Mona Bone Jakon only began Cat Stevens' comeback. Seven months later, he returned with Tea for the Tillerman, an album in the same chamber-group style, employing the same musicians and producer, but with a far more confident tone. Mona Bone Jakon had been full of references to death, but Tea for the Tillerman was not about dying; it was about living in the modern world while rejecting it in favor of spiritual fulfillment. It began with a statement of purpose, "Where Do the Children Play?," in which Stevens questioned the value of technology and progress. "Wild World" found the singer being dumped by a girl, but making the novel suggestion that she should stay with him because she was incapable of handling things without him. "Sad Lisa" might have been about the same girl after she tried and failed to make her way; now, she seemed depressed to the point of psychosis. The rest of the album veered between two themes: the conflict between the young and the old, and religion as an answer to life's questions. Tea for the Tillerman was the story of a young man's search for spiritual meaning in a soulless class society he found abhorrent. He hadn't yet reached his destination, but he was confident he was going in the right direction, traveling at his own, unhurried pace. The album's rejection of contemporary life and its yearning for something more struck a chord with listeners in an era in which traditional verities had been shaken. It didn't hurt, of course, that Stevens had lost none of his ability to craft a catchy pop melody; the album may have been full of angst, but it wasn't hard to sing along to. As a result, Tea for the Tillerman became a big seller and, for the second time in four years, its creator became a pop star.© William Ruhlmann /TiVo

In celebration of their 40 th anniversary, The Cure didn’t just hire out a little pub in their hometown of Crawley, Sussex – they hired out the whole of Hyde Park instead! What an epic location for an epic group. The recording of this concert on July 7, 2018 in London in front of a crowd of 65,000 people is a reminder that the style, sound, creativity, song- writing and atmosphere that Robert Smith and his gang bring to the table is like no other. With his mascara, lipstick and static hair-do, the lead singer of The Cure has never sung so well despite being only a few months off his 60 th birthday here. The concert journeys through four decades of hits (which are sometimes cold wave but are mostly pop) and you can really appreciate the breadth of their work, along with all those melodies that you recognise subconsciously and Robert Smith’s ability to just get on with it. Joined onstage by his long-time partner in crime Simon Gallup (bass), as well as Reeves Gabrels (guitar), Roger O’Donnell (keyboards) and Jason Cooper (drums), he sings some beautiful versions of Pictures of You, In Between Days, Just Like Heaven, A Forest, Disintegration, Lullaby, The Caterpillar, Friday I’m in Love, Close to Me, Boys Don’t Cry, 10:15 Saturday Night and Killing an Arab. © Max Dembo/Qobuz

Returning to the “heart” of Jungle on their previous long-format “For Ever” in 2021, which marked their emancipation from the label XL, Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland take their project to a “free spirit” zone with this fourth album. There is an improvised side from the very beginning with a voice seemingly cut-and-pasted from their loyal singer Lydia Kitto on “Holding On” and “Candle Flame”, featuring the rapper Erick the Architect. The duo admits to this collage work 100%, referencing Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers, such as with the London rapper Roots Manuva, who threw down a slam in the studio on the funky beat of “You Ain’t No Celebrity”. The same goes for “I’ve Been In Love”, the record’s suavest title, for which they’ve picked up a bit of the voice of Channel Tres, the Compton artist who is reviving hip-house, but recorded for another song.With short, efficient tracks, Jungle demonstrate yet again that they know the rules of soul and funk inside and out; from the retro “Back on 74”, homage to the pioneers of 70’s soul with its frankly irresistible guitar, to the feature with JNR Williams, who comes in to make an old-school soul-jazz duo with Lydia Kitto on “Good at Breaking Hearts”. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz 

Jazz-fusion has spawned plenty of rather distressing albums but also, fortunately, many masterpieces. Like this album, recorded on the 2nd and 3rd of February 1972 in New York. Return to Forever sees the pianist Chick Corea, who had just left Miles Davis's outfit, alongside electric bass god Stanley Clarke, the underrated flautist and saxophonist Joe Farrell and the Brazilian duo of singer Flora Purim and her husband, the drummer and percussionist Airto Moreira. This light "Brazilian touch" is one of the interesting elements in this fusion, which offers an alternative to the music offered by Miles or John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, which had much more of a rock sound. At his electric keyboard, Corea remains attached to the melodic framework of his compositions and the mystical atmosphere, which was so popular in its day, is never over-done. Most importantly, the incontinent splurging of notes that has clogged up so many electronic projects is absent here. On Crystal Silence, Farrell's sax solo is to die for, and Corea's playing, light as a feather, will take some beating. Derided as a circus animal by his detractors, Stanley Clarke is also strikingly subtle and his performance on Sometime Ago - La Fiesta is among his most moving. In the end, Return to Forever is perhaps considered one of the greatest jazz-fusion albums because it sweeps away the clichés. Thereafter, despite a regularly changing line-up, the band proved a colossal success (six studio albums followed in five years), undoubtedly because of its distinctly 'rockier' formula, which was a major departure from the style of this first chapter. © Marc Zisman / Qobuz

