New Releases for April 6, 2018

CDs + Vinyl:

Arild Andersen/Paolo Vinaccia/Tommy Smith – In House Science CD (ECM)

Norwegian master bassist Arild Andersen s trio with big-toned tenorist Tommy Smith and powerhouse drummer Paolo Vinaccia is one of the most viscerally exciting jazz small groups of the present moment.

Daniel Avery – Song For Alpha CD/2xLP (Mute)

It’s enlightening to discover that Daniel Avery’s second album – Song For Alpha, the absorbing follow up to 2013’s Drone Logic – was inspired largely by his transient life spent between nightclubs, flights, the passenger seats of cars and rented rooms, cementing a worldwide reputation as one of the defining techno DJs of the decade. While Drone Logic was mainly created for and honed by countless DJ gigs, Song For Alpha revels in exploring different spaces. As Avery’s surroundings have changed, so has the sound of the new recordings.

Bambara – Shadow On Everything CD/LP (Wharf Cat)

The third LP by Bambara represents a decisive step forward for the NYC-via-Georgia trio. Frontman Reid Bateh, drummer Blaze Bateh, and bassist William Brookshire have always been adept students of noise rock and post-punk, mining the work of bands like Swans and the Birthday Party to construct what NPR called their “beautifully dynamic nightmares.”

Barren Earth – A Complex Of Cages CD/LP (Century Media)

Fourth album from the Finnish metal band. “A Complex of Cages doesn’t break open Barren Earth’s sound to be something dashingly new. Rather, it shows these Faroe-Finns rocking out mid-paced death riffs, offsetting it with cleaner parts and littering the heaviest sections with borderline orchestral black metal.” – Angry Metal Guy

Jeff Beck – Live At The Hollywood Bowl 2xCD (Rhino)

In the summer of 2016, guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck celebrated 50 years of his musical career with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl. Beck set the stage ablaze with incredible live versions of “For Your Love,” “Beck’s Bolero,” “‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers,” “Big Block,” “Over Under Sideways Down,” “A Day In The Life,” “Blue Wind” and more. The night also included a legendary list of special guests including Steven Tyler, Billy F. Gibbons, Jan Hammer, Beth Hart, Jimmy Hall and Buddy Guy. [Vinyl edition due May 25.]

Rafiq Bhatia – Breaking English CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)

The debut album from New York composer/guitarist Rafiq Bhatia seeks to shatter preconceptions about how much can be said without a word – and, for that matter, who can say it. Bhatia’s audacious first album as a producer sets out to challenge existing musical vocabulary with a language of its own. It ruptures the hermetic vernacular of ambient sculpturalism with the emotional intensity of avant-garde jazz, using the techniques of the former to achieve the feeling of the latter.

Blackberry Smoke – Find A Light CD/2xLP (3 Legged/Thirty Tigers)

Within Blackberry Smoke’s catalog, Find A Light is distinctive in several notable ways. The record sounds heavier than other albums; in fact, vocalist/lead guitarist Charlie Starr characterizes the churning, scorched-blues album opener, “Flesh And Bone,” as “maybe the heaviest song we’ve ever recorded.” And its title has deep significance to the record’s overarching themes. “Most of our albums have been named either for a song on the album or a lyric, and this time I didn’t want to do that,” Starr says. “I thought, ‘What headspace is humanity in as a whole?’ That’s pretty hard to argue with that. I think everybody is hoping and looking for something better right now.”

Jakob Bro/Palle Mikkelborg/Thomas Morgan/Jon Christensen – Returnings CD (ECM)

Danish guitarist Jakob Bro creates magical music, impossible to categorize, wrote Downbeat recently. On Returnings the magic is intensified as Bro and musical soul-mate Thomas Morgan reconnect with two living legends of European jazz, trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg and drummer Jon Christensen.

Cabbage – Nihilistic Glamour Shots CD/LP (BMG)

Faced with a band as explosive as Cabbage, it’s disturbing if unsurprising that untruths have clouded the positivity of their intent. Here are some certainties among the drama: Cabbage is a band to believe in. Compromises will not be considered. And the group’s music is the most thrilling way imaginable to convey their message. Equally drawn to socialist politics and titting about, they’re devotees of both big choruses and anarchic totems like GG Allin, Genesis P Orridge and Butthole Surfers. It’s a mixture writ large throughout Nihilistic Glamour Shots, from the frenetic opening salvo of “Preach To The Converted,” “Arms Of Pleonexia” and “Molotov Alcopop,” via “Perdurabo’s” swampy blues and wild funk of “Exhibit A” to the devastating seven-minute finale “Subhuman 2.0.”

Camarão – The Imaginary Soundtrack to a Brazilian Western Movie 1964-1974 CD/LP (Analog Africa)

Fantastic forro from the Brazilian scene of the 60s.

Johnny Cash – The Total Johnny Cash Sun Collection 2xCD (Curb)

Every classic song Cash released between 1955 and 1964 on Sam Phillips’ legendary Sun Records. 62 songs in all, The Total Johnny Cash Sun Collection is newly remastered and includes the career defining Johnny Cash hits “I Walk The Line”, “Cry, Cry, Cry”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “Ballad Of A Teenage Queen”, “Guess Things Happen That Way” and many more.

Michael Chapman – Live VPRO 1971 CD/LP (Blast First Petite)

For a self-confessed “journeyman” musician who has spent most of his 50-year career on the road live, Michael Chapman albums are curiously rare items and it’s even harder to find one his earlier years. This one, recorded by Dutch “hippie” station “VPRO” in May 1971 is the earliest known live recording so far discovered of Michael Chapman after he started releasing records on the legendary Harvest label in 1969. A beautiful clear, warm and intimate recording of Chapman duetting with long-time collaborator Rick Kemp on electric bass of which documents material from all three albums in a free-flowing improv-inflected style.

Chicago – VI Decades Live 4xCD+DVD (Rhino)

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers celebrate their live legacy with a collection of previously unreleased concert recordings, which includes several deep cuts that have never appeared on any of the band’s live albums, all recorded between 1969 and 2014.

Crisix – Against The Odds CD/LP (Listenable)

Fourth full-length studio album from the Barcelona-based thrash band.

The Dead Daisies – Burn It Down CD/LP (Steamhammer)

The Dead Daisies are: Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio), John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, The Scream), Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy), Deen Castronovo (Bad English, Journey) and David Lowy (Red Phoenix, Mink). A muscular tour-de-force, Burn It Down is a tornado of pounding drums, pulverizing bass, screaming guitars and in-your-face raw vocals, all of which evoke the best of ‘70s rock, with moments of Birmingham’s finest, blended with the early works of Boston’s best. [Limited edition vinyl picture disc pressing also available.]

Mark Deutrom – Value Of Decay [Reissue/2011] CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)

The second solo release from veteran noisemonger/ex-Melvins bass player/producer Mark Deutrom, The Value of Decay‘s bizarre passages are alive with creepy, quirky and off-kilter anti-riffage over its fifteen-track cerebral assassination. Originally issued in 2011 and long out-of-print, this reissue features a bonus track as well as expanded art and packaging.

Diet Cig – Over Easy [Reissue/2015] CDEP/12” (Father/Daughter)

Diet Cig is a pop rock band from New Paltz, NY, fronted by Alex Luciano with Noah Bowman of Earl Boykins on drums. The five charming songs on their 2015 debut EP Over Easy, written by Alex in the comforts of her bedroom, capture the innocence of adolescence and infatuation with consistent sing-a-long lyrics and thrashing drums.

Die Wilde Jag – Uhrwald Orange CD/LP+CD (Bureau B)

The Uhrwald (“Clockwood”) — a place of dreams and sounds, with its own sense of time. Channeled into his band Die Wilde Jagd, Sebastian Lee Philipp’s obsession for this place unleashes a uniquely spellbinding project of minimalist, tenebrous intensity. Recorded in the studio which lends its name to the sophomore album, Uhrwald Orange weaves a dense, atmospheric web of drama, romance, ecstasy, and melancholy.

