New Releases for March 23, 2018

CDs + Vinyl:

American Pleasure Club – A Whole F**king Lifetime Of This CD/LP/Cassette (Run For Cover)

Released last week on vinyl and cassette – now available on CD. The longtime project of Baltimore’s prolific Sam Ray (Ricky Eat Acid, Julia Brown) has never been weighed down by expectations of genre, fidelity or album length. 2016 gave us the 26-song epic It’s the Big Joyous Celebration, Let’s Stir the Honeypot and the more concise follow up Bonus EP, but on this album, a striking amount of balance provides the groundwork for A Whole F**king Lifetime Of This.

Courtney Marie Andrews – May Your Kindness Remain CD/LP (Fat Possum)

Although May Your Kindness Remain was predominately written on the road it’s not a road record like its predecessor. That is, it’s not so much inspired by Courtney Marie Andrews’ life on the road so much as it is by the people she’s met along the way. It’s an inward reflection on the connectivity of their stories and her own. The album is full of vivid depictions of complex people and places with all too common struggles. Every instrument and sound have their proper place, across diverse styles: proud piano ballads (“Rough Around The Edges”); easygoing, country-tinted rock (“Kindness Of Strangers”); and biting, sarcastic folk gems (“I’ve Hurt Worse”). Gospel singer C.C. White adds backing vocals throughout, including on the stunning title track, a striking statement of purpose that blooms at the end thanks to layers of soulful harmonies. Andrews’ own vocals are notably more powerful and soulful – especially on the organ-heavy blues number “Border,” with a ragged weariness that honors the immigrant’s resilience in the face of blatant thoughtlessness and racism; and “Took You Up,” a take on accepting love as a simple offering before any illusion of wealth or success. Her vocal performances reflect her recent listening habits, which include Motown and soul, as well as albums by the eclectic rock band Little Feat. They also point to her confidence and growing range as a live vocalist.

Army Gideon – Forsake Not CD (Uhuru Boys)

High-energy reggae fusion with lyrical content advocating equal rights, justice, universal love and Rastafari awareness through a militant persona.

The Art Of Lovin’ – The Art Of Lovin’ [Reissue/1968] CD (Early Dawn)

A reissue of The Art Of Lovin’s one and only album, originally on the legendary US label Mainstream in 1968. An album full of interesting and imaginative female-fronted psychedelic folk rock. For fans of Jefferson Airplane, Fort Mudge Memorial Dump, Yankee Dollar, etc.

Auri – Auri CD (Nuclear Blast)

Nightwish leader/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen has joined forces with his wife, Finnish singer Johanna Kurkela, as Auri. Auri celebrate a kind of epic-romantic ethno pop that seems to float in quaint spheres, which are intangible yet unleash multi-faceted sounds capes filled with powerful imagery. These sound cascades are based on Celtic traditional sounds, atmospheric-cinematic dream sequences, melancholic melodies and a touch of transfigured mysticism; beautiful instrumentation yielding an unfathomable depth.

Alice Bag – Alice Bag CD/LP (Don Giovanni)

Based in Los Angeles, Alice Bag is a punk rock singer, musician, author, educator and feminist archivist. She was lead singer and co-founder of The Bags, who were among the first wave of punk bands to emerge from that city during in the mid-1970s. Recorded last year, Alice Bag includes a revolving cast of friends and Los Angeles-based musicians, including the members of Bags’ current backing band, as well as guest vocals from Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, The Julie Ruin), Allison Wolfe (Bratmobile, Sex Stains), Francisca Valenzuela, and Teri Gender Bender.

Baloji – 137 Avenue Kaniama CD/2xLP (Bella Union)

Congolese-born Baloji’s music stands at the crossroads of traditional African music and Afro-American music (hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz). Growing up in Belgium – which he describes as, “a land of surrealism and multiple identities” – Baloji discovered the culture of sampling in electronic music. The result is a record combining African rhythms – not only Congolese, but also Nigerian, Zimbabwean, and Ghanaian – with 808 productions and funk-influenced synths. By placing his resilience at the center of his work, Baloji reconciles all these influences to enrich his projects.

Karl Berger – In a Moment: Music For Piano & Strings CD (Tzadik)

Founder of the Creative Music Studio and a close collaborator of Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, Gato Barbieri, Anthony Braxton and so many more, Karl Berger is a master musician and one of the pioneers of creative music. The third and final CD in his trilogy for Tzadik features fourteen tracks spanning a wide variety of moods. Karl’s gorgeous string arrangements are highlighted here in this beautiful and soulful suite of music for piano and strings.

Bibeau – Bibeau CD (Fade To Silence)

New album from the Texas based progressive rock band.

Bichkraft – 800 CD/LP (Wharf Cat)

Kiev’s Bichkraft returns with another entry in their unique take on the shoegaze and post-punk traditions.

Blessthefall – Hard Feelings CD/LP (Rise)

The sixth studio album by the Arizona metalcore band is both heavy and melodic with the vocals pairing up perfectly with the soaring melodies and emotional screams.

Bonny Doon – Longwave CD/LP (Woodsist)

Arriving in the early months of 2017, Bonny Doon’s self-titled debut was a warm introduction to the band for many. Hazy and bright, the album’s woozy melodies and swirling webs of summery guitar textures were easily ingested as low-key slacker pop. But the nonchalant breeziness belied a serious attention to songcraft and hinted at depths yet unexplored. Lo and behold, before the ink was even dry on the first record, work had already begun on its follow-up Longwave, a conscious about-face from the sonic experimentation of the first album, and a journey inward.

Borealis – The Offering CD (AFM)

Young Canadian melodic metallers Borealis are return with their fourth studio album.

Brother JT – Tornado Juice CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)

Brother JT, aka the enigmatic John Terlesky, has returned with a mind-palace of an album. On his second album for Thrill Jockey, JT feverishly concocts songs drawing from influences like gutbucket blues to power-pop, classic rock to garage-psych.

Bulletboys – From Out Of The Skies CD/LP (Frontiers/Vinyl Eck)

New release from the veteran hard rockers.

Calamita – Calamita CD (Ruptured)

Calamita is the free-rock powerhouse trio of Lebanese musicians Sharif Sehnaoui and Tony Elieh on electric guitar and bass respectively, and drummer Davide Zolli from Italian psych rock collective Squadra Omega.

Cornell Campbell – Boxing [Reissue/1982] CD/LP (Kingston Sounds)

A reissue of one of Cornell Campbell’s great dancehall, early ’80s set of songs. Dancehall was when the beat slowed down to that classic one-drop style that suited his voice so well. The album includes the title “Boxing” which was a massive hit for Cornell on its initial release in 1982. It also includes a dancehall reworking of “Queen Of The Minstrel” and a fantastic dancehall cut to Bob Marley’s “Natty Dread”. This was a new chapter in reggae’s sound that saw the rhythm slowed down and seemed to add even more emphasis to the songs meanings.

Carpenter Brut – Leather Teeth CD (Caroline)

This is the story of Bret Halford, an introverted science student. He likes a girl who doesn’t like him and much prefers the team’s star quarterback. Bret gets mad. He tries to create a concoction that will allow him to control them all, but ends up disfigured and decides instead to become a rock star. This is how he will seduce the girl, and all other girls: by becoming Leather Teeth, singer of Leather Patrol. Featuring 8 tracks wrapped in 32 minutes of cinematic sound, it’s a pure feeding frenzy not unlike Master of Puppets, or any of the good ole metal albums of yore. This is the story of French synthwave artist Carpenter Brut. [Vinyl edition due April 20.]

Cave Bastard – The Bleak Shall Devour The Earth CD/LP (Accident Prone)

San Diego-based metal quintet Cave Bastard—comprised of members of Cattle Decapitation, Gutrot, Ritual Torture, Bridge Jumper, Tremblad, and others—unleash their debut album. Three and a half years in the making, the dark vision of Cave Bastard combines the band’s bleak imagery and outlook with devastatingly brutal riffs and earth-moving rhythms, which set the tone for a voyage into the apocalypse.

The Cavemen – Nuke Earth CD/LP (Slovenly Recordings)

“New Zealand’s The Cavemen are back, ready to drink, fight, f**k and play some goddamn rock ‘n’ roll. Pure, primitive mother**kin’ garage punk like you lust after every night when you’re licking your sexiest leather record jackets, or ’77 punk steeped in a moldy stack of bootleg Motörhead outtake LPs.”

Cavern Of Anti-Matter – Hormone Lemonade CD/LP+MP3 (Duophonic)

Hormone Lemonade sees Cavern Of Anti-Matter heavily utilizing the sounds of modular synths and home built drum machines, yet still keeping the loose, improvised sound familiar to fans of their first two albums, with minimal guitar melodies and live drum kit helping to build hypnotic layers of texture. The album’s genesis was in the self-constructed rhythm machines of band member Holger Zapf, the Taktron Z3 and Taktron Z2, being recorded to tape during three one-hour sessions. These sessions also included the use of 70s Hohner and Eko drum machines. Holger played his parts in a free-form way and the bpm varied wildly as it was not possible to sync it to any outside controllers. Tim Gane (Stereolab) edited these initial jams into useable chunks and proceeded to overdub each new rhythmic “chunk” with some basic musical ideas, keeping in tune to the hum of the machines and retaining the “feel” of the inherent pulse. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]

The Chapparrals – Shake Your Head [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Everland)

Shake Your Head is the only known album by this super-hot Atlanta, Georgia band. The Chapparrals were known for wild onstage antics, deep funky sounds, and for taking no prisoners when they opened for any of the numerous recording acts they had the pleasure of working with back in the ’70s. These guys are a perfect summation of popular funk groove as their rare 1978 album is a blistering blend of bassy rhythms and tight instrumentation.

Coilguns – Millennials CD/LP (Hummus)

Millennials is a violent and over-the-top distorted record, born in a completely saturated scene and produced by four hyperactive fellows, who for obscure reasons decided few years ago not to work a full time boring job but to invest their money, time and mental health in heavy underground music. One can notice they are eventually older now; their hardcore got lazier, fatter and darker. There is even a new tribal feel to it, just like if those guys were still naïvely dreaming of building a parallel society somewhere in a cursed country where deviance and free self-expression would matter as much as business skills and communication concepts.

Crowded House – Crowded House [Reissue/1986] 2xCD (Capitol)

Expanded reissue of Crowded House’s 1986 debut album featuring17 bonus tracks including demos & live versions.

Holger Czukay – Cinema 5xCD+DVD/5xLP+DVD (Grönland)

Following legendary musician Holger Czukay’s death in 2017, Cinema explores his extensive back catalog of music he made as a solo artist and also features several high profile collaborations with artists as iconic and diverse as Brian Eno, Jah Wobble and Karlheinz Stockhausen, alongside previously unreleased music. The set is being released to coincide with what would have been his 80th birthday and Can’s 50th anniversary. Cinema guides you chronologically through Holger’s recording career, one that spanned five decades. Both CD and vinyl editions include a DVD of a film that was made for German television in the ’80s starring Holger as the main character; he also made the soundtrack for the movie.

