New Releases for December 2, 2014

CDs + Vinyl:

AC/DC – Rock Or Bust CD/LP (Columbia)

This is the first album of new AC/DC material since 2008’s multi platinum Black Ice. Rock Or Bust was recorded in Spring 2014 at Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, BC and finds AC/DC once again working with producer Brendan O’Brien and mixer Mike Fraser. It is the first album in the band’s 40-plus-year career that will not feature ailing bassist Malcolm Young. Songwriting duties, which have been shared by the Young brothers in the past, fell on the shoulders of guitarist Angus, who is said to have written the material on Rock Or Bust by himself. Contrary to published reports and rumors, this will not be AC/DC’s last album.

Anima Morte – Upon Darkened Stains CD (Transubstans Sweden)

The third album by Anima Morte sees the Swedish band evolving their moody instrumental songs one step further into the cinematic realm – rooted in ‘70s rock music with symphonic and experimental elements. Following deeper and more complex compositions the tense and melancholic atmosphere contrasts strong and thrilling musical motifs.

Aquadolls – Sun Soaked On You CD (Burger)

Sun-kissed teen dream beach pop debut on Burger Records. Pretty much sounds like Best Coast. Vinyl version due January 15.

Lee Bannon – Big Toy Box 2 CD (Chillectro)

A collection of instrumentals and unreleased tracks from the Sacramento producer. It is the soundtrack to Lee Bannon’s time in Sacramento and his growth in its thriving hip-hop and electronic music scenes.

Beanpole – Random Musings 1 CD (Jigsaw Recordings)

Vocals, guitars, strings and even flutes are layered upon each other (amidst drums, bass and keyboard) to make for a wonderful and harmonious sound. These five songs only prove that Verna Brock should be up in the same revered class of indiepop luminaries such as Rose Melberg and Pam Berry.

Bereft – The Lost Ages CD (War Crime)

Deep from the depths of Madison, WI come Bereft, a project that encompasses guitarist/vocalist Zach Johnson and guitarist Alex Linden’s views on religion, politics, social injustice and the human condition. Drawing from elements of black metal, post-metal, doom and other forms of ambient music, they present The Lost Ages, their five-track debut EP.

Theodore Bikel – Theodore Bikel’s Treasury Of Yiddish Folk & Theatre Songs CD (Real Gone Music)

Theodore Bikel is one of the most important folk singers of the recording era, and during his legendary tenure at Elektra Records, he recorded a multitude of albums exploring virtually every nook and cranny of the ethnic folk music canon.

Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions CD/LP (Capitol)

Mary J. Blige collaborates with a host of UK talent including Disclosure, Eg White, Emile Sandé, Jimmy Napes, Naughty Boy, Sam Romans and Sam Smith on The London Sessions.

Blue Six – Signs & Wonders CD (Naked Music)

With a nod to the ‘80s, Blue Six is back with another sonic gem filled with the lush grooves, and smart, introspective songwriting.

Bo-Dogs – Bad Bad Dog CD/LP (Low Impact)

Raw, wild and energetic Swedish garage and pub rock.

Brothertiger – Future Splendors CD/LP (Mush)

Future Splendors is the nostalgic-yet-new ten-track album from synth-pop darling, Brothertiger. Beholden to purest ‘80s synth-pop, the album operates as a collection of cinematic moments, drowned in glowing neon.

Neneh Cherry – The Blank Project [Deluxe] 2xCD (Smalltown Supersound)

Now available as an expanded edition featuring a bonus disc of remixes by: Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice, Cooly G., Joe Goddard, and DJ Spinn.

The Clan – The Clan CD (Heptown)

New release from the Celtic rock band from Milan, influenced by Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, The Rumjacks, The Pogues and The Dubliners.

Leonard Cohen – Live In Dublin 3xCD+DVD/3xCD+Blu-ray (Sony Legacy)

Recorded at Dublin’s 02 Arena on September 12, 2013, Live In Dublin documents a peak performance from the musician’s monumental sold-out 2012-2013 world tour, introducing Cohen’s then-latest release (2012’s Old Ideas) within a major canonical on-stage retrospective.

Collabro – Stars CD (Masterworks)

Debut album from the winners of Britain’s Got Talent.

Cowboy – 5’ll Getcha Ten [Reissue/1971] CD (Real Gone Music)

Led by Scott Boyer and Tommy Talton, the Jacksonville, FL band Cowboy was discovered by none other than Duane Allman, who, as legend has it, banged on their door at 7AM one day and asked to hear some songs. He then recommended them to Capricorn label owner Phil Walden, who sent Allman Brothers producer Johnny Sandlin to check them out; Sandlin ended up producing several Cowboy albums for Capricorn, of which this 1971 release was the second.

The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Zim Zam Zim CD (Bronzerat)

“Opening with the steady, jungle-ish title-track (the shortest song of the album, since most tracks are over five minutes long), Zim Zam Zim eagerly promises a collection of songs that are both adequate to Arthur Brown’s own style as well as cleverly crafted in order to adapt themselves to the 21st century. ‘Want To Love’ reaffirms this with a beautiful, retro-esque brass section, and Brown’s flawless, ageless voice (although I haven’t caught him live yet, his vibrato sounds as stunning as it did 50 years ago). ‘Jungle Fever’’s simple bluesy structure is enhanced by the million wildlife sounds that marry Brown’s Tom Waits-like vocal track perfectly, while the slightly hypnotic reggae vibe of ‘The Unknown’ makes us think of a powerful, intense witchdoctor living in the basement of a Victorian house in New Orleans’ French Quarter.” – The Four Oh Five

Jordan De La Sierra – Gymnosphere: Song Of The Rose [Reissue/1977] 2xCD/2xLP (Numero)

Before new age hit terra firms at the dawn of the 1980s, the classically trained Bay Area composer Jordan De La Sierra’s consciousness soared with cosmic concepts. With cues and lessons from the great minimalists La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Pandit Pran Nath, and help from the venerable public radio program Hearts Of Space, De La Sierra embarked on a journey in alternate tunings and resounding reverberations, transporting entranced listeners from the Golden Gates to the intergalactic.

Demotional – Tarassis CD (Dead End Exit)

Second album from the Swedish melodic metal band.

Empire 21 – Empire 21 CD (Empire 21 Recordings)

Debut album from the Swedish melodic metal band featuring members of Narnia, Darkwater, Harmony, Rob Rock and more.

Howard Eynon – So What If I’m Standing In Apricot Jam CD/LP (Earth Recordings)

The lost classic acid folk masterpiece is reissued during its 40th anniversary year.