Dr. Octagon – Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation CD/2xLP (Bulk Recordings)

Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation is the follow up album to the classic, critically acclaimed 1996 release Dr. Octagonecologyst, the inspired musical collaboration of Dan ‘The Automator’, MC Kool Keith & turntablist DJ Q-Bert. For the first time in 22 years, Moosebumps reunites the dream team in studio and on stage! Features appearance from frequent Automator collaborator Del The Funky Homosapien on “3030 Meets The Doc Pt.1.”

Kevin Drumm – Inexplicable Hours CD/2xLP+CD (Sonoris)

Despite Drumm’s noisy reputation, his music can be overwhelmingly sensual even at its loudest, providing a form of minimalism replete with a delicate, melancholic motion. How wildly divergent emotions rise, hover, and fall using so little is a mystery that only Kevin Drumm can provide.

Dusted – Black Out Summer CD/LP (Polyvinyl)

As one of the founding members of the noisy electronic group Holy F**k, Brian Borcherdt has spent years making unhinged dance music. If Brian’s work in Holy F**k represents a reckless night out, Dusted is the somber comedown the morning after. Blackout Summer winds through floating ambience and dark, moody rockers, but every disparate moment somehow feels connected. Dusted’s fuzzy landscapes, dream-like production and buzzing melodies all congeal, burying Borcherdt’s twisted take on pop under layers of that all-important haze.

Eels – The Deconstruction CD/2×10” (PIAS America)

The Eels’ twelfth studio album and first in four years, The Deconstruction, was performed by E (Mark Oliver Everett) and longtime collaborators Koool G Murder and P-Boo alongside The Deconstruction Orchestra & Choir. It was produced by E, with some songs produced by Mickey Petralia for the first time since 1998’s Electro-Shock Blues. Eels mastermind E says of the new album, “Here are 15 new Eels tracks that may or may not inspire, rock or not rock you. The world is going nuts. But if you look for it, there is still great beauty to be found. Sometimes you don’t even have to look for it. Other times you have to try to make it yourself. And then there are times you have to tear something apart to find something beautiful inside.”

En Vogue – Electric Café CD (E1)

New album from R&B trio.

Bernard Estardy – Bernard Estardy’s Space Oddities 1970-1982 CD/LP (Born Bad)

A master of the mixing board from the late ’60s until the ’90s, Bernard Estardy was the wizard of French musical recordings. As head of CBE studios, he shaped everything from Gérard Manset’s concept albums to Claude François’s hit singles, Françoise Hardy’s delicate tear-jerkers and Michel Sardou’s soul-stirrers.

Eve 6 – Horrorscope [2000] LP (Wargod)

Sophomore album available on vinyl for the first time. Remastered and manufactured on 180gm split orange/blue or blue splatter vinyl with a try-fold jacket.

Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong – Cheek To Cheek: The Complete Dust Recordings 4xCD (Verve)

For the first time, all of Ella & Louis’ classic duets are in one place. This four-CD set gathers their timeless three Verve albums newly remastered versions of Ella and Louis, Ella and Louis Again and Porgy and Bess combining them with their eight Decca singles, live recordings from Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl plus several alternates & false starts from the Decca & Verve eras, illuminating their craft & good humor.

Flatbush Zombies – Vacation In Hell CD (Glorious Dead)

Produced primarily by Erick “Arc” Elliott, with guest production by Kirk Knight, Hector Delgado, and Tyler Dopps, the 19-song Vacation In Hell hears emcees Elliott, Meechy Darko and Zombie Juice reflecting on their mortality in a introspective light never before heard from Flatbush Zombies.

John Fogerty – Centerfield [Reissue/1984] CD/LP (BMG Rights Management)

John Fogerty’s classic Centerfield album is back in print featuring two bonus tracks.

Don Gibson – The Best Of The Hickory Records Years (1970-1978) CD (Omnivore)

The most comprehensive collection of Gibson’s time at Hickory Records, features the #1 Country Hit, “Woman (Sensuous Woman).” By 1970 when Don Gibson signed to Hickory Records, he was already a weathered music industry veteran, successful songwriter and performer. Despite enormous success on the charts (he sent 22 songs into the Top Ten between 1956 and 1974) his album sales were dwindling. Gibson signed to Hickory at the invitation of Wesley Rose who had first signed Don to a publishing deal at Acuff-Rose in 1955. With Rose in the producer chair, Gibson was ready for a second act: 20 Country Chart Hits (included here along with five other key tracks) which galvanized his induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2001.

Goat Girl – Goat Girl CD (Rough Trade)

Across 19 tracks in just 40 minutes, Goat Girl’s self-titled debut creates a half-fantasy world out of a very dirty, ugly city reality. In the group’s words: “Simply put, it’s an album that comes from growing up in London and the first-hand experience of our city’s devolution. We wanted to think of it as this place seen not necessarily just through our eyes, but someone who can’t get past the abnormalities and strange happenings that exist in our city.” It’s a very English album (produced by Dan Carey) – full of sharp-eyed observations like The Kinks, louche rage like The Slits – but also swampy, swaggering guitars and singer Lottie’s filthy drawl.

The Golden Grass – Absolutely CD/LP (Listenable)

A soulful mix of heavy-country-funk-boogie and progressive psychedelic freakbeat.

Great Lakes – Dreaming Too Close To The Edge [Reissue/2006] CD (Loose Trucks)

Great Lakes emerged from Athens, GA roughly two decades ago, but the band led by singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Ben Crum has been based in Brooklyn since 2002. Formed in 1996, Great Lakes was initially part of the Elephant 6 Collective. The band’s 2000 debut, mixed by Apples in Stereo honcho Robert Schneider, owed much to the psychedelic pop of the ’60s, as did the band’s second album, The Distance Between. 2006’s Diamond Times, however, offered a significant stylistic progression. Drifting away from the psychedelic milieu, the band’s sound took on country and folk leanings, with “Farther” reminiscent of both Wilco’s and Teenage Fanclub’s more straight-ahead moments. With the band’s sixth album, Dreaming Too Close to the Edge, Great Lakes returned with a record that feels both like a natural progression yet hearkens back a bit to the band’s earlier work.

Hinds – I Don’t Run CD/LP+MP3 (Mom & Pop)

Hinds’ breakout debut Leave Me Alone (2016) was an album of party anthems drenched in metaphors. Follow-up I Don’t Run is the Madrid-based band’s return with an honest reflection on a period that changed their lives beyond their wildest imaginations. Co-produced by Hinds and Gordon Raphael (The Strokes, Regina Spektor), and engineered by Grammy winner Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, Perfume Genius, The War On Drugs, John Legend), the record shows a bigger, better, faster, funnier, more dexterous Hinds. With this second even more accomplished LP they continue their quest to own their narrative – one of sisters doing it for themselves. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Micah P. Hinson – At The British Broadcasting Corporation CD/LP+MP3 (Full Time Hobby)

Micah P. Hinson At The British Broadcasting Corporation collates Micah’s Marc Riley sessions from 2004 through 2017. Remastered at Bent Leaf Studios, TX, these eleven tracks were picked from a wealth of cuts from Micah’s visits to the BBC over the last 13 years. The compilation covers ground from his earliest output right up to last year’s Presents The Holy Strangers.

Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog CD/LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)

Self-produced and recorded at The Headroom in Philadelphia by guitarist Joe Reinhart and Kyle Pulley, Hop Along’s third album Bark Your Head Off, Dog features the familiar sounds that have always made the band allergic to genre: grunge, folk, punk, and power pop all appear, with inspiration from ELO to Elvis Costello to ‘70s girl group vocal arrangements. This time around, they’ve added strings, more intricate rhythms, lush harmonies (featuring Thin Lips’ Chrissy Tashjian), along with a momentary visit with a vocoder. In more than one place, Mark Quinlan drums like he’s at a disco with Built To Spill. Most significantly, Bark Your Head Off, Dog shows the band at its strongest and most cohesive.

