CDs:

65daysofstatic – Wild Light CD/LP (Superball Music)

Sixth album from the Sheffield-based instrumental post-rock outfit. Initially, the band interspersed heavy, progressive, guitar-driven instrumental sections with live drums and offbeat sampled drums akin to those of Aphex Twin, although since their second album they have developed their work to include keyboard parts.

Arcade Fire – Reflektor 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Merge)

Arcade Fire’s new double album was produced by the band, LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy, and long-time collaborator Markus Dravs.

Audacity – Butter Knife CD/LP+CD (Suicide Squeeze)

Audacity’s new album Butter Knife is still, at its core, a garage rock record. The economic instrumentation, grit-tinged guitar jangle, pogo-prompting tempos, and sing-along choruses can all be traced back to the seminal Nuggets collections. But ultimately, Butter Knife doesn’t sound so much like an homage to The Sonics as it sounds like a young band striving to make the most ebullient and jubilant noise possible.

Bad Religion – Christmas Songs CD (Epitaph)

Bad Religion have threatened to record an album of seasonal classics for years, and now they’ve gone and done it, tackling eight chestnuts in their classic punk rock style. From “White Christmas” with its nod to pioneers The Ramones, to the glorious choirboy intro to “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” Christmas Songs is the record you need to get your holiday household’s toes tapping.

Bardo Pond – Peace On Venus CD/LP (Fire)

Philadelphia’s foremost purveyors of psychedelic rock again dazzle with their gift for heavy riffs laced with soaring vocals &and swathes of sound.

Botony – Lava Diviner (True Story) CD/LP (Western Vinyl)

When our human experiences defy articulation, music and film can sometimes be the only languages we have to communicate with. In 1975, Peter Weir directed Picnic At Hanging Rock, a haunting film in which a group of schoolgirls disappear while exploring a volcanic rock in the Australian outback. Through the film, Weir explores landscapes of intense memory, and the mysterious forces that bend, mold, and erode the core of our psyches.

Susan Boyle – Home For Christmas CD (Sony)

Singing sensation Susan Boyle returns with a stunning album of her favorite classic Christmas songs.

Peter Broderick – Float 2013 CD/LP (Erased Tapes)

Reissue of the 26-year old American composer’s 2008 debut album, Float. Remastered by Nils Frahm. Vinyl edition features two bonus tracks.

Circuit des Yeux – Overdue CD/LP (Ba Da Bing!)

A few artists have had studios built for themselves—Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios a notable example—but certainly few albums have had studios built for them. Circuit des Yeux’s Haley Fohr and Cave’s Cooper Crain erected USA Studios in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood over a few weeks in January 2013 for the two months of recording sessions that make up Overdue. Founded with the acquisition of a one-inch Otari MX-70 tape deck (modded to 8-track) and a vacancy in a friend’s apartment, the studio endured hundreds of hours over its brief flash of life.

Circus Devils – My Mind Has Seen The White Trick CD (Happy Jack)

Circus Devils – When Machines Attack CD (Happy Jack)

Founded by Robert Pollard, completed by the Tobias brothers Todd and Tim, Ohio’s Circus Devils have been lurking under the radar since 2001. They’re back with two new albums for 2013, both released on the same day Vinyl versions due November 12.

Kelly Clarkson – Wrapped In Red CD (RCA)

The Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum recording artist releases her first Christmas album.

Diane Coffee – My Friend Fish CD/LP (Western Vinyl)

Joseph Campbell describes a shaman as “person, male or female, who…has an overwhelming psychological experience that turns him totally inward. It’s a kind of schizophrenic crack-up. The whole unconscious opens up, and the shaman falls into it.” We’ll never know the whole truth about what happened when (Foxygen drummer and former Disney child actor) Shaun Fleming moved from the West Coast suburbs to New York, but whatever it was fractured his psyche, opened it up, and gave birth to Diane Coffee.

Corrections House – Last City Zero CD (Neurot)

Corrections House is the collective compulsions of Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod), Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Bruce Lamont (Yakuza), Sanford Parker (Minsk) and their minister of propaganda, Seward Fairbury. A mysterious cooperative of lost souls, forged unwittingly by the impetuous forces of nature and altered states of consciousness, Corrections House is without control of their destiny.

[Read more…] about New Releases for October 29, 2013

CDs: 

AFI – Burials CD/LP (Universal Republic)

The Cali-based band recorded their ninth album with producer Gil Norton (Pixies, Patti Smith, Foo Fighters) at East West Studios in Los Angeles.

Adrian And The Sunsets – Breakthrough [Reissue/1963] CD/LP (Sundazed)

High-flyin’ surf rock from early ‘60s Southern California.

Aru – DPV3.5 CD (Captcha)

The debut LP from this Iowan dub guru is eccentric and disorienting with lo-fi beats and a heavy psych dread vibe.

