Social Media Program Titles Released This Week:
Cults – Host CD/LP (Sinderlyn)
Cults’ utterly mesmerizing new album, Host, was written more collaboratively than ever before and recorded primarily with live instruments for the first time. The collection marks the start of a bold new chapter for the band, one fueled by an ever-deepening trust and a boundless appetite for growth and experimentation. The songs here are deceptively charming, with lush, airy arrangements that belie their dark, weighty lyrics, and the production is rich and multifaceted to match, blending retro and futuristic palettes into a spellbinding swirl of high-def indie rock and lo-fi bedroom pop. As its title suggests, Host is an exploration of the sinister dynamics at play in a parasitic relationship, but rather than dwell in the discomfort, the record charts a cathartic journey towards freedom and self-reliance, reveling in the power that comes from standing your ground and declaring independence in the face of exploitation and manipulation.
Various Artists – How The River Ganges Flows: Sublime Masterpieces Of Indian Violin, 1933-1952 CD/LP (Third Man)
How The River Ganges Flows is a transcendent collection of Carnatic violin performances captured on 78rpm disc between 1933 and 1952. Most of these sublime recordings have not been heard since they were first etched in shellac decades ago. These melodies are ethereal, transporting, and meditative. The rhythms undulate from despair to ecstasy, often within the same phrase. Remastered from the collection of Christopher King along with a set of deep notes, this music is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.
October Marketing Program/ Listening Station Titles Released This Week:
L7 – Smell The Magic [Reissue/1990] CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
This 30th-anniversary edition of the ‘90s underground rock classic Smell The Magic (which originally came out as a six-track 12″/nine-track CD) includes all nine songs from the album, remastered and available together on vinyl for the first time. A multitude of rock music scenes populated the expanse of Los Angeles in 1989: hardcore punk, industrial goth, roots rock, and Sunset Strip hair metal, to name a few. L7 fit into none of them, creating their own unique blend of punk and hard, hooky rock loaded with humor and cultural commentary. Originally released in 1990, Smell The Magic is a landmark of ’90s feminist rock.
Ziggy Marley – More Family Time CD (Tuff Gong)
A follow up to 2009’s Grammy-winning Family Time – Ziggy has bottled the energy of his children and put it into music form. More Family Time features contributions from a number of Marley’s family and friends, including: Stephen Marley, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper, Angelique Kidjo, Alanis Morissette, Tom Morello, Lisa Loeb, Busta Rhymes and Jamie Lee Curtis (reading her new book Today I Feel Silly). A portion of proceeds will benefit Ziggy’s 501(c)3 URGE – which supports the education, social development and overall wellbeing of the Chepstow Primary School and the One Love Youth Camp, both in Jamaica. CD version includes a bonus track – Jamie lee Curtis reading her children’s story “Today I Feel Silly”.
Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets – Live At The Roundhouse 2xCD+DVD/2xLP/Blu-ray (Legacy)
Live At The Roundhouse is unlike any other concert film connected with Pink Floyd. It’s the nearest thing you can get to a time machine, transporting you back to the very earliest days of the band. Nick Mason, the only band member to have played on all of Pink Floyd’s studio albums, returns to the group’s earliest records, joined in the line-up by Gary Kemp, Guy Pratt, Lee Harris and Dom Beken. Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets took the drummer back to clubs for the first time in 1967, then to theatres, across the UK, North America and Europe, playing only music his old band had recorded before The Dark Side Of The Moon. Captured from the band’s celebrated shows at London’s Roundhouse, where Pink Floyd played some of their most revered early shows in the 1960s, this release features a uniquely thrilling set list including songs hailing from Syd Barrett’s time with the band. Only four songs from this eclectic roster have ever previously appeared on official live releases by Pink Floyd or its members. Everything else is being experienced for the first time since their original live performances. [Stand-alone Blu-ray edition also available.]
Napalm Death – Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism CD (Century Media)
From the pinnacle of confrontational instrumental extremity and steadfast lyrical humanity, Napalm Death’s new album Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism warps musical landscapes all over again. The 16th studio album by UK’s Gods of Grind and much-anticipated follow-up to 2015’s acclaimed Apex Predator – Easy Meat includes 12 songs seething with caustic evolution and unrelenting scope. “”The artwork specifically uses a white dove as a centerpiece, which of course is a commonly recognized symbol of peace and cooperation. The dove has been mauled very violently by a sterilizing hand and in death appears particularly broken and bloodied. However, through the violence you can see an equality symbol in blood on the chest of the dove, which perhaps demonstrates – visually at least – that equality cuts through in the end. A positive amidst many negatives then, much like the album title itself being a bit of an oxymoron – the celebration of humanity even in the mangling jaws of negativity.” – Napalm Death Vocalist Barney Greenway [Vinyl edition due October 16.]
Joan Osborne – Trouble And Strife CD/LP (Womanly Hips)
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Joan Osborne is back with Trouble And Strife, her first album of original material in six years. The album finds the gifted vocalist offering a strong yet uplifting response to some of the socio-political issues plaguing our nation over the last several years. Osborne beautifully balances the weight of her messages with solace and optimism. The album opens with the inspiring “Take It Anyway That I Can Get”, a soulful calling to brazenly live life to the fullest. “Hand’s Off” is a visceral reaction to the unchecked corruption that is happening before our eyes, while on “That Was A Lie” Osborne takes on the acceptance of misinformation and how it has been weaponized and normalized. Driven by an infectious ‘70s synth riff, “Never Get Tired (Of Loving You)” features a heartfelt message of reassurance for her teenaged daughter during unstable times. Osborne offers a comforting song of hope on the beautiful lullaby, “Whole Wide World” as she sings, “We could see the whole wide world from here, Lookin’ past the sorrow and the tears, Let me take you to that better place, Let me put that smile back on your face.”
Run The Jewels – RTJ4 CD/2xLP (BMG)
Run The Jewels, the lauded duo of El-P and Killer Mike, return with their feverishly anticipated new album, Run The Jewels 4. The eleven song, 40 minute powerhouse is their most ferocious and focused effort to date, and sports a lineup of all-star guests including Pharrell Williams, Mavis Staples, 2 Chainz, Zack de la Rocha, Josh Homme, DJ Premier, and Greg Nice. Recorded primarily at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La Studios and the iconic Electric Lady Studios in NYC, RTJ4 represents two years of intensive writing, recording, distilling, and amplifying the most potent elements of their music. The result is a collection of wall-to-wall bangers illuminating the group’s unique ability to straddle the worlds of pointed social commentary and raw, boisterous fun. [Limited edition four-colored vinyl set also available.]
Neil Young – The Times CDEP (WB)
The Times is a moving and topical solo acoustic performance, a unique collection of songs, filmed at home during lockdown as part of the raw and personal, Fireside Sessions series. The Porch Episode is the sixth session and is available only on Neilyoungarchives.com. The songs included on the seven-song EP are “Lookin’ For A Leader – 2020”, “Alabama”, “Campaigner”, “Ohio”, “Southern Man”, Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and closes with “Little Wing” from Young’s recently released Homegrown.
CDs + Vinyl:
10 Years – Violent Allies CD/LP (Mascot)
In 2019 the gold-certified Knoxville, TN alternative hard rock trio spent five weeks with Grammy Award-winning producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Halestorm, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace), and what resulted was an album that shows the band’s progress as a unit as they embrace heightened vulnerability, elevated songcraft, and sonic adventurousness. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
1782 / Acid Mammoth – Doom Sessions Vol. 2 CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
The first in a series of split releases from the label’s doom metal stable. Three new tracks from each artist. [Two limited colored vinyl pressings are available: purple and green & yellow multi-colored.]
Lauren Alaina – Getting Over Him CDEP (Mercury Nashville)
This Lauren Alaina EP includes six new songs including a duet with Jon Pardi as well as Lukas Graham. Features the hit “Getting Good”. Lauren is a platinum selling artist and has had two #1 country hits.
Anjimile – Giver Taker CD/LP (Father/Daughter)
On Giver Taker, the gorgeous debut album by Anjimile, death and life are always entwined, wrapping around each other in a dance of reverence, reciprocity, and, ultimately, rebirth. Written by Anjimile Chithambo (he/him, they/them), in collaboration with bandmate Justine Bowe of Photocomfort and New-York based artist/producer Gabe Goodman, the album grapples with sobriety; reconciling trans identity, spirituality, and religious upbringing; and forging gracious new futures that honor complex histories. Giver Taker‘s evocative pastoral ballads, warm pop songs, and epic choirs owe their heritage to influences ranging from Sufjan Stevens, Madonna, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and The Lion King, all reshaped in Anjimile’s vision to invite listeners into the album’s vulnerable, generous worlds. [Limited maroon colored vinyl pressing also available.]
