CDs + Vinyl:
The Amity Affliction – This Could Be Heartbreak CD/LP+MP3 (Roadrunner)
New album from the Australian metalcore band.
Atmosphere – Fishing Blues CD/3xLP+MP3 (Rhymesayers)
“Fishing Blues has an inspired feeling to it, with elements of blues, gospel and funk all taking part in creating the overall sound. Boasting an 18-song track list with nothing under two minutes long, Atmosphere have offered enough music to satisfy after the two-year break following their previous album.” – Slug Magazine
Black Tape For A Blue Girl – These Fleeting Moments CD (Metropolis)
On their 30th anniversary, Black Tape For A Blue Girl return to their evocative ethereal, neoclassical, gothic roots with an album exploring the existential predicaments of time’s passage, choices questioned, and loves lost. Original vocalist Oscar Herrera rejoins the band after a 17-year absence.
Blind Pilot – And Then Like Lions CD/LP (ATO)
“It’s been nearly five years since the charming Portland folk-pop band Blind Pilot released its second and most recent album, We Are The Tide, and that record’s roiling title track has only recently begun popping up in beer commercials. Given that the band used to tour up and down the West Coast via bicycle, it should come as no surprise that Blind Pilot is accustomed to taking its time. And Then Like Lions is band’s third album and first new release for a big label. Its grower of an opening track, ‘Umpqua Rushing,’ points to a softer, dreamier direction for Blind Pilot. It’s a hazy, quiet beauty that builds slowly but persistently — appropriate for a band that’s long balanced rising-star status with the subtlety of a lifer with little to prove.” – WHRO/Virginia
BossaCucaNova – The Best Of CD (Six Degrees)
Based in Rio De Janeiro and with nominations for a Latin Grammy, Bossacucanova is a bossa nova/electronic hybrid group.
Brendan Canning – Home Wrecking Years CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)
New album from the co-founder of the Toronto supergroup Broken Social Scene – a backyard barbecue-ready indie affair with heavy summertime vibes. Smart and breezy four-minute pop tunes that run the gamut from ‘90s-era college rock to tropical baroque pop.
Celtic Thunder – Legacy Volume Two CD (Sony)
The second installment of Celtic Thunder’s live performance series featuring many of the best-loved numbers from the group’s nine standing-room-only tours. [Stand-alone DVD version also available.]
Citizen Zero – State Of Mind CD (Wind-Up)
Debut album from the Detroit rock band. “This album is filled with some seriously bitchin’ guitar riffs!” – Standing Room Only Magazine
The City Yelps – The City Yelps Half Hour CD (Emotional Response)
From Leeds, The City Yelps are a three-piece that plays bruising melodic post punk, resonant and raw, distilling the essence of Television Personalities and Swell Maps, with a nod to the pop sensibilities of Flying Nun greats The Clean. “The City Yelps are a brilliantly loud but lo-fi piece of fuzzed pop that seems as British as bedsits, bitter ale & biryani”—Noisey/Vice. [Vinyl edition was released by Odd Box Records in the UK in April this year.]
Cool Ghouls – Animal Races CD/LP (Empty Cellar)
For the uninitiated: Cool Ghouls play rock ’n’ roll. That’s about all there is to it. They’re California natives. They try to do a good job. They like to elevate and to get far out. They also like to keep it real. They like to make friends and have a good time. They don’t like bullsh*t. They want to keep growing and learning how to become more powerful musicians. This record reflects the discoveries they’ve made over the last five years.
Dead C – Trouble 2xCD/2xLP (Ba Da Bing!)
New album from the legendary lo-fi art rock trio. Previous albums like Harsh 70s Reality and Trapdoor Fucking Exit, which date back more than 25 years, are paradigms of experimental, technically wonky rock. The Dead C abandon conventional song structure in favor of epic length, relentless guitar feedback, waves of fuzz, and disturbingly inhuman moaning. Their droning, crumbling soundscapes and long improvisational pieces turn each new album into a dark, engrossing experience. Trouble is no different: meticulously crafted but dirty as hell.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – The Anthology 3xCD (BMG Rights Management)
Emerson, Lake & Palmer were one of the most successful, innovative and ground breaking British groups of the golden age of progressive rock. Produced by Greg Lake, The Anthology gathers 39 tracks from the years 1970 to 1998.
Front 242 – Pulse/Still & Raw [Reissue/2003] 2xCD (Alfa Matrix)
For the celebration of their 35th anniversary, Belgian electronic music pioneers Front 242 are reissuing several of their albums.
Fury – Paramount CD/LP+MP3 (Triple B)
Debut album from the Orange County, CA hardcore group. RIYL: Embrace, Unbroken, Mental. [Limited color vinyl edition also available.]
