December/January Program Titles Released This Week:
All That Remains – Victim Of The New Disease CD (Razor & Tie)
Metalcore vets All That Remains follow-up 2017’s The Madness with Victim Of The New Disease which is ushered in by the pull no punches lead single “F**k Love” and also features a guest appearance by Asking Alexandria singer Danny Worsnop on “Just Tell Me Something”. Integrating excruciating personal experiences, political rants and controversial commentary with music that’s just as confrontational, it’s an unapologetic showcase of honesty and ingenuity which induces gentle head-bobbing one moment and teeth-clenching fist pounding the next. [Vinyl edition due January 11.]
Charles Bradley – Black Velvet CD/LP/LP+12”+MP3 (Daptone/Dunham)
Black Velvet is a celebration of Charles Bradley, lovingly assembled by his friends and family at Dunham/Daptone Records. Though chronologically the material spans Charles’ entire career, this is no anthology, “greatest hits” or other shallow rehashing of the songs that already made him famous. Rather, this album is a profound exploration through the less-traveled corners of the soulful universe that Charles and his longtime producer, co-writer and friend Thomas “TNT” Brenneck created in the studio together over their decade-long partnership. It features new songs recorded during the sessions from each of his three albums, heard here for the very first time in all their scorching glory. [As a one-time pressing for the super-fan comes a gorgeous black velvet wrapped box set that includes the following: 180gm vinyl version of the standard LP, a bonus 12” 45rpm EP with stripped-down mixes of four Bradley classics, an exclusive slip-mat, two printed heavy-duty inner sleeves sporting a surreal painting of Charles and the interview in which he explains the origin of the painting, a 12” x 12” photo-book with extensive liner notes from TNT, an exact replica of Charles’ original “Black Velvit” business card, and a seeded download card (once you’ve retrieved your download, you can plant the card and wildflowers will grow in memory of Charles).]
Sarah Brightman – Hymn CD (Decca Gold/Verve)
Sarah Brightman returns with an inspirational collection of orchestrated, choir-based songs. For Brightman, every project comes from an emotional place, and Hymn is no exception. The album encompasses songs by such modern composers as Eric Whitacre (Fly To Paradise), Japanese superstar musician and songwriter Yoshiki (Miracle), and German DJ Paul Kalkbrenner (Sky And Sand). Hymn’s mystical, uplifting tone is set with its title track, a song by British prog-rock band Barclay James Harvest. From there the album becomes excitingly eclectic, encompassing many styles. “Sogni”, described as a mash-up of two arias from two different operas by French composer Georges Bizet, is flawlessly sung by Brightman and French tenor Vincent Niclo. Also included are “Canto Per Noi”, written by famed Italian composer Ennio Morricone and Romano Musumarra, and “Follow Me”, the love theme from the 1962 film Mutiny On The Bounty. Finally, the album closes with a new rendition of Brightman’s signature smash duet with Andrea Bocelli, “Time To Say Goodbye”, in a new solo rendition with lyrics Sarah wrote herself, and sung in English for the first time.
Cult Leader – A Patient Man CD/LP (Deathwish)
Cult Leader is a chaotic band from Salt Lake City, Utah. From the first hits of opener “I Am Healed” Cult Leader take listeners on a sonic rollercoaster ride. Much of A Patient Man follows this blueprint. Songs like “Curse Of Satisfaction”, “Craft Of Mourning”, and “Share My Pain” are driven by a weave work of unorthodox metallic riffing and fueled by hyper-aggressive percussion. While the technical proficiency is impressive, it’s in their use of dynamics where they truly shine. The album contains four beautifully brooding epics; “To: Achlys”, “A World Of Joy”, title track “A Patient Man” and “The Broken Right Hand Of God”. Each one of them carries a maturation and sense of melody that few “extreme” bands have within their arsenal. Proving that aggressive music still has much to offer the world in terms of originality, creativity, and emotion.
Marianne Faithful – Come And Stay With Me: The UK 45s 1964-69 CD (ABKCO)
The A and B-sides of the ten singles Marianne recorded for UK Decca between 1964 and 1969, plus her Go Away From My World EP. All tracks are in authentic mono, just like the actual 45s. Mastered from the best possible sources, including some fresh Abbey Road transfers of the original tapes. The CD features Marianne’s Top 20 hits “As Tears Go By”, “Come And Stay With Me”, “This Little Bird” and “Summer Nights”, plus lesser-known gems such as “Something Better”, “That’s Right Baby”, “House Of The Rising Sun”, “Counting” and the controversial cult favorite “Sister Morphine”. Producers include Andrew Loog Oldham, Mike Leander, Tony Calder and Mick Jagger.
Robben Ford – Purple House CD/LP (earMUSIC)
Innovative and influential contemporary premier electric guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Robben Ford offers up the new studio album, Purple House. Featuring nine powerhouse tracks, the album’s genesis, according to Ford, was simple and uncomplicated: “My concept for the record was to do something with a lot more emphasis on the production than I’ve had in the past. I’m always pushing myself with each record. I haven’t made one record that sounded like the one before it and this was going to be no different. Purple House was a great opportunity to try something really different.” The album includes guest appearances by blues powerhouse vocalist Shemekia Copeland, Travis McCready (the lead singer of the Natchez, MS band Bishop Gunn), and Bishop Gunn guitarist Drew Smithers.
Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers – Brought To Rot CD/LP+MP3 (Bloodshot)
To say Laura Jane Grace has had a defiant career would be an understatement. Whether being accused of leaving the DIY punk scene to pursue a major label career over a decade ago, or courageously challenging people’s conceptions of gender identity, Grace has remained a daring and influential cultural figure in her over 20+ years of creating dynamic art across various mediums. Now she presses pause on Against Me! to release a more intimate singer-songwriter leaning solo album under the name Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers. On Bought To Rot’s opening cut, “China Beach”, Grace delivers a bold, lip-curled statement of intent: “Learn to trust yourself, no one else matters / Respect the source and always welcome failure.” And it’s in this spirit – with the help of Against Me! drummer Atom Willard and long-term AM! producer Marc Jacob Hudson on bass – that the album came into existence. As a complete body of work, Brought To Rot Grace what she affectionately calls her “Scorpio” record – redolent in sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Greenleaf – Hear The Rivers CD/2xLP (Napalm)
The mighty Swedish Stoner force Greenleaf present their latest album, Hear The Rivers. The album is a mesmerizing bag of tricks that seizes the Swedish stoner sound and enriches it with so many wonderful things, like the unforgettable riff-o-rama “Good Ol’ Goat” or the slow soul feeder, “We Are The Pawns”. An absolute gem of an album that is best kept in the family – which is why former Greenleaf and Dozer drummer Karl Daniel Lidén (Craft, Bloodbath, Crippled Black Phoenix amongst others) produced it.
Internal Bleeding – Corrupting Influence CD/LP (Unique Leader)
Pioneering New York death metal legends Internal Bleeding return with their devastatingly heavy sixth full length album. Featuring all of the raw, crushing, groove heavy aggression that fans have come to expect from the group, Corrupting Influence also sees Internal Bleeding continuing to push themselves and the sound that they help create in new and unexpected ways. Founding guitarist Chris Pervelis exclaims, “Corrupting Influence is filled with all of the gut twisting heaviness and groove you’d expect from us, but there’s also plenty of unexpected twists that take a listener to places we’ve never gone before. Additionally, the production is right where it should be – heavy as f**k, organic and live sounding.” Guitarist Chris McCarthy adds, “I grew up as a fan of Internal Bleeding, so I put everything in my ability to make this the sickest IB album ever.”
