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February music reviews

The Darkness: One Way Ticket to Hell (and Back)

The follow up to the hugely successful Permission to Land, One Way Ticket... has a few good moments, some average, and some truly awful in its thankfully short (33 minutes) life.

The album opens with a minute of pan pipes followed by some (supposedly) cocaine sniffing and then launches into the title track (the first single). This is one of the few tracks on the album that rocks- even if it reminds me of 70s glam rockers The Sweet and the likes of Kansas and Styx (US pomp rockers of the late 70s and early 80s).

Unfortunately things go downhill from here.

I'm still not sure if Justin Hawkins (he of the falsetto) and the rest of The Darkness are for real or not. Much of the album sounds like a piss-take to me, especially the likes of English Country Garden and the final track Blind Man which is The Darkness trying (too) hard to be Queen and failing miserably.

The Def Leppard-ish Dinner Lady Arms and Bald (an ode to hair loss) perk things up a bit with their sing along choruses (and will no doubt be future singles as a result), but they are a rarity on an album full of OTT production but short of songs of quality.

I don't think engaging the services of former Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker has helped the band. The sound is (for me) overly polite and fussy. On the debut there was some grunt and passion. On this follow up there's not a lot of either in evidence. Too pretty and sedate by far.

Never mind One Way Ticket to Hell and Back - more like One Way Ticket to the
Bargain Bin (and no way back!) Douglas Lang

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Devendra Banhart: Cripple Crow

Individualistic space-cadet folk that’s earthy and elegant but a tad too arch too often. There’s much to satisfy devotees of retro quirkiness: the cover sleeve’s sepia-tinted nod to Sgt Pepper with its assembly of alternatively chic sorts peering forth with cool impassivity, the man himself with twinkling Zappa grin, the voice quavering with husky sinuous Bolanesque inflections, and lyrics which switch from the adroitly droll (“From being my daddy’s sperm/ To being packed in an urn/ I’m a child”) to the pointedly ludicrous (“I need you to help me blow my nose”).

It’s a busy self-assured (inclining to self-important) package – nearly two dozen songs, all dominated by Banhart’s distinctive voice over uncomplicated infectious acoustic guitar. And although the net effect can sometimes be soft-boiled and inconsequential and irritatingly repetitious, there are several songs which touch heady heights and depths – opener Now That I Know has an alluring poise that’s steered over several minutes by a lilting interweaving of cello and vocal, and title track Cripple Crow sustains a poetic fluctuating momentum redolent of Led Zep’s Ramble On. Idiosyncratic, effervescent, and probably a presence we’ll become more and more aware of. Paul Green

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Dave’s True Story: Simple Twist Of Fate – DTS Does Dylan

Bebop Records

DTS is Dave’s True Story, New York musicians with an eclectic repertoire spread across a number of indie labels. In 2005 they were invited to play an all-Dylan set at a week-end festival. The audience liked what they heard whereupon Dave Cantor (guitar), Jeff Eyrich (stand-up bass) and singer Kelly Flint made studio recordings of their setlist.

Nothing to get the juices running, though: these are very ordinary run-throughs of Dylan classics like the title track, You’re A Big Girl Now, If Dogs Run Free and three from the Blonde On Blonde album, all done as late-night shuffles.

By to-day’s standards it’s a brief CD, padded out with three radio edits and an alternate mix – and it still clocks in at less than 50 minutes. Dylan-lite for those who still reckon Bob “can’t sing”. Fred Muller

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Neil Diamond: 12 Songs

Columbia

Producer Rick Rubin first came to my notice via recordings by the rap group Run-D.M.C. The next time I spotted his name I had to do a double take: there it was, in the small print, on Johnny Cash’s remarklable series of four American Recordings. Remarkable because the production was warm, elegant and respectful of the material.

This album is a companion to the Cash sessions although the gestation was rather more time-consuming: about a year elapsed between Rick first meeting Neil and the album’s completion.

Accompanying Diamond are the likes of Benmont Tench from Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, Billy Preston and Larry Knechtel on keyboards with guitarists Mike Campbell and Pat McLaughlin. Note: no drummer. Again there’s a singularity of purpose here as the simple arrangements, free of bombast, give the songs room to breathe.

These are the best Neil Diamond works I’ve heard in years: he’s progressed from the throwaway Jonathan Livingston Seagull and I Am I Said to lovely ruminations about growing old, of companionship and love on the tracks Evermore, Delirious Love and Create Me. He’s still in fine voice too.

