New Releases for May 19, 2023

AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:

Beach House – Become CDEP/12”+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)

“The Become EP is a collection of five songs from the Once Twice Melody sessions. We didn’t think they fit in the world of OTM, but later realized they all fit in a little world of their own. To us, they are all kind of scuzzy and spacious, and live in the spirit realm. It’s not really where we are currently going, but it’s definitely somewhere we have been. We hope you enjoy these tunes,” notes the duo.

Califone – Villagers CD/LP (Jealous Butcher)

Part experimental indie and part ‘70s soft rock, Califone’s first record in three years finds creative force Tim Rutili reaching new levels of harmony, fragility, and confidence. With recording sessions in four different cities and a cadre of hyper-talented collaborators (here including longtime cohorts Ben Massarella, Michael Krassner, Rachel Blumberg, Max Knouse and Brian Deck, as well as the likes of Nora O’Connor and Finom’s Macie Stewart) Villagers‘ nine compositions stretch out just as far, incorporating elements of classic radio pop and electronic experimentation into the mix. [A limited-edition clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Lewis Capaldi – Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent CD/LP (Capitol)

On the heels of the smash single “Forget Me,” Grammy-nominated Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi returns with his sophomore album, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent. Lewis on the follow-up to his breakout 2019 debut Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent: “I don’t want to create a new sound for myself, or reinvent myself. The songs I want to write are emotional songs, about love or loss. I felt like I was sounding better because I was just chilled out in my own gaff. Also, a lot of this record was made with most of the same people who I worked with on the first one: TMS, Phil Plested, Nick Atkinson and Edd Holloway. At least one of them is on almost every song. I’m ready. And so are the songs.” [An indie store exclusive white color vinyl pressing is available.]

Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark CD (WB)

“In both content and style, Brandy Clark’s self-titled new album serves as a homecoming following three bold, loosely conceptual releases that situated her in a lane distinct from the parochial strictures of country radio. Not only does the album find her singing openly about her background, including her family (‘She Smoked In The House’) and home state of Washington (‘Northwest’), it also hews closer to country conventions than her prior releases. While a self-titled album is often intended as a defining creative statement, a summation of an artist’s legacy or style, Brandy Clark is more uncharacteristic. Instead of foregrounding Clark’s knack for wordplay and humor, the album announces the singer as a virtuosa, engaging with country music’s well-worn tropes with both skill and refinement.” – Victoria Stevens, Slant

Def Leppard – Drastic Symphonies CD2x/LP (UMe)

Rock and classical royalty unite on a brand-new album, Drastic Symphonies. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, Def Leppard has drastically deconstructed and reimagined some of their biggest hits, collaborating with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This bold new approach to the orchestral hits formula sees new vocal and guitar recordings from the band. [Vinyl edition includes the bonus track “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”. An indie store exclusive clear pressing is available.]

Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton – Death Wish Blues CD/LP (Rounder)

The first-ever collaborative album from Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton, Death Wish Blues is a body of work born from a shared passion for pushing the limits of blues music. Produced by the legendary Jon Spencer of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Death Wish Blues melds their eclectic sensibilities into a batch of songs both emotionally potent and wildly combustible and helps fulfill their shared longtime mission of opening the blues genre to entirely new audiences. [An indie store exclusive clear w/ black & orange color vinyl pressing is available.]

Ghost – Phantomime CDEP/12” (Loma Vista)

A diverse and spellbinding sampling of the Grammy Award-winning band’s musical DNA, Ghost’s new five-song EP Phantomime is comprised of covers of classics and deep cuts by Television, Genesis, The Stranglers, Iron Maiden and Tina Turner. Phantomime pays tribute in equal measure to every one of these unlikely bedfellows, influences while stamping them all with Ghost’s undeniable sonic signature. [An indie store exclusive tan color vinyl pressing is available.]

Hannah Jadagu – Aperture CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)

Fresh out of high school, Hannah Jadagu released her debut EP, What Is Going On?, a collection of intimate bedroom pop tracks recorded entirely on an iPhone 7, which was, at the time, Jadagu’s most accessible mode of production. An off-the-cuff approach to music making and instinctive ability to write unforgettable hooks belied the intensity of Jadagu’s subject matter. What Is Going On? confronted some of the nation’s most urgent struggles through Jadagu’s compassionate perspective. Now, Jadagu has released Aperture, her first LP. In the years it took her to complete, she faced moments of darkness, sure, but the process of making it, her first ever in a professional studio, was ultimately a cathartic experience, one she now shares with you. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Dave Matthews Band – Walk Around The Moon CD/LP (RCA)

Following up 2018’s chart-topping Come Tomorrow, the Dave Matthews Band’s tenth studio album, Walk Around The Moon, took shape during the pandemic and is as much a reflection on the current times as it is an urge to find common ground. Most of the album’s twelve original songs were recorded with producer Rob Evans, including the epic lead single, “Madman’s Eyes”. The track weaves Middle Eastern textures with heavy horns and strings as Matthews asks unflinchingly, “When it’s too late to untwist the knife / How do we face hatred with the love inside us.” Longtime collaborator, John Alagia, served as executive producer of the album. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Dave McMurray – Grateful Deadication 2 CD (Blue Note)

Dave McMurray returns with Grateful Deadication 2, the follow-up to his acclaimed 2021 tribute album which once again finds the saxophonist reimagining the songs of the Grateful Dead with his gritty and soulful Detroit sound. Dave is joined by special guests Oteil Burbridge, Bob James, Jamey Johnson, Greg Leisz and Don Was. Grateful Deadication 2 is a nine-song set that offers up Dead favorites and deep cuts including “Truckin’,” “China Cat Sunflower”, and “To Lay Me Down”.

The Milk Carton Kids – I Only See The Moon CD/LP (Milk Carton Kids)

Grammy nominated duo The Milk Carton Kids follow-up 2019’s The Only Ones with the highly anticipated new record I Only See The Moon which comes introduced by the singles “When You’re Gone”, “Running On Sweet Smile”, and “All Of The Time In The World To Kill”. “Both of us have now lived enough life to understand that maybe one of the purposes we were put on Earth for is to sing together, to write songs together, to make music together,” notes guitarist/vocalist Kenneth Pattengale. “It has truly provided a direction for our lives.” Bandmate Joey Ryan adds, “It’s like a successful marriage in that there’s always been enough there between us collaboratively in the way that we work together, sing together, play together. It’s a very special thing. And I don’t think we ever took that for granted.” [An indie store exclusive maroon color vinyl pressing is available.]

Graham Nash – Now CD/LP (BMG)

Graham Nash’s tenor is among rock’s most recognizable, and as resonant as his voice of conscience as a songwriter. The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee started The Hollies with his childhood friend Allan Clarke in 1961, before embarking on a lifelong musical journey, solo and with David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Nash returns with Now, his first studio album of new material since 2016’s This Path Tonight. Graham calls the 13-track collection, “the most personal album I’ve ever recorded. My life is a dream. I wake up in the morning and get on with my life. I check the news around the world, check in with my friends and write about stuff that I need to write about. Here’s to another chapter.”

Additional Social Media Program Titles:

The Heavy Heavy – Life And Life Only (Expanded Edition) LP (ATO)

Limited translucent Coke bottle green color vinyl pressing. The Heavy Heavy burst onto the scene in 2022 with Life And Life Only, the six track EP sitting at the reverb-drenched collision of psychedelia and blues, acid rock and sunshine pop. It earned the band artist to watch mentions from NME and The Observer, while selling out shows, topping radio charts and making late night TV performances here in the US. This expanded edition adds four extra tracks including covers of Father John Misty, Jonathan Wilson, and Crosby, Stills and Nash.

The Murlocs – Calm Ya Farm LP (ATO)

Bone/olive green color vinyl pressing. The Murlocs had visions of creating a quintessential country-rock record when they begin recording their seventh LP, a collection of sublimely mellowed-out songs inspired by albums like Sweetheart Of The Rodeo and Exile On Main St., but the record soon took on its own unruly character. Spiked with their signature breed of sharply crafted garage-punk, Calm Ya Farm twists country-rock convention into a free-flowing album, fully in touch with the frenetic energy of modern life.

CDs + Vinyl:

Alcatrazz – Take No Prisoners CD (Silver Lining Music)

Comprising of ten cracking, charismatic tracks, with each containing the unique fusion of classic American rock with the full grain hard-rocking attitude of British metal, Take No Prisoners sees Alcatrazz energetically soaring and exploring melodic progression with road-warrior riffs.

The Allergies – Tear The Place Up CD/LP (Jalapeno)

Across each dynamite track on Tear The Place Up, The Allergies mash up feel-good hip-hop flavors with club bubbling styles, dynamite soul selections, and a whole heap of expertly chopped sample sources and powerhouse vocal performances. A diverse range of collaborators include the likes of Bootie Brown (The Pharcyde) Andy Cooper, Marietta Smith, Dele Sosimi and Joe Lickshot whilst the music is built up from hundreds of funky and forgotten wax samples, dope drums, and slick cuts, resulting in a collection of punchy and powerful beat-based tracks that span multiple genres.

The Anderson Council – The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon CD (Jem)

New album from the brainchild of Peter Horvath, songwriter, and singer whose love affair with late ‘60s pop continues to inform and inspire the band’s sound and direction. A magical brew of Psyche Rock.

