CDs:
Backstreet Boys – In A World Like This CD (K-Bahn LLC)
Eighth studio album from the teen boy-band turned vocal harmony group.
Alpha Blondy – Mystic Power CD (VP)
New album from the reggae veteran. Alpha Blondy, who is from the Ivory Coast, sings mostly in his native language of Dioula, French, English, sometimes Arabic or Hebrew. His lyrics convey serious political attitudes and a sense of humor.
Ken Camden – Space Mirror CD/LP (Kranky)
Ken Camden (Implodes) travels to space while still grounded on terra firma. His vessel of choice is a guitar and some effects with which he journeys on fantastical expeditions and surveys the biggest territory of all, the one between your ears. The album forms a gravity-free environment in which the listener is suspended, enhancing an aural excursion to the outer reaches of the musical Kosmos.
Chimaira – Crown Of Phantoms CD (E1)
“After what was a rather massive lineup change, Chimaira is back with their latest effort Crown Of Phantoms. This pounding album is in many ways a revival for the band, yet doesn’t stray away from the sound people have come to know and love over the past decade.” – Mindequalsblown.com
Alela Diane – About Farewell CD (Rusted Blue)
Alela Diane’s fourth album serves as an eloquent goodbye to lovers from years past, coupled with some poignant last walks down memory lane. While the lyrics deal most directly with Alela’s recent divorce, About Farewell explores her entire last decade of relationships with tremendous honesty and nuanced insight. The entirety of the album was built around her voice and simple guitar arrangements.
Five Finger Death Punch – The Wrong Side of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 1 CD/2xCD/2xLP (Prospect Park)
The first of a new two volume double album — available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes a bonus disc of live tracks. Volume 2 due later this Fall.
Adam Franklin & Bolts Of Melody – Black Horses CD/LP (Good Night)
Since Swervedriver’s hiatus in the late ‘90s, Franklin released three albums under his own name. Black Horses is his newest offering. “Franklin’s knack for melodic grandeur and aching beauty remains intact nearly two decades after Swervedriver’s halcyon days.” — The Stranger
Michael Franti & Spearhead – All People CD/LP (Capitol)
Eighth album from one of the most respected, socially active artists in music. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe Edition includes five bonus tracks.
Vince Gill & Paul Franklin – Bakersfield CD/LP (MCA Nashville)
Country music star Vince Gil teams up with famed steel guitarist Paul Franklin.
Buddy Guy – Rhythm & Blues 2xCD/2xLP (RCA)
New double-disc album from the blues guitarist features collaborations with Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Gary Clark, Jr., Beth Hart and Aerosmith members Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford.
Heaven – Telepathic Love CD/LP (Good Night)
Brooklyn dream-pop outfit Heaven is Matt Sumrow (Dean & Britta, The Comas, Ambulance Ltd.), Mikey Jones (Big Sleep, Swervedriver, Snowden) and Ryan Lee Dunlap (Fan-Tan). Telepathic Love is grounded by Jones’ dynamic percussion locking in with Sumrow’s dazzling array of guitar effects, but ultimately songcraft trumps structure here, with serpentine guitar figures and washes of reverb cut from the cloth of halcyon shoegaze such as Ride and Lush, and some curdled psych groovy-ness.
Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk CD (Flying Buddah)
Hiatus Kaiyote are an independent future soul group based in Melbourne. Tawk Tomahawk is their debut album. Vinyl version due September 17.
Honey Island Swamp Band – Cane Sugar CD (Louisiana Red Hot)
“Somewhere, there exists a dark, smoky bar with a jukebox that spins George Jones, Gram Parsons, Delbert McClinton, and Little Feat. And if that fantasy honky-tonk lights your Marlboro, you need to know about Honey Island Swamp Band.” — Broward-Palm Beach New Times
Russell Howard – City Heart+ CD (Rock Ridge)
City Heart+, from Charlotte NC based singer/songwriter Russell Howard, is the fruit of his collaboration with producer Lawson White. At the heart of this record is the union of Howard’s songwriting, acoustic guitar, and melodic vocals, while awash with rich textures and distant murmurs, embracing a vintage ‘60s sound.
