June 2008
Look for "Rick's Pick"

CLASSICAL
$19.98	Title:    Birds on Fire- Jewish Musicians at The Tudor Court Label:    Harmonia Mundi Composer:    Various Composers Performer:    Fretwork; Jeremy Avis ISBN:    9786312056621 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00093046747824 Prod.#:    BECDHMD HMU907478 Cat.#:    HMU 907478 Period:    Renaissance; Contemporary Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    This interesting program consists of music written for viol consort by a variety of Jewish composers -- most from the Renaissance period (when the viola da gamba was at its peak popularity). However, the three-movement title work is by the contemporary composer Orlando Gough, and provides a bracing counterpoint to the more familiar, sweetly harmonious layers of sound that are typical of most music for viols. Also bookending the program are sacred songs by the baroque composer Salamone Rossi. Fascinating, and beautifully played. (RA)
$21.98	Title:    The Seven Last Words of Christ on The Cross Label:    Alia Vox (dist. Harmonia Mundi) Composer:    Franz Joseph Haydn Performer:    Le Concert Des Nations / Jordi Savall ISBN:    9786311642658 ISBN-10:    UPC:    07619986098548 Prod.#:    BECDHMD AV9854 Cat.#:    AV 9854 Period:    Classical Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    Jordi Savall is so closely associated with medieval and Renaissance music from southern Europe (and its North African influences) that it's easy to forget what an accomplished and sensitive interpreter he can be when it comes to later and more northern music. This is a somber and moving rendition of a monument of the high classical period: Haydn's original, orchestral arrangement of the Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross, the movements separated by recitations of the relevant Biblical passages read in Castillian-accented Latin, and accompanied by commentaries in the liner notes by Raimon Panikkar and Jose Saramago -- the one spiritual in focus, the other more humanistic. Deeply moving and highly recommended to all classical collections. (RA)
$8.99	Title:    Part-Songs Label:    Naxos Composer:    Edward Elgar Performer:    Cambridge University Chamber Choir; Ian Farrington / Christopher Robinson ISBN:    9786311945452 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00747313054176 Prod.#:    BECDNAXO8570541 Cat.#:    8.570541 Period:    Romantic Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    I take second place to no man in my dislike of British romanticism. But even I have a hard time resisting the charms of this lovely program of choral miniatures by Edward Elgar, which includes the popular "As Torrents in Summer" and "My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land" as well as the six-part "Bavarian Highlands" suite of songs. Yes, the harmonies are sometimes a bit too plummy and the dynamics sometimes annoyingly exaggerated -- but Elgar's melodic genius is perfectly showcased in this context, and there are many perfect moments. The Cambridge University Chamber Choir sing beautifully and are nicely recorded. (RA)
$17.99	Title:    David in Spelunca Engaddi Label:    Naxos Composer:    Simon Mayr Performer:    Simon Mayr Chorus & Ensemble / Franz Hauk ISBN:    9786312010647 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00747313036677 Prod.#:    BECDNAXO8570366 Cat.#:    8.570366-67 Period:    Classical Genre:    Classical Release type:    New (2-discs) Comments:    Simon Mayr is a criminally overlooked composer of classical opera, and this appears to be the only currently available recording of one of four oratorios he wrote for the Ospedale dei Mendicanti in Venice in 1795. The orchestra isn't quite as tight as one might prefer, and the soloists are sometimes a bit heavy on the vibrato, but overall this is a very satisfying account of this very rarely-recorded work and should find a home in any classical collection. (RA)