J Mascis – Elastic Days CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
“Like its predecessors, Elastic Days was recorded at J’s own Bisquiteen studio. Mascis does almost all his own stunts, although Ken Miauri (who also appeared on Tied To A Star) plays keyboards and there are a few guest vocal spots. These include old mates Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), and Mark Mulcahy (Miracle Legion), as well as the newly added voice of Zoë Randell (Luluc) among others. But the show is mostly J’s and J’s alone. But for those expecting the hallucinatory overload of Dinosaur Jr’s live attack, the gentleness of the approach here will draw easy comparisons to Neil Young’s binary approach to working solo versus working with Crazy Horse. This is a lazy man’s shorthand, but it still rings true. Elastic Days brims with great moments. Epic hooks that snare you in surprisingly subtle ways, guitar textures that slide against each other like old lovers, and structures that range from a neo-power-ballad (“Web So Dense”) to jazzily-canted West Coasty post-psych (“Give It Off”) to a track that subliminally recalls the keyboard approach of Scott Thurston-era Stooges (“Drop Me”). The album plays out with a combination of holism and variety that is certain to set many brains ablaze.” – Byron Coley
Rhett Miller – The Messenger CD/LP+MP3 (ATO)
The Messenger sees Rhett Miller playing it faster and looser than perhaps any other time in his quarter century career, instilling what might be his most personal songs to date with a groovy limberness that belies the reflective darkness within. Backed by a white hot backing combo comprised of Sam Cohen (electric & acoustic guitars, pedal steel, piano, organ, drums), Brian Betancourt (bass), and Ray Rizzo (drums), Miller goes deep into his own youthful experiences with suicide and depression, placing “a long distance phone call to myself as a 14-year-old” on surprisingly buoyant new songs like “The Human Condition” and “Permanent Damage”. “I wanted this record to be less safe,” Miller says. “I wanted to put myself in the hands of a producer who was going to do things that I didn’t expect; I wanted to play with people I didn’t know and be surprised by what they came up with. And all of that really came to pass. That’s what you’re getting this record. You’re getting this locked-in rhythm section with a crazy, psychedelic guitar maestro playing along with me singing my songs about depression and insecurity.” [Limited clear with black smoke colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Muse – Simulation Theory CD/LP (WB)
Muse’s eighth studio album Simulation Theory follows-up 2015’s Drones which won a Grammy for Best Rock Album in 2016. The science fiction-themed record was produced by the band, along with several award-winning producers, including Rich Costey, Mike Elizondo, Shellback and Timbaland. Simulation Theory is introduced by the era-blending singles “Something Human”, “Thought Contagion”, “Dig Down” and “The Dark Side”, all featuring Matt Bellamy’s unmistakable soaring vocals and blistering guitars and the driving rhythm section of Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard which have become a hallmark of Muse’s stadium-filling sound. Artwork for the album was illustrated by digital artist Kyle Lambert, who has done the poster art for Stranger Things, Jurassic Park and many other films. [Deluxe CD edition featuring five alternate takes is also available.]
The Revivalists – Take Good Care CD/LP+7” (Loma Vista)
Marked by songwriting that is both intensely personal and also an escape, Take Good Care is brimming with sonic complexity, celebration, and catharsis. Sometimes raising more questions than answers, it’s a reflection of the up-and-down journey of life that we’re all on together. Album opener “Otherside” came to life in just one vocal take bolstered by fingerpicked clean guitars and cathedral-size harmonies. The guttural grooves of “Oh No” spiral towards a fret-burning solo as wild and gritty as David Shaw’s delivery. “Hate To Love You” is tender and gorgeous and “Change” climaxes on a raw howl. “You Said It All” illuminates the dynamics at the heart of the record. The Revivalists have been on an unbelievable ride where ten years of tireless hard work was unexpectedly revved up by the wrongly dubbed “overnight success” of the No. 1 single “Wish I Knew You”, which was recently certified platinum by the RIAA. Now, the band returns with a newfound depth and ambition that has brought their songcraft to a whole new level.
CDs + Vinyl:
Ace Of Cups – Ace Of Cups CD (High Moon)
Ace Of Cups (1967-1972) may not have been the first all-women rock and roll band, but they were the one that mattered within that bizarre wrinkle in time that constituted late 1960s San Francisco. Converging from a diverse set of backgrounds in the Haight-Ashbury just before the Summer of Love, these young women would constitute an independently-driven, uniquely-inspired organization, equally capable of feather-light poetry, funkier soul and further-out freakery than most of their more celebrated male compatriots within the psychedelic ballrooms. Yet despite the avowed interest of the industry and obvious hometown support, the original Ace Of Cups never got to make a record until recently. [Vinyl edition due November 23.]
Ziggy Alberts – Laps Around The Sun CD (Alberts & Co. Music)
Ziggy Alberts is a coastal folk, singer/songwriter, free surfer and environmental enthusiast from the East Coast of Australia. Byron Bay, New South Wales. [Vinyl edition due December 7.]
Architects UK – Holy Hell CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
The Brighton-based outfit Kerrang recently awards the title of Best British Live Band and The Guardian said feature “gloriously crafted anthems of defiance,” return with their eighth album. For Fans of Parkway Drive, Trivium and August Burns Red.
Ashes Of Aires – Well Of Souls CD/2xLP (Roar! Rock Of Angels)
Ashes of Ares is an American power metal band featuring ex Iced Earth members Matt Barlow on vocals and Freddie Vidales on guitar. [Limited turquoise/black splatter colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Meg Baird and Mary Lattimore – Ghost Forests CD/LP (Three Lobed)
Ghost Forests musical conversations between Meg Baird and Mary Lattimore are intimate, fluid, effortless and spontaneous. They’re filled with the euphoria of creation and, at times, they articulate hard truths and tangled emotions with an ease only trusted friends can manage. The songs alternate between extended ethereal instrumental excursions, gauzy and dreamy pop, blown-out Bull Of The Woods heavy haze, and modern re-imaginations of epic traditional balladry all while touching on the strange and otherworldly places between these stations.
Bas – Milky Way CD (Dreamville)
Milky Way is the third studio album by rapper Bas. The album features guest appearances from J. Cole, Ari Lennox, ASAP Ferg and Correy C, with production handled by a variety of producers, including J. Cole, Ron Gilmore, Cedric Brown, Jay Kurzweil, Childish Major, Sango and Meez, among others. [Vinyl edition due December 21.]
The Beatles – The White Album [Reissue/1968] 3xCD/2xLP/4xLP/6xCD+Blu-ray (Capitol)
For 50 years, The White Album has invited its listeners to venture forth and explore the breadth and ambition of its music, delighting and inspiring each new generation in turn. The Beatles have now released a suite of lavishly presented White Album packages, including an expanded 3xCD and 4xLP package. The album’s 30 tracks are newly mixed and remastered by producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell on two CDs (standard double 180gm vinyl LP pressing featuring this new stereo mix is available) and features a third CD of the Esher Demos. A Super Deluxe expanded 6xCD + Blu-ray package featuring 5.1 surround audio, 27 early acoustic demos and 50 session takes, most of which are previously unreleased in any form, is also available.
Mike Bloomfield – Late At Night: McCabes, January 1, 1977 CD (Rockbeat)
On January 1, 1977, Mike Bloomfield performed two incredible sets at McCabes Guitar Workshop in Santa Monica, CA. Both sets were completely different, each one showcasing Bloomfield’s legendary skills on the guitar but what made the late show totally unique was the first half was performed acoustic and the second half, electric.
