AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:
Celtic Woman – Celtic Woman 20 (20th Anniversary) CD (Celtic Woman)
Celtic Woman returns with a brand-new album to celebrate this incredible 20-year milestone. 20 (20th Anniversary) features 18 new recordings and is the group’s first new studio album since 2021’s Postcards From Ireland. It features new arrangements of beautiful and iconic songs, some new compositions and, of course, some fan favorites.
Madi Diaz – Weird Faith CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Madi Diaz has been making records and writing songs professionally since the mid-2000s, but it wasn’t until she released 2021’s History Of A Feeling that she felt the glare of wider notoriety. It wasn’t her debut album, but it certainly felt like it. She made her daytime and nighttime television debuts, embarked on her first solo tour since 2012, and supported Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen on tour, and collaborated with them on record. Harry Styles handpicked Diaz to open for him in arenas and stadiums in North America, and was so taken by her captivating live show, he asked her to be a member of his touring band, to sing alongside him all over Europe and the UK, as well as continuing to open the show in various cities. After three months on the road touring internationally, Diaz is back in Nashville, and now releases her new album, Weird Faith. Featuring Kacey Musgraves and produced by Sam Cohen and Konrad Snyder, Weird Faith is expansive and exploratory, showcasing her growth as a songwriter and speaking earnestly about the fears that come from falling in love again. [An indie store exclusive opaque green color vinyl pressing is available.]
Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (10th Anniversary Edition) 2xCD/4xLP (Interscope)
The 10th Anniversary Expanded Deluxe Edition of The Marshall Mathers LP2 features 11 bonus tracks, including B-sides and instrumentals. Originally released on November 5, 2013, the album serves as a sequel to The Marshall Mathers LP released in 2000. It features the singles “Berzerk”, “Survival”, “Rap God”, “Headlights”, and “The Monster, ” which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album won Eminem a record sixth Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and is now certified 4x platinum.
Declan McKenna – What Happened To The Beach? CD/LP (Tomplcated Inc)
Produced by Gianluca Buccellati (Lana Del Rey, Arlo Parks), What Happened To The Beach? marks Mckenna’s third studio album following 2020’s Zeros. The LP is an album that revels in both space and atmosphere and the tracks are much looser. [Two indie store exclusive color vinyl pressings are available: sun yellow; and deluxe “moo” eco-vinyl picture disc.]
Helado Negro – Phasor CD/LP (4AD)
While Phasor feels loose and expansive, it’s Lange’s tightest collection-deep, atmospheric, meticulously executed. It’s aligned with 2019’s This Is How You Smile, which found him incorporating more upfront drums and bass and focused grooves. Sequentially, it follows the expansive hour-plus long Far In, whose title was inspired by new age legend Laraaji and created in lockdown, in Marfa, Texas – lyrically digging into connection and focused on being in quarantine. Phasor, in turn, is an homage to going outside again. It’s a returning-to-life record, remembering what the sun feels like and letting it warm your skin.
Joel Ross – Nublues CD/2xLP (Blue Note)
Acclaimed vibraphonist Joel Ross returns with the release of his remarkable album Nublues, a collection of ballads and blues as seen through the lens of one of the most creative modern jazz groups featuring Immanuel Wilkins, Jeremy Corren, Kanoa Mendenhall, and Jeremy Dutton, as well as special guest Gabrielle Garo. The band moves seamlessly across the blues-imbued musical terrain of this 10-track set which includes seven new Ross originals and pieces by John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk.
Usher – Coming Home CD/LP (mega/gamma)
Coming Home marks the creative reunion of Usher and L.A. Reid, who haven’t worked together since 2004’s Diamond certified Confessions. The album was mainly recorded in Atlanta, GA with many of Atlanta’s hottest producers including Sean Garrett, Lil John, The Avila Brothers, Mel & Mus, Tricky Stewart, Rico Love, The-Dream, Jermaine Dupri, D Mile among many others. [Two limited-edition color vinyl editions are available: indie store exclusive ‘peach sky’; and clear.
Additional Social Media Program Titles:
David Nance – David Nance & Mowed Sound LP (Third Man)
A brief blurb on the release David Nance & Mowed Sound, the first album by Nance to be released on Third Man Records, cuts deep. Memories sprout back, like the sounds of a great rock song blasting from the neighbor’s truck as it revs away into the night. There is a definite connection to the past, but the swinging guitar boogie and snarled blues you might expect from Nance and company sounds leaner and completely hypnotic. What remains are 10 tracks from a well-oiled group so rhythmically together that the songs on the album seem as connected as links in a chain. [An indie store exclusive green color vinyl pressing is available.]
CDs + Vinyl:
Aureole – Alunarian Bellmaster 3xCD/2xLP (Prophecy)
The particularly sinister and insidious musical and lyrical universe that Markov “M.S.” Soroka is continuously creating with his various projects Aureole and Tchornobog as well as Eternum, Krukh, and Drown is enriched by a new chapter: The third Aureole full-length “Alunarian Bellmaster” differs stylistically from its direct predecessor Aurora Borealis (2016) in atmosphere and feeling. The album returns to the spirit of the 2014 debut “Alunar” albeit as a more advanced version with the added experience regarding production techniques and conceptual writing that Soroka has acquired over the years. Armed with a vicious sound, the album’s lyrical theme is echoed in the sound of 30 bells sampled by Markov and incorporated on Alunarian Bellmaster. [A limited-edition clear w/ black marble colorway is available.]
The Chisel – What A Fucking Nightmare CD/LP (Pure Noise)
The Chisel is back with more oi/punk/hardcore delivered by members of Chubby And The Gang, Violent Reaction, etc., bringing a whopping 16 songs to this sophomore full-length. [An indie store exclusive coke bottle green w/ black & white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Dead South – Chains & Stakes CD/LP (Six Shooter)
The story of Chains & Stakes is the story of a band that has grown more adventurous and assured with each album. To make their new collection, they met Sugar & Joy producer Jimmy Nutt at Panoram Studios in Mexico City, where the team convened to record 13 songs full of plot twists, family trees, grudges, insurance scams, bacon, burials, banjo riffs and more. Chains & Stakes is truly a “Dead South” collection in the balance of darkness and levity that has come to define their unmistakable sound.
Madi Diaz – Weird Faith CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Madi Diaz has been making records and writing songs professionally since the mid-2000s, but it wasn’t until she released 2021’s History Of A Feeling that she felt the glare of wider notoriety. It wasn’t her debut album, but it certainly felt like it. She made her daytime and nighttime television debuts, embarked on her first solo tour since 2012, and supported Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen on tour, and collaborated with them on record. Harry Styles handpicked Diaz to open for him in arenas and stadiums in North America, and was so taken by her captivating live show, he asked her to be a member of his touring band, to sing alongside him all over Europe and the UK, as well as continuing to open the show in various cities. After three months on the road touring internationally, Diaz is back in Nashville, and now releases her new album, Weird Faith. Featuring Kacey Musgraves and produced by Sam Cohen and Konrad Snyder, Weird Faith is expansive and exploratory, showcasing her growth as a songwriter and speaking earnestly about the fears that come from falling in love again. [An indie store exclusive opaque green color vinyl pressing is available.]
