CDs:
3+ – Kazesarai CD (Time Released Sound)
The gentle beauty of Kazesarai is somewhat minimalistic: it is an electronically treated piano-based journey into a fantasy landscape of gently rustling bamboo and reeds, flowing rivers, and mountainous mist — the stuff that dreams are made of.
Accept – Blind Rage CD (Nuclear Blast)
After quite a few years away from the visible hard rock scene, Germany’s legendary Accept have returned to the metal forefront with an elated new singer and a new album.
Apache Dropout – Heavy Window CD/LP (Magnetic South)
After three LPs and a clutch of 45s, Southern Indiana’s Apache Dropout have loosened an adherence to the divine mono sound and forged a scaly stereo technique for Heavy Window. This is a deeper, blown out swagger of peer-less rock & roll filtered through a lush three-dimensional spectrum. Just as their self-titled debut snapped heads back, Apache Dropout has proven again they can rescore the garage rock aesthetic and remain undisputed purveyors of true lysergic North American boogie.
ArnoCorps – The Greatest Band of All Time [Reissue/2005] CD (Alternative Tentacles)
Reissue of this 2005 album from the action adventure hardcore rock & roll band.
Bahamas – Bahamas Is Alfie CD/LP (Brushfire)
The third full-length album from Afie Jurvanen, who performs as Bahamas. Bahamas Is Afie is the first self-produced album from the Ontario-based musician. With this record he pursued a far more complex sound than on prior releases and is responsible for the majority of the instrumentation. The album follows 2011’s Barchords, which was praised for being “a reserved yet melodically rewarding exploration of rewarding exploration of relationships and heartache” by The New Yorker.
Liam Bailey – Definitely Now CD (Sony Masterworks)
British soul rocker Liam Bailey’s debut album combines American R&B, down-home rock & roll, transportive psychedelia and blistering blues riffs into a deft personal statement about battling your demons and finding life-affirming joy in music. He sings with a raw expressiveness that has been compared to Bob Marley and Sam Cooke, yet his songwriting style references post punk bands like The Smiths and Oasis.
Michael Barnett – One Song Romance CD (Compass)
Fiddler Mike Barnett is at the forefront of the new crop of acoustic instrumentalists that are redefining American string band music. His musical vision comes across in Technicolor on One Song Romance, his first solo outing for Compass Records, establishing him as one of the pre-eminent fiddle players, singers and writers on the acoustic music scene.
Beach Day – Native Echoes CD/LP (Kanine)
Native Echoes is the second album from the Hollywood, FL based garage rock/girl group with a male drummer.
Genevieve Bellemare – Live And Die CDEP (Verve)
“Bellemare’s beyond-her-years vocal work evokes the fragile, elegiac croon of Billie Holiday.”—Eugene Weekly
Eric Benét – The Other One CD (SPV)
The Other One is a departure from Eric’s familiar sleek R&B roots, offering instead an innovative sound journey that is anything but typical. Electro soul fused with drum ‘n’ bass influences, ambient atmospherics and of course Benét’s sublime vocals.
Better Than Ezra – Surprise [1989] CD (Liaison)
First time on CD for the 1989 debut release from the alt-rock band, which was originally released on cassette-only.
Elvin Bishop – Can’t Do Wrong CD (Alligator)
Legendary blues guitarist/songwriter/vocalist Elvin Bishop returns with a new album.
Bishop Allen – Lights Out CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
Lights Out features 12 new songs from the Brooklyn band. A press release explains that the album sounds like a party record at first, but then reveals a bleaker side. “Listen to what this guy’s singing. And realize that this record is not what you thought it was at all. Goddamnit! Bait-and-switch! These songs are downright melancholic!” (Limited copies also available on white vinyl.)
Wil Blades – Field Notes CD (The Royal Potato Family)
Having released a critically acclaimed co-led duo album Shimmy with Medeski Martin & Wood drummer Billy Martin in 2012, Blades returns with a deeply soulful and sinuous nine-track effort, Field Notes, on which he’s found fronting his own trio featuring Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker and New Orleans’ drummer Simon Lott. From the recording’s outset, it’s easy to picture Blades fingers free-flowing across the keys, feet gliding along the bass pedals in a continuous dance. Vinyl version due September 9.
Bogart & Appice – Friends CD (Cleopatra)
Longtime partners in crime and one of the tightest rhythm sections in all of rock music, bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, team up with musical friends and family for Friends. Features Vanilla Fudge alumni Bill Pascali, Teddy Rodinelli, and Vince Martell plus special guests T.M. Stevens (James Brown/The Pretenders) and Brian Auger (Rod Stewart).
Benjamin Booker – Benjamin Booker CD/LP (ATO)
Benjamin Booker is a young New Orleans based singer/songwriter. He is influenced by The Gun Club, Blind Willie Johnson, and T. Rex. Benjamin Booker’s debut self-titled album was produced by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Hurray For The Riff Raff).
Botanist – VI: Flora CD/LP (The Flenser)
VI: Flora continues the story of The Botanist, a crazed man of science who lives in self-imposed exile, as far away from Humanity and its crimes against Nature as possible. Seated upon his throne of Veltheimia in the Verdant Realm, his sanctuary of fantasy and wonder, he surrounds himself with plants and flowers, finding solace in the company of the Natural world. While recent albums detailed a misanthropic master plan for the destruction of mankind at the hands of plants, VI: Flora focuses rather on the wondrous beauty of the plants themselves through a gauzy haze of dreamlike sound.
Cory Branan – The No Hit Wonder CD/LP (Bloodshot)
Throughout his decade-and-a-half-long career, Cory Branan has been too punk for country, too country for punk, too Memphis for Nashville, and probably a little too Cory Branan for anyone’s damn good. He has proven himself as a top-notch songwriter (Chuck Ragan recently called him “the greatest songwriter of our generation”), and a hyper-dynamic performer with the ability to fingerpick finer than ‘60s Greenwich Village folkies and brutally strum like a proto punk shredder.
The Brokeoffs – Restless Leg CD (Transdreamer)
Restless Leg was recorded at home, six acres in rural Georgia. A few songs were tracked in an empty stock trailer, some outside and the rest in a purpose built outbuilding that resembles a shed more than it does a studio.
Chuck Brown & The Chuck Brown Band – Beautiful Life CD (Raw Venture)
Posthumous new release from the Godfather of Go Go. Beautiful Life contains an intro by Doug E Fresh, collaborations with rapper Wale, R&B diva Faith Evans, R&B star Raheem DeVaughn, local DC icon Sugar Bear, gospel singer Y’Anna Crawley, as well as new songs by The Chuck Brown Band.
Buckcherry – F**k CD (F-Bomb)
New album from the L.A. based rockers.
Buddy – Last Call For The Quiet Life CD/LP (Stove Punchin’ Records)
Buddy, the evolving collection of Los Angeles-based musicians lead by a man named Buddy, returns with their sophomore release and with it a subtle transformation from cinematic, singer/songwriting, self-proclaimed “wimpy core” to “fully realized orchestral pop, both lush and evocative” (Kevin Bronson – Buzzbands L.A.).
Bob Carpenter – Silent Passage CD/LP (No Quarter)
Bob Carpenter came close to being a major star. He received a glowing mention in Rolling Stone in 1970, recorded an album for Warner Brothers and had his songs recorded by Emmylou Harris, Billy Joe Shaver and others. But Silent Passage, his lone solo album recorded in 1974, was pressed and ready to ship when contract negotiations shelved the record indefinitely. By the time things were resolved it was the end of the ‘70s singer/songwriter boom and Warner had moved on.
Castanets – Decimation Blues CD (Asthmatic Kitty)
Over a lengthy run with the Castanets, songwriter/bandleader/sole constant member Raymond Raposa has always tucked his traditional folk dirges and country-tinged indie rock songs into the outer fringes of experimental sound. Vinyl version due September 2.
Celebration – Albumin CD/LP (Bella Union)
Living legends on Baltimore’s thriving music scene, Celebration return with a seismic slice of psychedelic rock & soul.
Chrome –Visitation [Reissue/1976] CD (Cleopatra)
A special deluxe reissue of the debut album by art rock pioneers Chrome appearing for the very first time on CD, featuring meticulously recreated artwork with liner notes by Chrome historian Neil Martinson and four bonus tracks from the New Age and Inworlds singles. (Limited vinyl reissue was released earlier this year.)
