Marketing Program/ Banner/ Listening Station Titles Promoted This Week:
Adele – 30 CD/2xLP (Columbia/Sony)
30 is the first new music from Adele since the release of her third studio album 25 in November 2015. The album was produced with former collaborators Greg Kurstin, Max Martin and Shellback and Tobias Jesso Jr., as well as new collaborators Inflo and Ludwig Goransson. Adele on the album: “I’m ready to finally put this album out. It was my ride or die throughout the most turbulent period of my life…I’d become so consumed by my own grief. I’ve painstakingly rebuilt my house and my heart since then and this album narrates it.” The highly anticipated collection comes introduced by the sublime lead single “Easy On Me”.
Converge – Bloodmoon: I CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Converge release their new album with Chelsea Wolfe, her frequent collaborator and bandmate Ben Chisholm, and Cave In’s Stephen Brodsky. It’s called Bloodmoon: I and was produced by Converge’s Kurt Ballou, and the musicians began collaborating for the prospective project in 2016. “The project stretched my vocals in new ways,” Wolfe said in a statement. “It’s so different than what I normally sing over that I was able to open up and be vulnerable with my vocals.” [A limited-edition indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is due June 24.]
Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Noktvrn CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
The state between wakefulness and sleep is known as hypnagogia. With their new album Noktvrn, progressive black metal force Der Weg Einer Freiheit delivers a sound that captures this unique, trance-like state within their extreme rubric. It is also the band’s darkest and most emotional offering to date, ebbing and exploding like a manic-depressive episode with its extreme highs and lows. Noktvrn truly lives up to the band’s moniker and offers true freedom through art. The album title is adapted from Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturnes, his so-called “night pieces”, which are among his other works very influential for the compositions on Noktvrn. [The gatefold vinyl pressing includes an etched D-side etching and soft touch matt laminate.]
Magdalena Bay – Mercurial World CD/LP/Cassette (Luminelle Recordings)
Entirely written, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by the duo of Mica Tenenbaum and Matt Lewin, Mercurial World proposes an abstract theory of time and explores the staggering “what ifs” that make up the human experience. Approaching reality as a construct allows Magdalena Bay to enact their own, one that is committed to nothing but expanding the possible. Even the album’s sequencing hints at the eternal: the first track is titled “The End”, the last is “The Beginning”, forming a perfect loop when you listen to it straight through. “Matt, Matt, wake up!” Tenenbaum whispers on the introductory track. “I was thinking about how there’s no true end to anything/ Everything comes from and goes to the same place: Nowhere.” “Mercurial World has a lot of outsized themes on it, like destiny, death, and doing the impossible,” Tenenbaum explains. “It’s not exactly a concept album, but we love prog-rock, so we love a concept.” [A limited-edition indie store exclusive yellow color vinyl edition is also available.]
Me And That Man – New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 2 CD/LP (Napalm Records)
Behemoth mastermind Adam “Nergal” Darski has signed a menacing pact with the devil once again, returning with dark folk/blues/Americana influenced solo project Me And That Man’s third full-length studio album, New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 2. As a sequel to the project’s previous record, New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol.1 (2020), the enthralling new offering follows the exciting path Nergal then set ablaze, once again featuring an abundance of heavy music icons – but this time, he takes it to a whole new level. Experience greats such as Gary Holt (Slayer, Exodus), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Randy Blythe (Lamb Of God), Myrkur, Devin Townsend, David Vincent, Doug Blair (W.A.S.P), Hank von Hell (Turbonegro) and Olve Abbath Eikemo (Immortal, Abbath) intertwining with the album’s bewitching collection of occult anthems, marking another breathtaking symbiosis of unfiltered blues, gothic-laced folk, country essence and touch of evil you’ll swear was either beamed straight out of hell or the most blackened of churches. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Willie Nelson – The Willie Nelson Family CD (Sony Legacy)
The Willie Nelson Family finds Willie joined in his Pedernales Studios by a host of his family members and extended family of long-time band members, performing songs that they have performed for much of their lives. Sister Bobbie, sons Lukas and Micah, and daughters Amy and Paula all contribute plus band members Mickey Raphael, Kevin Smith and Billy and Paul English. The album draws on deep Americana (including A.P. Carter’s “Keep It On The Sunnyside” and the traditional hymn “In The Garden”) while celebrating classic songwriting from Hank Williams (“I Saw The Light”) and Kris Kristofferson (“Why Me”) to George Harrison (“All Things Must Pass”) and Willie Nelson (who penned half of the album’s compositions). Willie’s son Lukas (who fronts his own band, Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real) sings lead vocals on two of the album’s tracks.
Andy Shauf – Wilds CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Canadian musician Andy Shauf pens songs that explore universal truths through picaresque vignettes, from the colorful people-watching observations of 2016’s The Party to the tale of a failed relationship explained over one night at a local watering hole on last year’s The Neon Skyline. But Shauf has never exactly been held up as a confessional sort of songwriter, even though underneath the carefully plotted narratives and conceptual storylines, he’s always been writing about himself. Wilds might change that. A collection of nine songs culled from around fifty tracks recorded by the prolific Shauf during the writing of The Neon Skyline and presented in a near-unfiltered form, the unstudied rawness of the songs on Wilds is a revealing look at Shauf’s mindset during the time he was writing The Neon Skyline – what he calls “a glimpse into the window of how chaotic things were” – as well as a peek into the creative process behind a proper Andy Shauf studio album, a snapshot of how the multi-instrumentalist first begins building his songs into more ornately arranged final products.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts 2xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP (Legacy)
The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band were recorded at the September 1979 MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City. They represent the highest quality and best recorded Bruce performances from an explosive and ascendant era of the E Street Band. Among the highlights are then-unreleased versions of “The River” and “Sherry Darling”, live staples “Badlands”, “Born To Run” and “Thunder Road”, plus covers of Buddy Holly’s “Rave On” and a version of Maurice Williams’ “Stay” featuring special guests Jackson Browne, Tom Petty and Rosemary Butler. [The double-CD edition includes your choice of DVD or Blu-ray of the 13-song concert performance film, newly edited from original film footage, restored and remixed in HD.]
Various Artists – The French Dispatch Original Soundtrack CD (Abkco)
The Franco-centric original soundtrack to Wes Anderson’s latest film The French Dispatch features an original score by Oscar-winner Alexandre Desplat and music by Georges Delerue, Grace Jones, Charles Aznavour, and more. The original soundtrack also includes a new version of the French pop hit “Aline”, originally performed by Christophe, recorded by Jarvis Cocker. [Vinyl edition due January 7.]
Additional Social Media Program Titles Released This Week:
Kelley Stoltz – Antique Glow (Expanded Edition) 2xLP (Third Man)
(Released 11/26; SM post at label’s request 12/3). 20th anniversary expanded edition of Kelley Stoltz’s defining album Antique Glow. Originally self-released in miniscule vinyl-only quantities in 2001, Antique Glow has served not only as a template for the length of Kelley Stoltz’s twenty-plus year career but has also served as a compass for other Anglophile, TASCAM 388 home recording acolytes. Original copies featured Stoltz’s clever, wry and fanciful hand-painted adornments overtop reclaimed thrift store LP jackets, Third Man’s release here utilizes some of those original unused images for a die-cut sleeve that ultimately gives the listener six different possible album covers. The songs are by and large masterpieces of bedroom pop magic. [An indie store exclusive limited-edition silver color vinyl pressing with bonus tracks is also available.]
Lucinda Williams – Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 5: Have Yourself A Rockin’ Little Christmas With Lucinda CD/LP (Highway 20)
(Released 11/19; SM post at label’s request 12/3). While the first four installments of Lu’s Jukebox found Williams tackling Tom Petty, southern soul, Bob Dylan, and ‘60s country classics, Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 5 sees the Grammy-winner spreading a little Christmas cheer with takes on “Run Run Rudolph”, “Merry Christmas, Baby”, “Please Come Home For Christmas”, and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” among others.
CDs + Vinyl:
Adele – 30 CD/2xLP (Columbia/Sony)
30 is the first new music from Adele since the release of her third studio album 25 in November 2015. The album was produced with former collaborators Greg Kurstin, Max Martin and Shellback and Tobias Jesso Jr., as well as new collaborators Inflo and Ludwig Goransson. Adele on the album: “I’m ready to finally put this album out. It was my ride or die throughout the most turbulent period of my life…I’d become so consumed by my own grief. I’ve painstakingly rebuilt my house and my heart since then and this album narrates it.” The highly anticipated collection comes introduced by the sublime lead single “Easy On Me”.
Aephanemer – A Dream Of Wilderness CD (Napalm)
Aephanemer is one of the most exciting symphonic death metal sensations of the modern age. Fast-paced metal fronted by the guttural growls and fierce screams of extraordinary vocalist Marion Bascoul meet flickering twin leads, elements of Scandinavian death metal, Slavic traditional music and epic synths.
Alva Noto – HYbr: ID Vol. 1 CD/LP (Noton)
HYbr: ID Vol. 1 is the first installment of a new series of Alva Noto’s works bringing together heterogeneous composition methods. HYbr: ID Vol. 1 captures the music commissioned for the score of ‘Oval’, the choreographic piece directed by Richard Siegal and performed by the Staatsballett Berlin at the Berlin State Opera in 2019. The process of creating HYbr: ID Vol. 1 was defined by the search for a form to bind astrophysics phenomena, fiction, and performance movements. Its narrative is inspired by cinematic visual techniques and static images portraying scientific events which also inspired the titles of the nine compositions. The music possesses a dilated rhythmic base contributing to the images of gravity and spatiality. At points static is used with an ornate, delicate intricacy. The album’s sonic spectrum builds with deep sub-bass, gloomy sonics, spacious sound design, and inorganic ambiance that is gently coerced with artistic finesse.
Nessa Barrett – Pretty Poison CD (WB)
Recently released on cassette – CD edition now available. From Nessa: “Pretty Poison tells the story of my life over the past year since moving to L.A., experiencing fame and dealing with social media, toxic friendships/relationships, my mental health and personal struggles and falling in love with someone who really understands me. I’ve been working so hard on the music, visuals and have been my heart/soul into this project.”
