New Releases for August 21, 2015

 CDs + Vinyl:

Act Of Defiance – Birth And The Burial CD (Metal Blade)
In a time of endless sub-genre classifications being thrown at bands Act Of Defiance cut to the quick, offering 100% in-your-face, uncompromising metal. “If you invited fans of all kinds of metal — from thrash to Scandinavian metal to metal to modern American metal — and had them all in a mosh pit, Act Of Defiance would be their soundtrack,” asserts guitarist Chris Broderick. Vinyl version due August 28.

Adversarial – Death, Endless Nothing And The Black Knife Of Nihilism CD (Dark Decent)
“It’s clear that Adversarial’s goal on their latest album, Death, Endless Nothing And The Black Knife Of Nihilism, is to shanghai the hapless listener into a world of complete and abject devastation. The album offers no respite from its barrage of dissonant, aggressive black/death barbarism; there are no spooky interludes or acoustic frippery to be found, no self-indulgent excess to be hacked off in slivers.” – Noisey/Vice

AFX – Orphaned Deejay Selek 2006-2008 CD/LP+MP3 (Warp)
For the first time since the Analord series released through 2003-2005 on his own Rephlex Records imprint, Richard D. James revises his legendary AFX guise with a collection of tracks for the alien dancefloor. “Appearing under the AFX sobriquet, last active a decade ago, the eight-track EP belies James’s reputation for fearsome abstruseness with almost 30 minutes of concise and entertaining music. It sets off at a gallop with an upfront series of techno tracks, all squiggly acid bleeps and fast bass; ghostly textures, like the horror-film keyboard effects in ‘serge fenix Rendered 2,’ add depth to the adrenalin rush. The pace slows in the latter stages, with James at one point coaxing from his computers a sound like rusty signs swinging in the wind, as though advertising (or satirizing) his status as the enigmatic hermit of electronic music.” – Financial Times Limited

Eric Alexander – The Real Thing CD (HighNote)
More than one jazz critic has claimed that listening to tenor saxman Eric Alexander unfettered and at length, is one of the greatest treats in jazz. This imposing improviser is reunited here with his mentor, the veteran pianist Harold Mabern and joined by another hot favorite, the legendary and amazing guitarist Pat Martino on three of the eight tracks.

Avengers – Avengers [Reissue/1983] CD/LP (Superior Viaduct)
Though not released until 1983 the Avengers’ self-titled record (aka The Pink Album) features the band’s recorded output from 1977-78, from the glorious first wave of punk rock. The Avengers were San Francisco’s preeminent punk band, led by Penelope Houston’s snarling vocals and Greg Ingraham’s distorted guitar riffs, and one of the first anywhere to feature a female lead singer. One of punk rock’s most important original documents. Expanded with their classic Dangerhouse EP, sessions recorded with the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones, and a half-dozen revelatory demos.

Battlecross – Rise To Power CD (Metal Blade)
Disinterested in simply recycling the ‘classic’ thrash sound, the Canton, MI quintet have consistently brought new fire, energy, and dynamics to their metallic assault, and with Rise To Power they raise the stakes once more.

The Bellfuries – Workingman’s Bellfuries CD (Hi-Style Enterprises)
If you go back and listen to early rockabilly, you’ll see how much it has in common with R&B and rock and roll. (That’s early R&B, not the electronic and vocal stuff that passes for R&B these days). When you put the two together, it’s clear that one grew from the other. The Bellfuries prove the connection between rockabilly and early R&B with the new album Workingman’s Bellfuries. Vinyl version due September 18.

Louie Belogenis – Blue Buddha CD (Tzadik)
Tenor saxophonist Louie Belogenis plays with a luminous open heart, and a tone reminiscent of Albert Ayler. Cutting his teeth with masters such as Rashied Ali, Sunny Murray and Borah Bergman he has recorded several CDs under his own name, and now presents his most unique and adventurous group to date. Featuring an all-star ensemble of three of the most exciting musicians working today, this brilliant group performs as if part of a sacred ceremony, seamlessly weaving together diverse traditions. Uncompromising improvisational music that speaks to the spiritual.

The Blind Shake – Live In San Francisco CD (Castle Face)
The long overdue seventh entry in Castle Face’s Live In San Francisco series, starring The Blind Shake. Captured to tape at the same shows as the OBN IIIs’ live record, The Blind Shake were tour-greased and fully torqued over three-night at The Chapel in San Francisco way back in 2013. For those unfamiliar: the sheer bodily reaction to seeing these guys is a unique pleasure. They are consistently one of the most fun bands doin’ it to it these days-such a direct channel to your inner teenager it’s more often than not you end up in the pit, awash in baritone guitar and that “let’s wig out” beat.

The Bohicas – The Making Of CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
The Bohicas are rock and roll painted in vivid primary colors. Hi def, loud, fast, shiny and above all fun. A barrage of killer hooks, razor blade riffs and choruses that slap you in the face, grab your hand and lead you onto the dance floor. All shot through with pulp imagery torn from the pages of a graphic novel. “The title track proves you can combine post-millennium garage rock with cock-rocking guitar solos and even some anthemic ‘doop doops’ to get the crowd singing along. Just when you think the energy levels are red-lining, the wall-to-wall, machine-gun lyrics and urgent tempo of ‘Where You At,’ followed by with the pissed-off sneer of ‘XXX,’ and capped off with the relentless attack of ‘Swarm,’ knock it all up another notch.” – The Music

Bonehunter – Evil Triumphs Again CD (Hell’s Headbangers)
“This is the sort of vile, primitive metal I often seek – eager to taste that corroded, metallic guitar sound which speeds along with high doses of distortion attached. These satanic curses and whips lash hard against the backdrop of a squalid bass and fast-paced, murky drum sound; all complementing one another like some wretched creation of Mendes and rounded off by that Quorthon (Bathory)-like bark and puke” – Metal Forces Magazine. Vinyl version due September 4.

Bon Jovi – Burning Bridges CD (Island)
Burning Bridges is Bon Jovi’s first album without founding member Richie Sambora, who left the band in 2013. According to Jon Bon Jovi, the album serves as a “fan record” to tie in with an accompanying international tour: “It’s songs that weren’t finished, that were finished, a couple of new ones.” The first single, “Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning,” was originally written during The Circle sessions but finally finished for this album. The second single, “We Don’t Run,” is a drum and bass driven rock song.. Unlike the previous single, this song was written exclusively for Burning Bridges.

Buckcherry – Rock N Roll CD (F-Bomb)
Seventh album by Los Angeles’ notorious, multi-platinum-selling rock band.

Buick Six – Plays Well With Others CD (Highway 20)
Buick 6 includes Butch Norton, David Sutton and Stuart Mathis, who have individually worked with artists such as Tracy Chapman, Melissa Etheridge, The Wallflowers and Sara Bareilles. The new album was recorded and mixed by Grammy award winning producer David Bianco. Lucinda Williams featured vocals on “So Much Trouble In The World.”

Butcher Babies – Take It Like A Man CD (Century Media)
Regarding the musical direction of Butcher Babies new CD, frontwoman Carla Harvey said: “The majority of the album is very aggressive thrash metal. On this album, we wanted to go back to our roots, which were aggressive thrash, and ninety percent of the album is that.”

C418 – Minecraft – Volume Alpha CD/LP+MP3 (Ghostly International)
Minecraft – Volume Alpha is the work of German composer and musician Daniel Rosenfeld. Using C418 as his moniker, Rosenfeld crafted the sweeping soundtrack and vibrant sound design which helped breathe life into Minecraft’s voxel-based universe. Fans and critics were universally enamored with his beatless, nuanced electronic pieces upon release. Popular gaming site Kotaku named it among ‘The Best Game Music of 2011,’ calling the music “remarkably soothing,” and The Guardian has compared Rosenfeld’s delicate piano and sparse ambient motifs to legendary artists Erik Satie and Brian Eno.

Johnny Cash – Sings The Songs That Made Him Famous [Reissue/1958] CD/LP (ORG Music)
Originally released in 1958 on Sun Records, Johnny Cash’s second album was a smash success, with singles such as “I Walk The Line,” “Guess Things Happen That Way,” and “Ballad Of A Teenage Queen” shooting to the top of the charts and earning Cash a reputation as one of country’s greatest songwriters and performers. The Man In Black is accompanied by Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant, known at the time as The Tennessee Two. The album was produced by Sun Records founder, Sam Phillips, and Jack Clement.

Buzz Cason – Record Machine CD (Plowboy)
Record Machine is Buzz Cason’s second album on the Plowboy label after last year’s Troubadour Heart. The album was recorded at Buzz’s legendary Creative Workshop studio with engineer Joe Funderburk and is an eclectic mix of Americana sounds including a heavy dose of rock, singer/songwriter folk, rockabilly and even some reggae. The ten original songs are joined by a laid back remake of George Jones’ “She Thinks I Still Care,” written by Buzz’s good friend Dickey Lee.

Cocksure – Corporate Sting CD (Metropolis)
Second album from the former masterminds behind Revolting Cocks and Acumen Nation.

Nicholas Cole – Night Sessions CD (Trippin & Rhythm)
Progressive forward leaning syncopated sides decorate this brilliant musical canvas that truly showcases the depth of this young man’s talent not only as a player but as a writer and producer.

Ian Cooke – Antiquasauria CD (Greater Than Collect)
“Cooke, his cello and his looping effects pedal are now fixtures — icons, even — in Denver’s thriving independent music community. And after years of climbing the ranks, playing clubs, galleries, living rooms and museums, the singer/songwriter/cellist/pianist was voted the top musician in the ninth annual Denver Post Underground Music Poll” — Denver Post. Vinyl version due September 4.

Crown – Natron CD (Candlelight)
Hissing electronics, charging guitars, and splashing cymbals of a minimal yet completely effective drum machine, Crown’s sound is further emboldened by a massive, oppressive bestial roar. Describing the band’s caustic music, Ave Noctum notes, “if Front 242 had been formed by members of Neurosis and Isis with lead weights chained to the guitar strings.”

