CDs + Vinyl:
Daniel Ash – Stripped CD (Main Man)
Released on vinyl for RSD 2015 — now available on CD. For over 35 years, he has been one of the seminal figures in alternative music; whether for his wildly experimental guitar playing or for his sardonic vocal stylings, or perhaps even for throwing in a bit of saxophone, Daniel Ash has been one of modern music’s most engaging figures. Having defied categorization by fusing elements of electronica with punk, goth, and glam rock, Ash has earned the status of a living legend. In 2014, he embarked on a new solo outing with the help of his fans, launching a successful PledgeMusic campaign that would result in an album of revisited classics from throughout his repertoire.
Jon Balke – Warp CD (ECM)
Warp situates the solo piano of Norway’s Jon Balke within a subtle architecture of composed soundscapes, in fluctuating dimensions of space.
Tony Banks – A Curious Feeling [Reissue/1979] CD+DVD-A/LP (Cherry Red)
Tony Banks – The Fugitive [Reissue/1983] CD+DVD-A/LP (Cherry Red)
Reissues of the first two proper solo studio albums by the Genesis founding member and keyboard player. CD versions add 5.1 surround sound DVD-Audio discs, while the vinyl editions are single-disc, HQ-180gm. [Deluxe hardbook CD+DVD-A edition of The Fugitive is also available.]
Boxcars – Familiar With The Ground CD (Mountain Home)
New album from the two-time Bluegrass Instrumental Band of the Year.
Hayes Carll – Lovers And Leavers CD/LP+MP3 (Hwy 87)
Hayes Carll is at the forefront of a generation of American singer/songwriters. A Texas native, his style of roots-oriented songwriting has been noted for its plain-spoken poetry and sarcastic humor. He was nominated for a 2016 Grammy award for Best Country Song, and American Songwriter awarded him with Song of the Year for “Another Like You” in 2011, the same year he was nominated for Artist of the Year at the Americana Awards. Now Hayes returns with a powerful and raw set of songs produced by Joe Henry entitled Lovers And Leavers. The record marks a new chapter for Hayes — he has gone through much personal change in the five years since his last release, and he mines the depths of these experiences on this record. Sonically, he has stripped away some of the country sounds that marked his previous records, thus highlighting his well-worn voice and placing his straightforward and heartfelt lyrics at the center.
Tony Conrad with Faust – Outside The Dream Syndicate [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Superior Viaduct)
Outside The Dream Syndicate, originally released in Europe only in 1973, is Conrad’s stunning debut. Two side-long tracks—“The Side Of Man And Womankind” and “The Side Of The Machine”—show just how far Conrad had moved beyond his minimalist peers. Werner Diermaier’s repetitive drum beat and Jean-Hervé Peron’s stripped-down bassline conjure a tense, ascetic groove, while Conrad’s seamless violin, initially so controlled, reveals a surprising adaptability. The music shifts almost on a subliminal level, pushing and pulling to the drone’s internal pulse.
Cult Of Luna – Mariner CD/2xLP (Indie Recordings North America)
“Since its formation in 1998, Cult Of Luna has released seven albums, been awarded the top rock/ metal award at the Swedish national radio awards and cemented their status as one of the true progressors of the metal genre, respected by most metal aficionados. For their eight effort, the post-metal pioneers join forces with the talented Julie Christmas (Battle Of Mice, Made Out Of Babies) from Brooklyn, whom bring an even larger depth to Cult Of Luna’s sound — powerfully displayed on Mariner.” – Blabbermouth
The Dandy Warhols – Distortland CD/LP+MP3 (Dine Alone)
Distortland was first recorded in frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s basement on an ‘80s cassette recorder with the band adding the finishing touches in the studio. Jim Lowe, best known for his work with Taylor Swift and Beyonce, mixed the album and Taylor says the end result is an album that is “organised like a pop record but still has the sonic garbage in there.” “People don’t really talk about them these days, but back in the late ’90s and early ’00s, the Dandy Warhols perfected a certain brand of casually glamorous swagger that I’d never seen a rock band nail so hard. They were my favorite American Britpop band, if that makes any sense at all.” – Stereogum
Deep Purple – Stormbringer [Reissue/1974] 2xCD (Rhino)
Deep Purple – Come Taste The Band [Reissue/1975] 2xCD (Rhino)
Expanded reissues of Deep Purple’s ninth and tenth albums. Stormbringer includes the full remastered album (2010) along with the new remixes on the first disc and a disc containing the quadraphonic mix in 5.1 audio as originally released in the US on Quad reel back in ‘74. Come Taste The Band includes the full remastered album (2010) plus a rare US single edit of “You Keep On Moving” on the first disc, and a full album remix and two unissued tracks on the second disc: “Same In L.A.,” a three-minute outtake from the final release in 1975; and “Bolin/Paice Jam,” a five-minute instrumental jam with Ian Paice and Tommy Bolin.
Deftones – Gore CD/2xLP (Reprise/WB)
“The road to the release of Deftones’ eighth full-length album Gore has been a rocky one as far as the press is concerned. There were missed release dates thanks to issues with mixing. And of course, there was the elephant in the room: the negative comments guitarist Stephen Carpenter made about his initial lack of interest in taking part in the writing sessions. A solid listen to Gore is all it takes to assure you that Carpenter did indeed show up on the effort. His crushing input populates a number of the included songs, and not just here and there. He may be somewhat underutilized to a small degree, but he certainly makes his presence felt. What stands out most about Gore though isn’t his aggression or frontman Chino Moreno‘s melancholic shades of new wave and sparkling alt rock. No, it’s the spacious room to breathe and fine attention paid to the smaller details in each song. As with any Deftones release, Gore isn’t an album that you’ll easily digest. It’s something you’ll likely be dissecting and finding new puzzle pieces for with each listen for weeks to come. A brave display of just how far this band have come since their nu metal days and definitive proof that the creative flame they share is still burning bright” – The PRP. [Limited copies pressed on 140gm white vinyl with two-pocket gatefold jacket and lyric sheet insert.]
