Reads-In _أحمد Ahmed: Writing_ (EXV01) From our very own @rchmudge “Another engaging dispatch from the أحمد Ahmed universe. The quartet of Pat Thomas (piano), Joel Grip (double bass), Antonin Gerbal (drums) and Seymour Wright (alto saxophone) have spent the last decade plus paying homage and creating expansive and adventurous renderings of Ahmed Abdul-Malik’s compositions.  This initial publication from the Brussells based In vitro project space, in collaboration with KASK School of Arts & Conservatory, compiles ten years of texts from Ahmed including liner notes, writing by the band members, album cover art, etc. The book begins with a compelling etymological investigation of the word jazz which frame the texts that follow around understanding the past as a means to move around and forward. Along the same thematic lines, the press writeup leans on etymology too: ‘These texts are woven together (the etymology of text is from to weave) through (and into) a rich fabric of enquiry. A collaborative weaving together of difference(s) to make a whole (thing).’ Seymour Wright).”   To which we might add, the etymology of the word “album” comes from (albo) “souvenir book,” from the Latin “album,” which in the ancient world involved a board chalked or painted white, upon which public notices were written.   From roots to outer limits…a beautiful book and addition to the أحمد catalog. CC: @ivprojectspace @schoolofartsgent @jazbah45 @gripjoel @xcrswx

Used-In: A quick write-up on this slowly unfolding Lp from 1971, courtesy of @rchmudge Alice Coltrane Featuring Pharoah Sanders _Journey In Satchidananda_ “Really nice, great sounding early pressing of this transitional record in Alice Coltrane’s discography. Her fourth solo LP moves between modal jazz and the more personal/spiritual jazz direction of her work to come. Immensely beautiful and laid back, all the playing here feels very intimate and exploratory. As listenable as experimental jazz gets and no surprise given this all star group ensemble: Alice, Pharoah Sanders, Tulsi on tamboura (her drones often driving and connecting the pieces), Cecil McBee, Rashied Ali, Majid Shabazz on bells and tambouringe along with Charlie Haden (b) and Vishnu Wood on oud (please see the live track ‘Isis and Osiris’). A great record and an essential keystone in Alice Coltrane’s discography.”

Good time at #brooklyncranksgiving

Used-In: The Fall _Perverted By Language_ (1983) Our own @rchmudge writes, “Really nice copy of the Rough Trade UK pressing of the sixth Fall LP, a transitional record (even for a band perpetually in transition). The last release on Rough Trade b/w notable as the first to feature Brix Smith on guitar and vocals. Brix’s songwriting contribution on ‘Hotel Blöedel’ foreshadows the shift away from the less conventional song forms to the more ‘pop’ inflected tunes that would appear on _The Wonderful and Frightening World..._ ‘Hotel Blöedel’ is all unmistakably The Fall though with MES’s rambling poetry lurking just below Brix’s vocals and also featuring his violin scraping. A host of tempos and styles cohere on this LP where every tune is a fine moment on its own that drives the LP forward in the shambolic way that only The Fall could pull off. Is it their best? Who cares? It’s a great LP. And John Peel said it best: <<People write to me and say, ‘I heard The Fall, which record should I get?’ And I never have any hesitation in telling them: you must get them all, because it’s impossible to pick one. You have to have them all, you do, and in fact I’ll go further. I say: anybody who can tell you the five best Fall LPs, or the five best Fall tracks, has missed the point, really. It’s the whole body of the work that is to be applauded.” #markesmith #perverted #language #roughtrade #thefall #brixsmith

Used-In: One last missive for today from our resident #jazz #scholar @rchmudge and an affordable non #whiteglove grab at that. “A pair of early Borah Bergman solo albums here, including his second Lp, the aptly titled _Bursts of Joy_ on #chiaroscuro released in 1977 and the stunning fourth _Upside Down Vision_ released in 1985 on Soul Note. Both releases find the ambidextrous #upsidedown pianist in fine form. ‘Bursts Of Joy Or Circles, Whirl & 8’ starts off so quickly that one is tempted to check the speed and pitch adjustment on the turntable. Typically b/w always a good sign here in the shop, as disorientation is a useful road sign for listening. While his speedy, technically complex runs inevitably elicit comparisons to Cecil Taylor, a few minutes of listening reveal differences. Touchstones of Art Tatum and Ornette Coleman’s bold experiments surface throughout, though the sound is all uniquely Bergman. _Upside Down Vision_ feels more introspective, alternating the sometimes disorienting note formations with beautiful melodic passages where Bergman lets the notes decay into silence as on ‘Poignant Dream.’ The thick note clusters contrast against the achingly beautiful and spare segments brings out the highlights of both. _Upside Down Vision_ is less frenetic and playful and full of subtle variations.  Bergman shines on his solo work, not to say that his group excursions are flawed but one comes away with a full sense of his playing. Despite the oft cited sonic similarities to Cecil Taylor, Bergman’s sound is all his own. He and Taylor are both top-shelf skilled and storied composers b/w improvisors, inhabiting parallel universes all their own.”

