March Listening Station & Social Media Titles Released This Week:
Honey Harper – Starmaker CD/LP (ATO)
Honey Harper’s debut album, Starmaker, comes as a collection of contradictions in both subject matter and style. Written with his wife and writing partner Alana Pagnutti over the past three years, the album itself is primarily about the journey to create it. Its self-awareness is largely the result of Harper’s inner monologues about his fear of failure, desire for success, and the toll that journey has taken on him and his loved ones. It’s an attempt at honesty through the veil of a country singer lost in the stars. After explorations in other vastly different styles, Harper recognized the value he could add to a genre with beautiful sounds but negative connotations. On Starmaker, Harper seeks to revitalize country music for people who don’t like country music. With album appearances from Sébastian Tellier, Austra, and John Kirby, the contrast of the songs becomes even more apparent and set Honey Harper apart to become the torchbearer for a revitalized country sound. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Lauv – How I’m Feeling CD/2xLP (Lauv)
Most pop genre albums can be categorized by their peppy messages along the lines of “Believe in yourself no matter what!” or “Life is always amazing!” That’s what Lauv’s second album – How I’m Feeling – subverts. Instead of following industry standards, the record acts as a refreshing take on pop music by taking an honest introspective look on himself. [Clear vinyl pressing also available.]
Mandy Moore – Silver Linings CD/LP (Verve)
Emmy, Grammy & Golden Globe-nominated actress/singer/songwriter Mandy Moore returns to music with her first album in a decade, Silver Landings. In a purposeful departure from the pop sound of her previous material, she worked closely with longtime collaborator, producer Mike Viola and her husband, Taylor Goldsmith (of folk-rock band Dawes), creating the lyrics on her own and recording each song live with a full band setup. The album deftly moves from ‘70s inspired soft-rock to contemporary pop.
Esmé Patterson – There Will Come Soft Rains CD/LP (BMG)
Esmé Patterson is folk-rock singer/songwriter who began as a member of the Denver folk pop septet Paper Bird and has written three records as a solo act including All Princes, I (2012), Woman To Woman (2015) and We Were Wild (2016). The Guardian called her “defiant and witty,” the New York Times found her voice “wiry and candid” with songs that “hint at mystery and mortality.” Now she returns with her fourth solo endeavor, There Will Come Soft Rains, produced by Tennis aka Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore. Named after a story from Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles, it finds Patterson adding synthesizers and dream-pop arrangements to the mix with stunning results. Patterson calls single “Shelby Tell Me Everything”, a “sweet and innocent gay love song” that “exists in the initial moment of attraction, frozen temporarily in the air like a cloud. This song ecstatically explores the distance between reality and fantasy, between attraction and first kiss, suspended in innocence like a daydream.”
Silverstein – A Beautiful Place To Drown CD/LP (UNFD)
Ontario-based post-hardcore band Silverstein celebrate their 20th anniversary with the release of a new album. A Beautiful Place To Drown fittingly encapsulates the best of Silverstein while pushing their sound into daring new territory. They may be proud torchbearers of the emo and post-hardcore scenes but appearances from Underoath’s Aaron Gillespie, Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo, Simple Plan’s Pierre Bouvier, and perhaps most surprisingly, hip-hop firebrand Princess Nokia, are indicative of the band’s wide-reaching impact and their ability to reach listeners in all worlds of music. Silverstein pushed themselves lyrically as well, exploring the mental duress that seems to be inextricable from the personal and societal challenges of modern life, often focusing on external perspectives and even political elements without losing the band’s trademark intimacy. [Limited indie store exclusive colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Sadler Vaden – Anybody Out There? CD/LP (Dirty Mag)
Acclaimed solo artist. Songwriter. Grammy-winning member of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Producer. Studio musician. Modern-day guitar hero. A professional musician since the age of 18, Sadler Vaden has spent the better part of two decades on stage, on the road, and in the recording studio, lending his unique rock & roll approach to highly-revered bands, up-and-coming acts, and in his own solo work. His new album, Anybody Out There?, mixes the hook-savvy sweep of Vaden’s songwriting with the supersized stomp of his electric guitar. It’s a modern record that doesn’t ignore the past, balancing frequent nods to Vaden’s 20th century influences – including Neil Young, The Who, Tom Petty, Joe Walsh, and Oasis – with a contemporary sound that mixes raw, live performances with digital recording technology.
CDs + Vinyl:
Allen/Olzon – Worlds Apart CD (Frontiers)
Inimitable singer Russell Allen (Symphony X, Adrenaline Mob) and acclaimed Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and producer Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear, Magnus Karlssons Free Fall) have collaborated successfully on three critically acclaimed albums where Russell dueted with Norwegian singer, Jorn Lande. After a break in their collaboration on said albums, where Timo Tolkki stepped in and oversaw an album, Magnus has returned to the fold, but with an exciting new twist to the formula. This time, Russell and Magnus welcome none other than the amazingly talented Anette Olzon (ex-Nightwish, The Dark Element) to the fold as Allen’s vocal partner and offer up an unbelievable new duets album.
Ash – Teenage Wildlife – 25 Years Of Ash CD/2xLP (Echo Label Ltd.)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Sharing its title with the documentary which depicted Ash’s rise from local school heroes to all-conquering band that topped the charts with their debut album 1977, Teenage Wildlife traces the band’s recording career from exuberant debut “Jack Names The Planets” through to “Buzzkill” and “Annabel” from 2018’s Top 20 album Islands. Teenage Wildlife also includes a brand new song “Darkest Hour Of The Night” alongside thirteen Top 40 singles amid an array of the band’s recorded history.