Dangerdoom – The Mouse And The Mask [Reissue/2005] CD/2xLP (Lex)
10th Anniversary reissue of The Mouse and the Mask in original custom frosted plastic packaging. Guest features from Talib Kweli, Cee Lo Green, Ghostface Killah. “Insanely inspired…this stellar collaboration threatens to give underground synergy a good name.” – A.V. Club

Dark Sermon – The Oracle CD (E1)
New album from the Tampa metal act.

Dead Lord – Heads Held High CD/LP (Century Media)
With the reputation of being one of the best live rock acts today, Sweden’s Dead Lord has played festivals like Rock Hard, Muskelrock, Getaway Rock, Hell’s Pleasure, Turock Open Air, Hell Over Hammaburg or also Metal Assault and toured with Imperial State Electric, Noctum and most recently Wolf.

Deradoorian – The Expanding Flower Planet CD/LP (Anticon)
Debut solo album from the Dirty Projectors vocalist, who’s also worked with Flying Lotus and Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks. Crystalline jazz harmonies and sinuous zen grooves, for fans of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby. “10 songs rich with keyboards, floating rhythms and layers of the artist’s smoky, pitch-perfect voice.” – L.A. Times

The Devil Wears Prada – Space CDEP (Rise)
This new EP from the metalcore band is “a metal odyssey through the vast reaches of outer space and beyond” – Mxdwn. Vinyl version due September 18.

Disturbed – Immortalized CD/2xLP (Reprise)
After a four-year hiatus, Grammy Award-nominated, multi-platinum hard rock titans Disturbed return with their sixth studio album. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds three bonus tracks.

Dr. Dre – Compton (A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre) CD (Aftermath)
“Musically, the album is a reminder that Dre’s palette and appetite for sound has always been eclectic, and rather than retread, we hear him pushing into new territory. At one moment, he’s sampling an obscure modern funk band from Italy (for ‘One Shot One Kill’) and the next, lifting a guitar riff from a random Turkish psychedelic burner. Throughout, session musicians polish out the edges, and Dre continues to lean on live keys and bass to fill out chunky bottom ends.” [BNM/8.8] – Pitchfork

Drinks – Hermits On Holiday CD/LP (Birth)
Cate Le Bon is a singer/songwriter from Wales, and Tim Presley is a psychedelic rocker from California who records under the name White Fence. Together, they’ve formed a new duo called Drinks.

Extinction A.D. – Faith Killer CD (Good Fight Music)
“Comprised of ex-members of This Is Hell, Extinction A.D. has made a hard left-turn out of This Is Hell’s hardcore into full-blown thrashing metal mode” – Metal Underground. Vinyl version due September 4.

Fairground Saints – Fairground Saints CD (Verve)
Debut album from the Los Angeles-based country-pop group. On album track “All For You,” the trio — made up of Mason Van Valin (vocals and guitar), Elijah Edwards (vocals, guitar, mandolin, keyboards, Dobro and accordion) and Megan McAllister (vocals, guitar and dulcimer) — delivers a song that’s catchy and dreamy, with a dash of classic country thrown into the mix.

The Fiend – Greed Power Religion War CD (Candlelight)
14 tracks of aggressive anger-in-your-face hardcore, written to the hate filled ways of today’s society.

Mike Flanigin – The Drifter CD/LP (MRI)
“One way for an artist to grab the attention of a prospective listener — particularly on a debut album — is to play with some recognizable guest musicians. Mike Flanigin has done just that. The only thing is, his guest musicians aren’t just recognizable. They are heavy hitters. The Drifter is Flanigan’s album, but the guest musicians include Billy Gibbons, Gary Clark, Jr., and Alejandro Escovedo. The title track features Billy Gibbons, and it is pretty much what you’d expect from him. The track opens with some narration by Gibbons, then moves into a slow blues groove a lot like ZZ Top mastered on its early albums. When the instrumental break arrives, you might find yourself cranking the volume a little bit, and you can’t be blamed for that. You also might look for a slow-dance partner when you hear the guitar in the break. The blues groove continues with ‘All Nite Long’ featuring Jimmie Vaughan. To be more precise, this one is a mostly instrumental blues-soul tune that sounds like something you would hear on a Booker T album. It’s easy to imagine a bar full of people dancing to this song.” – AXS

The Foreign Exchange – Tales From The Land Of Milk And Honey CD (Hard Boiled)
“More than a decade since the release of the duo’s debut, Connected, The Foreign Exchange that began life as a hip-hop/R&B hybrid has gone full R&B — giving Phonte the ability to express the highs and lows of love, the joy of a good time, and the complexity of adulthood in ways he may not have been able to with rhymes.” — NPR

The Fratellis – Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied CD (Cooking Vinyl)
At the heart of ‘Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied’ there’s a fun, energetic soul reminiscent of their 2006 debut. It’s wonderfully vibrant, playful and the stories and characters it projects embody the spirit of LA (the first place Jon Fratelli ever went to outside Scotland). With recognizable nods to ‘70s Cali-rock, rockabilly and glorious hints of Americana and country layered high, it’s a glorious homecoming with roots in both Scotland and L.A. Littered with standout tracks; The foot stamping ‘Baby Don’t You Lie To Me!’, The spiralling riffs of ‘Getting Surreal’ and ‘Thief’ all big choruses and live crowd pleasers. ‘Dogtown’ parades along with its strident brass section and funk-driven bass line it’s early seventies Stevie Wonder covering The Beatles’ ‘Come Together’. While the delicate, drifting layers of ‘Moonshine’ bring us to a reflective, poised ending. Vinyl version due September 18.

Gardens & Villa – Music For Dogs CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
“Gardens & Villa are a tumbling torrent of creativity. The Santa Barbara group move effortlessly from indie rock to psych, from folk-inflections to electronic bliss, retaining a certain essence at every juncture” – Clash Music. “Moments on Music For Dogs feel distinctly and deliberately uncomfortable. ‘Maximise Results,’ for instance, is a blur of manic piano, oscillating synths, strained vocals and unhinged whistling. It’s a critique of a goal-orientated society which demands “results” from both artistic production and emotional life. ‘Fixations’ wears its late ‘60s/early ‘70s psych-pop influences on its sleeve, complemented by its kitschy video (with a surreal twist). ‘Everybody’ sounds like a lost track by The Zombies, but one which speaks to the pressures life in the social media age, with our constant need for novelty and re-invention.” – The Line Of Best Fit

Ghost – Meliora CD/LP (Loma Vista)
Meliora (Latin for “the pursuit of something better”) is the third full-length album by the Swedish occult heavy metal band. “Unlike the previous two Ghost records, Meliora doesn’t take its time to kick in. After 30 seconds of a pulsating organ, distant choir, theremin and glockenspiel playing what sounds like the intro passage to a 1980s horror flick, the band comes in full force with a headbanger of a riff and Papa Emeritus III’s familiarly eerie voice on ‘Spirit.’ One thing that’s immediately noticeable about the track is the strong keyboard presence and heavily layered vocals in the chorus. It’s a song that grows in instrumentation as it goes on, yet keeps all the different components of it easily discernible.” – Metal Injection

Nathan Gray – Nthn Gry CD (Good Fight Music)
Sinister urges, carnal desires, and the darker impulses deemed evil by superstitious, rigidly inflexible ideologies will, in reality, offer transcendent ecstasy. When primitive, animalistic hunger is channeled through ritual, rudimentary tools and unrestrained expression, the pulse shared between living things and objects emerges victoriously. Nathan Gray explores these simplistic, basic, fundamental needs through music, summoning the basic motivations inherent in humankind’s search for meaning and processing them through the tools created by the necessity of creative expression. Vinyl version due September 4.

Jackie Greene – Back To Birth CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
Green’s seventh album (and Yep Roc debut) showcases the multitalented artist’s uncanny knack for synthesizing his deep affinity for multiple American roots styles into timeless, personally-charged music.

Noah Gundersen – Carry The Ghost CD/LP+MP3 (Dualtone)
Though only a little more than a year has passed since the 2014 release of Ledges, Carry The Ghost finds an older, more sophisticated Gundersen attempting the difficult work of unraveling our purpose here, searching for answers about the nature of man and the meaning of our relationships. Produced by Gundersen and mixed by Phil Ek (Father John Misty, Band Of Horses), Carry The Ghost explores issues of self-discovery and existentialism with an erudite sophistication across 13 tracks.

Trevor Hall – Kala CD (Vanguard/Concord Music Group)
Written in Hawaii and recorded in L.A., Kala marks the final chapter in a trilogy that chronicles Trevor’s spiritual and musical journey over the past few years. “Kala,” which means ‘time’ in Sanskrit, embodies the very essence of time, permeating in each of the album’s tracks.

Hate Eternal – Infernus CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
New album from the Florida death metal juggernaut. “Incredibly, this may their fastest album to date, thanks to a jaw-dropping performance by new skinsman Chason Westmoreland. His blinding speed will no doubt please HE’s many technique-oriented fans, but it’s the songwriting here — which is their strongest since I, Monarch — that should really get people excited. Hate Eternal may be standard-bearers for the mind-blowing physicality of ‘modern’ death metal, but their successes have all relied on catchy, traditionalist songcraft” – Stereogum. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe box version features the CD, a PVC download card for a hi-def download, a flag and an embroidered patch.

Heavens Gate – Best For Sale! CD (Limb Music)
16 years after one of the best German metal was heard of last, Best For Sale! offers a great compendium of the quintet’s creative years. From their first days in 1987 until their break in 1999, Heavens Gate was among the top representatives of German heavy metal.

Holy Sons – Fall Of Man CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Holy Sons, led by Emil Amos (Om, Grails, Lilacs & Champagne), returns with his second Thrill Jockey release. Fall Of Man was recorded with producers Brandon Eggleston (Mountain Goats, Swans), Al Carlson (Oneohtrix Point Never) and Jeff Saltzman (Grails). The new album features some of the most beautifully produced, endlessly listenable, and insanely catchy songs of Emil Amos’ career. While the album is tinged with Amos’ signature darkness and sadness, there’s a softer, more inviting side to many of the songs on Fall Of Man, giving listeners an open invitation into Amos’ world.

