CDs + Vinyl:
10 String Symphony – Generation Frustration CD/LP (Tasty Note)
New album from the progressive roots duo. 10 subtly subversive songs that seek to articulate the “helplessness blues” often felt by the Millennial generation with regards to politics, privilege, and the global climate crisis. This division and collision of generations plays out lyrically, but also musically in the push and pull between traditional acoustic and modern sounds-a combination of past and present that engages the listener both emotionally and intellectually.
6ix9ine – Day69: Graduation CD (Ten Thousand Project)
Following quickly on the heels of colorful rapper Daniel Hernandez aka Tekashi aka 6ix9ine’s (pronounced “six nine”) successful debut mixtape Day69, Day69: Graduation Day consists of the mixtape’s original eleven tracks including the hit singles “Gummo”, “Billy”, “Keke” and Kooda”, plus the highly anticipated track “Gotti” which finds Tekashi switching up his sound from his signature scream-rap style to a more melodic and auto-tuned flow. [Vinyl edition due August 10.]
AHI – In Our Time CD/LP (22nd Sentry)
Leading with his heart as much as with his head, AHI is an emotional yet discerning lyricist who would rather demonstrate love than use the word itself. He allows his light to shine inward but only to a degree, admitting to some autobiography on In Our Time but as glimpsed through an imaginative lens. While his music possesses a quality of timelessness, the sounds here reveal a broad spectrum of influence and also toe the line between retro and revelatory.
Tom Bailey – Science Fiction CD/LP (Red River Entertainment)
Tom Bailey, co-founding member of new wave pioneers the Thompson Twins, releases his first-ever solo album and his first new music altogether in some 25 years. Bailey produced the album himself with assistance from Hal Ritson (Chemical Brothers, David Guetta).
Rayland Baxter – Wide Awake CD/LP (ATO)
Rayland Baxter’s new album is a dream realized. Since he first started writing music, this roving rock ‘n’ roll philosopher dreamed of a space where he could devote every waking hour to creating. The hard-touring musician finally found it in the form of an abandoned rubber band factory in Franklin, KY, where he covered the windows, threw a mattress on the floor, and with guitar and piano in tow, spent three straight months writing. At night he would sit and listen to the sounds around him: coyotes, the howling wind, the faint prattle of the nightly TV news. The result of this isolation quest is Wide Awake, a 10-song collection that celebrates the best aspects of humanity and grasps at understanding the worst. The album runs the gamut from intensely personal to cutting social satire. On lead single “Casanova”, Rayland imagines student debt as a greedy girlfriend, admitting, “I got a real bad feeling ima let her down / got a hole in my pocket and I’m running around.” Album opener “Strange American Dream” was written around the time of the 2016 election and takes a hard look at the country’s values, while “79 Shiny Revolvers” skewers our national fixation with guns.
Beira – Vol II CD/LP (Doom Stew)
Beira’s sound harks back further in time to a more majestic era of doom. The band’s vocalist, guitarist and flautist, Ruby Haynes, cranks muscular riffs while the rest of the band stomps along with abundant capability and energy. Haynes voice-savagely tearing into passages here, or whispering more ethereally there-is going to keep you hooked.
Between The Buried And Me – Automata II CD/LP (Sumerian)
Second installment of the new concept album Automata from the North Carolina prog-metal stayers, which follows March’s release of Automata I.
Birds In A Row – We Already Lost The World CD/LP/Cassette (Deathwish Inc.)
Birds In Row is a melodic/abrasive band from Laval, France that blurs the lines between hardcore, punk, and related sub-genres. We Already Lost the World blends post punk and angular rock influences into something emotional and electric. Recommended for fans of Touché Amoré, Modern Life Is War, Oathbreaker and La Dispute.
Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio – Something Smells Funky ‘Round Here CD (Alligator)
Rousing new originals, reinventions of three Bishop classics, and some unexpected, soul-shaking covers. “Elvin Bishop has always been big fun and is the ringmaster in his own blues circus. With Willy Jordan and Bob Welsh, Bishop whomps out tough, muscular and rollicking boogie-infused blues.” – No Depression
Black Fast – Spectre Of Ruin CD/LP (E1)
Like its predecessor, Black Fast’s Spectre Of Ruin was summoned into sharp focus at Mana Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida, with Erik Rutan, the Hate Eternal frontman and ex-Morbid Angel guitarist who has produced albums by genre titans like Cannibal Corpse, Goatwhore, and Six Feet Under. It’s all killer, no filler, demonstrating the destructive force of focused neo-thrash and progressive death-infused heavy metal at its finest.
Body/Head – The Switch CD/LP+MP3 (Matador)
The way the duo of Kim Gordon and Bill Nace work together, you’d never know they spend so much time apart; on The Switch, their vision and focus feel truly unified. If Coming Apart was dark magic, The Switch works with light, though it never forgets that these approaches are two sides of the same coin, and that binaries—black/white, near/far, emotion/analysis, body/head—are made to be broken open, and that the truth of things is in the energy between
Carolina Story – Lay Your Head Down CD/LP (Black River Americana)
Centered around the gorgeous harmonies of Nashville based husband and wife duo Ben & Emily Roberts, Lay Your Head Down is a heartfelt collection of original songs that capture two people’s moving journey through questioning, self-doubt and ultimately their perseverance. The experience of growing as partners in both life and music informs the themes of gained wisdom, commitment, parenthood and resolve that are woven into the album. The melancholy “We Were Young Once Too” laments the loss of innocence while also appreciating the wisdom gained with experience, while “Your Children’s Children” focuses on things one might pass on to their own children. Album standout, “Let Me Rock, Let Me Roll”, captures the essence of Carolina Story – how they genuinely love singing together and share a commitment to both music and life.
Jenn Champion – Single Rider CD/LP/Cassette (Hardly Art)
Fans of Jenn Champion (formerly “S”) have praised her open-hearted lyrics, expertly-deployed melancholia, technical skill, and willingness to forgo conventions, but mostly they’ve praised her for making albums they could cry to. With the release of Cool Choices in 2014, Champion made what many considered the best record of her career, and a lot of fans spilled tears to. On Single Rider, Champion brings with her all those skills and vulnerabilities, but it’s not a record for wallowing: it’s a record for intense eye contact on the dancefloor. “Sometimes you are sad and you just want to dance about it,” said Champion. “I realized the record I really wanted to make was more of a cross between Drake and Billy Joel than Blue Oyster Cult.” Despite the new direction in her sound, emotion cuts through on Single Rider in the classic Champion style, weaving simultaneously pleading-and-incensed vocals into anthemic pop songs.
Chelsea Grin – Eternal Nightmare CD/LP+MP3 (Rise)
New album from the deathcore band known for their technicality and brutal lyrics. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Chief White Lightning – Chief White Lightning CD/LP (El Camino Media)
From the opening Big Star lush of “Don’t Do That” to the Dave Davies isolation of “Can’t Take It Back”, Josh Logan has created a world of heroes and losers in just under thirty minutes on his eponymous post-garage debut as Chief White Lightning. There are no modern gimmicks, no over-produced tricks…it’s a fierce, undeniable stab at capturing the life of a song. While the country howl of “Down Under” brings to mind the last days of The Band, the post punk burn of “City’s Alive” leaves nothing but a lonely kid finding a home in the bright lights, big city of anywhere America. It’s the juxtaposition that lands Chief White Lightning somewhere in-between the past and present.
