Time to give a little love to the CD-R.
For a column that supposedly focuses on the best cassette releases coming out these days, I had to stop and take a minute to prop the shit out of this CD-R release. Also, allow me to digress for a second. Why do CD-Rs not seem to get the same love as cassettes? I suppose with the recent boom in vinyl sales, there is a certain spike in nostalgia that has brought the cassette format back to life. CDs, perhaps, are just a reminder of that mass commodification of music that we all want to forget to some degree? Who gives a shit? Am I right?
Point being, don't sleep on CD-Rs because they aren't as cool as cassettes, ok? They're just as capable of being aural epic. This one from Mick Flower and Chris Corsano is a prime example. A collection of live improvs from this year, this release somehow manages to be the best thing they've done in 2009 even after releasing a massive LP that is also tops.
They go from from grooving rhythm to moody jazz introspection into spaced-out Eastern ragas with the flip of a switch, but it remains rooted in blissful interplay leading to massive amounts of tension and release. Corsano's crashing high hats hit crescendo after crescendo while Flower's japanese banjo rips beautiful, skyscraper scales into a gorgeous infinity. It really is something to behold.
Visit Chris Corsano's website to buy.
It is self-released by the duo, but with a little searching you can also find it at some distros.