Coachwhips – Get Your Body Next To Mine [Reissue/2002] CD/LP (Castle Face)
Get Your Body Next To Mine has been re-tweaked to taste (a pinch of capsicum) and what a picture emerges—the scuzz and squall cracking ever so slightly and revealing a coffee-can full of earworms underneath. The zombie-shuffle come-on of the title track is worth the price of admission alone, but there’s adrenalized bludgeoners here as well: “1000 Years,” “UFO, Please Take Her Home” and “Yes, I’m Down” all capture the band at their sweat-soaked best.
Coliseum – Coliseum [Deluxe Reissue/2004] CD/2xLP (Deathwish)
To celebrate Coliseum’s 10th anniversary, this 20-song collection features their classic self-titled debut album (out of print since 2006) paired with eight essential bonus tracks from their primordial years. Originally recorded by Jason Loewenstein of Sebadoh and now fully remixed by Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaust, the release also features new deluxe packaging, insightful liner notes, and cover artwork by John Baizley of Baroness.
Joel Crouse – Even The River Runs CD (Show Dog)
10-song collection highlights Crouse’s songwriting prowess. Recently featured in the CW’s TV show Hart Of Dixie, album highlight “Don’t Tell Me” was co-written by Crouse and Nashville hit makers James Dean Hicks and Jamie Houston.
Smoke Dawson – Fiddle [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Tompkins Square)
George “Smoke” Dawson played banjo in MacGrundy’s Old-Timey Wool Thumpers with Peter Stampfel (later of Holy Modal Rounders) in 1960, lived for years at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY, and roamed around the US as an itinerant bagpipe and fiddle player for decades. His life is laced with small triumphs, and lots of tragedy. But he’s still with us. Tompkins Square reissues his only album, a remarkable 1971 private press LP.
Daydreamer – Camus CD (Time Released Sound)
Camus is an homage of sorts to the great French existentialist writer of the same name. Like the band name suggests, it’s a dreamy mix of melodic post rock ambiance, and serves as a sort of soundtrack to the road movie that Albert Camus lived… and died on.
Rocco DeLuca – Rocco DeLuca CD (429)
Produced by seven time Grammy winner Daniel Lanois, Rocco DeLuca builds upon the brooding and haunting mood of his last solo album, 2011’s Drugs N Hymns. Currently residing in East Hollywood, CA, Rocco hosted a number of recording sessions in his bedroom with a number of notable local musicians, local folks and family, including drummer Oliver Charles (Ben Harper), guitarist and vocalist Christian Letts (Edward Sharpe), bassist Seth-Ford Young (Edward Sharpe), violinist Odessa Jorgensen, bassist Gus Siefert (The Black Keys, Beck), vocalist Soko and drummers Josh Collazo (Edward Sharpe) and Jonathan Wright.
Dictated – The Deceived CD (Metal Blade)
New album from the Dutch death metal band.
Dirty Loops – Loopified CD (Verve)
Debut album from the Swedish pop/fusion trio.
DragonForce – Maximum Overload CD/CD+DVD/LP (Metal Blade)
Sixth album from the British power metal band. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD featuring the documentary A New Found Force and a live set recorded in 2012.
Dr. John – Ske-Dat-De-Dat…The Spirit Of Satch CD (Concord)
Dr. John honors Armstrong’s musical genius as well as his effervescent personality with 13 quintessential numbers drawn from various phases of Armstrong’s five-decade career, with Dr. John joined by a stellar supporting cast that manages to update the material while maintaining the music’s timeless emotional appeal. In addition to Dr. John’s trademark vocals and piano, and backup from some of New Orleans’ finest musicians, Ske-Dat-De-Dat…The Spirit Of Satch features a stellar assortment of guest singers and players, including Bonnie Raitt, Ledisi and the McCrary Sisters, Anthony Hamilton, Shemekia Copeland, and The Blind Boys Of Alabama.
Rudolf Eb.er – Brainnectar 2xCD (Schimpfluch Associates)
Rudolf Eb.er’s most developed program to date combines psychodynamic environments built from specific nature sounds and extreme acoustics, often including ecstatic elements on instruments of shamanic origin. Binaural beats as well as isochronic tones stimulate a direct neural reaction to this unique and unheard audio art. The title of this 128-minute work derives from tantric techniques that raise psychophysical energy, or inner fire, from the perineum up to the top of the brain, from where it drips (as nectar).
Electric Würms – Musik, Die Schwer Zu Twerk CD (WB)
Electric Würms is a prog-rock side project featuring The Flaming Lips’ multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd on vocals, guitars, and keyboards and front man Wayne Coyne on bass and backed by Nashville psychedelic rock band Linear Downfall. Musik, Die Shwer Zu Twerk, will transport the listener into a new kind of transcendental orbit than one might expect from The Lips alone. Purple vinyl vinyl version due August 26.
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) – You Will Eventually Be Forgotten CD/LP (Top Shelf)
“The Michigan husband and wife duo Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) were key figures in the Midwest emo scene long before anybody was talking about an emo revival. They’ve kicked out an enormous number of records over the past half-decade, and they’re about to add to that number with a new LP called You Will Eventually Be Forgotten. ‘If It’s Bad News, It Can Wait’ is a small-scale epic that sounds like a pleasing midpoint between the Get Up Kids and early Built To Spill. It’s a story-song about going on a beach vacation with friends during spring break and tuning out ominous phone calls from back home. Narrative tension and wistful feelings abound.” – Stereogum
Euge Groove – Got 2 Be Groovin CD (Shanachie)
Got 2 Be Groovin delivers Euge Groove’s trademark funk/jazz grooves on a wide ranging set including potential radio hits as well as featuring a couple of vocal tracks by American Idol finalist Elliot Yamin and Gospel singer Chanel Haynes of Trin I Tee 5:7.
The Fat White Family – Champagne Holocaust CD/LP (Trash Mouth)
“Fat White Family sound just like they look—diseased, drug addled, utterly corrupt. The fact that they live above a London pub that stages exhibitions of rectal hand insertions, all while serving Sunday lunch to families, is an almost too-perfect addendum to their bio.” – Pitchfork
Orenda Fink – Blue Dream CD/LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
Third solo album from Azure Ray member Orenda Fink takes musical inspiration from Smog, Violetta Parra, and Kate Bush. Blue Dream was produced in Omaha by Todd Fink (The Faint, Digital Leather) and Ben Brodin (Conor Oberst), with help from drummer Bill Rieflin (Ministry, Swans, R.E.M., King Crimson).
Ruthie Foster – Promise Of A Brand New Day CD (Blue Corn Music)
For Promise Of A Brand New Day, Ruthie Foster put Meshell Ndegeocello in charge as her producer and then got out of the way, letting the lauded singer and bassist call the shots regarding players, takes, and mixing. Foster says by the time she stepped into the Los Angeles studio they used, all she had to do was sing. Ndegeocello played bass, and enlisted her regular guitarist Chris Bruce (Sheryl Crow) and keyboardist Jebin Bruni (Aimee Mann), plus drummer Ivan Edwards and backing vocalist Nayanna Holley.
Ace Frehley – Space Invader CD (E1)
New album from the from the Kiss guitarist. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe digipak version features alternate art and adds two bonus songs and a poster. Vinyl version due October 28.
Bebel Gilberto – Tudo CD (Sony Masterworks)
Gilberto’s first studio album in five years, Tudo is a shimmering, sweet summery collection that includes original songs along with songs by her father, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Neil Young and John Michel-Jarré as well as soulful duet with Seu Jorge. The gorgeous melodies are shaped by touches of electronica and Bebel’s intimate vocals hint at a fantastical Rio de Janeiro.
Joel Gion – Apple Bonkers CD/LP (The Reverberation Appreciation Society)
Solo debut from the multi-instrumentalist who spent many years as The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s “Tambourine Man.” Features contributions from BJM members past and present, plus Pete Holmstrom (The Dandy Warhols), Ryan Van Kriedt (The Asteroid #4, Dead Skeletons) and Jason “Plucky” Anchondo (The Warlocks, Spindrift).
