Think of the last time you heard an accordion played. Maybe you were at a polka festival (they do exist), or perhaps your favorite americana artist strapped one on just for fun. I have a childhood memory of watching middle-aged women throw undergarments at a shirtless guy wailing on the accordion while singing Dean Martin songs at an Italian festival in Kansas City. Perhaps you would like to unthink that one, but trust me, it was fun.

Joseph Petric SEEN (Redshift Music)

Joseph Petric is an accordion virtuoso. He sounds a lot more like a pump organ player, and he coaxes some of the most amazing sounds out of the squeezebox. The pieces on this album are from the avant garde classical side of things, but they do tell stories. The centerpiece, a three-movement work that also serves as the title of the album, shows off Petric's amazing range. He uses every ounce of the instrument's versatility, creating a sense of delicate foreboding.

That deft touch separates him from all of the wailers. And trust me, I love me some exuberant accordion. Nothing says party like a semi-smashed accordion player going full tilt. But Petric is able to bend his instrument into places that few artists can--regardless of what they are playing. I can count on one hand the moments where it is clear that an accordion is the instrument behind the music. Petric weaves such beautiful lines, and they impart an incomparable feeling.

So, yes, this album is for the fan of unusual classical music who (at the very least) doesn't mind the accordion. But I would suggest that any music fan with even the slightest sense of adventure should jump on board. This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful albums I've heard in years. Petric is a master, something any listener should figure out after about five notes. Mind-bendingly breathtaking.

Jon Worley