Notes in the Dark

Yet another in the continuing series, "CDs I Always Wanted But Never Got… Until Now."  Along with Gowers' Sherlock Holmes and Sarde's Fort Saganne.  I always admired Perry's gorgeous work on Mark Twain-inspired telefilms since I was a kid watching the very odd Mysterious Stranger on HBO.  That's why I'm kind of crushed to finally get this CD and discover the sound quality is beyond atrocious.  Wow, it sounds like they set a tape recorder mike up in front of a Victrola.  What a crime.   A lot of it is thematically very similar, but, well, it's like John Williams with more warmth and less showoffyness.  (Think The Reivers, but more expansive and sad.)  The suite from The Mysterious Stranger is still the highlight of the disc.