Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968) (eac-log-cover)

Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968)
rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 365MB

MFSL UDCD 675

AMG:
With its endless, droning minor-key riff and mumbled vocals, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is arguably the most notorious song of the acid rock era. According to legend, the group was so stoned when they recorded the track that they could neither pronounce the title "In the Garden of Eden" or end the track, so it rambles on for a full 17 minutes, which to some listeners sounds like eternity. But that's the essence of its appeal -- it's the epitome of heavy psychedelic excess, encapsulating the most indulgent tendencies of the era. Iron Butterfly never matched the warped excesses of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," either on their debut album of the same name or the rest of their catalog, yet they occasionally made some enjoyable fuzz guitar-driven psychedelia that works as a period piece. The five tracks that share space with their magnum opus on In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida qualify as good artifacts, and the entire record still stands as the group's definitive album, especially since this is the only place the full-length title track is available.

Tracks:
01-Most Anything You Want 3:44
02-Flowers And Beads 3:09
03-My Mirage 4:55
04-Termination 2:53
05-Are You Happy 4:29
06-In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 17:05
07-In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (live version) 16:51
08-In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (single version) 2:53

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Les McCann - Pump It Up (2002) (eac-log-cover)

Les McCann - Pump It Up (2002)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 380MB

ESC

allmusic:
Still trying to recover from the effects of a devastating 1995 stroke, Les McCann relaxed and put out a playful jazz/funk album with a cast of dozens that in some ways harkens back to some of his Atlantic sides from the 1970s. Unlike his other post-stroke albums, he doesn't play any keyboards here, leaving them in the hands of Ricky Peterson, with an emphasis on the Hammond B3. Rather, McCann is content just to sing and rap -- again, a throwback and fallback to records made a quarter-century before. At 66, McCann sounds considerably different -- older and a little shakier on the ballads, but still sly and willing. The grooves are OK in a minimally updated '70s funk manner, but the material, coming from a variety of sources, is rather ordinary as a whole. The guest celebs come in profusion to help out: singer Dianne Reeves sits in on the ho-hum Bill Withers big ballad "You Just Can't Smile It Away," Billy Preston pumps some swampy rhythm from his Wurlitzer electric piano and B3 into the semi-autobiographical "Tryin' to Make It Real," and "Funk It" is dominated by Maceo Parker's staccato alto sax and the acrobatic bass of Marcus Miller. The most poignant passage comes when the elder McCann sings a new lyric over an LP dub of his younger self's piano trio recording "The Truth," from the Pacific Jazz days, with Preston's soulful B3 and Bonnie Raitt on hand to alternate on vocals. It's almost like they're sharing a private moment in McCann's living room.

Tracks
01. Pump it Up
02. Buckshot & Lefonque
03. Let it Ride (the Train)
04. I Can't Stand It
05. So What
06. You Just Can't Smile It Away
07. Tryin' to Make It Real
08. The Truth
09. Daylight
10. Funk It (Let the Music Play
11. I Can't Stand It - Reprise

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Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase (1977) (SNS 20-bit) (eac-flac-cover)

 

Roy Harper - Bullinamingvase (1977)

Rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 300MB

Science Friction | SNS 20-bit | rar +5% recovery

wikipedia
This album is one of Harpers most polished recordings, featuring a rich mix of musicians and instruments, including the Vauld Symphony Orchestra (named after the Hereford farm Harper owned and recorded in at the time). Brilliant lyrics, as 'clear' as Harpers guitar playing, make this a stand out album from Harpers back catalogue. The current CD release (Science Friction HUCD021) has been remastered with SNS 20-bit digital supermapping, allowing the 'full texture' of the music to be appreciated.
One of the albums highlights is the epic, 19 minute, "One Of Those Days In England (Parts 2-10)" (originally side 2 of the album). Comprising several musical movements, this song is a collection of reminiscences from both a personal and cultural perspective. Harper sings of "Britannica and all those who sail in her, especially those with Albions cultural heritage claws..."

Tracks:
"One Of Those Days In England" – 3:25
"These Last Days" – 4:26
"Cherishing the Lonesome" – 5:54
"Naked Flame" – 5:06
"Watford Gap" – 3:22
"One Of Those Days In England (Parts 2-10)" – 19:27
"Breakfast With You" – 2:42

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Count Basie - Basie Land (1964) (eac-flac-cover)

 

Count Basie - Basie Land (1964)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 250MB

