CD + Vinyl:
Ashrae Fax – Never Really Been Into It CD/LP (Mexican Summer)
The legacy of North Carolina’s Ashrae Fax seems destined to be appreciated in retrospect, in no small part given to the tremendous power of the group’s 2003 release Static Crash!, reissued twice from its initial CD-R run before appearing on Mexican Summer last year. The goth/ethereal duo of vocalist Renee Mendoza and producer/guitarist Alex Chesney had built a long, strange and mostly undocumented legacy prior to that release, and Never Really Been Into It extends the tale back even further.
William Basinski – Disintegration Loops I [Reissue/2002] CD (2062)
William Basinski – Disintegration Loops II [Reissue/2003] CD (2062)
William Basinski – Disintegration Loops III [Reissue/2003] CD (2062)
William Basinski – Disintegration Loops IV [Reissue/2003] CD (2062)
Remastered CDs finally available individually and separately from the sought-after sold-out box sets.
Big Star – #1 Record [Reissue/1972] CD (Stax)
Big Star – Radio City [Reissue/1974] CD (Stax)
Digitally remastered reissues now available. Packaging includes new liner notes penned by
R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, who cites Big Star as one of his biggest influences.
Blonde Redhead – Barragán CD/LP+MP3 (Kobalt)
Blonde Redhead’s ninth album. Tracks like “Dripping,” “The One I Love,” and “Defeatist Anthem (Harry And I)” have all the emotional punches of previous high water marks in the band’s repertoire – the just feel slightly less calculated, more serendipitous. Formed in 1993, Blonde Redhead have never made records for fame, or for money, or to ape their teenage heroes, or to indulge any of the dumb, ephemeral impulses that clog up the blogosphere with dumb, ephemeral music. (Vinyl LP version is packaged in a custom die--cut cover and inner sleeve with “peel and reveal” sticker insert.)
Blood Of Kingu – Dark Star On The Right Horn Of The Crescent Moon CD (Season Of Mist)
New album from the cult black metal heathens.
Bloodsoaked – Religious Apocalypse CD (Comatose Music)
Technical and explosive brutalizing American death metal.
bvdub – A History Of Distance CD (n5MD)
“A History Of Distance is said to reflect the longing for the Western world that Van Wey occasionally feels from his relatively secluded home base. Spread over four lengthy tracks, the label promises that the LP takes bvdub ‘into new territory,’ including sections influenced by garage and shoegaze.” – Resident Advisor
Chris Cab – Where I Belong CD (Island)
Debut from the rising star and 21-year-old Miami native. Where I Belong showcases Chris’ signature mix of pop/rock/reggae/soul, includes his global hit “Liar Liar” (co-written & produced by Pharrell). From the island rhythm of “The Sun Is Gonna Rise Again” and the acoustic folk inflections of “Fables,” to the hip-hop hook on “Ticket” and the heartfelt “Goodbye,” the album marks the arrival of a truly unique voice.
Calico The Band – Rancho California CD (California Country)
Calico The Band is three: Kirsten Proffit, Manda Mosher, and Aubrey Richmond. All are great and dedicated musicians, each with accomplished and celebrated solo careers under way. That is, until Calico brought them together.
The Call – A Tribute To Michael Been CD/CD+DVD/2xLP+MP3 (Lightyear)
Robert Levon Been of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club pays tribute to his late father’s music with an unforgettable live performance leading his father, Michael Been’s, legendary band The Call. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a full length DVD of the concert film with special behind the scenes bonus footage.
Jennifer Castle – Pink City CD/LP (No Quarter)
From Toronto, Jennifer Castle writes folk songs about friendship, love and heartbreak. Pink City is a stirringly beautiful album every bit a step forward from 2011’s Castlemusic. Its barer arrangements – often just piano, guitar and voice with string arrangements from Owen Pallet – highlight just how good of a songwriter she is.
Code Orange – I Am King CD/LP (Deathwish)
Unpredictability is the law as Code Orange navigates through their distorted world. Title track “I Am King” shifts from ‘heavy’ to ‘hard to define’ through the use of unorthodox guitar work/percussion and chaotic structure. For fans of: Neurosis, Converge, Cursed, Circle Takes The Square.
Color Morale – Hold On Pain Ends CD (Fearless)
The Color Morale is a metalcore band from Rockford, Illinois. Vinyl version due September 30.
Counting Crows – Somewhere Under Wonderland CD/LP (Capitol)
Counting Crows’ seventh album and first since 2008. CD version is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds two bonus tracks.
Coves – Soft Friday CD/LP (Nettwerk)
Coves, the highly buzzed about ‘60s infused, indie psych-rock duo comprised of singer Rebekah Wood and multi-instrumentalist John Rigard, release their debut album. Mixed by Brendan Lynch (Primal Scream, Paul Weller), Clash Magazine says of the album, “With those driving, Spector-esque drums and that sweeping grandeur, theirs is a teenage melodrama fuelled by a passion for noise, swirling psychedelia with a visceral edge.”
Anthony D’Amato – The Shipwreck From The Shore CD/LP (New West)
The NYC-based songwriter is growing from his early homespun self-recorded solo acoustic work to a more ambitious, full-band sound. The album was recorded at The Great North Sound Society, an 18th Century farmhouse-turned-studio deep in the woods of Maine.
Dark Fortress – Venereal Dawn CD (Century Media)
Formed in 1994 this German black metal outfit has established themselves in the top ranks of the genre with intense live shows and fascinating, pitch black full-length masterpieces that meet the standard created mostly in northern Europe’s prolific scenes with ease.