Dabrye – Three/Three CD/2xLP+MP3 (Ghostly International)

Dabrye makes his long-awaited return with a razor-sharp rap album that brings to completion a prophetic trilogy. Mullinix’s incisive productions provide the backdrop for equally acute rhymes that run the gamut from intergenerational observations and being your best self to back alley deals and having fun in the ride. Guests include indie rap legend DOOM, whose previous collaboration with Dabrye remains a point of reference for many, Wu Tang storyteller Ghostface Killah, L.A word fanatic Jonwayne, and Long Island’s rugged surrealist Roc Marciano. Additional guests include Guilty Simpson, Phat Kat, Kadence, Quelle Chris, Danny Brown, Shigeto, Clear Soul Forces and more.

Caroline Davis – Heart Tonic CD (Sunny Side)

When Caroline Davis found out that her father had heart arrhythmia the news prompted her to do detailed research on the physical aspects of the human heart. It was with all of this in mind that Davis decided to compose pieces relating to the heart, whether it was an emotional connotation, or the utilization of rhythms derived from heartbeats. Composing really helped to get her through much of her emotional transition. Heart Tonic finds Davis employing more standard jazz elements than much of her previous work, including formal harmonic changes and shifting meters.

Jordan Davis – Jordan Davis CD (MCA Nashville)

Debut album from the country music singer/songwriter. Known for his unique songwriting talent, Jordan co-wrote every track on Home State and teamed up producer Paul DiGiovanni for the entire 12-song collection.

Miles Davis & John Coltrane – The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 4xCD (Sony Legacy)

Miles Davis & John Coltrane – The Final Tour: Copenhagen, March 24, 1960 LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy)

The latest entry in the award-winning Miles Davis Bootleg Series focuses on the final chapter in the landmark collaboration between Davis and saxophonist John Coltrane: their last live performances together, in Europe in the spring of 1960. Includes concerts recorded in Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm. [The Copenhagen concert is available as stand-alone 150gm single-disc vinyl edition.]

Detroit Rising – Detroit Rising: A Cosmic Jazz Funk Adventure CD/LP+MP3 (Down Jazz)

An unprecedented project created by universally respected musicians, including current and original members of the archetypal funk band Parliament-Funkadelic, along with a selection of world class talent from across the country. [Limited green colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Pat DiNizio – This Is [Reissue/2006] 2xCD (Sunset Blvd)

Expanded two-CD edition of this 2006 album from the late Smithereens frontman includes a bonus CD containing an additional 18 tracks. On This Is, DiNizio leaves his guitar in the case and croons pop classics in a smooth, low-key style. While he tackles a couple bone fide standards here, for the most part the set list is made up of tunes familiar to anyone who came of age in the 1960s covers of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, Henry Mancini, Bacharach/David, Jimmy Webb, and more.

DJ Platurn – Breaking The Ice 2xCD (Needle To The Groove)

An extended mix of rare—mostly never before heard—Icelandic tracks that are heavily underscored with funk, soul, disco, and in-the-pocket rhythms, all of which are expertly mixed by renowned DJ and turntablist, DJ Platurn.

Craig Duncan & The Appalachian Orchestra – Smoky Mountain 50s CD (Green Hill)

Pop hits of the 1950s featuring hammered dulcimer. Craig Duncan is no stranger to the Nashville music community. His talents on violin, fiddle, hammered dulcimer, mandolin, guitar, bass, and viola can be heard on numerous Nashville recordings. A graduate of Appalachian State University and Tennessee State University, Craig is a member of the North American Fiddler’s Hall of Fame

Sally Eaton – Farewell American Tour [Reissue/1971] CD (Early Dawn)

A reissue of Sally Eaton’s Farewell American Tour, originally released in 1971. Sally Eaton’s solo album is a unique mixture of rock, folk, pop, and swing. The album is very well arranged, and Sally’s powerful lyrics made this album even better. Recommended for fans of Melanie Safka.

Kurt Elling – The Questions CD (Masterworks)

The Questions, co-produced by Kurt Elling and Branford Marsalis, presents Elling’s interpretations of songs written by some of music’s most influential composers, including Bob Dylan (“A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”), Leonard Bernstein (“Lonely Town”), Rodgers & Hammerstein (“I Have Dreamed” from The King and I), plus a powerful revisit of Paul Simon’s “American Tune.”

Entourage – Ceremony Of Dreams: Studio Sessions And Outtakes 1972-1977 3xCD/LP (Tompkins Square)

Sampled by Four Tet, their name whispered in reverence through the decades, Entourage forged bold musical ideas on their two rare ’70s Folkways LPs. Now, collected for the first time, on three CDs are 30 previously unreleased tracks from their archives. LP version features a selection of the CD tracks.

Eryn Non Dae. – Abandon Of The Self CD (Debemur Morti)

Since forming in 2001, gifted French band Eryn Non Dae. has created a uniquely claustrophobic universe and this stellar fourth opus is a monumental wave of melancholy and despair – a fascinating combination of post-apocalyptic fury and vast ambient passages.

The Ex – 27 Passports CD/LP (Ex.)

There are some remnants of their African adventures, but most of all, this is a return to the power of The Ex as a unit that effortlessly juggles noisy/disjointed guitar parts, trance-like grooves, defiant chanting and a relentless, infectious drive. Colorful and fierce at the same time, 27 Passports once again expands their horizon and enriches their sound, while remaining true to the core of their philosophy: forward in all directions.

George Ezra – Staying At Tamara’s CD/LP+CD (Columbia)

Three years after the release of his 4x platinum No. 1 album Wanted On Voyage, English singer/songwriter George Ezra returns with a collection of songs written, created and inspired by his travels: from a pig farm in Norfolk and a former cornflour shed in Kent to a converted cow shed in north Wales and an Airbnb in Barcelona owned by the Tamara of the album’s title. The result is a finger snapping, brass-blaring, wind in the hair album that shines with positivity and encouragement, alongside moments of more subdued reflection.

Fickle Friends – You Are Someone Else CD/LP (Polydor)

“On their long-awaited debut Brighton-based quintet Fickle Friends bring unabashed pop aplenty. Oozing summer vibes and with choruses that’ll hit you harder than a tsunami, [You Are Someone Else] is like an alcopop: sweet and unashamed, the ideal dancefloor tipple.” – NME

Field Report – Summertime Songs CD/LP (Verve)

New release from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based folk band. Centering around the narrative songs of Chris Porterfield (formerly of DeYarmond Edison with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon), this is Field Report’s third and most expansive album, following in the vein of Wilco, The National, and The War On Drugs.

Dom Flemons – Dom Flemons Presents Black Cowboys CD (Smithsonian Folkways)

Known as “The American Songster,” Dom Flemons’ musical repertoire covers nearly 100 years of American folklore, ballads, and tunes. A music scholar, historian, record collector, and a multi-instrumentalist, Flemons is an expert player on the banjo, fife, guitar, harmonica, percussion, quills, and rhythm bones. He has performed with Mike Seeger, Joe Thompson, Martin Simpson, Boo Hanks, Taj Mahal, Old Crow Medicine Show, Guy Davis, and others. Dom Flemons Presents Black Cowboys pays tribute to the music, culture, and the complex history of the golden era of the Wild West.

Freedom Hawk – Beast Remains CD/LP (Ripple Music)

New album from the Virginia Beach heavy rockers.

Steve Gadd Band – Steve Gadd Band CD (Varese Sarabande)

Eponymous follow up album to the 2016 Grammy-nominated Way Back Home. Contains mostly original, groove-oriented tracks written by the band and produced by the legendary drummer, Steve Gadd. Steve Gadd Band is Walt Fowler (trumpet/flugelhorn), Kevin Hays (keyboard), Jimmy Johnson (bass), Michael Landau (guitar) and of course, Steve Gadd (drums).

Rory Gallagher – Deuce [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Rory Gallagher [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Live! In Europe [Reissue/1972] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Blueprint [Reissue/1972] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Tattoo [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Irish Tour ‘74 [Reissue/1974] CD/2xLP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Against The Grain [Reissue/1975] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Calling Card [Reissue/1976] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Photo-Finish [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Top Priority [Reissue/1979] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Stage Struck [Reissue/1980] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Jinx [Reissue/1982] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Defender [Reissue/1987] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Fresh Evidence [Reissue/1990] CD/LP (Universal)

Rory Gallagher – Notes From San Francisco [Reissue/2011] CD/LP (Universal)

One of the most influential guitarists of all times. Gallagher was a master on his Fender Stratocaster in playing the blues (as a born Irishman). He was also a stage “beast” (proof of which the various great live albums). A musical purist who refused to release singles or music videos and turned down the opportunity to join The Rolling Stones in the 1970’s. A rumoured chronic alcoholic, Rory became ill on tour in Holland and later died in London, June 14th,1995 due to complications arising from a liver transplant.

Gary – Chilling Out [Reissue/1983] CD/LP (Everland)

In his late teens Rev. Gary Hairston wasn’t only serving the Lord, he was also a member of funk outfit Opus 7 that recorded the great album Thoughts in 1979. Although it was distributed nationwide, the group album was not very successful. In 1983, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina native Gary Hairston delivered the now mega rare private press album Chilling Out, his debut solo-album under the moniker Gary and a well sought-after electro, funk, and boogie classic.

Grateful Dead – The Very Best Of The Grateful Dead Live Volume 1: 1969-1977 2xCD/2xLP (Grateful Dead Production)

Made for die-hard Dead Heads and new fans alike, The Best Of The Grateful Dead Live is the ultimate live collection. Includes recordings selected from the band’s official live albums on Warner Bros. And Arista, plus a few tracks from their many archival live releases, beginning with “St. Stephen” from the group’s first official live album, 1969’s Live/Dead – and ending with the poignant “So Many Roads,” taken from the band’s final concert at Chicago’s Soldier Field in July of 1995.

Greyhaven – Empty Black CD (Equal Vision)

“In a metalcore scene which is saturated and bereft of growth, Greyhaven show how younger bands can take the sound of the founding fathers of the sub-genre and build upon it, to scale new heights. While one can find influences ranging from Norma Jean to Every Time I Die to Converge, Empty Black sees them take this mixture of sounds and amp it up to reach to a level that is truly their own.” — Itdjents

Guided By Voices – Space Gun CD/LP (GBV Inc.)

In 2018, Guided By Voices will release precisely one new album, Space Gun. Once you hear it, you will know why. With a renowned work ethic and a daily pot of coffee, Robert Pollard continues to outclass younger generations of come-and-go rock bands. After 20+ years, 100+ albums, 2000+ songs, Pollard still can’t really explain (or doesn’t want to explain) his secret: “The songs just come to me.”

Harumi – Harumi [Reissue/1968] CD (Early Dawn)

A reissue of Harumi’s self-titled album, originally released on Verve in 1968. Harumi is a classic double album of obscure “Japan meets Greenwich Village” psych with legendary producer Tom Wilson (Velvet Underground, Zappa, Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel) at the helm, desperately trying to reign in the talents of this enigmatic Japanese artist on the outer fringes of an east/west freak out. All songs are sung in English.

Hawthonn – Red Goddess (Of This Men Shall Know Nothing) CD/LP+MP3 (Ba Da Bing!)

