AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:
Bonny Doon – Let There Be Music CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
In a world of urgency, there’s little regard for the spiritual, emotional, or physical well-being of musicians. The creative process, often hidden from the listeners, remains a mystery, though we may pick up clues in the songs themselves. Throughout the ten tracks in their new album Let There Be Music, you can hear the spaciousness Bonny Doon allowed themselves since their 2018 sleeper cult-classic Longwave. Their latest musical journey is one that has big payoffs for devoted followers and undeniable rewards for anyone just stumbling across the band for the first time. The album serves as less of one conceptual story, and each song as their own individual offerings of putting words to the ordinary experience of being alive. The band is at their most dynamic and the songwriting deftly explores new terrain. Let There Be Music is brimming with small truths – both profound and mundane, comforting, and difficult – and we are invited to revel in them all.
Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts CD/LP (ATO)
Emotional Contracts, Deer Tick’s latest full-length album, explores the existential challenges that arise with the passage of time, infusing each song with the band’s trademark untamed spirit, honed over nearly two decades. Prior to collaborating with producer Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Spoon, Sleater-Kinney), the Providence-based quartet spent months crafting demos in a persistently flooded warehouse in their hometown, braving a broken heating system and gaping roof holes to shape the album’s 10 passionately eloquent tracks. Emotional Contracts embodies the spirited energy of its creation, offering a poignant yet invigorating portrayal of aging gracefully without losing one’s essence. With guest appearances by Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), Courtney Marie Andrews, Vanessa Carlton, Kam Franklin, Angela Miller and Sheree Smith, the album adds an even greater vitality to their feverish collection of timeless rock ‘n’ roll. [An indie store exclusive red w/ black color vinyl pressing is available.]
Drive-By Truckers – The Complete Dirty South CD/2xLP (New West)
In 2004 the Drive-By Truckers released what would become the bestselling album in their illustrious catalog. The Dirty South is a concept album that examines the state of the South, and unveils the hypocrisy, irony, and tragedy that continues to exist. The album features live show staples like, “Tornadoes”, “Where The Devil Don’t Stay”, and “Puttin’ People On The Moon”, as well as rarities like “Goode’s Field Road” and “Daddy’s Cup”. The Complete Dirty South is a band-led rework of the original album. Principal member, Patterson Hood, took the reins and reimagined this record as it was originally intended. The complete version features resequenced audio, three additional tracks, and four remixes along with updated vocals. [A limited-edition reposado color vinyl pressing is available.]
Gov’t Mule – Peace…Like A River CD/CD+CDEP/2xLP (Fantasy)
Peace…Like A River is renowned Grammy-nominated band Gov’t Mule’s twelfth studio album and follow-up to their chart-topping, Grammy-nominated blues release, Heavy Load Blues. The 12-song rock collection also features guest appearances from Billy Bob Thornton, Celisse, and Billy F Gibbons. The tracks on Peace…Like A River explore the many sides of Gov’t Mule and bring together all the qualities that have earned the four-piece the beloved stature they enjoy today. Concise songcraft coexists seamlessly with the band’s trademark instrumental journeys. Songs longer than pop convention are somehow still compact: they’re explorative but never meandering; the tunes are at once both wide-ranging and tightly focused. [A limited-edition indie store exclusive orange w/ red pressing and a deluxe double-CD version adds the bonus Time Of The Signs EP.]
Bettye Lavette – Lavette! CD (MRI Entertainment)
LaVette! hits all the marks. Together with Jay-Vee Records, Bettye has the freedom to explore new territory. Produced by Steve Jordan, LaVette! features 11 songs written by Georgia-born musician Randall Bramblett, who has been releasing solo albums since 1975. “Randall is the best writer that I have heard in the last 30 years,” says Bettye. “He writes songs that are little soliloquies, they’re like little stories about a moment, or a thing.” Bettye is backed by Jordan on drums, Pino Palladino on bass, Larry Campbell on guitar, Leon Pendarvis on keyboards, and Chris Bruce on guitar. Guest artists include John Mayer, Jon Batiste, Anthony Hamilton, Steve Winwood, Ray Parker Jr., Rev. Charles Hodges, James Carter and Pedrito Martinez, to name a few. Even if you didn’t know the sharp twists and turns of Bettye LaVette’s story, or for that matter, her wide-ranging influences—you can hear the traces of all of it in her voice.
Meshell Ndegeocello – The Omnichord Real Book CD/2xLP (Blue Note)
Acclaimed Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello makes her Blue Note Records debut with The Omnichord Real Book, a visionary, expansive, and deeply jazz-influenced album that marks the start of a new chapter in her career. Following her 2018 album Ventriloquism, Meshell returns with an album of new original material that taps into a broad spectrum of her musical roots. The Omnichord Real Book was produced by Josh Johnson and features a wide range of guest artists including Jason Moran, Ambrose Akinmusire, Joel Ross, Jeff Parker, Brandee Younger, Julius Rodriguez, Mark Guiliana, Cory Henry, Joan As Police Woman, Thandiswa, and others.
Queens Of The Stone Age – In Times New Roman… CD/2xLP+MP3 (Matador)
In Times New Roman…, the eighth studio album from Queens Of The Stone Age is raw, brutal and rough around the edges but with a refinement that reveals itself further with each successive listen – and QOTSA founder Joshua Homme’s lyrics are as witty and withering as ever. The results are instantly identifiable; QOTSA’s sonic signature, expanded and embellished with new and unprecedented twists in virtually every song, a live in-a-room recording that showcases a band at the height of their creative powers. In Times New Roman… is a party for the obscene and the clean, the outcasts and the weirdos, and anyone and everyone in between. One of the most important bands in recent rock history is back but it’s no exaggeration to call this album a devastating rebirth. [Four different vinyl colorways are available: red, green, blue, and silver.]
Additional Social Media Program Titles:
Bright Eyes – Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998-2005) [Reissue/2006] CD/2xLP (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – Noise Floor: A Companion 12” (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – Cassadaga [Reissue/2007] CD/2xLP (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – Cassadaga: A Companion 12” (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – The People’s Key [Reissue/2011] CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – The People’s Key: A Companion 12” (Dead Oceans)
One of the things that struck Oberst as he and the band went through 20-plus years of music is that he may in fact have been writing the same song this whole time. Not sonically, of course, but conceptually. This last wave contains, in Noise Floor, early Bright Eyes songs so raw Oberst never even released them back in the day, as well as, in Cassadaga and The People’s Key, the band’s most polished and sophisticated albums. When Bright Eyes toured Cassadaga they performed an epic seven sold-out nights at NYC’s Town Hall. What’s more grown-up rock star than that? And yet…”Thematically those early songs are not that different than the songs I make now,” Oberst says, shaking his head. “There’s something affirming and disheartening about it. It’s like, have I really changed or grown? But maybe it’s just that I knew what I wanted to write about from the beginning.” [Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998-2005) is pressed on champagne color vinyl. Cassadaga is pressed on yellow color vinyl. The People’s Key is pressed on orange color vinyl. The Companion 12” EPs for each release add bonus “Companion Version” tracks and are each pressed on gold color vinyl.]
CDs + Vinyl:
The Alarm – Forwards CD/LP (Twenty First Century)
Forwards is the dramatic new album by The Alarm. Back to life after a year dominated by pneumonia and a serious leukemia relapse, lead singer and songwriter Mike Peters is once again ready to lead The Alarm as they present their new music to the world. [Two vinyl colorways are available: indie store exclusive green and limited-edition white.]
Bonny Doon – Let There Be Music CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
In a world of urgency, there’s little regard for the spiritual, emotional, or physical well-being of musicians. The creative process, often hidden from the listeners, remains a mystery, though we may pick up clues in the songs themselves. Throughout the ten tracks in their new album Let There Be Music, you can hear the spaciousness Bonny Doon allowed themselves since their 2018 sleeper cult-classic Longwave. Their latest musical journey is one that has big payoffs for devoted followers and undeniable rewards for anyone just stumbling across the band for the first time. The album serves as less of one conceptual story, and each song as their own individual offerings of putting words to the ordinary experience of being alive. The band is at their most dynamic and the songwriting deftly explores new terrain. Let There Be Music is brimming with small truths – both profound and mundane, comforting, and difficult – and we are invited to revel in them all.
