CDs:
J.D. Allen – Bloom CD (Savant)
Every new recording by tenor saxophonist JD Allen serves to solidify his reputation as one of the finest, most adventurous young musicians playing today. With a gently swinging, very personal vibrato he weaves his way into territory that he has charted for himself. With pianist Orrin Evans, J.D. takes us on an intensely personal journey through an ever-changing landscape of jazz as he sees it with playing that earned Allen a blaze of critical attention signaling his ascension to the upper ranks of the contemporary jazz world.
Amida – Boring Birth CD (Jigsaw)
Sounding like a mix between The Wolfhounds, The Monochrome Set and even a little Big Flame (and similarly noisy bands on the ”other” side of C86), Amida’s speedy/jangly guitars seem to be
fighting the propelling bass guitar for control, giving us some very compelling music in the process.
The Apache Relay – The Apache Relay CD (So Recordings)
“Nashville band The Apache Relay has come a long way since their humble beginnings in vocalist Michael Ford, Jr.’s Belmont dorm room. They impressed on their 2009 debut 1988, but the real momentum picked up with 2011’s American Nomad, which won the band slots opening for Mumford & Sons and appearing at renowned festivals like Newport Folk” – Paste. Vinyl version due May 19.
Army Of The Pharaohs – In Death Reborn CD/2xLP (Enemy Soil)
Initiated in 1998 by Jedi Mind Tricks frontman Vinnie Paz as homage to the incredible rap crews of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, The Army Of The Pharoahs has, from its outset, been an ever-evolving collective of celebrated emcees from the indie hip-hop scene. Founding members Vinnie Paz and Esoteric were featured on the crew’s original 12” single, Five Perfect Exertions, in 1998 and remain with the crew today. With the release of their debut studio album, The Torture Papers in 2006, the Pharoah clique expanded to include accomplished solo emcees Apathy, Celph Titled, King Syze, Reef The Lost Cauze, and the Philly hip-hop duo and frequent Jedi Mind Tricks collaborators, Outerspace. In Death Reborn also features appearances from Blacastan, Zilla, Block McCloud, Demoz, Doap Nixon, King Magnetic and Lawrence Arnell.
Augustana – Life Imitating Life CD (Washington Square Music)
From the first song, the melodic, piano-driven “Ash And Ember,” to the beautiful vocals on the album’s closer, “Remember Me,” Life Imitating Life is a shimmering blend of rock, folk, and country, all of which manage to sound both modern and timeless together.
Iggy Azalea – The New Classic CD (Def-Jam)
Debut album by the Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. She would be the first to admit that she’s something of an outsider in the world of rap. As a white girl from rural Australia, raised in the small New South Wales town of Mullumbimby (population: 3,000), how could she not be? It’s appropriate that she’s risen to the status of one of the most promising new MCs in an era when hip-hop has never been more open to artists from a diversity of backgrounds. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes bonus tracks.
Sebastian Bach – Give ‘Em Hell CD (Frontiers)
The former Skid Row frontman returns with a fist in your face, hard rock and heavy metal record which sees his now signature sound and vocal style in top form. Produced again by Bob Marlette (Black Sabbath, Shinedown, Atreyu, Filter), Give ‘Em Hell sees some very special guests joining Sebastian on the songwriting and playing front: Steve Stevens (Billy Idol); John 5 (Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, David Lee Roth) and Duff McKagan (Guns ‘N Roses, Velvet Revolver).
Bastille – All This Bad Blood 2xCD (Virgin)
Deluxe double-CD edition of the UK quartet’s 2013 debut features a bonus disc containing 13 additional tracks including the single, ”Of The Night” plus various new recordings, rare B-sides and tracks from the band’s fabled Other People’s Heartache mixtapes.
Drake Bell – Ready Steady Go CD (Surfdog)
Drake Bell is the most popular TV star in Nickelodeon’s history, but his talent goes way beyond acting. With music being his first love, Drake has just made “the most rockin’ and exciting album of his career.” Produced by the legendary Peter Collins. Vinyl version due May 13.
