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Commodores – Machine Gun (1974/2015) [Qobuz 24-192]

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Commodores – Machine Gun (1974/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz  | Time – 00:35:56 minutes | 1,49 GB | Genre: Soul, Funk, R&B
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Motown Records
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA.

Before the Commodores started having major adult contemporary hits like “Three Times a Lady,” “Easy,” and “Still,” they were happy to be a full-time funk/soul band. The Southerners became increasingly pop-minded in the late ’70s, but when their debut album, Machine Gun, came out in 1974, their music was unapologetically gritty. This was, without question, a very promising debut — Lionel Richie and his allies really hit the ground running on sweaty funk items like “Young Girls Are My Weakness,” “The Bump,” “Gonna Blow Your Mind,” and the single “I Feel Sanctified.” These songs aren’t funk-pop or sophisticated funk — they’re hardcore funk. What you won’t find on Machine Gun are a lot of sentimental love ballads. In the late ’70s, the Commodores became as famous for their ballads as they were for their funk and dance material, but believe it or not, there are no ballads to be found on this consistently funky, mostly up-tempo debut. As much as this LP has going for it, Machine Gun isn’t the Commodores’ best or most essential album. Machine Gun is rewarding, but their subsequent albums Caught in the Act (1975), Movin’ On (1975), and Hot on the Tracks (1976) are even stronger. –Alex Henderson

 

Tracklist:
1 Machine Gun 2:41
2 Young Girls Are My Weakness 3:03
3 I Feel Sanctified 3:45
4 The Bump 4:10
5 Rapid Fire 3:03
6 The Assembly Line 5:10
7 The Zoo (The Human Zoo) 3:07
8 Gonna Blow Your Mind 5:42
9 There’s A Song In My Heart 2:42
10 Superman 2:39

Personnel:
Lionel Richie – vocals, saxophone
Thomas McClary – vocals, guitar
Milan Williams – guitar, keyboards
Ronald LaPread – bass guitar
William King – trumpet
Walter Orange – drums, vocals

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFek16RTJOamcF9/C0mm0d0resMachineGun197419224.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFek16RTJOamsF9/C0mm0d0resMachineGun197419224.part2.rar
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http://rapidgator.net/file/b49103d7526b2d4dc3c6f3412adb389e/C0mm0d0resMachineGun197419224.part2.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/39ab9a43ac2396463df7444a5ce3950b/C0mm0d0resMachineGun197419224.part3.rar.html


Commodores – Midnight Magic (1979/2012) [HDTracks 24-192]

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Commodores – Midnight Magic (1979/2012)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz  | Time – 00:41:17 minutes | 1,46 GB | Genre: Soul, Funk, R&B
Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks | © Motown Records
Recorded: 1979, Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood, California

Chart History/Awards
Reached #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums.
Reached #3 on the Billboard 200.
“Sail On” reached #4 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
“Still” reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

Midnight Magic is the landmark seventh recording by the Commodores. It found the group at the peak of their careers and is filled with the band’s signature funk and soul. It would reach #3 on the Billboard charts and includes the massively popular singles “Sail On” and “Still.”

 

When the Commodores’ seventh studio album, Midnight Magic, came out in 1979, one could safely assume that the LP would contain at least one adult contemporary ballad. And sure enough, Midnight Magic contains the ballad “Still,” which was a number one pop hit (as well as a number one R&B hit) and became a staple on adult contemporary radio. The sappy ballad (which features Lionel Richie) wasn’t without its detractors, who felt that the Commodores had become too much of a slick crossover act. But even if “Still” doesn’t excite you, the rest of the album isn’t bad. “Wonderland” (a number 21 R&B hit) is an enjoyable R&B slow jam, and fans of sophisticated funk (as opposed to hardcore funk) should appreciate “You’re Special,” “Gettin’ It,” and the disco-minded title song. “Sexy Lady” is the only thing on the LP that can honestly be described as hardcore funk; most of the up-tempo tunes favor the type of sophisticated funk that the Brothers Johnson, Rufus/Chaka Khan, and Heatwave were known for in the late ’70s. Next to “Still,” the album’s best-known track is “Sail On,” which reached number eight on Billboard’s R&B singles chart (and number four on its pop single chart) despite the fact that it is essentially a pop-country song. Some R&B purists saw “Sail On” as a blatant example of how watered down the Commodores had become, but it’s still a charming and likable tune — one that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Dolly Parton or Glen Campbell LP. Midnight Magic isn’t one of the Commodores’ essential releases, and R&B purists are advised to stick to the band’s pre-1977 albums. Nonetheless, this is a generally decent, if uneven, record that has more strengths than weaknesses. –Alex Henderson

Tracklist:
1 Gettin’ It 4:18
2 Midnight Magic 5:42
3 You’re Special 5:10
4 Still 5:51
5 Wonderland (Long Version) 5:28
6 Sexy Lady 3:30
7 Lovin You 4:36
8 Sail On 5:43
9 12:01 A.M. 0:59

Personnel:
Lionel Richie – vocals, saxophone, drums and piano
Thomas McClary – lead guitar
Milan Williams – keyboards, trombone, rhythm guitar
William “WAK” King – trumpet, rhythm guitar, synthesizer
Ronald La Pread – bass guitar, trumpet
Walter Orange – vocals, drums

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFek16RTJOek0F9/C0mm0d0resMidnightMagic1979HDtracks192.part1.rar
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Commodores – Movin’ On (1975/2015) [Qobuz 24-192]

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Commodores – Movin’ On (1975/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz  | Time – 00:37:37 minutes | 1,58 GB | Genre: Soul, Funk, R&B
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Motown Records
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA.

R&B purists have often argued that the Commodores did their most essential work before 1977. It was in 1977 that they crossed over to the pop/adult contemporary audience in a major way with “Easy,” and subsequent hits like 1978’s “Three Times a Lady” and 1979’s “Still” (both of which reached number one on Billboard’s pop singles charts) certainly weren’t the work of R&B snobs. Of course, Lionel Richie never claimed to be an R&B purist, although it is safe to say that the Commodores were still a hardcore funk/soul band when their third album, Movin’ On, came out in 1975. From an R&B standpoint (as opposed to a pop or adult contemporary standpoint), this is one of their most essential releases. Those who love hard, gutsy 1970s funk can’t go wrong with horn-powered gems like “Mary, Mary,” “(Can I) Get a Witness,” “Gimme My Mule,” and “Hold On”; however, the song that Movin’ On is best remembered for is the laid-back, gospel-drenched hit “Sweet Love.” Written by Richie, “Sweet Love” is one of those secular soul tunes that isn’t really gospel but borders on it; when Richie belts out the lyrics, “You got to keep on searching/harder/day by day,” you feel like you’re in the front row during an AME church service. And even though Movin’ On is an LP that R&B purists rave about (rightly so), you can’t say that it was ignored by pop audiences — “Sweet Love” was a number two R&B hit, but it also reached number five on Billboard’s pop singles chart. –Alex Henderson

 

Tracklist:
1 Hold On 3:16
2 Free 3:54
3 Mary, Mary 4:08
4 Sweet Love 6:31
5 (Can I) Get A Witness 5:01
6 Gimme My Mule 5:05
7 Time 3:21
8 Cebu 4:48

Personnel:
William King – Trumpet
Ronald LaPread – Bass (Electric)
Thomas McClary – Guitar (Electric), Vocals
Walter Orange – Drums, Vocals
Lionel Richie – Saxophone, Vocals
Milan Williams – Guitar (Electric), Keyboards

Download:

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http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFek16RTJOalUF9/C0mm0d0resM0vin0n197519224.part2.rar
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Commodores – Natural High (1978/2012) [HDTracks 24-192]

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Commodores – Natural High (1978/2012) 
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz  | Time – 00:41:29 minutes | 1,59 GB | Genre: Soul, Funk, R&B
Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks | © Motown Records
Recorded: 1978

The Commodores’ sixth studio album, Natural High, is best known for the ballad “Three Times a Lady,” which became a staple of adult contemporary radio and reached number one on both the pop and R&B charts. “Three Times a Lady” was their first number one pop hit, and Lionel Richie was being recognized as a major crossover star. Not everyone liked “Three Times a Lady” — some people found the song to be much too sappy, and R&B purists argued that The Commodores were watering their music down. But even if “Three Times a Lady” isn’t your cup of tea, Natural High still has a lot to offer R&B fans. “X-Rated Movie,” “Such a Woman,” and “I Like What You Do” are exhilarating examples of hardcore funk, and those who appreciate artists like Heatwave and the Brothers Johnson will find a lot to admire about “Fire Girl” and “Flying High” (both of which are sleek examples of the sophisticated funk style). Meanwhile, “Say Yeah” (featuring Richie) is a first-rate R&B slow jam. Whatever your opinion of “Three Times a Lady” — whether you love it or hate it — the fact is that Natural High has more plusses than minuses and was a generally respectable, if imperfect, addition to The Commodores’ catalog.

 

Tracklist:
1 Fire Girl 4:11
2 X-Rated Movie 4:41
3 Flying High 5:09
4 Three Times A Lady 6:38
5 Such A Woman 4:37
6 Say Yeah 5:43
7 I Like What You Do 4:47
8 Visions 5:43

Personnel:
Lionel Richie – vocals, saxophone, drums and piano
Thomas McClary – lead guitar
Milan Williams – keyboards, trombone, rhythm guitar
William “WAK” King – trumpet, rhythm guitar, synthesizer
Ronald La Pread – bass guitar, trumpet
Walter Orange – vocals, drums

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFek16RTJOelkF9/C0mm0d0resNaturalHigh1978HDtracks192.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFek16RTJOemMF9/C0mm0d0resNaturalHigh1978HDtracks192.part2.rar
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Lionel Richie – Back To Front (1992/2015) [Qobuz 24-96]

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Lionel Richie – Back To Front (1992/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz  | Time – 01:00:40 minutes | 1,25 GB | Genre: Soul, Funk, R&B
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Motown Records
Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA; Conway Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA; Devonshire Recording Studios, North Hollywood, CA; Motown Recording Studio, West Hollywood, CA; Oceanway Recording Studio, Hollywood, CA.