Deaf Center – Recount CD/LP+MP3 (Sonic Pieces)
Archival tracks from Norwegian dark ambient outfit, recorded at rehearsal sessions in 2008 and 2012.
Deceptic – Artifact CD (Dead End Exit)
New release from the Swedish melodic metal band. With a ferocious but tight thrust, Deceptic will pierce through your soul and bones to make sure that you are awake, and summon those overloaded goose bumps that have been inactive for far too long. It’s heavy, melodic, and groovy with a lot of air at the same time.
Destroy All Monsters – Hot Box 1974-1994 2xCD/3xLP (Munster Recordings)
Compiles, for the first time, Destroy All Monsters’ experimental period and the high-energy years. All tracks remastered from recently discovered tapes, including previously-unreleased material.
Aby Ngana Diop – Liital CD/LP (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
Aby Ngana Diop was the most famous taasukat in Dakar, Senegal in the 1980s and 1990s. Taasu is a Wolof-language poetic style, usually performed by women griots over frenetic drum patterns, with an aggressive verbal flow thought to presage rap. Her only album Liital was groundbreaking in the history of Senegalese music because it was the first commercial recording to feature a traditional female taasukat performing to the modern accompaniment of mbalax, Senegal’s quintessential pop genre.
John Dopping – Words in Colour CD (Borderline Music)
A sublime journey of melodic electronic music, from the Hybrid-esque “The Fire Behind” which opens the album perfectly, through the melodic monsters like “Basically” and “Where Do I Begin” to the ambience of “Kayafly” and the acid fuelled “Introspection.”
Earth – Primitive And Deadly CD/2xLP (Southern Lord)
Primitive And Deadly is Earth’s tenth studio album. Earth’s career, like its music, has always been a slow, deliberate progression. Each record slightly removed from the last, a constant refinement of a singular vision. (Vinyl version contains the exclusive bonus track “Badgers’ Bane.”)
Sena Ehrhardt – Live My Life CD (Blind Pig)
Sena Ehrhardt has emerged as one of the freshest and most dynamic young voices on the blues scene today. After serving as her band’s lead guitarist and songwriting collaborator through her first two releases, Sena’s father stepped aside earlier this year and she’s formed a dynamic and energetic new band.
Emblazoned – Eucharistiae Sacramentum CD (Dark Decent)
Blistering blackened death metal.
Empress AD – Still Life Moving East CD (The End)
Having taken time to carefully hone their style of the music they love, Empress AD have written an arsenal of songs that veer from an expansive, progressive sound to an aggressive, controlled roar. Citing their influences as Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Mastodon and Opeth, the Berkshire four-piece locked themselves away in a UK studio with experienced New York-based producer, Andrew Schneider (Cave In, Pelican, Old Man Gloom) to craft their debut. Vinyl version due September 23.
Fire In The Head – A History Of Obsession CD (Phage)
Nine tracks of power electronics and uncomfortable atmospheres.
Justin Furstenfeld – Songs From An Open Book CD (Up Down)
Debut solo album from the Blue October frontman.
Game Theory – Blaze Of Glory [Reissue/1982] CD/LP+MP3 (Omnivore)
Game Theory’s 1982 debut album is expanded with 15 bonus tracks. Available on CD and on pink vinyl which includes a download for the bonus tracks.
Gordon Grey – Forget I Brought It Up CD/LP (No Sleep)
While mostly known for his acoustic performances, singer/songwriter Gordon Grey picked up the electric guitar for his latest effort and drew upon a wealth of talent he’d acquired over the years; ultimately creating a record that transcends genres and time with brilliantly crafted songs and thoughtful lyrics that would fit well alongside his heroes (Superchunk, The Pixies, Dinosaur Jr. and My Bloody Valentine).
Ray Griff – Entertainment: Greatest U.S. & Canadian Hits CD (Real Gone Music)
Ray Griff earned his nickname, ”The Entertainer,” by being one of the hardest working artists in country music. As a singer, he charted over 40 hits from the 1960s onward, and as a songwriter, he wrote over 700 songs for the biggest stars of Country music: George Jones, Jim Reeves, Conway Twitty, Eddy Arnold, Dolly Parton, Mel Tillis, Ray Price, and many others. Spanning the years 1967-1986 and seven record labels, the anthology includes Griff’s charting sides for MGM,
Dot, Royal American, ABC, Capitol, Vision, and RCA.
Harald Grosskopf – Synthesist [Reissue/1979] CD/LP (Bureau B)
Harald Grosskopf – Oceanheart [Reissue/1986] CD/LP (Bureau B)
Harald Grosskopf is a German electronic musician. He played with several Krautrock and progressive rock bands of the 1970s in Germany, in addition to releasing solo material.
Half Japanese – Overjoyed CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Overjoyed is the first album in 13 years from legendary punk band Half Japanese. One of the most influential bands of all time, Jad Fair and Half Japanese spearheaded the DIY and lo-fi movements, influencing countless bands such as Sonic Youth, Neutral Milk Hotel, Daniel Johnston, and perhaps most notably, Kurt Cobain (who ranked Half Japanese amongst his top 50 favorites). Available on CD and on splatter bone vinyl.
Hammerfall – (r)Evolution CD (Nuclear Blast)
New album from the Swedish heavy metal pioneers.
The Haunted – Exit Wounds CD/LP (Century Media)
Exit Wounds contains the full spectrum of artillery a modern extreme metal band can possibly showcase and promises to not only leave already converted fans of The Haunted impressed with the immense penetrating power of this unmistakable return to form.
