Adventure - Cloud

Advantages: Some less often heard pieces by Robert Stolz
Disadvantages: Insensitive conducting which swamps singers

...developed by the Strauss family, Kalman, Lehar and others. He composed many operettas, songs, film music - having first made his career as quite a successful conductor in central Europe. With the start of World War 2, he had to leave Europe, ended up in America and achieved considerable fame both by conducting concerts of Viennese music and composing for films. He even got two Academy Award nominations - one for Waltzing in the Clouds (from which the title of this CD comes), nominated for Best Original Song in 1941, and his music for \"It Happened Tomorrow\" was nominated for Best Dramatic or Comedy Picture Score in 1945. After the war he returned to continue his career in Vienna and on his death was awarded the huge honour of being buried near such famous Austrian composers as Brahms and Johann Strauss II in Vienna\'s renowned... Read review

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Advantages: Great, happy pop songs
Disadvantages: Not as good value as the "Pure" compilation

...good pop of the easy-to-listen to variety - but, a better idea is to buy the compilation "Pure". Released in 1996, it was basically a compilation of the first two albums, and because it's no longer an up-to-date compilation, you should be able to get it cheap in the bargain bins. All but one of the 11 tracks here on "Cloud Cuckooland" plus an additional 10, appear on "Pure", so that has to be better value for money. The missing track is "Control the flame", which is certainly the worst song on here (a bit dated, sounding very 80s, in a Go West / Hue and Cry kind of way) - to be honest it's not really essential listening - certainly one I can manage without. So, "Cloudcuckooland" gets 4 stars from me - the music's excellent, but better value if you get it on "Pure".... Read review

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Advantages: An adventurous album
Disadvantages: Maybe a little diverse for some

...'New Adventures in Hi-Fi' is one of R.E.M.'s most under-rated albums. It was released in 1996, just two years after 'Monster' and hot on the heals of the ill-fated Monster World Tour, during which only Peter Buck was left physically untouched by serious illness. All of the material contained on New Adventures was written during that tour, recorded at sound checks, in back rooms, or simply prepared for studio recording. At the time I remember being pleasantly surprised that Berry, Buck, Mills and Stipe had managed to release another album so quickly, and today I am equally as thankful - want to know why? Well, anyone who knows anything about me knows my obsession with R.E.M. I am an out and out fan of their distinctive style that owes a large amount to their college rock roots. (They all met in Athens, Georgia when they were studying... Read review

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