Social Media Program Titles Released This Week:
Anika – Change CD/LP/Cassette (Sacred Bones)
When asked to describe the circumstances that influenced her beautifully fraught new work, Berlin-based musician Annika Henderson – better known simply as Anika – quickly articulates a set of feelings and unpredictable circumstances that are familiar to anyone who tried to make art – or simply tried to live through – the recent global pandemic. “It’s a moment caught in time,” she says of Change, her much-anticipated new record. Given that it has been 11 years since the release of her last solo album, 2010 cult-favorite Anika, the artist suddenly found herself with a lot to say. The intimacy of its creation and a palpable sense of global anxiety are seemingly baked into the DNA of Change. Spread across nine tracks, the central feeling of the record is one of heightened frustration buoyed by guarded optimism. The songs offer skittering, austere electronic backdrops reminiscent of classic Broadcast records or High Scores-era Boards Of Canada, playing them against Anika’s remarkable voice – Nico-esque, beautifully plaintive, and – in regards to the record’s subject matter – totally resolute. [An indie-store exclusive red & silver ‘galaxy’ color vinyl pressing is available.]
Molly Burch – Romantic Images CD/LP (Captured Tracks)
Romantic Images marks a distinct evolution for Molly Burch, both emotionally and sonically. Recorded in Denver with Tennis’ Alaina Moore and Pat Riley producing, the collection celebrates the timeless delights of a well-crafted pop song, flirting with Blondie, Madonna, and even Mariah Carey as it forges a joyful soundtrack to liberation and self-discovery. Burch deliberately worked with more women collaborators than ever before on the album, and the results are transcendent, reveling in the passion and the power of the divine feminine. Written with the live show in mind, the collection prioritizes ecstasy and escape, and it’s easy to hear Burch’s commitment to collective catharsis in her lifted, airy delivery, which manages to exude both thoughtful introspection and carefree abandon all at once. [An indie-store exclusive color vinyl pressing is available.]
August Marketing Program/ Banner/ Listening Station Titles Promoted This Week:
Leon Bridges – Gold Digger’s Sound CD/LP (Capitol)
Gold-Diggers Sound is the new album from Leon Bridges birthed from extended late nights at the Los Angeles, California studio of the same name. The R&B collection celebrates Leon’s immersive experience of creating music in the same East Hollywood room where he lived, worked and drank over the course of two years. The soulful collaboration between Leon as an artist and the space itself was so encompassing that he chose to name the album after the studio complex. Produced by Ricky Reed and Nate Mercereau, Gold-Diggers Sound features the Terrace Martin collaboration “Sweeter” plus further guest appearances by Robert Glasper and Ink. [An indie-store exclusive vinyl pressing is available.]
Jackson Browne – Downhill From Everywhere CD (Inside Recordings)
Jackson Browne’s latest studio album, Downhill from Everywhere finds the lauded 72-year-old singer/songwriter tackling a variety of topical and emotional themes, including the plight of illegal immigrants, prejudice against same-sex relationships, environmental pollution, racial justice and his own mortality. “I see the writing on the wall,” says Browne. “I know there’s only so much time left in my life. But I now have an amazing, beautiful grandson, and I feel more acutely than ever the responsibility to leave him a world that’s inhabitable.” [Vinyl edition due August 6.]
Rodney Crowell – Triage CD/LP (RC1)
A writer known for the universal and literary quality of his writing, Triage is a departure, a revealing album that Rodney Crowell has called his most personal to date. This is no small statement from such a prolific and acclaimed musician, a man who has stacked up 15 No. 1 hits including six of his own, and dozens of others for an impressively diverse array of artists including Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Keith Urban, Bob Seger, Etta James, Grateful Dead and many others. This new collection of songs was written during the great political, climate and economic upheaval that has marked recent years. The noise of that chaos encouraged the songwriter to go inside for solace and answers. The result is this series of songs that contend with these themes but approach them from a place of healing love and solution. That they are being released while we find ourselves walking through a global pandemic, is a gift of perfect timing.
Darkside – Spiral CD/2xLP+MP3 (Matador)
Darkside is an American rock band formed in Providence, Rhode Island in 2011. The group consists of Chilean electronic musician/vocalist Nicolás Jaar and American multi-instrumentalist Dave Harrington. In the summer of 2018, Jaar and Harrington rented a small house on Lenni-Lenape territory, which is present-day Flemington, New Jersey. The group spent a week there, making a song a day. While it would take another year and a half to complete their second album, six songs from the band’s new record Spiral were written and recorded during this initial session. “From the beginning, Darkside has been our jam band. Something we did on days off. When we reconvened, it was because we really couldn’t wait to jam together again,” says Jaar. Harrington echoes this, “It felt like it was time again,” he said. “We do things in this band that we would never do on our own. Darkside is the third being in the room that just kind of occurs when we make music together.”
Descendents – 9th & Walnut CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Named for their Long Beach practice space back in the day, 9th & Walnut features the Descendents’ earliest material written from 1977 through 1980. Begun in 2002 and finished in the pandemic, the 18-track collection also includes the band’s debut tracks “Ride The Wild” and “It’s a Hectic World” (heard here for the first time with vocals by Milo Aukerman), and the Dave Clark Five’s “Glad All Over” with the full Descendents treatment. [An indie-store exclusive vinyl pressing is available.]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Butterfly 3000 CD (ATO)
KGLW’s 18th studio album, Butterfly 3000, might be their most fearless leap into the unknown yet; 10 songs that began life as arpeggiated loops composed on modular synthesizers, before being fashioned into addictive, optimistic and seductive dream-pop. It sounds simultaneously like nothing they’ve done before, yet unmistakably Gizz, down to its climactic neon psych-a-tronic flourish. [Vinyl edition August 20.]
Lacuna Coil – Live From The Apocalypse CD+DVD/2xLP+DVD (Century Media)
Lacuna Coil’s new live album, Live From The Apocalypse, is the fruit of an unprecedented time. Unlike previous live efforts – Visual Karma (Body, Mind And Soul) (2008), Shallow Live: Acoustic At Criminal Records (2010), and The 119 Show – Live In London (2018) – the Italians, under the yoke of the pandemic, cleverly devised a way for their devoted fanbase to hear and see them on stage by organizing a special live stream event performing their latest album, Black Anima, in September 2020. By all accounts, this was no ordinary gig. Even though Lacuna Coil were in their hometown of Milan – at the famed Alcatraz Club – there were no fans to greet them.
Paul McCartney – McCartney III Imagined CD/2xLP/Cassette (Capitol)
Hailed upon its 2020 release as “vital and comfortable taking new chances” (Rolling Stone) and “cheery, resilient, forever looking forward” (The New Yorker), Paul McCartney’s McCartney III, which topped album charts around the world, is now literally moving into the future in the form of McCartney III Imagined. Curated by Paul, McCartney III Imagined features an A-List assortment of friends, fans and brand-new acquaintances, each covering and/or reimagining their favorite McCartney III moments in their own signature styles. Contributors include Beck, Dominic Fike, Khruangbin, St. Vincent, Blood Orange, Phoebe Bridgers, Ed O’Brien, Damon Albarn, Josh Homme, Anderson .Paak, and 3D RDN of Massive Attack plus an exclusive remix of “Long Tailed Winter Bird” by Idris Elba included only on physical editions of the album.
