CDs + Vinyl:
Ails – The Unraveling CD/LP (The Flenser)
After Bay Area avant-garde cornerstones Ludicra called it quits in 2011, most of the band continued with their other musical endeavors, but former vocalist Laurie Shanaman and guitar player / vocalist Christy Cather haven’t resurfaced in a big way until now—Ails marks the return of both to center stage. “Ails beautifully synthesizes melancholy melodic death metal, stately doom, and atmospheric black metal, teasing every iota of intensity from each individual note and capitalizing on Shanaman’s vocal might.” —Noisey
ANMLPLNET – Fall Asleep CD/LP+MP3 (Ba Da Bing!)
Dream-like soundscapes from the duo comprised of Slothrust leader Leah Wellbaum and drummer/singer Mickey Vershbow. The band was formed originally on a number of rules, including writing lyrics that are antonymic translations (meaning nouns, adjectives and verbs were replaced with their antonyms) and playing songs straight through as one giant piece, no breaks. Epochal in scope and melodic.
The Aquabats – The Fury Of The Aquabats [Reissue/1997] 2xCD (Goopy)
Expanded reissue. One-part punk, one-part ska, one part Devo [Vinyl edition due May 4.]
Marcia Ball – Shine Bright CD (Alligator)
A rollicking array of piano-fueled roadhouse romps seasoned by Ball’s incomparably soulful balladry.
A Big Yes and Small No – Mise En Abyme CD/LP (The Royal Potato Family)
“One of the beautiful things about playing music is the gentle reminder of your own mortality that comes with creating something out of nothing, and knowing that the moment you stop playing, it will cease to exist,” says Kevin Kendrick, frontman and founder of Brooklyn’s A Big Yes and a small no. “A record is so-called because it is, literally, a record of that moment; so it doesn’t cease to exist.” Mise En Abyme, (“placed into abyss”), the project’s third album is, not surprisingly, very existential. Existentialism seems natural for a songwriter whose destiny in a symphony orchestra seemed given until he was kidnapped in Colombia in 1997. Terrifying though it was, it gave him clarity and hastened a move to touring as a hip-hop DJ and a vibraphonist with freak-jazz band Fat Mama. Someone who has survived 7 muggings and only picked up the pen in his late ‘20s after finally winning a protracted “war” with heroin has thought a lot about existence.
Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik – Hugsjá CD/2xLP (By Norse Music)
The word “Hugsjá” means to see with, or within, the mind – and it reflects the idea that one’s mind has the potential to see further than the eyes can reach. By weaving together indigenous and contemporary thoughts, sounds and instruments, the duo invites you on a vivid journey – exploring the distant history and traditions along coastal Norway. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Black Stone Cherry – Family Tree CD/2xLP (Mascot)
The Kentucky arena rockers return with another relentless dose of hard riffing rock on their sixth studio album.
Terrance Blanchard Featuring The E Collective – Live CD (Blue Note)
Five-time Grammy-winning trumpeter/composer Terence Blanchard has been a consistent artistic force for making powerful musical statements concerning painful American tragedies – past and present. With his band The E-Collective he addresses the staggering cyclical epidemic of gun violence in America with Live, seven powerful songs recorded live in concert that both reflect the bitter frustration of the conscious masses while also providing a balm of emotional healing.
Bonnie Prince Billy – Wolf Of The Cosmos CD/LP (Drag City)
“Bonnie Prince Billy is not your average artist. This is his second album inside six months where he ‘reinterprets’ other people’s music. After covering merle Haggard, this time he turns his attention to a full cover of singer/songwriter Susanna’s 2007 album Sonata Mix Dwarf. Continuing his wolverine fixation, he’s retitled it as Wolf Of The Cosmos. Where his Haggard tribute foundered, mainly due to over-reverence for the songs, this succeeds, with the unfamiliar to many material given a tasteful countrified treatment.” – No More Workhorse
Bishop Briggs – Church Of Scars CD (Island)
Debut album from L.A.-based Scottish singer/songwriter Sarah Grace McLaughlin aka Bishop Briggs. Her music transcends the limitations of singular genres, blending folk, pop and electronic music into a wholly unique sound. [Vinyl edition due June 22.]
Brothers Osborne – Port Saint Joe CD/LP (EMI Nashville)
Brothers Osborne return with their sophomore album Port Saint Joe. John and TJ Osborne co-wrote every track on the album along with frequent collaborators Lee Thomas Miller, Kendall Marvel, Barry Dean, Shane McAnally, Troy Verges and more. The album’s title reflects the small town on the Florida coast where the real-life siblings recorded the album. “Port Saint Joe is a sonic representation of who we’ve become not only as a band but as people,” says John. “Every show we’ve ever played together is on this record. Every song we’ve ever written and every mile we’ve ever ridden has led to the making of this record. Imperfections and all.” TJ adds, “We shacked up for two weeks to make an unabashed record that would reflect who we are in every way, and in the process, we had the most enjoyable and memorable recording experience of our lives.” The Grammy-nominated, two-time CMA ‘Vocal Duo of the Year’ usher in Port Saint Joe with the epic Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Little Big Town) produced single “Shoot Me Straight.”
Cloud Castle Lake – Malingerer CD/2xLP (Bright Antenna)
Dublin-based four-piece Cloud Castle Lake make beguiling, complicated and bold compositions which juxtapose lyrical darkness and despair with an almost euphoric catharsis. They share a common ambition to push the lens of live performance wider, to go outside the constrictions set by genres, and to explore beyond traditional sonic structures. Produced by Rob Kirwan (Hozier, PJ Harvey) and introduced by the grandiose singles “Twins” and “Bonfire,” the band’s long-anticipated debut Malingerer is equal parts pastoral folk and soaring post-rock crescendos, a glorious statement of intent from an incredibly ambitious and extraordinary band.
- Cole – KOD CD (Interscope)
Surprise fifth album from the rapper. The title has three meanings–“Kids On Drugs,” “King Overdosed,” and “Killing Our Demons.”
Charlie Crockett – Lonesome As A Shadow CD/LP (Son Of Davy)
Blues artist Charley Crockett releases an album of all original material recorded in Memphis, TN at the legendary Sam Phillip’s Recording Service with producer/engineer Matt Ross-Spang. Backed by his band of Blue Drifters, this album was recorded live to tape in the middle of a long year of touring. It’s a musical gumbo of influences that showcases the various depths of Crockett’s sound.
Dark Buddha Rising – II CDEP/12” (Neurot)
Prepare the mind, the body, the deepest recesses of the soul: the black gates that Dark Buddha Rising opened a decade ago with I open further in 2018: the band’s II EP continues to twist spiritual gyres and follow calls from beyond. For ten years, this Finnish band has convened in the now-famous Wastement—set below their home city of Tampere—to roil in the sounds of the underground, to meet dark spirits, to breathe in time with rhythmic pulses sent from the skies, the stars and the very dirt around. On its face, the band emits the blackest of psychedelia; deep down, theirs are sounds forged in the blue fires of the ancients—exhalations of gods, goddesses and demons alike.
Demoniac – The Birth Of Diabolical Blood CD/LP (Soulseller)
The legendary early works of New Zealand black metal pioneers Demoniac: The Birth of Diabolical Blood demo plus Rehersal 13/7/93 on vinyl for the first time. Three of the band members would go on to form the British power metal act DragonForce. Includes never-before released material.
