CDs + Vinyl:
65daysofstatic – No Man’s Sky: Music For An Infinite Universe 2xCD (Laced)
Soundtrack to the video game No Man’s Sky. 10 tracks of original music, plus a collection of six soundscapes that power the game’s unique music engine.
The 7th Plain – Chronicles I CD/2xLP (A-Ton)
A-Ton is a new edition and platform of Berghain’s in-house imprint Ostgut Ton, focusing on ambient, archive and alternative music, differing from the club-focused records on the main label. Chronicles I marks the start of a series from Luke Slater’s The 7th Plain moniker, with remastered, previously released and unheard archive material. First published on General Production Recordings between 1993 and 1996, Slater’s The 7th Plain pushed the further burgeoning genre of ambient music towards its boundaries by not limiting itself to mostly beat-less synth pads, but by including propulsive beat progressions, nuanced rhythms and subtle melodies.
American Young – AY CD (Curb)
American Young is the country singer/songwriter duo of Kristy Osmunson and Jon Stone, both of whom had some success as Nashville songwriters before joining forces in 2013. Osmunson, a fiddle player, had been a member of the group Bomshel and had her songs recorded by Jory + Rory, among others, while Stone was an in-demand producer who had written songs recorded by Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, and others.
Anna & Elizabeth – Sun To Sun [Reissue/2012] CD (Free Dirt)
Anna Roberts-Gevalt and Elizabeth LaPrelle have made a name for themselves around the world, bringing bright new light to Appalachian old-time story and song. Originally released in 2012 and out of print until now, the duo’s debut album includes 13 ballads, lullabies and dance tunes from the Southern tradition, featuring gorgeous ballad singing and banjo playing from Elizabeth and impressive vocals and fiddle, banjo and guitar from Anna.
Arkells – Morning Report CD/LP+MP3 (Last Gang)
Hailing from a gritty industrial town, Arkells have notched four Juno Awards and a Gold Record on their sweat-rusted belts, proving there’s still a place for passionate, no bullsh*t rock ‘n’ soul in the mainstream. (In 2015, they were the most-played band on Canadian alt-rock radio.) But the group’s new album, Morning Report, betrays a more irreverent, adventurous ethos that more readily recalls the cut-and-paste approach of hip-hop beatmakers than the plug-and-play attack of a live rock band, with click-tracked rhythms, subliminal samples, electronic pulses, and sax and violins threaded into the richly textured mix. “It’s a weird time to be a rock band right now,” observes lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Max Kerman. “Tony Hoffer (Beck, M83) once told us ‘Rock music has actually become the most conservative genre.’ Those words really struck me because he’s right. Sonically it hasn’t evolved much and lyrically it’s easy to get away without saying much either. In writing these songs we didn’t want to feel beholden to any expectations from the ‘rock godz’. If it didn’t feel fresh and exciting, it didn’t make the cut. We have no interest in making the same record twice. The most exciting part about making something new is trying different sh*t and exploring spaces we haven’t been to yet.”
Asuna – Tide Ripples CD (Home Normal)
Asuna’s Tide Ripples is a completely different beast than anything else on Home Normal. In collaboration with the beautiful vocals of Rima Kato, Tide Ripples is melodic and shows a playful use of guitar with minimal effects. It is a very direct album, retaining a tender purity which doesn’t happen often given the recent output of over-produced records.
Athiest – Piece Of Time [Reissue/1990] CD+DVD (Season Of Mist)
New deluxe reissue of the technical death metal band’s debut album, expanded with nine demos and a DVD of rehearsals and live tracks.
Avers – Omega/Whatever CD/LP (Egg Hunt)
With four songwriters, four singers, and 11 tracks of guitar-saturated rock & roll, Avers’ second album, Omega/Whatever, is proof that there’s strength in numbers.
The B-52’s – Live! 8.24.1979 CD (Real Gone Music)
The B-52’s’ second official live album, recorded at The Berklee Center in Boston, Massachusetts, before the release of their second album, Wild Planet. [Vinyl edition was issued last November as a Black Friday Record Store Day release.]
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath [Reissue/1970] CD/LP (red) (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Paranoid [Reissue/1970] CD/LP (blue) (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Master Of Reality [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (green) (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Vol. 4 [Reissue/1972] CD/LP (orange) (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (blue) (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Sabotage [Reissue/1975] CD/LP (purple) (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Technical Ecstasy [Reissue/1976] CD/LP (white) (Rhino)
Black Sabbath – Never Say Die [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (gray) (Rhino)
Digitally remastered reissues now available. [Limited color vinyl editions are also available.]
Blackfoot – Southern Native CD (Loud & Proud)
Blackfoot is an American Southern rock band from Jacksonville, Florida originally formed in 1970’s by Rickey Medlocke, current lead guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Though they are primarily a Southern rock band, Blackfoot has always been defined by their hard rock edge. In 2012, Medlocke recruited a completely new line-up of the band for their new album, Southern Native.
Bloody Hammers – Lovely Sort Of Death CD (Napalm)
Dark occult rock.
Blues Pills – Lady In Gold CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
Ultimately comprising members from Sweden, the US, and France, this retro-flavored blues-rock quartet was originally founded as a trio in 2011 when the former rhythm section of Iowa act Radio Moscow — Zack Anderson and Cory Berry — recorded a demo with vocalist Elin Larsson in her Swedish hometown of Orebro. While Larsson claimed that her soul-inspired vocals were influenced by artists such as Big Mama Thornton, Etta James, and Aretha Franklin, the press continued to compare Blues Pills, as a whole, to acts such as Big Brother & The Holding Company, Led Zeppelin, and Free. Their new album Lady In Gold follows their eponymous 2014 debut. “The title track ‘Lady In Gold’ opens in classic Blues Pills style but is afforded more than a sprinkling of production mastery providing a truly tremendous and catchy sound indeed. Hooks a plenty will captivate your imagination, but Dorian Sorriaux and his tremendously skillful guitar contribution keeps the obvious ‘60s influence firmly embedded in this century. I love this track as an introduction because the wonderful vocal capability of Elin Larsson. – Silver Tiger Media
Haley Bonar – Impossible Dream CD/LP+MP3 (Gndwire)
Bonar’s new self-produced sixth album was tracked live-to-tape with her five piece band at the legendary Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, MN and mixed by Chris Coady (Beach House, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TVOTR) and Robbie Lackritz (Feist, Bahamas). The songs on Impossible Dream tell stories within stories, sitting side each other like Russian nesting dolls, of sexuality, lost youth, teenage parenthood, the lines of social disorder for women, and the terror of jealousy and suspicion.
Anthony Braxton – Live At The Rainbow Gallery ’79 CD (Hi Hat)
Anthony Braxton live at the Rainbow Gallery, Minneapolis in September of 1979. Having made his name as one of America’s most uncompromising and prolific jazz modernists, by the late ’70s Chicago-born saxophonist-composer Anthony Braxton had long since abandoned attempts to categorize his work, preferring it simply to be termed “creative music”. Combining elements of minimalism, free jazz and modern classical with virtuoso technique and fiery intensity, he worked solo and with bands and orchestras throughout the ’70s. This release presents the entire set originally broadcasted on KBEM-FM at the end of the decade.
The Cadillac Three – Bury Me In My Boots CD/2xLP (Big Machine)
Comprised of Nashville natives Jaren Johnston (lead vocals), Neil Mason (percussion) and Kelby Ray (lap steel), The Cadillac Three is known for their electric intensity and songwriting proclivity. The band enlisted a bevy of Nashville’s top songwriters for their new album, Bury Me In My Boots, which was recorded at Abbey Road’s legendary Studio 3.
Camera – Phantom Of Liberty CD/LP+CD (Bureau B)
Camera is rightly compared to Neu! and La Düsseldorf, with a tight and driving sound, yet somehow unpredictable, they mutate tiny musical nuances into volcanic eruptions. On the band’s third album, Phantom of Liberty, they employ clever use of playful sounds such as synths that beam the listener back into the Commodore 64 computer games of 1984; or slightly cranky keyboard pads, as if created by deliberately manipulating the speed of an old tape machine. [Limited blue and yellow color vinyl editions also available.]
Carnifex – Slow Death CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
New album from the San Diego metal quintet.