Jon Cleary – Dyna-Mite CD/2xLP (FHQ/Thirty Tigers)
New Orleans piano player and songwriter Jon Cleary is widely regarded as one of the great heirs to the city’s world-changing music heritage – an outsider from Kent, England who has improbably become a beloved personality in his adopted hometown. Cleary has not only ascended into the pantheon of New Orleans musical greats, but established a contemporary groove and a style that’s unmistakably his own. After winning his first Grammy and touring across the world, Cleary returns with the 10-song LP Dyna-Mite. Cleary’s fingerprints are omnipresent throughout with his hip-shaking piano that blends together a diversity of moods and textures. The R&B/funk/soul-imbued movable feast epitomizes his moniker of multi-instrumentalist, too.
Collections Of Colonies Of Bees – Hawaii CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
For two decades, Milwaukee’s Collections Of Colonies Of Bees has existed in various forms and incarnations, beginning with Chris Rosenau and Jon Mueller (who split time with post-rock band Pele). From there, the line-up grew and evolved. At one time, Nick Sanborn – currently in the spotlight as one-half of Sylvan Esso – counted himself as a member. At another, the group joined forces with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon to release two albums under the moniker Volcano Choir. In fact, it was Vernon who proclaimed of his collaborators: “If the world was perfect, they would be as big as U2.” Never content to paint the soundscape twice, the previously instrumental Bees now come outfitted with vocalist Marielle Allschwang and a new full-length, Hawaii, that finds the Wisconsin-based ensemble harvesting the fertile intersection between experimental and pop to maximum effect.
Copperhead featuring John Cipollina – Live At Pacific High Studios CD (Air Cuts)
After leaving Quicksilver Messenger Service near the end of 1970, John Cipollina also played lead guitar with Copperhead, who issued just one 1973 album before disbanding. Performed at Pacific High Studios in San Francisco, this January 23, 1972 KSAN-FM broadcast, includes several songs from that LP, as well as eight the band did not release in studio versions.
Cowboy Junkies – All That Reckoning CD/LP (Latent)
While the music is characteristically easy to listen to, the songs on All That Reckoning are visceral and in true Junkies fashion, the gentleness is juxtaposed with rock that can be jarring. “It’s a deeper and a more complete record than we’ve ever done before,” says guitarist Michael Timmins. “We’ve always tried to make records that are relevant to who we are as people…These songs are about reckoning on a personal level and reckoning on a political level. So much is going on around us right now and nobody knows where it’s going to end up.”
Rodney Crowell – Acoustic Classics CD/LP (Rodney Crowell)
Grammy-winning roots troubadour Rodney Crowell offers up a re-distilled, acoustic presentation of 12 masterfully-crafted tunes from his 40-plus-year career in a truly intimate setting.
Bobby Darin – Go Ahead & Back Up – The Lost Motown Masters CD (Real Gone Music)
Bobby Darin joined Motown Records in 1970, inaugurating the final phase in a remarkable career that saw him transform from a rock-and-roll teen idol to a sophisticated swinger to a socially conscious folkie. Go Ahead And Back Up: The Lost Motown Masters lifts the curtain on the final years of Bobby Darin’s life (he died in 1973 at the age of 37) with 24 never-before-released recordings directly from the Motown vaults, their existence largely unknown to even Darin’s most ardent collectors and biographers. These include a lost album produced by Bobby in the raw, stripped-down style of his stage shows of the period; a return to standards as only Bobby could have recorded; and an album’s worth of stunning, surprising tracks written and produced by Motown’s cream of the crop.
Mikaela Davis – Delivery CD/LP (Rounder)
Classically trained, defiantly original harpist Mikaela Davis’ plea for patience – a little bit sweet, a little bit angry and raw – fed her new fierce 10-song collection Delivery. A joyride that pulls from folk rock, ‘70s and ‘80s pop experimentation, and muscly funk, Delivery manages to be both daring and comfortable, full of not just risks, but hooks. Danceable “Other Lover” puts what Mikaela can make her harp do on brilliant display – funk has never sounded so angelic and swampy all at once. With its dreamy staccato, “Do You Wanna Be Mine” also re-imagines what a harp is capable of, while singalong “In My Groove” captures the challenges, confusion, and freedom that comes with finding your own way. Mikaela’s favorite track, “All I Do Is Disappear”, explores the struggle to be seen for who you truly are instead of what others want you to be. While most of the songs began as personal mediations and even acts of defiance, Delivery’s messages of resilience and embracing what makes you unique lands universally with the listener.
Deafheaven – Ordinary Corrupt Human Love CD/2xLP (Relapse)
Deafheaven’s new album, Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, finds them working with old friends again. The Jack Shirley-produced and Nick Steinhardt-art directed (of Touché Amoré) collection gets its title from Graham Greene’s novel The End Of The Affair, referencing a moment when someone is looking for love, in all of its imperfection and simple beauty. This sentiment is carried throughout the hazy, yearning romanticism of the record with song titles and words as sumptuous as the sounds around them. Clarke describes the composition of Ordinary Corrupt Human Love beginning with “small seeds of healing, repair, and rebirth,” and like each subsequent Deafheaven album, this record is, in fact, a revelation. Defeat has inspired some of our best art. If you survive something terrible, you surface on the other side, walk toward the light, and come back to life. If you’re an artist, this kind of new self-knowledge can lead to creating something universal and remembered, something eternal. While Deafheaven has managed to cross over this road in the past, they’ve nailed the feeling wholly with Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, a feeling that comes with experience and wisdom. [Limited Deluxe 180gm opaque blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Dirty Projectors – Lamp Lit Prose CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Dirty Projectors return with a new album that’s the yang to the yin of their eponymous 2017 effort. The songs signal a page turned for David Longstreth: hope instead of heartbreak, a restorative balance. Guitars have returned to the Dirty Projectors’ world, intricate and gorgeous vocal harmony too. It begins with “Right Now,” David singing, “there was silence in my heart, but now I’m striking up the band.” L.A. string group the Calder Quartet and The Brass Players of Los Angeles both appear on several songs while further collaborations come from the likes of HAIM, Syd, Robin Pecknold, Rostam Batmanglij, Amber Mark, Empress Of and Dear Nora. Lamp Lit Prose is a recommitment to the sounds and ideals of Dirty Projectors, embracing the band’s trademarks while pushing forward the sonic envelope. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Drake – Scorpion 2xCD (Republic)
The 25-track fifth studio release for the Canadian hip-hop artist features guest appearances from Jay-Z and Ty Dollar $ign as well as vocals from Michael Jackson and Static Major. “Drake aims to come out stronger, more focused and more righteous than ever. … He goes hard at addressing his industry ops on Side A, and it’s full of the effortlessly cut-throat Drake we’ve come to love. … Drake gets all the way into his feelings on the second half of Scorpion.” – Exclaim
Eartheater – Irisiri CD/LP (Pan)
Eartheater (aka Queens based artist Alexandra Drewchin) distills foley-filled digital production, a three-octave vocal range, and classical composition into works suspended between obsessively detailed sonic tapestries and almost recklessly romantic and gestural electronica. Modular synth staccato plucks hammer out in arrhythmic spirals over a carefully muzzled grid of pumping kicks — unleashed in unpredictable disruptions. Technoid stabs mingle with crushed black metal.
