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Council Skies (Deluxe)

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Alternative & Indie - Released June 2, 2023 | Sour Mash Records Ltd

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Fantasia

Igor Levit

Classical - Released September 29, 2023 | Sony Classical

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It’s rare for a work as crucial to piano literature as Liszt’s “Sonata in B Minor” to be submerged beneath the thematic title of an album rather than being presented as its primary sales pitch. Yet the great pianist Igor Levit clearly knows what he’s doing. Titled Fantasia, his new double album on Sony Classical is dedicated to pieces that escape all formal frameworks, covering a period of almost two centuries from 1720 to 1910. His program begins with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, which single handedly galvanised a good part of Western classical music, finishing with Franz Liszt, Alan Berg, and Ferruccio Busoni, all three of whom cite Bach in their works, the first two having composed sonatas that rely more on a “Fantasia” than on a precise form. This freedom of composition is the common thread of this fascinating program that comprises in one fell swoop Bach’s exceptional “Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue” and Ferruccio Busoni’s monumental “Fantasia contrappuntistica,” to which Levit responds with renditions of Siloti, Liszt, and Busoni. With his soft and supple sonority, Igor Levit is above all an introspective musician who doesn’t try to make an outrageous demonstration of Liszt’s sonata, haunted by Goethe’s Faust, nor does he do so with that of Alban Berg, whose twelve-tone writing doesn’t burn bridges with music history. With his unique imagination and emotional depth, Igor Levit takes us on a fascinating interior journey through time periods and innovative styles whose timeless and expressive forces never stop compelling us. © François Hudry/Qobuz
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Abbey Road Sessions

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Alternative & Indie - Released December 12, 2023 | Sour Mash Records Ltd

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Council Skies

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Alternative & Indie - Released June 2, 2023 | Sour Mash Records Ltd

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Charpentier: Messe de Minuit - In Nativitatem Domini Canticum

Sébastien Daucé

Masses, Passions, Requiems - Released October 13, 2023 | harmonia mundi

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Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Messe de Minuit ("Midnight Mass") has been a popular work almost ever since it was composed around 1694, and it was one of the first French Baroque pieces to be recorded during the LP era. It is an absolutely irresistible Christmas piece, with French folk tunes woven into the polyphonic texture. This recording comes along just in time for the 2023 Christmas season, and it should find plenty of listeners. Ensemble Correspondances and leader Sébastien Daucé are specialists in the music of Charpentier, and they capture the particular lilt of this wonderful work with delicately elegant singing throughout. The ensemble is small, with just 11 singers; this may be a bit undersized in a French scene that favored big groups (choral performances at the king's court may have had 100 or more), but the mass was written for a small Jesuit group, and the dimensions feel natural. Another draw is the presence of two sizable small-ensemble cantatas, quite different from each other and sung with the right dramatic emphasis. Here, the forces are perfectly appropriate, and the sound engineering from the Seine Musicale concert hall is ideal. A very satisfying holiday release for the French Baroque lover in one's life.© James Manheim /TiVo
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Back the Way We Came: Vol. 1 (2011 - 2021)

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Alternative & Indie - Released June 11, 2021 | Sour Mash Records Ltd

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First Noel

Ibrahim Maalouf

Contemporary Jazz - Released November 5, 2021 | Mi'ster

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As much as jazz musicians love to do it, the Christmas album exercise can quickly turn stale. Especially when you opt for a repertoire essentially composed of hits like Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Oh Christmas Tree, Il est né le divin enfant, Petit Papa Noël, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow, Silent Night and Jingle Bells. But here, Ibrahim Maalouf has managed to create an impeccable record that gives his trumpet an even better showcase than usual. The starting point of the project is a set of very personal values. "It's an album of 25 great Christmas standards and 3 new songs that I wrote to celebrate both my son's very first Christmas and my grandmother Odette's very last one last year. My memories of Christmas are full of wonderful moments and I wanted to record the album in a way that would capture the magic of those moments.“For this classical, touching effort, Maalouf brought in three friends: guitarist François Delporte, pianist Frank Woeste and choir director Sofi Jeannin, who has selected eight singers with angelic voices. The whole group met in two different recording locations: Armand Amar's Babel studios in Montreuil, where Ibrahim Maalouf worked on his first albums, and the Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre church, the oldest church in Paris, a few metres from Notre-Dame, where his father was sacristan in the 1960s; it was also where the trumpeter got engaged and married...Bolstered by all these strong symbols, First Noël moves forward with simplicity and humility, emphasising the melodies above all, without any kind of Hollywood arrangements. "After having recorded so many albums, I felt that the time had come to set down my version of these great Christmas classics, giving them a less childish, more musical dimension, and a more spiritual aspect as well: but at the same time preserving their necessary and subtle fragility as music for children, and as great classics known and sung worldwide.” The end result is a soothing, dreamlike, fraternal and universal journey. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz
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The Christmas Song

