April Listening Station & Social Media Titles Released This Week:
Cavetown – Sleepyhead CD/LP (Sire)
Cavetown’s major-label debut album, Sleepyhead, was recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Robin Skinner himself in the bedroom of his London apartment. The 11-song collection is set to prove to the world why he’s become not just a cornerstone of the bedroom pop community, but a torchbearer for the next generation of his genre. By focusing less on the more imperceptible aspects of his productions, Skinner’s distilled his energy on Sleepyhead into what really moves fans: the songs themselves, occasionally lighthearted, largely poignant – but always authentically him. The album is awash in ambient indie-rock nuance, creaking acoustic guitars and Skinner’s poetic lyricism, all steadied by his tranquil melodies and reassuring timbre. [Indie store exclusive colored vinyl pressing available.]
The Chats – High Risk Behavior CD/LP (Bargain Bin)
“‘I just want people to have a good time,’ says The Chats frontman Eamon Sandwith of their debut album High Risk Behaviour. ‘I want them to dance around and have a beer and enjoy it. We don’t make songs for people to look at in a fucking emotional or intellectual way. We just make songs for people to jump around and have fun to.’ At a time of deep uncertainty and anxiety across the globe, this unruly, Australian punk rock trio may have stumbled upon the ideal cure, or at least a very noisy and very welcome distraction. This is the band’s first full-length offering after 2016’s self-titled EP and second one Get This In Ya from 2017, the latter spawning viral hit ‘Smoko’ upon which their recent success has partly been built. High Risk Behaviour lists 14 tracks but none come in longer than the 2:50 it takes to rattle through penultimate number ‘Do What I Want’.” – Gigwise [Limited indie store exclusive colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Clem Snide – Forever Just Beyond CD/LP (Ramseur)
The road to Forever Just Beyond, Eef Barzelay’s stunning new album under the Clem Snide moniker, was an unlikely one, to say the least. Produced by Scott Avett of The Avett Brothers, the record is a work of exquisite beauty and profound questioning, a reckoning with faith and reality that rushes headlong into the unknown and the unknowable. The songs here grapple with hope and depression, identity and perception, God and the afterlife, all captured through Barzelay’s uniquely off-kilter lens and rendered with an intimate, understated air that suggests the tender comfort of a late-night conversation between old friends. Avett’s production is similarly warm and inviting, and the careful, spacious arrangement of gentle guitars and spare percussion carves a wide path for Barzelay’s insightful lyrics and idiosyncratic delivery.
Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats – Unlocked CD/LP (Loma Vista)
Denzel Curry kicks off 2020 with a menacing and concise full length produced entirely by Kenny Beats. Unlocked is the product of a manic studio session following Denzel recording an episode for Kenny’s show The Cave and it finds the duo mining sounds outside of what prompted their respective rises in recent years. While Denzel pulls influence from various members of The Wu-Tang Clan, Kenny taps into a sound inspired by Madlib, Dilla and MF Doom. Despite these classic touchstones, Unlocked also sounds like something completely new, with Denzel setting the tone for the new decade once again, just as he and Raider Klan did at the outset of the 2010s. Unlocked is supported by a half live-action, half stop-animation companion film featuring every song from the record.
Deeper – Auto-Pain CD/LP (Fire Talk)
Compositionally sharper, more far-ranging in its musical ideas and more emotionally direct than the band’s celebrated debut, Deeper’s sophomore album, Auto-Pain, sees the trio building on their critically acclaimed eponymous 2018 LP to embrace aggressively angular riffs, synthscapes and a poignant cohesion that runs throughout. Auto-Pain sees the band grappling with mortality, mental illness, harm and loss, and while it would be easy to get lost in the profundity of these emotional depths, the album acts as an exercise in catharsis and a reminder to take care: of one’s actions, of one’s community and of oneself. Through the 12 songs the band creates a tenacious document of conflicting emotions, embroiled in a search for meaning in darkness when all meaning seems lost. Deeper channel personal and societal anxieties into songs that alternate between apprehensive severity and a palpable feeling of release.
Brian Fallon – Local Honey CD/LP (Lesser Known)
The lead singer of beloved heartland-punk band The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Fallon steps away from that sound and into a stripped-down Americana space on his third solo album, Local Honey. Helmed by Grammy Award-winning producer Peter Katis (The National, Frightened Rabbit, Death Cab For Cutie) and featuring additional instrumentation by Chris Farren and Thomas Bartlett (Doveman) plus background vocals by Kori Gardner (Mates Of State), the album showcases Fallon’s songwriting in small vignettes, from a loving devotional for his daughter to a vengeful murder ballad. “Every single song is about right now. There’s nothing on this record that has to do with the past or even the future, it just has to do with the moments that are presented and things that I’ve learned and I’m finding in my day to day,” Fallon explains. “This record is 100 percent about the day today. It’s not about these glorious dreams or miserable failures, it’s just about life and how I see it.” He adds that single “You Have Stolen My Heart” is his “most direct attempt at a love song. I wanted a song that wasn’t aware of what it was or wasn’t, it was just true.” [Limited indie store exclusive colored vinyl pressing available.]
Dana Gavanski – Yesterday Is Gone CD/LP (Ba Da Bing!)
While on a crowded train last spring, Gavanski sang the Macedonian song “Jano Mome” to a cheering group of commuters. The moment, brief but beautiful, lays bare Gavanski’s craving for live spontaneity. But it also reflects her injection of stylish drama and vivid emotion into the folk landscape that inspires her, from contemporary singers H Hawkline and Julia Holter, to stalwarts Fairport Convention, Anne Briggs, Connie Converse, and Judee Sill. Expressive urges run all through Yesterday Is Gone. Moments of beguilement splinter a backdrop of tenderly picked guitar, bass, synth, and poppier elements, which commune to produce her own kind of wall of sound.
Margaret Glaspy – Devotion CD/LP (ATO)
Devotion is Brooklyn singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy’s first full-length since her acclaimed 2016 debut, Emotions And Math, and marks an entirely new sonic chapter for her. Glaspy has built a reputation as a skilled guitarist, and Emotions And Math was notable for its swaggering electric guitar sounds; on Devotion she shifted gears and built songs with completely different instrumentation as their base. The results – co-produced with Tyler Chester – are rich, sweeping, and melodic, a fittingly enchanting sound for a collection of 12 love songs. The arrangements are unexpectedly lush at times, especially on the torchy “Heartbreak” and often boast an impressive groove, on such tracks as “You’ve Got My Number” and the title song. Glaspy announces her radical approach at the very start of Devotion, where digitally altered voices serve as the prelude to “Killing What Keeps Us Alive” and she fills the album with surprising sonic touches, right up to the haunting electronics-and-voice soundscape of album closer “Consequence”.
Half Waif – The Caretaker CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
An eleven-song journey through mind, memory and home, The Caretaker finds Nandi Rose aka Half Waif astutely observing inward and outwardly, picking apart what it means to take care – of herself, partners, friends, family – and the shared pain that comes with that. The Caretaker follows Lavender, Rose’s debut, named for the lavender that once grew in her grandmother’s garden. And on her most recent collection, Rose’s family history and intergenerational stories continue to seep their way into the songs. While Lavender dealt with wider views on life and death, of endings and apocalypses, terror and tragedy, The Caretaker focuses the telescope inward, grappling with her desire for independence and the knotty reality that we need each other. “The Caretaker is much more about smaller minutiae of relationships and how so much humanity is packed into some of our most mundane moments,” she says. “The most ordinary things bring us together. And that in itself is extraordinary.”
Lilly Hiatt – Walking Proof CD/LP (New West)
Lilly Hiatt felt lost. She’d just returned home from the better part of a year on tour in support of her acclaimed third album, Trinity Lane, and, stripped of the daily rituals and direction of life on the road, she found herself alone with her thoughts for the first time in what felt like ages. So Hiatt did what’s always come most natural to her in times of questioning and uncertainty: she picked up a guitar. Over the course of the ensuing winter, she wrote a mountain of new music that grappled with her sense of self and place in the world, reckoning with issues that had been bubbling beneath the surface of her subconscious in some cases for years. The result is Walking Proof, Hiatt’s fourth and most probing collection to date. Produced by former Cage The Elephant guitarist Lincoln Parish, the record walks the line between Hiatt’s rough, rock and roll exterior and her tender, country roots, exuding a bold vulnerability as she takes a deep and unflinching look in the mirror. What emerges is a newfound maturity in Hiatt’s writing, an abiding sense of calm in the face of chaos as she learns that sometimes, you have to let go in order to get what you want most. [Limited maroon colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Me And That Man – New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1 CD/LP (Napalm)
Three years after their debut, Me And That Man – Adam Nergal Darski’s dark folk/blues solo project – deliver their sophomore release, New Man, New Songs, Same Shit Vol. 1. The album consists of menacing lyrics atop unfiltered blues, gothic-laced folk, outlaw country and Americana-influenced anthems. It visits a completely new spectrum of dark desert vibes and sees notable heavy music icons such as Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Brent Hinds (Mastodon), Matt Heafy (Trivium) and Siver Høyem (Madrugada) join the pact with the devil. Jørgen Munkeby’s (Shining) distinctive vocals and saxophone contributions weave throughout the first single, “Run With The Devil”, a foot-stomping blues-rock anthem with an upbeat tempo and indelible hook. Songs like the outlaw-infused “Burning Churches”, featuring the raspy voice of Mat McNerney (Grave Pleasures), the gloomy, soulful “Surrender”, featuring Anders Landelius (Dead Soul), and the mournful country ballad “Confession”, performed with Niklas Kvarforth (Shining), make this standout album a surefire repeat listen. [Limited clear vinyl pressing also available.]
