June Program Titles Released This Week:
Amyl and The Sniffers – Amyl and The Sniffers CD/LP (ATO)
Melbourne, Australia’s Amyl and The Sniffers’ self-titled debut album was produced by Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys, M.I.A) and comes with 11 blistering tracks boasting ‘70s throwback anthemic guitars and breakneck drumming with human firecracker Amy Taylor leading the 29-minute auditory assault. The Fader says that, “the Australian band recall the heady days of punk: spiky, wild, provocative, and a little dangerous with a fierce live reputation.” Taylor explains that lead single “Got You” is “about that feeling you get when you first start seeing someone and you’re excited to see them, no matter what sh!t they got. You just see them at the pub and it feels like the most exciting thing in the world, like you’re so lucky they’re even there. It’s definitely one of the ‘sweetest’ songs on the album, and less punky. It was kind of inspired by Split Enz.’”
Justin Townes Earle – The Saint Of Lost Causes CD/2xLP (New West)
The Saint Of Lost Causes is the eighth album from American roots troubadour, Justin Townes Earle. Earle’s latest album finds a songwriter and artist who is unflinching and unequivocal in his truth. When writing this collection, Earle focused on a different America – the disenfranchised and the downtrodden, the oppressed and the oppressors, the hopeful and the hopeless. There’s the drugstore-cowboy-turned-cop-killer praying for forgiveness (“Appalachian Nightmare”) and the common Michiganders persevering through economic and industrial devastation (“Flint City Shake It”); the stuck mother dreaming of a better life on the right side of the California tracks (“Over Alameda”) and the Cuban man in New York City weighed down by a world of regret (“Ahi Esta Mi Nina”); the “used up” soul desperate to get to New Orleans (“Ain’t Got No Money”) and the “sons of bitches” in West Virginia poisoning the land and sea (“Don’t Drink The Water”). These are individuals and communities in every corner of the country, struggling through the ordinary – and sometimes extraordinary – circumstances of everyday life. [Double-LP vinyl edition features and etched D-Side.]
Fleshgod Apocalypse – Veleno CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Italian grandmasters of orchestral death metal Fleshgod Apocalypse find spontaneity rewarding on their new album, Veleno. Over the past four records – including previous album, King (2016) – the Francesco Paoli-led trio have planned every step, discussed every note, and ensured every salutation to Paganini, Bach, and Mozart was met with an equally brutal death metal equivalent. On Veleno, which is Italian for “Venom”, Fleshgod Apocalypse distanced themselves from distraction, unboxed the songwriting process, and let the inspiration flow freely. They’ve matured, blended more efficiently their musical vision, and walked away with 11 songs that sound like a new band with an insatiable prey drive. “Veleno is an interesting creature. It tries to accomplish a lot while at the same time making valiant attempts to avoid the usual Fleshgod Apocalypse tropes. To say that that the crew manning the good ship Fleshgod have developed a comfort zone in their branch of opera-infused death metal would be to put it politely, and it seems on Veleno that the group are aware of that, and tried to move outside those boundaries as much as possible.” – No Clean Singing [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Flying Lotus – Flamagra CD/2xLP+MP3 (Warp)
Enter Flamagra – a work that sweeps up every quantum advance and creative leap of the last dozen years of Flying Lotus’ career and takes them even further; the Warp release encompasses hip-hop, funk, soul, jazz, global dance music, tribal poly-rhythms, IDM, the L.A. Beat scene, but it soars above a specific vortex whose coordinates can’t be accurately charted. Other than to say that it is a Flying Lotus record, perhaps the definitive one. An astral afro-futurist masterpiece of deep soul, cosmic dust, and startling originality. He’s aided by a dream cast of collaborators: Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon, Tierra Whack, Denzel Curry, Ishmael Butler of Shabazz Palaces, Toro y Moi, and his telepathic kinsman, Thundercat. David Lynch even pops up for an eerie narration wherein he somberly warns that, “Fire is coming.” But they all naturally bend to the magnetic warp of Lotus’ spells – a transfixing hex unto themselves. [Deluxe vinyl edition features a pop-up gatefold jacket and mirriboard inner sleeves.]
Cate Le Bon – Reward CD/LP (Mexican Summer)
Be it on her more minimalist, acoustic-leaning 2009 debut album Me Oh My or critically acclaimed, liquid-riffed 2013 LP Mug Museum as well as 2016’s Crab Day, Cate Le Bon’s solo work – and indeed also her production work, such as that carried out on recent Deerhunter album Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? (2019) – has always resisted pigeonholing, walking the tightrope between krautrock aloofness and heartbreaking tenderness; deadpan served with a twinkle in the eye, a flick of the fringe and a lick of the Telecaster. The multifaceted nature of Le Bon’s art – its ability to take on multiple meanings and hold motivations which are not immediately obvious – is evident right down to the album’s very name, Reward. “Cate Le Bon writes songs in the absurdist tradition, as both as an escape and a mirror to the world. Her music is elliptical and sparse, using familiar sounds—chiming electric guitar, saxophone—to create her own alien landscape. ‘Daylight Matters’, the swooning first single from her new album Reward, isn’t so much a reinvention as it is a grand unveiling.” – Pitchfork
L’Eclair – Sauropoda CD/LP (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond)
L’Eclair’s Sauropoda LP was recorded in an undisclosed location in the mountains over the course of two days in October 2018. Captured live in the studio, the music is mega-organic and free with few overdubs. Think of it as a 2am YouTube rabbit-hole find, or that weird-looking Soviet prog funk private press that you knew you should’ve bought the one time you came across it in the bins. In fact, Sauropoda actually sounds more like a L’Eclair live show…blended with carefully crafted dance floor grooves, last-minute studio fantasies, and fully-faded late night jams. L’Eclair is all about the blending of things, and those things never sound the same twice; endlessly morphing like the human machine itself. Sauropoda is the way L’Eclair sounds right now in proto-groove’s golden age. But don’t let your head get in the way and try too hard to classify this music.
Morrissey – California Son CD/LP (BMG)
The Britpop icon releases his new covers album, California Son. The 12-track collection traverses the sonic landscape of the ‘60s and ‘70s, covering untouchable luminaries like Joni Mitchell, Dionne Warwick, and Bob Dylan while also delving into more obscure musicians of the time, such as early gay icon Jobriath and political activist Phil Ochs. Paying equal tribute to the marginalized stars as he does household names – and taking on these covers with modern alt-rock royalty guests including Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), Ed Droste (Grizzly Bear), Sameer Gadhia (Young The Giant), and LP – California Son serves as a bridge between space, time, and rock music’s past, present, and future. In line with a career marked by environmental advocacy and a groundbreaking soundscape of jangly alt-rock melancholia, we see Morrissey playing to his strengths while pushing his sonic limits. [Limited indie-store exclusive vinyl pressing available.]
