Rachmaninoff: Vespers, Op. 37
Praga Digitals PRD 250 176
Format: Hybrid Multichannel SACD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

We usually think of Rachmaninoff as the misplaced romantic: the 20th-century composer who wrote lush works for piano and orchestra, such as his second piano concerto or Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. But Rachmaninoff grew up in Russia, and part of his upbringing was attending services at the Orthodox churches of St. Petersburg, where he was exposed to Russian choral traditions. In 1915, he penned his own set of vespers, written for unaccompanied chorus, and though one can occasionally hear the lush romantic, the church modes are at the forefront. They are beautiful works, and these committed, flawless performances give them the justice they deserve. The multichannel sound recreates a large space (St. Agnes Monastery in Prague) with just the right amount of resonance. Until you can experience the splendor of the surround sound, you can enjoy clean and clear CD playback, since this is a hybrid disc.

Alison Krauss + Union Station: Live
Rounder 11661-0515-6
Format: Hybrid Multichannel SACD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

Oddly enough, considering all the albums she has made, Alison Krauss has never recorded a live concert before. Most singers would kill to sound this good in the studio; Krauss delivers pitch-perfect singing in front of an understandably enthusiastic audience in Louisville, KY. As if that was not enough, she plays impeccable fiddle, and has the best, and most versatile, bluegrass band in the business beside her -- not behind her. She is smart and kind enough to realize what collective and individual talent these four men have, and lets it shine at every opportunity. This once-in-a-lifetime concert has been recorded extremely well. SACD 5.1-channel sound takes to live performance like a duck to water. If you don’t have an SACD player, you can surely enjoy the clean-and-clear two-channel CD sound, knowing that when you put this disc in an SACD player coupled to a properly tuned 5.1 audio system, you will feel like you are actually there.

Afrocelts: Seed
Real World 81508
Format: CD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

I have a hard time letting go of a band that shows promise. While Afrocelts’ (formerly known as Afro-Celt Sound System) previous efforts did not quite work musically, there was no denying their talent. With Seed the group has finally gelled. Melodically, these new songs are stronger, more infectious, and beautifully performed. On the Sound System albums, instruments were not arranged but fighting for room on a crowded stage. Seed is more harmonious with each instrument’s personality shining through. Balance is also apparent with this CD’s excellent production quality. Bass is no longer overblown, and the high frequencies that shimmer off a fiddle no longer feel like razor blades on the ears. Check out cuts like "Cyberia," "Nevermore," and "Deep Channel" and you will experience a band that has finally found its voice.

Goldfrapp: Black Cherry
Mute 9206
Format: CD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

I would have never purchased music by a band named Goldfrapp, mainly because it sounds like a new type of ice cream-based drink more than a band. But on the recommendation of a work associate, who also happens to be an accomplished musician, I took a chance on this electronica effort. Think of Goldfrapp as an updated version of Shirley Bassey crooning to a James Bond theme song like Goldfinger. That’s the impression I got the first time I listened to the band’s debut, Felt Mountain. Black Cherry continues on the same path with fewer sultry string arrangements but more synth confections. This is great pop music no matter how you slice it. The title track is the most infectious of the bunch with the remainder of the album coming close to absolute pop perfection. The recording is also stunning, with sweet, full vocals and delicate electronic flourishes throughout. A wonderful album!

Further Seems Forever: How to Start a Fire
Tooth & Nail 39418
Format: CD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

If you want to make your mark, you have to come up with a better idea than someone did before you. Further Seems Forever isn’t a bad band, it just sounds like countless other bands that came before it. It’s Matchbox Twenty, Creed, Goo Goo Dolls, and more recently Coldplay, all over again -- only less subtle or original. Songs like "On Legendary" and "Insincerity as an Artform," come closest to an emotional payoff, but the remainder of this effort is very bland and uninteresting. The production values are pretty run of the mill as well; guitars are edgy and vocals are forced. I tried to like this record -- tried to find a quality that "started a fire" within me. But ultimately I was left wondering what the point of it all was.