Grifters – One Sock Missing [Reissue/1993] CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Grifters – Crappin’ You Negative [Reissue/1994] CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Originally coming together in 1990, the Grifters spent much of the following decade releasing four full-length albums (two for Memphis-based Shangri-La Records and two for Sub Pop) and touring the US and the world with bands such as Flaming Lips, Fugazi, Pavement, Guided By Voices, Jeff Buckley, Red Red Meat and many others. Certainly the most low-key (if not lo-fi) of the Grifters’ early records, 1993’s One Sock Missing is less noisy and aggressive than its immediate predecessor, So Happy Together, but that doesn’t mean it’s mellow. Among the best albums to come out of the ’90s lo-fi D.I.Y. scene, Crappin’ You Negative ebbs and flows on oceans of spliced-and-diced vocal melodies and noisy guitar effects. The band’s songs are confessional and psychedelic in equal measure, though the clicks of a four-track recorder still cue changes from verse to chorus to bridge.
Judy Henske & Jerry Yester – Farewell Aldeberan [Reissue/1969] CD/LP (Omnivore)
Farewell Aldebaran was brought to life by Judy Henske (dubbed “Queen of the Beatniks” by producer Jack Nitzsche) and Jerry Yester (The Association, Tim Buckley, Tom Waits), and co-produced with Lovin’ Spoonful alum, Zal Yanovsky (who also contributed guitar, bass and vocals). Among the many notable contributors are David Lindley, Paul Beaver (of the pioneering electronic music duo Beaver and Krause) and influential jazz bassist, Ray Brown. This is the first authorized and licensed reissue of this oft-bootlegged psych-folk classic—originally issued on Frank Zappa’s inventive Straight Records label—now remastered from the original tapes. From baroque pop to guitar-driven rockers, Farewell Aldebaran employs the use of instruments as unconventional as bowed banjos and hammered dulcimers to vocal samples on a Chamberlin tape organ to an early use of the Moog synthesizer on the title track. [Limited multi-color vinyl pressing also available.]
The Fred Hersch Trio – Sunday Night At The Vanguard CD (Palmetto)
Piano maestro Fred Hersch marks his 60th year with a creative surge, including new recording Sunday Night At The Vanguard. Ebulliently playful and ravishingly lyrical, rhythmically elastic and harmonically exploratory, the trio plays with an extraordinary level of trust, assurance, high-wire poise and musicality throughout the set.
Hey Mercedes – Everynight Fire Works [Reissue/2001] CD/2xLP+MP3 (Run For Cover)
15 years after its initial release, Hey Mercedes’ debut Everynight Fire Works is back in print on CD and vinyl. Formed after the breakup of Braid by Bob Nanna, Mark Dawursk and Damon Atkinson, Hey Mercedes’ brand of emo-influenced alternative rock has stood the test of time as a more melodic but equally-as-important companion to the members’ first band. [Limited expanded color vinyl edition also available. Includes The Weekend EP, which has never been available on vinyl, plus two cover songs.]
Hockey Dad – Boronia CD/LP+MP3 (Kanine)
Australian duo and Leisure Coast legends Hockey Dad release their debut album. Their story is simple: best mates first, band second, and their music flows from their surroundings: sunny and jangly guitar driven rock complete with anthemic choruses. Yet please do not mistake their laid-back vibes for anything but tight execution and a drive to share their good times with the world. [Limited blue color vinyl edition also available.]
Horseback – Dead Ringers CD/LP (Relapse)
Dead Ringers sees the one-man Chapel Hill, NC experimental project continuing to evolve while staying true to their distinctive sound. Written, produced, engineered, and mixed by the mastermind Jenks Miller, Dead Ringers finds Horseback weaving a bright web of drone, krautrock, shoegaze, metal and psychedelic elements, driven by wispy guitars, synths, beats, and clean vocals, and bolstered by dense layers of hypnotic resonance.
House Of Waters – House Of Waters CD (Ground Up)
House of Waters is a unique band from NYC. Part funky jamband, part Afrobeat and part pan-Asian. In a casually expert way, frontman Max ZT is the Hendrix of the hammered dulcimer, an instrument on which he is a former American national champion. Yet while American folk music informs his songwriting, his rippling, hypnotic, warmly psychedelic instrumentals draw on styles from around the globe.
JEFF The Brotherhood – Zone CD/LP (Dine Alone)
The third and final installment of their ‘spiritual trilogy,’ Zone is a van-rocking, bong-rattling slab that authentically captures a fiery mixture of ‘70s hard rock, ‘80s punk, ‘90’s grunge and indelible pop melodies. The album’s lead single, ‘Punishment,’ “highlights the band’s signature intensity with a wicked guitar solo soaked in synth and distortion, as heavy drumming pulses in the background. ‘I am irrelevant,’ Jake Orrall sings before the song suddenly ends — but a track that hits this hard proves otherwise” (Consequence Of Sound). “People like to lump us in with the garage thing, because there aren’t any other heavy rock bands that are playing the circuit that we’re playing,” says Jake Orrall. “But we’re not interested in playing three-chord punk or blues songs; we play hard rock, and we’re all about the pop hook. Bands like Foo Fighters, Weezer and Queens of the Stone Age — that’s who we aspire to be.”
