March Program Titles Released This Week:
The Claypool Lennon Delirium – South Of Reality CD/2xLP+MP3 (ATO)
South Of Reality, The Claypool Lennon Delirium’s epic sophomore album might be just the antidote this sick world needs. Music so potent it could repel an asteroid impact from space, these seasoned warriors of psychedelia have crafted timeless songs that may as well be chiseled in stone. The monolithic dream team’s new record was produced by Les Claypool and Sean Lennon themselves, and engineered and mixed by Claypool at his own Rancho Relaxo studio in Sonoma County, California. Claypool and Lennon told Rolling Stone that South Of Reality “feels like an organic extension of Monolith Of Phobos, blending the wildly surreal and psychedelic with satirical social commentary.” Additionally, Rolling Stone called new track “Blood And Rockets”, “a sprawling epic that finds Lennon and Claypool crooning and snarling, respectively, over spacey synths and chiming guitars.” [Limited half pink/half purple splatter colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Martin Frawley – Undone At 31 CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
Whether one seeks it out or it simply presents itself, change is an inevitability. Should one embrace it? Grapple with it? Fight it? These are the questions Martin Frawley unpacks as he steps into the spotlight for Undone At 31, his first album as a solo artist and the start of a new chapter for the Melbourne songwriter. Those familiar with Frawley’s time as co-leader of Twerps will take comfort in hearing his deceptively simple songwriting is still intact, but the big reveal on Undone At 31 is how new instrumentation and influences seamlessly expand his playground. It might take several listens for one to realize Frawley is singing “Something About Me” over just violin, Moog, and a Graceland-esque bassline, or to appreciate the PB+J pairing of Fender Rhodes and lap steel on “Where The Heart Is”, which serves as the album’s twist ending. [Exclusive indie-store vinyl pressing also available.]
Lily & Madeleine – Canterbury Girls CD/LP (New West)
Lily & Madeleine Jurkiewicz create candid music with deep emotional and personal resonance. The sisters, who record under the moniker Lily & Madeleine, boldly explore what it means to be women in the 21st century and aren’t afraid to use their music to call out injustice or double standards. This fearless approach has permeated their three albums, which are full of insightful lyrics and thoughtful indie-pop. But with their fourth studio album, Canterbury Girls – named after Canterbury Park, located in their hometown of Indianapolis – the sisters are coming into their own as women and musicians as the explore new sonic vistas. “Supernatural Sadness” is an irresistible slice of bubbly, easy-going disco-pop; the urgent “Pachinko Song” hews toward interstellar synth-pop with driving rhythms, and “Can’t Help The Way I Feel” is an effervescent, Motown-inflected number. Vocally, the sisters also take giant leaps forward. The dreamy waltz “Self Care” is a rich, piano-heavy track on which their voices intertwine for soulful harmonies, while the meticulous “Just Do It” has a throwback, ‘70s R&B vibe.
Overkill – The Wings Of War CD/LP (Nuclear Blast America)
It’s with over 30 years under their leather belts that New Jersey natives Overkill unveil their latest offering, The Wings Of War. With 10 tracks clocking in at fifty-one minutes, their nineteenth full length slab is the ultimate combination of sickening brutality and addictive melody. Album opener “Last Man Standing” is Overkill kicking the door in with a hard and loud tune that’s rooted in some of the best angst that thrash possesses. The album’s second single, “Head Of A Pin”, is a lyrical journey about disappointment and trust. Musically, the song comes across as “Black Sabbath on meth” proclaims frontman Bobby Blitz. [Limited digipak edition includes a bonus track.]
Susto – Ever Since I Lost My Mind CD/2xLP (Rounder)
Ever Since I Lost My Mind is the third album from Charleston-based musician Justin Osborne’s band Susto (derived from a Latin American term roughly translated as “panic attack”). The 12-track offering was produced by Ian Fitchuck (Kacey Musgraves, Ruston Kelly) with input from Osborne’s longtime creative partner Wolfgang Zimmerman. “Ever Since I Lost My Mind is very personal,” Osborne explains of the new record. “This collection of songs came together over the course of a couple years, and they all represent different moments. It felt cathartic writing all of them, and they were also all fun in different ways.” “Ever Since I Lost My Mind is a showcase for frontman Justin Osborne’s masterful songwriting. It’s tasteful and subtle in the gentle parts, but there are major guitar moments and heavy tones, such on the first single “Homeboy,” which starts with chugging acoustics but then breaks into angsty electric wails at the chorus. These songs could stand strong stripped down to just an acoustic or blaze on with full band.” – Premier Guitar [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Telekinesis – Effluxion CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
The fifth full-length album Michael Benjamin Lerner has recorded as Telekinesis is perfect, unfussy power pop – romantic and hopeful and skittish and fresh and familiar, with hooks in all the right places. Its title, Effluxion, comes from the Latin term meaning “to flow” and captures the spirit in which the album was made: hooks flow in, hooks flow out. Effluxion is, in the purest way, a back-to-basics album – not just in its reaffirmation of the sound and style that made Lerner an indie wunderkind a decade ago, but in the way it was created. Using the same now-discontinued MacBook microphone he used to record his earliest tracks, he holed up in the basement of his West Seattle home and put the album together piece by piece over the past two years, playing every instrument. [Exclusive indie-store vinyl pressing also available.]
Vandoliers – Forever CD/LP+MP3 (Bloodshot)
Vandoliers are the next wave of Texas music. The six-piece Dallas-Fort Worth group channels all that makes this vast state unique: tradition, modernity, audacity, grit, and-of course-size. Forever puts it all together for an enthralling ride down a fresh Lone Star highway. Produced and recorded by Adam Hill (Low Cut Connie, The Bo-Keys, Deer Tick, Don Bryant, Zeshan B) at American Recording Studios in Memphis, TN, the band’s third album, Forever is a mix of youthful and defiant punk, rugged Red Dirt country, and vibrant Tejano. The full-length’s 10 songs blend emblematic rock ‘n’ roll with bold horns, violin, and a slather of twang reflecting where the band is from, where they’ve been and, eventually, where they’ll be headed. It’s regional and universal all the same.
