Give Me Take You

AUTOBUS
	SUNSET: The Glowing City CD (AUTO 008CD) 11.00 "A follow-up to Bright Blue Dream and a departure, Sunset's The Glowing City is equal parts seamless song cycle and singles collection. Skip around, spend some time with a suite of tracks, or take it in all at once. Songs about reflection, exhaustion of life and circumstance, join with pop sensibilities in a beautifully comic-tragic fashion."

CORWOOD INDUSTRIES

JANDEK: Ready For The House LP (COR 0739LP) 21.00 "The 1978 release of Corwood Industries #0739, Ready For The House, began one of the most compelling, disturbed, and singular legacies in musical history. In the 30 years since this unique debut, Jandek has released 53 albums of mournful, atonal music that continues to defy classification and accessibility. And while the past three decades of intense productivity have yielded a depth of discussion, a handful of legendary live performances and even a film documentary, no amount of time or experience can prepare a listener for the experience of Ready For The House. Beyond stark, beyond oblique, beyond outsider, the first Jandek LP (originally credited to The Units) explores musical territories no one even knew existed, with just a hollowed-out voice and a lonely, detuned guitar. In 1985, it had infamously sold less than ten of the 1000 copies originally pressed, however by 1999, when it was issued on CD, the vinyl had completely disappeared, with original copies changing hands for hundreds of dollars. This exact vinyl repress on Corwood Industries, is the first time Ready For The House has been available on vinyl for nearly 20 years, finally giving collectors and fans the opportunity to own one of the most peculiar, solitary, and strangely magnetic records of all time."

 Really awesome to see this back in print on LP.  Great cover art. 

MUTABLEMUSIC

TYRANNY, "BLUE" GENE: The Somewhere Songs/The Invention Of Memory CD (MUTABLE 17529) 13.00 "This beautiful new recording by 'Blue' Gene Tyranny includes the mysterious The Somewhere Songs cycle (1997-2001) for baritone voice and electronics, and 'The Invention of Memory' (2003-2005). A lyrical discourse for baritone voice, string ensemble, guitar, and piano, The Somewhere Songs concerns friendships in or undergoing difficult circumstances. The narrator, in a sense, builds his own circumstantial world as he sings — the vocal part was composed first by singing spontaneously and the 'transitional systems' (pitch/rhythm, etc., material) were derived from that vocal line to generate other acoustic and electronic parts. The question of the 'true intentions' of the two former friends is of course left to the listener. 'The Invention of Memory' is about the behavior and physiology of the brain. In the course of reading, Tyranny was struck by what seemed to be rough parallels between the way that people have described forms of memory and certain musical procedures. This thought created a strange sensation in him — something about the true nature of music. 'The Invention of Memory' was written to research this nameless correlation. An initial 'Song,' heard in a piano solo at the outset, provides a basic reference to which the players return, similar to a past event that is recalled in varied ways. The song is then 'scanned' by the players, employing different musical procedures. Some of the musical forms employed are traditional (canonic imitation, passacaglia) while the majority are compositional procedures Tyranny developed for earlier pieces, including melodic transfers within a closed loop (from the transformational lattice score of 'Stars Over San Francisco,' 1972), drone with internal motion (from 'The Interior Distance,' 1959), camouflage (from 'Sleeping Beauty in Camouflage,' 1992), and the song modulated by its own internal voice ('gravity' modulation from 'The Driver's Son,' 1989 - present). 'Blue' Gene Tyranny, composer and pianist of avant garde music, has toured extensively in solo and group concerts throughout the U.S., Europe, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. He also played in teenage rock bands and for a gospel church. He has composed over 50 works for electronic, instrumental and vocal ensembles, over 30 film and video soundtracks, and 50 scores for dance and theatre productions. He has performed on many albums and performed with such diverse performer-composers as Robert Ashley, Peter Gordon, Laurie Andersen, John Cage, Leroy Jenkins, David Behrman, Brenda Hutchinson, Jon Gibson, William Duckworth (The Cathedral Band), Phil Perkins, Ben Manley, Carla Bley, Iggy Pop, Lise Vachon, and many others."

NEW WORLD RECORDS

BEYER, JOHANNA: Sticky Melodies 2CD (NW 80678CD) 30.00 "Johanna Magdalena Beyer (1888-1944) was born in Leipzig and moved to the United States sometime around 1924. After studying at various schools in New York, and with composers including Dane Rudhyar, Charles Seeger, Henry Cowell and Ruth Crawford, she began a highly-productive and interesting period of composition which lasted from around 1932 to almost 1940. Beyer's music received very few performances and her work was almost completely overlooked during her life and for about 50 years after her death. Even with the tremendous renaissance of interest in the works of historical women composers in the United States, Beyer's work has, until now, been (in her own words) in 'total eclipse.' Beyer is one of the pioneering figures of the experimental strain in contemporary American music. Her work has long lain undiscovered and unperformed because of the lack of adequate performing editions. However, many of her works are now available in authoritative performing editions, making it possible for her music to finally be introduced to the public more than a half-century after they were composed. This 2CD set, featuring world premiere recordings of all the works, is the first-ever devoted entirely to Beyer's music."

TIME-LAG RECORDS

QUICK, BILL: Maravillosa Gente LP (TLR 038LP) 30.00 "Long in the works reissue of this amazing and little known gem, Beautiful People, from 1972. Born in Miami, Florida to an American father and Venezuelan mother, Bill split the USA to Madrid, Spain in the early '70s. Once there he quickly landed a recording deal with famous producer Alain Milhaud of the Explosion label, and set to work on this, his sole LP release. Sessions went down with an impressive cast of up to eleven players in the studio, including Salvador Dominguez & Chema Pellicó (Cerebrum), Jess Lam (Jess & James), and Frank Rojas (Sangre). One of the album's real hidden treasures, though, was the assistance of unknown Texan Mark Gottschall, who co-wrote the title track and adds perfect vocal harmonies as well a second acoustic guitar. A finely balanced mix of sounds that drifts between throbbing electric full band groove and gentle acid folk. When Bill wants to rock, things get downright funky, with a wickedly hard-hitting rhythm section, pumping organ, scorching electric leads, and flipped-out acoustic guitars all locking into some seriously tight jams. Then the next minute, the mood swings and you're deep into some beautifully fragile and introspective folk meditations; often just two acoustic guitars, Bill's lyrics, and huge, angelic, vocal harmonies all weaving together into lush tapestries of sound. A few tracks fill out a more folk-rock vibe with flute, autoharp, piano, slide guitar, banjo, and more. Bill's lyrics (all in English) and vocals always feel deeply sincere, which combined with his unique voice, unusual accent, and loose delivery, make for one hell of a cool singer. The whole album has an air of mystical psychedelia, yet never strays far from pop craft, and there's a real sun-blasted quality to it all that just makes you want to crank the volume. Nothing amateur or lo-fi about this one; it's a pro recording and these guys have serious chops. It's hard to image why it didn't become a hit at the time. The album was released only in Spain and Brazil, to very little interest, and quickly became yet another great album lost to obscurity — at least until now. Reissued here for the first time, with the collaboration of producer & Explosion label owner Alain Milhaud. Packaged in a heavyweight gloss coated exact reproduction of the original cover, including the original double-sided insert, as well as a huge new full color fold-out insert which reproduces at nearly full size the totally different Brazilian version of the album art. Plus extensive notes by album musicians Salvador Dominguez & Mark Gottschall, and Alex Carretero (Guerssen Records, Spain). Also a small photo of some rare picture sleeves 45s, promotional inserts, lyric sheets, etc. Even the LP labels reproduce the original psychedelic full color explosion label art. Pressed on 180gm audiophile grade vinyl & limited to 1000 copies."

