AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:
Dehd – Poetry CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Following the whirlwind success of Dehd’s fourth album Blue Skies and hit single “Bad Love”, they first gathered at Kempf’s off-grid Earthship in Taos, New Mexico where they chopped wood to stay warm and wrote songs during the daylight. They then travelled to a cabin on the Puget Sound to set up their second writing camp where, surrounded by chilly waters, time was marked only by the movement of the tides. “Eating, Sleeping, Breathing, Living – our only purpose was to write,” Kempf recalled. This was the first time the band travelled to distinctly notable locations to write and inspire themselves. Leaving Chicago proved to be a watershed moment. They finalized the songs that became Poetry back in Chicago in the warehouse they’ve called home for nearly a decade, where they rehearsed and wrote their entire catalogue. For fans of classy garage rock, The Strokes, a happy and upbeat Velvet Underground, The Jesus and Mary Chain without the fuzz but with all the hooks and Weezer. [An indie store exclusive ‘plutonium-green’ color vinyl pressing is available.]
Béla Fleck – Remembrance CD/2xLP (Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers)
Remembrance serves as a moving final document of the profound creative and personal rapport that banjoist Béla Fleck and pianist Chick Corea first showcased at album length with 2007’s Latin Grammy-winning The Enchantment. It’s also a crucial addendum to Corea’s legacy, featuring three previously unreleased Corea compositions as well as five short free improvisations, or impromptus, that Fleck has infused with written music. “We pushed this duo to a new place before we ran out of time,” says Fleck, who produced Remembrance. “We have here another cool look at Chick Corea, at the different ways that he can play that we wouldn’t have had. There’s a lot of great Chick Corea out there, and this is different.”
Hot Water Music – Vows CD/LP (Equal Vision)
Hot Water Music is excited to release Vows, the long-standing, influential punk outfit’s 2024 album. Helmed by veteran producer Brian McTernan, Vows features high-profile guest appearances from the likes of Daniel Fang and Brendan Yates of Turnstile, Thrice, Dallas Green of City and Colour and Alexisonfire, The Interrupters, and Popeye Vogelsang of Calling Hours and melodic hardcore greats Farside. Leading the collection is the album opener “Menace” and blistering “Burn Forever”, two towering tracks that right out of the gate illustrate the power that the members of Hot Water Music – Chuck Ragan (vocals/guitar), Chris Wollard (vocals/guitar), Chris Cresswell (vocals/guitar), Jason Black (bass) and George Rebelo (drums) – put forth across this intense and musically daring 12-song showcase. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]
Judah & The Lion – The Process CD/LP (Cletus The Van/Downtown Artist & Label Services)
Judah & The Lion’s new album is a song cycle about the process of grief, moving through the traditional five stages of Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance and welcoming the pain that accompanies each stage. Rather than deflecting or bottling it up, facing the pain head-on allows us to be more human with ourselves and each other. The Process is buoyant, impassioned and emotionally connective and finds the band with a reinvigorated sense of purpose as they aim to create music that resonates deeply, believing in music’s power to connect people and make them feel less alone in life’s journey. K. Flay and Ruston Kelly each guest on a song.
Kings Of Leon – Can We Please Have Some Fun CD/LP (Capitol)
Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum rock band Kings Of Leon return big with their ninth full-length studio album, Can We Please Have Fun. As the title suggests, it’s a document of one of this era’s great rock ‘n’ roll bands cutting loose, trying new things, and, yes, having some fun. Recorded at Dark Horse studio and produced with new collaborator Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Florence + The Machine) the album sees a new side of Kings Of Leon. On Can We Please Have Some Fun, the band harkens back to their gritty origins while simultaneously finding new gears. It’s the sound of a band unified in vision and purpose, freed from any expectations, and the album the band says they’ve always wanted to make. [An indie store exclusive apple red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Knocked Loose – You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To CD/LP (Pure Noise)
As Knocked Loose chipped away at what would become their third album, they felt the pressure from all sides. Internally, there was the need to challenge themselves as songwriters while retaining the merciless intensity and unflinching honesty that have always been their calling cards. Externally, there was a whole new set of eyes on the hard-touring Louisville quintet, following a banner year in which they’d brought their underground-seasoned sound to some of the world’s biggest stages, finding themselves the unlikely viral darlings of both Coachella and Bonnaroo. The creative process was arduous, with the band writing close to 40 songs across a span of four years before locking in the 10 tracks that make up the new LP You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To. But in the end, vocalist Bryan Garris, guitarists Isaac Hale and Nicko Calderon, bassist Kevin Otten and drummer Kevin “Pac Sun” Kaine honed a diverse, cohesive, and savagely intense album that both sums up the massive strides they’ve taken during their decade as a band and asserts their boundless potential going forward. [An indie store exclusive half green/half yellow w/ black & white splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]
Pokey LaFarge – Rhumba Country CD/LP (New West)
After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois- born singer/ songwriter/ actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm–a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm. “I’d be pushing a plough or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls. “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.” While farming, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, Tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock ‘n’ roll. [Indie store exclusive autographed CD and vinyl copies are available.]
Les Savy Fav – OUI, LSF CD/LP (French Kiss)
Les Savy Fav are back with their first new album in 14 years. Almost out of necessity, Les Savy Fav’s sixth LP was born in a pocket reality: singer Tim Harrington’s Brooklyn attic. Different from anywhere they’d ever recorded, the space allowed for a much-needed rebirth for the long-running post-hardcore band. In that in-between, they pieced together what would become their latest evolution, OUI, LSF, growing the album’s title and cover art out of a patch of grass. “The record grew organically – literally and figuratively,” Harrington notes wryly. [Several colorways are available on vinyl, including indie store exclusive ‘bloodshot’, and evergreen.]
Ron Miles – Old Main Chapel CD (Blue Note)
The brilliant and beloved cornetist and composer Ron Miles released his Blue Note debut Rainbow Sign in 2020 shortly before his tragic death in 2022 from a rare blood disorder. His legacy is honored with the release of Old Main Chapel, a recording that captures a sublime live performance by Miles’ trio with guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Brian Blade in 2011 at Old Main Chapel in Boulder, Colorado. The seven-song set featured six of Miles’ indelible originals along with a cover of “There Ain’t No Sweet Man That’s Worth The Salt of My Tears”. The CD package includes heartfelt remembrances by Frisell, Blade, pianist, and frequent collaborator Jason Moran, Blue Note President Don Was, and Ron’s daughter Justice Miles.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise – Love Hate Music Box CD/LP (New Elektra)
Making a bold return, genre-defying, North Carolina-bred quartet and live sensations Rainbow Kitten Surprise will unveil their first full-length album in six years, Love Hate Music Box. After years of struggling with her own mental health that resulted in writer’s block, on-stage episodes, and tour cancellations, RKS singer/songwriter/front person Ela Melo was properly diagnosed and treated in 2023, vastly improving her quality of life. As if suddenly struck by creative intervention, songs once again poured out of her, writing at least one a day for an entire year and forming the backbone of their 22-track opus Love Hate Music Box. This epic mosaic of sound and emotion was fully realized once the band reconvened in the studio, adding another dimension sonically. Produced by Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves) along with Konrad Snyder (Noah Kahan) and Melo, the much-anticipated album ponders life’s ups and downs, and traces the turbulent trajectory of relationships, painted out loud in hues of pop, electronic, rock, and hip-hop. As such, it finds the musicians at their most vulnerable, vibrant, and vital. [Several colorways are available on vinyl, including indie store exclusive milky clear, and baby blue.
