AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:
Kim Gordon – The Collective CD/LP (Matador)
Legendary musician and multi-disciplinary artist Kim Gordon returns with her second solo album, The Collective. Recorded in her native Los Angeles, The Collective follows Gordon’s 2019 full-length debut No Home Record and continues her collaboration with producer Justin Raisen (Lil Yachty, John Cale, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Charli XCX, Yves Tumor), with additional production from Anthony Paul Lopez. The album advances their joint world building, with Raisin’s damaged, blown out dub and trap constructions playing the foil to Gordon’s intuitive word collages and hooky mantras, which conjure communication, commercial sublimation, and sensory overload.
Norah Jones – Visions CD/LP (Blue Note/Capitol)
Visions is a vibrant and joyous 12-song set that finds Jones singing about feeling free, wanting to dance, making it right, and acceptance of what life brings. It’s the yang to the yin that was Pick Me Up Off The Floor, Jones’ last album of new original songs which was released early in the pandemic lockdown of 2020 and foreshadowed many of the dark emotions of that period. Visions is a collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Leon Michels. Michels played saxophone in Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and has performed with Lee Fields & The Expressions, Dan Auerbach’s band The Arcs, Menahan Street Band, and his own project El Michels Affair. Michels and Jones first collaborated on the single “Can You Believe” and later worked together on Jones’ 2021 holiday album I Dream of Christmas. Visions also features contributions from trumpeter Dave Guy, bassist Jesse Murphy, and drummers Brian Blade and Homer Steinweiss. [An indie store exclusive orange color vinyl pressing is available.]
Judas Priest – Invincible Shield CD/2xLP (Sony Music)
Invincible Shield is the nineteenth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. Announced onstage at Power Trip Festival in California, the new record marks the band’s first release in six years, having recently celebrated 50 years in music and 50 million records sold. Judas Priest is Rob Halford, Ian Hill, Glenn Tipton, Scott Travis, and Richie Faulkner. [An indie store exclusive red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Lil Peep – Crybaby CD/LP/Cassette (Death Note Music)
Crybaby is the fourth mixtape by rapper Lil Peep, originally released in 2016. In interviews that followed the release of Crybaby, and even afterwards during press runs for HELLBOY as well as Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 1, one of the most consistently asked (and answered) questions that would be thrown at Peep usually teetered around the lines somewhat of “aye Peep, love what you’ve been doing with your past couple of projects man, but what’s the deal with that massive Crybaby tattoo you got on your forehead?” – To which, he would typically answer, “I got the Crybaby tat to keep me grateful, to remind myself that even if I’m going through a lot, there are kids across the world that don’t even have clean water or know when their next meal will be, so I got it to remind myself that I need to be grateful for what little I have, and to keep pushing through for those who can’t.” [A limited-edition white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Skeletal Remains – Fragments Of The Ageless CD/LP (Century Media)
American act Skeletal Remains prepare another death metal assault on Fragments Of The Ageless. The line-up of Chris Monroy (guitars/vocals), Mike de la O (guitars), Pierce Williams (drums), and Brian Rush (bass) embody the genre, going deeper, darker, and to the edges of brutality. “Fragments Of The Ageless is a pummeling slab of pure death metal,” says the band. “A tyrannical blast-laden barrage of no-frills riffs and compositions.” [Multiple color vinyl pressings are available, including an indie store exclusive version and an opaque spring green edition.
Various Artists – The Color Purple (Music From And Inspired By) 2xCD/3xLP (Water Tower Music)
Immerse yourself in the harmonious blend of raw emotion and musical brilliance with The Color Purple (Music From And Inspired By) album. Boasting an ensemble cast like no other – Golden Globe nominee Fantasia’s soulful melodies, Taraji B. Henson’s emotive depth, Colman Domingo’s captivating energy, Golden Globe nominee Danielle Brooks’ powerful resonance, H.E.R’s contemporary artistry, and Hallie Bailey’s radiant vocals – and music from Grammy Award winning songwriters of The Color Purple musical – Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray – promises an auditory experience that’s both deeply nostalgic and refreshingly new. [A limited-edition purple color vinyl pressing is available.]
Vitriol – Suffer & Become CD/LP (Century Media)
“Vitriol still carries a base sound defined by the Floridian über-heaviness of Hate Eternal, with bits of the bombastic blackened brutality of Behemoth, the crippling clinicality of Cryptopsy, and the acidic, anguished absurdity of Anaal Nathrakh, but this time around, the compositions (and production) allow for a bit more breathing room—and the album benefits greatly because of it.” – Holdeneye, Angry Metal Guy [A limited-edition orange color vinyl pressing is available.]
Additional Social Media Program Titles:
Birdsong Project – For The Birds: The Birdsong Project 20xLP (Poster Baby)
For The Birds: The Birdsong Project is an art-filled, 20LP box set including over 200 tracks of original music and bird-related poetry. It represents a remarkable assemblage of diverse talents across the creative community including Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, Pulitzer, Peabody and James Beard Award winners: Adam Horovitz, Andrew Bird, Animal Collective, Beck, Cassandra Jenkins, Dan Deacon, Elvis Costello, Esperanza Spalding, Flaming Lips, Haden Triplets, Jeff Tweedy, Jim James, Julia Holter, Julianna Barwick, Kamasi Washington, Karen O, Kurt Vile, Atlas Sound & L’Rain, Makaya McCraven, Mark Ronson, Mary Lattimore, Nick Cave, Stephin Merritt, Terry Riley, Tyondai Braxton, UNKLE, Yo-Yo Ma, and many more. Proceeds from the sale of this collection and supporting events go to the National Audubon Society and are dedicated to the protection of birds and the habitats they need, today, tomorrow, and for all our futures. The Birdsong Project is a community dedicated to the protection of bird life, and to the celebration of the joy and mysteries of birdsong. We believe that birds – no matter feather or flock – are precious and inspiring and fundamental to our world. That a world without birds would be a world without freedom and flight and song. We believe birds matter, are endangered, and need our help.
Plain White T’s – Plain White T’s LP (Fearless)
White colorway. Plain White T’s return with their self-titled album that includes a mix of gorgeous acoustic love songs and the pop-rock majestic sing-a-longs they are known for. With notable press in 2023 from CNN, People, Entertainment Tonight, Newsweek and more, Plain White T’s have proven to be a continued musical force as well as a career band that shows no signs of slowing down.
Jordan Ward – Forward LP (Interscope)
Translucent pink colorway. R/B standout Jordan Ward comes fully into his own with the release of his debut album, Forward, and delivers on the promise that has made him one of the most anticipated breakthrough acts of 2023. The 14-track album features fan favorites including “White Crocs”, “Mustard (feat. 6LACK),” and more. Jordan crisscrosses an array of sounds and moods, but whether he’s tackling an infectious, radio-ready bop or a tender love song, Jordan Ward stamps his unique style of R&B on each track.
CDs + Vinyl:
Erika Angell – The Obsession With Her Voice CD/LP (Constellation)
Montréal-based Swedish vocalist and composer Erika Angell defies categorization. Across sixteen independently produced albums and innumerable collaborations, Angell has been a poetic and audacious force in genre-defying music. Her voice has been described as “a guiding presence” (Exclaim) that “splits the difference between the divine and demonic, skillfully unhinged” (Under The Radar) and “sits alongside the greatest indie female artists who are not afraid of anything” (Le Devoir). Raised on an island on the west coast of Sweden, her musical trajectory began in earnest when she moved to Stockholm in 2004 and became a member of noted collective label and venue Fylkingen (the oldest organization in Europe for experimental music and art, founded in 1933).
