Brian
Crain was a musically inclined child, but he was never formally educated in
music, and yet has still found success as a pianist/composer.His passion was baseball however he found his
true destiny in the ivory keys.
Based on what I have heard on Piano and Night, Brian Crane’s 17th album, he is doing exactly what
he was meant to do. He has quite the back catalog that prospective listeners
can explore, for now, we shall explore his latest effort that was released in
March this year.
Brian composed and performed all 11 tracks on Piano and Night. What the title suggests
to the listener is the magic of nighttime can be yours to enjoy. It does not
have to be the basic fact that the sun went down. Look at the cover of the CD
with all the beautiful Chinese lanterns floating upwards like little stars
going home to the heavens, and Brian is off in background playing his piano to
this dance of light. This is what the nighttime was meant for, star gazing and
the solo piano music of a talented composer and musician.
Piano
and Night is slow dance under the stars so you, as the listener, can
picture in your mind's eye the beauty of the nighttime and all its offerings.
Brain Crain makes the suggestion of these thoughts and then makes it a reality
through his music. One man, one piano, and the nighttime are all you need to
enjoy this music to the fullest extent. It was a very relaxing and comforting
journey to partake in for this listener and it most certainly put a different
spin on the night time, and that is exactly what this was meant to do. Mission
accomplished to all within listening range.
Review
Provided By New Age Music Reviews Tracks: 01. Dreamsong 02. Starry Night 03. Paper Lantern Sky 04. Sleep Nocturne 05. Moonlight Waltz 06. Time Lapse 07. Firefly Stars 08. Forest of the Night 09. Dream of Wild Horses 10. Lullaby Sonata 11. Smile
London - The Ladies of the Lake is the first themed compilation of the gold and platinum selling EXCALIBUR series of Celtic Rock albums.
The creator of Excalibur, Alan Simon, said of the compilation: “Since for creation of the first Excalibur album, it's been a privilege to work with so many strong ladies characters. I speak not just of Guinevere and Morgane, but also of the talented singers who have brought some of the roles to life.”
The compilation follows the re-release of the Excalibur Trilogy, and the recently released fourth album, Excalibur IV: The Dark Age of the Dragon.
Alan Simon continued: “The rock genre is often dominated by so many male musicians, but it shouldn't be forgotten how much Moya, Jacqui, Maddy, Karan, Kohann, Nikki, Sonja, Siobhan and Maite have given of their unique musical talents. This compilation is a tribute to them. they are the Ladies of the Lake. the Ladies of Excalibur. Please enjoy :)”
The compilation features the guests: Moya Brennan Maddy Prior Karan Casey Kohann Siobhan Owen Jacqui McShee Nikki Matheson Sonja Kristina Maite Itoiz
Tracks: 1) The Origins feat MOYA BRENNAN 2) Secret Garden feat MADDY PRIOR 3) The Girl & the Demon feat KARAN CASEY 4) Skye feat KOHANN 5) Calling For You feat MOYA BRENNAN 6) The Last Lament of a Fairy feat SIOBHAN OWEN 7) There is Someone feat SIOBHAN OWEN 8) Silver Moon feat MOYA BRENNAN 9) Yseult feat SIOBHAN OWEN 10) Sacrifice feat JACQUI MCSHEE 11) A Prayer For My Lover feat SIOBHAN OWEN 12) Morning Song feat NIKKI MATHESON 13) The Passion feat SONJA KRISTINA 14) Dreaming Again feat SIOBHAN OWEN 15) Dun Angus feat MAITE ITOIZ
The limited-edition vinyl release of The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet 50th Anniversary Deluxe LP set features a gatefold jacket, 180-gram stereo vinyl, a bonus vinyl 12" "Sympathy For the Devil" single in mono (backed with an etching of the original release's "toilet" cover), and a replica of the Japanese bonus flexi disc featuring a 1968 phone interview with Mick Jagger is also included. This edition is wrapped in the "RSVP" cover art.How is that for music fans, especially Stones enthusiast? It is quite a beautiful package to enjoy.