Echo Ladies – Pink Noise CD/LP (Sonic Cathedral)
Debut album from the Swedish shoegaze trio. Pink Noise mixes A Place To Bury Strangers-style total sonic annihilation with skewed synth-pop and the band cite the Cocteau Twins and The Jesus And Mary Chain as the main musical influences, but there’s also a nod to The Cure’s Disintegration and even Saint Etienne.
A Flock Of Seagulls with The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra – Ascension CD (August Day)
All four original members of A Flock Of Seagulls perform their greatest hits backed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ben Folds – Complete Sessions At West 54th CD/2xLP (Real Gone Music)
The complete performance by Ben Folds Five as recorded at Sony Music Studios (only three songs aired on the original PBS broadcast). This release represents the first live album to be released in either format from the “vintage” years of the trio (consisting of Folds, drummer Darren Jessee and bassist Robert Sledge). [Limited blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
G-Mo Skee – Chaly & The Filth Factory CD (Majik Ninja)
The sophomore full-length album from G-MO Skee takes you on a journey through the appropriately named Filth Factory. Tracks this time around feature close friends and Inf Gang members as well as Jedi Mind Tricks’ own Vinnie Paz and The Jokerr.
Jim Gaffigan – Noble Ape CD/2xLP (Comedy Dynamics)
In his unprecedented sixth stand-up special, Noble Ape, comedy powerhouse Jim Gaffigan gets personal as he discusses the medical crisis that hit his wife and family, which almost led to his retirement. Using his signature everyman humor to deal with the unthinkable, Gaffigan proves why the Wall Street Journal called him the “King of Clean comedy.” It was recorded live at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston, MA after a sold out North American Tour of theaters and arenas. “Finding the humor in Jeannie’s brain tumor was not only therapeutic, but I soon realized it resonated with audiences. We’ve all been in those moments of medical crisis and it’s good to laugh about it,” said Gaffigan.
Eliza Gilkyson – Secularia CD/LP (Red House)
20th album from the Grammy-nominated folksinger. Secularia is a collection of spiritually charged songs that do not fit within the parameters of traditional religious beliefs, challenging us to embrace a more inclusive perspective, to respect all life and to be accountable for our actions in these divisive times.
Dexter Gordon Quartet – Tokyo 1975 CD/LP (Elemental)
A complete previously unissued quartet performance by the great Dexter Gordon. This astonishing concert marked Gordon’s first appearance ever in Japan, backed by an all-star rhythm section consisting of Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums.
Grateful Dead – Anthem Of The Sun [Reissue/1968] 2xCD/LP (Grateful Dead)
This 50th anniversary double-CD set includes two versions of the original album – one fully remastered from the original 1968 mix, and the other remastered from the more well-known 1971 mix. The second disc contains a previously unreleased complete live show recorded on October 22, 1967 at Winterland in San Francisco, CA. [Limited edition single picture disc vinyl edition of the remastered 1971 mix is also available.]
Guadalcanal Diary – At Your Birthday Party [Reissue/1999] CD (Omnivore)
Guadalcanal’s rare 1999 live album contains performances of favorites from all four of their Elektra releases. This CD reissue features updated artwork and new liner notes from the band’s Murray Attaway. “This is what we sounded like, for real” he writes. Guadalcanal Diary exploded on the scene in 1985 when the previous year’s Walking In The Shadow Of The Big Man was issued via Elektra Records and spawned the hit “Watusi Rodeo”. Over the next four years, Murray Attaway (vocals, guitar), Jeff Walls (guitar, vocals), Rhett Crowe (bass, vocals), and John Poe (drums, vocals) released three more critically acclaimed albums before calling it a day. The band reconvened for live shows in the late ’90s, and tape was rolling during their two-night stand at Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta, GA, January 1998. The following year, At Your Birthday Party was self-released as a thank you to “Guadal fans everywhere.”
Hopesfall – Arbiter CD/LP (Equal Vision)
The long-awaited follow up to 2007’s Magnetic North, Arbiter marks melodic hardcore legends Hopesfall’s first record in over a decade. The explosive collection has a decidedly unique bend to it, but guitarist Joshua Brigham points out that it is built off of the same principles as Hopesfall’s previous catalog – “big riffs and dark melodies.” Frontman Jay Forrest adds that the driving message of Arbiter remains the same as well: “Hopes fall. Tragedies happen. But that doesn’t mean you should give up or not stay the course.” Arbiter is at once a reminder of why the band has become so influential and a beacon of their continued evolution. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Jason Isbell – Sirens Of The Ditch [Reissue/2007] CD/2xLP (New West)
CD and vinyl reissue of the 2007 solo debut from guitarist/songwriter Jason Isbell (formerly of Drive By Truckers), expanded with four unreleased tracks from the original recording sessions. Sirens Of The Ditch is a diverse collection that incorporates elements of rock, blues and soul music into a heartfelt mix of songs that favor piano and pedal steel over buzzing guitars – although, don’t worry, there’s a fair share of overdriven amps as well. Co-produced by Isbell and Patterson Hood (DBT), it features Isbell singing lead vocals and playing guitar throughout, joined by Shonna Tucker (formerly of DBT) on bass and Brad Morgan (DBT) on drums. Several musicians pop in for cameos as well including Spooner Oldham and David Hood (Patterson’s father) on “Down In A Hole”, John Neff (formerly of DBT) on “Dress Blues” and Patterson himself guests on “Shotgun Wedding”. [Limited Deluxe 180gm clear vinyl pressing also available.]
The Jayhawks – Back Roads And Abandoned Motels CD/LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy)
Produced by Gary Louris, John Jackson and Ed Ackerson at Flowers Studio in Minneapolis, MN, The Jayhawks’ tenth studio album Back Roads And Abandoned Motels sets nine songs co-written by Louris with other artists alongside two of his latest compositions. Recorded in two vibrant sessions in 2017, it finds the current incarnation of group – Louris (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars), Marc Perlman (bass), Tim O’Reagan (vocals, drums, percussion), Karen Grotberg (vocals, piano, keyboards), John Jackson (mandolin, violin, acoustic guitar) – going for a lean, simple approach, at times reminiscent of the fabled Rainy Day Music era. Back Roads And Abandoned Motels expands the group’s repertoire with brand-new recordings of songs that frontman Gary Louris has co-written with other acts and also marks the debut of two of Gary’s latest songs, “Carry You To Safety” and “Leaving Detroit”.
Kamal Keila – Muslims And Christians CD/2xLP (Habibi Funk)
Coined the James Brown or Fela Kuti of Sudan, Kamal Keila’s Muslims And Christians is the first in a series of releases covering the Sudanese jazz scene on Habibi Funk. Recorded in a pair of sessions in August 1992, the 10-track collection stands as a hearable testament how Kamal Keila stuck to a sound aesthetic from decades ago, while incorporating current events into his lyrics. Some of the songs were already written in the 1970s and have been part of Kamal’s sets ever since, with only small changes for some contemporary references in the lyrics and musically sometimes adopting to “new” sounds here and there. Musically you can hear the influence of neighboring Ethiopia much more than on other Sudanese recordings of the time, as well as references to Fela and American funk and soul. His lyrics, at least when he sings in English, which indicates more freedom from censorship, are very political.
