CDs:
The 5th Dimenson – Earthbound [Reissue/1975] CD (Real Gone Music)
The Soul City and Bell recordings of the original line-up of the 5th Dimension have been amply reissued in the digital age, with reissues of all their albums and collections too numerous to name. But Earthbound, the final album they recorded together after moving to the ABC label in 1975, had, due to some contractual confusion, been lost in limbo for almost four decades.
50 Cent – Animal Ambition: An Untamed Desire To Win CD/CD+DVD (G-Unit)
Fifth album from the rapper features guest appearances from Yo Gotti, Trey Songz, Kidd Kidd, Jadakiss, Mr. Probz, Guordan Banks, Prodigy, Schoolboy Q and Styles P. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD.
Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin – Common Ground: Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin Play and Sing the Songs of Big Bill Broonzy CD/LP+CD (Yep Roc)
The Alvin brothers, who founded seminal early L.A. punk roots band The Blasters in 1979, have shared a fascination with Broonzy since childhood. After an illness nearly took Phil’s life in 2012, they resolved to return to the studio and pay tribute to the blues legend. Common Ground includes 12 songs that capture a 30-year cross section of Broonzy’s canon, performed by the Alvins’ in their signature style of rollicking roots and stomping country blues.
Big Mucci (Dat 71 North Boi) – Shuffle Step Slide: The Line Dance Movement CD (71 North Entertainment)
Big Mucci and his 71 North Boyz phenomenon has taken over clubs with line dances and infectious lyrics that keeps dances floors rocking.
Big Smo – Kuntry Livin’ CD (Elektra)
The “hick-hop” duo of Hick Ross and Boss Of The Stix release their debut album, which is aimed squarely at the knuckle-dragging mouth-breathing redneck hordes.
Birdy – Fire Within [2013] CD (Atlantic)
US edition of the second album from the British singer/songwriter. Fire Within sees Birdy come to the forefront as a songwriter in her own right, having written/co-written all of the 11 tracks on the album. Collaborating with some of the biggest names in the business including Ryan Tedder (Beyonce), Dan Wilson (co-wrote and produced “Someone Like You” for Adele), Rich Costey (Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Sigur Ros) and Ben Lovett from Mumford & Sons, whom she’s collaborated with in the past.
Blackbird Blackbird – Tangerine Sky CD (Om)
This is futuristic electronic-pop that doesn’t look back for inspiration, instead tying together elements of forward thinking hip-hop/R&B, space-age folk, and the meditative grooves of house and techno.
Shy Blakeman – Live At Billy Bob’s Texas CD+DVD (Smith Music Group)
New live release from the Texas-based country singer/songwriter. Shy Blakeman won the second annual Live At Billy Bob’s Texas Recording Contest. Shy, a Kilgore, TX native, received the most votes after two rounds of voting. He is the 43rd artist to record a Live at Billy Bob’s Texas album and joins the ranks of Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Pat Green, Jason Boland, Kevin Fowler, Stoney LaRue, Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen, Brandon Rhyder, Cory Morrow and last year’s winner, Josh Grider.
Alice Boman – EP II CD/LP (The Control Group)
Alice Boman’s voice hits with the emotional force and haunting fragility of Nina Simone. Timeless and direct, the Swedish singer returns with a wistful collection of songs on EP II, which is expanded with a special bonus edition of the stunning debut EP, Skisser.
Camper Van Beethoven – El Camino Real CD (429)
Indie rock stalwarts Camper Van Beethoven return with the companion album and follow up to La Costa Perdida. Whereas La Costa reflected the northern California back to the country side of the band with lush and trippy references to Jack Keruac, Richard Brautigan, The Beach Boys and Big Sur, the songs on El Camino Real are firmly rooted in a grittier earth one that lies beneath the southern half of the state and stretches all the way down to Baja California.
Cardinal – Cardinal [Reissue/1994] CD (Fire)
This reissue of an obscure orchestral pop classic includes demos and bonus tracks and a 16-page booklet with new liner notes featuring an oral history of the making of record with Richard Davies, Eric Matthews, and producer Tony Lash.
Vikki Carr – The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) [Reissue/1972] CD (Real Gone Music)
Vikki Carr – Love Again: The Lost Columbia Masters CD (Real Gone Music)
Sentimental, vivacious and stunningly dramatic, the voice of Vikki Carr is also one of American pop music’s most versatile, too. During her long, glittering career, she has tackled jazz, pop, blues and country with equal aplomb; she’s a powerhouse stylist in the storied vein of Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Shirley Bassey.
Centro-Matic – Take Pride In Your Long Odds CD (Navigational)
Two years since their last album Candidate Waltz, Take Pride In Your Long Odds finds the band refreshed and excited to play again with their infectious exuberance and vigor. Vinyl version due June 17.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Only Run CD/LP (CYHSY, Inc.)
Only Run is the fourth studio album from the Philadelphia-based band, who are celebrating ten years as a band this year. The new album aims to loosely document lead singer/songwriter Alec Ounsworth’s observations of his life in music over the last ten years.
Country Weather – San Francisco 1969-1971 CD (ClassicMusicVault)
Back in the days of Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe & The Fish, and the great bands from the San Francisco Sound, a band called Country Weather was a shaker on the scene and played with all the hip bands at the Fillmore, etc. They recorded an album of nine tunes that never saw the light of day. More than 40 years later, this incredible album comes to light along with six bonus tracks.