ELEVATOR BATH

REED, RICK: Dreamz/Blue Polz PIC. DISC (EEAOA 027LP) 21.00 "Beautiful picture disc LP featuring two full-color reproductions of visual works by Rick Reed and two new side-long solo compositions. Reed's fascinating, highly evolved world is represented well by these two new pieces, each of which offers up the kind of droning intensity and unsettling beauty that this veteran noisemaker has come to be known for. Reed's work is very obviously that of an experienced craftsman — one whose sound is a reverent nod to early electronic music underscored by an enduring sensibility for atmosphere and ethereality. 'Dreamz' began life as the soundtrack for a live visual display by filmmaker Ken Jacobs, which was performed live by Jacobs and Reed at the 2007 New York Film Festival. The record's flipside, 'Blue Polz,' was also inspired by the work of a filmmaker (originally conceived as a kind of alternate soundtrack to a piece by Fred Worden). All of the music was created using an EMS Synthi A, plus 2 sine wave generators and a shortwave radio. The artwork comes from two original paintings. Reed has been active in the visual arts for more than 20 years; his work is utterly abstract, beautifully enigmatic. These images are the perfect accompaniment to Reed's otherworldly audio counterparts. In addition to his solo work, Rick Reed has participated in a number of productive collaborations over the years with Keith Rowe, Jgrzinich (in Frequency Curtain), the Abrasion Ensemble, and SIRSIT. He currently resides in Austin." This picture disc LP has been released in an edition of 260 copies.

ESOTERIC RECORDINGS (UK)
	LOVE SCULPTURE: Blues Helping CD (ECLEC 2015CD) 19.00 "Dave Edmunds' importance in the history of Welsh rock music cannot be understated. In the '70s, he became an icon recording for Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label and working with George Harrison. Edmunds' recording career began with the trio Love Sculpture, revealing Edmunds to be a guitar hero of extreme prowess. After a first single released under the name The Human Beans, the band became Love Sculpture and recorded Blues Helping, released in 1968, a classic album of blues rock for EMI's Parlophone label. Featuring such stunning tracks as 'Summertime' and the title track, the album launched the band on both sides of the Atlantic. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the reissuing of both Love Sculpture albums, including all the singles recorded for EMI Records in the late '60s." New remastered release for this classic album, including 4 bonus tracks and booklet with new essay and previously-unseen photographs.
	LOVE SCULPTURE: Forms and Feelings CD (ECLEC 2016CD) 19.00 "Love Sculpture's classic psychedelic album — now remastered from the original tapes & expanded to include original singles & 'Mars,' removed from the UK edition of the original album in 1969. In 1969, the band veered to a more underground direction to record their classic top ten hit 'Sabre Dance,' championed by DJ John Peel. The ensuing album (engineered by future Yes producer Eddie Offord) was equally stunning. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the expanded reissue of Forms and Feelings." New remastered release for this classic album with 6 bonus tracks plus booklet with a new essay and previously-unseen photographs.
	SUPERSISTER: Present from Nancy CD (ECLEC 2056CD) 19.00 "First ever UK CD release for this classic album from the masters of Dutch prog rock — remastered from the original tapes, with four bonus tracks from A & B-side singles. Featured in the soundtrack of the film Control about Joy Division, Supersister were one of the most original groups to emerge in Holland in the late 1960s. Inspired by the work of Soft Machine and Caravan, the group recorded a quartet of master works. In 1971 they signed to John Peel's Dandelion label and remained a favorite of his. Eccentric, accomplished and unique, Supersister's albums are a joy to any fan of original music. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to reissue their classic debut album with additional bonus tracks comprising all sides of their first two singles and fully restored artwork. Open your ears to Supersister." Originally released in the Netherlands on Polydor in 1970.
	SUPERSISTER: To The Highest Bidder CD (ECLEC 2057CD) 19.00 "First ever UK CD release for this classic album from the masters of Dutch prog rock — remastered from the original tapes, with four bonus tracks. Recently featured in the soundtrack of the film Control about Joy Division, Supersister were one of the most original groups to emerge in Holland in the late 1960s. Inspired by the work of Soft Machine and Caravan, the group recorded a quartet of master works. In 1971 they signed to John Peel's Dandelion label and remained a favorite of his. Eccentric, accomplished and unique, Supersister's albums are a joy to any fan of original music. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to reissue their classic second album with additional bonus tracks comprising single cuts from 1971 and fully restored artwork. Open your ears to Supersister." Originally released in the Netherlands on Polydor in 1971. Including a lavish booklet with full restored artwork, new essay and many photographs.
	SUPERSISTER: Iskander CD (ECLEC 2058CD) 19.00 "First-ever UK CD release for this classic album from the masters of Dutch prog rock — remastered from the original tapes. Three bonus tracks previously unreleased on CD. This, their final studio offering was recorded in England and is akin to later Soft Machine in approach, although still original in construction. Eccentric, accomplished and unique, Supersister's albums are a joy to any fan of original music. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to reissue their classic second album with additional bonus tracks comprising single cuts from 1971 and fully restored artwork. Open your ears to Supersister." Originally released in the Netherlands on Polydor in 1973. Includes a lavish booklet with fully restored artwork, new essay and many photographs.
	SUPERSISTER: Pudding en Gisteren CD (ECLEC 2059CD) 19.00 "First ever UK CD release for this classic album from the masters of Dutch prog rock — remastered from the original tapes, with two bonus tracks. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to reissue their classic second album with additional bonus tracks comprising single cuts from 1972 and one live version, as well as fully restored artwork. Open your ears to Supersister." Originally released in the Netherlands on Polydor in 1972. Includes a lavish booklet with full restored artwork, new essay and many photographs.
	MAN: Slow Motion CD (ECLEC 2062CD) 19.00 "Originally released in 1974, Slow Motion was another classic album in the catalog of Welsh rock legends, Man. Touring extensively to support the record, Man delivered a stunning series of concerts and made a triumphant return to the USA early the following year. As part of Esoteric's reissue program of the Man catalog, we are proud to present the remastered album and with a selection of studio out-takes, including four previously unreleased live tracks recorded in California in May 1975. With superbly remastered sound and a lavish booklet with notes by Man's Deke Leonard, this is yet another essential release for fans of Man."

