November 2007
Look for "Rick's Pick"

CLASSICAL
$15.98	Title:    Altered Realities Label:    New Albion Composer:    Erdem Helvacioglu ISBN:    9786310416984 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00022551013124 Prod.#:    BECDNA 131 Cat.#:    NA131 Period:    Modern Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    Using an acoustic guitar played and manipulated in real time using live electronics, this Turkish guitarist and composer creates gorgeous soundscapes that are simultaneously soothing, challenging, and uplifting. Imagine a less uptight Robert Fripp collaborating with a less pretentious Brian Eno, and you'll have a good idea of what to expect. Excellent. (RA)
$18.98	Title:    Choral Music for Advent and Christmas Label:    Carus (dist. Albany) Composer:    Knabenchor Collegium Iuvenum Stuttgart / Friedemann Keck ISBN:    9786309964632 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00409350831294 Prod.#:    BECDCARU83129 Cat.#:    83.129 Period:    Various Genre:    Holiday Music Release type:    Reissue Comments:    It's November -- time to check your holiday music collection and make sure it's ready for the season. If you can use a collection of German choral music that somehow sounds Christmasy despite the fact that none of the melodies are familiar, sung by a top-notch boys choir, then don't hesitate to pick up this fine collection by the Knabenchor Collegium Iuvenum Stuttgart. I confess that I've never heard any of these tunes or even know any of the composers (except Heinrich Schutz), but it's a gorgeous album and the music is startlingly seasonal. (RA)
$17.98	Title:    Salzedo's Harp Label:    Telarc Composer:    Carlos Salzedo Performer:    Yolanda Kondonassis ISBN:    9786311599303 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00089408069123 Prod.#:    BECDTELA80691 Cat.#:    CD-80691 Period:    Romantic/20th Century Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    There may have been no composer who explored the expressive possibilities of the harp as thoroughly as Carlos Salzedo did, and there is surely no harpist better prepared to share his genius than Yolanda Kondonassis. This absolutely stunning disc brings together some of Salzedo's most delightful music, including his Variations sur un theme dans le style ancien, which Kondonassis renders with sparkling grace. Highly recommended to all libraries. (RA)
$39.96	Title:    Six Violin Concertos, Op. III Label:    Hungaroton Composer:    Performer:    Piroska Vitarius; Savaria Baroque Orchestra / Pal Nemeth ISBN:    9786311218709 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00675754992620 Prod.#:    BECDHUGR32499 Cat.#:    HCD 32499-500 Period:    Classical Genre:    Classical Release type:    New (2-discs) Comments:    This two-disc set is a bit on the pricey side, but it's worth every penny. A student of Giuseppe Tartini, Maddalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen was both a gifted violinist and a composer of tremendous skill, as this world-premiere collection of concertos demonstrates. Soloist Piroska Vitarius is accompanied by one of Hungary's finest period instrument ensembles, and the recorded sound is clean and elegant. A must for every classical collection. (RA)
$17.99	Title:    Complete Magnificats with Antiphons Label:    Naxos Composer:    Pierre de la Rue Performer:    Viva Voce ISBN:    9786311399866 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00747313289622 Prod.#:    BECDNAXO8557896 Cat.#:    8.557896-97 Period:    Renaissance Genre:    Classical Release type:    New (2-discs) Comments:    This is the first time all seven of Pierre de la Rue's Magnificat settings have been recorded together with their antiphons, and it provides an excellent opportunity to hear one of Josquin's few true musical peers at the peak of his compositional powers. The singing is by the mixed-voice Viva Voce choir, who sound spectacular in the warm acoustic of the Eglise de la Visitation in Montreal. Highly recommended to all early music collections. (RA)
