CDs + Vinyl:

Patti Austin – Street Of Dreams CD (Water Music)

From queen of the jingle to the diva behind R&B’s jazziest pop, Patti Austin is one of the clearest voices in contemporary pop music. This collection of classic standards and some newer tracks showcases Austin at her best.

Eddie Baird – Hard Graft [Reissue/1976] CD (Prog Temple)

Lincolnshire, England-born multi-instrumentalist Eddie Baird is best known as a member of Amazing Blondel. This solo album is, however, far removed from that band’s renaissance folk style. A classy set of concise pop rock songs played entirely by Baird, it was recorded in Cornwall, England, in the summer of 1975 and released in 1976. It makes its long-overdue CD debut here.

Baumann/Koek – Baumann/Koek [Reissue/1979] CD (Bureau B)

Baumann/Koek is another hitherto undiscovered treasure of German electronic music, the only album by the electronic music pairing of Wolfgang Baumann and Ata Koek, both from Kempten, Bavaria, Germany. It was mixed in Conny Plank’s studio and distributed, without a label, by the duo themselves in 1978. The music owes much to the Berlin School; layered sequencer patterns, swirling chord tapestries, a computer beat here and there. Eastern elements or hints thereof add a particular charm to Baumann/Koek, reissued here for the first time. 

Beacon – Escapements CD/LP+MP3 (Ghostly Int’l)

“Our very own 2011 Band To Watch honorees Beacon tinker with beat-driven, addictive electro-pop goodness that works just as well on the dance floor or in headphones, and their newest single ‘Preserve’ is no exception to the rule. The Brooklyn band start off with hard-hitting bass beats alongside a sparkling flurry of synths, driven by anchored, steadied resolution. It flits towards the more ambient-pop side of the spectrum and leans away from the likes of R&B, but its frothy beats will be hard to resist under the lights of the disco ball. “Preserve” is pulled from Beacon’s LP titled Escapements.” – Stereogum

Jacob Bellens – Polyester Skin CD (HFN)

Jacob Bellens’s Polyester Skin is sure to amaze left-field pop enthusiasts and singer-songwriter fans alike. The locally celebrated and award-winning singer-songwriter’s third solo album is a wonderful mix of heartfelt lyrics, crisp and modern pop production, and Bellens’s signature vocals, which never fail to captivate.

Billion Dollar Babies – Chemical God CD (Metalville)

New album from the Swedish hard rockers. 

John Cale – Music For A New Society/M:FANS [Reissue/1982] 2xCD (Domino)

Cale’s long out-of-print 1982 masterpiece, Music For A New Society, has been remastered and is now reissued along side a radical new reworking of that critically-lauded album entitled M:FANS. (Both were released on vinyl a few weeks ago.)

Michael Cerveris – Piety CD (Low Heat)

After years of high volume punk and alternative rock, Cerveris follows up his indie-rock guest star-studded 2004 Dog Eared solo debut with a return to his southern roots for this album of lushly orchestrated, melodic Americana. Vinyl edition due March 4.

Circle Jerks – VI [Reissue/1987] CD (Real Gone Music)

Digitally remastered edition of an overlooked punk classic.

Cirque Du Soleil – Toruk – The First Flight CD (Cirque Du Soleil)

Inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar, Toruk – The First Flight, a live experience by Cirque du Soleil, envisions a world beyond imagination thousands of years before the events depicted in the film.

Jason Collett – Song And Dance Man CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)

“Song And Dance Man,” the title track from Jason Collett’s sixth full-length album, finds the singer/songwriter back at center stage, with three-minutes-and-change and a story to sing. Featuring the bright production touch of Bahamas’ Afie Jurvanen, “Song And Dance Man” covers the trials and triumphs of the modern musician with poignant poetry: If you can tweet something brilliant, you got a marketing plan. Song And Dance Man’s thirteen songs bear the wit and melody of classic Jason Collett: contemplative reflections on getting older, backed with an affinity for freewheeling ‘70s dance music. The album’s conspiring themes of love and loneliness, sun and shadows, are buoyed by its soaring sound. Each song rises into an easy, spacious groove, lead by Jason’s languid melodies and Afie’s sun-drunk bass.

Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari – Tales Of Mozambique [Reissue/1975] CD/2xLP (Soul Jazz)

Count Ossie is the central character in the development of Rastafarian roots music, nowadays an almost mythical and iconic figure. His importance in bringing Rastafarian music to a populist audience is matched only by Bob Marley’s promotion of the faith internationally in the 1970s. Soul Jazz Records reissues Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation’s seminal 1975 album Tales Of Mozambique in a fully remastered edition, expanded with two bonus rare single-only tracks. 

