E.S.T.: Tuesday Wonderland
Emarcy 06025 170 657-5 8
Format: CD

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E.S.T. -- the Esbjörn Svensson Trio -- begins its latest album, Tuesday Wonderland, with the incredible "Fading Maid Preludium." The song draws the listener in immediately with its faintly dark, solo piano line before suddenly bursting into an all-out bass-and-drum drawl, highlighted and accompanied by the piano. The tune is made even more resounding by bassist Dan Berglund’s bowing, a sound used not nearly often enough in jazz. The group puts an unusual but rewarding emphasis on the drums, often treating them as solo instruments, especially in "Goldwrap." Serving as an accompaniment to the piano melody, the nonstop drumrolls and rat-a-tats serve as an interesting focal point to the song. The group displays such fantastic creativity and such a high level of craftsmanship that it’s even more rewarding than usual to hear an album so well recorded. While at times the bass could be louder, and at others the piano could be quieter, these are minor issues in an album in which sound is as important as the compositions themselves….Katherine Silkaitis

Fishbone: Still Stuck in Your Throat
Sound in Color SIC031
Format: CD

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In a career of 20-plus years, Fishbone can be credited with such minor miracles as having ushered in the Alternative music scene of the 1990s and bridging the gap between genres as diverse as punk, reggae, funk, and fusion. Inspiring bands such as Sublime and Jane’s Addiction, Fishbone has long been a pioneer of nonconformist new sounds, and revolutionized the definition of "high-energy live shows." After a six-year hiatus, the band has released Still Stuck in Your Throat, which barrels back with all the intensity and skank-fueled fury that made Fishbone such a powerful musical force a decade ago. "Party with Sadaam" is a call for political understanding and peace in Iraq; "We Just Lose Our Minds," nearly ten minutes of pure funk reminiscent of Sly & The Family Stone, is highlighted by a trio of horns, and Angelo Moore’s suave vocals and theremin manipulations. These veterans haven’t lost a thing -- this comeback has enough raw new energy to make contemporaries like the Red Hot Chili Peppers sound geriatric….Shannon Holliday

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver: More Behind the Picture than the Wall
Rounder 11661-0588-2
Format: CD

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This new collection from bluegrass band Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver ends with the traditional-sounding cover "Can You Hear Me Now," followed by the same song made to sound as if recorded in 1938. Indeed, Quicksilver’s fine vocal blends and often subtle arrangements reach the ear with a careful artistry transmitted intact to the listener by this excellent CD, which makes it hard to believe our species could have tolerated the tinny sounds of 78rpm discs. This great band is quite comfortable at a full gallop, but thought-provoking ballads display additional depth, as well as the breadth of their first-rate singing and playing talents. Last year, the National Endowment for the Arts anointed Lawson with a prestigious National Heritage Fellowship. After hearing this masterful CD, you, too, will consider him a national heritage….David Cantor

Russian Nights
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra; Erich Kunzel, conductor.
Telarc 60657
Format: Hybrid Multichannel SACD

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This scintillating collection is ideal for someone just getting into classical music, or who’s just bought a universal player and wants to experience multichannel orchestral sound. The program is full of gorgeous melodies and snappy rhythms, but doesn’t pander to the newbie. It begins with Mikhail Glinka’s bracing overture to Russlan and Ludmilla, with perfectly recorded timpani interjections. Later, there are solid versions of Prokofiev’s famous march from The Love for Three Oranges, Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol, a Russian tourist’s portrait of Spain. Toward the end of the disc are two exquisite orchestral miniatures by Anatol Liadov, The Enchanted Lake and The Musical Snuffbox. The Cincinnati Pops has become one of this nation’s greatest orchestras, and it plays with precision and passion. The engineers have caught these works’ kaleidoscopic instrumental colors with accuracy and warmth. The disc’s CD layer sounds just fine; the hi-rez multichannel layer offers greater detail and presence….Rad Bennett

Assemblage 23: Meta
Metropolis 480
Format: CD

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Tom Shear’s music and lyrics are compelling for his ability to convey deep, desperate emotions through weighty synthesizers and heavily processed vocals. Shear’s affinity for Depeche Mode and German bands (think Covenant or Seabound) is apparent in cuts like "Sorry" and "Ghost." He demonstrates an unerring ability to craft keen life observations and devastating choruses (earlier songs, such as "Disappointed" and "Naked," are heartbreaking favorites of mine). I’m not talking empty rhymes or stilted bridges -- I get the sense that Shear is a well-read, world-weary soul who isn’t afraid to dig deep into the human condition and express considerable heart amid his layered electronic textures and melodies. This is as good as a pop recording gets, with wide, layered soundstages and smooth sonic flavors. It’s wonderful to hear and see a musician accomplished enough to take over at a time when such classic acts as Depeche Mode are entering their twilight years. Meta is one of the best CDs of the year….Anthony Di Marco