CDs:

Adebisi Shank – This Is The Third Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank CD/LP (Sargent House)

Adebisi Shank is a three-piece instrumental rock band from Wexford and Dublin, Ireland. The self-styled “robot rock” act fuses frenetic hardcore-influenced math rock with the epic scope of post-rock, the freewheeling intensity of heavy metal, and the dancefloor-shredding sensibilities of electronic dance music.

Adore – Infamy Of The Black Legions CD (Adore)

Debut from the New Orleans black metal multi-instrumentalist Shantell Daggs aka Adore. At times haunting and unsettling, Infamy Of The Black Legions is one of the most whispered about black metal titles in a long time.

Kris Allen – Horizons CD (Dogbear)

Third full-length album from the singer/songwriter and former American Idol winner. Horizons sharpens Allen’s songcraft and brings a more boldly open-hearted spirit to his soulful brand of pop/rock than ever before. Kris’ first independently released album finds him reaching a new level of sophistication in his melody-minded songwriting while fully tapping into his natural grace as a singer and guitarist.

Ben Bennett/Jack Wright – Tangle CD (Public Eyesore)

Featuring Bennett on drums and percussion, and Wright on alto and soprano saxophone, the duo weaves pure spontaneous improvisation in which the players allow for anything to happen.

Billy Thermal – Billy Thermal CD (Omnivore)

Unreleased 1980 album from ace songwriter with five #1 singles. Before Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, The Bangles, Pretenders, and Heart had mega-hits with his songs, Billy Steinberg was the leader of California’s Billy Thermal. Billy Thermal contains the original versions of songs later made famous by superstars like Linda Ronstadt—who took “How Do I Make You” to the Top 10 in 1980, Pat Benatar—who named her third album after Steinberg’s “Precious Time” and Rick Nelson—who cut “Don’t Look At Me” on his last album of new material, Playing To Win.

[Read more…] about New Releases for August 12, 2014

CDs: 

The 69 Cats – Transylvanian Tapes CD (Cleopatra)

Debut album from the gothabilly supergroup featuring 69 Eyes vocalist Jyrki rockin’ out with head cat six-string slinger Danny B. Harvey, former Cramps bassist Scott Chopper Franklin, and Blondie drummer Clem Burke. Features a guest appearance by Wanda Jackson. 

Gerald Albright – Slam Dunk CD (Heads Up)

New release from the jazz saxophonist. Albright continues his reign supreme as urban jazz’ most compelling and consistent artist. Fans will enjoy his searing and soulful sax lines on this 12-track recording.

Alestorm – Sunset On The Golden Age CD/CD+DVD (Napalm)

Catchy songs with an abundance of parrots and eye patches showcase the piratical life on the seven seas. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD.

Amp Live – Headphone Concerto CD (Plug Research)

Through his knowledge of hip-hop, electronica, jazz and indie music, Amp Live weaves a sonic tapestry that ebbs and flows in movements. Each song has touches and flourishes from multiple genres and it will depend on the individual how each track is perceived. The cello may stand out more to those who have studied music, the drums may attract the hip-hop heads and dancefloor junkies might gravitate towards the electronic elements. Through a blending drum machines, live instruments, singers and rappers together, Amp Live created a concerto accessible to all. 

Arkells – High Noon CD (Dine Alone)

Named after a street in their native Hamilton, Ontario, this Juno award-winning band creates an accessible style of pop rock

Baths – Ocean Death CDEP/12” (Anticon)

At just five songs and a shade over 20 minutes, the exquisite Ocean Death is not over-thought. Songs were perfected, not embellished. “Ocean Death” reclines in the aquatic seabed, its lyrics at once simple, bleak and celestial. The 3:00 a.m. introspection and heartbeat pulse—reminiscent of Four Tet or Pantha Du Prince—are almost minimal techno, but suffused with maximalist emotion. 

Bear In Heaven – Time Is Over One Day Old CD/LP (Dead Oceans)

Bear In Heaven’s new album is aptly titled Time Is Over One Day Old. It’s a record with a visceral relationship to time and its processes. Where invulnerability and ambition can support you as you grow, at some point they become dead weight, and being true to yourself means casting them off, starting anew. This plays out as a powerful analogy for the band across the arc of its career. (Limited copies pressed on white vinyl.)

Belphegor – Conjuring The Dead CD (Nuclear Blast)

Tenth album from the Austrian death/black metal band — an opus filled to the brim with dark and sinful anthems.

Blues Pills – Blues Pills CD (Nuclear Blast)

This young American-Swedish-French quartet creates a very unique, intense and extraordinary rock atmosphere that harkens to the classic rock era of Aretha Franklin, the original Fleetwood Mac lineup, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Cream.

Tommy Bolin & Zephr – Zephyr [Reissue/1969] CD (Cleopatra)

A special expanded reissue of the 1969 recorded debut of guitar legend Tommy Bolin performing with his first major act, the blues rock outfit Zephyr.

Brimstone Coven – Brimstone Coven CD (Metal Blade)

Brimstone Coven is a retro hard rock/doom band out Wheeling, WV. They brew a unique blend of dark occult rock.

[Read more…] about New Releases for August 5, 2014

CDs:

Adelitas Way – Stuck CD (CMG)

With their new album, Stuck, Adelitas Way intensify their brand of hard-edged rock with a tighter songwriting sensibility and more brutally raw energy.

The Allman Brothers Band – The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings 6xCD/3xBlu-ray/4xLP (Mercury)

The Allman Brothers Band’s cornerstone LP, At Fillmore East, compiled from the four sets recorded on the weekend of March 12-13, 1971, has been expanded, stretching over six CDs with fifteen unreleased tracks. Additionally, this reissue contains the complete June 27 performance during the iconic venue’s final weekend, after the band was handpicked by impresario Bill Graham to headline closing night. Also available on Blu-ray audio (5.1 surround sound) and HQ-200gm vinyl.

The Brothers – Don’t Stop Now [Reissue/1976] CD (Funky Town Grooves)

The “Brothers” appeared to be little more than a New York set of studio players, led by Bhen Lanzaroni but they did an amazing job of replicating a Philly instrumental sound, with plenty of heavy bass at the bottom of the arrangements, and jazzy riffing on wah wah guitar, flute and keyboards over the top. This reissue of their 1976 album is expanded with six bonus tracks.

James Brown – Get On Up: The James Brown Story OST CD (UMe)

Features studio and standout live versions of many of Brown’s top soul/funk hits – from his first, 1956’s “Please Please Please” to “Out Of Sight,” “I Got You (I Feel Good),” “Try Me,” “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag,” “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine.” Also included are two previously unreleased concert recordings heard in the new film.

Marc Broussard – Life Worth Living CD/LP (Vanguard)

Louisiana’s favorite son returns with a set that’s part laid back soul, part blistering R&B, and all Marc Broussard, as they say down in Carencro.

[Read more…] about New Releases for July 29, 2014