Ensign Broderick – BloodCrush CD/LP (Six Shooter)
Toxic lakes, wellness clinics and mud-caked bodies: the cardinal direction of Ensign Broderick’s newest album, BloodCrush, is a saline fever dream, calibrated to the cultish wraith waste vibes of California’s Imperial Valley. Inspired by pilgrimage, anti-war protests, Decca-era Stones and Smetana, BloodCrush is the first new collection from an artist who announced himself earlier in 2018 with four archival albums of wildly ambitious, hyper-referential art pop, a fraction of his forty years’ of recordings.
Kane Brown – Experiment CD (RCA Nashville)
Tennessee’s Kane Brown is a contemporary country singer/songwriter blessed with a rich baritone voice. Experiment is his second album.
Bufihimat – I CD/LP (Willowtip)
New release from the Russian metal trio. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, John Morris Russell with Rhiannon Giddens/Pokey LaFarge/The Steep Canyon Rangers – American Originals 1918 CD (Fanfare Cincinnati)
The newest release from the Cincinnati Pops conducted by John Morris Russell and features iconic American songs interpreted by a diverse array of acclaimed musical collaborators including MacArthur Genius Fellow Rhiannon Giddens, Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers, Americana artist Pokey LaFarge, and tap dancer Robyn Watson.
Sonny Clark Trio – The 1960 Time Sessions 2xCD (Tompkins Square)
Sonny Clark’s reputation as one of the finest jazz pianists of his era has grown in recent years, with many folks rediscovering his classic Blue Note recordings like Cool Struttin’ (1958), Dial ‘S’ For Sonny (1957), Leapin’ And Lopin’ (1961), as well as session work with Lee Morgan, Grant Green and others. Cut down by heroin addiction at age 31 in 1961, Clark’s legacy continues to expand. The Time Sessions were produced by the late Bob Shad, owner of Time and Mainstream Records. This reissue includes the original Time album remastered from the original tapes by Dave Donnelly, plus an extra disc of alternate takes.
Cripple Bastards – La Fine Cresce Da Dentro CD/LP (Relapse)
Recorded at the legendary Fredman Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden with producer Fredrik Nordström (At The Gates, Dark Tranquility), La Fine Cresce Da Dentro delivers eighteen tracks of inconceivable speed and brutality.
Cult Leader – A Patient Man CD/LP (Deathwish Inc.)
Cult Leader is a chaotic band from Salt Lake City, Utah. A Patient Man was recorded and engineered by Kurt Ballou at God City Studios (Converge, Nails, High On Fire). Each track carries a maturation and sense of melody that few “extreme” bands have within their arsenal.
Bob Daisley And Friends – Moore Blues For Gary: A Tribute To Gary Moore CD (earMUSIC)
For a tribute to Gary Moore, who passed away February 6th, 2011, bass player and producer Bob Daisley gathered members of the Gary Moore family tree and other great musicians.
Warrel Dane – Shadow Work CD/LP+CD (Century Media)
On December 13th, 2017, the worldwide metal community mourned the passing of a truly unique voice, an extremely gifted songwriter, and above all a wonderful human being: Warrel Dane, who died of a heart attack during the recordings of his second solo album in São Paulo, Brazil. Renowned for his work in Sanctuary and Nevermore as well as a solo artist, in 2014 Warrel had teamed up with Brazilian musicians Johnny Moraes (guitar), Thiago Oliveira (guitar), Fabio Carito (bass) and Marcus Dotta (drums) as his touring band and ultimately this successful collaboration led to plans for a new studio album. [Limited 180gm silver colored pressing in gatefold jacket including bonus CD edition also available.]
Décembre Noir – Autumn Kings CD (Lifeforce)
New album from the melancholic-melodic death/doom metal band. [Vinyl edition due November 23.]
Palmyra Delran And The Doppel Gang – Come Spy With Me CD/LP (Wicked Cool)
Come Spy With Me is the self-produced new tour de force album from trash-pop maven Palmyra Delran featuring guest appearances by Stevie Van Zandt, Debbie Harry, Genya Ravan, Cáit O’Riordan of The Pogues, Eddie Muñoz of The Plimsouls, Kim Shattuck of The Muffs, Paul Collins, Peter Zaremba of The Fleshtones, Speedie John Carlucci of The Fuzztones, Ben Vaughn, and more.
John Denver – Leaving On A Jet Plane CD (Varèse Sarabande)
New archive collection from the ionic singer/songwriter. John Denver was part of two signing groups in the late 1960s, The Mitchell Trio and Denver, Boise & Johnson. This 12-track collection includes released and unreleased songs recorded by Reprise Records between 1967 and 1968, including the original versions of “Leaving On A Jet Plane” and “Take Me To Tomorrow”.
Direct Hit – Crown Of Nothing CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Direct Hit’s third album, Crown Of Nothing, is the Milwaukee, WI quartet’s most challenging, elaborate and downright catchy work to date – and it’s built around the idea that heaven and hell might very well be the same place. It continues Direct Hit’s unique strain of f**k you, get pumped party punk they’ve been honing throughout their decade-long career.
Donna The Buffalo – Dance In The Street CD/LP (Donna The Buffalo)
The Americana jam act headed to Street at Sonic Ranch Studio in El Paso to team up with producer/engineer Rob Fraboni whose list of credits include producing the soundtrack for The Band’s The Last Waltz along with working with the likes of Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones. Dance In The Street is their first album of new material in five years.
Evergrey – The Inner Circle [Reissue/2001] CD/2xLP (AFM)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the Swedish dark melodic metal band’s third album. [Two limited colored vinyl pressings are also available: white and blue.]
Evoken – Hynagogia CD/2xLP (Profound Lore)
Sixth album from one of the founding fathers of the American death/funeral doom metal scene.
Far Corner – Risk CD/LP (Cuneiform)
Formed in 2003, the American chamber rock ensemble Far Corner play exquisitely composed, classically-inspired instrumental music that “bridges the post-classical and the prog worlds” with a muscular and aggressive rock-based stance. Risk is the band’s third release. The group uses keyboards, cello, electric bass, and drums to blend contemporary classical chamber music with rock and some elements of jazz, most notably improvisation.
Fastball – All The Pain Money Can Buy [Reissue/1998] CD/LP (Omnivore)
This 20th anniversary edition of Fastball’s second album contains the original 13 songs plus nine bonus tracks including rare B-sides, compilation tracks, and four previously unissued demos.
Fleet Foxes – First Collection 2006-2009 4xCD/LP+3×10” (Sub Pop)
A limited-edition collection in honor of the 10th anniversary of Fleet Foxes’ debut LP. First Collection 2006-2009 spans the early days of Fleet Foxes’ career, including the self-titled debut album, plus the Sun Giant EP, The First EP (formerly a self-titled, very limited-edition, self-released EP), and B-sides & Rarities.
Four Stroke Baron – Planet Silver Screen CD/LP (Prosthetic)
An energetic blend of new-wave and heavy progressive rock, Four Stroke Baron aspires to bring forth a lively and refreshing new voice to the music scene, crafting massive and immersive soundscapes juxtaposed over catchy, pop-like song structures.
The Gibson Brothers – Mockingbird CD/LP (Easy Eye Sound)
The celebrated bluegrass duo-named back-to-back Entertainers of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2012 and 2013 return with a new album. A mix of smooth country and ‘70s rock, Mockingbird further cements the sibling duo of Leigh and Eric Gibson – still only in their 40s – as musical trailblazers.
