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It's that time of the month again for the new releases show on New Sounds. John Schaefer carefully separates the wheat from the chaff for this show. He'll sort through the stacks, bins, and boatloads of new CDs which have come across his famous disordered desk over the past month to present some of the finest new releases. He'll skim off the cream. He'll pick the lentils from the ashes. You get it.

For this New Sounds, sample the chiming guitars of James Blackshaw and Ben Reynolds, along with the striking music of whale sounds and guitar from Randall Myers.  Also, hear something from the Texas-based guitarist Darrin Kobetich, who is part of the guitar tradition of the late American John Fahey.   Plus, live electronica from guitarist Julia Crowe, and more.

New music inspired by J.S. Bach is what you'll hear on this New Sounds.  Listen for "Lighthouse" from the Estonian composer, Erkki-Sven Tuur, something of a contemporary take on the baroque, commissioned by Ausbach Bach festival in 1997.  Plus there's music by Steve Martland, his work "Crossing the Border," inspired by Bach's Partita for Solo Violin.  And much more.

Hear some links in a musical chain by way of a series of recordings linked by shared personnel.  We'll start with John Surman's "Sunday Morning," and hear percussionist Pierre Favre's "Mort d’Eurydice."  We'll continue on with Michel Godard & Monks of Liguge Abbey, "Repons," and then there's music from the lauded recording "Officium" by Hilliard Ensemble & Jan Garbarek, possibly even more.

Music by Steve Reich on this New Sounds - a piece of classical music for a rock band - his "2 x 5," from a new recording.  There's also music for electric guitar in a chamber music setting by Canadian composer Tim Brady, inspired by Dmitri Shostakovich, "Hocket, Canon, Fugue."  Plus, listeen to a work for a hybrid electro-acoustic ensemble by Paola Prestini.