Marketing Program/ Banner/ Listening Station Titles Promoted This Week:
Bobby Cole – A Point Of View [Reissue/1967] CD (Omnivore)
Bobby Cole held court at Jilly’s (Frank Sinatra’s favorite “bistro”) for many years. Cole’s other gigs around New York landed him a recording contract with Columbia, but the 1960 release from The Bobby Cole Trio, while well reviewed, failed to gain traction. It featured no original material from Cole and was essentially a recorded version of his Jilly’s act—one hard to capture on LP. Garland invited the New York jazz singer to become the new musical arranger for CBS’s The Judy Garland Show in Los Angeles. When that show ended, Cole returned to New York and Jilly’s. Jack Lonshein, whose day job was creating covers for artists including Sarah Vaughan, Maynard Ferguson, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, (and eventually Big Brother & The Holding Company and The Amboy Dukes), was a friend of Cole’s. He knew Bobby’s magic, and original songs, were what the jazz world needed. Taking things into his own hands, A Point Of View was released on Lonshein’s own Concentric Records. This reissue is expanded with 12 bonus tracks. [Vinyl edition TBD.]
High Pulp – Pursuit Of Ends CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Drawing on bebop, punk rock, shoegaze, hip-hop and electronic music, experimental jazz act High Pulp deliver Pursuit Of Ends. The music of High Pulp music is simultaneously vintage and futuristic, hinting at everything from Miles Davis and Duke Ellington to Aphex Twin and My Bloody Valentine. The songs on Pursuit Of Ends balance meticulous composition with visceral spontaneity, while the performances are nothing short of virtuosic, fueled by raw, ecstatic horn runs ducking and weaving their way around thick bass lines and dizzying percussion. [An indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is so May 20.]
Prince Daddy & The Hyena – Prince Daddy & The Hyena CD/LP (Pure Noise)
The new, self-titled release from the Albany, New York-based indie punk band dives into the theme of life coming to an end, both vocalist Kory Gregory’s own life and fear of his friends and loved ones aging and dying. Gregory expands on why by saying, “It’s the first time that it’s hit me as an adult, the first time that the impermanence of everything struck, and that sent me into a little existential spiral.” [A limited-edition gold color vinyl edition available. An indie store exclusive color vinyl pressing is due June 10.]
Spanish Love Songs – Brave Faces Etc. CD/2xLP (Pure Noise)
Spanish Love Songs’ Brave Faces Etc. is the deluxe version of their most recent album Brave Faces Everyone. This release offered the chance for the band to challenge themselves musically and expand the sound of the band to better reflect where they’re all at in terms of songwriting and production compared to the original. “Right before the one-year anniversary of the album, we decided we wanted to revisit the songs the same way we had been reimagining our previous albums on our Patreon community,” says the group. “I don’t know that any of us has ever been happy with a finished album we’ve released, so this was our chance to try out some of things we didn’t get to do on the original, whether due to budget, running out of time, etc. We spent a month or two reimagining and re-tracking the entire album from the ground up [An indie store exclusive white w/ green color vinyl pressing is available.]
Kurt Vile – (watch my moves) CD/2xLP (Verve Forecast)
Kurt Vile follows-up 2018’s Bottle It In with album (watch my moves). Across the record’s 15 songs – which includes 14 originals as well as a version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Wages Of Sin” – Vile pulls his talents in unexpected directions. The result is a vibrant, yet meditative album propelled by his trademark laid-back charm and curious spirit. Every lyric has been chiseled down into an aphorism, every bloom of distorted guitar or murmuring synth helping create that “fried” pop. “It’s about songwriting. It’s about lyrics. It’s about being the master of all domains in the music,” he says. “I’m always thinking about catchy music, even though it’s fried, or sizzled, out. It’s my own version of a classic thing – it’s moving forward and backward at the same time.” [An indie store exclusive green color vinyl pressing is available.]
Additional Social Media Program Titles Released This Week:
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs – External Combustion LP (BMG)
Recently released on CD – now available on viny. For Mike Campbell, External Combustion – the second album by his first band as a leader, The Dirty Knobs – is proof that lightning can strike twice. The follow-up to their 2020 debut Wreckless Abandon beats a new set of odds and jumps ahead in vision and drive, proving the first record was no one-shot deal. Campbell experienced all the above and more with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers – riding shotgun with his friend and captain as lead guitarist, co-producer, and, at times, co-writer – when he met guitarist Jason Sinay at a session in Los Angeles in 2000. Once Lance Morrison joined in on bass and Matt Laug on drums, that turned into The Dirty Knobs, named after a faulty amp dial.
Joel Ross – The Parable Of The Poet CD (Blue Note)
Vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross returns with stunning conviction, issuing his third release for Blue Note Records: The Parable Of The Poet. Steadfast in his commitment to skewing perceptions of improvisation and written composition, the critics’ favorite explores new, more expansive territory with his eight-piece Parables band, bringing together young artists of sharply defined expression: Blue Note labelmate Immanuel Wilkins on alto saxophone, Maria Grand on tenor saxophone, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Kalia Vandever on trombone, Sean Mason on piano, Rick Rosato on bass, Craig Weinrib on drums, and returning special guest Gabrielle Garo on flute. [Vinyl edition due May 20.]
Rush – Moving Pictures (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) 3xCD/5xLP/5xLP+3xCD+Blu-ray (Mercury)
This digitally remastered and expanded reissue featuring the 2015 remaster of the original album (available on CD for the first time) and the complete, unreleased Toronto concert from March 25, 1981. Also included is a booklet with new illustrations by Hugh Syme, plus liner notes by Kim Thayil, Les Claypool, Taylor Hawkins, Bill Kelliher and Neil Sanderso. [The vinyl edition has been cut at half-speed with Direct-to-Metal Mastering for the first-time ever and is pressed on 180gm vinyl. The Super Deluxe Edition includes a Blu-ray audio disc containing first-ever Dolby Atmos and new 5.1 surround album mixes, as well as the brand-new video for “YYZ” plus three music videos. Extras include a book, model car, drumsticks, posters, and more.]
CDs + Vinyl:
Alunah – Strange Machine CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
New album from the doom metal band. [True to Heavy Psych Sounds form, a swath of color vinyl variants is available.]
Oren Ambarchi – Sagittarian Domain [Reissue/2012] CD/LP (Black Truffle)
10th anniversary reissue of this rhythmically churning one-man-band monster of an album, recorded in a single inspired studio session and originally released in 2012 on Editions Mego.
Horace Andy – Midnight Rocker CD/2xLP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
Released last week on vinyl – now available on CD. Adrian Sherwood has spent a long time realizing his dream of making an album with legendary Jamaican vocalist Horace Andy, beloved by reggae fans worldwide for his classic ‘70s and ‘80s tracks for labels such as Studio One and Wackies and boasting proper crossover appeal in modern times via his frequent contributions to Massive Attack, being a mainstay of their touring line-up and singing on all their studio albums to date. Midnight Rocker has been approached in a similar fashion to the late-career quality that Sherwood coaxed out of Lee “Scratch” Perry with the Rainford and Heavy Rain albums, assembling a crack team of players and spending many months perfecting performance, arrangements, and mixing. The result is 11 remarkable tracks that sparkle with superb musicianship, carefully crafted production, and some truly beautiful vocals from Andy.
