December/January Program Titles Released This Week:
Beck – Hyperspace CD/LP (Capitol)
On the heels of two Grammy-winning albums – Morning Phase, which saw him reunite in the studio with his Sea Change band, and Colors, which he created with Greg Kurstin – Hyperspace brings to fruition Beck’s 20-year wish to collaborate with Pharrell Williams. Hyperspace’s new dimensions in sound are the result of Beck’s most collaborative efforts to date. Seven of the album’s 11 tracks – including singles ‘Uneventful Days” and “Saw Lightning” – feature co-writing/co-production from Pharrell. “See Through” is co-written/co-produced by frequent collaborator Kurstin, “Stratosphere” features back-up from Chris Martin, the album’s title track features guest vocals from Terrell Hines and “Die Waiting” features backing vocals from Sky Ferreira. [Limited edition indie-exclusive vinyl pressing also available.]
Danny Brown – Uknowhatimsayin? CD/LP+MP3 (Warp)
Uknowhatimsayin? marks a buoyant new chapter in Danny Brown’s career, a transitional and celebratory moment. His profile has grown since Atrocity and now armed with a cable TV show and a co-sign from one of rap’s icons, he solidifies his positioning as a ubiquitous entertainer, independent rap hero, and one of the essential cultural voices of this era, while still retaining the edgy, maverick style that makes him a fan-favorite. Uknowhatimsayin? was executive produced by Q-Tip, includes guest appearances by Run The Jewels, Blood Orange and Obongjayar, and boasts production by Q-Tip, JPEGMAFIA, Flying Lotus, Paul White and Standing on the Corner. “This is my version of a stand-up comedy album,” Brown says. “Most of my close friends now aren’t rappers – they’re comedians and actors. So, I wanted to create something that mixed humor with music. Something that was funny but not parody.”
David Byrne – American Utopia On Broadway (Original Cast Recording) CD (Nonesuch)
[Vinyl edition due December 20.]
Original Cast Recording of the critically acclaimed Broadway production of David Byrne’s American Utopia, with music and lyrics by Byrne. The former Talking Heads mastermind shares the spotlight with a diverse ensemble of eleven musical artists from around the globe to deliver “a marvel of staging and motion” (Chicago Tribune) that’s a “thought-provoking example of the power of live music” (Forbes). “Dazzling, rapturous and jubilant,” exclaims the New York Times of the show. “Byrne puts the central tenet of making contact with a world outside your mind into dynamic, sensory practice onstage.” “Gorgeously designed, deliciously fun,” says the New Yorker, “backed by a rangy, versatile, exuberant band…Most important, the songs sound great.” “Astonishing, “ raves Hollywood Reporter. “A knockout celebration of music, dance and song. Pure bliss.” “A heady swirl of hope for our anxious times,” says Rolling Stone. “The concert-theater-dance spectacle finds solace in human connections…a tonic for our tumultuous times…”
Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance CD/LP (Legacy/Sony)
At the end, the last dance is truly saved for Leonard Cohen. Before he passed away in 2016, the man with the golden voice asked his son, Adam, to bring to fruition an album the singer had mostly completed. Fulfilling his father’s wishes, the younger Cohen recruited members of the National and Arcade Fire, along with various orchestras and choirs, to finish the poet’s final work. Produced by Adam, and engineered and mixed by Michael Chaves, Thanks For The Dance is not a commemorative collection of B-sides and outtakes, but an unexpected harvest of nine new songs: exciting and vital, a continuation of the Cohen’s legacy. “In composing and arranging the music for his words, we chose his most characteristic musical signatures, in this way keeping him with us,” said Adam. “What moves me most about the album is the startled response of those who have heard it.”
Coldplay – Everyday Life CD/2xLP (Atlantic/Third Man)
Coldplay’s eighth studio album and most adventurous offering since 2008’s groundbreaking Viva la Vida Or Death And All His Friends. Announced and publicized via cryptic ads in subway stations and random newspapers, Everyday Life is a double-length concept album that is divided into two halves — Sunrise and Sunset — and runs the stylistic gamut from pop and rock to uplifting gospel, hypnotic Afrobeat, field recordings and more. Two songs from the album, “Orphans” and “Arabesque”, have been released as a 7” vinyl single courtesy of Third Man. Everyday Life’s cover image is based around a 1919 photo of guitarist Jonny Buckland’s great-grandfather’s band. Ten words that summarize the album: “Ambitious, experimental, multi-cultural, spiritual, life-affirming, contemplative, compassionate, cinematic, inspirational, earnest.” – Tinnitist
Lindemann – F & M CD/2xLP (Caroline)
German-Swedish power duo Lindemann – consisting of Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann and Peter Tägtgren, mastermind of metal bands Pain and Hypocrisy – deliver their second album, F & M. It takes a distinct turn from the 2015 debut set Skills In Pills, which was sung entirely in English and went gold in Germany. This time, Till Lindemann sings the lyrics in German as part of an intense, unique composition. F & M was inspired by Till Lindemann’s collaboration with the Hamburg Thalia Theatre, in the context of a modern adaptation of Hänsel & Gretel, the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. It addresses such subjects as fear, hope, poverty, abundance, cannibalism and death. Five songs from the acclaimed production are augmented with six brand new compositions. [Deluxe CD edition includes two bonus tracks.]
Idina Menzel – Christmas: A Season Of Love CD/2xLP (SRV Label Co./Decca)
Timed to coincide with the release of Disney’s Frozen 2, which includes Menzel’s unforgettable voice in the title role of Elsa, the Tony Award-winner drops an album of traditional and brand-new holiday songs. Christmas: A Season Of Love features Ariana Grande (“A Hand For Mrs. Claus”), Billy Porter (“I Got My Love To Keep Me Warm”), Josh Gad (“We Wish You The Merriest”) and her husband, Aaron Lohr (“I’ll Be Home For Christmas”). Menzel goes it alone on “Sleigh Ride”, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, “Christmas Just Ain’t Christmas”, “We Need A Little Christmas”, “O Holy Night/Ave Maria”, “Winter Wonderland/Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”, “Walker’s 3rd Hanukkah”, “Ocho Kandelikas”, “Christmas Time Is Here”, “At This Table”, “Caroling, Caroling”, “Auld Lang Syne” and the Rent classic “Seasons Of Love”.
Harry Nilsson – Losst And Founnd CD/LP (Omnivore)
Superstar vocalist Harry Nilsson was struck down by a heart attack at the age of 52 on January 15, 1994. At the time he was at work on his first album of original material in nearly fifteen years – a project that finally sees the light of day 25 years after his death. Losst And Founnd features nine Nilsson originals as well as covers by Jimmy Webb and Yoko Ono. With musical contributions from an all-star cast of musicians like Van Dyke Parks, Jim Keltner, Webb, and Harry’s son, Kiefo, the album features the classic Nilsson melodies that have been his trademark for over 50 years.
Various Artists – Hanukkah+ CD (Verve Forecast)
Adam Sandler gets some competition in the Hanukkah music world. Haim, Jack Black, the Flaming Lips, Yo La Tengo and other prominent artists have recorded songs for the new compilation Hanukkah+. The album also features contributions from folk singer Loudon Wainwright III, Adam Green (of the band Moldy Peaches), Alex Frankel (of the electronic group Holy Ghost and a founder of the Jewish deli Frankel’s in Brooklyn) and more. [Vinyl edition due December 13.]
Various Artists – This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 3 CD (Republic)
Jack Johnson delivers the latest in a trilogy of holiday albums from his Brushfire Records label. This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 3 features both original and classic holiday songs from Johnson and friends, including G. Love, Bahamas, Mason Jennings, Zach Rogue of Rogue Wave, Zach Gill, Paula Fuga and others. The artists on the album are longtime Brushfire musicians and label alumni, comprising a group of friends, hand-picked by Johnson, who have toured, collaborated and created music throughout his stellar career. As Johnson says: “It’s always nice to get together with old friends to create some new music and spread a little holiday cheer!”