Christian Gregory – Count On you CD/LP (Movement)
Christian Gregory is a multi-instrumentalist singer songwriter with a captivating and memorable voice.
Paul Hardcastle – Moovin & Groovin CD (Trippin & Rhythm)
Moovin & Groovin is a collection of disco infused pieces that recall an era where music was all about getting your ‘move on’ with Barry White, Donna Summer and Saturday Night Fever casting their respective spells on the masses. Vinyl version due September 16.
Justin Hayward – Spirits Live CD (Eagle)
In autumn 2013 Justin Hayward, the legendary lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for The Moody Blues embarked on a tour of the American East Coast following the release of his album Spirits Of The Western Sky. It would mark only the second time in his long and illustrious career that he would tour as a solo artist. The shows combined tracks from the Spirits album alongside a mix of classic and rarely heard Moody Blues songs and Justin’s worldwide hit “Forever Autumn.” Also available on stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray.
Imogen Heap – Sparks CD/2xCD/2xLP (RCA)
The fourth album from the Grammy and Ivor Novello award winning recording artist. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe version adds a disc of instrumental versions of all 14 of the album’s tracks.
He Is Legend – Heavy Fruit CD (Tragic Hero)
Impulsive is a word that comes to mind when thinking about Wilmington, NC band He Is Legend. Their sound is best described as rock and roll although; it can be difficult to predict what direction their next album might take. Pulling influences from bands like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins, they crafted an aggressive and faster sound with those defining elements.
Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas – Secret Evil CD/LP (Instant)
Secret Evil sees the Detroit-based band serving up a brilliantly polyglot sonic stew equal parts rockabilly and surf pop, cabaret jazz and funky reggae, Latin psych and Gypsy punk all cooked up on the hot Motor City pavement and seasoned by that distinctly Detroit combination of blasted R&B, showband theatrics, and limitless rock & soul energy.
Hobbes Fanclub – Up At Lagrange CD/LP (Shelflife)
Up At Lagrange packs a feedback punch in the face, hitting you with the perfect amount of distortion, feedback and melody. There is a bit of an early ‘90s attitude throughout the album, full of restrained production values and classic song structures. Hobbes Fanclub show off their knack for writing catchy boy/girl vocal melodies up against hazy overdriven guitars and driving rhythms.
Kyle Hollingsworth – Speed Of Life CD (Sci Fidelity)
“What strikes me most about Kyle Hollingsworth is undoubtedly his versatility. On his third solo studio album, Speed Of Life, the String Cheese Incident keyboardist spans a wide range of themes and genres, making the project a great listen for music lovers of all ages and tastes. According to Hollingsworth, ‘With this new album, I was trying to explore some traditional funk elements as well as pop sensibilities,’ and he definitely succeeded.” – Grateful Music
Iron Butterfly – Live In Copenhagen 1971 CD (Cleopatra)
The third in a series of vintage live albums from the space rock powerhouse band features renditions of the classic rock anthems “Easy Rider” and “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” and was the final performance of the group’s epic tour with then up-and-coming prog act Yes, who join the Butterfly onstage for a live farewell jam session.
Sarah Jaffe – Don’t Disconnect CD/LP (Kirtland)
In the six years since her debut EP Even Born Again was self-released in 2008, Jaffe’s endearingly stark narratives have gone from homespun folk-pop songs in the lineage of Lucinda Williams to decidedly cathartic blues/pop ballads that rest at the intersection of indie, folk, and electronic – without losing any of the thoughtfulness or intimacy.
JJ – V CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
“For those trying to keep track of the Swedish duo JJ — previously known by the lowercase iteration jj — V is not its fifth album. (It’s the third.) Then again, 2009’s break-out jj n° 2 wasn’t the group’s second album, but rather its debut; N°3 followed. There’s always been an internal logic underpinning what Joakim Benon and Elin Kastlander do as JJ. On V, JJ strikes the most curious balance yet between such polar opposites, drawing from cringe-worthy soft pop, indie-rock, and cutting-edge R&B and hip-hop.” – NPR
Joy – Under The Spell Of Joy CD/LP+MP3 (Tee Pee)
The sound of Joy has been described as “a spaced-out sonic groove-ride” and “outer reach freak out,” but that hyperbole alone doesn’t do justice to the group’s measured mode of attack. Joy puts a premium on establishing structure and dynamics, its kaleidoscopic flurry and full-throttle riffage is anchored by both subtle detail and surprising textural depth. (Initial clear red vinyl pressing is limited.)
Kid Vishis – Timing Is Everything CD (Gracie)
One of the hottest names out of Detroit in the past few years, fast rising rapper Kid Vishis releases his debut album Timing Is Everything. The younger brother of Slaughterhouse veteran Royce da 5’9” has appeared on all three of his brother’s Bar Exam mixtapes in addition to the albums Street Hop and Success Is Certain as well as toured with Slaughterhouse, D12, Eminem, Talib Kweli and more.
Kimbra – Golden Echo CD/2xLP (WB)
The ultimate modern pop record, The Golden Echo is ambitious, sophisticated, and complex, just like its creator. Kimbra wrote the songs in her bedroom studio on a farm in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, where she was surrounded by sheep and lambs owned by her landlady. The album was produced by Rich Costey and features several special guest artists,
including Muse’s Matt Bellamy, rapper Flying Lotus and singer John Legend.
King 180 – Memoirs Of A Murderer CD (Roadrunner)
Memoirs Of A Murderer is a memoir of the life of frontman David Gunn set to the backdrop of Flint, MI. Cut to a crackling old tape recorder, Gunn’s narrative eclipses three distinct movements, traveling from a very real place down a rabbit hole into the abstract. The three movements align with Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality, in which the three elements of personality – known as the id, the ego and the superego – work together to create complex human behaviors.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Float Along – Fill Your Lungs/Oddments 2xCD/2xLP (Flightless)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard crank up the fuzzbox and set the Memory Man delay on infinity, assembling a cosmic force field that draws their sonic creations of the recent past into one unified, throbbing whole.
The Last Internationale – We Will Reign CD/LP (Epic)
Founded by New York City natives Delila Paz and Edgey Pires, The Last Internationale quickly forged a reputation for poetic, socially conscious songs and explosive live performances. Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), noted, “The Last Internationale are one of my favorites in the next wave of rebel rockers. They’re raw and real and mix East Village rock sensibilities with Battleship Potemkin firepower.”
Literature – Chorus CD/LP (Slumberland)
Chorus is an album that is as immediate as it is timeless, full of effortlessly catchy and well-crafted tunes that echo pop legends like Smiths and Orange Juice.
Catherine MacLellan – The Raven’s Sun CD (IDLA)
New album from the Canadian roots singer/songwriter.
Miami Dolphins – Becky CD/LP (For Practically Everyone)
Miami Dophins is a Minneapolis art/punk noise rock with female vocals. Think Melt-Banana, PRE, Ponytail, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 and you’ll be on the right track.
Middlemarch – Wolf Hall CD (Time Released Sound)
A beautiful mélange of melodic and atmospheric, pastorally infused and electronically treated and overlaid piano ambience, inspired in part by the novel Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. This dreamy moody soundtrack to the lives of those that lived, breathed and conspired in Tudor England.
Monolyth & Cobalt – Polarlicht CD (Time Released Sound)
As the title implies, this is a minimal and shifting aural mass of arctic airs – light, bright, northern climes brought to the windswept and musically adventurous among us. A crystalline and twinkling, guitar infused gem of electronica brilliance awaits you here.
Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer – The Flower Of Muscle Shoals CD (Trade Root Music)
While offering up the comforting sounds of country and western’s roots, The Flower Of Muscle Shoals plays more like a new classic than a dusty Nashville relic; glimmers of influence from the days of Hank Williams all the way to Dwight Yoakam pepper the album’s twelve tracks. The album lilts and swings through graceful arrangements of guitars, pedal steel, fiddle, bass and percussion, with a rich texture and genuine approach that is sure to rouse any fan of country and old-time music.
Neal Morse – Songs From November CD (Metal Blade)
New album from the prog-rock multi-instrumentalist (Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, Flying Colors, Yellow Matter Custard).
