Pop & Rock News

Konvicted is the second studio album by Akon. It was released on 14th November, 2006. The album features collaborations with rappers Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Styles P and T-Pain. Konvicted is Akon’s most successful album worldwide.

'Songs Of Faith: Aretha Gospel' encompasses the extraordinary debut recordings of the Queen, Aretha Franklin. Releasing March 22, 2019, just ahead of her 77th birthday on March 25th, the album features powerful, other-worldly renditions of gospel standards recorded when Aretha was just 14. It’s the LP’s first vinyl reissue in several decades, pressed on 180 gram vinyl with restored audio, striking new cover art, an essay by biographer David Ritz and a detailed history of the tracks’ various releases. (NO DL CODES)

Der Deutsch-Amerikaner Chris Hopkins, mehrfach preisgekrönter und mit bisher über 5000 Konzerten meisttourender Swing-Jazzer des Landes, stand seit den 90er Jahren selbst oft als jüngstes Bandmitglied auf der Bühne.

Jetzt freut er sich, zum ersten Mal einige der talentiertesten Jazz-MusikerInnen einer neuen Generation - u.a. entdeckt im Rahmen seiner Dozententätigkeit an der Hochschule für Musik in Köln und allesamt zwischen 23 und 33 Jahren jung - die „Young Lions“ und ihr nagelneues Album zu präsentieren: „CHRIS HOPKINS meets the YOUNG LIONS: Live! Vol. 1“

Ein lässig-elegantes, mitreißendes Konzert mit Gute Laune Garantie.

Dean Martin was a real showbiz animal. Adept as a singer,
comedian and actor, he was probably most at home in the night
spots of Las Vegas, along with his fellow 'Rat Pack' members. This
collection of his greatest recordings demonstrates just why Dean
Martin was (and is) so popular. Enjoy

Diablo Swing Orchestra is an Swedish eight-piece ensemble known for pairing elements of jazz, swing, classical, progressive rock with just about everything in between. Since the start in 2003 the band has released four studio albums pushing musical boundaries with humor, creativity and a healthy dose of positive aggression. Together they have dug deep into each genre explored on the 13 tracks on the album and worked hard to find the appealing characteristics within that genre and forged it into their own sound. This approach has resulted in a impressive list of guest musicians and some very interesting clashes between sounds which, at least on paper, shouldn’t work. But listeners with an open mind will be rewarded since there are a lot of goodies to be found on the album ranging from the tribal assault that is “War Painted Valentine” to the Zeppelin gospel infused “Snake Oil Baptism”. The band presents new interesting ways of looking upon rock and metal music while managing to stay quite accessible in spite of the fact they’re often described as avant-garde metal.

* First ever anthology of Les Primitifs du Futur with new exclusive cover artwork by legendary comic book author Robert Crumb

* 2xLP with 20 page booklet with all Crumb previous artworks for the band’s albums plus unseen photos.

* RSD exclusive, no repress.

Nicknamed the Primdufs, they are neither Smurfs nor cave dwellers, just a happy collective of musicians who always have their instruments at the ready. They all have an inexplicable passion for a musical genre that some could consider obsolete, outdated and antique: the French ‘valse musette’ (a kind of popular swing waltz music, ndlt). But let’s be clear, this has nothing in common with the smutty chords of popular balls and singalongs in little town halls, nor with the trills of another generation linked to names like Horner or Verchuren in afternoon tea dances. No, this is ‘bal musette’ with balls, genuine, virile, authentic, and athletic, which used to get the blokes and the birds jivingin the no-man’s land of demolished forts around what the Parisians call Paname.
Seen like that it is easy to imagine that the Primitifs du Futur, for that is their name, enjoy carefully recreating in minute detail museum pieces from the pungent remains of past festivals. It is more than that. Because though these noble savages like rummaging around in 1920s Paris, they don’t shy away from including rhythms from all over the planet, rhumba from Zaireto, gypsy jazz, Hindu waltzes or Argentine tango, blues, ‘paso doble’ or ‘chanson réaliste’.

It all began in 1986, when Dominique Cravic, ‘’ukukeke’’ champion and a renowned guitarist who learned from jazzmen like Lee Konitz or Larry Coryell and also played with Georges Moustaki and Henri Salvador, met a certain Robert Crumb. Yes, the legendary comic book author from the great days of the US psychedelic underground in the 70s, the creator of Fritz the Cat and Mr Natural in person, the same man who also created the cover for ‘’Cheap Thrills’’ by Janis Joplin. Crumb plays banjo and mandolin, collects 78 sof blues, jazz and… musette. The two cronies then composed their own made-to-measure orchestra, alongside many famous names including accordionist Daniel Colin, clarinettist Bertrand Auger, saxophonist Daniel Huck, bassist Jean-Philippe Viret or singer Claire Elzière (sorry, it’s impossible to name them all). This great group has recorded four albums since 1986 (all with sleeves drawn by Crumb), some including guest stars such as Pierre Barouh, Jean-Jacques Milteau, AllainLeprest, Sanseverino or Olivia Ruiz.