The Isley Brothers – The RCA Victor And T-Neck Album Masters (1959-1983) 23xCD (Legacy)
A monumental 23-disc box set collection chronicling the sonic evolution and abiding achievements of the unprecedented R&B ensemble, The Isley Brothers. This box set follows The Isley Brothers through their transformation from a 1950’s doo-wop/gospel vocal group into the world’s preeminent R&B rock ‘n’ soul powerhouse party band. The RCA Victor and T-Neck Album Masters (1959-1983) features newly remastered versions of The Isley Brothers’ 21 albums, nearly all of which are expanded with rare mixes and tracks making their CD and digital debuts, along with 84 rare and previously unreleased bonus tracks.

Jason James – Jason James CD/LP+MP3 (New West)
Jason James, introduces a charismatic young artist whose effortless mastery of his chosen style serves as a deeply compelling vehicle for his vibrant creative spirit. The talented Texan writes rousing honky-tonk anthems, heart-tugging ballads and smart, sly-humored country-rock tunes that echo the vintage classics that are his touchstones.

Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis – Live In Cuba 2xCD (Blue Engine)
Recorded in front of clamorous, sold-out crowds over three nights at Havana’s Mella Theatre in October 2010, Live In Cuba finds the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis performing Ellington standards, Afro-Cuban numbers, and distinctly modern compositions from band members.

Jean-Paul Sartre Experience – I Like Rain: Story of the Jean-Paul Sartre Experience 3xCD/3xLP+MP3 (Fire)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD . Six years in the making, Fire Records releases the comprehensive box set I Like Rain: The Story of The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience. Issued under exclusive license from Flying Nun Records, the three LPs and assembled bonus tracks showcase the group that best encompasses that label’s difficult arc from scrappy cult label in the ‘80s to a corporate-minded takeover in the ‘90s. From wildly crashing Christmas parties, to watching the brilliant album that could have changed their fortunes sit on the shelf, and international tours that left them undone, the band evolved, for better or worse, with the shifting fortunes around them. Now you can experience the full story, both via all of their collected studio recordings, and an extensive and entertaining oral history culled from hours of interviews with the members.

Carly Rae Jepsen – E•MO•TION CD (Silent)
E•MO•TION was recorded and produced in Los Angeles, New York, and Stockholm and found Jepsen collaborating with several A-list producers and co-writers, including Sia, Greg Kurstin (Kelly Clarkson “Stronger”), Peter Svensson (Cardigans, and Ariana Grande “Love Me Harder”), Ariel Rechtshaid (Haim, Madonna, Vampire Weekend, Major Lazer), Mattman & Robin (Tove Lo, Taylor Swift), Carl and Rami (Ariana Grande “One Last Time”), Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend), and more. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds three bonus tracks.

Kadavar – Berlin CD (Nuclear Blast America)
German hard psych rockers Kadavar return with another slab of meaty metal. Vinyl version due August 28.

Mark Lanegan – Houston Publishing Demos 2002 CD (Ipecac)
Houston Publishing Demos 2002 is a 12-track collection of primarily unreleased material. The album represents a unique stage of Lanegan’s solo work as his time with the Screaming Trees came to a close. Randall Jamail of Justice Records helped produce the album. A press release explains that the 12-song effort was, as the title implies, recorded back in 2002. It’s a significant time period for Lanegan, as this roughly lines up with the then-recent breakup of longtime band Screaming Trees. Though Lanegan had prepped solo albums in the early ’90s, a press release notes that these demos were made while “Lanegan was in the early years of his solo offerings.”

Lycia – A Line That Connects CD (Handmade Birds)
A Line That Connects is a brand new album from darkwave pioneers Lycia following 2013’s Quiet Moments (their first album in 13 years). The album features the classic mid-‘90s Lycia lineup of Mike VanPortfleet, David Galas, and Tara Vanflower. Guest vocals from Sera Timms (Black Mare, Ides Of Gemini).

Lynch Mob – Rebel CD (Frontiers)
New release from the hard rock band led by guitarist George Lynch. Founded by Lynch in 1990 after his departure from Dokken, Lynch Mob debuted with a hit album Wicked Sensation. Rebel offers a similar chemistry to that album with Logan’s hook-laden vocals and Lynch’s virtuoso guitar playing.

Briana Marela – All Around Us CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
Briana’s lyrics are forceful, and throughout her second album, All Around Us, traditional song structure gives way to plainspoken declarations that pull back the record’s shroud. Her first single, “Surrender” is musically delicate at first, with flickering blips and chords that float into earshot like fireflies. “Take Care Of Me” is the album’s brightest and most immediate song, a buoyant celebration of friendship with a skittering beat and a warm, sweet melody. And title track “All Around Us” is a stark but inspiring beauty, built on the memory of a family member of Briana’s who passed away, and the sadness of not being able to say “goodbye” or “I love you” one last time. It is the balance of the abstract and the intimate that makes Briana Marela and All Around Us so special.

Eric Marienthal & Chuck Loeb – Bridges CD (Shanachie)
The two smooth jazz icons join forces for a new collaboration. Between them, saxophonist Eric Marienthal and guitarist Chuck Loeb have either written, produced, or performed on more than 50 Top 10 Smooth Jazz radio singles: Marienthal with the likes of Chick Corea, The Rippingtons, Keiko Matsui, and Jeff Lorber and Loeb as co-leader of Fourplay and Jazz Funk Soul.

Rita Marley – Who Feels It Knows It [Reissue/1981] CD/LP (Shanachie)
Reissue of the 1981 album from Bob Marley’s widow.

Method Man – The Meth Lab CD (Tommy Boy)
Recorded in Staten Island and featuring lifelong cohorts and SI residents Redman, Raekwon, Hanz On, Streetlife, and Inspectah Deck, along with Uncle Murda, Cory Gunz, and Mack Wilds, The Meth Lab features production from Ron Browz, Allah Mathematics, J57, and 4th Disciple. 17 new and gritty tracks dripping with Mef’s lyrically imaginative, deliberate and laid-back style. Vinyl version due September 18.

Roscoe Mitchell Quartet – Celebrating Fred Anderson CD (Nessa)
Chicago saxophone icon Fred Anderson died in 2010 and since then his birthday has been celebrated by friends, admirers and colleagues. For the 2015 event saxophonist/composer Roscoe Mitchell assembled a quartet for a tribute. The quartet is completed by cellist Tomeka Reid, bassist Junius Paul and drummer Vincent Davis. Mitchell prepared four original pieces and adaptations of two Fred Anderson compositions, Bernice and Ladies in Love. The concert was presented at Constellation in Chicago on March 27, 2015.

Neil Morse – Morsefest 2014 6xCD/2xBlu-ray (Metal Blade)
Long-time collaborators Mike Portnoy and Randy George as well as Neal Morse Band anchors, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette, join Neal as this group of master musicians perform Neal’s world renowned classic albums Testimony and One recorded live in Nashville. Also available on Blu-ray.

Myrkur – M CD/LP (Relapse)
Hailed last year as the bright new beacon in the shifting fog of modern black metal, the one-woman project Myrkur maintained her mystery and hidden identity as long as she could. When it was revealed that Myrkur was Amalie Bruun of alt pop duo Ex Cops and Danish modeling fame, the great victory of discovery and subsequent controversy that was to be expected from her unmasking dissipated almost instantly. After the release of her first EP in September, her fans didn’t seem to care about her background, but rather what else she had to contribute. Nearly a year later, Bruun has offered her initial vision fully realized on the first Myrkur album, simply titled M.” – Consequence Of Sound

Martin Newell – Teatime Assortment CD/2xLP+MP3 (Captured Tracks)
Since before he was even able to play an instrument, Martin Newell was messing around with home-recordings. Having grown up in the Far East, Newell returned to his home of England at age 13 with just a little three-inch spool tape-recorder and his first guitar. At age 14 he wrote his first song, not even knowing any chords. His songwriting continued through is teens and into his 20s, when he purchased a Sony reel-to-reel recorder and 12 string guitar. It is this early songwriting that led him working with a wide variety of musicians, recording in beautiful studios and forming his many projects such as Cleaners From Venus and Brotherhood Of Lizards. But it was this early songwriting and recording that led him to find that he was happiest when recording by himself, with minimal equipment. As Newell often says, “Actually, I preferred the demos.”

Nuclear – Formula For Anarchy CD (Candlelight)
Fourth album from the Chilean thrash metal band. For fans of Slayer, Testament, Sodom, Forbidden, Kreator.

Monk Parker – How The Sparks Love The Tinder CD/LP+MP3 (Bronzerat)
Parker serves up a funereal but majestic alt-Americana that is altogether reflective and intimate. It may well lay you down gently but soon enough its horn-led orchestration will lift your tingling spine to upright. Stately, dreamlike waltzes build to explosive, gospel-tinged climaxes and a woozy country narcosis akin to Skygreen Leopards or The Low Anthem alternates with Velvets-style feedback drones and buried noise melodies. Featuring over 30 musicians including members of The Polyphonic Spree and Okkervil River, How The Sparks Love The Tinder was recorded over a two-year period of dislocation following the breakup of his previous band The Low-Lows and Parker’s subsequent move to Austin TX.

P.O.D. (Payable On Death) – The Awakening CD (T-Boy)
New release by the veteran Christian alt-metal band. Produced by longtime collaborator Howard Benson, The Awakening features special guests Maria Brink from In This Moment and Lou Koller from Sick Of It All.

Pere Ubu – The Modern Dance [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Fire)
Pere Ubu – Dub Housing [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Fire)
Exploding onto the scene with a handful of releases behind them, Pere Ubu’s The Modern Dance stunned the music world and quickly began appearing on ‘Most Influential’ album lists. Pere Ubu originally formed as a studio project drawing on a body of musicians who were involved in the Cleveland underground music scene that had, by August 1975, seemingly run its course. The main objective of the band at that time was to document their work and then disappear. Luckily for us they were on the cusp of changing the face of rock forever. New high-resolution transfers from from the original two-track analogue mix tapes.

