CDs:
Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell – Check ‘Em Before You Wreck ‘Em! CD (Rise Above)
The Shovell somehow carry on the lineage of the truly golden age of British heavy rock whose dog sh!t stained road was paved by the likes of Budgie, Sabbath, early Motörhead, Quo, Lizzy, The Groundhogs, Stray etc. Chuck in a healthy chunk of US and Aussie proto metallurgists Sir Lord Baltimore, Dust, Bang, The Litter and Buffalo, as well as a healthy Vertigo ‘Swirl’ of dew picked mushrooms bad trip psych. Vinyl version due May 13.
The Afghan Whigs – Do To The Beast CD/2xLP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Do To The Beast is the first new album by The Afghan Whigs in over a decade and a half. Founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1988, the band has long stood out from its peers, with their savage blend of hard rock, classic soul, and frontman Greg Dulli’s searing angst and obsessions. (Double-vinyl version plays at 45 rpm for maximum fidelity.)
AJ & The Jiggawatts – AJ & The Jiggawatts CD/LP (Ged Soul)
This eclectic combination of Nashville players capture a sound that lives comfortably in the space between funk and soul, but shares a bathroom with rock & roll.
The Alchemist & Budgie – The Good Book 2xCD (Bau)
Al and Budgie’s two separate, mostly instrumental, albums are built exclusively from gospel samples. The resulting beats, incredibly unique and original, provide a canvas for collaborations from Action Bronson, Blu, Prodigy, Roc Marciano, and others.
Asylum Street Spankers – The Last Laugh CD (Yellow Dog)
If you’ve read the bio or know any of the members of the Asylum Street Spankers, you probably know that the group was founded in 1994 at a booze-filled party at the Dabbs Hotel along the river in Llano, Texas, and for the next seventeen years left a swath of astounded audiences in its wake. Well, it appears that America’s favorite old-time hell raisers have once again musically triumphed over overindulgence and memory loss. Or have they?
August Alsina – Testimony CD (Def Jam)
Features guest appearances from Jeezy, Pusha T, Fabolous, Yo Gotti, Rick Ross, Trinidad James, B.O.B. and Yo Gotti. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes four bonus tracks.
Amps For Christ – Canyons Cars And Crows CD/LP (Shrimper)
New release from this project led by Man Is The Bastard and Bastard Noise veteran and metal/noise pioneer Henry Barnes. Coming seven years after the release of the previous full-length record, Canyons Cars And Crows is a proper resurrection for Amps For Christ. Recorded at Equation Road in the beautiful Pomona Valley, the record upholds the band’s traditions of mixing folk with hardcore and noise with music – known as folkcore and musnik, respectively – and covers familiar sonic territories from ragas and basho folk to dirges and jigs.
Ian Anderson – Homo Erraticus CD (K-Scope)
The 2014 conceptual masterclass from Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson reunites him with Thick As A Brick lyricist Gerald Bostock for the first time since 1972. Homo Erraticus is a wonderfully ambitious fusion of folk, rock and metal stylings. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD. Vinyl version due April 30.
Marisa Anderson – Golden Hour [2009] CD (Important)
Marisa Anderson – Mercury [2009] CD (Important)
CD versions of two 2009 Mississippi Records releases from Portland-based guitar virtuoso. Recommended for fans of James Blackshaw and Josef Van Wissem, with Appalachian folk tradition.
Angina Pectoris – Lakshmi CD (Crysella)
New release from the German goth rockers – available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features alternate packaging and bonus material.
Anubis Gate – Horizons CD (Nightmare)
The eagerly anticipated sixth album of Danish prog-metallers.
Del Barber – Prairieography CD/LP (True North)
Prairieography is Del Barber’s fourth album and is a departure for the acclaimed singer/songwriter, as he ventures farther into traditional country music than on his previous releases.
Bobby Bare Jr’s Young Criminals’ Starvation League – Undefeated CD/LP (Bloodshot)
Undefeated is an album of distinct balance, but with raw and varied textures. “North Of Alabama By Mornin’” leads with a murky, palm-muted electric guitar and striding, crunchy organ backbeat; a combination that is undeniably kinetic à la Humble Pie’s ‘70s boogie grooves and sinister and sexy, like a Southern doppelganger to Greg Dulli/The Twilight Singers. At other moments, Bobby channels his country DNA (like in the Hayes Carll co-penned “My Baby Took My Baby Away”), mirror-ball gazing ‘70s R&B/soul (“Undefeated”), and bright ballads from the hills and hollers of Venice Beach (“If She Cared”). From anyone else, this refusal to play it on the straight and narrow would sound cluttered and disjointed, but Bobby never breaks a sweat.
Courtney Barnett – The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas CD/LP (Mom + Pop)
“Courtney Barnett makes jangly, rumpled indie-rock in the vein of Pavement or early Dylan: Wordy, wry, and anchored by the kind of poetic clarity you can only get from looking at the world askew.” – Rolling Stone
The Birds Of Satan – The Birds Of Satan CD/LP+MP3 (Shanabelle)
Debut album from the new band formed by The Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins, with guest appearance by Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, and others.