Desaster – Oath Of An Iron Ritual CD (Metal Blade)
“The reigning overlords of overkill are back for an eighth album full of lunatic blackened speed/thrash loaded with nods to the deep roots of metal and NWoBHM.” – Angry Metal Guy
Matt Elliott – The Calm Before CD/LP (Ici D’ailleurs)
Matt Elliott (Third Eye Foundation) presents the seventh album under his own name. Continuing his unique path through contemporary folk music, the six tracks collected here fit the logical continuum of his previous work while deepening its strengths, with folk guitar virtuosity influenced by the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe, songs that start with whispered melodies and end with noisy storms, truly poetic lyrics, and a tendency to avoid any well-known way of making music.
Erra – Drift CD (Sumerian)
New release from the progressive metalcore act. Originating in Birmingham, AL, the foursome adopted their name from Akkadian mythology, where Erra is the God of mayhem.
Brad Fiedel – The Terminator [OST/1984] CD/2xLP (Milan)
The original score to the Terminator is now available on CD and color vinyl.
Filter – Crazy Eyes CD/LP (Wind-Up)
“Produced by mastermind/vocalist/front man Richard Patrick, Crazy Eyes is a sonic rollercoaster through Filter’s rich history. It has some of the heaviest, catchiest, and just down and dirtiest Filter material yet. From the opening of ‘Mother E’ and Patrick’s barely contained aggression hidden in a whisper that builds to that uncanny scream, Crazy Eyes is immediately recognizable as not only a really heavy Filter album, but also a pretty strange one with it’s electro intricacies.” – Rock And Roll Fables
Anat Fort Trio and Gianluigi Trovesi – Birdwatching CD (ECM)
For her third ECM album, Israeli pianist Anat Fort augments her long-established trio with bassist Gary Wang and drummer Roland Schneider with a special guest: Italian reedman Gianluigi Trovesi.
Frightened Rabbit – Painting Of A Panic Attack CD/LP (Atlantic)
“Painting Of A Panic Attack is certainly more polished than Frightened Rabbit’s first album, but it’s remarkable how many variables remain constant. Despite the line-up changes, shifts in location and personal life traumas that have been played out on successive records over the past decade, the core and essence of the band remain the same, and it’s still as brilliant as it has ever been.
Just as it was impossible not to be seduced by the lyrics Scott Hutchison penned ten years ago, so it remains… the decision to democratize the songwriting process with their last record has opened up new channels of melody to explore: the celestial chorus lines of ‘Woke Up Hurting’ and ‘Little Drum’ on this new LP are among those moments of pure magic an artist might hope to unearth once in a lifetime. Without fail, Frightened Rabbit dig a few out for every new release.” – The Skinny
Geryon – Wound & The Bow CD (Profound Lore)
New York avant-garde technical prog/death metal two piece Geryon is comprised of one half of Krallice: Nicholas McMaster and Lev Weinstein. Employing simply bass guitar, drums and vocals, the pair conjures complex layers of meticulously crafted tones, maintaining a volatile equilibrium of dissonance and melody. [Vinyl edition due April 22.]
The Gloaming – 2 CD (Brassland)
The Gloaming enhance traditional Irish music with the best sounds from contemporary classical, post-rock, jazz and experimental music. RIYL: Sigur Ros, The Chieftans, Explosions In The Sky, Keith Jarrett, The Pogues.
Great American Canyon Band – Only You Remain CD/LP (Six Degrees)
“Baltimore’s Great American Canyon Band is an indie-folk duo whose members, Paul and Krystal Jean Masson, are partners in both life and sound. Since 2011, when they first began creating music together, the transient troubadours have roamed around the country, living in a Holiday Inn in Athens, Georgia, Paul’s grandmother’s old house in Chicago, and West Hollywood. As Paul and Krystal moved through the broad expanse of the United States, the country began to seep into their world-weary, wide open, acoustic, cinematic songs, with artists like Hank Williams, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons and the 1970s Laurel Canyon singer/songwriters, including Neil Young, revealing themselves as inspirations. Title track ‘Crash’ showcases a floating kind of folk-pop, drifting on gentle harmonies, lots of open space, simple seductive chords and celestial guitar fills.” – NPR
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals – Call It What It Is CD/LP+MP3 (Stax/Concord Music Group)
“On his new album, Ben Harper reflects on police brutality, ageing, and a pink balloon. Call It What It Is is unpredictable, lacking much cohesion, weird—and brilliant. It was recorded over the course of a year, with sessions sometimes happening months apart. I theorized to Harper that the record’s melodic, lyrical, and thematic inconsistency was related to the intervals between sessions, and he didn’t disagree. “Oftentimes what you are doing and what you think you are doing aren’t the same thing,” he said. He needed time in between sessions to let the recordings settle, to give himself some critical distance. He ended up with an album that tacks between the dark—images of the literal end of the world—and the light, with a girl carried aloft by a pink balloon. Call It What It Is is an exercise in getting jerked around; it’s an 11-track tilt-a-whirl.” – The Atlantic
Mayer Hawthorne – Man About Town CD/LP+MP3 (Vagrant)
“It’s been nearly three years since his last solo album, but Mayer Hawthorne has returned. With Man About Town, he’s gone back to some basics, in a sense. Hawthorne is known for trying different sounds among projects and even between solo albums. Where some of his earlier material more or less recreated ’60s and ’70s soul soundscapes, his newer material has used those references more sparingly, which has resulted in a more modern sound, combined with some nods to late ’70s and early ’80s blue-eyed-soul à la the other cat in the hat, Bobby Caldwell.” – Wax Poetics
Tim Hecker – Love Streams CD/2xLP (4AD)
Love Streams takes its cues from the avant-classical orchestration and extreme electronic processing of his previous full-length, 2013’s Virgins, but shaped into more melancholic, ultraviolet hues. Inspired by notions of 15th century choral scores (particularly those by Josquin des Prez), transposed to an artificial intelligence-era language of digital resonance and bright synths, the album was assembled gradually, with layers of studio-tracked keyboards, choir and woodwinds being woven into the mix, then molded and disfigured through complex programming. Like hearing some ancient strain of sacred music corrupted by encryption, Hecker admits to thinking about ideas like “liturgical aesthetics after Yeezus” and the “transcendental voice in the age of auto-tune,” during its creation.