Drinks – Hippo Lite CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)
The latest from Cate Le Bon and Tim Preseley as Drinks. Isolated in the French countryside with nothing but a little food and a tape machine, Tim and Cate’s wildest impulses were roped together into hook-filled delights, all of which were brought to L.A. and mixed to bright, shiny perfection, for your freak-filled pleasure.
Efdemin – Naïf CD (Curle)
Efdemin, aka Phillip Sollmann, returns with a striking hybrid concept that merges the album format with the “continuous DJ mix” format, presenting completely new material in a seamless manner. The standout composition is the microtonal techno “Move Your Head” where Sollmann’s voice hovers over distorted 808 patterns and immersive justly-tuned synth pads, pointing the way towards the formative, trailblazing influences that pre-dated techno: Silver Apples, This Heat and the drone aesthetic of Tony Conrad.
Exitmusic – The Recognitions CD/LP (Felte)
While many couples can trace the real time rise and fall of their relationship back to social media feeds and harried phone calls, Aleksa Palladino and Devon Church have channeled the highs and lows of their storybook courtship into something else entirely: the explosive, discomforting confessionals of Exitmusic. The mercurial project started the year they got married (2004) and all-but-imploded during their recent divorce, but not before the duo wrapped its most fully realized collection of beautifully damaged music yet titled The Recognitions.
Flaming Lips – Scratching The Door: The First Recordings Of The Flaming Lips CD (Rhino)
A compilation of tracks recorded by The Flaming Lips’ original line-up, which featured Wayne Coyne’s brother Mark on vocals. Scratching The Door includes the band’s first and second cassette demos, in addition to The Flaming Lips first self-released EP, and marks the first time all of these recordings have been collected together on a single release.
From Ashes To New – The Future CD (Better Noise)
Sophomore album from the PA nu-metal/rap metal outfit. [Vinyl edition May 4.]
Ghastly – Death Velour CD/LP (20 Buck Spin)
While there’s no question this is a pure death metal album, it could hardly be confused with most of the current bands making the rounds. The nightmarish hallucinatory sound Ghastly invokes conjures the horror of rotting in incomprehensible obscurity, passing into oblivion guided by a many-colored specter of strange origin across the Styx. An air of psych-induced weirdness and shrieking dread permeates the decomposed palette throughout the album’s cryptic duration.
Gladiators – Symbol Of Reality [Reissue/1982] CD (Omnivore)
Gladiators – Serious Thing [Reissue/1984] CD (Omnivore)
Remastered, 1984 roots reggae classic, includes six previously unissued tracks. After 1982’s Symbol Of Reality, their first album for the Nighthawk Records label, the Gladiators added more cultural commentary in their song choices for 1984’s follow up, Serious Thing. Topical songs dominate the album from the title track, “Serious Thing” to “Freedom Train” and “My Thoughts.” Once again, they revisited their own catalog of songs, re-recording, “Rearrange” (originally cut with Coxsone Dodd in the early ’70s) and “Fling It Gimme” (originally a single for the group dating back to 1969). Even though reggae as a style of music was changing in the mid-’80s, the Gladiators played to their strengths and made another classic roots album.
Andreas Grosser – Venite Visum CD/LP (Running Back)
Probably best-known for his 1987 collaboration Babel with Klaus Schulze (1987), Grosser is a bit of a dark horse in the universe whose big bang was krautrock and that went on to be called cosmic, space music or simply new age.
Haggard Cat – Challenger CD/LP (Earache)
Ten hard-hitting, riff-oriented tracks from the duo who previously cut their teeth in the UK hardcore band Heck.
Françoise Hardy – Personne D’autre CD (Arts Music)
The French singer-songwriter and fashion icon releases her 24th studio album.
Joshua Hedley – Mr. Jukebox CD/LP (Third Man)
With the release of his highly anticipated debut album Mr. Jukebox via Third Man Records, Joshua Hedley embraces the role he was born to play: this generation’s classic country champion. The heartbreaking, distilled, defiantly classic country he plays is a beacon for ‘60s honky-tonk devotees everywhere. Album opener “Counting All My Tears” carves out the collection’s gloriously tear-jerking territory from the jump. As “oooooohhhs” and “aaaaahhhs” serve as spine-tingling harmonies – a classic-country flourish carried throughout Mr. Jukebox – lonely piano is joined by a familiar cast including steel and of course, fiddle. Title track “Mr. Jukebox” is a swinging nod to those beloved machines – both inanimate and breathing – that dependably play a lot of songs for a little money. It’s impossible to listen to the tune and not smile thinking of Hedley’s years logged in cover bands on Nashville’s Lower Broad. When asked what he hopes listeners get out of Mr. Jukebox, Hedley doesn’t hesitate. “I just want people to remember they have feelings, and that they’re valid,” he says. “Not everything is Coors Light and tailgates.”
Heilung – Ofnir [Reissue/2015] CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Heilung – Lifa [2017] CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Heilung (German for healing) is amplified history from early medieval northern Europe and should not be mistaken for a modern political or religious statement of any kind.
Jethro Tull – Heavy Horses [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Single-disc Steven Wilson remastered reissue of the British prog rock band’s eleventh album.
Edward Ka-Spel/Steven Stapleton/Colin Potter/Quentin Rollet – The Man Who Floated Away / The Closer You Are To The Center, The Further You Are From The Edge CD (Bisou)
First ever collaboration between Edward Ka-Spel (The Legendary Pink Dots,Tear Garden) and Steven Stapleton (Nurse With Wound). Edward Ka-Spel – vocals, sounds; Steven Stapleton – devices; Colin Potter – sounds; Quentin Rollet – alto sax, sopranino sax.
Kimbra – Primal Heart CD/LP (WB)
As humans, we inherently seek, crave, and thrive on love. We just chase it like a predator or dawn on the heels of darkness. The primordial bond between instinct and passion drives Kimbra’s third full-length album, Primal Heart. Co-produced with Grammy winning producer John Congleton (Lana Del Rey, St. Vincent), the music represents a leap in confidence for the singer. Lead single, “Everybody Knows” elegantly stiches together metronomic xylophone, woozy synths, and an unpredictable bass thud as her voice takes center stage, blossoming from delicate verses into a definitive hook. Elsewhere on the record, a tribal stomp, finger-snaps, and video game-style flourishes warble under Kimbra’s spellbinding delivery during “The Good War.” The ebullient and energetic “Black Sky” slips into a noir-ish croon for “Past Love.” She also teams up with Skrillex on the world music-induced global spiral of “Top Of The World.” The album seamlessly tempers moments of bass-heavy empowerment and strength with intimate vulnerability, covering a gamut of emotions and moods.
King Goat – Debt Of Aeons CD/LP (Aural Music)
New album from the UK progressive doom outfit.
The Little Boy Blues – In The Woodland Of Weir [Reissue/1968] CD (Early Dawn)
The Little Boy Blues emerged from the simmering Chicago scene of the mid-to-late ’60s where the contemporary beat fused with elements of soul, jazz, blues, and funk, tinged with dreamy harmonies of the most colorful kind to become acid and garage rock — sometimes both at the same time.
Lord Huron – Vide Noir CD/2xLP (Republic)
Vide Noir was written and recorded over the past two years at Lord Huron’s Los Angeles studio and informal clubhouse, Whispering Pines, and was mixed by Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips/MGMT). Singer, songwriter and producer Ben Schneider found inspiration wandering restlessly through his adopted home of L.A. at night. A true multi-media artist, Schneider has once again created an adorned world to inhabit within Vide Noir: the album is accompanied by a wealth of imagery, films and immersive experiences crafted to expand upon its narratives and themes.