Shannon & The Clams – The Moon Is In The Wrong Place CD/LP (Easy Eye Sound)
The Moon Is In The Wrong Place is an upbeat, yet poignant narrative on grief and resilience from Shannon & The Clams. Woven from the threads of devastating loss and communal ties in the aftermath of profound loss – the sudden passing of Shannon’s fiancée just months before their wedding – this record unfolds as the Clams’ most introspective to date. With Dan Auerbach’s production, the album delves deep into themes of heartache and healing, and showcases the band’s trademark wry psychedelia, energetic nostalgia, and flourishes of retro beauty. It’s a tribute to the power of art and community to triumph over tragedy, and a milestone in Shannon & The Clams’ venerable oeuvre. [An indie store exclusive blue w/ pink & black splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]
Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds In Country Music 10 Year Anniversary Edition CD/LP (High Top Mountain)
Metamodern Sounds In Country Music is the second studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson. The album was produced and engineered by Dave Cobb and was released on May 13, 2014, through High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers. Metamodern Sounds In Country Music’ 10 Year Anniversary Edition features fully reimagined album artwork for the CD and vinyl release.
Additional Social Media Program Titles:
No additional social media titles this week.
CDs + Vinyl:
Angus & Julia Stone – Cape Forestier CD/LP (Nettwerk)
“Cape Forestier holds a really special place in our hearts – a chapter in the ever-unfolding book about the road we’re traveling together. It feels reminiscent of our earlier records in terms of style; there’s a real acoustic rawness to the sound. However, the songwriting and performances are naturally tied to the humans we are right now, with all the branches of experience hanging in there. We couldn’t be more excited to share this music. It’s been an incredible experience writing and recording these songs together.” [Multiple vinyl colorways are available, including indie store exclusive orange marble, and gold.]
Amen Dunes – Death Jokes CD/2xLP (Sub Pop)
With Death Jokes, for the first time since the project’s incarnation in 2006, the spiritual reflections and meditations of Amen Dunes are turned away from himself, and out sharply towards the world. The album is also a drastic turn musically and thematically, rooted in the electronic music of raves and of rap music he grew up with but never imagined himself able to make, playing like a scathing electronic essay on America’s culture of violence, dominance, and destructive individualism. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]
Arab Strap – I’m Totally Fine With It / Don’t Give A F**k Anymore CD/LP (Rock Action)
Almost 28 years after their debut, Arab Strap have never sounded more essential, and this new record is a fierce testament to their laser focus on wider horizons. Written and performed exclusively by Malcolm Middleton & Aidan Moffat, and finessed with longtime collaborator Paul Savage, the album furthers the band’s transformation from swooning, slow-core romantics to raging, alt-pop chroniclers. [An indie store exclusive gold color vinyl pressing is available.]
Author & Punisher – Drone Machines [Reissue/2010] CD/LP (Relapse)
Author & Punisher – Ursus Americanus [Reissue/2012] CD/LP (Relapse)
Author & Punisher – Women & Children [Reissue/2013] CD/LP (Relapse)
For those unaware, Author & Punisher is an industrial doom metal, one man band utilizing primarily custom designed and fabricated machines and speakers. The devices draw heavily on aspects of industrial automation and robotics, focusing on the eroticism of interaction with machine. The machines are designed to require significant force from the performer, aligning he or she with the plodding doom influenced sounds that are created.
Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express – Live Oblivion Vol. 1 Recorded Live At The Whiskey, Hollywood [Reissue/1974] CD/2xLP (Soul Bank Music)
Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express – Live Oblivion Vol. 2: Recorded Live At The Whiskey, Hollywood [Reissue/1976] CD/2xLP (Soul Bank Music)
Live albums are often a ‘hit or miss’ affair but Live Oblivion 1 & 2 buck that trend, recorded across two nights in 1974 at the Hollywood venue The Whisky A Go Go.
Bab L’Bluz – Swaken CD/LP (Real World)
Swaken is the second album by Moroccan French power quartet Bab L’ Bluz and the follow up to their critically acclaimed debut, Nayda!. The album was recorded at Real World Studios and built on the songwriting, arrangements and production prowess of band members Yousra Mansour and Brice Bottin. In Darija, Swaken, meaning ‘possession,’ evolves to describe spirits haunting humans. Sometimes associated with a transcendent musical experience, it implies a deep connection with music, surpassing simple ‘trance’ with highly agitated body movements. In Chaabi music, Swaken goes beyond our dimension, potentially leading to the loss of control over the body and mind, delving into a depth similar to the Lilas of the Gnaoua. Beyond mere ‘possession,’ we wanted to use this term to emphasize the obsession with ideas, values, and principles, expressing a determination to combat injustices, even challenging customs, and traditions.
Sebastian Bach – Child Within The Man CD (Reigning Phoenix)
New release from the former Skid Row vocalist. Features guest appearances by guitarists John 5, Steve Stevens and Orianthi.
Kenny Barron – Beyond This Place CD/LP (Artwork)
13-time Grammy nominee and American Jazz Hall of Famer Kenny Barron’s Beyond This Place comes on the heels of his 2023 Grammy-Nominated solo album, The Source. Beyond This Place brings together a multi-generational quintet featuring Immanuel Wilkins, saxophone’s rising star; Johnathan Blake, one of the most accomplished drummers of his generation; Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Barron’s long-time double bassist and Steve Nelson, one of the most highly regarded vibraphonists.
David Benoit – Timeless CD (Sono Recording Group)
New release from the iconic jazz pianist.
Blancmange – Everything Is Connected: The Best Of Blancmange 1979-2024 2xCD/LP (London)
Celebrating 45 years of Blancmange, Everything Is Connected is the first collection to be curated by Neil Arthur, tastefully blending a mixture of hits and personal favorites. Originally from the UK’s post punk DIY scene, Blancmange found success in 1982, LP Happy Families selling Gold in the UK, and it’s three singles becoming international hits. They went on to have seven Top 40 hits and 70 weeks in the UK album charts. Long-standing admirers include Moby, John Grant, and Honey Dijon, who states that “British synth pop was hugely influential in the burgeoning house music scene and Blancmange was a big part of that.” [The abridged vinyl version contains 10 tracks.]
Carrion Vael – Cannibals Anonymous CD/LP (Unique Leader)
Melodic death metal collides with furious thrash in an essential offering for fans of Alterbeast, The Black Dahlia Murder, At The Gates and Benighted. [A splatter colorway is available.]
