Jack’s Staff Picks

Scroll down to read an archive of Jack’s staff pick write-ups.

Sonic Youth, Live in Brooklyn 2011

“What you want out of a live swan song album.”

Cosmic Scholar: The Life and Times of Harry Smith

“The Harry Smith resurgence is upon us.”

75 Dollar Bill, Power Failures

“My first staff pick at Torn was a 75 Dollar Bill album ‘I Was Real’ and to this decision, I still agree. They are good, and interesting musically.”

Cosmic Jokers, Galactic Supermarket

“Take everything you like about Ash Ra Tempel and drop all of the stuff you don’t like, and you get this album/super group.”

Gong, Magick Brother

“Gong’s first, a previously hard to get album is back in print. Comparatively to the albums they did a few years after, this one has more of a folk/ free jazz tinge.”

Silver Jews, American Water

“I am coming to the silver jews party way late, but upon rediscovering, I have not stopped listening.”

Cymande, S/T

“Really cool funkish/ psych record. Same vein, if not cooler than Funkadelic.”

V/A, Cease & Resist: Sonic Subversion & Anarcho Punk in the UK 1979-1986

“I don’t like punk music generally. This comp is an exception. Lots of strange macabre on here. Also one of those comps that feels very well put together and curated.”

Natural Information Society, Since Time Is Gravity

“The album that grew on us all. Seems to be playing at least once a day in the shop. Moody jazz album that sits within its own sound.”

Annie Ernaux, Happening

“Great short book about the journey of a young woman who is pregnant in the 1960’s Paris, re-told as a memory.”

Blod, Där Ska Barnet Vara

“Great record from Discreet Music. Has that wobbly sound that pervades most if not all of the albums they put out. Fits many moods of listening.”

Dennis Cooper, Frisk

“One of the most insane books I have ever read, that being said. It was very good.”

Carl Stone, Electronic Music from 1972-2022

“Amazing collection of Carl Stones Electronic music. His early computer music is great. The technology that he composed on is completely different and far more stripped down than today’s. Which makes the listening experience that much better.”

Jackie McLean, Action

“Best Jackie McLean. Amazing Vibe work by Bobby Hutcherson.”

Larry Young, Mother Ship

“One of Larry Young’s very best, as well as one of his most overlooked albums, potentially due to it released not within his lifetime. Recorded in 1969, this album really hits the sweet spot for more of the out there sound of Blue Note.”

Magnus Jäverling, Bowdark

“Feels and sounds like a real movie score. For fans of electronic music sounds.”

V/A, Space, Energy & Light: Experimental Electronic And Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88

“Constant listen here in the shop. Great mix of Berlin school type music. One thing about Soul Jazz comps, the track selection always beats off the last and the next very well, almost causing it not to sound like a comp at all rather a consecutive one person/band release.”

Herbie Hancock, Takin’ Off

“Early Hancock album. His first acoustic version of Watermelon Man. A 1962 Blue note album through and through.”

Sam Rivers, Fuchsia Swing Song

“Sam Rivers Debut album on Blue Note. Really hits the sweet spot of leaving bop going into avant garde jazz. I tend to enjoy this period in the development of free jazz. Still with a degree of standards holding it together, yet you can tell the artist is attempting to push what has yet to be explored.”

Soul Jazz Records Presents: Cold Wave I

“Great comp compiled by Soul Jazz. This one and the second are both top notch. An insert is included giving a brief synopsis of the artists featured as well as their direct influences.”

Intermedia, Fluxus and the Something Else Press: Selected Writings by Dick Higgins

“Fun book on one of the centers of the Fluxus movement. At the very least the one who helped create a written documentation of the series of happenings. This book contains samples of his writings at the time, also with him in retrospect, post his press collapsing.”

Faust, 71 Minutes

“Great fun on this one. Faust’s last album as well as a collection of their other EPs and singles.”

Günter Schickert, Überfällig

“Great Berlin school without the use of heavy electronics. Flavors of Ash Ra Tempel.”

Ash Ra Tempel, Join Inn

“Second side track two, pure ambient goodness.”

RRR Band, RRR Band

“Super creative outing from RRR Band, this music ranging all sorts of genres seamlessly.”

Alfred Doblin, Berlin Alexanderplatz

“Berlin, 1920s, ex convict is released back into the city. This book documenting his rise and fall, and rise and fall of a man trying to get by. Fast paced writing, adapted by Fassbinder 60 years later.”

Breece D’J Pancake, The Stories of Breece D’J Pancake

“Stark realism set in the Appalachia from an author who left too soon.”

Always In Trouble: An Oral History of ESP Disk, The Most Outrageous Record Label in America

“A book on the history of ESP Disk from those who were actually involved, sure why not.”

Cluster, Cluster ’71

“My favorite Cluster. No synths used and light years ahead of contemporaries.”

