Big Science
Artist: Laurie Anderson
Community Score: 9.03

There was a backlash against Laurie Anderson in "serious" musical and artistic circles after the completely unexpected mainstream commercial success of her debut album, Big Science. (The eight-plus-minute single "O Superman" was a chart hit in England, unbelievably enough.) A fair listen to Big Science leaves the impression that jealousy must... Read More

Rhizosphere/Live, Paris 1982
Artist: Richard Pinhas

Another schizophrenic Pinhas recording, although this time largely due to the addition of previously unreleased live 1982 material played by a quartet consisting of Pinhas on synthesizers and guitars, Patrick Gauthier on mini-moogs, plus bass and drums. The original Rhizosphere program consists of four Pinhas solo pieces for synthesizer, plus... Read More

Nous Autres
Artist: Fred Frith

This disc consists primarily of a live recording by the British avant-garde guitarist Fred Frith and the similarly inclined Canadian guitarist Rene Lussier. (The LP was originally released shortly after the 1986 concert; the CD reissue adds four studio tracks recorded in 1992.) Fans of Frith will find much to love here, and will be equally... Read More

The Peter Kater Collection: 1983-1990
Artist: Peter Kater

Here's a full platter of 16 pieces from the extensive catalog of Colorado pianist Peter Kater. Throughout the 75 minutes, we revisit his debut, Spirit, from 1983, move along with his emergence as an ensemble player on The Fool and the Hummingbird (1987) and other subsequent releases, drop in on full-blown jazz-based compositions such as... Read More

Tomita's Greatest Hits CD
Artist: Tomita

Isao Tomita's electronic covers of classical pieces may sound outdated and primordial, but his rather basic keyboard applications and simplistic approach are rather interesting, mainly because of their austerity. Overshadowed by keyboard kingpins like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Rick Wakeman, who were making lengthy progressive rock opuses in the... Read More

Tonwelle
Artist: Richard Wahnfried

This 1981 album, on CD for the first time, is something of an enigma. The cover proclaims the music to be "composed by Klaus Schulze," failing to make it clear that Richard Wahnfried is the famous German electronic musician Klaus Schulze operating under a pseudonym. The album consists of four lengthy tracks, 13 to 18 minutes, mainly exercises in... Read More

Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics
Artist: Jon Hassell

Largely thought of merely as a mostly stillborn offshoot of Brian Eno's larger ambient music series, the Fourth World series of albums, in collaboration with trumpeter Jon Hassell, is actually an entirely separate beast. Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics starts off from the same basic idea as Hassell's previous solo albums, like Earthquake... Read More

Cheap at Half the Price - EAST SIDE DIGITAL/RALPH
Artist: Fred Frith

Frith's last album for Ralph Records stepped back from the progressions of Speechless to a concoction of pop-like ditties and instrumentals recorded at home on a four track. And for the first time, Frith sings, in a strange high-pitched tone. A little more production and sound manipulation and this could almost be a Residents album, circa 1978.... Read More

Speechless - EAST SIDE DIGITAL
Artist: Fred Frith

This one of the most important guitar-based, experimental guitar titles from the avant-guitarist and founding Henry Cow member Fred Frith. Frith's second solo album, Speechless, includes appearances by Estron Fou Leloublan, Massacre, and Bill Laswell. This is a studio Frankenstein of live clips and found sounds. While Frith states attests to the... Read More

The Naked Shakespeare
Artist: Peter Blegvad

For his first solo effort, Slapp Happy songwriter and guitarist Peter Blegvad hooked up with producer and XTC frontman Andy Partridge for a collection of relatively simple pop songs. Of course, with Blegvad it's never quite that easy. The literary bent of his lyrics and the layer upon layer of synthesizers and strings make this album the ideal... Read More

Paragong Live 1973
Artist: Gong

Live 1973 is an archival release recorded during a transitional period for Gong. Upon the departure of its original rhythm section, drummer Pip Pyle and bassist Christian Tritsch, leader Daevid Allen hired two new players. Classically trained Swiss percussionist Pierre Moerlen filled the drum chair, and following the audition of several... Read More