Beach House – Become CDEP/12”+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)

“The Become EP is a collection of five songs from the Once Twice Melody sessions. We didn’t think they fit in the world of OTM, but later realized they all fit in a little world of their own. To us, they are all kind of scuzzy and spacious, and live in the spirit realm. It’s not really where we are currently going, but it’s definitely somewhere we have been. We hope you enjoy these tunes,” notes the duo.

Benny The Butcher – Tana Talk 4 CD/2xLP (Griselda)

If the third installment of Tana Talk made Benny a formidable presence in rap, volume 4 propels him to stardom.

Ron Browz – One Twenty Seven CD/LP (American Bboy)

Armed with a discography that includes hits for the likes of Nas (“Ether”), Big L (“Ebonics”), Jim Jones (“Pop Champagne” feat. Juelz Santana), Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Lil Wayne, Killer Mike, Papoose, Method Man, Ja Rule and more, the Harlem-based, iconic producer returns with a compilation album One Twenty Seven.

Califone – Villagers CD/LP (Jealous Butcher)

Part experimental indie and part ‘70s soft rock, Califone’s first record in three years finds creative force Tim Rutili reaching new levels of harmony, fragility, and confidence. With recording sessions in four different cities and a cadre of hyper-talented collaborators (here including longtime cohorts Ben Massarella, Michael Krassner, Rachel Blumberg, Max Knouse and Brian Deck, as well as the likes of Nora O’Connor and Finom’s Macie Stewart) Villagers‘ nine compositions stretch out just as far, incorporating elements of classic radio pop and electronic experimentation into the mix. [A limited-edition clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Lewis Capaldi – Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent CD/LP (Capitol)

On the heels of the smash single “Forget Me,” Grammy-nominated Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi returns with his sophomore album, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent. Lewis on the follow-up to his breakout 2019 debut Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent: “I don’t want to create a new sound for myself, or reinvent myself. The songs I want to write are emotional songs, about love or loss. I felt like I was sounding better because I was just chilled out in my own gaff. Also, a lot of this record was made with most of the same people who I worked with on the first one: TMS, Phil Plested, Nick Atkinson and Edd Holloway. At least one of them is on almost every song. I’m ready. And so are the songs.” [An indie store exclusive white color vinyl pressing is available.]

Paul Cherry – Flavour CD/LP (Feeltrip)

Paul Cherry’s smooth and psychedelic debut Flavour is a weirdo-pop gem loaded with deep hooks, poppy jazz riffs, and nods to yacht rock classics. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]

The Chisel – Retaliation CD/LP (Pure Noise)

Having formed in early 2020 and featuring a crew of members with long-term associations to the London punk scene, The Chisel quickly secured a reputation as one of the most exciting bands from a pool of contemporaries that includes Chubby & The Gang, Stingray and Big Cheese. Their sound is rooted firmly in punk but with influences that run across the board to create a distinctive blend of Oi!, anarcho, UK-82 and hardcore. [An indie store exclusive clear w/ black & white splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]

Brandy Clark – Brandy Clark CD (WB)

“In both content and style, Brandy Clark’s self-titled new album serves as a homecoming following three bold, loosely conceptual releases that situated her in a lane distinct from the parochial strictures of country radio. Not only does the album find her singing openly about her background, including her family (‘She Smoked In The House’) and home state of Washington (‘Northwest’), it also hews closer to country conventions than her prior releases. While a self-titled album is often intended as a defining creative statement, a summation of an artist’s legacy or style, Brandy Clark is more uncharacteristic. Instead of foregrounding Clark’s knack for wordplay and humor, the album announces the singer as a virtuosa, engaging with country music’s well-worn tropes with both skill and refinement.” – Victoria Stevens, Slant

Cry Of Dawn – Anthropocene CD (Frontiers)

Sounding AOR album that harkens back to the glory days of the genre. Edman has been a stand out vocalist in numerous genres including neo-classical metal, progressive rock, and AOR, just to name a few, with his vocal stylings found on records by John Norum, Yngwie Malmsteen, Brazen Abbot, and Glory, among others.

Def Leppard – Drastic Symphonies CD2x/LP (UMe)

Rock and classical royalty unite on a brand-new album, Drastic Symphonies. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, Def Leppard has drastically deconstructed and reimagined some of their biggest hits, collaborating with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This bold new approach to the orchestral hits formula sees new vocal and guitar recordings from the band. [Vinyl edition includes the bonus track “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”. An indie store exclusive clear pressing is available.]

Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton – Death Wish Blues CD/LP (Rounder)

The first-ever collaborative album from Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton, Death Wish Blues is a body of work born from a shared passion for pushing the limits of blues music. Produced by the legendary Jon Spencer of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Death Wish Blues melds their eclectic sensibilities into a batch of songs both emotionally potent and wildly combustible and helps fulfill their shared longtime mission of opening the blues genre to entirely new audiences. [An indie store exclusive clear w/ black & orange color vinyl pressing is available.]

Fred Frith and Ensemble Musique Nouvelles – Something About This Landscape For Ensemble CD/LP (Sub Rosa)

From his early days with Henry Cow, Fred Frith was seen as a brilliant instrumentalist and improviser, but what has been overlooked is what a first-rate composer he is. This recording offers both aspects. His most complex orchestral composition and two selected improvisations with the Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles. Fred Frith, as an infusion of energy and inspiration. Musiques Nouvelles is one of the two most successful and diversified contemporary music ensembles in this country with Ictus. With, under the influence of Jean-Paul Dessy, a deeply spiritual and mutual listening aspect. This meeting with the legendary Fred Frith will remain an important step.

Galen & Paul – Can We Do Tomorrow Another Day? CD/LP (Sony Legacy)

Can We Do Tomorrow Another Day? is the debut project from Paul Simonon, of The Clash, Gorillaz and The Good, The Bad And The Queen; and Galen Ayers, singer-songwriter who amongst other artistic projects released the acclaimed solo album Monument. Can We Do Tomorrow Another Day? features an array of top tier talent. Produced by the legendary Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T-Rex, Sparks) with a band made up of Simon Tong (The Verve, The Good, The Bad and The Queen), Sebastian Rochford (Polar Bear, David Byrne, Patti Smith) and Dan Donovan (Big Audio Dynamite), with Damon Albarn playing on melodica on several tracks.

(G)I-Dle – I Feel [CAT Ver.] CD (Cube Entertainment)

(G)I-Dle – I Feel [BUTTERFLY Ver.] CD (Cube Entertainment)

(G)I-Dle – I Feel [QUEEN Ver.] CD (Cube Entertainment)

nown as one of the few K-Pop groups with outstanding self-composed skills and unique concepts, (G)I-DLE is back with a new album. Three collectable versions are available.

Ghost – Phantomime CDEP/12” (Loma Vista)

A diverse and spellbinding sampling of the Grammy Award-winning band’s musical DNA, Ghost’s new five-song EP Phantomime is comprised of covers of classics and deep cuts by Television, Genesis, The Stranglers, Iron Maiden and Tina Turner. Phantomime pays tribute in equal measure to every one of these unlikely bedfellows, influences while stamping them all with Ghost’s undeniable sonic signature. [An indie store exclusive tan color vinyl pressing is available.]

Gozu – Remedy CD (Metal Blade)

Nine tracks of Gozu’s signature combination of fuzzy ‘70s-inspired riffs, rich, catchy, grunge-esque vocal melodies and a touch of old school trippy psychedelia written and played with the utmost passion and enthusiasm.

Graciehorse – L.A. Shit CD/LP (Wharf Cat)

Graciehorse weaves stories into her songs. On L.A. Shit, her new record, she takes us into the past half a decade of her life. We see her as a traveling nurse, living in big blue expanse of Wyoming, dancing with a man in a crisp white Stetson, eating chicken wings in a hazmat suit, commenting on how strange a place like Los Angeles can be, how loaded it is with wannabe cowboys and fast-food restaurants. It’s a record of immaculate country music, the kind of stuff you’d put on blast in your truck as you drive down empty stretches of highway. It’s also a vulnerable record, full of lyrics about the intensity of being alive, all told with a sense of humor and self-awareness. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]

Hannah Jadagu – Aperture CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)

Fresh out of high school, Hannah Jadagu released her debut EP, What Is Going On?, a collection of intimate bedroom pop tracks recorded entirely on an iPhone 7, which was, at the time, Jadagu’s most accessible mode of production. An off-the-cuff approach to music making and instinctive ability to write unforgettable hooks belied the intensity of Jadagu’s subject matter. What Is Going On? confronted some of the nation’s most urgent struggles through Jadagu’s compassionate perspective. Now, Jadagu has released Aperture, her first LP. In the years it took her to complete, she faced moments of darkness, sure, but the process of making it, her first ever in a professional studio, was ultimately a cathartic experience, one she now shares with you. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]

House Of Shakira – XIT CD (Frontiers)

Long-running Swedish melodic hard rockers’ new studio album, their 10th overall. House Of Shakira is known for having a distinct sound that stands out amongst other bands in the melodic rock genre by mixing hard rock with several other musical styles and XIT further cements their status as one of the more inventive bands in the genre.

Ironsides – Changing Light CD/LP (Colemine)

The Ironsides have arrived. Changing Light is the first full-length effort from this masterful group of Bay Area musicians. It melds classic psych-soul sounds with sweeping orchestral arrangements – reminiscent of a cinematic soundtrack from a ‘60s European film. [A limited-edition transparent blue w/ black swirl color vinyl pressing is available.]

