CDs + Vinyl:
Abominable Putridity – In The End Of Human Existence CD/LP (Unique Leader)
CD and first-time vinyl reissue of the 2007 debut from the Russian brutal, slamming death metal outfit.
Alborosie – Freedom In Dub CD (Greensleeves)
Newly recorded dub versions of songs from the 2016 album Freedom & Fyah. Using vintage analog equipment, Alborosie bridges the sounds and rhythms of classic reggae to 2017, highlighting his lineage to producers like Linval Thompson and King Jammy among others. [Vinyl edition due August 25.]
Alpheus – Good Prevails [Reissue/2014] CD/LP (Liquidator Music)
The dynamic duo of London England-raised Jamaican singer Alpheus and producer Roberto Sanchez teamed up once again to make yet another quality album of ska and roots rocksteady reggae music with 2014’s Good Prevails. Back in print on CD and vinyl.
Altered Five Blues Band – Charmed & Dangerous CD (Blind Pig)
“Explosive, hard driving blue collar rockin’ blues… muscular blues mixed with vintage soul designed to showcase the mighty vocals of frontman Jeff ‘JT’ Taylor.” — No Depression
Atriarch – Dead As Truth CD/LP (Relapse)
Ritualistic, apocalyptic noisemakers Atriarch are back with their fourth offering of mind-altering, doom-soaked, deathrock.
James Blunt – The Afterlove [Extended Version] CD (Atlantic)
The Afterlove sees Blunt melding contemporary pop production with his classic brand of personal songcraft, equal parts heartfelt poignancy and self-deprecating wit. The chart-topping troubadour enlisted a who’s who of modern talent to join him in writing and recording the album, among them such icons and studio luminaries as Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder, Amy Wadge (Ed Sheeran), Johnny McDaid (Example, Biffy Clyro), Stephan Moccio (Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd), and MoZella (Miley Cyrus, One Direction).
The Bombay Royale – Run Kitty Run CD/LP (Hope Street)
A retro Bollywood fueled rampage through psyche-surf, 80’s electro-pop and desert rock, Run Kitty Run is, like its predecessors, conceived as the soundtrack to a lost film. The music conjures into life a devastated futuristic landscape peopled by robotic horsemen, killer satellites and grinning sadhus. Overlaid with vocals in Hindi, Bengali and English, the resulting soundtrack is one of love and betrayal, hopeless escapes and unlikely salvation.
Bonobo – One Offs… Remixes & B-Sides [Reissue/2002] CD/2xLP (Tru Thoughts)
Successfully beating the bootleggers at their own game, 2002’s One Offs offered Bonobo fans the chance to get their mitts on rare 12” and 7” cuts, as well as some truly exceptional remixes.
Dennis Callaci – The End Of Night CD (Shrimper)
A knee play, a low budget opera, a tone poem with broken keys, The End Of Night follows up last year’s Bed Of Light, about which Tiny Mix Tapes wrote: “Poetry from a lofi pulpit, really, though Callaci seems to technically be singing hymns of non-redemption that’s too fleeting yet perfect because it’ll keep you coming back.”
Rosemary Clooney – I Feel a Song Coming On: Lost Radio Recordings 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
24 previously unreleased radio performances from the ‘50s.
The Cribs – 24-7 Rockstar Sh!t CD/LP (House Arrest)
Recorded to tape in just five days with legendary producer Steve Albini, the Jarman brothers’ new album is a “return to our roots and the raw approach we took on our first two records in 2004 and 2005.”
A.J. Croce – Just Like Medicine CD/LP (Compass)
The acclaimed singer/songwriter A.J. Croce and his producer, soul music legend Dan Penn, explore the healing power of music with Just Like Medicine. An all-star cast including Steve Cropper, David Hood, Vince Gill, Colin Linden and the McCrary Sisters come together on Croce’s ninth studio album.
Kenna Danielle – Like A Tumbleweed CD (Kenna Danielle Music)
Gaining inspiration from legends like Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Miranda Lambert, this Texas native captivates crowds with her sultry vocals and precision playing on guitar and harmonica.
Dawn Of Disease – Ascension Gate CD (Napalm)
Since 2003, Dawn Of Disease has rumbled their way to the top of Germany’s death metal scene.
Dday One – Journal Extended CD/LP (The Content Label)
Dday One revisits his 2009 album Journal with a ten-track extended version. Flipped beats and layered samples abound, placed in compelling arrangements that affirm the producer’s pensive attention to detail.
Dead Rock West – More Love CD (Omnivore)
For their fourth album, the California vocal duo of Cindy Wasserman and Frank Lee Drennen joined forces with producer John Doe to create an album that places their achingly beautiful signature vocals and harmonies in finely etched rock, alt-country and pop settings.
The Districts – Popular Manipulations CD/LP (Fat Possum)
The distinctly intense sound of the Pennsylvania-borne band’s third full-length – charging guitars, thunderous drumming, and Grote’s searing vocals – was brought on by a few cited influences, from shoegaze’s aggressive swirl to the Velvet Underground’s impeccable drone-rock sound. There’s a distinctly Canadian flavor to this brand of indie rock, too; Spencer Krug’s anthemic, lushly inscrutable work in Wolf Parade and his defunct Sunset Rubdown side project comes to mind, as does 2000s Toronto barnburners The Diableros’ overlooked 2006 gem You Can’t Break The Strings In Our Olympic Hearts. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Downtown Boys – Cost Of Living CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)
Downtown Boys began by combining revolutionary ideals with boundless energy and contagious, inclusive fun, and their resolve has only strengthened as their sound and audience have grown. Cost Of Living is their third full-length, recorded with Guy Picciotto (Fugazi; producer of Blonde Redhead, The Gossip). Picciotto fostered the band’s improvisational urges while pulling the root of their music to the forefront: unflinching choruses, fearlessly confrontational vocals, and the sense that each song will incite the room into action, sending bodies into motion that were previously thought to have atrophied.
