B. Burton
@trumpetdust
The trail leads to here
Just finished: Julien Gracq’s “The Castle of Argol” (Lapis Press), 1938/1991. I really enjoyed the slipstream qualities of Gracq’s fifties novels “The Opposing Shore” and “Balcony in the Forest.” “Castle,” by contrast, is very goth and surrealist—a mere hint of the French novelist’s future. #Booksky
In my DC neighborhood, the sky is full of haze and the air smells brown.
Vinyl Reckoning: Savage Republic “Tragic Figures” (Independent Project Records), 1982. “The crisis of our country / is not caused by external forces / the danger lies within.”
Vinyl reckoning: Loop “Collision” (Chapter 22), 1988. Possibly my favorite record from this psych outfit with a perfect name. Lots of white light and white heat. Plenty of shake appeal.
Just finished re-reading: J.G. Ballard “The Drought” (Jonathan Cape), 1964/1984. The last 40-some pages, when Ransom returns to Mt. Royal—and the characters’ motivations become abstract—seem like Ballard’s attempt to create a surrealist painting with words. One of his more potent works. #BookSky
Vinyl reckoning: Shudder to Think “Funeral at the Movies” (Dischord), 1991. I remember the first time I ever heard this @shuddertothinkers.bsky.social record: an incredible Blue Ridge Mountain autumn day in 1993. Simultaneously otherworldly and catchy DC post-punk.
Vinyl reckoning: African Head Charge “Off the Beaten Path” (On-U Sound), 1986. I have a friend who worked at RAS in the ‘90s and would get me in to see folks like Mad Professor and The Congos. She also hipped me to the @onusound.bsky.social catalog, which has been scratching an itch of late #Dub
Vinyl reckoning: Singers & Players “War of Words” (On-U Sound), 1981. On-U Sound no. 5, released in the U.S. by 99 Records. Features both Keith Levene and Ari Up. Production is remarkably similar to P.i.L. records from that era. Some of the deepest sounds Adrian Sherwood ever produced.
Vinyl reckoning: Gastr Del Sol “Crookt, Crackt, of Fly” (Drag City), 1994. I was in a weird head-space when this came out, but it served as a beacon to me in the summer of ‘94. Splits the difference between Bastro and what? Math-folk? 20th century classical? Loved it then. Love it now. #GastrdelSol
Vinyl reckoning: Joshua Abrams “Music for Pulse Meridian Foliation” (Drag City), 2026. A departure from the hypno-grooves of Natural Info Society and the avant-jazz of Cloud Script, Abrams’ string-driven latest is tough to categorize. I hear echoes of Feldman and Dreyblatt within the drone. #JazzSky
Vinyl reckoning: Dog Faced Hermans “Every Day Timebomb” (Megaphone / Knock ‘Em Dead), 1989/2026. Brilliant post-punk from Scotland. Don’t sleep on this reissue. Very much in the vein of KUKL, Flux of Pink Indians, and the Ex. Wish I had seen these nice folks when they came through with Sebadoh.
Vinyl reckoning: Back in the mid-to-late ‘90s, before I started writing for Decibel and Revolver, a few friends and I dreamed up an alternative metal canon. Breadwinner and Zeni Geva were cornerstones. I don’t keep up with much new metal these days, but these two bands stay in heavy rotation.
Vinyl Reckoning: Fairport Convention - “Heyday” (Hannibal), 1987. Mostly covers of American folkies from BBC sessions. I think this was the first time I became aware of Fairport—saw a review of this in Rolling Stone. In 1987, it seemed like these twenty-year old recordings were aeons old.
Vinyl reckoning: Minor Threat - “Minor Threat” (Dischord), 1984. First pressing of the comp of the first two seven-inches. The first side was mixed by Skip Groff, the owner of Rockville’s Yesterday & Today. (I once interviewed Groff about Pentagram.) #MinorThreat
Vinyl reckoning: Supersilent “10” (Rune Grammofon), 2010. Beautiful, moody jazz that floats more than swings. Drum-less experimentation from @deathprodofficial.bsky.social, Stale Storlokken, and Arve Henriksen, who I caught live in DC a few months before “10” came out. #JazzSky
Just re-read: M. John Harrison’s “A Storm of Wings” (Doubleday), 1980. Written in the basement of Manchester’s Savoy Books, “ASoW” is included in Pringle’s “Modern Fantasy: The 100 Best Novels.” But I’d argue it’s too expansive for that, spilling across, and disrespecting, several genres. #BookSky
Vinyl reckoning: Kenny Wheeler “around 6” (ECM/WB), 1980. More of a Euro-improv sound than trumpeter Wheeler’s two previous ECM outings—especially when saxophonist Evan Parker solos. The lack of animal pun in the title is a giveaway that this more chamber-like album is a departure of sorts. #JazzSky