CDs + Vinyl:
a-ha – Hunting High And Low [Reissue/1985] 4xCD (WB)
Super deluxe four CD edition. Originally released in 1985, Hunting High And Low was the debut album from the iconic Norwegian band and features their ubiquitous single “Take On Me”. This box set includes demos, extended versions, B-sides and alternate mixes.
Jason Aldean – 9 CD (Broken Bow)
The reigning ACM Artist of the Decade continues to hold his ground making modern albums with an old-school soul.
Robert Ashley – Improvement (Don Leaves Linda) CD (Lovely Music)
Like John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress (1678), Improvement (Don Leaves Linda) is an allegory for an individual’s self-realization. The opera takes its imagery from the history of the Jews -beginning with their expulsion from Spain in 1492 and ending 500 years later in the United States. Improvement (Don Leaves Linda) was first conceived as a recording for Nonesuch Records (1991). Ashley followed with three other operas, making up a quartet or tetralogy under the name Now Eleanor’s Idea, and all four operas were performed often during the first half of the 1990s. The opera was revived in 2018-19.
Benoît Pioulard – Sylva CD/LP+MP3 (Morr Music)
The music on Sylva bears the beauty and strange shapes of nature: desert rock formations and colorful leaves, restless waters and peculiar plants. Meluch’s dreamy ambient drones and saturated lo-fi pop embody the impressionist sensation of his visual aesthetic – with this collection sound and vision are merged into an affectionate study of the organic.
Big Band Of Brothers – A Jazz Celebration Of The Allman Brothers Band CD/LP (New West)
A collection of big band jazz interpretations of Allman Brothers classics.
Big D And The Kids Table – Strictly Covered CD (Strictly Rude)
A set of 13 covers done in Big D And The Kids Table’s ska, thrash, and dub styles.
Blinky – Heart Full Of Soul – The Motown Anthology 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
The story of Sondra ‘Blinky’ Williams has long been shrouded in mystery. The soulful singer came to Motown Records in 1967 following stints at Vee-Jay and Atlantic, bringing her passionate and powerful deep soul sound to Hitsville, USA. Heart Full of Soul: The Motown Anthology is the ultimate collection dedicated to Motown’s great lost superstar. Over two CDs and almost 50 songs, Blinky’s Motown journey is chronicled with songs written and produced for her by the label’s greatest talents including Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, Clay McMurray, Frank Wilson, Hal Davis, Gil Askey, Deke Richards, Jerry Marcellino and Mel Larson, Don Hunter, and Stevie Wonder.
Blood Incantation – Hidden History Of The Human Race CD (Dark Descent)
A dynamic foray into the realms of progressive, brutal and atmospheric death metal. [Vinyl edition due November 29.]
Ben Böhmer – Breathing CD/LP (Anjuna Beats)
Ben’s early releases on tastemaker labels Bade and Keller drew a comparison to revered producers Recondite and Francesco Tristano – dark tracks dotted with classical influence, featuring haunting piano lines and discordant strings. The moody and reflective sounds of Ben’s early work made way for brighter and more melodic music, keeping the depth and texture, but changing the tone from darkness to light. Finding a sense of hope and optimism in uplifting emotions and euphoric melodies, Ben’s debut album Breathing marks the closing of a chapter in Ben’s life, the culmination of a period of heartache and recovery, and a coming of age as an artist.
Brume – Rabbits CD/LP (Magnetic Eye)
Brume is a San Francisco-based doom metal trio who combine the weight of Black Sabbath’s pioneering distorted riffs with the graceful beauty of singers like Bjork and Portishead’s Beth Gibbons.
Bobby Caldwell – The Time Has Come: The Ultimate Anthology 2xCD (Big Deal)
Smooth contemporary jazz/pop singer Bobby Caldwell’s greatest works compiled on CD. Wearing many hats, Caldwell not only sings; he was the producer, arranger, and co-writer of many of these tracks on this release.
Lewis Capaldi – Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent CD (Capitol)
The debut album by Scottish singer-songwriter includes the Top 10 singles “Grace”, the UK and US #1 single “Someone You Loved” and “Hold Me While You Wait”. Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent peaked at #1 in the UK and Ireland, becoming the fastest-selling album of the year.
The Chemical Brothers – Surrender 2xCD/3xCD+DVD/4xLP+DVD (Astralwerks)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the third studio album by the English electronic music duo. The double-CD set brings together the original album with a selection of remixes from the period, curated by Tom and Ed. The Super Deluxe edition features an additional disc of remixes as well as a DVD comprised of promo videos and footage from their 2000 Glastonbury performance.
Crisix – Sessions: #1 American Thrash CD/LP (Listenable)
Barcelona’s Crisix pay homage to their thrash metal heroes from North America with covers of Forbidden, Vio-Lence, Testament, Exodus, Evildead, Demolition hammer, Anthrax, Nuclear Assault and more.
The Deathtrip – Demon Solar Totem CD/LP (Profound Lore)
New album from the cult metal band. Demon Solar Totem captures the spirit of ancient Darkthrone, Thorns and Beherit, imbued with old-English occultism and the chanting of sacred sound formulas-otherworld black metal eeriness for a deep dive into spectral realms.
Die Krupps – Vision 2020 Vision CD (Metropolis)
Die Krupps is a name synonymous with the electro-industrial-metal and Neue Deutsche Harte genres. Since its formation in the early ‘80s, Die Krupps has constantly evolved, using synthesizers, metallic percussion, heavy guitars to create its own brand of metal-machine-music. On Vision 2020 Vision, Die Krupps shows once again why it is an everlasting, driving force in the industrial & EBM movements.
Dio – 8-Track Classics Live! CD (BMG)
Includes some of Dio’s biggest hits, including “Holy Diver”, “Heaven & Hell”, and “Push”.
Dog Eat Dog – All Boro Kings CD/LP (Metalville)
Dog Eat Dog – All Boro Kings Live CD+DVD (Metalville)
Twenty-five years ago, Dog Eat Dog from New Jersey were able to set a milestone in the then still young crossover genre with her debut album. All Boro Kings received a lot of attention from fans and critics.
Eric Donaldson – Eric Donaldson [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Radiation Roots)
Donaldson’s soaring falsetto has made him one of Jamaica’s best-loved vocalists.
The Drowning – The Radiant Dark CD (Transcending Obscurity)
Fifth album from the UK-based death/doom outfit.
Endo Monk – Kontinuum CD/LP (Holy Chaos)
Endo Monk aka Frank Schnütgen, who during his time at school already had access to modular synthesizers like Formant, Korg and Moog, returns with this album to warm, bubbling analogue sounds, but unmistakably peppered with his influences from the hip-hop and electro scene of the last decades.
Luke Evans – At Last CD (BMG)
An eclectic collection of modern and classic songs personally curated by Evans to highlight and complement his unique delivery and vocal style. Includes covers of Pat Benetar (“Love Is A Battlefield”), U2 (“With Or Without You”), Maria McKee (“Show Me Heaven”), Cher (“If I Could Turn Back Time”), Etta James (“At Last”), Roberta Flack (“First Time I Ever Saw Your Face”) and more.
Explore – One CD/10” (Lewis Ent.)
The exploratory sonic investigation from Explore brings together Rob Macdonald and Lucy Wilkins, united by instrumentalism and experimental methods of composition. The five tracks of One are the result of field recordings helping find a natural musical course within. With Wilkins adding layer upon layer of violins and the occasional vocal to go with Macdonald’s pianos and guitars, effects pedals became a key instrument in holding sound and aligning with the sympathies, enigmas and solitude of the record.
