CDs + Vinyl:
Abominator – Evil Proclaimed CD/LP (Hells Headbangers)
Legendary black/death heretics Abominator return from suspended animation with their highly-anticipated comeback album.
Cannonball Adderley – Big Man: The Legend Of John Henry [Reissue/1975] CD (Real Gone Music)
In what would turn out to be the final years of his short life, jazz great Julian “Cannonball” Adderley embarked on a number of ambitious, genre-stretching projects. The last of these was 1975’s Big Man, the score for a musical play based on the John Henry (“the steel driving man”) American folk legend. The album was released as a two-LP set with libretto, and featured music from Adderley and his then-current musical associates including brother Nat Adderley, George Duke (using the alias “Dawilli Gonga”), Roy McCurdy, Airto Moreira, Carol Kaye and others.
Agnostic Front – American Dream Died CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
11th album from the seminal NYC hardcore veterans.
All Time Low – Future Hearts CD/LP (Hopeless)
Sixth studio album by the pop/punk band.
American Wrestlers – American Wrestlers CD/LP (Fat Possum)
American Wrestlers is the project of an unidentified Scotsman now living in Missouri. As the story goes, the musician in question grew up in Glasgow and later moved to Manchester, where he met his future wife and eventually followed her stateside to get married. Here in the US, he started recording on a Tascam 8-track with pawnshop instruments, and American Wrestlers was born.
Apophys – Prime Incursion CD (Metal Blade)
Netherlands based metal act, Apophys, boasts members of renowned Dutch bands including: God Dethroned, Prostitute Disfigurement, Detonation and Toxocara. The band formed in 2012 and have since been surgically carving their path in the modern death metal scene.
Aseethe – Nothing Left, Nothing Gained CD (Bellowing Mass)
Enduring drone doom trio Aseethe return with two tracks of heavy riff laden amplifier worship. For fans of Monarch!, Whitehorse, Corrupted, Sunn O))), Godflesh, Khanate and Neurosis.
Bad Company – Bad Company [Reissue/1974] 2xCD/2xLP (Atlantic)
Bad Company – Straight Shooter [Reissue/1975] 2xCD/2xLP (Atlantic)
Digitally remastered and expanded deluxe editions of the first two albums by the British rockers fronted by Paul Rodgers. Disc One contains the newly remastered audio of the original album while Disc Two features previously unreleased alternate takes and mixes and new mixes based on recently unearthed original multi-track tapes. Vinyl versions are HQ-180gm pressings.
Jessie Baylin – Dark Place CD/LP (Blonde Rat)
Some singers can create a mood far before the first syllables of lyric have been woven into a full story; a tone, mixed to dissolve perfectly into music, can say it all. Such is the case with Jessie Baylin, whose ethereal voice shoots the opening notes of Dark Place, her fourth album, into instant emotive territory – it envelops in a mysterious gauze, setting the stage for what is her most raw, personal work yet and also her most thrilling. Once again pairing with Shins keyboardist Richard Swift as producer and writing partner, Baylin recorded Dark Place at Swift’s National Freedom studio in Cottage Grove, OR over a slew of stirringly prolific days—a characteristic that has come to define the duo’s collaborative process.
The Belltowers – Day Breakaway CD (Twenty Stone Blatt)
Debut album from the garage rockers. Full of 12-string Rickenbacker jangle, Day Breakaway may look back to the sounds of old but it has a bright and contemporary new sonic attack and is packed with cool harmonies. The garage influences add a bit of fuzz and a touch of psychedelia, while some songs have a pure pop edge.
Frank Black And The Catholics – The Complete Recordings 7xCD (Cooking Vinyl)
A seven-CD collection of remastered versions of the band’s six studio albums, plus a bonus disc of demos from the sessions for Black Letter Days. The albums included are 1998’s self-titled, 1999’s Pistolero, 2001’s Dog In The Sand, 2002’s Black Letter Days and Devil’s Workshop, and 2003’s Show Me Your Tears.
Blues Traveller – Blow Up The Moon CD/LP (Loud & Proud)
With Blow Up The Moon, Blues Traveler collaborated with a range of artists across the spectrum for every one of the 14 songs on the album. The repertoire represents country, pop, reggae and even hip-hop. The diverse guests include 3OH!3, Plain White Ts, Jewel, Dirty Heads, JC Chasez, Hanson, Bowling For Soup, and many more.
Kristian Bush – Southern Gravity CD (Streamsound)
After over a decade as one-half of superstar country duo, Sugarland, Grammy Award-winning recording artist Kristian Bush steps out on his own with Southern Gravity, his debut solo album.
Byzantine – To Release Is To Resolve CD/LP (Cen)
The West Virginia’s cult groove metallers return with their fifth album.
Canned Heat – live heat ’86 Reno, Nevada CD (Relayer)
This is probably the only ever recording of this short lived era of the band. Includes renditions of their hit tracks “Goin’ Up The Country,” “Harley Davidson Blues” and “Rollin’ And Tumblin’” as well as classic interpretations like Al Green’s “Take Me To The River” and Robert Johnson’s “Sweet Home Chicago.”
Ceschi – Broken Bone Ballads CD (Fake Four Inc.)
An album five years in the making; Broken Bone Ballads was produced by Canadian beatsmith Factor and features some of Ceschi’s most raw and viceral lyrics to-date. Select vocal features include Sage Francis, iCON The Mic K!ing, David Ramos and Shosin. Vinyl version due April 21.
Chief Keef – Feed The Streets CD (Black Market)
New album from the rapper featuring guests Mane Mane, Pro Boy Boy and Pro Mane.
Colleen – Captain Of None CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Colleen is French multi-instrumentalist Cecile Schott whose innovative use of treble viola da gamba (a baroque instrument with gut strings) has yielded extensive critical acclaim for a diverse array of outlets such as Pitchfork, Mojo, Uncut, The Wire, XLR8R, The Quietus, and BBC Radio. Captain Of None is a collection of delicate, otherworldly pop songs incorporating dub-inspired techniques and is Colleen’s first album for Thrill Jockey following previous works on the Leaf label.
Common War – Search CD (Eulogy)
Common War is a four piece group hailing out of Fullerton, CA playing a blend of punk and hardcore with a flare for metal.
Larry Coryell – Heavy Feel CD (Wide Hive)
Heavy Feel, which, like many great jazz records, was recorded in one day and the tracks are imbued with the improvisational genius for which Mr. Coryell is known.
Dorthia Cottrell – Dorthia Cottrell CD (Forcefield)
Windhand frontwoman Dorthia Cottrell delivers a remarkable debut made up of ten songs written over the span of a decade that exhibit her palpable vocals and lyrics that will push you into a new realm of heart gripping folk. Her somber acoustic tunes have been described as grieving and sparse, with a nod in the direction of Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons, whose “Rake” and “A Song For You” she covers on her debut album.
Creature Automatic – Dust Clouds May Exist CD/LP+MP3 (Telegraph Harp)
Pop music that makes pop music strange again. Dust Clouds May Exist is flawlessly crafted, featuring catchy hooks and memorable riffs, exuberant and melancholy. It’s also an experimental opus, utilizing mellotrons, crumhorns, and portatif organ, alongside guitars, drums and piano. For fans of early Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, Richard Youngs and raucous experimentation.
Crown Larks – Blood Dancer CD/LP/Cassette (Space Lung/Land Breathing)
The Chicago shape-shifters debut LP veers from intricate arrangements to visceral noise. Hushed whispers, damaged screams, sax, flute, searing guitar, unhinged drums, bent circuitry, and more careen within hypnotic freakouts, poetic songs, and crushing feedback.
Crumbsuckers – Life’s A Dream/Beast On My Back [Reissue/1986/1988] CD (Real Gone Music)
Formed in 1982 in Baldwin, Long Island, the Crumbsuckers were inspired by the initial wave of hardcore punk spearheaded in America by bands such as Los Angeles Black Flag, Washington D.C.’s Minor Threat and Detroit s Negative Approach. Their combination of musical prowess and blindingly fast songs landed them a contract with Combat Records home to such heavy hitting acts as Exodus, Circle Jerks and Megadeth at the time and put them at the forefront of the crossover movement of the mid-‘80s which merged the raw power of hardcore punk with the complexity of heavy metal.
Dead Boys – We Have Come For Your Children [Reissue/1978] CD (Drastic Plastic)
Remastered CD reissue of the second album from the legendary Cleveland punk group, originally released in 1978 on Sire.
Manu Delago – Silver Kobalt CD/LP (Tru Thoughts)
Having already collaborated with Björk, The Cinematic Orchestra, Anoushka Shankar, Andreya Triana and the London Symphony Orchestra, 2015 see’s hang player and producer Manu Delago release his new album, Silver Kobalt — a continuation from the subtle beautiful world/electronic crossover that was 2014’s Bigger Than Home.
Delta Rae – After It All CD (Sire)
Delta Rae is a folk rock band formed in Durham, North Carolina. The band consists of three siblings Ian Holljes (vocals and guitar), Eric Holljes (vocals, guitar, piano and keys) and Brittany Holljes (vocals), as well as Elizabeth Hopkins (vocals), Mike McKee (percussion) and Grant Emerson (bass guitar). Their name hails from a fictional story the Holljeses’ mother intended to write about a Southern girl named Delta Rae who summons the Greek gods to earth.