Mudhoney – Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
In the spring of 1991, Mudhoney recorded Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge – a whirlwind of the band’s influences at the time: the fierce ‘60s garage rock of their Pacific Northwest predecessors The Sonics and The Lollipop Shoppe, the gnashing post-hardcore of Drunks With Guns, the heavy guitar moods of Neil Young, the lysergic workouts of Spacemen 3 and Hawkwind, the gloomy existentialism of Zounds, and the satirical ferocity of ‘80s hardcore punk. This 30th anniversary edition, remastered by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service, stands as testimony to the creative surge that drove them in this period. The album sessions yielded a clutch of material that would subsequently appear on B-sides, compilations, and split singles. This edition includes all those tracks, and a slew of previously unreleased songs, including the entire five-track Music Source session.
Piroshka – Love Drips And Gathers CD/LP+MP3 (Bella Union)
Piroshka’s stunning second album Love Drips And Gathers, builds on the acclaim of their 2018 album debut Brickbat, and the reputations of former members of Lush, Moose, Elastica and Modern English. Piroshka emerged in 2018, four individuals with distinct musical identities but also overlapping histories – a combination that might have unsettled, or even overwhelmed, some bands. But in their case, the bond only got stronger. After Brickbat explored social and political divisions by way of what Mojo described as “Forceful, driving garage songs and dream-pop epics”, Love Drips And Gathers follows a more introspective line. Reflecting on the ties that bind us, as lovers, parents, children and friends, to a suitably subtler, more ethereal sound, whilst still reveling in energy and drama. [An indie-store exclusive red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Richard Pryor – Live At The Comedy Store, 1973 CD (Omnivore)
After the release of his iconic debut, Richard Pryor, in 1968, Pryor further sharpened his skills and delivered the comedy classic, “CRAPS” – After Hours in 1971, but he never stopped pushing forward. In preparation for a Kennedy Center show in Washington, D.C., and a February 1974 Soul Train Club date in North Beach, San Francisco (that would produce the top-selling That Nigger’s Crazy) Pryor booked four nights at the, then relatively new, Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard to woodshed new material. It was never meant to be heard beyond its original audience, but luckily tape not only rolled, but survived. Fourteen tracks were originally issued in 2013 as a limited-edition promotional CD given away with copies of the No Pryor Restraint: Life In Concert boxed set purchased from Shout! Factory’s website. Six additional Comedy Store performances found their way into the public earlier as bonus material on 2000’s …And It’s Deep Too!: The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings (1968–1992) and Evolution/Revolution: The Early Years (1966-1974) in 2005. Now, all 20 tracks are pulled together for the first time and available on Live At The Comedy Store, 1973.
CDs + Vinyl:
Lee Aaron – Radio On! CD/LP (Metalville)
Just like the numerous FM stations that once ruled the airwaves, Radio On! is an album packed with classic, melodic rock hooks, nasty guitar riffs, big harmonies and inspired songwriting. Lee Aaron combines these qualities through catchy, soaring melodies carried by her unique, versatile voice. [A limited-edition white color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Anika – Change CD/LP/Cassette (Sacred Bones)
When asked to describe the circumstances that influenced her beautifully fraught new work, Berlin-based musician Annika Henderson – better known simply as Anika – quickly articulates a set of feelings and unpredictable circumstances that are familiar to anyone who tried to make art – or simply tried to live through – the recent global pandemic. “It’s a moment caught in time,” she says of Change, her much-anticipated new record. Given that it has been 11 years since the release of her last solo album, 2010 cult-favorite Anika, the artist suddenly found herself with a lot to say. The intimacy of its creation and a palpable sense of global anxiety are seemingly baked into the DNA of Change. Spread across nine tracks, the central feeling of the record is one of heightened frustration buoyed by guarded optimism. The songs offer skittering, austere electronic backdrops reminiscent of classic Broadcast records or High Scores-era Boards Of Canada, playing them against Anika’s remarkable voice – Nico-esque, beautifully plaintive, and – in regards to the record’s subject matter – totally resolute. [An indie-store exclusive red & silver ‘galaxy’ color vinyl pressing is available.]
Anne-Marie – Therapy CD (WB)
Anne-Marie’s second studio album, Therapy, is the official follow-up to her multi-platinum and four million-selling 2018 debut, Speak Your Mind (the UK’s biggest-selling debut release of that year). An artist whose everywoman candor and knock-you-down vocal range has reverberated across the globe, Therapy is a collection of songs that embody A-M’s characterful artistry, self-effacing attitude and beautiful honesty; attributes that have not only catapulted Essex-born artist to platinum status in the UK to the USA and everywhere in-between, but ones that have seen her reign supreme a fearless Gen Z role model. [Vinyl edition due August 27.]
Big Sean – Finally Famous [Reissue/2011] CD (Def Jam)
Remixed and remastered. After 10 years, Finally Famous is still a cultural phenomenon in the superstar’s career. Rolling Stone described the album as “a choice summertime rap record, complete with bright, breezy synth beats.” Boasting features from Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Wiz Khalifa, The-Dream, and many others. Big Sean delivers “Instagram caption” worthy bars throughout these 16 tracks. While a decade has passed since its release, it continues to be relevant, club-certified, and hard hitting.
Leon Bridges – Gold Digger’s Sound CD/LP (Capitol)
Gold-Diggers Sound is the new album from Leon Bridges birthed from extended late nights at the Los Angeles, California studio of the same name. The R&B collection celebrates Leon’s immersive experience of creating music in the same East Hollywood room where he lived, worked and drank over the course of two years. The soulful collaboration between Leon as an artist and the space itself was so encompassing that he chose to name the album after the studio complex. Produced by Ricky Reed and Nate Mercereau, Gold-Diggers Sound features the Terrace Martin collaboration “Sweeter” plus further guest appearances by Robert Glasper and Ink. [An indie-store exclusive vinyl pressing is available.]
Roy Brooks – Understanding CD (Cellar Live)
Understanding is a previously unreleased recording of drummer Roy Brooks captured live by the Left Bank Jazz Society at The Famous Ballroom in Baltimore, MD on November 1, 1970. Featuring a stellar band with trumpeter Woody Shaw, saxophonist Carlos Garnett, pianist Harold Mabern and bassist Cecil McBee, Understanding was recorded five months after the classic live album The Free Slave (also recorded by the Left Bank Jazz Society).
The Brothers – March 10, 2020/Madison Square Garden/New York, NY 4xCD (Peach Records Association)
The Brothers – celebrating 50 Years of the music of The Allman Brothers Band that performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City for one night only March 10, 2020. The Brothers-Jaimoe, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge, Marc Quinones-were joined by Duane Trucks and Reese Wynans and special guest Chuck Leavell. [Stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions are also available.]
Jackson Browne – Downhill From Everywhere CD (Inside Recordings)
Jackson Browne’s latest studio album, Downhill from Everywhere finds the lauded 72-year-old singer/songwriter tackling a variety of topical and emotional themes, including the plight of illegal immigrants, prejudice against same-sex relationships, environmental pollution, racial justice and his own mortality. “I see the writing on the wall,” says Browne. “I know there’s only so much time left in my life. But I now have an amazing, beautiful grandson, and I feel more acutely than ever the responsibility to leave him a world that’s inhabitable.” [Vinyl edition due August 6.]
