Sir Arthur Conan Doyle — The Hound of the Baskervilles

Workhorses of the spoken arts world, Cadabra Records, are back again with another top notch horror release, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles. This deluxe, limited, vinyl-only release comes with liner notes by producer Anthony D. P. Mann, and haunting artwork by Adam Burke. Presented in the form of a radio play, this engaging tale is given vibrant life by a talented crew of voice actors.

Doyle's tale of a mysterious beast lurking on the moors as a cover up for nefarious deeds is a well known and far reaching story, even being seen as an inspiration for An American Werewolf In London. In order to get this story across with the biggest efficacy, the traditional Cadabra approach of a reading with interesting instrumentals wouldn't cut it; this needed to be read as a play, and voiced by professional voice actors, including Sir Derek Jacobi. Along with the talented crew on display, Cadabra put a lot of work into the effects, music, and finding ways to get the scenery across in an sonic fashion. This lively production breathes new life into an old classic. Where a reading would have produced something static and languid, Anthony Mann's production is propulsive, active, and engaging. Hearing the different voices adds a nice depth, and the extra attention to background sounds and ambiance really rounds the recording out.

Cadabra Records has yet to disappoint, and their release of The Hound of the Baskervilles is no exception to their spectacular record. Learning that this is their second audio play, I'm intrigued to check out their rendition of Dracula. Plus, as a long time fan of I, Claudius, I have a soft spot for all things Derek Jacobi.