April Program Titles Released This Week:
Dido – Still On My Mind CD/LP (BMG)
Dido is back with her first new album in five years. Still On My Mind encapsulates a variety of styles and genres, ranging from her love of hip-hop to her folk roots, but ultimately the entire record carries a dance and electronic music sensibility, even on the tracks with no beats. At the core, it’s about the songs which capture the beautiful essence of Dido personally and emotionally. The first taste of the album is “Hurricanes”. From the first few notes of this powerful track, Dido’s voice has never sounded bigger and better, making you realize how much we’ve missed that sound. Dido describes the making of Still On My Mind as “an absolutely magical experience. I wanted to capture the feeling I still get from listening to music, just that rush like you don’t need anything more than this.” [Exclusive indie-store vinyl pressing also available.]
Flight Of The Conchords – Live In London CD/3xLP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
In October of 2018, ten years after the launch of their hit HBO series, Flight Of The Conchords, New Zealand musical comedians Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement returned to HBO for an all-new comedy special. Live In London was taped before a live audience at the Eventim Apollo – located in the Hammersmith, London – and featured the Conchords performing songs from the sold-out UK and Ireland edition of Flight Of The Conchords Sing Flight Of The Conchords Tour. The Live In London album features seven new songs including “Iain and Deanna”, “Father And Son”, “Summer Of 1353”, “Stana”, “Seagull”, “Back On The Road”, and “Bus Driver”. The album also features performances of fan favorites “Inner City Pressure”, “Bowie”, “Foux du Fafa”, “Mutha’uckas – Hurt Feelings”, “Robots”, “Carol Brown” and “The Most Beautiful Girl (In The Room)” (the latter two bonus tracks edited out of the broadcast due to time constraints). [Vinyl edition features an etching on Side 6.]
Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost: Part 1 CD/LP (WB)
Foals return with two new albums in 2019: Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 and Part 2, a pair of releases, separate but related. Part 1 is now available, with Part 2 following in the Autumn. Eager to break the traditional pop song structure which they felt they were becoming increasingly tapered to, the 20 tracks defy expectation. There are exploratory, progressive-tinged songs which occasionally break the 10-minute mark alongside atmospheric segues which make the music an experience rather than a mere collection of songs. Yet the band’s renowned ability to wield relentless grooves with striking power also reaches new heights. Part 1’s lead single “Exits” is a case in point, featuring frontman Yannis Philippakis conjuring the image of a disorienting world via a contagious vocal melody. It’s a fresh anthem for Foals’ formidable arsenal, but also an ominous forecast. “Exits” signposts what to expect thematically from Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost. The title is a warning that anything – from the tiniest fleeting moment of inspiration through to the planet’s own biological diversity – can be under threat of being irrevocably erased.
David Gray – Gold In A Brass Age CD/2xLP (IHT/AWAL)
David Gray’s 11th album, Gold In A Brass Age, finds the singer-songwriter in renewed creative form. “With this album, my default position was to do everything differently. I didn’t think ‘this would be a good hook or ‘these lyrics could work for a chorus’. I was keen to get away from narrative. Instead of writing melodies, I looked for phrases with a natural cadence, so that the rhythm began with the words. I reimagined where a song might spring from and what form it could take.” The album’s first single, “The Sapling”, “has a positive vibe and reflects Gray’s new drive, with a bouncy yet soft baseline and lyrics that are inspiring and accomplished and all about finding your way through and rising up, despite not knowing the route always. The whole album seems aimed to hit that tone and trend, to find the brightness in a melancholy status. And, it’s an easy listen this single, and one to find a gentle hope from to match the challenges of life. Gray is on-form and we recommend you find a place for this on your playlist, it’s the perfect groove to lighten up to.” — GSGM
Patty Griffin – Patty Griffin CD/2xLP (PGM/Thirty Tigers)
Patty Griffin’s self-titled collection represents an extraordinary new chapter for the incomparable singer-songwriter and immediately stands among the most deeply personal recordings of her remarkable two-decade career. The album – which follows 2015’s Grammy Award-nominated Servant Of Love – collects songs written during and in the aftermath of profound personal crisis, several years in which she battled – and ultimately defeated – cancer just as a similar and equally insidious disease metastasized into the American body politic. Yet as always, like very few others, Griffin’s power lies in how, as Holly Gleason in the Martha’s Vineyard Gazette observed, “her songs seem to freeze life and truth in amber.” It’s in how Griffin can express the strikingly intimate while never making it about herself, all wrapped in sparse arrangements that breathe an incomparable force and import into her songcraft.