Music Go Music – Impressions CD/LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
While remaining unambiguously pop, Impressions sees Music Go Music’s aural sheen and careworn elegance joined to deeper grooves and oblique sonic turns. Never before, though, has an unhinged recounting of love won and lost been so blatantly entertaining. It’s an assured, kinetic journey through light and dark, calm and chaos, with nothing less than pop transcendence waiting on the other side.
Israel Nash – Rain Plans CD/LP (Loose Music)
Israel Nash is the recording and performing moniker of American singer/songwriter/guitarist Israel Nash Gripka. His new album Rain Plans was inspired by Israel’s new home outside Austin, deep in Texas hill country. The young songwriter has fully embraced the meandering hills and endless skies of his Texas home, where you can find yourself so isolated that it is not uncommon for your path to be crossed by a tumbleweed or to hear the percussive warning of an agitated rattlesnake.
Nektar – Remember The Future [Reissue/1973] 2xCD (Cleopatra)
Double-disc reissue of the classic 1973 prog rock masterpiece by the unsung heroes of spacey conceptual art rock. The bonus disc features a full-length concert performed and recorded in 1974.
The New Order – The New Order [Reissue] CD (Cleopatra)
Not to be confused with the synth pop band of the (sorta) same name, this is the mythical mid- ‘70s proto-punk rock project featuring Stooges alumni Ron Asheton and Jimmy Recca with MC5 drummer Dennis Thompson. This reissue of the group’s debut album. Vinyl version due September 16.
Phil Ochs – Live Again! CD (Raven)
Recorded live on May 26th, 1973 at the Stables in East Lansing Michigan, this set features over 70 minutes of favorites from this American Troubadour’s vast catalog from a time period when he did little recording.
Anita O’Day – Sweet Swinger Of Songs: Selected Sides 1941-1962 4xCD (JSP)
In a career – and life – of dramatic ups and downs, Anita O’Day stayed true to her calling: jazz singer. With a superb voice and an exacting approach to her craft, she was sought out by the best – like Gene Krupa, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Oscar Peterson, Stan Kenton and Cal Tjader.
Pauline Oliveros – The Wanderer [Reissue/1984] CD (Important)
Utterly essential document of early American minimalism from this pioneering composer. The Wanderer is the sister record to Accordion & Voice (1982). This is the first time the album has been made available on CD in over 20 years. Included as a bonus track is a lengthy live recording of Oliveros with David Tudor that was discovered on the reels during the digital transfer.
Pauline Oliveros – Reverberations: Tape & Electronic Music 1961-1970 [Reissue/2012] 12xCD (Important)
Repress of the dense twelve-CD retrospective of Oliveros’ early and unreleased electronic work, including her very first piece for tape made in 1961. The majority of these pieces have never before been released.
Pallbearer – Foundations Of Burden CD (Profound Lore)
“Doom outfit Pallbearer’s ascension as one of metal’s crossover acts started with 2012’s Sorrow And Extinction, and with the release of their brilliant second album, it’s easy to imagine them gaining even more popularity. Foundations finds a band firing on all cylinders and surpassing what already seemed like a watermark for the genre” [BNM 8.6] – Pitchfork. Vinyl version due August 26.
The Posies – Failure [Reissue/1988] CD/LP+MP3 (Omnivore Recordings)
The Posies’ 1988 debut with eight bonus tracks — including one available for the first time. (Also available on limited green vinyl featuring a download of all bonus tracks.)
Pregnancy Scares – Mind Control 7” (Deranged)
When they’re not busy with their other projects (the Steve Adamyk Band, Crusades, The Ottawa Explosion Festival, Bruised Tongue Records, etc.), these four Canadian dudes make harsh, noisy hardcore under the name Pregnancy Scares.
Punch – They Don’t Have To Believe CD/LP (Deathwish, Inc.)
Recorded by Jack Shirley at Atomic Garden Studios (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor, etc.) They Don’t Have To Believe is a monster of an album. Fifteen songs that blur the lines of hardcore and grind. All of them personal, political, and uniquely unapologetic.
Chase Rice – Ignite The Night CD (Dack Janiels)
Within a few short years of moving to Nashville, country music artist Chase Rice has already built a loyal fan base across the country through his energetic live shows and gained the attention of industry professionals with his edgy, eclectic sound.
Roadkill Ghost Choir – In Tongues CD (M-Theory)
Emerging fully-formed from the desolate heart of central Florida, Roadkill Ghost Choir make unsettling, powerful American rock — Tom Petty by way of Radiohead and Cormac McCarthy. Set against Kiffy Meyer’s ghostly steel pedal, singer/songwriter Andrew Shepard triumphantly conjures an allegorical American landscape of drifters, specters and violent saints.
Smokey Robinson – Smokey & Friends CD (Verve)
The legendary Motown icon releases a duets album, featuring collaborations with Elton John, Steven Tyler, John Legend, CeeLo Green, Mary J. Blige, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Ledisi, and others.
Carolyn Rose – I Will Not Be Afraid CD/LP (Little Hill/Thirty Tigers)
Sometimes epic failures produce epic results. With the release of her new album I Will Not Be Afraid, keen-eyed young singer/songwriter Caroline Rose has broken her long string of short-circuits with a live-wire national debut that draws on her roots in rockabilly, vintage country and blues to capture her unique and personal vision.
Roy Dee – Roy Dee’s Hick Hop Truck Thump CD (Thump)
It’s 2014 and (love it or hate it) hick-hop has arrived.
William Shatner – Live CD (Cleopatra)
William Shatner boldly takes you for a ride around the cosmos of the mind on this classic 1977 recording of his one man show – available on CD for the first time. Performed before a delighted audience at Hofstra University in New York, this exhilarating performance finds Shatner dramatically reciting poetry, pondering deep philosophical issues, and engaging his devoted fans with humor, pathos, and bravado.
The Sid Vicious Experience – Jack Boots And Dirty Looks CD (Cleopatra)
Sid’s last show in England before heading to America and his untimely demise features an all-star line-up with Rat Scabies (The Damned) on drums, Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids) on bass, and Steve New (Rich Kids) on guitar.
Slaine – The King Of Everything Else CD (Suburban Noize)
Slaine is a storyteller. For years, the rogue Bostonian has exhaled eloquent and gritty tales through hip-hop, wrestling demons as an acclaimed solo rapper, and among fellow nihilists in La Coka Nostra. Guests on his new album include Ill Bill, Vinnie Paz, Tech N9ne, Madchild of Swollen Members and more.
Sleeping Bag – Deep Sleep CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Sleeping Bag’s third album takes the band into heavier, more epic territory. The sunny jangling guitars and fun whistle choruses are gone, obliterated in a full on fuzz-guitar assault.
Sleeping Giant – Finished People CD (Century Media)
New album from the Salt Lake Christian hardcore/metal outfit.
Souls Of Mischief – There Is Only Now 2xCD (Linear Labs)
The sixth album from legendary hip-hop group Souls Of Mischief is a unique cinematic ’90s crime tale of love, loss, and revenge. A conceptual collaboration with producer Adrian Younge and the first release on his freshly launched Linear Labs Records label, There Is Only Now gets its inspiration from a near fatal incident involving group members A-Plus, Opio, Tajai, and Phesto early in their careers. Set in 1994, the album serves as a bookend to two decades of music since the release of their seminal debut album, ’93 Til Infinity. ”There Is Only Now” sees the souls of Mischief crew members trading bars with a cast of hip-hop and soul luminaire.
Larry Sparks – Lonesome And Then Some… CD (Rebel)
Starting out as lead vocalist and guitar player for Ralph Stanley’s first group after the death of his brother Carter Stanley in 1966, Larry Sparks continues to be one of the most respected figures in bluegrass music with a career that now spans over 50 years. On this new recording he is joined by Alison Krauss, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds, Curly Seckler, Judy Marshall, and Dr. Ralph Stanley himself.
Statik Selektah – What Goes Around CD (Duck Down)
Statik Selektah’s new album features Snoop Dogg, Black Though of the Roots, Action Bronson, and Joey Bada$$.