Tinsley Ellis – Naked Truth CD/LP (Alligator)
Tinsley Ellis unplugs and channels his masterful guitar skills and soul-baring vocals into a bracing collection of solo acoustic tracks steeped in the traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. Nine newly written originals sit alongside reverent, yet spirited, versions of House’s “Death Letter Blues”, Willie Dixon’s “Don’t Go No Further”, and Kottke’s “Sailor’s Grave On The Prairie”.
Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (10th Anniversary Edition) 2xCD/4xLP (Interscope)
The 10th Anniversary Expanded Deluxe Edition of The Marshall Mathers LP2 features 11 bonus tracks, including B-sides and instrumentals. Originally released on November 5, 2013, the album serves as a sequel to The Marshall Mathers LP released in 2000. It features the singles “Berzerk”, “Survival”, “Rap God”, “Headlights”, and “The Monster, ” which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album won Eminem a record sixth Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and is now certified 4x platinum.
Glass Beach – Plastic Death CD/LP/Cassette (Run For Cover)
Plastic Death – the second album by Glass Beach – is a follow-up record almost five years in the making. The band’s 2019 debut, aptly titled the first Glass Beach album, has over the years grown a cult fanbase for its unflinching depiction of queer life as mediated through social media, its oversized ambition, and it’s scrappy yet adventurous production. And while it took some time to arrive, plastic death sounds like the logical expansion of all the things that made their first album so special. [A limited-edition orange color vinyl pressing is available.]
Eramus Hall – Your Love Is My Desire [Reissue/1984] CD/LP (Org Music)
Eramus Hall’s 1980 debut album Your Love Is My Desire is among the most sought-after records of the modern soul era, coveted by DJs and record collectors alike, with rare copies of the original pressing selling for up to $900. The soul/funk group only recorded one album for Detroit’s Westbound Records, home of funk heavyweights Funkadelic and Ohio Players, before moving to Capitol for their second and final LP in 1984. [A limited-edition sunkissed yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]
Dhani Harrison – Innerstanding CD/2xLP (BMG)
Grammy Award-winning British musician and composer, Dhani Harrison, releases Innerstanding, his first solo album in six years. He hails “here we are in a new world and here is the new album that has come forth from it.” [A limited-edition neon green color vinyl pressing is available.]
Brittany Howard – What Now CD/LP (Island)
There’s a double meaning to the title of What Now, the revelatory new album from Brittany Howard. “With the world we’re living in now, it feels like we’re all just trying to hang onto our souls,” says the Nashville-based musician and frontwoman for four-time Grammy Award-winning Alabama Shakes. “Everything seems to be getting more extreme and everyone keeps wondering, ‘What now? What’s next?’ By the same coin, the only constant on this record is you never know what’s going to happen next…” [A limited-edition translucent yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]
Hulder – Verses In Oath CD/LP (20 Buck Spin)
The hauntingly grandiose new Hulder album Verses In Oath, created during the dreariest cold months of the Northwest winter, constitutes the most majestic, untamed manifestation thus far in the band’s journey of conquest, as new territory is put to flame and conquered by sword and shield. [A limited-edition gold/bone merge color vinyl pressing is available.]
Il Divo – XX – 20th Anniversary Album CD/LP (Il Divo Music)
20th anniversary album of all new material, including a new original song, by globally renowned classical crossover group Il Divo. XX – 20th Anniversary Album is the first album with new member Steven LaBrie, after the passing of founding member Carlos Marin in 2020. Once again, they leap forward creatively, expanding the style and vision all at once.
Infected Rain – Time CD/LP (Napalm)
The Moldovan nu metal/nu metalcore band takes it up a notch with their versatile sixth studio album, Time.
Itasca – Imitation Of War CD/LP (A Paradise Of Bachelors)
On Imitation Of War, songwriter and guitarist Kayla Cohen advances Itasca into rockier terrain, with a suite of smoky nocturnes and uneasy idylls surveying, with refreshing urgency, mythologies and psychologies both classical and personal. Co-produced by Robbie Cody (Wand, Behavior), these ten sturdy set-pieces represent the loosest, leanest, and most smolderingly electric guitar-forward recordings of Cohen’s deepening catalog.
Itzy – Born To Be [Version A) CD (Jyp Ent/Republic)
Itzy – Born To Be [Version B) CD (Jyp Ent/Republic)
Itzy – Born To Be [Version C) CD (Jyp Ent/Republic)
The K-pop girl group return with a new album; available in three collectable versions.
Zara Larsson – Venus CD/LP (Epic)
The highly anticipated follow up to Zara Larsson’s 2021 album Poster Girl, comes new album Venus. It includes singles “Can’t Tame Her”, and “On My Love” with David Guetta, both of which hit #1 at US Dance Radio. With its elevated sound, eclectic style and unifying visuals, Venus verifies Zara Larsson as one of modern pop’s most essential stars. [A limited-edition ruby & black marble color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Kali Malone – All Life Long CD/LP (Ideologic Organ)
Kali Malone’s anticipated new album All Life Long is a collection of music for pipe organ, choir, and brass quintet composed by Kali Malone, 2020 – 2023. Choral music performed by Macadam Ensemble and conducted by Etienne Ferschaud at Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-L’Immaculée-Conception in Nantes. Brass quintet music performed by Anima Brass at The Bunker Studio in New York City. Organ music performed by Kali Malone and Stephen O’Malley on the historical meantone tempered pipe organs at Église Saint-François in Lausanne, Orgelpark in Amsterdam, and Malmö Konstmuseum in Sweden.
Declan McKenna – What Happened To The Beach? CD/LP (Tomplcated Inc)
Produced by Gianluca Buccellati (Lana Del Rey, Arlo Parks), What Happened To The Beach? marks Mckenna’s third studio album following 2020’s Zeros. The LP is an album that revels in both space and atmosphere and the tracks are much looser. [Two indie store exclusive color vinyl pressings are available: sun yellow; and deluxe “moo” eco-vinyl picture disc.]
Mean Jeans – Blasted CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
15 rapid-fire earworms, covered in all the slime you can handle. Blasted is a frantic joyride that draws equally on tight catchy songwriting and absurd lyrical Easter eggs.
Meat Puppets – Meat Puppets II [Reissue/1984] CD/LP (Megaforce)
Meat Puppets have teamed up with Megaforce Records for remastered reissues of the band’s classic SST Records output spanning 1981 through 1989. A reissue of their seminal 1984 album Meat Puppets II – featuring the well-known numbers “Lake of Fire” and “Plateau” – is now available.]