Jerry Bergonzi – Intersecting Lines CD (Savant)
The title says it all. Intersecting Lines is about the interplay between saxophonists Jerry Bergonzi and Dick Oatts. This is an old-school blowing session in the context of hard bop and bebop, and the focus is squarely on the two horns. Bass and drum solos are few and far between — and brief.
Black Prairie – Fortune CD (Sugar Hill)
This group of seasoned musicians from Portland, Oregon – each steeped in traditional American acoustic music – has become hell-bent on taking one imaginative leap after another. In a way, Fortune is Black Prairie’s most conventional record – thirteen, polished vocal tunes with (mostly) conventional pop song structures. On the other hand, there’s a glaring eccentricity to the album that hits you right away: here is a band of accomplished acoustic musicians playing what are essentially rock songs, and sometimes with a pretty hard edge – it’s a record, band members say, that’s trying to channel not the spirit of Earl Scruggs or Jerry Douglas, but Led Zeppelin.
Cabaret Voltaire – Drinking Gasoline [Reissue/1985] CD+DVD/LP+DVD (Mute)
Drinking Gasoline, originally released in 1985, consists of four songs from the legendary Gasoline In Your Eye videocassette. These songs rank among Cabaret Voltaire’s more infectious compositions and have been remastered for incredible sound. Gasoline In Your Eye is now included as a DVD together with both the CD and the LP of Drinking Gasoline, featuring videos shot and edited by groundbreaking director Peter Care and original band member, Richard H Kirk.
Oliver Cherer – Sir Ollife Leigh & Other Ghosts CD (Second Language)
Retaining an attractive blend of organic instrumentation, unsettling electronic soundscapes and tender, intimate harmonies that have become his trademark over the years, Cherer (best known for his work as Dollboy) has produced an album of beautiful, pastoral reminisces and uneasy nostalgia on the subject of loss. Recorded in his studio in St Leonards-On-Sea, East Sussex and including contributions from Riz Maslen (Neotropic) on backing vocals, recorders and flute, Jack Hayter (Hefner) on viola and banjo and Alistair Strachan (Crayola Lecturn) supplying horns.
Chvrches – The Bones Of What You Believe CD (Glassnote)
Repackaged/expanded edition of Chvrches’ 2013 album featuring four bonus tracks.
Sharon Corr – Same Sun CD (Grand Jury Music)
Second solo album from acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter Sharon Corr, best known for her work with her Grammy-nominated family band The Corrs.
Death – Death III CD/LP (Drag City)
Five years after the second life of Death was started with the release of their revelatory 1976 album, For The Whole World To See, Death III slams the door on the vault with a powerful set of songs that bring equal amounts of rock and ethereal soul-searching, in high-fidelity, rich bottomed, studio-grade sound.
The Down ‘N’ Outs – Further Adventures Of CD (Jigsaw)
Joe Elliott of Def Leppard and London’s own Quireboys formed The Down ‘N’ Outz after being asked to open for Mott The Hoople at London’s Hammersmith. Their love for the band inspired them into recording My Regeneration (2010), an album full of Mott The Hoople related tracks. They had so much fun the first time, they’ve decided to do it again.
Federico Durand – El Estanque Esmerelda CD (Spekk)
Federico is a sound artist from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since his highly acclaimed first album, he has been prolific, releasing a multitude of titles that have quickly sold out. He has also released albums as Melodia (collaboration with Tomoyoshi Date from Optiope) and Every Hidden Color (collaboration with Nicholas Szczepanik). He uses a lot of field recordings and the overall impression is warm and organic just as his personality.
