2003
The Back of Beyond - solo (Novel Cell Poem - Japan) This release alternates between friendly toypop and commissions for theater and dance.
Musique Du Jouet - Various Artists (Novel Cell Poem - Japan) Including Frank Pahl, Klimperei, Pascal Camelade, David Fenech, Itoken, Harpy & more. Japanese toypop label Novel Cell Poem releases a bunch of previously unreleased tracks in a beautiful package with informative book insert (if you read Japanese).
Mayor Of The Tennessee River - David Greenberger & Shaking Ray Levis (PelPel Recordings) David came down to Chattanooga in 2002 and interviewed local senior citizens while I joined up with those inimitable improvisational stalwarts, the Shaking Ray Levis. The results are 17 new standards. How can you pass it up?
Obedience - Larval (Cuniform) Frank Pahl - Assistant
2002
Xenharmonic Gamelan - XHG XHG is a six-piece band based out of Detroit and led by microtonalist Clem Fortuna. Many of the instruments are home made. Equally influenced by traditional gamelan music and minimalism, XHG is capable of beautiful music to meditate by.
Supernova - Immigrant Suns (Phonetic Records) Frank Pahl - Harmonium, Euphonium
2001
Scavenger Quartet - Whistling for Leftovers (Snowdonia - Italy) Scavenger Quartet (Doug Gourlay of Only a Mother, Tim Holmes of Major Dents, and Joel Peterson of Immigrant Suns and XHG) was originally formed to perform original jazz waltzes for the choreography of Peter Sparling. We got along so well we decided to call it a group. Dave Mandl of The Wire wrote "a chamber jazz hybrid that is much more intimate than Only a Mother but with an equally vast palette." And Ralph Valdez of WDET added "Future-rustic might be an apt description of the Scavenger sound which achieves a fusion that is simultaneously antiquated and avant garde."
Music for Desserts - Frank Pahl and Klimperei (in poly sons - France) What can I say? This is my favorite. All tracks began with home made automatic instruments. Klimperei laid down their sympathetic magic and I mixed. The folks at The Wire liked it and Nate Cavalieri of The Metro Times wrote, "an achievement that depends on beautifully complex minds and beautifully simple machines." Cover art by yours truly.
2000
Chadbourne Baptist Church, Vol.2 - Eugene Chadbourne Frank Pahl - Producer, Euphonium
Birthing Chair Blues - Amy Denio Frank Pahl - Assistant
Field Recordings - Immigrant Suns (Phonetic Records) Frank Pahl - Engineer, Alto Clarinet
Atomic Milk-Throwers - Various Artists
1998
Damned Pretty Snout - Only A Mother A classic from 1998 brought back to life on Frank's own Back of Beyond CDR release. Guests Eugene Chadbourne and Luc Houtkamp join the usual cast for the fun.
More Than Food - Immigrant Suns (Phonetic Records) Frank Pahl - Farfisa Organ, Siren, Euphonium, Engineer
1997
Boss Witch Shaking Ray Levis (Shaking Ray Records) My favorite improvising duo on this here planet, Dennis Palmer and Bob Stagner get together with some of their favorites (JD Parran, Davey Williams, Frank Pahl, Mary Richards & Steve Beresford).
In Cahoots (Vaccination Records) As the title suggests, there are different collaborators on each track and the CD alternates songs with instrumentals. Pitching in are The Immigrant Suns, Eugene Chadbourne, Only a Mother, Shaking Ray Levis, Luc Houtkamp, David Greenberger, Missy Gibson, Brian Poole and more.
Insect & Western Attractor - Eugene Chadbourne (Leo) Frank Pahl - Engineer
Haikus Urbains - Various Artists
1996
Insect & Western Party - Eugene Chadbourne Frank Pahl - Engineer
Thunderclap - Live at the Den Haag Korzo Theatre Field Recordings 3 - Luc Houtkamp & Guests Frank Pahl - Engineer, Banjo
State Of The Union - Various Artists (Atavistic) - Compilation curated by Elliot Sharp
Eyesore: A Stab At The Residents - Various Artists - Tribute to the Residents
1995
Feral Chickens - Only A Mother Released four years after Naked Songs for Contortionists, Feral Chickens remains one of Only a Mother's strongest effort.
I Still Feel Like Myself - David Greenberger with special guests (PONK Home Recordings) How's this for a lineup: Only a Mother, Eugene Chadbourne, Davey Williams, Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet (minus Amy), Tatsu Aoki and David and I. All previously unreleased material.
Loose Threads - One of my most successful dance scores to date. Commissioned by Terri Sarris as composer and dancer (that's my dancing behind on the cover) this sewing epic explored the connection between recorded images, history and memory.
Lyrics By Ernest Noyes Brookings II - Various Artists
Unsettled Scores - Various Artists
1993
The Nerve Events - Various Artists w/Dr Nerve
1992
LSD C&W, Pt.2 - Eugene Chadbourne w/Frank Pahl & Only A Mother
Lyrics By Ernest Noyes Brookings - Various Artists
Passed Normal Vol.5 - Various Artists - Frank & Major Dents contribute one track to this ever-eclectic collection series assembled by FOT Records. It started out as a cassette only collection, mutated to vinyl, and now on CD.
1991
Naked Songs For Contortionists - Only A Mother This early opus by Bobbi Benson, Doug Gourlay, Marko Novachcoff, Frank Pahl, and Mary Richards contains 23 tracks. Half are instrumental, the others support Frank's warped stories.
1990
Studio Animals - Only a Mother
1989
The Romantic Warped - Only a Mother The second release by Only a Mother is the folkiest of their five releases however there are plenty of the weird moments that brought us infamy (kind of).
Studio Animals - Various In the '80s I began releasing cassette-only compilations. This vinyl release was my foray into the big time. Contributors include Eugene Chadbourne, Only a Mother, Rascal Reporters, Major Dents and more.
1987
Riding White Alligators - Only a Mother The first release by Only a Mother.