Jeffrey Foskett – Voices CD (BMG)
Power-pop singer/songwriter Jeffrey Foskett first attracted notice as a member of the ‘70s-era combo the Pranks; after the group’s demise, he became a member of the Beach Boys’ touring band, later forging a solo career with the release of 1996’s Thru My Window. Over the next several years he became a highly prolific figure, issuing three more albums—Thru My Window – The Other Takes, Sunny’s Off and Cool And Gone (Gone, Gone)—in speedy succession. New album is his first in 19 years.
Geneva – Further CD/LP (One Little Indian)
Geneva was an acclaimed Scottish indie-rock band who notched up four hits in the space of ten months and cracked the Top 20 with their debut album Further. But within four years of their debut single “No One Speaks” breaking into the UK pop charts, it was all over. Before the second album Weather Underground was even released, the Aberdeen-formed five-piece’s record label Nude, which provided a home for Britpop icons Suede, went into financial meltdown and the band members were forced to sign on in Edinburgh.
The Gonks – Five Things You Didn’t Know About The Gonks CD/LP (Rocks In Your Head)
A seventeen-minute record of ten songs hacked down to the bare minimum, led by teenager singers Ave Lynch on drums and Sami Perez on bass, who tell the tale of lonely trams, lone wolfs, midnight loners, very alone types, loners, double loners and lonesome alone folk. If Leonard Cohen wrote songs about getting hit by a car for bubble gum bands, or Jonathan Richman wrote heartfelt songs about his mom for The Shaggs, one would have The Gonks.
Grateful Dead – Ready Or Not CD/2xLP (Grateful Dead/WEA)
Live archive release featuring nine unreleased performances from the early ’90s, presenting what the next Grateful Dead studio album may have been. Recorded live between 1992 and 1995, Ready Or Not spotlights performance by the final Grateful Dead lineup: Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, and new keyboardist Vince Welnick.
Grave Pleasures – Doomsday Roadburn CD/LP (Svarte)
Doomsday Roadburn features a bludgeoning non-stop raw barrage of hits to a rapturous crowd at 2018’s Roadburn Festival. From songs hewn from their underground origins in their previous incarnation as Beastmilk, from the Climax record, and break-out hits from 2017’s Motherblood.
Hazemaze – Hymns Of The Damned CD (BMG)
The stoner rock band at their darkest, most energetic and heaviest.
Jimi Hendrix – Songs For Groovy Children: The Fillmore East Concerts 5xCD (Sony Legacy)
Live archive release. Songs For Groovy Children assembles all four historic debut concerts by Jimi Hendrix’s newly assembled Band Of Gypsys at New York’s Fillmore East on New Year’s Eve 1969 and New Year’s Day 1970. Presented in their original performance sequence and encompassing 43 tracks, the set boasts over two dozen tracks that have either never been released commercially. Newly mixed and restored in sequence without edits, fans can finally hear Hendrix, Cox and Miles blast through their genre-defying sets. [Vinyl edition due December 13.]
Holy Serpent – Endless CD/LP (Riding Easy)
Their 2016 skate-metal leaning album Temples further defined their more experimental blend of early Soundgarden, Saint Vitus and Kyuss that eschews simplistic ’70s-worship in favor of shimmering sonics and uncommon production techniques. Nonetheless, Endless is like all of the band’s earliest visions fully realized and honed into an album beyond easy classification.
The Jay Vons – The Word CD/LP (La Castanya)
The gentlemen who enjoy a fine slice, a fine libation, and an even finer haircut are known as The Jay Vons. The Word showcases how this rhythmic tour-de-force blends their love for ’60s rock and soul with a deftness born from decades of obsessive record collecting and delivered by countless hours of writing and performing.
Junkyard – Old Habits Die Hard CD (Acetate)
Archive collection from the L.A. hard rock band. These tracks were originally slated to be the follow-up to their 1991 album Sixes, Sevens & Nines. [Vinyl edition due December 13.]
Oliver Koletzki – Fire In The Jungle CD/LP (Stil vor Talent)
Eighth studio album from Berlin-based DJ, producer, and label owner. Running the gamut from full-power, bass-heavy dancefloor anthems to slower, sultry tracks the dramaturgy of this album is matched only by the eclectic exotica and psychedelia of the jungle.
Antoinette Konan – Antoinette Konan [Reissue/1986] CD/LP (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
It makes sense that Antoinette Konan’s eponymous album features nothing more than her ahoko on the cover. The deceptively simple traditional percussion instrument transformed Ivory Coast’s Baoulé music scene when Konan deployed it against a roaring electrified backdrop of synth, bass guitar and drum machines. Released in 1986, the album is a veritable UFO of instrumental force and contemporary pop sensibility landing in a boiling pot of diverse, creative characters inhabiting Abidjan, Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire).
Ben Lee – Quarter Century Classix CD/LP/Cassette (New West)
New covers album from the Australian singer-songwriter. The album comprises his interpretations of early ‘90s indie rock favorites from artists such as Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Pavement, and Superchunk among others. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage – Bad Wiring CD/LP (Don Giovanni)
Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage (NYC) play a brilliant style of scuzzy urban indie-rock-folk, like a 21st Century mash-up of Sonic Youth, Pete Seeger and R. Crumb.
Live Dead ’69 – Phantom Ships With Phantom Sails 2xCD (Sunset Blvd)
Featuring original Grateful Dead member Tom Constanten, Live Dead ’69 is not a tribute; it is a continuation of the Dead’s essential zeitgeist of extemporization and interpretive improvisation spotlighting exquisite selections from Grateful Dead’s halcyon repertoires of psychedelic originals, cherished covers and jams. Features nine performances from their annual trek through England, Scotland & Wales.
Lord Mantis – Universal Death Church CD/LP (Profound Lore)
More developed and immeasurable, vast and towering, Universal Death Church continues the doomed and blackened depraved metal paradigm that has become the signature resonating palpitation surrounding the Lord Mantis sound. The threading between punishing, torturous yet direct, and, at times, tangible industrial-influenced riffing with the more abstract, dark, blackened surreal-like crawling and swift passages paint a new disturbing sonic portrait for the band.
MakeWar – Get It Together CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. A uniquely fresh eyed and youthful rallying cry, somehow made by seasoned punks, tempered with anger, heartache, a dash of Latinx hardcore rage and a virtuosity that belies their relatively short tenure as a band. A multi-lingual, multi-genre, multigrain slab of fury, beers, tears and what-have-we-here’s, Get It Together is one of the most dynamic punk records in years.
Mayhem – Daemon CD+LP+12” (Century Media)
Deluxe box set containing 180gm dark green colored vinyl LP pressing of the album, a 180gm black vinyl 12” containing bonus tracks and an etching, and a CD. Housed in a noble box with linen optic, alternate artwork and golden silk-screen print. Includes 12-page booklet, two red candles with exclusive Mayhem print, cast pewter coin, pin badge, three art prints, and a poster of the original artwork.
Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes CD (Island)
Deluxe edition of the 2018 album from the singer-songwriter. Features three additional tracks including the smash hit “Senorita” with Camila Cabello.
Kylie Minogue – Step Back In Time: The Definitive Collection 3xCD (BMG)
Expanded triple CD edition. With a peerless career of era-defining music to her name, Kylie Minogue releases an album of greatest hits titled Step Back In Time. This definitive collection of her most beloved tracks to date serves as a reflection of her record-breaking career, from the global No. 1 smash hit “I Should Be So Lucky” in 1987 through to her most recent album, Golden released in 2018.