The thing bands like the Stones and Zeppelin did with the blues is what made them so popular. Taking rudimentary blues songs and turning them into delicious morsels of rock, literally owning the song within their own framework and interpretation. This is something that is still going on to this day but not at that level. For the Stones, how could they possibly top the apex of their career Their Satanic Majesties Request? I do not think it was a matter of toping the first release, it was more important for the band to come up with something different than their last release to keep it fresh. And more importantly, feature their creativity and hold on to their prospective audience. Well, they always managed to do that and Beggars Banquet was no exception. On the copy of the Japanese flexi disc Jagger responds to the question from the interviewer if the album is going sound similar to the last release. He retorts “It is different than the last album, it’s supposed to sound different.”It is a bit difficult to make out what Jagger is saying at times because the telephone lines were not as advanced and clear as they are today. With that said, it is a nice addition to the set just the same.
Beggars Banquet was a superb album, one of the many classics the Stones would record during their career. This (for me anyway) has to be in the top five of their greatest achievements. The additional things that make this set so special will surely make all music fans appreciative. The record labels have become very innovative with the packaging of vinyl releases such as this. If there is not enough room to fill one side of vinyl, what is the option? Some cool etchings that’s what! It really is a bonus to see that kind of space utilized smartly particularly in this case where the original releases toilet cover is featured. I personally appreciate any kind of art related to the music and if it comes in one package that is just the icing on the cake.
The sound on vinyl is amazing, of course, what else would I say right? Everything sounds great on vinyl and for all those years I thought CDs were the bomb and they could never come up with a cleaner sound, wrong! We have come full circle, even with all the streaming services available and device options to listen to music, you simply cannot challenge the “complete” musical experience that vinyl can offer. This is one great example of how to celebrate an iconic album and I am sure we will see many more to come.
Stereo or Mono is always good, I do prefer stereo. Listening to “Sympathy For The Devil” in mono is different of course, but that being my favorite track, it sounded just as wonderful hearing it again after listening to the original stereo version. Having one track on an LP side harkens back to the days of 78 wax.
“Street Fighting Man” was another incredible track that stands up well today. The Stones created music that is timeless just like their UK friends The Beatles. Their music was so different that there really could not be a rivalry for the same audience. Some love the Stones and vice-a-versa and there is no argument. Myself, I love both bands and appreciate all their contributions to modern music.
“Stray Cat Blues” is a great track that gets back to their earlier blues roots but is more polished and defined then what you would hear on their first few releases. They certainly had their own sound and Jagger’s vocals were unique. The maturity of the band comes flowing through with ease on this album.
Besides having such a wonderful package to hold in your hands and spin on your turntable, you get a limited-edition release with all the trimmings. I think Beggars Banquet has stood the test of time and so will vinyl during this second resurgence. Like Yogi Berra quipped “Its déjà vu all over again.”But isn’t it sweet to do again with all the extras? I think so.
Tracks: 01. Sympathy For The Devil 02. No Expectations 03. Dear Doctor 04. Parachute Woman 05. Jig - Saw Puzzle 06. Street Fighting Man 07. Prodigal Son 08. Stray Cat Blues 09. Factory Girl 10. Salt of the Earth
London - The Ladies of the Lake is the first themed compilation of the gold and platinum selling EXCALIBUR series of Celtic Rock albums.
The creator of Excalibur, Alan Simon, said of the compilation: “Since for creation of the first Excalibur album, it's been a privilege to work with so many strong ladies characters. I speak not just of Guinevere and Morgane, but also of the talented singers who have brought some of the roles to life.”
The compilation follows the re-release of the Excalibur Trilogy, and the recently released fourth album, Excalibur IV: The Dark Age of the Dragon.