Samara Joy – Linger Awhile [Deluxe Edition] CD (Verve)

Samara Joy is a two-time Grammy winner. At just 23 years old, her Verve debut Linger Awhile shows that with a voice, tone, and phrasing that harkens back to the most legendary jazz vocalists. Samara belongs in the company of iconic label-mates from Ella Fitzgerald to Sarah Vaughan to Billie Holiday. The Deluxe version of this album includes never-before-heard B-sides as well as alternate arrangements of Linger Awhile material.

Kesha – Gag Order CD/LP (RCA)

Gag Order finds Grammy-nominated pop star Kesha excavating the deepest recesses of her soul to date. The record, which Kesha has labeled “post-pop” and was produced by Rick Rubin, is a full-bodied collection that flows like a stream of conscious journey through the psychedelic dark depths of the human psyche followed by basking in the cleansing light when finally reaching the surface. [A limited-edition cream color vinyl pressing is available.]

Thomas Lauderdale – Thomas Lauderdale Meets The Pilgrims CD/LP (Heinz Records)

Pianist Thomas Lauderdale collaborates with surf rockers Satan’s Pilgrims.

The Lemonheads – Come On Feel [Reissue/1993] 2xCD/2xLP (Fire)

Celebrating 30 years since its release, the Come On Feel special Expanded Edition (Deluxe bookback CD and vinyl editions are also available) features new artwork and extra material straight from The Lemonheads archives, including, unreleased demos, alternate versions & rarities. [A limited-edition red and yellow color double-LP pressing is available.]

Raul Malo – Say Less CD/LP (Mono Mundo)

Golden-voiced Mavericks frontman Raul Malo let’s his guitar do the singing in this 10-song collection highlighting his skill as an arranger and instrumentalist. From midnight in Havana to the beaches of California, hear Malo’s full range of musical influences on display as he explores a wild variety of textures from surf guitar licks, lush earthen tones, spaghetti western to big band jams and more, accompanied occasionally by his Mavericks bandmates. It’s a sonic adventure befitting his time leading music’s most shape-shifting band. [An indie store exclusive beige color vinyl pressing is available.]

Dave Matthews Band – Walk Around The Moon CD/LP (RCA)

Following up 2018’s chart-topping Come Tomorrow, the Dave Matthews Band’s tenth studio album, Walk Around The Moon, took shape during the pandemic and is as much a reflection on the current times as it is an urge to find common ground. Most of the album’s twelve original songs were recorded with producer Rob Evans, including the epic lead single, “Madman’s Eyes”. The track weaves Middle Eastern textures with heavy horns and strings as Matthews asks unflinchingly, “When it’s too late to untwist the knife / How do we face hatred with the love inside us.” Longtime collaborator, John Alagia, served as executive producer of the album. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Dave McMurray – Grateful Deadication 2 CD (Blue Note)

Dave McMurray returns with Grateful Deadication 2, the follow-up to his acclaimed 2021 tribute album which once again finds the saxophonist reimagining the songs of the Grateful Dead with his gritty and soulful Detroit sound. Dave is joined by special guests Oteil Burbridge, Bob James, Jamey Johnson, Greg Leisz and Don Was. Grateful Deadication 2 is a nine-song set that offers up Dead favorites and deep cuts including “Truckin’,” “China Cat Sunflower”, and “To Lay Me Down”.

The Milk Carton Kids – I Only See The Moon CD/LP (Milk Carton Kids)

Grammy nominated duo The Milk Carton Kids follow-up 2019’s The Only Ones with the highly anticipated new record I Only See The Moon which comes introduced by the singles “When You’re Gone”, “Running On Sweet Smile”, and “All Of The Time In The World To Kill”. “Both of us have now lived enough life to understand that maybe one of the purposes we were put on Earth for is to sing together, to write songs together, to make music together,” notes guitarist/vocalist Kenneth Pattengale. “It has truly provided a direction for our lives.” Bandmate Joey Ryan adds, “It’s like a successful marriage in that there’s always been enough there between us collaboratively in the way that we work together, sing together, play together. It’s a very special thing. And I don’t think we ever took that for granted.” [An indie store exclusive maroon color vinyl pressing is available.]

Miscreance – Convergence CD/LP (Season Of Mist)

Though many have tried, few bands have successfully replicated the mind-bending technical death metal formula that was established during the genre’s advent by the godfathers Death. That is until Italy’s Miscreance entered the ring in 2022 with debut full-length, Convergence. Unlike the genre’s contemporaries who are known for speed and extremity, Miscreance’s artistry lies within its carefully executed precision, underscoring the focused discipline behind the music’s eloquent complexities.

Megan Moroney – Lucky CD (Columbia)

Lucky is the debut album from rising Nashville star, Megan Moroney. The album was produced by Kristian Bush and is a showcase of Megan’s distinctive voice and honest, conversational lyrics.

Graham Nash – Now CD/LP (BMG)

Graham Nash’s tenor is among rock’s most recognizable, and as resonant as his voice of conscience as a songwriter. The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee started The Hollies with his childhood friend Allan Clarke in 1961, before embarking on a lifelong musical journey, solo and with David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Nash returns with Now, his first studio album of new material since 2016’s This Path Tonight. Graham calls the 13-track collection, “the most personal album I’ve ever recorded. My life is a dream. I wake up in the morning and get on with my life. I check the news around the world, check in with my friends and write about stuff that I need to write about. Here’s to another chapter.”

Aldo Nova – Nova’s Dream [Reissue/1997] CD (MRI Associated)

Nova’s Dream is the fifth studio album by Canadian Rock musician Aldo Nova, originally released in 1997. It is a rock, prog rock, hard rock and electronic album with some vocal effects and a variety of choirs.

The Ocean – Holocene CD/LP (Pelagic)

The Ocean – Holocene (Instrumentals) CD/LP (Pelagic)

Holocene sees the The Ocean add a new and closing chapter to their paleontology-inspired album series, presenting a gear shift towards the electronic world while redefining heaviness at the same time. [Limited-edition blue vinyl colorways of each version are available.]

Pixel Grip – Arena CD/LP (Feeltrip)

Pixel Grip is a Chicago based three piece who have been gradually building a following based around their ready-made club anthems. Their sound has been influenced by two of the greatest ‘80s musical offspring’s – darkwave and synthpop. Their new album Arena is heavily influenced by the ‘80s Western musical movement, featuring the trademark pulsating basslines, Berlin-inspired electronic rhythms, and a myriad of vocals inflections. [A green splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]

Rapoon – Raising Earthly Spirits [Reissue/1993] CD/2xLP (Everland)

Raising Earthly Spirits was conceived as a ritualistic, shamanistic album centered around the concept of transcending this level of consciousness and existing mindfully in multidimensional space and time. It draws heavily upon the sacred ideas and practices of many indigenous peoples from this earth and how they communicate and interact with their ancestors and how they see themselves in relation to this world. It was made with respect to these beliefs.

Leith Ross – To Learn CD/LP (Republic)

Leith Ross is a Canadian singer/songwriter who embraced music at a young age, channeling emotional confessions through softly strummed chords.

Salami Rose Joe Lewis – Akousmatikous CD/LP+MP3 (Brainfeeder)

Bay Area singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Lindsay Olsen is the brilliant mind behind the warped and magical project Salami Rose Joe Louis. Drawing from her studies in planetary sciences, she creates a unique experience: exploring ideas of multiverses and climate change through the lens of a fictional post-apocalyptic keyboard-toting earthling with a flashlight, a can of cashews and a hopeful optimism. Melding influences from jazz, rock and hip-hop – Shuggie Otis, Captain Beefheart, Stereolab, and R. Stevie Moore – she creates a unique blend of experimental galaxy sounds with jazz influenced vocals and keys.

Neal Schon – Journey Through Time CD+DVD/Blu-ray (Frontiers)

Live concert recorded on February 9, 2018, at The Independent In San Francisco, CA. Neal Schon, founding member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted band Journey along with former Journey and Santana bandmate, Gregg Rolie, current Journey member Deen Castronovo on vocals and drums, Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake) on bass, and John Varn on keyboards and vocals perform an hours long sonic adventure through Journey’s storied catalog. [A stand-alone Blu-ray version is available.]

Paul Simon – Seven Psalms CD/LP (Sony Legacy)

Seven Psalms is the latest studio album of original material from Paul Simon and his first in seven years since 2016’s Stranger To Stranger. Conceived more as a continuous piece of music in seven segments as opposed to seven individual songs, the album is primarily acoustic with Paul playing guitar, keyboards, and percussion with occasional support by strings and backing vocals.

Angie Stone – Love Language CD (Sono Recording Group)

The Queen of Neo Soul, Angie Stone, returns with her first new album of all new material in four years. Love Language includes collaborations with Musiq Soulchild and Swayvo Twain and the old school, hip-hop-influenced R&B she helped to define with classic albums like Black Diamond and Mahogany Soul and hit songs “No More Rain (In This Cloud)” and “Wish I Didn’t Miss You”. Angie has also had a successful career as a songwriter for D’Angelo, The Sugar Hill Gang, and others.

Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives – Altitude CD/LP (Snakefarm)

Country Music Hall of Famer, five-time Grammy-winner, and AMA Lifetime Achievement honoree Marty Stuart picks up where he left off on Altitude, his first new album in five years, exploring a cosmic country landscape populated by dreamers and drifters, misfits and angels, honky-tonk heroes, and lonesome lovers. There’s a desert flare to the music here, a sweeping, spacious feel that conjures up wide-open horizons and endless stretches of two-lane highway, and the production is raw and cinematic to match, tipping its cap both to Bakersfield and Laurel Canyon as it balances jangle and twang in equal measure. [An indie store exclusive blue color vinyl pressing is available.]