Blu – The Color Blu(e) CD/2xLP (Nature Sounds)
Acclaimed L.A. rapper Blu has left an indelible mark on the hip-hop landscape, crafting an impressive catalog instilled with the essence of the vibrant city he calls home. Now, the gifted lyricist is back with the new album The Color Blu(e).
Colin Blunstone – One Year: 50th Anniversary Edition CD/2xLP (Sundazed Music)
Colin Blunstone celebrates the 50th anniversary of his post Oracle opus One Year (1971) with an expanded edition. The bonus material, titled That Same Year, gives you a deeper introspective look into that time in his life. The album largely features Colin singing accompanied solely by his acoustic guitar. That Same Year includes beautifully sparse demo versions of three songs from One Year including “Caroline Goodbye” and “Let Me Come Closer To You” where Colin is joined by fellow Zombie Rod Argent on piano. Four songs have Colin joined by the late English singer-songwriter Duncan Browne on classical guitar.
James Blunt – The Stars Beneath My Feet 2xCD/2xLP (Atlantic)
Amongst the string of hit singles, James Blunt’s greatest hits album The Stars Beneath My Feet (2004-2021) includes four new songs (“Love Under Pressure”, “Unstoppable”, “Adrenaline” and “I Came For Love”), as well as four exclusive live performances from around the world, including the Glastonbury Festival. It also features stunning tracks from his latest Gold-selling album Once Upon A Mind, including “Cold”, and the heartbreaking ballad for his father, “Monster”. [A limited “collector’s edition” CD version featuring a booklet and a clear vinyl pressing are also available.]
Cherie Amour – Internal Discussions CDEP (Equal Vision)
Debut EP from the Baltimore-based nu-punk band.
Christian Death – The Wind Kissed Pictures (2021 Edition) CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
American pioneers of dark sounds Christian Death can rightfully claim to be the incarnation of Gothic music. 1985’s The Wind Kissed Pictures served as the outfit’s first release after Rozz Williams left the band and proved Valor Kand and Co. would keep the project relevant and inspired.
Converge – Bloodmoon: I CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Converge release their new album with Chelsea Wolfe, her frequent collaborator and bandmate Ben Chisholm, and Cave In’s Stephen Brodsky. It’s called Bloodmoon: I and was produced by Converge’s Kurt Ballou, and the musicians began collaborating for the prospective project in 2016. “The project stretched my vocals in new ways,” Wolfe said in a statement. “It’s so different than what I normally sing over that I was able to open up and be vulnerable with my vocals.” [A limited-edition indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is due June 24.]
Stewart Copeland/Mark King/Vittorio Cosma/Adrian Belew – Gizmodrome Live 2xCD/3xLP (earMUSIC)
The terms “all-star band” or “supergroup” may be a bit worn in many ways in the general perception, but here the superlative applies in every respect. With their debut album Gizmodrome (2017) it was not a surprise that Stewart Copeland, Mark King, Vittorio Cosma and Adrian Belew, each of them with such diverse talent and musical background, created music that was vibrant, electric and unpredictable. With a collective CV that includes The Police, Level 42, King Crimson, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Talking Heads and PFM just for starters, they combined the spirit of adventure and camaraderie that characterizes their music – a cosmopolitan blend of progressive rock and a pinch of punk with a heavy twist of avant-garde humor. Right from the start, it was not meant to be a one-off side project but the beginning of something truly unique and exciting. Their first live album Gizmodrome Live builds on the foundation laid by the band’s debut and allows for even more unpredictable outbursts of creative energy. It perfectly captures their commitment to this band and the pioneering collaboration.
The Darkness – Motorheart CD/LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Multi-platinum UK glam rock giants The Darkness – frontman/guitarist Justin Hawkins, guitarist/producer Dan Hawkins, bassist Frankie Poullain, drummer Rufus Taylor – release Motorheart, a record of immeasurable rock and roll extravagance and yet another masterpiece from England’s favorite rock icons. [The deluxe CD edition includes bonus tracks. A limited-edition indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is also available.]
Daxma – Unmarked Boxes CD (Blues Funeral)
Constructed from crushingly heavy guitar tones, haunting orchestration and lush melodies, Unmarked Boxes is an intimate work of doom metal introspection that explores grief, depression, longing, and the process of overcoming. [Vinyl edition due December 10.]
Deap Vally – Marriage CD (Cooking Vinyl)
Being in a band is like being in a marriage: sometimes it’s magical, sometimes it’s unbearably challenging. To reinvigorate that marriage, Deap Vally has made their third album a genre-bending experiment with new collaborators and instrumentation that push the limits of what has previously defined the duo – Marriage is their musical Rumspringa, if you will. The album sees Julie and Lindsey break free of the rigid creative constraints within which they previously existed (two members, two instruments, two voices) and invite in collaborators such as KT Tunstall, Peaches, Jennie Vee and jennylee, as well as a range of producers.
DED – School Of Thought CD (Suretone)
Second studio album by American nu metal band.
Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Noktvrn CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
The state between wakefulness and sleep is known as hypnagogia. With their new album Noktvrn, progressive black metal force Der Weg Einer Freiheit delivers a sound that captures this unique, trance-like state within their extreme rubric. It is also the band’s darkest and most emotional offering to date, ebbing and exploding like a manic-depressive episode with its extreme highs and lows. Noktvrn truly lives up to the band’s moniker and offers true freedom through art. The album title is adapted from Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturnes, his so-called “night pieces”, which are among his other works very influential for the compositions on Noktvrn. [The gatefold vinyl pressing includes an etched D-side etching and soft touch matt laminate.]
Eagles Of Death Metal – EDOM Presents: A Boots Electric Christmas CDEP (Eagles Of Death Metal)
Eagles Of Death Metal arrive just in time for the holidays with six new recordings to fill your holiday spirit. “Just a few songs to warm your heart during Christmas time. I hope you like them. May Christmas bring peace to you all. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, I love you, and God bless you all.” – Jesse Hughes
Lars Frederiksen – To Victory CDEP/12” (Pirate’s Press)
The first solo recordings from the infamous/notorious Rancid frontman overflow with the passion he’s so well known for. These six songs are belted out with the authenticity and power that only Lars could bring to the table.
Fur – When You Walk Away CD/LP (777 Music)
Brighton four-piece Fur has gone from a well-kept secret to one of the hottest young alternative / indie acts in the UK.
Ben Lamar Gay – Open Arms To Open Us CD/LP (Nonesuch)
Across sixteen tracks Gay fluently interweaves jazz, blues, ballads, R&B, raga, new music, nursery rhyme, Tropicália, two-step, hip-hop and beyond in a beaming expression of his signature omni-genre “Pan-Americana” brew. Alongside his own sizable toolkit of instruments (cornet, keyboards, synthesizers, flutes, percussions), Gay surrounds himself with steady bandmates (including Tommaso Moretti on drums, Matthew Davis on tuba, and Rob Frye on woodwinds), while also shining the spotlight on female artists from his cast of regular collaborators. [A limited-edition indie store exclusive color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Genesis – The Last Domino? 2xCD/4xLP (Atlantic)
Celebrating the return of Genesis and their 2021/2022 arena tour, The Last Domino? collection gathers the band’s legendary hits with choice album cuts from their stunning career.
Helvetia – Essential Aliens CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Helvetia is the solo project of Jason Albertini from Duster. Essential Aliens distills and simplifies the Helvetia sound. Reverb and delay are absent, replaced by warm fuzz and intimate room sounds. Progressions morph with stoner repetition and end in head scratch. Drums distort, muted bass lines prop up acoustic guitars blown out on a cassette four-track. Cheap electric guitars are barely in tune and recorded direct, almost painfully in your face. The songs are short blasts of psychedelic chill, unrooted by genre, a rummage around an alien radio dial. [A limited-edition clear vinyl pressing is also available.]
Jools Holland – Pianola. Piano & Friends CD (Arts Music)
Celebrated musician, bandleader and television host Jools Holland has amassed an almighty line-up of musicians, each a master of their individual instrument, for his 2021 album Pianola. Piano & Friends. A loving tribute to the black and white keys that have become synonymous with Holland and his show-stopping stylings. The album features Trombone Shorty, Booker T., Tom Jones, David Gilmour, Herbie Hancock, Lang Lang, Jamie Cullum, Joe Bonamassa, Rick Wakeman, and many others.
Hudost – Anthems From Home CD/LP (Open Sesame Music)
Hudost’s new album defines real, honest love and is a lush, breathtaking original collection of compositions that ask important questions. Special guests include Jars of Clay, The Accidentals, Christie Lenée and others.
Ali Hasaan Ibn – Retrospect In Retirement Of Delay: The Solo Record 2xCD (Omnivore)
Pianist Hasaan Ibn Ali was a local Philadelphia legend who had an impact on John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner and many others. He took the larger jazz world by storm in 1965 when The Max Roach Trio Featuring The Legendary Hasaan was released on Atlantic Records. The label was so impressed, they set Ibn Ali up to record his own album later that year, but it was never mixed or released. Thirteen years later, the tapes went up in flames in a New Jersey warehouse. While the sessions were thought lost forever, copies were believed to exist. And they did! Once located and the audio restored, the acclaimed 2021 release of Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album finally saw the light of day. The 21 tracks on Retrospect In Retirement Of Delay: The Solo Recordings now reveal the intimate side of the Hasaan Ibn Ali story with poetic, imaginative, even breathtaking masterpieces that the world didn’t know existed. And for the first time, hear the unique magic of jazz legend Hasaan Ibn Ali playing standards.
J.R.C.G. – Ajo Sunshine CD/LP (Castleface)
Ajo Sunshine (pronounced “Ahh-Ho”) is heralded by an alarming horn ensemble, stabbing with the dramatic urgency of a killer’s theme in a midnight movie. It’s a jarring but appropriate entry point for this brilliantly blasted listen, an array of exquisitely sharp edges punctuated by kaleidoscopic respites of throbbing warmth and surprising tenderness.
