Marketing Program/ Banner/ Listening Station Titles Promoted This Week:
Andrew Bird – Inside Problems CD/LP (Loma Vista)
On his brand-new album Inside Problems, Andrew Bird acknowledges all the complex thoughts, questions and middle-of-the-night obsessions swirling around in each of us. Inside Problems is a collection of eleven original songs that take on those inner demons that run amok when things get especially quiet. It’s a lush and rousing entry to his acclaimed, constantly evolving and perennially curious career. For Bird, the idea that kept coming back to haunt him was the unavoidable presence of thresholds: the moment when something becomes something else, when somewhere becomes somewhere else. The phenomenon appears in endless aspects of daily life, from the process of projecting internal feelings and dialogue to the outside environment, or the seemingly mundane experience of standing in the frame of the doorway, crossing state lines or any place where one is neither here nor there, but in between. These are the questions that course through Inside Problems – where is the threshold, who are we during the moments in between? [An indie store exclusive red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Drive By Truckers – Welcome 2 Club XIII CD/LP (ATO)
Arriving as Drive-By Truckers enter their 26th year, Welcome 2 Club XIII marks a sharp departure from the trenchant commentary of The Unraveling and The New OK (both released in 2020). Produced by longtime DBT collaborator David Barbe and mainly recorded at his studio in Athens, GA, Welcome 2 Club XIII took shape over the course of three frenetic days in summer 2021 – a doubly extraordinary feat considering that the band had no prior intentions of making a new album. Featuring background vocals from the likes of Margo Price, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, and Mississippi-bred singer/songwriter Schaefer Llana, Welcome 2 Club XIII was recorded live with most songs cut in one or two takes, fully harnessing Drive-By Truckers’ freewheeling energy.
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Follow Your Heart CD (Boo Boo Wax)
“Follow Your Heart is all about resilience, connection, and joy. How we reunite with our souls, our power, our loves, and our heart as we go through the greatest challenges our world has seen. I wanted to make a record that was uplifting and vulnerable. These songs have all been written during the pandemic, a time in which I lost my father to Covid, lost my job (as a touring musician), and leaned on my wife, family and friends and found a closeness with them that I never knew before. I laughed louder, played harder, cried deeper and danced with more freedom than I’ve ever felt during this crazy time – this music reflects it all.” – Michael Franti [Vinyl edition due August 12.]
S.G. Goodman – Teeth Marks CD/LP (Verve Forecast)
Teeth Marks is steeped in Kentucky rock ‘n’ roll truth teller S.G. Goodman’s signature caustic wit and social commentary, specifically exploring the various and often painful indelible marks that love can leave behind. Mining garage rock, Appalachian folk and post-punk influence, the album finds Goodman’s stirring vocals draped in a sonic patchwork of southern indie rock. The title track, which recounts dating as a queer woman and facing the jarring reality of unrequited love over a swirling guitar lick, was debuted via Rolling Stone, who stated, “Goodman launches a wounded plea at an unavailable lover. Verses and choruses collide with instrumental passages of ethereal beauty, the clouds of ringing feedback calling to mind the mellower side of Yo La Tengo… Her voice glasslike and flecked with pain.”
Horsegirl – Versions Of Modern Performance CD/LP+MP3 (Matador)
Horsegirl are best friends. You don’t have to talk to the trio for more than five minutes to feel the warmth and strength of their bond, which crackles through every second of their debut full-length, Versions Of Modern Performance. Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece (drums) do everything collectively, from songwriting to trading vocal duties and swapping instruments to sound and visual art design. “We made [this album] knowing so fully what we were trying to do,” the band says. “We would never pursue something if one person wasn’t feeling good about it. But also, if someone thought something was good, chances are we all thought it was good.” Horsegirl expertly play with texture, shape, and shade across Versions Of Modern Performance, showcasing their fondness for improvisation and experimentation.
Jasmyn – In The Wild CD (ANTI-)
Jasmyn is the new solo project created by Jasmyn Burke, former singer-songwriter and frontwoman of the critically acclaimed Canadian band, Weaves. Having two JUNO nominations for Alternative Album of the Year and two SOCAN Songwriting Prize nominations, Burke has established herself as one of Canada’s most exciting and fresh voices. With this new project, she has decided to use her own name, Jasmyn, to mark the start of exploring her own unique sound as a solo artist. Collaborating remotely with Los Angeles-based producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten) on a body of work she had compiled over months of being in lockdown. Finally in the Spring of 2021, Jasmyn went to L.A. to record with Congleton, exploring themes of finding patterns in life and how to perhaps change them. [Vinyl edition due June 24.]
The Kills – No Wow (The Tchad Blake Mix 2022) CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
On their seminal second album, 2005’s No Wow, The Kills established the ethos that would set the tone for their expansive career – capture the rawest emotions and sounds, and then push them to the furthest possible edge. The band is celebrating No Wow‘s 15-year anniversary with a deluxe reissue featuring the original recording and a fresh new mix by the multiple Grammy Award-winning Tchad Blake (The Black Keys, Fiona Apple, Arctic Monkeys) that brings new life to the 11 vivid tracks. [An indie store exclusive gold color vinyl pressing is available.]
Killswitch Engage – Live At The Palladium 2xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP (Metal Blade)
On August 6, 2021, Killswitch Engage unleashed a streaming event that took fans by storm. The event took place at The Palladium in Worcester in the band’s native Massachusetts, which has been the site of many iconic KsE shows throughout the band’s history. The performance setlist consists of 2019’s Atonement album in full, along with the 2000-released self-titled album in full – with some fun and unexpected surprises along the way. [A limited-edition translucent blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Lettuce – Unify CD/2xLP (Round Hill)
Unify serves as the eighth studio album from six-piece Lettuce and the third consecutive record made at Denver’s Colorado Sound Studios, completing a loose trilogy starting with 2019’s Grammy-nominated Elevate, and continuing with 2020’s Resonate. Fans can expect the same tight, wildly funky instrumentals Lettuce has always been known for, but in the tightest form they’ve ever taken. And this time around, the guys have gotten the stamp of approval from one of the genre’s most legendary icons, Bootsy Collins, who can be heard singing on the track “Keep That Funk Alive”. A totally collaborative effort, there are exciting cuts full of brilliant lyrics and arrangements from Hall (whom Coomes calls “one of the greatest singers ever”) and fiery horn parts from Bloom. [A limited-edition gold color vinyl pressing is available.]
Prince and The Revolution – Live 2xCD+Blu-ray/3xLP (Legacy)
James Brown had the Apollo. Jimi Hendrix had Monterey Pop. And Prince had Syracuse, New York’s Carrier Dome – the Purple Rain Tour performance that was beamed to millions live via satellite and captured for posterity in the Grammy Award-nominated concert film Prince and The Revolution Live and has since gone down in history as one of the most iconic live recordings in pop and rock history. For the first time, this powerful performance by Prince and The Revolution has been entirely remixed from the original 2″ multitrack master reels by engineer Chris James and remastered by Bernie Grundman.
Adrian Quesada – Boleros Psicodélicos CD/LP (ATO)
Adrian Quesada delivers Boleros Psicodélicos, a sprawling and singular tribute to the golden era of Latin America psychedelic ballads. The brand-new album from the Grammy-winning guitarist, producer and Black Pumas co-founder serves as a celebration of the super funky, slightly delirious, and deeply soulful sounds that transcended the cultural boundaries of Latin America throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. The LP features vocals from Puerto Rican icon, Grammy-winner, and former Calle 13 member iLe, Colombian American visionary Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Mexican R&B star Girl Ultra, as well as Angelica Garcia, Gaby Moreno, contributions from living legends such as Marc Ribot and Beastie Boys musician Money Mark. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Additional Social Media Program Titles Released This Week:
Magnolia Park – Halloween Mixtape LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Comprised of lead vocalist Joshua Roberts, guitarists Tristan Torres and Freddie Criales, bassist Jared Kay, drummer Joe Horsham, and keyboardist Vincent Ernst, Magnolia Park has recorded almost all their output to date with Audio Compound producers Andrew Wade and Andy Karpovck. The first iteration of the band formed in 2019, with a mission of inventively fusing genres while increasing inclusivity in the punk world. ” An up-close portrait of a long-distance relationship, new single “Back Home” took shape from a demo created by Ernst (a dual citizen who mainly lives in Germany). The track perfectly encapsulates the potent tension at the heart of Magnolia Park, unfolding in moody guitar work, dreamy textures, thrashing rhythms, and sing-along-ready melodies. Another track showcasing the cathartic power of their sound, the wildly catchy “Tonight” feat. Lil Lotus also explores a bittersweet emotional experience. The follow-up to their early 2021 EP Dream Eater, Halloween Mixtape features such standout tracks as “Kids Like Us,” an anthem for all those who’ve struggled with being marginalized.
