★Metronome
Full Horn
*2023 stock* 1973's Full Horn was Cornucopia's only release, but the seven members of this German progressive rock band made sure that it was a worthwhile accomplishment. From the onset of "Day of a Daydreambeliever," the album's opening track, Cornucopia's misty, phantasmal sound is set adrift with the softness of numbing vocal harmonies that emerge from the background. But from here, the song begins to breed patient rhythms and a certain sci-fi milieu that wonderfully sets the mood, picking up…
Electric Sandwich
*2023 stock* This only album by the German band Electric Sandwich is a pretty strong record from the start to the end. It's a wonderful highly enjoyable album. Songs like "Devil's Dream" and "Archie's Blues" have some impressive guitarwork and some of the songs also have a jazzy feeling because of the sax playing. Electric Sandwich's S/T only LP is a very solid and also a highly consistent package. No bad moments on this album. These seven songs all do their job very well. While it's not a total…
Sperrmüll
Long lost krautrock classic delivering a dynamic, complex combination between fuzzy freak out improvisations (full of Hammond organ and catchy heavy guitar leads) and epic folk arrangements for the flute. Sperrmull formed in 1971 but went through various lineup changes until they recorded this their only album in December of 1972. It was produced by Dieter Dierks and recorded at his studio. Dieter also played some synths on the opening track. A very accomplished essay. Similar to (early) Nosfera…
Nocturnes
Arguably Italy's leading contemporary composer, Salvatore Sciarrino (b. 1947) is represented here by seven works for piano, all of which are performed by Nicolas Hodges. The title of the disc – Nocturnes: Complete Piano Works, 1994-2001 – is perhaps a little deceptive: Sciarrino's Fifth Piano Sonata, not complete but recorded here in the guise of two of its five possible endings, opens and closes the album, and the fragmentary Polveri laterali (Lateral dust-particles), at only a minute-and-a-hal…