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Talk Of The Tonearm

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From Soundribbons to Shoreline Symphonies — Knox Chandler's Creative Transformation Post feature image
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1-Tier Knox Chandler Connecticut Guitarists Ambient Music
Jun 30, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer

From Soundribbons to Shoreline Symphonies — Knox Chandler's Creative Transformation

After four decades as a collaborator for artists like R.E.M. and Cyndi Lauper, the guitarist has retreated to rural Connecticut to create his first solo work and discover what he calls "my truth."

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Soul and Landscape — Raz Olsher Reimagines the Spaghetti Western Post feature image
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2-Tier Raz Olsher London Artists Music Producer Ennio Morricone
Jun 26, 2025
by Michael Donaldson

Soul and Landscape — Raz Olsher Reimagines the Spaghetti Western

The London producer discusses how island isolation and a borrowed Gretsch guitar led to 'Craters of the Lost Souls,' his haunting soundtrack to an imaginary Western film that doubles as a tribute to Ennio Morricone's cinematic legacy.

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The Whimbrels playing live at St Vitus.
2-Tier The Whimbrels Indie Rock Brooklyn

Banging and Jangling with The Whimbrels

The Whimbrels' debut album features a triple-guitar assault that turns volume into art. Arad Evans and Norman Westberg discuss their new band's obsession with alternate tunings, cheap guitars, and making audiences feel the floor bounce.

Jun 27, 2025
by Michael Centrone
Soul and Landscape — Raz Olsher Reimagines the Spaghetti Western Post feature image
Featured post
2-Tier Raz Olsher London Artists Music Producer Ennio Morricone

Soul and Landscape — Raz Olsher Reimagines the Spaghetti Western

The London producer discusses how island isolation and a borrowed Gretsch guitar led to 'Craters of the Lost Souls,' his haunting soundtrack to an imaginary Western film that doubles as a tribute to Ennio Morricone's cinematic legacy.

Jun 26, 2025
by Michael Donaldson
Buzzing with Zen — Steve Holtje's Improvisational Honeymoon Post feature image
3-Tier Steve Holtje ESP-Disk Brooklyn Noise Phantom Honeymoon Experimental Music

Buzzing with Zen — Steve Holtje's Improvisational Honeymoon

The ESP-Disk label manager found liberation from classical composition anxiety through distorted trombone and Phantom Honeymoon, his noise duo with theremin player Alexandra Beneski.

Jun 25, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
The Black Watch's Twenty-Fifth Album Asks the World of You Post feature image
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3-Tier The Black Watch Santa Barbara Indie Rock

The Black Watch's Twenty-Fifth Album Asks the World of You

John Andrew Fredrick discusses The Black Watch's album 'For All The World,' how broken bones shaped his solitude, and why making demands of listeners remains essential to meaningful art.

Jun 23, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
The Yōkai in the Yard — Brain Damage's Post-Dub Pivot Post feature image
4-Tier Brain Damage France Emiko Ota Japan Mad Professor Reggae + Dub Post-Punk

The Yōkai in the Yard — Brain Damage's Post-Dub Pivot

Martin Nathan's 'Oide Oide' pairs Japanese supernatural creatures with experimental compositions, featuring collaborator Emiko Ota and dub legend Mad Professor in a project that redefines what dub music can become.

Jun 20, 2025
by Michael Donaldson
Brittany Davis performs with bassist Evan Flory-Barnes and drummer D'Vonne Lewis. Photo by Lance Mercer.
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4-Tier Brittany Davis Stone Gossard Jazz Spritual Jazz Seattle

Speaking from the Soul — Brittany Davis on 'Black Thunder'

How the Seattle-based poet and keyboardist found her true voice through improvisation, plus Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard explains why Davis's talent helped revive his independent label after twenty years.

Jun 19, 2025
by Peter Thomas Webb
Fragments of Revelation — A Lost Conversation with Matthew Shipp & Ivo Perelman Post feature image
4-Tier Matthew Shipp Ivo Perelman Jazz Saxophonists Pianists

Fragments of Revelation — A Lost Conversation with Matthew Shipp & Ivo Perelman

A technical failure erased the interview, but the spiritual dimensions of 'Armageddon Flower,' Shipp and Perelman's forty-sixth collaboration together, prove more durable than digital memory.

