CDs + Vinyl:
5 Seconds Of Summer – Live SOS CD (Capitol)
Live release from the Australian pop band.
Charlie XCX – Sucker CD (Atlantic)
The new pop queen’s sophomore album features the badass floor-filler “Break The Rules.” “After years of being a critical darling Charli XCX assisted Iggy Azalea on the song of the summer and landed her own ‘Boom Clap’ on the soundtrack for The Fault In Our Stars. Sucker is her second studio album, and it’s a record that seeks to bend the mainstream to its will rather than conform to its reigning trends.” [7.6] — Pitchfork
Corrections House – Writing History In Advance CD (War Crime)
Corrections House (Mike IX Williams of Eyehategod, Scott Kelly of Neurosis, Bruce Lamont of Bloodiest/Yakuza and Sanford Parker of Minsk) is a mysterious collective of lost souls that embrace the unkind, the diseased, the forgotten, the morose and their much anti-soundscapes and shadowy verses – both at once hideously beautiful, graceful and terrifying creeps forth from this, their first live recording.
Gov’t Mule – Darkside Of The Mule CD/3xCD+DVD (Evil Teen)
This archival live release features a full set of Pink Floyd covers the band recorded on Halloween 2008 at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston, MA. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features three CDs of the entire performance (three hours of music), plus a DVD of the entire show mixed for stereo and 5.1 surround. Vinyl version due January 13. “These new archival live releases just further [the concept of 2013’s Shout!, which sounds like Gov’t Mule but doesn’t sound like anything we had ever done],” guitarist Warren Haynes told Classic Rock, “and allow us to highlight some of our influences as well as how far we’ve come since the first album.”
Gravenhurst – Flashlight Seasons/Black Holes In The Sand [Reissue/2003/2004] 2xCD/LP/LP (Warp Records)
This year Gravenhurst celebrates a decade of work on Warp Records with the reissue of two classic albums, Flashlight Seasons and Black Holes In the Sand. 2004’s Flashlight Seasons quickly earned Gravenhurst a devoted fan base, consistently strong support from the music press, and cemented Nick Talbot’s reputation as a unique talent, and one of the most original British singer-songwriter and producers of his generation. Black Holes In The Sand, a noisier and more overtly lo-fi record of dark pastoral psychedelia firmly established an enduring Gravenhurst aesthetic: enigmatic lyrics, ghostly and virtuoso finger-picked guitars against a backdrop of cinematic, shape-shifting, semi conscious sonic textures; subliminal transmissions from the surrounding landscape. (Sadly, Nick Talbot passed away recently, so these reissues are oddly timed.) Each reissue also available separately on vinyl.
Jonny Greenwood – Inherent Vice [OST/Score] CD (Nonesuch)
Original score to Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood.
Peter Hammill – All That Might Have Been CD/LP (Fie)
This is not a disc of conventional songs, though the fragments from which its formed originally came from discrete examples of the standard form. Written and recorded over an 18 month period – the longest ever for a PH solo work – the album has gone through many transformations before arriving in this final form. It’s not a concept album as such but its use of jagged soundscapes and elusive plotlines place it closer to a cinematic world than a narrative song one. The sound palate consists of guitars, synths, crushed beats and, of course, insistent vocals. This is unlike Peter has attempted before. The music is continuous, cross-fading from one piece to another.
The Kinks – The Anthology 1964-1971 5xCD (Sanctuary)
100+ song collection features remastered Pye label-era classics alongside more than two-dozen previously unreleased recordings, including demos, interviews, session outtakes, and more.
Last Dominion Lost – Towers Of Silence CD/LP (Epicurean Escapism)
John Murphy (Krank, Knifeladder, Shining Bril, ex-SPK), Julian Percy (Ratbag), and Jon Evans show how loud and infernal the silence of ending can be imagined. Screams of rage and anxiety intermingle with shouts of warriors (or the croaking of vultures gathered around corpses) until all is buried under an avalanche of infernal noise.
Nicki Minaj – Pinkprint CD (Cash Money)
Looking to depart from the dance-pop elements from her previous studio album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, Minaj wanted to make a follow-up record influenced by her traditional hip-hop beginnings. She collaborated with producers including Boi-1da, Cirkut, Da Internz, Detail, Dr. Luke, and Polow da Don to achieve her desired sound. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds bonus tracks.
Muck & The Mires – Dial ‘M’ For Muck! CD/LP (Dirty Water)
Boston’s International ambassadors of garage rock ‘n’ roll have once again teamed up with Jim Diamon (White Stripes) and Kim Fowley for an explosive 12-song scorcher of an album. Fowley describes the band as a cross between the 1964 Beatles and the 1977 Ramones.
