CDs + Vinyl:
Amor – Sinking Into A Miracle CD/LP (Night School)
Sinking Into A Miracle is the debut album by Glasgow’s Amor, a quartet of musical travelers exploring the sonic open-ended-ness of dance music. Following two critically acclaimed 12”s, this is a fully developed treatise on ecstasy and transcendence. Here, Richard Youngs, Michael Francis Duch, Paul Thomson and Luke Fowler are more honed, razor sharp in focus and timing, testing their instrumental prowess on condensed song structures and new, enlightened feelings of expansive hope and bliss.
David Attenborough – My Field Recordings From Across The Planet 2xCD (Wrasse)
A compilation of original field recordings made by Sir David Attenborough between 1954 and 1963. He travelled to remote parts of the world to find and film exotic animals. This collection features more than 50 recordings of traditional music from Sierra Leone, Paraguay, Madagascar, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islands and northern Australia. With an extensive booklet drawing on David Attenborough’s experiences compiled and with notes by BBC Producer Julian May, and stunning original photographs of the recording sessions.
Avenger – Blood Sports [Reissue/1984] CD (Dissonance)
Avenger are a heavy metal band from Newcastle, England. Associated with the new wave of British heavy metal scene, they released two albums in the 1980s before splitting up. The band reunited in 2005.
C.I.A. – C.I.A. CD/LP (In The Red)
The C.I.A. is Ty Segall’s collaborative group with Denée Segall, his wife/frequent bandmate/photographer, and Emmett Kelly of the Cairo Gang. The self-titled record marks the newly formed band’s first-ever full-length following an obscure cassette tape that was released earlier in the year. It spans a total of 10 songs sees Ty and Kelly on bass, Denée on vocals and lyrics, and R.E. Carlos on drums.
Enforcer – Death By Fire [Reissue/2013] CD (Dissonance)
CD reissue of the third album by the Swedish heavy metal band.
Ghostface Killah – The Lost Tapes CD/LP (Daupe!)
Ghostface Killa’s latest album – a 13-track set including guest spots from 25 artists including fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, E-40, Snoop Dogg, Big Daddy Kane, Cappadonna, and Tricky.
Pendejo – Sin Virguenza CD/LP (Graviton)
Pendejo continues its journey into the mostly unclaimed territory where brass and heavy guitars meet. Heavy brass, brutal riffage, pounding drums, cojones, and Spanish urban lyrics that make you wonder ‘did they just say that?’
Reel Big Fish – Life Sucks… Let’s Dance! CD (Rock Ridge Music)
Reel Big Fish was one of the legions of SoCal ska-punk bands to edge into the mainstream following the mid-’90s success of No Doubt and Sublime. Distinguished by their hyperkinetic stage shows, juvenile humor, ironic covers of new wave pop songs, and metallic shards of ska, the group cultivated an underground following that broke into the mainstream when their single “Sell Out” became a modern rock radio and MTV favorite. New album Life Sucks… Let’s Dance! is their first studio release since 2012.
Jon Schaffer’s Purgatory – Purgatory CDEP (Century Media)
Iced Earth’s mastermind Jon Schaffer has teamed up with his old pals in Purgatory, the band that he originally founded in 1985, then later became Iced Earth, to record five tracks that were written between 1985 and 1987, now to be released as the Purgatory EP. [Vinyl edition due January 11.]
Sophie – Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides CD/LP (Future Classics)
Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides is the debut studio album by Scottish electronic music producer Sophie. The album includes the singles “It’s Okay To Cry”, “Ponyboy”, and “Faceshopping”. Sophie Xeon is known for her synthesized and hyperkinetic take on pop music, and has produced for acts such as Madonna, Charli XCX, Vince Staples, Let’s Eat Grandma, and Namie Amuro.
Zayn – Icarus Falls 2xCD (RCA)
Sophomore album from the former One Direction member. The project clocks in at 27 songs and includes recent singles like “Fingers”, “Too Much”, “Sour Diesel”, “No Candle No Light”, and “Entertainer”. It’s Zayn’s first album since the release of his solo debut, Mind Of Mine, in 2016, and comes after multiple delays.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Adult Karate – Del Mar LP (Plug Research)
“At its core, Del Mar is an album about addiction, paranoia, regret, and generally just living an unfulfilled life. When I listen back to it, I guess I see it as an expression of gratitude: gratitude that my actual life didn’t end the way it does in this alternate timeline. To keep it interesting I moved around a bit, genre-wise, but I tried to make it as cohesive sounding as possible. I think I was able to maintain my ‘sound’ throughout all the different musical avenues.”
