CDs + Vinyl:
Abbath – Abbath CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
Debut album from Abbath, the band led by ex-Immortal frontman Olve Eikemo. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe fold-out box edition adds a bonus track, an exclusive patch, wristband, pin, and postcard. “Abbath is an explosive introduction to what happens when an idiosyncratic talent is compelled to redefine their own art while consolidating everything that made him great in the first place. Play it loud and watch as the heavens disintegrate and a new dark power takes to the throne.” – Metal Hammer
Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Arc CDEP/12”+MP3 (Relapse)
“Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s Arc is a masterpiece. And while your response to that news might be ‘Well yeah no duh!’ if Arc were a grind record, it’s not: the first of four separate albums, each in a different style, Arc is a doom album, its charge befittingly led by vocalist Kat Katz, who made her name fronting the slower-than-slow, heavier-than-heavy Salome. That the music on Arc is every bit as good as more ‘traditional’ ANb material is a testament to the genius of Katz and guitarist/producer Scott Hull. In other words: Arc cements Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s position as one of the best metal bands of their time.” – MetalSucks
Cyrille Aimée – Let’s Get Lost CD (Mack Avenue)
In her second Mack Avenue Records recording, the groove-spirited Let’s Get Lost, rising-star vocalist and bandleader Cyrille Aimée wonderfully displays her versatility as a sweet-sounding jazz songbird with a catchy repertoire—from new takes on old-time standards to crowd-pleasing originals and even a hip singer/songwriter tune that closes the 12-song collection.
Anchorsong – Ceremonial CD (Tru Thoughts)
Ceremonial continues the progression of 2014’s incredibly well-received Mawa EP (BBE), on which this ever-curious musician first began to blend the minimalist, catchy melodic phrasing and attention-grabbing beats of his Tru Thoughts debut LP Chapters with a newfound love for vintage African music. Influences from Orchestre Poly-Rythmo to Fela Kuti-style Afrobeat to bluesy High Life now hold sway, while Anchorsong retains the crisp production sensibility and deep, immersive arrangements that have always set his music apart.
Badly Drawn Boy – The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast [Reissue/2000] 2xCD/2xLP/3xLP (XL)
When The Hour Of Bewilderbeast was originally released in 2000, it was met with critical acclaim and won the Mercury Prize that year. The album is both ambitious and extremely entertaining and while it’s not a traditional pop album, it’s a continually beguiling trip through lo-fi postmodern folk, drawing as much from Harry Nilsson as it does Beck. This 15th Anniversary reissue features 16 bonus tracks. ((Vinyl edition is available as a double-LP (Regular) and triple-LP (Deluxe) set.))
Lucian Ban – Songs From Afar CD (Sunnyside Communications)
Featuring saxophonist Abraham Burton, bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson with special guest violist Mat Maneri, Songs From Afar incorporates their extensive knowledge of modern jazz and creative music with the astonishing voice of Transylvanian folk singer Gavril Tarmure to create a program of music with a unique identity that spans continents and styles.
Besnard Lakes – A Coliseum Complex Museum CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
Unique among their furrowed brow peers, The Besnard Lakes are unafraid to marry textured, questing headphone sonics to the honeyed pleasure of radio hits past: the rapture of My Bloody Valentine entwined with the romance of Fleetwood Mac. Imagine dreamy Beach House riding Led Zeppelin dynamics, with unabashedly androgynous vocal harmonies. Channeling their obsessions with the paranormal as well as the dark arts, A Coliseum Complex Museum is populated by crypto-zoological creatures (“The Bray Road Beast,” “Golden Lion”) while also luxuriating in natural phenomena and beauty (“The Plain Moon,” “Nightingale”). These themes are sincere yet good-humored. The LP’s title jokily refers to a landmark-heavy road sign spotted on tour in Texas, the varied emotional impulses within reflected by its environmentally warped artwork.
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath [Reissue/1970] 2xCD/2xLP (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Paranoid [Reissue/1970] 2xCD/2xLP (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Master Of Reality [Reissue/1971] 2xCD/2xLP (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Past Lives [Reissue/2002] 2xCD/2xLP (Rhino)
Remastered and expanded editions of Black Sabbath’s first three albums, each featuring a bonus disc of outtakes. Past Lives was originally released in 2002, but consists of original live recordings from the band’s heyday. The double-disc set includes performances recorded between 1970 and 1975 when the band was at the height of it’s dark powers and includes live versions of “War Pigs,” “Paranoid,” “Snowblind” and “N.I.B.” (Vinyl editions are HQ-180gm.)
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Pond Scum CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)
There are no Peel sessions anymore — that tradition was buried in the pyramids with John Peel himself upon the great man’s passing. Of the thousands left in the wake, six are ascribed to Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and of those six, three have been combined to form the deeply congruous experience of Pond Scum.
Borknagar – Winter Thrice CD/2xLP (Century Media)
New album from the Norwegian epic black metal pioneers.
Brutality – Sea Of Ignorance CD (Ceremonial)
Fourth album from the extreme death metal band.
Kate Campbell – The K.O.A. Tapes (Vol. 1) CD (Large River)
Organic, sparse, and profoundly simple, The K.O.A. Tapes (Vol. 1) was recorded on Kate’s iPhone 5 and/or using two microphones in her living room and at various impromptu locations across America. A select cast of stellar musicians including the legendary Spooner Oldham (B-3 Organ), Missy Raines (Upright Bass), Sally Van Meter (Dobro), Joey Miskulin (Accordion), Laura Boosinger (Banjo), Steve Smith (Mandolin), and John Kirk (Fiddle) added a flourish of subtle embellishments to make The K. O. A Tapes a hum-along listening pleasure.
The Casualties – Chaos Sound CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
The Casualties have been an American punk rock institution for over 25 years. With Failure Sound, the New York stalwarts give voice to the street with a three fists full of smashing anthems. In an age of austerity, corporate takeover of this planet, and rising anger Chaos Sound bristles with counter-culture rage translated into energetic riffing, barking vocals and a heavy dose of rock. Fierce but always melodic, The Casualties remain a far cry from teenage poster-boy industry created sell-outs that have become associated with their style. Instead the band openly draw inspiration from the early punk legends such as The Exploited, Sex Pistols and G.B.H. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features a 70cm x 100cm flag and black carabiner with The Casualties logo.
Chairlift – Moth CD/LP (Columbia)
Third album by the Brooklyn, New York-based synthpop duo. Moth was written and produced by Chairlift over the course of two years in the band’s own studio, which they built in an old pharmaceutical factory in Brooklyn. Throughout the recording process, Patrick Wimberly and Caroline Polachek both pursued other recording projects and collaborations – from Caroline penning a song for Beyoncé and collaborating with SBTRKT and Blood Orange, to Patrick producing for Solange and Wet. Alongside these collaborations, Moth was born. It has strong pop and R&B leanings, but pared with their own distinctly Chairlift style, and led by Caroline’s expressive vocals.
Cluster – Sowiesoso [Reissue/1976] CD/LP (Bureau B)
2016 re-release of Bureau B’s 2009 reissue. The fourth full-length album by legendary German electronic music duo Cluster, originally released on Sky Records in 1976.