Kiss – Destroyer: 45th Anniversary 2xCD/4xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP (UMe)
This Deluxe 45th Anniversary edition of Kiss’s fourth album – originally released in 1976. The set features the newly remastered album from Abbey Road Mastering Studios plus 16 bonus tracks – 14 unreleased – including the new “Beth” (Acoustic Mix). The double-LP edition has been half-speed mastered and features 12 bonus tracks – 10 unreleased. Each contain a 20-page booklet showcases unreleased and rare photos along with “The Story Of Destroyer” liner notes. The super-deluxe edition features 15 demos from Paul Stanley’s and Gene Simmons’s personal archives – 9 of which are unreleased, additional studio outtakes, alternate versions / mixes and single edits, a ripping performance from the band’s visit to Paris France at the L’Olympia on May 22, 1976, and Steve Wilson’s Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround mix of the original studio album.
Lady Gaga – Dawn Of Chromatica CD (Interscope)
A reinvention of Lady Gaga’s sixth consecutive #1 studio album Chromatica, Dawn Of Chromatica is executive produced by BloodPop® and features new collaborations and remixes of the original album from Ashnikko, Bree Runway, Charli XCX, Chester Lockhart, Clarence Clarity, COUCOU CHLOE, Doss, Jimmy Edgar, Lil Texas, LSDXOXO, Mood Killer, Mura Masa, Planningtorock, and Shygirl. Many of the collaborative artists were sourced by publicly asking fans who they would like to see on this project. [Clear vinyl pressing due February 4.]
Ladyhawke – Time Flies CD (BMG)
Time Flies is an extraordinary collection that fuses intimate subject matter and upbeat guitar-led rock with irresistibly catchy electronic elements. Time Flies was produced with a host of incredible collaborators including, L.A. songwriter and producer Tommy English (K. Flay, Carly Rae Jepsen, Kacey Musgraves, Adam Lambert, Broods etc.), Auckland based Josh Fountain (Leisure, Benee), Jeremy Toy (Leonard Charles, She’s So Rad), Sydney’s Chris Stracey (Bag Raiders, Paloma Faith, Diplo. ) and Jono Sloan (Empire Of The Sun, PNAU). [Vinyl edition – including an indie store exclusive limited-edition orange color vinyl pressing – due February 25.]
Lastworld – Fractured Mirror CD (Perris)
Lastworld is a melodic rock/AOR project by Jim Shepard (all instruments) und David Cagle (v, Marty & The Bad Punch). Even though the first rather heavy rocker “Save Yourself” might be slightly misleading, most of the rest is rather melodic rock.
Chris Liebing – Another Day CD/LP+MP3 (Mute)
Another Day follows 2018’s Burn Slow – the minimalist electronic epic that began a new chapter for one of German techno’s leading authorities. The new album explores a stunningly expressive, euphoric and melodic side of Liebing’s technical arsenal, while maintaining the pulsating threat in his new tracks that usually imbue his club-based DJ stompers. Techno club mixes with a series of collaborators will be released concurrently with each single. The album features a constellation of contributors including Miles Cooper Seaton (Akron / Family), Tom Adams, Maria Uzor (Sink Ya Teeth) and Mute label mates Ladan (Cold Specks) and Polly Scattergood (onDeadWaves). [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
The Lurking Fear – Death, Madness, Horror, Decay CD/LP (Century Media)
Sophomore album from Swedish the old-school death metal group.
Mad Margritt – Best Of 1999 – 2021 CD (Perris)
Atlanta, Georgia-based rockers Mad Margritt – featuring long-time frontman Eddie Smith – release this compilation spanning the years 1999-2021.
Magdalena Bay – Mercurial World CD/LP/Cassette (Luminelle Recordings)
Entirely written, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by the duo of Mica Tenenbaum and Matt Lewin, Mercurial World proposes an abstract theory of time and explores the staggering “what ifs” that make up the human experience. Approaching reality as a construct allows Magdalena Bay to enact their own, one that is committed to nothing but expanding the possible. Even the album’s sequencing hints at the eternal: the first track is titled “The End”, the last is “The Beginning”, forming a perfect loop when you listen to it straight through. “Matt, Matt, wake up!” Tenenbaum whispers on the introductory track. “I was thinking about how there’s no true end to anything/ Everything comes from and goes to the same place: Nowhere.” “Mercurial World has a lot of outsized themes on it, like destiny, death, and doing the impossible,” Tenenbaum explains. “It’s not exactly a concept album, but we love prog-rock, so we love a concept.” [A limited-edition indie store exclusive yellow color vinyl edition is also available.]
Makaya McCraven – Deciphering The Message CD/LP (Blue Note)
Drummer, producer & beat scientist Makaya McCraven digs through the Blue Note vaults with this new remix project that puts a modern bounce on jazz classics by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, & more. McCraven’s mastery of the loop is akin to hip-hop’s most celebrated beatmakers like J Dilla & Madlib, both of whom have also remixed Blue Note tracks, but McCraven’s unique approach also incorporates new recorded elements including his own drums, Joel Ross’ vibraphone, Jeff Parker’s guitar, & more.
Mayday Parade – What It Means To Fall Apart CD (Rise)
New release from the alternative rock band. [Vinyl edition – including an indie store exclusive limited-edition blue/black/magenta multicolor vinyl pressing – due March 25.]
Me And That Man – New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 2 CD/LP (Napalm Records)
Behemoth mastermind Adam “Nergal” Darski has signed a menacing pact with the devil once again, returning with dark folk/blues/Americana influenced solo project Me And That Man’s third full-length studio album, New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 2. As a sequel to the project’s previous record, New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol.1 (2020), the enthralling new offering follows the exciting path Nergal then set ablaze, once again featuring an abundance of heavy music icons – but this time, he takes it to a whole new level. Experience greats such as Gary Holt (Slayer, Exodus), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Randy Blythe (Lamb Of God), Myrkur, Devin Townsend, David Vincent, Doug Blair (W.A.S.P), Hank von Hell (Turbonegro) and Olve Abbath Eikemo (Immortal, Abbath) intertwining with the album’s bewitching collection of occult anthems, marking another breathtaking symbiosis of unfiltered blues, gothic-laced folk, country essence and touch of evil you’ll swear was either beamed straight out of hell or the most blackened of churches. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Mom Jeans. – Best Buds [Reissue/2016] CD/LP (Counter Intuitive)
Now available on CD. Released in July 2016, Best Buds is the debut album from the California based band Mom Jeans. The album mainly deals with past relationships, loss, and depression. The generally upbeat arrangements give way to the much sadder, angstier lyrics typical of emo.
The Moons – Pocket Melodies CD/LP (Colorama)
Released earlier this year on vinyl – now available on CD. Through these strange and uncertain times, it is sometimes a little hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel, but this is where The Moons have stepped in. This long player is an album full of color and raw songwriting recorded live in the legendary Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios. With cinematic string arrangements and masterclass songwriting from the pen of singer/songwriter Andy Crofts, Pocket Melodies will be your happy escape. The album takes you on a journey of glorious melodies leading you through love, romance, nostalgia, regret and unity.
Jessica Moss – Phosphenes CD/LP+MP3 (Constellation)
A phosphene is “the phenomenon of seeing light without light entering the eye.” The title of the heart-rending and resolute new album by composer/violinist Jessica Moss could not be better chosen. Moss is by now a seasoned practitioner of immersive isolation music; across three previously acclaimed solo records of minimal and maximal post-classicism, her acoustic, amplified, and electronically shifted violin is the raw material for deeply expressive, palpably haunted, wholly committed compositions. But Phosphenes inscribes fleeting halos of refracted ghostly light out of a prevailing darkness with especially plangent determination and intensity.
Willie Nelson – The Willie Nelson Family CD (Sony Legacy)
The Willie Nelson Family finds Willie joined in his Pedernales Studios by a host of his family members and extended family of long-time band members, performing songs that they have performed for much of their lives. Sister Bobbie, sons Lukas and Micah, and daughters Amy and Paula all contribute plus band members Mickey Raphael, Kevin Smith and Billy and Paul English. The album draws on deep Americana (including A.P. Carter’s “Keep It On The Sunnyside” and the traditional hymn “In The Garden”) while celebrating classic songwriting from Hank Williams (“I Saw The Light”) and Kris Kristofferson (“Why Me”) to George Harrison (“All Things Must Pass”) and Willie Nelson (who penned half of the album’s compositions). Willie’s son Lukas (who fronts his own band, Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real) sings lead vocals on two of the album’s tracks.
Oasis – Knebworth 1996 2xCD/2xCD+DVD/3xLP (Big Brother)
2021 marks 25 years since Oasis’ two iconic record-breaking live concerts at Knebworth Park in Hertfordshire on August 10-11, 1996. The shows were both the pinnacle of the band’s success and a landmark gathering for a generation of young people. Released alongside the cinema debut of the feature length documentary film of the event, Oasis Knebworth 1996 is the definitive live recording featuring a setlist packed with stone cold classics taken from across both nights of the concert, from the opening salvoes of “Columbia” and “Acquiesce”, to “Champagne Supernova”, “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, “Live Forever”, an orchestra backed “I Am The Walrus”, and of course the universally loved anthem “Wonderwall”. [A limited-edition yellow color vinyl pressing, as well as stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions, are also available.]
oso oso – Real Stories Of True People, Who Kind Of Looked Like Monsters [Reissue/2015] CD (Counter Intuitive)
CD reissue of the 2015 album from the New York-based alt-rock band.
OSS – Enter The Kettle CD/LP (Cooking Vinyl/ Orbscure)
Enter The Kettle is the second album on Alex Paterson’s new label Orbscure. It’s primarily a duo LP with him and old friend Fil Le Gonidec, who together are OSS. They were originally known as Orb Sound System – a half DJ/half live version of The Orb, which could gig more nimbly than the main machine. Early shows saw reggae-heavy selections and sometimes featured toasters but seeing as they never actually had a sound system, can’t play out at the moment and have made a record – it’s currently just OSS, which now stands for On Sum Shit. Other guests on the album include official-other-half-of-The Orb Michael Rendall, plus Jah Wobble, Roger Eno and George Holt – whose credits include Depeche Mode and Erasure.