Cody Jinks – I’m Not The Devil CD (Cody Jinks Music)
Cody Jinks’ credible grit and meaningful tattoos are no fad. They define exactly who he really is:
someone who was raised on the sounds of country music and metal. [Vinyl edition due September 2.]
Barney Kessel – Live At The Jazz Mill 1954 CD/LP (Modern Harmonic)
Unearthed tape from a jazz icon. Even if you don’t know Barney Kessel, you know Barney Kessel — as a first-string member of the group of L.A. session musicians nicknamed “The Wrecking Crew,” Kessel’s guitar is heard on just about every L.A.-based hit you’d care to name from the ’60s, including songs by The Monkees and The Beach Boys’ legendary Smile LP. And that’s Kessel’s playing on the famous “fight music” from the Star Trek TV series. Live At The Jazz Mill 1954 catches Barney Kessel in the middle of his run at the Jazz Mill with a great four-piece band. [Limited color vinyl edition also available.]
King Jammy – Presents New Sounds Of Freedom CD/LP (VP)
New Sounds Of Freedom is a re-working of Black Uhuru’s 1977 classic Love Crisis featuring an array of contemporary vocal talents. The 10-track set blends the original audio with new lyrics that add a contemporary relevance and underscore the timeless quality of the originals. Each song is revamped with new lyrics from artists including Alborosie, Chronixx, Dre Island, Gentleman, Kabaka Pyramid and U Roy.
Lakuta – Brothers & Sisters CD (Tru Thoughts)
Immersing themselves in their musical and multi-cultural heritages, Brighton-based collective Lakuta has roots that run through Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Malaysia, and Europe. The name Lakuta originates from Siggi’s mother tongue and translates from Swahili to mean ‘to find, meet and share’. Referencing a fusion of musical styles, Lakuta draw on their funk, soul and world music backgrounds to unearth a conversation that explores modern and traditional approaches.
Lando Chill – For Mark, Your Son CD/LP (Mello Music)
When you listen to Lando Chill, you hear traces of Gil Scott-Heron, Pharoahe Monch, and The Roots. At times, his rollicking cadences and innate fight for melody feel like a one-man equivalent of The Pharcyde’s Labcabincalifornia. While the album’s sepulchral finale feels like the most gorgeous song TV On The Radio never wrote. But mostly, For Mark, Your Son makes the ascendance of a singular talent, fusing scattered influences into a coherent vision, an artist scarred by his experiences but healing through his broken poems. Lando has the gift of writing disconsolate spirituals non-denominational prayers, a Unitarian Gospel that can’t help but leave you feeling whole.
Macula Dog – Why Do You Look Like Your Dog? CD/LP (Wharf Cat)
Macula Dog is a four person electronic duo from NYC, making music that is just as much pop as the performers are human — it’s unclear. Mechanical instrumentation played with an inebriated-mule-like precision. “They create the kind of music you imagine the Devo-loving shift manager at a cryogenics warehouse would play late at night.” — Noisey/Vice
Justin Moore – Kinda Don’t Care CD (Valory)
New album from the country singer/songwriter and ACM New Artist Of The Year. [CD is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds five bonus tracks.]
Oasis – The Masterplan [Reissue/1998] CD/2xLP+MP3 (Big Brother Recordings Ltd.)
Oasis – Heathen Chemistry [Reissue/2002] CD/2xLP (Big Brother Recordings Ltd.)
Back in print on CD and 180gm vinyl.
of Montreal – Innocence Reaches CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Polyvinyl)
Innocence Reaches begins with a query. “How do you identify?” coos a robotic voice over a strikingly modern mix of bright synthpop and surging rave. The question too feels very of its time—as outdated ideas about gender and attraction are being overturned—but it’s also a fair ask whenever of Montreal debuts an album. The project’s 14th LP follows two full decades of mercurial creative mania: swallowing up ’60s psych-pop, Prince-ly funk, and glammy prog in turn; morphing freely between full-band affair and cloistered confessional booth; comprising lyrics both painfully personal and absurdly fantastical; and recently drawing site-specific inspiration from culture capitals like San Francisco or New York City. The thread that runs through it all is Athens, GA’s Kevin Barnes, and Innocence Reaches finds him at his most light-hearted in years, working a Parisian stint, Top 40 sounds, and his newfound single status into the kaleidoscopic swirl. Even as he continues to sift the sonic and emotional detritus of his past, Barnes sums up his current mood in the opener’s title: “let’s relate.” [Limited color vinyl also available.]
