Lyle Mays – As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

i finally got my hands on one of these transparent ECM discs and i'm so happy about it, you gotta see these by yourself. cristaline sound quality too. unbelievable crafting for its time.

about the music: you know it, a real trip front to back, discrete jazz jamming amidst folk, ambient, rock-ish pop-ish overly mellow compositions. not for everyone, but it doesnt matter. the fact these three (props to Vasconcelos' delightful earthly pulse) crafted these varied and complex tunes in a couple of days (reportedly due to ECM's recording policies) is amazing on its own. lets not forget that.

for years i held "It's For You" as one of the most perfect examples of the music i -truly- enjoyed. i still do, i find it intoxicatingly uplifting.

about the album sleeve: man. front picture in striking definition despicting what's IMO one of the most enigmatic photographs ever used in an ECM jacket. it being a reference to some ol' blues or whatever: doesnt matter. the dark fields, the dreamy skyscape, the car frozen in time, the posts, and of course the telephone. a call for you. haunting imagery. backside: the titular pair striking a pose, colours inhabiting them and nothing else, whilst everything is happening around them. they moved at their own pace. these two were, and always will be, on another plane, simply put. music to imagine with.

I love Lyle Mays on this album.
I have most of Metheny’s work. This is worth a listen. No issues with my copy from 40 years ago.

I was born exactly one month before Pat Metheny and feel that I was destined to be a giant fan, which I eventually became when I was exposed to the white album in 1978, of which I have a Greman LP copy. Thereafter, I bought everything Metheny, until quite recently. Actually, my version of this pressing features a Side 1 that is sonically superior; and it's the side I respond to more deeply, musically speaking. Not that Side 2 is unappealing, that's not true at all, the first track is my favorite on that side. At any rate, this is a lovely album, soulful and soothing. Sonically, to my mind, it's quintessentially ECM, in that it has a very natural rather than "wow" character. This is an album for later in the evening.

Amazing record- As Fall Wichita... is very (dare I say) a mix between Pink floyd-and Musique Concrète- Turn down the lights, put it on, and go on a journey.
Side 2 has September 15th, Mays and Metheny's tribute to the late Bill Evans

I've had some form of this recording in my collection since the '80s and have never paid much mind to it, as I've always gravitated toward the records just before this one, and several that came after. Having grabbed a pristine vinyl copy recently, I have an opportunity to revisit this with mature ears. As such, it's a solid release. Perhaps considered "experimental" for 1981-Pat Metheny, but only a precursor to his much more adventurous albums to follow. This one shows a marvelous collaboration between Pat and Lyle. They always seem so well tuned in to each other, and this is no exception.
My copy sounds amazing. Big signal and full range.