Well, in keeping with the aim and title of this journal, this post won't be large or ambitious. Over time, the language will relax and lose the slightly formal air. Let's just see where this goes (apologies for the special character problem--I do know that cliche has an accent, but the publisher doesn't recognize that).

CDs listened to yesterday:

• SR71: Now You See Inside (I will probably always have a weakness for power-pop like this. This disk is hampered by lyrics that, at times, don't even rise to the level of cliche. It's still a fun, punky romp)
  
• Paul Motian Trio: Trioism (This disk is fairly new to me and, so far, wow. The only complaint on this rambling, rather free jazz romp is that the drumming by Paul Motian never quite coalesces into a groove or any other consistent rhythm, leaving me yearning for just a little bit of consistent rhythm. Bill Frisell's guitar work dominates the feel of the harmonies with his beautifully off-kilter, astringent harmonies, leaving Joe Lovano's saxophone work to bind together the trio by playing his typically well-ordered, somewhat conservative solos [just the right ingredient to offset what's going in with his partners]).
  
• Heinrich Schütz: Es steh Gott auf (And other works for sackbut. The disk is actually titled "La Sacqueboute" and is performed by Michel Becquet. For those who aren't total music geeks, the sackbut is the predecessor of the modern trombone, lacking its descendant's power and big sound. Hey, we're talking solo works for trombone from the 16th-17th centuries; not exactly the greatest music ever written. Quite good for what it is...)
• Various Artists: Best of Techno, Volume 2 (An ancient view into the birth of the electronica movement. Like most straight-ahead dance disks of this genre, the individual pieces may lack a bit of personality or identity--save for the clever branding of "Fuck You." That lack of clear identity between artists is truly its strength, allowing DJs to blend tracks together seamlessly and create the longer artform of the DJ set.)
  
• Robin Holloway: Fantasy-Pieces on the Heine Liederkreis of Schumann (I'm still working out my thoughts on this new-to-me disk. In a way, the concept reminds me of some works by the late Luciano Berio, who would embed shards of famous works into his own. In this conception by Mr. Holloway, the Schumann stands on its own as a separate performance and the Holloway seems to serve more as commentary than a medium like the Berio works. Hmmm... I think I may like this as I grow to understand it. The Schumann song-cycle just reminds me why I don't get into Robert Schumann.)