Armored Saint – March Of The Saint [Reissue/1984] CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Armored Saint – Delirious Nomad [Reissue/1985] CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Armored Saint – Raising Fear [Reissue/1987] CD/LP (Metal Blade)
CD and color vinyl reissues of the Los Angeles heavy metal band’s first three albums.
Atoll – Prepuce CDEP (Unique Leader)
New EP rom the death metal band.
The Boxmasters – Help… I’m Alive CD/LP (Keentone)
Formed in 2007, The Boxmasters have recorded an impressive and diverse catalogue of music that touches on their love of a wide array of influences, but most importantly, the rock ‘n’ roll of the 1960’s. Listening to The Boxmasters, one can hear obvious odes to the Beatles, Byrds, Beach Boys, The Mothers Of Invention, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine and Big Star.
Chameleons – Edge Sessions: Live From The Edge CD (Metropolis)
Seven classic songs by the legendary post-punk pioneers performed live in May of 2021 by founding members Mark Burgess & Reg Smithies, joined by more recent members Chris Oliver (guitar), & Stephen Rice (drums). [Vinyl edition due May 6.]
Bobby Cole – A Point Of View [Reissue/1967] CD (Omnivore)
Bobby Cole held court at Jilly’s (Frank Sinatra’s favorite “bistro”) for many years. Cole’s other gigs around New York landed him a recording contract with Columbia, but the 1960 release from The Bobby Cole Trio, while well reviewed, failed to gain traction. It featured no original material from Cole and was essentially a recorded version of his Jilly’s act—one hard to capture on LP. Garland invited the New York jazz singer to become the new musical arranger for CBS’s The Judy Garland Show in Los Angeles. When that show ended, Cole returned to New York and Jilly’s. Jack Lonshein, whose day job was creating covers for artists including Sarah Vaughan, Maynard Ferguson, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, (and eventually Big Brother & The Holding Company and The Amboy Dukes), was a friend of Cole’s. He knew Bobby’s magic, and original songs, were what the jazz world needed. Taking things into his own hands, A Point Of View was released on Lonshein’s own Concentric Records. This reissue is expanded with 12 bonus tracks. [Vinyl edition TBD.]
John Craigie – Mermaid Salt CD (Zabriskie Point)
Portland, OR-based singer, songwriter, and producer John Craigie adapts moments of solitude into stories perfectly suited for old Americana fiction anthologies. Instead of leaving them on dog-eared pages, he projects them widescreen in flashes of simmering soul and folk eloquence. On his 2022 full-length album, Mermaid Salt, we witness revenge unfurled in flames, watch a landlocked mermaid’s escape, and fall asleep under a meteor shower. [Standard vinyl edition due April 29. An indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is due May 6.]
Crisix – Full HD CD/LP (Listenable)
New album from the Barcelona metal band. For fans of : Exodus, Sepultura, Anthrax, Municipal Waste. 3D glasses included for viewing of album’s impressive artwork.
Aleister Crowley – All Words Are Sacred CD (Batrachian)
Archive collection of spoken recordings made by Aleister Crowley, captured on wax cylinders between 1910 and 1914. Reissue of some of the only known recordings from the infamous occultist, mystic, magician, poet, novelist, sexual deviant, and all-around misfit, Aleister Crowley. Recorded onto wax cylinder in the early 1910s, and later transferred to 78rpm discs. The tracks include Crowley’s recitation of the first two Enochian Keys, original poetry, incantations, and songs. Intonations of black magic rituals as well as ruminations on topics from the sinking of The Titanic to American independence that will thrill collectors of the odd and mystical! An essential piece of occult history.
Crystal Viper – The Last Axeman [Reissue/2008] CD/LP (Listenable)
Traditional and pure heavy metal full of epic melodies, classic riffs and guitar harmonies, ripping solos, and catchy refrains.
Darkher – The Buried Storm CD/2xCD/LP (Prophecy)
The sinister yet beguiling images that Darkher aka Jayn Maiven paints with her ethereal vocals, guitars, and added strings conjure iridescent cinematic scenes in which it becomes hard to tell whether there lies beauty in darkness or if it is the other way around. [A deluxe double-CD book edition and a silver color vinyl version are available.]
Decasia – An Endless Feast For Hyenas CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
A psychedelic rock sound nuanced with stoner and almost narrative instrumental passages. [True to Heavy Psych Sounds form, a swath of color vinyl variants is available.]
Down By Law – Lonely Town CD/LP (Kung Fu)
Hugely influential punk rock kings Down by Law hit hard on this supercharged album in effort to prove they haven’t lost a bit of their edge. [A black & white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters – Mercy Me CD (Stony Plain)
Over a 45-year career as one of the world’s top blues musicians, Ronnie Earl has transfixed audiences with his distinct sound of emotion-laden blues. On his own and with his band The Broadcasters, Ronnie is a four-time Blues Music Award winner as Guitar Player of the Year, with 28 albums and multiple chart-topping compositions in his catalogue. Ronnie sets the songs of this album into context with a quote from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prominently placed in the album art: The Blues tell the story of life’s difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph.
Earthen Sea – Ghost Poem CD/LP (Kranky)
Jacob Long’s third Earthen Sea outing for Kranky, Ghost Poems, further refines his fragile, fractured palette into fluttering arrythmias of dust, percussion, and yearning. Composed during the first wave of lockdowns in New York, the pieces took shape patiently from samples of piano, texture, and domestic sounds (sink splashing, room tone, clinking objects), filtered through live FX to imbue them with an intuitive, immaterial feel. Wisps of melody splinter, shimmer, and refract, like light on water; pulses accrue and dissipate, as if mapping shifting sands. Throughout, there’s a sense of matter made animate, of absences felt.
Fickle Friends – Are We Gonna Be Alright? CD (Cooking Vinyl)
New album from the English indie pop band from Brighton, East Sussex, England. [Vinyl edition – including an indie store exclusive pressing – due June 24.]
Greyhaven – This Bright And Beautiful World CD (Equal Vision)
Greyhaven is a four-piece progressive post-hardcore group from Louisville, Kentucky. [Vinyl edition due May 13.]
High Pulp – Pursuit Of Ends CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Drawing on bebop, punk rock, shoegaze, hip-hop and electronic music, experimental jazz act High Pulp deliver Pursuit Of Ends. The music of High Pulp music is simultaneously vintage and futuristic, hinting at everything from Miles Davis and Duke Ellington to Aphex Twin and My Bloody Valentine. The songs on Pursuit Of Ends balance meticulous composition with visceral spontaneity, while the performances are nothing short of virtuosic, fueled by raw, ecstatic horn runs ducking and weaving their way around thick bass lines and dizzying percussion. [An indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is so May 20.]