$16.99	Title:    Dixit Dominus Label:    CPO (dist. Naxos) Composer:    Domenico Cimarosa Performer:    Orchestra Haydn di Bolzano e Trento; Coro I Musici Cantori di Trento; Coro Voci Roveretane / Fabio Pirona ISBN:    9786311945612 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00761203998821 Prod.#:    BECDCPO 999988 Cat.#:    999 988-2 Period:    Classical Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    Mostly known today for his operas, Domenico Cimarosa was also an accomplished composer of sacred choral music. This is an excellent performance of his eight-section "Dixit Dominus" setting, featuring excellent soloists as well as a top-notch choir and the Haydn Orchestra playing with admirable grace and lightness on modern instruments. Highly recommended to all classical collections. (RA)
$18.99	Title:    Fasch: Orchestral Music Label:    Chaconne (dist. Naxos) Composer:    Johann Friedrich Fasch Performer:    Tempesta Di Mare ISBN:    9786312030423 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00095115075128 Prod.#:    BECDCNDS0751 Cat.#:    CHAN 0751 Period:    Baroque Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    J.F. Fasch would be a much more famous composer today if a large number of his manuscripts hadn't been destroyed in the bombing of Dresden during WWII. However, some of them did survive, and this wonderful disc of four never-before-recorded orchestral works is one result. The program includes an overture, two concerti grossi, and one alternate version of one of the concerto movements. The Philadelphia-based Tempesta di Mare orchestra (on period instruments) plays with both accuracy and passionate excitement -- though I do wish the horns had been miked better. Very highly recommended. (RA)
$16.99	Title:    Six Solos for The Recorder Transcribed for the Violoncello Label:    Avie Composer:    George Frideric Handel Performer:    Brook Street Band (Tatty Theo; Carolyn Gibley) ISBN:    9786311230374 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00822252211825 Prod.#:    BECDAVER2118 Cat.#:    AV2118 Period:    Baroque Genre:    Classical Music Release type:    New Comments:    Harpsichordist Carolyn Gibley transcribed these recorder sonatas to be played by baroque cellist Tatty Theo and herself. Given the relative difficulty of the baroque cello and its somewhat more unwieldy nature, the result is surprisingly sprightly and clean, and both musicians are in top form. The harpsichord could have been recorded at a slightly lower level and the ambience is maybe just a bit too reverberant, but these are fine arrangements and lovely performances, and the disc is recommended to all classical collections. (RA)
$39.99	Title:    The Silence of Being - The Music of Arvo Pärt Label:    Naxos Composer:    Arvo Pärt ISBN:    9786311945711 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00747313601530 Prod.#:    BECDNAXO8506015 Cat.#:    8.506015 Period:    Modern Genre:    Classical Release type:    New (6-discs) Comments:    What might sound like a complete works is actually a selection of Pärt’s music drawn from five previously released recordings that focus a little more on his choral compositions. This set includes: Passio (8.555860); Fratres (8.553750); Orchestral Works (8.554591); Berliner Messe (8.557299); and Music for Unaccompanied Choir (8.570239). Also included is a sampler bonus disc (entitled Sonic Rebellion) that features the music of a variety of modern composers, including Pärt.(PS)
$17.98	Title:    Viola Seul: Works for Unaccompanied Viola. Label:    Centaur Composer:    Various Composers Performer:    Peter Minkler ISBN:    9786311614891 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00044747285429 Prod.#:    BECDCENT2854 Cat.#:    CRC 2854 Period:    Various periods Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    A good representation of the solo viola repertoire,this collection includes only one arrangement, Bach's second suite for cello. Not surprisingly, five of the seven pieces are 20th century works including the Hindemith Sonata op. 25 no. 1, Reger's Suite no. 1 op. 131d, Stravinsky's Elegie, and a world premiere recording of Marcel Dick's "Three for one" written in 1981. All of these pieces are technically demanding and require a commanding presence. Peter Minkler delivers musically engaging and flawless performances of all. A very beautiful effort that will be particularly enjoyed by violists. Highly recommended. (MJB)