Take That – III CD (Hip-O)
New album from the UK lads now slimmed down to a trio. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, featuring the singles “These Days” and “Get Ready For It.”
Trip Shakespear – Are You Shakespearienced? [Reissue/1988] CD/LP (Omnivore)
Trip Shakespear – Applehead Man [Reissue/1988] CD/LP (Omnivore)
Expanded reissues with bonus tracks. When people think of the “Minneapolis sound,” most ears point to Prince. But there were many other highly revered and influential bands on the scene in the ’80s and ’90s, Trip Shakespeare, certainly among them. Matt Wilson and Elaine Harris met at Harvard and began playing together while Matt’s hometown music scene was exploding with not only Prince, but bands like Hüsker Dü and The Replacements. Matt asked Elaine to head back to Minneapolis with him, where they hooked up with Matt’s friend, John Munson to form Trip Shakespeare.
Ultra – Delirious Elaborations 4xCD (Dom America)
The entire recorded output of the ‘classic’ Ultra lineup of St. Degeneratus (Jon Carlson), Herr Mucke (Christoph Heemann) and Dr Tengelmann (Achim Flaam). Ultra worked with a feral intelligence and mysterious, satirical element that embraces themes of prostitution, abuse and immense obsession. Contains Youthful Pleasures, Zoll, Spray/Death/Ultra and Roman Holiday.
Various Artists – Epicurean Escapism CD+DVD (Epicurean Escapism)
Right on time for the third Epicurean Escapism Festival, The Epicurean & Silken Tofu release another compilation, which is not a mere re-issue of the “Epicurean Escapism” tape released in 2012, but a completely new work with new and exclusive tracks by IRM, Krank, Jarl as well as a collaboration track by Human Larvae & Anemone Tube. Apart from this, the set includes a DVD with collected video works by IRM mastermind Martin Bladh and a 24-page catalogue with essays and artwork by the same artist.
Wreckless Eric Presents The Hitsville House Band – 12 O’Clock Stereo CD/LP (Fire)
12 O’Clock Stereo is Wreckless Eric’s town and country album, a strange and at times uneasy mix of garage, pop, country and old time rhythm ‘n’ blues. Urban songs set in a grim, concrete world where the beer is flowing like piss, and abandoned lovers cry themselves to sleep between nylon bed sheets.
Y.G. – Blame It On The Streets CD+DVD (Def Jam)
New release from the rapper. The CD includes five new tracks, two remixes of songs from his first album, My Krazy Life and one live cut. The DVD contains a 30-minute short movie. Y.G. is an emerging emcee from Compton, California. He’s gone on to release five mixtapes, and he also owns and operates his own imprint, Pu$haz Ink, which is currently home to DJ Mustard (who acts as president), PC, Reem Riches, TeeCee48000 and Ty Dolla $ign.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Asking Alexandria – Live From Brixton And Beyond DVD (Sumerian)
Full DVD featuring a live concert, documentary and the complete story of the band. 76 minutes.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Perry Botkin And Morgan Aimes – Silent Night, Deadly Night 2xLP (Death Waltz)
Perry Botkin’s jolly old score to the controversial 1984 slasher flick Silent Night, Deadly Night. Composer Botkin is no slouch in the recording world, arranging for Bobby Darin, Harry Nilsson, and Barbra Streisand. His score is both chaotic and tragic; crashing sounds of distorted percussion are punctuated by both synth and acoustic piano, reflecting the sheer damage that has been done to Billy’s mind. Limited pressing on transparent red and transparent Green Vinyl.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – From Her To Eternity [Reissue/1984] LP+MP3 (Mute)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Firstborn Is Dead [Reissue/1985] LP+MP3 (Mute)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Your Funeral… My Trial [Reissue/1986] 2xLP+MP3 (Mute)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Kicking Against The Pricks [Reissue/1986] LP+MP3 (Mute)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissues of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ first four albums. Round two due in February 2015.
Don Christenson/Joel Harris/Julia Heywood – Christmas Evil (You Better Watch Out) 10” (Deathwaltz)
Vinyl issue of the score to the classic 1980 yuletide slasher movie. Like many horror soundtracks of the era, synthesizers dominate, with melodies similar to John Carpenter’s legendary Halloween, only in a happier and more deranged fashion. Wild and swirling synths acts as a window into the mind of Harry and what seems to be a nervous breakdown, and a menacing mix of foreboding notes and seasonal bells, all leading up to the ending that’s frankly crackers. Pearlescent white vinyl.