Mark Knopfler – The Studio Albums 1996–2007 6xCD/11xLP+MP3 (WB)
The Studio Albums 1996–2007 features the Dire Straits frontman-guitarist’s first five studio albums as a solo artist – Golden Heart (1996), Sailing To Philadelphia (2000), The Ragpicker’s Dream (2002), Shangri-La (2004), and Kill To Get Crimson (2007) – plus an exclusive bonus disc of studio B-sides from this period entitled Gravy Train: The B-Sides 1996-2007.
Dario Lessing – Frequency CD/LP (Modern Recordings)
Over the last years, Dario Lessing’s Berlin based studio has become a hub for creative exchange. His ability to catch inspiration right at its point of origin is the foundation of his album Frequency, which features six different vocalists with international backgrounds from the US (Stimulus) to Australia (James Chatburn), New Zealand (Graham Candy), Austria (Rezar) and of course Germany (SHAMS, Mario). The concept of Frequency describes the creative development of the songs were created: every person has his own frequency they are sending out constantly. When they collide, they influence each other, create new waves and form something new. The result is an album that has a cosmic magic to it and listening feels like being within that creative cave, part of the moment these frequencies fused. At parts ambient, sometimes influenced by hip-hop or avant-pop à la James Blake, Frequency is an eclectic masterpiece from beginning to end. [A limited-edition gold color vinyl pressing is available.]
Steven Malcolm – Tree CD (4 Against 5)
Malcolm’s desire to elevate his name is a constant theme on Tree, an eclectic depiction of Malcolm’s past, present, and future. The album, which features Snoop Dogg, Shaggy, Social Club Misfits, and KB, shows Malcolm’s spiritual depth and versatility as a hip-hop artist, mixing the spirituality of Sunday morning with the energy of Saturday night.
Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s Star One – Space Metal [Reissue/2002] 2xCD (Inside Out U.S.)
Space Metal is the 2002 debut studio album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s progressive metal project/supergroup Star One. The album mixes progressive metal and space rock, and many of the songs are linked conceptually by having cult science fiction movies, novels, or TV series as their subjects, mainly adventures on space. The album features a guest vocal performance by Dave Brock of Hawkwind on the aptly titled track “Hawkwind Medley”.
Månegarm – Ynglingaättens Öde CD/LP (Napalm)
Swedish folk metal wolf pack Månegarm take another stroll through ancient sagas and myths of long forgotten times.
Mental Cruelty – Purgatorium CD/LP (Century Media)
German-based metal unit Mental Cruelty from Karlsruhe present the re-release of their 2018 debut album Purgatorium which gained traction on the underground slam and extreme metal scenes.
Monuments – In Stasis CD/LP+CD (Century Media)
Transatlantic progressive metal titans Monuments are back with their fourth full-length studio album.
Moonlight Haze – Animus CD/LP (Scarlet)
Third album from the Italian symphonic power metal band.
Nazareth – Surviving The Law CD (Frontiers)
New release from the veteran rockers – their 25th since forming 54 years ago.
Os Tatuís – Os Tatuís [Reissue/1965] CD/LP (Far Out Recordings)
Most well known as the keyboard player of legendary trio Azymuth, the late Jose Roberto Bertrami also wrote for, arranged for and performed with Elis Regina, George Duke, Sarah Vaughn, Jorge Ben, Eddie Palmieri, Milton Nascimento, Flora Purim and Erasmo Carlos, among countless others. But before all of that, in 1965, at the age of just nineteen, Zé Roberto recorded his first studio album with his group Os Tatuís, and the José Roberto Trio in the following year. These largely slept-on albums of beautiful, expressive samba jazz and bossa nova stand as a testament to the prodigious genius of one of the most important musicians in Brazil’s history.
Axel Rudi Pell – Lost XXIII CD/2xLP (Steamhammer)
New album from the founder and guitarist of the mid- ‘80s German heavy metal group Steeler. Ten deeply melodic hard rock songs.
The Pimps Of Joytime – Reachin’ Up CD (Regime Music Group)
Reachin’ Up, the sixth studio album by Pimps Of Joytime, is the first full-length release since their critically acclaimed record, Third Wall Chronicles, in 2017. The album is a great mix of soul and drive while keeping the same easy-going vibe from the band’s early days. Full of grooves, smooth vocals, and fun guitar. It will keep your head moving to the beat without thinking twice. [Vinyl edition due June 17.]
Poison Rose – Little Bang Theory CD (Frontiers)
Poison Rose is a musical project centered around vocalist Marco Sivo, a songwriter and backing vocalist on multiple releases from the Frontiers label. Their debut album, Little Bang Theory, features 11 contemporary hard rock songs with in-your-face performances and haunting melodies.
Prince Daddy & The Hyena – Prince Daddy & The Hyena CD/LP (Pure Noise)
The new, self-titled release from the Albany, New York-based indie punk band dives into the theme of life coming to an end, both vocalist Kory Gregory’s own life and fear of his friends and loved ones aging and dying. Gregory expands on why by saying, “It’s the first time that it’s hit me as an adult, the first time that the impermanence of everything struck, and that sent me into a little existential spiral.” [A limited-edition gold color vinyl edition available. An indie store exclusive color vinyl pressing is due June 10.]
The Real McKenzies – Float Me Boat CD (Fat Wreck Chords)
This 23-song compilation includes all the fast-paced, sing-along anthems that you’ve come to expect over their sordid career. Along with the record, vocalist Paul McKenzie breaks down each song in detail, including their beloved, “Chip”.
Redshark – Digital Race CD/LP (Listenable)
Redshark was founded in 2012 in Barcelona, Spain by Philip Graves (guitar) with the aim of delivering classic pounding heavy speed metal. Their traditional ‘80s metal influences may plunder the nostalgia circuit, but Redshark ruthlessly carrying the torch with attitude and powerfully melodic songwriting. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Rival Consoles – Overflow CD/2xLP+MP3 (Erased Tapes)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Rival Consoles returns with a resonant and explorative soundscape of original music, composed for renowned choreographer Alexander Whitley’s contemporary dance production Overflow. Exploring themes of the human and emotional consequences of life surrounded by data, the piece echoes the concept of social media, advertising, marketing companies and political factions exploiting our data to gain wealth, political advantage, and sow division. Key reading for the project was based around the contemporary philosophical work Psychopolitics: Neoliberalism And New Technologies Of Power by Byung-Chul Han.
Ronnie Romero – Raised On Radio CD (Frontiers)
New release from one of the great up-and-coming hard rock singers of our time. Raised On Radio features covers of classics that have meant something special to Romero over the years and helped forge this talented singer’s musical style. Songs by legendary acts like Survivor, Bad Company, Foreigner, Queen, Led Zeppelin, and more are given Romero’s talented vocal treatment.