Island – Feels Like Air CD/LP (French Kiss)

Recorded all in one room in just two weeks with sparing use of overdubs and no click track, London-based Island’s debut album is a sonic document that’s all about feel, all about capturing four musicians at their most unprocessed and uninhibited. A combination of influences ranging from trad-folk to high-octane punk rock and encompassing everything in-between, Feels Like Air, with its hook-filled anthemic choruses and inventive drumming simultaneously deploys Island’s rolling melancholy and bottles the lightening of the group’s imperious live shows.

Jan Jelinek – Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records [Reissue/2001] CD (Faitiche)

Faitiche presents this long-lost album on CD. Since 2003, Jan Jelinek’s Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records, originally released in 2001 on ~scape, existed only as a download. Includes two bonus tracks, “Moiré (Guitar & Horns)” and “Poren”, B-sides from Tendency EP (2000). “Don’t be misled by the title, though for there isn’t a finger-snapping rhythm bebop lead anywhere on the album. Instead, Jelinek chooses to explore the visual effect moiré – two shifting patterns creating an implied third dimension – in the audio realm.” –Alternative Press

Clarice Jensen – For This From That Will Be Filled CD/LP (Miasmah)

Debut album by the artistic director of the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME). For This From That Will Be Filled explores the variable differences between acoustic and electronic sound as well as depiction of the simulated and the unconscious.

Ragnar Johnson and Jessica Mayer – Music From Yemen Arabia: Sanaani, Laheji, Adeni And Samar 2xCD/2xLP (Sub Rosa)

a reissue of both Music From Yemen Arabia: Samar and Music From Yemen Arabia: Sanaani, Laheji, Adeni, recorded by Ragnar Johnson and Jessica Mayer. These songs originate from the city of Sanaa, the sheikdom of Lahej and the port of Aden. These songs originate from the city of Sanaa, the sheikdom of Lahej and the port of Aden. Samar is the delicious, luxury time when people gather for relaxation, refreshment, and music. This record contains oudh playing, percussion, and singing from Yemen. The three Kawkabani brothers sing traditional poems and play oudh (lute), double drums, tambourine, and, occasionally, the kanoun (zither). They were recorded in Sanaa in 1973. The oudh player Hassan al Zabeede and his double drum playing brother sing songs in the Lahej style and were recorded in Taez in 1973.

Jungle Rot – What Horrors Await [Reissues/2006] CD (Victory)

CD reissue of the sixth studio album from the American death metal band.

Kalmah – Palo CD (Spinefarm)

“A piece of unbridled all-consuming wildfire of melodic death metal mastery.”

Kamelot – The Shadow Theory CD/2xLP (Napalm)

Deeply intrigued by analytical psychology, Kamelot’s new album The Shadow Theory leans on three pillars: The Shadow Empire (The global mind), The Shadow Key (The Resistance) and The Shadow Wall (The veil that blinds us from the truth). It’s a dystopian glimpse at the complexity of the human mind and its place in an oppressive society and most of all a fascinating and eerie backdrop for 13 lush and artsy songs that boast Kamelot’s trademarks; yet the band steps out to add new and modern elements along with bringing in some amazing emotions that harken back to their earlier days. [Deluxe digipak CD and limited edition white colored vinyl pressings are also available.]

King Tubby – Never Run Away/Dub Plate Specials CD/LP (Jamaican Recordings)

This collection brings together sixteen B-sides and dubplates cut by Tubby, largely over rhythms built by Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee.

Le Galaxie – Pleasure CD/LP (Red River Ent.)

Recorded in their own studio with ultra-producer Blende, Le Galaxie’s third studio album Pleasure points to the band’s evolution from purveyors of dance floor bangers to creators of well-crafted songs. The affecting, almost master and servant like vocal exchange between Michael Pope and longtime collaborator and new full-time member May Kay (Fight Like Apes), demonstrates a self-confidence and maturity of a band in full control of their abilities.

Lil Xan – Total Xanarchy CD (Sony)

Debut album from the breakout rapper. HypeBeast claims “Lil Xan is now one of if not the hottest new rapper of this year so far,” and named him “one of the ten rappers you need to know.” The New Yorker calls Lil Xan “just one member of a cohort of young musicians who, by embracing a morose sound, have transformed from underground curiosities into stars in the past year.”

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas – Sound Prints/Scandal CD (Green Leaf)

Scandal marks the first time that trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Joe Lovano have recorded a full studio album of material together, revealing a passionately adventurous band for whom no territory is off-limits. As on their live debut recording, Sound Prints features pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Joey Baron.

Love – Forever Changes [Reissue/1967] 4xCD+DVD+LP (Elektra)

Super Deluxe box set edition of the psychedelic folk-rock pioneers’ finest achievement. The set features a few firsts for the album, including the CD-debut of a remastered version made by its original co-producer and engineer Bruce Botnick, as well as the first-ever release of the mono version on CD. Disc three offers alternate mixes of every track on the album, and CD 4 delivers a selection of rare and unreleased singles and studio outtakes. Botnick’s stereo remaster of the original album makes i’s vinyl debut on the LP included with this set. It was cut from high resolution digital audio by celebrated audio engineer Bernie Grundman. The DVD that accompanies the anniversary collection includes a 24/96 stereo mix of the album version of the original album remastered by Botnick. Also featured is “Your Mind And We Belong Together,” a rare promotional video directed by Elektra producer Mark Abramson that was originally released in 1968. [Vinyl edition due May 4.]

Mellow Mood – Large CD/LP (La Tempesta Dub)

Large stands out from the crowd and rather calls for a more conscious way of life, more sober, non-subjugated by market rules, freer. In the end, that’s indeed the true spirit of reggae music.

Kylie Minogue – Golden CD/LP/CD+LP (BMG)

14th album from the award-winning singer-songwriter. Golden was mainly recorded in Nashville, which was a first for Kylie, a fact which couldn’t help but inform the sound – albeit in Kylie’s superlative pop style. The album opens with lead single “Dancing,” which sets the tone for what is to come on the album. Kylie says: “You’ve got the lyrical edge, that country feel, mixed with some sampling of the voice and electronic elements, so it does what it says on the label. And I love that it’s called ‘Dancing’, it’s immediately accessible and seemingly so obvious, but there’s depth within the song.” [Available on CD, vinyl, Deluxe CD (which adds four bonus tracks) or Super-Deluxe edition: the album on vinyl, the deluxe-edition CD and a 12″ x 12″ hardback book with photos and handwritten lyrics by Kylie.]

Mipso – Edges Run CD/LP (Antifragile Music)

Mipso brings a distinctly unique sound – full of wistful beauty, hopeful undercurrents, and panoramic soundscapes. Venturing ever-further from its string-band pedigree to discover a broader Americana where classic folk-rock and modern alt-country sounds mingle easily with Appalachian tradition, Mipso’s music is lush and forward moving, with lyrics that sear and salve in turn.

Tom Misch – Geography CD/2xLP (Beyond The Groove)

Geography is the debut album from 22-year-old South-East Londoner and singer-songwriter/DJ/producer Tom Misch. His music is an intrepid and invigorating adventure in sound, bursting with inventiveness. “Geography builds on DIY elements employed in previous projects, namely his Beat Tape 1 and 2, Out To Sea and the ambitious, multi-layered 5 Day Mischon.

The love of J Dilla consistently apparent in his work is most clearly heard on ‘Tick Tock’, which harkens back to his beginnings as a bedroom beat-making adolescent before quickly showing more of a new-found funk influence. This in itself is indicative of the multi-layered nature of Misch as an artist today, and his ability to seamlessly and organically combine genres. Given his grand musical repertoire, it’s easy to forget that Misch is only 22 years old.” – The Line Of Best Fit

Elizabeth Mitchell and Suni Paz – Tú Eres Mi Flor: Songs for Children en Español CD (Smithsonian Folkways)

A sunny collection of songs sung in Spanish by beloved children’s artists Elizabeth Mitchell and Suni Paz.

David Lee Murphy – No Zip Code CD (Reviver)

New release from the veteran country singer/songwriter.

