Tipi Da Spiaggia - I Belli Di Waikiki

Advantages: Callas at her best, stylish Alredo Kraus, Mario Sereni brilliant
Disadvantages: Rough sound, better version on Pearl label

...with Giulini in 1955. She seems fully aware of the dramatic possibilities the role offers. She is not in as good voice as in 1955 but she has really gotten into the role. Compare the confident voice she uses early on when she says that she does not need love and commitment and then later, her portrayal as the broken Violetta that sings "Ah dite alla giovine" - astonishing singing.The baritone Mario Sereni is underrated and 100% more subtle and sensitive than Ettore Bastianini in '55 although the other baritone has a voice which is probably the more beautiful. Sereni is at his very best in "Di prozenza il mar il suol" and "Di sprezzo degno" Kraus is very popular, personally I slightly prefer Giuseppe di Stefano with Giulini, but Kraus is the more subtle artist. Compare Kraus singing in "un di feliece eterea" with Di Stefano two years earlier. In '55... Read review

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Advantages: Familiar Songs in a different language
Disadvantages: Can't think of any

...Listening to Classic FM on sky one afternoon, heard a song that sounded familiar but wasn't in English. It was Enrique Iglesias' "Hero" being performed by someone I had never heard of in a language I didn't understand. The voice, the emotion, the sound, all made me stop what I was doing and watch. The man sings from the heart, there's no mistaking it, this man sings from the heart. Track listing is as follows.. EROE: Hero LA FORZA DENTRO ME: (Something inside) So strong PER CHI: Without you LA NOSTRA FAVOLA: Delilah LEI: She OGNUNO SOFFRE: Everybody hurts DA SOLO NO: All by myself LA PAROLA PIÚ DIFFICILE: Sorry seems to be the hardest word ADESSO: I want to know what love is FAI QUEL CHE VUOI: Whatever you want CERCA L'EROE DENTRO TE: Search for the hero IERI A LEI: Yesterday LA PRIMA VOLTA: The first time ever I saw your face 'O... Read review

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Advantages: Timeless stuff from the golden era of British pop
Disadvantages: The odd bit of padding

...Marmalade were a classic example of the late 60s British group who wanted to write most of their material, but had to resort to custom-made, surefire hits from bespoke songwriters in order to keep the record company bosses sweet. However, that way they got the best of both worlds. This covers the years 1966 to 1969, including both sides of every single they released on CBS, plus all the remaining tracks on their first album "There's A Lot Of It About", and two previously unreleased numbers. The heavily orchestrated hits "Lovin' Things" and "Wait For Me Mary-Anne" are still evocative of British pop at its most enjoyable and least complicated, and nobody needs an introduction to their chart-topping Beatles cover "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da". But the songs by vocalist Dean Ford (real name Thomas McAleese) and guitarist Junior Campbell give... Read review

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