Immanuel Wilkens – The 7th Hand 2xLP (Blue Note)
Released in January on CD – now available on vinyl. Alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins follows-up his acclaimed debut, Omega, with another striking album featuring his remarkable quartet with pianist Micah Thomas, bassist Daryl Johns, and drummer Kweku Sumbry, plus appearances by flutist Elena Pinderhughes and the Farafina Kan Percussion Ensemble. It consists of an hour-long suite comprised of seven movements that strive to bring them closer to complete vesselhood by the end, where the music would be entirely improvised and channeled collectively.
CDs + Vinyl:
Automatisme – Gap/Void CD/LP+MP3 (Constellation)
The debut collaborative album by Automatisme (Canadian producer William Jourdain) and Swiss field recordist, visual artist, writer/academic and psychogeographer Stefan Paulus, who first met through shared projects with Mille Plateaux/Force Inc, including contributions to the Ultrablack Of Music anthology. Gap/Void is based on field recordings made by Paulus during mountain expeditions in the Swiss Alps, the Caucasus, and the Arctic Circle-documenting stormy weather, high alpine winds, avalanches, and sounds emanating from glaciers and from the insides of crevices and caves. Paulus folded these recordings into hundreds of layers of sound (like the geological strata of their geographic sources) and sent these ambient/noise pieces to Jourdain as raw material for his bespoke Automatisme techniques.
Battlelore – The Return Of The Shadow 2xCD (Napalm)
New album from the Finnish heavy metal band – their first in 10 years and 17th overall. Named after Tolkien’s original, but shelved, title for his legendary epic fantasy novel Fellowship Of The Ring, The Return Of The Shadow features nine Middle-earth themed songs that shine with the blistering aura the band has become known (and loved) for.
Andrew Bird – Inside Problems CD/LP (Loma Vista)
On his brand-new album Inside Problems, Andrew Bird acknowledges all the complex thoughts, questions and middle-of-the-night obsessions swirling around in each of us. Inside Problems is a collection of eleven original songs that take on those inner demons that run amok when things get especially quiet. It’s a lush and rousing entry to his acclaimed, constantly evolving and perennially curious career. For Bird, the idea that kept coming back to haunt him was the unavoidable presence of thresholds: the moment when something becomes something else, when somewhere becomes somewhere else. The phenomenon appears in endless aspects of daily life, from the process of projecting internal feelings and dialogue to the outside environment, or the seemingly mundane experience of standing in the frame of the doorway, crossing state lines or any place where one is neither here nor there, but in between. These are the questions that course through Inside Problems – where is the threshold, who are we during the moments in between? [An indie store exclusive red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Nicki Bluhm – Avondale Drive CD/LP (Compass)
Nicki Bluhm’s creative confidence and authentic vocals are front and center on Avondale Drive, her sophomore solo album and the follow up to her critically acclaimed 2018 release To Rise You Gotta Fall. The native San Franciscan who now calls Tennessee home possesses a gorgeously emotive voice and her clear-eyed perspective on life informs the 10 tracks on the new release. [A limited-edition translucent blue color and an indie store exclusive green color vinyl pressing are available.]
Bright Light Bright Light – Make Me Believe In Hope [Reissue/2012] 4xCD (Yskwn!)
Digitally remastered and expanded four CD edition of the 2012 debut album by Rod Thomas’s synth pop project Bright Light Bright Light. Includes non-album tracks, demos, remixes, and extended mixes. Make Me Believe In Hope was produced by Rod Thomas with additional production by The Invisible Men, Andy Chatterley & the legendary lo-fi beat producer Boom Bip.
The Courettes – Back In Mono (B-Sides & Outtakes) CDEP/10” (Damaged Goods)
Mini LP featuring outtakes and re-recorded B-sides from the Back In Mono sessions. Back In Mono, The Courettes´ third album, was critically acclaimed worldwide and made it onto numerous best-of-the-year lists in 2021.
Crobot – Feel This CD/LP (Mascot)
Riff-monsters Crobot conjures up the kind of rock ‘n’ roll that has grooves so powerful they throw you around the room and hooks high enough to shake the heavens. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Drive By Truckers – Welcome 2 Club XIII CD/LP (ATO)
Arriving as Drive-By Truckers enter their 26th year, Welcome 2 Club XIII marks a sharp departure from the trenchant commentary of The Unraveling and The New OK (both released in 2020). Produced by longtime DBT collaborator David Barbe and mainly recorded at his studio in Athens, GA, Welcome 2 Club XIII took shape over the course of three frenetic days in summer 2021 – a doubly extraordinary feat considering that the band had no prior intentions of making a new album. Featuring background vocals from the likes of Margo Price, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, and Mississippi-bred singer/songwriter Schaefer Llana, Welcome 2 Club XIII was recorded live with most songs cut in one or two takes, fully harnessing Drive-By Truckers’ freewheeling energy.
Eli Young Band – Love Talking CD/LP (Valory)
Musical band of brothers, Eli Young Band, play their own instruments, write their own songs and cling fast to their Texas roots. The trailblazing group has come a long way since their formation in 2000 at the University of North Texas, with the multi-Platinum hitmakers’ dynamic career producing multiple chart-topping and platinum singles. Love Talking is the band’s sixth studio album. [A limited-edition translucent yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]
El Perro – Hair Of CD/LP (Alive)
El Perro is a new band led by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter/producer Parker Griggs of Radio Moscow. The sound contains elements that fans of Radio Moscow will recognize, but this is rock music with a new, fresh spin and feel. The band’s debut album, Hair Of El Perro, takes heavy psychedelic rock as a starting point but jams into more syncopated territory, spicing it’s sound with Latin rhythms and hints of Funkadelic-style grooves. You could say that El Perro plays psychedelic funk rock, and you wouldn’t be wrong.
Bill Evans – You Must Believe In Spring [Reissue/1981] CD/2xLP (Craft Recordings)
Newly mastered edition of pioneering jazz pianist Bill Evans’ 17th studio album.
Fantastic Negrito – White Jesus Black Problems CD/LP (Storefront)
Fantastic Negrito’s new album and short film White Jesus Black Problems was inspired by a search into his ancestry where he found that his 7th generation grandmother was a Scottish indentured servant who entered into a common law marriage with an African American enslaved man, his 7th generation grandfather, in open defiance of the racist laws of 1750’s colonial Virginia. Their love story is a healing testament to standing up against inhumane and brutal systems with love as your only weapon. Their perseverance is a lesson in today’s polarized society on the virtues of constant struggle in the face of ignorance, fear, and violence, which is still present in the contemporary embodiments of white supremacy, bigotry, and hatred. It’s important to tell the story of how those who suffered much greater indignities and violence than we do in contemporary times were nonetheless able to preserve their humanity through human connection and the determination to love. If they can do it in 1759, we can do it 2022. [An indie store exclusive color vinyl pressing is available.]
The Fixx – Every Five Seconds CD (BFD)
New release from the veteran British band. Of Every Five Seconds, the Fixx’s first in nearly a decade, lead singer Cy Curnin commented, “Life can either be a series of broken obsessive thoughts or it can be a wonderful mosaic of moments. Every Five Seconds reflects this human paradox. The constant struggle between bewilderment and betterment.” The Fixx’s classic lineup remains intact: Cy Curnin (vocals), Jamie West-Oram (guitar), Rupert Greenall (keyboards), Dan K. Brown (bass guitar) and Adam Woods (drums).
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Follow Your Heart CD (Boo Boo Wax)
“Follow Your Heart is all about resilience, connection, and joy. How we reunite with our souls, our power, our loves, and our heart as we go through the greatest challenges our world has seen. I wanted to make a record that was uplifting and vulnerable. These songs have all been written during the pandemic, a time in which I lost my father to Covid, lost my job (as a touring musician), and leaned on my wife, family and friends and found a closeness with them that I never knew before. I laughed louder, played harder, cried deeper and danced with more freedom than I’ve ever felt during this crazy time – this music reflects it all.” – Michael Franti [Vinyl edition due August 12.]
Fraternity – Livestock [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Reel)
An essential piece of rock history featuring Bon Scott of AC/DC. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Mary Gauthier – Dark Enough To See The Stars CD/LP (In The Black)
As she has so eloquently accomplished over the past 25 years, acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier has used her art once again to traverse the uncharted waters of the past few years. “I’m the kind of songwriter who writes what I see in the world right now,” she affirms. Thankfully, amid dark storms of pandemic loss, she found and followed the beacon of new love: Her gift to us, the powerful Dark Enough To See The Stars, collects ten sparkling jewels of Gauthier songcraft reflecting both love and loss. On Dark Enough To See The Stars, she mourns recent devastating losses: the deaths of John Prine, David Olney, Nanci Griffith, and her beloved friend Betsy. But she also sings open-heartedly of love.
