Hollies Sing Hollies was the group's somewhat self-conscious follow-up to Hollies Sing Dylan – in the U.S., it formed the bulk of the He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother LP, with that smash single (totally unlike anything else on the album) overshadowing the rest of the record. If the Hollies began to lose credibility as a frontline rock group, the blame must rest with this album. The songwriting is generally melodic and very pleasant, but little of it is particularly memorable, and the arrangements mostly have a light rock/pop feel to them, closer to Gary Puckett & the Union Gap than to the Beatles. There are one or two very good songs, including "Please Let Me Please," with crisp rhythm guitars…

When German Prog veterans Hanspeter Hess (The Heal-ing Road), Dominik Wimmer (Sweety Chicky Jam), Chris Grundmann (Cynity) and Markus Roth (Marquette, Hori-zontal Ascension) decided to join forces for a Progressive Rock project, there was no doubt what to expect: full steam ahead instrumental roller coaster rides. But this is no unfocused Fusion noodling by any means. Melody, power, heavy riffs and diversity come to the fore. Astounding album! They continue where Liquid Tension Experiment have stopped a long time ago.

Renaud Capuçon now has more than one string on his violin: Festival director (Les Rencontres artistiques de Bel-Air, Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival), a well-known chamber musician (he counts Hélène Grimaud, Martha Argerich, Frank Braley or Nicholas Angelich among his election partners), not to mention his brief appearance in the film of Claude Lelouch 7. 57 ap-pm. On the occasion of his 40th birthday, Warner published a CD set entitled "Le Violon Roi", which acts as a portrait of the French violinist, "an enlightened ambassador of classical music to the general public". At his side, the greatest orchestras, conductors and musicians give him the replica in these mostly well-known pieces of music.

Historically, there have been many variations on the line-up of a jazz trio. But as the piano-led model becomes somewhat ubiquitous any alternatives are more than welcome. Herman/Ceccaldi/Darrifourcq is a breath of fresh air in small group improvisation, as the uncommon textural palette created by saxophone, cello, drums and electronics reveals the maximum possibilities of what some might call a minimal set up.

Debut album from a Madrid-based band called Exquirla, entitled ‘Para Quienes Aún Viven’ (For Those Still Alive). Exquirla are not exactly a brand new band full of new colleagues and naive exuberance. The exuberance exists but amongst an already established group of musicians. Essentially, Exquirla is the Spanish instrumental post rock band Toundra fronted by a singer. But not just any singer. Instead of a ‘normal’ rock vocalist, Exquirla are fronted by Niño de Elche, a flamenco singer.

More intense, more powerful and more epic - MAJESTY have reached the next stage of evolution and sound the horn of their new album „Rebels“ to conquer the Heavy Metal throne. Mastermind Tarek promises his fans „even more powerful riffs, even more hymn-like refrains and a production, that blows everything away relentlessly!“ And the man is right. Anyone who thought „Generation Steel“ to be cool will kneel down before „Rebels. Recorded in the band‘s own studio and refined by the mixing and mastering of Frederik Nordsträm in the Studio Fredman, „Rebels“ is the fundament for „Majesty 2.0“.

"Pop Songs for Ugly People" is the new album by Bizarre Noir Mixed and produced by Scott Radway (former member of Tub Ring, Polkadot Cadaver, & El-creepo) and featuring an ensemble of horns performed by Mark Ortwein of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. 12 New original songs take the listener on a journey into a dark carnival preformed & written by BizarreNoir.