Philip Corner – Through Two More-Than Mysterious Barricades LP+MP3 (Roaratorio)
Two very different takes on “Les Barricades Mistérieuses,” the harpsichord gem by French Baroque composer François Couperin. The first dates from 1992, in collaboration with dancer Paulette Sears (who provides the “singings and screamings” of the album’s subtitle) and moves from a frenzy of abstraction to a more meditative zone, with diversions and tributaries along the way. The second, from 2004, is a rougher beast, recorded with wildly over-saturated levels; the tape machine itself becomes a participant in the performance, with its heavy distortion bringing out storm clouds of overtones from Philip Corner’s piano.
Cream – 1966-1972 7xLP (Polygram)
This vinyl box set brings together the epic band’s six, career-spanning studio and live albums. Each LP retains authenticity with original artwork is pressed on HQ-180gm, heavyweight audiophile vinyl. All are housed in a structured slipcase box.
Death Cab For Cutie – Something About Airplanes [Reissue/1998] LP+MP3 (Barsuk)
Death Cab For Cutie – We Have The Facts And We’re Voting Yes [Reissue/2000] LP+MP3 (Barsuk)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissues of DCFC’s first two albums.
Paul Di’Anno – Beast Arises 2xLP (Metal Mind)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New live album from the original voice of Iron Maiden, Paul Di’Anno.
Yvan Etienne – Feu LP (Aposiopese)
This French artist, activist, and sound art researcher uses electronics, phonography, analog synthesizers and the hurdy-gurdy to question the perception and physicality of sound spaces.
Ronnie Fauss – Built To Break LP+MP3 (Normal Town)
Fauss, who was described in Vanity Fair as “a cross between Steve Earle and Gram Parsons,” recorded the eleven new songs over five months in almost as many cities: Colleyville, Nashville, Dallas and Chicago. Built To Break finds Fauss trading verses with Old 97’s frontman Rhett Miller on “Eighteen Wheels,” a rolling barroom ode to long-distance trucking that simultaneously pays tribute to Fauss’ myriad influences: Hank, Waylon, Willie, Cash, Dylan and Emmylou.
Foreseen HKI – Helsinki Savagery CD (20 Buck Spin)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Finnish metal band. An explosive burst of raw crossover, Helsinki Savagery fuses the 1980s iterations of US thrash (Vio-lence, Exodus) and urban hardcore (Cro-Mags, Leeway) to create a merciless album.
Frazey Ford – Indian Ocean LP (Nettwerk)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. During the creative cycle of writing for her latest, Indian Ocean, in profound synchronicity, Frazey Ford received and invitation to record in Memphis with Al Green’s iconic back up band. The resulting album is a masterwork soul album with Frazey’s smoulderingly urgent vocals, emotionally raw lyrics, and muddy-road folk effortlessly melting into the elegant earthiness of soul music’s finest musicians.
Genesis – Nursery Crime [Reissue/1971] LP (Atlantic)
Genesis – Foxtrot [Reissue/1972] LP (Atlantic)
Genesis – Selling England By The Pound [Reissue/1973] LP (Atlantic)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissues of Genesis’s third, fourth and fifth albums.
Thee Goochie Boyz – Fast Food For The Teenage Soul/OOPS! LP (Windian)
Compiling both of the band’s Burger Records tape-only releases, this vinyl issue fits 22 tracks of loose and rough pop on a single platter. This twofer follows the Boiz (which features members of the Happy Jawbone Family Band) as they progress from the go-get ’em one-minute Ramones rockers of 2011’s OOPS! to the quirky punk gems that appear on 2013’s perfectly named Fast Food For The Teenage Soul.
Gossling – Harvest Of Gold CD (Nettwerk)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Gossling’s (aka Australia native Helen Croome) debut LP follows the critically lauded EPs that earned her a stellar 2014 set at SXSW where Elle, Esquire and Buzzfeed named her as an artist to watch in 2014. With lush textures and vocal hooks that deftly weaves complex emotional themes throughout, Croome’s gorgeous pop songcraft has already featured on popular television shows, including So You Think You Can Dance, American Horror Story, Nashville, Gossip Girl and Graceland.
Gravenhurst – Offerings: Lost Songs 2000-2004 LP (Warp)
A compilation of unreleased material from Gravenhurst’s formative years.
Kim Grey – Santa Knows (I’ve Been Bad) 7” (Kingfisher Bluez)
A Christmas original from the singer of the excellent Vancouver garage rock upstarts Skinny Kids. Proceeds donated to 1-800-SUICIDE, a prevention hotline.