The Archaeas – The Archaeas CD (Goner)
Beginning as a one witch band, Archaeas now perform as a perfectly-balanced rock trio with frightening power, reflecting punk rock ‘n’ roll from the last fifty years-AC/DC, Johnny Thunders’
Heartbreakers and The Dead Boys through The Reatards and Carbonas, even early Ty Segall-but The Archaeas are young enough to soak up sounds, attitudes, riffs and turnarounds from other bands and songs and still push them into their own Battle Royale. [Vinyl edition due September 25.]
Bad Luck. – Cold Bones [Reissue/2013] CD (Tragic Hero)
Bad Luck. was a solo project from Long Island, then they were a band from Florida. While in the Sunshine State, they released Cold Bones in 2013 and Noise in Your Head the following year, two compact yet abrasive pop-punk releases that placed nostalgia and neuroses on the same plane. After those anxieties collapsed a hefty touring schedule and the group’s first taste of the industry ecosystem, Bad Luck. seemingly vanished, kept afloat by a whispering community of fans kept alive by their short discography. Having since returned to their home base and their homegrown mentality, Bad Luck. is looking to add to their short but sweet legacy and score a longer winning streak. Anchored by brothers Dominick and Joe Fox and colored in by a rotating cast of touring friends, Bad Luck.’s second wind offers the same great pop hooks chased with hard-hitting backdrops that originally captured crowds’ hearts.
Victoria Bailey – Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline CD (Rock Ridge Music)
Grounding her timeless country music palette is her crystalline voice; an inviting warm tone with the occasional flutter that transports you back in time to a classic honkytonk where they’re playing the aforementioned Cline, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton on rotation — all of whom she has carried from the dive bar to the main stage. Bailey brings that same spirit to the 21st century through relatable, raw, non-sugarcoated songwriting that may seem unexpected from most contemporary female musicians in the country realm.
Barely Civil – I’ll Figure This Out CD (Take This To Heart)
I’ll Figure This Out, Barely Civil’s sophomore full-length, offers temporary solutions to this existential concern. With Chris Teti (TWIABP, Fiddlehead) joining as producer, the band’s massive live energy translates into concise, yet expansive arrangements. “Box for My Organs” slams sonic triumph against plainspoken self-doubt. Grief and guilt are on the same plane in “Bottom Of The Lake”, while the band contemplates the sustainability of burning their twenties at both ends on “The Worst Part of December”. [Vinyl edition due October 23.]
Bear’s Den + Paul Frith – Fragments CD (Communion)
Fragments is a collaboration album between Bear’s Den and Paul Frith, stemming from the handful of shows the band did in 2018 (Reeperbahn, London, Utrecht). The Fragments live shows saw acclaimed composer and arranger Paul Frith rework and arrange a number of songs from the Bear’s Den catalogue with an orchestra; from adding orchestral flourishes to the originals to completely pulling apart and reimagining tracks. [Vinyl edition due October 2.]
Behemoth – And The Forests Dream Eternally [Reissue/1994] CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Formed by mainman Nergal in 1991, these Polish titans have gone from strength to strength, progressing from raw and primitive black metal beginnings, to become one of the leaders of the current death metal scene. The most characteristic attributes of Behemoth’s mini album debut, 1994’s And The Forests Dream Eternally, is its raw guitar sound and Nergal’s growlings. The milestone EP also helped Behemoth become known outside of Poland for the first time. The first release in the band’s Slavonic Trilogy reissue series, this CD and colored vinyl edition from features the original album plus bonus vintage material and a booklet with exclusive archival content including new liner notes.
Matt Berry – Phantom Birds CD/LP (Acid Jazz)
BAFTA award-winning Matt Berry has stared in number of high-profile television series including: Toast Of London, The IT Crowd, and most recently, What We Do In The Shadows. He has released six solo albums and collaborate with the likes of Bond composer David Arnold, Jean-Michel Jarre and Josh Homme. His last album, TV Themes, was a UK Top 40 hit. Phantom Birds was inspired by a fascination with Bob Dylan’s album, John Wesley Harding, and the way it was recorded with the minimum of musicians to draw attention to the songs. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
The Bookends – Calliope CD (Jem)
14 tracks of pure power sunshine pop. [Limited neon pink colored vinyl edition due October 9.]
Bright Light Bright Light – Fun City CD/LP (MRI Associated)
“Fun City is a love letter to the LGBTQ+ community, celebrating its history and present. The album looks at how LGBTQ+ stay strong, focused and creative through times of social and political hardships, and is inspired by the legacy of artists from Sylvester, Erasure, Scissor Sisters and Hercules And Love Affair who have been bold, visible and pioneering through the years to give LGBTQ+ people shining beacons of hope. It features some of my favorite artists in the LGBTQ+ community across the world.” – Rod Thomas
David Broza – en Casa Limn CD (S-Curve)
David Broza is an internationally renowned Israeli singer-songwriter, recognized for his dynamic guitar performances and humanitarian efforts. His signature sound brings together the influence of Spanish flamenco, American folk, rock and roll, and poetry.
Butcher Brown – #KingButch CD/LP (Concord)
Pulsing from the nerve center of Jellowstone Studios in Richmond VA, Butcher Brown takes careful note of the history and legacy of jazz and throws caution to the wind. Their musical vibe blends jazz with hip-hop, funk, rap, rock and soul.
bvdub – Wrath & Apathy CD/LP (n5MD)
38th album from the emo dub techno artist. Brock Van Wey’s fans have come to covet the ebb and flow between sprawling, emotive passages, and Wrath & Apathy has these in mass. It takes its time, like most of Van Wey’s works, to get where it’s going, and his musical style to the already initiated is that of intently watching the ocean waves, with each wave bringing its own unique shape, texture, and in this case, aural reward. Featuring four spaciously captivating tracks, Wrath & Apathy is loosely based on the events of Haruki Murakami’s novel Kafka On The Shore.
Jim Campilongo & Luca Benedetti – Two Guitars CD/LP (Blue Hen)
Billboard Magazine calls Jim Campilongo “an American treasure”, an accolade which this guitarist’s artistry and influential career has richly earned him. TimeOutNYC describes Campilongo perfectly – “New York has no shortage of guitar heroes but few cover as many bases as Jim Campilongo reveals a range that extends from seductive country-swing to atmospheric jazz and well beyond.” Jim teams up with longtime Honeyfinger collaborator Luca Benedetti (Steve Gadd – Ron Carter) for delightful two guitar jaunt where the two musical personalities emerge in the context of original compositions to Chopin and Duke Ellington.
Carnation – Where Death Lies CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
Belgian death-dealers Carnation return with a ripping new full-length album. Their aural violence, steeped in the influence of the halcyon days of early Scandinavian death metal, is strong and direct and delivered with modern, neck-snapping ferocity. With Where Death Lies, Carnation has perfected the iron discipline of brutal death metal.
Charli XCX – how i’m feeling now CD/LP (Atlantic)
London-based singer/songwriter is quickly proving an unqualified phenomenon with her edgy, yet addictive Charli XCX approach. Since her first critically-acclaimed track, “Nuclear Seasons” in 2011, Charlotte Aitchinson has released a plethora of singles, mixtapes, and psychedelic pop culture collage videos. Her latest release, how i’m feeling now is a completely unique project. Written, recorded and released in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the album invites collaboration in a new way, as fans were welcomed to give feedback on every aspect of the record; from contributing to videos, to songwriting choices, to single selection and more. [Limited neon orange colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Roy Clark – Greatest Hits [Reissue/1995] CD (Craft Recordings)
The only Roy Clark hits album in print is being reissued with a new cover and four additional tracks. This album includes the #1 hit “Come Live With Me” and the Top 10 crossover smash “Yesterday When I Was Young”. As the host of Hee Haw, Clark enjoyed a 30-million viewership from 1969-1997. His instrumental skill had an enormous effect on generations of musicians. Clark was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame and an important and influential figure in country music.
John Coltrane – Giant Steps [Reissue/1960] 2xCD/2xLP (Atlantic)
60th Anniversary Deluxe double-CD and 180gm vinyl reissue with new 2020 remaster of original album plus a bonus disc of alternate takes and versions – including rehearsal and incomplete tracks, as well as false starts – only previously included in The Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings Of John Coltrane boxed set.