Lindsay Ell – The Project CD (Stoney Creek)
Debut album from the country singer/songwriter, produced by Sugarland‘s Kristian Bush.
Luke Ferrari – Complete Music For Films 1960-1984 3xCD (Sub Rosa)
This triple-CD set that gathers Luc Ferrari’s complete works for films spanning1960-1984, including electronic pieces, concrete music made in GRM, and some hybrids including traditional instruments. Very rare pieces, most of which are unpublished (including collaborations with Jean Cocteau and Jean Tinguely), are presented here for the first time, offering a complete scope of the innovative 20th century composer’s foray into film music.
Ross Goldstein – Inverted Jenny CD/LP (Northern Spy)
Goldstein’s second album opens with a trifecta of Van Dyke Parks-tinged open road songs, but even in the joyful discovery of these songs there’s the sense that they’re viewed from a loner’s perspective. This feeling only grows as things shift from roadside distractions to the plush instrumentals and gentle vibes that make up the record’s second half. Gorgeous arrangements set up a playful conversation between warm synths, stoned guitar leads, meticulously placed touches of chamber pop orchestration and even sounds of the natural world from Ross’ own field recordings, always buzzing with life.
Gross Reality – Escaping Gravity CD (Divebomb)
Gross Reality’s brand of tight, high-energy thrash strikes a constant balance between focused aggression and emphatic melody, at times dipping its toe into more ambitious and prog-leaning waters, sure to pique the interest of those in search of more technical and complex fare.
Guided By Voices – How Do You Spell Heaven CD/LP (GBV Inc.)
Hot on the heels of the smothered-in-plaudits double album August By Cake comes this hot and heavy fifteen-tune long player, a melody-dense thwack to the earholes that will both energize and deplete your body of its remaining music-appreciation enzymes.
Hamell On Trial – Tackle Box CD/LP+MP3+CD (New West)
Hamell on Trial, the musical alias of New York-based poet and folk punk hero Ed Hamell, returns with his tenth album. A one-man explosion, Hamell on Trial is a dynamic performance informed by politics, passion, intelligence and the all-important sense of humor. [Vinyl edition includes a bonus live CD.]
Headland – True Flowers From This Painted World CD+DVD/LP+DVD (Headland Music)
With an almost distinct Australian fever to its pitch, True Flowers ebbs and flows like the proverbial tide it is soundtracking; the players of this collective have a long history in the underground/mainstream music scene in Australia, and with this record have created a similar cinematic/avant garde-pop as created by the likes of Calexico, Friends of Dean Martinez, Boxhead Ensemble, Lullaby For The Working Class, and even Pink Floyd and Neil Young. Includes a DVD of found super 8 film fragments depicting surfing and coastal culture in and around Lennox Head, Australia in the 1970s.
Hinder – Reign CD (The End)
New album from the multi-platinum rockers.
Will Hoge – Anchors CD/LP (Edlo)
Recorded with an all-star band comprised of drummer Jerry Roe (Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Darius Rucker), bassist Dominic Davis (Jack White, Wanda Jackson), and guitarists Brad Rice (Son Volt, Ryan Adams) and Thom Donovan (Lapush, Ruby Amanfu), Anchors is a prime showcase for Hoge’s searing, gritty vocals, as well as his remarkable gift for crafting complex characters with real emotional depth and plainspoken profundity.
Steve Howe – Anthology 2: Groups & Collaborations 3xCD (Rhino)
Anthology 2 spans more than 50 years of Howe’s prolific career with 56 tracks that mix hits with a generous selection of unreleased recordings, including several with Keith West, who was Howe’s bandmate in both Tomorrow and The In Crowd.
Incantation – Profane Nexus CD/LP (Relapse)
The legendary death metal pioneers triumphantly return to their original label Relapse Records to vomit forth another unholy offering of godless abominations.
In Hearts Wake – Ark CD/LP+MP3 (Rise)
Fourth album from the ARIA-charting Australian metalcore band. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Joel Jerome – Cosmic Bear Jamboree CD/LP+MP3 (Elite)
Joel’s music easily evokes references such as Mac Demarco, Beck, Deerhunter or Ariel Pink. His dreamy psych features wide background choirs full of reverb and warm vintage guitar sounds.
Paul Kelly – Life Is Fine CD/LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Paul Kelly lifts the electric guitar out of the case again and unveils one of the most powerful albums of his career. Engineered and co-produced by Steve Schram, Life Is Fine is preceded by the rock-flavored lead single “Firewood And Candles,” a rollicking track reminiscent of his finest ‘80s recordings, a feeling which permeates the entire collection.
Ke$ha – Rainbow CD/LP (RCA)
Kesha’s first new album in five years features Eagles Of Death Metal, Dolly Parton, and more, including a track produced by Ben Folds and artwork designed by Robert Beatty.