Diamond Version – CI CD (Mute)
CI is the first full length album from Diamond Version, a duo made up of Olaf Bender and Carsten Nicolai, the founders of the German electronic label, Raster-Noton. With CI, which stands for Corporate Identity, Diamond Version is fighting back against consumerist culture latent with brand slogans and insidious advertising. The band’s debut album pairs blistering electronic rhythms, deconstructed techno and dread static with clipped slogans borrowed from advertising and marketing.
Die Antwoord – Donker Mag CD (Zef Recordz)
Donker Mag is the third album from the South African rap/rave duo. Die Antwoord’s musical and visual style incorporates elements of zef culture, described as modern and trashy, appropriating out-of-date, discarded cultural elements.
The Donkeys – Ride The Black Wave CD/LP (Vanguard)
Recorded at San Diego’s Singing Serpent and mixed by L.A.’s Thom Monahan, the Telecasters have a golden shimmer, the drums seem to echo with a regional reverberation. The notes coming off the Rhodes float on like beer-buzzed afternoons, but just when you get lost in the hypnotic swirl of “Sunny Daze” the churning guitars begin to circle like sharks, reminding us of the realities beneath all beautiful surfaces.
The Driscolls – Complete Recordings 1988-1991 2xCD (Jigsaw Recordings)
The Driscolls were one of the better bands of the fertile late ’80s/early ’90s UK indie pop scene, with a handful of singles and even a flexi. Their sound was a perfect hybrid of ’60s mod and jangly indie pop. This set compiles all of the band’s singles plus all of their compilation tracks culled from numerous high-profile tapes plus eight unreleased songs recorded before the band split.
Dub Club Vs. The Lions – This Generation Dub CD (Stone’s Throw)
Inspired by reggae, sound system culture and the myriad of musical styles influenced by Jamaican music old and new, The Lions’ sound is firmly placed in soul music. Their debut This Generation was critically acclaimed in 2012. Eight tracks from that album are now reworked and dubbed straight to tape by Dub Club founder and producer Tom Chasteen.
Mia Dyson – Idyllwild CD (Back Door)
New album from the Australian singer/songwriter. Vinyl version due June 17.
Echo & The Bunnymen – Meteorites CD (429)
The legendary Liverpool band release their 12th studio album and first since 2009. Produced by Youth (Killing Joke, The Verve), Meteorites is comprised of ten new songs written by founder Ian McCulloch and performed by Bunnymen stalwarts Mc Culloch and Will Sergeant along with Gordy Goudie (guitar) and Stephen Brannan (bass). Vinyl version due June 24.
Faith Hope & Charity – Faith Hope & Charity [Reissue/1975] CD (Real Gone Music)
Making its CD debut, the self-titled 1975 RCA debut by the trio Faith Hope & Charity was produced by the renowned producer, songwriter and artist in his own right, Van McCoy. Hailing from Tampa, Florida, the original group (then known as The Lovelles) was formed in 1966 and consisted of Albert Bailey, Brenda Hilliard and Zulema Cusseaux. Their self-titled album became the trio’s best seller, spurred on by the success of the R&B chart-topping single “To Each His Own,” with “Mellow Me” also reaching #9 on the Disco Singles chart.
Fanny – Charity Ball [Reissue/1971] CD (Real Gone Music)
With the release of their debut self-titled album, Fanny made history as the first all-female rock band ever signed to a major label, but it was on their second album when the girls really settled into a groove; in the words of drummer Alice DeBuhr, who supplies the notes for this expanded edition release, “We’d found our feet and were settling into the sound that would be Fanny.”
Lee Fields & The Expressions – Emma Jean CD/LP (Truth & Soul)
Soul legend Lee Fields has re-teamed with The Expressions for new album. Coming at a time when many new artists are trying to emulate the soul and swagger of the 1960s, Mr. Fields showers us with authenticity on the 11-track set, highlighted by first single “Magnolia.”
Robert Francis – Heaven CD (Aeronaut)
Robert Francis’ fourth studio album is a feverish hydroplane through the emotional tumult of youth. Through it all, he is calmer than he’s ever been; self-possessed in the face of uncertainty. Francis dances through genres on Heaven, but never escapes his distinct vision of self.
Sage Francis – Copper Gone CD (Strange Famous)
After a four-year hiatus, the indie rap icon has returns with a new album. Copper Gone features beat production from long-time music affiliates Buck 65, Alias, Cecil Otter, Reanimator, and more. Vinyl version due July 1.
F**ked Up – Glass Boys CD/LP/2xLP (Matador)
In contrast to the sprawling epic of their last album, the punk rock opera David Comes To Life, Glass Boys returns to rock & roll basics, verse-chorus-verse-chorus. It also features guitar solos, mellotron and piano. (Limited vinyl edition also available which features alternate front and back covers and a second LP of the album with the drums recorded at half the speed of the original.)
Fu Manchu – Gigantoid CD/LP (At The Dojo)
After almost 25 years together, and following last year’s Scion A/V Club split 7″ with friends MOAB and 2009’s Signs Of Infinite Power, Scott Hill and company return with their first full-length album in close to five years. Recorded with Andrew Giacumakis, singer/guitarist for the aforementioned MOAB at his studio in Simi Valley, CA, the album features a slightly more primitive, raw and ultra-fuzzed-out sound than previous releases.