Arve Henriksen – Nature Of Connections CD/LP (Rune Grammofon)
New album from the Norwegian trumpet player.
Homeboy Sandman – Hallways CD (Stones Throw)
“With production handled by DJ Spinna, Jonwayne, a clutch of emerging beatmakers, and a fantastic contribution from minimalist composer Josef Van Wissem, Homeboy Sandman’s second full-length album for Stones Throw has enough complex, witty wordplay and dizzyingly experimental beat-work to satisfy any alternative hip-hop fan.” – The Skinny
Willie Hutch – In Tune [Reissue/1978] CD (Real Gone Music)
Willie Hutch – Midnight Dancer [Reissue/1979] CD (Real Gone Music)
Willie got his first big break writing, producing and arranging songs for the 5th Dimension, but when he penned the lyrics to the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There;” Berry Gordy immediately hired him as a Motown writer, arranger and producer. Hutch stepped into the spotlight as an artist in his
own right for Motown, becoming a go-to Blaxploitation film score composer. But in 1977, Willie joined fellow Motown producer Norman Whitfield’s own Whitfield label, where he cut these two disco/funk classics.
The Ides Of March – Vehicle [Reissue/1964] CD (Real Gone Music)
Vehicle is a happy collision (no pun intended) of the band s garage-y British pop influences and the more progressive sounds of Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears that were sweeping through FM radio at the time.
Incite – Up In Hell CD (Minus Head)
Incite remains one of the most formidable and fresh forces in heavy metal. Teaming up with award-winning super producer Matt Hyde [Deftones, Slayer], the Phoenix, AZ quintet unleash a torrent of staggering grooves, thrashing riffs, and pummeling rhythms.
Jeezy – Seen It All CD (Def Jam)
The ew album from the rap superstar includes guest appearances from Akon, Jay-Z, The Game, Rick Ross, Lil Boosie and Future. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds bonus tracks.
Killjoy Club – Reindeer Games CD (Psychopathic)
Debut album from this underground rap supergroup featuring the Insane Clown Posse and Da Mafia Six (Three Six Mafia, sans Juicy J).
Richie Kitzen – The Essential Richie Kotzen 3xCD (Loud & Proud)
With his guitar styles ranging from rock, blues, jazz and fusion to pop and soul, Richie Kotzen has built a remarkably diverse 20 year career as a guitarist, singer and songwriter. During that span, he has not only built an incredibly successful solo career, but has also found himself writing, recording and playing live with a variety of different artists, ranging from pop/rock bands like Poison and Mr. Big to jazz/fusion groups like Vertu and Jazz legends Stanley Clarke and Lenny White.
The Kooks – Listen CD/LP (Astralwerks)
Produced by vocalist/songwriter Luke Pritchard and young hip-hop pioneer Inflo, Listen showcases a new direction and sound for the multi-platinum selling UK act. “To me,” Luke says, “this album is about pure expression.” Listen is made up of 11 tracks with highlights including the street-smart garage rock of “Bad Habit,” the powerful and haunting “See Me Now,” and the incandescent joy of “Are We Electric.” CD version is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks.
Krieg – Transient CD (Candlelight)
Silent for nearly four years, the black metal band Krieg present their seventh full-length recording.
The Laze – The Phantom Of The Opera (1925 Motion Picture Soundtrack) CD (One Way Static)
Recently released on vinyl and cassette – now available on CD. 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.
Low/K. – Those Girls CD (Tiger Style)
Duluth, MN slow rockers Low team up with K. (Karla of Ida/Beekeeper) for a special split release. Each band contributes two exclusive tracks including a new version of Low’s classic single “Venus.”
Malrun – Two Thrones CD (Vicisolom)
New album from the melodic hard rock band from Denmark. Malrun walk the fine line between heavy guitar riffs and melodic harmonies.
Maroon 5 – V CD/LP (Interscope)
Bringing it all back home, V features the return of M5’s original keyboardist Jesse Carmichael to the fold, rejoining frontman Adam Levine, guitarist James Valentine, bassist Mickey Madden, drummer/percussionist Matt Flynn, and keyboardist PJ Morton after a two-year hiatus. CD version is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds three bonus tracks.
Ullanda McCullough – Ullanda McCullough/Watching you, Watching Me [Reissue/1981/1982] CD (Real Gone Music)
One of the most respected and active session singers of the mid-‘70s and early-‘80s, Ullanda McCullough s distinctive voice could be heard on numerous popular jingles (including 1971’s Coca-Cola campaign, “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing”) as well as albums by Eddie Floyd, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Patti Austin, Cissy Houston, Bionic Boogie, Carly Simon, Chic, Roberta Flack, Diana Ross, the soundtrack for the movie The Wiz and Ashford & Simpson, with whom she toured as a primary background vocalist during the late-‘70s. In 1979, Ullanda recorded her first solo album (Love Zone) for Ocean/Ariola Records before signing with Atlantic Records where she recorded two albums, a 1981 self-titled set and 1982’s Watching You, Watching Me.
Meridian – The Awful Truth CD (Victory)
With pitch-perfect vocal melodies, blazing breakdowns, and killer pop hooks, The Awful Truth exhibit the band’s own style of emotionally-charged, valiant hardcore tracks.
Method Man – Tical [Reissue/1994] 2xCD/LP (Def Jam)
20th anniversary of the debut solo album of Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man. It was the first Wu-Tang solo album released after the group’s debut, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Similar to all first generation solo Wu-Tang projects, Tical was mainly produced by group member RZA. The album features guest appearances from several Wu-Tang members including RZA, Raekwon, and Inspectah Deck.
