For more than a decade, this Brooklyn band has been one of indie rock's best-kept secrets, but its sixth album may change all that. Holy arrives with the blessing of Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock, who picked Love as Laughter as an opening act last year and signed them to his new record label. Modest Mouse fans will find much to admire here. Singer-songwriter Sam Jayne has an affection for classic rock and a great sense of whimsy about it. The title track hitches a melody from Sly and the Family Stone's "Everybody Is a Star" to skewed lyrics about sin and redemption. "Holy's never out of reach," he sings. "I heard that demons don't hit the beach." Jayne also shares Stephen Malkmus' knack for ragged guitars, rigorous songcraft and pleasantly puzzling lyrics. On "All Parts of Me," skittering Afro-pop-flavored verses give way to cresting choruses, with Jayne singing inspired bursts of doggerel: "Top of the holly-jolly, my holy collar is falling off." He doesn't shy from the big subjects — love, death, immortality — but any hint of bombast is undercut by woozy humor. In "Coconut Fakes," he comforts a friend: "We're gonna get stoned with you/And laugh at your mistakes." That promise could be the band's motto. –Jody Rosen

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A melodious and atmospheric collection of songs without words, Asturiana - Songs from Spain an Argentina offers a fascinating overview of different idioms in Spanish and Argentine songs from early 20th century composers such as De Falla, Granados, Ginastera, Gustavino, Montsalvatge and others. Spanish songs lend themselves particularly well to instrumental transcription due to their frequent foundation in folk and popular styles of song and dance. Their melodic beauty and rhythmic energy create an intense atmosphere of tenderness and nostalgia with sudden outbursts of vitality - a most evocative music that doesn't seem to call for any verbal emphasis. Kim Kashkashian's and Robert Levin's duo, dating back to the mid-seventies, is a rare phenomenon of true musical partnership.

It can be observed particularly well in their numerous ECM productions which, after the first album "Elegies" (1986), have included works by Schumann, Brahms, Hindemith, Shostakovich and other composers. The difference of their two musical approaches - Kashkashian's lyricism and love for the melodic line combined with Levin's strong interest in structure and stylistic considerations - is a main reason that this collaboration has been so fruitful. In fact, Asturiana demonstrates an extraordinary degree of freedom and flexibility, both rhythmically and sonically. Amazon

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There is nothing blues-conventional about Kennedy's background: he comes from Hamilton,in southern Ontario, and had a spell in the 70's with the Chairmen Of The Board. As he says "I have few links to any recognised tradition." He doesn't stand entirely outside the soundworld of the blues: his voice and geniality recall Taj Mahal,and he is happy to work with familiar structures and themes, though he uses those tools to fashion original blues of charm and individuality. what sets this album apart from many - including its predecessor, Voice + Story {Black & Tan ,2005} - is the ingenious variety of the musical arrangements,which deploy accordion, keyboards,guitars and assorted percussion. the result is that uncommon thing, a blues album you can leave on 'repeat' setting.-- Tony Russell

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This is the major label debut for the Central Florida pop-rock stalwarts, Anberlin. The new album features 13 tracks that further expand on Anberlin's signature sound. Stephen Christian's distinct vocals backed by Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney's driving guitars and the rhythm section comprised of Deon Rexroat and Nathan Young on bass and drums respectively is the foundation for the band's success. Amazon

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"Astonishing display of virtuosity." -- Los Angeles Times. Liner notes by Bill Milkowski

A perfect CD for anyone who loves jazz guitar in the Wes Montgomery/George Benson style.

"At 28, he has already mastered everything from bebop to bossa nova, from swing to gypsy and fusion. His playing was at times an astonishing display of virtuosity." -- Los Angeles Times

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Composer, Conductor: Philip Glass
Orchestra: Philip Glass Ensemble

This is music without melody, Glass's repertoire of techniques at its most spare--just rhythmic pattern (in his signature arpeggiated chord) and rudimentary, stable harmony in which the extension and contraction of time/rhythmic values is the only appreciable "content" of the pieces. This music can produce strange effects on a listener; one can almost sense one's own faculty of audition as being the true "content". I liken it to a Gestalt switch, or the experience of seeing a wheel spin fast enough to produce the illusion of slow or even backwards motion. One realizes stimulation of the eyes is but half the experience; the other half is the intentional mind itself. Part One is a slow, meditative version of this idea; it's an amazing sonic Persian rug of pulsing, interlocked patterns, and perhaps the most beautiful piece he ever wrote. One can pick out between the instruments a melody of whatever length one wishes, creating the music for themselves.—C. Gardner

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Composer: Mozart
Performer: Jonathan Biss

The young, articulate, passionate American pianist, Jonathan Biss, an exclusive artist for EMI Classics, returns with his muchanticipated fourth album for the label featuring Mozart's Piano Concerti Nos.21 and22, joined by the Grammy®-Award winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (sans conductor). Mozart's Piano Concerto No.21 in C is one of the greatest and most well-known of his 27 piano concerti, with its meditative slow movement used in numerous films (often called the Elvira Madigan Concerto). Amazon

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Quantum of Solace continues the high octane adventures of Daniel Craig as James Bond. Directed by Marc Fisher, this 22nd installation in the 007 franchise hits theaters on October 31st, 2008 in Europe and November 14th in the US. This film features music by composer David Arnold and the new single 'Another Way To Die' by Jack White (White Stripes) and Alicia Keys, a first ever duet for a James Bond flick. The Quantum of Solace soundtrack will include the movie score and this new single. David Arnold is a Grammy-winning English film composer, best known for scoring five James Bond films including the score for Casino Royale and the blockbuster Independence Day. Amazon

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Folie … Deux is the fifth studio album for the band, Fall Out Boy and it is the follow up to their 2007 album, Infinity on High. Folie A Deux was produced by Neal Avron at The Pass Studios in Los Angeles. For the album, Fall Out Boy spearheaded a politically charged group that unveiled cryptic "Big Brother" type messages in order to support and ignite a democratic process. Impressively, the creative album roll-out garnered over one million impressions in just one week online across literally hundreds of websites. Universal. Def Jam

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Born To The Breed is an all-star tribute to one of the leading lights of the folk music movement, Judy Collins, and is released through her own independent record label Wildflower Records. The idea for Breed came from a casual compliment Collins received from another iconic female singer. "It started because Chrissie Hynde said to me, 'You know, one of my top 10 favourite songs is 'My Father.' And I thought, 'Why don't I get her to record that?'" says Collins. Other singers contributing to the project include Joan Baez, Rufus Wainwright, Dolly Parton, Hynde, Dar Williams, Jimmy Webb, Shawn Colvin, Leonard Cohen, Arlo Guthrie, Amy Speace, The Webb Sisters and Puressence's James Mudriczki.

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