February 2012
Look for "Rick's Pick"

CLASSICAL
 
$17.99
 
Title:    Epos: Music of the Carolingian Era
Label:    Passacaille (dist. Allegro)
Composer:    Various Composers
Performer:    Ensemble Cantilena Antiqua
ISBN:    9786314578985
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    05425004849748
Prod.#:    BECDPSCE974
Cat.#:    974
Period:    Medieval
Genre:    Classical
Release type:    New
Comments:    There's early music, and then there's really early music, which is what's presented here in this fascinating collection of songs dating from around the 9th century C.E. It includes settings of texts by Horace, Boethius, and Virgil, among others; given the ambiguous nature of the subsequent musical annotations, the settings presented here are necessarily somewhat conjectural and consist in all cases of a countertenor singing with accompaniment by simple flute, percussion, and stringed instruments like the psaltery and cimbalom. General music collections may not need this disc, but any library supporting a strong ethnomusicology or early music program should definitely consider acquiring. (RA)
 
$16.99
 
Title:    Virtuoso Baroque
Label:    Our Recordings (dist. Naxos)
Composer:    Various Composers
Performer:    Michala Petri & Lars Hannibal
ISBN:    9786314529802
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00747313160464
Prod.#:    BECDOURR6220604
Cat.#:    6.220604
Period:    Baroque
Genre:    Classical
Release type:    New
Comments:    Wife-and-husband duo Michala Petri (recorder) and Lars Hannibal (archlute) present here a winning program of arrangements based on works by baroque composers both familiar (Bach, Corelli, Handel) and less so (Vitali, Chedeville). Petri's virtuosity is legendary, and over the course of a 40-year career she has lost not a step. Hannibal is an equally skillful accompanist, and the program is a delight. (RA)
 
$16.99
 
Title:    The Craighead-Saunders Organ
Label:    Loft Recordings (dist. Naxos)
Composer:    Various Composers
Performer:    Hans Davidson, David Higgs, William Porter
ISBN:    9786314052614
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00617145111524
Prod.#:    BECDLOF 1115
Cat.#:    LRCD-1115
Period:    Various Periods
Genre:    Classical
Release type:    New
Comments:    On this recording the Eastman organ faculty perform a variety of pieces on a recent reconstruction of an organ built by Adam Gottlob Casparini in 1776. Baroque compositions are the main feature here, but the program also includes works by Felix Mendelssohn, Stephen Kennedy, and Martin Herchenroder. The reconstructed instrument is the “first research instrument after Casparini anywhere in the world, and the first large-scale historical reconstruction at this level in America.” The original instrument is one of the best preserved late-baroque organs in Europe. (PS)
 
$59.99
 
Title:    Minimal Piano Collection
Label:    Brilliant Classics (dist. Naxos)
Composer:    Various Composers
Performer:    Joroen van Veen
ISBN:    9786311637432
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00842977085518
Prod.#:    BECDBILT8551
Cat.#:    8551
Period:    20th Century
Genre:    Classical Music
Release type:    Boxed Set (9-discs)
Comments:    This is a very valuable, if problematic, set of piano pieces from the "minimalist" tradition. Some were written for piano originally, others are arranged by the performer, Jeroen van Veen, who deserves much credit and admiration for putting together a 9-disc survey that includes works by the usual suspects (Glass, Riley, Adams) as well as rather unusual selections (works by Michael Nyman and Tom Johnson) and two discs of his own compositions. The playing is very good, but some of the selections do seem questionable; at times van Veen seems to have confused "minimalist" with "simple and tonal," descriptors that clearly fit the Nyman and Yann Tiersen compositions more snugly than "minimalist" does. But most of the program is fascinating and very well rendered. Recommended, but perhaps not essential. (RA)
 