Helado Negro – Phasor CD/LP (4AD)
While Phasor feels loose and expansive, it’s Lange’s tightest collection-deep, atmospheric, meticulously executed. It’s aligned with 2019’s This Is How You Smile, which found him incorporating more upfront drums and bass and focused grooves. Sequentially, it follows the expansive hour-plus long Far In, whose title was inspired by new age legend Laraaji and created in lockdown, in Marfa, Texas – lyrically digging into connection and focused on being in quarantine. Phasor, in turn, is an homage to going outside again. It’s a returning-to-life record, remembering what the sun feels like and letting it warm your skin.
Lewis Ofman – Cristal Medium Blue CD/LP (Virgin)
Following his critically acclaimed debut album, Sonic Poems – Lewis Ofman unveils his new project, Cristal Medium Blue. The genesis of this new project, largely infused by the artist’s travels, took place on the American road during his latest tour, which included a stop at Coachella. The artist is accompanied on this project by singular performers: Empress Of, Camille Jansen, Sofie Royer, Gabriela Richardson and Alaska Reid. [A limited-edition transparent blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Orgōne – Chimera CD/LP (Three Palms)
Orgōne is a pillar of West Coast soul music, maintaining an unmissable touring presence for more than a decade. The group’s arresting intensity, impeccable playing style, and undeniable, irresistible chemistry have earned them the reputation as one of the tightest bands of the modern era. Fresh off of doubling as the studio band for discodelic sensation Say She She and circling the globe as the live band for their wildly successful world tour, Orgōne is back in California and coming in hot with Chimera, a fire-breathing spectacle of psychedelic Afro-soul. Produced by Sergio Rios (Neal Francis, Say She She), Chimera is an electrifying, dream-like odyssey, tripping through the hazy swamps of New Orleans, weaving textures of entrancing voodoo soul, thrumming Afro-funk, and stoney psych-rock. [A limited-edition yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]
Phobocosm – Foreordained CD/LP (Dark Decent)
Montréal’s Phobocosm continues with third full-length Foreordained – an amalgamation of everything that came before it. A perfectly balanced fusion of the murky death metal depravity of debut Deprived, blended with the devastating doom of 2016’s Bringer Of Drought.
The Pineapple Thief – It Leads To This 2xCD+Blu-ray+DVD/LP (Kscope)
Deluxe edition includes two CDs, Blu-ray, and DVD plus 52-page book. Recorded September 2020 to July 2023, It Leads To This took shape slowly but surely as the band meticulously perfected their sound. Often guarded, It Leads To This keeps it’s ace in the pack up its sleeve, biding its time until all the right pieces fall in place, giving way to a beautiful, cinematic experience on every track. Conceptually, the album represents band leaders Bruce Soord’s efforts to better understand himself and the world around him. [Stand-alone vinyl LP – including an indie store exclusive green colorway – and stand-alone Blu-ray audio disc versions are available.]
Tyler Ramsey – New Lost Ages CD/LP (Soundly Music, LLC)
Founding member of Band Of Horses, Tyler Ramsey, returns with his fourth solo, full length studio record New Lost Ages – finding him facing the harsh realities of the world as we know it. Fans of Ramsey’s former projects, Father John Misty and Lord Huron will find New Lost Ages to be a relatable reprieve – one that feels both familiar and starkly new. Traversing genre-bending terrain, the new record from Ramsey is as indie and psych-rock as it is singer-songwriter, showcasing his talent and dedication to the craft. [A limited-edition silver color vinyl pressing is available.]
Revolution Saints – Against The Wind CD/LP (Frontiers)
Revolution Saints, the band led by Journey vocalist/drummer Deen Castronovo, jumpstarts 2024 with a new album, Against The Winds, which follows up their stellar 2023 release, Eagle Flight. Joined by fellow rockers bassist Jeff Pilson (known for his work with Foreigner and formerly of Dokken) and guitarist Joel Hoekstra (of Whitesnake and formerly of Night Ranger) the new iteration – Revolution Saints MKII – has gifted fans a captivating album that sits poised to rekindle the fervor for melodic rock.
Joel Ross – Nublues CD/2xLP (Blue Note)
Acclaimed vibraphonist Joel Ross returns with the release of his remarkable album Nublues, a collection of ballads and blues as seen through the lens of one of the most creative modern jazz groups featuring Immanuel Wilkins, Jeremy Corren, Kanoa Mendenhall, and Jeremy Dutton, as well as special guest Gabrielle Garo. The band moves seamlessly across the blues-imbued musical terrain of this 10-track set which includes seven new Ross originals and pieces by John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk.
Smoking Saints – Danger Zone CD (Frontiers)
Smoking Snakes is known for their high-energy performances and a sound that pays homage to the golden era of rock while infusing a contemporary edge. With their debut album Danger Zone, the band aims to solidify their place in the sleaze metal genre.
Spectral Voice – Sparagmos CD/LP (Dark Descent)
Spectral Voice’s Sparagmos unfolds as a momentous second full-length offering under the banner of Dark Descent Records, marking the culmination of a period devoted to katabatic immersion into the material. The title itself, alluding to the Dionysian rite of being torn limb from limb, sets the stage for a profound exploration of life, death, and the untamed essence within.
“The content of the album oscillates between lamentation and exaltation. An immersive, morbid atmosphere of funereality longs for the liberation of death and mourns the agony of life.” [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is available.]
Split System – Vol. 2 CD/LP (Goner)
Melbourne, Australia has been churning out reliable punk rock since the likes of The Chosen Few and Rowland S. Howard were kicking about in the late ’70s. Split System is a band that carry on this tradition into the 21st century. Cooked up behind the scenes in the COVID lockdowns, they seemingly came out of nowhere but sounded like they’d been slamming beers to Saints and Radio Birdman records together and playing gigs for many years. Their Vol. 2 is unmistakable Aussie high voltage proto punk. In their short time on the scene they have demonstrated a knack for combining muscular street punk with classic rock hooks. Their debut album Vol. 1 and follow up 7” were described as ferocious and powerful records with amphetamine swagger. They’re high energy and don’t believe in muddy guitar tones. The band are in their element during their raw live shows. They have shared bills with the likes of Amyl & The Sniffers, Cosmic Psychos, Civic, Bad//Dreems, Hard-Ons, CLAMM, Cable Ties & C.O.F.F.I.N.
Takida – The Agony Flame CD/LP (Napalm)
New release from one of Sweden’s most successful current rock bands. The Agony Flame embodies the distinctive, unmistakable Takida sound, rich with infectious, huge choruses. On this album, listeners get to witness some of singer Robert Pettersson’s strongest vocal performances to date.
Theophonos – Ashes In The Huron River CD/LP (Profound Lore)
Theophonos (ex-Serpent Column) present Ashes In The Huron River – named in honor of the local woods and riverlands that continue to inspire this studio project. This record is an account of a life spent in the rotten heartlands of neoliberal capitalism and a tribute to the vibrant underground music cultures that thrived before the second half of the last decade. Expanding on the directness of Nightmare Visions – also from this year, Ashes In The Huron River is grander in scope, and is internally regarded as a more focused analog to Serpent Column‘s 2019’s Mirror In Darkness. Hafsteinn Vidar Ársælsson’s dark and intricate illustrations once again accompany the music with striking depictions of abandoned landscapes, arranged to invoke a sense of catastrophe and unwilling transformation. [Two color vinyl pressings are available: smoke; and cloud.]