Pop Evil – Up CD/LP (E1)
Pop Evil blends the earnestness of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden with the celebratory showmanship of Mötley Crüe and Kiss. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes four bonus tracks.

Publicist UK – Forgive Yourself CD/LP (Relapse)
“The US band does feature current and former members of Revocation, Municipal Waste, Freshkills, and Melt-Banana (amongst several others) who, in Publicist UK’s early days, were spread out in Virginia, New York, New Jersey and Colorado. Melodic and quotable but also damn heavy (musically and lyrically), their debut figures to straddle genres just as much as they used to straddle state lines.” – Billboard

Qwanqua – Volume Two CD (FPE)
“Qwanqwa” is the Amharic word for “language,” and also an instrumental quartet from Addis Abada, Ethopia. If you’ve heard the golden age of Ethiopian pop as immortalized by the Ethiopiques series and more recent releases on Mississippi Records and wondered why no group was rocking like that in the here and now — you can stop wondering.

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats CD/LP (Stax)
“Rateliff is also an accomplished solo singer/songwriter — more of the introspective, acoustic variety — but The Night Sweats’ music is where he unleashes his swaggering, after-dark persona. Folk revivalists come cheap these days, but The Night Sweats’ members tap into a different strain of Americana: There’s a hint of Booker T. & The M.G.’s — Stax’s first, iconic house band — to the propulsive plaintiveness of ‘I Never Get Old,’ one of The Night Sweats’ most tuneful, heartfelt tracks. Doused with reverb and regret, ‘Look It Here’ simmers in a stew of bittersweet soul; ‘Mellow Out’ is Rateliff’s ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay,’ a gently strummed ballad that lets slip more than a little tenderness. For the most part, though, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats is an upbeat, old-time dance record — unpolished and unapologetic.” – NPR

Ola Belle Reed + Various Artists – Ola Belle Reed And Southern Mountain Music On The Mason Dixon Line 2xCD+Book (Dust-To-Digital)
The first in-depth look at the life of Ola Belle Reed, a groundbreaking artist who is one of the all-time greatest performers of authentic, old-time music. Ola Belle Reed’s 1960s recordings, some of the earliest she ever made and available here for the very first time, are counter-balanced by a disc of modern-day field recordings of her descendants and those within her Appalachian community that she inspired. This deluxe edition highlights Ola Belle’s deep repertoire – folk ballads, minstrel songs, country standards, and originals – and traces the impact her music made and is still making today. Includes a clothbound 256-page book.

Lee Ritenour – A Twist Of Rit CD (Concord)
Grammy-winning guitarist Lee Ritenour (aka Captain Fingers) has a wide-ranging array of material to revive as evidenced by A Twist Of Rit. This project has the artist not reimagining Bob Marley, Jobim, or Motown this time but rather reimagining his own catalog of hits. Features an all-star cast of guest musicians.

Rivers Of Nihil – Monarchy CD (Metal Blade)
Terrorizer Magazine declared that Rivers Of Nihil “manage to do something unashamedly modern, and yet make death metal sound twisted and malevolent.”

Linda Ronstadt – Just One Look: Classic Linda Ronstadt 2xCD (Rhino)
This chronological collection begins with Michael Nesmith’s timeless “Different Drum” as performed by The Stone Poneys featuring Linda, then jumps forward to the 1973 solo album Don’t Cry Now. From that point on, Just One Look touches on all of Ronstadt’s LPs through 1982’s Get Close. The collection then picks up with 1989’s smash Aaron Neville pairing Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind and concludes with tracks from 1993’s Winter Light.

Rotting Christ – Lucifer Over Athens CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Live double album from the Greek extreme metal veterans.

Royal Headache – High CD/LP+MP3 (What’s Your Rupture)
“No matter what goes down, Royal Headache can always claim they were committed. The Sydney punks released their debut in 2011, earning acclaim for their inclusion of soul vocals amid lo-fi punk. But while they churned out perfectly cut, bite-sized songs akin to Pizza Rolls for the rebellious, aspirational soul, the four members ran headfirst into internal disagreement. Come 2014, vocalist Shogun left the band. Surprisingly, the rest of the group was cool with it — as long as he stuck around to finish their sophomore album first. Shogun’s vocals are what give Royal Headache their approachable sheen.” – Consequence Of Sound

Scythian – Hubris In Excelsis CD (Hell’s Headbangers)
“Hubris In Excelsis is more than a great record, it’s a goddamn celebration of extreme metal.” Vinyl version due September 4.

Sextile – A Thousand Hands CD/LP (Felte)
Los Angeles based Sextile have played three shows to date, one of which was opening for Felte’s Ritual Howls. The label hadn’t heard a single song up to that point, but were so mesmerized with the band’s raw energy and tightly wound performance, they knew they had to work together. The band’s sound is an amalgam of The Jesus And Mary Chain, early Modern English, Christian Death, Coil, the post-punk era of Death In June and The Cramps for good measure.

Slow Meadow – Slow Meadow CD (Hammock Music)
“Slow Meadow is the first non-Hammock release on the Hammock Music label from Nashville musician Matt Kidd. Kidd met Hammock’s Marc Byrd through mutual friends and this association led to a collaboration with Byrd and his band mate Andrew Thompson on two songs (‘Linen Garden Pt.1’ and ‘Linen Garden Pt. 2’). This is a difficult album to review, mostly because when dealing with instrumental music, you are faced with the rawness and reality of your own emotions. Great music makes you feel, and Matt Kidd’s new album is no exception. It is carefully orchestrated ambient music with classical overtones that manages to be lush and spare, sometimes all at once.” – The Big Takeover

Paul Smith And The Imitations – Contradictions CD (Billinham/PIAS America)
A classic album in waiting, Contradictions is the brand new record by dynamic pop auteur Paul Smith. It shows a more vulnerable side to the Maxïmo Park ringleader, drawing inspiration from across the miles combining North Easterly charm with the grit of Brooklyn’s NYC coast and shows that no matter where you’re heading or where you’ve been, life itself can be a bit of a paradox. Vinyl version due August 28.

Jordin Sparks – Right Here Right Now CD (Louder Than Life)
Spark’s third studio album features collaborations with B.O.B., 2Chainz, Shaggy and more as well as the new single, “They Don’t Give” — written by Babyface.

Spock’s Beard – The Oblivion Particle CD (Inside Out U.S.)
Spock’s Beard is a progressive rock band formed in 1993 in Los Angeles. 2015 finds Spock’s Beard returning with the same lineup for the band’s twelfth album, The Oblivion Particle, an album that captures the band’s core essence while stretching out into some exciting new avenues. Vinyl version due August 28.

Ronnie Stone & The Lonely Riders – Motorcycle Yearbook LP+MP3 (Double Double Whammy)
Ronnie Stone is an impenetrable, seemingly farcical alter-ego that flips self-seriousness inside out. Riding the tailwind of sold out debut performances in the Brooklyn DIY scene, Ronnie Stone & The Lonely Riders feature members of bands in the Brooklyn scene such as Porches, Downies, and Voice Coils. Heavily influenced by ‘80s dance and funk, Motorcycle Yearbook tells a tale of boogie nights, desert pyramids, leather, heartbreak sunsets & loneliness.

Nikki Sudden – Red Brocade [Reissue/1999] 2xCD (Troubador)
Hard-working and long-running rockster Nikki Sudden has been around the block a few times, including with former bands Swell Maps and Jacobites. Red Brocade is his 1999 record, now reissued with a whole 15-track disc’s worth of bonus material. Includes a 20-page booklet of in-depth notes.

The Sword – High Country CD/2xLP (Razor & Tie)
“Over the 12 years since their formation, The Sword have been compared to stoner rockers from Black Sabbath to Kyuss to Corrosion Of Conformity to, well, Black Sabbath a whole lot. Meanwhile, possibly their biggest fan, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has likened them to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands that he grew up on. But judging from the songs released so far from the Austin quartet’s forthcoming fifth album, High Country – the record’s title track and new cut, ‘Empty Temples’ – the group has moved in a classic-rock direction closer to Thin Lizzy and ZZ Top than anything wearing a bullet belt or brandishing an inverted cross.” – Rolling Stone

The Telescopes – Hidden Fields CD/LP+CD (Tapete)
Founded in 1987 by Stephen Lawrie, The Telescopes have been mining a unique anti-myopic seam of highly influential experimental, drone, noise, dream, and psych ever since. The Telescopes’ eighth album, Hidden Fields, is an unexpected return from the group’s recent expeditions into the outer reaches of free-drone noise — the psychiatric sounds of The Telescopes in a concise inner sensory rush, and their most song-based output in some time.

Rob Thomas – The Great Unknown CD (Atlantic)
New album from the Matchbox Twenty frontman.

UDO – Navy Metal Night 2xCD+DVD/2xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP (AFM)
In February 2014, U.D.O. played a very special sold out show, accompanied by a German Navy Orchestra (Marinemusikkorps Nordsee). The symphonic sound of the orchestra and the choir merged with the songs of U.D.O. and made the evening a unique unforgettable experience for the audience.

Ukiah Drag – In The Reaper’s Quarters CD/LP (Wharf Cat)
Pulsating organs strobe their way through flattening riffs and creep beats; on many tracks the listener will hear a sex-crazed baby grand slinking sinfully into the reaper’s pit. Their rendition of Lee Hazlewood’s “Wait & See” will break the emotional turnstiles of many a troglodyte. This is a widow-making full-length that marks and culminates every player’s previous efforts to a blunt and remorseless tee.

Vardan – Between The Fog And The Shadows CD (Moribund)
Between The Fog And Shadows sees a far more down-tempo, post-Burzum approach to black metal, grimly hypnotic as ever but bolstered by mystical night-sky synths.