Cheena – Spend The Night With… CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
Cheena testify to a long history of New York nights, trading insults and borrowing beer at rooftop parties that began years ago. There’s plenty of New York in this band — Lou Reed’s better glam punches found a jawline or two among them, the heavy handed playing of the Dolls, and that particular manner of NY glam you can hear in Kiss — that’s all in Cheena. Spend The Night With… is a soundtrack to nights where revelry and lust are never isolated from poor decisions and vanity, where the grave sincerity of a bathroom confession explodes into cruelty and hysteria, nights on busy streets or crowded subway cars colored with elegant ambition and constrained by the practicality of street smarts.
The Cobra Lamps – The Cobra Lamps EP CDEP/12” (A. Records)
Barrie Cadogan, frontman for garage-surf-soul outfit Little Barrie, presents The Cobra Lamps EP, his first solo release. Barrie has developed a reputation as the premier go-to alt-rock guitar wingman for the likes of Primal Scream, Johnny Marr, Morrissey, Edwyn Collins, Damo Suzuki and Spiritualized amongst many others. The four songs he set aside for this EP found Barrie indulging his interest in Skip Spence, The Byrds’ The Notorious Brothers album (1968), Ennio Morricone and Dion. [Limited green vinyl edition also available.]
Creative Adult – Fear Of Life CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Run For Cover)
Creative Adult’s sophomore full-length Fear Of Life finds the band peeling back some of their chaotic, fuzzed out psychdelia in favor of a newfound sense of melody. Taking cues from The Cure and Oasis, jangly and melodic guitar lines weave their way through smoky, atmospheric west coast post punk.
Buck Curran – Immortal Light CD (ESP-Disk)
Immortal Light is the debut solo album by guitarist/singer/songwriter Buck Curran. Curran draws inspiration from the deep well of folk and rock of the 1960s, American blues and folk music of the 1930s, British folk and psychedelic folk/rock of the ’60s and early ’70s, Indian classical music and jazz of the ’50s and ’60s. RIYL: Peter Green, Robbie Basho, Meg Baird, Pentangle, Sandy Denny, The Doors, Davey Graham, Nick Drake, Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. [Vinyl edition due October 14.]
Dead Daisies – Make Some Noise CD/2xLP (Spitfire)
Dead Daisies is David Lowy (Red Phoenix, Mink), John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, Ratt), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio), Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy) and Brian Tichy (Ozzy Osbourne, Foreigner). Make Some Noise celebrates the kind of classic rock ‘n’ roll that has gone from strength to strength since the early 1970s and that sweaty clubs, hallowed (concert) halls, arenas and stadiums would be impossible to imagine without. [Limited transparent red color vinyl also available.]
Diamond Rio – The Definitive Hits Collection 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
31 of the 33 hits the ‘90s country group notched during their run on the Arista Nashville label.
J Dilla – The King Of Beats 2xCD (Yancey Media Group)
J Dilla – The King Of Beats 2 LP (Yancey Media Group)
The E-Mu Systems SP-1200 drum machine and sampler was the first electronic instrument Jay Dee worked with while crafting the incomparable styles and sounds which defined the early stages of his legendary production. The SP-1200 was his primary tool of choice at the inception of his career. During this period, he created classics for early Slum Village, The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, among many others. After careful study and curation, this collection compiles the well-deserved documentation of Jay Dee’s early musical masterpiece — 40 tracks from Jay Dee’s Beats Batch series created using his SP-1200.
Dinosaur Jr – Give Me A Glimpse Of What Yer Not CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
“In an American political climate fraught with chaos and uncertainty, Dinosaur Jr.’s Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not is the warm, comforting blanket of Marshall-stack fuzz we need. The band has become the alt-rock equivalent of AC/DC or Motörhead: Their sound is formulaic, but frontman J. Mascis’s guitar tone, his effectively no-frills songwriting, and the rhythm section’s synergy is irresistibly familiar. The album barely even bothers tinkering with this familiar template; it has the least distinctive musical identity of any of the four albums that Dinosaur Jr. has released since the long-awaited reformation of their classic power-trio lineup in 2005. Not given over entirely to the atmospherics of Beyond, the heavy jamminess of Farm, or the poppiness of I Bet On Sky, Give A Glimpse instead combines all those stylistic elements into a package that is replete with all the welcome signatures of the band’s sound” – Slant Magazine. [Limited purple color vinyl edition also available.]
DJ Snake – Encore CD (Interscope)
William Grigahcine, better known by his stage name DJ Snake, is a French DJ and producer mixing hip-hop and electronic music. He has previously worked with Lady Gaga and has remixed tracks by Kanye West, AlunaGeorge, Duck Sauce, and Major Lazer.
DRÆMINGS – The Eternal Lonesome CD (Sumerian)
DRÆMINGS, the musical incarnation of singer and multi-instrumentalist Kimi Recor, conjures up an indescribable, intoxicating, and infectious post punk-kissed alternative on her 13-track Sumerian Records debut.
Dubblestandart – Dub Realistic CD/LP (Echo Beach)
Dubblestandart infuse dub influences with their heady blend of hardcore reggae and new wave, creating a cavernous excursion into deep dub, chilling dub and dubble-tough dub.
Mats Eilertsen – Rubicon CD (ECM)
Norwegian bassist Mats Eilertsen has been a strong and supportive presence on a dozen ECM sessions to date. With Rubicon he steps forward to present his own music, with an international cast: Trygve Seim (tenor and soprano saxophones); Eirik Hegdal (soprano, baritone sax, clarinet and bass clarinet); Thomas Dahl (guitar); Rob Waring (marimba and vibraphone); Harmen Fraanje (piano, Fender Rhodes); and Olavi Louhivuori (drums).
Jad and David Fair – Shake Cackle And Squall CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Jad and David Fair have made a lot of records — like, a whole lot — over the last 40+ years with cult band Half Japanese and other projects. [New album Shake Cackle And Squall] is back to basics for the Fairs, just drums, guitar and vocals. Still they manage to coax a lot of craziness from those building blocks (the LP title is fitting)…” – Brooklyn Vegan
Fanny – Mother’s Pride [Reissue/1973] CD (Real Gone Music)
Mother’s Pride is perhaps the most controversial entry in the Fanny catalog, as Todd Rundgren agreed to produce the album on the condition that he and he alone oversee the album mix. The result was a record that cemented Fanny’s popularity in the UK but failed to make a dent in the charts here in the States. Another seminal ’70s rock record from the “forgotten” all-female rock group, supplemented with rare demos and lost tracks.
Field Mouse – Episodic CD/LP+MP3 (Topshelf)
Episodic is fashioned from ten feverish bouts of guitar-pop; led by Rachel Browne’s fearsome and fearless vocal and informed by an instrumental backing that underpins the entire record with a vibrant concoction of guitar, drums and keys.
Forlorn Strangers – Forlorn Strangers CD (Forlorn Strangers)
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. [Vinyl edition due August 26.]
Nick Fradiani – Hurricane CD (Dot)
New album from the American Idol Season 14 winner. [Vinyl edition due September 16.]
G’ovt Mule – The Tel-Star Sessions CD/2xLP (Evil Teen)
The Tel-Star Sessions is a new archival album from legendary rock torchbearers Gov’t Mule. In early summer of 1994, while on break from Allman Brothers work, the original Mule line-up of Warren Haynes, Allen Woody, and Matt Abts assembled at Tel-Star Studios outside Sarasota, Florida, to lay down on tape their vision to exhume the rock power trio – their influences ranging from Cream and Jimi Hendrix Experience to Blue Cheer and ZZ Top. Says Warren, ‘Allen Woody had plenty of ideas in that department — starting with simultaneously bringing back the ‘rock bass’ sound. Along with our discussions about the ‘power trio’ being missing from the current musical landscape were the discussions of how the sound of the bass guitar had gotten progressively ‘cleaner’ since the ’80s (or late ’70s), and how that affected the overall feeling of the music. So, when we went in to the studio to do our first recording sessions, part of our mission was to capture an old familiar sound as well.” What resulted from those sessions was the key soundscape of the band’s rawness and excitement that Mule fans will love: straight-ahead rock- and blues-based song structures, explorative but tight and tough as a clenched fist.