$16.99	Title:    Sonatas & Trios Label:    CPO Composer:    Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach Performer:    Camerata Koln ISBN:    9786311399767 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00761203708727 Prod.#:    BECDCPO 777087 Cat.#:    777 087-2 Period:    Classical Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    When a biographer says of a composer's music that its "intricacies reveal themselves to the attentive listener only gradually," one automatically suspects him of gilding the lily a bit. But in the case of J.S. Bach's least famous son, it's a fair description of music that at first sounds merely charming and eventually comes to communicate something a bit more than superficial pleasure. Camerate Koln play this music with real gusto and conviction (using a fortepiano instead of a harpsichord in the continuo) and make a solid case for this overlooked talent. Recommended. (RA)
$17.98	Title:    Ballad for Edvard Grieg Label:    EMI Classics Composer:    Edvard Grieg Performer:    Leif Ove Andsnes; Berlin Philharmonic / Mariss Jansons ISBN:    9786311428276 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00094639439928 Prod.#:    BECDEMIC94399 Cat.#:    94399 2 Period:    Romantic Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    Would it be jingoism by proxy to suggest that one reason Leif Ove Andsnes has emerged as the greatest living interpreter of Edvard Grieg is the fact that he's Norwegian? (As Steve Reich once pointed out, "national differences do count for something. Imagine Karajan conducting Gershwin -- you wouldn't want to hear that, would you?") Whatever the explanation, he brings his typical insight and passion to bear on this nicely varied program of solo piano pieces (the Ballade in G Minor and the 6 Lyric Pieces) and one concerto (in A minor, op. 16). Highly recommended, no matter how many other versions of these pieces your library may own. (RA)
$20.00	Title:    The Pleasures of Love and Libation: Airs by Julie Pinel and Other Parisian Women Label:    La Donna Musicale Composer:    Various Composers Performer:    La Donna Musicale UPC:    804791001273 Cat.#:    LA 07103 Period:    Baroque Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    No demerits for misrepresentation here: these songs, written by a handful of underrecognized 18th-century Parisian women, all celebrate various levels of intoxication both alcoholic and romantic. The Boston-based ensemble plays with all the elegance and panache one has come to expect of them, and the vocal soloists are all excellent. Very highly recommended, along with this ensemble's previous releases, to all classical collections. (RA)
$11.98	Title:    Works for Violin & Piano Label:    MSR Classics (dist. Albany) Composer:    William Bolcom Performer:    Renata Artman Knific; Lori Sims ISBN:    9786311255148 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00681585119723 Prod.#:    BECDMSRCMS1197 Cat.#:    MS 1197 Period:    20th Century Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    William Bolcom may have made his name as America's foremost living composer of ragtime music, but those who know him primarily for the "Graceful Ghost Rag" may be taken aback by the stark, even grim tone of the three sonatas for violin and piano offered here. That's not to say the music isn't beautiful, and even at times deeply lyrical (note the Joe Venuti tribute at the end of the second sonata). But there's something dark and complex at the heart of this music, and it's both fascinating and at times startling to hear. Then the program ends with a lovely arrangement of the "Graceful Ghost." Brilliant. (RA)
$35.98	Title:    Opera Arias Label:    Hyperion (dist. Harmonia Mundi) Composer:    George Frideric Handel Performer:    Emma Kirkby; Catherine Bott; Brandenburg Consort / Roy Goodman ISBN:    9786311446492 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00034571142715 Prod.#:    BECDHMD CDS44271 Cat.#:    CDS44271/3 Period:    Baroque Genre:    Classical Release type:    Boxed Set (3-discs) Comments:    This three-disc set brings together three deleted Hyperion releases (CDA66860, CDA66950, CDA67128) all featuring the now-legendary soprano Emma Kirkby on an assortment of arias (with accompanying overtures) from Handel's operas; on the second disc she is joined by her colleague Catherine Bott. There may not be a better exponent of the music of this period than Kirkby -- she handles the sometimes brutally demanding parts with seemingly effortless aplomb and with a pure clarity of tone that other women would kill for. If your library doesn't own these discs in their original versions, jump at the chance to grab this set at midprice. (RA)
COUNTRY/FOLK
