Although
the late '90s apparently saw the end of Gary Glitter's career,
following his conviction for sexual offenses, there is no doubting that
for a full 25 years before that tragic denouement, Glitter ranked among
Britain's best-loved performers of all time. The hits which catapulted
him to fame in the early '70s, the anthemic "Rock and Roll" of course,
but also the likes of "I'm the Leader of the Gang," "Do You Wanna Touch
Me," and "I Love You Love Me Love," still have the capacity to stir an
audience -- as "Rock and Roll" itself proves, every time it airs at a
major sporting event
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Artist: Brian Setzer Album: '68 Comeback Special Ignition! Released: 2001 Source: Surfdog Genre: Retro-Rock/Rockabilly Format: eac/ape 315mb
Review:
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Brian
Setzer has enjoyed a 20-year career as pop music's most consistent
champion of rockabilly, first as the leader of the Stray Cats in the
80s, followed by solo stints, and a then by a resurgence in popularity
in the late '90s fronting a swing orchestra. Setzer's latest incarnation
is a return to a trio, named the Brian Setzer '68 Comeback Special. If
the name represents homage to Elvis, the trio's disc, Ignition!,
represents a return to pur
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Artist: GLENN HUGHES Album: From Now On... Released: 1994 Source: Roadrunner Genre: hard rock Format: eac/ape 462mb
Review:
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Comeback album by the former DEEP PURPLE and TRAPEZE member. Featured John Norum (EUROPE), Warren De Martini (RATT), Mark Kendall (GREAT WHITE), Darren Householder (LOVE/HATE), Richie Kotzen (POISON), Mick Mars (MOTLEY CRUE), Tony Franklin (THE FIRM, BLUE MURDER) as guests.
Artist: Bruce Willis Album: The Return of Bruno Released: 1987 Source: Motown Genre: Blue-Eyed Soul Format: eac/ape 252mb
Review:
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At
the height of Moonlighting mania and after the Seagram's wine cooler
commercials showcased his vocal skills, Motown asked Bruce Willis to
record a full album of blues, R&B and soul — hence, The Return of
Bruno. Willis has more vocal talent than, say, Cybill Shepherd, but he
doesn't quite have the conviction or skill of the Blues Brothers. Often,
it's difficult to hear him strain for notes on familiar items like
"Under the Boardwal
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Artist: Joan Jett Album: The Hit List Released: 1990 Source: Epic Genre: hard rock Format: eac/ape 234mb
Review:
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From
Sly Stone's "Everyday People" to Tommy James & the Shondells'
"Crimson & Clover," cover songs have long been one of Joan Jett's
strong points. Covers can be a waste of time in the hands of some
rockers; but they've always worked well for Jett, who's been wise enough
to make sure that her own personality never became obscured when
recording other artists' material. The one-time member of the criminally
neglected Runaways embraces covers exclusively on The Hit List,
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Brian
Setzer takes his horn-fueled big band on a sleigh ride into
Christmas/holiday music with generally impressive results. Meshing his
rockabilly guitar solos with brassy charts and a lounge/Vegas
sensibility that is part tribute and part retro characterization, Setzer
dusts off and polishes up obscure nuggets like Kay Starr's
"(Everybody's Waitin' For) The Man With the Bag" and Lionel Hampton's
swinging "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus." He rocks
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Artist: The Who Album: Who's Better, Who's Best Released:
1988 Source: POLYDOR cat # 835389 2 Genre: rock Format:
EAC/APE
Review:
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Who's
Better, Who's Best is a compilation of the Who's best-known songs,
containing all of the familiar items — "I Can't Explain," "I Can See for
Miles," "Pinball Wizard," "My Generation," "Substitute" — but presented
without much care. The album is further plagued by the presence of some
filler tracks that really don't deserve to be on any best-of. Who's
Better, Who's Best is, however, in its finer moments a fine compilation.
Indeed, the first half of this 1988 release collects nine o
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Artist: REO Speedwagon Album: Wheels Are
Turnin' Released: 1984 Source: epic cat# ek39593 Genre:
Soft Rock Format: EAC/APE
Review:
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Wheels
Are Turnin' blends clear, crisp ballads with high-energy pop/rock,
which eventually gave REO Speedwagon four Top 40 singles, the same
amount as Hi Infidelity credited them with four years earlier. Kevin
Cronin's writing is rock-solid, a delightful turnaround from 1982's Good
Trouble album. As one of the band's best ballads, "Can't Fight This
Feeling" puts an elegant piano riff in front of Cronin's earnest voice,
presenting REO with its second number o
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Artist: The Brian Setzer Orchestra
Album: Guitar Slinger Released: 1996 Source: Interscope
Genre: Rockabilly Format: eac/ape
QUOTE Review:
On his second Orchestra album and fourth solo album overall, Brian
Setzer extends the genre exercise in jump blues he first tackled on The
Brian Setzer Orchestra album. Of course, Setzer, best known as the
singer/guitarist from the Stray Cats, is no stranger to retro stylings,
and the guitar-dominated, yet horn-filled arrangements of the orchestra
are not all that far removed from the Cats' rockabilly update,
especially given Setzer's fervent singing and characteristic lead work.
(A new version of the Cats' "Rumble in Brighton" fits right in.) And
he's not shy, leading off with a Stevie Ray Vaughan cover, "The House Is
Rockin'," swaggering his way through the Gene Pitn
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Artist: Ten Years After Album:
Stonedhenge Released: 2002 Source: Dream Genre:
rock/blues Format: eac/ape
Review:
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Ten
Years After is a British blues-rock quartet consisting of Alvin Lee
(born December 19, 1944), guitar and vocals; Chick Churchill (born
January 2, 1949), keyboards; Leo Lyons (born November 30, 1944) bass;
and Ric Lee (born October 20, 1945), drums. The group was formed in 1967
and signed to Decca in England. Their first album was not a success,
but their second, the live Undead (1968) containing "I'm Going Home," a
six-minute blues workout by the fleet-fingered Alvin, hi
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