Meat Puppets – Dusty Notes CD/LP (Megaforce)
Dusty Notes is the first Meat Puppets studio album to feature the original trio (Curt and Cris Kirkwood and returning drummer Derrick Bostrom) since 1995’s No Joke! Since the band debuted in the early ‘80s, Curt has continually proven himself to be among the most brilliant songwriters of his generation. Time after time, album after album, he’s demonstrated an extraordinary ability to draw upon various roots and rock styles en route to a unique new vision of what the Meat Puppets can be. His latest contributions, especially songs such as “Warranty”, “On”, “Nine Pins”, and “Outflow” could be forgotten gems from Nashville, Bakersfield and Laurel Canyon. Dusty Notes also features keyboardist Ron Stabinsky, a jazz-trained virtuoso adept at any style, and Curt’s son Elmo, whose old-school rock-guitar grit ideally complements his father’s spacier explorations. Intuitive, inspired and overflowing with genuine musicianship, it’s the sort of band that transforms what Curt describes as “simple yet engaging” songs into majestic maiden voyages. [Exclusive indie-store vinyl pressing now available.]
Misery Index – Rituals Of Power CD/LP/Cassette (Season Of Mist)
Misery Index return in furious fashion with their sixth full-length album, Rituals Of Power which finds the American icons putting on a hard hitting display of strength and brutality grown out of the experience gained as a relentless touring machine. The general trend of their continuous evolution to incorporate less core elements and move towards classic death metal hits a new high water mark here. Revolving around the concept of “truth”, Misery Index deliver nine crushing tracks which tackle how “truth” has been constructed and molded throughout history as a means to uphold power, regimes and ideologies. [Deluxe CD edition includes bonus tracks, an embroidered carabiner key strap with bottle opener and stickers.]
Maren Morris – Girl CD (Sony Nashville)
“Since Maren Morris established her undeniable presence in 2016 with her glowing debut album Hero, she’s since become a crossover star with a voice that’s elevated country music. She reflects her evolution on her sophomore album, Girl, stepping outside the confines of country music to blossom artistically in bold and beautiful ways. Morris continues to experiment sonically on Girl, blending soul and country to create a distinct sound alongside themes of love and empowerment. Across 14 soul-searching songs, Morris proves that she’s a woman of integrity finding herself in different ways: through love, experimentation and, perhaps most notably, defying artistic boundaries. Girl demonstrates her unique songwriting prowess, as she eloquently moves from the inspiring title-track to songs like “Make Out With Me” that are dripping in romance, before rounding out the album with “The Bones”, where she uses a withered, but unwavering home as a potent metaphor for a strong relationship.” – Sounds Like Nashville [Vinyl edition due April 4.]
Amanda Palmer – There Will Be No Intermission CD/2xLP (Cooking Vinyl)
There Will Be No Intermission, Amanda Palmer’s third solo effort and first in more than six years, is the multi-faceted artist’s most powerful and personal collection to date, with songs that tackle the big questions: life, death, grief and how we make sense with it all. While the themes may be dark, the album’s overall sonic and lyrical mood is one of triumph in the face of life’s most ineffably shitty circumstances. Beginning with the epic Bill-Hicks-inspired “The Ride”, it sees Palmer revealing her heart in total, turning the coals of fraught experience into musical diamonds. Themes of death and reproduction recur throughout, including “A Mother’s Confession”, a funny, honest, slice-of-life ramble detailing Palmer’s failings as a new mother, and “Machete” written in tribute to her best friend, Anthony following his untimely passing from cancer. “Voicemail For Jill” chronicles a different sort of death as Palmer reaches out to a friend on her way to an abortion clinic. Lead single “Drowning In The Sound” explores hidden connections between political unrest, the impending uncertainty of Hurricane Harvey, climate change, the solar eclipse, internet-hate and, bizarrely, Taylor Swift. One of the more lavishly produced songs on the album, the song combines Palmer’s singular style of piano-taming with a restrained chorus that pays sonic homage to two diverse but connected mentors: Prince and Ani DiFranco. [Exclusive indie-store vinyl pressing also available.]
Sasami – Sasami CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Sasami (aka Sasami Ashworth) has been making music in the Los Angeles area, in almost every way you can, for the last decade. From playing French horn in orchestras and studios and playing keys, bass, and guitar in local rock bands (Cherry Glazerr, Dirt Dress), to contributing vocals/string/horn arrangements to studio albums (Curtis Harding, Wild Nothing, Hand Habits) and producing on tracks for other respected artists (Soko), she has gained a reputation as an all-around musical badass. Sasami’s self-titled debut album is playful, heartfelt and personal, chronicling the surprising ways that relationships – with lovers, with friends, with oneself – can shift in a single year. Sasami says, “‘Not The Time’ and ‘Callous’ are basically entries in the diary that is my first record of songs. Maybe it’s a mix of a diary and a collection of letters; written but never sent to people I’ve been intimately involved with in one way or another.” [Exclusive indie-store vinyl pressing also available.]
Nick Waterhouse – Nick Waterhouse CD/LP (Innovative Leisure)
Nick Waterhouse’s eponymous fourth album was recorded at the finest working studio in Los Angeles, Electro Vox Recorders, and co-produced by Paul Butler (The Bees, Michael Kiwanuka, Devendra Banhart), the master of all things warm, rich and wooly. Nick’s songs here are personal, but personal in the way that “Please Mr. Postman”, “What’s Going On” and “Cathy’s Clown” are – intimate, direct, yet still malleable enough for listeners to suffuse their own life stories into the mix. The album is thick with talented players, including Andres Rentaria, Paula Henderson and the staggering, howling saxophone of Mando Dorame. All of the new Waterhouse songs sound big. Brawny and muscular. The lyrics are suspicious, outraged and, at times, very vulnerable (muscle is just flesh, after all). Waterhouse uses an economy of words to deliver complex, coded messages. He offers up equal parts criticism of the time we live in and innate human flaws. He paints relationships under the cover of darkness, slashing through neo-noir fantasies that are romantic, blood-spattered and bracingly aware of the powerlessness felt among people, amid the rapid onslaught of commercialism and technological progress.