The Cult – Hidden City CD/2xLP (Cooking Vinyl)

Following up their 2012 album, Choice Of Weapon, singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy teamed up for the writing as the band’s only remaining original members. Explaining the concept behind the new record, Astbury said, “Hidden City is a metaphor for our spiritual lives, our intimate interior lives,” adding “I find today’s gurus are trying to peddle some cure, product or insight as if it’s a new phenomenon. My place is to respond, not react, to observe, participate and share through words and music. There is no higher authority than the heart.” The song “Dark Energy,” opens the album with a jumpy, swinging rhythm that sees Astbury’s signature croon enter shortly after. Keeping the bouncing rhythm, Duffy injects his ethereal, textured guitar playing hinting back at the band’s post-punk and goth rock days while maintaining their modern day sound.

[Read more…] about New Releases for February 5, 2016

CDs + Vinyl:

Adna – Run, Lucifer CD/LP (Despotz)

“Run, Lucifer is the now Berlin based Adna’s second LP following 2014’s Night, it marks a huge step-up from the Swedish native. A release that takes her haunting songcraft and beautiful, affecting vocals and adds compelling electronics and devastating atmosphere to beguiling results that both soothes and resonates with wounded souls.” – Just Music I Like

Audio Visceral – Cildce Bihaver CD (Sudden Death)

Audio Visceral is all about earnest, catchy, energetic punk rock. The music is raw and upbeat, the songs are short and bittersweet. Influenced by everything from surf to hardcore, the members of A/V are all veterans of the Ontario underground punk rock scene. 

Avantasia – Ghostlights CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)

Appearing alongside one of symphonic metal’s most recognized names on Ghostlights is Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation), Geoff Tate (Queensrÿche Operation Mindcrime), Michael Kiske (Unisonic, Helloween), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Ronnie Atkins (Pretty Maids), Bruce Kulick (Kiss, Grand Funk Railroad, etc.) and more. 

Basement – Promise Everything CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Run For Cover)

“Ipswich band Basement went on indefinite hiatus in 2013, just after releasing their second record Colourmeinkindness. Accruing a dedicated posthumous following, the band came back with a three song EP in 2014, showing that a break hadn’t stopped their progression in style. If Colourmeinkindness epitomized the grunge worship that defined 2012, then Promise Everything sees Basement finding the perfect balance between aggressive and melodic. It sounds like Jimmy Eat World via Soundgarden, so, basically it has everything you’ve been waiting for in a rock record since forever.” – Noisey [Music By Vice]

Black Tusk – Pillars Of Ash CD/LP+MP3 (Relapse)

After four full-lengths, numerous splits and EPs and thousands of shows under their belts, punk/metal power trio Black Tusk was faced with an immense and unexpected tragedy in late 2014 when founding bassist/vocalist Jonathan Athon passed away after a motorcycle accident in his hometown. Now, as a testament to his profound and lasting legacy on the heavy music scene, the band release Pillars Of Ash, their final recordings with Athon.

Bloc Party – Hymns CD/2xLP (Vagrant)

Hymns is the fifth studio album by British indie rock band Bloc Party and the first to feature new members Justin Harris (formerly of Menomena) and 21-year-old YouTube-discovery drummer Louise Bartle. In a press release, co-founder Russell Lissak stated “It’s still a very live record. Everything has been played, though it doesn’t necessarily sound like that. We take a lot of influence from electronic music, for example, and then try to bring that into a completely different environment.” Meanwhile, Kele Okereke said, “What Russell is doing now is completely blowing my mind. He’s using the guitar as an instrument of white noise, as well as a melodic tool. I’m super-excited about getting this music in front of people.”

Brimstone Coven – Black Magic CD (Metal Blade)

New album from the West Virginian dark occult rockers. Inspired by the Appalachian’s darkness and mysticism (such as the Mothman, a winged creature that emerged in the ’60s; Screaming Jenny; and the Phantom Of Flatwoods), the quartet’s heavy rock also pushes the atmospheric envelope when the mood fits.

Bury Tomorrow – Earthbound CD (Nuclear Blast)

F fourth studio album by the British melodic metalcore band.

