Issue #23 Extra!: New Releases
Oskar Aichinger - “To Touch a Distant Soul”
Apeiron & Vasudeva - “Mirror Images”
Chrysaldor - "The Legend"
Early Day Miners - “Placer Found”
Cesaria Evora - “São Vicente”
Foetus - “Flow”(Thirsty Ear THI57102.2, 2001, CD)
Eloy Fritsch - “Cyberspace”
Fucking Champs - “IV”
Hábitat - “Baúl Repleto de Sugerencias”
Hemisphere - “Now”
Mururoa - “Planets”
Pain of Salvation - “The Perfect Element”
PFM - “Serendipity”
Rains - “Apokalyptische Stadt”
Rasha - “Let Me Be”
Remotion - “Between Fiction and Reality”
Ruby - “Short-Staffed at the Gene Pool”
Ruby - “Altered & Proud (The Short-Staffed Remixes)”
Spring Heel Jack - “The Blue Series Continuum (a collaboration) – Masses”
Tea for Two – “101”
David Thomas and Foreigners - “Bay City”
Chrysaldor - "The Legend"
(Dreaming DR 8412.AR, 2000, CD)
The packaging of this release is a tad confusing, and the title may well be Chrysaldor The Legend, with the musicians being named Zen’s and El Jice. Whatever. This is a release on Musea’s electronic sub-label, based around one of the goofier sci-fi liner note concepts I’ve seen lately (it seems like with every issue of this magazine there’s a new one that outdoes the last…). Luckily the album is pretty well entirely instrumental with the exception of occasional recited sections which are generally unintelligible Manglish (mangled English). The music consists predominantly of somnolent pseudo-ambient textures, which occasionally work their way into melodic, minor-key led, beat-driven, unchallenging ear candy. Think Jean-Michel Jarre crossed with Kitaro and one has a pretty good idea of what to expect. Usually when one encounters an album of digital timbres from Belgium it’s a warning sign of unspectacular neo-prog, so in this case I suppose it’s a revelation to get unspectacular background music instead. Recommended to e-music fans who like to play it safe. Real safe. - Sean McFee
Fucking Champs - “IV”
(Drag City Records DC197CD, 2000, CD)
The Champs are an unusual trio of twin lead guitars plus drums that cranks out a heavy uptempo rock sound with plenty of meaty riffs. On many tunes they sound like an instrumental version of Thin Lizzy (remember them?) with the gutsy low end from Josh Smith’s nine string guitar making up for the lack of a bassist. The best part of their sound is the excellent twin guitar interplay with dual lead and harmony lines that really sing (there is only one vocal track on the album by the way). There are some similarities to Joe Satriani but this is less sophisticated and technical, but more visceral. When they calm down the Champs come up with three quiet tunes including one really tasteful ballad, but most of the album is pure guitar-driven rock. There is a bit of a sameness to many of the tracks, but fans of chunky rock riffs should enjoy this. - David Ashcraft
Rasha - “Let Me Be”
(Nubenegra (no cat#), 2000, CD)
Go to your favorite record store, to the world music (or international as some of them call it) section and look for Africa. Most of them will have a fair number of CDs, usually separated by country of origin. Most of them will not have a card for Sudan. That’s where Rasha would go. If you want to know how the indigenous music of Sudan interfaces with Western styles, I’m not sure you’ll find much information on this CD – Rasha Shekeldein lives in Spain, and most of her collaborators are Spanish. The songs flirt with numerous styles (reggae, blues, jazz, latin) and the only Sudanese touch most of the time is Rasha’s voice. It is a beautiful voice, mostly on the breathy side, like an Arabic version of Sade, but she does sing out with some force and presence. Setting aside the question of whether the world needs a reggae song played by Spanish musicians with Arabic singing by a Sudanese woman, the music is really pretty enjoyable. Producer Francisco Javier Pascual’s flutes and saxes feature prominently on every track, sometimes jazzy, sometimes pretty and mellow, and sometimes Arabic-sounding, as on my favorite track “Ummi”. Needless to say, I would enjoy Rasha’s music a lot more if she didn’t spend so much time imitating the styles of other countries and tried to develop a sound of her own. - Jon Davis
David Thomas and Foreigners - “Bay City”
(Thirsty Ear THI57085.2, 2000, CD)