Weezer – Weezer (The Black Album) LP (Crush Music)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Weezer (The Black Album) was produced by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, with whom the band worked for the first time. The album’s songs were entirely written on piano by frontman Rivers Cuomo for the first time in Weezer history, creating some of the most satisfyingly awesome songs in the entire hits-filled Weezer catalog. With band members switching up instruments in the studio, and choruses filtered through Sitek’s own encyclopedic musical references of everything from Gorillaz to Can to Pink Floyd, Weezer (The Black Album) is the bold next step in the winning streak of acclaimed albums they’ve released since 2014.
CDs + Vinyl:
Sam Ashley/Werner Durand – I’d Rather Be Lucky Than Good/Love Among The Immortals CD/LP (Unseen Worlds)
A new recording collaboration of Sam Ashley and Werner Durand. Sam Ashley’s mystic parables imbued with benevolent humor are drawn from a lifelong pursuit of a present-day shamanism. Werner Durand’s wind work on invented and traditional instruments stems from the minimalist tradition, routed through his unique study of obscure world musics.
William Basinski – On Time Out Of Time CD/LP+MP3 (2062/Temporary Residence)
On Time Out Of Time is a suite of works originally commissioned for the 2017 installations ‘ER=EPR’ and ‘Orbihedron’ by artists Evelina Domnitch and Dmitry Gelfand (in collaboration with Jean-Marc Chomaz and LIGO) for the exhibition, ‘Limits of Knowing’ at Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin by curator, Isabel de Sena. These works utilize, among other things, exclusive source recordings from the interferometers of LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) capturing the sounds of the merging of two distant massive black holes, 1.3 billion years ago.
Bergraven – Det Framlidna Minnet CD/LP (Nordvis)
Sweden’s Bergraven are never shy of venturing to the very edge of black metal terrain and staring into the maddening abyss. Det Framlidna Minnet deals with memories – their fluid nature and how the healthy human spirit builds a wall around itself with carefully adjusted memories and yet sometimes the system corrupts and memories become ghosts that haunt their hosts with regret and despair. Present are the band’s trademark unusual song structures and jazz-inspired passages, which add a further sprinkling of chaos and unease to the mix.
Daniel Blumberg and Hebronix – Liv CD/LP (Mute)
Liv – which preceded 2018’s Minus by several years – is an unreleased studio album, recorded over three days at Sarm West (Bob Marley, Exodus) live from start to finish (with additional vocals and saxophone added at a later date) by Daniel Blumberg, Billy Steiger, Kohhei Matsuda and Tom Wheatley.
Buckcherry – Warpaint CD/LP (Red Music)
The hard rock band returns with their eighth studio album. The first single, “Bent”, is anthemic but raw, with big drums and even bigger guitars. Warpaint delivers an aural punch, a refreshing boldness even on the ballads, and stellar lead guitar work (check out the fretwork on “Vacuum”).
Chatham County Line – Sharing The Covers CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
Sharing The Covers is a tribute to those whom Chatham County Line hold dear, and a chance for the group to perform modern and traditional classics in the bluegrass-style they’re known for. On the 13-track collection, CCL takes the familiar and adds a touch of originality to create a wholly new and inventive roster of covers by Tom Petty, Alton Delmore, John Lennon, The Louvin Brothers, Beck, James Hunter, and more.
Children Of Bodom – Hexed CD/LP (Nuclear Blast America)
Hexed is a high-energy, up-tempo record seething with new life but also all of the Bodom trademarks. Their mix of melo-death meets blackened thrash with a neo-classical twist, and piercing Derek Sherinian-intense keyboards peppered with Alexi Laiho’s venomous vocal bile, is what makes a Bodom spread so engaging. [Limited purple colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Cleric – The Book Beri’ah Vol 2: Chokhma CD (Tzadik)
At the forefront of the new rock complexity, Cleric is one of the most cutting edge bands out of the experimental metal community. Here they put their hand to nine compositions from Masada Book Three, weaving them into insane arrangements of epic proportions. Outrageous, exhilarating and intense music that combines metal with modern classical, jazz and the Jewish tradition.
The Coathangers – The Devil You Know CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
The Devil You Know takes the Atlanta trio’s vitriolic punk, playful house party anthems and heart worn ballads and melds them into a new sound that retains all their former live show glories while revealing a new level of songwriting and nuance.