The music of Hawthonn is dense and atmospheric, but not inaccessible. Experimental electronic techniques fuse with doom-laden organ riffs, crystalline piano, elemental drones and haunting vocals. Largely guided by their own unconscious muse, the band’s chief inspirations lie outside of music, in Romantic poetry, dreams and reveries, esoteric symbolism, the history of magic and witchcraft, folklore and the English landscape.

Hell – Hell CD (Gilead Media)

The eponymous, fourth full-length by Hell is a descent into the deepest pits of oppressive sludging doom. This self-titled album presents a discernible shift in tone without abandoning the unique style of melancholy.

Hot Mulligan – Pilot CD/LP (No Sleep)

The youthful and relentless Hot Mulligan is a four-piece rock band from northern Michigan. Beginning in 2014, they have built a profile by touring country-wide incessantly. Spanning hundreds of out of town shows over the last few years, they’ve gained the attention of a larger fan base combining elements of emotional rock and fierce pop-punk riffs. “With Pilot, Hot Mulligan have delivered the impossible. At a time when the last death rattle of 2011’s pop-punk revival was beginning to reach their late career stage, this five-piece from Michigan has delivered the next soundtrack to your life. Not just your life, however, but our lives. Pilot is the sound of growing up and knowing your worth in a world that never seems to agree, of taking that chance because the moment may never come again, of seizing the goddamn moment and squeezing it for all that it’s worth. Things may go awry, and they often do, but that’s just life. Hot Mulligan didn’t make the rules, so why live by them?” – Substream Magazine

Mark Huff – Stars For Eyes CD (Exodus Empire)

Mark Huff’s new compositions – and one Leonard Cohen classic – reinforce his reputation as a heralded Americana song craftsman and poignant vocalist while expanding his sonic vision with the support of a superlative cast.

Kasbo – Places We Don’t Know CD/LP+MP3 (Counter)

Debut album from Swedish producer Carl Garsbo aka Kasbo. From its minimalist cover to its flurry of endorphin-flooding melodies, Places We Don’t Know is a widescreen example of how buoyant beats can make you move and cry. Kasbo actively explores juxtaposing ideas here, constructing tracks which are complex yet relatable, melancholic while still beautiful.

Kellarissa – Ocean Electro CD/LP (Mint)

An entanglement of femme psych-electronica with driving synth-pop. Citing influences as diverse as Vi Subversa, Pulp, Christopher Isherwood, Visage, and an entire poem by Sylvia Plath, Ocean Electro features sophisticated and ethereal vocals that bring to mind Molly Nilsson or the West Coast experimental pop of White Poppy.

Kino – Radio Voltaire CD (Inside Out U.S.)

New release from the prog rock supergroup, arriving 13 years after the band’s much-loved debut Picture back in 2005.

L.A. Guns – Made In Milan CD+DVD/2xLP (Frontiers)

“If you want to hear a classic Sunset Strip band at their 2018 best, Made In Milan is just what you are looking for.” – Shockwave [Stand-alone Blu-ray edition also available.]

Mélissa Laveaux – Radyo Siwel CD/LP (No Format)

April 2016, Canadian singer Mélissa Laveaux heads to Haiti, her parents’ homeland. 20 years have gone by since she last stepped foot there. Here she is today, still a stranger to a country that is very much an intricate part of her identity. She discovers an extraordinary heritage: the folk songs that have bred and nourished Haitians artists for decades. Returning from Haiti with sounds, melodies, moods and stories of distant times, upon which Mélissa built the musical backbone to Radyo Siwèl. A re-interpretation, sometimes from scraps, sometimes from a few phrases in a book, from traditional tunes to vaudou anthems, sewn together like a patchwork of intersecting identities. Draping them in her indie rock aesthetic, percussive and sinuous guitars, Mélissa’s voice booms and unfurls to give the music its distinct sound.

Led Zeppelin – How The West Was Won [Reissue/2003] 3xCD/4xLP/3xCD+4xLP+DVD (Rhino)

Led Zeppelin continue their reissue campaign with a new edition of their celebrated live album How The West Was Won, originally released in 2003, featuring newly remastered audio, which was done under the supervision of Jimmy Page. How The West Was Won highlights the best performances from Led Zeppelin’s legendary concerts at the Los Angeles Forum and Long Beach Arena on June 25 and 27, 1972. Melded together and sequenced to replicate a single concert from beginning to end, the collection captures the band at the height of its formidable powers. [Also available: Super deluxe box set featuring three CDs, four 180gm vinyl LPs and a DVD in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and PCM Stereo, plus photo gallery. Stand-alone Blu-ray edition also available.]

Lissie – Castles CD/LP (Lionboy)

A powerful combination of heartfelt introspection and contemporary dream-pop, Lissie’s fourth studio album marks the return of a singular voice in the modern American scene. Written predominantly from Lissie’s new home in northeast Iowa, Castles represents a spiritual, as well as musical development: it’s a portrait of an artist who has always been on the move and is finally creating a sense of permanency; a chance to catch her breath and reflect.

Liziuz – Geshichten Des Lebens 2xCD (Hospital Productions)

After a series of committed live performances in Germany, Berlin-based producer Liziuz delivers his stunning debut album for Hospital Productions. Presented on two discs with two interpretations of the same epic track with one in ambient form and one in techno form, Geschichten Des Lebens is an album that requires patience with deep rewards.

The Lyman Family with Lisa Kindred – The American Avatar: Love Comes Rolling Down CD (Omnivore)

The American Avatar: Love Comes Rolling Down album released on Reprise Records in 1969 and hadn’t made it to a CD release until now. Primarily a blues covers album, with contributions from members of Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band including Jim Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur, and Mel Lyman himself, the family grew out of a Boston suburb underground newspaper called Avatar. By 1970 the family was about 100 people strong and are an ongoing concern to this very day.

Deva Mahal – Run Deep CD (Motema Music)

A rare combination of masterful songwriting and breathtaking vocal talent, Deva Mahal steps into the spotlight on her debut, Run Deep – an album of pulse-pounding soul with a decidedly modern edge. Taking inspiration from the idea of strength through vulnerability, Deva powerfully connects with her audience with raw honesty, rich musicality, and emotionally searing songs of love and loss, and the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity. [Vinyl edition due June 1.]

Wynton Marsalis Septet – United We Swing: Best Of The Jazz At Lincoln Center Galas CD/2xLP (Blue Engine)

The most memorable performances from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s historic gala concerts available for the first time. Recorded between 2003 and 2007, United We Swing: Best Of The Jazz At Lincoln Center Galas finds an unparalleled array of music talent that collectively boasts 94 Grammy Awards joining Jazz at Lincoln Center Managing and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis (a nine-time Grammy winner) and some of the world’s top jazz musicians to perform blues-inflected versions of iconic American repertoire. They include Lenny Kravitz performing Marsalis’s hypnotizing, New Orleans-inflected arrangement of Kravitz’ own song, “Are You Gonna Go My Way”; Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks uniting for a stirring, infectious take on Civil Rights anthem “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free”; Bob Dylan adding harmonica licks to a deeply felt, in-the-pocket rendition of “It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry”; and Ray Charles taking the stage for one of his final performances to play “I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town.” The collection also includes performances featuring Blind Boys Of Alabama, Jimmy Buffett, Eric Clapton, John Legend, Lyle Lovett, John Mayer, Audra McDonald, Natalie Merchant, Willie Nelson, Carrie Smith, and James Taylor.

Don McLean – Botanical Gardens CD (BMG)

Botanical Gardens is enduring singer-songwriter Don McLean’s (“American Pie”) nineteenth studio effort overall and first in eight years. One of his most reflective, the concept of intimacy can be found at the heart of the record, with McLean penning personal numbers looking back on a life well lived, as well as his observations on youth and love. Recording at Watershed Studios in Nashville also allowed a different kind of intimacy for Don and his band, as they were made to “play close and feel the music,” resulting in a raw, yet tight sound throughout. He proves his prowess at writing timeless sounding songs once again, as the album weaves country, Americana, folk, and boot stomping rock. “The inspiration for the project started years ago when I would walk in the beautiful gardens in Sydney Australia near the Opera House,” McLean explains. “I would dream young dreams and it was a comfort and an inspiration. I was always young inside, like we all are, and I felt it again there. The whole album really revolves around the title song. Later on, I realized that the gardens are really a metaphorical heaven, and there’s a kind of death and rebirth.” [Vinyl edition due April 6.]

Memoriam – The Silent Vigil CD/Cassette (Nuclear Blast)

Memoriam was primarily developed to fill the void that was left following the tragic death of Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns, the drummer from Bolt Thrower back in September 2015. Bolt Thrower subsequently placed all activity on hold for the foreseeable future which gave Karl Willetts an opportunity to develop a new project with friends that had expressed interest in forming a band for some time. Memoriam is an old school death metal outfit that maintains the standards set by previous bands that the members have played with, focusing on the themes of death, loss and war. [Vinyl edition due April 20.]

The Messthetics – The Messthetics CD/LP (Dischord)

The Messthetics is an instrumental trio featuring Brendan Canty (drums), Joe Lally (bass), and Anthony Pirog (guitar). Brendan Canty and Joe Lally were the rhythm section of the band Fugazi from its inception in 1987 to its period of hiatus in 2002. This is the first band they’ve had together since then. Anthony Pirog is a jazz and experimental guitarist based in Washington, D.C. One half of the duo Janel & Anthony, he has emerged as a primary figure in the city’s out-music community. The trio’s debut includes nine songs recorded at Canty’s practice space throughout 2017, live and mostly without overdubs. It’s a snapshot of a band dedicated to the live ideal, where structure begets improvisation.

Monster Magnet – Mindf**ker CD/2xLP (Napalm)

Monster Magnet put the pedal to the metal with Mindf**ker, their tenth studio effort which mastermind Dave Wyndorf stated is “full-ahead Detroit-style, early ‘70s, MC5 and Stooges type of rock.” In terms of power driven stoner rock these gentlemen from New Jersey belong to the measure of all things. But Mindf**ker is different, a step forward and a step back at the same time to the almighty roots of beat music. Wyndorf seeks and finds timeless songs here, kindled by the unpretentious protopunk era and manipulates his guitar with rich virility and the drive of his shifty soul throughout. Pumping and scratching at every turn, all things are in constant motion with a sound of groovy straightforwardness, always heading for the essence of the song. Up tempo, savage in both sound and spirit, Mindf**ker is the real deal. The album has the potential to surprise and to whip up the love for the genre, while still giving the sludgies and stoner freaks exactly what they wish for in a new Monster Magnet album. [Vinyl edition includes bonus tracks and an etching on Side D. Limited silver colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Moody Blues – Days Of Future Past Live 2xCD/2xLP (Eagle)

The Moody Blues’ classic 1967 album Days Of Future Passed is regarded as one of the foundation stones of the progressive rock genre. In 2017, the band headed out on the album’s 50th Anniversary Tour including the wonderful show captured at the Sony Centre For The Performing Arts in Toronto accompanied by a full orchestra. The concert begins with the band by themselves performing a selection of classic Moody Blues tracks before they are joined by the orchestra to perform Days Of Future Passed in its entirety plus a couple of fantastic encore tracks. [Stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions also available.]