For thirty years, the Primitifs du Futur have carried the torch of musette to the four corners of the earth, from fiestas to festivals, and today release a double vinyl, entitled ‘Résumé des épisodes précédents’ which brings together the best of their adventures. It is a refreshing and heartening cocktail of ‘’world tribal musette’’, as they call it, which, in these electro digital times, has a rejuvenating effect, amagic swing potion. Les Primitifs du Futur take us back to the future.


“THE PRIMITIFS DU FUTUR travel on sound waves back in time to the early twentieth century and make the world seem like a far better place than it ever actually was. I cant get the band's music off my turntable or out of my head. Accordion, mandolin, harmonica, saxophone, musical saw, and beautiful haunting melodies—what’s not to love? Even their sad songs make me happy.”

Art Spiegelman.

Ella Fitzgerald made her mark in the worlds of jazz and scat, and
during the Big Band era was collaborating with the likes of Louis
Jordan, Count Basie and Louis Armstrong. But it was in the
1950's that she really made her mark, with a series of 'Songbook'
albums spotlighting all the great songwriters of the day. It’s been
said that Ella's unique interpretations delivered with a voice so
rich it was like cream in your coffee. Small wonder then that
she'd take a ground-breaking approach when it came to
recording an album of Christmas songs. Ella's Christmas album
was revolutionary in that it wasn't about Christmas in the
traditional sense and would go on to influence pretty much every
Christmas album since, for two reasons: It's really joyful, and it
really swings.

Francoise Hardy's Vogue years have marked the history of French and international music. Even today, the five years between 1962-67 remain an exceptional moment in her career, the one when she exploded in the eyes of a generation that was born during or just after the Second World War, the generation that would be part of the May 1968 Paris protests. Hardy exploded not only in France alongside her fellow 'Yeyes', but also internationally where she became the symbol of French elegance, talent and charm: the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain... no one could resist Francoise, and she recorded most of her hits in English, Italian and German. 'Tous les garcons et les filles', 'Mon amie la rose', 'L'amitie', 'Le temps de l'amour', etc. are songs that have crossed generations and can be heard in recent movies (Wes Anderson loves Francoise Hardy and has included her songs several times in his films), international television series ('The Walking Dead', 'Industry', 'Week-end family') and advertising spots (Dior 2022 campaign). Available on x24 trk, double Black LP Vinyl & single CD formats. Marketing activity.

Top-Kollektion mit 16 Klassikern des unsterblichen Frank Sinatra aus den 4 Alben, die er Mitte der 1950er Jahre mit dem Arrangeur Nelson Riddle aufnahm und die den Höhepunkt seiner Karriere darstellen: Songs For Young Lovers, Swing Easy!, In the Wee Small Hours, Songs For Swingin' Lovers. Erhältlich als illustrierter Bildband.

L.A. Is My Lady was a high-energy event, hitting the Billboard Top 200 and top 10 on the Jazz chart. It featured the title song, which got into MTV rotation, and Sinatra’s first recording of “Mack the Knife.” Musical guests include George Benson, Lionel Hampton and Bob James. Legendary songwriter Sammy Cahn wrote new lyrics for “Teach Me Tonight” and “Until the Real Thing Comes Along.” This 40th anniversary deluxe LP edition includes new mixes for the original album

This music spreads a good mood! German swing with German lyrics, this is the dance music that is popular everywhere. The Goldene Sieben, one of the most famous dance and entertainment orchestras of the 1930s, knows how to get people dancing. What worked in the past still works today! Bring the music that puts people in a good mood into your home!

Canadian band the Holiday Crowd as part of the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club, it was a match too good to not be made. The Toronto, Ontario-based indie rockers formed in 2010 and released a mini-album, a full-length and a 7" between 2012 and 2016. In 2022, the group returned with a new single, 'Party Favours', like their other records released by Portland, Oregon label Shelflife Records. Despite being Canadian, the band's sound is heavily influenced by British indie rock of the 1980s and early 1990s. For their Snowflakes Christmas single, the original four members of the band, lead vocalist Imran Hanniff, guitarist Colin Bowers, British-born bassist Alex Roberts and drummer David George Barnes, reunited to write the original 'Winterland'.