Black Sabbath – Complete Albums Box 1970-1978 8xCD (WB)
The original quartet’s groundbreaking eight-album run. Presented in a clamshell box, the set contains all of the studio albums recorded for Warner Bros., including their iconic, eponymous debut (1970), the multi-platinum landmark Paranoid (1970), the platinum albums Master Of Reality (1971), Vol. 4 (1972), and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973), as well as the gold albums Sabotage (1975), Technical Ecstasy (1976), and Never Say Die! (1978).
Blodwen – Blodwen CD (Crysella)
New release from the Indonesian female fronted symphonic power metal band.
The Both – The Both CD (Superego)
The Both is Aimee Mann and Ted Leo. Building on a friendship forged while they were on tour together last year, it was Leo’s solo sets that piqued Mann’s interest in getting on stage with him and writing music together. Of the project, Mann notes, “Honestly, I feel like for the first time, I’m part of a rock band.” Vinyl version due April 29.
Chet Faker – Built On Glass CD/LP (Downtown)
Debut full-length release for the Australian producer/singer/songwriter Nick Murphy. “Built On Glass is very much the culmination of Faker’s disparate influences, showcasing his broken, downtempo soul at its finest.” – This Is Fake DIY
Cloud Cult – Unplug CD (Rebel Group)
Cloud Cult has always followed an eco-friendly path, with band leader Craig Minowa running operations from his organic farm (initially in Minnesota, and now in rural Wisconsin) and using recycled materials for their CDs and a biodiesel van for touring. So the band’s new acoustic album, Unplug, feels like a natural step for a group accustomed to doing things the natural way.
Dianne Cluck – Boneset CD/LP (Important)
Seventh album from modern folk artist. Cluck’s uniquely clipped, glottal vocals and harp-like acoustic guitar embed in rich textures from cellist Isabel Castellvi and drummer Anders Griffen
Rodney Crowell – Tarpaper Sky CD/LP+MP3 (New West)
Crowell has pushed the boundaries of country, folk and roots music since long before the term Americana was coined as a genre, making a name for himself and gaining respect as both a songwriter and as an artist. Tarpaper Sky would sit comfortably on the shelf right between the chart-topping fan favorite Diamonds And Dirt (1988) and Life Is Messy (1992). The album marks a reunion of the creative partnership of Crowell and musical accomplice Stuart Smith, who was an integral part of his overall sound during the late ‘80s.
Cult Leader – Nothing For Us Here CD/LP (Deathwish Inc.)
Nothing For Us Here is a complex crusher as you would expect. Brilliantly heavy, technical musicianship complimented by Anthony Lucero’s newfound brutal vocal delivery (previously he played bass in Gaza). All of it coming together as an unconventional tangle of metal/hardcore/punk wreckage.
Justin Currie – Lower Reaches CD (Compass)
Best known as the vocalist of Scottish Rock Band Del Amitri, Justin Currie releases his third solo album.
Jason Derulo – Talk Dirty CD (WB)
The R&B star presents his third album, which features guest appearances by: 2 Chainz, Snoop Dogg, Tyga, Kid Ink and Jordin Sparks are featured on the album with production by Timbaland, DJ Mustard, Red One, Wallpaper, The Cataracts, Ammo and Martin Johnson, Jon Bellion and more.
The Dictators – Faster, Louder: The Dictators Best 1975-2001 CD (Hard Boiled)
This set delivers representative cuts from all four Dictators albums: the goofball heavy rock debut The Dictators Go Girl Crazy! (1975), the uneven attempt to play nice for the arena crowds Manifest Destiny (1977), the lean and powerful Bloodbrothers (1978), and the miraculous comeback D.F.F.D. (2001).
Disclosure – Settle [Deluxe Edition] CD (Interscope)
Deluxe Edition of the UK electronic artists’ 2013 album includes four bonus tracks, only previously released digitally. Disclosure have been making waves with their revival of the UK garage-house sound, marked by advanced rhythm combinations and soulful R&B vocal samples.
Gord Downie, The Sadies And The Conquering Sun – Gord Downie, The Sadies And The Conquering Sun CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)
Downie (Tragically Hip) intones poetry of promise in his signature wail, blended with the fierce intuition of The Sadies’ searing guitars and rollicking rhythms.
The Drip – Presentation Of Gruesome Politics CD/LP (Relapse)
Washington State’s The Drip roar onto the scene with a blasting EP of filthy, angry grind produced and engineered by Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaust. An absolute must for fans of all of the ferocious forefathers of grind-Napalm Death, Nasum, Rotten Sound, etc. This is a relentlessly skull crushing record of pissed off, high energy, barbaric grind.
Duck Sauce – Quack CD (Fool’s Gold)
A-Trak and Armand Van Helden first splashed on the scene as Duck Sauce with the breakout hit “aNYway.” Quack is their highly-anticipated full length studio debut.
Emmure – Eternal Enemies CD (Victory)
Sixth album from the metal band.
Final Conflict – Ashes To Ashes [Reissue/1987] CD/LP (Tank Crimes)
Reissue of this 1987 album from the Los Angeles-based hardcore rockers. Final Conflict were influenced by British punk bands like Discharge and were one of the first bands to blend hardcore’s simplistic and manic sound and heavy metal’s musicianship with any degree of success.