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real – Naked Garden CD (Fantasy)
“When we walked out of Shangri-La recording studio on the sixth day, we knew we had captured something special. The process had been simple: we would gather around a coffee table on the lawn, Lukas would present a new song on an acoustic guitar, and then we’d go inside and roll tape. The atmosphere was joyful and mellow, yet intensely productive—we rarely spent more than two takes on a song before moving on to the next one. It was so productive, in fact, that there was simply no way to fit all the material on one release. So think of this project as something of an epilogue to our previous album, Turn Off The News (Build A Garden). Our hope is that Naked Garden offers a glimpse behind the curtain, at POTR in our most raw, honest, and naked state. For our band’s name is truly our mantra, and if nothing else, this project is an attempt to make good on our promise.”
Parkway Drive – Viva The Underdogs CD/2xLP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Australian metal band Parkway Drive release Viva The Underdogs, the soundtrack to their documentary film of the same name. Featuring 11 live tracks from the band’s 2019 headlining set at German heavy metal festival Wacken Open Air, the soundtrack also includes three studio tracks recorded in German; “Würgegriff (Vice Grip)”, “Die Leere (The Void)” and “Schattenboxen (Shadow Boxing)” which features German rapper Casper. The documentary features over a decade of behind the scenes personal footage, coupled with unprecedented access to the band’s most explosive live tours and world’s biggest music festivals. The film gives an incredibly honest and candid look at Parkway Drive’s 15-year underdog journey; the good-times, battles, triumphs, and sacrifices. [Limited orange colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Pearl Jam – Gigaton CD/2xLP (Republic)
Co-produced with Josh Evans and introduced by lead single “Dance Of The Clairvoyants”, Gigaton serves as Pearl Jam’s long awaited eleventh studio effort overall and first since 2013’s Grammy Award-winning Lightning Bolt. “Making this record was a long journey,” explains Mike McCready. “It was emotionally dark and confusing at times, but also an exciting and experimental road map to musical redemption. Collaborating with my bandmates on Gigaton ultimately gave me greater love, awareness and knowledge of the need for human connection in these times.” Gigaton’s cover features Canadian photographer, filmmaker, and marine biologist Paul Nicklen’s photo “Ice Waterfall”. Taken in Svalbard, Norway, this image features the Nordaustlandet ice cap gushing high volumes of meltwater.
Kandace Springs – The Woman Who Raised Me CD/2xLP (Blue Note)
From the first second of Kandace Springs’ new album – as those warm, hand-plucked bass notes fill the air – you know you’ve arrived at something different. And once she starts singing, well, it’s pretty clear The Women Who Raised Me exists apart from the normal rules that govern space, time, and talent. While 2018’s Indigo album found the Nashville singer-pianist using modern production to bend sound into new genre forms in collaboration with Karriem Riggins, this set adheres sonically to jazz while Springs travels back and forth across a near-century of music. While the feel is as rich and complex as our host’s voice, the concept is simple. Springs covers the women who inspired her while she was growing up, putting her own spin on songs associated with a dozen of the greatest female vocalists of all-time.
Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
Written immediately in the period following Katie Crutchfield aka Waxahatchee’s decision to get sober, Saint Cloud is an unflinching self-examination. This raw, exposed narrative terrain is aided by a shift in sonic arrangements as well. While her last two records (Out In The Storm and Ivy Tripp) featured the kind of big guitars, well-honed noise, and battering sounds that characterized her Philadelphia scene and strongly influenced a burgeoning new class of singer-songwriters, Saint Cloud strips back those layers to create space for Crutchfield’s voice and lyrics. The result is a classic Americana sound with modern touches befitting an artist who has emerged as one of the signature storytellers of her time.
Jonathan Wilson – Dixie Blur CD/2xLP (BMG)
Jonathan Wilson returns with the new solo album, Dixie Blur. The critically-acclaimed artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer (Father John Misty, Laura Marling, Dawes) spent most of 2017-18 on Roger Waters’ epic Us+Them tour as musical director, guitarist and vocalist, singing the David Gilmour leads. Following the tour, Wilson chose to temporarily leave his Los Angeles-based home and studio and head to Nashville to work with a revered group of musicians and co-producer Pat Sansone of Wilco, to create Dixie Blur, his most personal, accessible and fully realized work to date. Listen to the tracks “So Alive” and “Korean Tea” to appreciate Wilson’s sonic vision for Dixie Blur. It is a stunning album filled with warm, thoughtful, melody-rich songs that have an immediate impact upon first hearing them and continue to grow with further listening. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]
CDs + Vinyl:
5 Seconds Of Summer – Calm CD/LP (Interscope)
Fourth studio album by Australian pop rock band. “For a band to make it to four albums is no small feat in itself but to be reinventing and constantly pushing our songwriting and to come out with music that we’ve never been more proud of makes me so happy to be in 5 Seconds Of Summer,” says lead vocalist Luke Hemmings. “Calm speaks on a journey through a young man’s life, for better or for worse. We are all human and all make mistakes, sometimes we hurt the ones we love and inevitably, ourselves in the process. Calm leaves the band in a much happier, unified and calm state of mind to continue making albums for years to come.”
Activity – Unmask Whoever CD/LP (Western Vinyl)
Activity is an avant four-piece featuring Travis Johnson, and drummer Steve Levine, both from the band Grooms, bassist Zoë Browne from Field Mouse, and guitarist Jess Rees from Russian Baths. Produced by engineer Jeff Berner of Psychic TV, their debut forms a casually menacing framework for lyrical themes of paranoia, exposed character flaws, and the broader human capacity for growth when an ugly truth is laid bare. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Allman Joys – Early Allman (Featuring Duane and Gregg Allman) [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Allman Brothers Band)
Gregg & Duane Allman – Gregg & Duane Allman [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Allman Brothers Band)
Psychedelic act Allman Joys evolved from their prior outfit the Escorts, featured Duane on lead guitar and Gregg on organ and lead vocals. The Early Allman compilation collects the band’s session work from August 1966, and has been out of print since its initial release in 1973. Gregg & Duane Allman comprises a September 1968 recording session for the second album by Hour Glass.
Ingrid Andress – Lady Like CD (Warner Nashville)
Originally hailing from Denver, Colorado, Ingrid Andress has been working very hard to create music and her signature sound since a young age. Having written with heavy hitters in the music community such as Sam Hunt and Alicia Keys, Andress has co-writer credits on hits like “Steady 1234” and Charli XCX’s “Boys”. She was named to Sounds Like Nashville’s 19 New Country Artists to Watch in 2019 list and touted as one of CMT’s Listen Up 2019 artists as well as one of their Next Women of Country.
Jill Andrews – Thirties CD/LP (Vulture Vulture)
The stories of a woman often go untold. Her struggles are kept as secrets. Her victories, discreet. Her pain, polite and unobtrusive. History records the ones who break her heart and the ones who mend it, yet it forgets the life and truth born in between. On Thirties, acclaimed singer-songwriter, Jill Andrews’ gives these unsung moments the voice they have always deserved. Tenderly, hauntingly, and without fear, Thirties chronicles Andrews’ journey through a decade rife with both beauty and brutality. She explores the isolation and joy of motherhood, the loss not of a lover, but a partner, the experience of growing older in a world that expects you to stay young forever.
Aodon – 11069 CD (Willowtip)
Aodon is a French post-black metal band created by multi-instrumentalist/composer M-Kha (also the drummer in Silure). [Vinyl edition due April 3.]