Sebadoh – Act Surprised CD/LP (Dangerbird)
Indie-rock pioneers Sebadoh return with their first new studio album in more than six years. Act Surprised continues the soulful collaboration that’s defined the band since 1991’s Sebadoh III and 1994’s Bakesale. The new batch of songs reaffirms how vital the creative partnership is between members Lou Barlow, Jason Loewenstein, and Bob D’Amico. When Barlow recently moved back to his home state of Massachusetts following a series of personal changes, he pressed the restart button and, in time, felt the incentive to reach out to Jason and Bob again to reunite and start work on a new album. The trio convened and began recording in their original stomping grounds in Northampton, MA where they first formed back in 1988. Along with producer/sound engineer Justin Pizzoferatto, Sebadoh has delivered one of the best records of their career – a 15-song collection that’s as dynamic and visceral as anything the band has ever committed to tape.
Mavis Staples – We Get By CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
A clarion call to love, faith, justice, brotherhood and joy lies at the heart of We Get By, Mavis Staples’ spectacular twelfth studio album and first full-length collaboration with multi-Grammy Award-winner Ben Harper. Backed by her longtime touring band, Staples breathes extraordinary life into Harper’s compositions on the record, delivering roof-raising performances with both a youthful vigor and a commanding maturity. The arrangements here are spare but weighty, matched by Harper’s suitably lean and thoughtful production, and Staples seizes the opportunity to showcase her remarkable and continued evolution as an artist, one still growing and exploring more than half a century into her storied career.
The Waterboys – Where The Action Is CD/LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Following the acclaim of 2017’s Out Of All This Blue, The Waterboys return with the new album Where The Action Is. Its title inspired by Robert Parker’s 1960s mod/northern soul classic, Where The Action Is is a 10-song, genre-defying album, testament to the enduring talents of the band’s founder and frontman Mike Scott. One of the finest British songwriters of the past four decades, his songs have been covered and recorded by artists as far and wide as Prince, Rod Stewart, Tom Jones, Steve Earle, and Ellie Goulding (who had a number three hit with “How Long Will I Love You”). The title track’s update of the Parker classic – with lyrics to reflect Mike’s own preoccupations – is a cyclone of a song, all swirling Hammond, lead guitar solos played by Steve Wickham on his fuzzboxed-up fiddle, and female vocals provided by the band’s fabulous Jess and Zeenie. More visceral rock ‘n’ roll follows on “London Mick”, a tribute to legendary Clash guitarist, Mick Jones. Diverse in breadth, Where The Action Is is an album of incredible songwriting, experimentation and musical brilliance – one that will excite Waterboys fans and win new converts alike.
CDs + Vinyl:
The Aggrolites – Reggae Now! CD/LP (Pirate Press)
Written and recorded throughout 2018, Reggae Now! finds these architects of ‘dirty reggae’ reestablishing their signature sound, re-recording those three songs from 2015 as well as adding on 11 more originals that snap, crackle and pop just as much as your favorite Aggro songs from back in the day. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Alpha & Omega – Dubplate Selection Vol. 1 [Reissue/1997] CD/LP (Mania Dub)
Vintage killer addictive electronic reggae and dub selections by the UK pioneers.
Melissa Aldana – Visions CD/LP (Motema Music)
Multi-award-winning Chilean artist Melissa Aldana is recognized as one of the top tenor saxophonists in jazz and the first woman and the first South American to win the Monk Jazz Competition. On her first jazz quartet recording and third overall Visions, Aldana connects her work to the legacy of Latina artists who have come before her, creating a pathway for her own expression.
Ellen Allien – Alientronic CD/2xLP (Bpitch Control)
[Vinyl edition due June 14.] One of the great ambassadors of Berlin techno, Ellen Allien presents her brand-new album Alientronic. This is a body of work rooted in the city where it was recorded, Ellen’s home and the place where she discovered techno sparking a love affair which will burn for infinity.
Beasto Blanco – We Are CD/LP (Rat Pak)
Influenced by bands such as White Zombie and Motörhead, Beasto Blanco’s music is a potent mix of heavy riffs, driving bass and melodic choruses.
Black Mountain – Destroyer CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
Destroyer is structured around that first time behind the wheel of a hot rod, inspired by the crucial nexus of the early-to-mid- ‘80s Los Angeles when a war between punk and hair metal was waged.
Captain Beefheart – Live In Vancouver 1981 CD (Keyhole)
Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band toured Europe and North America to promote their critically acclaimed album, Doc At The Radar Station (1980). This would be their final tour together. A year later, Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, turned his back on the music business to focus on painting. Broadcast live by CBC at the Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, on January 17, 1981, this gig featured a stunning set that showcased Captain Beefheart’s blues-based aural art served with a twist of brilliant madness.
Billy Childish – Punk Rock Ist Tot CD/LP (Damaged Goods)
A career-spanning compilation spanning 40 years. Holed away in the distant inter tidal marshland of mid- ‘70s Kent, breaking rocks in the hot sun as a teenage dockland stonemason, undiagnosed dyslexia and general insubordination denying him the educational path he might have taken, Childish took the punk gospel Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols preached in 1976 as revealed scriptural truth.
Cold Showers – Motionless CD/LP (Dais)
Having traversed the realm of synth-laced post punk expertly for close to a decade, Los Angeles-based Cold Showers return with Motionless – a process-based album that melds their familiar anthem infused post-punk and lush, grand pop influences.
Com Truise – Persuasion System CD/LP+MP3 (Ghostly Int’l)
Released last week on vinyl – now available on CD. For nearly a decade the story of Com Truise has relied on science fiction and abstract fact. Seth Haley’s singular style of melodic beat music subsists as hazy machinist nostalgia, a mainframe downloaded cosmology. Yet with each release, alongside sonic refinement, comes an increasingly visible vapor trail to Haley’s own ontology.
Carl Craig – Detroit Love 2 CD/2xLP (Planet E)
Across a hazy, funk-driven voyage, Craig delves into the spirit of his hometown, championing the past and future of the motor city into an expertly curated mix. With a blend of ’90s gems and new exclusives, his track selections forge a temporal vision of quintessential Detroit music.
Billy Ray Cyrus – The SnakeDoctor Circus CD (Broken Bow)
The first new studio album in nearly three years from country artist.
Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek – Kar Yagar CD/LP (Mr. Bongo)
Outernational psych-pop sensation Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek deliver their debut album. Over the course of its 12 tracks, the powerful sound of the Baglama (Turkish lute) and Derya Yildirim’s stunning vocals, builds and unravels stories together with the guitars, organs, drums, flute and bass. Kar Yagar (which translates as “Snow Falls”) has the dynamics of an epic journey through the Anatolian highlands; where deep-rooted folk effortlessly switches to sparkly improvisation or dancy pop tracks.
Destrage – The Chosen One CD (Metal Blade)
Fifth album from the progressive metal band. According to guitarist Matteo Di Gioia, going into the writing of The Chosen One, the plan was simple: No bullsh!t. No half-baked or lukewarm stuff. No self-indulgence. [Vinyl edition due June 14.]
Diamond Head – The Coffin Train CD/LP (Silver Lining Music)
Diamond Head – the Stourbridge, England born New Wave of British Heavy Metal pioneers – return with a new album, The Coffin Train. Fresh and exuberant while also being a stone-cold classic slice of old school heavy metal excellence, it’s packed with the sort of riff-fueled power that founding member (and riff Lord) Brian Tatler led a genre and influenced the odd band or two along the way with.
Earth – Full Upon Her Burning Lips CD/LP (Sargent House)
With their latest album, Full Upon Her Burning Lips, Earth has stripped away the layers and auxiliary instrumentation that embellished some of their previous records and have deconstructed their dynamic to the core duo of Dylan Carlson on guitar and bass and Adrienne Davies on drums and percussion.
Alan Evans – Nothing To Say CD (Vintage League Music)
Alan Evans (Soulive) steps from behind the drum kit to release his first solo album which spans psychedelic rock, funk, and soul. [Vinyl edition due June 7.]
Helm – Chemical Flowers CD/LP (PAN)
Long, sustained periods in the rural studio setting see Luke Younger aka Helm working with an array of fragmented, disassociated sound sources to build upon 2015’s Olympic Mess. It shares a similarly inclined vision of the urban environment, but here Chemical Flowers references paradoxical notions of authenticity and creative practice by way of questioning the structures around us. Collages are assembled and dismantled, temporal and spatial boundaries fluctuate, and movement is an overarching theme. Surrealist drowned world atmospheres sculpted far enough away from the source of inspiration leave plenty of room for ambiguity.
Honeyblood – In Plain Sight CD/LP (Marathon Artists)
[Limited 180gm translucent dark green vinyl pressing also available.] New release from the Scottish indie rock project led by guitarist/singer/songwriter Stina Tweeddale.
Irata – Tower CD/LP (Small Stone)
Since its 2007 genesis at the hands of founding members Jon Case (bass, vocals) and Jason Ward (drums, vocals), this Greensboro, NC outfit has mutated restlessly, moving from its initial Morphine-infused heavy fusion through math-y metal and finally to the soaring, technical heavy rock of its current approach. Flavors of Mastodon, Kylesa, Helms Alee and Sandrider mix with Smashing Pumpkins-reminiscent textures and clarion Perry Farrell-style vocals, creating a heavy palette that is both innovative and familiar.
J-E-T-S – Zoospa CD/LP (Innovative Leisure)
J-E-T-S is Jimmy Edgar and Travis Stewart (Machinedrum), two of the past decade’s most versatile and protean producers, who have artfully glided through techno, house, IDM, bass, hip-hop, R&B, and pop without being pinned down to any one of them. They channel the two-heads-one-brain spirit of a more danceable Autechre or Outkast raised on the Belleville Three and first wave IDM.
Joan As Police Woman – Joanthology CD (PIAS America)
Joanthology spans the first fifteen years of Joan’s remarkable musical output and includes new, rare and unreleased material alongside more than thirty of her most loved songs.
Chuck Johnson – Balsams [Reissue/2017] CD (Glitterbeat)
First-time on CD. Chuck Johnson’s pedal steel guitar debut delivers a group of pieces for ambient meditation. Recorded in a single two-week session during late 2015, and subsequently arranged/constructed/treated in the studio in spring of 2016, Balsams is awash in layers of tonal perfection, constantly evolving while maintaining a unified approach throughout.
Allen Lowe – An Avant Garde of Our Own: Disconnected Works 1980-2018 8xCD (ESP-Disk’)
Saxophonist/guitarist/composer/music historian/ provocateur Allen Lowe spans the history of jazz in his music in a way that few besides Jaki Byard, Beaver Harris, Steven Bernstein, and Air have ever done, intertwining blues, early jazz, bebop, and the avant-garde.
Luka Productions – Falaw CD/LP (Sahel Sounds)
An innovative take on West African Hip Hop and sample-based folktronica.
Steve Marino – Fluff CD/LP (Darling Recordings)
Over the last decade Steve Marino has recorded multiple solo albums (as Moor Hound), been in countless bands, and toured the country consistently, but his newest full-length, Fluff, is the first collection of songs he’s released in his own name. In that sense it’s his debut album. It is an album about home, and one’s place in it, love, and intimacy, and it’s the result of Steve marrying his direct, honest songwriting with a deeply collaborative process. The title track, “Fluff”, with its precise drums, layered guitars, and visceral, emotive vocals, captures the power of this collaboration. [Limited coke bottle clear vinyl pressing also available.]
Mexico City Blondes – Blush CD/LP/Cassette (Burger)
Mexico City Blondes is Allie Thompson and Greg Doscher. The two met in Santa Barbara, California and after bonding over mutual influences, decided to collaborate on a record. Allie was raised on American folk and grew up playing other peoples’ music on her piano. Adulthood brought a desire to learn guitar and a fascination with synthetic sounds and dreamy, trip-hop vocals that she was eager to incorporate into her own compositions. Learning to play guitar led her to begin writing her own songs. Greg Doscher was previously a guitarist in Tripdavon with which he recorded and co-produced three albums touring in Asia, Europe and North America On break from this project, he had been eager to work with a broader range of sounds and Allie’s unique voice proved to be an effective counterpoint to the blend of electronic and organic sounds in his productions.