Gold-Bears – Dalliance CD/LP (Slumberland)
Dalliance combines Gold-Bears’ noise-pop influences from forebears like Boyracer and The Wedding Present with shades of the post-hardcore, emo and post-punk on which the band all cut their musical teeth.
Lucy Hale – Road Between CD (Hollywood)
Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, the 24-year old singer and actress first started singing along with the radio to her favorite Martina McBride, Faith Hill and Shania Twain songs. Road Between is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds five bonus tracks.
Jon Hassell – City: Works Of Fiction [Reissue/1990] 3xCD (All Saints)
Reissue of the experimental trumpeter/composer’s 1990 album, expanded with a live concert from 1989 and a disc of new remixes. “Throughout City, Hassell’s unique brand of exoticism prevails as he weaves his processed raga trumpet amidst a dazzling array of digital samples and electronic percussion, electric bass and guitar, and Masai voices from Kenya.” – AllMusic
Joe Henry – Invisible Hour CD (Work Song)
Four-time Grammy-winning producer and critically acclaimed songwriter Joe Henry releases his 13th album. “I went into the making of this whole record with an ethos driven by emotional clarity,” Henry says of Invisible Hour, by far his most personal work.
In Hearts Wake – Earthwalker CD (We Are Unified)
Sophomore release from this Australian alternative metal/hardcore band that have earned a reputation for explosive precision and a positive message of environmentalism and conservation. For fans of Northlane, Parkway Drive, the Amity Affliction.
Morgan James – Hunter CD (Epic)
Morgan James is not just a great soul artist or a great R&B artist, or even a great jazz artist. The classically trained vocalist is malleable enough to encompass multiple genres, while displaying vocals reminiscent of Motown-era greats, all the while making her mark on Broadway. Mix a bit of Nina Simone with Aretha Franklin, add the warmth of Eva Cassidy and the musical passion of Prince, and you will start to get an idea of what kind of artist Morgan James is.
Sir Charles Jones – Portrait Of A Balladeer CD (Endzone Entertainment)
11 tracks including the hit singles ”Do You Feel” which features Willie Clayton and ”Sweet Sweet.” He is constantly touring and selling out shows and has had over 10 million YouTube views to date.
Gabriel Kahane – The Ambassador CD (Sony Masterworks)
Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Gabriel Kahane brings his diverse and extraordinary musical vision to his new album The Ambassador. From Die Hard to the architecture of Richard Neutra, from Blade Runner to the fiction of James M. Cain, from fires, riots and earthquakes to so many who look to Southern California as a panacea, the album draws its inspiration from a multitude of sources to tell intimate, human stories against the backdrop of Los Angeles architecture and popular culture.
Kan Wakan – Moving On CD (Verve)
Kan Wakan emerged in early 2012 as the musical brainchild of composer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Gueorgui I. Linev. The Bulgarian-born musician originally set out to create solely instrumental music inspired by his lifelong passion for classical minimalism, but the involvement of chanteuse Kristianne Bautista and producer/guitarist Peter Potyondy inspired the project to grow in both scope and purpose. Since then they have dubbed themselves with the Tagalog inspired abstraction, Kan Wakan.
King Buzzo – This Machine Kills Artists CD (Ipecac)
Buzz Osborne, the legendary grunge progenitor who has helmed the Melvins for thirty plus years, releases his debut solo full-length album. This Machine Kills Artists is a different kind of animal. Rolling Stone described the single “Dark Brown Teeth” as “doomy, ill-angled and with the Beefheartian edge the Melvins are known for.” Vinyl version due August 5.
The KVB – Out Of Body CD/LP (A. Records)
The KVB is the audio/visual project of London youngsters Nicholas Wood and Kat Day, who combine reverb heavy wall of sound guitars, minimal haunting strings and grinding bass synths, messed up motorik drum machine beats and delay drenched vocals with a backdrop of imagery to accompany the symphony, that’s nothing short of life affirming.
Miranda Lambert – Platinum CD (RCA Nashville)
“Platinum” is not only a song on the album but it also represents a way of life for Lambert. “Platinum is my hair color, and my wedding ring, and the color of my Airstream and the name of one of my favorite beers,” she said. “It’s about a lifestyle.”
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin I [Reissue/1969] CD/2xCD/LP/3xLP/2xCD+3xLP+MP3+Book (Atlantic)
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II [Reissue/1969] CD/2xCD/LP/2xLP/2xCD+2xLP+MP3+Book (Atlantic)
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin III [Reissue/1970] CD/2xCD/LP/2xLP/2xCD+2xLP+MP3+Book (Atlantic)
The first three in an extensive reissue program of all nine of Led Zeppelin’s studio albums, each remastered by Jimmy Page. Available in Regular, Deluxe, and Super Deluxe editions. Deluxe are expanded with rare bonus tracks. Super Deluxe collects the Deluxe CD and vinyl versions and adds an HD download card of each release plus a 12”x12” hardback book, press kit replicas, and a high quality print.
