CDs + Vinyl:

Alestorm – No Grave But The Sea CD/LP (Napalm)

The heavy metal pirates are back with their fifth full length album of epic modern symphonic folk metal anthems. [CD is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe media book edition features the bonus disc No Grave But The Sea For Dogs.]

Sam Amidon – The Following Mountain CD (Nonesuch)

New solo album by experimental folk artist, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. The Following Mountain represents a new approach for Amidon, who shifts here from his previous norm of re-working traditional folk songs and presents nine wholly original compositions, with some lyrics drawing on traditional sources. The album also features a rare guest appearance by drummer Milford Graves, known initially for his work in the 1960s with free jazz legends Albert Ayler and Sonny Sharrock.

Aquaserge – Laisse ça être CD/LP (Crammed Discs)

Coded messages, anadiplosis and automatic writing, dance music grooves peppered with rhythmical and metrical twists, shades of Italian or French film music, a dense political and poetic subtext: such are the ingredients of Laisse ça être, the new album by brilliant experimental pop band Aquaserge. The group has been a subterranean driving force in the international music scene.

Ólafur Arnalds – Broadchurch: The Final Chapter CD (Mercury Classics)

BAFTA-winning composer Ólafur Arnalds returns for the third and final season with another soundtrack of evocative and atmospheric music, deemed crucial by fans and critics alike to this poignant series. [Vinyl edition due June 30.]

Bad Company – Run With The Pack [Reissue/1976] 2xCD/2xLP (Atlantic)

Bad Company – Burnin’ Sky [Reissue/1977] 2xCD/2xLP (Atlantic)

Digitally remastered and expanded editions. The bonus disc bonus disc for Burnin’ Sky features unreleased versions of nearly every song on the album, including alternative takes and mixes of “Man Needs A Woman” and “Morning Sun,” plus the full version of “Too Bad.” The session tapes also unearthed “Unfinished Story,” a song that was completed, but never released. The bonus disc for Run With The Pack includes unreleased early mixes for “Honey Child” and “Simple Man,” as well as an extended version of the title track. There’s also the previously unreleased “Let There Be Love,” an outtake from the recording sessions. In fact, the acoustic version of “Do Right By Your Woman,” previously only available as the B-side of the single release of “Run With The Pack,” is the only song on the bonus disc that has ever been previously released.

Bobby Bare – Things Change CD (BFD)

Country Music Hall of Famer and Grammy award-winner Bobby Bare releases his first album in five years. Things Change features 10 tracks written by Bare, Mary Gauthier, Guy Clark and the producer of the project, hit singer-songwriter Max T. Barnes. It also features a collaboration with Chris Stapleton. “This is a special collection of songs to me, not just another record, said Bobby Bare. “Great songs from Mary Gauthier, a song I co-wrote with Guy Clark that turned out to be his last and a song that my buddy Hoyt Axton inspired me to write called ‘Things Change.’ That’s the title of the album and the first single. Things do change but my love for songwriters and the fans never, ever will!”

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band [Reissue/1967] CD/2xCD/4xCD+DVD+Blu-ray (Capitol)

In celebration of the 50^th anniversary of The Beatles landmark album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has been remixed and remastered by George Martin and repackaged in a variety of configurations for the collector, including: a standard single-CD featuring George Martin’s new stereo mix; an expanded Deluxe double-disc CD featuring 18 unreleased alternate takes of the album’s 13 songs (the double-vinyl edition includes 13 of these bonus tracks), all newly mixed in stereo; and a Super Deluxe six-disc box set edition containing over 100 minutes of Sgt. Pepper sessions on discs two and three and, on the fourth CD, the original 1967 mono mix of the album and bonus tracks including three previously unreleased mixes. The accompanying Blu-ray and DVD discs feature the fully restored 1992 documentary The Making Of Sgt. Pepper, including interviews with Paul, George and Ringo and fascinating in-the-studio footage introduced by George Martin. Restored promotional films for “A Day In The Life,” “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” are also included, as well as hi-res 5.1 surround mixes and a 144-page hardback book.

Bonsoir, Catin – L’Aurore CD (Valcour)

Since Bonsoir, Catin from Lafayette, Louisiana, burst upon the folk music scene in 2005, they have been rocking Louisiana dancehalls and festivals. Their fresh Cajun sound is a unique blend of ancient ballads, dancehall era gems, swamp pop stylings, and rock ‘n’ roll blues.

