CDs + Vinyl:

Anaal Nathrakh – Whole Of The Law CD (Metal Blade)
“The Whole Of The Law is exactly what you would expect from an Anaal Nathrakh album which is short sharp blasts of industrial/black metal drenched extremity. What stops this lesson in hate becoming nothing more than a wall of unbridled noise is the occasional moments where the band dip their toes into areas that are a little groovier and, while it is a welcome release, these moments are fleeting respites in what is, for the most part, a psychotic display of mechanical rage.” – Pure Grain Audio

Answer – Solas CD/LP (Napalm)
Contemporary hard rock with Gaelic influences — epic arrangements, airy folk melodies.

Ólafur Arnalds – Island Songs CD+DVD (Mercury Classics)
The BAFTA-winning instrumentalist and producer brings you a unique and evolving audio-visual portrait of his home country of Iceland. “This project is on a scale that has never been attempted in the classical music world before.” [Vinyl edition due December 2.]

Joan Baez – Live In ’75 CD (Air Cuts)
Joan Baez, live from the S.N.A.C.K. Benefit at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, on March 23rd, 1975 on a bill including Bob Dylan, Neil Young and The Band. Presented here is her entire set, originally broadcasted on K101-FM.

Kurt Baker Combo – In Orbit CD/LP (Wicked Cool)
A master of hooks and melody, Kurt Baker’s music embodies a feel-good spirit wrapped in a punk rock sheen inspired by music of decades past.

Lou Barlow – Apocalypse Fetish CDEP (Joyful Noise)
The Dinosaur Jr. bassist and all-around alt rock icon releases an all-ukulele EP. [Vinyl edition due November 11.]

Brandt Brauer Frick – Joy CD/LP (Because Music)
With much more grit and growl than before, BBF draw upon genres and styles that are not conventionally associated with joy: krautrock, punk, drum ‘n’ bass, indie rock, new wave, and pretty much every other “-wave” from the ’80s.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Third World Pyramid CD/LP (A. Records)
BJM’s 15th album includes guest appearances include Emil Nikolaisen from the Norwegian band Serena-Maneesh, plus vocal performances by Tess Parks and Katy Lane. “‘Good Mourning,’ the opening track is a melancholic song, as the rest eight tracks are loaded with psychedelic garage elements which is endemic of BJM’s sound.” – Last Day Deaf

Brownout – Presents Brown Sabbath Vol. II CD (Ubiquity)
Austin’s Brownout unleashed the Brown Sabbath Vol. I project garnering acclaim from outlets such as NPR (50 Best Albums of 2014), Pitchfork, hardcore Black Sabbath fans and most important of all Ozzy Osbourne himself, while staying true to their Latin funk roots. Brown Sabbath Vol. II cranks up the level, rocking harder than the original with a brew of ballistic horns, pummeling guitar-riffs underscored by a funky, driving rhythm section. Ghostland Observatory’s Aaron Behrens makes a guest appearance sharing vocal duties with Brown Sabbath lead vocalist Alex Marrero. Hitting harder than its predecessor and keeping closely in line with the original Sabbath material, Brown Sabbath Vol. II crosses over more to hard rock territory.

[Read more…] about New Releases for October 28, 2016

CDs + Vinyl:

Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell – Keep It Greasy! CD (Rise Above)

Here’s a band proud to be the soundtrack to your weed smokin’, beer swiggin’ escapes from 2016’s dystopian shitstorm reality; one feverishly decorated with unrelenting commercialism, villainous politicians and godforsaken autotune. There may be thousands of musicians who can play their instruments better, write more intelligent and thought provoking music, but when you listen to rugged and guttural ‘tune in, drop out’ vibes of Keep It Greasy, none of that seems to matter. From the jolting opening sex-pest boogie of “U Got Wot I Need” to the sandpaper smooth, Zeppelin stomp of “Tired N’ Wired” – its lyrics straight from Lemmy’s freight train of thought – The Shovell make the last three decades crumble away. Longer tracks like “Hairy Brain Part 2,” “Paid In Full” and album closer “Wrong” are peppered with many of rock’s cornerstones – twisting harmonies, driving shuffle rhythms and whirling feedback. Keep It Greasy! doesn’t parade itself as anything immaculate or groundbreaking – and we all know how tiresome such hyperbole infested press releases can be – but it is hellish fun. Stick it on at a neighbor-unfriendly volume and enjoy it for the sordid, f*cked up time warp that it is and see for yourself. [Vinyl edition due October 28.]

After 7 – Timeless CD (E1)

New release from the platinum R&B trio — their first in over 20 years.

Terry Allen – Lubbock (On Everything) [Reissue/1978] 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Paradise Of Bachelors)

Legendary Texan artist Terry Allen occupies a unique position straddling the frontiers of country music and visual art; he has worked with everyone from Guy Clark to David Byrne to Lucinda Williams, and his artwork resides in museums worldwide. Widely acclaimed as a masterpiece, his deeply moving (and hilarious) satirical second album, a complex memory palace to his West Texas hometown Lubbock, is often cited as the urtext of alt-country. Produced in collaboration with the artist and meticulously remastered from the original analog tapes, this is the definitive edition.

The Anchoress – Confessions Of A Romance Novelist CD/LP (Kscope)

“Catherine Ann Davies is definitely not the shy, retiring sort. The Anchoress is the latest iteration of her persona following releases under the name Catherine A.D. and collaborating on more projects than you can waft a wand at. Confessions Of A Romance Novelist is bursting at the corset, dressing female identity in a rich and varied wardrobe. Lovingly co-produced with Paul (Mansun) Draper, Davies is on startling form throughout, layering spellbinding vocal harmonies and turning her hand to a long list of instruments with names few will even recognize. Pop, rock, some spoken word and a splash of funk for “Chip On Your Shoulder” give a sense of the musical flavours which marry with the insightful, intelligent songwriting on this hugely entertaining album.” – The Line Of Best Fit

Anciients – Voice Of The Void CD/LP/Cassette (Season Of Mist)

“Voice Of The Void is the second album from Canada’s Anciients, a band whose sound has gelled into something even more fluid and dynamic than their impressive debut. With nods to established veterans and boundary-pushers like Opeth and Mastodon, they’ve crafted nine sprawling songs that conjure a range of moods across an ambitious but rewarding 67 minutes. Album opener ‘Following The Voice’ is an adrenaline rush with rollicking drums that have a flair for the anthemic, especially under the more melodic riffage, echoing the group’s sentiments right from the beginning. Focusing ‘a bit more on the metal aspects of [their] sound this time around,’ the evidence is found on parts like the mid-section of ‘Worshipper,’ complete with Mikael Akerfeldt-esque growls amidst the beautifully clean song counterparts. ‘In terms of theme/lyrics, this record is far more cynical and less hopeful than the debut’ said guitarist Chris Dyck. ‘It metaphorically addresses some life choices/paths, etc. and what we see happening in the world — it’s a darker and more pissed off album.’”

Aziza – Aziza CD/LP (Dare2)

Aziza is a modern jazz quartet comprised of bassist Dave Holland, saxophonist Chris Potter, guitarist Lionel Loueke, and drummer Eric Harland.

[Read more…] about New Releases for October 14, 2016