Berlin Music Ensemble / Craig Leon
The Film Scores and Original Orchestral Music of George Martin
October 20, 2017
Though his work with the Beatles is widely known, with the exception of his orchestral scores for Yellow Submarine and Live and Let Die, little of Martin's own music had been recorded or released prior to this 2017 set by the Berlin Music Ensemble, under the direction of Craig Leon. Among the selections are unused sketches for the 1986 film The Mission (ultimately scored by Ennio Morricone), his Bach-inspired Prelude for Strings, and an overture based on incidental music for Dylan Thomas' play Under Milk Wood.
The Best of Guided by Voices: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates
November 4, 2003
Released near the end of Guided by Voices' original 1985-2004 run, this compilation is no longer the career-spanning marvel it once was, since GbV have released sixteen albums (many quite good) since it came out. But it's still the finest introduction available to Robert Pollard's concise prog-pop songcraft and the abundant charms of his various accompanists. These 32 songs may only scratch the surface of the catalog, but not a single one disappoints.