Best Coast – Fade Away CDEP/12” (Jewel City)

Fade Away features seven tracks including two previously released for a Record Store Day single, “Fear Of My Identity” and “Who Have I Become.” 

Black Hearted Brother – Stars Are Our Home CD (Slumberland)

New space-rock project featuring Neil Halstead (Slowdive/Mojavi 3) and Mark Van Hoen (Seefeel).

The Black Hollies – Somewhere Between Here And Nowhere CD/LP+7”+MP3 (Ernest Jenning)

Led by Justin Angelo Morey and his long-time collaborators Herbert Wiley and Jon Gonelli (all three of whom are also members of the recently reunited Rye Coalition) as well as drummer Nick Ferrante (White Hills), The Black Hollies’ latest album was inspired by Spacemen 3, Can, The 13th Floor Elevators, and The Stone Roses. Vinyl version features an alternate sequence and edits.

Cage – Kill The Architect CD/LP (Eastern Conference)

A veteran of the acclaimed hip-hop labels Definitive Jux, and Fondle ‘Em Records, Chris Palko, better known as Cage, has been intimately connected to the underground hip-hop scene as early as 1991, having worked with legends such as El-P, KMD, Necro, Godfather Don, K-Solo, and more. Since that time, Cage has become known as much as a pioneer of horrorcore rap.

Camel Heads – Anoluz CD (Captcha)

Brazilian experimental psych influenced by North African desert blues. Long form kraut jams drenched in cosmic sweat for fans of early Pink Floyd and Sun Araw.

Brandy Clark – 12 Stories CD (Slate Creek)

The debut album from the country singer/songwriter is full of diverse characters and stays true to Brandy’s self-proclaimed dark comedy theme.

Coke Weed – Back To Soft CD (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond)

Alt-psychedelic quintet Coke Weed is led by songwriter Milan McAlevey and the band has immersed itself in ’60s psych rock, pledging allegiance to the likes of Jefferson Airplane. Vinyl version due November 12.

Crooks On Tape – Fingerprint CD/LP (Misra)

Crooks On Tape is John Schmersal (Enon, Brainiac), Rick Lee (Enon, Skeleton Key, Butter 08), and Joey Galvan. The unscripted band was born out of a simple notion: convene, improvise, and record every moment.

Crow – The Best Of Crow CD/LP (Sundazed)

With a lowdown bass lick, uptown R&B horns and surging organ punctuating a catchy chorus, “Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games With Me)” hit the Top 20 like a comet in 1969 and propelled Crow from Midwest club band into national touring act overnight. Thanks in part to covers by Black Sabbath and Ike and Tina Turner, it’s one of the most recognizable hits of the era. Out of print for four decades, Crow’s finest recordings are now available again on CD and HQ-180gm vinyl editions meticulously mastered from the original tapes.

[Read more…] about New Releases for October 22, 2013

CDs:

Alpaca – Demimonde CD/LP+MP3 (Robotic Empire)

Los Angeles/Brooklyn duo Alpaca is comprised of vocalist Justin Nuckols and multi-instrumentalist Allen Blickle. Their debut album, Demimonde, recorded over a five-year period across locations in New York and the members’ native Virginia, draws from material conceived during arduous tour schedules for Baroness, the accomplished hard rock band for which Blickle drummed. His dance, pop and melody-driven compositions juxtapose with Nuckols’s darker, groove-focused, and harmonic vocal explorations. Also available on color vinyl.

Anberlin – Devotion [Deluxe Edition] 2xCD/2xCD+DVD (Big3)

Two expanded editions of Anberlin’s 2012 album, each featuring six additional tracks and a bonus CD of remixes. Triple-disc version adds a live DVD.

The Asphodells – Remix LP CD/2xLP (Rotters Golf Club)

“The Rotters – Andrew Weatherall and Tim Fairplay – call in their disco friends, and Group Rhoda, to remix their eponymous debut album. Highlights appear from Weatherall’s protégé Daniel Avery with a slow, soaring remix of ‘We Are The Axis; a swaggering Wooden Shjips job on ‘One Minute’s Silence’; Hardway Bros’ lusting EBM revision of ‘Never There’; and most of all Group Rhoda’s nimble drum machine tweaks and minimal yet ornate overhaul of ‘Another Lonely City’.” – Boomkat

The Avett Brothers – Magpie And The Dandelion CD/2xLP (American Recordings)

Magpie And The Dandelion was produced by Rick Rubin who produced their previous two full-length studio albums, I And Love And You and The Carpenter. The album was recorded during the same recording sessions as The Carpenter and in an open letter to fans published in August band says the album conveys a feeling on “youthful wonder.” Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks.

