Playlist 10-31-09

* Handel: Trio Sonatas, Op.2 & Op.5 (AAM/Egarr) (Harmonia Mundi 2CD)
* Handel: Concerti Grossi, Op.3 (AMM/Egarr) (Harmonia Mundi SACD)
* Handel: Organ Concertos, Op.4 (AAM/Egarr) (Harmonia Mundi SACD)
* Venice Baroque Orchestra: Victoria Hall, Genève 2-28-08 (FM 2CDR)
* Wayne Shorter: Night Dreamer (Blue Note CD)
* Andrew Hill: Mosaic Select 23 (d.1-2) (Mosaic 3CD)
* Sun Ra & His Arkestra: Newport Jazz Festival 7-3-69 (AUD CDR)
* Sun Ra: Nuits de la Fondation Maeght, Vol.1 (Universe CD)
* Sun Ra: Nuits de la Fondation Maeght, Vol.2 (Universe CD)
* Charlie Haden Quartet West: The Art of the Song (Verve CD)
* John Abercrombie Quartet: Class Trip (ECM CD)
* Matthew Shipp: “Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz” 3-7-06 (FM CDR)
* Thurston Moore/Evan Parker/Walter Prati: The Promise (Materiali Sonori CD)
* Thurston Moore/Walter Prati/Giancarlo Schiaffini: Three Incredible Ideas (Auditorium CD)
* Simon & Garfunkel: Old Friends (d.3) (Columbia 3CD)
* Grateful Dead: Road Trips: Vol. 2, No.2: Carousel 2-14-68 (GD/Rhino 2+1CD)
* Jerry Garcia & Merle Saunders: The Keystone, Berkeley 9-1-74 (Pure Jerry 3CD)
* Jerry Garcia Band: The Keystone, Palo Alto 2-5-82 IIx (SBD CDR)
* New Order: Power, Corruption, and Lies (Deluxe Ed.) (d.2) (London/Rhino 2CD)
* Aphex Twin: Windowlicker (Warp/Sire CDEP)
* Aphex Twin: Come to Daddy (Warp/Sire CDEP)
* Butthole Surfers: Rembrandt Pussyhorse/Cream Corn from the Socket… (Touch & Go CD)
* Guided By Voices: Suitcase 3: Up We Go Now (GBV, Inc. 4CD)
* Guided By Voices: Briefcase 3: Cuddling Bozo’s Octopus (GBV, Inc. LP)
* Circus Devils: Gringo (Happy Jack Rock Records LP)
* Sigur Rós: Ágætis Byrjun (PIAS America CD)
* Wilco: The Pageant, St. Louis, MO 5-16-08 (SBD/AUD matrix 2CDR)
* Yo La Tengo: Popular Songs (Matador CD)
* Jim O’Rourke: The Visitor (Drag City LP)
* Flaming Lips: KCRW “Morning Becomes Eclectic” 10-16-09 (FM CDR)
* Flaming Lips: Embryonic (Warner Bros. DVD-A)

Commentary:

We don’t get any trick-or-treaters anymore since our neighbors’ kids grew up and while there is generally very little vehicular traffic, we live on a hilly, winding road that is not at all pedestrian-friendly; definitely not a good neighborhood for kids to be wandering around in the dark. But every year we do get a little bit of candy just in case someone shows up and just wind up eating it ourselves. That’s OK. We’re also looking forward to making a pie out of the pumpkin (photograph). Happy Halloween!

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Believe it or not, Robert Pollard has packed up yet another Suitcase full of one hundred songs across four CDs (along with a limited edition Briefcase 3 LP collecting some of the strongest tracks). Thankfully, GBV, Inc. has radically reduced the footprint and price of Suitcase 3 making for a real bargain for the hardcore fan. I’ll be the first to admit that Pollard’s output is completely overwhelming – but damn if there aren’t some totally great songs on Suitcase 3! At this point, there can be no question, the guy is super-human. Nevertheless, I am a little disappointed that while two of the Happy Jack Rock Records Singles Series B-sides (“Sixland” and “Piss Along You Bird”) are found here, the rest are omitted. These include some of Pollard’s best songs of the last few years, such as “Met Her at a Séance” and “Coast to Coast Carpet of Love” (which was inexplicably omitted from the Merge album of the same name). It really would have been nice to have these songs on CD, but oh well. Of course, the seven-inch 45s are still available for the vinyl-enabled and I have my needle-drop CDRs of same, so that will have to do. Check out free MP3s of “Janet Wait” and “100 Colors” here.

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Amongst the many free-improv discs that Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore has released over the years, his turn-of-the-century collaborations with Evan Parker and members of his Electro-Acoustic Ensemble remain some of the most completely satisfying. Perhaps that is attributable to the impeccable pedigree of his band-mates, but Thurston holds his own, playing with a confident sensitivity that goes way beyond the kind jazz/rock/noise collision you might expect. It had been a long time since I pulled these records out and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed them. Good stuff!

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I love, love, love the new Yo La Tengo album. Better grab the LP before it disappears.

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Blogger tells me this is my 300th post! How about that...