AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:
Blur – The Ballad Of Darren CD/LP (Parlophone)
Britpop legends Blur are back with their first new album in over eight years. The Ballad Of Darren is the band’s ninth studio album overall, their first since 2015’s The Magic Whip, with artwork featuring an image by British photographer Martin Parr. Damon Albarn said, “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.” Graham Coxon adds, “The older and madder we get, it becomes more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and intention. Sometimes just a riff doesn’t do the job.” Alex James shares, “For any long-term relationship to last with any meaning you have to be able to surprise each other somehow and somehow we all continue to do that.” Dave Rowntree closes, “It always feels very natural to make music together. With every record we make, the process reveals something new, and we develop as a band. We don’t take that for granted.” The highly anticipated 10-track collection is introduced by lead track “The Narcissist” which The Guardian says, “chugs along to a motorik beat, rising to an anthemic chorus that seems to be reflecting on the band’s career path.” [An indie store exclusive blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Sam Burton – Dear Departed CD/LP (Partisan)
Dear Departed, the second album from Sam Burton, arose from a time of rebirth. In the last few years, Burton basically started over. He temporarily abandoned the life he’d built in Los Angeles and spent time with friends and family friends in rural Utah and California. After all that time wandering, couch-surfing, and writing, Burton emerged with more than enough material for his sophomore outing. He joined up with producer Jonathan Wilson to craft a more intricate, layered sound that recalled the lived-in yet immediate singer-songwriter albums of the ’60s and ’70s. Together they achieved a sound that didn’t descend into retro pastiche, but rather became an evocative echo, a dream of the past. In scope, Dear Departed finds Burton using a far bigger canvas than on his debut, giving the emotions therein a new sense of urgency and intensity. But the album still has an intimacy to it, like Burton and his backing musicians are crammed onto the corner stage of a smoke-filled bar in a long-lost time.
Lori McKenna – 1988 CD/LP (CN)
Lori McKenna titled her new album 1988 after the year she married her husband, Gene, yet the ten songs within also serve as a love letter to lifelong friendships, people she’s lost, and her family. Recorded with producer Dave Cobb in Savannah, Georgia, 1988 naturally has its nostalgic moments, even if not every ending is a happy one. With more of an electric edge than her past projects, 1988 feels in step with classic ‘90s albums by Sheryl Crow or Gin Blossoms, where the lyrics pulled you in as much as the melody or production. Playing together on acoustic guitars while facing one another in the studio, McKenna and Cobb tracked the album live, giving it a feeling of immediacy and authenticity.
Necrofier – Burning Shadows In The Southern Night CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
“Featuring current and former members of acclaimed progressive metallers Oceans Of Slumber among their ranks, Texas’ Necrofier has a far different sound and have managed to carve out a legacy in their own right in very short order. Ever since the release of their first EP, Visions Of Fire in 2018, followed by their debut album Prophecies Of Eternal Darkness in 2021, the Houston-based quartet have quickly established themselves with their angular and melody-driven take on black metal, emerging as one of the more promising acts within the US’ vibrant underground scene. Their latest album, Burning Shadows In The Southern Night, is another stunning slab of black metal with a few notable stylistic additions making this not only their best but also their most diverse release to date.” – Danny Sanderson, Distorted Sound
Nothing But Thieves – Dead Club City CD/LP (Awal Recordings)
Nothing But Thieves is back with their fourth album Dead Club City. Through their 11-track album, the band showcase their city-sized members only club Dead Club City. The album’s tracklist is formed by different characters and story arcs from in and around the city. Is it a shared consciousness? Another planet? The next corporate wasteland? Heaven? Or somewhere else? Using the club as a focal point, it is easy to imagine the real-world meaning behind Dead Club City. Themes such as advertisement, unity, internet culture, the music industry, ageing and politics, as well as escapism and change are highlighted by the alienation or privilege of a members-only club.
Nina Simone – You’ve Got To Learn CD/LP (Verve)
The Newport Jazz Festival had always brought the best out of Nina Simone. On July 2, 1966, the audience was treated to the full range of her artistry – from the opener, a breathtaking version of “You’ve Got To Learn” to a swinging take on “Mississippi Goddam”. After a sustained standing ovation, her fans were rewarded with the show-stopping encore, “Music For Lovers”. This previously unreleased recording makes it clear why hearing Nina Simone in concert was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. [An indie store exclusive color vinyl pressing is available.]
The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way CD/LP (Glassnote)
Four years after the boys from Warrandyte’s globe-conquering second album, Run Home Slow (2019), which followed their debut album Half Mile Harvest (2017), the artistic vision of vocalist Josh Teskey and his brother, guitarist and engineer Sam Teskey is more defined than ever on their highly anticipated new studio album The Winding Way. The album is a bigger and more adventurous sounding record than The Teskey Brothers’ first two albums – but while it’s a more studio-oriented release, each track is bursting with life and full of surprises. [An indie store exclusive white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – City Of Gold CD/LP (BMG)
City Of Gold follows Molly Tuttle’s acclaimed 2022 record, Crooked Tree, which won Best Bluegrass Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards and led NPR Music to call her, “a female flat picker extraordinaire with agility, speed and elegance who distinctively brings American roots music into the spotlight,” adding that the album “marries the improvisatory solos of traditional bluegrass with singer-songwriter sophistication.” Produced by Tuttle and Jerry Douglas and recorded at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studios, City Of Gold was inspired by Tuttle’s constant touring with Golden Highway the past few years, during which they have grown together as musicians and performers, cohering as a band. These 13 tracks – mostly written by Tuttle and Ketch Secor (Old Crow Medicine Show) – capture the electric energy of band’s live shows by highlighting each members’ musical strengths. [An indie store exclusive blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Various Artists – Barbie The Album: Soundtrack CD/LP/Cassette (Atlantic)
To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig’s (Little Women, Lady Bird) new Barbie film stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie (Bombshell, I, Tonya) and Ryan Gosling (La La Land, Half Nelson) as Barbie and Ken. Barbie The Album features new tracks from an unprecedented lineup of artists including Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, Lizzo, Karol G, Charli XCX, PinkPantheress, Ava Max, Dominic Fike, Khalid, The Kid Laroi, Tame Impala, Haim, Gayle and Fifty Fifty feat. Kali. Barbie star Ryan Gosling also joins the robust roster of soundtrack artists with his iconic original song performed as his character, Ken. [A limited-edition hot pink vinyl pressing is available.]
Additional Social Media Program Titles:
No additional social media titles this week.
CDs + Vinyl:
Aerosmith – Live! Bootleg [Reissue/1978] CD (Capitol)
Live! Bootleg is a double live album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released in October 1978. In addition to previously unrecorded covers “I Ain’t Got You” and “Mother Popcorn”, the album also features a version of “Train Kept A Rollin'” which inserts an uncredited “Strangers In The Night”. This reissue has been remastered from the original tapes [Vinyl edition due August 25.]