Paddy & Rats – Riot City Outlaws CD/LP (Napalm)

“With enough to cause an international incident being a Hungarian version of an Irish Celtic punk band – right down to their names like ‘Paddy O’Reilly’ and ‘Seamus Connelly’ – nothing could prepare me for the awesome songs on this excellent album.” – Battlehelm

Panopticon – Scars Of Man On The Once Nameless Wilderness Part 1 CD/2xLP (Nordvis)

Panopticon – Scars Of Man On The Once Nameless Wilderness Part 2 CD/2xLP (Nordvis)

A two-part album that musically explores the two separate musical sides of Panopticon. Part 1 harkens back to melodic black and death metal influences and Part 2 focuses entirely on Americana, folk and country music from North America.

Rick Parfitt – Over And Out CD/LP (earMUSIC)

Ever since their early beginnings, singer and guitarist Rick Parfitt had been a pivotal member of legendary British rock band Status Quo. Standing abreast of Francis Rossi, the two made up the creative core of the band and therefore birthed more than 60 UK chart hit singles and 32 studio albums. Prior to his death in 2016, and unknown to almost anyone, Rick had almost completed his first solo album whilst undergoing a period of recuperation after his heart attack in July of that year. Over And Out features ten brand new songs, including the title track that was played at his funeral.

Pestilence – Hadeon CD/LP (Hammerheart)

The Dutch death metal legends are back with a brand-new album.

Elvis Presley – The Searcher – Original Soundtrack CD/3xCD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)

Soundtrack to the new multi-part documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher, directed by Thom Zimny and airing on HBO on April 14, that pushes past the larger-than-life image of The King of Rock and Roll, portraying him instead as a man and an artist “who wanted to heal, to find that thing that was always felt to be missing, and to do it through the music.” Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Standard edition features 18 tracks, while the triple-CD deluxe edition box set offers an expanded 55-track overview of Elvis’ career; all as heard in the film.

Rainbow Kitten Surprise – How To: Friend, Love, Freefall CD/LP+MP3 (Elektra)

With chilling harmonies, dynamic instrumentation, and introspective lyrics, Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s genre-defying sound takes influence as much from artists like Modest Mouse and Kings of Leon as it does from Frank Ocean and Schoolboy Q. [Limited edition purple colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Renee Rosnes – Beloved Of The Sky CD/LP (Smoke Sessions)

Beloved Of The Sky’s nine pieces ruminate on pleasures and inspirations that don’t come with a price tag – the splendor of nature, the mysteries of the universe, the comforts of home, the treasured memories of lost loved ones, the simple warmth of an inside joke. The album also celebrates the chemistry and discovery made possible by a band of truly remarkable musicians, each one a master of their instrument: saxophonist Chris Potter, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Lenny White.

mes Sanglantes – Chindia Tower Impalements [2015] 3xCD (Hospital Productions)

Triple CD reissue — originally released as a triple cassette of only 66 copies. A definitive document revealing the cruelty of the Wallachian landscape myths and realities. Dracula vs. Vlad Tepes… Caustic, brittle, and eerie, the six long-duration tracks secure mes Sanglantes as one of the most original and overlooked extreme electronic monikers of the ’90s North American cassette underground.

Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – Years CD/LP+MP3 (Bloodshot)

Years solidifies the point: Sarah Shook & The Disarmers have moved from getting people’s attention to commanding it. The bands’ new album-with its sharpened songwriting, unique perspective, deepened sound and roll-up-your-sleeves attitude-will grab you by the collar and put a defiant finger to your chest. It is resolute, blunt, and unflinching.

Frank Sinatra – Baby Blue Eyes CD/2xLP (Capitol)

Frank Sinatra’s daughter Tina has curated a collection of some of his most fondly-loved recordings for a special compilation for children and parents alike.

Sloan – 12 CD/2xLP+MP3 (Yep Roc)

“That title isn’t just some random number.12 is indeed the 12th album from Canadian power-pop perennials Sloan, which means it’s as good as Led Zeppelin IV, Black Sabbath’s Vol. 4, and Chicago 4 all put together. But seriously: not only are Sloan the rare band to make it to their 12th record, and not only are Sloan the rare band to make it to their 12th record with all four original members, and not only are Sloan the rare band to make it to their 12th album with four original members who are equally prolific songwriters, they’re arguably the only band to make it to their 12th album with four original members who are both equally prolific songwriters and all still working at the top of their respective games, sounding utterly ageless in the process.” [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Sonido Gallo Negro – Mambo Cósmico CD/LP+MP3 (Glitterbeat)

Hailing from Mexico City, Sonido Gallo Negro’s exhilarating third album, Mambo Cósmico, continues their exploration into the psychedelic richness and rhythmic pulse of Amazonian cumbia while at the same reaching for new sounds and textures — such as mambo, cha cha, porro and danzon.

Son Volt – Search [Reissue/2007] CD/2xLP (Transmit Sound)

Son Volt was one of the most instrumental and influential bands in launching the alt-country movement of the 1990’s. Originally released in 2007, and out of print for the past several years, this deluxe reissue of The Search features bonus content. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Spiders – Killer Machine CD (Spinefarm)

Spiders weave a wild web of reckless and rip-roaring riffs, spellbinding vocals, seductive rhythms, sticky hooks, and punk soul.

Lisa Stansfield – Deeper CD/2xLP/2xLP+CD (earMUSIC)

Hearing Lisa Stansfield sing takes you back. In the late ‘80s and throughout the ‘90s, the smiley singer with the Elsie Tanner accent was the coolest pop star on the planet. Her seductive, soulful vocals and timeless dance-pop songs saw her top the charts on both sides of Atlantic, duet with George Michael and Queen. On Deeper, Stansfield challenges herself without compromising her signature blend of pop, jazz, dance, Motown and Northern soul. It showcases some new signature songs, like the club-oriented “Everything” but at the same time reveals the British queen of white soul in a more melodic light with tracks such as “Billionaire.” The smoothly interlocking collection is carried by Stansfield’s bulky and multifaceted voice throughout. Deeper features funky groovy disco tracks, well-tempered soul-pop ballads, as well as laid-back easy-listening songs and it all comes together to form a well-crafted blend which sounds as strong-willed as Lisa Stansfield has proven to be. [Also available as a limited-edition box set featuring the album on both CD and vinyl formats and a t-shirt, poster and photo cards.]

Will Stewart – Country Seat CD/LP (Cornelius Chapel)

County Seat nods to a number of songwriters who sing about the beauty of their homeland without glossing over its imperfections. There are electrified moments influenced by Neil Young, guitar arpeggios suited for R.E.M., turns-of-phrase worthy of Bob Dylan, and the modern-day folksy charm of Hiss Golden Messenger.

Ebo Taylor – Yen Ara CD/LP (Mr. Bongo)

New album from the Ghanaian music legend. The 81-year-old composer, arranger, guitarist and vocalist has been a key figure in the evolving Afro-funk sound since the ‘70s.

Thirty Seconds To Mars – The New Album CD (Interscope)

Fifth album from the multi-platinum selling band. “The album is, I think, going to be very surprising to people,” frontman Jared Leto told Rogue Magazine. “There’s quite a lot of different musical styles on the album, it’s a very modern album and a break from the past – we are incredibly excited about it. It has a lot of energy and we’ve spent years working on it, exploring new ideas.” [Vinyl edition due June 8.]

Triptides – Visitor CD/LP (Requiem Pour Twister)

On their sixth album, the L.A. band digs deep into fifty years of psychedelic pop music with their trademarked pristine and charming melodies. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

The Turbans – The Turbans CD (Six Degrees)

The Turbans are an international musical collective that combine traditional, Near-Eastern and Eastern-European styles with original compositions, to create modern and energetic performances that remain faithful to their ancient roots. This extraordinary project has grown in just a few short years, from humble beginnings into a respected name on the London music scene. Members come from such diverse locales as Turkey, Bulgaria, Israel, Iran, Greece, Spain and England. [Vinyl edition due April 20.]

