Daniel Lanois: Shine
Anti 86661
Format: CD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

Daniel Lanois began releasing his own albums in 1989, but has been a musician and an award-winning producer since 1970. The Canadian native is considered by many to be one of the most gifted and innovative producers since his mentor, Brian Eno, and has collaborated with a number of bands, including Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan, and U2. Shine marks the fourth and most accessible solo effort for Lanois. Leveraging a combination of ethereal vocals, sweet guitar, and subterranean bass, Lanois has produced a collection of subtle yet passionate songs. Much of Shine’s magic can be attributed to Lanois' experimental roots. The album’s rawness could lead some to question its musical depth, but this would be mistaken. Each song is a beautifully constructed and emotionally satisfying example of how much Lanois has matured as a producer and musician. A well-recorded effort, Shine has a fresh, unique personality that gets under the skin and doesn’t let go.

Jack Johnson: On and On
Universal 075012
Format: CD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

Some feel that music needs to be harsh and loud to be heard. Others believe a message is better communicated through a thoughtful whisper. I was introduced to Jack Johnson last year, after his previous album, Brushfire Fairytales, had been given high praise for its sound quality. While some albums offer little more than superficial sentimentality over a lushly produced recording, Johnson’s introspective, softspoken approach reached deeper and, in the process, secured a committed fan base. On and On continues Johnson’s streak, with more profound criticism of what he finds wrong with the world. Each song is long enough to do justice to its subject matter without sounding self-serving or musically anemic. The sound quality is also excellent, although one could argue that Brushfire Fairytales is slightly richer in timbre. The recording offers a very open and clean presentation that perfectly complements each song’s nonaggressive yet significant message.

Mozart: Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Adagio & Fugue in C Minor, Serenata Notturna, A Musical Joke
English Consort; Andrew Manze, conductor.
Harmonia Mundi 807280
Format: Hybrid Multichannel SACD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

Trevor Pinnock recently stepped down as music director of the English Consort, one of England’s premier old-instrument ensembles. Andrew Manze is the new man in charge, and based on this, his first recording with the group, the chamber orchestra is in the best of hands. This is joyful, sharply articulated Mozart, played to perfection and seasoned with copious amounts of fresh inspiration, drama, and good-natured humor. The multichannel sound is robust yet refined, ideally conveying an impression of a medium-sized, reverberant hall. Catch that resounding timpani cadenza at the end of the Serenata Notturna and you’ll be champing at the bit to hear the rest.

Laurence Juber: Guitar Noir
AIX Records 80018
Format: DVD-Audio/Video

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

Laurence Juber is probably best known to readers as the lead guitarist of Paul McCartney’s band, Wings. After the breakup of that group, he went on to forge an estimable solo career. Here he plays his own work -- extremely appealing compositions that are largely rooted in jazz. The sound on this disc is astounding, especially that from the 5.1-channel MLP high-resolution tracks. The guitar has uncanny presence, and there is perfect balance with the other two players (Domenic Genova on bass and Steve Forman on percussion). This is a true two-sided "hybrid" DVD: One side carries the DVD-Audio tracks, while the other is a DVD-Video disc containing the remaining audio configurations, as well as full-motion video of the session and a whopping amount of extras. These include a lesson on different types of guitars, a master class on performing one of Juber’s compositions, multi-angle chapters, and much more. As usual, AIX offers a lot for the money.

Delerium: Chimera
Nettwerk 30306
Format: CD

Musical Performance
Recording Quality
Overall Enjoyment

My wife and I own a cookbook entitled The Best Recipe. In it are recipes for brownies, chocolate-chip cookies, and other confections. Each recipe is allegedly the result of painstaking trial and error and, according to their authors, is the best available for that dish. If a musical genre could be reduced to a "best recipe," then Delerium is very close to accomplishing it. Their previous effort, Poem, was a mixture of addictive hooks and perfectly arranged notes that pulled the listener in. Unfortunately, like the short-lived taste of sugar on one’s tongue, each song was quite forgettable. Chimera offers a more evolved version of Delerium’s ambient pop, which comes closer to offering the listener a perfect recipe for mellow, cathartic music. It’s tough not to fall prey to the arrangements on this well-recorded disc. From the addictive guitar hook on "After All" to the angelic vocals on "Fallen," the team of Rhys Fulber and Bill Leeb know how to manipulate a listener’s emotions.