Guster

Guster has announced their new album Look Alive, out January 18, 2019, on Nettwerk/Ocho Mule. The 9/10-song collection – the band’s first new album in four years – was produced by Leo Abrahams (Regina Spektor, Brian Eno/David Byrne, Belle and Sebastian) and recorded in a vintage keyboard museum in Calgary, AB, with additional sessions helmed by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Alvvays) and Collin DuPuis (Angel Olsen, Lana Del Rey). It captures the group – Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, Luke Reynolds, and Brian Rosenworcel – at an inspired moment, creating the most layered, moody and brilliantly unpredictable music of their storied career.

Alessandro Scarlatti formed the bridge between the rich vocal style of the Italian Baroque masters of the 17th century and the gallant style of Mozart and his contemporaries. San Filippo Neri is grand and Oratorio in Handelian style, full of dramatic arias and striking instrumental effects. Excellent performance on authentic instruments by the specialist group Alessandro Stradella Consort, conducted by Estevan Velardi.

Elisabetta regina d’Inghilterra (1815) was the first of the nine Rossini Neapolitan operas written for Teatro San Carlo. The works Rossini composed were hailed (and have been ever since) as some of the most remarkable ever to be composed for the lyric stage. Opera Rara has made a new performing edition from the autograph manuscript and, for the first time, Rossini’s opera has been recorded absolutely complete, with the original orchestration. As Queen Elizabeth, Jennifer Larmore takes command of her country and her audience with a portrayal, which is strong, yet avoids the stereotypical concept of Elizabeth associated with the films of Bette Davis. Larmore, with the splendid vocalism, makes Rossini’s florid vocal writing work for the character. The part of her rival Matilde has Majella Cullagh giving another of her limpid-voiced heroines. Antonino Siragusa makes his mark in the demanding tenor part of Norfolk while Bruce Ford as Leicester adds the ninth and last of the Neapolitan operas to his repertoire.