Hamilton Leithauser – Black Hours CD/2xLP (Ribbon Music)
Inaugurating a new chapter in an already remarkable career as the frontman for The Walkmen, Black Hours the solo debut full length from Hamilton Leithauser. The album brings him full circle and then some, from lonely midwinter piano-and-vocals sessions, to a loud, live rock & roll group and back again. Featuring Leithauser with collaborators including Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend), Paul Maroon (The Walkmen), Morgan Henderson (Fleet Foxes), Richard Swift (The Shins/solo), and Amber Coffman (Dirty Projectors), Black Hours showcases Leithauser at his most passionate, personal and free.
LP – Forever For Now CD/LP (WB)
“Enough of Rihanna and Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. The world is (at least, should be) ready for a new pop star. Based on Forever For Now, that star should be LP, whose major-label debut is nothing less than 12 consecutive potential hits. That isn’t to say the record sounds like an artist stretching for chart success and coming up with something pandering and easily accessible. (You hear me, Coldplay?) Rather, LP delivers one catchy pop anthem after another that also serve as well-written, exhilarating showcases for her distinctive voice.” – Redeye Chicago
Lydia Lunch/Cypress Grove – A Fistful Of Desert Blues CD+DVD/LP (Rustblade)
Lydia Lunch has spent decades trolling through the subterranean sick-home black and blues creating a musical legacy that started burning down the house in 1977 with Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, and continues to this day. From no wave teen terror to muse of the cinema of transgression, whether as hardcore spoken word harbinger or chanteuse provocateur, she has relentlessly sought new collaborators with whom to dissect passion, obsession and desire. Cypress Grove is an acoustic blues guitarist who has collaborated with Nick cave, Mark Lanegan, Debbie Harry, Steve Wynn. A Fistful of Desert Blues is a bittersweet symphony of black and acoustic love songs.
Madlib – Pinata Beats CD/2xLP (Madlib Invasion)
17 cuts of arcane film snippets, dusted funk and soul, psych and prog rock musical diversions.
Magos & Limón – Dawn CD (Okeh)
Debut album from vocalist Magos Herrera and Flamenco guitarist Javier Limón. The duo is the convergence of vanguard jazz and minimalist Flamenco, a summit of sound for the 21st century. The album is an intimate trek through a repertoire of select American, Latin and Brazilian jazz masterpieces including covers of Miles Davis and Antonio Carlos Jobim along with original compositions by the duo.
The Marcus Hook Roll Band – Tales Of Old Grand-Daddy [Reissue/1973] CD (Rhino/Parlophone)
Just before Malcolm and Angus Young took us on a debaucherous decent down that Highway To Hell, they joined with their talented brother, George Young and guitarist Harry Vanda, to form the brief, yet musically significant pre-AC/DC group, The Marcus Hook Roll Band. Back then, there was no such person as Marcus Hook, nor did the band originate from the borough of Marcus Hook in Pennsylvania. George and his fellow musicians only ever existed as a band in studio, releasing three singles and one album in the early ‘70s. Vinyl version due June 17.
Linda Martell – Color Me Country [Reissue/1969] CD (Real Gone Music)
She was the first African-American woman to hit the country charts (in 1969, with “Color Him Father”), and the first to appear at the Grand Ole Opry (in August 1969). But, for such a groundbreaking musical pioneer, Linda Martell remains something of a forgotten figure in American music. That’s because, despite a trio of hits, TV appearances on Hee Haw and The Bill Anderson Show, and a full dozen appearances at the Opry, she cut her career short in 1974 and returned home to South Carolina to care for her young children.
Matisyahu – Akeda CD/2xLP (Elm City)
Matisyahu has come a long way since 2005 when he released his breakout album, Live At Stubb’s (which reached #1 on the Reggae Albums Chart and #30 on the Billboard 200). Since then he has pushed himself dynamically and creatively, breaking with expectation at every turn and remaking his musical image with nearly every album.
Tyler McFerrin – Early Riser CD/LP (Brainfeeder)
Debut album from the son of vocalist Bobby McFerrin — on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label. Smoldering soul ‘n’ chopped-up freeform jazz, for fans of Bonobo and The Roots. Features cameos by Nai Palm (Hiatus Kaiyote) and Thundercat.
Mingo Fishtrap – On Time CD (Blue Corn)
“Tight ‘n’ punchy horns, deep rhythms, restless melodies, and emotive singing has garnered Mingo justified respect as a live powerhouse.” — Austin Chronicle
Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble – Intergalactic Beings CD/2xLP (For Practically Everyone)
Intergalactic Beings is an avant-garde jazz/classical suite inspired by Afrofuturist author Octavia Butler, and was recorded live at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art. The Black Ensemble includes Jeff Parker (Tortoise, Chicago Underground Duo), Joshua Abrams, David Boykin, and Tomeka Reid.
The Moles – Flashbacks & Dream Sequences: The Story Of The Moles 2xCD (Fire)
Essential 35-track collection of everything released by the seminal Sydney outfit led by Richard Davies, spanning 1990 to 1994. Contains their Untune The Sky and Instinct albums, plus rare singles and EP’s.
Momusmcclymont – Two CD (American Patchwork)
Momus and David McClymont live far from their homeland (which happens to be deciding whether to become a fully-fledged nation this year). Two is their second collaboration, and this time the pair (Momus in Osaka and McClymont in Melbourne) has wrapped hard-hitting political lyrics around a handmade, ethnic sound.