Sugar Minott – Leader For The Pack [Reissue/1985] CD/LP (Radiation Roots)
Sugar Minott is part of the pantheon of Jamaican roots reggae icons, one of a handful of singers that indelibly changed the course of the music and helped it reach a broader overseas audience.
Neuland – Neuland CD/LP (Neuland)
Neuland’s (Paul Haslinger and Peter Baumann) debut is deeply immersive and respectful of their roots in Tangerine Dream but exists on its own astral plane. Far more restless than most ambient records, the pair’s self-titled LP is both focused and freeing, alluding to everything from weightless grime melodies to windswept film scores.
No-Man – Love You To Bits CD/LP (Caroline)
Eleven years on from its last release, No-Man (the duo of Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson) return with an ambitious new album. Comprising two connected five-part pieces, Love You To Bits combines shimmering pop and pulsating electronica elements in fresh and surprising ways (incorporating aspects of fusion, ambient and much more).
Yoshio Ojima – Une Collection Des Chaînons I & II: Music For Spiral [Reissue/1988] 2xCD (We Release Whatever The F**k We Want)
Yoshio Ojima – Une Collection Des Chaînons I: Music For Spiral [Reissue/1988] 2xLP (We Release Whatever The F**k We Want)
Yoshio Ojima – Une Collection Des Chaînons II: Music For Spiral [Reissue/1988] 2xLP (We Release Whatever The F**k We Want)
Vinyl reissue of both volumes of Yoshio Ojima’s superb environmental music project. RIYL: Midori Takada, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Satoshi Ashikawa, Yutaka Hirose.
Oiseaux-Tempete – From Somewhere Invisible CD/2xLP (Sub Rosa)
From Somewhere Invisible summons the fever of experimentation and the powerful sound of the game coming together in the service of a luxuriant and psychedelic drift. Synthetic brass meets hammered rhythms, string electrics with cracked electronics, saxophone cries and laughter at a pulsing and seminal bass. Created in 2012 by multi-instrumentalists Frédéric D. Oberland and Stéphane Pigneul, Oiseaux-Tempëte (Storm Petrels) is a constantly evolving collective that, embracing the freedom of improvisation, transcends borders and cultures, straddling the intersection where amplified music (post/kraut/free-rock, jazz-punk, avant-garde, experimental electronics) collides and finds common ground – a refuge. [Limited marble colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Pernice Brothers – Spread The Feeling CD/LP (Ashmont)
“Spread The Feeling is the sixth or seventh studio LP by the Pernice Brothers and my 17th or so in general. I recorded a full length Pernice Brothers record a few years back, but ditched it after it was mixed. Scrapping it had everything to do with me not liking the songs. The playing, the recording and mixing were fantastic to my ears. It is a return to some kind of form. That’s for other people to decide. This record definitely has the most ‘muscle’ of all my records. That’s not saying much if you compare it to say, Pine Box by the Scud Mountain Boys. The playing is pretty nuts. Liam Jaeger and James Walbourne are two of the finest guitarists out there.” – Joe Pernice [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Pluralone – To Be One With You CD/LP (ORG Music)
Pluralone (pronounced plural one) is the new project from multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Josh Klinghoffer. While Klinghoffer is best known for his current role as guitarist in the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he has played and recorded with a variety of acts, including PJ Harvey, Beck, and Gnarls Barkley, as well as fronting the group Dot Hacker. Pluralone’s debut album, To Be One With You, is largely a solo effort on Klinghoffer’s part, although it features performances by frequent collaborators such as Flea (RHCP), Jack Irons, Eric Avery (Jane’s Addiction), and fellow Dot Hacker members, Eric Gardner and Clint Walsh.
Portico Quartet – Memory Streams CD/LP (Gondwana)
“Portico Quartet stake claims to territory occupied by Radiohead, Cinematic Orchestra and Efterklang.” – The Guardian
Steve Reid – Rhythmatism [Reissue/1976] CD/2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Drummer and composer extraordinaire Steve Reid’s Rhythmatism is one of his deepest and most radical albums of all time and features some of the heaviest jazz players – Arthur Blythe “aka Black Arthur,” Charles Tyler, David Wertman and others – joining Reid. The second in a series of stunning independent records he released in the 1970s, Rhythmatism was originally issued in 1976 on Reid’s own Mustevic Sound label. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Max Richter – Ad Astra 2xCD (Deutsche Grammophon)
Featuring sounds transmitted by the NASA Voyager probes that left Earth in the ’70s, the Ad Astra soundtrack was written by Emmy-nominated composer Max Richter (The Leftovers, My Brilliant Friend, Taboo) and features additional music by Lorne Balfe and Nils Frahm.
Saves The Day – Through Being Cool: TBC20 [Reissue/1999] CD/LP (Equal Vision)
20th anniversary vinyl reissue of the second album by Saves the Day. It has a more melodic sound than their first album, Can’t Slow Down, which was a more punk/hardcore driven record.
Simple Creatures – Everything Opposite CDEP/12” (BMG)
Simple Creatures is Mark Hoppus (blink-182) and Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low).
Simple Minds – 40: The Best Of 1979-2019 CD/3xCD/2xLP (Virgin)
40: The Best Of 1979-2019 documents the very best of Simple Minds’ extensive catalogue. It is a comprehensive overview of 40 years of one of Britain’s most successful bands, taking in the innovative sheen of “Promised You A Miracle” and “Glittering Prize”, the anthemic sweep of “Waterfront” and “Sanctify Yourself”, the firebrand strand of “Belfast Child” and “Mandela Day”, the colossus that is “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” and “Alive & Kicking”, and bringing things right up to date with the inclusion of a new track: a cover of King Creosote’s 2014 Song, “For One Night Only”. [Deluxe triple-CD edition and limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Skyblood – Skyblood CD/LP (Napalm)
Mats Levén is one of the most illustrious names in Swedish metal. His dramatic and colorful voice has graced albums by Candlemass, Therion, Krux, Yngwie Malmsteen and At Vance – now, after lending his voice to others for decades, he finally releases his solo project.
Sleep Token – Sundowning CD/2xLP (Spinefarm)
Sleep Token is an ever-evolving entity conceived and curated according to the singular, broad-based vision of one individual – always anonymous and generally masked so as not to deflect attention from the flow of the music at the heart of it all. This vision – embracing music, message and thought-provoking visuals – is supported by a collection of live musicians (also anonymous, also masked) who will vary in number and musical intent, contributing according to circumstance and the specific demands of the songs. In a world of form and genre, Sleep Token refuse to be numbered, delivering music that runs the full creative span, with emotional connection the underlying force. Their style draws from the alternative, post-metal, progressive metal variety among other things. [Limited clear vinyl pressing also available.]
SPK – Zamia Lehmanni: Songs Of Byzantine Flowers [Reissue/1986] CD/LP (Cold Spring)
Originally released by Side Effects in 1986, Zamia Lehmanni was the third (and final) core SPK album and was Graeme Revell’s first truly solo project. He was in a period of transition, somewhere between the industrial noise of the early years and his later award-winning soundtrack work.
Rod Stewart – You’re In My Heart: Rod Stewart With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra CD (Rhino)
You’re In My Heart: Rod Stewart With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra pairs classic vocal tracks from his most popular songs with new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Strigoi – Abandon All Faith CD (Nuclear Blast)
Debut album from the new band from Paradise Lost guitarist Greg Mackintosh. [Vinyl edition due November 29.]
Super Fury Animals – Guerrilla [Reissue/1999] CD/2xLP (BMG)
20th anniversary reissue completely remastered from original master tapes. Double LP on heavyweight vinyl with pop-up gatefold. CD edition features over 25 bonus tracks including second disc of previously unreleased material. Both feature foreword by Alan McGee (Creation Records founder), sleevenotes by Ric Rawlins, and previously unseen concept art drawings by Pete Fowler.