The Five Stairsteps – Our Family Portrait/Stairsteps [Reissue/1968/1970] CD (Real Gone Music)

Digitally remastered twofer containing a pair of albums by the Chicago-based soul band. Formed in Chicago in 1965 and known initially as The First Family Of Soul, The Five Stairsteps consisted of Alohe Jean, Clarence Jr., James, Dennis and Kenneth (Keni) Burke, and were managed by their father Clarence Sr., who also played bass behind them and co-wrote some of their material. After winning a talent contest at the famed Regal Theater, the group was introduced to the legendary Curtis Mayfield by Fred Cash of The Impressions, which led to their first recording contract with Mayfield’s Windy C label. Between 1966 and 1968, The Five Stairsteps had six pop and R&B charted singles, the most successful of which was “World Of Fantasy.”

Front Porch Step – Whole Again CDEP (Pure Noise)

Front Porch Step is the acoustic solo project of Columbus, OH’s Jake McElfresh. McElfresh brings diversity to the singer/songwriter world with his raspy vocals and acoustic guitar pairing that makes up his solo act. For fans of Bright Eyes, Front Porch Step acts as a sort of throwback, putting the emo indie scene back on the radar.

Dirk Geiger – Connected Worlds CD (Tympanik Audio)

Dirk Geiger’s fourth full-length album delves deeper into the mind of this prolific German composer, unlocking new paths within his universe of sound creation. At once brooding, yet hopeful, Geiger’s work unfolds like a story, revealing its secrets piece by piece until a full conception is realized. Slow, steady grooves match dark overtones, downbeat melodies, and enveloping atmospheres while found sounds intertwine among the relics of haunting tones.

Girlpool – Girlpool CD/LP (Wichita)

“If rebellion had a sound, I imagine it would end up sounding a lot like Girlpool. It’s not necessarily a descriptor that they would ascribe to themselves — they’d probably go with honest — but what is honesty except a form of rebellion against expectations? And Girlpool subvert expectations at every turn. Made up of Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker, the duo chose early on to do more with less: They use only a guitar, a bass, and their own voices to craft prickly and powerful rock.” – Stereogum

Girl Tears – Tension CD (Omnian Music Group)

Blistering fast songs about love, hate, death, and all things in between. On Tension, the L.A.-based punk trio blazes through 12 catchy tracks, complete with hooks and no nonsense sentiments, all in land speed record-breaking time.

HOMESHAKE – In The Shower CD/LP (Omnian Music Group)

HOMESHAKE (always in all caps) is Peter Sajar’s baby and In The Shower is his first proper full-length after releasing a couple of cassettes to “cool blog critical praise.” The album contains ten songs that are best described as slow, sexy, R&B influenced indie pop.

Imagene Peise [Flaming Lips] – Atlas Eets Christmas [Reissue/2007] CD (WB)

It’s the Flaming Lips doing Christmas songs! Atlas Eets Christmas was previously released in a very limited physical quantity on CD only under the pseudonym Imagene Peise (with a sticker that read “Love Is The Answer – Merry Christmas From The Flaming Lips 2007”). The pseudonym Imagene Peise is a John Lennon-esque spelling of “Imagine Peace,” ala Lennon’s Wonsaponatime, and likewise the album title sounds-out “At last, it’s Christmas.”

Jock Club – After Hours LP (540 Records)

Laymen might be vaguely familiar with Jock Club as a member of the esoteric collective Ascetic House, or as the drummer of Sonoran psych freaks Destruction Unit, but you might not expect what you’ll find on this 12″—no lo-fi hiss, no faux noise influence, no nonsense; just four tracks of crisp, clean bangin’ techno ready for the dance floor.

Ariel Kalma – An Evolutionary Music (Original Recordings: 1972 – 1979) 2xCD/2xLP (RVNG, Int’l)

An Evolutionary Music compiles unreleased recordings from the archives of versatile artist Ariel Kalma. Concerned as much with musicality as spiritual facility, Kalma’s work vibrates aside fellow travelers along the great rainbow in curved air of the 1970s avant-garde. Ariel Kalma’s boundary-blurring electronic music is heard here in radiant detail across a selection of work spanning his early free-jazz and spoken word trips to his infinite modular synthesizer and analogue drum machine meditations.

Keel Her – Keel Her CD (Critical Heights)

Released earlier this year on vinyl – now available on CD. “Keel Her is Rose Keeler-Schäffeler, an alien-obsessed bedroom musician with a prolific workrate to show up every studio-dithering band as heel-dragging slackers. The 18 tracks collected on this debut are a mere sample of the hundreds the Brighton artist has posted online in recent years, a patchwork of lo-fi hits, throwaway doodles and flashes of studio inspiration.” — NME

King Crimson – The Elements Of King Crimson 2xCD (Discipline Global Music)

Double-CD collection of extracts, elements from studio recordings, alternate takes, live tracks, rehearsals and finished recordings from 1969-2014 — much of it previously unreleased on CD.

Linda Jones – Complete Atco-Loma-Warner Brothers Recordings CD (Real Gone Music)

Although her recording career only spanned eight years, Newark, New Jersey-born Linda Jones left an indelible mark on the world of soul music thanks to her distinctive melismatic vocal style. Her phrasing and approach were so unique that, 42 years after her untimely passing in March 1972, Linda is still hailed by soul music aficionados and other recording artists as one of the genre’s greatest singers.

The Legendary Pink Dots – 10⁹ 2xCD (Rustblade)

The Legandary Pink Dots – 10⁹ Vol. 1 LP (Rustblade)

The Legandary Pink Dots – 10⁹ Vol. 2 LP (Rustblade)

Two volumes of a complex story about conspiracy, magic, and spirituality. Minimal synths, guitars, syncopated rhythms that are making weird, psychedelic and transcendental noises, which are of course accompanied by the distinctive voice of Ka-Spel. Available on double-CD and across two separate volumes on marble pink vinyl.

Lord Raja – A Constant Moth CD/LP (Ghostly International)

Welcome to the world of Lord Raja, a strange, sometimes perilous alternate dimension with beauty and decay in equal measure. It’s a world built on the beat-centric music that flows through New York native Chester Raj Anand’s stream of consciousness; here, half remembered hip-hop classics are spliced into ’90s IDM, ambient, footwork, and experimental sound design. The latest dispatch from Lord Raja’s uncanny realm is the impulsive and unpredictable A Constant Moth LP, 12 hyper-detailed scenes ripped from the surreal mayhem at play in the mind of this talented young producer.

The Maharajas – Yesterday Always Knew CD/LP (Low Impact)

Fuzz drenched Class AAA Swedish neo garage-rock armed with snotty and heartfelt vocals. A never-ending parade of catchy original songs. Blistering ‘70s oozing power-pop blended with fab moody folk-rock, a pinch of tripped out psychedelia and on top, irresistible punk rock attitude.

Mega Bog – Gone Banana CD/LP+MP3 (Omnian Music Group)

A thick green mist, a lush chill vibe; after five years and countless self-released tapes and CDs, Mega Bog — the brainchild of songwriter Erin Birgy — has complete her best work to date: a swirling pop cloud called Gone Banana. Influenced equally by the emotional psychedelia of Kevin Ayers and the pop whimsy of Steely Dan, the album is a joyous declaration of artistic independence and purpose. Changing line-ups more than most people change clothes, Birgy is an enigmatic musician and a true weirdo.