Fire Retarded – Scroggz Manor CD/LP (Big Neck)
Debut from Bobby Hussy (The Hussy)’s new group, Fire Retarded. 10 songs of fuzzed out punk rock that will shock and awe you into submission. Bobby’s guitar adds a surrealistic fuzz feel to the power of these punk rippers which drags you in and hypnotizes you. Recorded in 2 days (natch) in an extra urgent punk rock style, for those taking notes.
F##ked Up – Year Of The Dragon CDEP/12” (Tank Crimes)
New EP from the critically-adored Canadian hardcore band, the sixth release in their Zodiac Series. The A-side, “Year Of The Dragon” is a 17 ½ minute epic anthem about dreams, expectations, compromise and hypocrisy. Already well known for being dynamic, F##ked Up melds efforts of rock, psychedelic, punk and metal into a comprehensive and imposing opus.
Gamma Ray – Empire Of The Undead CD (Eagle Rock)
11th studio album from the power metal band. Vinyl version due April 22.
Gezan – It Was Once Said To Be A Song CD (Important)
Debut album from Japanese punk/psych/noise band (originally released in Japan in 2010).
Steve Gunn & Mike Gangloff – Melodies For A Savage Fix CD (Important)
Gunn & Gangloff (Pelt) combine six and twelve-string guitars with gongs, tanpura, singing bowls, shruti box, and banjo for a gorgeous collection of improvised composition.
Emmylou Harris – Cowboy Angels CD (All Access)
The 1975 broadcast featured here was aired from San Francisco’s famous Boarding House venue and occurred just a year after Parsons’ death – thus it is hardly surprising that many of the songs included have strong connections with the Parsons-period. Backed by The Hot Band, featuring James Burton and Glen D. Hardin, both of whom had played in Elvis’ group, and Rodney Crowell, the young Texan songwriter and guitarist whose compositions Emmylou was now championing, it was a testament to the girl’s talents that she could attract musicians of this caliber at this formative stage in her own solo career. This performance offers a tantalizing glimpse of such qualities as Emmylou displays the full magnificence of her voice in this truly wonderful show.
Emerson Hart – Beauty In Disrepair CD (BMG Rights Management)
New solo album from the Tonic frontman. His first solo album in over six years, Beauty In Disrepair touches on loss but also the beauty of rebirth, newfound love, family and staring a clean slate. It is the follow-up to 2007’s Cigarettes & Gasoline and features the single ”The Best That I Can Give.”
Hillstomp – Portland, Ore. CD (Fluff And Gravy)
Hillstomp creates a visceral music that makes you want to stomp your feet, shout to the heavens, and love your neighbor. Between 2002 and 2010, the band released two EPs and four full-length offerings. They have toured internationally, shared stages with The Avett Brothers, Southern Culture On The Skids, and Scott Biram, among others, and spent three weeks touring in support of The Reverend Horton Heat.
Horse Thief – Fear In Bliss CD/LP (Bella Union)
Newest signing to UK’s esteemed Bella Union label—home to Fleet Foxes and Beach House—is the Oklahoma band Horse Thief, a five-piece which also happens to share a few traits with both of those particular label-mates. In their glowing 8/10 review, UK music blog The 405 described them as a “very American brand of psych-folk” but also noted “distinct Smiths and The Cure guitar jangles.”
I Declare War – We Are Violent People By Nature CD (Artery)
Seattle deathcore heavyweights I Declare War make their punishing return with their third album We Are Violent People By Nature. The band continues to push the boundaries and technicality of heavy music and the onslaught is endless through the album.
Impetuous Ritual – Unholy Congregation Of Hypocritical Ambivalence CD (Profound Lore)
In their brief career, Australia’s Impetuous Ritual has already been recognized as one of the mightiest death metal entities in the underground today, alongside such likeminded acts as Portal (with whom Impetuous Ritual shares two members) and Mitochondrion.
The Jacka/Messy Marv/Blanco – One Hunnid CD (Guerilla Entertainment)
The Jacka, Messy Marv and Blanco’s third and final installment from the Street Artist trilogy is entirely produced by Bay Area heavyweight Bedrock. Bedrock sets the mood with futuristic drums and samples giving the album an eerie Blade Runner vibe. Blanco recruits some of the rap game’s biggest names to assist, including: Nipsey Hussle, Styles P, YG, Freeway, Trae The Truth, Freddie Gibbs, Husulah, Messy Marv, and Lee Majors.
Kyng – Burn The Serum CD/LP (Razor & Tie)
The Los Angeles trio Kyng’s roar could easily tip the Southern California Richter Scale. On their second full-length album, Burn The Serum, the trio harks back to the essence of heavy rock & roll, forging thunderous percussion to lightning hot riffs driven by a divine vocal howl.
Adam Lipman – Prove The Beast CD (Shrimper)
Prove The Beast is a record of worlds: basketball legends, misogynistic feminist fables, love through the prism of drink, slow counterpoint piano, hip-hop beats, off-key/off-kilter hand-claps and drums, Peruvian pop goddesses, income inequality, Jesus as unrealistic sex god role model, dating as ritual death dance, and love as catalyst for death-inducing high-speed country driving.
Ziggy Marley – Fly Rasta CD (Tuff Going)
With his recent Grammy win for Best Reggae Album (Ziggy Marley In Concert), Ziggy Marley is back with his fifth studio album, Fly Rasta. Produced by Ziggy Marley with additional production by Dave Cooley with contributions by The Melody Makers. Vinyl version due April 29.