Molly Burch – Romantic Images CD/LP (Captured Tracks)
Romantic Images marks a distinct evolution for Molly Burch, both emotionally and sonically. Recorded in Denver with Tennis’ Alaina Moore and Pat Riley producing, the collection celebrates the timeless delights of a well-crafted pop song, flirting with Blondie, Madonna, and even Mariah Carey as it forges a joyful soundtrack to liberation and self-discovery. Burch deliberately worked with more women collaborators than ever before on the album, and the results are transcendent, reveling in the passion and the power of the divine feminine. Written with the live show in mind, the collection prioritizes ecstasy and escape, and it’s easy to hear Burch’s commitment to collective catharsis in her lifted, airy delivery, which manages to exude both thoughtful introspection and carefree abandon all at once. [An indie-store exclusive color vinyl pressing is available.]
Glen Campbell – Live From The Troubadour CD/2xLP (Big Machine)
Live archive release. Country legend Glen Campbell’s last live recorded show at the iconic Troubadour venue in West Hollywood, CA. Recorded in August 2008. [A limited-edition white color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Capstan – Separate CD (Fearless)
Emerging from an era of intense personal and collective change, Capstan perfects their patented one-two punch of elite musicianship, battering ram rhythms, off-kilter fret fireworks, and high-octane choruses. [Vinyl edition due August 20.]
David Crosby – For Free CD (BMG Rights Management)
On his new album For Free, David Crosby shares the latest offering from a life devoted to the pure and powerful alchemy of music. Arriving just a month before his 80th birthday, For Free finds the folk-rock legend continuing to tap into the tremendous surge of creativity he’s experienced since the making of his acclaimed 2016 album Lighthouse, this time collaborating with the likes of Michael McDonald, Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, and multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Sarah Jarosz. [Release date for the vinyl edition is TBD.]
Rodney Crowell – Triage CD/LP (RC1)
A writer known for the universal and literary quality of his writing, Triage is a departure, a revealing album that Rodney Crowell has called his most personal to date. This is no small statement from such a prolific and acclaimed musician, a man who has stacked up 15 No. 1 hits including six of his own, and dozens of others for an impressively diverse array of artists including Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Keith Urban, Bob Seger, Etta James, Grateful Dead and many others. This new collection of songs was written during the great political, climate and economic upheaval that has marked recent years. The noise of that chaos encouraged the songwriter to go inside for solace and answers. The result is this series of songs that contend with these themes but approach them from a place of healing love and solution. That they are being released while we find ourselves walking through a global pandemic, is a gift of perfect timing.
Darkside – Spiral CD/2xLP+MP3 (Matador)
Darkside is an American rock band formed in Providence, Rhode Island in 2011. The group consists of Chilean electronic musician/vocalist Nicolás Jaar and American multi-instrumentalist Dave Harrington. In the summer of 2018, Jaar and Harrington rented a small house on Lenni-Lenape territory, which is present-day Flemington, New Jersey. The group spent a week there, making a song a day. While it would take another year and a half to complete their second album, six songs from the band’s new record Spiral were written and recorded during this initial session. “From the beginning, Darkside has been our jam band. Something we did on days off. When we reconvened, it was because we really couldn’t wait to jam together again,” says Jaar. Harrington echoes this, “It felt like it was time again,” he said. “We do things in this band that we would never do on our own. Darkside is the third being in the room that just kind of occurs when we make music together.”
Erika de Casier – Sensational CD/LP+MP3 (4AD)
Copenhagen-based songwriter and producer Erika de Casier releases her second full-length studio album, Sensational, which includes recent singles “No Butterflies, No Nothing” and “Drama”. Sensational expands the universe of de Casier’s 2019 self-released debut album Essentials. Where Essentials dealt more with the infatuation stages of love, Sensational has more of an attitude, aiming to dismantle the stereotype of single women looking for love, tackling relationship dramas and the toxicity of dating. It was a chance to rewrite scenarios in ways that empowered her, fantasizing about what could’ve been. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Descendents – 9th & Walnut CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Named for their Long Beach practice space back in the day, 9th & Walnut features the Descendents’ earliest material written from 1977 through 1980. Begun in 2002 and finished in the pandemic, the 18-track collection also includes the band’s debut tracks “Ride The Wild” and “It’s a Hectic World” (heard here for the first time with vocals by Milo Aukerman), and the Dave Clark Five’s “Glad All Over” with the full Descendents treatment. [An indie-store exclusive vinyl pressing is available.]
Dream Theater – Lost Not Forgotten Archives: Dramatic Tour of Events: Board Mixes 2xCD/3xLP+2xCD (Inside Out)
Dream Theater, the two-time Grammy-nominated and millions-selling legends of progressive music, are pleased to announce the Lost Not Forgotten Archives. This series will see the virtuosic quintet’s long-standing Ytsejam Records catalogue reissued, alongside some brand-new additions. The latest in the series, Lost Not Forgotten Archives: Dramatic Tour of Events: Board Mixes, is a carefully curated selection of tracks recorded in 2011 and 2012. Initially a holiday fan club release, these Select Board Mixes feature Dream Theater classics including “As I Am”, “Peruvian Skies”, and “The Great Debate”.
Eradicator – Influence Denied CD (Metalville)
Eradicator creates a combination of the sound of the San Francisco Bay Area à la Testament or Death Angel and the Teutonic elemental force of German genre greats like Kreator or Destruction. [Vinyl edition due August 6.]
Bill Evans – Behind The Dikes – The 1969 Netherlands Recordings 2xCD/3xLP (Anagram Music)
Archive release. This is the first official release from pianist Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morell captured live in Hilversum and Amsterdam in 1969. The Hilversum recordings feature Evans’ only version of Duke Ellington’s “I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart” known to exist, plus two rare tracks of the trio backed by The Metropole Orchestra. Remastered from the original tape reels, this edition includes an extensive booklet with never-before-published photos, essays and new interviews.
Orrin Evans – The Magic Of Now CD (Smoke Sessions)
Orrin Evans’ new album The Magic Of Now finds the celebrated pianist and bandleader at a personal and career crossroads. Leading a rhythm section that he intended to record over 10 years ago-bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Bill Stewart-and one of the most decorated artists of 2020 (and a fellow Philadelphian), alto saxophonist Immanuel Archer, Evans finds perfect timing within uncertain times.
Godslave – Positive Aggressive CD (Metalville)
New album from the German thrash metal band. [Vinyl edition due August 6.]
The Gun Club – Fire Of Love [Reissue/1981] 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Blixa Sounds)
Digitally remastered reissue of The Gun Club’s debut album, expanded with bonus live album.
Roy Hargrove/Mulgrew Miller – In Harmony 2xCD (Resonance)
The first previously unissued recording of the late trumpeter Roy Hargrove since his passing in 2018. Recorded in 2006 at Merkin Hall at the Kaufman Music Center in NYC and 2007 at the Williams Center at Lafayette College in Easton, PA with piano great Mulgrew Miller. This set includes an elaborate booklet with rare photos, essays, interviews and statements by Sonny Rollins, Christian McBride, Common, Ron Carter, Jon Batiste, Karriem Riggins, Keyon Harold, Chris Botti and more.
Heavy Water – Red Brick City CD/LP (Silver Lining Music)
Heavy water is a project by Saxon’s Biff Byford and son Seb Byford of Naked Six. Soaked in gritty, riff- baked blues, yet rich with the sound and meter of classic hard rock, Red Brick City‘s ten songs refuses to let you go.
