Vinny Golia: Music for Like Instruments: The Clarinets

Here, they serve the diversity of Golia's evocative writing. During "Clown Car Syndrome," for example, Golia repeats a riff he could have lifted from any garage-rock band, then has the ensemble explode like a flock of birds being attacked by a hungry cat. The sustained, dark tones of "Played 2 or 3 Times" nod towards Messiaen's organ music, until the Zappa-esque melody comes dancing in on top of it. And no, that's not the sound of your speakers shredding during "Well Beneath the Sleeping Floor," it's whispering bass clarinets sharing secrets. Unless, of course, you're playing the CD too loudly, in which case it could be the sound of your woofers complaining.

In any event, no complaints here. For me, this is Golia's strongest Like Instruments set yet, and its musical rewards range far beyond what you'd expect from this lineup. However, it won't be until Golia convenes a tentet of tubaxes that the walls of the city will truly shake.