King Jammy – Waterhouse Dub CD (Greensleeves)
Returning to the ring with Waterhouse Dub, a brand-new slab of megaton dub, King Jammy, the undisputed heavyweight champion of drum and bass, draws for a crucial selection of his toughest rub-a-dub specials to deliver 15 mind-destroying dub knock-outs. [Vinyl edition due August 25.]
Lapalux – Ruinism CD/2xLP (Brainfeeder)
Released on vinyl two weeks ago – now available on CD. Throughout Ruinism the British producer takes this exploration further, journeying onward to the more ominous limbo space between life and death. In this liminal space where the finite and infinite intermingle, Lapalux sounds more at home than ever. Much of Ruinism’s inspiration was born out of a theatrical score Lapalux (aka Stuart Howard) wrote for the performance art piece Depart which was performed in an East London cemetery. The aptly named project served as genesis for a direction wrought with doom and melancholia. Ruinism is all sonic wreckage and rubble created using only hardware and real instruments. The sound simultaneously destroys and redeems itself across a tight and formidable 48-minutes.
Live – Mental Jewelry [25th Anniversary Edition] 2xCD/LP (Radioactive)
Multi-platinum selling Pennsylvania band Live reissue their debut album to commemorate its 25th anniversary. The package includes the remastered studio album produced by Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison. Disc 1 also features never-before-heard studio material, whilst the second disc features an unreleased live performance recorded at The Roxy in 1992. [Single-disc, first-time vinyl pressing also available.]
The Lurking Fear – Out Of The Voiceless Grave CD/LP (Century Media)
Death metal to the core, this Swedish band’s music is heavy, dirty, organic and warm in stark contrast to many modern-day productions. Pure death metal in the vein of Autopsy, (early) Death, Morbid Angel, Possessed, and Repulsion. [Limited 180gm colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Freddie McKay – Picture On The Wall [Reissue1971] CD/2xLP (Studio One)
Picture On The Wall is Freddie McKay’s first album, originally released by Studio One in 1971. The LP served as the first real introduction to the singer for the reggae public after a series of unsuccessful singles. McKay’s untimely death in 1986 cut short a promising career, but here the listener can rediscover the greatness of one of reggae’s unsung heroes.
Medusa 1975 – Rising From The Ashes CD/LP (Svart)
A combination of their original proto-metal style with straight ahead rock and prog.
Milo – Who Told You to Think??!!?!?!?! CD (Ruby Yacht)
New release from the iconoclastic east coast rapper. Found in gardens of intricate tones and soulfully abstract beats, vortexes of unique meaning spiral from Milo’s pen. The production elevates the lyricism and is unique from track to track, supplied with the backdrop of varying samples, harp, flute, keys, guitar, electric bass, violin, synth, and many other instrumental elements. [Vinyl edition due October 6.]
Moral Void – Deprive CD/LP (Translation Loss)
Ripping and tearing at the seams of the most raw and brutal of genres, Chicago’s Moral Void presents their crushing debut album.
Mr. T Experience – King Dork Approximately The Album CD/LP (Sounds Rad)
A twelve-song concept album based on singer Frank Portman’s bestselling series of young adult novels. Originally released as a unique digital “balbum,” (book/album) this album is finally given proper treatment on physical format. The album is crammed with carefully crafted songs about girls, love, angst and awkwardness-themes that have resonated with fans new and old for 30 years – a soundtrack to the inside joke that is your life.
Needtobreathe – HARD CUTS: Songs from the H A R D L O V E Sessions CDEP (Atlantic)
Six tracks including four previously unheard songs, including “Count On Me” and “Waiting.”
No Use For A Name – Rarities Vol. 1: The Covers CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Archive collection of every non-album cover the California punk band has recorded.
Oneohtrix Point Never – Good Time [OST] CD/2xLP (Warp)
Rapturously received by Cannes film critics, Good Time is directed by Josh and Benny Safdie and stars Robert Pattinson (in a widely regarded career best performance) and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The hypnotic crime thriller follows Pattinson’s Connie in a twisted odyssey through the New York underworld in a desperate attempt to get his brother out of jail. Oneohtrix Point Never received the prestigious Cannes Soundtrack Award at this year’s 70th anniversary edition of the festival for his visceral original score. OPN was in competition with the likes of Jonny Greenwood, Jed Kurzel and Ibrahim Maalouf and took home the celebrated prize.
Buck Owens – Live From Austin TX CD+DVD (New West)
Recorded October 23, 1988 KLRU-TV, Austin, TX. [Vinyl edition due September 8.]
Jeremy Pinnell – Ties Of Blood And Affection CD (Sofaburn)
Pinnell’s songs are shot through with honest and classic elements; rooted in his steady acoustic guitar, the tunes chug along in a spring-reverb dream from somewhere between, say, 1955 and 1975 – unearthing a sweet secret cache of songs that “Waylon Jennings might have written if he had cut a record with Alex Chilton” (Portland Tribune).
Poison Blood – Poison Blood CD/LP (Relapse)
A collaboration between Jenks Miller (Horseback) and Neill Jameson (Krieg). A dark and low-fi exercise in mystic, minimalistic black metal.
David Rawlings – Poor David’s Almanack CD/LP+MP3 (Acony)
Guitar man David Rawlings leaves the Machine moniker behind for his third album, Poor David’s Almanack, a wry mixture of acoustic and electric performances rich in ageless American vernacular. Gloriously captured on analog tape by studio wizards Ken Scott and Matt Andrews, the ten new songs took shape in a rollicking weeklong session at Woodland Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee where Rawlings and longtime compatriot Gillian Welch (who also designed the cover art) joined together with Willie Watson, Paul Kowert, Brittany Haas, Ketch Secor, and Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith to produce an album for all seasons.