Thee Oh Sees – A Weird Exits CD/2xLP (Castle Face)
New release from John Dwyer’s Thee Oh Sees – the first studio recordings to capture the muscular rhythm section of twin drummers Ryan Moutinho and Dan Rincon with ringer bassist Tim Hellman cracking spines. The groove and bludgeon one has come to expect from the band’s live shows is captured seamlessly here-they go from zero to head-splitter, and on the rare occasions they do let up on the gas a bit, you’re treated to some locked-in hypnotizers, too. The guitar sounds more colossal and ethereal at the same time, riding roughshod over the vacuum-sealed rhythm section, spiraling skywards, and diving into the emerald depths so quick your guts tingle. Synths, strings and smoke-soaked things crawl behind the scenes to make an extra far-out party platter.
The Pineapple Thief – Your Wilderness CD/LP (Kscope)
“The aptly titled Your Wilderness sees The Pineapple Thief in a period of rediscovery. Recent predecessors have paralleled the paths of contemporaries Porcupine Tree and Anathema: lessening the progressive rock influences in favor of more electronic and alternative music styles. This has made for more straightforward outcomes, but now finally given way to more adventurous songwriting, due mainly to the addition of a new band member. Drumming legend and Porcupine Tree alumnus Gavin Harrison joins the Pineapple Thief ranks, injecting new life into a band dangerously close to a stalemate.” – Sputnik Music
Rae Sremmurd – SremmLife 2 CD (Eardruma/Interscope)
SremmLife 2 is the follow-up to brothers Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi’s platinum selling album SremmLife which debuted atop Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Rap albums chart, while cracking the Top 5 on the Top 200 Albums chart its first week. Executive produced by Mike WiLL Made-It (Rihanna, Beyoncé, 2 Chainz). [CD is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds two bonus tracks.]
Ruby The RabbitFoot – Divorce Party CD/LP+MP3 (Normaltown)
Divorce Party is the third full-length release by the enigmatic Los Angeles-based songstress, Ruby Kendrick aka Ruby The RabbitFoot. Following 2014’s critically lauded New As Dew, the new collection of songs finds Ruby further evolving and focusing the pop sensibilities that permeated her earlier releases. Co-produced by Andy LeMaster (R.E.M., Bright Eyes, The Faint) and Nicolas Dobbratz (Yip Deceiver, of Montreal), the lean grooves, razor-sharp lyrics and glittering melodies that have become synonymous with Ruby remain intact, but with exciting new explorations into the electro-pop realm. “I want this to be a soundtrack for anyone going through a transition,” Ruby says of Divorce Party. “Even though there’s this connotation of disruption and heartbreak, divorce parties have a celebratory energy. Every person that we love teaches us, so when it’s time to part ways I think it’s beautiful to appreciate everything we’ve gained from the experience. I wrote these songs in a period of separation from a love. I want to release them into the world as a celebration of all that I learned during that time.”
Savior Adore – The Love That Remains CD/LP+MP3 (Nettwork)
“Savoir Adore” is French for “to know love” — a lofty moniker, but an idea that has always been at the heart of the band’s romantic, imaginative pop music. Led by Paul Hammer, the ever-evolving Brooklyn based project continues its journey through magical dream worlds and vivid musical landscapes.
Dylan Scott – Dylan Scott CD (Curb)
Debut album from the mainstream country singer — one of Spotify’s ‘Spotlight on 2016 Country Artists’.
Spin Adrift – Chained To Oblivion CD/LP (Prosthetic/War Crime)
Spirit Adrift was created by Nate Garrett, who cut his teeth in the (humid) south, in a melting pot of doom, sludge, psychedelic rock and hardcore punk, where bands like Black Sabbath, EYEHATEGOD and Neurosis were guides. Psychedelic currents ebb and flow throughout passages of unrelenting doom and entrancing tragedy.
Paul Thorn – The Best Of Paul Thorn 2xCD (Perpetual Obscurity)
The Best Of Paul Thorn is a double-disc release including all of Paul’s fan favorites on one disc, and a bonus disc that includes his live performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium.
Various Artists – Bad Boy Entertainment: 20 Years – The Box Set 5xCD (Bad Boy)
Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy and Bad Boy Entertainment celebrates their 20+ year legacy as an authority on hip-hop and R&B culture. Includes the hits “I Need A Girl,” “Juicy,” “I Don’t Wanna Know,” “Hypnotize,” “Money, Power, Respect,” “Peaches & Cream,” “Can’t You See,” “Flava In Ya Ear (Remix),” “Love Like This,” “Feel So Good,” “Pop That,” “Damaged,” and “I’ll Be Missing You,” from artists including Puff Daddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Craig Mack, Faith Evans, Total, Carl Thomas, Mase, 112, The Lox, Cassie, Janelle Monáe, Danity Kane, Machine Gun Kelly, French Montana and many other Bad Boy artists.