Morrissey – Vauxhall And I [Reissue/1994] 2xCD/LP (Parlophone)
20th anniversary reissue of Morrissey’s fifth solo album, originally released in 1994. Deluxe double CD edition includes a bonus 14-track live CD. “While it isn’t a gutsy rock & roll record like Your Arsenal, Vauxhall And I is equally impressive. Filled with carefully constructed guitar pop gems, the album contains some of Morrissey’s best material since the Smiths. Out of all of his solo albums, Vauxhall And I sounds the most like his former band, yet the textured, ringing guitar on this record is an extension of his past, not a replication of it.” — AllMusic
Bob Mould – Beauty & Ruin CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
Bob Mould’s new album is a twelve-track journey of loss, reflection, conciliation, and coming through the other side. Much of it deals with the passing of his father in October 2012, Bob’s struggle to come to terms with it, himself, and his own identity and legacy, and repercussions of all of the above on his ongoing relationships in the land of the living.
Peter Murphy – Lion CD/2xCD (Nettwerk)
Lion (produced by Killing Joke bassist Youth) is described by Murphy as “a mixture of stuff, almost like operas for the dispossessed. It’s very romantic and very deep and emotional, quite symphonic in places, but then becomes, like, a rabble-rousing pirate sea shanty.” Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a live album. Vinyl version due July 1.
Meshell Ndegeocello – Comet Come To Me CD/2xLP (Naïve)
Mercurial and masterful, Meshell Ndegeocello has eschewed genre for originality, celebrity for longevity, and musicals trends for musical truths. She has lived through the boom and bust of the industry and emerged just as she entered – unequivocally herself. Fans have come to expect the unexpected from Meshell, and faithfully followed her on sojourns into soul, spoken word, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, rock, all bound by a lyrical, spiritual search for love, justice, respect, resolution, and happiness.
Nightmares – Suspiria CD (Rise)
Nightmares know exactly who they are. Their confidence and talent bursts from the seams as soon as the opening track off Suspiria kicks in. Nightmares’ distinct sound truly sets them apart from their peers, and their intense songwriting abilities shows through with every uniquely constructed song.
No Means No – Dance Of The Headless Bourgeoisie [Reissue/1998] CD/LP+MP3 (Wrong)
The tenth album from No Means No was, and still is, a groundbreaking exploration of social and political lyrical statements and post-punk musical workouts. Back in the day, confused people liked to call this “jazz-punk” or “jazzcore” because it involved more than three chords and complex time changes.
The Orwells – Disgraceland CD/LP+MP3 (Atlantic)
Garage-punk bambinos the Orwells have only been making music together since 2009. But it didn’t take long for the group, which formed in high school, to catch the ear of producers like Jim Abbiss (Arctic Monkeys) and Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio). With their 2012 album Remember When and a very memorable Letterman performance under their belts, the Chicago quintet are return with a new album.
Parquet Courts – Sunbathing Animal CD/LP+MP3 (What’s Your Rupture)
To be sure, Sunbathing Animal isn’t a record about hopelessness, as any sort of incarceration implies an understanding of freedom and peace of mind. Fleeting moments of bliss are also captured in its grooves, and extended at length as if to preserve them. Pointed articulations of these ideas are heard as schizoid blues rants, shrill guitar leads, purposefully lengthy repetition and controlled explosions, reaching their peak on the blistering title track.
Kelly Price – Sing Pray Love Vol.1: Sing CD (E1)
The R&B star kicks off a new trilogy with Sing.
Rescuer – Anxiety Answering CD/LP (No Sleep)
Sophomore album from the Tampa, FL post-rock quartet. Recorded with producer Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor) at The Atomic Garden studios in Palo Alto, CA, Anxiety Answering is a natural progression and impressive second album. It features ten tracks that are both lush and atmospheric while maintaining an intensely abrasive tone, which Shirley captured beautifully on analog in a live setting in the studio.
Rich Robinson – The Ceaseless Sight CD/2xLP (The End)
Third solo album from Rich Robinson, best known as the guitarist, songwriter, and founder of The Black Crowes.
Rudimentary Peni – Death Church [Reissue/1983] CD/LP+MP3 (Outer Himalayan)
Reissue of Rudimentary Peni’s first long-player, following on the heels of their self-titled EP in 1981 and the “Farce” single on Crass Records in 1982. Musically, it’s the album that brought together the death rockers, anarcho-punks, peace punks, hardcore punks, proto-metallers and art rockers.
Shoe – I’m OK CD/LP (Community Music)
Jena Malone and Lem Jay Ignado first met at a Christmas carol party at the Mandrake in L.A. in 2008. They ended up playing together that night and performed “Walking In A Winter Wonderland.” Jena sand completely in scat-style gibberish and Lem Jay musically did not miss a beat. A unique musical friendship was born. Jena had built an instrument she called “The Shoe,” which was simply an old steamer trunk she dollied around with a plethora of electronic instruments inside. I’m Okay was recorded during the summer of 2013 as a follow up to their 2009 debut EP.