Type O Negative – Life Is Killing Me [Reissue/2003] CD (Rhino)
Life Is Killing Me is the sixth studio album by the American gothic metal band Type O Negative. The album showcases the band’s signature blend of gothic atmospheres, doom-laden riffs, and darkly humorous lyrics, punctuated by Peter Steele’s unmistakable deep vocals. Touching on themes of mortality, despair, and existential angst, Life Is Killing Me is a haunting exploration of the human condition, wrapped in Type O Negative’s unique sonic envelope. [A limited-edition green & black marble color vinyl pressing is due April 19.]
Usher – Coming Home CD/LP (mega/gamma)
Coming Home marks the creative reunion of Usher and L.A. Reid, who haven’t worked together since 2004’s Diamond certified Confessions. The album was mainly recorded in Atlanta, GA with many of Atlanta’s hottest producers including Sean Garrett, Lil John, The Avila Brothers, Mel & Mus, Tricky Stewart, Rico Love, The-Dream, Jermaine Dupri, D Mile among many others. [Two limited-edition color vinyl editions are available: indie store exclusive ‘peach sky’; and clear.]
Celtic Woman – Celtic Woman 20 (20th Anniversary) CD (Celtic Woman)
Celtic Woman returns with a brand-new album to celebrate this incredible 20-year milestone. 20 (20th Anniversary) features 18 new recordings and is the group’s first new studio album since 2021’s Postcards From Ireland. It features new arrangements of beautiful and iconic songs, some new compositions and, of course, some fan favorites.
Chelsea Wolfe – She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She CD (Loma Vista)
“The impression left by Wolfe’s [recent] trail of extracurriculars seems a lot like that of an artist making an attempt to put as much distance between herself and where she’d been. Her first album in five years, She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She, gives added weight to that idea through songs of shedding one’s skin and setting ablaze the most self-destructive parts of the self. In a statement she described it as summoning “change, growth, and guidance,” and has elsewhere referred to it as a ‘rebirth’, though in doing so she hasn’t embraced a brighter tonal palette or a Canva portfolio full of trite aphorisms. In her saga of self-improvement and a newfound sobriety, Chelsea Wolfe has delivered one of the most stunningly dark albums of her career.” – Jeff Terich, Treblezine [Vinyl edition – including an indie store exclusive blue colorway – due February 16.]
Yellowcard – A Hopeful Sign CD/LP (Equal Vision)
“For each of these songs, I just sent over a lead vocal and a piano and Hammock reinvented these songs in way that only they could do,” explains Yellowcard vocalist/guitarist Ryan Key about A Hopeful Sign, the new collaboration with the Nashville-based post-rock duo. The album revisits some of the alt-rock band’s most memorable tracks and reimagines them in a neo-classical and ambient space, deconstructing the songs and rebuilding them as a whole new aural experience.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
The Pineapple Thief – It Leads To This Blu-ray Audio (Kscope)
An epic sonic adventure, recorded between September 2020 and July 2023, It Leads tTo This delivers a seductively cinematic experience. Conceptually, the album represents band leader Bruce Soord’s efforts to better understand himself and the world around him during a time of global uncertainty. – Blu-ray edition featuring high resolution stereo, Dolby Atmos and 5.1 DTS-HD surround audio of both It Leads To This and the bonus album y Aqui Estamos.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Adelitas Way – Power LP (Vegas Syn)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Adelitas Way’s newest release Power is a genre bending ride full of positivity and motivation, focusing on empowering and lifting the listener up. It spreads love, passion, and a musical roller coaster full of diversity. There is risk taking in the songwriting and production that pays off for the listener.
America – History: America’s Greatest Hits [Reissue/1976] LP (Friday Music)
Two new colorways; red and silver. The legendary rock superstars America burst onto the rock music scene in the early ‘70swith their much-revered classic debut America featuring “A Horse With No Name” which forever changed the fortunes of this very popular rock trio. After many successful albums and top charting pop and album rock singles, WB honored this legendary act with their first best of collection History: America’s Greatest Hits. Produced by the legendary George Martin (The Beatles), this 1976 platter was filled with a generous helping of their most popular hit singles and album tracks from many smash albums like Homecoming, Hearts and, Holiday. The 12 track masterpiece is loaded with original hit tracks like “A Horse With No Name”, “Ventura Highway”, “Tin Man”, “Sister Golden Hair”, “I Need You”, and even more classics like “Daisy Jane” and “Lonely People”.
American Analog Set – New Drifters 5xLP (Numero)
Limited-edition green with white spilt colorway. 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$AP Ferg – Trap Lord [Reissue/2013] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
10 years ago, A$AP Ferg burst onto the scene with Trap Lord – an album that embodied the energy of Harlem and showcased Ferg’s magnetic street showmanship. From anthems like the jubilant “Shabba”, to “Dump Dump” and the star-studded “Work (Remix)”, this album brought a youth-fueled fire. To top it off, Ferg enlisted rap icons Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Onyx to contribute their own masterful touches. The perfect marriage of old and new.
Mel Brown – Chicken Fat [Reissue/1967] LP (Jackpot)
The 1967 Impulse Records legendary funk/soul Instrumental masterpiece album Chicken Fat. If you haven’t heard Chicken Fat yet, get ready because the LP won’t leave your turntable until your jaw stops hitting the floor. Sourced from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Grey. All Analog Process (AAA) Initially working as a guitar player for such greats as Sonny Boy Williamson & Etta James, Impulse Records eventually offered Mel Brown the chance to record his own material. Recorded in 1967 in Hollywood, CA, for the Impulse! record label, Brown amassed a group of session musicians who had played with Charles Mingus, Marvin Gaye, and Dizzy Gillespie. Much of the album was arranged by Oliver Nelson, who worked with Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith and more. His touch is felt all over the record and helps solidify the journey. These recording sessions also reflected the Sunset Strip and the energy of late ’60s Los Angeles so incredibly, you can almost hear the go-go boots hit the floor to dance ‘til they drop.
Casey – How To Disappear LP (Hassle)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. When Casey called it a day back in 2019, it felt like a premature demise. Their two full-length albums – 2016’s Love Is Not Enough and 2018’s Where I Go When I Am Sleeping – had firmly established the Welsh five-piece as one of the most exciting bands in Britain’s alternative scene in just a few short years. Some four or so years later, the band has returned with new music in hand. One listen to the new songs, and it’s clear the band needn’t worry about the integrity of their fresh creative vision, nor their emotional investment in it. The new music is quintessential Casey, open hearts dripping with the same kind of pain and trauma that defined the band from the start. [A limited-edition yellow colorway is available.]
