For the uninitiated, Ian Cooke has carved out an extremely unique sound which qualifies him as one of the most intriguing artists you’ll likely hear. Even the packaging of his CD + DVD special editions is very crafty, making use of a house shaped origami folded piece of heavy weight paper that is sealed with Velcro. Cooke sent me all three of his surround releases to check out, and I have been finding each of them to be an amazing listen. Working backwards through the three surround releases, his 2017 “The Flight I Flew” is an evolution in both music and mixing, when compared against his earlier recordings. The basics continue across all albums with the dominant use of cello, piano, and… Continue Reading

Nosound returns with their 2018 studio release “Allow Yourself” which finds the group in new territory once again, embracing alternative and electronic genres balanced by stripped-down production techniques. This album takes the band's minimalist vision even further than their 2016 release Scintilla. incorporating elements from The National, Notwist, and Portishead, alongside an approach to mixing inspired by Bowie's Blackstar and Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool. Founder/ and writer Giancarlo Erra comments on the new direction of the material, saying “The title Allow Yourself reflects this need for change, freeing myself from past stories and influences. The lyrics have also changed,… Continue Reading

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jethro Tull’s debut album “This Was,” a 3CD / 1DVD deluxe edition has been released in early November of 2018. Recorded during the summer of 1968, This Was is the only Jethro Tull album to feature guitarist Mick Abrahams who left the group shortly after the album came out going on to form Blodwyn Pig. This blues-based release is markedly different from the balance of Jethro Tull’s catalogue, and also features their jazziest track ever, “Serenade to a Cuckoo,” which was the first song Anderson learned to play on flute, and is certainly one of the best tracks on the album. Similar to previous deluxe editions, the package contains a plethora of material all… Continue Reading