Review Corner

Author: jerobear

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    Escape The Fate: Hate Me

    We’d not heard of this band before: the internet reports that they arose from the metalcore/post hardcore scene a decade ago but that only one original member remains. We’d guess they were very visceral early on: opener Just A Memory is dark metal with singer Craig Mabbitt growling and grunting as much as singing, and…

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    Frank Sinatra: A Voice On Air (1935-1955)

    This 4CD deluxe box set comprises 100-odd tracks featuring radio broadcasts and rehearsals featuring Sinatra, and restored from the original recording masters. This overview charts Sinatra’s evolution as a vocalist, and includes samples of his radio work from the first 20 years of his career. Having just had Peter Andre’s swing album to review, this…

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    Seal: 7

    This is his ninth album, obviously. The good news for Seal is that it’ll probably feature in many people’s sacks from Santa in three weeks’ time, and they’ll probably all love it. His voice is still enchanting and the poppy soul at which he specialises is fresher than a crisp £20 note straight off a…

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    Shane Filan: Right Here

    Mr Filan was in Westlife, who sold lots of albums but weren’t really the Review Corner’s cup of tea. However, he’s written a lot of the songs on here himself, so props to him for that. This is aimed at the same people who liked Westlife — and they should love it — but anyone…

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    Rod Stewart: Storyteller, The Complete Anthology

    This is not the first Rodders anthology and it won’t be the last, but it’s out in time for Christmas, so unless you have a time machine in the back bedroom, it’s the most recent. It comes with sleeve notes from Rodney, which are actually pretty good. Serious songs are treated more seriously than others,…

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    Get The Blessing: Astronautilus

    We always liked punky jazz outfit Get The Blessing, as they played jazz with a beat more based on rock than jazz; by punk we mean that raucous brassy, slightly manic sound made famous by Pigbag. Opener Phaenomena represents this sound down to T — throbbing bassline (it could be a synth), skittish but regular…

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    Matthew Halsall and The Gondwana Orchestra: Into Forever

    This is under the jazz heading but the casual listener might be hard-pushed to describe it as such, the latest album from Manchester trumpeter and composer Matthew Halsall being more ethereal and soulful than your regular jazz. It’s a beautiful and intense, though laid back, album that blends easy listening jazz with soul and a…

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    Klaus Mertens/Accademia Daniel: Der Herr Ist König

    In the run-up to Christmas we’ll highlight some albums that will add atmos to the festivities, for those who want something seasonal while avoiding the clichéd regulars. This collection of baroque bass cantatas is the first: the title means The Lord Is King, so it’s church music rather than specifically, Christmas but it’s got that…

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    Ciaran Lavery: Not Nearly Dark

    The Press notes compare Lavery to Fionn Regan, which is good: we thought that, too. Regan is an Irish singer/songwriter with a distinctive voice who wrote good tunes — try Be Good Or Be Gone or Underwood Typewriter. We played this and Regan’s debut back to back and Regan has the edge vocally, possessing a…

  • Terence Charlston: Mersenne’s Clavichord

    This pleasant album is more important for scholars of music and keyboard buffs than your casual listener, though it’s a nice enough collection. Early-music specialist Terence Charlston is playing Mersenne’s Clavichord, a clavichord built according to specifications left by Marin Mersenne – no examples of an original French clavichord survive. Wikipedia reports that Mersenne, a…