Dust Moth – Dragon Mouth CD/LP (The Mylene Sheath)
“Dragon Mouth, the debut EP by Seattle post-hardcore band Dust Mouth, starts off with a confounding piece of ambient noise called “Pounding,” which leads into a lurching, atmospheric track called “Cusp.” It’s quickly clear that Dust Moth is a much different beast than the band members’ previous gigs, such as Minus The Bear, These Arms Are Snakes, Undertow and Shift.” – Alt Press
Eels – Perform The Cautionary Tales Of Oliver Everett CD/2xCD/LP (E Works)
Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes a bonus disc containing non-album tracks and live radio sessions. “In many ways, this is Everett’s most brutally personal album to date. Anyone familiar with Everett’s personal history should be able to pick up on some of the album’s more autobiographical songs, which pack the greatest emotion punch. ‘Parallels,’ an acoustic track which is not only the best song on the album, but deserves to be ranked as the best songs Eels have ever recorded, is a tender ode to his father’s many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, imagining that there might be a universe where is he alive.” – Drowned In Sound
EyeScream – Noir CD (Tympanik Audio)
New release from EyeScream aka Andrey Novikov from Saint Petersburg, Russia. Initiating his musical creativity in 2006, Andrey has been experimenting and mixing with a variety of different styles and sounds under the moniker EyeScream.
Fear Of Men – Loom CD/LP (Kanine)
“The Brighton indie-poppers Fear Of Men specialize in an airy but rhythmically muscular strain of early-’90s-style dream-pop.” – Stereogum
William Ryan Fitch – Emptied Animal CD (Lost Tribe Sound)
Debut EP from the San Francisco-based composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer. Emptied Animal is an overture to the surrealist psych-folk of his LP Leave Me Like You Found Me. This 10 song EP, full of more music and ideas than most long playing records, is comprised of five new songs featuring his honeyed, expressive vocals over bold, panoramic orchestration and five equally sumptuous and engaging instrumental tracks all showcasing a unique sense of orchestration and texture.
Future – Honest CD (Epic)
New album from the Atlanta rapper featuring guest appearances by Pharrel, Pusha T, Kanye West, Drake, Young Scooter, Andre 3000, and Lil Wayne. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds bonus tracks.
G. Love & Special Sauce – Sugar CD/LP (Brushfire)
Twenty years ago G. Love & Special Sauce released their first album. 20 years later they will be releasing a brand new album, Sugar, which sees the return of James “Jimi Jazz” Prescott back on the stand up bass for the first time in eight years.
Heterotic – Weird Drift CD/LP (Planet Mu)
After last year’s album Love & Devotion the husband and wife duo of Mike Paradinas and Lara Rix-Martin follow up with Weird Drift. The album shows just how much their ability to write confident and thoughtful pop songs has developed, while still being able to retain the sleepy cushion of steamy synth pop that made the first record so rewarding to listen to.
J.Stalin – S.I.D. (Shining In Darkness) CD (Livewire)
New album from the King of the Bay, featuring production from The Mechanix, The Invasion, Rob Lo and more. Guest appearances from E-40, Berner, The Jacka, and more.
Kelis – Food CD/2xLP (Ninja Tune)
Food is a startling combination of Kelis’ most frank and vulnerable vocals to date, and Dave Sitek’s (TV On The Radio) inimitable sonic imprint. Littered with transcendent, Spector-esque lift, warm bottom ends and vast depth, the music is the perfect backdrop for Kelis’ unique voice. The latter has only improved with time and experience, and the album candidly explores pain, happiness and everything in between.
Krokus – Long Stick Goes Boom: Live From Da House Of Rust CD (The End Records)
In four decades, Krokus played over 2,000 shows across five continents. Every gig, every place and every crowd was different, but all showed tremendous enthusiasm towards the band. Krokus recorded 20 shows for release consideration, eventually deciding on their last sold out show, recorded in their hometown at the House Of Rust on August 30th 2013.
Little Feat – Live In Holland 1976 CD+DVD (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
This CD+DVD set captures Little Feat’s performance at the famous Dutch festival Pinkpop on June 7th, 1976 and features their classic line-up at the peak of their powers performing many of their best known tracks.