Various Artists – The Cole Slaw Club: The Big Rhythm & Blues Revue CD/LP+7” (Bear Faimly)
17 tracks compiled by Baster from the Komet Musikbar in St. Pauli (Hamburg) Germany, and initiator of ‘The Cole Slaw Club’ at the very same venue. For the club’s fifth anniversary he picked a selection of R&B, popcorn, soul and tittyshake favorites. All re-mastered.
Various Artists – Derrick Harriott Rock Steady 1966-1969 CD/LP (Dubstore)
A selection of magical rocksteady music from one of the masters of the genre and one of the forerunners in Jamaican, Derrick Harriott, along with a stellar cast. A stunning selection of some of his rocksteady classics from between 1966 and 1969 is featured on this release ranging from Derrick’s biggest hits such as “Solomon” and “Do I Worry” and the legendary Keith & Tex with “Stop That Train” and “Tonight” to sought after obscurities including Junior Soul’s “Glendevon Special” and “Magic Touch” and instrumentals from Bobby Ellis.
Waterstrider – Nowhere Now CD/LP+MP3 (30th Century/Sony)
Debut full-length from Oakland-based singer/songwriter Nate Salman aka Waterstrider. Nowhere Now caught the attention and ears of Danger Mouse who subsequently signed Nate to his label 30th Century Records. A bright, glistening blend of indie-alternative.
Ann Wilson – Ann Wilson Thing! 2 CDEP (Rounder)
The lead-singer of Heart returns with the second EP in her ongoing series The Ann Wilson Thing! The project features covers of such artists as Peter Gabriel and Jimi Hendrix, as well as two brand new original tracks penned by Wilson and her guitarist/producer, Craig Bartock. This EP sees the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee delving deeper into the music that has influenced her career.
Young The Giant – Home Of The Strange CD/LP+MP3 (Fueled By Ramen)
Los Angeles quintet Young the Giant continue to brave new sonic landscapes with their wildly adventurous third album Home Of The Strange. On this new release, the band explores their expansive musicianship with boldly eclectic arrangements anchored by a keen melodic presence. Thematically, Home Of The Strange builds from the opening track “Amerika,” a song inspired by Franz Kafka’s posthumously published and unfinished novel of the same name. The members of Young The Giant are all the sons of immigrants, with a majority of the band being first generation Americans. They can relate to Kafka’s story of Karl, a sixteen year old who flees Germany under uncertain circumstances. He becomes a stowaway on a ship headed to NY and the book tells the tale of a bizarre coming of age story of a boy caught between the cultures of two worlds, struggling to belong. To direct the band’s continued evolution, they collaborated with producer Alex Salibian (Elle King, Mikky Ekko) and Executive Producer Jeff Bhaskar, 2016 Grammy winner for Producer of the Year.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Celtic Thunder – Legacy Volume Two DVD (Sony)
The second installment of Celtic Thunder’s live performance series featuring many of the best-loved numbers from the group’s nine standing-room-only tours.
Keep Records TV Presents: So Indie – Honolulu DVD (Keep Records, LLC)
This feature-length documentary by Anthony Wallace follows independent hip hop artists ILLIS IT, Syntax Vernac, Tonsofun, DrewID, and Dar (along with label staff) on their Hawaiian tour during the week of Record Store Day in 2014. Giving you a glimpse of what it’s like to tour with an indie label in one of the most beautiful locations in the world; this film is for the adventure seeker, traveler, musician, and risk-taker in all of us.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Steve Adamyk Band – Graceland LP (Graceland)
Blame Canada. Or for that matter, Ottawa. The Capital’s kings of punk-power-fuzz are back and better than ever.
Bad Sports – Living With Secrets 12” (Dirtnap)
Living With Secrets is another step forward for Bad Sports — moving away from both the ebullient punk/power pop of 2011’s Kings Of The Weekend and the anything-goes grimy punk of 2014’s Bras, this EP is their darkest, most powerful, and weirdest. The lyrics are bleak and desperate, but the music is more dangerously catchy than ever.
Barb Wire Dolls – Desperate LP (Motörhead Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Electrifying rock of this magnitude did not go unnoticed by the elder statesman of the Sunset Strip, the incomparable, irreplaceable Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead. After seeing Barb Wire Dolls live, Lemmy took an immediate interest in the band and placed them under his supportive wing.
Dierks Bently – Black LP (Capital Nashville)
New release from the multi-platinum selling country singer/songwriter. The slow-smoked grit of Bentley’s voice keeps the album rooted in country music, while it also appeals to audiences far beyond the boundaries with fresh sonic textures that flourish on the edge of arena rock.