Sissy Fuzz – Footnotes CD (Jigsaw)
Hailing from the Denver ’90s indie pop scene that produced the Apples In Stereo, The Minders and Dressy Bessy (whose Tammy Ealom briefly sat in as guitarist), Sissy Fuzz didn’t get as much attention as their peers. Yet during their brief time, they managed to record ’60s-inspired pop songs (some of which only existed on very limited homemade demo tapes) – all of which are collected here.
Soundgarden – Superunknown [Reissue/1994] CD/2xCD/4xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP+MP3 (UMe)
Remastered reissue of Soundgarden’s massively popular 1994 album — available in Regular, Deluxe, and Super Deluxe editions. Double-CD Deluxe edition includes selected highlights of the Super Deluxe version, plus two unreleased album instrumentals, while the Super Deluxe version is expanded with a wealth of bonus material including live tracks, alternate mixes, rehearsal tracks, and a Blu-ray audio disc containing a new 5.1 mix of the album.
Harry Dean Stanton – Partly Fiction CD/LP (Omnivore)
Soundtrack to the documentary directed by Sophie Huber features Stanton performing his own heart-breaking renditions of American folk songs.
Swan King – Last So Long CD/LP (War Crime)
Swan King is Dallas Thomas (Pelican), Jamie Drier (Planes Mistaken For Stars), and Zafar Musharraf. They have been compared to The Wipers if they were on Am Rep, yet they could be considered for fans of the Jesus Lizard, Neurosis and King Crimson. “The Swan King effortlessly and mindlessly smash together rock & hardcore – forgetting where they are, drifting out to sea and expertly, unexpectedly, paddling in again.” – Decibel
The Sweet Inspirations – The Complete Atlantic Singles Plus 2xCD (Atlantic)
Initially created from the ranks of a group of ’60s female background session singers that at one time included Dionne Warwick, her sister Dee Dee, adopted sister Judy Clay and singer Doris Troy, The Sweet Inspirations became an official Atlantic recording artist after being the label’s go-to studio backup vocal group for many of the label’s primary artists including Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, The Drifters and Esther Phillips among others.
Tiger’s Jaw – Charmer CD (Run For Cover)
Between the power pop melodies of early Saves The Day and the hard driving folk rhythms of Fleetwood Mac lies Tigers Jaw, a band whose raw immediacy is infectious and intoxicating. Shimmering organ textures, chunky guitar chords, and male/female vocal harmonies show the Scranton, PA natives taking rural rock music from its legendary past to its vibrant future.
Tijuana Panthers – Wayne Interest CD/LP (Innovative Leisure)
Live and on record, the Tijuana Panthers are a great band. You could say garage, punk or surf while describing their sound, but they’re harder to pin than that. The truth is that they write classic songs that don’t depend on tropes from any genre. They craft perfect pop and deliver it with energy and immediacy. For Wayne Interest, the Panthers team up with producer Richard Swift and recorded the album at his studios in Oregon. With Swift’s direction and upgrade in fidelity, Wayne Interest sounds just as compelling in headphones as it would at a house party in East L.A.
Various Artists – Calypso: Musical Poetry In The Caribbean 1955-69 CD/2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
This new album features the music of Calypso in its many forms – from its birthplace, the island of Trinidad, as well as other Caribbean islands (Jamaica and the Bahamas), and its subsequent onwards journey (Britain, Panama and the United States), recorded during the years 1955-69. Calypso is one of the most exciting and enduring forms of musical expression to emerge from the beginning of the 20th century – swinging, persuasive rhythm, brilliantly expressive melodies and lyrics of great humour and wisdom. Here you will find Calypso’s aristocracy and royalty” Lord Kitchener, Lord Cobra, Lord Growler, King Fighter, Lord Byron, The Mighty Viper, Lord Ivanhoe and more.
Various Artists – Greater Lengths: An All Saints Compilation 2xCD (All Saints)
A selection of highlights from the All Saints label including tracks by Brian Eno, Harold Budd, Jon Hassell, Roedelius, John Cale and Laraaji, alongside specially commissioned interpretations by contemporary artists including Bee Mask, patten, Sun Araw, Hieroglyphic Being and James Blackshaw. 29-track double disc compilation. Sleevenotes by Mark Prendergast, author of The Ambient Century.
Various Artists – Wheedles Groove: Seattle Funk, Modern Soul & Boogie: Volume II CD/2xLP (Light In The Attic)
This compilation documents the period from 1972-1987, when funk was superseded by disco and modern soul. Heading into the ’80s, artists in the Emerald City caught wind of the hip-hop and electro scenes that were growing in bigger cities across America, and gave the music their own distinct spin. “The vision of late 1960s and early ’70s Seattle R&B as laid out by Light in the Attic’s 2005 comp Wheedle’s Groove permeated everything in reach of your speakers, and this collection proves that finding so many lost gems the first time around wasn’t just a fluke. [8.1]” — Pitchfork
Kan Wakan – Moving On CD (Verve)
Kan Wakan emerged in early 2012 as the musical brainchild of composer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Gueorgui I. Linev. The Bulgarian-born musician originally set out to create solely instrumental music inspired by his lifelong passion for classical minimalism, but the involvement of chanteuse Kristianne Bautista and producer/guitarist Peter Potyondy inspired the project to grow in both scope and purpose.