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raise The Roof CD/2xLP (Rounder)
Raise The Roof finds Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Robert Plant and 27x Grammy-winner Alison Krauss reunited after some fourteen years, following the historic success of their first collaboration Raising Sand (2007), which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, generated platinum sales, and earned six Grammy Awards including Album and Record of the Year. Like its predecessor, Raise The Roof was produced by T Bone Burnett, who worked with Plant and Krauss to expand their collaboration in thrilling new directions, accompanied by drummer Jay Bellerose, guitarists Marc Ribot, David Hidalgo, Bill Frisell, and Buddy Miller, bassists Dennis Crouch and Viktor Krauss, along with pedal steel guitarist Russ Pahl among others. [An indie store exclusive vinyl pressing featuring an alternate cover is also available.]
R.E.M. – New Adventures in Hi-Fi: 25th Anniversary Edition 2xCD+Blu-ray (Craft Recordings)
This double-CD edition features 13 B-sides and rarities plus a Blu-ray featuring hi-res and 5.1 Surround Sound audio, plus restored music videos including “Electrolite” and “E-Bow the Letter” packaged in a hardcover book. First released in September 1996, New Adventures In Hi-Fi endures as one of R.E.M.’s most acclaimed albums and stands as a favorite among band members and fans alike. Recorded at the height of their fame, it is R.E.M.’s final album with drummer and founding member Bill Berry, who left the group amicably the following year. Perhaps most remarkable, however, is that New Adventures in Hi-Fi found the band taking a unique creative approach: writing and recording much of the LP on the road, during their 1995 Monster tour. While writing new material on the road wasn’t an unusual feat for R.E.M., New Adventures was unlike anything they had done before. As they embarked on tour, the band sought to create an abstract travelogue documenting every emotion and experience as it happened.
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Esperanto [Reissue/1985] CD/LP (Wewantsounds)
Ryuichi Sakamoto’s 1985 synth and ambient album featuring Yas-Kaz and Arto Lindsay is released outside of Japan for the first time with new introduction by Andy Beta and audio remastered in Tokyo by Seigen Ono.
Andy Shauf – Wilds CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Canadian musician Andy Shauf pens songs that explore universal truths through picaresque vignettes, from the colorful people-watching observations of 2016’s The Party to the tale of a failed relationship explained over one night at a local watering hole on last year’s The Neon Skyline. But Shauf has never exactly been held up as a confessional sort of songwriter, even though underneath the carefully plotted narratives and conceptual storylines, he’s always been writing about himself. Wilds might change that. A collection of nine songs culled from around fifty tracks recorded by the prolific Shauf during the writing of The Neon Skyline and presented in a near-unfiltered form, the unstudied rawness of the songs on Wilds is a revealing look at Shauf’s mindset during the time he was writing The Neon Skyline – what he calls “a glimpse into the window of how chaotic things were” – as well as a peek into the creative process behind a proper Andy Shauf studio album, a snapshot of how the multi-instrumentalist first begins building his songs into more ornately arranged final products.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts 2xCD+DVD/2xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP (Legacy)
The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band were recorded at the September 1979 MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City. They represent the highest quality and best recorded Bruce performances from an explosive and ascendant era of the E Street Band. Among the highlights are then-unreleased versions of “The River” and “Sherry Darling”, live staples “Badlands”, “Born To Run” and “Thunder Road”, plus covers of Buddy Holly’s “Rave On” and a version of Maurice Williams’ “Stay” featuring special guests Jackson Browne, Tom Petty and Rosemary Butler. [The double-CD edition includes your choice of DVD or Blu-ray of the 13-song concert performance film, newly edited from original film footage, restored and remixed in HD.]
Cat Stevens – Teaser And The Firecat [Reissue/1971] CD/LP/2xCD/4xCD+Blu-ray+2xLP+7” (A&M)
50th Anniversary remastered edition of Yusuf/Cat Stevens landmark 1971 album – available as a single-disc CD and vinyl pressing, and in a couple of collectable configurations: The double-CD version features rare and previously released B-sides, demos, live performances, and TV/radio sessions and a 32-page booklet with lyrics, illustrations, and track annotations; The Deluxe four CD + Blu-ray edition includes the 50th Anniversary remaster of the album on CD/Blu-ray HD Audio completed at Abbey Road by the original producer, Paul Samwell-Smith, 41 previously unreleased demos, sessions, live tracks, and 21 unreleased TV performances, plus an illustrated 108-pg essay book, a 44-page replica of the original Teaser And The Firecat book; The Super Deluxe 8-disc edition includes everything from the Deluxe edition and adds an expanded-vinyl pressing and and a 7″ single of “Moonshadow”.
Stillbirth – Strain Of Gods CDEP (Unique Leader)
Bringing a huge Sleep/Sabbath drenched flavor to their special brand of brutal slamming death metal, Strain Of The Gods is a pseudo surfing adventure in the insane Stillbirth universe.
Sting – The Bridge CD/LP/Cassette (A&M)
New release from the veteran singer/songwriter. Sting recorded the album over the last year with a coterie of trusted musicians beaming into his studio remotely. The list of musicians includes Dominic Miller, Branford Marsalis, Melissa Musique, Gene Noble, Josh Freese, Manu Katché, Jo Lawry, Fred Renaudin, Peter Tickell, Julian Sutton, Laila Biali, Gavin Brown, Shaggy, Donal Hodgson, Tony Lake and Martin Kierszenbaum. That easy sense of musical camaraderie, connection and kinship is on full display in the lead single “If It’s Love”, an unabashed pop song lent wings by a whistled refrain, joyful handclaps, and uplifting brass and strings.
Sun Of The Suns – TiiT CD (Scarlet)
Sun of the Suns is a scary, groovy relentless machine that will smash and crush any resistance, applying for the long-awaited role of real innovators of the extreme metal scene.
Swallow The Sun – Moonflowers CD/2xCD/2xLP+CD (Century Media)
At 52-minutes, Moonflowers is an eight-song affair that drives deep into the heart of Swallow the Sun main songwriter Juha Raivio’s disconsolate soul. From the dramatic “Enemy” and the grim “This House Has No Home” to the delicate “Moonflowers Bloom in Misery” and the beauteous “The Fight of Your Life”, Moonflowers is as rewarding and dynamic as it is accomplished and intimate [The deluxe double-CD edition includes a bonus CD of instrumental versions.]
Temperance – Diamanti CD (Napalm)
After releasing their vibrant fifth studio album, Viridian, in 2020, Temperance – maestros of modern melodic/symphonic metal – delight their devotees with the persuasive new offering, Diamanti.
Thank You Scientist – Plague Accommodations CD/LP (Flying Jangus)
Fourth album from the New Jersey progressive rock band. [A ‘radioactive green’ splatter color vinyl pressing is also available.]
The Tragically Hip – Road Apples (30th Anniversary) 4xCD+Blu-ray/5xLP+Blu-ray (UMe)
This Deluxe 30th anniversary edition of one of the most iconic albums from The Tragically Hip contains four CDs (five LPs in the vinyl set) including the remastered Road Apples album, Saskadelphia, Live At The Roxy Los Angeles, May 3, 1991 and unreleased demos, outtakes, & alternate versions. The accompanying Blu-ray contains Dolby Atmos, 7.1, 5.1, and binaural mixes by Richard Chycki of Road Apples, and five cuts from Saskadelphia. Also includes a 36-page booklet, a 1991 24” x 37” promo poster, never-before-seen photos, original lyrics, essays, and more.
Trippie Redd – Trip At Knight CD (TenThousand Projects/Virgin)
Multi-platinum selling recording artist, Trippie Redd, releases his fourth studio album, Trip At Knight. It features Lil Uzi Vert, Juice WRLD, XXXTentacion, Polo G, Lil Durk, Ski Mask The Slump God, amongst others. Includes the single “Miss The Rage”, featuring Playboi Carti.
Various Artists – The French Dispatch Original Soundtrack CD (Abkco)
The Franco-centric original soundtrack to Wes Anderson’s latest film The French Dispatch features an original score by Oscar-winner Alexandre Desplat and music by Georges Delerue, Grace Jones, Charles Aznavour, and more. The original soundtrack also includes a new version of the French pop hit “Aline”, originally performed by Christophe, recorded by Jarvis Cocker. [Vinyl edition due January 7.]
Various Artists – Motown: A Symphony Of Soul (With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) CD (Motown)
Motown: A Symphony Of Soul features some of Motown’s best known and loved singles now reimagined with new orchestration by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Also included are some beautiful new guest vocalist versions that sit alongside the original vocals laid down over 50 years ago. Beverley Knight joins Marvin Gaye on the seminal “Abraham, Martin & John” and Mica Paris joins Jimmy Ruffin on “What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted”. [Vinyl edition due February 18.]
Volumes – Happier? CD (Fearless)
As things change over time, life circles back to key points offering second chances. Volumes find themselves at such a point in 2021. After four years apart, the group-Myke Terry [vocals], Raad Soudani [bass], and Nick Ursich [drums]-reconvenes with original vocalist Michael Barr to perfect a balance of guttural grooves, magnetic melodies, and unbridled hardcore. Volumes pick right up where they left off in 2015 with their fourth full length offering Happier?. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is due February 25.]