Bib – Demo 7” (Deranged)
Omaha, Nebraska, conjures up images of steak, Warren Buffet, and Saddle Creek Records. One doesn’t think of hardcore punk. In comes Bib — noisey, blown-out hardcore from the middle of nowhere. Adhering to the “everything louder than everything else” approach, Bib’s colossal riffs sound like an avalanche when the bottom drops. Squirmy, effect-laden vocals veer from the huge to the weird.
Carla Bley/Andy Sheppard/Steve Swallow – Andando el Tiempo LP (ECM)
Released in May on CD – now available on vinyl. New music of wide emotional compass by the NEA Jazz Master. The trio with Sheppard and Swallow has been an ideal vehicle for Carla’s writing for more than 20 years and also provides one of the best contexts for her unique piano playing.
The Bloodhound Gang – Hooray For Boobies [Reissue/1999] LP (MVD Audio)
Limited vinyl reissue of The Bloodhound Gang’s third album. Hooray For Boobies is grounded in the alternative rock, rapcore, and electronica genres, with prominent rap-metal guitar riffs, samples, electronic instrumentation, and lyrics rife with toilet humor.
Carcass – Choice Cuts [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Earache)
13 of the grindcore band’s most impressive tracks throughout their career, culled from their five full-length studio albums released between 1988 – 1995, along with two full Peel Sessions from 1989 and 1990.
Cherub – Fist In The Air 2×7” (Brutal Panda)
New EP from the Austin, TX cult noise rock kings. Produced by Mike McCarthy (Spoon, ….And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead) with remixes by Les Savy Fav’s Tim Harrington and $hit and $hine. “Another warm f*ck you from the venerable Cherubs.” Limited color vinyl.
Convictions – I Will Become LP (InVogue)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Convictions is a five-piece Christian metalcore act from Ohio.
D.O.A. – F*cked Up Donald 7” (Sudden Death)
Can it get worse before it gets better? Good question? D.O.A., Canada’s punk pioneers think it can get worse. So that’s why they have re-visited one of their classic tunes. The end result is a blazing 85 second punk rock commentary on Donald Trump, taking him to task for anti-Mexican, anti-women, stances amongst his many other egregious ill-informed opinions.
Feed Her To The Sharks – Fortitude [2015] LP (Victory)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. Frenzied yet melodic metal with technical prowess from Melbourne, Australia.
John Frusciante – Foregrow 12” (Acid Test)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Frusciante uses elements of John Carpenter’s eternal scores, the drum programming DNA of jungle and footwork, and a Roland TB-303 to craft a lurching, lysergic beauty.
Guru – Jazzmatazz Volume 1 [Reissue/1993] LP (Virgin)
Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Volume 1 is a jazz rap album from Guru, one-half of the duo, Gang Starr. This album is one of the first albums to combine a live jazz band with hip-hop production and rapping. The set brought together a diverse group of jazz cats both old-school and new, including Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ronny Jordan, and Courtney Pine. Part of UMe’s ongoing Respect The Classics vinyl reissue campaign.
Daryl Hall/John Oates – The Very Best Of [2001] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Limited edition 150gm gray and blue color vinyl reissue of the Platinum-certified hits collection. 18 greatest hits by the all-time #1 best-selling duo. Includes “You Make My Dreams,” “Rich Girl,” “Maneater” and many more. Packaged in a gatefold jacket with photos and liner notes.
The Highwaymen – Highwayman [Reissue/1985] LP (Sundazed)
The Highwaymen – Highwayman 2 [Reissue/1990] LP (Sundazed)
180gm vinyl reissues of the country supergroup’s (Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson/Johnny Cash/Kris Kristofferson) first two albums.
Iron Claw – Iron Claw 2xLP (Rockadrome)
“This Scottish band is just ridiculously heavy and I think it’s a travesty that the sixteen songs they wrote around 1970/1971 never got an official release until 2009. This whole album is just breathtaking (Terrorizer). “Sixteen pulverizingly heavy early masterpieces of dirty doom metal, this is a can’t miss package for all fans of heavy psych, proto-metal and the early days of doom rock.” — The Ripple Effect
Laser Background – Correct LP (La Societe Expeditionnaire)
The brainchild of Philadelphia’s Andy Molholt, Laser Background has spent the past three years creating recordings, touring the US, and sharing strange and fantastic videos. Throughout the course of his new LP Correct, Molholt further unravels the sonic envelope, hinting at influence from the likes of Syd Barrett, Koji Kondo. RIYL: Animal Collective, Devo, Pink Floyd. 180gm.