Drummer Gary Powell and bassist John Hassall provide the Libertines necessary structure and foundation, but it is the wonderfully rococo decorations of terror twins Carl Barât and Pete Doherty that give the band its bloody emotion: the charming devil rascality that lives up to the name. Their first album in nine years finds the foursome cleaner (presumably, in multiple meanings of the word) and tighter than the deliciously dangerous-sounding records that helped define post-Britpop in the aughts, yet it still feels like a natural progression. Single "Run Run Run" is pretty classic Libertines: romantic garage rock, pulled off with an imperious dishevelment that could ignite a dancefloor. Barât delivers the nihilism with a chip on his shoulder, crooning, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to/ Light the fuse, sing the blues, I can die if I want to/ Tonight we're gonna bring tomorrow's happiness." Sunny "Mustangs" finds the band borrowing from Lou Reed and glam; cowbell, Doherty's falsetto back-up and what sounds like a full choir on the bridge add up to excellent chaos: "Sister Mary shivers—whooo!" Both tracks easily belong on a future Best Of. Doherty steps up with a slightly breathless delivery for the garage-meets-sea-chanty "I Have a Friend"—making room for Barât to unleash a fiery bit of guitar work—and "Merry Old England." The latter is a surprising adventure, packing in Latin percussion and '70s neo-soul, as well as melodramatic strings and fog-moody piano; it's the kind of epic they could not have pulled off in the bad old days. Strings and piano grandiosity also elevate the haunted ballad "Man with the Melody," while "Oh Shit" is bright and bouncy blue-collar pop-punk that sounds like a party in the studio. The same goes for "Be Young"—which marries a pub-singalong chorus, a searing guitar solo and even a Two-Tone breakdown; is it any wonder the whole thing ends in a coughing fit? Murder ballad "Night of the Hunter" injects a romantic Balkan feel into a Gallagher Bros. style melody, switching between a Greek Chorus narrator ("A-C-A-B/ Tattooed on your knuckles/ Does the world know what it means?") and the weary antagonist ("I was calling to tell you, baby/ They're taking me away for a while/ Ah, you can't blame me, it's this world that's made me"). Unvarnished "Baron's Claw" hints at Weimar cabaret mystery with drunken horn and tinkling piano. In the messy past, there was always a danger that things could just fall apart for the Libertines; now, there's a joy in hearing them keep it together. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

A bassist vital to the US jazz scene since the 90’s – partner of choice for musicians as notable as Joe Henderson, Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, and Pat Metheny – Christian McBride, alongside his frequent work as a sideman (on over 300 records to date), leads a rich career as a frontman, expanding upon his orchestral formations (from trios to big band) in varying registers. He encompasses a large palette of styles that are always deeply anchored in the foundations of traditional African-American jazz. This new record conceived and recorded in partnership with another bass virtuoso, Edgar Meyer, himself exploring other idioms and imagining other landscapes (from bluegrass to “crossover” classical), indisputably introduces a new perspective to the bassist’s rich discography.Intended to feel like a conversation between friends, each speaking in a relaxed, playful tone, offering support through active listening in order for each to be able to “play their own melody” with full peace and security of mind, But Who’s Gonna Play the Melody? sounds like a charming and timeless departure into a world entirely dedicated to the bass. Applying their great virtuosity towards each melody, without ever veering into competitive territory, the two musicians, with an irresistibly natural sense of groove, never cease to seduce the listener through a repertoire that draws not only from jazz, but also from folk, classical music, bluegrass, and funk, making room for the kind of collective memory that goes beyond styles and generations. An album with no pretense other than the pure pleasure of playing music – authentically all-encompassing in the best possible way. © Stéphane Ollivier/Qobuz