Bright Eyes – Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998-2005) [Reissue/2006] CD/2xLP (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – Noise Floor: A Companion 12” (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – Cassadaga [Reissue/2007] CD/2xLP (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – Cassadaga: A Companion 12” (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – The People’s Key [Reissue/2011] CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
Bright Eyes – The People’s Key: A Companion 12” (Dead Oceans)
One of the things that struck Oberst as he and the band went through 20-plus years of music is that he may in fact have been writing the same song this whole time. Not sonically, of course, but conceptually. This last wave contains, in Noise Floor, early Bright Eyes songs so raw Oberst never even released them back in the day, as well as, in Cassadaga and The People’s Key, the band’s most polished and sophisticated albums. When Bright Eyes toured Cassadaga they performed an epic seven sold-out nights at NYC’s Town Hall. What’s more grown-up rock star than that? And yet…”Thematically those early songs are not that different than the songs I make now,” Oberst says, shaking his head. “There’s something affirming and disheartening about it. It’s like, have I really changed or grown? But maybe it’s just that I knew what I wanted to write about from the beginning.” [Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998-2005) is pressed on champagne color vinyl. Cassadaga is pressed on yellow color vinyl. The People’s Key is pressed on orange color vinyl. The Companion 12” EPs for each release add bonus “Companion Version” tracks and are each pressed on gold color vinyl.]
Brown Spirits – Solitary Transmissions CD/LP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Brown Spirits is from Melbourne, Australia. Their stripped-down and tight musical unit is a trio (think Cream or Hendrix) of raw bass, drums and shared guitar/keyboards meets the DIY attitude and punk/post-punk intensity giving them a unique hi-octane sound. With a range of influences that range from Neu! to Soft Machine, Gang Of Four, Miles Davis, Hendrix, Argent, Lonnie Liston Smith, King Crimson and beyond, their powerfully progressive hard and hypnotic sound is truly unforgettable.
Sheila Chandra – Weaving My Ancestors’ Voices [Reissue/1992] CD/LP (Real World)
Sheila Chandra – The Zen Kiss [Reissue/1994] CD/LP (Real World)
Sheila Chandra – ABoneCroneDrone [Reissue/1996] CD/LP (Real World)
Sheila Chandra’s 1992 debut album for Real World, Weaving My Ancestors’ Voices began a trilogy that cemented her as one of the most accomplished musicians of her generation. An intensely beautiful album celebrating the first and ultimate instrument – the voice. Her flawless intertwining of vocal traditions from around the world has the capacity to move listeners just as radically now as it did upon its first release. [Limited-edition color vinyl reissues are also available.]
- Cole – Born Sinner [Reissue/2013] CD/2xLP (J. Cole/Dreamville)
CD and vinyl reissue of the second studio album by rapper and producer J. Cole, originally released in 2013. Born Sinner features standout tracks including “Power Trip” with Miguel, “Crooked Smile”, “Forbidden Fruit”, and “She Knows”.
Creeping Death – Boundless Domain CD/LP (MNRK Music)
Texas death metal crew Creeping Death repeatedly deliver a relentless bludgeoning summoned from the furthest reaches of the genre’s past, present, and future. A triumphant celebration of the style itself, the Lone Star State five-piece whips up gruesome riffage and Southern grooves with an improbable cathartic glee.
Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts CD/LP (ATO)
Emotional Contracts, Deer Tick’s latest full-length album, explores the existential challenges that arise with the passage of time, infusing each song with the band’s trademark untamed spirit, honed over nearly two decades. Prior to collaborating with producer Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Spoon, Sleater-Kinney), the Providence-based quartet spent months crafting demos in a persistently flooded warehouse in their hometown, braving a broken heating system and gaping roof holes to shape the album’s 10 passionately eloquent tracks. Emotional Contracts embodies the spirited energy of its creation, offering a poignant yet invigorating portrayal of aging gracefully without losing one’s essence. With guest appearances by Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), Courtney Marie Andrews, Vanessa Carlton, Kam Franklin, Angela Miller and Sheree Smith, the album adds an even greater vitality to their feverish collection of timeless rock ‘n’ roll. [An indie store exclusive red w/ black color vinyl pressing is available.]
Django Django – Off Planet CD/2xLP (Because Music)
Entitled Off Planet, the fifth studio release from Django Django is a 21-track album split into four parts. Originally destined to be four experimental EPs but immediately transformed into a proper album when they started the recording session, Off Planet features some of the most exciting and dynamic music Django Django has ever produced. Harking back to their more experimental and electronic roots, the album also features guests such as Self Esteem, Jack Penate and others. [An indie store exclusive white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Drive-By Truckers – The Complete Dirty South CD/2xLP (New West)
In 2004 the Drive-By Truckers released what would become the bestselling album in their illustrious catalog. The Dirty South is a concept album that examines the state of the South, and unveils the hypocrisy, irony, and tragedy that continues to exist. The album features live show staples like, “Tornadoes”, “Where The Devil Don’t Stay”, and “Puttin’ People On The Moon”, as well as rarities like “Goode’s Field Road” and “Daddy’s Cup”. The Complete Dirty South is a band-led rework of the original album. Principal member, Patterson Hood, took the reins and reimagined this record as it was originally intended. The complete version features resequenced audio, three additional tracks, and four remixes along with updated vocals. [A limited-edition reposado color vinyl pressing is available.]
Finger Eleven – Greatest Hits CD (Craft Recordings)
Spanning over two decades, this new Greatest Hits collection highlights Finger Eleven’s diverse range with fan favorites, including multi-platinum hit “Paralyzer” and Juno-nominated “One Thing”, plus chart-toppers like “Falling On” and “Living in a Dream”. As a bonus, the 12-track set also offers a previously unreleased cover of Pink Floyd’s “Welcome To The Machine” (a longtime live staple) as well as the brand-new single “Together Right”.
Fred Again/Brian Eno – Secret Life CD/LP (Text)
Surprise release from Fred Again and Eno. Produced by Brian Eno and Fred Gibson 4th April 2020 – 23rd December 2022, mastered by Kieran Hebden, lacquer cut by Bernie Grundman.
Gentle Giant – Interview [Steven Wilson Remix] CD/CD+Blu-ray Audio (Alucard)
Interview is the eighth studio album of Gentle Giant and was released April 23rd, 1976. Stylistically it continued in the vein of their preceding album, Free Hand released the year before. Interview further displayed the eclectic and versatile nature of the band, from reggae influenced grooves to ethereal a cappella vocal passages and furiously complex rockers. Award winning producer and musician Steven Wilson has remixed Interview in Dolby Atmos and 5. 1 surround sound. Wilson’s attention to detail and deep respect for the source material makes the album sound as fresh today as it did upon its initial release. In addition, the original flat mix, original 1976 quad mix and an instrumental mix will all be included on CD+Blu-ray Audio. [Vinyl editions due September 1.]
Gov’t Mule – Peace…Like A River CD/CD+CDEP/2xLP (Fantasy)
Peace…Like A River is renowned Grammy-nominated band Gov’t Mule’s twelfth studio album and follow-up to their chart-topping, Grammy-nominated blues release, Heavy Load Blues. The 12-song rock collection also features guest appearances from Billy Bob Thornton, Celisse, and Billy F Gibbons. The tracks on Peace…Like A River explore the many sides of Gov’t Mule and bring together all the qualities that have earned the four-piece the beloved stature they enjoy today. Concise songcraft coexists seamlessly with the band’s trademark instrumental journeys. Songs longer than pop convention are somehow still compact: they’re explorative but never meandering; the tunes are at once both wide-ranging and tightly focused. [A limited-edition indie store exclusive orange w/ red pressing and a deluxe double-CD version adds the bonus Time Of The Signs EP.]
Hand Habits – Sugar The Bruise CD/LP (Fat Possum)
In Sugar The Bruise, grief folds in on itself and becomes laughter; language fades away into sonic expanses of the inexpressible; melodies melt into cacophonies; love songs surrender to loss; historic violence is supplanted by the disks of sunlight.
Joe Hoekstra’s 13 – Crash Of Life CD (Frontiers)
New release from guitarist Joel Hoekstra’s (Whitesnake, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) solo project Joel Hoekstra’s 13. Crash Of Life introduces a new vocalist to the group as Girish Pradhan (Girish And The Chronicles, The End Machine) takes over lead vocal duties. Bassist Tony Franklin (Blue Murder, The Firm), drummer Vinny Appice (Last In Line, ex-Dio, Black Sabbath), and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Sons Of Apollo, Black Country Communion) return as well. Modern heavy rock mixed with classic metal.
