopia (2010)

Annie Lennox - A Christmas Cornucopia, 2010 Decca Records

  Well i guess the last thing we need to hear is yet another Christmas album full of all your favourite "mall-hits" but this one is an exception.   Like the Jethro Tull "Christmas album" and Jon Anderson's "3 Ships",  Lennox's "A Christmas Cornucopia" is perfect for when you just need to play the ol yule-tide carols.  I have always loved Annie's voice and although have not picked up her last 2 albums I have really enjoyed this seasonal offering.  Apparently Annie was not under contract to do this album and she had total freedom to record what ever she wanted.
  The results show and this album is full of deep harmonies and passion and a vocal conviction that made Annie who she is.  Her version of "See Amid The Winter's Snow", "The First Noel" and "Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem" made the hair stand up on my arms and hit me with deep emotion.   Annie starts each Carol off in a reasonably traditional way and then by the mid point she has taken us into her world where we find lovely harmonies and multi layered voices giving off a real angelic vibe.
  ........Happy Holdays if you celebrate them....but either way snag a copy of this seasonal gem