Appalachian Road Show – Tribulation CD (New Day)
Through new-generation interpretations of traditional roots music, the group boldly chronicles the shared struggles, perseverance, and traditions of America’s Appalachian region. It is one centered on community and its connection to heritage, encouraging cross-cultural empathy and emotional support to not lose hope in times of trouble. Tribulation features a dynamic, artful flux of slow-churning ballads with fiery, foot-stomping acoustic jams and powerful spoken word excerpts woven together by a common thread of an ever-present mission to preserve Appalachian culture.
Daniel Avery & Alessandro Cortini – Illusion Of Time CD/LP (Mute)
The debut full-length collaboration between UK techno specialist Daniel Avery and acclaimed experimental musician Alessandro Cortini. Gently challenging the hypnotic ideals of ambience that already united the work of both artists, Illusion Of Time is in equal parts cryptic and inviting. Wistful and even memorable chords are boldly buried beneath blankets of soothing noise, as if asking listeners to lean in further. In other moments, Avery and Cortini achieve catharsis when working through bristling electronics more indebted to their heavier influences. More frequently, the soothing analogue textures that drive the album are allowed to linger alone, stripped back in order to conjure the moments of suspended bliss that give the album its title. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Birthday Massacre – Diamonds CD/LP (Metropolis)
Diamonds contains an exploration of darkness as well as light, poison as well as its antidote. Within the songwriting, one can sense the passing of time, and the conflicts and resolutions that we can all feel. Nights end, and days resolve. If we look inside, we can find these precious emotions and conflicts. Every single one of them is valuable. Like the diamonds in the dark.
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – The Best Of The Columbia & RCA/Vik Years (1956-1959) 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers were the greatest incubator of talent the jazz world has ever known, and the late-’50s were arguably the outfit’s most fertile period, as Blakey led not one, not two, not three, but four aggregations that spawned the next generation of jazz superstars. While Blakey recorded for a number of labels during that period, his sessions for the Columbia and RCA/Vik labels formed the core of his repertoire along with his Blue Note sides, and this 17-track set throws in six rare live performances in France (led by Blakey’s impossibly polyrhythmic playing, the Jazz Messengers were one of the greatest live bands in jazz history) to create an crucial document of the era.
Rory Block – Prove It On Me CD (Stony Plain Music)
This recording presents Rory’s unique take on songs from phenomenal female performers and songwriters: Arizona Dranes, Elvie Thomas Merline Johnson, Madlyn Davis, Helen Humes, Rosetta Howard, Lottie Kimbrough, Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey and Memphis Minnie.
Bon Iver – Blood Bank [Reissue/2009] CDEP/12”+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
Bon Iver’s Blood Bank EP was originally released in early 2009, hot on the heels of the beloved album For Emma, Forever Ago. The EP was a harbinger of a new sound for Bon Iver: a movement away from the acoustic guitar-led instrumentation of the debut and the beginning of an exploration into the experimental sounds that have evolved but defined Bon Iver ever since. The reissue of this seminal EP is coupled with brand new live renditions of all the EP tracks. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Lowell Brams/Sufjan Stevens – Aporia CD/LP (Asthmatic Kitty)
Aporia is a new age album from Sufjan Stevens and his step-father and record label co-owner, Lowell Brams, brimming with moody, hooky, gauzy synthesizer soundscapes and created collaboratively in the spirit of the New Age composers who sanded off the edges of their synths’ sawtooth; Aporia is not a mere curio in the Sufjan Stevens catalog – but a fully realized collaborative musical piece. [Limited yellow colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Basia Bulat – Are You In Love? CD/LP (Secret City)
Are You in Love? is an album that’s gorgeous and startling, quietly strange, a shining desert record with a bit of dusty rose over all its 13 tracks. It’s searching and certain; it’s the sound of a singer who’s refusing to hide. The title track sashays like a girl-group classic; “No Control” flashes like that group’s hard stare. “Already Forgiven” ripples with reverb like a ribbon in a windstorm, whereas “Your Girl” is cruising down the highway – with Bulat doing her best Christine McVie. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Cable Ties – Far Enough CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
The second album from Melbourne, Australia’s Cable Ties brings a towering wall of ’70s hard rock and proto-punk to songs that explore hope, despair, and anger but offer no easy answers.
Candlemass – The Pendulum CDEP/12” (Napalm)
Unused tracks cut from the The Door To Doom recording sessions.
Vanessa Carlton – Love Is An Art CD/LP (Dine Alone)
Love Is An Art is the much-anticipated sixth studio album from singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton. Produced by Dave Fridmann (MGMT, Flaming Lips), the record explores the eternal seesaw that is human connection: the push, the pull, the balance, the bottoming out. It’s that constantly evolving nature of love, expectations and compassion that Carlton analyzes from all angles on Love Is An Art, from romantic, to parental, to the friends that hold us up and the leaders that repeatedly let us down. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Chronicle – Demonology CD/LP (SPV)
Hailing from the northern part of Denmark, Chronicle is the bastard child of old-school thrash metal, melodic death metal and black metal, with a sprinkling of Finnish melody thrown in for good measure.
Container – Scramblers CD/LP (Alter)
Container is the project of American noise veteran Ren Schofield. On Scramblers, Schofield junks familiar elements while keeping the noise at a euphoric high. [Limited transparent blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Ian William Craig – Red Sun Through Smoke CD/LP (FatCat)
Forged in trauma and an intense, bewildering slew of mixed emotions – wildfires raged near the secluded cabin in which he was recording, his grandfather passed away from said wildfires during the recording process, and he discovered his new feelings of love were mutual only a day before she moved to Paris – Ian William Craig has created an album of incredible beauty, sadness and depth.
ESBE – Late Night Headphones Vol. 2 CD/2xLP (Cold Busted)
From the opening snare crack of “Love Apple” the listener knows to get ready for a special hip-hop excursion. Exquisite sounds abound, such as the exotic tones that reverberate throughout “Rotten Heart” and the echoey “Broken Lights”. Bittersweet chords and sentimental melodies play with the heartstrings on “Midnight Ocean”, and the mental thought-space gets expanded by “A Recipe For Lucid Dreaming”. There are 17 heady cuts in total and its deep stuff, all accompanied by phat, dusty boom-bap beats.
Facs –Void Moments CD/LP (Trouble In Mind)
Chicago trio Facs have evolved very quickly in the span of their three years in existence. Void Moments is their third & latest offering; a dark & claustrophobic album with rivulets of seismic beauty peeking through the din. [Limited pink colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Béla Fleck – Throw Down Your Heart: Complete Africa Sessions 3xCD+DVD/2xLP (Craft Recordings)
The award-winning documentary and recordings, Throw Down Your Heart, were produced and recorded by Béla Fleck, documenting his journey across Africa to research the origins of the banjo. This deluxe set offers The Ripple Effect, a complete disc of previously unreleased material from Fleck performing with virtuoso kora player Toumani Diabaté. The DVD includes one-hour of additional video material with 14 bonus performances, commentary by Fleck and director Sascha Paladino with behind-the-scenes insights. The set also offers an expanded essay by Fleck and new notes by Paladino. [Double-LP vinyl edition also available.]
Gold Cage – Social Crutch CD/LP (Felte)
Debut full-length album from the Los Angeles-based post-punk-tinged slow-core trio.
The Grenadines – Band On The Radio CD/LP (SPV)
On their sophomore album, Band On The Radio, Copenhagen based band The Grenadines is leaning towards the big rock and folk heroes such as Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler among others.
Gundelach – My Frail Body CD/LP (U Ok)
The sophomore release from the Norwegian DJ and club mainstay is more introspective and reflective of his current state, fully healthy from a terrible illness and a new father. Gundelach’s music mixes elements of synth pop, house and even drum and bass.
Jon Hassell – Vernal Equinox [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Ndeya)
Released last week on vinyl – now available on CD. An exciting combination of sunshine pop, bubblegum Hailed as one of the 50 best ambient albums of all time by Pitchfork, Vernal Equinox was the debut of a pioneering new form of music that would become known as ‘fourth world’: a subtle blend of field recordings, electric jazz, ambience and global music influences. Hassell’s trademark FX-soaked trumpet is carefully embellished by a studio ensemble including the master Brazilian percussionist Naná Vasconcelos and David Rosenboom on synth. The result is a quiet, meditative and highly original work of outstanding beauty.
Sasaki Hideto – Sekine Toshiyuki Quartet + 1 – Stop Over [Reissue/1976] CD/2xLP (BBE)
Released at the height of the electric fusion era, Stop Over is an all-acoustic hard bop killer, sounding like the Jazz Messengers on speed.