Dion – Recorded Live At The Bitter End August 1971 CD (Omnivore)
Previously unissued 1971 live acoustic set from Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee.
Doldrums – The Air Conditioned Nightmare CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
On the follow-up to his 2013 debut Lesser Evil (which yielded tours with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Crystal Castles, Grimes and Purity Ring, and remixes for Peaking Lights, Grimes and Portishead), the DJ, producer and performer makes a sizeable leap from being darling of the Montreal warehouse creative explosion that gave the world the likes of Grimes, Majical Cloudz, Blue Hawaii to being a stand-alone artist and composer on the cusp of something quite special. Doldrums apply a punk rock ethos to electronic music, creating songs using samplers and DJ gear in place of guitars. Bold, anxious, dream-like, uplifting, glacial, hypnotic, constricting, expansive, alien – this is an album that is ever-changing.
Drenge – Undertow CD/LP+MP3 (Infectious Music)
Second album from this two-piece grunge/post grunge band from Castleton in Derbyshire.
Drenge’s fans include Royal Blood, Arctic Monkeys, Kanye West and Black Keys.
East India Youth – Culture Of Volume CD/2xLP (XL)
Named after a fragment of verse from the poem Monument by Rick Holland, Culture Of Volume is William Doyle’s dizzying sophomore achievement, mainly recorded (like his debut Total Strife Forever) on his own, in his bedroom at home in London. He explains: “I always wanted to make quite sophisticated music using very unsophisticated means.” Weaving Pet Shop Boys style pop bangers next to industrial techno, next to sci-fi Scott Walker style ballads next to ambient explorations, next to Krautrock style synthesizer laments, Doyle makes his point: “Part of the thing with this album and surrounding elements such as artwork has been trying to combine things that wouldn’t usually go together. The whole vibe of the album is certainly trying to force errors by making unlikely connections and seeing what happens.”
Enforcer – From Beyond CD (Nuclear Blast)
“One look at the cover art for Enforcer’s new album, From Beyond, and it’s pretty clear the Swedes wish they were living in 1983. From the sci-fi D&D skull creature to the Tempest-ized Enforcer logo, it all screams early ’80s. Get under the presentation and, well, it’s still ’80s. From Beyond jets like a V-8 Mustang GT with the windows down and the sun shining.” – Decibel Magazine
Tav Falco & Panther Burns – Return Of The Blue Panther/Midnight In Memphis [Reissue/1990] 2xCD (Frenzi)
Tav Falco & Panther Burns – Life Sentence In The Cathouse/Live In Vienna [Reissue/1991] 2xCD (Frenzi)
Tav Falco & Panther Burns have been cited as an influence by everyone from Jon Spencer Blues Explosion to The Fall, Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized. A permanent move to Europe in the late 1980s saw Tav based first in Paris, and subsequently Vienna, and an expansion of Panther’s Burns raw garage sound to embrace Stax, lounge and even Argentinean tango influences. Each of these reissues has been expanded with a bonus live show. Live In Vienna was recorded at the band’s tenth anniversary show at the Messepalast, Vienna, in May 1988, while Midnight In Memphis was recorded on February 10, 1989.
Folk Family Revival – Waterwalker CD (Rock Ridge Music)
The Magnolia, TX-based Americana quartet release their sophomore album.
Craig Fuller/Eric Kaz – Craig Fuller/Eric Kaz [Reissue/1978] CD (Real Gone Music)
Craig Fuller and Eric Kaz had already teamed up in American Flyer (along with Blood, Sweat & Tears’ Steve Katz and the Velvet Underground’s Doug Yule) before they collaborated on this 1978 album, but their pedigrees went way farther back than that band. Fuller made his debut with J.D. Blackfoot in 1970 and co-founded Pure Prairie League (for whom he wrote Amie among other PPL classics), while Kaz had cut his teeth with Children Of Paradise (along with Happy and Artie Traum) before joining Blues Magooes for two records and cutting two solo records for Atlantic.
GABI – Sympathy CD/2xLP+MP3 (Software)
Gabrielle’s formal training began at an early age, studying Balinese dance and gamelan in Indonesia while learning both the clarinet and piano. Herbst continued her training at Bard College where she studied voice and composition under the tutelage of Joan Tower, Zeena Parkins and Marina Rosenfeld. Her work has already been showcased at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center, as well as Roulette, who in 2014 commissioned and premiered her first opera Bodiless. Herbst’s experience writing for chamber orchestra and mixed instrumentation inspired her to develop a repertoire of short-form, vocal-centric compositions under the name GABI.
Steve Gabb Band – 70 Strong CD (Varese Sarabande)
70 Strong is the second full-length album by the Steve Gadd Band. Alongside Gadd, the band features Michael Landau, Walt Fowler, Larry Goldings, and Jimmy Johnson. Together they had already established a high degree of bandstand chemistry as the touring band for James Taylor, as well as with their 2013 debut release, Gadditude.
AJ Ghent Band – Live At Terminal West CD+DVD (Blue Corn Music)
With a molten mixture of driving R&B, soul, funk, and rock ‘n’ roll, the AJ Ghent Band captivates every concert audience. Led by Ghent’s magnetic presence, powerful voice and mind-boggling guitar skill, the band’s live show makes an indelible impression on all who experience it.
Seth Glier – If I Could Change One Thing CD (MPress)
On his fourth album for MPress Records, Glier embraces a genuine modern-pop direction, marking a bold departure from his previous, more acoustic recordings and the beginning of an exciting relationship with Los Angeles-based producer/songwriter Bill Lefler (Ingrid Michaelson, Dashboard Confessional).
Goat Semen – Ego Sum Sathana CD (Hells Headbangers)
At ground zero of the rebirth and resurgence of South American black/death at the dawn of the new millennium, these Peruvian devils delivered one of the most classic demos ever with their self-titled 2002 demo, which has seen countless re-editions in the past decade. Like a veritable travelogue across the history of South American metal barbarity the past three decades, Ego Sum Sathana surges and gnashes with all the hellfire and hatred the continent’s black/death is world renowned for. Vinyl version due April 21.
Gorguts – Obscura [Reissue/1998] CD/2xLP (Century Media)
Obscura is the third album by Gorguts. It is recognized as one of metal’s most technical and complex albums, consisting of many experimental and dissonant melodies, and strange rhythms.
Gov’t Mule – Dub Side Of The Mule CD/3xCD+DVD/2xLP+MP3 (Evil Teen)
Recorded during Mule’s fabled New Year Eve 2006 performance at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, Dub Side Of The Mule features three-plus hours of Mule standards and covers, including a one-hour reggae/R&B set featuring Toots Hibbert, the legendary founder of Toots & The Maytals. The album also includes special appearances by Gregg Allman & Friends and John Popper (from Blues Traveler). All 34 tracks have been remixed and mastered, and is available in three formats: standard edition CD (one CD of the entire set with Toots, plus two additional Mule-only reggae songs), standard edition vinyl (two HQ-180gm vinyl LPs of the Toots set, plus two additional Mule-only reggae songs and a download code for the digital files), and a deluxe edition (three CDs of the entire three-hour performance, plus a DVD of only the entire reggae set with Toots Hibbert.)
David Gray – White Ladder [Reissue/1998] CD (IHT)
David Gray – Lost Songs ’95-’98 [Reissue/2001] CD (IHT)
David Gray – A New Day At Midnight [Reissue/2002] CD (IHT)
David Gray – Life In Slow Motion [Reissue/2005] CD (IHT)
David Gray – Greatest Hits [Reissue/2007] CD (IHT)
David Gray – Draw The Line [Reissue/2009] CD (IHT)
David Gray – Foundling [Reissue/2010] CD (IHT)
The critically and commercially successful British indie singer/songwriter’s back catalog has been reissued.
Steve Hackett – Wolflight CD/CD+Blu-ray/LP (Inside Out U.S.)
Wolflight is Steve Hackett’s first original solo studio album since Beyond The Shrouded Horizon in 2011. Primal and orchestral, it retains the Hackett trademark as electric guitar runs right the way through with a regular sprinkling of acoustic. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a Blu-ray containing a 5.1 surround mix plus interviews and two bonus tracks.
Heidevolk – Velua CD (Napalm)
The Veluwe – mythical and utterly beautiful woodlands in Holland – is the setting for Heidevolk’s fifth album Velua. Using this as a backdrop, the Dutch folk/pagan metal act paints a dark picture of ghosts, goblins and brigands in order to raise a monument for Gelderland with anthemic folk parts, clean male vocals and gritty metal.
Hi Alberts – Conjure Time CD (Twenty Stone Blatt)
New release from the garage rockers.
Will Hoge – Small Town Dreams CD (Cumberland Recordings)
Will Hoge’s upbringing in the small town of Franklin, TN helped shape him into the ban he is, but that same upbringing provided the backdrop for his latest release Small Town Dreams. The record covers every aspect of this life, the characters, the love, the heartbreak, the comedy and the longing. Having produced his last four albums, Hoge enlisted veteran producer Marshall Altman (Marc Broussard, Eric Paslay, Frankie Ballard) to helm this project.
Hotel Books – Run Wild, Young Beauty CD (InVogue)
New album from the Porterville, CA spoken word/indie/ambient rock outfit.