The Aristocrats – Duck CD/2xLP (Boing)
New album from the prog rock band. “The Aristocrats’ fifth album, Duck, might be conceptual, but bassist Bryan Beller warns fans that it isn’t your archetypal affair. ‘This is an Aristocrats concept album,’ he says with a smile. ‘It’s not The Wall; it’s about a cartoon duck that gets kicked off an Antarctic Island by a malevolent police penguin and then travels the world!’” – Phil Weller, Louder
Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band – BRSB CD/LP (Big Crown)
Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, the mysterious steel pan outfit hailing from Hamburg, Germany have amassed a cult following around the globe. With a slew of classic 7″s and three critically acclaimed full length albums, they set a high bar for themselves, one they clearly intend on pushing even higher with this new offering. On their fourth album BRSB, Bacao are back with more of the same, but more of the same with them is inherently different. Covering songs that span genres and range from mega hits to underground album cuts, they make them their own with their unique approach to the traditional steel pans of Trinidad and Tobago. [An indie store exclusive yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]
Bananarama – Glorious: The Ultimate Collection 2xCD (London)
Glorious: The Ultimate Collection features 40 tracks, chosen by Sara and Keren with more recent output sharing space with the familiar hits of the 1980s. Sara says, “We wanted this to be a unique collection, a celebration of all the twists and turns in our career. We compiled endless lists of songs, album tracks and hit singles and whittled it down to forty: our favorite tracks from the past four decades.” [Vinyl version due March 29.]
Karl Bartos – The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari CD+DVD/2xLP/2xLP+DVD (Bureau B)
Musician and writer Karl Bartos has long been admirer of Weimar-era culture. During his time in Kraftwerk, he helped create the stunning track Metropolis, directly inspired by a band viewing of the classic 1927 Fritz Lang film of the same name. The original orchestral music composed for The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari by Giuseppe Becce had long been lost and in 2005, after watching the film, Bartos imagined what it would be like to create an entirely new one in the 21st Century in his home studios in Hamburg. Now with crystal clear images, digitally restored by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation, the film is visually the best quality it has ever been, and now, with Bartos’ soundtrack, there is impressive sound to go with the haunting vision. [Deluxe CD and vinyl editions include the film on DVD.]
Bleachers – Bleachers CD/LP (Dirty Hit)
Bleachers return with their self-titled new album. Bleachers is Jack Antonoff’s distinctly New Jersey take on the bizarre sensory contradictions of modern life, on his position in culture, and the things he cares about. Sonically, it’s sad, it’s joyful, it’s music for driving on the highway, for crying to and for dancing to at weddings. There’s something reassuringly touchable and concrete about its sentiment: exist in crazy times but remember what counts. [Two color vinyl pressings are available: indie store exclusive blue; and white.
Comet Gain – Radio Sessions: BBC 1996-2011 CD/LP (Tapete)
The second release in Tapete’s great series of radio sessions are the collected BBC recordings of Comet Gain, the rough diamond of the international pop underground, the indie punk Monkees, the noise pop collective par excellence. Radio Sessions BBC 1996 – 2011 contains three John Peel sessions from 1996 and 1997 as well as a Marc Riley session from 2011. One thing is for sure: a world in which such a great, anarchic, idiosyncratic band, simply perfect in its imperfection, is invited to Abbey Road Studios for radio sessions by the country’s biggest broadcaster, among others, can’t be that bad.
Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies [Reissue/1973] 2xCD/3xLP (WB)
Billion Dollar Babies [‘Trillion Dollar’ 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] features a newly remastered version of the original album, along with bonus material, including studio outtakes, single mixes, and an electrifying 1973 concert recording. An instant smash when it was released in March 1973, Billion Dollar Babies delivered a theatrical mix of hard rock and glam laced with macabre lyrics that explored wealth, decadence, and fame’s darker side.
Dion – Girl Friends CD/LP (KTBA)
Inspired by the muse that is the “feminine genius,” Dion’s new album Girl Friends sees him collaborating with an exceptional lineup of special female artists including the soulful Susan Tedeschi, blues powerhouse Shemekia Copeland, country icon Carlene Carter, blues virtuoso Joanne Shaw Taylor, and the versatile Maggie Rose, among others.
Disastroid – Garden Creatures CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Disastroid’s latest outing, Garden Creatures, is a record about the darkness in the hidden corners of suburban landscapes — sinister overgrown gardens, secret collections kept in basements, the crime just beneath the surface, the pervasive loneliness under a veneer of normalcy. Accordingly, it’s a dark and atmospheric record, trading the stripped-down approach of 2020’s Mortal Fools for a thicker, heavier, and more layered sound. Legendary producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Neurosis) builds mixes that range from dark and dreamy to a thick, sludgy crunch, slowly puling the listener through a range of sounds and textures, making sure things stay interesting. [Multiple color vinyl pressings are available.]
Dry Cleaning – Boundary Road Snacks And Drinks + Sweet Princess CD/LP (4AD)
Following two critically acclaimed John Parish-produced studio albums – New Long Leg (2021) and Stumpwork (2022) – South London’s Dry Cleaning take a moment to reflect on their journey and pay homage to their roots with the release of their first two EPs, now remastered and reissued together on one single record with the original artwork and lyric sheet. [A limited-edition blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Exhorder – Defectum Omnium CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Produced by Exhorder & mixed by Jens Bogren, Defectum Omnium puts a foot back into the roots of the band’s inception. The scales have tipped favorably towards the presence of punk & thrash. [A limited-edition black w/ white marble color vinyl pressing is available.]
Ella Fitzgerald – Great Women Of Song: Ella Fitzgerald CD/LP (Verve)
Verve Records releases the latest editions in its breakout Great Women Of Song series, which pays homage to the ground-breaking work and lasting impact of some of the greatest female vocalists of all time. Known internationally as “The First Lady of Song”, Ella Fitzgerald was also, importantly, the first lady of Verve Records-the label that was essentially created for her by her manager and the label’s founder, Norman Granz. This collection brings together Ella’s most cherished recordings in the company of American music’s greatest performers and composers-Louis Armstrong, George & Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern, among many others.
Flesher – Tales Of Grotesque Demise CD/LP (Redefining Darkness)
Formed in Indianapolis, Indiana, Flesher is a gore-soaked power trio consisting of Paul Breece, Gus Matracia, and Dustin Boltjes. You may recognize Dustin’s skin bashing from some of his past bands – Skeletonwitch, Demiricous, Chrome Waves or current project Sacred Leather. Flesher was forged in the summer of 2022 and shortly thereafter released the Murder Sessions demo. Taking inspiration from the past, everything Flesher does pays homage to classic horror and 90’s death metal. In less than a year as a band, Flesher have released a demo and toured the Midwest already sharing the stage with the likes of Internal Bleeding, Sanguisugabogg, Vomit Forth, Enterprise Earth and more. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
The Goldenrods – Cry Time CD/LP (Goldenrods Music)
The Goldenrods’ debut album Cry Time heralds the triumphant return of frontman Ryan Koenig, who came face to face with death after being run over by a car while on tour in 2017. Following the accident, he left his longtime gig with Pokey LaFarge to focus on healing. During a long and brutal recovery, he began to get his memory back and took to writing songs again, leading to the formation of the band. Best described as “country and Midwestern,” the Goldenrods perform old time, Tex-Mex, Cajun, country, and folk flavors that accompany tales of heartache and heartbreak alongside upbeat dance numbers.
Kim Gordon – The Collective CD/LP (Matador)
Legendary musician and multi-disciplinary artist Kim Gordon returns with her second solo album, The Collective. Recorded in her native Los Angeles, The Collective follows Gordon’s 2019 full-length debut No Home Record and continues her collaboration with producer Justin Raisen (Lil Yachty, John Cale, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Charli XCX, Yves Tumor), with additional production from Anthony Paul Lopez. The album advances their joint world building, with Raisin’s damaged, blown out dub and trap constructions playing the foil to Gordon’s intuitive word collages and hooky mantras, which conjure communication, commercial sublimation, and sensory overload.