The Suite Unraveling – The Suite Unraveling CD (Tzadik)
Brooklyn based Lily Maase is a guitarist and composer of powerful originality. Influenced equally by Ornette Coleman, Morbid Angel and electronic music, she has created a modern jazz-rock fusion that captures the funky edge of Blood Ulmer with minimalism, indie rock and a touch of psychedelics. Powerful riffs, spontaneous conducting techniques, searing solos and a unique lyricism from this exciting New York based trio.
Brian Tarquin & Heavy Friends – Guitars For Wounded Warriors CD (Cleopatra)
From veteran multi-Emmy Award winning producer/composer Brian Tarquin comes this very special project featuring an incredible cast of musical virtuosos playing their hearts out for America s fallen soldiers. Includes astounding performances by Steve Morse, Bumblefoot (Guns N’ Roses), Chris Poland (Megadeth), Gary Hoey, Billy Sheehan, Rob Beach, and more.
Paul Thorn – Too Blessed To Be Stressed CD (Perpetual Obscurity)
Too Blessed To Be Stressed stakes out new territory for the popular roots-rock songwriter and performer. ”In the past, I’ve told stories that were mostly inspired by my own life,” the former prizefighter and literal son of a preacher man offers. ”This time, I’ve written ten songs that express more universal truths, and I’ve done it with a purpose: to make people feel good.” Vinyl version due September 30.
Tracii Guns’ League Of Gentlemen – The Second Record CD (Shrapnel)
Tracii Guns, co-founder of LA Guns and the original Guns N’ Roses and his group, Tracii Guns’ League of Gentleman, are back with their sophomore release. The Second Record reveals more of their strong psychedelic rock influences and features inspired covers of tunes originally
recorded by acts like The Sonics, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Big Star, The Frost and others.
Randy Travis – Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am CD (WB)
The second volume of classic country songs covered by Travis.
Trioscapes – Digital Dream Sequence CD (Metal Blade)
Sophomore album from the progressive/fusion trio.
Twin Atlantic – Great Divide CD (Red Bull Records)
“There’s something charming about a band unafraid to aim high, and few bands sound as brazenly ambitious as Glasgow’s Twin Atlantic. On their second album they seek to distil their beloved rock & roll down to its constituent parts.” — NME
Midge Ure – Fragile CD/LP (Hypertension)
Fragile is the first collection of new, original music from Grammy and Brit award winning musician Midge Ure in over a decade. An album of beautifully crafted, atmospheric music which swings from “Become” and “Dark, Dark Night,” where he collaborated with fellow musician Moby and shows more than a passing a nod to his electronic roots, all the way to the heady, cinematic soundscape of “Fragile” or “Star Crossed,” which could almost be termed contemporary prog rock.
Various Artists – Look Again To The Wind: Johnny Cash’s Bitter Tears Revisited CD (SME Masterworks)
50 years after it was recorded, a collective of top Americana artists came together to re-imagine and update Cash’s tribute to the Native American, Bitter Tears. Look Again To The Wind: Johnny Cash’s Bitter Tears Revisited was produced by Joe Henry and features American music giants Kris Kirstofferson, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Bill Miller, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and Norman Blake (the guitarist and only surviving member from the original recording sessions) as well as up-and-comers The Milk Carton Kids and Rhiannon Giddens.
Wiz Khalifa – Blacc Hollywood CD (Atlantic)
Khalifa’s third album features collaborations with Ty Dolla Sign, Project Pat, Juicy J, Currensy, Ghost Loft, Chevy Woods, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Schoolboy Q, Nas, and Snoop Dogg.
O.V. Wright – Into Something (Can’t Shake Loose) [Reissue/1977] CD/LP (Fat Possum)
“For his comeback album, the producer made sure Wright was supported by nothing but the best, from the Memphis Horns and Strings via the rhythm section of Grimes and all three Hodgeses to the background vocals of Rhodes-Chalmers-Rhodes. Even James Brown turned up for piano duties, but let’s assume he’s just a namesake. Obviously not as strong as the Hi albums Mitchell made with Al Green or Ann Peebles, it’s still an example of genuine Southern soul.” – AllMusic
Zebrina – Hamidbar Medaber CD (Tzadik)
A Canadian jazz pianist, Jonathan Feldman, is the brainchild behind Zebrina, which is a jazz-centered group with jam band qualities and Klezmer roots. Instead of pulsating brass and horns, Zebrina utilizes some keyboard effects and percussion to astound listeners. The instrumental tunes are edgy, fluid, and diverse. The flowing clarinet, swishy percussion, and avant-garde folk-rock stylings represent a slight new age nod that is very satisfying. There is a bit of down-tempo, funk, roots, and smooth jazz going around here.
Zigtebra – The Brave CD (For Practically Everyone)
Zigtebra began as a papier-mâché-rich performance art project and has blossomed into a blissful pop duo that methodically excises from their songs anything that’s not a hook. The Brave is their second album. RIYL: Bishop Allen, Lavender Diamond, Carpenters.
John Zorn – The Testament Of Solomon CD (Tzadik)
For their fourth release, Zorn’s most intimate and spiritual 21st century ensemble returns with a melodic and open book of music reminiscent of the Masada music. Drawing inspiration from the Biblical Song Of Solomon and originally intended as a companion piece to Zorn’s vocal masterpiece Shir Hashirim, the music is regal, sensual and romantic—a magical blend of classical, jazz and folk music.
DVD + Blu-ray:
Justin Hayward – Spirits Live DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle)
In autumn 2013 Justin Hayward, the legendary lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for The Moody Blues embarked on a tour of the American East Coast following the release of his album Spirits Of The Western Sky. It would mark only the second time in his long and illustrious career that he would tour as a solo artist. The shows combined tracks from the Spirits album alongside a mix of classic and rarely heard Moody Blues songs and Justin’s worldwide hit “Forever Autumn.” The final night of the tour at Atlanta s landmark Buckhead Theatre was filmed for this release. 158 minutes.
Vinyl:
999 – The Biggest Prize In Sport [Reissue/1979] LP (Drastic Plastic)
999 was among the first wave of punk bands to emerge in 1977 from England’s summer of hate. Fast, hard-edged pop for fans of The Buzzcocks, The Clash, The Damned and The Undertones. Available on either HQ-200gm black or 150-gm opaque green vinyl.
Ryan Adams – 1984 7” (Pax Americana)
“1984” is the next installment in the Ryan Adams Pax Am 7” vinyl series. The single is a change of speeds from his upcoming self-titled album (due September 9), and does indeed have 10 songs on it (they’re short), all of them are exclusive to this release.
Anberlin – Lowborn LP (Tooth & Nail)
Recently released on CD — now available on vinyl. Anberlin’s seventh and final album.
Arndales – Dog Hobbies LP (In The Red)
Arndales consist of four men whose ages range from 42 to 51. Notable bands/artists with which they have been/are involved: Country Teasers, Thrilled Skinny, Badgewearer, Gag, Montana Pete, Pregnant Neck, Collapsed Lung, Zuno Men and Jad Fair. This is frantic, frenetic, edgy, disturbing, scratchy low-end menacing new wave.
Atlas Moth – The Old Believer 2xLP (Brutal Panda)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Chicago’s The Atlas Moth have always been hard to categorize. Drawing from myriad influences and styles, their sound is one of the most unique and unusual in today’s American underground—progressive psychedelic metal both crushingly heavy and sublimely beautiful.
Daniel Bachman – Grey-Black-Green [2011] LP (Feeding Tube)
First vinylization of the 2011 CD-R release, with which Daniel Bachman shucked the performing name he’d been using (Sacred Harp) and laid his naked ass on the line. Bachman already sounds like a wizened player here (an image that was solidified when his mug was plastered on the box for Tompkins Square’s Obscure Giants Of Acoustic Guitar trading cards), but he was actually still a babe of the Fredericksburg woods at the time this came out. Regardless, his technique is massive, and his approach to the material—based on a color-wheel tuning system developed by the late Robbie Basho—is intense. Recorded onto a boom-box, with a hi-fi quotient of nil, the material here reminds one of what Bill Orcutt might sound like if he decided to play in longer format time-chunks.
Big Star – #1 Record [Reissue/1972] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Big Star – Radio City [Reissue/1974] LP (4 Men With Beards)
The first and second albums from the quintessential American power pop band are now available on HQ-180gm vinyl.