AFI – The Missing Man 12” (Rise)
Goth rockers AFI follow-up their 2017 self-titled effort (aka The Blood Album) with the new five-track EP.
Alcest – Écailles De Lune [Reissue/2010] LP (Prophecy)
Alcest – Les Voyages De L’âme [Reissue/2012] LP (Prophecy)
Alcest – Shelter [Reissue/2014] LP (Propech
Black vinyl reissues of the black metal/shoegaze hybrid band’s and second, third and fourth albums.
Anderson .Paak – Oxnard LP (Aftermath)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The third album from California singer Anderson .Paak serves is his first release on Dr. Dre’s Aftermath label. The album’s title is a homage to Anderson’s hometown. It is also a continuation of the theme which .Paak has been using for some years, which is naming his projects after coastal towns of California. These include his 2014 mixtape, Venice and his debut album, Malibu. Earlier this year, he shared with Rolling Stone that “… this is the album [he] dreamed of making in high school, when [he] was listening to [Jay-Z]’s The Blueprint, The Game’s The Documentary, and [Kanye West’s] The College Dropout.” Guests include Kadhja Bonet, Norelle, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre & Cocoa Sarai, Pusha T, Snoop Dogg & The Last Artful Dodgr, J. Cole, Q-Tip, and BJ The Chicago Kid.
Angel Corpus Christi – The Real Angel Corpus Christi LP (Mono-Tone)
Avant-garde or traditional pop auteur? There’s no one quite like ACC in the pop firmament and the sooner the world wakes up to that fact, the better. One could do worse than start with this career-long compilation, from her 1984 debut to recent stuff, mixing idiosyncratic covers and minimalist, left-field, ultra-catchy pop. The songs feature guest stars Alan Vega (Suicide), Dean Wareham (Luna, Galaxie 500) and Sonic Boom (Spacemen 3, Spectrum) along the way.
Bas – Milky Way LP (Dreamville)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Milky Way is the third studio album by rapper Bas. The album features guest appearances from J. Cole, Ari Lennox, ASAP Ferg and Correy C, with production handled by a variety of producers, including J. Cole, Ron Gilmore, Cedric Brown, Jay Kurzweil, Childish Major, Sango and Meez, among others.
Aloe Blacc – Christmas Funk LP (Aloe Blacc Recording)
New holiday release from the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter featuring eight original songs written by Blacc, and two classic cover songs by Wham! And Mariah Carey. Limited red and white colored vinyl pressing.
Buzzsaws – Brower LP (Dig!)
A glam’d-out glitter-bomb of fuzz guitars and giant vocal melodies within the Venn diagram of Bolan, Bowie and Brett (Smiley).
Mariah Carey – Caution LP (Epic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Exhibiting a transcendent vocal ability, irrepressible staying power and unparalleled body of work that only a handful of artists in the modern era have achieved, Mariah Carey delivers one of the most accomplished albums of her incredible career with Caution, the best-selling female artist of all-time’s first studio effort since 2014. Produced by Grammy nominated/multiple ASCAP award winner Nineteen85, who has worked with Drake and Jordan Manswell (Daniel Caesar), atmospheric beats abound on preceding tracks like “GTFO”, with Mariah finding even more nuance in her seamlessly-spun vocal repertoire, her velvety, middle-range virtuosity once again dazzling in breathy hues.
Catch Fire – Karma Owes Me A Lifetime Of Happiness LP (Rude)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Nottingham pop-punk four-piece.
Chvrches – Hansa Sessions 10” (Glassnote)
Hansa Session includes new acoustic arrangements of five songs from Love Is Dead, their third album that was recorded at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin earlier this year. The stripped-down tracks feature beautiful string quartets to accompany the original melodies.
Cosmic Eye – Dream Sequence [Reissue/1972] LP (Roundtable)
Led by Indian born guitarist Amancio D’Silva, Cosmic Eye was a highly innovative studio experiment – a meld of British modernist jazz and traditional Indian instrumentation cross-pollinating in the aftermath of swinging London, yielding a hypnotic, psychedelic jazz excursion.