Bubblemath – Edit Peptide CD (Cuneiform)

Fifteen years in the making, Minnesota eclectic prog/avant-pop/art-math quintet Bubblemath’s sophmore sequence provides a worthwhile wait with its non-formulaic formula of lively textures, wacky and virtuosic musicianship, hypnotically robust vocals and charmingly astute attitude. Blending in-your-face intricacy with eccentric experimentation, dense and poppy harmonies, symphonic vibrancy and tongue-in-cheek foundation, Bubblemath are clever and musically intricate, but despite their loyal adherence to high information-density compositional constructs, they make serious and seriously quirky music that doesn’t take itself too seriously and allows the fun to shine through.

BULLETheight – No Atonement CD/LP (Century Media)

BULLETheight is an electronic melodic rock duo based in Berlin.

[Read more…] about New Releases for May 26, 2017

CDs + Vinyl:

!!! – Shake The Shudder CD/LP+MP3 (Warp)

Shake The Shudder is a product of !!!’s DIY punk roots presenting a harder edge lyrically and sonically, while incorporating trans-Atlantic electronic music influences. Regularly enlisting the aid of talented female vocalists to elevate to their sound, this new album is no exception with the inclusion of up and coming talents Lea Lea and Meah Pace showcasing “energetic breakout performances that only hints at what they do live.”

Adult Mom – Soft Spots CD/LP (Tiny Engines)

Adult Mom began as the solo project of Stephanie Knipe in a Purchase College dorm room in 2012. Adult Mom now falls between the playful spectrum of solo project and collaborative band with beloved friends and musicians Olivia Battell, Mike Dvorscak, and Bruce Hamilton. Through reflections and explorations of the personal and hidden, the crux of the writing produced by Knipe is focused on excavation. The dredging out of secrets, putting it all in a pan, waiting for the gold to rise. Honesty and intimacy form as Knipe writes clever pop songs that offer a glimpse into the journey of a gender-weird queer navigating through heartache, trauma and subsequent growth.

(Sandy) Alex G – Rocket CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)

Rocket is Philadelphia-based artist Alex G’s eighth full-length release – an assured statement that follows a slate of humble masterpieces, many of them self-recorded and self-released, stretching from 2010’s Race to his 2015’s Beach Music. Amid the Rocket recording process, Alex made headlines for catching the attention of Frank Ocean, who asked him to play guitar on his two 2016 albums, Endless and Blonde. More than any stylistic cues, what Alex took from the experience was a newfound confidence in collaboration. Rocket wears this collaborative spirit proudly, and in its numerous contributors presents a restless sense of musical experimentation – effortlessly jumping from distorted sound collage to dreamy folk music to bouncing Americana. Rocket illustrates a cohesive vision of contemporary American experience; the cast of characters that Alex G inhabits have fun, fall in love, develop obsessions, get in trouble, and – much like rockets themselves – ultimately they burn out.

Apocalypse Orchestra – End Is Night CD/LP (Depotz)

Lodged between medieval times and modern metal, Apocalypse Orchestra weaves a faceted tapestry of music, with tones of ancient drone instruments entwining with heavy guitars.

Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu Of Ethiopia [Reissue/1972] CD/LP (Strut)

Recorded in New York, Mulatu Of Ethiopia arrived at a time when Astatke had begun to master the delicate fusion of styles needed to create Ethio jazz. “I left the UK for America and studied at Berklee College in Boston. I learnt the technical aspects of jazz and gained a beautiful understanding of many different types of music. That’s where I got my tools. Berklee really shook me up.”

Beastmaker – Inside The Skull CD/LP (Rise Above)

The glittering technological future we were all promised has turned into a dystopian nightmare. If music must reflect the times, the hour has plainly come to reject the mainstream status quo and get down to the roots and rhythms of life’s elemental heaviness. And that’s where Beastmaker come in. Purveyors of some of the most ecstatically thunderous and raw doom metal to emerge in decades, this three-man riffing machine from Fresno, CA, are manifestly the real deal. From the old school evangelism of opener “Evil One” and the warped psychedelia of “Now Howls The Beast” through to the twisted fury and fire of “Psychic Visions” and creepy closer “Sick Sick Demon,” Inside The Skull is not just a muscular hymn to the glory days of heavy metal’s genesis and early prosperity: this is a vital, virile and venomous slab of wildly creative but spiritually pure doom devastation, designed to rescue us from the drab harshness of present day reality and transport us somewhere cooler, somewhere better and, in the best way possible, somewhere much heavier.

Selwyn Birchwood – Pick Your Poison CD (Alligator)

Selwyn Birchwood is among the most extraordinary young stars in the blues. His deep familiarity with blues tradition allows him to bust the genre wide open, adding new sounds, colors and textures all delivered with a revival tent preacher’s fervor and a natural storyteller’s charisma.

