FEATURED THIS WEEK:

Monday 01/02/06
ESSENTIAL ECHOES CDS for 2005
Our staff has reviewed the year 2005 in music and tabulated the best new releases. Be sure to peruse the Echoes list of 25 Essential CDs from 2005 as compiled by John Diliberto and the Echoes staff.

Wednesday 01/04/06
SUMNER MCKANE: NOR' EASTERN AMERICANA
In his basement in Portland, Maine, Sumner McKane takes us into his ambient Americana. During the night, he plays in a country and western band, but during the day, he retires to his basement studio where he orchestrates an atmospheric brand of ambient Americana, over-dubbing and looping multiple guitar lines into tone poems that evoke the great western skies more than the Maine coast or certainly, his basement. His latest album is NORTH (Don't Hit Your Sister Records). Sumner McKane talks about the long, dusty, snow covered trail.

Thursday 01/05/06
RICHARD BONE: THE UNITED STATES OF ELECTRO-LOUNGE
Richard Bone has a deeper music history than most ambient and electro-lounge artists. He grew up in the 1960s, ingesting psychedelic groups like The United States of America. In the 1980s he became a new wave artist, but by the 90s, he'd discovered jazz and bossa nova and began incorporating them into a personal electronic sound. His latest album, SAIYUJI (Quirkworks), continues his explorations into ethno-electro-exotica. In his Rhode Island home, Richard Bone talks about his electronic awakening and the music he creates.

Friday 01/06/06
A LIVING ROOM CONCERT WITH RYAN FARISH
Ryan Farrish is a multi-instrumentalist whose two solo albums, BEAUTIFUL and FROM THE SKY (Neurodisc) traverse a lush, romantic world of electronica music. So we were caught by surprise when we visited his Los Angeles home, crammed with electronic gear, and were treated to an acoustic version of his music. Joined by a trio of musicians and playing acoustic piano and guitar, Farish reveals a different side to his music in this intimate performance.

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