New-in: Been waiting for this field report since hearing about Volume 2 in GC Volume 5! Our correspondent Rich Mudge speaks volumes below: “_Groove Club Vol. 5: Sinn Sisamouth Vol. 2._ Great second volume of archival Sinn Sisamouth recordings released by Lion Productions as part of their Groove Club series. File under reissues done right, as per the following bullet points:  * officially licensed and done with the blessing of Sisamouth’s family * most of these tracks have not been released since they were issued as now hard to find singles (studio masters were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge regime - an effort to eliminate foreign influences on Cambodia) * informative 16 page booklet of photos and liner notes featuring in-depth interviews with Khav Thong Nhot (widow of Sinn Sisamouth) and his granddaughter Sin Setsochhaata, also a musician (!!) The singles compiled here show the breadth of Sisamouth’s songwriting talent and his effortless shifts between genres, from 1950s crooning to his unique take on 1960s pop and rock sounds, merged with elements of traditional Khmer music. It’s no wonder he was dubbed the King of Khmer Music (or “Emperor of Khmer Music,” as indicated on liner notes on the back of the sleeve). The lightness and joy of the music contrasts with the stories in the booklet, particularly the details filled in by Nhot who recounts the horrors of the Khmer Rouge genocide. For further details please see b/w revisit the amazing film _Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten_ (2014), which covers some of the political horrors and artistic yearning for self-expression detailed in the Lp booklet as well as in Sisamouth’s career. A great package laden with history and great music, too.” #dontthinkiveforgotten #sinnsisamouth Cc: @lionproductionslabel @dontthinkiveforgotten.fm @rchmudge

New-In: #restock of Roedelius _90_ 4LP box set, courtesy of @groenlandrecords @rchmudge writes, “A blink and you missed proposition, this is already sold out most places but more importantly what a way to celebrate a 90th birthday! Four LPs of previously unreleased recordings made between 1968-80 consisting of loopy, pulsating grooves that won’t sound out of place to fans of Hans-Joachim Roedelius’ other notable work with Cluster/Kluster and Harmonia as well as his solo endeavours. That said, it’s lovely to hear these solo pieces, largely done with a farfisa organ and tape delay; spartan yet sounded fully fleshed out.” And from the press release: “Most of the music on 90 comes from the 2-track Revox tapes (1968 – 80). Working with his Echolette tape delay and Farfisa organ—the equipment on which Achim recorded his beloved Selbstportrait records and much of the seminal work with Dieter Moebius and Michael Rother—the Revox tapes document the processes and sounds that continue to inspire generations of music lovers and sonic adventurers. _90_ is in no way intended as the exhaustive retrospective of the oeuvre of an important artist. The actual chronology of these pieces, and in some cases who might have collaborated with Achim on them, remain a mystery. But the historical context of this music is undeniably compelling—it doesn’t feel like hyperbole to suggest that these cascading, hypnotic cycles equal the best of contemporaries like Terry Riley, working half a world away on their own minimal masterpieces. For now, a celebration is sufficient—the portrait of an extraordinary life at 90, narrated in beautiful, intimate, innovative music.”

New-in: Thalia Zedek Band _The Boat Outside Your Window_ (Thrill Jockey) Our own @rchmudge enthuses, “the latest LP from the fabulous TZB delivers another round of perfect uplifting melancholy, the first to feature pedal steel player Karen Sarkisian who joined following the departure of violist David Curry and pianist Mel Lederman. The quartet version of the band (recorded) in fine #nashville form, kicking off with the heavy hitting “Tsunami” where Zedek’s deceptively simple guitar riff segues into a hook pulled forward by Sarkisian’s ebowed pedal steel. The music and lyrics of the feel simultaneously eerie and soaring. Zedek is an experienced hand and has a gift for making bleak dirge blues sound warm and inviting. There is a timelessness to the lyrics, frailties b/w overdriven guitar and an all too human feel. A solid record and a worthy addition to her now lengthy solo career and storied past w/ bands like Uzi, Live Skull, and, most notably, Come.” More great cover design by Thalia’s brother Dan Zedek. There’s a video floating around too underscoring the nautical themes on this Lp. Can’t let this social media moment pass without plugging TZ’s early #boston #allston #propeller band Dangerous Birds. One of our favorites bands ever from #toughguy #boston Including a short clip of Dangerous Birds 2024 “first performance in 40+ years” set from here in the shop, happened last Fall! We’ve been TZ fans for close to 40 years. Cc: @gavinmccarthy73 @bluesteelguitar @thaliazedek @thrilljockey @danzedek Mastering: @_sarah_register @lawrencewilmington