Peter Buck – Opium Drivel 7” (Mississippi)
Two rockers and two stripped down demos on this new collection from R.E.M.’s Peter Buck.
John Cale – Academy In Peril [Reissue/1972] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Academy In Peril is an exploration of Cale’s influences and training in classical music and features mainly instrumental compositions, including two tracks with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Cale balances the rock-classical fusion on the record with touches of humor while the music itself is beautiful and subtle, highlighting his skills at composition and arranging. HQ-180gm in die-cut custom gatefold jacket.
Canned Heat – Vintage LP (Cleopatra)
Legendary 1966 recordings by blues rock kings Canned Heat produced by music legend Johnny Otis. Limited edition color vinyl sleeved in silver foil jacket.
Eric Clapton – Time Pieces: The Best Of Clapton [Reissue/1982] LP (Polydor)
Vinyl reissue of the greatest hits album by British musician Eric Clapton. The songs on the album were all released as singles, with only one song — “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” — having never been released on an RSO album. A large number of songs on the release were either from 461 Ocean Boulevard or Slowhand, while none of the songs were released on No Reason To Cry or Another Ticket.
Com Truise – In Decay 2xLP (Ghostly International)
In Decay provides a fascinating alternative roadmap for the idiosyncratic journeys of New Jersey producer Seth Haley — aka Com Truise — through the history of electronic music. A compilation of unreleased, early recordings, In Decay encompasses 13 tracks that have previously been either only available as demos online or are entirely unheard tracks dating from before Haley’s official releases — his debut Cyanide Sisters EP, its follow-up full-length Galactic Melt, and last year’s Fairlight EP.
Connections – Into Sixes LP+MP3 (Anyway)
Third album from the Columbus indie rock band featuring members of 84 Nash, Times New Viking, and El Jesus De Magico — at times wickedly sloppy but always held together by a string of melody, and harkening to some of the best indie and punk from both shores.
The Copyrights – No Knocks 7” (Fat Wreck Chords)
Known for their catchy upbeat melodies, smudged with a dose of that Midwestern punk aesthetic, The Copyrights have carved out an enviable spot in the pop punk world.
Cozy – Button By Button LP (HoZac)
A danceable masterpiece of unadulterated teen pop perfection that’s a must for fans of The Raspberries, Slade, The Sweet, etc.
Cream – Best Of Cream [Reissue/1969] LP (Polydor)
Vinyl reissue of the compilation album of material recorded from 1966 to 1968, originally released shortly after their disbanding.
Crime – Murder My Guitar 1976-1980 LP+MP3 (Superior Viaduct)
San Francisco’s first and only rock & roll band, Crime loomed over the entire Mabuhay Gardens scene with their blistering 1976 single “Hot Wire My Heart.” The group’s loose, damaged rock & roll was as immediate as it was controversial.
Jason Crumer – Disqualifier LP (Blossoming Noise)
Dense brass, concrete sounds and mutated noise reveal a pointed narrative and unmatched compositional stroke in Jason Crumer’s sixth full-length studio recording. Equal parts harsh and ambient.
Death In June – The Guilty Have No Pride [Reissue/1983] LP (Drastic Plastic)
The gothic/folk band’s debut LP The Guilty Have No Pride was originally released in 1983 during the renaissance of dark, gothic and industrial music. It echoes sounds of Joy Division and Bauhaus and like them is pop music of the first order, but it also has a richer center layered with textures and themes that give it a shadowy depth that one must mine several times in order to fully appreciate its complexity and breadth of vision.
Die Antwoord – Donker Mag 2xLP (Zef Recordz)
Donker Mag is the third album from the South African rap/rave duo. Die Antwoord’s musical and visual style incorporates elements of zef culture, described as modern and trashy, appropriating out-of-date, discarded cultural elements.
The Dirty Nil – Cinnamon b/w Guided By Vices 7” (Fat Wreck Chords)
Two songs layering feral garage rock with uneasy pop hooks, all assembled and reassembled to make your mind melt into fractured pieces. (Limited quantities pressed on 150gm white vinyl.)
Tashi Dorji – Tashi Dorji LP (Hermit Hut)
Tashi Dorji grew up in Bhutan, on the eastern side of the Himalayas. Access to any music created outside the country is limited, as are most cultural options, given the geologically isolation of the country. How Dorji went from a life so remote to developing his innovative and revelatory guitar style is mind-boggling.After a handful of cassettes on various labels, Dorji presents his first proper album on Hermit Hut, the label created by Ben Chasny (Six Organs Of Admittance) and inspired by spreading word of Dorji’s talents.
The Dwarves – Trailer Trash 7” (Recess)
Limited single released in advance of their new album The Dwarves Invented Rock And Roll (due August 26).
Eels – Beautiful Freak [Reissue/1996] LP (Geffen)
Beautiful Freak is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Eels. It was largely the solo work of musician Mark Oliver Everett, and is his first album using the full band name Eels in an attempt to get the records in the same general location in the stores as his previous works under the name “E.” HQ-180gm.
Sean Flinn & The Royal We – The Lost Weekend LP+MP3 (Glad I Did Recordings)
The Lost Weekend draws from musical influences ranging from The Zombies to Bruce Springsteen, creating a rock & roll vibe with an ever-present lyrical narrative. Sean Flinn & The Royal We ranked in Paste Magazine’s Ten Oregon Bands You Should Listen To Now, where Luke Larson calls Flinn “a tried-and-true singer/songwriter” who “has picked up his own eclectic style of crafting pop songs along the way…that were as creatively recorded as they were solidly written.”
Brigitte Fontaine – Brigitte Fontaine [Reissue/1972] LP (Superior Viaduct)
Never one to settle on a single musical style, Brigitte Fontaine followed up her debut, Est…Folle, and her astonishing collaboration with The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Comme … la Radio, with the most eclectic release of her lengthy career, 1972’s Brigitte Fontaine.
Four Years Strong – Go Down In History 12” (Pure Noise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New EP from the Warped Tour veterans. Fast, catchy, and just plain fun.
Games – Little Elise 7” (HoZac)
Atlanta-cum-Brooklyn’s finest power pop band returns with a knockout second single after the waves of adulation from their debut LP laid waste to the hordes of second-class pop anthems littering the countryside.
Ernie Graham – Ernie Graham [Reissue/1971] LP (4 Men With Beards)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissue of the self-titled debut album by former Eire Apparent member Ernie Graham that was originally released in 1971. Backed by Nick Lowe and Brinsley Scharz, this is an underground roots rock classic that sounds like it could have been a last album by The Band in their prime.
Gruppo d’Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza – Gruppo d’Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza [Reissue/1973] LP (Superior Viaduct)
Considered the first collective of experimental composers, Gruppo d’Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza formed in 1964 in Rome to chase the expressive potential of live improvisation to its furthest reaches. Led by Franco Evangelisti, Gruppo also included Ennio Morricone before he found fame composing soundtracks. Gruppo recorded this eponymous album in 1973. Whether the passages are jarring or soothing, clamorous or silken, the ensemble retains astounding organic coherence. An ultra-rare entry in Gruppo’s formidable discography, Gruppo d’Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza is finally reissued for the first time ever.
Mats Gustafsson/Albert Oehlen – Jukebox Series 001 7” (Trost)
New series: one-time collaborations and projects — the paper-sleeve stays the same, the labels are changing, and there’s artwork by Lasse Marhaug.
Hand Of Dust – Walk In White 7” (Avant)
Though this Copenhagen trio belongs to the Posh Isolation brood, their personal variation of dark rock has roots in folk, with a lot of focus on songwriting and lyrics. Originally formed in order to play the acoustic songs of singer Bo Høyer Hansen in an electric setting, they own the sweet spot shared by electric neo-folk, Dead Moon-ishness, and a notable Gun Club vibe.
Heldon – Allez-Téia [Reissue/1975] LP (Superior Viaduct)
Allez-Téia, the second album by French guitarist Richard Pinhas under the Heldon moniker, was originally released in 1975 on the artist’s own Disjuncta imprint. Far from the band’s prog-tinged trio lineup, the album features a menagerie of guitars, Mellotron and analog synthesizers.