Hillbilly Moon Explosion – Introducing The Hillbilly Moon Explosion [Reissue/2002] CD/LP (Cleopatra)
First US pressing of the debut album from the popular Swiss rockabilly shakers. [A limited-edition pink color vinyl pressing is also available.]
K.D.A.P./Kevin Drew – Influences CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)
Influences is Kevin Drew’s solo instrumental electronic project K.D.A.P. (Kevin Drew A Picture.) Written while hiking the forest trails of southern England, the record is a slideshow of intimate joyful moments against a backdrop of a world on fire, a rush-hour commute soundtrack for people stuck working from home, a celebration of survival and an elegy for lost friends. It’s a reminder that excitement and anxiety often elicit the same heart-pounding sensation.
Lacuna Coil – Live From The Apocalypse CD+DVD/2xLP+DVD (Century Media)
Lacuna Coil’s new live album, Live From The Apocalypse, is the fruit of an unprecedented time. Unlike previous live efforts – Visual Karma (Body, Mind And Soul) (2008), Shallow Live: Acoustic At Criminal Records (2010), and The 119 Show – Live In London (2018) – the Italians, under the yoke of the pandemic, cleverly devised a way for their devoted fanbase to hear and see them on stage by organizing a special live stream event performing their latest album, Black Anima, in September 2020. By all accounts, this was no ordinary gig. Even though Lacuna Coil were in their hometown of Milan – at the famed Alcatraz Club – there were no fans to greet them.
LCD Soundsystem – The Long Goodbye: LCD Soundsystem Live At Madison Square Garden [Reissue/2014] 3xCD (DFA)
The Long Goodbye is the complete, unabridged recording of LCD Soundsystem’s April 2, 2011 “farewell” show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Spanning 3 hours of music across 28 songs, this remains the band’s lengthiest, most career-spanning show to date, with the core live band of James Murphy, Pat Mahoney, Nancy Whang, Al Doyle, Gavilán Rayna Russom and Tyler Pope joined by a choir, string and horn sections – plus special guest performances including Win Butler and Regine Chassagne of Arcade Fire, Reggie Watts, the Juan MacLean, Shit Robot, Planningtorock, and Shannon Funchess of Light Asylum. [Vinyl box set edition due August 6.]
Ledisi – Ledisi Sings Nina CD (BMG)
It takes a bold talent to step into the shoes of Nina Simone. Ledisi has already shown she’s up for the challenge, taking on the powerhouse musician’s emotionally searing and socially direct songs from her PBS special Ledisi Live: A Tribute To Nina Simone.
Madness – Absolutely [Reissue/1980] 2xCD/LP (Union Square)
40th anniversary edition of Madness’ beloved second studio album. The double-CD edition contains 42 tracks, including B-Sides and live versions. A single disc 180gm vinyl pressing is also available.
Yngwie Malmsteen – Parabellum CD/2xLP (Mascot)
The name Yngwie Malmsteen has always stood for uncompromising excellence. In a career that now spans more than 40 years he has proven himself to be one of the greats. You can try to categorize him in any way you want, but the way Malmsteen has continually developed his craft allows him to transcend any definition you attempt to impose. This has never been more focused and informed than on his new album Parabellum, the best example yet of Malmsteen’s creative spark lighting a raging fire. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available. The Deluxe CD edition includes three guitar picks, two coasters, a postcard and a sticker, all housed in an oversized cardboard box. Also available this week: a limited-edition 180gm splatter color vinyl pressing of Malmsteen’s 2019 album, Blue Lightning.]
Marillion – With Friends At St. David’s 2xCD/3xLP (earMUSIC)
Throughout their over 40-year-long career and over 15 million records sold they have become the most outstanding representatives of prog rock. With Friends At St. David’s is not only a visually and sonically remarkable live album, but also a dedication to crossing musical boundaries and making friends outside of one genre and musical universe. [A limited-edition violet color vinyl pressing, and stand-alone Blu-ray edition are also available.]
Alexis Marshall – House Of Lull. House Of When CD/LP (Sargent House)
Alexis Marshall is best known as the frontman for Rhode Island’s notorious provocateurs Daughters, whose eight-year hiatus between their posthumous self-titled album and the critically acclaimed comeback album You Won’t Get What You Want found the ever-evolving band explode from down-and-out cult heroes to one of the biggest bands in the nebulous territory where abrasive noise rock fuses with high-art aspirations. For his debut album House Of Lull. House Of When, Marshall wanted to push that sense of chaos even further, by crafting an album around moments of spontaneity and sonic detritus, where a mistake could become a hook, or the whip of a chain could become a beat.
Paul McCartney – McCartney III Imagined CD/2xLP/Cassette (Capitol)
Hailed upon its 2020 release as “vital and comfortable taking new chances” (Rolling Stone) and “cheery, resilient, forever looking forward” (The New Yorker), Paul McCartney’s McCartney III, which topped album charts around the world, is now literally moving into the future in the form of McCartney III Imagined. Curated by Paul, McCartney III Imagined features an A-List assortment of friends, fans and brand-new acquaintances, each covering and/or reimagining their favorite McCartney III moments in their own signature styles. Contributors include Beck, Dominic Fike, Khruangbin, St. Vincent, Blood Orange, Phoebe Bridgers, Ed O’Brien, Damon Albarn, Josh Homme, Anderson .Paak, and 3D RDN of Massive Attack plus an exclusive remix of “Long Tailed Winter Bird” by Idris Elba included only on physical editions of the album.
Mudhoney – Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
In the spring of 1991, Mudhoney recorded Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge – a whirlwind of the band’s influences at the time: the fierce ‘60s garage rock of their Pacific Northwest predecessors The Sonics and The Lollipop Shoppe, the gnashing post-hardcore of Drunks With Guns, the heavy guitar moods of Neil Young, the lysergic workouts of Spacemen 3 and Hawkwind, the gloomy existentialism of Zounds, and the satirical ferocity of ‘80s hardcore punk. This 30th anniversary edition, remastered by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service, stands as testimony to the creative surge that drove them in this period. The album sessions yielded a clutch of material that would subsequently appear on B-sides, compilations, and split singles. This edition includes all those tracks, and a slew of previously unreleased songs, including the entire five-track Music Source session.
Conor Oberst – Ruminations [Reissue/2016] CD (Nonesuch)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition. Conor Oberst’s critically acclaimed 2016 solo album, Ruminations featuring five bonus tracks that were recorded during the Ruminations sessions; while full band versions of them were released on the 2017 companion album Salutations, these solo acoustic recordings are released for the first time. Ruminations was recorded in the winter of 2016, when Oberst found himself hibernating in his hometown of Omaha after living in New York City for more than a decade. He emerged with the unexpectedly raw, unadorned album, which NPR called “one of his most personal records… a collection of brave, dark songs… unmistakably moving and contain[ing] some of Oberst’s best lyrics and imagery.”
