CDs + Vinyl:

All We Are – All We Are CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)

All We Are is a global gathering made up of Ireland’s Richard O’Flynn (drums, vocals), Norway’s Guro Gikling (bass, vocals) and Brazil’s Luis Santos (guitar, vocals). They met at university in Liverpool, England. Their self-titled debut was written in a cabin in the isolated Norwegian mountains, with follow-up sessions in a secluded cottage in North Wales. Then the album was finished in their studio in a disused school in Liverpool with producer Dan Carey (Bat For Lashes, M.I.A, Hot Chip). Self-described as sounding like “the Bee Gees on diazepam,” All We Are’s slow rhythmic shuffles, pop harmonies and lovelorn lyrics succinctly captures a universal quality to which everyone can relate.

Ólafur Arnalds – Broadchurch [OST] CD (Mercury)

A vital element in the success of record-breaking 2013 British drama Broadchurch was the hauntingly beautiful, BAFTA Award-winning score by young Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds.

Bahto Delo Delo – Tagoi CD (LM Dupl-Cation)

Marin “Tagoi” Sandu, bandleader of Bahto Delo Delo, is a Romani virtuoso accordion player and singer of the traditional lautari style in Romania. With guidance from his late father, Nicolae Neacsu, who was one of the founders of Taraf De Haidouks and a very respected violinist of his time, Tagoi started learning music from the age of eight. At 64, he plays and sings a large repertoire of Romani and lautari tunes. Bahto Delo Delo means “may God give you luck” in the Roma language. The songs often look back to the golden era of Romanian music-when Bucharest radio stations tuned into the sounds of Aurel and Victor Gore, Romica Puceanu, and Toni Iordache-and are performed in a virtuosic style that has all but been lost.

Lee Bannon – Caligula Theme Music [2012] CD (Chillectro)

Lee Bannon – Cope CD (Chillectro)

Caligula Theme Music and Cope are instrumental EPs that were originally released in 2012 via the bliss-hop artist’s Bandcamp site.

Blind Guardian – Beyond The Red Mirror CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)

Greatly inspired by life experience, world myths, legends, and their own fervent creativity, metal’s most epic storytellers Blind Guardian continually aspire to define themselves on a whole new level. With their orchestral tenth studio album Beyond The Red Mirror, they have successfully captured the scope of their essence with unprecedented accuracy. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe “mediabook” edition comes housed in a hard cover book and contains a bonus track.

Kath Bloom – Pass Through Here CD/LP (Chapter Music)

Bloom presents a distinctive new sound, uplifted by floating synthesizers and disembodied choruses, while retaining the direct simplicity and power for which she is loved.

Boduf Songs – Stench Of Exist CD/LP (The Flenser)

Stench Of Exist unfolds languorously, laced with mysterious electronic filigree. Gorgeously intimate, it transforms the minimal into maximal with layers of electro-detritus wreathed in lush guitar strums, street-side field recordings, reverberating pianos and softly crooned vocals. It is a record of rain and cities and nighttime. The collision of arabesque tonalities with electronic sound and ambience brings to mind the promise of Blade Runner-half-asleep at 4:00 A.M. and slightly medicated, with pyramids and flame-spewing cityscapes in downpour glowing against the fluttering eyelids in the almost-dreaming consciousness. A record for saturnine commuters, on headphones, after sunset.

Breakfast In Fur – Flyaway Garden CD/LP+MP3 (Bar/None)

The debut full length album from New Paltz, NY’s Breakfast In Fur is indie rock loaded with psychedelic textures, nods to ’90s electronica, ’60s pop song-craft, and ecstatic punk energy.

[Read more…] about New Releases for February 3, 2015

CDs + Vinyl:

2Cellos – Celloverse CD/CD+DVD (Portrait/Masterworks)

Third album from the classical/rock duo from Croatia. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes a bonus DVD featuring seven videos.