Richie’s fourth album, originally released in 1992, was his first compilation album containing 14 tracks, four of them recorded with the Commodores. Also included in the track listing is Endless Love, his duet with Diana Ross.

„On his own and as part of the Commodores, by 1992 Lionel Richie amassed more than enough singles for a greatest-hits collection. Unfortunately, this is one of those compilations that, good intentions aside, falls so flat there’s not much point in buying it. By trying to cover his solo material, while touching base with his Commodores fans, and adding some new cuts, no part of his career is well represented. For the record, Back to Front lacks ‘Oh No,’ ‘Lady You Bring Me Up,’ ‘Ballerina Girl,’ ‘You Are,’ ‘My Love,’ ‘Stuck on You,’ ‘Love Will Conquer All,’ ‘Se La,’ and ‘Dancing on the Ceiling,’ all Top 40 hits. If Motown had concentrated solely on solo Richie, with another collection of Commodores hits, this could have been a solid, career-topping CD. As it is, it’s strong, but hearing such gems as ‘Still,’ ‘Truly,’ ‘Say You, Say Me,’ and ‘Running With the Night’ makes you long to hear the cuts that aren’t here. Of the three new songs, ‘Do It to Me’ and ‘My Destiny’ are classic, smooth Richie, but ‘Love, Oh Love’ is very schmaltzy. If you’re a casual Lionel Richie fan, this might suffice, but for anyone who truly enjoys pop music, this collection is not worth your money.“ –Bryan Buss

 

Tracklist:
1. Do It To Me 06:04
2. My Destiny 04:49
3. Love Oh Love 05:47
4. All Night Long 04:20
5. Easy 04:18
6. Still 03:46
7. Endless Love 04:29
8. Running With The Night 04:10
9. Sail On 04:01
10. Hello 04:11
11. Truly 03:24
12. Penny Lover 03:48
13. Say You, Say Me 04:04
14. Three Times A Lady 03:38

Personnel:
Lionel Richie, vocals, keyboards
Diana Ross, vocals
Michael Landau, guitar
David Williams, guitar
Marc Russo, saxophone
Bradley Cole, synthesizers
‘Ready’ Freddie Washington, bass
Jim Keltner, drums
Lenny Castro, percussion
Quincy D. Jones III, drum programming

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFek9EYzNPVEUF9/LionelRichieBackToFront19929624.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFek9EYzRNRE0F9/LionelRichieBackToFront19929624.part2.rar
or
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Lionel Richie – Lionel Richie (1982/2015) [Qobuz 24-192]

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Lionel Richie – Lionel Richie (1982/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz  | Time – 00:38:04 minutes | 1,62 GB | Genre: Soul, Funk, R&B
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Motown Records
Recorded: 1981–82 at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA.

Lionel Richie is forever enshrined in the popular imagination for his ballads, but his first solo album is more wide-ranging than that. Besides the three hit singles (‘Truly’ and ‘My Love’ are classic Richie ballads, while the sleek and slightly more uptempo ‘You Are’ is possibly Richie’s finest solo single), „Lionel Richie“ focuses primarily on glossy early ’80s dance pop/R&B. Richie and Commodores producer James Anthony Carmichael move beyond that band’s beginnings as a loose, horn-led funk group, using synths and bell-like electric pianos over metronomic (but not stiff or artificial) rhythm tracks. Although „Lionel Richie“ came out several months prior to Thriller, that album is a very close comparison sonically; slick pop-R&B grooves like ‘Serves You Right’ and ‘Tell Me’ have a similar mix of Top 40 smarts and soulful heart.

 

Lionel Richie’s solo career began while he was still in the Commodores, as he wrote and sang (as a duet with Diana Ross) the theme to the Brooke Shields romance Endless Love, which became a bigger hit than any of the group’s singles, thereby setting the stage for his departure and his 1982 self-titled solo debut. He wasn’t working in unfamiliar territory, or with new musicians. the Commodores decided to work as their own band, so their producer, James Anthony Carmichael, was able to devote his energy to working on Richie’s album. Using the pop-crossover ballad style of “Endless Love,” “Three Times a Lady,” and “Easy” as their template, the duo turned Lionel Richie into a sleek, state-of-the-art record that, at its best, provides some irresistible pop pleasures. The key to its success — and the reason it was scorned by some Commodores fans — is that Richie doesn’t even make a pretense of funk here, leaving behind the loose, elastic grooves of his previous bands (a move that makes sense, since his voice never suited that style particularly well), choosing to concentrate on ballads and sparkly mid-tempo pop, peppered with a few stylish dance grooves. The ballads, of course, provided two big hits with “My Love” and “Truly,” two numbers that illustrate that he was moving ever-closer to mainstream pop, since these are unapologetic AOR slow-dance tunes. The other big hit, “You Are,” is an effervescent, wonderful pop tune that showcases Richie at his sunniest; it’s one of his greatest singles. Throughout the first part of the record, the dance numbers are served up and they’re very good — “Serves You Right” has a shiny, propulsive groove, while “Tell Me” jams nicely. After “You Are,” the record bogs down with a couple of ballads that are on the wrong side of adult contemporary — too formless, too hookless to really catch hold — but they don’t hurt the first seven songs, which form a dynamic mainstream pop-soul record, one of the best the early ’80s had to offer. It’s the sound of Lionel Richie finding his solo voice, and, the next time out, he knew how to use it even better than he does here. –Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:
1. Serves You Right 05:09
2. Wandering Stranger 05:37
3. Tell Me 05:28
4. My Love 04:07
5. Round And Round 04:55
6. Truly 03:23
7. You Are 05:01
8. You Mean More To Me 03:04
9. Just Put Some Love In Your Heart 01:24

Personnel:
Lionel Richie, vocals, piano
Joe Walsh, Richie Zito, guitar
Timothy May, Fred Tackett, acoustic guitar
David Cochrane, guitars, saxophone, piano, bass synthesizer, bass, background vocals
Darrell Jones, Paul Jackson, Jr., guitar
Le Vant, G., harp
Gary Herbig, woodwinds, saxophone
Donald Ashworth, woodwinds
E. Cipriano, L. Williams, woodwinds
E. Watts, W. Green, saxophone
B. Findlay, G.A. Grant, W. Lucning, Jerry Hey, W. Johnson, Warren Luening, trumpet
Dave Rockin Duke, James Atkinson, Richard Perissi, Henry Sigismonti, A. Maebe, Brian O’Connor, French horn
Lew McCreary, William Frank ‘Bill’ Reichenbach Jr., trombone
Nathan East, bass
Michael Lang, piano, Fender Rhodes piano
James Anthony Carmichael, celesta
Clarence McDonald, Fender Rhodes piano
William Payne, Fender Rhodes piano
Michael Boddicker, synthesizer, vocoder
Arni Egilsson, Buell Neidlinger, double bass
Nathan Watts, Joe Chemay, bass
John ‘J. R.’ Robinson, Paul Liem, Leon ‘Ndugu’ Chancler, drums
Richard Schlosser, Leonard Castro, Paulinho Da Costa, percussion
Jimmy Connors, Deborah Thomas, Howard Kenny, Kin Vassy, Richard Marx, Terry Williams, background vocals

Download:

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Commodores – United (1986/2015) [Qobuz 24-192]

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Commodores – United (1986/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192kHz | Time – 00:43:45 minutes | 1,88 GB | Genre: Soul, Funk, R&B
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Polydor Records
Recorded: 1986, Soundcastle, Conway Studios, Motown Recording Studios

After over a decade at Motown, the Commodores moved to Mercury/PolyGram with 1986’s United. By that time, the group’s lineup consisted of British singer J.D. Nicholas (a Heatwave graduate who came on board in 1984) and original members Walter Orange (lead vocals, drums), William King (percussion, trumpet, synthesizers), and Milan Williams (keyboards). Lionel Richie (who was selling millions of records as a solo artist), Thomas McClary, and Ronald LaPread were all gone. An abundance of studio musicians and outside songwriters are employed on this high-tech, pop-minded urban contemporary outing, and not surprisingly, the Commodores no longer sound distinctive. Orange (who shares the lead vocals with Nicholas) is still recognizable, but even so, United doesn’t really sound like a Commodores album. Although wildly uneven, the record has its moments. “Goin’ to the Bank” (which climbed to number two on Billboard’s R&B singles chart) and “Take It From Me” (both of which feature Orange) are infectious synth-funk items, and Nicholas has a pleasant spot on the adult contemporary ballad “United in Love.” But most of the material (which was produced by Dennis Lambert, James Carmichael, and others) is forgettable. Again, United has its moments, but it pales in comparison to 1970s classics like Movin’ On, Caught in the Act, and Hot on the Tracks. –Alex Henderson

 

Tracklist:
1 Goin’ To The Bank 4:19
2 Take It From Me 4:00
3 United In Love 4:24
4 Can’t Dance All Night 3:52
5 You’re The Only Woman I Need 4:40
6 Land Of The Dreamer 4:27
7 Talk To Me 4:49
8 I Wanna Rock You 4:50
9 Let’s Apologize 4:02
10 Serious Love 4:02

Personnel:
William “WAK” King – trumpet, rhythm guitar, synthesizer
Walter Orange – vocals, drums, keyboards
James Dean “J.D.” Nicholas – vocals, keyboards
Milan Williams – keyboards, trombone, rhythm guitar
Sheldon Reynolds – lead guitar

Download:

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D’Angelo And The Vanguard – Black Messiah (2014) [HDTracks 24-96]

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D’Angelo And The Vanguard – Black Messiah (2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96kHz | Time – 00:56:01 minutes | 1,16 GB | Genre: R&B, Soul, Jazz Funk
Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks| © RCA Records
Recorded: M.S.R. Studios, Hydra SF, Henson Studios, The Plant, Sear Sound, Avatar Studios and Quad Studios. Mixed at M.S.R. Studios and Henson Studios.

