AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:
Ghoul – Noxious Concoctions CD/LP (Tank Crimes)
Creepsylvanian cannibal splatterthrashers Ghoul returns with this five-song EP, Noxious Concoctions. Vicious thrash and death metal. A must have for any Ghoulunatic wondering where the world of Creepsylvania was left at the end of the last hit album, Dungeon Bastards. A real neck wrecker.
Taylor McCall – Mellow War CD/2xLP (Thirty Tigers)
Mellow War is Taylor McCall’s second studio album and first production project. This album was co-produced by Taylor McCall and Sean McConnell. This album features Taylor’s late grandfather during his days in Vietnam on the cover as well as the intro track, “Sinking Sand”, from his days as a pastor. His mother also is singing in the choir. Mellow War explores the balance of good and evil, destruction and healing and the importance of having faith in the darkest of times.
Hannah Wicklund – The Prize CD/LP (Label 51)
Hannah Wicklund is a 26-year-old Nashville-based, South Carolina-born rock singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and painter. She self-released her first album which has garnered 10 million Spotify streams. She is supporting Greta Van Fleet on their winter European tour and headlining her own Spring tour in 2024. Hannah recently played at the Eric Clapton Crossroads Festival on the emerging artist stage. [A limited-edition pink color vinyl pressing is available.]
Additional Social Media Program Titles:
Brigitt Calls Me Baby – This House Is Made Of Corners LP (ATO)
Chicago-based Brigitte Calls Me Baby span genres and eras, merging the lavish romanticism of mid-century pop with the frenetic energy of post-punk, new wave, and early-millennium indie-rock. Originally from Southeast Texas, frontman Wes Leavins grew up hearing Roy Orbison at his grandparents’ house next door, while his parents played albums by The Cars and Tears For Fears, and his friends turned him onto Radiohead and The Strokes. Their debut EP was produced by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb. Translucent pink LP. 45rpm.
Maddie Zahm – Now That I’ve Been Honest LP (Madeleine Zahm)
Now That I’ve Been Honest lays bare those stories in chronological order, a raw, triumphant, honest and refreshing personal story in her debut album that signals the arrival of one of music’s most important new voices. As sonically textured and layered a debut you’ll find, Now That I’ve Been Honest professes to be a coming-of-age story detailing Maddie’s life since moving to Los Angeles, while continuing to build upon the sound foundation of her early work and the community she’s created and fostered in her music.
Maddie Zahm – You Might Not Like Her 12” (Madeleine Zahm)
Maddie Zahm’s breakout EP, You Might Not Like Her, is available for the first time on vinyl, pressed on black vinyl in gatefold packaging.
CDs + Vinyl:
P.P. Arnold – Kafunta [Reissue/1968] CD/LP (Charly)
Digitally remastered edition. The second album that former Ikette P.P. Arnold recorded for the Immediate label. A fine collection of classic covers including “As Tears Go By” by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, a beautiful take of Beach Boy Brian Wilson’s “God Only Knows”, superb renditions of John Lennon and Paul McCartney classic’s “Yesterday” and “Eleanor Rigby” and the wonderful Bee Gee’s classic “To Love Somebody”.
Britti – Hello, I’m Britti. CD/LP (Easy Eye Sound)
A true heiress of the rich musical history of her native New Orleans, Britti is an arresting new voice in her triumphant debut, Hello, I’m Britti. Inspired by musical luminaries from Diana Ross to Dolly Parton and influenced by contemporary legends from Beyoncé to Sade, the album is one of immense gravity and a personal love letter to the place she calls home. Signed, co-written, and produced by Dan Auerbach, the album is fresh and wondrous, with a levee-like hold on her own heritage. [A limited-edition pink/purple swirl color vinyl pressing is available.]
Candido Y Su Movimento – Palos De Fuego [Reissue/1972] CD/LP (Now Again)
Candido was mentored by Tito Punete, and his debut features a fantastic mix of fiery salsa, Latin jazz, and sweet Latin soul. Ghetto Records was Joe Bataan’s way to get over on “The Man” and out of the ‘hood, a bold move by an artist looking for independence and creative control in an industry that had exploited his talents and treated him like chattel.
Mariah Carey – Music Box [Reissue/1994] 3xCD/4xLP (Sony Legacy)
Music Box: 30th Anniversary Expanded Edition presents the original album Music Box in its entirety with the noteworthy addition of “Everything Fades Away” (previously available only as an international bonus track). Additional content includes a variety of previously unreleased tracks including “Workin’ Hard”, “All I Live For (Extended Version)”, “My Prayer”, “Hero (2009 Version)”, “Anytime You Need A Friend” (Extended Mix), “Music Box” (A Capella) and two live performances from Top of the Pops: “Dreamlover” and “Without You.” The set also includes Mariah Carey’s duet with Luther Vandross on “Endless Love” as well as two brand new remixes from Grammy Award nominated DJ Terry Hunter: “I’ve Been Thins About You”, “Workin’ Hard”, as well as Mariah Carey Live At Proctor’s Theater, NY – 1993, Mariah’s complete showcase for the first time and features eight previously unreleased concert performances. (The Proctor’s Theater performances of “Hero” and “Dreamlover” are the only two previously released tracks from the concert.)
Condemned – Daemonium CD/LP (Unique Leader)
The career defining fourth full-length album from brutal death legends Condemned, Daemonium features sharp production and an elevated sense of heaviness throughout. Essential listening for all fans of classic Californian brutal death metal.
Firament / Midnight Prey – Gathered Under Open Skies CDEP/12” (Dying Victim Productions)
Journey into a realm where two German hard and heavy forces converge, conjuring four sonic spells that traverse the limitless expanse of imagination.