Metermaids – We Brought Knives CD (Stange Famous)

New album from Brooklyn group Metermaids, featuring dense, melodic production set atop rhythms that hit with the punch of the rowdiest hip-hop around. Emcees Sentence and Swell, renowned for the incredible chemistry present in their traditional back-and-forth delivery, attain a new level of remarkable synergy in their rhymes. The album features legendary indie rap icon Sage Francis, as well as Strange Famous Records cohorts Prolyphic and Buddy Peace.

Bill Monroe – Live 1964 CD (Rockbeat)

A 70+ minute live collection by the legendary Bill Monroe with special guest Doc Watson.

Whitey Morgan And The 78’s – Born, Raised & Live From Flint CD/LP (Bloodshot)

“From the live production value, all the way up to that gratifying outlaw sound, Whitey Morgan and The 78’s have captured an invigorating live performance from The Machine Shop, a rock & roll, heavy metal, and outlaw country venue in their hometown. Whitey’s voice is a smoke & whiskey-choked baritone reminiscent of Waylon Jennings, or George Jones, and his music really does them justice. What you drank, gettin’ ready to drink, and being drunk figure heavily into Morgan’s blue collar tunes, and while he leans on the coy and cool as a coiled rattlesnake outlaw theme, he finds a way to keep from sounding like the same old thing.” – American Standard Time

Mr. Mitch – Parallel Memories CD/2xLP+MP3 (Planet Mu)

Mr. Mitch is one of the producers who have re-envisioned grime in the last few years, infecting the scene with a progressive and often surprising energy.

Willie Nelson And Sister Bobbie – December Day: Willie’s Stash Vol. 1 CD/2xLP (Sony)

Country music legend Willie Nelson opens his vault with the launch of a brand-new archival series. Central to the first volume in the series, December Day, is the collaboration of Willie and Sister Bobbie. From Willie’s earliest years in his native Abbott, TX, Bobbie, two years his senior, was a part of his musical upbringing; the duo learned to read music and play instruments at an early age under the tutelage of their grandparents. Playing together in bands early on in their careers, Bobbie has been a key highlighted member of Willie’s Family Band since its inception, and their bond as siblings and musicians a bond that reflects years of both practice and spontaneity is palpable throughout December Day.

Owen – Other People’s Songs CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)

Mike Kinsella tackles tracks from Lungfish, Blake Babies, Mojave 3, The Promise Ring, Depeche Mode, All, Against Me!, and The Smoking Popes.

Parquet Courts – Content Nausea CD (What’s Your Rupture)

Parquet Courts – Sunbathing Animal + Content Nausea 2xCD (What’s Your Rupture)

Content Nausea, Parkay Quarts’ second release of 2014, is the inevitable repercussion to Sunbathing Animal‘s pure emotion. With one member completing a degree in mathematics, and another starting a family, Content Nausea features mostly the work of Andrew Savage and Austin Brown, with the help of a few friends (Jackie-O Motherf*cker’s Jef Brown on saxophone and Eaters’ Bob Jones on fiddle). Vinyl version of Content Nausea due January 6.

Pixies – Doolittle 25: B-Sides, Peel Sessions & Demos 3xCD/2xLP+MP3 (4AD)

First released in 1989, Doolittle was the second Pixies album and the first to be made commercially available in the US. An instant hit with critics and fans, its slow-burn success has since helped it to sell close to a million copies stateside alone. This triple-CD expanded reissue contains an impressive 50 tracks: the original album, two full Peel Sessions, six B-sides and 22 demos – of which, almost half have never been commercially released before. (The HQ-180gm vinyl version includes only the B-sides, the Peel Sessions and a selection of album demos with alternate Vaughan Oliver album art. The accompanying download of the Doolittle album and the remaining demos completes the package.)

Poordream – Ninetynine CD (Tympanik Audio)

Debut album from Greek-born composer and sound designer John Valasis AKA Poordream. Poordream offers this collection of songs that take the listener on an intense journey, set to explore the contrasts between earthly and urban, fragility, harshness, hope and despair. From ambient, organic and cinematic to experimental sound sculpting with electronic means, Poordream masterfully blends real instruments and field recording with digital textures and atmospheres in order to synthesize a unique mixture of world and contemporary electronic music.

The Popguns – Pop Fiction CD (Matinee)

New album from the legendary English band. Purveyors of heartfelt, uncomplicated pop music, carried by melodies and vocals that go straight to the heart, The Popgun’s debut single “Landslide” in 1989 was voted into John Peel’s Festive 50 and a rush of brilliant singles and albums over the next six years assured the band a well-deserved place in pop history.

Riot – Unleash The Fire CD/LP (Steamhammer)

The remaining members of power metal pioneers Riot return the follow up to 2011’s reunion record Immortal Soul.

She & Him – Classics CD/LP (Columbia)

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are She & Him, and Classics is their new album, a compilation of timeless covers, that have been previously recorded by artists such as Billie Holiday, Johnny Mathis, Dusty Springfield, Louis Armstrong, and Elvis Costello. Press for Classics is nothing but positive: “Breezy but sturdy, impeccably styled” – The New York Times, “As M. Ward’s unflustered, vintage-sounding guitars gift memories of Chet Atkins and Les Paul, there’s a welcome, brandies-by-the fireside serenity afoot.” MOJO, “Pretty love songs set in a ‘nation where summer never ends.” – Rolling Stone.

Songs Ohia – Didn’t It Rain [Reissue/2002] 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)

“Didn’t It Rain is Jason Molina’s first perfect record. Recorded live in a single room, with no overdubs and musicians creating their parts on the fly, the overall approach to the recording was nothing new for Molina. But something in the air and execution of Didn’t It Rain clearly sets it apart from his existing body of work. His albums had always been full of space, but never had Molina sculpted the space as masterfully as he does here.”

The Standells & The Chocolate Watchband – Riot On The Sunset Strip Revisited 2xCD (Rockbeat)

The Standells and The Chocolate Watchband were legendary performers during the height of the Sunset Strip scene in mid 60’s Los Angeles. Riot On The Sunset Strip Revisited presents the bands with original members performing before sold-out crowds during the Cave-Stomp Festival in New York City in 1999. The two-disc set presents full sets from both bands performing all of the timeless garage-rock nuggets.

Steffaloo – Heart Beats CD/LP (Mush)

Over the past two years, Steffaloo has made a name for herself both with her guitar, voice, and tape-hiss based releases Meet Me In Montauk, and Would You Stay, and with a series of guest spots for releases of electronic producers. With Heat Beats, Steffaloo calls in production favors from some of her friends and collects them for her first all-electronic release.