$17.98	Title:    20th Century Czech Music for Flute and Piano Label:    Centaur Composer:    Jindrich Feld; Eduard Drizga; Peter Eben; Erwin Schulhoff Performer:    Lana Johns, flute ; Jackie Edwards-Henry, piano. ISBN:    9786311614624 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00044747284125 Prod.#:    BECDCENT2841 Cat.#:    CRC 2841 Period:    20th century Genre:    Classical Release type:    New Comments:    The five pieces in this collection (two by Feld) are lengthy and technically challenging. The melodic language ranges from cantabile to the ethereal, the harmonic language ranges from tonal to twelve-tone and the forms are traditional sonata and suite. Ms. Johns and Ms. Edwards-Henry have an incredible sense of ensemble and musicality. The performances are impeccable. A "must have" for any classical music collection. Highly recommended. (MJB)
COUNTRY/FOLK
$14.98	Title:    An Early American Quilt Label:    Maggie's Music/Goldenrod Artist:    Hesperus ISBN:    9786311590133 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00095182023527 Prod.#:    BECDMGMU235 Cat.#:    MM 235 Genre:    Folk Music Release type:    New Comments:    Hesperus continues to give us chamber folk music at its finest. Tina Chancey, Scott Reiss, and company have put out a fourth set of American colonial music from several traditions. Here they delve into European folk music from England, Ireland, Scotland, and France. Playford country dances mix with jigs, cotillions, marches, and other pieces to give us a fascinating glimpse into American musical roots of the 17th and 18th centuries. Their excellent musicianship combines with a sympathy for the music, with their usual beautiful results. (JW)
$14.99	Title:    Transnormal Skiperoo Label:    Luaka Bop (dist. Redeye) Artist:    Jim White ISBN:    9786311863077 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00680899006927 Prod.#:    BECDLKBP0069 Cat.#:    6 80899 0069-2-7 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    New Comments:    Jim White seems to live in a parallel Southern gothic universe. His music is hard to pin down; is it country, gospel, some sort of freak-folk, or a hybrid of all of them? It doesn’t matter. White and friends set up an atmosphere at the beginning, you might call it a groove, that fascinates and mesmerizes, changes tempos, but sustains through the album on the cadence of his voice. The songs about the people and places of the South are simultaneously mellow and tense and wonderful. The first listen may sound strange. By the second time through you’ll be a Jim White fan. (JW)
$16.98	Title:    Territory Label:    Smithsonian Folkways Artist:    Tony Trischka ISBN:    9786311943052 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00093074016923 Prod.#:    BECDFOLK740169 Cat.#:    SFW CD 40169 Genre:    Bluegrass Release type:    New Comments:    Renegade bluegrass banjo player Trischka often takes wide turns from the genre he’s known for. This time he follows his muse to examine earlier styles of 19th and 20th century banjo. Experimenting with old-time tunings and fingering styles, Celtic and Hawaiian influences, he displays both virtuosity and considerable knowledge of what came before. He mixes solos with group outings with guests such as Mike and Pete Seeger, and the 21 tracks are nicely annotated for the banjo enthusiast. This is a great one for folk music fans. (JW)
$30.98	Title:    Copperhead Road Label:    Geffen Artist:    Steve Earle ISBN:    9786312004516 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517658981 Prod.#:    BECDUMG B001105402 Cat.#:    B0011054-02 Genre:    Country/Rock Release type:    Reissue (2-discs) Comments:    What seemed at the time (1988) like a declaration of independence from Nashville and everything it represented now sounds like a collection of first-rate Steve Earle songs with a big 80s drum sound on the more rocking tracks. This classic is now being reissued with a bonus disc of live cuts recorded around the same time as the original album, featuring fierce performances by Earle’s ragged but right band the Dukes. It confused a lot of people at the time, but this reissue, combined with the added material, gives us a good chance to re-evaluate Copperhead Road in the context of Earle’s overall artistic development. An outlaw classic. (SA)