S.G. Goodman – Teeth Marks CD/LP (Verve Forecast)
Teeth Marks is steeped in Kentucky rock ‘n’ roll truth teller S.G. Goodman’s signature caustic wit and social commentary, specifically exploring the various and often painful indelible marks that love can leave behind. Mining garage rock, Appalachian folk and post-punk influence, the album finds Goodman’s stirring vocals draped in a sonic patchwork of southern indie rock. The title track, which recounts dating as a queer woman and facing the jarring reality of unrequited love over a swirling guitar lick, was debuted via Rolling Stone, who stated, “Goodman launches a wounded plea at an unavailable lover. Verses and choruses collide with instrumental passages of ethereal beauty, the clouds of ringing feedback calling to mind the mellower side of Yo La Tengo… Her voice glasslike and flecked with pain.”
T Gowdy – Miracles CD/LP+MP3 (Constellation)
A captivating collection of minimal IDM and oscillated electronics, working primarily in a 120-140 BPM zone of tonal percussion and corrugated pulse. Gowdy’s sensibility and sound palette gets deeper and dirtier, summoning new pathways of grainy transcendence and abraded euphoria, each component in the mix heated and heightened to an unornamental and earnest form of mantric-industrial majesty: live, corporeal, activated electronic music of the highest caliber, deployed with monastic and meditative focus.
Grateful Dead – Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 3: Summer ’71 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
Hunter Thompson’s oft-quoted adage “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro” has always been central to the Grateful Dead’s ethos, and never more so than in the Summer of 1971. The departures of Tom Constanten and Mickey Hart, and the delicate health of Pigpen left the band with a lot that was, to quote the title of the Otis Redding tune that appears here, “Hard to Handle.” Yet, just as the band embraced chaos in their improvisations, the Dead transcended the chaos of their personal and professional lives to embark on one of their most musically satisfying tours, which this set captures with a disc each devoted to the 7/31/71 show at the Yale Bowl in New Haven and the 8/23/71 show at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.
Tord Gustavsen – Opening CD (ECM)
On Opening, Tord Gustavsen reveals a fresh angle to his particularly unique trio investigations into Scandinavian folk hymns, gospel, chorale, and jazz. With a new fellow-traveler on board, the trio discovers inspired new ways to interact with each other, using innovative approaches to sound and technique in the process. The group’s conversations bring an enticing unfamiliarity to the language the Norwegian pianist has developed over almost two decades of collaboration with ECM.
Kuumba-Toudie Heath – Kawaida [Reissue/1970] CD/LP (Reel)
An essential piece of spiritual jazz history featuring Herbie Hancock and Don Cherry.
Horsegirl – Versions Of Modern Performance CD/LP+MP3 (Matador)
Horsegirl are best friends. You don’t have to talk to the trio for more than five minutes to feel the warmth and strength of their bond, which crackles through every second of their debut full-length, Versions Of Modern Performance. Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece (drums) do everything collectively, from songwriting to trading vocal duties and swapping instruments to sound and visual art design. “We made [this album] knowing so fully what we were trying to do,” the band says. “We would never pursue something if one person wasn’t feeling good about it. But also, if someone thought something was good, chances are we all thought it was good.” Horsegirl expertly play with texture, shape, and shade across Versions Of Modern Performance, showcasing their fondness for improvisation and experimentation.
Jasmyn – In The Wild CD (ANTI-)
Jasmyn is the new solo project created by Jasmyn Burke, former singer-songwriter and frontwoman of the critically acclaimed Canadian band, Weaves. Having two JUNO nominations for Alternative Album of the Year and two SOCAN Songwriting Prize nominations, Burke has established herself as one of Canada’s most exciting and fresh voices. With this new project, she has decided to use her own name, Jasmyn, to mark the start of exploring her own unique sound as a solo artist. Collaborating remotely with Los Angeles-based producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten) on a body of work she had compiled over months of being in lockdown. Finally in the Spring of 2021, Jasmyn went to L.A. to record with Congleton, exploring themes of finding patterns in life and how to perhaps change them. [Vinyl edition due June 24.]
Sly Johnson – 55.4 CD (BBE)
Hailing from Paris, Sylvère Johnson (Sly Johnson) is a major force on the French Hip-Hop, Soul and Jazz scenes, both as a solo artist and as a member of super-group Saian Supa Crew for over a decade, where he was known by the moniker Sly The Mic Buddah. Written and recorded during the first COVID lockdowns between March and May 2020, Sly Johnson’s fourth album blends Soul and Hip Hop, twinning vocal arrangements reminiscent of Prince and D’Angelo with loose, supple, beats and jazzy chords. [Vinyl edition due September 23.]
Sass Jordan – Bitches Blues CD (Stony Plain Music)
Reflecting on the impact the past two years has had on us all, Sass has recorded songs that examine the visceral emotional territory of a pandemic, and the multiple conflicts that the world is reeling from in the aftermath. “Still Alive and Well’ is Sass’s triumphant take on a Rick Derringer song that leads off the album. Her original song, “Still The World Goes Round” marks the mid-point with a look at power structures, both within and without, while another new creation “Change Is Coming” ends the collection with a trance-like chant that offers an uplifting perspective. As we have come to expect from Sass, the album features fierce guitar licks, driving tempo’s, the raw and soulful Sass Jordan rasp, and a glorious assortment of rambling road dogs, known as the Champagne Hookers. This collection of Hookers includes longtime associates and rebel rouser guitarists Chris Caddell and Jimmy Reid, drummer Cass Pereira, keyboardist Jesse O’Brien and the magnificent Mr. Steve Marriner on bass and harmonica.
The Kills – No Wow (The Tchad Blake Mix 2022) CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
On their seminal second album, 2005’s No Wow, The Kills established the ethos that would set the tone for their expansive career – capture the rawest emotions and sounds, and then push them to the furthest possible edge. The band is celebrating No Wow‘s 15-year anniversary with a deluxe reissue featuring the original recording and a fresh new mix by the multiple Grammy Award-winning Tchad Blake (The Black Keys, Fiona Apple, Arctic Monkeys) that brings new life to the 11 vivid tracks. [An indie store exclusive gold color vinyl pressing is available. The original 2005 album is also available on vinyl this week.]
Killswitch Engage – Live At The Palladium 2xCD+Blu-ray/2xLP (Metal Blade)
On August 6, 2021, Killswitch Engage unleashed a streaming event that took fans by storm. The event took place at The Palladium in Worcester in the band’s native Massachusetts, which has been the site of many iconic KsE shows throughout the band’s history. The performance setlist consists of 2019’s Atonement album in full, along with the 2000-released self-titled album in full – with some fun and unexpected surprises along the way. [A limited-edition translucent blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Chip Kinman – The Great Confrontation CD/2xLP (In The Red)
Over the course of a remarkable, groundbreaking 40+ year career, Los Angeles musician Chip Kinman has consistently defied both rock & roll orthodoxy and his audience’s expectations. With new set The Great Confrontation, Kinman drastically fulfills decades of artistic promise even as he kicks over the table, delivering a sustained jolt of electro-psychic cartography that is equal parts feral orchestral instinct and cunningly refined aesthetic subtleties.
Jens Lekman – The Linden Trees Are Still In Blossom CD/2xLP+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)
Jens Lekman – The Cherry Trees Are Still In Blossom CD/2xLP+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)
Lekman’s impulse for giving old music fresh life and context has led him to remake the records under new names, each delicately positioned in dialogue with the past – the same albums, just different. The Cherry Trees Are Still In Blossom and The Linden Trees Are Still In Blossom are a pair of lovingly and painstakingly assembled reduxes, each keeping the same core tracklisting, spirit and source material as the originals, but blending brand new versions of some tracks, in part or in whole, together with many tracks left largely as they were. Both records are fleshed out with rare, previously unreleased, and even previously unfinished old songs, as well as other contemporaneous material such as cassette diaries. [Pink and clear (respectively) color vinyl pressings are available.]
Nancy & Lee – Nancy & Lee [Reissue/1968] CD/LP (Light In The Attic)
Equal parts strong, sultry, and savvy, Nancy Sinatra has long been ahead of her time – both in her choices as an artist and as a businesswoman. Unapologetically, she established her own path early-on and paved the way for decades of female artists to come – all while firmly maintaining control over her career, her image, and her music. Nancy Sinatra would change the face of music, fashion, and culture. Originally released in 1968, Nancy & Lee arguably represents the pinnacle of the collaborative efforts of one of pop music’s most unlikely pairings. [Several vinyl colorways are available.]