Benedict Cork – Notes On A Hopeless Romance CD/LP (Benedict Cork)
After honing his craft over a decade, British pop singer-songwriter Benedict Cork releases his album Notes On A Hopeless Romance – a love letter to relationships, past and present. Benedict first found his feet penning a series of acclaimed EPs and consequently this album’s new sound comes as a big melting pot of brash, electronic, melancholic, gospel-inspired pop music. Hailed as BBC Introducing Artist of the Year, Benedict’s refreshing vulnerability and distinct brand of melancholic pop has also gathered praise from Billboard, Clash and Wonderland. [An indie store exclusive orange color vinyl pressing is available.]
Crownshift – Crownshift CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
Emerging from the vital and successful suomi music scene, Crownshift opens a new chapter of contemporary metal. Comprised of members of heavyweights like Nightwish, Wintersun, Finntroll, ex-Children Of Bodom, and Mygrain, this band is here to embark on a different journey. Their sound is a fresh and modern take on melodic death metal with a progressive edge, taking no prisoners. [A gold color vinyl pressing is available.]
Dehd – Poetry CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Following the whirlwind success of Dehd’s fourth album Blue Skies and hit single “Bad Love”, they first gathered at Kempf’s off-grid Earthship in Taos, New Mexico where they chopped wood to stay warm and wrote songs during the daylight. They then travelled to a cabin on the Puget Sound to set up their second writing camp where, surrounded by chilly waters, time was marked only by the movement of the tides. “Eating, Sleeping, Breathing, Living – our only purpose was to write,” Kempf recalled. This was the first time the band travelled to distinctly notable locations to write and inspire themselves. Leaving Chicago proved to be a watershed moment. They finalized the songs that became Poetry back in Chicago in the warehouse they’ve called home for nearly a decade, where they rehearsed and wrote their entire catalogue. For fans of classy garage rock, The Strokes, a happy and upbeat Velvet Underground, The Jesus and Mary Chain without the fuzz but with all the hooks and Weezer. [An indie store exclusive ‘plutonium-green’ color vinyl pressing is available.]
Rick Estrin and The Night Cats – The Hits Keep Coming CD/LP (Alligator)
Sacramento, California’s musically fearless, wildly entertaining, and award-winning Rick Estrin & the Nightcats return with another superb collection of blues and roots music full of sharp-witted songs and brilliant musicianship. [A transparent red color vinyl pressing is available.]
The Feeling – San Vito CD/LP (Little World)
San Vito is the new album from the Ivor Novello award-winning and multi-platinum selling UK indie-pop band The Feeling. The album was written and recorded in Southern Italy and saw the band decamp there to self-produce the record as a band together. What began as a short writing trip, turned into a full album project with the Italian sun, food, and culture seeping through into the sounds on the record. The band brought in local brass, strings, and pizzica / tarantella percussion players – the result being very much an album by The Feeling but with a subtle Salento flavor mixed-in. [An indie store exclusive blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Béla Fleck – Remembrance CD/2xLP (Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers)
Remembrance serves as a moving final document of the profound creative and personal rapport that banjoist Béla Fleck and pianist Chick Corea first showcased at album length with 2007’s Latin Grammy-winning The Enchantment. It’s also a crucial addendum to Corea’s legacy, featuring three previously unreleased Corea compositions as well as five short free improvisations, or impromptus, that Fleck has infused with written music. “We pushed this duo to a new place before we ran out of time,” says Fleck, who produced Remembrance. “We have here another cool look at Chick Corea, at the different ways that he can play that we wouldn’t have had. There’s a lot of great Chick Corea out there, and this is different.”
Keeley Forsyth – The Hollow CD/LP (130701)
Keeley Forsyth is a singer, composer and actress from Oldham, UK. A frequent presence on primetime TV since the mid- ’90s, over the past few years she has forged an unusual parallel career as a unique and uncompromising new presence in contemporary music. Described by Pitchfork as “arid and beautiful”, by Uncut as “astonishing” and The Sunday Times as “one of the most remarkable in years”, Keeley’s debut LP, Debris (2020) and follow-up, Limbs (2022), drew unanimous critical praise, prompting comparisons with Nico, Beth Gibbons, Aldous Harding, Nick Cave, Anohni and even Scott Walker. The bleak and foreboding landscape surrounding Keeley’s North Yorkshire home seems to inhabit her third LP, The Hollow.
The Gathering – Always… [Reissue/1992] CD/2xLP (Roadburn)
Released on June 9, 1992, Always… by The Gathering is one of the rare albums in metal that turned out to be a game-changer. On the debut album, the young Dutch band blended doom and death metal with prominent keyboard parts. It featured female vocals in an era when the metal scene was still a male-dominated environment. The album showcased how heavy sounds could be enriched by diverse musical influences. Consequently, Always… laid the foundation for subgenres like gothic metal, often referred to as female-fronted metal or what is now recognized as progressive metal – a term commonly used today.
Mick Harvey – Five Ways To Say Goodbye CD/LP (Mute)
Five Ways To Say Goodbye marks Harvey’s fifth solo album, featuring an introspective blend of originals and covers brimming with wistful acoustic rock gems.
Hot Water Music – Vows CD/LP (Equal Vision)
Hot Water Music is excited to release Vows, the long-standing, influential punk outfit’s 2024 album. Helmed by veteran producer Brian McTernan, Vows features high-profile guest appearances from the likes of Daniel Fang and Brendan Yates of Turnstile, Thrice, Dallas Green of City and Colour and Alexisonfire, The Interrupters, and Popeye Vogelsang of Calling Hours and melodic hardcore greats Farside. Leading the collection is the album opener “Menace” and blistering “Burn Forever”, two towering tracks that right out of the gate illustrate the power that the members of Hot Water Music – Chuck Ragan (vocals/guitar), Chris Wollard (vocals/guitar), Chris Cresswell (vocals/guitar), Jason Black (bass) and George Rebelo (drums) – put forth across this intense and musically daring 12-song showcase. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]
Incubus – Morning View XXIII CD/2xLP (Virgin)
Morning View XXIII is a re-recording/re-think of Incubus’ 2001 album Morning View. The band states the album is a “result of [their] desire to honor this burgeoning legacy but also reimagine it as musicians who have been lovingly performing these songs night after night for the last 23 years.” The album features their new bass player, Nicole Row. [A translucent blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Judah & The Lion – The Process CD/LP (Cletus The Van/Downtown Artist & Label Services)
Judah & The Lion’s new album is a song cycle about the process of grief, moving through the traditional five stages of Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance and welcoming the pain that accompanies each stage. Rather than deflecting or bottling it up, facing the pain head-on allows us to be more human with ourselves and each other. The Process is buoyant, impassioned and emotionally connective and finds the band with a reinvigorated sense of purpose as they aim to create music that resonates deeply, believing in music’s power to connect people and make them feel less alone in life’s journey. K. Flay and Ruston Kelly each guest on a song.
Keane – Hopes And Fears 20 3xCD (Interscope)
Housed in a bespoke three-CD digipak with printed wallets and a booklet, this 20th Anniversary Edition includes the newly remastered album, previously unreleased demos, B-sides and rarities, plus brand-new sleeve notes from the band and original team.
