CDs + Vinyl:

Acid – Tales Of Contempt CD/LP (MainMan)
The second release by Acid features a whole new batch of catchy and blistering tracks with twisted lyrics from the genius mind of lead singer/guitarist Bobby Kennedy.

Ryan Adams – Ten Songs From Live At Carnegie Hall CD/LP (Blue Note)
Ten career-spanning live tracks from two special performances at New York s legendary Carnegie Hall on November 15/17, 2014. The set list includes fan favorites like “New York, New York” as well as cuts from his most recent Grammy nominated eponymous album like “Gimme Something Good.” Tracks include live performances of two new previously unreleased songs “This Is Where We Meet In My Mind” and “How Much Light.”

Ancient Sky – Mosaic CD/LP (Wharf Cat)
Mosaic is a new statement of purpose for Ancient Sky and a record that defines the band as one of Brooklyn’s heaviest and most dynamic units. With the addition of Adam Bulgasem as a second drummer, Pat Broderick’s signature swing hits even harder. Kevin Lamiell and Brandon Evans add bass and keys respectively, leaving main-man Brian Markham to handle the singular guitar, one that riffs and drones in classic Ancient Sky form. From metallic street punk, to swinging celestial psych, to the crunching terror blues, this is a band showing that maturity means knowing your strengths and also knowing how to keep pushing it.

Ray Anderson’s Organic Quartet – Being The Point CD (Intuition)
This virtuoso wind player from Chicago counts free music, New Orleans, funk, new music, bebop, rap, and big band among his influences.

Ash – Kablammo! CD/LP (earMusic)
The first full-length release in eight years for the alternative rock band from Northern Ireland. “Though they made their mark as a part of the Britpop movement, Ash’s rough-and-tumble side differentiated them, their sentimental lyrics and dreamy melodies balanced by bad-boy guitar shred. Ash created electric force fields from hazy shoegaze, galactic and glowing, with dynamic builds and climaxes that verged on combustible.” – Exclaim

Axe – Rock ‘N’ Roll Party In The Streets: The Best Of 2xCD (Cleopatra)
Double-disc career retrospective from one of the unsung heroes of classic hard rock who toured with every major metal act from Iron Maiden to Kiss to Motley Mötley Crüe.

Martyn Bennett – Aye CD (Long Tale Recordings)
Martyn Bennett was a Scottish musician born in St. John’s, Canada (d. 2005), before as a child, moving back to Scotland. He was hugely influential in the evolution of modern Celtic fusion, a blending of traditional Celtic and modern music and a formidably inventive piper, violinist, composer and producer. Aye is a compilation of the best from Martyn’s albums and delves into the rich tapestry of music that he left behind, a multi cultural approach to contemporary and modern folk music.

Biters – Electric Blood CD (Earache)
Atlanta’s rock ‘n’ roll tearaways Biters recall the early spirit and danger of rabble-rousing rock heroes, and have faithfully built upon their punk heritage and their love of ‘70s rock to deliver music that ignites, incites and excites in equal measure. An aura of recklessness and intimidation surrounds the Biters mythology. Yet amongst all of the raw riffage, teeth marks and broken glass, the band serves up instant hooks and shout-a-long choruses. This ear for melody has not been lost on others — the likes of Green Day have proclaimed Biters among their favorite new bands. Vinyl version due July 21.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Live In Paris 2xCD+DVD (Vagrant)
Recorded live on BRMC’s last World Tour at Theatre Trianon in Paris on 2/24/14. The CDs feature a total of 24 tracks. The DVD contains 23 tracks plus documentary film 33.3%.

Brainticket’s Joel Vandroogenbroeck – The Coloursound Box 18xCD (Cleopatra)
The first-ever CD release of Brainticket founder Joel Vandroogenbroeck’s much sought after Coloursound recordings presented in a limited edition 18xCD box set. These rare recordings were released anonymously on the German-based Coloursound label, which specialized in ambient soundscapes for use in film and television.

Bulletboys – Elefanté CD (Cleopatra)
L.A.’s own hard rock heroes. Features founding member Marq Torien pouring his heart and soul into the group’s first album of original material since 2009.
[Read more…] about New Releases for June 09, 2015

 CDs + Vinyl:

Akitsa – Grands Tyrans CD/Cassette (Hospital Productions)
Death, deprivation and an agnostic vision of a crumbling society.