$15.98	Title:    Mississippi Number One Label:    Yellow Dog Artist:    Performer:    Eden Brent ISBN:    9786311983973 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00823800161623 Prod.#:    BECDYDR YD21616 Cat.#:    YDR 1616 Genre:    Blues Release type:    New Comments:    If the word "Mississippi" makes you think of delta blues and that's about it, then give a listen to this rollicking, swinging, soulful, rocking, contemplative, torchy, jazzy collection of songs by the great singer and pianist Eden Brent. Everything she plays sounds like it was drawn lovingly from the delta mud, and yet the variety of styles and interpretations she invokes is jaw-dropping. Her voice is rich and gritty, her playing virtuosic but unassuming. Highly recommended. (RA)
JAZZ
$18.98	Title:    Lifecycle Label:    Heads Up Artist:    Yellowjackets ISBN:    9786311989678 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00053361313920 Prod.#:    BECDHEAD3139 Cat.#:    HUCD 3139 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    New Comments:    I haven't checked the hipster database recently, but last I heard it still wasn't cool to say you like the Yellowjackets -- their R&B roots and their fusion-y tendencies over the years have always offended the jazz intelligentsia. Well, you know what? Screw 'em. The Yellowjackets' new album, which prominently features the sharp and edgy guitar work (and compositions) of Mike Stern, is brilliant -- melodically complex (check out Bob Mintzer's "Falken's Maze" and "Yahoo"), harmonically exploratory and frequently funky in a slightly uptight but still exciting way, Lifecycle is a thrilling listen and a testament to how rigorous and thoughtful jazz fusion can be at its best. For all jazz collections. (RA)
$17.98	Title:    Rabo De Nube Label:    ECM Artist:    Charles Lloyd ISBN:    9786311909850 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517548114 Prod.#:    BECDUMG B001066302 Cat.#:    ECM 2053 / B0010663-02 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    New Comments:    Lloyd continues his superlative string of recent recordings with this excellent live set, featuring a quartet with the powerful pianist Jason Moran, bassist Ruben Rogers, and the wonderfully expressive, sensitive drummer Eric Harland. Soaring above it all is Lloyd on tenor sax and alto flute. These are extended tunes highlighted by soulful, blowing romps where Moran chugs along with Lloyd, anchored by Harland’s remarkable trap work. Great material and great playing abound. Highly recommended. (GH)
$15.98	Title:    This Is A Bird Label:    Origin Artist:    Alison Ruble ISBN:    9786311960189 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00805558250828 Prod.#:    BECDORGN82508 Cat.#:    82508 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    New Comments:    A surprising debut! Ruble sounds like a well-seasoned performer with a voice that is uncannily happy and mournful at the same time. She covers standard Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, and Rodgers/Hammerstein material as well as James Taylor. A versatile performer with a great band behind her. Hope for more in the future. Highly recommended. (MJB)
$14.98	Title:    Thank You Uncle Edward Label:    R. N. M. Inc Artist:    Duke Ellington Legacy ISBN:    9786311798782 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00796873003735 Prod.#:    BECDRNM 6400 Cat.#:    6400CD Genre:    Jazz Music Release type:    New Comments:    The Duke Ellington Legacy is a nonet led by saxophonist Virginia Mayhew and Duke’s grandson Edward. The selections are Ellington standards (“Perdido,” “Caravan”), the arrangements are tight and swinging, and the playing is superb. This is the Duke’s music, lovingly recreated by a great set of musicians. (GH)
$16.98	Title:    Future Day Label:    Soundbrush (dist. Allegro) Artist:    David Finck Quartet ISBN:    9786311818947 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00837101434096 Prod.#:    BECDSBRC1012 Cat.#:    SA 1012 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    New Comments:    Veteran bassist Finck gathers a curious set of musicians for his debut release, with an excellent result. With vibraphone and piano featured one might expect a rather chill set, but it takes on a rather bluesy feel, and heats up quickly. Both Joe Locke on vibes and Tom Rainier on piano take center stage, making for a high energy, intense set. Finck originals mix with standards to deliver a consistently fine album. This will be especially interesting to jazz vibes fans. (JW)