$19.98
 
Title:    Resonances
Label:    Dux (dist. Qualiton)
Composer:    Frederic Chopin et al.
Performer:    Kevin Kenner
ISBN:    9786314198664
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00675754031664
Prod.#:    BECDDUX 0782
Cat.#:    0782
Period:    Romantic
Genre:    Classical
Release type:    New
Comments:    The "resonance" referenced in the title of this disc is the influence of Chopin on subsequent composers as diverse as Paderewski, Scriabin, Debussy, Szymanowski, Balakirev, Crumb, and even jazz pianist Bill Evans -- all of whom are represented on this program alongside works of Chopin to demonstrate how the latter's ideas and gestures have continued to shape piano music up to the present. It's an ingenious programming idea and results in a very fine pedagogical tool as well as a luscious listening experience, thanks to Kenner's brilliant technique. Highly recommended to all libraries. (RA)
 
$16.99
 
Title:    Baroque Music from Ecuador
Label:    cpo (dist. Naxos)
Composer:    Various Composers
Performer:    Ensemble Villancico / Peter Pontvik
ISBN:    9786314381516
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00761203756827
Prod.#:    BECDCPO 777568
Cat.#:    777 568-2
Period:    Baroque
Genre:    Classical
Release type:    New
Comments:    The Spanish conquerors of the New World were no fools: they knew that they couldn't completely uproot every native tradition, so instead they embarked on a program of selective cooptation, never more splendidly than in the context of church music. The baroque music of Central and South America was often a rich blend of European and local elements: sprightly dance rhythms, varied percussion, and frantically strummed instruments accompany polyphonic vocals and sacred (even liturgical) lyrical themes. Recordings of this music have proliferated over the past couple of decades, and this one is an excellent example, beautifully performed and recorded. (RA)
 
$18.98
 
Title:    WTC 9/11; Mallet Quartet; Dance Patterns
Label:    Nonesuch
Composer:    Steve Reich
Performer:    Kronos Quartet; So Percussion
ISBN:    9786314409555
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00075597964578
Prod.#:    BECDNONE528236
Cat.#:    528236
Period:    Contemporary
Genre:    Classical
Release type:    New (2-discs)
Comments:    This release features three new Reich compositions: the harrowing and deeply moving WTC 9/11 and two chamber works for various combinations of percussion and keyboard. The result is a recorded program of only about 37 minutes, so a DVD showing a performance of the Mallet Quartet is included as an attractive makeweight. But really, WTC 9/11 is worth the full price by itself -- not an easy listen, but an essential one. No library should pass this up. (RA)
 
$21.98
 
Title:    Joseph Triebensee: The Art of Arrangement
Label:    Accent (dist. Qualiton)
Composer:    Luigi Cherubini; Joseph Haydn; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:    Amphion Wind Octet
ISBN:    9786314337469
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00675754033477
Prod.#:    BECDACCE24232
Cat.#:    ACC 24232
Period:    Classical
Genre:    Classical
Release type:    New
Comments:    Oboist Joseph Triebensee led one of Europe's finest Harmonie ensembles, a wind octet consisting of pairs of oboes, clarinets, horns, and bassoons. These groups very often played arrangements of larger-scale works, especially from operas, and this fine recording offers several examples of such arrangements written by Triebensee himself: selections from Cherubini's Medea, Mozart's Don Giovanni, Haydn's "Oxford" symphony, and a movement from one of Haydn's string quartets. As is often the case with period-instrument wind ensembles, the horns sometimes sound a bit watery, but the playing is generally excellent and this disc is a valuable piece of musical history as well as a very pleasant listen. (RA)
 
$19.98
 
Title:    Masses: De Beata Maria Virgine, Surge propera
Label:    Hyperion (dist. Harmonia Mundi)
Composer:    Tomas Luis de Victoria; Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Performer:    Westminster Cathedral Choir / Martin Baker
ISBN:    9786314553845
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00034571178912
Prod.#:    BECDHPON67891
Cat.#:    CDA67891
Period:    Renaissance
Genre:    Classical
Release type:    New
Comments:    Tomas Luis de Victoria, the towering figure of the Spanish Renaissance, wrote no composition more achingly and longingly gorgeous than Missa de Beata Maria Virgine, and it is almost impossible to imagine a more tenderly sumptuous performance of it than the one given here by the Westminster Cathedral Choir. Add in Victoria's almost equally lovely Missa Surge propera and the two motets on which the Masses are based (one of them by Palestrina) and you have one of the finest recordings of Renaissance choral music of the past year. (RA)
COUNTRY/FOLK
 