Hotelier – Home, Like Noplace Is There CD (Tiny Engines)
Anthemic, cathartic rock songs, sent occasionally to delicate and destructive extremes. Received an 8.1 from Pitchfork when it was originally released on vinyl last year.
Ray Wylie Hubbard – The Ruffian’s Misfortune CD/LP (Bordello)
When it comes to down ‘n’ dirty roots ‘n’ roll, nobody in the wide world of Americana music today does it better than Ray Wylie Hubbard. From his humble beginnings as an Oklahoma folkie in the ’60s to his wild ride through the ’70s progressive country movement, and onward through the honky-tonk fog of the ’80s to his sobriety-empowered comeback as a song writer’s songwriter in the ’90s.
Julia Hülsmann Quartet w/ Theo Bleckmann – A Clear Midnight/Kurt Weill And America CD (ECM)
Pianist Julia Hülsmann and singer Theo Bleckmann, in a first and long-awaited collaborative recording, celebrate lesser-known Weill works alongside the master’s best-loved songs including “Mack The Knife,” “Speak Low” and “September Song,” adding also Julia’s settings of Walt Whitman, with whom Kurt Weill felt an affinity.
John Brown’s Body – Kings And Queens In Dub CD (Easy Star)
Almost two years to the day after releasing the beloved Kings And Queens — which topped the Billboard Reggae Chart a — JBB returns with Kings And Queens In Dub. Taking inspiration from landmark dub albums by Burning Spear, Aswad, and others, the new release features the entire sequence from Kings And Queens mixed by a who’s who of dub champions including Ticklah, Dubmatix, Dubfader (of 10 Ft. Ganja Plant), UK legend Dennis Bovell, Yesking, Michael G (of Easy Star All-Stars), Lord Echo (of The Black Seeds), and more.
Kelela – Cut 4 Me CD/2xCD (Fade To Mind)
“If Cut 4 Me, the first mixtape from the D.C-born and L.A.-based singer Kelela, worked as a simple production showcase for the various names associated with the dance label Fade To Mind, it would be well worth hearing. The Brooklyn producer Kingdom started the label, and he’s part of a set of like-minded forward-thinking dance music types who, collectively, have a really interesting thing going on right now. Kingdom’s sound is based in classic body-jacking old-school house music, but it’s got a design-minded sparseness to it, and he also takes stylistic cues from elsewhere: From floaty sci-fi R&B, from grime, from the British pirate-radio bass music that we were calling dubstep before Skrillex happened. His best tracks are absolute bangers, but they don’t just smash through speakers; they have a way of hovering in the air” – Stereogum. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a disc of remixes. Vinyl version due April 21.
KNTRLR – Great Filter CD (Goodnight)
If The Walkmen joined with Death Grips and toured brothels, we have something like the sound of KNTRLR’s debut, The Great Filter. “The duo’s first album is a rush of hooks and energy…one of the early year’s more enjoyable efforts.” – SPIN
Kirk Knuffke – Arms & Hands CD/LP (Royal Potato)
Cornetist and composer Kirk Knuffke is one of modern jazz’s most skilled navigators of the divide between inside and outside, freedom and swing. On his latest album, Arms & Hands, he is joined by bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bill Goodwin, along with special guests Brian Drye (trombone), Daniel Carter (alto saxophone), and Jeff Lederer (soprano/tenor saxophone).
Darius Koski – Sisu CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Debut solo album from the Swingin’ Utters guitarist. Comprised of 15 tracks, Sisu is a veritable grab bag of acoustic genres and instrumentation, replete with guitar, piano, banjo, accordion, violin, glockenspiel, vibraphone, melodica and ukulele. From the haunting honkytonk piano on “Paper Tigers” to the galloping rhythm and surf guitar accents on “Howls From The Gale,” Sisu weaves its way through country, blues, acoustic indie, bluegrass, and both American and Irish folk.
Kuroma – Kuromarama CD/LP (Votiv Music)
Kuroma is the project of Hank Sullivant, ex-member of the Whigs and current touring guitarist for MGMT. Recorded between the band s hometowns of Brooklyn, NY and Athens, GA, the sound of Kuromarama most closely resembles that of an artisanal prescription spectrum of liquefied jolly rancher, each flavor each color imbued with a solace wrung from the depths of a salty ocean trench.
La Chat – Murder She Spoke II CD (Phixieous Entertainment)
New release from the Memphis based rapper features guest artists Lil Wyte, Frayser Boy, Miscellaneous and more, and was produced by DJ Paul, DJ Squeeky, DJ Zirk, Big Boi, and others. La Chat is also featured on six songs on the new Da Mafia 6ix album, Watch What U Wish.
Pokey LaFarge – Something In The Water CD/LP+MP3 (Rounder)
Pokey LaFarge makes original Midwestern music. With one foot deep in the heart of the American musical tradition and the other firmly planted in the present, he continually challenges the notion that tradition-bearers fail to push musical boundaries. An eclectic writer and performer, he incorporates elements of early jazz, ragtime, country blues, Western swing, and beyond, transcending the confines of genre to present a sound very much his own. Treated with a heavier dose of catchy rhythms and traditional drum kit percussion throughout, the 12 tracks on Something In The Water see LaFarge’s sound imbued with new life. Produced by kindred spirit Jimmy Sutton, the album showcases his peerless gifts as a songwriter, performer, and entertainer, and further solidifies his place at the forefront of American music.
Sinikka Langeland – The Half-Finished Heaven CD (ECM)
The half-Finnish Sinikka sets The Half-Finished Heaven — and other verse by Tomas Tranströmer — on her fourth album for ECM. “Despondency breaks off its course. / Anguish breaks off its course. / The vulture breaks off its flight. / The eager light streams out …” Such vivid images establish a tone for what is primarily an instrumental album this time, with a striking blend of sound-colors in music written by Langeland. Sinikka’s kanteles — 10-string, 15-string, and 39-string table-harps — seem to carry archaic echoes older than folk tradition.
Lapalux – Lustmore CD/LP+MP3 (Brainfeeder)
Lustmore is loosely based on the experience of hypnogogia, a transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep. Listeners familiar with his 2011 debut, Nostalchic, will know that Stuart Howard’s woozy, infectious rhythms, enveloping textures and unfamiliarly familiar melodies conjure that territory perfectly. Lapalux attracted the direct attention of Brainfeeder label owner and electronic music icon Flying Lotus in 2010, and was quickly snapped up by the imprint.
Lay Siege – Hopeisnowhere CD (Lifeforce)
“Like the striking black and white cover that adorns the album’s front, the music on Hopeisnowhere takes the competing elements of melody and pure, metallic bite and channels them into a single-minded display of rage. The band’s thick, bottom-heavy riffs draw equally from the percussiveness of metalcore and the engrossing, textured tendencies of post-rock/metal.
— Metal Temple
The Legendary Pink Dots – Come Out Of The Shadows Vol. One CD (Beta-Lactum Ring)
The original sessions that would become the Legendary Pink Dots’ Malachai and Shadow Weaver and produced by Steven Stapleton (Nurse With Wound).
The London Souls – Here Come The Girls CD (Feel Records/Round Hill)
“The latest effort from now-duo The London Souls is worthy of consideration among history’s finest examples of the dirtiest rock. Chris St. Hilaire and Tash Neal have assembled a collection of songs full of swagger and accidental perfection that perfectly encapsulates their intuitive approach to making music. Not that the album isn’t without its tender moments – the Zeppelin-y
‘Isabel’ and Alecia Chakour-assisted album closer ‘Run Zombie Run’ are particularly gentle tunes. By and large though, this record is rife with boozy swing, crunchy guitars and thunderous drums.” – Relix
Lord Huron – Strange Trails CD/LP (IAmSound)
Strange Trails is the highly anticipated follow-up to Lord Huron’s acclaimed debut album Lonesome Dreams. The new record was written and produced by frontman Ben Schneider and recorded at the band’s own Whispering Pines studio in Los Angeles. Strange Trails is an anthology of weird fiction — a new 14-track collection of tales from the world introduced on Lonesome Dreams. Schneider explains, “There’s no direct narrative connection between the two albums. The stories here are separated by time, location and characters. Many of the themes have carried over and evolved.”
Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas – Soundprints CD (Blue Note)
Saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas release the debut recording from their co-led quintet Sound Prints featuring pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist Linda Oh and drummer Joey Baron. The album was recorded live at the Monterey Jazz Festival on September 21, 2013. Sound Prints takes their primary inspiration from the music of their primary inspiration Wayne Shorter the band’s name is a nod to his classic Footprints however the quintet s focus is on new original compositions by Lovano and Douglas, as well as two new Shorter compositions in direct collaboration with the composer himself.
Shelby Lynne – I Am Shelby Lynne [Reissue/2000] CD (Rounder)
Celebrating the 15th anniversary of Shelby Lynne’s breakthrough album, this reissue of the Grammy-award winning I Am Shelby Lynne is digitally remastered for optimal listening.
Mammoth Mammoth – Volume IV: Hammered Again CD/LP (Napalm)
The scruffy Australians deliver a dose of hard stoner rock.