The Glands – Double Coda CD/LP (New West)
The Glands – Double Thriller [Reissue/1996] CD/LP (New West)
The Glands – The Glands [Reissue/2000] CD/LP (New West)
Doulbe Coda is comprised of 23 unreleased tracks written by the late Ross Shapiro. Athens, GA luminaries The Glands’ first two albums established Ross as an unlikely and maybe even unwilling cult artist; you could argue that not enough people bought Double Thriller and The Glands, but everyone who did became avid fans for life. Ross’s passing in 2016 left a hole in Athens, where he had become a fixture and arguably even a celebrity of sorts. And there really is something heroic about his career as an artist, something noble to a life devoted to creativity.
Glassghote – Rite Of The Siren CD/LP (Doom Stew)
New album from the Portland, OR three-piece doom band influenced by Weedeater, Sleep, Conan, and Yob. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra – The Capitol Studios Sessions CD/2xLP (Decca Gold/Verve)
Hollywood actor Jeff Goldblum, beloved for his roles in the Jurassic Park franchise, releases his debut album. The repertoire includes ’60s jazz standards “Cantaloupe Island” and “I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free”, the 1940s classic “Straighten Up & Fly Right” with guest vocals from Irish superstar singer and songwriter Imelda May, the 1920s song “Me And My Shadow” sung by comedian and actress, Sarah Silverman, and much more.
Grapetooth – Grapetooth CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Concocting a freshly strange blend of synth pop and damaged folk music, Grapetooth is a band from Chicago, IL consisting of Chris Bailoni and Clay Frankel. Their eponymous debut captures a feeling the duo happily felt was somewhere between the doomy disco of ‘80s new wave and the woozy laments of artists like Arthur Russell and Jeff Cowell.
Hanson – String Theory 2xCD (Three Car Garage)
Hanson is backed by a 46-piece orchestra and Academy award-winning arranger David Campbell. The set features songs spanning the band’s career, including some of their best-known material (“MmmBop”, “Where’s The Love”, “This Time Around” and more) alongside brand new or never-released-to-the-public songs (“Reaching For The Sky”, “Battle Cry”, “Breaktown”, “No Rest For The Weary” and more) which tell a story of aspiration, despair, fortitude and ultimately a return to optimism.
Mick Harvey & Christopher Richard Barker – The Fall and Rise of Edgar Bourchier and the Horrors Of War CD/LP (Mute)
The Fall And Rise Of Edgar Bourchier And The Horrors Of War examines the work of a long forgotten World War I poet, Edgar Bourchier, through his poetry as put to music in a concept album by Mick Harvey (The Birthday Party, Nick Cave & The Bade Seeds) and Christopher Richard Barker. Its release coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, on November 11, 2018. Bourchier’s entire backstory and poetry was constructed by Christopher Richard Barker, an author who initially created the character while working on his novel, The Melancholy Haunting Of Nicholas Parkes. Barker paused from this venture to approach Harvey to ask for his expertise with arranging and recording the scores. In response, a 15-track album was written by Harvey and Barker to give life to an incredibly powerful fictional narrative.
HateSphere – Reduced To Flesh CD/LP (Scarlet)
Melodeath gone thrash gone groove.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland [Reissue/1968] 3xCD+Blu-ray/6xLP+Blu-ray (Sony Legacy)
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the release of the Jimi Hendrix Experience masterpiece Electric Ladyland, Experience Hendrix and Legacy Recordings present a special Deluxe Edition box set. The set includes the original album newly remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tapes, Electric Ladyland: The Early Takes, which presents 20 never before heard demos and studio outtakes from this period in Hendrix’s career, Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At The Hollywood Bowl 9/14/68, part of Experience Hendrix’s Dagger Records official bootleg series, and a Blu-Ray disc including the full-length documentary At Last… The Beginning: The Making of Electric Ladyland plus a new 5.1 surround sound mix of the entire original album by Hendrix’s original engineer Eddie Kramer plus the original stereo mixes in uncompressed 24 bit/96k high resolution audio.
Micah P. Hinson – When I Shoot At You With Arrows, I Will Shoot To Destroy You CD/LP+MP3 (Full Time Hobby)
Micah P. Hinson is an old-fashioned trouble man who fell prey to drugs and loose women, winding up homeless, destitute and incarcerated by the time most of his peers were filling out college applications. Music was his savior, and since his 2003 debut, he’s pieced together a life for himself in his sleepy hometown of Abilene, TX. Recorded in 24 hours somewhere in east Texas, When I Shoot At You With Arrows, I Will Shoot To Destroy You is the follow-up to last year’s universally-lauded, Micah P. Hinson Presents The Holy Strangers LP. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Holygram – Modern Cults CD/LP/2xLP (Cleopatra)
The debut album from German post-punk band Holygram blends new wave with Krautrock and shoegaze elements into a headstrong, multi-layered and thoroughly contemporary homage to the sound of the ’80s. [Deluxe double-vinyl edition also available.]
Jethro Tull – This Was [Reissue/1968] 3xCD+DVD (WB/Parlophone)
Digitally remastered edition of the legendary band’s 1968 debut with the Steven Wilson Remix of the original, plus rare recordings and new mixes. Includes the original album and bonus tracks remixed in stereo by Steven Wilson plus: live BBC sessions recorded in 1968, original mono mix and original 1968 UK stereo mix and original album and bonus tracks remixed by Steven Wilson in 4.1 DTS and AC3 Dolby Digital surround and 96/24 LPCM stereo. Presented in a casebound DVD book filled with an extensive history of the album, track-by-track annotations by Ian Anderson, plus rare and unseen photographs.
La Dispute – Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Vega And Altair [Reissue/2008] CD/2xLP (No Sleep)
La Dispute’s biting 2008 debut full-length is the culmination of sleepless nights and exhausting recording sessions. It was the product of a young band with an unyielding persistence that bordered on outright psychosis. As a result, the frantic guitar, unexpected time signatures and emotive vocal work has stood the test of time and remained an influence across the post-hardcore and emo scenes. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Larkin Poe – Venom & Faith CD/LP (Tricki-Woo)
Fourth album from Nashville-based sister duo. “It’s a celebration of American roots music as translated by two sisters who are playing the blues in a modern age.”
Lil Peep – Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 2 CD/LP (Columbia)
Posthumous sequel to late singer/rapper Lil Peep’s 2017 debut studio record Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1, produced and guided by Peep’s friends and collaborators, Smokeasac and George Astasio of IIVI. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Lycia – In Flickers CD/LP (Projekt)
American darkwave/atmospheric act Lycia returns to Projekt for the fourth release of their second era. In Flickers is an emotionally charged album of deeply personal darkwave/post-rock. The ten tracks are intriguing meditations on forgotten paths, corrupted hopes, and faint memories of beauty.
Masta Ace & Marco Polo – A Breukelen Story CD/2xLP (Fat Beats)
From his formative work with the legendary Juice Crew, to a bombastically renowned stint with Delicious Vinyl, it’s hard to find a more humble master of ceremony than Ace-even harder is finding another figure whose work is equally embraced on both coasts, East and West, as well as abroad. “I met Masta Ace for the first time while interning at Cutting Room studios in Manhattan”, says Marco Polo, longtime Canadian producer whose exploration of samples and boom-bap aesthetics certainly suite his moniker.
The Moody Blues – In Search Of The Lost Chord [Reissue/1968] CD (Polydor)
Released last week as an expanded 3xCD+2xDVD box set, the digitally remastered 50th anniversary mix of The Moody Blues’ third album is now available as a single-disc reissue.
Liela Moss – My Name Is Safe In Your Mouth CD/LP (Bella Union)
“The act of making this record has felt truly exotic for me by way of its minimalism,” says Liela Moss (Duke Spirit) of her debut solo album, My Name Is Safe In Your Mouth which more than lives up to the artist’s promise of a fresh, bold adventure.