$18.98
 
Title:    Ashes & Fire
Label:    Capitol
Artist:    Ryan Adams
ISBN:    9786314476311
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    05099967907021
Prod.#:    BECDCAP 79070B
Cat.#:    79070
Genre:    Country/Rock
Release type:    New
Comments:    Ryan Adams is famous for pursuing too many different styles of music and for releasing too much material, but Ashes & Fire is the first album he recorded after breaking up his former backing band, the Cardinals, and stepping back to take stock for a couple of years. Perhaps not surprisingly, this is a relatively quiet country-flavored record, produced by the legendary Glyn Johns. Actually it’s the kind of sadly beautiful album his fans have been hoping for since he first appeared on the scene as a member of the late, lamented Whiskeytown. Enjoy it while it lasts, because he’s likely to start putting out metal or electropop albums again any day now. (SA)
 
$17.98
 
Title:    Nagez Rameurs
Label:    Mad River
Artist:    Genticorum
ISBN:    9786314391713
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00856843001243
Prod.#:    BECDMAVR1024
Cat.#:    MRCD1024
Genre:    French Canadian Folk
Release type:    New
Comments:    Quebec's finest trad ensemble is back with another gorgeous set of crooked fiddle tunes and beautiful songs, demonstrating yet again that Eastern Canada is one of the richest sources of great folk music (and folkie composers) in the world. The playing is unassumingly virtuosic, the singing is plainspoken but sweetly lovely, and the album is a joy from start to finish. If you or your library's patrons still need to discover the folk music of Canada's northeast, then by all means start here. (RA)
 
$14.98
 
Title:    The Touch of Time
Label:    Rural Rhythm
Artist:    Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band
ISBN:    9786314594046
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00732351109124
Prod.#:    BECDRHY 1091
Cat.#:    RUR-1091
Genre:    Bluegrass
Release type:    New
Comments:    The great Mr. Emerson has been picking the banjo since the mid-1950s, and is a mainstay on the bluegrass scene. His fourth release with the group Sweet Dixie is a fine one, indeed. Lead vocals are shared by Teri Chism (bass), Wayne Lanham (mandolin), and Chris Stifel (guitar), each of whom takes a turn on the various ballads, burners, and gospel numbers. All sound great, especially Chism on the opening track, “My Baby Thinks He’s a Train.” Solos are crisp and clean, harmonies are spot on, and they offer a sound that combines modern and traditional elements. Fine job all around. (JW)
 
$15.98
 
Title:    Too Hick for the Room
Label:    Blujazz/Traditions Alive
Artist:    Cow Bop
ISBN:    9786314364731
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00640668338321
Prod.#:    BECDBLZZ3383
Cat.#:    B4M101
Genre:    Jazz/Country
Release type:    New
Comments:    This impressive and charming album could be as easily classified under Country/Folk as Jazz, but since its country tendencies are very clearly in the direction of western swing and its overarching mood is jazzy (and pianist Roger Kellaway appears on two tracks), I'm going with Jazz. Also worth noting: on no other album I've ever heard will you find "Besame Mucho" followed immediately by the cowboy classic "Cool Water." The playing and singing are excellent. (RA)
 
$18.98
 
Title:    The List
Label:    Manhattan
Artist:    Rosanne Cash
ISBN:    9786313243648
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    05099969657627
Prod.#:    BECDMHAT96576
Cat.#:    6576
Genre:    Country & Western
Release type:    New
Comments:    The inspiration for The List is touching. Johnny Cash recognizes the deficiencies in his daughter’s musical education and makes a 100-song list of the folk, blues, gospel, early country songs, and standards he considers essential listening; a list that includes much of the foundation for what is now called Americana. With her husband, John Leventhal, Rosanne picked 12 songs and invited outstanding musicians including Jeff Tweedy, Bruce Springsteen, and Elvis Costello to join in recreating her father’s list. The results rightfully won the 2010 Americana Music Association’s Album of The Year and a 2010 Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album. (CLHD)
 