Coasts – Coasts CD/2xLP (Sony)
A spirited and hook-driven electro-indie rock outfit based in Bristol, England, Coasts formed in 2011 around the talents of Chris Caines (vocals), Liam Willford (guitar), James Gamage (bass), David Goulbourn (keyboards), and Ben Street (drums). Album single “A Rush Of Blood” was named Zane Lowe’s (BBC Radio 1, Beats 1) ‘Hottest Record’ in October 2014. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds six bonus tracks.
Miles Davis – Paul’s Mall. Boston, September 1972 CD (Hi Hat)
By 1972 Miles Davis was firmly established as the most innovative and influential jazz artist on the planet. Taped between the recording and release of his controversial 1972 On The Corner album, this dense, polyrhythmic set from September 14, 1972, captures the first of four consecutive performances he gave at Paul’s Mall in Boston, showcasing a new Indian-influenced sound, and was originally broadcast on the local WBCN-FM station. The complete broadcast is presented here in digitally remastered sound together with background notes and images.
Death Angel – Frolic Through The Park [Reissue/1988] CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Death Angel – Fall From Grace [Reissue/1990] CD (Metal Blade)
Reissues of the San Francisco thrash metal band’s second and third albums.
Dødheimsgard – Kronet Til Konge [Reissue/1995] 2xCD/LP (Peaceville)
DHG was originally formed in 1994 under the moniker Dødheimsgard is a conjunction of three words: Død which means death, Heim which means home and Gard which means (at least in this context) mansion. Starting out as a pure black metal band featuring Aldrahn, Vicotnik, and Fenriz, they eventually incorporated more electronic, industrial, and experimental elements into their music until they resembled nothing like what they started as, and have now changed their name to DHG. This is a reissue of the band’s debut album, originally released by Malicious Records in 1995. (CD version features a bonus disc.)
Dodsferd – Wastes Of Life CD (Moribund)
On their tenth album, Greece’s Dodsferd deliver an epic metal album filled with acoustic passages and clean vocals, both majestic and avant-garde in its scope and composition.
Dwarves – The Dwarves Are Younger & Even Better Looking [Reissue/1996] CD/Cassette (Burger)
Dwarves – Lick It (The Psychedelic Years) 1983-1986 [Reissue/1998] CD/Cassette (Burger)
Dwarves – Free Cocaine 1986-1988 CD/Cassette (Burger)
Burger Records reissues a few of their favorite albums by the San Francisco punk rock mainstays.
Ehnahre – Douve CD (Kathexis)
The Boston based ensemble Ehnahre has been pioneering an effort to rethink and redefine what metal and extreme music can be, since their debut release in 2008—to equal parts acclaim and condemnation for their sins against the tradition. Their new release, Douve, pushes things even farther into the muddy perimeter, incorporating elements of contemporary classical music, serialism, free improvisation, aleatory, free meter, noise and other experimental techniques.
Failure Anthem – First World Problems CD (Razor & Tie)
Failure Anthem get right to the point on their full-length debut album, First World Problems. The Greensboro, NC quintet—JD [vocals], Ryan [bass, backup vocals], Kile [guitar], Zane [drums], and Wil [rhythm guitars]—architect eleven impactful, invigorating, and infectious anthems with hooks so robust that modern bells and whistles just aren’t necessary. It’s a tried-and-true approach that feels timeless as the boys make hard rock hypnotic again. Like a big screen blockbuster you can’t turn away from, they don’t waste any time reaching the climax.
Fat White Family – Songs For Our Mothers CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Some will hail this hair-raising, pulse-quickening and indignant collection of glitterball disco, smacked out psych, glam funk, heart-breaking torch songs and otherworldly slabs of kraut n’ western as the shot in the arm that independent rock has been ailing after. And a shot in the arm is exactly what this album is. For if modern indie rock, DIY, alt-country – call it what you will – is sick, then the Fat Whites are the pretty nurse with Munchausen’s Syndrome by proxy, pushing down the plunger on the syringe; murdering the bed-ridden patient with a tainted injection right under everyone’s noses. They have witnessed an entire musical scene teetering on the verge of terminal irrelevancy and given it a hard shove void-wards.
Eleanor Friedberger – New View CD/LP (Frenchkiss)
Friedberger and her band recorded this one live-to-tape with producer Clemens Knieper. It opens with first single “He Didn’t Mention His Mother,” a beautifully lush ramble that evokes the greats of the ’70s without aping any of them too closely.
Green River Ordinance – Fifteen CD (Residence Music)
Texas group Green River Ordinance has paired warm melodies and rambunctious Southern rock with songs that center around both enjoying life and the things that matter into their new album, Fifteen.
Grieved – Grieved CD (Prosthetic)
Grieved is a pure dark mid-tempo hardcore sickness in the vein of Cursed — well crafted, passionate and with killer production. Vinyl due February 12.
Half Japanese – Perfect CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Half Japanese’s new album is a collection of songs that feature otherworldly sounds, chaotic rhythms, and weird time signatures, topped off with Jad Fair’s brash vocals and oddball lyrics. Its tracks run the gamut from sweet love songs with overtly sincere lyrics to manic, almost abrasive tracks that seem to end before you can fully wrap your head around them. With Perfect, the legendary indie band manages to combine elements of every genre imaginable into one strange, unpredictable, and undeniably-catchy package.
The High Lamas – Here Come The Rattling Trees CD/LP (Drag City)
With witty, artful musical strokes, Sean O’Hagen and The High Llamas have crafted deft musical sketches with the signature Llamas sound that has evolved over ten album releases since 1992. A colorful array of electric, acoustic, and synthetic instruments, alongside Sean O’Hagan’s gentled vocals, are deployed to transport the listener to the low-key highs and lows of the British working week an incisive, sympathetic view to the wonders slipped in between the pages and too often passed over in everyday life.
Charlie Hilton – Palana CD/LP+MP3 (Captured Tracks)
Enlisting Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait as producer, Hilton freely experimented with diverse sounds and moods — some minimal and some cacophonous — out of the confines of a band structure. “Funny Anyway” is truly stark, featuring only string accompaniments, with Hilton assuming a role akin to a confessional French chanteuse, while “Let’s Go To A Party” is Hilton’s cheeky take on an icy dance track with thick, bouncing synths and a chorus that echoes “I’m only happy when I’m dancing.” Alternatively, tracks like “Pony” harken back to the psychedelic strengths of Blouse, saluting bands like Broadcast and United States of America, and then there’s “100 Million,” the sole track produced by Woods’ Jarvis Taveniere that rounds out the album in a soft, acoustic and light-hearted way with labelmate Mac DeMarco lending his talents on percussion and back-up vocals.
The I Don’t Cares – Wild Stab CD (Dry Wood Music)
Paul Westerberg and Julian Hatfield are The I Don’t Cares.
Jazz Funk Soul – More Serious Business CD (Shanachie)
New album from the smooth jazz trio comprised of Jeff Lorber, Everett Harp and Chuck Loeb.
Jesu/Sun Kil Moon – Jesu/Sun Kil Moon CD (Caldo Verde)
Debut collaboration between Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon) and Justin Broadrick (Jesu), and featuring guests Will Oldham aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, members of Low, Rachel Goswell of Slowdive and Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse.