$18.98	Title:    Avatar Label:    Blue Note Artist:    Gonzalo Rubalcaba ISBN:    9786311799833 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00094638418528 Prod.#:    BECDBNOT84185B Cat.#:    0946 3 84185 2 8 Genre:    Jazz Release type:    New Comments:    Pianist Rubalcaba leads a stellar quintet fronted by the extraordinary saxophonist/composer Yosvany Terry and trumpeter Mike Rodriquez, and anchored by the deft, multi-textured drumming of Marcus Gilmore. This is a beautiful recording, at times alive with bright horn charts and sharp rhythmic work, while shifting to softly expressive passages where the bass, drums, and piano engage in wonderfully expressive interplay. Evoking the best of Blue Note’s 1950s recordings while still sounding fresh and original, this is contemporary small-group jazz at its best. Recommended. (GH)
ROCK/POP
$16.98	Title:    Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield Label:    Stony Plain Artist:    Amos Garrett ISBN:    9786312078562 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00772532133029 Prod.#:    BECDSTON1330 Cat.#:    SPCD 1330 Genre:    Blues/R&B Release type:    New Comments:    Amos Garrett is a veteran session guitarist (Emmylou Harris, Maria Muldaur, Anne Murray, etc.) with a distinctive bluesy style, who also sports a rich baritone voice. He tips his hat to the great blues songwriter Percy Mayfield on this relaxed yet engaging set. Fronting a quartet of guitar, organ, upright bass and drums, Garrett gives great readings to “”My Jug And I,” “Stranger In My Own Hometown,” “River’s Invitation” and other Mayfield classics. All blues covers should sound this good. (GH)
$15.98	Title:    Nine Lives Label:    Columbia Artist:    Steve Winwood ISBN:    9786312036340 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00886972225029 Prod.#:    BECDCOLM22250 Cat.#:    88697 22250 2 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    New Comments:    After a series of disappointing pop recordings in the 80’s and 90s, the former leader of the legendary band Traffic returned to form in 2003 with the brilliantly soulful CD About Time. Nine Lives mines the same earthy, R&B-influenced style that made About Time such a delight, with Winwood’s songwriting and guitar/percussion/organ sound hearkening back to the best material from Traffic’s later years. Great stuff from one of the finest singers to emerge from Britain in the 60's, sweetened a bit more by the addition of former Blind Faith cohort Eric Clapton flashing his lead guitar on one track. This is superstar material that actually delivers the goods. Recommended. (GH)
$17.98	Title:    Asking For Flowers Label:    Zoe Artist:    Kathleen Edwards ISBN:    9786311865828 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00601143111525 Prod.#:    BECD011 4311152 Cat.#:    01143-1115-2 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    New Comments:    Edwards is strong on all counts in her third studio release. She’s a strong singer and songwriter. Her lyrics are strong in both senses of the term, quality and blunt honesty. She also surrounds herself with strong backing musicians, both her band members and studio folks such as Benmont Tench, who create musical layers that lend a variety of atmospheres to the music. The songs range from soft-spoken folk pieces to flat-out rockers. Edwards is best on songs about failed love and failed society, and her voice lends itself to melancholy and regret. It’s an excellent album all-around. (JW)
$10.00	Title:    Someday Label:    Jezebel Records Artist:    Frank Carillo and the Bandoleros UPC:    837101401227 Cat.#:    JR-5626 Release type:    New Comments:    Frank Carillo’s a veteran guitarist who has recorded with Peter Frampton, jammed with Led Zeppelin, and most recently played guitar in bluesman John Hammond’s band. His latest with his band the Bandoleros is a well-crafted slice of Americana, filled with vivid imagery and delivered in a vocal style that brings early Graham Parker to mind. Well worth checking out. (GH)