Nothgard – Malady X CD/LP (Metal Blade)
An album full of epic melodic death metal anthems.
Ted Nugent – Music Made Me Do It CD (Round Hill Music)
Nugent’s first studio album in four years.
Oi Va Voi – Memory Drop CD/LP (V2 Benelux)
Formed at the dawn of the millennium by six young Londoners with diverse musical roots, Oi Va Voi made an instant impact with their debut album Laughter Through Tears. Produced by Grammy award winners Bacon & Quarmby, the album was a double winner at the BBC Radio 3 World Music awards and Dutch Eddison Award winner. It was listed in The New York Times Top 10 albums of the year and launched the career of guest vocalist KT Tunstall. For their fourth album, founding members Josh Breslaw (drums) and Steve Levi (clarinet/vocals), along with trumpeter Dave Orchant and guitarist Michael Vinaver, make up the core songwriting quartet. Also, prominent on the album is the spellbinding, virtuosic violinist Anna Phoebe, who has appeared live with Oi Va Voi while building a successful solo career.
Lee “Scratch” Perry & Mad Professor – Black Ark Experryments [Reissue/1995] CD/LP (Ariwa Sounds)
“Black Ark Exerryments is a landmark in the evolution of dub reggae. One of several albums Perry has done with the Mad Professor, the tracks are hypnotic and spacey computerized dub masterpieces with the Mighty Upsetter ranting and raving in incredible torrents of psycho-babble poetry.” – Norman Records UK
Psycroptic – As The Kingdom Drowns CD/LP (Prosthetic)
Seventh album from the Tasmanian extreme metal stalwarts.
The Putbacks – The Putbacks CD (Hope Street)
The Putbacks – Melbourne’s dirtiest, darkest and heaviest funk rhythm section – bring you an album of crunchy post-soul post-jazz mystery cinema instrumentals for your turntable and your sampler. [Vinyl edition due December 7.]
Red Dragon Cartel – Patina CD/LP (Frontiers)
Heralded guitarist Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne, Badlands) returns with a new album. Patina marks a return to the bluesy, fierce hard rock sound of Jake’s Badlands days, updated with a monster production from Esposito and a perfect mix, courtesy of Max Norman whose relationship with Jake dates back to his time with Ozzy Osbourne.
Reece – Resilient Heart CD/LP (Mighty Music)
Heavy metal vocalist, songwriter and former Accept/Bonfire frontman releases a new solo album.
Rüfüs Du Sol – Solace CD (Reprise)
Comprised of members Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt, Rüfüs Du Sol occupy the intersection of entrancing indie music and intelligent electronica. It is through this seamless transcendence of styles that their own sonic realm has unfolded; a landscape painted with the club culture of yesteryear and a poignant yet infectious ability to be ever in the moment. [Vinyl edition due December 7.]
Scorpions & Saif Abu Bakr – Jazz Jazz Jazz CD/LP (Habibi Funk)
A unique combination of incredible horn arrangements powerfully performed, a vigorous drummer contributing a funky backbone and Seif’s vocals uniting those elements. The results range from instrumental tracks awaking memories of 1970s crime thriller soundtracks to more Sudanese-rooted tracks, a lot of them modernized versions traditional rhythms of the diverse regions of Sudan and even an excursion into Colgolese Soukouss.
Soundtrack – Head Over Heals (Original Broadway Cast Recording) CD (Masterworks)
Original Broadway Cast Recording of the new musical comedy featuring the iconic songs of one of the most successful female rock bands of all time, The Go-Gos.
Jon Spencer – Spencer Sings The Hits! CD/LP (In The Red)
Often imitated, never duplicated, the original NYC underground-rock legend Jon Spencer returns from the wilderness with 12 red-hot hits. This is the truth serum America has been craving, the beginning of a rock ‘n’ roll rebellion that takes no prisoners and puts the squares on ice. A wizard’s brew of rhythm and blues and subversive dance grooves, weaponized with sci-fi skronk and industrial attitude, calibrated for the Revolution, a Molotov cocktail of sound guaranteed to destroy any post-modern hangover. [Limited purple marbled colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Marcus Strickland – People Of The Sun CD (Blue Note)
On his thrilling new LP, People Of The Sun, saxophonist Marcus Strickland blazes a trail fully at the helm of his music-performing, writing, and producing with his Twi-Life band on deck and special guests including Bilal and Pharoahe Monch along for the ride-as he sonically and socially traces the African diaspora from present to past in an effort to unpack his identity. It’s an album that’s busy and beautiful, inventive and contemplative, an amalgam of influences from West Africa and America. [Vinyl edition due November 30.]
Train – Greatest Hits CD (Sony)
16 fan-favorites plus a cover of one of frontman Pat Monahan’s favorite songs, George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”, featuring saxophonist Kenny G.
Typesetter – Nothing Blues CD/LP (6131)
On their sophomore full-length, Nothing Blues, Chicago’s Typesetter use their distinctly vibrant brand of indie punk to explore the innately human desire for understanding, and how we achieve it. For the album, the band has adopted an expansive new spectrum of sound and emotion.
Ulthar – Cosmovore CD/LP (In The Red)
Ulthar create something uniquely arcane within the Bay Area metal underground. The trio comes together on their debut full-length Cosmovore to unleash a feral urgency for dizzying Absu like black metal with a death metal band’s bludgeoning violence.
Various Artists – Confessin’ The Blues Volume 2xCD/5×10” (BMG Rights Management)
Various Artists – Confessin’ The Blues Volume 1 2xLP (BMG Rights Management)
Various Artists – Confessin’ The Blues Volume 2 2xLP (BMG Rights Management)
Confessin’ The Blues collects the greatest bluesmen ever and provides a perfect study of the genre. Includes tracks by the biggest blues pioneers including Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Big Bill Broonzy and Robert Johnson. [Limited 5×10” vinyl book-pack (mimicking the original 78 RPM releases) also available.]
Various Artists – Unusual Sounds CD/2xLP (Anthology Recordings)
Unusual Sounds encapsulates the niche and fascinating subculture of library music. Genres were spliced, conventions dispensed with, and oftentimes hybrid music of astonishing complexity was produced. Elements of rock, jazz, soul, even twentieth-century avant-garde composition were all utilized, and no stone was left unturned in the 20-track compilation. As a result, some of the best library music defies all categorization, reflecting the individualistic quirks and artistry of the various musicians who made it.
Various Artists – The Wall Redux CD/LP (Magnetic Eye)
Magnetic Eye Records’ exhaustive heavy metal remake of Pink Floyd’s concept masterpiece, The Wall.
Vintage Trouble – Chapter II – EP 1 2xCDEP (McGhee Entertainment)
Since forming in 2010, Vintage Trouble have quietly become rock ‘n’ roll’s best kept secret anointed by its very gods on international tours in every corner of the globe. Distilling swaggering rock, soulful blues, R&B (rhythm& blues) grooves, and pop ambition into a bold and brash brew, the quartet—Ty Taylor [vocals], Nalle Colt [guitar], Rick Barrio Dill [bass], and Richard Danielson [drums]—have logged 3,000 shows across 30 countries on tour with divinities such as The Who, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Lenny Kravitz, and Bon Jovi, to name a few. Chapter II – EP 1 includes five brand-new studio recordings, plus five acoustic versions of those songs.
Virus – Force Recon [Reissue/1988] CD/LP (Combat)
Digitally remastered deluxe 30th anniversary edition of the British thrash band’s sophomore album.