$17.99
 
Title:    Beat The Devil and Carry a Rail
Label:    Compass (dist. Naxos)
Artist:    Noam Pikelny
ISBN:    9786314510886
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00766397456522
Prod.#:    BECDCOMS4565
Cat.#:    7 4565 2
Genre:    Bluegrass
Release type:    New
Comments:    The Punch Brothers’ banjoist has released his second album, and it’s so full of guest stars I can’t name them all here. Tim O’Brien (mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), and Chris Eldridge (guitar) appear on most tracks, but everyone from Chris Thiele to Steve Martin shows up somewhere. But no matter who’s playing with him, Pikelny shows off his virtuosity in every track. Eclectic in approach, but friendly and accessible, Pikelny's music mixes bluegrass with new acoustic styles. A good mix of tunes, with a couple of vocal tracks, this is an excellent showcase for Pikelny’s talents. (JW)
JAZZ
 
$15.98
 
Title:    Live
Label:    Capri
Artist:    Walt Weiskopf Quartet
ISBN:    9786314131562
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00054987410925
Prod.#:    BECDCPRI74109
Cat.#:    74109-2
Genre:    Jazz
Release type:    New
Comments:    Saxophonist Walt Weiskopf is joined by a trio consisting of the brilliant pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Paul Gill, and the late Tony Reedus (who died unexpectedly less than a year after this set was recorded in 2008) on drums. Apart from expansive versions of "Love for Sale" and "Blame It on My Youth," the program consists entirely of Weiskopf originals, one of them a lovely arrangement of a traditional Scottish tune. This being a live performance, there are occasional moments of discursive self-indulgence, but they are greatly outweighed by much longer stretches of both creative and disciplined genius. Highly recommended. (RA)
 
$16.98
 
Title:    Come Sunday
Label:    EmArcy
Artist:    Charlie Haden & Hank Jones
ISBN:    9786314570958
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00602527503684
Prod.#:    BECDUMG B001639002
Cat.#:    001639002
Genre:    Jazz
Release type:    New
Comments:    In 1995, bassist Charlie Haden and pianist Hank Jones teamed up for a highly acclaimed set of hymn-tune adaptations titled Steal Away. Just before he died in 2010, Jones completed a second album of similar material with Haden, which is now released as Come Sunday. The program includes such traditional hymns as "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "Sweet Hour of Prayer," as well as a couple of Christmas tunes: "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen" and "It Came upon a Midnight Clear." Anyone who is familiar with the work of these two jazz legends will know exactly what to expect: complete technical mastery, powerful musical insight, and the utmost taste. Highly recommended to all jazz collections. (RA)
 
$58.98
 
Title:    Ninety Miles
Label:    Universal Japan/Zoom
Artist:    Stefon Harris; David Sanchez; Christian Scott
ISBN:    9786314438234
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    04988005670106
Prod.#:    BECDUVLJUCCO1111
Cat.#:    CPI-32904-90
Genre:    Jazz
Release type:    New (2-discs)
Comments:    Three American jazz musicians walk into a bar in Cuba.... Well, that’s not really true. But they really did go to Cuba, they really did play with two Cuban quartets, and the music is really great. Harris (vibes), Sanchez (tenor sax), and Scott (trumpet) bring a contemporary New York aesthetic to contemporary Cuban styles, and the result is not quite either one, but more intriguing than either one. Harris’ ethereal sound blends well with the lyricism of Sanchez and the more dramatic Scott. The quartets show sophistication and restraint, and the result is a fantastic display of ensemble work. A bonus DVD shows parts of the documentary produced from the meeting. (JW)
 
$99.98
 
Title:    Swinging into the 21st
Label:    Columbia/Legacy
Artist:    Wynton Marsalis
UPC:    886979442825
Cat.#:    88679-944282
Genre:    Jazz
Release type:    Boxed Set (11-discs)
Comments:    Released in celebration of Marsalis’ 50th birthday, this 11-CD boxed set documents a creative whirlwind in the trumpeter’s legacy, when he released a slew of albums in 1999-2000, when he was “swingin’ into the 21st centruy.” Taken as a whole, this set of reissues documents the creative diversity and energy of Marsalis as a bandleader and trumpeter by packaging together 9 different albums. Included are his historical tributes to Jelly Roll Morton and Thelonious Monk (from the Standards series), selections from his live box set at the Village Vanguard, his ambitious and engaging classical/jazz suites (A Fiddlers Tale, Sweet Release, Ghost Story), as well as All Rise, his monumental, Ellington-esque suite written and recorded just a few days after the September 11, 2001 attack on New York. For this reviewer, this box provided the opportunity to listen to the breadth and beauty of Marsalis’ fertile musical imagination, gaining a renewed appreciation of his expansive musical vision. Highly recommended. (GH)
 