Underøath – Erase Me CD/LP (Fearless)

Underøath return with their first new album in eight years – the Matt Squire-produced (Panic! At The Disco, 3OH!3) Erase Me. Right out of the gate, “It Has To Start Somewhere” burns like a rail dragster achieving top speed before hurling itself straight into the sun. “Wake Me” is almost pop that overshadows whatever manufactured nine-person co-writing session is currently being marketed on streaming-service playlists. “Rapture” feels like prog rock that traverses generations near and far, while Chris Dudley’s electronics drive “No Frame” into universes unknown. Even the first single, “On My Teeth,” seemingly sends a warning to listeners to protect their necks. Underøath may have tempered the punishing riffage of their previous releases, but they doubled-down on the urgency. Erase Me is the apex where melodic heft, indefatigable power, spatial resonance and arcane electronic textures converge to reveal a band that’s positively fearless. [Limited edition 180gm colored vinyl in special packaging also available.]

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)

The fourth album from Ruban Nielson’s Unknown Mortal Orchestra project is a delightfully shapeshifting affair that filters these real-deal serious themes through a vibrant sonic lens that spans battered drum-machine funk, doomy and thrashing rock, and pink-hued psychedelic disco. [Limited edition pink colored vinyl pressing also available.]

The Vaccines – Combat Sports CD/LP (Capitol)

The Vaccines return to their roots with an album of songs ranging from pure rock and roll to power-pop.

Christina Vantzou – No4 CD/LP (Kranky)

Belgium-based composer Christina Vantzou’s fourth full-length for Kranky ventures further into the uniquely elusive and evocative mode of ambient classical minimalism which has become her signature: a fragile synthesis of contemplative drift, heady silences, and muted dissonance. In regards to the new album she speaks of focusing particular attention on the effects of the recordings on the body, and of “directing sound perception into an inner space.”

Various Artists – Johnny Cash: The Music – Forever Words CD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)

Johnny Cash: Forever Words is a collaborative album consisting of 16 songs created from Johnny Cash’s unknown poetry, lyrics, and letters set to music by an astounding array of contemporary artists including Chris Cornell, Ruston Kelly & Kacey Musgraves, Rosanne Cash, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Brad Paisley, Kris Kristofferson & Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Elvis Costello, and more.

Various Artists – Revamp: The Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin CD (Island)

Various Artists – Restoration: Reimagining The Songs Of Elton John And Bernie Taupin CD (MCA Nashville)

Some of the world’s biggest pop, rock and country artists are celebrating Elton John’s most beloved and legendary catalogue of hits with two albums: Revamp and Restoration. The superstar lineup features artists both new and iconic reinterpreting the timeless songs of the over 50-year writing partnership that Elton and Bernie Taupin share. Restoration contains thoughtful interpretations by Dierks Bentley, Rosanne Cash and Emmylou Harris, Miley Cyrus, Vince Gill and Don Henley, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Brothers Osborne, Chris Stapleton, Rhonda Vincent and Dolly Parton and Lee Ann Womack. Revamp refracts Elton John’s most iconic pop hits through the voices of the industry’s hottest talents, including: Pink, Logic, Coldplay, Alessia Cara, Ed Sheeran, Florence + The Machine, Mumford & Sons, Mary J. Blige, Q-Tip, The Killers, Sam Smith, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and Queens Of The Stone Age.

Andreas Varady – The Quest CD (Resonance)

The Quest is guitar virtuoso Andreas Varady’s debut on Resonance Records and his clarion call statement as an artist. Discovered by the legendary producer Quincy Jones at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2012 at a mere 15 years of age, Varady has gone on to wow established music icons such as George Benson and Marcus Miller.

Dan Weiss – Starebaby CD/2xLP (Pi Recordings)

Starebaby is the upshot of drummer Dan Weiss’s long-running dream to bring together some of the most accomplished players on the jazz scene to play music that combines jazz with the power of heavy metal and electronic new music.

Western Centuries – Songs From The Deluge CD/LP (Free Dirt)

With Songs From The Deluge, honky-tonk supergroup Western Centuries brings country music home to it’s eclectic and unpretentious origins. Recorded and co-produced by acclaimed Cajun musician and Grammy-winning producer Joel Savoy at his Eunice, L.A. studio, this fresh set of songs spans psychedelia, boogie-woogie, and quixotic tales of love.

Winter – Ethereality CD/LP (Lolipop/ORG Music)

Winter is the project of songwriter Samira Winter, who’s love for guitar music and nostalgic imagery inspired the dream pop/indie rock four piece. Samira grew up in Curitiba, Brazil listening to her American father’s punk records, and her Brazilian mother’s MPB (Brazilian Popular Music) tunes. [Limited blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Winterfylleþ – The Hallowing Of Heirdom CD/2xLP (Spinefarm)

Winterfylleþ is a pagan black metal band from Manchester UK, concerned with themes of England’s history/heritage, poetry and folklore. Winterfylleþ (which translates into Winter Full Moon from the Old English language) represents the first full moon in October, as well as the Anglo-Saxon festival of the arrival of winter.

Alison Wonderland – Awake CD/LP (Astralwerks)

A mix of digital-pop and incendiary beats, Awake finds Sydney-born, L.A. based singer-songwriter, producer and DJ Alison Wonderland blazing new territory – sonically, vocally and emotionally. “I just wanted to go bigger and really push myself,” Wonderland explains. “Vocally, I can hear a massive difference. I’m a lot more comfortable with my voice now and I’m not afraid to get on the mic and just go for it.” Underneath its vibrant pop pulse, soaring synth-pop single “Church,” is the sound of Wonderland emerging from her own darkness.

The Wonder Years – Sister Cities CD/LP (Hopeless)

The Philadelphia natives return with their new studio album of testimonials on love, loss, and finding commonalities in the human experience despite cultural differences.

Royal Wood – Ever After The Farewell CD/LP (Outside Music)

New album from one of the most accomplished singer songwriters in Canada. Recorded in London, UK, with Jamie Scott (known for his work with renowned artists like Rag’n Bone Man, Michael Kiwanuka, Niall Horan and Ed Sheeran), Royal’s album is not only deeply inspired by both loss and love, but is an ode to the classic styles of both Tin Pan Alley and Laurel Canyon.

Wye Oak – The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)

Wye Oak’s fifth album pursues a litany of modern malaises, each track diligently addressing a new conflict and pinning it against walls of sound, with the song’s subject and shape inextricably and ingeniously linked. A gripping and powerful set of songs built with melodies, movement, and emotions that transcend even the best of their catalogue. [Limited pressing on beige/blue colored vinyl also available.]

XYZ – Artificial Flavoring CD/LP (Mono-Tone)

XYZ = a Trans-Atlantic American/French project featuring Ian Svenonius (Chain & The Gang, Make-Up, Escape-ism, et al.) on vocals and Memphis Electronic (of the groups NON!, Dum Bum Boys, Die Idiots, et al.) on instruments. Twelve dancefloor rockers and sexy glam numbers with fuzz guitars, drum machines, and analog synths on this irresistible plastic platter.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Jhené Aiko – The Trip LP (ARTium/Def Jam Recording)

“Written during a period of grief, Jhené Aiko’s 22-track LP turns her methods of survival—enlightenment, drugs, music itself—into an epic concept album. Some of Aiko’s most honest writing occurs here.” – Pitchfork

Alessandro Alessandroni – Lost & Found LP (Four Flies)

15 forgotten soundtracks and library music treasures spanning 1972-1978.

