by Heather Phares
Previously only available in a limited-release cassette, Black Tape for a Blue Girl's Before the Buildings Fell is a collection of Sam Rosenthal's earliest electronic recordings. Songs like &Kathryn,& &Fragments of Benediction,& and &The Amber Girl& are elongated, atmospheric pieces that predate genre titles like electronica or darkwave, but still sound fresh and surprisingly warm over a decade later. Shorter pieces like &Resolution,& &Leading to the Edge,& and the title track keep the album's pacing interesting, and the CD's enhanced portion includes the full video for &Full Fragments of Benediction.& A must for Black Tape for a Blue Girl fans, and worthwhile for fans of ambient, electronic soundscapes.