Little Richard – The Explosive Little Richard [Reissue/1967] 2xLP (Bear Family)
180gm double-vinyl reissue Little Richard’s mid- ‘60s comeback album and his first LP under the label of the revitalized Columbia subsidiary, OKeh.
Jeff McDonald – Jeff McDonald LP (Bang!)
Jeff Mcdonald, co-leader of Redd Kross, recorded this self-titled music gem back in 1997 in Los Angeles and now it is available on vinyl for the very first time. Recorded between Redd Kross’ masterpieces Phaseshifter and Show World, that is exactly what this record sounds like, a mix between both albums. Spine shivering melodies full of rock, glam, pop melodies, choruses and beauty.
Meet Your Death – Meet Your Death LP (12XU)
Playing genuinely evil rock n’ roll that draws equally from The Scientists and the deep roots of American blues and jazz, Meet Your Death is the antidote to feeble contemporary hot dog and burger rock and middling pseudo-psyche jams.
The Monkees – Good Times! LP (Rhino)
Recently released on CD – now available on 180gm vinyl. Good Times! by The Monkees is the band’s first new album in 20 years and tied to their 50th anniversary. The album finds all three surviving band members (Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork) taking turns on lead vocals, playing a wide range of instruments, and sharing new compositions. The unmistakable voice of the late Davy Jones is also included with a vintage vocal on the Neil Diamond-penned “Love To Love.” Much like The Monkees’ early albums, Good Times! features tracks written specifically for the band by some of the music world’s most gifted songwriters, including Rivers Cuomo of Weezer (“She Makes Me Laugh”), Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie (“Me & Magdalena”), Andy Partridge of XTC (“You Bring The Summer”), as well as a song co-written by Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller (“Birth Of An Accidental Hipster”).
Thomas Newman – The Shawshank Redemption: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [1994] 2xLP (Spacelab9)
Newman’s iconic score is pitch-perfect, expertly balancing sadness, despair, humor and exaltation as it nurtures and enriches a film that is now considered to be an all-time dramatic masterpiece. First time on vinyl.
Nots – Cold Line b/w T.V.O.D. 7″ (Goner)
A teaser 7” to the upcoming second album from Memphis’ Nots. Features an alternate version of the album cut “Cold Line,” backed with a cover of The Normal’s “T.V.O.D.”
Cecil Otter – Dear Echo LP+MP3 (Doomtree)
New solo album from Cecil Otter, a member of Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree.
Includes three brand new songs and their corresponding instrumentals, with all production, songwriting, vocals, and artwork handled masterfully by Cecil. Limited-edition standard weight white vinyl in gatefold sleeve.
Pennywise – Nineteen Eighty Eight LP (Theologian/Hardline Entertainment)
Vinyl-only collection of the West Coast punk band’s early recordings, including the EPs A Word From The Wise (1989) and Wildcard (1992) along with tracks from the Soul Arch compilation (1994) which features their cover of Black Flag’s “Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie.” Opaque blue color vinyl.
The Ronettes – The Ronettes Featuring Veronica [Reissue/1961] LP (Bear Family)
Led by singer Veronica Bennett, The Ronettes released a string of hit records produced by Phil Spector in the ‘60s. This vinyl reissue of their 1961 debut full-length features the alternate European cover from the 1965 reissue.
Spirit Adrift – Chained To Oblivion 2xLP (War Crime)
Spin Adrift was created by Nate Garrett, who cut his teeth in the (humid) south, in a melting pot of doom, sludge, psychedelic rock & hardcore punk, where bands like Black Sabbath, Eyehategod and Neurosis were guides. His 2016 EP Behind-Beyond received immediate raves from Metal Hammer (“Stunning work—sure to pique the interest with it’s gorgeous, fuzzed out progressions,”) and Noisey/Vice (“…the tracks unfurl purposefully and with grace to paint a desert-tinted portrait of American doom”). Psychedelic currents ebb & flow throughout passages of unrelenting doom and entrancing tragedy.
Sunny Day Real Estate – How It Feels To Be Something On [Reissue/1998] LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)
“Sunny Day Real Estate admired Fugazi’s ethics, but dreamed of being Led Zeppelin and U2, bands that aspired for total transcendence—something they finally achieved on How It Feels To Be Something On.” [Best New Reissue/8.8] – Pitchfork
Claudia Thompson – Goodbye To Love [Reissue/1959] LP (Modern Harmonic)
Claudia Thompson’s 1959 Edsel release Goodbye To Love features playing by Barney Kessel and a collection of smooth standards, including “Stormy Weather,” “Body And Soul,” “If I Should Lose You,” and “The Morning After.” An appealingly polished selection of jazzy pop songs.
