Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E Flat "Romantic"
Testament SBT 1298
Format: CD

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Decca has let most of its recordings by Istvan Kertesz lie inactive in its vaults. The young conductor was a dynamic yet lyrical maestro who got such great playing out of the London Symphony Orchestra that he was made its music director. His Bruckner eschews the usual pompous, ponderous, and pious approach, replacing those doubtful qualities with lyricism, urgency, and grandeur. Kenneth Wilkinson, the legendary Decca engineer, did some of his best work on this recording, too. Thanks to Testament for licensing this valuable 1965 recording, making it available again.

Doc Powell: 97th and Columbus
Heads Up 9073
Format: Hybrid Multichannel SACD

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This funky, laidback CD is a tribute to Mikells, a club in New York City where many artists have tried out new approaches to music. The album’s title is Mikells’ address. These tunes are formula, but a Sunday morning jazz formula that works. A lazy rhythm is arranged in all five speakers, with a pulsing, focused bass in the subwoofer. Then Doc Powell’s lyrical guitar spins out a mesmerizing tune from the front stage. Seldom have I heard sound that is so lush and so clean in the same instant. This is a Hybrid Multichannel SACD, so you can listen to the two-channel CD layer for now, but when you hear this disc in a 5.1 multichannel system you’re in for a real treat. 

David Gahan: Paper Monsters
Warner Brothers 48471
Format: CD

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David Gahan is about seven years younger than me, but to look at him you would believe he had lived much longer. Paper Monsters exorcises those demons that the Depeche Mode singer has endured over the years. There are hints of Depeche Mode in this well-recorded ten-track effort, but Gahan does a nice job of making each song his own. Gahan the lover, Gahan the fighter, and Gahan the consummate human are here for all to see. The most heartfelt song of the album is "Stay" -- ambient, minimalist, but profoundly beautiful in its tone and emotion. The catchiest song on the playlist is "I Need You," replete with funky guitar and incisive synth trappings. All totaled, this is a very consistent and accomplished work that may not have the most original music, but certainly doesn’t lack for soul.  

Soundtrack: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Atlantic 83574
Format: CD

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I'm not a huge fan of John Williams, but I can't fault his talent for whipping out well-crafted scores. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets continues the composer’s contribution to the filmic personality of J.K. Rowling’s coming-of-age story. Like the majority of Williams’ work, the listener is treated to a large, lively orchestra and an infectious level of whimsy. The central "Potter" theme returns from the first film, but with a more mature and embellished arrangement, in "Harry’s Wondrous World." One can hear Williams flexing his considerable Wagnerian muscle during cuts like "Dueling the Basilisk." Listen closely and you will hear elements from E.T., Indiana Jones, and the recent Minority Report poking through this CD’s dense sonic landscape. Recording quality is just like Star Wars and Minority Report: brilliant, warm, and exciting. Brass shimmers to the heavens with ever-increasing crescendo. This album is for anyone who relishes being moved by great orchestras.

Ian McCulloch: Slideling
Spin Art 123
Format: CD

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Overall Enjoyment

Ian McCulloch’s newest CD couldn’t have come at a better time. It has been raining in the Northeastern United States for what seems to be years. The third solo record by this ex-Echo and the Bunnymen crooner inspired me to open all my car windows on one of the few sunny days of May and sing. The CD is not perfect, though. Some songs like "Arthur" and "High Wires" lack the magic of "She Sings," "Slideling," and "Baby Hold On." Still, this is the CD to get if your mood needs a boost. Production quality is very similar to traditional Bunnymen: a little harsh, a little dark, but sugary in a way only McCulloch’s distinct vocals can instill in a tune. A definite must-have for fans of the Bunnymen.