Various Artists – Rastafari: The Dreads Enter Babylon 1955-83 CD/2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Soul Jazz’s latest compilation charts the many links between reggae music and the Rastafarian faith. Featuring the music of Count Ossie, Johnny Clarke, The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari, Ras Michael and The Sons Of Negus, Bongo Herman, Roy Ashanti (Congos), Earth & Stone, Mutabaruka and many more, it is an in-depth look at some of the most unique and righteous music ever made and comes complete with a 40+ page outsize booklet, containing exclusive photography and extensive historical and contextual sleeve-notes.

The Weeknd – Thursday [Reissue/2011] CD (Republic)
Reissue of the second mixtape by The Weeknd. Thursday follows his critically-acclaimed, Polaris Music Prize-nominated debut mixtape House Of Balloons (2011). Its music incorporates downtempo, dubstep, dream pop, hip hop, rock and reggae styles. As with his previous works, Canadian producers Doc McKinney and Illangelo were responsible for production of the mixtape. Young Money artist Drake contributes guest vocals to the track “The Zone.”

The White Buffalo – Love And The Death Of Damnation CD (Unison Music Group)
With poignant narratives as dark and deadly as a drug deal gone south, to big, bold anthems of love, the strength to survive and a rebel-like resilience, The White Buffalo’s Jake Smith delivers relatable lyrics on simple terms; sometimes raw, booming and dangerous, other times soft, sincere and soulful.

Barrence Whitfield & The Savages – Under The Savage Sky CD/LP (Bloodshot)
With its raw vocals, thick and nasty guitar tones, and preternaturally locked-in rhythm section, Under The Savage Sky might be the most soulful punk record (or the most punk soul record) you’ve ever heard, raining soul and brimstone from the heavens.

Wilco – Star Wars CD (Anti)
Wilco’s ninth studio album and it’s first since 2011’s The Whole Love. “Because Wilco sounds about 85% committed to a truly new idea, Star Wars is their strongest record in a decade; and if Wilco have another truly great one in them, history strongly suggests it’ll be devoted to sounding nothing like Star Wars.” – Pitchfork. Vinyl version due November 27.

Wildlights – Wildlights CD (Season Of Mist)
Wildlights was founded in Wilmington, NC, but wield a unique brand of heavy, melodic rock that draws inspiration equally from the blues-based, low-end sound of the South as well as driving, melodic skate/desert rock pedigree of Southern California. Vinyl version due August 28.

Gary Willis – Larger Than Life CD (Abstract Logix)
A delicious collection of fusion-funk.

Wombbath – Downfall Rising CD (Pulverised/Dark Decent)
Strickened with the rancid HM-2 stench throughout the entire record, Wombbath displays some of the most sordid riffs with a tinge of masterful guitars, courtesy of current Skineater and ex-In Thy Dreams six-stringer Håkan Stuvemark.

John Zorn – The True Discoveries Of Witches And Demons CD (Tzadik)
The True Discoveries Of Witches And Demons is the second release by Zorn’s heavy new organ trio of John Medeski, Matt Hollenberg and Kenny Grohowski. Described as Tony Williams’ Lifetime on steroids, here they are joined by special guests Marc Ribot and Trevor Dunn to make the music even heavier and more intense. This is white hot, mind bending music filled with heavy riffs, fiery solos and improvisational madness. Three generations of musical explorers come together to rip your mind to shreds in the second installment from Zorn’s heaviest new ensemble Simulacrum.

DVDs + Blu-ray:

Neil Morse – Morsefest 2014 2xBlu-ray (Metal Blade)
Long-time collaborators Mike Portnoy and Randy George as well as Neal Morse Band anchors, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette, join Neal as this group of master musicians perform Neal’s world renowned classic albums Testimony and One filmed live in Nashville. Also available on Blu-ray.

NOFX – NOFX: Backstage Passport 2 DVD (Fat Wreck Chords)
In 2008 punk veterans NOFX released an eight-part TV docu-series called NOFX: Backstage Passport, which followed the band’s ill-fated attempts to take punk rock to the unconquered corners of the globe. The mayhem that ensued was a mix of hilarious moments and crazy snafus that resulted in some shows on the tour being cancelled. Over the following four years NOFX set out to make up several shows in Mexico, Peru and Colombia that got derailed on their first attempt. Not surprisingly there were just as many bumps in the road this time around: inner-band meltdowns, shady promoters, tear gas, fires, drugs, an 8.8 earthquake and, of course, riot cops. Once again the cameras were there to capture every inglorious moment and it’s all available for your viewing pleasure as part of Backstage Passport 2.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Abominator – Evil Proclaimed LP (Hells Headbangers)
Released last April on CD – now available on vinyl. Legendary black/death heretics Abominator return from suspended animation with their highly-anticipated comeback album.

Adult Mom – Momentary Lapse Of Happily LP (Tiny Engines)
Adult Mom is the project of one Steph Knipe of Purchase College, NY. Started in, and forever brewed in a bedroom, Adult Mom is an exploration into the darker subjects of life, the personal and explicit we are often told to keep to ourselves. At the forefront of Adult Mom is honesty and intimacy as Knipe writes clever pop songs that offer a glimpse into the journey of a gender-weird queer navigating through heartache, trauma and subsequent growth.

Babes In Toyland – Fontanelle [Reissue/1992] LP (Rhino)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissue of the (recently reunited) punk/grunge band’s second album.

William Basinski – The Deluge LP+MP3 (Temporary Residence)
The same loop from Basinski’s recently released Cascade is processed through a series of feedback loops of different lengths, creating a spiraling crescendo of overtones that eventually fades away to silence. In the denouement, a series of limpid piano loops leads to an urgent orchestral theme that builds and gradually dies.

William Basinski & Richard Chartier – Divertissment LP (Important)
Third collaborative full-length utilizes electronics, piano, tape loops, and short-wave radio to evoke a dense atmosphere suggesting hundreds of years of history rising up from the depths of a reverberating cathedral. Subtle, buried, and intense murmurs of melody morph through this deeply consuming and slowly evolving composition in two parts.

Elijah Blake – Shadows & Diamonds LP (Def Jam)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Blake has become the secret weapon behind hits from Rick Ross, Rihanna, Nas, Common, Alicia Keys, and Usher with whom he penned his Grammy-winning “Climax.” Shadows & Diamonds includes “I Just Wanna,” produced by the legendary No I.D. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds three bonus tracks.

Brown Spiders – It’s Something To Do b/w That Was Then, This Is Now 7” (HoZac)
Pretoria, South Africa’s most dangerous arachnids are here to finally burst forth from their egg sac and right into your vulnerable arms and ears. Prodding, sinister, and disorienting riffs hit you immediately, with claws at your throat for two cuts so thick with bad vibrations, you might just want to get yourself inoculated to prevent swelling on contact.

The Bug – Zim Zim Zim 12” (Ninja Tune)
A dread-laced dancehall pairing with Burro Banton released on red vinyl with an intricate etching on the B-side.

Canned Heat – Illinois Blues LP (Cleopatra)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Canned Heat get down and dirty in Illinois on this vintage live album recorded in support of the group’s ninth studio album, The New Age (1973).

Luzmila Carpio – Yuyay Jap’ina Tapes LP (Squirrel Thing/Omnian Music Group)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. In the early 1990s, Luzmila Carpio’s songs inspired the Quechua-speaking people of the Bolivian Andes to Yuyay Jap-ina to “reclaim our knowledge” from a culture that marginalized indigenous people. These tapes, newly-restored and presented here capture a vibrant celebration of a people and a language that would not be silenced.

Christian Death – Halloween 1981 LP (Cleopatra)
Limited edition purple vinyl reissue of the earliest known recording of this legendary gothic death rock band fronted by the inimitable Rozz Williams performing an entrancing live set on Halloween.

John Cleary – GoGo Juice LP (FHQ)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. GoGo Juice is the new album from one of New Orleans’ premier musical ambassadors, Jon Cleary. Made in collaboration with multi-Grammy winning producer John Porter (B.B. King, Keb Mo, Ryan Adams, Los Lonely Boys) each one of the carefully crafted songs is a delicate balance of the smooth and the rough; instantly hooks over a set of sophisticated and soulful arrangements. The tracks were recorded over several days deep in the bayou country of Louisiana and subsequently honed in his studio in the old Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. A blend of musical intelligence with direct, accessible pop simplicity that draws from tradition and yet is distinctively separate from it, these songs represent the many aspects of Cleary’s musical personality as a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter.

Phil Collins – My Heart’s In My Hand, And My Hand Is Pierced, And My Hand’s In The Bag, And The Bag Is Shut, And My Heart Is Caught. LP (Shady Lane Productions)
Material from the Turner-nominated artist’s (not to be confused with the popular drummer) 2013 project created from anonymized phone conversations of guests of Cologne’s Gulliver homeless shelter that were then shaped into original songs by an international group of musicians. Contributors include: David Sylvian, Laetitia Sadier, Damon & Naomi, Demdike Stare, Planningtorock, Pye Corner Audio, Peaking Lights, Scritti Politti, Maria Minerva, and more.

Mike Cooper – Fratello Mare LP (Room40)
The Italy-based musician’s highly personal lap steel playing combines with exotic music and percussion alongside field recordings made on islands across Southeast Asia and the Caribbean to form a poetic, dreamlike, wandering love letter to the distant islands that dot the vast oceans.

David Crosby and Graham Nash – Bittersweet LP (Vinyl Lovers)
The legendary early tape of Crosby & Nash’s second album, featuring the first Crosby & Nash written collaborations on both “Naked In The Rain” and the brilliant “To The Last Whale” suite.

Daft Punk – TRON: Legacy [Reissue/2010] 2xLP (Walt Disney)
Double-vinyl repress of the classic soundtrack containing seven bonus songs not available on the CD version.

Dead Moon – Nervous Sooner Changes [Reissue/1995] LP (Mississippi)
Another all time Dead Moon classic. One of the best rock bands of the ‘90s and 2000’s kicks out some of their finest rockers and ballads. Features all time greats like “Diamonds In The Rough,” “Say It Isn’t So,” “Running Out Of Time,” “Somewhere Far Away” and “Windows Of Time.”

Deathhammer – Evil Power LP (Hell’s Headbangers)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album of maniacal iron-fisted blackened thrash metal from Norway.

Deathrite – Revelation Of Chaos LP (Prosthetic)
Recently released on CD and cassette – now available on vinyl. This German metal band hits the sweet spot where only the most severe elements of death metal, grindcore and punk converge.

Destruktor – Opprobrium LP (Hells Headbangers)
Second album from the Australian black/death maniacs.

D.O.A. – Hard Rain Falling LP (Sudden Death)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 16^th album from the legendary Canadian punk pioneers.

Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream [2009] LP (Astralwerks)
Clear vinyl LP pressing of the 2009 debut album from Empire Of The Sun, a collaboration between Luke Steele from The Sleepy Jackson and Pnau main-man Nick Littlemore. Though the occupy the same aural terrain as bands like MGMT, Empire Of The Sun stand out in the crowd, chiefly due to their exceptional melodies and the fact that they don’t take themselves too seriously.

John Fahey – Vol. 3: Dance Of Death & Other Plantation Favorites [Reissue/1964] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Dance Of Death offers a glimpse of an artist in transformation. More than half the album’s titles draw from the traditional blues and country repertoire Fahey had spent his teen years and young adulthood collecting, listening to, and learning to play, yet the recordings proved once and for all that his interests lay in musical transfigurations rather than preservation — Fahey was not afraid to use these old tunes as raw material.

Faith No More – Sol Invictus LP (Ipecac)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Sol Invictus is Faith No More’s seventh album, and first since 1997’s Album Of The Year. “Considering this album had little odds of coming about years ago, it’s insufficient to say “Sol Invictus” is worth the wait. It’s a brand new beginning with a brand new vibe that’s still Faith No More in soul. It’s not King For A Day, Fool For A Lifetime, but Sol Invictus is that damned good on its own merits. In some ways, it’s the most mind-blowing performance under the moniker. As the closing number asserts, Faith No More is back from the dead, thank God.” – Blabbermouth

Gagakirise & EYE – Gagakiriseye 7”+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
EYE from Boredoms has teamed up with Japanese rockers Gagakirise for Gagakiriseye, a very, very limited brand new 7”. Gagakiriseye combines EYE’s distinctive percussive, maniacal presence with the noise duo’s frenzied, colorful sounds. Recommended for fans of Lightning Bolt, Black Pus, OOIOO, Dan Friel, and, of course, Boredoms.

Virgina Genta + Dag Stiberg/Jon Wesseltoft/David Vanzan – Det Kritiske Punkt LP (Feeding Tube)
Spine-tingling free improv fire-blast from an international quartet with deep underground roots. Together in Olso in 2012, the quartet laid down this very hard-blown and stylish session.

Glassjaw – Everything You Wanted To Know About Silence [Reissue/2000] 2xLP (Rhino)
HQ-180gm double-vinyl reissue of the post-hardcore band’s debut album.

Goat Semen – Ego Sum Sathana LP (Hells Headbangers)
Released last April on CD – now available on vinyl. At ground zero of the rebirth and resurgence of South American black/death at the dawn of the new millennium, these Peruvian devils delivered one of the most classic demos ever with their self-titled 2002 demo, which has seen countless re-editions in the past decade. Like a veritable travelogue across the history of South American metal barbarity the past three decades, Ego Sum Sathana surges and gnashes with all the hellfire and hatred the continent’s black/death is world renowned for.

Golden Retriever – 2 LP (Debacle)
Golden Retriever is the duo of Matt Carlson (modular synthesizer) and Jonathan Sielaff (bass clarinet), two musicians who blur the line between sounds created electronically and acoustically. The pair formed Golden Retriever in 2008 and began to develop a language informed by the practices of free improvisation as well as the tradition of American experimental electronic composers like Alvin Curran & David Behrman. Golden Retriever creates music that is creatively challenging and structurally complex while remaining inviting and emotionally dynamic rather than adopting a confrontational stance toward the listener.

Hate Eternal – King Of All Kings [Reissue/2002] LP (Earache)
Vinyl reissue of the death metal band’s second album.

The Haunted – The Haunted [Reissue/1998] LP (Earache)
Vinyl reissue of the Swedish metal band’s self-titled debut.

Herbcraft – Wot Oz LP (Woodsist)
Six free-spirited treatments of abstract sound experiments and primitive rock and blues based numbers.

Tom Holkenborg – Mad Max: Fury Road [OST] 2xLP (Mondo)
Mad Max: Fury Road is a modern action masterpiece. The soundtrack’s composer, Junkie XL, utilized the movie’s vast landscape to explore a diverse range of musical territory, from beating drums to sweeping strings and electric guitar-driven operatic themes, utilizing nearly 200 instruments.

Jessie Jones – Jessie Jones LP (Burger)
Recently released on CD and cassette – now available on vinyl. “Jessie Jones was once the frontwoman of the Burger Records-backed band Feeding People, who put out their debut on the So-Cal mainstay label in 2011 before signing to Innovative Leisure and releasing their final effort, Island Universe, in 2013. Jones has an intriguing, almost cinema-ready backstory: Supposedly raised a devout evangelical Christian, her love of music eventually superseded her relationship with religion. Or so the legend goes, according to a David Bevan-penned Spin review of Feeding People’s last album. Jones hasn’t been anywhere remotely near the spotlight since, but last year she began working on a new project and started singing in Death Valley Girls.” – Stereogum

Joy Division – Martin Hannett’s Personal Mixes [2007] 2xLP (Ozit)
Discovered by friends of Martin Hannett recently and with input from one of his relatives, these recordings give a rare insight into his production ideas for Joy Division and his relationship with the band — the strange things/sound effects they recorded in the studio together, etc. The studio chit chat and interplay between Hannett, Gretton and Joy Division members is all here as Martin left his own tape machine running throughout studio sessions. On this album we have rare alternative mixes of Joy Division that were Martin’s personal favorites and he had the forethought to get the band members to give him control of these recordings.

Kim and Leanne – True West LP (HoZac)
Kim Salmon & Leanne Cowie (both of The Scientists) release an album that is not a throw back or Happy Days version of the mid ‘80s. Yes, the music is dark and primitive, but it is most definitely a record made in the now. The material here has echoes of classic Scientists swampy sound, while other tracks recall classic Nuggets garage punk. They also manage to throw in a Rolling Stones cover.

Kronos – Arisen New Era LP (Unique Leader)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the French brutal death metallers.

Tim Kuhl – 1982 LP/Cassette (Austin Music Distribution)
1982 is Tim Kuhl’s follow up effort to 2012’s critically acclaimed St. Helena. It is a darker, electronic effort, conceived and composed on an iPad while Tim was touring the world playing drums for Sean Lennon’s The GOASTT. Kuhl later brought the songs to NYC engineer Joshua Valleau (Wolvves, John Legend, etc.) and together they fleshed out the textures and sounds around the compositions. The album features collaborations with Satomi Matsuzaki (Deerhoof), poet Geoffrey Bankowski, and Grey McMurray.

Florian Kupfer – Explora 12” (Technicolour)
This four-track EP brims with punchy percussion, swatches of low-end menace, mechanical grind at a steady build, and a deep unidentifiable rumble.

Greg Lake – London ’81 LP (Cleopatra)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Vocalist/guitarist from the legendary prog rock bands King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer launched a solo career in 1981 and embarked on a worldwide tour captured on this live album and made available here for the very first time. Includes performances of songs from Lake’s self-titled solo debut album, plus live versions of ELP’s “Lucky Man,” King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man,” and more.

Sam Lee & Friends – Fade In Time LP (The Nest Collective)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Nominated for the UK’s Mercury Music Prize for his debut album in 2012, Sam Lee is an outstanding singer and song collector. Lee is a 21st-century artist, collecting new versions of old songs on his iPhone and laptop, but his repertoire is full of history. He is the driving force behind the eclectic, award-winning folk club The Nest Collective, which has brought traditional music to new stages and venues, and founder of a burgeoning song collectors’ movement that inspires a new generation of performers to draw on living source singers. Impassioned and hugely ambitious in scope, The Fade In Time is a major statement from an artist and group extending the borders of their music beyond its national boundaries to encompass Bollywood beats, Polynesian textures and contemporary classical music.

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band [Reissue/1970] LP (Capitol)
John Lennon – Imagine [Reissue/1971] LP (Capitol)
John Lennon – Some Time In New York City [Reissue/1972] 2xLP (Capitol)
John Lennon – Mind Games [Reissue/1973] LP (Capitol)
John Lennon – Walls And Bridges [Reissue/1974] LP (Capitol)
John Lennon – Rock n Roll [Reissue/1975] LP (Capitol)
John Lennon – Double Fantasy [Reissue/1980] LP (Capitol)
John Lennon – Milk And Honey [Reissue/1984] LP (Capitol)
Recently released as a box set – now available separately.

Lesa & Ross – Lesa & Ross LP (Great Pop Supplement)
Lesa Aldridge was the long-term partner and muse of Alex Chilton and a key collaborator –perhaps only hinted at until now — for the legendary sessions for Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers LP. Whilst fellow Memphis music head Ross Johnson cut his teeth as drummer for the legendary Tav Falco’s Panther Burns. When you throw in the production skills of the equally legendary, late great Jim Dickinson (the raw/skeletal tracks here recorded by him at Zebra Ranch in Mississippi) that makes for a heady brew — the latterday “glue” production wise, for which was provided by mutual friend Kip Uhlhorn of Cloudland Canyon. Pink vinyl.

Andrew Liles – Life Is An Empty Place LP (Norton North)
New album from this member of Current 93 and Nurse With Wound with cover art by Steven Stapleton.