Chris Janson – The Outlaw Side Of Me CD (BMLG)
Multiplatinum-selling artist Chris Janson is known for his unabashed and raucous style both as a songwriter and performer. His free-spirited approach has captivated country music’s newest generation and his latest album, The Outlaw Side Of Me, is turning up the heat. Each track on the album was carefully selected to showcase who Janson is as a man and performer – from the reflective sentimental like “All I Need Is You” to the barn burner “Tap That”, this album is a tapestry of Chris Janson.
Kraak & Smaak – Twenty CD/LP (Jalapeno)
Kraak & Smaak have established themselves as a formidable force in electronic music over the past two decades. 2023 sees the Dutch masters of nu disco, funk, and all things electronic celebrating their 20th year in the game. This anniversary will be marked with hand-picked selections from their outstanding catalogue on Jalapeno Records and their own label Boogie Angst, called simply – Twenty.
Bettye Lavette – Lavette! CD (MRI Entertainment)
LaVette! hits all the marks. Together with Jay-Vee Records, Bettye has the freedom to explore new territory. Produced by Steve Jordan, LaVette! features 11 songs written by Georgia-born musician Randall Bramblett, who has been releasing solo albums since 1975. “Randall is the best writer that I have heard in the last 30 years,” says Bettye. “He writes songs that are little soliloquies, they’re like little stories about a moment, or a thing.” Bettye is backed by Jordan on drums, Pino Palladino on bass, Larry Campbell on guitar, Leon Pendarvis on keyboards, and Chris Bruce on guitar. Guest artists include John Mayer, Jon Batiste, Anthony Hamilton, Steve Winwood, Ray Parker Jr., Rev. Charles Hodges, James Carter and Pedrito Martinez, to name a few. Even if you didn’t know the sharp twists and turns of Bettye LaVette’s story, or for that matter, her wide-ranging influences—you can hear the traces of all of it in her voice.
Little Simz – No Thank You CD/2xLP (Forever Living Originals)
No Thank You is the fifth studio album by British rapper Little Simz. It was originally released at the end of 2022. No Thank You is a hip-hop album containing elements of gospel, soul, funk, and electronic music. The songs on No Thank You contain subtle rhythms with orchestral instrumentation, featuring Simz rapping about her music industry experiences, intrapersonal communication, and spiritual revelations. Simz worked with longtime collaborators Inflo (for production) and Cleo Sol (for background vocals) to create this project. [An indie store exclusive clear w/ red & yellow color vinyl pressing and a limited-edition clear vinyl pressing are available.]
Lorelle Meets The Obsolete – Datura CD/LP (Sonic Cathedral)
Lorelle Meets The Obsolete’s sixth album was recorded at their home studio in Ensenada, Baja California, it was mixed by Jace Lasek of The Besnard Lakes and mastered by Mikey Young of Eddy Current Suppression Ring and Total Control. It’s a short, sharp shock of a record with no unnecessary adornments and no fat on any of its eight songs. Gone are the psychedelic wig-outs found on previous releases, replaced with bass-heavy post-punk grooves inspired by the roots of The Congos, the no wave of Ike Yard, the industrial hip-hop of Dälek, and the dark modular moves of Hiro Kone, all while harnessing the elemental power of Jon Hassell’s Vernal Equinox.
Steve Lukather – Bridges CD/LP (Players Club)
New studio album from Toto legend, Steve Lukather. His ninth solo album, Bridges, could not be more accurately titled as it presents deep roots and branches from Toto’s family tree, with past and present members contributing on both the writing and performance side.
Baaba Maal – Being CD/LP (Marathon Artists)
Visionary singer, cultural ambassador, epic storyteller, and Senegal superstar Baaba Maal grew up inspired by indigenous African music, and the American R&B, Soul, Jazz, Reggae and Blues it influenced. Born to a family of fishermen, he defied expectation to become a musician, challenging the traditional monopoly the ancient griot caste had on information and music. Since first making albums in the early 1980s he has developed a highly distinctive sound radically fusing traditional African instruments with an increasingly adventurous electronic approach. Being is a powerful continuation of his pioneering, transcendent work over the last 40 years blending the ancient and the modern.
Man On Man – Provincetown CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Man On Man (M.O.M.), the musical project started by boyfriends Joey Holman (Holman) and Roddy Bottum (Faith No More, Imperial Teen, Crickets, Nastie Band), is infused with indie-rock distortion and soaked in gay pop confidence while still maintaining an acerbic and pure sense of humor. Man On Man’s music has a timeless appeal, transcending genre, and decade. The duo’s music celebrates the love they have for each other while championing the queer scenes they surround themselves with. [A limited-edition baby blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
John Mellencamp – Orpheus Descending CD (Republic)
With a career spanning over 40 years, musician, artist and activist John Mellencamp releases his 25th full-length studio album Orpheus Descending. It was recorded at his own Belmont Mall Studio and produced by Mellencamp. The album is one of the most personal to date for the outspoken artist as he continues to show that he’s one of the best songwriters of his generation, focusing on social issues with standout songs “Hey God” and “The Eyes of Portland”. [Vinyl version due July 21.]
Pat Metheny – Dream Box CD/2xLP (Modern Recordings)
Legendary American guitarist, composer and improviser Pat Metheny returns label with the new album Dream Box, which comes introduced by the pair of shimmering singles, “From The Mountains” and “Ole & Gard”. Despite a catalog of 50 recordings that have won 20 Grammys in twelve different categories, Metheny’s “complex and restlessly curious musical sensibility” (The Guardian) continues to lead him in new directions.
Dannii Minogue – Neon Nights [Reissue/2003] 2xCD/LP (London)
Digitally remastered and expanded deluxe edition. Celebrating 20 years since the release of Neon Nights – the album saw Dannii Minogue enter her imperial pop phase, with four consecutive UK Top Ten singles and UK Club Number ones. [A limited-edition single vinyl picture disc pressing is available.]
Motörhead – Live At Montreux Jazz Festival ’07 2xCD/2xLP (BMG)
Motörhead loved playing live and never ever judged their audiences. Everyone was encouraged, all were welcome. And that included people who like jazz. So when the Montreux Festival called requesting them, it made perfect sense in its own, unique way. ‘Tis worth noting, too, that the Festival has always been about stepping beyond the boundaries of that ‘J’ word, and embracing unique artists of all genres, styles and sensibilities, the only true consistent requirement being that they represent the best and most adventurous of their ilks.
Meshell Ndegeocello – The Omnichord Real Book CD/2xLP (Blue Note)
Acclaimed Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello makes her Blue Note Records debut with The Omnichord Real Book, a visionary, expansive, and deeply jazz-influenced album that marks the start of a new chapter in her career. Following her 2018 album Ventriloquism, Meshell returns with an album of new original material that taps into a broad spectrum of her musical roots. The Omnichord Real Book was produced by Josh Johnson and features a wide range of guest artists including Jason Moran, Ambrose Akinmusire, Joel Ross, Jeff Parker, Brandee Younger, Julius Rodriguez, Mark Guiliana, Cory Henry, Joan As Police Woman, Thandiswa, and others.
Tim O’Brien – Cup Of Sugar CD/LP (Howdy Skies)
Grammy award-winning Americana artist Tim O’Brien is back with a strong follow up to 2021’s He Walked On. Including 13 new originals about a bear, a fish, lambs, horses, and some people too – a grave digger, a neighbor, and even Walter Cronkite – Cup Of Sugar is a feel-good summer release with humor on top and deeper meanings just below the surface.
Pelicanman – Planet Chernobyl CD/LP (Org Music)
Planet Chernobyl. Poem, libretto, opera. There’s more than one Planet Chernobyl. You’ll find that here, in the words of poet Charles Plymell, the vision of bassist Mike Watt and the orchestrations of singer/composer Petra Haden. Plymell’s poetry chronicles the horrific Chernobyl disaster of 1986. Stirred by this work, Watt and Haden were inspired to put the words to music with their newly formed project, Pelicanman. [A limited-edition blue marble color vinyl pressing is available.]