Joel Ross – The Parable Of The Poet CD (Blue Note)
Vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross returns with stunning conviction, issuing his third release for Blue Note Records: The Parable Of The Poet. Steadfast in his commitment to skewing perceptions of improvisation and written composition, the critics’ favorite explores new, more expansive territory with his eight-piece Parables band, bringing together young artists of sharply defined expression: Blue Note labelmate Immanuel Wilkins on alto saxophone, Maria Grand on tenor saxophone, Marquis Hill on trumpet, Kalia Vandever on trombone, Sean Mason on piano, Rick Rosato on bass, Craig Weinrib on drums, and returning special guest Gabrielle Garo on flute. [Vinyl edition due May 20.]
Rush – Moving Pictures (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) 3xCD/5xLP/5xLP+3xCD+Blu-ray (Mercury)
This digitally remastered and expanded reissue featuring the 2015 remaster of the original album (available on CD for the first time) and the complete, unreleased Toronto concert from March 25, 1981. Also included is a booklet with new illustrations by Hugh Syme, plus liner notes by Kim Thayil, Les Claypool, Taylor Hawkins, Bill Kelliher and Neil Sanderso. [The vinyl edition has been cut at half-speed with Direct-to-Metal Mastering for the first-time ever and is pressed on 180gm vinyl. The Super Deluxe Edition includes a Blu-ray audio disc containing first-ever Dolby Atmos and new 5.1 surround album mixes, as well as the brand-new video for “YYZ” plus three music videos. Extras include a book, model car, drumsticks, posters, and more.]
Savak – Human Error/Human Delight CD/LP (Ernest Jenning)
Brooklyn post-punk mainstays Savak return with their fifth album. Though Savak’s members have done time in bands like Obits, Edsel, Holy Fuck and more, their current outfit feels like the true culmination of their songwriting powers. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is available.]
Semblant – Vermilion Eclipse CD (Frontiers)
New release from Brazilian metal juggernaut. With wide ranging influences under the metal and rock umbrella, Semblant are at once wholly unique and entirely familiar.
The Slackers – Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya CD/LP (Pirates Press)
The legendary NYC ska band returns with their first album in seven years.
Spanish Love Songs – Brave Faces Etc. CD/2xLP (Pure Noise)
Spanish Love Songs’ Brave Faces Etc. is the deluxe version of their most recent album Brave Faces Everyone. This release offered the chance for the band to challenge themselves musically and expand the sound of the band to better reflect where they’re all at in terms of songwriting and production compared to the original. “Right before the one-year anniversary of the album, we decided we wanted to revisit the songs the same way we had been reimagining our previous albums on our Patreon community,” says the group. “I don’t know that any of us has ever been happy with a finished album we’ve released, so this was our chance to try out some of things we didn’t get to do on the original, whether due to budget, running out of time, etc. We spent a month or two reimagining and re-tracking the entire album from the ground up [An indie store exclusive white w/ green color vinyl pressing is available.]
Selah Sue – Persona CD/LP (Because Music)
The many sides of Selah Sue collide on Persona, the Belgian star’s third album. 13 years into a remarkable career that has seen her sell a million albums and work with fans such as Childish Gambino, Diplo, CeeLo Green and J Cole, Persona marks a fresh start. In 2016, Selah took time out to have children. In 2020, she came back with the acoustic The Bedroom EP, inspired by motherhood. Persona is her triumphant return to pop, a genre-mashing masterpiece packed with her trademark sharp humor.
Cisco Swank/Luke Titus – Some Things Take Time CD/LP (Sooper)
A chance introduction led NYC’s Cisco Swank and Chicago’s Luke Titus into a collaboration where each brought their sophisticated multi-instrumentalist production chops to bear upon something fresh and exciting at the crossroads of jazz and hip-hop. The resulting album Some Things Take Time is one-part beat tape, one-part Blue Note jazz session.
These Arms Are Snakes – Duct Tape & Shivering Crows CD/LP (Suicide Squeeze)
Archival rarities collection. Over the course of their seven-year run back in the ’00s, These Arms Are Snakes covered a lot of territory, both in terms of actual miles spent on the road and in terms of their creative bandwidth. Though the band was often mistaken for a typical non sequitur-named screamo outfit or another “animal” indie band, the Seattle group quickly deed expectations and garnered a reputation for subverting the popular underground sounds of time. The group cultivated a small but fervent fanbase across multiple continents with their signature combination of synth-infused noise rock, bad-trip psychedelia, flamboyant proto-metal boogie, and unhinged basement-show hardcore before imploding at the end of 2009. [A limited-edition green & pink color vinyl pressing is available.]
George Thorogood – The Original George Thorogood CD/LP (Capitol)
A collection of hard-stomping, party-down, all-original songs penned from the rock ‘n’ roll heart of George Thorogood. Along with his unstoppable, longtime band, The Destroyers, the album includes the tour de force anthem “Gear Jammer”, the country ballad “Oklahoma Sweetheart” and the previously unreleased “Back In The U.S.A.”. Plus, the hard-hitting “I Really Like Girls” and “If You Don’t Start Drinkin’ (I’m Gonna Leave)” are served up with Thorogood’s trademark swagger and tongue-in-cheek panache.
Trick Or Treat – Creepy Symphonies CD (Scarlet)
Creepy Symphonies is the most mature Trick Or Treat work ever, and their definitive happy metal manifesto. In between speed metal lethal bullets, intense and heartful power ballads and even a monumental 12-minute closing suite, we may find the much-needed antidote against a world taking itself way too seriously. [Vinyl edition due May 6.]
Unto Others – Strength CD/LP (Roadrunner)
Produced and mixed by Arthur Rizk, Stength marks Unto Others’ debut album on Roadrunner Records and the follow-up to the Portland, OR group’s critically acclaimed 2019 LP Mana. Strength comes introduced by the single “When Will God’s Work Be Done”. Stereogum praised the track attesting, “Unto Others build and build, showing mastery in setting a scene, stretching tension to its breaking point, and then blowing it to smithereens with panache,” while Decibel wrote that it “continues right where Mana left off, built around a hard-driving groove, some mean palm-muted riffs, and of course, the baritone bellow of singer/guitarist Gabriel Franco.”
Urferd – Resan CD/LP (Black Lodge)
Urferd signifies the beginning of a new and additional musical chapter for its founder and sole member, Daniel Beckman (Twilight Force, Ages), and brings a refreshing new perspective to the genre, challenging the boundaries of dark atmospheric folk music. Debut album Resan is a musical odyssey in both a literal and figurative sense. The album takes the listener on a journey through dark and olden Nordic forests; where strife and hardships follow yet where the beauty and vastness of the solemn Nordic landscape persists and permeates.
Kurt Vile – (watch my moves) CD/2xLP (Verve Forecast)
Kurt Vile follows-up 2018’s Bottle It In with album (watch my moves). Across the record’s 15 songs – which includes 14 originals as well as a version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Wages Of Sin” – Vile pulls his talents in unexpected directions. The result is a vibrant, yet meditative album propelled by his trademark laid-back charm and curious spirit. Every lyric has been chiseled down into an aphorism, every bloom of distorted guitar or murmuring synth helping create that “fried” pop. “It’s about songwriting. It’s about lyrics. It’s about being the master of all domains in the music,” he says. “I’m always thinking about catchy music, even though it’s fried, or sizzled, out. It’s my own version of a classic thing – it’s moving forward and backward at the same time.” [An indie store exclusive green color vinyl pressing is available.]
