Chilly Gonzales - Advantage Points

The musical genius. Really enjoying his new album, and this is fantastic.

Tina Guo - The Rains Of Castamere

Those damned Lannisters!

Super Flu - Volkwein

House masters meet the Dortmunder Philharmoniker. Awesome.

Ólafur Arnalds - Only The Winds

Yet another brilliant musician from Iceland. This one was actually a drummer in some metal bands before he branched out and got into this kind of neo-classical stuff. Have to say I like this much better. His album "For Now I Am Winter" got a lot of playtime from me last year, it's a sombre listen but very evocative and moving. Definitely worth checking out.

The Cinematic Orchestra - Regen

The last album by this group was a collection of soundtracks to short films. They're all pretty good, but didn't really hit it out of the park with the critics. Whatever, I like it, and you'll like it, and that's all that matters. 

This particular Dutch film was released in 1929 by Joris Ivens, and was later scored by Grey Reverend, and then performed by the group you hear below. Again, not a quick absorption, but full of hearty warmth.

Sarah Slean - Parasol

Holy shit I made it. I'll never do that again. I've said it before, but enough is enough. The jig is up. The chickens have come home to roost. See you tomorrow. For reals.

Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 5

Since we're on a bit of a strings kick, here's the New York Philharmonic Orchestra directed by the one and only Leonard Bernstein circa 1979. Superb.

The Cinematic Orchestra - Entr'acte

Watch and listen to this brilliant soundtrack to the 1924 short silent film by René Clair.

The Cinematic Orchestra - Manhatta

This is actually a soundtrack for the 1921 short silent film by Charles Sheeler and Paul Strand. Gotta say they did a fantastic job. Watch the whole thing, it's worth the eleven minutes. 

NOTE: For some stupid reason the film company has taken this video down. Hopefully it'll be back up shortly, I'll repost it when it is.

Gustav Holst - Jupiter

Since we're on the topic of covers, there is one glaring exception to the rule. Orchestral music has a depth of sound and emotion that is matched by no other form of auditory expression. There is a reason why the likes of Brahms, Beethoven, and Mozart are known to this day as clear examples of musical genius more than a century after their earthly departure. I have been lucky enough to have performed in symphony orchestras, and to have performed this piece before. Gustav Holst's "The Planets" is probably the most recent of the truly great orchestral suite masterpieces, though Holst himself preferred some of his other works. This particular performance is by the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by the wonderfully charismatic Eiji Oue.

Timeless magic.