Used-In: Have loved this picture of Rova Quartet for years. Hit us if someone knows who should be credited. About ROVA : Zorn _The Receiving Surfaces_ (Matalanguage, 2011) our resident scholar, @rchmudge writes, “A lively and lovely sounding multitrack recording from a live set at Yoshi’s in San Francisco on August 28, 2010 - Rova Saxophone Quartet filled out to a quintet; joined by longtime fellow raconteur/noise maker John Zorn.  The energy is palpable, moments of frenetic interaction are braced by notes stretched out to calm tempos only for burbles and reed pops to lead into a riff/riffs that suddenly blast off again. There’s never a dull moment and the players leave room for each other to be heard which can be a real head/ear clearing event as you try to follow the polyrhythms. This one will freshen up your synapses and clear any dust out of your ventricles. Not exactly a more traditional deep listening set of music but there’s a hell of a lot to dig into here. Possibly best said by the members of ROVA (from rova.org): ‘The Receiving Surfaces exudes a feeling of trust and daring that makes listening to the Rova-Zorn quintet a thrill - explosive, introverted, hair-raising, intuitive, carefree and carefully crafted all at once. The 2010 concert and resultant recording both celebrate a nearly four-decade relationship between Rova members and John Zorn, whom we regard as one of the great visionary musicians and thinkers of our milieu. Even in pre-Rova days we were closely allied with John, and as Rova formed and evolved, our intimate connection with him was maintained through conversation, concerts, recordings, collaboration and friendship. This release may be the culmination of our years in the trenches.’” ROVA in the trenches with Zorn & his camo!! Cc: @rovaarts

Used-In: From our resident expert, Rich Mudge, who not only has a Government Issue tattoo, but owns countless pressings of the _Boycott Stabb_ EP #fountainofyouth #Dischord, distributed via #dutcheastindia “A harDCore classic!! This is the remastered white label 33 1/3 pressing from 1983, “A Porky Prime Cut.” Far from their best—that was yet to come—but a crucial part of their musical DNA. Marks the first recordings with Tom Lyle on guitar.” #halloffame #puppetonastring #sheerterror #insomniac Cc: @rchmudge

New-In: Another amazing archival release courtesy of Atlanta’s @deanwellglobalmusic #highlyrecommended @rchmudge describes _Tožibabe _Discography 1984-86_ as a “comprehensive (if not complete) discography from the groundbreaking Ljubljana, Slovenia (former Yugoslavia) trio. They were one of the first female bands to write and perform original songs and were known for switching instruments at live shows; as per Alenka Marsenič Marsa, ‘The interesting thing was that during the concert we changed instruments, so that each of us played at least two - the one that best suited the given piece in this kind of line-up - so that it was also an opportunity for a total event and a kind of speciality of our performances.’ The trio of Marsa, Lidija Rupnik and Krischka belt out a frenetic mix of raw, noisy punk and raging hardcore across these tracks. RIYL the best moments of Crass/Crass Records and the 1-2 martial beat and punch of the best of early 80s hardcore and the more bent sounds of post-punk. The DIY spirit runs deep: in addition to the musical accomplishments as the members of the band directed their own music videos, appeared on/organized TV and radio shows, booked live shows and organized art exhibitions, too. Real Eastern block subversive stuff b/w Unlike suburban American HC. The compilation starts with the 1986 ‘Dežuje’ 7” EP the only non-compilation official release and a track from the Hard-Core Ljubljana Compilation (1985), five 1984 rehearsal tracks, live tracks from both the Novi Rock Festival in ‘86 and the  Čudeža Ne Bo Tape Compilation from the same year and closes out with five tracks from the Ljubljanska Hardcore Scena VHS released in 1984. Raging and righteous tunes all around!” @thurstonmoore58 gave this release much praise here on IG!!

New-In: Great to see these outstanding mid-1970s live dates from two different Noah Howard bands getting reissued on vinyl courtesy the Trost Records/Cien Fuegos family of labels. Done in cooperation with the FMP label (both releases were originally issued on FMP sub-label SAJ). @rchmudge writes, “_Berlin Concert_ was recorded live in anuary of 1975 with a quartet featuring pianist Takashi Kako, bassist Kent Carter, drummer Oliver Johnson, and percussionist Lamont Hampton, while _Schizophrenic Blues_ was a quartet date taped live in Berlin in May of 1977 with a quartet comprising Johnson, bassist Jean-Jacque Avenel, and trumpeter Itaru Oki. The frenetic energy on _Berlin Concert_ feels much more of a piece with Howard’s notable 1960s releases: freewheeling, fired up improv. So many highlights in a set that’s just over 38 minutes; a storming take on Coltrane’s ‘Olé’ and four originals. The quartet on _Schizophrenic Blues_ explores the interplay of of Howard and trumpeter Oki driven by the dynamic swinging rhythm section of Carter and Johnson taking on a wide variety of styles and dynamics including an interpretation of Stevie Wonders’ ‘Bird of Beauty’ and a heavy hitting version of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ that closes the set.” Cc: @konstantin_trostrecords