Biters – The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be CD/LP (Earache)

Recalling the early spirit and danger of rabble-rousing rock heroes, Biters have faithfully built upon their punk heritage and their love of ‘70s rock to deliver music that ignites, incites and excites in equal measure. Possessing a heart full of rock ‘n’ roll, the band play foot stomping, fist pumping, spit-on-the-floor anthems possessed of a fighting spirit that refuses to give in. The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be is an instant rock ‘n’ roll classic that makes the genre exciting and relevant again. “Corporate pop culture and fair-weather fads are just something I’m not interested in. I still choose to play rock ‘n’ roll, because I still believe in rock ‘n’ Roll.” — Tuk Smith, Biters

Blink 182 – California [Deluxe Edition] 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (BMG Rights Management)

Expanded edition of the pop-punk band’s 2016 release featuring 11 new studio tracks and an acoustic version of the hit single “Bored To Death.”

Blonde Ambition – Slow All Over CD/LP+MP3 (Swoon City Music)

Slow All Over, the debut album from eclectic musician Brian Harding’s new project Blond Ambition, is a laser-focused work filled with danceable moments of percussive, head-nodding rhythmic bombast paired with catchy synth and guitar-laden hooks, deliberate and slow-burning pace, and subtly emotive melody. Blond Ambition takes respectful cues from the early disco/dance/avant-garde downtown scene of ‘70s and ’80s New York, the pastiche-sampling art rock of bands like World Party and Big Audio Dynamite, and even the Grateful Dead. Harding also cites his stint as a bartender in an NYC nightclub for exposing him to the house and dance scenes that changed the way he looks at making music. The percussive, kitchen sink catchiness of “Shasta” sets the mood early, with Harding crooning over sunny, almost tropical hooks reminiscent of Here My Dear era Marvin Gaye. The fuzzed-out tone and jangly verses of “Houses Of Reason” build confidently into a rock-solid piece of songwriting with its assured refrain of “We got everything we needed/It’s a funny way to get there,” and despite the song’s defined structure its “jam” qualities never drift. There’s no template at play here, but the intention remains precise.

Buffalo Tom – Let Me Come Over [Reissue/1992] CD/2xLP (Beggars Banquet)

25th Anniversary Edition featuring the original album plus a previously unreleased live show from 1992. Previously loosely linked with fellow travelers Dinosaur Jr. and Uncle Tupelo via a similar three-piece format, stunning depth of songwriting and association with Boston’s Fort Apache Studios – it’s not hard to imagine Buffalo Tom wanted to stake a claim stylistically with their third album, Let Me Come Over.

The Builders And The Butchers – The Spark CD/LP (Badman Recording Co.)

The Portland-based folk rock band return with their fifth full-length effort.

[Read more…] about New Releases for May 19, 2017

CDs + Vinyl:

A Lot Like Birds – Divisi CD/LP (Equal Vision)

Divisi (“a directive in ensemble music that instructs one section of instruments to divide into two or more separate sections”) is the fourth full-length studio effort from Sacramento, CA experimental post-hardcore act A Lot Like Birds and first since 2013’s No Place. The album finds Cory Lockwood and new bassist Matt Coate handling vocal duties in the wake of the departure of singer Kurt Travis (Dance Gavin Dance) who worked on the band’s previous two albums. Emotional, chaotic, haunting and intense, the band has cited artists like Sigur Rós, Björk, Pedro The Lion, Mew, Daughter, Radiohead, My Morning Jacket and Death Cab For Cutie as influences on the diverse new record.

Afghan Whigs – In Spades CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)

From its evocative cover art to the troubled spirits haunting its halls, In Spades casts a spell that challenges the listener to unpack its dark metaphors and spectral imagery. On the one hand, it is as quintessentially Afghan Whigs as anything the group has ever done – fulfilling its original mandate to explore the missing link between howling Midwestern punk like Die Kreuzen and Hüsker Dü, The Temptations’ psychedelic soul symphonies, and the expansive hard-rock tapestries of Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd. At the same time, this new record continues to push beyond anything in the Whigs’ previous repertoire – another trademark, along with the explosive group dynamic captured on the recording. “This is the first time since Black Love [the Whigs’ 1996 noir masterpiece] that we’ve done a full-blown band album,” Greg Dulli says. The joys, sorrows, and upheavals of innocence and experience echo throughout In Spades: it powerfully documents where The Afghan Whigs have been, and where they might go next.

Angel Snow – Magnetic CD (Nettwerk)

The music of Angel Snow is moving, ethereal and at times, chillingly honest. The Nashville based singer songwriter’s music is always evolving; combining her accomplished songwriting with haunting, engaging vocals and electronic textures. This new album combines her Americana roots with these more electronic textures, creating a fresh sonic landscape that is at once raw and beguiling.