Lettuce – Unify CD/2xLP (Round Hill)
Unify serves as the eighth studio album from six-piece Lettuce and the third consecutive record made at Denver’s Colorado Sound Studios, completing a loose trilogy starting with 2019’s Grammy-nominated Elevate, and continuing with 2020’s Resonate. Fans can expect the same tight, wildly funky instrumentals Lettuce has always been known for, but in the tightest form they’ve ever taken. And this time around, the guys have gotten the stamp of approval from one of the genre’s most legendary icons, Bootsy Collins, who can be heard singing on the track “Keep That Funk Alive”. A totally collaborative effort, there are exciting cuts full of brilliant lyrics and arrangements from Hall (whom Coomes calls “one of the greatest singers ever”) and fiery horn parts from Bloom. [A limited-edition gold color vinyl pressing is available.]
Mathematik – No Division Vol. 2 CD/LP (Urbnet)
Hip-hop pioneer Mathematik is meticulous with his craft. He avoids shortcuts and proves that the strategy works by constructing a tightly managed sound. No Division Vol. 2 is a thematic continuation from his 2005 release, No Division, but is adapted for a 2021 landscape. The twelve-track record features multiple producers, and marks the follow up to his 2019 LP, ReAL/iS-HiM. Based in Toronto, ON, Mathematik is a multi-disciplinary artist (emcee, DJ, producer) who started out as a dancer, eventually evolving as a lyricist, and then learning to DJ. Once a member of the soulful hip-hop crew Down to Erf, Mathematik’s background embodies almost all the fundamental aspects of hip-hop culture.
Memphis May Fire – Remade In Misery CD/LP (Rise)
Seventh album from the Texas metalcore band. [A limited edition color vinyl pressing is available.]
Merzbow – Eternal Stalker CD/LP (Dais)
On their first official collaboration, Japanese noise pioneer Masami Akita aka Merzbow and Australian sound sculptor Lawrence English present a harrowing, surrealist portrait of nocturnal industrial activity, spawned by field recordings made in a sprawling factory complex seven hours north of English’s home in Brisbane. He characterizes the area as “uneasy and unsettling,” awash in the sickly glow of smelters and refinement machinery, somehow not of this world – a liminal quality vividly captured in Andrei Tarkovsky’s sprawling purgatorial opus, Stalker, to which the title alludes. Akita, too, described early drafts of Eternal Stalker as feeling “like the soundtrack to a dystopian science fiction opera.” A mood of mechanical dread and ruined futures permeates each of the album’s seven potent compositions. [Several vinyl colorways are available.]
Holly Montgomery – Sorry For Nothing CD (Blue Élan/KZZ)
Holly Montgomery is an Americana artist known for her soulful voice and confessional songwriting. Sorry For Nothing is her fifth solo album.
Charlie Musselwhite – Mississippi Son CD/LP (Alligator)
Grammy award-winning blues icon returns to his Delta blues roots for the most captivating musical statement of his long and legendary career. Charlie’s first new solo studio release in seven years is stripped-down and semi-acoustic, driven by his deft guitar playing, while also featuring the masterful harp and soul-deep vocals for which he is famed. Mississippi Son is front porch country blues that is at turns raucous and languid, haunting, and impossibly soulful. [A limited-edition translucent blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Eric Nam – There An Back Again CD (The Eric Nam Company)
New release from the K-Pop singer. Includes CD, 104-page hardcover photobook, and random photocard.
Alvo Nota – Vrioon CD/2xLP [Reissue/2002] (Noton)
CD and vinyl reissue of the debut collaboration album between Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto, released in 2002. Vrioon is the first album in the Virus Series followed by four other records: Insen (2005), Revep (2006), utp_(2008), and Summvs (2011). The initial letters of the five albums together form the word “Virus”.
Angel Olsen – Big Time CD/2xLP/Cassette (Jagjaguwar)
Big Time is an album about the expansive power of new love, but this brightness and optimism is tempered by a profound and layered sense of loss. During Olsen’s process of coming to terms with her queerness and confronting the traumas that had been keeping her from fully accepting herself, she felt it was time to come out to her parents, a hurdle she’d been avoiding for some time. After that tearful but relieving conversation, she celebrated with her partner, their friends, oysters, and wine. Three days later, her father died; his funeral became the occasion for Olsen to introduce her partner to her family. Though she was fearful their presence as a newly out queer couple would be “an additional symbol of loss,” those days went peacefully, yet only two weeks later Olsen got the call that her mother was in the ER. Hospice came soon after, and a second funeral came quickly on the heels of the first. Another trip back to St. Louis, another grief to face, another deepening and intensification of this still-new love. Three weeks after her mother’s funeral she was in the studio, recording this incredibly wise and tender album. [A limited-edition opaque pink color vinyl pressing is available.]
Post Malone – Twelve Carat Toothache CD (Republic)
9-time Grammy nominee Post Malone says of Twelve Carat Toothache, “I think this whole record is the most honest record I’ve made, and I’m so pumped for people to hear it. Every song in there tells a story.”
Prince and The Revolution – Live 2xCD+Blu-ray/3xLP (Legacy)
James Brown had the Apollo. Jimi Hendrix had Monterey Pop. And Prince had Syracuse, New York’s Carrier Dome – the Purple Rain Tour performance that was beamed to millions live via satellite and captured for posterity in the Grammy Award-nominated concert film Prince and The Revolution Live and has since gone down in history as one of the most iconic live recordings in pop and rock history. For the first time, this powerful performance by Prince and The Revolution has been entirely remixed from the original 2″ multitrack master reels by engineer Chris James and remastered by Bernie Grundman.
Adrian Quesada – Boleros Psicodélicos CD/LP (ATO)
Adrian Quesada delivers Boleros Psicodélicos, a sprawling and singular tribute to the golden era of Latin America psychedelic ballads. The brand-new album from the Grammy-winning guitarist, producer and Black Pumas co-founder serves as a celebration of the super funky, slightly delirious, and deeply soulful sounds that transcended the cultural boundaries of Latin America throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. The LP features vocals from Puerto Rican icon, Grammy-winner, and former Calle 13 member iLe, Colombian American visionary Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Mexican R&B star Girl Ultra, as well as Angelica Garcia, Gaby Moreno, contributions from living legends such as Marc Ribot and Beastie Boys musician Money Mark. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Amanda Rheaume – The Spaces In Between CD/LP (Virgin)
Amanda Rheaume’s rootsy, guitar-driven ballads introduce crucial dimensions to the world of Heartland Rock. In a genre characterized by anthems of underdogs, assumptions, and unfair advantages, Rheaume’s sound and story radically expand boundaries – geographic and cultural – to make space for new perspectives on resistance and resilience. A citizen of the Metis Nation and a proudly active member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, Rheaume’s music is indeed from the heart and from the land.
Darius Rucker – #1 – Volume 1 CD (Capitol Nashville)
Ten #1 hits that span over 10 years. Volume 1 begins with “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” which was his first #1 and all the way up to 2020 with “Beers And Sunshine”.
Seventeenth – Seventeenth 4th Album ‘Face The Sun’ [EP.1 Control] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
Seventeenth – Seventeenth 4th Album ‘Face The Sun’ [EP.2 Shadow] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
Seventeenth – Seventeenth 4th Album ‘Face The Sun’ [EP.3 Ray] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
Seventeenth – Seventeenth 4th Album ‘Face The Sun’ [EP.4 Path] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
Seventeenth – Seventeenth 4th Album ‘Face The Sun’ [EP.5 Pioneer] CD (Pledis Entertainment)
K-Pop band Seventeen is back with their fourth album, Face The Sun, which is available in five different versions. Each contains the CD, a photobook, a limited-edition artist logo highlighter, a lyric book, a random photocard, a pet card, a random postcard, a random poster, and a random retail exclusive postcard.
Frank Sinatra – Watertown [Reissue/1070] CD/LP (Frank Sinatra Enterprises)
Released in 1970, Watertown is a lost masterpiece and turning point for Frank Sinatra: a concept album written by Bob Gaudio and Jake Holmes. It has gone through a re-evaluation in recent years and is now considered one of Sinatra’s finest recordings. All tracks have been newly mixed from the original session tapes.
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Dukes – Live In Cleveland ’77 CD (Cleveland Int’l)
Live archive release. Live in Cleveland ’77 was recorded at The Agora in Cleveland, and features Ronnie Spector singing Billy Joel’s “Say Goodbye To Hollywood. Steven Van Zandt, who was at that time a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, also appears on the album.
Spaceface – Anemoia CD/LP (ORG Music)
Spaceface is a self-described “retro futurist dream rock” (but you can call them psychedelic-pop) band from Memphis, TN and Los Angeles, CA, active since 2012 and including current and past members of The Flaming Lips and Pierced. Their unique alloy of dream-pop, funk rock and post-disco, charged by the Sun, ultimately shines way past our collective bedtime, akin to a glow-in-the-dark Slime Science Lab kit. [A limited-edition orange swirl color vinyl pressing is available.]
