and general entertainment reviewers. The current edition of The Mannish Boys features a veritable one-band blues festival of talent; most of the members either lead or are integral members of other successful touring and recording bands. They've honed their blues to a brilliant edge through appearances before sold-out crowds and on festival stages in the U.S., Canada, and in Europe. Their new live recording, "Live & In Demand", captures The Mannish Boys at the top of their game at the 2005 Winthrop Blues Festival, rolling out their dynamic, non-stop, old-style 'blues revue' featuring acclaimed veteran bluesmen Finis Tasby, Johnny Dyer, Kid Ramos, Franck Goldwasser, Leon Blue, Randy Chortkoff, Richard Innes and Tom Leavey.  (less)

album is perfectly suited to Top 40, Spanish and adult-contemporary radio--all at the same time. At times tracks such as "Onda" and "Dime Mi Amor" recall 1970s-era Santana, but the Boys are at their best on "Heaven," the feel-good first single, and "La Contestacion," a yearning ballad matched by pleading instrumentation. As a bonus, this Special Edition includes Spanish versions of "Heaven" and "More Than Love," but the real highlight is a Southern-fried take on Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line." That the boys manage to make the classic song their own is no small feat. There's also a DVD featuring thoughtful live performances and music videos that offer a glimpse of the Boys in action. --Joey Guerra  (less)

Bands Tour around the Release. "it's Not So Much a Case of 'most Likely To'. Boy Kill Boy Are Being Talked About as Rock's 'most Definitely Going To'. - Nme  (less)

day. Years have gone by...but Common Threads remain-four part harmony; love for God, faith, family and country; an ability to bring a stage to life. Enjoy an "uncommonly" successful group joined through the years by a Common Thread.  (less)

his band Deep Feeling at the legendary night club, The Elbow Room in Birmingham, England, became the birthplace of Traffic. Steve Winwood was attracted to this early type of psychedelic music which Jim was then playing and was impressed by the large following Deep Feeling were building. Winwood often would come along to jam and as his friendship grew closer and Traffic was born. The rest is history. Apart from Traffic’s ten album, multi platinum career, fuelled by Jim’s writing partnership with Steve, Jim has enjoyed a solo career with twelve albums to date. With his new recording, Poor Boy Blue, Jim was keen to explore his roots and used quite a lot of classic instrumentation to achieve the particular sound he was looking for on this album. The basis for the album and most wor...  (less)

Civilian and is a record that the band’s fans will love, but also one that’s liable to earn them a whole raft of new supporters, too. The mighty 11-tracks display a new up-and-at-‘em attitude and will see the lads back near the top of the charts. Features the single 'Promises'. Mercury  (less)

their entire catalog in remastered versions. Girls To Chat & Boys To Bounce originally hit the Billboard charts in 1981.  (less)

Catch Bull at Four proves that the Cat had seen darkness, too, and that those darker elements had become more pronounced than they'd been in the past. His vocal style shifts from the cool croon that made Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat top sellers to a harsher, almost growling delivery. The album's standouts--the wistful reverie "Sitting" and the delightfully infectious "Can't Keep It In"--are resolute in lyric and melody. Rambling, mystical odes such as "The Boy with a Moon & Star on His Head," "Angelsea," and "Sweet Scarlet" offer quaintly romantic imagery and lavishly undulating melodies. But it's the mercurial dynamics and driving melody of "18th Avenue (Kansas City Nightmare)" and the bitter conviction...  (less)

trees is an affecting metaphor for human struggle and perseverance. This idea is central to Learning To Bend. Key tracks on Learning To Bend include two reactions to the current political landscape, A Few Honest Words, and an adaptation of Sam Cooke s A Change is Gonna Come, in which Ben has written updated, politically relevant verses. Other highlights of the album are the playful, soul track, How To See the Sun Rise and the vulnerable yet insistent It s Not Impossible, where Ben laments the unfortunate status quo that boys don t cry. Ben has found considerable success in recent years through his ability to bend. In 2007, he was named one of NPR s Top Ten Unknown Artists of the Year. His distinctive cello technique and soulful voice have been mar...  (less)

if his lyrics are often comical. This 22-song collection includes both his hits and his greatest performances. Top-quality musicians abound: Early 1949 cuts feature Ernest Tubb’s guitarist Billy Byrd and Roy Acuff’s Smoky Mountain Boys; his own talented Country Boys included at various points Grady Martin, Red Taylor, Tommy Jackson, Buddy Emmons, Harold Bradley, Cecil Brower, and Pig Robbins. His spirited vocals roll through traditional Acuff-influenced country, proto-rockabilly, Western swing, and earnest (if not overblown) ballads. Rather than polish up his hillbilly background, he flaunts it for all to notice. This pint-sized package packs a mean punch. --Marc Greilsamer  (less)

with Hard To Find Jukebox Classics 1956 . This exciting, audiophile-quality disc is bulging with 24 classic pop, vocal group, folk, and early rock 'n' roll hits. All these platters made the Top 40 - sixteen hit the Top 10, three made it all the way to #1 - but just try and find these terrific songs today! Hard To Find Jukebox Classics 1956 includes eight songs never available on CD till now, including Fess Parker's "Wringle Wrangle" (#12), Dorothy Collins' "My Boy - Flat Top" (#15), and the stereo single version of Morris Stoloff's #1 smash, "Moonglow & Theme from 'Picnic'." Others, like the Cheers' tragicomic "Black Denim Trousers" (featuring Bert Convey) or Tony Bennett's rapturous "Can You Find It In Your Heart " are very difficult - if not imposs...  (less)

'Go Bottom Go Top' and 'Swinging Boy Pop' mixes of 'Boy Pop'; the 'Sweet and Sticky Mix' of 'Hunny Hunny' (the band s ABBA tribute), and the 'Late Nite Chat Mix' of 'Chatterbox' as bonus tracks!  (less)