Aidan Knight – Each Other CD (Full Time Hobby/Outside Music)
New album from the Canadian singer/songwriter. “Each Other was recorded with producer Marcus Paquin (The National, Local Natives) and his band in Bathouse Studio near Millhaven Maximum Security Prison. The process was arduous and detailed, ‘piecing together the raw energy of the live show along with the layered textures that could only be captured in the studio.’ Speaking about the process, Knight says: ‘Marcus, guided an unruly collection of ideas and a sometimes impulsive person (me) with remarkable patience (Marcus is also a new father).’ Each Other was mixed over a very cold winter by Mathieu Parisian, known for his work with Patrick Watson and Karkwa, and very familiar with intricately elaborate recordings.” – The Line Of Best Fit
Lush – Chorus 5xCD (4AD)
Formed in London in 1988 by childhood friends Emma Anderson and Miki Berenyi, Lush expertly fused melody and guitars to create a sound that was christened ‘shoegaze’ well after they released their first records. Over the course of a decade, the band (which also included Chris Acland on drums and Steve Rippon on bass, later replaced by Phil King) released three studio albums – Spooky (1992), Split (1994) and Lovelife (1996). In addition, they put out a mini-album Scar (1989) and a string of EPs that were used to create the compilations Gala (1990) and Topolino (1996), two albums that would ultimately bookend their story. Following the death of Chris Acland in late 1996, the band called it quits. Now, coinciding with the news that the remaining members are to reunite next year, the long-awaited Lush anthology is finally here. Spread over five CDs and housed in a beautiful hardbound book (designed by long-time associate and former v23 collaborator Chris Bigg), Chorus consists of all three studio albums, both singles compilations and a wealth of previously unreleased demos, radio sessions, remixes and rarities.
Megadeth – Dystopia CD/LP (T-Boy)
The thrash metal titans storm back onto the scene with their 15th studio album, Dystopia. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a Ceek VR cardboard headset and a download code which allows access to a virtual five-song mini-concert.
Milk ‘n’ Cookies – Milk ‘n’ Cookies 2xCD (Captured Tracks)
Milk ‘n’ Cookies are the stuff of legends — or would be legends. Forming in the early ‘70s in Long Island, New York, this power pop group was originally signed to Island Records and seemed destined for greatness. Yet, through many cases of “wrong place, wrong time,” the band never managed to break. The core line-up of the band was made up of Ian North, Justin Strauss, Sal Maida and Mike Ruiz and, in their time, they played classic NYC venues like CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City. They shared bills with everyone from Talking Heads to The Ramones and have amassed a cult following, influencing the likes of Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and Debbie Harry (Blondie). After working extensively with the band members, Milk ‘n’ Cookies is a lavish reissue of the group’s entire recorded output. Vinyl edition due February 5.
Mueran Humanos – Miseress CD/LP (ATP Recordings)
On their sophomore album, Mueran Humanos, the Argentinian but Berlin based duo made up by Carmen Burguess and Tomás Nochteff, continue their post punk, industrial inflected synth explorations first introduced on their 2011 self-titled debut album.
Muslimgauze – Abyssinia Selasie CD (Staalplaat)
Muslimgauze – Libya Tour Guide CD (Staalplaat)
Although Bryn Jones’s work as Muslimgauze certainly counts dub among it’s influences, rarely is that influence treated as directly or centrally as it is on many of the tracks found on Abyssinia Selasie. A rarity among the material Jones left behind after his death in 1999, this release features previously unreleased material that Jones had titled, unlike many of the tapes he had submitted but hadn’t gotten around to preparing for release. Originally issued as the third LP in the limited-edition Tandoori Dog box set (1998), Libya Tour Guide is reissued here as a standalone CD following corresponding editions of the box’s first two discs, Jaagheed Zarb (2008) and Tandoor Dog, and again the increased space of the CD medium has allowed for the inclusion of previously unreleased material from the original tape.
NAIMA – Bye CD (Cuneiform)
NAIMA is a modern jazz piano trio that looks to split the difference between the high-energy of The Bad Plus and the spirited elegance of Brad Mehldau’s trio.
Octagrape – Aura Obelisk CD/2xLP/Cassette (Sounds Familyre)
San Diego garage rockers return with their new full-length recorded with Chris Woodhouse (Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall) and Ben Moore (Hot Snakes, Pinback). “This San Diego combo exercise some blowtorch psychedelic punk in the spirit of Mainliner, Swell Maps, Major Stars and other faves of this program.” – Brian Turner, WFMU
Aoife O’Donovan – In The Magic Hour 2xCD/LP (Yep Roc)
In The Magic Hour, Aoife (pronounced EEE-fah) O’Donovans follow-up to her debut, Fossils, was produced by Grammy-nominated producer Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Neko Case) and includes special guest musicians Chris Thile, Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz on many songs. Lead single “Magic Hour” displays O’Donovan’s ever-evolving style and strength in songwriting. “The King Of All Birds” brings a lush orchestral arrangement, odd timing, and an erratic melody that you wont soon forget. In The Magic Hour expands past Aoife’s roots in folk and bluegrass, however, she hasn’t forgotten her roots. Limited edition double-CD adds a six-track bonus disc.
The Ed Palermo Big Band – One Child Left Behind CD (Cuneiform)
The Ed Palermo Big Band is led by alto saxist and arranger Ed Palermo; he has had this big band with much of the same personnel for 35 years. The band is a 16-piece ensemble of five woodwind players, two trumpeters, three trombonists, two keyboardists, guitar, violin, bass and drums. Ed made his and his big band’s name as an interpreter of the music of Frank Zappa. There are plenty of works by Zappa on this disc, but you will also find works by Los Lobos, Neil Young, Giorgio Moroder and Lieber & Stoller.
Paquito & Manzanero – Paquito D’Rivera Plays The Music Of Armando Manzanero CD (Sunnyside Communication)
For his latest recording, the great woodwind master Paquito D’Rivera illuminates the incredible work of Manzanero in Paquito’s favored idiom: Latin jazz. Along with his fantastic ensemble, featuring members like trumpeter Diego Urcola, drummer Antonio Sanchez and Manzanero himself, on vocals. D Rivera shows why Manzanero has been celebrated across the globe.
Penetration Moon – Penetration Moon CD/Cassette (Burger)
Penetration Moon’s unreleased 1991 full-length of snotty punk classics featuring Blag Dahlia of the Dwarves.
Pillar Point – Marble Mouth CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Marble Mouth speaks for itself as loudly as the records Scott Reitherman blasted in his childhood bedroom, from the twitchy post-punk of Talking Heads to the Top 40 takeovers of Michael and Janet Jackson. Featuring a hybrid approach to the presentation of its heavyweight pop hooks, the album plants one foot firmly in the ’80s, with the other exploring the outer realm of ultramodern electronic music.
Pop. 1280 – Paradise CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
Paradise builds on 2013’s Imps Of Perversion LP by venturing further outside of traditional notions of punk, and diving even deeper into outer sounds. Synthesizers, mechanized drum machines, and samplers play as critical a role on the record as the more familiar squall of Ivan Drip’s buzzsaw guitar and Chris Bug’s vocals.