Luke Steele – Listen To Water CD/LP (Harvest)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Luke Steele’s debut solo album, Listen To The Water, began in the gathering storm of late 2019. A fourth Empire Of The Sun album was on hold, a global pandemic was on the horizon and L.A. was conspiring to set Luke and his family adrift on a new adventure. The album is a work of pointed words cloaked in a richly swirling atmosphere, capturing the blend of innocence and wisdom, which questions without the need for answers. Pedal steel dances among the acoustic guitars and percussive nuances.
Stoney & Meatloaf – Everything Under The Sun: The Motown Recordings 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
This double-CD, 28-track anthology premieres the original 1971 Stoney & Meatloaf album on CD and adds rare singles including both sides of Stoney’s solo Motown 45rpm 7”. It also premieres six never-before-heard Stoney solo cuts (including songs by Bob Gaudio, Jerry Fuller, and Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham) and brand-new mixes restoring the duo’s complete vocals to the outtakes which premiered on Meatloaf’s 1978″s controversial reissue Featuring Stoney & Meatloaf.
Tedeschi Trucks Band – I Am The Moon: I. Crescent CD (Fantasy)
The fifth studio project from the Tedeschi Trucks band is the most ambitious and, at the same time, intimate record that America’s best rock ‘n’ roll big band has ever made: a genuinely epic undertaking in four episodes and 24 songs inspired by classical literature but emotionally driven by the immediate drama, isolation and mourning of the pandemic era. [Vinyl edition due September 9.]
Temple Of Void – Summoning The Slayer CD/LP (Relapse)
Cave dwellers Temple Of Void finally return from the inky abyss on their highly anticipated new album, Summoning The Slayer. The critically acclaimed, Michigan-based quintet – featuring Alex Awn (guitars), Don Durr (guitars), Mike Erdody (vocals), Jason Pearce (drums), and Brent Satterly (bass) – hunkered down during the last two years, expanding upon their brand of fusty, artfully brutish death-doom with equal parts process and imagination. The outcome is an album that feels massive yet sepulchral, exploratory yet distinguishable-as if crafted deep below and inspired by all the things (mentally and physically) that come with their subterranean endeavor. [A limited-edition orange color vinyl pressing is available.]
They Hate Change – Finally, New CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
You want homegrown DIY? This is a record that was written, produced, and recorded in a 150-square-foot bedroom from the least cool city you could think of. Finally, New is what a truly post-genre musical landscape is supposed to be: building deep connections that transcend outdated distinctions between them, spilling over with the joy of exploration and possibility, and daring other artists to think broader, go deeper, take bigger risks. It’s not just a hip-hop record with a couple more weird sounds. [A limited-edition coke bottle clear vinyl pressing is also available.]
Wehrmacht – Shark Attack [Reissue/1987] 2xCD/LP (Napalm)
Wehrmacht – Biermächt [Reissue/1988] CD/LP (Napalm)
CD and vinyl reissues of the US ‘beer core’ band’s first two proper albums. “messy, punky, speedy, humorous hardcore/thrash.”
You Me At Six – Sinners Never Sleep [Reissue/2011] 3xCD/LP (Astralwerks)
10th Anniversary Edition of the Briish alt rock band’s third studio album, Sinners Never Sleep. Includes the standard album, the 2012 The Final Night Of Sin At Wembley Arena album, and unreleased rarities with bonus material, unreleased photos & expanded liner notes. [The stand-alone album is also available for the first time on vinyl.]
Chris Young – Famous Friends [Deluxe Edition] CD (SME Nashville)
Deluxe edition of the singer/songwriter’s 2021 album Famous Friends. The collaboration with Old Dominion is one of six new sides that can be found on this expanded version. Chris and Jimmie Allen also collaborate on one of the new tracks, plus Chris has two new solo songs in addition to acoustic versions of fan favorites “I’m Comin’ Over” and “Think Of You” with Cassadee Pope.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
The 4 Skins – The Good, The Bad & The 4 Skins [Reissue/1982] LP (Radiation Deluxe)
Limited yellow color vinyl pressing. The Good, The Bad & The 4 Skins is the debut LP – originally released on the British Secret label in 1982 – from East London Oi! legends The 4 Skins. Recorded with the first stable lineup after numerous changes, fronted by legendary vocalist Panther (who stepped in after original singer Gary Hodges’s defection), this is violent, political, and as real as Oi! gets; one of the absolute classic LPs of the genre.
Abigor – Leymotif Luzifer [Reissue/2014] LP (Avantgarde Music)
Color vinyl pressing. Originally released in 2014, Leytmotif Luzifer saw Abigor going back to a two-piece line-up, consisting of founding members T.T. and P.K., yet the album was recorded with the help of long-time collaborators Silenius and Protector (otherwise known as Summoning), here featured on lead and backing vocals. Leytmotif Luzifer is a concept album picturing the seven temptations of man.
All Good Things – A Hope In Hell [Reissue/2016] LP (Better Noise Music)
Limited translucent orange and black color vinyl pressing of the debut album from the alt-rock band.
Matt Andersen – House To House LP (Sonic Records LTD)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This is Matt Andersen’s ninth studio album, recorded in his home studio and highlighting his songwriting in an intimate setting. “Matt Andersen has drawn from the best roots music has to offer over his decades-long career: down and dirty blues, heart-wrenching soul, life-affirming gospel, and introspective singer-songwriter balladry. These sounds, textures, and influences are laid bare on House To House…” – No Depression
Animals As Leaders – Animals As Leaders [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Prosthetic)
Two colorways are available: pink and yellow. When Tosin Abasi released his self-titled debut solo album under the moniker Animals as Leaders in 2009, few would have predicted the band’s meteoric rise over the following years. Although Abasi earned acclaim as the lead guitarist in the Washington, D.C.-based metalcore act Reflux, it was still a long-shot that an instrumental album of progressive metal with jazz, electronic and ambient flourishes would develop anything more than a cult following. A collaboration between Abasi and Periphery’s Misha Mansoor (who produced, mixed, mastered, engineered and programmed the album), Animals As Leaders’ impact on modern metal cannot be overstated, as it somehow managed to be both genre-defying and genre-defining.
Chuck Armstrong – Shackin’ Up [Reissue/1976] LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited red color vinyl pressing. Scandalously scarce Southern soul originally released on the extremely rare R&R label in 1976. Shackin’ Up was the only LP released by well-traveled soul man Chuck Armstrong, who also recorded for such imprints as Nashville’s Sound Stage 7, Detroit’s Black Rock, and Miami’s Drive, and it’s simply an amazing one-off, with production by the great George Kerr (Whatnauts, Linda Jones, Manhattans, Phyllis Hyman) and a brace of strong songs headlined by the single “Give Me All Your Sweet Lovin’.” And while most of the album is sweet ‘n’ spicy Southern soul, special mention must be made of the song “You’ve Got to Deal with It (This Superworld),” a tantalizingly powerful, seven minute-long, socially conscious soul epic that suggests Armstrong could have followed the politically aware path to stardom trod by Marvin Gaye, The O’Jays, and Curtis Mayfield.
Tenille Arts – Girl To Girl LP (19th + Grand)
Coming off her first Number 1 single at country radio with “Somebody Like That” and 2021 ACM’s New female artist nominee, Tenille Arts releases her third studio album, Girl To Girl. Catapulting into the project is the Dave Pittenger produced lead single, “Back Then, Right Now”.
AWOLNATION – My Echo, My Shadow, My Covers And Me LP (Better Noise Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. AWOLNATION’s new album My Echo, My Shadow, My Covers And Me is a fiercely collaborative and celebratory project. It’s an eclectic collection of masterfully crafted and carefully curated covers, with each track featuring at least one acclaimed musical artist. It includes epic re-imaginings of classics like “Wind Of Change” by the Scorpions, “Take A Chance On Me” by ABBA, and “Beds Are Burning” by Midnight Oil; and features collaborations with artists like Portugal The Man, Brandon Boyd of Incubus, Jewel, Beck, Taylor Hanson and more.
Danny Barker – Save The Bones [Reissue/1988] LP (501 Record Club LLC)
Danny Barker rose to prominence during the ‘30s and ‘40s while performing on more than 1000 recordings. On this definitive record, made when he was 79 years old, Barker is heard singing and playing guitar unaccompanied on a variety of standards and obscurities. Limited-edition gray color vinyl pressing.
Bauhaus – Live At Tiffany’s, Glasgow, Scotland June 27th, 1983 LP (Planet Claire)
Archive FM radio broadcast. This live recording from Tiffany’s in Glasgow was recorded in the summer of 1983 in support of Burning From The Inside, a prophetic record summing up the inevitable demise of one of the all-time great British post punk bands. It’s a stunning document of the band, with Peter Murphy on devastating form and the band sounding tight and loose in all the right places.