Ihsahn – Arktis. CD/2xLP (Spinefarm/Candlelight)
Sixth solo album from Emperor frontman Ihsahn (real name: Vegard Sverre Tveitan). [Vinyl edition due May 13.]
Inherit Disease – Ephemeral CD/LP (Unique Leader)
Third full-length album from the Ventura, CA death metal band.
Krizz Kaliko – Go CD (Strange Music)
New album from Kansas City’s Krizz Kaliko, featuring Tech N9ne, Ces Cru, Rittz, Stevie Stone, and more.
Fela Ransome Kuti and His Koola Lobitos – Highlife-Jazz and Afro-Soul (1963-1969) 3xCD (Knitting Factory)
This compilation traces Fela’s musical evolution in the decade before he formed the famous Africa 70 band. Highlife-Jazz and Afro-Soul (1963-1969) contains all the Koola Lobitos recordings with a 12-page booklet, including a full discography and essay by Fela Kuti scholar and author Michael Veal. The significant collection of 39 tracks, recorded live at the Afro-Spot in Lagos, Nigeria, in the mid- ‘60s demonstrates how Fela used a mix of jazz and high-life to create the early beginnings of what was soon to become his characteristic Afrobeat.
Lex The Hex Master – The Black Season CDEP (Majik Ninja)
Lex The Hex Master is the newest signing to Majik Ninja Entertainment — home of Twiztid.
Lights – Midnight Machines CD/LP (WB)
New release from Canadian electro-pop artist Valerie Anne Poxleitner aka Lights. Midnight Machines is comprised of six acoustic songs from her most recent album Little Machines, plus two brand new songs. [Limited copies also available on clear vinyl.]
The Lumineers – Cleopatra CD/LP (Dualtone)
“It’s been a lingering 4 years, but Denver natives The Lumineers have finally resurfaced with new material, their highly anticipated sophomore release, Cleopatra. And it’s the home of 11 striking tracks, from delicate narratives, to haunting poems of songs; you’re truly in for a touching ride. Aptly named title track ‘Cleopatra’ is the perfect taste of the material that makes up this new LP, with it’s slow building beat, infectious chorus and an intriguing tale, each of its elements plays a role in tracks to come. Take the incredibly smooth, and even catchier, ‘Ophelia,’ crooning, ‘Ophelia, you’ve been on my mind girl since the flood. / Ophelia, heaven help a food who falls in love.’ And then, stripping back the padding, ‘Gun Song,’ ‘Angela’ and ‘Sick In The Head’ feature a poem-like quality to them, with nothing but a simplistic combination of melody and beat as the backing for the vocals. While these don’t necessarily make an immediate impact like some of the higher tempo tunes, their lyrical quality more than makes up for it once you delve deeper. The entire album is truly a stunning journey.” – Renowned For Sound
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Pronouced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd & Second Helping Live 2xCD (Eagle Vision)
Released last October on DVD and Blu-ray — stand-alone audio CD version now available. Early last year, Lynyrd Skynyrd performed their first two studio albums, Pronounced ‘L h-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd and Second Helping, live in their entirety for the first time, at two specially staged concerts at the Florida Theater in their home town of Jacksonville, Florida.
M83 – Junk CD/2xLP (Mute)
With Junk, M83 has succeeded in making what Anthony Gonzalez called “an organized mess — a collection of songs that aren’t made to live with each other, yet somehow work together. From album opener “Do It Try It,” a fractured yet catchy mélange of old-school house music pianos and pop-art bubblegum hooks worthy of ABBA, to “Moon Crystal,” an instrumental whose mutant retro-futurist grooves evoke Genesis doing a prog-disco remix of The Love Boat theme, to the smooth new wave-meets-electro funk workout “Time Wind” (featuring vocals by Beck) to “Go!,” an exultant synth-pop charmer featuring vocals from new M83 collaborator Mai Lan and guitar solo from legendary shredder, Steve Vai, one thing is perfectly clear: “Every time I make a M83 album, I’m trying to do it on my own terms – and it’s the same for this one,” Gonzalez says. “Whatever I do, whatever influences I have, it ends up sounding like me. As a musician, I’m just trying to take you somewhere else, beyond your world.”
Malawi Mouse Boys – Forever Is 4 You CD (Omnivore)
Landlocked in southeastern Africa, Malawi is among the world’s least-developed nations and now ranks as the world’s #1 poorest. Forever Is 4 You is the newest release from Malawi Mouse Boys, who take their name from the job the Boys had—selling mice on sticks, as snacks or meals to passing travelers, which is what they were doing when Grammy-winning producer Ian Brennan (Tinariwen’s Tassili) discovered them in 2011. Forever Is 4 You bears the influence of their travels abroad to the UK, USA, and Australia/NZ, while also continuing to center around their vocals, four-string, homemade, sheet metal guitar and makeshift percussion.