Yola – Walk Through Fire CD/LP (Nonesuch)
British rising star Yola presents her debut solo album, Walk Through Fire, produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. A contemporary twist on a traditional sonic tapestry of orchestral strings, fiddle, steel, and shimmering tremolo guitars, it provides the perfect soundtrack to Yola’s arresting vocals. Written and recorded at Auerbach’s Nashville studio, Easy Eye Sound, Walk Through Fire is a truly collaborative record. It was written in the studio by Yola and Auerbach with contributions from songwriting legends who between them have written songs for artists from Glen Campbell to Aretha Franklin. Auerbach also assembled his Easy Eye Sound all-star house band composed of legendary session players. Musicians who performed on the record include bassist Dave Roe (Johnny Cash) as well as drummer Gene Chrisman and pianist Bobby Wood who played on hits by Dusty Springfield and Elvis Presley. Guest performers include up-and-comer Molly Tuttle and country music icon Vince Gill.
CDs + Vinyl:
Aenimus – Dreamcatcher CD/LP (Nuclear Blast America)
Aenimus is a progressive, extreme metal band from San Francisco.
Cyrille Aimée – Move On: A Sondheim Adventure CD (Mack Avenue)
The genius of Stephen Sondheim stems from the revered composer’s ability to plumb universal human emotions even in the form of the most outré characters – be they cannibalistic barbers, presidential assassins, or fairy tale witches. The acclaimed vocalist Cyrille Aimée discovered that gift first-hand as she took a deep dive into the Sondheim songbook for her scintillating new album, Move On: A Sondheim Adventure. What began as a celebration of a legendary Broadway songwriter became a work of cathartic autobiography as one song after another captured her deepest personal feelings.
And The Kids – When This Life Is Over CD/LP+MP3 (Signature Sounds)
Praised by NPR for “striking vocals [that] rival the vibrato and boldness of Siouxsie Sioux… and music that’s both fearless and entertaining,” And The Kids return with a bold continuation of their chunky indie rock meets blissful new wave sound, while finding inspiration in exploring the total freedom of mortality’s fate.
Badflower – OK, I’m Sick CD/LP (Big Machine/ John Varvatos)
OK, I’m Sick is the debut studio album from alternative rock band Badflower. Lead singer Josh Katz gave Billboard insight into the 13-track project, “There’s a lot of heavy lyrical content – honest, no filter, very emotive. We really weren’t trying to impress people on a musical level; We were just trying to be genuine and make something that sounded right and felt right.” Members of the band co-wrote each of the tracks on the album which range from guitar-driven to downtempo.
Bayonne – Drastic Measures CD/LP (Mom + Pop Music)
Each song on Bayonne’s Drastic Measures is orchestral in texture, unfolding in countless layers and kaleidoscopic tones. With great intensity of detail, the Austin-based artist otherwise known as Roger Sellers deepens that sonic complexity by weaving in elegantly warped samples of the field recordings that he has gathered for over a decade. But in its powerful melodies and pristine arrangements, Drastic Measures ultimately bears a pure pop lucidity even in its most grandiose moments.
Benny Sings – City Pop CD/LP (Stones Throw)
Benny Sings debuted in 2003 and has since performed for NPR’s Tiny Desk; toured the world with Mayer Hawthorne, and collaborated with the likes of Anderson.Paak, GoldLink, and Mndsgn. Like the 2015 album Studio, City Pop celebrates collaboration, with Hawthorne, Cornelius, Sukimaswitch (the Japanese Steely Dan), Mocky and Faberyayo among the featured artists.
Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
Better Oblivion Community Center is a brand-new band comprising the formidable talents of Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst. Better Oblivion Community Center features the work of several talented friends: Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ guitarist Nick Zinner appears on two tracks (first single “Dylan Thomas” and “Dominoes”) while Carla Azur (Autolux, Jack White) plays drums on half of the album. Dawes’ rhythm section Wylie Gelber and Griffin Goldsmith appear on the other half. Songwriter Christian Lee Hutson contributes guitar and Anna Butterss provides bass. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Rockin’ Johnny Burgin and Quique Gomez – Dos Hombres Wanted CD (VizzTone)
Guitarist and singer Rockin Johnny Burgin hangs his fedora in the Frisco Bay, and harpman and singer Quiqué Gomezhails from Madrid, Spain. Together and separately they have ridden many a dusty trail with some of the last of the great Chicago bluesmen.
bvdub – Explosions In Slow Motion CD/2xLP (n5MD)
Explosions In Slow Motion is the 36th album from the master of emotive spacial ambient BVDUB. Foggy memories of friends, loved ones, and adversaries achingly sweep across the album’s eighty-minute runtime. Forlorn and shrouded in nostalgia. [Limited translucent yellow vinyl pressing also available.]
Candlemass – The Door To Doom CD/LP (Napalm)
Epic world class doom metal that relies on slow mammoth riffing. Includes a guest appearance by Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi on “Astorolus – The Great Octopus”.
Cardi B – Invasion Of Privacy CD/2xLP+MP3 (Atlantic)
Released in December on vinyl – now available on CD. Comprised of a contagious mix of street rap, Latin music and R&B buoyed by a stack of famous guest artists like Migos, Chance The Rapper, YG and SZA, the self-made 25-year old Bronx native not only asserts herself as a force to be reckoned with here but proves she’s a perfectly timed modern pop star with staying power in the process.
Ray Charles – Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volumes 1 & 2 2xCD (Concord)
Ray Charles – Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music [Reissue/1962] LP (Concord)
Listed among the greatest albums of all time by numerous publications, Modern Sounds in Country And Western Music became an instant classic when it was first released in 1962. Charles bent racial barriers in popular music, amid the height of the Civil Rights Movement, with his integration of soul and country music. The success led to the recording of Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume Two. Focusing more on balladry, one side featured performances by the Ray Charles Big Band with the Raelettes, and the other with a string section and the Jack Halloran Singers. Like its predecessor, it was released to both critical and commercial acclaim. [CD combines both volumes, while a single-disc vinyl reissue of the original first volume is also available.]
Chasms – The Mirage CD/LP (Felte)
Following 2016’s On the Legs Of Love Purified and the recent “Divine Illusion” single, The Mirage pushes the band’s ethereal sound into the murky depths of dub. Marking a sonic shift for the project, we find the duo trading in chaotic bursts of noise for understated minimalism that’s still characteristically melancholic and potent with emotion.
Gary Clark Jr. – This Land CD/2xLP (WB)
On his third full-length album, This Land, Grammy Award-winning guitar maverick Gary Clark Jr. channels his signature sense of soul from the crossroads of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, jazz, hip-hop, reggae and punk.