Cults – Host CD/LP (Sinderlyn)
Cults’ utterly mesmerizing new album, Host, was written more collaboratively than ever before and recorded primarily with live instruments for the first time. The collection marks the start of a bold new chapter for the band, one fueled by an ever-deepening trust and a boundless appetite for growth and experimentation. The songs here are deceptively charming, with lush, airy arrangements that belie their dark, weighty lyrics, and the production is rich and multifaceted to match, blending retro and futuristic palettes into a spellbinding swirl of high-def indie rock and lo-fi bedroom pop. As its title suggests, Host is an exploration of the sinister dynamics at play in a parasitic relationship, but rather than dwell in the discomfort, the record charts a cathartic journey towards freedom and self-reliance, reveling in the power that comes from standing your ground and declaring independence in the face of exploitation and manipulation.
Sarah Davachi – Cantus Descant CD/2xLP (Late Music)
The new Sarah Davachi record is an 80 minute, 17 track double album meditation on impermanence and endings, framed by minimalistic organ études and careful harmonic layering. On two tracks the artist’s own vocals are also heard for the first time.
Elliott Brood – Keeper CD (Six Shooter)
Keeper runs 10 tracks in length and follows the Canadian band’s 2017 album Ghost Gardens. The collection of songs explores the strength of conviction, with particular focus on complex, long-term relationships. [Vinyl edition due September 25.]
El Ten Eleven – Tautology 3xCD/3xLP (Joyful Noise)
Experiencing an unexpected tragedy or loss often provokes a period of self-reflection, a time to contemplate one’s own place and purpose in the world. That was true for El Ten Eleven’s Kristian Dunn. When a beloved family member passed, Dunn found his own reflections on life emerging in the music he composed. Those expressions led to the creation of Tautology – a sonic meditation on the arc of human life, composed in three parts. Over the course of three discs, Tautology is, in
Dunn’s words, a representation of life from the teenage years, through middle-age, until the end of life. The sounds on the album echo Dunn’s own experiences, veering from aggressive metallic riffs to blissful ambient soundscapes. And while there are shared melodies and harmonies through all three records, each one has its own distinct qualities. [Limited ultra-clear vinyl pressing also available.]
Fight The Fight – Deliverance CD (Metal Blade)
Norwegian high-octane metallers Fight The Fight is the perfect example of childhood friends and schoolmates, who wanted to start a band and reach out to people. With their 2017 eponymous debut album, Fight The Fight already showed that they deliberated their musical boundaries while aiming for a diverse, and experimental sound. Within this sound, there’s always a lot of power, energy and hard-hitting grooves, all evident on their sophomore effort Deliverance.
Finntroll – Vredesvävd CD (Century Media)
Seventh album from the Finnish folk metal band. [Vinyl edition due October 2.]
Fit For A King – The Path CD/LP (Solid State)
Sixth album by metalcore band.
Fleetwood Mac – Then Play On [Reissue/1969] 2xCD/2xLP (BMG)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the third studio album by the British blues rock band. Then Play On was the first of their original albums to feature Danny Kirwan and the last with Peter Green. The album, appearing after the group’s sudden success in the pop charts, offered a broader stylistic range than the classic blues of the group’s first two albums.
Flying Colors – Third Stage: Live In London 2xCD+DVD/2xCD+2xDVD+Blu-ray/3xLP (Music Theories)
Continuing their pattern of making a studio album, followed by a live album, Third Stage: Live In London is the third live album by the prog supergroup. It was recorded in December 2019 during a short and highly anticipated tour, directly after the release of their studio album Third Degree. Teaming the talents of such heavyweights as guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs), drummer Mike Portnoy (Transatlantic, Winery Dogs, Dream Theater), keyboardist/singer Neal Morse (solo artist, Transatlantic, Spock’s Beard), bass wizard Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai), with new pop singer/songwriter Casey McPherson, the band quickly established itself as one of rock’s most melodic enigmas. [Deluxe box set edition includes a bonus DVD of music videos and a Blu-ray with the same contents as both DVDs in hi-def. Limited edition orange colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Ace Frehley – Origins 2 CD/2xLP (E1)
The former Kiss guitarist’s second collection of 11 rock ‘n’ roll covers. [Limited blue with white swirl colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Ryo Fukui – Ryo Fukui In New York [Reissue/1999] CD/LP (We Release Jazz)
Ryo Fukui – A Letter From Slowboat [Reissue/2016] CD/LP (We Release Jazz)
Official reissue of the final album from the legendary Hokkaido pianist behind Scenery (1976) and Mellow Dream (1977) along with is 1999 New York sessions performed with Lisle Atkinson on bass and Leroy Williams on drums.
GA-20 – Love Vol. 1 CDEP/12” (Colemine)
These four tunes show the wide range of the group, ranging from mellow in the world of groups like The Wood Brothers to raw, electric blues more kin to early Black Keys LPs.
Gazpacho – Fireworker CD (Kscope)
For nearly twenty years, Gazpacho have reigned as the kings of atmospheric and affective art rock. Their latest observation, Fireworker, is no exception. [Vinyl edition due October 30.]
Ryan Hamilton And The Harlequin Ghosts – Nowhere To Go But Everywhere CD/LP (Wicked Cool)
Nowhere To Go But Everywhere is the follow up to Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts’ acclaimed 2019 release This Is The Sound, which received the Independent Music Award for Best Indie/Alt Rock Album. Nowhere To Go But Everywhere was written on a cross country road trip in the wake of Hamilton’s divorce, creating a deeply personal connection with the songs. “Can I Get An Amen” and “Jesus And John Lennon” were co-written by Hamilton and Stevie Van Zandt (E Street Band, Disciples Of Soul), “Oh No” features Kay Hanley from Letters To Cleo on background vocals and Mike Peters of The Alarm sings background vocals on “Jesus And John Lennon.”
Ed Harcourt – Monochrome To Colour CD/LP (Point Of Departure)
Ninth studio album form Mercury-nominated Ed Harcourt. Known for his literate, Baroque rock sound, the British musician is a distinctly enigmatic presence known his both his solo work and collaborations with artist such as Palom a Faith, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Marianne Faithfull.
Heathen – Empire Of The Blind CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
The Bay Area thrash legends are back. [Limited red and black swirl colored vinyl pressing also available.]
I.P.A. – Bashing Mushroom CD/LP (Cuneiform)
I.P.A. is Atle Nymo tenor saxophone, Magnus Broo trumpet, Mattias Ståhl vibraphone, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten bass, Håkon Mjåset Johansen drums. After a dozen years as one of Europe’s most acclaimed jazz ensembles, I.P.A. is still discovering mesmerizing new sonic territory.
Jealous Of The Birds – Peninsula LP (Atlantic)
Blue colored vinyl pressing. Jealous Of The Birds – the musical moniker of Northern Ireland-based singer-songwriter Naomi Hamilton – has earned worldwide critical acclaim for her resonant lyricism and surprisingly volatile musical approach. Hailed by NPR for her “remarkable gift for converting spare and common ingredients into a sound that’s utterly her own.” Peninsula, Jealous Of The Birds’ new album, now sees this artist expanding her welcoming, deeply thoughtful songcraft. A poet and painter, songwriter and musician, Hamilton has crafted an evocative work of creative contrasts, combining spellbinding sonic turbulence and dramatic lyrical depth. Songs like “Something Holy” and the anthemic, optimistic “Pendulum” traverse the space between naïveté and experience, their themes enhanced by enveloping atmospherics and dynamic arrangements.
Lloyd Jones – Tennessee Run CD (Vizz Tone)
This special recording was inspired on the Delbert McClinton Sandy Beaches Cruise and brings together some of Music City’s mightiest players for this magnificent Tennessee Run of 14 songs by Lloyd Jones, including keyboardist/producer Kevin McKendree and special guests Delbert
McClinton and Teresa James.
Alicia Keys – Alicia CD (RCA)
The seventh studio release from the R&B superstar features the singles “Show Me Love”, “Time Machine”, and “Underdog”.
L7 – Smell The Magic [Reissue/1990] CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
This 30th-anniversary edition of the ‘90s underground rock classic Smell The Magic (which originally came out as a six-track 12″/nine-track CD) includes all nine songs from the album, remastered and available together on vinyl for the first time. A multitude of rock music scenes populated the expanse of Los Angeles in 1989: hardcore punk, industrial goth, roots rock, and Sunset Strip hair metal, to name a few. L7 fit into none of them, creating their own unique blend of punk and hard, hooky rock loaded with humor and cultural commentary. Originally released in 1990, Smell The Magic is a landmark of ’90s feminist rock.