Well Wisher – This Is Fine CD/LP (6131)
From the opening notes of Well Wisher’s debut full-length, This Is Fine, it’s clear the band are not afraid to brandish mighty guitar riffage front and center. In fact, they tiptoe perfectly between sounds that, on hasty assessment, could be classified singularly as punk, alternative, or even pop rock; yet, they seem to draw only the best elements of each, avoiding the less desirable pitfalls associated with these genres.
Eric Westphal – Alice Street Sessions [Reissue/2001] CD/LP (IAC)
Digitally remastered edition of the debut album by the very talented singer/songwriter Eric Westphal from California. Westphal has been writing music for over 30 years, performing in various groups and producing or playing on countless album projects. To name just a few, Eric has worked on albums and co-written songs with Eric Martin, Gary Young, Jeff Watson, Mic Gillette, Dirk Hamilton, and James Blonde.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
2Pac – Greatest Hits [Reissue/1998] 4xLP (Interscope)
Greatest Hits non-chronological sequence focuses on the highlights of 2Pac’s career: 21 of his most popular tracks are accompanied by four previously unreleased songs.
Bad Sports – Constant Stimulation LP (Dirtnap)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Texas trio Bad Sports push their sound into a more modern sphere of punk on their new album Constant Stimulation. The production quality is leaner and tenser, giving an air that is decidedly frustrated, and world-weary, but is still great stripped-down classic-leaning punk with deep power-pop vs. proto-punk undercurrents.
Bastard Noise / Actuary – Human Horror Hymns / Xperimental Thinking LP (Deep Six)
Easily the most unreal production Bastard Noise has ever acquired. Transcending, insect war electronics that will carry the listener through the perplexities of the inner human waste mind. Actuary: Haunting and syrupy textures… demonic vocals, and hostile inter-planetary insect take downs. The perfect balance of ear torture and ecstasy.
Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself [Reissue/2012] LP (Mom + Pop Music)
Picture-disc vinyl reissue of the sixth studio album by singer-songwriter. The 2012 release finds Bird as warm-hearted and eclectic as ever and sounds like all the music and no music you’ve ever heard, from jazz to country to classical to folk and pop, visiting a thousand exotic places along the way.
Bloodshot Bill – Keep Movin’ On b/w You Want It 7” (Pig Baby)
Artist Joe Coleman once called him “a cross between Jimmie Rodgers & Popeye,” and director John Waters says he’s “like Roy Orbison with a head wound.”
Boygenius – Boygenius 12”+MP3 (Matador)
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus formed Boygenius after booking a tour together, but the trio had subconsciously been in the works for longer than that. Through a series of tours and performances and chance encounters that led to friendships – including Bridgers’ and Dacus’ first in-person meeting backstage at a Philadelphia festival, greenroom hangouts that felt instantly comfortable, and a couple of long email chains – the lyrically and musically arresting singer-songwriters and kindred spirits got to know each other on their own terms. With gut-wrenchingly personal yet easily relatable verses and spare, lilting melodic arrangements, all three are leading a new rock vanguard that values unflinching self-awareness and unassailable songcraft.
Brand Of Sacrifice – The Interstice LP (Unique Leader)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Hailing from Toronto and New York, Brand Of Sacrifice are a prime example of genre bending extremity at its absolute finest. Blastbeats and mechanized riffing collides with sitars, whammy pedals and some of the most guttural offerings in recent years through monster vocalist Kyle Anderson. The Interstice shines with unpredictable song structures that are as mind -melting as they are immediately catchy.
The Butterfield Blues Band – East-West [Reissue/1966] LP (Sundazed)
Limited blue colored vinyl pressing. 1966’s East-West, the second album from the Butterfield Blues Band, and their last with lead guitarist Mike Bloomfield, found the group branching out from the electric blues and adding elements of modern jazz and the music of India, most notably on the landmark title track, which paved the way for much of the musical experimentation of the late ’60s.
Circle Jerks – Live At The House Of Blues 2xLP (Kung Fu)
Live 2004 concert album from Los Angeles hardcore punk legends.
Eric Clapton – Journeyman [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Reprise)
Double vinyl LP pressing housed in Stoughton direct-to-board gatefold jacket. Heralded as a return to form for Clapton, who had struggled with alcohol addiction and had recently found sobriety, Journeyman has a ‘80s electronic sound.
Creepy Creeps – 10 Bangin’ Hits LP (Pig Baby)
Creepy Creeps blend washed out guitar, heavy hitting bass lines, and a sophisticated surf organ sound.
Cybotron – Enter [Reissue/1983] LP (Craft Recordings)
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. The debut album by Detroit electro-outfit Cybotron, Enter, released in 1983, is a foundational record in the evolution of electronic dance music. Often cited as one of the forbearers of modern techno, the record is commonly cited as the only old-school electro album with major staying power, largely due to the strength of the writing and the harmonious collision of Juan Atkins’ penchant for cosmic funk production techniques and Rick Davis’ arena rock sensibilities.
Alan Davey – Sputnik Stan Vol.1: A Fistful Of Junk [Reissue/2015] LP+12” (Purple Pyramid)
Vinyl reissue from former Hawkwind bassist Alan Davey who explores the outer reaches of space junkyards on this exhilarating and hilarious concept album. Pressed on green vinyl with a bonus orange 12” featuring songs from Davey’s side projects – both in full color sleeves.
Deadbolt – Voodoo Trucker [Reissue/1999] LP (Pig Baby)
First-time vinyl pressing of the surf rock band’s fifth album.
Deathwish – Rock N Rolls One Hell Of A Drug 2xLP+MP3 (Beer City)
Deathwish channel all the right bands (Zeke, Disfear, Motörhead, Poison Idea, G.B.H. and Raw Power) in all the right ways and serve up a thrashy hardcore classic that’s 100% about sonic energy.
Devo’s Gerald Casale w/ Italy’s Phunk Investigation – It’s All Devo [Reissue/2016] LP (MVD Audio)
Picture-disc vinyl reissue. For RSD 2016, Jerry Casale, founding member of Devo, released these then-new recordings with some help and remixing from Phunk Investigation.
Diamante – Coming In Hot LP (Better Noise)
Released in June on CD – now available on vinyl. Following a series of well-received singles, 21-year-old Mexican-Italian-American rock phenom Diamante releases her debut album. She draws influence from ’80s female rock icons, including Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, and Debbie Harry. Produced by Howard Benson (Chris Cornell, Kelly Clarkson, My Chemical Romance, Halestorm).
The Dirty Nil – Master Volume LP (Dine Alone Music Inc.)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “For those who still pray at the altar of rock music, The Dirty Nil might feel like a second coming. …this trio from Dundas, ON has thrived on their unabashed devotion to rock ‘n’ roll in its purest, loudest and most electrifying form. And Master Volume is a defining sermon, distilling decades of guitar-charged power and wisdom into 10 succinct commandments.” – Exclaim
DJ Woody – Scratch Sounds No. 1 7”/12” (Woodwurk)
The Scratch Sounds series is a resource for the musically minded turntablist practitioner. The record is specially formatted for 7″ and contains 28 skip-proof scratch phrases, many of which are different to those on the 12″ version.
Dr. John, The Night Tripper – Gris-Gris [Reissue/1968] LP (Jackpot)
Limited colored vinyl reissue of the 1968 debut album from the king of the psychedelic bayou. Recorded in its own psychic and stylistic vacuum, Gris-Gris borrows as heavily from the New Orleans’ musical culture in which he grew up as it does the looming continuous pulse of war, heavy drugs, and the end of the free love/hippie movement.
