(This review, originally written back in 1995, appeared in Volume 1, issue 2 of The Tracking Angle as a review of Sony Legacy Gold CD ZK 66220, produced by Bob Irwin. It was an amazing sounding CD).

Now in 2007, Irwin gets to issue it on vinyl on his own label, Sundazed. As good as that gold CD sounds, this LP reissue sounds better (of course) and better than the original Bang LP, which was bright, hard and not particularly pleasant, though you could hear a great recording under the poor EQ. The music and sound numbers are for the new LP).

The almost apologetic liner notes let you know that the music on this album, and indeed Mr. Hawkins himself, was essentially out of favor, except as an exercise in nostalgia and that Prestige’s “Moodsville” series, if not meant as background “mood music,” could serve that purpose, though it was perfectly suited for actual listening should the buyer so desire. Montovani is even mentioned in the notes!

A collection of mostly 17th and 18th century music, much of which was written to alleviate a form of madness caused by a Tarantula bite might not sound like an enticing concept, but it is!



This collection of mostly ancient, anonymous tunes compiled, arranged and generally brought back to life by Gregorio Paniagua and performed brilliantly by Atrium Musicae De Madrid recorded and issued by Harmonia Mundi in 1976 became a big hit in the audiophile community of the time, thanks both to the music’s charm, and the stupendously natural recording.

I don’t know about you, but back in the winter of 1969, big band music was not exactly my “go to” musical genre. At 22 I was listening to Abbey Road which had just come out, and Tommy and Simon and Garfunkel and The Kinks, and Frank Zappa, not Duke Ellington, though I was into Monk, Coltrane, Miles and Cannonball. I drew the line at big band music.

I wasn’t even moved to give it a chance when Steely Dan did “East St. Louis Toodle-oo” on Pretzel Logic, which I loved, and I noticed that it was written by Duke Ellington.

Of Montreal is not from Montreal (they’re from Athen, Georgia) and the “they” on this album from 2004 are Kevin Barnes and lyricist Dan Donahue.



Barnes is kind of a modern day Todd Rundgren, though home multi-track recording makes many of today’s young artists “Todd Rundgren-like” in that sense. Barnes makes sound and music similar to Rundgren’s poppier stuff.Barnes plays most of the instruments (guitars, drums, keyboards, etc.) and sings and he records and mixes as well. Like Rundgren, a one man show.

Slinky “world music” with a distinctly American desert underpinning, yet incorporating Arabic tonal modes, Another Green World Eno-esque rhythms and an eclectic, dizzying array of instruments, acoustic and electronic, Califone’s latest album will literally leave you gasping for air as you vainly attempt to absorb even a pathetically small percentage of what’s thrown at you musically and sonically on what is a stupendous production and an even more remarkable recording.

Smartly arranged and orchestrated, nicely recorded and beautifully packaged, Bright Eyes’s latest double LP set is a wistful set that begins oddly but effectively with a denouement of a song about the encroaching pincer forces of corporate, military and religious aggressors (“If you think that God is keeping score, hooray!”)

Conor Oberst, the young man behind the band and the Saddle Creek label sings of times that have changed, of the onslaught of religious insanity, superstition, a musician’s life and loves on the road, and desperate methods of escape.

Low’s latest begins on a somber, fatalistic note with the dirge-like “Pretty People,” in which we’re reminded that along with the soldiers fighting today, and all the little babies, and all the lions and “..all the pretty people…,” we’re all gonna die.

A friend told me that Blonde Redhead purists simply hate this album, or at least they’re disappointed by the New York based group’s 7th. Disappointed by what they claim is overproduction, over-thinking and artifice in place of substance.

If you’re not familiar with Modest Mouse’s brand of jumpy/shouty, guitar driven music, if you’re a fan of XTC or The Talking Heads, you actually are.

On a quartet of albums, the Seattle based indie band fronted by enigmatic Isaac Brock, has trafficked in Andy Partridge style throaty yelps and barbed wire Colin Moulding guitars, blended with a more American-sounding David Byrne esthetic. They even managed a hit single back in 2004 with “Float On,” a song you probably know even if you think you don’t. It’s on the double elpee Good News For People Who Love Bad News (Epic E2 87125).