Promise & The Monster – Feed The Fire CD/LP (Bella Union)
“There’s something darkly seductive about Billie Lindahl’s debut release for Bella Union as Promise & The Monster, drawing you in to a Wicker Man-like web that’s simultaneously unnerving and exhilarating. Ostensibly an alt-folk album, Feed The Fire is a slow-burner, only tentatively pushed along by vapour-thin vocals and gentle acoustics that can occasionally drift over towards the intangible.” – Loud And Quiet
Roly Porter – Third Law CD/LP (Tri Angle)
As one half of pioneering duo Vex’d (alongside Jamie Teasdale, aka, Kuedo), Roly Porter was intrinsic in the development of what would come to be known as dubstep. When Vex’d decided to go their separate ways in the mid ‘00s Roly pursued a solo career in an attempt to escape the genre constraints he felt had become a restriction. With two solo albums behind him (Aftertime and Life Cycle Of A Massive Star), his output has primarily been fueled by a desire to write beat-less music, something Roly is keen to specify he doesn’t view as being the same as ambient music.
Savages – Adore Life CD/LP+MP3 (Matador)
Savages’ sophomore album is “audibly the work of a band making efforts to outrun their initial influences and trying to find a path beyond a debut that seemed so fully formed – image, sound and manifesto all neatly worked out – that it was hard to imagine how they might develop it further without tumbling into self-parody. The guitars are still serrated, but Adore Life feels looser and slightly more relaxed than its predecessor. The listener feels a little less like every song is being screamed at them, an inch and a half away from their face. The mood is, well, moodier. The lyrics are less ascetic, immersed as they mostly are in the vagaries of love and relationships.” – The Guardian
Ty Segal – Emotional Mugger CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)
“Emotional Mugger neither abandons Segall’s penchant for classically raw rock ‘n’ roll attitude nor does it find him resting in place. The record makes adjustments toward more sophisticated compositions, with sudden shifts in tempo, more varied guitar effects, and unexpectedly complex drum patterns taking a more forward position in Segall’s previously slim arsenal. It’s also his messiest, most caustic album yet, taking the grit of his beloved garage rock to extreme new levels even he has never played with in his extensive discography.” – Pop Matters
Shearwater – Jet Plane And Oxbow CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
“Formed in 1999 by Okkervil River’s multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Meiburg and Will Sheff as an outlet for their quieter songs, Shearwater has evolved to cinematic music on a grand scale. Jet Plane And Oxbow is perhaps their loudest and boldest album, yet it is populated with intricate patterns and delicate passages linking it all together. Listening to the dynamic opening track ‘Prime’ with its unusual instrumentation (including hammered dulcimer), you are instantly sucked into its dreamy soundscape. Meiburg keeps the listener riveted by both the song’s beauty and its ambitious reach. “Quiet Americans” is an odd choice for the album’s first single, maybe because of the uneasiness it evokes. Even as the song’s bridge entrances you, Meiburg’s slightly dour outlook puts the listener off kilter. Yet, there is a bit of lightness in the song’s final third with some sparkling piano to tie it all up with a bow. Now, to me, ‘A Long Time Away’ is a better choice for a single, perhaps because it amps up the volume, has a great set of lyrics, and a wonderful sing-along chorus. The beat surges along with the song’s tempo and ends with the faint ringing of bells.” – Big Takeover
Bruce Soord – Bruce Soord CD/LP (Kscope)
Having wanted to make a solo album for many years, Bruce Soord (The Pineapple Thief) found himself taking surprising paths to create this record; here he has explored the softer, dreamier side of his song-writing – more acoustic in nature, whilst retaining depth in its arrangement.
Sweet Honey In The Rock – #LoveInEvolution CD (Appleseed)
Now in its fourth decade, the renowned female African-American a cappella group Sweet Honey In The Rock shows off a new four-voice line-up that continues its ongoing evolution. Their first first studio recording in nine years, #LoveInEvolution’s breathtaking layers of voices often carry a strong sense of social and ecological urgency on original songs such as “Second Line Blues,” which challenges the current eruption of racial violence, and “Oh, Sankofa,” an angry summation of the last century of historical injustice against blacks.
Tank – Sex, Love & Pain II CD (Atlantic)
Follow-up to the smoove R&B singer’s 2007 album Sex, Love & Pain.
Tindersticks – The Waiting Room CD/LP (City Slang)
“There’s something very elemental about Tindersticks’ new album/video project, like a frayed nerve spewing forth pure, unadulterated feeling. Yet the album accomplishes this with impressively few components. It’s a quiet and tense work, with arrangements stripped to their bare essentials, emphasizing the negative space in much the same way as the donkey-headed figure sits in front of blackness on the album’s cover, made all the more striking for the simplicity of the background. Whilst Tindersticks have been making music since 1991, they have never sounded more present and more urgent than they do on The Waiting Room” – Renowned For Sound. (Vinyl format includes a companion DVD showcasing renowned filmmakers from around the globe. A track by track interpretation of the music on the album, it features new work from Christoph Girardet, Pierre Vinour, Claire Denis, Rosie Pedlow and Joe King, Gregorio Graziosi, Richard Dumas and Gabriel Sanna, and Stuart Staples.)
Tortoise – The Catastrophist CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Simply put, Tortoise has spent nearly 25 years making music that defies description. While the Chicago-based instrumental quintet has nodded to dub, rock, jazz, electronica and minimalism throughout its revered and influential six-album discography, the resulting sounds have always been distinctly, even stubbornly, their own. It’s a fact that remains true on The Catastrophist, Tortoise’s first studio album in nearly seven years. And it’s an album where moody, synth-swept jams like the opening title track cozy up next to hypnotic, bass-and-beat missives like “Shake Hands With Danger” and a downright strange cover of David Essex’s 1973 radio smash “Rock On” sung by U.S. Maple’s Todd Rittman. Also included is the bittersweet, honest-to-goodness soul ballad “Yonder Blue,” sung by Yo La Tengo’s Georgia Hubley.
Tricky presents Skilled Mechanics – Skilled Mechanics CD/LP+CD (False Idols/!K7)
Formed by Tricky after a move to Berlin earlier this year, Skilled Mechanics is a collaborative project that allows the producer and vocalist to work with many different artists, while at the same time pushing his unique vocal talents to the forefront.
Ulver – ATGCLVLSSCAP CD/2xLP (House Of Mythology)
ATGCLVLSSCAP consists of multi-tracked and studio-enhanced live, mostly improvisational, rock and electronic soundscapes, two-thirds of which has never been heard before.
Various Artists – 2016 Grammy Nominees CD (Republic)
The 22nd installment of the series features 21 Grammy-nominated artists, including Album Of The Year nominees Alabama Shakes, Kendrick Lamar, Chris Stapleton, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, as well as Best New Artist nominees Courtney Barnett, James Bay, Sam Hunt, Tori Kelly and Meghan Trainor among others.
