There is much to enjoy in this forgotten (save for an aria or two), late (1878) Gounod opera. Essentially the same story as Donizetti’s Poliuto, its title character is a convert to Christianity under the Romans, and his wife Pauline tries to protect him. The Emperor’s envoy, Sévère, still loves Pauline, to whom he was once betrothed–but despite his hatred of Christians, Sévère is noble and tries to save Polyeucte. But the latter insists on making a public scene denouncing idols, and at the end, along with Pauline “who has been converted by the grace of God”, goes to his death in the public arena. Aside from a sappy baptism scene the likes of which would make the Massenet of Thaïs blush with shame, the opera is tuneful, with exciting arias and duets and an ensemble or two, although none of it remains very long in the memory.

This disc, very well recorded in 1984, presents the Fireworks music on period instruments but in the version that includes the strings. Pinnock later recorded the version that used a large wind band. The rest of this disc features two concertos for two horns which prove to be thoroughly entertaining.

"Mike Hart Bleeds" was one of the first discs issued on John Peel's Dandelion label. The album is a totally underrated and overlooked classic, which at times bears worthy comparison to some of Bob Dylan's and John Lennon's work. There is much variety in the songs, and every track is a gem in its own right. Hart's lyrics combine bitterness, irony and humour, and are ruthlessly honest. His voice is deeply emotive and affecting. The most outstanding track "Almost Liverpool 8" sounds a bit like Lennon on his first solo album backed by Procol Harum. "Arty's Wife" is another similarly moving tale of failed relationships, while "Disbelief Blues" sounds uncannily similar to the sound of "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream". There are shades of "Mr Tambourine Man" in "Dance Mr. Morning Man" while "Shelter Song" is a tragi-comic tale of working-class life in Liverpool (similar in melody to "Universal Soldier")…

Piet Blank and Jaspa Jones - the producers known worldwide. For two they have let out already many albums and tens magnificent singles, reliably having fixed in world history of dancing music. Their hits more than once appeared at tops of charts, and each new album stably got to number 50 of the best to Germany. The first release which has left in 2003 of an album "Relax: Edition One" to a descent has occupied 22 place in charts of Germany, and a chill-miss the version of track Pet Shop Boys "Love Comes Quickly" from this album became the present hit.

Hot Foot Powder is Peter Green's second album made up entirely of covers of the music by the legendary Delta bluesman Robert Johnson. In fact, with this album and its predecessor, The Robert Johnson Songbook, Green has recorded every song that Robert Johnson is known to have composed and recorded. Where Johnson often played and sang like a man whose life depended on it, Green plays and sings like a man whose next beer depends on it, surprisingly with very nice results. His performance on the title track is marvelously lazy and laid-back throughout this bluesy album, which also features Green's band, the Splinter Group, including Nigel Watson. Dr. John, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Hubert Sumlin, and Joe Louis Walker all make guest appearances on the album, along with Honey Boy Edwards, who knew and performed with Robert Johnson…

Simply put, here are the most successful 14 cuts covering two years in the collaboration between Stan Getz and Antonio Carlos Jobim, during which both men became accustomed to having hit singles. Unfortunately, only one of them got to ride that horse for the rest of the decade - in the United States, anyway. Nonetheless, this material marks the Americans obsession with the bossa nova and was the music that made Getz and Jobim household names for a while - after all, we were just climbing out of the "swinging bachelor pad" music era and still had all those weird hi fi records to explore. Seriously though, the great sensitivity shown by Getz for this material, and the adventurousness of Jobim were a match made in heaven and would change the faces of jazz and Brazilian pop forever. This is a fine collection for anyone interested in bossa, and Getz in this period as well.

Popoloddities is a compilation, which included previously unreleased material.
Having roots as far back as 1959 with The Scavers and later releasing a single Arman Stumpe Dur Express, this Norwegian quintet that released two albums under the Popol Vuh moniker (a Maya mythology-related name), until they became aware of a German band using the same name, they changed their names to Popol Ace. The group went on to release another two albums before folding at the end of the decade. Musically, they sounded much straigjhter progressive rock than their German mystical homonyms: mellotrons and flute parts , funky jazz-rock and softer ballads were among their usual tricks found in their first two albums (S/T and Quiche Maya) under the Vuh name…

A rising star of the young generation, the Akos Quartet devotes its first album to the tutelary figure of the repertoire, Joseph Haydn, whose six op.76 quartets dedicated to Count Erdödy are among his most famous. Of an unprecedented modernity coupled with a unique freshness, these quartets also bear witness to a lyrical depth that heralded the Beethovenian era.

Hidden behind the late 19th century’s great symphonies, sumptuous ballets and concertos with moving climaxes is something much more thoughtful and contemplative. A delicate sonic world, where silence is as important as sound, marked by pianissimi and a veiled, almost restrained feeling of melancholy. This secret landscape comes courtesy of a few precious pieces for string orchestra by three Russian composers, all active at approximately the same time.