Tag Archives: 2015

David Bowie: Black Star

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blackstar

On January 8, 2016, “ISO”, “RCA”, “Columbia”, and “Sony” labels released “Black Star”, the twenty-fifth and final David Bowie studio album. It was recorded in 2015, at “The Magic Shop” and “Human Worldwide Studios”, in New York City, and was produced by David Bowie and Tony Visconti.  The album was voted Best album of 2016, in the annual choices by many medias including The A.V. Club, Mojo, Newsweek, Paste, Q, Rolling Stone (Readers Poll), Uncut and The Wire Magazine. “Black Star” became Bowie’s only album to top the “Billboard 200” in the United States, and it remained at the number one position in the UK charts for three weeks. The album was certified Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”; in Austria by “IFPI”; in Belgium by “BEA”; in Canada by “Music Canada”; in France by “SNEP”; in Italy by “FIMI”, and in UK by “BPI”.

Personnel:

  • David Bowie– vocals, acoustic guitar, “Fender Guitar”, harmonica, string  arrangements, mixing
  • Ben Monder– guitar
  • Jason Lindner– piano, organ, keyboards
  • Tim Lefebvre– bass
  • Mark Guiliana– drums, percussion
  • James Murphy– percussion
  • Donny McCaslin– flute, saxophone, woodwinds
  • Tony Visconti– strings, engineer, mixing
  • Kevin Killen– engineer
  • Erin Tonkon – backing vocals, engineer assistant
  • Kabir Hermon – engineer assistant
  • Tom Elmhirst– mixing
  • Joe Visciano – mixing assistant
  • Joe LaPorta– mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by David Bowie, except where noted.

  1. Blackstar
  2. Tis a Pity She Was a Whore
  3. Lazarus
  4. Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) – David Bowie, Maria Schneider, Paul Bateman, Bob Bharma
  5. Girl Loves Me
  6. Dollar Days
  7. I Can’t Give Everything Away

Pops Staples

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On December 19, 2000, Roebuck “Pops” Staples died aged 85. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, regarded as one of the key figures of the gospel, soul and R&B scene of the 60’ and 70’, and was best known as founder and leader of The Staple Singers. As leader he released three albums, and one posthumously released under his name.

Coldplay: A Head Full Of Dreams

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coldplay_-_a_head_full_of_dreams

On December 4, 2015, “Parlaphone” label released “A Head Full of Dreams”, the seventh Coldplay studio album. It was recorded  2014 – 2015, at “Henson Recording Studio” in Hollywood; “AIR Studios” and “The Bakery and The Beehive” in London, and was produced by Rik Simpson, Stargate and Daniel Green. The artwork was created by Argentine artist Pilar Zeta in collaboration with the band. “A Head Full of Dreams” was the eighth best-selling album of 2015 worldwide. The album was certified Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”; Platinum in Belgium by “BEA”; Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada”; Platinum in Denmark by “IFPI Denmark”; 3 x Platinum in France by “SNEP”; Platinum in Germany by “BVMI”; 2 x Platinum in Hungary by “MAHASZ”; 3 x Platinum in Italy by “IFMI”; Platinum in Mexico by “AMPROFON”; Platinum in Netherlands by “NVPI”; Platinum in New Zealand by “RMNZ”; 2 x Platinum in Poland by “ZPAV”; Platinum in Spain by “PROMUSICAE”; Platinum in Switzerland by “IFPI Switzerland” and 3 x Platinum in UK by “BPI”.

Personnel:

  • Chris Martin- lead vocals, piano, acoustic guitar
  • Jonny Buckland- electric guitar
  • Guy Berryman- bass guitar
  • Will Champion- drums, drum pad, percussion, backing vocals
  • Davide Rossi– strings
  • Regiment Horns – brass
  • Beyoncé– vocals
  • Gwyneth Paltrow– vocals
  • Merry Clayton– vocals
  • Tove Lo– vocals
  • Khatia Buniatishvili– piano
  • Coleman Barks– narration
  • Barack Obama– vocals
  • Annabelle Wallis– vocals
  • Noel Gallagher– guitar
  • Moses Martin– tambourine
  • Rik Simpson– vocals, additional instruments
  • Mikkel S Eriksen– additional instruments
  • Tor Erik Hermansen– additional instruments
  • Tim Bergling– additional programming
  • Pilar Zeta, Coldplay – design, art direction
  • Phil Harvey, Ultramajic – photography