Liquid Idiot/Idiot Orchestra – Liquid Idiot/Idiot Orchestra LP (Superior Viaduct)
Archival LP of pre-Liquid Liquid bands, includes two rare 7” singles from 1978/1980. While these ensembles sounded more experimental than groove-oriented, the beginnings of Liquid Liquid’s spatial/conceptual framework can be heard here.

Liquid Liquid – Liquid Liquid [Reissue/1981] 12” (Superior Viaduct)
Liquid Liquid – Successive Reflexes [Reissue/1981] 12” (Superior Viaduct)
Liquid Liquid – Optimo [Reissue/1983] 12” (Superior Viaduct)
Following their debut in 1981, Liquid Liquid wasted no time with their second release the same year. Successive Reflexes picks up where the previous EP leaves off with “Lock Groove,” a slow-paced deconstruction of Fela Kuti and Can that shows how quickly the band was able to capture their stripped-down approach in the studio. “Push” drives forward with unapologetic funk, yet still sounds utterly unique. Like their labelmates ESG, Liquid Liquid created music on their own terms and artfully avoided the trappings of any single genre. Liquid Liquid continued toward dance-floor perfection with their third EP, 1983’s Optimo.

Long Distance Poison – Human Program LP (Deep Distance)
Long Distance Poison present an irresistible concoction of convergent psychedelic and analog electronic energies, everything from a love of nature, and Rothko-like visual aesthetics, to musical influences like Sky Records, John Carpenter soundtracks, minimalism, and a less-hyper Mother Mallard or post Phaedra Tangerine Dream. Also of note is the unusual male/female dynamic of the record, itself an unusual occurrence in modern electronic music.

Ludacris – Chicken -N- Beer [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (Def Jam)
Ludacris – The Red Light District [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Def Jam)
Ludacris – Release Therapy [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (Def Jam)
HQ-180gm color vinyl reissues – part of UMe’s ongoing Respect The Classics campaign.

Lynyrd Skynyrd – One More For The Fans 3xLP+MP3 (Loud & Proud)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Recorded live at The Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA November 12^th 2014 with guests Randy Houser, Robert Randolph & Jimmy Hall, Aaron Lewis, Blackberry Smoke, O.A. R., Cheap Trick, moe. & John Hiatt, Gov’t Mule, Warren Haynes, Jamey Johnson, Jason Isbell, Peter Frampton, Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels & Donnie Van Zant, Alabama, and Gregg Allman.

Mister Squinter And Ellen Reid – The Midnight Swim 7” (Death Waltz)
Two cuts from the soundtrack to Sarah Adina Smith’s acclaimed drama The Midnight Swim. A found footage drama, the film concerns three sisters who return home after their mother goes missing to find a mystery they need to unravel. Matching the mood are tracks from L.A. underground artist Mister Squinter (Side One’s “Mother”) and Canadian composer Ellen Reid (“Child” from Side Two), both mesmerizing but with contrasting tones, using sound effects and vocals in innovative ways.

Keith Mlevhu – The Bad Will Die LP (Strawberry Rain)
An anthology of arguably Zambia’s most prolific artist. Infamous in Zamrock circles, Keith Mlevhu’s name is often mentioned alongside Paul Ngozi and Witch as one of the Zamrock era greats. A solo artist to a fault, outside of allowing Cosmos Zani to play keyboard occasionally, Keith played all the instruments on his albums, including using a megaphone to manipulate his voice on some songs.

The Modern Lovers – The Modern Lovers [Reissue/1976] LP (Sanctuary)
Originally released on the Beserkeley label in 1976 (though most of the material was recorded in 1973), The Modern Lovers is a universally accepted proto-punk classic. It’s an album that bridges the gap between The Velvet Underground, a band whom leader Jonathan Richman was obsessed with, and the first wave of punk rock. While also displaying the goofy wit that would later be Richman’s signature, The Modern Lovers is equal parts geeky, emotional, angst driven, life affirming, and, from start to finish, absolutely brilliant.

MV & EE – Alpine Frequency 2xLP (Feeding Tube)
A lazily explorative double-LP set sewn into a whole from various tattered swathes of sound; a real achievement, resembling a shorthand essay about all that has gone before it.

Obsequiae – Aria Of Vernal Tombs LP (20 Buck Spin)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Black metal, death metal, traditional heavy metal and Medieval music are all weaved seamlessly together in baroque yet abrasive reverence on Aria, resulting in a remarkably original long-player.

Stephen O’Malley – Gruides LP (Demdike Stare)
Towering, immersive orchestral composition, commissioned and performed by French 35-piece improv orchestra ONCEIM. Requires the musicians to sustain pitches for several minutes, yielding spectra of eliding dissonance rent in sliding tone clusters and lucent geometries punctuated by a similar whipcrack percussion to that used in Sunn O)))’s 2014 collaboration with Scott Walker.

Onra – Fundamentals LP (All City)
Recently released on CD and cassette – now available on vinyl. Fundamentals, Parisian producer Onra’s new album, is a paean to ‘90s hip-hop and R&B long players, an album that wears its Golden Era inspirations proudly on its sleeve. Taking the production levels up a notch with a more crafted, polished sound across the whole LP, the album was produced entirely on an MPC with no computer software used.

Ossia – Red X LP (Blackest Ever Black)
Red X was inspired by Peter Tosh’s diary recordings in which he documented his dissatisfaction and mistrust in the run-up to his shocking murder in ’87. The track brilliantly bridges dubwise, isolationist electronics and modern soundsystem dynamics.

Palberta – Sh!theads In The Ditch LP (Feeding Tube)
Another great album by this Hudson Valley trio (again, first issued as a cassette by OSR), continuing their plunge into the ocean of post-punk readymaids. Palberta’s sound collages together many of the greatest female outfits of the classic Rough Trade era (Kleenex to The Raincoats to Mo-Dettes and onward) while retaining an after-core blurtage that can momentarily call to mind anyone from Slant 6 to Huggy Bear.

Pere Ubu – Elitism For The People 4xLP+MP3 (Fire)
Previously released for UK RSD 2015 – now available stateside. Collects The Hearpen Singles, The Modern Dance, Dub Housing, and Manhattan (Live At Max’s Kansas City 1977). For The Hearpen Singles, The Modern Dance and Dub Housing, Paul Hamann digitally transferred the original quarter-inch two-track analog master mix tapes at Suma using the highest resolution available, 192khz/24 bit. That’s more than four times the audio resolution of cd music. The vinyl was cut directly from those files on the best lathe Neumann manufactured.

Lee Perry – Holiness Righteousness LP (Secret)
Ten tracks taken from Perry’s 2003 album Alien Starman now on limited edition vinyl. Perry doesn’t take all production duties here; Roger Lomas is on hand as well, and the resulting sound calls to mind mid-season On-U as it ambles blissfully along with a female vocal back up team who sound like Akabu.

Pinkcourtesyphone – Sentimental Something LP (Important)
New LP from Richard Chartier’s ambient side-project. While Pinkcourtesyphone veers into more conventional terrain than his minimalist solo works, the mood here is still heavy with dark atmosphere, featuring haunting vocals folded into a layered mix of reverb-saturated samples and synth sounds.

Pro-Pain – Voice Of Rebellion LP (Steamhammer US)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Aggressive, meticulous, passionate, righteous — all distinguishing traits that have come to symbolize the fundamentals of metal/hardcore pioneers Pro-Pain.

Prurient – Frozen Niagara Falls 3xLP (Profound Lore)
Released last May on CD – now available on vinyl. New double-album from Dominick Fernow (Vatican Shadow, ex-Cold Cave) treads a fine line between harsh noise extremity and atmospheric beauty — his massive, layered walls of sound may be comprised of piercing feedback, tortured vocals and machine-like industrial pounding, or incorporate meticulous sampling, entrancing beats and waves of electronica.

Public Image Ltd. – Double Trouble 10” (PiL Official)
PiL recently announced the release of their 10th studio album What The World Needs Now… will be arriving in September. Album opener and lead single “Double Trouble” sees the band launching with a statement of intent. Also includes “Bettie Page” and the non-album bonus track “Turkey Tits.”

Rat Columns – Fooling Around 12”+MP3 (Blackest Ever Black)
First vinyl release of the definitive version of “Fooling Around,” which appeared in truncated form on 2014 album Leaf. Its void-chasing motoric and moody jangle evoke Splendour Of Fear-era Felt or David Kilgour at his dreamiest.

The Revivalists – Men Amongst Mountains LP (Wind-Up)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The formation of The Revivalists was all about chance, but everything since then has been a combination of hard work, awesome music, and friendship. The septet has been playing nonstop since 2007, crafting a genre-hopping sound that rounds out traditional rock instrumentation with horns and pedal steel guitar and mixes the divergent backgrounds of its individual members with the humid, funky undercurrents of the band’s New Orleans home. The result is like English spoken with an exotic accent: familiar, yet difficult to pin down.

Romare – Rainbow 12” (Ninja Tune)
Cut-‘n’-paste extraordinaire, dancefloor mover and shaker, auteur of ambience.

Royal Southern Brotherhood – Don’t Look Back LP (Ruf)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from re-invigorated supergroup fronted by Cyril Neville, now joined by Tyrone Vaughan (son of Jimmie). Recorded at the iconic Fame Studios, Muscle Shoals.

Jannick Schou – Fabrik LP (Experimedia)
Second album from Denmark’s Jannick Schou sees him further fold his powerful ambient sound into deep and heavy techno territories.

The Scientists – The Scientists [Reissue/1981] LP (Numero)
The Scientists – Blood Red River [Reissue/1983] LP (Numero)
The Scientists’ 1981 wild debut bewildered Perth, Australia’s punters with its charging anthems centered on themes of young love and alienation. Obvious in its rebellion yet more pop than punk, the self-titled “Pink Album” deftly embodied the tough-yet-danceable outsider aura of The Ramones, and its unheard of, feverish clip shook the shores of the geographically confined Swan Coastal Plain of down under. Recorded just as the lineup of guitarist-vocalist Kim Salmon (The Cheap Nasties), drummer James Baker (The Victims) and bassist Ian Sharples were breaking up, the album stands as a testament to the contagious chops of Perth’s swelling pool of musical talent, and to the promise of Salmon’s unwavering vision that would become one of the most celebrated acts of the Aussie underground. The six-song Blood Red River revisited band leader Kim Salmon’s interest in the Cramps and The Stooges, while adding in the repetitive dementia of Suicide and elements of cow punk twang, with Salmon’s distinctly unrefined Australian accent snarling tales of lust, confusion and angst.