Steve Davis – Correlations CD (Smoke Sessions)
One of the most acclaimed trombonists of his generation, Steve Davis has been a member of some of jazz’s premiere ensembles: Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Chick Corea’s Origins, the Jackie McLean Sextet, Benny Golson’s New Jazztet, the Christian McBride Big Band, and the all-star collective One For All. With Correlations, Davis introduces a powerhouse group all his own, a new multi-generational sextet that weaves together a thrilling new sound from myriad common threads.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe – Gnomes And Badgers CD (MRI Associated)
The first new studio album in over five years from Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe distills the sweeping stylistic range of the band’s concert performances into its own authentic sound. Masterfully incorporating elements of vintage rock, old school soul and classic funk, the inimitable saxophonist/flutist/vocalist Karl Denson and his long-standing six-piece unit. [Vinyl edition due April 5.]
DeVicious – Reflections CD/LP (Pride & Joy)
DeVicious is an international hard & melodic Rock band with home base in Germany.
Ben Dickey – A Glimmer On The Outskirts CD/LP (SexHawkeBlack/Dualtone)
Little Rock, Arkansas native Ben Dickey has been turning heads toward the silver screen with his acting debut portraying Blaze Foley, a singer-songwriter in the 1970s and ’80s, in the Ethan Hawke-directed biopic film Blaze. A seasoned musician in his own right, Dickey’s affecting performance as the troubled troubadour gracefully showcases his natural talent, both in acting and in music.
Stella Donnelly – Beware Of The Dogs CD/LP/Cassette (Secretly Canadian)
Delivered entirely with a sarcastic wink and a full heart, Beware Of The Dogs proves across 13 life-affirming songs the power in sticking up for yourself, your friends, and what’s right. The album showcases an artist totally in command of her voice, able to wield her inviting charm and razor-sharp wit into authentically raw songs. It’s a resounding statement of purpose in recent memory and most importantly, it’s a portrait of Donnelly taking charge. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Drake – So Far Gone [Reissue/2009] CD (Cash Money)
Tenth anniversary edition of the third official mixtape by the Canadian rapper. So Far Gone proved to be a major catalyst in the launching of Drake’s career on an international scale, and was universally well received by professional critics and hip-hop fans alike.
Eagles – Hell Freezes Over [Reissue/1994] CD/2xLP (Geffen)
Originally released in 1994 following a 14 year-long break up, Hell Freezes Over celebrates its 25th anniversary with a remastered reissue.
Equipoise – Demiurgus CD/LP (The Artisan Era)
Debut album from the extreme metal supergroup featuring current and ex-members of Hate Eternal, Whitechapel, The Faceless, Beyond Creation, Vale Of Pnath, and First Fragment.
Fractal Face – Fractal Face CDEP (Metal Bastard)
A five-song EP from the Tampa, FL technical death metal newcomers. Brutal, raw, sick and extreme.
Howe Gelb – Gathered CD/LP (Fire)
24th solo studio album from the Giant Sand mainman. Gathered features Gelb’s celebrated song-writing style, filled with emotive tunes and heart-warming arrangements invariably offset by gorgeous discordant moments. It is a chance meeting of the indie/alt country Sinatra annotated by clever wordplay, teased by tongue twisters and an earthy ramble. [Limited gold colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Helado Negro – This Is How You Smile CD/LP (RVNG Int’l)
Miami-born, New York-based artist Roberto Carlos Lange embraces a personal and universal exploration of aura – seen, felt, emitted – on his sixth album. This Is How You Smile derives from Jamaica Kincaid’s Girl, a story she wrote in the form of a mother’s sole, complicated, but loving voice, speaking a How to litany of advice ranging from domestic chores to what a daughter, an immigrant and young woman of color, must do to protect herself in a world that was not designed by or for her. This is how joy, or it’s visage, at turns comforts, constricts, or becomes armor.
Holding Absence – Holding Absence CD (SharpTone)
Debut album by the post-hardcore band from Cardiff, Wales.
Tony Holiday – Porch Sessions CD (VizzTone)
Porch Sessions was recorded on the front porches of notable bluesmen around the United States. Charlie Musselwhite, John Primer and Bob Corritore, John Nemeth and many more… in cities such as Memphis TN, San Jose CA, Anaheim CA, Chicago IL, and others.
Buddy Holly with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – True Love Ways CD (Geffen)
Released last December on CD – now available on vinyl. True Love Ways features Buddy Holly’s utterly distinctive original vocals and guitar playing set to exquisite arrangements performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Indoor Pets – Be Content CD/LP (Wichita)
Produced by the band’s lead guitarist and Kris Harris and mixed by Claudius Mittendorfer (Ash, Yak, Parquet Courts etc), this is a fourteen song riot of urgent, tightly crafted rock songs with endless undeniable melodies and choruses that will get stuck in your head – think Weezer’s and Fidlar’s debut albums. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Kam Lee – Massacred CDEP/12” (Metal Bastard)
Kam Lee is a legend and one of the best singer/songwriters in the death metal scene. He was the co-founder of Chuck Schuldiner’s Death and the powerful voice of Massacre from Florida. This four-song EP features newly recorded versions from the classic demo tapes of Massacre circa 1985/1986.
Malevolent Creation – Memories Of A Beast CD+DVD (Metal Bastard)
A collection of the death metal institution’s best songs from their early years.