Lastworld – Over The Edge CD (Perris)
New release from this melodic rock band featuring multi-instrumentalist Jim Shepard and singer David Cagle (Liberty N’ Justice, Marty And The Bad Punch, Silent Tiger).
Fenne Lily – Breach CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
Breach is an expansive, candid, frequently sardonic record that deals with the mess and the catharsis of entering your 20s and finding peace while being alone. Fenne wrote Breach during a period of self-enforced isolation pre-COVID, after a disjointed experience of touring Europe, followed by a month alone in Berlin. The album deals largely with “loneliness, and trying to work out the difference between being alone and being lonely.” Although its subject matter is solitude, it sounds bigger and more intricate than anything she’s previously released.
Little Richard – The Rill Thing [Reissue/1970] CD (Omnivore)
Little Richard – King Of Rock And Roll [Reissue/1971] CD (Omnivore)
Digitally remastered and expanded editions. No one expected the power of Little Richard’s return in 1970 with The Rill Thing. The following year’s King Of Rock And Roll helped demonstrate that it was no fluke.
Ziggy Marley – More Family Time CD (Tuff Gong)
A follow up to 2009’s Grammy-winning Family Time – Ziggy has bottled the energy of his children and put it into music form. More Family Time features contributions from a number of Marley’s family and friends, including: Stephen Marley, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper, Angelique Kidjo, Alanis Morissette, Tom Morello, Lisa Loeb, Busta Rhymes and Jamie Lee Curtis (reading her new book Today I Feel Silly). A portion of proceeds will benefit Ziggy’s 501(c)3 URGE – which supports the education, social development and overall wellbeing of the Chepstow Primary School and the One Love Youth Camp, both in Jamaica. CD version includes a bonus track – Jamie lee Curtis reading her children’s story “Today I Feel Silly”.
Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets – Live At The Roundhouse 2xCD+DVD/2xLP/Blu-ray (Legacy)
Live At The Roundhouse is unlike any other concert film connected with Pink Floyd. It’s the nearest thing you can get to a time machine, transporting you back to the very earliest days of the band. Nick Mason, the only band member to have played on all of Pink Floyd’s studio albums, returns to the group’s earliest records, joined in the line-up by Gary Kemp, Guy Pratt, Lee Harris and Dom Beken. Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets took the drummer back to clubs for the first time in 1967, then to theatres, across the UK, North America and Europe, playing only music his old band had recorded before The Dark Side Of The Moon. Captured from the band’s celebrated shows at London’s Roundhouse, where Pink Floyd played some of their most revered early shows in the 1960s, this release features a uniquely thrilling set list including songs hailing from Syd Barrett’s time with the band. Only four songs from this eclectic roster have ever previously appeared on official live releases by Pink Floyd or its members. Everything else is being experienced for the first time since their original live performances. [Stand-alone Blu-ray edition also available.]
Ava Max – Heaven & Hell CD (Atlantic)
Following the success of her breakout single “Sweet but Psycho”, former Beyond the Stage cover star Ava Max releases her debut album. Heaven & Hell includes several previously released tracks like the infectious “Kings & Queens”, the ABBA-sampling “Torn”, the uplifting “So Am I”, and the sugar rush that is “Sweet But Psycho.” Each of the album’s 15 tracks show that Max has a knack for catchy pop melodies that’ll be stuck in your head for days.
Brad Mehldau Trio – Suite: April 2020 CD/LP (Nonesuch)
While sheltering at home with his family in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic, pianist and composer Brad Mehldau wrote twelve new songs about what he was experiencing; he was able to record them safely in an Amsterdam studio, together with interpretations of three tunes that mean a great deal to him personally. It resulted in the new solo album, Suite: April 2020.
MJ Guider – Sour Cherry Bell CD/LP (Kranky)
Melissa Guion’s second offering for Kranky retains the glassy gauze of her debut, 2016’s Precious Systems, but shaded starker and darker, framed by mechanical rhythms and humid industrial moods.
Mondo Generator – Cocaine Rodeo [Reissue/2000] CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Nick Oliveri And The Mondo Generator – Dead Planet: SonicSlowMotionTrails [Reissue/2006] CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
CD and vinyl reissues of the first and third albums by former Queens Of The Stone Age and Kyuss bassist/vocalist Nick Oliveri and his band, Mondo Generator. [Limited multi-colored vinyl pressings are also available.]
Movements – No Good Left To Give CD/LP (Fearless)
Reflecting personal changes from a whirlwind five years, Movements realize the full scope of their storytelling, musicianship, and vision. The music addresses the push-and-pull of relationships and explores loss, love, mental health, and intimacy through a prism of newfound clarity of post-punk grit, alternative expanse, heartfelt spoken word, expensive rock, and subtle pop ambition. The Southern California quartet reaches this place on second album, No Good Left To Give. [Limited black & white multi-colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Napalm Death – Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism CD (Century Media)
From the pinnacle of confrontational instrumental extremity and steadfast lyrical humanity, Napalm Death’s new album Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism warps musical landscapes all over again. The 16th studio album by UK’s Gods of Grind and much-anticipated follow-up to 2015’s acclaimed Apex Predator – Easy Meat includes 12 songs seething with caustic evolution and unrelenting scope. “”The artwork specifically uses a white dove as a centerpiece, which of course is a commonly recognized symbol of peace and cooperation. The dove has been mauled very violently by a sterilizing hand and in death appears particularly broken and bloodied. However, through the violence you can see an equality symbol in blood on the chest of the dove, which perhaps demonstrates – visually at least – that equality cuts through in the end. A positive amidst many negatives then, much like the album title itself being a bit of an oxymoron – the celebration of humanity even in the mangling jaws of negativity.” – Napalm Death Vocalist Barney Greenway [Vinyl edition due October 16.]
Native Harrow – Closeness CD/LP (Loose Music)
The fourth LP from Native Harrow exists at the intersection of two winding roads; time and motion. The album opens like the shot of a cannon with “Shake”, a rocking confessional about riding anxiety’s elevator. If this is any indication of where the band have been since last we heard from them (2019’s, Happier Now), time has moved on and with it life has evolved and unfolded.
Oh Suzanna – Sleep Little Sailor [Reissue/2001 CD/2xLP (Mvka Music)
Deluxe edition of this 2001 album from singer/songwriter Suzie Ungerleider aka Oh Susanna. The original 11 songs are accompanied by acoustic recordings of five of the songs from the album including the title track. After her intense, concept-style debut album, her captivating follow-up bared all in dreamy late-night rootsy songs showing off a voice that was alternately gutsy and fragile. For every track belted out with gusto, such as “Ted’s So Wasted”, or her heartfelt country-soul version of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams To Remember”, there were yet more vulnerable songs telling of obsessive love and loss: “Forever At Your Feet”, “Sacrifice”, “Beauty Boy” and
“River Blue”. [Limited edition white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Joan Osborne – Trouble And Strife CD/LP (Womanly Hips)
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Joan Osborne is back with Trouble And Strife, her first album of original material in six years. The album finds the gifted vocalist offering a strong yet uplifting response to some of the socio-political issues plaguing our nation over the last several years. Osborne beautifully balances the weight of her messages with solace and optimism. The album opens with the inspiring “Take It Anyway That I Can Get”, a soulful calling to brazenly live life to the fullest. “Hand’s Off” is a visceral reaction to the unchecked corruption that is happening before our eyes, while on “That Was A Lie” Osborne takes on the acceptance of misinformation and how it has been weaponized and normalized. Driven by an infectious ‘70s synth riff, “Never Get Tired (Of Loving You)” features a heartfelt message of reassurance for her teenaged daughter during unstable times. Osborne offers a comforting song of hope on the beautiful lullaby, “Whole Wide World” as she sings, “We could see the whole wide world from here, Lookin’ past the sorrow and the tears, Let me take you to that better place, Let me put that smile back on your face.”
Osees – Protean Threat CD/LP (Castle Face)
“The dizzying sound of an art-rock renegade chasing his whims: There will be moments at which you’ll wonder which parts of this wildly diverse album you’re actually supposed to be enjoying, but it’s certainly never boring.” – NME
Plague Years – Circle Of Darkness CD/LP (Metal/E1)
Like an icepick to the face, Plague Years arrives with an electric surge of sudden pain. An unrelenting end of the world assault of the cataclysmic convergence of thrash and hardcore, with bits of blackened death and mid-tempo madness to spare, the Detroit master blasters are here to crash the crossover party. Summoning the primitive spirit of the singular moment when the heaviest of metal first smashed into a circle pit, Circle Of Darkness reignites the flame with sharp fury.