Clear Soul Forces – Still CD/LP (Fat Beats)
At 11 tracks deep, Still eschews trends and instead provides timeless, straight-up dope hip-hop.
Cochemea – All My Relations CD/LP+MP3 (Daptone)
Debut solo album from long-time Dap-Kings saxophonist, Cochemea Gastelum. Cochemea’s electrosax leads an ensemble of percussive giants (members of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Antibalas) on a psychedelic, spiritual journey, exploring his ancestral roots through melody and rhythm.
Delain – Hunter’s Moon CD+Blu-ray/2xLP+Blu-ray (Napalm)
New live album from the symphonic metal band.
Doro – Fight [Reissue/2002] CD/2xLP (Rare Diamonds)
Expanded CD and vinyl reissue of the eighth album from metal queen Doro Pesch. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Dream Theater – Distance Over Time CD/2xLP/2xCD+2xLP+7”+DVD+Blu-ray (Century Media)
Dream Theater return to their roots combining heavy progressive music with epic melodies on their 14th album, Distance Over Time. [Digipak CD edition includes bonus track. Super deluxe edition in 12”x12” box includes the double vinyl LP pressing, a 7” vinyl single, two CDs, the 5.1 mix on DVD and Blu-ray.]
Drenge – Strange Creatures CD/LP (Infectious Music)
Drenge is an English three-piece rock outfit made up of Eoin Loveless, on guitar and vocals, his younger brother Rory, on drums, and Rob Graham on bass. “It’s a nocturnal record. A psychological horror movie on wax,” the group says.
Elaquent – Blessing In Disguise CD/LP (Mello Music)
The new album from the Guelph-bred producer Elaquent merges the digital with the physical – beat music informed by the past with an eye toward the future.
Feels – Post Earth CD/LP+MP3 (Wichita)
Post Earth follows Feels’ Ty Segall-produced 2016 eponymous debut which earned the band wide acclaim. Produced by Tim Green (the former guitarist of punk iconoclasts Nation of Ulysses, who has worked with Sleater-Kinney, Bikini Kill, Joanna Newsom, and Jawbreaker), Post Earth is a call to arms, interspersed with frustration and hope, and strikes a perfect balance musically between noise and energy, breath and space with a mix of angular, interweaving guitars, lush vocal harmonies, heavy bass and pummeling drums – at times hearty and loud, and at others stunningly harmonic and calm. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Field Medic – Songs From The Sunroom CD (Run For Cover)
Field Medic is the lo-fi folk project of Kevin Patrick. Songs From the Sunroom compiles material he’s recorded and released over two years from a small sunroom in San Francisco which doubled as his bedroom.
Future – Future Hndrxx Presents: The WIZRD CD (Epic)
The seventh full-length album from Atlanta hip-hop superstar and multiplatinum trailblazer. Future Hndrxx Presents: The WIZRD boasts a handful of blockbuster collaborations. “Unicorn Purp” (featuring Young Thug & Gunna) unites three of Atlanta’s most iconoclastic talents on one psyched-out banger. “First Off” (featuring Travis Scott) threads together wildly woozy melodies as these two titans lock into a chaotic call-and-response. [Vinyl edition due March 15.]
Judy Garland – Lost Tracks 2: 1936-1967 2xCD (JSP)
50-tracks, 40 new to CD.
Howe Gelb – Gathered CD (Fire)
24th solo studio album from the Giant Sand mainman. Gathered features Gelb’s celebrated song-writing style, filled with emotive tunes and heart-warming arrangements invariably offset by gorgeous discordant moments. It is a chance meeting of the indie/alt country Sinatra annotated by clever wordplay, teased by tongue twisters and an earthy ramble. [Vinyl edition due March 8.]
Good F**k – Good F**k CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Tim Kinsella and Jenny Pulse have consummated their love on disc. The result is Good F**k, an erotic exploration of experimental literary techniques and adventurous electronic beats. There’s audible chemistry in Good F**k’s sound; Kinsella’s extensive history in genre-pushing rock and roll (Joan of Arc, Cap’n Jazz) is strikingly complimented by Pulse’s fresh ear for minimalist electro sounds. [Limited yellow colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Larry Grenadier – The Gleaners CD/LP (ECM)
The Gleaners is a profound and highly creative album, harvesting influences from many sources, its title inspired by Agnès Varda’s film The Gleaners And I. In between his own pieces here, including a dedication to early hero Oscar Pettiford, Grenadier explores compositions by George Gershwin, John Coltrane, Paul Motian, Rebecca Martin and Wolfgang Muthspiel. An important addition to ECM’s series of distinguished solo bass albums.
Holiday Gunfire – Holiday Gunfire CD/LP+MP3 (Cornelius Chapel)
Released last week on vinyl – now available on CD. With razor sharp hooks and shoe gaze solos, Holiday Gunfire is polished and politely unapologetic, fortuitous and melodic. Limited green swirl colored vinyl LP pressing.
Hexvessel – All Tree CD/LP (Profound Lore)
By drawing on older folk acts like Shirley Collins, Vashti Bunyan, later folk rock bands such as Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention and King Crimson, to more recent artists such as Nick Cave and Coil, imbued with Karelian and Nordic folklore rhythms, Hexvessel have created a sound that is both ancient and modern. All Tree is about connection and roots, bringing the spirits of the past that we all share to a more mystical and fulfilling vision of the future. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Julia Jacklin – Crushing CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
The second full-length album from the Australian singer/songwriter album was formed from sheer intensity of feeling, an in-the-moment narrative of heartbreak and infatuation. And with her storytelling centered on bodies and crossed boundaries and smothering closeness, Crushing reveals how our physical experience of the world shapes and sometimes distorts our inner lives. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Henry Jamison – Gloria Duplex CD (Akira)
On his second record, Gloria Duplex, the Vermont songwriter deconstructs ideas of masculinity from boyhood to adulthood and what it means to be a white, middle class male in America today. Recorded over a two-week period in New York City during January 2018, the album features an all-star cast including producer Thomas Bartlett (Sufjan Stevens, The National, St. Vincent) string arranger Rob Moose (Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, Phoebe Bridgers) and mixer Patrick Dillett (Rhye, David Byrne, Glen Hansard). [Vinyl edition due March 8.]
