CDs:

Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues CD/LP (Total Treble)

Transgender Dysphoria Blues is an insightful and highly-provocative 10-song offering written by frontwoman Laura Jane Grace, whose material examines one’s grappling with gender dysphoria, the loss of a young friend and pure self discovery, as well as love and ultimate acceptance. Featuring Grace’s signature explicit songwriting and dominant vocals, the album also features longtime guitarist/vocalist James Bowman, drummer Atom Willard and Fat Mike of NOFX on bass for “F##KMYLIFE666” and “Unconditional Love.”

Alcest – Shelter CD/LP (Prophecy Productions)

More than ever, the French outfit embraces the dreamy guitar textures of shoegaze and blends it with the sweetness of Cocteau Twins. The album, which also features a guest appearance from Slowdive’s Neil Halstead, was recorded at Sundlaugin Studio, Iceland, with Sigur Rós producer Birgir Jón Birgisson who masterfully gave Shelter its light and ethereal sound. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. The deluxe edition includes a second disc featuring the track “Into The Waves” and is packaged with a 48-page hardcover book.

Avichi – Catharsis Absolute CD (Profound Lore)

Multi-instrumentalist Andrew Markuszewski (aka Aamonael), one of the founding members of the popular and notorious Nachtmystium, currently plays in blackened sludge metal abomination Lord Mantis. But Avichi is his solo outlet to show that he is one of the premier visionaries in today’s black metal scene.

The Beatles – The U.S. Albums 13xCD (Capitol)

The Beatles’ U.S. albums differed from the band’s U.K. albums in a variety of ways, including different track lists, song mixes, album titles, and artwork. This box set includes the following titles (all of which are available individually, with the exception of The Beatles’ Story): Meet The Beatles! (mono & stereo), The Beatles’ Second Album, A Hard Day’s Night [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack], Something New (mono & stereo), The Beatles’ Story, Beatles ’65, The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, Help! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Rubber Soul (mono & stereo), Yesterday And Today (mono & stereo), Revolver (mono & stereo), and Hey Jude. These albums were originally issued between 1964 and 1970 by Capitol Records, Apple Records, and United Artists in the United States. The CDs are packaged in miniature vinyl sleeves that faithfully recreate the original U.S. LP releases down to the finest detail, including the inner sleeves.

Benoit Pioulard – Hymnal Remixes 2xCD (Lost Tribe Sound)

Extremely limited double-CD pressing in a Japanese style digi-wallet made of extra heavy uncoated stock with matte disc artwork. New release of remixes of tracks from his critically successful Hymnal album. Seattle-based Benoit Pioulard has become a stalwart of the Kranky label over the course of four albums, the most recent of which is Hymnal. Includes remixes by Loscil (Kranky), The Remote Viewer (City Center Offices/Moteer), Field Rotation (Facture/Denovali) and others, including Pioulard himself.

Ray Benson – A Little Piece CD (Bismeau Productions)

For his first solo album in more than a decade, Asleep At The Wheel main man Ray Benson went into this project with a simple mission: To break out from his band, and to try out a few different things. Guests on A Little Piece include Willie Nelson as duet partner on one track, members of Austin newgrass band Milkdrive, and Latino rockers Del Castillo.

Blue Highway – The Game CD (Rounder)

Blue Highway is an expert band of songwriters, players, and unforgettable vocalists, growing from strength to strength. In the here-today, gone-tomorrow world of contemporary bluegrass pairings, Blue Highway is a creative partnership of 20-years duration, with all of its original musicians, and with songs that just keep on coming.

Tommy Bolin – Original Raw Uncut Glen Holly Studio Recordings CD (Glen Holly Studio)

New archive release from the late guitarist containing 10 previously unreleased tracks. A life and career cut short but not before these jams were caught on tape with all their energy and freedom of expression. Jams from this guitar legend and his famous friends have been preserved and are now being released with the assistance of Johnny Bolin, The Tommy Bolin Archives, and the Glen Holly Studio’s Phil Polimeni.

[Read more…] about New Releases for January 21, 2014

CDs:

Backtrack – Lost In Life CD/LP (Bridge 9)

For their second LP, Lost In Life, Backtrack has created a fist pumping, ground stomping hardcore record that holds true to their New York hardcore roots.

Lee Bannon – Alternate/Endings CD/2xLP (Ninja Tune)

Bannon has moved away from hip-hop, and into drum n’ bass and jungle. Inspired by both his youth in Sacramento — where d’n’b was huge — and the backdrop of 2013’s jungle renaissance, via albums by Machinedrum and Congo Natty, Bannon too, has reinvigorated the form. This is drum n’ bass in its most contemporary permutation — a furnace-hot future-blast of immersive atmospherics, deep bass and funk-ridden drums.

Blackie And The Rodeo Kings – South CD (File Under Music)

South represents a fresh creative step for Blackie And The Rodeo Kings, while embodying the qualities of rootsy musical uplift and quirky lyrical depth that have long distinguished the ensembles varied output. The albums largely acoustic yet reliably punchy arrangements showcase the three songwriters multiple strengths, while their organically energetic performances maintain the vibrant chemistry that has kept Blackie a consistently vital and distinctive musical force.

Black Knights – Medieval Chamber CD/LP (Record Collection)

New album from the Wu-Tang related hip-hop group produced by former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante. Medieval Chamber is the first full-length album that Frusciante has produced outside of his own solo material. The Black Knights consist of Crisis Tha Sharpshooter and Rugged Monk.

Blank Realm – Grassed Inn CD/LP (Fire)

Blank Realm veer towards songs in the manner of late period Big Star, Zombies, or the Bunnymen, all refracted through a grimy lens.

Dave Brubeck – The Dave Brubeck Quartet In Europe CD (American Jazz Classics)

Recorded live in Copenhagen, this album contains Brubeck’s only known version of Frank Loesser’s “Wonderful Copenhagen,” as well as the only performance of his own composition “My One Bad Habit Is Falling in Love.”

Harold Budd – Avalon Sutra/As Long As I Can Hold My Breath [Reissue/2004] 2xCD (Darla)

Remastered reissue of Budd’s 2004 double-album, which was originally released on David Sylvian’s SamadhiSound label.

[Read more…] about New Releases for January 14, 2014

CDs: 

Ariel Pink – Early Live Recordings: Gorilla/Appleasians 2xCD (Human Ear Music)

A double-disc collection of early live recordings from late ’90s/early ’00s.

Auris & Gino – Rub CD (Public Eyesore)

Exploring electroacoustic sound as an organic art of time and space, Auris is a trio comprised of Christopher Preissing, Eric Leonardson and Julia A. Miller. On Rub they are paired with Gino Robair, who has created music for dance, theater, radio, television, silent film, and gamelan orchestra.

Banks – London CDEP (Harvest)

Four new tracks from the buzzy up and coming songstress, Banks. Videos in the works for two of the four tracks leading into her support tour this Fall for The Weeknd.

Blut Aus Nord – What Once Was – Liber Ill CD (Debemur Morti)

The time is nigh for Liber III, the third chapter in Blut Aus Nord’s open-ended, existential What Once Was… odyssey. Although clearly analogous to the band’s core body of work, this series of works subsists in a parallel plane, presenting the messenger in a more stripped-down and organic state, exposing an aspect of Blut Aus Nord that would otherwise have remained hidden from the world.

Cannabis Corpse/Ghoul – Splatterhash CD (Tankcrimes)

New split release from pot-obsessed death metallers Cannabis Corpse and hooded cannibalistic splatterthrashers Ghoul.

Peter Gabriel – And I’ll Scratch Yours CD (Real World)

Peter Gabriel – Scratch My Back And I’ll Scratch Yours 2xCD (Real World)

And I’ll Scratch Yours is the concluding part of a series of song exchanges in which Gabriel and other leading artists reinterpret each other’s songs. Features covers by David Byrne, Bon Iver, Regina Spektor, Stephin Merritt, Joseph Arthur, Randy Newman, Arcade Fire, Elbow, Brian Eno, Feist, Lou Reed, and Paul Simon. Vinyl version due February 25.

[Read more…] about New Releases for January 7, 2014