CDs + Vinyl:
Æthenor – Hazel CD/LP (VHF)
Fifth album from the group of eclectic travelers that includes Stephen O’Malley (Sunn O))), KTL), Daniel O’Sullivan (Ulver, This Is Not This Heat, Grumbling Fur, etc.), Kristoffer Rygg (Ulver), and Steve Noble (Brötzmann Trio, N.E.W.). Atmospheric and layered, Hazel features bits and pieces of identifiable rock-moves peeking out from under a thick blanket of hard-to-identify drift.
The Album Leaf – Between Waves CD/LP (Relapse)
Nearly twenty years into a career that has seen Jimmy LaValle exercising his creativity across the realms of film scoring, sound collage, and electronic/rock music, via instrumental and vocal-driven compositions alike, LaValle and The Album Leaf deliver yet another sonic triumph with Between Waves. Born out of a thorough reinvention of LaValle’s creative process and approach, Between Waves is The Album Leaf’s first proper full-length record in over six years and the first to be recorded and produced as a complete band, and was written with greater emphasis on the group dynamic. From the moody evolution of “Glimmering Lights” to the wistful trip-hop stylings of “New Soul” and beyond, Between Waves is a gorgeous collection of euphoric melodies and emotionally charged multi-instrumental soundscapes.
David Anthony – The Powerful Now CD (Shanachie)
The Powerful Now delivers Anthony’s trademark acoustic soul melded with elements of hip-hop, rock and dance music.
Apocalypse Blues Revue – Apocalypse Blues Revue CD/LP (Provogue)
Swampy soul/blues filtered through rockabilly.
Loren Auerbach with Bert Jansch – Colours Are Fading Fast 3xCD (Earth Recordings)
Released last April on vinyl – now available on CD. There’s an idea in Japanese culture which suggests that true beauty can only be achieved through imperfection, as its opposite is unattainable. Colors Are Fading Fast is a case in point. Though Auerbach’s voice is sure, it has a tenderness about it that is truly endearing — to listen to her sing is almost an invitation — close your eyes and you could be sitting with her in her living room, a hot cup of tea by your side. Her two albums (Playing The Game and After The Long Night) are included here, alongside In Moonlight’s Grace — a third disc of previously unheard and unreleased material, transferred and remastered from original tapes.
The Bad Plus – It’s Hard CD (Masterworks)
The Bad Plus’ eleventh studio recording sees the leaderless trio of bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson, and drummer David King returning to the distinctive deconstruction of pop forms that first drew them international attention almost two decades ago. Recorded this past April at NYC’s Brooklyn Recording with longtime engineer Pete Rende (Joshua Redman, Bill McHenry), It’s Hard spans both era and inspiration as The Bad Plus offer new perspectives on this collection of covers (Crowded House, Kraftwerk, Prince, Johnny Cash, Cindi Lauper, Peter Gabriel, Barry Manilow, Maroon 5, etc.). [Vinyl edition due October 7.]
Banks & Steelz – Anything But Words CD/2xLP (WB)
“Interpol’s music … it’s like if RZA had been born in the rock world”—RZA. Banks & Steelz is the ongoing collaboration between Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and Interpol’s Paul Banks. “While the cross-pollination of hip-hop luminary RZA and Banks, an artist known for moody early-2000s indie rock, suggests experiment for experiment’s sake, their chemistry on record is palpable, blending Interpol’s icy remove with RZA’s disjointed flow. ‘We’re both hard workers in the studio,’ explains RZA, who was first tipped off to Banks’ work when his manager suggested they duet. They clocked more than 200 sessions and crafted ideas for around 40 songs, meticulously landscaping the sonic terrain. ‘If I was to say I met someone who works as hard as me in the studio, it would be this young man right here,’ RZA continues. ‘He’ll do it over 30 times. To me, that’s cool, because that’s how some of the best records are made, some of the best films are made that way. I respect him as an entity.’ Antyhing But Words features guest appearances from Kool Keith, Florence Welch, Method Man, Masta Killa and Ghostface Killah, the latter of whom appears on lead single ‘Love + War.’” — SPIN
The Beach Boys – Becoming The Beach Boys: The Complete Hite & Dorinda Morgan Sessions 2xCD (Omnivore)
In September of 1961 Al Jardine, Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, and Mike Love stepped up to a microphone together for the first time at the home of Hite and Dorinda Morgan to demo The Beach Boys’ first three songs. Between that September date and March 1962, before signing a seven-year contract with Capitol Records on May 24, 1962, they committed nine songs to tape under the direction of Hite and Dorinda Morgan. Some iconic, others obscure—“Surfin’,” “Luau,” “Lavender,” “Surfin’ Safari,” “Surfer Girl,” “Judy,” “Beach Boy Stomp” (aka “Karate”), “Barbie,” and “What Is A Young Girl Made Of”— Every complete take, false start, master take, and every second of studio banter during these historic recordings is gathered on this collection.
Lurrie Bell – Can’t Shake This Feeling CD (Delmark)
The blues guitarist showcases all the passion, depth, rawness and uniqueness that keeps him at the top of many ‘Real Deal Chicago Blues’ lists.
Brother Moses – Legends CD/LP (Missing Piece)
Sophomore album from the Fayetteville, Arkansas-based indie rock band.
Carbon Based Lifeforms – Hydroponic Garden [Reissue/2003] CD/2xLP (Blood Music)
Carbon Based Lifeforms – World Of Sleepers [Reissue/2006] CD/LP (Blood Music)
Carbon Based Lifeforms – Interloper [Reissue/2010] CD/2xLP (Blood Music)
Carbon Based Lifeforms is a Swedish trance-ambient music duo formed in 1996 in Gothenburg, Sweden by Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad. First three albums reissued on CD, with extremely limited first-time vinyl editions also available.
Cruzh – Cruzh CD (Frontiers)
Cruzh was put together after the demise of Swedish glam rockers TrashQueen, in which both Anton Joensson and Dennis Butabi Borg played. They shared a love for melodic rock and AOR and joined forces with Tony Andersson. All three band members operate as songwriters in Cruzh and among their influences are Def Leppard, Danger Danger, Toto, Winger, Firehouse and Bryan Adams.
Charlie Daniels – Night Hawk CD (Cedar Creek)
Night Hawk is Daniels’ take on classic cowboy country, honoring tales told for years by cowboys huddled around the campfire with a mixture of re-worked classics and more obscure songs. “Most of our concepts about cowboys, and all things western, are mostly derived from movies and TV,” Daniels says in a press release. “Well, the truth of the matter is, the real cowboys are not glow-in-the-dark characters who go around fighting rustlers and cleaning out saloons with their fists. The actual working cowboy is a hard-working, different breed, who spend endless hours in the saddle, and as Louis L’Amour said, they ‘ride for the brand.’ Night Hawk is a tribute to the working cowboy and his way of life.”
Dawn Of Demise – The Suffering CD/LP (Unique Leader)
Fourth album from the Danish death metal band.
Dead Gaze – Easy Travels CD/LP (Ernest Jenning)
Dead Gaze is the brainchild of Cole Furlow – “a reliable producer of feedback-swathed pop nuggets” – Pitchfork
Delain – Moonbathers CD/2xCD/2xLP (Napalm)
Larger-than-life symphonic metal. [CD is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes a bonus CD containing four bonus live recordings and two bonus orchestral tracks.]
De La Soul – And The Anonymous Nobody CD/2xLP (A.O.I., LLC)
And The Anonymous Nobody is hip-hop trio De La Soul’s ninth album and first in four years. Guests/contributors include Snoop Dogg, Jill Scott, Usher, Justin Hawkins (The Darkness), Damon Albarn (of Blur/Gorillaz), 2 Chainz, Little Dragon, and David Byrne. True to the roots of hip-hop, And The Anonymous Nobody incorporates elements of jazz, funk, rock, country western and more sampled to create the tracks. Sampling is how De La has always made music but after spending a huge part of their career fighting off the “sample police,” they decided to simply sample themselves. Over three years, they collaborated with some of L.A.’s finest studio musicians and recorded them in free-styled, unrehearsed, jam sessions. They played everything from banjo to upright bass, sometimes up to a dozen musicians at once; simply allowing sounds to integrate. “What we’ve done is created our own crates of records; album upon albums to mine and sample from. In our world, what we’ve created is freedom, freedom to make the art you believe in without having to compromise your vision. That’s what we’ve always wanted most, that’s what we’ve always believed in, that’s what we’ve fought for…”
Morgan Delt – Phase Zero CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)
The invocation of classic west coast psychedelia that permeates Morgan Delt’s Sub Pop debut LP feels like a continuous sunrise, never concealing its influences yet perfectly putting its songs through a gauzy lens that blurs and obscures. Is such a thing even possible after witnessing umpteen reverb-jockeys creating their own take on the genre? Can anything truly different be done in the realm of being both original and reverent, wearing favorite records and artists’ moves on one’s sleeve? Definitely the case with our man here. The resulting 10-song collection, Phase Zero, performed entirely by Delt, is a home-fi construction with a more subtle, brain-tickling character than its predecessor, and somewhat reflects a realist take on the flower power fantasy of 1967. Doused in echo and haze, slow chords lap in like Pacific waves, flanked by gentle whispers of multi-tracked, cooing vox, phased guitars and fuzz.
The Detroit Cobras – Mink Rat Or Rabbit [Reissue/1998] CD/LP (Third Man)
The Detroit Cobras – Life, Love And Leaving [Reissue/2001] CD/LP (Third Man)
Continuing their commitment to celebrating and shining a light on classic and influential music from Detroit, Third Man Records is honored to be able to re-introduce the world to the undeniable importance of the Detroit Cobras. As one of the earliest salvos in the great Detroit garage explosion of the turn of the century, The Detroit Cobras’ Mink, Rat or Rabbit is a landmark album. Comprised solely of cover songs (as has always been the band’s MO) the Cobra’s spirited takes on Motown classics (“I’ll Keep Holding On” originally by the Marvellettes), garage punk laments (“Bad Girl” originally known as “Bad Man” by the Oblivians) girl group Tear-Jerkers (“Easier to Cry” originally by the Shangri-Las) and New Orleans soul standards (“Break- a-way” originally by Irma Thomas) and the end result is nothing short of a staple that any record collection is empty without. Originally released in 2001, Life, Love And Leaving is the group’s best-known effort, coming at a time when bands like The White Stripes and Dirtbombs were also releasing seminal albums that started picking up recognition outside of their collective hometown of Detroit.
DGM – The Passage CD (Frontiers)
Sweeping choruses, technical passages, lightning fast fretwork, big vocals and bombastic transitions.
Die Young – No Illusions CD/LP (Good Fight Music)
From Houston, Texas, Die Young administers a Slayer-style brand of hardcore, in the tradition of Integrity, Ringworm, All Out War, and Earth Crisis. Thrash metal intensity and hardcore values unite, as vegan straightedge frontman Daniel Albaugh bears his soul on topics ranging from animal rights to the philosophies of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.
Don DiLego – Magnificent Ram A CD/LP (Velvet Elk/One Little Indian)
A collection of click-track free analog recordings that embrace their imperfections and happy accidents. “The 10 tracks here could be termed country but fit more into the style of The Band or Wilco than Dolly Parton (nothing wrong with Dolly, just a question of style here). There’s a nice mix of ballads and more up-tempo material. We kick of with two slower songs ‘Karma King’ that has a big beefy sound and ‘A Wishful Poem’ that has a jaunty banjo refrain and stomping drums and a high plaintive vocal. Then there’s the single ‘Drive Like Pirates’ that picks things up with an almost rock-a-Billy tune that would set the charts on fire if only high quality songs like this ever troubled the charts. A tight cool Wooly-Bully organ refrain lifts ‘I’m On Fire’ with a lovely almost falsetto vocal and elsewhere there’s echoes in many of the songs of the mighty Replacements with some ramshackle pounding on ‘Go Pack Your Suitcase.’” – NE:MM
Dreamers – This Album Does Not Exist CD/LP (Fairfax)
After more than two years of nomadism and cross-country touring, as well as two EPs, Los Angeles’ Dreamers release their debut full-length LP This Album Does Not Exist. The smart pop trio, comprised of Nick Wold (vocals/guitar), Nelson (bass/vocals), and Jacob Wick (drums), wrote much of the album in Brooklyn before moving to L.A. and tracking at Fairfax Recordings (formerly Sound City Studios). Led by the singles “Drugs” and “Sweet Disaster,” Dreamers pits the party and the paranoia of escapism in seemingly effortlessly tight, three-minute tunes. Other tracks including “Pain Killer” and “Lucky Dog” follow in this vein, swinging with handclaps and driving with sing-along choruses. Throughout This Album Does Not Exist, Dreamers toy with themes of existence and existentialism, but it’s easy enough to get sucked into their world and dance the big questions away. [Limited white color vinyl pressing also available.]
Dub FX – Thinking Clear CD (Membran)
A pioneer of live looping, Dub FX builds each track in the moment by beat boxing a heavy groove, layering soulful vocals & warm melodic bass lines. [Vinyl edition due September 16.]
The Fabulous Thunderbirds – Strong Like That CD (Severn)
From the opening swampy piano runs, crispy funk lead riffs, earthy and raunchy harmonica runs, and Kim Wilson’s down-to-the-bone soul growls on the Motown classic ‘(I Know I’m) Losing You’ to the bright Stax-inflected guitars and horns of the Eddie Floyd classic ‘Never Found Me A Girl,’ The Fabulous Thunderbirds take flight on their new album, Strong Like That. The band balances the mournfulness of blues with all the joy of soul music, and the tunes here are often so bright that they drive us up out of our seats to the dance floor to groove to The Fabulous Thunderbirds’ smooth and soulful sound.” — No Depression.
Fire From The Gods – Narrative CD (Rise)
Fire From The Gods have shared national bills with the likes of August Burns Red and festival stages alongside Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon, Judas Priest, Killswitch Engage, and others.
Florida Georgia Line – Dig Your Roots CD (BMX)
Third album from the country superstars. Guests include Tim McGraw, Ziggy Marley, and Backstreet Boys. [Vinyl edition due October 14.]
Robbie Fulks/Mekons – Jura CD (Bloodshot)
Released on limited vinyl for RSD Black Friday 2015 – now available on CD. “This meeting between the scrappy likes of American alt-country/folk-rocker Fulks and UK punk/folk veterans the Mekons was birthed from a 2014 tour that featured both Bloodshot artists. Someone decided it would be a good idea to haul away to the remote titular island off the coast of Scotland (that has ‘more sheep than people’) and let fly on a set of acoustic, predominantly traditional fare. These 11 tracks, recorded in just three days with Fulks and a five-member subset of Jon Langford’s ever-evolving group dubbed the ‘mini-Mekons,’ are the result. It’s an organic, rootsy set of typically edgy and sea shanty-styled UK folk tunes, murder ballads and general story songs that feel like they have been around for hundreds of years.” – American Songwriter
Glass Animals – How To Be A Human Being CD/LP (Harvest)
“The success of Glass Animals’ 2014 debut album, Zaba, is, in the words of fellow British rocker Nigel Tufnel, a mystery that’s ‘best to leave…unsolved.’ Through a curious blend of tribal percussion, casually psychedelic lyrics and a transverse connection to both modern rock and electronica, Glass Animals achieves an impressive sonic iconography. Its style is unique and recognizable, and with new album How To Be a Human Being, the band proves not to be a fluke. Rather than falling in line with the pop-washed and exhaustive appropriation of genres, Glass Animals combines a few unusual sublunary musical influences to create a sound that is primal and different. Beats ranging from glacial to urgent in tempo bait fluid synths and bewitching vocals. The result is an atmosphere of revelry, one that is trippy, green and playfully sordid.” – Westworld
Gringo Star – The Sides And in Between CD/LP (Nevado Music)
“There’s always been a creative exchange between America and Great Britain when it comes to popular music; after all, many of the bands that brought us the British Invasion of the ‘60s, like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, grew up adoring ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll legends like Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Therefore, it’s not too surprising that Atlantic, GA quartet Gringo Star likens its sound to icons like The Kinks, Buddy Holly, and The Animals, as well as newer acts like Tame Impala and the Shins. In fact, these comparisons prove quite apt on the band’s newest outing, The Sides and In Between, a raucous yet charming collection of (as they put it) “echo-slathered, doo-wop-indebted indie gems; psychedelic garage bangers, gritty R&B shuffles and spaghetti-western weirdness [sic].” — AXS
Hæresiarchs Of Dis – Tria Prima Diabolica CDEP (Moribund)
Dissonant and orchestral US black metal band Hæresiarchs Of Dis return with a special limited edition EP release of rare and unreleased material while they prep new album Adumbratus (due 2017).
Harlem Hamfats – Masters Of Jazz & Blues 1936-1944 4xCD (JSP)
A&R man Mayo Williams had an idea: combine blues with more popular material. He put trumpeter Herb Morand and clarinettist Odell Rand with Joe and Charlie McCoy and party pianist Horace Malcolm to form the Harlem Hamfats — a name blending the sophisticated and the downhome. The result was good time music, played with the skill and panache of experienced session players. It’s rare to encounter music that’s both classy and just downright fun.
Harm Wülf – Hijrah CD/LP (Deathwish Inc.)
Harm Wülf is G. Hirsch, known for his lyrical and vocal work in Blacklisted. Harm Wülf is inspired by a range of artists: from the tranquil resonance of Low, to the rhythmic acoustic strumming of Strength Through Joy, and the ascending power of Angels Of Light. Even calling to the insular/grotesque Americana of Cormac McCarthy and Flannery O’Connor, etc. Most times sparse and austere and at others apocalyptically orchestrated, Harm Wülf has the sound of something long since missing.
Helstar – Vampiro CD (Emp Label)
Classic progressive thrash metal from Houston, Texas.
Derrick Hodge – The Second CD (Blue Note)
Derrick Hodge is a Grammy-winning composer and bassist who is equally adept on both electric and upright instruments. On his self-produced album, The Second, Hodge plays every instrument and merges the many facets of his style into one.
Hoops – Cool 2 CD/LP (Fat Possum)
If Steely Dan backed Mac Demarco you’d arrive at Hoops. In a good way. This young band out of Bloomington, Indiana have packed serious chops and great hooks into an effortless, laid back ’70s-California-via-chillwave sound. They’ve been blazing a chill trail the past year garnering praise from Gorilla v Bear, Fader, and the like, and playing with fellow indie dynamos like Whitney and Porches.
Imperium Dekadenz – Dis Manibvs CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
The German black metal duo returns with new album Dis Manibvs (Latin for “to the spirits of the dead” or “in remembrance”).
Jack Ingram – Midnight Motel CD (Rounder)
Midnight Motel is Jack Ingram’s eighth studio album, and his first since his 2009 smash Big Dreams & High Hopes. The recording, which marks a creative milestone for the veteran artist, features intimate, dynamic stripped-down instrumental arrangements of nine original compositions written or co-written by Ingram, as well as two songs Ingram found listening to demo tapes of some friends. A true troubadour, Ingram tells stories, dedicates songs and has conversations with the musicians between the songs. Ingram’s banter adds an extra level of intimacy to the record, almost like he’s brought the listener right in the recording studio with him as the album was being cut live. Midnight Motel’s organic late-night vibe is perfectly suited to the material, and brings out the emotional edge in Ingram’s deeply felt vocals which can be heard throughout the album including in the first single “I’m Drinking Through It,” “Nothing To Fix,” “Can’t Get Any Better Than This,” and “All Over Again.” [Vinyl edition due September 23.]
Inquisition – Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith CD/LP/Cassette (Season Of Mist)
“Inquisition is arguably one of the greatest black metal bands of recent times, with not a single album below the high bar they have set for themselves. Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Alter Beyond The Celestial Zenith is an offering and tribute to the galactic symbol of Satan, consolidating cosmic violence as part of the ever increasing entropy of the Universe, the eternal law. The proceedings begin with meditative reverberance engulfing hymnic passages, hinting towards the impending chaos after the intro. ‘From Chaos They Came’ is the first tile of the cosmic domino, as extremely catchy black metal riffs bounce around the immaculate drum work. ‘Wings Of Anu’ upholds the momentum from the previous track, with more of the standard Inquisition song structure and tempo changes built around riffs as the backbone. ‘Vortex From The Celestial Flying Throne Of Storms’ accumulates potential energy for a moment, before springing head on into the devouring space with frantic pace. ‘A Black Aeon Shall Cleanse’ and ‘The Flames Of Infinite Blackness Before Creation’ treads slowly with dread and gloom, patiently swallowing the listener into a celestial phenomenon of absolute darkness.” – Metal Wani
Joseph – I’m Alone, No You’re Not CD/LP (ATO)
Joseph is a bewitching trio of sisters from Portland, Oregon. Expect honest words and genetically perfected harmonies. For their ATO Records debut I’m Alone, No You’re Not, the band teamed with producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Jenny Lewis, First Aid Kit) to record eleven original songs exploding with a mystical exuberance and heart-on-sleeve emotion. A masterclass in pristine three-part harmony, the album features golden, shimmering pop songs tucked next to the most delicate ballads: love lost and found, amplified by three unwavering voices. “On album single ‘Blood And Tears,’ a track the three women wrote together, they look ahead to the hardships that come with forging a life in music. Over inspirational strings, the sisters bear down and brace for the struggle ahead: ‘We’re gonna have to learn what hard is/ If it’ll be a fight regardless/ I only want the fight to be with you.’ ‘Blood And Tears’ is a song for being proud,’ the band states. ‘It’s tribute to how far you’ve come and a promise to keep going.’ If the HAIM-like harmonies on this track’s chorus are any indication, Joseph will certainly be able to keep that promise.” – Consequence Of Sound
Mat Kerekes – Luna & The Wild Blue Everything CD/LP+MP3 (Equal Vision)
Mat Kerekes, best known as the frontman for Citizen, releases his debut solo album. Recorded over a period of almost two weeks with Will Yip (Citizen, Title Fight, Pity Sex) at Studio 4, Kerekes played everything on the album with the exception of some violin and some percussion that was performed by Yip. For fans of Citizen, The Story So Far and Mooseblood.
King Company – One For The Road CD (Frontiers)
King Company is a new melodic hard rock band from Finland, put together by some well-known names from the local scene: Mirka Rantanen (Warmen, Thunderstone, Kotipelto), Antti Wirman (Warmen), Pasi Rantanen (Thunderstone), Jari Pailamo (Kiuas, Ponies To Kill) and Time Schleifer (Enfarce). The band musically fits in the space between Deep Purple (Perfect Strangers-era) and Stratovarius with a good dose of Europe and Scandinavian melodic sounds thrown in.
Bill Kirchen and Austin de Lone – Transatlanticana CD (Red House)
Bill Kirchen and Austin de Lone team up for a hands-across-the-Atlantic new studio album. The long-overdue Transatlanticana reunites the pioneers of two major musical movements; Kirchen co-founded the Americana band Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen. de Lone formed Eggs Over Easy, the progenitors of British pub rock, the first link in the chain to punk rock, new wave and beyond.
Kula Shaker – K2.0 CD/LP (Strange Folk)
Kula Shaker is a last great heretic of British rock. Named after – who else? – a ninth century Indian emperor, their esoteric (Bombay) mix of psychedelic riffs, esoteric ideas and Eastern mysticism laughed in the face of Britpop orthodoxy in the ‘90s. Bristling with energy, vitality and most importantly, killer tunes, new album K2.0 is the sound of a band rebooted, re-energized and focused solely on, as frontman Crispian Mills puts it, “being the best we can possibly be — making music that speaks for itself.”
La Salami – Dancing With Bad Grammar: The Directors Cut CD/2xLP (Sunday Best/PIAS America)
From the name, L.A. Salami sounds like a Californian punk band. In fact, he’s a UK ‘postmodern blues and urban folk’ musician, and Dancing With Bad Grammar: The Director’s Cut is his debut album. With an audibly well-meaning UK accent, Salami utters confessional/political lyrics on a wide-range of songs, some quiet and subtle, others big and brassy.
Lies – Abuse/Plague CD/12” (Southern Lord)
New album from the Bay Area hardcore outfit — 15 tracks (20 minutes) of pure sonic fury. [Single-sided vinyl features an etching on Side B.]
Terra Lightfoot – Every Time My Mind Runs Wild CD/LP (Sonic Unyon)
Whether you’re talking about her as a songwriter, a guitarist or vocalist, one thing is indisputable: roots rocker Tera Lightfoot is a ferocious talent. Her songs tap into the raw emotion of hearts supercharged by love, lust, loneliness and temptation. Her playing melds expert finger picking and distorted, hook-heavy melodies. And her elemental voice commands attention and awe, whether on slow-burning soul ballads or hard-charging rock numbers.
Abbey Lincoln – Love Having You Around: Live At The Keystone Korner Vol. 2 CD (HighNote)
If Abbey Lincoln was overwhelmed by the responsibility of being proclaimed “the last of the jazz singers,” she never let it show. As her great contemporaries and principal influences among the classic female jazz vocalists fell away Lincoln steadfastly maintained her dignified, almost solemn, focus; her tart, deftly timed Billie Holiday-like inflections, and her commitment to songs that dug deeper into life’s meanings than the usual lost-love exhalations. This volume of Lincoln at the famed Keystone Korner puts the focus on her own compositions backed by the same inspired trio of instrumentalists from volume one.
Liz Longley – Weightless CD (Sugarhill)
Weightless is the follow-up to Longley’s 2015 self-titled release, which garnered praise from American Songwriter, Huffington Post and CMT Edge, to name a few. The new album delivers bold, thick pop with rock-and-roll edges. The starkly personal lyrics explore complexities and even dysfunction of relationships. Her award-winning songwriting is stronger than ever, and producer Bill Reynolds, the bassist of Band Of Horses (also produced the Avett Brothers, Lissie) helps embrace a lush pop-rock approach which marks a musical evolution for Longley. “Liz Longley’s singing never fails to thrill and enthrall. Her voice and tone, touched with the slightest of country inflections, pours out like clean, crystalline water.” – The Ark
Magic Trick – Other Man’s Blues CD/LP (Empty Cellar)
Other Man’s Blues was written and recorded while songwriter Tim Cohen split his time between two lives and two worlds, a horse ranch with his newborn daughter, and on tour or at Phil Manley’s Lucky Cat Studios in San Francisco. A book of songs Cohen had written while bouncing to and fro sufficed in lieu of rehearsal time with the 13 other musicians who appear on the tracks: James Kim and James Barone (Beach House) on drums; Alicia Van Heuvel (Aislers Set) and Paul Garcia on bass; Joel Robinow (Once And Future Band/Danny James) on keys; Emmett Kelly (The Cairo Gang/The Muggers) on guitar; and omnipresent vocal harmonies from Alicia, Noelle Cahill and Anna Hillburg. The album is a loose, largely improvised affair, with many guest appearances and stop-ins.
Cass McCombs – Mangy Love CD/2xLP+MP3 (ANTI-)
“McCombs is one of those artists who seem to blend into the tapestry of musical consciousness, lost in generic ‘coffee shop’ playlists—and unfairly so. He diligently, quietly puts out a record every year or two, and what sets him apart from other false prolifics is that his records are good. In the past, McComb’s slightly dusty-sounding folk rock was a little drowsy but in a thoughtful way, as if he were choosing each word and note carefully so as not to misspeak. In Mangy Love, it seems McCombs is emboldened, making intrepid musical choices and owning his lyrics. It’s an album that moves from earthy world music to capacious compositions that reveal McCombs’ internal grappling with substantial ideas about life and beyond. There are moments strewn throughout Mangy Love that suggest a sense of stepping into the light (such as the religious, choral intro to ‘It’), as if McCombs has been baptized and is re-introducing himself to the world. The album opens with ‘Bum Bum Bum,’ which is an onomatopoeia of a title, as McCombs ticks off many ‘bum bums’ as he sings. The tone of the track is a bit cynical, with the words ‘We’re all at war’ standing out subtly over the steady drums and electric guitar riffs” – Slug Magazine. [Limited color vinyl edition also available.]
Ingrid Michaelson – It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense CD/LP (Cabin 24)
“The dog days of summer call for a song that goes down smooth; a song that, no matter where you are, can brighten your mood—even if it’s just for the few minutes it’s playing. Ingrid Michaelson’s ‘Celebrate’ is that kind of song. Michaelson’s forthcoming album, It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense, isn’t bursting with convivial songs but rather is filled with gems of newfound independence, like the first single ‘Hell No,’ and now this track, both of which bring a necessary lightness to the LP.” — Nylon
The Mild High Club – Skiptracing CD (Stones Throw)
The Mild High Club re-imagine AM radio hits as blasting in from a parallel universe, the sound of early ‘70s L.A. in a smog of sativa. If Todd Rundgren was the primary touchstone for previous album Timeline, frontman Alexander Brettin and band now look to the wry, trenchant wit of Steely Dan, gazing deep into the dark underbelly of sun-bright L.A. and coming away with a catchy song underpinned by slippery jazz phrasings. It’s a cosmic connection that tethers The Mild High Club to fellow sonic brethren like Ariel Pink, Tame Impala, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Connan Mockasin and more. “A cocktail of super laid back dream-pop vibes mixed in with soulfully seductive bossa nova… Skiptracing presents as the perfect soundtrack to a lazy day, month maybe even year if we still haven’t had enough of it by then!” – London The Inside
Milemarker – Overseas CD/LP (Lovitt)
New release from recently reunited synth-punk/post-hardcore band. Fans of Milemarker’s early 2000s releases like Frigid Forms Sell and Anaesthetic will find a clear sonic continuity in the angular, aggressive guitars, tense melodic vocals and soaring keyboard hooks. New members Kena Kilkka (synth, vocals) and Ezra Cale (drums) deepen the krautrock and electronic tendencies, pushing the sound in unexpected directions.
The Monkees – Forever CD/LP (Rhino)
The Monkees – Monkees 50 3xCD (Rhino)
The 14 tracks contained on new best-of collection Forever span The Monkees entire 50-year career, from their 1966 debut single “Last Train To Clarksville” to the glorious “She Makes Me Laugh” released five decades later. Monkees 50 expands the collection to 50 tracks total.
Motion Graphics – Motion Graphics CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Created over a two year period between NY, LA, & Baltimore, Motion Graphics is a unique and compelling collection of richly detailed widescreen compositions, inspired in part by the ambient sound effects of digital menu systems that decorate today’s auditory landscape. Creating custom randomized software instruments, Williams’ mimics the erraticism of the Twitter timeline and the aggregated news feed, while incorporating elements of techno-pop and jazz sequenced through the superhuman capabilities of a computer.
New Model Army – Winter CD/LP (EarMusic)
13th album from the veteran alt-rock/folk/punk band. “One of the signatures of Winter is this organic coupling of the drums and the DIY punk sounding guitars. The opening guitar may be peaking but the lead is even more so. It is not quite as straightforward as an ever-imploding opener, there are breaks where we get a bit of piano and the sounds weave in and out. The guitars are played to the extreme but best of all the song builds to an all-out roar of an ending and becomes a song that you can get completely lost in. I don’t know about you but that ticks one of my criteria for a classic song. It feels like a storm that the band are wrestling to control and only just managing. Pure brilliance.” – Moshville
Outer Space – Chase Across Orion CD/LP (Tucxone)
Outer Space is a Catalan septet formed in Barcelona in 2014. A project born from a mixture of African styles like Afrobeat, Afrosoul or ethiojazz, and funk rhythms of the ‘60s. An explosive cocktail that will be invited to travel with the mind and delve into outer space through a repertoire of original instrumentals with an obvious mantra approach that puts outer space near the orbit of Fela Kuti, the Budos Band or Mulatu Astatke.
Palace – Master Of The Universe CD (Frontiers)
Palace is a Swedish melodic rock band founded by lead singer and guitarist Michael Palace. influenced by 80’s imagery and sounds, Palace delivers massive arena rock.
Pride And Fall – Red For The Dead – Black For The Mourning CD/2xLP+2xCD (Dependent/SPV)
Fifth album from Norwegian dark future-pop trio.
Red Pill – Instinctive Drowning CD (Mello Music)
Instinctive Drowning is a beautifully sprawling soundscape reminiscent more of The Moody Blues or Pink Floyd than traditional hip-hop. [Vinyl edition due September 27.]
R.E.M. – Green [25th Anniversary Edition/Reissue/1988/2013] 2xCD/LP (Concord Music Group)
Originally WB in 2013, the 25th Anniversary Edition of Green is packaged in a hard clamshell box (similar to previous R.E.M. reissues) and comes with four postcards and a foldout poster, plus insightful liner notes by Uncut editor, Allan Jones. Includes the bonus CD Live In Greensboro 1989. Single-disc 180gm vinyl reissue also available.
River Whyless – We All The Light CD/LP (Roll Call)
“There are hints of Paul Simon in their inflections and poetic phrasing, and their songs feel fresh and nicely crafted” – NPR. “Perhaps the most exciting new act out of Asheville.” — WNCW
Running Wild – Rapid Foray CD/2xLP+MP3 (Steamhammer/SPV)
17th album from the long-running German metal band.
Save The Clock Tower – The Familiar // The Decay CD (Bullet Tooth)
Save The Clock Tower is a four-piece metal band from Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
Ashleigh Smith – Sunkissed CD (Concord)
A collection of soulful originals and cherry-picked covers from the winner of the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition.
Jim Snidero – MD66 CD (Savant)
Over the course of the past three decades alto saxophonist and composer Jim Snidero has been constantly pushing himself to explore new territories and expand his outlook. On this his latest release, Snidero tackles open modal forms and uses his unfettered imagination as a portal into free(r) territory, and takes his soloing to the next level by working an inside/outside approach that’s rooted in the structure and style of each song but radical enough to move in wildly unexpected directions.
Sodom – Decision Day CD/LP (Steamhammer/SPV)
New album from the German thrash metal veterans.
Solution .45 – Nightmare In The Waking State – Part II CD/LP (AFM)
Just like the predecessor, Nightmares In The Waking State – Part II is a lesson in modern metal with crushing mammoth riffs, melancholic passages, infectious hooks, and blistering solos. [Limited red vinyl edition also available.]\
Britney Spears – Glory CD (RCA)
Ninth studio album from the pop superstar. “In an interview with Ryan Seacrest, Britney promised that Glory is probably ‘the most hip-hop album’ she’s made to date (though she later said only two or three songs ‘go in the direction of more urban’). So far we’ve heard three remixes that prove she’s still got something for her club people too” – Billboard. [Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds five bonus tracks.]
Kaya Stewart – Kaya Stewart CD (WB)
Debut album from the 16-year-old daughter of Dave Stewart (Eurhythmics). Album single “Sleepover” couples an energetic distorted guitar hop and sultry, striking vocals. Co-written with and produced by RedOne [Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj], it ignites a feisty, fiery, and fun spark.
Barbara Streisand – Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway CD/LP (Sony)
10 new Streisand duets of Broadway classics with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood including Anne Hathaway, Daisy Ridley, Patrick Wilson, Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Chris Pine, Antonio Banderas, Jamie Foxx, Seth MacFarlane, and Anthony Newley.
Sub Rosa – For This We Fought The Battle Of Ages CD/2xLP (Profound Lore)
New album from the Salt Lake City doom/chamber metal band.
Leon Timbo – What Love’s All About CD (E1)
“A brilliant singer songwriter with a unique appeal to both Gospel/Christian and urban mainstream audiences, Leon Timbo has all of the ingredients to become a major breakout artist in 2016.”
Twisted Sister – The Best Of The Atlantic Years CD (Atlantic)
Twisted Sister’s high-decibel anthems, raucous shows and memorable videos took the hard-rocking quintet from playing bars in the ‘70s to headlining festivals in the ‘80s. The band is celebrating its 40th anniversary this summer with one final tour. The Best of The Atlantic Years brings this together the jewels of their catalogue along with a previously unreleased cover of “Born To Be Wild.”
Unnatural Ways – We Aliens CD (Tzadik)
A lynchpin of the Oakland rock/improv scene and now based in Brooklyn, Ava Mendoza has been taking Downtown NY by storm, performing with many of the best musicians around and leading her own dynamite bands. Her cutting-edge guitar playing is front and center here in nine hard-edged and steely blues-tinged rock instrumentals. With a twisted sensibility and plenty of shredding, psychedelic effects and surprises, the music features Tim Dahl (Child Abuse, Lydia Lunch Retrovirus, Pulverize The Sound) on bass and Sam Ospovat (Enablers, Beep, Naytronix) on drums. Unnatural Ways is a tight, exciting new band out the burgeoning Brooklyn scene.
Various Artists – Continental Drift CD/LP+MP3 (Slumberland/Fortuna POP!)
A smashing eight-song sampler of some of the finest pop of 2016. Includes tracks by Mercury Girls, The Spook School, Wildhoney, and Tigercats. Philadelphia’s Mercury Girls have a gorgeous, layered sound that combines post-punk dynamics with soaring/jangling guitars, fantastic melodies and expertly arranged tunes. Scotland’s The Spook School are surely the most *fun* band taking-on issues of gender and identity today, writing queer-pop anthems that are noisy, tuneful, sharply-observed and outrageously catchy. Baltimore’s Wildhoney have been making music together since 2011, forging a fresh sound from raw materials of shoegaze, punk and good old indiepop. East London’s Tigercats jangly, effervescent pop nods to their punk roots and spikes the pop punch with anthemic choruses and massive, crunching guitars.
Various Artists [Derrick Harriott] – Reggae, Funk & Soul 1969-1975 CD/2xLP (Dubstore)
A master of his genre and one of the forerunners in Jamaican music from its very beginning, Derrick Harriott, along with a stellar cast, showcases some superb rocksteady on this 20 track compilation.
The Veils – Total Depravity CD/2xLP+MP3 (Nettwerk)
“It’s twelve years since The Runaway Found, the debut album of The Veils, which was most people’s introduction to the particular talents of this group’s British-born, New Zealand-raised frontman Finn Andrews. Though then barely out of his teens, he already had a trademark style: brooding, intense, distinctly gothic, yet with an underlying sense of traditional songcraft, forged in the folk clubs of Devonport. And the style has continued to serve him well, even as his musical ideas have matured and grown. Total Depravity is the fifth album from the Veils and though still recognizably them, it has more than a few new sonic twists. The first hints were heard in June with the album’s initial single, ‘Axolotl’, which sets a typical Andrews lyric, rife with images of transfiguration and devilish deals (plus an cunning quote from Bob Dylan), amid an ominously sludgy sonic landscape courtesy of rapper and producer El-P, of vogueish hip-hop outfit Run The Jewels. The combination clicked, and there is more of El-P to be heard throughout the new album. It’s hardly like The Veils have gone hip-hop, but they have certainly refreshed their traditional rock with some of El-P’s sonic palette. You can hear how loops and effects form the foundations of some of the tracks.” – RadioNZ
Vicious Rumors –Concussion Protocol CD/LP (Steamhammer/SPV)
New album from the versatile California power metal band.
Butch Walker – Stay Gold CD/LP (Dangerbird)
As a writer of dozens of songs with hooks that stick in your head, Rolling Stone has called Butch Walker, “one of America’s best singer-songwriters,” as he has penned choruses you want to sing (or shout) along to from acts including Frank Turner, Brian Fallon, Taylor Swift, and many more. He is a teller of authentic stories of exploits and predicaments and romance that are filled with optimism; builder of albums with no boundaries — rock, pop, Americana, singer/songwriter…or, as he says, “I think it’s all just rock & roll.” Stay Gold kicks off with the title song, a straight-ahead rocker, loaded with swagger and lyrics that call out native GA locales featuring a nod to the S.E. Hinton novel (and later, a Coppola film), The Outsiders. The following single “East Coast Girl” and “Mexican Coke” are inspired by Walker’s move to Los Angeles, the former effectively combining an anthemic chorus with spoken verses, recorded conversationally on an iPhone. The writerly eye for detail is apparent in one of Stay Gold’s standout tracks, “Wilder In The Heart,” describing an airport meeting with a girlfriend. The album also includes “Descending,” a beautiful, decidedly tender duet with country singer Ashley Monroe about survival and staying on the course of love. When asked if the stories in his songs are real or imagined, he replies, “All the songs are half true.”
Worshipper – Shadow Hymns CD/LP (Tee Pee)
Debut album from the Boston heavy rock/metal band. Boasting a sound described as “darkly epic,” which has called for comparison to luminary artists such as Scorpions, UFO and Judas Priest, Worshipper has earned consistent accolades since its formation, being named the ‘Metal Artist Of The Year’ at the 2015 Boston Music Awards and being chosen over 23 other participating bands as champions of the 2016 ‘Rock And Roll Rumble,’ a competition hailed as ‘The World Series Of Boston Rock’ that has taken place annually since 1979. Through its unique mix of contemporary and classic influences, Worshipper prove that the horn-throwing soul of melodic heavy music’s past still burns brightly.
Wretch – Wretch CD (Prosthetic)
Following in the wake of frontman Karl Simon’s titanic and much-respected former outfit The Gates Of Slumber, Wretch — the power trio he formed with drummer Chris Gordon and bassist Bryce Clark — issue forth a fearsome salvo of cast-iron riffage and heartfelt traditional heavy metal heraldry. [Vinyl edition due September 23.]
John Zorn – Commedia Dell’arte CD (Tzadik)
A fabulous and multifaceted suite celebrating the vibrant Italian dramatic form Commedia Dell’arte that began in the 16th century and flourishes to this day. The classic archetypical characters Harlequin, Colombina, Scaramouche, Pulcinella and Pierrot are evoked in five compositional miniatures for small chamber ensembles: brass quintet, cello quartet, piano trio, vocal quartet and woodwinds. Premiered at the Guggenheim Museum in early 2016, the music contains some of Zorn’s finest writing and is a delight from first note to last. Over twenty of New York’s greatest musicians are involved in this exciting and varied suite of miniature masterpieces.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Deep Purple – Live At The N.E.C. DVD (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
On September 14th, 2002, Deep Purple took to the stage of the NEC in Birmingham. Earlier in the year founder member Jon Lord had announced his retirement from the band and new keyboard player Don Airey arrived. This show was Deep Purple’s farewell to Jon Lord.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
50 Cent – The Massacre [Reissue/2005] 2xLP (Aftermath)
Vinyl reissue of the rapper’s second album.
Steve Adamyk Band – Graceland LP (Graceland)
Blame Canada. Or for that matter, Ottawa. The Capital’s kings of punk-power-fuzz are back and better than ever.
Alabama – Southern Drawl 2xLP+MP3 (BMG Recorded Music)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. Southern Drawl is the veteran country band’s first collection of original material in 14 years.
Louis Armstrong – Basin Street Blues [Reissue/1956] LP (ORG Music)
Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars are captured in rare form during this live recording from 1956, which is finally making its vinyl debut with this 180gm Pallas pressing.
A$AP Rocky – At.Long.Last.A$AP LP (RCA)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. Second solo studio album by the rapper. At.Long.Last.A$AP is the follow-up to his 2013 gold-selling debut album, Long. Live. ASAP. Guests include Joe Fox, Bones, Future, M.I.A., Schoolboy Q, Kanye West, James Fauntleroy, Juicy J, UKG, Lil Wayne, Rod Stewart, Miguel, Mark Ronson, Mos Def, Acyde, and Yams.
Audessey & aCatCalled FRITZ – Beats Per Minute Instrumentals LP (Slice Of Spice)
Are you looking for some boom bap hip-hop? French DJ, producer and graphic designer Cyril Merlin aka aCatCalledFRITZ will satisfy your cravings. His 2014 debut album with Audessey so good the label decided to press an instrumental version on red color vinyl.
Bad Sports – Living With Secrets 12” (Dirtnap)
Living With Secrets is another step forward for Bad Sports — moving away from both the ebullient punk/power pop of 2011’s Kings Of The Weekend and the anything-goes grimy punk of 2014’s Bras, this EP is their darkest, most powerful, and weirdest. The lyrics are bleak and desperate, but the music is more dangerously catchy than ever.
Alina Baraz & Galimatias – Urban Flora LP (Mom + Pop)
23 year old Matias Saabye Køedt, better known by his alias Galimatias, is an electronic music producer/artist from Denmark. Although difficult to rope his music into a single genre, it has be described as vibey, chilled-out atmospheric electronic, and incorporates a wide range of influences including R&B and hip-hop to name a few. Alina Baraz, a 21-year-old Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter, is the next leading star of the emerging class of leftwing pop singers.
Beaty Heart – Till The Tomb LP (Harvest)
“Some of the best British pop of 2016 bursts from this south London trio’s second set. Lustrous opener ‘Flora’ demonstrates a new radio-ready confidence without fully junking their trademark weirdness, and the sinuous, serrated bass of ‘Raw Gold’ is Metronomy spooning Hot Chip on Jungle’s bed – the best song Beaty Heart have ever written. Powerful with a warm intimacy, thanks to Josh Mitchell’s plaintive vocals, Till The Tomb strips back their excellent debut’s fussy tribal psychedelia and strafes each song with miniature addictive riffs and motifs instead.” – The Guardian
Bib – Demo 7” (Deranged)
Omaha, Nebraska, conjures up images of steak, Warren Buffet, and Saddle Creek Records. One doesn’t think of hardcore punk. In comes Bib — noisey, blown-out hardcore from the middle of nowhere. Adhering to the “everything louder than everything else” approach, Bib’s colossal riffs sound like an avalanche when the bottom drops. Squirmy, effect-laden vocals veer from the huge to the weird.
Builders – Beatin Hearts [Reissue/1983] LP (Grapefruit)
Bill Direen is a legend of the New Zealand underground. He has written and produced poetry, novels and a slew of recorded material. Weaned on garage bands in the late ’60s, Direen started producing seven-inch records in the early ’80s, all of them stunners. Beatin Hearts is Direen’s ultimate, unforgettable debut album, not to mention Flying Nun’s first full-length album release. All seventeen tracks are brilliant short pieces of energy, harmony and spite. Anyone with an appreciation for Flying Nun’s early recordings can find its genesis here.
Cane Hill – Smile LP+MP3 (The End)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut album from the New Orleans band — 10 aggressive, fast-paced metal anthems. [Limited color pressing also available.]
Cassius – Ibifornia 2xLP (Interscope)
Ibifornia is the French electronica duo’s first studio album in a decade. In addition to Mike D and Cat Power, who appear on the LP’s first single “Action,” Ibifornia also boasts other guests including Ryan Tedder, Jaw, Portugal. The Man’s John Gourley and Pharrell Williams.
Sarah Mary Chadwick – Roses Always Die LP (Rice Is Nice)
Following three critically acclaimed solo albums, Sarah Mary Chadwick’s Roses Always Die expands on the quiet intensity of her previous work, exploring memory, grief and personal analysis. Her unflinching approach to songwriting introduces complex, often-difficult subject matter as vivid as it is understated. An old immobile organ provides the only accompaniment to her voice, giving the album an eerie consistency that perfectly underpins the diverse, open-ended narratives that run through each song.
Tha Connection (Hus Kingpin & Smoovth) – Connect 101 (I Want It Back) [Reissue/2010] LP (Vinyl Digital)
“Time to show some love for the NYC underground and one of its most underrated classics. Smoovth & Hus Kingpin aka Tha Connection rhyming over classic hip-hop beats.”
Crem’e – Close Up LP (Alpha Pup)
Close Up is a highly personalized vehicle of sound, created over the last few years as a response to the passing of Crem’e’s mother. An expression of deep roots and a chain of connections that shattered and spliced into millions of parts, Close Up was designed as a means of self-healing and emotional preservation. Crem’e summed up this transition in his life with the following: “It’s like getting rid of a scar and then feeling naked without it.” The musical language of Close Up jumps back and forth between a soulful balance of beauty and pain. Channeling the state of influences his family, friends and environments have afforded him growing up in L.A. Many organic elements are seamlessly melded together, brought together through heavy usages of sampling, vocal layering and live recordings.
Crown The Empire – Retrograde LP+MP3 (Rise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Dallas post-hardcore outfit. [Limited color pressing also available.]
Damu The Fudgemunk – Untitled Vol. 2 12”/Cassette (Redefinition)
Surprise beat 12” picture disc – a collection of music Damu assembled specifically for his longtime fans. Features previously unreleased instrumentals. [Also available on cassette as Untitled Vol. 1 and Untitled Vol. 2 with a bonus track.]
Danzig – Skeletons LP (Nuclear Blast)
Released last November on CD – now available on limited edition picture disc vinyl. Latest album from the metal/punk band fronted by vocalist Glenn Danzig, best known for his work with the Misfits and Samhain. Skeletons is an album of cover versions with Danzig’s unique take on songs originally performed by artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Black Sabbath. “My attitude with covers is, make it your own or else leave it alone” — Glenn Danzig
The Dead Ships – Citycide LP+MP3 (Nevado Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut full-length album from the Coachella buzz-band. Like their 2015 debut EP, Citycide was produced by Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning, who also plays additional guitar on the album. In the handful of years since The Dead Ships traded punches at their first living room practice, L.A.’s howling garage rock trio have toured the shadiest parts of the continent, slept on the grimiest couches, and been named one of the city’s best live shows (DoLA, Grimy Goods).
DJ Skizz – BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Experience) The Instrumental Experience LP (Slice Of Spice)
“Skizz’s beats on his debut album are that old boom bap y’all love so we couldn’t let the opportunity pass to press up a run of instrumentals for the die-hard vinyl heads and collectors.”
Eden – i think you think too much of me 12” (Astralwerks)
“The first four songs on Eden’s latest EP i think you think too much of me are literally titled ‘sex,’ ‘drugs,’ ‘and,’ ‘rock + roll,’ but they sound nothing like you might imagine. The young Dublin-based vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist presents such themes with innovative indie-electronic production and emotive lyrics that cut much deeper than the surface level associations with sex, drugs, and rock & roll…so deep that ‘sex’ even caught the attention of Lorde.” – Ones To Watch
Forlorn Strangers – Forlorn Strangers LP (Forlorn Strangers)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Nashville-based Americana quintet recorded at John Prine’s Nashville studio, The Butcher Shoppe, with producer and Grammy winner Phil Madeira (Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Civil Wars, Emmylou Harris). Forlorn Strangers is steeped in the tradition of American music, leaning heavily on bluegrass, drenched in four-part harmony and added elements from blues, jazz, and some rock ‘n’ roll.
Ezra Furman – Big Fugitive Life 12” (Bella Union)
Summertime seems perfect for a dose of infectious, jaunty and well crafted rock and roll songs, and for the second summer in succession, Ezra Furman has taken up the mantle of releasing one of the ‘songs of the summer.’ The EP can be best split into two distinct sides. Tracks 1-3, including ‘Teddy I’m Ready,’ make up the rock & roll Side A, whereas Tracks 4-6 are a little quieter, somewhat reflective. The comparison between the rush of blood to the head of ‘Halley’s Comet’ and plucked strings of ‘Splash Of Light’ make for a varied record, and showcases both sides of Furman’s musicality.” – For Folks Sake
Quin Galvais – My Life In Steel And Concrete 2xLP (Super Secret)
My Life In Steel And Concrete is not just a rock & roll record, although there are plenty of rock songs here. It’s not an opera, although certainly the story and the songs will evoke an emotional reaction similar to that of a well-loved opera. Quin himself describes the recording as “therapeutic”, and he promises to continue this journey in his future work.
Gameface – Good [Reissue/1993] LP (Smart Punk)
The emo-punk band’s debut album is back on vinyl. Includes the bonus track “Retraction.”
Katy Goodman & Greta Morgan – Take It, It’s Yours LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Katy Goodman (La Sera, Vivian Girls) and Greta Morgan (Springtime Carnivore, The Hush Sound) team up to re-imagine ten of their all-time favorite songs. From The Replacements to Blondie, The Buzzcocks to Billy Idol, Katy and Greta replace distorted guitars with church organs and vibraphones to transform these classic tracks into dreamy, surreal jams that shine anew in the glow of the pair’s sun-drenched harmonies. Pressed on 180gm baby blue vinyl.
Jessie Mae Hemphill – Jessie Mae Hemphill LP (Mississippi/Moi J’Connias)
Compilation of great recordings by Jessie Mae Hemphill. Mississippi Hill Country blues at their finest. Jessie Mae rocks out on the electric guitar with minimal percussion. By far some of the best blues recorded in the ’80s. Jessie Mae is the granddaughter of the great Sid Hemphill and the torchbearer of one of the most beautiful traditions in the world of music.
Howlin’ Wolf – His Greatest Sides Vol. 1 [Reissue/1983] LP (Jackpot)
Continuing in our series of Chess Record Reissues, Jackpot Records presents this compilation of landmark original studio singles from the Chicago blues legend. Originally recorded from 1954-1965. Howlin’ Wolf electrified the sound of the Mississippi Delta blues and brought it to Chicago, laying down what would become the foundation of rock & roll in the early ‘50s. Delivered in his gruff, haunting voice, his lyrics spoke of his hard life experiences, and his signature growlin’ mesmerized audiences and blues musicians alike.
Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters & Bo Diddley – The Super Super Blues Band [Reissue/1967] LP (Jackpot)
The Super Super Blues Band started out merely as Super Blues, a conglomerate of blues pillars Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, and Little Walter. When Little Walter bowed out and was replaced by Howlin’ Wolf, they rightfully added another Super to their name, and went on to release this burning, irreverent and even sometimes hilarious set of drunken, wild-eyed electric blues. Long form jams roll on in a trance as the trio of blues legends flex egos, talking sh*t to each other, trading off leads and ducking blasts of unexpected wah-wah guitar lines. Songs are peppered with an incredible level of banter between the trio of bandleaders that predicts the call and response sing-talking of early hip-hop, laced with random screams in the background that teeter between celebration and danger. Orange color vinyl pressing.
Etta James – At Last [Reissue/1960] LP (Jackpot)
Blues, soul, jazz, R&B and rock vocalist Etta James needs no introduction. An icon from early rock ‘n’ roll’s pantheon of divas, she has inspired five decades of listeners and fellow artists with her vocal stylings. From Janis Joplin to Beyoncé, her expressive and gutteral style has been imitated, but never quite matched. Jackpot Records is honored to release this momentous record with the original album artwork and four bonus tracks (previously only available on CD). Green marble color vinyl.
Kiss – Kiss Rocks Vegas Nevada 2xLP+DVD (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
Recorded during their November 2015 ‘Hard Rock Vegas’ residency. All of the familiar hits, captured in the midst of their 40th Anniversary World Tour. DVD includes a 7-song acoustic set.
Luciernaga – Sleeping / Wandering 7”+MP3 (Fabrica)
Luciernaga is the experimental ambient music project of Chilean-Brazilian by way of Brooklyn artist Joao Da Silva. A former hardcore punk front man, guitar player, and zine editor who took an active role in Santiago, Chile’s hardcore-punk scene during the early ’90s (there’s even a full-length documentary about it). Joao turned to “droning guitar electronics that vacillate significantly between dark terrors and bright, shimmering expanses of sound.
Mercyful Fate – In The Shadows [Reissue/1993] LP (Metal Blade)
Mercyful Fate – Time [Reissue/1994] LP (Metal Blade)
The influential metal band’s third and fourth albums are back in print on vinyl.
XL Middleton + Eddy Funkster – XL Middleton + Eddy Funkster LP/Cassette (MoFunk)
XL Middleton + Eddy Funkster draws heavily from L.A.’s musical well over the last several generations, bringing forth hard electro funk styles on “Show Some Respect,” bouncy lowrider funk on cuts like “Solicitation,” and giving a progressive nod to ‘90s g-funk on the LBC’d out “California Fly,” which features Domino of “Getto Jam” fame. Furthermore, XL + EF channel the more modern feel of ambient, pad-heavy funk on songs like “On Our Way To Funkmosphere.” In spirit, it’s more of a P-Funkesque party, as the entire MoFunk roster plus extended family join in variously on all of the album’s seven songs, contributing everything from vocals to guitar and talkbox.
Morbid Angel – Gateways To Annihilation [Reissue/2000] LP (Earache)
Vinyl reissue of the death metal band’s sixth album.
David Nail – Fighter LP (MCA Nashville)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “There are few words that can be used to describe the talent of David Nail. When you hear him on a record – or better yet, see him live – you come away with a deep appreciation for his vocal talent. Simply put, one could make the argument that he’s not one of us. On a ballad, his vocals soar into the stratosphere, and on the up-tempo songs, he takes the ordinary lyric and arrangement, and transfers it into a tour de force. On his fourth album for MCA, the Missouri native continues to develop his craft. There’s a mix of both styles on the album, with ‘Good At Tonight’ and lead-off single ‘Night’s On Fire’ showcasing the groove side of what Nail does so exceedingly well. Seriously, I don’t know if there is any style of music that the singer can’t master. He’s simply that good.” – Sounds Like Nashville
NEEDTOBREATHE – H A R D L O V E LP (Atlantic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “NEEDTOBREATHE’s last outing, Rivers In The Wasteland, was a career-defining album, born out of the trials of brotherly competition and the fatigue of life on the road (which almost did the entire band in). Having weathered the storm and written about it so masterfully (the tunes ‘Brother’ and ‘Wasteland’ address the situation with candor), the follow-up record, H A R D L O V E, feels like a continuation of this theme, albeit with a bit more time and distance giving the band some perspective and breathing room.”– Jesus Freak Hideout
Netherlands – Audubon LP (Prosthetic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Netherlands was formed in New York City in 2010 by multi-instrumentalist Timo Ellis, whose father is an accomplished author and illustrator. Ellis often mentions Pixeltan, Flipper, and Wipers as being the musical “spiritual precedents” here, along with the deeper/ambient influences of Bad Brains, Diamanda Galas, Can and The Cars.
Pari∀h – Past Lives’ Excessive Future LP/Cassette (Moniker)
Pari∀h, Miami absurdist art-rock trio, have a mission to disorient and elucidate. The band, rooted in Chris Dougnac’s hyper-composed, synth-dipped pop treats and detailed re-contextualized ephemera, works to transport the listener to a complex metaphysical reality.
People Under The Stairs – The Getting’ Off Stage EP, Step 2 12” (Redefinition)
Seventeen years since the inception of the group, the duo’s tenth project reflects back on the path less traveled and distills their unique blend of funk into this — the second of a series of six-song EPs
Perfume – Cosmic Explorer LP (Wrasse)
Latest album from the multiplatinum, fashion-forward Japanese electro-pop trio.
Pink Floyd – The Wall [Reissue/1979] 2xLP (Pink Floyd/Legacy)
Pink Floyd – The Division Bell [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Pink Floyd/Legacy)
Remastered 180gm vinyl reissues now available.
Prince And The Revolution – Parade (Music From The Motion Picture Under The Cherry Moon) [Reissue/1986] LP (WB)
Vinyl reissue of the eighth studio album by Prince — the third (and final) to feature his backing band The Revolution. After the critical disappointment of his 1985 album Around The World In A Day, Parade was released to acclaim from music critics and was named one of the best albums of 1986 by The Village Voice and NME magazine, who named it their album of the year.
Martin Rev – Stigmata [2009] LP (Blast First Petite)
First time vinyl edition presented as a neon-orange LP. “Modern classical masterpiece”—Record Collector. “Remarkable electronic musicianship”—MOJO. “an uncomfortable listen, but bleedin’ good.”—Stool Pigeon
Walter Schreifels – An Open Letter To The Scene [Reissue/2010] LP+7” (Run For Cover)
Limited color vinyl reissue of the debut solo album from the singer/songwriter and former member of Youth Of Today, Gorilla Biscuits, Rival Schools and Quicksand. Drawing influence from many classic British artists such as Elvis Costello and Syd Barrett, An Open Letter To The Scene embraces Walter’s politically and socially charged past, with stripped down covers of Agnostic Front’s “Society Suckers” and CIV’s “Don’t Gotta Prove It” (a song Walter wrote himself in ’95), and seamlessly blends them in with his own tracks on topics ranging from matters of the heart and the life of celebrity.
Scour – Scour LP (Housecore)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Scour is vocalist Phillip H. Anselmo (Pantera, Down), guitarist Derek Engemann (Cattle Decapitation), guitarist Chase Fraser (Animosity), bassist John Jarvis (Pig Destroyer) and drummer Jesse Schobel (Strong Intention).
Shed The Skin – Harrowing Faith LP (Hell’s Headbangers)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “I first took interest in Shed The Skin because it’s an American supergroup featuring Kyle Severn of having a mustache fame (he also plays drums in Incantation). Present as well are members of plenty of other bands, the most well-known of which is probably Ringworm. Harrowing Faith’s main influence to my ears is Ringworm’s last record Hammer Of The Witch, whose sharp and violent death metal infused hardcore forms the backbone of the songs here.” – Angry Metal Guy
Soundgarden – Louder Than Love [Reissue/1989] LP (A&M)
Soundgarden – Down On The Upside [Reissue/1996] 2xLP (A&M)
Remastered 180gm vinyl reissues of Soundgarden’s second and fifth albums.
Soundtrack – Ghostbusters [OST] LP (RCA)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Original soundtrack to the 2016 remake including tracks from Elle King, G-Eazy featuring Jeremih, 5 Seconds of Summer, Pentatonix, Walk The Moon, Fall Out Boy featuring Missy Elliott, Wolf Alice and others.
Soundtrack – The Little Mermaid LP (Walt Disney)
Soundtrack – Music From Sleeping Beauty LP (Walt Disney)
Soundtrack – Songs From Aladdin LP (Walt Disney)
Soundtrack – Songs From Cinderella LP (Walt Disney)
Soundtrack – Songs From The Hunchback Of Notre Dame LP (Walt Disney)
Soundtrack – Songs From The Jungle Book LP (Walt Disney)
180gm picture disc editions back in print.
Teen Agers – Young Gods 12″ (Smart Punk)
Released last March on CD – now available on vinyl. Ever curious what would occur if you combined multiple quarter-life crises, a penchant for bottom-tier booze in plastic bottles and a Flanders-sized repertoire of puns in a punk rock powder keg? Erupting like a sonic Cthulhu from beneath the Florida swamps comes Teen Agers.
T.O.L.D. – It’s Not About The Witches LP (IAMSOUND)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “There is an inescapable spirituality that permeates the music of The Order Of Life And Death, known simply as T.O.L.D. As the brainchild of L.A.-based, UK-bred producer Daniel Smith, T.O.L.D. creates a lush soundscape out of diverse and vibrant electronic songs that help Smith to find a world of his own. Introspective, cryptic and captivating, T.O.L.D.’s debut album It’s Not About The Witches unearths Smith’s deepest recesses of his mind as he contemplates a few too many things he may not entirely understand. While not entirely intelligible at times, It’s Not About The Witches is an earnest and meditative collection of imaginative electronic music with a certain pop sensibility that is able to shroud any missteps Smith comes across.” – Paste Magazine
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Pusher Man b/w Remember Tomorrow 7” (Rise Above)
Limited edition color 7” vinyl single. The Night Creeper album track “Pusher Man” is backed with a cover of Iron Maiden’s “Remember Tomorrow.”
Various Artists – Fear Le Funk (The Compilation) 2xLP (Vinyl Digital)
Compilation featuring beats by Figub Brazlevic, Twit One, Brous One, Shawan The Savage Kid and many others. This fresh potpourri, served by national and international hip-hop artists, embodies a unique approach through vivid expressions of style and individualism. From the classical golden era sounds of boom bap, to the love for dusty samples, and on into the future.
Various Artists – The Rough Guide To Brazilian Jazz LP (World Music Network)
Mention Brazilian jazz to most music fans and the inevitable bossa nova images flood into view: the beach, the female whisper-vocal, the rimshot snare drumming, the chord-plucked acoustic guitar, possibly a little muted batucada percussion, breathy alto saxophone and cabaret-vamp piano. It’s an image ineluctably stuck in the 1960s, when most aspiring Brazilian musicians looked to America’s West Coast ‘cool jazz’ scene for inspiration, listening to artists such as the Modern Jazz Quartet, Chet Baker, Paul Winter, Jimmy Giuffre and Stan Getz. Of course there were Brazilian jazz musicians in the 1960s whose work was highly original and owed little or nothing to bossa nova, obvious examples being Victor Assis Brasil and Dom Salvador, the only two ‘old-school’ players present in this compilation.
Watain – The Wild Hunt [Reissue/2013] 2xLP (Century Media)
Vinyl reissue of the black metal band’s fifth album.
Vinyl Williams – Brunei LP+MP3 (Company)
This album uses lush, Islam-influenced pop music to spread harmonious qualities with the world, to ultimately benefit the human psyche and physiology. Lyrically, the album is written mainly from the perspective of an incorporeal being from Xol, the gravity cluster orbiting the star Alnilam (the center of the Orion constellation), which represents purely harmonious patterns. [Limited color vinyl edition also available.]
Blind Owl Wilson – Blind Owl Wilson LP (Mississippi/Sutro Park)
Blind Owl Wilson was a truly great guitarist and vocalist whose deep well of psychedelic blues songs were buried amongst the catalog of major label rockin’ blues band Canned Heat. Blind Owl served as Canned Heat’s guitarist and would chip in a song here and there as a frontman. A couple of those songs became huge hits in the ’60s—”Going Up The Country” and “On The Road Again.” Blind Owl’s songs for Canned Heat stood in stark contrast to the band’s blustery blues rock—his was a gentle and nuanced voice and the themes of his song were all about personal heartbreak, grasping for cosmic understanding, and ecological justice. Here we have an LP of Blind Owl’s songs from Canned Heat’s records—left to sit alone and take you somewhere unexpected.
Frank Zappa – Hot Rats [Reissue/1969] LP (Zappa Records)
Hot Rats cemented Frank Zappa as a musical force to be reckoned with. The album, recorded on a prototype 16-track recorder, sounds as fresh and sonically superior on this 180gm audiophile edition as it did when first released in 1969. Blending rock and jazz stylings with top call studio musicians, it opened the door to rock fusion while putting FZ on the guitar player map. Captain Beefheart makes a special guest appearance.
John Zorn – Naked City [Reissue/1990] LP (1972)
Released in 1990 on Nonesuch, Naked City bears a stark cover photograph by Weegee—noted for his unsparing images of New York crime scenes—and features one of the more staggering “rock” lineups ever assembled: Zorn on alto saxophone, guitarist Bill Frisell, bassist Fred Frith, drummer Joey Baron, keyboardist Wayne Horvitz, and vocalist Yamatsuka Eye.
Cassettes:
Chaucer – Iced (New Los Angeles)
“Chaucer is actually the musical child of Josh Simkowitz, and Iced is his sophomore record. Josh lives and records in West Palm Beach, and creates at a feverish pace. In fact, we just got word that he finished a new album since we started this write-up. One part sundrenched surf punk, one part chamomile tea, Chaucer is poised to be your new favorite artist.”
Morgan Delt – Phase Zero (Sub Pop)
Phase Zero, performed entirely by Delt, is a home-fi construction with a more subtle, brain-tickling character than its predecessor, and somewhat reflects a realist take on the flower power fantasy of 1967. Doused in echo and haze, slow chords lap in like Pacific waves, flanked by gentle whispers of multi-tracked, cooing vox, phased guitars and fuzz.
Damu The Fudgemunk – Untitled Vol. 1 / Untitled Vol. 2 (Redefinition)
A collection of music Damu assembled specifically for his longtime fans. Features previously unreleased instrumentals.
Inquisition – Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith (Season Of Mist)
“Inquisition is arguably one of the greatest black metal bands of recent times, with not a single album below the high bar they have set for themselves.” – Metal Wani
Ghost McGrady – Fugue State (New Los Angeles)
After catching some serious attention producing for the likes of Bishop Nehru and Boldy James, and releasing a multitude of remix projects and beat tapes on his Bandcamp, we are thrilled to release Fugue State, which we believe to be Ghost McGrady’s most mature work yet. Raised in the most roaring area of Central Florida, Ghost McGrady began producing music on a pirated version of FL Studio as a curious 12 year-old. Taking early influences from Dilla, RZA, Kanye West, and many more, Ghost found his own style during high school by layering and blending various samples and crafting new soundscapes.
XL Middleton + Eddy Funkster – XL Middleton + Eddy Funkster (MoFunk)
A a P-Funkesque party, as the entire MoFunk roster plus extended family join in variously on all of the album’s seven songs, contributing everything from vocals to guitar and talkbox.
Pari∀h – Past Lives’ Excessive Future (Moniker)
Pari∀h, Miami absurdist art-rock trio, have a mission to disorient and elucidate. The band, rooted in Chris Dougnac’s hyper-composed, synth-dipped pop treats and detailed re-contextualized ephemera, works to transport the listener to a complex metaphysical reality.
Various Artists – All The Breaks Vol 1.2.3 (300 Breaks) (Bag Of Items)
The definitive collection of breakbeats/drums as sampled by countless hip-hop producers, finally available on cassette. 300 of the most essential and rarest drum breaks of all-time remastered from the original records, ready for sampling and chopping
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