House Lords – The Common Task CD/LP (Northern Spy)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Horse Lords make music for the liberation of mind and body. Propulsive in a way that inspires movement and that’s felt in the gut, the Baltimore quartet’s new album The Common Task points to a utopian, modernist ideal. The group’s use of algorithmic composition techniques, microtonal harmonies, and plentifully deployed polyrhythm aren’t secondary to the music’s danceability and rhapsodic swirl, but integral to the party itself. The album’s mystifying density of ideas collide at each moment, recalling as diverse a cohort as The Ex and Glenn Branca to raucous Saharan guitar music, Albert Ayler, and James Tenney.
Hour Glass – Hour Glass [Reissue/1967] CD/LP (Allman Brothers Band)
Hour Glass – Power Of Love [Reissue/1968] CD/LP (Allman Brothers Band)
Hour Glass and Power Of Love are the only two studio album by the group of the same name, issued in 1967 and 1968 on Liberty Records, and featured Duane and Gregg Allman Brothers Band.
Jonathan Hultén – Chants From Another Place CD/2xLP (Kscope)
Released last week on vinyl – now available on CD. New release from the darkly enigmatic Swedish Grammy-winning songwriter, also known as guitarist in blackened-death metal vampires Tribulation. The musical inspiration for singer/songwriter Jonathan Hultén’s debut album is drawn from a capella folk and church choir compositions. Throughout the album, tales are weaved and musical influences collide as Hultén draws comparisons to artists including Nick Drake, Sufjan Stevens and Fleet Foxes, as well as traditional folk artists Bert Jansch and John Martyn right through to his contemporaries in Anna Ternheim, Chelsea Wolfe & Hexvessel.
Igorrr – Spirituality And Distortion CD/2xLP (Metal Blade)
New album from French musician Gautier Serre aka Igorrr. Under the Igorrr alias, he combines a variety of disparate genres, including black metal, baroque music, breakcore, and trip-hop, into a singular sound. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]
In This Moment – Mother CD (Roadrunner)
Seventh album from the heavy metal band. The album features Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless, and Joe Cotella of Ded.
Irist – Order Of The Mind CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
Formed in 2015, Atlanta band Irist has been making a name for themselves around the south playing their own brand of modern metal, influenced and inspired by the likes of Sepultura, Gojira, Mastodon and more. Order Of The Mind is the band’s debut full length
Jóhann Jóhannsson – Last & First Men CD+Blu-ray (Deutsche Grammphone)
Inspired by the cult scifi novel by Olaf Stapledon of the same name, Jóhann Jóhannsson paired images of a decaying futuristic landscape – filmed in 16mm black and white in the former Yugoslav republics – with his haunting orchestral score to form Last and First Men, a meditation on memory and loss. Featuring narration by Tilda Swinton and musical performances by Hildur Guðnadóttir, the set includes the never-before-released film on Blu-ray. [Vinyl edition due April 10.]
Little Dragon – New Me, Same Us CD/LP (Ninja Tune)
Little Dragon is the pioneering Swedish four-piece fronted by enigmatic vocalist Yukimi Nagano, with multi-instrumentalists Håkan Wirenstarnd and Fredrik Wallin on keyboards and bass respectively and Erik Bodin on drums and percussion. The band return with their sixth studio album, New Me, Same Us.
Justify Rebellion – The Ends Justify The Means CD/LP (SPV)
On the Denmark heavy metal band’s new album, The Ends Justify The Means, the riffs are heavier, the solos are faster, the drums are punchier, and the bass rumbles its way to mayhem.
Knxwledge – 1988 CD/LP (Stones Throw)
Knxwledge (pronounced ‘knowledge’), aka Glen Boothe, is a producer raised in Philadelphia and New Jersey and now based in Los Angeles, where he is a pivotal figure in the city’s new generation of beat makers.
Jim Lauderdale – When Carolina Comes Home Again CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
Jim Lauderdale returns to his roots with When Carolina Comes Home Again, a bluegrass album of songs old and new. Chocked full of rich stories, tremendous foot stompin’ tunes, and extraordinary musicianship, the album will delight bluegrass enthusiasts and beyond.
Linda Lavin – Love Notes CD (Provident)
New release from the veteran actress, performer, and singer. Features Billy Stritch on piano.
Magic Sword – Endless CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Magic Sword is an ageless tale of good and evil, told through an ever-expanding graphic novel story and accompanying synth-heavy soundtrack albums. With the two mediums intertwined from its conception, together they are an epic experience for those bold enough to bear witness and come away with a deeper understanding of the ultimate hero’s journey. Armed with a musical and visual aesthetic that has its roots unabashedly buried deep in the golden era of ‘70s and ‘80s fantasy and sci-fi, it’s followers are called to another plane of existence where the struggle between light and shadow become all too real.
Maria McKee – La Vita Nuova CD/LP (Afar)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Ardent, anglophilic, anachronistic, luddite/maximalist and baroque, La Vita Nuova was written as an elegy to desire. Upon its completion it became a conjuring. Candid and passionate, Maria McKee has quite simply, had a beatific awakening and in a crescendo of prose, La Vita Nuova unlocks this story, sketching out a momentous and transformative time in her life that started decades ago when she sang in her living room by the fire with her older brother, the late, great musical innovator Bryan MacLean, co-founder, (along with Arthur Lee), of the seminal L.A. band Love. Along the way she retooled punk and country as the lead singer of pioneering Americana band Lone Justice, released a string of evocative and eclectic solo records, wrote chart-topping hits and inspired the devotion of a loyal cultish fan base before seemingly disappearing… It’s been 13 years since her last studio album Late December which was released in 2007.
Molchat Doma – S Krysh Nashikh Domov [Reissue/2017] CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
Molchat Doma – Etazhi [Reissue/2018] CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
Molchat Doma (translated as Houses Are Silent), founded in 2017 in Minsk, Belarus, stands at the intersection of post-punk, new-wave and synth-pop. Dark yet danceable, and with a heavy dose of goth ethos, their music is reminiscent of the masters that predate them, but make no mistake: Molchat Doma creates a sound and meaning that is immediately recognizable as all their own. [Limited colored vinyl pressings are also available.]
Mustangs Of The West – Time CD (Blue Élan)
New release from L.A.-based all-female quintet formerly known as the Mustangs. In the ’80s, the cowpunk scene grew into a much bigger movement that included everyone from Dwight Yoakam to the Screamin’ Sirens. When the Mustangs appeared, they immediately turned heads and developed an energetic following that tagged them as leaders of this new musical brigade. Now named Mustangs of the West, band members have reunited to take up where they left off in the mid-’90s and make good on their early promise.
Nap Eyes – Snapshot Of A Beginner CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
Snapshot Of A Beginner is Nap Eyes’ boldest, most concentrated and most hi-fi album to date. Almost all the songs of Nap Eyes are whittled into their final form from frontman Nigel Chapman’s unspooling, 20-minute voice-and-guitar free-writing sessions. Each member – drummer Seamus Dalton; bassist Josh Salter or guitarist Brad Loughead – then plays a crucial role in song development, composing around the idiosyncratic structures and directing the overall sound and feel of the songs. Until now, that final song construction and recording has been mostly done live in a room. But for Snapshot Of A Beginner, the band went to The National’s neuvo-legendary upstate NY Long Pond Studio, working with producers Jonathan Low (Big Red Machine, The National) and James Elkington (Steve Gunn, Joan Shelley), the latter of whom also did pre-production arrangement work with the band. [Coke bottle green vinyl pressing also available.]
Neck Of The Woods – The Annex Of Ire CD/LP (Pelagic)
New album from the progressive-aggressive metal band from Vancouver, Canada.
The Necks – Three CD (Northern Spy)
Three, the 21st album from legendary Australian instrumental trio The Necks, is a winding, textural, and visceral musical exploration through three individual, contrasting tracks that each delve into separate tenets of their sound. Three’s variety of tones and structures offer a glimpse into the boundless, immersive sonic universe The Necks have been constructing, through recorded and live performance, for over 30 years.
The No Ones – The Great Lost To No Ones Album CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
The No Ones, a bi-continental collaboration featuring Scott McCaughey, Frode Strømstad, Peter Buck and Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen, is a band that stretches from the southwest of Norway through Athens, Georgia to the northwest corner of the USA, consisting of members from I Was A King, The Minus 5, The Baseball Project and R.E.M. As this pedigree almost dictates, they wield Fender and Rickenbacker guitars, cutting, chiming and fuzzing their way through songs dealing with abduction, interstellar mysteries, witchcraft, and more mundane fare like climate change, gentrification, and the desolation of the soul. The vocal harmonies and psychedelic flourishes fuse the sunny turbulent sounds of the ’60s with the darkness and decay of today. [Yellow colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Omega Infinity – Solar Spectre CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
Omega Infinity is a new project from Xen of Ne Obliviscaris and Tentakel P. of Todtgelichter, their frenetic arrangements, menacing and maniacal, swirl in the cacophony of deranged screams and blasts of industrial ignition.