Wheeler Walker Jr. – Sex, Drugs & Country Music CD (Pepper Hill)
New release from the honky-tonk/country music singer-songwriter.
Edgar Winter – Brother Johnny CD (Quarto Valley)
Brother Johnny is a tribute to the legendary blues guitarist created by his brother Edgar Winter. The album is a powerful sonic journey, traveling the course of Johnny’s musical life, impeccably directed, as only his brother Edgar could. Joining Edgar on the inclusive project is an impressive array of renowned musicians who knew, or were inspired by Johnny, including Joe Bonamassa, Doyle Bramhall II, John McFee, Robben Ford, Billy Gibbons, David Grissom, Taylor Hawkins, Warren Haynes, Steve Lukather, Michael McDonald, Keb Mo, Doug Rappoport, Bobby Rush, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Ringo Starr, Derek Trucks, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Walsh, Phil X and Gregg Bissonette. [Vinyl edition due June 17.]
John Zorn – Spinoza CD (Tzadik)
Spinoza is Zorn’s latest creation for the searing jazz-metal trio Simulacrum-perhaps the most extreme organ trio ever. Inspired by the life and thought of one of the world’s greatest philosophers he has composed two extended concerti: one for guitar genius Bill Frisell, and another featuring himself on saxophone. The musical mosaic flows seamlessly from one world to another, touching upon heavy metal, jazz, minimalism, atonality, noise, ambient moods, funk, and so much more.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Aborted – The Archaic Abattoir [Reissue/2005] LP (Listenable)
Red color vinyl pressing. Aborted is a Belgian death metal band formed in 1995. AllMusic stated that Aborted “had grown into the role of key contributors to the ‘brutal death metal’ genre” and described the band’s style as “unrestrained grindcore savagery and meticulously crafted death metal technicality”.
Gracie Abrams – This Is What It Feels Like LP (Interscope)
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Gracie Abrams releases her new project, This Is What It Feels Like, bringing raw introspection to the most intimate of emotional experiences (self-betrayal, insecurity, failed attempts at connection). True to her DIY sensibilities, the 12-track album finds her taking a greater role in the production process, working with Aaron Dessner, Joel Little, and frequent collaborator Blake Slatkin, to dream up each track’s minimalistic yet kaleidoscopic sound.
Geri Allen – Twenty One [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Blue Note)
The brilliant pianist and composer Geri Allen came out of Detroit’s fertile jazz scene, eventually moving to New York where she became part of the emerging M-Base collective that was forging new creative ideas and approaches to jazz in the 1980s. Allen began recording for Blue Note in 1990 with The Nurturer followed by Maroons in 1992. For her third Blue Note album Twenty One, recorded in 1994, Allen joined forces with two masters-bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams-for a dynamic trio date. Allen’s stunning lyricism, as well as her boundless harmonic and rhythmic creativity, shines on this remarkable 12-song set. Part of the Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series – all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes.
Architects – For Those That Wish To Exist At Abbey Road 2xLP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Two vinyl pressings: standard black and an indie store exclusive clear w/ yellow & purple splatter.
Architects’ new album captures a historic live stream performance event at the iconic Abbey Road studios: spiritual home to legends like The Beatles and Pink Floyd. Dubbed For Those That Wish To Exist at Abbey Road, the album features a reimagined orchestral version of their masterpiece album For Those That Wish To Exist, backed by their friends in the Parallax Orchestra, the well-respected UK based orchestra made up of some of England’s best and most versatile classical musicians, arranged and written by Simon Dobson, Parallax Orchestra’s conductor and a three times British Composer award (BASCA) winner for his compositions.
Ronnie Atkins – Make It Count CD (Frontiers)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from the Danish hard rock singer/songwriter. [A limited-edition white color pressing is available.]
Chuck Berry – Live From Blueberry Hill LP (Dualtone Music Group)
Chuck Berry, the songwriter and guitarist now known worldwide as the Father of Rock & Roll, came from humble beginnings. After an evening in 1996 spent reminiscing about his storied career with his longtime friend Joe Edwards, owner of St. Louis restaurant and venue Blueberry Hill, Berry fulfilled the dream of music lovers everywhere; he started a live residency that spanned 209 shows at the 340-person capacity club. The club became a modern-day Mecca for rock fans, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the legend perform up close and personal. Live From Blueberry Hill compiles some of Berry’s greatest hits from this epic run of shows played alongside his fantastic band – including his son Charles Berry Jr. And daughter Ingrid Berry.
Black Map – Melodoria LP (Minus Head)
Recently release on CD – now available on vinyl. The trio Metal Hammer described as a “progressive supergroup” deliver a defining work. Recorded at various studios in the band’s native Bay Area, Melodoria is a rich offering that’s heavy in both sound and spirit.
Bound In Fear – Penance LP (Unique Leader)
Recently released on CD – now available on gray color vinyl. New album from one of the heaviest bands to ever emerge from the UK.
Kaitlin Butts – What Else Can She Do LP (Kaitlin Butts)
Two color variants are available: blue and clear. Kaitlin Butts’ delivers her long-awaited follow-up to 2015’s Same Hell, Different Devil with What Else Can She Do which finds the songwriter delivering a collection of delicate, strong, and gallant characters. It’s a visceral display of just how raw and mighty words and actions can be – and how sometimes, knowing when to walk away can be just as compelling.
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs – External Combustion LP (BMG)
Recently released on CD – now available on viny. For Mike Campbell, External Combustion – the second album by his first band as a leader, The Dirty Knobs – is proof that lightning can strike twice. The follow-up to their 2020 debut Wreckless Abandon beats a new set of odds and jumps ahead in vision and drive, proving the first record was no one-shot deal. Campbell experienced all the above and more with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers – riding shotgun with his friend and captain as lead guitarist, co-producer, and, at times, co-writer – when he met guitarist Jason Sinay at a session in Los Angeles in 2000. Once Lance Morrison joined in on bass and Matt Laug on drums, that turned into The Dirty Knobs, named after a faulty amp dial.
Chase Atlantic – Beauty In Death LP (Fearless)
Released last year on CD – now available on clear w/ red blobs color vinyl. Representing the missing link between anesthetized woozy trap, nocturnal R&B, and psychedelically spun alternative, Chase Atlantic blur boundaries between genres through fearless experimentation and innate melodic inclinations. The Australia-born and Los Angeles-based trio boldly push forward once again on their debut for Fearless Records.
Chick Corea Akoustic Band – Live 3xLP (Concord)
Released last February on CD – now available on vinyl. With his Elektric Band in full swing in the ‘80s, Chick created it’s perfect complement: the Akoustic Band. With Elektric Band veterans John Patitucci on upright bass and Dave Weckl on drums, the group carved a totally new path in the world of the piano trio: the kinetic interplay of all three members, honed on high-velocity Corea originals. As a follow up to the Akoustic Band’s Standards & More (1989) and Alive (2007), this third album was recorded live during the band’s 2018 tour.