Dylan Gossett – No Better Time CD (Republic)
Austin-born singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dylan Gossett makes a mark with his dusty instrumentation, gravelly vocal delivery, and emotionally vulnerable lyrics on his debut EP No Better Time. [Vinyl version due March 22.]
Gost – Prophecy CD/LP (Prophecy/Metal Blade)
Gost exist in the dark crack between black metal and the most shadowy end of electronic music. Since the release of the Radio Macabre EP at the start of 2013, and the remorseless digital nightmare of their Skull debut album six months later, Texas-based multi-instrumentalist, producer and main-brain James Lollar has become an increasingly singular force in music. Far more aggressive and sinister than the synthwave he’s often grouped with, Gost is a harsh and unique digital nightmare that takes the listener right into the heart of the abyss.
Go West – Dancing On The Couch [Deluxe Edition] 3xCD+DVD/2xLP (Chrysalis)
First released in 1987, Dancing On The Couch was Go West’s follow-up to their platinum certified self-titled debut album. The album finds Peter Cox and Richard Drummie continuing to explore their signature pop-soul sound, and includes the singles “True Colours”, “I Want To Hear It From You”, “From Baltimore To Paris”, and “The King Is Dead” (with guest backing vocals from Kate Bush). This new deluxe edition includes the original album newly remastered by producer Gary Stevenson, a second CD of B-sides, rarities, and previously unreleased material, a third CD featuring the Hammersmith Odeon show recorded on the Runaway Train tour in 1987, plus a DVD featuring promo videos from the period and the Hammersmith concert (on DVD for the first time). [An expanded double-LP pressing on clear vinyl is also available.]
Ariana Grande – Eternal Sunshine CD/LP (Republic)
Eternal Sunshine is the seventh studio album by Ariana Grande. Includes the single “Yes, And?”. [A limited-edition ruby red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Luke Grimes – Luke Grimes CD (Mercury Nashville)
Luke Grimes is a natural-born creative: an actor, musician, singer, and songwriter. His eponymous debut album, produced by Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton), arrives on the heels of Grimes’ gritty, acclaimed 2023 EP, Pain Pills Or Pews, and features 13 tracks.
The Hanging Stars – On A Golden Shore CD/LP (UK Loose Music)
New album by the cosmic country rockers. Fashioned instinctively, On A Golden Shore is ultimately an album of sensation as much as thought, filled with fleeting moments of blissful excess, and stumbling, rushing flutters of sound; it’s evanescent psychedelia, divine choruses, and shards of strings combine into an infectious, compelling cosmic heartbreak boogie. [A limited-edition gold color vinyl pressing is available.]
Anja Huwe – Codes CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
After Xmal Deutschland’s success with four albums on cult labels such as 4AD, Huwe abandoned music to pursue her visual art career. But leaving her legacy in the past was not so easy. During the pandemic Huwe reconsidered her decades-long hiatus from music. With a push by her longtime friend Mona Mur – a singer, songwriter, and film music composer (as well as the frontwoman of the early ‘80s project Mona Mur & Die Mieter) – Huwe decided to join Mur in Berlin. Together with Manuela Rickers, guitarist, and collaborator in Xmal Deutschland, they tossed around music and poetic ideas that would eventually become the album Codes. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available.]
Isenordal – Requiem For Eirênê CD/2xLP (Prophecy)
Not fitting easily into the given stylistic drawers can often turn out to be both a blessing and a curse for a metal band. The six-piece from Seattle, WA in the United States is particularly hard to pin down. If push comes to shove, they could be described as a funeral doom act, although this hardly does their wide musical range justice. There are also notable influences of black metal, especially the harsh vocals but also the occasional vicious outbreaks of blizzard-riffs. Then again, the metal elements are diligently balanced by beautiful acoustic passages of American neofolk. [A limited-edition marble color vinyl pressing is available.]
Norah Jones – Visions CD/LP (Blue Note/Capitol)
Visions is a vibrant and joyous 12-song set that finds Jones singing about feeling free, wanting to dance, making it right, and acceptance of what life brings. It’s the yang to the yin that was Pick Me Up Off The Floor, Jones’ last album of new original songs which was released early in the pandemic lockdown of 2020 and foreshadowed many of the dark emotions of that period. Visions is a collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Leon Michels. Michels played saxophone in Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and has performed with Lee Fields & The Expressions, Dan Auerbach’s band The Arcs, Menahan Street Band, and his own project El Michels Affair. Michels and Jones first collaborated on the single “Can You Believe” and later worked together on Jones’ 2021 holiday album I Dream of Christmas. Visions also features contributions from trumpeter Dave Guy, bassist Jesse Murphy, and drummers Brian Blade and Homer Steinweiss. [An indie store exclusive orange color vinyl pressing is available.]
Judas Priest – Invincible Shield CD/2xLP (Sony Music)
Invincible Shield is the nineteenth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. Announced onstage at Power Trip Festival in California, the new record marks the band’s first release in six years, having recently celebrated 50 years in music and 50 million records sold. Judas Priest is Rob Halford, Ian Hill, Glenn Tipton, Scott Travis, and Richie Faulkner. [An indie store exclusive red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Kill The Lights – Death Melodies CD/LP (Fearless)
Kill The Lights harbor a connection that eclipses physical distance. The band boast an incredible pedigree with Moose co-founding Bullet For My Valentine whom Jay also played for, while James fronted Throw The Fight, with Jordan and Travis handling guitar duties for Still Remains and Threat Signal. Upon forming the band, they released their debut LP The Sinner amid the pandemic piling up millions of streams.
Kontact – Full Contact CD/LP (Dying Victim Productions)
“Kontact began broadcasting obscure and ancient signalz throughout the underground in the great dying of 2020AD, influenced by the mythic teachingz of Manilla Road, Accept, Master’s Hammer, and otherz. “Weird” and “wild” are merely human wordz to describe Kontact’s approach. The eight clusters of crushing & collapsing tonez and robot/reptilian vocalz flow with a finesse that seems second nature.”
The Taj Mahal Sextet – Swingin’ Live At The Church In Tulsa CD/2xLP (Lightning Rod)
With his latest release, Swingin’ Live At The Church In Tulsa, Taj adds to his legendary legacy with an extraordinary set recorded at the Tulsa studio best known as the home base of the late, great Leon Russell. The ten songs reach across multiple genres that he has explored in his incomparable career, and feature his long-time quartet-bassist Bill Rich, drummer Kester Smith, and guitarist/Hawaiian lap steel player Bobby Ingano-augmented by dobro player Rob Ickes and guitarist and vocalist Trey Hensley. [Two color vinyl pressings are available: indie store exclusive white/black/gold; and gold.]
Mandalaband – Legacy: The Story Of Mandalaband 1975-1978 4xCD (Chrysalis)
This deluxe four-CD set collects all of the band’s Chrysalis years recordings. Featuring Mandalaband (1975) and The Eye of Wendor: Prophecies (1978), remastered from the original tape transfers with a 2024 David Rohl remix of both albums (alongside the original mixes) plus nine rare bonus tracks. Presented in a clamshell box with a booklet featuring liner notes and previously unseen photographs. [Vinyl reissues of Mandalaband and The Eye of Wendor: Prophecies are also available this week.]
