2023

A perennial favorite, MOONDANCE is often regarded as one of the best albums of all time. Ten years ago, the deluxe edition of the record was released to wide acclaim, with critics and fans basking in the context provided by previously unreleased songs from the recording session. This one extends that look behind the curtain into the "making of" a masterpiece. The RIAA-platinum certified classic was written and composed by Van Morrison himself, and is often credited with ushering in the "soft rock" era. Hits from the collection include "Come Running," "Into the Mystic," "Crazy Love," and of course, the title track "Moondance."

This landmark compilation has introduced of fans to the incredible history of the most storied band in music. For its 50th anniversary, the collection has been expanded with 12 additional tracks added chronologically, including for the first time some of George Harrison's earliest songs and some classic Beatles versions of R&B and rock 'n' roll hits that were so influential on the band.<br/><br/>The 2CD collection now contains 38 tracks, 30 of which have new mixes for 2023. The booklet contains new sleeve notes by journalist and author John Harris. For current fans and future generations alike, the new 1962 - 1966collection is a joyous celebration of The Beatles' timeless musical legacy.

Paul Simon, who has consistently crafted some of the most influential and enduring work in the history of music, has announced the release of his highly anticipated musical work, Seven Psalms. Intended to be listened to as one continuous piece, the 33-minute, seven-movement composition transcends the concept of the "album". <br/> <br/>Recorded entirely on acoustic instruments, and predominantly performed by Paul, Seven Psalms showcases Simon's craft at its finest and most captivating, simply with his voice and guitar. <br/> <br/>A stunning, intricately layered work, it's a record which establishes an engaging and meditative, almost hymnal soundscape, with Paul's lyrics providing the gravitational center for constellations of sound woven from guitar strings and other acoustic instrumentation - including choral elements from the highly-regarded British vocal ensemble VOCES8, and a beautiful vocal appearance by Edie Brickell.<br/> <br/>True to the origin of psalms as hymns meant to be sung rather than spoken, Seven Psalms reaches back to the very genesis of folk music: King David's Psalms. The result is a quietly moving musical experience which uncovers a wealth of subtle details with every repeated listen. A step apart from anything Paul Simon has released before, Seven Psalms defies categorization. <br/> <br/>The record's tone is complemented by its artwork, which features a close-up extract of "Two Owls" by the celebrated landscape artist Thomas Moran.<br/>Produced by Paul Simon and Kyle Crusham, Seven Psalms is a single suite of music.

This landmark compilation has introduced generations of fans to the incredible history of the most storied band in music. For its 50th anniversary, the collection has been expanded with 9 additional tracks, including "Blackbird", "Glass Onion" and the new song, "Now And Then". The last Beatles song, "Now And Then" completes John Lennon's 1970s vocal and piano demo recording with parts played by Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, as well as a new arrangement for strings. <br/><br/>The 2CD collection now features 37 tracks, 6 of which have new mixes for 2023. The booklet contains new sleeve notes by journalist and author John Harris. For current fans and future generations alike, the new 1966 - 1970collection is a joyous celebration of The Beatles' timeless musical legacy.

Steely Dan: Gaucho [Vinyl LP]

COLOURED VINYL

Digipak with 32p booklet and obi strip<br/>CD 1 - Bright-Side Mix<br/>CD 2 - Dark-Side Mix<br/>Blu-ray - In-Side Mix (Dolby Atmos)<br/><br/>Peter Gabriel's first album of new material since 2002's Up.<br/> <br/>During 2023, Peter has been releasing a new song from the album on the occasion of every full moon. Being revealed roughly every four weeks, each track has been allowed to find its own time and space, to enjoy its own orbit. "It's a little like getting a Lego piece each month," Peter explains. Now it's time to stand back and admire the final, completed creation.<br/> <br/>And what a creation - 12 tracks of grace, gravity and great beauty that provide welcome confirmation of not only Peter's ongoing ability to write stop-you-in-your-tracks songs but also of that thrilling voice, still perfectly, delightfully intact. Throughout the album the intelligent and thoughtful - often thought-provoking - songs tackle life and the universe. Our connection to the world around us - 'I'm just a part of everything' Peter sings on title track i/o - is a recurring motif, but so too the passing of time, mortality and grief, alongside such themes as injustice, surveillance and the roots of terrorism. But this is not a solemn record. While reflective, the mood is never despondent; i/o is musically adventurous, often joyous and ultimately full of hope, topped off as it is, by the rousingly optimistic closing song, Live and Let Live. <br/> <br/>Always looking to push the boundaries, i/o is not simply a collection of a dozen songs. All 12 tracks are subject to two stereo mixes: the Bright-Side Mix, handled by Mark 'Spike' Stent, and the Dark-Side Mix, as reshaped by Tchad Blake. "We have two of the greatest mixers in the world in Tchad and Spike and they definitely bring different characters to the songs. Tchad is very much a sculptor building a journey with sound and drama, Spike loves sound and assembling these pictures, so he's more of a painter." Both versions are included on the double-CD package, and are also available separately as double vinyl albums. And that's not all. A third version - the In-Side Mix, in Dolby Atmos, comes courtesy of Hans-Martin Buff "doing a wonderful job generating these much more three-dimensional mixes" and is included in three-disc set, including Blu-ray.<br/> <br/>Peter has kept his trusty inner circle of musicians close to hand, which means guitarist David Rhodes, bassist Tony Levin and drummer Manu Katché are sterling presences throughout. Several songs bear the fingerprints of long-time associate Brian Eno, whilst there are notable contributions from the likes of Richard Russell, pianist Tom Cawley, trumpeters Josh Shpak and Paolo Fresu, cellist Linnea Olsson and keyboard player Don E. Peter's daughter Melanie contributes warm backing vocals, as does Ríoghnach Connolly of The Breath. Soweto Gospel Choir and Swedish all-male choir Oprhei Drängar lend their magnificent harmonies and the mass strings of the New Blood Orchestra, led by John Metcalfe, both soothe and soar.<br/> <br/>Peter has also invited a range of visual artists to contribute a piece of art to accompany each track. The dozen artists make an exceedingly impressive team of collaborators: Ai Weiwei, Nick Cave, Olafur Eliasson, Henry Hudson, Annette Messager, Antony Micallef, David Moreno, Cornelia Parker, Megan Rooney, Tim Shaw, David Spriggs and Barthélémy Toguo. Having handpicked the artists, Peter recognises that "They have the same obsessive attention to their visual work that we musicians have in sound."