$16.98
 
Title:    Something Beautiful
Label:    Wj3
Artist:    Eric Reed
ISBN:    9786314441401
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00884501570084
Prod.#:    BECDWJT 31009
Cat.#:    WJ3 1009
Genre:    Jazz Music
Release type:    New
Comments:    Something Beautiful is an apt phrase to describe Reed’s latest release. The pianist has been putting out consistently fine work for many years now, and his refined vision shows on this trio recording. With Reuben Rogers on bass and Rodney Green on drums, the music includes a couple of standards, some gospel tunes, and Reed originals. Most of it is quiet, either mid-tempo or slow, and some tunes are almost minimalist in style. Others are more in the vein of straight-ahead jazz, but with a bluesy feel, and there is also a lushness that makes them irresistible. There is a deceptive simplicity to Reed's arrangements that makes them all the more riveting. (JW)
 
$35.98
 
Title:    The Complete Remastered Recordings
Label:    Black Saint/Soul Note (dist. Harmonia Mundi)
Artist:    Paul Motian
ISBN:    9786314568474
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    08024709114228
Prod.#:    BECDHMD BXS1008
Cat.#:    BXS 1008
Genre:    Jazz
Release type:    Boxed Set (6-discs)
Comments:    This six-disc box contains all of the albums that drummer Paul Motian made as a leader for the Black Saint and Soul Note labels between 1983 and 1992. Leading small ensembles most of which include the always-wonderful guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano, Motian plays wide-ranging programs of originals and standards that are sometimes skronky and free and sometimes tightly focused and heart-rendingly beautiful. The price can't be beat, and the material is essential to any library supporting a jazz program. (RA)
ROCK/POP
 
$16.99
 
Title:    If You Want Loyalty Buy A Dog
Label:    On-U Sound (dist. Redeye)
Artist:    Little Axe
ISBN:    9786314542061
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    05060263720140
Prod.#:    BECDOUSD1019
Cat.#:    1019
Genre:    Blues/Reggae
Release type:    New
Comments:    The willfully quirky British reggae label On-U Sound has always been home to some of the strangest avant-garde dub and reggae artists as well as some of the most deeply rootsy. Guitarist and singer Skip McDonald falls somewhere in between. Though he was a pioneer of hip hop (as a member of the Sugarhill Records house band and backing musician for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five), he is at heart a blues musician, but chooses to record as Little Axe with the backing of reggae musicians from the On-U stable. The result is some of the darkest, heaviest, and frequently most movingly beautiful material to come out of the On-U studios. All of his albums are worth hearing, and this one is especially good. (RA)
 
$14.99
 
Title:    Back on Time
Label:    Ninja Tune (dist. Redeye)
Artist:    Plug
ISBN:    9786314580537
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    05021392699127
Prod.#:    BECDNJTN177
Cat.#:    ZENCD177
Genre:    Electronica
Release type:    New
Comments:    Though recorded in 1996, this brilliant old-school drum'n'bass outing from Luke Vibert (here calling himself Plug) is not technically a reissue because none of its tracks was ever released. Listening to the album now, it reminds you of all the things you miss about the days before double-speed breakbeats became the common coin of the dance-music realm: hooks, open textures, cleverness. This is a tremendously enjoyable album. (RA)
 