Hades Almighty/Drudkh – Pyre Era, Black! / One Who Talks With The Fog CD/LP (Karisma)
New split release from two veteran black metal bands.
Kevin Hays – North CD (Sunnyside)
Hays’ musical scope goes beyond the jazz standards he incorporates on the record, bridging his love of classical, blues, soul, folk and rock music into his originals.
Health & Beauty – No Scare CD/LP+MP3 (Wichita)
Chicago’s Health & Beauty is led by Brian Sulpizio and backed by keyboard player Ben Boye (Ryley Walker, Bonnie Prince Billy, Angel Olson, Sun Kil Moon, etc,) and jazz drummer Frank Rosaly (Ryley Walker, Peter Brötzmann, and many more). No Scare recalls the ‘70s sound of Neil Young (one song originally included a Neil Young lyric and melody which, alas, had to be removed), but with a more angular side, perhaps recalling Dirty Projectors.
Islander – Power Under Control CD (Victory)
Power Under Control finds Islander doubling down on their alt-rock, punk via hip-hop inspired sound that’s modern than retro.
Jackyl – ROWYCO CD/LP+MP3 (Mighty Loud)
Eighth studio album from the Southern rock band.
Jeremy & The Harlequins – Into The Night CD/LP (Yep Roc)
Into the Night recalls the glamour of rock ‘n’ roll’s past while simultaneously forging forward into the future with attitude. Channeling the influences of 1950s and ’60s rock ‘n’ roll through the (cellphone) camera lens of 2016, Jeremy & The Harlequins have once again captured the sound of New York both in the ‘here and now’ and the ‘there and then.’
Vieux Kanté – The Young Man’s Harp CD (Sterns Music)
Blind kamalé ngoni virtuoso Vieux Kanté transformed a simple harp into a modern instrument of amazing sonic and virtuosic possibilities, recording The Young Man’s Harp shortly before his untimely death. Exemplified on The Young Man’s Harp, his signature techniques included popping the strings to accent beats, rubbing them to produce squeaks and moans, and lightly placing his fingers at just the right points to produce bell-toned harmonics.
Killer Boogie – Detroit CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Killer Boogie is well versed in the making of ’70s riff making, mixing bluesy frequencies into an extremely fuzzy sound with psychedelic shades. RIYL: Blue Cheer, Cream, The Stooges, MC5, Cactus and Radio Moscow.
The LACS & Hard Target Present Racket County – Welcome To Dodge City CD (Average Joe’s Ent.)
A fusion of The LACS “signature sound” and Hard Target’s “Southern rap stylings.”
Chris Lane – Girl Problems CD (Big Loud)
Lane’s debut album calls to mind the smooth finesse of Justin Timberlake and the music savvy of Keith Urban. His profile continues to rise with shout-outs from Selena Gomez, Daughtry, Florida Georgia Line, and Lucy Hale.
Sinikka Langeland and Trio Mediaeval – Magical Forest CD (ECM)
Sinikka Langelands new folk music work with Trio Mediaeval and other outstanding jazz musicians. Langeland has worked for decades with the mythological part of the cultural heritage of Finnskogen (“Forest of the Finns”). She is the country’s foremost interpreter of, and advocate for, the vocal folk music from this region of Norway.
Andrew Leahey & The Homestead – Skyline In Central Time CD (Skyline Music/Thirty Tigers)
Andrew Leahey & The Homestead (from Nashville) make music for city highways and open horizons, for pop fans and roots rockers, for the heart as well as the heartland.
Keiko Matsui – Journey To The Heart CD (Shanachie)
Co-produced by superstar percussionist Carlitos Del Puerto and featuring special guest Gergoire Maret and a full string orchestra, Journey To The Heart features acoustic performances that transcend musical genres while still maintaining Keiko’s classic listener-friendly, inspiring sound.
Neal McCoy – You Don’t Know Me CD (DMI Soundtracks)
The honky tonk singer returns with his take on the great American songbook. Produced by Steve Tyrell.
Monarch – Two Isles CD/LP (El Paraiso)
The debut album from San Diego’s Monarch is full of breezy Allman Brothers guitar leads gliding effortlessly on top of gentle, and sometimes not so gentle, prog-rock structures. With supreme musicianship, they somehow connect the dots between classic California rock, prog, pastoral pop and the vivid, expansiveness of early 1990s British shoegaze.
Moose Blood – Blush CD/LP (Hopeless)
New alternative/emo signing from the UK.
The Neal Morse Band – Alive Again 2xCD+DVD (Metal Blade)
“The Neal Morse Band is a force of nature. They have evolved into a great live band, one that is as good as there is in music and they really shine on this live set. The performances here are jaw-dropping and might have you giving a standing ovation from your couch” – The Prog Report. [Stand-alone Blu-ray edition also available.]
Mos Generator – Abyssinia CD (Listenable)
“If there’s such a thing as fusing some soul into a doom palette, Mos Generator has achieved that. Seldom will you hear an unambiguous merge between the two outside of Black Sabbath’s “Sabotage.” Tony Reed, Scooter Haslip and Shawn Johnson have tapped into a loud vibe featuring sinister and coarse nuances yet with something revealing far more heart.” — Blabbermouth [Vinyl edition due August 19.]
Necromancing The Stone – Jewel Of The Vile CD (Metal Blade)
No-nonsense traditionalist metal featuring members of Arsis, The Absence, Black Dahlia Murder and Brimstone Coven.
The New Christy Minstrels – Ramblin’ featuring Green, Green [Reissue/1963] CD (Real Gone Music)
25-track reissue of the folk group’s 1963 album.
Tig Notaro – Boyish Girl Interrupted CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
The crowd at the Wilbur Theatre gives Tig Notaro the standing ovation she both intimates and deserves. The audience’s roaring laughter ends Tig’s one-hour set in Boston as it’s taped and recorded for her HBO special, and, sure enough, concertgoers rise and applaud, an example of Tig’s ability to connect to her fans through a sharp, dry wit and the hilarious payoff of her deadpan jokes. The special, now available as Boyish Girl Interrupted is the follow up to her Grammy nominated second album, Live. Over the course of the show, Notaro tells stories about a number of subjects, including: performing in Las Vegas; the search for the perfect Santa Claus; her favorite laugh noises; bringing her wife to meet her Mississippi family; TSA screening; flying in small planes; unusual public signs; and – again – standing ovations; and much more.
O.A.R. – XX CD/3xLP (Vanguard)
In celebration of their 20th anniversary, XX is a career-spanning collection of O.A.R.’s biggest hits and incredible live shows plus new studio material. O.A.R. (an acronym for the band’s full moniker, Of A Revolution) transformed itself from an independent college band to a Billboard chart-topper over the course of a long, varied career. First, two of the band’s demo recordings were hawked on university campuses. Then, news spread about the band’s roots rock and reggae-inflected songs, which owed much to the jam band genre. Before long the group gradually left the college scene for the bright lights of national stardom.
Mark O’Connor Band – Coming Home CD (Rounder)
Multi Grammy and CMA Award-winning fiddler and composer Mark O’Connor returns to progressive bluegrass and country music with the O’Connor Band and their debut album, Coming Home. O’Connor embarked on a prolific career as a classical music composer, hot swing violinist and legendary bluegrass fiddler collaborating with the likes of Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Earl Scruggs, James Taylor, Wynton Marsalis and Yo-Yo Ma. The New York Times has described O’Connor’s career as ‘one of the most spectacular journeys in recent American music.’ In the O’Connor Band, Mark is joined by his wife Maggie (MA, Peabody Institute Of Music) on violin and harmony vocals, his son Forrest (former Tennessee State Mandolin Champion) on mandolin and lead vocals, and Forrest’s fiancée, Kate Lee (frequent performer on the CMA Awards), on violin and lead vocals. Coming Home is a perfect balance of contemporary songcraft by Forrest and Kate and intricate instrumentals featuring the band s triple fiddle lineup. The O’Connor Band is rounded out by national flatpick champion Joe Smart on guitar and University of Miami DMA candidate Geoff Saunders on bass and banjo.
Wilson Pickett – Complete Atlantic Singles Vol. One CD (Real Gone Music)
The first 22 sides that the great soul singer recorded for the Atlantic label.
Plantman – To The Lighthouse CD (Arlen)
To The Lighthouse represents a subtle but significant step forward for main song-writer, Matthew Randall (ex-Beatglider), his distinct yet gentle delivery creating an atmosphere and intensity that many yearn for but never achieve. For admirers of Bedhead, The Durutti Column, Yo La Tengo Nick Drake and Bill Fay.
Elvis Presley – Way Down In The Jungle Room 2xCD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)
“Way Down In The Jungle Room is a compilation of Elvis Presley’s final studio recordings, made in 1976 at home in the famed recreation room of Graceland, and previously released on the From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee and Moody Blue albums. Late period Elvis has its advocates but it’s hard to get beyond that scenery-chewing delivery which launched a legion of pub singers or the overcooked easy listening croons such as ‘The Last Farewell,’ so of its time with its swirly, schmaltzy orchestration. A second CD of outtakes for the forensically minded fan is notable for capturing some of the fun and spontaneous energy generated by Presley and his band, and the occasional superior rendition of songs such as ‘It’s Easy For You,’ a lesser known Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber number which fits snugly into Presley’s repertoire.” – The Scotsman
Russian Circles – Guidance CD/LP+MP3 (Sargent House)
“For five albums now, the Chicago-based trio Russian Circles have made great use of post-rock most familiar’s dynamic tricks—loud and quiet; stop and start, swell and subside. But they’ve never had qualms about splicing elements of everything from metal and noise-rock to krautrock and post-hardcore into their darkly dramatic, instrumental compositions. There’s always been a sense of flow to Russian Circles, but on Guidance, it’s far more striking.” — Pitchfork
Shackleton & Ernesto Tomasini – Devotional Songs CD/LP (Honest Jon’s)
Four long-form pieces developing the free-flowing compositional aesthetic of his recent Deliverance series (2014-2015) and Powerplant performances: fiery rhythmic-melodic turbulence channeling Congotronics way to the east — with an aura of restrained mania reminiscent of the feral pomp and gallows humor of Coil’s “moon-musick” phase — all earthed by dub-wise bass.
Septicflesh – Revolution DNA [Reissue/1999] CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Reissue of the Greek death metal band’s fifth album. Features new artwork.
Shred The Skin – Harrowing Faith CD (Hell’s Headbangers)
“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. [Vinyl edition due August 26.]
Sinsaenum – Echoes Of The Tortured CD (earMUSIC)
Debut album from extreme metal supergroup comprised of members of Slipknot, Mayhem and Dragonforce.
Skillet – Unleashed CD (Atlantic)
New album from the multi-platinum Christian rock band – “a twelve track set of heart-pounding anthems and high volume hooks.” – Planet Mosh
Smoking Trees – Archer And The Bull CD (Burger)
Released last May on vinyl and cassette – now available on vinyl. “Listening to the record is like being wrapped up in a long, loving hug by two guys who know their psych-pop history and how to make it work for them in the best possible way. They combine a mastery of creating a psychedelic world of their own with some surprisingly strong songwriting.” – AllMusic
Tarja – Shadow Self CD (earMUSIC)
Female-fronted heavy rock from Finland.
Jonah Tolchin – Thousand Mile Night CD/LP (Yep Roc)
Recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama, Thousand Mile Night expands on the unique blend of folk, blues and rock that Tolchin explored on his last album, Clover Lane.
Rolf Trostel – Inselmusik [Reissue/1981] CD/LP (Bureau B)
Rolf Trostel – Der Prophet [Reissue/1982] CD/LP (Bureau B)
On his first album, Inselmusik, Rolf Trostel explores the sonic possibilities of the (then) recently introduced PPG wavetable synthesizer. The music is based on live performances from the late 1970s by Trostel and Krautrock guitarist Günter Schickert. For Der Prophet, Trostel had replaced his PPG 350 Computer Sequencer and Roland CR-78 drum machine with the Roland TB-303 bass synth and step sequencer and the TR-808 drum machine. This at-the-time brand new equipment formed a dream team for electronic pop.
Various Artists [Darius Syrossian] – Balance Presents Do Not Sleep 2xCD (Balance Music)
Darius Syrossian has risen up the ranks of the house/techno scene since first emerging on the global stage in the ’90s. Best known for his pumping house and techno stylings, Syrossian displays a full gamut of musical ethos across this engrossing two-part mix. This is the sound of Darius Syrossian at his purest: a DJ with an impressive arsenal of his own productions, seamlessly weaving together the DNA of house and techno music.
Various Artists – Darmstadt Aural Documents – Box 4 7xCD (Neos)
The fourth box from the Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt archives, collecting key works performed through the decades by the key ensembles that have appeared at that famous institution. Pianists include David Arden, Kristi Becker, Pierre Boulez, Niccolò Castiglioni, Pi-Hsien Chen, Massimiliano Damerini and Anna D’Errico Andor Foldes amongst others.
Various Artists – Ende Vom Lied – East German Underground Sound 1979-1990 CD (Play Loud! Productions)
A genre-spanning collection of punk, post-punk and avant-garde bands from the former East Germany, chronicling the work of free spirits pitted against government restraints and implied genre limitations. The underground scene in the German Democratic Republic was a hydra, a noisy mix of musicians, poets, painters, photographers, filmmakers, punks and freaks.
Various Artists [Objekt] – Kern Vol. 3 CD (Tresor)
Following contributions by DJ Deep and DJ Hell, Tresor Records present the third installment in their Kern mix-series, this time headed by Berlin based producer Objekt. Features Beatrice Dillon, Aleksi Perälä, Donato Dozzy, Ondo Fudd Via App, Yair Elazar Glotman and many more.
Various Artists – Money Maker [Reissue/1970] CD/LP (Studio One)
A superb selection of Studio One rhythms from groups including the Heptones, Burning Spear, The Wailing Souls and John Holt.
Various Artists – No. II CD (No.)
No., founded by Atom TM and Material Object in 2014, celebrate their second birthday in style with No. II. No. II is a collage, a readymade, an assemblage, a synthesis, in short: a spectrum (or “mix”) of elements refracted through the prism of the label’s output between May 1st, 2015 to May 1st, 2016. Features works from: Atom TM, Material Object, Ishq, Raw C + Pharmakustik, No. Inc. and Garry Bradbury.
Various Artists – Pathos: Essential Dreams CD (Klik)
Pathos is a cocktail bar in Greece that hosts some of the world’s leading DJ’s. Essential Dreams is a mix perfect for overlooking the Aegean Sea and facing breathtaking sunsets.
Various Artists – Piano Cloud Series – Volume One CD (1631)
1631 Recordings presents a collection of acoustic piano pieces. An impressive number of kindred spirits contribute as well: Nils Frahm, Peter Broderick, Hior Chronik, and Schole main man Akira Kosemura among others.
Various Artists – Plangent Compilation Vol. 1 CD/2×12” (Plangent)
Plangent Records is back with their first various artists compilation, gathering long-time friends, like-minded musicians and new talent on this ten track release. Three years after the last Recondite release on his own Plangent label, this compilation establishes the label as a platform for deep, low-key, melancholic electronic techno music. Includes works from Recondite himself along with, Tin Man, RNDM, Scuba, Dj Tennis, Monoloc, Douglas Greed, Ricardo Donoso, Mind Against and Uchi.
Various Artists – Rough Imaginary CD (Home Normal)
Home Normal present this collective work with artists who have inspired the label since their earliest days, spent wandering record stores in Tokyo, to the present, as rough-and-ready supporters of new and imaginative artists. Rough Imaginary features tracks from ISAN, Paco Sala, R Elizabeth and A New Line (Related). It’s a summation of everything Home Normal have tried to do since 2009, as well as a playful dance into the future.
Various Artists [Oliver Koletzki] – Schneeweiss VI CD (Stil Vor Talent)
Late-night Berlin dinner club-inspired mix featuring tracks from Cubicolor, Tim Digby-Bell, Frank Wiedemann, Stimming, Julian Wassermann & Oliver Deuerling, Worst Case, Yotto, Hatzler, Victor Ruiz, Reinier Zonneveld, Koletzki & Schwind, Pete Oak, Kerrier District, KiNK and Moderat.