Take Offense – Keep An Eye Out CD/LP (Pure Noise)
Third album from the CA hardcore band.
Benjamin Tod – A Heart Of Gold Is Hard To Find CD/LP (Anti-Corp)
Ten songs of stripped-down dark country music.
Trinity – Dreadlocks Satisfaction [Reissue/1979] CD/LP (Radiation Roots)
The reggae artist known as Trinity is one of the music’s best-known rappers, known in Jamaica as toasters or deejays for their key work at the microphone on sound systems.
Tygers Of Pan Tang – Ritual CD/LP (SPV)
New album from the veteran NWOBHM band. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Unfathomable Ruination – Enraged & Unbound CD/LP (Willowtip)
Enraged & Unbound showcases what brutal technical death metal can really be: extremely technical and precise while maintaining song structures and a level of songwriting rarely seen in the genre. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Univers Zero – Phosphorescent Dreams [Reissue/2014] CD/LP (Sub Rosa)
An epic album of symphonic schizophrenic avant-rock originally released in 2014.
Various Artists [Amelie Lens] – Fabric Presents Amelie Lens CD/2xLP (Fabric)
Techno phenomenon Amelie Lens has been DJing since she was 18 and just five years into her professional career, Lens is of one of the world’s most celebrated DJs. While Lens is known for her full throttle DJ sets, her fabric presents is a more nuanced affair that showcases the full spectrum of techno.
Various Artists [Sven Väth] – In The Mix: The Sound Of The 20th Season CD (Cocoon)
Like no other, Väth has given the landscape of electronic music a face — always evolving, yet unmistakable. With In The Mix: The Sound Of The 20th Season he presents the culmination of his second decade on the “White Island,” and it’s impressive, how he manages to tick all the boxes.
Various Artists – Come On Up To The House: Women Sing Waits CD/LP (Dualtone Music Group)
Aimee Mann, Joseph, Patty Griffin, Rosanne Cash, Phoebe Bridgers, Corinne Bailey Rae, Angie McMahon, Courtney Marie Andrews, and more each put their own unique spin on the gravel-voiced songwriter’s work.
Various Artists – Pop Ambient 2020 CD/2xLP+MP3 (Kompakt)
“Pop Ambient Music is medicine against illnesses that you don’t even suffer from. It’s giving everything, demanding nothing. Musical lotus leafs, off which the virtual wastewater of our time is rolling like the reality is dripping off the matrix. In this sense, we’re happy about the pop-ambient anniversary greetings from new and old companions like Thore Pfeiffer, Max Würden, Yui Onodera, Jörg Burger, Thomas Fehlmann, Morgen Wurde, Leandro Fresco aswell as contributions from T.Raumschmiere, Andrew Thomas and, after a long break, from friends from early days like Joachim Spieth, Markus Guentner und Klimek.” – Wolfgang Voigt
Vision Divine – When All The Heroes Are Dead CD/LP (Scarlet)
New album from the power metal band.
Woolworm – Awe CD/LP (Mint)
With their massive sonics and anthemic pop songwriting, Woolworm is an arena rock band that just happens to perform in DIY venues. Their music, which somehow seamlessly combines shoegaze, Britpop, postpunk, hardcore and black-metal into an impossibly cohesive sound, is the sum of their parts.
Yusuf – Back To Earth [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (BMG)
In 1978, after having sold millions of records and become one of the biggest international artists of the 1970s, Cat Stevens decided to step out of the rock star spotlight and walk away. That year, he released his final album as Cat Stevens, and didn’t release another Western pop album until An Other Cup in 2006 under his Muslim name Yusuf.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. – Minstrel In The Galaxy [Reissue/2004] LP (Riot Season)
First-ever vinyl release of this classic album, with a new edited especially for vinyl mix by main man Makoto Kawabata.
Atreyu – In Our Wake 2xLP (Spinefarm)
Clear vinyl edition of the metalcore band’s 2018 album.
Bad Religion – Christmas Songs [Reissue/2013] LP (Epitaph)
Limited gold colored vinyl reissue.
Roberto De La Barrera Y Su Sonora – ¡Se Formo La Salsa! [Reissue/1970] LP (Vampisoul)
Roberto de la Barrera was arguably the first cartagenero to record music that would later be labeled ‘tropical’ and ‘salsa’ with his group Roberto de la Barrera y su Sonora, starting off with cumbia, porro, charanga, and pachanga in the early to mid-1960s, and ending the decade with guaguancó, guaracha, descarga and son montuno, including ¡Se Formo La Salsa! as the ‘70s began.
The Beatles – The Singles Collection 23×7” (Capitol)
Limited box set containing 23 180gm 7” vinyl singles. From 1962 to 1970, The Beatles released 22 UK singles; of those 44 A and B-side tracks, 29 were not included on the group’s British albums at that time. These singles, plus an exclusive new double A-side single for the mid-1990s-issued tracks “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love”, are newly cut for vinyl from their original mono and stereo master tapes by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios for a new limited edition boxed set.
Between The Buried And Me – The Great Misdirect [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Craft Recordings)
Remixed and remastered 10th anniversary vinyl edition of the fifth studio album by the Grammy-nominated progressive metal five-piece.
Zac Brown – The Owl LP (BMG)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The sixth studio album by country music band Zac Brown Band, The Owl is the follow-up to their 2017 album Welcome Home. On The Owl, the band worked with pop and EDM writers and producers such as Max Martin, Benny Blanco, Ryan Tedder, and Skrillex. The album also includes a collaboration with Brandi Carlile.
Richard Buckner – Dents And Shells [Reissue/2004] LP+MP3 (Merge)
Dents and Shells is the first LP that Richard Buckner made for Merge Records, in 2004. By the time the album was recorded in Austin, TX and Tucson, AZ, with the help of Butthole Surfers’ drummer King Coffey and other Austin locals, he’d been a touring musician and released over a half dozen records. With no fixed home base a decade deep into his career, he was still a roamer.
Can’t Swim – Foreign Language 12” (Pure Noise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New Jersey punks Can’t Swim present six blasts of anger on the Foreign Language EP.
Coldplay – Arabesque b/w Orphans 7” (Third Man)
7” vinyl single of two songs from Coldplay’s new album, Everyday Life. “Orphans” and “Arabesque” were produced by The Dream Team. “Arabesque” features vocals from Stromae and horns by Femi Kuti and his band.
Company – 1981 LP (Honest Jon’s)
Previously unreleased recordings by various lineups drawn from Derek Bailey, Tristan Honsinger, Christine Jeffrey, Toshinori Kondo, Charlie Morrow, David Toop, Maarten Altena, Georgie Born, Lindsay Cooper, Steve Lacy, Radu Malfatti and Jamie Muir.
Cream – BBC Sessions 2xLP (UMe)
Double opaque beige colored vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. Cream – BBC Sessions was originally released in 2003 and until now hasn’t been available on vinyl. This limited edition, numbered vinyl set contains 22 tracks and four interviews recorded live at the BBC studios in London.
Nicola Cruz – Siku Reworks LP (ZZK)
Nicola Cruz re-visits his second album Siku, released earlier this year to widespread acclaim, with Siku Reworks. The release provides the listener with another perspective on the Siku domain, one envisioned in different corners of the world; Argentina, the UK, and Japan to name a few. In an effort to unlink the original material, Cruz has selected producers to re-work a designated song on “Siku’”according to their own style.