Mournful Congregation – Incubus Of Karma CD/2xLP (20 Buck Spin)

Australia’s stone pillar of funereal dirge presents their regal fourth full-length.

The Mystic Astrologic Crystal Band – The Mystic Astrologic Crystal Band [Reissue/1967] CD (Early Dawn)

A reissue of The Mystic Astrologic Crystal Band’s self-titled album, originally released in 1967. L.A. psychedelic rock outfit from the late ’60s — Sitar, baroque sunshine psych pop at its best. Musically ranging from Beach Boys, over Sgt. Peppers to The Seeds. Imagine a soft version of Max Frost & The Troopers’ Wild In The Streets (1968) soundtrack. Includes bonus tracks.

Nale – Death. Skulls. Satan CD/LP (Black Lodge)

Sweden’s hottest underground metal act breaks through and releases their album. With a vicious blend of metal in the likes of Panera and the Haunted with the fast-paced rock of Danko Jones and a punk fueled in-your-face attitude of Motörhead, Nale delivers a high octane album with massive drive, heavy riffs, brutal vocals and groove that will leave necks, and hips, sore for days.

Nebula – To The Center [Reissue/1999] CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)

Nebula’s first non-EP full-length release, 1999’s To The Center, is a retro-psychedelic heavy rock platter long on stripped-down riff muscle and surprisingly technically adept guitar jams. [Limited splatter colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Nightmarer – Cacophony Of Terror CD/LP (Season Of Mist)

Nightmarer deploy a harsh and unrelenting battery of dissonant death on their aptly-titled new album. Building off the foundation laid by their 2016 Chasm demo, the international trio (featuring ex and current members of The Ocean, War From A Harlots Mouth and Gigan) offers up loose state-of-the-art extremity here that’s as nuanced and articulate as it is intense. World-class, modern death metal.

Of Feather And Bone – Bestial Hymns Of Perversion CD/LP (Profound Lore)

Emerging from their Rocky Mountain crypts, Of Feather And Bone spread their virulent strain of cryptic death metal. Invoking the claustrophobia of Autopsy and the visceral disgust of Incantation and Bolt Thrower, this band’s relentless death-assault serves as the soundtrack to mankind’s fall.

Palace Of The King – Keep Right With Your Maker CD/LP (Golden Robot)

Although the Australian rock scene isn’t exactly short on incredible talent, Palace Of The King has managed to attract a lot of fans since they started in Melbourne in 2012, amongst them Joel O’Keeffe (Airbourne vocalist): “They are the real f**kin’ deal!”

The Pandoras – Hey! It’s The Pandoras CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Burger)

New mini-album from Los Angeles garage-gals, their first in 29 years and the first with guitarist Kim Shattuck (The Muffs).

Axel Rudi Pell – Knights Call CD/2xLP+CD (Steamhammer)

17th studio album from the German power metal guitar virtuoso. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Porcupine Tree – Arriving Somewhere [Reissue/2005] 2xCD+Blu-ray (Kscope)

First-time CD and Blu-ray edition. In 2005, Porcupine Tree toured the release of Deadwing to an adoring audience. It was their Park West show (October 11-12, 2005) in Chicago that was filmed for the eventual DVD release. This became known as Arriving Somewhere. It was made available in downloadable audio formats as well but was never released outside the confines of the DVD and digital download realms.

Preoccupations – New Material CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Jagjaguwar)

Preoccupations’ songs have always worked through themes of creation, destruction, and futility, and they’ve always done it with singular post-punk grit. The textures are evocative and razor-sharp. The wire is always a live one. But while that darker side may have been well-explored, that’s not quite the same as it being fully, intensely lived. This time it was, and the result is New Material, a collection that broadens and deepens Preoccupations to a true mastery of their sound. In it lies the difference between witnessing a car crash and crashing your own, between jumping into an ocean and starting to swallow the water.

The Price Sisters – A Heart Never Knows CD (Rebel)

At just twenty-three years old, twin sisters Lauren and Leanna Price are poised to become the torchbearers for traditional bluegrass. While their playing is thoroughly rooted in the classic style of Bill Monroe, their smooth, polished sibling vocal harmonies infuse the music with a fresh, contemporary appeal.

Mark Pritchard – The Four Worlds CD/LP+MP3 (Warp)

Mark Pritchard returns with an eight-track collection further exploring the sonic worlds first encountered on his critically acclaimed 2016 opus Under The Sun. The ambient feel and engrossing cinematic soundscapes are mirrored by the artwork and visuals of beloved visual artist Jonathan Zawada. Having already collaborated on his last record with Thom Yorke, Bibio and Linda Perhacs, as well as touring with James Blake, The Four Worlds features Pritchard working with a collection of underground poets and musicians including Colorado’s psychedelic heroine Space Lady on “S.O.S”, and eighties cult radio artist Gregory Whitehead on “Come Let Us.”

Banyen Rakkaen – Lam Phloen World-Class: Essential Banyen Rakkaen CD/LP (Em)

A collection from pioneering Thai molam idol Banyen Rakkaen, featuring her most thrilling performances from the early to mid-‘70s, with innovative genre-bending arrangements and production from Thepphabut Satirodchomphu. These tracks, all originally released on 7” vinyl, showcase her powerful yet alluring voice, revolutionary yet rooted in tradition.

Blaine L. Reininger – Blue Sleep CD (Crepuscule)

New studio album by the Colorado-born composer and founder member of avant-garde music group Tuxedomoon. “These days the music plays me,” explains Blaine. “The unifying principle behind the songs on Blue Sleep is the method of composition. I apply fine old aleatory techniques – John Cage, William Burroughs, Tristan Tzara – and filter these through my instinctive knowledge of melody and harmony. Lyrics are generated algorithmically (I work with programs which assemble phrases according to mathematical rules) and then edited by me, with phrases suggested by the random output. That’s pretty much my modus operandi in the 21st century.”

The Residents – Fingerprince pREServed Edition 2xCD (Cryptic Corporation)

Produced with The Cryptic Corporation, and with full access to The Residents’ extensive tape archive, this package explores and expands the classic third album and related 1976-1977 material, as well as the album’s evolution on the live stage. Includes the album restored to its original conceptual running order, plus long-forgotten unreleased material, live-in-the-studio tracks and concert recordings.

Steve Roach – Dreamtime Return [Reissue/1988] 2xCD (Projekt)

This magnum opus is one of the most important, widely known and highly respected release in Steve Roach’s vast body of work, and serves as an essential benchmark within the electronic-ethno-atmospheric genre.

Alasdair Roberts, Amble Skuse & David Mcguinnes – What News CD/LP (Drag City)

For his twelfth solo album, What News, and his fourth album focused exclusively on the performance of traditional songs, Alasdair Roberts has chosen a typically unusual and eclectic pair of collaborators: Amble Skuse and David McGuinnes.

Jeff Rosenstock – POST- CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Polyvinyl)

Jeff Rosenstock was an anxious kid who grew into an anxious adult and has also made a bunch of music along the way, with a bunch of bands, most notably Bomb The Music Industry! who apparently pioneered giving shit away for free on the internet—or at least got some of the credit for it. Now he plays with his bi-coastal band of rad musicians, mixing punk energy with diverse instrumentation and occasional accuracy. [Limited 180gm light blue vinyl pressing also available.]

Sacrifice Theory – Infected CD (Bret Hard)

Heavy American-inspired thrash from Germany.

Salty Dog – Lost Treasure CD (Escape Music)

Great American rock inspired by Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith and early blues.

Hiroshi Sato – Orient [Reissue/1979] CD/LP (Wewantsounds)

A reissue and the first international release of Hiroshi Sato’s ultra-rare synth masterpiece, Orient, originally released in 1979 on Kitty Records in Japan only. This highly sought-after album is a superb breezy mix of Japanese synth-pop with a subtle touch of mid-‘70s Herbie Hancock-style funk and AOR.

Skin Crime – Ghosts I Have Been CD (Hospital Productions)

The first album from the supreme atmospheric noise band since their colossal 20-CD box set collection on Hospital Productions in 2015.

Sol Invictus – Necropolis CD/2xCD/LP (Prophecy)

Sol Invictus is one of the most prolific and influential bands associated with neofolk or apocalyptic folk, a form of experimental music which emerged in punk rock circles in the 1980’s, blending elements of folk and industrial music with dark themes of decay, decline, and/or the destruction of Western civilization. More than 30 years after their inception, they return with Necropolis – possibly their final release. [Limited double-CD hardcover book edition including 18-track bonus tracks also available.]

Squirrel Nut Zippers – Beasts Of Burgundy CD/LP (Southern Broadcast)

“It’s not a reunion, it’s a revival” has been the battle cry for Mathus since reforming Squirrel Nut Zippers in 2016. With an all-star cast of New Orleans musicians, the band breathed new life into the old material, and inspired Mathus to return to the studio to reignite the band’s unique, enigmatic sound. The result, is the first Squirrel Nut Zippers studio album in eighteen years titled Beasts Of Burgundy. A return to form, the album embraces the city that first inspired the group.

1. Stalin – Avatar CD (Livewire)

The rapper channels his inner R&B side on an album for the ladies.

Sunflower Bean – Twentytwo In Blue CD/LP/Cassette (Mom + Pop)

Sophomore album from the NY-based alt-rock band. While the trio remains a guitar band at its core, new and different textures shine on Twentytwo In Blue. Sunflower Bean’s diverse sound has allowed them to tour alongside DIIV, Best Coast, Pixes and Wolf Alice. “New York is still home to bands as varied as Sunflower Bean, whose music suggests what might have happened if psychedelia had emerged after punk and the Police rather than before.” – The New York Times

Sun Ra – God Is More Than Love Will Ever Be [Reissue/1979] CD/LP (Cosmic Myth)

Somewhat of a rarity in the Sun Ra catalog – a cohesive album, with none of the stylistic eclecticism and patchwork personnel characteristically found on Saturn LPs. The album’s five tracks were recorded at Variety Studios in one session by a solid jazz trio. Drummer Samarai Celestial (Eric Walker) recalls this being his first recording date with Ra; bassist Hayes Burnett had been with Ra since 1976 and would remain until 1982 or ’83. Celestial continued recording and performing with the Arkestra beyond Ra’s ’93 departure, being a mainstay in the band under the directorship of Marshall Allen until the drummer’s premature death in 1997 at age 43. Existing copies of the LP are known by several titles, including Blithe Spirit Dance, Days Of Happiness, and Trio. Many Sun Ra records were not formally titled. In their haste to prepare limited pressings for sale at concerts, often someone in the band simply wrote the title of the first (or last) track title on the label (if blank) or on the generic sleeve, and that became an alternate album title.

