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Replication is essentially a mechanical way of producing the disc. When you buy software, music or films from a shop this is the process they will have been made. This method is best used for runs over a 1000 pieces and can run in to the millions.

The Process- First off the data is burnt by a laser onto a glass plate that is coated with a photosensitive material, you will often hear the phrase ‘glass master’ this is the first stage in the process. Once the glass master is finished a metal stamper is developed via electrolysis from the plate, it physically has a track with pits in that eventually the laser in the player will read when the disc is done.

Once the stamper is made the glass plate is recycled for use in the making of different stampers. The stamper is then laid into an injection moulding machine and the image is physically pressed into molten optical grade polycarbonate disc under a pressure of about 30 tons. You could relate this to the way vinyl records are made but on a smaller disc. The disc then is taken out of the mould and allowed to cool in a controlled enviornment so that it does not deform. If you were to look at the disc now you would see a clear piece of plastic and you would just be able to make out the data that had been pressed into it. This is so fragile that if you were to rub your finger across the disc it would be completely destroyed. The next stage is to create a reflective layer that the laser in the player can use, this process is spluttering. The disc enters a vacuum chamber that has an aluminum plate at the top and a magnet at the bottom, a puff of argon gas is added and an electrical charge is applied this transforms the surface of the aluminum to atomize and a plasma is formed. This is then drawn down onto the disc buy the magnet. The disc exits the chamber and is coated with a UV varnish to protect the disc and stopping the aluminum from oxidizing. The disc is then ready to be printed and packaged. The lead-time in producing a disc this way is normally 10 to 12 working days.

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Scots indie rockers Glasvegas have made it onto the shortlist of this year’s contenders for the Mercury Prize.
The Glasgow-based quartet’s self-titled debut, released last year, is one of 12 albums battling for the prestigious award.

Formed in 2006 in the city’s east end, Glasvegas were discovered by former Creation Records boss Alan McGee.

Last year they were named the NME’s most promising new band, with two hit singles, and have become one this year’s festival must-sees.

Though the group were initially favourites to land the Mercury Prize, following the announcement of the nominations, bookies placed the odds on them at 12/1.

Instead, two female-fronted acts, Florence & The Machine and Bat for Lashes, are near neck-and-neck in the race to scoop the award, with odds of 5/2 and 7/2 respectively.

Previous winners of the 17-year-old gong have included Pulp, Franz Ferdinand, Klaxons and Primal Scream.

“This has been a rich and creative year for British and Irish music,” said Simon Frith, head of the judging panel. “There are seven fine debut albums on the list and five outstanding records from more established acts, all marking out new ground.”

Despite guaranteeing a boost in sales for all nominees, the prize has often been seen as a kiss of death for many acts who fail to find a commercially successful follow-up.

However, last year’s winners Elbow bucked the trend with fourth album The Seldom Seen Kid, which has been their biggest release to date and went some way to revitalising their career.

The 12 nominees feature only one act which has previously been on the list, Bat For Lashes.

The list is also dominated by debut releases - seven out of 12 - including Speech Therapy by south London rapper Speech Debelle, whose experiences living in hostels are reflected in her lyrics. Other debuts include the eponymous releases by electronic trio Friendly Fires and the chart duo La Roux.

Leicester retro-rockers Kasabian have made the list for the first time with their third album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. And Florence Welch, better known by her stage name Florence And The Machine, builds on her Critics’ Choice prize at this year’s Brit Awards by being shortlisted for her first album, Lungs.

Bat For Lashes, aka Natasha Khan, previously made the shortlist in 2007 with her debut album Fur And Gold.

The nominees are judged by an independent panel to be the key albums of the year regardless of how well they have sold.

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British born pianist and vocalist Jamie Cullum is a fresh new artist worth your attention.

He has released his second CD titled Catching Tales as a follow up to his fist outing Twentysomething.

I find Cullum’s music to be very refreshing because it’s not exactly jazz, pop, soul or even hip-hop. It’s kind of an amalgamation of all of the above mentioned genres and is very good. In today’s world who limits their music collection to just on genre anyway, and why would you.

Gone are the days when an artist forces him or herself to fit neatly into one category to satisfy radio station formats or even record store categories. The early days of Lyle Lovett come to mind. Not that Cullum’s music reminds me of Lovett at all but rather the way his music simply does not fit into any category that I can think of right off hand.

Let me say, clearly I’m loving this young new guy and his old fashioned music. Cullum’s first two CD’s are so good one can’t help but wonder how good his future releases will be as he matures as an artist. If he can create songs like track 5, Nothing I Do, track 6, Mind Trick and track 2, London Skies while still only in his mid twenties, imagine the tunes he’ll be cranking out as a seasoned musician and songwriter.

Like Twentysomething, throughout Catching Tales you will hear a variety of influences and musical styles. At times reflecting Harry Connick Jr. and others a little Michael Buble, and still other times reminding you of a Tony Bennett.

All of the the songs on the CD are Cullum originals and the lyrics are offbeat and very youthful. Cullum’s husky, sometimes gravelly voice sounds great even when he eases into high notes.

The big band jazz sound of Nothing I Do is nothing short of brilliant, and the closing track, My Yard features some awesome acoustics.

Overall Catching Tales is an excellent contribution by the young and clearly very talented Cullum and would be a great addition to your music collection. It’s quite simply a very entertaining CD.

The standout tunes are Get Your Way [track 1], London Skies [track 2], and 7 Days To Change Your Life [track 11]. My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore […as in “Stuck On REpeat”] is track 6, Mind Trick. Very nice!

Release Notes:

This CD was originally released October 11, 2005 on the Verve Forecast record label.

CD track list follows:

1. Get Your Way

2. London Skies

3. Photograph

4. I Only Have Eyes For You

5. Nothing I Do

6. Mind Trick

7. 21st Century Kid

8. I’m Glad There Is You

9. Oh God

10. Catch The Sun

11. 7 Days To Change Your Life

12. Our Day Will Come

13. Back To The Ground

14. My Yard

To hear samples of each song on this CD go to Jamie Cullum CD - Catching Tales [ www.smoothlee.com/music-samples/jamie-cullum-catching-tales.htm ]

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. “SmoothLee” has been bumping around on the web since 1999 and is a self described “Web Head, and Life long AVID music fan”. Smooth Jazz Music in particular. In addition to writing CD Reviews for I Love Smooth Jazz.com he is also the Program Director, and can be heard during his daily radio show which airs on one of the internets most listened to smooth jazz radio stations, Smooth Jazz 24/7

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