Radian – “Chimeric”Thrill Jockey-out now The first few industrial notes of ambient “Chimeric” are miserably slow, and it’s sad to say, but Radian here doesn’t offer much more. The songs are incredibly sparse, lacking the depth and layering of more noise-oriented artists (Merzbow), and don’t display song arcs or give the listener much footing in which to orient themselves (Aphex Twin, The Flaming Lips most recently). While sonic experimentation isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is when other aspects, such as song construction and meaning, are being experimented upon. And that is how the listener feels: experimented upon. To be sure, there are a fewRead More →

Sufjan Stevens – “The BQE”Asthmatic Kitty-out now An ambitious project on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, “The BQE” is clearly marked as Sufjan Steven’s magnum opus. A classical suite in a foreboding thirteen parts, “BQE” is anything but: it is grand, magnificent, and patient. Commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music and performed on November of 2007, fans of Steven’s much-awaited suite are treated to audio, an intimate video, and even a 40-page booklet. Those same fans will note immediately that this piece, unlike “Illinois” or “Michigan,”is far less personal, and lacks the vocals and intimate stories, as well as stand-out tracks of the previous two. TheRead More →

Back.So, it’s been two weeks. This is the part of the music season that lags a bit, and the vacation was very welcome and productive (thanks for asking), but now it’s time to get back to business. We’ve got an album dedicated to a roadway coming up, as well as a few others, so check back tomorrow for that and Friday for another. I just haven’t decided which to run at the end of the week.So how was last week? Hope it was every bit as restful as mine… *yawn*…-MgmtRead More →

So y’all,It’s that time of the year to take a break, kick back from what ails ya, and just relax. No, not you, I meant me: I’m going to take a blog-cation from CD reviews this week and the next. It’s been pretty taxing and all hunting down CDs, and getting them out to you on time… no, cake isn’t necessary for me, but I’ll take it all the same…Your assignment: keep on keeping on. See you on the 16th!-Mgmt.Read More →