D’Angelo and The Vanguard’s highly anticipated and much buzzed about brand new album, Black Messiah. Nearly 15 years in the making, Black Messiah contains 12 tracks of timeless music with poignant and provocative lyrics that requires repeat listening at maximum volume! On the album, D’Angelo is joined by his band, The Vanguard, alongside Pino Palladino, James Gadson and Questlove on various tracks on the album. All lyrics were written by D’Angelo in addition to Q-Tip and Kendra Foster who both wrote lyrics on several songs.

D’Angelo had this to say about Black Messiah in the album’s forward: “‘Black Messiah’ is a hell of a name for an album. It can be easily misunderstood. Many will think it’s about religion. Some will jump to the conclusion that I’m calling myself a Black Messiah. For me the title is about all of us. It’s about the world. It’s about an idea we can all aspire to. We should all aspire to be a Black Messiah. It’s about people rising up in Ferguson and in Egypt and in Occupy Wall Street and everyplace where a community has had enough and decides to make change happen. It’s not about praising one charismatic leader but celebrating thousands of them. Not every song on this album is politically charged (though many are) but calling this album Black Messiah creates a landscape where these songs can live to the fullest. Black Messiah is not one man. It’s a feeling that, collectively, we are all that leader.”

The one-eighty Questlove promised back in 2012, when the drummer and producer persuaded D’Angelo to perform for the first time in a dozen years, turns out to be closer to a ten. As those who caught later gigs and subsequent uploads could attest, there were no signs that D’Angelo — enigmatic maker of two classics that twisted gospel, soul, funk, and hip-hop with aloof but deep-feeling swagger — was developing his third studio album with production pointers from David Guetta or elocution lessons from Glee’s vocal director. Instead, he’s made another album that invites comparisons to the purposefully sloppy funk of Sly & the Family Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On. It’s more outward-looking, refined, and bristly than what preceded it, however, and has much in common with releases from retro-progressive peers like Van Hunt and Bilal. D’Angelo retains the rhythmic core that helped him create Voodoo, namely Questlove, bassist Pino Palladino, and trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and adds many players to the mix, including guitarist Jesse Johnson and drummers James Gadson and Chris Dave. Q-Tip contributed to the writing of two songs, but a greater impact is made by Kendra Foster, who co-wrote the same pair, as well as six additional numbers, and can often be heard in the background. The societal ruminations within the fiery judder of “1000 Deaths,” the dreamy churn of “The Charade,” and the falsetto blues of “Till It’s Done,” fueled as much by current planetary ills and race relations as the same ones that prompted the works of D’Angelo’s heroes, strike the deepest. Among the material that concerns spirituality, devotion, lost love, and lust, D’Angelo and company swing, float, and jab to nonstop grimace-inducing effect. On the surface, “Sugah Daddy” seems like an unassuming exercise in fusing black music innovations that span decades, and then, through close listening, the content of D’Angelo’s impish gibberish becomes clear. At the other end, there’s “Another Life,” a wailing, tugging ballad for the ages that sounds like a lost Chicago-Philly hybrid, sitar and all, with a mix that emphasizes the drums. Black Messiah clashes with mainstream R&B trends as much as Voodoo did in 2000. Unsurprisingly, the artist’s label picked this album’s tamest, most traditional segment — the acoustic ballad “Really Love” — as the first song serviced to commercial radio. It’s the one closest to “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” the Voodoo cut that, due to its revealing video, made D’Angelo feel as if his image was getting across more than his music. In the following song, the strutting “Back to the Future (Part I),” D’Angelo gets wistful about a lost love and directly references that chapter: “So if you’re wondering about the shape I’m in/I hope it ain’t my abdomen that you’re referring to.” The mere existence of his third album evinces that, creatively, he’s doing all right. That the album reaffirms the weakest-link status of his singular debut is something else. –Andy Kellman

Tracklist:
1 Ain’t That Easy 4:49
2 1000 Deaths 5:49
3 The Charade 3:20
4 Sugah Daddy 5:02
5 Really Love 5:44
6 Back To the Future (Part I) 5:22
7 Till It’s Done (Tutu) 3:51
8 Prayer 4:32
9 Betray My Heart 5:55
10 The Door 3:08
11 Back To the Future (Part II) 2:24
12 Another Life 5:58

Personnel:
D’Angelo – piano, synthesizers, organ, keyboards, guitar, bass, sitar, background vocals
Spanky Alford, Jesse Johnson, Mark Hammond – guitar
Isaiah Sharkey – sitar, guitar
Pino Palladino – bass
Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson – drums, drum programming
James Gadson, Chris Dave – drums
Kendra Foster, Jermane Holmes, Ahrell Lumzy – background vocals
Roy Hargrove – trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, brass
Alex Budman, Anatoly Rosinsky, Assa Drori, Bill Reichenbach (2), Chuck Berghoffer*, Elizabeth Wilson (3), Maurice Grants – strings, woodwind
Brent Fischer – conductor
Gina – vocals [spoken word]

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFME1ETTVORGMF9/DAngeloAndTheVanguardBlackMessiah20149624.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFME1ETTVORGsF9/DAngeloAndTheVanguardBlackMessiah20149624.part2.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/33f491d8756c90100222cd19e0c2a542/DAngeloAndTheVanguardBlackMessiah20149624.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/e2baa58d65fbe80d6a8ff59325428ae2/DAngeloAndTheVanguardBlackMessiah20149624.part2.rar.html


Kasia Lins – Take My Tears (2013) [24-96]

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Kasia Lins – Take My Tears (2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96kHz | Time – 00:45:15 minutes | 963 MB | Genre: Jazz, Soul
Official Digital Download – Source: evo88.com | © Evosound
Recorded: Disk Eyes Productions, Bellevue, WA; Ocean Way Studios, Nashville, TN.

Young & Beautiul, here’s the debut album from Kasia Lins, a rising bright star hailed from Poland. Kasia fell in love and started playing the piano at a tender age of 7. Growing up with a strong passion for music, she has explored various genres of music with jazz as her most favourite. She began writing her own original compositions at 19 and is now ready to show the world what her talents have to offer.

Kasia’s talents have not gone unnoticed, evident with the star-studded support on her debut album. Her self-composed debut album was recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville with a host of seasoned musicians which includes Nick Manson (jazz pianist and arranger), Zoro (drummer from Lenny Kravitz Band), Pat Bergeson (Guitarist) and two other Tower of Power members; Jerry Cortez (guitarist) and Tom Politzer (world renowned saxophonist).

The first song “Liar” also has Kasia teaming up with veteran vocalist Larry Braggs, who recently left his position as lead vocalist of the legendary Tower Of Power to focus on his solo career.

Listening to the album, you can hear the youth and fun in the modern tunes and laid-back vibes that Kasia has portrayed so very well. There’s enough Jazz, enough Pop and every other music genre in this album for the young and old to immerse and love the music of Kasia Lins.

 

Tracklist:
1. Liar 4:03
2. Reason 4:05
3. Ain’t Gonna Wait 4:25
4. Go Away 2:43
5. Hold On 3:14
6. Yesterday 2:43
7. Sober 2:48
8. Take My Tears 3:44
9. Don’t Know Me 2:27
10. What If 4:22
11. Wonder Why 3:06
12. Cover Me 3:22
13. Man In The Mirror 4:12

Personnel:
Kasia Lins – Composer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Pat Bergeson – Guitar
Larry Braggs – Vocals
Charlie Chadwick – Bass
Jerry Cortez – Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
Connye Florance – Vocals (Background)
Barry Green – Trombone
Darelle Holden – Vocals (Background)
Andy Leftwich – Violin
Nick Manson – Drum Programming, Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Piano, Wurlitzer, Wurlitzer Piano
Daniel O’Lannerghty – Bass
Steve Patrick – Trumpet
Tom Politzer – Sax (Tenor)
Roger Smith – Hammond B3
Brian Steiner – Congas, Shaker
Zoro – Drums

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFME5qSTRPVEkF9/KasiaLinsTakeMyTears20139624.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFME5qSTRPVEEF9/KasiaLinsTakeMyTears20139624.part2.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/ba931e87ba0a26aa8d0237af2b3d5df6/KasiaLinsTakeMyTears20139624.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/1cd6fb6742e8abf6b3ea195a3399f236/KasiaLinsTakeMyTears20139624.part2.rar.html

Lionel Richie – Dancing On The Ceiling (1985/2015) [Qobuz 24-192]

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Lionel Richie – Dancing On The Ceiling (1985/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192kHz | Time – 00:46:34 minutes | 1,93 GB | Genre: Soul, R&B
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Motown Records
Recorded: 1985-1986

Dancing on the Ceiling is Lionel Richie’s third solo album, recorded beginning in 1985 and released in mid-1986. The album was originally to be titled Say You, Say Me, after the Academy Award-winning track of the same name, but it was renamed after Richie rewrote the album. The album was released to generally positive reviews and warm sales, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 and moving 4 million copies. Following the album’s release Richie went on a long hiatus, releasing his first album of entirely new material ten years later.