$15.99	Title:    Bluegrass Diaries Label:    Yep Roc (dist. Redeye) Artist:    Jim Lauderdale ISBN:    9786311478899 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00634457215825 Prod.#:    BECDREDEYEP2158 Cat.#:    YEP 2158 Genre:    Bluegrass/Country Release type:    New Comments:    Jim Lauderdale's latest album isn't nearly as traditional as it sounds at first blush -- "All Roads Lead Back to You" has about five chords too many for bluegrass, and "Looking for a Good Place to Land" is a bit lyrically involved as well. But the instrumentation and energy sure make it sound like bluegrass, and whose going to complain over a few fancy chords? Not me, not when the songwriting and singing are this good. (RA)
$11.98	Title:    Halfway to Hazard Label:    Mercury Artist:    Halfway to Hazard ISBN:    9786311379837 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517323766 Prod.#:    BECDUMG B000887002 Cat.#:    B0008870-02 Genre:    Country & Western Release type:    New Comments:    Um... technically, are you supposed to use a wah-wah pedal on a country album? How about singing in octaves instead of in harmony? And what's with the chin beards? Didn't somebody in Nashville vet this thing before it was released? (Luckily, for those of us who care more about hard-rocking hooks than about defending the verities, the answer to that question would seem to be no.) As a sop to traditionalists, there's a banjo on "Daisy." And a song called "Country 'Til the Day We Die." (RA)
$17.98	Title:    Se Label:    Compass Artist:    Lunasa ISBN:    9786309983367 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00766397442228 Prod.#:    BECDCOMS974422 Cat.#:    7 4422 2 Genre:    Celtic Release type:    New Comments:    Just when you think they couldn't get any tighter, the four members of Lunasa come back with a set of traditional and original Irish tunes that bounces even harder and with more precision than the last. Once again, the interplay between piper Cillian Vallely and flutist Kevin Crawford is the top draw. Highly recommended. (RA)
$17.98	Title:    We'll Never Turn Back Label:    Anti (dist. ADA) Artist:    Mavis Staples ISBN:    9786311078303 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00045778683024 Prod.#:    BECDANTR86830 Cat.#:    Genre:    Folk/Gospel Release type:    New Comments:    Mavis Staples was the lead singer in the pop/gospel group The Staples Singers, and she has recorded this album as a tribute to the Civil Rights Movements with guitarist Ry Cooder (recently more famous for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club) producing. The tracks have a fresh feel, despite the rootsy sound and the reliance on old chestnuts like "Eyes on the Prize," "This Little Light of Mine," and "We Shall Not Be Moved." This album is satisfying on a purely artistic level, and it also serves as a musical history lesson. (SA)
$15.99	Title:    Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John Label:    Redeye Distribution Artist:    Peter Case ISBN:    9786311361726 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00634457216020 Prod.#:    BECDREDEYEP2160 Cat.#:    Genre:    Blues Release type:    New Comments:    Since his moment in the rock & roll sun with The Plimsouls in the early 80s, Peter Case has made a solo career as a highly-regarded folk-oriented artist. However, this album (his tenth) is the first to showcase him without a backing band, featuring almost exclusively performances done the way he does them live – just a man and his guitar. Despite the title, there are no Sleepy John Estes songs here, just Case’s usual batch of fine songs, performed solo in the spirit of that great bluesman. (SA)
$20.98	Title:    The Gift: A Tribute To Ian Tyson Label:    Stony Plain Artist:    Various Artists ISBN:    9786311371688 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00772532132220 Prod.#:    BECDSTON1322 Cat.#:    SPCD 1322 Genre:    Country & Western Release type:    New Comments:    While best known for writing the 60’s folk staple “Four Strong Winds” and for being half of the duo Ian & Sylvia, songwriter Ian Tyson spent some time as a working rancher, and his later catalog is packed with modern cowboy ballads. This fine tribute to Tyson includes 15 of his finest (mostly) cowboy songs, covered by a stellar group of folk and country acts. Highlights include Blue Rodeo’s version of “Four Strong Winds,” Jennifer Warnes’ beautiful take on “Blue Mountains of Mexico,” plus strong performances by Chris Hillman, Gordon Lightfoot, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and others. The title track sums up Tyson’s cowboy sensibilities; “The Gift,” covered by David Rea, is a droll, evocative ballad about the famous western painter Charlie Russell, where God assigns him the duty of covering Montana sunsets, then takes him out for a beer. Tyson’s cowboy songs even won praise in the Atlantic Monthly in 1995. Recommended. (GH)