Freeways – True Bearings [Reissue/2020] CD/LP (Dying Victim Productions)
The first hit album by the Canadian hard rock band is finally back in print. Canadian heavy rock with a NWOBHM vibe.
Ghoul – Noxious Concoctions CD/LP (Tank Crimes)
Creepsylvanian cannibal splatterthrashers Ghoul returns with this five-song EP, Noxious Concoctions. Vicious thrash and death metal. A must have for any Ghoulunatic wondering where the world of Creepsylvania was left at the end of the last hit album, Dungeon Bastards. A real neck wrecker.
Giant Rooks – How Have You Been? CD/2xLP (Mercury)
Giant Rooks is back! After the indie band celebrated international success with their debut album Rookery, they are now releasing their second album How Have You Been? with 14 new songs.
Vijay Iyer – Compassion CD (ECM)
Pianist-composer Vijay Iyer follows his 2021 ECM disc Uneasy – the first to showcase his trio featuring bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Tyshawn Sorey – with Compassion, another album in league with these two gifted partners. Compassion, Iyer’s eighth release as a leader for ECM, continues his drive to explore fresh territory while also referencing his forebears along the way, two of them long associated with the label.
KMFDM – Let Go CD (Metropolis)
Let Go marks KMFDM’s 23rd studio album, with the core lineup of Sascha Käpt’n K Konietzko, Lucia Cifarelli, Andy Selway, and Andee Blacksugar presenting an onslaught of pulse-pounding rhythms, scorching electronics, blistering guitars, nd vocals full of grit, growl, and grind addressing the social, political, and cultural ills of a world in perpetual turmoil. [Vinyl edition due February 9.]
The Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy CD/LP (Island)
Prelude To Ecstasy is a pendulum which swings between the extremes of human emotion – from the ecstasy of passion to the sublimity of pain – and it is this concept which binds our album together. This is an archeology of ourselves; you can exhume our collective and individual experiences and influences from within its fabric. We exorcised guitars for their solos, laid bare confessions directly from diary pages, and summoned an orchestra to bring our vision to life. It is our greatest honor and pride to present this offering to the world, it is everything we are.” – The Last Dinner Party
J Mascis – What Do We Do Now CD/LP/Cassette (Sub Pop)
What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots, and records done with his various other bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), well, to paraphrase Lou Reed, “J’s week beats your year.” What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the Pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino. [A limited-edition translucent purple color vinyl pressing is available.]
Taylor McCall – Mellow War CD/2xLP (Thirty Tigers)
Mellow War is Taylor McCall’s second studio album and first production project. This album was co-produced by Taylor McCall and Sean McConnell. This album features Taylor’s late grandfather during his days in Vietnam on the cover as well as the intro track, “Sinking Sand”, from his days as a pastor. His mother also is singing in the choir. Mellow War explores the balance of good and evil, destruction and healing and the importance of having faith in the darkest of times.
Paul McCartney & Wings – Band On The Run [Reissue/1973] 2xCD/LP (Capitol)
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1973 album, Band On The Run, this Deluxe double-CD edition features the original album and a bonus disc of previously unreleased “underdubbed” mixes of the songs. The tracklist on CD1 mirrors the US release which includes the song, “Helen Wheels”. Also included is a double-sided, fold-out reproduction of the Linda McCartney Polaroid poster. [A single-disc half-speed mastered vinyl pressing is also available.]
meth. – Share CD/LP (Prosthetic)
Inspired by a tumultuous time for vocalist Seb Alvarez, Shame is an uncomfortable listen as he grapples with then-undiagnosed bi-polar and unchecked addiction issues. Whilst the themes of shame, deception and trauma are not new to meth., they have previously been dressed up with a fictional veneer.
Osiah – Kairos CD (Unique Leader)
The devastating fourth album from the UK’s heaviest Northern offering – Osiah. Produced by Andy Mallaby (Osiah, Nexilva) and mixed by Christian Donaldson (Ingested, Shadow Of Intent), the album also features artwork by Shindy Reehal (Viscera, The Zenith Passage, Archspire). [Vinyl edition due March 22.]
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – King Perry CD/LP (!K7)
Conceived, written and recorded during the COVID pandemic, King Perry is Lee Scratch Perry’s posthumous album, produced by Daniel Boyle, and featuring guest performances from Greentea Peng, Shaun Ryder, Tricky, Marta, Rose Waite and Fifi Rong. Two tracks were also co- produced with Tricky, who releases Perry’s last works on his False Idols label.
Post Ramone – Sounds Like This CD/LP (Mom’s Basement)
Latest album by the Youngstown, Ohio pop punk band.
Artimus Pyle – Anthems: Honoring The Music Of Lynyrd Skynyrd CD/LP (Get Joe/BFD)
Long considered the “wild man” of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Artimus Pyle’s powerful and distinctive double bass drumming helped define the legendary Skynyrd sound. Artimus got his first real break at the Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam. His first recording lists — Artimus Pyle, percussion. Then with other work for the Marshall Tucker Band, Artimus became known as a powerful session drummer. “Artimus is legendary within the Southern rock space. The music that made Lynyrd Skynyrd made will always live as a part of rock history. This album honors that music and gives Artimus a way to honor his former bandmates.”
Sadness – Somewhere Along Our Memory CD/LP/Cassette (Flowing Downward)
Slow-burning, dreary instrumental (mostly) post rock peppered with emotionally draining, black metal crescendos.
Sixpence None The Richer – Sixpence None The Richer (Deluxe Anniversary Edition) CD/2xLP (Curb)
Sixpence None The Richer exploded on to the pop charts in 1999 on the strength of “Kiss Me,” an utterly irresistible slice of swoony guitar pop that, once heard, is impossible to shake loose from the brain and could well turn out to be this generation’s “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and “There She Goes”.