KOMPAKT (GERMANY)

GAS: Nah Und Fern 4CD (KOMP 066CD) 31.00 2nd pressing now available! The Kompakt label presents the work of Wolfgang Voigt's Gas — a remastered deluxe package that includes all four of his Mille Plateaux albums: Gas (1996), Zauberberg (1997), Königsforst (1998) and Pop (2000). Wolfgang Voigt, in the past known under a great many pseudonyms such as Mike Ink, Studio 1 or Grungerman, is the driving force behind the rise of Cologne minimal techno and also Kompakt's co-founder and co-owner. In the 1980s, Voigt began working under a concept he named BLEI — extracting elements from classical, polka, brass music, electronic pop and German schlager sounds to form a distinguished and unique pop music style that would fit in with the subculture at that time. In the early 1990s, influenced by techno, Voigt began to experiment with a timbal marching through strongly alienated, free-floating string loops. These elegiac tracks, their lack of beginning and end, their intoxicating, smooth and partly amorphous structure sounded to him like evaporating gas and thus — Gas was born. Gas is the vision of a sonic body between Schönberg and Kraftwerk, between French horn and bass drum. Gas is Wagner goes glam rock, and Hansel and Gretel on acid. Gas takes you on a seemingly endless march through the woods into the discotheque. Reducing the material to its basic aesthetic structure by using different zoom, loop and alienation techniques, he releases it from its original meaning and context, creating a kind of aesthetic essence, a cave to get lost inside. There are one or two new tracks and versions, but both Voigt and Jörg Burger decided to keep remastering light, maintaining Gas' purity and authenticity. This 4CD box comes in a special and stylish collector's format, including 4 small artwork prints.

I can listen to this many a hot summer day and night. 

No, I didn't win the lottery either.

El Guincho "Alegranza" (Discoteca Océano) RealAudio El Guincho "Palmitos Park" NORTH AMERICAN EXCLUSIVE! El Guincho's "Alegranza" is a swirling mix of distorted tropicalia beats, exotica samples and chanting vocals. Some have described this stunning CD as a mix of Panda Bear's "Person Pitch" and Os Mutantes, but it's much more than that.  Buy $19.99 El Guincho "Alegranza" CD

Cilibrinas do Eden "s/t" (No Smoke) RealAudio "Gente Fina E Outra Coisa" Recorded in ’73 and never before released, Cilibrinas do Eden was Rita Lee's first post-Mutantes project and it's an amazing piece of world psychedelia. Imagine Rundgren, T.Rex and Deep Purple jamming with the Beatles and you're almost there.  Buy $24.99 Cilibrinas do Eden "s/t" CD

Es "Sateenkaarisuudelma" (Fonal) RealAudio Es "Harmonia, Rakkautta" Originally only available on vinyl, “Sateenkaarisuudelma” is one of the Fonal label’s most stunning releases. Folk instrumentation mysteriously morphs into many different things, from Riley-esque minimalism and music concrete to Far Eastern influences and beyond. Buy $21.99 Es "Sateenkaarisuudelma" CDx2

Quarteto Em Cy "Aleluia 1964-66" (El) RealAudio Quarteto Em Cy "Reza" You may be familiar with this Brazilian female quartet for their vocal contributions on the seminal “Os Afro Sambas” LP with Vinicius de Moraes and Baden Powell. Featuring arrangements by Edu Lobo, these mid-‘60s recordings are some of the most sublime music ever recorded. Buy $15.99 Quarteto Em Cy "Aleluia" CD

	Birigwa "s/t" (Porter) RealAudio Birigwa "Lule Lule" Ugandan-born Birigwa was attending the New England Conservatory in the early '70s when he recorded this self-titled album, with a band that features members of Stark Reality. At times his music sounds like a Caetano Veloso album recorded in South Africa.  Buy $14.99 Birigwa "s/t" CD
	Natural Food "s/t" (Porter) RealAudio Natural Food "See See Rider" Also reissued by Porter, another leftfield gem from Boston. Natural Food’s eponymous album is a fusion record in the truest sense. Folk-pop, blues, psych-boogie and vocal jazz are all referenced here, with a band that includes members of Stark Reality.  Buy $14.99 Natural Food "s/t" CD
	Nick Lowe "Jesus of Cool" (Yep Roc) RealAudio Nick Lowe "Music for Money" Nick Lowe is THE original indie rocker and his classic solo debut has finally been given the deluxe reissue treatment! Acerbic power pop classics like "Marie Provost" and "So It Goes" are here, as well as a slew of hard-to-find gems from the vaults.  Buy $15.99 Nick Lowe "Jesus of Cool" CD

BRUHIN, ANTON: Vom Goldabfischer CD (ALGA 066CD) 19.00 "Presents for the first time on CD the classic experimental folk recordings with the same title first issued on LP in 1969. Anton Bruhin conceived some of the most original sonic art musiks, a double of his artistic work as an outsider painter and with the help of Stefan Wittwer on electric guitar and Cristian Koradi on bass and cello, recorded this masterpiece of far out sonorities well hidden in the Swiss mountains. Anton Bruhin sings and plays jew's harp (his favorite instrument), ch-phon (an instrument he invented constructed with a PVC tube with saxophone reed), harmonica, flute, fiddle, percussion, water. This record, surely one of the most psychedelic, experimental and private to be issued in Europe in the 1960s, should be of great influence for the actual renaissance of experimental folk music. Surely it was an important source of magick for Steven Stapleton, so no surprise to see it mentioned in the mythical list of references that Nurse With Wound included in their first LP. This CD edition also includes 5 jew's harp instrumental tracks. In the late 1970s, Anton Bruhin was asked to edit a record of folk and ethnic music, documenting the use of jew's harp in Switzerland. Bruhin climbed up the mountains in order to record some of the most obscure, old jew's harp players. Those mysterious sounds were issued in 1979 on a record titled Maultrommel, Mundhermonika, Kamm. This CD includes 3 solo jew's harp tracks where Anton Bruhin plays themes from the Vom Goldabfischer LP, plus 2 massive, maximal and resonating duos with W. Gwerder, recorded in 1979 at Radio Schweiz International. Beautiful digipack sleeve with photos and liner notes, also including a folded insert reproducing lyrics, technical notes and a group of ink drawings originally created for the Vom Goldabfischer LP sleeve."