Lume – Wrung Out CD/LP (Equal Vision)
A diverse collection of ethereal, heavy rock songs that owe as much to the bands they grew up on – such as Soundgarden and Radiohead – as they do to contemporary rock bands like Citizen, Chelsea Wolfe or Nothing.
Maceo Plex – Fabric 98 CD (Fabric)
Maceo Plex provides the 98th installment of the world’s leading house and techno mix series from London’s renowned Fabric nightclub. 80 minutes of deep evolving bass lines and lush soundscapes.
M.A.L. – My Sixteen Little Planets [Reissue/1975] CD/LP (Sub Rosa)
All music by M.A.L. (aka Daniel Malempré) on Fender Stratocaster 1964 with a wah-wah Cry Baby. Recorded and mixed at home between 1972-1976 on a reel-to-reel recorder, Sony TC-630.
Master Boot Record – Direct Memory Access CD/LP (Blood Music)
On his fifth release, Master Boot Record displays his incredible growth over the past few years as a composer, effortlessly weaving baroque 8-bit melodies over chugging guitars and pounding drums. Carving his own niche out of both the chiptune and metal worlds (self-describing as cypher-metal), MBR welds his influences together masterfully with his classical leads, and accented perfectly by the tortured operatic howls of French gonzo vocalist Öxxö Xööx (Igorrr) who adds a new dimension to his sound.
Melvins – Pinkus Abortion Technician CD (Ipecac)
The Melvins return with the new album featuring both ongoing Melvins’ bass player Steven McDonald (Redd Kross, Off!) and Butthole Surfers’ (and occasional Melvins) bottom ender Jeff Pinkus on bass. “It’s an experiment in the low end of the aural spectrum where we asked ourselves, ‘would it work?’ ‘could it work??’ ‘should it work???’ The answers were yes, yes and YES!” “Stop Moving To Florida” is a medley of the James Gang’s “Stop” and Butthole Surfers’ “Moving To Florida.” The band also covers the Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and Butthole Surfers’ “Graveyard” on the eight-song release.
Mien – Mien CD/LP (Rocket Recordings)
Debut album by the exciting new four piece band comprised of The Black Angels’ Alex Maas, The Horrors’ Tom Furse, Elephant Stone’s Rishi Dhir and The Earlies’ John-Mark Lapham. “It would be impossible to imagine a better line-up than these four veterans of psych and indie-rock, and the product of their hard work is every bit as brilliant as you’d imagine. Fuzzy-headed psychedelic swirls, thumping percussion and chugging, kosmische riffs.” — Picadilly [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Ashley Monroe – Sparrow CD (WB)
New release from the country music star. The album, her fourth, was recorded with producer Dave Cobbin Nashville’s legendary RCA Studio A. Working with some of her closest collaborators, including Brendan Benson and Waylon Payne, and longtime friends Anderson East and Angaleena Presley, Monroe wrote all the songs on Sparrow.
Mouvements – Mouvements [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Mental Experience)
An impossible to find artifact from the Swiss underground avant-garde scene of Geneva, originally released as a private boxset limited to 150 copies in 1973, only sold at art galleries. A unique, instrumental mix of free-jazz, classical, psych-rock, folk, improv, kraut, funk, and musique-concrete with tape effects.
My Indigo – My Indigo CD/LP (BMG)
My Indigo is the solo project by Within Temptation singer-songwriter Sharon den Adel. The eponymous album is the beautiful and raw result of two years of retreat, healing and exploration. It was her opportunity to get out of the limelight and come to terms with hardships in her personal life and take a break from the strain of touring the world with Within Temptation.
The National Jazz Trio Of Scotland – Standards Vol. IV CD/LP (Karaoke Kalk)
On their latest album, the National Jazz Trio Of Scotland continue their engagement with classic and outsider pop traditions, subtly building on their characteristic blend of beguiling melodies and spare arrangements. There is even, dare we say it, a hint of jazz.
Old Crow Medicine Show – Volunteer CD/LP+MP3 (SME Nashville)
Roots band Old Crow Medicine Show return with their first album of original material since 2014’s Grammy-winning Remedy. The songs on Volunteer illustrate themes that resonate far beyond Old Crow Medicine Show’s diverse fan base, while also showcasing the depth in the group’s songwriting. An album highlight “Look Away” inspired by The Rolling Stones, is Ketch Secor’s homage to his love for the history, both sorrowful and joyful, of the South. “A World Away” is an upbeat homage to refugees, an extremely relevant subject matter that Secor has been writing about since he was young. “Dixie Avenue” pays a playful tribute to the Virginia location where Secor and bandmate Critter Fuqua fell in love with music. The album’s final track, the bittersweet love song “Whirlwind,” could easily tell the tale of how Old Crow Medicine Show built a successful career from the ground up. While trends in music have come and gone, Old Crow Medicine Show has maintained their sense of integrity, continuing to share their infectious hybrid of traditional mountain music across the country.
Shuggie Otis – Inter-fusion CD/LP (Cleopatra)
New fusion rock project featuring drummer Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge/Beck Bogert & Appice) and bassist Tony Franklin (The Firm/Roy Harper).
Christine Ott – Tabu CD (Gizeh)
Tabu is an original live soundtrack composed in 2012 for the movie of the same name by F.W. Murnau and Robert Flaherty and a performance that Ott’s playing regularly as a ciné-concert throughout France and Europe. Her creation alternates avant-garde tracks with ondes Martenot and modern-classic piano pieces, sometimes light and delicate, sometimes dark and funereal .
Pacific Ocean – Pacific Ocean [Reissue/1968] CD (Early Dawn)
This 1968 album smashes in like a hot stone with that soulful drive otherwise only Steve Marriott and Humble Pie could provide. A definite recommendation for fans of good old hard classic rock.
Pennywise – Never Gonna Die CD (Epitaph)
Never Gonna Die is the twelfth full-length effort from Pennywise and the legendary Southern California punk institution’s first of new songs with singer Jim Lindberg, guitarist Fletcher Dragge, drummer Byron McMackin, and bassist Randy Bradbury in over a decade. [Vinyl edition due June 15.]
A Perfect Circle – Eat The Elephant CD/2xLP+MP3 (BMG)
A Perfect Circle make their anxiously awaited return with Eat The Elephant, the band’s fourth full-length effort and first since 2004’s eMOTIVe. [Limited edition white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Playing For Change – Listen To The Music CD (Motema Music)
Star-studded cast of featured artists includes the Doobie Brothers, Dr. John, Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers Band), Jack Johnson, Buddy Guy, and others. 50% of net profits from this project will go to the PFC Foundation to support music education initiatives in 12 countries.