Magic Drum Orchestra – MDO CD (Tru Thoughts)
The Magic Drum Orchestra is a 20 piece percussion group led by Glyn Bush and Ralph Cree, covering a wide range of styles including batucada, samba, funk, hip-hop, drum & bass, dubstep, and Afrobeat fusing traditional styles with modern dance beats.
Margo & The Nuclear So And So’s – Slingshot To Heaven (Mariel Recording Company)
Sling Shot To Heaven, Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s fifth studio album, was recorded in the studio that the band built a decade ago with the advance received from their debut album, The Dust Of Retreat. The entirety of the new release was recorded on 2” tape with nary a computer in sight and produced by the band. Edwards’ goal for the band’s fifth album was to ”make a record that came across like a sci-fi dream about my decade of touring and making records obsessively while slowly becoming an adult or at least something vaguely resembling one.”
Mean Creek – Local Losers CD/LP (Old Flame)
The latest release from Boston-based quartet, Local Losers’ eight anthemic tracks clock in at a raucous twenty minutes making for an ultimate ADHD listening experience.
Melodia – Saudades CD (Kaico)
“Melodia is the duo of Date and Argentina’s Federico Durand, who met on tour and got along so well that they decided to make music together. The resulting LP is beautiful in the manner of memory: shiny, twinkling, buffed to a sheen. Stephan Mathieu deserves notice for his incredibly crisp mastering: so crisp that it drives away tears. The music box bells are mixed more upfront than one might expect, making the album sound more immediate than subtle. A mixture of organic sounds (footsteps, conversation, the clinking of dishes, children playing, lapping water and birdsong) invite the listener into a home of laughter, a warm place with open windows where shared mourning turns to happier remembrance.” – A Closer Listen
The Menzingers – Rented World CD/LP+CD (Epitaph)
Fourth studio album from the Philadelphia punk band.
Keb’ Mo’ – Bluesamericana CD (Kind Of Blue Music)
Keb’Mo’s twelfth full-length album marks the 20th anniversary of his self-titled debut. But, more importantly, the disc is a signpost of artistic and personal growth. “I only make albums when I’m inspired to, and these 10 songs come from a very honest place,” Keb’ relates. Recorded in Nashville, Bluesamericana features some of the three-time Grammy winner’s most poignant and joyful songs.
Ted Neeley – Rock Opera CD (Tedhead)
New EP from the singer, actor, drummer and producer best known for his portrayal of the title role in the 1973 motion picture Jesus Christ Superstar.
Neon Trees – Pop Psychology CD (Island/Mercury)
Tyler Glenn says of Pop Psychology, ‘‘the album is so special to me personally because it basically started from a place where I was broken and uninterested in anything to do with music. I had reached a breaking point. For me this record is a celebration, a cry for help, an admission of self-doubt, and a revelation of self-acceptance. At the very least, it’s a pop record, and to me the purest example of the sound of Neon Trees.”
N.O.R.E. –Noreaster CD (Empire Distribution)
Best known as one half of the iconic NY due, Capone-N-Noreage, N.O.R.E. has continued to remain a relevant figure in today’s fickle hip-hip landscape, N.O.R.E. saw success as a solo artist with the Neptune’s produced track, ”Superthug.” His new album Noreaster features guest appearances by Jadakiss, Raekwon, Troy Ave, Yung Reallie and more.
One Hour Hell – Interfectus CD (Vicisolom Production)
New album from the Swedish metal band.
Ramases – Complete Discography 6xCD (Storm Vox/Coptic Cat)
Swedish actor, musician and record label owner (Stormvox) Peter Stormare (the silent, blonde kidnapper in the Coen Brother classic Fargo) has lifted the lid on a long-buried passion project, reissuing as he will be the entire back catalogue of obscure ‘70s psych-rockers Ramases (with artwork by Current 93’s David Tibet). Ramases, founded by Sheffield-born PE instructor Barrington Frost and his wife, Dorothy, is brought back to life via this six-disc box set that takes in the duo’s early singles of 1971’s Space Hymns through to the latter tracks of 1975’s groove-laden Glass Top Coffin and beyond.