Amason – Sky City CD/LP (Fairfax)

Tagged in the music press as a “Swedish supergroup,” Amason are the collective talents of Pontus Winnberg (Miike Snow), Gustav Ejstes (Dungen), Petter Winnberg (Little Marjorette), Amanda Bergman (Hajen, Idiot Wind), and Nils Tornqvist (Little Marjorette). With lyrics in both their native Swedish and in English, Amason create in the moment, record almost instantaneously, and soon after scan the horizons for a stage, where the music truly comes alive, where they can share their collected collective moments.

Archive – Restriction CD/LP (PIAS America)

“When they first appeared in the late-‘90s, Archive seemed to bridge a surprisingly narrow gap between trip-hop and prog rock, bringing elements of Pink Floydian grandeur to moody club beats. The London collective have never really registered at home, though they are popular in continental Europe, where they seem to be treated as honorary goths, sustaining a cult career that has never been less than interesting. This is their 10th album, on which they shift ever closer to a brand of psych rock that may be their natural bent. Only a penchant for electronic beats, dramatic vocals and cinematic effects hint at their trip hop origins, while the progressive elements have been reduced to introverted shoegazing drones.” – The Telegraph

Ascension – The Dead Of The World CD (Season Of Mist)

“The 2010 debut full-length from the German metal band Ascension was an interesting hybrid of black metal, noise, and spindly guitar work. With The Dead Of The World, Ascension cut back on the more far-flung aspects of their debut in favor of a streamlined sound.” – Pitchfork

Battle Beast – Unholy Savior CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast America)

If you took the decisively ‘80s sound of Lita Ford, added a generous helping of power and symphonic metal, hard rock, and a dash of bubble gum pop, the result would be Battle Beast.

Beat Spacek – Modern Streets CD/2xLP+MP3 (Ninja Tune)

Beat Spacek is the latest project from UK vocalist/producer Steve Spacek, a man who should really need no introduction. With boundless abilities, his work transcends genre and style — instead focusing more on swing, melody, vibe and atmosphere. From his legendary output with the band Spacek, solo work on the cult Sound In Color imprint and collaborations with the late, great J Dilla to his under-the-radar Black Pocket project with brother dBridge and his most recent work with Mark Pritchard as one half of Africa HiTech, his fearless approach to creation has always been progressive and highly original. 

Black Sheep Wall – I’m Going To Kill Myself CD (Season Of Mist)

“This sludge-metal band, having been through more vocalists than it probably remembers, has settled on its sometime bassist Brandon Gillichbauer to front its new offering. BSW have never, in its stop-start history, made a record that’s as good as it is, but this new four-track EP comes close. It’s sometimes plodding and methodical, sometimes a stellar wash of noise.” – Revolver Mag

The Body & Thou – You, Whom I Have Always Hated CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)

The Body and Thou are bands with Southern roots that have been pushing the boundaries of heavy metal for over a decade. Both have maintained relentless touring schedules, a dedication to DIY ethics and aesthetics, and a commitment to push their respective brands of extreme music into previously unexplored territories. You, Whom I Have Always Hated is a new collaborative release that showcases both bands’ unique abilities to create music that is emotionally effecting and unrelenting. (CD version adds the 2014 album Released From Love, which was previously only released on vinyl.)

Bosley – The Dirty Dogs Radio Show CD/LP (Bosley Music)

Baltimore’s native son has a hybrid R&B, vintage soul style and performs with his nine-piece band. His blazing, high-energy live performances have been gaining notoriety, including headlining appearances alongside Sharon Jones & The Dapkings.

The Bros. Landreth – Let It Lie CD/LP (Slate Creek)

Twenty-seven years. Four bandmates. Two brothers. One album. Let It Lie, the debut release from Canadian roots-rockers the Bros. Landreth, is proof that there’s strength in numbers. Anchored by the bluesy wail of electric guitars, the swell of B3 organ, and the harmonized swoon of two voices that were born to mesh.