The Choir

  • Nico Berryman
  • Jonah Buckland
  • Violet Buckland
  • Blue Ivy Carter
  • Ava Champion
  • Juno Champion
  • Marianna Champion
  • Rex Champion
  • Aubrey Costall
  • Harvey Costall
  • Brian Eno
  • Elise Eriksen
  • Hege Fossum Eriksen
  • Selma Eriksen
  • Jacob Green
  • Sophia Green
  • Daniel Grollo
  • Finn Grollo
  • Kat Grollo
  • Mathilda Grollo
  • Max Harvey
  • Rofi Harvey
  • Idil Hermansen
  • Isak Hermansen
  • Apple Martin
  • Moses Martin
  • Coleman Barks– narration
  • Barack Obama– vocals
  • Annabelle Wallis– vocals
  • Noel Gallagher– guitar
  • Moses Martin– tambourine
  • Rik Simpson– vocals, additional instruments
  • Mikkel S Eriksen– additional instruments
  • Tor Erik Hermansen– additional instruments
  • Bill Rahko – engineer
  • Miles Walker – engineer
  • Daniela Rivera – engineer
  • Tom Bailey – additional engineering
  • Robin Baynton – additional engineering
  • Daniel Green – additional engineering
  • Jaime Sickora – additional engineering
  • Aleks von Korff – additional engineering
  • Rik Simpson– mixing
  • Phil Tan– mixing
  • Emily Lazar– mastering
  • Merlin Watts – mastering
  • Laurence Anslow – additional studio assistance
  • Fiona Cruickshank – additional studio assistance
  • Nicolas Essig – additional studio assistance
  • Olga Fitzroy – additional studio assistance
  • Jeff Gartenbaum – additional studio assistance
  • Christian Green – additional studio assistance
  • Pablo Hernandez – additional studio assistance
  • Phil Joly – additional studio assistance
  • Miguel Lara – additional studio assistance
  • Matt McGinn – additional studio assistance
  • Chris Owens – additional studio assistance
  • Roxy Pope – additional studio assistance
  • John Prestage – additional studio assistance
  • Kyle Stevens – additional studio assistance
  • Derrick Stockwell – additional studio assistance
  • Matt Tuggle – additional studio assistance
  • Ryan Walsh – additional studio assistance
  • Joachim Berose – additional studio assistance
  • Will Wetzel – additional studio assistance
  • Digital Divide – additional production

Track listing:

All tracks by Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion.

  1. A Head Full of Dreams
  2. Birds
  3. Hymn for the Weekend
  4. Everglow
  5. Adventure of a Lifetime
  6. Fun
  7. Kaleidoscope
  8. Army of One
  9. Amazing Day
  10. Color Spectrum
  11. Up & Up

Jeff Lynn’s Electric Light Orchestra: Alone In The Universe

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alone_in_the_universe

On November 13, 2015, “Columbia” label released “Alone in the Universe”, the thirteenth Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) studio album. It was recorded 2014 – 2015, at “Bungalow Palace”, and was produced by Jeff Lynne. The album was certified Platinum in UK by “BPI”.

Personnel:

  • Jeff Lynne– lead and backing vocals,  guitar,  bass,  piano,  drums, keyboards, vibraphones,  mixing
  • Steve Jay– shaker, tambourine, engineer, mixing
  • Laura Lynne – backing vocals
  • Bob Ludwig– mastering
  • Ryab Corey – design, illustration
  • Rob Shanahan – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Jeff Lynne.