Paul Weller – More Modern Classics CD/2xLP (Harvest)
New anthology spanning 1999-2014 featuring 19 of Weller’s best solo tunes, along with two new tracks
Devon Williams – Gilding The Lily CD/LP (Slumberland)
Williams’ shimmering pop combines his broad musical tastes with exceptional songwriting and arranging skill, and an unerring ear for melody – all of which are in ample evidence on his new album Gilding The Lily.
Yellow Melodies – Alternate Identities CD (Jigsaw)
In mid-2010, the Yellow Melodies released their third full-length album, New Identities, on the band’s own label. Two EPs preceded the LP, but over the following year and a half, the band released a single for the rest of the songs on the record. The first two were on other labels, but the others were all digital releases on the band’s own label. Each of these singles had an exclusive B-side or three, including covers from monograph, Suede and three from R.E.M., as well as alternate mixes of some album tracks.
DVD + Blu-ray:
Alice Cooper – Super Duper Alice Cooper DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle Vision)
From Banger Films, the creators of Iron Maiden: Flight 666 and Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage, comes the story of Vincent Furnier, the preacher s son who struck fear into the hearts of parents everywhere as Alice Cooper, the most outrageous rock star of his generation. This unique “doc opera” — a dizzying blend of documentary archive footage, animation and rock opera — goes from the early days of Alice as the frontman for a cutting edge rock band in the sixties through the hazy decadence of global celebrity in the seventies and on to his winking comeback as the glam metal godfather in the eighties. 127 minutes.
Vinyl:
Helms Alee/Young Widows – Split 7”+MP3 (Sargent House)
Features three songs from each band, pressed on blue and white vinyl with download.
Robin Allender – Foxes In The Foyer LP (Scissor Tail)
Robin Allender (Gravenhurst, Felix, Yann Tiersen) creates melodies adorned with simple samples and loops. This is music of heart and humanity – as fresh (and refreshing) as a spring lake.
The American Analog Set – Know By Heart [Reissue/2001] LP+MP3 (Barsuk)
Widely considered their crowning achievement, Know By Heart is now available on HQ-180gm vinyl. Comes with download of the album plus all 21 of the previously-unreleased original 4-track demos.
Tori Amos – Unrepentant Geraldines CD/CD+DVD (Mercury Classics)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Out of the flux of ambition and distraction and imagination comes Tori Amos’ 14th studio album, Unrepentant Geraldines. It’s a vivid and vital album on which Amos once more zeroes in on the writing of brightly melodic, deftly evocative chamber-pop. Fairy-tale soul-poems, you might say. Or, a view from the middle-aged bridge.
Blood Sun Circle – Bloodiest/Sunniest LP+MP3 (Hex)
Debut LP from Syracuse, NY-based rock band featuring three-fourths of Engineer.
Bok Bok – Your Charizmatic Self 2×12” (Warp)
New from the DJ, producer and creative director of the Night Slugs imprint. Bok Bok creates a replicate funk, built with fragments of classics, arranged with a grimelogic and weaponized with 2014 sub-weight.
Simon Boswell – Hardware [OST/1990] 2xLP (Flick)
Original soundtrack to the 1990 motion picture composed by celebrated British composer Simon Boswell. Simon’s eclectic musicianship, spiraling from his slide guitar theme to synthy soundscapes, more traditional orchestral arrangements and FX infused experiments, was an integral part to Stanley’s post-apocalyptic visions in Hardware.
British Sea Power – From The Sea To The Land Beyond 2xLP (Rough Trade)
British Sea Power’s widely praised soundtrack for the film From The Sea To The Land Beyond is now available on double vinyl. The soundtrack consists of re-workings of previous BSP songs and was recorded in Brighton and mixed by Ken Thomas (Sigur Ros, Daughter, M83, Cocteau Twins, Moby).
Harold Budd – Remixes 12” (All Saints)
Emerging from the ‘60s US avant-garde and originally influenced by the likes of John Cage and Morton Feldman, Harold Budd rebelled against the heavily conceptual works of his peers to explore his own artistic path of “existential prettiness”. His early work caught the ear of Brian Eno, who invited him to England to record his first commercially released work The Pavilion Of Dreams. He went on to collaborate with other like-minded souls including the Cocteau Twins, John Foxx and Jah Wobble, and release an impressive stream of delicately constructed solo works, many of which have been issued on All Saints. Features remixes by patten, Odd Nosdam and Personable.
Crowbar – Symmetry In Black 2xLP (eOne)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The New Orleans sludge metal veterans celebrate their 25th anniversary with the release of a new album.
Deleted Scenes – Lithium Burn LP (Park The Van)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “A full-body freakout is what the sophomore release from these DC natives initiates.”
Dinowalrus – Complexion LP+MP3 (Personal Projects)
With their third album, Complexion – a title alluding to the superficiality and complexity of appearances – Dinowalrus has become even more electronic and anthemic. Always keen on mixing the past in surprising ways, the trio of Pete Feigenbaum, Liam Andrew, and Max Tucker has come into its own stylistically with a new album focusing less on obscure references and more on classic, emotionally charged songwriting.
John Doe – The Best Of John Doe This Far 2xLP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. John Doe is much more likely to look ahead to what’s next, rather than fixate on the past – even a past as storied and influential as his own. Part scrapbook, part roadmap, The Best Of John Doe: This Far guides listeners through Doe’s solo catalog. Compiled by Doe himself, the generous track listing encompasses nearly a quarter century, highlighting songs from nine records on six different labels.