Marriages – Salome CD/LP+MP3 (Sargent House)
The Los Angeles-based trio first began in 2011 as a collaborative effort between former Red Sparowes members Emma Ruth Rundle (guitar, vocals) and Greg Burns (bass, keyboards). Showcasing Rundle’s exceptional playing more vividly than the dense architecture of the Sparowes could allow, Marriages’ departure from purely instrumental rock, too, helped bring her to the forefront, revealing a voice equally fragile and ferocious. Enlisting Sparowes drummer Dave Clifford, they released Kitsune in 2012. Subsequent touring with Russian Circles, Deafheaven and others honed their vision while introducing the band to a broad cross-section of heavy music fans. Full time drummer Andrew Clinco (Drab Majesty) completed the equation in late 2012, the final component in Marriages’ frequently epic postpunk-by-way-of-stoner-rock sound.
Matt And Kim – New Glow CD/LP (Harvest)
The fifth LP from Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino, is an exhilarating effort as always. “Anyone who has seen us knows we love any style of music you can have fun and get wild to,” Johnson said in a press release. “I’m not sure we were able to put that diversity on any of our albums the way we did on New Glow.” The first song they shared from the album, “Get It,” makes this willingness to get weird clear with a supremely catchy, hip-hop inspired beat. “While there are definitely songs that will feel familiar to people who know our stuff, there are also songs like ‘Get It’ which have always been part of who we are but went unrecorded to this point” Johnson said.
Minsk – The Crash & The Draw CD/LP (Relapse)
Rooted in the post-metal landscape that brought us bands like Neurosis and Isis, with The Crash & The Draw Minsk step out from the shadows of the giants of their genre to create a psychedelic blend of melodic tribal heaviness.
Mitski – Bury Me At Makeout Creek CD/LP (Don Giovanni)
The third album from the classically trained vocalist and pop songwriter, Bury Me At Makeout Creek recalls the work of Angel Olsen and Mount Eerie, combined with the power pop energy of contemporaries, Swearin’ and Radiator Hospital. Praised by Stereogum for her vocal prowess and “walloping guitars,” Mitski has already grabbed the attention of a growing audience in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY.
MKG – Coast 2 Coast 208 CD (Ontrack Ent.)
Another quality installment in the Coast 2 Coast mixtape series. This mix is hosted by MGK (Machine Gun Kelly) and includes features from Shorty-140, Pastor Troy, Syke, Lil Kee, Il Duce, QB AKA Mr. Casualty, Dolce Jiggs, J. Rip, Warren G, Messy Marv and many others.
Morgoth – Ungod CD/LP (Century Media)
New studio album from the German death metal veterans – their first in 19 years.
Mother Mother – Very Good Bad Thing CD (Roc Nation)
Very Good Bad Thing was recorded with Juno-winning producer Gavin Brown (Metric, Billy Talent, Tragically Hip) at his Noble Street studio in Toronto, and debuted at #1 in Canada. Mother Mother’s sound mixes Pixies and Arcade Fire with great harmonies and a bit of electronica thrown in.
The Mountain Goats – Beat The Champ CD/2xLP+MP3 (Merge)
In 2014, John Darnielle published his first novel, Wolf In White Van. A story involving time travel, a post-apocalyptic America, and text-based RPG games, the book opened to critical and commercial acclaim, earning a spot on the New York Times Bestsellers list and a nomination for the National Book Award. His next project is equally ambitious: a new Mountain Goats concept album about pro wrestling. As Darnielle explains, professional wrestling “was an avenue of escape for me when I was a kid. Wrestling was low-budget working class entertainment back then, strictly UHF material. It was cheap theater. You had to bring your imagination to the proceedings and you got paid back double. I wrote these songs to re-immerse myself in the blood and fire of the visions that spoke to me as a child, and to see what more there might be in them now that I’m grown.” (Vinyl version is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe is pressed on color vinyl (one disc gold/one disc green) and is expanded with a bonus red vinyl 12” featuring the tracks “Blood Capsules” b/w “Dub Capsules”).
µ-Ziq – XTLP CD (Planet Mu)
IDM adventurer µ-Ziq drops another sound bomb on Planet Mu. On XTLP however, the tone is a little less frantically experimental than a lot of µ-Ziq work. Parts of XTLP may conjure up blissful rave memories in the heads of some of the older among you. The release combines 2013’s vinyl-only XTEP and Rediffusion EPs plus a new bonus track, “Forger.” First time on CD for previous vinyl-only releases.
Paperhaus – Paperhaus CD/LP (Huge Witch)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Eponymous debut LP from this DC-based psych rock quartet.
Art Pepper – Neon Art: Volume Three [2012] CD (Omnivore)
The third volume of Neon Art features three tunes drawn from the unissued performances of his 1981 tour of Japan. Features the compositions “Make A List (Make A Wish),” “Everything Happens To Me” and “Arthur’s Blues.”
Poison Idea – Confuse & Conquer CD/LP (Southern Lord)
Brand new studio LP, booming with 35 minutes of fully ignited hardcore punk in the monolithic style the band has provided for 3.5 decades now.
Portico – Living Fields CD/LP+MP3 (Ninja Tune)
Portico Quartet formed in 2005 and gained a great deal of praise in their hometown of London and beyond. The group’s jazz-folk eventually warped into an ambient electronic sound, but that only led to a bigger following and more acclaim. But in 2014, Keir Vine left the band, just three years after replacing original member Nick Mulvey. Rather than fold, the remaining trio — Duncan Bellamy, Milo Fitzpatrick and Jack Wyllie — decided to reinvent themselves as simply Portico. “Ranges from soft, composed and soulful to powerful and resounding, with occasional elements that wouldn’t be out of place in a dubstep record.” – Music OMH
Priory – Need To Know CD/LP+MP3 (WB)
Written in a studio built from the ground up in a former cement factory, the resulting output is a unique and powerful collection of neon-lit new wave pop cut with modern rock aesthetics, led by the ebullient and catchy single, “Weekend.”
The Real McKenzies – Rats In The Burlap CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
After 23 years of traversing the globe to spread their festive, high-octane, booze-fueled brand of punk rock, The Real McKenzies show no signs of slowing.
Red Pill – Look What This World Did To Us CD/LP (Mello Music)
Look What This World Did To Us is in league with the best of early Atmosphere or Open Mike Eagle’s Dark Comedy, a modern hustle of machinery and migraines. These are the late night conversations you have with your friends. The idle nights and empty bottles, the hard questions that come after you realize the world might not be yours.
Josh Rouse – The Embers Of Time CD/LP (Yep Roc)
“Singer/songwriter Josh Rouse’s journey has taken him from his rural Oshkosh, Nebraska home through a stint in Nashville and now to his adopted hometown of Valencia, Spain, where he wrote and recorded much of The Embers Of Time. He says the songs were inspired by an existential crisis—he calls it ‘my surreal expat therapy record’—and on the lead single ‘Some Days I’m Golden All Night,’ he grapples with some of his faults, but it’s far from a heavy listen. Rouse offsets the confessional lyrics with a arrangement of vibraphone, steel guitar, and gently propulsive drums that gives his bluntly honest self-assessment a remarkable buoyancy, as well as a more-than-passing resemblance to the softly rocking countrypolitan sound that came out of Nashville during the ’70s.” – Entertainment Weekly
Royal Thunder – Crooked Doors CD/LP (Relapse)
Atlanta’s Royal Thunder reemerges with their sophomore LP. Propelled by the powerfully emotional voice of Mlny Parsonz, Royal Thunder seamlessly blends the great parts of heavy classic rock, ‘90s grunge and the forward thinking guitar heroics of contemporary metal bands like Mastodon and Baroness.
Sabaton – Heroes 3xCD (Nuclear Blast)
Basing their main lyrical themes on war and historical battles, heavy metal band Sabaton emerged from Falun, Sweden in 1999. In 2012 four Sabaton members left and formed a new band, Civil War, while vocalist Joakim Brodén and bassist Pär Sundström continued with new members. This triple-disc version of their 2014 album Heroes features the original album expanded in deluxe packaging with a pair of live sets.
Sacral Rage – Illusions In The Infinite Void CD (Cruz Del Sur)
Sacral Rage is a four-piece from Athens, Greece who specializes in speed metal.
David Sanborn – Time & The River CD (Masterworks)
New release from the saxophonist — his 25th album as a leader. Time & The River was produced by Marcus Miller, who plays bass on the recording. The other musicians include Roy Assaf on keyboards; Ricky Peterson on Hammond organ; Yotam Silberstein and Nicky Moroch on guitars; Peter Hess on horns and flute; Marcus Baylor on drums; and Javier Diaz on percussion. Other players include trombonist Tim Vaughn and trumpeter Justin Mullens, and vocalists Randy Crawford and Larry Braggs.
Scuba – Claustrophobia CD (Hotflush)
Over the past 11 years, Scuba’s music has zigzagged through bass, techno and house, at times dark and contemplative, at others bright and anthemic. “Claustophobia spends as much time looking inward as it does contemplating the reactions of the massing crowds. Stylistically, the album is roughly split between techno, ambient, and IDM, with one foot in the living room and one foot in the club.” [8.1] – Pitchfork
Seasons Change – Please Don’t Leave CD/LP (No Sleep)
Debut album from the Pico Rivera, CA pop punk quintet.
