Richard Strauss – Four Last Songs / Antonin Dvorak – Rusalka: As I listened to Victoria de los Angeles last week, I realized two things: most of my favorite opera recordings are more than 60 years old and I know virtually nothing about opera. This week I’m digging into singers and compositions that I don’t know. Renee Fleming’s recording of Four Last Songs didn’t do much for me (in fairness, mostly because I’m not in the mood for Strauss), but I like Rusalka and I’m enjoying both her and Ben Heppner.
John Peel – Fabriclive.07: When I first bought this CD, I was like, “Wow, what in the world is a John Peel Fabric set going to sound like?” Then I listened, and realized, “Of course! Of course, it sounds like this.” Peel has forgotten more than most of us will ever know about music, and this is the kind of mix a guy like that makes.
Run the Jewels – CU4TRO: Much like Meow the Jewels, the record doesn’t match my hopes. I still like it, though, and the instrumental tracks give me an entirely different perspective of the music.
The Soft Pink Truth – Shall We Go on Smiling so that Grace May Increase: Not sure what to make of this on one listen, but I think I like it.
The Sojourners – Hold On: The player on my computer transitioned from Soft Pink Truth straight into Hold On, and the flow was amazing. Their voices are great and it’s a solid interpretation of classic gospel.
Thelonious Monk – Brilliant Corners: Monk is one of the gaps in my musical knowledge that I’m trying to fill. I’m finally starting to understand what made him great. For the first time, I truly enjoyed this album.
Danny Tenaglia – Back to Mine: Perfect music for a rush hour commute through DC. It filled the car with joy and made me feel like I was dancing with traffic.
Claire Rousay – Everything Perfect Is Already Here: It didn’t keep my attention when I focused on listening, but it was fantastic in the background as I was focusing at work. Also, it’s one of my favorite album titles in a long time.
Ellie Goulding – Lights The Remixes Part 1 and Lights The Remixes Part 2: One of my go-to records when I’m feeling down or overwhelmed. As usual, played loud. So weird that this is almost 15 years old.
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee: And now, this record has become an old friend.