Allison Miller – Otis Was A Polar Bear CD/LP (The Royal Potato Family)
New album from Allison Miller, the drummer, composer and leader of Boom Tic Boom. Otis Was A Polar Bear features violinist Jenny Scheinman, cornet player Kirk Knuffke, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, upright bassist Todd Sickafoose, pianist Myra Melford, and Miller on drums.
Dylan Mondegreen – Every Little Step CD/LP (Shelflife)
Dylan Mondegreen is a pseudonym for Norwegian recording artist Børge Sildnes. Pop music with nylon stringed guitars, brilliant musicians and family oriented lyrics mark Every Little Step with an intimate tone, with Mondegreen’s trademark melancholy pitted against uplifting tunes.
Nils Økland Band – Kjølvatn CD (ECM)
Nils Økland mixes Norwegian folk themes with jazz, church music, Americana and more on this terrific set of original songs.
Parquet Courts – Human Performance CD/LP (Rough Trade)
“New York jitter-rock kings Parquet Courts have been teasing a new album called Human Performance with a Brooklyn mural, and they’ve been playing new songs live. They took a year recording it, and according to singer/guitarist Austin Brown, it tackles circa-now anxieties: ‘The unavoidable noise of NYC that can be maddening, the kind of the impossible struggle against clutter, whether it’s physical or mental or social.’ First single ‘Dust’ is a fierce, propulsive rocker, a sort of garage-punk take on krautrock.” — Stereogum
Samiyam – Animals Have Feelings CD/LP (Stones Throw)
“A series of 21 short tracks, most well under three minutes, Animals Have Feelings still has its share of slightly glitchy moments and odd juxtapositions, but it might be Baker’s most directly hip-hop collection to date. There’s not a lot of raps on the album—Baker’s always been primarily an instrumental artist, and Animals Have Feelings only features three vocal cuts—but the LP just feels hip-hop, in a way that’s hard to pin down. ‘Lord Of The Rings,’ with Jeremiah Jae and Oliver the 2nd on the mike, layers the lyrics over sci-fi synths and plucked arpeggio; the Action Bronson–led ‘Mr. Wonderful’ (somewhat confusingly, its a track not found on Bronson’s album of the same name), sputters and glides to hypnotic effect; and Earl Sweatshirt returns for the psyche-hop-gets-tough track ‘Mirror.’ Straightforward hip-hop? Not quite—the weirdness quotient of Animals Have Feelings is a bit too high for that—but it’s hip-hop nonetheless, and another success for Samiyam.” – XLR8R
Sinistro – Semente CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
“Portugal’s Sinistro delivers an eerie and beautifully unsettling track with ‘Semente,’ the title tune of the group’s upcoming full-length. A dark and unsettling music bed that summons memories of Antimatter, Portishead or Ulver’s stopover in the realm of motion picture soundtracks while vocalist Patricia Andrade evokes even more mystery with her seductive and deeply emotive voice.” – Pop Matters
Sleeping With Sirens – Live And Unplugged CD (Epitaph)
“In the mood for something a little bit quieter than normal? No problem.” – Kerrang
Ferenc Snétberger – In Concert CD (ECM)
The ECM debut of Ferenc Snétberger features the widely-acclaimed Hungarian guitarist in solo performance before a rapt audience at the Liszt Academy in Budapest. Snétberger’s richly improvisational eight-part suite subtly draws upon influences from Brazilian music and flamenco, from jazz and classical tradition, as well as his own gypsy background.
Sonic Youth – Sister [Reissue/1987] CD/LP+MP3 (Goofin’)
Reissue of Sonic Youth’s fifth album, which is loosely inspired by the writings of Philip K. Dick. One of the group’s most beloved albums, 1987’s Sister incorporated the dissonance of their earlier releases into more traditional song structures.
Soundtrack – Everybody Wants Some! Music From The Motion Picture CD/Cassette (WB)
The official soundtrack curated by the film’s director Richard Linklater, featuring classic songs from Van Halen, The Cars, The Knack, and many more. Quote from Linklater: “The Everybody Wants Some soundtrack tries to capture the amazing diversity of what was on the table musically at that time. So many artists were at the top of their game, and it seemed like a lot of popular genres were viable. Metal and R&B were as big as ever, disco was still hanging in there (although it would be ‘dead’ within a year or so), and, thanks to the movie Urban Cowboy, country was suddenly cool in places it hadn’t been before. Even more exciting was the immediacy of punk and new wave, and the first examples of this thing you’d eventually know as hip-hop. Over the years some of this has been parodied and made to look ridiculous, but this movie is asking you to experience it as if for the first time — from those opening drum beats of ‘My Sharona’ to the utter newness of ‘Rapper’s Delight.’”
Sourvein – Aquatic Cult CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Doom-laden Southern noise featuring guest performances from D. Randall Blythe (Lamb Of God), “Stig” Miller (Amebix), Keith Kirkum (Weedeater), Dean Berry (Iron Monkey), Dave Capps (All Tore Up), Chris Holcombe and Joel Martin (Subrig Destroyer), and Kevin Rochelle (Sea Of Tyrants).
Ronnie Spector – English Heart CD/LP (429)
Ronnie Spector was part of the heart and soul of the 1960’s, and she has never stopped. You might know her as the leader of The Ronettes, the girl group that gave us “Be My Baby” and “Baby, I Love You.” She also helped turn rock ‘n’ roll into a worldwide force. Her new album, English Heart, is full of hits from British artists from the 1960s.