  1. When I Was a Boy
  2. Love and Rain
  3. Dirty to the Bone
  4. When the Night Comes
  5. The Sun Will Shine on You
  6. Ain’t It a Drag
  7. All My Life
  8. I’m Leaving You
  9. One Step at a Time
  10. Alone in the Universe

Lou Reed

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On October 27, 2013, Lewis Allan “Lou” Reed died aged 71. He was  musician (guitar), singer, and songwriter, both as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of the Velvet Underground, and with his solo career, he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential artists in the history of rock music. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “The Velvet Underground & Nico”, the debut Velvet Underground album at number 13 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”; and in 2013, the same magazine included “Transformer” and “Berlin”, two Reed’s albums on the same list.  In 2015, Reed was posthumously inducted in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.

Jean-Michel Jarre: Electronica 1: The Time Machine

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electronica-1

On October 16, 2015, Columbia” label released “Electronica 1: The Time Machine”, the seventeenth Jean Michel Jarre studio album. It was recorded 2011 – 2015, and was produced by Jean Michel Jarre.

Track listing:

  1. The Time Machine (with Boys Noize) – Jean Michel Jarre, Alexander Ridha
  2. Glory (with M83) – Jean Michel Jarre, Anthony Gonzales
  3. Close Your Eyes – (with Air) – Jean Michel Jarre, Nicholas Godin, Jean-Benoit Dunckel
  4. Automatic (Part 1) (with Vince Clarke) – Jean Michel Jarre, Vince Clarke
  5. Automatic (Part 2) (with Vince Clarke) – Jean Michel Jarre, Vince Clarke
  6. If .! (with Little Boots) – Jean Michel Jarre, Victoria Hesketh
  7. Immortals (with Fuck Buttons) – Jean Michel Jarre, Benjamin Power, Andrew Hung
  8. Suns Have Gone (with Moby) – Jean Michel Jarre, Richard Melville Hall
  9. Conquistador (with Gesaffelstein) – Jean Michel Jarre, Mike Lévy
  10. Travelator (Part 2) (with Pete Townshend) – Jean Michel Jarre, Pete Townshend
  11. Zero Gravity (with Tangerine Dream) – Jean Michel Jarre, Edgar Froese
  12. Rely on Me (with Laurie Anderson) – Jean Michel Jarre, Laurie Anderson
  13. Stardust (with Armin van Buuren) – Jean Michel Jarre, Armin Van Buuren
  14. Watching You (with 3Dof Massive Attack) – Jean Michel Jarre, Robert Del Naja, Euan Dickinson
  15. A Question of Blood (with John Carpenter) – Jean Michel Jarre, John Carpenter
  16. The Train & The River (with Lang Lang) – Jean Michel Jarre

New Order: Music Complete

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new_order_-_music_complete

On September 25, 2015, “Mute” label released “Music Complete”, the tenth New Order studio album. It was recorded 2014 – 2015, and was produced by Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Phil Cunningham, Tom Chapman, Stephen Morris, Stuart Price and Tom Rowlands.

Personnel:

  • Bernard Sumner– vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizers
  • Gillian Gilbert– keyboards, synthesizers
  • Phil Cunningham– guitars, keyboards, synthesizers, electronic percussion
  • Tom Chapman– bass, synthesizers, backing vocals
  • Stephen Morris– drums, percussion, keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming
  • Joe Duddell– string arrangements, conductor (Manchester Camerata Strings)
  • Katie Stillman, Paula Smart, Karen Mainwaring, Simmy Singh, Sophie Mather, Gemma Bass, Anthony Banks, Sian Goodwin – violin
  • Rachel Jones, Jordan Bowron – viola
  • Nathaniel Boyd, Barbara Grunthal – cello
  • Daniel Storer – double bass
  • Iggy Pop– vocals
  • Brandon Flowers– vocals, mixing
  • La Roux– vocals , backing vocals
  • Dawn Zee – backing vocals
  • Denise Johnson – backing vocals
  • Giacomo Cavagna – Italian spoken vocal
  • George Atkins – engineer
  • Danny Davies – engineer, pre-production
  • Jim Spencer – additional engineering
  • Rafael Pereira – additional engineering
  • Robert Root – additional engineering
  • Steve Dub – additional engineering
  • Craig Silvey – mixing
  • Richard X, Pete Hofmann – mixing
  • Eduardo de la Paz – mixing assistant
  • Frank Arkwright – mastering
  • Peter Saville– art direction
  • Paul Hetherington – design
  • Daniel Miller– executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks byBernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Phil Cunningham, Tom Chapman and Stephen Morris, except where noted.