Brian Kelley – Tennessee Truth CD/LP (Big Machine)
Across 12 pumped-up country anthems, Kelley testifies to the restorative power of rural living, everlasting love, and badass guitars. He sings about John Deere joyrides, front porch swinging, and long nights out where the cattails sway. [A gold nugget color vinyl pressing is available.]
Kings Of Leon – Can We Please Have Some Fun CD/LP (Capitol)
Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum rock band Kings Of Leon return big with their ninth full-length studio album, Can We Please Have Fun. As the title suggests, it’s a document of one of this era’s great rock ‘n’ roll bands cutting loose, trying new things, and, yes, having some fun. Recorded at Dark Horse studio and produced with new collaborator Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Florence + The Machine) the album sees a new side of Kings Of Leon. On Can We Please Have Some Fun, the band harkens back to their gritty origins while simultaneously finding new gears. It’s the sound of a band unified in vision and purpose, freed from any expectations, and the album the band says they’ve always wanted to make. [An indie store exclusive apple red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Knocked Loose – You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To CD/LP (Pure Noise)
As Knocked Loose chipped away at what would become their third album, they felt the pressure from all sides. Internally, there was the need to challenge themselves as songwriters while retaining the merciless intensity and unflinching honesty that have always been their calling cards. Externally, there was a whole new set of eyes on the hard-touring Louisville quintet, following a banner year in which they’d brought their underground-seasoned sound to some of the world’s biggest stages, finding themselves the unlikely viral darlings of both Coachella and Bonnaroo. The creative process was arduous, with the band writing close to 40 songs across a span of four years before locking in the 10 tracks that make up the new LP You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To. But in the end, vocalist Bryan Garris, guitarists Isaac Hale and Nicko Calderon, bassist Kevin Otten and drummer Kevin “Pac Sun” Kaine honed a diverse, cohesive, and savagely intense album that both sums up the massive strides they’ve taken during their decade as a band and asserts their boundless potential going forward. [An indie store exclusive half green/half yellow w/ black & white splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]
Pokey LaFarge – Rhumba Country CD/LP (New West)
After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois- born singer/ songwriter/ actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm–a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm. “I’d be pushing a plough or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls. “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.” While farming, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, Tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock ‘n’ roll. [Indie store exclusive autographed CD and vinyl copies are available.]
Les Savy Fav – OUI, LSF CD/LP (French Kiss)
Les Savy Fav are back with their first new album in 14 years. Almost out of necessity, Les Savy Fav’s sixth LP was born in a pocket reality: singer Tim Harrington’s Brooklyn attic. Different from anywhere they’d ever recorded, the space allowed for a much-needed rebirth for the long-running post-hardcore band. In that in-between, they pieced together what would become their latest evolution, OUI, LSF, growing the album’s title and cover art out of a patch of grass. “The record grew organically – literally and figuratively,” Harrington notes wryly. [Several colorways are available on vinyl, including indie store exclusive ‘bloodshot’, and evergreen.]
Lutharo – Chasing Euphoria CD/LP (Atomic Fire)
Lutharo is a heavy/melo-death metal band from Hamilton, Canada. [A red, white & blue splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]
Manic Eden – Manic Eden [Reissue/1994] CD/LP (Music Theories)
Manic Eden was a short-lived hard rock band consisting of former members of Whitesnake and Little Caesar. Following David Coverdale’s decision to place Whitesnake on indefinite hiatus in the early 1990s, Manic Eden was founded in 1993 and had three members of Whitesnake from the Slip Of The Tongue era: Adrian Vandenberg (guitar), Rudy Sarzo (bass) and Tommy Aldridge (drums). Little Caesar vocalist Ron Young was the final piece of the puzzle.
Scotty McCreery – Rise & Fall CD/LP (Triple Tigers)
“I feel I was born to make this album. The producers, songwriters, musicians, and I poured our hearts and souls into it. I wrote 12 of the 13 songs on the album, and it is reflective of me and the country music I love. I hope people hear that and enjoy it as much as we did making it. This is my favorite album I’ve made yet.” – Scotty McCreery
Brad Mehldau – After Bach II CD (Nonesuch)
After Bach II comprises four preludes and one fugue from J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, as well as the Allemande from Partita for Keyboard No. 4 in D Major, interspersed with seven compositions or improvisations by Mehldau inspired by the complementary works of the Baroque master-including his Variations on Bach’s Goldberg Theme.
Brad Mehldau – Après Fauré CD (Nonesuch)
Mehldau performs four preludes, from a 37-year span of Gabriel Fauré’s career, as well as a reduction of an excerpt from the Adagio movement of his Piano Quartet in G Minor. Here Mehldau’s four compositions that Fauré inspired are presented in a group, sandwiched between two sections featuring the French composer’s works.
Ron Miles – Old Main Chapel CD (Blue Note)
The brilliant and beloved cornetist and composer Ron Miles released his Blue Note debut Rainbow Sign in 2020 shortly before his tragic death in 2022 from a rare blood disorder. His legacy is honored with the release of Old Main Chapel, a recording that captures a sublime live performance by Miles’ trio with guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Brian Blade in 2011 at Old Main Chapel in Boulder, Colorado. The seven-song set featured six of Miles’ indelible originals along with a cover of “There Ain’t No Sweet Man That’s Worth The Salt of My Tears”. The CD package includes heartfelt remembrances by Frisell, Blade, pianist, and frequent collaborator Jason Moran, Blue Note President Don Was, and Ron’s daughter Justice Miles.
Nocturna – Of Sorcery And Darkness CD/LP (Scarlet)
sophomore record for the band founded by the formidable frontwomen Grace Darkling and Rehn Stillnight.
Anette Olzon – Rapture CD (Frontiers)
Third solo album from former Nightwish vocalist Anette Olzon.
Party Cannon – Injuries Are Inevitable CD (Unique Leader)
Party Cannon is back with their heaviest, slammingest and dumbest album yet; an overwhelming helping of the henchest and most nauseating Party Slam. [Vinyl version due June 7.]
Queen – Queen Rock Montreal 2xCD/3xLP (Hollywood)
Queen Rock Montreal was recorded live at the Montreal Forum in November 1981. The 28-track setlist shows the breadth and brilliance of Queen’s songwriting. It mixes ‘70s classics with fan-favorite deep cuts and album tracks (“Keep Yourself Alive”, “Dragon Attack”, “I’m In Love With My Car”, “Sheer Heart Attack”), as well as two songs (“Flash”, and “The Hero”) which are exclusive to the audio-only formats.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise – Love Hate Music Box CD/LP (New Elektra)
Making a bold return, genre-defying, North Carolina-bred quartet and live sensations Rainbow Kitten Surprise will unveil their first full-length album in six years, Love Hate Music Box. After years of struggling with her own mental health that resulted in writer’s block, on-stage episodes, and tour cancellations, RKS singer/songwriter/front person Ela Melo was properly diagnosed and treated in 2023, vastly improving her quality of life. As if suddenly struck by creative intervention, songs once again poured out of her, writing at least one a day for an entire year and forming the backbone of their 22-track opus Love Hate Music Box. This epic mosaic of sound and emotion was fully realized once the band reconvened in the studio, adding another dimension sonically. Produced by Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves) along with Konrad Snyder (Noah Kahan) and Melo, the much-anticipated album ponders life’s ups and downs, and traces the turbulent trajectory of relationships, painted out loud in hues of pop, electronic, rock, and hip-hop. As such, it finds the musicians at their most vulnerable, vibrant, and vital. [Several colorways are available on vinyl, including indie store exclusive milky clear, and baby blue.