The Traditional Fools – Fool’s Gold CD/LP (In The Red)
The Traditional Fools were David Fox, Andrew Luttrell and Ty Segall. They splashed onto the underground music scene around 2006 with a no-frills, lo-fi, fun, sloppy brand of budget garage-surf-punk sadly absent from music at the time. The trio released one cassette, one full-length album, a single and then knocked it on the head. Fools Gold collects the four tracks from their eponymous 2007 7” single along with 13 previously unreleased recordings that have been languishing in their garage for years. Taken together, this is a barn-burner for those who can appreciate trash rock at its finest-soaked in reverb, feedback and cheap beer.
Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil – Dois Amigos, Um Século de Música: Multishow Live 2xCD (Nonesuch)
An entire concert, comprising 28 songs across two CDs. Reviews of the shows have noted the intimacy between Veloso’s and Gil’s voices and guitars, with Reuters calling their Montreux performance “pure and poignant,” and the Guardian calling it “historic … a classy and emotional performance,” saying, “They are now in their early 70s, and they are still remarkable.” Their friendship began in the early 1960s, in Salvador, Bahia, and has endured many triumphs and difficulties over the decades: from their first, historic concerts at the Teatro Vila Velha to performances in music festivals, moves to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, incarceration, and exile to London, among many other experiences.
Ben Watt – Fever Dream CD/LP+MP3 (Unmade Road, Ltd.)
Previously one half of Everything But The Girl, Ben Watt returns with his third solo album. Fever Dream – self-produced at London’s famous RAK Studio 2, and mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering in Maine – takes the sonic template of the open-tuned folk-jazz, distorted string-bent rock, and soulful rumination of his last album, Hendra, and adds a fresh grainy intensity. It renews key partnerships with Hendra’s vaunted guitarist/sideman Bernard Butler and engineer Bruno Ellingham, and sprinkles guest vocal cameos from Boston’s dream-folk singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler and Hiss Golden Messenger’s M.C. Taylor.
Peter Wolf – A Cure For Loneliness CD (Concord Music Group)
“On his new solo album, A Cure For Loneliness, Peter Wolf considers his place in today’s rock-and-pop world. In ‘Peace Of Mind,’ he sings: ‘When I was a young man I believed in everything / Now I’m not a young man. I don’t know what song to sing.’ Through the disc, Mr. Wolf, the vocalist and composer for the J. Geils Band, which had a string of hits in the ’70s and early ’80s, examines his standing at this stage in his life. The 70-year-old shows his respect for yesteryear by tapping into the music of his youth, including R&B, Cajun, gospel and bluegrass. He brought his touring band into the studio and it supports him with alluring self-assurance. The album includes covers of Moe Bandy’s 1974 country hit ‘It Was Always So Easy (To Find an Unhappy Woman),’ Thomas Wayne and the DeLons’s 1959 tearjerker ‘Tragedy’—and a live, amped-up bluegrass version of the J. Geils Band’s 1980 hit single, ‘Love Stinks.’ A Cure For Loneliness balances the gravitas of its theme with Mr. Wolf’s appreciation for what music has long been for him” – The Wall Street Journal. [Vinyl version due May 13.]
Woods – City Sun Eater In The River Of Light CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Woodsist)
Woods have always been experts at distilling life epiphanies into compact chunks of psychedelic folk that exists just outside of any sort of tangible time or place. Maybe those epiphanies were buried under cassette manipulation or drum-and-drone freakouts, or maybe they were cloaked in Jeremy Earl’s lilting falsetto, but over the course of an impressive eight albums, Woods refined and drilled down their sound into City Sun Eater In The River Of Light, their ninth LP and second recorded in a proper studio. It s a dense record of rippling guitar, lush horns and seductive, bustling anxiety about the state of the world.
Zakk Wylde – Book Of Shadows II CD (E1)
Wylde has been feverishly working on new material since he wrapped up Black Label Society’s Unblackened spring tour last year. Book Of Shadows II is his first solo album in 20 years.
Youth Code – Commitment To Complications CD/LP (Dais)
The year 2015 saw hardcore inspired EBM outfit Youth Code step into line with what most would consider is their well-earned stake in the current world of industrial music. Spending most of that time touring selectively on their own in Europe and then sweeping through North America with Skinny Puppy, Youth Code pulled together their newest songs. Commitment To Complications reflects Youth Code’s time spent with various electronic alumni and scales up the aggressive notch left behind in their previous releases.
Zhrine – Unortheta CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
“Zhrine has been slinging noxious, elevated Icelandic extreme metal since before anyone was really looking to the wintery island nation for anything of the sort. [Unortheta] is an imposing, dissonant mass of unorthodox death, heavily atmospheric and weirdly progressive. It balances moments of soulless ferocity with dark, brooding melody (see “World”), stepping beyond the boring typicalities of black/death to explore its outer edges.” — Noisey
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
3 Doors Down – Us And The Night LP (Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Sixth album from the Grammy-nominated multiplatinum Mississippi rock band.
Brand Image – Are You Loving? [Reissue/1983] 12” (Dark Entries)
Rare Italo disco reissued on vinyl! Brand Image formed in Bergamo, Italy in 1983 by the same group of musicians as their previous project Some Bizarre. The band created their signature sound using a Mini Moog, Prophet 5, Korg Synthesizer, Linn Drum.
The Broadways – Broken Star [Reissue/1997] LP (Asian Man)
Debut album from the melodic Chicago punk band — back in print on vinyl for the first time in eight years. Limited color vinyl pressing.
The Color Morale – We All Have Demons + My Devil in Your Eyes + Know Hope 3xLP (Rise)
First three albums from the post-hardcore band collected as a deluxe three-LP set with special artwork.