Ora The Molecule – Human Safari CD/2xLP (Mute)
Ora The Molecule is a multinational avant-pop trio made up Norgwegian singer and band leader Nora Schjelderup, London-based drummer Sju Smatanova, and German synth player Jan Blumentrath. Together, they create an unexpected sound combining timeless nostalgia, smooth pop, and retro electronica. Ora The Molecule are united by a mutual love of dance music, all three of them DJing italo, electronica and techno. These electronic sounds are blended with the ‘80s influences of Kraftwerk and Suzanne Vega. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
William Parker – Mayan Space Station CD/LP+MP3 (Aum Fidelity)
William Parker – Painter’s Winter CD/LP+MP3 (Aum Fidelity)
One of the iconic and enduring music leaders to emerge in the world over the last half century, William Parker continues to raise the bar higher. Mayan Space Station is his first electric guitar trio album, and features Ava Mendoza on electric guitar, Gerald Cleaver on drums, and Parker on bass. Cosmic multi-hued blues, perfect for space and time travel. Painter’s Winter features the trio of William Parker on bass, trombonium, shakuhachi, Daniel Carter on reeds, trumpet, flute, and Hamid Drake on drums.
Piroshka – Love Drips And Gathers CD/LP+MP3 (Bella Union)
Piroshka’s stunning second album Love Drips And Gathers, builds on the acclaim of their 2018 album debut Brickbat, and the reputations of former members of Lush, Moose, Elastica and Modern English. Piroshka emerged in 2018, four individuals with distinct musical identities but also overlapping histories – a combination that might have unsettled, or even overwhelmed, some bands. But in their case, the bond only got stronger. After Brickbat explored social and political divisions by way of what Mojo described as “Forceful, driving garage songs and dream-pop epics”, Love Drips And Gathers follows a more introspective line. Reflecting on the ties that bind us, as lovers, parents, children and friends, to a suitably subtler, more ethereal sound, whilst still reveling in energy and drama. [An indie-store exclusive red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Richard Pryor – Live At The Comedy Store, 1973 CD (Omnivore)
After the release of his iconic debut, Richard Pryor, in 1968, Pryor further sharpened his skills and delivered the comedy classic, “CRAPS” – After Hours in 1971, but he never stopped pushing forward. In preparation for a Kennedy Center show in Washington, D.C., and a February 1974 Soul Train Club date in North Beach, San Francisco (that would produce the top-selling That Nigger’s Crazy) Pryor booked four nights at the, then relatively new, Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard to woodshed new material. It was never meant to be heard beyond its original audience, but luckily tape not only rolled, but survived. Fourteen tracks were originally issued in 2013 as a limited-edition promotional CD given away with copies of the No Pryor Restraint: Life In Concert boxed set purchased from Shout! Factory’s website. Six additional Comedy Store performances found their way into the public earlier as bonus material on 2000’s …And It’s Deep Too!: The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings (1968–1992) and Evolution/Revolution: The Early Years (1966-1974) in 2005. Now, all 20 tracks are pulled together for the first time and available on Live At The Comedy Store, 1973.
Joshua Radin – The Ghost And The Wall CD (Nettwerk)
Ninth album from the internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter. The Ghost And The Wall sees the troubadour continue a cycle of catharsis meant to be shared among any and all receptive hearts. “I see where I need to heal, and I write songs about that,” Joshua admits. “Like keeping a diary, songwriting is extremely personal for me. It’s always cathartic to not only write, but to also go on tour and play in front of people on a nightly basis. With every project, I get to see how the most vulnerable moments of my life affect others.”
Septicflesh – In The Flesh II 4xCD (Season Of Mist)
The albums Revolution DNA, Sumerian Daemons, Communion and The Great Mass on four CDs in a jewel box with 16-page booklet containing all lyrics.
Stone Temple Pilots – Tiny Music… Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop [Reissue/1996] CD/2xCD/3xCD+LP (Atlantic)
In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the release of Tiny Music… Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop, the album has been remastered and expanded with a 15 track collection of early versions, instrumentals and alternate mixes. [The super-deluxe edition includes the album on vinyl, the double-CD expanded edition, and a third CD of a complete concert recording from 1997. A stand-alone single-CD copy of the remastered reissue is also available.]
Justin Sullivan – Surrounded CD/2xLP (earMUSIC)
Justin Sullivan steps out from New Model Army to release his second solo album, 18 years after the first. Surrounded is a collection of sixteen new songs, written in the first weeks of the 2020 lockdown. These songs are again stunning guitar-vocal compositions highlighting Sullivan’s love of storytelling, wide open landscapes and unforgettable atmospheres.
Sun Ra – Lanquidity [Reissue/1978] 2xCD/4xLP (Strut)
The definitive edition of Sun Ra’s classic Lanquidity album from 1978. Recorded overnight at Bob Bank’s Blank Tapes on July 17,1978 after the Arkestra had appeared on Saturday Night Live, the album is unique in the Ra catalogue. “Most critics felt that it was more of a fusion-inspired record,” explains Michael Ray. As the name suggests, the album is liquid and languid. Bob Blank continues, “Musically, it was very ad hoc and freeform. There were horn charts but most tracks came out of improvised jams. Sun Ra just did his thing.”
Tantric – The Sum Of All Things CD/LP+12” (Cleopatra)
Fronted by vocal powerhouse Hugo Ferreira, the spiritual rock band’s latest batch of songs reveals incredible new depths with memorable melodic hooks and poetic lyrics. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Teddy Swims – Unlearning CDEP (WB)
Teddy Swims contains multitudes. It’s right there in his name- Swims is an acronym for Someone Who Isn’t Me Sometimes, and it’s a kind of shorthand for everything he stands for. There’s the fact that his voice sounds cozy and rich over any of the many genres he loves to mix up, from the pop and soul most have heard, on to gospel, hip-hop, and hard rock. But it’s even bigger than the Atlanta singer and songwriter’s rich baritone.
Devin Townsend – Devolution Series #2 – Galactic Quarantine 2xCD (Inside Out Music)
Devolution Series #2 – Galactic Quarantine was recorded between July and September 2020 in various places around the world. It was originally streamed on September 5, 2020, on StageIt.com as a replacement show for the COVID affected “Empath Vol 2 European Tour” and various cancelled Summer festivals. The show features Devin Townsend on vocals and guitars, Samus Paulicelli III on drums, Wes Hauch on guitars and Diego Tejeida on keyboards.
Trees Speak – PostHuman CD/LP+7”+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
PostHuman blends 1970s German electronic, motorik Krautrock instrumentals, haunting, powerful 1960s & 1970s soundtracks, with a New York no-wave electronic synth-guitar analogue DIY-ness.
Various Artists – Bills & Aches & Blues CD/2xLP+MP3 (4AD)
In 2020, 4AD turned 40. Never one to be on time for a party, the label is commemorating that landmark this year with the release of Bills & Aches & Blues. The compilation features 18 of its current artists covering a song of their choosing from 4AD’s past: a creative experiment rooted in the spirit of collaboration and a snapshot of 4AD, 41 years after its inception.
John Zorn – Parables CD (Tzadik)
This newest CD of Zorn compositions performed by the remarkable all-star guitar trio of Bill Frisell, Julian Lage and Gyan Riley is inspired by the ancient tradition of storytelling as spiritual lesson. Drawing upon Sufic, Hebrew and secular traditions, Parables is a unique collection of compositional miniatures blending folk, classical, jazz, bluegrass, world music and more.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
The Brothers – March 10, 2020/Madison Square Garden/New York, NY 2xDVD/2xBlu-ray (Peach Records Association)
The Brothers – celebrating 50 Years of the music of The Allman Brothers Band that performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City for one night only March 10, 2020. The Brothers-Jaimoe, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge, Marc Quinones-were joined by Duane Trucks and Reese Wynans and special guest Chuck Leavell.