$14.98	Title:    All Hour Cymbals Label:    We Are Free Records (dist. ADA) Artist:    Yeasayer ISBN:    9786311554296 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00656605816524 Prod.#:    BECDWERF58165 Cat.#:    WRF002 Genre:    Rock, Alternative Music Release type:    New Comments:    Sinuous and richly textured with chanting and copious Eastern influences, Yeasayer’s debut displays a new band that has already solidified its identity. Vocals resembling David Byrne with subdued eccentricity or Barry Hay of Golden Earring contribute to a slight ‘80s vibe. The overall effect is more impressionist than detailed; they create a distinctive sound rather than distinctive songs, but the results are nonetheless haunting. (MC)
$13.98	Title:    Rising Down [PA] Label:    Universal Music Group Artist:    The Roots ISBN:    9786312005056 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517672567 Prod.#:    BECDUMG B001113802 Cat.#:    B0011138-02 Genre:    Rap, Hip-Hop Release type:    New Comments:    The hip-hop group known for playing their own instruments rather than using samples tackles the dark realities of African-American life in its native Philadelphia on its tenth release. While “75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)” bludgeons with a barrage of syllables, “Criminal” is more laconic while just as biting. “The Show” depicts touring as an endless military campaign to deliver their message, emphasized by martial-sounding snare drums. The Roots may be angry but they are clear-eyed in their social commentary. (MC)
$15.98	Title:    Yes, I'm a Witch Label:    Astralwerks Artist:    Yoko Ono ISBN:    9786310814735 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00094637928721 Prod.#:    BECDATWR79287 Cat.#:    79287 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    New Comments:    An artist who always follows her own muse regardless of what anyone else might think of her musicality, Yoko Ono has released a relatively palatable and engaging album by selecting a variety of contemporary collaborators including Cat Power, The Polyphonic Spree, The Flaming Lips, and DJ Spooky and encouraging these bands and individuals to rework songs from Ono’s back catalog. Most of these acts choose to add their own accompaniments while retaining Ono’s unique and often intense vocals. The songs and atmospheres they create vary greatly, but most would not seem totally out of place alongside the electronica often played at modern dance clubs. (CLHD)
$13.98	Title:    Keep It Simple Label:    Exile/Lost Highway (Universal) Artist:    Van Morrison ISBN:    9786311909935 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517630789 Prod.#:    BECDUMG B001065802 Cat.#:    B0010658-02 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    New Comments:    For someone like Van Morrison to release an album called Keep It Simple is to invite especially careful critical scrutiny. But he seemed to have that fact in mind when making this record, and it shows admirable self-restraint: a minimum of self-indulgent melisma, of over-clever wordplay (we'll give him a pass for the song title "That's Entrainment"), and of pseudo-mysticism. Instead, we get the brooding and softly tuneful blues-country-soul fusion that has made him legendary, sung in the strangled but strangely expressive warble that doesn't seem to have changed much at all over the course of nearly five decades. Very nice; expect demand. (RA)
$17.98	Title:    Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! Label:    Anti (dist. ADA) Artist:    Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ISBN:    9786311952634 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00045778694327 Prod.#:    BECDANTR86943 Cat.#:    ANTI 86943-2 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    New Comments:    Reunited with the Bad Seeds after last year’s stripped-down sidetrack Grinderman, Nick Cave has lost none of his vigor. His vocal delivery is at times deceptively nonchalent; the biblical, sexual and literary allusions are too vivid to be off-the-cuff. The hip-swiveling rhythms are rooted in the blues, but the band’s subtle complexities carve a sound that is both modern and timeless. (MC)