Comet Is Coming – Channel The Spirits LP+CD (Leaf)
“Sixty years after Sun Ra released his debut album, the influence of the late avant garde jazz musician and ‘cosmic philosopher’ persists. Ra is a clear touchstone for futurists The Comet Is Coming. ‘The truest link we have to Sun Ra is being exploratory with ways of approaching conventional instruments.’ It’s an ethos as much as a style, starting with an ‘orthodox jazz sensibility’ and taking it to the dancefloor. That’s where The Comet Is Coming really tear it up, with tracks such as the pulsating ‘Star Furnace’ and the dirty sax-fuelled ‘Neon Baby’ aimed squarely at making feet move” – The Guardian [Stand-alone CD version due April 22.]
Cotopaxi – Having All The Fun LP+MP3 (Count Your Lucky Stars)
Cotopaxi is the new project from Anthony Heubel (Run, Forever). Dark, brooding guitars and driving drums swim over somber vocals and poignant lyrics that match the weight of the music word for word. Think Pedro the Lion, Red House Painters, and Damien Jurado.
The Deadly Ones – It’s Monster Surfing Time [Reissue/1964] LP (Vee-Jay)
Limited special edition translucent, slime green vinyl LP pressing. This ultra-rare, 1964 surf rock oddity has been a sought-after title by crate diggers for decades. It’s Monster Surfing Time melds vintage twang and spacy reverb of classic 60s surf rock with the sounds of… monsters surfing.
Deep Purple – In Rock [Reissue/1970] LP (Rhino)
Deep Purple – Fireball [Reissue/1971] LP (Rhino)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissues of Deep Purple’s fourth and fifth studio albums, which feature the band’s classic Mark II lineup.
Dario Dell’Aere – Eagles In The Night [Reissue/1985] 12” (Dark Entries)
Dario Dell’Aere is a new wave musician, producer and singer from Milan, Italy. At the end of the 1970’s Dario performed in a mime show influenced by the glam clichés of David Bowie. “Eagles In The Night” is one of the more coveted Italo disco 12”s of the ‘80s. Clocking in at over 8-minutes, the song features xylophone-esque synth hooks and Dario’s powerful, booming vocals.
Drose – Boy Man Machine LP (Orange Milk)
Drose is on the forefront of the evolving experimental/outsider metal scene. Containing the power and aggression of traditional metal music without the macho posturing, Drose’s heaviness takes on a sense of beauty or the bittersweet, aided by a sometimes hushed, sometimes scathing unconventional vocal performance. Boy Man Machine is built on a foundation of industrial machine samples, creating a rigid, mechanical base that perfectly contrasts the overarching human elements.
Empty Markets – Stainless Steel LP (12XU)
“Austin is a city spoiled by quality punk rock bands. From Spray Paint to Ghetto Ghouls, Massageinist to Breakout, many of the rowdier bands that call the Texas capital home feature on 2015’s excellent We Jam By Condos compilation. One of the highlights of that comp was Empty Markets, a three piece led by Drew Schmitz, a musician who has done time in Brain Attack, Gremlins UK, Party Garbage and the Hex Dispensers. The band [has just released] their debut LP Stainless Steel.” – Noisey
FKA Twigs – EP1 [Reissue/2012] 12” (Young Turks/XL)
FKA Twigs’ self-released debut EP is back in print on 12″ vinyl via Young Turks.
Ghibli – I’m Looking For You [Reissue/1985] 12” (Dark Entries)
Dark Entries has always been rather canny when it comes to their Italo-disco reissues, often unearthing obscurities from one-shot artists who disappeared just as quickly as they arrived. Ghibli was one such artist. He only ever released one single, “I’m Looking For You,” back in 1985. That it still sounds fresh, despite its’ obvious period features — bubbling, Bobby Orlando style synthesizer sequences, bold chords and heavily accented Italian vocals — is testament to the skill of the record’s original producer, Alfredo Baraldi.
Jose Gonzalez – Open Book b/w With The Ink Of A Ghost 7” (Mute)
Exclusive recordings of two tracks from 2015’s Vestiges & Claws with classical ensemble Y Music.
Hogg – Carnal Lust And Carnivorous Eating LP (Rotted Tooth)
Primordial rock with and without ‘real’ drums but always with a hard grind. Inverted rainbow rockers.
Hot Water Music – Forever And Counting [Reissue/1998] LP (Rise)
Eighth color vinyl LP repress – this time around: black/gold.
Houston Stackhouse – Houston Stackhouse And Friends LP (Big Legal Mess)
Part of Fat Possum’s 25th Anniversary celebration, this twelve-track collection of stripped down traditional blues songs performed by Houston Stackhouse And His Friends was recorded by folklorist George Mitchell in Dundee, Mississippi in 1967 and is appearing on vinyl for the first time. The album serves as the next installment in the George Mitchell Collection series of early blues recordings which also includes releases from the likes of Mississippi Fred McDowell, R.L. Burnside, Joe Callicott, Furry Lewis and J.W. Warren.
Kings Of Convenience – Quiet Is The New Loud [Reissue/2001] LP (Astralwerks)
Kings Of Convenience – Versus [Reissue/2001] LP (Astralwerks)
Kings Of Convenience – Riot On An Empty Street [Reissue/2004] LP (Astralwerks)
140gm color vinyl reissues of two of the Norwegian folk-pop duo’s (essential) albums plus the remix compilation Versus (which features Röyksopp, Four Tet, Ladytron, and more).
Furry Lewis – Good Morning Judge LP (Big Legal Mess)
An American country blues guitarist and songwriter from Memphis, TN, Furry Lewis was one of the first of the old-time blues musicians of the 1920s to be brought out of retirement, and given a new lease of recording life, by the folk blues revival of the 1960s. Lewis twice opened for The Rolling Stones, played on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, had a part in a Burt Reynolds movie W.W. and The Dixie Dancekings (1975), and had a profile in Playboy magazine. This limited edition first time pressing of Good Morning Judge, 1962 recordings he made with George Mitchell, is released as part of Fat Possum’s 25th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign.
