After the amazing masterpieces of Revolver and Sergeant Pepper's, The Beatles dove back into the art of pure writing, bringing about a certain level of sobriety and leaving aside their recent psychadelic delusions, awesome as they were. Released in November 1968, this double White Album is a return to more refined pop and rock; the essence of their art. The title of the disc, The Beatles, does not manage to hide the growing dissension between the four musicians at the time, and their diverging personalities saw this album herald the beginning of the end for the Fab Four, and the budding of their future solo careers... Despite all of this, The Beatles managed to release a new and totally unique album here, which can be enjoyed step by step as a true emotional rollercoaster: The fantasy of Dear Prudence, the dark madness of Revolution 9, the legendary guitar solo in While My Guitar Gently Weeps, the labyrinth of Happiness Is A Warm Gun and Sexy Sadie, the emotion of Julia (which Lennon dedicated to his mother, who died when he was 17), the purity of Blackbird and the ultra-violent tsunami that is Helter Skelter… the White Album is a brilliant production, a new masterpiece from a group growing apart ...For its 50-year anniversary, this legendary double album makes a return in Deluxe Edition form, a well-deserved title. As well as the stereo remixed version by legendary producer George Martin's son, the original mono version (praised by purists for this format) and the famous Esher Demos there are 27 demo tracks of some famous hits recorded in Harrison’s home and three studio-session CDs. It’s a marvellous collection (107 tracks in total!) which let’s us further explore this glorious piece of work that still fascinates us 50 years after its creation… © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

This lush and earthy collaboration between Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris may sound like it rose from an amiable weeklong studio session, but the 12 tracks that make up All the Roadrunning were actually recorded over the span of seven years. The boot-stomping "Red Staggerwing" and the gentle "Donkey Town," both of which were bumped from Knopfler's Sailing to Philadelphia record, give the ex-Dire Straits leader a chance to flex his country muscle, while the wistful title track spotlights the lovely Harris, whose playful demeanor and guarded confidence helps keep Knopfler in check during his sometimes excessive soloing. The two couldn't be more at odds vocally, but Knopfler's laconic drawl is like an easy chair for Harris' fluid pipes, and standout tracks like the 9/11-inspired "This Is Goodbye," the wistful "Beachcombing," and the infectious single "This Is Us" come off as effortless statements of vitality from both camps.© James Christopher Monger /TiVo

After the amazing masterpieces of Revolver and Sergeant Pepper's, The Beatles dive back into the art of pure writing, bringing about a certain level of sobriety and leaving aside their recent psychadelic delusions, awesome as they were. Released in November 1968, this double White Album is a return to more refined pop and rock; the essence of their art. The title track of the disc, The Beatles, does not manage to hide the growing dissension between the four musicians at the time, and their diverging personalities saw this album herald the beginning of the end for the Fab Four, and the budding of their future solo careers... Despite all of this, The Beatles managed to release a new and totally unique album here, which can be enjoyed step by step as a true emotional rollercoaster: The fantasy of Dear Prudence, the dark madness of Revolution 9, the legendary guitar solo in While My Guitar Gently Weeps, the labyrinth of Happiness Is A Warm Gun and Sexy Sadie, the emotion of Julia (which Lennon dedicated to his mother, who died when he was 17), the purity of Blackbird and the ultra-violent tsunami that is Helter Skelter… the White Album is a brilliant production, a new masterpiece of a group growing apart ... ©Marc Zisman/Qobuz, Translation/BM

This recording has been highly anticipated. For years, Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian has been renowned within the international scene, and now she’s finally released her first album: Dissonance, recorded with the Lithuanian-Russian pianist Lukas Geniušas. Dissonance—the name of one of Rachmaninov’s Romances, op. 34—consists of a total of 19 pieces, all of which are filled with intimate conflicts (at least in relation to their lyrics or the circumstances in which they were written). “On the contrary,” says the soprano, "our duo is in perfect harmony."In his Romances, which appeared roughly between 1890 and 1906, Rachmaninov immortalised, in music, poets and writers such as Alexander Pushkin, Afanassi Fet, Heinrich Heine, Anton Tchekov and Fiodor Tiuttchev, to name but a few. The same theme runs through all these texts: the intimate conflicts and sufferings that arise when two lovers are unable to overcome obstacles in order to fully embrace their true feelings for one other.From drama to poetry, from love to death, from beauty to suffering: all these themes are put to music in titles like Child, you are beautiful as a flower, op. 8 No 2, I wait for thee, op. 14 No. 1, How much it hurts, op. 21 no. 12, and the closing title: We shall rest, op. 26 no. 3. “In life,” explains Grigorian, “dissonance serves as a way to make consonance—that is, beauty and harmony—heard again. It helps us recognise and truly feel life’s brightness, something we can’t appreciate when there’s no suffering. "With their masterful technique and unique form of musical expression, Grigorian and Geniušas don’t sound like two musicians who’ve never recorded together before. Their artistic symbiosis creates a balance that’s perhaps further strengthened by the cultural affinity between the two performers and the composer himself. With this release, listeners are treated to a real musical romance. © Lena Germann/Qobuz