Agriculture – Agriculture CD/LP/Cassette (The Flenser)
What was initially a meeting and subsequent series of jam sessions between Kern Haug and Daniel Meyer, two musicians in the Los Angeles underground noise scene, would eventually manifest as a shared vision to portray the sublimity of the human experience through the vehicle of heavy music. Following the additions of veteran guitarist Richard Chowenhill and bassist/vocalist Leah Levinson to the band’s lineup, this idea would crystalize into the “ecstatic black metal” backbone of Agriculture’s music.
Arthur Alexander – …Stepin’ Out! CD (Big Stir)
New solo album from veteran guitar-pop maestro Arthur Alexander (of Sorrows and Poppees fame); a confident, eclectic, and revelatory collection.
Cindy Alexander – Messy CD (Blue Élan)
“Seven months into the pandemic, I left Los Angeles for Big Sur. This record was written from my new perch on top of a forested mountain that overlooks the ocean. The air is clear, and so is my mind. The weather here is much more dramatic, and the storms are intense. I live the same storms within that I experience in the weather. But I welcome them because they cleanse me. I allow and accept, with immense gratitude. To say I love living here is an understatement. I feel at one with my surroundings, and completely inspired. I let go of a lot of physical items when I moved. What I gained spiritually far exceeds what I left behind. I let go of emotional baggage by writing and recording this album and appreciate the lessons with perspective and a lighter sense of being. I can laugh.”
Caterina Barbieri – Ecstatic Computation [Reissue/2019] CD/LP (Light-Years)
Three years after the original release date of Caterina Barbieri’s career-defining album Ecstatic Computation, the Italian artist reissues the record on her newly found own label Light-Years. The reissue features a beautifully reworked version of the original cover art and a previously unreleased song on the CD. Caterina Barbieri is an Italian composer who explores themes related to machine intelligence and object-oriented perception in sound through a focus on minimalism. [A limited-edition silver color vinyl pressing is available.]
Blur – The Ballad Of Darren CD/LP (Parlophone)
Britpop legends Blur are back with their first new album in over eight years. The Ballad Of Darren is the band’s ninth studio album overall, their first since 2015’s The Magic Whip, with artwork featuring an image by British photographer Martin Parr. Damon Albarn said, “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.” Graham Coxon adds, “The older and madder we get, it becomes more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and intention. Sometimes just a riff doesn’t do the job.” Alex James shares, “For any long-term relationship to last with any meaning you have to be able to surprise each other somehow and somehow we all continue to do that.” Dave Rowntree closes, “It always feels very natural to make music together. With every record we make, the process reveals something new and we develop as a band. We don’t take that for granted.” The highly anticipated 10-track collection is introduced by lead track “The Narcissist” which The Guardian says, “chugs along to a motorik beat, rising to an anthemic chorus that seems to be reflecting on the band’s career path.” [An indie store exclusive blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Cadaver – The Age Of The Offended CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
Thirteen tracks of pure savage raw Norwegian death metal. [A limited-edition translucent orange w/ silver & blue splatter vinyl pressing is available.]
Cut Worms – Cut Worms CD/LP/Cassette (Jagjaguwar)
As Cut Worms, songwriter Max Clarke’s contemporary vision of American heritage rock-n-roll is both pristine and askew. He’s been called a modern Buddy Holly and Everly Brothers while also being tagged as “Lynchian.” Since 2016, this vision has made Cut Worms fans of Nick Lowe, Norah Jones, Wilco, and other notable powerhouse artists. And on his self-titled third album, we find Clarke refining his craft down to its most crucial elements. [A limited-edition ‘seaglass wave’ color vinyl pressing is available.]
Don Ellis – How Time Passes [Reissue/1961] CD/LP (Candid)
A fascinating blend of jazz and contemporary classical influences, How Time Passes is the debut album from the envelope pushing trumpeter and composer Don Ellis. Known for his extensive musical experimentation, particularly with time signatures, Ellis began his long career in New York City’s post-bop and avant-garde jazz scenes of late 1950s. Most notably he appeared on Charles Mingus’ Mingus Dynasty, and albums by George Russell and Maynard Feguson. But he also worked with, among others, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, and Woody Herman. On subsequent albums, Ellis would take an even wilder direction. Here, on his first recoding date as a band leader, the experimentation begins. Ellis stretches the boundaries of bop-based jazz playing with time, tempo, and meter.
Goldie – Timeless (The Remixes) 2xCD/3xLP (London)
Goldie’s 1995 album Timeless is regularly cited as one of the greatest dance music albums ever made, a Dark Side Of The Moon for the rave generation. As Tony Marcus, writing in Mixmag back in 1995, concluded: “Timeless is a record that couldn’t have been made if it wasn’t for the party, the MDMA, the noise and the rage. Timeless tells you that you can’t ignore or erase this history because to Goldie, and to so many others, it holds their lives, dreams, and feelings.” Timeless (The Remixes) features hand-picked contemporary remixes by Goldie from the likes of Break, Doc Scott, Teebee, 4 Hero, Trevino and many more.
Graceless – Shadowlands [Reissue/2017] CD/LP (Listenable)
Graceless – Where The Vultures Know Your Name [Reissue/2020] CD/LP (Listenable)
Graceless – Chants From Purgatory [Reissue/2022] CD/LP (Listenable)
If you are a death metal fan, Graceless shouldn’t need an introduction. Three full-lengths and two split EPs have granted the Dutch ensemble a respectable reputation across the globe. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available.]
Greta Van Fleet – Starcatcher CD/LP (Republic)
Grammy Award-winning retro rockers Greta Van Fleet follow-up 2021’s The Battle At Garden’s Gate with their much anticipated third studio album Starcatcher. Produced by the ever in demand Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile) and recorded at the legendary RCA Studios in Nashville, TN, the band utilized the large recording room to capture the pure energy of their world-renowned live performances. [Two limited-edition vinyl colorways are available: white; and clear.]
Guided By Voices – Welshpool Frillies CD/LP (Guided By Voices Inc.)
Welshpool Frillies finds the gang back together, in a Brooklyn basement with producer Travis Harrison. Much of it was recorded live to tape. The catchy ear worms in these new songs are undeniable, as the kinetic energy of the band is captured in its most raw and pure form. The album is brash, no-frills, and punky, inspired by the wiliness of ‘90s-era GBV, specifically the Scalping The Guru compilation that Pollard put together in 2022.
The Isley Brothers – Make Me Say It Again Girl CD/2xLP (BFD)
2023 release, the 32nd studio album from the soul music icons. Includes “Friends And Family” (featuring Snoop Dogg) and “Make Me Say It Again, Girl” (featuring Beyoncé). [A limited-edition green color vinyl pressing is available.]
