Melanie C - northern star (Northern Star)
Melechesh - a summoning of ifrit and genii (Djinn)
Kammerchor Norbert Artner St. Veit - springt da mai übarn angerran (20 Spitzenchöre)
Haggard - chapter II: the final victory (Awaking The Centuries)
Highlord - breath of eternity (Breath Of Eternity)
Alfred Polansky - welscher tanz (Der Sänger am gläsernen Meer)
Nirvana - oh me [live] (Unplugged In New York)
Lucienne Delyle - sur les quais du vieux paris (Vive La France)
Azam Ali - in other worlds (Elysium For The Brave)
Otis Redding - the huckle-buck (The Dock Of The Bay)
Killah Priest - fake mc's (Heavy Mental)
Amira Saqati - marrakech express (Cafe Arabica - The Cream Of Arabient Cuisine)
After Forever - two sides [single version] (Mea Culpa)
Mason vs Princess Superstar - exceeder (Firstclass 2007 - The Finest In House)


Without a doubt Melanie C's best album, Northern Star, opens today's Today. Ähm. You know what I mean. The title track we have here is an okay ballad, I like the the faster songs a lot more on this album. This was back in 1999 an album I really liked, but everything she did afterwards (that I've heard) was somewhere between meaningless and earthshatteringly annoying. What can you say about Melechesh, one of the most innovative, exciting and creative extreme bands. This song is amazing, the arabesk flair they create is so unique in the way it's enmeshed in those great, dark Metal riffs they write. I cannot resist anything that is arabesk anyway, and Melechesh of course are no exception. An unbelievable band for countless hours of expedition through the mind and soul of music.

And now for something totally different :-) From Israel's dunes to St. Veit's Carinthian hills and rivers. A little too cheerful for me, I like the melancholic Carinthian folk songs more. But it sounds like home, and St. Veit is one of my favourite cities, so this was a very nice surprise. Very exalted then Haggard's Awaking The Centuries - a very nice album presenting us "mediaeval Metal". Haggard are somewhat underrated, they really do create a great atmosphere. This 'chapter II' is more of an interlude, but it still sounds eventful and epic. You know what, Today? If you wanna know how I liked 'breath of eternity', please just scroll - you chose it for me already a few days ago... So I take it you like the song as well, don't you? :-) Yeah, it's still great. What a magnificent chorus!

Alfred Polansky is an excellent guitar player and this album consits of acoustic instrumentals, some with Spanish flair, some mediaeval tunes like this one. Great stuff and no fillers, if I recall correctly. Nirvana's unplugged cover of the Meat Puppets' 'oh me' is then another highlight. A laid-back live document of a great band and a great emotion that finally swallowed itself. Next up is a song from a collection of 30ies/40ies Chansons. Humble sound as expected, but I swear, you close your eyes and sit outside one of those tiny cafes with even tinier chairs and tables in Paris and watch the beautful people walking by. In 1947. Then Azam Ali sings of other worlds. The Iranian singer did an album full of electronica, ambient and of course a touch of Arabia here, and although it sometimes lacks the ability to just grab you by the scruff of your neck (like similar songs by Irina Mikhailova do for example), this is undoubtely beautiful music. I would have appreciated more Arabian influences though, and of course Arabian lyrics.

"The Dock Of The Bay" is a very very strong album by 60ies soul singer Otis Redding. Also this track, although not among his strongest in my opinion, is cool and has rhythm - what a hero! Again, Today gives me Killah Priest, this time it's a track where he disses other MC's (the "fake" ones). Meh, I don't like this credibility crap, no matter which genre. This tune is musically quite average, too. This is one of the times where I'd wish they'd just rap about women's breasts instead of rubbing their "serious" point of view in your face. Then, feeling immediately right again, I get Amira Saqati in an awesome version with improved mix and an irresistable beat. Thank you Today, thank you for an arabesk session tonight! This is an incredibly great production (I'm pretty sure this is remixed), very creative, not overdone and destroyed by the newly added beat, but just masterly enhanced. I'm in love with this tune.

I don't know the next song, so I can't say how much it differs from the "album version". I assume it's a little less metal, this has - also referring to the guitar sound - quite a pop appeal. Which of course isn't meant in a negative way, this is an interesting song with a strong singer. It does seem not really determined enough for a single, but still, that's an enjoyable song. And to round it up, we get a really good House track by Mason who has a certain "Princess Superstar" moan and rap a couple of words to fat House beats. Very cool piece, awesome production - this just works in every possible way. God, I love House music. And I love you, too, my dear Today. But it's okay if you don't choose Killah Priest again next time.


--MightySapnish--