$74.98	Title:    Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems Label:    Rhino Artist:    Emmylou Harris ISBN:    9786310606569 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00081227474423 Prod.#:    BECDRHIN74744 Cat.#:    R2 74744 Genre:    Country & Western Release type:    Boxed Set (5-discs) Comments:    This 4 CD, 1 DVD Songbird box is, without question, the definitive Emmylou Harris collection. The first two CDs offer a chronological career retrospective, beginning with “Clocks,” an early Joni Mitchell-influenced folk song, moving through her breakthrough years with Gram Parsons, and documenting her rise as a country/rock superstar. The third and fourth discs feature plenty of unreleased material, while the DVD includes early songs with the Hot Band and a beautiful duet of “Love Hurts” with Elvis Costello. Rhino completes the package with a 200 page hardbound booklet packed with photos, song annotations, and a biographical essay. Overall, this is a great portrait of one of the most distinctive voices and finest song interpreters in popular music. Highly recommended. (GH)
JAZZ
$10.98	Title:    Horizon Label:    Riverside Records/Concord Jazz Artist:    McCoy Tyner ISBN:    9786311492666 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00888072302068 Prod.#:    BECDRVSD30206 Cat.#:    MCD-30206 Genre:    Jazz Music Release type:    Reissue Comments:    Pianist Tyner has switched his forces often, from quartet to big band and everything in between, to suit his vision. This reissue from 1979 follows that trend with complex arrangements and unusual instrumentation by a septet. Here, the group sounds “big bandish,” but without brass. The use of violin, flutes, and congas creates an ethereal sound, even when the group is fast and furious. Experimental without losing straight-ahead jazz fans, Tyner’s work is a refreshing change from the standard post-bop quartet. A bonus track features an alternate take of the title track. (JW)
$16.98	Title:    Suggestions Label:    Jazzed Media (dist. Allegro) Artist:    Bob Lark ISBN:    9786311338315 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00700261213859 Prod.#:    BECDJZMDJMD1026 Cat.#:    Genre:    Jazz Music Release type:    New Comments:    Bob Lark’s recorded catalog is rather short, only four albums, but he has a day job as Director of Jazz Studies at DePaul University, so don’t worry about him. He and four fellow Chicago musicians got together in 2004 for this very fine pair of sessions, mixing up originals and classics in a straightahead style. The quintet plays mostly uptempo, with Lark on trumpet, but these tracks are interspersed with ballads featuring Lark on flugelhorn and Jim McNeely on piano. Beautiful tone, sparkling accompaniment, and sophisticated interplay make for very enjoyable listening. (JW)
$10.98	Title:    Farmer's Market Label:    Prestige Records/Concord Jazz Artist:    Art Farmer ISBN:    9786311361573 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00888072301665 Prod.#:    BECDPSGR30166 Cat.#:    PRCD-30166 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    Reissue Comments:    This remastered hard bop session from 1956 has the Horace Silver stamp of approval on it, even though he wasn’t there when some of his disciples got together. Farmer is featured on trumpet, but he shares considerable solo space with Kenny Drew on piano and Hank Mobley on tenor sax. Backed by brother Addison Farmer on bass and Elvin Jones on drums, the group strikes a fine balance of melody and harmony on both uptempo numbers and ballads. It swings all the way to the end. (JW)
$18.98	Title:    Mistico Label:    Fantasy Records/Concord Jazz Artist:    Charlie Hunter Trio ISBN:    9786311164242 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00888072302655 Prod.#:    BECDFTYR30265 Cat.#:    FCD-30265 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    New Comments:    Let's not waste time arguing about whether Charlie Hunter's latest is a "real" jazz album or not. Yes, his sound is more grungy and rockish than it is either swinging or funky. Yes, he's stripped a string from his famous eight-string guitar (a hybrid bass and treble instrument that is technically impossible to play, and with which he has been freaking out other guitarists for years). And yes, his trio recorded without charts and with barely more than one or two takes. But jazz it is, just like Monk was jazz and electric Miles was jazz. And because it's Hunter, the tunes and the grooves are raunchily beautiful. And it really irritates me that he can play that guitar. (RA)