Post Animal – When I Think Of You In A Castle CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Like most band’s in Chicago’s inclusive music community, Post Animal got their start playing DIY basements and small rock clubs. With their wavy and warped first project 2015’s Post Animal Perform The Most Curious Water Activities EP and then 2016’s memorable singles collection The Garden Series, the band showcased mesmerizing and infectious pop melodies. Between their impressive early releases and their wild live shows which feature the band members sharing lead vocal duties, Post Animal have unquestionably solidified themselves as one of Chicago’s most exciting up-and-coming acts. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
The Real Kids – The Kids November 1974 Demos / The Real Kids 1977 Demos / Live At The Rat CD (Crypt)
Eight previously unissued proto-punk godheaded rippers from the pre-Real Kids combo The Kids recorded on Nov 10, 1974—plus four previously unissued Real Kids demos from Spring 1977, recorded by DJ Oedipus at WTBS radio station with 1 mic suspended above the band. CD includes ten bonus blasts recorded at the Rat, January 22, 1978. The Real Kids are a rock band from Boston, led by guitarist, singer and songwriter John Felice. Felice (born 1955) grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, as a neighbor and friend of Jonathan Richman, a fellow fan of the Velvet Underground.
Riff Raff – Alcoholic Alligator CD/LP (X-ray)
New album from the hip-hop person – available on both CD in a special high gloss gatefold wallet as well as a special limited-edition splatter vinyl.
Peter Rowan – Carter Stanley’s Eyes CD (Rebel)
Peter Rowan was just a young bluegrass boy when he caught the attention of Bill Monroe, who made him an actual Blue Grass Boy and he became the band’s guitarist and lead singer, but the moment Monroe introduced him to fellow icon Carter Stanley is etched in his memory just as indelibly as the inked entry in his 1966 diary. Within a few months, Stanley would be gone, but the impact he and his brother, Ralph, had on Rowan — and the world — would grow even stronger. He acknowledges their influence, and finally gives the story of that meeting a definitive telling on Carter Stanley’s Eyes.
Todd Rundgren – Utopia – The Road To Utopia: The Complete Recordings 1974-82 7xCD (Friday Music)
Celebrate the 2018 Reunion Tour of Todd Rundgren and Utopia with this seven-CD box set featuring 15 bonus tracks.
Sam And The Sham And The Pharaohs – Wooly Bully [Reissue/1965] CD (Early Dawn)
CD reissue of Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs’ 1965 debut album. The soundtrack for every ’60s beat party. Features three bonus tracks.
Craig Smith – Love Is Our Existence CD/LP (Maitreya Apache Music)
“Smith’s music was recorded in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s after the musician underwent a terrible assault while traveling through the Middle East. The assault exacerbated an already budding schizophrenia, turning the psychedelic folk singer further toward his alter ego, known as Maitreya Kali. The music on Love Is Our Existence is fragile and beautiful, and Smith’s voice — while high and clear — has a certain warble at times which threatens to break the listener’s heart.” – Modern Vinyl
Alex Stolze – Outermost Edge CD/LP (Nonostar)
With his new album, Alex Stolze moves effortlessly between the modern classical and electronic worlds. Performing with his unique, custom-made five-string electro-acoustic violin, Alex works in musical distinctions, merging violin-based-textures with electronic beat and noise production.
Stevie Stone/JL – Kontra-Band CD (Strange Music)
Includes appearances from Strange Music head honcho Tech N9ne, fellow labelmate Krizz Kaliko and PHresher, among others.
Sting/Shaggy – 44/876 CD (Interscope)
A collaboration between former Police frontman and solo superstar Sting and Jamaican singer/songwriter Shaggy. The island-influenced album reflects their mutual love of Jamaica – its music, the spirit of its people and vibrancy of it’s culture. Sting and Shaggy wrote and jammed together for a few weeks in New York City, creating music that seamlessly blends Caribbean rhythms-in traditional and modern styles-with pop craftsmanship and rock energy. [Vinyl edition due May 26.]
Stryper – God Damn Devil CD/LP (Frontiers)
New album from the Christian heavy metal band.
Subsonics – Fresh Colored Paint CD/LP (Slovenly)
Atlanta’s Subsonics is a gutter-glam, minimal rock ’n’ roll trio. This is their eighth album.
Donna Summer – Summer: The Original Hits CD (Mercury)
Summer: The Original Hits features Donna Summer’s classic hits that inspired a Broadway musical, serving as a soundtrack to an extraordinary career in which Donna busted barriers and genres to become the “Queen of Disco” and a member of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
Alexis Taylor – Beautiful Thing CD/LP (Domino)
Beautiful Thing is the fourth solo album from Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor and his first with an outside producer (Tim Goldsworthy). It’s a very new, very individualist and – yes – very beautiful reflection of a life that’s changed immeasurably since Alexis first started out in music. It has electronic thrills, dark spaces, memories of dancefloors, heartfelt writing; it’s composed, it’s improvised, it’s accidental, it’s strange, but it’s also very immediate.
TesseracT – Sonder CD/2xCD/2xLP (Kscope)
TesseracT, a band that sits outside the bounds of any genre specificity, pioneers of the ever-evolving metal scene and unstoppable force of off-kilter riffs, soaring melodies and disorientating atmospherics release their fourth studio effort Sonder. [Deluxe double-CD edition features a bonus disc containing the 3D Binaural Mix of the album. Limited 180gm heavyweight white vinyl LP pressing complete with a four-page booklet featuring original artwork from Amos Williams is also available.]
Thievery Corporation – Treasures From The Temple CD/2xLP+MP3 (Eighteenth Street Lounge)
11th studio album from D.C. based electronic duo featuring artists: Mr. Lif, Sitali, Racquel Jones, Notch, Natalia Clavier, and Lou Lou Ghelichkhani. The 12 track Treasures From The Temple is a continuation from their last album Temple Of I & I, recorded in Port Antonio. Blending their signature sound with classic dub, dancehall, and roots vibes.
Pete Townshend – Who Came First [Reissue/1972] 2xCD (UMe)
Deluxe double-CD reissue of the debut solo album by Pete Townshend, released in 1972. It includes demos from the abandoned concept album Lifehouse, part of which became Who’s Next.
Various Artists – Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip CD/LP (Riding Easy)
Obscure hard rock, heavy psych, and proto-metal from the late ‘60s and ‘70s.
Various Artists – Hopes & Dreams: The Lullaby Project CD (Decca)
The Lullaby Project, a program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, pairs expectant and new mothers in hospitals, homeless shelters, schools, and correctional facilities; with professional artists to write personal lullabies for their babies. Born of this program Hopes & Dreams: The Lullaby Project features a selection of these original lullabies as recorded by a range of artists. Includes appearances from Fiona Apple, Brentano String Quartet, Lawrence Brownlee, Rosanne Cash, Joyce Didonato, Janice Freeman, Rhiannon Giddens, Angelique Kidjo, Patti Lupone, Natalie Merchant, Dianne Reeves, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pretty Yende and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Produced by Glen Roven, Ira Yuspeh, and Mitch Yuspeh.
Venom – The Singles 5xCDEP/5×7” (Back On Black)
Singles collection from the British heavy metal band. Includes the singles In League With Satan, Bloodlust, Die Hard, Warhead and Manitou.
Walter Wolfman Washington – My Future Is My Past CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Walter Wolfman Washington is a soulful musician of rare talent, as well as a deep thinker and hip philosopher, and his hometown is New Orleans. Walter has cut his teeth for the last 50 years playing everywhere from European festivals to bars that Google Maps will never find. New Orleans is notorious for its wildness, parades, and celebrations. New Orleans is Mardi Gras, but it’s also the uptown class of Allen Toussaint and hip style and language of Dr. John. Walter has always embodied both, but finally we have a set of songs that reflects the yin to Walter’s bring-the-party yang.