Sweet & Lynch – Heart & Sacrifice CD (Frontiers)

Ongoing musical project featuring Michael Sweet (Stryper, Iconic) on lead vocals/guitars and George Lynch on guitars (Lynch Mob, The End Machine, ex-Dokken).

SZA – SOS CD/2xLP (RCA)

SOS is the second studio album from Grammy Award winning singer SZA, and the follow up to 2017’s major label debut album Ctrl. The genre-blending album contains elements of pop, R&B, soft-rock, gospel, and hip-hop. SOS features guest appearances from Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. SZA worked with a variety of hitmaking producers including Ctrl collaborators ThankGod4Cody and Carter Lang, along with Jeff Bhasker, Rob Bisel, Benny Blanco, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Emile Haynie, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Jay Versace, and more.

Tanlines – The Big Mess CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)

Eric Emm and Jesse Cohen make escapist, joyful-sounding songs about sad, insular moments and melancholy songs about catharsis and joy. The Big Mess is a deft and danceable exploration of what Emm calls “introspective masculinity,” what thoughtful relationships look like between father and son, between friends, and between the individual and societal expectations. The Big Mess is for Tanlines fans old and new alike, those who’ve succumbed to their wry, winking brand of pop music in the past, and those looking to soundtrack a late night in the future. [An indie indie store exclusive multi-color splatter/swirl pressing is available.]

Temps – Party Gator Purgatory CD/LP+MP3 (Bella Union)

Temps is a 40-strong international music collective, consisting of artists across multiple genres, fronted by a cartoon alligator. Featuring such geniuses as Quelle Chris, John Dieterich, Joana Gomila, Laia Vallès and Seb Rochford, Temps’ ten-track debut Party Gator Purgatory was produced, curated and devised by UK stand-up comedian James Acaster. This mind-bending opus rose from the ashes of a mockumentary aborted due to lockdown. He spent the next two years sending tracks back and forth, between himself and his heroes, as they gradually discovered an album together. Genres were disregarded in favor of tightly packed experimentalism. Everyone was given free rein to do as they pleased then Acaster would cherry pick his favorite bits, the methodic touchstone being “a DIY Gorillaz or a homemade My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy“. [A limited-edition green color vinyl pressing is available.]

Wild Child – End Of The World CD/LP (Reba’s Ranch)

After more than a decade of non-stop touring, acclaimed Austin songwriting duo, Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins, quietly stopped touring as Wild Child. Headed in different sonic directions, the pair didn’t know if they would ever make another Wild Child record. Then, what felt like the “end of the world” brought them back together. Pandemic lockdowns closed stages and drained bank accounts. As artists from all backgrounds took their shows to the internet, Wild Child was no different.  Wilson and Beggins got together to practice for a series of online performances for devout fans, and within 30 minutes they wrote the first single for what would accidentally become Wild Child’s fifth album, End Of The World. Mixed by Matt Pence (Jason Isbell, Elle King) and including contributions from guitarist Charlie Wiles (Paul Cauthen, John Moreland, Orville Peck), End Of The World sees the pair find catharsis in art amid compound disasters. [A limited-edition green color vinyl pressing is available.]

Yes – Mirror To The Sky 2xCD/2xCD+Blu-ray Audio/2xLP/2xCD+Blu-ray Audio+2xLP (Inside Out U.S.)

The veteran prog rock band’s 23^rd album is a collection of high energy, intricate, lush, and layered new studio songs for an album which adds to the band’s much heralded legacy. [The deluxe CD edition includes a Blu-ray Audio disc featuring Dolby Atmos 5.1 Surround, instrumentals, and hi-res stereo mixes. A deluxe box set collecting all formats – including a translucent color vinyl version, as well as a stand-alone indie store exclusive tan color vinyl pressing, are available.]

You Said Strange – Thousand Shadows Vol 2. CD/LP (Exag)

Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Thousand Shadows Vol. 2; a second chapter was needed to highlight the many shadows that still linger everywhere. The shadows that linger on the borders, hiding the violence of the fights for them. The shadows that time has on the relationships and their persistence because the shadows move. Plato’s cave, modern version, would be the one of toxic relationships, antidepressants, and the acceptance of the regression of freedom and/or the vision of a dying world… Between shoegaze, noise pop and psychedelic rock, You Said Strange absorbs it’s time to incant a music in which melancholy, love and the search for plenitude meet.” [A white w/ red splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]

DVDs + Blu-ray:

Neal Schon – Journey Through Time Blu-ray (Frontiers)

Live concert recorded on February 9, 2018, at The Independent In San Francisco, CA. Neal Schon, founding member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted band Journey along with former Journey and Santana bandmate, Gregg Rolie, current Journey member Deen Castronovo on vocals and drums, Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake) on bass, and John Varn on keyboards and vocals perform an hours long sonic adventure through Journey’s storied catalog. [A stand-alone Blu-ray version is available.]

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Anna – Intentions 2xLP (Mercury KX)

Anna invites you on a journey of spiritual transformation through sound – Intentions is an immersive journey to heal, grow and expand into new states of consciousness and being. Born out of a life-changing spiritual experience, Anna’s new ambient sound emerged from her deep dive into meditation and shamanic healing practices. [CD version due June 30.]

Babadu! – Babadu! [Reissue/1979] LP (P-Vine)

The 1970s saw the birth of Contemporary Hawaiian music, a genre inspired by the popular sounds of the mainland US, but with a distinct, Hawaiian feeling. Perhaps the most popular form of contemporary Hawaiian music was Hawaiian AOR.

Bailen – Tired Hearts LP (Fantasy)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl (including an indie store exclusive blue colorway). On their exquisite and thought-provoking new album Tired Hearts, Bailen learns how to dream in the face of life’s uncertainty and in the process, moves forward aware, resilient, and hopeful. The trio delivers a dazzling set of songs that navigates the space between the heart’s expectation and the head’s sober reality. Produced by Brad Cook (Bon Iver, Snail Mail) along with the New York-based siblings, Daniel, David and Julia, Bailen’s second album beats with empathy, vulnerability, and resolve.

Burton Inc. – L.A. Will Make You Pay [Reissue/1976] LP (P-Vine)

A follow-up of sorts to Messengers Incorporated’s Soulful Proclamation, L.A. Will Make You Pay $$$ by Burton Inc. featured core members Charles and Barbara Burton of both groups, and is a shining example of the modern soul and disco that pulsed through the Oklahoma underground. Moving away from the psych-infused heavy funk jams of Soulful Proclamation, these eight tracks gave Barbara Burton’s vocals the spotlight with heart-tugging soul ballads, sun-soaked horns and bass grooves.

Khari Cabral & jiva – Five LP (P-Vine)

Five is the latest album from Khari Cabral & Jiva – a mouth-watering rare groove and acid jazz treat from the veteran bassist based out of Atlanta.

Miles Davis – Volume 1 [Reissue/1955] LP (Blue Note)

Legendary trumpeter Miles Davis was still near the start of his storied career when he cut the three sessions that comprise his Blue Note recordings in 1952, 1953, and 1954. In 1955, Blue Note compiled the tracks into two 12″ LPs as part of the 1500 series. The music presents all the hallmarks of his early style from blazing bebop to beautiful ballads.

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra – A Drum Is A Woman [Reissue/1957] LP (Honeypie)

A Drum Is A Woman is a musical allegory by American pianist, composer, and bandleader Duke Ellington and his long-time musical collaborator Billy Strayhorn. It tells the story of Madam Zajj, the personification of African rhythm, and Carribee Joe, who has his roots firmly in the jungle with his drums. Zajj travels out into the world seeking fame and sophistication and melds with the influences of cultures she weaves through the story, which gives a brief history of the rise of jazz and bebop.

Eels – Blinking Lights And Other Revelations [Reissue/2005] 3xLP (Vagrant)

Featuring Tom Waits, Peter Buck & John Sebastian, Eels’ 2005 album Blinking Lights And Other Revelations is about “God and all the questions related to the subject of God,” says its creator, Mark Oliver Everett, also known as Eels leader E. [An indie store exclusive pink and purple galaxy swirl vinyl colorway is available.]

Erasure – Day-Glo (Based On A True Story) LP+MP3 (Mute)

Black vinyl pressing of 2022 album. Day-Glo features 10 songs, each created using elements from The Neon universe. Familiar but unexpected, the songs bear little resemblance to the original album, although echoes of The Neon can be heard from time to time. The album is an alternative look at Vince and Andy’s world and marks the closure of this chapter of The Neon.

Ettab – Ettab [Reissue/1992] LP (Elmir)

A descendant of the Hausa (a people from the Sahel) born in Riyadh in 1947, Ettab was a celebrated singer, actress and activist – and perhaps the only female artist of Saudi origin of her time to claim an international career. This album, produced in Lebanon in 1992 by brothers Mahmoud and Ahmed Moussa for the label Relax-In, is a perfect introduction to her work. Resolutely modern in its pop arrangements with a finesse worthy of Curtis Mayfield, it takes Eastern classical music to new horizons.