Louis Armstrong And The All Stars ‎– Satchmo At Symphony Hall [Reissue/1954] LP (Vinyl Passion)

Derek Bailey – Lot 74: Solo Improvisations [Reissue/1974] LP (Honest Jon’s)

Derek Bailey/Tristan Honsinger – Duo [Reissue/1976] LP (Honest Jon’s)

Two vinyl reissues of forward-thinking guitar improv, both originally released on Incus in the mid- ‘70s

Robbie Basho – Live In Forli, Italy 1982 LP (ESP-Disk’)

Released in January on CD – now available on vinyl. Robbie Basho (1940-1986), who died young after a stroke, never got his due in the culture at large, but steel-string guitar enthusiasts have known for decades that he was one of the greats of “American Primitivism”. Technically adept and compositionally imaginative, fusing the music of many cultures into a mesmerizing solo style, he has been an inspiration for many; his music has generated a surge of interest in recent years. This 1982 concert was part of a four-show Italian tour.

David Bazan/Sean Lane – Rare Coins LP (15 Passenger)

The Rare Coins Series spotlights an established artist who, in turn, chooses an up-and-coming artist they’d like to share a split release with. Fans not only receive new music from the artist they love, but also get a chance to hear music chosen by this artist. David Bazan was the lead singer for Pedro The Lion and a member of the band Headphones. Sean Lane is a drummer/percussionist. He’s played in bands such as Perfume Genius, and with David Bazan and Noah Gundersen. Limited gold colored vinyl pressing.

Burnier & Cartier – Burnier & Cartier [Reissue/1974] LP (Mr. Bongo)

Vinyl reissue of a sought-after Brazilian LP from 1974 that touches on MPB, soul, jazz, disco and boogie.

Between The Buried & Me – Automata I LP (Sumerian)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from the progressive metal band – the first two parts and eighth album overall. Automata is a concept album that revolves around the concept of being able to view the dreams of others.

The Black Sun Ensemble – The Black Sun Ensemble [Reissue/1985] LP (San Jacinto)

Vinyl reissue of an “absolutely stunning psych LP, first released in limited edition in 1985 on Pyknotic label and reissued on CD in 2000 by Camera Obscura (instantly sold out). Stunning fuzzy guitar, Eastern tunes, chanting, some horns here and there…. absolutely spacey psychedelic music”—Mutant Sound

Blue Cheer – Vincebus Eruptum [Reissue/1968] LP (Sundazed)

Long out-of-print mono version sourced from the original Philips reels. Blue Cheer’s landmark 1968 debut is widely regarded as Ground Zero of the heavy metal explosion.

Bonga – Angola ’74 [Reissue/1974] LP (Lusafrica)

Vinyl reissue of the legendary Angolan singer José Adelino Barcelo de Carvalho’s second album.

Steve Bug & Langenberg – Paradise Sold 2xLP (Poker Flat)

The irresistible pairing of Steve Bug and Langenberg present a full vinyl album of exquisitely crafted house music on Bug’s own Poker Flat Recordings.

Bulletboys – From Out Of The Skies LP (Frontiers/Vinyl Eck)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from the veteran hard rockers.

Casual Hex – Zig Zag Lady Illusion LP (Water Wing)

Drawing influence from a variety of genres (post-punk, no-wave, noise rock), Casual Hex relies on the contrast of heavy, catchy, minimal, and dissonant. It’s difficult to draw a direct lineage, but flashes of Pylon, The Contortions or early Sonic Youth come to mind.

Charnel Ground – Charnel Ground LP (12XU)

Charnel Ground is a meeting of Chris Brokaw (Come, Codeine, The New Year) on electric guitar, James McNew (Yo La Tengo, Dump) on bass, and Kid Millions (Oneida, Man Forever, etc.) on drums, dedicated to exploring the outer and inner regions of instrumental rock music.

Chrome Sparks – Sparks [Reissue/2013] 12”+MP3 (Future Classics)

Chrome Sparks – Goddess [Reissue/2014] 12”+MP3 (Future Classics)

Chrome Sparks – Parallelism [Reissue/2015] 12”+MP3 (Future Classics)

Chrome Sparks is the project of Brooklyn-based producer Jeremy Malvin. The 2013 Sparks EP features the internet phenomenon “Marijuana” and “Send The Pain On,” and positioned him as an in-demand collaborator and tour artist (supporting the likes of Flume, Bonobo and XXYYXX). His 2014 follow-up Goddess is a tightly-structured six-track EP made in Malvin’s bedroom and built on expansive landscapes and his love of percussion and synthesizers.

Come Holy Spirit – Asters And Disasters LP (Water Wing)

Formed in 2012 in Pittsburgh PA, Come Holy Spirit wields the age-old trifecta of guitar, bass, and drums in unexpected configurations. The songs embody a complex aggregate of musical influences, ranging from the angular deconstructivism of early experimental anarcho-punk (think Dog Faced Hermans and Poison Girls) to the tender repetition of far-flung folk music.

The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band – Chinese Butterfly 3xLP (Concord Jazz)

Chinese Butterfly is a reunion of two musical titans, a creative partnership that dates back to the early days of Return To Forever with Chick Corea when Steve Gadd was one of the first drummers.

The Crown – Cobra Speed Venom LP (Metal Blade)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Extreme speed and aggression mixed with classic heavy metal and rock ‘n’ roll from the Swedish death metal band.

Deathrow – Riders Of Doom [Reissue/1986] LP (Noise)

Deathrow – Raging Steel [Reissue/1987] LP (Noise)

Deathrow – Deception Ignored [Reissue/1988] LP (Noise)

Deathrow was a West-German thrash metal band from Düsseldorf formed in 1984. Their second, third, and fourth albums have been reissued on vinyl.

Decry – Falling: The Best Of Decry LP (Cleopatra)

Limited purple vinyl pressing – 16 bone crushing tracks from the ‘80s punk revivalists.

Jean Dubuffet – Musical Experiences [Reissue/1973] LP (Etats-Unis)

The legendary French painter and sculptor Jean Dubuffet exalted naivety and spontaneity in visual art, and his brazenly experimental recordings on Musical Experiences evince the same spirit through sound.

John Duncan – Organic [Reissue/1979] LP (Etats-Unis)

The inter-disciplinary maverick John Duncan emerged in 1970s Los Angeles as a confrontational performance artist and, as the decade progressed, aligned himself with the experimental-music collective Los Angeles Free Music Society. His sound art appeared on various self-released cassettes and alongside artists such as Jim Pomeroy and Yoshi Wada on the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art’s influential compilation Sound. Duncan’s debut album, Organic, released in a tiny edition on the artist’s own AQM imprint in 1979 and distributed through LAFMS, collects some of his earliest and most absorbing noise experiments.

Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan [Reissue/1963] LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy)

Vinyl reissue of Dylan’s second studio album.

Freak Heat Waves – Beyond XXXL LP (Telephone Explosion)

In the two years since their last release, Freak Heat Waves have continued a perpetual process of transformation. Shedding familiar influences from the heavily excavated histories of post-punk and krautrock, the band has now beamed into uncharted territory with the otherworldly sound of their third album, Beyond XXXL. Beyond XXXL is 11-song excursion, alien strains of synth-pop and glam-rock are sandblasted with smooth guitar solos, eerie electronics, and pulsating drum machines propelled into skull-shattering breakbeats.

Galactic Explorers – Epitaph For Venus LP (Mental Experience)

Vinyl reissue of another album from the Pyramid label shrouded in mystery and produced by Toby Robinson in Cologne, circa 1974. Kosmische and head sounds with plenty of Minimoog, analog synths/keyboards, effects, loops, tape manipulation, treated percussions, etc., courtesy of Galactic Explorers, an electronic, minimal, ambient krautrock trio featuring Reinhard Karwatky (Dzyan). RIYL: Terry Riley, Popol Vuh, Sand, Peter Michael Hamel, Tangerine Dream, Baba Yaga, Cluster, Cozmic Corridors, Brainticket.

Geld – Perfect Texture LP (Iron Lung)

Swirling psychedelic D-Beat madness from Melbourne, Australia. Acidic fuzz guitars and wild distorted vocals snarling out eleven songs about suffering, vulnerability, paranoia and banality are what make up the perfect texture of living in today’s doomed world.

Girlschool – The Singles [1979-1984] LP (Real Gone Music)

If your knowledge of hard-rockin’, all-female bands from the late ‘70s is limited to The Runaways, friend, it is time to broaden your horizons and cast your eyes across the pond to the British rock institution that is Girlschool. Limited orange colored vinyl pressing.