Enslaved – Cinematic Tour 2020 4xDVD (By Norse Music)
Four streamed concerts broadcasted by the prog/Viking metal band in 2020.
Marillion – With Friends At St. David’s 2xBlu-ray (earMUSIC)
Throughout their over 40-year-long career and over 15 million records sold they have become the most outstanding representatives of prog rock. With Friends At St. David’s is not only a visually and sonically remarkable live album, but also a dedication to crossing musical boundaries and making friends outside of one genre and musical universe. This Blu-ray edition features the previously unreleased documentary Making Friends, which shows Marillion in the studio during the making of With Friends From The Orchestra.
Carrie Underworld – My Savior: Live From The Ryman DVD (Gaither Music Group)
Filmed at the celebrated Ryman Auditorium, known around the world as “The Mother Church of Country Music,” the country music superstar brings her best-selling, critically acclaimed studio album My Savior to life on that legendary stage with breathtaking performances of traditional gospel hymns Underwood grew up singing such as “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art”.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
2Pac – Until The End Of Time [Reissue/2001] 4xLP (Interscope)
Vinyl reissue of the seventh studio album, and third posthumous release by the rapper. Until The End Of Time consists of material recorded while 2Pac was on Death Row Records from 1995 to 1996.
Absolute Power – Absolute Power LP (SPV)
Clear vinyl pressing. Formed by Shane Embury (Napalm Death) and producer Simon Efemey (Paradise Lost, The Wildhearts, Amorphous), Absolute Power is a heavy metal labor of love which took many years to come into existence. Brian Tatler of Diamond Head supported the cause, as did John Walker of Cancer, Ian Treacey of Meathook Seed and Tim “Ripper” Owens. It’s all topped off with some excellent NWOBHM-inspired production by Russ Russell (Napalm Death, At the Gates, Dimmu Borigir).
Armagedda – Only True Believers [Reissue/2003] LP (Nordvis)
Black vinyl reissue of Armagedda’s pivotal second album – one of the most classic black metal albums from Sweden.
Daniel Avery – Love + Light LP (Mute)
Standard black vinyl edition of Avery’s 2020 album. Love + Light arrived unexpectedly following Avery’s collaborations with Alessandro Cortini on the critically acclaimed Illusion Of Time LP and alongside Roman Flügel under the alias of Noun.
Jason Becker – Perpetual Burn LP (Shrapnel)
The guitar virtuoso’s magnum opus Perpetual Burn is back in-print on vinyl and expanded with previously unreleased solos.
Blanketman – National Trust LP (PIAS America)
The members of Blanketman are all in their early 20s and fit squarely within the current wave of UK bands – Sports Team, Working Mens Club, Pottery and Yard Act – redefining indie guitar music.
Brothertiger – Paradise Lost LP (Satanic Panic)
Limited edition magenta purple dropped in ultra-clear vinyl. Brothertiger’s fourth album blends obscure, early- ‘80s inspired synthesis with modern lyrical interpretations of life as a young person in today’s world.
Cedric Burnside – I Be Tryin’ LP (Single Lock)
Recorded over three days at Royal Studios in Memphis (the home studio of Al Green and Hi Records in the ‘60s and ‘70s), I Be Tryin’ is the ultimate statement of purpose for a critically acclaimed artist who has proudly carried the mantle of Mississippi Hill Country blues around the world. Over thirteen tracks, Burnside delivers his bruised but unfettered truth over blistering guitar and deep pocket drums-a sound birthed in his soul but developed and perfected on the road.
Cinderella – Night Songs [Reissue/1986] LP (Friday Music)
Limited 180gm audiophile color vinyl pressing. Originally issued in 1986, Night Songs is the breakout debut studio effort from glam hard rock heroes Cinderella, led by frontman Tom Keifer. Produced by Andy Johns (Van Halen, Television), the triple platinum certified affair is home to such ’80s anthems as “Nobody’s Fool”, “Somebody Save Me”, “Push, Push”, and “Night Songs” which were propelled by heavy MTV airplay and an opening slot on labelmates Bon Jovi’s tour, in support of their smash album Slippery When Wet.
Joel Culpepper – Sgt. Culpepper LP (Mr. Bongo)
With a unique soulful voice and explosive showmanship, Joel Culpepper’s star is rising. His sonic palette blends an array of genres and influences, that looks back to the greats whilst simultaneously absorbing London’s contemporary musical landscape. [CD edition due August 6.]
Curren$y – Collection Agency 12” (Jet Life)
At just under 24 minutes, Curren$y delivers another unforgettable round of smooth joints and cruising music. Two color vinyl pressings are available: blue and orange.
Miley Cyrus – Plastic Hearts 2xLP (RCA)
Double vinyl pressing in gatefold jacket. Includes 12-page booklet. Marking a departure from Cyrus’ previous releases, Plastic Hearts is primarily a rock, pop, synth-pop, and glam rock record, with influences from country, punk rock, new wave, arena rock, industrial, disco, and power pop. Guest vocals include Billy Idol, Dua Lipa, Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks.
Darkthrone – Eternal Hails LP (Peaceville)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With the highly revered Norwegians remaining ever dedicated to the art of the riff after 35 years of existence, Darkthrone returns for album number nineteen and a new dose of metallic godliness.
The Ember, The Ash – Fixation LP (Prosthetic)
Multi-color vinyl pressing. Distinct from their work as Unreqvited, Fixation follows on from The Ember, The Ash’s 2019 highly acclaimed release, Consciousness Torn From The Void. Fixation is a unique blend of ice-cold precision and a swirl of enveloping audio textures.
Enigma – MCMXC a.D. [Reissue/1990] LP (Republic)
Enigma – The Cross Of Changes [Reissue/1993] LP (Republic)
180gm vinyl reissues. Enigma started as a studio project by multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter Michael Cretu in 1990. Enigma’s debut MCMXC a.D. became a worldwide success, reaching the top 10 in ten countries. With a concept mixing atmospheric soundscapes, meditative beats, world music themes, fascinating vocal samples and mystical imagery, Enigma paved the way for electronic music bursting into the mainstream.
Beatriz Ferreyra – Canto LP (ROOM40)
Ferreyra honed her craft as a sound artist at Paris’s highly regarded GRM, studying musique concrète and electronic music. These skills are demonstrated here as she explores the characteristic sound of monophonic oscillators which she overlays, echoes and distorts, pushing her techniques to the limit. Without compositions like this, it would be hard to imagine the fertile creative landscape that inspired artists like Keith Fullerton Whitman or Jim O’Rourke’s to venture on modular and tape music excursions.
Dexter Gordon – GO! [Reissue/1962] LP (Blue Note)
Limited 180gm vinyl pressing. Featuring a quartet with Sonny Clark on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums, GO! was a showcase of Gordon’s limitless creativity on hard-swinging numbers like “Cheese Cake” and “Love For Sale”, as well as his peerless artistry on ballads as evidenced on “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry” and “Where Are You”.
JP Harris’ Dreadful Wind & Rain – Don’t You Marry No Railroad Man LP+MP3 (Free Dirt)
JP Harris has a secret: his name is actually Squash. Long before Harris became a well-regarded honky-tonker, he used his childhood nickname while playing archaic old-time American tunes at underground fiddlers’ gatherings, engrossed in this punkish folk music world. Don’t You Marry No Railroad Man, his debut recording of traditional music under the moniker JP Harris’ Dreadful Wind & Rain, features ten tracks spanning the breadth of American old-time repertoire.