Dead Tongues – Dust LP (Psychic Hotline)
Dust is the fifth album from The Dead Tongues, the folk project of the North Carolina-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Gustafson. Written in a near-fever dream of inspiration in a rural expanse of western North Carolina, Dust combines folk and jam-band spaciousness with overgrown nature imagery and ego death. It’s an identity crisis caught on tape, an exploration of how turning away from your art can be the thing that ultimately leads you back. As Gustafson puts it best in the lyrics of Dust: Some stories have no endings, some things never die.
Brett Dennen – So Much More (Deluxe Edition) 2xLP (Dualtone Music Group)
A special edition double-LP package of acclaimed songwriter Brett Dennen’s breakout 2006 album So Much More. Featuring four tracks never released on vinyl, alternate cover art, and a special blue w/ purple color vinyl pressing, this will be a must-have for fans of Dennen’s music. So Much More helped put Dennen on the world’s stage with the emotional single “Ain’t No Reason”. John Mayer commented that “he [Dennen] paints these gorgeous pictures musically, though I could do better.”
DJ Sniff – Parallel Traces Of The Jewel Voice LP (Discrepant)
Parallel Traces Of The Jewel Voice by DJ Sniff is a project that takes inspiration from historical narratives and personal memories constructed around The Jewel Voice Broadcast (Gyokuon Hoso) that took place on August 15, 1945. Contrary to common belief, Emperor Hirohito did not speak live on air to announce the surrender of Japan on this day. Instead, two lathe-cut discs with his recorded voice were skillfully mixed and played by NHK engineer Shizuto Haruna. Haruna’s proto-DJ/turntablist performance was heard not only in Japan but also throughout the colonized territories in Asia, marking the end of World War II and Japanese rule. Interested in these aspects which often have been overlooked within the Japanese narratives of this historical event, DJ Sniff conducted research in both Taiwan and Japan. Over the course of 3 years, he collected various materials that include interviews and field recordings, audio samples extracted from phonograph discs and recordings sessions with improvising musicians, and a re-reading of the Imperial Rescript on Surrender in Chinese, the results of which can be heard on this release.
Dr. Dog – Be The Void [Reissue/2011] LP (ANTI-)
10th Anniversary Edition pressed on red & clear galaxy color vinyl. Recorded in the summer of 2011, Be The Void seizes that vibrant spirit and transforms it into a 12-track song selection that’s at turns deadly catchy and dance-worthy (the shuffling swagger of “Big Girl”), wistful and bittersweet (the lovely, languid sigh of “Get Away”), and earthy-earnest (the twangy troubadour folk of “Turning the Century”). Though each track feels richly textured and intricately layered, the band made a conscious effort to keep the recording process fast and loose. All throughout Be The Void, Dr. Dog delights in a playfulness that lends a refreshingly oddball feel even to the record’s more true-to-form tracks.
Eleven76 – Occhio Occhio LP (Eleven76)
Occhio Occhio contains insect-themed outernational grooves with tropical and arabian flavours and smooth and buttered tunes with soulful vibes that are reminiscent of classic european library music. Vintage synthesizers and hot tape-recorded drums continue to lead Eleven76’s mystique, with travels through funk territories and all the while frenzied percussion-heavy break beats keep b-girls and b-boys moving on the floor.
Alister Fawnwoda – Milan LP (Dangerbird)
Alister Fawnwoda melds an abundance of influences into a sound that is expansive, ambitious, and authentic to its core. With a creative practice that flows between painting, production, DJ’ing, and beyond, Alister is committed to exploring the boundaries of his talents and potential. Featuring collaborations with Suzanne Ciani and Greg Leisz, Milan furthers the very timely discussion of new ambient composers and how they are reflecting our presently tumultuous world through sound experimentation. For lovers of classic house, experimental ambient, and everything in between, Alister’s music presents the possibilities of creative exploration.
FM – Thirteen 2xLP (Frontiers)
Recently released on CD – now available on gold color vinyl. Thirteenth studio album from the melodic rock stalwarts.
Myriam Gendron – Ma Délire – Songs Of Love, Lost & Found 2xLP (Feeding Tube)
“The ambitious new album from the Canadian songwriter features thoughtful and transformative interpretations of traditional music. It is both a meditation on the past and a novel step forward.” [8.0] – Pitchfork
The Hillbilly Moon Explosion – Raw Deal [Reissue/2010] LP (Jungle)
The Hillbilly Moon Explosion – Damn Right Honey! (Songs Of Love & Loss, Life & Death) [Reissue/2013] LP (Jungle)
Hillbilly Moon Explosion is an Anglo-Swiss-Italian rockabilly outfit. Fronted by English exile slap-bassist and vocalist Oliver Baroni and Italian/Swiss songstress Emanuela Hutter, immaculately backed by English guitarist Duncan James and Swiss drummer Luke ‘The Puke’ Weyerman, they unashamedly celebrate their retro rock and pop roots.
Howlin’ Wolf – Howlin’ Wolf [Reissue/1962] LP (Friday Music)
Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Burnett) will always be known as one of the founding fathers of modern-day blues. His legendary style of playing guitar, his unique vocal and stage prowess and of course his stellar list of classic Chicago style blues tunes have all gone on to influence generations upon generations of rock and blues performers worldwide. With almost six decades in the music business, this Mississippi native began his career cutting early sides for Sun before landing in Chicago in the early ‘50s, where he began a long climb to the top of the blues world on the Chess label.
HVOB – TOO LP (PIAS America)
New album from Austrian pop/electronica duo HVOB (Her Voice Over Boys). TOO is an angry, tender, vulnerable, determined account of a generation’s search for life. The album explores extremes in concept, content, and sound. Too is dedicated to the state of mind of a generation in search of inner and outer belonging: the album captures a life in the dichotomy of one’s own and other people’s expectations, in the feeling of not living up to these expectations, in renewed attempts to free oneself from these expectations. [CD edition due May 6.]
Kansas – Somewhere To Elsewhere [Reissue/2000] 2xLP (Magna Carta)
Double red color vinyl pressing of the 2000 studio album from the prog rock legends. This is the final Kansas to feature longtime vocalist Steve Walsh before his departure and the final album to feature iconic Kansas violinist Robby Steinhardt before his passing in 2021. Widely hailed as a return to form, Somewhere To Elsewhere harkens back to the band’s 1970s heyday.
Kraftwerk – Remixes 3xLP (Parlophone)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Remixes showcases Kraftwerk’s immense influence on club & DJ culture, techno, and all forms of electronic dance music. Featuring 19 official remixes, it collates Kraftwerk’s own remixes alongside contributions from some of the world’s biggest DJ’s and producers including François Kervorkian, William Orbit, Étienne de Crécy, Orbital, Underground Resistance, DJ Rolando, and Hot Chip. The remixes are taken from various Kraftwerk 12” singles, CD singles and digital releases from 1991-2021.
Ledisi – Ledisi Sings Nina LP (BMG)
Released last July on CD – now available on vinyl. 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.
