SOUND Issue: April 2007

Editor's Note

Our friend and frequent contributor, the poet Aaron Belz, often jokes at the introduction of his Observable Readings that he’s built the brand carefully: by changing the name and location of the series each and every year. Perhaps inspired by his efforts, we’ve gone a different route this time out. After one online-only issue and four that were a combination of web and print editions, we’ve slowly compiled a compact disc’s worth of material that veers all over the local landscape.

Rather than creating a simple collection of music by local performers, we wanted a piece that summed up the diversity of this issue’s title: “SOUND” And the resulting months of searching (and happy accidents, along the way) have turned up an interesting blend of final submissions.

If you didn’t know that a live, radio play was recently presented at a local art gallery, would you have an interest in hearing a long snippet? We think you would. If you didn’t know a band existed, let alone recorded a disc’s worth of swansong material, would you wish to hear the first cut? We’d like to say “yes,” so we’ve got one of those. If you’ve heard the music of Ornette Coleman, but never heard his voice, would that be of interest? Almost assuredly, which is why we provide just such a track for you.

On our debut disc, you’ll hear poetry, music and a long, fascinating sound collage by sonic architect Eric Hall, featuring some of our city’s most interesting and talented characters. Most of the material is unreleased, so we’re pleased to provide a suitable, eclectic home for these works. And, most notable of all, some has been created, or recut, solely for this project, a remarkably pleasing and flattering fact.

Hopefully, you’ll enjoy this curious blend of SOUND as much as we do. Let us know your thoughts and which tracks, in particular, excited you.

Before going, we’d be remiss in not mentioning our advertisers/sponsors, who are represented in this issue. We thank them, along with our growing core of subscribers, for allowing us the financial ability to keep this project moving forward. We’d invite you to thank them directly, should you take advantages of their services and products.

As always, our web issue serves as a supplement to the current print, or in this case CD edition.  And you can purchase the CD or back issues right here on the web site. So read, shop...frittering away your workday has never been so fun.

Yours in audio,

Andrea Avery, Thomas Crone, and  Stefene Russell

 

Corrections: SOUND ISSUE
In our SOUND CD track listings we found a typo. The name of K. Curtis Lyle's recent book is "An Epileptic Camel Driver Speaks to a Refugee Death." Read recent review by St. Louis American's Chris King.

Online Edition

POETRY & PROSE

Five Minutes of Hell with Harley Race | Thomas Crone

Nipkow Disc (1883) | Greg Ott

Rural Rhetoric | L.A. Ramsey

Knees Knock | Brett Underwood

American History | Matthew Webber

Chris | Jennifer Woods

PHOTOS

Sound of St. Louis | Kerry Zimmerman

SOUND Photos | Dana Smith, L.A. Ramsey, and Jane Linders

Feature Photo by My-Chau Nguyen, a sophomore at Metro High School who is infatuated with jellyfish and indie music and would most likely remember to leave the house with her camera rather than the house keys.

CD Edition   

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Tim Grebauer

PRINTED BY
Firecracker Press

TRACK LISTING

JOSH WEINSTEIN | Ornette On Sound

K. CURTIS LYLE with DAVE STONE | Nut Check  

TOM WEBER | Feeding Yogi

THE PHIL SESSIONS: Guerilla recordings in St. Louis public spaces featuring DAVE STONE, FRED FRICTION, JEREMY BRANTLINGER, SUNYATTA MARSHALL , BRETT UNDERWOOD, JEREMY KANNAPELL , JASON HUTTO, DERRICK MOSLEY, & ERIC HALL

LEARN, ARTIST | The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

CLOISTER | Orange Juice

JULIE DILL | From Calypso

COLD WAR | A Simple Song

ROBERT GOETZ | Sid

MAD ART RADIO HOUR | Selection from "I Love Sylvia"

HEIDI DEAN | Single Again

 JAMES WEBER, JR. | Camping Omens

MC401(k) | Girls Go To Mars

 AARON BELZ | Andy's Mom's Velveeta Log-shaped Tupperware Container

THE PRIVATE SECTOR | Warm Goodbye