Record Reviews
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  | CUP OF TIME ~ MODERN TANGOS
REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2020/15 (Barcode: 5906874951354) ~ POLAND ~ Classical
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020
This is an album by Polish quartet Cup Of TimeFind albums by this artist, comprising of four classically trained musicians: flautist Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist, violinist Agnieszka CyprykFind albums by this artist, accordionist Rafal GrzakaFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist. This time the quartet picked the Tango as the theme of their album, and presents lesser known facets of the passionate Argentinean dance, mostly taken from Classical music, composed by the Czech / Jewish composer Erwin SchulhoffFind albums by this artist, who died in a Nazi concentration camp, French composer Charles-Camille Saint-SaensFind albums by this artist, Russian composer Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist, Czech composer Bohuslav MartinuFind albums by this artist and Argentinean composer Alberto GinasteraFind albums by this artist. In addition, one piece composed by the American Jazz pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Gil EvansFind albums by this artist and another one composed by Borowski are also included.
Many Tango lovers will be obviously surprised by these glimpses of their favorite music appearing in such broad spectrum of chameleonic exposures, often very different to what is usually taken for granted when Tango comes to mind. And since broadening one’s horizons is always something people should strive to do, listening to this album can be quite educational, as well as enjoyable.
Of course the music is highly professionally performed, and offers a broad spectrum of modern Classical Music, which is relatively little known to most listeners.
Although I find the albums by Cup Of Time a bit of a hit-and-miss sometime, this one is definitely worth exploring and offers many nice surprises, and as such welcome and recommended!
| | Updated: 03/03/2022Posted: 18/04/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRACTURED DIMENSION ~ TOWARDS THE MYSTERIUM
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 809812012122) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2008 Released: 2008
1st album by US Prog trio led by keyboardist Jimmy PittsFind albums by this artist, who also composed almost all the music on the album, with bassist Jerry TwyfordFind albums by this artist and drummer Alex ArellanoFind albums by this artist. The music is a very ambitious musical suite, comprised of 17 miniatures, which pays homage to the Russian pianist / composer / philosopher / mystic Alexander ScriabinFind albums by this artist. Scriabin was of course one the most interesting and forward-thinking composers of the late 19th / early 20th Century, and who had an immense influence on the development of modern Classical Music, especially atonal / twelve-tone music developed later in the 20th Century by Arnold SchoenbergFind albums by this artist, Alban BergFind albums by this artist, Anton WebernFind albums by this artist, Hanns EislerFind albums by this artist, Milton BabbittFind albums by this artist, Luciano BerioFind albums by this artist, Pierre BoulezFind albums by this artist and Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist. Scriabin, who died unexpectedly at the age of 43, left an unfinished piece he was working on, called "Mysterium", which was an epitome of his aesthetic and mystical beliefs. As the title of the album suggests, Pitts and his cohorts try to develop a piece of music, which perhaps could have been written by Scriabin, if he was alive today. Although such an undertaking might look mockingly way too ambitious, to my pleasant surprise they managed to fulfill their ambitions extremely well. The music is truly excellent, full of twists and turns, yet beautifully coherent, bearing many references to modern Classical Music, but incorporating musical techniques from Rock and Jazz. Often devilishly complex and tricky, the trio manages to perform the music flawlessly, which of course demands almost total control of their instruments. In order to expand the album´s tonality and instrumental depth, the group invited about a dozen of their friends / musicians (mostly guitarists), each contributing a brief solo on several of the pieces, adding mostly ornamentation rather than substance. Several of the guitar solos have a slight "metallic" tinge, which might lead for this album to be classified as Prog Metal (as I´ve observed in some of the album´s reviews); well those who do so simply miss the point by a mile. The usage of instruments is completely meaningless and if this music was performed by a Classical ensemble (which seems like a good idea), it would still be the same – a superb example of intelligent, contemporary music, a rare gem on the dreary plane of musical refuse that mostly surrounds us all. The fact that such exceptional music was created by young musicians, who are not only very talented, but who also know who Scriabin was, not to mention knowing his music (an extremely rare manifestation of respect towards the European Classical Music heritage, especially among Americans), makes them a great example for others to follow (not that I have many illusions as to this becoming a reality). Overall this is a stunning debut, worthy of a respectful position among the best Prog albums produced in the last decade, although the open-minded listeners of contemporary Classical music might have a field day with it as well. Kudos and I can´t wait for the group´s next effort, hoping they can sustain the same level of excellence.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ 200 MOTELS (50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
ZAPPA 20037 (Barcode: 602438384136) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2021
This Box Set is the 120th official release by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2021. It presents an expanded reissue / remaster of the material recorded originally in 1971 with his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Elgar HowarthFind albums by this artist. The Box Set contains the soundtrack of the film “200 Motels” (thirty-four tracks) originally released as a 2LP album in 1971, as well as over 4 CDs worth of additional material: demos, outtakes, dialogues and a plethora of bonus tracks, all worth their value in gold. All the material was composed by Zappa. The Box Set is a lavishly packaged Super Deluxe (LP sized) edition, which is up to the usual ZappaFind albums on this label Records standard.