Section 25 – Always Now [Reissue/1981] CD (Factory Benelux)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this spacey 1981 debut album produced by Martin Hannett at Pink Floyd’s Britannia Row studio. Features nine bonus tracks, including all tracks from the Girls Don’t Count and Haunted singles as well as rare compilation tracks and album outtake “Human Puppets.” The newly remodelled artwork faithfully reproduces the original Peter Saville sleeve design and contains facsimile memorabilia and detailed sleeve notes.
Shlohmo – Dark Red CD/LP (True Panther Sounds)
Dark Red is the second full-length album from Shlohmo, aka 25 year-old Los Angeles native Henry Laufer. The album is an uncanny marriage of his ever-evolving, richly textured sound with shades of ‘90s IDM, R&B, cassette-tape jungle, and, in an unexpected turn, sludge metal. “It sounds like if Electric Wizard tried to make an R&B record,” he says, “or Boards of Canada meets Burzum by the River Styx.”
Soilwork – Live In The Heart Of Helsinki 2xCD+Blu-ray (Nuclear Blast)
Recorded during the band’s special Helsinki show on March 21, 2014 at Circus Club in the Finnish capital.
Becca Stevens Band – Perfect Animal CD (Universal Music Classics)
A revolutionary album, the title suggests Becca’s untamable musical spirit and style that blurs boundaries between rock, pop, jazz and folk. Her most personally-charged songwriting and her most urgent, impassioned multi-octave range singing to date, along with vivid, adventurous arrangements that show off her fiercely expressive guitar work, the album includes unique takes on hits by Frank Ocean, Usher and Steve Winwood.
Sworn In – The Lovers/The Brother CD (Razor & Tie)
Sworn In’s The Lovers /The Devil is a breakthrough, not merely for the Chicago-based heavy music aggregate, but a step forward for the scene itself. With an average age of 21, the five members of Sworn In have delivered a sonic landscape full of unexpected twists and extreme musical dualities. The new album not only expands on Sworn In’s 2013 debut, The Death Card, but also takes the listener on an unforgettable, yet disturbing aural journey. Vinyl version due May 5.
Take One Car – Everyone You Know Is Here Right Now CD/LP (Broken World Media)
Take One Car is a post-hardcore quartet from upstate New York that has built a dedicated following by relentless DIY touring and self-releasing their music for the past seven years. Everyone You Know Is Here Right Now pushes the band’s masterfully crafted and dynamic sound further into the territories of bands like mewithoutYou, La Dispute, and Unwound. An undeniably great record start to finish.
This Is The Kit – Bashed Out CD/LP (Brassland)
“Bashed Out digs into the mud, muck, and shit of life, acquiescing to the dirty violence of existence with a clear-eyed sort of courage. Stables sings and plays guitar, trumpet, percussion and banjo throughout the record, but you’ll especially notice the way she handles a banjo, turning an often hackneyed sound into a thing of delicacy.” — Stereogum
Fred Thomas – All Are Saved CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Eighth solo album from Saturday Looks Good To Me/City Center member. Heavy, poetic lyrics are more spoken than sung, recalling the urgency and straightforwardness of cult bands like The Van Pelt or Life Without Buildings, while each song builds on a patchwork of grainy samples, dreamlike guitar figures and deftly produced clashes of organic instrumentation and vintage synth textures. Features a guest appearance from Andrew W.K. (Vinyl version pressed on clear gold wax.)
Toro Y Moi – What For? CD/LP+MP3 (Carpark)
Opening to the scream of F1 s speeding around a racetrack, and maintaining that intensity with booming guitar riffs and psychedelic effects throughout, the new album from Toro Y Moi is makes a statement. While it is obvious that each song is crafted around a personally meaningful experience, Chaz seems to purposefully leave the lyrics just vague enough to let each listener mold it into something unique. He presents you with a few themes: love, beauty, nature; and gently lets go of your hand so you can wander off on your own. What For? is a glimpse into the life of a guy trying to figure out what it all means, and is influenced by bands like Big Star, Talking Heads, Tim Maia, and Todd Rundgren.
Trouble Funk – Trouble Funk Live: Ultimate Crank CD (TWF)
New live release by the Washington, DC R&B/funk/go-go band. Trouble Funk helped to popularize Washington, DC’s local funk subgenre known as go-go. Throughout their career, the band has sometimes shared the stage with hardcore punk bands of such as Minor Threat and the Big Boys. This show was recorded at the Howard Theatre on January 18, 2015, and includes the band playing sweaty and raw versions of “Hump Day,” “Start This Thing Off Right,” “Pump Me Up” and more. Also available on stand-alone DVD.
Umphree’s McGee – The London Session: A Day At Abbey Road Studios CD/2xLP (Nothing Too Fancy)
Umphrey’s recorded The London Session over 12 hours at Abbey Road’s legendary Studio 2, where The Beatles laid down most of their studio work. The new album features a mix of Umphree’s McGee classics such as “Out Of Order,” “Glory” and “Plunger” as well as more recently debuted tracks “Bad Friday,” “No Diablo” and “Comma Later.” There’s also a version of The Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” included, the first time a cover has graced one of the band’s studio albums.
Steve Vai – Stillness In Motion: Vai Live In L.A. 2xCD (Sony Legacy)
Stillness In Motion: Vai Live In L.A. was recorded October 2012 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles while Steve was on his two-year worldwide Story Of Light tour. This live double-CD features new arrangements of his classic material and fan favorites, including material from his latest album, 2012’s The Story Of Light. Also available on stand-alone DVD.
Various Artists – Back From The Grave Part One [Reissue/1984] CD/LP (Crypt)
Various Artists – Back From The Grave Part Three [Reissue/1994] CD/LP (Crypt)
Various Artists – Back From The Grave Volume 5 [Reissue/1985] CD/LP (Crypt)
Reissues of three volumes of raw ‘n’ crude mid-‘60s garage punk, all fully remastered.
Various Artists – Last Of The Garage Punk Unknowns Volumes 1 & 2 CD (Crypt)
29 prime slabs of mid-‘60s USA garage punk ace-ness, complete with liner notes, band photos and label scans. (Available as separate volumes on vinyl.)
Various Artists – Sherwood At The Controls Volume 1: 1979-1984 CD/2xLP+MP3 (On-U Sound)
Adrian Sherwood is a true English pioneer known especially for his dub work through the ’80s and ’90s. His approach to deconstructing and reconstructing tracks would also help to popularize the idea of the remix, and he’s worked with all sort of artists over the years, from Depeche Mode to Nine Inch Nails and Primal Scream. At The Controls Volume 1 highlights Sherwood’s capacity as a DJ and live sound engineer, and is the first part of a new campaign of reissues by his long-running label. The compilation includes tracks he made with The Fall, Prince Far I, The Slits and Shriekback.
The Very Best – Makes A King CD/LP (PIAS America)
New album from the Swedish-Malawian “global pop” duo comprised of Johan Hugo and Esau Mwamwaya aka The Very Best. Like albums past, Makes A King features its share of guest collaborators. Some of those guests include Vampire Weekend bass player Chris Baio, Senegalese singer Baaba Maal, London singer/songwriter Seye, and Jutty Taylor of Jutty Ranx. True to the duo’s upbeat and lively vibe, Hugo says in a press release that the album is about “celebrating the positive and the negative in life – and striving to stay happy through it all.”
Frank Viele – Fall your Way CD (Fall Your Way)
Frank Viele constructs his sound beneath an acoustic funk ceiling with windows of alternative pop, folk and soul. A musical carpenter in the independent rock genre, the singer/songwriters approach mixes a dry wit with a soulful touch.
Tom Waits – A Small Affair In Ohio: FM Radio Broadcast, Live In Cleveland 1977 CD (All Access)
In October of 1977 Tom Waits was a busy man. His fifth album Foreign Affairs had been released the month before. Waits only played a handful of US dates in October ’77, four to be exact, one each in Boston and New York, and two in Ohio. On October 22nd he’d been at Cincinnati’s infamous hole in the wall, Bogart’s, and on 25th this show, at the well-established Agora Ballroom in Cleveland, was performed in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The show was broadcast by WMMS FM across the local area and the whole gig can be heard on this CD.
The Waterboys – Modern Blues CD/LP (Harlequin And Clown)
“Amid a rocking chug of forward-tilting blues, peeling electric guitars and thick Hammond organ, Mike Scott creates vistas of jangling forests, rotating carousels, neon canyons, holy jazz bands, Dean Moriarty’s ghost and Venus in a V-neck sweater. ‘This is all in code, my dear,’ he declares.
If you understand this particular code, then the Waterboys’ latest album is likely to induce a state of rapture. Modern Blues is a rich, aromatic stew of classic rock and beat poetics, with Scott on a quasi-mystical quest to comprehend his own muse and every band member playing out of their skins.” – The Telegraph
Waters – What’s Real CD/LP (Vagrant)
New release by the alternative rock band from San Francisco. Waters was formed by Van Pierszalowski, the frontman of Port O’Brien after that band split up.
Waxahatchee – Ivy Tripp CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
Katie Crutchfield’s southern roots are undeniable. The name of her solo musical project Waxahatchee comes from a creek not far from her childhood home in Alabama and seems to represent both where she came from and where she’s going. Waxahatchee’s latest record, Ivy Tripp, drifts confidently from its predecessors and brings forth a more informed and powerful recognition of where Crutchfield has currently found herself.
