nico muhly jukebox

I do my best to pretend that I listen to classical music, but I’m still a total neophyte — especially with my pesky love of electronic stuff getting in the way all the time. Even so, it didn’t take me more than one listen to know that Nico Muhly’s Mothertongue was something special.

Like his debut, it’s got a whole host of interesting collaborations. Abigail Fischer patiently reads out addresses, phone numbers and other mental detritus throughout “Mothertongue,” while organs, strings and electronics buzz away beneath the surface. “Wonders” contains bits and pieces from 17th century texts recited by Helgi Hrafn Jónsson. Folk singer Sam Amidon breaks down and then reconstructs a traditional English tune on the album’s closer, “The Only Tune.” The record is a whirlwind of modern classical, avant-garde electronic and traditional music. It’s also kind of amazing.

Which is why I tracked him down and interviewed him recently for the site, playing him some records that got the conversation going — and then digressing into topics that I couldn’t have predicted (church, why Elgar is kinda boring and what piece of music Muhly stole from for his Boston Pops debut). Check it out here.