 

 

Lionel Richie wasn’t necessarily emboldened by the success of Can’t Slow Down — after all, he had experienced huge success since the Commodores — but there is nevertheless a sense of swagger on its 1986 successor, Dancing on the Ceiling. This isn’t entirely a good thing, since it means he indulges in silliness (the title track) and sappiness (“Ballerina Girl”) in equal measure, seemingly without quite realizing how ridiculous either extreme is. Maybe that’s because he still has a strong sense of popcraft, something that makes “Dancing in the Ceiling” stick in the head even if its lyrics are awful, something that makes “Ballerina Girl” work for a slow dance even if it is awfully sugary. This dichotomy is evident throughout the record, as Richie pulls out good music even if he indulges all of his worst impulses a little bit too much. He adds a bit more dance to this album, and while the grooves are funkier than anything since the Commodores, they run on too long — at eight minutes, “Don’t Stop” takes its title command far too seriously. This same tendency is apparent on the ballads and slower songs, which all stay around a little longer than they should, something that gives the impression that this record is a little less focused or consistent than the two blockbusters that preceded it. While it is true that there is nothing here nearly as good as the hits on Lionel Richie and Can’t Slow Down, it also is true that on a track-by-track level, it’s more consistent, never having resorting to the formless filler that peppered those two otherwise excellent records. This is a good thing, but it would have been better if the record had boasted one or two undeniable singles, or, if it didn’t, would at least have been a little tighter. That said, Dancing on the Ceiling is a solid, enjoyable affair — a comedown after the peaks of Lionel Richie and Can’t Slow Down, and one that suggests that Richie needed the extended break he took after its release, but a good record all the same. –Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:
1 Dancing On The Ceiling 4:32
2 Se La 5:53
3 Ballerina Girl 3:37
4 Don’t Stop 8:07
5 Deep River Woman 4:37
6 Love Will Conquer All 5:40
7 Tonight Will Be Alright 5:07
8 Say You, Say Me 4:01
9 Night Train (Smooth Alligator) 4:57

Personnel:
Drums, Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa, Sheila E., Greg Phillinganes, Paul Leim, Lionel Richie, John Robinson, Narada Michael Walden
Bass: Joe Chemay, Nathan East, Randy Jackson, Abraham Laboriel, Neil Stubenhaus
Guitars: Vernon “Ice” Black, Eric Clapton, Dave Cochran, Charles Fearing, Tim May, Steve Lukather, Carlos Rios, Louis Shelton
Keyboards, Synthesizers: John Barnes, Dave Cochrane, Preston Glass, Michael Lang, Neil Larsen, Greg Phillinganes, Tiger Head Preston, Lionel Richie, Carlos Rios
Programming: John Barnes, Greg Phillinganes, Narada Michael Walden
Saxophone: Dave Cochran

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFMU16UXpOelUF9/LionelRichieDancingOnTheCeiling198519224.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFMU16UXpOelkF9/LionelRichieDancingOnTheCeiling198519224.part2.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFMU16UXpPVEEF9/LionelRichieDancingOnTheCeiling198519224.part3.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/4837892de7cf353547a8d9129c815887/LionelRichieDancingOnTheCeiling198519224.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/e1b6eb967a6cf9c0652d4c613719a4c9/LionelRichieDancingOnTheCeiling198519224.part2.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/3891831e38aac9308b5735ffbb10f461/LionelRichieDancingOnTheCeiling198519224.part3.rar.html

Stuff – Stuff (1976) [Japanese Limited SHM-SACD 2011] {SACD-R + FLAC 24-88.2}

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Stuff – Stuff (1976) [Japanese Limited SHM-SACD 2011]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 41:31 minutes | Scans included | 1,69 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Full Scans included | 781 MB
or DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | 1,64 GB
Genre: Funk, Soul, Jazz

Stuff was a legendary fusion group that existed briefly in the late 1970s. They were quite popular for a few years, recording four albums for Warner Bros. and having occasional reunions in the 80s. Under the leadership of bassist Gordon Edwards, first-call New York studio musicians got together and mostly played for their own fun.

Stuff never won the respect of bop snobs, but that isn’t what they were going for. The band’s specialty was an accessible, groove-oriented blend of jazz, R&B, and pop, and not everyone who bought their records was a jazz expert. Though some of Stuff’s fans knew a lot about jazz, others were Average White Band or Chaka Khan fans who bought the occasional Grover Washington, Jr. album. Stuff’s LPs weren’t amazing, but they were generally likable. That is the case with this self-titled debut album, which was produced by Herb Lovelle and Tommy LiPuma and earned the band a loyal following in 1976. While congenial tunes like “Reflections of Divine Love” and “Foots” aren’t breathtaking, they’re pleasant and easy to like. Guitarist Eric Gale, drummer Steve Gadd, and other Stuff members were capable of a lot more. Nonetheless, the band’s recording career was off to a decent, if unremarkable, start with this 1976 LP.

Tracklist:
01. Foots
02. My Sweetness
03. (Do You) Want Some of This
04. Looking For The Juice
05. Reflections of Divine Love
06. How Long Will It Last
07. Sun Song
08. Happy Farms
09. Dixie / Up On The Roof

SACD-R

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFM056Z3lOVE0F9/StuffStuff1976Japan2011SHMSACD.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFM056Z3lOVGsF9/StuffStuff1976Japan2011SHMSACD.part2.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFM056Z3lOVGcF9/StuffStuff1976Japan2011SHMSACD.part3.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/f9e74eeb2076cfe6b80f524e1bd66158/StuffStuff1976Japan2011SHMSACD.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/c0905246c1dd4aa69da5d3c705c717d0/StuffStuff1976Japan2011SHMSACD.part2.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/740c474be35663346287d90abe28fe63/StuffStuff1976Japan2011SHMSACD.part3.rar.html

FLAC 24-88.2

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFM056Z3lOVEEF9/StuffStuff1976Japan2011FLAC2488.2.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFM056Z3lORFUF9/StuffStuff1976Japan2011FLAC2488.2.part2.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/070b2ed56737026ce2770440f8bdf592/StuffStuff1976Japan2011FLAC2488.2.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/a7cf8d0bf9fbcaf02f7578c249a01e4d/StuffStuff1976Japan2011FLAC2488.2.part2.rar.html

Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2006/2015) [HDTracks 24-96]

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Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2006/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96kHz | Time – 35:56 minutes | 757 MB | Genre: Jazz, R&B, Soul
Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks |  @ Island Records
Recorded: Dapking Studios, Chung King Studios, Metropolis Studios, Daptone Studios, Allido

Amy Winehouse began thinking about what she’d like to do with her second record while in the middle of the campaign for her universally acclaimed, platinum selling debut Frank. Frank was her grand and suitably blunt-speaking break-up record, sometimes a little bitter, with a maturity in the vocal delivery that was never less than sweet. It won her a battalion of fans around the world and marked her out as one of the most distinct new voices in pop; confessional, elemental and with that rarest of combinations: humour and soul. Amy had cut through to the core of the human condition with her debut, adding her own jazzy witticisms to the legacy of the greats. So how to follow it up?

 

Musically, she was sure where she wanted to go. “I didn’t want to play the jazz thing up too much again” she says now, sitting in the snug of her favourite Camden boozer, ”I was bored of complicated chord structures and needed something more direct. I’d been listening to a lot of girl-groups from the fifties and sixties. I liked the simplicity of that stuff. It just gets to the point. So I started thinking about writing songs in that way.” You can hear it on the subtley Supremes-referencing intro of Back To Black. But her reach stretches further. While the girl-groups of the sixties to which she had become enthralled contained their vocals, Amy can break loose with Aretha-style vocal stylings on “Just Friends” or by turning the whole idea of drying out into a gospel spiritual on the stunning opener “Rehab”. Which other female British singer could turn the opening line on her album – “try to make me go to rehab/I say no, no, no” into a churchy stomp.

Armed, as ever, with only her acoustic guitar, a packet of ever-present fags and a bursting imagination, Amy set about distilling her experiences since the arrival of Frank into song. She is one of the most delightful storytellers on the subject of her own inspiration. “If I haven’t done it, I just can’t put it into a song. It has to be autobiographical.” Songwriting for Amy is like keeping a journal. “It’s an exorcism. I get all my stuff out there. If I didn’t have this medium to get my experiences across, I would be lost.” ‘Lost’ in Amy’s language concurs with the ‘lost’ of the soul greats: just listen to her heartbreaking metaphors in the sublime “Love is a Losing Game”. This is classic modern songwriting and delivery; brief, to the point and drenched in emotion.

So to the experiences themselves. Where to start? The Nas gig that she didn’t get to go to because some guy wouldn’t get her a ticket? How do you manage to turn that into a tale of female empowerment, as she does on the superb Me and Mr Jones. The eternal love triangle of one ex-boyfriend who she knew was no use and a new one who has his name emblazoned right next to her heart in a tattoo? The pain of heartbreak? The joy of new love? The stunning personal epiphany that perhaps you can behave just as badly as all those guys that have messed you around and stamped all over you, as she declares unapologetically on “I’m No Good”?

Or the feeling that when things go wrong you deteriorate into a black space that you have to physically lift yourself out of? That’s there on the bluesy smooch of the title track, “Back To Black”. While she is interested in deep emotional resonance of love both lost and found, she is just as happy decrying the boy who comes round to her house and smokes all her pot “Addicted”. Amy is one funny, smart lady. And does it need pointing out that there’s hardly enough of those to go round in the current pop milieu.

Amy’s refined new songwriting approach has been grafted onto some of the most astonishing, stunning material of her short career so far. Her fearlessness as a lyric writer has no peer. While other girls of her young vintage – she’s still only 22 – like to turn a comic motif out of their relationship histories or deal in generic pop emotions, she smarts at the idea of being anything less than brutally honest. “What’s the point of not being?” she quizzes, with a sanguine charm. Yet she knows she can be funny too. “You’ve got to get that in there. Life is funny and sad, sometimes both at the same time.”

Amy reunited with Frank producer Salaam Remi in Miami for a two week, whistle-stop recording tour and they found magic once again. Promptly she decamped to New York to work with man of the moment Mark Ronson, managing to book a spare moment between his work on the Lily Allen, Robbie Williams and Christina Aguilera albums. In her three weeks of studio time she found a new soul and direction, one that both channelled the girl groups of her fancy but placed them slap bang into the middle of modernity. “I’m not quite sure how the record turned out to sound so complete but I knew that when I decided to record it in a couple of weeks I wanted it to sound like it had been.” The songs are built around the classic three minute pop motif. Nothing is over-egged. “Back To Black” is a coherent piece, built for listening in one sitting.