Maisie Peters – The Good Witch CD (300 Entertainment)
The Good Witch is the official follow-up to Masie Peters’ No. 2 BRIT Breakthrough certified debut, You Signed Up For This, and in many ways the older, wiser and scorned counterpart. Written during her whirlwind 2022 touring schedule, The Good Witch serves as a time capsule for Maisie, enabling her to chronicle a period in which she was searching for balance between career highs and personal lows. Where You Signed Up For This was an observational, coming-of-age record, The Good Witch finds Maisie at her most introspective and self-reflective, drawing inspiration from the works of Joan Didion, J. M. Barrie, Greek mythology and Western movies; the record explores the complexities of romantic breakups, the preciousness of friendship and true value of self-worth.
Pet Shop Boys – Smash – The Singles 1985-2020 5xCD/6xLP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Smash is the brand-new complete collection of Pet Shop Boys singles from across 35 years of the duo’s acclaimed career. The package includes all Pet Shop Boys’ hits starting with their debut single “West End Girls” and continuing through such iconic tracks as “Love Comes Quickly”, “It’s A Sin”, “Always On My Mind”, “Being Boring”, “Suburbia”, “Opportunities”, “What Have I Done To Deserve This?”, “Rent”, “Heart”, and many more.
Poco – Legacy [Reissue/1989] CD/LP (Blue Élan)
Legacy is a studio album by the American country rock band Poco, originally released in 1989. The album reunited the five original members of the group; they had never recorded together. It contained two top-40 singles, “Call It Love” and “Nothin’ To Hide”.
Pride Of Lions – Dream Higher CD (Frontiers)
Pride Of Lions, the revered melodic rock band featuring legendary songwriter and The Ides Of March member Jim Peterik together with powerhouse vocalist Toby Hitchcock, are back with their seventh studio album, Dream Higher.
Queens Of The Stone Age – In Times New Roman… CD/2xLP+MP3 (Matador)
In Times New Roman…, the eighth studio album from Queens Of The Stone Age is raw, brutal and rough around the edges but with a refinement that reveals itself further with each successive listen – and QOTSA founder Joshua Homme’s lyrics are as witty and withering as ever. The results are instantly identifiable; QOTSA’s sonic signature, expanded and embellished with new and unprecedented twists in virtually every song, a live in-a-room recording that showcases a band at the height of their creative powers. In Times New Roman… is a party for the obscene and the clean, the outcasts and the weirdos, and anyone and everyone in between. One of the most important bands in recent rock history is back but it’s no exaggeration to call this album a devastating rebirth. [Four different vinyl colorways are available: red, green, blue, and silver.]
Saturnus – The Storm Within CD/2xLP (Prophecy)
The title of Saturnus’ fifth album, The Storm Within hints at both the tempest of the natural world and turmoil that can rage inside the mind. It is also obvious that the long time it took the Danes to create this full-length, and the personal reasons behind the hiatus very much contributed and inspired its artistic expression. The melodic death/doom metal band has outdone themselves with The Storm Within. The musical themes of the seas, rain, and stormy waters are a subtle presence and guiding thread throughout the songs that reflect anger, loss, melancholy, and pain in equal measure. [Two limited-edition vinyl xcolorways are available: marble ice blue and purple.]
Silent Rage – Nuances Of Life CD (Scarlet)
Full-force Hellenic power metal.
Dee Snider – Dee Does Broadway [Reisue/2012] CD (BFD)
Dee Does Broadway is the second album by Dee Snider, the frontman of Twisted Sister. It was produced by Snider, Patti LuPone and Bebe Neuwirth. Guests on the album include the Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Cyndi Lauper, Clay Aiken and Nick Adams.
Son Volt – Day Of The Doug CD/LP (Transmit Sound)
In 2020, Son Volt planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their seminal album, Trace, with a tour that played the album from top to bottom. The pandemic had other plans. Flash forward to 2023 and they are on the road with a setlist that features Trace from beginning to end, an homage to Doug Sahm (Sir Douglas Quintet, Texas Tornados) and a celebration of 28 years of Son Volt. Son Volt’s latest record, Day Of The Doug, revisits the music of legendary Texas troubadour Doug Sahm. But it’s much more than fond remembrance and colorful tribute. It is a summoning and a celebration of a songwriter and performer whose work forged country, Tex-Mex, rock, rhythm and blues, folk, and psychedelia into an utterly unique American sound.
Stardust – Kingdom Of Illusion CD (Frontiers)
Up-and-coming hard rockers Stardust’s second studio album Kingdom Of Illusion is once again a stunning showcase of the band’s talents in the melodic rock/modern rock genre. Hooky choruses, awesome keyboards, vocal harmonies, and loud guitars in the style of their favorite mid- ‘80s bands, bring to life this well-beloved music in the 21st century.
Texas – The Very Best Of – 1989-2023 CD/2xLP (PIAS America)
A career spanning collection of their work. It features 24 tracks and two brand new singles, “After All” and “Keep On Talking”.
Thy Catafalque – Alföld CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
Thy Catafalque is a metamorphic entity that’s constantly evolving, showcasing musical ingenuity that’s as limitless as it is daring. Meaning ‘The Earth’, Alföld is grounded in the avant garde project’s heavy beginnings. While the record takes a cue from Thy Catafalque’s early days, mastermind Tamás Kátai’s modern progressive instincts shine through, elevating the record beyond the realm of metal as-you-know-it and once again creating a cutting-edge sound that’s far ahead of its time.
Trouble – Run To The Light [Reissue/1987] CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Run To The Light is the third studio album by American doom metal band Trouble, originally released in 1987. [A limited-edition red w/ black smoke color vinyl pressing is available.]
Various Artists – Silberland, Vol. 2: The Driving Side Of Kosmische Musik 1974-1984 CD/2xLP (Bureau B)
Not just krautrock, Bureau B’s second Silberland compilation covers EBM, electro, proto-techno, synth-pop, and ambient-electronic.
Various Artists – Support Your Local Record Label (Best Of Ed Banger Records) CD/LP (Because Music)
Ed Banger Records turns 20 in 2023 and presents his very first best of: 10 classic club hits from 2003 to now.
Vypera – Race Of Time CD (Frontiers)
Race Of Time is the second album from Swedish hard rock/trad metal worshippers Vypera, another excellent up-and-coming band from the Swedish rock scene, the gift that keeps on giving. RIYL: Night Demon, Haunt, Striker, Sumerlands, Eternal Champion.
Yusuf/Cat Stevens – King Of A Land CD/LP (BMG)
King Of A Land is an epic body of work. More than a decade in the making, its 12 new songs are full of extraordinary surprises. Unique and transportive, Yusuf’s music, words and melodies paint a vivid picture of a world which embraces the lost lands of truisms and stainless youth, and brings it into touching distance. His poetical storytelling invites the listener on a journey towards the gates of an alternative universe to that which we presently inhabit – where happy endings can possibly happen. A limited-edition translucent green color vinyl pressing is avialalbe.]
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Gracie Abrams – Good Riddance 2xLP (Interscope)
Gracie Abrams’s debut album Good Riddance, produced and co-written by her frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner of The National, finds Abrams documenting her emotional experience with more precision and impact than ever before. As she narrates the end of a fractured relationship and all the confusion, frustration, and longing that come with it, the 23-year-old artist achieves a new level of lyrical honesty and self-possession – an element fully reflected in her quietly captivating vocal work. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]
Aselefech Ashine – Beauties LP (Mississippi)
Dizzying close harmonies and indestructible grooves on this lost classic from Ethiopia’s Golden Age. Aselefech Ashine and Getenesh Kebret, two young women raised in the bustling cosmopolitan milieu of late-empire Addis Ababa, released one single and a full-length LP in 1976 before disappearing from the music business entirely. Originally released on Kaifa, the label responsible for some of the heaviest and funkiest Ethiopian records of all time, Beauties was a hit, selling out in a few days. But it came out at the beginning of two decades of darkness and oppression in Ethiopia, and this is the first full reissue of this overlooked classic.
Bailey’s Nervous Kats – The Nervous Kats [Reissue/1965] LP (Numero)
Isolated at the rural fringe of Northern California, Bailey’s Nervous Kats took Shasta County by storm in the early ’60s. Combining surf, rock ‘n’ roll, exotica, and R&B, the Kats were a teenage dream draped in Magnatone amplifiers and crisp white polo tees. Their self-titled – and only – LP came at the dead end of the band’s run, issued on Orville Simmons’ one-shot Emma imprint in 1965. The mid-century modern LP of your dreams. [A limited-edition ‘northwind splatter’ colorway is available.]