M83. – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. [Reissue/2011] 2xLP+MP3 (Mute)
Double orange color vinyl 10th anniversary edition of M83’s seminal album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. This one-time pressing features the same children from the first pressing, now 10 years older, creating another iconic cover to expand upon the original. Originally released in 2011, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. remains one of the definitive indie-pop records of its decade.
Mamas Gun – Cure The Jones LP (Candelion)
Mamas Gun conjure the spirit of conscious ’70s soul on their bold and big-hearted new album. [CD edition due April 29.]
The Mars Volta – Octahedron [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Clouds Hill)
The Mars Volta – Noctourniquet [Reissue/2011] 2xLP (Clouds Hill)
Limited color (red and blue, respectively) vinyl pressings. Each of The Mars Volta albums that preceded Octahedron had pushed the envelope further, their music growing larger, more intense, more complex. Each had delivered an implied, unspoken challenge to its makers within milliseconds of its final notes: “top this”. And with each subsequent album, Omar and Cedric had turned their creative dials up one more notch, a further step past “eleven”. With the addition of new drummer Thomas Pridgen, and their ranks swollen by extra guitarists, more percussion and a sax-player, the intensity of The Mars Volta’s sound had increased. Octahedron, however, would follow The Bedlam In Goliath‘s brilliant excesses with a sideways step few were expecting, even though the group had telegraphed their intentions to take this new direction for years. In the months and years following their fifth full-length, Octahedron, Omar kept on at his usual fearsome creative pace. In fact, he ramped up his output considerably, starting up his own Rodriguez Lopez Productions label and releasing a slew of solo albums.
Mayday Parade – What It Means To Fall Apart LP (Rise)
Recently released on CD – an indie store exclusive limited-edition blue/black/magenta multicolor vinyl pressing is now available. New release from the alternative rock band.
Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday [Reissue/2012] 2xLP/3xLP (Republic)
Limited double pink color vinyl pressing of the debut album from the most successful female rapper of all time. Nicki Minaj celebrates the 10th anniversary of Pink Friday with this pink vinyl reissue. [A triple pink and white swirl colored vinyl featuring eight bonus tracks is also available.]
Mondo Cozmo – This Is For The Barbarians LP (Last Gang)
New album from the Philadelphia-born and Los Angeles-based critically acclaimed alternative troubadour and gutter punk poet. For fans of: Cold War Kids, Lewis Del Mar, The Airborne Toxic Event, Jr Jr, Sir Sly, Band Of Horses. [CD edition due April 22.]
µ-Ziq & Mrs Jynx – Secret Garden LP (Planet Mu)
Released earlier this year on CD – now available on green color vinyl. In Spring 2021, Mike Paradinas (µ-Ziq and the owner of Planet Mu) spoke to longtime friend and past label signing Hannah Davidson (Mrs Jynx) about the therapeutic power of writing music when times are tough. Both had recently been dealing with the loss of a parent due to cancer, and fresh from writing Scurlage, Paradinas suggested a collaboration.
New Horizon – Gate Of The Gods LP (Frontiers)
Recently released on CD – now available on gold color vinyl. Vocalist Erik Gronwall and songwriter/producer/multi-multi-instrumentalist Jona Tee, former bandmates in H.E.A.T., continue their musical partnership with New Horizon, their new power metal brainchild.
Nuns – Nuns [Reissue/1980] LP (Radiation Deluxe)
Limited red and purple color vinyl pressing of the classic debut album by original San Francisco punk band led by Alejandro Escovedo (future Rank & File) and Jennifer Miro (Debbie Harry’s West Coast counterpart). Although the Nuns ruled the San Francisco punk scene in the late 70s, courted by major labels and selling out shows at San Francisco’s hottest clubs, by the time the original band broke up they still had not recorded enough material for a full-length album.
Pan•American – The Patience Fader LP (Kranky)
The glacial distillation of Pan•American aka Mark Nelson’s “romantic minimalism” achieves unique fruition on his latest Kranky collection, The Patience Fader. A suite of solo guitar instrumentals accented with lap steel, harmonica, and twilit atmospherics, the strings smear and sparkle in elegant, windswept swells, a guitar mode once described by Brian Eno as “Duane Eddy playing Erik Satie.”
Plosivs – Plosivs LP (Swami)
Plosivs is a new angular and melodic punk band from San Diego. “Plosivs is a new band with some very familiar faces. Their debut single is a fired- up, punky indie rock song that basically sounds like the middle ground between Pinback and Hot Snakes.” – Brooklyn Vegan
The Police – Greatest Hits [Reissue/1992] 2xLP (A&M)
Double vinyl pressing in gatefold jacket. Remastered at Abbey Road and cut at ‘half-speed’ for ultimate sound quality, the set contains two heavyweight black LPs with expanded artwork and packaging in a bespoke gatefold sleeve which enhances the original artwork.
Principe Valiente – Barricades LP (Metropolis)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Four years after the acclaimed album Oceans, Swedish post punk act Principe Valiente return with Barricades, the quartet’s most intimate album to date. From the epic ballad “Porcelain” to the power and sorrow of “I Am You”, Barricades showcases the full breadth of the band. Dramatic, cinematic soundscapes envelop warm and unassailable vocals, beautiful melodies, and post punk energy.
The Real Distractions – The Real Distractions 7” (Perennial/K. Records)
The Real Distractions love rock ‘n’ roll. A secret seance of Bo Diddley beats, true touch guitar licks, and forever teenage love croons.
Riding Shotgun – NIGHTfalls LP (Light Of Day)
Split color blue and orange vinyl pressing. Riding Shotgun’s debut full-length album NIGHTfalls began with a concept; the soundtrack to an epic night on the town and all the ups and downs, twists and turns associated with it. This highly regarded and cult favorite album will feel like home for fans of Radiohead, Boards of Canada, MMW, Tycho and Justice.
Rüfüs Du Sol – Bloom [Reissue/2016] LP (Foreign Family)
Hailing from Sydney, Australia and formed in 2010, Rüfüs Du Sol got together around a shared passion for live-electronic icons like Chemical Brothers and Röyksopp. It is this fusion of instrumentative sensibilities and thoughtful dance production that became the bedrock for the sound that would propel the trio from the continent to the global stage. Bloom picks up right where their debut album Atlas left off, with dreamy vocals, moody synths and driving kicks.
The Şatellites – The Şatellites LP (Batov)
The Şatellites’ sound shimmers between traditional Turkish folk and instrumentation, ethereal psychedelic guitar leads and groovy dance-floor baselines. The resulting concoction of songs draws on cross continental influence yet at it’s core is a desire to illuminate the vivid qualities of classic Turkish music, honoring the Anatolian folk and psych artists from this golden era of music.
Seether – Vicennial – 2 Decades Of Seether 2xLP (Craft Recordings)
Released last October on CD – now available on vinyl – including an indie store exclusive smoke color pressing. A career-spanning compilation of the RIAA Platinum-selling group’s greatest hits, including 16 #1 original singles, as well as the fan-favorite cover of “Careless Whisper”.