Sacco – Sacco CD/LP (Sensibility Music)
Sacco is the creative vision of childhood friends John Fredericks and Andy Breihan, formed after playing in bands together for nearly a decade (Guards). The group is rounded out by new member and fellow NYC via California transplant Chris Trombley on drums. The album came together during a week-long stay in a beach cottage in Montauk, NY lending to its lighter side and airy sounds far from those of a typical New York City band. Paired with lyrical content regarding heartbreak, disconnect, mourning and revelation, the 10 tracks leave you yearning to bask in their nostalgia.
The Seldom Scene – Long Time… Seldom Scene CD (Smithsonian Folkways)
For more than four decades, profoundly influential bluegrass band The Seldom Scene has shared its undeniable talent, progressive repertoire, and creative spirit both in the studio and on stage. Long Time: Seldom Scene features fresh interpretations of 16 oft-requested tunes and is the band’s first studio album since Scenechronized in 2007. It’s a family reunion in all the best ways, featuring the current and longest-running lineup, joined by founding members Tom Gray and John Starling and guests Chris Eldridge, Emmylou Harris, and Rickie Simpkins.
Semi Precious Weapons – Aviation CD (RedZone)
Forming in New York City, Semi Precious Weapons quickly developed a cult-like following with their songs, live performances, and visual style. Eventually the buzz the band created touring the country with the likes of Ladyhawke, Ida Maria and The Sounds. Lady Gaga then went on to invite her favorite band to join The Monster Ball World Tour as her opening act for a worldwide 18 month run.
Soundtrack – Here Lies Love 2xCD (Nonesuch)
Nonesuch Records presents the cast recording of David Byrne’s Here Lies Love. The recording features music by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim as performed by the original 2013 Public Theater cast of the Here Lies Love musical starring Ruthie Ann Miles and Jose Llana as Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos. Here Lies Love, which draws its name from Imelda’s requested tombstone epitaph, was originally released in 2010 as an album with multiple singers performing the lead roles, including Santigold, Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine), Sia, Steve Earle, St. Vincent, Natalie Merchant, Tori Amos, Sharon Jones, Nicole Atkins, and many others.
Brandon Steadman Band – Recovery CD (Smith)
Debut album from the country singer/songwriter and his band. Recovery was set to be an organic record and truly took form throughout the recording process. ”We really didn’t want to rush anything. We wanted to build it as it happened and if it wasn’t working, we didn’t want to force the issue on anything. We didn’t want to make another Texas country record. We wanted to make sure we made a Brandon Steadman Band record.”
TEEN – The Way & Color CD/LP (Carpark)
Pivoting from the melodic psych of their previous efforts, TEEN’s second full-length shows the young group confidently shifting direction with their distinctly modern, R&B-informed pop. Amidst the album’s rich patchwork, Teeny emerges as an expressive, inspired frontwoman, touching on themes of relationships, womanhood and power. The record’s crisp production from Daniel Schlett (DIIV) showcases her voice’s stylistic agility, from the theatrical vamping of “Rose 4 U” to the twisting, soulful “More Than I Ask For.”
To Kill A King – Cannibals With Cutlery CD (Xtra Mile)
The Guardian says, “Straight to the emotional point… enough to make us believe in indie guitar rock again.” and Q Magazine declares, “Their debut album is dressed in beautiful epic indie and new wave pop threads.”
Various Artists – Farewell Transmission: The Music Of Jason Molina 2xCD (Rock The Cause)
A collection of Molina favorites performed by My Morning Jacket, Murder By Death, Communist Daughter, Enemy Planes, Bottomless Pit, and more. Also contains new music from Molina’s bandmates Memorial Electric Company including “Arm In Arm” – a tribute to their fallen bandmate – and “Trouble In Mind (Fade To Blue)” – which is previously unreleased.