Jun 18, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Words That Float — Ingrid Laubrock Discovers Music Inside Koans Post feature image
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4-Tier Ingrid Laubrock Saxophonists Brooklyn German Artists Poetry

Words That Float — Ingrid Laubrock Discovers Music Inside Koans

The saxophonist and composer transforms Erica Hunt's enigmatic fragments into 'Purposing the Air,' a double album that pairs poetry with four carefully chosen vocal-instrumental duos.

Jun 16, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Breaking Free from the Death Cult — Kory Reeder on Creative Liberation Post feature image
4-Tier Kory Reeder Modern Classical Texas

Breaking Free from the Death Cult — Kory Reeder on Creative Liberation

The prolific composer discusses his new string quartet 'Homestead,' recorded with Apartment House, and why he refuses to let centuries of classical tradition dictate his creative process.

Jun 13, 2025
by Chaz Underriner
A Tidal Wave of Love — Our Tribute to Brian Wilson Post feature image
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4-Tier Music History Brian Wilson Beach Boys Los Angeles

A Tidal Wave of Love — Our Tribute to Brian Wilson

Behind the California sunshine, harmonies, and groundbreaking production techniques lies a complex artist battling inner demons. Three takes on why Brian Wilson's music remains a refuge for so many.

Jun 12, 2025
by Sara Jayne Crow
Going Gonzo — The Complicated Work of Hunter S. Thompson Post feature image
4-Tier Counterculture Authors Hunter S. Thompson Kevin J. Hayes

Going Gonzo — The Complicated Work of Hunter S. Thompson

Kevin J. Hayes's 'Understanding Hunter S. Thompson' challenges the romantic narrative surrounding the Gonzo pioneer, revealing uncomfortable truths about talent squandered and assignments abandoned.

Jun 11, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Kinan Azmeh Takes the Sound of Syria's Streets on a World Tour Post feature image
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4-Tier Kinan Azmeh Brooklyn Syria Middle East Clarinetists

Kinan Azmeh Takes the Sound of Syria's Streets on a World Tour

The Damascus-born clarinetist discusses his philosophy of musical freedom, the power of long-term collaboration, and how his latest release, 'Live in Berlin,' captures nearly two decades of creative partnership with his CityBand quartet.

Jun 09, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Charming Disaster - photo by Shervin Lainez
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4-Tier Brooklyn Charming Disaster Indie Pop Folk Ukulele

Magic in the Shadows — Charming Disaster Brings On the Night

The Brooklyn duo has spent over a decade perfecting their brand of haunted vaudeville. Their latest album, 'The Double,' continues their exploration of the strange spaces between reality and dreams.

Jun 05, 2025
by Sam Bradley
Noise Deployed — Arthur Arsenne and the Art of Texture Post feature image
4-Tier Arthur Arsenne Experimental Music Noise France Toru

Noise Deployed — Arthur Arsenne and the Art of Texture

The French multi-instrumentalist discusses his path from Pat Metheny's harsh noise to creating "sonic mille-feuilles" with Toru, exploring modular synthesis, and running his Arsenic Solaris label.

Jun 04, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Disappearing Act — Tal Yahalom's Generous Guitar Moves Post feature image
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4-Tier Tal Yahalom Guitarists Israel Jazz

Disappearing Act — Tal Yahalom's Generous Guitar Moves

The composer behind 'Mirror Image' talks about challenging guitar-hero expectations, finding inspiration in Argentine rhythms, and why the best band leaders sometimes disappear into the music.

Jun 02, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Speaking to EZRA with a Bluegrass Accent Post feature image
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4-Tier EZRA Jesse Jones Jacob Jolliff Bluegrass Mandolinists

Speaking to EZRA with a Bluegrass Accent

Two mandolin players reconnected after twenty years to create complex compositions that blend classical technique with roots music virtuosity. Three albums later, they're just getting started.

May 30, 2025
by Sam Bradley
HINODE TAPES - Photo by Olga Anna Markowska
4-Tier Hinode Tapes Hiroki Chiba Poland Japan Ambient Music Avant-Jazz

Dirt in the Machine — Hiroki Chiba Joins Hinode Tapes for 'Ita'

Piotr Kaliński explains why the Polish trio's third album required expensive tape, cheap equipment, and a Japanese bassist who could read minds from thousands of miles away.