Silent Planet – Iridescent LP (Solid State)
Weaving together topics that range from historical injustice to the existential despair of modern life, post-hardcore/metalcore band Silent Planet has a message that burns with a indignation while coupled with progressive instrumentation. On Iridescent, the band explore themes of grief, impermanence, and the timeless nature of love. They blend the traditional sonic staples of heavy music with inventive electronic elements and intentional sound design.
Brix Smith/Marty Wilson-Piper – Lost Angeles LP (Cadiz Music)
Legendary musical pioneer Brix Smith recorded Lost Angeles with Marty Willson-Piper in 1997 and this long-lost gem includes some of her best work to date. Originally intended to be a follow on from her influential and much-loved project Adult Net, Lost Angeles was written in Los Angeles during her break from The Fall (1992-1994) and recorded in 1997 in Penzance during her second stint in The Fall. Lost Angeles (which over the years Brix has referred to as ‘the lost album’) is the missing puzzle piece from Smith’s long and varied career. A must have for any fan of Brix’s songwriting, and a great starting point for those that are not familiar with her previous work. [CD edition due May 6.]
The Snivelling Shits – Shits Alive! LP (Damaged Goods)
A limited-edition brown color vinyl LP put together by Pete Makowski and Damaged Goods to celebrate the reunion gigs by The Snivelling Shits in late 2018 and 2019. It’s a fitting tribute to Pete Makowski (who oversaw the artwork and tapes) and the band’s amazing comeback shows. It also includes two demos from the original line-up that appeared as a limited 7″ for sale at the Rebellion Festival show in 2019.
Sweet – Level Headed Tour Rehearsals 1977 LP (Rouge)
Picture disc vinyl pressing. In 1977, Sweet signed a new recording deal and were about to tour UK and Europe in support of their Level Headed LP, which was the last album the band would record as the original four-piece which achieved so many Top 20 Hits (“Love Is Like Oxygen” was their last Top 10 Hit in 1978 which Andy Scott received an Ivor Novella Award nomination for co-composing). This album gathers the actual recordings at Shepparton Studios, England where the band was rehearsing for the aforementioned tour.
Tibor Szemző – SNAP#2 [The Other Shore & Cuba] LP (Fodderbasis)
Tibor Szemző presents two compositions on his new album SNAP#2 [The Other Shore & Cuba]. As the title implies, SNAP#2 can be considered a sequel to his cult album Snapshot From The Island. In that first album the island was a metaphor for isolation and now SNAP#2 offers Szemző’s reflections of his visits to real islands, Cuba in 1988-1990 and Japan in 1992-1994. As usual, Tibor Szemző processed the themes both visually and musically and has presented them many times live as cinematographic performances.
Tsunami Bomb – Trust No One LP (Kung Fu)
Limited-edition blue color vinyl pressing of the rarities compilation from the California punk rockers. Features songs released prior to the band’s 2002 full-length debut album The Ultimate Escape, originally released on singles, EPs, and split 7″s, including two exclusive demo recordings.
Melvin Ukachi – Ofegi As One: I Am Ok [Reissue/1985] LP (Tidal Waves Music)
Rare Nigerian Afrobeat-Afropop album from 1985. Melvin Ukachi needs little introduction, the Lagos (Nigeria) based vocalist and bandleader is a living legend. Melvin is known for his fantastic solo albums, his vocals for the afrobeat star-groups M.F.B. and Ozzobia… but his biggest legacy is without a doubt him being the singer and bandleader of Ofege.
The Upside Downers – Rockin’ At Golden Bull LP (1-2-3-4 Go!)
The Upside Downers are Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day, Pinhead Gunpowder, The Longshot etc), Jason White (Green Day, The Influents), Chris Dugan and Greg Schneider (The Influents) when they’re able. Recorded live in the before times at The Golden Bull in Oakland. What is the meaning of this? Will there be more? Mysteries, the fun of surprise shows, and loud sounds abound! Let’s start with these four old favorites and see where things go. On limited green vinyl.
Déhà & Marla Van Horn – Earth And Her Decay LP (Svart)
Earth And Her Decay is a claire-obscure hymn to nature and its cycle of life, in which Déhà & Marla Van Horn join forces to create what one may call atmospheric “post” funeral doom metal. Between darkened ambiances (“Nowhere”), healing songs (“Purification Ritual”) or even some light (“Dead Leaves”), this album puts the listener in the moods of the season where everything falls.
The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground: A Documentary By Todd Haynes 2xLP (Polydor/UMGD)
This soundtrack was curated by the documentary’s director Todd Haynes, and music supervisor Randall Poster. It features well-known and rare tracks from The Velvet Underground, as well as songs and performances that influenced the band including the doo-wop of the Diablos, the groundbreaking rock n’ roll of Bo Diddley, and the avant-garde compositions of La Monte Young. Also included is a booklet with exclusive liner notes by Todd Haynes.
Vundabar – Devil For The Fire LP (Gawk)
Limited red & slate color vinyl pressing. Vundabar singer Brandon Hagen always had a knack for storytelling. In fact, as a child, he used his malformed ankle as his first blank canvas. He told his peers that he hurt his ankle rescuing people from a burning building or fighting off an anaconda, and in effect, he discovered the power of imagination.
The Weather Station – What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know [Reissue/2014] 12” (Fat Possum)
Limited clear vinyl pressing of the 2014 EP from country/folk artist Tamara Lindeman.
Wild Rocket – Formless Abyss LP (Riot Season)
When not enthralled to the cosmos, Wild Rocket call Dublin, Ireland home. It is from this base that their record Formless Abyss emanates. As a confluence of ideas and methods, Wild Rocket endeavor to interpret the subtle signals of the universe – the interplanetary vibrations – and present them as brash manifestations of sound. Formless Abyss showcases the band’s unflinching pummeling style, drifting from repetitive blows to unhinged swirls of din yet always remaining innately infectious and perhaps surprisingly danceable. The record is presented as a continuous piece in three parts.
Zachary Williams – Dirty Camaro LP (Dualtone Music Group)
Released last October on CD – now available on vinyl. Zachary Williams, frontman and songwriter of folk-rock trio The Lone Bellow, introduces his first solo album, Dirty Camaro. The LP was written and recorded in collaboration with several of Williams’ musical compatriots, including John Paul White, Ashley Monroe, Robert Ellis, Anderson East, Thad Cockrell, and more. Williams’ voice is one to be reckoned with, and the album spins powerful stories of heartbreak and longing, tenderness, and love for family, and overcoming obstacles when everything seems like it’s going wrong.
Cassandra Wilson – Blue Light ‘Til Dawn [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Blue Note)
Cassandra Wilson’s 1993 Blue Note debut, Blue Light ‘Til Dawn, wove a tapestry of jazz, blues, folk, and R&B into a singular sound that opened new avenues of expression for vocal jazz. Produced by Craig Street, the album’s inventive instrumentation, plus Wilson’s riveting vocals, transformed songs by Robert Johnson, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and more. Part of the Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series – all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes.
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