The Chats – High Risk Behavior [Reissue/2020] LP (Bargain Bin)
Limited clear vinyl pressing. High Risk Behaviour is the debut studio album by the Australian punk rock band The Chats. This is the group’s first full-length release following the release of two EPs, The Chats (2016) and Get This in Ya!!. The release of the album was preceded by the release of the singles “Identity Theft”, “Do What I Want”, “Pub Feed” and “The Clap”.
WASEI “JJ” CHIKADA – Cyberia Layer:03 2xLP (Light In The Attic)
Special edition of 2019 release. This can’t-miss album is supervised by Chiaki J. Konaka, who wrote the script for the anime & game Serial Experiments Lain and represents the ‘after story’ of Lain. The album features guests Kari Shimizu, who voiced Lain, and Hiroto Takimoto as Taro, and asks what is happening to Lain, Taro, and JJ in a world where 20 years have passed since Lain’s appearance. This is a dance music opera, techno, house, downtempo etc.
Les Claypool – Adverse Yaw: The Prawn Song Years 7xLP (Prawn Song)
This five-album set spans Les’ solo career over the course of various projects, encompassing the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, Colonel Claypool’s Bucket of Bernie Brains, and The Fancy Band. Enjoy Live Frogs Sets 1 & 2, the long out of print Purple Onion, Of Whales & Woe, & Of Fungi & Foe, LPs, and for the first time ever, The Big Eyeball In the Sky with entirely remastered audio on limited edition color 180gm vinyl.
Coal Chamber – Coal Chamber [Reissue/1999] 3xLP (Round Hill)
Coal Chamber – Chamber Music [Reissue/1999] 3xLP (Round Hill)
Color vinyl reissues (transparent orange and transparent purple, respectively) of the American nu metal band’s first two albums.
Omar Coleman – Strange Times LP (Color Red)
It’s the core philosophy of astute curiosity that’s established Omar Coleman as a rising star with iron-clad longevity in the national blues scene. Hailing from the West Side of Chicago, Coleman grew up entrenched in soul music and black music that defined the era in the mid- ‘90s. Working as a barber by trade, Coleman recalls being bored at his shop on Michigan & Adams in Downtown Chicago and sauntering to the music shop down the street to pick up an instrument to pass the time. He landed on the harmonica thinking it would be easy to learn quickly and would fiddle around on it between cutting hair and usurping the shoeshine guy’s chair when he went to shine shoes in the back. With many clients being musicians, Coleman would learn about Chicago being heralded as ‘Home of the Blues’ and was tipped off to legends such as Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, and more. Another world opened.
Isaiah Collier – Parallel Universe 2xLP (Night Dreamer)
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Isaiah Collier connects with the divine ancestors on a transcendent Direct-To-Disc session, Parallel Universe. A saxophonist by trade whose multi-instrumental talents and compositional prowess have stretched the limits of the form, Parallel Universe represents a new chapter in Collier’s musical journey. Having already performed with a diverse range of musicians such as Chance The Rapper, Waddada Leo Smith, Chicago jazz royalty Angel Bat Dawid, and his own band The Chosen Few, Collier’s latest work as a bandleader explores the shared musical heritage of the African diaspora with a sense of grace and assurance that belies his years. Embracing the risk and vulnerability that comes with the live process, Collier and his band tapped into the frequencies of improvisation that fired up so many of the most timeless jazz recordings.
Miles Davis – Ascenseur Pour L’Échafaud [Reissue/1958] LP (Decca)
Contradictory accounts of Miles Davis’ creation of the soundtrack to Louis Malle’s film noir Ascenseur Pour L’Échafaud have all become part of its legend. Rarely has a soundtrack been so decisive. Nearly 70 years on, beyond the myth, this taut, feverish recording, imbued with extreme dramatic tension, remains one of Miles’ finest records.
Dissimulator – Lower Form Resistance LP (20 Buck Spin)
Montreal’s Dissimulator will be a new name to most in 2024, but with the release of razor-sharp debut album Lower Form Resistance the band unleash an overwhelming future shock on the auditory and sensory nerves, permanently imprinting on the cerebral cortex with their pulsating unconventional attack. Comprised of a membership with resumes that include Chthe’ilist, Atramentus, Beyond Creation and more, the band executes its jagged sci-fi death-thrash with vicious intricacy. Over the course of Lower Form Resistance‘s 42 minutes, the jarring angular riffs, complex structures and atmosphere of exuberant incongruity meshes acutely with a straightforward momentum and perpetual accessibility at the crossroads where the thrash and death metal scenes began to coalesce and directional potentiality feel limitless. [A limited-edition silver colorway is available.]
Elkhorn & Mike Gangloff – Shackamaxon Concert LP (VHF)
Delicate and beautiful music from the combined force of the recently ubiquitous East-Coast psychedelic combo Elkhorn and Pelt’s Mike Gangloff, laying down two epic raga-like performances captured on a 2022 collaborative tour.
Bill Evans – Jim Hall – Undercurrent [Reissue/1962] LP (Jackpot)
In 1962, legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans collaborated for the first time on record with jazz guitarist Jim Hall to create the landmark album Undercurrent. And even though it is a two-person improvisational affair, it is almost unfathomable that these two giants alone fill up all the grooves on this record. The thoughtful interplay between these two musicians created such a beautiful, lush, and emotional journey that their work influenced many. At the time of this recording, Bill Evans was one of the top jazz pianists (his performance with Miles Davis on Kind Of Blue is still a high-water mark), but he had stopped performing and recording after the death of his peer, bassist Scott LaFaro. Eventually, he was persuaded to return to music, and this was one of the first recordings upon his return. Guitarist Jim Hall – who had worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, and Chico Hamilton – started his partnership with Evans during this time. Recorded over two sessions in April and May 1962, the two have that beautifully unspoken musical language of give and take; their recordings are refreshingly busy but also incredibly sparse. These two giants understand that intertwining their personalities and harmonic styles could create greatness. This notable re-issue is an all-analog production affair-AAA Mastered and cut live by audio guru Kevin Gray (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus)-and it’s never sounded better. So, dim the lights and let this music breathe with you; it’s an incredible listen, and an essential album for both the novice listener wanting to dip their toe into the genre or the audiophile who needs to replace their well-worn vinyl copy. And depending on your day, it will color your mood in any emotive shade you desire.
Dan Fogelberg – Dan Fogelberg’s Greatest Hits [Reissue/1982] LP (Friday Music)
Classic rock legend Dan Fogelberg hailed from Illinois and after being discovered by rock mogul Irving Azoff, he released his first couple of albums, most notably Souvenirs, netting him a huge hit album and a hit single with “Part of The Plan” which featured the vocals of friend and superstar Graham Nash. In rapid succession, concert tours, television appearances, and of course the definitive guitar and superlative vocal oriented rock albums hit the airwaves and Dan Fogelberg was now an acclaimed artist in the rock, pop, adult and even jazz crossover circles. Thanks to huge smash hits like “Longer”, “Leader Of The Band” and his tour de force “Same Old Lang Syne”, the artist truly would become one of the greatest artists for over three decades and was honored by his label Epic Records, when they awarded Dan Fogelberg with his very first hits collection Greatest Hits.
Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand [Reissue/2004] LP (Domino)
Limited orange and black color vinyl pressing. Winner of the 2004 Mercury Music Prize, Franz Ferdinand’s debut album was an instant hit. The Glasgow four-piece channeled throwback art-rock through an early noughties Britpop-revival prism. A must listen.
Futurebirds & Carl Broemel – …Thanks Y’all (Live) 3xLP (No Coincidence)
Rock juggernaut Futurebirds’ newest release – a 22-track live compilation titled …Thanks Y’all – is a benchmark that not only celebrates 14 years together, it’s also a testament to the sheer iron will of a group of musicians hungry for the fruits of its labor. The Athens, Georgia-based group once again teamed up with storied My Morning Jacket guitarist/producer Carl Broemel for the latest chapter of a seamless, bountiful partnership that initially came to fruition with the 2021 EP, Bloomin’, and was followed up with the 2022 EP, Bloomin’ Too. Recorded over nine shows in February of 2023, the live compilation finds the “Carlbirds” firing on all cylinders, with the best highlights captured for posterity on …Thanks Y’all. The album delivers the sound and energy of the live concert experience, as though the listener were standing dead center in the raucous crowd.
The Ghetto Brothers – Power-Fuerza [Reissue/1972] LP (Vampisoul)
A brilliant mix of Latin rock and funky garage rock in the late ‘60s vein of Santana or Peruvians Laghonia with captivating songs and a high-class musicianship presented by a bunch of young Puerto Ricans living on the steamy, loud and dirty streets of the South Bronx. A must have for all fans of the above-mentioned acts with a sound as fresh and vivid as back in the day this gem was released.
GIDEÖN – Spellbound EP 12” (Homo-Centric)
The Spellbound EP serves as a profound exploration into GIDEÖN’s artistic soul. Commencing with politically charged tracks, “Study War No More” on side A is an acid-garage hybrid rallying support for emergency aid in Gaza. On side B, the euphoric “Marcus Garvey” urges a reconsideration of the life and teachings of the Jamaican activist. “Spellbound” delves into an ultra-deep meditation on black magic, while “Hora de Bailar” transforms into a Latin sleaze-fest, embodying the label’s steadfast commitment to militant queer Deep House.
Hadaka No Rallizes (Les Rallizes Denudes) – Flightless Bird Needs Water Wings, Vol. 1 LP (Life Goes On)
Flightless Bird Needs Water Wings, Vol. 1 is a nice summary of some of Les Rallizes Denudes’ earlier work — when infamous bassist Moriaki Wakabayashi was still playing before he went and hijacked a plane (he was a member of the “Yodogō Group” of the radical New Left Japan Communist League’s “Red Army Faction” that carried out the hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351 in 1970, ultimately forcing the plane to fly to North Korea, where Wakabayashi currently resides). A seemingly endless sonic flame-throwers of phased white noise streak across your inner landscape, as stupidly loud and overly backlit lead guitar emissions perpetrated by a perpetually be-shaded longhair pummel the similarly be-shaded but barely adequate musical backing that sags and creaks under the wattage.
The Hold Steady – Stay Positive [Reissue/2008] 2xLP (Vagrant)
Vinyl reissue of the indie rock band’s fourth album.
Huron John – Indigo Jack & The New World Border LP (Acrophase)
Yellow colorway. Huron John is a self-taught songwriter, producer, and visual artist hailing from Chicago. Born John Wallace Conradi, the 23-year-old strives for a direct and personal connection to his audience via a hands-on approach to all creative aspects of his work. Fusing a wide range of influences from artists he idolized growing up such as Daft Punk, Mac Miller, and The Smashing Pumpkins, John’s mix of sonic flavors is something new for the internet age of music listeners.
Rafael Anton Irisarri – Midnight Colours LP (Black Knoll Editions)
Rafael Anton Irisarri is an American multi-instrumentalist composer, record producer, mastering engineer, and curator living in the state of New York. Irisarri embodies a new kind of composer: one who “exists in an undifferentiated welter of pop, techno, and classical,” according to Pitchfork. Midnight Colours comes after a starkly stunning run of releases on Ghostly, Morr, Room40, and Umor Rex, among others. [Multiple colorways are available, including magenta and green.]
Jane Remover – Frailty 2xLP (Deadair)
As long as she can remember, Jane Remover has practiced her own autonomy as much as possible. The nineteen-year-old songwriter is an omnivorous listener that produces everything herself. She has been lauded by fans and writers alike, for accidentally creating entire genres in the wake of her prolific two-year run. Her debut album Frailty was written amidst the purgatorial summer after a high school graduation, en route to turning 18 that September. The lyrics are a wayward coming-of-age diary of an LGBT+ teenager, stuck in the suburbs of a confusing, socio-politically turbulent America. Jane’s words sting, but are shrouded in meticulous production, a sui generis vein of DIY rock. Simultaneously, it’s steeped in the lo-bit, nostalgic synths that soundtrack a final glimpse of younger memories. The LP was warmly received: Album of the Year List placements from Pitchfork and TheNeedleDrop, glowing reception from Paste, Insider and FADER, and a widespread resonance from a young audience.
Jordana – Summer’s Over LP (Grand Jury)
Across its seven songs, NYC indie pop upstart Jordana and L.A.-based TV Girl mesh TV Girl’s hypnotic, sample-heavy production aesthetic with Jordana’s plaintive-yet-playful vocal to form the perfect ode to the turning of the seasons, and the perfect celebration of their epic trek across America.
Martyn Joseph – This Is What I Want To Say [Reissue/2021] LP (Pipe)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This Is What I Want To Say is the product of a 40 year musical journey. Highs and lows, anger and joy, belief and doubt reflected in raw and honest observations of Martyn Joseph’s sojourn and the state of play today. A stripped back acoustic render reflects his weapon of choice that has provided hope and solace and a commentary of companionship to a worldwide army of ardent fans for decades through his passionate commitment to social justice, mystery, and love. “From a vast goodbye to a small hello” he writes in “Folding”, the opening song of surrender and resilience, and where else would you find an album calling for the elimination of a tyrant alongside a call for greater love and empathy. Embracing the contradictions and beauty with a fearless pen, Joseph continues to cut an impressive path. If you’re looking for truth, these songs will anchor you to a horizon of hope.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard – Live In Chicago ’23 8xLP (Reverb)
40 tracks on eight unique splatter color vinyl LPs.
Fred Locks – Black Star Liner LP (VP)
Black Star Liner is a dynamic and powerful offering from roots reggae veteran Fred Locks. Featuring anthems like “True Rastaman” and the title track “Black Star Liner”, this album is a must have for any reggae collector.
Kenny Loggins – Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow – The Greatest Hits Of Kenny Loggins [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Friday Music)
180gm red vinyl pressing. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow is the second compilation and first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. Released in 1997, it contains many of the hit singles from Loggins’ solo career, including many of his movie soundtrack contributions, as well as “The Rest of Your Life,” a preview of his subsequent album The Unimaginable Life.