Nat King Cole

Christmas Music - Released September 21, 2018 | CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92)

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Rum Sodomy & The Lash

The Pogues

Rock - Released January 1, 1985 | WM UK

Distinctions The Qobuz Ideal Discography
"I saw my task... was to capture them in their delapidated glory before some more professional producer f--ked them up," Elvis Costello wrote of his role behind the controls for the Pogues' second album, Rum Sodomy & the Lash. One spin of the album proves that Costello accomplished his mission; this album captures all the sweat, fire, and angry joy that was lost in the thin, disembodied recording of the band's debut, and the Pogues sound stronger and tighter without losing a bit of their edge in the process. Rum Sodomy & the Lash also found Shane MacGowan growing steadily as a songwriter; while the debut had its moments, the blazing and bitter roar of the opening track, "The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn," made it clear MacGowan had fused the intelligent anger of punk and the sly storytelling of Irish folk as no one had before, and the rent boys' serenade of "The Old Main Drag" and the dazzling, drunken character sketch of "A Pair of Brown Eyes" proved there were plenty of directions where he could take his gifts. And like any good folk group, the Pogues also had a great ear for other people's songs. Bassist Cait O'Riordan's haunting performance of "I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day" is simply superb (it must have especially impressed Costello, who would later marry her), and while Shane MacGowan may not have written "Dirty Old Town" or "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda," his wrought, emotionally compelling vocals made them his from then on. Rum Sodomy & the Lash falls just a bit short of being the Pogues' best album, but was the first one to prove that they were a great band, and not just a great idea for a band.© Mark Deming /TiVo
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Saisons

Pomme

French Music - Released December 1, 2023 | Universal Music Division Virgin Music

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Christmas from Norway

Lise Davidsen

Classical - Released November 10, 2023 | Decca Music Group Ltd.

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Lise Davidsen is the soprano of the moment, and Christmas from Norway might serve as a good introduction for general listeners to the wonders of her voice, from its incredible delicacy in the high register in Silent Night to the variety of sounds in a program where the dynamic level never rises above mezzo-forte. Davidsen fans, too, will find confirmation of their bias here. The program is a fresh take on a generally rather stale genre. It does indeed include some traditional Norwegian Christmas carols, as well as O Holy Night, sung in Norwegian (it is reprised at the end in English just for familiarity's sake). There is an early Sibelius religious song in Swedish and several songs in German, including Hugo Wolf's Schlafendes Jesuskind (from the Mörike-Lieder), that serve to demonstrate Davidsen's range. The program ends on well-trodden ground, with famous carols in English, at least one of which was arranged by Douglas Gamley for Luciano Pavarotti's mega-productions of yore. Some of the other arrangements are by Norwegian Radio Orchestra conductor Christian Eggen, who keeps the orchestra largely out of Davidsen's way where it belongs. The English-language carols, it must be said, have a bit of a Norwegian accent. One wonders sometimes why singers are expected to eliminate their accents in every language except English, but with a voice of this beauty, who cares?© James Manheim /TiVo
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Almanach

Malicorne

World - Released January 1, 1976 | Griffe

This beautifully packaged album consists of seasonal songs and music from around France and is Malicorne's most consistently excellent album.© Steve Winick /TiVo
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Chasing Yesterday (Deluxe)

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Alternative & Indie - Released January 1, 2014 | Sour Mash Records Ltd

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Opening with a minor chord strummed on an acoustic guitar somewhere off in the distance, Noel Gallagher's second solo album, Chasing Yesterday, echoes Oasis' second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? -- a conscious move from a rocker who's never minded trading in memories of the past. He may be evoking his Brit-pop heyday -- "Lock All the Doors" surges with the cadences of "Morning Glory" even as it interpolates David Essex's "Rock On" -- but it amounts to no more than a wink because Gallagher knows he's two decades older and perhaps a little wiser as well. Certainly, Chasing Yesterday is the work of a musician very comfortable with his craft. Like the first album from High Flying Birds -- a largely anonymous group of pros who make no attempt to steal the spotlight from their leader -- it moves deliberately, never rushing and rarely rocking, preferring to find pleasure in majesty instead of hedonism. Where 2011's HFB kept things a shade too calm -- its reserve almost seemed like a rebuke to the messy id of Gallagher's brother -- Chasing Yesterday occasionally threatens to actually rock, delivering that signature wall of guitars on the aforementioned "Lock All the Doors," mustering up a bit of old-fashioned, cowbell-driven glam boogie on "The Mexican," and quickening the tempo on "You Know We Can't Go Back," a piece of incandescent pop that plays as a resigned companion to "Step Out." Better still, the self-styled epics -- which include the first single "In the Heat of the Moment" and closing "Ballad of the Mighty I," which features grace notes from a guesting Johnny Marr -- pulsate with quiet color, as does "Riverman," a signature piece of stately late-period Beatles pop that would've been drained to grey on HFB. Here, "Riverman" breathes and sighs, taking a moment to slide into a saxophone-accentuated guitar solo straight out of a pre-punk 1976, and this masterful flair is a testament to the control and focus Gallagher displays on Chasing Yesterday. He's not racing after the past, nor is he afraid to seem floridly fussy: he's reveling in his ascendency to the position of one of rock's wise old men.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra

Christmas Music - Released January 1, 1957 | Capitol Records

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Dutronc & Dutronc - La tournée générale

Thomas Dutronc

French Music - Released November 24, 2023 | Universal Music Division Label Panthéon

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Kaiser Chiefs' Easy Eighth Album

Kaiser Chiefs

Alternative & Indie - Released March 1, 2024 | V2 Records Benelux

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The boys from Leeds finally figure out how to balance the vibes of their anthemic, pub-friendly early-era fare with their pop-polished late-2010s material on the fun, summer-ready Kaiser Chiefs' Easy Eighth Album. Every track is custom-designed to inspire a good time, whether that's the soundtrack to a bit of love (or lust) or a full-on dance party. The glam-funk "Feeling Alright" struts like Bowie, while the pulsing disco-rock "How 2 Dance" benefits from Nile Rodgers' decades of dancefloor-filling expertise. The yearning "Burning in Flames" takes a similar approach, cutting sparkling production with dramatic strings and another juicy bassline. Meanwhile, the surprisingly sweet "Beautiful Girl" blends the energetic indie rock jangle of their debut era with an arena-sized chorus that showcases how far Ricky Wilson's voice has developed in two decades, just as the quirky slink of "Sentimental Love Songs" flips sweet to saucy, turning "Super Freak" into an indie sleaze standout. Dipping back into the working-class malaise that defines many of their best tunes, "The Job Centre Shuffle" (featuring Hak Baker) injects an aggressive, churning chorus into the mix to remind listeners that the Kaisers can still get gritty and bare their teeth. Likewise, the glam-rock stomp of "Reasons to Stay Alive" employs that familiar Gary Glitter riff to maximum effect. Of all their post-aughts output, Easy Eighth has the best chance of re-engaging fans that might have been lost when the group evolved their sound in the mid-2010s (obvious plea "The Lads" is evidence enough that the band are more self-aware than they seem). Think of it as another Off with Their Heads, if that happens to be your cuppa. While Kaiser Chiefs aren't starting many riots these days, these shiny tunes will keep the body bouncing and the spirits high.© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo

The Dreams We Have As Children

Noel Gallagher

Alternative & Indie - Released March 16, 2009 | Sour Mash Records Ltd

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5am

milet

J-Pop - Released August 30, 2023 | Sony Music Labels Inc.

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The Andy Williams Christmas Album

Andy Williams

Crooners - Released November 5, 2022 | Columbia - Legacy

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Popular songs are often associated with the vocalists that made them famous but few artists actually have the distinction of having a "theme" song along the lines of Bob Hope with "Thanks for the Memories." Even fewer can claim to have two theme songs attached to them and Andy Williams is one of those fortunate stars. After "Moon River" became forever linked to Williams, he recorded a holiday song for his first Christmas album that gave him a yuletide hit and theme song. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" was the right song at the right time for Williams when he began to perform it on his highly successful NBC Christmas specials that featured the whole Williams clan. Both the song and the television specials were so memorable, it wasn't long before Williams was crowned "Mr. Christmas." Of course having a full album of wonderful holiday songs perfectly performed doesn't hurt either and the Andy Williams Christmas Album was an instant hit when released in 1963 and has since become a traditional classic. Along with "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," Williams cheerfully celebrates with the spirited medley "Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season" and is at his playful best on the irresistibly raucous "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells." He also wraps his voice around chestnuts like "White Christmas" and "The Christmas Song" with all the warmth of a favorite blanket, while a soaring version of "O Holy Night" is both enchanting and moving. His tender reading of the lesser-known "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" is as beautiful and serene as a crystal clear winter's night, but it is the instantly catchy opening line of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" that people remember the most. It is a fitting theme song not only for Andy "Mr.Christmas" Williams, but for the season as well and a sparkling highlight from a classic holiday album.© Aaron Latham /TiVo
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Who Built The Moon? (Deluxe)

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Alternative & Indie - Released November 24, 2017 | Sour Mash Records Ltd

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