Weed – Running Back CD/LP (Lefse)
New album from the sludgy Vancouver quartet. Running Back is Weed’s second full-length, following 2013’s Deserve, expressing a fuller self-knowledge both musically and meditatively. Album track “Stay In The Summer,” is “a blaring, funereal dissection of the sadder side of nostalgia. Deliberately, but prettily disdainful in melody and forlorn in voice, the guitar chugs along in heavy resonance, slamming on whammy bars and dipping the tones to irk notions of longing for the past, while distant, watery vocals smooth everything over in a numbing coldness. ‘Lose yourself in time,’ the song begs, shedding light on a personal inner struggle. ‘Can’t take you back.’ – Impose
White Hills – Walks For Motorists CD (Thrill Jockey)
White Hills are one of the most legendary acts in psychedelic rock today. Walks For Motorists is the band’s definitive statement, showcasing a new intensity for the band, emphasizing rhythm and groove. Possibly surprising to fans familiar with the Hawkwindian guitar squall of earlier albums, the songs on Walks For Motorists began as a keyboard melody or bass line, and several songs on the album don’t even feature guitar at all. This is propulsive, open music, surreal to its core but made to inspire people to get out of their seats and move. Vinyl version due May 19.
White Noise Sound – Like A Pyramid Of Fire CD/LP (Rocket Girl)
Like A Pyramid Of Fire is the second album by the Welsh psychedelicists. After honing their craft across the UK and through Europe with the likes of Super Furry Animals, The Warlocks, Spectrum, Mark Gardener (Ride) and members of Spacemen 3, Spiritualized and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, WNS completed their debut album in 2010 with the assistance of Pete Kember (Spacemen 3/Spectrum/E.A.R) and magician Cian Ciaran (Super Furry Animals).
Brian Wilson – No Pier Pressure CD/2xLP (Capitol)
Brian Wilson has assembled an all-star supporting cast for his new album, No Pier Pressure. Along with performances from a number of longtime musical peers, including several of his former Beach Boys bandmates, Wilson’s new LP boasts Kacey Musgraves, fun.’s Nate Ruess and She & Him’s Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. Wilson began working on his 11th solo LP with longtime collaborator Joe Thomas in 2012 as the Beach Boys reunited for their 50th anniversary, touring the country and releasing a new album, That’s Why God Made The Radio. Initially, Wilson intended to record his new songs with the Beach Boys, but when the songwriter and group parted ways once again, he sought out guest singers to help finish the job. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds three bonus tracks.
Cassandra Wilson – Coming Forth By Day CD (Sony Legacy)
An otherworldly musical homage to legendary jazz vocalist Billie Holiday on the 100th anniversary of the singer’s birth, Coming Forth By Day is Cassandra Wilson’s moody, soulful new album showcase for contemporary yet timeless interpretations of standards associated with Lady Day. Vinyl version due May 5.
Jesse Winchester – Seems Like Only Yesterday: Live In Montreal 1976 CD (Real Gone Music)
The 1976 radio broadcast from Montreal that marked the first time anyone in the United States had heard Jesse perform live since his exile in Canada as a draft resister began in the late ‘60s (it was also the first-ever live show broadcast internationally on stereo FM radio).
WOLF! featuring Scott Metzger – Wolf CD (Royal Potato)
Scott Metzger is one of New York City’s most in demand guitarists, touring with the likes of Trixie Whitley, Nicole Atkins and Grateful Dead revivalist phenomenon, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and picking on numerous studio sessions, including those by Anders Osborne, Craig Finn and Kelli Scarr. But it’s Metzger’s instrumental trio, WOLF!, that reveals his own truly distinct voice as a guitarist. First and foremost, Metzger’s sound is built upon the great Fender Telecaster tradition, the lineage of which runs from Roy Buchanan to Jeff Beck, Danny Gatton to Steve Cropper, Bill Frisell to Albert Collins. It’s within that rich history that Metzger stands to be recognized as one of the next great torchbearers.
Alison Wonderland – Run CD/LP (Astralwerks)
New album from Australian DJ/producer. Includes “U Don’t Know” featuring Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips.
Xymphoni – Irresistible CD (That Other Label)
Composing music with hip-hop artist Ice Dogg, Xymphoni continues to challenge her vocal ability by asserting her skills in a variety of musical genres. Born and raised in Detroit, she was influenced by a range of artists from the likes of Minnie Riperton to the Isley Brothers.
Young Fathers – White Men Are Black Men Too CD/LP+MP3 (Big Dada)
Scottish-Liberian-Nigerian outfit Young Fathers — known for fusing elements of hip-hop, soul, punk, and pop — release the follow-up to their Mercury Prize winning debut album, Dead. In an exchange over the name of the album, trio member Alloysious Massaquoi argued sticking with this title suggestion after some in their camp thought of scrapping it: “We came at it from a different angle, a positive angle. It’s got issues of race and so what? Why should alarm bells start ringing, even though in general conversations race, politics, sex and religion are always the subject matter? Why should it be discussed behind closed doors and never confronted head on?”
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways 4xDVD/3xBlu-ray (RCA)
Sonic Highways is a documentary series created for HBO by Dave Grohl. The documentary was made concurrently with Foo Fighters’ eighth album, Sonic Highways. Grohl described the project as “a love letter to the history of American music.” Each of the eight episodes features interviews with artists who recorded at the respective studios. Among them are Dolly Parton, Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi, Paul Stanley of Kiss, Joe Walsh of Eagles, Nancy Wilson of Heart, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, Zac Brown, and Gary Clark, Jr. There was also collaboration with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans, which led to a live performance with Trombone Shorty. This set includes ten extended interviews and more than 150 minutes of never before seen footage. 654 minutes.
Front Line Assembly – Kampfbereit
Filmed at the Kinetik Festival in Montreal 2011 and other cities during Front Line Assembly’s Improved.Electronic.Device Tour, Kampfbereit
Trouble Funk – Trouble Funk Live: Ultimate Crank CD (TWF)
New live release by the Washington, DC R&B/funk/go-go band. Trouble Funk helped to popularize Washington, DC’s local funk subgenre known as go-go. Throughout their career, the band has sometimes shared the stage with hardcore punk bands of such as Minor Threat and the Big Boys. This show was recorded at the Howard Theatre on January 18, 2015, and includes the band playing sweaty and raw versions of “Hump Day,” “Start This Thing Off Right,” “Pump Me Up” and more.
Steve Vai – Stillness In Motion: Vai Live In L.A. 2xDVD (Sony Legacy)
Stillness In Motion: Vai Live In L.A. was recorded October 2012 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles while Steve was on his two-year worldwide Story Of Light tour. This live DVD features new arrangements of his classic material and fan favorites, including material from his latest album, 2012’s The Story Of Light. The DVD also includes over three hours of a video diary showing Steve and his band in rehearsals and goes through highlights from some the 253 shows they played around the world. 370 minutes.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Aphex Twin – MARCHROMT30a Edit 2b 96 12” (Warp)
“MARCHROMT30a Edit 2b” first appeared as the Japanese bonus track for Syro, and now comes to vinyl backed with a new version of Syro track “XMAS_EVET10 [120] (thanaton3mix)” and an alternate take on “MARCHROMT.” White label 12″ with hand stamp.
The Basso Valdambrini Octet – New Sound From Italy [Reissue/1959] LP (Jolly)
Quality Italian jazz, featuring Lars Gullin, Franco Cerri and Renato Sellani among others.
Caïna – Setter Of Unseen Snares LP (Broken Limbs)
After a decade spent exploring almost every genre imaginable, Caïna’s fifth album, Setter Of Unseen Snares, is a return to the project’s inception as a black metal act, as well as founder Andrew Curtis-Brignell’s personal roots in punk rock and hardcore. This is the first release in which the Caïna frontman shares production duties with anyone else, giving the project an enormous new sound. Received a 7.8 rating from Pitchfork.
Cave In – Creative Eclipses [Reissue/1999] 12” (Hydra Head)
Expanded 12” version of Cave In’s 1999 7” includes several unreleased tracks. Creative Eclipses marks the bands’ departure from their heavier roots, moving towards their experimentation with alternative genres and sounds to evolve into the unpredictable, distinctive sound they are now acclaimed for.
Cuushe – Night Lines 10” (Cascine)
Night Lines is presented as a noir storybook, unfolding along four tracks to expose a haunting Japanese soundscape, complete with bad guys, funeral processions and skyscraper-sized floral arrangements. The lyrics were penned by Cuushe with underlying productions composed by aus. Many sounds were sourced from films, animations and field recordings, with designs of obscuring timelines and the perception of reality.
Desolate Shrine – The Heart Of The Netherworld LP (Dark Descent)
“… Expect strong songwriting, dark atmosphere and subtle but powerful riffs and tempo changes. Do not expect thrash riffs, rock guitar solos or prog tendencies. Desolate Shrine may reinvent themselves ever-so-slightly with subtle dynamics, and better chord progressions, but they still play dark death metal…” – Cvlt Nation
Dorian Concept – Joined Ends 12” (Ninja Tune)
Remixes from Tim Hecker, Bibio, Nathan Fake, Kuedo, and Redihno.