Rico Rodriguez & Friends – Unreleased Early Recordings: Shuffle & Boogie 1960 CD/10” (Dubstore)
Previously unreleased early shuffle and boogie recordings from the ‘Man From Wareika’: Rico Rodriguez. One of the most talented musicians of his generation, the trombonist was a key player and founding father of Jamaican music who went on to establish ska in Britain in the early ‘60s and then add authenticity to the Two Tone ska revival of the late ‘70s.
Frankie Rose – Cage Tropical CD/LP (Slumberland)
The result of an existential odyssey, Frankie Rose’s fourth album is awash with vintage synths, painterly effects pedals, upside down atmosphere and reverberating vocals. [Limited edition white vinyl pressing also available.]
Emily Saliers – Murmuration Nation CD (MRI Associated)
“What’s a 53-year-old woman doing making her first solo record?” muses Saliers, best known as one half of the iconic duo Indigo Girls. In this ‘post-fact’ era in which we find ourselves living today, Saliers’ fearless voice and insightful perspective feel more vital and relevant than ever before. The songs also reveal a new side of Saliers’ artistry, one that even her most ardent fans might not expect to hear. [Vinyl edition due August 25.]
Sheer Mag – Need To Feel Your Love CD/LP (Wilsuns RC/Static Shock)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Sheer Mag’s full-length debut sounds like a mix of a classic ’70s rock, power pop and obscure English DIY. Think of the power pop delight of Protex, the lo-fi nature of The Seize, the riffs of Thin Lizzy and the powerful female vocals of Suzi Quatro.
Shooting Guns – Flavour Country CD/LP (Riding Easy)
While Canadian sextet Shooting Guns is known (and oft-nominated) for their film soundtrack work (like Netflix hit WolfCop), Flavour Country is the band’s fastest, heaviest and most visceral material – a collection of anthems to jettison from this universe into the multiverse. The album features some of the band’s most atmospheric sounds: there are slight hints of Ennio Morricone’s Spaghetti Western twang amidst the looping Meddle-era Pink Floyd heavy psych and driving drone reminiscent of Bobby Beausoleil’s belladonna laced soundtrack to Kenneth Anger’s Lucifer Rising.
Slits – Return Of The Giant Slits [Reissue/1981] CD (Real Gone Music)
Already far removed from the male-dominated, louder-faster ethos of punk rock, The Slits, with new drummer Bruce Smith of The Pop Group and multi-instrumentalist Steve Beresford in tow, added world music and free jazz to Ari Up’s Ono-esque ululations, Viv Albertine’s skittering guitar, and Tessa Pollitt’s dubwise bass riddims. Predictably, Sony dropped the record like a hot potato, not even bothering to release it in the U.S., and it has only been intermittently available on CD in the 35-plus years since. [Vinyl edition due September 1.]
Luke Sital-Singh – Time Is A Riddle CD/LP (House Arrest)
“London based singer-songwriter Luke Sital-Singh’s second full-length is a heartbreakingly emotive record. At times easy listening due to its graceful melody, at others uncomfortably affecting, this album is up there in the Julien Baker realms of super high-quality solo songwriting.” – The Fat Angel Sings
Ben Sollee – Ben Sollee and Kentucky Native CD (Soundly Music, LLC)
Tracing the origins of a traditional American genre back to early immigrants, Sollee takes a nontraditional approach, blending the influences of early Irish and Scottish musicians with the rhythms of Mexico, Africa and India. Inspired by the interactions and collaborations of string musicians from all walks of life, Ben Sollee and Kentucky Native is Sollee’s most personally revealing work and a reflection of his native Kentucky, a place like many others, that’s still helping refine the ever-changing Bluegrass genre. Sollee and his bandmates recorded the album in a cabin at the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont, KY with a mobile, analog studio and with just a few overdubs. [Vinyl edition due September 1.]
Somerdale – Maggie Says It Again CD (Jem)
“Insanely catchy, meticulously crafted, and hook-filled” fourth album from the New Jersey band.
So Much Light – Oh Yuck CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
So Much Light unites the electronic indie charms of Toro Y Moi and Flume with the courage and swagger of R&B stars like Neyo and The Weeknd. By seamlessly combining soul with exceedingly intelligent and thoughtfully-arranged production and textures, Verrett has expanded the boundaries of conventional genres.
Spacemen 3 – For All The F**ked-up Children Of This World We Give You Spacemen 3 [Reissue/1995] CD (Space Age)
Spacemen 3’s first ever recording session from 1984 sounds like a primitive version of what the group were to become; the dominating sound of the record is a slow, droning psychedelic blues performed with sparse instrumentation. A drum set is matched with a pair of distorted electric guitars, all of which provide a swirling foundation for Jason Pierce’s vocals. Following the UK 2017 RSD limited vinyl reissue, the set is back in print on CD.
Jo Stafford – It Had To Be You: Lost Radio Recordings CD (Real Gone Music)
24 radio performances taken from the Carnation Contented Hour, which Jo co-hosted on the Columbia Broadcasting System.
Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra – My Brother The Wind Vol. 1 (Expanded Edition) CD (Cosmic Myth)
Released by Sun Ra in 1970 (but recorded in 1969), My Brother The Wind is one of several albums that showcase Sun Ra’s initial reckonings with the then-recently introduced Moog synthesizer. The original My Brother the Wind LP on Saturn (catalog 521) featured four tracks, properly sequenced here on as tracks 1–4. For this expanded release, tracks 5–7 feature three complete session takes and more, with liner notes by Moog historian Brian Kehew. [Vinyl edition due September 8.]
Trailer Trash Tracys – Althaea CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Spanning 10-tracks, Althaea sees Trailer Trash Tracys drift afield from traditional song structures and create a new aural lexicon of their own, one as influenced by Filipino carnival music and Latin rhythms as it is by Japanese tropical music from the ‘80s.
Varials – Pain Again CD (Fearless)
Varials approach heavy music from a different angle altogether on their full-length debut, Pain Again. This mindset expands the possibilities of ‘heavy’ throughout 12 brash, bruising, and brilliant anthems, with the band taking a collective step forward.
Various Artists – Black Cat Trail [1970] CD (Mamlish)
Various Artists – Home Again Blues (Really The Post War Blues) [1979] CD (Mamlish)
Various Artists – New Deal Blues: 1933-1939 [970] CD (Mamlish)
Recently reissued on vinyl – now available for the first-time on CD. More than a genre primer, these meticulously curated and annotated sets feature such key forces as Snooky Pryor, Elmore James, Slim Pickins, Robert Nighthawk, Sunnyland Slim, Frankie Lee Sims, Brother Willie Eason, Kansas Joe McCoy, Memphis Minnie, Peanut The Kidnapper, and more.
Venom Inc. – Ave CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Venom Inc consists of former Venom founders Jeffrey “Mantas” Dunn on guitar and Anthony “Abaddon” Bray on drums as well as former Venom bassist Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan. [Limited edition brown colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Warm Digits – Wireless World CD/LP (Memphis Industries)
In the words of legendary DJ/producer Andrew Weatherall, Warm Digits create “machine funk kraut-a-delia.” Their brew of live drums, guitar and electronics betray a love of Neu!, Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, My Bloody Valentine and Boards of Canada while motorik percussion, electronic basslines, Keith Levene-style guitar chops and squelchy analogue warmth coalesce.
Whiskey Shivers – Some Part Of Something CD/LP (Rhyme & Reason)
“Bluegrass-fueled Americana for a generation that grew up listening to punk rock.” — Washington Post
The Woggles – Tally Ho! CD/LP (Wicked Cool)
“For two decades, The Woggles have marched from Georgia like Sherman in reverse, leveling nightclubs with their hip-shaking, windshield steaming garage rock fusillade.” – The Austin Chronicle
Dwight Yoakam – Live From Austin TX CD+DVD (New West)
Recorded October 23, 1988. [Vinyl edition due September 8.]
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Amon Amarth – Fate Of Norns [Reissue/2004] LP (Metal Blade)
Amon Amarth – With Odin On Our Side [Reissue/2006] LP (Metal Blade)
180gm vinyl reissues of the death metal band’s sixth and seventh albums.
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – Source Tags & Codes [Reissue/2002] LP+12” (Interscope)
Vinyl reissue featuring three bonus tracks, and an etching on Side 4.
Awon & Linkrust – Moon Beams LP (Vinyl Digital)
Moon Beams is a project by rapper Awon and producer Linkrust that takes the listener on a space-out Afro-futuristic journey through the streets as they exist today, yesterday, and possibly the future. The music by Linkrust is obscure, raw, and gritty yet beautiful at times composed as it is an alien operating on a different frequency.
Big Hush – Spirit/Wholes LP (Robotic Empire)
The music of Genevieve Ludwig, Owen Wuerker, Chris Taylor, and Emma Baker embraces collectivity and experimentation, imbued with the tension and intimacy of close friendship. Writing is communal, and everyone sings. Big Hush songs are sharpened by the unpredictable acoustics of DIY show spaces and recorded later in a basement studio. Edits are made in the backseat of a Volvo with the windows down. The songs are mostly three-minute concentrations of moody, solid indie-pop songwriting, with melodic dueling vocals and harmonies that poke out above the hiss of tape and distorted guitars.
Bob & Gene – If This World Were Mine [Reissue/2007] LP (Daptone)
Ten years ago, Daptone released an archival collection of the sweetest soul from upstate New York in the 1960s; Bob & Gene’s If This World Were Mine. The beautifully packaged LP sold out quickly and has remained out-of-print ever since. Its stature has grown over the years and is, these days, a desirable but hard-to-find record for fans of sweet soul. So, to respond to the demand of soul fans worldwide Daptone released this remastered pressing.
Carlton Melton – Hidden Lights 12” (Agitated)
San Francisco trip-makers supreme Carlton Melton return with a new 25 minute-plus three-track 12” EP.
Johnny Cash – The Johnny Cash Collection: His Greatest Hits, Volume II [Reissue/1971] LP (Friday Music)
Limited edition 180gm translucent audiophile vinyl reissue.
Della Derbyshire/Brian Hodgson/David Vorhaus – Electronic [1969] LP (Silva Screen)
Originally released in 1969, this album features music by BBC Radiophonic Workshop members Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson alongside David Vorhaus, an American born composer and musician with whom they formed the experimental electronic band White Noise. 180gm pressing.