Various Artists – Beating The Bars: Twisted Tales From Vinyl Wastelands CD/LP (Trailer Park)
The Twisted Tales From The Vinyl Wastelands series takes the listener on a dark adventure, a wrong turn into a bizarre, alternate world of American country music performed by small town, unknown hicks. The second volume, Beating On The Bars, collects eighteen ultra-rare hillbilly 45s recorded for long-lost independent record labels. The theme this time is incarceration the county lock-ups, state pens and prisons. When Johnny Cash released his live at Fulsom Prison and San Quentin LPs to critical acclaim and commercial success, small-town hopefuls rushed into backwoods recording studio across the South to tell their own tales of crime and punishment. Until now, most of these records lay forgotten in the solitary confinement of the bargin bins.
Various Artists – The Boston Creative Jazz Scene: 1970-1983 CD/2xLP (Cultures Of Soul)
In the 1970s Boston was a fertile ground for a very creative jazz scene. Small, independent venues ranging from lofts to churches to clubs opened up to support this thriving backdrop while jazz musicians set up their own labels. The music here runs the gamut of funky jazz from Arnie Cheatham’s “Thing” to the deep free jazz of the Phill Musra Group or the spoken word brilliance of Worlds, to the complex metric structures of Stanton Davis’ “Play Sleep.” Includes 80-page book.
Various Artists – Disco Love Vol. 4 2xCD/2xLP (BBE)
Scotland’s foremost (possibly only) disco obsessive returns with a fourth volume in the critically acclaimed Disco Love series. Previous volumes had critics saying things like “Some of it is risqué, cheesy and (may I say) sexy. Great stuff for us disco-geeks” and “A real gem for the disco connoisseurs” and “This will enhance any deep disco collection” and “the ever-reliable Glaswegian crate digger unearths even more dusty gems” and “Just when you think that Al Kent guy is not going to get you again, he assembles a third Disco Love that is more stimulating than the first two volumes” and, less excitingly, “The mastering and sound quality is great.” Vol. 4 features fifteen more obscure disco tracks (or at the very least soul records you could dance to), most of which were pressed in limited quantities before sinking without trace, including five very special edited and extended versions and a DJ mixed second CD.
Various Artists – Studio One Showcase: The Sound Of Studio One In The 1970s CD/2xLP (Soul Jazz)
This compilation presents an overview of the ground-breaking decade of the 1970s at Studio One, during an era where, despite challenges from new producers, political turmoil, and almost constant musical and technological innovations in reggae, Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd was able to maintain his position as the pioneering leader in reggae music, and to maintain Studio One is the number one sound in reggae music. A fine selection of classic tracks from Horace Andy, Freddy McGregor, Johnny Osbourne, Lone Ranger, Sugar Minott, The Heptones, Wailing Souls and other seminal reggae artists.
Steven Wilson – 4 ½ CD/LP/Blu-ray Audio (Kscope)
An interim release between Hand. Cannot. Erase. and his next album, Steven Wilson’s 4 ½ comprises six tracks with a total running time of 37 minutes. Four of the songs originated during the sessions for Hand. Cannot. Erase. and one from the recording sessions for The Raven That Refused To Sing. The final track is a new version of “Don’t Hate Me” — a song recorded by Porcupine Tree in 1998 — based on a live recording made on the recent tour of Europe, with additional recording in the studio. The vocals on this new version are sung as a duet between Steven and Ninet Tayeb. (The Blu-ray Audio edition includes high res stereo, a 5.1 mix of the album, plus six bonus instrumentals and alternative mixes including a 5.1 mix of the 2015 version of “Lazarus.”)
Adrian Younge presents Venice Dawn – Something About April II CD/2xLP (Linear Labs)
Recorded with a collection of rare instruments, Something About April II advances Younge’s musical paradigm with enterprising concepts, and grander compositions, synthesizing the boundaries between dark American soul, and classic European cinema. This latest release features an array of entrancing vocalists: Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab) and Bilal, perform duets on “Step Beyond” and “La Ballade,” reminiscent of duets from Serge Gainsborg & Jane Birkin; Raphael Saadiq blends “Black Jazz” vocals with psychedelic soul on “Magic Music,” while Israeli star, Karolina, delivers haunting chants over concertos like “Hear My Love” and “Winter Is Here.” Long time Adrian Younge collaborator Loren Oden croons as if the apparent ghost of Donnie Hathaway created one last love song with “Sandrine” and “Sittin’ by the Radio.”
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Ritchie Blackmore – The Ritchie Blackmore Story DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle Vision)
From his pop roots with The Outlaws and his many session recordings in the sixties, through defining hard rock with Deep Purple and Rainbow in the ‘70s and ‘80s and on to the renaissance rock of Blackmore’s Night, Ritchie has proved that he is a master of the guitar across a multitude of styles. The Ritchie Blackmore Story tells the story of his remarkable career through extensive specially recorded new interviews with Ritchie himself plus contributions from many of his colleagues and admirers including: Brian May, Glenn Hughes, Lars Ulrich, Steve Lukather, Joe Satriani, the late Jon Lord, David Coverdale, Gene Simmons, Joe Lynn Turner, Steve Vai, Graham Bonnet and Ian Anderson.
The Jam – About The Young Idea DVD/2xDVD+CD/Blu-ray+DVD (Eagle Vision)
About The Young Idea is the story of The Jam. It charts their career from formation in the early ‘70s, through the heady days of chart success and on to their break up in 1982. The program features extensive, brand new interviews with Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler alongside archive performance footage and new contributions from fans, journalists and many involved in the band’s career. The package contains About The Young Idea on the Blu-ray and When You’re Young, The Jam’s previously unreleased performance on famous German TV show Rockpalast from 1980 on the DVD.
Straight Outta Compton – DVD/Blu-ray (Universal Studios)
Straight Outta Compton tells the true story of how five young cultural rebels — armed only with their lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent — stood up to the authorities that meant to keep them down and formed the world’s most dangerous group, N.W.A. And as they spoke the truth that no one had before and exposed life in the hood, their voice ignited a social revolution that is still reverberating today. “An electrifying piece of hip-hop history that speaks urgently to right now.” — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
African Head Charge – My Life In A Hole In The Ground [Reissue/1981] LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge – Environmental Studies [Reissue/1982] LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge – Drastic Season [Reissue/1983] LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge – Off The Beaten Track [Reissue/1986] LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge was famously born in Berry Street Studios “Hole In The Ground.” A punk face pulled at the pretentions of Eno & Byrne’s “vision of a psychedelic Africa.” Taking the piss yet still fascinated by the possibilities. The “group” centered on Adrian Sherwood, Kishi Yamamoto, drummers Charlie “Eskimo” Fox & Style Scott, Crucial Tony’s guitar, Doctor Pablo on a variety of keys, and master percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah, with the late night sessions, as with collectives Singers & Players and New Age Steppers, pulling in a variety of orbiting On-U sympathizers. My Life In A Hole In The Ground saw cameos from Prince Far I (as Prince Cry Cry), George Oban, Mr. Magoo, Maximum Joy’s Tony Wrafter and the Pop Group’s John Waddington. Environmental Studies added the horns of Deadly Headley, Dave “Flash” Wright and Steve Beresford. London Underground`s Martin Frederix sat in on Drastic Season, while Jah Wobble and Ministry`s Al Jourgensen contributed to Off The Beaten Track.
Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope [Reissue/2002] LP+MP3 (Relapse)
Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Altered States Of America [Reissue/2003] LP+MP3 (Relapse)
A pair of reissues by the grindcore band that have been out of print on vinyl for over a decade.