Jessica Lea Mayfield – Make My Head Sing CD/LP (ATO)
“Kent, Ohio native Jessica Lea Mayfield matches a grunge-era deadpan with gnarly leftfield roots music in service of haunting, smoldering rock ’n’ roll. She caught some extra attention thanks to her association with geographic and stylistic neighbor Dan Auerbach of Akron’s Black Keys, who produced her 2011 LP Tell Me. But Mr. Ultraviolence wasn’t involved in Make My Head Sing. Rather, she bunkered down in a Nashville studio with bassist/husband Jesse Newport in search of something stripped-down yet weighty.” – Stereogum
Medeski Martin & Wood + Nels Cline – Woodstock Sessions Vol. 2 CD (Woodstock Session)
Medeski Martin & Wood + Nels Cline came together to record in August of 2013 at Applehead Studios in Woodstock, NY in front of an intimate gathering of 75. The session was part of a newly launched series that brings established and emerging recording artists together with their fans in the recording studio. The experience is a performance/session hybrid that supports the artist to fan bond by sharing the process of record making. The end results of the sessions are inimitable recordings that capture inspired, one-off performances.
Ingrid Michaelson – Lights Out CD/2xLP (Downtown)
The singer/songwriter is back with her fifth studio album, which is available on CD and on red vinyl. “The last year has been one of the most challenging of my life,” said Michaelson. “This album is a reflection of all of that. It’s about being pushed to your limits and looking for help from something other than yourself. It’s about letting go and being alright with that, accepting that. I collaborated with many different writers and producers but, ironically, I believe this is the most personal record I’ve made.
Monks Of Mellonwah – Turn The People CD (Gatcombe)
Debut album from the Australian indie quartet. Combining lush soundscapes with experimentation and pop sensibility, seamlessly merging alt-rock, pop, electronic and progressive sounds, Turn The People displays the band’s ability to create beautiful and unique music but also music that is timeless.
Nas – Illmatic XX 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Legacy)
Expanded 20th anniversary edition features new liner notes by longtime friend, Sacha Jenkins (Ego Trip), previously unseen and rare photographs, and a personal note from Nas. Bonus discs of both formats feature 10 rare remixes, demos and freestyles from the era.
NeedToBreathe – Rivers In The Wasteland CD/LP (Atlantic)
Rivers In The Wasteland is the follow up to their acclaimed album The Reckoning, which saw the band spend over two years on the road in support of a collection of anthemic rock that caught the attention of The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly and USA Today.
Justin Nozuka – Ulysses CD (Glassnote)
New album from acclaimed Canadian singer/songwriter. Nozuka’s music is a soulful blend of R&B and pensive singer/songwriter folk that recalls both Nick Drake and Lauryn Hill.
Oath – Oath CD (Rise Above)
Debut album of heavy metal sorcery. Vinyl version due May 13.
Orcas – Yearling CD/LP (Morr Music)
On their second album as Orcas, Thomas Meluch (Benoit Pioulard) and Rafael Anton Irisarri (The Sight Below) teamed up with Martyn Heyne (Efterklang) on guitar and piano, and Michael Lerner (Telekinesis) on drums, to build upon the subdued ambience of their self-titled debut, adding a huge dose of analog warmth to their hazy pop leanings.
Kris Orlowski – Believer CD (Kris Orlowski Music)
New release from the Seattle-based indie folk singer/songwriter and his band. Shedding the lush sounds of a 17 piece orchestra for more traditional rock and pop arrangements, the cinematic record is more punch-y and experimental than their earlier folk-infused traditions.
Pharoahe Monch – PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder CD (W.A.R. Media LLC)
With his fourth solo LP Pharoahe Monch re-emerges with a new concept project that finds the ground-breaking emcee tackling PTSD. Throughout the duration of the LP, Monch narrates as an independent artist weary from the war against the industry machine and through the struggle of the black male experience in America.
Plague Vendor – Free To Eat CD/LP (Epitaph)
Plague Vendor are from Whittier, CA. They make music in a primitive line that goes back to Iggy and the Stooges, runs through the Cramps, Jesus Lizard, and the Pixies, and manifests most recently in bands like Fidlar and Together Pangea.
Polar – Shadowed By Vultures CD/LP (Prosthetic)
The Guildford, UK-based post-hardcore quartet release their new album. “Not content with sticking to a tried and tested formula of songwriting that many others in the genre have continued with, Shadowed By Vultures shows clearly that the band have looked for wider inspiration for the next iteration in their music, and that deserves to be respected. More melodically balanced, and greater influence from alternative music and other branches of hardcore punk, it’s as fearsome as it is beautiful.” – Bring The Noise
Polock – Rising Up CD (Nacional)
Rising Up is the second album from Polock, a young indie rock buzz band renowned for their heart-warming English-language lyrics and undeniably catchy choruses. They have become an underground sensation on the blogosphere, celebrated by critics and loved by fans of Phoenix and The Strokes.
Ray Price – Beauty Is: The Final Sessions CD (AmeriMonte Records)
Produced by Grammy award winning hit maker and friend Fred Foster, Ray Price’s final sessions highlights the timeless, signature string and shuffle sound of Ray Price featuring duets with Vince Gill and Martina McBride.