Neil Hamburger – Great Phone Calls [Reissue/1992] LP (Ipecac)
Despite his appalling comic timing, muddled delivery, and clichéd material, stand-up Neil Hamburger nevertheless emerged as one of the most acclaimed and name-checked comedians of his generation; like Lenny Bruce before him, he was a hipster icon whose trailblazing riffs defied conventions at every turn, transcending the confines of hilarity with kamikaze recklessness. Prior to his ascendance, comedians were expected not only to be funny, but insightful as well; Hamburger changed all that forever, in the process earning so much respect from our cultural tastemakers that his records appeared exclusively on only the most rarefied indie-rock labels. This is a reissue of his classic album of funny prank phone calls.
J Rider – No Longer Anonymous LP+MP3 (Machu Picchu)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After the 1976 release of Inside The Shadow, the band Anonymous decided to change their name to J Rider and pursued a similar rich vein of impeccable songwriting, but this time adding more hard rock to the mix. Remastered and restored by Warren Defever for maximum brilliance.
Ju And Kjetil Moster – Ju Meets Monster LP (Rarenoise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Worlds collide when the raucous Budapest-based underground power trio Ju (consisting of fire-breathing guitarist Adam Meszaros, rock solid fuzz-bassist Erno Hock and the remarkably flexible drummer Andras Halmos) joins Oslo-based saxophonist Kjetil Moster for this subversive meeting of the minds. A powerful manifesto for ecstatic, exploratory, envelope-pushing, in-the-moment music, mixed by Bill Laswell.
Los Straitjackets – Deke Dickerson Sings The Great Instrumental Hits LP+CD+MP3 (Yep Roc)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The world’s number one instrumental combo team has teamed up with roots-music legend Deke Dickerson to record an album of famous instrumental songs with lost or rewritten lyrics.
Manchester Orchestra – Hope LP (Loma Vista/Concord)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “Cope signified a definitive landmark in Manchester Orchestra’s career. It proved the crowning statement that defined what past albums such as Simple Math and Mean Everything To Nothing built towards and culminated the years of heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears poured in by Andy Hull and his team. As an all—out rock band, dancing from folky to alternative to heavy grunge at times, their guitar—driven disposition often defined them, accompanying the soothing yet pained words of Hull. Now, with years of variance under their belt, a profound sense of maturity and a feeling that they’ve found their true sound at long last (and jeez, was it a fun ride watching them doing so along the way), Hope charters semi—new territory as a stripped down inversion of this year’s release. Bare—boned, packing emotive content minus the electric aspect of the band yet continuing Hull’s narrative structure of the world’s weight bearing down on his shoulders” – Punknews.org.
Rob Mazurek – Alternate Moon Cycles LP+MP3 (International Anthem)
This vinyl-only release is centered on a single-note cornet chant sublimated to supernatural frequencies by trio combination in intimate confines. Features Matt Lux (electric bass) and Mikel Patrick Avery (collapsible pump organ). RIYL: William Basinski, Terry Riley, Justin Walter, Colin Stetson.
McKay – Into You [Reissue/1978] LP (Lion Productions)
Ray “McKay” Pierle and his musically adept brothers and friends partied, jammed and partied some more on Indy’s south side throughout the mid-‘70s, forming a band (Loos) which managed to garner zero media attention at the time. However, Ray’s trusty Teac four-track was always close at hand and countless hours of home recordings were induced onto magnetic tape, as well as a few songs laid down at a local studio. After a brief hiatus, the core members reconvened as McKay, and created their sole document, the 300-press Into You album (1978).
The Melvins – Hold It In LP (Ipecac)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Hold It In is The Melvins’ first studio album as a quartet since 2010’s The Bride Screams Murder. Joining Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover for the 12-song outing are Butthole Surfers’ guitar player Paul Leary and bass player JD Pinkus. “Hold It In is a refreshing piece of fiction in a boring world of fact and bullsh*t” said Osborne. “Paul is one of the best guitar players I have ever heard and Pinkus has an outside the box type of approach to both guitar and bass that you just have to let it ride. I can’t believe this actually happened. I’m thrilled.”
Modey Lemon – Modey Lemon [2002] LP (Mind Cure)
First time on vinyl. While not quite even 15 years old this record is a relic from another era—a time when rock music was still a dominating cultural force, when you could still find a Moog MG-1 in a thrift shop, a time before everything became a just a little but too precious. This record is messy, urgent and electrified the way rock and roll should be.
Mole – RGB LP (Rarenoise)
Mole present themselves now in trio formation, with Japanese wonder bassist Stomu Takeishi on bass duties. Compared to 2012’s What’s The Meaning, the music has become more angular, rhythmic, as always sustained by drummer Hernan Hecht (a Grammy winner as a producer), who incessantly propels the music forward with polyrhythmic virtuosity.