This CD, the comeback of 2005, means you can drop Neil’s name into conversations again and tell any sceptics to check out this gem that had the misfortune to be released amid the Christmas/New Year rush. Heck, it’s so good I can forgive him for nicking the album’s title from Randy Newman. Fred Muller

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Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations

Mercury Records/Polygram

Reviewed in a separate article.

Bob Dylan: No Direction Home - The Soundtrack. The Bootleg Series Volume 7

Legacy

Reviewed in a separate article.

Enya: Amarantine

Warner

Like millions of her fans I bought Watermark in 1988. Almost 20 years ago we were impressed. It is a lush sound full of spiritual yearning. I am told that Enya does not like her music being classified as ‘new age music’ although she was awarded a Grammy for Shepherd Moon in 1991 in this very category. The sound is still the same. Her soft (weak) voice is placed well back in the mix; when you are in the mood it is ‘the sound of angels’; when you are not in the mood it is musical wallpaper. Either way it is unlikely to offend and is easy to ignore.

Until relatively recently I did not realize that she also sings in English along with Welsh, Irish, Latin, Spanish and even for some reason in an invented language. Perhaps music sounds more mysterious in any language other than one’s own. Certainly when we can (barely) hear the English songs, we are not talking great songwriting here: "Every time the rain comes down, close my eyes and listen. I can hear the lonesome sound of the sky as it cries."

What the music does do is evoke a mood. All the way from the scarlet red cloak she wears on the cover to the inside picture of her draped decorously before a stained glass window. This is hypnotic music for those who want to feel mellow and spiritual without having to go to church. Just draw the curtains, light a few candles, and slip the CD into the slot. Lie down and close your eyes and Enya will take you away. If however you actually want to listen to some Irish music sung simply genuinely and directly, then try Glor na mBan (the sound of women) reviewed below. John Groom

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Glor na mBan: The Sound of Women

I couldn’t pass up a chance to review this CD. Well you see my better half has just traced her ancestry to Galway. Doesn’t she also play the squeezebox and have wild tales to tell of her trip back to the Emerald Isles? This young quartet should help me be quids in.

There is the warmfaced Ang Kidd with her flowing red trusses who plays bouzouki, guitar, fiddle and bodhran. The cute Neasa Scanion from County Mayo is on accordion and tin whistle. The shy looking Edith O’Regan from Cork chips in on the flute. Finally the bonnie-faced Melanie Brown from Ballycastle adds her own fiddle and bodhran.

These young women are currently Wellington based and have strong support in the local folk scene. Did I mention that they are not just competent musicians but they can actually sing? They sing in close harmony, simply but rhythmically produced with a nice open acoustic. Robbie Duncan at the Braeburn studios in Wellington has done a good clean intimate job of the recording. (For a completely contrasting spin try the Enya recording reviewed above.)

The music itself carries along at a good pace. Even with sad pieces it does not descend to maudlin or mush. The diction is clear: their unique version of The Last Time I Saw Him
is easy to follow. The soft numbers are evocative, for example their simple version of I Am Stretched On Your Grave is a moving story of forbidden and lost love. It is when we hit the jigs however that this recording comes alive. The women have a strong sense of rhythm, and glory in the sentiments of songs such as Bean Paidin where the jilted woman seeks revenge on Paidin’s wife. She wishes the wife dead and wants to break her legs. These Irish women are not people to be trifled with. Come to think of it, I was going to gift this CD to my better half, but then again it might give her ideas. John Groom

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Ladysmith Black Mambazo: Long Walk to Freedom

Heads Up International

This album is a collection of twelve new recordings of classic Mambazo songs, featuring guest vocal performances by a number of contemporary artists including Melissa Etheridge, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, Joe McBride, Sarah McLachlan and Natalie Merchant. There are also a number of guests from the South African music scene, including Lucky Dube and Hugh Masekela among others.

The release of the album commemorates the 20th anniversary of the release of Paul Simon’s Graceland album, which first brought Ladysmith Black Mambazo to the attention of a global audience. It also celebrates 12 years since Nelson Mandela was elected as the democratic leader of South Africa. The track sequence follows the chronological sequence of Mambazo’s 30 plus year recording history.

The inclusion of guest vocalists on a number of the tracks provides some interesting variety to complement the highly recognisable vocal style of founder Joseph Shabalala and the rest of the group.

Melissa Etheridge tackles Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (from Graceland) and does a fine job. Her earthy tones provide some edge to a performance which is ably backed by the human jukebox (no instruments required) of Joe McBride and the members of Mambazo – an amazing sound.