Soundtrack – The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes CD/LP (Geffen)
The official soundtrack to the highly anticipated new film in the Hunger Games saga. The soundtrack was executive-produced by nine-time Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson) and features “Can’t Catch Me Now”, written and performed by Olivia Rodrigo. [A limited-edition orange color vinyl pressing is available.]
TWS – 1st Mini Album ‘Sparkling Blue’ [Lucky Ver.] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
TWS – 1st Mini Album ‘Sparkling Blue’ [Sparkling Ver.] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
First mini-album from the K-pop group. Consisting of six members, the concept of TWS is sparkling, non-toxic and friendly with refreshing and catchy music.
Hannah Wicklund – The Prize CD/LP (Label 51)
Hannah Wicklund is a 26-year-old Nashville-based, South Carolina-born rock singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and painter. She self-released her first album which has garnered 10 million Spotify streams. She is supporting Greta Van Fleet on their winter European tour and headlining her own Spring tour in 2024. Hannah recently played at the Eric Clapton Crossroads Festival on the emerging artist stage. [A limited-edition pink color vinyl pressing is available.]
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
3 Inches Of Blood – Advance And Vanquish [Reissue/2004] LP (Real Gone Music)
Blood red color vinyl pressing. One look at the axe-wielding marauder (drawn by famed heavy metal illustrator Edward Repka) on the front of this album and you know it’s not for the faint of heart. Canadian metal band 3 Inches Of Blood’s musical attack (an appropriate term indeed) featured a unique, dual lead vocal line-up of Cam Pipes on “clean” vocals and Jamie Hooper on “screaming” vocals, with bludgeoning guitars provided by Sunny Dhak and Bobby Froese (Dhak, Froese, and drummer Matt Wood left after this album to form Pride Tiger).
Aaliya – Aaliya [Reissue/2001] LP (Blackground)
Aaliyah is the self-titled third and final studio album by the “Queen of Urban Pop”, Aaliyah. Originally released in 2001 by Blackground Records, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Cited by critics as one of the best R&B records of its time, the album is a reflection of herself as both a young adult and matured vocalist. Standout tracks include “We Need A Resolution”, “More Than A Woman”, and “Rock The Boat”.
Abysmal Grief – Narcissistic Necrophiles LP (Avantgarde Music)
New live album by the Italian doom metal veterans.
Alkaline Trio – Remains [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (Vagrant)
Double LP vinyl pressing of Alkaline Trio’s 2006 compilation album, featuring 22 tracks taken from previous Eps, B-sides, live recordings, and more.
All Time Low – Put Up Or Shut Up [Reissue/2006] LP (Hopeless)
Yellow colorway. Baltimore-alternative/pop rock artist, All Time Low, has achieved a great deal in their career, from #1 radio hits, late night TV performances, gracing magazine covers, touring with bands like Fall Out Boy, Green Day, and Foo Fighters, collaborating with artists like blackbear, to starring in film and TV.
ALO – Fly Between Falls [Reissue/2005] LP (Republic)
Originally released in 2006 on Brushfire Records, ALO’s Fly Between Falls album is now available on vinyl for the first time. Includes the tracks, “Girl, I Wanna Lay You Down (feat. Jack Johnson)”, “Wasting Time”, and “Barbeque”.
American Analog Set – New Drifters 45xLP (Numero)
Gathered here are The Fun Of Watching Fireworks, From Our Living Room To Yours, and The Golden Band albums, garnished with period B-sides, outtakes, and demos. Remastered from the original analog tapes, this early-career spanning 5xLP box includes lyrics, photos, and ephemera from the before times. [A color vinyl pressing is due February 9.]
Autopsy – Skull Grinder [Reissue/2016] LP (Peaceville)
Skull Grinder was originally released in 2016 and contained seven new tracks of gut-wrenching death metal delivered in the unmistakable Autopsy way, from members Chris Reifert, Eric Cutler, Danny Coralles & Joe Trevisano. – Recorded once more at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, with Adam Munoz, Skull Grinder perfectly captures the rancid essence of Autopsy in all its savage glory, with a suitably dirty and organic sound mixed with brutal riffs, resulting in a slab of perfect and relentless horror.
The Bamboos – This Is How You Do It LP (BMG Rights Management)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This Is How You Do It is The Bamboos 11th studio album and shows that the nine piece Melbourne funk & soul trailblazers continue to evolve even after 23 years together as a band. The album contains some surprise turns, such as the boogie/ disco tinged first single “Ex-Files” featuring the band’s longtime vocalist Kylie Auldist, and features guest MCs from the US (Ozay Moore and Ohmega Watts) and New Zealand (KINGS). Also guesting on two tracks is Melbourne vocalist Reginald AK, who just happens to be Kylie’s son. What might sound on paper to be a new direction for the band makes total sense once you recognize the trademark combination of Lance Ferguson’s Soul powered production style, their effortless groove and Kylie Auldist’s incredible voice.
B.B & Blues Shacks – Lonesome In The Moonlight LP (Rhythm Bomb)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Europe’s top blues band returns 34 years after its founding with another top-notch studio album.
Being As An Ocean – Death Can Wait LP (Out Of Line)
Two new colorways: black w/ white marble and red w/ black marble. Known for their emotionally charged melodic hardcore sound, Being As an Ocean has left an indelible mark on the alternative music landscape and have offered comfort and strength through their lyrics and music to countless fans.