Riot V – Mean Streets CD/LP (Atomic Fire)
The New Yorkers play their high-class heavy metal with full fervor and have not let numerous strokes of fate (such as the death of guitarist Mark Reale, since when, out of respect, they are operating as “Riot V”) get them down. [A white color vinyl pressing is available.]
Shannon & The Clams – The Moon Is In The Wrong Place CD/LP (Easy Eye Sound)
The Moon Is In The Wrong Place is an upbeat, yet poignant narrative on grief and resilience from Shannon & The Clams. Woven from the threads of devastating loss and communal ties in the aftermath of profound loss – the sudden passing of Shannon’s fiancée just months before their wedding – this record unfolds as the Clams’ most introspective to date. With Dan Auerbach’s production, the album delves deep into themes of heartache and healing, and showcases the band’s trademark wry psychedelia, energetic nostalgia, and flourishes of retro beauty. It’s a tribute to the power of art and community to triumph over tragedy, and a milestone in Shannon & The Clams’ venerable oeuvre. [An indie store exclusive blue w/ pink & black splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]
The Staple Singers – Africa ’80 CD (Omnivore Recordings)
An international tour sponsored by the US Government found The Staples Singers performing across the continent of Africa in 1980. The set included recent and classic hits like “Let’s Do It Again”, “Respect Yourself”, standards “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”, “Come Go With Me”, and choice covers like “Ease On Down The Road” from The Wiz, and the Bacharach/David classic, “A House Is Not A Home”.
Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds In Country Music 10 Year Anniversary Edition CD/LP (High Top Mountain)
Metamodern Sounds In Country Music is the second studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson. The album was produced and engineered by Dave Cobb and was released on May 13, 2014, through High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers. Metamodern Sounds In Country Music’ 10 Year Anniversary Edition features fully reimagined album artwork for the CD and vinyl release.
The Treatment – Wake Up The Neighbourhood CD/LP (Frontiers)
The Treatment, the quintessential rock band from the heart of Cambridge, UK, proudly unveils their highly anticipated sixth studio album. Since their inception in 2008, The Treatment has consistently delivered high-octane performances and infectious songwriting that sets them apart from the rest. Wake Up The Neighbourhood stands as a testament to their evolution as musicians and showcases their relentless drive and passion for rock music.
Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats – Nell’ Ora Blu CD/2xLP (Rise Above)
Plainly the most radical album of their career to date, Nell’ Ora Blu stands out from the sterile desert of rock ‘n’ roll in 2024 like a gore-drenched beacon. What this scintillating detour tells us about the future of Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats remains a mystery, but after enjoying such rich and fruitful artistic indulgence, Starrs’ notoriety as one of heavy music’s most distinctive voices can only increase. Nell’ Ora Blu is an epic tribute to Italian crime cinema from the late ‘60s/early ‘70s.
Unleash The Archers – Phantoma CD/2xLP (Napalm)
Canadian power metal band Unleash The Archers recently ascended to worldwide domination with their dual-concept releases of 2017’s Apex and 2020’s breakout triumph Abyss. The latter won a JUNO Award for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year, debuted at #1 on the US Current Hard Music and Top New Artist charts, was dubbed by Bandcamp as “a mandatory listen”, and named by Loudwire as one of the best rock and metal albums of the year – crowning the band as “gamechangers within the genre”. Now, the purveyors of futuristically motivated metal return with their conceptual, AI inspired sixth studio album, Phantoma. [An indie store exclusive silver color vinyl pressing is available.]
Unwed Sailor – Underwater Over There CD/LP (Felte)
Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Unwed Sailor has been on a tear over the past few years. Following a quiet phase through much of the 2010s, they reemerged with the aptly titled Heavy Age (2019), and two more full-lengths, Truth Or Consequences (2021) and Mute The Charm (2023), that chart a remarkable evolution of their bass-led, pop-leaning post rock. On Underwater Over There – their ninth LP overall – a current of ‘80s goth and jangle-pop runs beneath a litany of memorable hooks and compositional left turns, creating a propulsive and intricate world of sound. [An ocean blue color vinyl pressing is available.]
Various Artists – Ghana Special 2: Electronic Highlife & Afro Sounds In The Diaspora 1980-93 2xCD/3xLP (Soundway)
A collection of 18 burger highlife, electronic Afrobeat and reggae tracks, highlighting a time when the burgeoning Ghanaian diaspora across Europe and North America was utilizing new music technology and recording techniques. A period of movement, emigration, and innovation.
Paul Westerberg / Grandpaboy – Stereo / Mono [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (BMG)
The album Stereo/Mono by Paul and Grandpaboy Westerberg was originally released in 2002. This album showcases the musical talents of Paul Westerberg, who is known for his work as the lead singer and songwriter of The Replacements. Stereo / Mono is a double album that features two distinct sides: Stereo and Mono. Each side offers a unique listening experience, with Stereo showcasing Westerberg’s melodic pop sensibilities and Mono delving into a raw and gritty rock sound.
Witch – Witch [Reissue/2006] LP (Tee Pee)
Witch – Paralyzed [Reissue/2008] LP (Tee Pee)
Two new colorways: ochre gold, and blue (respectively). When J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr And long-time friend Dave Sweetapple decided to form a hard rock band, they found conspirators Kyle Thomas and Asa Irons, in the local avant-folk outfit Feathers. Witch’s self-titled debut harkens back to the classic heavy metal sound of the ‘70s with the “all in” assault of modern rock and roll production and neatly side-steps “Stoner Rock” pigeonholes by packing more righteous riffs into a single jam than their contemporaries combined. Follow-up Paralyzed was released in 2008, delivering even speedier riffs and raging backbeats that allowed the band’s punk and thrash roots to shine through.
youbet – Way To Be CD/LP (Hardly Art)
Across Way To Be‘s twelve delightfully off-kilter tunes, Nick Llobet (they/them) uses wordplay and tongue-in-cheek humor to obliquely explore dysfunctional relationships, regret, self-confidence or the lack thereof, queerness, and self-discovery. Fuzzy at the edges and filled with playful, kinetic arrangements, Way To Be is a bridge into the entrancing world of youbet. You won’t want to leave. [A tricolor white/blue/purple vinyl pressing is available.]
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Peter Gabriel – Back To Front; Live In London DVD/Blu-ray (Mercury Studios)
This spectacular live concert, filmed at London’s O2 Arena in 2013 and available for the first time on 4K, captures Peter Gabriel celebrating the 25th anniversary of his landmark album So. To mark the event, Gabriel reunited his original So touring band and for the first-time fans saw them play the multi-platinum selling album in its entirety. Alongside the core performance of the So album, the concert features unfinished and re-imagined songs alongside classic hits reflecting what a multi-dimensional artist Peter Gabriel is.