Gitkin – 5 Star Motel LP (Wonderwheel)

Debut album from multi-instrumentalist and producer Brian Gitkin, inspired by his mysterious uncle – a travelling salesman who crisscrossed the US in the late ‘70s selling knockoff Gibson guitars to the diverse groups of immigrants from all four corners of the globe who were coming to the States during the second great migration. Recycling and filtering the sounds he encountered through his own psychedelic lens, he created a sound rooted in the disparate sounds he was encountering from places like Ethiopia, Mexico, Peru, and North Africa.

Miles Goodwin And Friends Of The Blues – Myles Goodwin And Friends Of The Blues LP (Linus)

Myles Goodwyn’s passion for the blues began in ’60s when he started listening to American blues artists like BB King, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. Although the blues songs he wrote over the years never made it onto an April Wine album, he kept saving them for the blues album he knew he was going to make one day. Myles Goodwyn And Friends Of The Blues is the result of these sessions. Some of the Friends joining Goodwyn are Jack de Keyzer, Garret Mason, David Wilcox, Amos Garret, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Joe Murphy, Frank Marino, Shaun Verreault, Bill Stevenson, Rick Derringer and more.

Hawkwind – At The Roundhouse 3xLP (Cherry Red UK)

On Friday, May 26, 2017, Hawkwind returned to London’s legendary Roundhouse venue in Chalk Farm for the first time in 40 years. It was also some 45 years after the band famously performed at the venue (captured for posterity on the Greasy Truckers Party album), where they recorded the hit version of “Silver Machine”. Six months on, this amazing, historic show is captured for posterity within a deluxe vinyl box set which boasts audio versions of the entire performance.

His Name Is Alive – Black Wings 2xLP (Happy Happy Birthday To Me)

Black Wings was originally designed as a collection of outtakes, demos and experiments, combining beautifully layered acapella vocal harmonies with heavy fuzz riffs and sci-fi soundtrack synths, and was included in the Patterns Of Light limited edition super set (2016) but quickly grew in stature and attracted attention as a fundamentally unique stand-alone release. Black Wings is a 30-song cosmic double album housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve and collages an insane variety of styles including psychedelic rock, new age meditation, medieval choral, and the protometal prog of early Rush and Hawkwind, while lyrically covering heavily researched creation myths, visionary theology, particle physics, dragons and some feelings about the fundamental forces of nature and witchcraft.

J.C. Satàn – Centaur Of Desire LP (Born Bad)

You can count on the fingers of one hand the bands you’ve loved up until their fifth album like J.C. Satàn — almost ten years after falling in love. There are dudes who have “seen them too much”, heard them too much, and stopped expecting anything from them anymore. The Satàn crew did not deliver a fifth album just for the hell of it, just to justify their next tour: they got together to seek the rare fuel, the miraculous current able to galvanize our sleeping senses, the electroshock forcing us to revive the urgent impression of being alive.

Warner Jepson – Totentanz [Reissue/1972] LP (Etats-Unis)

Limited clear vinyl LP pressing. Considered as the first piece of electronic music to accompany a ballet, Totentanz is the arrestingly abstract and mightily expressive result of Warner Jepson’s experiments with tape and Don Buchla’s groundbreaking synthesizer, the Buchla 100. Totentanz, originally self-released in 1972, reveals a composer relieved of convention.

John’s Children – Desdemona 7” (Munster)

“Marc Bolan was only a member of John’s Children for a few short months, but the experience would have an indelible impact on the future trajectory of his music. The group’s first single for Track would be a Bolan composition, ‘Desdemona’. The next single, ‘Midsummer Night’s Scene’, was scheduled for release in July but was cancelled at the last minute. Bolan departed […] but John’s Children recorded one more of his songs, ‘Mustang Ford’, which they repurposed as ‘Go-Go Girl’.” — Mike Stax, Ugly Things

Jack Kerouac featuring Al Cohn And Zoot Sims – Blues And Haikus [Reissue/1959] LP (Real Gone Music)

Just like its predecessor, Poetry For The Beat Generation, legendary beatnik writer Jack Kerouac’s second album, Blues And Haikus, teamed him with producer Bob Thiele and came out on Thiele’s Douglas label in 1959. But this time around, instead of the debut’s dilettante-ish jazz piano jazz flourishes from Steve Allen, Kerouac insisted on bona fide jazz musicians to accompany his stream-of-consciousness prose.

Killer Of Sheep – Scorned LP (Taang!)

Vinyl reissue of the explosive debut album by Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania political-hardcore outfit Killer of Sheep (named after the 1978 cult film of the same name) and featuring scene veterans Oyo Ellis, Greg Mairs, Ollie McClellen and Keith Smallwood. The album contains a dozen blistering tracks in the spirit of Poison Idea, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Slapshot, and Bad Brains.

Light The Torch – Revival LP (Nuclear Blast America)

Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the metal band featuring former Killswitch Engage vocalist Howard Jones.

The Litter – Emerge [Reissue/1969] LP (Purple Pyramid)

Vinyl reissue of the 1969 album by garage rock heroes. Nine classic cuts of guitar driven, fuzzed-out psychedelia.

Annea Lockwood – Glass World [Reissue/1970] LP (Etats-Unis)

New Zealand-born sound artist and composer Annea Lockwood received formal training at various institutions before exploring the sonorous potential of glass in a series of performances in the late 1960s. With plates of wired glass, glass discs, chunks of green cullet glass, glass tubing,

sheets of micro-glass, glass jars and other incarnations of the material, Lockwood elicited a staggering array of sounds, some subtly uncanny and others as outlandish and alien as anything emitted from the era’s early synthesizers. Clear vinyl reissue.

Lorde – Melodrama LP (Republic)

Two vinyl pressings of Lorde’s 2017 album are now available: Standard and Deluxe 180gm translucent royal blue colored vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket, double sided record sleeve, and bi-fold lyric booklet with six double-sided photo inserts.

Morbid Angel – Heretic [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (Earache)

Originally released in 2003, Heretic is the seventh full-length studio album from Florida’s death metal titans.

Gerry Mulligan/Ben Webster ‎– Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster [Reissue/1959] LP (Analog Production)

200gm vinyl LP reissue of a classic album from two giants. From the first to last note of this velvety 1959 collaboration, you’ll hear what made jazz what it is: communication and interaction. Mulligan and Webster devoted the sessions to six relaxed numbers performed in an atmosphere of mutual respect where neither attempted to blast away the other. Soulful and melodic, the selections all come from the Duke Ellington songbook or the pen of Mulligan himself while a swinging West Coast Jazz rhythm section provides supple backing throughout.

Mike Ness – Cheating At Solitaire [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Craft Recordings)

Mike Ness – Under The Influences [Reissue/1999] LP (Craft Recordings)

Originally released in 1999, Cheating At Solitaire is the first solo release from Social Distortion frontman, Mike Ness. The album incorporates the raw power and social relevance that has always marked Ness’ music, while embracing many of the defining styles in American rock ‘n’ roll history. His second LP, Under The Influences, is a compilation of country, rock, and bluegrass covers released just six months after his first solo effort.

Okkre – Épica LP (Modern Obscure Music)

Okkre (Uge Pañeda) is producer of the Spanish duo LCC, who have released two albums on Editions Mego. This is the soundtrack to a very special performance named Épica. Directed by Aimar Pérez Galí, it was premiered at Sonar 2017. Épica brings clubbing culture inside the theater, to deliver a highly energetic performance, joining bodies, sound and voices of historic and political dissidence.

Pere Ubu – Les Haricots Sont Pas Sales 1987-1991 4xLP+MP3 (Fire)

Third box set featuring The Tenement Year (1988), Cloudland (1989), Worlds In Collison (1991) and The Lost Album (1989). Another crucial era for the band unraveled, Pere Ubu’s journey charted new undulating territory and so began a three-album escapade that retooled our understanding of what pop music is. The third in the four-part boxed set series, Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés 1987-1991 sits between The Architecture Of Language 1979-1982 and Drive, He Said 1994-2002.