Devo – Recombo DNA 4xLP+CDEP (Futurismo)
A sonic fusion of demos, alternate versions and outtakes, demonstrating the true breadth and talent of one of America’s most important bands, recorded 1977-2008. Three extremely limited quadruple colored vinyl pressings, each including bonus tracks and a 3” mini CD.
Discipline – Captives Of The Wine Dark Sea LP (Laser’s Edge)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Detroit, MI’s Discipline has performed and recorded together since 1987, and remains one of the top bands in the American progressive rock scene.
Dope90 – Joint Flight LP (Vinyl Digital)
A collaborative release with Germany goes by the name Joint Flight. The producers who participated in this project are: Dope90 (KOVSH, Boora, KOSM14, Smuff Tha Quiz), and other talented beatmakers – Klaus Layer, Wun Two, Planet Ragtime, Figub Brazlevi, FloFilz, Fro st, Made in M, Tusken, Flitz & Suppe, Je$u$, MadChe, 3, Vital_Mastyle, and JoDu.
Matt Elliott – Drinking Songs [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Ici D’Ailleurs)
Matt Elliott – Howling Songs [Reissue/2008] 2xLP (Ici D’Ailleurs)
Two albums from the former Flying Saucer Attack member aka Third Eye Foundation, back-in-print on vinyl.
First Light (Opio + Pep Love) – Livin’ The Life b/w Fu2 Picture 7” (Hieroglyphics Imperium)
Hieroglyphics Imperium and Elevation Nation present The Hierotrope Series; a collection of 7″ 45 singles with two-sided on-record phonotropic artwork that comes to life, animating when viewed in a camera/phone in direct light. The music for the series is a variety of unreleased songs from the Hiero vault, and featured singles from upcoming projects released bi-monthly.
Foster The People – Sacred Hearts Club LP+MP3 (Columbia)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Los Angeles, CA dance-pop outfit Foster The People incorporate ’60s-inspired sounds and a psychedelic influence on their third studio effort Sacred Hearts Club. “One of my favorite things about music is that it’s unifying,” says frontman Mark Foster. “We wrote these songs to reflect joy in a time where people have needed it more than ever and we thought it was a good time to share them with you.”
Josh Freda – Rewind This! [OST] LP+MP3 (Death Waltz)
Rewind This Is a must-see documentary about the home video boom of the 1980s and the tape collectors obsessing, preserving and cataloging the format today. Josh Freda’s incredible synth score perfectly captures all aspects of ’80s videotape culture; an album full of music recalling cheesy action synth riffs, moody horror stings and neon drenched nighttime radios.
Future – Pluto [2012] 2xLP (Omerta Inc.)
Limited double 180gm blue, purple and white tie-dye colored vinyl LP pressing of the debut album from the rapper featuring guest appearances from Drake, R. Kelly, T.I., Trae tha Truth and Snoop Dogg.
Headlock – Gang Nativity 10” (Hit & Run0)
Born from swampy house party revolutions in Portland and meeting somewhere at the intersection of concept art and hip-hop, rap duo Headlock are a well-loved slice of the Tucson music community. Triceratop plays the beats, Illslur puts down the raps, and together they’ve created “shredrap” a sound from dollar bin records, abandoned effects pedals, thrifted drum machines, heavy psych borrows and a VCR.
Heinali & Matt Finney – How We Lived LP (The Flenser)
Heinali & Matt Finney is a transcontinental avant-garde electronic music project consisting of Ukranian composer Oleg Shpudeiko (Heinali) and Alabama-based spoken word poet Matt Finney.
John Lee Hooker – The Country Blues Of John Lee Hooker [Reissue/1959] LP+MP3 (Cornbread)
By 1959 the folk revival was nearly in full swing, pushed forward by the likes of Pete Seeger, and it was in fact the first year of the Newport Folk Festival. In that light, John Lee Hooker took a break from his Chicago electric blues recording career and returned to his country blues roots with an acoustic blues LP that featured the stripped-down sound of just Hooker and his acoustic guitar. 180gm pressing.
The Kooks – Inside In/Inside Out [Reissue/2005] LP (Astralwerks)
The Kooks – Konk [Reissue/2008] LP (Astralwerks)
Vinyl reissues of the first two albums by the Brighton four-piece, both produced by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Air, Supergrass) and recorded at Ray Davies’ Konk Studios in North London.
Trailer Limon – Love Don’t Pay The Bills b/w Dancing With Somebody 7” (Austin Boogie Crew)
As one half of The Pendletons (along with E Da Boss), Limon has been leaving his imprint on the modern funk scene since 2010. This solo 45 features two choice cuts with appearances from West Coast heavy hitters E. Live and B. Bravo.
The Lovebirds – Filled With Hate 7” (Empty Cellar)
New single from San Francisco’s best new guitar band.
Loviatar – Loviatar LP (Prosthetic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Loviatar is a metal band from Canada whose sound borrows equally from the hazy gloom of My Bloody Valentine and the crushing riffs of Isis. Thunderous elements of doom and post-metal contrast with hypnotic moments of atmospheric introspection. Limited gold and black swirl pressing also available.
Dion Lunadon – Dion Lunadon LP (Agitated)
From cutting his teeth back home in New Zealand as a member of The D4 to his current role as bassist of Brooklyn-based A Place To Bury Strangers, Dion Lunadon has played in some form of a rock ‘n’ roll band his entire life. This is his debut solo album.