Sundy Best – Salvation City CD (eOne)

Sundy Best’s sound continues to evolve from the cajón/guitar combo Appalachian country rock into a full band featuring Kris Bentley playing both drums and cajón on the new album and Nick Jamerson adding electric guitar. Elements of blues and rock added along with their own brand of real life country are apparent throughout the Salvation City.

Sun Glitters – Scattered Into Light CD/LP (Mush)

Scattered Into Light is the Mush debut from the Luxembourg-based electronic act, Sun Glitters. The eleven-track album remains true to the glitchy R&B and deep tech-house sound that has blasted Sun Glitters into the consciousness of electronic music fans over the last two years. Stuttering beats and wobbling synths are soft-focused through a sun-bleached lens in a way that will appeal to synth-pop, ambient, and dustup fans in equal measure.

Tineadae – Shadows CD (Tympanik Audio)

Focusing on beat-oriented IDM and tightly textured ambient sounds, this young Ukrainian producer manages to harness intensity and precision to create engaging sound motifs. By fusing expansive ambient atmospheres, harmonic notions, dissonant glitches and broken beats that guide along haunting melodies, Shadows creates the impression of a hollow chamber, in which sounds ricochet from tunnel walls.

Uncle Bard & The Dirty Bastards – Get The Folk Out CD (Heptown)

New album from the Italian Celtic punk band. Formed back in 2007, Uncle Bard & The Dirty Bastards have shared the stage with Dropkick Murphys as well as Four Men & A Dog (Ireland), De Dannan (Ireland), Volbeat (Denmakr), Jamie Clarke’s Perfect (UK, ex-Pogues).

The Unforgiven – The Unforgiven [Reissue/1986] CD (Real Gone Music)

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this under-appreciated 1986 album from the L.A.-based roots/pop rockers.

Various Artists – Disco: A Fine Selection Of Independent Disco, Modern Soul And Boogie 1978-82 CD/2xLP+MP3/2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)

An amazing collection of rare and independent tracks from disco’s halcyon period: 1978-1982, compiled by Disco Patrick, who also compiled the new deluxe book. Blurring the musical lines between disco, modern soul and boogie this double album features many exclusive and hard-to-find records from the era. (Vinyl version sold as two separate double-LP volumes.)

Walk The Moon – Talking Is Hard CD/LP (RCA)

Walk The Moon is a Cincinnati dance-rock band who’ve garnered a following for their ’80s-leaning pop songs. “We wanted to come out with something that was in-your-face and staying true to our quirky indie rock pop selves,” frontman Nicholas Petricca told Radio.com about the record. “But we really explored the far corners of Walk The Moon on this record. We pretty much tried everything. We tried playing super hard and weird and dreamy and soft, everything. So the album is a lot more ferocious, and then a lot more tender in some moments.”

Walter TV – Appetite CD/LP (Omnian Music Group)

Walter TV is comprised of Mac Demarco’s backing band, a trio that started in a small apartment in Montreal. It was there that the friends created the outer space frenetic sounds that are heard all throughout their official debut, Appetite.

The Wharves – At Bay CD/LP+MP3 (Gringo)

Debut from London based three-piece combines gracefully minimal psych-rock with fuzzed-out folk. The Wharves invoke the spook of ‘60s girl groups, the mid-fi guitar crunch of The Amps, the vocal flavors of The Roches and the narrative of ‘70s progressive folk.

Wu-Tang Clan – A Better Tomorrow CD (WB)

The legendary hip-hop supergroup’s first release in seven years also marks their 20th anniversary as a collective. All hands are on deck: RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna.

Yo La Tengo – Extra Painful [Reissue/1993] 2xCD/2xLP+7” (Matador)

Deluxe expanded double-disc reissue of Yo La Tengo’s 1993’s classic Painful — released in conjunction with their 30th Anniversary. Available on CD and vinyl. The double-vinyl version includes a bonus 7” plus download coupon for the extra tracks featured on the CD.

DVDs + Blu-ray:

Descendents/ALL – Filmage: The Story Of Decendents/ALL DVD+Blu-ray (Epitaph)

This documentary, directed by Matt Riggle and Deedle LaCour, chronicles the legends of punk and treats audiences to interviews with the band and its contemporaries Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), Mark Hoppus (Blink-182), Mike Watt (Minutemen) Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion), and many more, revealing the untold story of one of the most influential bands in punk. This bonus cut edition is packed with nearly 80 additional minutes of bonus content. Includes interviews, archival footage, live shows, tour stories, and band history that landed on the cutting room floor, along with two short films, The Lombardo Short (starring original bassist Tony Lombardo) and The Stevenson Monologues, which offers a deeper peek into the mind of Bill Stevenson as he sounds off on fashion, religion, high school, Milo and more.

The Haters – The Haters Live DVD (Helicopter)

The Haters Live features twenty-three classic live actions spanning the years from ‘80s to mid-’90s with a handful of later dates, the latest being the 20th anniversary show—all released on DVD for the first time. Remastered audio and newly restored video, along with nine bonus documents and films by label chief John Wiese.

One Direction – Where We Are: Live From San Siro Stadium DVD/Blu-ray (Columbia)

Live set plus exclusive bonus content including “The Road to San Siro” with backstage footage of the band and crew and a booklet including never before seen live and backstage pictures from the tour. 150 minutes.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Anatomy Of Habit – Ciphers + Axioms LP (Relapse)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Chicago post-metal/noise rock unit unveils their Relapse debut. Fronted by noise icon Mark Solotroff of Bloodyminded, Anatomy Of Habit boasts an all-star lineup featuring drummer John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea And Cake, Gastr Del Sol etc.), guitarist Will Lindsay (Indian, Wolves In The Throne Room etc.), percussionist Theo Katsaounis (Joan Of Arc) and bassist Kenny Rasmussen (ex-Radar Eyes).

Audacity – Counting The Days 7”+MP3 (Suicide Squeeze)

The A-side of this single is the group in all their ragged glory: righteous guitar leads, buoyant choruses, and unhinged energy. For the flipside, the OC boys pay tribute to British post-punkers Delta 5 with an explosive cover of their debut single from 1979.

Beacon – L1 12” (Ghostly International)

For much of the Brooklyn duo’s career, Beacon has worked with a kind of effervescent, forward-looking R&B that evokes out-of-body experiences, but with their new L1 EP, the music is anchored assuredly to your flesh, bone, and physical senses. The brawny synth timbres which open lead track “Fault Lines” and the stomping beats bolstering gauzy falsettos on confident songs like “Minor Structure” set the tone for a new phase in Beacon’s evolution, one geared toward the movements and magnetism of human bodies.

Bis – Keep Your Darkness b/w Twilight Café 7” (Do Yourself In)

Brand new recording b/w a cover of Susan Fassbender’s UK 1981 minor hit, exclusive to this release.

Blanche Blanch Blanche – Hints To Pilgrims LP (OSR)

A collection of concise, spare arrangements — typically either limited to piano and bass or guitar and bass. RIYL: Kevin Ayers, Royal Trux, Parquet Courts, Syd Barrett.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre – + – 10” (A. Records)

Three brand new and exclusive tracks. White vinyl.