$16.98	Title:    Funky Pieces Of Silver: The Horace Silver Songbook (The Composer Collection Vol. 1) Label:    Highnote Records Artist:    Horace Silver ISBN:    9786311432013 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00632375717629 Prod.#:    BECDHNR 757176 Cat.#:    HCD 7176 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    New Comments:    This is the first volume of HighNote Records' new Composer Collection series. While it does not feature Horace Silver himself, it does feature several of his classic compositions that are soulfully interpreted by a variety of accomplished jazz musicians, including Charles Earland, Houston Person, Joey DeFrancesco, Russell Gunn, 'Papa' John DeFrancesco, and Joe Chambers. (PS)
$49.98	Title:    Lady Day: The Master Takes and Singles Label:    Sony Legacy Artist:    Billie Holiday ISBN:    9786311332726 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00886971095524 Prod.#:    BECDCOLM10955 Cat.#:    88697 10955 2 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    Boxed Set (4-discs) Comments:    These are the songs that made Billie Holiday a legend – the singles released when she was at the peak of her artistic power. This 4 CD set is a well-chosen distillation of material from the massive, 10 CD Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia (2001). It’s a welcome culling that takes the best of the best, as it were, and repackages it into an attractive slipcase with annotations for each song and an essay by jazz journalist Gary Giddins. If you missed the 10 CD box, make sure you grab this one. It’s essential for any jazz collection. (GH)
$17.98	Title:    Universal Syncopations II Label:    ECM Artist:    Miroslav Vitous ISBN:    9786311315590 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517183575 Prod.#:    BECDUMG B000875802 Cat.#:    B0008758-02 Genre:    Jazz Music Release type:    New Comments:    Bassist Miroslav Vitous combines modern classical and jazz elements into this ambitious work. By voicing Randy Brecker’s trumpet, three saxes, bass, percussion, and choir, Vitous produces a work that balances carefully composed sections with improvisation, with rewarding results. Not surprisingly, ECM’s crystal-clear recording ethos provides a pristine audio environment, one where nuance and subtlety come to the fore. (GH)
ROCK/POP
$15.98	Title:    Big Science Label:    Nonesuch Artist:    Laurie Anderson ISBN:    9786311248423 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00075597998856 Prod.#:    BECDNONE130428 Cat.#:    130428-2 Genre:    Rock Release type:    Reissue Comments:    When this album was first released in 1982, it caused all kinds of consternation. Laurie Anderson's "serious" art colleagues resented her commercial success, for one thing, and no one could figure out how a drastically minimalist eight-minute song about Superman could become a chart success either. Today it's hard to see what the big deal was all about -- strange as it is, this is above all a rather gentle album, one in which the words and music add up to a sweetly and affectionately ironic whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Yes, you missed some of the point if you couldn't see the visuals (the songs were taken from a larger stage performance), but you didn't miss all of it. And with this expanded and remastered reissue, you get some visuals as well -- the video to "O Superman (For Massenet)" -- along with "Walk the Dog," the original B-side to that single. Recommended. (RA)