- Lundquist – Art Between Minds LP (King Underground)
L.A.-based composer/arranger E. Lundquist (aka Eric Borders) returns with Art Between Minds. Having cut his teeth in the L.A. hip-hop and beats scene and explored realms of cosmic-funk under previous monikers, E. Lundquist’s music displays a rich tapestry of influences including the cinematic & experimental jazz-infused library music that influenced his previous LP Multiple Images. Now he is back with another ample helping of his hallucinogenic sonics, utilizing a bevy of vintage gear to replicate that warm glow of ’70s jazz-funk. [An indie store exclusive white colorway is available.]
Marissa Nadler – July [Reissue/2014] LP (Sacred Bones)
Tenth anniversary silver colorway. July has garnered praise from critics and listeners alike and continues to cast its spell, inviting new listeners to embark on a journey through its dreamlike corridors. The album’s ethereal quality and haunting melodies have drawn comparisons to the works of music luminaries like Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, and Nick Drake. Nadler’s voice, a transcendent instrument in itself, guides the listener through tales of love, loss, and life’s ephemeral nature. Recorded at Seattle’s Avast Studio, the album pairs Nadler for the first time with producer Randall Dunn (Earth, Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room). Dunn matches Nadler’s darkness by creating a multi-colored sonic palette that infuses new dimensions into her songs.
David Nance – David Nance & Mowed Sound LP (Third Man)
A brief blurb on the release David Nance & Mowed Sound, the first album by Nance to be released on Third Man Records, cuts deep. Memories sprout back, like the sounds of a great rock song blasting from the neighbor’s truck as it revs away into the night. There is a definite connection to the past, but the swinging guitar boogie and snarled blues you might expect from Nance and company sounds leaner and completely hypnotic. What remains are 10 tracks from a well-oiled group so rhythmically together that the songs on the album seem as connected as links in a chain. [An indie store exclusive green color vinyl pressing is available.]
Negative Approach – Negative Approach [Reissue/1982] 7” (Touch & Go)
Back in 1981, Negative Approach (along with The Meatmen and the Necros) were one of the dominant forces in the Detroit underground. The ravages of the Motor City made it a perfect breeding ground for this cacophony, later termed “hardcore.” Hordes of punks packed the legendary Freezer Theatre to hear John Brannon’s jagged, gruff vocals, the McCulloch brothers’ (Rob and Graham) guitar/bass gnash, and OP Moore’s pounding fury. 10-songs on one 7”. Do the math.
Niji – Somewhere In The Middle 12” (Aeronxutics)
The first release on his own label, Aeronxutics, this five-track offering, delves into his deep love of Jazz and his Nigerian roots, creating an engaging and absorbing sonic journey.
Lewis Parker – Frequency Of Perception (Instrumentals) LP (KingUnderground)
KingUnderground Records present the instrumentals version of Lewis Parker’s sought after hip-hop record Frequency Of Perception – a record that continued to cement Parker as a stalwart of the ‘90s hip-hop sound (think Tribe, Slum Village, The Pharcyde et al). The prolific UK born hip hop legend proves to be as tapped into the feel of a pocket as he was when he came on the scene in the ‘90s. The attention to detail and the intent in the sequencing and production on Frequency of Perception is best noticed when listening front to back. The whole album touches on dynamics in line with the iconic sound that Parker built his reputation on for decades. All while finding new ways to tell stories by further exploring instrumentation. Lewis remains consistent in his craft, continuing to cook up beats and productions with classic techniques and fresh ingredients. There is no sense of reaching, the productions exude an attitude that reaps a true passion for his craft.
Oscar Peterson – Con Alma: The Oscar Peterson Trio Live In Lugano 1964 LP (Mack Avenue)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Oscar Peterson’s trio with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen is widely regarded as Peterson’s “classic trio”, considered by fans as the most popular and in-demand of his long and storied career (featured on releases such as 1963’s Night Train and 1964’s We Get Requests). Recorded during their creative peak in 1964 (five years into their collaboration), this previously unheard and unreleased live performance is destined to become a fan favorite from the Oscar Peterson vaults.
Simon Phillips – Protocol V [Reissue/2022] LP (Phantom)
Now available on vinyl. Legendary drummer Simon Phillips returned in 2022 with Protocol V, once again reimagining his adventurous jazz/fusion outfit. Instrumentation is expanded to a quintet format, including saxophone, launching the group into sonic territory familiar to fans of Chick Corea’s Elektric Band in the late 1980s. Strands of DNA from other iconic artists like John McLaughlin, Tony Williams, Allan Holdsworth and Jan Hammer are woven throughout. Simon’s impressive compositional skills are also on display, culminating in an 11-minute mini-suite called “The Long Road Home”.
Maria Rita – Brasileira [Reissue/1988] LP (Brasileira)
Maria Rita is a musical pioneer that was ahead of her time. On first hearing her song, “Cântico Brasileiro No.3 (Kamaiurá)”, we thought it sounded like a contemporary remix that an artist such as Carl Craig could have produced. In fact, it came out in 1988 and was taken from Maria’s ‘Brasileira’ album, released on the Brazilian, independent Acorde imprint. The song would go on to gain cult status with its inclusion on John Gomez’s superb Outro Tempo compilation, released on the Music From Memory label in 2017. This cult classic fuses new-age electronics with indigenous vocals and Amazonian rhythms. It is beautiful and unique and takes you on a journey through different moods, textures, and ethereal planes. Through the sounds Maria created, you join her on a timeless voyage gazing into the future whilst embracing her powerful roots.
Samory I – Strength LP (Easy Star)
Samory I, one of Jamaica’s most promising reggae artists to watch, releases his eagerly-awaited solo debut album Strength.
Sonic Youth – Walls Have Ears [Reissue/1986] 2xLP (Goofin)
Culled from three 1985 gigs in the UK during a transitional and transcendent time in the band’s story, Sonic Youth’s The Walls Have Ears appeared / disappeared as a 2xLP set in 1986, not just a live album but an artful tapestry full of live experimentation with songs, between-song tape segues, darkness, humor, and audio verité. It’s now issued for the first time officially under the band’s auspices. [A limited-edition silver metallic colorway is available.]
Sonic Youth – SYR 2: Slaapkamers Met Slagroom EP [Reissue/1997] LP (Sony Youth /SYR)
Unfettered by studio time limitations with their own home base of Echo Canyon, SYR 2 shows Sonic Youth chasing the shadows of predecessor SYR 1 and the series’ distinct aesthetic: total exploration of freedom and further discovery. While the cover art evokes European contempo classical releases of yore, Sonic Youth distinctively reinvent their own personal output potential the way those kinds of records revolutionized a previously defined genre. Their ethos of utilizing the roots of the Ramones, Television, VU, Stooges, and no wave to shape their first decade now find the band in later years bullet-pointing fascination in AMM, MEV, improvised music, free jazz and other outer-limit/organic refractions of traditional rock. While Sonic Youth’s spontaneous-creation moments had long been showcased in their recordings, Peel Sessions, and live, SYR 2 sums up the band’s state in 1997: rolling lots of tape, fine-tuning ideas and presenting great moments of exciting new directions, allowing deep-listener type fans to gain better insight into their sound process. Add to that the alchemy of Jim O’Rourke’s gradual entry into the core band which would soon be fully on display for SYR 3, and this series is an X-ray of evolution, dissection, and reconstruction.