Middle Kids – New Songs For Old Problems CDEP/12” (Domino)
New Songs For Old Problems comes hot on the heels of what was a massive 2018 for Middle Kids, including the May release of their critically acclaimed album Lost Friends – an impressive debut which saw the band tour worldwide, earned them a slew of US late night TV appearances, and back home in Australia snagged an ARIA nomination, and the Triple J Album of the Year prize. Lead single “Real Thing” is a soaring rock song mixed by the legendary Mike Spike Stent (Madonna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Muse).
Murg – Stravan CD/LP (Nordvis)
Release last week on vinyl – now available on CD. The third album of the anonymous Swedish black metal duo finalizes the trilogy begun in 2015 with the debut album Varg och Björn (Wolf and Bear) and was continued with Gudatall (Godpine).
Neckbeard Deathcamp – So Much For The Tolerant Left CD/LP (Prosthetic)
Recorded with the same contempt for clean production and music theory as white nationalism is for basement dwelling losers, So Much For The Tolerant Left is 40 minutes of relentless hostility featuring guest vocals from Denis Boardman of Doom and Karl Willets of Bolt Thrower and Memorium.
Nocturnus AD – Paradox CD/LP (Profound Lore)
Resurrected from the ashes of one of the most influential death metal bands of all time, Nocturnus, Nocturnus AD was initiated by founder/mastermind/death metal legend Mike Browning (also co-founder of Morbid Angel) to continue the path that was laid down, 28 years later, by the legendary Florida death metal band’s seminal 1990 album The Key, an album recognized as one of the most important death metal albums ever released. Entitled Paradox, this debut album is the direct and proper follow-up to that album, musically and thematically, with the story and themes vocalist/drummer Browning laid out then continuing on through the lens of the occult.
Tujiko Noriko – Kuro [OST] CD/LP+MP3 (PAN)
Written and directed by Joji Koyama and Tujiko Noriko, Kuro tells the tale of Romi, a Japanese woman living in the suburbs of Paris with her paraplegic lover Milou. Tending to Milou by day and working in a karaoke bar by night, Romi reminisces about a time she and Milou once lived together in Japan with a mysterious ailing man named Mr. Ono. Weaving together personal history, anecdotes, and myths, her stories soon turn ominous. Composed and recorded during the editing of the film in Berlin, the Kuro soundtrack by Tujiko Noriko (with contributions from Joji Koyama, Sam Britton, and Will Worsley), is a crucial and integral part of the film, acting not only as a glue to bind the layers of the film together, but along with the sonic palette of the film’s sound design, evokes its claustrophobic atmospheres and moments of haunting beauty.
NOTS – 3 CD (Goner)
At first glance, 3 seems like a perfectly fitting title for a new Nots album. After all, it is the Memphis band’s third full-length and their first as a trio. It is a dark, unpredictable, raucous, liberating, and bold tour de force of a third record from the Memphis three-along with a strong impression that the best still yet to come. [Vinyl edition due May 31.]
Chris Orrick – Out To Sea CD/LP (Mello Music Group)
According to Detroit rapper Chris Orrick, his new album Out To Sea is “dedicated to the damage done by the 2016 United States Presidential Election, social media, and the 24-hour news cycle.” Another exercise in introspection as much as it is a scathing indictment of the politically divided dystopia we lament and mock, the album finds Orrick once again writing and rhyming with the vein-opening honesty and unrestrained emotion of the best poets.
Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters – Live At The Grey Eagle CD (Organic)
The songs on Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters blend the band’s old-school country roots attitude with their shared influences of rock and folk.
Lee Ranaldo/Jim Jarmusch/Marc Urselli – Lee Ranaldo/Jim Jarmusch/Marc Urselli CD/LP (Trost)
New York based producer and engineer Marc Urselli had the idea to bring people together who had never met before and let that meeting of minds create beautiful soundscapes. Film director and musician Jim Jarmusch, Sonic Youth co-founder and guitarist Lee Ranaldo shared space with versatile drummer Balázs Pándi (projects with Keiji Haino, Venetian Snares, Merzbow) for a night session at Urselli’s EastSide Sound studio in downtown New York. These are the unfiltered results.
Satin Jackets – Solar Nights CD/2xLP (Eskimo)
Solar Nights is the long-awaited second album from German nu-disco star Tim Bernhardt aka Satin Jackets. 14 tracks of smooth disco and leftfield pop sounds.
Seba Kaapstad – Thina CD/LP (Mello Music Group)
Seba Kaapstad is a multi-national neo-soul quartet comprised of a South African, a Swazi, and two Germans.
Alan Silvestri – Avengers: Endgame [OST] CD (Hollywood)
Original soundtrack to the 2019 motion picture composed by Alan Silvestri. The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios’ grand conclusion to twenty-two films.
Emily A. Sprague – Water Memory/Mount Vision CD/2xLP (RVNG Int’l)
Previously self-released on cassette, Emily A. Sprague’s Water Memory (2017) and Mount Vision (2018) albums are presented in new and complete detail. Emily’s work concerns the connectedness of all things, giving living, core form to the mysterious forces that guide earthly activity and human contact with them. Memory and vision, ocean and mountains, question and answer, emotions and infinity. Sunshine, lizard, sea salt. Through sound and poetry, Emily focuses on fleeting moments of crystalline clarity and meditates on expanded lifetimes of intricate meaning-making.
Sting – My Songs CD (A&M)
My Songs is an album comprised of the 17-time Grammy Award winner’s most celebrated hits from his unparalleled career, each reshaped and reimagined for 2019. [CD is available in regular and deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks. Vinyl edition due June 7.]
Stray Cats – 40 CD/LP (Surfdog)
The first new studio album 26 years from the rockabilly trio comprised of Brian Setzer (guitar, vocals), Lee Rocker (bass, vocals) and Slim Jim Phantom (drums, vocals).
Tanith – In Another Time CD (Metal Blade)
Taking their name from a character in the classic Hammer Horror The Devil Rides Out, NYC’s Tanith play vintage hard rock that harks back to the glory days of Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy and Uriah Heep. [Vinyl edition due June 14.]
Toto – All In 13xCD (Sony)
All In features the following Toto albums on thirteen CD’s: Toto (1978), Hydra (1979), Turn Back (1981), Toto IV (1982), Isolation (1984), Fahrenheit (1986), The Seventh One (1988), Kingdom Of Desire (1992), Tambu (1995), Mindfields (1999), and Toto XX (1977-1997) (1998). The set also includes the Live In Tokyo – In Search Of The Hydra EP from their 1980 tour, along with an exclusive album, Old Is New.