Deron Miller – Acoustified CD/LP (MRI Associated)
Debut album from the CKY frontman/guitarist. Acoustified features acoustic interpretations of songs taken from Miller’s previous bands CKY, Foreign Objects And Oil, as well as a cover of a My Bloody Valentine song.
Mutual Benefit – The Cowboy’s Prayer CD/LP (Other Music Recording Co.)
Gaining a real breakthrough with the lush orchestral pop of Love’s Crushing Diamond, it would be easy to think that Mutual Benefit were an overnight success. Now the band has decided to shine renewed light on their roots, re-releasing the 2011 EP The Cowboy’s Prayer. Available on CD and on one-sided etched vinyl.
Helado Negro – Double Youth CD/LP (Asthmatic Kitty)
Helado Negro recorded Double Youth, his fourth LP, in his home studio with a computer, his voice, and telepathic input from a poster he found buried in a closet in his childhood home. Seeing the poster evoked a sudden rush of memories, but also a sense of isolation and separation. Who was this person in the photo? And what else had Helado Negro forgotten? The poster’s impact was so significant; it framed a new recording process for Helado Negro and now serves as cover art, title, and the conceptual framework for the lyrics and song structures.
Neopera – Destined Ways CD (Eagle Records)
The ultimate fusion of classical music, modern sounds and heaviness.
Nick & Knight – Nick & Knight CD (BMG Rights Management)
After Nick Carter and Jordan Knight joined forces with their mega-groups for 2011’s NKOTBSB tour and hit single “Don’t Turn Out The Lights,” the idea for the dynamic duo of Nick & Knight was born.
Nihilist Spasm Band – No Record [Reissue/1968] CD/LP (Lion Productions)
Reissue of one of the masterworks of late-‘60s noise/weirdo/freak-out music. One of very few indie label releases on Spin Magazine’s list of 100 top counter-cultural music, ahead of legends like Mulatu Astatke, Brigitte Fontaine, Pärson Sound, Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra, Harry Partch, and Os Mutantes. Zowie.
Fabio Orsi – Endless Autumn CD (Backwards)
The atmospheric field recordings created by this Berlin-based Italian artist penetrate the smallest gaps of the cerebral cortex. The environmental sounds that come from Puglia and the German capital capture the essence of the landscapes that Fabio Orsi loves to observe, allowing the listener to mentally fly over sunny Apulian coastlines and countryside, up to German lush forests. Endless Autumn comes together naturally with melancholic electronic textures and guitar melodies.
Axel Rudi Pell – Into The Storm CD (Steamhammer)
Sixteenth studio album by German metal guitarist.
Esther Phillips – Alone Again, Naturally [Reissue/1973] CD (Real Gone Music)
Following the 1972 release of her groundbreaking From A Whisper To A Scream album, Esther Phillips who had enjoyed hits as a child star (Little Esther) in the ‘50s and as a R&B/jazz stylist in the ‘60s was experiencing a career rejuvenation with Creed Taylor’s Kudu label after kicking a long-time drug addiction and a spell in rehab. Keeping with the same basic formula of surrounding the distinctive soulful vocalist with redoubtable arranger Don Sebesky, top class label mates Hank Crawford, George Benson, Eric Gale and Ron Carter and all-star players (James Brown alumni Maceo Parker and rhythm arranger Pee Wee Ellis, Billy Cobham, Richard Tee, Cornell Dupree, Ralph MacDonald and Gordon Edwards), producer Taylor provided the perfect setting for Esther s interpretative skills. The result was the best-selling Alone Again Naturally, a Top 20 jazz and Top 30 R&B album in 1973.
Pig Heart Transplant – For Mass Consumption CD (20 Buck Spin)
Brutal industrial no wave guitar noise and dark, pulsing synth for fans of early Swans, SPK, Test Dept, Bastard Noise, Pharmakon, Godflesh.
Fumaca Preta – Fumaca Preta CD/LP (Soundway)
Fumaca Preta’s (pronounced ‘Foomassa Pretta,’ meaning ‘black smoke’) hard hitting, free-wheeling new debut album brings together elements of tropicalia, psychedelic rock, fuzz funk, musique concrète, acid house, radiophonic electronics, hair metal, voodoo and African, Brazilian and Latin rhythms.
Radio Riddler – Purple Reggae CD (Easy Star)
Celebrating 30 years of Purple Rain, Radio Riddler presents an all-star tribute to Prince’s most iconic work, featuring guest appearances by Suggs, Deborah Bonham, Hollie Cook & Frank Benbini, Naim Cortazzi, Citizen Cope, Sinead O’Connor, Beverly Knight, and Ali Campbell.
Ratos de Porão – Século Sinistro CD/LP (Alternative Tentacles)
The Brazilian crossover thrash metal/hardcore punk legends return with their first full-length in eight years.
The Roys – The View CD (Rural Rhythm)
New album from the brother/sister bluegrass duo.
Serenata Guayanesa – Canta Con Venezuela Sing With Venezuela CD (Smithsonian Folkways)
Serenata Guayanesa is a musical ensemble, but much more it is a living treasure of Venezuela s musical and cultural heritage.
Set And Setting – A Vivid Memory CD/LP (Prosthetic)
New album from the Floridian post-classical instrumentalist metal quintet.
Shards Of Humanity – Fractured Frequencies CD (Dark Descent)
Aggressive death-thrash from Memphis TN.
Sh*t & Shine – Powder Horn CD/2xLP (Diagonal)
New album from Texas-based demolition artist Craig Clouse aka Sh*t & Shine. On Powder Horn, Clouse voyages still deeper down his own sonic wormhole. Its raucous slabs of deviant funk, wiry disco and burnt-out acid are sculpted to soundtrack strung-out dancefloors and their seedy early-hours aftermath, yet they still bear crucial traces of Sh*t & Shine’s history in noise rock.
Solace Of Requiem – Casting Ruin CD/LP (Vicisolom Productions)
New release from the death/black metal band. “Epic f**king brutality.”
Solstafir – Otta CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
The Icelandic rock heathens return with a new album.
Soundtrack – God Help The Girl CD/LP (Milan)
God Help The Girl is a musical feature film, written and directed by Stuart Murdoch, lead singer of Belle And Sebastian. The film was shot, edited, scored and mixed in Glasgow.
Sycamour – Indulgence: A Saga Of Lights CD (Hopeless)
New album from the Ann Arbor, MI-based rockers. The band’s inspiration is drawn from the imagery-laden, vividly lyrical styles of theatrical-rock forerunners such as Chiodos, Panic! At the Disco and Underoath.
Taxes – It Never Ends CD (Breakup)
New album from the Bay-Area indie rockers.
Teenage Guitar – More Lies From The Gooseberry Bush CD/LP (GBV Inc.)
Robert Pollard, head lunatic of the Guided By Voices’ asylum, has a surfeit of original thoughts. (Most people are lucky to have even one, ever.) That this even needs to be expressed is evidence enough for its “truth,” as only obvious or obviously untrue things can ever hope to be true. Or to approach the truth. Something Pollard does with uncanny regularity, and which is further on display on every track on the gloriously unkempt, roiling-with-ideas More Lies From The Gooseberry Bush, the second record Pollard has released under the nom-de-rock Teenage Guitar.
TOPS – Picture You Staring CD/LP (Arbutus)
This four-piece from Montreal deliver a raw punk take on AM studio pop.
Various Artists – Dear Jean: Artists Celebrate Jean Ritchie 2xCD (Compass)
The 37 track, double-CD set features performances from an impressive array of Ritchie’s fans and admirers, all of whom have come together to honor the living legacy of the Kentucky-born singer/songwriter many refer to as The Mother Of Folk. Contributors were intentionally selected to represent the diversity of genres and generations Ritchie has influenced throughout her life, with classic artists like Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Janis Ian, Kathy Mattea, Tim O’Brien, Robin and Linda Williams, Oscar Brand, and Dale Ann Bradley sharing the spotlight with up and coming talents like the Starry Mountain Singers, Rachael Davis, and Matt Brown.
The Vines – Wicked Nature CD/LP (Wicked Nature Music)
The sixth album from the Australian alt-rock band.
Rick Wakeman – Rick Wakeman’s Criminal Record [Reissue/1977] CD (Real Gone Music)
Rick Wakeman was always something of a maverick within the proggy confines of Yes, so it’s no surprise that for his sixth solo release – recorded right after he rejoined Yes in 1977, he turned to the transgressive subjects of crime, punishment and villainy.
The Walls Group – Fast Forward CD (RCA)
From deep in the heart of Texas comes family quartet The Walls Group. Darrel, Rhea, Paco and Ahjah are on a fast track to music notoriety. Their youthful voices stand toe to toe with some of the leading Gospel artists today.
The Washers – Everything At Once CD (Double Ringer)
New album album from the Texas-based country/roots band. With a little bit of folk, a dash of good old rock & roll, and a whole lot of country, The Washers are hitting the pavement with both feet running, sparking a fire in the Texas music scene.
Kim Waters – Silver Soul CD (Red River)
New album from the urban jazz saxophonist. Waters has the gift of expressing romance and love with his music, allowing the sax to be his voice.
Weedeater – …And Justice For Y’all [Reissue/2000] CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Reissue of the North Carolina stoner/sludge metal band’s debut album.
Christopher Willits – Opening CD/LP+MP3 (Ghostly International)
Seven tracks of widescreen ambient music, featured in his short film of the same title.
Johnny Winter – Step Back CD/LP (Megaforce)
Produced by Paul Nelson, Step Back showcases classic songs that were inspiring to Johnny Winter.
Wolf – Devil Seed CD (Century Media)
The Swedish metal band returns with their seventh album.
Yob – Clearing The Path To Ascend CD (Neurot)
Long-awaited brand-new album from Northwestern doom icons. Vinyl version due September 16.
Zammuto – Zammuto CD/LP (Temporary Residence)
Following the dissolution of his groundbreaking collage-pop duo, the Books, Zammuto rebounded with an eponymous debut album submerged in transitional anxiety and audio effects designed to intentionally obscure the very humanistic qualities that marked Nick Zammuto’s best work in the Books. The arrangements here have more space, the songs are more dynamic, and the vocals are delivered with a confident intimacy that is almost alarmingly beautiful (the collaborations with the enchanting Daniela Gesundheit of Canadian indie-pop duo Snowblink are particularly transcendent).
Zeus – Classic Zeus CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)
Zeus returns with the unapologetically titled Classic Zeus, resuming its affair with timeless melody, vintage ambience, and instant future classicism. 11 songs of introspective pop and spirited rock and roll, buoyed by Zeus’ studio mastery reinvented.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
500mg – Receiver I b/w Receiver II 7” (Drawing Room)
Michael Gibbons of monolithic sounds-great-on-any-substance rockers Bardo Pond channels his inner Fripp & Eno on these two tracks of loner sounds akin to the strange paths forged by Deuter, Sandy Bull, and even Neil Young. It’s stripped down American komische folk raga if you can even call it that. Fuzzed buzzed blissed goodness for all ears.