Andrew Cyrille, Wadada Leo Smith, Bill Frisell – Lebroba LP (ECM)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Andrew Cyrille’s title Lebroba is a contraction of Leland, Brooklyn and Baltimore, birthplaces of the protagonists of an album bringing together three of creative music’s independent thinkers. Each of them made his first ECM appearance long ago: drummer Andrew Cyrille on Marion Brown’s Afternoon Of A Georgia Faun (1970), trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith on his own classic Divine Love (1978), and guitarist Bill Frisell on Eberhard Weber’s Fluid Rustle (1979); these are, of course, players of enduring influence. Frisell contributed to Cyrille’s previous ECM disc The Declaration Of Musical Independence, but Lebroba marks a first-time meeting for the guitarist and Smith.
Wendy Eisenberg – Its Shape Is Your Touch LP (VDSQ)
Wendy Eisenberg is an extraordinary guitarist dedicated to the completely unconstrained exploration of music, language and time. Her work has taken her from conservatory to DIY space to concert hall, from performing improvised music and punk-metal to writing the quietest of songs. On Its Shape is Your Touch, Eisenberg turns her gaze to the guitar in it’s most absolute, essential form.
Forndom – Dauðra Dura [Reissue/2016] LP (Nordvis Produktion)
Vinyl reissue. “After the very dreamy and successful EP Flykt (2015) it’s now time once again to enter the musical world of Forndom, a world where the music sets tone to the old Scandinavian way to live, believe and act. Dauðra Dura is in its core a musical interpretation of Death & how it was viewed upon in the old north. A dark, beautiful and genuine creation which must be experienced. Hear the drums far beyond and enter “Dauðra Dura”, The Doors of Death.”
Gang Of Youths – MTV Unplugged Live In Melbourne 2xLP+DVD (Red Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Gang of Youths were the first band to record a MTV Unplugged live in Australia. The Australian indie rock group formed in Sydney in 2012. Their debut album, The Positions, peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart in May 2015 and was nominated for multiple ARIA Awards.
Grafvitnir – Keys To The Mysteries Beyond LP (Carnal)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. Fifth album from the Swedish black metal band.
Grivo – Elude LP (Holodeck)
Emerging like an ornate relic of disenchanted youth, Austin-based power trio Grivo unleashes their ominously trudging sound with the debut full-length.
Homebound – More To Me Than Misery 12” (Rude)
Farnham pop punks Homebound kickstart a new chapter with the EP More To Me Than Misery.
Imagine Dragons – Origins 2xLP (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fourth studio album by rock band. Includes singles “Natural And Zero”.
Mark Knopfler – Down The Road Wherever CD/2xLP/3xLP+CD (Blue Note)
Deluxe triple vinyl LP pressing including CD edition. Down The Road Wherever features 13 unhurriedly elegant new Mark Knopfler songs inspired by a wide range of subjects including his early days in Deptford with Dire Straits, a stray football fan lost in a strange town, the compulsion of a musician hitching home through the snow, and a man out of time in his local greasy spoon. The album stays true to the folk and roots-inflected ambience of his previous solo albums and introduces new elements of jazz, funk and even a hint of the rockier leanings of earlier days.
Dua Lipa – Dua Lipa – Complete Edition 3xLP (WB)
Co-written by Dua with various collaborators such as Stephen ‘KOZ’ Kozmeniuk (Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj), Emile Haynie (Lana Del Rey, FKA Twigs), Nineteen85 (Drake, Majid Jordan) and Jon Levine (Drake, Nelly Furtado), this expanded edition of Dua Lipa’s 2017 debut features 25 tracks total.
The Marked Men – On The Other Side LP (Dirtnap)
On The Other Side collects all non-album tracks released by The Marked Men, originally released in the period between 2003 and 2010 on labels such as Dirtnap, Swami, No Idea, Sh!t Sandwich, and Mortville, plus two never-before-heard unreleased tracks from deep in the vault. The band’s affinity for fast, choppy power chords and manic energy is in evidence here, as the band stretches it’s legs throughout these solid closing credits and shows why they were one of the leaders of a sound that has never gone (or will go) out of style.
Maroon 5 – Red Pill Blues 2xLP (Interscope)
Limited blue and red colored vinyl LP pressing. Buzzing along at a tight pace, 2017’s Red Pill Blues finds Maroon 5 at their most playful and experimental, powering into another hits-filled decade. It’s certainly the record that keeps the band most consistently close to the dancefloor; everything about it seems of-the-moment and refreshed.