Vale – Burden Of Sight CD/LP (The Flenser)
On their debut album Oakland, California’s Vale channel visions of a grim future in which the world is barren and destroyed, where agents of opportunity consume everything they can get their hands on. From rampant homelessness to the overindulgences of the upper class, it’s all too easy to imagine the harsh reality of decomposing landscapes fraught with cannibalism and religious zealotry that the band depicts across six tracks of roaring, death-infused black metal.
Josephine Wiggs – We Fall CD/LP (The Sound Of Sinners)
Alt-rock icon Josephine Wiggs is best known as bassist in The Breeders, rising to stardom in the ’90s and continuing to draw crowds and critical acclaim in the wake of their 2018 album All Nerve. But over the years, Wiggs has released several of her own albums, all of which delightfully defy genre. Her new solo record, We Fall, is both a departure and a distillation of an enduring personal aesthetic: moody and spare but also melodic, at once contemporary and nostalgic.
Jesse Colin Young – Dreamers CD/LP (BMG)
19th solo album from one of rock’s most enduring singer-songwriters. Jesse Colin Young first made history with the Youngbloods on their classic ’60s peace anthem “Get Together”.
The Midnight Hour (Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad) –Live At Linear Labs CD/LP (Linear Labs)
The Midnight Hour is Black excellence: an ode to the cultural sophistication that the Harlem Renaissance established for its people, comprised of Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge, alongside a tight rhythm section and a full orchestra.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Abstract Orchestra – Madvillain Vol. 2 LP (ATA)
Abstract Orchestra take on the classic hip-hop album Madvillainy and add freshness and color. Madvillain Vol. 2 follows on from the 2018 release Madvillain Vol. 1 and further explores the jazz, TV soundtrack and film score aspect of the original work, combining it with classic big band writing and a focus on improvisation.
Ancient Pools – Cosine LP (Feeding Tube)
Shimmering dream pop readymades are the heart of Cosine, the debut release by Ancient Pools (originally a cassette, and now an LP).
Armagedda – Ond Spiritism [Reissue/2004] LP (Nordvis)
Pillars of the early 2000s black metal underground, Sweden’s Armagedda exuded an authentically ancient air despite their youthful years. Ond Spiritism is their third and final album, originally released in 2004 and repressed on vinyl for its 15th anniversary.
Apparat – Silizium 12” (Shitkatapult)
Apparat prepares a rerecording of his 2004 Peel Session: a sonic dedication to the huge mentor John Peel. Apparat swings the composer’s stick with emotion to give yearning its segue way by conducting pieces of lonely melancholic beauty with godly discretion. New strings are thanks to the violin and cello of Kathrin Pfänder and Lisa Stepf aka Complexácord. The trio harmonizes with dream-like perfection. It reminds one once again of the experimental modus operandi combining classical instruments with electronic music.
Ariwo – Quasi 2xLP (Manana Cuba)
Despite Ariwo’s diverse mix of musicians (Cuba/Iran/Canada/UK) their music doesn’t belong to any specific genre. In Quasi, Ariwo use the building blocks of deep bass, Afro-Cuban polyrhythms, carnival melody, and immersive live electronics as a starting point to engage with key players on London’s jazz scene. The result is a hypnotic journey for the listener from techno to avant-garde jazz via West Africa and the Caribbean.
Astari Night – Midnight Conversations LP (Cleopatra)
Released last year on CD – now available on limited edition vinyl. New album from FL-based post-punk gothic rockers.
Basic Rhythm – On The Threshold LP (Planet Mu)
Anthoney J. Hart (East Man, Imaginary Forces) pushes the prism of UK garage, grime and jungle further in his own image with his first album under the Basic Rhythm alias.
Blu & Exile – True & Livin 12” (Dirty Science)
New EP from the hip-hop duo.
Boxia – A Night In The Life Of 2xLP (Drumcode)
An accomplished DJ and versatile producer, Boxia is an artist whose outlook is heavily influenced by years spent on the dancefloors of clubs across the UK and overseas. Boxia’s multi-faceted approach to music allows him to channel his creativity through a number of styles, maintaining a playful, inventive and often experimental output.
Chris Brokaw – End Of The Night LP (Vin Du Select Qualitite)
A multi-hued, jazz-tinged instrumental record with a melancholy resolve and a deep blue/purple filter.
Brownsville Station – Brownsville Station [Reissue/1977] LP (Culture Factory)
Limited opaque white vinyl pressing. Brownsville Station was formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1969. After several Top 10 hits including “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”, they recorded in 1977 “The Martian Boogie” and “(Lady) Put The Light On”, two of their seven singles to chart on the Hot 100, both from Brownsville Station.
Chocolate Watch Band – No Way Out [Reissue/1967] LP (Sundazed)
Limited yellow colored vinyl pressing. The thrilling debut album by the Chocolate Watch Band immediately finds that cosmic sweet-spot of perfect garage-rock.
Gene Clark – White Light [Reissue/1971] LP (Sundazed)
Gene Clark – Roadmaster [Reissue/1973] LP (Sundazed)
As a founding member of folk-rock pioneers the Byrds, Gene Clark emerged as a uniquely gifted singer/songwriter and master of the minor key melancholy ballad. His departure from the group in 1966 was met with critical anticipation and commercial indifference.
Dentist – Night Swimming LP (Cleopatra)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the New Jersey indie surf rock band.
Dervish – The Great Irish Songbook 2xLP (Rounder)
As one of the world’s most renowned and imaginative interpreters of Irish folk music, Dervish have devoted the last three decades to gently reinventing the traditional songs of their homeland. Featuring such beloved artists as Vince Gill, Steve Earle, and David Gray, The Great Irish Songbook brings new vitality to iconic traditional songs of their homeland.
Diplo – Europa 12” (Mad Decent)
The latest EP from Grammy-winning producer featuring collaborations with some of the biggest and most buzzing regional artists from across the continent of Europe.
Drumbreaks – Original Break Beats 10” (The Beat Down)
New drum break record featuring original raw drum loops. Original drum breaks and two drum solos. Open demonstration breaks in various syncopations.
Mike Donovan – Exurbian Quonset LP/Cassette (Drag City)
The Peacers and Sic Alps frontman is back with another solo album less than a year after How to Get Your Record Played In Shops. It’s a wild ride through a pop landscape formed largely of scorched earth and canyons of damage that give way to blissful meadows of melody – in other words, the kind of music Mike Donovan digs playing and excels at. [The deluxe album package for Exurbian Quonset includes white vinyl and lyric insert.]