Emilie Khan – Outro CD/LP (Secret City)
Teeming with adulthood’s melancholy, Kahn offers indie pop crafted with a miniaturist hand toward intimacy while still reaching for the grandiosity of the genre’s icons. Outro is a record that stings as much as it soothes, and never misses a chance to swing for the fences as she glances around one last time before heading off to some future island.
Knocked Loose – Pop Culture CDEP/12” (Pure Noise)
Bruised and bloodied, Knocked Loose opens up the pit with a brutal sound that falls between hardcore, punk and metal.
Julian Lage – Love Hurts CD/LP (Mack Avenue)
Hailed as one of the most prodigious guitarists of his generation, Julian Lage has spent more than a decade searching through the myriad strains of American musical history via impeccable technique, free association and a spirit of infinite possibility. Though only 31, the New York-based musician boasts a long, prolific résumé as sideman (alongside such icons as Gary Burton and John Zorn), duo partner (with Nels Cline, Chris Eldridge and Fred Hersch), and as soloist and bandleader.
Last In Line – II CD/CD+DVD/LP (Frontiers)
Last in Line, featuring former Dio (and current Def Leppard) guitarist Vivian Campbell and drummer Vinny Appice, former Ozzy Osbourne bassist Phil Soussan and singer Andrew Freeman, return with a new album. [Deluxe CD edition adds a DVD of videos.]
Kim Lenz – Slowly Speeding CD/LP (Secret Sound)
Following the critically-acclaimed album Follow Me, roots music icon Kim Lenz returns with her fifth release. The 10 songs on Slowly Speeding brim with growling vocals, clever turns of phrase, and heightened musicianship that services both the songs and the emotional intent behind them. As the first song written for the project, ‘Slowly Speeding’ sets the pace for what follows a gauzy, Western Gothic gaze into the heart of a woman who has abandoned her walls and inhibitions so that this deep, dark love might overtake her.” – No Depression
Dave Liebman/Adam Rudolph/Hamid Drake – Chi CD/LP (RareNoise)
In the philosophical tradition of Taoism, Chi is the word used to describe the animating force of the universe, the breath of life that permeates all existence. A natural phenomenon, when channeled it can provide a spark to ignite seemingly supernatural powers. In their first meeting as a trio, saxophone great and NEA Jazz Master Dave Liebman and virtuoso percussionists Adam Rudolph and Hamid Drake tap into that spiritual force to create Chi, a transcendent collaboration deeply possessed of fresh inspiration and deep roots, ancient traditions and modern invention
Major Murphy – Lafayette EP 12”/Cassette (Winspear)
Major Murphy follows up their debut long play No. 1 with a set of bedroom recordings archiving a time when Jacob Bullard was discovering his voice as a songwriter and the band was finding their footing within that space. Named after the house in Grand Rapids, MI that many of these songs were written and recorded in, the Lafayette EP chronicles a liminal space as the project transitioned from a stripped-down, solo project toward a three-piece rock band.
John Mayall – Nobody Told Me CD/LP (Forty Below)
The new studio album from Blues Hall of Fame member boasts an impressive and diverse list of guest guitarists including Todd Rundgren, Little Steven Van Zandt of The E Street Band, Alex Lifeson from Rush, Joe Bonamassa, Larry McCray and Carolyn Wonderland.
Curtis Mayfield – Keep On Keeping On: Curtis Mayfield Studio Albums 1970-1974 4xCD/4xLP (Rhino)
This collection includes newly remastered versions of his first four studio albums: Curtis (1970), Roots (1971), Back To The World (1973) and Sweet Exorcist (1974).
Marilyn Mazur – Shamania CD/LP (RareNoise)
In 1978, Danish percussion master Marilyn Mazur founded the bold, innovative Primi Band, an all-female music-theater ensemble that drew from a deep well of primal energy and experimental audacity. Four decades later, Mazur reinvents the core concepts in an adventurous new fashion with Shamania, a gathering of ten of Scandinavia’s most inventive and respected female musicians. Whereas Primi Band culled its members from risk-taking but non-professional musicians, Shamania comprises ten highly respected (but equally daring) artists from the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian avant-jazz scenes.
Modeselektor – Who Else CD/LP (Monkeytown)
Modeselektor returns with their first new album since 2011. Who Else offers next level production and as always a properly varied sequence of grime, techno, hip-hop and other styles. It is the sound of the duo rambling, raving, and experimenting. [Limited picture disc vinyl pressing also available.]
- Stevie Moore – Afterlife CD/LP (Bar/None)
- Stevie Moore is a pioneer of home recording, a do-it-yourself musical aesthetic that took root and blossomed in the 1970s. RSM was an early adopter – since 1968 he’s cranked out hundreds of album-length recordings as a growing cult discovered him over the decades. He’s a pop craftsman who never feared cheap technology. Afterlife is RSM’s A-game collection. Some recent songs, some reimagined nuggets, all polished to pop perfection.
Moving Panoramas – In Two CD/LP (Modern Outsider)
Moving Panoramas make dream rock from Austin, Texas. In Two features special guests Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Sabrina Ellis (A Giant Dog/Sweet Spirit), and past Panoramas Karen Skloss, Jolie Flink, and Laura Colwell.
Nakhane – You Will Not Die CD (BMG Rights Management)
Deluxe edition contains bonus tracks and unreleased remixes. Nakhane, a 29-year-old south African singer, combine Subtly indie rock and his African roots. Multi-instrumentalist, from keyboard to trombone, he stands-out thanks to a unique voice.
Alicia Olatuja – Intuition: Songs From The Minds Of Women CD (Resilience Music)
A collection of definitive songs written by some of the greatest female songwriters and features the vocals of the incomparable Alicia Olatuja, supported by a who’s who of great players, including Sullivan Fortner, Billy Childs, David Rosenthal, Ben Williams, Ulysses Owens Jr., Dayna Stephens, Etienne Charles, and Jeremy Pelt.
Opprobrium – The Fallen Entities CD/LP (High Roller)
Fifth album from the legendary New Orleans’ thrash/death metal masters.
O.R.k. – Ramagehead CD/LP (Kscope)
A band of rock legends and some of contemporary music’s most revered creators, O.R.k. has combined forces once again for a new studio album. The band is: Lef (lead vocals), King Crimson’s Pat Mastelotto (drums), Porcupine Tree’s Colin Edwin (bass), Marta Sui Tubi’s Carmelo Pipitone (guitars) and extra special guest and Grammy Award-winner Serj Tankian of System of a Down (vocals), who is undoubtedly one of metal’s greatest and most renowned vocalists.