$12.98
 
Title:    Before Fire I Was Against Other People
Label:    Ohm Resistance (dist. Darla)
Artist:    Submerged
ISBN:    9786314238087
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00708527172223
Prod.#:    BECDOHMR022
Cat.#:    22MOHM
Genre:    Pop/Rock Music
Release type:    New
Comments:    Pretty much anyone can make dark-sounding, beat-based electronic music. But it takes a special kind of musician to make electronic music that is consistently dark but also wildly varied in style and never boring. Kurt Gluck (recording as Submerged) is one such musician, and his latest album is a crazy and engagingly disturbed foray into screaming drum'n'bass, juddering dubstep, skronky noise, and desultory industrial funk. Not for the faint of heart, his music will be warmly received by those who like their dance music with a little dose of death, or vice versa. (RA)
 
$19.98
 
Title:    Texas Thunder Soul: 1968-1974
Label:    Now-Again/Traffic Entertainment Group
Artist:    Kashmere Stage Band
ISBN:    9786314468668
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00659457508524
Prod.#:    BECDTRFCNA5085
Cat.#:    5085
Genre:    Soul/R&B
Release type:    New/Reissue (3-discs)
Comments:    Starting in the late 1960s, Kashmere High School bandleader Conrad O. Johnson took the stage band concept, which was the high school version of the big band, and adapted it to the funk idiom of the day. Kashmere Stage Band was named best stage band in the U.S. in 1972, and this album captures them at the height of their powers. The band is tight and the arrangements smoking hot; that they are mere high school students makes it all the more impressive. This reissue, timed to coincide with a documentary about the band, expands on a previous edition with live and unreleased material on a second CD and a DVD of documentary footage, for a total of three discs. (MC)
 
$10.00
 
Title:    Let It Grow
Label:    Little King
Artist:    Big Daddy Love
UPC:    185922000984
Cat.#:    200984
Genre:    Rock/Pop
Release type:    New
Comments:    Big Daddy Love hails from western North Carolina, and plays what they’ve dubbed “Appalachian rock.” Heavily influenced by southern rock and jam-band music, this quintet’s instrumentation includes acoustic & electric guitars, banjo, bass, and drums, while their tunes feature catchy lyrics and danceable instrumental work. Their sound evokes such Southern bands as the Drive-By Truckers, with the banjo adding a taste of newgrass to the mix. Yeah, it’s “Appalachian rock,” with the banjo adding flavor while their lyrics stress their modern Southern Appalachian roots. Good stuff from a band that’s a rising star in the jam band scene. Recommended. (GH)
 
$6.98
 
Title:    Carolina Chocolate Drops/Luminescent Orchestrii
Label:    Nonesuch
Artist:    Carolina Chocolate Drops
ISBN:    9786314037369
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00075597977998
Prod.#:    BECDNONE526130
Cat.#:    526130
Genre:    Blues Music
Release type:    New
Comments:    This EP of only four songs proves how a chance jam session can lead to something that sounds brand new and fresh. African American stringband revivalists/pathfinders the Carolina Chocolate Drops, gypsy/Balkan/circus/punk-urban eclectics the Luminescent Orchestrii, and human beatbox Adam Matta combine their talents to create seamless music that still retains the individual sound of all members. Fans of either group will find this collaboration fascinating and those who have not yet discovered the groups will find these songs an accessible and intriguing introduction to all of them. (CLHD)
 
$79.98
 
Title:    The Smiths: Complete
Label:    Sire
Artist:    Smiths
ISBN:    9786314478711
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00825646659074
Prod.#:    BECDSIRE466590
Cat.#:    2564665907
Genre:    Pop/Rock Music
Release type:    Compilation (8-discs)
Comments:    Were the Smiths the greatest British band of the 80s? Now is the perfect time to re-evaluate them, because Complete gathers all of their recordings into one eight-disc package, including all the singles and B-sides that didn't appear on their albums. The remastering by guitarist Johnny Marr sounds great, and these will be the authorized versions for the foreseeable future. (SA)
 
$18.98
 
Title:    Torn From Black Space
Label:    Rare Noise (dist. Darla)
Artist:    Death Cube K
ISBN:    9786313840038
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    05060197760045
Prod.#:    BECDRRNS005
Cat.#:    5
Genre:    Pop/Rock Music
Release type:    New
Comments:    Death Cube K is an anagram of Buckethead, one of the strangest and most reclusive guitarists in America. Under this moniker he indulges his taste for extremely dark experimental music -- ambient in a sense (in that it's beatless and overtly concerned with texture rather than melodic or harmonic development), but as ambient music goes, this stuff is pretty terrifying. The most obvious application for this disc would actually be a Halloween spook house; I wouldn't recommend it when you're sitting home alone reading a book. That said, it's pretty amazing, as most of his music tends to be. (RA)
 