  1. Restless
  2. Singularity – Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Phil Cunningham, Tom Chapman, Stephen Morris, Tom Rowlands
  3. Plastic
  4. Tutti Frutti
  5. People on the High Line
  6. Stray Dog
  7. Academic
  8. Nothing But a Fool
  9. Unlearn This Hatred – Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Phil Cunningham, Tom Chapman, Stephen Morris, Tom Rowlands
  10. The Game

Richard D James: Syro

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FINAL MASTER SYRO DIGIPAK.indd

On September 19, 2014, “Warp” label released “Syro” the sixth Richard D James aka Aphex Twin studio album. It was recorded over a period of several years in various studios—including James’ own studio in rural Scotland, and was produced by Richard D James.”Syro” won 2015 “Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album”.

Personnel:

  • Richard D James– piano, synthesizers, keyboards, drums, percussion, vocoder, programming
  • Mandy Parnell – mastering
  • Beau Thomas – mastering
  • The Designers Republic– design, cover art
  • Anastasia Rybina – design, puckography

Track listing:

All tracks by Richard D James.

  1. minipops 67 (source field mix)
  2. XMAS_EVET10 (thanaton3 mix)
  3. produk 29
  4. 4 bit 9d api+e+6
  5. 180db_
  6. CIRCLONT6A (syrobonkus mix)
  7. fz pseudotimestretch+e+3
  8. CIRCLONT14 (shrymoming mix)
  9. syro u473t8+e (piezoluminescence mix)
  10. PAPAT4 (pineal mix)
  11. s950tx16wasr10 (earth portal mix)
  12. aisatsana

Keith Richards: Crosseyed Heart

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crosseyed_heart

On September 18, 2015, “Republic Records” label released “Crosseyed Heart”, the third Keith Richards solo album. It was recorded in 2015, and was produced by Keith Richards and Steve Jordan.

Personnel:

  • Keith Richards– lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, piano, keyboards, Wurlitzer, Farfisa organ, electric sitar, tiple
  • Waddy Wachtel– lead, acoustic and slide guitar, backing vocals
  • Larry Campbell – pedal steel, violin, fiddle
  • Pierre DeBeauport – acoustic guitar
  • Ivan Neville– keyboards, Hammond organ, backing vocals, Wurlitzer
  • Charles Hodges – piano, Hammond organ, backing vocals
  • Spooner Oldham – Hammond organ
  • Pino Palladino- bass guitar
  • Paul Nowinski – bass guitar, viola, gamba
  • Steve Jordan– drums, percussion, vibes, backing vocals
  • Bobby Keys- saxophone
  • Charles Dougherty – tenor saxophone
  • Lannie McMillan – tenor saxophone
  • Jim Horn – baritone saxophone
  • Kevin Batchelor – trumpet
  • Ben Cauley – trumpet
  • Jack Hale – trombone
  • Clifton Anderson – trombone
  • Norah Jones– duet vocals
  • Babi Floyd – backing vocals
  • Sarah Dash– backing vocals
  • Bernard Fowler– backing vocals
  • Meegan Voss – backing vocals
  • Aaron Neville- backing vocals
  • Harlem Gospel Choir – backing vocals
  • Blondie Chaplin – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Keith Richards and Steve Jordan, except where noted..

  1. Crosseyed Heart – Keith Richards
  2. Heartstopper
  3. Amnesia
  4. Robbed Blind – Keith Richards
  5. Trouble
  6. Love Overdue – Gregory Isaacs
  7. Nothing On Me
  8. Suspicious – Keith Richards
  9. Blues In the Morning
  10. Something For Nothing
  11. Illusion – Keith Richards, Steve Jordan, Norah Jones
  12. Just a Gift
  13. Goodnight Irene – Huddie Ledbetter, Alan Lomax
  14. Substantial Damage
  15. Lover’s Plea – Keith Richards, Steve Jordan, David Porter