May 29, 2025
by Chaz Underriner
For Stefan Hegerat the Song Never Remains the Same Post feature image
4-Tier Stefan Hegerat stef.in Toronto Artists Canada Drummers Jazz Fusion Heavy Music

For Stefan Hegerat the Song Never Remains the Same

The stef.in mastermind talks about his latest album 'Icterus II,' why he's against Spotify, and how Toronto's underground scene shaped his genre-defying approach to composition.

May 28, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Claire Cope's 'Every Journey' and the Women Who Dared to Explore Post feature image
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4-Tier Claire Cope Pianists Composer Modern Classical Jazz

Claire Cope's 'Every Journey' and the Women Who Dared to Explore

The pianist-turned-composer discusses her philosophical views on improvisation, the challenges of writing for larger ensembles, and the inspiring tales of extraordinary female explorers.

May 27, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Golden Years — Red Snapper Keeps On Swinging Post feature image
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4-Tier Red Snapper London Artists Britian Jazz Fusion

Golden Years — Red Snapper Keeps On Swinging

Red Snapper's Ali Friend reflects on three decades of creative restlessness, working with David Harrow, and why live performance has become more precious than promotional tool.

May 23, 2025
by Michael Donaldson
Parallax Point — BANKERT's Constructed Cosmos Post feature image
4-Tier BANKERT Electronic Music Liechtenstein

Parallax Point — BANKERT's Constructed Cosmos

'MEno.001' showcases how BANKERT operates as both chaos architect and sound worker, blending discordant textures with melodic fragments to deploy what they call "digital containers" rather than traditional albums.

May 22, 2025
by Sara Jayne Crow
From Elaste to Compost Records — Michael Reinboth's Hybrid Esthetics Post feature image
4-Tier Michael Reinboth Compost Records Record Label Munich German Artists

From Elaste to Compost Records — Michael Reinboth's Hybrid Esthetics

From launching Elaste magazine during the cultural upheaval of the early 1980s to celebrating 30 years of his stubbornly independent label Compost, Munich's musical visionary opens up about hybrid sounds, Detroit connections, and the art of musical fertilization.

May 21, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
The Waterboys Channel America's Unruly Soul Post feature image
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4-Tier The Waterboys Rock Music Singer/Songwriter

The Waterboys Channel America's Unruly Soul

Mike Scott's four-year obsession with Dennis Hopper has yielded a sprawling 25-track concept album that mirrors the actor's extraordinary life while chronicling America's countercultural transformations.

May 19, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Ripple Effects — Chaz Underriner's Immersive Water Music Post feature image
4-Tier Chaz Underriner Florida Experimental Music

Ripple Effects — Chaz Underriner's Immersive Water Music

The experimental composer draws from the landscape of the American South to create a multimedia experience. His five-year project. 'Moving,' transforms environmental field recordings and modular compositions into hypnotic soundscapes that document our fragile waterways.

May 17, 2025
by Michael Donaldson
Electric Relaxation — Cinephonic's Return to Turntable Jazz Post feature image
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4-Tier Ottawa Canada Cinephonic Jazz Fusion

Electric Relaxation — Cinephonic's Return to Turntable Jazz

Rather than sample other musicians, Cinephonic's Pierre Chrétien recorded his own jazz trio only to deconstruct and rebuild it. The resulting album, 'Refuge,' is a sonic diary that documents a search for stability amid life's unpredictability.

May 15, 2025
by Peter Thomas Webb
Professor Groove — Leon Anderson Takes the Lead Post feature image
4-Tier Leon Anderson Drummers Jazz Florida New Orleans

Professor Groove — Leon Anderson Takes the Lead

For drummer and composer Leon Anderson, the long-awaited 'Live at Snug Harbor' is a debut album that documents decades of performance, education, and preservation of jazz traditions.

May 14, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
One from the Heart — Jerry David Decicca Faces Mortality on 'Cardiac Country' Post feature image
4-Tier Jerry David Decicca Texas Singer/Songwriter

One from the Heart — Jerry David Decicca Faces Mortality on 'Cardiac Country'

Recording with legendary pedal steel player B.J. Cole, DeCicca created an album that uncannily foretold his upcoming heart surgery. 'Cardiac Country' captures both the anxiety of facing mortality and the renewed appreciation for life that followed.