My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Reprise)
My Chemical Romance – Black Parade [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (Reprise)
On their major label debut, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, My Chemical Romance combined punk, metal and emo to create a sound that brought hope to darkness. The follow-up, Black Parade “is way more dramatic, way more theatrical, completely over the top, borderline psychotic,” says frontman Gerard Way.
Old Man Gloom – The Ape Of God I LP (Sige)
Old Man Gloom – The Ape Of God II LP (Sige)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Ape Of God is presented as two separate albums, each with its own unique set of songs. Formed in the late ’90s in the wasteland desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico, by Aaron Turner (Isis, Mamiffer) and drummer Santos Montano, Old Man Gloom began as a simple side project and evolved into something of grandeur.
One Direction – Four CD (Columbia)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fourth album from the British pop stars.
Röyksopp – The Inevitable End 2xLP (Interscope)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Röyksopp’s fifth album is also reportedly the Norwegian electronic pop duo’s last (at least in terms of the full-length album format).
Russian Circles – Enter [Reissue/2006] LP+MP3 (Sargent House)
Vinyl reissue of the post-rock band’s 2006 debut.
Sapat – A Posthuman Guide To The Advent Calendar Origins Of The Peep Show LP (Sophomore Lounge)
Large-group ensemble made up of a cast of Kentucky characters comes in from the hermetic rain field of electric pabulum and renders extraordinary renditions into a maximalist tapestry, laced with concentrated forms of seared-synapse acoustic-retrieval alchemy. This is an album chock full of ideas and sound worlds that obliterate thought—a genre-melting bastard-child of deep psych, art-punk, stoner shred, mass jass, Buddhist operatic, narrative noise, and psychic coaction.
Del Shannon – Further Adventures Of Charles Westover [Reissue/1968] LP (Trouble In Mind)
Upon hearing Shannon’s misunderstood masterpiece for the first time, you gotta wonder – how was this album not a huge hit? Perhaps it was the changing times, music listeners were turning on to heavier sounds, or unwilling to embrace an “older” artists new output, but tunes like the haunting “Silver Birch” and “Gemini” and the cinematic popsike of “Colour Flashing Hair” and “Magical Musical Box” (not to mention the rockin’ “Runnin’ On Back” with its scorching layered lead guitar solos!) found their way into the eardrums of collectors everywhere and the album became an absolute cult classic.
Sin 34 – Do You Feel Safe? LP+MP3 (Sinister Torch)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Formed in the first wave haze of L.A. punk rock, Sin 34 epitomizes the Southern California hardcore scene at the time. Fast, defiant thrash, one part suburban teenage rebellion, one part crass satire, all held together by a thread of reckless adventuring. “Every time I heard Julie Lansfield’s voice I am transported back to my creative/destructive alienated angry punk feminist teenage self and I experience sheer glee, mischief and rage all at the same time!”—Toby Vail, Bikini Kill
Tahiti 80 – Ballroom LP (Minty Fresh)
For their sixth album, Tahiti 80 turned to the production of Richard Swift (Black Keys, The Shins Foxygen) for a darker and sexier sound, to compliment their brand of catchy dance vibes.
Thomas Tilly – Script Geometry LP (Aposiopese)
Script Geometry comes from the idea that something in a tropical forest sounds like and plays within the realms of electronics, music and electronic noise, characteristic from an era long before the birth of biotopes that form this forest and create this sound. Thomas Tilly’s work with density attempts to extract forms that characterize these analogies. Taking these sounds out of their context (near the Nourages scientific research station in French Guiana in the heart of a tropical rainforest, where he stayed for a month in 2013), he rearranges his field recordings as easily as synthesizer patch cables with very little signal processing.
Various Artists – Decadubs 5 2×12” (Hyperdub)
Vinyl-only double-pack companion to Hyperdub 10.4, the fourth and final CD in Hyperdub’s series of collections throughout 2014 to mark the label’s first decade in existence. Both Decadubs 5 and its full-length parental set explore the club spaces opened up by house, garage and techno, as viewed through Hyperdub’s singular filters.
Peggy Young & The Survivors – Lonely In A Crowded Room LP+MP3 (New West)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Lonely In A Crowded Room finds Pegi Young again showcasing her singing and songwriting talents on a rich and well thought out album. Her fourth offering builds on the acclaim and success of the previous three, the first being released in 2007. Mixed in with her original compositions are three well-selected covers: the Allen Toussaint penned/Irma Thomas classic “Ruler Of My Heart,” Spooner Oldham’s “Lonely Women Make Good Lovers,” and “Don t Let Me Be Lonely” by Jerry Ragovoy.
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