Master – God Of Thunder CD (Metal Bastard)
Over the last 30 years, Master’s music has influenced anyone and everyone who made a name for themselves in extreme metal. God Of Thunder is their first live release.
James Morrison – You’re Stronger Than You Know CD (Stanley Park)
A modern British take on a classic soul and Motown, echoing influences such as Van Morrison, Otis Redding, The Band and Dusty Springfield.
Mozes And The Firstborn – Dadcore CD/LP (Burger)
Playing a potent mix of sleazy grunge and power pop perfection Mozes and the Firstborn hail from Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Their influences vary from Guided by Voices and Beck to Weezer and Nirvana.
Mystifier – Protogoni Mavri Magiki Dynasteia CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
The first new album in over 17 years from the Brazilian horde is a deadly dose of ultra-Satanic blackened death.
New Kids On The Block – Hangin’ Tough [Reissue/1988] CD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)
NKOTB celebrate the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough album Hangin’ Tough with an expanded reissue. [Picture-disc vinyl edition also available.]
Pinegrove – Skylit CD/2xLP (Pinegrove)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. “Completed in 2017 and shelved for almost a year, Pinegrove’s third record is smaller, softer, and closer to the chest. Recorded and produced by Hall and guitarist Sam Skinner at a house in upstate New York, Skylight focuses on atmosphere and abstraction. While Cardinal was defined by anthemic eruptions of longing, these 11 songs move patiently and often disregard verse-chorus song structures in favor of loose vignettes.” – Pitchfork
Justus Proffit – L.A.’s Got Me Down CD/LP (Bar/None)
“Tempered by the sights and sounds of Los Angeles, the songs on Justus Proffit’s debut album tell the tales of growing up in the shadow of the Hollywood sign. I don’t think I know anyone that can write a song as impetuous or dope as him.” – Melina Duterte aka Jay Som
SeeYouSpaceCowboy – Songs For The Firing Squad CD/LP (Pure Noise)
Defining themselves as “sasscore,” SeeYouSpaceCowboy is a refreshing blend of early 2000’s popular heavy screamo bands such as The Blood Brothers and Every Time I Die mixed with the brutality of today’s hardcore. The band’s hyper-literate and socially conscious lyrics merge with sporadic breakdowns to fill a void in today’s metal and hardcore. Songs For The Firing Squad is a collection culled from their first two years as a band, along with two new tracks.
Sigrid – Sucker Punch CD (Island)
Debut album from the Norwegian singer and songwriter. Her epic songs are tales of the unexpected; fearless musical collages and shout-outs to human resilience.
Tesla – Shock CD/LP (UMe)
Tesla’s eighth studio album features 12 new tracks produced and co-written by Phil Collen (Def Leppard).
David Torn/Tim Berne/Ches Smith – Sun Of Goldfinger CD/LP (ECM)
Guitarist-composer David Torn returns alongside alto saxophonist Berne and percussionist Ches Smith.
Toxodeth – The Best, The Rest, The Rare CD (Metal Bastard)
Formed in 1984, Toxodeth was one of the first death/black metal bands from Mexico. The Best, The Rest, The Rare is a collection of Toxodeth’s greatest songs, rare demo-recordings and live performances.
Nik Turner – The Final Frontier CD/LP (Cleopatra)
The space rock legend and co-founder of Hawkwind launches a new solo project. [Limited yellow colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Tygers Of Pan Tang – Hellbound, Spellbound – Live 1981 CD/LP (Deko Music)
Tygers of Pan Tang was at the forefront of the NWOBHM releasing their MCA Records debut in 1980. Guitarist John Sykes would go on to join Thin Lizzy and record their final studio album Thunder And Lightning before joining David Coverdale in Whitesnake and co-writing nine out of the eleven songs on their multi-platinum self-titled 1987 record including “Still Of The Night” and “Is This Love”. Hellbound, Spellbound was originally recorded live by Chris Tsangarides (Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Depeche Mode, etc…) at Nottingham Rock City in 1981 and has been remastered. [Limited gold colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Týr – Hel CD/LP (Metal Blade)
With Hel, the Faroe Islands’ Týr provide even more irrefutable evidence that they stand at the vanguard of Scandinavian metal. Their eighth full-length is a collection of ruthlessly melodic and irresistibly compelling progressive folk metal.
Various Artists – Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration CD (Decca)
The all-star tribute salutes Mitchell as a boundary-breaking artist highlighting her songs throughout her career. Featured performers include Brandi Carlile, Glen Hansard, Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, Chaka Khan, Diana Krall, Kris Kristofferson, Los Lobos with La Marisoul, Cesar Castro & Xochi Flores, Graham Nash, Seal, James Taylor, and Rufus Wainwright.
Various Artists – The Music Of Fifty Shades – Complete Soundtrack Collection 4xCD (UMe)
Deluxe four CD set including all three film soundtracks plus bonus content, exclusive hard cover collectable coffee table photo book with images from all three movies, and bonus disc featuring Fifty Shades Of Grey remixed album, a previously unreleased version of Liam Payne & Rita Ora’s “For You (Fifty Shades Freed)” and additional rare remixes/bonus tracks.