Our Native Daughters – Songs Of Our Native Daughters CD (Smithsonian Folkways)
Songs of Our Native Daughters gathers together kindred musicians Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell in song and sisterhood to communicate with their forebears. Drawing on and reclaiming early minstrelsy and banjo music, these musicians reclaim, recast, and spotlight the often unheard and untold history of their ancestors, whose stories remain vital and alive today.
Chris Potter – Circuits CD/LP (Edition)
For more than two decades, Chris Potter’s limitless creativity, effortless virtuosity and vibrant sense of swing has wowed critics, musicians and fans alike, who cite him as one of the most influential saxophonists and inventive improvisors of the modern day. His new album, Circuits is immediate and uplifting, rooted in a strong sense of groove and intense improvisation.
The Quill – The Quill [Reissue/1995] CD/LP (Metalville)
The Quill is a heavy metal band from Kalmar, Sweden. Their eponymous debut album is back in-print on CD and vinyl.
Rezet – Deal With It! CD/LP (Metalville)
Fourth album from the old-school thrash metal band. “Rezet nails the perfect mix of fresh, thrashy aggression and shout-able, catchy metal hooks.” – Metal Express Radio
Rhapsody Of Fire – The Eighth Mountain CD (AFM)
Anthemic symphonic metal presented with lots of speed, great pathos and technical refinement. [Vinyl edition due March 8.]
Riot – Archives Volume 2: 1982-1983 CD+DVD (High Roller)
Formed in New York City in 1975, Riot recorded one of the best heavy metal albums of all time: 1981’s Fire Down Under. However, before this landmark album finally saw the light of day, it took Riot six long years and two studio albums (1977’s Rock City and 1979’s Narita) to get the formula right. [Vinyl edition due March 8.]
Michael Rother – Solo 5xCD/6xLP (Groenland)
A box set of Neu!/Harmonia/Kraftwerk guitarist’s first four solo LPs. Includes Flammende Herzen (1977), Sterntaler (1978), Katzenmusik (1979) and Fernwärme (1982), as well as unreleased soundtracks for the films Die Raeuber and Houston and an album of live tracks and remixes.
Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive CD/LP (Extreme Eating)
Sleaford Mods are one of the most important, politically charged and thought-provoking duos currently making their mark on the UK music scene and beyond. [Limited green colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Spaceark – Spaceark Is [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Mr. Bongo)
More brilliant self-released, private-press jazz/soul from late-‘70s Los Angeles. Although their music was far greater than the sum of its parts, those parts made for a very original style. R&B, soul, rock, pop, jazz, classical… it all came together in blissful stream of intricate compositions.
Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra – Pathways To Unknown Worlds [Reissue/1975] CD/LP (Modern Harmonic)
These 1975 guided improvisations are imbued with an underlying violence, alternate twists, bank turns, headchoppers, loops, rolls, sidewinders and drops. It’s a dark & glorious journey.
Sunwatchers – Illegal Moves CD/LP (Trouble In Mind)
A heady potion of free-jazz, psychedelia, punk & noise rock. [Limited red & blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
The Three Tremors – The Three Tremors CD/LP (Steel Cartel)
New metal supergroup featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth), Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin (Jag Panzer), and Sean “The Hell Destroyer” Peck (Cage, Denner/Shermann, Death Dealer).
Unknown Instructors – Unwilling To Explain CD (ORG Music)
Unknown Instructors are an all-star outfit featuring the former rhythm section of Minutemen and Firehose, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, with poet Dan McGuire. Dinosaur Junior guitarist J Mascis was recruited for their fourth effort, Unwilling To Explain. They seamlessly blend flavors of jazz, punk rock, spoken word, noise, and art rock. [Vinyl edition due March 22.]
Various Artists – The Social Power Of Music 4xCD (Smithsonian Folkways)
The Social Power Of Music chronicles the vivid, impassioned, and myriad ways in which music binds, incites, memorializes, and moves groups of people. This richly illustrated 124-page book, with 80+ tracks on four CDs, invites listeners into musical practices, episodes, and movements throughout the U.S. and beyond. These songs of struggle, devotion, celebration, and migration remind us that music has the potential to change our world.
Matthew Logan Vasquez – Light’n Up CD/LP (Dine Alone)
Best-known as the co-founder for shape-shifting heartland indie rockers Delta Spirit and super-group Middle Brother with John J. McCauley III of Deer Tick and Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Matthew Logan Vasquez’s fiery delivery and thought-provoking lyrics draw from a huge and versatile well of influences, including Gram Parsons, Kurt Cobain, Neil Young, and Iggy Pop. He’s also a solo artist and returns here with his third full-length effort.
Aida Victoria – Silences CD/LP (Atlantic)
Two years after the release of her critically-acclaimed debut, Beyond The Bloodhounds, Nashville-based modern blueswoman Adia Victoria returns with Silences. The album was recorded with Aaron Dessner (The National) at his studio in upstate New York. Over 12 tracks, Victoria brings the topics of mental illness, drug addiction, sexism, and all the elements that consume the day-to-day lives of women attempting to make a world of their own.
Visions Of Atlantis – The Deep & The Dark – Live @ Symphonic Metal Nights CD (Napalm)
New live album from the Austrian symphonic power metal band.
Walls Of Blood – Imperium CD/LP (Metalville)
The new band featuring Canadian metal guitarist Glen Drover.
The Way Down Wanderers – Illusions CD (ORG Music)
With their sophomore album, Illusions, the Way Down Wanderers have fine-tuned their signature blend of heartfelt songwriting, lyrical harmonies, and dance floor drumbeats. These eleven songs are informed by a diverse range of musical traditions, somewhere between bluegrass and hip-hop, and the result is an album that sounds both timeless and fresh. [Vinyl edition due March 22.]