James – Be Opened By The Wonderful 2xCD (Virgin)
Recently released on vinyl – including an indie store exclusive white colorway – now available on CD. Recorded at Blueprint Studios in Manchester in celebration of their 40th Anniversary, Be Opened By The Wonderful is a celebration of James’ most loved and rare tracks, reimagined with a 22-piece orchestra and eight-piece choir and including one brand-new track, “Love Make A Fool”. Tim Booth says “Life begins at 40. For our midlife euphoria we recorded a double orchestral album of some of our deepest cuts.”
Kiana Ledé – Grudges CD (Republic)
Arizona-raised artist Kiana Ledé releases her sophomore album, Grudges. Her relatability and poetic lyrics (set to an alluring blend of early R&B, soul, singer-songwriter, pop and hip-hop) have led to notable success.
Nils Lofgren – Mountains CD/LP (Cattle Track)
On his new album Mountains, Nils moves seamlessly between bluesy and straight ahead rockers and tender ballads as only he can, all treated with Nils’ sonic attention to detail and unmistakable vocals and guitar.
Matteo Mancuso – The Journey CD/LP (Players Club)
Matteo Mancuso hails from the far-away island of Sicily, nestled in the Mediterranean Sea to the South of Italy. The island has always had a rich cultural heritage, from poets, writers, philosophers, and architects to painters and musicians. Born in 1996 and raised just outside the capital Palermo, the pedigree runs deep in the veins of those from the region. Had his family relocated to the US, he might be the best-kept secret in the lineage of great Italian American players like Zappa, Vai, Satriani, Di Meola, Petrucci and Gambale. As a multi-faceted player, either classical or electric, what is astounding is his one-of-a-kind technique and use of his fingers instead of regular picking. With an impressive tone, original sound, and humble demeanor, you have the guitarist no one has ever seen and whose talent puts him in a different league.
Lori McKenna – 1988 CD/LP (CN)
Lori McKenna titled her new album 1988 after the year she married her husband, Gene, yet the ten songs within also serve as a love letter to lifelong friendships, people she’s lost, and her family. Recorded with producer Dave Cobb in Savannah, Georgia, 1988 naturally has its nostalgic moments, even if not every ending is a happy one. With more of an electric edge than her past projects, 1988 feels in step with classic ‘90s albums by Sheryl Crow or Gin Blossoms, where the lyrics pulled you in as much as the melody or production. Playing together on acoustic guitars while facing one another in the studio, McKenna and Cobb tracked the album live, giving it a feeling of immediacy and authenticity.
Charles Mingus – Mingus [Reissue/1961] CD/LP (Candid)
At the time of this recording, Mingus had been working regularly with the piano-less quartet of Eric Dolphy, Ted Curson and Dannie Richmond. The same group featured on the 1960 Candid release, Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus. The Mingus album, also recorded that year, features one track, “Stormy Weather”, recorded with that same quartet, and two tracks recorded with a larger group featuring piano and additional horns. Of note, “MDM (Monk Duke & Me)” consumes most of this album. The piece consists of three intertwining themes – Duke Ellington’s “Main Stem”, Thelonious Monk’s “Straight, No Chaser”, and Mingus’ “Fifty First Street Blue”.
NewJeans – NewJeans 2nd EP ‘Get Up’ (The POWERPUFF GIRLS X NJ Box Ver.) CD (Big Hit Entertainment)
NewJeans – NewJeans 2nd EP ‘Get Up’ (BUNNY BEACH Bag Ver.) CD (Big Hit Entertainment)
Known as the K-Pop girl group that’s taken the world by a storm and broken world records, NewJeans is back with their 2nd EP titled ‘Get Up.’ Multiple collectable variations of each version are available.
Alva Noto – This Stolen Country Of Mine: A Documentary Film By Marc Weise CD/2xLP (Noton)
Alva Noto’s award-winning score for the 2022 German documentary film This Stolen Country Of Mine directed by German filmmaker Marc Wiese. Across 19 compositions, the music exposes and holds back when the images and statements of the protagonists speak for themselves, reflecting the dark shadows and the glares of hope of communal resistance.
Oxbow – Love’s Holiday CD/LP (Ipecac)
Oxbow is Dan Adams (electrical/acoustic bass), Greg Davis (drums/percussion), Eugene S. Robinson (vocals), and Niko Wenner (guitars/pianos). The San Francisco-born band has released seven studio albums since their inception in 1988, with Pitchfork saying the foursome have created “some of the most eccentric heavy music albums ever.” [An indie store exclusive red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Omara Portuondo – Vida CD/LP (One World)
New release from the Cuban singer and diva of Buena Social Club. Vida is a tribute to Omara’s musical legacy.
Rachael Sage – The Other Side CD (Sono Recording Group)
Rachael Sage’s album The Other Side is as instantly hummable as it is lyrically poignant. With memorable Americana infused pop hooks & folk-fueled poeticism, Sage’s timeless writing reminds us that what’s most important is worth waiting for. Guests include Howard Jones & members of Patti Smith & Rufus Wainwright’s bands.
Nina Simone – You’ve Got To Learn CD/LP (Verve)
The Newport Jazz Festival had always brought the best out of Nina Simone. On July 2, 1966, the audience was treated to the full range of her artistry – from the opener, a breathtaking version of “You’ve Got To Learn” to a swinging take on “Mississippi Goddam”. After a sustained standing ovation, her fans were rewarded with the show-stopping encore, “Music For Lovers”. This previously unreleased recording makes it clear why hearing Nina Simone in concert was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. [An indie store exclusive color vinyl pressing is available.]
Somnuri – Desiderium CD/LP (MNRK Heavy)
Somnuri do not keep their feet planted in surface reality. The Brooklyn-based heavy metal trio’s flavor of heavy metal stomps from genre to genre with the fervor and confidence of a band ready to cross thresholds of all that’s perceivable and possible. [A limited-edition blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Spiritual Front – Rotten Roma Casino [Reissue/2010] 2xCD+DVD/LP
Spiritual Front – The Queen Is Not Dead 2xCD/LP+7” (Prophecy)
Rotten Roma Casino (2010) is the follow-up to the seminal Armageddon Gigolo album (2006). The album presents the band’s unmistakable style: suicide pop with melancholic melodies, stirring guitar chords and emotional vocal parts. But Rotten Roma Casino goes even further: The band has reassembled their tried and tested ensemble, including chamber musicians from Ennio Morricone, and once again set off a firework of hits. The Queen Is Not Dead is the eighth studio full-length from the Italian band and an “homage to Morrissey’s and Johnny Marr’s legendary hymns of unquestionable beauty.” [Multiple vinyl colorways are available.]