The Who – Live At The Fillmore East 1968 2xCD/3xLP (UMe)
50th anniversary of legendary unreleased recordings from the Fillmore East, New York City, Friday April 5 & Saturday April 6, 1968. Features stunning extended versions of “My Generation,” “A Quick One…,” “Shakin’ All Over” and two ripping versions of Eddie Cochran numbers – “Summertime Blues” and “C’mon Everybody” (the latter unavailable elsewhere).
Donovan Woods – Both Ways CD/LP (Fontana North)
Donovan Woods is a singer/songwriter from Sarnia, Canada, now also based in Nashville. As well as being a recording artist he is also a notable songwriter with credits by Billy Currington, Charles Kelley (Lady Antebellum), Tim McGraw and Charlie Worsham.
Neil Young + Promise Of The Real – Paradox (Original Music From The Film) CD/2xLP (Reprise)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Music from Young + POTR and Young with an orchestra recorded on the MGM Soundstage, Young backed by Jim Keltner, Paul Bushnell and Joe Yankee, and several solo electric guitar passages. All music was recorded spontaneously with no overdubs (except by Joe Yankee, who phoned in his part from Canada) and provides the soundtrack to Paradox, the film.
John Zorn – Insurrection CD (Tzadik)
Insurrection is an intense new instrumental project featuring guitar wizards Julian Lage and Matt Hollenberg with the incredible rhythm section of Trevor Dunn and Kenny Grohowski. Inspired by some of the greatest experimental novels of the 20th century the music is incredibly varied, combining rock, funk, blues, jazz, classical and more-often in the same song. Gnarly atonal melodies, bizarre harmonies, astonishing guitar fireworks and telepathic group interaction make this one of Zorn’s most scintillating and adventurous new projects.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Angel Witch – Seventies Tapes LP (Extermination Day)
Demo tapes recorded by Angel Witch in 1978 & 1979, on various reel to reel recording devices across the attics and front rooms of their native South London.
Archie And The Bunkers – Play The Damned 7” (In The Red)
Cleveland band Archie And The Bunkers consists of teenage brothers Emmett (drums/vocals) and Cullen O’Conner (organ/vocals) who have been pounding out their stripped-down brand of crazed rock ‘n’ roll since 2014. This new EP is comprised of four Damned covers.
Arndales – Shops LP (In The Red)
Arndales hail from the Three Counties (Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire) area of England, a hinterland bolted on to North London. Members of the band have also performed with Country Teasers, Art Brut, Collapsed Lung, Thrilled Skinny and others. They describe their music as “Three Counties Ug-Rock.”
David August – DCXXXIX A.C. 2xLP (99CHANTS)
A proudly nonconformist and multifaceted electronic artist, David August went on hiatus for a year. Taking time to reflect and discover unknown paths in both, musically and personally, August connected to his Italian roots, drawing inspiration from its history, rich culture, and diverse landscape. The result is a new language of sound and space that until now has remained hidden inside of him. Ready to come back, August emerges with a new label, 99CHANTS, a finite project limited to 99 releases. Offering an openminded platform for a diverse range of artists, the label aims to contribute to culture and society in a positive way. The first release comes from August himself. Ambient in form, DCXXXIX A.C. marks the first step that will lead to a bigger picture.
Belong – October Language [Reissue/2006] LP (Spectrum Spools)
Vinyl reissue of the debut album by the New Orleans based duo. Since its release in early 2006, October Language has accumulated a dedicated cult following, with comparisons to the work of Christian Fennesz and Gas, with some claims that it plays like My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless (1991) sans the songs.
Beyaz Kelebekler – Koln Session 1976 LP (Pharaway Sounds)
An amazing example of Anatolian psych-funk, featuring wah-fuzz guitar, flute, heavy drums, joyous male/female vocals.
The Black Lips – The Black Lips [Reissue/2002] LP (Bomp!)
Limited edition ‘starburst’ colored vinyl reissue. The Black Lips came screaming out of Atlanta, Georgia with this their self-titled debut album. Their eponymous debut album is heavy on ‘60s psychedelia and garage rock and they show glimpses here of the niche they would expand upon on future releases.
Peter Brötzmann & Fred Lonberg-Holm – Ouroboros LP (Monofonus Press/Astral Spirits)
Although these recordings date from 7 years ago, they find both Brötzmann & Lonberg-Holm in top form. “The Figure Eight” is the highlight of the record featuring a rare turn of Brötzmann on bass clarinet, which isn’t often heard these days. The duo recording also may be of particular interest in comparison with Fred Lonberg-Holm & Ken Vandermark’s 2015 duo LP Resistance. Lonberg-Holm plays counterpoint to two very strong and individual players in surprising and unique ways on both albums.
Carpenter Brut – Leather Teeth LP (Caroline)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This is the story of Bret Halford, an introverted science student. He likes a girl who doesn’t like him and much prefers the team’s star quarterback. Bret gets mad. He tries to create a concoction that will allow him to control them all but ends up disfigured and decides instead to become a rock star. This is how he will seduce the girl, and all other girls: by becoming Leather Teeth, singer of Leather Patrol. Featuring 8 tracks wrapped in 32 minutes of cinematic sound, it’s a pure feeding frenzy not unlike Master of Puppets, or any of the good ole metal albums of yore. This is the story of French synthwave artist Carpenter Brut.
Casual Hex – Zig Zag Lady Illusion LP (Water Wing)
Casual Hex is a three-piece formed in Seattle, WA, in 2015. Drawing influence from a variety of genres (post-punk, no-wave, noise rock), The band relies on the contrast of heavy, catchy, minimal, and dissonant. It’s difficult to draw a direct lineage, but flashes of Pylon, The Contortions or early Sonic Youth come to mind.
Celldöd – Fragmenterade Minnen LP (DKA)
Industrial funk with flares of body music and techno.
Charlie XCX – Number 1 Angel / Pop2 2xLP (Atlantic)
Double colored vinyl featuring the mixtapes Number 1 Angel on red vinyl and Pop 2 on clear vinyl. The Number 1 Angel mixtape was recorded in 2016 at Charli XCX’s LA residence and in the UK, alongside A.G. Cook, with further production from SOPHIE, Easy FX (A.G. Cook + EASYFUN), John Hill, Life Sim and Danny L Harle. Issued in March 2017, the mixtape is a further example of Charli’s genre-defying vision and forward-thinking approach to pop culture, drawing inspiration from an array of life experiences and underground sounds. Pop2 marks Charli’s second mixtape of 2017, another affirmation of the artist’s trailblazing flare. Teaming-up with previous collaborators A.G Cook, SOPHIE and EASYFUN plus King Henry (Beyoncé, Justin Bieber) and David Gamson, Pop2 also boasts an all-star cast of writers and vocalists including Caroline Polachek (Chairlift), MØ, Tove Lo, ALMA, Carly Rae Jepsen, Pabllo Vittar and Jay Park.
Cheech & Chong – Up In Smoke [Reissue/1978] LP+7”+CD+Blu-ray (WB)
Deluxe Collector’s Edition pairs the Blu-ray with the original soundtrack on CD and vinyl LP, as well as a 7” picture disc, oversized “Up In Smoke” rolling papers, a film poster, and booklet with new essays by both Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, along with rare and unseen photos. In addition to the new version of “Up In Smoke,” the CD also features another previously unreleased version of the song from 1978 with an additional Spanish verse by Cheech.