Various Artists – Shapes In Space 2xCD/2xLP (Tru Thoughts)
Shapes In Space is the latest in Tru Thoughts’ series of essential label compilations assembled by A&R and co-owner (and renowned DJ) Robert Luis. Encompassing the best of the Brighton based label’s eclectic and international current roster, as well as some classic cuts and three exclusive tracks.
Various Artists – Suicide Squad: The Album CD (Atlantic)
“The villains get their chance to save the day with the release of DC’s cinematic universe answer to Marvel, Suicide Squad. The antihero flick stars hip-hop legends Will Smith and Common, as well as Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis and Ben Affleck, who will reprise his role as the newest Batman. For soundtrack, the music heavily relies on the talents of hip-hop superstars Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross, Ty Dolla $ign, G-Eazy, Kevin Gates, Kehlani, Action Bronson, Logic and some guy named Eminem. Familiar acts within the culture such as Skrillex, X Ambassadors and Mark Ronson also make appearances. Regardless of one’s genre preference, it’s also worth noting that Panic! At the Disco’s has been recruited to cover Queen’s timeless classic, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’” – HipHopDX
Wild Beasts – Boy King CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Where 2014’s Present Tense album found Wild Beasts in reflective mood, absorbing a fascination with online culture and electronic music, Boy King has them, as Tom Fleming puts it, “back to being pissed off.” The quartet’s ever-present knack for sensual melody via Hayden Thorpe and Fleming’s dueting vocals, Ben Little’s sinuous guitar groove and Chris Talbot’s potent rhythm section carries in Boy King an aggressive, snarling and priapic beast that delves into the darker side of masculinity and Thorpe’s own psyche. As Hayden himself says, “After five records there had to be an element of ‘what the f*ck?’” A newfound creative friction between Thorpe and Fleming proved key to unleashing the unique pop sensibility of Boy King — Fleming’s more visceral experimentation unlocking new dimensions in Thorpe’s own writing. Between the slide of prowling aggression and interior darkness, there are glorious, gorgeous moments. It is yet another incomparable Wild Beasts record; a visceral, sensual and jolting body of work that acts as a remarkable soundtrack to the early 21st century male malaise.
René Wohlhauser – Kasamarówa CD (Neos)
Vocal chamber works performed by the duo Simolka-Wohlhauser. Experiences as a rock and jazz musician, accompanist and improviser have accompanied and continue to accompany Wohlhauser’s principal activity as a composer of contemporary art music (including chamber, orchestral and stage works.
Wye Oak – Tween CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
“Wye Oak is a band that never seem to reveal too much. Despite the angelic vocals of Jenn Wasner, their music and its atmosphere do most of the talking. The Baltimore-bred duo of Andy Stack (drums, keyboards, vocals) and Wasner (vocals, guitar, bass) allow moody keyboards, slashing guitar riffs and tumbling drum fills to really paint the picture. Their last full-length album, Shriek, was released two years ago, and if I’m to correctly decipher a recent cryptic press release, Tween is more of a stopgap than a ‘proper’ album. Wye Oak’s label made references to albums like R.E.M.’s Dead Letter Office and the The Who’s Odds & Sods for comparison, so with that in mind, this is obviously some sort of an outtakes/rarities collection. For a collection such as this, it holds together remarkably well. Wye Oak are in many ways a forward-thinking band, but their influences are definitely steeped in ‘80s bands like the Cocteau Twins, the Sundays, the Jesus and Mary Chain and, on a less abrasive scale, shoegazers like My Bloody Valentine. ‘On Luxury’ is one of their more blatant nods to the ‘80s, as vocal figures are casually tossed off while a robotic keyboard bed provides a retro guilty pleasure. A highly syncopated, unanticipated percussion breakdown is a small, unexpected delight, building up to the song’s finale.” – Pop Matters
Stuart Wyrick – East Tennessee Sunrise CD (Rural Rhythm)
Veteran Banjoist Stuart Wyrick is no stranger to bluegrass music. He is currently a member of Flashback, the reunion band including top bluegrass musicians who worked with J.D. Crowe And The New South in the mid- 1990s, and a former member of the Dale Ann Bradley Band.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Daniele Lombardi – divina.com DVD (Neos)
A live recording of the 2004 world premiere of Daniele Lombardi’s divina.com, a mixed media event in 36 parts for voice, ensemble, live electronics, and video. NTSC, region-free.
The Neal Morse Band – Alive Again Blu-ray (Metal Blade)
“The Neal Morse Band is a force of nature. They have evolved into a great live band, one that is as good as there is in music and they really shine on this live set. The performances here are jaw-dropping and might have you giving a standing ovation from your couch.” – The Prog Report
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Altamont/Phantom Ships – Phantom Ships/Altamont 7” (Valley King)
Each band is doing a cover (Altamont takes on Black Flag’s “Black Coffee,” while The Phantom Ships covers the Urinals “Black Hole”). Both songs are on one side, while etched artwork by Alan Forbes adorns the other! Pressed on either brown & black “black coffee” or a yellow, green, and black “black hole” color vinyl.
Anywhere – Light The Portals 3×7” (Valley King)
The final installment of the Anywhere recording collective. The lineup for this recording includes Cedric Bixler Zavala (The Mars Volta, At The Drive In), Mike Watt (Minutemen, Firehose, Stooges) and Christian Eric Beaulieu (Vertical Scratchers) with Phil Manley (Trans Am), Jonathan Hischke (Hella), Bret Contantino & Matt Holliman (Sleepy Sun), Greg Rogove, Isaiah Mitchell, (Earthless, Golden Void), Larry Boothroyd (Victims Family), and Naima Mora.
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington – Together For The First Time [Reissue/1961] LP (Parlophone)
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington – The Great Reunion [Reissue/1963] LP (Parlophone)
180gm vinyl reissues now available.
The Avett Brothers – True Sadness 2xLP (Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Seth Avett says that True Sadness is a patchwork quilt, both thematically and stylistically. Wherein a myriad of contrasting fabrics make perfect sense on the same plane, the album draws upon countless resources from its writers and performers. He cites pervasive and cornerstone influences such as Queen, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Jimmie Rodgers, Tom Petty, Nine Inch Nails, Gillian Welch, Aretha Franklin, Walt Disney, Pink Floyd, Kings Of Convenience, calypso of the 1950s and country of the 1930s. Most importantly, he assures, “Throughout the album, we stitched together the boldest red and the calmest green, polka dots and stripes, the roughest denim and the smoothest velveteen. They came together because they are the best patterns we have and because each of us brought our own fabric to the quilting frame.”
Petr Bakla – Piano Concerto – Classical Blend/Weihnachtsoratorium LP (God)
Petr Bakla belongs to generation of composers whose output no longer seems bound to the imperative of the “search for sounds” extended technique. Instead, he builds his music on the unmarked instrumental sound, which he uses to create a flow of interacting layers and explore the means of pure pitch, time and sound volume to the expressive extreme. His first solo release presents him at his best – two orchestral pieces as a definite manifesto of monumental monochromatic environments, both in Bakla’s favorite diptych form.
Benjamin Ball – Flash A Flashlight 12″ (Cultures Of Soul)
Benjamin Ball’s Flash A Flashlight is the first preview of the next Cultures Of Soul compilation, Boogie Breakdown – South African Disco 1980 to 1984. With the help of DJ Okapi, Cultures of Soul has tracked down many of the great synth boogie artists of the ’80s in South Africa including Benjamin Ball, Don Laka, Al Etto, Neville Nash, Harari, and many others.
Nat Birchall – Akhenaten [2009] LP (Jazzman)
Nat Birchall – Guiding Spirit [2010] LP (Jazzman)
Akhenaten is the first album Nat Birchall released via the then brand-new Gondwana Records label in Manchester. Originally released only on CD, this is the first time this classic recording has been made available on vinyl. The album on the whole features a quartet, and is expanded to a quintet on the title track where UK trumpet virtuoso Matthew Halsall joins in with a stunning solo. The album explores deep, hymn-like themes at length, finding much to say on the relatively simple melodies and arrangements. The follow-up, Guiding Spirit, found him exploring different textures using percussion and instruments like the kora and the harp.
Boys Night Out – Black Dogs 12” (Good Fight Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Comeback EP from the Canadian post-hardcore band.