Jacques Tati – Swing! [OST] CD/2xLP (Born Bad)
Watching a movie by Tati is a surprising experience; in his films, sound and music speak more than words, overtaking the conventional discourse – and boredom – of adulthood. Hulot remains silent, or mumbles. Tati knows all about the noises of the modern world: beeps, rings, crackles, pneumatic drill, cars, mechanical, electrical, and rubbery sounds, the high heels of secretaries and typewriters, factory noises, creaking doors, sighing chairs, machines and technical machines, franglais, vacuum cleaners and the whole range of small appliances… With all of that urban and domestic jumble, plastics of all sorts, linoleum and Formica, he composes a virtuoso partition. Signs and signals, warning sounds and sirens mislead us in urban space. Tati maliciously disorients us. Maximalist, he records on five tracks in skillful, tasteful rhythms – a pleasure for the senses.
The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way CD/LP (Glassnote)
Four years after the boys from Warrandyte’s globe-conquering second album, Run Home Slow (2019), which followed their debut album Half Mile Harvest (2017), the artistic vision of vocalist Josh Teskey and his brother, guitarist and engineer Sam Teskey is more defined than ever on their highly anticipated new studio album The Winding Way. The album is a bigger and more adventurous sounding record than The Teskey Brothers’ first two albums – but while it’s a more studio-oriented release, each track is bursting with life and full of surprises. [An indie store exclusive white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Thunderhorse – After The Fall CD/LP (Ripple Music)
“There’s no denying the power and brilliance of Thunder Horse.”
Thy Art Is Murder – Hate [Reissue/2013] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Yellow w/ red & white splatter colorway of the Austrian deathcore outfit’s second album.
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – City Of Gold CD/LP (BMG)
City Of Gold follows Molly Tuttle’s acclaimed 2022 record, Crooked Tree, which won Best Bluegrass Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards and led NPR Music to call her, “a female flat picker extraordinaire with agility, speed and elegance who distinctively brings American roots music into the spotlight,” adding that the album “marries the improvisatory solos of traditional bluegrass with singer-songwriter sophistication.” Produced by Tuttle and Jerry Douglas and recorded at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studios, City Of Gold was inspired by Tuttle’s constant touring with Golden Highway the past few years, during which they have grown together as musicians and performers, cohering as a band. These 13 tracks – mostly written by Tuttle and Ketch Secor (Old Crow Medicine Show) – capture the electric energy of band’s live shows by highlighting each members’ musical strengths. [An indie store exclusive blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Dwight Twilly – The Best Of Dwight Twilly: The Tulsa Years 1999 – 2016 Volume 1 CD (Paramour)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Dwight Twilley is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter considered the Father of Power Pop. Spanning 1999 – 2016, Dwight released six original albums, several covers albums including one of Beatles songs, a live CD/DVD, an original Christmas collection, and a record of unreleased tracks.
Various Artists [Armin van Buuren] – A State Of Trance – 2023 (Mixed By Armin van Buuren) 3xCD (Armada Music)
Brandishing tracks from artists such as Bryan Kearney, Maarten de Jong and Maddix across three sides rather than the usual two, A State Of Trance 2023 shows that the essence of trance music reaches far, wide and beyond the once-imposed borders.
Various Artists – Barbie The Album: Soundtrack CD/LP/Cassette (Atlantic)
To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig’s (Little Women, Lady Bird) new Barbie film stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie (Bombshell, I, Tonya) and Ryan Gosling (La La Land, Half Nelson) as Barbie and Ken. Barbie The Album features new tracks from an unprecedented lineup of artists including Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, Lizzo, Karol G, Charli XCX, PinkPantheress, Ava Max, Dominic Fike, Khalid, The Kid Laroi, Tame Impala, Haim, Gayle and Fifty Fifty feat. Kali. Barbie star Ryan Gosling also joins the robust roster of soundtrack artists with his iconic original song performed as his character, Ken. [A limited-edition hot pink vinyl pressing is available.]
Various Artists – Superunknown Redux 2xCD/2xLP (Magnetic Eye)
Various Artists – Best Of Soundgarden Redux 2xCD/2xLP (Magnetic Eye)
Superunknown Redux presents new takes on all fifteen tracks from the seminal Soundgarden album from some of the most eclectic bands across rock and metal today, along with a few less heavy but captivating contributions. Also available is the companion release Best Of Soundgarden Redux, featuring covers of an additional 15 classics and deep cuts from across the rest of the grunge band’s extensive catalogue. [Two limited-edition vinyl colorways of Superunknown Redux are available: white; and red w/ black smoke. Two limited-edition vinyl colorways of Best Of Soundgarden Redux are available: clear/black marble; and translucent yellow.]
Virtual Tyrant – Vultures Like You CD/LP (Ripple Music)
Portland, Oregon’s Viral Tyrant breathe fresh into the doom sphere.
Voïvod – Morgöth Tales CD/LP (Century Media)
Celebrating 40 eventful years of existence, Canada’s progressive sci-fi metal innovators Voïvod present their special Anniversary release Morgöth Tales, which includes studio re-recordings nine songs from the band’s extremely diverse back catalogue (between 1984 and 2003) as well as a brand-new song in the album’s title-track, “Morgöth Tales”.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
88Rising – Head In The Clouds [Reissue/2018] 2xLP (WB)
Double vinyl pressing of the 2018 release from the pioneering music and arts collective. While all 88Rising artists have excelled in their solo careers they’ve always operated with a crew mentality, and it’s with this collection that they were able to bring that to life. Representing five countries in Asia the whole crew – Rich Brian, Joji, Higher Brothers, NIKI, AUGUST08 and Keith Ape – all flew to Los Angeles to record the album for two and a half months creating a chemistry that can be felt throughout.
Ruby Ann – Mama’s Back [Reissue/2011] 10” (Rhythm Bomb)
Mama’s Back received positive reviews upon its initial release in the UK and Europe with its renditions of vintage period songs, and with a smattering of original compositions as well. When experiencing Mama’s Back for the first time, one is transported to a land and time that aficionados of the golden years of music (namely the ‘50s) never forgot but, unfortunately, never had the opportunity to witness first-hand either.
ARD – Take Up My Bones LP (Prophecy)
Cream white color vinyl pressing. The concept behind the debut album Take Up My Bones from this insular doom metal solo project created by composer and musician Mark Deeks revolves around the legendary relics of the famous Northumbrian saint Cuthbert (634 – 687) and their long journey. ARD (a name taken from an Old English word meaning “native land”) built its artistic quest for heritage and identity upon a solid doom metal foundation.
Bethlehem – Dark Metal [Reissue/1994] LP (Prophecy)
Bethlehem – Dictius Te Necare [Reissue/1996] LP (Prophecy)
Bethlehem – Sardonischer Untergang Im Zeichen Irreligiöser Darbietung [Reissue/1998] LP (Prophecy)
Color vinyl reissues of the German black/doom metal band’s first three albums.
Breland – Cross Country LP (Atlantic)
Cross Country is the 2022 debut studio album by musician Breland. The album features guest artists Keith Urban, Mickey Guyton, Thomas Rhett, Ingrid Andress, and Lady A.