Bailterspace – Trinine CD/LP (Fire)

New album from the veteran New Zealand noise rock band. Bailterspace continue to remind us that we need guitar heroes now more than ever, providing a vital offering to those thirsty for six-stringed salvation in an age of laptops and pretenders.

Beats Antique – A Thousand Faces: Act I CD/LP (Beats Antique)

Electronic/World fusion dance trio Beats Antique brings you their new album and multi-media touring show A Thousand Faces, a journey beyond the sonic realm that s part odyssey, part genre-warping rock opera. The album is an epic two-volume adventure that follows every stage of Joseph Campbell s hero s journey with sweeping and lushly textured new compositions. Act II due next Spring.

Diane Birch – Speak A Little Louder CD (S-Curve)

Birch’s bears hints of Laura Nyro (when she was hanging out with LaBelle) and early 70’s Karen Carpenter (when she was ruling the charts), while effortlessly incorporating New Orleans second-line rhythms, gospel fervor, doo-wop harmonies, country-blues guitar and classic AM radio-style melodies. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds five bonus tracks.

Black Milk – No Poison No Paradise CD (Fat Beats)

Fifth album from the Detroit rapper/producer/MC. “As one of the most celebrated auteurs of his generation of hip-hop artists, Black Milk has conditioned fans and critics to expect the unexpected with each release. Few producers have earned the notoriety and respect he has as a musician, and when that is coupled with commanding talent as an emcee, it’s no surprise that his solo releases are met with exalted anticipation.” – The Echo

Boardwalk – Boardwalk CD/LP (Stones Throw)

“The Los Angeles based duo consists of multi-instrumentalists Mike Edge and Amber Quintero and their sound is infectiously soothing with miles of exotic tones to accompany. A brightly lit psych sound that reaches far into the past eras of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Boardwalk are among many artists who are creating a very special movement together.” – SoundColourVibration

The Body – Christs, Redeemers CD/2xLP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)

The Body is an avant-metal duo with ravishing grimness and impenetrable walls of noise. Their new album incorporates elements of noise, avant-garde composition, and experimental electronic music into their crushing doom and searing black metal foundation.

Harold Budd – Perhaps CD/2xLP (Root Strata)

Recorded live on December 8, 2006 at a memorial event for James Tenney at CalArts, Perhaps was originally only available digitally. This is a much-deserved physical release of this performance, which is striking in its restraint and simplicity yet profoundly resonant in its depth and message. It is both a eulogy to a departed friend and a defining statement from an artist at the apotheosis of his career.

Castevet – Ovsian CD (Profound Lore)

New York’s Castevet is one of the most invigorating, unique and musically advanced bands in the extreme metal underground. Emerging from the same scene as Krallice, Liturgy and Tombs, they possess a sound unlike any of their contemporaries. The trio incorporates influences ranging from avant-garde dissonant black metal (Ved Buens Ende, Deathspell Omega), neo-classical, jazz and progressive metal, and while they are often associated with the American black metal movement, they defy categorization.

Cave – Threace CD/LP (Drag City)

Cave is known for playing with rolling funk minimalism; Threace finds them inhabiting their cut-up aesthetic with tremendous ease and fewer reference points than before. They access new depths of meditative stasis, and then torpedo the dream and turn on a dime to ride the riffs again.

Eric Clapton – Unplugged: Expanded And Remastered 2xCD+DVD (Rhino/Reprise)

New double-CD+DVD version of Clapton’s 1992 live set includes a remastered version of the original album along with six unreleased outtakes. The DVD features a newly restored version of the concert, as well as more than an hour of previously unseen footage from the rehearsal.

Cross Record – Be Good CD/LP (Ba Da Bing!/Lay Flat)

Between melody and discord, Cross Record’s debut forges a quiet path through myriad sounds. Strings, clarinet, flute, steel drum, bells, tape distortion and other instrumentation support Emily Cross’s enchanting vocals while allowing for silences to build like black holes. Her lyrics conjure a dark beauty that leaves an effect long after the album has completed.

Crystal Antlers – Nothing Is Real CD/LP (Innovative Leisure)

Crystal Antlers is a Long Beach, CA band consisting of singer-bassist Jonny Bell, drummer Kevin Stuart and guitarist Andrew King. On their third full length Nothing Is Real, the Crystal Antlers go beyond the beyond, with a record of songs that rattle and ricochet from desolation to delirium; you’ll feel as much as hear echoes of bands like Wire, Pixies, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.

Cults – Static CD/LP+MP3 (Columbia)

Static is the follow-up to Cults’ critically adored 2010 self-titled, debut release. Written and recorded over the course of 2012 in the band’s home base of New York City, Static is produced by Cults with support from Shane Stoneback (Sleigh Bells, Vampire Weekend) and Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Washed Out). The album is comprised of 11 tracks including “I Can Hardly Make You Mine” and first single “High Road.”

[Read more…] about New Releases for October 15, 2013