Amy isn’t certain how she turned into one of those girls that isn’t afraid of the darker experiences in life and turning them into something witty and truthful, but she’s glad it turned out that way. “I always want to feel something. Because I know that I can write a song and deliver it to get it out of me if a situation turns bad. I understand myself so much better after I’ve written a song about something.” Music is not just her defence mechanism. It is her lifeline. In the two years since Frank caused such a ruckus by presenting this voluble and extraordinary human being centre stage, Amy thinks its only circumstances that have changed, not her. But you can see it in her increasingly creative body art, her slightly more aggressive eye make-up and the great swoop of black hair that cascades across her face and down her back. This time, Amy Winehouse has charted her progress from girlhood to womanhood. It suits her.

Tracklist:
1. Rehab 03:34
2. You Know I’m No Good 04:17
3. Me & Mr. Jones 02:33
4. Just Friends 03:13
5. Back To Black 04:01
6. Love Is A Losing Game 02:35
7. Tears Dry On Their Own 03:06
8. Wake Up Alone 03:42
9. Some Unholy War 02:22
10. He Can Only Hold Her 02:46
11. Addicted 02:45

Personnel:
Amy Winehouse – vocals, backing vocals, guitar
John Adams – organ, piano, Rhodes
Ade – backing vocals
Troy Auxilly-Wilson – drums, tambourine
Victor Axelrod – claps, Wurlitzer
Mark Berrow – violin
Dave Bishop – baritone saxophone
Rachel Bolt – viola
Thomas Brenneck – guitar
Chris Davis – alto saxophone
Liz Edwards – violin
Richard Edwards – tenor trombone
Chris Elliott – orchestra arrangement and conducting
Cochemea Gastelum – baritone saxophone
Binky Griptite – guitar
Dave Guy – trumpet
Peter Hanson – violin
John Heley – cello
Ian Hendrickson-Smith – baritone saxophone
Vincent Henry – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, celesta, clarinet, flute, guitar, piano, saxophone, tenor saxophone
Joely Koos – cello
Sam Koppelman – percussion
Boguslaw Kostecki – violin
Andy Mackintosh – alto saxophone
Perry Montague-Mason – violin, orchestra leader
Nick Movshon – bass
Everton Nelson – violin
Tom Piggott-Smith – violin
Anthony Pleeth – cello
Bruce Purse – bass trumpet, flugelhorn, trumpet
Jonathan Rees – violin
Salaam Remi – bass, drums, guitar, piano, producer, upright bass
Frank Ricotti – percussion
Mark Ronson – band arrangement, claps, engineer, producer, snaps, tambourine
Gabriel Roth – band arrangement, engineer
Steve Sidwell – trumpet
Mike Smith – tenor saxophone
Homer Steinweiss – drums
Neal Sugarman – tenor saxophone
Jamie Talbot – tenor saxophone
Jon Thorne – viola
Chris Tombling – violin
Helen Tunstall – harp
Bruce White – viola
Katie Wilkinson – viola
James Wisner – mixing assistant
Zalon – backing vocals
Warren Zielinski – violin

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFM09UQTRNREkF9/AmyWinehouseBackToBlack20069624.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFM09UQTRNREUF9/AmyWinehouseBackToBlack20069624.part2.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/15b63ed1bb7a054d57de491b8451fd73/AmyWinehouseBackToBlack20069624.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/a5f327da846986dca0bffa63b2d44e65/AmyWinehouseBackToBlack20069624.part2.rar.html

Chic – The Studio Album Collection 1977-1992 (2014) [HDTracks 24-192]

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Chic – The Studio Album Collection: 1977-1992 (2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 5:27:22 minutes | 12 GB | Genre: Disco, Soul, R&B, Funk
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks  | @ Atlantic Records
Recorded: 1977-92

The supreme disco band, led by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards; released four Top Ten singles and collaborated with Sister Sledge and Diana Ross. This eight disc box set of disco band Chic’s studio albums spanning from 1977 to 1992. Includes albums: Chic, C’est Chic, Risqué, Real People, Take It Off, Tongue in Chic, Believer, and Chic-Ism. Dance your way through all eight discs!

There can be little argument that Chic was disco’s greatest band; and, working in a heavily producer-dominated field, they were most definitely a band. By the time Chic appeared in the late ’70s, disco was already slipping into the excess that eventually caused its downfall. Chic bucked the trend by stripping disco’s sound down to its basic elements; their funky, stylish grooves had an organic sense of interplay that was missing from many of their overproduced competitors. Chic’s sound was anchored by the scratchy, James Brown-style rhythm guitar of Nile Rodgers and the indelible, widely imitated (sometimes outright stolen) bass lines of Bernard Edwards; as producers, they used keyboard and string embellishments economically, which kept the emphasis on rhythm. Chic’s distinctive approach not only resulted in some of the finest dance singles of their time, but also helped create a template for urban funk, dance-pop, and even hip-hop in the post-disco era. Not coincidentally, Rodgers and Edwards wound up as two of the most successful producers of the ’80s.

Chic – Chic (1977/2012)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 38:54 minutes | 1,32 GB
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks | Front cover

When Chic’s self-titled debut album came out in 1978, many rock critics gave it very negative reviews and failed to see just how rhythmically and harmonically exciting Chic’s blend of funk, soul, and Euro-disco was. But one critic who often gave Chic favorable coverage was Don Waller, who hit the nail on the head when he exalted the band as “an uptown version of Booker T & the MG’s.” It was a most insightful analogy — Chic’s music was a lot sleeker than Booker T & the MG’s raw, instrumental Memphis soul, but like Booker T., the Niles Rodgers/Bernard Edwards team turned out some of the most infectious and influential R&B party grooves of their era. Although not quite as strong as Chic’s next two albums — C’est Chic and Risqué — would be, this highly enjoyable album put the group on the map commercially thanks to the infectious hits “Dance, Dance, Dance” and “Everybody Dance.” Some rock critics saw Chic as just another faceless disco production, but, in fact, the opposite is true — with this album, Chic fashioned a very distinctive and recognizable sound that proved to be as influential in its era as Booker T & the MGs were in theirs. The sound that Chic established with this album was one that everyone from Queen and ABC to Sister Sledge, the Sugarhill Gang, and Madonna would benefit from.

Tracklist:
01 – Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)
02 – Sao Paulo
03 – You Can Get By
04 – Everybody Dance
05 – Est-Ce Que C’est Chic
06 – Falling In Love With You
07 – Strike Up The Band

Chic – C’est Chic (1978/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 42:08 minutes | 1,61 GB
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks | Front cover

Released in 1978, just as disco began to peak, C’est Chic and its pair of dancefloor anthems, “Le Freak” and “I Want Your Love,” put Chic at the top of that dizzying peak. The right album at the right time, C’est Chic is essentially a rehash of Chic, the group’s so-so self-titled debut from a year earlier. That first album also boasted a pair of floor-filling anthems, “Dance Dance Dance” and “Everybody Dance,” and, like C’est Chic, it filled itself out with a mix of disco and ballads. So, essentially, C’est Chic does everything its predecessor did, except it does so masterfully: each side similarly gets its timeless floor-filler (“Le Freak,” “I Want Your Love”), quiet storm come-down (“Savoir Faire,” “At Last I Am Free”), feel-good album track (“Happy Man,” “Sometimes You Win”), and moody album capper (“Chic Cheer,” “[Funny] Bone”). Producers Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers were quite a savvy pair and knew that disco was as much a formula as anything. As evidenced here, they definitely had their fingers on the pulse of the moment, and used their perceptive touch to craft one of the few truly great disco albums. In fact, you could even argue that C’est Chic very well may be the definitive disco album. After all, countless artists scored dancefloor hits, but few could deliver an album this solid, and nearly as few could deliver one this epochal as well. C’est Chic embodies everything wonderful and excessive about disco at its pixilated peak. It’s anything but subtle with its at-the-disco dancefloor mania and after-the-disco bedroom balladry, and Edwards and Rodgers are anything but whimsical with their disco-ballad-disco album sequencing and pseudo-jet-set Euro poshness. Chic would follow C’est Chic with “Good Times,” the group’s crowning achievement, but never again would Edwards and Rodgers assemble an album as perfectly calculated as C’est Chic.

Tracklist:
01 – Chic Cheer
02 – Le Freak
03 – Savoir Faire
04 – Happy Man
05 – I Want Your Love
06 – At Last I Am Free
07 – Sometimes You Win
08 – (Funny) Bone

Chic – Risqué (1979/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 36:53 minutes | 1,3 GB
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks | Front cover

Chic was very much in its prime when it recorded its third album, Risqué, which contained hits that ranged from “My Feet Keep Dancing” and “My Forbidden Lover” to the influential “Good Times.” That feel-good manifesto is one of the first songs that comes to mind when one thinks of the disco era and the Jimmy Carter years, but Chic’s popularity certainly wasn’t limited to the disco crowd. The fact that “Good Times” became the foundation for both the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” and Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” tells you a lot — it underscores the fact that Chic was influencing everyone from early rappers to art rockers. A group that many rock critics were so quick to dismiss was having an impact in many different areas. From hip-hoppers to new wavers in London and Manchester, Risqué was considered primary listening. And Risqué is impressive not only because of its up-tempo cuts, but also because of slow material that includes the lush “A Warm Summer Night” and the dramatic ballad “Will You Cry (When You Hear This Song).” Risqué is definitely among Chic’s essential albums.