The Orb – Abolition Of The Royal Familia CD/LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Abolition Of The Royal Familia is the 16th studio album by veteran British ambient house duo The Orb. The album includes contributions from Youth, Roger Eno, David Harrow and Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy (System 7).
Orion Sun – Hold Space For Me CD/LP (Mom + Pop Music)
Orion Sun has quickly made a name for herself in her current hometown of Philadelphia, PA (originally from New Jersey) and beyond. Her story, that of an early 20s woman of color dealing with and learning about life’s obstacles and celebrations, is understood best through her song lyrics; citing J Dilla, Nancy Wilson, Jodeci, Kirk Franklin, Hazel Scott and Digable Planets as just some of her many influences. She’s a career artist with a long road ahead and her sound defies trends; capitalizing on a velvety and familiar voice with timeless jazz/folk/R&B instrumentals. Hold Space For Me is Orion Sun’s sophomore record. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Jessie Reyez – Before Love Came To Kill Us CD (Island)
Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Jessie Reyez unveils her debut album. The Toronto-born/Colombian-bred powerhouse has racked up award nominations and wins, including a Breakout Artist Juno Award. Her songwriting prowess is also flexed on tracks like Calvin Harris’ “One Kiss” with Dua Lipa and “Promises” with Sam Smith.
Kim Richey – A Long Way Back: The Songs Of Glimmer CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
Kim Richey celebrates the 20th anniversary of her album Glimmer with A Long Way Back: The Songs of Glimmer, featuring new recordings of the songs from Kim’s classic album. Produced by Doug Lancio, who also plays most of the instruments, A Long Way Back… allowed Kim to reinterpret these songs and give them a fresh, yet timeless sound. Other musicians on the album include Nielsen Hubbard and Dan Mitchell.
Royce Da 5’9″ – The Allegory CD (E1)
Most known for his confident wordplay, revealing accounts of his life growing up in Detroit, overcoming addiction, and holding Rap peers accountable, Royce sits with hip-hop’s elite and continues to be one of raps most trusted brands.
Sam Russo – Back To The Party CD/LP (Red Scare)
Back To The Party is a diverse-sounding record with a broad spectrum of emotions on display. You can hear the loyalty and the love, the fear and the hope, the desperation and the triumph. You can also hear Sam trying new things as he crafts 33 minutes of music inspired by a bold mix of styles that we haven’t yet heard from the British balladeer.
Rustin Man – Clockdust CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Released last week on vinyl – now available on CD. Having waited 17 years for 2019’s Drift Code, some may be surprised at Clockdust‘s swift arrival, but the album’s roots can be found in the same extended sessions. Realizing that Paul Webb had two albums worth of material he took great pains to ensure that each album would stand alone. Idiosyncratic and quietly haunting, Clockdust is seeped in sepia-tinted nostalgia, “a powerful force of nature,” Webb states, “up there with love and desire.” The album blurs the boundaries between past and present. Webb insists that he prefers to live in the here and now, but in looking back he’s found a magical, mesmerizing manner in which to forge a path forward: for him, for his music, and for his audience.
Quentin Sauvé – Whatever It Takes CD/LP (Deathwish Inc.)
Quentin Sauvé is back to his solitaire roots through a pared-down voice and guitar dyad, carefully balancing elegiac chords and untethered, impassioned vocals. In pure folk fashion, Quentin’s songwriting will continue to divulge its melodic treasures with every play.
Shmu – Pure Bliss CD/LP (Requiem Pour Twister)
Mindfully created, deeply cathartic, Pure Bliss is a dreamy and psychedelic pop odyssey by American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shmu, co-produced by psych guru Vinyl Williams.
Skinny Hightower – Blue Moon CD (Trippin & Rhythm)
New release from the jazz artist.
Skywalker Dutch – Better Off Dead CD (Deko Music)
This skillful rapper is not only an artist but also a producer, songwriter, recording engineer and fashion designer.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Trapline CD/2xLP (Fontana North)
Snotty Nose Rez Kids is an Indigenous rap duo from the west coast of Canada. Trapline is the third full-length album, which was short-listed for Canada’s prestigious Polaris Award. Working with hip-hop/trap producers like Kato and Pilgrim, SNRK take time to honor their history, their hometown of Kitimat and the Haisla Nation. Features collaborations with Tanya Tagaq, Birdz and Nooky, The Sorority, Cartel Madras, Brevner, Kimmortal, Boslen, and Shanks Sioux. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Solothus – Realm Of Ash And Blood CD/LP (20 Buck Spin)
The third album from Finland’s Solothus drops a dripping broadsword of Cimmerian carnage and staggering death-soaked doom delirium on the scorched landscape from which only mounds of skull dust and obsidian shards shall remain.
Sonic Dawn – Enter The Mirage CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
The Sonic Dawn is a psychedelic group to be reckoned with. Enter The Mirage is arguably their most blazing and powerful album yet.
Sorry – 925 CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Best friends Asha Lorenz and Louis O’Bryen have woven their debut album 925 like a dreamscape in which idyllic and hellish scenes intermingle, forcing the question of what is real and what is make believe. Inspired by everything from Hermann Hesse to Aphex Twin and old-school crooner Tony Bennett, the duo’s experimental and holistic approach marks them out as a thoroughly 21st century band which had been evident in their early mixtapes and singles.
Stormzy – Heavy Is The Head CD/2xLP (Atlantic)
Heavy Is The Head marks an exciting return for the British multi award-winning phenomenon and is a record which has been executively produced entirely by the musician himself; showcasing his world class lyricism and musicality alongside many of his celebrated and relatable subject matter. The album features additional vocals from some of the most exciting musicians of this generation including Ed Sheeran, H.E.R., Burna Boy, YEBBA, Aitch, Headie One, and Tiana Major9 with production from Fred Gibson, Fraser T Smith, TMinus and others.
The Suicide Machines – Revolution Spring CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Revolution Spring is the seventh studio album by the Detroit, Michigan punk rock band and their first in 15 years.
James Taylor – James Taylor’s Greatest Hits [Reissue/1976] CD/LP (WB)
Digitally remastered edition. Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor. Originally released in November 1976, it is the best-selling album of his career and one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 11 million copies. It features redone versions of “Carolina In My Mind” and “Something In The Way She Moves”, both of which had been previously included on Taylor’s self-titled debut album in 1968.
Ghédalia Tazartès – Diasporas [Reissue/1979] LP (Dais)
Originally recorded in 1977, following a limited release in 1979, Ghédalia Tazartès debut album, Diasporas, introduced listeners to the surreal, mysterious and truly unclassifiable statement of Tazartès and his out-of-time place in the French avant-garde canon. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Tesla – Five Man London Jam CD/2xLP (Hip-O)
New live album from the hard rockers. The recording of this live album took place when Tesla visited the famed iconic recording studio Abbey Road Studios for a one-night musical event capturing the band performing songs from their legendary arsenal. [Stand-alone Blu-ray also available.]
Temple Of Void – The World That Was CD (Translation Loss)
Whereas the Temple Of Void’s first album skewed more doom and the second more death, The World That Was seemingly slots in between the two poles, mountainous as ever. More accurately, the scales perhaps might tip more “doom” here, but the manner in which Temple Of Void express that doom has definitely broadened: they’re proudly a doom-death band, but on evidence of this third album, they’re painting with even more colors in their no-less-crushing palette. [Vinyl edition due April 17.]
Simon Fisher Turner & Edmund de Waal – A Quiet Corner In Time CD/LP (Mute)
A Quiet Corner In Time brings together Fisher Turner’s field recordings collected with de Waal in Vienna and L.A., alongside placed materials and architectural interventions: porcelain vessels, furniture, and vitrines. This huge soundworld combines elements of de Waal’s own history, detailed in his 2010 memoir The Hare With Amber Eyes; the Schindler House itself; it’s former resident John Cage, along with sounds swapped with Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Various Artists [Jamie 3:26] – Jamie 3:26 Presents A Taste Of Chicago CD/2xLP (BBE)
A compilation of classic house edits by Jamie 3:26. Hailing from Beverly on the South Side of Chicago, Jamie 3:26 is an artist driven by a deep desire to get people moving in the dance. A Chi-Town vibe is always the focus for the master selector and producer who’s capable of lighting up dance-floors around the world and that ethos shines through on this compilation, featuring a collection of tracks giving listeners a true insight into the sound, culture and style of the Windy City. The compilation sees classic tracks by the likes of Chip E, Quest and more get a serious Jamie 3:26 twist, with edits that not only capture the best of celebrated eras gone by but point to the future too.