Megadeth – Dystopia LP (T-Boy)
Limited edition picture disc pressing of the thrash metal band’s (recent) 15th studio album.
Method Man and Redman – How High [OST/Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Def Jam)
Standard weight vinyl reissue of the soundtrack to the 2001 film starring Method Man & Redman. The set does a good job of collecting B-sides and radio hits from the time period, and comes pretty close to being an official Method Man and Redman album.
Miss May I – Apologies Are For The Weak + Monument 2xLP (Rise)
Miss May I’s first two albums as one double-LP (color) vinyl set.
Ennio Morricone – Paura: A Collection Of Scary & Thrilling Soundtracks LP (Rustblade)
This collection shows the darker experimental side of Ennio Morricone with pieces that have accompanied such films as The Cat O’ Nine Tails, The Devil In The Brain, Il Serpente, Drammi Gotici, The Infernal and many more. Frightening orchestrations, dark jazz tapestries and unsettling piano movements are brought to life. Transparent vinyl pressing.
Mystery Plane – Still Life LP (Color Tapes)
Mystery Plane formed in 1980 from the ashes of ’70s new wave band 3D5 who’s line-up also featured future Cure member Porl Thompson. This record was originally a demo cassette made in 1981 that was hawked around record labels with a view for release.
Neutral Milk Hotel – Neutral Milk Hotel [Reissue/2011] 2xLP+2×10″+2×7″+7″ Picture Disc (Neutral Milk Hotel)
This self-released vinyl-only box set collects two LPs (In the Aeroplane Over The Sea and On Avery Island), two 10” records (Everything Is EP with bonus tracks and Ferris Wheel On Fire EP featuring eight previously unreleased acoustic recordings), two 7” records (Little Birds and ‘You’ve Passed’ b/w ‘Where You’ll Find Me Now’), one 7” picture disc with fold-out poster (‘Holland, 1945’ b/w ‘Engine’), and two 24“x24” posters.
Of Mice & Men – Of Mice & Men [2010] LP (Rise)
First-time color vinyl edition of the metalcore band’s 2010 debut.
A Place To Bury Strangers – Kicking Out Jams 7” (Famous Class)
“I always wanted to have a band that would just come up with real pop songs on the spot,” explains A Place To Bury Strangers frontman Oliver Ackerman. “This is that minus the pop and plus the f**ked up rock and roll. This is our raw, uncut, thought-of-on-the-spot A Place To Bury Strangers.”
Steve Reich – Four Organs / Phase Patterns [Reissue/1970] LP (Superior Viaduct)
Recently reissued on CD – now available on vinyl. Steve Reich remains one of the most important figures in 20th century music. As part of the so-called “Big Four” of New York minimalists (along with La Monte Young, Terry Riley and Philip Glass), Reich influenced both the classical world and contemporary pop music. Originally released on Shandar in 1971, Four Organs / Phase Patterns is one of the most highly regarded avant-garde recordings of the past 50 years.
Arthur Russell – Tower Of Meaning [Reissue/1983] LP (Audika)
Vinyl reissue of Arthur Russell’s epic minimalist orchestral composition conducted by the late Julius Eastman. Stunningly beautiful, mercurial, and moving.
Curtis Salgado – The Beautiful Lowdown CD (Alligator)
With a career spanning forty years, award-winning soul, blues and R&B vocalist/harmonicist/songwriter Curtis Salgado is a one-of-a-kind talent whose music is as compelling as his story. From co-fronting The Robert Cray Band to leading his own band (and recording nine solo albums) to helping transform John Belushi into “Joliet” Jake Blues to touring the country with Steve Miller and Santana, Salgado has earned a reputation for high-intensity performances and a repertoire inspired by his encyclopedic knowledge of soul, blues and R&B music.
The Shark Toys – Outsider Sect LP (Mt. St. Mtn.)
The Shark Toys deliver ten bursts of weirdo punk. Get ready for nine originals and a cover of the Mekons’ classic “Where Were You.”
Sleeping With Sirens – The Rise Years 4xLP (Rise)
Limited edition quadruple color vinyl LP set from the Florida-born/Michigan-based post-hardcore band containing their albums originally released by Rise Records (they moved on to Epitaph in 2014).
Some Bizarre – Don’t Be Afraid [Reissue/1983] 12” (Dark Entries)
Rare Italo disco reissued on vinyl! Some Bizarre’s first production, “Don’t Be Afraid,” was released in 1983 on Il Discotto and the vocal melody is lifted from Bach’s “Toccata And Fugue in D Minor.”
Soundtrack – Next Friday [Reissue/2000] LP (Priority)
Vinyl reissue of the soundtrack to the Friday sequel includes music from Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Lil’ Zane, Pharoahe Monch, Krayzie Bone, and Ron Isley. Part of UMe’s ongoing Respect The Classics vinyl reissue campaign.
Summer Flake – Hello Flake LP (Rice Is Nice)
Hello Friends is the sophomore full-length from Australian musician Stephanie Crase aka Summer Flake. Drenched in a timeless reverb, Summer Flake’s transcendent songs float on the ethereal wings of pop, via The Crystals and The Paris Sisters, wander down the lonely byways of Karen Dalton and Laurel Canyon folkies, amble up alongside the hard-edged ’90s alternative rock of Hole and Sonic Youth, before finally emerging into the sunshine of other dream-pop contemporaries like Best Coast or Mac DeMarco.