Atmosphere – Whenever CD/2xLP (Rhymesayers)
For over 20 years, Atmosphere have pursued the underbelly of what it means to be human with a rabid curiosity. Ant’s dusky production has provided the pulse for Slug’s evolving and matter-of-fact pen. As Slug transitioned from throwing-up-in-the-backseat-raps to holding-hands-when-you-cross-the-street-raps, Ant has grown to be a master of crate digging and unearthing the humanity of a drum loop. Thriving at the intersection of guttural and self-effacing, Atmosphere will go down as some of America’s best archivists. On Whenever, the duo continue to move in lockstep. Within the minutiae lie clues they’re still struggling with mortality and the need to protect emotional energy, as on previous releases, but there’s a quiet romanticism now, with Slug sounding – reluctantly – in love with life. And no other producer can pull truths out of a rapper like Ant fishes the blues out of Slug.
Lauren Auder – Two Caves In CD/LP (Harvest)
London-based Lauren Auder began lending experimental beats and spectral vocals to artists such as Jeshi and Slowthai. The resultant interpretations of hip-hop, post-rock and noise gave rise to the expansive sonic palette of her debut EP Who Carry’s You. The 21-year-old then old took to the Jura mountains with bandmate & collaborator DVIANCE to imagine it’s follow-up: Two Caves In. With similar fluid regard to genre, Two Caves in revels with fevered grace in a trajectory through innocence and coming of age.
Danny Barnes – Man On Fire CD/LP (ATO)
The new album from the banjo virtuoso was executive produced by Dave Matthews and finds Barnes collaborating with musical legends including Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones on bass and mandolin, Bill Frisell on guitar and Matt Chamberlain on percussion. With Man On Fire, Barnes insists that we not only bear witness but that we also step outside of ourselves, that we treat our brothers and sisters with the empathy and grace they deserve.
Kenny Barron/Dave Holland Trio featuring Jonathan Blake – Without Deception CD/LP (Dare2)
Without Deception is the intimate and adventurous debut recording by the Kenny Barron / Dave Holland Trio featuring Johnathan Blake. The album expands on the fruitful relationship forged by the two jazz icons over the course of more than three decades with the rejuvenating addition of the masterful young drummer.
Blue Öyster Cult – Agents Of Fortune CD+DVD/LP (Frontiers)
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of their widely celebrated Agents Of Fortune, Blue Öyster Cult performed the seminal album in its entirety at an exclusive concert for the Audience Music Network on Monday April 18, 2016 at Red Studios in Hollywood, CA. [Stand-alone Blu-ray edition also available.]
Body Count – Carnivore CD/LP (Century Media)
Seventh album from the metal band fronted by rapper/actor Ice T.
Brandy Clark – Your Life Is A Record CD (WB)
Few artists understand the human condition like six-time Grammy nominee Brandy Clark. Working again with acclaimed producer Jay Joyce, Your Life Is A Record takes her unerring eye for detail and a genre-melting sense of melody to examine personal truths, revelations and emancipations with wit, grace and compassion. Working with just four acoustic-based musicians, intimacy was the goal. Memphis strings and horns, guest appearances from Randy Newman (Bigger Boat) and guitarist John Osborne color in the sketches – creating a depth to what is easily Clark’s most revelatory record yet.
Colosso – Apocalypse CD (Transcending Obscure)
A breathtaking and refreshingly diverse album showcasing the myriad aspects of this bold and innovative death metal band without compromising on their aggressive, apocalyptic sound.
Cornershop – England Is A Garden 2xLP (Ample Play)
In the latest of a series of albums that have mirrored the exceptional story of the band itself, Cornershop return with England Is A Garden. It is an album that strides in an upbeat fashion, to deliver a full listening experience, bringing songs of experience, empire, protest and humor, steeped in the way only Tjinder Singh would come with. The anvil here is music itself, and a celebration of Tjinder’s birth place – The Black Country, which also gave birth to heavy metal that has gone on to influence the world to dirty rock, whether the streets are lined with pylons or palm trees, the Black Country has allowed us to see things differently. [Limited green colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Cream – Goodbye Tour – Live 1968 4xCD (Polydor)
The first authorized release of these four historic complete 1968 concerts. Each concert features previously unreleased tracks and the Royal Albert Hall show hasn’t featured on CD until now. The set features 36 tracks of which 29 are issued for the first time.
Crematory – Unbroken CD/2xLP (Napalm)
15 energetic tracks within brutal riffs, deep growls and tight drum grooves from the German pioneers of gothic metal.
Deacon Blue – City Of Love CD/LP (earMUSIC)
The multi-million selling band delivers 11 new tracks tethered by a singular belief – that even in the corners of a town or a life where no light falls, hope can prevail.
Dens – Taming Tongues CD (Facedown)
Dens’ ability to walk the line between heavy and ambient is fortified on Taming Tongues, with unforgettable vocal hooks and melodies that give the passionate message a solid place to land. [Vinyl edition due March 27.]
Disq – Collector CD/LP/Cassette (Saddle Creek)
Disq have assembled a razor-sharp, teetering-on-the-edge-of-chaos melange of sounds, experiences, memories, and influences: gnarled power pop, anxious post-punk, warm psych-folk, and hectic, formless, tongue-in-cheek indie rock. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Dråpsnatt – I Denna Skog [Reissue/2009] CD/LP (Nordvis)
Recently reissued on vinyl – now back-in-print on CD. Nine tracks of melodic blackened metal.
Dw3 – Dw3 CD (Woodward Avenue)
Dw3 is one of the most enthusiastic, smooth, new sounding bands in the Los Angeles area. Eric, William and Damon Reel are the three harmonious voices that bring this high energy R&B jazz and Latin soul band to life. Dw3 is comprised of outstanding musicians which consist of keyboards, percussions, drums, bass and guitar.