Chuck Berry – …Berry Is On Top [Reissue/1959] LP (Friday Music)
180gm audiophile translucent red vinyl pressing, mastered impeccably by Joe Reagoso from the authorized Chess recordings, and housed in a gatefold cover featuring the original elements as well as classic inside photos of the man who started rock and roll.
Black Tape For A Blue Girl – The Cleft Serpent LP (Projekt)
The Cleft Serpent presents an original and thoughtful gothic torch song to humanity, embracing all our tragedy, heartache, and loss. It is the perfect album for these times: life, with its longing, ennui, and contradiction, is narrowed down to the touching interaction of flawed souls that alight in the scorched dreams of acceptance, transcendence and annihilation.
The Chainsmokers – So Far So Good LP (Columbia)
Recently released on CD – now available on white color vinyl. So Far So Good is the fourth studio album from Grammy award-winning and Billboard Chart topping artist/producer duo The Chainsmokers. The 13-track full-length album was written across Hawaii, Joshua Tree, New York City and L.A. from 2020 to 2021. It was written and produced by Alex Pall and Drew Taggart with additional contributions from frequent collaborators Emily Warren, Ian Kirkpatrick, and Whethan.
Chino XL – Ricanstruction:The Black Rosary [Reissue/2012] LP (Messiah Music)
Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary is the fourth studio album by rapper Chino XL. It was released on CD on September 25, 2012. The album won the 2012 HHUG Album of the Year award. Chino comes with heavy lyrical content, lots of deep concepts, subject matter, and a socially introspective highlight on his childhood. Artist guest appearances include Immortal Technique, Tech N9ne, Travis Barker, Bun B, B-Real (Cypress Hill), Rakka Iriscience (Dialated Peoples), Roc Marciano, Sick Jacken (Psycho Realm), Thirston Howell, Sinful, Kid Frost, DV the General, and Big Pun. Available now on limited gold vinyl.
Chrome Canyon – Director LP (Stones Throw)
Chrome Canyon has long been inspired by original scores that are as revered as the films they soundtrack: Goblin’s Suspiria, Wendy Carlos’ A Clockwork Orange, Vangelis’ Blade Runner, and Giorgio Moroder’s Midnight Express. For his second album Director, Chrome Canyon creates his own soundtrack to an unmade film. Its pieces are intended to spark vivid, cinematic imagination.
Clutch – Robot Hive / Exodus [Reissue/2005 LP+7” (Weathermaker Music)
Weathermaker Records presents a series of Clutch catalog releases reimagined and individually curated by one of the band members and reissued as part of the Clutch Collector’s Series. The artwork is in the vein of the original yet strikingly different. The vinyl releases are remastered and manufactured on colored 180gm vinyl which in turn is stored in extra heavy sleeves. The gatefold jackets are printed on metalized polyester paper and each album includes a numbered insert autographed by all band members.
Lucy Dacus – Kissing Lessions b/w Thumbs Again 7”+MP3 (Matador)
After landing towards the top of too many year-end lists to count with 2021’s Home Video, Lucy Dacus is back with two new tracks “Kissing Lessons” and “Thumbs Again” on vinyl for the first time.
Discharge – Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing [Reissue/1982] LP (Radiation Deluxe)
Limited splatter color vinyl pressing. Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing is the second studio album by English hardcore punk Legends Discharge, originally released in 1982. While some critics at the time dismissed this album as “unmusical,” in retrospect, it is viewed both a classic of the era and the peak of Discharge’s career. The album is characterized by a minimalistic approach of music and lyrics, a heavy, distorted, and grinding guitar-driven sound and raw, shouted vocals similar to a political speech, with lyrics on anarchist and pacifist themes.
Dødheimsgard – 666 International [Reissue/1999] LP (Peaceville)
To fans of black metal, Dødheimsgard need no introduction, being one of the great purveyors of the Norwegian Black Metal creative evolution. The band was formed in 1994 by Aldrahn (Thorns) & Vicotnik (Ved Buens Ende). The early incarnation was that of a raw and at often melodic black metal band, with their debut album also featuring Fenriz of Darkthrone on bass. In recent years, Dodheimsgard has become known for its eclectic musical ventures & poignant mood shifts, with a less chaotic, more considered approach compared to their earliest works.
East Coast – East Coast [Reissue/1973] LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited orange and black color vinyl pressing housed in gatefold jacket. The only conceivable reason this 1973 album isn’t generally recognized as a soul-funk classic is because it came out on Bernard Purdie’s Encounter label, which mustered only five LP releases before it folded. Not only does East Coast boast the inimitable vocal stylings of the great Gwen Guthrie (only her second appearance on record), but it also features the recording debuts of two Cameo stalwarts, keyboardist Gregory Johnson and bandleader Larry Blackmon.
Egregore – The World Of His Law LP (20 Buck Spin)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Egregore, a hitherto unknown entity in the narrow boundaries of the material world, now appears for the first time with the obscure musical treatise The Word Of His Law: An address to Abraxas in his time and place, through his Grand Viseer, Thine Panpsycopompos. This enigmatic incantation offers a first glimpse of a developing musical universe in a state of primeval expansion. Upon the principal element of ancient chaotic underground black death metal, Egregore conjures an uncanny aura of supernatural presence, as though the songs simply pass through them from some other sphere of existence.
Mathias Eick – When We Leave LP (ECM)
Mathias Eick’s playing, which according to the New York Times radiates a “pristine yet penetrating tone”, is complemented by his supporting players. Violinist Håkon Aase shadows the leader with lines that reflect a profound background in jazz. Drummers Helge Andeas Norbakken and Torstein Lofthus mirror their exchanges with precision. Pianist Andras Ulvo and bass guitarist Audun Erlien ferry ideas between sections. The swell of Stian Carstensen’s steel guitar adds a dimension of mystery.
Emapea – Zoning Out Vol. 1 [Reissue/2018] LP (Cold Busted)
Expertly crafted and sequenced, Zoning Out Vol. 1 presents a boom-bap journey that’s dreamy and spacey while remaining tough and jazzy.
Endemic Emerald – The Virux LP (No Cure)
NYC-based producer Endemic Emerald is proud to present the release of his third album entitled The Virux. Featuring such renowned emcees as General Steele, Chris Rivers, Sadat X, Planet Asia, Tragedy Khadafi, Ruste Juxx, Rim & Royal Flush – to name but a few – the set is packed with high class talent embedded in electrifying soundscapes.
Gauntlet Rule – The Plague Court LP (Target)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut album from the Swedish heavy metal band.
Freddie Hubbard – Breaking Point [Reissue/1964] LP (Blue Note)
Freddie Hubbard’s Breaking Point, recorded in May 1964 shortly after Hubbard left Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, the quintet – with James Spaulding, Ronnie Mathews, Eddie Khan, and Joe Chambers – moves assuredly from free-form playing and modal jazz to the blues and balladry on this 6-song set of originals by Hubbard and Chambers. Part of Blue Note’s Tone Poet Series featuring all-analog, remastered sound and deluxe gatefold packaging.
Austin Jenckes – If You Grew Up Like Did LP (Anthem)
If You Grew Up Like I Did is the debut album by country singer/songwriter Austin Jenckes. To hear Austin sing could be equated to being taken to church due to his songs being laced with dynamic, soaring melodies and introspective life-lived lyrics. Stylistically, his music makes you long for a simpler time when the world moved a little slower and things felt a bit purer. Jenckes’s best songs are direct dispatches from the never easy, but unquestionably rich life he’s lived.
Mason Jennings – Real Heart LP (Loosegroove Inc.)
Released earlier this year on CD – now available on vinyl, including an indie store exclusive blue color pressing. Mason Jennings’ new album Real Heart was produced by Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam. “I’m very excited to be working with Loosegroove Records and to have had Regan Hagar and Stone Gossard produce this album. We made the unabashed folk record that I have been wanting to make for years. Kind of a love letter to the acoustic guitar and to musical intimacy. It was recorded in Minnesota and Seattle and features some rich and wonderful instrumentation including horns and strings. The cover art is a woven wall hanging that my wife Josie made that is hanging on our lake house wall. That sets the tone: warmth, home, and intimacy. Hope you enjoy!” – Mason Jennings
Milk Jennings – Sleep Talker LP (ORG Music)
Milky clear vinyl. Milk Jennings debut album Sleep Talker, produced & mixed by Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby, Alexandra Savior, Danger Mouse), features Cohen & Jennings performing almost every instrument, with flute by Cochemea Gastelum (Beck, The Roots, St. Vincent), and backup vocals by Brianna Leary. Milk Jennings sound drifts from bright indie rock songs like “Side of the Street” and “Downtown,'” to darker psych-rock-tinged songs like “Raincoat” and “Someday Sunday,” to ‘60s-esque lullabies like “Everyday” and “Late Night,” all with Jennings own pop flavoring. His sound can be compared to modern artists such as Andy Shauf, Rostam, and Sam Evian.