PALESTINE, CHARLEMAGNE: Sharing A Sonority CD (ALGA 068CD)19.00 "Alga Marghen proudly presents a new chapter in the documentation series of Charlemagne Palestine's historical works. This CD of previously unavailable recordings not only presents you Charlemagne Palestine activities in 1974, collaborating with some of most important experimental artists and composers from either the New York loft scene and Cal Arts, but also features world premiere recordings of Terry Jennings and The Fundamental D Flat Group. 'Short & Sweet' is the title of a breathtaking duo for piano and sax performed on April 24th by Charlemagne Palestine and Terry Jennings. The two composers happened to play together in very private concerts at Cal Arts, but never recorded those sessions, until a special day when Charlemagne happened to have a little tape recorder around. The recording was considered lost for more than 30 years, when finally a copy was found thanks to Tony Conrad. The piano part reminds some of the early pieces by Charlemagne Palestine titled 'Piano Drones' (as the one pre-dating of a couple of years this duo and presented on the Continuous Sound Forms CD issued on Alga Marghen. The liner notes of the same CD mention this duo with Terry Jennings at the time considered lost). Terry Jennings' soprano sax is very elaborated and decorative. Around 1967, Charlemagne was experimenting mainly with voice and electronics. He also occasionally recorded piano and sax improvisations with his friend Bob Feldman. This CD featured a very special duo by Palestine and Feldman playing electronics and flute. The two artists met in 1961 when Bob Feldman worked in a jazz record shop in the Times Square subway station. Palestine didn't know much about jazz and Feldman guided him through the new progressive jazz styles of the times. Later at the Intermedia Center of NYU where they had a Buchla synthesizer, Charlemagne and Bob Feldman experimented between jazz raga and electronics. Very little was recorded. This is one rare duet that dates probably from around 1967. The last track on this CD is the first 30 minutes of a recording from April 22, 1974 by The Fundamental D Flat Group performing in Db. During one trip back to NYC from Cal Arts, Charlemagne Palestine was invited by Tony Conrad (together with Rhys Chatham) to Albright College in New Jersey for a Sunday afternoon concert. That was the first and last time The Fundamental D Flat Group played in public (Tony Conrad: violin, horn, string drone; Rhys Chatham: flute, organ, string drone; Charlemagne Palestine: voice, pipes, snifter). Although the piece lasted all afternoon, the first 30 minutes were the only portion recorded during the performance. The Fundamental D Flat Group invite you to listen and meditate in the mode of Db. To hear this is to enter the deepest realm of knowledge of the sound current. The ear, the understanding, and the core of the spirit resonate to the mode of the single tone and its harmonic family. You read, and hear, and feel the empathy of human spirit. This CD is housed in a beautiful digipack with a full color sleeve with photos and liner notes. The edition presents some of the best recordings ever issued by Charlemagne Palestine, a highlight in the Alga Marghen catalog and a unique chance to listen to the core of Charlemagne Palestine."

SCHNITZLER, CONRAD: Early Self-Product Series 6CD BOX (CT 614/619CD) 135.00 "Including each of the 5 titles (CTCD-614-618) and a bonus CD 3.3.83 (CTCD-619) in a limited edition special outer box. The original LP of 3.3.83 was pressed as only one copy for Conrad Schnitzler personally! Recorded in 1983, including bonus tracks. 2008 digital remaster version with stamped paper sleeve, same as the original."

MCGREGOR GROUP, THE CHRIS: Very Urgent CD (FLED 3059CD)17.00 "In 1968, the Chris McGregor Group were riding high on the London jazz scene, playing and hanging out with all the rising stars of British free jazz. Very Urgent, their eagerly awaited debut recording, was a joyful call of intent. The album mixes simple but utterly unstoppable tunes and exhilarating horn charts — immediately establishing a vitality and exuberance that would continue to define the group. 'Nevertheless, their evident preference for raw energy and rough spirit over absolute precision never quite obscures the technical proficiency available to the ensemble. There is often a sense of things falling effortlessly into place that's only found in the most exceptional units.' Very Urgent was produced by Joe Boyd and engineered by John Wood at Sound Techniques studio in London, during the same months they were also working with several other luminaries of the Witchseason stable — Fairport Convention, Nick Drake and the Incredible String Band. Forty years later, Fledg'ling Records are very proud to bring this splendid album back into print. The passing years have not diminished the album's impact. Very Urgent is the third release in our campaign to reissue McGregor's wonderfully creative recordings from the late '60s and early '70s."

ROBERTS, ANDY: And The Great Stampede CD (FLED 3064CD)17.00 "With great honor Fledg'ling Records announce a deluxe reissue of Andy Roberts' splendid 1973 album — Andy Roberts and the Great Stampede — originally released on the legendary Elektra label. One of this country's under acknowledged guitarists and songwriters, Andy Roberts was a leading member of the Liverpool Scene, Plainsong, Grimms and the Hank Wangford Band. He has toured with Roy Harper, Pink Floyd and Roger McGough, amongst many. On And The Great Stampede his band are pianist Zoot Money (of Big Roll Band fame), B J Cole — Europe's finest pedal steel guitarist, electric violinist Mick Kaminski (from the Electric Light Orchestra) and the fabulous Fotheringay rhythm section — Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway. The legendary Ollie Halsall adds lead guitar on the first track. For this edition, Andy Roberts has written extensive sleeve notes chronicling the recording and the background to the songs. The package includes previously unpublished photographs and five previously unreleased bonus tracks."

FAHEY, JOHN: The Mill Pond & Collected Paintings CD (IMPREC 183CD) 13.00 "The Mill Pond was originally released in 1997 as a double 7" that went immediately out of print. For its 10th anniversary, we're issuing it on compact disc housed in a deluxe letterpressed jacket and including an extensive booklet collecting John Fahey's paintings for the very first time. Limited edition. On this release, Fahey uses heavy reverb, electric slide and feedback to create an eerie mood. He gets a bit of help from Jeff Allman, who recorded the songs and adds some electronic noise in spots, and from Scott Colburn, who mixed the tracks, but this record is all Fahey. The Mill Pond is all over the place stylistically, so it should confuse those who try to pigeonhole Fahey into any one category. The Mill Pond further proves that there is only one category into which he fits: truly innovative guitar genius." "Four ecstatic, lo-fi grabs for the ring of eternity, recorded in Fahey's Oregon hotel room. Containing the first graspable evidence of John's throat-singing abilities, this represents the merging of the bull and the china shop. The crudity of the electronics and the delicacy of the stringwork makes for a wonderful match." –Byron Coley.

BRAXTON, ANTHONY: Quartet (GTM) 2006 4CD (IMPREC 184CD)27.00 "Quartet (GTM) 2006 is Anthony Braxton's first release for Important Records. GTM stands for Ghost Trance Music and this four CD box set contains four Ghost Trance compositions recorded in quartet with Anthony Braxton playing reeds, Carl Testa on bass, Aaron Siegal on percussion and Max Heath on piano. This 4CD box also contains a definitive essay by Braxton on his Ghost Trance compositions. Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945 in Chicago) is an American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, pianist and philosopher. Over the course of his career, he has crafted an immense body of highly complex work. Though Braxton is hardly known to the casual listener, he is certainly one of the most prolific American musicians/composers to date, having released well over 100 albums since the 1960s. In 1994, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. Braxton plays a multitude of instruments including the flute; the sopranino, soprano, C-Melody, F alto, E-flat alto, baritone, bass, and contrabass saxophones; and the E-flat, B-flat, and contrabass clarinets. Early in his career, along with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and violinist Leroy Jenkins, Braxton led a trio and was involved with the AACM or the Association For The Advancement of Creative Musicians. Never genuinely accepted into the jazz establishment, the association was aptly titled. In 1968, Braxton recorded the highly influential For Alto, the first full length album for unaccompanied saxophone. Braxton joined pianist Chick Corea's existing trio with Dave Holland (double bass) and Barry Altschul (drums) to form the short-lived avant garde quartet Circle, around 1970. When Corea broke up the group, forming Return to Forever to pursue a fusion-based style of composition and recording, Holland and Altschul remained with Braxton for much of the 1970s as part of a quartet, with the rotating brass chair variously filled by trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, or trombonists George Lewis or Ray Anderson. This group recorded on Arista Records. The core trio plus saxophonist Sam Rivers recorded Holland's Conference of the Birds, ECM. In the 1970s, he also recorded duets with Lewis and with synthesizer player Richard Teitelbaum. In the late 1970s he recorded two large ensemble recordings, Creative Orchestra Music 1976, inspired by American jazz and marching band traditions, and For Four Orchestras. Both of these records were released on Arista. Anthony Braxton studied philosophy at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He has taught at Mills College and is now a Professor of Music at Wesleyan University. He teaches music history, improvisation and music composition."