Electric Wizard – Electric Wizard [Reissue/1994] LP (Rise Above)
Purple vinyl reissue of debut album from British doom metal institution.
Everyday Loneliness – False Validations LP (Amethyst Sunset)
Quaduruple removed re-recontexualizations of cassette and digitally recorded sources, slowed down, looped digital and layered into thirty minutes of ambient/drone. Recommended if you like Phillip Jeck. Includes free download. Edition of 300.
Shana Falana – Set Your Lightning Fire Free LP+MP3 (Team Love)
New album from the dream-pop artist. Undaunted guitar riffs and thundering drums prevail, while two decades of songwriting and performing lend authority and emotion to one or two word refrains like “Gone,” “Go,” and “There’s A Way.” “Anything,” with its Bollywood strings and industrial groove, climaxes with repeated shouts of “No, you didn’t take anything from me!” in a way that would make James Murphy sweat.
Fashawn – The Ecology 2xLP (Mass Appeal)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After releasing his critically acclaimed debut album Boy Meets World in 2009, Fashawn went silent. Now that he is signed to Nas’ Mass Appeal Records he has gotten his second wind drops his sophomore effort. The Ecology features Nas, Dom Kennedy, Aloe Blacc, BJ The Chicago Kid with production provided by Exile, Beewirks, The Alchemist and more.
Fernando – The Dogs 7” (Domingo)
A dark, psychedelic single featuring contributions from Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey of R.E.M./Minus Five.
Future Punx – I’m So Inspired LP (Dull Tools)
The latest offering from Brooklyn’s preeminent post wave ensemble. Dull Tools is the record label run by Andrew Savage, of Parquet Courts, and Chris Pickering, of Future Punx. Sonically, Future Punx draws from within the post-punk spectrum, with an attention to intricate lyrics and sprawled-out deadpan deliveries.
The Good Life – Novena On A Nocturne [2000] LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
The Good Life – Black Out [Reissue/2002] LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
The Good Life – Album Of The Year [Reissue/2004] 2xLP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
The debut LP from this Tim Kasher (Cursive) side project originally released in 2000 gets its first-ever vinyl pressing. The Good Life’s second album, Black Out, is back in print on vinyl for the first time in over ten years. Their third full-length Album Of The Year is also reissued and expanded with a disc of acoustic demos.
Gorguts – From Wisdom To Hate [Reissue/2001] LP+CD (Century Media)
Vinyl reissue of the Canadian technical death metal band’s 2001 album.
Gouge – Beyond Death LP (Hells Headbangers)
Gouge is a death metal band from Kolbotn, Norway. “Death metal sprinkled with punk aggression and some traces of black metal is what you can expect when hearing this record. There are also many traces of Venom running through the veins of these musicians.” – Against Magazine
Darren Hanlon – Where Did You Come From? LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Australian troubadour Darren Hanlon had a long, rich musical history by the time fifth album Where Did You Come From? arrived in 2015. Starting out as a supportive player in mid-’90s indie pop acts like the Lucksmiths and the Dearhunters, Hanlon stepped out solo around the start of the 2000s with a charmingly simple indie folk sound, rooted in the twee pop sentiments of his full-band days but presented with a candle-lit intimacy and sparsity. As the years went on, he would develop a sound more informed by the busking tradition than the Sarah Records catalog, turning to more traditional folk structures for his sweetly sung compositions. Where Did You Come From? melds traditionally minded playing with Hanlon’s intelligent songwriting, wavering in between different production worlds.
Jesse Harris With Star Rover – No Wrong No Right LP (Dangerbird)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Across his genre-spanning career, Jesse Harris has built a sterling reputation as a tireless and inquisitive collaborator, working with artists as diverse as Bright Eyes, Cat Power, Feist, M. Ward, Melody Gardot, Mike Patton, John Zorn, Solomon Burke, Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. For his latest project, Harris was drawn to the adventurous and free musical ethos of the experimental Brooklyn duo Star Rover.
Helena Hauff – Lex Tertia LP (Werkdiscs/Ninja Tune)
Helena Hauff has been a reliable source of darkly hued techno for the past few years, both solo and as part of Black Sites. Lex Tertia is a further exploration into the idea of grimy, sonically crushed, dysfunctional, insane stuff that kicks on where her 2013 EP Actio Reactio left off.
Heavy Trash – Noir! LP (Bronzerat)
Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray, the men known as Heavy Trash, never thought that anyone could be watching, let alone recording, when they perpetrated these middle-of-the-night flip-outs, improvisations, instrumentals, and dangerous experiments in unchecked soul exposition and naked desire. Had they known the tape was rolling, we would never have this demented document of darkness and decay. But their demons have come to light, and you are now invited to dance through the dusky shadows of a musical group on the edge.
Gabriel Kahane – The Ambassador LP (Madgeburg Music)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. From Die Hard to the architecture of Richard Neutra and R. M. Schindler, from Blade Runner to the fiction of James M. Cain and Raymond Chandler, and from fires, riots, and earthquakes to the lives of so many Americans who have looked to Southern California as a panacea, Gabriel Kahane’s The Ambassador is a portrait of Los Angeles through the lens of ten street addresses, one for each song. “One of the year’s very best albums” — Rolling Stone. “A sustained conjuring act.” — The New York Times
John Krautner – Fun With Gum Vol. 1 LP+MP3 (Burger)
Super catchy solo bubblegum from Detroit legend (The Go, Conspiracy Of Owls). CD version due April 21.
Last Sons Of Krypton – Teenage Trash LP (Certified PR)
Last Sons Of Krypton, a band of young teenagers growing up in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a town that had a rich punk rock history that they tapped into, went about things their own way. This twenty-track raging slab of explosive garage punk hits is rich with youthful (unpretentious), garage-y punk rock attack, like Angry Samoans and Black Flag mixed with early Devo.
Liar In Wait/Planning For Burial – Planning For Burial/Liar In Wait 7” (Broken Limbs)
Liar In Wait’s cold wave/post-punk throwback sound marries perfectly with Planning For Burial’s introspective, droning fusion of slowcore, post-rock, and shoegazing tendencies.
Marina And The Diamonds – Froot LP+CD (New Elektra)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With Froot, Marina and the Diamonds’ first new noise since the death of alter ego Electra Heart in 2013, Marina Diamandis has made a grand statement of intent. It’s a cathartic rebirth in nearly every way, and sees her veer away from the last LP’s stylistic and thematic intentions, instead returning to basics for a new chapter in her career and life. From the existential tribulations of “Immortal,” harking back to her days as lithe ivory-tinkling balladeer, to the relentless funk of “Better Than That,” to the wit and juxtaposition of “Happy” to the ’70s-flecked “I’m A Ruin”, this is all Marina And The Diamonds.
Mac McCaughan – Box Batteries b/w Whatever Light 7”+MP3 (Merge)
First single from Mac’s (Superchunk/Portastatic) debut solo LP, Non-Believers (due May 5).
MisterWives – Our Own House LP (Photo Finish/Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “Depending on your perspective, New York’s MisterWives is either an indie band with the sonic sensibilities of a top-tier pop act or a radio-ready pop group with a more bohemian bent than the average Top 40 aspirant. [The album’s] title track pairs a thumping disco beat with a soaring, emotional melody from lead singer Mandy Lee, combining the best parts of Lorde and The Gossip.” – Entertainment Weekly
Moral – And Life Is… [Reissue/1984] LP (Dark Entries)
Moral was a trio from Aarhus, Denmark. During the summer of 1983, they recorded and produced their debut LP, And Life Is… Influenced by early 4AD Records, Joy Division, Brian Eno and Wire, the band crafted their own brand of Nordic melancholic post-punk.
Ennio Morricone – Il Sorriso Del Grande Tentatore LP (Roma)
First official LP reissue of this 1974 classic. Spiritual cousin to the psyche-liturgy of The Electric Prunes’ 1968 Mass In F Minor and William Sheller’s 1972 masterwork Lux Aeterna, Il Sorriso Del Grande Tentatore is a vital, beautiful, frightening and yet essentially forgotten chapter in the storied discography of lauded composer Ennio Morricone. Limited HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold sleeve including two bonus tracks, exclusive liner notes, original poster artwork and photos.
Mortals/Repellers – Repellers/Mortals 7” (Broken Limbs)
Formed in 2010, Mortals has quickly built a reputation for its harrowing concoction of black metal, stoner-swampsludge and doom metal. Formed in a West Philly basement in early 2012, Repellers is a metal influenced crust band with members of The Claw, Myles Of Destruction and Blood Bomber.
Marissa Nadler – Little Hells [Reissue/2009] LP (Mexican Summer)
A master of creating rich dreamscape atmospheres, Nadler’s voice shines and glides with a full band accompanying her. Produced by Chris Coady, the starry musical guests include longtime collaborator Myles Baer, Simone Pace (Blonde Redhead), and Dave Scher (Farmer Dave). Few contemporary artists can match the stunning ride of Marissa’s reverb vocals that are a journey into themselves on every rose tinged track. Little Hells displays a brighter leap in musical maturity and attention to detail, as the phantasmagoric sounds delve into melancholy nuggets, sometimes erotic, sometimes gutting, but filled with a gorgeous sense of serene hope.