Steven Wilson's 4½ is a six-track stopgap mini album between 2015's Hand. Cannot. Erase. and whatever full-length comes next. Four tunes have origins in the previous album's sessions; another dates back to those from 2013's The Raven That Refused to Sing and Other Stories. There is also a re-recording of "Don't Hate Me" that first appeared on Porcupine Tree's 1998 offering, Stupid Dream. The players are by now familiar: Wilson's current working band comprises Guthrie Govan, Adam Holzman, Nick Beggs, Dave Kilminster, Craig Blundell, Marco Minnemann, Chad Wackerman, and Theo Travis. Opener "My Book of Regrets" is a nine-plus-minute exercise that commences with a seductive pop melody, and offers a hooky chorus and syncopated dynamics. It evolves into spiraling prog rock courtesy of Beggs' front-line Chris Squire-esque bassline, fueling Govan and Wilson's spiky (yet sharply contrasting) guitar breaks and Holzman's atmospheric synth and electric piano work. "Happiness III" clocks in at less that five minutes and is almost a straight-up rocker with an anthemic, lushly layered backing chorus and charging guitar vamps. Half these cuts are instrumentals. While "Year of the Plague" comes off as a merely pleasant soundtrack-esque interlude, "Sunday Rain Sets In" starts as a Pink Floyd-ish exercise in serial atmospheres, but Holzman's post-bop piano, followed by angular, aggressive electric guitar pathos -- worthy of King Crimson -- at the close, transforms it into something more satisfying. "Vermillioncore" is even more diverse: it moves through everything from funky jazz-rock noir to knotty, searing prog metal in just over five minutes. The closing redo of "Don't Hate Me" -- even longer than PT's -- is denser and covers more ground musically. Ninet Tayeb's passionate duet vocal adds cinematic drama as well as emotional resonance; a blazing Travis tenor solo (instead of the lilting flute on the original) inspires the rhythm section to fire on all cylinders. Minimal Eastern modalism claims the center of the mix before it sets the stage for a rockist climax. As an entry in Wilson's catalog, 4½ comes off as a fully considered EP, although leaving off "Year of the Plague" would have made it stronger. His obsessive attention to detail is everywhere in the production, but more than that, most of this provides fans with another fantastic showcase for his amazing band, excellent writing, and fine arranging.© Thom Jurek /TiVo

After mainstream success happened for Alison Krauss & Union Station, one would have rightly expected a commercial sweetening of their sound, resulting in diminishing (or even abandoning) the simple but very unique thing that brought them into the public eye -- and eventual public acclaim -- in the first place. But the group's first new recording in the wake of the surprise success of Now That I've Found You: A Collection finds Alison Krauss & Union Station happily keeping their eclectic focus firmly on the prize stretched before them with no silly attempts to court the hat-hunk-of-the-month or the boot-scoot-boogie crowd. Despite the media's singling out of Krauss as country's new bluegrass solo diva, Union Station (with Krauss as simply a featured member of it) remains very much a group, and that's the real refreshing news here. It is that collective spirit that remains the reoccurring theme and the resounding musical point being made here, and it is the solid anchor that roots this album into place from beginning to end. Krauss' expert evocative way with a ballad is on full display here, with "Deeper Than Crying" and "It Doesn't Matter" featuring her on violas, adding a new voice to Union Station's sound. But the lead vocals are passed around among Krauss, mandolinist Adam Steffey, guitarist Dan Tyminski, and banjoist Ron Block, while Krauss' fiddle work in a backup capacity is an integral part of the sound as well. All in all, this is a totally un-gimmicky album that flies in the face of what usually happens when mainstream success comes calling. And, as a result of that commitment to quality and musical focus, one that makes you want to play it again when it's all over.© Cub Koda /TiVo

