Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Penguin Cafe Orchestra

I can't really described this one (unless under the label of feel-good music). But that's what wikipedia is for.

The Penguin Cafe Orchestra was a loose assembly of musicians headed by classically-trained guitarist, composer and arranger Simon Jeffes (Crawley, Sussex, England, 1949-1997). Only Jeffes and cellist co-founder Helen Liebmann were core members; other musicians were drafted for the requirements of particular pieces or performances. Its sound is not easily categorized, but has elements of exuberant folk music and a minimalist aesthetic occasionally reminiscent of composers such as Philip Glass.

Baroness - Red Album

It's metal (it reminds me a bit of Mastodont) and prog (but not really progressive metal) plus a bit of post-rock. I think.

Christian Mcbride - A Family Affair

The theory says that to start to listen and understand Jazz, one should begin by the beginning (like everything else I suppose), meaning to pick those first jazz albuns from Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong and work your way to these days.



Well, that being said, this was the Jazz album that got me really into it, and it seems still a good introduction to the whole thing. Christian Mcbride (one of the new generation bass players that is most acclaimed and sought by) blends jazz with R&B, soul and funk in a cool way, while at the same time never lets us forget that it's still a Jazz record. Some of the last tracks might be a bit hard to digest, but they're a good way to step into the world of Free Jazz, so in this case, all good dids go unpunished

Mike Patton - Peeping Tom

Another project from Mrs Patton's strange reality. Far from the weird Mrs Bungle and Tomahawk days, it's actually a bit pop (well the category put forward was something like avant-garde trip hop/hip hop, wahtever that means). "I don't listen to the radio, but if I did, this is what I'd want it to sound like," Patton says of the project.



There's a bunch of people involved in the album, including Norah Jones and Massive Attack. Which is nice...
Still, it is a Mike Patton thing, meaning, Mike Patton's pop is not every person's pop. So, expect something really good...And strange.

Jethro Tull - Aqualung

In the search for new sounds I went back to the past to find Jethro Tull, a band introduced to me by an older surgeon who I work with.
Either heavy or light, drugs are certenaly involved and their costumes are hilarious. Still I am enjoying discovering the precursors of bands like Tool and Porcupine Tree.
I leave you with Locomotive Breath from the album Aqualung

Hope you enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwbBxxML6iM

Balla - Resumo 2000/2008

Comprei este disco compacto e não me arrependi mesmo nada. Estes artistas são bem melhores do que artistas bem conhecidos em Portugal como Mikael Carreira, ou o próprio Toni. Fiquei satisfeito e recomendo para aqueles que ainda não conheçam.

I bought this compact disc and i didn't regreat it. These boys are far better than well known portuguese singers like Michael Carriers, or the Toni itself. I was pleased and recomend it for those who still don't know them.

http://www.myspace.com/ballaportugal


http://www.mickaelcarreira.com/

PEARL JAM ANNOUNCES THE REISSUE OF BAND’S DEBUT ALBUM, TEN:

Album extras include:
Remaster of original Ten album + remix by producer Brendan O’Brien •
DVD of previously unreleased 1992 Pearl Jam MTV Unplugged performance with 5.1 surround sound audio remix • LP of the band’s 1992 “Drop in the Park” concert • Replica of Pearl Jam three-song demo cassette with Eddie Vedder’s original vocal dubs • Recreation of Eddie Vedder composition notebook • Never before seen memorabilia • Bonus tracks and more.

Each Ten package will include two versions of the album: the remastered version of the original album PLUS an accompanying remixed version done by the band’s long-time producer, Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Audioslave).

“The band loved the original mix of Ten, but were also interested in what it would sound like if I were to deconstruct and remix it,” says producer Brendan O’Brien. “The original Ten sound is what millions of people bought, dug and loved, so I was initially hesitant to mess around with that. After years of persistent nudging from the band, I was able to wrap my head around the idea of offering it as a companion piece to the original – giving a fresh take on it, a more direct sound.”

TEN RE-DESIGN
Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, who served as the art director for the original Ten packaging, reprised his role for the reissues collaborating with designer, Andy Fischer, of Cameron Crowe’s Vinyl Films (Into the Wild soundtrack LP, Vanilla Sky soundtrack LP, Harold and Maude anniversary edition soundtrack LP).