Raw Power – Tired And Furious CD (Beer City)
Tired And Furious will crush your skull like a ton of bricks. It’s 16 songs of fast, intense kick-you-in-the-face thrash from a band that’s been going strong and pushing the limits of hardcore and thrash since the early ‘80s.
Bobby Rush with Blinddog Smokin’ – Decisions CD+DVD (Silver Talon)
Decisions is a collaboration between blues legend dubbed ‘King-of-the-Chitlin Circuit’ Bobby Rush with seven-piece funk band Blinddog Smokin’ and six-time Grammy winner Dr. John.
The Secret Sisters – Put Your Needle Down CD/LP (Republic)
The new album from the alt-country sibling duo – produced by the iconic T Bone Burnett – marks a giant creative step forward for Laura and Lydia Rogers. The album’s twelve songs – mostly written or co-written by Laura and Lydia, seamlessly blend an exciting and decidedly Southern patchwork of country, blues, Americana, folk, rock and gospel.
Sevendust – Time Travellers And Bonfires CD (7Brothers)
A collection of re-recorded acoustic versions of Sevendust classics.
Dylan Shearer – Garagearray CD (Castle Face)
Cut from the cloth of early Soft Machine and Kevin Ayers-isms, Garagearray is a lofty, loopy flight in a candy-floss-clouded sky, with an ever-present darkness just below the surface. It’s wonderfully off the cuff, at times reminiscent of a Syd Barrett session where the band must’ve just closed their eyes and felt it out in the dark, coming together in all the right moments in the nick of time. Vinyl version due May 13.
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars – Libation CD (Cumbancha)
Africa’s most inspirational band celebrates ten years together with a new album. Libation’s around-the-campfire intimacy, honest soulfulness, and technical prowess reveal how far the group has come while remaining true to its roots.
Sizzla – Radical CD (V.P.)
Radical is a new compilation of Sizzla songs recorded between 1992 and 2003. The collection unearths songs from some of the Xterminator label sessions that forged his best early work including Praise Ye Jah. The title track is a rare take on the riddim that became “Greedy Joe.” There are other surprises, rare and previously unreleased tracks as well.
Skogen – I Doden CD (Nordvis)
New album from the Swedish metal band, the fourth mark in their legacy of bleak, dark and highly atmospheric musical adventure.
Soundtrack – Divergent CD (Interscope)
The original soundtrack to Divergent features music composed by Dutch multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer, Junkie XL.
Stoneburner – Life Drawing CD (Neurot)
Second full-length from Portland doom/sludge metal four-piece, featuring current and former members of Buried Blood, Buried At Sea, and Heathen Shrine.
Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives – The Gospel Music Of Marty Stuart CD (Gaither Music Group)
Five-time Grammy winner and platinum recording artist Marty Stuart lends his warm, familiar sound to some of his favorite gospel classics on this new collection
Thee Oh Sees – Drop CD/LP (Castle Face)
Drop was recorded in a banana-ripening warehouse (no joke) with hair-farming studio warlock Chris Woodhouse playing drums; it’s also graced with the presence of talented gurus Mikal Cronin, Greer McGettrick and Casafis adding horns and vocals. The result pushes the familiar polarities of the group farther outward than ever before.
Eric Thielemans – Sprang CD/LP+MP3 (Miasmah)
Thielemans is a genre-crossing/blending percussionist/drummer working from a classically-trained ear via jazz drumming, free improv and all sorts of contemporary musics towards his own realms in music and performance.
T.O.M.B. – Pennhurst/Xesse CD (Crucial Blast)
Pennhurst/Xesse is a new collection of rare material from the shadowy black industrial outfit T.O.M.B., compiling their ultra-limited Pennhurst album and the tracks from the one-sided Xesse 12”. This full-length disc delivers over an hour of the band’s bizarre brand of vile electro-acoustic noisescapes, oppressive industrial drift and ghoulish vocalizations dredged from the dank, black bowels of some long-abandoned mausoleum.
The Tower – Hic Abundant Leones CD (Prosthetic)
Sweden’s The Tower deliver bad luck boogie and timeless blues rock with a mystical edge. The offbeat, freak-beat and phantasmagorical psych-blues of Hic Abundant Leones — their cryptic, swinging time-warp of a debut album —exudes an ageless charm and resounding singularity, striking eerie, dreamlike atmospheres that seemingly confirm The Tower’s eccentric parallel-universe narrative.
Triptykon – Melana Chasmata CD (Century Media)
Second full-length album by the Swiss extreme metal band. Vinyl version due May 27.
Various Artists – Petty’s Peculiar Picks: The Best Of Tom Petty’s Buried Treasure CD (Chrome Dreams)
In 2005 Tom Petty turned his hand to DJing, hosting his own radio show, Buried Treasure on XM Radio, during which he shares selections from his personal record collection with his listeners. This 30-track compilation collects together the best and more unusual, even peculiar, picks from his treasured shows, and in so doing provides fans of this maverick performer a window into the music that helped shape the great man’s muse.