Soundtrack – The Real Folk Blues Legends: Cowboy Bebop – All Composed By Yoko Kanno 2xLP (Milan)
Soundtrack –Cowboy Bebop: Songs For The Cosmic Sofa – All Composed By Yoko Kanno LP (Milan)
Color vinyl pressings. Originally aired in 1998, Cowboy Bebop became a critical and commercial success both in Japanese and international markets (most notably in the United States), garnered several major anime and science fiction awards upon its release, and received wide acclaim for its style, characters, story, voice acting, animation, and soundtrack. Seatbelts’s repertoire covers not only jazz but also rock, electronic, funk, blues, heavy metal, country, and J- pop.
Sovereign – Altered Realities LP (Dark Decent)
Formed in Oslo 2018 AD, the band have three releases under their belts: Iron Cast (single 2018), Sovereign (demo, 2019), and Neurotic (EP, 2020). Three years in the making, the time has finally come to complete the set with their debut album Altered Realities. A monstrous masterwork of old school extreme metal ecstasy. “Altered Realities is a product of an ever-evolving journey we have taken as a band, from our start in 2018 and culminating in the album’s recording in early 2022,” reflects lead guitarist Tommy Jacobsen. He is joined in the band by former Nocturnal Breed band-mate Vidar Fineidet (guitar), alongside drummer Cato Syversrud, and bassist / vocalist Gravskjender. “We strive to push ourselves, both in terms of speed and technicality, whilst still keeping a groove and dynamic. Our approach to death / thrash is an interplay between fast-paced aggression and a slower, more groove-oriented feel. The lyrical themes of the album mirror events and unrest that happened during the time of writing and is in itself a journey.”
Cat Stevens – Matthew & Son [Reissue/1967] LP (Polydor)
Cat Stevens – New Masters [Reissue/1967] LP (Polydor)
Newly remastered color vinyl reissues of Cat Steven’s first two albums. Matthew & Son includes the classics, “I Love My Dog”, “Here Comes My Baby”, and “Matthew & Son”. New Masters features the monumental track “The First Cut Is The Deepest”.
Topographies – Interior Spring LP (Dark Entries)
Bay Area post-punk outfit Topographies deliver their sophomore LP, Interior Spring. Formed in 2018 in San Francisco by Justin Oronos, Jeremie Ruest, and Gray Tolhurst, Topographies link the icy riffs and gloomy atmosphere of early coldwave with the textural depth and warmth of classic shoegaze, emerging with a style that’s both contemporary and timeless.
Trophy Eyes – Chemical Miracle [Reissue/2016] LP (Hopeless)
Pink colorway. Chemical Miracle, Trophy Eyes’s sophomore album delivers an album that is both musically and emotionally resonant. Musically, Chemical Miracle is a testament to their growth and evolution. The album seamlessly blends pop-punk energy with elements of emo, grunge, and even shoegaze, creating a soundscape that is both familiar and refreshingly innovative. The band’s instrumentation is tight and dynamic, with soaring guitar riffs, driving basslines, and powerful drumming providing a solid foundation for Floreani’s impassioned vocals. In a genre often saturated with clichés and uninspired songwriting, Trophy Eyes stand out as a beacon of authenticity and creativity.
Tzusing – Green Hat LP (Pan)
On Tzusing’s sophomore album, Green Hat, the Malaysian-born artist, who lives between Shanghai and Taipei, meditates on China’s complicated history of patriarchal heteronormativity, and how these archaic double standards continue to dominate the culture in pervasive, often invisible ways. Even in progressive circles, internalized male inadequacy and its inevitable projection of possessiveness and aggression has been brushed underneath the rug, so by addressing it head-on, Tzusing attempts to question these structures using a level of aesthetic anxiety and thematic intensity that’s hard to ignore.
Various Artists – 200% Dynamite! [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Soul Jazz)
Carrying on perfectly from 100% Dynamite, this second compilation continues to trace the history of Jamaican reggae and the influence of American styles such as funk and jazz had on this music. Featured here are serious funk and rocksteady tunes from the likes of The Skatalites and Johnny Osbourne through to Jamaican jazz from masters such as Tommy McCook and Byron Lee, as well as some serious dub from the likes of Augustus Pablo, King Tubby, and Jackie Mittoo. New bonus tracks on this new 2023 edition include seminal dancehall party cuts Sister Nancy’s “One Two” and Chaka Demus and Pliers’ “Murder She Wrote”, alongside classic soul to reggae covers including cuts of Marlena Shaw’s “Women Of The Ghetto’” and Odyssey’s “Don’t Tell Me Tell Her”.
Various Artists – Sam Cooke’s SAR Records Story (1959-1965) 4xLP (Abkco)
Originally released by Abkco as a double-CD set in 1994, Sam Cooke’s SAR Records Story 1959-1965 is now available on vinyl as a 4xLP set. This collection gathers significant recordings of SAR Records – the label Sam Cooke co-founded, produced the majority of records for and was instrumental in operating. Groundbreaking artists such as The Sour Stirrers, Johnnie Taylor, Billy Preston, and Bobby Womack’s group, The Valentinos, are all featured – in addition to Sam himself.
Vicious Rumors – Soldiers Of The Night [Reissue/1985] LP (Napalm)
Clear w/ orange & black colorway. Recommended for fans of classic heavy, speed, thrash, power, progressive, and technically adept metal.
The Zeros – Right Now! [Reissue/1999] LP (Bang)
The Zeros is an American punk-rock group formed in 1976 in Chula Vista, California. The band was originally formed with Javier Escovedo (vocals/guitar), Robert Lopez (guitar), Héctor Penalosa (bass) and Baba Chenelle (drums). Often referred to as “the Mexican Ramones,” they were just one of many contributors to the city of Los Angeles’ punk explosion in the late ’70s, although they never received the acclaim like their contemporaries Black Flag, Circle Jerks, or Germs and Wipers. They have more followers and fans outside of the United States, especially Europe and Spain in particular.
Cassette:
Glass Beach – Plastic Death (Run For Cover)
Plastic Death – the second album by Glass Beach – is a follow-up record almost five years in the making. The band’s 2019 debut, aptly titled the first Glass Beach album, has over the years grown a cult fanbase for its unflinching depiction of queer life as mediated through social media, its oversized ambition, and it’s scrappy yet adventurous production. And while it took some time to arrive, plastic death sounds like the logical expansion of all the things that made their first album so special.
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