Bruce Marshall / Bill Thomas – Bruce Marshall / Bill Thomas LP (Preservation Project)
Enter the dark opium den – a release reminiscent of those pioneers of funk, early Parliament and Funkadelic. These found tracks by Bruce Marshall and Bill Thomas were likely recorded around the time of Osmium and Maggot Brain – in fact, the artists featured here may have been directly influenced by the movement as it was happening, making these discoveries remarkable entries into the history of psych funk.
John Mellencamp – Other People’s Stuff LP (Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. John Mellencamp’s career in music, spanning more than 40 years, has seen him transition from pop star to one of the most highly respected singer/songwriters of his generation. The self-proclaimed rebel continues his journey as the walking embodiment of passionate and plain-spoken heartland rock with the stirring 10-track collection, Other People’s Stuff featuring covers of singer-songwriter classics.
Ryan Montbleau – Woodstock Sessions LP (Woodstock Sessions)
Singer, songwriter and bandleader Ryan Montbleau’s 2018 live acoustic album, Woodstock Sessions, was recorded in December 2017 at Applehead Recording in Saugerties, NY in front of a live audience and features special guests Tall Heights. Showcasing the raw talent of his songwriting prowess, Woodstock Sessions is the best showcase yet of the New England musician’s storied career and his mastery of acoustic songwriting and intimate solo performance.
Mournful Congregation – The Book Of Kings [Reissue;2011] 2xLP (20 Buck Spin)
In 2018 Mournful Congregation dropped their first album in more than six years, The Incubus Of Karma. The widely acclaimed album was heralded as yet another landmark for the extreme/funeral doom genre. On the heels of that release, The Book Of Kings has been reissued on vinyl.
New York Underground Funk Band – Funk & Soul b/w Wanna Be 7” (Preservation Project)
A more psychedelic take on their funk sound.
Paysage D’Hiver – Die Festung [Reissue/2006] LP (Kunsthall Produktionen)
“Paysage d”Hiver is often defined as dark ambient, but the actual production is not dense or bleak, but actually quite light. It cuts out the mids very much to make the highs stand out as very crisp and pristine, which in turn helps to give the listener a way to interpret the melody in the context of a cold surrounding. The focus here is on overall sound, not on specific synth lines, and chords will often drone for very long and blend with other chords, creating a very layered wall of sound at times. At other moments chime like melodies will be repeated to allow the listener to familiarize themselves with the melody and then draw different images and interpretations out of it.” – Sputnik Music
William Prince – Earthly Days LP (Glassnote)
New release from the Canadian folk and country singer/songwriter. From ruminations on life and love’s little treasures to tales of everyday homegrown heroes, the music of William Prince unfurls like a classic campfire story, midnight road trip conversation, or well-worn, dog-eared novel passed down through generations. Each line delivered in his dusky baritone evokes a journeyman, troubadour spirit buoyed by stained glass soul with the gusto to reach steeple-size heights. Given this emotional heft, it makes sense that the art form bears a metaphysical significance for the Juno Award-winning singer and songwriter.
The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra – Naming & Blaming LP (Hope Street)
A pulsing, percussive journey into classic Afrobeat recorded by a 17-piece ensemble led by fierce vocals and a howling horn section.
Queen – The Game [Reissue/1980] LP (Hollywood)
Vinyl reissue of Queen’s eighth studio album. The Game was the first Queen album to use a synthesizer (an Oberheim OB-X). Includes “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, “Sail Away Sweet Sister”, “Coming Soon” and “Save Me”.
Johnny Ramone – The Final Sessions [Reissue/2014] LP (Cleopatra)
Limited edition 12” purple vinyl single featuring the final recorded studio performances by punk legend Johnny Ramone cutting loose with Lemmy of Motörhead, Stray Cat Slim Jim Phantom and Rockat Danny B. Harvey.
Revolting Cocks – Linger Ficken’ Good…And Other Barnyard Oddities [Reissue/1993] LP (Run Out Groove)
Linger Ficken’ Good… And Other Barnyard Oddities is the third studio album by industrial rock band Revolting Cocks. The title is a satirical Spoonerism of the advertising slogan employed by KFC in the 1970s-Finger Lickin’ Good. Revolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, are an American-Belgian industrial rock band and, sometimes, supergroup that began as a musical side-project for Richard 23 of Front 242, Luc van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry.