Brigitt Calls Me Baby – This House Is Made Of Corners LP (ATO)
Chicago-based Brigitte Calls Me Baby span genres and eras, merging the lavish romanticism of mid-century pop with the frenetic energy of post-punk, new wave, and early-millennium indie-rock. Originally from Southeast Texas, frontman Wes Leavins grew up hearing Roy Orbison at his grandparents’ house next door, while his parents played albums by The Cars and Tears For Fears, and his friends turned him onto Radiohead and The Strokes. Their debut EP was produced by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb. Translucent pink LP. 45rpm.
Willi Carlisle – Critterland LP (Signature Sounds)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. For folksinger Willi Carlisle, singing is healing. And by singing together, he believes we can begin to reckon with the inevitability of human suffering and grow in love. On Critterland, Carlisle invites audiences to join him: “If we allow ourselves to sing together, there’s a release of sadness, maybe even a communal one. And so, for me personally, singing, like the literal act of thinking through suffering, is really freeing,” he says. Rooted in the eclectic world of his live shows, Carlisle’s third album was produced by Grammy-nominated Darrell Scott. Critterland is a wild romp through the backwaters of his mind and America, lingering in the odd corners of human nature to visit obscure oddballs, dark secrets and complicated truths about the beauty and pain of life and love.
Billy Cobham – Spectrum [Reissue/1973] LP (Friday Music)
Spectrum is the 1973 debut solo album by jazz fusion drummer Billy Cobham. The song “Stratus” appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV on the radio station Fusion FM, as well as being the main sample in the Massive Attack hit “Safe from Harm”.
Carly Cosgrove – See You In Chemistry [Reissue/2022] LP (Wax Bodega)
Philadelphia trio Carly Cosgrove’s debut LP, See You In Chemistry, is about growth, but not thetidy, Instagram-ready kind. At its beginning, vocalist and guitarist Lucas Naylor is steady, stable, and happy: the work has been done, progress has been made, and things are alright. Over the remaining 11 tracks, and across a complex, ear worm patchwork of riotous emo punk, towering post-hardcore, mathy indie rock, and crystalline shoegaze, things fall apart: bands dissolve, friendships end, and self-doubt, depression and anxiety triple-team their way to victory over happiness.
Culture – More Culture LP (Keeling Reggae)
Killer vocal roots album produced by The Mighty Two at Joe Gibbs Studio in 1981 featuring “Innocent Blood” “Callie Weed Song” “Weeping And Wailing”.
DJ Seinfeld & Confidence Man – Now U Do LP+MP3 (Ninja Tune)
DJ Seinfeld and Confidence Man teamed up this year to bring us “Now U Do”, a fun-filled summer anthem described by Seinfeld as “quirky, naive and an ode to all the summer flings out there”, Following a hot summer of hearing the single played out in clubs and radio stations around the world, garnering 24+ millions views across TikTok and receiving a stellar remix treatment from Diplo acolyte and party starter in her own right, Carlita, the infectious single is finally coming to vinyl as a limited edition 12″.
Ekiti Sound – Drum Money LP (Crammed Disc)
Ekiti Sound is back with his sophomore release of genre-defying, boundary-pushing sounds, delivering a gorgeous and powerful album and a worthy follow-up to 2019’s award-winning debut Abeg No Vex. Drum Money is a sonic ride which seamlessly incorporates elements of Nigerian music, electronic beats, and hip-hop influences to create a sound that is both utterly unique and warmly familiar. Sophisticated and earthy, provocative, and multi-faceted, it comprises 17 tracks which abound with surprises and invention. Horns blast, drums rattle, and featured artist Aunty Rayzor’s rapid-fire Yoruba bars blend to enclave the listener within the Afro juju synths and energetic drum patterns.
Mark Farner – Rock ‘N’ Roll Soul: Live 1989 LP (Liberation Hall)
Limited red w/ black splatter colorway. Legendary all-American frontman and guitarist Mark Farner was the engine that pulled the original Grand Funk Railroad repeatedly to the top of the charts in the 1970s. At age 70, Farner commands the stage with the same intensity and outpouring of love as he did in the summer of ’69 when the band’s debut album was released.
Maryann Farra & Satin Soul – Never Gonna Leave You LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited transparent blue, green, and pink swirl color vinyl pressing. What a collection of talent on this rarity from the Brunswick label-production by disco maestro Tony Valor, arrangements by Chi-Soul legend Eugene Record, and mix by the great Tom Moulton. Not to mention instrumental accompaniment from Valor’s highly esteemed Tony Valor Sounds Orchestra… no wonder this 1976 release is deemed a stone-cold proto-disco classic across the globe (it’s been reissued on CD in Japan multiple times).
The Fray – How To Save A Life [Reissue/2005] LP (Sony Legacy)
The Fray – The Fray [Reissue/2009] LP (Sony Legacy)
How To Save A Life, the debut studio album from Grammy-nominated pop-rock band, The Fray, features hit songs “How To Save A Life”, and “Over My Head (Cable Car)”, The band’s self-titled second album The Fray features hit songs “You Found Me”, “Never Say Never”, and more. The Fray quickly became a number-one selling album that year and cemented the band as a mainstay in the pop-rock scene of the 2000s.
The Gaslight Anthem – The History Books LP (Rich Mahogany)
Black vinyl pressing of 2023 release. Like so many of the most essential rock bands, The Gaslight Anthem have a rare gift for finding glory in the inescapable pain of being alive. On their new album History Books—their first new music in over nine years—the New Jersey-bred four-piece bring their soulful breed of punk to ten thrilling songs exploring everything from mortality to mental illness to the more precarious dimensions of human connection.
Jason Green and The Jerk – Local Jerk b/w I Need Love 12” (DFA)
Mixed and co-produced by James Murphy at DFA Studios in Brooklyn, this release from former Orchid and Panthers singer Jayson Green marks the return of the classic DFA. The A-side is a tight, rollicking party jam with maximum Konk and Loose Joints vibes, while the B-side is a true trip to the unknown.