Tracklist:
01 – Good Times
02 – A Warm Summer Night
03 – My Feet Keep Dancing
04 – My Forbidden Lover
05 – Can’t Stand To Love You
06 – Will You Cry (When You Hear This Song)
07 – What About Me

Chic – Real People (1980/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 37:36 minutes | 1,32 GB
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks | Front cover

In the early ’80s, Chic’s influence on other artists was hard to miss. Change, Fantasy, Luther Vandross, the Talking Heads, Grace Jones and Queen were among the many artists who were incorporating elements of the Chic sound. It was ironic and quite amusing to hear some members of the “Death to Disco!” brigade blaring Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” on their car stereos during the summer of 1980, for that funk-rock ditty was obviously based on “Good Times.” But Chic itself was seeing its popularity start to fade, and fans were realizing that the group had reached its creative peak in the late ’70s. Like other albums that Chic recorded in the early ’80s, Real People is competent but less than essential. Diehard fans will find that while “Rebels Are We,” “I Got Protection” and “Chip off the Old Block” are likable and catchy, they aren’t in a class with “Good Times” or “Le Freak.” This is a decent album, but it’s also the work of a group that was past its prime.

Tracklist:
01 – Open Up
02 – Real People (Single Edit)
03 – I Loved You More
04 – I Got Protection
05 – Rebels Are We (Single Edit)
06 – Chip Off The Old Block
07 – 26
08 – You Can’t Do It Alone

Chic – Take It Off (1981/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 46:06 minutes | 1,43 GB
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks | Front cover

In 1981, a lot of rock & rollers were claiming that the disco era was officially over. Disco, of course, never really died — a lot of the dance-pop, house music, Hi-NRG, and Latin freestyle that was recorded in the ’80s and ’90s was essentially disco — but as far as many of the radio stations and record company A&R men of 1981 were concerned, disco was dead. And that was bad news for Chic, a group closely identified with the disco era. Even though a lot of Chic’s work had as much to do with funk and soul as it did with the Euro-disco sound, Chic was unable to live down its reputation as a disco group. But Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards gave it a try with 1981’s Take It Off, an admirable, if uneven, project that finds the group downplaying the Euro-disco elements. With R&B and funk as the foundation, Chic tries to branch out by incorporating elements of pop-rock on “Your Love Is Canceled,” and jazz on “Flash Back” and “So Fine” (which shouldn’t be confused with the “So Fine” that Kashif produced for R&B singer Howard Johnson in 1982). In fact, a few of Rogers’ guitar solos give the impression that he’d been listening to a lot of Wes Montgomery. But as likable as the LP is, it didn’t contain a major hit — the single “Stage Fright” only made it to #34 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. And for a group that had enjoyed #1 pop and R&B smashes only two and three years earlier, that was certainly disappointing.

Tracklist:
01 – Stage Fright
02 – Burn Hard
03 – So Fine
04 – Flash Back
05 – Telling Lies
06 – Your Love Is Cancelled
07 – Would You Be My Baby
08 – Take It Off
09 – Just Out Of Reach
10 – Baby Doll

Chic – Tongue In Chic (1982/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 32:07 minutes | 1,17 GB
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks | Front cover

None of the albums that Chic recorded from 1980 to 1983 can be called essential, and none of them are in a class with C’est Chic or Risqué. Even so, they were generally respectable, and they didn’t deserve to be ignored. When Tongue in Chic came out in 1982, the only people who were still buying Chic’s albums were its most diehard fans. Black radio no longer seemed to be interested, which is ironic because the R&B charts of the early ’80s were full of Chic-influenced groups (Change, High Fashion, Fantasy, among many others). Although Tongue in Chic isn’t among the group’s best albums and didn’t contain any radio hits, it isn’t a bad album either. “Hangin’,” “Chic (Everybody Say),” and “I Feel Your Love Comin’ On,” demonstrated that Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were still quite capable of providing infectious R&B/funk grooves, and “City Lights” almost sounds like an example of early house music — which isn’t all that surprising when you consider that Marshall Jefferson and many other house icons were major Chic fans.

Tracklist:
01 – Hangin’
02 – I Feel Your Love Comin’ On
03 – When You Love Someone
04 – Chic (Everybody Say)
05 – Hey Fool
06 – Sharing Love
07 – City Lights

Chic – Believer (1983/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 36:35 minutes | 1,3 GB
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks | Front cover

If Prince and Shalamar — two artists who made their recording debuts in the late ’70s — could be relevant to the urban contemporary scene of 1983 and even cross over to pop-rock/new wave audiences, why not Chic? Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards hoped that Chic could, which is why 1983’s Believer finds the group updating its sound with generally appealing, if uneven, results. Using a lot more keyboards and drum machines and favoring a more high-tech production style, Rogers and Edwards sound like they’re trying hard to live down their reputation as a late ’70s disco act. Urban contemporary considerations are strong, and some of the songs might have reached pop-rock and new wave audiences with the right promotion. The infectious “Party Everybody” contains more rapping than singing, and acknowledges hip-hop’s popularity, which is appropriate considering how often hip-hoppers have sampled Chic over the years. And even though Believer falls short of being a gem, you have to admire Chic’s ability to update its approach while continuing to sound incredibly distinctive. But the LP didn’t contain any hit singles, and Believer would be Chic’s last album for Atlantic. Chic broke up in 1985, although they reunited for 1992’s uneven Chic-ism and 1996’s superb Live at the Budokhan (neither of which were big sellers). The ironic thing is that while Rodgers and Edwards were very much in demand as producers during the ’80s (when Rodgers produced such superstars as Duran Duran, Madonna, David Bowie, and the B-52s, and Edwards worked with the Power Station, Rod Stewart, Robert Palmer, and Jody Watley, among others), Chic itself never returned to the top of the charts.

Tracklist:
01 – Believer
02 – You Are Beautiful
03 – Take A Closer Look
04 – Give Me The Lovin’
05 – Show Me Your Light
06 – You Got Some Love For Me
07 – In Love With Music
08 – Party Everybody

Chic – Chic-ism (1992/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 63:04 minutes | 2,55 GB
Official Digital Download – Source:HDTracks | Front cover

“Doin’ That Thing to Me” contains a reference to the mythological wizard Merlin in its lyrics. By some strange twist of nature, mythology was certainly at work when those reviewing Chic-Ism on its release in 1992 dismissed it purely because Chic were old hats. In actuality, the worst thing about it is the cover. Chic-Ism certainly isn’t likely to make album of the century listings, but as Chic albums go, it’s fine if a tad ’80s, which is to be expected as it was recorded only two years into the ’90s. What were critics expecting of Chic — synthesizers à la Kraftwerk? Kicking in with the infectious “Chic Mystique,” a little too long at six and a half minutes, it’s pretty much business as usual. This leads into “Your Love” and “Jusagroove,” both keeping pace before slowing down for “One and Only One.” “In It to Win It” is a perfect update of their New York disco-funk style, a recipe that bands like the Brand New Heavies emulated in later years. The last stretch of the album includes “High,” a beauty that is close enough a slowed down “Good Times.” “MMFTCF (Make My Funk the Chic Funk)” and a better edited reprise of “Mystique” conclude.

Tracklist:
01 – Chic Mystique
02 – Your Love
03 – Jusagroove
04 – Something You Can Feel
05 – One And Only One
06 – Doin’ That Thing To Me
07 – Chicism
08 – In It To Win It
09 – My Love’s For Real
10 – Take My Love
11 – High
12 – M.M.F.T.C.F.
13 – Chic Mystique (Reprise)

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Earth, Wind & Fire – All ‘N All (1977) [Qobuz 24-96]

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Earth, Wind & Fire – All ‘N All (1977)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96kHz  | Time – 00:38:58 minutes | 912 MB | Genre: R&B, Soul, Funk
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Columbia Records
Recorded: August 1977 at Hollywood Sound and The Burbank Studios, California

All ‘N All is the eighth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1977 on Columbia Records. It is one of the group’s most well known albums and has been certified triple platinum in the United States for sales of three million copies by the RIAA, gold in Canada by Music Canada and silver in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry.

 

All ‘N All reached number three on the Pop Album chart and stayed at number one on the Black Album chart for nine weeks. All ‘N All was also the bestselling R&B album of 1978. The album features hit songs such as “I’ll Write A Song For You”, “Serpentine Fire”, “Love’s Holiday”, and the pop hit “Fantasy”.
Earth, Wind & Fire’s artistic and commercial winning streak continued with its ninth album, All ‘N All, the diverse jewel that spawned major hits like “Serpentine Fire” and the dreamy “Fantasy.” Whether the visionary soul men are tearing into the hardest of funk on “Jupiter” or the most sentimental of ballads on “I’ll Write a Song for You” (which boasts one of Philip Bailey’s many soaring, five-star performances), All ‘N All was a highly rewarding addition to EWF’s catalog. Because EWF had such a clean-cut image and fared so well among pop audiences, some may have forgotten just how sweaty its funk could be. But “Jupiter” — like “Mighty, Mighty,” “Shining Star,” and “Getaway” — underscores the fact that EWF delivered some of the most intense and gutsy funk of the 1970s. –AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson

Tracklist:
1 Serpentine Fire 3:51
2 Fantasy 4:38
3 In The Market Place (Interlude) 0:43
4 Jupiter 3:55
5 Love’s Holiday 5:43
6 Brazilian Rhyme (Interlude) 1:20
7 I’ll Write A Song For You 5:23
8 Magic Mind 3:39
9 Runnin’ 6:45
10 Brazilian Rhyme (Interlude) 1:20
11 Be Ever Wonderful 5:08

Personnel:
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Donald Myrick
Arranged By [Horns, Strings] – Tom Tom 84
Drums – Fred White, Ralph Johnson
Guitar – Al McKay, Johnny Graham
Piano, Synthesizer [Oberheim, Moog] – Larry Dunn
Tenor Saxophone – Andrew Woolfolk
Trombone – Louis Satterfield
Trumpet – Michael Harris
Vocals, Bass – Verdine White
Vocals, Congas, Percussion – Philip Bailey
Vocals, Drums, Kalimba, Producer – Maurice White

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Earth, Wind & Fire – Head To The Sky (1973) [Qobuz 24-96]

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Earth, Wind & Fire – Head To The Sky (1973)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96kHz  | Time – 00:36:35 minutes | 832 MB | Genre: R&B, Soul, Funk
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Columbia Records
Recorded: 1973, Clover Recorders, Hollywood. Mastered at A&M Studios.