Akercocke – The Goat Of Mendes [2001] LP (Peaceville)
Akercocke was a British death metal band with overt black metal, progressive rock and electronic influences. This is the first time the band’s second album, The Goat Of Mendes, has been available on vinyl.
Arca – Mutant 2xLP (Mute)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from Kanye West and Björk affiliate Arca. Spanning 20 tracks, “Mutant is about sensuality and impulsiveness as escape routes out of rigidity,” the Venezuelan producer explained in a press release. “Softness as a weapon when the mind attacks itself.”
Best Friends – Hot. Reckless. Totally Insane. LP (FatCat)
Released last July on CD – now available on vinyl. “Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, Richard Hawley: the hulking shadow cast by the greats of Sheffield is long. But if the debut album from garage-punk rockers Best Friends is anything to go by, then the city remains a source of promise and talent. Hot. Reckless. Totally Insane. is characterized by filthy guitar riffs, apocalyptic levels of bass, and the raw, sweat ‘n’ spittle vocals of lead singer Lewis Sharman. It’s a ramshackle, scuzzy and endearingly shambolic affair, evoking at times comparisons with Palma Violets, Howler and The Cribs.” – Clash Music
Marc Bolan – Love And Death LP (Let Them Eat Vinyl)
These very early recordings were supplied by Simon Napier-Bell, Marc Bolan’s first manager and are a fascinating historical archive. The bulk of this release consists of a dozen demos that Bolan did in 1966, augmented by plenty of additional full rock instrumentation and backup vocals added in 1981, several years after Bolan’s death.
The Peter Brötzmann Sextet/Quartet – Nipples [Reissue/1969] LP (Cien Fuegos)
Nipples stands as one of the rarest and most influential European “energy-jazz” recordings of all time; virtually everything about the album is truly the stuff of legend. The incendiary Sextet lineup featured an international cast of musical giants.
BulletBoys – Elefanté LP (Cleopatra)
Released last June on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from L.A. hard rock band — the group’s first album of original material since 2009.
The Byrds – Untitled [Reissue/1972] 2xLP (Friday Music)
The Byrds’ unique Untitled double album is comprised of one LP of live recordings (the first official release of any live recordings by the band) from two early 1970 performances in New York City and a second LP of studio recordings. For the concert side, you get seven classic rock champions like “So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star,” “Mr. Spaceman” and “Mr. Tambourine Man,” plus an entire side two taken up by the amazing “Eight Miles High.” The nine-track studio sides feature such distinct ’70s Byrds fare as “Chestnut Mare,” “Just A Season,” “Take A Whiff On Me” and “Hungry Planet.” HQ-180gm translucent blue vinyl.
John Cale – Music For A New Society [Reissue/1982] LP+MP3 (Domino)
John Cale – M:FANS [Reissue/1982] 2xLP+MP3 (Domino)
Cale’s long out-of-print 1982 masterpiece, Music For A New Society, has been remastered and is back in print on vinyl. In addition, M: FANS — a radical new reworking of that critically-lauded album — is also available. All pressed on heavyweight HQ-180-gm vinyl. (Double-CD collecting both releases due February 5.)
Captain Beefheart – Full Moon – Hot Sun: Live In Kansas LP (Keyhole)
Following the collapse of the original Magic Band in early 1974, Captain Beefheart swiftly assembled an all-new line-up to promote his controversial 1974 Unconditionally Guaranteed LP. Comprising Fuzzy Fuscaldo and Dean Smith (guitar), Del Simmons (sax, flute), Michael Smotherman (keyboards), Paul Uhrig (bass), and Ty Grimes (drums), they played in a markedly more straightforward style, in keeping with Beefheart’s stated ambition to hug the world. This fine gig, live from the Cowtown Ballroom, Kansas City, MO, was taped for broadcast on KUDL-FM radio on April 22, 1974, and is presented here in it’s entirety together with contemporaneous notes and rare photos. HQ-180gm.
Cluster – Cluster [Reissue/1971] LP (Bureau B)
2016 re-release of Bureau B’s 2010 reissue. 140gm LP. Cluster’s self-titled debut was originally released by Philips in 1971; this edition is the first reissue to restore the track running order of the original Philips release. Includes liner notes by electronic avant-garde pioneer Asmus Tietchens. In 1998, The Wire listed Cluster’s self-titled debut as one of ‘100 Records That Set The World On Fire (When No One Was Listening).’
CocoRosie – Heartache City LP+7” (Lost Girl)
Released last year on CD – now available on limited-edition colored vinyl with bonus 7”. “Whilst they have undoubtedly produced many a moment of weird beauty over the last decade or so, CocoRosie are rarely a cosy listening experience. Sisters Bianca and Sierra Casady have a history of tapping into the uncomfortable, taboo and offbeat, both musically and lyrically. Sixth album Heartache City continues the CR lineage of both beauty and discomfort. Whilst not as overtly provocative as some of CocoRosie’s early work, there is still a raw creeping darkness to the melodies. Even during its most beautiful glimmers the album is not a relaxing experience. But neither is it an unrewarding one.” – Drowned In Sound
Death Angel – Ultra-Violence [Reissue/1987] LP (Metal Blade)
Vinyl reissue of the San Francisco thrash metal band’s first album.
Eddy Detroit – Shock-A-Lock-A-Lickum LP (Assophon)
This LP contains recordings made from 1979 to 2010. They run the gamut of Detroit’s musical landscape, from the UK acid-folk of Tyrannosaurus Rex and The Incredible String Band through bongo-fueled satanic calypso to his new phase as a troubadour recounting tales of hobos, whores, and one-eyed jacks from the old west.
Four Tet – Pink [2012] 2xLP+MP3 (Temporary Residence)
Pink primarily comprises tracks that had already been issued as 12” singles; only “Lion” and “Peace For Earth” were previously unreleased.
Erroll Garner – The Complete Concert By The Sea [Reissue/1956] 2xLP (Friday Music)
Iconic jazz artist Erroll Garner’s greatest concert album and one of the best selling jazz albums of all time, The Complete Concert By The Sea, celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the original concert from September 19, 1955. HQ-180gm.
Evan Geesman – Coils LP (Ubiquity)
While Evan’s previous material crossed several genres and had more of an experimental bent with influences varying from Aphex Twin, Wu-Tang, Mahavishnu Orchestra and world folk music, ”Coils” represents a natural synthesis of his beat heavy electronic compositions and strong songwriting sensibilities.
Goldmund – Sometimes LP (Western Vinyl)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Though he may not be a household name, Keith Kenniff aka Goldmund’s evocative, distinctly American music has become quietly ubiquitous in the past few years, often appearing on NPR, in films, on TV, and in ads for Apple, Facebook, and Google among others. Recorded over the course of three years, the material on his new album Sometimes functions as a journal, documenting brief moments in Kenniff’s day when he could turn to the piano as a source of solace and unending creative possibilities. Kenniff wrote and recorded everything on the album with the exception of the track “A Word I Give”, which is a collaboration with preeminent Japanese pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto, who once described Goldmund’s music as “…so, so, so beautiful.”