Never underestimate Cher. Somehow this unstoppable chanteuse, who has been making solo albums since 1965, had never released a Christmas album until now. In typical Cher fashion, it's a glossy, super-produced session that covers all the styles she's mastered over the years, while also cannily touching some familiar bases of Christmas music. The splashy, catchy by-the-numbers dancefloor filler, "DJ Play a Christmas Song," a creation of six songwriters, rightly puts her booming vocals front and center. Darlene Love, Stevie Wonder, Michael Bublé Cyndi Lauper and Tyga are an impressive guest list with each appearing on a track. While the Tyga and downbeat Bublé tracks are forgettable, Stevie Wonder adds a trademark harmonica solo and a heartfelt laugh to "What Christmas Means to Me." Opening with the bells heard in the original version, Cher leans into a bravura take of Charles Brown's classic blues plea, "Please Come Home for Christmas." She slays another early classic, digging into "Run Rudolph Run," proving again that she has few equals as a pop singer as she deftly swings through Chuck Berry's brilliant lyrics: "Said Santa to a girl child, 'What would please you most to get?'/ 'A little baby doll that can cry, sleep, drink and wet'/ And then away went Rudolph, he was whizzin' like a Saber jet." A convincing replica of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound hovers around "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" which features Darlene Love, who sang lead on the gold standard 1963 version on Spector's nonpareil A Christmas Gift for You.  Cher gives a credible run at Eartha Kitt's slinky hit, "Santa Babyn" and a cover of The Zombies "This Will Be Our Year," is an effective, non-seasonal closer. Hitting many of the right notes with plenty of sparkle, Cher's first Christmas outing is an instant classic.  © Robert Baird/Qobuz

The set that made Cray a pop star, despite its enduring blues base. Cray's smoldering stance on "Smoking Gun" and "Right Next Door" rendered him the first sex symbol to emerge from the blues field in decades, but it was his innovative expansion of the genre itself that makes this album a genuine 1980s classic. "Nothing but a Woman" boasts an irresistible groove pushed by the Memphis Horns and some metaphorically inspired lyrics, while "I Wonder" and "Guess I Showed Her" sizzle with sensuality.© Bill Dahl /TiVo

He may be in his seventies now, but there’s still no stopping Bruce Springsteen. In 2019, without the E Street Band, the Boss released Western Stars, an astonishing album which would see him transformed into the Glen Campbell of the third millennium, detaching himself from the present day by choosing an attitude of innocence and nonchalance over resistance or defiance. Letter to You came along a year later, where he gathered his favorite band—or rather, what was left of it after the passing of Danny Federici (2008) and Clarence Clemons (2011)— in his home studio in New Jersey to record 12 songs live in just 5 days. It was a reunion among old friends, rooted firmly in the '70s.With Only the Strong Survive, released in autumn 2022, Bruce Springsteen goes 100% soul. There is no doubting the quality of the goods on this 21st studio album. Comprised exclusively of covers, the album seeks to "do justice" to the Great American Songbook of the sixties and seventies. It’s a tasty tracklist, taken from the five-star catalogs of Motown, Stax, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff’s Philadelphia International, alongside a few other soul and R&B labels. The Boss has always had good sense in this department, mixing such gold-plated legends as Jerry Butler, Arethra Franklin, the Temptations, Diana Ross with her Supremes, and forgotten geniuses like Tyrone Davis. Not everything is totally vintage, indeed, there’s the aptly named "Soul Days"—a nostalgic song by Jonnie Barnett recorded by Dobie Gray in 2000—and "When She Was My Girl," first recorded by the Four Tops in 1981. To strengthen his case, Springsteen even invited the great Sam Moore (of the legendary duo Sam & Dave). Overall, Only the Strong Survive radiates a sincere and infectious joy. This feeling dominates throughout, underpinned by a gang of powerful backing singers (Soozie Tyrell, Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore, Curtis King Jr., Dennis Collins and Fonzi Thornton). It's definitely a celebration. Whenever the Boss does add a personal touch—putting the spotlight on his own voice, for example—he never tries to transform these gems of the past into Born to Run-style stadium anthems. His approach is perhaps even a little educational, given that many of his younger fans will be discovering some of these songs for the first time. After all, he was a young fan himself once upon a time: a teenager glued to his AM radio, sputtering out wondrous "made in Motown"singles all night long. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