Head to the Sky is the 4th studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1973. Their second album on Columbia Records, Head to the Sky was EWF’s first commercially successful album and it has been certified platinum in the United States for sales of over a million copies by the RIAA.

 

As phenomenally popular as Earth, Wind & Fire was from the mid-’70s to the early ’80s, it’s easy to forget that the band was hardly an overnight success. With Head to the Sky — EWF’s fourth album overall, second with Philip Bailey, and second for Columbia — Maurice White’s very spiritual and ambitious brand of soul and funk was starting to pay off commercially. The Latin-influenced “Evil” became the soulsters’ biggest hit up to that point, and material ranging from the hauntingly pretty title song (which boasts one of Bailey’s finest performances ever) to the jazz fusion gem “Zanzibar” is just as rewarding. The lineup White unveiled with Last Days and Time was working out beautifully; Bailey was clearly proving to be a major asset. Also worth noting is the presence of singer Jessica Cleaves, who left after this album and, several years later, resurfaced in George Clinton’s eccentric female group the Brides of Funkenstein. EWF still had what was basically a cult following, but that was beginning to change with Head to the Sky. And when EWF took off commercially in 1974 and 1975, many new converts went back and saw for themselves just how excellent an album Head to the Sky was. –AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson

Tracklist:
1 Evil 4:57
2 Keep Your Head To The Sky 5:08
3 Build Your Nest 3:16
4 The World’s A Masquerade 4:47
5 Clover 5:21
6 Zanzibar 13:00

Personnel:
Arranged By – Earth, Wind & Fire
Clarinet, Piano, Organ – Larry Dunn
Drums, Percussion – Ralph Johnson
Guitar, Percussion – Johnny Graham
Guitar, Sitar, Percussion – Al McKay
Saxophone [Soprano], Flute – Andrew Woolfolks
Vocals – Jessica Cleaves
Vocals, Bass, Percussion – Verdine White
Vocals, Congas, Percussion – Phillip Bailey
Vocals, Drums, Kalimba – Maurice White

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Earth, Wind & Fire – Open Our Eyes (1974) [Qobuz 24-96]

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Earth, Wind & Fire – Open Our Eyes (1974)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96kHz  | Time – 00:39:50 minutes | 848 MB | Genre: R&B, Soul, Funk
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Columbia Records
Recorded: August 1973, Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado, U.S.

Open Our Eyes is the fifth studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1974 on Columbia Records. The album went to number one on the R&B Charts and number 15 on the Pop Charts. Open Our Eyes contained the Billboard charting singles, “Mighty Mighty” (R&B #4, Pop #29), “Devotion” (R&B #23, Pop #33) and “Kalimba Story” (R&B #6, Pop #55). The album was made available in a digitally remastered version in 2001, which includes 4 previously unreleased bonus tracks. Open Our Eyes has been certified platinum in the US by the RIAA.

 

Finally, after almost half a decade of serious dues-paying, Earth, Wind & Fire took off commercially with its fifth album, Open Our Eyes. EWF had been delivering great albums since 1971, but it wasn’t until 1974 that the public proved genuinely receptive to Maurice White’s mystical and unorthodox take on soul and funk. No longer would EWF enjoy only a small cult following. Thanks to treasures like “Kalimba Song,” the gritty funk smoker “Mighty Mighty,” and the unforgettable “Devotion,” Open Our Eyes became EWF’s first gold album and went to the top of the R&B charts. It’s also interesting to note that with this album, singer Jessica Cleaves was gone, resulting in the first time EWF had an all-male lineup. The 2001 CD reissue adds four previously unreleased bonus tracks, one of them a “Walkin’ in N’awlins” mix of “Fair But So Uncool,” though the other three songs did not appear on the original album in an alternate form. –AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson

Tracklist:
1 Mighty Mighty 3:01
2 Devotion 4:49
3 Fair But So Uncool 3:37
4 Feelin’ Blue 4:28
5 Kalimba Story 4:01
6 Drum Song 5:08
7 Tee Nine Chee Bit 3:45
8 Spasmodic Movements 1:41
9 Rabbit Seed 0:32
10 Caribou 3:23
11 Open Our Eyes 4:54

Personnel:
Drums, Percussion – Ralph Johnson
Guitar, Percussion – Johnny Graham
Piano, Organ, Synthesizer [Moog] – Larry Dunn
Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Andrew Woolfolk
Vocals, Bass, Percussion – Verdine White
Vocals, Congas, Percussion – Philip Bailey
Vocals, Drums, Kalimba – Maurice White
Vocals, Guitar, Percussion – Al McKay

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Earth, Wind & Fire – That’s The Way Of The World (1975) [Qobuz 24-96]

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Earth, Wind & Fire – That’s The Way Of The World (1975)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96kHz  | Time – 00:38:51 minutes | 870 MB | Genre: R&B, Soul, Funk
Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | © Columbia Records
Recorded: September 16, 1974 – October 2, 1974, Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado

That’s the Way of the World is a 1975 album by Earth, Wind & Fire released on Columbia Records. It was also the soundtrack for a 1975 motion picture of the same name which featured several of the band members in cameo roles. Included on the album was the single “Shining Star”, which was a #1 U.S. pop and R&B hit. Another popular single was the title track, which reached #12 on the pop chart. The album spent three weeks atop the Billboard Pop Albums Charts, five nonconsecutive weeks atop the Soul Albums chart.
That’s the Way of the World was also the third best-selling pop album and the number one best-selling R&B album of 1975 respectively and has been certified triple platinum in the U.S by the RIAA.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 493 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2012, on a revised list by the magazine, the album listed at #486.

 

Earth, Wind & Fire has delivered more than its share of excellent albums, but if a person could own only one EWF release, the logical choice would be That’s the Way of the World, which was the band’s best album as well as its best-selling. Open Our Eyes had been a major hit and sold over half a million units, but it was World that established EWF as major-league, multi-platinum superstars. Fueled by gems ranging from the sweaty funk of “Shining Star” and “Yearnin’ Learnin’” to the gorgeous ballad “Reasons” and the unforgettable title song, EWF’s sixth album sold at least five million units. And some of the tracks that weren’t major hits, such as the exuberant “Happy Feelin’” and the gospel-influenced “See the Light,” are equally powerful. There are no dull moments on World, one of the strongest albums of the 1970s and EWF’s crowning achievement. –AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson

Tracklist:
1 Shining Star 2:50
2 That’s The Way Of The World 5:45
3 Happy Feelin’ 3:16
4 All About Love 5:30
5 Yearnin’ Learnin’ 3:41
6 Reasons 4:53
7 Africano 5:10
8 See The Light 5:30

Personnel:
Bass – Verdine White
Congas – Philip Bailey
Drums – Fred White, Maurice White, Ralph Johnson
Flute, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Andrew P. Woolfolk
Guitar – Al McKay, Johnny Graham
Kalimba – Maurice White
Percussion – Al McKay, Fred White, Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson, Verdine White
Piano, Organ, Synthesizer [Moog] – Larry Dunn
Vocals – Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNE9UZzBPRGMF9/arthWndFrThatsThWayfThWrld19759624.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNE9UZzBPRFkF9/arthWndFrThatsThWayfThWrld19759624.part2.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/36831a476a5993207d3807601c6118c5/arthWndFrThatsThWayfThWrld19759624.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/403ad8778304c6c3e95aad70e53bf911/arthWndFrThatsThWayfThWrld19759624.part2.rar.html

Eumir Deodato – Happy Hour (1982/2011) [HDTracks 24-192]

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Eumir Deodato – Happy Hour (1982/2011)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192kHz  | Time – 00:36:17 minutes | 1,74 GB  | Genre: Disco, Funk, Soul
Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks | © Warner Bros. Records ‎
Recorded: House of Music, W. Orange, New Jersey.

One of Deodato’s career highlights, this 1982 release finds the wildly talented musician incorporating a more smooth pop sound. The slick and melodious album features a guest appearance by Kelly Baretto, whose R&B style and high octave vocals blends with ease. The album features the hit singles “Keep It In The Family,” “Keep On Movin’” and the title track.