Starting with his tenure in the seminal art-punk outfit Pere Ubu, David Thomas has shown himself to be a lyricist of great talent and singer of acquired taste. For this outing he teams up with a trio of Danish musicians. Guitarist Jørgen Teller, clarinetist Per Buhl Acs (also playing guitar), and drummer P.O. Jørgens provide relatively minimal, fairly improvisational accompaniment for thirteen of Thomas’s emotional vocal pieces. There are a couple of real gems here, though nothing really approaching what could be called a “song.” My favorite is probably the bleak “Nobody Lives on the Moon”, with its wall of feedback and interesting drum pattern. “15 Seconds” contains a cryptic reference to “repopulating the American continent with clones.” Not sure what to make of that, but the same song contains this chilling observation: “I feared the worst that worst could be, that everything would be just what it seems to be.” Any of the others, in isolation, is interesting, but the cumulative effect of an entire CD of this music is probably too much for anyone but a dedicated Thomas fan or a lover of improvisation along the lines of Damo Suzuki. I’d recommend for the novice to start with one of Pere Ubu’s classics – Jon Davis
[www.thirstyear.com]
Pain of Salvation - “The Perfect Element”
(InsideOut Music America IOMACD 2019, 2000, CD)
Pain of Salvation are one of the few bands that comes along every now and then and redefines their genre. I mean, I don’t even care much for this particular avenue of melodic prog-metal, the kind including the more commercial end of the spectrum such as Fates Warning and Dream Theater. But there is something wonderfully insolent about how a young band can combine such a wide variety of music under one umbrella. I can’t even call this prog-metal with a straight face. One tends to expect the barrage of distorted guitars and pounding double bass drums, but this is such a small element. Yes, they are accessible, and the accessibility has its moments that are not likely to appeal to those who don’t like any of the music in this general area. This is particularly true in ballads such as “Morning on Earth.” They do give up their fair share of battering riff heavy music, however. “Idioglossia” opens with a blazing riff that introduces a song that combines almost rap-like vocals with harmonic back-up vocals and more convoluted breaks—and they get away with it. What about a little trip down modal lane? Sure, they do that “Her Voices”—and they get away with it. A guitar/synth patch duo on “Failing”? Yep, that too. In summary, it is the band’s brash cheekiness that bugs me, like they are saying, “We can do this kind of music and actually excel at it.” You may not like prog-metal, but before you give up on it, check out a band that makes the style look irrelevant. - Mike McLatchey
[www.insideoutmusic.com]
Eloy Fritsch - “Cyberspace”
(Rock Symphony RSLN 050, 2000, CD)
I’ve heard Brazilian Eloy Fritsch’s name before, but had not heard him until now. Nicely layered arrangements float serenely by. The emphasis is on orchestral-sounding synthesizers, with soft atmospheric touches. “Lost Paradise” includes majestic rhythms to go along with it, marching triumphantly at a steady pace. The entire work is completely electronic in nature, with a vast array of synthesizers listed in the credits, as well as displayed surrounding the artist on the cover. “Beyond the Ocean Waves” does a fair imitation of a guitar lead, surrounded by a lilting synthesizer sequence. The whole disc has a sense of lightness and sweetness; one might even say it’s cheery. “Inside the Heart of the Universe” is particularly upbeat and energetic, a little reminiscent of some of Jean-Michel Jarre’s lively earlier works. One would be hard-pressed to feel depressed while listening to this album. “Malacara Canyon” is more reflective, with a light beat, water-like sounds, and more synths. The mood does take a more dramatic turn briefly on “Symphony of Peace,” ironically one of the darker pieces despite the optimistic title. However, this is followed a couple tracks later by the downright bouncy “Callisto.” Lush synth textures are layered into “Lake of Peace,” particularly in the first of the two movements. The titles and music seem to tell a story, culminating with a dramatic flair in the latter tracks, the denouement coming in the form of “Towards the Sky” for a mellow finish. - Phil Derby
[www.mck.com.br]
Tea for Two – “101”
(QuiXote CD 12, 2000, CD)
Neo-progressive act Tea for Two’s first album is appropriately titled 101 since this work is very much a freshman endeavor. The core of the group stems from vocalist Stephan Weber and guitarist Jens Oliver Sörup together with keyboardist and drum programmer Michael Schumpelt. From the opening song, “Drifting Apart”, it’s clear that the group is modeled in part on the current incarnation of Marillion, with screaming lead guitar, lush backing and flashy synth lines. Weber is a bit of a strange warbler for a non-native English language singer, since his lead vocal is not dissimilar to IQ’s Peter Nicholls and his dramatic emphasis. In contrast, “Heaven (For Noone Else But Me)” is characterized by an additional female vocal harmony from Ruth Sharp. Schumpelt appears to have the heavy symphonic keyboard foundation down, as evidenced on transitional interludes such as “Bitter Sweet”, which serves as an introduction into “All Too Late”, a morose ballad of lost glories. The two big pieces are the eleven-minute title track and the album’s closing composition, “Last piece...”. The former is a slow-paced ballad that ends with a Saga-like theme and a syncopated riff for piano, guitar and drums. Lyrically the subject matter is all common ground area; no extended story telling necessary. Not a bad attempt for an initial work by a band pegged in a genre already stuffed with similar elements and less originality. - Jeff Melton