Helios – Yume LP (Unseen Music)
Released last September on CD – now available on vinyl. Yume takes it’s title from the Japanese word for dream and delivers an otherworldly ambient-electronic hybrid that’s cinematic in scope yet intimate in emotion. In making the album, composer and multi-instrumentalist Keith Kenniff (the sole artist behind Helios) has created a warm sonic tapestry from luminous guitar lines, elegant piano work, ingeniously-crafted rhythms, and lo-fi electronic elements.
Rafael Anton Irisarri – Fragile Geography LP+MP3 (Room40)
Rafael Anton Irisarri’s A Fragile Geography is a record cast in a climate of unsteadiness and transition, reflecting upon the current state of everyday living. Recorded over 2014 and ’15, the record bears the marks of difficult terrain — personal, political, social, and cultural. It tips its hat to the complex and unpredictable dynamics of the contemporary world, correlating concerns both macro and micro. Compositionally, the music mirrors the tensions of contemporary America, contrasting passages of great beauty and calm with harrowing waves of density and pressure.
Jefferson Airplane – After Bathing At Baxter’s [Reissue/1967] 2xLP (Friday Music)
Jefferson Airplane’s instant follow up to Surrealistic Pillow is an experimental, pointedly non-commercial affair (“among the purest of rock’s psychedelic albums, offering few concessions to popular taste and none to the needs of AM radio” – AllMusic). HQ-180gm clear vinyl.
Mick Jenkins – Wave(s) LP (Cinematic Music)
Jayson Jenkins, better known as Mick Jenkins (his stage name), is a hip-hop recording artist born in Huntsville, Alabama. “His biggest strength as an artist is his pen: as a writer, Jenkins has a gift for poetic turns of phrase and clever wordplay, delivered with potent urgency.” — Pitchfork
Justin Trouble – Justin Trouble [Reissue/1982] LP (Mono-Tone)
A perfect mix of New York Dolls’ punkiness, psych pop ballads, Alex Chilton’s twisted rock ‘n’ roll, Big Star’s power pop, and The Byrds’ jangle on this 1982 ultra-cult classic reissued on vinyl for the first time. A perfect soundtrack for urban romances.
KMD – Bl_ck B_st_ards [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Metal Face Music)
MF Doom’s first group and their controversial sophomore release Bl_ck B_st_ards is now available in a deluxe double vinyl pressing. The gatefold jacket includes a pop-up featuring the KMD mascot.
Mick Karn – The Concrete Twin [2010] LP (Kscope)
The sixth and last solo album from the former Japan member, released shortly before his death in 2011. First time on vinyl — HQ-180gm.
Kishi Bashi – String Quartet Live LP (Joyful Noise)
Kishi Bashi is the pseudonym for violin virtuoso, singer, and composer K Ishibashi, who has recorded, toured, and collaborated with artists such as Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and of Montreal. String Quartet Live consists of nine songs from both 151a and Lighght, performed live by K and an accompanying string ensemble. Where his first two releases featured an array of stringed instruments, percussion and electronic elements, the new live album finds K’s familiar songs reimagined, allowing his soaring vocals to take center stage above a foundation of interweaving strings.
Laddio Bolocko – Live & Unreleased 1997-2000 3xLP+DVD (No Quarter)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Laddio Bolocko was a band from New York City in the mid-‘90s who toured the US and Europe relentlessly during their four year run. Pitchfork wrote in 2003 that the group, “effortlessly converged at the service of drive and trance, occasionally jutting out unpredictably into harsher realms. Live, they were a powerhouse, and though their recorded history is brief, it demonstrates a remarkable range of expression, precision and raw power.” This set collects all unreleased material from the bands time living in a DUMBO (Brooklyn) rehearsal space and an abandoned ski lodge in the Catskill mountains, as well as live recordings from Slovenia. The DVD includes over two hours of footage shot on Super 8 film.
Lord RAJA – PARA LP+MP3 (Ghostly Int’l)
The Brooklyn-based producer follows up 2014’s A Constant Moth. The album is based on synth sounds he recorded at Austin’s famed Switched On store, and recorded with his Lexicon PCM 90 and an Eventide H3000 that he modified himself “to get the effects he heard in his head.” It was recorded while on tour and during his travels through the Indian state of Rajasthan.
METZ – Eraser b/w Pure Audio 7” (Three One G)
Limited green colored vinyl LP pressing. Both “Eraser” and “Pure Auto” were produced by METZ, recorded by Graham Walsh at Union Sound Company, and mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service.
Charles Mingus – Shadows [OST/1959] LP (Doxy)
For the first time on vinyl, Charles Mingus’s great score for the legendary 1959 directorial debut of John Cassavetes, Shadows. Much has been said about the controversial relationship between these two masters. “The score encapsulates Cassavetes’ and Mingus’s unique approaches to both improvisation and composition in their respective media, illuminating the oppositional nature of jazz to mainstream cultural production and the underbelly of race relations in 1950’s America.”
Missing Souls – Gotta Have Your Lovin 7” (Hidden Volume)
Amazing slab of wax from this Lyon, France quartet — two sides of bumping R&B-infected garage stomp.
Judy Mowatt – Black Woman [Reissue/1979] LP (Shanachie)
Black Woman is widely regarded as a roots reggae classic – one of the greatest reggae albums ever recorded by a female artist. Highlights include “Joseph,” Judy’s moving gospel infused balled tribute to Bob Marley.
The Notwist – 12 [Reissue/1995] 2xLP (Outer Battery)
Before Neon Golden there was the groundbreaking Shrink, and before Shrink there was 12. Originally released in 1995, 12 is an adventurous double LP and marked The Notwist’s transition between their earlier punk days and their later electronica. Influenced by the likes of Dinosaur Jr and Built To Spill, 12 has been out of print on vinyl since the late ’90s.
Augustus Pablo – This Is Augustus Pablo [Reissue/1974] LP (Get On Down)
This Is Augustus Pablo is considered among the greatest collections of Jamaican instrumental music and is an essential part of reggae history.
Patsy – Eat It 7” (Total Punk)
Two solid hook filled punk tunes.
Pineapple Thief – 10 Stories Down [2005] 2xLP (Kscope)
Limited double HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressing of this 2005 edition in a gatefold sleeve. Formed in 1999 by founder and chief songwriter Bruce Soord, the Pineapple Thief have continued to evolve and refine their sound ever since and they’re seen by many as one of the most interesting and innovative rock bands the UK have produced in recent years.
Iggy Pop – Sadistic Summer Live 2011 LP (Let Them Eat Vinyl)
Recorded live at the 2011 Isle Of Wright Festival.
Radio Burns – Untitled 7” (Solid Sexy Lovie Doll)
Radio Burns’ debut rips through four primeval cuts courting guitars with the perfect amount of crutch, leads with the correct amount of swagger, and vocals that demand shouting along with. Fans of New York Dolls and Turbonegro.
Shinedown – Threat To Survival LP+CD (Atlantic)
Released last September on CD – now available on vinyl. Multi-platinum band Shinedown unveils first new album in three years.
Sparrows Gate – Ghost Blue 7” (Royal Oakie)
Two tracks of surrealist folk-rock invoke the sublime. For fans of the transcendent tunes of Cass McCombs, Bill Callahan, and Little Wings.