Gilberto Sextet – Ponganse Duros [Reissue/1971] LP (Ansonia)

This is a true-to-the-original reissue of a highly sought after rare album from the Ansonia archives originally released in 1971. Bandleader, pianist, composer, and arranger Gilberto Cruz was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, but by the 1960s he was active in the New York area playing gigs. He put together the Gilberto Sextet, a vibraphone and piano led sextet in the mode of the very popular Joe Cuba sextet. For Ponganse Duros, Gilberto Sextet brought on Lou Bartel for English vocals and harmonica, infusing the album with the hip boogaloo Latin soul of the time.

Richie Goods / Chien Chien – Connected LP (P-Vine)

Chien Chien Lu is the Taiwanese vibraphonist whose debut album, The Path made huge waves in 2020 with a Downbeat critic’s poll naming her the “vibraphone rising star.” Richie Goods is the award-winning bassist, whose incredible talent and experience playing with international stars such as Alicia Keys and Common, has secured him a position as the youngest musician to ever be inducted into Philadelphia’s Jazz Hall of Fame. The two meet in an explosion of talent on their newest LP, Connected.

Milford Graves with Arthur Doyle & Hugh Glover – Children Of The Forest 2xLP (Black Editions)

These previously unreleased 1976 sessions with Hugh Glover and Arthur Doyle re-write the book on Milford Graves’ ensemble music of the 1970s. Graves recorded these sessions himself in his legendary Queens basement laboratory and workshop in the weeks immediately leading up to the March 1976 session that, with the same unit, produced what many consider his most iconic album, Bäbi, recorded at WBAI-FM Free Music Store.

Green-House – Music For Living Spaces LP/Cassette (Leaving)

Debut LP by non-binary Los Angeles-based artist Green-House. Olive Ardizoni helms the project, which made its debut with the charming 2019 EP Six Songs For Invisible Gardens. Music For Living Spaces represents an evolution of its predecessor’s minimalist compositions into songs that move with winsome melodies and emotional arcs.

Greentea Peng – Rising LP (Different Recordings)

Greentea Peng is dark and light, half soul-searcher, and half wise-cracker. In a constant explorative state, she is honest and frank, her inner battles channeled through the rhythms and flows of her music. Her energy beams bright whether she’s touching on darker matters or happier moments. Visually Peng is a living, breathing piece of art – effortlessly cutting the figure of a true British original.

Wendell Harrison – Reawakening [Reissue/1985] LP (Groove Diggers)

Established in 1985 by Tribe co-founder Wendell Harrison, Rebirth Records would become something of a rebirth for Harrison. The label’s inaugural release, ‘Reawakening’ saw him expressing a renewed interest in jazz.

The Heavy Heavy – Life And Life Only (Expanded Edition) LP (ATO)

Limited translucent Coke bottle green color vinyl pressing. The Heavy Heavy burst onto the scene in 2022 with Life And Life Only, the six track EP sitting at the reverb-drenched collision of psychedelia and blues, acid rock and sunshine pop. It earned the band artist to watch mentions from NME and The Observer, while selling out shows, topping radio charts and making late night TV performances here in the US. This expanded edition adds four extra tracks including covers of Father John Misty, Jonathan Wilson, and Crosby, Stills and Nash.

William Odell Hughes – Cruisin’ [Reissue/1981] LP (Tidal Waves Music)

White color vinyl pressing. A Detroit resident, William Odell Hughes is a much-loved street educated singer-songwriter and music composer. As a regular passenger riding to work on the Detroit East Side bus route in the early ‘80s, he met jazz pianist Pamela Wise who also rode the bus to work every day and who he noticed was always reading music. Pamela told him about saxophonist, clarinetist, and producer Wendell Harrison (founder of the legendary Tribe collective and a regular collaborator of Pamela Wise). She introduced Odell to Wendell, who was impressed with William’s compositions and felt that it would be a great project for release on his WenHa record label.

Weldon Irvine – Liberated Brother [Reissue/1972] LP (Groove Diggers)

Liberated Brother is the debut album by Weldon Irvine and remains a landmark jazz release from the multi-talented explorer of sound. Originally released in 1972, over the course of eight tracks Irvine weaves through a collage of genre and instrumentation, fusing elements that would come to define his pioneering jazz-funk sound.

Karin Jones – Under The Influence Of Love [Reissue/1982] LP (Tidal Waves Music)

White color vinyl pressing. Under The Influence Of Love is a monster of an album arranged by Dunn Pearson Jr (known for his work with Roy Ayers, Lou Ragland, Mary J. Blige, D’Angelo) and Bruce Hawes (Stevie Wonder, Kool And The Gang, The Temptations). All of this carefully supervised and produced by Jim Tyrrell. Also worth mentioning is that the duet on the album is the one and only time Eddie Levert, of the legendary O’Jays sang with a female artist. The entire album is filled with heart breaking modern soul, deep disco, boogie-funk and a great range of tempos… all of this is topped off with Karin’s trademark vocals.

Clifford Jordan – In The World [Reissue/1972] 2xLP (Groove Diggers)

There are few saxophonists who were able to hold their own against the late great Eric Dolphy. Clifford Jordan is one of them. As a member of the Charles Mingus sextet on his legendary 1964 European tour with Eric Dolphy, Jordan is featured on iconic albums such as The Great Concert Of Charles Mingus and Town Hall Concert. Born in 1931, the tenor saxophonist was a giant of the hard bop genre, with an adaptable style that could match the earthy avant-blues of Mingus or soar into space alongside Dolphy.

Juice WRLD – Goodbye & Good Riddance [Reissue/2018] LP (Interscope)

Celebrating the fifth anniversary of Juice WRLD’s multi-platinum album, Goodbye & Good Riddance, this Deluxe vinyl edition features two unreleased bonus tracks. RIP.

Kalapana – Aloha Got Soul Selects Kalapana 5×7” (Aloha Got Soul)

Kalapana’s catalog is vast. For us (and many others), Kalapana is the crème de la crème of local music. Their catalog, whilst expansive across decades, feels most potent in its earliest days with its back-to-back triage of eponymous albums, starting with 1975’s Kalapana I and capping with 1977’s Kalapana III. By then, Mackey had left the group and keyboardist Kirk Thompson would soon carve his own path with Lemuria, Babadu, and other soulful projects. Even the most casual listener can discern a stylistic shift with III, which opens with Malani’s “Girl” and closes with D.J. Pratt’s “Alisa Lovely”.

Khruangbin & Friends – Live At Stubbs 2xLP (Dead Oceans)

It’s only fitting that Khruangbin’s first-ever official live releases would be double albums paired with their tourmates: artists whose music they love and admire, friends who’ve become family along the way. Khruangbin’s Live At series of live LPs traces just one small slice of the band’s flight plan through the years: it’s a taste of some of their most beloved cities, stages, and nights. Each release comes with a limited-edition unique album cover exclusive for the recording’s home turf, just a little something extra for the fans that bring a little something extra. Most of all, Khruangbin’s Live At series ignites both sides of the band’s magic: the warm, prismatic feeling of their albums and the bewitching energy of their performances.

Lary 7 – Larynx 2xLP (Blank Forms)

Recorded in Lary 7’s legendary apartment studio Plastikville over nearly a decade, Larynx is the first full-length retrospective of the East Village icon’s hybrid music and engineering practice. The record mobilizes 7’s array of homemade instruments, which he ‘frankensteins’ together from offcast and outmoded bits of technology. An ode to the long-lost Canal Street junk shops he frequented in the 1970s and ’80s, Larynx brings together numerous thrift finds and sonic inventions used in his theatrical performances and installations. Following Delia Derbyshire of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and Raymond Scott of Manhattan Research, 7 adopts a painstaking editing process that is entirely analogue.

Lionmilk – Intergalactic Warp Terminal 222 LP/Cassette (Leaving)

Lionmilk, the primary solo project of Los Angeles musician/composer/producer Moki Kawaguchi, operates in an explicitly therapeutic mode. 2021’s I Hope You Are Well was originally self-released during the onset of the pandemic as a limited run of home-dubbed cassettes, which were hand-delivered to loved ones’ mailboxes in a sort of guerrilla care campaign-a modest attempt to mitigate the sudden, profound alienation that prevailed during those early lockdown months. Intergalactic Warp Terminal 222 ventures deeper into the paradoxes explored to great effect on I Hope You Are Well.

Lore City – Kill Your Dreams [Reissue/2014] LP (Lion Productions)

A treat for admirers of gothy post-rock.

Lovelites – With Love From The Lovelites [Reissue/1970] LP (P-Vine)

Formed around the singular talent that was Patti Hamilton, Chicago teen soul trio, The Lovelites, released one album – With Love From The Lovelites – before disbanding. Their sole album, initially a commercial failure, would become a crate digger classic. And it’s no wonder why; Patti Hamilton’s soulful voice sounds wise beyond her years, and the trio’s angelic harmonies are backed by a full Chicago brass band. With the deft hand of Clarence Johnson (best known for his production of Brighter Side of Darkness) producing, the harmonies are sweet, the band is tight, and the singular voice of Patti Hamilton shines through it all.

Marcus Machado – Blue Diamonds LP (Soul Step)

Deep and soulful R&B for fans of D’Angelo, Jimi Hendrix, and Raphael Saadiq.

L.G. Mair Jr. – Selected Rhythm Tracks 1988-1994 Volume 1 2xLP (Choon!!)