Joan Of Arc – Testimonium Songs CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Collects the song cycle to be performed live in Testimonium, a work of performance by well-respected experimental theater ensemble Every House Has A Door. In a departure for the band, these highly structured compositions, developed over a two-year rehearsal period, emulate Charles Reznikoff’s poetics by shaping themselves according to a mosaic method — rotating a fixed set of musical units in warping permutations.
Earl Klugh – HandPicked CD (Heads Up/Concord)
In a recording career of over three decades, master guitarist Earl Klugh has been lauded as a prodigy and a groundbreaker of contemporary jazz. HandPicked is a self-produced solo album with guest guitarists Bill Frisell, Vince Gill, Jake Shimabukuro, and others.
Chantè Moore – Moore Is More CD (Shanachie)
Grammy nominated R&B hit maker Chantè Moore has, for two decades, delivered music that is beautiful, sensual and classy, both solo and with Kenny Lattimore. Collaborations with R. Kelly, Prince, El DeBarge, Raphael Saadiq and others as well as widespread touring and many appearances in major theatrical productions such as Big Momma’s House have augmented her high profile as one of the finest female vocalists on the current R&B scene.
Moreland & Arbuckle – 7 Cities CD (Telarc)
Since their beginnings in the Kansas heartland, guitarist Aaron Moreland and vocalist/harpist Dustin Arbuckle have captured the visceral spirit and raw energy of the early 20th century Delta blues and distilled it all down to a hard-driving and powerful garage-rock configuration.
Kendra Morris – Mockingbird CD/2xLP (Wax Poetics)
The soul singer/songwriter covers well-known songs from David Bowie, Chris Isaak, Pink Floyd, Radiohead and more.
T. Hardy Morris – Audition Tapes CD/LP (Dangerbird)
Debut release from the singer/guitarist of Dead Confederate from Athens, GA. Timeless country meets Southern rock.
Harry Nilsson – The RCA Albums Collection 17xCD (Sony Legacy)
The RCA Albums Collection presents the definitive 14 albums in Nilsson’s RCA Records US discography, from his 1967 debut Pandemonium Shadow Show (among whose high points are his takes on the Beatles’ “You Can’t Do That” and “She’s Leaving Home”) to his final album for the label in 1977, Knnillssonn. Bonus material on those albums add up to 65 tracks, of which 26 are previously unreleased. Adding to the box set’s historical provenance are three newly-compiled CDs, Nilsson Sessions 1967-1968, Nilsson Sessions 1968-1971, and Nilsson Sessions 1971-1974, containing a total of 58 tracks, exactly half of which (29 tracks) are previously unreleased.
Pastor Troy – The Street Needs You CD (Madd Society)
After more than a decade of saving sinful souls with fiery rhymes and chest pounding production, the good reverend returns with a flawless testament to real rap music on his new 18 track solo album.
Sampha – Dual CD/LP (Young Turks)
Following the low-key online-only release of Sundanza in 2010 plus his noted collaborative work with Jessie Ware, Lil Silva, SBTRKT, and Koreless, Dual is Sampha’s first full solo outing. The record was put together over a period of 18 months in the gaps between, and time after, an intense touring schedule with SBTRKT live.
Jay Sean – Neon CD (Universal Republic)
New album from the British rapper features Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne and others.
Darden Smith – Love Calling CD (Compass)
Songwriting is at the heart of everything that Texas-born Americana singer-songwriter Darden Smith does and his Compass debut is perhaps the finest example of his craft since his hit album Little Victories in 1993. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes two bonus tracks.
Tech N9ne – Something Else CD/CD+DVD/2xLP (Strange Music)
New album from the Kansas City MC includes guest features from Serj Tankian, T-Pain, Big Scoob, Krizz Kaliko, Cee-Lo Green, and many others. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD.
Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines CD (Interscope)
Sixth album from the pop/R&B singer/songwriter and actor/television personality features the single, “Blurred Lines” which includes guest appearances from T.I. and Pharrell. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds three bonus tracks.
Various Artists – The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Bollywood 2xCD (World Music Network)
In the 1960s and 1970s Bollywood composers adventurously adopted the trippy guitars, spiraling synthesizers and ethereal vocals of psychedelia and mixed it with lusciously over-the-top Indian orchestrations. Includes tracks by Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar, Usha Iyer and yodeller Kishore Kumar.
Dionne Warwick – The Complete Warner Bros. Singles CD (Real Gone Music)
Dionne Warwick’s 1972-1977 singles for the Warner Bros. label not only feature a reteaming with Burt Bacharach and Hal David but also a host of other top-drawer collaborators, including former Motown kingpins Holland-Dozier-Holland, Philly soul king Thom Bell, R&B legend Jerry Ragovoy, West Coast pop-rock pioneer Steve Barri with multiple Grammy-winner Michael Omartian, and ace Gladys Knight & The Pips producer Joe Porter.
Dionne Warwick – We Need To Go Back: The Unissued Warner Bros. Masters CD (Real Gone Music)
Although Dionne Warwick released five albums and nearly a dozen singles for Warner Brothers during her five-year (1972-1977) stint with the label, a search through the tape vaults has uncovered a wealth of stellar unreleased masters whose rumored existence has tantalized collectors for decades. Now with its release of We Need to Go Back The Unissued Warner Bros. Masters, Real Gone Music has unearthed 19 rare treasures made with the involvement of some of the industry’s top pop and soul producers.
John Zorn – Dreamachines CD (Tzadik)
Dreamachines combines the quirky atonality of Zorn’s classical music, the cut up techniques of Naked City and the soulful lyricism of the Masada songbook.
Vinyl:
13th Floor Elevators – Easter Everywhere [Reissue/1967] 2xLP (Snapper)
Double-LP gatefold sleeve edition, mastered from the original tape source. Disc One is the mono edition; Disc Two, a remastered version of the original stereo mix. First official mono reissue of the album since 1967.
Richard Band – Re-Animator OST LP (Waxwork)
Original score composed and conducted by Richard Band (Puppet Master, From Beyond, Ghoulies, Castle Freak). Remastered for vinyl from original master tapes and pressed on HQ-180 green vinyl.
The Birthday Party – Live 1981-82 2xLP+CD (4AD)
Though various live releases had emerged over the course of the band’s existence, no full-length capturing of The Birthday Party’s particular bacchanalia, approved by the band, had officially emerged until this release. Now available on vinyl.
The Dentists – Some People Are On The Pitch They Think It’s All Over It Is Now LP+MP3 (Trouble In Mind)
Lost to the world since 1985, The Dentists emerged from the infamous “Medway” scene that had already spawned The Prisoners, Billy Childish, and The Milkshakes — whose raw sound and stage craft played a crucial role in molding the band’s ferocity. This long-player fuses the aggression of British post-punk with the burgeoning jangle of the ‘80s underground rock scene and the band’s core, paisley-tinted influences of The Beatles, Love, and The Byrds.
Express Rising – Express Rising LP (Err)
Recently release on CD – now available on vinyl. Reaching back to 2008 and an Akai four track, these 11 songs break from the foraging tradition employed by Dante’s debut, swapping out breakbeats and samples for guitar, Wurlitzer, banjo, steel guitar, synthesizer, and an arcane drum machine.
Fennesz – 17.02.12 2xLP (Song Cycle)
On this double LP, Fennesz can be heard performing in front of a live audience at the beautiful Marino Marini Museum (located in a medieval church) in Florence, Italy in February of 2012, backed by the images of the 1927 silent film by German filmmaker Walter Ruttmann Berlin called Die Sinfonie Der Großstadt (Symphony Of A Great City).