Weezer – Weezer (The Teal Album) CD (Crush Music)
On the heels of their latest studio album Weezer (The Black Album) the alt-rock band delivers a covers album. “As anyone could have gathered after a first listen of ‘Africa’ or ‘Rosanna’, the latter of which is sorely missing on this compilation, the band doesn’t just half-ass the cover; they meticulously replicate each song with Fincher-like obsession. Sure, they’re not exactly offering their own spin on it, but that’s also kind of the point. The fact that these covers are so reverent to the source materials kind of plays into the joke that Cuomo is literally givin’ em what they want with no room for error. It’s like live band karaoke, and everyone is invited, which is all this really boils down to at the end of the day. They’re not reinventing the wheel; they’re using it.” – Consequence Of Sound
Leo Bud Welch – The Angels In Heaven Done Signed My Name CD/LP (Easy Eye Sound)
Leo Bud Welch, the deceased delta bluesman, spent his life honing his musical craft. The Mississippi native and 30-year lumberjack performed as a gospel singer in his small hometown for years before he made his first record when he was in his 70s. The influence of the region he called home, his years of musicianship, and his well lived life blended together to create music that was as unique as he was. The posthumous album, The Angels in Heaven Done Signed My Name, was produced by Dan Auerbach at his Easy Eye Sound studios in Nashville, Tennessee just before Leo’s death in December of 2017 and also features performances by the late Richard Swift.
Paul Weller – Other Aspects: Paul Weller Band & Orchestra Live At The Royal Festival Hall 2xCD+DVD/3xLP+DVD (WB/Parlophone)
In October 2018, Paul Weller performed two extraordinary concerts at London’s prestigious Royal Festival Hall with an orchestra. The second of these shows was recorded and filmed. Other Aspects, Live At The Royal Festival Hall features an eclectic 25 track career spanning collection. As well as classics from Weller’s rich back catalog, the bulk of the performance features 11 songs from his latest album, True Meanings, which was released last September.
Whitesnake – Slide It In [Reissue/1984] CD/2xCD/6xCD+DVD/2xLP (Rhino)
Digitally remixed and remastered edition of the hard rock band’s 1984 album. Available in Regular, Deluxe and Super Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes the newly remastered UK and US mixes along with a selection of bonus tracks. Super Deluxe adds unreleased live and studio recordings, music videos, concert footage, and a new interview with Whitesnake founder and lead singer, David Coverdale.
The Wild Reeds – Cheers CD/LP (Dualtone)
The Wild Reeds are a band led by women, and that matters. Not a sister band, not a girl group, but a band fronted by three women, all talented singers, songwriters, and multi-instrumentalists in their own right. Cheers was born out of a strange and painful time, full of tough break-ups, family deaths, and discord within the band itself. The 13 songs are snapshots from that upheaval, touching on illness, therapy, heartbreak and disconnection from three perspectives. Some of the sunniest songs contain the darkest undercurrents, and The Wild Reeds don’t shy away from sadness or open endings.
The Wizards – Full Moon In Scorpio [Reissue/2017] CD/LP (High Roller)
A mixture of seventies hard rock, traditional heavy metal and occult imagery.
Youth Fountain – Letters To Our Former Selves CD/LP (Pure Noise)
Full-length debut album from Vancouver B.C.-based two-piece emo/pop-punk band.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers – The EastWest Sessions [Reissue/2017] LP (Pretty Good For Girl)
A powerhouse blues rock album from two time Grammy Award nominated saxophonist, vocalist, author, and National Trustee for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Mindi Abair.
Anti-Nowhere League – We Are The League Uncut LP (New Red Archives)
ANWL revisit their classic debut album with a fresh recording using the original lyrics that caused the album to be banned upon its original release in 1981. Limited edition green vinyl pressing.
The Antlers – Hospice [Reissue/2009] LP+MP3 (Frenchkiss)
Limited edition white colored vinyl LP pressing. Though singer/guitarist Peter Silberman had previously released two solo works under the moniker of The Antlers, 2009’s Hospice represented the full-length debut as a trio rounded out by drummer Michael Lerner and keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Darby Cicci. An elaborate song cycle dealing with life, death, and all the in-between, the album earned rapturous praise while also striking a deep chord in a generation of listeners.
The Black Crowes – Before The Frost… [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Silver Arrow)
Vinyl reissue of the eighth and final studio album by The Black Crowes. Before The Frost… was recorded before a live audience at Levon Helm’s Woodstock, NY studio, The Barn in late February and early March, 2009.
Blake Babies – Innocence And Experience [Reissue/1993] LP (American Laundromat)
Limited light blue vinyl LP pressing. “Perched right on the edge of genuine stardom thanks to the critical adoration of 1990’s Sunburn and the general sea change heralded by the commercial success of Nirvana and other alt rockers, the Blake Babies chose instead to break up. Coyly taking their name from the most famous book of poetry by their name’s inspiration, Innocence And Experience is a similarly off-the-cuff collection. Less a full-career overview than a collection of rarities, favorite tracks, and demos, the 14-track collection hits all of the group’s releases, paying particular attention to Sunburn and its immediate predecessor, 1989’s Earwig.” – AllMusic
Eddie Bo and The Soul Finders – Hook & Sling LP (Tuff City)
Featuring George Davis on guitar, James Black on drums, and Fred Kemp on sax, this is an illuminating body of work that supplements what we know about New Orleans funk.