Iggy Pop – Gimme Some Skin [Reissue/2014] CD/7×7” (Cleopatra)
Limited repressed edition available on CD and as a 7” box featuring re-recorded and classic recordings both with and without The Stooges.
Raven – Metal City CD (Steamhammer)
New album from the US metal trio. [Vinyl edition due October 2.]
Daniel Romano – How Ill Thy World Is Ordered CD/LP+MP3 (You’ve Changed)
With your left eye closed, Daniel Romano seems a master synthesizer of sound and genre, a collage artist combining the corrupted influences of a century of so-called popular music forms, a chameleonic acrobat with a near-criminal authenticity. With the other, he’s revealed as a sincerely dedicated, passionately motivated songwriter aghast at the injustices of the world, a caring bandleader and generous collaborator, a spirited and shockingly playful artist tapped into a great, unyielding inspiration.
Run The Jewels – RTJ4 CD/2xLP (BMG)
Run The Jewels, the lauded duo of El-P and Killer Mike, return with their feverishly anticipated new album, Run The Jewels 4. The eleven song, 40 minute powerhouse is their most ferocious and focused effort to date, and sports a lineup of all-star guests including Pharrell Williams, Mavis Staples, 2 Chainz, Zack de la Rocha, Josh Homme, DJ Premier, and Greg Nice. Recorded primarily at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La Studios and the iconic Electric Lady Studios in NYC, RTJ4 represents two years of intensive writing, recording, distilling, and amplifying the most potent elements of their music. The result is a collection of wall-to-wall bangers illuminating the group’s unique ability to straddle the worlds of pointed social commentary and raw, boisterous fun. [Limited edition four-colored vinyl set also available.]
San Cisco – Between You And Me CD/LP (Nettwerk)
Set to an upbeat indie-pop groove on the cusp of innocence and heartbreak, this is where San Cisco lives. Between You And Me is the fourth album by the indie trio from Fremantle in Western Australia, town of sunbaked sandstone and sea breezes. It’s an album two years and at least one sadly remembered love affair in the making. Between You and Me finds the childhood friends’ open-hearted/good times chemistry distilled to its essence. Nearly 10 years since those first EPs, ARIA nominations and early US and UK inroads, San Cisco has made their most painstaking album sound effortless.
Cindy Blackman Santana – Give The Drummer Some CD/2xLP (Copperline)
Virtuoso drummer and vocalist Cindy Blackman Santana presents the 17-song tour de force, Give The Drummer Some. The album highlights Cindy’s incredible versatility both behind the drum kit and in front of the microphone and features the crème de la crème of guitarists, including eight songs with Carlos Santana, two songs with John McLaughlin, three songs with Vernon Reid, and one song with Kirk Hammett. The album is an eclectic mixture of old school funk and radio-friendly rock/pop combined with rock and jazz instrumentals.
Semisonic – You’re Not Alone CDEP/12” (Pleasuresonics)
Alt-rock legends Semisonic’s new EP, You’re Not Alone, is the band’s first release in nearly two decades.
Shakey Graves – Shakey Graves And The Horse He Rode In On (Nobody’s Fool & The Donor Blues EP) CD/2xLP (Dualtone)
A compilation consisting of B-sides and rare tracks from Shakey Graves’ catalog. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Derek Sherinian – The Phoenix CD/LP (Century Media)
World acclaimed keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Sons of Apollo, Black Country Communion), one of the most significant keyboard players of the modern era, releases his new album which features bassists Tony Franklin, Jimmy Johnson and Billy Sheehan (Sons Of Apollo), plus guitarists Joe Bonamassa and Zakk Wylde.
Matthew Shipp Trio – The Unidentifiable CD (ESP-Disk’ Ltd.)
Starting in the bebop era, the piano-bass-drums lineup has been the most classic jazz format in which the piano is featured, accumulating the weight of history and critical expectations. In this setting, a non-mainstream player such as Shipp can infiltrate Newport Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and other Establishment bastions in a familiar format and then unleash his ideas on audiences that might not normally be exposed to his style. Thanks to hearing it in the communal language of the piano trio, they can better understand the message the Matthew Shipp Trio has to deliver.
Sigh – Scorn Defeat [Reissue/1993] CD (Peaceville)
Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition including bonus demos, rough mixes, and a live show. Cult Japanese black metal legends Sigh formed in 1989/’90, featuring mainman Mirai Kawashima, Satoshi Fujinami and Kazuki Ozeki. Their masterful debut Scorn Defeat, became one of the country’s greatest and most revered metal exports. With a journey through the strange and the psychedelic, incorporating a whole eclectic mix of genre styles and experimentation throughout their career, Sigh has remained a vital creative force in the avant garde field. [Vinyl edition due October 30.]
Sly5thAve – What It Is CD/2xLP+MP3 (Tru Thoughts)
Second album from the Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer. What It Is sees Sly5thAve delve deeper into the worlds of hip-hop, jazz and soul. [Limited purple colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Trapt – Shadow Work CD (Label Group)
A straightforward rock record for these trying times.
Keith Urban – The Speed Of Now Part 1 CD (Capitol Nashville)
Keith Urban’s new studio album includes current hit single, “God Whispered Your Name”. The award-winning artist will also be hosting the ACM Awards. “In October 2019 this album title came to me. I liked it because I felt like life was flying by so fast. But music (for me) has always been the place where it slows down and doesn’t even exist. I would never have imagined that, in 2020, this album title would take on a whole new meaning.” – Keith
Varg – Zeichen CD (Napalm)
Seventh album from the pagan metal band.
Various Artists [David Lee & Will Fox] – Breaking The Beats: A Personal Selection Of West London Sounds 2xCD/2xLP (Z)
Features 4 Hero, Bugz In The Attic, Agent K, Fourth Kind, Domu, Jazztronik, Face, Nova Fronteira, AtJazz, Kaidi Tatham, Vikter Duplaix, Taylor McFerrin, Vincent Parker, NSM, The Sunburst Band, IG Culture, Blakai, Bembe Segue, Daz-I-Kue, Colonel Red, Afronaut, Lars Bartkuln, Melissa Browne, Homecookin’, Hajime Yoshizawa, Incognito, Jazzanova, Mark de Clive-Lowe, East West Connection, and Likwid Biskit.
Various Artists – How The River Ganges Flows: Sublime Masterpieces Of Indian Violin, 1933-1952 CD/LP (Third Man)
How The River Ganges Flows is a transcendent collection of Carnatic violin performances captured on 78rpm disc between 1933 and 1952. Most of these sublime recordings have not been heard since they were first etched in shellac decades ago. These melodies are ethereal, transporting, and meditative. The rhythms undulate from despair to ecstasy, often within the same phrase. Remastered from the collection of Christopher King along with a set of deep notes, this music is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.
Vatican Shadow – Persian Pillars Of The Gasoline Era CD/LP (20 Buck Spin)
Where Vatican Shadow often sets a rigid musical focus with each release, here the full multi-faceted embodiment of the project comes to fruition from hypnotic dance floor repetition, cold metallic percussion, martial bass strikes, and dark melodic noise. To further intensify the album Fernow brought aboard Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu, JK Flesh) for the painstakingly detailed mastering process, adding the mysterious vibrancy of cold morning mountain light that presages a conspiracy about to unfold. [Limited edition ultra-clear with black smoke & gold/silver splatter colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Velvet Viper – From Over Yonder [Reissue/1988] CD/LP (Massacre)
German heavy metal, originally released in 1988 under the guise Zed Yago, reissued on vinyl under new band name Velvet Viper.
Voracious Scourge – In Death CD/LP (Massacre)
Old-school brutal melodic death metal.
James Williamson & Deniz Tek – Two To One CD/LP (Cleopatra)
Two legendary proto-punk guitar heroes join forces for the first time ever on this odds-defying, razor sharp album. [Multiple colored vinyl variants are available.]
Neil Young – The Times CDEP (WB)
The Times is a moving and topical solo acoustic performance, a unique collection of songs, filmed at home during lockdown as part of the raw and personal, Fireside Sessions series. The Porch Episode is the sixth session and is available only on Neilyoungarchives.com. The songs included on the seven-song EP are “Lookin’ For A Leader – 2020”, “Alabama”, “Campaigner”, “Ohio”, “Southern Man”, Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and closes with “Little Wing” from Young’s recently released Homegrown.
Yours Truly – Self Care CD (UNFD)
Debut album from the Australian pop-punk band. [Vinyl edition due October 30.]
