I have never heard of any of the artists here — they have names like Ariel Kalma, The Silverman, and what appears to be their flagship artist, Nurse With Wound (who warrants this beautiful boxed set with a book of incredible photographs).

I don't understand all of it. But at least so far, I like it.

But who gives a shit so far anyway, right?

Except, that the way these albums were sent to me completely speaks otherwise. Each CD comes in a beautifully packaged, environmentally correct cardboard case that opens out to reveal gorgeous artwork that simply demands you take the music contained within seriously. As for the CDs themselves? They are each wrapped in a cellophane covering that harkens back to the seventies sort of thing you found with "serious music" labels like ECM.

Like I said, this got my attention.

The thing is that this label's releases all share a sort of packaged uniformity that absolutely screams that this is something important. And the boxed set by Nurse With Wound was something else entirely. This shit was so damned beautiful, there was no way it was going into the pile next to the Dogshit Blues Band from Podunk, Arkansas.

What can I say here?

Like most guys, I'm an admittedly visual animal. I guess I like my music — at least that which I haven't actually heard yet — much like I like my women. I want them all to look beautiful. Which probably explains why at fifty-something years of age I am still single. But that's fodder for another entire article.

The point is, this is obviously a boutique sort of label in an age where such labels have all but disappeared. They have the right idea about how to get the attention of writers, A&R guys at a label and the like, who could make a difference too. You just don't see this type of stuff anymore from artists and bands.

But it used to be somewhat commonplace. In the seventies I can remember several record labels who used to instantly communicate what they were all about when I saw their albums in the record shop before I ever heard a single note.

I think I already mentioned ECM. That label's releases were always characterized by their stark, usually white, album jackets baring an equally stark image. In the case of Pat Metheny or Terje Rypdal it might have been a nature scene. In the case of pianist Keith Jarrett it may have been something as basic as the keys on a piano.