CDs: 

Aanipaa – Through A Pre-Memory CD/2xLP (Editions Mego)

New collaborative project from Mika Vainio (Pan Sonic) and Stephen O’Malley (Sunn0)))). The signature motifs of both players are to be found here: the sparse, crushing rhythms of Vainio’s minimalist techno alongside the black-hole drones of O’Malley’s guitar workouts.

Away – Cities CD (Utech Recordings)

Away is the solo project of Voivod drummer Michel Langevin. Recorded in and around Montreal and on the road with Voivod, Cities is an experience in travel via sound, capturing both the geography and the music of the locations visited. Local color and nature recordings clash with riots and discord, capturing the full human experience across the world. This tour is a fast paced one, rapidly weaving through the geographic locations building a diverse, yet consistently engaging experience.

Billy Joe Armstrong & Norah Jones – Foreverly CD (Reprise)

The result of a collaboration between Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Norah Jones, Foreverly is a collection inspired by Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, an album of traditional Americana songs reinterpreted, recorded and released by The Everly Brothers in 1958. The album captures the beauty of the Everly’s stunning close harmonies to create a moving and powerful testament to these traditional ballads.

Beachwood Sparks – Desert Skies CD/LP (Alive)

Previously unreleased debut album the by L.A.-based cosmic country-rock combo.

Danielle Bradberry – Danielle Bradberry CD (Republic)

This seventeen-year-old charmed her way into the national spotlight with a mix of country hits from several decades during Season 4 of The Voice.

Andre Bratten – Be A Man You Ant CD (Full Pupp)

‘80s synth pop sounds combined with the essence of analog dance music.

Brian Jonestown Massacre – Revolution Number Zero CDEP (A. Records)

This EP contains one track from the seminal Aufheben, the other three tracks are exclusive and unreleased to this release.

Harold Budd – Wind In Lonely Faces 2xCD (All Saints)

First ever career-spanning collection of this massively important figure in the history of ambient music and minimalism. Features tracks from classic albums such as Plateaux Of Mirror, The Pearl and Lovely Thunder and collaborations with Brian Eno, The Cocteau Twins and John Foxx.

Harold Budd – BuddBox 7xCD (All Saints)

Anthology box set containing seven hard-to-find and critically acclaimed albums, released on labels such as Cantil, Opal and All Saints. The Serpent (In Quicksilver) (1981), Abandoned Cities (1984), The White Arcades (1987), By The Dawn’s Early Light (1991), Music For 3 Pianos (1992), Through The Hill (1994, with Andy Partridge of XTC), and Luxa (1996). Also includes 76-page book compiling interviews and essays about Harold’s work from writers such as David Toop, Mark Prendergast and Mike Barnes.

[Read more…] about New Releases for November 26, 2013

CDs:

Apocalyptica – Wagner Reloaded: Live In Leipzig CD (BMG Rights Management)

Finnish cello-based heavy rockers Apocalyptica want to be remembered as the band that brought balls back to heavy metal and the band that did so in a unique way. Twenty years into an inimitable and formidable career, they are still reinventing themselves and finding new sources of inspiration. The first new music from the band in three years is this live CD of their Wagner musical and theatrical project. Vinyl version due December 3.

AWOLNATION – Megalithic Symphony Deluxe 2xCD (Red Bull Records)

This Deluxe double-disc set contains their original 2011 studio album Megalithic Sypmphony paired with a second disc of rarities and B-sides. Package also includes a jacket patch as well as a limited edition AWOLNATION surf wax comb/bottle opener.

Beady Eye – BE CD/LP (Harvest)

Beady Eye was formed by the other three core members of the 1999-2009 incarnation of Oasis, namely singer Liam Gallagher, guitarist Gem Archer, and bassist Andy Bell, who switched back to guitar in Beady Eye, together with live drummer Chris Sharrock, who became a full time member of the new group. BE is their second full-length album and was produced by Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio.

Andrew Bird – I Want To See Pulaski At Night CDEP (Grimsey)

Beautiful new, mostly instrumental 7-song, 32-minute mini-album, that is both poppy and hypnotic at the same time. The only vocals appear on the title track, with Andrew pleading for a departed one to “Come Back To Chicago, City Of Light.” Bird builds five of the remaining tracks up from simple layered loops in the manner that we’ve all come to take for granted, but each song is really a small wonder of fragile beauty and joy. Lovely and trippy.

Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe CD/LP (Domino)

“On his second collection of melancholic ‘80s-inspired pop odes, the 27-year-old singer/songwriter/producer Devonté Hynes, aka Blood Orange, channels vagabond emotions into something universal and inviting. His Cupid Deluxe is an album that tenderly details heartbreak through the language of longing.” Best New Music [8.5] – Pitchfork

Bottle Rockets – Bottle Rockers/The Brooklyn Side [Reissue/1993/1995] 2xCD (Roadrunner)

The Deluxe double-CD set contains digitally remastered and expanded editions of the roots rock band’s seminal releases The Bottle Rockers (1993) and The Brooklyn Side (1995). The package also includes 19 previously unreleased tracks from the era these original recordings were made, along with an exhaustive 40-page booklet detailing the band and the scene, at the time. 

Jake Bugg – Shangri La CD (Island)

The British singer/songwriter’s new album shares its title with the Malibu studio where it was made, once the ’70s haven of Bob Dylan and The Band, now the creative hub of legendary producer Rick Rubin. Rubin’s assembled wrecking crew of Shangri La session regulars includes guitarist Matt Sweeney, bassist Jason Lader, and drummers Chad Smith and Pete Thomas. Vinyl version due December 17.

[Read more…] about New Releases for November 19, 2013

CDs:

Aqua Nebula Oscillator – Spiritus Mundi CD (Tee Pee)

New album from the celebrated French underground psych rock trio. ”Unrelentingly awesome…crammed with spiraling space-rock guitar solos, layered tape effects and occult atmospherics. Indulgence is the name of the game.” — The Onion/AV Club

Beehoover – The Devil And His Footmen CD/LP (Exile On Mainstream)

The multi-faceted clawing at the stoner doom mantle which defined their 2010 full length, Concrete Catalyst, has been taken to pastures fresh; self-recorded behind the locked doors of their own studio, Beehoover’s latest is a swirl of raw, sultry tones and rumbling octaves that strike chords with braggadocio ‘70s hard rock as much as it does the thunderous rumble of Black Cobra and the jutting angles of Unsane.

Eric Bibb – Jericho Road CD (Stony Plain)

Bibb is one of the highest profile international roots music artists, winning Acoustic Artist of the Year at the Blues Music Awards in 2013.Jericho Road reflects the many musical influences that have informed Eric Bibb’s writing throughout his career. World music, blues, folk and soul all find their way into the songs. 

James Blunt – Moon Landings CD (Atlantic)

A collection of songs that is raw, direct, and emotionally honest, Moon Landing is a thing of pure, understated beauty. And, as an introduction, and like all of James Blunt’s best work, the melody for first single “Bonfire Heart” will quickly etch itself into your conscience, and you’ll soon be humming along to the sweetly reflective verses, and anthemic chorus.

David Bowie – The Next Day Extra 2xCD+DVD (Columbia)

This is the collector s edition of David Bowie’s critically acclaimed 2013 album The Next Day. The package adds a disc featuring the three tracks from the original Deluxe edition of The Next Day, plus four new studio tracks, a bonus track (“God Bless The Girl”), and two new re-mixes (including one by James Murphy). The DVD features four videos. 

Bright Eyes – A Christmas Album [2002] CD/LP+CD (Saddle Creek)

First widespread release of this collection of 11 traditional Christmas songs. Contributors include members of Cursive, Azure Ray, Rilo Kiley and the rest of the Saddle Creek family. Also available on HQ-180gm white vinyl, which includes the entire album on CD.

Crusades – Perhaps You Deliver This Judgment With Greater Fear Than I Receive It CD/LP (No Idea)

Injecting punk with a welcomed literary-minded approach, Crusades take the teachings of Italian friar and philosopher Giordano Bruno — who tried to pass “down an intoxicating idea to the generation that was to follow him…The sky was no longer simply a 15th Century God’s backyard, and it was too vast to be presided over by a 15th Century God” — and transform them into 10 songs of melodic hard rock.

Cut Copy – Free Your Mind CD (Lomo Vista/Republic)

Frontman Dan Whitford produced the anticipated follow-up to Zonoscope, which was recorded in Cut Copy’s hometown of Melbourne and later mixed by Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, The Flaming Lips, MGMT) in upstate New York. As the new wavy foursome tell it, Free Your Mind was heavily inspired by the two Summers Of Love (San Francisco’s in 1967 and Britain’s in 1988 and 1989). In an official statement, Whitford explained the album’s thesis as such: “The concept of freedom is one that’s universally positive and timeless, and whatever each person’s version of that freedom is, it’s a good thing to be reminding people or even just ourselves to be ‘free.'” Vinyl version due November 19.

[Read more…] about New Releases for November 5, 2013