Earth Rot – Black Tides Of Obscurity CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
Australia’s Earth Rot smash and stomp through their latest album of dark and ominous extremity. Demented vocals and haunting breaks give breadth to the destructive rhythmic onslaught, as they let loose a brutal display of world-class death metal.
Ju Evans – All About Soul CD (Ecko)
“This album is completely from the heart and soul of Ju Evans. He takes you on a musical journey that will make you want to dance, party, cry and hold your lover tight.”
Finnegan’s Hell – Work Is The Curse Of The Drinking Class CD/LP (Wild Kingdom)
Finnegan’s Hell has spawned a new subgenre within Celtic punk and folk rock by adding influences from hard rock, hillbilly country and Swedish folk.
Rory Gallagher – Check Shirt Wizard – Live In ’77 CD/3xLP (Hip-O Select)
Check Shirt Wizard – Live In ’77 is a previously unreleased set culled from four shows (London, Brighton, Sheffield and Newcastle) during an early 1977 tour across the UK in support of Gallagher’s then latest album Calling Card. Features fantastic live versions of tracks from that album as well as songs from the 1975 Against The Grain album and other live favorites.
The Game – Born 2 Rap CD (E1)
Born Jayceon Terrell Taylor, two-time Grammy Award-nominated multiplatinum Compton rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and entrepreneur. The Game locked down a place in the pantheon alongside greats of both coasts by a combination of bar-for-bar bravado, provocative observation, hard-hitting hooks, and sharp introspection. And now the prolific rapper returns with his ninth album fittingly titled, Born 2 Rap.
Luke Haines/Peter Buck – Beat Poetry For Survivalists CD/LP (Omnivore)
Beat Poetry For Survivalists is the collaboration between Peter Buck and Luke Haines. Peter Buck was the guitarist for one of the biggest bands in the world, R.E.M. Luke Haines was the guitarist for The Auteurs. The Auteurs were not the biggest band in the world. They were pretty good though. Luke Haines also does paintings of Lou Reed. One day, Peter Buck bought one of Luke Haines’ Lou Reed paintings (for £99.00) They had never met before but decided that the fates had brought them together and they should write some songs together and make an album. Beat Poetry For Survivalists is that album. With songs about legendary rocket scientist and occultist Jack Parsons, The Enfield Hauntings, (of 1978) a post-apocalyptic radio station that only plays Donovan records, Bigfoot, and Pol Pot.
Harem Scarem – Change The World CD/LP (Frontiers)
New album from the Canadian rockers. Massive choruses, huge harmonies and layers upon layers of guitars.
The James Hunter Six – Nick Of Time CD/LP+MP3 (Daptone)
The James Hunter Six return with another sublime offering of no nonsense rhythm and blues.
Jose James – No Beginning No End 2 CD/2xLP (Rainbow Blonde)
The satin-voiced songwriter’s latest is No Beginning No End 2 – a sequel to his 2013 album that resurrects the bold eclecticism we first fell in love with, while taking us on a journey through both celebration and introspection. The album is chock-full of collaborators including; Laura Mvula, Aloe Blacc, Ledisi, Erik Truffaz, and Hindi Zahra – appearing in unexpected sonic contexts.
Stephen Malkmus – Traditional Techniques CD/LP+MP3 (Matador)
Malkmus breaks out his 12-string acoustic guitar and touches on half a century of folk-rock reference points on his new album. Of course, this is Stephen Malkmus of Pavement and those great records with the Jicks, so this might be rootsy but it’s also fresh, unpredictable, infectious and imaginative: ACC Kirtan, Xian Man, The Greatest Own in Legal History, Cash Up and more tracks made with Matt Sweeney, Spooner Oldham and the Decembrists’ Chris Funk.
Massicot – Kratt CD/LP (Bongo Joe)
Massicot’s latest album occupies a strange and Wonderful Reuleaux triangle situated between the traditional spiritual story telling mysticism of North European pagan folklore, Latin and Middle Eastern inspired polyrythms and post punk. It’s meandering arrangements are full and juicy, yet formed from the simplest elements, they are minimal, sculpted and reBined. Bouncing and multi-timbral percussive tapestries are coupled with thick pulsating baselines to form tightly wound rolling beats, accented by citric guitar hooks that bring to mind the percussive pique and jag of Glenn Branca or talking heads and soothed by Latvian chant-like and choral vocal melodies, Massicot choreograph a sort of carnival carousel dance eternal that locks in the mind and lures the body. The groove is key, mechanical, yet nuanced, seductive and human.
The Mastersons – No Time For Love Songs CD/LP (Red House)
The Mastersons are singer-songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore. Longtime members of Steve Earle’s band the Dukes, the musical and marital twosome make inspired albums of their own vivid, deeply humanistic songs. Their fourth album, No Time For Love Songs, marks the 10th anniversary of their partnership and creative journey with a collection of songs that could easily serve as the soundtrack to our lives-or at least one version of it.
Mayhem – Out From The Dark [Reissue/1996] CD (Peacville)
Out from The Dark is a demo album by the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. It consists of a rehearsal from early 1991, but it was not officially released until 1996, by Black Metal Records.
Mac Miller – Circles CD (WB)
Conceived as a sister album to 2018’s full length Swimming, Cicles was completed with the assistance of Jon Brion, with whom Miller worked on Swimming and had been working together on Circles at the time of his passing. While sonically distinctly different than its predecessor, Circles features many of the hallmarks for which Swimming was critically-acclaimed upon its release – Miller further realizing his singing voice in addition to rapping, live instrumentation and earnest, confessional lyrical content.