Eddie Henderson – Witness To History LP (Smoke Sessions)
Released last September on CD – now available on vinyl. Trumpet legend Eddie Henderson celebrates the 50th anniversary of his debut album with a stunning new recording reflecting on his musical evolution. Witness To History features pianist George Cables, saxophonist Donald Harrison, bassist Gerald Cannon and drummers Lenny White and Mike Clark.
Hickey – Hickey [Reissue/1995] LP/Cassette (Dead Broke)
A reissue of the debut full-length from San Francisco musical force Hickey. Originally released by Probe in 1995, the album burns with innovation, a rarely matched DIY spirit, and the late singer/guitarist Matty Luv’s powerful lyrics.
J Dilla – Ruff Draft: Dilla’s Mix LP (Pay Jay)
Limited clear with black color vinyl pressing. When Ruff Draft saw its initial release in 2003, J Dilla possessed production skills on par with anyone in hip-hop – technically and creatively. “At the top of his game,” says longtime friend and collaborator, Karriem Riggins. After years of building while modestly deferring to others of both greater and lesser notoriety, Dilla finally completed the first solo endeavor on his own label, entirely on his own terms. This definitive reissue of Ruff Draft takes Dilla’s recently discovered mixes of the album – only ever issued on the rare, original vinyl EP – and restores his vision for the project… “straight from the mothaf***in’ cassette,” as he phrased the sound he was going for on the intro.
Joe Lovano – Trio Fascination [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Blue Note)
The acclaimed Cleveland-born saxophonist Joe Lovano came to Blue Note Records in 1990 and over the next 25 years became one of the most recorded artists in the label’s history, building a formidable and far-ranging catalog that explored the full breadth of his artistry. Recorded in September 1997, Trio Fascination: Edition One stands out as one of the more remarkable sessions in Lovano’s discography with the saxophonist joining forces with two all-time legends-bassist Dave Holland and drummer Elvin Jones-in a spare trio setting that finds these three masters conversing freely. Throughout Lovano can be heard on tenor, soprano, alto, and straight alto saxophones, as well as alto clarinet, and the set consists of nine creative Lovano originals including the pulsing opener “New York Fascination”, the spacious “Sanctuary Park”, the Sam Rivers tribute “Studio Rivbea”, and a stunning rendition of the lone standard “Ghost Of A Chance”.
Mario Luciano / Lauren Santi – Shades Of Mauve LP (Madlib Invazion)
The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon over the course of the Pandemic and was a chance to give their creative friends the ability to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted for release on the label. The music had to be great and able to be presented as a standalone album – like the best “Music Library” releases of the past, on labels like Italy’s Sermi, Germany’s Bruton, France’s MP2000 and the UK’s DeWolfe. And, like those albums, it had to work as easy, one-stop clearance for background cues in film and television production and, as producers have been indulging since the 1990s, for sampling.
Marvelous 3 – ReadySexGo [Reissue/2000] 2xLP (Real Gone Music)
Double purple color vinyl pressing housed in gatefold jacket. Expanded edition. You’d think a guy like Butch Walker wouldn’t be particularly unlucky in love, but on Readysexgo the torture never stops, as Butch recounts one failed affair after another in exquisitely painful detail. All set to Marvelous 3’s never less than hooky power pop/glam metal stylings, often placed in seamless segues from one song to another… Readysexgo is the catchy soundtrack to the love life of a hopeless but somewhat embittered romantic.
Medeski Mediski Wood – It’s A Jungle In Here [Reissue/1993] LP (Real Gone Music)
The trio of John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Chris Wood did as much to reinvigorate and reimagine jazz as anybody over the last three decades. Now, Real Gone Music is proud to provide the band’s classic second album It’s A Jungle in Here its first widespread vinyl release. That this record includes covers of tunes by John Coltrane, King Sunny Ade, and a mash-up of Bob Marley with Thelonious Monk speaks volumes as to Medeski Martin & Wood’s fresh approach to the jazz tradition; but their ability to compose and perform startlingly original material is what really sets them apart.
Blue Mitchell – Down With It! [Reissue/1965] LP (Blue Note)
Miami-born trumpeter Blue Mitchell had a soulful, swinging style that was equally at home in jazz, R&B, and funk settings. Mitchell been a sideman on Blue Note sessions led by Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Smith, Jackie McLean and appeared on numerous classics as a member of the Horace Silver Quintet before he began recording his own Blue Note leader albums. For his 1965 date Down With It! the trumpeter reconvened the same dynamic quintet that had recorded his label debut The Thing To Do the year before including his Silver bandmates Junior Cook on tenor saxophone and Gene Taylor on bass along with a 24-year-old Chick Corea on piano and 22-year-old Al Foster on drums. The band comes flying out of the gate on the boogaloo grooved opener “Hi-Heel Sneakers” with other highlights of the set including the high-spirited “March On Selma” and the gorgeous ballad “Alone, Alone, Alone”.
Martin Molino – Antico E Moderno LP (Holy Basil)
A totally insane Italian Killer Library LP reissued for the joy of collectors and sample hunters from the highly-collectible Fonit Usignolo series.
Kip Moore – Up All Night [Reissue/2012] LP (MCA Nashville)
Kip Moore’s debut studio album, Up All Night, was originally released in 2012 by MCA Nashville. The platinum-certified album includes the #1 single, “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck”, plus the Top 10 hits, “Beer Money”, and “Hey Pretty Girl”. This Deluxe Edition features five bonus live tracks. Now available on vinyl for the first time. Black/gold swirl.