Sonny Vincent – Cyanide Consomme CD/LP (Big Neck)
Sonny Vincent is an American punk rock icon. Active since the mid ‘70s with the Testors, touring in Maureen Tucker’s and Sterling Morrison’s guitarist, his new album is 14 songs of pure punk barn burners. If you think that time has slowed Sonny’s songwriting, you are sadly mistaken. These are songs with hooks and melodies that make you want to get up and dance.
Ryley Walker – All Kinds Of You CD/LP (Tompkins Square)
Ryley Walker is a 24 year-old singer/songwriter and guitarist from Chicago. Having kicked around the city’s experimental free/noise music scene for several years, Ryley recently turned to a folk-rock sound inspired by some of his heroes, among them Tim Hardin, Tim Buckley, and Bert Jansch.
Chuck E. Weiss – Red Beans And Weiss CD/LP+CD (Anti)
Chuck E. Weiss grew up in Denver and so impressed blues legends Lightnin’ Hopkins and Willie Dixon as a teenager that they took him out in their road bands. He has recorded with Tom Waits, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Roger Miller, Dr. John and Willie Dixon. Executive produced by Johnny Depp and Tom Waits. Red Beans And Weiss blends blues, barrelhouse, and bluster into a highly entertaining whole.
Stefan Wesolowski – Liebestod CD (Important)
Repetitive compositions written for piano, brass instruments, strings and electronics. RIYL: Arvo Part, Steve Reich, William Basinski, Jacaszek.
Dan Wilson – Love Without Fear CD/LP+MP3 (Ballroom Music, LLC)
New album from the acclaimed singer/songwriter and former Semisonic/Trip Shakespeare member. In recent years, Dan has become a highly sought-after songwriting collaborator and producer. He has worked with a diverse group of artists including Adele, Dixie Chicks, John Legend, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Taylor Swift, Jim James, P!nk, Dierks Bentley, Nas, Josh Groban, Weezer, Carole King, and many others. Dan notably contributed three songs to Adele’s album, 21, including the hit “Someone Like You,” which he also produced. Love Without Fear is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Limited Deluxe hardback book edition includes four bonus tracks plus a 24-page book with artwork and lyrics.
Woods – With Light And With Love CD/LP/Cassette (Woodsist)
““Woods’ brand of pop shamanism has undergone several gradual transformations over their past few albums, but on With Light and With Love, the tinkering reveals an expanded sonic palette that includes singing saw, heavier emphasis on percussion, and a saloon piano that sounds like it was rescued from a flooded basement. Distinct from both the stoned volk of their earliest recordings and the kraut-y dalliances of more recent fare, With Light and With Love showcases a more sophisticated brand of contemporary drug music that owes more to Magical Mystery Tour than motorik.” – James Toth
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Billy Bragg – Live At The Union Chapel London DVD+CD (Cooking Vinyl)
On Wednesday June 5, 2013 Billy Bragg played a very special show at The Union Chapel in London, featuring songs from his 2013 album Tooth & Nail as well as classics from his back catalogue.
Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road [Reissue/1973] Blu-ray (Island)
Elton John’s classic/iconic album is now presented in HD on the Blu-ray High Fidelity Pure Audio format. Includes the stereo mix of the brand new 2014 remaster as well as the 2003 5.1 surround sound mix of the album.
Vinyl:
AC/DC – Ballbreaker [Reissue/1995] LP (Legacy)
AC/DC – Stiff Upper Lip [Reissue/2000] (Legacy)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissues. “[AC/DC’s] comeback culminated in the Rick Rubin-produced Ballbreaker. [Stiff Upper Lip] is a simple, addictive, hard album, bursting with bold riffs and bolstered by a crunching, thrillingly visceral sound.” — AllMusic
Matt Andersen – Weightless LP (True North)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Hailing from the blue-collar community of Perth Andover, New Brunswick, Andersen has been steadily building his sizable following in Canada and around the world through word of mouth about his electrifying live shows. Weightless, the new album, is infused with Andersen’s unparalleled dexterity on the guitar and his command of the blues with a distinctive soulful voice.
Ausmuteants – Amusements LP (Goner)
Ausmuteants are four twenty-nothings from Geelong, Victoria, raised on a diet of seminal avant punk like Chrome and the Screamers. Letʼs not mention Devo—as a two-piece, Jake Robertson (synth, guitar) and Billy Gardener (drums) flushed that obsession with the release of their Split Personalities album in 2012.
Bad Vision – Bad Vision LP (Adagio830)
Bad Vision draw inspiration from the likes of Jay Reatard, The Wipers, Mission Of Burma, Angry Angles, The Saints and The Dirtbombs, bringing some raw guitar noise that’s still abundant with melody to the table.
Bikini Kill – Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah [Reissue/1992] 12”+MP3 (Bikini Kill)
Reissue of Bikini Kill’s second EP, which was originally a split EP with Huggy Bear, now expanded with a B-side which features seven previously unreleased songs drawn from era-appropriate live shows and practice tapes.
Black Tape For A Blue Girl – Remnants Of A Deeper Purity [1996] 2xLP+CD (Projekt)
Sam Rosenthal’s achingly beautiful gothic, neo-classical, ethereal 1996 album is now available on vinyl for the first time. Pressed on 140gm swirled color vinyl with an 8-page 11”x11” booklet featuring never-before-seen photographs and a CD of the entire 77 minute album (in paper sleeve). Only 300 copies worldwide.