The Mad Walls – Somewhere Anywhere LP (Birth)
The Mad Walls formed in Los Angeles in 2016, led by frontman/songwriter Christopher Mercado. The band started as a personal recording project, with early demo recordings that were captured on a four-track cassette recorder. With the addition of drummer Johnathan Martin, the duo has made music that highlights their influences from earlier sonic pioneers, blending styles, and adding depth to their frenetic pursuit of a post-psychedelic sound. Brushing against the Los Angeles landscape, The Mad Walls offer a subdued but exploratory vision of sound and fury.
F.J. McMahon – Spirit Of The Golden Juice [Reissue/1969] LP (Kemado)
Originally pressed in a small quantity and scattered along the California coastline in 1969, F.J. McMahon’s first and only album is a spell-binding blend of singer-songwriter emotion and spiraling guitar accompaniment with a raw, adventurous character all its own.
Oceans Ate Alaska – Hikari LP (Fearless)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from the British metalcore band.
Patsy’s Rats – Rounding Up 7” (Dirtnap)
Patsy’s Rats is Portland power (pop) couple Patsy Gelb and Christian Blunda (aka Billy Jeans from Mean Jeans).
Elvis Perkins – The Blackcoat’s Daughter [OST] LP+MP3 (Death Waltz)
A dark eerie masterpiece that fuses classic 1970s horror soundtrack tropes with his traditional folk roots and jazz infused inflections of Angelo Badalamenti.
Photay – Onism LP (Astro Nautico)
The long-awaited full-length debut from Photay has received worldwide acclaim from tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, Ninja Tune, Ableton and BBC DJs, publications like FADER,
Trendland, PigeonsandPlanes and The Wild Magazine. Limited clear transparent vinyl pressing.
Portugal. The Man – Woodstock LP (Atlantic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “It’s been a long time coming since 2013’s Evil Friends from Portugal. The Man, but a new album is on the way. Between 2006 and 2013, the Alaska-born psych-indie pop group released a whopping eight studio records, never leaving more than two years in between. As we approach four years since their last album, fans have begun to wonder what the wait is, — would a new album ever come? On a trip back home, frontman John Gourley was met by the same questioning by his father, who asked him ‘What’s taking so long to finish the album?’ according to a press release. ‘Isn’t that what bands do? Write songs and then put them out?’ It light a fire under PTM’s collective asses, leading them to throw out all previous material of what they were going to call Gloomin’ And Doomin’, enlisting the help of Beastie Boys’ Mike D, Danger Mouse, and John Hill on the production side. With a bit of inspiration from finding an old Woodstock ’69 ticket of his Gourley’s father, PTM went back to the drawing room table to produce an album that can inspire some good in this ‘avalanche of flaming biohazard material sliding down a mountain of used needles into a canyon full of rat feces’ that sums up 2017 so far.” — Indie88
Sean Price and M-Phazes – Land Of The Crooks [Reissue/2014] 12” (Coalmine Music)
Vinyl reissue of the collaborative extended play project from the late Sean Price and Melbourne’s go to producer, M-Phazes. The project finds the longtime underground legend lending his distinctive, Brownsville-bred grimy vocals over Phazes’ rich tracks full of dramatic pianos, rich bass-lines, swinging horns and hard drums.
Prince – I Wish You Heaven [Reissue/1988] 12” (WB)
Prince – Batdance/200 Balloons [Reissue/1989] 12” (WB)
Prince – Partyman [Reissue/1989] 12” (WB)
Vinyl reissues of one Lovesexy and two Batman singles.
Pyramid Vritra – The Story Of Marsha Lotus LP (Stroll On)
Combining psychedelic arrangements with avant-garde jazz loops and brilliant rap flows, Hal Williams drags you into his world full of love, lust, and heartbreak.
Quelle Chris – Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often 2xLP (Mello Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “If you’re a fan of MF DOOM, Open Mike Eagle, or early Danny Brown, there’s a lot for you to like on this album.” — Source
Lennea Quigley – This Chainsaw’s Made For Cutting 7” (Strange Disc)
Strange Disc triumphantly returns to bring back to life a track from one of the most iconic scream queens of the ‘80s and ‘90s, Linnea Quigley. Introducing “This Chainsaw’s Made For Cutting,” a single by Linnea Quigley and Men In Skirts.
The Ronettes – The Coolpix Years: 1961-1963 LP+MP3 (Cornbread)
A reissued collection of singles The Ronettes released on Colpix Records. Before they hit it big with Phil Spector and his Philles label, the vocal trio from Harlem known as The Ronettes recorded numerous sides for Colpix Records.180gm pressing.
The Schizophonics – In Mono b/w The Clock Strikes (Sympathy For The Record Industry)
The Schizophonics – Land Of The Living LP (Sympathy For The Record Industry)
Over the last few years, the Schizophonics have built up a formidable reputation in San Diego as an Explosive live act. Tapping into the same unstoppable combination of rock ‘n’ roll energy and showmanship that fueled The MC5 in the heyday of the Grande Ballroom, they’re also heavily influenced by artists like James Brown, Iggy Pop, Jimi Hendrix, Little Richard, and The Sonics.
See Through Dresses – Horse Of The Other World LP (Tiny Engines)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Horses Of The Other World signals a sonic leap into a more ethereal, soundscape-driven aesthetic for See Through Dresses. Reverb-drenched and synth-laden, the album blends Carroll and Bertuldo’s masterful mood creation and technical prowess while further exploring the depths of the band’s dynamics.