Will Butler – Friday Night LP+MP3 (Merge)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Friday Night is a live album of performances from Will Butler’s tour supporting Policy, his first album. It was recorded mostly at Lincoln Hall in Chicago on June 4, 2015. Five of the songs are from Policy, two are songs Will wrote for the Guardian newspaper last year, and five are new. “We started almost every show with ‘You Must Be Kidding.’ Not only does it build nicely, but the chorus lyric is literally ‘It’s only just begun.’ The blend of humor, Lord Of The Flies, and the end of the world also set the right tone for the show to come. But I thought the album should start in medias res to welcome the listener into a sweaty room with a tired, happy band and a loose crowd. So the album starts with the encore ‘Tell Me We’re All Right’ which was only ever played once, and this is the recording of it. We never soundchecked it. It wasn’t even written yet (you might be able to tell).” – Will Butler
Thy Byrds – Sweetheart Of The Rodeo [Reissue/1968] LP (Friday Music)
Limited translucent gold-color vinyl pressing in a gatefold jacket. The Byrds’ sixth album was recorded with the addition of country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, and is a departure from the psychedelic rock of their previous LP, The Notorious Byrd Brothers.
Chain Reaction – Dance Freak [Reissue/1980] 12” (Queen Constance)
A bonafide dancefloor invitation, this classic cut by Chain Reaction was originally released in 1980 on the P&P affiliate label, Sound Of New York. A project between keyboardist Dwight Brewster (of The Imperials) and percussionist Harold Sargent (of Wood, Brass & Steel fame) “Dance Freak” provides one finest moments in the entire catalog. A funky disco track with all the elements of a party anthem, it’s no surprise it’s been a favorite of veteran Deejays like Kenny Dope and Danny Krivit.
Charli XCX / Iggy Pop – No Fun b/w I Dig Your Mind 7” (Atlantic)
Charli XCX recorded this cover of The Stooges 1969 track “No Fun” for the soundtrack of HBO series Vinyl.
Alex Chilton – Dusted In Memphis (And Elsewhere) [Reissue/1980] 2xLP (Bangkok Productions)
First time reissue of this legendary Alex Chilton album, originally released in 1980. For many, this is Alex’s finest. Includes a second bonus album full of unreleased material; covers, alternate versions, fantastic demos, and infamous complete KUT radio session. All culled from the period between 1975 and 1980, a troubled — but prolific and brilliant — time for Chilton.
The Cramps – Keystone Club Palo Alto, CA 1979 LP (Interference)
The entire KFAT-FM broadcast of this legendary early performance by The Cramps live at Keystone’s Palo Alto, recorded February 1979.
Cult Values – Cult Values LP (Deranged)
Cult Values has a very-early-American-hardcore-meets-post-punk sound, defined by fast, melodic, confident guitar play reminiscent of Articles of Faith and the more recent Criminal Code. The album delivers ten tracks of potent, dark hardcore that will thrill those hungry for a contemporary take on a classic sound.
Miles Davis – Amandla [Reissue/1989] LP (Rhino)
Amandla is is the third and final collaboration between Miles Davis and producer/bassist Marcus Miller. The album mixes elements of the genres go-go, zouk, funk, and jazz, combining electronic instruments with live musicians. 180gm.
The Earls Of Leicester – Rattle & Roar LP (Rounder)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With their second album, Rattle & Roar, The Earls Of Leicester have conjured up a fresh batch of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs songs, delivered with their Grammy-winning signature blend of homage, virtuosity, and perspective. The inimitable Jerry Douglas (14-time Grammy-winner) remains the band’s producer and hypnotic dobroist; blue-ribbon songwriter, singer, and producer Shawn Camp (Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton) still soars on lead vocals and guitar; revered multi-instrumentalist and sideman Jeff White (Vince Gill, Loretta Lynn) now deftly handles high harmony and mandolin; ace Nashville banjoist Charlie Cushman (Jimmy Martin, Mel Tillis) tackles banjo and guitars; topflight musician Johnny Warren (son of Foggy Mountain Boys Paul Warren) cuts in radiantly on fiddle; and the esteemed Barry Bales (Alison Krauss & Union Station) holds magnificently steady on vocals and bass.
Missy Elliott – WTF: Where They From (ft. Pharrell) 12” (Atlantic)
Includes the instrumental plus remixes from Chris Lake & With You.
Ina Forsman – Ina Forsman LP (Ruf)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. It’s one thing to be able to sing soul, it’s another to write convincingly in a style that developed thousands of miles from your home. And yet for her debut album—recorded in Texas with the support of a crack team of musicians—Finnish blues belter Ina Forsman has done precisely that, graduating from singing covers in a sultry voice to co-writing her own standards, taking in New Orleans R&B (“Hanging Loose”), Stax soul (“No Room for Love”), and slow blues (“Now You Want Me Back”).
Cara & Mike Gangloff with The Great American Drone Orchestra – Knock On Life’s Door 2xLP (MIE)
“They [Cara & Mike Gangloff] have taken older American songs, popular songs that we’ve come to understand as standards, and stretched them out into the rolling hills and vast expanses that gave birth to the nation’s earliest music… The inventiveness of interpretation is spirit-raising.” — Matt Krefting.
The Gerbils – Dead Detroit: Lost 1982 Recordings LP (Lysergic Sound Distributors)
The Gerbils were a high school hardcore punk band (with Moog!), from Farmington Hills/Detroit, Michigan in the early 1980s. Dead Detroit: Lost 1982 Recordings not only showcases the band’s obvious skills but also pays tribute to the aggressive DIY aesthetics of the early 1980s U.S. hardcore/punk scene and recognizes The Gerbils’ place in the Detroit and Midwest hardcore scene.
Hammers Of Misfortune – Dead Revolution LP (Metal Blade)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album by the San Francisco progressive metal heroes.
The Highwaymen – Highwayman [Reissue/1985] LP (Sundazed)
The Highwaymen – Highwayman 2 [Reissue/1990] LP (Sundazed)
180gm vinyl reissues of the country supergroup’s (Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson/Johnny Cash/Kris Kristofferson) first two albums.
John Holt – Memories By The Score 2xLP (VP)
Vinyl companion to the recently released five-CD box set. The historic career of John Holt (1947-2014) spanned three decades, charting classic hits in multiple genres within Jamaican music. As a member of the Paragons, John Holt was featured on multiple rock-steady classics. Later partnering with legendary producer Bunny Lee, Holt helped to define what would become ‘lover’s rock.’ In the 1980s Holt returned to prominence with producers ‘Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes and King Jammy with roots reggae and early dancehall hits.
Alexandro Jodorowsky – El Topo [OST/Reissue/1971] LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited edition ‘coke bottle’ clear vinyl pressing. Atonal, Tibetan Buddhist thighbone trumpets clash with beautiful, even sentimental, chamber orchestra pieces alongside pan flute rhapsodies, brass bands and parlor jazz.
Damien Jurado – Rehearsals For Departure [1999] LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)
Damien Jurado – Ghost Of David [2000] LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)
A couple full-length albums from singer/songwriter Damien Jurado have been reissued on vinyl and cassette: Rehearsals For Departure gets its first US vinyl pressing, while Ghost Of David gets its first vinyl and cassette releases.
Kid Flicks – Kid Flicks LP (Klik)
Kid Flicks is the music project started by Greek producer and songwriter Nickos Devisis. Highly influenced by the bright side of contemporary Athenian life, multiculturalism and the internet culture, Kid Flicks creates a unique sound that draws from various genres and styles. From electronic to sample-based music to psych-pop to world music, Kid Flicks is full of upbeat pop melodies, explosive percussion and Greek, Middle Eastern and African music references.
Kllo – Well Worn 12” (Ghostly Int’l)
New EP from the Melboure duo. Guided by the ghosts of UK garage and like-minded strains of underground dance music, “Bolide” sets a skittish beat against a clipped chorus; “Walls To Build” melds Lam’s wobbly synth lines with Kaul’s vapor-trailed verses; and the one-two punch of “Sense” and “On My Name” build a couple piano-laced ballads from a pillowy sound bed of laid-back loops and lovelorn melodies. “Don’t Be The One” is deceivingly simple as well, bringing the record to a close alongside a rubbery, elusive rhythm and a growing sense of tension and release.
Kygo – Cloud Nine 2xLP (RCA)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Cloud Nine is the debut studio album by Norwegian record producer, deejay and musician Kygo. His 2014 single “Firestorm” (included on Cloud Nine) set a Spotify record for reaching one billion plays faster than any other artist. Guests include John Legend, James Vincent McMorrow, Angus & Julia Stone, Matt Corby, and more.
Steve Lacy with Don Cherry – Evidence [Reissue/1961] LP (Modern Silence)
Soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy continued his early exploration of Thelonious Monk’s compositions on Evidence, originally released in 1961. Lacy worked extensively with Monk, absorbing the pianist’s intricate music and adding his individualist soprano saxophone mark to it. On this release, he employs the equally impressive Don Cherry on trumpet, who was playing with the Ornette Coleman quartet at the time, drummer Billy Higgins, who played with both Coleman and Monk, and bassist Carl Brown.
Man Friday – Love Honey, Love Heartache [Reissue/1986] 12” (Get On Down)
In the spirit of most dance music borrowing elements from other sources, “Love Honey” was heavily inspired by another Paradise Garage & Loft classic from 1980 and its remix in 1981 by UK Outfit Funk Masters / TW Funkmasters. A dubbed out track big in the jazz-funk scene in the UK, it became a hit among underground deejays in both NYC & Chicago. All the elements of a garage track are here; dub echoes, synth basslines, percussions that linger.
Mercury Rev – Yerself Is Steam [Reissue/1991] LP (Mint)
Extremely limited color vinyl LP pressing. Yerself Is Steam is the 1991 debut album by Mercury Rev. The title is a malapropism of the phrase “Your self-esteem,” and is taken from a recurring lyric in the opening “Chasing a Bee.” “Very Sleepy Rivers” is supposedly about a serial killer, with the river acting a metaphor for the killer’s relative calm and sudden tendency to snap.
Method Man – 4:21 …The Day After [Reissue/2006] LP (Def Jam)
Vinyl reissue of the fourth studio album by n rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man. Features guest appearances from Fat Joe, Styles P, Redman, and various Wu-Tang Clan members. Part of UMe’s ongoing Respect The Classics vinyl reissue campaign.
Nomad Stones – Nomad Stones LP (Brutal Panda)
Nomad Stones includes two members of Cave In—Adam McGrath and John Robert Conners—who collectively have also been members of the cult-beloved metal bands Zozobra, Doomriders, and Goatsnake. Unlike the sludge, post-metal, and hardcore bands the members have formed in the past, Nomad Stones is straight-forward, no-nonsense rock ‘n’ roll.
Pale Dian – Narrow Birth LP (Manifesto)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “You may not know it yet… but Pale Dian are about to become one of your favorite new bands of 2016. Hailing from Austin Texas, these are the dreamy swirling melodic sounds inspired by classic 4AD artists like Cocteau Twins and Lush, and just as surely will thrill fans of Them Are Us Too and Drab Majesty” – Part Time Punks, KLXU.
The Paranoid Style – Rolling Disclosure LP+MP3 (Bar/None)
Rolling Disclosure is the furious and unforgettably tuneful full-length debut from Elizabeth Nelson’s critically adored garage punk outfit The Paranoid Style. Like Samantha Bee fronting the Sex Pistols, Nelson’s coiled rage and comic touch make for a thrilling forced march through the accruing desperations of late period capitalism. Alongside band personnel including Scott McCaughey from the Minus 5 and Bruce Bennett from the A-Bones, Nelson’s self-described “Glam Rock For The End Times” has garnered high praise from Robert Christgau, SPIN, Magnet Magazine, The Big Takeover and others.
Pelican – City Of Echoes [Reissue/2007] LP (Hydra Head)
Vinyl reissue of the post-metal band’s third album.
Pharaoh Overlord – #1 [Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Full Contact/Hydra Head)
Vinyl reissue of the Finnish experimental rock band’s debut album. Pharaoh Overlord’s stoner rock klang on #1 is down-to-earth due to sheer weight of the riffs.
Elvis Presley – Promised Land [Reissue/1975] LP (Friday Music)
Limited translucent gold color vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket.
The Quick – Untold Rock Stories 2xLP+MP3 (Burger)
There’s not much real proof that The Quick ever existed, beyond their influence on The Dickies and ‘80s glam-punk bands like Redd Kross and Celebrity Skin. Though The Quick never toured outside of California, they did have a lot of curiosly loyal and zealously passionate local fans, including members of The Stylistically Dissimilar Germs. As The Quick released just one album, this LP of largely previously unreleased material will be something of a godsend to their followers. Filled-to-overflowing with 77 minutes of music, it includes two album-length demo sessions, the first produced by Kim Fowley over the course of two days in 1976 for Mercury Records, the second by David Campbell (Beck’s father) ovewr the course of six months in late 1977 and early 1978 for Elektra. [Cassette version was released last month.]
Steve Reich – Berkeley University Museum – November 7, 1970 LP (Modern Silence)
New color vinyl edition replaces the recently issued black version. A live performance of four early works by Steve Reich: “Four Organs”, “My Name Is”, “Piano Phase”, and “Phase Patterns.” This performance marked an important moment in San Francisco Bay Area new music history with the triumphant return to the East Bay by Reich, who studied at Mills College with Luciano Berio, and who performed the 1964 world premiere of Terry Riley’s seminal work, In C, at the San Francisco Tape Music Center. HQ-180gm.
Revocation – Great Is Our Sin LP (Metal Blade)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “I feel like it’s safe to call Revocation one of the most well-known and respected technical death metal bands of our time with their discography already being mind-blowing and genre defining to say in the very least. And like with many monolithic acts there looms the question of when their albums begin to become lackluster, for Revocation with Great Is Our Sin the answer to that is very satisfying: not any time soon.” – Headbanger Reviews
Riff Raff – The Peach Panther LP (BMG Rights Management)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Riff Raff first introduced his sophisticated Peach Panther persona during a wrestling match between Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio. The disruption distracted Kurt allowing Rey Mysterio to execute his infamous 619 finishing move to pin Kurt for a 3 count to win the fight. The fracas drove fans crazy creating a viral moment and setting the stage for the release of Mr. Raff’s new project, also called The Peach Panther. The album includes guest appearances by G-Eazy, Gucci Mane, Lil Durk, J Doe, and Danny Brown.
Rival Consoles – Night Melody LP+MP3 (Erased Tapes)
Returning with a mini album to the lauded label Erased Tapes, Rival Consoles has progressed enough to keep things exciting, while still maintaining all the elements that made his music great in the first place. The album began taking shape last year, shortly after his previous work came, Howl, came out and, more poignantly after the breakup of a thirteen-year relationship. Proclaiming he’s not interested in simply making happy or sad music, but rather something closer to bittersweet, more real and lifelike. The music presented here certainly tows that line in a gloriously epic manner.
Marty Robbins – Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs [Reissue/1959] LP (Real Gone Music)
Original mono mix on magenta color vinyl. Classic Western tunes.
Trevor Sensor – Starved Nights Of Saturday Stars 12”+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
From the first moments of Trevor Sensor’s debut EP for Jagjaguwar, Texas Girls and Jesus Christ, the Illinois-born 22-year-old singer/songwriter’s distinctive burr of a voice sounds aged decades beyond his years. Starved Nights Of Saturday Stars is his second EP for the label.
Sonna – Keep It Together 2xLP+MP3 (Temporary Residence)
Sonna were an experimental rock band from Baltimore, MD. Formed in 1998 and disbanded in 2003, they recorded a handful of EPs and singles, as well as two full-length albums — both recorded with Steve Albini. They often toured with friends and collaborators, including Explosions In The Sky, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, and Tarentel — and their live shows were known for their uncanny precision as much as their alarming quietude. Keep It Together collects every Sonna song that did not appear on their two studio albums.
Soundtrack – Vinyl – The Essentials: Best Of Season 1 2xLP (Atlantic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Includes tracks from Iggy Pop, Charli XCX (7” vinyl single also released this week), Elvis Costello, Chris Cornell, and Julian Casablancas, among others.