Bootstraps – Bootstraps [2012] LP (Harvest)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Bootstraps began with a small, simple goal — to write a few songs for a friend’s feature film. Since then, their eponymous record has blossomed into what Liza Richardson, KCRW DJ and music supervisor calls, ”Strong songwriting bathed in an instantly likable, intimate vibe”. Which warrants this re-release to a larger audience.
BOYFRNDZ – Breeder LP (Brutal Panda)
Second LP from Austin-based progressive/experiemental quartet finds the group expanding their meticulously contructed, hypnotic sound into new realms of colorful, energetic, and emotional territories. Merges hook-laden, reverb soaked vocals w/swirling guitar melodies and complex rhythms.
Dan Croll – Sweet Disarray LP (Capitol)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Dan Croll is a fabulous new solo artist with enough facets for a whole band. He’s the electro boy with links to the folk scene a multi-instrumentalist whose songwriting prowess has impressed everyone from former Beatles to legends in the world of fashion and design. Half troubadour, half techno whiz, Dan is a latter-day Beck, and the missing link between Jake Bugg and Joe Mount.
Maxwell August Croy + Sean McCann – I LP (Students Of Decay)
Composed and recorded in Los Angeles and San Francisco, I is the debut full-length album by Maxwell August Croy and Sean McCann. Croy is best known for his work in Bay Area duo En, wherein he processes koto, voice and other instrumentation into ecstatic and nuanced drone-based recordings; McCann is a solo artist whose work continues to undergo seismic evolutions, manifested most recently on the justly lauded Music for Private Ensemble, an album of autodidactic modern composition that defies easy categorization.
Dalhous – Visibility Is A Trap LP (Blackest Ever Black)
“It wouldn’t be technically inaccurate to call Dalhous’s new EP Visibility Is A Trap an ambient music record—it’s full of lush, slowly shifting sounds. In general, it’s far more concerned with texture than rhythm or tune, so it meets the genre’s main requirements.” [7.4] – Pitchfork
The Farwell Drifters – Tomorrow Forever LP (Compass)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Tomorrow Forever was produced by pop-roots specialist Neilson Hubbard (Matthew Perryman Jones, The Apache Relay, Glen Philips) and showcases the Drifters’ Brian Wilson-esque pop sensibility, crystalline harmonies and folk foundations alongside gutsy electric guitar and orchestral-style drums.
The Fix – Vengeance b/w In This Town + Jan’s Rooms 7” (Touch & Go)
Reissue of debut releases by essential Midwest punk pioneers. Both 7”s have been out of print since 1982. Numbered limited edition of 1,000 signed copies.
Flume – Flume [Deluxe Edition] 2xLP+MP3 (Mom + Pop)
Deluxe vinyl includes mixtape and alternate versions on a double-LP. Full standard album available via download.
Lord Snow – Solitude LP (Adagio830)
12 songs of chaotic fast screaming hardcore, straight distorted and passionate, with female vocals.
Magnum – Escape The Shadow Garden 2xLP+CD (Steamhammer/SPV)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The ‘80s metal band returns with a new album of wonderfully melodic rock songs that blend all the typical Magnum ingredients, sounding both timeless and classic.
Mountain – The Best Of Mountain [Reissue/1973] LP (Friday Music)
For the first time on vinyl in decades, and pressed on HQ-180gm audiophile vinyl. Featuring smashes like “Mississippi Queen” and “Nantucket Sleighride,” this collection also includes the rare LP edit version of “Roll Over Beethoven.”
Muncie Girls/Great Cynics – Split LP (Specialist Subject)
Both bands blend influences from ’90s emo, indie and punk rock to create some seriously catchy and thoughtful songs.
Harry Nilsson – Pandemonium Shadow Show [Reissue/1967] LP (Sundazed)
Harry Nilsson – Aerial Ballet [Reissue/1968] LP (Sundazed)
“Harry Nilsson’s debut album, Pandemonium Shadow Show, was notoriously loved by the Beatles, and it’s easy to see why. This is the only record of its time that feels akin to Sgt. Pepper, and in some ways, it’s every bit as impressive. Nilsson works on a much smaller scale, leaning heavily on whimsy yet cutting it with sardonic humor and embellishing it with remarkable song and studiocraft; it’s as if McCartney and Lennon were fused into the same body. [For Aerial Ballet] it’s clear that Harry Nilsson decided to pick up where he left off with his debut, offering another round of effervescent, devilishly clever pop, equal parts lite psychedelia, pretty ballads, and music hall cabaret.” – AllMusic
No – El Prado LP (Arts & Crafts)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This Los Angeles-based indie sextet displays a knack for crafting dark, lush pop that seems best suited for overcast skies and rain-soaked urban landscapes. They have struck a formula that speaks to the hopeless, eternal romantic and balances a decidedly modern sound with a classic songwriter’s attitude.
The NVs – Trust Fun Suicide EP 7” (Big Neck)
DC’s garage rock vandals, The NVs blend spitfire vocals with urgent, melodic guitars and restless rhythms. Front woman Sal Go brings a banshee holler to a four-on-the-floor punk schematic with frequently dark, volatile and humorous lyrics.