Those Things – 1985 7” (Sudden Death)
Hailing from Vancouver BC and armed with pop sensibilities, punk energy and power-metal riffage, Those Things is singer/guitarist Carly Tre (Cobweb Society), guitarist Jeff Speers (Racer Ten), bassist Ken Burke (Randy Bachman, Raffi), and powerhouse drummer Ray Hartmann (Annihilator).
TR – Manifesto Rumoratorio LP (Siltbreeze)
When we last heard from Pietro La Rocca, he was honing his inscrutable craft with the unflinchingly great Sicilian ensemble, Oper’azione Nafta, whose Cavuru forged the skree of High Rise with the yelp of Sun City Girls. On Manifesto Rumoratorio, La Rocca teams up with ex-pat Polish vocalist Patrycja Stefanek with the results running the gamut from agog to agape. Utilizing a small array of gadgets (Walkman, delays, toys, and tapes) in conjunction with voice and guitar, the results simmer in an ardor of abstract improvisational babble—think Vetza/Joe Potts (LAFMS), Jim French/Diamanda Galás on Metalanguage, Joan La Barbara/Bruce Ditmas on Wizard Records, or Suckdog. Polarizing? Sure, but like the deep end of the pool, it’s great once you get in.
Trust Punks – Double Blind LP (Wharf Cat)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Trust Punks’ new album, Double Bind, reveals the band on a tear through an Australasia that’s a precarious and nasty place for the young and the restless. This Heat, Polvo, and Can, to Wire, The Birthday Party and Stereolab—it’s all in here, synthesized and absorbed into something new and hungry. “Double Bind scratches at nastier surfaces—the corroded post-hardcore Slint of mouth-breather Britt Walford, rather than David Pajo’s ambient leanings—and administers scathing self-scrutiny to the band’s existence & environs.”—Pitchfork
Various Artists – The Depression Sessions LP (Nuclear Blast)
The Depressions Sessions is a new compilation featuring six never before released tracks, one original and one cover each from the three featured bands: Thy Art Is Murder, The Acacia Strain and Fit For An Autopsy. The unique cover versions draw on material by such artists as Soundgarden (“Black Hole Sun”), Nine Inch Nails (“The Perfect Drug”) and Rammstein (“Du Hast”).
Various Artists – Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Live Volume 1 LP (Time Life)
A selection of ten live tracks culled from the history of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s induction ceremony spanning 1993-2009. All-star, jam-filled performances by Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Cream, Tom Petty, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, Metallica and James Taylor, pressed on purple color vinyl (in honor of Prince).
Vetiver/Wolf People – Live At Pickathon LP (Easy Sound)
Woods/The Men – Live At Pickathon LP (Easy Sound)
A limited one-time pressings on black 150gm vinyl featuring each artist on their own side. Original cover artwork by long-time Pickathon artist Travis Bone of Furturtle. These are the third and fourth releases of the ongoing Live At Pickathon vinyl-only series.
Neil Young – Earth 3xLP (Reprise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Earth features performances of songs from a range of Young’s albums, including last year’s The Monsanto Years, 1990’s Ragged Glory, and 1970’s After The Gold Rush. The audio was captured during Young’s 2015 tour with The Promise Of The Real, fronted by Lukas Nelson (vocals/guitar) and Micah Nelson (guitar, vocals) — Willie Nelson’s sons. A new take on some of Young’s most beloved songs, Earth features the live recordings, along with added musical overdubs, as well as sounds of the earth, such as city sounds like car horns, sounds of insects, and animal sounds from bears, birds, crickets, bees, horses, cows — creating a very strange, yet beautiful atmosphere.
Cassettes:
Jay Arner – Jay II (Mint)
Jay Arner’s Jay II is music for outsiders who might not want to be insiders. Sophisticated synth-pop for sensitive types, existential glam rock for the unsettled—these songs are the soundtrack to fitting in, finding your place in the world of suffering, and finally coming to terms with yourself.
Heaven For Real – Kill Your Memory (Mint)
A collection of songs brimming with their idiosyncratic brand of maximalist pop music. Equally enamoured with undeniable melodic hooks as they are with unconventional sounds, Heaven For Real emerges as fully formed left-field masters with the unique ability to turn directions on a dime.
Sunny Day Real Estate – How It Feels To Be Something On [Reissue/1998] (Sub Pop)
“Sunny Day Real Estate admired Fugazi’s ethics, but dreamed of being Led Zeppelin and U2, bands that aspired for total transcendence—something they finally achieved on How It Feels To Be Something On.” [Best New Reissue/8.8] — Pitchfork
Supermoon – Playland (Mint)
The self-proclaimed gadabouts of moody pop are at it again! Supermoon’s latest excursion, Playland, bubbles with intelligent, weirdo songs that combine sunny riffs and distorted ring-outs. Coated in sugary vocals with driving bass, spectral guitars and marching drums, the songs of Supermoon wink at something lurking beneath the surface.
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