Various Artists [Maribou State] – Fabric Presents Maribou State CD/2xLP (Fabric)
Fabric Presents Maribou State explores soulful gems from across the decades. Highlights include two exclusive tracks from Maribou State plus a Radiohead remix of “Reckoner”.
Wake – Devouring Ruin CD/LP (Translation Loss)
New release from the Canadian extreme metallers.
Watermelon Slim – Traveling Man CD (Northern Blues)
A stunning mix of original blues songs covering a mix of personal and political topics, Traveling Man captures Watermelon Slim at his finest: alone with his slide guitar and amazing vocals.
Kanye West – Jesus Is King CD (Def Jam)
Jesus Is King is the ninth studio album by rapper and producer Kanye West. The album follows a Christian theme, with West describing it as an “expression of the gospel.” [Vinyl edition due May 1.]
Windy & Carl – Allegiance And Conviction CD/LP (Kranky)
Legendary Dearborn duo Windy & Carl has been crafting inner space electric guitar and bass vistas for nearly three decades now, but their latest feels as vital and vaporous as any peak opus in their vast catalog. Written and recorded across six years, the songs swirl between shoegaze minimalism and stargaze drift, over which Windy Weber whispers veiled poetic narratives of transformation, isolation, and escape
WuW – Rétablir L’Eternité CD/LP (Prosthetic)
WuW is a project from French metal/post metal veterans and brothers Benjamin and Guillaume Colin who draw inspiration from doom/post-hardcore/sludge (Harvey Milk, Acid King, Neurosis), to ‘90s black metal (Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone, Emperor) to prog/psychedelic/krautrock from the ‘70s (King Crimson, Magma, Can, Brian Eno) to experimental electronic music (Autechre, Ben Frost, Boards Of Canada) and beyond.
Blu-ray:
Tesla – Five Man London Jam Blu-ray (Hip-O)
New live set from the hard rockers. The recording of this live album took place when Tesla visited the famed iconic recording studio Abbey Road Studios for a one-night musical event capturing the band performing songs from their legendary arsenal.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Amon Düül – Amon Düül II [Reissue/1970] 2xLP (Purple Pyramid)
A gorgeous limited rainbow splatter colored edition deluxe vinyl reissue from one of the most groundbreaking rock bands of all time.
Roy Ayers – Virgin Ubiquity II (Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981) [Reissue/2005] 3xLP (Ubiquity)
The music on Virgin Ubiquity was selected and mixed down from previously unreleased multi-tracks recorded between 1976 and 1981, which Roy had in storage. It’s all unmistakably Ayers but is diverse and fresh enough to be more than a mere adjunct to one of his most productive and popular periods – testament to his and his musicians’ creative abilities, as much of most revered Ayers output stems from this time.
Tim Bluhm – Gone With The Windshield LP (Blue Rose Music)
“With picturesque lyrics, unadorned vocals and simple, tasteful guitar playing, Bluhm captures the sun-drenched storytelling spirit of earlier troubadours. Bluhm’s songs, while spare in instrumentation, make for a rich listen. Best of all, they ring true.” – Performing Songwriter
B0nds – Phantom Version LP (Cold Busted)
Inspired by the likes of J Dilla, Madlib, and Flying Lotus, the DC-area adjacent B0nds has been making beats for 15 years, developing a style that’s vibey and deep, characterized by down-low rhythms and layers of obscure samples and funky synth flavors.
Broken Bells – Good Luck b/w Shelter 7” (30th Century)
As with neo-classic Broken Bells tracks including “The High Road” and “Holding On For Life”, “Good Luck” is completed by deceptively apocalyptic sonic and lyrical imagery that is actually more rooted in present day reality than any dystopian future.
Brother Ali – Us [Reissue/2009] 2xLP+7” (Rhymesayers)
Following the critically acclaimed The Undisputed Truth (2007), Brother Ali’s 2009 release, Us, showed the progression that helped make him such an enduring figure in hip-hop. While still politically and socially aware, Ali had turned his gaze more inward and started to examine the human condition from the outside looking in. A profound personal glimpse into a vulnerability seldom seen or heard in hip-hop, Us touched on the strengths and flaws of the human condition, exploring drug abuse, depression, divorce, discrimination, and many more topics that most people are scared to face within their own lives, much less on an album for the world to hear.
Chromeo – She’s In Control [Reissue/2004] 3xLP (Last Gang)
15th anniversary triple-vinyl reissue of the debut studio album by the Canadian electro-funk duo.
Clams Casino – Moon Drop Radio LP (Clammy Clams Prods)
New Jersey-native Clams Casino stands amongst the most respected hip-hop producers in the game today. After several years of underground notoriety, Clams became widely known after producing several of the standout tracks on A$AP Rocky’s monolithic debut mixtape Live. Love. ASAP and has received widespread critical acclaim for his collaborations with Lil Peep, Vince Staples, Lil B, Mac Miller, The Weeknd, Joji amongst others. Clams released his hugely anticipated instrumental album Moon Trip Radio late last year, a stunning collection of tracks that showcase his immense talent as both a composer and producer.
Chelsea Cutler – How To Be Human 2xLP (Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Instantly-relatable lyrics and handcrafted lo-fi soundscapes have established Chelsea Cutler as a quiet, yet disruptive, force for popular music. Within two short years, the singer, songwriter and producer went from bedroom-constructed uploads to 750 million-plus cumulative streams and acclaim from Billboard, Complex, PAPER Magazine, Refinery29, Ones To Watch and more.
Dashboard Confessional – Best Of The Best Ones 2xLP+MP3 (Hidden Note)
Limited double cream colored vinyl pressing in gatefold sleeve. Dashboard Confessional’s first-ever career-spanning compilation is a thoughtfully curated collection of the band’s most beloved songs and features selections from all seven studio albums, the So Impossible and The Drowning EPs, and the band’s legendary, Platinum-certified MTV Unplugged performance.
Miles Davis – Bitches Brew [Reissue/1970] 2xLP+MP3 (Sony Legacy)
Miles Davis – A Tribute To Jack Johnson [Reissue/1971] LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy)
Vinyl reissues. Bitches Brew marked Davis’ continuing experimentation with electric instruments that he had previously featured on the critically acclaimed In A Silent Way (1969). With these instruments, such as the electric piano and guitar, Davis rejected traditional jazz rhythms in favor of loose, rock-influenced arrangements based on improvisation. In subsequent years, Bitches Brew gained recognition as one of jazz’s greatest albums and a progenitor of the jazz rock genre, as well as a major influence on rock and funk musicians. A Tribute to Jack Johnson was conceived by Davis for Bill Cayton’s documentary of the same name, on the life of boxer Jack Johnson.
Deadmau5 – mau5ville: Level Complete 3xLP (Mau5trap Recordings)
mau5ville: Level Complete reunites Deadmau5 with Rob Swire for the single “Monophobia” and Lights for the single “Drama Free”. Since the release of mau5ville: Level 1, the multiple JUNO award-winning and Grammy nominated producer has enjoyed international platinum certified chart success, seven critically acclaimed albums and is one of the most respected electronic musicians today. Limited yellow, red and green colored vinyl.
Beatrice Dillon – Workaround LP (Pan)
Beatrice Dillon’s first solo album is a strong body of work referencing Caribbean music mastery of the rhythms and prestigious guests: UK Bhangra pioneer Kuljit Bhamra (tabla); Pharoah Sanders Band’s Jonny Lam (pedal steel guitar); techno innovators Laurel Halo (synth/vocal) and Batu (samples); Senegalese Griot Kadialy Kouyaté (Kora), Hemlock’s Untold and new music specialist Lucy Railton (cello), amongst others.
DJ Woody – Repetitive Scratch Injury 7” (Woodwurk)
The perfect go-to record for any portablist jam or 7” DJ set and contains original yet highly addictive scratch sounds. Pressed on bright pink vinyl with full colour picture sleeve illustrated by renowned skateboard artist Mark ‘Fos’ Foster.
Tod Dockstader – Aerial #1 [Reissue/2005] 2xLP (Important)
Tod Dockstader’s Aerial series, an electronic/drone masterpiece, is cherished among fans of the artist’s work. 15 years in the making, the Aerial series is sourced from his life-long passion for shortwave radio. Dockstader collected over 90 hours of recordings, made at night, and comprised of cross signals and fragments plucked from the atmosphere. Opening with airwave drones, Dockstader gradually allows elements to slowly come and go, summoning an ominous atmosphere of ethereal clouds. Malignant placidity continues, giving the feeling of eavesdropping upon late-night audio activity not unlike discovering number stations while sweeping the dials. Backward voices, deep echoing choruses of conversations flowing under the surface, ocean sounds, pulsing electro-rhythms, all seem to be created via the collaging of many hours of source recordings. A masterwork of collage and juxtaposition by an overlooked pioneer of American electronic music.
