Arrangements for Salon Orchestra

Advantages: A "Greatest hits" to buy even if you already have all the songs
Disadvantages: It's not trendy "nu-metal"

...A live show with a difference. Instead of just playing their songs as per usual, Metallica enlist the help of a full orchestra to play specially arranged versions of their songs. It's not as original as you may think. Back in the early '70s, Deep Purple released their Concerto For Group And Orchestra, and during the 90s, Apocalyptica released two excellent albums featuring Metallica songs played on cellos. OK, so it's not groundbreakingly original, but that doesn't stop it from being a superb performance of some of Metallica's best material. The orchestra is superbly integrated and the songs sound like they could have been written for this purpose in the first place. In fact as a whole album to listen to, I prefer it to anything released by Metallica since Master Of Puppets. I wish I had been to the concert for real.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Superb music from the most known FF title
Disadvantages: The better musics aren't here.

...*Grand Finale* is an arrangement of chosen tracks from Final Fantasy VI (better known as FF III), an album recorded in 1994, in Milan. The most famous game music composer, Nubuo Uematsu, made full use of the complete Milan Symphonic Orchestra, and of some artist from the Scala for the chorus and vocals. The result sounds very impressive: the music is splendid in itself, and a symphonic orchestra has much more musical power than a 8-bit sound coprocessor. The album is worth eleven tracks and about 55 minutes of great classical music, superbly composed and interpreted. The tracks: -Opening Theme ~ Tina: A long track that's worth the CD in itself. It contains music from the opening, fades into the "War of Magi" theme, then into Terra's song. -Cefca: Kefka's theme, mad in its splendor. -The Mystic forest: A long track of the music... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Upbeat, entertaining, great quality.
Disadvantages: None

...An apt title for this great reproduction. Of the 20 tracks on this album only one sounds like a copy of a 1930s '78. All the others could have been recorded in a modern studio. Jack Hyltons arrangements are flawless and whilst the vocals sound slightly camp in todays standards, that was the sound and style of the day. The Liner notes are well edited, being informative and interesting. There is also a personel listing for each track. This collection, whilst upbeat, didn't have the same entertainment value to me as 'Hot Hylton 1927-1930', but I would recommend both CDs to anyone with a taste for 1930s big band music. Liston out for the thumping bass on many of the tracks. My grandfather Clem Lawton is responsible.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful