CDs:
311 – Stereolithic CD/2xLP (311 Music)
Eleventh album from the alt-rock quintet.
Addictive – Kick M Hard (Rebooted Edition) 2xCD (Divebomb)
Digitally remastered double-CD containing both albums from the Australian thrash metal band: Pity Of Man (1989) and Kick ‘Em Hard (1993). Combining all the best elements of early Metallica, Kreator, and Megadeth, Addictive were a band surely on the rise, but the shifting tides of the music industry unfortunately left them drifting aimlessly by the mid-’90s.
Ambrose Akinmusire – The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier To Paint CD (Blue Note)
Trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire returns an impressive and expansive new album that broadens the palette of his firebrand quintet with the addition of guitarist Charles Altura, the OSSO String Quartet, and vocalists Becca Stevens, Theo Bleckmann, and Cold Specks.
Architects (UK) – Lost Forever // Lost Together CD/LP (Epitaph)
The sixth album from Brighton, England-based metalcore outfit is a blend of brutal, thundering metal and melody-spiked hardcore with heavy riffs and intricate arrangements inspired by artists as unlikely as Sigur Ros.
Axemen – Derry Legend CD/LP+MP3 (Luxury Productions)
Digitally remastered edition of this rare album from the New Zealand indie band. Derry Legend was one of Kurt Cobain’s top NZ platters and a staple of his mixtapes. “An album simmering with background chaos worthy of prime-era Buttholes or Royal Trux. The real surprise is how Derry Legend clears room for pop chops, making it possible to see the Axemen’s relation to bands like the Clean and The Gordons.” — Byron Coley/Forced Exposure Magazine
Battleme – Future Runs Magnetic CD/LP (El Camino Media, LLC)
There aren’t a lot of frills or gimmicks surrounding Battleme’s second album Future Runs Magnetic because, simply put, the music speaks for itself. Bombastic, driving and powerful, the album is a timeless collection of rock anthems.
Bayeté (Todd Cochran) – Worlds Around The Sun [Reissue/1972] CD (Omnivore)
The music world of the early-1970s was a time of experimentation and activism. When listeners heard Santana play “Free Angela” on their classic 1973 release Lotus, few, if any knew the song was originally released by its writer, Todd Cochran, a year before. Worlds Around The Sun was recorded and issued on Prestige Records in 1972 by Todd Cochran (as Bayeté). Not only did the young protégé write all of the album’s material, he also produced and played keyboards on it, along with other jazz greats including a young Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. The combination of jazz and groove, anchored by Cochran’s pumping Rhodes and clavinet have made Worlds Around The Sun a sought-after collector’s album.
Big Eyes – Almost Famous CD (Grave Mistake)
Sophomore full length finds Big Eyes stepping up their game with a more definitive sound and unified vision. Drawing a hard rock influence while maintaining their well-loved pop sensibility and punk edge, they are inspired by bands like Kiss and Blue Oyster Cult, as well as The Nerves and The Undertones. The trio tastefully embraces the more glamorous aspects of rock & roll without compromising the attitude and grit.
Aloe Blacc – Lift Your Spirit CD/LP (Interscope)
Brand new album from the soul singer/songwriter features the hits “The Man” and an acoustic version of “Wake Me Up.”
Black Hat – Thought Of Two CD/LP (Hausu Mountain)
Composed within an intricate system of digital processes and synth hardware, Black Hat’s debut LP is the culmination of the project’s tonal explorations and structural decisions. Sophisticated rhythmic grids and detailed lead voices, congealing and conflicting in unpredictable fashion, propelling each track through diverse atmospheres and textures.
