Record Store Day 2010

Bob Burnett: Record Store Day came and went yesterday and although I didn't walk into an independent bricks and mortar shop, I did my due diligence by mail ordering a few things from one of my favorite places: Downtown Music Gallery in New York City. I was pleased to see James "Blood" Ulmer's albums from the early '80s--originally released on Columbia--being re-issued via the small European Movie Gold label. I bought both Black Rock and Freelancing. As a college kid record reviewer I stated Ulmer's Freelancing

was the album of the year in about 1982-3. I had it on vinyl and somehow let it get away from me. It slipped into the doldrums of non-existence for all these decades. I look forward to getting a new copy and the time I'll have to re-approach it's cutting, slashing skronky-funkiness.

The other purchase is The Nels Cline Singers new double cd release Initiate. Bruce Lee Gallanter of Downtown Music Gallery stated "Without a doubt it is the incredible guitar trio album of the year!". I've just started listening to the album (via Lala) and I'm finding it to be as important as Bruce claims it to be. Apparently the Cryptogramaphone label went to great lengths with the packaging so I'm springing for my own "hard copy". I tend to buy practically anything Nels Cline releases under his name--especially the Nels Cline Singers. (my favorite incarnation of his various efforts) First thoughts have me hearing a wide range of styles--from what was good about Weather Report to abstract improv. Apparently disc 2 is a very open live set. I'm certain this album will start working it's way into some cC60 Mixcloud mixes.

A c60Crew music mix: Totally Opaque

Bob Burnett: I've been listening to many new things over the past month and honestly it's been a bit overwhelming to try and encapsulate everything into a series of reviews. Here's a quick briefing:

Mountains--the duo has a new release titled "Etchings" that is wonderful. It builds nicely on their body of work.

Mary Halvorson--I've been enjoying her trio playing as well as finding myself falling back into the Thirteenth Assembly release "(un)senimental".

Thank you Vladislav Delay for "The Four Quarters".

Wadada Leo Smith's "Spiritual Dimensions" heightens my belief in "out" music to new levels. There's so much here and I keep digging deeper.

"Totally Opaque" is a mix that doesn't even try to find "something for everyone". This is pure and simple where I am at the moment. Sound. Full, embodied sound in large waves, abstract fragments and shards, collages of nature, the elements. I hope you find something within the hour that touches you too.

Totally Opaque by C60crew on Mixcloud