Bernard Fort – Fractals/Brain Fever LP (Recollections GRM)
Avant garde, electro-acoustic pearl from the GRM archive 1981-2017, drawing the ear’s eye into richly illusive fractal patterns with heavily psychedelic effect.
The Fuzztones – Snake Oil [Reissue/2012] 2xLP (Cleopatra)
Vinyl reissue of a rare and unreleased collection from the kings of the garage rock revival.
Germs – (Cat’s Clause) [Reissue/2015] 2×7”+CD (Cleopatra)
Features rare versions of “Communist Eyes”, “What We Do Is Secret”, “Lexicon Devil” and others recorded live at various locations including Hong Kong Cafe in 1979 and Starwood in 1980.
Grift – Budet LP (Nordvis)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. With a foundation in both desolate folk and melancholic harsh metal, Budet employs traditional instruments such as the lonely chords of a reed organ and violins, the latter courtesy of Georg Börner (ColdWorld, Sangre de Muerdago). Erik Gärdefors’s vehement, bordering on desperate, vocal outbursts convey the introspective and thoughtful lyrics in a most gripping manner, and the thick rural atmosphere is at the same time both nostalgic, anguish-filled and redeeming.
GZA – Liquid Swords [Instrumentals] 2xLP (Get On Down)
Limited black and white colored vinyl pressing. There are many reasons why Wu-Tang Clan rapper GZA’s second solo album Liquid Swords is considered one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time. Critics and historians point to GZA’s raw, and starkly poetic lyrics which featured references to chess, crime and philosophy, as well as superb guest performances from his Wu-Tang Clan contemporaries. One can’t comment on Liquid Swords‘ brilliance however without touching upon the production, courtesy of Wu-Tang’s own mastermind RZA. Behind a hazy and murky backdrop of rare samples and classic boom-bap beats, RZA crafted a bleak atmosphere of urban dystopia for GZA’s esoteric rhymes to flourish in, cribbing from a wide panoply of sources ranging from the dusty soul of The Bar-Kays and Ohio Players, the nostalgic jazz of Cannonball Adderley and Willie Mitchell, and even the experimental weirdness of Mothers Of Invention.
Herbie Hancock – The Prisoner [Reissue/1969] LP (Blue Note)
Released in 1969, Herbie Hancock’s The Prisoner is a powerful but overlooked masterpiece. A moving tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, this nonet session features some of the most exceptional instrumentalists in jazz including Joe Henderson, Johnny Coles and more. Blue Note Tone Poet Series features all-analog, remastered 180gm vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Hawktail – Formations LP (Padiddle)
Flush with orchestral sweeps and sparse vigils, with strains of the American South and the North Atlantic, this cosmopolitan sound is not what you’d expect from a string band.
Jimi Hendrix – Band Of Gypsys [Reissue/1970] LP (Capitol)
50th Anniversary edition 180gm vinyl pressing of Hendrix’s immortal 1970 live album. Long hailed as a touchstone of blues, funk and rock, these performances was captured on tape during the two spectacular 1970 Fillmore East performances.
Paris Hilton – Paris [Reissue/2006] LP (Real Gone Music)
First time vinyl pressing. Hilton first announced plans to make an album in 2003, during her run on the reality TV series The Simple Life. Originally entitled Screwed, and then Paris Is Burning, the record – finally simply entitled Paris – came out in 2006. [Two colored vinyl pressings are available: gold and maroon & blonde marble.]
Jacaszek – Music For Film LP+MP3 (Ghostly Int’l)
Since his earliest projects nearly two decades ago, Polish composer Michal Jacaszek has kept some proximity to film music. Initially, his output simply felt cinematic by nature; densely detailed electroacoustic textures on releases like Lo-Fi Stories (2004), Treny (2008) and Glimmer (2011) evoked dimly-lit worlds within themselves, vignettes of the imagination. Over time his interest in sound design and collaboration would manifest actual film projects and commissions, some of which have earned him awards. Jacaszek’s practice an amalgamation of ambient, classical, and musique concrete deploys field recordings, acoustic samples, poetry, and baroque instrumentation to paint pictures, oftentimes melancholic, nostalgic, and tragic. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available. CD edition due April 3.]
Sunny Jain – Wild Wild East LP (Smithsonian Folkways)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Wild Wild East encompasses myriad facets of Jain’s identity both as a first-generation South Asian-American and as a global musician, from his own family’s immigration story to his eclectic musical upbringing. In recasting the immigrant-steeped in the courage to leave a familiar homeland for a new beginning-as the modern-day cowboy and cowgirl, Jain sources musical inspiration from the scores of Bollywood classics and Spaghetti Westerns, Indian folk traditions, jazz improvisation, and rollicking psychedelic and surf guitar styles.
Jason James – Seems Like Tears Ago LP (Melodyville)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. The first album in four years from the country singer-songwriter. Jason’s style has often been compared to traditional country artists like George Jones, Hank Williams, etc.
Jordana – Classical Notions Of Happiness LP (Grand Jury)
Expanded reissue of the debut album from bedroom pop maker Jordana. Features three new tracks including the single “Signs”. Recorded and produced from her own bedroom in Kansas, the 19-year-old musician originally self-released the LP last year. After gathering positive reviews, Nye secured a deal with Grand Jury Music.
Matt Karmil – STS371 LP (Smalltown Supersound)
Matt Karmil’s fifth album is a meditative collection of woozy loops and soft focus house.
Lemon Quartet – Crestless LP (Last Resort)
Lemon Quartet’s debut album Crestless is a languid and alien jazz landscape, informed by their American Midwest surroundings and more than a little dosage of contemporary lo-fi composition. Marimbas ring out, a saxophone flits through the air, and a musical sensibility not unlike a film score fills the ear-space. It’s relaxed, it’s menacing but, most notable of all it confounds genre boundaries.
Michael Leonhart Orchestra – Suite Extracts Vol. 1 LP (Sunnyside)
Hailed as “a blazing hot mess of awesome” by The New York City Jazz Record, the Michael Leonhart Orchestra (MLO) traverses a huge swath of musical terrain, guided by the highly developed ears, ceaselessly omnivorous tastes and playful yet meticulous artistry of its leader, Michael Leonhart.
Maher Shalal Hash Baz – Je Est Un Autre 2×10” (Okraina)
Maher Shalal Hash Baz’s Je Est Un Autre is not a best of, it is a reflection of Tori Kudo’s evolution as a composer, from playing with seasoned musicians, to playing with people just starting out, from playing meticulous scores, to playing call and response melodies written down, to the songs presented here. These are instant improvisations based on keyboard compositions that Tori plays for the group. Perhaps the album should be called Je Est Un Autre: Volume One in a vague reference to the My Brother The Wind series from Sun Ra.
Mamaleek – Come & See LP (The Flenser)
Mamaleek seeks to weaponize the tropes of blues, jazz and black metal through an understanding of their respective formal structures. Known for flouting genre conventions, the band’s newest album Come & See, marks yet another degree of separation from their black metal roots. Here Mamaleek draws inspiration from postwar public housing-specifically Chicago’s notorious Cabrini Green housing project-seeking to analyze the emotional impact of the spaces one occupies, the surreal forces behind the appearance of physical reality, and the residues they leave behind.
Mat/Matix – On Lock LP/Cassette (Hobo Camp)
Los Angeles native Mat/Matix has soaked up, breathed, internalized and reimagined the west coast sound… championing G- Funk basslines, wave-y jazz & hip-hop, boogie-funk street sounds, underground house parties and R&B jeep-beats to create his own sound.
Mats Wawa – Rock Omelette LP (Jansen Plateproduksjon)
Call it AOR, slacker soul or just classic rock.
Michael The Lion/Amy Douglas – Michael The Lion x Amy Douglas (The John Morales Mixes) 12” (Soul Clap)
A road trip through American funk and soul music, this EP is a choice and heartfelt slice of life and disco purism.
Tom Misch – Beat Tape 1 LP (Beyond The Groove)
Beat Tape 1 marks Tom Misch’s first official release of his instrumental beats, which combine elements of jazz, soul and grooves all heavily inspired by Toms love for J Dilla.