The Sword – Used Future CD/LP+MP3 (Razor & Tie)

The Sword’s sixth studio album, Used Future, was recorded in Portland, Oregon with producer Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists, Modest Mouse) and features twelve new Sword compositions. A giant leap forward for the band dominated by heavy grooves, soaring hooks, and epic instrumental interludes, it’s The Swords’ modern version of a classic ‘70s rock album in the tradition of masterpieces by The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. It also sees the band utilizing synths more than ever before adding a whole new layer of cinematic color to its dynamic sound. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Paul Thorn – Don’t Let The Devil Ride CD (Perpetual Obscurity)

Don’t Let The Devil Ride collects soulful songs originally cut by black southern gospel groups, and features guests Blind Boys Of Alabama, the McCrary Sisters, the Preservation Hall Jazz Horns, and Bonnie Bishop. [Vinyl edition due May 11.]

Sidi Touré – Toubalbero CD/2xLP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)

Acclaimed Malian musician Sidi Touré returns with his fourth album. Named after the large traditional drum used to gather people in the Malian region of Gao, Toubalbero is a danceable, dynamic, and despite the region’s significant political challenges, joyous album. The album was recorded in Mali’s legendary Studio Bogolan where Ali Farka Touré, Toumani Diabate, and Björk have recorded.

Ungfell – Mythen, Mären, Pestilenz CD (Eisenwald)

“Ungfell’s second full-length presents Helvetic black metal deeply rooted in medieval lore and tales of pestilent witchcraft. Ghastly ghouls and sinister sorceresses rejoice in these utterances and sounds, gathered as one around the towering witch’s pyre… as the hangman plays the last lead, the crimson night is not far.”

Various Artists – Death Row Chronicles: Original Soundtrack CD (Death Row)

Companion album to BET’s hit TV show Death Row Chronicles. This 15-song album is a good mix of front line hits like “Murder Was The Case” and hard to find rarities like Sam Sneed’s “Drug Related”. [Vinyl edition due April 20.]

Various Artists – Eccentric Soul: The Saru Label CD/2xLP (Numero)

The 20th volume of Numero’s flagship Eccentric Soul series has all the boxes checked: Gun-toting, skip-tracing record producers, child stars, rip-offs, the “World’s Greatest Bail Bondsman,” swindles, soaring falsettos, and a dwindling rust-belt cityscape offering mere glimpses of hope before the record industry escaped for the coasts. Helmed by the O’Jays Bobby Massey, Saru was a creative vortex that pulled Cuyahoga County’s greatest talent in, making a strong case for Cleveland to contend with Detroit, Philly, and Memphis as America’s soul music’s capital. Includes obscure and unknown sides from the Out of Sights, the Elements, Pandella Kelly, David Peoples, Sir Stanley, the Ponderosa Twins + 1, Ba-Roz, Bobby Dukes, and of course, the O’Jays.

Various Artists – The Thousand Incarnations Of The Rose: American Primitive Guitar & Banjo 1963-1974 CD/LP (Craft Recordings)

The Thousand Incarnations Of The Rose celebrates the groundbreaking, inventive approach to traditional music brought forward by a collection of maverick artists whose interpretations of folk, blues, and traditional song gave rise to one of American music’s most unique and singular styles. Features John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Robbie Basho, and more.

Tom Waits – Closing Time [Reissue/1973] CD (ANTI-)

Tom Waits – The Heart Of Saturday Night [Reissue/1974] CD (ANTI-)

Tom Waits – Nighthawks At The Diner [Reissue/1975] CD (ANTI-)

Tom Waits – Small Change [Reissue/1976] CD (ANTI-)

Tom Waits – Foreign Affairs [Reissue/1977] CD (ANTI-)

Tom Waits – Blue Valentine [Reissue/1978] CD (ANTI-)

Tom Waits – Heartattack And Vine [Reissue/1980] CD (ANTI-)

Digitally remastered editions of singer-songwriter, musician, composer and actor’s classic, quintessential first seven albums.

The Waxidermist – Origami Case CD/2xLP (Sound Sculpture)

“To find Lawkyz, follow the beat. It is here, in this vital part, this lighthouse which guides the route of the other instruments, which it prints in depth the low notes of his four strings. Riveted on the drums. Linking with it a rhythmic pact, ensuring the propulsion of the groove on stage with Erik Truffaz or Guts; on records with UHT, Anna Kova, or Versus, his hip-hop project with full live band. When he puts his fetish instrument, when he lets cool his amp, then wakes up his evil twin: The Waxidermist.”

Erika Wennerstrom – Sweet Unknown CD/2xLP (Partisan)

There’s something somewhat frightening, yet utterly freeing when leaving the confines of a successful band to venture solo – especially a band whose latest record was called “effortlessly brilliant” by critics. But, such is the case with Erika Wennerstrom who is taking a brief vacation from her Cincinnati-based rock band, Heartless Bastards, to deliver her solo debut Sweet Unknown. But fans of Heartless Bastards need not worry. The band has not broken up. “We’d been going for so long and everyone in the band was just ready for a little break. But I had songs in me that needed to come out. I didn’t think it was fair to push them to keep going and I didn’t want to do it without them under the Heartless Bastards name,” explains Wennerstrom, who enlisted the help of HB’s Jesse Ebaugh to play bass on 8 of the 9 tracks on Sweet Unknown. While Wennerstrom has always been honest on all of the Heartless Bastards songs she’s written, the Sweet Unknown material is even more personal and reflective, and for her, quite transformative as well. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Jack White – Boarding House Reach CD/LP (Columbia/Third Man)

Boarding House Reach is the eagerly anticipated new album from Jack White, his third solo LP and first all-new album in nearly four years. Written and conceived while holed up in a spartan apartment with no outside distractions, Jack replicated the identical environment and used the same gear as when he was a 15-year-old (a quarter-inch four-track tape recorder, a simple mixer, and the most basic of instrumentation) to pen sketches of the songs. The album explores a remarkable range of sonic terrain – crunching rock ‘n’ roll, electro and hard funk, proto punk, hip-hop, gospel blues, and even country – all remapped and born anew to fit White’s matchless vision and sense of restless experimentation.

Will Haven – Muerte CD (Minus Head)

New release from the noise metal legends. Formed in Sacramento, CA in 1995, Will Haven has existed on the fringe of extreme music ever since. Muerte, which is Spanish for ‘death’, is the band’s six full-length album.

Kip Winger – Solo Box Set Collection 5xCD (Frontiers)

A box set collecting all the solo works from the bassist/songwriter/composer into one collection. Includes: This Conversation Seems Like A Dream (1997) Down Incognito (1998) Songs From The Ocean Floor (2000) From The Moon To The Sun (2008) and a bonus disc featuring unreleased, bonus, rare and demo tracks.

Young Hu$tle – Bag Talk CD (X-Ray)

After self-releasing several mixtapes that quickly became underground hits, the Long Beach rapper delivers his long-awaited debut. Includes guest appearances by AD, Slim 400, Tray Dee, and a remix from Riff Raff.

Your Food – Poke It With A Stick CD/LP (Drag City)

A sui generis gem of the American underground, now faithfully reissued for the first time by Drag City. Recorded in 1983 by four scarecrows from Kentucky subsisting largely on cheap beer and baked beans, Poke It With A Stick is a burbling burgoo of hypnotic rhythm, uncoiling tension, and sharp invective—a proud bastard of post-punk royalty.

DVDs + Blu-ray:

L.A. Guns – Made In Milan Blu-ray (Frontiers)

“If you want to hear a classic Sunset Strip band at their 2018 best, Made In Milan is just what you are looking for.” – Shockwave

Led Zeppelin – How The West Was Won [2003] Blu-ray (Atlantic)

Led Zeppelin continue their reissue campaign with a digitally remastered edition of their celebrated live album How The West Was Won, originally released in 2003, featuring newly remastered audio, which was done under the supervision of Jimmy Page. How The West Was Won highlights the best performances from Led Zeppelin’s legendary concerts at the Los Angeles Forum and Long Beach Arena on June 25 and 27, 1972. First ever Blu-ray Audio edition (containing hi-res 5.1 surround sound).

Moody Blues – Days Of Future Past Live DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle)

The Moody Blues’ classic 1967 album Days Of Future Passed is regarded as one of the foundation stones of the progressive rock genre. In 2017, the band headed out on the album’s 50th Anniversary Tour including the wonderful show captured at the Sony Centre For The Performing Arts in Toronto accompanied by a full orchestra. The concert begins with the band by themselves performing a selection of classic Moody Blues tracks before they are joined by the orchestra to perform Days Of Future Passed in its entirety plus a couple of fantastic encore tracks.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Against Me! – White Crosses [Reissue/2010] LP (Total Treble)

Vinyl reissue of Against Me’s fifth studio album. Produced by Butch Vig, White Crosses is the first (and only) Against Me album to feature George Rebelo, drummer of Hot Water Music, following the departure of previous drummer Warren Oakes.

Andrew W.K. – You’re Not Alone 2xLP (Red Music)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. To party is to exist. And to exist is to party. On You’re Not Alone, Andrew W.K.’s first album of new rock songs in nearly twelve years, the party is reborn as he delivers a set of high octane, full throttle rock ‘n’ roll powered by buoyant, infectious, and triumphant melodies. Limited colored pressing also available.

The Apostles – Banko Woman [Reissue/1977] LP (PMG)

Heaven-sent from Nigeria’s tumultuous east, The Apostles have been preaching a particular blend of funky psychedelic soul/rock fusion for over forty years. On Banko Woman they threw a little Afrobeat into the mix, creating an Afro-funk disco bomb that has been energizing dance floors ever since.

Autopsy – Critical Madness: The Demo Years LP (Peaceville)

Critical Madness: The Demo Years compiles the earliest recordings by the kings of sickness. Chronicling the band’s formative years, the collection contains Autopsy’s first demo from 1987 as well as 1988’s legendary Critical Madness demo (which quickly resulted in the group inking a deal with Peaceville and the subsequent release of the genre staple debut, 1989’s Severed Survival). This special archive release is completed by the rare track “Christ Denied” and a selection of raw rehearsal recordings from 1987 and 1988, most of which would later feature on the band’s studio debut.

Daniel Avery – Slow Fade Remix 12” (Mute)

Following the release of his Slow Fade EP last month, Daniel Avery now presents a collection of remixes from Surgeon, Actress, and Inga Mauer.

François Bayle – Tremblements… LP (Recollection GRM)

François Bayle on Tremblement De Terre Très Doux (1978); first performance on March 19, 1979 at the Grand Auditorium of RadioFrance, Ina-GRM’s Cycle Acousmatique: “The familiar generates the strange. These rolls, these hums, these sudden rushes; this song, these peaceful circlings; these sudden outbursts, these returns to quiescence – what do they remind us of? This piece’s trajectory could also be a representation of the dramatic unfolding of a day – of a life – from sunrise (‘Climate 1’) to night-time (‘Landscape 4’) via restless encounters, transitions (‘Transit 1’, ‘2’, and ‘3’) that announce the drama climaxing in ‘Landscape 3’, before reaching its denouement in “Climate 4″… A whole concrete ‘story’. The subterranean properties inherent to listening gently shift our ideas…”

Burnis – Light My Fire [Reissue/1983] LP (PMG)

A beautifully produced slice of Nigerian disco boogie by a guy who could write catchy songs, sing like a sex god and look good in a shiny purple suit.

