Focus 2009 7

When Willie Nelson took the unexpected step of releasing Stardust in 1978, many predicted that the album of popular standards would severely derail the outlaw country singer's career. Confounding the critics, the disc became Nelson's best-selling effort, and spawned a whole subgenre of modern singers covering the classics. Nelson revisited the format with 1994's orchestral Healing Hands of Time and to varying degrees on several other records, but it wasn't until 2009's American Classic that the red-headed stranger delivered an album billed as the true follow-up to Stardust. Released on the venerable Blue Note label, the disc features guest appearances by superstar jazz singers Norah Jones and Diana Krall, but the focus is always placed squarely on Nelson's famously idiosyncratic vocals…

Alsatian composer Théodore Gouvy (1819-1898) composed seven symphonies, making him one of the few French composers of his day to focus on abstract instrumental music. The fact that he was independently wealthy helped, but even so, and like his compatriot Berlioz, he enjoyed greater success in Germany (Leipzig especially) than he did in France. That said, the music on offer here sounds distinctly French in its supple rhythms, light textures, and piquant scoring for winds and harp (in the slow movement of the Third Symphony). The handling of form is also very assured given the music's mid-19th-century provenance.

Walt Disney Treasures - Zorro: The Complete First Season 1957-1958 (2009)
5xDVD9 + 1xDVD5 | Untouched | VIDEO_TS | NTSC 1.33:1 4:3 640x480 VBR | 18hr 19mn | 39.96 GB
Audio: English AC-3 Dolby Digital MONO @ 192 kbps 48.0 kHz | Subtitles: English | Artwork: Cover, Booklet (JPG)
Genre: Adventure, Family, Western | Country: USA

Out of the night, when the full moon is bright, comes the horseman known as Zorro. Debuting October 10, 1957, Walt Disney's thrilling series about the masked avenger was so successful, it made Zorro a household name – and quashed every series that went up against it. Filled with action, adventure and suspense, this volume presents the first season's 39 episodes (all newly restored and remastered) in their original blakc-and-white format. To enrich your experience of Disney's unforgettable classic, this six-disc set also includes ZORRO: EL BANDIDO and ZORRO: ADIOS EL CUCHILLO, the rarely seen two-part, one-hour specials shown on Disney's anthology series, WALT DISNEY PRESENTS. Then discover the many faces of Zorro from his literary beginnings through the creation of the Disney TV series. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

Coming from a Black Metal background, their first full length, while already hinting at their fable for Doom Metal and Progressive Rock, shows yet more focus toward the Viking Metal elements in their unique style. The rich songs on this album incorporate the powerful, aggressive potential of their Black Metal roots with their trademark clean male vocals and melodic lead and acoustic guitars into a seamless whole, an album that effortlessly floats between powerfully pounding parts and a relaxed Viking-like campfire atmosphere, with additional progressive elements fit in wherever they add to the wonderful mix. In short, The Flight Of Sleipnir showed right from the start what gifted musicians they are and any fan of their later efforts will certainly love "Algiz + Berkanan" as well.