The Lightmen Plus One – Free As You Wanna Be [Reissue/1970] 2xCD (Now Again)
Revolutionary, spiritual jazz from the unlikely city of Houston, TX, reissued for the first time.
Simon Love – “Sincerely, S. Love x” CD/LP+CD (Tapette)
“Sincerely, S. Love x” (the kiss is meant to be pronounced) is Simon’s sophomore solo album (his 2015 debut It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time was released on the brilliant, now sadly defunct Fortuna Pop label) and it features at least ten hits. Proper pop hits, with ELO harmonies, Spectoresque production, strings and trumpets, the whole shebang. All recorded over the last two years in London, England. Big city pop.
Luluc – Sculptor CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Sculptor can be consumed loud, because while Luluc’s music is at times masterful in its minimalism, it is anything but quiet in impact. A gripping quality certainly pulses through the band’s third album. Songwriter and vocalist Zoe Randell writes with more experimentation and possibility here and sonically, the band has also broadened their palette significantly. Multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer Steve Hassett mastered a spectrum of instruments to fully realize the album’s expansive and daring vision. Randell and Hassett did nearly all of the writing, recording, and producing themselves, but their vision is far from insular. Guest contributions are made by J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), Aaron Dessner (The National, and producer of Passerby), Jim White of Dirty Three, Matt Eccles, and Dave Nelson.
Lydia – Liquor CD/LP (Red Music)
New release from the indie rock band from Gilbert, Arizona. Liquor sees Lydia maintaining their DIY punk spirit while exploring new sonic territory.
John Maus – Songs [Reissue/2006] CD/LP (Ribbon Music)
John Maus – Love Is Real [Reissue/2007] CD/LP (Ribbon Music)
John Maus – We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves [Reissue/2011] CD/LP (Ribbon Music)
Broadly cut from the synth pop cloth, enigmatic Austin, MN musician John Maus has fashioned the frosty minimalism of its fabric into a cloak of infinite meaning, genuine grace and absurdist humor over the course of five defining albums since 2006, most recently being 2017’s Screen Memories and 2018’s Addendum. Ribbon Music is pleased to present CD and heavyweight 180gm vinyl reissues of Maus’s long out-of-print first three full length albums – Songs (2006), Love Is Real (2007) and We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves (2011) – with audio sourced from the original masters and lacquers cut at Abbey Road Mastering. Questing synthesizers, tensely strung bass lines and chasing drum machines provide the perfect backdrop for Maus’s deeply resonant reverb-drenched vocals.
Mr. Big – Live From Milan 2xCD+Blu-ray (Frontiers)
Following the release of their 2017 album, Defying Gravity, Mr. Big set out on a trek that took them all over the world to promote the new release in a live setting. Anyone who has ever had the distinct pleasure of seeing the band live knows that the virtuoso musicianship and incredible vocals are on full display in this setting. [Vinyl edition due August 10.]
Cornelia Murr – Lake Tear Of The Clouds CD/LP (Autumn Tone)
On her debut album Lake Tear Of The Clouds, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Cornelia Murr taps into the bucolic spirit of the Hudson Valley in upper New York State. Working with producer Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Murr conjures a hazy blend of folk and cosmic soul music, her voice floating over ghostly soundscapes that bring to mind the fantasias of Broadcast, Stereolab’s most pastoral moments, and the spooky romance of Beach House.
The National – Boxer Live In Brussels CD (4AD)
To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their acclaimed album Boxer, The National chose to perform the record from beginning to end at a very special show in Brussels, Belgium on November 9th, 2017. Originally released on vinyl as a limited edition RSD 2018 exclusive.
Needtobreathe – Forever On Your Side Niles City Sound Sessions CDEP (Atlantic)
Widely acknowledged by music devotees and media tastemakers for their anthemic, alt-rock dynamic, brothers Bear Rinehart (vocals, guitar) and Bo Rinehart (guitar, vocals), Seth Bolt (bassist/vocalist) and Josh Lovelace (keyboardist/vocalist) have earned those accolades through musicianship and innovation. The four-song Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions) was recorded with the producer trio Niles City Sound (Leon Bridges) out of their studio in Ft.
Worth, TX.
Willie Nelson – Things To Remember: The Pamper Demos CD/2xLP (Real Gone Music)
For the series of sessions that laid the foundation for Willie Nelson’s career and thus changed the course of modern country music, these recordings have been treated pretty cavalierly over the years. The songs Willie recorded for Pamper during the early ‘60s remain among his most famous and includes tunes he still performs to this day. This collection collects 28 rare demos recorded during that historic era. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Obscura – Diluvium CD/LP (Relapse)
Germany’s progressive death metal masters Obscura complete their long-running, four-album conceptual circle with the release of Diluvium (defined as a great oceanic flood). Recorded with longtime producer V. Santura (Triptykon, Pestilence) at Woodshed Studios in Landshut, Germany, Diluvium is a stunning achievement for the illustrious quartet and a landmark release for progressive metal as a whole. Complete with all the band’s signature elements plus groundbreaking polyrhythms, dramatic songwriting, and jaw-dropping virtuosity, Obscura raise the bar once again with an album that will go down in the annals of metal history as one of the more astonishing performances the genre has to offer.
Oiseaux-Tempête – Tarab CD/2xLP (Sub Rosa)
Marrying free-rock, organic electronics, traditional instruments, and unbridled electricity, Tarab is a generous invitation to experience, to meditate, and to share.
Opium Moon – Opium Moon CD (Be Why)
Opium Moon is Kama Sutra music, a sensual, groovy, timeless debut collaboration of celebrated master musicians from Israel, Iran and the US making peace through harmony.
Ouija Macc – GutterWater CD (Psychopathic)
Debut studio album by the Las Vegas rapper and former Swag Toof member.
Ozmotic – Elusive Balance CD (Touch)
Ozmotic is a multidisciplinary artistic project, deeply fascinated by the dynamics of contemporary society, by architecture, cities, and vast uncontaminated spaces. Ozmotic creates world sounds characterized by an intense tonal variety and a refined rhythmic research. The interaction between electronic music and digital visual art in real time is an essential trait of Ozmotic’s aesthetic. Having previously collaborated with Fennesz, Murcof, Bretschnider, and Senking, Elusive Balance is their third album.
Peabod – Healthy Snacks CD (Centricity Music)
Crafting catchy hooks and masterful lyrics, 24-year-old Seattle singer-songwriter-rapper Peabod dishes verses full of wit and charm guaranteed to make anyone smile.
Pendulum – The Reworks CD/2xLP (Earstorm)
New remixes of Pendulum classics by Skrillex, Moby, Devin Townsend, Noisia, Knife Party, DJ Seinfeld, ATTLAS and others.
Pentatonix – PTX Presents: Top Pop, Vol. I CD/LP+MP3 (RCA)
Sixth album from the a cappella group. Features covers of pop songs of 2017 and Aaliyah’s 1990s hit “Are You That Somebody?” mashed with “New Rules”.
