Numerous superlatives apply to the craft that the Dear Hunter's Casey Crescenzo has perfected on his ambitious six-part Acts series. On penultimate installment Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional, Crescenzo continues the epic story of the titular character (aka "The Boy") that ominously ended in Act IV with the protagonist at the mercy of the main antagonist, the Priest/Pimp. The narrative remains dense and there's a lot to unpack (multiple callbacks to early motifs and melodies abound), but ultimately, it's a rich experience for those willing to take the plunge. For outsiders, this may seem daunting, but fortunately, the music is as rewarding as the complex events layered within, with tastes of Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, and Silverchair providing just a few reference points…

Wood's mission was straightforward enough here: promote his album of the time, Slide on This, before raiding the Faces' treasure trove and solo standards like "I Can Feel the Fire" and "Am I Grooving You," the latter done with sassily funky aplomb. Don't expect any surprises; you know Wood's guitar will charge out front, with some type of Hammond organ or boogie-woogie piano banging away behind him. Anyone who got this album originally knew what they wanted and what they'd be getting. Four songs capably hoist the banner for Slide on This: "Testify," "Show Me," "Josephine," and the shimmering ballad "Breathe on Me," where vocalist Bernard Fowler truly excels. Wood's trawl through the Faces' back pages includes feisty versions of "Stay With Me" and "Silicon Grown." However, an extended run on "Flying" – in which the early Faces talked of their homesickness while slogging away on tour – is the standout, if only because you haven't heard it a million times.

Solar Promenades is a strong set of new age/space music tracks that are dreamy and melodic, but that also carry an undercurrent of mystery and darkness. Enterphase is made up of keyboardists Fred Becker and Jeff Filbert. On this release, they are joined by David Wright, Dean de Benedictis and John Dumitru, who contribute additional synth work and sound design. They make creative use of a massive arsenal of synths. Enterphase’s music recalls the sounds of classic space music and Berlin school electronica of the seventites. Their music has hints of early Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Mychael Danna, Steve Roach and Michael Stearns. Many of the tracks on Solar Promenades are gentle and contemplative. Enterphase makes extensive use of the bell-like sounds of the Yamaha DX7, along with slow, phasing strings, creating textures that change continually without jarring…

A veteran Bach specialist continues his Bach odyssey on Brilliant Classics with a new recording of the English Suites.

A unique take on Mozart’s music from the organ loft. Mozart wrote sparingly for the solo organ – a relatively early collection of short Epistle Sonatas for liturgical use, and later on a few more individual pieces for a new mechanical organ. In neither case was he using the full extent of a large instrument as exploited by his Baroque predecessors. At the same time, Mozart himself was no stranger to the organ loft; he would have been regularly playing the instrument at St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna had his plans come to fruition and he had lived long enough to attain the post of Director of Music there.

Boris Giltburg's 2016 release on Naxos consists of two sets of piano pieces by Sergey Rachmaninov, the Études-tableaux, Op. 39 (1916-1917), and the Moments musicaux, Op. 16 (1896). The Études-tableaux are a cross between technical studies and character pieces, reminiscent of the etudes of Frédéric Chopin, and they present considerable challenges, even to virtuoso pianists. Here, Giltburg displays his remarkable skills, as well as a range of expressions that run from the fiery and turbulent to the atmospheric and melancholy. In the Moments musicaux, Rachmaninov experimented with short forms, such as the nocturne, etude, funeral march, barcarolle, and theme with variations, and these pieces demonstrated his mastery of piano technique, if not yet his full maturity as a composer. Giltburg's playing brings out a variety of colors and textures, and his passionate interpretations accord with Rachmaninov's youthful, ardent style.

Better Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) includes songs featured in ‘Better Man’ re-recorded and arranged especially for the movie, directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman). Based on the true story of Robbie’s life, it sees him portrayed as a CGI monkey throughout the film.

Ten of Collins' soft-rock hits (including "In the Air Tonight," "One More Night," and the cover of "Groovy Kind of Love") are given a smooth, friendly easy-listening treatment on this disc; the only drawback are the oppressive synthesized drums, which give the entire recording a mechanical feel.

Celine Dion's A l'Olympia was recorded live at the legendary Parisian venue shortly after she scored her first U.S. chart-topper with "The Power of Love," which is included here. Therefore, the material on this disc consists mostly of early English-language hits ("Where Does My Heart Beat Now" and "Love Can Move Mountains"), and selections from her first U.S. French-language release, Dion Chante Plamondon, including the rousing "Des Mots qui Sonnent," "Le Blues du Businessman," and "Ziggy." There are two tracks on this collection which are unique to this album, those being the beautiful "Elle" and her version of the Bagdad Café theme, "Calling You." Also included is her take on the Jacques Brel song "Quand on n'a que l'Amour" and a medley (titled "Medley Starmania") of Luc Plamondon songs. The material sounds great live, her voice as always a technical marvel, but with three live import CDs already on the market, and with some songs repeated, this album is destined for collectors.

An important contribution to our understanding of the ‘gentle master musician.’ Stephen Rice brings perceptive musical insights to these accounts, and also sheds light on Févin’s idiom in the excellent CD booklet. His vocal ensemble may be slender but the singing is robust and buoyantly articulated. Boyish upper voices offset velvety tenors and basses, and the relatively close recording perspective produces a sound at once lucid and lustrous.

In its complexity and individuality, Johann Jacob Froberger's oeuvre represents one of the greatest treasures of 17th century harpsichord repertoire. His travels and friendships with musicians and intellectuals throughout Europe - including, for example, Frescobaldi, Kircher, Kerll, Weckmann, Louis Couperin, Gaultier, Fleury alias Blancrocher, Huygens and many others - are reflected in his stylistic versatillity. What is notable about all these contacts is that the fascination was invariably mutual - Froberger was inspired and also provided strong inspiration to his friends.

In May 1707 George Frideric Handel entered into the service of the Marquis Francesco Maria Ruspoli, and under his protection, embarked upon a tremendous career. As well as making a name for himself as a spectacular virtuoso on the harpsichord and organ, through his plentiful concerts in the Roman academies, Handel lost no time in also becoming a highly sought-after composer through his felicitous and apparently inexhaustible inspiration. In addition to a significant number of cantatas for solo voice and basso continuo, Handel also involved himself in composing cantatas for larger numbers of voices, combining these with a large supporting orchestral group.