Julia Holter – Tragedy [Reissue/2011] LP (Domino)
Originally released in two runs of five hundred copies only on Los Angeles label Leaving Records in November 2011, Tragedy proved to be that year’s most captivating, adventurous and inspired debut album and announced the arrival of a major new talent. Comprised of voice, synths, drum machines, piano, cello, saxophone, samples, vocoders, ensemble musicians and a chorus, Tragedy is a transcendental amalgamation of avant-garde and pop conventions and of organic and electronic compositional forms — an entire universe of a record blessed with its own beautifully peculiar logic.
Julia Holter – Hellow Stranger b/w Don’t Make Me Over 7” (Domino)
“Hello Stranger,” originally sung by Barbara Lewis in 1963, appeared on Julia Holter’s 2013 studio album Loud City Song and is backed with her cover of Dionne Warwick’s “Don’t Make Me Over,” originally released in 1962.
Honeyblood – Honeyblood LP (FatCat)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Honeyblood are Shona McVicar on drums and Stina Tweeddale on vocals/guitar. Despite their fledgling status and minimal setup, Honeyblood’s songs are fully formed and perfectly assured. The songs resonate with deep melodic hooks and the kind of effortless charm that have drawn recent comparisons to the likes of Best Coast, Haim and Frankie Rose.
Insurgence DC – True To Life b/w Man In Black 7” (Crooked Beat)
Insurgence DC (formerly Insurgence) is a punk band that was formed in 1987 in Raleigh, NC. They went on official hiatus in 2000 and did not return to playing shows in 2013. These new songs are Insurgence DC first recordings in 14 years and the first with the original lineup from their their highly touted album Ripe For The Trade Off from 1995.
Peter Jefferies – Electricity [Reissue/1994] LP (Superior Viaduct)
With guest appearances from heavyweights in the New Zealand music scene (Straitjacket Fits’ Shayne Carter, Plagal Grind’s Robbie Muir and the Dead C’s Bruce Russell), Electricity has garnered a cult following among fans, yet the songs possess a singular quality—every note, utterance and flourish reflect back to Jefferies alone. The simple arrangements, in particular on ballads such as “By Small Degrees,” convey fiercely intimate moments as well as Jefferies’ tremendous range and playfulness as a writer.
Jimmy Eat World – Static Prevails [Reissue/1996] 2xLP (Shop Radio Cast)
Jimmy Eat World – Clarity [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Shop Radio Cast)
Jimmy Eat World – Futures [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Shop Radio Cast)
Audiophile color vinyl represses (each featuring bonus tracks) now available.
Daniel Johnston – Fun [1994] LP (Org Music)
Daniel Johnston’s Fun was originally released in 1994 on Atlantic Records, while the singer/songwriter was housed in a mental institution. First time on vinyl.
Kiss – Rock And Roll Over [Reissue/1976] LP (UMe)
Kiss – Music From The Elder [Reissue/1981] LP (UMe)
The latest in Kiss’s 40th Anniversary vinyl reissue campaign, remastered from high definition 192kHz/24-bit audio and pressed on HQ-180gm vinyl for maximum fidelity.
The Laze – The Phantom Of The Opera (1925 Motion Picture Soundtrack) LP/Cassette (One Way Static)
Brand new modern re-score composed and performed by UK septet The Laze. The Laze has developed quite a reputation across the UK for their spine-tingling live performances and expansive soundscapes. Influenced by a history of horror soundtracks, from Bernard Hermann and Angelo Badalamenti to Goblin and John Carpenter, they implemented elements of progressive rock, classical, jazz, heavy metal and electronica in their score.
John Lennon – Shaved Fish [Reissue/1975] LP (Capitol)
Exact reproduction of original LP artwork to retain authenticity, but now on HQ-180gm heavyweight vinyl.
Liquid Diamonds – Aw Maw 7” (HoZac)
As time passes, the legitimacy of Sonny Vincent’s repertoire just grows stronger and more impressive with each new unearthed segment of his seminal years. An even rawer three-piece than his first band, Fury, Liquid Diamonds laid the sickening foundation for what nastiness lay ahead in the primitive Testors. Never before released on any format, these tracks will quickly slip into place alongside pre-punk icons of the era. Another 7″ slice of NYC proto punk heaven.
Angus MacLise – New York Electronic, 1965 LP (Sub Rosa)
Sub Rosa presents another release as a part of their early electronic series. Drone-based experiments from Angus MacLise (notably with Tony Conrad extremely present on the album, and John Cale), and purely electronic compositions—a path (almost) nobody knew MacLise had explored. These archives provided a new perspective on the artist’s whole body of work and considerably expanded his artistic palette. These recordings, produced between the mid-’60s and the late-’70s, consist of tribal trance workouts, spoken-word, poetry, drones and electronics, as well as many collaborations with his wife Hetty.
Owen Maercks – Teenage Sex Therapist LP (Feeding Tube)
Owen Maercks’ Teenage Sex Therapist is one of the forgotten twisted pop masterpieces of the 20th century. Owen had been in Monster Island with Henry Kaiser, who proposed he do a solo album of his songs. The album is ripe with jaw-drop moves. Flashes of Eno, Beefheart, Lou Reed, the Bonzos, and various of Owen’s other obsessions, fight each other for air-time. And everyone goes away a winner. If this one doesn’t make your teeth wiggle, you need a new jaw.
John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers – A Sense Of Place [Reissue/1990] LP (Island)
Exact reproduction of original LP artwork to retain authenticity, but now HQ-180gm heavyweight vinyl.
MC5 – Back In The USA [Reissue/1970] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Vinyl reissue of the second album by the Detroit group (but the first to be recorded in the studio). Originally released in 1970, Back In The USA takes a step back from the raw in your face sound of their classic Kick Out The Jams.
Mike Rep And The Quotas – Mama Was A Schizo 7” (HoZac)
One of just a handful of the legendary home-recorded icons of Midwestern proto punk, Rep & Co. burst onto the scene with their monster debut 7″ for the incredible “Rocket To Nowhere” on Moxie Records in 1978, yet this important piece of the puzzle was recorded back even a few years before punk’s “first historical figures” had released their maiden touchstones, in the year of infinite possibilities, 1975.
Miss Destiny – House Of Wax 7” (HoZac)
Stemming from the mind of Harriet Hudson (Circle Pit, Southern Comfort), this single features some of the most druggy, wiry, and most importantly, witchy guitar solos stitching up a gravelly pair of unsettling mid-tempo punk numbers like a freshly slaughtered corpse.
Mobius Strip – Palabras Poridas 7” (Crooked Beat)
Mobius Strip is a post-punk trio from Washington, DC, formed in late 2008. The city’s influence is obvious in their aggressive sound, their socially-oriented lyrical content, and their preference for shows that benefit local nonprofit organizations or progressive causes. LP due sometime next year.
Moon Duo – Live In Ravenna LP (Sacred Bones)
“Ravenna was memorable for a number of reasons, the most prominent being the really very intense heat, and the setting – Hanabi has an outdoor stage on the beach, the Adriatic Sea only meters away,” the band’s Sanae Yamada explains. “The show that night, and the recording of it, sort of encapsulates everything that was happening at the time – the heat wave, the journey, and the shift in the energy and composition of the band.”
Van Morrison – Complete Bang Sessions 2xLP (Cleopatra)
A very special, strictly limited velvet jacket edition of the complete 1967 recordings made by Van Morrison that launched his solo career into the stratosphere. Features all of the tracks from his solo debut including the monster hit “Brown Eyed Girl” all digitally remastered for this special HQ-180gm pressing on splatter red and black vinyl with full-color insert.
My Panda Shall Fly – Tropical LP (Soundway)
New album from Sri-Lanka-born electronic musician Suren Seneviratne aka My Panda Shall Fly. A kaleidoscope of rainbow textures and rhythms disperse into the exotic soundscape of Tropical. Elements of real folk instruments, noise-making objects and electronics feature here generously on this six-track concept album, blending together a sonic palette influenced by music and people from all over the globe.
Noveller And Thisquietarmy – Reveries LP (Shelter Press)
Reveries is the first collaborative effort of Noveller and Thisquietarmy, two critically-acclaimed lonesome composers welcoming us on an expanded guitar-based journey. Noveller is the solo project of Brooklyn-based composer Sarah Lipstate, while Thisquietarmy is Eric Quach, unstoppable globe-trotting musician from Montreal. Both use the guitar as their main instrument, creating some of the most impressive, hypnotic, and richly textured electric guitar works from the past years. White vinyl.