Joy Division – Preston 28 February 1980 LP (Out-Sider)
This gig, taped at the Warehouse in Preston, took place during the final round of UK dates Joy Division was to play before jetting off to the US. The live captures the band raw sound with Ian Curtis’s haunting vocals. It’s raw and powerful, a glimpse into that gig in February 1980 which became a live album.
Kadavar & Elder – Eldovar – A Story Of Darkness & Light LP (Robotor)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Berlin’s most important rock band Kadavar collude with US prog rock wunderkinder Elder and decided to drown in sound together. What surfaced is A Story Of Darkness & Light, a marvel of musical liberty, a gushing opus between rock, prog and alternative, held together by the two bands’ contrasts.
The Kills – No Wow [Reissue/2004] LP+MP3 (Domino)
On their seminal second album No Wow, The Kills established the ethos that would set the tone for their expansive career – capture the rawest emotions and sounds, and then push them to the furthest possible edge.
Kingston Trio – Greatest Hits [Reissue/1990] LP (Curb)
Known as the originators of the folk music craze of the ‘60s, the original Kingston Trio consisted of Dave Guard on banjo, Bob Shane on guitar, and Nick Reynolds on guitar and bongos, with all three on vocals. They introduced a sound that was destined to revolutionize the recording and entertainment industry, and influence a generation of students, adults, and teenagers alike. The songs and performances spotlighted in this collection are all bona fide hits.
Kooley High – David Thompson LP (M.E.C.C.A.)
Raleigh is still on Kooley High’s mind on their sophomore LP named after N.C. State royalty, David Thompson. With shout outs to Wolfpack alums Zach Galifianakis and other basketball standouts like Chris Corchiani and Rodney Monroe, Kooley High details how their hometown is much more than just the start of their story. David Thompson also explores their Siddharthaa journey away from home where Tab-One and Charlie Smarts find their own glow. This 16 track LP features Rapsody, Homeboy Sandman, Skyzoo, Mez, and others, with guest production from DJ Prince, Napoleon Wright II & Teknowledgy.
Low Roar – maybe tomorrow… 2xLP (Tonequake)
Released last year on CD – now available on blue color vinyl. Ever the nomad, in 2020 Ryan Karazija found himself someplace new with a piano. The batch of songs he wrote quickly coalesced into maybe tomorrow… Collaborating with Mike Lindsay and Andrew Scheps (the same team since 0), Low Roar’s fifth full length studio album took shape. Ryan’s voice as a singer and a songwriter comes through strongly, making this instantly recognizable as a Low Roar record, but there is also something new, with expansive arrangements, intricate vocals, live brass, and ever-present wind chimes.
Mabu’s Madness – M² (M-Square) [Reissue/1971] LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited ‘fire orange with black streaks’ color vinyl pressing. Another insanely rare and highly coveted soul-funk gem from the tiny Maple label, which was part of Sylvia Robinson’s All Platinum empire, and punched way above its weight when it came to ’70s R&B. The one creative constant at the imprint was producer Johnny Brantley, who worked with everybody from Lee Moses to the Ohio Players to Lou Donaldson and even produced some early sides with Jimi Hendrix.
Magnolia Park – Halloween Mixtape LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Comprised of lead vocalist Joshua Roberts, guitarists Tristan Torres and Freddie Criales, bassist Jared Kay, drummer Joe Horsham, and keyboardist Vincent Ernst, Magnolia Park has recorded almost all their output to date with Audio Compound producers Andrew Wade and Andy Karpovck. The first iteration of the band formed in 2019, with a mission of inventively fusing genres while increasing inclusivity in the punk world. ” An up-close portrait of a long-distance relationship, new single “Back Home” took shape from a demo created by Ernst (a dual citizen who mainly lives in Germany). The track perfectly encapsulates the potent tension at the heart of Magnolia Park, unfolding in moody guitar work, dreamy textures, thrashing rhythms, and sing-along-ready melodies. Another track showcasing the cathartic power of their sound, the wildly catchy “Tonight” feat. Lil Lotus also explores a bittersweet emotional experience. The follow-up to their early 2021 EP Dream Eater, Halloween Mixtape features such standout tracks as “Kids Like Us,” an anthem for all those who’ve struggled with being marginalized.
Mallrat – Butterfly Blue LP (Nettwerk)
Recently released on CD – now available on opaque blue color vinyl. Includes bonus track. Mallrat’s prized pop songwriting has become a beacon the music industry eagerly follows, and on her debut album Butterfly Blue, she embodies the spirit of its titular creature – but without the delicacy that keeps you at a distance. Over a dozen clever and open-hearted tracks, Mallrat – aka Grace Shaw – draws you in close and shows you the world through her wide, hopeful eyes.
Money Man – Blockchain LP (Black Circle)
Blue ‘seaglass wave’ color vinyl pressing. After making waves and receiving coverage from a wide range of outlets such as Complex and Coindesk for being the first artist in history to accept a $1M advance in Bitcoin, Money Man drops off the aptly titled crypto-inspired album, Blockchain. The album coincides with the release of his first NFT which saw fans clamoring to snatch up the limited number of tokens available to mint within a matter of days. Money Man flexes his knowledge of cryptocurrency and financial gains across 13 tracks, enlisting help from Moneybagg Yo, Jackboy, & Yung Bleu.
My Dying Bride – For Darkest Eyes [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Peaceville)
My Dying Bride has been the leading light of doom metal since the debut album As The Flower Withers was released in 1992. Influenced by acts such as Celtic Frost & Candlemass, the British band’s heavy atmospherics have carved a huge worldwide following over the years to stand as one of the true enduring and distinguishable pillars of the genre.
The New Mastersounds – Plug & Play [Reissue/2008] LP (King Underground)
Deluxe vinyl reissue of the British funk band’s fifth studio album.
Origami Angel – Quiet Hours [Reissue/2017] 12” (Counter Intuitive)
Originally released in 2017 and out of print since 2018, this EP introduced Origami Angel as one of the most exciting bands in a new wave of pop punk.
Os Mutantes – World Psychedelic Classics 1: Everything Is Possible – The Best Of Os Mutantes LP (Luaka Bop)
Limited orange color vinyl pressing in gatefold jacket. The late ’60s in Brazil produced an explosion of new sounds and ideas that still reverberate throughout the world… during that time, Os Mutantes’ creative cannibalism produced psychedelic gems unlike anything else in the world. They were exactly what their name implies: a mutant genetic recombination of elements of John Cage, The Beatles, and Bossa Nova. A creature too strange and beautiful to live for very long, but too strong ever to fade away. It lives again.
Paradise Lost – Drown In Darkness [Reissue/1989] LP (Peaceville)
Paradise Lost – Gothic [Reissue/1991] LP (Peaceville)
Creating a more melancholy and sonically detailed form of doom metal, Paradise Lost offered distinctive lead guitar melodies and atmospheric arrangements that – along with fellow travelers Anathema and My Dying Bride – placed them at the forefront of the 1990s extreme metal scene.
Pinhead Gunpowder – At Your Funeral 7” (1-2-3-4 Go!)
Six songs from two old splits, split up no more. Pressed on limited exclusive color vinyl.
Sugaray Rayford – In Too Deep LP (Forty Below)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl, including a ‘sea blue’ color pressing.
Combining classic soul melodies with funky R&B grooves, raw blues power and mashed up with modern sensibilities, In Too Deep takes on social issues, such as, PTSD, civil rights and social justice. With vibrantly detailed arrangements tailored to showcase Rayford’s deft portrayals and interpretations, In Too Deep is a poignant album that seeks to inspire and uplift.
Max Roach – Members, Don’t Git Weary. [Reissue/1968] LP (Real Gone Music)
Max Roach wasn’t just one of the greatest drummers and percussionists in jazz history; he was also one of the greatest bandleaders in all of jazz, able to adapt his playing to an innumerable array of styles, from bop to free, and blessed with a keen eye and ear for talent. And he always, always kept pushing himself and his bandmates to find new modes of musical expression throughout his six-decade career. Speaking of modes, this 1968 release on the Atlantic label is one of his finest albums, a masterpiece of modal jazz featuring a crack outfit of saxman Gary Bartz, trumpeter Charles Tolliver, bassist Jymie Merritt, pianist Stanley Cowell (composer of half the tracks on the album including the gem “Equipoise”), and, on the title track, vocalist Andy Bey. [A limited-edition pink color vinyl pressing is available.]
Saigon Kick – Saigon Kick [Reissue/1991] LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited purple color vinyl pressing. Includes lyric sheet/inner sleeve. The gleefully raucous 1991 self-titled debut from this Miami band covered all the alternative and heavy metal bases, and while it didn’t score a commercial home run, it was still a prodigious clout (kick?) courtesy of guitarist/songwriter Jason Bieler.