Mayer Hawthorne – Where Does This Door Go? 2xLP (Republic)
Recently release on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from Ann Arbor, MI native soul slinger. Hawthorne draws influence from the music of Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, Barry White, Smokey Robinson and the legendary songwriting and production trio of Holland/Dozier/Holland. Taking umbrage at the notion that his is a purely “throwback” soul sound, however, Hawthorne also cites more contemporary artists, such as J Dilla, as significant influences.
P.E. Hewitt Jazz Ensemble – Winter Winds [Reissue/1970] LP (Now Again)
Legendary 1970 release — a mix of modal, Latin-tinged, and ethereal vocal jazz.
Hot Chip – Dark And Stormy LP (Domino)
The “Dark And Stormy” single is an exclamation point to 2012’s In Our Heads! This mini-album combines the new (the title track “Dark And Stormy”), the old (the tried and true live favorite “Flutes”) and the borrowed and blue (a bevy of killer remixes from Todd Terje, Sasha, Major Lazer and Daphni/Caribou).
The Mynabirds – Generals: Remixed LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
Limited edition color vinyl release features re-imagined tracks from Dntel, Richard Swift, Clark Baechle of the Faint, and Field Days.
NoMeansNo – Mama [Reissue/1984] 2xLP+MP3 (Wrong)
Vinyl reissue includes four songs from the Betrayal, Fear, Anger, Hatred EP (originally released in 1981). Full of dark yet inspiring lyrics and signature dynamics, Mama documents the gestation of the emotional menace and musical fury that NoMeansNo was to become known for.
Marina Rosenfeld – P.A./Hard Love LP (Room40)
On P.A./Hard Love, New York-based composer and conceptual sound artist Marina Rosenfeld generates an esoteric universe of radical sonic collisions. Developed initially in 2009, the album draws its roots following a series of idiosyncratic quasi-sculptural sound-system installations Rosenfeld installed in various disused and monumental sites including New York’s Park Avenue Armory and Liverpool’s Renshaw Hall car park.
The Shirelles – Baby It’s You [Reissue/1962] LP (Sundazed)
Baby Its You features twelve outstanding songs, including their single “Soldier Boy” which topped the Billboard Hot 100. Sourced from the original analog session tapes, this Sundazed reissue faithfully reproduces one of the most influential albums of the early ‘60s.
The Shirelles & King Curtis – The Shirelles & King Curtis Give A Twist Party [Reissue/1962] LP (Sundazed)
In 1962, the twist was everywhere. Artists from Joey Dee to Frank Sinatra were all chasing the craze, feverishly recording twist-able platters to meet the dance floor demand. Saxophone great King Curtis didn’t sleep on the trend, scoring a major hit with “Soul Twist” along with several other twist-themed singles. Thus, it was only natural that he should team up with the country’s #1 girl group, The Shirelles, themselves in the middle of an incredible run of chart-topping singles.
U-God – The Keynote Speaker LP (Soul Temple)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Four years after Dopium (his third solo album), the Wu-Tang Clan member returns with a new album. With RZA as executive producer, The Keynote Speaker features guest appearances by Method Man, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Styles P, Elzhi (Slum Village), Kool Keith and others.
Various Artists – Verve Remixed: The First Ladies 2xLP (Verve)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Kaskade, Toro Y Moi, Pretty Lights, Bassnectar, Zeds Dead, and others remix tracks by legendary female jazz singers, including: Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington. Marlena Shaw, Astrud Gilberto and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Mike Watt + The Secondmen/Qui – Split 7” (Original Recordings)
Mike Watt and band doing a Toys That Kill cover and a new track from Qui’s upcoming album.
Book/Magazine:
Yeti #13 Book+7″ (Yeti)
8” square format plus hard vinyl rarities 7” with an unreleased Karen Dalton song. Book includes a very, very lengthy oral history of the rock band Codeine by Mike McGonigal, and much more. 192 pages.
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