Peter Brötzmann & Jason Adasiewicz – Mollie’s In The Mood LP (Eremite)

The sequel to the Brötzmann/Adasiewicz 2012 tour-only CD Going All Fancy and the third LP on Bro Records since the label’s 2003 revival. Recorded in “you are there” fidelity live at Chicago’s Hideout on the duo’s 2012 USA tour, this is what happens when the most original vibraphonist of his generation slams into a force of nature.

Broughton’s Rules – Anechoic Horizon LP (Relapse)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A post-rock band with a bit of the Don Caballero in them (literally and figuratively), Broughton’s Rules unleash their second record of emotive guitar signaling and climactic skyscraping. Anechoic Horizon is a purely instrumental work that evokes the genre’s blank and beautiful heydays.

Buzzcocks – The Way LP (1-2-3-4 Go!)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl (first pressing of 900 on white wax). The Way is the follow up to 2006’s Flat-Pack Philosophy LP and is the band’s ninth studio album since their formation in Manchester in 1976. These 10 tracks penned by the group’s long-standing core of Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle were recorded this year in London, and were produced by the band and Dave M. Allen (best known for his production work with The Cure, Depeche Mode and Neneh Cherry). The Way packs the same classic UK pop punk punch they’ve been known for over nearly four decades.

The Cancers – Fatten The Leeches LP (Dead Broke)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut album from the alt-rock band featuring former members of Unfun and Dead Dog. Produced by Jack Endino.

Coathangers/These Arms Are Snakes – Sex Beat 7”+MP3 (Suicide Squeeze)

TAAS’s bleary and blighted artcore takes on Lost Sounds’ “Energy Drink & The Long Walk Home,” while the Coathangers channel their jagged catabolic garage rock into The Gun Club’s “Sex Beat.”

Eric Copeland – Ms Pretzel 12” (DFA)

Ms Pretzel is a four-track, 20-minute EP of brand new material by Eric Copeland (Black Dice, Terrestrial Tones). This is Eric’s return to DFA after the release of an acclaimed single on Ron Morelli’s underground dance juggernaut L.I.E.S., which followed his beloved 2013 album Joke In The Hole, his solo debut for DFA

Cradle Of Filth – The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (The End)

Cradle Of Filth – V Empire Or Dark Faerytales In Phallustein [Reissue/1996] LP (The End)

Cradle Of Filth helped usher in a wave of black metal with their wholly unique sound, rife with dark keyboard melodies, vile riffs, and of course, Dani Filth’s unmistakable vocals. Marble color vinyl reissues with gatefold sleeves. 

Allison Crutchfield – Lean Into It 12” (Kingfisher Bluez)

Debut solo EP from current Swearin’/ex-PS Eliot lead singer/songwriter. Poppy lo-fi bedroom recordings with plenty of electronic flourishes. Fans of Waxahatchee (her sister Katie’s band) and Casiotone For The Painfully Alone take notice.

Cybotron – Cybotron [Reissue/1976] LP (Dual Planet)

Digitally remastered edition of the 1976 debut album from the legendary Australian electronic duo. Cybotron was the synthesis of progressive rock and electronic music experimentation. Conceived by pioneers of the Australian electronic underground, Steve Maxwell Von Braund and keyboardist Geoff Green, together they produced a series of mind-altering cosmic albums throughout the 1970s which set the tone for the minimal wave and electronic post punk scene of early 1980s Melbourne. Part Tangerine Dream, part Ash Ra Tempel, Cybotron channelled the spirit of Krautrock to create their own unique brand of throbbing komische electronica rivaling the futuristic vision of their German counterparts.

Death Fortress – Among The Ranks Of The Unconquerable LP (Fallen Empire)

The debut album from New Jersey’s Death Fortress showcases the band with a complete lineup for the first time. A pointed black metal attack that is as evocative as it is destructive. Features cover art by Ola Larsson.

The Decemberists – The Tain/5 Songs [Reissue/2004] LP (Jealous Butcher)

HQ-180gm vinyl repress now available. The A-side is made up of a short form concept record called The Tain, based on what most consider the Illiad of Irish myth. While keeping the signature Decemberists sound intact, the band gives a significant nod to such ‘70s progressive rockers as Deep Purple and Iron Butterfly. The B-side is a vinyl release of the band’s first EP, 5 Songs. It is simpler and less adorned, but still a marvelous collection of characters trapped in song, clawing and cooing their way out.

Destroyer – Your Blues [2004] LP+MP3 (Merge)

First time available on vinyl outside of Canada. Bombastic and bold at times, quiet and soothing at others, Your Blues has a theatrical quality that informs the compositions. Recorded with the production duo JC/DC (aka David Carswell and John Collins) — who aided in the creation of Destroyer’s first three discs — Dan Bejar ditches the band format he used for 2002’s This Night with tremendous results. Fusing a dramatic vocal style akin to that of David Bowie in the 1970s with 1980s studio achievers like Microdisney and Prefab Sprout, Your Blues is regularly breathtaking. HQ-180gm.

Ani DiFranco – Allergic To Water LP (Righteous Babe)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Ani’s new album features some of her subtlest music to date. Throughout Allergic To Water, DiFranco, her band and a few music guests, create melodies that are lilting and funky, imaginative and personal: so personal that she produced and mixed the record all on her own. Vibes, tones and rhythms constantly change while her band draws on its own expansive palette.

Brian Eno –The Shutov Assembly [Reissue/1992] 2xLP+MP3 (All Saints)

Brian Eno –Nerve Net [Reissue/1992] 2xLP+MP3 (All Saints)

Brian Eno –The Drop [Reissue/1997] 2xLP+MP3 (All Saints)

Recently reissued on CD – now available on vinyl for the first time.

Cameron Esposito – Same Sex Symbol LP (Kill Rock Stars)

A regular guest on top comedy podcasts like Comedy Bang Bang and How Did This Get Made, Cameron is also the creator/host of Wham Bam Pow, an action sci-fi movie podcast on the Maximum Fun network and Put Your Hands Together, a weekly standup podcast and live show taped at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles. She is currently developing television projects with FOX Television and Earwolf Productions. White/pink marble color vinyl.

Larry Fessenden/Glenn Mcquaid – Tales From Beyond the Pale: Hole Digger/Trawler 2xLP (Deep Focus)

Inspired by the vintage radio shows of Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles, Tales From Beyond The Pale was conceived and is curated by Larry Fessenden and Glenn McQuaid. Theme music by Jeff Grace, original score by Dave Eggar, and featuring the voice talents of Christopher Denham, AJ Bowen and Larry Fessenden.