Loreena McKennitt – The Road Back Home CD/LP (Quinlan Road)
Exploring more traditional forms of Celtic music, Loreena McKennitt’s brilliant 2024 release The Road Back Home marks an inspired return to her roots. The album features 10 songs, including many pieces that date back to McKennitt’s earliest days on the folk circuit and which have remained unrecorded until now. Although recognized today as a cultural cross-pollinator and a ground-breaking leader of the contemporary Celtic Music scene, McKennitt’s journey began in the humble folk clubs and the nascent festival scenes of her childhood home in Western Canada.
Carmen McRae – Great Women Of Song: Carmen McRae CD/LP (Verve)
Verve Records releases the latest editions in its breakout Great Women Of Song series, which pays homage to the ground-breaking work and lasting impact of some of the greatest female vocalists of all time. Like her idol Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae could own a ballad and make it all her own. She could also swing every bit as hard as her other main influence, Ella Fitzgerald. Coming up during the bebop era and under the musical sway of Thelonious Monk, Carmen made a series of recordings for the Decca label that would cement her reputation and launch a career that close to 50 years. Whether in small groups or backed by a studio orchestra, Carmen McRae recorded definitive versions of songs that make up the backbones of jazz and the Great American Songbook.
Meatbodies – Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom CD/LP (In The Red)
Meatbodies’ latest undertaking and borderline lost album, Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom, is their most varied and realized work to date. It’s a melodic, hook-filled rock epic in which frontman and lead guitarist Chad Ubovich faces the trials of sobriety, redemption, reinvention while literally learning to walk and play again. Resurrection not only accompanies the record, but it’s production as well, Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom examines themes surrounding love and loss, escapism, defeatism, hedonism, psychedelics and much more.
Moor Mother – The Great Bailout CD/LP (ANTI-)
Moor Mother is an American musician, poet, and interdisciplinary artist known for her avant-garde and experimental work. The Great Bailout is an expansive meditation that acts as a non-linear word map about colonialism, slavery, and commerce in Great Britain. Featuring guest contributions from Lonnie Holley, Angel Bat Dawid & Sistas of the Nitty Gritty, Vijay Iyer, Mary Lattimore, and more, it’s Moor Mother’s most uncompromising vision to date. Moor Mother has gained recognition for her unique blend of spoken word, noise, and electronic music, addressing themes of race, gender, and socio-political issues. She hails from Philadelphia and has been an influential figure in the city’s vibrant arts and music scene.
Myrath – Karma CD/LP (earMUSIC)
With it’s incredibly personal, epic, and beautiful progressive metal with Middle Eastern influences, Myrath has surely established itself as one of the most fascinating bands in the current international metal scene. Formed in 2001 in Tunisia, they are the voices of the revolution and combine lyrics critical of society with lush melodies and heavy guitars. With Karma, Myrath solidifies their place at the top of the metal scene with a powerful and captivating blend of Eastern melodies and Western heavy metal. [A limited-edition translucent red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Pixies – Pixies At The BBC 2xCD/3xLP (4AD)
Between 1988 and 1991 – during the band’s 4AD years – Pixies recorded six sessions for the BBC, five for John Peel and one for Mark Goodier. Catching the raw energy of the band’s live performances, these sessions felt immediately noteworthy, timestamping a moment when Black Francis, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago, and David Lovering were motoring out front.
Chris Potter – Eagle’s Point CD/2xLP (Edition)
Featuring a modern-day supergroup of supergroups including Brad Mehldau, John Patitucci and Brian Blade, Eagle’s Point is an electrifying testament to modern jazz, uniting four unparalleled luminaries within the genre, performing eight original compositions written by Chris especially for the recording session. The planets finally aligned; despite never having the time to perform together, this supergroup seized the opportunity in late 2022 and assembled to record this landmark album.
Bolis Pupul – Letter To Yu CD/LP (Because Music)
Following acclaimed Topical Dancer album with Charlotte Adigéry, here comes Letter To Yu, Bolis Pupul’s debut solo album, produced by fellow Belgians, Soulwax. It’s no coincidence that Bolis Pupul’s music sounds the way it does. Born in Belgium to a Chinese mother and Belgian father and raised in Ghent, Bolis’ electronica is a joyous cross-cultural assemblage. The creation of the album is built around Bolis’ trip to Hong Kong earlier this year, made to reconnect with his mother’s roots.
The Rhythm Method – Peachy CD/LP (Moshi Moshi)
Duo The Rhythm Method, comprised of Joey Bradbury and Rowan Martin, admit the perception of the band has at times been “Marmite. Earnest to the point of cringe” – but the band’s 2019 debut left an indelible mark on the UK independent scene and their influence can be traced across London. Publications such as The Guardian, Dazed, Dork, i-D, Loud + Quiet all championed the band early on – comparing them to artists like Pet Shop Boys and Squeeze. The Rhythm Method return with a vastly different sound, and in their words a “cohesive masterpiece.” The new album, produced by Bill Ryder-Jones and featuring Aoife Power of Whenyoung, is the first time they have recorded music in a proper studio, and is influenced by a “desire to live up to one’s potential, making sure there’s no regrets on the deathbed.” [A limited-edition peach color vinyl pressing is available.]
The Rolling Stones – Live At The Wiltern 2xCD/2xCD+DVD/2xCD+Blu-ray/3xLP (Mercury Studios)
In November 2002, the Stones arrived in Los Angeles to perform at a packed Wiltern Theatre, treating fans to a set heavy on rarities which feel right at home in such an intimate setting. While some of the hits are performed, this night at the Wiltern is for the rarely played classics, including “Stray Cat Blues”, “No Expectations”, and a cover of “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” featuring a guest spot by the legendary Solomon Burke, who opened the show that night.
Sawyer Brown – Desperado Troubadours CD/LP (Curb)
Trailblazing country group Sawyer Brown shares its first new music in nearly two decades with the road-warrior anthem “Under This Ole Hat”.
Skeletal Remains – Fragments Of The Ageless CD/LP (Century Media)
American act Skeletal Remains prepare another death metal assault on Fragments Of The Ageless. The line-up of Chris Monroy (guitars/vocals), Mike de la O (guitars), Pierce Williams (drums), and Brian Rush (bass) embody the genre, going deeper, darker, and to the edges of brutality. “Fragments Of The Ageless is a pummeling slab of pure death metal,” says the band. “A tyrannical blast-laden barrage of no-frills riffs and compositions.” [Multiple color vinyl pressings are available, including an indie store exclusive version and an opaque spring green edition.
Slow Hollows – Bullhead CD/LP (Danger Collective)
“My grandma calls stubborn people bullheaded, and it always stuck with me: I really relate to that term,” says Slow Hollows’ Austin Feinstein. After all, the 26-year-old Los Angeles songwriter has spent the past decade following his arrow, doggedly reinventing and honing his music across a diverse collection of LPs. 2015’s Atelophobia and 2016’s Romantic both explored the fringes of indie rock, and put Feinstein on Frank Ocean’s radar, who tapped him to sing the chorus of Blonde’s “Self Control.” 2019’s Actors saw the Slow Hollows palette expanding further, incorporating elements of R&B and dance music, and production contributions from Tyler, the Creator (whose records Feinstein has appeared on since 2016). Despite the breakthrough moment, Feinstein and co decided the project had run its course and announced that Slow Hollows was no more. Five years later, and it couldn’t be more fitting that the news of Slow Hollows return would come with his aptly titled fourth album, Bullhead.
Sonata Arctica – Clear Cold Beyond CD (Atomic Fire)
Lightning-fast power metal from Finland. [A limited-edition marble gray/white/black color vinyl pressing is due March 29.]
The Stylistics – Love Is Back In Style [Reissue/1996] CD (Omnivore)
1996 release containing the final recordings from the three original, hit-making members of The Stylistics. Features original material from Preston Glass (Earth, Wind & Fire, Kenny G, Lenny Williams) and bonus track including a rap by Biggy Smallz. Updated artwork features new liner notes from producer and journalist Kevin L. Goins.