ABBA – Gold: Greatest Hits [Reissue/1992] 2xLP (Polydor)
Limited double HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressing of this spectacular 1992 collection from the Swedish pop quartet. With sales in excess of 28 million copies, it is the best-selling ABBA album as well as one of the best-selling albums worldwide. Includes all the greats including “Dancing Queen,” “Fernando,” “Waterloo,” “Take A Chance On Me,” “Thank You For The Music” and many others.
Altamont – Civil War Fantasy [Reissue/1998] LP (Valley King)
Altamont – Our Darling [Reissue/2001] LP (Valley King)
Altamont was comprised of Dale Crover (Melvins), Joey Osbourne (Acid King), and Dan Southwick. Originally released on Frank Kozik’s Man’s Ruin label on CD, these remastered versions are pressed in an edition of 500 copies with picture disc art by Alan Forbes.
Daniel Bachman – Grey-Black-Green [2011] LP (Feeding Tube)
First vinyl pressing of this 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.
Bang! Bros. – 12/12/12 LP (Feeding Tube)
Mark Johnson and Adam Foam (Whitehaus, Hunnie Bunnies, Peace Loving) invent a sorely-needed new free jazz instrument: the drum machine. Instead of stuffing their mouths with too many horns, they use their faces and fingers to punch on too many electronic buttons like Cecil Taylor with his fingers in a wall socket. Pauses, whirs, percussion avalanches amd whizbang punch lines with real punch in them.
Bardo Pond – Without A Doubt b/w Heaven II 7” (Drawing Room)
As a creative musical outfit for over twenty years now, Bardo Pond’s lysergic sonic sound is both mythical and legendary. From earth to space and back again, each of their projections to the astral plane is a new leap into uncharted psychedelic territory, and every trip is always heavy, very heavy.
Beach Slang – Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken? LP (Dead Broke)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut release from indie rock/emo/pop-punkers from Philadelphia featuring members of Weston, Ex Friends and Crybaby. “What this sound lacks in subtlety, it more than makes up in desperation, and that tug between those darting leads and Snyder’s whispered-in-your-ear vocals is electrifying.”—Pitchfork
James Brown – Get On Up: The James Brown Story OST 2xLP (UMe)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Features studio and standout live versions of many of Brown’s top soul/funk hits – from his first, 1956’s “Please Please Please” to “Out Of Sight,” “I Got You (I Feel Good),” “Try Me,” “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag,” “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine.” Also included are two previously unreleased concert recordings heard in the new film.
Can – Monster Movie [Reissue/1969] LP (Mute)
Can – Soundtracks [Reissue/1970] LP Mute)
Can – Tago Mago [Reissue/1971] 2xLP (Mute)
Can – Ege Bamyasi [Reissue/1972] LP (Mute)
The legendary krautrock band’s first four albums are (officially) back in print on vinyl.
Christina Carter – Character Study 12” (Drawing Room)
Character Study is comprised of two smoldering sidelong tracks, titled “Survival” and “Salvation,” which finds Carter (Charalambides) furthering her expansive work in song. The compositions are built with transfixing electric slide-guitar, dancing tambourine, shivering bells and sparse, foreboding effects.
Castanets – Decimation Blues LP (Asthmatic Kitty)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 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.
Cocteau Twins – Heaven Or Las Vegas [Reissue/1990] LP+MP3 (4AD)
HQ-180g vinyl reissue of the Scottish rock group’s sixth album, cut from the HD masters. “BNR” [10.0] – Pitchfork
Colour Me Wednesday – Shut 7” (Kingfisher Bluez)
Colour Me Wednesday is a DIY indiepop band from Uxbridge, UK. Their debut 7″ Shut is their left-wing-feminist-pop-punk-meets-C86 sound at its absolute best. Watermelon pink vinyl.
Control Unit – Bloody Language 7” (Backwards)
Three new tracks by Silvia Kastel and Ninni Morgia that reconnect the duo the tradition of rock &
roll in all facets (psychedelia, industrial, punk, no wave). Silkscreened jacket.
Crown The Empire – Resistance: Rise Of The Runaways LP (Rise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Texan metalcore band.
Culpepper’s Orchard – Culpepper’s Orchard [Reissue/1971] LP (Shadoks)
Vinyl reissue of quite possibly the best Danish underground album from Denmark, recorded in 1971. Culpepper’s Orchard was inspired by West Coast bands such as The Byrds, and Crosby, Sills Nash & Young. A superb combination of heavy progressive and folk stylings, the album also has its very own identity and haunting songs.
Dralms – Crushed Pleats b/w Divisions Of Labour 7” (Fat Possum)
Dralms is a Vancouver, BC quartetled by songwriter Christopher Smith. Their music is the soundtrack of the quiet hours of a hot summer night, Smith’s soft, sultry vocals intertwining thick and heavy bass and synth lines. Half sweaty, underground club, half dream-like euphoria.
Eleven Twenty-Nine – A Tithe To Hell 12” (Drawing Room)
The second album from the enigmatic Eleven Twenty-Nine (Tom Carter and Mac Orleans on guitars and Michael Evans on drums) — masters of incendiary free rock, drawing on lineage that includes but is definitely not limited to Charalambides, Sunburned Hand Of The Man, and God Is My Co-Pilot.
Free Action Inc. – Plays Eddie Korche Rock & Blues [Reissue/1970] LP (Ams)
The main characteristic of this album is its groove that emerges from each of its 12 tracks, some of them sounding like a perfect accompaniment to a car chase typical of some police movie of those years. The real protagonist here is the Hammond organ, dosed in a huge quantity in every song, both as a leading than a backing instrument: Hammond and guitar often exchange their roles, while drums and bass guitar offer a solid rhythmic ground.
