Sony レコード& CD

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


Alice in Chains' Jar of Flies from 1994 is a masterful album that showcases the band's versatility and songwriting prowess across an acoustic-driven collection of tracks. They deliver plenty of haunting melodies and introspective lyrics that make for a deeply immersive listen. There is a real melancholic beauty to 'Nutshell' while a gritty intensity pervades 'No Excuses.' Each song offers a glimpse into the band's emotional depth and musical complexity, always with raw emotion and captivating performances that make this one a standout release in Alice in Chains' discography.

Review: Was anyone ready for one of the most talked-about albums of the year to be Andre 3000 going ham on the flute? Probably not, but in a post-reality world New Blue Sun just slots right in. Of course the legions of Outkast fans are going to be split when an artist of such prominence takes a wild swerve into experimental musical pastures, but for those with an open mind or a pre-existing appreciation of ambient and leftfield music, this album is an easy sell. Teasing the tension between acoustic and electronic, ancient and hypermodern, grounded and ethereal, Andre has been bold and honest in presenting this album to the world and his gamble has paid off.

Review: Having previously successfully turned her hand to house and disco - many of our top pop performers have always been shapeshifting musical magpies (hello Madonna) - Beyonce Knowles Carter has now delved into the world of country music. No doubt you'll be bored of the endless discourse around Cowboy Carter, but that doesn't stop it from being a genuinely good album - a brilliant fusion of neo-soul, r&b and, yes, country music instrumentation that wisely leaves Beyonce's incredible voice front and centre. There are some genuinely notable covers - see her takes on the Beatles 'Blackbird' and Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' (featuring an introduction from her Dollyness) stand out - but the most striking songs are by and large her own work. For proof, see 'American Requiem', 'Most Wanted' (with Miley Cyrus), 'Sweet Honey Buckin' (with Shaboozy) and 'Tyrant'.

Review: Beyonce's Cowboy Carter is a bold and poignant exploration of American roots music, marking a departure from her previous works while asserting her dominance across genres. Inspired by her 2016 experience at the Country Music Association Awards, where she faced criticism and racism despite her Texas roots, Beyonce delves into Louisiana Cajun country, the rivers of Alabama, and the streets of Memphis, reimagining Americana, folk, and country in her own image. The album serves as a powerful statement on the erasure of Black contributions to country music and American culture, with Beyonce reclaiming her rightful place in the genre's history. Through collaborations with legends like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, as well as emerging Black country and rock musicians, Beyonce highlights the enduring legacy of Black artists in shaping these musical forms. Cowboy Carter is both a sonic journey and a cultural commentary, blending elements of folk, country and rock with Beyonce's signature style and vocal range. From the haunting cover of the Beatles' 'Blackbird' to the electrifying trap beats of 'Ya Ya,' the album showcases Beyonce's versatility and musical dexterity. No doubt, 2024 will be another strong year of Beyonce led by this album.

Review: Canadian crooner Celine Dion's My Love: Essential Collection is a fine testament to the iconic singer's illustrious career which spanned decades and took in countless hits. This compilation serves up her most beloved hits, all of which showcase Dion's unparalleled vocal prowess and emotional depth. From singalong classics like 'My Heart Will Go On' to powerful ballads such as 'The Power of Love,' each track resonates with pop fans worldwide and transcends language and culture. Dion's ability to evoke raw emotion and convey universal themes of love and resilience has made her a global phenomenon and all of that is proven beyond doubt in this album which underlines her unparalleled contribution to popular music.

Review: Norwegian indie talent Girl In Red kicked off her musical journey by sharing her home-recorded tunes as a teenager back in 2017. She has since become renowned for her raw lyrics and for delving into the everyday struggles and intricacies of relationships and has won a legion of fans, not least among them Taylor Swift,who invited her out on tour. Her breakout moment came with the viral sensation 'I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend,' followed by the enchanting 'We Fell in Love in October' in 2018. Fast forward to 2021, she unveiled her debut full-length album and soared up the charts. Now she is back with I'm Doing It Again Baby which comes on limited gatefold red vinyl and is full of more of her guitar-driven melodic indie-pop sounds and singalong hooks.

Review: Billy Joel's fifth studio album The Stranger, turned Billy into a household name and a consistent multi-platinum seller for the next decade and more. The album reached number two on the US Billboard and ultimately sold to diamond certification in the United States alone. The album was lauded by critics and fans alike, landing on many people's best of the year lists. Included on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 albums you must hear before you die list, the album branded Billy Joel as one of the best songwriters of his day. This reissue is identical to the original 1977 release.

Review: There's been rather a lot of noise about Jaguar II, Victoria Monet's much-delayed full-length follow up to 2021's Jaguar mini-album. The hype is, in many ways, understandable - it did recently scoop the 'Best R&B Album' award at the GRAMMYs. More importantly, it's also very good, with the decorated songwriter-turned-pop star confidently serving up retro-futurist gems who's punchy 21st century r&b beats come cloaked in musical motifs that frequently offer nods to black American music of the 1970s, 80s and early 90s. The plentiful highlights include Lucky Daye hook-up 'Smoke', the dancehall-fired excellence of 'Party Girls' (featuring Buju Banton), the Fugees-esque beauty of 'How Does It Make You Feel', and the glossy disco-soul dreaminess of 'Hollywood', where her young daughter Hazel and Earth, Wind and Fire both play starring roles.

Review: After an extended hiatus of nigh-on five years, Vampire Weekend has finally got around to recording a new album. Only their third studio set in total, Only God Was Above Us sees the trio muse on the weight of history - their own as much as anything else - while fretting about what lies ahead for the human race. Musically, much of what's on offer is densely layered and impressively loud, with loads of intricate musical detail (check the jazz horns and mad stereo panning of 'Classical' and the string-laden, White Album-era Beatles nostalgia of 'Capricorn') working in unison with their attractive, harmonic, saucer-eyed vocals. It's a bit of a triumph all told and one that proves that there's plenty of life yet in Vampire Weekend.

Review: The fifth studio album from New York's perenelially preppy masters of the catchy indie anthem sounds like a tantalising mix of trademark qualities and an ever widening eclecticism, not to mention lyrical concerns that mirror the big scale traumas and worries of American life through the minutiae of interpersonal relations. The title itself comes, appparently, from an eyewitness account of a plane that lost its roof mid flight - add your own geopolitical metaphor here. But in short, there'll be a few surprises but VW fans everywhere will also get a serious dollop of what they've been waiting for for almost five years.