Verve | rar +5% recovery

AMG
In 1964, Count Basie handed the reins of his band over to composer and arranger Billy Byers, purportedly to modernize his sound to the times. More accurately, Byers energized the band with his bright charts loaded with counterpointed exchanges and interplay, plus a depth and density the Basie band had long since relinquished to other similarly sized groups. With stellar personnel -- including Eric Dixon, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Marshall Royal, Al Aarons, and Don Rader -- Byers and Basie stoked the coals of the band with some red hot bop and intricate charts atypical to the laid-back approach that always served the band and its fans well. The upbeat tracks, the roaring "Basie Land," hard charging "Rabble Rouser" and the tumbling melody of "Gymnastics" are particularly noticeable, as the horns jump in and out of unison, shout amongst themselves, and stress the quite capable, energetic musicianship the band always sported, but had somewhat suppressed. "Big Brother" and "Instant Blues" are typical, laid-back Basie style pronouncements in moderate or midtempo, but the horns still proclaim their innocence in a louder mindset. A feature for the underrated alto saxophonist Marshall Royal during the perfectly titled, slow slung "Wanderlust" has his style approaching the vibrato shaded Johnny Hodges, while the delicate "Count Me In" parallels Foster's epic ballad "Shiny Stockings" in its basic melodic precept, accented by Basie's chiming piano chords. The world class Wess on flute takes the lead for the chugging along blues "Sassy," dedicated to Sarah Vaughan, the piece again saturated with call and response, while Wess, Foster, and Dixon gang up on flutes for "Yuriko" as Basie's tinkling piano makes the impatient horns blurt out uncontrollably on occasion to get their two cents in. The set concludes with perhaps one of Basie's all-time signature tunes as contributed by Byers with "Doodle-Oodle," a famous hot bop, hummable or whistleable melody that can easily be copied while walking down the street. Byers added something different to this version of the Count Basie Orchestra, and only fans can be the ultimate judge of whether it was for the best. Basie Land is certainly quite a substantive and compelling big-band jazz effort from A to Z.

Tracks
01 - Basie Land
02 - Big Brother
03 - Count Me In
04 - Wanderlust
05 - Instant Blues
06 - Rabble Rouser
07 - Sassy
08 - Gymnastics
09 - Yuriko
10 - Doodle-Oodle

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Roy Harper - Lifemask (1972) (eac-flac-cover)

 

Roy Harper- Lifemask (1972)

Folk-Rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover

Science Friction HUCD005 (1994) | rar +5% recovery | 270 MB

Wikipedia:
Lifemask was written by Harper during a period where a congenital blood disorder threatened his health. With thoughts of life and death upon his mind, side two of the album features a lengthy track entitled "The Lord's Prayer" which Harper described as "...my last will and testament". The album cover itself is a representation of Harpers 'death mask'.
Some of the songs comprised the soundtrack for the movie Made which was on general release at the time. It co-starred with Carol White. The John Mackenzie directed film, Made, was the story of the relationship between a young single mother and an insecure rock star, 'Mike Preston' played by Harper. The film featured excerpts from "The Lord's Prayer", a live excerpt from "Highway Blues", a live session of "Little Lady" and "Bank Of The Dead" (a.k.a. "The Social Casualty" and "Valerie's Song") sung with alternate lyrics.

Tracks:
1 Highway Blues (6:34)
2 All Ireland (2:53)
3 Little Lady (4:20)
4 Bank Of The Dead (3:13)
5 South Africa (4:07)
6 The Lord's Prayer (22:55)


Originally released in 1973

Producer
Peter Jenner

Sound engineers
John Leckie, Phil McDonald, Nick Webb

Additional musicians
Laurie Allan, Steve Broughton, Tony Carr, Brian Davison, Brian Hodges, Jimmy Page & Ray Warley

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Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (DCC Gold) (1956) (eac-wv-cover)

 

Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (DCC Gold) (1956)
jazz | 1cd | eac-wv-cue-log-cover | 185MB
DCC Jazz | 24k gold | rar +5% recovery

AMG
Sonny Rollins recorded many memorable sessions during 1954-1958, but Saxophone Colossus is arguably his finest all-around set. Joined by pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Max Roach, Rollins debuts and performs the definitive version of "St. Thomas," tears into the chord changes of "Mack the Knife" (here called "Moritat"), introduces "Strode Rode," is lyrical on "You Don't Know What Love Is," and constructs a solo on "Blue Seven" that practically defines his style. Essential music that, as with all of Rollins' Prestige recordings, has also been reissued as part of a huge "complete" box set; listeners with a tight budget are advised to pick up this single disc and be amazed.

Track listing
1. "St. Thomas" – 6:49
2. "You Don't Know What Love Is" (Gene de Paul) – 6:31
3. "Strode Rode" – 5:17
4. "Moritat" (Kurt Weill) – 10:06
5. "Blue 7" – 11:18

Personnel
* Sonny Rollins — tenor saxophone
* Tommy Flanagan — piano
* Doug Watkins — bass
* Max Roach — drums

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Neil Young - Re-Ac-Tor (1981) DVD-audio

 

Neil Young - Re-Ac-Tor (1981) DVD-audio

rock | 1dvd | iso | cover | 2300MB

Reprise | rar +5% recovery

wikipedia
Re-ac-tor is an album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, released in 1981. The album married the electric guitar crunch of the late 70s Crazy Horse sound with early 80s New Wave rhythms. The simplistic, overdriven sound of the songs can be seen as a continuation of the punk-influenced numbers of Rust Never Sleeps such as "Sedan Delivery". Critical reception to the album was generally poor except for the accolades accorded to the album closer "Shots." The album marked the first use by Neil Young of the Synclavier which would be featured heavily on several of his later albums: Trans (1982) and Landing on Water (1986).

Track list:
1. "Opera Star" – 3:31
2. "Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze" – 4:15
3. "T-Bone" – 9:10
4. "Get Back on It" – 2:14
5. "Southern Pacific" – 4:07
6. "Motor City" – 3:11
7. "Rapid Transit" – 4:35
8. "Shots" – 7:42

Personnel:
* Neil Young – guitar, piano, vocal
* Frank Sampedro – guitar, stringman, vocal
* Billy Talbot – bass, vocal
* Ralph Molina – drums, percussion, vocal

MLP 2.0 176/24_AUDIO_TS
LPCM 2.0 48/24_VIDEO_TS

Watermarked!

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