Golden Pelicans – Golden Pelicans 12” (Total Punk)
Eight blasts of raging riff heavy punk action clocking in at just over 14 minutes.
Ibis – Ibis [Reissue/1975] LP (Ams)
The eponymous third and last album by the Genoese band Ibis closes a fast but exciting artistic journey which leads some of the original New Trolls musicians, Nico Di Palo in particular, towards paths parallel to the ones of their previous group. Born after the New Trolls split in 1973, Ibis released two albums in two years with different musicians, but always pushed by the tireless Di Palo. (Yellow vinyl.)
Jack Ruby – Jack Ruby (Volume Two) LP+MP3 (Feeding Tube)
A bizarrely shaped piece of the pre-punk/free-form puzzle that was Jack Ruby.
Jimmy Eat World – Clarity [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Shop Radio Cast)
Audiophile color vinyl repress featuring bonus tracks.
Elton John – The Very Best Of Elton John [Reissue/1992] 2xLP (Mercury)
HQ-180gm pressing of this 1990 European hits collection from the pop superstar. Features all of his biggest hits including “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Daniel,” “Sad Songs Say So Much,” “Sacrifice,” “Bennie And The Jets,” “Crocodile Rock” and many others.
King Star Echo – Caro-A-Go-Go [Reissue/1966] LP (Go Ape!)
Vinyl reissue of classic Hong Kong surf instrumental and garage rock masterpiece. If you are into top shelf weirdo exotica with a hint of psychedelia and distorted guitars, much in the vein of the Simla Beat records, Cambodian Rocks and the Thai Beat A Go-Go series, then this rocker is for you.
Kiss – Crazy Nights [Reissue/1987] LP (UMe)
Limited HQ-180gm vinyl LP repressing of Kiss’s 1987 album, released to coincide with the band’s 40th Anniversary, remastered to high definition 192kHz/24-bit audio for maximum fidelity.
Krokodil – The First Recordings LP+DVD (Krokodil Records)
An album containing the first ever recordings by this Swiss heavy kraut/progessive band from the late ‘60s, released for the first time on HQ-180gm vinyl. Includes a DVD documentary outlining how the band gave birth to the Swiss prog rock scene.
La Revelateur – Extreme Events LP (Root Strata)
A post-modern/retro-futuristic collection of tracks reveling in rhythmic asymmetry and warped sonics.
Latte E Miele – Papillon [Reissue/1973] LP (Ams)
A trio born within the prolific prog scene of Genoa,Latte E Miele debuted with a full-length in 1972, a concept album centered on the Gospel According To Matthew, Passio Secundum Mattheum. Due to the three-piece configuration and the strong classical component of their music, the comparison with the better-known Emerson, Lake & Palmer is almost immediate. (Red vinyl.)
Lightnin’ Slim – Rooster Blues [Reissue/1960] LP (Rumble)
Lightnin’ Slim – Bell Ringer [Reissue/1965] LP (Rumble)
Vinyl reissue of 1965 album from Louisiana bluesman, originally released on the Excello label.
Lussuria – Industriale Illuminato LP (Hospital Productions)
Inspired by Deconstructionism and an overriding sense of anxiety, Industriale Illuminato revolves around the dislocated narrative of album opener “Boneblack,” a dense and evocative fade into shadowy realms inspired by composer Giacinto Scelsi and the enigmatic mind-tricks of Alain Resnais’ Last Year At Marienbad. “Petra Marina” sees Lussuria use real drum sounds alongside electronic ones for the first time, layered through with odd, foreboding drones constructed out of handmade Japanese music boxes, feedback manipulation and mangled tape loops which together sound like an industrial, shadowy counterpart to the hazy nostalgia of Boards Of Canada.
Male Gaze – Cliffs Of Madness b/w Think Twice 7” (Mt. St. Mtn.)
A trifecta of bad vibes: sheets of fuzz, feedback peeking out the corners, and a B+ Ian Curtis impression dress these diet pill pop tunes in your favorite sweater from 1996.
Morbid Angel – Gateway To Annihilation [Reissue/2000] LP (Earache)
Vinyl reissue of the sixth studio album by the veteran death metal band.
Jason Mraz – Yes! 2xLP+CD (Atlantic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter who brought you hits like “I’m Yours” and “I Won’t Give Up” is back with his first album since his 2012’s Love Is A Four Letter Word. For Yes! Mraz collaborated with Los Angeles-based folk-rock group Raining Jane.
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 variants 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.
Mogwai – Come On Die Young [Reissue/1999] 4xLP (Chemikal Underground)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Deluxe edition of Mogwai’s 1999 album expanded with over two hours of bonus material. “Mogwai’s second album, released in 1999, gets a reissue with a bounty of bonus material that includes demos and the Travels In Constants EP. On Come On Die Young, Mogwai went about becoming the most sullen, brooding post-rock band they could possibly be.” [BNR 8.3] – Pitchfork
Ennio Morricone – Il Gatto A Nove Code LP (Ams/Cinevox)
Il Gatto A Nove Code (The Cat O ‘Nine Tails), filmed in 1971, is the second film by Dario Argento, a horror thriller still distant from his horror works for which he will later become famous on an international level.
Never Knows – Ink LP (Sleep Genius)
San Francisco artist Never Knows’ first full-length album Ink is a reminder that the nightclub is a site for rituals best performed in the dark. Murky beats and shimmering washes of overdriven analog synths become warm through heartfelt purpose. Lyrics explore themes of personal and political loss and failure with resonant emotional weight.
