On March 6, 2021, Lodewijk Frederik Ottens aka Lou Ottens, died aged 94. He was inventor and engineer, known as the inventor of the audio cassette tape. Nearly 20 years after Philips introduced cassette tapes, Ottens helped the company to develop compact disc technology and, with Sony, to create audio format that would become the industry standard. In 2016, Ottens appeared in a film, “Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape”. The director, Zack Farmer, likened the creation of the cassette to “trying to paint a masterpiece on a postage stamp”.
Tag Archives: 2021
Kings of Leon: When You See Yourself
On March 5, 2021, “RCA” label released “When You See Yourself”, the eighth Kings of Leon studio album. It was recorded 2020 – 2021. At “Blackbird Studios” in Nashville, Tennessee, and was produced by Markus Dravs.
Personnel:
- Caleb Followill – vocals, guitar
- Matthew Followill – vocals, guitar, synthesizer
- Jared Followill – vocals, bass, acoustic guitar
- Nathan Followill – vocals, drums, percussion
- Liam O’Neil – piano, organ, mellotron, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- Timothy Deaux – backing vocals
- Iain Berryman – engineer
- Sean Badum – engineer assistant
- Mark “Spike” Stent – mixing
- Matt Wolach – mixing assistant
- Ted Jensen – mastering
Track listing:
- When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away
- The Bandit
- 100.000 People
- Stormy Weather
- A Wave
- Golden Restless Age
- Time in Disguise
- Supermarket
- Claire & Eddie
- Echoing
- Fairytale
Donald Barber
On March 2, 2021, Donald Christopher Barber died aged 90. He was musician (trombone) and bandleader, known for his support in development of the careers of many musicians, including Ottilie Patterson, Lonnie Donegan and Alexis Korner. Barber sponsored African-American blues musicians to visit Britain, making him a significant figure in promotion and development of the British rhythm and blues and “beat boom” in the 60s.
Steve Lukather: I Found the Sun Again
On February 26, 2021, “The Players Club” label released “I Found the Sun Again”, the eighth Steve Lukather studio album. It was recorded in 2020, and was produced by Ken Freeman and Steve Lukather.
Personnel:
- Steve Lukather – lead vocals, guitars
- Jeff Babko – synths, keys, Wurli Rhodes, piano, Rhodes piano, organ, effects
- David Paich – piano, organ
- Jorgen Carlsson – bass
- John Pierce – bass
- Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine
- Gregg Bissonette – drums
- Joseph Williams – keys, strings, backing vocals, horn arrangements
- Ken Freeman – engineer, mixing
- Bruce Sugar – additional recording
- Gavin Lurssen, Reuben Cohen – mastering
- Brendan Collins, Ryan Potesta – assistants
- Joseph Williams – co-production
- Roy Coch – artwork
- Alex Solca – photography
Track listing:
- Along for the Ride – Jeff Babko, Stan Lynch, Steve Lukather
- Serpent Soul – Jeff Babko, Joseph Williams, Stan Lynch, Steve Lukather
- The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys – Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood
- Journey Through – Jeff Babko
- Welcome to the Club – Joe Walsh
- I Found the Sun Again – Jeff Babko, Joseph Williams, Steve Lukather
- Run to Me – David Paich, Joseph Williams, Steve Lukather
- Bridge of Sighs – Robin Trower
Richard Barbieri: Under a Spell
On February 26, 2021, “KSCOPE” label released “Under a Spell”, the fourth Richard Barbieri studio album. It was recorded in 2020, at “The Artillery”, “The Garden Of England Studio”, “Forward Studios”, “Studio HQ The Bunker” in Halmstad, Sweden, and was produced by Richard Barbieri.
Personnel:
- Richard Barbieri – keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, programming, effects, arranger
- Steve Hogarth – vocals
- Suzanne Barbieri – vocals
- Lisen Rylander Löve – voice
- Sophie Worthen – voice
- Christian Saggese – acoustic guitar
- Alex Crone – bass
- Percy Jones – bass
- Kjell Severinsson – drums, percussion
- Luca Calabrese – trumpet
- Klas Assarsson – vibraphone
- Gill Morley – violin
- Lee Fletcher – mastering
- Bill Smith – design
- Henry Shymonovych – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Richard Barbieri, except where noted.
- Under a Spell
- Clockwork
- Flare 2
- A Star Light – Lisen Rylander Löve
- Serpentire
- Sleep Will Find You
- Sketch
- Darkness Will Find You
- Lucid
Joe Chambers: Samba De Maracatu
On February 26, 2021, “Blue Note” label released “Samba De Maracatu”, the 15th Joe Chambers album.