MNDSGN – Bed [Reissue/2013] LP (MNDSGN Limited)
Originally hand dubbed on limited cassette tape in 2013, Bed is a sonic expedition into the subtleties of sleep and the destinations reached through the comfy vessel.
Seke Molenga & Kalo Kawongolo – Seke Molenga & Kalo Kawongolo [Reissue/1979] LP (Antarctica Starts)
This groundbreaking amalgamation of African music and dub anticipated similar experiments by producers like Adrian Sherwood, Bill Laswell and Jah Wobble who would ride to critical acclaim in the ’80s and ’90s.
Moniquea – Los Robles & Washington LP (MoFunk)
For her third release on the MoFunk label, Moniquea takes to the streets on a certified west coast ride. Named after the corner she resided at in Pasadena, California, during the mid- ‘90’s, Los Robles & Washington is equal parts tribute to her hometown, ode to the laid back Los Angeles lifestyle, and a forward-thinking envisionment of how the G-funk sound of nearly three decades past fits perfectly with the modern funk sound of the present day. [CD edition due April 10.]
Nox Formulae – Drakon Darshan Satan LP (Dark Decent)
The Red Black Clan of Nox Formulae returns with their second sonic grimoire of Higher Black Magic, delving deeper into the Draconian Universe and the Shadow Current emanating from the hidden and relatively unexplored realms of the Qlipha of the Concealers, Satariel, Archon of which is the second face of Lucifer, the Mighty King Lucifuge Rofocale. [CD edition due April 24.]
Oneness Of Juju – Space Jungle Luv [Reissue/1976] LP (Now Again)
Magical, mystical, Afrocentric, progressive – words that could be used to describe any number of musical compositions by Sun Ra or his cosmic brothers and sisters, from John to Alice Coltrane, early ‘70s projects on record labels like Detroit’s Tribe or Houston’s Lightin’ or the interests of one Washington, DC native named Jimmy Gray that centered under one, perfect moniker: Black Fire. Gray spent nearly three decades pushing boundaries as a Black American promoter, distributor and, finally, record label owner. Together with Oneness Of Juju’s leader James “Plunky Nkabinde” Branch, Gray oversaw sixteen releases on Black Fire Records between 1975 and 1996. Oneness Of Juju’s Space Jungle Luv is one of the label’s key titles.
Vinnie Paz – As Above So Below LP (Enemy Soil)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Vinnie Paz (Jedi Mind Tricks, Army of the Pharaohs, Heavy Metal Kings) returns with his fifth solo album.
Project Paradis – Paradis 2 Deluxe 2xLP (Mad Decent)
Mr. Carmack and Promnite have teamed up for a series of projects under the alias Project Paradis. Fusing gritty experimental sound design, hard-hitting production and dynamic machine-like soundscapes, Carmack and Promnite introduce a dystopian future where human freedom has come to an end with technological singularity manifesting itself in the form of tyrannical, artificially intelligent, all-robotic corporations.
Daniel Romano – Okay Wow LP (You’ve Changed)
In a shocking turn of events, Daniel Romano has decided to give you exactly what you asked for – he and his unparalleled live band, The Outfit, have decided that you deserved it, that it is in fact already yours – and they want to say “you’re welcome.” The record is called Okay Wow. Which is probably what you’ll say when you listen to it. It’s all your favorite songs except superior in every way to the versions you’ve exhausted. Okay Wow was recorded live by Kenneth Roy Meehan the first while on tour across Scandinavia.
San Fermin – Cormorant I & II 2xLP (Mastwerworks)
Following the critically acclaimed release of The Cormorant I, Brooklyn-based art pop project San Fermin deliver The Cormorant I & II, the second and final installment in their latest dual-part album. The band returns with eight new tracks that encompass the full scope of The Cormorant story. The resulting 16-track collection completes the narrative set out by The Cormorant I, expanding on bandleader Ellis Ludwig-Leone’s questions of identity, growth and its ever-changing variations. [CD edition due April 3.]
Showbiz & AG – Runaway Beats LP (DITC)
An instrumental version of Showbiz & AG’s highly-acclaimed debut album, Runaway Slave.
Sleaford Mods – Key Markets [Reissue/2015] LP (Extreme Eating)
Red and white splatter vinyl pressing of the English duo’s 2015 album.
Sopwith Camel – The Miraculous Hump Returns From The Moon [Reissue/1973] LP (Real Gone Music)
Vinyl reissue of one of the lost classics of the early ’70s. “Taking in elements of FM schmaltz, prog-rock, jazz, showtunes, Krautrock and Indian classical music, this is an album that overflows with ideas, but never overwhelms” (The Guardian, 2014). Those looking for more contemporaneous comparisons might reference early Supertramp or Steely Dan.
Cat Stevens – Matthew & Son [Reissue/1967] LP (Polydor)
Cat Stevens – New Masters [Reissue/1967] LP (Polydor)
Limited 180gm vinyl reissues of Cat Stevens’ first two albums.
Thor – Rising LP (Deadline Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on gold colored vinyl. The mighty Thor unleashes yet another storm of metallic fury with this all new studio album.
The Uniques – Absolutely The…Uniques [Reissue/1968] LP (Antarctica Starts)
Long before the fusion of dancehall and reggae, there was a time when vocal trios dominated Jamaica’s music scene. From the early ’60s, three-part harmony ensembles peppered the charts with driving ska hits. By the time the lilting rhythms of rocksteady emerged in late 1966, an outfit made some of the most popular and enduring music ever issued on the island. They were, of course, The Uniques.
Vanderslice – Trendsetter 12” (Coalmine Music)
Armed with rare records from the Tanner library and a handful of guest features, Vanderslice shares some of his best work to date with the Trendsetter EP. The seven tracks showcase both his gifts as a producer and as a curator. While he provides the snarling, gritty instrumentals, we’re treated to standout appearances from Vic Spencer, Ty Farris, G Perico, Daniel Son, and Capo.
Various Artists – AK•79 [Reissue/1979] 2xLP (Flying Nun)
This brilliant compilation originally issued in 1979 provides a snapshot of the thriving Auckland punk rock scene at the time. This vinyl reissue has numerous extra tracks not on the original LP release.
Various Artists – Whispers: Lounge Originals LP (Numero)
A lounge in the Poconos located just inside a Holiday Inn, 1973. The smoky haze clears to reveal a middle aged couple on a one-foot high stage, prattling on about the weather or Watergate before launching into a serviceable cover of Burt Bacharach’s “Do You Know The Way To San Jose?” Tens of thousands of such combos littered restaurants, cruise ships, casinos, lobbies, and cocktail bars throughout the ’60s and ’70s, but far fewer cut a record worth buying from the stage, much less listening to on the home hi-fi. Gathered here are 14 lounge originals from across the entire easy listening spectrum. A spent matchbook’s worth of crooners, bossa nobodies, seafood jazzers, and Donca-Matic enthusiasts all in search for their ticket out of a red leather booth hell. Includes letter pressed heavyweight matchbook-style jacket with screen-printed strike strip, debossed inner sleeve, and a 22 square fold-out matchbook gallery poster.
Martha Veléz – Fiends & Angels [Reissue/1969] LP (Real Gone Music)
1969’s Fiends & Angels paired the powerful pipes of American singer Martha Veléz with the crème de la crème of the British blues-rock scene, including Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, who both made an appearance on the album. Limited purple colored vinyl pressing.
Welicoruss – Siberian Heathen Horde LP (El Puerto)
New album from the symphonic black metal lords.
John Williams – Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker [OST] 2xLP (Walt Disney)
Released last December on CD – now available on vinyl. Original soundtrack composed by John Williams, who has worked on every Star Wars film since the first one in 1977. Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker is the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and the final episode of the nine-part Skywalker saga.
Billy Woods & Kenny Segal – Hiding Places 2xLP (Backwoodz Studioz)
Hiding Places is a collaborative album from Brooklyn-based rapper Billy Woods and Los Angeles beat scene veteran Kenny Segal. On its face, it seems an unlikely pairing; Woods – who moonlights as one-half of dissonant rap duo Armand Hammer – is a chaotic force, the warped relic of an NY indie-rap wave that never happened. Meanwhile, Segal has been in L.A. for 20 years; from paying dues with Project Blowed to pushing the culture forward with Busdriver and Milo. All the while, his soulful, dreamlike production precariously tethered to earth by the right drums or rumbling bass.
Cassettes:
Mat/Matix – On Lock LP/Cassette (Hobo Camp)
Los Angeles native Mat/Matix has soaked up, breathed, internalized and reimagined the west coast sound… championing G- Funk basslines, wave-y jazz & hip-hop, boogie-funk street sounds, underground house parties and R&B jeep-beats to create his own sound.
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