Casual Hex – Zig Zag Lady Illusion LP (Water Wing)

Casual Hex is a three-piece formed in Seattle, WA, in 2015. Drawing influence from a variety of genres (post-punk, no-wave, noise rock), The band relies on the contrast of heavy, catchy, minimal, and dissonant. It’s difficult to draw a direct lineage, but flashes of Pylon, The Contortions or early Sonic Youth come to mind.

Childs – Yui [2006] LP (Pocket)

Childs’ electronic post-rock 2006 debut, remastered for vinyl with special arrangements by Fernando Corona aka Murcof. Limited white colored pressing.

Choir Boy – Passive With Desire LP (Team Love)

The music on Choir Boy’s debut album, Passive With Desire, is deeply rooted in postpunk pop and articulate productions that take their queues from the likes of Bryan Ferry, Kate Bush, OMD and Fleetwood Mac.

Chromatics – Tick Of The Clock [Reissue/2012] 12” (Italians Do It Better)

Limited edition 180gm ultra-clear dipped in icy blue colored vinyl repress. “Tick Of The Clock” is a 2012 single featuring the Drive soundtrack number along with Visione’s “Stroke Of Midnight” remix version and an “Extended Overdrive” mix.

Come Holy Spirit – Asters And Disasters LP (Water Wing)

Formed in 2012 in Pittsburgh PA, Come Holy Spirit wields the age-old trifecta of guitar, bass, and drums in unexpected configurations. The songs embody a complex aggregate of musical influences, ranging from the angular deconstructivism of early experimental anarcho-punk (think Dog Faced Hermans and Poison Girls) to the tender repetition of far-flung folk music.

Currituck Co. – Sleepwalks In The Garden Of The Deadroom LP (Feeding Tube)

“The operating handle of guitarist Kevin Barker, one of the best players to emerge from the Mid-Atlantic völk underground of the early ‘00s, Currituck Co. cut five albums between 2000 and 2005, all of which are gorgeous. There’s always been a Jansch-ian vibe to Kevin’s work, which is made explicit here by a great cover of Bert’s ‘Silly Woman.’ More often it’s Kevin’s guitar picking that sounds haunted by Jansch, with cleanly complex melodies and slippery string shifts. But the way he blends shards of electric amp squeal into the background is uniquely his own.”

The Cyrkle – The Minx: Soundtrack LP+DVD (Modern Harmonic)

The Minx, an intriguing and plush soundtrack from the Cyrkle, is laden with the band’s trademark three-part harmonies, intricate arrangements, and paisley-psychedelic sounds. Recorded in 1967 – following the Cyrkle’s pop chart success with Paul Simon’s “Red Rubber Ball” and their own “Turn-Down Day” – and shelved until the film’s release two years later, The Minx has eluded the grasp of even the most dedicated Cyrkle fan. This legitimate, deluxe colored vinyl reissue (created from the master reels, with full participation of the band members) includes bonus tracks, extensive notes, and features an accompanying DVD with the original, outrageous film.

Dabrye – Instrmntl [2002] LP+MP3 (Ghostly International)

First-time vinyl pressing. 2002’s Instrmntl is a continuation of the beat experiments Tadd Mullinix aka Dabrye began with One/Three and a bridge to the diverse textures that would define Two/Three four years later. About half of its nine tracks (ten if you lived in Japan) were created at the same time as One/Three while the rest were newer or made specifically for the album. Once again Mullinix looked outside of hip-hop to techno, house, and drum & bass for stylistic and technical ideas while embracing the blissful minimalism of a good hip-hop instrumental and the rhythmic nuance of Detroit.

Diablo String Orchestra – Pacifisticuffs LP (Spinefarm)

Released last December on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Swedish avant-metallers.

DsorDNE – È Un Sole [Reissue/1990] LP (Dark Entries)

DsorDNE (pronounced Disordine) is a project from Torino, Italy that evolved as group out of the electronic experimental post punk project Novostj in 1987. At the core of DsorDNE is Marco Milanesio, musical engineer and co-founder of the HAX record label, joined by a revolving cast of musicians. Their spectrum ranged from experimental to structured electro-poetry and soundtrack-like instrumental electronic music. In 1987 they released their first track on a split-single with The Legendary Pink Dots. Between 1987 and 1994 they released six full length albums, three split-EPs and appeared on various cassette compilations. È Un Sole (It’s a Sun) was the group’s only vinyl full length originally released in 1990 on HAX. It’s eight tracks of electro-beat poetry and experimentation.

Bob Dylan – 1962: The Witmark Demos LP (Wax Love)

In the spring of 1962, folk music manager Albert Grossman began to take an active interest in Bob Dylan. He proposed that Dylan sign with the prestigious publisher M. Witmark & Sons. Dylan signed a contract with Witmark on July 12 and immediately recorded a demo of what would become his breakthrough song, “Blowin’ in the Wind”. Four months passed before Dylan returned to record another song, “Ye Playboys and Playgirls”, but the next month, in December, he showed up with many new compositions, including three that would become classics of his, “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall”, “Ballad of Hollis Brown”, and “Tomorrow Is a Long Time”.

Bob Dylan – Folksinger’s Choice Radio Broadcast LP (Wax Love)

Cynthia Gooding was a folk singer best known for her radio show, which was broadcast on New York’s WBAI. It was on this show in early 1962 that she recorded an interview and performance with the then unknown Bob Dylan, whose first album had yet been released. A stunning and clear performance featuring covers and many of his earliest canonical songs, an important document in the nearly 60-year career of an American icon.

Ecostrike – Voice Of Strength LP (Triple B.)

Vegan straight edge hardcore in the vein of Strife, Trial, Earth Crisis or Bane.

Nadah El Shazly – Ahwar LP (Nawa Recordings)

The debut album by Nadah El Shazly. Starting out singing Misfits covers in a local punk band, then moving on to producing her own electronic tracks and making a name for herself in Cairo’s underground scene, Nadah El Shazly’s backstory is not that unusual. Her debut album on the other hand, is an entirely unexpected story. Two years in the making, Ahwar (Arabic for “marshlands”) is an otherworldly record, not unlike an abstract mythological story-tale.

Fatboy Slim – You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Skint)

Fatboy Slim’s 1998 global smash You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby tore a hole into pop music with its big beats, revolutionary samples and deadly hooks, taking the English producer to new heights in the process. Yielding four inescapable hit singles (“The Rockafeller Skank,” “Praise You,” “Right Here, Right Now” and “Gangster Trippin’”) the paradigm shifting album helped kick start the big beat/electronica boom of the late ’90s and pushes all the right buttons with nods to funk, old-school hip hop and disco. Long out-of-print, You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby has been reissued on double vinyl in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

Fazer – Mara LP (Fazer)

Debut album from the Munich-based jazz group Fazer. The young musicians combine African and Latin rhythms with dubby basslines and melancholic melodies. Imagine the worlds of Nico, Björk, and Annette Peacock with the Arabic language as their mother tongue, re-approached through acoustic avant-jazz harmony and re-constructed with a dash of Kamilya Jubran’s modern styling of Arabic maqam and you may be somewhere close.

Fever Ray – Plunge 2xLP+MP3 (Mute)

Deluxe gatefold double-LP edition with blood red gel outer sleeve and two posters. Karin Dreijer (one half of the electronic duo The Knife along with her brother, Olof Dreijer) makes her long awaited return as Fever Ray with the project’s second album Plunge, the first release since 2009’s celebrated Fever Ray. Featuring lead single “To The Moon and Back,” Plunge was largely recorded in Dreijer’s Stockholm studio in collaboration with the producers Paula Temple, Deena Abdelwahed, NÍDIA, Tami T, Peder Mannerfelt and Johannes Berglund. “Fever Ray’s Plunge…is Karin Dreijer at her most vulnerable and powerful, a righteous reclamation of kink that extends a knowing invitation,” writes NPR. “Across 11 tracks of coquettish synth-pop cut with neon, Dreijer is not just frank about her sexual desires, but how she desires them – with consent, with trust, with pain, with love.”

The Flu – Patsy: A Collection Of Absolute Insanity By The Flu [1988] 2xLP (Artoffact)

Between 1986 and 1989, cEvin Key (Skinny Puppy) and the late Alan Nelson (Hilt) spent countless hours recording out of Nelson’s apartment as The Flu. The music they produced in those sessions is quite remarkable, blending electronics, guitars, live drums, drum machines, live singing by cats, and recordings from tele-personals, all with Al’s inimitable lyrics and vocals. Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.

Ceasar Frazier – Hail Ceasar! [Reissue/1972] LP (Tidal Waves Music)

Hailing from Indianapolis, Caesar Frazier (spelled ‘Ceasar’ from time to time) was a funky soul-jazz organist who recorded several albums for the Eastbound/Westbound label family during the ’70s. In 1972 Frazier cut his first album, Hail Ceasar, which featured musicians commonly associated with the Prestige label’s jazz-funk outings – Melvin Sparks (guitar), Houston Person (tenor), and Idris Muhammad (drums). Those names alone should give you a clear idea what’s going down on this album: slick wa wa guitar lines, the crisp ultra bumpin’ conga rhythms, Idris’s slick funk beats, screaming sax solos and last but not least Caesar’s trademark Hammond organ sound.

Geography Of Hell – Hiroshima 1945 / Nagasaki 1945 2xLP (Hospital Productions)

After a series of cassette-only releases detailing the major natural and manmade disasters of the world, Geography Of Hell, a mysterious collective with an international cast of members completes their debut and arguably most immersive work yet, Hiroshima 1945 / Nagaskai 1945. Two LPs ranging from insane martial loops to the most distant rumblings and shore breeze – a master work of one of most true contemporary industrial collectives that easily fits into cinematic compositions as well as contemporary avant-garde electronics and even the nether regions of neoclassical punk.

Beverly Glenn-Copeland – Beverly Glenn-Copeland [Reissue/1970] LP (Super-Sonic Jazz)

A vinyl reissue of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s self-titled debut album, originally released on the Canadian GRT imprint in 1970. The debut release by Afro-Canadian singer, songwriter, and cult figure within new age experimental sounds, has been long been sought after. Written when she was 26, the album is a testament to Copeland’s stand-out songwriting and earnest, beautiful vocal talents, fitting into the realms of spiritual folk.

Goat – New Games/Rhythm & Sound LP (Em)

Five tracks compiled from Goat’s debut album New Games (2013) and their second album Rhythm & Sound (2015). With guitar, bass, drums and saxophone, Goat create music which is unlike most rock bands, utilizing harmonics outside standard tonality, as well as clever muting, to craft intricate, driven, forceful compositions by Koshiro Hino, aka YPY. Goat is currently going through a period of new development and further exploration of intertwining patterns of rhythmic repetition; this compilation is the bedrock.

Harms Way – Posthuman LP (Metal Blade)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Harms Way’s metallic hardcore has won them fans on four continents with their reputation for delivering blistering sets. Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.

Juliana Hatfield – Hey Babe [Reissue/1992] LP (American Laundromat Records, Inc.)

