Gordon Getty: Joan and the Bells; Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2
Lisa Delan, soprano; Vladimir Chernov, baritone; Eric Ericson Chamber Choir; Russian National Orchestra; Alexander Vedernikov, conductor.
Pentatone 5186 017
Format: Hybrid Multichannel SACD

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Gordon Getty is an American composer who was born in California in 1933. The cantata on this disc is about Joan of Arc and her last hours. The tonal music is pleasant, though there are no memorable melodies. Still, it’s worth hearing for the sensational payoff, when one finally gets to hear the bells that have been talked about through much of the work. The Pentatone surround sound helps to make that moment of demonstration caliber. The basic orchestra sound is close-up and clean, the chorus well-balanced in relation to the instruments. Prokofiev’s second suite from Romeo and Juliet, which fills out the disc, is well-played, but some of the best music is in the first suite. I have never felt that the second holds up by itself.

Rosemary Clooney: With Love
Groove Note GRV1018-3
Format: Hybrid Stereo SACD

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Of all the fine discs that Rosemary Clooney made for Concord Jazz, this is my favorite. It was recorded around 1980, when the singer’s voice had started to darken but still had an upbeat, zippy quality. It features such sidemen as Scott Hamilton, Warren Vaché, Cal Collins, Nat Pierce, and Cal Tjader, acing incredible little riffs that comment perfectly on Clooney’s straightforward vocals in songs like "Just the Way You Are," "Come in from the Rain," and "Just in Time." The Groovenote SACD transfer is a marvel of richness and clarity, particularly in capturing both the richness of the singer’s voice and its razor-sharp attacks. Highly recommended.

Annie Lennox: Bare
J Records 52350
Format: CD

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A lot has happened in the world of music since the 1990s, and even more since the ’80s. But to listen to the recently released Bare, one would believe that time has stood still for Annie Lennox. I was never a huge fan of Lennox’s, but there were songs I enjoyed, such as her singles "Broken Glass" and "Why." And who didn’t like the Eurythmics’ "Sweet Dreams"? Yet I have never rushed out to pick up Lennox’s latest album, and bought Bare out of curiosity. What I found was music that could easily be mistaken for her past work. The production values are better than average, and two songs, "Pavement Cracks" and "Honestly," have very catchy elements, including a haunting backing chorus -- but most of the songs pass by without triggering much of an emotional reaction. If you were interested in finding out what Annie Lennox has been up to, you can pick up Bare, or listen to your old copy of Diva, from 1992.

Alison Moyet: Hometime
Sanctuary 84570
Format: CD

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Oh, that voice: sultry, seductive, and oh, so smooth. I have been an admirer of Alison Moyet’s wonderfully bluesy vocals since she began her career with synth wizard Vince Clarke in Yazoo in the UK. Although Moyet has not banged out a bunch of records, her work has been consistent yet diverse. Compared to Annie Lennox’s Bare, Hometime is a refreshingly distinct collection of songs that mix Moyet’s R&B influence with electronic rhythms, well-arranged strings, and melodic guitar work. Longtime collaborator Pete Glenister returns not as a producer but as an instrumentalist, while production rests in the capable hands of The Insects. The influence of the onetime producer of Massive Attack is apparent throughout the disc. "Ski" moves along with a Massive Attack-flavored bass line, while "If You Don’t Come Back to Me" ebbs and flows with bittersweet strings. After almost a decade of absence, Moyet has lost neither her voice nor her ear for good music. Definitely recommended.

Hooverphonic: Jackie Cane
Epic 91691
Format: CD

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If you’ve seen the Volkswagen commercial touting the new Beetle color called Vapor, then you’ve heard a Hooverphonic song. The 30-second sound byte of "Renaissance Affair" was catchy enough to make the commercial stand out, but just scratched the surface of this Belgian group’s talent. Jackie Cane, the band’s fourth album, takes a slightly different direction compared to Blue Wonder Power Milk and The Magnificent Tree. A story about a pop star chewed up and spit out by the music industry, Jackie Cane takes us on a journey from the singer’s beginnings to her untimely end. Hooverphonic’s orchestrated ambient pop is well suited to the bittersweet melodrama of Jackie’s tale of excess. "Human Interest," "The World is Mine," and "The Kiss of Death" are my favorites, but the entire effort blends together nicely. The recording is also better than the average pop record, with rich vocals and a sparkling effervescence that are pure sonic bliss.