A transient singer/songwriter who was raised in Buffalo, New York, Julie Byrne returned not only to her hometown but to the house where she grew up to record Not Even Happiness, her Ba Da Bing Records debut. Not new to recording, her prior work includes additional vocals for Jordan Lee's more expansive but similarly pastoral Mutual Benefit, as well as cassettes of her own material. Here, she reestablishes what has been her trademark: delicate, dreamy folk governed by a quiet melancholia. Throughout, guitar picking and the squeak of fingers changing position accompany a soft, smoky vocal delivery that seems resigned to solitude. Frequent comparisons to Joni Mitchell are apt, though only Mitchell at her gentlest, as Byrne floats through a track list that includes titles like "Follow My Voice," "Sleepwalker," and "All the Land Glimmers Beneath." "Morning Dove" has a chorus reinforced by the muted hum of string-like synths. The song remembers the sound of singing "from your lips, which splashed my dollhouse with music," in a time before betrayal. With a hint of bossa nova, "The Sea as It Glides" has syncopated acoustic guitar eventually joined by electronics, underscored throughout by the sound of waves along the shore. Water and the notion of solitude together capture the sound and spirit of the album, at least in broad strokes. In fact, the title Not Even Happiness was inspired by a sunrise stroll along the Atlantic during which the songwriter caught herself thinking that she wouldn't trade that feeling for anything, "not even happiness." While the album makes more of an impression as a whole than do individual songs, it makes a lasting one. © Marcy Donelson /TiVo

Few acts have had the type of quietly influential reach of Talk Talk. In their span of just nine active years, they shifted dramatically from background players in the new romantic movement to being credited with laying down the foundations of post-rock on their last two sprawling, atmospheric albums. Essential takes a compacted look at all the phases of Talk Talk's varied career, beginning with dance-pop singles "Talk Talk" and "Today" and non-album single "My Foolish Friend." The collection also delves into highlights from the comparatively extended later-period albums The Colour of Spring and Spirit of Eden. Their biggest hit, "It's My Life" (issued as a single twice during their run and later a hit for No Doubt in 2003) finds the middle ground between the new-wavy synth pop of Talk Talk's beginnings and the spectral ambient rock experimentation of the band's later work.© Fred Thomas /TiVo

Asides Besides can certainly be seen as a cash-in release to coincide with Mark Hollis' first solo release and the reissue of Talk Talk's EMI catalog, but rarely does such a calculated industry move result in such a treat for fans. Over two discs, Asides Besides essentially ties up all of the loose ends for the band. Disc one is probably the least essential, bringing out all of the 12" remixes, which are of marginal interest, though all are superior to those found on the unauthorized History Revisited. Disc two however, reveals no shortage of prime rarities beginning with three demos from 1981 ("Talk Talk," "Mirror Man" and "Candy"). A handful of singles are included -- the not-so-rare single, "My Foolish Friend," the ultra-rare "Why Is it So Hard" (from the film First Born), the U.S. remix of "Dum Dum Girl," and the edit of "Eden" -- but the real gems are the B-sides, which are anything but "throwaways." In fact, the B-sides are not only in most cases as strong as the ones that made it onto the albums, but they also indicate the more experimental direction the band would take later on. Asides Besides may be of interest only to diehard Talk Talk fans, but for that audience this collection is absolutely essential.© Chris Woodstra /TiVo

The Style Council's first proper album, Cafe Bleu was one of their better efforts, but it indicated the group's fatal flaw -- a tendency to be too eclectic and overly ambitious. Amidst the lazy jazz instrumentals, many of them courtesy of Mick Talbot, Paul Weller inserted several solid soul-tinged pop songs, including "My Ever Changing Moods," "Headstart for Happiness," "You're the Best Thing," and "Here's One That Got Away." However, that doesn't excuse the rap experiment, "A Gospel." The album was later released with a slightly different running order as My Ever Changing Moods in the U.S.; the American edition included the U.K. hit "A Solid Bond in Your Heart."© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

As 1975's classic Pick of the Litter seemed to garner its strength from melancholy and faultless arrangements, this 1976 studio follow-up often wallows in style over substance and platitudes. The pretty but vacuous "Now That We're Together" is all over the road and has inane lyrics like, "You're such a great crowd/Why don't you sing loud." Other tracks "You're All I Need in Life" and "If You Can't Be in Love" all put into practice arrangements and themes that were better executed on New and Improved. Although things get a little mushy here, producer Thom Bell and the Spinners do have their moments here. The highly danceable and infectious "Rubberband Man" breaks out of this effort's stodgy surroundings and gave lead singer Philippe Wynne plenty of room for his skilled scatting and effortless riffing. The best non-hit on this effort is "Toni My Love." The song is jazzy rumination on a mature relationship and it's the only track that's skilled enough to stand tall on Pick of the Litter. Despite the few high points, Happiness Is Being with the Spinners winds down before any of its predecessors did. The best of the last tracks, "The Clown" is a little overwrought and Philippe Wynne sounds like his hands are tied. Happiness Is Being with the Spinners is one of the first Bell efforts to be partially recorded at Kaye Smith Studios in Seattle, WA, and was mastered at A&M Studios rather than Philadelphia's Sigma Sound. That fact arguably changed the winning formula and for the most part this falls short of the work that came before it.© Jason Elias /TiVo