Dreadnought – Emergence LP (Profound Lore)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fourth album from the Denver, Colorado doom-prog band. There are a multitude of layers that establish Dreadnought’s sound, making them one of the more unique sounding bands in today’s doom/dark/progressive metal circles. Seamlessly sewing together elements from prog, doom, folk, jazz, classical /chamber, avant-garde, and even a little bit of black metal, this is the culmination of the band’s continued development and evolution.
The Drones – Feelin Kinda Free [Reissue/2016] LP (Bang)
Feelin Kinda Free has been described by Australia’s premier right-wing tabloid superstar and Richard Wagner fanboy Andrew Bolt as stamping on the ashes of the West’s musical traditions. Lyrically, it explores themes such as Koro syndrome, the fruits of western imperialism, ISIS, celebrity chefs, seaside statecraft, beach-bum race riots, Rupert Murdoch, the new middle Eastern/European diaspora, the specter of neofascism, Hugo Boss, Luftwaffe psychological warfare techniques, girls, sweet revenge, capitalist consumer psychosis, body image dysmorphia/mania, Gertrude Bell, eating people and selling yourself, having great skin, leftist utopianism, scientific triumphalism, E.T. and the mindless assumption that alien lifeforms would be nicer than us simply because of their technological superiority.
The Dub Trio – The Shape Of Dub To Come LP (New Damage)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. An homage to The Refused’s The Shape Of Punk To Come and Ornette Coleman’s The Shape Of Jazz to Come, the groove on The Dub Trio’s fifth full-length hinges on slower stoner-inspired sludge riffing.
Edguy – Vain Glory Opera [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (AFM)
Limited green colored vinyl pressing of the second album from the European melodic metal band.
Edward – Underwater Jams LP (DFA)
On his DFA debut, German experimental techno producer Edward largely departs from the 4/4 grid he frequents and blurs the focus towards a more slippery, improvisational vibe.
Generichrist – Rotting In The Swamp 12” (Metal Bastard)
New EP from the Tampa Bay, Florida-based thrash/death metal band.
The Get Ahead – Deepest Light LP (Jullian)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. An amalgam of American roots music featuring the band’s invigorating three-part harmonies and moving lyricism.
The Good Missionaries – Pylons LP (Color Disc/Lion Productions)
The hipness and success of London punk-explosion photocopy fanzine Sniffin’ Glue was almost entirely due to the irreverent, pugnacious sincerity of its founder/spark-plug Mark Perry. That Perry should form a band (Alternative TV) seemed a natural progression; that it was any good at all a surprise; that it maintained a stance utterly disdainful of compromise a small miracle. The Good Missionaries emerged, Phoenix-like, from the ashes of Alternative TV (ATV). The band released several singles on their own Unnormality label, before splitting in 1982.
Tim Hecker – Anoyo LP (Kranky)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Anoyo (the world over there) draws from the same sessions which led to the 2018 work Konoyo but rendered starker, solemn, and stripped back, with more of a naturalist tint. Tim Hecker’s processing here moves in veiled ways, soft refractions and whispered shrouds woven within improvisational sessions of traditional gagaku interplay, evoking a sense of vaulted space, temples at dawn, shredded silk fluttering in the rafters. This is boldly barren music, skeletal and sculptural, shaped from wood, wind, strings, and mist. Modern yet ancient, delicate and desolate, Anoyo inverts its predecessor to compellingly conjure a parallel world of illusion, solitude, and eternal return.
Intelligence – Un-Psychedelic In Peavey City LP (V.M.I.)
Still panting from their installment in Castle Face’s Live In San Francisco series (where they ran a greatest hits clinic for basement sweat-rats) and from mega-mind Lars Finberg’s outside solo oddballer, Moonlight Over Bakersfield, The Intelligence return in Neu-veau mode with Un-Psychedelic In Peavey City, their tenth studio album-amalgam.
Bill Justis – Raunchy & Other Great Instrumentals [Reissue/1969] LP (Org Music)
Topping the Billboard R&B charts in 1957, Bill Justis’ Raunchy is one of the most successful rock & roll instrumental tracks of all time. Having grown up in Memphis, Justis played an integral part in the development of rock music, working with artists on the legendary Sun Record Company, as well as recording music for himself. This collection of instrumentals pays homage to 1960s era rock & roll scene of the south. Now the album has been remastered for its first vinyl pressing in nearly five decades.
Kill The Motherboard – The Legend Of Picasso Jones LP (Easy League Ent.)
Kill The Motherboard is the brain child of super-producer, Jack Splash (Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys, John Legend and more) and emcee Jon Brown.
The King Khan Experience – Turkey Ride LP (Ernest Jenning)
King Khan’s adventures almost 18 years ago in the cities of Bordeaux and Berlin, finely documented in music, get the vinyl treatment for the first time. These recordings were made while King Khan gallivanted through Europe’s most hedonistic cities and collected a merry group of pranksters to make sweet, sweet rock ‘n’ roll with.
Kode9 – Diggin In The Carts: Kode9 Remixes LP (Hyperdub)
In late 2017 Hyperdub released Diggin In The Carts, a compilation put together by Nick Dwyer and Kode9 of pioneering and rare Japanese video game music from the 1980s and 1990s. Since then, from Sonar Festival in Barcelona to Liquid Rooms in Tokyo, Kode9 has been touring a live audio-visual set in collaboration with visuals from anime legend Koji Morimoto, who also designed the artwork for the original compilation. On this first new Kode9 EP since 2014, a handful of these remixes see the light of day.
Dadisi Komolahe – Hassan’s Walk [Reissue/1983] LP (Pure Pleasure)
Released back in 1983 this modal to slightly free jazz outfit from California takes you on a journey back to the late 60s and very early 70s, into the spiritual realms of greats like John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, John McLaughlin and Miles Davis among others.
Bill Laswell – City Of Light [Reissue/1997] LP (Sub Rosa)
Limited colored vinyl reissue of Bill Laswell’s sixth solo album. His strong interest in Eastern music and religion resulted in this 1997 collaboration with Janet Rienstra. Part sacred, spoken word, part meditative soundscape, City Of Light takes as its inspiration the holy region of Banaras, India. Said to belong to Shiva, Banaras also contains the Ganges river: a place sought by Hindus for their cremation.