Turbulence – Binary Dream CD (Frontiers)
Turbulence’s musical journey began when Mood Yassin sent a sample of a song to Alain Ibrahim, leading to a collaboration that felt almost destined. The result has been a fusion of their prog-loving influences, creating a sound that is both technically proficient and emotionally resonant. The band’s goal has always been to bring their unique style of progressive music from the Middle East to a global audience.
Various Artists – The Color Purple (Music From And Inspired By) 2xCD/3xLP (Water Tower Music)
Immerse yourself in the harmonious blend of raw emotion and musical brilliance with The Color Purple (Music From And Inspired By) album. Boasting an ensemble cast like no other – Golden Globe nominee Fantasia’s soulful melodies, Taraji B. Henson’s emotive depth, Colman Domingo’s captivating energy, Golden Globe nominee Danielle Brooks’ powerful resonance, H.E.R’s contemporary artistry, and Hallie Bailey’s radiant vocals – and music from Grammy Award winning songwriters of The Color Purple musical – Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray – promises an auditory experience that’s both deeply nostalgic and refreshingly new. [A limited-edition purple color vinyl pressing is available.]
Virgin Prunes – A New Form Of Beauty 1-4 2xCD/3xLP (BMG)
2024 Deluxe Edition. The Virgin Prunes were masters of the uncanny, juxtaposing nightmares with lullabies, beauty with cruelty, combining gentle vocals and the spoken word with anguished wailing from purgatory itself. This first album powerfully laid out this terrain. Its themes ranged from mournful tales of unrequited love, frustrated sexuality, morbid eroticism and wasted youth, to yearnings for distant dreamlands which were juxtaposed with macabre visions of dystopian societies, overpowered by dark forces and where demons run amok.
Xmal Deutschland – Early Singles 1981-1982 CD/LP/Cassette (Sacred Bones)
“Gothics” – a time before the word goth had even taken shape – believed in the do-it-yourself punk ethos that anyone could pick up an instrument. Gray clouds were starting to form and in the unlikely city of Hamburg, a brazen and haunting gang of five women formed Xmal Deutschland. As any true punk would, Xmal Deutschland’s members Caro May, Rita Simon, Manuela Rickers, Fiona Sangster, and Anja Huwe (who’s new album Codes is also out this week on CD and vinyl), started the band despite any previous musical experience. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available.]
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Ahmed Abdul-Malik – East Meets West [Reissue/1960] LP (Honeypie)
Ahmed Abdul-Malik was best known to jazz listeners as a bassist with Thelonious Monk, Randy Weston, Coleman Hawkins, and many others. He made a few records as a leader, with this one being his most exotic. The Brooklyn native was of Sudanese descent; in addition to playing bass, he also plays oud, the forerunner to the lute. Originally released in 1960, East Meets West is rich and heady, a multi-layered set of tonal grooves that are wrapped tight beneath the melody lines.
Alcatrazz – The Very Best Of Alcatrazz 2xLP (Renaissance Music)
Red colorway. Alcatrazz is a heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo, and Gary Shea. They are best known for their songs “Island In The Sun”, “Hiroshima Mon Amour”, and “God Blessed Video”. They are also notable for featuring a previously unknown Yngwie Malmsteen as their lead guitarist for a year, who was then replaced by Steve Vai, with whom they recorded one album. The band went through several line-up changes, with Bonnet being the only member to be in every incarnation of Alcatrazz. Yngwie Malmsteen was the original guitarist of Alcatrazz from 1983 to 1984, and was subsequently replaced by Steve Vai, and then by Danny Johnson in the original incarnation of the band up until 1987. This is a collection of their best tracks from their first four albums.
Amiture – Mother Engine LP (Dots Per Inch Music)
Mother Engine began to take form in a dilapidated garage between a sanitation center and a set of train tracks. This would be their laboratory, workshop, and recording studio where they developed a process of working that included a newfound love for sample manipulation. They collaborated with other musicians including Matt Norman (Lily & Horn Horse) and Henry Birdsey, an experimentalist, to bring their production out of the digital landscape of Ableton. Between the tape machine, the amp, the turntable, and the computer, Amiture found magic. Each song is a part of a complex sonic matrix that reflected a vision and a sound neither one could have procured alone, always centered around Whitescarver’s classically trained voice and Goupil’s gritty, tripped-out-guitar sound, merged and then steeped in the traditions of American guitar music, industrial music, and folk melody.
Kelsea Ballerini – Rolling Up The Welcome Mat LP (Black River Ent.)
Dual amber/opaque grey w/ black smoke marbled colorway. Limited colored vinyl LP pressing housed in gatefold jacket. Includes poster. Rolling Up the Welcome Mat is the second EP by country pop singer Kelsea Ballerini, originally released in 2023.
The Bandulus – Tell It Like It Is LP (Badasonic)
The fourth album from the reggae soul sensation, The Bandulus, was recorded at Badasonic Studios in Belgium. Tell It Like It Is features 12 scorching tracks that will take you on a sonic journey through the heat of the Texas summer to the cool breeze on a Jamaican beachfront. In classic ‘dulus fashion, the songs will remind you of Motown with sweet harmonies and raw lyrics straight from the heart.
Breezers – Hideaway LP (Blackbird)
Breezers is the musical identity and songwriting vehicle of the Los Angeles-based, multidisciplinary artist and songwriter Evan apRoberts. His songs are influenced by the vastness and romanticism of life in the West and much like the walls of apRoberts’s music and art studio in northeast L.A., they are brimming with desolate views into a world of gritty and sublime landscapes.
Chief Adjuah – Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning LP (Ropeadope)
Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah [formerly Christian Scott] is a two-time Edison Award-winning, six-time Grammy Award-nominated, Doris Duke Award in the Arts Award-winner. He is a sonic architect, trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and designer of innovative technologies and musical instruments. Chieftain and OBA of the Xodokan Nation, Chief Adjuah is the grandson of Louisiana luminary and legend, the late Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr.
CG Cruz – First Draft LP (Cruz Company)
Opaque ruby colorway. CG Cruz is a member of the band Cruz & Company composed of John Feess on lead guitar, Caleb Hessert on drums and Josh Hessert on bass. Located outside of Dallas, the acoustic group and full band play shows all around Texas and surrounding states.
Their debut studio album, First Draft is a welcome celebration of new music into the alt country scene. Employing an eclectic blend of Texas country, rock, blues, funk and Americana music, First Draft is a colorful cross section of all sounds that interest the band and their love of a large variety of sound.
Alice Cooper – Theatre Of Death – Live At Hammersmith 2009 2xLP+DVD (earMUSIC)
Red color vinyl pressing. Includes DVD. This captivating live album perfectly captures the essence of Cooper’s legendary performance at Hammersmith Apollo, London. Immerse yourself in the theatrical spectacle as the iconic shock rocker delivers a spine-tingling show.
Cyberaktif – Tenebrae Vision [Reissue/1991] 2xLP (Artoffact)
Double red color vinyl pressing of the debut Cyberaktif record. Includes all of the band’s Wax Trax recordings, including remixes, B-sides, and rarities.
Dana & Alden – Qquiet Music For Young People LP (Winspear)
Brothers Dana and Alden McWayne, along with a troupe of multi-instrumental artists, come together to create jazzy melodies with indie sounds inspired by their unconventional upbringing in Eugene, Oregon. Dana (saxophone) is an organic farm inspector while Alden (drums) is a recent grad of Berklee College of Music. Their debut full-length album, Quiet Music For Young People, is a lush album that melds vintage sounds with the aesthetic and experience of existing in Gen Z and the digital age.