HAINO & YOSHIDA TATSUYA, KEIJI: Hauenfiomiume CD (MGC 034CD) 19.00 "The controversial work which stepped into the forbidden territory of editing the performance of Haino Keiji. Yoshida breaks up their studio session boldly and restructures it from the unacceptable tune reproduced by extreme editing to the pop song thing that it is surprised. From the irregular hard core to heavy tune. From the modern music short piece, to the lyricism acoustic number. This album shows new possibility with union/condensing the music of Haino & Yoshida. This time they made 2 different (but similar) albums." 16 tracks, 50 min.

	RAUSCHENBERG, ROBERT: Open Score DVD (MC 596DVD) 21.00 First volume in this electrifying avant-garde DVD series, documenting this 9 Evenings series in NYC from 1966. "In 1966, 10 New York artists and 30 engineers and scientists from Bell Telephone Laboratories collaborated on a series of innovative dance, music and theater performances, 9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering, held at the 69th Regiment Armory, New York City, in October 1966. The artists included are: John Cage, Lucinda Childs, Öyvind Fahlström, Alex Hay, Deborah Hay, Steve Paxton, Yvonne Rainer, Robert Rauschenberg, David Tudor and Robert Whitman. Archival material has been assembled into 10 films, each of which reconstructs the artist's original work and uses interviews with the artists, engineers and performers to illuminate the artistic, technical and historical aspects of the work. 9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering is a 10 DVD set of films on this legendary series of theater, dance, and music performances. Open Score by Robert Rauschenberg is the first film to be released in a series that will bring to life a historic moment in contemporary art history. Open Score was performed on October 14th, 1966. It began with a tennis game between Frank Stella and his tennis partner, Mimi Kanarek, on a full-scale court laid out on the Armory floor. Rauschenberg had adopted one of the oldest forms of performance that everyone recognizes, a tennis match, and made it into dance. He also used the game 'to control the lights and to perform as an orchestra.' Each time Frank or Mimi hit the ball a loud BONG vibrated around the Armory and the sound of each BONG switched off one of the lights illuminating the court…" –Billy Klüver, 1997. All-region DVD, two-sided for both NTSC & PAL formats.
	CAGE, JOHN: Variations VII DVD (MC 749DVD) 21.00 "In 1966, 10 New York artists and 30 engineers and scientists from Bell Telephone Laboratories collaborated on a series of innovative dance, music and theatre performances, 9 Evenings: Theatre & Engineering, held in October at the 69th Regiment Armory in New York City. The artists were John Cage, Lucinda Childs, Öyvind Fahlström, Alex Hay, Deborah Hay, Steve Paxton, Yvonne Rainer, Robert Rauschenberg, David Tudor and Robert Whitman. Archival material has been assembled into 10 films, each of which reconstructs the artists' original work and uses interviews with the artists, engineers and performers to illuminate the artistic, technical and historical aspects of the work. Variations VII, performed at 9 Evenings, was the next to last in John Cage's series of indeterminate works that he had begun in 1958, which made increasing use of electronic equipment and systems. This DVD documents the only complete performance of Variations VII and also presents a stereo audio recording of the full 85 minutes of the performance. This rare and historical film is the second in the 9 Evenings series from E.A.T. (Experiments in Art and Technology) and ART PIX and was produced by Billy Klüver and Julie Martin of E.A.T. and directed by Barbro Schultz Lundestam." All-region DVD, two-sided for both NTSC & PAL formats. 41 minutes + 85 minute audio track.
	SCHLEMOWITZ, JOEL: Short Experimental Films 3DVD (MC 774DVD)52.00 "Joel Schlemowitz is a wizard of cinema, and this collection of short experimental films is a marvel to behold. Each piece is a unique gem — quirky, provocative, playful, often handmade, and always daring — celebrating Joel's astonishing mastery of the tools of filmmaking, and his poetic grasp on the art of cinema." –Alan Berliner. "Joel creates cinema-poems that crack open the infinite. Tracing the jeweled veins of Gustave Moreau, J.K. Huysmans, and Gerard de Nerval, his work eludes the dark shadows of night & illuminates the evening with cascading colors and flickering dreamscapes." - Jennifer MacMillan, Curator, Invisible Film Series. Bonus footage: Filmmaker Interview by Jennifer MacMillan; The Film-Makers Coop's Move by Brian Frye; "Grand Magic Lantern Exhibition!" documentation by Jeanne Liotta. All films newly transferred and re-mastered from 16mm film and soundtrack sources. All-region NTSC format DVD. Total running time: 3 hrs. 21 mins.
	OPPENHEIM, DENNIS: Tooth and Nail: Film and Video 1970-74 DVD (MC 778DVD) 26.00 "Dennis Oppenheim (born 1938) has received international attention for a conceptual oeuvre spanning performance, video, sculpture, installation, and land art. In the early 1970s, Dennis Oppenheim was in the vanguard of artists using film and video to investigate themes relating to body and performance. This portfolio features a selection of his works known as the Aspen Tapes, produced between 1970 and 1974, in which Oppenheim uses his own body as a site of experimentation on the personal. In these works, the artist enters into an intimate and dynamic dialogue with his body as he explores the boundaries of personal risk, bodily transformation, and interpersonal communication. With the publication of this portfolio in collaboration with the artist's studio, this seminal series of quasi-anthropological performances is now available to the public for the first time on DVD. Just as Oppenheim's work explores new and unusual forms of communication and address, Slought Foundation hopes that this portfolio contributes to an existing discourse about alternative possibilities for cultural production and reception. In Oppenheim's Transfer Drawings and Identity Transfers, for instance, the artist deposits and retrieves information from his daughter Kristin and his son Erik." An 11-page booklet includes an interview with Dennis Oppenheim by Willoughby Sharp. Running time: approx. 120 mins; NTSC format DVD, all regions.
MISSISSIPPI RECORDS
	VA: Last Kind Words (1926-1953) LP (MR 005LP) 11.00 2nd edition with regular printed jacket. "Incredibly well compiled '20s-'30s era blues comp. High quality of sound for the time period of its recordings. This compilation is filled with the most accessible blues songs made to be appreciated by enthusiasts and those new to the genre. Features Blind Willie McTell, Memphis Minnie, Geechie Wiley, etc."

