Surround Sounds

I listened to these in surround sound today, and it was divine. I really must start carrying my Discman around again.

• The first few tracks of the new Outkast in Tower Records, and holy shit batman, Ghettomusick is fabulous. As Stylus puts it, it “makes B.O.B. sound sane.” Unfortunately they give the album(s) as a whole a rather unforgiving review, but of course I’m going to fork out anyway.
• The duet in Bizet’s opera The Pearl Fishers, in my sister’s car. I usually hate opera, but this is an old favourite. My sister said Russell Watson sings this song by himself – as in, he records himself singing the second male part in the duet as well as the first. How bizarre. Surely he could have got Jay-Z to step in?
• Mozart horn quintets, also in the car. French horns are fantastic. Where violins mince, the French horn walks with quiet dignity. The French horn sits subdued at noisy brass gatherings, only speaking when it thinks it has a chance of being listened to, but just shut the trombones up long enough to give it a chance, and your reward will be great indeed. Which is why a horn quintet featuring horn, violin, two violas and a cello is a rather special pleasure.