$24.98	Title:    Remember That Night: Live from the Royal Albert Hall [DVD] Label:    Sony Music Video Artist:    David Gilmour ISBN:    9786311110164 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00886970742498 Prod.#:    BEDDSYMV07424 Cat.#:    Genre:    Music Video - Pop/Rock Release type:    New (2-discs) Comments:    Remember That Night captures guitarist Gilmour in a 2006 concert ostensibly in support of his latest CD, On an Island. But coming from a man who bills himself as “the voice and guitar of Pink Floyd,” it’s no surprise that this extended concert lays out a thick dose of Floyd material – and does it lovingly and brilliantly. While the Gilmour solo material is strong, this is essentially Gilmour’s finest Pink Floyd recording since he and bassist Roger Waters split Floyd up two decades ago. The party line for Floyd purists (this reviewer included – I saw Floyd on the Dark Side of the Moon tour in a community college gym) is that the band’s not complete without Roger Waters. Gilmour challenges this assumption, asserting himself strongly by opening the show with the first four songs from Dark Side of the Moon. He also throws in “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” (with background vocals from Graham Nash and David Crosby), “Wish You Were Here,” and a show-stopping tour-de-force version of “Echoes.” Gilmour’s excellent band includes Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright and guitarist Phil Manzanera, plus a guest appearance from David Bowie, who joins Gilmour for a rousing version of Floyd’s early hit “Arnold Layne.” It was a joy to put the party line aside for a while and just enjoy the show. Highly recommended. (GH)
$14.98	Title:    23 Label:    4AD (dist. ADA) Artist:    Blonde Redhead ISBN:    9786311076255 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00652637271720 Prod.#:    BECD4AD 72717 Cat.#:    72717 Genre:    Rock, Alternative Music Release type:    New Comments:    On 23, their most accessible release to date, this art-rock trio’s sound is even further refined than on their last album, the cult favorite Misery is a Butterfly. While earlier outings were frequently compared to early Sonic Youth, here the noise-guitar effects give way to subtle electronic textures and Blonde Redhead's unique take on dream-pop guitar atmospheres. Even with the shimmering guitar effects which call to mind the shoegaze of My Bloody Valentine at times, their approach remains spare and minimal. Though the sound is still as brooding and intense as ever, the effects-softened dissonance here leads into beautiful melodic passages as well, and Kazu Makino’s siren-song vocals are as seductively haunting as ever. (TB)
$15.98	Title:    Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Label:    Merge Records (dist. ADA) Artist:    Spoon ISBN:    9786311270103 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00673855029528 Prod.#:    BECDMERG50295 Cat.#:    217 Genre:    Rock, Alternative Music Release type:    New Comments:    Austin, Texas indie outfit Spoon are simply one of the best bands alive and they’re in their prime, as this album confirms. The sounds here are highly listenable pop, yet subtly challenging. Britt Daniel’s sad bastard, broken-hearted, anti-hero lyrics and soulful delivery are in full force here, always complex and compelling. Spoon here employs their widest array of sounds to date, including elements of Motown and soul, with horns on some tracks. But each element is used judiciously and is expertly orchestrated. The result is pure, accessible pop that is so skillfully distilled to its essence that its true brilliance only emerges after repeated listening. (TB)
$9.98	Title:    Boss Label:    Ecstatic Peace (dist. Fontana) Artist:    Magik Markers ISBN:    9786311518267 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517461130 Prod.#:    BECDFNTAB000989902 Cat.#:    000989902 Genre:    Rock, Alternative Music Release type:    New Comments:    Imagine Lee Ranaldo’s surprise when he showed up to produce this record and learned that the band, known for their relentlessly experimental noisenik sounds, had fully realized songs this time. And challenging, addictive ones at that. On Boss, Magik Markers reveal themselves to be an ensemble of true pop sensibilities without losing their appetite for alternate tunings and pitch bending effects. (They were recruited by Thurston Moore to his Ecstatic Peace label). The vocals at times call to mind a modern Grace Slick or a boozy Hope Sandoval. The music is atmospheric, from its morphine-laced, slow-driving, relentlessly intense down tempo tracks, to its garage rockers, or its off-kilter piano balladry. The sounds here evoke a smoky, cool wildness that makes you wish you were there. (TB)