Queen – Queen Rock Montreal + Live Aid DVD/Blu-ray (Mercury Studios)
Queen Rock Montreal was scanned from the 35mm negative to ensure the highest resolution possible. The film is presented in both full frame and widescreen formats, and their iconic Live Aid performance is presented in upscaled HD. Also included is a behind-the-scenes featurette composed of Queen rehearsing for Live Aid interspersed with an interview with the band, recorded just prior to Live Aid. Queen Rock Montreal + Live Aid are presented in Dolby Atmos audio for the first time ever.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Alkaline Trio – From here To Infirmary [Reissue/2001] LP (Vagrant)
Black and red splatter colorway. Already known for playing paradoxically dour but upbeat pop/punk, the Trio dove a little deeper and darker on From Here To Infirmary than on previous efforts. But even with an obsidian sheen, they still play catchy, riff-saturated edgy pop. From Here To Infirmary is simply tuneful, consumable, and guiltily satisfying.
Atoll – Human Extract & Inhuman Implants : The Double Penetration 2xLP (Unique Leader)
New album from the extreme metal band. Double ‘bloodwork petri dish’ color vinyl pressing.
Chet Baker – Jazz Pearls [Reissue/2020] LP (Diggers Factory)
“My Funny Valentine” was created for Babes in Arms, a Broadway musical of the 1930s. This song by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart is a classic, and Chet Baker’s interpretations will forever be part of musical history. This album features two unique vocal and instrumental interpretations of the same song, magnified by Chet’s fragile voice and gentle trumpet, as well as some great jazz standards.
The Bawdies – Popcorn LP (Lawson Ent)
The Bawdies have been updating rock and roll for 20 years. Popcorn is their ninth major album in three years.
Bayside – There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive LP (Hopeless)
Translucent purple colorway. Anthony Raneri, lead guitarist Jack O’Shea, bassist Nick Ghanbarian, & drummer Chris Guglielmo are back with There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive, the ninth album from the veteran New York melodic emo punk outfit Produced by Cameron Webb (Silverstein, Alkaline Trio), the album features Ice Nine Kills on “How To Ruin Everything [Patience]” and new singles “Go To Hell” and “Castaway”.
The Beaches – Blame My Ex LP (Beaches Touring Inc.)
Blue colorway. The Beaches show us that sometimes a breakup can be a breakthrough on their sophomore studio album Blame My Ex. Following their Juno award-winning album Sisters Not Twins (The Professional Lovers Album), The Beaches are back with their third studio album, cracking their upbeat, brazen shell to reveal a more vulnerable inside on Blame My Ex.
Yaya Bey – Ten Fold LP+MP3 (Big Dada)
New York-bred R&B vocalist Yaya Bey conjures a comprehensive self-portrait on her new studio album, Ten Fold. Where her previous works were earnest and mindful, Yaya’s new LP is definitive, harkening back to aspects of her past while examining the future of the world that surrounds her with a stream-of-conscious intentionality. Over rapturous production from Corey Fonville of jazz group Butcher Brown, Karriem Riggins, Jay Daniel, Exaktly and Boston Chery, Yaya delivers a free-spoken masterpiece that speaks to the intricacies of persevering through a year punctuated by grief and loss, life-altering milestones, and everything in between. [An indie store exclusive translucent red colorway is available.]
Apollo Brown – Skilled Trade LP (Mello Music)
Limited gold and cream splatter colored vinyl LP pressing. This is Apollo Brown’s very first beat collection put together in 2007 a few years before winning the Red Bull Big Tune Championship in Detroit and then signing to Mello Music Group. The collection has been such a popular record around the Mello Music Group office for the past few years that we decided to make it available to everyone for a one time pressing on vinyl. Over 30 tracks from Apollo Brown.
Kenny Burrell – A Night At The Vanguard [Reissue/1960] LP (Verve)
Highlighting an extraordinary guitar trio at the height of their powers in one of jazz’s most hallowed spaces, Kenny Burrell’s A Night At The Vanguard on Argo makes a strong case for Burrell as one of the most influential voices on his instrument. Featuring bassist Richard Davis and drummer Roy Haynes.
Kenny Burrell – Guitar Forms [Reissue/1965] LP (Verve)
A cornerstone of any jazz library. Kenny Burrell’s concept for this album was to demonstrate a variety of jazz guitar styles. And he does so, masterfully. Of particular interest “Moon And Sand” by Burrell and the Gil Evans Orchestra showcases an engaging guitar performance with a Latin combo.
Ornette Coleman – Tomorrow Is The Question! [Reissue/1959] LP (Destination Moon)
Removing the obligatory piano from his group for Tomorrow Is The Question! gave an inkling of Ornette Coleman’s need to break free from traditional jazz strictures. Though not nearly as wild as what was to follow, on Tomorrow Coleman and trumpeter Don Cherry make use of every opportunity to bust loose musically, as heard on “Giggin” and “Rejoicing”, even as the rhythm section strives to keeps things anchored and grounded. There’s a touch of blues bordering on funk on “Tears Inside” too, and “Endless” switches timeframes repeatedly. This is Ornette on the brink of major change – an engaging, instructive listen with unexpected twists.
Pino D’Angiò – …Balla! [Reissue/1981] LP (Peer-Southern)
The most iconic and groundbreaking Italian Disco record, Pino D’Angiò’s 1981 album “… Balla!”, relives in the physical world through this limited tri-color-vinyl exclusive repress. Arisen to renewed stardom after going contagiously viral on TikTok, with his fascinating aura and apparently braggy attitude, Pino D’Angiò marked the history of Italian dance and disco music with this sharp and ironic record that still makes a lot of youngsters get on the floor today as it did in the ‘80s.
December’s Children – December’s Children [Reissue/1970] LP (Sundazed)
Pink colorway. Bluesy rust-belt psych from Ohio. Bouncing between male and female vocalists, tight harmonies, country flavor and rock ‘n’ roll style, their sound fit the transition between pop and heavy rock in the late ’60s.
The Early November – Fifteen Years 2xLP (Near Mint)
The Early November started creating music in 2002 and quickly become a pop punk/emo heavy weight in their respective scenes, touring alongside Drive Thru Records era artists such as The Starting Line and New Found Glory. Fifteen Years is a 15+ year career recap of acoustic versions of their most notable tracks – which is more than a few.
Electroliners – Loose Caboose [Reissue/1995] 12” (Mint Condition)
A serendipitous encounter at an SF record store in the early ‘90s brought together local music aficionados DJ Dan and Jim Hopkins. Their collaboration birthed the legendary Electroliners project, channeling their shared passion for underground and funky sounds into the iconic left-coast rave anthem, “Loose Caboose”. Pooling their musical prowess, Dan and Jim embarked on a journey of sonic exploration, meticulously crafting their signature sound by dissecting samples and breakbeats, infusing the musical landscape with a revitalizing energy. As their reputation grew within the local scene, they found themselves tasked with supplying a track for a promotional CD-ROM by a burgeoning software company.