Yusuf (Cat Stevens) – Back To Earth [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (BMG Rights Management)
In 1978, after having sold millions of records and become one of the biggest international artists of the 1970s, Cat Stevens decided to step out of the rock star spotlight and walk away. That year, he was to release his final album under that name. The appropriately-titled Back To Earth was his parting gift: an album that saw the London-born singer saying farewell to his fans, while obliquely explaining his decision to quit in songs such as “Last Love Song” and “Just Another Night”.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
A Star Is Born DVD/Blu-ray (Warner Home Video)
Bradley Cooper co-wrote, directed, and stars in the acclaimed third updating of William Wellman’s 1937 drama. Gifted aspiring singer/songwriter Ally (Lady Gaga) gets a much-deserved shot at stardom when she’s discovered by seasoned and successful musician Jackson Maine (Cooper). The two slowly fall in love, but their relationship is threatened by Ally’s success and Jackson’s struggles with alcohol.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Arctic Monkeys – Crying Lightning b/w Red Right Hand [Reissue/2009] 7” (Domino)
Arctic Monkeys – Cornerstone b/w Catapult [Reissue/2009] 7” (Domino)
Arctic Monkeys – Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair [Reissue/2011] 7” (Domino)
7” vinyl reissues of two Humbug and one Suck It And See singles.
The Art Institute Of Chicago – Tutankaman LP (ORG Music)
Two long tracks recorded by the Art Ensemble in Paris during June of 1969. This was a tremendously productive time for the group; they run through a gamut of instruments, a wild range of sounds, yet never manage to lose their focus.
As I Lay Dying – An Ocean Between Us [Reissue/2007] LP (Metal Blade)
Limited amber with aqua smoke color vinyl LP pressing. Produced by Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, San Diego, California metal titans As I Lay Dying’s fourth studio effort, An Ocean Between Us, is seething with metallic vitriol, overflowing with energy, and rich with the kind of melody that irrevocably implants itself in the listener’s mind.
Albert Ayler and Don Cherry – Vibrations [Reissue/1965] LP (ORG Music)
Recorded in Copenhagen in September of 1964, Vibrations is the second album released by American free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler’s quartet featuring Don Cherry, Gary Peacock and Sonny Murray. Originally issued by the Freedom label, it was also released under the alternate title, Ghosts.
Cop Shoot Cop – Ask Questions Later [Reissue/1993] LP (New Red Archives)
Cop Shoot Cop – Release [Reissue/1994] LP (New Red Archives)
The groundbreaking NY noise rock band finally sees their major label releases reissued on colored vinyl.
Dancefloor Stompers – Librerie Musicali LP (Four Flies)
10 cool tracks from a super-groovy combo powered by an explosive horn section and a stunning strings orchestra.
Electric Wizard – Black Masses [Reissue/2010] 2xLP (Rise Above Limited)
Vinyl reissue of the doom metal band’s 2010 album. Black Masses is an encyclopedia referencing the history of heavy metal from the Kinks right through to Bathory, thematically governed by occult knowledge passed down from their ancestors.
Enuff Z’nuff – Covered In Gold [Reissue/2014] LP (Deadline Music)
Limited edition gold vinyl pressing. An assortment of cover tunes including Bowie’s “The Jean Genie”, Nirvana’s “All Apologies”, Prince’s “When Doves Cry”, Smokey Robinson’s “Tears Of A Clown” and more.
Ella Fitzgerald – Ella At The Shrine LP (Verve)
Newly discovered live recording, of a live performance captured ten days before Ella Fitzgerald’s classic performance at Zardi’s (captured on the release Ella At Zardi’s).
Josephine Foster – Faithful Fairy Harmony LP (Fire)
Josephine raises a stained-glass lamp and shepherds us spelunking the depths of spirit in this four-part double album. Following the fame of her voice are choruses of winged entities (and a space shuttle) that ascend and descend a maze of spirituals: ritual prayers, blues laments, vestal hymns and jubilant benedictions. [Limited clear vinyl LP pressing. CD version due March 15.]
Fruit Bats & Vetiver – In Real Life (Live At Spacebomb Studios) LP (Spacebomb)
Eric D. Johnson and Andy Cabic have a lot in common. Two kindred spirits with a common affinity for songwriting that embraces a range of feeling, strong on melodies paired with thoughtful lyrics and catchy hooks. Over the years, they’ve played in each other’s bands (Fruit Bats and Vetiver), on one another’s albums, scored films together, and toured the world with one another. In Real Life documents their musical relationship and recent duo touring as part of the ongoing Live At Spacebomb series.
Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd – Jazz Samba [Reissue/1962] LP (Verve)
This famous 1962 collaboration sounds as fresh today as it did when it was released, an all-time classic album including evergreen versions of “Desafinado”, “O Pato” and “One Note Samba”.
Stan Getz & Bill Evans – Stan Getz & Bill Evans[Reissue/1973] LP (Verve)
Recorded in 1964 but not released until 1973, this classic double- header also features an all-star rhythm section of Ron Carter on bass and Elvin Jones on drums.
Beverly Glenn-Copeland – Beverly Copeland [Reissue/1970] LP (Majik Bus Entertainment)
Beverly Glenn-Copeland was born in Philadelphia, but this jazz folk album was recorded in Canada for the CBC in-house label and only released to CBC radio stations.
Gorillaz – The Now Now LP+MP3 (WB)
Limited picture disc vinyl pressing. In contrast to the cast of characters that joined the apocalyptic party thrown by Damon Albarn and his cartoon crew on 2017’s multiple-Grammy-nominated Humanz, The Now Now sees the band largely eschewing guest stars (save George Benson, Snoop Dogg and Jamie Principle), taking it back to the core Gorillaz crew: blue-haired, sweet-natured dreamer 2D on vocals; whip-smart Japanese badass Noodle on guitar; Brooklyn-born philosopher and the meat – behind-the-beat Russel Hobbs on drums. Vibrant lead single “Humility” features legendary jazz guitarist George Benson.
Grateful Dead – Spring 1990 – So Glad You Made It [Reissue/2012] 4xLP (Friday Music)
Limited 180gm audiophile four LP box set. Filled with 20 stellar performances, The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Brent Mydland, Mickey Hart and Bill Kruetzmann truly radiate with some of their finest playing and singing ever documented, making this a wonderful listen.
Ragnar Grippe – Symphonic Songs 2xLP (Dais)
Recorded between the release of Sand (1977) and Lost Secrets (1981), Symphonic Songs is a formerly unreleased work that chronicles the dynamic shift and development in experimental Swedish composer Ragnar Grippe’s canon. Following his seminal release Sand in 1977, Swedish experimental composer Ragnar Grippe worked on various art and performance commissions, often returning to Stockholm during the summer months to focus his efforts on his compositional practice. It was there at the famed EMS Studios where he began employing the Buchla synthesizer and the facilities multi-tracking capabilities as new instruments to map his mining of sound and movement. Using the machinations of studio and structure to drive Symphonic Songs’ voice, Grippe culled a haunting, often cinematic electronic work that dots and darts into unexpected corners with curious aplomb.