{{{SUNSET}}}: Bright Blue Dream CD (AUTO 007CD) 11.00 "Bright Blue Dream is the first widely available LP from Bill Baird's new project, {{{Sunset}}}, following the break up of Sound Team. The record is a follow-up to his previous CD-R and cassette albums, {{{Sunset}}}, Silence! and Pink Clouds, which were released independently through 2006 and 2007. All of the distinctive song styles from {{{Sunset}}}'s previous releases are represented here, yet are more finely-tuned and expansive, brought together by a vividly colorful and meditative feel. Bill's craftsmanship and darkly humorous songwriting take an impressive leap forward with Bright Blue Dream."

	TUMA, SCOTT: Not For Nobody CD (ACE 010CD) 12.00 "To me, Scott Tuma is a bit of a legend. From his days with the seminal Souled American to performing with Boxhead Ensemble, his two incredible solo records, Hard Again and The River 1 2 3 4, there are few musicians with such a quality discography. I kept waiting for him to drop another solo record, but it never came. So when I learned that he'd been working with members of Zelienople under the moniker Good Stuff House, I jumped at the chance to make contact. A few emails were exchanged, and 18 months later after the birth of Tuma's second child, Not For Nobody was finally ready. It's been nearly five years, but the wait has definitely been worth it. Not For Nobody hits you hard, straight in the throat. These mostly-acoustic compositions, recorded with guitar, banjo, harmonium, and percussion among other instruments, are steeped in an elegance that few artists can master. Not For Nobody marks the triumphant return of a musician sorely missed. It is dripping with beauty and melancholy and hope for something better. This is an album for the ages. Housed in a silkscreened gatefold jacket."
ESOTERIC RECORDINGS (UK)
	JULIAN'S TREATMENT: A Time Before This CD (ECLEC 2039CD)21.00 "A Time Before This is a lost classic of the progressive era. Released on the short lived Youngblood label in 1970, the double album was the first vinyl outing for Science Fiction author Julian Jay Savarin, who assembled a group of musicians to record this conceptual work. Officially unavailable for many years, this Esoteric reissue has been re-mastered from the original tapes and features fully-restored artwork and a booklet with a new essay."
	SAVARIN, JULIAN JAY: Waiters On The Dance CD (ECLEC 2040CD)21.00 "Waiters on the Dance is a lost classic of the progressive era. Released on the short lived Youngblood label imprint Birth in 1973, the album was the second by Science Fiction author Julian Jay Savarin and was the follow up to the double album A Time Before This, released by Savarin's group Julian's Treatment (also released by Esoteric Recordings). Based on the first book of his Lemmus trilogy, the album was conceived as the first of three telling the musical story of his literary creation."
	ROOM: Pre-Flight CD (ECLEC 2043CD) 19.00 "Highly regarded cult album. 24-bit remastered from the original master tapes. New fully restored artwork and previously unseen photographs. Recorded at the Decca studios in the summer of 1970, Room's Pre-Flight was an ambitious blend of rock, blues, jazz and classical influences. The album was critically well received but unfortunately like many strong releases of this genre at the time on the classic Deram label, did not achieve the hoped for breakthrough to greater commercial success. Room's only recorded work, the album has been remastered from the original analog tapes and is now presented in this definitive edition from Esoteric Recordings." Also includes an extensive booklet with essay by Room's Steve Edge.
	MELLOW CANDLE: Swaddling Songs CD (ECLEC 2044CD) 19.00 "Classic, highly regarded and sought after acid folk / progressive rock album. Now 24-bit remastered from the original master tapes. New fully restored artwork. Extensive booklet with new essay. Featuring girl singers Clodagh Simonds and Alison Williams, Mellow Candle never achieved commercial success they deserved spawning a legendary psychedelic folk-rock album akin to Fairport Convention or Fotheringay. Touring to support Thin Lizzy (Simonds played on Lizzy's album Shades of a Blue Orphanage) and Horslips, the band had a short lived existence. Clodagh Simonds later went on to play again with Mike Oldfield and Jade Warrior and this release serves as evidence of the talents of both Simonds and the band who deserved far more commercial success than they attained. Now rightly regarded as a classic of the genre, Esoteric Recordings are proud to add Swaddling Songs to their catalog."
	GERRARD, DENNY: Sinister Morning CD (ECLEC 2045CD) 19.00 "Highly regarded cult album featuring High Tide. 24-bit remastered from the original master tapes. Denver Gerrard had his brief moment in the spotlight of stardom in British rock as one half of the Warm Sounds, the duo that he formed with Barry Husband in 1967. They hit number 27 on the UK charts with 'Birds and Bees,' a trippy psychedelic pop number released by Decca Records' Deram Records imprint. On his classic solo album from 1970 he is backed by the four members of the cult underground rock band High Tide. A welcome reissue for a classic album that contains some of the most innovative music of the era."
	KHAN: Space Shanty CD (ECLEC 2046CD) 19.00 "New release for this highly regarded cult album featuring Steve Hillage. 24-bit remastered from the original master tapes. Best known as the album that first brought the guitar playing talents of guitarist Steve Hillage to public prominence, Khan's sole album is a splendid example of a fusion of Canterbury flavored rock combined with jazz and space-rock influences. Originally released in 1972 by Deram records, it can now clearly be seen as the blue print for Hillage's later solo success. Hillage has acknowledged that Space Shanty was the dry run for his classic Fish Rising album. This reissue is re-mastered from the original master tapes and has extensive liner notes and includes two bonus tracks from a rediscovered acetate disc."
	HARTLEY BAND, KEEF: The Time Is Near CD (ECLEC 2047CD) 19.00 Originally released on Derem in 1970. "New release for this highly regarded classic jazz rock album. 24-bit remastered from the original master tapes. Considered by many to be one of the finest exponents of powerful jazz rock, Keef's earliest engagement was as replacement for Ringo Starr in Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He was also Mick Fleetwood's replacement in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and featured on many recordings by the band. In 1968 he formed his own group recruiting the highly regarded Miller Anderson on guitar and vocals. Although they performed at Woodstock the band was not filmed. Latterly Hartley became involved with group Vinegar Joe and with singer / songwriter Michael Chapman. The Time is Near ranks among the band's finest achievements and, along with a reissue of Overdog, sees the beginning of a reissue campaign by Esoteric Recordings of the classic Keef Hartley Band albums."
	HARTLEY BAND, KEEF: Overdog CD (ECLEC 2048CD) 19.00 Originally released on Derem in 1971. "New release for this highly regarded classic jazz rock album. 24-bit remastered from the original master tapes. This reissue of Overdog features the bonus single edits of 'Roundabout,' one of their best loved and most powerful works. Along with a reissue of The Time is Near, this release sees the beginning of a reissue campaign by Esoteric Recordings of the classic Keef Hartley Band albums."
	GILES, GILES AND FRIPP: The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp CD (ECLEC 2049CD) 19.00 "The classic album, a precursor to King Crimson, now 24-bit remastered from the original master tapes. New fully restored artwork. This great album is where it all began for the King Crimson stalwarts. An excellent late '60s album which touches on psychedelic pop, (often compared to early Syd Barrett -ra Pink Floyd) with jazz influences and a whimsical brand of surreal humor. Fripp's guitar is on top form on 'Suite No. 1' and shows the shape of things to come when in 1969 when he and Mike Giles teamed up with Greg Lake and Ian McDonald to form King Crimson. This re-mastered reissue comes with six bonus tracks and enhanced artwork and should appeal to all lovers of eccentric late '60s psychedelia and fans of King Crimson."