$15.98	Title:    Flight of The Conchords Label:    Subpop (dist. ADA) Artist:    Flight of the Conchords ISBN:    9786311956243 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00098787071528 Prod.#:    BECDSUBP70715 Cat.#:    70715 Genre:    Comedy/Pop Release type:    Comments:    Considered independently of their HBO television show, the Flight of the Conchords album is an incredibly pleasing mélange tightly-arranged parodies that stands quite well on its own. From the opening Eurotrash non sequitirs of “Foux du Fafa”, Pet Shop Boys send-up “Inner City Pressure”, and hip-hop horseplay of "Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros" to the dead-on mimicry of “Bowie”, Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement have developed an impressive musical palette that matches their humor in spades. (AJ)
$13.98	Title:    Third Label:    Island Artist:    Portishead ISBN:    9786312004998 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00602517664005 Prod.#:    BECDUMG B001114102 Cat.#:    001114102 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    Comments:    Resurfacing with new material after more than a decade, Portishead return with a challenging album that seems to show them working through a few issues, most prominently a landscape of popular music that ingested their once-distinctive style of trip-hop and spawned several offshoots (if not downright copycats). The result is a harsh, concerted attempt to sound utterly different: gone are the mellow beats and sultry moods, in trade for stark arrangements and sometimes dull progressions. (AJ)
$26.98	Title:    Moon Safari: 10th Anniversary Edition Label:    Astralwerks Artist:    Air ISBN:    9786311957738 ISBN-10:    UPC:    05099920748029 Prod.#:    BECDATWR07480 Cat.#:    07480 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    Comments:    Quite possibly one of the best albums of the 1990’s, Moon Safari remains a defining moment for Air (perhaps only surpassed by The Virgin Suicides). This anniversary edition, aside from affording the opportunity to slip back into the lounge-y goodness, includes a second disc of live performances and B-sides and the DVD Eating, Sleeping, and Playing with Air. It’s all good, especially the Moog Cookbook remix that beats Air at their own game. (AJ)
$18.98	Title:    Signals, Calls and Marches - The Definitive Edition Label:    Matador (dist. ADA) Artist:    Mission Of Burma ISBN:    9786311860748 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00744861073024 Prod.#:    BECDMATR10730 Cat.#:    10730 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    Reissue (2-discs) Comments:    This was the legendary Boston post-punk band's first EP, and remains not only an "important" album but also one of the most enduringly enjoyable and musically impressive documents of what was, at the time, a remarkably fertile scene. What sets this edition apart from the previously-definitive Rykodisc issue is not the musical content, which is pretty much the same, but the bonus DVD with concert footage from the band's early years. The live Horrible Truth About Burma (BT Key BECDMATR10732) has also been reissued with a bonus DVD documenting the first set from the band's final Boston concert in 1983; the second set is included as a bonus DVD to Vs. (BT Key BECDMATR10731), which was Burma's only full-length studio album. Horrible Truth may not be essential to every collection, but Signals, Calls and Marches and Vs. are. (RA)
$51.99	Title:    Mountain Battles Label:    4AD (dist. ADA) Artist:    Breeders ISBN:    9786312034353 ISBN-10:    UPC:    04943674079254 Prod.#:    BECDPHAM1342792 Cat.#:    72803 Genre:    Popular Music Release type:    New Comments:    The Breeders are back with their fourth studio album, with Kelley Deal rejoining her sister Kim for Mountain Battles. The best way to describe this album is atmospheric, and the atmosphere changes several times. From lounge-y, to folky, to alt-rock and art house the mood changes from high to low and is sometimes reminiscent of the early 90’s sound that propelled the Breeders into the musical limelight. It’s good to have the Breeder’s back. (PB)
$14.98	Title:    Speakers and Tweeters Label:    Defend Music Artist:    Dub Pistols ISBN:    9786312059134 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00898458003625 Prod.#:    BECDDFND580036 Cat.#:    DFN 80036 Genre:    Electronica/Hip Hop Release type:    New Comments:    The latest from England's most consistently interesting techno-hip-hop-reggae-punk outfit is simultaneously surprising and less challenging than some of its previous work. What's surprising is that former Specials frontman Terry Hall is featured prominently (including on such hoary old-school material as "Rapture" and "Gangsters"), and also that the hip-hop material is fun but mostly fairly pedestrian. But what counts as "pedestrian" for the Dub Pistols will still sound mighty fresh to most American ears, and good luck trying not to dance to the title track. Recommended. (RA)