The Fall – White Lightning LP (Secret)
Ten tracks spanning The Fall’s career from 1979 to 2001. Pressed on HQ-180gm vinyl.
Ghostbeach – Blonde LP (Nettwerk)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Ghost Beach, the New York-based duo of Josh Ocean & Eric “Doc” Mendelsohn, brings together the two worlds of electronic and live performance whose sound is self-described as “tropical grit pop.” On their debut full-length album Blonde, Ghost Beach once again perfects a blend of retro and futuristic soaring synth-pop, none more so evident than in the searing single “Miracle.”
Happy Couple – Into The Woods LP (Felicite)
Take a German/British duo channeling late ’60s folk-psych and electronica pioneers like Wendy & Bonnie and The United States Of America, mix in equal parts obsessive record collecting and a background in jangly indiepop (with previous releases on Slumberland and Matinee), add vintage equipment from Joe Watson’s studio (Stereolab/The High Llamas) and guest trumpeter Gary Olson (Ladybug Transistor).
Curtis Harvey – The Wheel LP (FatCat)
New album for from the prodigious multi-instrumentalist behind Rex & Pullman serves up more of his languorous acoustic-folk, traditional songs and campfire sing-a-longs.
Jon Hassell – Remixes 12” (All Saints)
This remix 12″ sees reinterpretations of Jon Hassell tracks by Bandshell, patten, No UFOs and Some Truths.
Jolie Holland – Wine Dark Sea 2xLP (Anti)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Holland yoke’s the New York underground to American song in a way that has rarely been attempted since White Light/White Heat. Two drummers, sometimes as many as three or four electric guitars, horns of a sort that come out of free jazz and the no wave scene as much as they come from soul music, and a refreshing need, on Holland’s part, to sing out at the extreme of her range, above the squalling insatiable lullaby of the thing.
Laraaji – Remixes 12” (All Saints)
Laraaji is a musician, mystic and laughter meditation practitioner based in New York City. He began playing music on the streets in the 1970s, improvising trance inducing jams on a modified autoharp processed through various electronic effects. Brian Eno saw him playing one night in Washington Square Park and invited him to record an album for Ambient 3: Day Of Radiance. Features remixes by by Bee Mask, Ela Orleans, Sun Araw and Motion Sickness Of Time Travel.
Mapmaker – Critical Path LP (Salinas)
The debut 12-song LP from this Buffalo melodic punk band has moments of ‘90s emo and discordant post punk.
Mew – Frengers [Reissue/2003] LP (Shop Radio Cast)
Frengers is the third album by Danish band Mew, originally released in April 2003. The title is a portmanteau of the words friend and stranger. A frenger is a person who is “not quite a friend but not quite a stranger” according to the album’s accompanying booklet. Available on color vinyl.
Mistreaters – Mistreaters 2xLP (Dusty Medical)
At 26 songs in all, this collection spans this Milwaukee rock & roll band’s entire 13 year career. Features singles, rarities, and previously unreleased material.
Morning Parade – Pure Unadulterated Joy CD/LP (So Recordings)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This Essex five-piece combines trance-style synths with anthemic rock guitars in the same vein as Friendly Fires, Delphic, and Fenech-Soler.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Simple And Sure b/w Impossible 7”+MP3 (Slumberland)
The first single from The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart’s recently released third LP Days Of Abandon includes an exclusive B-side and is pressed on olive green vinyl.
Pantera – Far Beyond Bootleg: Live From Donington ’94 LP (Rhino)
This live show was included on the second disc of the Far Beyond Driven reissue and is now available on vinyl LP for the first time.
Remain In Silence – This Is The Place Where Resistance Got Lost [Reissue/1987] LP+CD (Made In Germany)
Exclusive limited re-release of the pioneers of the dark wave scene’s 1987 album on LP plus CD
The Rock*A*Teens – Sweet Bird Of Youth [2000] 2xLP+MP3 (Merge)
The Atlanta outfit’s last album is now available (for the first time) on vinyl. Download includes the full album plus 16-track bonus tracks: Live At The Caledonia Lounge.
Roedelius – Remixes 12” (All Saints)
Hans-Joachim Roedelius is one of the prime movers in the strand of experimental music that emerged from 1970s Germany sometimes referred to as “kosmische music”. As a founding member of the highly influential groups Cluster and Harmonia, he was part of a vibrant scene that included Neu!, Kraftwerk and Can. He started releasing solo work in 1978, combining his minimal piano style with electronic production details. In the 1990s he collaborated with Italian musicians Nicola Alesini (saxophone) and Fabio Capanni (guitar) in ‘ambient jazz trio’ Aquarello, who released three albums, the final installment being issued by All Saints. Whilst overseeing the reissue of a vast archive of seminal albums, Roedelius shows no signs of slowing down as he enters his eighth decade. Features remixes by Peaking Lights and Hieroglyphic Being.
Cassettes:
Mother Room – Scorched (Native Sound)
A challenging set of experimental drone movements teeming with atmospheric and nomadic undercurrents in the vein of Dirty Beaches and Forest Swords. Scorched fuses elements of drone and noise with gothic, and at times even pop intonations into swelling suites of disorienting distortion. Includes download.
Leave a Reply