 

Although he was not only heavily involved in producing funkers Kool & the Gang but was elsewhere employed far from his own jazz roots, fusionist Eumir Deodato was still taking the time to perfect his own smooth pop. Happy Hour, released in 1982, is a prime example of the sounds and styles he’d now fully adapted. Sweet and slick, Happy Hour hinges on the upbeat sounds of early-’80s pop, leaving his prior success with disco present but lurking in the background. With vocalist Kelly Barretto taking a turn across the lion’s share of the songs, she set the tone with her clear R&B style and, although it was “Happy Hour” that hit the pop charts, the opening “Keep on Movin’” was a far better example of her prowess. Nearly eight minutes long and built around a smoothly repetitious, delicious, classic Deodato groove, her octave-leaping vocals bound in and out of the mix with ease amid the synth and brass. Elsewhere, Deodato brought in the star power of guest Candi Staton on a barely lukewarm version of the Smokey Robinson classic “The Tears of a Clown,” which focused almost exclusively on an unending alto sax solo. On a happier note, both “Keep It in the Family” and “I Never Get Enough” wrapped up the set with a Motown vibe. But while Happy Hour is easy on the ears, with nice turns spattered throughout, there’s nothing overly remarkable about the set, nor is there anything to recommend it. Deodato was capable of much better, and it would have been nice to hear it. –Amy Hanson

Tracklist:
1 Keep On Movin’ 7:51
2 Happy Hour 4:59
3 Just This One Night 5:03
4 Tears Of A Clown 4:38
5 Sweet Magic 4:16
6 Keep It In The Family 5:04
7 I Never Get Enough 4:26

Personnel:
Alto Saxophone – Nelson Rangell, Steve Greenfield
Backing Vocals – Allison Bragdon, Cynthia Huggins, Eban Kelly, Joan Motley
Bass – Gary Grainger, Neil Jason
Bass, Synthesizer [Bass], Guitar, Synthesizer, Backing Vocals – Jerry Barnes
Bass, Synthesizer [Mini Moog] – Norman Durham
Drums – John Sussewell, John “Broadway” Tucker
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Mark Cohen
Guitar – Alan Thomas, David Brown, George Parrish, Wyatt Staton
Handclaps, Sequenced By [Clap Trap] – Bobby Douglas
Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Vocoder – Katreese Barnes
Keyboards, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Alan Palanker
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Camille, Kelly Barretto
Piano [Keyboard], Synthesizer [Arp Omni, Arp Pro Soloist, Mini Moog], Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer], Congas – Eumir Deodato
Programmed By – Eumir Deodato, Jerry Barnes, Katreese Barnes, Norman Durham, Rick Suchow
Strings – Kermit Moore
Synthesizer [Bass] – Rick Suchow
Synthesizer [Prophet 5] – Michael Mandel
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Malach, Manny Boyd
Trombone – Clifford Adams, Keith Oquinn
Trumpet – Earl Gardner, Michael Ray

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNE9UZzJOamMF9/umrDdatHappyHur198219224.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNE9UZzJOek0F9/umrDdatHappyHur198219224.part2.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNE9UZzJOekUF9/umrDdatHappyHur198219224.part3.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/78e465d9c81c9139f711ce7cbab3467d/umrDdatHappyHur198219224.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/12f789761d9a049e3d0e9646ea2d6c8a/umrDdatHappyHur198219224.part2.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/74f48dfcd284a404b7c9e9cf945ab117/umrDdatHappyHur198219224.part3.rar.html

Bill Withers – Live At Carnegie Hall (1973) [MFSL 2014] {SACD-R + FLAC 24-88.2 + DSF DSD64/2.82MHz}

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Bill Withers – Live At Carnegie Hall (1973) [MFSL 2014]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 79:14 minutes | Scans included | 3,2 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Full Scans included | 1,52 GB
or DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | Source: SACD ISO | 3.14 GB
Genre: Funk, Soul

A wonderful live album that capitalizes on Withers’ trademark melancholy soul sound while expanding the music to fit the room granted by a live show. Lovely versions of “Grandma’s Hands” and “Lean on Me” are balanced by heartfelt downbeat numbers like “Better Off Dead” and “I Can’t Write Left-Handed,” the latter being an anti-war song with a chilling message. The set finishes off with the lengthy “Harlem/Cold Baloney,” with lots of audience-pleased call-and-response going on. One of the best live releases from the ’70s.

Tracklist:
01. Use Me
02. Friend Of Mine
03. Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone
04. Grandma’s Hands
05. World Keeps Going Around
06. Let Me In Your Life
07. Better Off Dead
08. For My Friend
09. I Can’t Write Left-Handed
10. Lean On Me
11. Lonely Town, Lonely Street
12. Hope She’ll Be Happier
13. Let Us Love
14. Harlem/Cold Baloney

Mastered by Shawn R. Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Sebastopol, CA.
UDSACD-2156

SACD-R

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOalkF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOamMF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part2.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOekUF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part3.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOemMF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part4.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOemcF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part5.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/74c71142b14929ee00edbb008865f415/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/8843c9cec41f335b784ac6eaaada6d28/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part2.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/cbe55cb08b5adfb8777b54c8b662cc9c/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part3.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/24cdff585e07da8a31bfc34c6a4c40a0/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part4.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/650e1d3e34b4880ab0053262f8c622f6/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014SACDISO.part5.rar.html

DSF DSD64/2.82MHz

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lNRE0F9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lNRFkF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part2.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOREkF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part3.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lORFUF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part4.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOVEEF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part5.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/a6fd3b645cec71a67e8556d2d1d6af2c/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/f836e4c607fff45db3345579bf7f6770/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part2.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/c93d6c928f6348344ec98f65d0378be9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part3.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/d724c1ae3d65859b74ef02e2eddb2b7a/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part4.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/93efe77ad1c6374d527b83dccf9079a6/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973DSD64.part5.rar.html

FLAC 24-88.2

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOVFEF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014FLAC2488.2.part1.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOakUF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014FLAC2488.2.part2.rar
http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRFNU16Z3lOVGcF9/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014FLAC2488.2.part3.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/b476488f406dce9c100e0c7bc0a1c8d8/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014FLAC2488.2.part1.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/f8c24d4aae43c5a5013df8ebdcaf43c3/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014FLAC2488.2.part2.rar.html
http://rapidgator.net/file/6d9f63965773dff2e481adb35fb25f8c/BillWithersLiveAtCarnegieHall1973MFSL2014FLAC2488.2.part3.rar.html

 

Jill Scott – Woman (2015) [HDTracks 24-44.1]

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Jill Scott – Woman (2015) 
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/44.1 kHz | Time – 00:57:49 minutes | 636 MB | Genre: R&B , Soul
Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks | @ Blues Babe Records / Atlantic Recording Co.
Recorded: April 2013 at Auditorio Radiotelevisione svizzera, Lugano

Woman is three-time GRAMMY award-winning singer-songwriter Jill Scott’s fifth studio album.

The thought provoking titled album is coming off the heels of Jill’s latest singles, “Fool’s Gold” that debuted on May 11th and is currently #7 on Billboard R&B charts and the critically acclaimed, “You Don’t Know”. Executive produced by the vocal powerhouse herself alongside producer extraordinaire Andre Harris (“Long Walk Home” & “Is It The Way”) and Nashville great Aaron Pearce, Jill is describing the sound of this album as “classic Philly soul meets Country rhythm served with impeccable and captivating storytelling”.

After the 2011 album The Light of the Sun, Jill Scott advanced her acting career with roles in Steel Magnolias, Baggage Claim, and With This Ring. She also transferred her Blues Babe label from Warner Bros. to Atlantic and worked on her fifth proper studio album. A month ahead of its release, just after the second single reached the public, Hidden Beach just happened to issue Golden Moments, a compilation of highlights from Scott’s “Words and Sounds” era. Should there be a second Jill Scott anthology, several cuts from Woman would make for obvious selections. The early singles — a wailing update of Jerry Ragovoy’s deep gospel-soul composition “You Don’t Know Nothing About Love” and the relaxed breakbeat-propelled resignation of “Fool’s Gold” — are among the high points. Third single “Closure,” produced by David Banner and Andre “Dre” Harris with references to Curtis Mayfield and Larry Graham, is among Scott’s funkiest and funniest songs. The way she dismisses a lover — she addresses him like a pet — should be as remembered as any given line from “Gettin’ in the Way.” Other standouts are the result of smart pairings with younger talent. For the tranquil ballads “Lighthouse” and “Cruisin’,” Scott teams up with fellow Philadelphian Andrew Wansel, the son of Dexter Wansel, while the 9th Wonder-produced “Beautiful Love,” full of snaking keyboard lines, is a duet with BJ the Chicago Kid, too fine to be placed last on an hourlong album. Woman is so varied that it resembles a compilation itself, albeit one that’s scattered in both sound and quality. More than any other Jill Scott album — each one is either nearly or well over an hour in length — its impact would likely deepen with some trimming and resequencing. Nonetheless, there’s enough high-quality content to sustain Scott’s status as one of the most unique and powerful voices in R&B. –AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman

Tracklist:
1. Wild Cookie 01:49
2. Prepared 05:18
3. Run Run Run 02:27
4. Can’t Wait 04:31
5. Lighthouse 05:58
6. Fool’s Gold 03:24
7. Willing 01:17
8. Closure 03:16
9. You Don’t Know 03:49
10. Pause 01:23
11. Cruisin 03:55
12. Say Thank You 04:26
13. Back Together 04:08
14. Coming To You 03:40
15. Jahraymecofasola 04:41
16. Beautiful Love (feat. BJ The Chicago Kid) 03:40

Personnel:
Jill Scott – Vocals, Vocals (Background)
BJ the Chicago Kid – Featured Artist
Adam Blackstone – Bass, Keyboards, Organ
Randy Bowland – Guitar
Aaron Camper – Vocals
Vincent Ciesielski – Trumpet
Jeff Coffin, Chris Farr, Darryl Farris, Davion Farris, San Franklin, Jackie Gouche, Tiffany Gouche, Whitney Gouche – Vocals (Background)
Andre “Dre” Harris Composer, Executive Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals
Shonn Hinton – Guitar, Soloist
Phillip Lassiter – Trumpet
Aaron Lindsey – Piano
Steve McKie – Drums, Engineer, Producer
Dwayne Moore – Bass
Royce Moseley – Vocals (Background)
Jairus Mozee – Guitar
Dan Needham – Drums
Pino Paladino – Bass
Aaron Pearce – Bass, Keyboards, Organ, Programming, Vocals (Background)
James Poyser – Keyboards
Richard Sherrington – Trombone
Tyler Summers – Sax (Tenor)
Michael Thompson – Guitar
Benita Washington – Vocals (Background)
Dontae Winslow – Trombone, Trumpet

Production:
Producers: Jill Scott, Andre Harris, 9th Wonder and David Banner

Download:

http://www.datafile.com/d/TVRJd016QTBNREUF9/JillScottWoman201544.124.rar
or
http://rapidgator.net/file/59db6229c5f6e8de623e03a14a64b511/JillScottWoman201544.124.rar.html

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