Another favourite is Natalie Merchant’s contribution to Rain Rain Beautiful Rain where the former singer with 10,000 Maniacs adds her sweet and rich tones to the 1987 classic track originally featured on Mambazo’s 1987 album Shaka Zulu.

Emmylou Harris gets in on the act in an interpretation of Amazing Grace and Nearer My God to Thee.

Also included as the album closer is a new track, Thula Thula, which is an improvised track based on a traditional lullaby. It offers the chance to experience Joseph Shabalala’s fine voice in all its naked glory.

This album works for me – the added textures and variety of the guests providing new energy and approaches to what for many will be familiar material. Recommended. Douglas Lang

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Warren Love Band: Warren Love Band

Elite

Warren Love is a story teller. On this little gem of an album his warm, expressive voice wraps itself around a mix of originals and covers that go places, places that are worth taking the time to visit.

On the face of it Warren’s very experienced vocal instrument is unremarkable, no multi-octave range or vocal gymnastics here, but about half way through the first song I realised that that I was well and truly hooked into the story. Some artists have this ability, Guy Clark and John Prine (Prines’ Aimless Love is on the album) immediately come to mind and the country/folk area that these good ol’ boys inhabit is exactly where Love is coming from. The other trait that Warren shares with these artists is the ability to make a song his own, to soak the lyrics and tune with his own spirit.

The band and guests are loosely tight, having a supple, relaxed feeling that reinforces the very intimate nature of the singing, making it feel as if the performance is just for you. My only real quibble would be the length of the album, which is only 33 minutes, but when all is said and done I’d sooner have 33 minutes of good stuff than 50 minutes of skipping tracks. As for highlights, the pain of Louise, Louise or the lyrical whit of Autographed Picture Of Jesus, or the story of Cow Jazz all put their hands up.

But for me the real strength of this album is encapsulated in the title of the opening track, as this CD does indeed have a Beautiful Heart. Craig Fenemor

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Harry Manx: Mantras For Madmen

Dog My Cat Records

There’s a wonderful sense of joy when you buy an album that, after the first playing, you realise is going to be a favourite for years to come. Welcome to Mantras For Madmen. For those unaccustomed to Harry’s music it’s fusion of Indian, blues and folk that ends up with a restorative, soothing feeling flowing through every note. A lot of the Indian flavour comes through the expertly played Mohan Veena, a 20 string cross between a lap steel guitar and sitar that Harry learnt at the foot of the master, VM Bhatt. Add in standard lap steel, banjo, six string guitar, tamboura, mandolin, drums, bass, tabla, bells, harmonica and some great female backing and duet vocals and you have a rich tapestry of tones and textures that are expertly woven together by Harry’s rough yet smooth voice.

A Canadian by birth, Manx was hugely influenced by the 12 years he spent in India. As he says in the liner notes, “The way I see it, Blues is like the earth and Indian music is like the heavens. What I do is find the balance between the two.” Often the joining of quite diverse musical styles comes off as a mismatch, a gimmick, but here there’s a feeling of maturity and harmony in the approach Manx takes. There’s an infectious, gentle grove running through the album that firstly disarms you and then draws you into the songs. Of the twelve songs only two are covers (JJ Cales San Diego – Tijuana and Robbie Robertson’s It Makes No Difference) and they don’t stand out over the ten originals indicating that Harry’s writing has reached a very high level. Also the presentation of this album - the artwork, colour selection, lay-ups etc - is certainly the best of any album I have. Classy stuff.

What hits me time after time when I listen to Mantras For Madmen is that I can’t help feeling better at the end of it. When I saw Harry Manx live in 2004 I was struck by how as a person he exudes an inner calmness and gentleness. Here he shows again that he has the ability to infuse his songs with the same calm, gentle feelings. I genuinely believe that listening to this album is good for your heart and soul and I strongly recommend a good measure be taken daily. Craig Fenemor

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Massive Attack: Unleashed Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Virgin Records

Originally called Danny the Dog in the UK, the film and soundtrack was released in the US as Unleashed to give it a more menacing title. Obviously this is not a normal album from the group. It is very much a soundtrack and as such has a completely different feel to a regular Massive Attack CD. That is not to say that it is unlike regular Massive Attack but rather it flows somewhat different. Some of the tracks are quite short and fill a particular scene in the film but that is true of all motion picture soundtracks.