Matthew Morrison – Disney Dreamin’ with Matthew Morrison CD (Walt Disney)
Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe nominated artist Matthew Morrison releases a fresh contemporary take on some of his favorite iconic Disney songs. Disney Dreamin’ with Matthew Morrison features material from beloved Disney classics such as Aladdin, Toy Story, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tarzan and more.
My Dying Bride – The Ghost Of Orion CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Formed in 1990 My Dying Bride became forerunners and trend makers in the gothic, doom, death metal genre. Since the release of their debut As The Flower Withers (1992) My Dying Bride has released thirteen full length records. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Obtained Enslavement – Witchcraft [Reissue/1997] CD (Peacville)
Black Metal of the unmistakable, Norwegian kind paired with a touch of melody. Compulsory purchase for fans of Limbonic Art or Emperor.
Overcoats – Fight CD/LP (Loma Vista)
Overcoats fight by bucking trends, overturning expectations, and cranking out sticky sweet pop subversion tightened up to Swedish standards under a Seattle grunge haze – all born out of a D.I.Y. Brooklyn “laboratory.” Fight is a spectrum of sonic outbursts designed to empower and uplift.
P.E. – Person CD/LP (Wharf Cat)
The 12 tracks from P.E.’s snarling debut, Person, display the band members’ collective experience in piecing together unforgettable compositions then gleefully tearing them apart at the seams, while the album’s clattering industrial percussion, zigzagging synths and sax, and colorful percussion, dystopian poetry maintain the spark of P.E.’s improvisational dystopian bent. The result is a sonic lexicon that reflects the unnatural surroundings of their adopted home in NYC – chaotic yet alluring, gnarly yet beautiful, gritty yet fun.
Pears – Pears CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Third full-length album from the New Orleans-based punks.
Phantogram – Ceremony CD/LP (Republic)
Genre-defying alt-rock duo Phantogram – comprised of lifelong friends Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel – have continued to change the zeitgeist for almost a decade now by consistently challenging it with their signature blend of hard-hitting beats, guitar-driven dark psychedelia and electronic pop. Phantogram’s fourth studio album, Ceremony, marks a rebirth and embodies a dark, but hopeful, chapter for the band.
Nadia Reid – Out Of My Province CD/LP (Spacebomb Arc)
New release from the New Zealand-based singer/songwriter.
Caroline Rose – Superstar CD/LP (New West)
Here comes Superstar the bigger, badder, glitter-driven record by Caroline Rose. Written as a sequel to 2018’s Loner, Superstar “plays out like an epic movie about the pursuit of fame and fortune,’ Rose states. ‘I’ve always been fascinated by this pursuit, but what’s even more fascinating is what happens when it fails.” Indeed, gone are the successful Hollywood hunks and starlets of old. Superstar chronicles a quirky anti-hero, who after receiving a wrong call from the elite hotel Chateau Marmont, decides to leave their old life behind in order to become a big Hollywood star.
Rose Tattoo – Outlaws CD/LP (Cleopatra)
Australia’s legendary bad boys of vintage hard rock storm the shores of the States with this superb re-visitation of their debut album along with previously unreleased tracks from the same era.
Ross The Boss – Born Of Fire CD/LP (AFM)
Ross The Boss Friedman is a founding member of Manowar and The Dictators. His influence in heavy metal and punk is noticeable to this day.
RX-101 – Dopamine CD/2xLP (Suction)
RX-101 – Serenity CD/2xLP (Suction)
RX-101 has quietly been making waves in the IDM/electronic music underground for the past few years, through a series of archival releases material recorded in the late ‘90s.
Rachel Sage – Character CD (Independent Label Services)
Rachael Sage’s Character was recorded while the beloved NYC indie artist was recovering from an unexpected health crisis. Throughout the revelatory 12-song album, she reflects on gratitude, compassion, authenticity and optimism, questioning what comprises character, and lifting herself up in the process. Honoring the resilience of the human spirit, Sage’s striking songs remind us that sometimes “it’s ok to not be ok.”
Saturnalia Temple – Gravity CD/LP (Listenable)
In their decade of existence, Saturnalia Temple has created their own niche of occult doom metal with their unique brand of psychedelia.
Saxophones – Eternity Bay CD/LP (Full Time Hobby)
Drawing from fifties exotica, west coast jazz, and seventies Italian lyricism, drama seeps into Saxophones’ deceptively simple sound, transforming dreamy surf pop into thoughtfully textured pieces, with a spaciousness at their core.
Scarab – Martyrs Of The Storm CD/LP (ViciSolum Productions)
New album from the Egyptian death metal act.
Semblant – Obscura CD (Frontiers)
New release from the the Brazilian dark/melodic death metal band.
Session Victim – Needledrop CD/LP (Night Time Stories)
German duo Session Victim’s fourth studio album via Night Time Stories, the London based sister label to the coveted LateNightTales, marks a notable move towards the downtempo dynamic of artists like Nightmares on Wax DJ Shadow and Portishead. Artists that have all played a strong influence in Session Victim’s variety of output over the last decade. Needledrop provides a suite of both uplifting and easy-listening moments refined and understated individually yet cohesively crafted with the honest musicianship and inarguable credentials.
Will Sexton – Don’t Walk The Darkness CD/LP (Big Legal Mess)
Texas guitar legend Will Sexton teams up with New Orleans veterans the Iguanas for his first solo album in over a decade, the 10-track roots rock classic Don’t Walk the Darkness. It marks a belated return to his solo career, but represents something even more profound for Sexton: a personal and musical rebirth following a stroke he suffered in 2009, which robbed him of much of his verbal and language abilities, and even forced him to reconsider his approach to playing guitar.