Yusuf / Cat Stevens – Tea For The Tillerman 2 CD/LP (A&M)
Fifty years ago, the original Tea For The Tillerman was the record that made London-born artist Cat Stevens an international star and a definitive figure of the first singer-songwriter era. With half a century of experiences since the 1970 LP first appeared, Tea For The Tillerman 2 offers up striking and sensitive new renditions of stone-cold classics “Where Do The Children Play”, “Wild World” and “Father And Son”.
Zola Jesus – Live At Roadburn 2018 CD/2xLP (Roadburn Productions)
Zola Jesus is the stage name of Russian American musician Nika Roza Danilova. Under the moniker, she has released a number of genre bending EPs and albums. Her approach is a cross pollination of electronic/industrial, classical, and gothic sounds. All of it coming together as a dark and emotional artistic experience. Zola Jesus Live At Roadburn 2018 is the project’s first ever live album. Zola Jesus was invited by Jakob Bannon of Converge to play at his curated day.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets – Live At The Roundhouse Blu-ray (Legacy)
Live At The Roundhouse is unlike any other concert film connected with Pink Floyd. It’s the nearest thing you can get to a time machine, transporting you back to the very earliest days of the band. Nick Mason, the only band member to have played on all of Pink Floyd’s studio albums, returns to the group’s earliest records, joined in the line-up by Gary Kemp, Guy Pratt, Lee Harris and Dom Beken. Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets took the drummer back to clubs for the first time in 1967, then to theatres, across the UK, North America and Europe, playing only music his old band had recorded before The Dark Side Of The Moon. Captured from the band’s celebrated shows at London’s Roundhouse, where Pink Floyd played some of their most revered early shows in the 1960s, this release features a uniquely thrilling set list including songs hailing from Syd Barrett’s time with the band. Only four songs from this eclectic roster have ever previously appeared on official live releases by Pink Floyd or its members. Everything else is being experienced for the first time since their original live performances.
Alejandro Jodorowsky – The Alejandro Jodorowsky: 4K Restoration Collection 4xBlu-ray+2xCD (Abkco)
The Alejandro Jodorowsky: 4K Restoration Collection features a full-color book with photos and essays, a set of art cards, and a double-sided movie poster along with the six-disc set. New content includes recently filmed instructions with Jodorowsky, his son Brontis, who makes his acting debut as the young boy in El Topo. Also interviewed, his longtime personal assistant Pablo Leder. In addition to the 4K restorations are new introductions by Columbia University professor Richard Peña, a mini-documentary A To Z Of The Holy Mountain, narrated by Jodorowsky biographer Ben Cobb, and original soundtracks from El Topo and The Holy Mountain.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Arca – &&&&& [Reissue/2013] 12” (Pan)
For anyone who can remember, Arca’s &&&&& was a moment. Its 25-minute stretch of coiling, contorted grime and glitch; dub and hip hop dropped with the buzz of an impending co-production credit on Kanye West’s Yeezus in 2013. It included cuts of sound and beats that were too weird for that pop project, while becoming a piece of experimental art that what would come to define what is by now broadly known as a ‘post-club’ sound. Its music that is as visceral as it is experimental; madeas much for the mind, as it is for the body
Arthur – Hair Of The Dog LP (Honeymoon)
Hair Of The Dog is the follow-up to Woof Woof, Arthur’s debut album written in solitude in the woods of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. While both were self-produced, Hair Of The Dog is a stranger chapter, recorded in his apartment in West Philadelphia. A Charon ferry ride into the liminal depths of his own personal hell, Hair Of The Dog is driven by dystopian musings and Arthur’s wonky pop sensibilities that leap between universes but somehow return home in one piece.
The Avett Brothers – The Third Gleam LP (Loma Vista)
Limited 180gm vinyl pressing. Grammy Award-nominees The Avett Brothers release the highly-anticipated third installment in their ongoing Gleam series. The Third Gleam marks a return to The Avett Brothers’ roots, both sonically and in form with Seth and Scott Avett playing as a trio with longtime bassist Bob Crawford, and follows in the band’s tradition of sharing what’s on their minds and in their hearts as their lives, and the world around them, continue to evolve. Seth and Scott express that while The Third Gleam was recorded ahead of the pandemic and social reform movements that have swept the nation, the new music captures their personal experiences and perspectives on themes that are undeniably universal and timely. Throughout the eight-song collection, the band delves into isolation, incarceration, and injustice, as well as resilience, redemption, and love, offering a gleam of hope in a dark and uncertain time.
Be’lakor – Of Breath And Bone [Reissue/2012] LP (Napalm)
Vinyl reissue of the Melbourne, Australia melodic death metal band’s third album.
Peter Bibby – Marge LP (Spinning Top)
The third studio album from the West Coast musical cult figure and the disruptive Dog Act is an album of splintered, volatile Australiana. Recorded with Strawberry Pete Gower and drummer Dirty Dave Taylor, Bibby’s third LP Marge is a soundtrack to a surf movie where there’s blood in the water.
Black Veil Brides – Re-Stitch These Wounds [Reissue/2010] LP (Sumerian)
Limited ultra-clear with neon yellow & black splatter colored vinyl reissue of the debut studio album by the American rock band.
Joe Bonamassa – A New Day Now 2xLP (J&R Adventures)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of his 2000 debut album, A New Day Yesterday, Joe Bonamassa releases a newly re-mixed and re-recorded version entitled, A New Day Now.
Ronnie Boykins – Will Come Is Now [Reissue/1975] LP (ESP-Disk’)
In 1964, ESP-Disk’ invited Ronnie Boykins to record his own album, and in February 1974 he told the label that he was finally ready. This recording features his solid abilities as a bassist, including his marvelous arco work, as well as his talents as a composer and arranger. In addition, listeners are treated to an all-natural bass sound, rare during this particular era of jazz history. In septet format, Boykins’ six originals create a variety of moods and textures that not only evoke the music of Sun Ra, but also reflect his own sensibilities as an artist.
Carpathian Forest – We’re Going To Hell For This: Over A Decade Of Perversions [Reissue/2002] LP (Peaceville)
Savage black metal misanthropy from the Norwegian masters, containing rarities and unreleased material. Presented on 180gm heavyweight vinyl.
Eric Copeland – Dumb It Down LP (Post Present Medium)
Dumb It Down is the fifteenth solo LP by Eric Copeland of Black Dice. Nimble, persuasive, and brisk, these ten songs bounce along with a charm and directness that’s entirely unprecedented in Eric’s 20+ year career. The evocative, carnival loops that have defined his solo work for the past decade are joined here by the organic warmth of a nylon string guitar and breezy vocals that make no attempt to hide the laughter behind the words. It’s captivating, and Eric’s sense of catching and holding attention has truly never been stronger than on this record he’s chatty and sly, direct yet never exposed.
Gus Dapperton – Orca LP (Gus Dapperton)
“Gus Dapperton’s most striking quality is his meticulous appearance, which consists of baggy, thrift-chic clothing, pristinely painted nails, and a sharp bowl cut. But like his scrupulous sense of style, the singer-songwriter’s music has felt too faithful to the inoffensive “good vibes” of bedroom pop. Dapperton’s 2019 debut, Where Polly People Go To Read, offered an attractive amalgamation of alternative pop and R&B but did little in the way of distinguishing him from his peers. Think of Dapperton as an edgier Rex Orange County or a less neo-soul-inclined Omar Apollo. With his sophomore effort, Orca, Dapperton roughens up the edges of his music, trading in sleek synth-pop slow jams for unvarnished balladry and borrowing more heavily from indie rock.” – Slant Magazine
Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round [Reissue/1984] 12” (Cleopatra)
Limited colored vinyl repress of this dancefloor-filling EP featuring their club classic “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” plus covers of Madonna, Prince and more.
Rudy de Anda – Tender Epoch CD/LP (Colemine)
Conceived in the 1980s in Mexico and brought to California through the border inside of his six-month-pregnant mother, Rudy de Anda’s debut solo record is a love letter to the long historical lineage of rock ‘n’ roll music as interpreted through his multicultural lens.
Willie DeVille – Live At Montreux 1994 2xLP (earMUSIC)
Willie DeVille – Live In The Lowlands LP (earMUSIC)
Hardly any other musician has experienced as many musical styles in their career as singer-songwriter Willy DeVille. From his early days with Mink DeVille at New York’s famous CBGB’s club through to his later career, he has always created a unique blend of blues, pop, Cajun and soul seasoned with pure DeVille magic and that wonderful smoky voice.
Katie Dey – mydata LP (Run For Cover)
Limited pink colored vinyl pressing. Fourth solo release from the Melbourne-based pop artist. Her unique sound, which blends noisy synths with art-pop poetics, has felt ahead of the curve, but in this moment of quarantine-strained relationships and touch-starved isolation, mydata feels even more prescient than ever.
