together the finest singing and instrumental talent to come out of that blessed isle. The Wailers (Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny "Wailer" Livingston) are joined here by Bob Andy (second only to Marley as a songwriter); Ken Boothe (still among Jamaica's vocal elite); Jackie Opel, first lady of reggae; Marcia Griffiths; and others. The Studio One stable of jazz musicians who backed them--including the late saxophonist Roland Alphonso and guitar legend Ernest Ranglin--were responsible for creating that blend of New Orleans R&B and mento (a Jamaican folk music akin to calypso) known as ska, and oversaw its development into rock steady, and, finally, in the early '70s, into reggae. Many of those same musicians would soon unite for...  (less)

an indie phenomenon, as audiences everywhere responded to the unassuming charm of the two leads, Glen and Marketa, and the beautiful music they made together. On the way to going gold, the Once soundtrack brought the Swell Season onto the stage of the Academy Awards, where the band won the Best Original Song award, and into the hearts of the audience and host Jon Stewart. Since then they have toured to sold-out venues as the Swell Season, Once has become a perennial top DVD rental and seller, and now the film is in development for a Broadway musical to open early in 2010. Now comes the much anticipated follow-up, Strict Joy, and from the first notes of first track Low Rising, the musical magic audiences found in Once is back. The band returns to map ...  (less)

`live fast-play hard' work ethic embodied by many of rock's seminal 1970s bands, Hinder blazed new trails in virtually every music platform the past two years. Their epic 2006 debut album launched three successful singles, including the multi-format #1 smash "Lips Of An Angel," earning a dizzying array of chart-topping honors. The hit song was also recognized as Active Rock Radio's most popular rock single of 2006. Extreme Behavior became a mainstay of the Billboard Top 200 Album charts for nearly a year and a half, endearing them to a diverse array of rock fans as Hinder soared to become one of the most successful grassroots-artist development stories of the decade. The band also conquered the digital and ringtone arenas, becoming the b...  (less)

ever-growing roar of his power trio, he tells you his stories, those of the people around him, some he makes up--and makes them all yours in the end. The development in the music here, from the Beach Boys-style chorale at the top of the title cut to the new wavey jerkiness of "Everything to Everyone" and "Normal Like You," boasts of not only the band's surefootedness but Alexakis's own generosity. The latter is best reflected in "Father of Mine," one of the saddest, most brutal songs about family ever. --Rickey Wright  (less)

a soldout crowd cheered loudly for Cluster to return to the stage. Fortunately, the concert was preserved for posterity and is proudly presented here on Important Records. Cluster was formed around 1971 when Roedelius and Moebius left Conrad Schnitzler's group Kluster . Along with Kluster, the group has had a tremendous influence on the development of contemporary electronic music. Julian Cope has placed three albums in his Krautrock Top 50 , and The Wire included the first Cluster album in their list of 100 Records That Set the World On Fire . Along with Neu! co-founder Michael Rother , the members of Cluster formed the remarkable group Harmonia . Between 1976 and 1979 one of Cluster's most frequent collaborator was Brian Eno .  (less)

accept the Fresh Prince's tales of teen mock-woe, Tone Loc's Coasters-derived rockers, and Young MC's, er, tales of teen mock-woe. Up to and including Snoop's "What's My Name?" (the CD's newest cut, from '93), this excellent PG-rated set makes nearly flawless choices. Biggest exception: "Tennessee" by Arrested Development, whose leader Speech's nonstop self-righteous mumbling will drive everyone into the next room. --Rickey Wright  (less)

two recording sessions from 1966, which give a fascinating insight into the group's creative process in the studio. Including their four smash top ten hits, 'Shapes Of Things', 'For Your Love', 'Still I'm Sad' & 'Heart Full Of Soul', the set traces the group's development from hesitant Chicago R&B copyists with Eric Clapton on lead guitar to the swaggering, ear-bending psychedelic rock of the Jeff Beck-fronted line-up. Digitally remastered from the best available audio sources, these seminal recordings have never sounded better. Housed in deluxe hard-back book-style format & meticulously researched & compiled by Yardbird's  (less)

trait. Distinctly original and instantly recognizable, Accept conquered seemingly the entire planet outside the USA. With such classic albums as Restless And Wild, Breaker, I’m A Rebel and Accept finally seeing mid-price status, those Stateside best be keeping their ears open and their balls to the wall! Udo Dirkschneider: "When I think back on the development of I'm A Rebel, only one thought comes to mind: too many people involved trying to manipulate the band, just like on the first album. The title song, I'm A Rebel, was originally planned for AC/DC but they were not interested. We were played an 8 track demo made by Bon Scott!!! We definitely wanted to record the song and couldn't understand why AC/DC did not want to do it. In hindsight it wa...  (less)

Marshfield Tornado , Davis' latest recording, John William 'Blind' Boone (1864-1927), a sightless black pianist from Missouri who modeled his career after Blind Tom's, will assume his rightful place as the last of a trio of overlapping nineteenth-century pianist/composers (before Boone came Louis Moreau Gottschalk and Blind Tom) who were seminal links between rural African-American folk culture of the Deep South and the more urban Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, and Pop styles to emerge in the twentieth century. As John Davis Plays Blind Tom did for Thomas Wiggins, Marshfield Tornado should do for Boone - draw further attention to heretofore unacknowledged American roots music and to a seminal figure in the development of twentieth-century popular music in t...  (less)

the style influenced countless Jamaican acts, thereby exerting profound influence upon the development of Reggae.  (less)

and intricacy -– sparking off unprecedented acclaim and notoriety in the process. Lúnasa’s sixth album Sé (pronounced "Shay"), reveals the band at the top of their creative prowess. Marked by a shift towards a more sophisticated and always original approach, their music is mirrored with styles that inflect more contemporary sounding arrangements that exuberate an ornamental elegance. Building on the rock-solid rhythmic foundation of double bassist Trevor Hutchinson (ex-Waterboys, Sharon Shannon Band), piper Cillian Vallely, flautist Kevin Crawford, and fiddler Sean Smyth create a melodic context while introducing the alternating contributions of guitarists Paul Meehan and Tim Edey. Six years of constant touring has e...  (less)