Exhumed – Slaughtercult [Reissue/2000] LP (Relapse)
Exhumed – Anatomy Is Destiny [Reissue/2000] LP (Relapse)
Exhumed – All Guts, No Glory [Reissue/2000] LP (Relapse)
Exhumed – Necrocracy [Reissue/2013] LP (Relapse)
New splatter colorways of the second, third, fifth and sixth albums by the death/goregrind metal band.
Marvin Gaye – Alive in America 2xLP (Renaissance)
Gold colorway. Live concert recorded several months before the R&B/soul legends death.
Gregor – Satanic Lullabies LP (Chapter Music)
Melbourne pop eccentric Gregor releases his fourth album Satanic Lullabies, his deepest and darkest record yet. In the years since his first album, 2016’s Thoughts & Faults, Gregor’s music has got progressively odder, more challenging, and more rewarding. The spacious, acerbic pop of Silver Drop (2018), featuring touching single A Song About Holding Hands, was followed by The Lovesick Destiny (2020), which put Gregor’s inquisitive pop through a warped filter. Now Satanic Lullabies has polar extremes of wide-eyed innocence and deep despair.
Herbie Hancock – Jammin’ With Herbie 2xLP (Renaissance)
Compilation culled from Hancock’s 1960s albums and singles.
Jimi Hendrix – First Rays Of The New Rising Sun [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Originally released in April 1997, First Rays Of The New Rising Sun was the first album prepared under the direct supervision of the Hendrix Family. Drawing together seventeen songs whose creation spans from March 1968 through to Jimi’s final sessions at Electric Lady Studios in August 1970, the album marked the last graceful gesture by the innovative artist Jimi Hendrix. Features “Dolly Dagger”, “Angel,” “Ezy Rider”, and “Freedom”.
Billie Holiday – At Storyville [Reissue/1976] LP (Org Music)
Billie Holiday is captured live at Storyville in Boston in 1951 and 1953. The discreet recordings capture Lady Day in prime emotive voice. On most selections she is accompanied by the Carl Drinkard Trio, but six others find her joined by Buster Harding’s Trio; the great tenor Stan Getz sits in on three of these numbers.
Oan Kim – Rebirth Of Innocence LP (Artwork)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Calm yet dramatic music for fans of Radiohead with film noir adaptations and a cross-genre mixture of pop jazz and ambient – a narrative work with many borrowings and obviously very sophisticated – as if he wanted to know and came up with further borrowings and ideas through exploration.
B.B. King – Live In Japan 2xLP (Geffen)
Recorded at Sankei Hall in Tokyo on March 4 & 6, 1971, this live album presents the great B.B. King backed by a wonderful band, including the leader on guitar and vocals, Earl Turbington (saxophone), Louis Hubert (saxophone), Joe Burton (trombone), John Browning (trumpet), and more.
Freddie King – Alive In America 3xLP (Renassance)
Red colorway. Freddie King (September 3, 1934 – December 28, 1976) was an American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is considered one of the “Three Kings of the Blues Guitar” (along with Albert King and B.B. King, neither of whom were blood related). Known most for his soulful and powerful voice and distinctive guitar playing, King had a major influence on electric blues music and on many later blues guitarists. Alive In America was recorded live in Denver May 27, 1974, at Ebbets Field.
Kontravoid – Detachment LP (Artoffact)
Kontravoid emerges from beneath his walls of synthesizers with an irresistibly infectious new album on the way. Ever since the release of his self-titled LP in 2012, the Canadian-born, L.A.-based Cameron Findlay has perfected dark pop with a unique composition which moves eloquently through the EBM, electro and goth genres.
The Last Ten Seconds Of Life – No Name Graves 2xLP (Unique Leader)
Translucent w/ grey colorway. Over the past decade, Pittsburgh’s TLTSOL have cemented themselves as one of the undisputed kings of the downtempo/deathcore crossover movement.
Sam Lazar – Space Flight [Reissue/1960] LP (Verve)
Space Flight is the debut recording by the mysterious organist Sam Lazar. Issued on Argo in 1960, it features guitar wizard Grant Green-on only his second recording-as well as Chicago blues legend Willie Dixon on bass.
David Lee Jr – Evolution [Reissue/1974] LP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Limited magenta color vinyl pressing. Drummer and Composer David Lee Jr.’s stunning and rare album Evolution (1974) blends the deep experimentalism of John Coltrane and Sun Ra with the pulsating second line and parade rhythms of New Orleans to create a stunning sonic and rhythmical tour de force.
Mxmtoon – The Masquerade [Reissue/2019] 2xLP (Mxmtoon)
Blue colorway. Experience the triumphant return of singer-songwriter Mxmtoon’s iconic masterpiece and debut album, the masquerade, as it celebrates its fifth anniversary. Includes a bonus LP of acoustic versions.
Paradise Lost – Faith Divides Us – Death Divides Us [Reissue/2009] LP (The Circle Music)
Two new colorways: gold, and gold w/ red. Looking back at the progression Paradise Lost has made over the years, Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us does seem to rely on two important ingredients that made this band worthy in the first place. Nick Holmes brings back the harsh vocal attack you could find on the band’s ’93-’95 material and while he doesn’t sound as ‘cool’ as he did earlier on. The heavier, yet elaborated approach sees Paradise Lost aiming for several contrasts; the vocals often alternate between wise angry bellows and baritone-esque cleans, yet both aspects are used often which you couldn’t say so much about the band’s earlier works. ‘
Tess Parks – Blood Hot [Reissue/2013] LP (Optic Nerve)
Gold colorway. One reviewer described her as “Patti Smith on Quaaludes”. Others have mentioned her “gauzy psychedelic sound” and “smoldering voice”. Alan McGee himself said: “She’s only 24 and is already an amazing songwriter… she just doesn’t quite know she is yet … her most beautiful quality is her lack of ego. Tess is an amazing lady”. Influences include Elliott Smith, friends the Dandy Warhols and all the classics: “I was brought up on Bob Dylan, Nirvana, The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Zeppelin.” She met Alan McGee in London. “We stayed in touch, that was it really. I just got so lucky. I love Oasis, Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine… He’s affiliated with all of my favorite musicians.”
Phelimuncasi & Metal Preyers – Izigqinamba LP (Nyege Nyege Tapes)
Jesse Hackett returns with another unclassifiable co-mingling of genres, this time made in collaboration with Durban-based gqom trio Phelimuncasi. The group met up in Nyege Nyege’s Kampala studio last year, spending three days engineering a sequence of tracks that turned the acts’ respective sounds inside out, stretching urgent vocals over mutating backdrops of time stretched electronic drums, saturated noise, and unstable synths.
Poison Idea – Kings Of Punk [Reissue/1987] LP (American Leather)
Poison Idea’s first real album, released in 1987 was reviewed in SPIN magazine and the world gasped. Poison Idea never looked back after this. Jerry A continues his reissuing of classic PI releases on the American Leather Records label. For further insights into Poison Idea, track down Jerry A’s three volume book set Black Heart Fades Blue by Rare Bird publishers. This is a 2024 remixed, remastered version of 1986 release pressed on 140gm vinyl. Blast after blast of full speed ahead. Still relevant after all these years.