Bollard – Trawlers LP (Rock Hand)
Released last September on CD – now available on vinyl. Bollard has spent the last two years developing a distinctive sound that blends heavy guitar work with subtle melodic structures, inspired by alternative and post-punk bands such as Sonic Youth, Gang of Four and Dinosaur Jr. Packed with winding instrumentals, sprawling guitars and ominous vocals, Trawlers fluctuates in intensity with a feeling of tension constant throughout.
James Brown – Motherlode [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Polydor)
Originally a 1988 compilation album focusing on James Brown’s funk recordings of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and including live performances and remixes as well as studio recordings, this is the first vinyl edition of the 2003 expanded edition of Motherlode. Highlights include a live “Say It Loud – I’m Black And I’m Proud”, “I Got Ants in My Pants (And I Want To Dance)”, the chart hit “She’s The One”, and more.
Campdogzz – Riders In The Hills Of Dying Heaven [Reissue/2016] LP (15 Passenger)
Campdogzz self-released their debut album Riders In The Hills Of Dying Heaven in 2015 almost as an accident; they met when lead singer Jess Price was pursuing filmmaking and filming a documentary on two of the members’ previous band. The result is an eerily spot-on mix of the wispy, rustic feel of Price’s native Oklahoma and the heavy, industrial rock vibes of their base of Chicago.
The Dead Milkmen – Welcome To The End Of The World [Reissue/2017] 12” (The Giving Groove)
Welcome To The End Of The World delivers The Dead Milkmen’s trademark twisted humor along with some underlying dark elements that will creep in to your consciousness if you pay close enough attention. Available on 180gm limited edition vinyl. Following the Giving Groove model, all label profits are donated to Girls Rock Philly.
Disastrous Murmur – 25 Years Of Slaughter Rock LP (Metal Bastard)
First ever live album from the Austrian death metal legends.
Forever The Sickest Kids – Underdog Alma Mater [Reissue/2008] LP (Field Day)
First-time vinyl release of the Dallas, TX pop-punk quartet’s debut album.
Earl Hines – My Tribute To Louis: Piano Solos By Earl Hines [Reissue/1971] LP (ORG Music)
Twelve days after Louis Armstrong died, his old friend Earl Hines recorded a solo tribute to the great trumpeter/vocalist. This album, one of three that Hines recorded in a two-day period, features eight songs associated with Satch.
Incite – Built To Destroy LP (Minus Head)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. As renegade disciples of trailblazing architects like Pantera, Slayer, Sepultura, and Machine Head, Incite raise the torch for trend-killing and hipstersmashing metal.
Henry Jamison – Gloria Duplex LP (Akira)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. On his second record, Gloria Duplex, the Vermont songwriter deconstructs ideas of masculinity from boyhood to adulthood and what it means to be a white, middle class male in America today. Recorded over a two-week period in New York City during January 2018, the album features an all-star cast including producer Thomas Bartlett (Sufjan Stevens, The National, St. Vincent) string arranger Rob Moose (Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, Phoebe Bridgers) and mixer Patrick Dillett (Rhye, David Byrne, Glen Hansard).
Bunk Johnson & Leadbelly – At New York Town Hall 1947 2xLP (ORG Music)
Pressed to vinyl for the first time with redesigned artwork, this 20-track live double LP collection captured At New York Town Hall 1947 is filled with a set of players from all over the jazz, folk, and blues communities.
Light Conductor – Sequence One LP (Constellation)
Light Conductor is the twilight slow-burn modular synthesis duo of Stephen Ramsay (Young Galaxy) and Jace Lasek (The Besnard Lakes). The pair have been kicking out these slow jams for years, in between their separate touring and producing duties, and have decided it’s time to share. Sequence One is their first album: a warm shimmering sonic hug of enveloping drone and hypnotic arpeggiation flowing along buoyant filter-sweeping eddies and waves.
Luluc – Dear Hamlyn [Reissue/2008] LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Luluc released their debut album, Dear Hamlyn, in 2008; the songs were written following the death of Zoe Randell’s father. Dear Hamlyn eventually gained a large group of influential admirers. Peter Blackstock, co-founder of No Depression Magazine, wrote, “the most beautiful album I’ve heard in ten years.”
Meat Loaf – Hits Out Of Hell [Reissue/1984] LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy)
Vinyl reissue of the 1984 compilation album by Meat Loaf. It comprises seven Jim Steinman songs including “Modern Girl” from Bad Attitude, which came out at about the same time.
New Order – Ceremony (Version 1) 12” (WB)
New Order – Ceremony (Version 2) 12” (WB)
Recordings in East Orange, New Jersey, during the US visit the previous September, New Order’s first single might, in an alternative universe, have been Joy Division’s next. Both the original version (released on 12” in March 1981) and the alternative, re-recorded version (released later that year) have been remastered and pressed on heavyweight vinyl.
