PRESENT (ABO#407)

PRESENT

THANATOPRAXIS

(1981-2009)

Sorry, I'm late. A little problem while uploding this file. Finally I made it!

I hope this wait was worth today's post. Present is like a twin brother of Daniel Denis' Univers Zero. Founded by ex UZ member Roger Trigaux, Present's life was a bit chaotic... After only two albums, the band had seemed to be vanishing but in 1993, Trigaux and his son, Reginald, reformed Present with an album, C.O.D. Performance, which is more a "Trigaux & son" one than a true Present one.

Present identity differs from Univers Zero one by a more agressive sound, more percussive and much darker. Their music can be considered as a missing link between Univers Zero and Magma. That's why some people like much Present to the other two bands : it's a more arty Magma or a much stronger Univers Zero.

Back in 2009, Trigaux and his band were joined by Daniel Denis' band for a memorable union gig. This kind of reunion was a major event in Avant-Garde music.

This year the fusion of the 2 bands is replanned with the adjunction of a third avant-garde band : Aranis.

I hope this (and UZ's) Baistophe will convince you to be the witness of this great union !

wait if it's temporary unavailable

LAURA NYRO (ABO#406)

LAURA NYRO

1967-1995

This will be a very short. Why ? let me tell you...

Several months ago, we recieved in our mailbox this Laura Nyro compilation to be posted in this blog. First of all, many apologies to the autor of this selection, the old mails had been deleted for long so that I completely don't know who the hell is the guy (or the lady) who done that. If you are that one, just say it, I simply thank you for that choice.

And why I thank someone I don't even know the name to have sent us a Laura Nyro comp' ? Simply because before that, I had just no idea at all of who she was and what she sounded like. I've just read her article on wikipedia (see the german one, it is well documented !) and a piano-playing lady who is (was, sorry) influenced both in pop, jazz and other sweet stuff like that. To that description, I would say that she is the main inspiration for artists such as Fiona Apple, Nora Jones or Regina Spektor... I may be wrong but not far I guess.

Just to say to you that I haven't listened to it yet but I'm quite sure I'll like it as she is also known for having written songs for bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears or the 5th Dimension...

Hope you'll like it too.

wait if it's temporary unavailable

JOE COCKER (ABO#405)

SOUL SURVIVOR, THE LEGEND OF

JOE COCKER

(1968-2010)

Joe Cocker is not a rock'n'roll singer. That's probably the mistake everyone make about him and that's why so few people have really understood the change in his career in the late 70s. Of course there was this problem of drug abuse and, over all, of alcoholism. Very early in the 70s, Cocker was convinced of that kind of addiction and his inspiration has rapidly decreased beacause of that. When he returned in the early 80s, he had become a cleaner and wiser person and his music sounded like him then. It may or may not be in some people's tastes but Cocker's music has always been true to his values. Joe Cocker is more a Soul Man than a Rock'n'Roller. You will be convinced by listening his whole discography as I did. What a surprise for me to discover that! Of course that couldn't helped me to like much his later career but that changed my point of view.

To me, the heart of his career is his very first years, until 1973 or 1974. Somewhat because his music is more powerful, more energic. This is also in that period that Cocker's albums were majoritarily composed of covers song. This particularity may be one other reason people don't like him. To me, who am not really found of covers, this has however never caused any problem because his works on his covers have always been a good work of recomposition. Very often, the song had been completely become another one.

Just give him a try, you'll see he's not only made two hit singles like With A Little Help From My Friends and You Can Leave Your Hat On.

Joé Cocker-Summer In The City
envoyé par guysou. - Regardez plus de clips, en HD !

The best album COCKER! (1969) The first album, With A Little Help From My Friends was a great album with good tracks on it but its follow up blows it away. This is nearly a zero fault.

The worst album COCKER(1986) If I had to be bad, I would have said that their are lots of albums that could have been stamped "Worst Album" but this one is truly a worst one. While the others are not that bad, just useless, this one is really hard to listen to, at the exception of the Hit Single You Can Leave Your Hat On. The music is something hardly no one has ever done worse. Of course, this is the 80s but this sounds pretty uglier than I would have ever guessed

The best live album LIVE IN L.A. (1976) I'm a bit dishonest because every one knows the best album is Mad Dogs And Englishman but I really wanted to make the highlights on that forgotten live album recorded in 1972. This album is pretty amazing, really sound different as Mad Dogs and is a good complement to this one. This really a must have album!

The best alternative to this baistophe THE ABSOLUTE BEST 1968-1974 (1994) Many compilations have been made but so many (too many) only focus on his later works. This collection exists on both 1 and 2CDs. The 1CD is only a reduction of the 2CDs that have the particularity to be a 1 CD studio + 1 CD live. Really great work done on that part of Cocker's Discography. The 1CD can be the best choice for a Cocker Comp'.

wait if it's temporary unavailable

ENSIFERUM (ABO #404)

ENSIFERUM
VALHALLA

And now, kids, here's a bit of harmless fun by Finnish Viking Metal legends Ensiferum.
Basically, what you're having here is a tasty slice of metal infused with folk influences creating something that is catchy, epic, melodic and, well, a little cheesy too.
Formed in 1995, the band has released his debut album in 2001 which doesn't make 'em one of the precursors of the Viking Metal genre but one of the best nonetheless.
With 4 full-lengths, 1 EP and quite a lot of singles, Ensiferum have established themselves as one among the leaders of a metal scene which isn't scare to go over the top with symphonic and orchestral arrangements while still retaining the aggression and harshness inherited from their Black Metal roots.
I have selected 14 songs to cut this 79 minutes long compilation which should serve as an introduction to a band worth investigating in. Enjoy!

RIYL:
Finntroll, Amon Amarth, Turisas