PJ Harvey & John Parish – A Woman A Man Walked By [Reissue/2009] LP (Island)
Limited 180gm vinyl pressing. A Woman A Man Walked By is the second collaboration between PJ Harvey and John Parish. Produced by Parish and Harvey, and originally released in March 2009, the album features the single “Black Hearted Love”. This reissue is faithful to the original recording with vinyl cutting by Jason Mitchell at Loud Mastering, overseen by John Parish.
Hellbound – Overlords LP (Discouraged)
Earth-shaking, heavy, groovy Swedish metal.
Little Giant Drug – Prismcast [Reissue/2000] LP (SPV/Metal Bastard)
Little Giant Drug was a project formed by Mitch Harris and Shane Embury of Napalm Death. The Duo’s love for indie rock inspired them to record Prismcast.
L7 – Scatter The Rats [Reissue/2019] LP (Blackheart)
Limited-edition multi-color vinyl pressing. The first L7 album in 20 years, Scatter The Rats embodies everything that made the band so iconic in the first place: the distortion-heavy riffs and headbanging rhythms, sludgy grooves and indelible melodies. And in their lyrics, L7 achieve a direct transmission of raw feeling, often spiked with biting commentary on the chaos of the world.
Yngwie Malmsteen – Blue Lightning [Reissue/2019] 2xLP (Mascot)
Limited-edition 180gm splatter color vinyl pressing. Only a few guitarists are known by only their first name. Yngwie is one of them. With Blue Lightning, Yngwie Malmsteen highlights not only his enduring dexterity and diversity, but also pays homage to those from the blues and rock worlds who have fueled his artistic spirit for so long.
Maston – Darkland LP (Be With)
A breezy collection of the material from the Tulips sessions that didn’t make it on to the original LP. The collection plays like an alternate view of Maston’s instant modern classic Tulips; a companion piece to the LP proper with similar mixture of shorter themes and more full-length tracks.
Page McConnell/Trey Anastasio – December 12” (Jemp)
Limited ‘barn board’ color vinyl pressing. In the fall of 2020, Page & Trey performed some songs on the deck of The Barn overlooking Vermont’s Green Mountains (some were streamed during The Beacon Jams series.) The pair reconvened in December to shoot more videos and as snow fell at The Barn, the mission evolved into the December sessions during which they rearranged a group of Phish songs for piano and guitar, using alternate vocal harmonies and instrumentation to cover all four band members’ parts.
John R. Miller – Depreciated LP (Rounder)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. John R. Miller is a true hyphenate artist: singer-songwriter-picker. Every song on his thrilling debut solo album, Depreciated, is lush with intricate wordplay and haunting imagery, as well as being backed by a band that is on fire. Miller is somehow able to transport us to a shadowy honkytonk and get existential all in the same line with his tightly written compositions. Miller’s own guitar-playing is on fine display here along with vocals that evoke the white-waters of the Potomac River rumbling below the high ridges of his native Shenandoah Valley.
Old Crow Medicine Show – Carry Me Back [Reissue/2012] LP (ATO)
Old Crow Medicine Show – Remedy [Reissue/2012] 2xLP (ATO)
Two limited-edition color vinyl reissues: Carry Me Back pressed on coke bottle clear vinyl, and Remedy pressed on red, white & blue splatter vinyl.
Omega – Anthology 1968-1979 LP (Purple Pyramid)
Limited edition color vinyl pressing of a comprehensive anthology of early works from one of the biggest and most successful rock bands to come out of Hungary.
Orgone – Moonshadows LP (3 Palm Records)
Opaque vinyl pressing. Moonshadows, named for a glossy beachfront Malibu bar where members of the Orgone crew DJed Saturday night sets, is the band’s homage to yacht rock, sweater funk, and late-night cruises on the Pacific Coast Highway. The genre-bending full-length album evokes neon and moonlight shimmering on ocean waves, undulating rhythms, martinis, and luxury convertibles.
Dolly Parton – Early Dolly LP (Golden Lane)
Two color vinyl pressings: pink and gold. Archive collection containing Parton’s first professional recordings.
Partynextdoor – Colours LP (Ovo Sounds)
Limited white colored vinyl LP pressing. R&B auteur Partynextdoor’s 2014 EP Colours 1 – long heralded as a contemporary classic – arrives repackaged as the double-EP Colours. This new project includes his critically acclaimed Colours 2, originally released in 2017.
Pennywise – Land Of The Free? [Reissue/2001] LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Limited red color vinyl pressing. Land Of The Free?, with revered classic songs like the incendiary “F*ck Authority”, was a wake -up call from Pennywise, aimed at the slumbering masses of America, an attempt to shake people out of their lethargy and prod them into thinking about the world. Originally released in June 2001, the band’s six studio album tackled the political and social issues of the day, from police corruption and mass shootings to elections, topics that 20 years later are just as relevant.
Pone – Listen & Donate 12” (73 Beats/Naïve)
Picture-disc vinyl pressing. Pone, co-founder of the Fonky Family and musical architect of French hip-hop (113, Diam’s, Rohff…) has been suffering from Charcot disease since 2015. With the help of a computer and eye-tracking software, he manages to write, read, communicate, and compose. In 2019, Pone achieved the feat of composing and mixing an album with only his eyes. His new EP Listen And Donate is composed by two original tracks made from Kate Bush samples and two remixes.
Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement – Flying Fish Ambience 2xLP (Hospital Productions)
The Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement environs conceived by Dominick Fernow and Philippe Hallais complement artificial spaces and synthetic nature through the decay of digital rainstorms and falling comet bass drops. Flying Fish Ambience is the duo’s first studio album together after a series of tours and builds the RSE sound into a deep hypnotic synthetic topography and guided meditation into perpetual stress.
R.E.M. – Radio Free Europe (Original Hib-Tone Recording) [Reissue/1981] 7” (Craft Recordings)
R.E.M.’s first and breakthrough single “Radio Free Europe” was initially released by a small Atlanta-based record label, Hib-Tone Records. Produced by Mitch Easter, the original recording of the single had different mixes by Easter and by label-owner Johnny Hibbert. Although the band preferred Easter’s mix, Hibbert chose his version for the 1981 limited pressing 45rpm single, which is now a coveted collector’s item, packaged in a black and white sleeve featuring original photography by Michael Stipe.
Logan Richardson – Afrofuturism LP (Whirlwind Recordings)
Purple splatter color vinyl pressing. Alto saxophonist, composer and producer Logan Richardson’s career has been marked by his deep engagement with the Black American improvised music tradition as much as by his fearlessly open-minded embrace of the contemporary sounds of the global diaspora and his keen gaze towards the future. Afrofuturism (his fifth solo album) synthesizes all those elements together into a stunningly audacious statement that is epic in its scope while providing a deep, intimately personal view into its creator’s inner life.
Shiny Joe Ryan – Shiny’s Democracy LP (Spinning Top)
A mane of curly locks, a hilarious sense of humor, a lilting Irish brogue; Shiny Joe Ryan is a bit of an enigma. His musical offerings are as unique as he is a mix of genres encompassing country, pop and rock, all mangled and mashed into something new, strange and tender. Sometime during and between touring as crew for Tame Impala and performing with his band Pond, Joe wrote and recorded his second album Shiny’s Democracy.