W.E.B. – Colosseum CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Born of the “necessity to scream, blast, and create emotions and get on stage to exchange them with an audience”, Greece’s W.E.B. have steadily forged a path to becoming one of the premier European symphonic extreme metal bands. [A limited-edition magenta color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Lucinda Williams – Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 5: Have Yourself A Rockin’ Little Christmas With Lucinda CD/LP (Highway 20)
While the first four installments of Lu’s Jukebox found Williams tackling Tom Petty, southern soul, Bob Dylan, and ‘60s country classics, Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 5 sees the Grammy-winner spreading a little Christmas cheer with takes on “Run Run Rudolph”, “Merry Christmas, Baby”, “Please Come Home For Christmas”, and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” among others.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Oasis – Knebworth 1996 DVD/Blu-ray (Big Brother)
2021 marks 25 years since Oasis’ two iconic record-breaking live concerts at Knebworth Park in Hertfordshire on August 10-11, 1996. The shows were both the pinnacle of the band’s success and a landmark gathering for a generation of young people. Released alongside the cinema debut of the feature length documentary film of the event, Oasis Knebworth 1996 is the definitive live recording featuring a setlist packed with stone cold classics taken from across both nights of the concert, from the opening salvoes of “Columbia” and “Acquiesce”, to “Champagne Supernova”, “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, “Live Forever”, an orchestra backed “I Am The Walrus”, and of course the universally loved anthem “Wonderwall”.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Aesop Rock – Labor Days [Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Block Block Chop)
Limited color vinyl pressing of the third studio album by Aesop Rock, originally released by EL-P’s Definitive Jux label in 2001. The 14-track double album is regarded as Aesop’s definitive collection, featuring production work from Blockhead and Omega One and guest appearances from the likes of Illogic and C-Rayz-Walz. Dark dense beats and intricate rhyme flows weave in and out on this conceptual album about work.
All Them Witches – Nothing As The Ideal LP (New West)
Limited black and green color vinyl pressing of the 2020 release from the Nashville-based rock band.
Animals As Leaders – Animals As Leaders [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Prosthetic)
Gatefold color vinyl reissue. When Tosin Abasi released his self-titled debut solo album under the moniker Animals as Leaders in 2009, few would have predicted the band’s meteoric rise over the following years. Although Abasi earned acclaim as the lead guitarist in the Washington, D.C.-based metalcore act Reflux, it was still a long-shot that an instrumental album of progressive metal with jazz, electronic and ambient flourishes would develop anything more than a cult following. A collaboration between Abasi and Periphery’s Misha Mansoor (who produced, mixed, mastered, engineered and programmed the album), Animals As Leaders’ impact on modern metal cannot be overstated, as it somehow managed to be both genre-defying and genre-defining.
Armored Saint – Symbol Of Salvation: Live 2xLP (Metal Blade)
Recently released on CD – now available on limited-edition clear vinyl. New live release from the veteran metal band.
Between You & Me – Armageddon LP (Hopeless)
Neon magenta color vinyl pressing. Armageddon is a testament to perseverance as the band had just cracked ground on building this album when the global lockdowns due to the Covid Pandemic hit. They rallied together to still create amazing songs and stories with the help of Sam Guaiana at the helm as producer. [CD edition due November 26.]
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – The Big Beat [Reissue/1960] LP (Blue Note)
The timeless 1960 hard bop classic The Big Beat was the album that first introduced one of the greatest line-ups of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers to the jazz public with the legendary drummer and bandleader joined by trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt. Shorter was the band’s newest member, and it was immediately clear that his presence would steer the group’s sound in a new more modern direction.
Body/Dilloway/Head – Body/Dilloway/Head LP (Three Lobed)
This debut album resulted from Body/Head (the duo of Kim Gordon [Sonic Youth, solo] and Bill Nace) handing over previously unreleased studio sessions to Aaron Dilloway (solo, formerly of Wolf Eyes) for processing and editing. The result is unmistakably a complete synthesis of their respective sounds and styles. One of this LP’s many pleasures is the inability to identify specific emotions within it, despite the undeniable emotional responses it elicits.
Brand New – The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (Procrastinate Music)
The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me is the third studio album by Brand New. It was recorded from 2005 to 2006 in studios in Long Island and Massachusetts with producer Mike Sapone, and released on November 21, 2006 through Interscope Records, making it their major label debut. Two singles from the album were released: “Sowing Season” and “Jesus Christ”. The album peaked at #31 on the Billboard 200, becoming the band’s highest-charting record at the time of its release.
Donald Byrd – Places And Spaces [Reissue/1975] LP (Blue Note)
Donald Byrd’s 1975 fusion classic Places And Spaces was the culmination of the legendary trumpeter’s vibrant latter Blue Note years. Byrd had begun recording for Blue Note in 1958, and over two decades evolved from a top-notch hard bop trumpeter into a pioneer of R&B/funk fusion, leading the label’s own creative direction along a similar path. Byrd had begun to introduce elements of fusion to his music with his 1969 album Fancy Free and shadowed Miles Davis early-1970s moves with experimental sessions like Electric Byrd and Ethiopian Knights.
Dan Campbell – Other People’s Lives LP (Many Hats Endeavors)
Limited solid green color vinyl LP pressing. Dan Campbell is a songwriter. Or maybe more of a storyteller. Or both. Dan Campbell is a songwriter and a storyteller. Wait, flip that a storyteller and a songwriter. There must be a more romantic way to say that. How about this: Dan Campbell is a storyteller moonlighting as a songwriter and this is his first-time releasing music under his own name.
Cancer – Death Shall Rise [Reissue/1991] LP (Peaceville)
This 30th anniversary edition of the UK death metal band’s sophomore album features a fresh audio master and is presented on color vinyl with original layout.
Joey Cape – A Good Year To Forget LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A Good Year To Forget, a record that was written during a year that saw singer-songwriter Joey Cape lose his father, separate from his wife of 20 years, contract COVID, and move back in with his parents as a result of a livelihood lost. Pretty heavy themes here but all extremely relatable.
Ryan Caraveo – Northend Sweetheart LP (Paradise Forever LLC)
Northend Sweetheart showcases Ryan’s genre-fluidity while combining elements of alt/hip-hop, pop, and pop-punk. The Seattle-born artist has honed his ability to create catchy ear-candy without skipping his consistently thought-provoking lyrics. Ryan allows himself to be vulnerable on each song discussing topics of depression, identity, and love while creating laid back yet captivating music. Pressed with a stunning opaque sunburst color, this is Ryan’s first vinyl release.
Carcass – Surgical Steel [Reissue/2013] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Blue swirl with red splatter color vinyl reissue of the British death metal band’s sixth album.
Ray Charles – True Genius 2xLP (Tangerine)
Recently released as a six-CD box set – an abridged double-LP vinyl edition is now available. Ray Charles is both one of the most iconic artists of all time as well as one of the hardest to define by genre. At the beginning of his career, he was dubbed the Genius Of Soul for boldly combining traditional R&B with Gospel music and giving birth to Soul music. Yet this momentous musical accomplishment was just the beginning of a five-decade career in which he uniquely succeeded in virtually every genre. Ray’s unique mastery of music allowed him to continue to explore all forms of music, freely floating between jazz, blues, pop, rock, soul and country while continuing to combine them in new, unprecedented ways.
The Coathangers / L.A. Witch – One Way Or The Highway b/w Ghost On The Highway 7” (Suicide Squeeze)
Red & purple color vinyl. The Coathangers take on Blondie’s “One Way Or Another”, employing their trademark sweet-and-salty combination of scrappy punk and twee pop to highlight the song’s spikey riffage and gritty soul while retaining its beguiling hooks. L.A. Witch cover The Gun Club’s smoky punk blues with an exhilarating rendition of “Ghost On The Highway.”
Cold War Kids – New Age Norms 3 LP (Cwktwo Corp.)
Neon green color vinyl. This third and final installment in Cold War Kids’ New Age Norms series is the next chapter with the approach of taking apart the idea of what the band is and just trying to take the doors off a bit to see where it can go.
Joey DeFrancesco – More Music 2xLP (Mack Avenue)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. On More Music, master organist Joey DeFrancesco, who has long supplemented his keyboard virtuoso with his skilled trumpet playing, here brings out his full arsenal: organ, keyboard, piano, trumpet and, for the first time on record, tenor saxophone. More Music offers up ten new DeFrancesco originals, brought to life by a scintillating new trio with fellow Philadelphia organist and guitarist Lucas Brown and gifted drummer Michael Ode.
Dying Fetus – Purification Through Violence [Reissue/1996] LP (Relapse)
25th Anniversary color vinyl reissue. Dying Fetus made their full-length debut in 1996 with Purification Through Violence, an album that would contribute to the shaping and rise of early American death metal. 25 years later, it remains as abrasive and unrelenting as ever, proving to be a vital cornerstone of the Dying Fetus catalog.
The Ex – Dignity Of Labour [Reissue/1983] LP (Superior Viaduct)
The Ex – Tumult [Reissue/1983] LP (Superior Viaduct)
While awaiting the release of Dignity Of Labour, The Ex headed into the studio in early 1983; this time with a new friend-The Mekons’ Jon Langford-helping produce. Originally released in April 1983 (only a month after Dignity Of Labour), Tumult marks a major evolution in Ex-sound. That said, Dignity Of Labour “is our idea of improvised industrial punk noise,” states Ex-frontman G.W. Sok, which not only offers a perfect summation of these idiosyncratic sounds, but also of the group’s music in the decades to come.
The Fleshtones – Mi Engañaste Bien b/w Decimos Yeah! 7” (Yep Roc)
The kings of garage rock are celebrating 45 years in the music business. The Fleshtones haven’t stopped rocking since their 1976 debut at CBGBs and mark this momentous anniversary with a brand-new Spanish-language single.
Sue Foley – Pinky’s Blues LP (Stony Plain Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Pinky’s Blues is a raw, electric guitar driven romp through the backroads of Texas, with Foley’s signature pink paisley Fender Telecaster, ‘Pinky’ at the wheel.
Frozen Soul – Encased In Ice [Reissue/2019] 12” (Century Media)
After the huge success of their 2020 debut Crypt of Ice, Frozen Soul – the masters of ice-cold death metal – reissue of their 2019 original demo EP Encased in Ice which includes four previously unreleased bonus tracks.
Ghoul – Live In The Flesh 2xLP (Tank Crimes)
Recently released on CD – now available on green color vinyl. The ‘Creepsylvanian’ cannibal splatter-thrashers unleash a live double album recorded in 2018 at the Oakland Metro Opera House.
Roger Glover – Snapshot+ 2xLP (earMUSIC)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Digitally remastered and expanded edition featuring five bonus tracks. Snapshot is the fourth solo album by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover, originally released in September 2002. It features Randall Bramblett, Warren Haynes and Gillian Glover.
