---
title: Reflections, Vol. 1
description: Sarth Calhoun’s first release of improvised duets, subtitled A Noise Akin to a Flight of Deranged Swallows in Combat, featuring Exaltron, and the track whose melody came from Joe Kelly’s film Poughkeepsie.
url: https://www.sarth.net/conspiracies/reflections-vol-1/
published: 2026-09-22
facet: dream
credit: Sarth Calhoun, Continuum Fingerboard, on *Reflections, Vol. 1 (A Noise Akin to a Flight of Deranged Swallows in Combat)*, released November 2015. Duets with Lou Petto, drums, on “Softly Questioning,” and with Exaltron, trumpet, guitar, guitar-bass and live looping, on the last track.
author: Sarth Calhoun
---
[Transmissions](/transmissions/) / Reflections, Vol. 1

Transmission · Dream

# Reflections, Vol. 1

My first release of improvised duets, named after a line in a review of a Metal Machine Trio show.

## The record

*Reflections, Vol. 1 (A Noise Akin to a Flight of Deranged Swallows in Combat)* is my first release of improvised duets, and the 4th piece is a trio, which breaks the rule. It came out in November 2015.

[Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/reflections-vol-1-a-noise-akin-to-a-flight/1061852160) · [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sq3OSve1Ls)

## The absurdly long name

The name came from my friend [Scott Hampton](/conspirators/scott-hampton/), also known as Exaltron, who took it from a review of one of my [Metal Machine Trio](/conspiracies/metal-machine-trio/) performances. I love it, and I loved the idea of having a band with an absurdly long name.

The reviewer was describing what I was doing with a Continuum. Exaltron is featured on the last track, playing trumpet, guitar, guitar-bass, and live looping madness.

## Softly Questioning

The third track is called Softly Questioning. Its main melody is the one used in the film [*Poughkeepsie*](/conspiracies/poughkeepsie/), written and directed by [Joe Kelly](/conspirators/joe-kelly/).

It is one of my favorite tracks from the record. It was improvised and recorded in one take, with no editing. A duet with continuum fingerboard and [Lou Petto](/conspirators/lou-petto/) on drums.

The credit: Sarth Calhoun, Continuum Fingerboard, on *Reflections, Vol. 1 (A Noise Akin to a Flight of Deranged Swallows in Combat)*, released November 2015. Duets with Lou Petto, drums, on “Softly Questioning,” and with Exaltron, trumpet, guitar, guitar-bass and live looping, on the last track.

From my posts on the record, November 29, 2015 and November 20, 2020.