Amoeba Music

What happens when it's 1986 and you make a high-camp sequel to a pretty decent werewolf movie, but with a bonkers cast including Christopher Lee and Sybil Danning? I dunno. I'm still trying to figure it out.

From the very special mind who brought us "Plantasia" (an album for plants), comes "The Unexplained: Electronic Musical Impressions of the Occult." Electronic composer/Moog master?Mort Garson?tackles occult concepts under the name Ataraxia.?This is the only album Garson released using the name Ataraxia, but there is no fooling his audience. This album is 100% Garson, with it's smooth, eerie, and sometimes just plain goofy synth offerings. With songs titled "Tarot," "Astral Projection," and "Séance," it's a perfect Sacred Bones Records rediscovery of the 1975 album.

This David Dastmalchian vehicle reads as a perfect time capsule of the year 1977, capturing the look, feel, and schmaltz of a late night variety talk show. It's as if the filmmakers saw the brilliant fake-out "WNUF Halloween Special" and figured out how to optimize it for maximum creepiness.

Yes! I'm here once again to tell you about another Czech surrealist film directed by Old?ich Lipský. Last time, I went on and on about his film THE MYSTERIOUS CASTLE IN THE CARPATHIANS (1981), restored and released by Deaf Crocodile. ADELA HAS NOT HAD SUPPER YET (1978) predates that one by a few years and may be even wackier, if that's possible. I don't want to give too much away here, but expect a Czech take on LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960) mixed in the insanity blender with the old dime store novel detective Nick Carter. The setting is Victorian, the spy gadgets are steampunk, and the slapstick comedy translates into any language. I look forward to seeing more Lipský films from the Deaf Crocodile folks.

Good playing, fun tunes. I'm not always a big jazz violin fan, but Scheinman has a focus on what makes a good record/session, and she makes it happen here.

I'm late to the Jeff Parker party, but I like what he's doing with long form group improvising here, with Josh Johnson, Anna Butterss, and Jay Bellerose. Extra points for the audio verite live recording on a Nagra tape recorder.

Featuring Laurie Anderson, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Sex Mob, Marshall Allen, Terry Riley, Laraaji, Secret Chiefs 3...all doing their takes on Sun Ra compositions, or inspirations thereof.

Tomas Fujiwara, Mary Halvorson, and Michael Formanek seem to be workshopping and recording together every year, so I'll try to keep up.

What a nice surprise this is: a 34-minute meditation on Amelia Earhart's final flight. I recommend the CD to take in the suite's uninterrupted flow.

Vibraphonist Brennan gathers some up-and-comers to tear it up. At this point, I'm tempted to buy anything Pyroclastic Records puts out.

All-star backup featuring Jason Moran, Reuben Rogers, and Eric Harland...and that makes all the difference.

Brazilian music that goes beyond samba or bossa nova; Rosnes goes all over the map to showcase beautiful songs of all types.

Inventive, bold, surprising...not your father's jazz trio.