Dusty Springfield – Faithful LP (Real Gone Music)
In 1971, Atlantic Records released a pair of Dusty Springfield singles produced by the legendary songwriter/producer Jeff Barry (one-time songwriting and romantic partner of Ellie Greenwich, and author of too many hits to name): “Haunted”/”Nothing Is Forever” and “I Believe In You”/”Someone Who Cares.” A restless Dusty, freshly relocating to America from her native England, then departed the label and left an additional nine songs recorded with Barry in the can. Faithful collects the historic Barry-Springfield collaborations exactly as they were originally intended to be heard, with the 12 tracks meant for the album release finally out on vinyl 45 years later. [13-track CD edition was released last year.]
Stephen Stills & Manassas – Bananafish Gardens, NY LP (Air Cuts)
Following the summer 1970 split of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Stephen Stills quickly formed Manassas with former Byrd and Flying Burrito Brother, Chris Hillman, as well as guitarist Al Perkins, fiddler Byron Berline, keyboardist Paul Harris, singer and percussionist Joe Lala, bassist Calvin “Fuzzy” Samuels, and drummer Dallas Taylor. Playing a potent blend of blues, folk, country, Latin, and rock, they were an instant success. This superb set at the Bananafish Garden in Brooklyn on April 16, 1973, took place shortly before the release of their second album, Down The Road, in May of that year, and features material from both of their LPs, as well as material by Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, and CSNY. The complete WBCN-FM broadcast is presented here.
Tamam Shud – Evolution [Reissue/1969] LP (Anthology Recordings)
The first ever reissue of the debut album by Australian progressive heavy rock fiends Tamam Shud. Evolution presents a blazing backdrop of charged-up fuzz and guitar expression exquisitely matching the wild, inspirational, and groundbreaking visuals of Witzig’s incredible 1969 surf film of the same name.
Tenement – Tenement 12”(Deranged)
On the heels of 2015’s double-LP Predatory Headlights comes a new 12” by the Wisconsin punk outfit. This self-titled record includes the five newly remastered tracks from the band’s recent limited tour cassette, as well as two new unreleased songs.
Those Things – 1985 7” (Sudden Death)
Hailing from Vancouver BC and armed with pop sensibilities, punk energy and power-metal riffage, Those Things is singer/guitarist Carly Tre (Cobweb Society), guitarist Jeff Speers (Racer Ten), bassist Ken Burke (Randy Bachman, Raffi), and powerhouse drummer Ray Hartmann (Annihilator).
Titus Andronicus – S+@dium Rock: Five Nights At The Opera LP+MP3 (Merge)
+@’s position as the most thrilling live act in rock and roll has long been etched in stone, but never before has that riveting energy been captured on wax as it is here.
Adam Topol – Regardless Of The Dark LP (Everloving)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. He’s sat behind the drum kit for everyone from Eddie Vedder, Joey Santiago, Ziggy Marley and Jack Johnson to legends like Jimmy Cliff and David Gilmour. He has explored Afro-Cuban rhythms and percussion via Ritmo Y Canto, dabbled in dubby electronic reggae with Culver City Dub Collective and to the far edges of soul jazz. He has never made the same record twice.
Tully – Sea Of Joy [OST/Reissue/1971] LP (Anthology Recordings)
Director Paul Witzig’s 1971 surf film Sea Of Joy inspired Australian hard rockers Tully to trade in their riffs and explore enchanted themes and mellow moods that became the film’s celebrated soundtrack. This newly restored classic caresses shores beyond Australia’s beaches for the first time ever for Anthology’s Surf Archive.
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan LP+MP3 (New Elektra)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Irish singer/songwriter Foy Vance’s new album The Wild Swan (recorded in Nashville and executive-produced by Elton John) opens with “Noam Chomsky Is A Soft Revolution,” a rock ‘n’ blues celebration of a roll-call of musical, philosophical, literary and polemical insurrectionists. It ends with a dash of uilleann pipes pipes and “The Wild Swans On The Lake,” a stop-you-in-your-tracks breath of Celtic balladry inspired by WB Yeats’ The Wild Swans At Coole. Vance’s rich voice also gets up close and personal on the hymnal “Burden,” then digs deep for “She Burns,” a song and a performance evocative of Bruce Springsteen’s “Tunnel Of Love.” On the ancient-but-modern “Be Like You Belong,” Vance’s soulful rasp weaves through pedal-steel and simple piano chords. “Ziggy Looked Me In The Eye” is a piano-based, strings-buoyed soul-stirrer, a dignified tribute to, says Vance, “various people who I think have been part of a revolution. I’m not talking about Che Guevara or Ghandi or even Russell Brand for that matter — I’m talking about personal revolution. I like that idea constantly revolting against your own parameters.”
Various Artists – Day Of The Dead: Terrapin Station (Suite) 12″ (4AD)
The Red Hot Organization, who teamed with The National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner to create the recent Day Of The Dead massive Grateful Dead indie tribute compilation, now release a vinyl EP, anchored by the album’s “Terrapin Station” suite. The full suite was recorded by Grizzly Bear’s Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear, along with The National and more, plus the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. The flipside of the 12” EP includes Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s “If I Had the World to Give,” “Playing in the Band” by TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo and more, and Bryce Dessner’s “Althea”-inspired “Garcia Counterpoint.”
Various Artists – Start Your Own F*cking Showspace 3xLP+MP3 (Famous Class)
A document of the final month of programming from the Brooklyn DIY venue Death By Audio before its eviction in November of 2014. Presented in chronological running order, Start Your Own F*cking Show Space features live recordings from 26 bands over the venue’s final month. Artists include A Place To Bury Strangers, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Future Islands, Protomartyr, Parquet Courts, Lightning Bolt, and many more.
Various Artists – Tremblin’: Steamy & Atmospheric Femail R’n’B Vocals LP (Pancho)
Sixteen never-before-reissued tracks of the sexiest and coolest atmospheric female R’n’B. Features tracks from: Byrdie Green, Yvonne Baker, Carol Hall, Barbara McNair, Lula Reed, Wini Brown, Dolores Gibson, Berna Dean, Paula Grimes, Donna Dee, Ruth Brown, Bettye Smith, Oberia Martin, Johni Naylor and Dora Hall.
Wild Child – Pillow Talk [2011] 2xLP (Dualtone)
Wild Child is an eclectic, seven-piece band fueled by the songwriting chemistry between co-founders Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins. Strains of indie folk, gypsy jazz, and vintage San Francisco psychedelia ripple through Wild Child’s debut album, Pillow Talk.
Yes – 9012Live – The Solos [Reissue/1985] LP (Friday Music)
Limited edition 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in a gatefold sleeve.
Iannis Xenakis – La Légende d’Eer LP+MP3 (Karlrecords)
This is a new version of La Légende d’Eer, using the 8-track version that Xenakis presented at Darmstädter Ferienkurse in August 1978. This is the only original version of the composition and is presented here, mixed down for stereo, for the very first time. 180gm.
Layla Zoe – Breaking Free LP (Ruf)
“Layla is possessed with one of those fantastic Maggie Bell, Janis Joplin or Kitto voices that reach down into your soul and is able to rip your heart out.” — Blues Matters Magazine
Cassettes:
Jay Arner – Jay II (Mint)
Jay Arner’s Jay II is music for outsiders who might not want to be insiders. Sophisticated synth-pop for sensitive types, existential glam rock for the unsettled—these songs are the soundtrack to fitting in, finding your place in the world of suffering, and finally coming to terms with yourself.
Heaven For Real – Kill Your Memory (Mint)
A collection of songs brimming with their idiosyncratic brand of maximalist pop music. Equally enamoured with undeniable melodic hooks as they are with unconventional sounds, Heaven For Real emerges as fully formed left-field masters with the unique ability to turn directions on a dime.
Damien Jurado – Rehearsals For Departure [1999] (Sub Pop)
Damien Jurado – Ghost Of David [2000] (Sub Pop)
A couple full-length albums from singer/songwriter Damien Jurado have been reissued on vinyl and cassette: Rehearsals For Departure gets its first US vinyl pressing, while Ghost Of David gets its first vinyl and cassette releases.
Supermoon – Playland (Mint)
The self-proclaimed gadabouts of moody pop are at it again! Supermoon’s latest excursion, Playland, bubbles with intelligent, weirdo songs that combine sunny riffs and distorted ring-outs. Coated in sugary vocals with driving bass, spectral guitars and marching drums, the songs of Supermoon wink at something lurking beneath the surface.
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