This exclusive limited-edition pressing in a single-pocket gatefold jacket was remastered from the original 1/4-inch analog tapes and pressed by hand at Burlington Record Plant in Burlington, VT. Hey Babe was produced by Gary Smith (Pixies, Throwing Muses, Blake Babies), and was originally released on Mammoth Records back in 1992. The album features a bevy of guest players, including Mike Watt, Evan Dando, John Wesley Harding, Clay Tarver, Chick Graning, and Todd Philips.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – At Home With Screamin’ Jay Hawkins [Reissue/1958] LP (Wax Love)

By far one of the most outrageous performers of the early years of rock, prone to emerging from coffins on stage, with a flaming skull named Henry as his constant companion, Screamin’ Jay was an insanely theatrical figure long before it was even remotely acceptable. His 1958 debut, At Home, featuring his legendary “I Put A Spell On You,” along with surreal hits like “Hong Kong,” “Take Me Back To The Boot And Saddle,” or his wild-ass reinventions of old standards like “I Love Paris” and “Deep Purple” is a carefully arranged yet gritty, Ray Charles-gone-crazy styled, full band rhythm, and blues masterpiece, filled with enough howls and groans to send chills down your spine.

Hide – Castration Anxiety LP (Dais)

Started in 2014 as a collaboration between visual artist Heather Gabel and percussionist Seth Sher, the Chicago based industrial duo known simply as Hide was formed. The following three years have seen Hide crash through with a number of aggressively rendered singles and EP’s while quietly collecting the shattered pieces that would form their debut full length album on Dais, Castration Anxiety. Those familiar with Hide’s provocative live performances will already be accustomed to the hypnotic low-end and sinister vocal delivery that has become the band’s signature.

Hilt – Minoot Bowl Dropped The Ball 2xLP+MP3 (Artoffact)

Hilt was a collective group of Vancouver musicians, usually referred to as a side project of the group Skinny Puppy. The group comprised Alan Nelson, a seminal member of many local Vancouver rock & punk groups, on vocals, with cEvin Key and D.R. Goettel on instruments. For the first time, Artoffact Records presents Hilt’s third album on beautiful gold-brown colored double vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve.

Insanity Alert – Insanity Alert [Reissue/2014] LP (Season Of Mist)

Austrian party-thrashers Insanity Alert exploded out of the underground in 2014 with their blistering and irreverent crossover thrash attack. Their self-titled debut album is a fast, fun, and filthy affair that highlights their devotion to raging, skating, and ripping ’80s thrash metal. [CD edition due March 30. New album due this year.]

Fumio Itabashi – Nature [Reissue/1979] LP (Mule Musiq)

The legendary Japanese jazz pianist’s first solo record ever, Nature was recorded at Nippon Columbia’s first studio in Tokyo from March 13-15, 1979. It features Itabashi making feverish love with the piano and he shares the studio with the great bass players Hideaki Mochizuki and Koichi Yamazaki, drummers Kenichi Kameyama and Ryojiro Furusawa, soprano saxophonist Yoshio Otomo, and vibraphone wizard Hiroshi Hatsuyama. They all joined him to perform his very own songs, composed by Itabashi himself and produced by Ryonosuke Honmura, who also produced Japanese jazz heroes, like saxophonist Keizo Inoue, during his career. Nature is fresh, propulsive, twitchy, and melodious from the first to the last tone.

The Jam – This Is The Modern World [Reissue/1977] LP (Vinyl Lovers)

Vinyl reissue of The Jam’s second album, originally released in 1977 just after their debut record. Despite generally bad reviews from critics at the time, the album does have its shining moments (“Life From A Window” and “The Modern World”, for example). But it is also interesting as a piece of history for its lyrical content, which, as the album’s title promised, is a snapshot of a day in the life of the declining British Empire during the late 1970s. Includes eight bonus tracks from the BBC sessions.

Lee Chubby King – Yo’Pusface [1987] 10” (Artoffact)

First-ever reissue on vinyl of this very rare project from cEvin Key (Skinny Puppy) & friends.

This Beastie Boys-inspired record originally released on Revolving Records in1987 is one of the rarest pieces of cEvin Key lore. Limited yellow colored pressing also available.

The Klitz – Rocking The Memphis Underground 1978-1980 LP (Mono-Tone)

All girl band from Memphis who happened to be Alex Chilton’s protégés; primal, loose rock n’ roll à la Chilton/Jim Dickinson/Tav Falco in a wild and primitive no wave/DIY punk style. Whether you like Charlie Feathers or Kleenex, The Cramps or Lydia Lunch, you will adore The Klitz, the unadulterated sound of the Memphis underground. One side studio, one side live, both sides frantic, chaotic, and electrifying.

Bryan Maclean ‎– Ifyoubelievein LP (Sundazed)

Ethereal and exquisite songwriting from one of the forces behind the legendary band Love. Across 14 tracks, former Love guitarist, singer, and songwriter Bryan MacLean is undeniably mesmerizing, his soaring falsetto and euphoric guitar weaving through performances that showcase his distinctive talent. Long out of print, and a must-have for fans of the legendary L.A. band, Sundazed proudly presents this essential collection on colored vinyl, featuring extensive liners from David Fricke and the late MacLean himself.

Merzbow – Noisembryo [1994] 2xLP (Hospital Productions)

Hospital Productions present a vinyl reissue of Merzbow’s Noisembryo, originally released on CD by The Releasing Eskimo in 1994. A holy grail of the ’90s noise movement. High-speed loops, roving automotive bass, and cacophonic drum machines gel together with the surprising inclusion of a sound rarely heard within Merzbow’s many years – Masami Akita’s own voice.

Joe Moks – Boys And Girls [Reissue/1979] LP (PMG)

Calling all students of late ’70s Nigerian boogie. Class is in and you’re about to get schooled by music professor Josephine Mokwunyei, aka Joe Moks. Spotted by legendary producer, Odion Iruoje, and nurtured by his protege, Alex Tony Okoroji, Joe Moks pioneered a wonky, hi-tech style of funk that would become the sound of ’80s Nigeria.

Mouse On Mars – Radical Connector [Reissue/2004] LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)

Mouse on Mars return to Thrill Jockey in 2018 with a brand-new studio album coming in April and a series of their classic albums reissued on vinyl. Radical Connector was originally released in 2004 and is now back on gorgeous colored vinyl.

Neon – Neon In The Box 4xLP (Spittle)

Neon is undoubtedly one of the most influential and enduring bands of the Italian new wave. From the beginning, the band’s music was perfectly aligned with continental trends – integrating the attitude of early post-punk with certain types of electronic music that had timidly begun popping up on the club circuit, and an aesthetic that was a cross between late romanticism and decadentism. Inimitable bands like Neon breathed new life into even the most disagreeable and angular rock ‘n’ roll, flirting with war-like dance music, and creating musical scenarios that were unheard of up until that point, placing them in harmony with some of the most talked-about British and German bands of the time, in fact anticipating the advent of EBM. This four-piece vinyl boxed-set contains the following releases: My Blues Is You (1983), Dark Age (1984), Rituals (1985), and Red Light (1986). These are the finest examples of work from one of the ’80s Italian scene’s finest groups.

Michael Nesmith & The First National Band – Magnetic South [Reissue/1970] LP (Sundazed)

Michael Nesmith & The First National Band – Loose Salute [Reissue/1970] LP (Sundazed)

Michael Nesmith & The First National Band – Nevada Fighter [Reissue/1971] LP (Sundazed)

The heralded solo debut of Michael Nesmith, Magnetic South features the artist’s hybrid of cowboy-‘n’-western country music and rock sensibilities, highlighted by “Joanne,” one of the earliest singles with the California-country sound to become a major hit record. The second LP from Michael Nesmith and the First National Band, Loose Salute features the country-rock pioneer’s hit single “Silver Moon” alongside dreamy, near-psychedelic studies on western motifs and melodies, funky swamp sounds, and straight-up country readings in the inimitable Nesmith style. Nevada Fighter completes a trilogy of LPs by the one-time Monkee and again, the First National Band, augmented by members of Elvis’ ‘70s touring band and other Wrecking Crew heroes. Limited edition colored vinyl reissues.

Orchestra Of Constant Distress – Distress Test LP (Riot Season)

In the field of music or any contemporary cultural terrain, concepts like development dynamics and progression are used as aesthetic judgement. To any musician or composer, the idea of musical build up comes with a crisis, any attempt towards formal pleasure calls for suspicion that this desire is never one’s own. In the case of Orchestra Of Constant Distress, this deadlock manifests itself in an impulse of refusal directed against any evolution and the result is the extreme generic and the absolute distress of normative noise and improvisation.

Paradise Lost – Host [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Nuclear Blast)

Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Remastered edition of the chameleonic alt-metal band’s 1999 album. “With the Host album we wanted to take the One Second concept further and make a very dark album with even more subtlety. It was a bold leap from all our previous albums, a leap too far some would say, but for me, the new remastered version really shows it’s still one of the bands strongest albums in terms of song writing, atmosphere and sheer misery.”

Jordan Perry – Jordan Perry LP (Feeding Tube)

“Much needed reissue of the extremely limited 2017 debut LP by Virginia guitarist, Jordan Perry. Although there are some basic völk sonorities in his playing, Mr. Perry’s brunt combines these with more avant garde note selections and compositional gambits, as well as a string attack with classical qualities. While there’s a gentleness to the melodies at which he eventually arrives, Perry’s journey crosses prickly patches of tone clusters, and has a circular logic that defies pop logic.”

PlatEAU – Spacecake [1999] 2xLP+MP3 (Artoffact)

For the first time, the brilliant second album from PlatEAU, i.e. Cevin Key (Skinny Puppy) and

Phil Western (Download), with guest appearances from Tim Hill and kaRIN (Collide), is available on vinyl. Limited orange colored pressing.

The Pointed Sticks – Perfect Youth [Reissue/1980] LP (Sudden Death)

A reissue of the 1980 album from white-hot but short-lived Vancouver rockers The Pointed Sticks. A bright, fresh, and fun mix of punk, pop, and rock sounds produced by the legendary Bob Rock.

Prurient / Hanged Mans Orgasm – Unknowns LP (Hospital Productions)

Originally released as a bonus cassette to Prurient’s Rainbow Mirror, Unknowns appears here on vinyl as two side-long collaborative tracks from Dominick Fernow, joined by longtime producer Kris Lapke (Alberich) with Patrick O’Neal (Skin Crime). Hanged Mans Orgasm was the earliest project from O’Neal starting in the late ’80s and early ’90s that could be a rural American counterpart to England’s Nurse With Wound middle period.

Cliff Richard – 21 Today / Listen To Cliff [Reissue/1961/1961] 2xLP (Vinyl Passion)

This double-LP set presents the British singer’s fourth and fifth albums. 21 Today, released in 1961 on Cliff Richard s 21st birthday, features him with backing by the Shadows tackling rock ‘n’ roll covers and well-known standards. It was Richard’s first album to reach no.1 on the UK charts. Its predecessor, Listen To Cliff, also from 1961, features mainly pop standards and such covers as Ray Charles’s “What’d I Say” and the big Righteous Brothers hit “Unchained Melody”. Includes eight bonus tracks.

The Runaways – Live At The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland July 19, 1976 LP (Vinyl Lovers)

The Runaways, recorded live at The Agora, Cleveland, Ohio.