Panopticon – On The Subject Of Mortality [Reissue/2010] 2xLP (The Flenser)
Vinyl reissue of the Kentucky-based black/folk metal band’s 2010 album.
Personal Best – Lovin’ EP 12” (Specialist Subject)
Debut EP from the British indie act featuring members of Bedford Falls, Caves and Attack! Vipers. The Lovin’ EP mixes jangly, riffy, ’90s-worship with neatly-crafted power pop confidence. It’s a short and sweet 11 minutes of fuzzy, warm loveliness that will have you reaching for the needle to give it another spin.
Rad Payoff – The Good, The Rad, And The Ugly LP/Cassette (Let’s Pretend)
Extremely cynical, joyously engaging, no-frills indie punk. Intense, sophisticated rock that’s as striking as it is manic. This debut LP finds the band at their loudest, most technical, and easily their most belligerent. Deep, mean spirited hardcore that effortlessly incorporates psychedelic noise and chugging Midwestern pop punk into songs destined to rattle away in your mind well after you’ve put the bong down.
Saint Etienne – Tiger Bay [Reissue/1994] LP (Plain)
Tiger Bay is the third studio album by Saint Etienne, originally released in 1994. It reached number 8 on the British charts. Combining traditional folk melodies with ‘90s electronica and David Whitaker’s atmospheric orchestration, the ablum was an extraordinary step forward from the sample-based ‘indie dance’ Foxbase Alpha and So Tough.
Shocking Pinks – Guilt Mirrors LP+MP3 (Stars And Letters)
Recorded shortly after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Shocking Pink’s hometown (Christchurch, NZ), the songs recorded during this time were some of his most desperate, conceived as an attempt of self-therapy. Guilt Mirrors is a sprawling, haunting, and at times violent and alienating trilogy, that is much less a curated “album” than it is a personal mix tape. Color vinyl.
Slint – Spiderland [Reissue] 3xLP+2xCD+DVD+Book (Touch & Go)
Remastered from the original analog master tapes by Bob Weston with 14 previously unreleased outtakes and demos, all in a 3xHQ-180gm vinyl set. Includes a 104-page book with over 100 never-before-seen photos documenting their entire history, as well as lyrics to the songs on Spiderland, and a foreword written by Will Oldham. Also includes two CDs featuring the remastered album plus a disc bonus songs, and Breadcrumb Trail, a 90-minute DVD documentary about Slint and the making of Spiderland, directed by Lance Bangs. Hand numbered limited edition of 3,138.
Thou/The Body – Released From Love 12” (Vinyl Rites)
Not a split, a total collaboration between both bands on all tracks. Everything comes to its peak on this collaboration. Everyone’s voice is heard, through instrument or otherwise, clearly defining their role in the project. All the things that make both groups special are apparent and fleshed out. HQ-180gm black vinyl with heavyweight covers and letter-pressed inserts.
Toxic Holocaust – Hell On Earth [Reissue/2003] LP (Relapse)
Toxic Holocaust – Evil Never Dies [Reissue/2005] LP (Relapse)
Vinyl reissues of the punk-infected death metal band’s first two releases.
Vaura – The Missing 2xLP (The Flenser)
Released last year on CD on Profound Lore — now available on vinyl. Vaura is an all-star cast of Brooklyn avant-grade and metal musicians, featuring Joshua Strawn (Azar Swan) on vocals, Kevin Hufnagel (Gorguts, Dysrhythmia), drummer Charlie Schmid and cult superstar Toby Driver on bass (Secret Chiefs 3, Kayo Dot, Maudlin of the Well). Despite the often complex musicality of the members’ other projects, the group’s sound is cohesive and streamlined, with atmospheric vocals and a hypnotic rhythm section intersected by black metal blast-beats, chorus-laden guitars and synth overtones.
Steve Wilson – Cover Version LP (K-Scope)
This vinyl-only LP collects all the material issued on the limited edition Cover Version singles series released between 2003-2010. The 12 tracks comprise six Steven Wilson originals and six covers and provide an essential insight into both Wilson’s musical taste and his evolution as a solo artist.
Cassettes:
Grey Zine – Destitution (Native Sound)
Lo-fi shoegaze at its finest. Think Ride meets American Football, with a bit of influence from modern contemporaries like DIIV or Weekend. This collection features eight songs from demos, singles, and compilation tracks since forming in 2011.
Rad Payoff – The Good, The Rad, And The Ugly (Let’s Pretend)
Extremely cynical, joyously engaging, no-frills indie punk. Intense, sophisticated rock that’s as striking as it is manic. This debut LP finds the band at their loudest, most technical, and easily their most belligerent. Deep, mean spirited hardcore that effortlessly incorporates psychedelic noise and chugging Midwestern pop punk into songs destined to rattle away in your mind well after you’ve put the bong down.
Woods – With Light And With Love (Woodsist)
“Woods’ brand of pop shamanism has undergone several gradual transformations over their past few albums, but on With Light and With Love, the tinkering reveals an expanded sonic palette that includes singing saw, heavier emphasis on percussion, and a saloon piano that sounds like it was rescued from a flooded basement. Distinct from both the stoned volk of their earliest recordings and the kraut-y dalliances of more recent fare, With Light and With Love showcases a more sophisticated brand of contemporary drug music that owes more to Magical Mystery Tour than motorik.” – James Toth
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