Physique – Punk Life Is Sh*t LP (Iron Lung)

By now people know that most of the music coming out of Olympia WA is important in some way, be it artistically or politically. Physique manages to hit both points by channeling the classic Discharge / Kawakami (RIP) model of poetic, simplistic sloganeering and carefully crafted, noise fueled D-Beat punk music.

Bud Powell ‎– The Essen Jazz Festival Concert [Reissue/1960] LP (ORG Music)

Recorded live in April of 1960 at The Essen Jazz Festival, this masterful nine-track collection finds pianist Bud Powell leading a top flight bebop trio backed by bassist Oscar Pettiford and drummer Kenny Clarke while tenor saxophone giant Coleman Hawkins joins the proceedings for three of the nine selections, highlighted by an incredible take on his own composition, “Stuffy.”

Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Gold Records Volume 5 [Reisue/1984] LP (Friday Music)

Limited edition 180gm colored vinyl LP pressing, housed in a gatefold sleeve. Originally issued posthumously in 1984, Elvis’ Gold Records Volume 5 is the final installment in RCA’s Elvis Presley’s Gold Records series which began in 1958.

Steve Roach – Dreamtime Return [Reissue/1988] 2xLP (Telephone Explosion)

Steve Roach’s 1988 double-disc is back in production for the first time in 30 years. Dreamtime Return was inspired by multiple visits to the Australian Outback. The tales told over two LPs touch on the Earth’s origins, and the role humans have to play in it. Inspired by the stories of Australia’s first people, Roach used a combination of synthesizers and Aboriginal instruments to create the album’s signature sound.

Remko Scha – Machine Guitars [Reissue/1982] LP (Etatis-Unis)

Gnashing, thrashing and teeming with enchanting microtones, Machine Guitars is the definitive recorded work of Remko Scha, although the late Dutch artist didn’t play a single note himself. Rather, Scha arranged a motorized, rotating wire brush and saber saw in front of suspended electric guitars and let these metallic torrents flow. Limited clear vinyl LP pressing.

Scientist And Prince Jammy – Scientist And Jammy Strike Back! [Reissue1982] LP (Real Gone Music)

Jedi dub riddims from King Tubby protégés Scientist and Prince Jammy, bringing their mastery of the studio Force to tracks written by Lee “Scratch” Perry acolyte Linval Thompson, and backed by the Roots Radics band, no less. This 1982 album is about as good as early ‘80s dub gets, and the artwork, which pays a gleeful tribute to all sorts of sci-fi tropes, from Star Wars to Star Trek to Ming the Merciless, is just a bonus. First-ever Stateside vinyl reissue, in yellow-green “lightsaber” vinyl.

Andy Sheppard Quartet – Romaria LP (ECM)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Andy Sheppard’s quartet extends the musical explorations begun on the 2015 release Surrounded By Sea, an album praised by Télérama for its poignant serenity. In this new program of compositions by Sheppard (plus the title track by Brazilian singer-songwriter Renato Teixeira), the drones and washes of Eivind Aarset’s guitar and electronics aided by the generous acoustics of Luganos Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI help to establish a climate in which improvisation can take place. There’s a highly atmospheric, ambient drift to the music which Sheppard clearly finds liberating, as do Michel Benita and Seb Rochford, free to move in and out of conventional rhythm section roles and to make impassioned statements of their own.

Skenet – Morsning LP (Subliminal Sounds)

On their new album Morsning, Skenet establish their sound and reputation as one of Sweden’s premier folk rock band and offer a unique mix of dirty riffs and Swedish fiddler traditions.

Sly & The Family Stone – There’s A Riot Goin’ On [Reissue/1971] LP (Sundazed)

Since it took almost two years to make, the fifth album by now bonafide superstars Sly & The Family Stone found the Bay Area-based genius getting funkier than before, even as his artistic vision becomes darker. Limited red colored vinyl reissue.

Son House – Father Of Folk Blues [Reissue/1965] LP (Analog Prod.)

200gm vinyl LP pressing at 45rpm. Mississippi’s Son House was already legendary for a small collection of live field recordings made by folklorist Alan Lomax in 1941 and 1942, and for having taught some important licks to both Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, before he was rediscovered by a new generation of college-age fans after many years of musical dormancy in 1964.

The Streets – Original Pirate Material [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (Warner Bros. UK)

Import vinyl reissue of the debut album by English rapper and producer Mike Skinner, under the name The Streets. In March 2003, NME placed Original Pirate Material at number 46 on their list of the 100 Best Albums of All Time.

Tiny Tim – God Bless Tiny Tim [Reissue/1968] LP (Real Gone Music)

Limited edition 50th Anniversary pink colored vinyl repress. If you think, based on “Tiptoe Thru’ The Tulips with Me” and his nationally televised marriage to Miss Vicki on The Tonight Show, that Tiny Tim was a mere novelty act, think again. Behind that ukulele, pasty white make-up, falsetto, and prominent proboscis was a serious scholar of American music, perhaps the only performer of the ‘60s (and certainly the only performer of his age group) keeping the torch alive for songs from vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley.

The Toasters – Dub 56 [Reissue/1994] LP (Jump Up)

The Toasters – 2 Tone Army [Reissue/1996] LP (Jump Up)

Two classic ‘90s album from American ska pioneers are back in-print on limited grey color marbled vinyl.

Various Artists – Buried Country LP (Flipping Yeah/Mississippi)

A compilation of Aboriginal Australian country music. All of the material presented here has never been reissued on vinyl before.

Various Artists – I Only Listen To The Mountain Goats 2xLP+MP3 (Merge)

Double-LP cover album and companion piece to the podcast debut of I Only Listen To The Mountain Goats. I Only Listen To The Mountain Goats contains the full All Hail West Texas covers collection, introduced over the course of podcast season one, pressed to opaque pink & opaque blue vinyl.

Various Artists – Songs From Under The Floorboard Vol. 1 LP (Accident Prone)

From truly humble beginnings—believing it would simply be a show documenting the origin years of post-punk (1977-1983) that DJ Dave Cantrell lived through in San Francisco and London—radio show Songs From Under the Floorboard on Portland’s XRAY FM very quickly evolved onto one of the world’s premier sources giving focus to the hyperactive, current-day post-punk synthwave and darkwave scene across the globe. From that weekly blast has come Songs From Under the Floorboard Vol. 1, a compendium featuring rare and exclusive cuts from ten bands. This is the first of a yearly series benefiting LBGTQ and fem-fronted service organizations—this initial release residual profits being funneled to Planned Parenthood.

Sarah Vaughan – In The Land Of Hi-Fi [Reissue/1955] LP (Vinyl Passion)

1955’s In The Land Of Hi-Fi is one of Sarah Vaughan’s finest albums; the songs are terrific, the arrangements dynamic, the orchestra a blast, and the recording quality first-rate. Accompanied by an all-star orchestra arranged by Ernie Wilkins and featuring J.J. Johnson on trombone, Roy Haynes on drums and altoist Cannonball Adderley (who was near the beginning of his career), the great singer is in superior form during these performances.

Victor Wainwright – Victor Wainwright And The Train LP (Ruf)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The name of Victor Wainwright’s new band – and the sleeve image of their debut album – is also the most fitting of metaphors. In music folklore, the train might have associations with the freight-hopping bluesmen of yore, but with this restless boogie-woogie innovator stoking the furnace, this project is a charging locomotive – surging forward, crashing through boundaries of genre, sweeping up fresh sounds and clattering headlong past the doubters.

Zola Jesus – Okovi LP (Sacred Bones)

Released last September on CD – now available on vinyl. Nika Roza Danilova has been recording music as Zola Jesus for more than a decade. For the majority of that time, she’s been on Sacred Bones Records, and Okovi marks her reunion with the label. Fittingly, the 11 electronics-driven songs here share musical DNA with her early work on the label.