[Read more…] about New Releases for January 29, 2016

CDs + Vinyl:

Abbath – Abbath CD/LP (Season Of Mist)

Debut album from Abbath, the band led by ex-Immortal frontman Olve Eikemo. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe fold-out box edition adds a bonus track, an exclusive patch, wristband, pin, and postcard. “Abbath is an explosive introduction to what happens when an idiosyncratic talent is compelled to redefine their own art while consolidating everything that made him great in the first place. Play it loud and watch as the heavens disintegrate and a new dark power takes to the throne.” – Metal Hammer

Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Arc CDEP/12”+MP3 (Relapse)

“Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s Arc is a masterpiece. And while your response to that news might be ‘Well yeah no duh!’ if Arc were a grind record, it’s not: the first of four separate albums, each in a different style, Arc is a doom album, its charge befittingly led by vocalist Kat Katz, who made her name fronting the slower-than-slow, heavier-than-heavy Salome. That the music on Arc is every bit as good as more ‘traditional’ ANb material is a testament to the genius of Katz and guitarist/producer Scott Hull. In other words: Arc cements Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s position as one of the best metal bands of their time.” – MetalSucks

Cyrille Aimée – Let’s Get Lost CD (Mack Avenue)

In her second Mack Avenue Records recording, the groove-spirited Let’s Get Lost, rising-star vocalist and bandleader Cyrille Aimée wonderfully displays her versatility as a sweet-sounding jazz songbird with a catchy repertoire—from new takes on old-time standards to crowd-pleasing originals and even a hip singer/songwriter tune that closes the 12-song collection.

Anchorsong – Ceremonial CD (Tru Thoughts)

Ceremonial continues the progression of 2014’s incredibly well-received Mawa EP (BBE), on which this ever-curious musician first began to blend the minimalist, catchy melodic phrasing and attention-grabbing beats of his Tru Thoughts debut LP Chapters with a newfound love for vintage African music. Influences from Orchestre Poly-Rythmo to Fela Kuti-style Afrobeat to bluesy High Life now hold sway, while Anchorsong retains the crisp production sensibility and deep, immersive arrangements that have always set his music apart.

Badly Drawn Boy – The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast [Reissue/2000] 2xCD/2xLP/3xLP (XL)

When The Hour Of Bewilderbeast was originally released in 2000, it was met with critical acclaim and won the Mercury Prize that year. The album is both ambitious and extremely entertaining and while it’s not a traditional pop album, it’s a continually beguiling trip through lo-fi postmodern folk, drawing as much from Harry Nilsson as it does Beck. This 15^th Anniversary reissue features 16 bonus tracks. ((Vinyl edition is available as a double-LP (Regular) and triple-LP (Deluxe) set.))

Lucian Ban – Songs From Afar CD (Sunnyside Communications)

Featuring saxophonist Abraham Burton, bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson with special guest violist Mat Maneri, Songs From Afar incorporates their extensive knowledge of modern jazz and creative music with the astonishing voice of Transylvanian folk singer Gavril Tarmure to create a program of music with a unique identity that spans continents and styles.

Besnard Lakes – A Coliseum Complex Museum CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)

Unique among their furrowed brow peers, The Besnard Lakes are unafraid to marry textured, questing headphone sonics to the honeyed pleasure of radio hits past: the rapture of My Bloody Valentine entwined with the romance of Fleetwood Mac. Imagine dreamy Beach House riding Led Zeppelin dynamics, with unabashedly androgynous vocal harmonies. Channeling their obsessions with the paranormal as well as the dark arts, A Coliseum Complex Museum is populated by crypto-zoological creatures (“The Bray Road Beast,” “Golden Lion”) while also luxuriating in natural phenomena and beauty (“The Plain Moon,” “Nightingale”). These themes are sincere yet good-humored. The LP’s title jokily refers to a landmark-heavy road sign spotted on tour in Texas, the varied emotional impulses within reflected by its environmentally warped artwork.

Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath [Reissue/1970] 2xCD/2xLP (Rhino)

Black Sabbath – Paranoid [Reissue/1970] 2xCD/2xLP (Rhino)

Black Sabbath – Master Of Reality [Reissue/1971] 2xCD/2xLP (Rhino)

Black Sabbath – Past Lives [Reissue/2002] 2xCD/2xLP (Rhino)

Remastered and expanded editions of Black Sabbath’s first three albums, each featuring a bonus disc of outtakes. Past Lives was originally released in 2002, but consists of original live recordings from the band’s heyday. The double-disc set includes performances recorded between 1970 and 1975 when the band was at the height of it’s dark powers and includes live versions of “War Pigs,” “Paranoid,” “Snowblind” and “N.I.B.” (Vinyl editions are HQ-180gm.)

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Pond Scum CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)

There are no Peel sessions anymore — that tradition was buried in the pyramids with John Peel himself upon the great man’s passing. Of the thousands left in the wake, six are ascribed to Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and of those six, three have been combined to form the deeply congruous experience of Pond Scum.

Borknagar – Winter Thrice CD/2xLP (Century Media)

New album from the Norwegian epic black metal pioneers.

Brutality – Sea Of Ignorance CD (Ceremonial)

Fourth album from the extreme death metal band.

[Read more…] about New Releases for January 22, 2016