The Enigmatic ECM

A chill went down my spine when the ECM Records spokesman Steve Lake revealed that dozens of the label’s out-of-print albums were in the process of being digitized during a panel discussion at the Big Ears Festival in March.  The deluge of castoffs from my favorite record label recently hit streaming services.  I’m drowning in improvised European sounds.  Capsule reviews of ten titles follow.  While none of the ostensible duds by prominent artists and obscurities by relative unknowns are unheralded masterpieces, each merits the consideration of listeners with similar predilections.  The albums are listed in order of my personal preference.


Enrico Rava Quartet- Ah (1980)
Thrilling post-bop.

Tom van der Geld and Children at Play- Out Patience (1977)
Akin to a new age version of Eric Dolphy’s Out to Lunch.

Rena Rama- Landscapes (1977)
Echoes of Old and New Dreams.

Enrico Rava Quartet- Opening Night (1982)
Intermittent brilliance.

Jack DeJohnette’s Directions- Untitled (1976)
Eccentricities indulged.

Arild Andersen- Lifelines (1981)
The trumpet and flugelhorn of Kenny Wheeler shine on the date led by the Norwegian bassist.

Steve Kuhn Quartet- Last Year’s Waltz (1982)
The live recording with vocalist Sheila Jordan is entirely unlike an ECM production.

Hajo Weber and Ulrich Ingenbold- Winterreise (1982)
Enchanting guitars.

Om- Kirikuki (1976)
Imagine a collaboration between the ethereal flautist Paul Horn and the noisy guitarist James “Blood” Ulmer.

Gary Burton Quartet- Easy as Pie (1981)
His least rewarding album.


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I write weekly concert previews for The Kansas City Star.

(Original image of Hyeyoung Shin’s “Tide” at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: M.I.A.- Matangi

I've been waiting for Matangi for most of my life.  The concept of "The Music of Tomorrow" has always fascinated me.  But now that it's finally arrived in the form of M.I.A.'s fourth album, I find myself a bit nonplussed.  Her vaguely militant "Life During Wartime"-style stance and synthesis of world pop is meant to be experienced communally.  Listening to Matangi on headphones is all wrong.  Songs like "Attention" need to be felt in a nightclub or concert hall.  Until I locate a willing DJ, I'll have NME's video feature on M.I.A. on repeat.


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In spite of the (deservedly) negative tone of my review, I actually enjoyed last night's concert featuring 2 Chainz, Tech N9ne, Juicy J, Tyga, Rocko and Kidd Kidd. 

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I reviewed Karrin Allyson's new Yuletide Hideaway album at Plastic Sax.

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Reach and Reggie B are featured on "Wrong Girl", a track on Marco Polo's star-laden PA2: The Director's Cut album.

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Here's a video for Approach's "Of a 1,000".  RIYL: 785, wordplay, grainy black-and-white film.

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Evalyn Awake's new single "Red" is RIYL: Chevelle, Trivium, Rev Theory.

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Danny Alexander's essay about attending a recent Del Lords concert is excellent.

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Hey, anyone remember Vinx?  The one-time area resident released Love Never Comes Too Late in April.  RIYL: Seal, Oleta Adams, John Legend.

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The video for Bruce Springsteen's "Dream Baby Dream" is nice.  RIYL: slow motion, Suicide, arena rock.

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The Gospel According to Sam, a compilation of homemade 1963 recordings of Mississippi bluesman Sam Langhorn, was released this week.  RIYL: John Hurt, tape hiss, Furry Lewis.

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John Legend's new album Love in the Future is excellent.  RIYL: Stevie Wonder, luxury brands, Donny Hathaway.

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Here's 17 minutes of Gary Burton and Julian Lage performing in the NPR offices. So good.

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Death Grips has released a free new album.  RIYL: end times, dub, Anonymous.

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Hearing the Biggie remix of Lorde's "Royals" sandwiched between Chris Brown and Drake on the radio makes me giddy.

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Phil, a loyal reader of There Stands the Glass, recommends the Blues Unlimited podcast.

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The video for Mick Turner's "The Bird Catcher" is messed up.  RIYL: the actress Karen Black (really!), the Dirty Three, nightmares.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Tompall Glaser, 1933-2013

My dad wore out the grooves of Wanted!: The Outlaws.  The album resounded hundreds of times in our home in the years following its release in 1976.  I relished the repetition, although I was a little creeped out by the lusty way my dad sang along to the songs about women.  Tompall Glaser, one of the four artists featured on the compilation, died Tuesday.  Glaser's rendition of "T For Texas" was my introduction to Jimmie Rodgers.  Put another log on the fire.


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Eydie Gormé has died.  (Video selection via BGO.)

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Jody Payne, Willie Nelson's guitarist, has died.

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Akkilles' Something You'd Say is streaming at Bandcamp.  RIYL: Sea Change, America (the band), Toro y Moi.

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Bowinero's Asterism is recommended if you like Antennas Up, Modest Mouse, Young the Giant. 

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The Floozies' new single ""Love, Sex and Fancy Things"" is RIYL: "Blurred Lines," "More Bounce To the Ounce" and "Suit & Tie."

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Antennas Up has a new video for The Awkward Phase".

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Red Kate's When the Trouble Comes is RIYL: the Big Boys, the Wipers, Naked Raygun.

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The video for Tech N9ne's "Party the Pain Away" is what you thought it was. 

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Dolls on Fire created a video for "Fem vs the Volcano".

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Tim Finn checks in with Matt Pryor of the Get Up Kids.

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I'm glad hundreds of thousands of people are excited about Kendrick Lamar's explosive verse on Big Sean's "Control."  I dig it too.  A similar reaction supposedly greeted Coleman Hawkins' famous solo on "Body and Soul" in 1939.  My ongoing fantasy is that a similar number of active music lovers will lose their collective minds over a new solo by someone like Rudresh Mahanthappa. 

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Thanks in large part to the contributions of Julian Lage, Gary Burton's Guided Tour is one of my favorite jazz albums of 2013.  Here's the EPK.

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The critical acclaim that's greeted Grant Hart's unlistenable new album The Argument strikes me as insane.

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Music critics occasionally know what they're talking about.  Ka's The Night's Gambit is every bit as good as the scores of breathless reviews suggest.  RIYL: Ghostface Killah, Rakim, Cut Chemist.

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The National's set at last weekend's Outside Lands festival featured the Kronos Quartet and Bob Weir. My interest in the mopey band is renewed.

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Myron & E's retro soul album Broadway sounds incredible.  Unfortunately, it's done in by extremely awkward lyrics.

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José James' new Come To My Door EP compliments his stunning full-length 2013 album.

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I recommend No Age's An Object to fans of the harsh post-punk sound of 1983. 

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Trillwave 3 is the deliriously fun new mixtape by mashup masters the Hood Internet. 

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I'll eventually get around to listening to this week's new releases by Glen Campbell, Bela Fleck, Valerie June, K. Michelle, Stevie Stone, Washed Out and Barrence Whitfield and the Savages.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)