D.I. – Flashback Favorites LP (Cleopatra)
White vinyl pressing. The bad boys of SoCal punk rock return from a long hiatus to offer this covers album featuring punked-out versions of classics by Fleetwood Mac, The Guess Who, Kiss, Deep Purple, Blondie, Depeche Mode and more. [Limited Topo Chico bottle clear vinyl pressing also available.]
The Doors – 13 [Reissue/1970] LP (Elektra)
Vinyl reissue of the first compilation album by The Doors – the band’s only compilation album released while lead singer Jim Morrison was alive.
Dwellings – Lavender Town [Reissue/2018] LP (Tragic Hero)
Colored vinyl pressing of the debut album from the post-hardcore band.
The Jeremy Edge Project – The Jeremy Edge Project LP (Deko Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Former Candlelight Red guitarist Jeremy Edge launches a new band, The Jeremy Edge Project, which features guest performances by Brandon Yeagley (Crobot) and Brett Hestla (Dark New Day).
Eminem – Music To Be Murdered By 2xLP (Interscope)
Now available on vinyl. Eminem’s 2020 album arrived with little to no warning. The Detroit MC left no hints he was even working on a new project. Produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre, the 20-track album boasts a number of high profile features including Young MA, Royce da 5’9″, White Gold, Ed Sheeran, the late Juice WRLD, Skylar Grey, Black Thought of The Roots, Q-Tip, Denaun, Anderson Paak, Don Toliver, KXNG Crooked, and Joell Ortiz.
The Fantasy Orchestra – The Bear And Other Stories LP (Disco-Ordination)
Released earlier this year on CD – now available on vinyl. The Fantasy Orchestra is a community project led by This Is The Kit’s Jesse D Vernon, featuring guest vocals by Kate Stables (also TITK). Based in Bristol and also in Paris. The Orchestra (motto: ‘more is more’) brings together 40+ musicians, professional and amateur, to create a kaleidoscopic symphonic brigade. Live shows can include more than 80 performers. They began life as an Ennio Morricone covers band and have since developed full sets of David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, and most recently, Radiohead. There’s more than two hundred songs in their repertoire and their mission is “World Peace One Note At A Time.” Their eclectic repertoire covers film soundtracks (Morricone, Barry, RD Burman), rock and pop favorites (Hendrix, Beatles, Bowie), and some more obscure treasures. Think psychedelic loveliness, rousing choral noise, and some choice costumes.
Flaming Tunes – Flaming Tunes [Reissue/1985] LP (Superior Viaduct)
Flaming Tunes’ sole release is perhaps the finest elegy to the ’80s home recording ethos that you’ve never heard. Originally released in 1985 on cassette (with individually hand-colored covers), this self-titled album grew out of the collaboration between childhood friends Gareth Williams and Mary Currie. Williams is best known as a member of English art-rock band This Heat. Using whatever instruments they had on hand (clarinet, piano, bells, etc.), Flaming Tunes create lo-fi melodies around simple arrangements, oblique rhythms and densely layered natural sounds. The results are a mesmeric collage of instrumental daydreams and sideways pop songs, floating into one another in a hazy confluence of late ’60s Canterbury psych-folk and early Residents experimentation.
Greg Fox – Contact LP+MP3 (RVNG Int’l)
Greg Fox’s Contact is an extension and evolution of the multidisciplinary artist’s rigorous, virtuosic sound-making practices. On Contact, the devoted performer, intrepid composer and avid collaborator channels an alchemy of influences and ideas through the kinetic exchange of human and percussive forms. Produced and mixed by Randall Dunn, Contact sees Fox accessing ever more raw and ruminative states, processing the tumult of sentience into stick-hit-drum.
Henry Grimes Trio – The Call LP (ESP-Disk’)
For The Call, Grimes teamed with highly original clarinetist Perry Robinson (as label owner Bernard Stollman has noted, a virtuoso who merits far wider recognition… and this recording reflects both of their contributions, in equal measure) and stalwart drummer/ESP-Disk’ regular Tom Price. As a bassist, Grimes’s melodic style is well up to the task of being co-equal voice with a horn, resulting in a thoughtful and texturally rewarding LP with a level of quality far above the rote sideman session cliché, and far away from equally clichéd ideas of unrelentingly full-bore free jazz. It offers the sound of three excellent musicians listening to each other and responding superbly.
HAAi – Put Your Head Above The Parakeets 12”+MP3 (Mute)
Limited green colored vinyl pressing. Put Your Head Above The Parakeets is HAAi’s second EP for Mute, following 2019’s critically lauded Systems Up, Windows Down. The new EP features four brand new tracks including the pseudo title track “Head Above The Parakeets” which exudes a woozy summery heat. Meanwhile the second track, “Rotating in Unison”, embraces positivity, written in response to this year’s enforced slowdown. The final two tracks take us back to the club, where HAAi is known for spinning genre bending and spellbinding DJ sets.
Hanoi Rocks – Oriental Beat [Reissue/1982] LP (Cleopatra)
Limited picture disc vinyl of the sophomore album by the Finnish glam rockers.
Catherine Christer Hennix – Unbegrenzt LP (Blank Forms)
Unbegrenzt is the third in an ongoing series of archival records of the unheard music of Swedish composer Catherine Christer Hennix. Recorded in February of 1974 and featuring Catherine Christer Hennix (recitation, percussion, and electronics) and Hans Isgren (bowed gong), Hennix’s realization of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s “Unbegrenzt” (German for unlimited) from Aus den Sieben Tagen is an elaboration both rigorous and radically different from the canonical 1969 recording issued by Shandar.
JEFF The Brotherhood – Gremlins Vol.1 [Reissue/2016] LP+MP3 (Jett Plastic Recordings)
Previously released as a tour-only CD (limited to 33 copies) this compilation of unreleased tracks, alternate versions and surprises from the Nashville indie rock band is limited to 500 copies on white vinyl and will never be repressed.
Joyce Manor – Songs From Northern Torrance LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Songs From Northern Torrance, the latest album from acclaimed California-based four-piece Joyce Manor, is a 10-track compilation of early material that offers a glimpse into the band’s humble beginnings as an acoustic two-piece. Originally recorded between 2008 and 2010, many of the tracks have become fan favorites over the years previously existing in a live setting, or on rare CD-Rs sold by the band during their early days on the road. Opaque yellow colored vinyl pressing.
Damian Lazarus – Flourish 2xLP (Crosstown Rebels)
As anyone who has watched Lazarus DJ can attest, his inspirations are deep and varied, crisscrossing show tunes, drum ‘n’ bass, jazz, electro, soul, house, techno and everything in-between. Flourish reflects his immersion in a multitude of scenes over the years, from the early days of London drum ‘n’ bass, to his role as a figurehead in the electroclash scene.
Los Retros – Everlasting 12” (Stones Throw)
The new EP from Los Retros, aka Mauri Tapia, is a vulnerable, yet stylistically-rich collection of songs built around his impeccable curatorial ear and a natural instinct for updating vintage hooks and song structures. Across Everlasting, he reflects on a newfound sense of spirituality, love and positivity through five intimate, nostalgia-inducing songs that channel a variety of influences from soul and funk, to psychedelic rock.
Los Shakers – Los Shakers / Break It All [Reissue/1965/1966] 2xLP (Guerssen)
Los Shakers – Shakers For You [Reissue/1966] LP (Guerssen)
Los Shakers – La Conferencia Secreta Del Toto’s Bar [Reissue/1968] LP (Guerrsen)
Shaker’s – In The Studio Again [Reissue/1971] LP (Guerssen)
Vinyl reissues of the first three albums from the Uruguayan pop band and their first under the reformed alias Shaker’s.
Aksak Maboul – Figures 2xLP (Crammed Discs)
Aksak Maboul – Charles F. Bleistift EP 7” (Crammed Discs)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Drawing again from the multiple sources which have always inspired the band (from electronic music and pop to experimentation, jazz, minimalism, contemporary classical etc.), Aksak Maboul reconfigures them with its inimitable style. Figures was wholly written, conceived and produced by Marc Hollander & Véronique Vincent, and features contribution by the band’s current live line-up (Faustine Hollander, Lucien Fraipont & Erik Heestermans, and by guests including a.o. Fred Frith, Steven Brown (Tuxedomoon), members of Aquaserge and more. The four tracks on the Charles F. Bleistift EP 7” are reworks, which don’t appear as such on the Figures album.