Il Guardiano Del Faro – Oasis [Reissue/1978] LP (Time Capsule)
Released in 1978, Oasis became a cult classic for its experimental sounds and emotional expressions. Spiritual synth sounds cover the album in a dreamy haze, oscillating between ambient and psychedelic. Sparing deployment of the Roland rhythm box gives dance floor favorites “Disco Divina” and “Oasis” touches of space disco and even teases proto-house elements like the great Sun Palace.
Coleman Hawkins – Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster [Reissue/1959] LP (Verve)
Two titans of the tenor collaborate on this landmark 1957 album, perfectly distilling their differing styles to produce a bona fide jazz classic.
The Head Cat – Rock ‘n’ Roll Riot On The Sunset Strip [Reissue/2016] LP (Cleopatra)
Lemmy of Motörhead, Slim Jim Phantom of Stray Cats and Danny B. Harvey light up the stage in this awesome concert appearance. Pink vinyl pressing.
Billie Holiday – Body And Soul [Reissue/1957] LP (Verve)
Billie Holiday – Songs For Distingué Lovers [Reissue/1958] LP (Verve)
Songs For Distingué Lovers was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles from January 3 to January 9, 1957, and produced by Norman Granz. Norman Granz brings together Barney Kessel on guitar, Ben Webster on tenor sax and Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison on trumpet to back up Billie on this 1956 classic. Body And Soul is a perfect companion piece to Songs For Distingué Lovers and features classic versions of “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” and “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off”.
Hoodoo Fushimi – Kusaya [Reissue/1992] LP (Good Find)
Kusaya is a unique and beautifully crafted album combining hip-hop, funk and synth elements with a pulsating Japanese sensibility.
The Hot 8 Brass Band – Take Cover LP (Tru Thoughts)
Having recently performed as part of Jools Hollands New Years Eve Hootenanny, alongside the likes of Nile Rodgers & Chic, Rudimental, Michael Buble, Yola and George Erza, Hot 8 ring in the new year with their signature party spirit.
Skip James – The Rough Guide To Skip James LP+MP3 (World Distribution Network)
Skip James was a Delta blues enigma, whose mesmerizing guitar playing and haunting voice produced bluer than blue masterpieces. The Rough Guide To Skip James is a collection of his seminal pre-war 1931 recordings for Paramount Records.
Fredrik Klingwall & Julia Black – Sentience LP (ViciSolum Productions)
Fredrik Klingwall & Julia Black have together with an ensemble of highly creative musicians forged an explosive emotional album. A blend of pop, rock and jazzy sensibilities over dreamy cinematic surroundings, with Julia’s versatile vocals performed in several languages.
Kirk Knight – IIWII LP (Red Music)
Born Kirlan Labarrie, Kirk Knight is a prolific emcee, producer and songwriter who, regardless of the type of project he puts out, always ends up finding a way to successfully embody New York City and Brooklyn’s grit and ruggedness; it is the focal point of his sound, and what makes him so unique among other rappers and producers. IIWII finds him flexing his wide-ranging skill set with productions that are as infectious as ever, next level lyrics, and genre jumping songwriting that runs the gamut from R&B ballads to reflective rap to straight up pop.
The Legendary Pink Dots – The Golden Age [Reissue/1988] 2xLP (Metropolis)
The Legendary Pink Dots – Malachai – Shadow Weaver Part 2 [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Metropolis)
New remastered vinyl reissues. In 1988 half of the six-piece Legendary Pink Dots had quit after a long tour. Edward Kaspel & The Silverman were living in a caravan. The Golden Age was never going to be a happy album, yet it remains a personal favorite for the two survivors of LPDs class of ’88. A masterful set of avant-garde, experimentalist melancholia. Malachai is the second half of the Shadow Weaver project. Special guest for this one was Steve Stapleton (Nurse With Wound, Current 93). A tripped out, challenging dive into experimentalism.
Lil Yachty – Nuthin’ 2 Prove LP (Quality Control)
Released last November on CD – now available on vinyl. Nuthin’ 2 Prove is the third studio album by rapper Lil Yachty. The album features guest appearances from Quality Control labelmates Offset of Migos and Lil Baby, alongside Cardi B, Trippie Redd, Juice Wrld, Playboi Carti, Gunna and Kevin Gates, among others.
Krister Linder – Across The Never LP (Ghostfriend)
With gold records and radio hits from various projects dating back as far as the late ‘80s, plus a substantial body of work in the ‘90s Stockholm underground electronic era (under an array of pseudonyms like Tupilaq, Yeti, Solaroid etc), Linder has been a prominent but equally mysterious figure on the Swedish music scene. [CD edition due April 12.]
Månegarm – Vargstenen [Reissue/2007] LP (Black Lodge)
Månegarm’s classic album Vargstenen is packed with pagan battle songs and is considered a milestone in the Viking metal genre.
Hugh Marsh – Violinvocations LP (Western Vinyl)
Even if you’ve never heard of Hugh Marsh you’ve almost certainly heard his violin. He’s a featured player on soundtracks by Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams, was nominated for a Juno award, recorded with Iggy Pop and The Stooges, and was in the backing band for Bauhaus’ Peter Murphy, all a tiny fraction of his decades-long list of credits. The latest addition to that list is Marsh’s own Violinvocations, an LP recorded while Marsh lived in L.A. with friend, mentor, and fellow soundbender Jon Hassell.
Wes Montgomery – California Dreaming [Reissue/1966] LP (Verve)
A career highlight for the guitarist, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio during September 1966, this California Dreaming was an artistic and commercial smash, reaching #1 on the US Billboard Jazz chart.
Tomas Nordmark – Eternal Words LP (Valley Of Search)
Debut album from the experimental Swedish composer, sound artist, and designer. The slow and evolving phase-shifting compositions on Eternal Words are based on the same principle used by the American minimalists (specifically Terry Riley and Steve Reich), while the melodic textures are based on ancient Scandinavian music and sacred hymns – a tonality far from the downtown NYC avant-garde. The album builds a forward-looking electronic soundscape, escaping the repetitive loop of contemporary time without imposing any specific stylistic dogma.