Jimetta Rose – The Light Bearer LP (Temporary Whatever)
Beginning her journey of maturation at the heart of the Los Angeles music tradition, Jimetta Rose tackles a need for clarity through love in her mini-LP The Light Bearer. Produced entirely by kindred spirit and musical titan Georgia Anne Muldrow, the whole record is a master class in the hip-hop/soul backed jazz that their city is credited with perfecting.
Sebastian Paul – Trojan Horse 12” (Mad Decent)
An eclectic, five-track glimpse into the Colorado-based artist’s prowess as a producer,
vocalist, and songwriter. Sebastian’s hybrid of future and retro soundscapes are dusted with off-kilter samples, electric guitar flourishes, and wall-shaking bass. Limited picture-disc pressing.
Shuko – 1996 LP (For The Love Of It)
1996 is an instrumental album by Germany’s beatmaker Shuko who produced for the likes of Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, Pusha-T, Jedi Mind Tricks, Talib Kweli, B-Real and many more.
Siouxsie And The Banshees – Kaleidoscope [Reissue/1980] LP (Geffen)
Siouxsie And The Banshees – Hyaena [Reissue/1984] LP (Geffen)
Siouxsie And The Banshees – Peepshow [Reissue/1988] LP (Geffen)
Siouxsie & The Banshees – The Rapture [Reissue/1995] LP (Geffen)
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressings of the influential UK post-punk/new wave band’s third, sixth, ninth and eleventh albums.
Baba & Djana Sissoko – Fasiya LP (Blind Faith)
Never content with the ordinary, Baba Sissoko started his personal outstanding musical journey in Bamako, Mali, several years ago. Carrying on his shoulders the legacy of a legendary dynasty of Malian griots and repeating to himself that “It’s getting closer and closer but I’m not there yet” he broke all the boundaries, collaborating and recording with artists such as Youssou N’Dour, Ry Cooder, Buena Vista Social Club. Consolidating a relationship with the Italian producer Luca Sapio, Fasiya is a cross-cultural exchange where looking at the roots to shape the future is the key point.
C.W. Stoneking – King Hokum [Reissue/2005] LP (King Hokum)
Vinyl reissue of the 2005 album from the Australian blues singer/songwriter. C.W. Stoneking has released three studio albums on his own King Hokum Records label. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009 Jungle Blues won Best Blues and Roots Album; he was also nominated for Best Male Artist, Breakthrough Artist – Album, Best Independent Release and Best Cover Art.
Suff Daddy – Baker’s Dozen: Suff Daddy LP (Fat Beats)
Suff Daddy is a German DJ and producer.
Johnny Thunders – Sticks & Stones: The Lost Album [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Cleopatra)
A very rare gem from the driving force behind legendary NY punk bands the New York Dolls and the Heartbreakers. Culled from the vaults, this compilation features the studio recordings that were to become a new Thunders album (cut short by his death in 1991) plus ultra-rare acoustic sessions and live tracks.
T.I. – Dime Trap LP (Epic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the rapper featuring guests Sam Hook, Yo Gotti, Young Thug, Victoria Monét, Anderson .Paak, Meek Mill, Jeezy, YFN Lucci, Teyana Taylor and London Jae.
Various Artists – I’m Every Woman: Decades In The Groove 2xLP (WB)
Celebrate 60 years of incredible music from Warner Bros. Records with this double-LP collection of 22 classic songs by female artists from the WB catalog.
Youth Killed It – What’s So Great, Britain? LP (Rude)
Youth Killed It’s members have an eclectic range of tastes, from funk to indie, to alt rock, blues, and prog metal. What’s So Great, Britain? features nostalgic ’90s riffs, stream-of-consciousness vocal deliveries, and charming hooks.
Mike Zito – Blue Room LP (Ruf)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Mike Zito celebrates the 20th anniversary of his very first release recorded in 1998 in St. Louis, MO. Blue Room changed everything. As the album sold, the songs began to be requested live – displacing the Cream and Hendrix covers – and Zito was heralded as an artist of rare potential. Back then, he didn’t anticipate the bitter-sweet future about to unfold – the lost years of alcoholism in the post-millennium, the salvation offered by his wife, Laura, the plaudits of Royal Southern Brotherhood in 2012 and the rising trajectory of his solo career since he picked it back up with 2015’s Keep Coming Back.
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