Steep Canyon Rangers – Be Still Moses CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
These Grammy winners and perennial chart toppers from North Carolina have been Steve Martin’s longtime musical companions. Now, the Rangers can add the Asheville Symphony to their list of collaborators; together, they breathe new life into the band’s favorites. [Limited transparent blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Swamp Dog – Sorry You Couldn’t Make It CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Long-awaited country album from the legendary Swamp Dogg. Recorded in Nashville, featuring John Prine, Justin Vernon, Jenny Lewis, and others.
Sweet – Fox On The Run: Rare Studio Tracks CD/LP (Cleopatra)
This package from proto-glam rockers Sweet brings together alternate versions of the band’s biggest hits including “Ballroom Blitz”, “Little Willy”, “Blockbuster!” and more.
Thick – 5 Years Behind CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Born from the DIY/all-ages scene in New York, Thick make music with the raw defiance of punk and addictive melodies of pop, punchy and catchy and wildly tongue-in-cheek. With their live show typically spawning a mosh pit described by Stereogum as more like an aggressive hug, the Brooklyn-based trio brings an unchecked intimacy while building a deep and unshakable solidarity with the audience.
Tulus – Old Old Death CD/LP (Soulseller)
New album by the Norwegian black metal band.
The Undercover Dream Lovers – It’s All In Your Head LP (Undercover Dream Lovers)
Originally from Pittsburgh now based in Los Angeles, Matt Koenig has navigated his career completely as an independent act. Under his moniker – The Undercover Dream Lovers – he releases his debut album which is largely influenced by disco and the idea of creating an even more energized, groovy live show.
U.S. Girls – Heavy Light CD/LP (4AD)
Recorded live at Montreal’s acclaimed studio Hotel 2 Tango and featuring 20 odd session musicians, Heavy Light is an architectural achievement for an artist whose career began with a 4 track tape recorder and a Greyhound bus pass. Following the subversive sheen of 2018’s In A Poem Unlimited, Remy has taken a deeply introspective about-face to produce a set of mindful compositions on hindsight, the passage of time, the delicate balance of the conscious and the unconscious, and the pursuit of a radical empathy. Remy worked with co-writers Basia Bulat and Rich Morel to develop the core of Heavy Light, a set of songs conceived as a richly arranged balance between orchestral percussion (as arranged by percussionist Ed Squires) and the human voice.
Viscera – Obsidian CD (Unique Leader)
New release from the UK death metal band. [Vinyl edition due April 3.]
Wombbath – Choirs Of The Fallen CD/LP (Soulseller)
Early Swedish death metal sinners Wombbath are back with a new album. 10 tracks of full-force death metal.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Blue Öyster Cult – Agents Of Fortune Blu-ray (Frontiers)
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of their widely celebrated Agents Of Fortune, Blue Öyster Cult performed the seminal album in its entirety at an exclusive concert for the Audience Music Network on Monday April 18, 2016 at Red Studios in Hollywood, CA.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
2Pac – Me Against The World [Reissue/1995] 2xLP (Interscope)
Recorded when he was just 23-years-old, and released while facing an impending prison sentence, Me Against The World is a lyrical tour-de-force that touches on the issues of poverty and violence. The album solidified 2Pac as one of the greatest rappers of all time.
10,000 Manicas – Twice Told Tales [Reissue/2015] LP (Cleopatra)
Limited white vinyl reissue of the ninth overall album by the second generation’Natalie Merchant-less 10,000 Maniacs – their first since 1999’s The Earth Pressed Flat.
African Head Charge – Songs Of Praise [Reissue/1990] LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge – In Pursuit Of Shashamane Land [Reissue/1993] LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge – Vision Of Psychedelic Africa [Reissue/2005] LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge – Voodoo Of The Godsent [Reissue/2011] LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge – Churchical Chant Of The Iyabinghi LP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
African Head Charge is an experimental/tribal percussion act with a heavy dub and world music slant led by percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah.
The Allman Brothers Band – Shades Of Two Worlds [Reissue/1991] LP (Friday Music)
Limited 180gm orange and red colored vinyl pressing of The Allman Brothers Band’s tenth studio album. [Limited blue and gold colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Analytica – Analytica LP (Ice Machine)
Analytica make synth-pop the old-fashioned way: driving, verse/chorus pop songs utilizing hardware synthesizers and drum machines, vocals and bass guitar, and recorded to tape.
Ásgeir – Bury The Moon LP (One Little Indian)
Ásgeir – Sátt LP (One Little Indian)
Ásgeir returns with a brand new album, available as separate English (Bury The Moon) and Icelandic (Sátt) versions. The enigmatic artist makes music that penetrates a little deeper than most. His debut album soared to success in his native land, before the 2013 English language edition In The Silence connected with an entirely new audience. An artist of rare scope, sincerity, and emotion, his next step might well be his bravest, and his most enduring.
Black Tusk – TCBT [Reissue/2018] LP (Season Of Mist)
Limited clear vinyl pressing of the 2018 album from the Savannah, GA sludge-merchants.
Jason Boland & The Stragglers – Pearl Snaps [Reissue/1999] LP (Proud Souls Ent.)
Vinyl reissue of the debut album by red dirt/Texas country band.
The Bonniwell Music Machine – The Bonniwell Music Machine [Reissue/1968] LP (Real Gone Music)
The music business is replete with stories of outsized talents who, due to label mismanagement, misguided career advice, or just plain bad luck, never got their due. But the story of Sean Bonniwell is one of the saddest. He and his band The Music Machine broke through in 1966 with “Talk Talk” and the accompanying album (Turn On) The Music Machine. Because the record came out on the thinly-resourced Original Sound label, though, tour support, promotion, and, most importantly, royalties were in short supply, causing the band to disintegrate in short order. Limited colored vinyl pressing.