GROUP 180: Music For Pieces of Wood CD (HUNG 12545CD) 17.00 1995 release. Recorded in 1983. "Water - Wonder" by Tibor Szemzö (1982), "Music for Pieces of Wood" by Steve Reich (1973), "Etude for Three Mirrors" by László Melis (1982), and "Coming Together" & "Attica" by Frederic Rzewski (1972). Performed by Group 180. Recited in English.

CAGE, JOHN: Thirty Pieces, Music For Piano CD (HUNG 12893CD)17.00 1987 release. "Thirty Pieces For Five Orchestras" (1981), performed by the Savaria Symphony Orchestra, conducted by László Tihanyi, Dieter Kempe, Zsolt Serei, Katalin Doman, and Mark Foster; musical direction by Péter Eötvös. "Music For Piano" Nos. 4-19, 21-84 (1952-56). (Realization by A. Wilheim). Performed by Zoltán Jeney, András Wilheim, László Vidovszky, László Sary, Barnabás Dukay (pianists). "Hungaroton continues its invaluable Cage series, this time moving away from the percussion works of past volumes. The works presented here make this self-recommending for anyone devoted to this important 20th century thinker/composer."

SMITH, ELLIOTT: XO LP (PLAIN 126LP) 17.00 "Following the success and acclaim of his two releases on the Kill Rock Stars label, as well an Oscar nomination for the use of his song 'Miss Misery' in the film Good Will Hunting, the late Elliott Smith signed with Dreamworks for the 1998 release of XO. With a major label budget for this, his fourth full length album, Smith was able to craft a fully realized pop masterpiece, fulfilling the promise of previous releases. Though firmly in the McCartney/Lennon/Rundgren/Davies school of songwriting Smith was nothing if not an original. Possibly his best record."

SILVERSTEIN, SHEL: Boy Named Sue and His Other Country SongsCD (WATER 216CD) 15.00 "Boy Named Sue is Silverstein's sixth album overall and his first for RCA, originally released in 1969. Featuring the classic title track, probably his most well known and covered song, which was made into a giant hit by Johnny Cash soon after. Country songs that are at turns sentimental, tongue-in-cheek, genuine, and slyly lewd. Recorded at RCA studios in Music City, USA and produced by Shel's friend, the legendary Chet Atkins, this could very well have been the strangest thing to come out of Nashville since Blonde On Blonde. Another classic from the idiosyncratic genius on CD for the first time."

Interesting new Robert Ashley record on the Unsounds label.  It's dated 2007 and earlier on the release, but it has just made its way out recently.  This release is interesting because it is an ensemble record with recordings of pieces like "She Was A Visitor" recontextualized in this setting as well as new pieces.  The overall feel is at once not as odd as other Ashley recordings.  One of the great benefits of 20th and 21st century music is that often the definitive recordings come direct from the composer's hands so to speak, and with Ashley a great part of the interest is to be in his recording choices.  This recording, having been a commission, definitely reflects that more distant relationship, the sound environment is more academic and studied (like most any other ensemble recording you pick up) and while it has its share of strange avant flourishes, they definitely sound more like they come from the ensemble's bag of tricks than from the creator or his like-minded peers.  Still, all nitpicking aside, this is a thoroughly enjoyable recording, and a commendable step in trying to capture and understand the difficult-to-pin-down music of Robert Ashley.

Reissues:

1. The Soft Machine - Third (Sony)-   Never sounded better.  I think this new edition actually opens up whole new levels of appreciating this recording.

2. Terry Riley - Les Yeux Fermés / Lifespan (Elision Fields)-  Some of the finest Terry Riley recordings available again for the first time in 30 years. 

3. Nico - The Frozen Borderline (Rhino)-  If I were ever to orchestrate a pop album, I'd have to settle for less, because I would've wanted it to be Marble Index. 

4. Lubomyr Melnyk - KMH: Piano Music In The Continuous Mode (Unseen Worlds)
4. "Blue Gene Tyranny - Out of the Blue (Unseen Worlds)-  I'm giving myself a pass on these because people still don't know. And they don't knock anything down in the list, so everyone wins.

4. Christina Kubisch - Night Flights (Important)-  Great.  The best recording I know of by the always good Kubisch.

5. Richard Crandell - In the Flower of Our Youth (Sound Advice)-  We'd planned on doing this for Unseen Worlds.  Now we don't have to. 

6. Michael Harrison - Revelation: Music in Pure Intonation (Cantaloupe Music)-  Reissue of a small (perhaps private) CD edition.  This has grown on me a lot.  Kudos to Cantloupe for bringing it to light, and taking the leap of faith with a lesser known composer.

7. Pauline Oliveros - Accordian and Voice , The Wanderer (Important)-  Overlooked Oliveros records thankfully brought back into circulation, if only because they've got great covers.  There's already so much great Oliveros available that it's hard to put these in perspective in her catalog, but they stand as very solid efforts all around.

8. Bobb Trimble - Iron Curtain Innocence (Secretly Canadian)-  I prefer the heavily stoned trance vibe of this record to the loose folk of Harvest of Dreams.

9. Yoshi Wada - Lament for the Rise and Fall of the Elephantile Crocodile (Editions Omega Point/EM)-  I may have actually enjoyed this more in it's abbreviated LP version, but it's a very good record still and not as easy to pin down as you would think given it's humble approach.

10. Liliantal - Liliantal (SPV/Revisted)-  The whole new SPV reissues of the German scene are top notch in packaging and sound.  I chose this because it's one of my new favorites from the Krautrock scene and as far as I know never before available on CD, which is odd for a Brain release.

11. Daphne Oram - Oramics (Paradigm, UK)-  Very well done early electronic music.

12. William Basinski - Shortwavemusic (2062)-  One of the more distinctive Basinski records.

New Recordings:

1. Fovea Hex - Neither Speak Nor Remain Silent (Die Stadt/Janet)-  Glad I decided to invest in this set after all.  A record that feels like an old classic already. 

2. Grand State University New Music Ensemble - Steve Reich "Music for 18 Musicians" (Innova)-  Perhaps the very best version available. 

3. Johnny Greenwood - There Will Be Blood (Nonesuch)-  I've listened to this many, many times since I got it in December.  Very balanced listening with an adventurous streak.

4. Percurama Percussion Ensemble, Paul Hillier - Terry Rily "In C" (Ars Nova)-  One of the better versions of this as well.

5. Radiohead - In Rainbows (Radiohead)-  I probably had more fun listening to this record the night it was released on the internet than I have had in a long long time.  Made me feel young again.  Really young.