$11.98	Title:    Greatest Hits: Ministry Label:    Rhino Artist:    Ministry ISBN:    9786311481684 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00081227996550 Prod.#:    BECDRHIN295996 Cat.#:    295996 Genre:    Rock, Alternative Music Release type:    Reissue Comments:    While Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor was the more mainstream face of industrial music in the 1990s, Ministry epitomized the genre’s sound. This reissue compilation covers the band’s commercial peak on Warner Bros. in the 1980s and ‘90s, therefore omitting works from their earlier incarnation as a synth pop group on Arista or the transitional single “Everyday is Halloween” on Wax Trax. But it includes all their bone-crushing classics, including “Supernaut” a Black Sabbath cover from offshoot band 1000 Homo DJs featuring an uncredited Reznor on vocals. (MC)
$13.98	Title:    Asleep At Heaven's Gate Label:    Brushfire Artist:    Rogue Wave ISBN:    9786311492178 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517449893 Prod.#:    BECDUMG B000980502 Cat.#:    000980501 Genre:    Rock, Alternative Music Release type:    New Comments:    This third release for the Rogue Wave is a slight departure from their previous releases. The change in direction might be credited to the personal challenges that faced the band in the year preceding this recording and what results are moments of soaring beauty contrasted with a melancholic undertone. The lush guitars are combined with a sonic grandeur and heavy instrumentation that never stray far from Rogue Wave’s indie rock sensibility. The first half is admittedly stronger then the second with the opener, “Harmonium” and the standout “Chicago x 12.” These two songs make Asleep at Heaven’s Gate worth the purchase. Recommended. (PB)
$64.98	Title:    Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970 Label:    Rhino Artist:    Various Artists ISBN:    9786311267363 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00081227998301 Prod.#:    BECDRHIN165564 Cat.#:    R2 165564 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    Boxed Set (4-discs) Comments:    Rhino’s latest installment in its much-beloved Nuggets series is an exquisitely crafted document to the diversity of the San Francisco music scene in the late 1960s. While best known for the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother and the Holding Company (with Janis Joplin), Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Santana, the SF area was also home to dozens of other bands. There are well-known songs here, such as Moby Grape’s “Omaha,” Steve Miller’s “Quicksilver Girl,” and Count Five’s “Psychotic Reaction,” but also a score of little-know songs by such bands as The Chocolate Watchband, Frumious Bandersnatch, and The Mojo Men. Folk and blues intermingle with electric fury, with a gentle, psychedelic haze permeating much of the material. There’s more to this fine package than four CDs of music – the accompanying 120-page hardbound book includes a historic photo collection by Herb Greene and other fine SF photographers, an introductory essay by Ben Fong-Torres of Rolling Stone (which was founded – guess where? -- in SF), and an extensive annotation for each of the 77 songs in this collection. Very highly recommended. (GH)
$14.98	Title:    The Stage Names Label:    Jagjaguwar (Dist. ADA) Artist:    Okkervil River ISBN:    9786311350096 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00656605211022 Prod.#:    BECDJGWR52110 Cat.#:    110 Genre:    Rock, Alternative Music Release type:    New Comments:    This Austin band’s fifth album is jangly and folky, including a reworking of “Sloop John B.” It is full of orchestra touches such as strings and a delicate glockenspiel. The lyrics are densely packed, most cleverly on “Plus Ones” which goes one beyond many famous musical enumerations, such as the “51st Way to Leave Your Lover” and “9 Miles High.” (MC)
WORLD/ETHNIC
$18.99	Title:    Live At The Barbican Theater, London 2006 Label:    Luaka Bop (dist. Redeye) Artist:    Os Mutantes ISBN:    9786311579398 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00680899006828 Prod.#:    BECDLKBP0068 Cat.#:    Genre:    Rock/Latin Release type:    New (2-discs) Comments:    In the 1960s, Os Mutantes were among the founders of the Tropicalia cultural/political movement. Four decades later, most of the original line-up reunited, fleshed out with additional vocalists and musicians, for a tour captured on this two-disc live set. Juxtaposing the familiar with the exotic, the band infuses rock and pop with samba rhythms. Despite the psychedelic hippie vibe, they devolve into jazz rather than noodling jam band. Most songs are in Portuguese; the few in English suggest that nothing is lost in not understanding their lyrics. (MC)