Pink Martini – Sympathique 20th Anniversary Edition CD (Heinz)
20 years after the release of Pink Martini’s seminal and iconic first album Sympathique, it can now finally be heard in the way bandleader Thomas M. Lauderdale originally envisioned. Pink Martini’s arrangement of Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero” was a cornerstone of the original album plan, but the recording has been embroiled in a legal dispute with the Ravel estate for two decades. Now, finally in the public domain, this song, which remains an audience favorite at Pink Martini concerts, has been restored to its rightful place on this new version.
Real Friends – Composure CD/LP (Fearless)
Colored by brushstrokes of punk, pop, and emo, Chicago’s Real Friends became one of the biggest breakout acts following the release of their debut, Maybe This Place Is The Same And We’re Just Changing (2014) and solidified their place as frontrunners in the alternative scene, with their sophomore record, The Home Inside My Head, as both albums earned Billboard Top 200 chart placement. Now, Real Friends are ready to embark on a new journey – having released their latest high-energy single “Get By”, the first taste from their third studio effort, Composure. The album features 10 tracks filled with unforgettable pop-rock hooks that showcase the band’s progression from a pop-punk band to full-fledged pop-rock juggernaut. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Save Face – Merci CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Save Face is a New Jersey-based rock band. Merci features tracks that are instantly catchy, built on heavy guitar riffs and throat-shredding vocals.
Amy Shark – Love Monster CD (RCA)
Debut studio album by Australian alternative pop singer/songwriter.
Woody Shaw – Tokyo ’81 CD/LP (Elemental)
A complete previously unissued quintet performance in Japan by the great Woody Shaw. This remarkable concert features Shaw’s classic group with trombonist Steve Turre, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Tony Reedus.
Slightly Stoopid – Everyday Life, Everyday People CD/2xLP (Stoopid Records)
Everyday Life, Everyday People is Slightly Stoopid’s ninth studio effort and follow-up to 2015’s Meanwhile…Back At The Lab. Inspired by the band’s hometown of Ocean Beach/San Diego, CA which is reflected in Jay Alders’ cover art, it was recorded at various studios across the world in San Diego, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Kingston, Jamaica, Long Beach, CA, New York, NY. True to form, the album features special guests galore including Ali Campbell (UB40), G. Love, Chali 2na (Jurassic 5), Don Carlos, Yellowman, Sly Dunbar (Sly and Robbie) and more. “It’s been an epic journey making this latest record with many legendary guest vocalists and musicians,” says vocalist Miles Doughty. The 13-track affair is introduced by lead single “If You Want It” featuring Italian Reggae Ambassador Alborosie.
Smokescreens – Used To Yesterday CD/LP (Slumberland)
“A faultless addition to Slumberland Records, Smokescreens’ Used To Yesterday is indie pop as it should be: melodic, lyrically astute, bittersweet and catchy as hell.” – The Skinny
The Statler Brothers – Sing The Classics [Reissue/1995] CD (Real Gone Music)
CD reissue of one of the most beloved albums in the Statler Brothers catalog that never even went to retail: consisting of the Statlers’ renditions of classic pop songs from the ‘40s through the ‘60s, and featuring performances recorded especially for the project, The Statler Brothers’ Sing The Classics was originally a double-CD collection created by mail order outfit Heartland Music back in the ‘90s for a direct response TV campaign.
The Suffers – Everything Here CD/LP (Shanachie)
Houston-based Gulf Coast soul band The Suffers, led by the powerhouse vocals of Kam Franklin, is a contemporary version of classic R&B bands Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang, The Commodores and others.
Sumrrá – 6 Mulleres CD/LP (Clermont Music)
With 6 Mulleres, Sumrrá pays tribute to six powerful women that were, and still are, an inspiration in fighting for a brighter future for all humanity: Frida Kahlo and Rosa Parks from the Americas, Rosalía de Castro from Galicia, Qui Jin from China, Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan, and Nawal El Saadawi from Egypt. 6 Mulleres is a 21st Century contemporary musical approach to feminism.
Tanukichan – Sundays CD/LP+MP3 (Company)
Sundays is the debut full length from Oakland-based Tanukichan, aka multi-instrumentalist Hannah van Loon. At surface level, the LP sounds exactly how the title suggests: hazy, dreamy, reflective, just like a lazy Sunday afternoon. Upon second and third listens, the dreamy music unveils a deeper world: an ever present sense of longing, an endless state of summer and a period of instability that plagues us all at one point or another in our lives. What started with a few unfocused demos, with van Loon playing all the instruments herself in her house, became a studio experience and viable collection of music after she was introduced to Company Records founder Chaz Bundick (Toro Y Moi, Les Sins). After collaborating on her 2016 EP Radiolove, van Loon and Bundic set out to make a much more sonically cohesive release, with both the producer and artist playing all the instruments on the record. The result is a slice of dream pop that could only come from the combination of the laid back atmosphere of California and the nostalgic and often difficult memories that are generally associated with coming of age.
Various Artists – Beat From Badsville Vol. 4: Even More Trash Classics From Lux & Ivy’s Vinyl Mountain CD/2×10” (Stag-O-Lee)
This 24-track collection positively effervesces with eccentricity. Brought up on the radio shows of the legendary rock ‘n’ roll DJs, the moondogging Alan Freed, Mad Daddy and, later, the ghostly Ghoulardi, it was hardly surprising that The Cramps’ Lux Interior and Poison Ivy began trawling the thrift stores for juvenile delinquent tunes, lip curling bad boy rock n’ roll, strange exotica, bizarre novelty 45s, dysfunctional doo wop, psychedelic weirdness, and instrumentals made by madmen.
Various Artists – Onda De Amor: Synthesized Brazilian Hits That Never Were (1984-94) CD/2xLP (Soundway)
A treasure trove of synth jams, pop, samba boogie, balearic and electro from 1980 & ‘90s Brazil.
Rhonda Vincent & The Rage with Bluegrass Legends – Live At The Ryman CD (Upper Management)
Special guests include bluegrass legends Jesse McReynolds, Bobby Osborne, Sonny Osborne, and Mac Wiseman.
Wimps – Garbage People CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Kill Rock Stars)
Known as one of the premier “plenty of nonsense” guitar/bass/drum groups, Garbage People finds Wimps taking a sonic leap forward musically (there’s saxophone, keyboard, and just enough cowbell) and lyrically (subject matter ranges from gender pay inequality, decline of bee populations as a result of climate change, insomnia, and wanting to steal a pizza…but only if it’s cheese.) On Garbage People, Wimps have successfully filtered the best parts of ‘70s Rough Trade, the International Pop Underground 7″ series, Devo, The B-52s, the Breeders, etc. into a unique and timeless sound that appeals to playlist streaming teens and adults who own over 500 records. [Limited violet colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad – The Midnight Hour CD/2xLP (Linear Labs)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Featuring Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge, alongside a tight rhythm section and a full orchestra, The Midnight Hour is an ode to the cultural sophistication that the Harlem Renaissance established for its people. The album also boasts features from CeeLo Green, Raphael Saadiq, Marsha Ambrosius, Bilal, Eryn Allen Kane, Karolina, and more.