Velnias – Sovereign Nocturnal [Reissue/2008] CD (Eisenwald)
Digitally remastered edition of this 2008 underground metal favorite. Hailing from Colorado, Velnias came into being in late 2006 and established themselves by force of steady and captivating live performances, be it single concerts and rituals or tours with the likes of Agalloch, Mournful Congregation and Kampfari. With three songs and a total running time of over 40 minutes, Sovereign Nocturnal is widely described as a harmonic combination of sorrowful black metal with a sprawling doom atmosphere, combined with elements of folk and moody acoustic passages.
Kenny ‘Blue Boss’ Wayne – Rollin’ With The Blues Boss CD (Stony Plain Music)
With special guests Eric Bibb and Diunna Greenleaf, Kenny hammers out rockin’ boogie woogie, deeply felt blues, and puts a fresh coat of paint on good old-fashioned roots rock & roll. A multiple award winner, he is a monster pianist, and soulful singer, who captures the essence of old school blues and boogie while sounding totally fresh and contemporary.
The Whigs – Modern Creation CD (New West)
For their fifth album, the Athens-bred/Nashville-based power trio the Whigs wanted to find the exact midpoint between raw and rehearsed. After more than a decade together during which they’ve released four critically lauded studio albums and toured constantly as either headliners or openers for the likes of the Drive-By Truckers, Kings of Leon, and MGMT the three members all agreed that they wanted to flex their muscles a bit: write some good songs, get them down as tight as possible, hit, and tear sh*t up. Vinyl version due May 19.
Winger – Better Days Comin’ CD/CD+DVD (Frontiers)
Once again Winger offers an exciting mixture of the melodic and commercial approach of their first two albums (which catapulted Winger into massive popularity in the height of the era where massive MTV play equated to instant stardom) with the more technical and almost progressive rock feel of such albums as Pull or IV. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus audio track and a DVD featuring a documentary and two videoclips.
Vinyl:
Federico Albanese – The Houseboat And The Moon LP (Denovali)
“The Houseboat And The Moon is an emotionally open and atmospherically charged debut that feels like a long warm hug from an old friend you haven’t seen in years. It has small imperfections that actually make it perfect. The piano parts were recorded with a 1969 German tape recorder, the Uher Royal Deluxe, and that intensifies Albanese’s passionate touch and the overall dreamy vibe throughout the thirteen compositions. Even though it has some shades of Ludovico Einaudi, that especially remind me of Nightbook; The Houseboat And The Moon drifts in the more experimental territories of the modern classical genre with a distinctive and engaging personality.” – Igloo Magazine
Black Bananas – Physical Emotions 7” (Drag City)
On the A-side, Jennifer’s sweet delivery is an ode to the stone soul joy of being out on the tiles. The B-side reworks the glare of recent glory. With 4 on the floor like they just don’t care no more, Hot Chip outline the physical motions of “Rad Times Xpress IV”‘s uber-cut “TV Trouble,” with a hot remix.
Cannonball Adderly – Somethin’ Else [Reissue/1958] LP (Blue Note)
Recorded in March of 1958, Cannonball Adderley’s Somethin’ Else was recording during the era when Adderley was part of the Miles Davis Sextet. Featured on the album are Adderley on alto sax along with Miles Davis on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass and Art Blakey on drums. Of note, this is one of the few post-1955 appearances of Miles Davis as a sideman.
The Ornette Coleman Trio – At The Golden Circle Stockholm Vol. 1 [Reissue/1965] LP (Blue Note)
Recorded on December 3, 1965, this album features Ornette Coleman on alto sax, along with violin and trumpet, David Izenzon on bass and Charles Moffett on drums.
Ensemble Economique – Interval Signals LP (Denovali)
A seamless, cinematic tapestry of beauty, filled to the brim with cacophonous melodies, meditative auditory chants, and hypnotic shambolic rhythms, which could be probably briefly classified as a blend of ambient, drone, psychedelic, and shoegaze.