"The goal was to assemble the ultimate fan-piece,” explains Fischer. “Something Pearl Jam lovers could pore over as they experience an indelible record all over again, in an entirely new way."

“The original concept was about really being together as a group and entering into the world of music as a true band...a sort of all-for-one deal,” says Jeff Ament. “There were some elements of the original Ten artwork that didn't turn out the way we had hoped, due to time constraints. With this reissue, we’ve been able to take our time and invest resources into making the design the way we had originally intended.”

REPLICA OF PEARL JAM 3-SONG DEMO CASSETTE IN SUPER DELUXE EDITION
In the process of digging through his archives for this project, Ament came across an old cassette marked “Momma-Son” – the fabled original Pearl Jam demo tape featuring the first recorded versions of “Alive,” “Once” and “Footsteps.” Ament and guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready had recorded instrumental tracks of these songs to help solicit a singer for their newly formed band. Mutual friend - and then Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer - Jack Irons suggested they send the tape down to San Diego surfer and little-known singer Eddie Vedder.

Completely inspired by what he heard from these musicians that he then only knew by name, Vedder quickly wrote lyrics, put these vocals to the music tracks and shipped the tape back to Seattle. Upon hearing how Vedder had transformed the songs, Ament, Gossard and McCready asked him to come up to Seattle so they could meet and have an official “tryout” together. Shortly thereafter, Pearl Jam was born. (A replica of the “Momma-Son” cassette will be included in the Super Deluxe Edition of Ten.)

Jeff Ament describes the experience of re-visiting that tape with singer Eddie Vedder:
“I think the first time that Ed or I had opened any of those boxes was a few weeks ago. I knew that the original ‘Momma-Son’ cassette was somewhere, but I hadn’t listened to it in 17, 18, 19 years. It was cool to sit down and play it for the first time with Ed and see his reaction. And to find that 90% of it stayed exactly the same as what ended up on the record. A lot of elements were identical. There was some energy flying around at that point even from 1,300 miles away from Seattle to San Diego.”

THE FOUR EDITIONS OF TEN: ALBUM EXTRAS PER PACKAGE

1. Legacy Edition (2-disc set in mini-LP style slipcase):
· Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)
· Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: “Brother,” “Just a Girl,” “State of Love and Trust,” “Breath and a Scream,” “2,000 Mile Blues” and “Evil Little Goat”
· Re-designed packaging

2. Deluxe Edition (2-disc set plus DVD specially designed hardbound package):
· Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)
· Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: “Brother,” “Just a Girl,” “State of Love and Trust,” “Breath and a Scream,” “2,000 Mile Blues” and “Evil Little Goat”
· DVD of Pearl Jam’s previously unreleased 1992 MTV Unplugged performance including never before seen bonus performance of “Oceans” with 5.1 surround sound audio remix

3. Vinyl Collection (2-LP set)
· LP 1: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl
· LP 2: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl and remixed by Brendan O’Brien

4. Super Deluxe Edition (2-disc set plus DVD, 4 LPs and replica cassette in linen-covered, slip-cased clamshell box):
· Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)
· Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: “Brother,” “Just a Girl,” “State of Love and Trust,” “Breath and a Scream,” “2,000 Mile Blues” and “Evil Little Goat”
· DVD of Pearl Jam’s previously unreleased 1992 MTV Unplugged performance including never before seen bonus performance of “Oceans” with 5.1 surround sound audio remix
· LP 1: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl
· LP 2: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl and remixed by Brendan O’Brien
· LP 3 & 4: Drop in the Park – Live at Magnuson Park in Seattle on September 20, 1992 (audio mixed by Brendan O’Brien)
· Cassette: replica of original “Momma-Son” Pearl Jam demo cassette featuring “Alive,” “Once” and “Footsteps”
· Package also includes an Eddie Vedder-style composition notebook filled with replica personal notes, images and mementos from the collections of Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament, a vellum envelope with replicated era-specific ephemera from Pearl Jam’s early work and a two-sided print co