Träd, Gräs Och Stenar – Djungelns Lag [Reissue/1972] 2xLP+MP3 (Anthology Recordings)
Träd, Gräs Och Stenar – Mors Mors [Reissue/1973] 2xLP+MP3 (Anthology Recordings)
Träd, Gräs Och Stenar – Träd, Gräs Och Stenar 6xLP+MP3 (Anthology Recordings)
First-time vinyl reissues of the psychedelic rock band’s rare Tall Records LPs, expanded as double-LP sets with bonus material. [The Träd, Gräs Och Stenar six-LP box set includes Djungelns Lag and Mors Mors, plus Kom Tillsammans, an exclusive double-LP comprised entirely of unreleased live material from 1972.]
Robin Trower – Where Are You Going To LP (V-12)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Continuing his productive creative surge, the guitar master rediscovers his rock chops in this new studio package. Ten great new songs, phenomenal guitar playing, and that signature tone that only Robin Trower can cultivate from his Strat.
Tuesday – Freewheelin’ [Reissue/1997] LP (Asian Man)
Back in print for the first time in many many years. Tuesday is the pre-Alkaline Trio band fronted by Dan Andriano. Also features Rob Kellenberger and Matt Stamps from Slapstick. Pressed on color vinyl.
Ulver – Bergtatt – Et Eeventyr I 5 Capitler [Reissue/1995] LP (Century Media)
Ulver – Kveldssanger [Reissue/1996] LP (Century Media)
Ulver – Nattens Madrigal – Aatte Hymne Til Ulven I Manden[Reissue/1997] LP (Century Media)
Limited vinyl reissues of the Norwegian experimental folk/black metal band’s first three albums.
Various Artists – Cold Waves Of Color Volume 3 LP (Color Tapes)
The third volume in this essential series of the 1980s UK cassette underground scene. The majority of these tracks from these UK garage cold wave bands used mostly synthesizer, drum machines and sequencers such as EMS VCS3, Minimoog, Korg MS-20, Roland Juno 6, SH-09, TR-808.
Alan Vega/Alex Chilton/Ben Vaughn – Candyman b/w Lover Of Love 7” (Light In The Attic)
In December 1994, over two all-night improv sessions at New York’s Dessau Studios, Suicide’s Alan Vega, Big Star’s Alex Chilton, and singer/songwriter Ben Vaughn joined forces without a predetermined plan. Out of those two nights came a truly mesmerizing album, Cubist Blues. This 7” featuring a radio edit of “Candyman” and the live version of album track “Lover Of Love” from their concert at Trans Musicales in France, 1996, one of the only two live performances the ensemble ever did.
Sammy Walker – Brown Eyed Georgia Darlin’ [Reissue/1976] LP+CD (Ramseur)
Recorded in the mid-1970s at New York’s famed Record Plant, Brown Eyed Georgia Darlin’ contains the previously unreleased demos that earned Walker a contract with Warner Bros. Records. “You don’t have to be a music-biz whiz to figure out why Sammy Walker’s career didn’t take off in the wake of his eponymous 1976 Warner Brothers debut and the 1977 follow-up, Blue Ridge Mountain Skyline. At the time, record companies were ostensibly still seeking the next Bob Dylan, but what they really wanted was simply someone who worked in his genre and possessed an equally exciting original style; they weren’t looking for a clone. While Walker may have had the wrong voice at the wrong time, however, he also had a good deal of talent.” –The Morton Report
Wussy – Forever Sounds LP (Shake It)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “To certain fans of Lucinda Williams, Crazy Horse, Mekons and R.E.M., Wussy became the best band in America almost instantaneously with the launch of their cult classic debut, Funeral Dress, in 2005. Their flawless document of ragged songwriting and modestly adventurous arrangements has only grown in dynamism in the years and albums that followed: 2007’s jangly Left For Dead, 2009’s fatalistic self-titled LP, and 2011’s more lighthearted Strawberry, which introduced the pounding Joe Klug on the backbeat. It was 2014’s schizoid Attica!, though, that put them on the map in a whole new way — notoriously cantankerous Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave them an A+ rating — with anthems like ‘Teenage Wasteland’ interspersed with threadbare items like ‘Acetylene.’ Still, the Cincinnati quintet’s sixth album, Forever Sounds is their most challenging and densely textured to date.” – SPIN
Cassettes:
Soundtrack – Everybody Wants Some! Music From The Motion Picture (WB)
The official soundtrack curated by the film’s director Richard Linklater, featuring classic songs from Van Halen, The Cars, The Knack, and many more. Quote from Linklater: “The Everybody Wants Some soundtrack tries to capture the amazing diversity of what was on the table musically at that time. So many artists were at the top of their game, and it seemed like a lot of popular genres were viable. Metal and R&B were as big as ever, disco was still hanging in there (although it would be ‘dead’ within a year or so), and, thanks to the movie Urban Cowboy, country was suddenly cool in places it hadn’t been before. Even more exciting was the immediacy of punk and new wave, and the first examples of this thing you’d eventually know as hip-hop. Over the years some of this has been parodied and made to look ridiculous, but this movie is asking you to experience it as if for the first time — from those opening drum beats of ‘My Sharona’ to the utter newness of ‘Rapper’s Delight.’”
Woods – City Sun Eater In The River Of Light (Woodsist)
Woods have always been experts at distilling life epiphanies into compact chunks of psychedelic folk that exists just outside of any sort of tangible time or place. Maybe those epiphanies were buried under cassette manipulation or drum-and-drone freakouts, or maybe they were cloaked in Jeremy Earl’s lilting falsetto, but over the course of an impressive eight albums, Woods refined and drilled down their sound into City Sun Eater In The River Of Light, their ninth LP and second recorded in a proper studio. It s a dense record of rippling guitar, lush horns and seductive, bustling anxiety about the state of the world.
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