The Romantics - In Heat (1983)

The Romantics - In Heat

   In the summer of 1983 my family drove from Ontario Canada down to Florida to visit my grandparents and I played this album on my Sony Walkman the whole trip down and back!   It really I guess was THE album of 1983 for me and I just could not get enough of these guys.

  Years later this still is a "go to" album for me when I am in that Power-Pop mood.  Who could ever forget Wally Palmar's slight lispy lead vocals on "Talking In Your Sleep" or the harmonica introduction of "Rock You Up".   Along with Palmer's voice and guitar Coz Canler (Lead Guitar, Vocals), Mike Skill (Bass, Guitar, Vocals) and Jimmy Marinos (Drums, Percussion, Lead Vocals) wrote and recorded the best (IMHO) Romantics album.
 

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto (2011)

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto (180g Vinyl)

   Wow !  Talk about a major facelift in sound...........Buy the audiophile 180g Vinyl if you are a fan of Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto!

  Not much has to be said I guess about this album considering the thousands of reviews it has received so I will keep this brief.

Musically I think that this album is my favourite of Coldplay so far and to be 100% honest I never really heard the album until I played the vinyl version.  The 180g mix is FAR superior to the CD and really brings out a new life into an album that I think on CD sounds "tired" and "lifeless".  In sharp contract the vinyl has a far superior Dynamic Range (high and lows) and a much clearer sound definition.

   Mylo XyIoto is a concept album (which is probably why this old Prog fan likes it the best of the lot so far)  and offers a nice range in song styles and approaches.    

I do find myself playing this album more than any of the Coldplay albums and think that is is a fantastic pop album !

Ed Thigpen - Out Of The Storm (1966)

Ed Thigpen - Out Of The Storm (Vinyl)

  A Verve Classic !

  Ed Thigpen takes percussion right out of the storm and into outer space on this classic jazz /lite-fusion masterpiece.  Thigpen weathers the storm with the help of Kenny Burrell (guitar), Clark Terry (Trumpet), Herbie Hancock (keys) and Ron Carter (bass).

  Out Of The Storm was Thigpen's first album after his work with Canada's Oscar Peterson in the famous Trio.  Perhaps the best way to describe this album is to call this "subtle-fusion'.  This short (35 min) album never gets to groovy or loud and remains a very short excursion with some brief explorations. 

   Thigpen's drumming and percussion is not always the central focus with Burrell, Hancock and Clark getting  their fair share of the album.    

Oregon - Out Of The Woods (1978)

Oregon - Out Of The Woods

  

   Oregon were the grandfathers of  "New Age" music with a pure cross over of Jazz, Progressive and World genres.  Their beauty will only be discovered by sitting down and spending the time to listen to this quartet.  Oregon's genius rests in their subtle musical explorations into themes, sounds and tones.

Oregon's music is just beautiful.........imagine the combination of upright bass, with Oboe, 12 string acoustic guitars, tablas and even sitars put to creative and lite-fusion exploratory songs and you have just discovered the music of Oregon!

   "Out Of The Woods" was one of  the later Oregon 70's album and predated their ECM years but remains amongst my favourites of the lot.  It was released in 1978 on Discovery records and contains one of my favourite Oregon tunes "Witchi-Tai-To" (composed by the late Jim Pepper) with its captivating dreamlike soundscape and superb musicianship.

Mitchell & Manley - Norcal Values (2011)

Mitchell and Manley -Norcal Values (180g Vinyl)

  Guitar space-nauts Isaiah Mitchell and Philip Manley teamed up to release Norcal Values guitar solos......an album that will blow your mind!

  Norcal Values Mixes the long droned space jam'esque tendencies of stoner rockers "Earthless" via Isaiah Mitchell with the soundscapes of TRANS AM's Philip Manley.   

   Side one is a 17 minutes guitar exploration called San Francisco Values and musically it has a similar feel to Fripp and Eno's minimalistic album "No Pussyfooting" .   Side two is another 19 min guitar epic called Sausalito Values and again you'd swear Eno and Fripp or Ash-ra Temple were in the  house.

  Layered behind tons of hemped-up electric guitar solos is a layer of atmospheric waves likely created from guitars but reminds me of electronics.....

 Minimalism but brilliant stuff

Ray Montford - A Fragile Balance (2007)

Ray Montford - A Fragile Balance (180g Vinyl)

  Ray Montford may be Canada's best kept musical secret!  A powerfully creative guitarist and songwriter who carries the technical prowess of Michael Hedges with the creative flare of Steve Tibbetts.

  Ray's music is very picturesque and heavy focused on creating a vivid canvass of soundscapes that you will never forget !

 "A Fragile Balance" is a beautiful instrumental album that will literally captivate your ears.   For Montford it is his sixth album released and it may just be arguably his finest work yet....certainly the most cinematically induced album yet !

  Nothing here is "over the top" or overtly intended to shock the listener, yet there remains a heavy "awe-factor" with his music. Songs are given the space to breathe and develop in building to gorgeous climaxes and crescendos.

  Montford has ensured that this wholesome album was given the true audiophile touch that is so sadly missing from so many artists and albums today.  The album was supported by  Totem Acoustics so you know it has the trademark of sound quality.  On songs like " I hear you know" and "Remember" you can actually hear the delicate resonance of the strings and fingerings slides as if Ray was playing there right in your living room !

 "A Fragile Balance" was literally achieved on this album in balancing pop, rock, world, jazz and movie soundtrack elements into one solidly endearing album.

I highly recommend this album to you ....