$15.99
 
Title:    The Sound Of His Own Voice
Label:    Yep Roc (dist. Redeye)
Artist:    John Wesley Harding
ISBN:    9786314463168
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00634457224926
Prod.#:    BECDYP 2249
Cat.#:    2249
Genre:    Pop/Rock Music
Release type:    New
Comments:    Twenty years into his career, John Wesley Harding has not run out of ideas, nor has he lost his ear for a good tune. The cynicism of “There’s a Starbucks (Where the Starbucks Used to Be)” is offset by the unmitigated joy of “Sing Your Own Song.” He captures the details of domestic life wistfully or adeptly by juxtaposing uncomfortable scenes with a chipper delivery. Guests including Peter Buck and Rosanne Cash help give the album a rich sound. (MC)
WORLD/ETHNIC
 
$16.98
 
Title:    Mehraab
Label:    Six Degrees (dist. Fontana)
Artist:    Loga Ramin Torkian
ISBN:    9786314584931
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00657036118423
Prod.#:    BECDSXDR6570361184
Cat.#:    361184
Genre:    World Music
Release type:    New
Comments:    Loga Ramin Torkian is best known for his work with Niyaz and with his wife Azim Ali. Here he explores more traditional and less electronic sounds, collaborating with Persian singer Khosro Ansari on a program of original compositions based on the classical traditions of his native region. While there are subtle electronic effects involved, the sound is largely acoustic and the arrangements designed to showcase Ansari's astounding voice. Recommended to all world music collections. (RA)
 
$25.98
 
Title:    Bambara Mystic Soul
Label:    Analog Africa (dist. Forced Exposure)
Artist:    Various Artists
ISBN:    9786314462369
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    04260126060821
Prod.#:    BECDAGAA070
Cat.#:    AALP070
Genre:    World Music
Release type:    Compilation
Comments:    Burkina Faso, previously known as Upper Volta, is not a country famous for its music scene, but thanks to Analog Africa’s new collection this may change. Most of these tracks fall into the afrobeat/afrofunk category, and what they lack in technical finesse they make up for in liveliness and the thrill that comes from discovering new sounds. As usual with this label, the CD comes with a nice booklet packed with photos and information. (SA)
 
$15.98
 
Title:    Mi Bossa Nova
Label:    Tweety
Artist:    Carmen Cuesta
ISBN:    9786314121013
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00700261315850
Prod.#:    BECDTWRETWR001
Cat.#:    TWR001
Genre:    Bossa Nova
Release type:    New
Comments:    It's kind of hard to believe that the bossa nova style has existed for only a little over 50 years -- its gentle sway feels timeless, as do many of the standard tunes ("Girl from Ipanema," "How Insensitive," etc.) that represent the bossa in the minds of so many listeners. On this album, singer Carmen Cuesta celebrates the work of bossa nova's most famous composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim. Her singing and the arrangements are warm and comforting, and the playing of her husband (guitarist/bassist Chuck Loeb) is excellent, as are the contributions of the many other supporting players. This is an exceptionally lovely album and should find a place in any collection with an interest in Latin jazz and world music. (RA)
 
$14.98
 
Title:    From Africa With Fury: Rise
Label:    Knitting Factory (dist. Red)
Artist:    Seun Kuti
ISBN:    9786314299408
ISBN-10:   
UPC:    00720841111023
Prod.#:    BECDKGFY1110
Cat.#:    KFR1110CD
Genre:    World Music
Release type:    New
Comments:    Of Fela’s two sons who pursued music careers, Fema is the one who incorporates more contemporary sounds and Seun is the one who is tending the classic Afrobeat flame. From Africa With Fury retains the blistering social commentary Fela was notorious for, and, although it was recorded in Rio and finished in London with production help from Brian Eno, it sounds almost as if it could have been recorded in Lagos in the 70s. (SA)

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