George Scott – Find Someone To Love LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited green color vinyl pressing. This soul-funk nugget, released in the early ’70s on the uber-collectible Maple label, qualifies as a major find based on George Scott’s Wilson Pickett-meets-James-Brown vocal stylings and the meaty production of Johnny Brantley (Lee Moses, Ohio Players) alone. But when you consider that Jimi Hendrix played guitar on one of these tracks (“Sweetthang”), well then, folks, you’ve upped the collector ante considerably.
Skid Row – Skid Row [Reissue/1989] LP (Friday Music)
Skid Row was unleashed on the world when their self-titled debut album hit shelves in January 1989. Produced by Michael Wagener, Skid Row would remain in the Billboard album chart’s Top 10 for three months and would eventually be certified five times platinum. Lead single “Youth Gone Wild” was followed by the Top 10 hits “18 And Life” and “I Remember You”. Shortly after the album was released, the band began touring the world, first with Bon Jovi, and later with Aerosmith. The extensive touring, coupled with heavy rotation of Skid Row’s music videos on MTV, helped fuel the album’s enormous popularity.
Snap! – Rhythm Is A Dancer (30th Anniversary) 12” (BMG)
Vinyl reissue of the German Eurodance group’s 1992 global hit.
Sonny & Cher – All I Ever Need Is You [Reissue/1972] LP (Anagram Music)
All I Ever Need Is You, the fourth studio album by Sonny & Cher, was certified gold in 1972. This release marks the first vinyl reissue in almost 50 years. Produced by Snuff Garrett (Bobby Vee, Nancy Sinatra), it includes the title track which peaked at #1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart in 1973, as well as some of their classic songs such as Sonny’s “Somebody” and “A Cowboy’s Work Is Never Done”, as well as a cover of the Brotherhood of Man’s “United We Stand”.
Spookey – Friends b/w On The Rocks [Reissue/1981] 10” (Satril)
Translucent green color vinyl pressing of this Brit funk classic featuring Marvin Gaye on mix and synthesizers. One of the rare collaborations recorded during Marvin’s European tax exile period.
Striborg – Solitude LP (Sic Recordings)
Eight songs of haunting synths with screeching vocals covered by heart racing blast beats. An auric trip of deep inside within the grandeur of melancholy.
Three 6 Mafia – Live By Yo Rep (B.O.N.E. Dis) 12” (Prophet)
Live by Yo Rep (B.O.N.E. Dis) is an EP by thug rappersThree 6 Mafia, followed by their previous debut album Mystic Stylez. The title track is a diss song directed at Bone Thugs-n-Harmony propelled by the at-the-time beef between the two groups.
Twelve Foot Ninja – Vengeance LP (Vokanik)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Australian metal band.
Various Artists – DFA Compilation #2 [Reissue/2004] 4×12” (DFA)
An essential release of early DFA singles, released in November 2004, the same month as the debut album from LCD Soundsystem. Includes The Rapture, LCD Soundsystem, Pixeltan, The Juan Maclean, Black Leotard Front, Liquid Liquid, Black Dice, and more. “A meticulously assembled personal narrative from a label that balances it’s musical and commercial aspirations with an earthy, no-bullshit disposition and-let’s say it-the world’s best f***ing handclaps… Best New Music 9.0” – Pitchfork. “One of the most consistently creative indie labels… 4.5/5” – AllMusic. “A perfect snapshot of a label at the top of its game… one of the year’s most essential collections.” – PopMatters
Alan Vega – Saturn Strip [Reissue/1983] LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited yellow color vinyl pressing. Alan Vega’s work with Suicide is revered by just about every electronic music artist who’s tapped a keyboard or moved a mouse; his snarling, rockabilly-styled vocals teamed with Martin Rev’s ominous, repetitive soundscapes blazed a trail for post-punk, synth pop, industrial rock, techno… The list goes on. Vega’s solo career substantially overlapped with his Suicide recordings; this 1983 release, his first for a major label (Elektra), was his bid for commercial success, enlisting Ric Ocasek of the Cars (who had produced the second Suicide record) to produce and recruiting a young Al Jourgenson (who had just founded Ministry) to play keyboards.
Weird Nightmare – Weird Nightmare LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Limited ‘Loser Edition’ on transparent cotton-candy swirl vinyl. If you’re looking for a raw, sugary blast of distorted pop, look no further than Weird Nightmare. The debut album from METZ guitarist and vocalist Alex Edkins contains all his main band’s bite with an unexpected, yet totally satisfying, sweetness. Imagine The Amps covering Big Star, or the gloriously hissy miniature epics of classic-era Guided by Voices combined with the bombast of Copper Blue-era Sugar – just tons of red-line distortion cut with the type of tunecraft that thrills the moment it hits your ears.
Immanuel Wilkens – The 7th Hand 2xLP (Blue Note)
Released in January on CD – now available on vinyl. Alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins follows-up his acclaimed debut, Omega, with another striking album featuring his remarkable quartet with pianist Micah Thomas, bassist Daryl Johns, and drummer Kweku Sumbry, plus appearances by flutist Elena Pinderhughes and the Farafina Kan Percussion Ensemble. It consists of an hour-long suite comprised of seven movements that strive to bring them closer to complete vesselhood by the end, where the music would be entirely improvised and channeled collectively.
Gerald Wilson – Moment Of Truth [Reissue/1962] LP (Blue Note)
Gerald Wilson’s 1962 album, Moment Of Truth features his dynamic big band on an action-packed 9-song set (7 of which were composed by Wilson) with highlights including the swaggering blues of the title track, the irrepressible Latin groove of “Viva Tirado”, and a fleet-footed version of Miles Davis’s “Milestones.” Part of Blue Note’s Tone Poet Series featuring all-analog, remastered sound and deluxe gatefold packaging.
Amy Winehouse – Live At Glastonbury 2007 2xLP (Republic)
In celebration of the return of Glastonbury Festival in 2022, Amy Winehouse’s 2007 Pyramid Stage set is available on vinyl for the first time.
Neil Young – Royce Hall 1971 LP (Reprise)
Recently release on CD – now available on vinyl. During Neil Young’s long and storied career, some of his concerts have gained mythic status, thanks to the practice of bootlegging. Recorded on January 30, 1971, this previously unreleased concert was performed at gorgeous Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, near the end of the singer/songwriter’s 1971 solo tour. Young played 16 solo acoustic numbers that night, accompanying himself on guitar and harmonica. The track list features beloved classics like “Old Man”, “Heart Of Gold”, “Ohio”, “Cowgirl In The Sand”, “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”, and “Down By The River”, plus the timeless version of “The Needle And The Damage Done” that appears on 1972’s Harvest, one of the greatest albums of all time.
Neil Young – Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 1971 LP (Reprise)
Recently release on CD – now available on vinyl. A famous bootleg titled I’m happy that y’all came down. A live solo acoustic show recorded at Los Angeles Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on February 1, 1971. This was the last night of Neil’s 1971 solo tour, that also featured the shows have been released as the much-loved albums Massey Hall and Young Shakespeare. The show was marked by the first time Neil played harmonica live. This album features 15 songs including “On The Way Home”, “Heart of Gold”, “The Needle And The Damage Done”, and “A Man Needs A Maid”.
Ben Zaidi – Acre Of Salt. LP (Nettwerk)
“Fusing elements of each of his early influences, from Joni Mitchell to Phoebe Bridgers, Zaidi is creating soundscapes that bring awareness of documenting the euphoric high-and-low feelings of youth.” – Unpublished Magazine. “Reminds us of the Garden State soundtrack in all of its closeness and acoustic guitar strumming. This one’s terrific.” – American Songwriter. ‘2013’ is a sweeping nostalgic offering from Zaidi… emotive, lyrically dense reflections… pulling from folk touchstones.” – Under The Radar. “Formerly lo-fi, now increasingly hi-fi future soul musician.” – KEXP
Cassette:
Angel Olsen – Big Time (Jagjaguwar)
Big Time is an album about the expansive power of new love, but this brightness and optimism is tempered by a profound and layered sense of loss. During Olsen’s process of coming to terms with her queerness and confronting the traumas that had been keeping her from fully accepting herself, she felt it was time to come out to her parents, a hurdle she’d been avoiding for some time. After that tearful but relieving conversation, she celebrated with her partner, their friends, oysters, and wine. Three days later, her father died; his funeral became the occasion for Olsen to introduce her partner to her family. Though she was fearful their presence as a newly out queer couple would be “an additional symbol of loss,” those days went peacefully, yet only two weeks later Olsen got the call that her mother was in the ER. Hospice came soon after, and a second funeral came quickly on the heels of the first. Another trip back to St. Louis, another grief to face, another deepening and intensification of this still-new love. Three weeks after her mother’s funeral she was in the studio, recording this incredibly wise and tender album. [A limited-edition opaque pink color vinyl pressing is available.]
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