Bonny Doon – Blue Stage Sessions LP (Third Man)
A live album recorded at the Third Man Detroit location from Motor City’s sweetest psych-folk groovers, Bonny Doon. Hot off the heels of their Woodsist Records album Longwave, this live LP features beautiful live takes from their full discography.
Bushwacka! – All Night In Heaven 12” (Plank)
On his new four track EP, Bushwacka! Pushes the boundaries of time signatures and pays homage to his rave breakbeat days as well as turns up the heat with electro cuts.
Flora Cash – Baby It’s Okay CD/LP (RCA)
Flora Cash is a Swedish-American indie pop duo consisting of Shpresa Lleshaj and Cole Randall.
Victor Cavini – Japan [Reissue/1983] LP (Be With)
Rare and sought-after for many years now, this is one of those cult library LPs that never turn up.
Ceramic Hello – The Absence Of A Canary [Reissue/1981] LP (Ice Machine)
Ceramic Hello hailed from Burlington Ontario, about an hour outside of Toronto, and comprised of Brett Wickens, who composed and performed the more synth-pop-oriented songs on the LP, with clear nods to early-Ultravox and OMD, plus Roger Humphries, who contributed The Absence Of A Canary’s other-wordly, classically-informed synth interludes. Shortly after the 1981 release of the LP, Wickens moved to the UK to work for legendary Factory Records-associated design firm Peter Saville Associates, where he created iconic LP covers for the likes of New Order, Joy Division, and Peter Gabriel.
Chatham County Line – Wildwood [Reissue/2010] LP (Yep Roc)
Wildwood is without question one of Chatham County Line’s most beloved records. PopMatters called it “…accomplished and entirely delightful’” while American Songwriter suggested that you “[p]ut Chatham County Line on your playlist, pronto.” Now, 10 years after its release, the album has been digitally remastered. Incredible song craftsmanship and superb musicianship ensure that this album remains a timeless classic now and for years to come. [New album Strange Fascination due May 15.]
Sylvain Chauveau – Simple (Rare & Unreleased Pieces 1998-2010) LP (13701)
Sylvain’s music has been praised by peers like Ryuichi Sakamoto and Hauschka.
Dave + Sam – No Shade 2xLP (Classic)
Mavericks of the musical landscape, Brooklyn’s finest genre-defying duo Dave + Sam release their anticipated debut album, a thirteen-track narration of the 21st century experience told through the eyes of vocalist Dave Giles II and production maestro Sam O.B. With the aim to package love, empowerment and socio-political commentary into a collection of tracks that never compromise on groove or soul, this enchanting album never loses sight of its message as it journeys from deep Chicago house and otherworldly melodies to funk-laden jams and adventurous studio experimentation.
Dillinger Escape Plan – Option Paralysis [Reissue/2010] LP (Season Of Mist)
Limited blue colored vinyl pressing of the fourth album by the mathcore band. [Yellow colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Doctor Fluorescent – Doctor Fluorescent LP (Crammed Disc)
Born out of the minds of Californian musicians Scott Gilmore and Eddie Ruscha (who records as Secret Circuit and E Ruscha V), Doctor Fluorescent is a mad scientist who creates cinematic music, using old synthesizers, vocoders and drum machines. Gilmour’s music has been described by Uncut as sounding like some parallel-universe collaboration between Brian Eno and electro-jazz innovator Raymond Scott with wistful Arthur Russell-like sighs.
Sinne Eeg – We’ve Just Begun LP (BFM Jazz)
New release from Danish jazz vocalist. Eeg has received a number of recognitions and positive reviews both nationally and internationally, and is considered among the best female jazz vocalists currently in Scandinavia.
Stella Emmett – Admirer LP (Ship To Shore)
Two summers ago, Stella Kortchmar started making Admirer. Kortchmar and co-producer Mike Dvorscak knew they wanted to make a full-length electronic pop record, a collection of songs tied to the better parts of the warmer months. Between Albany and White Plains, New York, the duo spent the long summer days writing, recording, and polishing the LP while following a recipe: Build the songs up, strip them back down, add extra ingredients (harmonies, synth pads, collegiate samples) with ease and purpose. Most importantly, indulge in the collaborative nature of it all. The outcome is a tiered cake, nuanced, layered, and light – familiar in structure and unique in taste.
Pricilla Ermell – Origens Da Luz LP (Music From Memory)
A retrospective Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist Priscilla Ermel Origens Da Luz brings together a selection of recordings drawn from a body of work that was originally recorded between 1986 and 1994.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Blue Moon Rising 12” (Caroline)
New EP from the former Oasis guitarist and songwriter. Blue Moon Rising features new songs plus a remix of the title track.
Green Leaf Rustlers – From Within Marin 2xLP (Silver Arrow)
Comprised by Chris Robinson, Barry Sless, Greg Loiacono, Pete Sears and John Molo, the cosmic country quintet have become a staple of the live music scene in and around Marin County, CA, celebrated for their re-imagining of outlaw country and country rock staples by artists like Gram Parsons, Waylon Jennings, The Byrds and more.
Ground Zero – Revolutionary Pekinese Opera Ver. 1.28 [Reissue/1996] (Le Narthecophore)
In 1984 the German free jazz duet of Alfred Harth and Heiner Goebbels released an album containing their interpretation of a Chinese opera from the ‘60s. Then in 1995, using extensive samples from that German recording alongside a free rock ensemble and traditional Asian instruments, Otomo Yoshihide and his Ground Zero band issued a terrific and definitive rendition of that opera, in the form of a noisy sound collage. We reunited the Japanese and original German versions on that record.