WORLD/ETHNIC
$18.98	Title:    Soul Messages from Dimona Label:    Numero Group Artist:    Various Artists ISBN:    9786312059530 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00825764102124 Prod.#:    BECDNUMG641021 Cat.#:    021 Genre:    Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues Release type:    Compilation Comments:    Soulful psychedelia from the 1970s is nothing particularly new -- unless, of course, it comes out of a remote outpost of Black Hebrew culture on the borderlands of Israel and promulgates a message of Old Testament spirituality clothed in wacka-wacka funk guitars, massed horns and gospelly choral vocals. Featuring such great but unknown bands as the Soul Messengers, the Spirit of Israel, the Sons of the Kingdom and the Tonistics, this remarkable collection offers music that is simultaneously familiar and unique. Very highly recommended. (RA)
$16.98	Title:    Musica Ranchera: Amor, Dolor Y Lagrimas (Love, Hurt And Tears) Label:    Smithsonian Folkways Artist:    Mariachi Los Camperos De Nati Cano ISBN:    9786312098508 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00093074051825 Prod.#:    BECDFOLK740518 Cat.#:    SFW CD 40518 Genre:    Mariachi Release type:    New Comments:    This disc celebrates a specific subgenre of mariachi music, música ranchera, which incorporates elements from Cuba as well as the more obvious rural Mexican influences. You'll hear bolero and habanera rhythms throughout the program, but most strongly you'll hear the harp and lush, sometimes slightly overproduced choral harmonies and clouds of sweet strings. Kitschy, yes, but this is mariachi music -- kitschiness is part of the fun, along with gorgeous soaring melodies and arrangements that are sometimes heart-stoppingly pretty. (RA)
$18.98	Title:    The Mande Variations Label:    Nonesuch Artist:    Toumani Diabate ISBN:    9786311915479 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00075597994421 Prod.#:    BECDATL 433724 Cat.#:    433724 Genre:    World Music Release type:    New Comments:    Diabate’s last album was with his Symmetric Orchestra, a large group fusing different regional styles and using acoustic and electric instruments, and it was a tremendous achievement. The Mande Variations, on the other hand, is a solo recording featuring only Diabate displaying his supernatural facility the African harp called the kora. The material is partly traditional and partly original, the recording is clear and warm, and most listeners should find this very accessible. (SA)
$18.98	Title:    Rokku Mi Rokka Label:    Nonesuch Artist:    Youssou N' Dour ISBN:    9786311610701 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00075597997453 Prod.#:    BECDNONE266044 Cat.#:    266044 Genre:    World Music Release type:    New Comments:    Fortunately Youssou N’Dour has stopped trying to cross-over, and his recent projects have been more specialized. Rokku Mi Rokka (loosely, "Give and Take") focuses on the sounds of northern Senegal rather than the southern mbalax style he made world-famous. It’s a drier style, and N’Dour's small band sounds tight and invigorated. Highly recommended. (SA)
$19.98	Title:    Healing The Music Label:    Nonplace (dist. Forced Exposure) Artist:    Embassadors ISBN:    9786311828168 ISBN-10:    UPC:    00881390257324 Prod.#:    BECDNNPC23 Cat.#:    23 Genre:    Electronica Release type:    New Comments:    This album is hard to classify. A mostly European jazz ensemble led by New Zealander Hayden Chisholm collaborates with Kenyan vocalist Michel Ongaru to create a sound that is both electric and acoustic. Reminiscent of Chisholm’s work with Burnt Friedman on the groundbreaking album Heaps Dub (credited to Root 70), Healing the Music succeeds by not restricting itself to any one sound or style, instead forging its own genre. (SA)

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