DVDs + Blu-ray:
The Rolling Stones – From The Vault: No Security. San Jose ’99 DVD+2xCD/Blu-ray+2xCD (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
The latest installment in The Rolling Stones’ From The Vaults series was filmed at the San Jose Arena at the end of the North American dates on the band’s No Security tour.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
The Aces – When My Heart Feels Volcanic LP (Red Bull)
Hailing from Orem, Utah the quartet has been playing together for over a decade despite the oldest member being the young age of 22.”Across 13 tracks, The Aces’ sound positively sparkles. Drawing from both past and present Top 40 proclivities, the record captures moments with clarity and detail. The breezy album opener ‘Volcanic Love’ glistens as Ramirez draws out her syllables, articulating an overwhelming, all-consuming lust that lingers. Anchored by stable, unshakeable synths, the anthemic ‘Just Like That’ details the demise of what once was with a slow build to its cathartic, kiss-off chorus. Closer ‘Waiting for You’ slinks and slithers, waiting for impulses to be acted on, before its soaring crescendo.” – NPR [CD edition due July 27.]
The Action – Rolled Gold LP (Guerssen)
Vinyl collection of the legendary 1967-68 recordings by UK mod band The Action, recorded when they were in transition from mod-beat to full-blown psychedelia, just prior to becoming Mighty Baby.
Alabama Shakes – Alabama Shakes – Boys and Girls: Platinum Edition LP (ATO)
Alabama Shakes’ 2012 Grammy-nominated 2012 debut reissued on colored vinyl in a brand-new reverse color package in celebration of its platinum certification.
Alessandro Alessandroni – Lost & Found: Unreleased Soundtracks & Library Treasures From The Italian Maestro LP+CD (Four Flies)
A collection of tracks composed between 1972-78 all previously unreleased. Jazz, disco, electronic music – there’s no genre Alessandroni hasn’t explored.
Beak> – Beak> [Reissue/2009] 2xLP+MP3 (Temporary Residence)
Beak> – >> [Reissue/2012] 2xLP+MP3 (Temporary Residence)
To celebrate the addition of Bristol’s preeminent out-rock trio to the Temporary Residence family, the label has reissued Beak>’s first two albums on audiophile-quality double vinyl.
Marco Beltrami – Hellboy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [2004] LP (Varèse Sarabande)
Limited red colored vinyl LP pressing of the original motion picture soundtrack to the 2004 motion picture.
Bergraven – Dödsvisioner [Reissue/2007] LP (Nordvis Produktion)
It is hard to believe that eleven years have passed since Pär Gustafsson’s Bergraven released Dodsvisioner into the black metal biome. Impishly experimental and yet highly honed and focused, it is an album that seeps its way into the subconscious. The subtle shifts in tempo and dizzying experimental deviations rife on Dödsvisioner play tricks on the listener’s mind, much like mountains from which the first part of the band’s name come can disorientate and confuse weary walkers, rendering madness a distinct possibility.
Between You & Me – Everything Is Temporary LP+MP3 (Hopeless)
Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, pop-punk quintet Between You & Me release their debut full-length Everything Is Temporary.
Dave Bixby – Ode To Quetzalcoatl [Reissue/1969] LP (Guerssen)
For collectors of the downer/loner folk movement of the late ’60s, mostly recorded by regional artists on private press labels, the lone solo album from Michigan garage rocker-turned-born-again Xian Dave Bixby is a holy grail.
Blood, Sweat & Tears – Blood, Sweat & Tears [Reissue/1968] LP (Friday Music)
Limited audiophile 180gm red colored vinyl pressing housed in a gatefold sleeve.
Marie Davidson – Perte D’identite [Reissue/2014] LP (Weyrd Son)
Originally released in 2014, Perte D’Identite is the debut LP by composer, singer, and poet Marie Davidson, one of the finest artists rising from the electronic dark-synth scene in Montreal. Her voice is a stark, half-spoken monotone which will tell you stories from which you can’t escape unchanged. With Perte D’Identite, she refines her storytelling with suffocating tales that are both intimate and melancholic. Meanwhile, her miraculously human electronic rhythms are as frantic and hypnotic as an intense stare.
The Dwarves – Rex Everything LP (Bang!)
“The Dwarves, one of the most extreme and cool American punk rock bands in existence, present an insane new release. And what is it? Well, well, well…Mr. Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, The Queens Of Stone Age) is The Dwarves bass player and Rex Everything compiles tracks where Oliveri is singing, screaming, and shouting out loud. The album is played by The Dwarves and produced by Blag Dhalia. As you can expect from The Dwarves this is a 20-minute blast with 12 direct punk rock shots to make your ears bleed!”
Dylan & The Dead – Dylan & The Dead [Reissue/1989] LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy)
In 1987, two legends joined forces for an unforgettable tour. Now, the 1989 Jerry Garcia and John Cutler produced release Dylan & The Dead, featuring The Grateful Dead backing up Bob Dylan live on seven of his classic songs including “All Along The Watchtower,” “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” and “Gotta Serve Somebody,” is available once again on vinyl.
E-40 – Federal [Reissue/1993] LP (Get On Down)
The development of hip-hop during the 1990s is partially indebted to the styles that were cultivated on the West Coast, more specifically in the state of California. When one thinks of the California hip-hop scene invariably the G-funk of Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Los Angeles comes to mind, but to ignore the equally impressive San Francisco bay area scene is a travesty. It was in this environment where Earl Stevens, better known by his stage name E-40, came up in and developed his following. Alongside regional staples such as Too Short, Spice 1, and Ant Banks, E-40 was among the first West Coast rappers to sign with a major label.
Eric B. & Rakim – Paid In Full [Reissue/1987] 2xLP (Geffen)
Eric B. & Rakim – Follow The Leader [Reissue/1988] 2xLP (Geffen)
Eric B. & Rakim – Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em [Reissue/1990] 2xLP (Geffen)
Eric B. & Rakim – Don’t Sweat The Technique [Reissue/1992] 2xLP (Geffen)
Eric B. & Rakim – The Complete Collection 8xLP+2xCD (Geffen)
Double-vinyl reissues of the hip-hop duo’s four albums. [The Complete Collection gathers all four vinyl reissues along with a bonus double-CD set containing over 20 rare remixes spanning 1986 – 1992, and more.]
Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer (Loser Edition) LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Limited purple marbled colored vinyl pressing.
Fishbone – The Reality Of My Surroundings [Reissue/1991] LP (Megaforce)
Combining equal parts of deep funk, high-energy punk, and frantic ska, the Los Angeles-based Fishbone was one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late ’80s. With their hyperactive, self-conscious diversity, goofy sense of humor, and sharp social commentary, the group gained a sizable cult following during the late ’80s, yet they were never able to earn a mainstream audience. The band’s third album, The Reality Of My Surroundings, didn’t depart from their reckless eclecticism; it refined it.
John Fogerty – Centerfield [Reissue/1985] LP (BMG Rights Management)
Limited edition green colored vinyl pressing.
Foghat – Stone Blue [Reissue/1978] LP (Friday Music
Limited audiophile 180gm translucent blue colored vinyl pressing.
Fra Lippo Lippi – Golden Slumbers – The Very Best Of LP (Rune Arkiv)
Released last April on limited edition white colored vinyl – standard black pressing now available. Definitive best-of collection from the Norwegian post-punk synthpop band.