Personnel:
- Joe Chambers – drums, percussion, vibraphone
- Brad Merritt – piano, synthesizer, synthesizer programming
- Steve Haines – bass
- Stephanie Jordan – vocals
- MC Parrain – rap vocals
- J.K. Loftin – recording, mixing, mastering
- Ivy Skoff – production coordinator
Track listing:
- You and the Night and the Music
- Circles
- Samba De Maracatu
- Visions
- Never Let Me Go
- Sabah El Nur
- Ecaroh
- New York State of Mind Rain
- Rio
Tindersticks: Distractions
On February 19, 2021, “Lucky Dog” and “City Slang” labels released “Distractions”, the 13th Tindersticks album. It was recorded in 2020, at “Le Chien Chanceux” and “RAK”, and was produced by Stuart Staples.
Personnel:
- Stuart Staples – vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitars, drums, loops, programming, field recording, mixing
- Dan McKinna – Wurlitzer piano, electric piano, bass guitar, string arrangements
- David Boulter – keyboards
- Neil Fraser – E-Bow, electric guitars
- Earl Harvin – keyboards, snare drum, percussion
- David Coulter – musical saw
- David Kitt – additional guitar
- Calina De La Mare, Lucy Wilkins, Rob Spriggs, Sarah Wilson – strings
- Gina Foster – vocal
- Côme Jalibert – storm recording, mixing
- George Murphy – recording
- Jason Mitchell – mastering
- Sidonie Osborne Staples – front cover image
- Ian Youngs – layout
Track listing:
- Man Alone (Can’t Stop Fadin’) – Stuart Staple
- I Imagine You – Stuart Staples, Dan McKinna
- A Man Needs a Maid – Neil Young
- Lady With the Braid – Dory Previn
- You’ll Have to Scream Louder – Daniel Treacy
- Tue-Moi – Dan McKinna, Stuart Staoles
- The Bough Bends – Stuart Staple
Mogwai: As the Love Continues
On February 19, 2021, “Rock Action Records” label released “As the Love Continues” the tenth Mogwai studio album. It was recorded in 2020, at “Vada Studios” in Alcester, England, and was produced by Dave Fridmann. On 23 October 2021, the album won the “Scottish Album of the Year Award”.
Personnel:
- Barry Burns – vocals, piano, synthesizer, guitar
- Stuart Braithwaite – vocals, guitar
- Dominic Aitchison – bass guitar
- Martin Bulloch – drums
- Tony Doogan – recording
- Dave Fridmann – mixing
- Dave Thomas – artwork
Track listing:
- To the Bin My Friend, Tonight We Vacate Earth
- Here We, Here We, Here We Go Forever
- Dry Fantasy
- Ritchie Sacramento
- Drive the Nail
- Fuck Off Money
- Ceiling Granny
- Midnight Flit
- Pat Stains
- Supposedly, We Were Nightmares
- It’s What I Want to Do, Mum
Louis Clark
On February 13, 2021, Louis Clark died aged 73. He was musician (keyboards) and arranger, member of the band The Buccaneers (later Monopoly), worked with The Raymond Froggatt Band, Renaissance, Annie Haslam and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, but was best known for his work Electric Light Orchestra and Hooked on Classics.
The Pretty Reckless: Death by Rock and Roll
On February 12, 2021, “Fearless Records” label released “Death by Rock and Roll”, the fourth Pretty Reckless (The) studio album. It was recorded 2019 – 2020, at “London Bridge” in Seattle, Washington, and was produced by Jonathan Wyman, Taylor Momsen, Ben Phillips and Nate Yacchichino.
Personnel:
- Taylor Momsen – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Ben Phillips – lead guitar, keyboards, piano, backing vocals
- Mark Damon – bass
- Jamie Perkins – drums, percussion
- Kim Thayil – additional guitars
- Tom Morello – additional guitars
- Jonathan Wyman – keyboards, additional guitars, drum programming, engineer, mixing
- Isaac Phillips – harmonica
- David Pontbriand – sitar, tanpura
- Duncan Watt – keyboards, orchestra, organ, piano
- Matt Cameron – additional drums, additional vocals
- Sara Hallie Richardson – backing vocals
- Anna Lombard – backing vocals
- Sean Kelly – engineer assistant, production technician
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Jay Colangelo – drum technician
- Neil Hundt – drum technician
- Adam Larson – package design
- Danny Hastings – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Taylor Momsen and Ben Phillips.
- Death by Rock and Roll
- Only Love Can Save Me Now
- And So It Went
- 25
- My Bones
- Got So High
- Broomsticks
- Witches Burn
- Standing at the Wall
- Turning Gold
- Rock and Roll Heaven
- Harley Darling
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