Robert Lester Folsom – Ode To A Rainy Day: Archives 1972-1975 LP (Anthology Recordings)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Anthology Recordings is proud to announce the reissue of Robert Lester Folsom’s extraordinary 1976 album Music And Dreams. To commemorate this repress Anthology label head Keith Abrahamsson worked closely with Alan Lomax Archive’s Executive Director Don Fleming to compile a retrospective album of Folsom’s early reel-to-reel recordings entitled Ode To A Rainy Day: Archives 1972-1975. Too young to be drafted, Robert Lester Folsom spent the ‘60s growing up in Adel, Georgia, a small town nearer to Florida’s northern border than anything resembling rock & roll. Convincing a friend to go in on a Sears reel-to-reel tape recorder, Folsom would write and record a wealth of material in the early ‘70s which make up the backbone of Ode To A Rainy Day: Archives 1972-1975. Ostensibly more homemade, if not entirely “outsider”, Ode showcases impeccable songwriting across light folk, downer pop and woodshed country tropes. The beauty of this archival album lies in its tracking of the seasons, how each song feels like a different time of year.

Frazey Ford – Indian Ocean LP+MP3 (Nettwerk)

During the creative cycle of writing for her latest, Indian Ocean, in profound synchronicity, Frazey Ford received and invitation to record in Memphis with Al Green’s iconic back up band. The resulting album is a masterwork soul album with Frazey’s smolderingly urgent vocals, emotionally raw lyrics, and muddy-road folk effortlessly melting into the elegant earthiness of soul music’s finest musicians.

Forward – Against Their Insanity 12” (540 Records)

Ishiya’s gravel-throated vocals are more devastating than ever and the term “bombastic” has rarely been more accurate than on this six-song banger. The anti-war bent on Against Their Insanity is unforgiving (and refreshing), and the anger and frustration translates to the harsh metallic riffing on “Murdered” while the frenetic pace of “What Would You Do?” matches the frustration conveyed by the song’s lyrics.

Ruth Garbus – Joule EP 7” (OSR)

The former Happy Birthday member is joined by Kyle Thomas (King Tuff) and Chris Weisman on her new single. Previous albums on Autumn and Burger. RIYL: tUnEyArDs, White Fence, Jessica Pratt, Sharon Van Etten.

Katie Gately/Tlaotlon – Split Series #23 12” (Fat Cat)

Katie Gately has crafted a set of brilliantly intricate and ambitious sound pieces that exist in a borderzone between electro-acoustic composition, field recording and deconstructed pop bringing to mind the widescreen scope of Scott Walker or Julia Holter and the precise playful abstraction of Matmos and Holly Herndon. Messy, maximalist and psychedelic, Tlaotlon proffers a kind of squelchy, hyper-colorful, dislocated modern electronica that might find roots in older models like Phthalocyanine or Autechre but sharing commonalities with current producers like Pattern, Sculpture, Dalglish, and Astral Social Club.

Gnidrolog – Lady Lake [Reissue/1972] LP (4 Men With Beards)

HQ-180gm vinyl reissue of the second album by the British prog rock group, originally released in 1972.

Steve Gunn – Boerum Palace [Reissue/2009] LP+MP3 (Three Lobed)

Boerum Palace is Steve Gunn’s second album, originally released in 2009 and is now available as a limited 140gm purple/white color vinyl pressing with insert and download code. Gunn will release a collaborative album with The Black Twig Pickers on Thrill Jockey February 2015.

Gx Jupitter-Iarsen – Pump Powered Permawave 10” (Oxen)

If you’ve seen Gx or The Haters in the last few months you’ve seen the salvo of entropic noise greatness in the form of Gx and his deployment of the Pump-Powered Suitcase Noise device. This 10” features new recordings; four (two complimentary lock-grooves) tracks of this exceptional action. Limited edition of 200 copies pressed on orange vinyl.

Hieronymus Silk Road b/w Pound Of Pepper 7” (ZamZam)

As home with rub-a-dub and ‘80s digital as he is with roots dub and dub techno, Hieronymus brings his strong personal aesthetic to each and every track, never losing himself or his vision in this arcade of musical touchstones. Haunting melodies, crushing rhythms, intense frequency control and spatial awareness, and a deep preoccupation with tactile textures characterize his utterly unique take on classic dub principles.

Holiday Friends – Major Magic LP (Arena Rock)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Although Astoria, Oregon is best known to multiple generations of pop-culture observers as the cinematic setting of the ’80s cult classic The Goonies, the rugged riverfront city now has another distinction: as the home of the fab new pop-rock combo known as Holiday Friends.

The Hussy – Cement Tomb Mind Control [Reissue/2011] LP+MP3 (Southpaw)

Originally only pressed in a quantity of 500 copies that was quickly sold out due to the bands relentless touring and rave reviews from AV Club and Terminal Boredom, this new expanded reissue includes updated cover art, full color insert and a digital download.

Kid Millions & Jim Sauter – Fountain LP (Family Vineyard)

Drummer Kid Millions (Oneida) and saxophonist Jim Sauter (Borbetomagus) vaporize the annals of rock ‘n’ roll ‘n’ jazz into pulsating feedback/propulsion.

Hari Kondabolu – Waiting For 2042 LP (Kill Rock Stars)

Hari Kondabolu is a Brooklyn-based, Queens-raised comic who the NY Times has called “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today.”

Brian May – Turkey Shoot [1982] LP (Dual Planet)

Vinyl reissue of Brian May’s score for the cult classic Australian film Turkey Shoot which became notorious and released under various different titles including Blood Camp Thatcher, and predated later films like Battle Royale and The Hunger Games. His soundtrack for Turkey Shoot is akin to that of some of John Carpenter’s renowned work.

Franco Micalizzi & The Big Bubbling Band – Cinema a Mano Armata LP (Dagored)

Here’s a classic 1970s funky Italian soundtrack jam to spread on your morning toast in the form of Cinema a Mano Armata from Franco Micalizzi and The Big Bubbling Band. Expect lots of jazzy, brassy, funky instrumentals from the Italian composer who made his name scoring the Italian poliziotteschi films of the 1970s.

Matthew Melton – Outside Of Paradise LP (Southpaw)

Matthew Melton is making a name for himself in the genres of garage rock and power-pop. His collection of bands includes Snake Flower 2, Bare Wires, and most recently Warm Soda. Fans of Melton’s past and present projects will enjoy this medley of songs ranging from power-pop gems, smooth punk jams and heavy psych hitters.

The Memories – Hot Afternoon LP (Burger)

The Memories was formed at a crash pad in southeast Portland, Oregon in the summer of 2010 by boyhood friends and White Fang bandmates Rikky Gage and Kyle Handley. Combining their longtime love of oldies like the Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison with their mutual fascination with the lo-fi sounds like Television Personalities and The Clean, their self-titled debut album was an instant lo-fi pop classic. Their new album Hot Afternoon was produced by Sonny Smith (Sonny & The Sunsets).