May 13, 2025
by Sam Bradley
Craig Mod over a background photo of Sansuien Tea Room / Lobby, taken by Craig Mod.
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4-Tier Craig Mod Authors Japan

Focused Technology—The Deliberate Practice of Craig Mod

Discussing his latest work, 'Things Become Other Things,' the writer and photographer reveals how walking thousands of kilometers across Japan generates the mental space where his ideas develop.

May 12, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Alissa Cheung, Stéphanie Bozzini, Clemens Merkel, Isabelle Bozzini. Photo by Michael Slobodian
4-Tier Quatuor Bozzini Montreal Canada Violinists

Quatuor Bozzini at 25 — The Art of Collective Vision

Few contemporary chamber ensembles have maintained both the longevity and artistic integrity of Quatuor Bozzini. Based in Montreal since its founding in 1999, this string quartet has carved out a space through commitment to artistic exploration, democratic organization, and creative collaboration.

May 07, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Lil Darkie and IDK
4-Tier Rap Music IDK Lil Darkie

Postmodern MCs — What Makes a True Internet Rapper?

As the lines between mainstream and underground continue to dissolve online, artists carrying the "vibe of the internet" create music that reflects the web's original wild freedom rather than its corporatized present.

May 06, 2025
by Anthony David Vernon
The Virtual Gardens of Tamiko Thiel Post feature image
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4-Tier Tamiko Thiel Artists Technology

The Virtual Gardens of Tamiko Thiel

By blending her mechanical engineering background with her father's theories on spatial perception, digital artist Tamiko Thiel creates immersive digital environments that communicate emotional truths about displacement and ecological crisis.

May 05, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Solar Feelings — The Vernon Spring Sheds Light on 'Under a Familiar Sun' Post feature image
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4-Tier The Vernon Spring Avant-Pop

Solar Feelings — The Vernon Spring Sheds Light on 'Under a Familiar Sun'

In a wide-ranging conversation, The Vernon Spring's Sam Beste discusses the mysterious process of sculpting silence, the political dimensions of truly seeing your children, and finding faith in humanity's goodness amid growing divisions.

May 01, 2025
by Arina Korenyu
The Beautiful Debris of Sam Sadigursky's 'The Solomon Diaries' Post feature image
4-Tier Sam Sadigursky Clarinetists Jazz

The Beautiful Debris of Sam Sadigursky's 'The Solomon Diaries'

With clarinet and accordion, Sam Sadigursky and Nathan Koci transform the ghostly silence of Borscht Belt ruins into a meditation on memory and absence.

Apr 30, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Chicago's Sons of Ra Turn Jazz Into Heavy Weather Post feature image
4-Tier Sons of Ra Chicago Artists Jazz Fusion Heavy Music

Chicago's Sons of Ra Turn Jazz Into Heavy Weather

'Standard Deviation' documents how three musicians learned to arrange around drones, interpret Carla Bley through hardcore tempos, and find lightness in their own gravity.

Apr 29, 2025
by Michael Centrone
Electric Dreams Made Real — Tamiko Thiel on the Connection Machine Post feature image
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4-Tier Tamiko Thiel Innovators Technology

Electric Dreams Made Real — Tamiko Thiel on the Connection Machine

Before touchscreens dominated our technological imaginations, there was a mysterious black cube with pulsing lights that became the physical manifestation of artificial intelligence—and Thiel realized its visual story.

Apr 28, 2025
by Lawrence Peryer
Scott Metzger Gets in the Telepathic Groove with LaMP Post feature image
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4-Tier Scott Metzger LaMP Jam Bands Guitarists

Scott Metzger Gets in the Telepathic Groove with LaMP

From his life-changing encounter with the Ramones to creating accessible instrumental music with longtime collaborators Ray Paczkowski and Russ Lawton, Metzger discusses how their new album 'One of Us' channels the raw, intuitive energy of three musicians.

Apr 24, 2025
by Sam Bradley

Talk Of The Tonearm

Each week, our email newsletter defies the algorithms with recommendations and rundowns. Subscribe to get the goods:

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Latest Posts

From Soundribbons to Shoreline Symphonies — Knox Chandler's Creative Transformation feature image
Featured post
1-Tier
From Soundribbons to Shoreline Symphonies — Knox Chandler's Creative Transformation
The Whimbrels playing live at St Vitus.
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Banging and Jangling with The Whimbrels
Soul and Landscape — Raz Olsher Reimagines the Spaghetti Western feature image
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2-Tier
Soul and Landscape — Raz Olsher Reimagines the Spaghetti Western
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