At the turn of the 1980s, L.G. Mair, Jr. was coercing young electronic gear into odd new timbres by day and masquerading as a consummate bass guitar hero by night – a regular fixture at the legendary NYC comedy club Catch A Rising Star, where he was the house bass player – regularly performing alongside a host of iconic comedians from the past 40 years including Robin Williams, Andy Kaufman and Chris Rock. The music he made at this time was some of his most melodic, accessible and at times brazenly brilliant. The sound of off-center dub rumblings, Kosmische synthesis and sweat-stained library funk telescoping into modern sounds like Reichian minimalist rhythm and spartan proto-Techno – a dizzying and unexpected cosmic tapestry.

Jovan Maljoković Ensemble – The Uplifting Abyss = Ponor Naviše LP (Everland)

What would you do if a never released jazz funk album from ‘70s Yugoslavia had dropped suddenly into your arms? An album which sounds like a crate digger’s holy grail!? Album full of heavy drum breaks, repetitive bass grooves, superb sax solos and world class jazz arrangements finely intertwined with Yugoslavian folk music elements?! You roll it up and smoke it.

Tommy Martini – Ancient Source LP (Sic)

11 tracks full of 808’s and freakbeats.

Udoh Maxwell – Survival Of The Fittest [Reissue/1975] LP (Tidal Waves Music)

White color vinyl pressing. Rasman Maxwell Udoh was one of the best things to come out of the Nigerian music scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Born on August 29, 1959, and passed away on the December 18, 2014, his 55 years on earth resulted in many contributions to the musical heritage of Nigeria, and the messages he spread through his lyrics are still treasured by the downtrodden even today.

June McDoom – June McDoom 12”+MP3 (Temporary Residence)

June McDoom’s eponymous debut EP is a collection of songs that collage virtually everything important to her. Growing up in South Florida in a Jamaican household, McDoom was raised around reggae music, which echoed throughout every room of her childhood home. Later, she discovered and nourished her own deep love for folk music and songwriting of the 1960s and ‘70s. While studying in NYC for a degree in Jazz Performance, her musical palette expanded to include the more intricate influences of jazz and early soul. Realizing that her favorite vintage folk music lacked artists with similar identities as her own, it became increasingly important for McDoom to carve a unique musical space – to push folk music towards a new and different audience. [A crystal clear w/ green colorway is available.]

Mega Bog – End Of Everything LP+MP3 (Mexican Summer)

End Of Everything is the intrepid seventh album from Mega Bog aka Erin Birgy. In 2020, living in Los Angeles, against the backdrop of horrifying forest fires, she questioned what to do in the face of such profound turmoil. Deciding to seize something tangible, Birgy explored a spectrum of new sounds to illuminate a state of volatility and flux both universal and personal. Heavy grooves, metal guitar squeals, Italo disco bass, fantasia synth layers, and huge choruses stomp around sanguine pop drama. [An indie store exclusive orange color vinyl pressing is available.]

Hitomi Moriwaki – Subtropic Cosmos LP (Guruguru Brain)

Subtropic Cosmos is the international debut album by Japanese artist Hitomi Moriwaki. Composed and recorded at her Fukuoka home during the worldwide pandemic between 2020-2022, the album was produced by Hideki Urawa, who has also worked with Kikagaku Moyo and other musical acts on Guruguru Brain. Hitomi Moriwaki is a multidisciplinary artist working with a wide range of mediums besides music, including magazines, ceramics, digital art, and animation. Subtropic Cosmos is a wonderful work that conveys the “joy of making things’” to listeners, as it is filled with various influences from her diverse activities.

Stan Mosley – No Soul, No Blues LP (P-Vine)

Hailing from the modern day Chitlin Circuit, the down and dirty soul blues of Stan Mosely is as real as real gets. Armed with a brawny baritone and a closet full of rhinestone encrusted jackets, Stan Mosely has been one of the hottest attractions on the modern day Chitlin’ Circuit for over half a century.

Motion City Soundtrack – I Am The Movie [Reissue/2003] LP+MP3 (Epitaph)

Tangerine w/ black splatter. Bursting at the seams with creativity, this debut disk is bristling with electric guitars and swirling indie/synth sounds that flail and furl between the melody lines. The lyrics are bright and clever, funny, and tragic, with a wry wit and a keen knack for innuendo often offering the listener an original and skewed commentary on pop culture. Although the sound is loud rock ‘n’ roll it’s got an amazing sense of harmonic flow and an irresistible beat that’s guaranteed to make your body move.

The Murlocs – Calm Ya Farm LP (ATO)

Bone/olive green color vinyl pressing. The Murlocs had visions of creating a quintessential country-rock record when they begin recording their seventh LP, a collection of sublimely mellowed-out songs inspired by albums like Sweetheart Of The Rodeo and Exile On Main St., but the record soon took on its own unruly character. Spiked with their signature breed of sharply crafted garage-punk, Calm Ya Farm twists country-rock convention into a free-flowing album, fully in touch with the frenetic energy of modern life.

Nakibembe Embaire Group – Nakibembe Embaire Group LP (Nyege Nyege Tapes)

In Nakibembe, a small village in Uganda’s Busoga kingdom (one of the country’s four remaining constitutional monarchies), locals have long reserved a communal area for musical performances and social events. In the middle of this space lies a deep pit that serves a single purpose: to amplify the embaire, an immense xylophone made up of between 15 and 25 wooden keys that stretches across the trench. Log xylophones are common throughout East Africa, but the way the music is played by the Basoga – an Eastern Bantu ethnic group – is specific and unique, with its own tuning, dances, and supplemental instrumentation. Up to eight players can surround the embaire and play simultaneously, overlaying hypnotic polyrhythms while additional members of the ensemble add vocals or play shakers and drums. Nakibembe Embraire Group is one of the last remaining groups that perform with the embaire, and as anyone who’s caught their live performances will know, they create a complex and layered wall of sound that’s completely transfixing wherever it’s presented.

Fats Navarro – The Fabulous Fats Navarro Volume 1 [Reissue/1957] LP (Blue Note)

The prodigiously talented trumpeter Fats Navarro was a bebop innovator whose career was cut tragically short when he died in 1950 at age 26. As part of the 1500 series Blue Note later compiled this 12″ LP with selections from various dates Fats had featured on from 1947-49 with the Tadd Dameron Sextet, Bud Powell Quintet, and the McGhee-Navarro Boptet.

New Canyons – Heavy Water LP (Feeltrip)

New Canyons (duo of Andrew Marrah and Adam Stilson) mold the darker parts of post punk and shoegaze into something which is all around very easy to appeal, and the entire record continues the band’s long-established canny genre mixture.

Niagara – Niagara [50th Anniversary Edition] 3xLP (Everland)

50th anniversary box set containing all three Niagara albums on color vinyl and housed in a wooden box. Niagara was more a project than an actual band formed by German jazz drum legend Klaus Weiss. He formerly worked with another jazz legend from his mother country, Klaus Doldinger and gained fame in the German jazz circuit of the ‘60s and ‘70s. His 1971 works with Niagara were the offspring of the vision to create an orchestra made entirely of drummers and percussionists.

Ollie Nightingale – Sweet Surrender [Reissue/1973] LP (P-Vine)

Best known as the lead singer of Ollie and The Nightingale, Ollie Nightingale’s solo debut, Sweet Surrender (1973) is absolutely filled to the brim with down-home soul. With production duties handled by the legendary Gene “Bowlegs” Miller (whose work with Otis Redding and Etta James made him one of soul’s most in-demand producers), and additional string arrangements by Willie Mitchell’s younger brother, saxophonist James Mitchell, there’s no doubt that this album will sound familiar to any fans of southern soul. Comparisons to O.V. Wright are frequent, but Ollie’s unique, high-pitched voice pulls at the heartstrings, and any of his fantastic ballads are sure to bring a tear to your eye.

Non-Phixion – The Future Is Now (Acappellas) 2xLP (Uncle Howie)

Non-Phixion – The Future Is Now (Instrumentals) 2xLP (Uncle Howie)

Considered by many as an underground classic, Non Phixion’s debut album, 2002’s The Future Is Now, boasts a production dream team that includes DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Large Professor, who have yet to appear credited together on the same album since the release of Nas’s Illmatic.

Adi Oasis – Lotus Glow LP (Unity)

The artist formerly known as Adeline releases Lotus Glow, her first album as Adi Oasis, and her first recording ever to be released on vinyl. The double-disc collection features 13 new songs (plus two interludes) that represent Adi’s most personal – and political – music to date.

Pale Blue – Maria 2xLP (Crosstown Rebels)

Electronic duo Pale Blue returns with their long-awaited sophomore album Maria, revealing a spellbinding eight-track trip across electronic spheres. Although these are clearly techno tracks, one would argue they have more in common with rock music than dance music.

George Palmer – Working Man LP (Irie Ites)

Entitled Working Man, this opus is composed of 10 titles including two combinations with Lion D, the famous international singer based in Italy, and Solo Banton, the famous English singer and toaster who needs no introduction. The instrumentals are composed by big names of the genre: Sly & Robbie (Jamaica), Jammy’s (Jamaica), Naram (New Zealand), Med Tone (Israel), Irie Ites (France) giving this project a great scope.

Joe Pass – Better Days [Reissue/1970] LP (P-Vine)

Originally released on session legend Carol Kaye’s short lived California label Gwyn Records, Better Days finds Joe Pass exploring a genre that was quickly making waves at the time: jazz funk.

Pearls Before Swine – The Wizard Of Is 2xLP (Earth Recordings)

Remastered and re-appraised 31-track collection of Pearls Before Swine rarities from the private tape collection of the late, great Tom Rapp.

