The disc mixes classics and originals in a set of tunes perfect for late-night reveries or for anytime sojourns to a place of unhurried passion.
Music
Rock Album Review: New Fries — Surfing On and Off the No Wave
New Fries’ latest effort never fails to stimulate: the band has crafted a record that challenges the idea of what a pop song is and can be — in two very different ways.
Opera Album: A Deliciously Grisly “Comic Opera” from 1789 — the Year the French Revolution Began
Grétry’s Raoul Barbe-Bleue — the story of the original lady-killer, Bluebeard — receives its world premiere recording and it’s splendid.
Concert Review: The Newport Folk Festival 2020 — Virtual Mission Accomplished
Yes, Newport Folk’s all about the music, but there’s also a collaborative heart at work — and virtual programming spurred donations for the non-profit’s mission to endure.
Opera Album Review: Is Perfection Still Possible? Lully’s “Isis” under Christophe Rousset
Is it any wonder? An opera that angered Louis XIV in 1677 brings enormous pleasure in 2020.
Rock Album Review: Fontaines D.C.’s “A Hero’s Death” — Eyes Wide Open
When in doubt, lean towards letting the world in, advises Fontaines D.C.. It’s scary. In fact, you will probably be terrified most of the time. But do it anyway. With eyes open.
Jazz Album Review: Quinsin Nachoff’s “Pivotal Arc” — Rhythmic Vitality Galore
This is demanding contemporary music that succeeds at the trick of pulling you in — and makes you glad to be there.
Jazz Commentary: Ornette Coleman — An Outsider Cracks the Egg
The final, ineluctable quality that Ornette Coleman brought to the table was that he had an individual “voice,” which is the sine qua non and preeminent ethos in jazz.
Classical CD Reviews: Michael Tilson Thomas’ “From the Diary of Anne Frank,” Nielsen Symphonies nos. 1 & 2, and Arabella Steinbacher’s “Four Seasons”
This San Francisco Symphony release proves to be a fitting send-off for music director Michael Tilson Thomas; there’s much to admire in the Seattle Symphony’s playing of Carl Nielsen’s first two symphonies; fiery energy from both violinist Arabella Steinbacher and the excellent Münchener Kammerorchester make their new disk a gem.
Pop Album Review: Oliver Tree’s “Ugly is Beautiful” — Embracing Our Inner Kookiness
Though it’s inconsistent, Oliver Tree ‘s debut album offers an ample display of songwriting acumen along with his determined eccentricities.