Nico – Drama Of Exile [Reissue/1981] LP (Modern Harmonic)
Lavender color vinyl pressing. Nico’s iconic post-velvets return to rock. As one critic memorably put it, when Nico spoke it was like coffin-lids creaking. When she sang it was like listening to ravens taking off 13 at a time. Nico was like nothing rock music had ever seen or heard before or since. Features originals along with stoic takes on Bowie and The Velvet Underground.
Nouvelle Vague – Self Titles [Reissue/2004] LP (2xLP (Le Label)
The Nouvelle Vague project was born of Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux’s desire to dust off and adapt new wave standards in a bossa nova style. Over the years, Nouvelle Vague has welcomed a host of singers on increasingly eclectic covers. In 2004, they released their first album, simply entitled Nouvelle Vague. The album featured covers of Depeche Mode, The Clash, The Cure, Joy Division and Dead Kennedys. A very British first album in spirit (as well as in the choice of groups), where the typically London new wave atmosphere predominates, but revised in a Caribbean version. [A vinyl pressing of Bande À Part is due on February 23.]
Orgy – Candyass [Reissue/1998] LP (Real Gone Music)
Orgy – Vapor Transmission [Reissue/2000] LP (Real Gone Music)
Industrial/metal/glam outfit Orgy was the first act signed by Korn’s Jonathan Davis to his Elementree imprint, and the move paid off right away with their 1998 debut, which went Top 30 and scored a huge hit with its cover of New Order’s “Blue Monday.” They returned two years later with another smash album replete with sci-fi themes appropriate to the epochal period of its release (and no doubt influenced by the previous year’s unveiling of The Matrix). [Two colorways are available: clear w/ red & yellow and red & yellow plasma, respectively.]
Pantha Du Prince – Garden Gaia Remixed 2xLP (Modern Recordings)
Includes mixes by Stefan Goldmann, Dave DK, Sebastian Mullaert and Deakin of Animal Collective amongst others.
The Paranoid Style – Presents: The Interrogator LP (Bar/None)
From the Dolls-meets-the-devil opening title track to the desperate Sister Lovers-adjacent finale “The Findings”, The Interrogator is thirteen vibrant, crackling, scary and hilarious songs which taken together represent nothing less than a thorough and thrilling moral inventory of our decadent and depraved times. Following up and doubling down on the themes of last year’s lionized cult favorite For Executive Meeting, Elizabeth Nelson has authored an album as politically potent and pointedly hilarious as antecedents like The Mekons’ Rock ‘n’ Roll and Neil Young’s on On The Beach and wed it to the sound of ZZ Top’s Eliminator.
Grant-Lee Phillips – Ladies’ Love Oracle [Reissue/2000] LP (Yep Roc)
“Ladies’ Love Oracle is me in the raw, me in the dark, me in the basement. Sometimes a sketch says more than a mural” is what singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Grant-Lee Phillips said back in 1999 about his forthcoming debut solo record. Recorded over the course of three days in the basement studio of Jon Brion (the Grammy-winning producer of Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann and many more), Ladies’ Love Oracle was released following the dissolution of Grant Lee Buffalo, the widely celebrated trio that first brought Phillips to national prominence. The album was met with critical acclaim upon release, with AllMusic declaring that “Phillips joins the gilded ranks of Bob Mould, Mark Eitzel, and Kristin Hersh – songwriters who have flourished alone in the wakes of their respective bands.” For the 25th anniversary of Ladies’ Love Oracle, the album is being released on vinyl for the first time. The album has been remastered for vinyl by Mike Westbrook and is pressed on translucent orange color vinyl.
Phish – Round Room [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (Jemp)
Double 180gm split color vinyl pressing housed in gatefold jacket. Round Room was recorded at The Barn in Vermont by Bryce Goggin during four days over two weekends in October 2002. The songs were written mainly by Trey Anastasio and Tom Marshall, with the title track and “Mock Song” by Mike Gordon. The Round Room sessions were initially intended as rehearsals for the band’s upcoming end-of-hiatus New Year’s Eve show at Madison Square Garden, giving the recording a loose, live feel with several extended tracks like “Pebbles And Marbles”, “Seven Below”, “Walls Of The Cave”, and “Waves”.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise – Seven + Mary [Reissue/2013] LP (RKS Recordings LLC)
Rainbow Kitten Surprise – RKS [Reissue/2015] LP (RKS Recordings LLC)
Vinyl reissues of the first two albums by the genre-defying, Nashville-based quintet.
Ratigan Era – Era LP (Hakuna Kulala)
Dancehall might have emerged in Jamaica, but over the last few decades the popular genre’s tendrils have stretched out across the globe. In Kampala, Ratigan Era is adding a distinct Ugandan twist to dancehall, fusing it with East African humor and hyper-melodic Afrobeats elements imported from Ghana and Nigeria. The versatile MC grew up listening to Jamaican music like Vybz Kartel, Busy Signal and Mavado – in his hometown of Kawempe there was almost no way to avoid it – and it blurred into the background, blending with local church music, US hip-hop and radio pop. He developed this diverse range of influences into a completely unique Afro-dancehall flow that simmers between Luganda, patois, Spanish and English, reflecting the melting pot of cultures and dialects that characterizes contemporary Africa.
The Rolling Stones – The Rolling Stones Singles 1966-1971 18×7” (Abkco)
A comprehensive, chronological overview of The Rolling Stones’ early career as pop chart hitmakers. The Rolling Stones Singles 1966-1971 contains 18 vinyl 7″ 45 RPM singles and EPs in original picture sleeves, a 32-page book with liner notes by Stones authority Nigel Williamson, plus a set of five photo cards and a color poster, all housed in a hard-shell box.