Pernice Brothers – Overcome By Happiness – 25^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition 2xLP (New West)

Released 25 years later to the day, New West Records is proud to present the remastered 25th anniversary edition of Overcome By Happiness on vinyl. This release features two orange and white splatter LPs held by thumb notch sleeves inside of a hardback book gatefold. The album audio also includes a 13-track bonus LP featuring eight previously unreleased demo recordings The package features a 52-page book showcasing extensive liner notes, printed lyrics, and more.

Astor Piazzolla – Tango: The Best Of Astor Piazzolla LP (Acrobat)

Tango’s modern master, Astor Piazzolla, was a composer who revolutionized the music of his native Argentina. In the 1950s, he single-handedly invented nuevo tango, a modernized version of the passionate dance rhythms born in the brothels of Buenos Aires during the 1880s. Born in Argentina but brought up in New York, he was a classically trained musician, while being exposed to the jazz that was so much part of the city life, as well as being steeped in the tango music of his homeland. Playing the bandoneon, an Argentinian form of accordion, he developed an eclectic outlook, playing music that transcended the genres, with its roots in Latin forms but incorporating classical motifs and tinged with various jazz influences.

Plastic Crimewave Syndicate – Space Alley LP (Lion Productions)

Plastic Crimewave Syndicate has finally returned with a wide-ranging/raging new album – recorded two years ago in an expansive, benevolent alleyway during a dark, diseased, claustrophobic time of global chaos. Space Alley boldly travels into the relatively unexplored malevolent terrain of free doom, space/noise punk, and darkly dubbed-out library/soundtrack grooves (call it ‘70s crooked-cop show/freak-funk, if you must).

Ray Porter Sound Machine – Inner Feelings [Reissue/1975] LP+7” (Groove Diggers)

Translucent blue color vinyl reissue w/ bonus 7”. After spending the ‘40s and ‘50s playing with jazz pioneers such as Charlie ‘Yardbird’ Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and a young Eric Dolphy, and going silent for much of the 1960s, Roy Porter returned triumphantly with the release of Jessica in 1971. Four years later, he followed that up with the rare groove classic Inner Feelings.

André Previn and his pals Shelly Mannes & Red Mitchell – West Side Story [Reissue/1960] LP (Craft Recordings)

Acoustic Sounds celebrates Contemporary Records with this new reissue of the West Side Story album by pianist André Previn, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Shelly Manne. Originally released in 1960, the album contains eight cuts from the musical soundtrack reinterpreted in a jazz style. Recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann this edition was pressed at QRP with (AAA) lacquers cut from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman and is presented in a tip-on jacket.

Roborob – Deltatunes LP (Firaga)

11 high energy dance remixes from beloved indie game Deltarune.

Jaine Roman-Pitt – The Beautiful Feeling [Reissue/1973] LP (Merry-Go-Round)

In the mid-‘60s, when hippie culture was at its peak, Jaine Roman-Pitt, a 16-year-old girl influenced by Johnny Mitchell and Judy Collins, picks up the guitar. Having started performing at a club near the University of Michigan, she fell into hippie life and traveled through Israel to Greece, where she opened her eyes to a new world. It was a world of meditation that many musicians, including the Beatles, were deeply involved at the time. When she returned to the United States, she was not attracted by the sad love songs or politically themed songs she had written. She decides to sing about the meaning of life and inner tranquility originating from the world of meditation and starts composing new songs. As a result, her debut album This Beautiful Feeling was released in 1973 on California’s small label Unity Records. Focusing on her shiny and clean voice and playing acoustic guitar, this album shows outstanding quality that draws a line from numerous minor folk albums. [A limited-edition white colorway is available.]

Sabbat – Mad Gods And Englishmen 5xLP+DVD (Noise)

Limited five vinyl LPs + DVD box set. Includes 34-page lyric book and double-sided poster. This box set contains History Of A Time To Come (LP), Dreamweaver (LP), Live In Berlin 1990 (2xLP), and BBC Radio 1: Friday Rock Show Session (LP), and The End Of The Beginning (DVD). If the post-NWOBHM era threw up very little from the UK metal scene that could scare the world, then Sabbat was a shining, scarifying exception.

Samiam – Samiam [Reissue/1990] LP (New Red Archives)

Black w/ purple splatter color vinyl pressing of the 1990 debut album from Berkeley CA punk rock heroes.

Savage Republic – Africa Corps Live At The Whiskey A Go Go30th December 1981 LP (Independent Project Records)

The 40th anniversary of Savage Republic’s seismic debut LP Tragic Figures is certainly cause for celebration and after working closely with Real Gone Music on the recently released expanded reissue of that album, Independent Project Records is proud to present a priceless jewel documenting the group’s early days. Ever wondered about what seeing a blossoming Savage Republic up close must have felt like? Africa Corps Live At The Whisky A-Go-Go 30th December 1981 is here to take us right there, fiercely catapulting listeners in front of one of L.A.’s most iconic stages, back when a young band of UCLA students (Bruce Licher, Mark Erskine, Philip Drucker and Jeff Long), by then still called Africa Corps, was starting to make its way in the punk underground.

Jake Schrock – Tropical Depression [Reissue/2018] LP (Holodeck)

The 2018 breakout full-length by Dallas-based analog synth producer Jake Schrock is now available on vinyl for the first time.

Severed Heads – Bad Mood Guy [Reissue/1987] 2xLP (Futurismo)

With an oeuvre of electronic experimentation that dates to 1979, Australia’s Severed Heads rawly garnered everything from the sources around them: the sounds of the city, tape loops, old machines, distortion. Although essentially one-man, chief noisemaker Tom Ellard, he was joined here by film maker/homebrew video synthesizer operator Stephen Jones, and effects producer Robert Racic who had previously worked with New Order. The result is a punishing view of pop, all crunching rhythms and electronic juxtapose.

Pluto Shervington – Rhythm Of The City [Reissue/1990] 2xLP (Arabusta)

The time was 1988, and urban life in Miami was at its apex. After having moved from Jamaica to The Magic City in the summer of 1977, Pluto saw the future. Rhythm Of The City fully expresses this forward thrust, where technology, nightlife, love and urban vibes mingle in an exciting vision of a past future. Recorded at Earthman Studio in Miami, and produced by Geoffrey Chung, the album overthrows the normal rules of reggae, mixing it together with funk, soul, and disco, and giving birth to what Pluto himself describes as urban reggae folklore.

Namian Sidibé – Namian Sidibé LP (Sahel Sounds)

Another side of modern Malian praise songs: an intimate, stripped down, acoustic session from Namian Sidibé. From a rising generation of young Malian divas leveraging social media, Namian has built a following, publishing videos and dedications in song, accompanied by her cousin Jules Diabaté on acoustic guitar. Recorded at her home, with powerful yet restrained vocals that drift over melancholy acoustic guitar, Namian explores epic generational songs and poetry, brought into the Tik Tok age.

Nina Simone – Nina Simone And Her Friends [Reissue/1957] LP (BMG)

Originally released by Bethlehem Records in 1959, Nina Simone And Her Friends is a compilation album comprised of the few remaining, unreleased tracks from the Little Girl Blue recording session plus songs recorded by two other former Bethlehem artists, the powerhouse jazz vocalist Carmen McRae and the elegant song stylist Chris Connor. Featuring a brand-new stereo mix by four-time Grammy winner Michael Graves.

Sir Chloe – I Am The Dog LP (Atlantic)

I Am The Dog, the debut album from Sir Chloe-the project of vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Dana Foote, was made with Grammy-winning producer John Congleton (Lana Del Rey, St. Vincent, Angel Olsen) with songwriting contributions from Teddy Geiger (Caroline Polachek, Sylvan Esso, Lizzo) and Sarah Tudzin (Weyes Blood, Amen Dunes, Slowdive). I Am The Dog encapsulates the thrilling paradoxical nature of Sir Chloe. Thematically, the album grapples with finding control in the innate chaos of life, highlighting and interrogating this tension, only to destabilize it and opt for chaos once again. Anchored by Foote’s emotional and dynamic voice, the album toes the line between expression and concealment, making a fetish of the unsaid with lyrics that are simultaneously frank and ambiguous. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Sólstafir – Masterpiece Of Bitterness [Reissue/2005] 2xLP (Season Of Mist)

Icelandic post metal legends Sólstafir reissue their long out-of-print sophomore album, Masterpiece Of Bitterness, on vinyl. The 2005 full-length marked a turning point for the Icelandic icons. This release signifies the moment that Sólstafir started to embrace progressive and post metal elements, thus laying the blueprint for their definitive sound as fans know it today.

Barbara Stant – My Mind Holds On To Yesterday LP (Numero)

Eventually crowned Queen of the Norfolk Sound, Barbara Stant was just a teenager when she auditioned for Shiptown impresario Noah Biggs in 1970. A dozen sides were tracked throughout the decade, producing a body of work that stretched from deep soul to northern soul to sister funk. By 1978 disco was in overdrive, Noah Biggs was in the ground, and Stant’s career on hold. My Mind Holds Onto Yesterday is what remains.

Sufjan Stevens / Timo Andres / Conor Hanick – Reflections LP (Asthmattic Kitty)

Color vinyl pressing. Reflections is a recording of Sufjan Stevens’ sixth collaboration with acclaimed ballet and dance choreographer Justin Peck. Originally composed for World Premiere and performances (May 17-26, 2019) by Houston Ballet, the piano duet was recorded at Oktaven Studios by Ryan Streber and performed by pianists Timo Andres and Conor Hanick. Reflections is imbued with Stevens’ memorable and emotionally resonant melodies and arrangements and continues to establish Stevens as a contemporary composer.