Nocturnus – The Key [Reissue/2000] LP (Earache)
Remastered vinyl edition – death metal from the Earache vault.
Pelican – Arktika 2xLP+MP3 (Oblique)
Vinyl-only live album recorded earlier this year in St. Petersburg, Russia. Four vinyl editions were pressed: clear, cream, orange, and black.
Prawn – Kingfisher LP (Topshelf)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the New Jersey emo band.
Lou Reed – Early Lou: Tre-Velvet Underground Recordings 2xLP (Andy)
A very special release of pre-Velvet Underground recordings from Lou Reed, 1958-1965.
R.E.M. – Unplugged 1991 2xLP (Rhino)
R.E.M. – Unplugged 2001 2xLP (Rhino)
Originally released as a limited-edition 4xLP RSD 2014 release, R.E.M.’s Unplugged is now available as two individual double-LP sets.
Leon Russell – Life Journey LP (UMe)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Legendary American singer and pianist Leon Russell has entertained the world for five decades, getting his start as an in-demand Wrecking Crew session player and playing on hundreds of hit records before he began releasing his own albums in 1967. Leon Russell’s latest studio album features newly-written, original songs and Russell’s turns on some of his favorite classics.
Session – Unikuva [Reissue/1974] LP (Shadoks)
Session was a Finnish rock band founded in 1970. They played typical experimental rock common in the ‘70s, but they added their own touch of creativity in the music and while the majority of the lyrics were in Finnish, it stands out compared to most progressive rock bands.
Sick Thoughts – Coming Over 7” (Going Underground)
There’s a few Sick Thoughts records out, but this is a shining star. Sure, it sounds and looks similar to the Reatards… do you need a college degree and an iPhone to figure that out?
Sinoia Caves – Beyond The Black Rainbow LP (Asthmatic Kitty)
Vinyl pressing of the soundtrack to Panos Cosmatos’ Beyond The Black Rainbow blends seamlessly amongst its influences; Tangerine Dream, Wendy Carlos, and of course John Carpenter. Created by Jeremy Schmidt, a disciple of the long-form cosmic synthesizer soundscape, and member of Canadian psych/prog-spiritual pioneers Black Mountain.
The Stevens – EP 7” (Kingfisher Bluez)
Six-song debut of Flying Nun influenced indie band from Melbourne. “The Stevens’ loneliness and ambulation lasts six songs and 13 minutes, and the band works fast, quick to set forth and resolve or not resolve their melodic tendencies, quick to betray early Chills and Television Personalities as primary influences.” – The Bigtakeover
Sunshine – Two Hundred Grand b/w Showering With Wine 7” (Kingfisher Bluez)
Sunshine is a five piece Vancouver indie-pop band. Their music is defined by bright fuzzy guitars and breathy reverb-heavy vocals, recalling bands like Kids On A Crime Spree and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.
Nikki Sudden & Rowland S. Howard – Kiss You Kidnapped Charabanc [Reissue/1987] LP (Numero)
1987 collaboration with former Birthday Party guitarist Rowland S. Howard. Howard’s sinister guitar flourishes and malevolent lyrical motifs lead Sudden’s paisley-clad disposition into murkier waters, drudging the same sludge inhabited by The Gun Club and Nick Cave’s Bad Seeds. Unhinged slide guitars, noise and primal drumming draw up demented pacts forged in the blood of Southern Gothic swamp stomp and Depression-era devotionals – tales of lovers and demons split between the vocal transmissions of the two minds behind this goth-steeped, blues-punk essential.
Tinariwen – The Radio Tisdas Sessions [2001] 2xLP (Modern Classics)
Since breaking through to a global audience, Tinariwen’s music has taken them around the world and been championed by artists as diverse as Robert Plant, Brian Eno, Thom Yorke, and TV On The Radio. 2001’s The Radio Tisdas Sessions marks the point at which the band first made strides to global acclaim. Gard guitar licks and wild rhythms color their spare, dust-beaten music.
Total Control – Typical System LP (Iron Lung)
Total Control emerged from Australia’s dynamic punk scene in ’08, releasing a succession of 7”s that developed from an aggressive post-punk band sound to studio forays into electronic forms from minimal wave to house. Received an 8.0 from Pitchfork.
Vader – The Ultimate Incantation [Reissue/1992] LP (Earache)
Vinyl reissue of a Polish death metal classic.
Valis – The Demolished Man LP (DKA)
Straddling the fine lines between classic synth-pop, industrial, and R&B, Valis manage to fuse their influences into a whole that is far greater than the sum of its parts, and The Demolished Man is no exception to this rule.
Various Artists – Justice Dub: Rare Dubs From Justice Records 1975-1977 LP (Jamaican Recordings)
A collection of dub cuts from legendary Jamaican producer Bunny “Striker” Lee from the Justice label era circa 1975-1977.
Various Artists – Music From The Mountain Provinces LP (Numerophon)
In 1988, David Blair Stiffler risked life and limb to document under-recorded cultural groups living lives of extreme isolation in the mountainous Philippine regions of Nueva Ecija, Aurora, and Luzon. These are the fruits of that expedition. In the grand tradition of ethnographic recordings that made up the majority of Folkways’ vast and significant catalog comes Music From The Mountain Provinces. By the mid-1980s, David Blair Stiffler was already a most-decorated recordist, with eight Folkways LPs under his belt. These are among the most obscure documents in the entire Folkways catalog.
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