Future – Future Presents: Superfly (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 2xLP (Epic)
Recently released on CD – now available on double silver with black & gold smoke colored vinyl. Features contributions from 21 Savage, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Young Thug, Khalid, Lil Wayne, and more.
Gang Of Youths – Go Farther In Lightness 2xLP (Red Music)
Released last March on CD – now available on vinyl. Second studio album by Australian alternative band. James Clements of Rolling Stone Australia said Go Farther In Lightness “poetically explores the human experience in all its bleakness and triumph, confusion and clarity, heartbreak and joyousness” adding it’s a “remarkable odyssey of an album that’ll engulf you, leaving a bewildered smile on your face, a tear in your eye and a heart that’s full.”
Gaslight Anthem – The ’59 Sound Sessions LP (SideOneDummy)
Recently released on CD – now available on 180gm vinyl. The Gaslight Anthem celebrates 10 years of their seminal album, The ’59 Sound, with this collection of rare, unreleased, and alternate takes recorded during the album’s sessions. [Deluxe vinyl pressing in gatefold jacket in a gatefold sleeve also available.]
Good Old War – Only Way To Be Alone [Reissue/2008] LP+MP3 (Sargent House)
Limited 10th anniversary brown & yellow splatter colored vinyl pressing.
Goon – Dust Of Punk / Happy Omen LP (PTKF)
Goon is the project of L.A.-based musician and visual artist Kenny Becker. With a medical condition that periodically deadens his sense of smell and hearing, Becker began writing songs as a means of making the most of his life when those symptoms were absent. In October 2017, Goon released their EP Happy Omen which has gained praise from Noisey, Stereogum, BBC Radio 6 and even Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear who recently placed the band’s single “She” at the top of his Favorite Songs of 2017 playlist on Spotify. Happy Omen is the follow up to the band’s first EP Dusk Of Punk (2016) which saw the completely independent band break through the indie rock noise, receiving high marks from Rolling Stone, Spin, The FADER, Indie Shuffle and DIY Mag, eventually landing them supporting slots for Grandaddy, Lucy Dacus, the Lemon Twigs and Starcrawler and performing at FADER Fort during SXSW with NPR naming them one of their “Artists To Watch.”
Green River – Come On Down [Reissue/1985] LP (Jackpot)
Colored vinyl reissue with bonus track. Originally released in 1985, Come On Down is a record existing in its sonic universe – out of step with its own time. Was it glam? Was it punk? Was it metal? Was it cool? We now know it was one of the building blocks of what Mark Arm would coin as “grunge”, but in 1985 this record was a silent groundbreaker. It was not only the raw, sludgy, slower guitar sound that makes this band important in its place in rock history, but the members of Green River would go on to lead some of the biggest names in the genre: Mudhoney and Mother Love Bone, the latter of which also contained the roots of Pearl Jam.
Indigo Girls – Live With The University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra 3xLP (Rounder)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Recorded in front of a sold-out audience in Boulder, CO – a mix of reimagined classics and fan favorites. [Limited translucent blue colored pressing also available.]
The Jesus And Mary Chain – 21 Singles 1984-1998 [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (Warner Music UK)
2002 singles compilation available on vinyl for the first time. 21 Singles gathers some of the band’s most beloved sides including “Upside Down” and “You Trip Me Up”, plus “April Skies”, “Darklands” and “Just Like Honey”.
Marc Johnson – Years [Reissue/1972] LP (Munster)
Recently released for RSD 2018 with a bonus 7”, a standard single-disc repress is now available. More than four decades after its original release, a minor album by an obscure artist from the Vanguard catalog is finally reissued on vinyl. A psych folk/baroque pop masterpiece.
King Diamond – In Concert 1987 – Abigail [Reissue/1991] LP (Metal Blade)
Limited edition picture disc pressing. 12 explosive tracks recorded at various live performances during the 1987 Abigail tour.
Kutiman – Don’t Hold Onto The Clouds LP (Siyal)
Don’t Hold Onto The Clouds is unusual to Kutiman’s typical style, revealing his love for the sounds of Terry Reilly, Moondog, Alice Coltrane, and William Basinski. Recorded live by Kutiman over the course of a year, the album also draws upon his growing love for Indian music, and, alongside extensive use of a Juno 6, features his first, unorthodox use of a tabla which he received from his mother.
Bill Laswell/Nicholas James Bullen – Bass Terror [Reissue/1995] LP (Sub Rosa)
First vinyl issue — originally released as a CD in Sub Rosa’s Subsonic series in 1995. The concept of the series was the confrontation of electric guitars as the tutelary instrument, but here and this time only, it came out of bassists confronting each other. Limited red vinyl pressing.
Lil Yachty – Lil Boat 2 2xLP (Quality Control Music, LLC)
Clocking in at 17 tracks, this mixtape features appearances from 2 Chainz, K$upreme, Quavo, Lil Pump, Ugly God, PnB Rock, Tee Grizzley, JBan$2Turnt, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Baby, and Trippie Redd.
Loggins & Messina – The Best Of Friends [Reissue/1976] LP (Friday Music)
Limited audiophile 180gm colored vinyl pressing in a gatefold sleeve.
Lucero – My Name Is Izzy 7” (Liberty & Lament)
Indie exclusive limited edition vinyl single.
Mad Caddies – Punk Rocksteady LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Over the past 20 years, the Mad Caddies have made music that slipped between genre lines, and with Punk Rocksteady, they offer up a record of punk covers that shows the band is more than capable of taking all that piss and vinegar and turning it into something beautiful.
Magic Numbers – Outsiders CD/LP (Park The Van)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The London quartet returns following a four-year hiatus with a new release. Co-produced by Dave Izumi in Izumi’s own Echo Zoo studio in Eastbourne, work began on Outsiders in early 2017. The album, though instantly recognizable as a Magic Numbers record in its melodies, begins with a more raucous punch sonically. The confidence is more evident than ever before, noticeable immediately in the more bluesy, gnarly guitar sound.
Ministry – AmeriKKKant LP (Nuclear Blast)
Ministry’s latest is now available on limited edition black & grey swirl colored vinyl.
Abul Mogard – Above All Dreams 2xLP (Ecstatic)
Rather than a purist expression of physics through maths and geometry, Mogard voices his soul, improvising on modular synth for hours, days, months, and years in the same way a more conventional “band” develops group intuition. While hands-on, the intuitive evolution of process locates a newfound freedom in his music that implies a recognition of the metaphysical or post-physical, while Mogard explicitly points to influence from the Brazilian music of Tom Zé, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Chico Buarque, whose approach to shape and density, or perceptions of light and delicacy, also go some way to explaining the ephemeral intangibility of Above All Dreams.
Mom Jeans – Best Buds LP (Counter Intuitive)
Berkeley, California indie-emo trio Mom Jeans is certainly not the first group to write an album about their ex, but with 2016’s Best Buds they nailed it like only a few do. The instrumentation is flawless, and the production could not be better for their indelible style of indie.
Morrissey – Alll The Young People Must Fall In Love (Bob Clearmountain Mix) b/w Rose Garden (Live At The Grand Ole Opry, Nashville) 7” (BMG Rights Management)
Fourth 7″ release from Low In High School.