The Telescopes – Of Tomorrow LP (Tapette)

Of Tomorrow is the 15th album from The Telescopes. The album was created entirely by Lawrie at his studio in Shropshire, it is a departure from what the press often refers to as a ‘wall of throb’ when describing the dense merge of noise and sound synonymous with most of The Telescopes output. Of Tomorrow marks a complete change in dynamics. Here we have the poetry of motion, solid grooves to the fore, leaving crystallized trails across a fluttering undercurrent of uplifting rhythm and hooks.

They Might Be Giants – Lincoln [Reissue/1988] LP (Idlewild Recordings)

Lincoln is the second studio album by the band They Might Be Giants, originally released in 1988. The album is named after John Linnell and John Flansburgh’s boyhood home of Lincoln, Massachusetts.

Tinariwen – Amatssou LP (Wedge)

White color vinyl pressing. Some people have commented that Tinariwen have always been a country band, albeit a North African take on that most North American of genres. That idea is magnified on Amatssou, which finds the Tuareg band’s trademark snaking guitar lines and hypnotic rhythms blending seamlessly with pedal steel, piano and strings from guest musicians including Daniel Lanois, the embellished arrangements lending the songs an epic, universal application. Full of poetic allegory, the lyrics call for unity and freedom. There are songs of struggle and resistance with oblique references to the recent desperate political upheavals in Mali and the increasing power of the Salafists.

Together – Together [Reissue/1976] LP (Groove Diggers)

From the famed tax scam label Tiger Lily Records, a reissue of an ultra-rare soul record – Together – reissued for the first time on vinyl.

Tryglav – The Ritual LP (Extreme Metal Music)

The Ritual is an epic journey through an original story based in the 17th century. Tryglav’s sound is aggressive, melodic, modern, and emotionally epic black metal, and fans of its predecessor will notice a maturity in sound and lyrics.

Josh Turner – Long Black Train [Reissue/2003] LP (MCA Nashville)

Multiplatinum-selling recording artist Josh Turner is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his hit album Long Black Train with this vinyl pressing.

The Undertones – Hypnotised [Reissue/1980] LP (BMG)

Hypnotised is a 1980 album released by the Undertones. The album was recorded at Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands in December 1979, and at Eden Studios in London in January 1980, with most of the songs to appear on the album being written between March and December 1979. In addition, although the primary lyrical concern of the songs upon this album focused upon teenage angst, boisterousness, and heartbreak (as had been the case with their debut album), several of the songs upon Hypnotised are notably both lyrically and musically more sophisticated than material released upon The Undertones.

Until I Wake – Inside My Head LP (Fearless)

Buffalo quartet Until I Wake have been steadily bubbling under in the hard rock scene since their formation in 2019 thanks to their crunchy, guitar-driven anthems.

Various Artists – Brixia Sonora LP (Rebirth)

A sonic love letter to Italy’s 2023 capital of culture, Brescia-Bergamo. Harnessing a creativity and energy without genre, boundaries or filters, Rebirth blends together independent musical paths, which were valid but otherwise fragmented, into a collective and identity project called Brixia Sonora – a tribute to the Brescian music scene in its many facets and declinations.

Various Artists – Canto A Lo Divino 2xLP (Mississippi)

Canto A Lo Divino is the unique musical expression of the Chilean peasant world – a conversation with the divine nourished by Biblical and other sacred texts. It is communal music, played in packed rooms throughout the night on the 25-string guitarron, its ancient melodies transmitted through the 10-line decima form originating in Spain and found across the Caribbean, South America, and even into the Mississippi Delta.

Alan Vega – Live At Rockpalast 1982 LP+DVD (Play Loud)

Vinyl LP pressing including eight-page booklet and a DVD. The concert was filmed on June 4th, 1982, at Sartory Säle in Cologne (Germany) during the 82′ Collision Drive tour.

Vortex – Vortex [Reissue/1975] LP (Merry-Go-Round)

Vortex – Les Cycles de Thanatos [Reissue/1979] LP (Merry Go Round)

Vortex – Complete Recordings 1975-1979 3xLP (Merry-Go-Round)

Vortex, a creative pioneer of French avant-garde jazz rock, who endlessly disassembled and reconstructed the genres, created their own unique style by blending various musical elements, such as the aggressive heaviness of Zeuhl, the complex yet elegant ensembles of chamber rock, the polytempic and polyrhythmic structures of free jazz and the profound experimentation of 20th-century contemporary music.

Ben Webster – In Hot House [Reissue/1979] LP (Tidal Waves Music)

White color vinyl pressing. Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster (born Kansas City, 1909) needs little introduction, Webster is regarded as one of the three foremost swing era tenor saxophonists – the two others being Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. His ballad playing and sound inspired such later fellow saxophonists as Archie Shepp, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane. Webster became famous for his unique sound, quick tempos, his solos that contained great virile rhythmic momentum, a rasping timbre and an almost brutal aggressiveness filled with growl, while his ballad playing was breathy, tender, and sensual.

Wingmen – Wingmen LP (Cadiz Music)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Wingmen, the new band formed in pandemic lockdown isolation by Baz Warne (The Stranglers), Paul Gray (The Damned), Leigh Heggarty (Ruts DC) and Marty Love (Johnny Moped), are excited to finally unleash their studio bound creations with this eponymous release.

Winston Surfshirt – Apple Crumble [Reissue/2019] LP (BMG)

Sydney-based sextet Winston Surfshirt has made a quick rise to fame in Australia off the strength of their unique blend of hip-hop, funk, and psychedelic surf-rock. With 2017’s Sponge Cake being well received critically and commercially, Winston Surfshirt followed-up that album’s success with their second studio LP, 2019’s Apple Crumble. With a sound that owes as much to Sly and The Family Stone as it does Wavves, the band has garnered significant attention, notably from Elton John who dubbed them his “favorite band at the moment.”

Weird Al Yankovic – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Original Soundtrack) 2xLP (Sony Legacy)

Released earlier this year on CD – now available on pink color vinyl. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story stars Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird” Al Yankovic in the unexaggerated true story about the greatest musician of our time. From a conventional upbringing where playing the accordion was a sin, Al rebelled and made his dream of changing the words to world-renowned songs come true. An instant success and sex symbol, Al lives an excessive lifestyle and pursues an infamous romance that nearly destroys him. The Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Original Soundtrack) features 46 tracks – a mix of “Weird Al’s” greatest hits (some newly recorded; some classics), a new song “Now You Know”, various artists’ tracks, interstitial bits from the film, and the film’s score from Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson.

Yellowcard – Ocean Avenue Acoustic [Reissue/2013] LP (Hopeless)

Orange color vinyl pressing. In 2013 Yellowcard re-release Ocean Avenue as an acoustic album for their (then) ten year anniversary.

Youngboy Never Broke Again – The Last Slimeto 2xLP (Atlantic)

The Last Slimeto is the fourth studio album by American rapper Youngboy Never Broke Again. It features guest appearances from Kehlani, Rod Wave, and Quavo. The album also features production from YoungBoy’s in-house engineer, Jason “Cheese” Goldberg, alongside Bobby Raps, DJ Suede the Remix God, JetsonMade, OG Parker, Southside, and many more prestigious producers in the rap industry.

Cassettes:

Beach House – Become (Sub Pop)

“The Become EP is a collection of five songs from the Once Twice Melody sessions. We didn’t think they fit in the world of OTM, but later realized they all fit in a little world of their own. To us, they are all kind of scuzzy and spacious, and live in the spirit realm. It’s not really where we are currently going, but it’s definitely somewhere we have been. We hope you enjoy these tunes,” notes the duo.

Green-House – Music For Living Spaces (Leaving)

Debut LP by non-binary Los Angeles-based artist Green-House. Olive Ardizoni helms the project, which made its debut with the charming 2019 EP Six Songs For Invisible Gardens. Music For Living Spaces represents an evolution of its predecessor’s minimalist compositions into songs that move with winsome melodies and emotional arcs.

Hannah Jadagu – Aperture (Sub Pop)

Fresh out of high school, Hannah Jadagu released her debut EP, What Is Going On?, a collection of intimate bedroom pop tracks recorded entirely on an iPhone 7, which was, at the time, Jadagu’s most accessible mode of production. An off-the-cuff approach to music making and instinctive ability to write unforgettable hooks belied the intensity of Jadagu’s subject matter. What Is Going On? confronted some of the nation’s most urgent struggles through Jadagu’s compassionate perspective. Now, Jadagu has released Aperture, her first LP. In the years it took her to complete, she faced moments of darkness, sure, but the process of making it, her first ever in a professional studio, was ultimately a cathartic experience, one she now shares with you.

Lionmilk – Intergalactic Warp Terminal 222 (Leaving)

Lionmilk, the primary solo project of Los Angeles musician/composer/producer Moki Kawaguchi, operates in an explicitly therapeutic mode. 2021’s I Hope You Are Well was originally self-released during the onset of the pandemic as a limited run of home-dubbed cassettes, which were hand-delivered to loved ones’ mailboxes in a sort of guerrilla care campaign-a modest attempt to mitigate the sudden, profound alienation that prevailed during those early lockdown months. Intergalactic Warp Terminal 222 ventures deeper into the paradoxes explored to great effect on I Hope You Are Well.