Roy Buchanan – When A Guitar Plays The Blues [Reissue/1985] LP (Alligator)
Originally released in 1985, this is the Grammy-nominated Alligator debut from the late genius of pyrotechnic blues-rock guitar. Roy had a spellbinding arsenal of chops and tone, and he called When A Guitar Plays The Blues “the best album I ever made.” Includes “Short Fuse”, “Mrs. Pressure”, and “Hawaiian Punch”.
R.L. Burnside – Sound Machine Groove 12” (Highwater)
Recorded by ethnomusicologist David Evans for High Water Records in 1979 and 1980, these are Burnside’s first recordings with electric guitar and also his first with a band. That band was the Sound Machine, a band he literally created himself out of members of his own family, blending raw Mississippi blues with soul, funk, R&B, and other urban flavors to make a marvelous amalgam of his own.
Ornette Coleman – Something Else!!!! [Reissue/1958] LP (Craft Recordings)
Originally released in 1958 and recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann, Ornette Coleman’s debut album Something Else!!!! introduced the world to his innovative style and features his band of Don Cherry, Walter Norris, Don Payne, and Billy Higgins.
Converge – Axe To Fall [Reissue/2009] LP (Deathwish Inc.)
Vinyl reissue of the seventh studio album by the metalcore band.
Craft – Total Soul Rape [Reissue/2000] LP (Season Of Mist)
Craft – Terror Propaganda (Second Black Metal Attack) [Reissue/2002] LP (Season Of Mist)
Color vinyl reissues (silver and clear, respectively) of the Swedish black metal band’s first two albums.
Jim Croce – Life And Times [Reissue/1973] LP (BMG)
Limited 180gm blue color vinyl reissue of the 1973 studio album. Life And Times reached the Top 10 and is certified Gold. Features the #1 single “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”, plus the hit “One Less Set Of Footsteps”. This reissue celebrates the album’s 50th anniversary – along with what would have been Croce’s 80th birthday this year.
Miles Davis – E.S.P. [Reissue/1965] LP (Impex)
The 1965 release E.S.P. is often referred to as the first album of Miles Davis’s second great quintet. The young guns in the quintet are superb, with Miles being pushed in new directions by Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. E.S.P. is a post-bop excursion into mostly modal songs with Miles, Wayne and Herbie playing interlocking melodies that they improvise and fracture into something new.
Miles Davis – In Person, Friday Night At The Blackhawk, San Francisco [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (Impex)
Miles Davis’s two night stand at the Blackhawk in San Francisco in April, 1961 is a landmark record. Miles had never been recorded live in a club before with his combo and the music more than justifies the legend. Usually released as a separate album for each night this is only the second time both have been released together.
Death Cab For Cutie – Transatlanticism [Reissue/2003] 2xLP+MP3 (Baruk)
The latest in Barsuk’s deluxe vinyl reissues of the indie rock band’s catalogue.
Deicide – In The Minds Of Evil [Reissue/2013] LP (Century Media)
Translucent yellow color vinyl reissue of the death metal band’s eleventh album.
Ian Dury & The Blockheads – Laughter [Reissue/1980] LP (BMG)
Laughter is the third studio album by Ian Dury and the Blockheads; originally released in 1980. It was the last studio album Dury made for Stiff Records and the last studio album he made with the Blockheads until 1998.
Electric Eels – Spin Age Blasters 2xLP (Scat)
The Electric Eels was the first punk band, full stop. They may not have “started” the genre, but they were the first to tick all the boxes. The eels rejected every 1970s rock convention-professionalism, virtuosity, subject matter, image. Dave E.’s caustic vocals, complete with an aggressive lisp and a head full of snot, would become de rigeur a few years after the group disbanded. Meanwhile, the songs’ focus on car crashes, suicide, neuroses, and generally hating people were as far out of the mainstream as possible. [A limited-edition clear w/ black splatter pressing is available.]
Elf Power – Vainly Clutching At Phantom Limbs + The Winter Hawk 2xLP (Orange Twin)
Limited clear vinyl LP pressing + bonus 7″ single. Elf Power’s classic 1995 debut album. Includes a bonus 7″ of their 1996 The Winter Hawk EP.
Empyrium – Into The Pantheon [Reissue/2013] 2xLP (Prophecy)
Vinyl pressing of the 2013 live set by the German death/doom metal band. [A limited-edition gold colorway is available.]
Finger Eleven – Greatest Hits LP (Craft Recordings)
Spanning over two decades, this new Greatest Hits collection highlights Finger Eleven’s diverse range with fan favorites, including multi-platinum hit “Paralyzer” and Juno-nominated “One Thing”, plus chart-toppers like “Falling On” and “Living in a Dream”. [An indie store exclusive yellow marble colorway is available.]
Mort Garson – Journey To The Moon And Beyond CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
The Mort Garson (Plantasia, Ataraxia, Lucifer) archives have brought to bear yet another awe-inspiring bloom. Journey To The Moon And Beyond is a colorful synthetic dream world consisting of a collection of largely unreleased and unheard material from the Patch Cord Productions archives. Highlights include music from a soundtrack to the 1970 National Geographic special and the live broadcast of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as first heard on CBS News. [A limited-edition ‘Mars red’ color vinyl pressing is available.]
Dexter Gordon – Walk The Blues [Reissue/2017] LP (Black Lion/Org Music)
During a two-day period in July of 1967, tenor-saxophonist Dexter Gordon and his quartet recorded multiple albums worth of material at one of Gordon’s favorite venues, the legendary Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. This record, Walk The Blues, is pulled from the second night, and finds Dexter in an expansive, relaxed mood in front of an appreciative audience. [A limited-edition blue colorway is available.]
Gym Class Heroes – The Quilt [Reissue/2008] 2xLP (Fueled By Ramen)
The Quilt is the fourth studio album by the American rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, originally released in 2008. [A limited-edition purple colorway is available.]
High Tone Son Of A Bitch – Lifecycles LP (Svart)
Formed from the ashes of the psych/sludge band Cruevo, and preceding guitar player Paul Kott’s work in Matt Pike-fronted Bay Area metal “supergroup” Kalas, High Tone Son Of A Bitch is an innovative, psychedelic stoner/doom band that pulls together a number of influential musicians from bands like Noothgrush, Kalas, Hammers of Misfortune, Men Of Porn, Melvins, Hawkwind, Neurosis, High On Fire, Sleep, Witch Mountain, Saviours, Necrot, The Skull, Worshipper and more.
John Lee Hooker – …And Seven Nights [Reissue/1965] LP (BMG)
…And Seven Nights was recorded in London in 1964 and released by the Verve Folkways label the following year. The album features Hooker playing with the British band The Groundhogs.