Baths – Ocean Death [Reissue/2014] 12” (Basement’s Basement)
12” vinyl. 2014 release, the follow up to their critically acclaimed 2013 album Obsidian. Those who heard Obsidian understand that Will Wiesenfeld fully shed his influences and delivered a staggering work of graveyard beauty. Always a gifted musician, Wiesenfeld had become a full-fledged artist: A songwriter of uncommon sensitivity, a whimsical and romantic spirit, and a lay-me-gently-down falsetto.
Bigwig – Stay Asleep… [Reissue/1999] LP (Kung Fu)
Yellow w/ black splatter color vinyl reissue of the hyper-charged 1999 sophomore album from the NJ hardcore punk band.
Björk – Telegram [Reissue/1996] LP (One Little Independent)
Björk – Jóga [Reissue/1997] 12” (One Little Independent)
Björk – Selmasongs [Reissue/2000] 2×12” (One Little Independent)
Björk – Innocence [Reissue/2008] 2×12” (One Little Independent)
Björk – Wanderlust [Reissue/2008] 2×12” (One Little Independent)
Björk – Vulnicura [Reissue/2015] LP (One Little Independent)
Select vinyl reissues are now available.
Boris & Uniform – Bright New Disease LP+MP3 (Sacred Bones)
Red color vinyl pressing. Boris and Uniform might have seemed like a strange pairing when they teamed up for a US tour back in 2019. Sure, both bands harness the power of big, blown-out riffs, but Boris’s rock heroics, lysergic sprawl, and monolithic sludge summon a different energy than Uniform’s mechanized bombardments and frenzied assaults. However, when Boris invited Uniform to team up on a reimagined version of their classic “Akuma No Uta” as a part of their encore, there was an obvious chemistry between the artists. The idea of a collaborative album came up, and the bands spent the next year swapping song ideas and recordings from their homebase studios until Boris and Uniform had an album that captured the fearless exploration and unbridled power of their live performances.
Brous One/Felipe Gordon – Not Your Head 12” (55 Music)
Nod your head to some experimental acid house vibes and let the atmosphere of this tune take control of you. You will get some mellow but also funky acid jazz vibes that will get you in the right relaxing mood. This record has the right mix between house tracks that will make you start dancing and jazzy and laid-back tracks which were produced with lots of love for detail.
Coldplay – Prospekt’s March [Reissue/2008] 12” (Atlantic)
Long-overdue vinyl reissue of Coldplay’s Prospekt’s March EP, the 2008 companion piece to their fourth Number 1 album, Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends. Featuring a selection of new (at the time) tracks, a re-work of “Lost: Lost+” with Jay-Z and a remix of album track “Lovers In Japan”.
Judy Collins – Wildflowers [Reissue/1967] LP (Elektra)
Judy Collins’ voice is remarkably beautiful and her phrasing and range place her in a category all by herself. The award-winning singer-songwriter is esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards and her own poetically poignant original compositions. The Mark Abramson-produced Wildflowers stands as her highest charting album to date and showcases both skills admirably with the Grammy-winning version of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” and deeply meditative originals “Since You Asked,” “Sky Fell” and “Albatross”.
Jackson Dean – Live At The Ryman LP (Big Machine)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fast-rising country singer/songwriter Jackson Dean is quickly earning a reputation for his gritty, lyric-driven, outlaw country style and electric live shows. In October 2022, the “artist to watch” made his Ryman Auditorium debut, wowing the crowd with a spellbinding eight-song set captured on Live At The Ryman.
Deep Purple – All I Got Is You 12” (earMUSIC)
All I Got Is You is the second single from Deep Purple’s 2017 album infinite. The EP includes three previously unreleased songs.
Willy DeVille – Crow Jane Alley [Reissue/2004] LP+CD (earMUSIC)
Crow Jane Alley is an album by Willy DeVille. It was recorded in 2004 in Los Angeles. For this album, DeVille was joined by members of the Chicano rock band Quetzal, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, and Peruvian Afro-Cuban jazz drummer Alex Acuña, among other prominent musicians.
Marlene Dietrich – The Captivating Voice Of Marlene Dietrich LP (Acrobat)
Marlene Dietrich was one of the most enduring leading lights of the 20th century. She was an artist ahead of her time and her exotic persona challenged many of the accepted norms. Having made her mark in Germany, she turned to Hollywood while building a legitimate career as a studio and ‘live’ singer. Her distinctive and unmistakable style matched her striking looks, and this collection showcases the variety of her repertoire and her versatility as a remarkable vocalist. This 15-track LP brings together a selection of singing performances from across her most active years.
Mac DeMarco – Five Easy Hot Dogs LP (Mac’s Record Label)
Released early this year on CD – now available on vinyl. Mac DeMarco’s new instrumental collection Five Easy Hot Dogs was created while traveling across North America, with each song named after the city in which it was recorded. The track list is sequenced in the chronological order in which the songs were produced. DeMarco set out on his journey to make Five Easy Hot Dogs in January 2022 with the plan to stay and record in motels, hotels, or people’s houses. “The nature of ripping around and recording and traveling in this manner doesn’t lend well to sitting around and planning or thinking about what it was that I was setting out to do,” DeMarco said. “I didn’t ever have a sound in mind, or a theme or anything, I would just start recording. Luckily the collection of recordings from this period all shake hands, they have a present musical identity as a whole. I was in it while I was in it, and this is what came out of it, just the way it was.” Five Easy Hot Dogs follows-up 2019’s Here Comes The Cowboy.
Dirty Heads – Midnight Control LP/Cassette (Better Noise Music)
Color vinyl pressing. After digital release in August of 2022, fans will finally be able to get their hands on Midnight Control on vinyl and cassette. This single disc includes the 10 tracks from the digital album plus the new single “Rescue Me” (released 2/24/23), not included on the digital album.
Discordance Axis – Jouhou [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Willowtip)
Color vinyl pressing pressed at 45rpm in a gatefold jacket with bonus artwork. Available for the first time on vinyl in more than a decade, the Discordance Axis album JouHou features multiple bonus tracks from their split with Plutocracy, Melt Banana, and an excerpt from a live show in Tokyo, 1997.
Dordeduh – Dar De Duh [Reissue/2012] 2xLP (Prophecy)
Yellow color vinyl pressing. In 2009, an uproar resounded through the black metal scene when Hupogrammos Disciple and Sol Faur Spurcatu left Negură Bunget. These visionary songwriters had given the group their unique style, and now they were left without a band. Yet, the two musicians looked ahead and, a short while later, founded a new group to realize their musical visions on a grander scale: Dordeduh.
E-L-R – Vexier LP (Prophecy)
180gm cream color vinyl pressing of 2022 release. E-L-R’s sophomore full-length Vexier oscillates elegantly between velvet darkness and flaring bursts of high energy. The style of the Swiss band has been dubbed ‘doomgaze’ and ‘post-metal’ and both terms apply loosely to the trio’s meandering, down-tempo doom-epics.
Empyrium – Where At Night The Wood Grouse Plays [Reissue/1999] LP (Prophecy)
White color vinyl pressing. Empyrium’s third album Where At Night The Wood Grouse Plays sees the German band abandoning the metal elements of their music for the first time, instantly creating a classic of nature-romantic acoustic music.
The Flaming Lips – Hypnotist LP (WB)
The centerpiece of the Hypnotist is the 24-minute epic “Psychedelic Hypnotist Daydream (Demo)”. Three other tracks from the CD box set are included, also receiving their first release on LP – notably the instrumental version of “Do You Realize?”. Over 32 minutes of music, pressed on limited-edition pink color vinyl.
Friendkerrek – Geology LP (Grilchy Party)
Geology is the next album by New Orleans based producer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan T aka Friendkerrek, and his second album for underground hip-hop label Grilchy Party. Geology was created from the ground up without genre in mind, instead focusing on the very bedrock of the Friendkerrek sound. After some reflection, the toolkit took shape: knocking drums, heavy bass, warm synthesizers, and plenty of atmosphere were chosen as the primary building blocks. The resulting songs were largely a departure from the normally sample heavy production of Friendkerrek’s older records with faster tempos and more hand-crafted melodies.
Kenny Garrett – Seeds From The Underground LP (Mack Ave.)
Vinyl reissue of the thirteenth studio album by the American saxophone and flute player.
Sam Gendel – Fresh Bread 2xLP (Leaving)
Initially quietly published then deleted via the 2020 pandemic-obscured Fresh Bread website – this all-genre Sam Gendel anthology showcases unreleased tracks collected from Gendel’s personal archive of home recordings and public performances spanning the years 2012-2020. Comprising predominantly solo works, contributing players on select tracks include Carlos Niño, Jamire Williams, Daniel Aged, Gabe Noel, and Philippe Melanson.