Marlena Shaw – Woman Of The Ghetto Akshin Alizadeh Remix 7” (Cold Busted)
Alizadeh’s strong funk and nu-jazz influences, as well as his ability to combine funky grooves with punchy hip-hop beats, are on full display once again. Rightfully dramatic orchestral strings give way to bluesy rhythmic wah-wah guitar plucking, slightly cabaret-ish piano, pitch bending keys, and a totally sultry sax. Backed with instrumental on the flipside. Limited pink vinyl pressing.
Soundtrack – 13 Reasons Why 2xLP (Interscope)
An eclectic mix of songs from Selena Gomez, Joy Division, The Japanese House, The Cure, Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam and many others.
Epic Soundtracks – Film Soundtracks LP (Troubadour)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Film Soundtracks is a recently discovered eleven-track album by the late ex-Swell Maps, Jacobites, Crime & The City Solution and Those Immortal Souls musician. As a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Epic Soundtracks released three critically acclaimed solo albums, and two more were released posthumously. Notable fans of his solo work include Evan Dando and Thurston Moore.
Steoples – Six Rocks LP (Stone’s Throw)
Meet the Steoples – Gabriel Reyes-Whittaker and Yeofi Andoh. Gabriel is a longtime producer, under the name Gifted & Blessed aka GB, integral to the start of the Los Angeles beat scene. He recorded his full-length debut album in 2004, which also marked the first collaboration with vocalist and U.K. native Yeofi on the haunting “Love Is The End” single. The two had met through mutual friends, drawn to one another through their shared appreciation for genre-defying creativity.
Swarvy – Bop LP (Paxico)
Swarvy is an L.A.-by-way-of-Philly musical polymath with a vast catalog including sun-soaked live instrumentals, jazz-infused loops and lo-fi gems. With Bop, he is musical mad scientist, flaunting his technical finesse as he plunges into the realm of abstraction.
Sworn In – All Smiles LP (Fearless)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Sworn In weaves intensity and authenticity throughout their unique blend of heavy and aggressive music to touch on personal topics such as dysphoria, body dysmorphia, emotional masochism, manipulation, disassociation, and depersonalization. Limited colored pressing also available.
Three 6 Mafia – Most Known Unknown [2005] 2xLP (Omerta)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the rappers’ classic album which features guest contributions by Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Trick Daddy, Mr. Bigg, 8Ball & MJG, Young Buck, Remy Ma, Lil’ Flip, as well as the Hypnotize Camp Posse (Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, Frayser Boy, Lil Wyte, Chrome Korleone, Boogiemane, and Granddaddy Souf).
T.Rex – T.Rextasy 2xLP (Easy Action)
A double album of some of the best live T.Rex performances spanning 1971-1972.
Armando Trovajoli – La Famiglia Benvenuti LP (Four Flies)
A solid Italian easy listening masterpiece. After its commercial debut in 1968 as an original soundtrack of famous Italian TV-movie, this record gained renewed interest in the 1990s when four tracks were compiled in the immortal Easy Tempo series. From then on, La Famiglia Benvenuti has not only been considered one of Trovajoli’s most sought after records, but has achieved the status of being the manifesto of the Roman swinging ‘60s.
Various Artists – Avocet Revisited 12” (Earth Recordings)
Avocet Revisited is a four-track EP, commissioned by Earth recordings as a companion piece to Bert Jansch’s 1979 avian-themed masterstroke Avocet. Again, drawing inspiration from the resplendence of birds native to British waters (Bert himself was a keen ornithologist), Earth invited this quartet of artists to each choose a species that particularly speaks to them, and base a track around it. The results have been universally graceful, evocative, and majestic – much like the creatures themselves.
Washed Out – Mister Mellow LP (Stones Throw)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Boredom. Laziness. Complete apathy. Is it a quarter-life crisis or just an excuse to never grow up? This is the world of Washed Out’s (Ernest Greene) new album Mister Mellow. A fully immersive multimedia experience, the album guides the listener through the highs and lows of this often-ridiculous struggle. In classic Millennial fashion, most young adults’ perception of their own lives is overblown and over-dramatized to the point of absurdity – as are the many ways they distract themselves from the insecurities faced on a daily basis (see social media, fantasy, drugs, music). Mister Mellow shines a light on the humor found in this paradox – how we can be so bored and unhappy in what is often a very privileged, contented life? Further moving away from the synthesizer-driven sounds of his early work and the more band-driven sound of his work on iconic indie label Sub Pop, it is fitting that Greene has partnered with the rebellious beat-driven label Stones Throw as he continues to carve out a unique sonic identity that stands in direct opposition to most current trends. Limited yellow colored pressing also available.
Wolf Eyes – Strange Days II 12” (Lower Floor Music)
Wolf Eyes return to the audio world with two bangers of free abstraction and stretched out otherworldly electronics.
Cassettes:
Downtown Boys – Cost Of Living (Sub Pop)
Downtown Boys began by combining revolutionary ideals with boundless energy and contagious, inclusive fun, and their resolve has only strengthened as their sound and audience have grown. Cost Of Living is their third full-length, recorded with Guy Picciotto (Fugazi; producer of Blonde Redhead, The Gossip). Picciotto fostered the band’s improvisational urges while pulling the root of their music to the forefront: unflinching choruses, fearlessly confrontational vocals, and the sense that each song will incite the room into action, sending bodies into motion that were previously thought to have atrophied.
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