Octa#grape – Emotional Oil LP (Sounds Familyre)
One-sided LP with B-side etching. “Don’t get me wrong. I love fuzzed out guitars, lo-fi drum tracks, and retro vocals as much as the next guy – and San Diego has got its share of great garage acts – but as more bands cloak themselves in distortion and deliberately under-produced recordings, each becomes less distinguishable from the next, and all too often they end up sounding regurgitated. Then there’s Octa#grape. Dancing around the common trappings of garage rock revivalists, the Emotional Oil EP sets Octa#grape apart.” – San Diego Reader
The Offspring – Smash [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Epitaph)
20th Anniversary reissue, remastered and repressed on HQ-180gm vinyl in a deluxe die-cut box with a 24-page booklet with never-before-seen images from the Smash era, and the story of the making of the album.
Ned Oldham – Further Gone 7” (No Quarter)
Two new songs and just the second solo release from Ned Oldham whose been recording music for more than two decades now: first with Palace, then as The Anomoanon, later as Old Calf.
Opera Multi Steel – Opera Multi Steel [Reissue/1984] 12” (Dark Entries)
Opera Multi Steel was born during the winter of 1983 in Bourges, a city in the center of France. Originally a trio comprised of Franck Lopez (vocals, keyboards, guitars), his brother Patrick L. Robin (vocals, percussion) and Catherine M. Marie (keyboards, vocals), the band began to record demos utilizing an Elex keyboard, Casio VLTone, Roland TR-606 drum machine, guitars and pedals. Layering organ-like keyboards over drum machine snares and a woodwind recorder, they created a unique style of Medieval or Baroque synth pop, and released their self-titled debut EP on their own label Orcadia Machina in 1984.
Owl John – Owl John LP (Atlantic)
Owl John is the solo musical project of Frightened Rabbit vocalist and guitarist Scott Hutchison, formed in 2014.
P.F. Commando – Manipulerade Mongon [Reissue/1979] LP (Ugly Pop)
P.F. Commando – Rough Sound [Reissue/1980] 7” (Ugly Pop
Self-released in 1979 by one of Sweden’s most notorious bands, this monster debut was the country’s first punk LP, packing in 15 tracks of pure three-chord bash at its most primal and aggressive. Vocals are alternately barked and snarled, guitars slash and buzz, the rhythm section thrashes along maniacally — no pop, no art, just punk in the vein of Dead Boys, Viletones, Germs and early Black Flag. Originally released in 1980 as Nu Ska Vi Ha, the “Rough Sound” single is a high point of early Euro punk rock.
Phase Fatale – Skyscraper 12” (Avant)
The debut EP of the techno project by Dream Affair’s Hayden Payne moves between noise-ridden soundscapes and minimal industrial techno rhythms (influenced by EBM classics such as Front 242 and Klinik) and modern contemporaries like Silent Servant and Ancient Methods. Disparate sounds magically convert into driving and danceable noise.
Pilgrims/Ghostt Bllonde – Home & Home Vol. 2 7” (Negative Fun)
Pilgrims is ramshackle guitar rock in the Westerberg tradition, and fall somewhere in between the power pop of Sweet Talk and ‘70s southern rock of The Golden Boys. Ghostt Bllonde provide four minutes of ‘50s nostalgia, layered with contemporary fuzz and washed in ‘90s shoegaze.
Polica – Raw Exit 10” (Mom + Pop Music)
Four new songs Polica recorded for the expanded deluxe edition of 2013’s Shulamith. Includes their cover of the Lesley Gore classic “You Don’t Own Me.”
Cassie Ramone – The Time Has Come LP (Loglady)
The debut album from Cassie Ramone (Vivian Girls, Babies) features Ariel Pink on bass for several tracks and has a somewhat contemporary take on what a modern day Karen Dalton record may sound like. First pressing on color vinyl.
Red Krayola – The Parable Of Arable Land [Reissue/1967] 2xLP (Snapper)
The Parable Of Arable Land was originally released in 1967 and recorded for Independent Artists Records, on which leader Mayo Thompson leads the band amongst the freak outs in a selection of enduring songs such as the much copied “Hurricane Fighter Plane” and “War Sucks.” This deluxe gatefold double-LP edition features both the mono and stereo versions, lovingly remastered from the original tapes by Sonic Boom (Spacemen 3).
Sewer Election – Nara LP (Jartecknet)
A delicate and puzzling experience, where chilling oscillating drones and field recordings intricately mix.
Skrillex – Recess LP (Atlantic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Recess is actually Skrillex’s full-length debut, and features collaborations from Chance The Rapper, Diplo, Niki & The Dove, Passion Pit frontman Michael Angelakos, and K-Pop stars G-Dragon and CL.
So What – What You Do To Me 7” (Grazer)
San Francisco’s mutton-chopped rockers harken back to the days of catchy, assembly-line pop, when bubblegum bands like The Equals and 1910 Fruitgum Company rightfully topped the charts. Nonetheless, So What temper the saccharine qualities of those groups with a punk and glitter-influenced sneer, incorporating lots of tom heavy beats, snotty vocals, and distorted guitars.
Spiritualized – F**ked Up Inside [Reissue/1993] LP (Plain)
Spiritualized – Let It Come Down [Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Plain)
F**ked Up Inside is the first live album ever issued by Spiritualized, it was originally released as a limited edition of 1,000 mail order only LP in 1993. Let It Come Down is the fourth album by Spiritualized, originally released in 2001. Jason Pierce spent four years writing, performing, recording and finally releasing the follow up to his 1997 breakthrough album Ladies And Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space. Let It Come Down features a full orchestra, gospel choir, and many back up musicians to fulfill Pierce’s ambitions.
Stereo MC’s – Connected [Reissue/1993] LP (Def Jam)
Exact reproduction of original LP artwork to retain authenticity, but now on HQ-180gm heavyweight vinyl.
Straight Arrows – Rising LP (HoZac)
Garage punk nuggets that will get you up out of your dronesome slumber and force some serious rug cutting antics. Reverb-laden, fuzzed out punk garage honed to scrappy perfection.
Damo Suzuki – Seven Potatoes: Live in Nanaimo 2xLP (NoiseAgonyMayhem)
Live set from Krautrock pioneer (Can), recorded in June 2013 in Namaimo, British Colombia. His band that evening consisted of members of Wolf Parade, Moths & Locusts, Colliding Canyons, and Clumsy Lovers. Heavy space-rock jams matched by Suzuki’s low, guttural vocal stylings.
This Wild Life – Clouded LP (Epitaph)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Clouded is the debut full-length by This Wild Life and was recorded with Aaron Marsh of Copeland. The album maintains the core attributes of their sound – Jordan’s vulnerable, expressive lyrics, DelGrosso’s nimble fingerpicking – while pushing themselves towards more ambitious sounds. “We tried out a string section, pianos, different kinds of guitars, we didn’t want to limit ourselves,” Jordan notes.
Trash Talk – No Peace LP (Trash Talk Collectiv)
No Peace is a promise and a threat. It’s the name of 32 minutes of recorded concussions that delivered by Trash Talk on Odd Future Records. It is hardcore punk, it is hardcore hip-hop, it’s a way of telling you to shut the f**k up if you’re trying to pigeonhole it. No Peace is music for the sake of aggression. Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl.
Johnny Winter – Live Bootleg Series Vol. 11 CD (Friday Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The blues wielding axeman steps out with super extended workouts on concert classics like his masterful version of the Taj Mahal’s classic “E-Z Rider,” Johnny’s stellar interpretation of Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What’s Wrong” and a super revisit of the blues classic “Boot Hill.”
Cassettes:
The Laze – The Phantom Of The Opera (1925 Motion Picture Soundtrack) (One Way Static)
Brand new modern re-score composed and performed by UK septet The Laze. The Laze has developed quite a reputation across the UK for their spine-tingling live performances and expansive soundscapes. Influenced by a history of horror soundtracks, from Bernard Hermann and Angelo Badalamenti to Goblin and John Carpenter, they implemented elements of progressive rock, classical, jazz, heavy metal and electronica in their score.
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