The Creation – We Are Paintermen [Reissue/1967] LP (Numero)
The Creation’s only LP, cut from the original mono masters for the first time since 1967. Producer Shel Talmy masterfully captured every bow scrape, tom rattle, and mod growl before the UK quartet imploded after two brilliant, but short years. Originally issued only in Germany, We Are Paintermen collects the Creation’s first three singles and adds a handful of period covers culled from the band’s raucous stage show. Pressed on heavy-weight colored vinyl to make even the most seasoned collector sweat. Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.
The Dead Daisies – Burn It Down LP (Steamhammer)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Dead Daisies are: Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio), John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, The Scream), Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy), Deen Castronovo (Bad English, Journey) and David Lowy (Red Phoenix, Mink). A muscular tour-de-force, Burn It Down is a tornado of pounding drums, pulverizing bass, screaming guitars and in-your-face raw vocals, all of which evoke the best of ‘70s rock, with moments of Birmingham’s finest, blended with the early works of Boston’s best. [Limited picture-disc edition also available.]
Delphine Dora & Sophie Cooper – Divine Ekstasys LP (Feeding Tube)
First vinyl evidence of the dizzying, ongoing collaboration between France’s Delphine Dora and West Yorkshire’s Sophie Cooper. Delphine’s piano, organ, vocals and extended improvisation techniques have been documented in various places, and always serve up oceanic slabs of pure aural mystery. Comparisons have been made to Charlemagne Palestine, Marian Zazeela and other experimentalists, although Ms. Dora has long maintained her compositions are structurally rooted in folk music. Suffice to say the results are usually otherworldly and stunning. Cooper’s guitar, electronics, vocals and trombone have caused similar reactions. And the pair’s collusions (of which there have been several) are always eagerly anticipated.
The Disco Biscuits – Uncivilized Area [1998] LP (Megaforce)
First-time vinyl pressing of the sophomore effort from the Philadelphia trance fusion pioneers. The group bridges the gap between electronic music and jam bands here with groovy and genre jumping good-time party anthems that are built on stellar musicianship and improvisation and are tailor made for the stage.
Mike Donovan – How To Get Your Record Played In Shops LP/Cassette (Drag City)
The Peacers / Sic Alps lead singer Mike Donovan steps out from behind the ash-stained curtain for his second solo album in the past five years. The Donovan oeuvre is not something you’re meant to think about—instead, enjoy the soupy soak, sliding beneath its opaque and filmy surface to discover the sensual world in the moat below. But if you had time to think, you might reflect that this music blooms from ’neath the gritty carpet of the USA herself, sighted psycho-acoustically via SF futures and pasts, through rose-colored lenses shoved in and now cracking at the edges, amid hoots and cries from mystery pursuers in the historical, but now-less-than-fully-existent boho jungle.
Enslaved – Hordanes Land [Reissue/1993] LP (By Norse Music)
Recently reissued on CD – now available on vinyl. Remastered reissue of the Norwegian metal band’s debut EP. Features the bonus track “Enslaved”, from their Yggdrasill split with Satyricon, released in 1992.
Erasure – World Beyond LP (Mute)
Following on from the release of World Be Gone in May 2017, Erasure present its companion piece, World Beyond, a completely re-recorded version of the album featuring classical interpretations of the tracks.
Escape The Fate – I Am Human LP (Eleven Seven Music)
Recently reissued on CD – now available on vinyl. Produced by Grammy-nominated super producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Adam Lambert), Escape The Fate’s new album simultaneously marks an evolution in the band’s sound and brings them back to the excitement of their roots.
Ella Fitzgerald – Jazz At The Philharmonic: The Ella Fitzgerald Set 2xLP (Verve)
This double-LP set is an updated version of its first vinyl release in Verve’s original Jazz At The Philharmonic archival series, now matching the expanded CD edition issued in 2016. It’s Ella fronting an all-star band, including Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Buddy Rich, et al, in performances recorded 1949 & 1953.
The Five Day Week Straw People – The Five Day Week Straw People [Reissue/1968] LP (Morgan Blue Town)
A fine slice of ‘60s psychedelia.
Gentle Leader XIV – Channels LP (Moniker)
At times reminiscent of early 4AD projects like This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins, Channels go heavy on atmosphere and emotion.
Omeed Goodarzi – Zoltar Hid All The Locks / Minnows LP (Feeding Tube)
Debut vinyl by the guitarist of Donkey No No presents two different sides of this mysterious maestro. “Zoltar Hid All the Locks” is a full on studio quintet session where Jeremy Latch (formerly of the Grudges) played clarinet, Adam Langellotti (ex-Grudges, Fore Eros, etc.) played percussion and ran the board, Matt Robidoux (ex-Speedy Ortiz, Cruise Purse, etc.) played guitar and drum box, and Jen Gelineau (Donkey No No, Egg Eggs, etc.) handled the fiddle. The sound on this ranges from Donkey No No’s woodsy smoke house charm to segments that really channel early, just post-Barrett Floyd without doing any apery. The “Minnows” side is all Omeed, doing solos tunesterism then taking on the brute fascism of Dumbledonny Trump the way only an American with a Middle Eastern background can.
Jonny Greenwood – Phantom Thread [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] 2xLP (Nonesuch)
“Greenwood is a student who revels in homework. Like [Paul Thomas] Anderson during the early conception of a film, there is allowance for open channels of influence from sources of curiosity. For this tale, Anderson studied the lives, if not the styles, of famous fashion designers Cristóbal Balenciaga and Christian Dior and the obscure gothic fairytales of M. R. James and Beatrix Potter’s The Tailor of Gloucester. In coordination close and far, Greenwood absorbed the musical trends of the 1950s, gleaning from Nelson Riddle and the full string-section jazz arrangements of Ben Webster, as well as Glenn Gould’s Bach recordings. The outcome rolls though accentuation of the haunting, beguiling and exhilarating, the delicate and intensifying, the fanciful and ominous, sewn with the discretion of a tailor to accompany the precise tone of every scene.” – Under The Radar
Slim Harpo – Buzz Me Babe: Excello Sides 1957-1961 LP (Wax Time)
19 sensational recordings Slim Harpo made for the legendary Excello label, produced by Jay Miller between 1957 and late 1960.
Hastings Of Malawi – Visceral Underskinnings LP (Sub Rosa)
35 years after the release of their critically acclaimed 1981 album, Vibrant Stapler Obscures Characteristic Growth, the British dadaist group release their second album, an epic sound poem. Visceral Underskinnings is a 40-minute film without light that reflects on the human condition, on modern society, on the nature of telephony and electricity and an attempt to make sense of the world in which we live that provides no answers.
Tim Heidecker – Too Dumb for Suicide: Tim Heidecker’s Trump Songs LP (Jagjaguwar)
“Well here it is. About one year in the making, all my Trump songs in one place. Most of these songs were written and recorded quickly, with the blood still boiling from whatever indignity or absurdity had popped up on my newsfeed that day.”
Sarah Hennies – Embedded Environments LP (Blume)
Comprised of two site-specific compositions — “Foragers” and “Embedded Environments” — recorded in a silo in Buffalo, New York, these recordings are a crowning moment within the long arc of Hennies’s practice. Each work is composed for a quartet of percussionists — Jason Bauers, Tim Feeney, and Bob Fullex, with Hennies contributing on vibraphone and percussion.