Dream Evil – Dragonslayer [Reissue/2002] LP (Inner Wound)
First-time vinyl pressing of the debut album from the Swedish heavy/power metal band.
Colin Edwin/Lorenzo Feliciati – Twinscapes Vol. 2: A Modern Approach To The Dancefloor LP (RareNoise)
For their second Twinscapes collaboration, bassists Colin Edwin (of Porcupine Tree and Metallic Taste Of Blood) and Lorenzo Feliciati (Naked Truth, Berserk!) address their respective ’80s pop roots with another set ambient soundscapes, freewheeling improvisations and prog-rock flurries. Picture Soft Cell jamming with King Crimson, Ultravox with EL&P, Depeche Mode with Giant Giant and you’ve got an idea of what’s happening here.
Emperor – In The Nightside Eclipse [Reissue/1994] LP (Spinefarm)
Emperor – Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk [Reissue/1997] LP (Spinefarm)
Green colored vinyl reissues of the Norwegian black metal band’s first two albums.
The Fall – The Rough Trade Singles 1980-1983 LP (Superior Viaduct)
The Fall – Totale’s Turns (Now Or Never) [Reissue/1980] LP (Superior Viaduct)
The Rough Trade Singles collects The Fall’s four singles recorded for the influential label in 1980 and 1983 – “How I Wrote ‘Elastic Man'” b/w “City Hobgoblins”, “Totally Wired” b/w “Putta Block”, “The Man Whose Head Expanded” b/w “Ludd Gang” and “Kicker Conspiracy” – none of which appeared on any of the band’s studio LPs. With 7”s being the era’s vehicle for buzzing communiqués, The Fall would use the format for short-form, standalone works rather than as mere promotional devices for forthcoming albums. Totale’s Turns, the band’s first live album, was released on Rough Trade just prior to their pivotal third album, 1980’s Grotesque.
Fistula – Longing For Infection [Reissue/2016] LP+7” (Patac)
To commemorate 20 years of sludgecore insanity, Ohio volume abusers Fistula reissue their 2016 album as a deluxe vinyl presentation featuring a bonus etched 7”.
Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway [Reissue/1974] 2xLP (Atlantic)
This Peter Gabriel-era Genesis masterpiece just missed the Top 40 but remains a magnificent achievement, marrying hypnotic instrumentals with hook-infused rockers.
The Guess Who – American Woman [Reissue/1970] LP (Friday Music)
Blue colored vinyl reissue of the seventh album by the Canadian rock band.
Shirley Horn – Softly [Reissue/1988] LP (ORG Music)
Never before been pressed to vinyl, Shirley Horn’s Softly is reflective of the album’s late-night recording sessions at Peirre Sprey’s home recording studio in rural Maryland, aptly named Mapleshade Studio. The 1988 release is commonly referred to as one of Horn’s most introspective and emotionally intensive records to date.
Houses – Drugstore Heaven LP (Downtown)
The first Houses release in five years, Drugstore Heaven, marks a major artistic shift for L.A.-based songwriter/producer Dexter Tortoriello. Abandoning the heady concepts of his previous records for some of his tightest songwriting yet, Tortoriello is embracing the most fascinating character in his musical universe: himself. Drugstore Heaven delivers a dynamically textured sound partly shaped by Tortoriello’s exploration of rave and drum-and-bass artists from the late ’90s.
Jack Killed Jill – Well [Reissue/1995] LP (New Red Archives)
Limited red vinyl reissue of the 1995 debut album from the SF power pop punk rockers.
The Jack Moves – Free Money LP (Everloving)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. From the crummy and rude glory hole bandits of Newark’s Penn Station to the cherry blossom lovers found just north of the city, there’s a thread that stitches these disparate elements. Kids run across the boulevard as the soundtrack wafts over the streets. The few bucks forked over to the pregnant lady down on her luck could be the same notes used to cop a flavorful bouquet for a romantic conquest. The triggerman’s itchy index is used both to spill rivals and thrill lovers. The Jack Moves are what this sounds like on wax. Painted by a sound reflective of the city’s seaside soul, skate-funk punks and the Newark Jack Swing played from transistor radios and boomboxes placed on competitive window sills, The Jack Moves narrative is artfully carried out on the band’s sophomore offering.
Elton John – Here And There [Reissue/1976] LP+MP3 (Mercury)
Elton John – Live in Australia with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra [Reissue/1987] 2xLP+MP3 (Mercury)
Vinyl reissue of the 1976 and 1987 live albums by the British singer-songwriter – his 14th and 26th albums, respectively.
Takehisa Kosugi – Catch-Wave [Reissue/1975] LP (Superior Viaduct)
Composer, multi-instrumentalist and mixed-media artist Takehisa Kosugi has stood on the forefront of the Japanese avant-garde for over six decades. In the 1960s, he was part of Japan’s first improvisational music collective, Group Ongaku, and contributed to Fluxus in New York. In 1969, he founded the influential, experimental ensemble The Taj Mahal Travellers, and in 1975 he would release his first solo album, Catch-Wave. Recommended for fans of Tony Conrad, Eliane Radigue and Fennesz.
Lando Chill – Black Ego LP (Mello Music Group)
Lando Chill makes music which is classified as hip-hop, but isn’t tethered to a single genre; encompassing elements of funk, gospel, jazz, indie rock, psychedelic, and folk.
The Living End – Wunderbar LP (BMG Rights Management)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from Australian punk legends. “We’re not trying to re-write Dark Side Of The Moon or anything.” Instead, Wunderbar does what The Living End do best: straightforward, heart-pounding, guns blazing rock and roll.
Lydia Lunch – Marchesa LP (Rustblade)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With Marchesa, Lydia Lunch pays homage to the writing and stories of the Marquis de Sade who has always been a great inspiration for her. With this album Lydia transports us into a world of sadism, perversion and pleasure. Accompanying her in this literary voyage there is a background of dissonant sounds, distorted orchestration and ambient noises composed by Stefano Rossello (Bahntier, Ketvector).
Ghost McGrady – Believe LP (Street Corner Music)
Originally hailing from Florida, Ghost McGrady headed out west and posted up in Koreatown, Los Angeles where neighbors and police frequently complained of a loud smell and an even louder stereo system blaring the wide spectrum of vivid sounds that would ultimately come to form the beats throughout this album. This is a collection of songs composed over the past four years (2014 – 2018) that form one coherent thought: Believe. Each beat was created with an open mind and a ‘fuck the popular sound’ mentality that comes from years upon years of sample chopping and sound design experience dating back to Ghost McGrady’s genesis at age 11 in his darkened bedroom.
The Men – Hated 2008 – 2011 2xLP Sacred Bones)
NYC’s The Men have made a name for themselves as wayfaring musicians, constantly evolving and eluding their listeners. Before they were genre-hopping through country, post-punk, noise rock, and more, they were applying that experimental nature within the more confined space of punk. Within that genre they were wildly adventurous, playing noise shows, hardcore shows, rock shows, and switching up the instrumentation as they saw fit, while always operating within a general punk ethos.
Metric – Fantasies [Reissue/2009] LP (Mom + Pop)
Limited picture-disc vinyl reissue. Canada’s Metric scored big in 2005 with Live It Out, a solid collection of tight and punchy, new-wave inspired rock. At the core of the band is singer Emily Haines, who also performs with the venerable Broken Social Scene, while allowing her torch song affinities to shine on solo recordings. With Metric, Haines has a brassy, sexy persona and can deliver a commanding sneer or Lolita precociousness with equal aplomb.