Penelope Scott – Public Void LP (Many Hats)
“Public Void is what someone would call “YouTube-core”. It’s got a grunge/electronic style to it that fits extremely well with the tone of the album. It’s a dark and sad album with Penelope Scott almost sing-talking over the beats rather than a regular singing voice. The tracks talk mostly about the American economic system and how f**ked everything here is; it touches on healthcare, oligarchs, and the everyday sadness of people. It talks so much about American problems that one song is titled “American Healthcare (Glitzy).”
Sigur Rós – Valtari [Reissue/2012] 2xLP (Krunk)
Valtari is Sigur Rós’ sixth studio album which was initially released in 2012 on XL Recordings. Sigur Rós started recording Valtari, described by the band as ‘an avalanche in slow motion’ in 2009 co-producing it themselves with Alex Somers in Reykjavik, Iceland. The title means ‘roller’ in English with Jónsi saying it kind of fits with the album because it’s big and slow and rolls over you slowly.
Spitboy – Body Of Work 1990-1995 All The Songs 2xLP+MP3 (Don Giovanni)
Limited double red and black color vinyl pressing. “They were one of those bands that were a prequel to what the future was becoming. Feminism, human rights, animal rights, environmental protection, gender issues… Spitboy was singing about these issues 30 f**king years ago. I’m so grateful to have witnessed it.” – Billie Joe Armstrong
Spud Cannon – Good Kids Make Bad Apples LP (Good Eye)
The story of Spud Cannon charts the emotional journey of finding oneself with vignettes of rock and roll highs and lows interspersed throughout. Spud Cannon’s third full-length, Good Kids Make Bad Apples, bristles with an immediacy inspired in-part by all-night, allowed recording sessions at the Vassar squash courts. Each song recorded in the Wall Of Sound-style court are pure takes capturing the energy of the Spud Cannon live experience in its purest form to date.
Taylor Swift – folklore 2xLP (Republic)
Double beige color vinyl pressing. “Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening, but there is something I hadn’t planned on that DID happen. And that thing is my eighth studio album, folklore,” Swift said, letting fans know she poured all her whims, dreams, fears, musings into the 17 tracks. “I wrote and recorded this music in isolation but got to collaborate with some musical heroes of mine; Aaron Dessner, Bon Iver, William Bowery & Jack Antonoff.”
Taphari – Blind Obedience LP/Cassette (Bayonet)
Lime green color vinyl pressing. On Blind Obedience, we find Taphari on a journey of self-actualization, transcending suffering through the power of self-love and authentic musical expression. This hard-hitting, confident debut centers the skilled rapper’s syllabic hopscotch over mutating beats. Staying in a lane he’s forged for himself, the rap alien’s rage is explosive out the gate.
Greg Townson – Off And Running! LP (Hi-Tide Recordings)
Los Straitjackets guitarist and The Hi-Risers frontman returns with an all-new set of guitar instrumentals. The latest in his Travelin’ Guitar series, Off And Running! features fun and unique arrangements of familiar and unfamiliar songs, and includes guest performances by members of Los Straitjackets, NRBQ and the JD McPherson Band.
T.P. Orchestre and Poly Rythmo De Cotonou – Le Sato LP (Acid Jazz)
Vinyl reissue of an early hypnotic polyrythmo masterpiece.
Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones [Reissue/2011] LP (Xtra Mile)
Tenth anniversary vinyl edition of Frank Turner’s fourth album featuring new artwork. England Keep My Bones saw Frank step up from underground, cult status to mainstream success.
Various Artists [Jayda G] – Jayda G DJ-Kicks 2xLP+MP3 (!K7)
Canadian by birth and now London-based, Jayda G has risen steadily and stealthily through the dance music underground with her infectious energy, vitality and boundless enthusiasm, which she showcases in the second installment of the DJ-Kicks 2021 season.
Various Artists [Sasha] – LUZoSCURA 3xLP+MP3 (Alkaane)
Triple brown color vinyl pressing. Sasha introduces LUZoSCURA, a new compilation that has evolved from the thriving eponymous playlist. Featuring a diverse package of original works from a host of fresh talent, as well as established artists and Sasha himself, it traverses electronica, ambient, breaks and techno.
The Wallflowers – Exit Wounds CD/LP (New West)
Standard black vinyl pressing. Rock ‘n’ roll is often hard to define, or even to find, in these fractured musical times. But to paraphrase an old saying, you know it when you hear it. And you always hear it with The Wallflowers. For the past 30 years, the Jakob Dylan-led act has stood as one of rock’s most dynamic and purposeful bands – a unit dedicated to and continually honing a sound that meshes timeless songwriting and storytelling with a hard-hitting and decidedly modern musical attack. That signature style has been present through the decades, baked into the grooves of smash hits like 1996’s Bringing Down The Horse as well as more recent and exploratory fare like 2012’s Glad All Over. But while it’s been nine long years since we’ve heard from the group with whom he first made his mark, the Wallflowers are silent no more.
Widespread Panic – Space Wrangler [Reissue/1988] 2xLP (Widespread Records)
Widespread Panic – Widespread Panic [Reissue/1991] 2xLP (Widespread Records)
Widespread Panic – Everyday [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Widespread Records)
Widespread Panic – Ain’t Life Grand [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Widespread Records)
Multi-color vinyl reissues of the Athens, GA southern rock band’s first four albums.
Libby Weitnauer – Sixteen Kings’ Daughters 7” (Libby Weitnauer)
Libby Weitnauer’s first solo release is a contemporary exploration of two traditional ballads. One tells of a fierce fight against a male attacker, the other of heartbreak and abandonment. Together with producer Mike Robinson, Weitnauer creates a new soundscape for the tales and trials of women told in old songs.
Worm Shepherd – In the Wake Ov Sò 2xLP (Unique Leader)
Debut album from the deathcore band. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Cassettes:
Anika – Change CD/LP/Cassette (Sacred Bones)
The intimacy of its creation and a palpable sense of global anxiety are seemingly baked into the DNA of Change. Spread across nine tracks, the central feeling of the record is one of heightened frustration buoyed by guarded optimism. The songs offer skittering, austere electronic backdrops reminiscent of classic Broadcast records or High Scores-era Boards Of Canada, playing them against Anika’s remarkable voice – Nico-esque, beautifully plaintive, and – in regards to the record’s subject matter – totally resolute.
Paul McCartney – McCartney III Imagined (Capitol)
Limited smokey tint colored cassette. Hailed upon its release last year as vital and comfortable taking new chances (Rolling Stone), Paul McCartney’s McCartney III is moving into the future with McCartney III Imagined. Curated by Paul, it features an A-list assortment of friends reimagining their favorite McCartney III moments. The result is a kaleidoscopic reinterpretation that serves as an extension of the original album while standing on its own in his discography.
Taphari – Blind Obedience LP/Cassette (Bayonet)
Lime green color vinyl pressing. On Blind Obedience, we find Taphari on a journey of self-actualization, transcending suffering through the power of self-love and authentic musical expression. This hard-hitting, confident debut centers the skilled rapper’s syllabic hopscotch over mutating beats. Staying in a lane he’s forged for himself, the rap alien’s rage is explosive out the gate.
Leave a Reply