Ana Popovic Band – An Evening At Trasimeno Lake (2010/MVD DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Concert: B-

 

 

It has been five years since I first saw Ana Popovic in concert in a concert simply entitled Ana!.  There was no doubt of her talent and that she could be a breakthrough artist, even if the major labels are more interested in flash and what is disposable and shallow.  Here was that coverage:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2284/Ana+Popovic+-+Ana!+(Concert)

 

 

Now comes Ana Popovic Band – An Evening At Trasimeno Lake (2010), another competent, interesting, show that includes the songs:

 

1)     Wrong Woman

2)     Is That Everything There Is

3)     How’d You Learn To Shake It like That

4)     U Complete Me

5)     Nothing Personal

6)     Shadow After Dark

7)     Lives That Don’t Exist

8)     Let Me Love You Babe

9)     Doubt Everyone But Me

10)  Blind For Love

11)  Get Back Home To You

12)  Recall The Days

13)  Love Fever

14)  Hold On

 

 

Some titles are amusing, other bold, but she is for real and the performance once again reflects that.  She is doing Blues music, but trying to add other elements, which is a nice change of pace from what we have seen lately.  Either concert disc is a good start to get to see and know this true music artist.  Though I am not the biggest fans of the genre, there is no doubt she is now one of its most important performers.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image has some good color, but is a bit soft and detail challenged.  Good thing it is edited well.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is a problem with compression and vocals that seem too close to the center channel sounds wrong and has an awkward soundfield throughout.  I preferred the PCM 16/48 2.0 Stereo which sounds much more naturalistic, cleaner, clearer and offers better transparency.  Extras include two bonus tracks and a 10+ minutes interview with Popovic that I would have liked to see go on much longer.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo