Historic Russian Archives - Gidon Kremer

Advantages: Thrilling, daredevil chamber music performances from the legendary Martha Argerich and partner-in-crime Gidon Kremer.
Disadvantages: Violinist Kremer occasionally on the mannered, spastic side; only forty-three minutes of music.

...Ding! Ding! Ding! It's Fight Time! It’s the battle of the sonata duos! In one corner is the brash and adventuresome duo of Martha Argerich-Gidon Kremer, and in the other is the steely and confident team of Anne-Sophie Mutter-Lambert Orkis! Place your bets, the fight is about to begin... ...and ...the ... winner ... is...? ? ? Is this even a fair match? Or is this a case of pitting apples against oranges? BMWs against Benzes? First, a boring prologue. To those among my Kind Readers who remain sadly unaware of Martha Argerich (b. 1941), an Argentine pianist who renders mere words inadequate to describe her genius, this will serve as the briefest of introductions to her.++ Oh, but beware! With her wicked sorcery at the keyboard, she might just turn you into another zombiefied and submissively devoted listener of classical... Read review

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Advantages: One great live album and almost all the B-sides from a 20-year career.
Disadvantages: Expensive, frustratingly repetitive, incomplete and out of date.

...The reunion of Iron Maiden's classic line-up in 1999 revitalised its energy and has consistently improved its output, each new release being better than the last and the most recent album 'A Matter of Life and Death' matching the greatness of their classic period. EMI have taken full advantage of this resurgence of interest in the ageing East End boys, peddling endless live albums and best-of compilations each year and occasionally offering something genuinely original for the hardcore fans. The monstrous 'Eddie's Archive,' released in 2002, is a compact and mostly-well-thought-out gateway to rare and classic 'Maiden material that was released alongside the appalling and unnecessary greatest hits collection 'Edward the Great' for the n00bies. The Archive is itself a nice collectable piece, a metal box moulded with the face of the band... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent musicianship, full concert, excellent sound
Disadvantages: No older songs

...'. There are also quieter moments of atmosphere such as 'The Floating World' and the beautiful 'Out of Season'. There's even the obligatory drum solo, 'Sideburn', where Marshall flies all over the kit for ten minutes. If many critics and old fans were ignoring the band, the Nottingham audience certainly knew a good thing when they saw and heard it and from the tentative applause following 'Bundles', they soon lock into what's going on on stage and become more appreciative with each passing number. Great gig then, but how does it all sound now it's 32 years old? Many of the band's newest run of archive releases feature very lo-fi recordings made on hand held cassettes by members of the band themselves and/or audience. Important and historical gigs though they were, they haven't made for easy listening. Fortunately distributors of Soft material... Read review

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