The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalists Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (who also plays woodwinds), bassist Martin LickertFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist.
The music is an incredibly complex amalgam of Classical Music, Pop, Rock, comedy and satire. Although not the very first album to feature Rock and Symphony Orchestra, it is by far the most advanced, revolutionary and complex of all such attempts to this very day. Zappa included in this music his modern 20th Century Classical Music influences from Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist, Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and others.
Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. He appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses.
This album is often regarded as “peripheral” in his overall output, which is of course completely nonsensical and absurd. The whole concept of Zappa’s music was the complete disregard of genres and a firm belief that “music is one”, regardless how someone might wish to categorize it. In retrospect, this album is definitely one of his absolute Artistic apogees, although he never recorded anything which could be considered less important than anything else.
Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
| | Updated: 18/06/2022Posted: 18/06/2022 | CD 6 Digibook Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ 200 MOTELS (SOUNDTRACK)
ZAPPA 3846 (Barcode: 602438287055) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2021
This is a reissue / remaster of the 13th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Elgar HowarthFind albums by this artist, originally released as a 2LP album in 1971. The album contains the soundtrack of the film “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” and presents thirty-four tracks, all composed by Zappa. This is the only album by Zappa, which was not reissued / remastered as part of the 2012 reissue program, and was eventually released as part of the 50th Anniversary reissue in 2021, finally closing the gap.
The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalists Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (who also plays woodwinds), bassist Martin LickertFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist.
The music is an incredibly complex amalgam of Classical Music, Pop, Rock, comedy and satire. Although not the very first album to feature Rock and Symphony Orchestra, it is by far the most advanced, revolutionary and complex of all such attempts to this very day. Zappa included in this music his modern 20th Century Classical Music influences from Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist, Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and others.
Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. He appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses.
This album is often regarded as “peripheral” in his overall output, which is of course completely nonsensical and absurd. The whole concept of Zappa’s music was the complete disregard of genres and a firm belief that “music is one”, regardless how someone might wish to categorize it. In retrospect, this album is definitely one of his absolute Artistic apogees, although he never recorded anything which could be considered less important than anything else.
Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 15/05/2022Posted: 15/05/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ 200 MOTELS: THE SUITES
ZAPPA 20019 (Barcode: 824302001929) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Classical
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015
This is the 101st album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2015. It presents the Classical Music components (in a form of thirteen suites) of the music originally composed for the soundtrack of the film “200 MotelsFind albums by this artist”, which was recorded originally in 1971 with his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Elgar HowarthFind albums by this artist. Since the final soundtrack included only parts of this suites, this album presents them in their entirety for the first time, as recorded in 2013 by The Los Angeles PhilharmonicFind albums by this artist and The Los Angeles Master ChoraleFind albums by this artist, conducted by Finnish conductor / composer Esa-Pekka SalonenFind albums by this artist. Several actors / vocalists and additional musicians are also featured in the recording, including keyboardists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and Randy KerberFind albums by this artist, drummer Joe TraversFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and guitarist Jamie KimeFind albums by this artist.
This album shows the full scope of Zappa’s Classical Music ambitions and his ability to move directly to the very core its Avant-Garde facet, skipping over centuries of the legacy, which of course was unprecedented and largely misunderstood.
The soundtrack of “200 Motels” is an incredibly complex amalgam of Classical Music, Pop, Rock, comedy and satire. Although not the very first album to feature Rock and Symphony Orchestra, it is by far the most advanced, revolutionary and complex of all such attempts to this very day. Zappa included in this music his modern 20th Century Classical Music influences from Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist, Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and others.
Zappa showed that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. He appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses.
The “200 Motels” soundtrack is often regarded as “peripheral” in his overall output, which is of course completely nonsensical and absurd. The whole concept of Zappa’s music was the complete disregard of genres and a firm belief that “music is one”, regardless how someone might wish to categorize it. In retrospect, this album is definitely one of his absolute Artistic apogees, although he never recorded anything which could be considered less important than anything else.
Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was composed, this music remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb creativity, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
| | Updated: 13/08/2022Posted: 13/08/2022 | CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ BURNT WEENY SANDWICH
ZAPPA 3842 (Barcode: 824302384220) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1967 - 1969 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 9th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally in 1970. The music was recorded at various locations and studios between 1967 and 1969. The album presents nine tracks, all (except two) composed by Zappa.
The lineup, in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals, includes members of the expanded version of Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist, which includes a brass section: pianist Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, bassist Roy EstradaFind albums by this artist, drummer Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, woodwind players Bunk GardnerFind albums by this artist and Jim SherwoodFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Buzz GardnerFind albums by this artist, violinist Don Sugarcane HarrisFind albums by this artist and several others.
The music is mostly instrumental and includes the almost nineteen minutes long suite, which is a wonderful example of Zappa’s ambitious composition created already at that early stage of his career. It features Jazzy improvisations and has a Jazz-Rock Fusion ambience, which was already very prominent on the album’s predecessor “Hot RatsFind albums with this title”. Two short tracks are references to the Russian modern composer Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist, one of Zappa’s favorites. Only the opening and closing tracks are Zappa’s arrangements of Pop songs, full of his usual zany humor.
Overall, although this music is now over fifty years old, it sounds as fresh as it did when first heard and lost absolutely nothing of its power and everlasting beauty. This album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 01/02/2022 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ MAKE A JAZZ NOISE HERE
ZAPPA 3883 (Barcode: 824302388327) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1988 Released: 2012
This is a reissue / remaster of the 57th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1991. The 2CD album presents twenty-five tracks, which include mostly original songs by Zappa, except for a couple of arrangements of Classical Music pieces by Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and Bela BartokFind albums by this artist, which is relatively a rare event on Zappa’s albums. The music was recorded live during Zappa’s 1988 tour, which was sadly his last. It is one of four live albums recorded during this tour, together with “Broadway The Hard WayFind albums with this title”, “The Best Band You Never Heard In Your LifeFind albums with this title” and “Zappa `88: The Last U.S. ShowFind albums with this title”.
The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist and Mike KeneallyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Paul CarmanFind albums by this artist, Albert WingFind albums by this artist and Kurt McGettrickFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. It reflects Zappa’s love of orchestral arrangements, which of course were meticulously conceived and brilliantly executed by this excellent team. The undertones of a Broadway show, which this album presents, are a pinnacle of Zappa’s mastery and a cruel twist.
With passing time, Zappa’s cynicism and radical criticism of American politics, organized religion, show business and general stupidity became more bitter and plain painful at times. His idea to shake his audiences, had sadly little effect, as we can see with the world getting worse and stupider consistently. The absurdity of the beautiful melodic songs crafted by Zappa, which were accompanied by his toxic lyrics is absolutely amazing. However, as we all know, protest songs never managed to make a dent in the way our world is being conducted, especially so in America – Woody GuthrieFind albums by this artist, Pete SeegerFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and eventually Zappa, all failed miserably – a magnificent failure it was indeed!
Overall, although over thirty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 13/03/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ ROAD TAPES VENUE #3
VAULTERNATIVE 20161 (Barcode: 824302016121) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2016
This is the 103rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2016. This 2CD album was released on the VaulternativeFind albums on this label label and is the last of three “Road Tapes” releases, which document entire live performances by Zappa and The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist. This performance was captured at Tyrone Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN, USA on July 5, 1970. The album presents twenty-six tracks, all composed by Zappa, except one track by Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist.
The lineup includes, in addition to Zappa, who plays guitar and sings, vocalists Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist and Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and George DukeFind albums by this artist, bassist Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist. This recordings capture one of the first of the (then) new lineup of the Mothers. None of the material included here is included on the “The Mothers 1970Find albums with this title” Box Set released in 2020.
The live material reflects the highly experimental / improvisational character of the music, as well as the Avant-Garde approach to composition and Free Form improvisation, which characterized Jazz, but was unheard of in Rock music at the time.
Comparison between the live versions on this album, which are up to twenty minutes in duration, with the studio albums, prove how unique every concert by Zappa and his groups was and how important it is for all that material to be available on records, which of course is possible only due to Zappa’s passion and dedication to document his performances.
Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
| | Updated: 03/10/2022Posted: 30/09/2022 | CD 2 Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ ZAPPA (SOUNDTRACK)
ZAPPA 20035 (Barcode: 600753933527) ~ USA ~ Soundtracks
Recorded: 1963 - 1993 Released: 2021
This is the 118th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2021. As the title suggests, this is the soundtrack of the documentary feature film “Zappa”, directed by Alex WinterFind albums by this artist, six years in making, one of the most vivid and comprehensive overviews of Zappa’s career, life and the person, who was Frank Zappa.
The 3CD album consists of two parts:
The first two CDs present a chronological collection of Zappa’s recordings, covering his entire career, as well as some of his work with other artists. Some short monologues by Zappa, as well as works by Classical composers he admired (Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist, Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist), are also present. Several of the tracks are previously unreleased.
The third CD presents the original score for the film composed by John FrizzellFind albums by this artist and a few more Zappa tracks.
Of course the mammoth and unprecedented career and the life of Zappa cannot be encapsulated by any book or movie. He was bigger than life and provided us with enough material for a lifetime of study of his work, philosophy and music. But any attempt, like this documentary, as long as it is honest and unbiased, is an important contribution to preserve Zappa’s legacy.
Overall, although some of this music is available on other Zappa albums, the unique sequencing and career-spanning scope makes this album definitely worth having, as a memento of the greatest American musician of all time. It is, after all, a “soundtrack of his life”.
| | Updated: 03/10/2022Posted: 03/10/2022 | CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
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