Imha Tarikat – Sternenberster [Reissue/2020] LP (Prophecy)
Translucent aqua blue colorway. On Sternenberster, Imha Tarikat take the harsh sound of their debut album Kara Ihlas (2019) a huge step further while at the same time staying true to their course. The German black metal act combines an old school approach based on the Norwegian second wave with dark melodic Swedish influences, vicious outbursts of speed, a dash of punk, and even a pinch of occult rock.
Jazzanova – Face At My Window (Kyoto Jazz Massive Remixes) / Beyond The Dream (Musclecars’ Reimaginations) 12” (BBE)
Taken from the album Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit – Reimagined by Jazzanova, BBE Music, DJ Amir and 180 Proof records present the third single from this monumental project. This release features remixes by Japanese Club Jazz pioneers Kyoto Jazz Massive, and Genre Blending New Yorkers, Musclecars.
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts – Up Your Alley [Reissue/1988] LP (Sony Legacy)
Up Your Alley is the sixth studio album from Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. The Grammy nominated album, originally released in 1988, features “I Hate Myself For Loving You”, “Little Liar”, and “I Wanna Be Your Dog”.
Aryon Jones – Chronicles Of The Kid LP (Vavatos)
Recently released on CD – now available on turquois color vinyl. With his critically acclaimed, major label debut, Child Of The State, churning out a multi-week No. 1 (“Mercy”) and two Top 5 cuts (“Take Me Away”, “Supercharged”), 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards Best New Rock Artist nominee Ayron Jones shows no signs of slowing down. The gritty, genre-blending guitarist and singer is an amalgam of the rich history of his hometown of Seattle. He continues his ascent in the rock world and breaking barriers with his new album, Chronicles Of The Kid.
Key Glock – Glockoma 2 LP (Paper Route Empire)
‘Red ghostly w/ splatter’ color vinyl pressing. Key Glock is a protégé of Young Dolph and who rose to fame in 2017 with his mixtape Glock Season. The artist signed to Young Dolph’s label in 2017 and their collaborative album, Dum And Dummer, reached #8 on the Billboard 200. As a lead artist, Key Glock has since had one certified platinum single (“Russian Cream”) and four certified gold singles (“Since6ix”, “Gang Shit No Lame Shit”, “Mr. Glock”, and “Ambition For Cash”). His debut studio album, Yellow Tape, peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200, while the follow-up, Yellow Tape 2, rose to #7 on the same chart. A five-track EP, PRE5L, was released in November 2022 and includes the hit track, “Jigsaw”. He is the cousin by marriage of Young Dolph, who died in November 2021. In a since-deleted IG post, Key Glock called Young Dolph “my lefthand man, my brother, my cousin, and my mentor.”
B.B. King – Indianola Mississippi Seeds [Reissue/1970] LP (Elemental Music)
B.B. King’s 18th studio album, Indianola Mississippi Seeds, was released in 1970 on ABC Records. Matched with an all-star cast of musicians – including pop luminaries such as Leon Russell, Joe Walsh, and Carole King – he mixed elements of blues and rock music resulting in one of his most critically acclaimed albums. B.B. King himself considered it to be one of his greatest achievements.
Steve Lacy – The Straight Horn Of Steve Lacy [Reissue/1961] LP (Candid)
The “straight horn” referred to in the title of this superb album from 1961 is the soprano saxophone, and Lacy is recognized as one of the greatest to ever play the instrument, ranking alongside John Coltrane and Sidney Bechet. Because of the difficulty involved in mastering its pitch challenges, very few jazzmen concentrated on it. Lacy is widely considered the first “modern” musician to specialize in the instrument. Lacy had a long and prolific career and a fascinating style trajectory. At sixteen he began playing Dixieland with the likes of Pee Wee Russell. In the mid-1950s he played free jazz with Cecil Taylor and appeared with his groundbreaking quartet at the 1957 New Port Jazz Festival. He made a notable appearance on the 1959 Gil Evens, Great Jazz Standards album. Along the way, Lacy became obsessed with the music of Thelonious Monk, working with him several times including the 1963 Big Band and Quartet In Concert album, and devoted much of this life’s work to the interpretation of Monk’s material.
The Lost Generation – Young, Tough And Terrible [Reissue/1972] LP (Org Music)
Young, Tough And Terrible is the second and final album from The Lost Generation. The Chicago-based soul group featured vocalists Lowrell Simon, Fred Simon (Chi-Lites), Larry Brownlee, and Jesse Dean, and was only active for a few years in the ‘70s. Known for their powerful harmonies and forays into funk, the group was able to find a home with the legendary Brunswick Records. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Madness – Can’t Touch Us Now [Reissue/2016] 2xLP (Union Square)
Can’t Touch Us Now is the eleventh and most recent studio album from British ska-pop legends Madness. Originally released in October 2016 it marked the return of founder member Mark Bedford and is the last of their albums to feature the entire original line-up.
Masego – Masego 2xLP (Eqt Recordings LLC)
Masego is an artist who thrives on mixing contemplation with extroversion, smoldering romance with knowing humor, studied musical discipline with exhilarating flights of intuition. For this deeply collaborative work, Masego sought out what he calls the “outliers, the savants” – people like Kelvin Wootan, Louie Lastic, Richie Souf, Monte Booker, WaveIQ and Rocaine. [A limited-edition ‘orange crush’ colorway is available.]
Delbert McClinton – Live From Austin [Reissue/1989] LP (Alligator)
Originally released in 1989, this is the first, and best, live album from the King of the Texas Roadhouses. Delbert’s gritty, road-tested singing fronts a driving band on everything from raw rockers to soul-deep ballads. Includes classics like “Standing On Shaky Ground”, “B Movie Boxcar Blues”, “Going Back To Louisiana”, and more.
Tavie McCoy – Lazarus [Reissue/2010] LP (Fueled By Ramen)
Lazarus is the debut studio album by American rapper Travie McCoy, originally released in 2010. Musically, McCoy draws from various influences on the record, including hip hop, reggae, and rock. [An orange colorway is available.]
John Mellencamp – Orpheus Descending LP (Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With a career spanning over 40 years, musician, artist, and activist John Mellencamp releases his 25th full-length studio album Orpheus Descending. It was recorded at his own Belmont Mall Studio and produced by Mellencamp. The album is one of the most personal to date for the outspoken artist as he continues to show that he’s one of the best songwriters of his generation, focusing on social issues with standout songs “Hey God” and “The Eyes of Portland”.
Mizmore – Prosaic LP (Profound Lore)
Mizmor is a one-man heavy music exploration that began in 2012 as a way of dealing with the mental and spiritual anguish mastermind A.L.N. feels as a person. More specifically, the content behind the project is that of the existential / primal and innate musings about cause, purpose, and self. It is the search for light and truth, or the fact that there is none. It comes from an embittered, burned, confused, and broken heart. It is the fight for survival when reason and foundation has turned to nothingness. It is the crashing down of towers of falsehood and the freedom that comes through a certain kind of grief. Ultimately, Mizmor is the manifestation of a long-felt depression which doesn’t have an end in sight.
