v/a - SURREALISM REVIEWED

Surrealism Reviewed is an audio anthology of historic spoken word recordings by Surrealist artists, writers and poets.

Made between 1929 and 1963, the collection includes poetry readings, interviews, lectures and manifestos. Most are in the English language, though some are in French (marked FR below). Leading lights include Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali and André Breton. The remarkable contributions from Robert Desnos and Herbert Read were feared lost for several decades, unheard since they were cut onto acetate discs in the 1930s.

Running for 74 minutes, with detailed sleevenotes, Surrealism Reviewed is a must for all students of 20th century art, literature and the avant-garde, as well as left-field creative ideas and endeavour. The cover art reproduces This Morning (1951) by Yves Tanguy. ISBN 0-9540549-5-4

CD tracklist:

1. Tangos Argentinos Un Chien Andalou (1928)
2. Herbert Read The Surrealist Object (1937)
3. Marcel Duchamp The Creative Act (1957)
4. Jean Cocteau La toison d'or (1929)
5. Max Ernst interview (1960s)
6. Tristan Tzara Dada Into Surrealism (1959) (FR)
7. Philippe Soupault interview (1959) (FR)
8. Salvador Dali interview (1963)
9. Man Ray Interview
10. Lee Miller interview (1946)
11. Roland Penrose interview (1946)
12. Robert Desnos Relation d'un rêve (1938) (FR)
13. André Breton Interview (1950) (FR)
14. Louis Aragon interview (1963) (FR)
15. André Breton L'union libre

Reviews:

"With extensive sleevenotes and translations, this is a brilliant little primer for would-be avant-gardists" (Glasgow Herald, 10/2002)

"A formidable if unlikely branch of rock's ancestry. Many of the recordings here feature music, most strikingly Robert Desnos, whose eerie accompaniment represents a very early example of ambient/avant-garde electronica" (Uncut, 12/2002)

"A remarkable audio gallery to be heartily applauded, with superb sleevenotes and English translations. Fascinating" (Record Collector, 12/2002)