L’Epee – Dreams 12” (A. Records)
Debut single release from the band comprised of Emmaunelle Seigner (Ultra Orange & Emmanuelle), Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre), and Lionel & Marie Liminana (The Liminanas).
Los Revolucionarios – Los Revolucionarios [Reissue/1974] LP (Vampi Soul)
A revolutionary album full of experimentation and cross-fertilization with a sound unlike that of any other tropical record before or after.
Walker Lukens – Adult LP (Modern Outsider)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Austin-based, Houston-bred singer/multi-instrumentalist Walker Lukens has been called “one of the best songwriters in Texas”, “wonderfully inventive”, “a non-sexually intimidating version of Prince”, and a “veteran balladeer with sudden indie rock ambitions”. Adult, Lukens’ third full-length album, was produced by Jim Eno (Spoon) at this Public HiFi studio in Austin.
Mae – Multisensory Aesthetic Experience LP (Tooth & Nail)
2018 release – back in-print on vinyl. It’s no accident that Mae’s fourth studio LP bears the self-fulfilling prophecy of their namesake. Multisensory Aesthetic Experience, the band’s first full-length release in nearly a decade, is the arguable realization of their aspirations since conception. From the DMT-infused retro-space odyssey groove of “Kaleidoscope”, to the Byrne-esque mayhem of “The Overview”, to the contemplative hypnosis of “Simple Words”, it quickly becomes apparent that the heart-strings are no longer merely resonating; they’re playing full melodies that deftly counterbalance the compositions.
The Mauskovic Dance Band – The Mauskovic Dance Band LP (Soundway)
This Amsterdam five-piece fuses no-wave dance punk, AfroCaribbean rhythms, and space disco in a controlled explosion. The Mauskovic Dance Band lo-fi no wave groove all its own – rooted in a deep love of champeta, Palenque, psychedelic cumbia, chichi, classic Afrobeat, and picó soundsystem culture.
The Steve Miller Band – Book Of Dreams [Reissue/1977] LP (Capitol)
The Steve Miller Band – Circle Of Love [Reissue/1981] LP (Capitol)
The Steve Miller Band – Abracadabra [Reissue/1982] LP (Capitol)
The Steve Miller Band – Italian X Rays [Reissue/1984] LP (Capitol)
The Steve Miller Band – Living In The 20th Century [Reissue/1986] LP (Capitol)
Steve Miller – Born 2 B Blue [Reissue/1988] LP (Capitol)
The Steve Miller Band – Wild River [Reissue/1993] LP (Capitol)
The Steve Miller Band – Bingo! [Reissue/2010] LP (Capitol)
The Steve Miller Band – Let Your Hair Down [Reissue/2011] LP (Capitol)
The Steve Miller Band – Complete Albums Volume 2 (1977-2011] 9xLP (Capitol)
Limited 180gm vinyl reissues of The Steve Miller Band’s 10th – 17th albums, plus Steve Miller’s lone solo album from 1988.
Lee Moses – How Much Longer Must I Wait? Singles & Rarities 1965-1972 LP (Future Day Recordings)
Collects all of the R&B/soul singer’s non-album singles and B-sides. Moses’ short career started in the late ‘60s; he went on to record only eight 45s and one LP.
Mr. Oizo – Rythme Plat 12” (Ed Banger)
Mr. Oizo plugs in his Korg MS 20 once again to deliver new treats. With four tracks, four rooms, four atmospheres, and an introduction from Beastie Boys’ Mike D on the track “Nuque”, Rythme Plat (literally “Flat Beat” in French) is the proper celebration fans have been excepting for the 20th anniversary of Mr. Oizo’s world-famous track “Flat Beat”.
Ours Samplus – Last Frontier 2xLP (Besides)
Instrumental hip-hop from the French beatmakers.
Alan Parker/Alan Hackshaw – Black Pearl [Reissue/1973] LP (Music De Wolfe)
Originally released in 1973, Black Pearl‘s overall sound is the epitome of cool, orchestral funk/dramatic styles of the 1970s.
Patience – Dizzy Spells LP (Winona)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Patience began as bedroom synth project for songwriter Roxanne Clifford after the break-up of her acclaimed indie pop band Veronica Falls. Born out of a desire to experiment with a new sound and analogue synthesizers, the project has since grown to become an all-encompassing persona and serves as the main vehicle for the full emotional spectrum always latent in Clifford’s songwriting.
Ben Platt – Sing To Me Instead CD (Atlantic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Ben Platt originated the title role in Dear Evan Hansen to critical acclaim (Obie Award, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League nominations) and won the 2017 Tony Award for his Broadway performance. Platt was the original Elder Cunningham in the Chicago production of The Book of Mormon and reprised the role on Broadway. On his debut album, Sing To Me Instead, he explores his formative influences, ranging from timeless singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Carole King to legendary crooners like Donny Hathaway, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder.
Pungent Stench – Ampeauty [Reissue/2003] LP (Back On Black)
Vinyl reissue of the fifth album from the Austrian death metal band.
Phil Ranelin – Phil Ranelin Collected 2003-2019 LP (Wide Hive)
Phil Ranelin Collected 2003-2019 features songs with Pharoah Sanders, Kamasi Washington, Donald ”Duck” Bailey, Henry Franklin, Big Black, Calvin Keys, Roger Glenn and many, many more.
The Residents – Eskimo: Deconstructed 2xLP+CD (Cryptic Corp)
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Eskimo, The Residents present a unique collection of the album’s constituent parts, and encourage their public to remix and rework the album. Including over 70 individual musical elements, chants, loops and sound effects recorded on location by the group in the mid-late 1970s, plus a backing CD of Arctic wind noise, this set provides unprecedented insight into the three years’ recording and construction of a legendary album, and an opportunity for fans to “walk around inside a masterpiece, the viewing angles almost infinite.”
Robert y Su Banda – Soy La Ley [Reissue/1978] LP (Vampi Soul)
Vinyl reissue of an obscure but sought-after slab of Colombian salsa.
Röyksopp – Senior [Reissue/2010] LP (House Arrest)
Vinyl reissue of the fourth studio album by the Norwegian electronic duo. This chapter of Royksopp’s career saw them move to instrumental tracks only; Senior has been described as more introspective and withdrawn than its predecessor, Junior (2009).