2018's Time & Space saw Turnstile breach the headwaters of the mainstream with a bracing set of songs that were delivered with gusto and peppered with creative funk and hip-hop interludes. The Baltimore hardcore enthusiasts go all-in on their dizzying third long-player, Glow On, bringing in Dr. Dre protégé Mike Elizondo (Mastodon, Twenty One Pilots, 50 Cent) to helm the production and delivering a 15-track set that stays true to their punk roots while carving out an impressive swathe of old, new, borrowed, and blue sonic real estate. Commencing with a billowing synth arpeggio, triumphant opener "Mystery" sets the table with an earworm-heavy blast of punchy '90s alt-rock that pulls the choicest pieces of meat from the carcasses of Fugazi, Jane's Addiction, and Nirvana. "Blackout," "Holiday," and "T.L.C. (Turnstile Love Connection)" go big as well, with the former administering lethal amounts of taut, Helmet-worthy riffage over a mix of analog and triggered beats -- replete with Latin drum flourishes -- and the latter two cuts looking to consolidate the mosh pit and the dancefloor into a sweaty, earthbound murmuration. The interstitial moments of Time & Space have been folded in rather than tacked on this time around, which helps otherwise sonic outliers like the languid indie rocker "Alien Love" (one of two tracks to feature Devonté Hyne, aka Blood Orange) and the bubbly and aptly named dance-pop gem "Underwater Boi" find some equilibrium with the rest of the album. Turnstile's predilection for genre-hopping never tempers their enthusiasm, and the concise and inclusive hardcore anthems that have been their forte since emerging in 2010 still make up the bulwark of their sound. Both vital and respective of the listener's time at just under 35 minutes, Glow On rolls in like a violent, late-summer storm and pummels the power grid but mercifully leaves the lights on.© James Christopher Monger /TiVo

Radiohead's debut album, Pablo Honey, is a promising collection that blends U2's anthemic rock with long, atmospheric instrumental passages and an enthralling triple-guitar attack that is alternately gentle and bracingly noisy. The group has difficulty writing a set of songs that are as compelling as their sound, but when they do hit the mark -- such as on "Anyone Can Play Guitar," "Blow Out," and the self-loathing breakthrough single "Creep" -- the band achieves a rare power that is both visceral and intelligent.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride and Brian Blade. A mere glance at RoundAgain’s line-up is enough to arouse a sense of collective hysteria among jazz fans. The original members of Joshua Redman's first quartet haven’t recorded together since MoodWing was released in 1994. “We would have done it ten years ago if it were up to me”, explains Mehldau, “Josh, Christian and Brian are all my heroes. It’s like playing with The Avengers!” It’s a worthy comparison seeing as these four really are considered superheroes in today’s jazzosphere. In almost a quarter of a century, their aura and playing has developed in an exponential way, to the point that the quartet has achieved an irrevocable spiritual chemistry. On this brand-new album (three compositions by Redman, two by Mehldau, and one each for McBride and Blade), they immediately show off a bond which allows them to perform extraordinary and colossal swing. Under the hood of this sparkling, perplexing yet vintage Rolls Royce of a record, RoundAgain is a meaningful four-way conversation. From beginning (Undertow) to end (Your Part to Play), mutual respect is at the heart of their drive and direction; even Redman’s verbose saxophone never steals the spotlight. Let’s just hope that we won’t have to wait another 26 years before they do it all again… © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

As opposed to the original official "Soundtrack" release, a single disc with the soundtrack elements edited and arranged into concert movements, this two-disc set has every note composed for The Phantom Menace, including a cue that was cut from the film. Buffs can readily hear how Williams introduces embryonic forms of familiar themes from the earlier films. For instance, the innocent lullaby for little Anakin Skywalker ends in a nine-note pattern that is the theme of the future Darth Vader's Imperial March. And Williams subtly uses harmonies to mark the character who is secretly plotting to become Emperor. However, in this form the music is totally subordinated to the film's dramatic form, rather than musical logic.This score is not so successful as coherent music, as the earlier films' scores were, as released in their final versions on RCA Victor. The cause is the same dramatic flaw that made the movie unexpectedly unsatisfying: it was really an extended set-up for a larger-scale story, without a central mythic hero who faces a defining ordeal. The score resultingly lacks a unifying focus, as well. Still, this release is a better portrayal of the music than the original soundtrack album, which threw away the concluding fight music, The Duel of the Fates, by making it track two. It is worth the extra cost for film score and Star Wars buffs, and includes some remarkable "desert music" not included in the original disc. It is very well played by Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra with the New London Children's Chorus and the London Voices, all stunningly produced by Williams and recorded by Shawn Murphy. It comes in a lavish package, with over sixty color shots from the movie in a bound-in presentation booklet, clearly aimed at fans and collectors.© TiVo