Aroop Roy – Re Bulele 12” (Freerange)
As a producer, musician and label owner, Aroop Roy continues to excel, armed with a vast knowledge of outernational sounds, from rare African disco, jazz, funk, to house, UKG and seemingly everything in-between. His open-minded approach has led to brilliant releases and remixes for labels as diverse as Soundway, Heavenly Sweetness, Permanent Vacation, Club Bad, Delusions of Grandeur, Atjazz Recordings and his own Vive La Musique imprint. Having played a few gigs together, it was only a matter of time before Jimpster convinced Aroop to get an EP together for Freerange, and the resulting Re Bulele EP couldn’t be any more satisfying
Selcouth Quartet – Selcouth Quartet 2xLP (Color Red)
Selcouth Quartet is a dynamic new ensemble featuring Joe Russo (drums, keys) Stuart Bogie (saxophone, flute, clarinet, keys) Jon Shaw (upright & electric basses), and Jonathan Goldberger (acoustic & electric guitars). Their self-titled debut album, recorded at Floki Studios in Iceland with producer and engineer D James Goodwin, is a mesmerizing exploration of a range of styles and moods. Born of creative immersion in a remote and otherworldly environment, their sound seamlessly drifts between hauntingly beautiful melodies, propulsive improvisation, expansive atmospheres, and towering sonic constructs. Selcouth Quartet is informed by Russo, Goldberger, Bogie, and Shaw’s various travels through wildly different genres and musical approaches yet also unlike anything previously heard by them. Citing shared inspirations like ’90s Thrill Jockey and the attendant Chicago scene, the experimental Knitting Factory circles of ’80s and ’90s New York, and the open-ended jazz label ECM Records.
Bud Shank – Barefoot Adventure [Reissue/1961] LP (Impex)
A new, audiophile HQ-180gm LP release of Bud Shank’s pivotal 1961 classic, Barefoot Adventure. Featuring original compositions arranged by Shank for Bruce Brown’s surf film of the same name, this is a swinging, hard-driving jazz session by six top-flight musicians at the height of their careers: Bud Shank (alto and baritone), Bob Cooper (tenor), Carmell Jones (trumpet), Dennis Budimir (guitar), Gary Peacock (bass), Shelly Manne (drums). The original Pacific Jazz recording features excellent sonics and showcases Shank at his most adventurous, playing with advanced confidence and sophistication.
The Stone Roses – Sally Cinnamon [Reissue/1987] 12” (Revolver UK)
Two new colorways: cream and clear. Contains eight tracks including original release and live versions.
Sun Ra – A Fireside Chat With Lucifer [Reissue/1983] LP (Modern Harmonic)
Yellow colorway. An F-bomb saturated hip-hop call and response club cut…from Sun Ra?! While the most renowned track in this omniversal opus is the atomic expletive-filled repartee “Nuclear War,” there is so much more to this dark mysterious journey through the mind of Sun Ra. The sprawling, suite-like 20-minute title track sustains a lyrical edge despite an open framework and textures, which encourage sonorities to surface and emerge from the band as if there was no human intention behind them. In opposition to “Nuclear War,” Ra’s organ playing here was built less on bombast and sonic terror than it is on whispers, stutters, shivers, and swells. Fireside Chat offers a wide stylistic array, as was the artist’s intent, reflecting his eclectic, seemingly irreconcilable approach to compositional extremes. With Sun Ra you get everything… except predictability.
Survivor – The Best Of Survivor ‘Reissue/2006] 2xLP (Friday Music)
In honor of the legendary rock superstars Survivor, Friday Music is very pleased to announce the first-time-ever 180gm audiophile vinyl release of the Sony Music classic The Best Of Survivor. Mastered impeccably by Joe Reagoso (Foreigner/Boston/Hall & Oates) at Friday Music Studios from the Sony Music tapes, the first-time-ever LP will be pressed for a very limited time on a 2LP 180-gram translucent blue & black swirl deluxe audiophile vinyl set.
Trapeze – Medusa [Reissue/1970] LP (Deko Music)
Trapeze – You Are The Music… We’re Just The Band [Reissue/1972] LP (Deko Music)
Originally released in 1970, Medusa was recorded at Morgan Studios, and was produced by The Moody Blues bassist John Lodge. The line-up of Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Mel Galley (Whitesnake), and Dave Holland (Judas Priest) recorded this album and the follow up You Are The Music… We’re Just the Band in 1972 before that line-up disbanded when Hughes left in 1973 to join Deep Purple. [A gold nugget colorway of Medusa is available.]
James Blood Ulmer – In And Out [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (In + Out)
James Blood Ulmer turns back the wheel of time with his album In And Out. Just a few chords and he is back where everything began. In Detroit, where the gruff guitarist had his first gigs in the bands of organists Hank Marr and Big John Patton. In Minton’s Playhouse, New York, with all those big names, such as Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Rashied Ali, Paul Bley, Larry Young, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Arthur Blythe, David Murray, Julius Hemphill, Pharaoh Sanders, John Zorn, Vernon Reid, and Bill Laswell, who were leading him through the improvising wilderness. And with his shining hero, Ornette Coleman, who encouraged “Blood” to transpose the special harmonies he created to the finger board of the guitar. Ulmer, at age 67, takes stock while at the same time is looking forward. In An Out is the title of a composition by the legendary tenor saxophone player, Joe Henderson, and is also the name of the record company for which “Blood” recorded this masterpiece.
The Undertones – The Undertones [Reissue/1979] LP (BMG Rights Management)
The Undertones formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1975 and released their debut album ‘The Undertones’ in 1979 which peaked at #13 in the UK Charts. John and Damian O’Neill partnered infectious guitar hooks to ’60s garage, ’70s glam rock, with Feargal Sharkey’s signature vocal quaver. Those qualities came together on their breakout hit “Teenage Kicks,” whose simplicity harked back to ’60s ideals of when the song was king. This classic debut record infuses so much unabashed joy in two-minute three-chord pop songs, and there’s little pretension in their unapologetically teenage worldview, that even the darker hints of life in songs like the suicide-themed “Jimmy Jimmy” are delivered with a sense of optimism at odds with so many of their contemporaries.