[www.teafortwo.de]
PFM - “Serendipity”
(Sony Music Italy 498901 2, 2000, CD)
As most progressive fans know, Premiata Forneria Marconi was once one of the most renowned of the Italian progressive bands, only to eventually descend into a pop career that would be of little interest to most of this magazine’s readership. It’s of little surprise, then, that this collection of recordings follows the same path they started down two decades ago. The right names are here; Di Cioccio, Djivas, Mussida, Premoli; Franco Battiato pens one track, and the album is produced by Corrado Rustici (surely neither of these gentlemen requires introduction). That doesn’t change the direction of the music, which is a slickly produced rock and roll sound with touches of heaviness, an occasional keyboard presence and good harmony vocals. This is all pleasant enough, if mediocre, but hardly what most progressive rock fans seek when they listen to PFM. The nadir of this album, which otherwise is in Italian, occurs half-way through “Domo Dozo”, where over a swirling keyboard line they recite the phrase “I DEEG YOU, I DEEG YOU, I DEEG YOU, YOU SO GROOVY BABY!” Truly something you will never forget, but you’ll try. One might be tempted to track this down to see what the band is up to now, but be warned; it’s Pretty F*cking Mediocre. - Sean McFee
Early Day Miners - “Placer Found”
(Western Vinyl, WEST 008, 2000, CD)
Well, the Exposé credo is to spotlight the boundaries of rock, so that must mean this young American group fits the mold. Unlike the mostly Euro-prog based music we cover, EDM has a truly American sound, befitting marvelously a band who hails from, as they do, the Midwest. Their lineup is very simply bass, drums, a couple guitars (almost always played without any distortion or other effects devices) and some vocals. Maybe a touch of acoustic piano here or there, but definitely this is an organic sound, that relies almost exclusively on creating a smooth rolling soundscape with the most fundamental sound sources. The drummer plays with hot rods, which are between brushes and sticks, perfect for the calm setting, and low volume. Vocals whisper like winds over the plains; guitars dab ever so lightly their watercolor images on the sonic canvas. Imagine what you would get by hearing REM playing in the mold of Daniel Lanois, or Harold Budd, crazy as it may seem. I certainly don’t mean to say these are influences. But Budd grew up in the Mojave Desert, a place very similar to the imagery on the cover of this CD, and that which is captured in their songs. That kind of ghost town starkness is a common thread between the two. It’s a direction that few others have trod, making Early Day Miners a band worthy of your attention. - Mike Ezzo
[earlydayminers@hotmail.com]
Ruby - “Short-Staffed at the Gene Pool”
(Thirsty Ear THI57101.2, 2001, CD)
Ruby - “Altered & Proud (The Short-Staffed Remixes)”
(Thirsty Ear THI57106.2, 2001, CD)
A whole new genre has developed since about 1995, one that consists basically of a soft-voiced female singer and a programmer/keyboardist/arranger. It probably started with Portishead, then grew to include Lamb, Mandalay, and numerous others, all usually classed as trip-hop. Ruby adds a new twist to the style, supplementing the vocals, beats, and jazzy fills of trip-hop with some flavors from the art-rock area. Vocalist Lesley Rankine is the only constant element. She is joined on most tracks by multi-instrumentalist Mark Walk, and on others by Scott Firth (bass and guitar) and her own instrumental playing. Throughout the songs are lyrical gems; my favorite is in “Fuse Again”: “If you think you know the rules – think again.” These are all great songs imaginatively arranged, full of clever touches – a vibraphone solo here, a quick break with screwy guitar noises there, and subtle treatments on Rankine’s voice all around. The remix CD presents eleven different takes on seven of the tracks from the original, all interesting and valid in their own right, not mere strings of dance floor clichés. Perhaps most notable is Kid 606’s wigged-out version of “Lilypad” with its hyperactive bleeps and skittery beats. Get the studio album first, and if you love it like I do, you’ll want the remix disc for different perspectives on the great tunes. Ruby’s music is probably a little more pop than most of what Exposé covers, but music this good should make boundaries irrelevant. – Jon Davis