Rosco Gordon – No Dark In America [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Dualtone Music Group)
Blues singer, songwriter, and pianist Rosco Gordon influenced countless artists throughout his career with his unique piano playing style, known as the Rosco Rhythm. His final album No Dark In America is a record filled with hope, sorrow, and joy, and throughout celebrates the power of human connection that music brings to life.
Grateful Dead – Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/10/71 5xLP (Grateful Dead)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Complete, previously unreleased performance. One of the shortest-lived iterations of The Grateful Dead was the band that existed December 1971 through March 1972. Jerry, Bob, Phil, Bill, Pigpen, and Keith formed a formidable version of the Dead that only played a few shows together before Donna Jean joined as vocalist, and before Pigpen would depart the stage for good in June 1972. What this sextet lacked in quantity of shows it made up for with creativeness, power, and inspiration. When Pigpen rejoined the Dead on December 1, 1971, after a few months off during which Keith had joined as piano player, the band was now an unstoppably powerful live juggernaut it hadn’t been since the height of the Primal Dead era in late 1968-1969. Widely considered one of the best shows from the Pigpen-Keith era of The Grateful Dead, Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 12/10/71 has it all.
Hand Habits – Fun House LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
Limited-edition indie store exclusive black & blue color vinyl pressing. Hand Habits, the project of Los Angeles-based musician Meg Duffy is back with their ambitious new album Fun House. Produced by Sasami Ashworth (SASAMI) and engineered by Kyle Thomas (King Tuff), the record was not intended as a reaction to the pandemic, but it was very much the result of taking a difficult, if much-needed, moment of pause. Emboldened by going into therapy and coaxed by Ashworth to push the songs into unexpected new shapes, the resulting music is more acutely personal and stylistically adventurous than anything you’ve heard from Hand Habits before. The push/pull of styles, paired with songs that move deftly between the present and past, give the record a wildly diverse, hall of mirrors quality that befits its name. Where previous Hand Habits records could be insular affairs, Fun House feels ebullient, lush, a fully realized conversation.
The Hawks – Obviously Five Believe LP (Easy Action)
When TV Eye, the Second City’s Stooges-inspired garage punk band split, Daves Twist (drums) and Kusworth (guitar) and Paul Adams (guitar) approached Duffy (vocals) and Simon Colley (bass) from the first Duran Duran line-up to join their new project. So began Obviously Five Believers, who in turn became The Subterranean Hawks, before settling on The Hawks. Adored by most who saw them, they recorded constantly, spawning one highly collectable single, “Words Of Hope”. They lasted from ’79 until Christmas ’81 “falling apart in a myriad of acrimony,” as Duffy wrote in 1984.
Hawthonn – Earth Mirror LP (Ba Da Bing!)
An Earth Mirror is a magical device. Found in German occult literature, it is a clod of earth sandwiched between layers of glass. Gazing into the Earth Mirror is said to reveal the locations of hidden treasures. Magical visions and the revelation of mysteries in the landscape are two prominent features of Earth Mirror, the new album by Layla & Phil Legard alias Hawthonn. Somewhere between moon musick and ethereal pop, the songs of Earth Mirror reflect the band’s transition from studio project to live performers.
Houeida Hedfi – Fleuves de l’Âme LP (Phantasy Sound)
Fleuves de l’Âme is the debut album of Paris-based Tunisan artist Houeida Hedfi, produced with Olof Dreijer of The Knife and Oni Ayhun. The album is an elegant marriage of traditional folk music and contemporary sound design drawing references from Hedfi’s drumming expertise and the textures of Tunisian music alongside a startlingly broad array of global genres. [CD version due December 3.]
The Home Team – Better Off [Reissue/2018] LP (Revival)
Limited-edition red color vinyl pressing of the diverse debut full-length release from the fun and energetic Seattle, WA pop-punk/pop-rock outfit.
Bobbi Humphrey – Fancy Dancer [Reissue/1975] LP (Blue Note)
Bobbi Humphrey was one of the most prominent stars on the Blue Note roster of the 1970s. The flutist debuted on the label in 1971 with Flute In¸ the first in a run of six creative and highly enjoyable albums. On her breakout 1973 album Blacks And Blues, Humphrey hooked up with the forward-thinking producer Larry Mizell to create a jazz-funk classic that expanded her audience. It proved to be a winning combination, and the two joined forces again on Satin Doll the following year. Their third and final collaboration would be on the great 1975 album Fancy Dancer. Humphrey’s alluring flute dances through vibrant and ingenious arrangements by Larry and Fonce Mizell that skillfully wove together a broad range of influences from across the spectrum of black music.
Jóhann Jóhannsson – Miner’s Hymns LP (Deutsche Grammophon)
The Miners’ Hymns is a collaboration between American filmmaker Bill Morrison and Jóhann Jóhannsson who, with images and music, created a wordless documentary to depict the ill-fated mining community in Northeast England. The film is a timely reminder of choices that were made a generation ago regarding the role of labor in a corporate-based economy, the repercussions of which are still being felt today.
Mat Kerekes – Songs For Breanne 12” (Wax Bodega)
Orange splatter color vinyl. Songs For Breanne was written and recorded during isolation through the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recorded in Kerekes’ home studio, the EP has connected with fans and become a favorite.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard – L.W. Live In Australia LP (We Are Busy Bodies)
Live, bootlegger version of L.W. compiled from 2021 Australian performances. Mastered by Noah Mintz of Lacquer Channel Mastering. The album features a reverse groove and is pressed on clear vinyl.
Kississippi – Mood Ring LP (Triple Crown)
Translucent red color vinyl. Mood Ring, Zoe Reynold’s second full length as Kississippi, is full of her trademark talent at channeling deadpan emotional observation into poignant musical metaphors. Kississippi comfortably filters pop grandeur, emo’s deliberate rawness, and Nashville’s studio largeness through a lens of punk camaraderie. Just like the album’s title suggests, Reynolds writes through a spectrum of shifting emotions: elation blending into insecurity and back around into gorgeous awe.
The Ladies – They Mean US [Reissue/2006] LP+MP3 (Temporary Residence)
The West coast’s most versatile indie rock everyman and the world’s most left-of-everything drummer joined forces to unite the disparate worlds of noise and pop on this stunningly addictive and efficient 2006 album. Rob Crow: co-creator of San Diego’s sentimental pop superstars Pinback; leader of absurdist metal outfit Goblin Cock; former leader of Thingy and Heavy Vegetable; former member of Physics; accomplished solo performer. Zach Hill: one-half of the outlandish noise duo Hella; member of Deftones side-project Team Sleep; drummer for post-Marilyn Manson/A Perfect Circle stoner-rock combo Goon Moon; one third of the total sensory-overload that was Nervous Cop. They Mean US is one of the strongest and unique pop records of the last decade and a half. More adventurous than Pinback and more accessible than Hella, The Ladies proved to be the best of both worlds.
LadyCouch – The Future Looks Fine LP (Blackbird)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A southern-rock jam band fronted by Allen Thompson and co-founder Keshia Bailey, LadyCouch brings together a lineup of songwriters, horn players, harmony singers, and first-rate instrumentalists. The result is a larger-than-life sound inspired by the revue bands of the 1970s, bringing a contemporary approach to the timeless influence of Delaney & Bonnie, Little Feat and Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen. Funky and fiercely loyal, LadyCouch’s members are a community unto themselves, writing optimistic songs about the struggles and triumphs that connect us all.
Lespecial – Ancient Homies LP (Ropeadope)
Conceptually Ancient Homies deals with themes of travel throughout different planes, both physical and meta-physical. Lyrically it explores concepts of “boundaries” and how one can transport themselves, either physically across the infinite vastness of space, or mentally to a different mental plane, as we believe the best musical pieces to do. There are moments of intensity, darkness and heaviness that call to our influences in the prog world such as Tool and King Crimson, exemplified by our mixing engineer Dave Sanchez at Riffs or Die, as well as more sub-heavy, head nodding tunes that nod to some of our favorite electronic artists like Flying Lotus and Nine Inch Nails.
LionLimb – Spiral Groove LP/Cassette (Bayonet)
Spiral Groove delivers us singer-songwriter Stewart Bronaugh at the height of his artistic powers both visually and sonically. This album is studded with stories of mortality, the challenges of addiction and sobriety, and the romance of a lifetime. Recovering from a seizure, Bronaugh’s sudden awareness of the limits of his own body was a “psychedelic experience” that shifted his perspective wildly. No longer “bulletproof,” Bronaugh splits himself wide open on Spiral Groove, encapsulating all our existential questions into tidy love songs. You’ll find pianos, string quartets, slide guitar, buzzing synth lines, and plenty of room to breathe. Each song is like a painting you can disappear into, a somber and hopeful spell for life after the end of the world.
Lizzy Borden – Master Of Disguise [Reissue/1989] LP (Metal Blade)
Lizzy Borden – Deal With The Devil [Reissue/2000] LP (Metal Blade)
Limited-edition color vinyl pressings. Since 1983, the name Lizzy Borden has been synonymous with heavy metal music of the highest caliber.
Low Cut Connie – Tough Cookies: The Best Of The Quarantine Broadcasts 2xLP (Midcitizen)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Tough Cookies: The Best Of The Quarantine Broadcasts, pulls recordings from the band’s twice-weekly livestream Tough Cookies which celebrates its one-year anniversary this month. The 23-track album consists of a small percentage of the 500+ covers Weiner has performed so far during the broadcasts.
Lucifer – Lucifer IV LP (Century Media)
Lucifer was founded in 2014 in Berlin by The Oath front woman Johanna Sadonis with the group first consisting of Cathedral, Angel Witch and Ladytron members. Relentless touring and recording have turned Lucifer into an explosive live beast and a reliable source of timeless rock and roll.
Manchester Orchestra – Christmas Songs Vol. 1 LP (Loma Vista)
Released last week on CD – a limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is now available. A collection of eight holiday classics reimagined earnestly and passionately by beloved indie rock stalwarts Manchester Orchestra. Familiar, inclusive, and the essence of holiday spirit, regardless of one’s beliefs: “Intro”, “Silent Night”, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, White Christmas”, O Holy Night”, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”, “Outro”.
