THE UNDERDOG, the second full length from SUPER PREACHERS, the artist lodge founded around the Paris-based film and sound artist Francois Carles, invites the listener to a trans-musical pop shopping with no limit on the credit card. THE UNDERDOG merges angry girl riot hymns, orchestral big beat serenades, genuine Billie Holiday chanson and nonchalant hip-hop skills into a pop musical masterpiece.

On Ukon Wacka, Korpiklaani took things even further: seven-string guitars, mandoline, mandola and jouhikko are just a few of the instruments that were used. The album title refers to a pagan sacrificial feast from ancient times, on which a special made beer richly flowed. As can be expected from the title, this album has an ancient and very folky feel and is totally in Finnish. This is version has a Motorhead cover.

Berlioz's Les nuits d'été has received some outstanding recordings over the years, prime among them those by Regine Crespin and Victoria de los Angeles. Here's a new one by Véronique Gens that belongs in their rarefied category. That should come as no surprise to admirers of her terrific Handel and French song discs. She sings with a light but expressive soprano that's fetching in itself and flexible enough to darken tones and lend emotional weight to the texts where called for. Her diction is impeccable, and the orchestral support is first-rate. The remainder of the disc is as good. The long dramatic scene, La mort de Cléopatre, is stunningly sung and played, Gens projecting the plight of the dejected queen with great intensity and vocal beauty. The three orchestral songs sparkle in Gens's renditions. The final one, "Zaïde," with its castanets and vivacious singing, will force you to keep hitting the repeat button. An unqualified recommendation!

The sound of these Philips remasterings is very good for being almost fifty years old, and though the recording, true to its origins in the early 60's, is fairly closely mic'ed it is never too much. The various instrument sections are remarkably well defined.

Comes alive with friends of the Vargas Blues Band is a DVD recorded live at the sala Breogain Vigo in December 2008, accompanied by guests as: Devon Allman, Raimundo Amador, Jorge Salan and Claudio Gabis. The first two old collaborators of previous work…..