In 2007, following the release of Korn's untitled eighth album, frontman Jonathan Davis ventured outside the band to take his tentative first steps as a solo artist. Along with the SFA ("Simply Fucking Amazings"), Davis embarked on a tour that resulted in a pair of live recordings, which comprised mostly Korn covers and Davis' soundtrack compositions. A decade and four Korn albums later, Davis finally delivered on the initial promise of that solo outing with his official debut, Black Labyrinth. Resurrecting early SFA songs like "Final Days," "Happiness," "Basic Needs," "Medicate," and "Gender," Davis and original SFA players -- Miles Mosley (bass), Zac Baird (keyboards), Shenkar (violin/vocals), and Korn drummer Ray Luzier -- join guests like Wes Borland (guitar) and songwriters Lauren Christy and Gary Clark, creating a palpable collaborative energy that results in a fresh enough perspective to distance this project from Korn. Of course, with Davis' unmistakable voice and dramatic lyrics, comparisons may come easy, as if the songs from Black Labyrinth were rare B-side oddities from scrapped Korn sessions. However, after hearing the tablas, duduk, and sitar that pop up throughout the album, listeners will recognize that Davis is attempting something spawned from his own realm. Journeying into that titular maze where his darkest thoughts and predilections lurk, the only thing scary about Black Labyrinth is that it abandons the lurching and muscular creep of Korn in favor of catchy pop hooks and instrumental surprises, and dabbles in post-punk, new wave, and world music. Kicking off with unexpected brightness, "Underneath My Skin" breezes forth on a propulsive new wave groove as Davis fights against the decay and rot within. Just as quickly, the riffs fall away to reveal Djivar Gasparyan's floating duduk melody on "Final Days." It's bold and weird, but utterly hypnotic. Elsewhere, Mike Dillon employs a tabla on "Basic Needs" and "Gender," the latter of which also features Davis on the sitar. Of the more familiar moments, "Everyone" and "Happiness" ride straightforward riffs that are buffered by apocalyptic production, while "Walk on By" churns with squiggly funk bass noodling. Additional highlights include the addictive "Your God" and the cavernously creepy "Medicate," both of which sound like Davis fronting late-era Nine Inch Nails. The one misstep on this otherwise engaging surprise is the deranged serial killer fantasy "Gender," which was allegedly inspired by Silence of the Lambs madman Buffalo Bill. As Davis sings "Can I wear your skin?/Can I have it now?" over those tablas and sitar, his love of horror and the grotesque still can't save this song from being uncomfortable and unpleasant. "Gender" aside, Black Labyrinth remains oddly delightful for those who, like Davis, have matured beyond "Freak on a Leash" and engage in music outside of the nu-metal genre. Tapping into the un-Korn, Davis flexes his creativity with this often indulgent but nonetheless interesting exercise. Emotionally effective but quite different from anything he's done prior, it's an endearing, rewarding peek into Davis' interests outside of his day job.© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo

Singer Abbey Lincoln's second recording, and her first for Riverside, finds her accompanied by quite an all-star roster: tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Max Roach. Even this early, she was already a major jazz singer with a style of her own. Lincoln was careful from this point on to only interpret lyrics that she believed in. Her repertoire has a few superior standards (including several songs such as "I Must Have That Man!" and "Don't Explain" that are closely associated with Billie Holiday) plus Oscar Brown, Jr.'s "Strong Man" and Phil Moore's "Tender as a Rose"; she takes the latter unaccompanied. "Don't Explain" is slightly unusual in that Paul Chambers is absent and Wynton Kelly makes an extremely rare appearance on bass. All three of Abbey Lincoln's Riverside albums are well worth the listen. [Some reissues add alternate takes of "I Must Have That Man!" and "Porgy" to the original program.] © Scott Yanow /TiVo

"With each song, the album feels like stepping one foot deeper into a lake to be baptized through Oladokun’s gospel, as her soothing voice, piano and frequent claps wash over the listener."© TiVo