Motorpsycho – Roadwork Vol.3 The Four Norsemen Of The Apocalypse Live At The Paradiso, Amsterdam, November 23, 2002 2xLP+CD (Rune Grammofon)
Motorpsycho – Roadwork Vol. 5: Field Notes – The Fantastic Expedition Of Järmyr, Ryan, Sæther & Lo Live In Europe 2017 3xLP+2xCD (Rune Grammofon)
Two archival live albums from the Norwegian prog/psych rock band. Limited colored vinyl pressings also available.
Pedro The Lion – The Only Reason I Feel Secure [Reissue/1999] LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
The Only Reason I Feel Secure is the second EP by Pedro The Lion. Originally released as a five-track EP in 1999 on Made In Mexico Records, it was reissued by Jade Tree records in 2001 with three bonus tracks which originally constituted the band’s first single – and appear only on the Jade Tree reissue. After a shifting lineup, Pedro The Lion eventually became a one-man outfit. That man is David Bazan. A Seattle native, Bazan cut his teeth playing in hardcore bands before forming Pedro in 1995, taking the band’s name from a character he made up for a possible children’s book. Under the moniker of Pedro The Lion, Bazan creates melodic pop in the vein of Bedhead, Hayden, and Sebadoh, with a lyrical focus on relationships — with both other people and God. In early 2006, Bazan retired the Pedro moniker to continue on with solo work under his own name. In December of 2017 Bazan announced that Pedro The Lion be reunited to make a new album and tour the world in 2018.
Pussy – Invasion LP (Lion)
A collection of tracks from the early ’70s post-Jerusalem UK hard rock group managed (and produced) by Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan.
Ranky Tanky – Ranky Tanky LP (Resilience Music)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. This Charleston, SC based quintet performs timeless music of Gullah (comes from West African language and means a people blessed by God) culture born in the southeastern Sea Island region of the United States. “Ranky Tanky” translates loosely as Work It, or Get Funky
The Rolling Stones – From The Vault: No Security. San Jose ’99 3xLP (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
The latest installment in The Rolling Stones’ From The Vaults series was recorded at the San Jose Arena at the end of the North American dates on the band’s No Security tour. [Stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions also available.]
Septmus – We Want A Piece Of The Pie [Reissue/1982] LP (Cultures Of Soul)
Originally released in 1982, We Want A Piece Of The Pie is the product of a joint effort between Los Angeles songwriter/producer Anthony Browne and the Woolfolk Brothers of Oklahoma, with their seven-piece funk band, Septimus. The two parties sent tape reels back and forth to each other in the mail to assemble this masterpiece of buoyant and spiritual R&B.
Judee Sill – Songs Of Rapture & Redemption: Rarities & Live LP/2xLP (Run Out Groove)
Judee Sill may not have been commercially successful in her short recording stint, but her influence looms large with recording artists such as Warren Zevon, Andy Partridge, Liz Phair, Beth Orton, Bill Callahan, Bonnie Prince Billy and more having covered her songs. This brand-new collection includes demos and live recordings making their debut on the vinyl format. [Deluxe double-LP edition also available.]
Sugarland – Bigger LP (Big Machine)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After taking a hiatus to pursue a series of high profile solo projects Grammy Award-winning superstar duo Sugarland (Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush) return with their first album since 2010. Bigger embodies the musical spirit of the band and contains tracks both uptempo and upbeat as well as powerful message songs that address specific issues facing the world.
Ulvesang – The Hunt LP (Nordvis Produktion)
Born in the ocean flanked forests of Nova Scotia on Canada’s East Coast, Ulvesang came into existence as the collective effort of three individuals who shared a love of atmospheric and melancholic music. Recognizing an unfortunate lack of adventurous local dark folk music, and raised on a diet of classic Neofolk, black metal atmospherics, and bizarre occultism, the Ulvesang collective set about crafting their first suite of songs as a public offering.
Various Artists – Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring ’70s Vol. 1 LP (Sony Legacy)
Willie Nelson. Waylon Jennings. Kris Kristofferson. Jessi Colter. Bobby Bare. Jerry Jeff Walker. David Allan Coe. Cowboy Jack Clement. Tom T. Hall. Billy Joe Shaver. Guy Clark. Townes Van Zandt. Tompall Glaser. Today, all names synonymous with the word “outlaw,” but 40 years ago they started a musical revolution by creating music and a culture that shook the status quo on Music Row and cemented their place in country music history.
Various Artists – Road House – The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Reissue/1989] LP (Varèse Sarabande)
The soundtrack for Road House featured Canadian guitarist Jeff Healey, whose band was featured in the film as the house band for the Double Deuce.
Tom Waits – Foreign Affairs [Reissue/1977] LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Remastered vinyl pressing. 1977’s Foreign Affairs takes the jazz and poetry that Tom Waits explored on his earlier albums in a more cinematic direction, foreshadowing his own breakthrough work in the ‘80s.
Wet – Still Run LP (Sony)
Still Run is the new album from Brooklyn, NY based alternative band Wet, and is the follow up to the band’s critically acclaimed debut album Don’t You from 2016. Still Run shows Wet with a more upbeat and pop driven sound than their debut. The band’s new sound and new outlook is informed by lead singer and songwriter Kelly Zutrau taking more creative control of the project. Much of Wet’s shift stems from Zutrau’s more forceful vocals, which allow her direct, yet poetic lyrics to resonate more deeply, and which leap out of the sunnier production.
Wind Rose – Stonehymn LP (Inner Wound)
Limited vinyl LP pressing. Since the release of Stonehymn in May 2017, Wind Rose have taken the folk/power metal world by storm.
Wussy / The Paranoid Style – New American Standard b/w Absolute Cadavers 7” (Bar/None)
New split 7” single. Wussy continue their evolution as forerunners of Midwestern psychedelia, described by critic Robert Christgau as “an articulated drone” and noted by AllMusic Guide as “one of the most celebrated independent bands in the American Midwest”. The Paranoid Style is a Washington, D.C.-based garage rock band led by the husband-and-wife duo of Elizabeth Nelson and Timothy Bracy.
XXXTentacion – ? LP (Caroline)
Now available on vinyl. Recently murdered rapper Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy (aka XXXTentacion) played it fast and loose when it came to genres, often incorporating elements of punk rock, hip-hop, R&B, and heavy metal. His sophomore album, XXX, includes guest appearances from PnB Rock, Travis Barker and Joey Badass, among others.
Cassettes:
Birds In A Row – We Already Lost The World (Deathwish Inc.)
Birds In Row is a melodic/abrasive band from Laval, France that blurs the lines between hardcore, punk, and related sub-genres. We Already Lost the World blends post punk and angular rock influences into something emotional and electric. Recommended for fans of Touché Amoré, Modern Life Is War, Oathbreaker and La Dispute.
Jenn Champion – Single Rider CD/LP/Cassette (Hardly Art)
Emotion cuts through on Single Rider in the classic Champion style as she weaves simultaneously pleading-and-incensed vocals into anthemic pop songs.
Wimps – Garbage People CD/LP/Cassette (Kill Rock Stars)
On Garbage People, Wimps have successfully filtered the best parts of ‘70s Rough Trade, the International Pop Underground 7″ series, Devo, The B-52s, the Breeders, etc. into a unique and timeless sound that appeals to playlist streaming teens and adults who own over 500 records.
Leave a Reply