Our Sights & Sounds: March & April 2020

Mark Fewer & Hank Knox. VIVALDI: Manchester Sonatas. 2-CD set $20.99. RRC Price $18.89. Classical. These versatile Canadian musicians are known for their fresh and exciting interpretations. This collection of little-known works for violin and harpsichord is thought to have been first penned by Vivaldi in 1726, though they were unknown until their rediscovery in Manchester’s Central Library in 1976. To date, few recordings of the complete collection exist. This is the first recording of the works by Canadian artists. The Sonatas were arranged and recorded by Fewer and Knox in 2019 at Église St. Augustin in Quebec. (Leaf Music. February)

Ola Gjeilo. Night. CD $13.99. RRC Price $12.59. Classical. Norwegian composer and pianist Ola Gjeilo presents a stunning collection of original works for solo piano, composed and performed by Gjeilo himself. Night is an intimate and meditative collection of peaceful piano music, inspired by the twilight hours in the place he now calls home — New York City. Gjeilo has been releasing music from the album since last August, including the singles "Still", "City Lights", "Skyline", "Sleepless" and "Before Dawn." Gjeilo’s gentle piano compositions paint a perfect musical picture of a bustling city starting to simmer down. (Universal. February)

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Our Sights & Sounds: January & February 2020

Natalie MacMaster. Sketches. CD $16.99. RRC Price $15.29. After eight years without a solo album release, the time arrived when Natalie wanted to return to the studio to record a new solo album. Sketches is the result—a fiery collection of traditional tunes and medleys mixed with new compositions teeming with retrospect and legacy as she looks back on the journey of life and career that has brought her to the present. (Universal. November)

Loreena McKennitt. Live at the Royal Albert Hall.2-CD set $20.99. RRC Price $18.89. In March 2019 Loreena presented a two hour concert that thrilled fans and critics alike. Live At The Royal Albert Hall;captures that evening from the European leg of the Lost Souls world tour. This set features twenty songs that comprise a substantially different collection of pieces from any of Loreena’s previous live album releases, including six from her latest album, Lost Souls. (Universal. November)

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Sights of the Season 2019

Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975. Blu-ray 8-disc set $275.99. Reader Reward Price $248.39. Criterion. In 1954, a beast came out of the sea, destroying everything in its path — and changing movies forever. Collected here for the first time are all fifteen Godzilla films of Japan’s Showa era, in a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling and international appeal of an iconic giant monster. This set features numerous interviews, commentary, trailers and a lavishly illustrated deluxe hardcover book. (November)

Downton Abbey: The Complete Collection. DVD 22-disc set $83.99. Reader Reward Price $75.59. Enjoy all six seasons of the multi-award winning hit series in this boxed set, which offers all of the splendour and romance, desire and heartbreak, scandal and rumour that Downton Abbey viewers across the globe have grown to love. Featuring all fifty-three episodes and over five hours of brand new bonus material, this is the perfect collection for every Downton Abbey fan. (April)

Twin Peaks: The Television Collection. Directed by David Lynch & others. Blu-ray 15-disc set $99.99. eader Reward Price $89.99. For the first time, every Twin Peaks episode is all in one place. Included are all twenty-nine episodes of the original two seasons, along with all eighteen parts of the return to Twin Peaks that captivated audiences twenty-five years later. This set also includes many behind-the-scenes special features. So grab a cup of coffee, a slice of cherry pie and experience the legendary mystery… again and again! (October)

Sounds of the Season 2019

Music lover on your list? Then surely we have an album or two for them this year — check out our recommended albums for the 2019 holiday season below!

The Good Lovelies: Evergreen. CD $14.99. LP $22.99. Reader Reward Card Applies. It's been ten years, and ten Christmas tours since Toronto's The Good Lovelies released their album Under The Mistletoe. In celebration, they decided to capture many of the songs they have been performing over the past ten years on this brand new collection, "Evergreen." Included are three new original songs as well as some familiar chestnuts like "O Holy Night," "Please Come Home For Christmas" and more. (November)

Leon Redbone: Christmas Island. CD $18.99. Reader Reward Price $17.09. Out-of-print for many years, this European re-release of the enigmatic Leon Redbone's 1988 Christmas album comes just a few months after we lost him. Only one week later, Leon's longtime friend Dr. John also said goodbye. The two purveyors of folk, blues, jazz and Tin Pan Alley hook up on this album’s seasonal favourite, "Frosty the Snowman." The whole album is a pleasant mixture of Christmas songs, all in the typically unique Redbone style. (October)

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