[www.thirstyear.com]
Cesaria Evora - “São Vicente”
(Windham Hill 01934-11590-2, 2001, CD)
Brazil has a long and varied tradition of popular music, and Cesaria Evora is one of the shining stars, garnering a lot of attention in the American press in the last few years. There is nothing particularly innovative about the music on this disc, but between Evora’s beautiful and distinctive voice and the instinctive mood that this music can evoke, I’m quite content to let someone else do the innovating. Acoustic guitars are ever-present, and horns provide punctuation and counterpoint for the lazy melodies. Stings show up on may tracks, lushly filling out the sound, sometimes a little overdone. Percussion is relatively minimal on many of the tracks – this is not really music for dancing in the streets at Carnaval, but music for sunny days lying on a beach, or hours spent in cafés soaking up the atmosphere. Evora’s voice is the firm focus. She has a fairly low range, often sounding almost like a man, a perfect vibrato (subtle and not overbearing), and a sincere, romantic delivery that makes every song sound like a paean to lost love, at least to a non-Portuguese-speaker who doesn’t read the translations in the booklet. I have to admit a slight preference to the more upbeat songs over the slower ones, but it’s all wonderful, and a good place to start if you’re interested about Brazil’s non-progressive music. - Jon Davis
[www.windham.com]
Rains - “Apokalyptische Stadt”
(Mellow MMP 400, 2001, CD)
This quartet from Verona, Italy plays a freewheeling experimental grunge-jazz infected rock, driven by dual guitars, tenor sax and drums. Half the time they are out on the edge, the other half finds them in cool funky grooves, strangely reminiscent of bands like Kraan, though most of the time this is a bit more laid back, with saxes leading the melodic assault. While no bassist is credited, there’s definitely a strong bass presence, possibly supplied by the lower registers of one of the guitarists, or maybe the credits have a typo (sure sounds like a real bass to this writer!). When things get chaotic one might be reminded of the improvisational moments of some Cutler and Frith projects of late, with guitars and saxes going off in every direction, and the drums attempting to tie it all together. The balance between the two extremes is good – one feeds the other, and in the end a stronger union of diverse elements exists, which should offer strong appeal for jazz minded and experimental travelers alike, but also the rock elements are strong enough to anchor it all to a driving beat. There’s a strong sense of humor too, as in “Noire”, which ties a twisted “My Sharona”-like riff to walking sax and guitar solos. Tracks like “Wild Joint” offer an almost psychedelic jazz character with an anarchic zeuhlish twist. This took a few plays to warm up to, but in the end there’s plenty to hold the listener’s interest. File under different. - Peter Thelen
[www.mellowrecords.com]
Spring Heel Jack - “The Blue Series Continuum (a collaboration) – Masses”
(Thirsty Ear THI 57103.2CD, 2001, CD)
John Coxon and Ashley Wales take advantage of their Thirsty Ear jazzy label mates by diving head first into a maze of grooves, pulse and mood. But don’t expect a clever ambient dub from these blokes, instead there’s a maelstrom in their test-tube like minds on this expedition. The core of the improvisation surrounds Mathew Shipp’s unlikely set of players including William Parker and trumpet player Roy Campbell. But added to the mix are also a few notables from the UK (especially Evan Parker). The album’s opener, “Chorale”, is simply that, a slow building layering of sound with Shipp providing base for industrial noise to superimpose itself. The most impressive piece out of the ten tracks is “Chiaroscuro”, on which saxophonist Daniel Carter solos over a throbbing bass pulse until complete cacophony descends. The title track is a random conversation between horn and percussion, which deposits the listener into a planned confusion that is both amusing and annoying. “Cross” picks up the tempo, pushed by Guillermo Brown’s driving kit and a blazing passage from violist Mat Maneri; Tim Berne even gets a turn on “Medusa’s Head”, shouldered against Evan Parker’s sonic barrage. In summary, it’s uncommon to hear a marriage between two disparate music scenes trying to find a common pathway. While it may not be as genre-breaking as fusion was in the 70s, hopefully this project has opened a Pandora’s box to potentially create a vague roadmap for further experimental endeavors. - Jeff Melton
