Good Light! From Issue 36, 2017

Scottish Opera - Gilbert & Sullivan: HMS Pinafore (2016) {2CD Set Linn CKD 522}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 343 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 200 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 18 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2016 Linn Records | CKD 522
Classical / Opera / Romantic / Musical Comedy

The Scottish Opera's live concert performance of Gilbert & Sullivan's HMS Pinafore was given at the 2015 Edinburgh International Festival, and the one-night-only show was well received by both the audience and critics. Featuring a charismatic cast including John Mark Ainsley as Sir Joseph Porter, Elizabeth Watts as Josephine, Andrew Foster-Williams as Captain Corcoran, Toby Spence as Ralph Rackstraw, Hilary Summers as Buttercup, and comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor as the Narrator, the production was especially noteworthy for conductor Richard Egarr's historically informed approach to the music.

Jessica Pratt, Michael Head, Khruangbin and more appear on our latest free CD. All copies of the May 2024 issue of Uncut come with a free, 15-track CD – Total Blam-Blam – that showcases the wealth of great new music on offer this month, from Jessica Pratt, Michael Head and Khruangbin to Mint Mile, Gospelbrach and Arthur Melo. Now dive in…

Skin’s debut album, recorded in LA when the band were still searching for a name. Skin’s biggest chart success so far, hitting number 9 in the UK album chart. It launched the career of the band in a big way, and featured the hits singles “Tower of Strength”, “Money”, “House of Love” and “Look But Don’t Touch”. Japanese re-issue added 6 bonus tracks. Skin were formed in 1993 by ex-Jagged Edge members Myke Gray and Andy Robbins (also formerly of Tokyo Blade & Shogun) along with former Kooga vocalist Neville MacDonald and drummer Dicki Fliszar, formerly from Bruce Dickinson’s touring band and band Vamp. Originally called Taste, they went through a number of names (Obsession, Bad For Good, Phoenix) as they played a smattering of small club dates throughout 1992…

The musicians need no presentations and their play is as tight and inspired as usual. The quality is certainly as good as studio versions and in some cases higher…

This is a genuinely heart warming recital of chamber music from the latter part of the 17th century by the north German masters Johann Adam Reinken and Dietrich Buxtehude, both among the influences on the young J.S. Bach. The two were great friends and shared compositional tastes. Melody is not the issue here, neither is the extroverted passion of Italian composers of the period. This is more the animated conversation of friends sitting around the fire discussing various topics after a good meal.