There are however some great musical moments in Unleashed. The track, Sam, has Massive Attack exploring new territory on the musical landscape with strings and piano and there is a lushness to the production that is quite compelling. But this album is not for everyone so approach with care. Richard Nelson

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Ministry Of Sound: The 2006 Annual

If you’re inclined to find occasional invigorating inspiration from fired-up joie de vivre dance music, stay clear of this lukewarm collection. Track after track fails to move beyond the oppressively formulaic. In keeping with generic convention, the endlessly repeated immovable 4/4 beat is embellished by needling synthetic squeaks and squawks and swivelling flourishes of electronic sound, purporting to capture engulfing emotions but suggesting little more than inflated posturing. Lyrically, this is largely a celebration of the hackneyed and the vacuous: “let’s get down”, “get into the music, let the rhythm move your soul”, and “what you doin’ tonight? I got somethin’ to make ya feel alright” highlight the thresholds we’re dealing with here.

There’s more inventiveness gone into the titles of the mixes than into the music itself, which sounds like it’s born not of creative construction but a disjointed collaboration of technicians and proficient but faking-it sessionistas. It’s clubbing-by-numbers with a cheap keyboard and junior school software. No heart, no soul. Paul Green

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My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge

Hailing from New Jersey, this is My Chemical Romance’s (MCR) first major label release. I have to confess that prior to hearing this album, my only previous experience of MCR was courtesy of seeing them on a video based around a funeral on C4.

In the course of doing some background research I’ve found out that there are some people who actually see MCR as vampires who are out to seduce our young! There is also a lot of discussion on various chat forums about the quality, (or lack of) of front man Gerard Way’s vocals. Is it emotion or just screaming?

For my money, MCR are okay. They’re never going to set the world on fire with originality or musical ability, but there are plenty of bands out there who are worse than them on both counts.

At different points on the album I was reminded of Muse, Green Day and other high intensity guitar bands such as A Simple Plan, Good Charlotte, Hoobastank etc. There is plenty of energy on display, hard-riffing guitars, and some good shout- along choruses.

Overall impression is of a band trying hard to impress, and doing so on a number of tracks (notably on full on opener Helena, To The End, and the anthemic I’m Not OK (I promise).

Elsewhere things can become a bit formulaic and overly angst ridden – e.g. It’s Not a Fashion Statement, it’s a Deathwish could be by any one of half a dozen similar bands.

I’d give it 6/10. Douglas Lang

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Queen: A Night At The Opera 30th Anniversary Edition

Parlophone/EMI

Reacquainting myself with A Night At The Opera was like meeting an old school friend from 1975. There was surprise at the familiarity, yet also at how cruel the intervening 30 years have been. Quirky, music-hall romps like Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon and Seaside Rendezvous that may have seemed like a jolly lark back in studio all those years ago now just stand out like a middle-aged accountant wearing a satin skinsuit.

In the end, A Night At The Opera is an album of just two tracks. You’re My Best Friend, which remains a superb example of Freddy Mercury’s songwriting and real vocal abilities. And that song.

In many ways, Bohemian Rhapsody is the perfect single from A Night At The Opera. Freddy’s three act opera for the masses reflects the whole album admirably. Flashes of brilliance, for sure, but slightly disjointed and somehow mired in over-production. Great guitar riff though.

This 30th anniversary edition has been completely re-mastered from the original tapes, and includes a DVD of original and new videos for every track. While the sleeve notes make much of the re-mastering, and many commentators have been effusive in their praise, I found it less than inspiring. It’s almost too clean, with fewer artefacts of the original multiple overdubs and 96 track recordings apparent. Some of the life and character of the original seems to be missing.

The DVD is more of a collector’s curiosity than anything else. Original videos for Bohemian Rhapsody (alarmingly quaint, now) and You’re My Best Friend are juxtaposed with new videos cobbled together from old and new material. Believe me, seeing Brian May at home in 1975, then on stage in 2004 is more than you need to understand that three decades have passed. You could be excused for thinking it were longer.

Funnily enough, almost exactly a year after A Night At The Opera was released, another quite different record hit the shops. Less than twelve months separate Freddy Mercury’s pinnacle of 70s operatic soft rock from the Sex Pistol’s rather simpler Anarchy in the UK. For me at least, November 1976 is far more memorable than November 1975, and it’s why I find the 30th anniversary edition of A Night At The Opera a bit, well, forgettable. Matthew Masters

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Bic Runga: Birds

Sony BMG

Birds is top N.Z. songstress Bic Runga's third album, and to my mind the best so far. The album was recorded in Auckland's Monte Cecilia House and you can feel the atmosphere of the stately home come through in the recording, which was self-produced.