Alan Simon continued: “The rock genre is often dominated by so many male musicians, but it shouldn't be forgotten how much Moya, Jacqui, Maddy, Karan, Kohann, Nikki, Sonja, Siobhan and Maite have given of their unique musical talents. This compilation is a tribute to them. they are the Ladies of the Lake. the Ladies of Excalibur. Please enjoy :)”
The compilation features the guests:
Moya Brennan
Maddy Prior
Karan Casey
Kohann
Siobhan Owen
Jacqui McShee
Nikki Matheson
Sonja Kristina
Maite Itoiz
Tracks:
1) The Origins feat MOYA BRENNAN
2) Secret Garden feat MADDY PRIOR
3) The Girl & the Demon feat KARAN CASEY
4) Skye feat KOHANN
5) Calling For You feat MOYA BRENNAN
6) The Last Lament of a Fairy feat SIOBHAN OWEN
7) There is Someone feat SIOBHAN OWEN
8) Silver Moon feat MOYA BRENNAN
9) Yseult feat SIOBHAN OWEN
10) Sacrifice feat JACQUI MCSHEE
11) A Prayer For My Lover feat SIOBHAN OWEN
12) Morning Song feat NIKKI MATHESON
13) The Passion feat SONJA KRISTINA
14) Dreaming Again feat SIOBHAN OWEN
15) Dun Angus feat MAITE ITOIZ
The limited-edition vinyl release of The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet 50th Anniversary Deluxe LP set features a gatefold jacket, 180-gram stereo vinyl, a bonus vinyl 12" "Sympathy For the Devil" single in mono (backed with an etching of the original release's "toilet" cover), and a replica of the Japanese bonus flexi disc featuring a 1968 phone interview with Mick Jagger is also included. This edition is wrapped in the "RSVP" cover art.How is that for music fans, especially Stones enthusiast? It is quite a beautiful package to enjoy.
The thing bands like the Stones and Zeppelin did with the blues is what made them so popular. Taking rudimentary blues songs and turning them into delicious morsels of rock, literally owning the song within their own framework and interpretation. This is something that is still going on to this day but not at that level. For the Stones, how could they possibly top the apex of their career Their Satanic Majesties Request? I do not think it was a matter of toping the first release, it was more important for the band to come up with something different than their last release to keep it fresh. And more importantly, feature their creativity and hold on to their prospective audience. Well, they always managed to do that and Beggars Banquet was no exception. On the copy of the Japanese flexi disc Jagger responds to the question from the interviewer if the album is going sound similar to the last release. He retorts “It is different than the last album, it’s supposed to sound different.”It is a bit difficult to make out what Jagger is saying at times because the telephone lines were not as advanced and clear as they are today. With that said, it is a nice addition to the set just the same.
Beggars Banquet was a superb album, one of the many classics the Stones would record during their career. This (for me anyway) has to be in the top five of their greatest achievements. The additional things that make this set so special will surely make all music fans appreciative. The record labels have become very innovative with the packaging of vinyl releases such as this. If there is not enough room to fill one side of vinyl, what is the option? Some cool etchings that’s what! It really is a bonus to see that kind of space utilized smartly particularly in this case where the original releases toilet cover is featured. I personally appreciate any kind of art related to the music and if it comes in one package that is just the icing on the cake.
The sound on vinyl is amazing, of course, what else would I say right? Everything sounds great on vinyl and for all those years I thought CDs were the bomb and they could never come up with a cleaner sound, wrong! We have come full circle, even with all the streaming services available and device options to listen to music, you simply cannot challenge the “complete” musical experience that vinyl can offer. This is one great example of how to celebrate an iconic album and I am sure we will see many more to come.
Stereo or Mono is always good, I do prefer stereo. Listening to “Sympathy For The Devil” in mono is different of course, but that being my favorite track, it sounded just as wonderful hearing it again after listening to the original stereo version. Having one track on an LP side harkens back to the days of 78 wax.
“Street Fighting Man” was another incredible track that stands up well today. The Stones created music that is timeless just like their UK friends The Beatles. Their music was so different that there really could not be a rivalry for the same audience. Some love the Stones and vice-a-versa and there is no argument. Myself, I love both bands and appreciate all their contributions to modern music.
“Stray Cat Blues” is a great track that gets back to their earlier blues roots but is more polished and defined then what you would hear on their first few releases. They certainly had their own sound and Jagger’s vocals were unique. The maturity of the band comes flowing through with ease on this album.
Besides having such a wonderful package to hold in your hands and spin on your turntable, you get a limited-edition release with all the trimmings. I think Beggars Banquet has stood the test of time and so will vinyl during this second resurgence. Like Yogi Berra quipped “Its déjà vu all over again.”But isn’t it sweet to do again with all the extras? I think so.
Tracks: 01. Sympathy For The Devil 02. No Expectations 03. Dear Doctor 04. Parachute Woman 05. Jig - Saw Puzzle 06. Street Fighting Man 07. Prodigal Son 08. Stray Cat Blues 09. Factory Girl 10. Salt of the Earth