Algiers – Algiers CD/LP+MP3 (Matador)
The debut LP by Algiers is haunted by promises of the past: the rapturous call and response of millenarian gospel, the bellowing urgency of ‘60s protest soul, the scene-searching intensity of DC hardcore and the smeared viscosity of post-punk and no wave.

Armored Saint – Win Hands Down CD/LP (Metal Blade)
New album from the veteran metal band.

Art Of Anarchy – Art Of Anarchy CD/LP (Another Record Co.)
Art Of Anarchy is a hard rock band comprised of Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver), lead guitarist Bon “Bumblefoot” Thal (Guns N’ Roses), bassist John Moyer (Disturbed) and twin brothers Jon (lead guitar) and Vince (drums).

Arthur’s Landing – Second Thoughts 2xCD (Buddhist Army)
Second Thoughts is the second collection of Arthur Russell songs by NYC nu-disco band Arthur’s Landing. Led by singer/guitarist Steven Hall the band explores Russell’s concept of “Buddhist Pop” from the rare and unreleased gem “Lost In Thought” which was co-written by Hall and Russell and mixed by legendary producer Bob Blank to the disco classic “Tell You Today” mixed by Alkalino featuring Peter Gordon on sax.

A$AP Rocky – At.Long.Last.A$AP CD (RCA)
Second solo studio album by the rapper. At.Long.Last.A$AP is the follow-up to his 2013 gold-selling debut album, Long. Live. ASAP. Includes the singles “Everyday” and “What’s Beef.”

Attalus – Into The Sea CD (Facedown)
Since the release of their debut EP, The Greater Tide in December 2010, Attalus have established themselves as one of Raleigh’s reputable local bands. Known for passionate live performances and a rigorous work ethic, they have already played alongside bands such as Switchfoot, Thousand Foot Krutch, The Rocket Summer, Anberlin, Hawthorne Heights and Wolves At The Gate, along with many others.

Barenaked Ladies – Silverball CD (Welk)
New album from the Canadian pop/rock outfit. This follow-up to 2013’s Grinning Streak finds Barenaked Ladies again delivering a batch of whip-smart pop/rock gems with indelible melodies.

Kail Baxley – A Light That Never Dies CD (Forty Below)
A hard hitting, lush and beautifully haunting collection of songs co-produced with producer/engineer Eric Corne whose recording credits include Lucinda Williams, Glen Campbell, Kim Deal and John Mayall. Vinyl version due August 7.

Jeff Beck – Performing This Week… Live At Ronnie Scott’s [Deluxe Edition] 2xCD (Eagle)
In 2007 Jeff Beck performed a series of concerts at the renowned Ronnie Scott’s club in London. Now for the first time on CD all the live tracks are available including those with special guests plus the Big Town Playboys set which has previously only been on the Blu-ray release.

Black Oak Arkansas – The Complete Raunch ‘N’ Roll Live 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
A blistering, balls-to-the-wall audio snapshot of one of southern rock’s great boogie bands in its prime, Black Oak Arkansas Raunch N Roll Live has lost none of its visceral thrust, more than three decades after it humped its way into record stores as a seven-song vinyl LP. And now, with the re-release of this expanded double-CD set you get three times the raunch.

Black Tower – Secret Fire CD/LP+MP3 (Dark Descent)
Black Tower hails from Ottawa, Canada, but it might as well be Middle Earth. Or at least a Middle Earth as filtered through heavy metal.

Born Cages – I’m Glad I’m Not Me CD/LP (Razor & Tie)
The musicians in Born Cages were naturally drawn to each other back in 2011. Each had made his imprint on the fertile New York scene, and their bond proved instantaneous. Within their first year together, the band s self-released online demos stirred major buzz. Soon, NYC’s most prominent rock radio station, Q104.3FM started giving them frequent airtime, they were dubbed Artist On The Verge by New Music Seminar and their in-studio performance at the Gibson showroom was featured in Times Square, and they shared the stage with the legendary Guns N Roses for two sold out shows. The band’s debut album album, I’m Glad I’m Not Me, is a delicate alchemy of raw guitars and shimmering electronics powers.
[Read more…] about New Releases for June 2, 2015

CDs + Vinyl:

Able Tasmans – A Cuppa Tea & A Lye Down [Reissue/1986] CD/2xLP+MP3 (Flying Nun)
Reissue of 1986 debut (vinyl version features a bonus 12″ containing Able Tasmans’ first EP The Tired Sun (1985) and three bonus tracks). Able Tasmans’ songwriting and arrangement crossed lines between baroque and indie pop integrating field recordings and bringing keyboards to the forefront of their music.

Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. – Benzaiten CD/2xLP (Important)
An In C-style homage to the classic Osamu Kitajima record from 1973. Uses the original composition as a departure point for further instrumental explorations.

Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker [Reissue/2000] CD/2xLP (Pax Americana)
Adams’ debut solo album has been in and out of print many times, but is here reissued on his own Pax Am imprint.

Admiral Fallow – Tiny Rewards CD (Nettwerk)
Tiny Rewards follows-up 2012’s critically acclaimed Tree Bursts In Snow, an album that saw the band shed the constraints of nu-folk and swell into a more organic design, blending traditional with electronic, orchestral and indie. This album sees the band continue on the same expansive path.

Alesso – Forever CD (Def Jam)
Alessandro Lindblad, more commonly known as Alesso, is a Grammy-nominated DJ and dance music producer from Stockholm, Sweden. His career quickly gained mainstream recognition for his remixes of Tiesto, Swedish House Mafia and Avicii, as well as his own productions. Forever includes collaborations with Calvin Harris, OneRepublic, Ryan Tedder and more.

Annabel – Having It All CD/LP (Tiny Engines)
On appearances alone, Akron, Ohio’s Annabel could be any modest Midwestern rock band-scrawny, bespectacled, with grins as permanent as their tattoos. A similar innocence might be perceived in their songs, in guitars that jingle and a bass that romps puppy-like, in vocals that compete with the music like a little brother for attention. But subsequent listens will reveal Annabel to be a band whose elements tangle into something complex and complete and. Indeed, Having It All feels orchestral at times, with guitars that intertwine and sometimes collapse into harmonic hums.

Anti Flag – American Spring CD/LP (Spinefarm)
The American Spring album title is likely derived from the Arab Spring — a term to describe the revolutionary wave of recent protests throughout the Middle East. The uprising forced rulers from Egypt, Tunisia, Libia and Yemen out of power, while many other countries were swarmed with legions of protestors. The album feature appearances by Rancid‘s Tim Armstrong on the track “Brandenburg Gate” and Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello on “Without End.”

Arcturus – Arcturian CD/LP (Prophecy)
New album from the avant-garde metal band.

The Bad Plus Joshua Redman – The Bad Plus Joshua Redman CD (Nonesuch)
In 2011, The Bad Plus invited saxophonist Joshua Redman to join them for a week of enthusiastically received performances at the Blue Note in New York City. They then played a handful of dates before heading into the studio in 2014 to record their debut album, The Bad Plus Joshua Redman. Seven of the nine tracks on the album are new compositions by the quartet members who, in addition to Reid Anderson and Redman, include The Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer David King. The other two songs on the album, “Dirty Blonde” and “Silence Is the Question,” are new arrangements of Bad Plus favorites.

Best Kissers In The World – Skinned My Heart Broke My Knee CD (American Dust)
Best Kissers In The World – Yellow Brick Roadkill 2xCD (American Dust)
Best Kissers in the World was a beloved early ‘90s Seattle quartet. Frontman Gerald Collier possesses one of the great rock voices of the era with a mind for witty and irreverent lyrics. Combine these with the band’s expert power-pop riffs and hooks and it’s clear why their multitude of diehard fans put them in the lineage of artists such as The Replacements, Joan Jett, and Cheap Trick.

Terence Blanchard Featuring The E Collective – Breathless CD (Blue Note)
Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective set off on a new musical journey with his new album Breathless. An innovative and electric exploration into the fusion of jazz, funk, blues featuring Oscar Seaton on drums, Donald Ramsey on bass, Charles Altura on guitar and Fabian Almazan on keyboard/piano/synths.
[Read more…] about New Releases for May 26, 2015