Fairyland has long been a favorite among fans of Larry Coryell's jazz-rock days. The stripped-down trio format allows Coryell plenty of solo space. He actually sings quite effectively on the first two tracks, but more effective are the torrents of 18th notes, mutated blues licks, and avant-garde sound textures that emanate from his guitar. "Further Explorations for Albert Stinson" is a later incarnation of "The Jam With Albert," which is a staple of Coryell jazz-rock compilations.

From the notes: "The Story of This Recording: Jenny Lind's contribution to the first performances of the B minor Mass has a parallel in this recording where another opera singer, Elizabeth Schumann, is the soprano soloist in the first complete B minor Mass to be committed to disc. While the Philharmonic Choir and London Symphony Orchestra needed much of the rehearsal time, sessions were so arranged as to take advantage of the presence in London of Elisabeth Schumann and the celebrated baritone, Friedrich Schorr, both under contract for the summer Season of opera at Covent Garden. Walter Widdop, the tenor, was also singing there, but he and Margaret Balfour, a mezzo soprano who was greatly esteemed for her work in oratorio, both lived in London. The conductor Albert Coates, normally associated with Russian music rather than with Bach's also had a comittment at Covent Garden, but was able to devote his complete concentration to the recording because his operatic performances were not scheduled until June. The recording was issued promptly in November 1929 on seventeen plum label 78s."

The ever-prolific Thou continue what has thus far been a stellar 2014 with Heathen. Their fourth full length and first since 2010′s Summit is simply stunning. The Louisiana doomsayers are sure to grab the rapt attention of listeners that only know Thou on the fringes, and cement them as veritable luminaries of emotionally-rooted doom for those already baptized in their strength.

Elbow - The Take Off And Landing Of Everything (2014) {Fiction/Polydor}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 372 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 139 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 2014 Fiction / Polydor / UM | 3754767
Rock / Alternative / Indie Rock / Dream Pop

Elbow recorded their sixth album at Real World Studios, making the connection between themselves and Peter Gabriel plain. Much of this connection comes from the husky, subdued rasp of lead singer Guy Garvey, but the band on a whole favors a similar kind of accessible art rock where the textures are lucid yet elliptical while the songs are sturdy and melodic, wearing their accouterments well.