RVBY MY DEAR – Waiting LP (Villainy)
RVBY MY DEAR is the art-pop project of Gabbi Coenen, a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist originally from Perth, Western Australia, now based in Brooklyn NY. RVBY MY DEAR’s sound is influenced by ‘90s British acts such as Portishead and Massive Attack, the orchestral balladry of Bjork and Fiona Apple, as well as the modern beat-driven sounds of Daughter, Beach House, James Blake, and Radiohead. The band features lush synth and guitar harmonies, propulsive electronic-inspired beats, and Coenen’s floating moody vocals.
Shindigs – Chilland LP (Cleopatra)
New album from South Korean songwriter and lo-fi dream pop magician.
Sleaford Mods – Discourse b/w Eton Alive 7” (Extreme Eating)
The third single from Sleaford Mods’ recent UK Top 10 album Eton Alive.
The Sonics – Introducing The Sonics [Reissue/1967] LP (Beatrocket)
The Sonics – fronted by Gerry Roslie’s banshee vocals – blow-torched the mists of Seattle in 1966 like the fiery exhaust from a jumbo-jet. With their trademark scorched-earth guitar sounds, they created a mind-numbing assortment of classic garage rock tracks. Limited green colored vinyl pressing.
Sontag Shogun – It Billows Up LP (Youngbloods)
Brooklyn-based experimental trio Sontag Shogun present their multimedia project and third full length album It Billows Up. Whereas Sontag Shogun’s 2017 album Patterns For Resonant Space was an experiment in reverse-engineering and overdubbing improvised compositions, It Billows Up is a linear, continuous narrative featuring ambient meshes of layered field recordings, analog oscillators, foley, and improvised piano.
Andreas Spechtl – Strategies LP (Bureau B)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. They say that the avant-garde moves faster than light and therefore has to travel under cover of darkness, flying blind, destination unknown. Little of today’s realpolitik-related gloom casts its shadow over Strategies, the new album by restless avant-garde auteur Andreas Spechtl. [Deluxe 180gm vinyl edition also available.]
Spiral Wave Nomads – Spiral Wave Nomads LP (Feeding Tube)
The debut LP by Spiral Wave Nomads introduces a new psych duo comprised of two musicians with active histories inside the New England sub underground. The Spiral Wave Nomads is a lovely sprawl of electric guitar improv (aided in spots by bass, sitar and double-tracked guitar) mixed with elegantly tumbling drum work, guaranteed to illuminate many tunnels of spiraling trip-time.
Steel Blossoms – Steel Blossoms LP (Billy Jam)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Discovering the music of Americana duo, Steel Blossoms, is a lot like finding yourself at a party with trusted friends … the kind who know all your secrets, share great memories and funny stories, poke fun at your foibles … and their own. Steel Blossoms is the musical collaboration of Sara Zebley and Hayley Prosser, artists (and former elementary school teachers) who met by chance at a festival in their home state of Pennsylvania, where each was performing with separate groups. They recognized an instant chemistry and a shared perspective; an appreciation for life’s moments, ironies and quirky little truths.
Laura Stevenson – The Big Freeze LP+MP3 (Don Giovanni)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Big Freeze is New York-based songwriter Laura Stevenson’s fourth solo album and first full-length in four years. Recorded in her childhood home during the dead of winter, the record-named for the universe-chilling opposite the big bang-is a departure for Stevenson. Though her pedigree is in punk, Freeze has little in the way of distortion.
Anna St. Louis – First Songs 12” (Woodsist/Mare)
Released in 2017 on cassette – now available on vinyl. Anna St. Louis wears her influences well—think Patsy Cline singing over John Fahey—but has a style all her own.
Supersuckers – Holdin’ The Bag [Reissue/2015] LP (Reptilian)
Extremely limited pressing on ‘dank weed’ green vinyl. The mighty Supersuckers switched gears on 2015’s Holdin’ The Bag, taking their rock down a country dirt road, kicking up dust with a bad-ass posse, outlaw singer-songwriter Hayes Carll, acclaimed alt-country songstress Lydia Loveless, Asleep At The Wheel fiddler Jason Roberts, Butthole Surfers member Jeff Pinkus, noted neo-honky-tonker Jesse Dayton, and Willie Nelson’s longtime harmonica sidekick Mickey Raphael.
Gloria Ann Taylor and Walter Whisenhunt’s Orchestra – Deep Inside You [Reissue/1973] 12” (Ubiquity)
A unique musical brew that mixes northern soul with exotic percussion and fuzzy psychedelic guitars.
Thee Oh Sees – Hounds Of Foggy Notion LP (Castleface)
Thee Hounds Of Foggy Notion/Live Performances Sans Stages And Whatnots With Thee Oh Sees (2008), is a film Thee Oh Sees made just over a decade ago, and this record is the soundtrack. [CD edition due May 31.]
Treadles – Cold b/w Iron 7” (Saddle Creek)
New single from the dynamic grunge-pop band.
Faye Webster – Atlanta Millionaires Club CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
Atlanta Millionaires Club is in Faye Webster’s feelings, and that’s the way she likes it. Everything is way personal, Webster says. I have to write about very personal things for me to even want to write. On the 21-year-old Atlanta native’s new album, the omnipresence of pedal steel eschews bluegrass trappings, flexible under Webster’s genre-bending direction. Webster didn’t set out to make it sound like any artist in particular, but she cites Aaliyah as her main musical inspiration for how she uses sound.
Cassettes:
Mike Donovan – Exurbian Quonset LP/Cassette (Drag City)
The Peacers and Sic Alps frontman is back with another solo album less than a year after How to Get Your Record Played In Shops. It’s a wild ride through a pop landscape formed largely of scorched earth and canyons of damage that give way to blissful meadows of melody – in other words, the kind of music Mike Donovan digs playing and excels at.
Mexico City Blondes – Blush (Burger)
Mexico City Blondes is Allie Thompson and Greg Doscher. The two met in Santa Barbara, California and after bonding over mutual influences, decided to collaborate on a record. Allie was raised on American folk and grew up playing other peoples’ music on her piano. Adulthood brought a desire to learn guitar and a fascination with synthetic sounds and dreamy, trip-hop vocals that she was eager to incorporate into her own compositions. Learning to play guitar led her to begin writing her own songs. Greg Doscher was previously a guitarist in Tripdavon with which he recorded and co-produced three albums touring in Asia, Europe and North America On break from this project, he had been eager to work with a broader range of sounds and Allie’s unique voice proved to be an effective counterpoint to the blend of electronic and organic sounds in his productions.
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