The Dead South – Illusion & Doubt LP (Six Shooter)
The Saskatchewan’s 2016 debut album revealed the four hatted, hairy and bearded fellas, with singer Nate Hilts as a focal point. Illusion & Doubt is a perfect fit to the genres folk, neo-folk and bluegrass-folk or even alternative country with a refreshing edge. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Deerhoof – The Man, The King, The Girl [Reissue/1997] LP (Polyvinyl)
Deerhoof – Holdypaws [Reissue/1999] LP (Kill Rock Stars)
Deerhoof – Halfbird [Reissue/2001] LP (Joyful Noise)
To celebrate their 25th anniversary of being a band, Deerhoof reissue three of their earliest records on vinyl for the first time via three labels that have supported the group throughout their career. Pitchfork once called Deerhoof the best band in the world.
El Afrocombo – Pan Con Salsa [Reissue/1971] LP (Vampisoul)
This album is definitely a persuasive argument for including the unjustly obscure El Afrocombo in the pantheon of hot Antillean-inspired bands from Barranquilla and proof that Colombia’s Caribbean coastal region was instrumental in pioneering the popularity of domestically produced salsa there in the 1970s, helping it spread into the interior and from there internationally by the ’80s and ’90s.
Fall Out Boy – Believers Never Die Volume Two – Greatest Hits LP (Island)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. New hits collection from the alt-rock band. Includes the single “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)” featuring Wyclef Jean. The song marks the band’s first new music since the August 2018 release of the three-song Lake Effect Kid EP, a love letter to their hometown city of Chicago.
The Field – From Here We Go Sublime [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Kompakt)
If Kompakt had to name one thing fans have been consistently asking for, it’s a vinyl version of The Field’s legendary first album From Here We Go Sublime: originally rolled out in 2007, this much-acclaimed full-length debut of what was to become one of the most celebrated projects in the label’s fold saw a regular CD edition and an accompanying 12 sampler – but never a full vinyl release. Following Kompakt’s long sold out 2014 limited edition reissue for Record Store Day, the label welcome From Here We Go Sublime back as a double-LP in gatefold vinyl.
Fleetwood Mac – Before The Beginning 1968-1970 Rare Live & Demo Sessions 3xLP (Sony)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Recently discovered live recordings from 1968 and 1970 of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. Not much is known about them. Discovered un-labelled and by pure luck in the US, their era has been authenticated by experts of the band’s blues origins. The recordings were found in incredibly good condition considering they have been untouched for over 40 years; they have been restored and provide a vital insight into the very earliest incarnation of one of the world’s biggest bands.
Foetus – Deaf [Reissue/1981] LP (Ectopic Ents)
Vinyl reissue of the first album by JG Thirlwell as Foetus. Originally released in 1981, it’s a wild eccentric collision of ideas and mania from music concrete, funk, no wave to noise.
Ceasar Frazier – 75 [Reissue/1975] LP (Be With)
Funky soul-jazz organist Caesar Frazier crafted superior Hammond funk. 75, his second LP, is a rare gem.
Ben Frost – Dark: Cycle 1: Original Music From The Netflix Series LP (Lakeshore)
Ben Frost – Dark: Cycle 2: Original Music From The Netflix Series LP (Lakeshore)
Score by the Australian producer/composer. [Limited yellow and clear, respectively, vinyl pressings.]
John Frusciante – Curtains [Reissue/2004] LP (Record Collection)
Although John Frusciante is best known as the former guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, he also has an active solo career, having released 11 albums under his own name. His solo recordings include elements ranging from experimental rock and ambient music to new wave and electronica.
Galcher Lustwerk – Information LP (Ghostly Int’l)
Cleveland-raised, New York-based producer and DJ Galcher Lustwerk has operated in his own lane of low-key hip-house music: deep, smooth, psychedelic, equally cut for the club, after-hours, night drives, and headphones. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Eric Gales – Good For Sumthin’ [Reissue/2014] LP (Cleopatra Blues)
Limited edition colored vinyl pressing – available in both red and gold – of the 2014 album from the guitarist with guest appearances by Zakk Wylde and Eric Johnson.
Lou Hayter – Cherry On Top 12” (Be With)
Just in time for the third week of November, “Cherry On Top” screams mighty summer pop radio anthem.
Zachary Hay – Zachary Hay LP (Scissor Tail)
Known for his projects Bronze Horse and The Dove Azima, which cloaked his name on his three past albums, Zachary Hay is finally releasing a self-titled LP. A very playful, innocent and intuitive flow of ideas created some incredibly poignant songs, feeling as if they already existed and rose from oblivion-preformed, this album, like his others, would fit nicely alongside Willie Lane, Jandek, MV & EE, Tashi Dorji and Loren Connors.
William Hooker – Symphonie Of Flowers LP (ORG Music)
William Hooker has been recognized as one of the most innovative musicians and drummers of his generation, leading a variety of ensembles within the worlds of free jazz, experimental, and new music. Hooker’s prior collaborators range from avant garde jazz musicians to indie rock legends like Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth. On his latest work, Symphonie Of Flowers, Hooker weaves three sections into a whole, or a symphonie of sorts.
Kilo Kish – mothe LP (Blacksmith)
Identifying more with the butterfly’s nighttime counterpart, the moth, Kilo Kish explores the darker side of learning to fly. By creating a kinship with the forward progression of all things, she becomes part of a larger whole. Overall, mothe is a prayer and love poem to life with humble reverence for all its micro and macro processes.
Mark Knopfler – The Princess Bride [Reissue/1987] LP (WB)
Limited clear vinyl pressing of the Mark Knopfler produced soundtrack to the beloved 1987 romantic fantasy/action/adventure/comedy film.
J.I.D. – DiCaprio 2 LP (J.Cole/Dreamville)
J.I.D, made his major-label debut with the widely celebrated The Never Story album and most recently his DiCaprio 2 album, which received critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, Billboard, NPR and more.
Laibach – Party Songs 12” (Mute)
Unpublished tracks from the repertoire of the post-industrial band’s North Korea concerts in 2015, immortalized in the documentary Liberation Day, directed by Morten Traavik and Uģis Olte. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Don Laka – I Wanna Be Myself [Reissue/1984] LP (Cultures Of Soul)
A classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Don Laka began his career in the ’70s and then joined the seminal jazz outfit Sakhile in the early ’80s. Already an established musician by this time, Laka was at the forefront of exploring the latest synth sounds of the day. Being introduced to synthesizers by Harari’s Alec Khaoli, Don soon began experimenting with different synths like the Oberheim, Juno, and Prophet 5 while using a Commodore 64 to sequence them. Constantly striving for the latest sounds, Laka’s early explorations culminated in his debut solo album, I Wanna Be Myself.
Legend – The Wizard And The Tower Keep LP (High Roller)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -based metal band.
Leviathan – Verräter 4xLP (Profound Lore)
Originally released as a double CD on the Tumult label in 2002, Verräter was the first Leviathan release to introduce the black metal entity to a wider audience beyond the select local few who were previously aware of this beast only through the obtainment of the slew of limitedly pressed demos Wrest (sole member of the band) had released within the shadows between 1998 to 2002.
Chris Lightcap – SuperBigmouth LP (Pyroclastic)
Acclaimed bassist and composer Chris Lightcap taps into the best of both worlds of acoustic jazz and propulsive electric arrangements with an all-star group featuring the sound sculptor’s two critically acclaimed ensembles, Bigmouth and Superette.
Huw Lloyd-Langton – 1971 LP (Purple Pyramid)
From the private vault of former lead guitarist for space rock heroes Hawkwind Huw Lloyd-Langton releases a collection of rarities and unreleased gems that focus on his dynamic and supremely melodic playing. Limited red colored vinyl pressing.
Tove Lo – Sunshine Kitty LP (Island)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Like a personal fantasy, Tove Lo invites you close enough to see, hear, and feel the moment just before it evaporates back into the ether once more. In 2018, she officially relocated to Los Angeles and dove headfirst into creating her fourth full-length, Sunshine Kitty. It represented a new season for Tove marked by a reclamation of confidence, hard-earned wisdom, more time, and a nascent romance. It starts with the confident and catchy single “Glad He’s Gone”.
Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science – Waiting Game LP (Motema Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Galvanized by seismic changes in the ever-evolving social and political landscape, Grammy Award-winning drummer, producer, activist and educator Terri Lyne Carrington formed her new band, Social Science, to confront a wide spectrum of social justice issues. The band’s stunning debut double album, Waiting Game immediately takes its place alongside Carrington’s most ambitious and inventive projects, expressing an inclusive and compassionate view of humanity’s common bonds through an eclectic program melding jazz, R&B, classic and indie rock, free improvisation, hip-hop and contemporary classical music. Guests include Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Rapsody, Meshell Ndegeocello, Esperanza Spalding, Maimona Youssef, Nicholas Payton, Derrick Hodge and Kokoyi.
Masonna – Shinsen Na Clitoris [Reissue/1990] LP (Hospital Productions)
What would become an inimitable explosion of energy and vision from Japan heralded in the glory days of ’90s alternative rock, death metal, and psychedelic synth music, Masonna surpassed all extremes with a full frequency violence that was as fast as it was psychedelic. Not once has any artist emerged with more intensity and focus in the history of noise.
Matty Matheson – A Cookbook 2xLP (Roadrunner)
New York Times best-selling author and acclaimed chef Matty Matheson releases a vinyl version of his celebrated debut cookbook. Limited colored vinyl pressing.
Mark McGuire – Do You Hear What I Hear LP (Vin Du Select Qualitite)
VDSQ (Vin Du Select Qualitite) is an instrumental guitar label curated by Steve Lowenthal. Mark McGuire’s (Emeralds) songs “toggle between the electronic and acoustic, the improvised and composed. Somewhere in the middle, McGuire sits happily, looking up at the stars and seeing things that are invisible to the rest of us.” – Bandcamp Daily
Meshiaak – Mask Of All Misery LP (Mascot)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Second album by the Australian metal masters. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Milky Chance – Mind The Moon 2xLP (BMG)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Mind The Moon’s many moods, from the pop-gospel fusion of Ladysmith Black Mambazo collaboration “Eden’s House” to the dancehall-steeped “Fado”, are a result of childhood friends Phillipp Dausch’s and Clemens Rehbein’s unique artistic relationship, and trace a lifetime of musical influences ranging from reggae and rock to hip-hop, electronica, gospel, and musical styles from around the globe.
Jake Milliner – Bernie Says LP (Melting Pot Music)
Raised in a musical household and embroiled in golden era richness from a young age, Jake’s spaced out, soul drenched sound has been building him a reputation as one to watch amongst core groups of boom bap fans over the past few years (including T-3 from the legendary Slum Village) he’s also received support from the likes of Boiler Room, Clash and Afropunk.
Thurston Moore – Pollination b/w Leave Me Alone 7” (Daydream Library)
Thurston Moore – Springwell b/w Leave Me Alone 7” (Daydream Library)
Thurston Moore – Three Graces b/w Leave Me Alone 7” (Daydream Library)
A trio of 7” singles. Each comprises an excerpted moment from the Thurston Moore Group live in 2019, free-mixed and free-created by Wobbly (aka Jon Leidecker). The B-side of each is a special cover of a New Order track.
Muslimgauze – Lalique Gadaffi Handgrenade LP (Staalplaat)
Five tracks that shows off many aspects of Jones’ (1961-1999) sound as Muslimgauze, while existing (like many of these DAT tapes do) in conversation with much of his previously released work.
Necrophagia – Here Lies Necrophagia: 35 Years Of Death Metal LP (Season Of Mist)
18 tracks spanning the long and prolific career of the underground death-dealers. [CD version due November 29.]
Novembers Doom – Nephilim Grove 2xLP (Prophecy)
Box set containing the art-book and double silver colored vinyl alongside several art prints. With Nephilim Grove, Chicago’s Novembers Doom celebrate their 30th anniversary in style, building upon the grandiose vision founder Paul Kuhr has developed throughout the years. As an entity existing in his singular musical universe of doom, death and progressive metal, the band by now dodges all endeavors of categorization.
Sean O’Brien and His Dirty Hands – My Colors Dark LP (First Cold Press)
Sean O’Brien is the former lead singer of several California-based rock groups going back in time almost 25 years, including Meantime, a power pop quartet that eventually mutated into the Davis, CA psychedelic cowboys, True West, Denim TV and The Mariettas. My Colors Dark features performances from members of Camper Van Beethoven, Engine 88, Pearl Harbor & The Explosions, Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express, and singer/songwriters Chris Von Sneidern and Laura Benitez.
Obsequiae – Palms Of Sorrowed Kings LP (20 Buck Spin)
Sweeping and vast, the otherworldly scope of the guitars, the anachronistic harp interludes, the percussive precision and the range of ancient melodic beauty open portals to the immemorial. An album singularly concerned with creating a captivating world to become willfully lost in, The Palms Of Sorrowed Kings sets itself on a path that few now trod but a realm that Obsequiae tower over like the noblest kings. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available. CD version due December 6.]
The Ocean Blue– The Ocean Blue [Reissue/1989 LP (Korda)
The Ocean Blue– Cerulean [Reissue/1991 LP (Korda)
Limited colored vinyl reissues of the Hershy, PA’s first two albums. Influences include such bands as The Smiths, Cocteau Twins, R.E.M., Echo & the Bunnymen and New Order. Overlooked at the time by heir global peers and in spite of being signed to a major label, Ocean Blues’ soft and dreamy melodies blew music minds at the time: like that a 16 year old kid discovering a goose-bum inducing melody for the first time on “Between Something Or Nothing” or “Falling Though The Ice.” Two absolute classic alt-rock albums back in print on vinyl. Two track hat will get you through your first crush in high school, class of ‘91.
Ohio Players – Observations In Time [Reissue/1969] LP (Goldenlane)
The 1969 debut album by the R&B legends reissued on vinyl with the original artwork and detailed liner notes.
Old Crow Medicine Show – Live At The Ryman LP (Old Crow Medicine Show)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Honoring the history and traditions of the legendary venue, Live From The Ryman captures the raucous energy of Old Crow Medicine Show’s performances, recorded throughout their many headlining shows on the hallowed ground of Nashville’s Mother Church. Featuring guest appearances by Lee Oskar, Margo Price, Charlie Worsham and Molly Tuttle, the 11-track collection incorporates a mix of covers and originals including traditionals like “CC Rider”, “’Will The Circle Be Unbroken” and “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man”, to go along with OCMS classics like “Take ‘Em Away”, “Sweet Amarillo” and “Wagon Wheel”.
Optimistics – Optimistics [Reissue/1970] LP (Be With)
A reissue of Optimistics’ self-titled album, originally released in 1970. This is some serious top-shelf material out of Baltimore and a certified masterclass in sweet symphonic soul Its every bit as essential as The Chi-Lites, The Delfonics, and The Moments yet nowhere near as known.