$13.98	Title:    Rodrigo Y Gabriela Label:    Ato (dist. Red) Artist:    Rodrigo Y Gabriela ISBN:    9786310559711 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00880882155728 Prod.#:    BECDATRE21557 Cat.#:    21557 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    New Comments:    Rodrigo Sanchez (lead guitar) and Gabriela Quintero (rhythm guitar), two Mexican-born, heavy metal enthusiasts and classical guitar virtuosos have created a recording that is both unique and traditional. Traditional in the sense that those who appreciate the classical guitar instrumentation will not be disappointed while the infusion and influence of Latin and European folk along with a rock sensibility and heavy groove will help to reach another crowd all together. Throw into the mix legendary producer John Leckie (Radiohead, the Stone Roses) and one can see why this recording has garnered interest and buzz within the rock community. Definitely worth checking out. (PB)
$17.98	Title:    From Dubplate to Download: The Best of Greensleeves Records Label:    Greensleeves (dist. Ryko) Artist:    Various Artists ISBN:    9786311561058 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00601811101124 Prod.#:    BECDGNSV111011 Cat.#:    4011 Genre:    Reggae Release type:    Compilation (2-discs) Comments:    The Greensleeves label has been in business for thirty years, and this compilation, which contains one track from each of those thirty years, has been released to celebrate the occasion. The label has been at the forefront of reggae’s continuing evolution, and this compilation is a good way to document some of the genre’s more recent offshoots, like one-drop, dancehall, and ragga. Like all good compilations, this one establishes a legacy while also leading the listener towards further exploration. (SA)
$15.98	Title:    Afriki Label:    Cumbancha Artist:    Habib Koite ISBN:    9786311426883 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00890846001053 Prod.#:    BECDCUMH5 Cat.#:    CMB-CD-5 Genre:    World Music Release type:    New Comments:    In recent years, the large and bitterly impoverished African country of Mali has emerged as one of the most exciting sources of African pop music, due in large part to the worldwide success of guitarist and singer Habib Koite. This is Koite's first new album in six years, and its rippling melodies and multilayered rhythms will be sure to win him a new batch of fans. (RA)
$10.98	Title:    Mi Unico Camino Label:    Arhoolie Artist:    Conjunto Bernal ISBN:    9786311237496 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00096297906026 Prod.#:    BECDARHO9060 Cat.#:    ARH CD 9060 Genre:    Latin - Tejano Release type:    Compilation Comments:    Paulino Bernal and his brother Eloy were pioneers of modern Tejano music, incorporating three-part harmony and altering the arrangements in ways that were startling at the time but proved hugely popular. These recordings, made in the 1950s, are classics of the genre and still sound remarkably good today. (RA)
$16.98	Title:    Disko Partizani Label:    Crammed Discs Artist:    Shantel ISBN:    9786311581629 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00876623005674 Prod.#:    BECDCRMD230056 Cat.#:    Craw 41 Genre:    World/Dance, DJ Release type:    New Comments:    DJ Shantel had been a popular purveyor of electronica in his native region for some time before he startled everyone with this wild electro-Balkan fusion. Expect to hear elements of disco, funk, wedding band music, reggae, and maybe even the occasional hint of klezmer in this crazy mix, along with lots of nice, keening female vocals. Also, some really embarrassing English lyrics (sing along, everyone: "I got chicken, dance with me"). Clap your hands say yeah. (RA)
$17.98	Title:    Studio One Singles Label:    Heartbeat Artist:    Gladiators ISBN:    9786311574461 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00011661783621 Prod.#:    BECD116 6178362 Cat.#:    11661-7836-2 Genre:    Reggae Release type:    Compilation Comments:    The Gladiators may not be a household name in reggae circles like the Mighty Diamonds and Culture, but they were a hugely influential harmony trio that produced some of the sharpest and hookiest reggae of the roots period. This collection of early Studio One singles is technically kind of a reissue -- it originally appeared as a French bootleg. But this is its first legitimate issue, and the sound quality is much improved. No reggae collection should be without it. (RA)

© CD HotList 2004