Palais Schaumburg, S/T

“One of those albums where you hear a track in the most random of places and think to yourself, ‘the whole record can’t be as good,’ but it can”

Alan Harman, Human Research Program

“Cold Minimal synth cassette! It’s good.”

CrusHerr, Den Haag Acid Pack

“303 Heavy CS. Use in application ranging through various heavy techno uses.”

Charles Baudelaire, The Flowers of Evil

“As dark as ever and just as illuminating”

Roberto Cacciapaglia, Sei Note in Logica

“Cool little minimal cassette”

David Toop, Ocean Of Sound: Ambient Sound & Radical Listening In The Age Of Communication

“Great book that does a great job of breaking down the various was of listening and hearing sounds and how in turn those sounds impact the music we enjoy. Ocean of sound travels at the speed of light through many musical artists and movements/ genres, guaranteeing that whomever reads it has something new to learn.”

Morton Subotnick, Silver Apples

“Early Buchla style synthesis on full display here in all of its beep and bloop glory.”

Jean Baudrillard, America

“What a romp of a read from the priest of postmodernism. I mean who doesn’t want to know why American culture is just a clone of the false realities of Disney world or about simulation and simularaca.”

William S. Burroughs, The Western Lands

“I like Burroughs a lot. This book is part of his later trilogy. Gorgeous cover, a must own.”

Ash Ra Tempel, Schwingungen

“Great album by a great krautrock band. Two tracks, one on each side, differ in style both equally as good with one being a more out there rock experience, the other electronic”

Charles Mingus, Mingus Ah Um

“The year of 59 the supposed peak of traditional jazz, pumping out classic after classic jazz records. This being one of them, Mingus hits as hard as ever on this album with the original cover work by Fujita.”

The Naked City

“Great photographic book showing the inner happenings of Late night NYC crime”

Harry Partch, The World of Harry Partch

“Great album with Harry Partch musing on sounds”

Guy Debord, The Society of the Spectacle

“One of the primer / central texts of the Situationist International. A critical look of the life of objects and media on the average person. Interesting, highly important as well as still prevalent.”

Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality

“Classic”

Marv, Basse Danse

“Magical little tape here, hits on all cylinders. Label hails from Boone NC, artists from Durham NC. Places both family and friends are located for me. Recommend for a noisier ambient experience.”

Jonathan Richman & Modern Lovers, Modern Lovers 88

“A very good album, shocked this survived the crowd that was record store 2022.”

Mississippi John Hurt, 1928

“A classic of all classics going back to the early days of delta blues. Here is a comp of recordings from the year 1928. Great sound in the easy compact form of a cassette.”

Jenny Hval, Paradise Rot

“Jenny Hval’s Paradise Rot, I read in one evening. If you know me, you’d know how rare it is that I do such a thing. Great size, pace , and plot/writing ability granted this to happen. She writes with the 5 senses first in tale about a young woman studying abroad. The young woman moves in with a new roommate and then story gets very hallucinogenic.”

As Serious As Your Life: Black Music & The Free Jazz Revolution 1957-1977

“A very good book about the scope of free jazz. The author being a music journalist has first hand accounts of viewing and interviewing the artists involved in the scene. This gives the book not just the history of but a oral run through of the artists involved. Helps redefine what free jazz is, not just as a genre but as a movement as a whole between the 60’s – 70’s. Would recommend as well for the photos included in the book taken by Val Wilmer herself.”

Tony Conrad & Faust, Outside the Dream Syndicate

“Very very good drone violin with krautrock composition. A classic of all classics.”

beautywork, Lasagna

“I saw her play, I was impressed. I bought the cd and recommend to any listener.”

Brainticket, Celestial Ocean

“What a strange abstract gathering from this European prog/psyche rock group. The sound stretches beyond the idiom, ranging into categories of modern comp, ambient, and even world music. Would recommend for anyone with an interest in what the high weirdness of the early 1970s has to offer.”

Arthur Rimbaud, Poems

“Rimbaud the master of language, influenced many including the surrealists and singer song writers from likes of Bob Dylan and Patti Smith as well as many others. Collected here in a nice pocket edition. Would recommend to any sensitive to the written word.”

Sylvia Plath, The Colossus

“Sylvia Plath is amazing. This is a must have by her.”

Nick Land, Fanged Noumena

“This book of Nick Lands collected writings published by urbanomic is dandy. His writings range from the academic to full on speculative essays about the nature of Capital and Cthulhu. Part of the CCRU, read and understand the cult following of this contemporary technological writer.”

75 Dollar Bill, I Was Real

“Wonderful guitar drone duo.”

Natasha Stagg, Sleeveless

“This is a book of great CNF about the life of an author in the 2010’s NYC. Poignant on the culture around her as well as the forming of what is to happen next. Anything by semiotext(e) is worth investing in as there is a high reward output.”

Ashes and Diamonds

“Great Polish film about decisions and choice. One of my favorites from first time watching and holds up even better on this 4k restoration, highly recommended.”

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  February 4, 2022  |  Staff Picks