Laurence Equilbey, Accentus — Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine
Will Peacock
As our former Gabriel Fauré fan club president Tyler Alderson is no longer with us here at CRB, I have taken it upon myself to head the charge. First order of business: can we talk about just how good his Cantique de Jean Racine is? In its orchestral form, it is just about one of the most exquisitely sublime compositions of... well, all compositions, really. It is even more remarkable that ol' Gabe composed it when he was just 19 years old, which frankly still has my jaw resting firmly on the floor. It's a stunner, and I can't recommend it enough, especially in this rendition with Laurence Equilbey leading Accentus.
Seth MacFarlane, Liz Gillies — Movin' Right Along
Katie Ladrigan
Hear ye! Hear ye! That suave vocal artist of Family Guy infamy has released a brand new album of 60s-era lush orchestral goodness, This time in celebration of a classic american family: The Muppets! Whether you need a gentle moment of contemplation with "Bein' Green" or "Rainbow Connection," or the energetic oomph from that road-trip hit "Movin' Right Along," "Seth MacFarlane Sings the Muppets" is just the ticket to a good time for all!
Crooked Still — Can't You Hear Me Callin'
Kathy Wittman
Sometime last month I discovered my old click-wheel iPod in a drawer. By some miracle, I was also able to find the right cord to charge it up, and on it I discovered a treasure trove of live music that I recorded about 20 years ago. The very first thing I cued up was Crooked Still’s record release show for "Shaken by a Low Sound" at the Somerville Theater in 2006. That night was magic. And so is this record. I’m loving it all over again.
Kacey Musgraves — Lonely Millionaire
Julia Marcus
In my opinion, no summer or fall playlist is complete without Kacey Musgraves. This one from her 2024 album "Deeper Well" has been STUCK in my head lately, especially the line: "When I get paid I wanna spend it on youuuuuu."
Carly Rae Jepsen — Burning Heart
Kendall Todd
Any time Carly releases new music, you know I’m there. Her latest, a fantastic double-LP epic called "Day and Night," is pop perfection. One of the standout songs is “Burning Heart,” which is, to me, everything she does best in a compact three-and-a-half-minute package. The anthemic chorus has been stuck in my head for days, and that sax solo?! Incredible. Get into it.
Surgeon General — Arsonist
Isabella Claudio
The fall of my freshman year of college I hopped on a train to middle-of-nowhere Vermont. My best friends from high school were just starting their time at Bennington College, and I was giddy to visit them. Bennington is a unique place and during my weekend escape my friends took me to see a band some students had put together. The performance was akin to a DIY house show, and I had the time of my life jumping and cheering. I was told the name of the band was "Surgeon General." On that chilly December night in 2022, I said, "I can't wait for them to release music." On September 4th, just a few weeks ago, they released their first studio record. "Arsonist" is my favorite song on the album.
Sara Parkman, Tuva Syvertsen — Paradiset
Edyn-Mae Stevenson
Swedish folk musician Sara Parkman is a creative North star for me; she always has one foot planted firmly in the past and the other lunging straight into the unknown future. "Aster, Atlas" is her most experimental album yet, and (I think) a masterpiece. In “Paradiset” she imagines hosting a luxurious dinner party for her own creative North stars. Among them, composer and medieval baddie Hildegard von Bingen and "Moomins" author and illustrator Tove Jansson.
Maria Wirries, LJ Benet — The Lost Boys: Hurt a Little
Jamie Kmak
Remember when I said my two favorite genres were Broadway ballads and 80s power ballads? Well, the Broadway gods hath blessed me with a new(ish) show, chock-full of '80s-influenced Broadway ballads. I managed to pop down to New York to see it last month, and have been foaming at the mouth ever since. Unfortunately for everyone else, we’ve found the next show tune that will render me insufferable for the next few months. And yes, obviously it’s another love duet. I’m only human after all.
Matthias-Höfs Ensemble — Richard Strauss: Festmusik der Stadt Wien
Brian McCreath
There are a lot of great brass pieces I love to hear over and over, but this one is something special. Not only does it call for an enormous double choir of brass players that totals 10 trumpets, seven trombones, two tubas, and timpani, it also draws on Richard Strauss’s incredible skill of how those instruments are used. Through the course of just over 12 minutes, there are fanfares of the kind brass instruments are most well-known for, but also hymn-like chorale sections, virtuosically technical passages, and the sorts of lyric melodies only Strauss could write.
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You can enjoy this month's Instant Replay below, or listen to the entire playlist here.