The latest CD releases reviewed

VERDI: LA TRAVIATA
Soloists: Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon, Thomas Hampson. Vienna State Opera Choir. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Carlo Rizzi. Deutsche Grammophon ***

This production, from last year's Salzburg Festival, was greatly hyped because of the two young singers taking the main parts - each had achieved great prominence during the previous 12 months. The result has some lovely vocalisation from both Netrebko and Villazon, marred slightly by overacting, in her case overly erotic and in his overly anxious. The spare, abstract set does not help, and the ever-present large clock on the stage, presumably to remind us of the inexorable passing of time, is an incongruous rather than an imaginative backdrop. Against these distractions it must be said that the two young lovers look the part and sing beautifully, although Thomas Hampson (as Germont Pere) is not particularly convincing. A bit of a mixed bag, therefore, but some lovely singing from Villazon and Netrebko. www.deutschegrammophon.com  Colman Morrissey

EYEBROWY
I Prefer the Early Stuff Eyebrowy Productions/RMG **

Describing the sketches contained here (for the first time on DVD) as "South Park for the Irish music scene" is faint praise indeed. Yes, the Eyebrowy team take the piss out of the likes of Glen Hansard, Gerry Ryan, Dave Fanning, Ollie Cole, Mark Geary, Bob Geldof, U2 et al, but it's hardly side-splitting and very rarely scabrous. Also, their targets are too obvious - Damien Dempsey singing about drugs, Gerry Ryan feeding his face, Geldof swearing etc. When they get it right it's first rate - spot-on impersonations of and jokes regarding Louis Walsh, The Thrills, ticket touts. Crude but effective animation and generally weak humour, however, won't win them any awards for innovation. We can live with the cartoon scrawls, but find a funny scriptwriter, why don't you? www.eyebrowy.com  Tony Clayton-Lea