Talk Talk – Laughing Stock [Reissue/1991] LP (Polydor)
Laughing Stock is the fifth and final studio album by Talk Talk. Released in 1991, it was the only album the band released on the jazz-based Verve Records, after acrimoniously leaving EMI. Virtually ignored upon its initial release, Laughing Stock continues to grow in stature and influence by leaps and bounds. Picking up where Spirit Of Eden left off, the album operates outside of the accepted sphere of rock to create music which is both delicate and intense; recorded with a large classical ensemble, it defies easy categorization, conforming to very few structural precedents. Like its predecessor, Spirit Of Eden, the album featured improvised instrumentation from a large ensemble of musicians, including as many as seven violists on occasion, and the lyrical themes are often religious.
The Thing – Shake 2xLP (The Thing)
Released last October on CD – now available on vinyl. The Norwegian-Sweden free jazz trio — intense, passionate, and precise — continue to define their own genre within a genre on their new album, Shake. Mats Gustafsson: tenor and baritone saxophones; Ingebrigt Haker Flaten: electric and double bass; Paal Nilssen-Love: drums and percussion. Additional guests on Aim: Anna Hogberg (alto saxophone) and Goran Kajfes (cornet).
This Heat – This Heat [Reissue/1979] LP (Modern Classics)
This Heat – Health And Efficiency [Reissue/1980] 12” (Modern Classics)
This Heat – Deceit [Reissue/1981] LP (Modern Classics)
Isn’t it so often the case that the most innovative works of art – the ones that break the ground where others follow – are the ones that seem to reach only the ears of those who take those ideas and run with them? So it is with This Heat and their releases – 1979’s This Heat, 1980’s Health And Efficiency, and 1981’s Deceit. Within each of these, the seeds of post-punk, avant rock, noise rock and post-rock can be found.
Prins Thomas – Paradise Goulash Versions 2×12” (Eskimo)
This double-12” set contains previously unreleased Prins Thomas versions of tracks used in his 2015 Paradise Goulash mix. Includes tracks by Actress, Blacknecks, Box Saga, Joachim Holm & Alejandro Mosso, Hieroglyphic Being, and Ü, each of which received a special individual treatment from Prins Thomas.
Tomorrows Tulips – Indy Rock Royalty Comb 12”+MP3/Cassette (Burger)
Brand new EP of lo-fi grunge pop from goldie-locked surfers Alex Knost and Ford Archbold.
Turkish Techno – Number Two LP+MP3 (Dirt Cult)
Not actually Turkish, nor are the contents of their new album Number Two techno or electronic, but rather solid, self-deprecating pop-punk sing-alongs.
TV Baby – Half A Chance b/w Come Back 7” (Deus)
Two thick cuts of booming hard-wired soul. “Half A Chance” mixes rapid-fire drum-machine kicks and hats with a high-pitched electronic squeal and lyrics wrestling with the strain of unrequited love. The flip, “Come Back,” is a markedly grander more melancholic piece. As the title suggests, it’s a call for a former lover to return, but also an attempt to move on.
Various Artists – American Originals 2xLP (Fanfare Cincinnati)
Released last September on CD – now available on vinyl. American Originals is the latest release from the Cincinnati Pops conducted by John Morris Russell and features iconic American songs interpreted by a diverse array of acclaimed musical collaborators including Rosanne Cash, Dom Flemons, Over The Rhine, Joe Henry, Aoife O’Donovan and the Comet Bluegrass All-Stars. The first-ever Cincinnati Pops album to be recorded live in concert, American Originals breathes new life into the first chapter of the Great American Songbook and the music of Stephen Foster.
Various Artists – Coco May May: 1955-1962 Spanish Harlem Dancefloor Fillers LP (Grosso Recordings)
Great Latin groovers from the end of the ‘50s and start of the ‘60s – all tracks that are tight, upbeat, and filled with a lively mix of rhythm and jazz – all at a level that’s designed to showcase the sorts of modes that led to the development of Latin Soul and boogaloo a few years later. These tracks aren’t your usual cha cha or charanga numbers – and instead, many of them have some pretty fierce percussion, and strong solos that break out from the pack and really give the music a lot of spirit – the kind of subtle hipper touches the younger scene was bringing to bear against the bigger, more standard orchestras of the period.
Various Artists – Criminale Vol. 1, Paura [Reissue/2013] LP+CD (Penny)
2016 repress; originally released in 2013. 140gm LP. Includes CD. Tracks from the vault of Italy’s Flipper Music. Vol. 1 includes music by Giorgio and Franco Bracardi, Alessandro Alessandroni, Amedeo Tommasi, Peymont, Ugo Busoni, Paolo Ferrara, and Massimo di Cicco, Giuliano Sorgini, Gerardo Iacoucci, Lamartine, Daniela Casa, Joel Vandroogenbroeck, Fabio Frizzi, and Sandro Brugnolini.
Various Artists – Senegal 70: Sonic Gems & Previously Unreleased Recordings From The ‘70s 2xLP (Analog Africa)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. An insight into the musical adventures that were taking place in the major Senegalese cities during the ’60s and ’70s. This compilation reflects the unique fusions of funk, mbalax, son cubano, and Mandingue guitar sounds that transformed Dakar into West Africa’s most vibrant city.
Various Artists – Sugar’s Delight: 1955-1962 Spanish Harlem Dancefloor Fillers LP (Grosso)
Soulful music that will make you move your hips, and a necessary collection for understanding the boogaloo and salsa that would come later.
Cassettes:
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Pond Scum (Drag City)
There are no Peel sessions anymore — that tradition was buried in the pyramids with John Peel himself upon the great man’s passing. Of the thousands left in the wake, six are ascribed to Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and of those six, three have been combined to form the deeply congruous experience of Pond Scum.
Octagrape – Aura Obelisk (Sounds Familyre)
San Diego garage rockers return with their new full-length recorded with Chris Woodhouse (Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall) and Ben Moore (Hot Snakes, Pinback). “This San Diego combo exercise some blowtorch psychedelic punk in the spirit of Mainliner, Swell Maps, Major Stars and other faves of this program.” – Brian Turner, WFMU
Ty Segal – Emotional Mugger (Drag City)
“Emotional Mugger neither abandons Segall’s penchant for classically raw rock ‘n’ roll attitude nor does it find him resting in place. The record makes adjustments toward more sophisticated compositions, with sudden shifts in tempo, more varied guitar effects, and unexpectedly complex drum patterns taking a more forward position in Segall’s previously slim arsenal. It’s also his messiest, most caustic album yet, taking the grit of his beloved garage rock to extreme new levels even he has never played with in his extensive discography.” – Pop Matters
Sheer – Uneasy (Native Sound)
Part shoe gaze, part ‘90s-alternative and grunge, Uneasy is the debut album from Simi Valley’s Sheer, who channel an earnestness redolent to that of mid-‘90s emo and indie rock, while primarily occupying a reverb-induced evocative and emotive soundspace, suggestive of Galaxie 500 and The Jesus And Mary Chain.
Tomorrows Tulips – Indy Rock Royalty Comb (Burger)
Brand new EP of lo-fi grunge pop from goldie-locked surfers Alex Knost and Ford Archbold.
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