Deerhoof – Reveille [Reissue/2002] LP (Joyful Noise)
2002’s Reveille is a defiant expression of artistic rebirth, spilling over with madcap exuberance, apocalyptic imagery, newfound technical confidence belying their no-budget DIY recording methods, and jarring stylistic about-faces in which no two songs sound alike. The contrast of Satomi’s ever-catchy, ever-charming melodiousness with John and Greg’s noisy, cinematic bombast still has the power to thrill and tickle and upset, more than 20 years after its initial release. Includes reimagined cover art with the faint morning glow the band had always envisioned, pressed on clear sun-color vinyl.
Destruct x DJ Zole – Sharpshooters LP (Mind The Wax)
Sharpshooters is the long-awaited collaborative album from Destruct & DJ Zole. The two Southern California natives have been true contributors to the Los Angeles hip-hop scene for over a decade now. Sharpshooters showcase a vast arrangement of styles blended into one solid LP with a hint of nostalgia hence the title of the project.
Russell Dickerson – The Afterparty Deluxe 2xLP (Triple Tigers)
Multiplatinum Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Russell Dickerson has established himself a prolific songwriter and powerhouse showman through good old-fashioned performances and eloquent songcraft spiked with spirit. “This deluxe album is a more complete picture of this record and of me as an artist. Getting to dive deeper into who I am and showcase live recordings in a way I haven’t done before. It’s almost as if the self-titled album wasn’t finished yet and the deluxe completes this record and this moment in my life.”
Discovery Zone – Quantum Web LP (RVNG Int’l)
Quantum Web is the new album from Discovery Zone, the experimental pop project of musician and multimedia artist JJ Weihl. Dipping into a pool of musically stylistic depth and flipping themes of omnipresence in advertising and corporate culture sterility into aesthetic guideposts for her omnivorous compositions, Quantum Web represents the next evolutionary phase of Discovery Zone while arranging the past, present, and future across the infinite, invisible web that interconnects us all.
The Doobie Brothers – Toulouse Street [Reissue/1972] LP (Friday Music)
1972 was truly a banner year for the classic rock legends The Doobie Brothers. After releasing their debut The Doobie Brothers LP a year earlier, Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston and John Hartman changed their direction in sound with newest members Michael Hossack on drums, and a heavy new bass presence with Tiran Porter, whereby achieving one of their biggest albums of the year with Toulouse Street.
Eartheater – Powders LP (Mad Decent)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Shapeshifting between electronic experimentation and acoustic texture, the Queens-based artist has long delved into themes of erosion and lithification, along with the infinite possibilities of metamorphosis. On her new album Powders, alchemical forces connect ideas from every stage of her career just as they dissolve her practice into atomized particles ripe for reconstitution. The results find Eartheater at a fertile crossroads, honing her pop songwriting and lyrics to their most vivid state to date-all without losing the thread of experimentation that has always enlivened her work. [Cassette version due March 22.]
Dave Edmunds – Live At The Capitol Theater, May 15, 1992 LP (Renaissance)
Dave Edmunds is a Welsh singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Although he is mainly associated with pub rock and new wave, having many hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s-style rock and roll and rockabilly.
Forgive Duren – Wonderland [Reissue/2006] LP (Near Mint)
Color vinyl reissue. Forgive Durden was an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington, United States. They signed to Fueled by Ramen in 2006 and released their first full-length album, Wonderland, on May 9, 2006. Shortly after, they followed up their second album as a concept album featuring members Say Anything, Panic! At The Disco, Portugal. The Man, Saves The Day and many more. They have not released any music since.
Bobbie Gentry – Greatest Hits [Reissue/1990] LP (Curb)
First-time vinyl pressing. A real one-of-a-kind, Bobbie Gentry did her own stunts in the music industry. One of the first popular female artists to compose and produce her own work, Gentry also arranged her own shows, did her own wardrobe, and controlled just about every other piece of her career too. Not only that-she was incredibly talented. She made waves in country, pop and soul equally before retiring, and this Greatest Hits album is a testament: unshakeable, powerful and sure of herself in every track.
Grey Skies Fallen – Molded By Broken Hands LP (Profound Lore)
The new album from American doomed dark metal veterans Grey Skies Fallen, Molded By Broken Hands, coincides with the 25th anniversary of the band’s debut album The Fate Of Angels. Molded By Broken Hands sees the long-running contingent deliver their most triumphant work yet, an album that carries that feeling of underappreciated and underrated dark metal that was culminating in the US during the late ’90s. This was the era where Grey Skies Fallen originated and grew, while also paving the way for a resurgence of doomy-dark metal artistry. [Multiple limited-edition colorways are available, including black marble and black/white/silver w/ white splatter. CD version due March 22.]
Hakushi Hasegawa – Somoku Hodo [Reissue/2018] LP+MP3 (Brainfeeder)
Hakushi Hasegawa – Air Ni Ni [Reissue/2019] LP+MP3 (Brainfeeder)
Hakushi Hasegawa is a musician/singer-songwriter based in Tokyo, Japan, and the first Japanese artist signed to the Brainfeeder label. Brainfeeder announced the signing back in July 2023 and shared a single – “Mouth Flash (Kuchinohanabi)” – featuring bass by the super-talented Sam Wilkes (Leaving Records). Consistent with Brainfeeder’s ethos of seeking out artists operating outside the confines of genre since the label started in 2008, Hakushi’s music is tricky to categorize as it straddles a few genres: alternative, electronic, jazz, pop/J-pop. Sometimes it’s pretty, at times it’s very intense and fast-paced. Releasing since 2018, they’ve already made a name for themselves domestically in Japan with a string of wonderfully wild releases and started to build a cult following internationally.
Heldon – Electronique Guerilla (Heldon I) [Reissue/1973] LP (Bureau B)
In 1973, 22-year-old Richard Pinhas was well on his way to becoming a full-time philosopher. He had almost finished his Ph.D and begun teaching at the University of Paris. But he also had a hobby: writing music and recording it himself. When he submitted a few tracks to British label E.G. (home of King Crimson and Roxy Music), the imprint was interested, but Pinhas was frustrated to find out he’d have to wait a year for them to release anything. So, Pinhas put out his first album on his own label, Disjuncta. He called the project Heldon (from a location in Norman Spinrad’s 1972 sci-fi novel The Iron Dream). It might have been the first self-released rock record in France.
Robert Johnson – The Roots Of Robert Johnson: Back To The Cross-Roads LP (Shanachie)
This collection assembles the range of sources that Robert Johnson heard and learned from including songs from his mentor Son House and from other Delta performers and from sources that show aspects of the musical world in which he lived. His tastes ranged far and wide and he had a gift for absorbing sounds of all kinds, including from tin pan alley to hillbilly songs. He was a brilliant creative musician who managed a stunningly effective fusion of his Delta roots and the smoother approach of the then prominent contemporary blues artists. As with any genius in any field he was able to produce great work only because he was standing on the shoulders of previous great artists. This collection introduces a number of them and gives a sense of how Johnson adapted and combined their styles.
Joywave – Brain Damage 10” (Hollywood)
Limited-edition die-cut picture disc in the shape of a brain. Features the tracks “Brain Damage” and “Sleepytime Fantasy”.
Jpegmafia – Ghost Pop Tape 2xLP (Godmode)
Ghost Pop Tape is a 23-song mixtape from the Baltimore-based renowned artist Jpegmafia. Originally released on Bandcamp under Jpeg’s birth name, Devon Hendryx, in 2013, the rapper finally brought it to streaming under the same moniker in 2023. The tape is a slightly more lofi hip-hop, alt-R&B record that we are used to seeing from Jpegmafia and showcases his strengths as a multi-versed rapper and producer. [Multiple colorways are available.]
cEvin Key – Music For Cats [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Artoffact)
Limited splatter color vinyl pressing housed in gatefold jacket. Recorded in the mid- ‘90s, cEvin Key’s (Skinny Puppy) first solo effort (originally named Subconscious Electronic Orchestra Under The Direction Of cEvin Key) is a collaborative album like no other, sporting guest appearances from Dwayne Goettel, Genesis P. Orridge, Philth, Mark Spybey and others.