Otis Houston Jr. – America [Reissue/2006] LP (Post Present Medium)
Otis Houston Jr. recorded the songs for America in three locations around Harlem and the Bronx in 2006, the year the album was originally self-released. Makeshift studios that no longer exist provide a telling context for his autobiographical storytelling. Prerecorded beats made by studio owners were picked based on which suited his cadence laden poetry best and often-times on America the songs repeat, with different lyrics, transforming themselves. Houston Jr., a raconteur and quick-witted wordsmith has so much to say, that when there is a groove, he doesn’t want to let it go, but rather float around and experiment. Influenced by Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and the like, his strong voice and natural ability to use slogans give this album a cunning stance.
Rowland S. Howard – Teenage Snuff Film [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Fat Possum)
Vinyl reissue of the first solo album by Rowland S. Howard. Former The Birthday Party bandmate Mick Harvey contributes drums, organ and guitar, while Brian Hooper of The Beasts of Bourbon features on bass guitar.
Jaden – ERYS 2xLP (Roc Nation)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Hip-hop/R&B artist Jaden reaches a creative high watermark on his second studio offering, ERYS, a colorful and genre-bending concept album.
Jefferson Starship – Freedom At Point Zero [Reissue/1979] LP (Friday Music)
Limited 180gm translucent orange vinyl LP pressing of the fifth album by Jefferson Starship. [Limited clear vinyl pressing also available.]
Jidenna – 85 To Africa LP (Epic)
Grammy-nominated, multiplatinum rapper, singer, producer, artist, and actor Jidenna’s second album, 85 To Africa, marks the culmination of an unbelievable journey. Following the runaway success of his 2017 debut, The Chief, he was evicted from a rental home after the owner foreclosed without notifying him. He was scheduled to immediately begin a tour that began on the I-85 in Atlanta and ended in Johannesburg. Without a home to return to, he wound up living in cities across Africa and created this masterful soundtrack for a road trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Limited translucent orange vinyl pressing.
The Job – Use No Hooks LP (Chapter Music)
A trove of previously unreleased recordings by early ‘80s Aussie disco-punk heroes.
Kilo Kish – Redux 12” (Blacksmith)
New EP from the rapper, singer-songwriter and visual artist.
LaRombé – From Philly LP (Athens Of The North)
LaRombé’s soul, disco & R&B stands the test of time.
Little Beaver – Party Down [Reissue/1974] LP (Real Gone Music)
Willie Hale aka Little Beaver (so dubbed as a child because of his prominent front teeth) was one of the extraordinarily talented musicians Henry Stone assembled at his Hialeah, FL-based T.K. Records label and its assorted imprints. Hale’s talent was so distinctive that when Stone finally let Hale step out of the studio shadows to record his own album on the Cat imprint, the effects were immediate and long-lasting. Featuring contributions from Thomas, Wright, Latimore, and Jaco Pastorius (under the name Nelson “Jocko” Padron), 1974’s Party Down scored a No. 2 hit with its title track and has been repeatedly sampled by latter-day rap artists ranging from People Under the Stairs to Jay Z. himself (the “Party Life” track on his American Gangster album). Limited gold colored vinyl pressing.
Lula Wiles – It’s Cool (We’re Cool, Everything’s Cool) b/w You Only Want Me When You Need Me 7” (Smithsonian Folkways)
The new single by Lula Wiles explore the complexities of dating in the digital age, with the trio training it’s incisive, trenchant wit on the new ways we experience age-old feelings of disappointment, desire, and heartache.
Luny Tunes – Mas Flow Los Benjamins LP (Cinq)
The third compilation album by reggaeton producers.
The Mansions – Dig Up The Dead [Reissue/2011] LP (Run For Cover)
Dig Up The Dead remains Mansions’ most celebrated release to date. The 2011 full-length served as frontman Christopher Browder’s rounding into form, garnering rave reviews from publications such as AbsolutePunk. Net and Alternative Press. The fuzzy, lo-fi sound provides ample room for Browder’s lyricism to shine.
Marillion – Less Is More [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (earMUSIC)
White colored vinyl reissue of the 2009 acoustic studio album by Marillion.
MC Lars & Mega Ran – The Dewey Decibel System LP (Oglio)
MC Lars is the creator of post-punk laptop rap and lit-hop, which he has powered into a fusion of many genres. He does so with energy and wit, along with a strong sense of humor and perspective. Former teacher, Mega Ran blends education and hip hop in new ways, with his unique rhyme style and electric performances. The Dewey Decibel System is based on some of their favorite poems, books, short stories and graphic novels. The album is some of the best work from these nerdcore artists to date.
Miracle Whips – The Art Of Facts LP (Devilduck)
Despite the fact that they were both present for the entire affair, Paul Dillon and Jason Merritt somehow did not meet on a co-headlining Sparklehorse/Mercury Rev tour of the Eastern U.S. back in 1999. Jeff Mercel was there, playing drums with Mercury Rev – Paul was there as guitar tech for Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous, and Jason was there on the same bus as Jeff and his upstate compatriots in his official capacity as ride-along-poet-in-residence. Flash forward 20 years and to the first item of official Miracle Whips business which was a field trip to the local Goodwill to purchase a large and unwieldy 1970’s era cast iron electric typewriter in order to place it, and themselves, on Jason’s porch every weekend and get to work on writing these damn songs.
