CDs
Robert Spano, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem
Telarc SACD
Choruses often sound like one big wall of sound. This SACD recording of Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem is so good that the chorale passages sound like a bunch of individual Germans are singing/yelling in your ear. The oft-evident pain in the chorale passages makes sense, as this piece was written after the death of Brahms' mother and his mentor, Robert Schumann. Led by Robert Spano, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus does a commendable job bringing the requiem its requisite wide range of emotions as well as prominent rhythms that make it seem quite modern. The CD recording on the hybrid disc is good, and the SACD is something to behold. Soundstage and dynamics are tops, especially prominent in the second passage. There's surprisingly effective bass when necessary. Featured vocalist Mariusz Kwiecien's crisp baritone can be used as a benchmark for your system's sound with the male voice.
The Roy Hargrove Quintet
Earfood
Groovin' High/Emarcy Records
Roy Hargrove's got plenty of ways to skin a cat. He's done R&B, hip-hop, and big band. His first Grammy was for Latin Jazz. But he says that straight-ahead jazz is still his favorite way to play. The 13 songs of goodness on Earfood show that the modern post-bop style is also where Hargrove shines brightest. Hargrove cuts loose wicked trumpet flows on each track, from grooves like "I'm Not So Sure" to ballads like "To Wisdom The Prize." His traveling band is good, and sax man Justin Robinson does some serious work. The sound is balanced and pretty. From the opening, you get a lot of the left channel sax, right channel trumpet type of mix that makes everything sound individual yet balanced. This album can show the breadth of your soundstage. During the ballads, the recording sounds just a bit muted, but that is likely the effect that they were going for.
Technical Itch
You Need Therapy
Darla Records
It's possible no one's ever said, "This needs more drum and bass," about a drum and bass track. What drum and bass sometimes needs more of is, wait for it, other stuff. This record by Technical Itch and several other producers puts enough of that other stuff in to keep you interested while still ramming a full serving of breakbeat poundage down your gullet. The notable other stuff on You Need Therapy includes metal and traditional techno influences and slick transitions from sparse to full sound. The recording is decent. There's no soundstage, of course, but there are decent dynamics and a wide frequency range. Wait a second; scratch the top part of this review. What the recording needs most is, wait for it, more bass.
Maria Muldaur
Yes We Can!
Telarc
It's nice when a voice and a style really mesh. The way Michael Bolton's hopelessly cheesy balladeer voice goes with his hopelessly cheesy ballads is perfection. The same is true for Maria Muldaur's plaintive, raspy voice and her activist blues-folk. Yes We Can! is a collection of mostly well-known socio-political commentary songs sung in a straightforward style. There's not a whole lot more to it, but Muldaur's voice and delivery make some of the songs hit home. The album's mix is good, rightly focusing on vocals. Muldaur's fiddle and the other instruments are clear and bright. There's little in the way of soundstage and dynamics, but the overall sound is rich, homey, and winning.
Morgan Geist
Double Night Time
Environ Records
This album is probably what the Pet Shop Boys hear when they dream. Morgan Geist is a DJ and producer who's Double Night Time is part New Order, part disco, and all danceable. The instrumentals are definitely more interesting than the songs with non-descript vocals from Jeremy Greenspan. The instrumentation on Double Night Time is entirely electronic, but Geist gets a lot from the one-guy-in-a-studio style. As for recording quality, that synthesizer sure sounds, um, lifelike. Sonics are clear and well mixed. The electronic effects pop and voices stand out nicely from the computers. This is dance music, so it's no surprise that there's only one volume and no soundstage, but the treble is pleasant and the midbass is disco hot pants tight.
Orso
Ask Your Neighbor
Contraphonic
You're either going to hate this or love it. Think Arcade Fire-style baroque indie music broken into something much more abstract. This deconstruction makes oRSo sound pretty but not pretentious (I'm looking at you, Arcade Fire). ORSo is one dude, Phil Spirito, and an array of musicians completing his musical vision. Despite the fact that several of the songs here don't have a typical structure, most of them have points to hang on to that make them memorable, even hummable. Just when the album seems to be getting a bit analytical, "See Me" damn near makes you verklempt. This album was recorded in a home studio, and it can sound that way. The whole thing sounds a little flat and listless. A bunch of instruments are in play here, so the mix is difficult and not great. Why quibble, though? The weak sonics almost give this one more indie cred.
April Hill
Love 360
Black Money/Jazzy Peach Records
The good news about Love 360 is that singer/songwriter April Hill has a smooth voice and an easy delivery. The bad news is everything else. The majority of Love 360 is bore 360. Melodies meander, fall flat, and instrumentation is humdrum. Hill lays her jazzy vocals on top of mostly derivative R&B. The biggest waste is that this album sounds great. The recording is lush and detailed with a big soundstage. "I Want You" is a fine example of how a modern soul song should sound. The bass line pops, drums are crisp, and Hill's voice is honey. Love 360 will make your sound system shine. If only it were a better listen.