Wiz Khalifa – Cabin Fever Trilogy 3xLP (Rostrum)
Boxset features red foil text treatment containing the first ever official physical releases of Wiz Khalifa’s Cabin Fever 1-3 mixtapes on red vinyl.
Lamplight – Lamplight LP (Western Vinyl)
In the sway of a rural breeze, Hatcher-Williams’ vocals soothe and enchant the listener on his self-titled debut, which recounts his odyssey from a child raised in a Virginia cult, to a burned-out tech worker in New York, and then back to Virginia, happily married to his childhood friend. Throughout the album, he explores identity as it relates to where a person is from and evolves with where they live, and how that facet of self is further compounded by the amount of agency one has over where they call home. To some extent, Lamplight is about learning when to take the reins, and when to let go-discovering what parts of yourself should be pruned, so new branches can grow.
Les Rallizes Dénudés – BAUS ’93 LP (Temporal Drift)
Red colorway. BAUS ’93 contains the storied comeback performance from Baus Theater in Kichijoji, Tokyo, which took place on February 13, 1993, in what was their first live appearance in five years. BAUS ’93 follows the widely acclaimed worldwide release of CITTA’ ’93, which captured the Rallizes’ fiery gig that took place four days later at Club Citta’ in Kawasaki. Newly mixed and mastered by Makoto Kubota, BAUS ’93 features the previously unheard live recording meticulously restored using the original 8-channel digital multitrack masters, as well as additional sources including cassettes recorded off the mixing board and from the audience.
Mandalaband –Mandalaband [Reissue/1975] 2xLP (Chrysalis)
Mandalaband – The Eye of Wendor: Prophecies [Reissue/1978] 2xLP (Chrysalis)
Mandalaband began life in the early 1970’s, gaining cult status as one of the most forward-thinking prog outfits of the time. The brainchild of David Rohl, who formed a lineup featuring future Sad Café members Vic Emerson (keyboards), Ashley Mulford (guitars), John Stimpson (bass guitar and backing vocals), Tony Cresswell (drums) and vocalist Dave Durant.
MØAA – Jaywalker LP (WWNBB)
Coming off the back of her gothic shoegaze debut album Euphoric Recall released in 2021, MØAA unleashes her new album Jaywalker; a nocturnal dream pop record featuring pulsing 909 drum machines submerged under catchy hushed vocals and glistening, reverb laden guitars. Fuzzed out bass lines from the first album have been swapped out with fat chorus and throbbing synths built for melancholic dancing.
The Monkees – Headquarters [Reissue/1967] LP (Friday Music)
New red colorway. In 1967 after two number one albums, a plethora of hit singles and a smash television show, The Monkees were on top and knew they each had true musical talents not championed by their label executives. Michael Nesmith spearheaded a change in direction before sessions began on their legendary Headquarters album. This action resulted in the much-covered dissolution with music mogul Don Kirshner, and Chip Douglas (The Turtles) was now recruited by Nesmith to work with the band. In rapid succession, things began to fall into place in February 1967. With initial tracks like country rocker “Sunny Girlfriend” and the acid rock imagery of “Mr. Webster”, the band set the stage for what would become one of the most loved works in their catalog and one of the finest rock albums of a generation.
Roy Montgomery – Temple IV [Reissue/1996] LP (Kranky)
This is the first vinyl issue of Temple IV, arguably Roy Montgomery’s finest solo album, originally released in 1996 on CD. The original album has been enhanced with two newer tracks that constitute side four of the album.
Charles Moothart – Black Holes Don’t Choke LP (In The Red)
Charles Moothart, who has played and still plays in various Ty Segall bands (Freedom Band, Fuzz) and made records as CFM, releases his first album under his own name.
Muslimgauze – Kashmiri Queens LP (Staalplaat)
Kashmiri Queens presents a more accessible side of Muslimgauze, featuring a faster tempo and fewer sonic overtones than his previous endeavors. The music’s core is rooted in drone and raga samples complemented by a rich array of ethnic percussions. This 12″ stands out for its authenticity, allowing the sounds of tablas, sitars, and various ethnic wind instruments to flourish openly without being interrupted.
Naum Gabo – F. Lux LP (DFA)
You must surrender. Because if you’ve followed Naum Gabo over the past 15 years – across various 12”s, styles, and notable labels – and you’re listening to F. Lux, their first proper album, then you’re probably wondering how you wound up here, all the way down, barely able to see through the brain-clogging atmosphere and towering low-end. F. Lux is a deep, enthralling listen, alternating between moments of pounding, world-ending techno (“Schinokapsala” and “This 1 ̈o∆”) and sharply imagined, surrealist scenes painted with metallic machines (“Aora” and “Haerstag”). There is light to be found in the darkness, but the only way out is through.
New Riders Of The Purple Sage – Live At The Capitol Theater October 31, 1975 LP (Renaissance)
Essentially, NRPS were initially formed as a vehicle for the Grateful Dead to indulge their tastes for country music beyond the albums Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty. Although they never remotely approached the success or longevity of the Dead, they attracted a considerable audience through their association with the band. However, they quickly developed an identity of their own and, after signing with Columbia in 1970, had recorded six studio albums by the time of their appearance at the Capitol Theater. Here, they casually drop in numbers from their latest work, Oh, What A Mighty Time, but heavily intersperse it with highlights from Brujo, Panama Red and Gypsy Cowboy, even reaching back to their 1971 debut.
Newselph – If It Ain’t Broke, Remix It LP (Illect Recordings)
From the cold corners of the Canadian soil, Illect’s Newselph returns with some fiery furnace baked heat in the form of a remix album. On If It Ain’t Broke, Remix It, Newselph carries on tradition in the spirit of hip-hop legends like Pete Rock, Erick Sermon and Buckwild in the sacred art of remixing and refixing. Like the boom baptists before him, Newselph’s ear hears transmissions reserved for angels and dolphins. He takes tracks that in their original incarnations are perfectly fine, banging even, and gets all up in the inner workings of said slaps to create something entirely different.
Nothing – Guilty Of Everything [Reissue/2014] LP (Relapse)
Nu-gaze band Nothing present a 10th year anniversary edition of their landmark debut album, Guilty Of Everything. Recorded and produced by Jeff Zeigler (Kurt Vile, War On Drugs, etc), Guilty Of Everything is a triumph of a debut that successfully manages to be massively loud, darkly introspective and totally beautiful all at once. [Multiple colorways are available, including indie store excusive black ice and limited-edition silver.]
Plain White T’s – Plain White T’s LP (Fearless)
White colorway. Plain White T’s return with their self-titled album that includes a mix of gorgeous acoustic love songs and the pop-rock majestic sing-a-longs they are known for. With notable press in 2023 from CNN, People, Entertainment Tonight, Newsweek and more, Plain White T’s have proven to be a continued musical force as well as a career band that shows no signs of slowing down.
Harry Poe – Lost And Losing It 2xLP (Say-10)
Lost And Losing It was written while the singer worked at a chain coffee store that was hit by a tornado. It is an album about loss, love, and barely getting by. There aren’t a lot of albums that can pull off this level of sadness while simultaneously being catchy and seemingly upbeat. According to some random Redditor, this is their favorite folk punk album. Who are we to question them?