The Philistines Jr. – Help! LP (Beverly Martel)
Connecticut-based indie rock polymaths return with a new album. “By all outward appearances, Peter Katis is a mild-mannered guy. Sure, he’s produced acclaimed albums by acclaimed bands like Interpol, The National, Kurt Vile and Frightened Rabbit in the attic studio of his renovated Victorian house in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but you wouldn’t peg him for an indie-rock savant. He looks like he could be a financial advisor or a doctor. Yet beneath that low-key exterior beats an anarchic heart that surfaces in the music of The Philistines Jr., Katis’ band with his brother Tarquin. Glimpses of Katis’ subversive streak don’t come all that often—Help! is the group’s first new album in nine years, and just its second LP since 2000—but they’re usually worth waiting for.” – Paste
The Pop Group – Y [Reissue/1979] 2xLP/4xLP (Mute)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Half-speed mastered at Abbey Road. The Pop Group’s Y regularly appears in ‘Greatest Album’ lists – such as #35 on Pitchfork’s Greatest Albums of the 70’s, The Wire’s 100 Most Important Records Ever Made, and Uncut Magazine’s 100 Greatest Debut Albums. The Pop Group went on to release two further singles, “We Are All Prostitutes” and “Where There Is A Will” (Split single with the Slits), and one further studio album, For How Much Do We Tolerate Mass Murder, before splitting up in 1981. [‘Definitive Edition’ four-LP box set adds the early mixes compilation Alien Blood and Y Live.
Queens Of The Stone Age – R [Reissue/2000] LP (Interscope)
Queens Of The Stone Age – Songs For The Deaf [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (Interscope)
Limited 180gm vinyl reissues of QOTSA’s second and third albums.
REO Speedwagon – The Hits [Reissue/1988] LP (Friday Music)
Limited colored audiophile vinyl reissues now available.
Scattered Purgatory – Lost Ethnography Of The Miscanthus Ocean LP (Guruguru Brain)
Lost Ethnography Of The Miscanthus Ocean contains six of Scattered Purgatory’s earlier works from 2013 to early 2014. The album is dedicated to Grass Mountain and the incredibly hot, humid summertime in Taipei. This is also the echo of their instrumental trio period before they move on to digital composing. [Limited gold colored vinyl pressing also available.]
SebastiAn – Thirst 2xLP (Because Music)
Housed in embossed vinyl sleeve with heavy weight printed inner sleeves, special insert, vinyl clear PVC wallet with flap. It only took eight years of waiting for one of the most unique artists to finally deliver a new dose of contemporary electro pyrotechnics and a worthy successor to the smashing Total (2011).
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Against The Wind [Reissue/1980] LP (Capitol)
Vinyl reissue of the 11th studio album by the rock singer/songwriter Bob Seger and his fourth with the Silver Bullet Band.
Sex Pistols – Here Comes The Filthy Lucre LP (Radiation Deluxe)
Limited red colored vinyl pressing of the reformed Sex Pistols’ live performance at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome in 1996.
The Shins – Waimanalo 7” (Fug Yep Soundation)
Two new original songs. The second release for The Fug Yep Soundation, a record series created in loving memory of Richard Swift.
The Shivas – Dark Thoughts LP (Tender Loving Empire)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. For The Shivas, the show has always been the thing. That thing being a bombastic, explosive and thoroughly communal live rock and roll experience where barriers between the performers and their audience seem to dissolve into the sweat and sound. It’s the stage – or the basement, or the living room – that’s the Portland band’s true element. It’s their raison d’etre. It’s their religion. The album is a defining sonic achievement for the band, which began booking their own tours in high school.
Skegss – My Own Mess LP (Loma Vista)
Limited red colored vinyl pressing of the debut album from the Australian alt-rock trio.
Slow Hollows – Actors LP (Danger Collective)
Los Angeles genre-benders Slow Hollows’ third album Actors is the sound of a band and it’s songwriter unburdening themselves of their previous restraints – the fears and insecurities knocking around in any creative person’s head while making work that will eventually be consumed by others. A lush, complex album spanning the dusky warmth of indie, the rubbery bounce of dance music, and R&B’s soft-focus sensuality, Actors also carries an immediate streak imbued by songwriter/lead singer Austin Anderson and his compatriots, a wide-open exploration of sound as generous as it is intricate. [CD edition due December 13.]
SRSQ – Temporal Love b/w Unkept 7” (Dais)
SRSQ is the solo project of singer and songwriter Kennedy Ashlyn, the founding member of the bay-area dream pop duo Them Are Us Too. Joined in duet by True Body vocalist Isabel Moreno, “Temporal Love” conjures images of heartbreak and a relationship dissolved – perhaps regrettably. The B-side, “Unkept” presents an almost ceremonial incantation channeling the likes of Lisa Gerrard’s finest moments.
Summer Suns – The Rain LP (Melting Pot Music)
The Rain is the most advanced piece of work the duo has come forward with so far. Slim is breaking away from traditional song structures while keeping his trademark sound intact. The beats on The Rain are sparse and ever changing at the same time. Slim creates strong atmospheres and melodies which provides the perfect backdrop for Turt’s introspective and sometimes painfully personal lyrics.
Taake – Taake [Reissue/2008] LP (Karisma)
Taake’s self-titled album was recorded in the dog days of 2008. Recorded at Conclave Studio by Bjørnar E. Nilsen, this black metal classic features sole member Hoest on vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar and drums.
They Might Be Giants – They Might Be Giants LP (Idlewild)
They Might Be Giants’ first album, often called the pink album, is celebrating its 33 1/3 birthday, hence this fully remastered 180gm opaque pink vinyl reissue.
Thug Life/2Pac – Thug Life: Volume 1 [Reissue/1994] LP (Interscope)
Thug Life: Volume 1 is the only studio album by the hip-hop group, Thug Life, started by 2Pac.
Christopher Tignor – A Light Below LP (Western Vinyl)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Tignor has released nine LPs across the Western Vinyl and New Albion labels to critical acclaim within the classical and experimental communities. He has collaborated with numerous artists at the boundaries of popular music including Keith Kenniff (Helios), Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, John Congleton, and post-rock titans This Will Destroy You.
Upset – Upset LP (Lauren)
Upset is a pop punk powerhouse from Los Angeles, CA featuring Ali Koehler (Vivian Girls), Patty Schemel (Hole), Lauren Freeman (Benny the Jet Rodriguez) and Nicole Snyder (Slutever). The band debuted their rst album She’s Gone in 2013 on Don Giovanni Records, following up with their eight-song EP, 76, in 2015 on Lauren Records. This is the first record that splits the writing between Ali and Lauren, adding a new dynamic to the band, resulting in an album of solely hits.
Various Artists [Nick Warren] – Balance Presents The Soundgarden 2xLP+MP3 (Balance)
[Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. In the space of just a few years since it’s inception, Nick Warren and his partner Petra’s globetrotting concept The Soundgarden has grown to encompass a label, compilations, parties around the world, and a global radio show. From being one of the early defining pillars for progressive house in the mid-90s through to his beautiful work as one half of Way Out West, Warren is an electronic music mainstay.
Various Artists [Kamaal Williams] – DJ Kicks 2xLP+MP3 (!K7)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Game-changing multi-instrumentalist Kamaal Williams is the latest big name to record a mix for DJ-Kicks’ prestigious series. Alongside being a tribute to the capital’s music and multicultural flavors, his mix is a whole lot more too, encompassing Karriem Riggins’ Detroit beat weirdness, Peven Everett’s funk driven Chi house and Max Graef/Ratgrave’s German future funk. Beats scatter, swing, break and shuffle in a multitude of different ways, mirroring both the protagonist’s dancing keys and his lesser-known background as a drummer. Although not traditionally mixed or predictably sequenced, this unique standout set has a high level of narrative and coherence, linking styles like a family tree, with branches including jazz, funk, house, UK funky, broken, Dilla schooled beats, wild jungle-esque drum patterns, nu soul and general spiritual goodness.
The Vibrators – Punk Mania (Back To The Roots) LP (Cleopatra)
Vinyl pressing of the legendary UK punk band’s 2014 studio album. Razor sharp riffs, pounding percussion, and rousing songs.
Wolfbrigade – The Enemy: Reality LP (Southern Lord)
Wolfbrigade’s hybrid beast of Swedish hardcore and death metal will rip into both body and mind, with no holds barred regarding power, substance and melody.
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