Ennio Morricone – Il Prefetto Di Ferro [Reissue/1977] LP (Dagored)

Ennino Morricone was behind the score for this 1977 drama about a prefect living around the time of Italy’s fascist government. As always, Morricone aims to delve into the complexities of the film’s emotive qualities, making a melancholic soundtrack that occasionally achieves a harsher, more dramatic feel. He also had to learn a thing or two about the folk music of Sicily to produce the song “La Ballata del Prefetto Mori.”

Ennio Morricone And Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza – A Quiet Place In The Country OST LP [1968] (The Omni Recording Corporation)

Limited deluxe HQ-180gm gatefold pressing includes extensive and exclusive liner notes by Andy Votel, original artwork and rare photos/ephemera. The originally unreleased avant/cacophonic score to Elio Petri’s manic Artsploitation masterpiece was the first and last time Morricone and Il Gruppo would co- sign an OST/session. Conducted by Bruno Nicolai with vocalizations by Edda Dell’Orso and drums by Vincenzo Restuccia, A Quiet Place In The Country is a historic (and quite forgotten) recording that sees Il Gruppo in their key gestational phase just prior to recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, RCA Italiana, and the magnificent unreleased session, Niente.

Mr. Mitch – Don’t Leave 12” (Planet Mu)

Mr. Mitch is one of the producers who have re-envisioned grime in the last few years, infecting the scene with a progressive and often surprising energy.

Matthew Mullane – Hut Variations LP (VDSQ)

Among the more revelatory contemporary guitarists, Mullane’s new album Hut Variations is a further progression in terms of technique, composition and performance. Limited edition of 500 copies in heavy stock, spot-gloss jackets.

Riz Ortolani – Il Consigliori [Reissue/1973] LP (Dagored)

A remastered release from the late Riz Ortolani (Cannibal Holocaust, The Valachi Papers), the original soundtrack to Il Consigliori directed by Alberto De Martino. Crime brass explosions, solid funk warfare and all out Italian romance all feature on this beautiful sounding record. Fall in love with violence.

Berto Pisano & Jacques Chaumont – Kill! [1971] LP (The Omni Recording Corporation)

“Fuzz guitars, go-go beats, weird exotic soundscapes and Doris Troy (of ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ fame) screaming about gizzards. Only in Rome, only in 1971. Brilliant but overlooked composer Berto Pisano and (we suspect) his no less talented brother Franco (working under a pseudonym) to craft the perfect score for this drug-fuelled piece of cinematic mayhem.”

Planes Mistaken For Stars – Up In Them Guts [Reissue/2004] LP (No Idea)

Back in print on limited edition color vinyl. A huge, compelling and immediate burst of twin-guitar rock fury, delivered with a ton of soul, force and clarity.

Brian Reitzell – Hannibal: Season 1, Vol. 1 2xLP+MP3/2xLP+MP3 (Invada)

Brian Reitzell – Hannibal: Season 1, Vol. 2 2xLP+MP3/2xLP+MP3 (Invada)

Vinyl releases (four sets total) of two volumes of music from Season 1 of hit NBC television series Hannibal by Brian Reitzell. Spread across two double gatefold LPs with each volume available as 140gm and color variants. Accompanying the release, director David Slade has provided rare photos from his personal collection for the artwork. Each double LP is housed in a gatefold sleeve and comes with a download card.

Janek Schaefer – Inner Space Memorial In Wonderland LP (Dekorder)

Janek Schaefer – Unfolding Luxury Beyond The City Of Dreams LP (Dekorder)

A pair of new LPs composed and designed by UK sound artist extraordinaire Janek Schaefer, who is known around the world for his wide variety of engaging and unpredictable works for installation, concert and composition. Following his highly acclaimed Lay-By Lullabye album, Janek has created and collated a collection of tracks that showcase his more ambient works.

The Seach Party – Montgomery Chapel [Reissue/1969] LP (Lion Productions)

The Search Party was the brainchild of (then Reverend) Nicholas Freund. Having left Wisconsin to join a burgeoning West Coast religious scene, Freund made his way to San Francisco in 1968 to lay down this sole effort with some of his students. The result is a spooky trip that’s equal parts acid-soaked mind expansion and God. Laced with haunting vocals and dreamlike passages, sinister farfisa, blasts of fuzz guitar and downer lyrics, Montgomery Chapel is psychedelic music at its most evocative and thanks to its depth and sense of anxiety, most truly spiritual. Only 600 copies were pressed and issued on the custom Century label; they’ve become holy grails of collectors. Artists as disparate as Current 93’s David Tibet and Sonic Boom have heaped praise on it.

Slasher Dave – Tomb Of Horror LP (Bellyache)

Creeping out of the rotting crypts, Slasher returns with yet another album of unrelenting horror soundtrack lunacy. Emerging from the murky depths of the John Carpenter inspired debut album, Spookhouse, a brand new chapter of terror takes form. This time, drawing influence from Fabio Frizzi and Italian movie soundtracks, in the festering spirit of Dr. Butcher M.D., Cannibal Ferox, and Fulci classics like Zombie and The Beyond. Elements of Goblin can also be discerned shrieking from the decrepit caskets of the rotting dead. Filled with even more frenzied synthesizer pandemonium, and introducing instruments like the Mellotron and 12-string guitar, Tomb Of Horror manifests a much darker side of Slasher Dave’s music.

Smoky Babe – Way Back In The Country Blues LP (Arhoolie)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Today it is hard to find anyone at all who remembers Robert Brown, the powerful Mississippi-born guitar player known to a few blues fans as Smoky Babe. Born in Itta Bena, MS, Smoky was recorded by folklorist Harry Oster in Louisiana and Mississippi on some twenty occasions between February 1960 and August 1961. These recordings were previously unissued, hidden away on tapes in Oster’s widow’s house. Way Back In The Country Blues represents what we feel is the best of those long lost performances.

Spoonboy/The Goodbye Party – The Goodbye Party/Spoonboy [Split] 7” (Silver Sprocket)

Spoonboy is the stage-name for David Combs when not performing with Washington DC pop-punk powerhouse The Max Levine Ensemble, in this case as part of a full-on seven-member pop-punk orchestra kicking out two of the catchiest, most heartfelt and fun sing-alongs about intense experiences and important shit this side of paradise. Flip the record over for two equally saccharine soul-wrenching power-pop rockers from The Goodbye Party.

The Stray Birds – Best Medicine LP+CD (Yep Roc)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The band – multi-instrumentalists and vocalists Maya de Vitry, Oliver Craven, and Charlie Muench – hails from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. All three are classically-trained musicians who’ve been making music of all kinds since childhood (before they reconnected through the local music scene, de Vitry and Muench first met in middle school orchestra); however, they were also all raised with a steady diet of music ranging from pioneers like The Carter Family and Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys to the joyous invention of The Beatles and The Band, to the groundbreaking artistry of Jimi Hendrix.

Such Gold – The New Sidewalk LP (Razor & Tie)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The pop/punk band from Rochester, NY completed their new studio album with Bill Stevenson (Descendents, A Wilhelm Scream, Propagandhi).