Pretty Maids – Scream [Reissue/1995] LP (Frontiers)
Pretty Maids – Spooked [Reissue/1997] LP (Frontiers)
Pretty Maids – Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing [Reissue/1999] LP (Frontiers)
Pretty Maids – Carpe Diem [Reissue/2000] LP (Frontiers)
Pretty Maids – Planet Panic [Reissue/2002] LP (Frontiers)
Pretty Maids – Wake Up To The Real World [Reissue/2006] LP (Frontiers)
Pretty Maids – Pandemonium [Reissue/2010] LP (Frontiers)
Pretty Maids – Motherland [Reissue/2013] LP (Frontiers)
Pretty Maids is a Danish Heavy Metal band formed in 1981. A portion of their back catalog has been reissued on vinyl. [The CD box set A Blast From The Past is due March 15.]
Quavo – Quavo Huncho 2xLP (Quality Control)
Released last November on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut album from Quavo, one third of the international supergroup Migos. Quavo Uncho includes features from Drake, Travis Scott, Madonna, Cardi B, Lil Baby, Offset, Takeoff, and 21 Savage.
Santana – In Seach Of Mona Lisa 12” (Concord)
New five-track EP from the legendary singer-songwriter guitarist, inspired by Santana’s interaction with the Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre in Paris, France.
Sensations’ Fix – Portable Madness [Reissue/1974] LP (Vinyl Magic)
Often associated with the sound of Tangerine Dream and the so-called German ‘cosmic couriers’, Sensations’ Fix was much more than mere clones of something already existing. Portable Madness is – along with an eponymous LP and Fragments Of Light – one of the three titles published in 1974 alone, and can be considered the first true result of a group work. A fully instrumental record, conceived as the sum of two long suites (one on each side), dominated by keyboards and synthesizers, and characterized by an energetic and pulsating rhythm section.
Spelling – Mazy Fly LP (Sacred Bones)
The second full-length by the Bay Area artist Spelling explores the tension between the thrill of exploring the unknown and the terror of imminent destruction. The album traverses the spaces between languid, honey-soaked vocals and distant angelic whispers, from thumping 808 club beats to crunching tape loops, and from silky, smooth R&B to whirling organ sonatas. [Limited blue colored vinyl pressing also available. CD edition due March 1.]
StumpWater – Motel In Saginaw LP+7” (Drag City)
Previously unissued 1973 album. “Rural folk rock that’d make David Crosby’s ’stache bristle.”
Sublime – Greatest Hits [Reissue/1999] LP (Geffen)
Limited vinyl LP pressing housed in a matchbook-style jacket.
Super Wings – My Love Is For You [Reissue/1977] LP (Good Find)
The Wings was a band from the South Eastern region of Nigeria who enjoyed wide reaching success in their homeland in the early ‘70s as a plethora of rock bands emerged mainly for the purpose of entertaining federal troops. My Love Is For You has since been heralded as a classic of Nigerian funk and soul. A unique album with earnest vocals, sincere songwriting and the encapsulating grooves that once made their former band the talk of the town.
Takeoff – The Last Rocket LP (Quality Control)
Released last November on CD – now available on vinyl. The Last Rocket is the debut studio album by rapper Takeoff. Its release makes Takeoff the second member of Migos to release a solo album, following Quavo’s Quavo Huncho.
Cal Tjader – Solar Heat [Reissue/1968] LP (Modern Harmonic)
Vibraphone legend Cal Tjader’s fusion of different genres and styles was an acute influence on Carlos Santana (and Latin rock as a whole). On Solar Heat he stirs in tastes of exotica, funk, and of course Latin and jazz. Limited edition gold colored vinyl LP pressing.
Yuji Toriyama – Choice Works 1982-1985 LP (Time Capsule)
The second installment from the label is an anthology of guitarist, composer and producer Yuji Toriyama, regarded as one of the pioneering Japanese fusionists alongside Hiroshi Sato, Ryo Kawasaki and Yasuaki Shimizu. Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing.
The Tornadoes – Bustin’ Surfboards [Reissue/1963] LP (Sundazed)
Limited clear colored vinyl LP pressing of one of the very first surf LPs.
U2 – No Line On The Horizon [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Interscope)
U2’s twelfth album has been fully remastered with two additional remixes added to celebrate its 10th Anniversary. [Limited clear vinyl pressing also available.]
Tony Joe White – Home Made Ice Cream [Reissue/1973] 2xLP (Analogue Productions)
200gm 45rpm double LP pressing. You may or may not be overly familiar with Tony Joe White, but we all know his two most famous songs – “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night In Georgia”. Homemade Ice Cream is up to the standards of those great numbers. So soulful, humid, rich and textured. Or as Tony Joe would say, “It’s swampy”.
Bernie Worrell – Pieces Of Woo: The Other Side [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Tidal Waves)
Bernie Worrell (1944-2016) needs little introduction. He was an American keyboardist, arranger & composer best known as a founding member of Parliament/Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. Pieces Of Woo: The Other Side was the iconic keyboardist’s fourth solo album, recorded and released in 1993 the album has an all-star line up that includes several renowned artists including Fred Wesley, Buckethead, Bill Laswell and Umar Bin Hassan (The Last Poets). Modal strains of jazz, avant-noise, poetry readings, heavy funk overtones and Hammond organ-drenched experimental atmospheres give a lengthy and unique flavor to each song. Deluxe double-LP set with silkscreened D-side.
X – Los Angeles [Reissue/1980] LP (Fat Possum)
Four decades after their inception, one thing is clear: X was not only one of the most influential bands to crash out of the punk movement of the late ’70s, but the group’s music continues to be sonically groundbreaking today.
The Zombies – The Complete Studio Recordings 5xLP (Varese Sarabande)
The Complete Studio Recordings includes their two original US albums: She’s Not There/Tell Her No and Odessey & Oracle; two important compilations: I Love You and R.I.P. as well as a bespoke collection of rare singles and UK-only album tracks: Oddities & Extras.
Cassettes:
Major Murphy – Lafayette EP (Winspear)
Major Murphy follows up their debut long play No. 1 with a set of bedroom recordings archiving a time when Jacob Bullard was discovering his voice as a songwriter and the band was finding their footing within that space. Named after the house in Grand Rapids, MI that many of these songs were written and recorded in, the Lafayette EP chronicles a liminal space as the project transitioned from a stripped-down, solo project toward a three-piece rock band.
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