Old Time Relijun – See Now And Know 12”+MP3 (Temporary Residence)
The unearthly combo from Olympia, Washington returns with their first new music in almost a decade. See Now And Know is typical OTR: sexy, untethered, and sing-along at the edge of the volcano fun.
Opprobrium – The Fallen Entities LP (High Roller)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fifth album from the legendary New Orleans’ thrash/death metal masters.
Josh Pan & Dylan Brady – This Care Needs Some Wheels LP (Owsla, LLC)
The new supergroup from Owsla’s Josh Pan and Mad Decent’s Dylan Brady unleashes its debut album. Hypetrak writes, “It’s easy to see why Skrillex would want forward-thinking producer Josh Pan for his Owsla record label and crew,” while The Fader notes that “Brady is riding, high on the buzz he’s garnered off recent SoundCloud releases and collaborations.”
Elvis Presley – For LP Fans Only [Reissue/1959] LP (Friday Music)
Limited audiophile 180gm colored vinyl pressing. Along with A Date With Elvis, 1959’s For LP Fans Only is one of the most important special productions of the young King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
The Promise Ring – The Horse Latitudes [Reissue/1997] LP (Epitaph)
Nestled between the emotionally terse 30 Degrees Everywhere and the pop explosion of Nothing Feels Good, this singles and unreleased songs compilation sees The Promise Ring in a number of different musical phases. [Limited clear colored vinyl LP pressing also available.]
Rhapsody Of Fire – The Eighth Mountain 2xLP (AFM)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Anthemic symphonic metal presented with lots of speed, great pathos and technical refinement. [Limited blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Riot – Archives Volume 2: 1982-1983 2xLP+DVD (High Roller)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Formed in New York City in 1975, Riot recorded one of the best heavy metal albums of all time: 1981’s Fire Down Under. However, before this landmark album finally saw the light of day, it took Riot six long years and two studio albums (1977’s Rock City and 1979’s Narita) to get the formula right. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Thor – Metal Avenger [Reissue/2015] LP (Deadline Music)
Vinyl reissue of the killer 2015 comeback album by the metal legends. Features guest contributions by Henry Rollins (Black Flag), Fast Eddie Clarke (Motörhead), Cheetah Chrome (The Dead Boys), Jay Jay French (Twisted Sister) and many more.
Thornbridge – Theatrical Masterpiece LP (Massacre Germany)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Theatrical Masterpice is a power metal album that thematically deals with torture and suppression in the Middle Ages during the times of witch-hunts and the inquisition.
Josh Turner – I Serve A Savior LP (MCA Nashville)
Released last October on CD – now available on vinyl. New faith-based album from the multi-platinum-selling country star.
Various Artists – A Salute To The Thin White Duke: The Songs Of David [Reissue/2015] LP (Cleopatra)
Kittie, Dum Dum Girls, Electric Six, Rogue Wave, Heartless Bastards, The Muffs, and more cover Bowie hits including “Heroes”, “Ashes To Ashes”, “Space Oddity”, “Changes”, “Rebel Rebel”, “Moonage Daydream” and many more.
Caetano Veloso – Caetano Veloso [Reissue/1968] LP (Third Man)
Caetano Veloso’s self-titled debut solo album is one of the most important and influential Brazilian (and, dare we say, South American) albums of all time. With the release of this seminal album, Veloso would become the leading voice of Tropicália. The songs on Caetano Veloso immediately connected with people. Alegria, Algeria was his breakout hit that gained traction as a hymn for liberty advocates, juxtaposing images of Coca Cola, guerrilla groups, bombs and Brigitte Bardot as part of the everyday experience.
Weezer – Weezer (The Black Album) LP (Crush Music)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Weezer (The Black Album) was produced by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, with whom the band worked for the first time. The album’s songs were entirely written on piano by frontman Rivers Cuomo for the first time in Weezer history, creating some of the most satisfyingly awesome songs in the entire hits-filled Weezer catalog. With band members switching up instruments in the studio, and choruses filtered through Sitek’s own encyclopedic musical references of everything from Gorillaz to Can to Pink Floyd, Weezer (The Black Album) is the bold next step in the winning streak of acclaimed albums they’ve released since 2014.
Neil Young – Dead Man [Reissue/1996] LP (Vapor)
All instrumental pieces provided by Young interspersed with memorable movie sound bites.
Cassettes:
Stella Donnelly – Beware Of The Dogs (Secretly Canadian)
Delivered entirely with a sarcastic wink and a full heart, Beware Of The Dogs proves across 13 life-affirming songs the power in sticking up for yourself, your friends, and what’s right. The album showcases an artist totally in command of her voice, able to wield her inviting charm and razor-sharp wit into authentically raw songs.
Misery Index – Rituals Of Power (Season Of Mist)
Misery Index return in furious fashion with their sixth full-length album, Rituals Of Power which finds the American icons putting on a hard hitting display of strength and brutality grown out of the experience gained as a relentless touring machine.
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