[Read more…] about New Releases for January 27, 2015

CDs + Vinyl:

Alborosie – Sound The System Showcase CD (VP Records)

Alborosie is an accomplished composer, performer, producer and dubmaster. This album features 10 extended dub workouts on tracks from his 2013 album Sound The System. The album is a bridge between the 2013 album and a 2015 dub project with Alborosie and legendary producer King Jammy titled Dub Of Thrones. 

Alphaville – So8os Presents Alphaville (Curated By Blank & Jones) 2xCD (Soulfood)

Alphaville, one of the most famous and successful German bands ever, are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. For the first time ever So8os Presents Alphaville brings together all original 12” mixes from the ‘80s plus B-Sides. 

Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments, Pt. 2 CDEP/12” (Warp)

New and unheard material from Richard D. James as Aphex Twin following his first new album in 13 years, Syro. Total runtime of over 28 minutes. Artwork by The Designers Republic

BC Camplight – How To Die In The North CD/LP (Bella Union)

New album from maverick songwriter BC Camplight (the alter-ego of Brian Christinzio). From dramatic, layered pop to a haunted take on ‘60s sunshine-pop, from blue-eyed soul to speedy surf-pop, from sparser piano balladry to psychedelic showstoppers and a grand finale that’s part Nilsson and part Broadway showtune, How To Die In The North is a stylistically diverse trip.

Belle & Sebastian – Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance CD/2xCD/2xLP/4xLP+MP3 (Matador)

Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance is the long-awaited follow-up to 2010’s Write About Love. Produced and mixed at Maze Studios in Atlanta by Ben H. Allen III, best known for his work with Gnarls Barkley, Animal Collective, and Raury, among others, the band — who have been listening vintage Detroit techno and Giorgio Moroder — have brought a dance party element into their gorgeous tales of sensitive souls navigating a world gone awry. (Vinyl edition is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features four extra songs plus extended mixes of two album tracks and a poster. Packaged in an outer box with four individual LPs with unique album art. Includes a download card for all of the tracks.)

Betty Ford Boys – Retox CD/LP (Melting Pot Music)

The second album by the Austro-German producer super group consisting of Suff Daddy, Dexter and Brenk Sinatra. Their brand of instrumental hip-hop pairs low-tuned and bass-heavy stoner beats with moog-driven 808 workouts.

Billy Talent – Hits CD (The End)

Since the release of their self-titled debut in 2003, Billy Talent has cemented themselves as a generation-defining rock band.

Ryan Bingham – Fear And Saturday Night CD/LP (Axter Bingham)

Recorded mostly live with a brand new backing band, Fear And Saturday Night shows Bingham facing down his past with a poetic grace throughout. The lead single “Radio” is about coping with a darkness that does not want to let go, searching for a safe place to make sense of your life and the strength to stay on the right track through it all. Some of the most affecting moments on the album are in the harmonica-driven, wistful waltz “Broken Heart Tattoos,” a song written to an unborn child, and in the title track, “Fear And Saturday Night.”

Norman Blake – Wood, Wire & Words CD (Western Jubilee)

With a career that started in the mid-‘50s and continues to this day, Norman Blake continues to astound with his country-folk-bluegrass guitar technique that transcends genre, technological changes and the whims of pop culture.

Anthony Braxton – Trio And Duet CD (Delmark)

This 1974 session features Leo Smith (trumpet, flugelhorn) and Richard Teitelbaum (Moog synthesizer) on the one trio piece on the album. The remainder of the program is composed of duets with bassist Dave Holland playing jazz standards including two previously unissued songs, “I Remember You” and “On Green Dolphin Street.”

Andy Brown – Soloist CD (Delmark)

Praised by Just Jazz magazine as a “world-class guitarist who is more than capable of giving a clinic on solo guitar performance,” this recording captures Andy’s nuanced playing on a beautiful array of standard songs, bossa novas, and jazz tunes.

Jim Ed Brown – In Style Again CD (Plowboy)

The country singer returns with his first solo recording in three decades with the release of his debut project for Plowboy Records.

[Read more…] about New Releases for January 20, 2015