For this album, Bic put together a studio band made up of some of the top musicians from this side of the world, including Neil Finn on piano and guitar, Anika Moa on vocals, Trinity Roots' Riki Grooch on drums and Pluto's Tim Arnold. There seems to be more depth to the playing than on her previous albums. There is space and a lightness of touch which complements Runga’s fine vocals. There also seem to be time for more instrumental breaks than I remember from previous albums, and this helps to give the light and shade that enhance the listening experience.

Also, perhaps by not having to worry so much about playing piano, Bic was able to relax more into the vocal and production side of her role. Whatever the reason, this album is a huge success.

Say After Me is built around some plaintive strings and piano, and has a bit of a French feel to it. This is hardly surprising as Runga spent much of 2003/2004 living in Paris.
Listen is airy, with acres of space in the recording. It has a sense of Burt Bacharach.

There is a sadness about some of the album. Runga’s father died in 2005, and she dedicates the album to her mother and in memory of her father. You can really feel the melancholy coming through in a song like Captured which features some sweeping strings and piano.

That’s Alright follows Captured and provides some relief from the melancholy, being a more typical Runga pop offering. The album closes (appropriately) with It’s Over, a down beat, bluesy number which brings the mood down again, and closes things out perfectly.

In summary, Birds is a fine progression from Beautiful Collision – showcasing Runga’s increasing maturity, songwriting ability and confidence. Douglas Lang

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Thelonious Monk Quartet: With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall

Blue Note

It is miraculous that anything, let alone fragile acetate tapes, can last in good condition and undiscovered for 48 years. You won’t find too many recordings of the Monk-Coltrane quartet, so this one found earlier this year in the Library of Congress was a real find. Trane had been playing with Monk since October 56, gradually learning his tunes and honing his performance. By the time of this recording, 29 November 1957, they were a cohesive unit along with bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik and drummer Shadow Wilson.

In the first track, Monk’s Mood, Coltrane’s arpeggios and runs are in many cases mimicked by Monk’s piano and there is no doubt that a little of each artist had rubbed of on the other. The great timing of this quartet is displayed on Evidence and Sweet and Lovely during the many time changes. What comes through is the enjoyment and ease of their performances.

Considering its age, this is a remarkably fresh sounding recording and anyone who is a fan of Thelonious Monk or John Coltrane deserves to get this disc. It is 51 minutes of pure magic. Richard Nelson

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Neil Young: Prairie Wind

Reprise Records

Someone once said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get,” and so it is with new albums. I was a little disappointed that there was no Crazy Horse style guitar work on this album but I am almost over that, because when Neil Young is good it doesn’t matter what he is doing. Prairie Wind is a country folk album with acoustic guitars and reflective bittersweet songs about love and regret. So this album has plenty of soft centres, but does it have a heart of gold?

It is the simplicity of these songs that appeals. From the first song, The Painter you know Neil Young is feeling it. It’s a Dream is one of the best ballads I’ve heard this year and No Wonder has an intensity that almost rocks but not quite. Responsible largely for the feel of the album is the pedal steel and slide guitar of Ben Keith. The final track on the album is the hymn When God Made Me that seemingly comes from nowhere.

Not really being a country fan I found that I slowly warmed to this album but it won me over with its subtle nuances, and great performances. Also I was pleased to find that this is a HDCD recording and that a version on 24/96 for DVD is also available. (Just make sure your DVD is not set to down mix to 48kHz).

If you prefer rock candy then give this one a miss, but if you like something soft and sweet then enjoy this album but don’t over indulge. Too much chocolate can make you sick. Richard Nelson

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Various: Putumayo Presents Asian Lounge

Putumayo

Putumayo practice with compilation album titles is an unaffected “what you see is (you hope) what you get”, and this one is convention-compliant. Very lounge, certainly Asian. At its least convincing the easternness doesn’t amount to much more than a twanging frilly version of karaoke reggae. But the bulk of this album is characterized by an authentic oriental instrumentation and vocal mix, which seems to hit the spot. Spunky skin-tight bass beats, tabla rhythms, electronica planes, and stringed instruments picked in enterprising fashion combine throughout to sustain an apparent air of sacred or sensual reverence. Occasionally, though, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d been misappropriated into some seedy Bangkok porn booth, as the chill comes perilously close to curdling into cheese and sleaze. Like much of the (now jaded?) genre, it’s got a smooth crisp understated style, but minimal real backbone. Paul Green