Mingus – The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady [Reissue/1963] LP (Verve)
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady is without question Charles Mingus’s magnum opus. Originally released on Impulse! in 1963, the album broke new ground in both genre-defying composition and innovative recording techniques. A six-part suite with dramatic shifts in mood and tempo, The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady features the three-way brass dialogue of trumpets, trombone and tuba, swooping reeds and awe-inspiring rhythm section.
Jackie Mittoo – The Keyboard King At Studio One [Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Soul Jazz)
20th anniversary special one-off pressing blue color vinyl gatefold sleeve edition. This compilation features music Mittoo recorded as a solo artist (as opposed to the numerous singers that he accompanied). Most of these are taken from his recordings in the mid-‘60s where he was recording on an almost daily basis at Studio One’s Brentford Road studios developing the funky reggae sound that was his trademark.
Chloe Moriondo – Blood Bunny LP (Elektra)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Blood Bunny, the second full-length release for the Michigan indie pop artist, features production and writing from Jake Aron, David Pramik, and Keith Varon.
The Moving Sidewalks – Flash LP (Rockbeat)
The way musicians come together is something that can never be completely explained. It takes a lot of good luck and a healthy dose of fate to bring together all the elements. And even when those things are present, there comes a point when spontaneous combustion needs to happen as well. That is exactly what occurred when The Moving Sidewalks short but extremely electrifying life came into being.
Muleskinner – Live LP (Liberation Hall)
For bluegrass aficionados, Muleskinner Live is something of a watershed event. Originally broadcast on PBS in the late ’70s, the documentary captured the bluegrass supergroup at the peak of its powers. Muleskinner’s lineup boasted the talents of Clarence White, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Bill Keith, and Richard Green, so it should come as little surprise that this live record is a powerhouse.
NEEDTOBREATHE – Into The Mystery LP (New Elektra)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After quietly composing and recording throughout the fall of 2020, Grammy-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE return with their eighth full-length studio album, Into The Mystery which features guest appearances by Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, Natalie Hemby and Carrie Underwood. Just as their critically acclaimed 2020 album Out Of Body impacted audiences, NEEDTOBREATHE capitalized on a rush of inspiration and rode the wave of creativity. Without telling a soul, the band decamped to a historic house-turned-recording studio in Columbia, TN to begin working on new music. Over the course of three weeks, they resided under one roof, laughed during meals, explored their surroundings, and recorded together with co-producer and engineer Konrad Snyder and special guests. Out of this de facto creative hub and “extended summer camp,” they handcrafted an album reflective of the moment, yet independent of all expectations – even their own. [DVD edition due November 30.]
Nothing More – The Stories We Tell Ourselves [Reissue/2017] 2xLP (Better Noise Music)
Clear w/ red splatter color vinyl pressing of the San Antonio, TX alternative rockers’ sixth album.
Obscura – A Valediction [Reissue/
Germany-based extreme metal band Obscura launch a trilogy concept with A Valediction.
Oddisee – The Good Fight [Reissue/2015] LP (Mello Music Group)
Limited clear color vinyl pressing. Imbued with love, honesty, and selflessness, 2015’s The Good Fight is virtuosic in its musicality, direct in its language, and infinitely relatable. In a landscape overrun with abstract indulgence and shallow trend-chasers, the Prince George’s County, Maryland artist has created a record that reminds you that it’s music before it’s hip-hop. For Oddisee, The Good Fight is about living fully as a musician without succumbing to the traps of hedonism, avarice, and materialism. It’s music that yields an intangible feeling: the sacral sound of an organ whine, brass horns, or a cymbal crash. It’s a meditation on our capacity to love and the bonds binding us together. It’s our ambition and greed warring with our sense of propriety – a list of paradoxes we all face when living and striving.
Oh Wonder – 22 Break LP (Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. By their own design, Oh Wonder has always flown a little below the public radar. Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West have played music together since 2014 and have been quietly romantically involved since 2013. By the time they confirmed their engagement on No One Else Can Wear Your Crown, life was going smoothly: then of course the pandemic hit, and a 120-date world tour was subsequently and heartbreakingly canceled. This deeply personal time in their private lives is the subject of Oh Wonder’s fifth studio album, 22 Break.
Omnium Gatherum – Origin LP (Century Media)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Finnish melodic death metal band.
Ovlov – Buds LP (Exploding In Sound)
Over the course of twelve years, a litany of splits and EPs, two beloved full lengths, and even a couple break-ups, Northeastern fuzz-rock heroes Ovlov has earned a loyal cult following, all while staunchly following their own path at every turn. Now, the band has returned with their third full-length, Buds, an album three years in the making that finds the band deftly maintaining their endearingly steadfast identity while also reckoning with the inevitability of change.
Charlie Parr – Last Of The Better Days Ahead LP (Smithsonian Folkways)
Recently released on CD – now available on limited-edition indie store exclusive color vinyl. Charlie Parr’s newest album is a collection of powerful new songs about how one looks back on a life lived, as well as forward on what’s still to come. It’s spare production foregrounds Parr’s poetic lyricism, his expressive, gritty voice ringing clear over deft acoustic guitar playing that references folk and blues motifs in Parr’s own exploratory, idiosyncratic style.
Pony – TV Baby LP (Take This To Heart)
Released earlier this year on CD – now available on vinyl. The debut album from Toronto power-pop act Pony feels like it’s programmed from a different era. Driven by vocalist/guitarist Sam Bielanski’s sharp vocal tones and flashy, driving rhythm, the band combines cheeky 1980s style with 1990s self-reliance and modern production sheen for an experience caught between worlds. It’s hooky and vibrant, but don’t mistake exuberance for extroversion.
Power Supply – In The Time Of The Sabre-Toothed Tiger LP (Goner)
“In The Time Of The Sabre-Toothed Tiger packs a one two punch with its bright melodies and first-class songwriting.” – GimmieZine
Primal Scream – Live At Levitation LP (Reverberation Appreciation Society)
Pink w/ black splatter color vinyl. Primal Scream’s fusion of indie pop and dance broke down musical boundaries and changed the face of British pop music in the ’90s, helping to push dance and techno into the rock mainstream. Their lasting influence is crystallized across nine tracks, on Live At Levitation. Recorded in 2015 at Levitation in front of underground rock fans from around the world, the LP marks the next release in The Reverberation Appreciation Society’s Live At Levitation series, which captures key moments in psychedelic rock history and live music in Austin, Texas – pulled from Levitation’s extensive archives.
Justus Proffit – SpeedStar LP/Cassette (Bar/None)
Justus Proffit grew up on a diet of indie music. His house was filled with gear and his parents made sure he knew the importance of TSOL and the Pixies alike. He joined his first band at 13 and started touring the country at 16. He has run an all-ages venue, has his own clothing line, released a string of Eps, and collaborated with great artists like Jay Som and Winter. Recorded in Phil Elverum’s (The Microphones) iconic Anacortes studio, Justus Proffit’s sophomore album, SpeedStar, is his most intimate work to date, stripping back the veneer of noise to reveal the meticulous songwriting that’s made him a magnetic force.
Rum Rum Club – How To Steal The World LP (Republic Of Music)
Once again melding relatable words of life, love and late nights to the hip-shaking grooves that have ignited numerous festival stages, irrepressible indie-soul-funk six-piece Red Rum Club return with their head-bopping new album.
Horace Silver Quintet – 6 Pieces Of Silver [Reissue/1956] LP (Blue Note)
With his 1956 album 6 Pieces of Silver, Silver struck gold with a sterling set of hard bop that introduced one of his greatest compositions, “Señor Blues”. The indelible theme is one of five excellent Silver originals (plus the standard “For Heaven’s Sake”) performed by an ace quintet featuring Donald Byrd on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Other highlights include the hard swinging opener “Cool Eyes”, the stunning ballad “Shirl”, the intricate stop-start rhythm of “Camouflage”, and the beguiling Latin beat of “Enchantment”.
Soundtrack – Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings LP (Interscope)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Original motion picture soundtrack from the 2021 motion picture. Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, a part of Phase Four from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Spiritworld – Pagan Rhythms LP (Century Media)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from the ‘death western’ band. Pagan Rhythms was produced by Sam Pura (The Story So Far, Self Defense Family) and features studio drumming from Thomas Pridgen of The Mars Volta/Trash Talk fame on half of the record. Former Apiary drummer Adam Elliot sat behind the kit for the other half of the record.
Ringo Starr – Change The World 10” (UMe)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Change The World, recorded at Ringo’s Roccabella West, includes “Let’s Change The World” (Joseph Williams/Steve Lukather) that delivers a welcome dose of hope and optimism, the reggae-infused “Just That Way” (Ringo Starr/Bruce Sugar,) the Country-esque “Coming Undone”, Starr’s first collaboration with Linda Perry who wrote and plays on the track (also with Trombone Shorty,) and Ringo rocks his version of “Rock Around The Clock” revved up by the unmistakable Joe Walsh on guitar.
Kelley Stoltz – Antique Glow (Expanded Edition) 2xLP (Third Man)
20th anniversary expanded edition of Kelley Stoltz’s defining album Antique Glow. Originally self-released in miniscule vinyl-only quantities in 2001, Antique Glow has served not only as a template for the length of Kelley Stoltz’s twenty-plus year career but has also served as a compass for other Anglophile, TASCAM 388 home recording acolytes. Original copies featured Stoltz’s clever, wry and fanciful hand-painted adornments overtop reclaimed thrift store LP jackets, Third Man’s release here utilizes some of those original unused images for a die-cut sleeve that ultimately gives the listener six different possible album covers. The songs are by and large masterpieces of bedroom pop magic. [An indie store exclusive limited-edition silver color vinyl pressing with bonus tracks is also available.]
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home LP (Loma Vista)
Grey color vinyl pressing of the fifth studio album by the St. Vincent, produced by pop producer and long-term collaborator Jack Antonoff and featuring the single “Pay Your Way In Pain”. “I was inspired by the classic records of the ’70s. Stevie, Sly, Stones, Steely Dan, Chords, Groove. The days when sophisticated harmony and rhythm didn’t sound heady – they just ‘sounded’ and felt good. Lots of guitar. But warm sounds, not distortion and chaos. Hopefully a turn nobody will see coming.”