Various Artists – Eccentric Soul: The Shoestring Label LP (Numero)
Operating in a basement studio at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, pipeline man Howard Neal and his appropriately named Shoestring label was Alton, Illinois’ answer to a question no one asked. Pressed in minuscule numbers and barely outside the 62002 zip code, the singles by The James Family, Jimmie Green, Pete & Cheez, and Carletta Sue are prime examples of cosmic midwestern disco in search of a break. This heavy weight 10-song LP is housed in a tip-on sleeve and includes an essay and imagery that complete the picture of this pure expression of small-town soul. [An opaque dark green colorway is available.]
The Vaselines – The Way Of The Vaselines [Reissue/1992] LP (Sub Pop)
Loser Edition on crystal clear vinyl. The Vaselines have long been celebrated by musicians and music enthusiasts across genres and across the globe, including super-fan Kurt Cobain. Emerging in the mid-eighties under the wing of The Pastels’s Stephen McRobbie, The Vaselines came to define the sly wit and irresistible pop hooks of the era’s Scottish indie scene.
The Who – Quadrophenia [Reissue/1973] 2xLP (Geffen)
The Who – The Who By Numbers [Reissue/1975] LP (Geffen)
180gm half-speed masters. Quadrophenia is the sixthth studio album by The Who, released in October 1973. The band’s second rock opera is often regarded by many as their best album. Delve into the intricate story of Jimmy, a mod coming to terms with life head on. The Who By Numbers is their seventh studio album produced by Glynn Johns and released in October 1975. A powerhouse record the album reached Top 10 on both side of the Atlantic. It contains the standout tracks “Slip Kid”, “Substitute” and “Squeeze Box”.
Amy Winehouse – Frank [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (Republic)
Years before Amy Winehouse garnered international attention with Back To Black, the sassy British Soul singer put herself on the UK music map with her 2003 debut, Frank. Nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, the record glides along on the subtly jazzy production of Salaam Remi, which allows Winehouse’s expressive voice to shine, particularly on the trip-hop-tinged “Stronger Than Me”, the powerful “You Sent Me Flying”, and the sultry “I Heard Love Is Blind”. Now available on picture disc vinyl.
Link Wray – Jack The Ripper [Reissue/1963] LP (Sundazed Music)
With his rawboned and ravaged instrumentals from the early ’60s, Link Wray single-handedly made the guitar the ultimately cool instrument of choice for a whole new generation. Wielding a Danelectro Longhorn, Link Wray-who created the blueprint for everyone from the Kingsmen to the Cramps with his flame-throwing sound-proceeded to outdo himself with this rare LP from 1963, now corralled on this exact-repro, in crunchily perfect sound courtesy of the original Swan mono master tapes.
Xasthur – All Reflections Drained [Reissue/2018] 2xLP (Prophecy)
Xasthur – A Misleading Reality [Reissue/2018] 2xLP (Prophecy)
Xasthur’s 2009 full-length All Reflections Drained is still firmly based on a black metal foundation of the band’s earlier works although this phase came to a preliminary close only a year later. The year 2018 saw Xasthur reaping the rewards of frenzied creativity with two albums hitting the street: first A Misleading Reality. Although the expression had shifted from black metal to a more acid folk-like approach, the spiritual core of the music remained the same. [Two new colorways are available: silver/blue marble and gold/purple marble, respectively.]
The Youngbloods – Elephant Mountain LP (Impex Recordings)
Hot off the success of their multi-platinum self-titled debut, The Youngbloods shuffled their lineup (with the departure of co-founder Jerry Corbitt) and used their heightened to go big on their follow up, the Charlie Daniels-produced Elephant Mountain. Over multi-layered acoustic-folk and electric-rock instruments, Jesse Colin Young, Banana Levinger, and Joe Bauer create a free-feeling set of tunes that playfully careen between front-porch folk and stadium rock (best exemplified in the classic single “Darkness, Darkness”).
Maddie Zahm – Now That I’ve Been Honest LP (Madeleine Zahm)
Now That I’ve Been Honest lays bare those stories in chronological order, a raw, triumphant, honest and refreshing personal story in her debut album that signals the arrival of one of music’s most important new voices. As sonically textured and layered a debut you’ll find, Now That I’ve Been Honest professes to be a coming-of-age story detailing Maddie’s life since moving to Los Angeles, while continuing to build upon the sound foundation of her early work and the community she’s created and fostered in her music.
Maddie Zahm – You Might Not Like Her 12” (Madeleine Zahm)
Maddie Zahm’s breakout EP, You Might Not Like Her, is available for the first time on vinyl, pressed on black vinyl in gatefold packaging.
Cassettes:
J Mascis – What Do We Do Now (Sub Pop)
What Do We Do Now is the fifth solo studio LP recorded by J Mascis since 1996. This is obviously not a very aggressive release schedule, but when you figure in the live albums, guest spots, and records done with his various other bands (Dinosaur Jr., The Fog, Heavy Blanket, Witch, Sweet Apple, and so on), well, to paraphrase Lou Reed, “J’s week beats your year.” What Do We Do Now began to come together during the waning days of the Pandemic. Utilizing his own Bisquiteen Studio, J started working on writing a series of tunes on acoustic with a different dynamic than the stuff he creates for Dino.
Sadness – Somewhere Along Our Memory (Flowing Downward)
Slow-burning, dreary instrumental (mostly) post rock peppered with emotionally draining, black metal crescendos.
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