The Rolling Stones – The Rolling Stones, Now [Reissue/1965] LP (Abkco)
The Rolling Stones, Now! is the third American studio album by The Rolling Stones, originally released in 1965. The album mostly consists of songs released earlier in the United Kingdom, as well as the group’s recent single in the United States, “Heart Of Stone”.
Cosmo Sheldrake – Eye To The Ear 2xLP (Tardigrade)
The astonishing twenty-one tracks on Cosmo Sheldrake’s new album, Eye To The Ear, range from celebratory anthems to soulful elegies to irresistible dance numbers. Animated by themes of interconnection and symbiosis, Cosmo’s expansive musical imagination is rooted in practices of listening-both to human and more-than-human sound worlds. Eye To The Ear, Cosmo’s most accomplished creation to date-as producer, composer, performer and songwriter-makes it clear that the living world is a noisy and musical place with the power to change the way we think, feel, and imagine.
Soilwork – Sworn To A Great Divide [Reissue/2007] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Soilwork – The Panic Broadcast [Reissue/2010] LP (Nuclear Blast)
New colorways of the seventh & eighth studio albums by Swedish metallers Soilwork.
Sonic Universe – It Is What It Is LP (earMUSIC)
Embark on an intergalactic musical odyssey with Sonic Universe’s debut album, It Is What It Is. Corey Glover, acclaimed lead singer of Living Colour, and guitarist Mike Orlando from Adrenaline Mob join forces to explore new sonic dimensions. Recorded at Sonic Stomp Studios in New York City, the album kicks off with the dynamic title track, blending a powerful drumbeat, driving bass lead, and Corey’s electrifying vocals.
Sunset Rubdown – Random Spirit Lover LP (Jajaguwar)
Blue colorway. The woven lyrics and singular songwriting style heard in Sunset Rubdown invoke a mythological world, where magical narratives and tiny metaphors give shape to ordinary objects in the room; sometimes beautiful, sometimes beastly. The moniker was first born to bare the solo bedroom recordings of Spencer Krug but has since evolved into a full-fledged band. Now enter Sunset Rubdown’s third full-length record, Random Spirit Lover, featuring twelve songs that bleed in and out of each other, mixing portents with theatrics, confusions with conversions.
The Supremes – We Remember Sam Cooke [Reissue/1965] LP (Motown)
The Supremes’ fifth studio album, We Remember Sam Cooke, was released by Motown in April 1965 and was a tribute to Sam Cooke, who had died the previous December. Featuring Sam Cooke covers, such as “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “You Send Me,” “Ain’t That Good News” (led by Florence Ballard), and the delightful “Wonderful World.” It was the second most successful in a series of themed albums, peaking at #5 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart.
Suppression – Spiritual Sepsis LP (To Live A Lie)
Suppression has been eroding eardrums since ’92 and is one of the OG power violence mainstays of the east coast. The band has put out over 50 releases out into the world with a vast quantity of those are splits. In the last number of years, the band released the absolutely crushing full length LP Placebo Reality. Fast forward seven years to 2024 and we are graced with a brand new 24-song full-length titled Spiritual Sepsis.
The Temptations – Wish It Would Rain [Reissue/1968] LP (Motown)
The Temptations Wish It Would Rain is a studio album by the Temptations, originally released in 1968. It was the final release from the group’s “Classic-5” era, during which David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams constituted the Temptations’ lineup.
Tillla – Third Person LP (VLF)
Tillla is 19-year-old prodigal piano player Mateo Davis, a graduate of Purcell (Tirzah, Mica Levi, Jacob Collier) & a polymath musician, producer & mixer. Third Person is Tillla’s debut album, a 13-track sprawling opus that the then-18-yr-old made alone in his bedroom on a modular synth and dodgy copy of Ableton. The musicianship, depth and technical creativity in this record really is something that should be noted.
Tinlicker – Cold Enough For Snow LP (Electronique)
Tinlicker is a Dutch electronic music act formed in 2013, consisting of Micha Heyboer (Drums, Keys) and Jordi van Achthoven (Drums, Keys). The name Tinlicker comes from circuit bending, which is the creative, chance-based customization of the circuits within electronic devices to create new musical or visual instruments and sound generators. While you have your hands full with musical instruments you must ‘lick the tin’ to make things work.
Twilight Force – Tales Of Ancient Prophecies [Reissue/2014] LP (Black Lodge)
Transparent vinyl with orange fireball colorway of the 2014 album by the metal band.
UF – Unknown Fate LP (Kick To Kill)
White colorway. Unknown Fate is the debut release from UF – the collaborative live project between German experimental techno artist OAKE and British producer and live performer Samuel Kerridge. Self-described as the ‘power metal techno’ duo, the project was initially born from an Atonal commission. Now, OAKE & Kerridge present two EPs Unknown and Fate, culminating in nine tracks of unadulterated sonic warfare for their LP release.
Universal Order Of Armageddon – Universal Order Of Armageddon LP (Numero)
From the ashes of Moss Icon, Universal Order Of Armageddon blasted out of Annapolis, MD in a fiery maelstrom of punishing riffs, syncopated breakbeats, and terrifying shrieks. Compiled here are the complete Gravity, Vermin Scum, and Kill Rock Stars recordings, remixed and remastered from the original session tapes, and housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket with a chunky 24-page book packed with photos, notes, and iconography from their 1993-’94 run. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]
Various Artists – My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall LP (Oh Boy)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall is the companion album to Alice Randall’s new book My Black Country, which offers a lyrical, introspective, and unforgettable account of her past, her search for the first family of Black country music, and the radical joy in realizing the power of Black influence on American culture. The album is a powerful compilation of Black female country artists re-recording the greatest songs of Alice’s catalog, bringing to life the Black characters and portraits of the Black west embedded in her songs. The album is produced by Ebonie Smith (engineer of ‘Hamilton’, founder, and president of Gender Amplified, and the in-house producer for the Atlantic Records studio in New York).
Various Artists – Let’s Do Rock Steady (The Soul Of Jamaica) 2xLP (Trojan)
The immediate successor to ska, the soulful, melodic sound of rock steady first developed during the long hot Jamaican summer of 1966 and reigned supreme thereafter for two glorious years before finally being superseded by the more energetic style of reggae. Despite its relatively brief period as the island’s national sound, the rhythms of many of its biggest hits have continued to influence and inspire music-makers to the present day, resulting in renewed interest in the sub-genre among record buyers in recent years. This collection features 24 of the most popular recordings of the rock steady era.
Various Artists – Studio One Down Beat Special 2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Soul Jazz Records’ Down Beat Special is a roller-coaster ‘greatest hits’ ride through many of the all-time classic tunes hand-picked from across the mighty vaults of, without doubt, Jamaica’s finest ever record label and pioneering powerhouse of reggae music.
Rob Zombie – The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy [Reissue/2021] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Blue in bottle green colorway. Originally released in 2021, The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy is a classic Zombie album through and through with high-energy ragers.
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