Susto – Time In The Sun LP (New West)
Limited-edition indie-store exclusive translucent orange color vinyl edition. Time In The Sun is the fourth full-length album from Charleston, SC band Susto. The album was written and recorded during a lot of life changing events for lead writer-singer Justin Osborne. Like everyone around the world, Osborne was navigating the global issues felt from the pandemic while normal life continued with its own blessings and challenges. “We were navigating the global and national issues that everyone else was dealing with, but also I became a father and lost my father. There was a lot of contemplation going on in my brain, a lot of personal evolution going on in my life, and songwriting was my way of working through it all. The title Time In The Sun is meant to be a monument to my own human existence and also a tribute to the human experience in general. I wouldn’t claim to understand what it means to be a human, from the countless different perspectives of the world, but I do have my own experience to reflect on and I want to be able to express and explain that in some way. I guess this album is an attempt at that. At the core though, it’s just a collection of songs about my life and my feelings.”
Sylvan Esso – What Now [Reissue/2017] LP (Loma Vista)
Limited blue smoke color vinyl pressing. Sylvan Esso’s sophomore album, What Now, is the sound of a band truly fulfilling the potential and promise of their debut. Everything has evolved – the production is bolder, the vocals are more intense, the melodies are more infectious, and the songs shine that much brighter. What Now is an album of the finest songs this band has ever written- produced masterfully, sang fearlessly- to articulate our collective undercurrents of anxiety and joy.
Twenty One Pilots – Scaled And Icy LP (Fueled By Ramen)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Written and largely produced by Tyler Joseph in isolation over the course of the past year at his home studio, with Josh Dun engineering the album’s drums from across the country, Scaled And Icy is the product of long-distance virtual sessions and finds the duo processing their upended routines along with the prevailing emotions of 2020 – anxiety, loneliness, boredom, and doubt. The duo had to forgo their normal studio sessions but reached a new of level of introspection in the process, adopting a more imaginative and bold approach to their songwriting. The result is a collection of songs that push forward through setbacks and focus on the possibilities worth remembering. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is also available.]
Ultravox – Three Into One [Reissue/1980] LP (Rubellan Remasters)
Limited-edition blue & white color vinyl pressing. This collection from the John Foxx fronted late ‘70s incarnation of the band was originally released when Ultravox hit big in 1980 with new vocalist Midge Ure after barely missing the UK top singles spot with Vienna. The original Ultravox may not have had the chart success they deserved, but their influence is highly recognized today by fans and artists of electronic music. Three Into One explores Ultravox as they transitioned from their aggressive punk influences to a pioneering electronica group.
Umphrey’s McGee – Mantis [Reissue/2009] LP (Nothing Too Fancy)
Pink color vinyl reissue of the sixth studio album by progressive rock band.
Sharon Van Etten – Silent Night b/w Blue Christmas 7” (Jagjaguwar)
Clear blue color vinyl single. “Silent Night” was recorded in 2018 for the Holiday Short Film, The Letter by Eric Paschal Johnson and received a Vimeo Staff Pick Award and is now available on vinyl for the first time. The B-side is Van Etten’s cover of the holiday classic “Blue Christmas,” which was originally recorded for a benefit album called Do You EAR What I Ear in 2009 for the Association to Benefit Children, an outstanding New York-based service dedicated to permanently breaking the cycles of abuse, neglect, sickness and homelessness among disadvantaged children and their families.
Various Artists [Coldcut] – @0 2xLP (Ahead Of Our Time)
@0 is a collection of ambient tracks – curated by Coldcut – to benefit mental health, featuring some incredible names in the ambient world including Sigur Rós, Julianna Barwick, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Suzanne Ciani, Laraaji, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, A Winged Victory For The Sullen, and many more. [CD edition due November 26.]
Various Artists [Overmono] – Fabric Presents Overmono LP+MP3 (Fabric)
Eight tracks covering a range of dance genres, taken from Overmono’s mix compilation for Fabric (released on CD in July). The set includes Overmono’s exclusive “If U Ever” and Orca’s ‘90s classic jungle track “Intellect”. There’s also an exclusive Blawan track “Fourth Dimensional” plus fresh music from LCY and Powder.
Various Artists – Soul Jazz Presents: Deutsche Elektronische Musik 4xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Deutsche Elektronische Musik is the rarest of Soul Jazz’s Deutsche Elektronische Musik series, out-of print since its initial release in 2013. Originally split across two volumes, the compilation features two and a half hours of music. This very limited-edition Super Deluxe heavyweight box collectors’ edition includes four LPs, an insert, two art prints, extensive sleeve notes by David Stubbs (writer for Wire/Guardian and author of the definitive Krautrock book) and lots of exclusive photos.
The Wandering Hearts – The Wandering Hearts LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Wandering Hearts return with their self-titled new album. The trio – Tara Wilcox, Chess Whiffin and AJ Dean-Revington – started writing for the album by drawing on personal experiences. Themes and stories emerged that reflected how they’ve supported each other, both within music and life in general. They’re topics that are universally relatable: life, death, love and fear. To maximize the potential of the material, The Wandering Hearts called upon the expertise of producers Simone Felice and David Baron. The duo’s magic touch had previously inspired numerous acclaimed artists including The Lumineers, Jade Bird and Bat For Lashes. Most of the album was crafted at the pair’s mountain top studio near Woodstock, NY. It was a location that further fueled the band’s creativity, from the striking scenery of the local area to the historic instruments, notably a celesta once owned by Thelonious Monk. The result is an album which brims with hope, even in the darkest of times.
Charlotte Wessels – Tales From Six Feet Under LP (Napalm)
An electrifying collection with gems ranging from melancholic indie pop to synth-infused rock.
Wiz Khalifa – Rolling Papers [Reissue/2011] 2xLP (Atlantic)
Deluxe vinyl reissue of the third studio album by the rapper. Rolling Papers features guest appearances from Too $hort, Curren$y and Chevy Woods.
Working Men’s Club – X (Remixes) 12” (Heavenly)
Here to bust out of Doledrum, clad in a t-shirt that screams “SOCIALISM” and armed with drum machine, synth, pedal and icy stare are Working Men’s Club.
Cassettes:
Hand Habits – Fun House (Saddle Creek)
Hand Habits, the project of Los Angeles-based musician Meg Duffy is back with their ambitious new album Fun House. Produced by Sasami Ashworth (SASAMI) and engineered by Kyle Thomas (King Tuff), the record was not intended as a reaction to the pandemic, but it was very much the result of taking a difficult, if much-needed, moment of pause. Emboldened by going into therapy and coaxed by Ashworth to push the songs into unexpected new shapes, the resulting music is more acutely personal and stylistically adventurous than anything you’ve heard from Hand Habits before. The push/pull of styles, paired with songs that move deftly between the present and past, give the record a wildly diverse, hall of mirrors quality that befits its name. Where previous Hand Habits records could be insular affairs, Fun House feels ebullient, lush, a fully realized conversation.
Justus Proffit – SpeedStar (Bar/None)
Justus Proffit grew up on a diet of indie music. His house was filled with gear and his parents made sure he knew the importance of TSOL and the Pixies alike. He joined his first band at 13 and started touring the country at 16. He has run an all-ages venue, has his own clothing line, released a string of Eps, and collaborated with great artists like Jay Som and Winter. Recorded in Phil Elverum’s (The Microphones) iconic Anacortes studio, Justus Proffit’s sophomore album, SpeedStar, is his most intimate work to date, stripping back the veneer of noise to reveal the meticulous songwriting that’s made him a magnetic force.
LionLimb – Spiral Groove (Bayonet)
Spiral Groove delivers us singer-songwriter Stewart Bronaugh at the height of his artistic powers both visually and sonically. This album is studded with stories of mortality, the challenges of addiction and sobriety, and the romance of a lifetime. Recovering from a seizure, Bronaugh’s sudden awareness of the limits of his own body was a “psychedelic experience” that shifted his perspective wildly. No longer “bulletproof,” Bronaugh splits himself wide open on Spiral Groove, encapsulating all our existential questions into tidy love songs. You’ll find pianos, string quartets, slide guitar, buzzing synth lines, and plenty of room to breathe. Each song is like a painting you can disappear into, a somber and hopeful spell for life after the end of the world.
Magdalena Bay – Mercurial World (Luminelle Recordings)
Entirely written, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by the duo of Mica Tenenbaum and Matt Lewin, Mercurial World proposes an abstract theory of time and explores the staggering “what ifs” that make up the human experience. Approaching reality as a construct allows Magdalena Bay to enact their own, one that is committed to nothing but expanding the possible. Even the album’s sequencing hints at the eternal: the first track is titled “The End”, the last is “The Beginning”, forming a perfect loop when you listen to it straight through. “Matt, Matt, wake up!” Tenenbaum whispers on the introductory track. “I was thinking about how there’s no true end to anything/ Everything comes from and goes to the same place: Nowhere.” “Mercurial World has a lot of outsized themes on it, like destiny, death, and doing the impossible,” Tenenbaum explains. “It’s not exactly a concept album, but we love prog-rock, so we love a concept.” [A limited-edition indie store exclusive color vinyl edition is also available.]
Sting – The Bridge (A&M)
New release from the veteran singer/songwriter. Sting recorded the album over the last year with a coterie of trusted musicians beaming into his studio remotely. The list of musicians includes Dominic Miller, Branford Marsalis, Melissa Musique, Gene Noble, Josh Freese, Manu Katché, Jo Lawry, Fred Renaudin, Peter Tickell, Julian Sutton, Laila Biali, Gavin Brown, Shaggy, Donal Hodgson, Tony Lake and Martin Kierszenbaum. That easy sense of musical camaraderie, connection and kinship is on full display in the lead single “If It’s Love”, an unabashed pop song lent wings by a whistled refrain, joyful handclaps, and uplifting brass and strings.
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