Occult 45 – Human Abhorrence 7” (Broken Limbs)
At just 12:32 in length, Human Abhorrence is a grindcore fan’s dream.
Plasmatics – Metal Priestess [Reissue/1981] LP (Plastmatic Media)
This 1981 EP features the Plasmatics keeping their punk roots while embracing more metal influences.
Lena Platonos – Gallop [Reissue/1985] LP (Dark Entries)
Lena Platonos is a Greek musician, pianist and music composer. One of the pioneers in the Greek electronic music scene of the 1980s, she remains active today. Gallop was Lena Platonos’ second record that she solely composed, produced and sang. The record was released in 1985 and paved the way for Greek electronica of the 1990s.
Gianfranco Plenizio – La Gatta In Calore [1972] LP (Roma)
Limited HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressing including four bonus tracks, extensive liner notes, original artwork and rare photos. First-ever official LP reissue of this rare 1972 classic. “The perfect giallo score, from the opening tones of Edda Dell ‘Orso, through jazz-bossa into dissolving dissonance, disarray and pathological destruction.” – Alvin Lucia
Joe Pug – Windfall CD/LP (Lightning Rod)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “If I had to compare his songwriting to anyone it would have to be Tom Russell; possibly because some of the themes both writers use is similar, especially the boxing metaphor in ‘Veteran Fighter’ and the allusion to religion on ‘Great Hosannas’ but Pug most certainly has his very own sound and way of writing and I’m possibly falling in love with it already. While the overall sound is dark and brooding; ‘Burn And Shine’ has a pretty dance beat to it and a chorus that Steve Earle has been trying to replicate since his Copperhead Road days and ‘Windfall’ ends on a note of optimism with the jaw dropping ‘If Still It Can’t Be Found’ which features Pat Sansome from Wilco on mellotron. At times Windfall makes for uncomfortable listening; but the effort is well worthwhile and hopefully this album will introduce Joe Pug to a whole world of new fans.” – No Depression
Quiet Dawn – The First Day LP (First Word)
The debut album from French producer Will Galland aka Quiet Dawn – a mix of jazz, hip-hop and broken beat influences.
Ramlord – Ramlord 7” (Broken Limbs)
Since the violent birth of Ramlord in the grey winter of 2011, three crust fundamentalists have tirelessly slaved at producing the most bleak and bitter combinations of black metal, stenchcore and punishing doom.
Riot – Rock City [Reissue/1977] LP (Metal Blade)
Riot – Restless Breed [Reissue/1982] LP (Metal Blade)
Riot – Born In America [Reissue/1983] LP (Metal Blade)
New York five-piece Riot was big on the rock/metal scene in the 1970s and ‘80s across the US and Europe. Rock City was their debut release in 1977. Born In America was one of their most successful albums, and was originally released in 1983.
Sam Roberts – We Were Born In A Flame [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (Paper Bag)
“A Montreal native and former hockey player, Sam Roberts gave up dreams of becoming a star Canadian to embark on a musical career. Given the track record of most jocks behind the mic, this doesn’t exactly portend great results, but Roberts’s full-length debut is pretty good. Roberts writes tuneful folk-rock and power-pop tunes, many of them built around a percussively strummed acoustic guitar. Musically, he covers some of the same musical territory as Travis, but overall the effect is more extroverted and aggressive, less wispy and melancholic.” — Keith Moerer/Rolling Stone
Mark Ronson – Uptown Special LP+MP3 (RCA)
Released earlier this year on CD – now available on vinyl. As a teenager growing up in New York City in the early ‘90s, Ronson gravitated towards hip-hop, funk, soul and R&B. Those were the records he lugged around in boxes in the early days of his club DJ career and that scratchy, influential vinyl was what he returned to when creating the album. Uptown Special, Ronson’s fourth album, was written and produced with producer Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Drake, Alicia Keys) over 18 months. Guests include: Bruno Mars, Mystikal, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker and more.
Antonio Sanchez – Birdman 2xLP (Milan)
Birdman is the 2014 film by visionary Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Amores Perros, Babel), and winner of the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography. This unique film features a drum score composed by acclaimed drummer Antonio Sanchez (player on the Pat Methany Unity Group). The soundtrack also features a selection of classical pieces from Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Mahler and more.
Satanic Warmaster – Fimbulwinter LP (Hells Headbangers)
New album from the Finnish black metallers. CD version due April 21.
Silver Shadows – Silver Shadows LP (Gilgongo)
Heavy, wavering shoegaze/post-punk group from the Bay Area. A hauntingly beautiful sort of record. RIYL: Cocteau Twins, The Telescopes, The Cranberries.
Solefald – World Metal. Kosmopolis Sud 2xLP (Indie Recordings)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Norwegian avant-garde/post-black metal band.
Roger Taylor – Roger Taylor’s Fun In Space [Reissue/1981] LP (Omnivore)
Roger Taylor – Strange Frontier [Reissue/1984] 2xLP (Omnivore)
Recently reissued on CD – now available on vinyl. Reissues of the Queen drummer’s first two solo albums. In between legs of Queen’s tours in 1980, drummer Roger Taylor spent time at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, making his first solo recordings since the release of the 1977 single “I Wanna Testify.” Those recordings would make up his first solo album, 1981’s Fun In Space. Taylor wrote and performed the entire project himself, with only “approx. 50% of keyboards” being handled by engineer David Richards. Three of his Queen bandmates joined him on his second album, Strange Frontier.
Teenage Bottlerocket – Tales From Wyoming LP (Rise)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. 14 fast, melodic, and catchy songs from the punk band.
Tomb And Thirst – Wrath LP+MP3 (Safety Meeting)
Tomb And Thirst is a three-piece featuring Kevin Wigginton (Sea Of Bones, Gilead Media) on drums and vocals, Dave Lutz (ex-Sea Of Bones, Gerard Gerard) on guitar and vocals, and Steve Ross (ex-Coup de Grace) on bass and vocals. They incorporate elements of doom, grind, and power-violence into their sound.
Various Artists – Ho-Dad Hootenanny Too 2xLP (Crypt)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A collection containing 32 cuts of mid-‘60s frat-rockin’ garage blowouts, complete with liner notes, band photos and label scans. Includes tracks by: The Loving Machines, The Stratacasters, The Pendletons, Royal Playboys, The Shanels, The Hotbeats, The Checkmates, The Sabers, The Intruders, The De Rons, The Nightcaps, The Pharoahs, Sir Kenneth & The Yorkshire Coachmen and more.
Various Artists – Last Of The Garage Punk Unknowns Volume 1 LP (Crypt)
Various Artists – Last Of The Garage Punk Unknowns Volume 2 LP (Crypt)
29 prime slabs of mid-‘60s USA garage punk ace-ness, complete with liner notes, band photos and label scans.
White Limo – Whomohw LP (Fogged)
Buzzing and whirring, insectoid pinball by Chris Cooper (treated guitar), Jess Goddard (keyboard) and Josh Vrysen (tapes). If you like your aleatoric music with old-school modem startup sounds, curdled tape warp, mutated loops, and deep sleep pulsations, the trio uses ‘80s and ‘90s gear and deliver the clunky, raw, and unattractive stuff you’ve been waiting for.
Worker/Parasite – Justa909 12” (Jacktone)
Two dark techno tracks from Oakland’s Worker/Parasite. “Justa909” and “Squirm” are reverb-soaked four-on-the-floor odysseys of mutating factory noise and gritty analog textures.
YDI – A Place In The Sun/Black Dust [Reissue/1983/1985] LP (Southern Lord)
In the early 1980s, YDI (pronounced: Why-die) put Philadelphia on the map with their ferocious brand of hardcore. In 1983 they unleashed their debut 7″ EP A Place In The Sun, a blistering nine-track blast of American hardcore fury. Circa-1985 the band changed musical directions and created filthy, metallic, damaged punk. The Black Dust LP was their final recording and a criminally underrated slab of disgusting mayhem.
Yellow Bird Project – Good People Rock LP (Madic Records)
Yellow Bird Project started with T-shirts. They worked with indie rock ensembles to design shirts, sell them online, and then give the proceeds to the charity of the band’s choice. Since 2006, they’ve worked with dozens of bands such as Bon Iver, Beach House, Broken Social Scene, Andrew Bird, Grizzly Bear, Tegan & Sara, Bloc Party, Amanda Palmer, Hot Chip, Jay Reatard, Metric, Of Montreal, Sharon Van Etten, Stars, The Decemberists, The National, The New Pornographers, The Shins, TV On The Radio, Wolf Parade (you get the idea). Branching from just T-shirts, YBP now also has a catalog of sweaters, books, accessories and now vinyl.
Rob Zombie – Spookshow International Live 2xLP (UMe)
Spookshow International is the first Rob Zombie live album since 2007’s Zombie Live and includes new live version of 19 tracks recorded across various dates of Rob Zombie’s 2014 US Tour. Double picture-disc collectors LP.
Cassettes:
Crown Larks – Blood Dancer (Space Lung/Land Breathing)
The Chicago shape-shifters debut LP veers from intricate arrangements to visceral noise. Hushed whispers, damaged screams, sax, flute, searing guitar, unhinged drums, bent circuitry, and more careen within hypnotic freakouts, poetic songs, and crushing feedback.