At The Drive-In – in·ter a·li·a CD/LP+MP3 (Rise)

“Ever had that feeling when introducing a friend to a band you love – the envy that they get to discover them for the first time, to hear it with fresh ears? Well, At The Drive In are making a comeback almost two decades after Relationship Of Command with in•ter a•li•a. It feels like in•ter a•li•a quite literally picks up where At The Drive In left off, with familiar chord attacks from Omar Rodriguez Lopez and the yelping emotion of Cedric Bixler. ‘No Wolf Like The Present’ and leading single ‘Governed By Contagions’ could have come directly from the band’s 2000 release, with the exception of the slightly more solid production. It’s still got the post-‘90s prog obsession, but it’s been cleaned up a bit. in•ter a•li•a does avoid being overly nostalgic with tracks like ‘Pendulum In A Peasant Dress’ and ‘Incurably Innocent’ which seem in turn to swing At The Drive In’s new release from one side to the other of their sonic spectrum. ‘Pendulum…’ takes the stuttering skat-like vocal performance of Bixler to an extreme, while ‘…Innocent’ seems closer to ‘I Brought You My Bullets…’ era My Chemical Romance – and no that’s not a bad thing, get over it” – Skateism. [Limited color vinyl pressing also available.]

Big Walnuts Yonder – Big Walnuts Yonder CD/LP+MP3 (Sargent House)

Big Walnuts Yonder is bassist/vocalist Mike Watt (Minutemen, The Stooges), guitarist Nels Cline (Wilco, Nels Cline Singers), drummer Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) and guitarist/vocalist Nick Reinhart (Tera Melos). It is not a supergroup. It’s worlds colliding, says Mike Watt. Four exceptional musicians whose work spans multiple genres and generations, Big Walnuts Yonder is a monumental endeavor that’s more than the sum of its parts. The results are a truly epic album defying categorization, where one might hear elements of proto-punk, free jazz, power pop, experimental music, psych-rock and your first teenage acid trip all in one.

Black Lips – Satan’s Graffiti Or God’s Art? CD (Vice)

Produced by Sean Lennon at his studio compound in upstate New York throughout 2016, Satan’s Graffiti Or God’s Art? stays true to Black Lips’ original blistering take on fuzzy, dirty rock n’ roll. The album features contributions by Saul Adamczewski of Fat White Family and guest vocals by Yoko Ono. [Vinyl edition due July 14.]

Blondie – Pollinator CD/LP+MP3 (BMG)

Pollinator is Blondie’s 11th album. Alongside original band members Chris Stein, Debbie Harry and drummer Clem Burke, the album also features contributions from Johnny Marr, Sia, Dev Hynes, Charli XCX, Dave Sitek (TV On The Radio), Nick Valensi (The Strokes) and The Gregory Brothers. “Pollinator starts strong with four hook-driven tracks, each a unique pop offering accented by song-launching drumrolls, funk-inspired riffs, and plenty of synth for ears to swim in. Joan Jett duets with Debbie Harry on album opener ‘Doom Or Destiny,’ a fitting match that pairs the rough edge in Jett’s voice to Harry’s sweeter croon. She’s not the only guest, not by a long shot, and it’s the corollary talent that winds up making Pollinator such a success” – Consequence Of Sound. [Limited edition color vinyl pressing also available.]

Bonny ‘Prince’ Billy – Best Troubador CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)

With Best Troubador, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy pays homage to a long-time and forever hero, the late Merle Haggard. A singer who, some 25 years previously, first performed in public by playing a Merle Haggard song, Bonny has often cited Merle’s work in performance, on records and in conversation with anyone who was around, even talking to Merle himself for Filter magazine in 2009. The songs sung on Best Troubador are pulled from all over — from Haggard’s third album in 1967 through to his 47th in 2011 — but this is no simple hits compilation. Capable only of occupying a shared space between himself and Merle Haggard, Bonny chose personal favorites, singing the songs he wanted to sing, to find Merle and himself together in the music. Only two of Hag’s thirty-eight (!) country number ones are included, and only two others that charted at all. Seven of the sixteen songs are from his later period, after his long run at the top of the country charts had ended, but before encroaching mortality could finally cease the singular and indefatigable creativity of Merle Haggard.

Brother Ali – All The Beauty In This Whole Life CD/2xLP+MP3 (Rhymesayers)

Over the past 17 years, Brother Ali has earned wide critical acclaim for his deeply personal, socially conscious, and inspiring brand of hip-hop. “This entire album is based on the reality that beauty is the splendor of truth,” says the Minneapolis MC. “Beauty in all of its forms is the outward manifestation of love and virtue. It soothes the soul and pulls it gently toward the truth it communicates. Every word and note of this album is intended to either reflect beauty, or expose the ugliness that blocks us from living lives of meaning.” [Limited clear vinyl pressing also available.]

[Read more…] about New Releases for May 5, 2017