Mercyful Fate – Nuns Have No Fun [Reissue/1982] LP+MP3 (Metal Blade)
Limited black/white colored vinyl pressing. Nuns Have No Fun – aka Mercyful Fate – is the first official release from Danish black metal band. Four tracks pressed at 45rpm.
Ministry – Every Day Is Halloween: Greatest Tricks [Reissue/2010] LP (Cleopatra)
Gold vinyl repress. Industrial legend Al Jourgensen revisits highlights from the Ministry canon and throws a spin on classics of yesteryear on this 2010 anthology. Features versions of fan favorites “Every Day Is Halloween”, “N.W.O.”, “Jesus Built My Hotrod” plus covers of songs by Black Sabbath, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and more.
Mirah – You Think It’s Like This But Really It’s Like This [Reissue/2000] 2xLP+MP3 (Double Double Whammy)
20th anniversary remastered vinyl reissue, expanded with a compilation album of album covers from artists like Mount Eerie, Half Waif, Shamir, y La Bamba, and more. “I didn’t know I was making a record,” recalls the singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer, 20 years later, on the reissue of her now classic debut full-length, You Think It’s Like This But Really It’s Like This, originally released in 2000 by K Records. Some days, she’d be at home experimenting with four-track home-recording. Other days, she’d be over at Dub Narcotic’s giant warehouse space, in its wide open second floor studio, the Big Room, meeting up with friends like Phil Elverum (who she had collaborated with in The Microphones, and who co-produced the record), Khaela Maricich (of the Blow, who sings on some of the songs), and really, whichever cast of friends were around and wanted to play music.
Gary Moore – Old New Ballad Blues [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (earMUSIC)
Gary Moore – Close As You Get [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (earMUSIC)
Gary Moore – Bad For You Baby [Reissue/2008] 2xLP (earMUSIC)
Vinyl reissues of the three of the Irish blues rock guitarist’s final studio albums.
Nektar – Remember The Future [Reissue/1973] LP (Cleopatra)
Limited picture disc vinyl version of the classic 1973 prog rock masterpiece by the unsung heroes of spacey conceptual art rock.
Nihiloxica – Kaloli LP+MP3 (Crammed Discs)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Kaloli is the debut full-length LP from Kampala’s darkest electro-percussion group Nihiloxica. The album marries the propulsive Ugandan percussion of the Nilotika Cultural Ensemble with technoid analog synth lines and hybrid kit playing from the UK’s pq and Spooky-J. The result is something otherworldly.
Nouvelle Vague – Version Française [Reissue/2010] LP (Kwaiden)
Vinyl reissue. The French band reinterpret new wave classics with quasi-Brazilian bossa nova cool.
The Olympia Brass Band – The Olympia Brass Band Of New Orleans [Reissue/1971] LP (GHB Jazz Foundation)
The Olympia Brass Band, formed in 1958 by alto saxophonist Harold Dejan soon became New Orleans top marching band. Olympia Brass Band made many recordings over the years and this 1971 session for Audiophile Records is one of their best.
John Prine – John Prine [Reissue/1971] LP (Rhino)
John Prine – Diamonds In The Rough [Reissue/1972] LP (Rhino)
John Prine – Sweet Revenge [Reissue/1973] LP (Rhino)
John Prine – Common Sense [Reissue/1975] LP (Rhino)
Limited 180gm vinyl reissues of John Prine’s first four studio albums.
Hania Rani – Home LP (Gondwana)
Recently released on CD – now available on limited colored vinyl. Composer and pianist Hania Rani splits her life between Warsaw, where she makes her home, and Berlin where she studied and often works. Her debut album Esja, a beguiling collection of solo piano pieces was released to international acclaim in 2019. If those compositions were born out of a fascination with the piano as an instrument, then her follow-up, the expansive, cinematic, Home, finds Rani expanding her palate: adding vocals and subtle electronics to her music as well as being joined on some tracks by bassist Ziemowit Klimek and drummer Wojtek Warmijak.
Rainbow – Live In Munich 1977 3xLP (earMUSIC)
Live In Munich 1977 features the band’s famous line-up with vocalist Ronnie James Dio and drummer Cozy Powell. Due to trouble with the police after a gig in Austria two nights before, the Munich show needed to be postponed and took place one day later than planned. But this only seemed to give the band additional motivation to perform a truly remarkable concert. For the first time ever in the original performed song order on vinyl.
Otis Redding – The Best Of Otis Redding LP (Atlantic)
Newly remastered from the original mono master tapes in 2020, The Best Of Otis Redding gathers such milestone recordings as “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”, “I Can’t Turn You Loose”, “Mr. Pitiful”, “These Arms Of Mine”, “Respect”, “Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)”, “Try A Little Tenderness”, and “My Girl” among many more.
Slayer – The Repentless Killogy (Live At The Forum In Inglewood, CA) 2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Two limited vinyl pressings of this 21-track 2019 live release spanning Slayer’s catalog: double gatefold, red swirl, limited to 1,200 worldwide and double gatefold, picture disc, limited to 800 worldwide.
Snarls – Burst LP (Take This To Heart)
It’s no wonder MTV tried to brand Snarls’ enchanting indie rock as promising the best of emo and shoegaze or that the band themselves sees themselves as the forbearers of glitter emo alt rock. Snarls is fresh, frenzied, and worth fawning over.
Steam Down feat. Afronaut Zu – Blue Note Re:imagined 7” (Blue Note)
Blue Note Re:imagined is a new collection of classic tracks, reworked and recorded by a selection of the UK scene’s most exciting young talents. This 7″ features Steam Down and Afronaut Zu bring to life a new version of Wayne Shorter’s track “Etcetera”. On the flip side is Yazmin Lacy’s smoky, soulful interpretation of “I’ll Never Stop Loving You”.
Toto – Live At Montreux 1991 2xLP (earMUSIC)
In the early ‘90s Toto had a short period as a four-piece featuring Steve Lukather (guitar & lead vocals), David Paich (keyboards & vocals), Jeff Porcaro (drums & percussion) and Mike Porcaro (bass). The line-up, with some additional touring members, performed this concert at Montreux in July 1991 and went on to make the Kingdom Of Desire album which was released in 1992, shortly after the tragic early death of drummer Jeff Porcaro. The Montreux show combines the then unreleased tracks from the Kingdom Of Desire LP with classic hits and covers of songs by Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone.
Josh Turner – Country State Of Mind LP (MCA Nashville)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Multi-platinum-selling country music star Josh Turner invites fans to join him in scaling what the charismatic performer likes to call his “Mount Rushmore of Country Music” on his new studio album Country State Of Mind. The 12-song collection finds Turner in an enlightened “country state of mind” as he pays homage to a cross-section of classic country music icons, including five legends who have long held a firm place in his musical journey: Randy Travis, John Anderson, Johnny Cash, Vern Gosdin, and Hank Williams. LP packaging includes a bonus Country State Of Mind decal sticker.
Valium Aggelein – Black Moon LP (Numero)
Just as Duster’s landmark debut album Stratosphere was making its first orbit, Clay Parton, Dove Amber, and Jason Albertini tracked a largely improvised companion capsule under their Valium Aggelein alter ego. An ode to ’70s Kosmische, Hier Kommt Der Schwartze Mond is a skeletal space nap for the Prozac generation. Remixed and remastered from the original 16 track analog tapes, the 1998 album has been adjoined by 15 period-appropriate bonus tracks. A fuzzy masterpiece, hidden in plain sight, by the most important slowcore band of all time.
Various Artists –Soul Love One: The Black Fire Records Story 1975 – 1993 2xLP (Strut)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The first ever compilation bringing together classics and rarities from the seminal spiritual jazz and conscious soul label Black Fire, covering 1975 to 1993.
Various Artists – What Is It That Stands Before Me? LP (Sacred Bones)
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of both the self-titled Black Sabbath album and Paranoid, Sacred Bones is proud to present a compilation of Sabbath covers recorded by artists from their label roster. Here you’ll find Sabbath through the filter of the post-Soviet darkwave of Molchat Doma, the experimental folk of Hilary Woods, the laid-back psych of Moon Duo, and a half dozen more genre-bending artists.
Ron Wood – I’ve Got My Own Album To Do [Reissue/1974] LP (Friday Music)
Two limited colored vinyl variants: translucent red and purple. In 1974, The Faces lead guitarist and future Rolling Stone, Ron Wood found some time from his very busy career to record what would be a superstar collective masterwork known as I’ve Got My Own Album To Do.
Yes – The Ladder [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (earMUSIC)
Vinyl reissue of the English progressive rock band’s 18th studio album.
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