Random Axe – Random Axe [Reissue/2011] LP (Duck Down Music)
Detroit underground hip-hop heroes Black Milk and Guilty Simpson joined forces with Brownsville’s finest Sean Price on this 2011 supergroup effort, with hard beats, harder rhymes, and A-list guest appearances including Danny Brown, Roc Marciano, and more.
Shed Seven – Best Of Live LP (Secret)
Limited yellow color vinyl pressing. Archive live released from the Britpop band recorded in Glasgow, Scotland on December 3rd, 2002. Includes “Going For Gold”, “Disco Down”, “She Left Me On Friday”, “On Standby”, and “Getting Better”.
Spineshank – Self-Destructive Pattern [Reissue/2003] LP (Real Gone Music)
Beige colorway. The title to Spineshank’s third (2003) album sadly proved to be prophetic, as the band broke up shortly after its release, even though it was their most commercially successful record. The band garnered a Grammy nomination for the single “Smothered”. But Spineshank’s continued evolution away from death and nu-metal stylings towards a more radio-friendly hard rock sound hinted at creative tensions behind the curtain.
ThaGodFahim & Oh No – Berserko LP (Nature Sounds)
ThaGodFahim has earned his spot at the forefront of hip-hop’s modern underground movement, crafting immersive musical experiences rooted in raw instrumentation and elevated by razor-sharp lyricism. A frequent collaborator of enigmatic rap god Mach-Hommy, Fahim has steadily bolstered his mystique with a wealth of acclaimed releases, embodying the themes of self-empowerment and continual expansion contained in his verses. Two decades after the release of his classic debut The Disrupt, renowned California artist Oh No has become an undeniable creative force, balancing rap success with production work for Mos Def, Action Bronson, Prodigy, Dilated Peoples, Aesop Rock, Rapsody, Elzhi, and many more. Tha God Fahim recently recruited Oh No to produce the new album Berserko, and now this stellar collaboration is receiving a vinyl release for the first time.
The Tyde – Season 5 LP (Spiritual Pajamas)
For Season 5, the long-awaited fifth full-length by beach-pop project The Tyde, frontman Darren Rademaker unveils his vision of an ’80s-inspired Suave Nouveau, with a clutch of sweet, melancholic love songs evoking lush mustaches, mellow macho, the ghost of Jimmy Buffett, white sand beaches, flamingos swooping across a cerulean sky, speedboats cutting through the bay and pastel linen suits billowing in the breeze as the sun dips beneath the horizon.
UFO – Lights Out [Reissue/1977] 3xLP (Chrysalis)
Lights Out was released in May 1977 and became the group’s biggest album to date, reaching No. 23 in the US. Michael Schenker’s status as the most exciting guitarist in heavy rock was confirmed, the band were rejuvenated with personnel change as Paul Raymond replaced Danny Peyronel and Leo Lyons, who had produced the band’s previous three albums was replaced by Ron Nevison, whose work with Led Zeppelin had impressed and signaled the first in a stellar run of collaborations.
Various Artists – The Music Never Stopped: The Roots Of The Grateful Dead LP (Shanachie)
In their long career The Grateful Dead have been inspired by a stunning variety of American musical artists and traditions from blues to country to rock to folk – some of the most exciting and moving music ever recorded. Here are the original versions of The Dead’s best loved cover tunes that surprise and delight with their musical depth, originality, and feeling. This collection has been lovingly compiled by a group of Dead insiders including Henry Kaiser, David Gans, and others with the enthusiastic support of The Dead itself. There are extensive notes included that give an overview detailing how the band came to cover each of these tunes and when they first played them in concert.
Various Artists – They Move In The Night LP (Numero)
Discovered after spending 58 years on a dusty shelf in the Louis Wayne Moody Pictures vault, this previously unissued soundtrack contains a backpack’s worth of grieving guitars, somber surf, and haunting hiss, zipped tight with the teeth of abandonment, dashed dreams, moral ambiguity, fate, tearful goodbyes, and lukewarm diner coffee. Because the long arm of society nips at their heels… They Move In The Night. [A limited-edition opaque dark purple colorway is available.]
Various Artists – You’re Not From Around Here LP (Numero)
The previously unissued soundtrack to the 1964 noir, You’re Not From Around Here, discovered after 55 years in the Louis Wayne Moody archive. A hobo’s bindle full of twangy tremolo, reverb-drenched revenge, and existential echo. Songs of alienation, paranoia, dark alleys, betrayal, prison, prostitution, trains, gun play, feminine betrayal, and the dusty, lonely road of self-discovery. A black and white affair trapped under the weight of a post-war technicolor allure, You’re Not From Around Here lives in a universe of moral ambiguity. [A transparent w/ red splatter colorway is available.]
Viagra Boys – Welfare Jazz [Reissue/2021] 2xLP (Year0001 AB)
Viagra Boys The band’s album, Welfare Jazz, doesn’t bargain with the anxiety in that defeated feeling, but rather a boiling certainty that nothing and no one is absolute. There’s plenty of blame to go around, and things are just a lot more interesting when you admit that you’re not always going to be nice, you’re not always going to pick the right words in a fistfight. So why not keep moving forward, swaying, and strutting into the night.
Jordan Ward – Forward LP (Interscope)
Translucent pink colorway. R/B standout Jordan Ward comes fully into his own with the release of his debut album, Forward, and delivers on the promise that has made him one of the most anticipated breakthrough acts of 2023. The 14-track album features fan favorites including “White Crocs”, “Mustard (feat. 6LACK),” and more. Jordan crisscrosses an array of sounds and moods, but whether he’s tackling an infectious, radio-ready bop or a tender love song, Jordan Ward stamps his unique style of R&B on each track.
Cory Weeds and Champian Fulton – Cory Weeds Mets Champian Fulton: Every Now And Then // Live At OCL Studios LP (Cellar Live)
In February of 2023 close friends, Cory Weeds and Champian Fulton travelled to OCL Studios just outside Calgary to record a new live, duo album in front of a rapt audience. Their special bond was evident as pianist and vocalist Fulton delivered sophisticated, swinging turns across a set of beautiful tunes, in conversation with Weeds at his expressive best.
Wet Fruit – Dandelions At The Gate LP (Youth Riot)
“The weird and wonderful Wet Fruit of Portland, Oregon, return with a full-length of mathy psychedelia that always feels intricate rather than fussy, like a lucid dream of indie rock, the band always ready to push their songs into more abstracted territory while keeping everything to a snappy three minutes or less. Dandelions At The Gate is a record that deserves repeated listening, not because it is difficult to understand or objectively weird but because it really is so interesting, and there is much enjoyment to be had growing familiar with the many eccentric blips and bloops the band employs to adorn the spaces between their spiraling guitars and looping vocals.” – Bandcamp Essential Releases Sept. ’23
Lainey Wilson – Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ [Reissue/2021] LP (Broken Bow)
Pearl white colorway. The honesty driven Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ is her first album as a signed artist and a statement of who Lainey Wilson is, what she believes in and the power of authenticity. In addition to being a lifelong custom for the Louisiana native, the album title serves as a wink to the candor that was infused in her songwriting process, as Wilson’s playful, clever, sassy, soulful, strong, and unbridled nature is on full display throughout the project.
Cassettes:
Xmal Deutschland – Early Singles 1981-1982 (Sacred Bones)
“Gothics” – a time before the word goth had even taken shape – believed in the do-it-yourself punk ethos that anyone could pick up an instrument. Gray clouds were starting to form and in the unlikely city of Hamburg, a brazen and haunting gang of five women formed Xmal Deutschland. As any true punk would, Xmal Deutschland’s members Caro May, Rita Simon, Manuela Rickers, Fiona Sangster, and Anja Huwe (who’s new album Codes is also out this week on CD and vinyl), started the band despite any previous musical experience.
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