Gamma Ray – Empire Of The Undead LP (Eagle Rock)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 11th studio album from the power metal band.
Dexter Gordon – Our Man In Paris [Reissue/1963] LP (Blue Note)
Recorded in 1963, Dexter Gordon’s Our Man In Paris features Gordon on tenor sax, Bud Powell on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums.
Herbie Hancock – Maiden Voyage [Reissue/1965] LP (Blue Note)
Arguably one of Herbie Hancock’s greatest album from the ’60s, Maiden Voyage is his fifth album, recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in 1965. Featuring five original Hancock compositions, the album features Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor sax, Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Anthony Williams on drums.
The Luxembourg Signal – Distant Drive 7” (Shelflife)
Six minutes and 25 seconds of pure-pop bliss that is the perfect teaser to their upcoming full length (due late summer 2014).
Purling Hiss – Dizzy Polizzy LP (Drag City)
In 2006 a CDR called Dizzy Polizzy came together. Capitalizing on the newfound demand for Hisstrionics, Mike made a tour only cassette of Dizzy Polizzy in 2011, combining those original six CD-R songs with some well-fitting additions circa 2007-2009. This album reissues the cassette compilation on LP for the first time ever.
The Red Krayola – Coconut Hotel LP (Drag City)
Coconut Hotel hails from 1967, when it was recorded for International Artists in the wake of international success of The Parable of Arable Land. Too far out for its day, Coconut Hotel was eventually issued on Drag City in 1995 and features the original Red Krayola at their most extremely experimental, while still retaining the air of whimsey (“One-Second Pieces”) that permeates all their releases.
The Red Krayola – Hazel LP (Drag City)
In 1996, the ‘90s edition of The Red Krayola roared out loud with Hazel. This LP was received rapturously by young (and let’s face it, somewhat clueless) post-rockers everywhere, and featured Mayo Thompson riding herd over a cast of dozens, including the then Gastr Del Sol union of David Grubbs and Jim O’Rourke, along with John McEntire, Tom Watson, Stephen Prina, and George Hurley, among many distinguished others.
The Red Krayola – Singles 2xLP (Drag City)
Spanning the years 1969-2004, Singles contains many Krayola klassics of the pre-punk, punk, post-punk etc., eras once represented by labels like Texas Revolution, Rough Trade, Konkurrenz, and uh, Drag City. This compilation was released on CD 10 years ago. Here it is for the first time on vinyl.
Sonny Rollins – A Night At The Village Vanguard [Reissue/1957] LP (Blue Note)
A Night At The Village Vanguard was recorded in 1957 by jazz great Sonny Rollins. The album features Rollins on tenor sax, Wilbur Ware on bass, Elvin Jones on drums, Donald Bailey on bass and Pete La Roca on drums.
Spenking – Bad Blood Gets Good Blood LP (Ethereal Sequence)
Spenking is Spencer Kingman making his LP debut after more than a decade of recording and playing with Dirty Projectors, Flaspar, Viking Moses, Low Skies, Deer Tick, Castanets and Jana Hunter. Kingman sings lively, unencumbered melodies in a lovely high-register over inventive guitar work. His arrangements are direct and sparse. This inviting, intimate sound is contrasted with dense rhyming lyrics charged with an obscure sense of catastrophe, disorientation, and dread.
Thought Forms/Ebsen And The Witch – Split LP (Invada)
This split release recalls the classic era of split singles in the US underground — think of those heady early Sub Pop days, where you’d get Mudhoney and Sonic Youth covering one another on either side of a 7”. In other words: record collector heaven.
The Van Pelt – Imaginary Third LP+MP3 (La Castanya)
Originally scheduled for release in 1997, Imaginary Third was intended to be the balanced yet wiser culmination of their previous two albums. However, at the peak of their success they decided to call it quits. Members went on to play in bands like Jets To Brazil, Enon, St. Vincent, The Lapse and Vague Angels to name a few, while the tapes collected dust in Rare Book Room studio in Brooklyn.
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