Hollow Deck – All The Roots LP (Feeding Tube)
Second album by Western Mass’s most exciting live band is now in hand, and it’s a swirling web of dooziness. Using a large array of instruments—banjo, gourd banjo, fiddle, guitar, tenor sax, clarinet, flute, drum machine, etc. the duo easily transcends any real or imaginary boundaries of what’s possible to do with just four hands. The results are as amazing as they are hard to categorize.
Howlin Rain – Howlin Rain [2006] LP (Silver Current)
Never-before issued on vinyl, Silver Current presents Howlin Rain’s selt-titled 2006 debut album, originally on CD-only from Birdman Records. Formed in 2004 in San Francisco, the band features Ethan Miller (Comets On Fire, Heron Oblivion), John Moloney (shaman leader and percussionist for Boston’s Sunburned Hand Of The Man) and Ian Gradek (bassist, iron worker, banjo-picker and world traveler). For a group of musicians who spend most of their time playing napalm-wrecked avant-rock or underground improv, this is an opportunity to downshift and ease into some classic good-time jams—some yin to the more experimental yang of their better-known projects. They draw from the resonance of The Dead, The Allman Brothers, Richard Brautigan, Exuma, Terry Reid, Golden Earring, CSNY (as well as Neil Young and Crazy Horse), Bob Dylan, Blue Cheer, CCR, Simon and Garfunkel, Randy Holden, White Heaven, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Walsh and anyone who’s played piano on an album without actually knowing how to.
International Harvester – Remains 5xLP (Silence)
International Harvester emanated from Pärson Sound and later became Träd, Gräs och Stenar (“Trees, Grass and Stones”). This five-LP box set contains their debut album from 1968 Sov Gott Rose-Marie and Hemåt from 1969, along with three full bonus albums with live material dating from 1967-1969. It also includes a poster, lots of pictures, and a long interview with member Thomas Tidholm made by Mats Eriksson Dunér.
Jean Michel Jarre – Revolutions [Reissue/1988] LP (Sony)
Jean Michel Jarre – Chronology [Reissue/1993] LP (Sony)
Limited purple colored vinyl reissues of the French musician and composer’s ninth and eleventh albums.
Elvin Jones Jazz Machine – At Onkel Pö’s Carnegie Hall Hamburg 2xLP (Jazzline)
Together with pianist Fumio Karashima and the well-tried bassist Andy McCloud, Elvin Jones had recorded a trio-LP just previously to the European tour documented here. The material for this 1981 recording from Onkel Pö feeds on concise themes and motives from all established sources of the hard bop era; often and readily the blues elements prevail.
Anna Leone – Wandered Away 12” (Half Awake)
na Leone has always been something of an introvert. Raised in a hushed suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, Anna spent most of her time immersed in video games and comic books. It wasn’t until her early teens that she discovered music as a way of dealing with emotions. On her stirringly vulnerable debut EP Wandered Away Anna Leone’s raspy vocal floats above uplifting chords, melancholy yet hopeful.
LTD – LTD LP (In The Red)
What happens when you put King Khan and Sean Wood from The Spits together? The results are Louder Than Death aka LTD. This mini-album is the first collaboration between the two titans of garage-punk and the results are as bonkers as you’d hope. Sci-fi inspired punk meets weirdo synth damage that’s as deranged and dumb as you’d hope.
Memoriam – The Silent Vigil LP (Nuclear Blast)
Recently released on CD and cassette – now available on vinyl. Memoriam was primarily developed to fill the void that was left following the tragic death of Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns, the drummer from Bolt Thrower back in September 2015. Bolt Thrower subsequently placed all activity on hold for the foreseeable future which gave Karl Willetts an opportunity to develop a new project with friends that had expressed interest in forming a band for some time. Memoriam is an old school death metal outfit that maintains the standards set by previous bands that the members have played with, focusing on the themes of death, loss and war.
Robert Mitchum – Calypso [Reissue/1957] LP (Cornbread)
While filming in Trinidad in 1957, Robert Mitchum soaked up local music talent like Lord Melody and Mighty Sparrow. The result shows in this amazing experiment of pure Caribbean calypso.
Oscar Peterson/Illinois Jacquet/Herb Ellis – Jazz At The Philharmonic: Blues In Chicago 1955 LP (Verve)
Norman Granz’ Jazz at the Philharmonic series brought together the jazz titans of his era to perform together. The JATP Blues in Chicago (1955) returns as a 180gm vinyl LP. Oscar Peterson leads a band with Buddy Rich, Illinois Jacquet, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, and Herb Ellis performing together.
The Promise Ring – Nothing Feels Good [Reissue/1997] LP (Epitaph)
Vinyl reissue of the Milwaukee emo band’s second album. [Limited clear pressing also available.]
The Real Kids – Live At The Rat! January 22 1979 LP (Crypt)
The Real Kids – The Kids November 1974 Demos / The Real Kids 1977 Demos LP (Crypt)
The Real Kids are a rock band from Boston, led by guitarist, singer and songwriter John Felice. Felice (born 1955) grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, as a neighbor and friend of Jonathan Richman, a fellow fan of the Velvet Underground.
The Ocean – Rhyacian 12” (Pelagic)
While awaiting the conceptual sequel to their 2007 album Precambrian, The Ocean offers up a two-sided 12″ picture disc pressing of a brand-new studio re-recording of album opener “Rhyacian,” with their current lineup. The B-side has an instrumental version of the same track.
Odin – Don’t Take No For An Answer [Reissue/1985] LP (Emp Label Group)
Formed in 1982, Odin were one of the original pioneers of the LA progressive power metal/hard rock scene, playing to sold out crowds with the likes of W.A.S.P. (Odin performed during the band’s legendary Blood Drive), Armored Saint, Steeler (featuring EMP labelmate Ron Keel), Dokken, Alcatrazz, The Plasmatics, Helix, Malice, and more, building a massive following before disbanding in the late ’80s.
Poison – Open Up And Say… Ahh! [Reissue/1988] LP (Capitol)
Vinyl reissue of the second studio album by American glam metal band.
PRhyme – PRhyme 2 LP (PRhyme)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Sophomore album from the collaborative project between Detroit rap artist Royce da 5’9″ (Slaughterhouse, Bad Meets Evil) and legendary hip-hop producer DJ Premier (Gangstarr).
Max Romeo & The Upsetters – War Ina Babylon [Reissue/1976] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Produced by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry at his Black Ark Studios, with backing by his superb band The Upsetters, War Ina Babylon has Perry’s trademark gritty, swampy sound while the socially and politically conscious songs and the performances show all involved at the height of their powers. A classic of the roots era and an essential record for reggae fans, reissued on translucent red vinyl.
Saxon – Saxon [Reissue/1979] LP (Union Square)
Saxon – Wheels Of Steel [Reissue/1980] LP (Union Square)
Saxon – Strong Arm Of The Law [Reissue/1980] LP (Union Square)
Vinyl reissues of the British metal band’s first three albums.
Seance – Fornever Laid To Rest [Reissue/1992] LP (Black Mark Production)
Vinyl reissue of the Swedish death metal band’s debut album.