6. Paul Zukofsky - Krauze/Ichiyanagi/Cage (Musical Observations)-  Stellar. 

7. Robert Wyatt - Comicopera (Domino)-  Supremely pleasant listening.

8. Carl Stone - Al-Noor (Intone)-  I meant to write a full review on this, but the politics of it got to my head (since Woo Lae Oak was released on CD this month).  This release, even for Stone, is impressively diverse, fun, and interesting.  In my opinion, it's not even worth scratching your head over whether it's more fun or more interesting.  The answer's just in wanting to listen to it again.

9. Field Music - Tones of Town (Memphis Industries)-  Great art rock.  Not so much into this new School of Language solo stuff. 

10. Fennesz/Sakamoto - Cendre (Touch)-  A beautiful record whose quality will show with time, I think. 

11. Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight  (Warner)-  I think I actually prefer this record to the other Rilo Kiley I've heard.  Light, yes, but also fairly tense in a good way.  I think this got heavily underrated.

12. Panda Bear - Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)-  I go back and forth on this record a lot.  Essentially I wish it were heavier on the low end.  Maybe with a different mastering job I'd have thought that it was great, but right now I just kind of admit that I've heard it and thought it was good. 

13. Dinosaur Jr - Beyond (Sub Pop)-  Surprisingly great sounding effort with some great guitar hero moments.

Movies:

1. The Black Book (Paul Verhoeven)-  More epic and saddening than any other movie I saw this year.  It was also a bit fantastical, but I can live with that.

2. There Will Be Blood (P.T. Anderson)- Despite it's flaws, lots about this movie was deeply heartfelt. 

3. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Sydney Lumet)- For sheer storytelling, this has to be the best movie this year, but I'm going to put it third because life's unfair.

4. No Country for Old Men (Joel and Ethan Cohen)

Jumping right on board, I saw There Will Be Blood and I did like it very much and think it's worth going to see.  While it's has it's faults, like some glaze-inducing overly-misanthropic pretensions, it's got a lot going for it.  Daniel Plainview is the role that makes me not regret watching Daniel Day Lewis play that top-hatted, mustached gang boss in Gangs of New York.  He is a little more interesting to watch than the other great villain this year, Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men, because his character is as bluntly instinctual and yet his on screen drama has a much wider, clearer vantage.   His hate is measured by more than just not wanting to be seen.  The best scenes show him awkwardly dealing with an undeniable and unfitting desire to be a family man and a respectable business man.  While he's neither, he certainly has some obscured desire to be these things.  We see him wasting time pursuing these things, just like anyone has to, but in a veiled enough way that it's convincingly sincere, at least to me.  I also like the style of the film for the most part.  Understated, portentous, the scenes carry themselves along with a certain weightlessness for much of the film, and at the same time you've got something really brewing inside.

That's why I connect watching that movie with listening to James Tenney's Postal Pieces 2CD set.  I think about it like listening to Feldman with none of the oppressive tension and all the benefit.  The swimming scene especially reminds me of this.  Empty and full at the same time.

I also liked that the end of the movie tried to turn that on its head (full and empty at the same time) in a bowling alley. 

Sidney Lumet's new picture, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead (starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, and Marisa Tomei) is a stunning film.  It manages to capture the massive drama (specifically tortuous, anguishing wrongdoing) that a very small period of time can hold within itself, better than nearly any film I've seen before.  Then, it proceeds directly to spin it's plot wildly out of control in a beautiful one-two punch.  The style is strong and artful and it's a film that's certainly going to rank high on my eventual tops of 2007 list.

It finally got me off my seat to check out the new DVD of one of his early masterpieces, Prince of the City.  Also a movie with a very strong visual style (think the machismo of someone like Michael Mann, who I actually like a lot less), this nearly three hour tour-de-force is interesting because of its richly understated character studies, and the fact that the whole thing plays like a mob epic, except it's all about police detectives.  This is great precedent for anyone interested in HBO's The Wire as a brave and accomplished work of cinema.

Mine and many other's first introduction to Dominique Leone will be through his long stint as a writer for Pitchfork Media.  I found my tastes usually aligned most closely to his on that site.  So, for me, a non-musician, non-music maker, hearing his new album on Strømland could have been an uncommonly critical variety of listen.  Until now, my association with him was somewhat easy and personal, I got to know of him through association with lots of other music I heard.  It certainly got me thinking a little about what kind of music I might make and what pitfalls might be created by being a music enthusiast and critic (not that I'm much more than an "off the cuff" critic), then a music maker myself.  Thankfully, within the opening seconds of disc it was brightly clear that I was listening to energetic and personal music. 

"Wow, he's really going for it," is I think the first thought that popped into my head.  The songs do remind me in turns of Fennesz-like electronic warmth and complexity, Boredoms-esque guitar blowouts, and intellectually fused prog-rock anthems a la Magma, but I never feel like the reference points I'm mentioning are very much reference as much as they are Leone's personal takes on the form.  All of it's crafted with a somewhat lo-fi appeal, but most of it has the direct sonic presence and emotional interest that makes pop music actually "pop."  And at the same time, it is music for the music obsessed - just as likely to make the guy with every Pita record jump around gleefully as it is the guy who's just there for the party.  As for me, I like that his singing voice reminds me of Todd Rundgren a lot of the time, and it can be as much of a heady gathering record as it can be an introspectively upbeat one.

Two of the biggest surprises of 2007 for me have turned out to come to me from the shop of Paul Hillier, a figure I've respected highly because of the astounding vocal works of Arvo Pärt which he's directed.  I've also written him off for a long time as probably ultimately an under-imaginative and safe figure.  I've gotten rid of that notion.  While his recordings are unabashedly well produced and slickly nuanced, nuanced they are and they sound glorious. 

Upon first listen his new version of Terry Riley's "In C" came across as rote and overly literal, while still maintaining just enough gimmick to achieve repulsion.  However, that was at the record store, with cheap headphones on and a short patience for anything less than gripping.  When brought home and lived with, the recording is a blessing.  Like I said, I've respected the man's work, so I still recommended the university library purchase a copy, and renewed my belief in libraries providing serious opportunity for growth.  I'd say that this is not only a fine version of "In C", but a superior one, ranking just below the original recording in order of versions worth listening to seriously.  Even the choice to do a version with only voices and percussion ultimately feels like artistic brilliance.  How else to free music from the piece more than it already has been?

Stockhausen's "Stimmung" is the other new recording which I heard, and while the differences stylistically and qualitatively from other performances of the piece (I'm only familiar with the Hyperion edition) are less readily apparent to me, the actual quality of the recording is as excellent as they come and the SACD matering is far superior for immersing yourself in the piece, assuming you have the player (mine's built into the DVD player) providing a more open frequency range and allowing for more volume and less compressed sound.  The piece as a work, I'm less compelled by than Riley's "In C" or even almost any give Arvo Pärt work, but the aesthetic choices and processes of the piece are interesting enough to make it a worthwhile listen several times through, and while it's less compelling, it is a more subtly transporting work than aforementioned pieces, which in my book is a virtue in itself.