Nurse With Wound – Brained By Fallen Masonry / Cooloorta Moon LP (United Dirter)
Limited-edition picture disc. It could be argued that Brained and Cooloorta are the definitive Nurse with Wound EPs. Both classic and timeless fan favorites appear for the first time together on one single album. Both EPs marked a distinctive change in the NWW sound.
Oddisee – The Iceberg LP (Mello Music)
Butterfly splatter color vinyl pressing. The prolific MC, producer, and musician’s new album The Iceberg is a plea for humanity to dig deeper in search of understanding and common ground. His third release in just 12 months, The Iceberg is a distillation of stereotypical tropes in hip-hop and beyond; 12 tracks about money, sex, politics, race, and religion that appear superficial until his multi-dimensional lyrics unfurl to expose the complexities of individuality and identity – how we see ourselves and how others see us. Deeply soulful, and shot through with jazz, go-go, gospel, thick R&B and hard beats, the album is a timely, poetic statement.
Pelican – The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon The Call [Reissue/XXXX] 2xLP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Pelican and Thrill Jockey present a deluxe edition of the band’s acclaimed 2005 album: The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon The Thaw, newly remixed, remastered, and featuring special bonus rarities including an early version of “Red Ran Amber”, (previously only available on a split with Mono) and demos of “Autumn Into Summer”, “Last Day Of Winter”, and “Sirius”. The Fire In Our Throats established Pelican as indisputable masters of their craft. Pelican’s ability to alchemize their influences into a sound so wholly original and then expand on that sound into a work of captivating beauty remains a marvel. The album indelibly shifted the paradigm of heavy music, and the ripples of that shift can be heard in the countless bands that have risen to prominence since its release. [An indie store exclusive pressing is available.]
Phish – Fuego [Reissue/2013] 2xLP (Jemp)
‘Spontaneous combustion’ orange color vinyl pressing of Phish’s thirteenth studio album.
Brontez Purnell – No Jack Swing LP (Dark Entries/ Papi Juice)
No Jack Swing is the solo electronic debut of multi-hype man Brontez Purnell. The Southern-raised, Oakland-based musician and writer has centered his queerness and Blackness in projects Gravy Train and Younger Lovers as well as in his award-winning books 100 Boyfriends and Since I Laid My Burden Down. On No Jack Swing, Purnell gives us a love letter to the most beloved (and secularized) of drum patterns-that is, the electronic 808 “Amen Break”.
Ike Quebec – Heavy Soul [Reissue/1961] LP (Blue Note)
Ike Quebec’s aptly titled 1961 album Heavy Soul was a soul jazz masterclass with the tenor saxophonist joined by Freddie Roach (organ), Milt Hinton (bass) and Al Harewood (drums). Ike’s robust horn conjures a variety of moods from up-tempo swingers to sultry slow-tempo stunners closing with a spellbinding duo rendition of “Nature Boy” with Hinton.
Relatively Clean Rivers – Relatively Clean Rivers [Reissue/1976] LP (Cosmic Rock)
Long before the term Cosmic Americana was of common use there was a band ideally fitting the role. Back in 1976 the long psychedelic wave was rapidly fading away, but the market of private press was still in demand. The self-debut album of Relatively Clean Rivers came out the same year on the leader Phil Pearlman label. The brainchild of Phil Pearlman, the band was rapidly crossing genres focusing on extended long jam verging on Californian psych and proto-ambient country/folk.
Buddy Rich – Birdland [Reissue/2015] LP (Lightyear)
Limited 180gm translucent red color vinyl pressing. Released in 2015 by the Buddy Rich estate, Birdland is a collection of previously unreleased tracks by the Buddy Rich Killer Force band recorded in the mid- ‘70s by saxophonist and engineer Alan Gauvin who was in the band at the time. Featured in the Oscar-winning film Whiplash, this album is a must-have for longtime fans and new, aspiring drummers looking to study the sheer talent and wow-factor that has made Buddy Rich one of the greatest drummers of all time.
Rotting Christ – Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy [Reissue/2013] 2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Gold colorway. With their eleventh full-length, 2013’s Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy, Rotting Christ created a stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Theogonia (2007) and AEALO (2010) albums. The legendary Greek band adds an unmistakable native element to the musical and lyrical concepts while skillfully augmenting the proceedings with female vocals, piano, bagpipes, and horns.
Shintaro Sakamoto – Like A Fable LP (Zelone)
Coke bottle clear vinyl pressing. Six years since his last album, Love If Possible, Shintaro Sakamoto has completed his fourth solo album, Like A Fable. The album’s ten songs describe everyday life in a world undergoing dramatic changes during a pandemic. Sakamoto continually updates his sound, and with Like A Fable, he has made his best pop album yet.
Skinlab – Disembody: The New Flesh [Reissue/1999] LP (Svart)
Disembody: The New Flesh is the second full-length studio album by the San Francisco metal band Skinlab. [A limited-edition blue colorway is available.]
Lonnie Smith – Turning Point [Reissue/1969] LP (Blue Note)
One of the funkiest and most creative organists of all time, Dr. Lonnie Smith was first brought into the Blue Note fold by alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson who featured the B3 virtuoso on late-1960s soul jazz classics including Alligator Bogaloo, Mr. Shing-a-Ling, and Midnight Creeper. Smith went on to sign with Blue Note and lead his own dates beginning with his excellent 1968 label debut Think! In January 1969, Smith returned to Van Gelder Studio to record the follow-up Turning Point with a dynamic 6-piece band that packed a punch with a three-horn frontline featuring Lee Morgan on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, and Bennie Maupin on tenor saxophone.
Teeth – A Biblical Worship Of Violence12” (Nuclear Blast)
Red w/ black splatter colorway. Born from a musician’s desire to re-envelope their life in the heaviness that is metal and to refamiliarize with a conduit that could be considered detrimental amidst today’s destructive society, the gritty powerhouse that is Teeth emerged from the sludge of a foul generation.
The Temptations – The Temptations Sing Smokey [Reissue/1965] LP (Elemental Music)
This is the second studio album by The Temptations for the Motown label, released in 1965. As its name implies, The Temptations Sing Smokey is composed entirely of songs written and produced by Smokey Robinson, and other members of The Miracles. Several songs are covers of songs Robinson produced for The Miracles or Mary Wells, while the rest were originally recorded by The Temptations. Among these are three hit singles: “The Way You Do the Things You Do”, “It’s Growing”, and the group’s signature song, “My Girl”.