Nico Georis – Cloud Suites LP (Leaving)
California’s Nico Georis has always straddled (or, rather, negotiated) multiple dimensions. As a child, Georis flitted between the rigors of classical training and DIY experimentation-studying under a disciple of Franz Lizst (a mentorship that would enshrine the piano as his primary instrument), then squirreling away to the basement of his childhood home, strewn as it was with his father’s instruments and home-audio equipment, to play and record freely. Despite his evident virtuosity as a trained pianist, Georis has, across numerous projects, stints, incarnations, and chapters, persisted in this gentle and exploratory approach to music-making. Cloud Suites documents Georis’s initial return to experimental ambient keyboard compositions.
Robert Glasper – In My Element [Reissue/2007] LP (Blue Note)
Robert Glasper’s 2005 Blue Note debut, Canvas, signaled the arrival of a singular new voice in jazz. His 2007 follow-up, In My Element, solidified his status as a rising star who was taking the music to some place new. Featuring Vicente Archer (bass) and Damion Reid (drums), it expanded the possibilities of where modern jazz might go by delving further into his hip-hop and gospel roots.
Guilherme Coutinho E O Grupo Stalo – Guilherme Coutinho E O Grupo Stalo [Reissue/1978] LP (Mr Bongo/ Belém)
An obscure record label from Belém in Brazil, that only released 7″ singles, with this album being one of two exceptions. During the 1970s, Belém had a thriving nightclub scene, but it is thousands of miles away from the music industry hubs of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, making this record insanely difficult to find, even in Brazil. Guilherme Coutinho E O Grupo Stalo is rich in charm, quirky and playful. It feels cinematic, soothing and benefits from being heard in its entirety.
Keaton Henson – House Party LP (Play It Again Sam)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Two years after Monument, Keaton Henson comes back with a new studio album, House Party. About the album, Keaton says: “I wanted to make an upbeat confident pop record about depression and being a performer, written from the viewpoint of an artist who has hollowed himself out over a long career in the name of success, an alternate universe version of me (the guy in the pink suit), who is left empty and lonely from climbing to the top, but is still only able to express these feelings in the language of confident, performative pop songs.”
Home Is Where – The Whaler LP (Wax Bodega)
Blue color vinyl pressing. Home Is Where make anxiety-riddled but cathartic rock songs about the apocalypse. The Whaler – the Palm Coast, Florida quartet’s ambitious and exhilarating sophomore full-length-is a concept record about getting used to things getting worse. Across 10 interconnected but self-contained songs, the album captures the desensitization and disorientation of tragedy becoming mundane.
Natalie Imbruglia – Left Of The Middle [Reissue/1997] LP (Sony Legacy)
Natalie took the music world by storm with the release of her debut single “Torn” which topped the charts in countries across the world (reaching number one in Australia and top 10 in the UK and the US) and went on to sell over 7 million copies worldwide. This was followed by huge hits, “Big Mistake”, which reached number two in the UK charts, “Wishing I Was There” and “Smoke”. The album was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammys, and Natalie went on to win two Brit Awards for Best International Newcomer and Best International Female.
Incendiary – Cost Of Living [Reissue/2013] LP (Closed Casket Activities)
Cost Of Living is the sophomore release from New York’s own Incendiary. This 10-track LP of ’90s-inspired hardcore is reminiscent of acts such as Indecision, Strife and Buried Alive with a modern, metal influenced sound.
Jabee – Am I Good Enough 2xLP (Clerestory AV)
Jabee’s Am I Good Enough is the prolific OKC hip-hop artist’s most ambitious project to date. Several years in the making, Am I Good Enough compiles four EPs of brand-new music (22 tracks total), each recorded entirely with a different producer. The resulting four EPs each could stand alone as powerful individual works but combine to make one of the most remarkable and compelling artistic statements of Jabee’s career.
Wanda Jackson – The Dynamic Wanda Jackson: Rockabilly Queen 1964-1962 LP (Acrobat)
Wanda Jackson started her career in country music before embracing rock ‘n’ roll. While remaining true to her roots, the transition proved so successful she was affectionately crowned The Queen of Rockabilly. Possessing a voice that demanded to be heard in a world dominated by male rockers, she blazed a trail for all that followed. Pressed on 140gm black vinyl, this 17-track LP comprises some of her best singles from 1954- ‘62.
Jacobites – Howling Good Times [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Bang)
For the first time on vinyl, Jacobites’ Howling Good Times (1993) is now being presented on deluxe version. The album exposes Jacobites at their purest essence with full band and high-quality studio recordings, with the band delivering a top performance. An absolute must for all Nikki Sudden and Dave Kusworth fans. The international critical acclaim received on Nikki Sudden’s last two albums and with Dave Kusworth’s career will certainly help provide new fans for this great long-lost album.
Elton John – 21 At 33 [Reissue/1980] LP (Island)
Elton John – The Fox [Reissue/1981] LP (Island)
Elton John – Jump Up! [Reissue/1982] LP (Island)
Elton John – Ice On Fire [Reissue/1985] LP (Island)
Elton John – Leather Jackets [Reissue/1986] LP (Island)
Elton John – Reg Strikes Back [Reissue/1988] LP (Island)
180-gram vinyl reissues faithful to the original track listings and packaging, each cut at Abbey Road Studios.
El Khat – Saadia Jefferson LP (Batov)
Saadia Jefferson is a glorious act of vandalism on Yemeni traditions led by inventor, carpenter, musician, and composer Eyal El Wahab. Dismantling lyrics, melodies, and compositions from Yemeni folk songs, El Khat delve into uncharted sonic territory updating Yemen’s ancient culture. Using an orchestra of instruments old and new, many repurposed from junk objects and turned into instruments that sound like traditional Arabic and North African lutes and percussion, Tel Aviv based El Khat have imagined an indelible stamp of polyphonic, harmony soaked, pan-Arabic braindance.
Ruth Koleva – Ruth [Reissue/2013] LP (Flatline Collective)
Ruth Koleva has certainly upped her game on this album, assuming full control of her career and enlisting a diverse array of talent: keyboardist and composer Vincent Helbers (Seravince, Flowriders), an alchemist in the studio, drummer Richard Spaven (Jose James, Guru, Flying Lotus), co-writers Colonel Red, Rachel Row and Diggs Duke, Stamina MC, and vocalist Sharlene Hector among others. Recorded at breakneck speed, working around the busy schedules of those involved, this fluid album is going to charm a lot of listeners.
LaBlue & Astrønne LP (Roche Musique)
Shaped by the currents of jazz, LaBlue – from his first name Sasha – multi-instrumentalist (drums, piano, bass, and guitar) from the conservatory, meets Astrønne in 2019. A singer with a singular voice, she was spotted on the networks thanks to her soul and R&B covers. A few months later, on the steps of Montmartre, the two young talents began discussing a joint project. Guided by their common love for neo-soul, the 21-year-old duo started to produce several albums in 2020 between Rennes and Paris. They draw their inspiration from the talents that have marked the last decade; Hiatus Kaiyote, D’Angelo, The Internet, and Erykah Badu.
Less Bells – The Drowned Ground LP (Meadows Heavy)
The Drowned Ground is the third release from Mojave duo Less Bells. Following their beautiful and haunting LP Mourning Jewelry on Kranky Records, they invite the listener on a tour of deep time, windy mountain villages, secret caverns, and Victorian parlors. The viola takes a prominent spot in the album as a melody instrument, in addition to the usual violin and cello arrangements from Carpenter and the synth work by Luscombe on Buchla, Moog modular, and Prophet 5.
Lil Kim – Hard Core [Reissue/1996] 2xLP (Atlantic)
Double Platinum solo debut from Brooklyn’s own Lil’ Kim. Executive produced by The Notorious B.I.G., this double LP arrives in a limited ‘champagne on ice’ color vinyl. It includes the Queen Bee’s classic records “Crush On You”, “Not Tonight” and “No Time”; and features verses by Biggie, Diddy, Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri & fellow Junior MAFIA member Lil’ Cease.
Logic – College Park 2xLP (BMG)
Released earlier this year on CD and cassette – now available on vinyl. New album from the Maryland-based rapper. Features guest appearances from RZA, Redman, Joey Bada$$, Norah Jones, Bun B, Lil Keke, Statik Selektah, Seth MacFarlane, and more.