Nikki Sudden – Dark Rags At Dawn 7xLP+7” (Numero)

In founding Swell Maps, the post-punk prefacing Birmingham art-snots, Nikki Sudden and his drumming brother Epic Soundtracks charted new territory for racket and corrosive guitar. But after folding Swell Maps at the dawn of the ’80s, Nikki Sudden plowed through another decade’s worth of terrifically fertile ground. Drawing on his devotion to the Rolling Stones and T. Rex, Nikki Sudden cut a string of raw, inspired rock & roll records, etched with double-edged travel melancholia and hard-bitten punk dejection.

Swamp Dogg – The White Man Made Me Do It LP (Alive)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The White Man Made Me Do It is Swamp Dogg’s new album, and his first soul record in decades. Over the course of 14 songs, and with the help of a cast of veteran soul greats, the idiosyncratic performer re-captures the spirit of his ‘70s cult recordings. “The White Man Made Me Do It” mixes classic Southern soul grooves with pointed, poignant lyrics, reflecting upon race, love, and money. As usual Swamp demonstrates his savage sense of humor and his instinctive aversion to hypocrisy.

Alexis Taylor vs. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Am I Not A Weak Soldier 7” (Domino)

A stunning collaboration of two pioneering musicians, Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip) and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. Each artist wrote a song and performed on each other’s recordings.

Tony Tears – Voci dal Passato [Reissue/2009] LP (Universal Consciousness)

First vinyl issue of the Italian avant-garde occult metal cult classic. “…The overall atmosphere of this record is sooooooooo sad, yet somehow comforting. Even though we don’t understand the Italian, this comes across as being very intimate and personal, and not just because of a certain sparseness to the mix that speaks to this being a one-man effort. Tony Tears’ repetitive lumbering heavy riffs and dark keyboard coloration, punctuated with mechanical, but not entirely predictable drum beats, awash with flangey, spacey effects and further embellished with his poetically mannered, incantatory Italian, has had quite an effect on the psyches of those here who can’t help but keep this in heavy rotation.”

T.I. – Paperwork 2xLP (Sony)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Executive produced by Pharrell Williams, Paperwork features guest appearances from Young Thug, Iggy Azalea, Skylar Grey, Chris Brown, Usher, The-Dream, Pharrell and others.

Transit – Joyride LP (Rise)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Boston indie-punk band.

Usnea – Random Cosmic Violence LP (Relapse)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “In a year that has already delivered amazing new records from Yob, Pallbearer, Triptykon, Thou, Eyehategod, and Indian (among others), it’s pretty close to impossible to show up in mid-November with an album of sludge/funeral doom and make any sort of impact. But Random Cosmic Violence — the sophomore LP from Portland, OR’s Usnea — arrives with the force of an asteroid, and leaves behind a f**king crater.” – Stereogum

Various Artists – 5 Years Of Bedroom Suck Records 2xLP (Bedroom Suck)

The leading light of the Australian independent music scene, Bedroom Suck Records celebrates their fifth birthday with the release of this essential double-LP compilation of the labels finest acts.

Vorde – Vorde LP (Fallen Empire)

The debut album from New York City’s Vorde — five tracks of dizzying cosmic black metal. Limited to 500 copies on HQ-180gr vinyl with an undisclosed amount on purple vinyl.

Voyag3er – Doom Fortress LP (Bellyache)

Doom Fortress is the debut full-length album from Detroit’s Voyag3r (pronounced Voyager Three). Voyag3r are a synth based instrumental rock band that draws inspiration from sci-fi, horror, action soundtrack music from the ‘70s and ‘80s.

1. Roddy Walston And The Business – Hail Mega Boys [2007] LP (Morphius)

First time on vinyl for J. Roddy Walston’s debut album. “Equal parts ragtime, southern trash rock and McCartney-esque classic rock, with some gospel and barbershop thrown in. Think a really twisted version of The Band circa 1969, and you’d be pretty close.” — The Washington Post

1. Ward – Transistor Radio [Reissue/2005] LP+CD+MP3 (Merge)

HQ-180gm vinyl reissue of M. Ward’s 2005 album, expanded with bonus tracks. Transistor Radio continued down a dusty well-worn road full of timeless, uniquely American stories. His distinctly weathered voice and intricate guitar playing are helped along with an impressive group of guests including Jim James, Jenny Lewis, Howe Gelb, and Jordan Hudson (The Thermals).

Chris Weisman – Monet In The ‘90s LP+MP3 (OSR)

New solo album from the former member of Happy Birthday (the short-lived and long-loved Sub Pop outfit). An oppositional spectrum spanning from pop simplicity tropisms and cannabinoid rock theatrics to the kind of mystical harmonic complexity and radical engineering that would never fly in HB. RIYL: Robyn Hitchcock, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joni Mitchell, King Tuff.

Hartley C. White – This Is Not What You Expect LP+MP3 (OSR)

A collection of material recorded from 1984-2009. Hartley is the progenitor of a style of music he calls Whopazootic, which he has described as “a non-classical music utilizing a broken rhythm.” RIYL: 10CC, Sly & The Family Stone, Willis Earl Beal, Ariel Pink.

Andrew Thomas Wilson – The Chain Reaction [OST] [Reissue/1980] LP (Dual Planet)

Andrew Thomas Wilson’s compositions are cold but gentle, bringing about the inevitable conflicts of chilling instrumental music with light, synth-pop oriented sounds. Basically, there’s a lot of synth, used in a few different disciplines — and it always sounds like an icicle is being dangled above your head. His music for The Chain Reaction is an understated gem in the history of electronic film soundtracks, showing off Wilson’s ability to tame one of those pesky modular synths in the midst of an apocalypse.

Woodsman – Teleseparation 10” (Fire Talk)

These Brooklyn via Denver psych warlocks return with a companion piece to their self-titled LP released in early 2014. A long form stream of consciousness broken into four parts, of which the last track on that album was excerpted from. Extremely limited lathe cut 10″.

Books:

90 Degrees Of Shade: 100 Years Of Photography In The Caribbean (Soul Jazz)

Fantastic new deluxe large format hardback 12″ x 12″ book from Soul Jazz Books featuring 100 years of photography in the Caribbean. From Calypso to Voodoo, Communism to Reggae, Colonialism and the Slave Trade, Rum and Revolution, Industry and Tourism – over 100 years of photographing the Caribbean is captured in this book.

Disco: An Encyclopedic Guide To The Cover Art Of Disco (Soul Jazz)

Deluxe 360-page hardcover book featuring over 2,000 album cover designs as well as over 700 12” sleeves, including sections on roller disco, disco instruction albums and more. Includes interviews and introductions by Tom Moulton, Nicky Siano, Mel Cheren (West End Records), Ken Cayre (Salsoul), Marvin Schlachter (Prelude) and more.