We’re Not From Here

The Clash were the only first-generation punk band capable of (or perhaps interested in) tailoring their up-from-the-gutter firepower to suit arena-size audiences. Here, at last–a decade and a half after their demise–is proof of their substantial stage skills. –by Steven Stolder, amazon.com.

That Bill Frisell should get the "best-of" treatment from his longtime label Nonesuch seems overdue, even strangely so. Frisell began recording for Elektra Musician in 1986 after leaving ECM Records, where he'd recorded a steady string of generally excellent but somewhat low profile albums. Elektra owned Nonesuch Records as well. When Musician ceased to function as a label, Frisell's contract was morphed into the Elektra Nonesuch imprint, and eventually once more into Nonesuch, then Elektra Asylum, then back to Nonesuch. In other words, Frisell has been working with the WEA family for over two decades. In that time he has released no less than 20 albums for the various labels under WEA's corporate umbrella.