Loudblast – Sensorial Treatment [Reissue/1989] LP (Listenable)
Loudblast – Frozen Moments Between Life And Death [Reissue/2011] LP (Listenable)
Color vinyl pressings (red and blue, respectively) of the French death metal band’s debut LP and 2011 comeback album.
Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness – Tilt At The Wind No More LP (Nettwerk)
180gm neon yellow color vinyl pressing. Accomplished singer-songwriter Andrew McMahon continues his solo work for his project Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness with the introspective album Tilt At The Wind No More, teaming up with trusted collaborators and producers Tommy English (K. Flay, X Ambassadors) & Jeremy Hatcher (Harry Styles, Shawn Mendes) on the album. The 11-song record represents a reflection of everything Andrew has learned during his music career and throughout his life so far. Though it is steeped in nostalgia and optimism for the future, above all else, Andrew wanted to make Tilt At The Wind No More sound “transportive.”
Madlib – Shades Of Blue [Reissue/2003] LP (Blue Note)
The sound of Blue Note had been embedded in hip-hop through sampling and remixes since it’s early days, but Madlib raised the bar when the DJ/producer/rapper/musician invaded their vaults for his 2003 masterpiece, Shades Of Blue – a visionary album featuring remixes/reimaginations of classics by Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, Ronnie Foster, Bobby Hutcherson, Wayne Shorter and more.
MED, Blue and Madlib – Bad Neighbor Beats LP (Bangyahead)
MED, Blu and Madlib are pleased to present the special edition instrumental release of their acclaimed Bad Neighbors LP. Produced entirely by Beat Konducta himself – the vibe provider for classic albums for the likes of MF DOOM, Freddie Gibbs, Black Star and more – the 14-track single LP boasts Lib’s hallmark crackling soul and funk loops in their isolated form. The special edition instrumental has been remastered, equipped with two new bonus instrumentals, and boasts an eye-catching overhaul designed by Jeff Jank of the original album artwork adapted from Eugene Thurston and Arthur Hawkins’ illustration for the 1930 mystery novel, The Invisible Host.
Brad Mehldau – Largo [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (Nonesuch)
This seminal album from the acclaimed jazz pianist, Brad Mehldau, is being made available on vinyl for the first time, 21 years after its initial release. Largo, produced by Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Mac Miller), experiments with electronic pop instrumentation and studio overdubs, creating a truly unique and stunning release – one that many consider to be one of the best jazz albums in the past 25 years.
Meshuggah – obZen [Reissue/2008] 2xLP (Atomic Fire)
Double blue splatter vinyl pressing. Formed in 1987 in Umeå, Sweden, Meshuggah has gone on to be called “one of the ten most important hard and heavy bands” by Rolling Stone and earned the respect and admiration from fans and musicians alike. It is impossible to talk about experimental or avantgarde metal without mentioning this truly groundbreaking act: Meshuggah mix ultra-complicated rhythmic patterns with massive riffs and aggressive growls, combining death metal, mathcore, thrash, and progressive metal to create their unique style.
Mink DeVille – Live At Montreux LP+CD (earMUSIC)
Archive live performance by Willy Deville and his band Mink DeVille.
Mounika. – Don’t Look At Me LP (Iot)
Three years after his last album I Need Space, Mounika. Is back on his favorite playground: electronic music, which arouses his curiosity since his beginnings. He is now ready to unveil Don’t Look At Me, a new opus that takes us, by other paths, to his unique universe.
Normal Nada – Tribal Progressive Heavy Metal LP (Nyege Nyege Tapes)
One of the most eccentric characters to emerge from Lisbon’s musical underground, Teteu aka Normal Nada the Krakmaxter has operated under a variety of shadowy monikers including Qraqmaxter, CiclOFF, and Erre Mente. A gifted visual artist as well as a composer, he’s known for developing a philosophical mythology with his drawings, mostly using a ballpoint pen to sketch out elaborate, anime-style projects. Normal Nada is Teteu’s most enduring project, and a full nine years after a string of singles on Warp and the game changing Transmutação Cerebral EP, (described at the time by Boomkat as “Príncipe’s maddest release,”) he has finally assembled his long-awaited debut album. Tribal Progressive Heavy Metal materializes into Nada’s meta-kuduro multiverse, developed from his deep knowledge of African and Portuguese musical forms.
Ricky Nelson – Here Comes Ricky Nelson 1957-1962 Hits Collection LP (Acrobat)
As the quintessential teen idol, Ricky Nelson was one of the most important rock acts of the ’50s and ’60s. His expressive tenor vocals were warm but effortlessly cool and helped him score 32 Top 40 pop singles on Billboard in a six-year period. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet. In 1957, he began a long and successful career as a popular recording artist in the immediate aftermath of the post-rock ‘n’ roll explosion.
The Offspring – Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace [Reissue/2008] LP+7” (Round Hill Music)
15th Anniversary Edition of The Offspring’s 2008 album – Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace – featuring a bonus 7″ single vinyl with two new live tracks from Hellfest, a newly reimagined album cover and art lithographs for each song. The album and 7″ single includes their most popular streaming song, “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid”.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – OMD Live: Architecture & Morality & More 2xLP+CD (earMUSIC)
Architecture & Morality, originally released in 1981, is considered by many to be the pinnacle of Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’s career. It spawned three Top 5 UK singles and the album itself peaked at No.3. In 2007 Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys reunited with Malcolm Holmes and Martin Cooper as OMD for an extensive tour of Europe. For the early part of this tour, including this concert recorded at London’s Hammersmith Apollo in May, the concert was split into two halves. The first part of the evening was a complete performance of the Architecture & Morality album, while the second half is a greatest hits set covering the rest of the band’s career.
Astor Piazzolla – Tango: The Best Of Astor Piazzolla LP (Acrobat)
Tango’s modern master, Astor Piazzolla, was a composer who revolutionized the music of his native Argentina. In the 1950s, he single-handedly invented nuevo tango, a modernized version of the passionate dance rhythms born in the brothels of Buenos Aires during the 1880s. Born in Argentina but brought up in New York, he was a classically trained musician, while being exposed to the jazz that was so much part of the city life, as well as being steeped in the tango music of his homeland. Playing the bandoneon, an Argentinian form of accordion, he developed an eclectic outlook, playing music that transcended the genres, with its roots in Latin forms but incorporating classical motifs and tinged with various jazz influences.
Pickle Darling – Laundromat LP (Father/Daughter)
Blue color vinyl pressing. In her 2009 short story collection, writer Lydia Davis creates worlds in tiny spaces, some totaling only two sentences. Steering away from the rigidity of what a piece of art is meant to look like, Christchurch, New Zealand-based artist Lukas Mayo (they/them) took inspiration from Davis, and others, to find the magic in the mundane. Art is everywhere: in the shape we make out of a napkin while waiting for our coffee to arrive, in the text we send to a friend in need, in the beat we make on the steering wheel while stuck at a red light. As Pickle Darling, Mayo points past perfectionism, and leans into the art of the everyday, where these ever-evolving forms of creativity find their home in new album Laundromat.
Sammy Rae & The Friends – Chapter One LP (Nettwerk)
Singer/songwriter, bandleader, and human being Samantha Bowers first began writing songs at age 12 while taking piano lessons and listening to Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Freddie Mercury playing on the family stereo. By 16, she developed a love of jazz and began to study the great female vocalists of the century (mainly Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, and Sarah Vaughn). She and her eight-piece group make music that has elements of pop, soul, funk, rock, and jazz and focus on themes like coming-of-age, defiance, and self-expression. Their genre blending performances are high-energy, honest, and quirky, influenced by the great performances of those childhood classic rock heroes.
The Residents – Not Available [Reissue/1978] 2xLP (Cryptic Corporation)
Formed in the early 1970s, The Residents have now been charting a unique path through the musical landscape for 50 years. In celebration of that remarkable and unlikely anniversary, we present a remastered and expanded vinyl reissue of the classic 1978 album Not Available.