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Mozart: The Violin Concertos 1-5; Sinfonia concertante K364

Deutsche Grammophon (Dual CD)
Anne Sophie Mutter. (Violin and Conductor), Yuri Bashmet (Viola K364), London Philharmonic Orchestra

The great Mutter is a wonderful interpreter of Mozart as this has been a lifelong passion for her. Her unique approach involves a total synergy with the orchestra. It is not as though she is playing a solo with the orchestra as a backdrop but rather that she is an equal member who happens to temporarily hold the lead. This has taken some adjustment for me as until recently I have favoured a very different interpretation. I have much enjoyed Dumay’s version of the 3rd and 4th Concertos recorded with the Camerata Acedemica Salzburg (GH 457 645-2). Dumay is a lively and expressive player with the string sound very obvious and the emotions squarely on the heart sleeve.

Returning to Mutter, it is not as though she lacks expressiveness either as a violinist or a conductor. It is all there, just in a more subtle fashion. Not quite as immediate as Dumay, but simply putting you slightly further back in the concert hall with a less agile acoustic. The end result is an integration and ease to the sound that is sweet and easy to listen to without moving into syrup. This is the sort of recording that is interesting enough get your attention but easy enough that you could hold a conversation with it in the background. A great achievement.

As with all Deutsche Grammophon this is a technically clear and clean recording with no particular sense of the glassiness that can accompany some CD pressings of complex orchestral passages. The accompanying booklet is very attractive and informative. As a dual CD package this is good value and along with Dumay this now joins my short list of favourite classical recordings. John Groom

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Vengerov plays Beethoven

Beethoven:Violin Concerto in D major Op. 61; Romance No.1 in G major Op.40; Romance No.2 in F major Op.50.

Maxim Vengerov (violin); London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich.
EMI Classics

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I saw this listed. As a huge fan of Vengerov I have had no end of pleasure reacquainting myself with the standard repertoire as he explores the well-worn track of the violin virtuoso. Given that the Beethoven remains my favourite violin concerto the expectation was considerable. The first four timpani strokes had alarm bells echoing round my listening room. Is it possible for a CD player to keep pitch and play slow?

Knowing the answer to be in the negative I awaited great insights from this partnership of two Russian maestros and London orchestra and record label. I’m still waiting. Whoever made the decision to pace the opening Allegro ma no troppo the same as the second movement Larghetto has a little explaining to do. I would love to hear what the soloist, conductor and producer were thinking. This is definitely not a case of notoriety offering a marketable point of difference. Stick with your favourite. Mine is Gidon Kremer (complete with a somewhat bizarre cadenza) on Teldec. Allan McFarlane

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Vivaldi: Gloria. Bach: Magnificat

Telarc
Martin Pearlman, Boston Baroque

“Performed on Period Instruments” shrieks the cover of this disc from the generally well regarded Telarc label. An odd thing to put when it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find new recordings of Baroque music that aren’t performed on period instruments.

Unfortunately, it seems to be about the only remarkable feature of this particular assemblage of popular choral pieces from Vivaldi and Bach. Martin Pearlman’s Boston Baroque has a fine, if unadventurous, reputation. While most modern orchestras and specialist Baroque ensembles have embraced some dynamic, but historically questionable arrangements, Pearlman has always pursued a gentler, more melodic approach. It’s more about letting the music flow than hurling it at the audience in handfuls. A commitment to niceness, if you like, that seems to have found favour among an audience that would otherwise stick with more conventional classical genres.

But niceness can be a bit dull. And that’s where both these performances suffer. In theory at least, the two pieces should be quite different. The Bach is an untypically large-scale celebratory piece and the Vivaldi much smaller, but typically bouncy. Yet I was hard-pressed to tell them apart.

Yes the performances are technically very good. But the whole effect is just woozy and soporific where it should be invigorating and uplifting. For heavens sake, don’t the names of these pieces give even a tiny clue about how they should sound?

While the recording is clearly up to Telarc’s usual high standards, the CD appears to have been mixed to sound good at low volumes only, making for a soupy and over lush sound at more normal levels.

Then it dawned on me. A dynamically even performance with unchallenging orchestration to be played back at low volume. It’s background Baroque. The perfect CD to create an impression at dinner parties and open homes. I’m sure it’ll sell heaps. Matthew Masters

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