Derek Smalls – Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Ageing) LP (BMG)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. The bass force of the fabled heavy metal band Spinal Tap announces his return to center stage with the release of his first full length solo venture, Smalls Change (Meditations On Ageing). It’s a poignant and oftentimes furious contemplation on ageing that explores the passing of time and all things loud. Running the gamut of musical styles, the album possesses the edgy rawness and Rock God sensibility that was always shared by Derek and his fellow former band members, Nigel Tufnel and David St. Hubbins and, is now all too evident in his solo work. Guest artists on the album include Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter (Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers), Gregg Bissonette, Larry Carlton, David Crosby, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Jim Keltner, Danny Kortchmar, Russ Kunkel, Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Jane Lynch, Steve Lukather (Toto), Judith Owen, Joe Satriani, Paul Shaffer (David Letterman, SNL), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Richard Thompson, Steve Vai, Waddy Wachtel, Rick Wakeman (Yes) Phil X, Dweezil Zappa and Snarky Puppy Horns.
Soundtrack – Breakfast At Tiffany’s [1961] LP (Reel To Reel)
Soundtrack – Fantastic Planet [1956] LP (Reel To Reel)
Limited picture disc pressings.
Sufjan Stevens – Tonya Harding 7” (Asthmatic Kitty)
This 7” features two variations of a song by Sufjan Stevens celebrating the career and person of Tonya Harding, the Olympic figure skater from Portland Oregon. Marbled blue vinyl.
Tormentor – Recipe Ferrum! [2000] 2xLP (Peaceville)
Tormentor’s experimental classic Recipe Ferrum! (2000) available on vinyl for the first time. Unconventional, unsettling and wholly unafraid to push beyond the boundaries of extreme metal, Recipe Ferrum! effortlessly encompasses a wide variety of eclectic moods and genre styles, exploring avant garde and theatrical elements to create an entirely unique album experience.
Tricot – T H E [Reissue/2013] LP (Topshelf)
Tricot is a Japanese all-female alternative rock band formed in Kyoto, Japan, in September 2010. By 2015, their music had spread to the rest of Asia, Europe and North America. Tricot has a truly inspirational sound – a blend of native Japanese vocals, jazzy instrumental breaks, and an overall layer of post-punk sound.
The Turbans – The Turbans LP (Six Degrees)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Turbans are an international musical collective that combine traditional, Near-Eastern and Eastern-European styles with original compositions, to create modern and energetic performances that remain faithful to their ancient roots. This extraordinary project has grown in just a few short years, from humble beginnings into a respected name on the London music scene. Members come from such diverse locales as Turkey, Bulgaria, Israel, Iran, Greece, Spain and England.
U Roy – The Originator [Reissue/1990] LP (Radiation Roots)
Ewart Beckford, aka Daddy U Roy, changed the focus of Jamaican popular music by turning the sound system deejay from an incidental figure that told jokes in between records and made announcements about where the next dance would be held, to a major star whose rhyming toasts were as important as the lyrics for any singer.
Various Artists – Death Row Chronicles: Original Soundtrack 2xLP (Death Row)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Companion album to BET’s hit TV show Death Row Chronicles. This 15-song album is a good mix of front line hits like “Murder Was The Case” and hard to find rarities like Sam Sneed’s “Drug Related”. Clear vinyl pressing.
Various Artists – Dusty Ballroom Vol. 1: In Dust We Trust LP (Stag-O-Lee)
Enjoy this wild aural selection of many different styles that should work perfectly for both — your booty shaking needs as well as your listening pleasures. 17 tracks recorded between 1966-1962. Features Enid Mosier & Her Trinidad Steel Band, The Olympics, Bill Black’s Combo, Dorothy Collins, Jonah Jones, Gene & Eunice, Sil Austin, The Isley Brothers, The Shirelles, The Duals, Fatso & Flaire, Ruth Brown, Robert Parker, The Soupy Sales Show, Irene Lopez with Rio Gregory & His Band, Jamaica Johnny And His Milagro Boys, and Barbara George.
Various Artists – W2NG 89.9FM LP (Numero)
In the wake of 2017’s Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht, Numero is proud to present another addition to the soft rock cannon: W2NG. Set your FM dial to smooth and sail away with 42 minutes of uninterrupted easy glide, pontoon rock, and whispery disco.
Sarah Vaughan – Sings George Gershwin [Reissue/1957] 2xLP (Verve)
In celebration of it’s 60th anniversary, a vinyl reissue of a of classic two LP set, in it’s original mono mix. Sarah Vaughan’s impeccable pop-jazz vocals soar over Hal Mooney’s arrangements, which bring new life to Gershwin standards “Someone To Watch Over Me,” “I’ve Got a Crush On You,” “A Foggy Day,” “Summertime,” “The Man I Love,” and many more.
Vowws – Under The World LP (Inkind Music)
Drawing upon influences as diverse as classic western, electronica, surf rock, metal, and film music, the enigmatic duo weave disparate threads of cultural influence together into a tapestry of drama, imagination and surprising warmth.
Victor Wainwright – Victor Wainwright And The Train LP (Ruf)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The name of Victor Wainwright’s new band – and the sleeve image of their debut album – is also the most fitting of metaphors. In music folklore, the train might have associations with the freight-hopping bluesmen of yore, but with this restless boogie-woogie innovator stoking the furnace, this project is a charging locomotive – surging forward, crashing through boundaries of genre, sweeping up fresh sounds and clattering headlong past the doubters.
Muddy Waters/Howlin’ Wolf/Buddy Guy – Folk Festival Of The Blues LP (Vinyl Lovers)
A who’s who of the Chicago blues from the 1960s. Featured here are such talents as Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson II, and Willie Dixon, performing at the peak of their careers. This WPOA live radio broadcast was emceed in the early 1960s by local disc jockey Big Bill Hill at Chicago’s intimate Copacabana Club. (When the album was reissued in 1967, it was retitled Blues from Big Bill’s Copacabana.) 180gm high definition premium vinyl pressing.
Weeping Bong Band – Weeping Bong Band LP (Feeding Tube)
High-provenance instrumental hippie spew from the apex of the Pioneer Valley. There’s plenty of burbling psych guitar, laced with overtones that will make you conjure up visions of dark stoned nights.
Lester Young – Jazz At The Philharmonic: Lester Young Carnegie Blues LP (Verve)
This legendary album consisted of tracks recorded at Carnegie Hall between 1946 and 1967 with an all-star ensemble of jazz legends like Herb Ellis, Jo Jones, Ray Brown, Coleman Hawkins and Illinois Jacquet.
Zu/Mats Gustafsson – How To Raise An Ox [2005] LP (Trost)
Long-running intense jazz/noise-core band Zu from Italy teams up with Viking-saxophonist extraordinaire Gustafsson. Originally released on CD-only by Atavistic in 2005.
Cassettes:
The Cyclist – Beat At The Heart Of The City (100% Silk)
A six-song sidekick to The Cyclist’s latest extended play offering, Alabaster Thrones, these two magnetized sides span nine years of hermetic hardware experiments conducted in itinerant living arrangements across Derry, Liverpool, and Birmingham.
Mike Donovan – How To Get Your Record Played In Shops (Drag City)
The Peacers / Sic Alps lead singer Mike Donovan steps out from behind the ash-stained curtain for his second solo album in the past five years.
Drinks – Hippo Lite (Drag City)
The latest from Cate Le Bon and Tim Preseley as Drinks. Isolated in the French countryside with nothing but a little food and a tape machine, Tim and Cate’s wildest impulses were roped together into hook-filled delights, all of which were brought to L.A. and mixed to bright, shiny perfection, for your freak-filled pleasure.
Pleasure Model – The Executive (100% Silk)
Amsterdamaged dancefloor industrialist Antoni Maiovvi’s futurist EBM alter ego returns with a slate of sleek, surveillance state cyber-jack.
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