The Rolling Stones – Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) [US Version] [Reissue/1966] LP (Abkco)
The Rolling Stones – Flowers [Reissue/1967] LP (Abkco)
180gm vinyl pressings. Originally released in 1966, Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) was the first hits compilation album from The Rolling Stones. The US Edition contains 12 of their hits,”(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, “Get Off Of My Cloud”, and more. 1967’s Flowers is a US compilation of tracks from the UK versions of Aftermath and Between The Buttons, plus singles and outtakes including the double A-sided “Let’s Spend The Night Together” / “Ruby Tuesday”. The album contains more classic Jagger/Richards titles, including “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?” which is early Stones at their most surrealistic and angst-ridden, plus the acoustic, pensively sardonic “Sittin’ On A Fence”.
Royal Thunder – Rebuilding The Mountain LP (Spinefarm)
The Atlanta-based rock trio of Mlny Parsonz (vocals, guitar), Josh Weaver (bass), and Evan Diprima (drums) delivers a powerful build of darting, bluesy riffs and booming, soulful fifth album that encapsulates their visceral and spirited sound. [Two colorways are available: gold and beige.]
Sadhugold – Golden Joe Vol. 2 LP (Nature Sounds)
In recent years, Sadhugold has emerged as one of hip-hop’s most exciting new sonic architects. Specializing in raw, dusty vibes with an otherworldly feel, the Philadelphia native has crafted tracks for acclaimed artists like Mach-Hommy, Westside Gunn, Your Old Droog, Rome Streetz, Tha God Fahim, and more. Originally released on cassette tape in extremely limited quantities, the Golden Joe trilogy helped establish Sadhugold’s signature sound and fuel the growing mystique surrounding his unique artistry. With those cassettes now rare collectibles, the enigmatic producer is unveiling an official pressing of Golden Joe Vol. 2, continuing the first ever vinyl release of his acclaimed instrumental series.
Scorpions – Fly To The Rainbow [Reissue/1974] LP (BMG)
Scorpions – In Trance [Reissue/1975] LP (BMG)
Scorpions – Virgin Killer [Reissue/1975] LP (BMG)
Scorpions – Taken By Force [Reissue/1977] LP (BMG)
Scorpions – Tokyo Tapes [Reissue/1978] 2xLP (BMG)
Vinyl reissues of the German hard rock band’s second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth albums.
Sextones – Without You b/w Love Can’t Be Borrowed 7” (Record Kicks)
The Sextones are back. The intrepid soul crusaders from Nevada’s high desert have emerged from years-long writing and recording process guided by virtuoso producer Kelly Finnigan (Monophonics) with their latest offering: Love Can’t Be Borrowed, the new album to be released September 29 via Milan heavy-weight soul label, Record Kicks.
Silver Car Crash – Shattered Shine LP (Crafted Sounds)
Mysterious, elusive, and dysfunctional (at times), Pittsburgh DIY regulars Silver Car Crash make some of the rawest contemporary rock music around, fitting right in line with today’s noisy, post-punk wave. On Shattered Shine, their second full-length record, we find the band exiting their early twenties, evaluating pending doom, chasing dreams, and exploring self-awareness. The recipe calls for noise, distortion, deadpan vocals, shouting, quick rock riffs… and that’s exactly what you’ll get.
Sturgill Simpson – High Top Mountain [Reissue/2013] LP (Hight Top Mountain)
10 Year Anniversary Edition of Sturgill Simpson’s debut album, High Top Mountain. The anniversary edition includes an “Old King Coal” blacked-out album cover with a glossy embossed jacket and is pressed on translucent black vinyl. Sturgill Simpson’s authenticity stands out like an island of hope in a sea of tacky. Pure and uncompromising, devoid of gloss and fakery. High Top Mountain‘s dozen instant classics evoke the sound of timeless country in its many guises and brings back the lyrical forthrightness and depth that permeated the music Simpson absorbed during his Kentucky childhood. Bonafide mountain hillbilly soul, as pure as you are going to find anywhere.
Rae Sremmurd – Sremm 4 Life LP (Interscope)
Yellow color vinyl pressing. Rae Sremmurd emerged from Tupelo as a duo with a knack for party-oriented anthems, with tracks like “No Flex Zone” propelling them to stardom. Since then, they’ve only continued to level up, releasing anthems like “Throw Sum Mo”, “Black Beatles”, “Guatemala”, and more. Now, they’re back with their highly anticipated fourth studio album, Sremm 4 Life (executive produced by Mike WiLL Made it), featuring the radio hit “Tanisha (Pump That)” and appearances by Future and Young Thug.
Allen Stone – Radius [Reissue/2015] LP (ATO)
Allen Stone – Building Balance [Reissue/2019] LP (ATO)
Color vinyl reissues (coke bottle clear and blue & red, respectively. With his third record, Radius, Stone proved himself deeply devoted to the making of uncompromisingly soulful music. Made in close collaboration with Swedish soul singer/songwriter/phenom Magnus Tingsek and producers Benny Cassette (Kanye West) and Malay (Frank Ocean), Radius captures the warmth and energy of that creative connection and transports the listener to a higher, more exalted plane. For follow-up Building Balance, Allen Stone worked with Grammy-winning producer Nasri, as well as Jamie Lidell, drawing inspiration from ’70s funk and soul with current flexes – sitting amid D’Angelo in its sultrier moments, Stevie Wonder at its most melodic, and the production of Mark Ronson at its most modern.
Sunset Rubdown – Snake’s Got A Leg [Reissue/2005] LP (Pronounced Kroog)
Originally released in 2005, Snake’s Got A Leg is the first full-length by Sunset Rubdown – a solo project of Spencer Krug at that time. The album was curated from a series of bedroom recordings that Krug had made sporadically throughout the early ‘00s, and the variety of mood and style found across this set of low-fi and near-genreless songs sets the stage for the project’s full-band releases to come.
They Might Be Giants – The Spine [Reissue/2004] LP+MP3 (Idlewild)
180gm vinyl reissue of the tenth full-length studio album by They Might Be Giants, originally released in 2004.
Traffic – The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys [Reissue/1971] LP (Friday Music)
Limited 180gm ice blue color vinyl pressing housed in shaped cube cover. The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys is the fifth studio album by Traffic, originally released in 1971.
Lefroy Vinnegar – Leroy Walks! [Reissue/1958] LP (Craft Recordings)
Limited 180gm vinyl pressing housed in tip-on jacket. Leroy Vinnegar’s first album as band leader, Leroy Walks!, is being released as part of Acoustic Sounds celebration of Contemporary Records. Originally released in 1958, the album sees Victor Feldman, Gerald Wilson, Teddy Edwards, Carl Perkins, and Tony Bazley joining Vinnegar.
Mike Watt – Hyphenated-Man [Reissue/2011] LP (Org Music)
26 years after The Minutemen’s landmark Double Nickels On The Dime, Watt returns to the familiar punk and jazz influenced sound he and his band made famous. This time, it’s more refined and more mature without lacking any of the energy or urgency of yesteryear. Hyphenated-Man features thirty songs in 47 minutes with Watt on bass, his deep baritone singing melodies and reciting spoken word while the Missingmen (Raul Morales and Tom Watson) wail on drums and guitar. This variant is pressed on yellow and black marble vinyl.
Yeat – AftërLyfe 2xLP (Geffen)
Rap phenomenon Yeat returns with AftërLyfe, the explosive follow-up to 2022’s acclaimed project Lyfë. Spearheaded by “Shmunk”, an undeniable collaboration with YoungBoy Never Broke Again, the 22-track project picks up where Yeat’s previous project Lyfë left off, expanding on his talent, and reaching towards an even more experimental sound. Available on translucent black ice color vinyl.
Yours Are The Only Ears – We Know The Sky LP (Lame-O)
Color vinyl pressing. As Yours Are The Only Ears, Susannah Cutler is reaching for a fresh start. For years, the singer-songwriter sauntered through her every day, stretching to please the people in her life and disconnecting as a means of survival. It wasn’t until early 2020 after taking on the tasks set out in The Artist’s Way, that Cutler experienced a reckoning. When was the last time she was truly honest with herself? And what is she so afraid of? Piercing through the gauze of an almost simulated existence, Cutler pieced together a face she could finally recognize in the mirror and began crafting what would become her second album, We Know The Sky. Here, her shadow no longer lags, but instead immerses itself to flourish into a beautifully complicated, truthful reality.
Cassette:
Dirty Heads – Midnight Control (Better Noise Music)
Color vinyl pressing. After digital release in August of 2022, fans will finally be able to get their hands on Midnight Control on cassette. This single disc includes the 10 tracks from the digital album plus the new single “Rescue Me” (released 2/24/23), not included on the digital album.
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