Winterland' takes you right back to the 1980s with its jangly guitar, rolling bass, pounding drums and Imran's warm vocals. The song seems to look back on childhood memories, but the parts about the heart that turned to coal, the last-minute shoppers and the 'graveyard malls' show that there is a deeper meaning to the lyrics. The single's B-side 'Hard Candy Christmas' was written by Carol Hall for the 1978 musical 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'. The song became a hit for Dolly Parton in 1982 when it was featured in the movie version of the musical in which she starred. The Holiday Crowd's reworking of the song perfectly captures the melancholy of the original, with its message of focusing on the sweet things in life, even when times are hard. The single is released on snow-white bio-vinyl in a sleeve with a playful design by Kenichi Ueda and limited to 300 copies.

Control, the third studio album from Janet Jackson, isa unique fusion of rhythm and blues, funk, pop, disco and modern synthesized percussion. Originally released February 1986, it established Jackson, and her co-writers/producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, as pop and R&B innovators. And, as a record of personal testament layered with hot grooves, Control announced Jackson as a liberated and noteworthy artist. She became a global star and a model for independent women.

Led by its five hit singles and their complementary, tightly choreographed music videos—”What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “Nasty,” “Control,” “When I Think of You” and “Let’s Wait Awhile”—Control was Jackson’s first No. 1 Pop album. Its run of singles in the top five made Billboard Hot 100 chart history, breaking brother Michael’s record for longest continuous run on the Hot 100 with singles from one album: a record 65 consecutive weeks. It preceded the artist in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It has now sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.

Control will be reissued on vinyl for the first time since it initial release on 7th June, 2019.

janet. is the fifth studio album by Janet Jackson, released on 18th May, 1993, through Virgin Records. Prior to its release, Jackson was at the center of a high-profile bidding war over her recording contract. In 1991, her original label A&M sought to renew her contract, but after meeting with then Virgin owner Richard Branson, she signed with the label. The contract was worth an estimated $40 million, making her the world’s then-highest paid musical act. UMC are proud to announce this 180 gram black vinyl reissue set to be released on June 14th to align with Janet's performance at Glastonbury Festival.

Vinyl kommt in blau, Klappcover und bedruckter Innenhülle! Die meisten Dinge im Leben entstehen zufällig. Die große Liebe, eine schicksalhafte Begegnung und manchmal auch eine zweite Karriere. Oliver Perau alias Juliano Rossi hätte 1996 sicherlich nicht damit gerechnet, dass er 2021 immer noch als Rossi unterwegs sein würde. Damals hatte sich gerade die alternative Rockband Terry Hoax, die Perau 1988 mit einem Freund gegründet hatte, nach acht europaweit erfolgreichen Jahren aufgelöst. Doch Perau wollte sein Versprechen, bei der ersten Ausstellung des befreundeten Fotografen Olaf Heine zu singen, halten. Also fragte er den Jazzpianisten Lutz Krajenski, ob man zusammen alte Swing-Klassiker präsentieren könnte. Schließlich war Perau seit frühster Kindheit begeistert von Sammy Davis jr., Dean Martin, Burt Bacharach, Barbra Streisand, Tom Jones und Frank Sinatra. So stand Perau im Sommer '96 mit dem eilig ironisch hinzugefügten Künstlername Juliano Rossi vor Galeriebesuchern und Terry-Hoax-Fans und sang entrückt What the world needs now von Bacharach. "So viele entsetzte Gesichter habe ich selten gesehen" sagt Perau lachend und ergänzt nach kurzer Pause "aber für mich war es wie eine Offenbarung". 25 Jahre später veröffentlicht Juliano Rossi sein fünftes Album, Terry Hoax gibt es auch wieder und zusätzlich tourt Perau seit 9 Jahren durch Pflegeheime und macht Musik für Menschen mit Demenz. Ein sehr ungewöhnliches und in dieser dreigleisigen Konsequenz sicherlich einzigartiges Sängerleben, dass offensichtlich glücklich macht. So jedenfalls wirkt Herr Rossi und sein neues Album "Drunk On Love". Aus der Zeit gefallene glamouröse Songs irgendwo zwischen The Doors, Burt Bacharach und Dean Martin.

In 2015, pop royalty Kylie Minogue released her first Christmas album Kylie Christmas.

The album is a perfect accompaniment to Christmas celebrations with immaculate production and vocal performances, as well as including a few Christmas surprises in the form of duets with Frank Sinatra, Iggy Pop and James Corden.

It also features her hugely popular rendition of Eartha Kitt’s Santa Baby originally released in 2000.