Piero Milesi & Danel Bacalov – La Camera Astratta [Reissue/1989] LP (Cuneiform)
Composed and performed by Piero Milesi and Daniel Bacalov on piano, samplers, percussion, electronics and synthesizers. Originally released only on CD in 1989, La Camera Astratta is a ‘video opera’ and the music to an installation, Documenta 8, which was a collaboration between the two composers and Studio Azzuro, all of whom were based in and heavily involved with Milan’s cutting-edge avant-garde.
Neolithic – Cult Of Ignorance 7” (Deep Six)
Featuring current and former members of Pulling Teeth, Swarm Of The Lotus, and Putrisect, Neolithic amalgamate the guttural and horrifying sounds of underground death metal with hardcore’s confrontational and violent edge.
Neon Indian – Era Extraña [Reissue/2011] LP (Mom + Pop)
Limited picture-disc vinyl reissue. Alan Palomo’s sophomore album – recorded mostly alone in Finland in the dead of winter- chronicles the Texas-raised musician’s solitary longing and heartsickness with a commitment to tighter, wide-reaching songcraft.
Les Paul & His Trio – After You’ve Gone LP (ORG Music)
An impressive twenty-eight songs recorded by Les Paul & His Trio between 1944-1945. The release was remastered for vinyl at Infrasonic Mastering and pressed on vinyl for the first time ever at Pallas Group in Germany.
Vinnie Paz – Pain Collector 2xLP (Enemy Soil)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Jedi Mind Tricks frontman Vinnie Paz returns with his fourth, full-length solo album. [Two colored vinyl pressings are available: orange and red.]
Peace To Mateo – Some Strange Reason LP (Young Heavy Souls)
Peace To Mateo is Matt Black, a Detroit producer and founder of Young Heavy Souls Records. Some Strange Reason is cinematic and surreal, with heavy inspiration from trip-hop, dub, dream-pop, and glitch-hop.
Pip Blom – Paycheck 10” (Persona Non Grata)
Pip Blom is a phenomenal young indie rock band from Amsterdam that’s been making waves in England, a BBC radio darling touring with Franz Ferdinand and The Breeders. Pip Blom is both the name of the band and its leader, a dynamic 21-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist. Paycheck is a roaring, attitude-laden offering that maintains their playfulness and knack for melody that’s earned comparisons to Blur and Courtney Barnett.
Queen – Jazz [Reissue/1978] LP (Hollywood)
Vinyl reissue of the seventh studio album by the legendary British rock band.
Restorations – LP5000 LP (Tiny Engines)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. LP5000 is everything that fans have come to love about Restorations over the course of its decade-long career: anthemic heartland rock-and-roll replete with mile-wide riffs, psychedelic chooglin – and too many guitars.
Michael Schenker – A Decade of the Mad Axeman: The Studio Recordings (2007 – 2016) 2xLP (Inakustik)
Michael Schenker – A Decade of the Mad Axeman: The Live Recordings (2007 – 2016) 2xLP (Inakustik)
Released last February on CD – now available on vinyl. A Decade Of The Mad Axeman (2007 – 2016) presents an extensive retrospective, from Michael Schenker’s return to the roots of MSG through Temple of Rock to Michael Schenker Fest. Different line-ups and special guests attest to the stunning power of his creativity. The critics unanimously consider that decade to be one of his most impressive phases.
Sleigh Bells – Treats [Reissue/2010] LP (Mom + Pop)
Limited picture-disc vinyl reissue. New York City noise pop duo Sleigh Bells emerged in the Fall of 2009 with rhythmic pop songs that combine overdriven guitar riffs and sugary female vocal melodies. Featuring the infectious singles “Tell ‘Em”, “Infinity Guitars” and “Riot Rhythm”, the duo’s acclaimed 2010 debut Treats comes on strong with Derek Miller and Alexis Krauss crafting a sound that’s all climax, like cheap stereos turned up to 11 and boom cars that might actually explode.
Slugdge – Gastronomicon [Reissue/2014] 2xLP (Willowtip)
Limited double colored vinyl LP pressing of the 2014 album from the blackened metal band.
Soundtrack – Rudeboy: The Story Of Trojan Records 2xLP (Trojan)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 2018 marks five decades since the iconic reggae label changed the British musical and cultural landscape, bringing a new sound and ethos to the world. To mark the occasion, the iconic label is plotting a year-long celebration of its unparalleled history, taking in a series of live events, catalogue music releases, a documentary and definitive coffee table book about this richest of histories.
Stereolab – Peng! [Reissue/1992] LP (Too Pure)
Stereolab – The Groop Played “Space Age Batchelor Pad Music” [Reissue/1993] LP (Too Pure)
Colored vinyl reissues. Sometimes jam-packed with thundering keyboards and driving drums, at other times ethereal, airy and light, Stereolab’s debut album Peng! (1992) captures the thinking man’s band at the early stages of its prolific career. Their 1993 EP, The Group Played Space Age Bachelor Pad, is one of the avant-pop group’s most experimental works, featuring their twin obsessions – krautrock-derived electronic minimalism and lush pop owing much to both Brian Wilson and Ray Conniff.
Sufjan Stevens – Songs For Christmas [Reissue/2006] 5xLP+MP3 (Asthmatic Kitty)
First-time vinyl pressing. From 2001 through 2010, Sufjan Stevens recorded an annual Christmas album that he gifted to friends and family. The recording process took place every December for one week, usually at home, provoking collaborations with friends, roommates, and musical peers. In 2006, Stevens’ label, Asthmatic Kitty Records, released Songs for Christmas, a CD boxset compiling the first five of these albums, Volumes I-V.
The Teskey Brothers – Half Mile Harvest LP (Glassnote)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With its raw combination of blues and soul, The Teskey Brothers’ debut Half Mile Harvest has already become essential listening for lovers of old-school music. Featuring songs penned by all four members, the record was put to tape in their home studio in Warrandyte on Melbourne’s leafy fringes, self-produced and released independently on their own label in 2017. Throughout Josh Teskey sings of love, longing and heartbreak; his flawless smoked whiskey vocal rises and cracks with undeniable authenticity. Around him the band conjures a groove and tone akin to those emanating from Stax Records sessions circa ’67.
Yann Tiersen – Hent LP (Mute)
Following the release of his ninth studio album (and his first solo piano album), EUSA, Yann Tiersen returns with Hent. A must have for Yann enthusiasts and anyone interested in improvisational classical music.
Tokyo Police Club – Champ [Reissue/2010] LP (Mom + Pop)
Limited picture-disc vinyl reissue. Serving as a huge musical step forward for Tokyo Police Club, Champ was nominated for Canada’s Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year and features the lean and economical singles “Breakneck Speed”, “Wait Up (Boots Of Danger)” and “Gone”.
Warzone – Open Your Eyes [Reissue/1988] LP (Revelation)
First-time vinyl issue of the hardcore band’s second album.
We Were Promised Jetpacks – The More I Sleep The Less I Dream LP (We Were Promised Jetpacks)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “WWPJ … have shifted towards a more dreamy, indie-rock style that, while it’s less aggressive, is still worth the listen. And then some.” – Punknews.org [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
YG – Stay Dangerous LP (Def Jam)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The rapper’s third studio album features guest appearances from 2 Chainz, ASAP Rocky, Ty Dolla Sign, Quavo, Mozzy, Jay 305, Big Sean, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Nicki Minaj.
Cassettes:
Super Unison – Stella (Deathwish, Inc.)
Recently released on vinyl and CD – now available on cassette. The Oakland trio’s new album Stella was recorded by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, Jawbreaker), produced by Don Devore (Ink & Dagger), and mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker). It’s an aggressive and sonically dynamic outpouring of post punk emotion.
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