John Saint-Pelvyn – Clerical Error In Shasta County Shouldn’t Have To Ruin A Saturday Night 2×10” (Seeland)

For years, the only way to hear the music of John Saint-Pelvyn was to search him out in one of Minneapolis’s notorious underground venues or unearth one of his long out-of-print cassette releases. Finally, this set brings his idiosyncratic and very personal music out into the open air. Primarily a guitarist, the root of his playing is akin to traditional stride, but rich with quivering whammy bar wobble and shimmering feedback. He often plays the tailfin strings of his archtop like one would play harmonics or retunes seamlessly mid-stream to create a shifting temperament across the length of a piece.

Simply Saucer – She’s A Dog b/w I Can Change My Mind [Reissue/1978] 7” (Schizophrenic)

Formed in 1973 in the east end of Hamilton, Ontario, Simply Saucer crafted a distinct sound that combined kraut rock, prog rock, psychedelia and a heavy dose of power to create their unique proto-punk sound. By the time punk exploded, Simply Saucer had once again shapeshifted to include to tapping pop melodies while maintaining that hard driving beat. Released 40 years ago, Schizophrenic Records is pleased to reissue a limited edition of “She’s A Dog / I Can Change My Mind” 45 originally released via Pig Records, which was a NME single of the week in 1978.

Klaus Schultze – La Vie Electronique Volume 1.1 2xLP (One Way Static)

Available for the first time on vinyl, One Way Static Records presents the second volume in their archival series La Vie Electronique. This volume focuses on the years 1970-1972 and is spread over two LPs containing +78 minutes of Klaus Schulze rarities.

Soundtrack – The Ballad Of Shirly Collins LP (Earth Recordings)

The soundtrack to The Ballad Of Shirley Collins – though diverse – showcases just a fraction of the facets that make up an extraordinary career by anyone’s standards. Limited pink colored vinyl pressing.

Spacemen 3 – Dreamweapon [Reissue/1990] 2xLP (Superior Viaduct)

August 1988, Spacemen 3 embarked on one of the strangest events in the band’s already strange history. Billed as An Evening Of Contemporary Sitar Music (although consciously omitting the sitar), the group would play in the foyer of Watermans Arts Centre in Brentford, Middlesex to a largely unsuspecting and unsympathetic audience waiting to take their seats for Wim Wenders’ film Wings Of Desire. Spacemen 3’s proceeding set, forty-five minutes of repetitive drone-like guitar riffs, could be seen as the “Sweet Sister Ray” of ’80s Britain. Their signature sound is at once recognizable and disorienting – pointing as much to the hypnotic minimalism of La Monte Young as to a future shoegaze constituency. [Vinyl reissues of Playing With Fire and Recurring due April 6.]

Powell St. John – Sultan Of Psychedelia LP (Friends & Family)

Powell St. John is unquestionably one of the true founders and innovators of the acid rock sound. A listen here will leave no doubt as to why he has earned the title “Sultan Of Psychedelia”. Archival recordings of pure rootsy psychedelia by the obscure but iconic 1960’s Austin, Texas musician/songwriter who not only wrote the timeless rock classic “Bye, Bye Baby,” but also four songs on the legendary first two 13th Floor Elevator albums, Psychedelic Sounds (1966) and Easter Everywhere (1967).

STS x Khari Mateen – Better On A Sunday LP (Steel Wool/OBE)

New collaboration between rapper STS (who saw critical acclaim with his previous collaboration with producer, RJD2) and producer Khari Mateen. Better On A Sunday draws upon their parallel childhoods in Atlanta and musical coming of age in Philly.

Sworr. – Sworr. LP (Fair Weather Friends)

Winner of Greece’s Jumping Fish contest, Sworr. is ready to share their poignant blend of soulful electronica, alt-pop, and tripped-out guitar sounds. Their self-titled release leans on a moody atmosphere fueled by powerful vocals and intimate lyricism.

Andrey Tarkovsky/Edward Artemiev – Solaris. Sound And Vision LP+CD+Blu-ray (Song Cycle)

Song Cycle Records present the release of Solaris. Sound And Vision, a collector’s edition box set that includes the soundtrack realized by the great Russian composer Edward Artemiev for Andrey Tarkovsky’s masterpiece film Solaris (1972). The box includes the soundtrack in two formats: 180gm, high-quality virgin vinyl and, for the first time, CD. The release is also accompanied by an exclusive, hardcover photo book with unreleased images of the movie set and essays about music and cinema of the duo Artemiev/Tarkovsky, and the Blu-ray version of the film, in original language with English subtitles; Blu-ray region free.

Third Bardo – I’m Five Years Ahead Of My Time + 5 10” (Sundazed)

The short-lived but much-loved Third Bardo only existed for a brief period, during which they released one now-rare single. The Third Bardo’s entire recorded output amounts to six tracks, all cut on a single day in 1967, and produced, oddly enough, by former ’50s singer Teddy Randazzo, best known for the hits he wrote for the decidedly non-psychedelic Little Anthony and the Imperials.

Thirdstory – Cold Heart LP (Verve)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Vocal trio and internet sensation Thirdstory has wrapped Chance The Rapper’s Be Encouraged Tour as members of his band, and are back with their debut album Cold Heart. Produced by OAK (Demi Lovato, Rihanna), the album features hit single “G Train (feat. Pusha T)”, and a stunning duet with Chicago-based singer/songwriter Eryn Allen Kane.

Various Artists – Killed By Death # 15: New Zealand Rare Punk 77-82 LP (Redrum)

Another installment in this legendary series, this time centered in the obscure and extremely interesting early New Zealand punk rock scene. 13 tracks of pure Killed By Death mayhem by the likes of kiwi luminaries such as Suburban Reptiles, Scavengers, Toy Love, The Spelling Mistakes, and many more.

Various Artists – Radio Cramps: The Purple Knif Show [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Munster)

Radio Cramps: The Purple Knif Show features the much talked about radio show of summer of 1984 that featured Lux Interior playing his favorites and obscure-sets 7″ records while howling, buzzing, and raving about them. It includes such classic and influential stuff like Frantics, The Sparkles, Link Wray, Billy Strange, Mad Mike And The Maniacs, Vic Mizzy, The One Way Streets, The Swamp Rats, Deadly Ones, The Troggs, and many more. Absolutely entertaining and instructional especially by Lux’s comments/noises between tracks.

Various Artists – The Voyager Golden Record 3xLP (Ozma)

In 1977, NASA launched two spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, on a grand tour of the solar system and into the mysteries of interstellar space. Attached to each of these probes is a beautiful golden phonograph record containing a message for any extraterrestrial intelligence that might encounter it, perhaps billions of years from now. This enchanting artifact, known as the Voyager Golden Record, may be the last vestige of our civilization after we are gone forever. Curated by a visionary committee led by Carl Sagan, the golden record tells a story of our planet expressed in music, sounds, images, and science. Etched on the record’s gold-plated aluminum jacket is a diagram explaining where it came from and how to play it. The golden record was a gift from humanity to the cosmos. But it is also a gift to humanity. It’s a reminder of what we can achieve when we are at our best—and that our future really is up to all of us.

Wet Tuna – Livin’ The Die LP (Feeding Tube)

“Utterly boo-licious debut slab by this new duo, made up of Matt ‘MV’ Valentine and Pat ‘P.G. Six’ Gubler, who have been in cahoots since the near-forgotten days of Memphis Luxure. The pair (mostly known for guitar-aktion) create a full band’s worth of jams using percussion and keys and all-else. The results make for one of the more mind-melting platters to’ve hit the Valley in a good while.”

XYZ – Artificial Flavoring LP (Mono-Tone)

XYZ = a Trans-Atlantic American/French project featuring Ian Svenonius (Chain & The Gang, Make-Up, Escape-ism, et al.) on vocals and Memphis Electronic (of the groups NON!, Dum Bum Boys, Die Idiots, et al.) on instruments. Twelve dancefloor rockers and sexy glam numbers with fuzz guitars, drum machines, and analog synths on this irresistible plastic platter.

Christian Zanési ‎– Grand Bruit / Stop ! L’horizon LP (Recollection GRM)

INA-GRM’s Christian Zanési, artistic director behind the invaluable Recollection GRM archive reissues with François Bonnet and Editions Mego’s Peter Rehberg, cues up his own turn on the series with first ever vinyl editions of Stop! L’horizon (1990); his absorbing debut of electro-acoustic process for the Parisian institute’s nonpareil label.

Cassettes:

Kohl – Learned Ethics / Imposed Ethics (Umor Rex)

Kohl focuses on enveloping melodies and sounds that are often contrasted with subtle and evolving minimal textures and the rhythmic patterns generated from them.

LogarDecay – FRGL (Umor Rex)

LogarDecay have been working for several years around the intersection of music, art-installation and science, with sound being the primary objective of their analysis, acting their roles as composers and observers of the physical phenomenon.

Memoriam – The Silent Vigil (Nuclear Blast)

Memoriam was primarily developed to fill the void that was left following the tragic death of Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns, the drummer from Bolt Thrower back in September 2015. Bolt Thrower subsequently placed all activity on hold for the foreseeable future which gave Karl Willetts an opportunity to develop a new project with friends that had expressed interest in forming a band for some time. Memoriam is an old school death metal outfit that maintains the standards set by previous bands that the members have played with, focusing on the themes of death, loss and war.

The Pandoras – Hey! It’s The Pandoras (Burger)

New mini-album from Los Angeles garage-gals, their first in 29 years and the first with guitarist Kim Shattuck (The Muffs).

Preoccupations – New Material (Jagjaguwar)

Preoccupations’ songs have always worked through themes of creation, destruction, and futility, and they’ve always done it with singular post-punk grit. The textures are evocative and razor-sharp. The wire is always a live one. But while that darker side may have been well-explored, that’s not quite the same as it being fully, intensely lived. This time it was, and the result is New Material, a collection that broadens and deepens Preoccupations to a true mastery of their sound. In it lies the difference between witnessing a car crash and crashing your own, between jumping into an ocean and starting to swallow the water.

Jeff Rosenstock – POST- (Polyvinyl)

Jeff Rosenstock was an anxious kid who grew into an anxious adult and has also made a bunch of music along the way, with a bunch of bands, most notably Bomb The Music Industry! who apparently pioneered giving shit away for free on the internet—or at least got some of the credit for it. Now he plays with his bi-coastal band of rad musicians, mixing punk energy with diverse instrumentation and occasional accuracy.

Sunflower Bean – Twentytwo In Blue (Mom + Pop)

Sophomore album from the NY-based alt-rock band. While the trio remains a guitar band at its core, new and different textures shine on Twentytwo In Blue. Sunflower Bean’s diverse sound has allowed them to tour alongside DIIV, Best Coast, Pixes and Wolf Alice. “New York is still home to bands as varied as Sunflower Bean, whose music suggests what might have happened if psychedelia had emerged after punk and the Police rather than before.” – The New York Times

Byron Westbrook – Confluence Patterns (Umor Rex)

Byron Westbrook is an artist and musician based in Brooklyn, NY. His work focuses on dynamics of perception using sound, lighting and video to interact with architecture and landscape, often pursuing routes that involve social engagement.