Oskar Aichinger - “To Touch a Distant Soul”
(Between the Lines BTL 014, 2001, CD)
Mainland European Jazz is a true mystery looking from this continent eastward across the Atlantic. To keep tabs on what is happening, what impact there is, and how volatile a jazz scene may be, literally can be viewed as a small blip on a large radar grid. Aichinger has been making inroads into improvised jazz not unlike those acclaimed artists whom appear on the ECM label or Brit jazzers on other independent labels. The core trio of Aichinger, bassist Achim Tang and drummer Paul Skrepek are augmented by trumpet, sax and rhythm guitar for these spontaneous sessions held in November of last year. A few notable tracks include “Cocoon”, where Aichinger’s piano establishes a brittle dialogue with guitarist Martin Siewert before the brass section introduces whole note counterpoint. The track then dovetails into a somber solo piano interlude where saxophonist Max Nagl carries the dialogue. The overall mix is very quiet especially on most of the lead-ins for each piece, which creates a wide dynamic range for the sextet to fill. There is plenty of mystery for this troupe to extract in form of the two centerpieces on the disc, “Nucleus” and “Initials to a Ballad”. Each piece begins from auspicious means and transcends into havens of discordant, but controlled confusion. – Jeff Melton
[Glenn Ito (label head): g.ito@dsf.fra.de]
Apeiron & Vasudeva - “Mirror Images”
(Spheric Music SMCD 2003, 2001, CD)
German synthesist Apeiron had two excellent Berlin school electronic music albums in the early 1990s, Imagic and Twilight People. He has resurfaced, this time with collaborator Vasudeva, who has added a considerable world beat and flavor to the proceedings. There are strong hints of the old Apeiron sound on “Homecoming”, the first of the three-part “Green Island Suite”. Soft atmospherics and bells are joined by tribal percussion and great synth lead lines, as well as strong sequencing. After a few minutes, it abruptly segues into “The Village”, a very world-sounding piece. This is followed by “The Dance”, which is a smooth blending of the electronics and primitive sounds. It works very well. “Echoes of Childhood” also blends both influences to great effect, having a very dream-like quality. “Awakening” continues to stretch the boundaries of Apeiron’s wistful, faraway sounds from what he has previously done. Trumpet adds a unique touch here. An interesting departure from traditional Teutonics, worth exploring. - Phil Derby
[www.sphericmusic.de]
Hemisphere - “Now”
(Groove GR-060, 2001, CD)
Hemisphere are a duo of electronic musicians Ralf Knappe-Heinbockel and Thorsten Reinhardt. Their latest CD is a seven-track album, each track named after a color (with “Red” having a reprise as well). The duo plays a unique electronic music that spans the genre from sultry synth-groove (such as the opening track “Red”) to the deeply ambient and experimental. Hemisphere seem to excel at both ends. “Blue” features an almost Floydian rock with sequencers and Froese-like guitar, reminiscent of 70s Tangerine Dream. The almost 30 minute “White” takes up half the album at the center point of the CD and features the duo at their most spacious and ambient. It’s a wonderful drift with all kinds of strange background noises, developing a sequencer line similar to that of Thief or Exit-period Tangerine Dream. About the only mark I’d have against the album, personally, would be some of the drum machine tones as on “Red” or “Black”, although their inclusion is only less than a fifth of the CD. In the morass of all the Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze clones out there, Hemisphere remain particularly distinctive and fresh. They cover a number of styles with a sense of taste and vision and add to the genre of sequencer-oriented electronic music, rather than imitate. - Mike McLatchey
Mururoa - “Planets”
(private (no cat#), 2001, CD)
Those people who assume that anything coming out of Italy is worth purchasing should check this one out. This is a concept album (I guess) about the planets, with tracks about the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Moon and Uranus. Some of the planets represent different concepts; Uranus for example is a “joker.” Most of it seems to be paper-thin metaphorical cover for more mundane ideas, when there is even a cohesive thread at all. Lyrics are in broken English, and sung as if vocalist Alviti is content with a rough phonetic approximation. Indeed, one wonders if he has any idea what he’s singing. Many of the instrumental parts sound as if the band was short on rehearsal time; there is a general air of ineptitude, with the egregiously bad drumming in tracks such as “Sun” serving as a lowlight. There are no new ideas here, just some longish sometimes poppy, sometimes jamming songs with pedestrian chops and no inspiration. This appears to be a private release, and little wonder frankly. One of those albums where you find new flaws with every listen. - Sean McFee