Negative Approach – Tied Down [Reissue/1983] LP (Touch And Go)
Translucent purple vinyl in purple jacket. Born in 1981 in Detroit, MI, Negative Approach were the undisputed champs of Midwestern hardcore in the early to mid- ’80s. Led by John Brannon’s hoarse wail, with OP Moore on drums and brothers Rob and Graham McCulloch playing guitar and bass respectively, the band concocted an extreme sound devoid of frills. This was first documented on their ten-song 7” released on Touch And Go Records in 1982. The band released the more metallic-sounding Tied Down in 1983.
Nektar – Recycled [Reissue/1976] LP (Purple Pyramid)
Splatter colored vinyl reissue of the progressive sci-fi rock band’s 1976 album.
Shuggie Otis – In Session 2xLP (Cleopatra)
A comprehensive collection of classic Rhythm & Blues tracks featuring multi-instrumentalist session player Shuggie Otis.
Paint It Black – Paradise [Reissue/2005] LP (Jade Tree)
Vinyl reissue of the second full-length album from the Philadelphia-based hardcore punk band. [Limited clear vinyl pressing also available.]
Paul Revere & The Raiders – The Spirit Of ’67 [Reissue/1966] LP (Friday Music)
Limited 180gm red white & blue swirl audiophile vinyl pressing of the sixth studio album by pop rock group Paul Revere & The Raiders.
Radio Moscow – Brain Cycles [Reissue/2009] LP (Alive)
2009’s Brain Cycles is Radio Moscow’s second album, a psychedelic trip into the musical territory originally charted by artists such as Randy Holden, Groundhogs, Peter Green and Flower Travellin’ Band, just to name a few. Limited colored vinyl pressing.
Rainbow – Denver 1979 LP (Cleopatra)
A deluxe vinyl pressing of this never-before-released live album from guitar god Ritchie Blackmore performing with Rainbow on their legendary Down To Earth tour. Gatefold holographic foil jacket with three different colored vinyl options: red, green or blue.
Kenny Rogers – Greatest Country Hits LP (Curb)
Includes the hits “Lucille”, “The Gambler”, “She Believes In Me”, “Coward Of The County”, and many others.
Lonnie Liston Smith and The Cosmic Echoes – Visions Of A New World [Reissue/1975] LP (Pure Pleasure)
Pianist Lonnie Liston Smith began his true professional career with Pharoah Sanders and then moved on to the very electric Miles Davis band before embarking on his own journey – one that took him deep into the waters of pop music and disco by the late ’70s. On Visions Of A New World, Smith, accompanied by his working unit the Cosmic Echoes, digs deeper into the soul-jazz vein that he had begun exploring on Expansions and Funk Extraction in 1973 and 1974, respectively.
The Specials – Ghost Town [Reissue/2008] LP (Cleopatra)
Limited edition splatter colored vinyl edition of the ska band’s 2008 album.
Dusty Springfield – Dusty In Memphis [Reissue/1969] 2xLP (Run Out Groove)
Fifty years ago Dusty Springfield released a record which has gone on to be viewed as one of the definitive albums of her career. Looking at the list of credits for Dusty In Memphis, it’s no wonder that critics have spent so much time and so many words gushing over its contents. This Run Out Groove repress of the Southern soul-pop masterpiece has been expanded with and LP of 14 bonus tracks – all making their vinyl debut.
Strawberry Girls – Italian Ghosts LP (Tragic Hero)
California’s Strawberry Girls have been churning out guitar driven prog-rock for over eight years now and each song can feel like a split personality disorder. At some points contagious rhythms reflect over a pool of mesmerizing riffs, then at other times you simply sit back and wade in the water of soothing melodies. Their 2017 LP Italian Ghosts has now been pressed to vinyl.
Horace Tapscott Quintet – The Giant Is Awakened [Reissue/1969] LP (Real Gone Music)
The title of Horace Tapscott’s debut release is apt, if not self-referential, for indeed a giant of West Coast jazz had awakened with this, the pianist/composer/bandleader’s 1969 album for the Flying Dutchman label. Tapscott went on to form two groups crucial to the flowering of modern jazz in the Los Angeles area, the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (or P.A.P.A.; the name is an homage to Tapscott’s predecessor and peer, Sun Ra), which eventually became part of a larger umbrella organization, Union Of God’s Musicians and Artists Ascension (UGMAA). Colored vinyl pressing.
They Might Be Giants – Flood [Reissue/1990] LP (Idlewild)
Limited special edition vinyl picture disc LP pressing. The A-side features the original Flood album cover art and the B-side is a brand new animated psychedelic zoetrope image of TMBG ephemera created by Paul Sahre. You will need a phone and a glass hookah to experience it in its full psychedelic glory (viewing instructions are included on the LP jacket).
Tombs – Monarchy Of Shadows LP (Season Of Mist)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Monarchy Of Shadows is the fastest and most vicious blackened metal from Tombs to date, showcasing the quartet’s metallic precision without sacrificing the bleak post-punk leanings that set the critically-acclaimed band apart.
The Who – The Kids Are Alright [Reissue/1979] LP (MCA)
The Who – Quadrophenia [Reissue/1973] 2xLP (Geffen)
The Kids Are Alright is the legendary companion album to The Who’s classic documentary film of the same name from 1979, featuring the extraordinary 1967 Smothers Brothers TV show version of “My Generation” – including exploding drum-kit finale. Quadrophenia is the soundtrack from the classic and influential 1979 film, adapted by director Franc Roddam from the Who’s 1973 rock opera, set against a backdrop of the mods vs rockers battles of the period.
Cassettes:
Disq – Collector (Saddle Creek)
Disq have assembled a razor-sharp, teetering-on-the-edge-of-chaos melange of sounds, experiences, memories, and influences: gnarled power pop, anxious post-punk, warm psych-folk, and hectic, formless, tongue-in-cheek indie rock.
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