Album reviews: Pop | Jazz | Folk | Classical

Published on Wednesday 14 July 2010 11:29

RPA & THE UNITED NATIONS OF SOUND United Nations Of Sound** EMI6278482, £12.99

Having disappointed in his solo career after The Verve, Ashcroft gets a bit more joy in his latest guise. Produced by hip hop godfather No I.D., this shifts Ashcroft out of the cod indie comfort zone.

Here he clearly references influences such as the Delta Blues on How Deep Is Your Man, and the Velvet Underground, lifting the riff from Sweet Jane to shape Royal Highness. Life Can Be So Beautiful emulates the smooth sound of Philadelphia, but is desperately close to parody.

Colin Somerville

Download this: Let My Soul Rest, Born Again

PRINCE

20Ten ***

NPG Records, Not available through SoS CD service

The instrumentation recalls his 1980s purple period, the subject matter is consistent with his libidinous concerns. Future Soul Song is a mash of Beautiful Ones and the Stylistics' greatest hits, but there are not any of Prince's finest moments here.

When he gets randomly funky it can be too polite - Sticky Like Glue, for example - but the best song of this collection is also the most up-tempo. Act Of God makes a socio-economic point or two, but is the exception on an album more notable for its newspaper distribution deal than the music. Colin Somerville

Download this: Act Of God, Lay It Down (bonus track)

JAZZ

WARREN VACHE - JOHN ALLRED QUARTET

Top Shelf *****

Arbors Records ARCD 19399, 13.99

I must confess to being familiar with the music on this CD before it was released: I wrote the liner notes earlier this year, and I was thrilled to do so, as American cornet star Warren Vache and his co-leader, trombonist John Allred are musical partners who couldn't be better matched. Both players distil influences from the classic, swing and bop eras and, in each other's company, revel in a rare chance to flex their bop muscles on tunes by the likes of Blue Mitchell and Clifford Brown. Alison Kerr

Download this: Sweet Pumpkin, Tiny Capers

FOLK

SALTFISHFORTY

Netherbow ****

Cellar Records, CRSFF0310, 12.99

The powerhouse fiddle and frets duo from Orkney has lost none of its edgy energy, imagination or expressive enjoyment - but, in this third album, garners a glowing polish. The eponymous, half a century old strathspey that kicks off the dozen songs and tunes has the "big" fiddle sound of someone like Alasdair Fraser - but the boys' rock and rolling background (Smoking Stone Band, The Chair) keeps the music raunchy, alive and youthful. The album is dense with musical empathy and skill and, for an outfit who really can do raucous, often surprisingly moving and sweet. Norman Chalmers

Download this: Danielle and Keith/Tune for Lucy

CLASSICAL

MAX BRUCH

Violin Concertos Nos 2 and 3 ****

Naxos 8.557793, 5.99

In the late 19th century, Max Bruch outshone his contemporaries - even Brahms for a time - with large-scale choral compositions such as Odysseus.Today, however, his Violin Concerto No 1 is the work for which he almost solely known.

That work was dedicated to, and premiered by, famous soloist Joseph Joachim, who over 20 years later repeated both roles with Bruch's Third Concerto.

In between, Bruch turned to the other star name of the day, Pablo Sarasate, who not only suggested a programmatic outline, but also the unusual opening Adagio, here strikingly played by Maxim Vedotov with Dmitry Yablonsky conducting the Russian Philharmonic. Alexander Bryce

Download this: Track 1: Concerto No 2 Adagio ma non troppo