[www.mururoa.f2s.com]
Remotion - “Between Fiction and Reality”
(Groove GR-061, 2001, CD)
Remotion is musician Richard Stuij assisted by engineer Arjan Steenbergen. Like contemporary Ron Boots, Stuij is profoundly influenced by Berlin school electronic music in addition to the more accessible synth music as popularized by Jean-Michel Jarre. The seven tracks on Between Fiction and Reality cover the gamut of these influences, from the Equinoxe-like opener “Deep Down Under” to the late 70s influence of Schulze on the 14½ minute title track. Remotion sticks largely to sequenced material in all its forms, and Stuij seems to be incredibly proficient with them. Not only are the lines worked out and interesting, but sonically they are warm and pleasing to the ear. In fact, as the album progresses, the music tends to move away from the more upbeat influences to the world of deep space music, all propelled along by inventive sequencing programming. The final, and shortest piece, is indicative of this happy marriage, coupling warm atmospherics with percolating sequences. The production is the icing on the cake; Between Fiction and Reality being a strong example of a competent Germanic descendent. - Mike McLatchey
Foetus - “Flow”
(Thirsty Ear THI57102.2, 2001, CD)
J.G. Thirlwell’s reputation preceded him like a plague, and I knew I had to be in the right frame of mind to listen to the kind of pounding, intense onslaught he dishes out. But eventually I had to listen to this CD; it’s my job. The surprise was how much I liked it. Thirlwell, under a variety of names, many involving the word “foetus,” was one of the founding fathers of industrial music. He produced nearly every sound on this record by himself at Self Immolation studios, and from listening, you’d swear the name is not merely symbolic. And while Flow probably doesn’t qualify as industrial exactly, it’s easy to hear a bit of this in Nine Inch Nails or any of the more popular conveyors of the heaviest of the heavy music. A couple of the songs sound (and I’m not making this up) like the Brian Setzer Orchestra possessed by demons, playing swing from the depths of hell. Then there’s “Kreibabe”: a very loud rock band is playing in the midst of the biggest lightning storm of the century. They work themselves up to a point of unimaginable frenzy, and the soundman kicks the PA into overdrive, all instruments at 11, just as thunder crashes. Then another band just as loud appears next to them. Thunder crashes. All musicians play as loud as possible, pounding, thrashing, screaming. Thunder crashes. It goes on for ten minutes more, leaving all spectators totally drained of all energy or emotion. It rains. - Jon Davis
[www.foetus.org]
Hábitat - “Baúl Repleto de Sugerencias”
(private release HTT 02, 2001, CD)
Habitat is the Argentine duet of Aldo Pinelli (vocals, bass, guitars, percussion) and Sergio Raffaghello (keyboards), with the assistance of Enrique Hittos (guitars, keys), Roberto Sambrizzi (drums, percussion) and Pablo Torres (drums). There are five ensemble compositions among Baúl Repleto de Sugerencias’s ten tracks. At their most conventional, these pieces, which range from three to eight minutes, sound like soft rock or mellow neo-prog. On the more ambitious songs, however, the laid-back mixture of electric and acoustic instruments, softly sung vocals, and restrained solos is evocative of the gentler, dreamier side of 70s symphonic rock. I found myself vaguely reminded of Celeste and Pulsar during “Luz de Vida”, in spite of the absence of Mellotron. The CD also includes the delicate classical guitar solo, “Hay otoño en el aire” (of which there is also a variant “ambient” version), a second ambient piece, a live unplugged version of “Erosionado”, and a snippet from a 1997 Spanish-language TV interview. Not having heard their first album, Historias Olvidadas (1997), I can’t say how Hábitat’s sound has evolved since then. What I can say, though, is that Baúl Repleto de Sugerencias should appeal to readers who like quiet, gentle, melodic music with a symphonic drift and ambient leanings, although folks uninterested in interviews or in multiple versions of the same song could be disappointed that there isn’t a bit more material here. - Jim Chokey
[http:// habitat.miarroba.com]