T-Pain – On Top Of The Covers LP (Nappy Boy Entertainment)
Gold color vinyl pressing. Aptly entitled On Top of The Covers, T-Pain is back with his first full-length release since the 2019 album, 1UP. Delivering his own rendition of iconic songs such as Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come”, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'”, Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”, and Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life”, the singer well-known for popularizing autotune approached the album au naturale, allowing his vocals to be the star of the show.
Ultravox – Quartet [Reissue/1982] 2xLP/4xLP (Chrysalis)
Deluxe half-speed master edition. Includes bonus LP containing non album tracks. Quartet is Ultravox’s third album with Midge Ure on vocals, which followed two hugely successful albums, Vienna and Rage In Eden. The previous albums were produced by German producer, Conny Plank, for this they look at George Martin to take the helm. [The 4xLP clear vinyl box set edition contains 36 tracks in total, with a 17 previously unreleased recordings.]
Unrest – Imperial F.f.r.r. LP (Teenbeat)
Imperial f.f.r.r. is Unrest’s breakthrough album in 1992. It has withstood the test of time and is now considered an indie-rock classic and one of the best albums of the 1990s. Formed in 1984, at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, the band started releasing homemade cassettes on their own Teenbeat label. Imperial f.f.r.r. is their sixth album and marked the arrival of original Velocity Girl vocalist Bridget Cross joining drummer Phil Krauth and singer/guitarist Mark Robinson.
The Vandals – Hitler Bad, Vandals Good. [Reissue/1998] LP (Craft Recordings)
The Vandals’ punk rock classic Hitler Bad, Vandals Good includes such favorites as the poignant breakup tune “My Girlfriend’s Dead”, the Oscar-worthy “Idea For A Movie”, and the catchy opener “People That Are Going To Hell”, as well as a skillful interpretation of The Sound Of Music classic “So Long, Farewell”.
Veps – Oslo Park LP (Kanine)
Dark magenta color vinyl pressing. Ever since they arrived on the Norwegian indie scene at age 17, the Oslo-based four-piece Veps has released a steady stream of jaw droppingly mature, indie pop gems. Now, as they are all in their final teenage year, Veps release their debut album. Continuing to dish out indie pop bangers with a carefree, DIY attitude, Oslo Park is Veps at their most dynamic.
Muddy Waters – Muddy, Brass And The Blues [Reissue/1967] LP (Elemental)
The classic 1967 Chess album Muddy, Brass And The Blues, adds horns and prominent organ to Muddy Waters’ basic band format. Waters’ earlier work had been built around his returning to sounds and influences from his past. Here, the label tried to give him a new sound. Stripped of his guitar, Waters proves what a great R&B singer he was. Featuring Otis Spann on piano, and Sammy Lawhorn and Pee Wee Madison on guitar.
Webbed Wings – Right After I Smoke This… 7” (Memory Music)
Red color vinyl pressing. Put Webbed Wing’s Taylor Madison up against some of rock’s most celebrated songwriters-he’s ready. On their new EP, Right After I Smoke This…, the Philly-based guitarist and singer puts on the kind of unforgettable performance that can take everyday people and turn them into musical heroes for the masses.
Wganda Kenya / Kammpala Grupo – Wganda Kenya / Kammpala Grupo [Reissue/1977] LP (Vampisoul)
A wild and funky collection of Afro grooves that was ahead of its time in 1977 and has become a collector’s item in recent years, especially due to the growing international interest in Colombian picó sound system culture. Fruko and his studio bands Wganda Kenya and Kammpala Grupo treat us to a diverse set of African and Caribbean styles, laced with crazy synths, psychedelic guitar, and infectious pan-African polyrhythms.
Bella White – Among Other Things LP (Rounder)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl (including an indie store exclusive colorway). 22-year-old singer/songwriter Bella White has a one-of-a-kind musical talent: a finespun breed of country/folk both fresh in perspective and wholly steeped in bluegrass tradition, despite her upbringing in the Canadian city of Calgary. Her sophomore album, Among Other Things (produced by Jonathan Wilson), unfolds with gorgeously textured layers encompassing elements of country, folk, indie and classic rock.
Saul Williams – Saul Williams [Reissue/2004] LP (Fader Label)
Saul Williams – The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of Niggy Tardust [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (Fader Label)
First establishing himself as an influential poet, then an award-winning screenwriter/actor, Saul Williams then went on to become an MC. His approach to McIng, though, wasn’t exactly in line with the traditional school of hip hop. His rhymes weren’t really rhymes, but rather his poetry delivered in a frenzied, spoken word manner that was more rhythmic than alliterate. [Color vinyl pressings of each album are available.]
Johnny Winter – Guitar Slinger [Reissue/1984] LP (Alligator)
Originally released in 1984, this Grammy-nominated album marked Winter’s return to his blues roots, sparking a career renaissance that lasted the rest of his life. Cut with the cream of Chicago bluesmen, Guitar Slinger features fan favorites like “Don’t Take Advantage Of Me”, “Trick Bag”, and “Boot Hill”.
Mike Zito / Albert Castiglia – Blood Brothers LP (Sono Recording Group)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Produced by Contemporary Blues Legend Joe Bonamassa, Blood Brothers is a statement of artistic collaboration and friendship. Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia are true “Blood Brothers” in life and in the music, they create both individually and collectively, joining forces in a collaborative effort of songwriting and performances to create a total listening experience greater than the sum of its parts.
Cassettes:
Agriculture – Agriculture (The Flenser)
What was initially a meeting and subsequent series of jam sessions between Kern Haug and Daniel Meyer, two musicians in the Los Angeles underground noise scene, would eventually manifest as a shared vision to portray the sublimity of the human experience through the vehicle of heavy music. Following the additions of veteran guitarist Richard Chowenhill and bassist/vocalist Leah Levinson to the band’s lineup, this idea would crystalize into the “ecstatic black metal” backbone of Agriculture’s music.
Cut Worms – Cut Worms (Jagjaguwar)
As Cut Worms, songwriter Max Clarke’s contemporary vision of American heritage rock-n-roll is both pristine and askew. He’s been called a modern Buddy Holly and Everly Brothers while also being tagged as “Lynchian.” Since 2016, this vision has made Cut Worms fans of Nick Lowe, Norah Jones, Wilco, and other notable powerhouse artists. And on his self-titled third album, we find Clarke refining his craft down to its most crucial elements.
Various Artists – Barbie The Album: Soundtrack (Atlantic)
To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig’s (Little Women, Lady Bird) new Barbie film stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie (Bombshell, I, Tonya) and Ryan Gosling (La La Land, Half Nelson) as Barbie and Ken. Barbie The Album features new tracks from an unprecedented lineup of artists including Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, Lizzo, Karol G, Charli XCX, PinkPantheress, Ava Max, Dominic Fike, Khalid, The Kid Laroi, Tame Impala, Haim, Gayle and Fifty Fifty feat. Kali. Barbie star Ryan Gosling also joins the robust roster of soundtrack artists with his iconic original song performed as his character, Ken.
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