Frank Sinatra & The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra – The Popular Frank Sinatra 6xLP (Megaforce)
A collection of early Frank Sinatra recordings on translucent blue vinyl.

Six Six Seconds – Tearing Down Heaven 10” (Blackest Ever Black)
Darkly rapturous dream-pop; the abyssal swoon of shoegaze meets a harsher, more pernicious order of psychedelic rock minimalism.

Soft Machine – Wonderland LP (Secret)
A collection of early Soft Machine tracks from 1967, featuring Mike Ratledge, Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt and Daevid Allen on side one, and from 1969/’70 featuring Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt, Hugh Hopper and Elton Dean on side two. HQ-180gm vinyl.

Soulfly – Archangel 2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Soufly’s tenth full-length release was recorded in the Spring of 2015 with Matt Hyde (Slayer, Children Of Bodom, Deftones). Armed with Max Cavalera’s four-stringed guitars, unmistakable growl and instantly recognizable riffage, the muddy tones and constant rhythmic bounce of Soulfly has retained its gritty edge while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in metal.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Passaic Night 1978: The Classic New Jersey Broadcast Volume One 2xLP (Let Them Eat Vinyl)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Passaic Night 1978: The Classic New Jersey Broadcast Volume Two 2xLP (Let Them Eat Vinyl)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Passaic Night 1978: The Classic New Jersey Broadcast Volume Three 2xLP (Let Them Eat Vinyl)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Winterland Night 1978: The Classic San Francisco Broadcast Volume One 2xLP (Let Them Eat Vinyl)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Winterland Night 1978: The Classic San Francisco Broadcast Volume Two 2xLP (Let Them Eat Vinyl)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Winterland Night 1978: The Classic San Francisco Broadcast Volume Three 2xLP (Let Them Eat Vinyl)
Bruce Springsteen has played over a thousand shows across the last four decades, nearly all of which will live forever in the hearts and memories of the fans who attended. However, there are a handful of shows that are so well-known and legendary that they are referred to simply by one name: Agora, Passaic, and Winterland. These shows have become part of a Springsteen fans vernacular and used as a point of reference when discussing just about every aspect of Bruce’s career.

Stornoway – Bonxie LP (Slimstyle)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Great Skua is known in England under the name bonxie. Because of it’s size and aggressive attitude, the animal has no enemies. But what have the love Stornoway with such a ruffian of the skies to do? “Bonxie” calls the band from Oxford their third album, it is the first for which they employed a producer. Not just any producer Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters), the world of Stornoway jolted a little and brought the band to leave their comfort zones. Is Norton the Great Skua? Hardly. Singer Brian Briggs is an ornithologist, the band loves nature and birds, on “bonxie” two is thought lovingly. Around the Brent Goose, whose song can be heard in addition to the 19 other birds. Otherwise the sound is richer than before: In “Between The Salt Marsh And The Sea” about to Stornoway show of it’s electronic page, and “Get Low,” the first single, is a great pop song. No question: “bonxie” is a very musical bird.

Tempel – Moon Lit Our Path LP (Prosthetic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After making waves with their debut album On The Steps Of The Temple, Arizona-based instrumental duo Tempel return with their sophomore album, The Moon Lit Our Path. The release consists of five colossal tracks that fuse haunting blackened post-metal melodies with progressive accents and atmospheric tinges.

Twiztid – W.I.C.K.E.D. [2009] LP+MP3 (Majik Ninja)
Standard weight, red splatter double-LP in gatefold packaging.

Vanilla Fudge – Spirit Of ’67 LP (Cleopatra)
Now available on starburst vinyl — a collection of brilliant reworkings of classic tracks like The Box Tops’ “The Letter,” Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade Of Pale,” The Who’s “I Can See For Miles,” Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin’” and lots more.

Various Artists – I’m In A Strange Town LP (Mississippi)
Compilation of top notch Gospel and blues recorded between 1927 and 1967. A mix of very well known artists such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Gary Davis and Robert Wilkins and more obscure folks like John Lee and Charles White. A record filled with some of Mississippi Records favorite recordings — ripping guitar work outs, soulful ballads, loping drunken jug bands and more. All songs are on the theme of travel, death and transcendence. Got an existential crisis? This may be the record for you.

Various Artists – Music City Sessions 3-In-1 Value Pack! 3xLP+MP3 (Omnivore)
Omnivore Recordings went back to the early ’70s and mined the Bay Area soul for tracks from the Music City label. Working with producer Alec Palao, who received a Grammy nomination and R&B for his notes on 2011’s The Music City Story, the team constructed vinyl-only releases to celebrate the funk— The Music City Sessions, Volumes 1, 2, and 3.

Various Artists – Troubled Waters LP (Mississippi)
Compilation of blues and gospel recordings made by George Mitchell between 1962 and 1976. The deep hill country stomps and blues of RL Burnside, Rosa Lee Hill and Jesse Mae Hemphill, The hard driving electric guitar and drum music of James Davis, the haunting gospel ballads of Robert Johnson (not the one your thinking of) and James Shorter, the flowing beautiful blues of Joe Callicott, Furry Lewis and Jesse Lee Vortis, the drum and fife music of Napoleon Strickland and much more.

Various Artists – Yesterday Of Our Love: The Soul Of Challenge Records LP (Sundazed)
A must-have collection of the most soulful tracks from the Challenge label, all released between 1963 and 1968, from the original mono singles masters. Hear great tracks from Jerry Fuller—who also contributed liner notes—Jimmy Seals, Johnny Wyatt, Charles Lamont and the Extremes, Yvonne Carroll, Ron Holden, and Jimmy Walker of the Knickerbockers. 12-inch LP, limited pressing on clear vinyl.

Vibracathedral Orchestra – Rec Blast Motorbike LP (VHF)
The mighty “classic” lineup of the Vibracathedral Orchestra returns with their first new music in many years. Here the quintet of Michael Flower, Neil Campbell, Bridget Hayden, Adam Davenport and Julian Bradley (joined by raconteur John Godbert) feature in a set of upbeat tracks that put the group’s radical instrumental strategies into a package of full-on rock action.

Walleater – I/II LP (Tiny Engines)
Walleater has a penchant for melody and suspense, a certain flare for the dramatic build and release. However, this never comes at the expense of the song. Nothing is contrived or forced, every note serves a purpose and every piece of the puzzle fits. And that simplicity, that organic quality, that is where Walleater’s sound begins and ends.

Patrick Watson – Just Another Ordinary Day [2003] LP (Secret City)
Patrick Watson – Close To Paradise [Reissue/2006] LP (Secret City)
Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Secret City)
One of Montreal’s best kept secrets, Patrick Watson is a young piano-playing singer/songwriter who draws influences from a wide range of artists, including Jeff Buckley, Erik Satie, Bjork and early Pink Floyd. He’s backed by a strong band that includes Robbie Kuster on drums, Mishka Stein on bass, and Simon Angell on guitar.

Wilson – Right To Rise LP (Razor & Tie)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Hailing from Detroit, this five piece, explosive rock band has been making a name for themselves as a must see band since they self-released their debut album Full Blast F**kery in 2013.

J.G. Wright – Sorcerer of Sound LP (Polytechnic Youth)
Brand new album by revered space/psych rock drone-head Justin Wright of Expo 70. Diversifying to the extent whereby the album was recorded using totally analogue equipment in an improvised manner that in Wright’s own words “harks back to the early days of private press releases.”

Wrongtom – Possessed E.P. 12” (Tru Thoughts)
Just in time for Summer, Wrongtom emerges with a new vinyl EP. The Possessed E.P. continues in the spirit of his series of Wrongtom Meets projects, boasting collaborations with Tippa Irie, JC Lodge, The Ragga Twins, Desta Zion, The Correctonal Horns and Deemas J as well as a bonus cut from his long-standing live reggae/dub collective the Stoneleigh Mountain Rockers.

Years & Years – Communion 2xLP (Interscope)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With their luminous brand of electro-pop, London-based trio Years & Years layer sweetly smooth vocals over bright and heady beats to create what they call music you can dance and cry to. As winners of the BBC Sound of 2015 Poll (an honor previously granted to such critically praised hitmakers as Sam Smith, Adele, and Ellie Goulding), the group has spent the last few years charming audiences worldwide by merging R&B, deep house, and classic-pop with both elegance and abandon.

Yes – Like It Is: Yes At The Mesa Arts Center 2xLP (Frontiers)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. On August 12th 2014, Yes performed two of their most popular and storied albums of their catalog in their entirety, all in one concert: Close To The Edge and Fragile at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, AZ.

Cassettes:

Olivia Block – Abberation Of Light (NNA Tapes)
Slowly materializing from total silence, Block utilizes acoustic sounds, including various mechanical sound recordings of 35mm projectors, blended with a palette of electronics to create intricately assembled fields of sonic depth. Includes download.

Patrick Higgins – Social Death Mixtape (NNA Tapes)
A sampling of personal experimentations spanning 2009-present day, from the Zs guitarist. Includes download.

Tim Kuhl – 1982 (Austin Music Distribution)
1982 is Tim Kuhl’s follow up effort to 2012’s critically acclaimed St. Helena. It is a darker, electronic effort, conceived and composed on an iPad while Tim was touring the world playing drums for Sean Lennon’s The GOASTT. Kuhl later brought the songs to NYC engineer Joshua Valleau (Wolvves, John Legend, etc.) and together they fleshed out the textures and sounds around the compositions. The album features collaborations with Satomi Matsuzaki (Deerhoof), poet Geoffrey Bankowski, and Grey McMurray.