Adès: Piano Works

Advantages: Good Collection of dance tracks
Disadvantages: Too many Overlaps from the Hed Kandi label

...! It is cheesy but a good gym or exercise track. Also familiar is Rockin' Rebels' Dreamer Axe Guitar, a heavier, electric guitar mix of the well known track. Body Body by Isaac James is a classic electro track, and Jean Claude Ades' Someday is also good. The unusual Piano Track by Andry Nalin & Gregor Wagner presenting Bush II Bush was followed by the equally unusual 49 Percent by Royksopp. Then trance dance track Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso with Together which is OK is followed by another OK track Discopolis by Lifelike & Kris Menace. The final track is a mix of The Killers' Mr Brightside which is an unusual choice of track for a dance compilation but as added an extended dance beat to the vocals of this haunting rock track and I love it. Overall this is the most disappointing disc of the three with some odd choices on it. I loved the vast... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Big and Bassy
Disadvantages: the font is awful

...At around 1999, Gary Numan said that he was going to make a series of 'dark' albums and he has delivered on that promise, Sacrifice, Exile, Pure, Jagged. Each album got progressivly darker each time. In many cases, Numan likes to write an album like a story, the first lyrics are "Here is my small black box..." which is a good indication what is going to happen, dark moody bass lines and the drum machine in the background. He has kept elements from previous albums for example, the bit of quiet singing and then plenty of loud harsh rhythm kicking in for a short while. But somehow he has made this album quite a unique sound with the help of Ade Fenton. One slight down side is that nearly every song has a atmospheric intro which, to the new Numan fan amongst you, might like but does makes all the songs sound very familiar to each other... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: dynamic and gripping
Disadvantages: none

...Fantastic to have another additional collection of all five of Beethoven's piano concerti. Spanning his life we can really get to grips with his evolving use of the orchestra in these works. From the Third's action packed finale to the Fourth's beautiful expressions to the grandeur of the much loved Fifth. The playing is precise, dramatic and full of energy; as indeed it should be. Aimard's playing is always well crafted and beautifully shaped. This is an insightful disk and has taken the musicians an awful lot of hard work. A must-have for any lover of Beethoven's piano music. If you usually go for his chamber music or string quartets why not branch out and explore Aimard's wonderful take on these concerti? Well worth buying and indeed an inspiration for myself and other pianists alike.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful