Marketing Program/ Banner/ Listening Station Titles Promoted This Week:
Coldplay – Music Of The Spheres CD/LP (Atlantic)
Coldplay’s ninth studio album, Music Of The Spheres, was produced by hitmaker Max Martin and features twelve tracks, five of which are represented by emojis. The British pop-rock giants follow-up to 2019’s Everyday Life is introduced by the cosmic lead single “Higher Power” and experimental 10-minute closer “Coloratura”, an exhilarating, space-bound epic that includes namechecks for Galileo, Oumuamua and Betelgeuse. The band hints at further sci-fi themes with the note, “Everyone is an alien somewhere.” [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Norah Jones – I Dream Of Christmas CD/LP (Blue Note)
Norah Jones has been a steady voice of warmth and reassurance for nearly 20 years since her cozy 2002 debut album Come Away With Me became a familiar musical companion for millions of people around the world. Now the nine-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist has made her first-ever holiday album with I Dream Of Christmas, a delightful and comforting collection of timeless seasonal favorites and affecting new originals that explore the complicated emotions of our times and our hopes that this holiday season will be full of joy and togetherness.
Toby Keith – Peso In My Pocket CD (Show Dog, LLC)
Singer/songwriter Toby Keith releases his first all-new in more than five years. Peso In My Pocket was co-produced with Kenny Greenberg and features the highest Billboard Country Airplay chart debut of his career with the lead single “Old School”. Though Keith has accomplished much since the 2015 release of 35 MPH Town – perhaps most notably in writing the Clint Eastwood inspired “Don’t Let The Old Man In” – a new studio album was long overdue. Peso In My Pocket has more than a little to do with the worldwide pandemic. “My whole musical career, I haven’t been off the road this long,” Keith says, calling 2020 “a reset button I never would have hit.” [Vinyl edition due December 10.]
Pokey LaFarge – In The Blossom Of Their Shade CD/LP (New West)
Pokey LaFarge’s seventh studio solo album, In The Blossom Of Their Shade, showcases the positivity of coming out of the darkness and into the light. When the 2020 global pandemic hit, LaFarge’s rigorous work ethic powered him through the potentially challenging creative period. As days became a couple months, songs blossomed from embryonic ideas into full-formed ones and he was ready to move on, which typified his mindset as a working artist. With this record LaFarge captures the thematic notion of being the perfect summer afternoon soundtrack…the type of music you want to listen to while having a cocktail with your significant other. It makes sense musically as well – LaFarge intentionally crafted songs that created space and have melodies that can glide throughout a composition that’s a far cry from the swing and blues-infused songs of his earlier work. [A limited-edition indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is available.]
Xenia Rubinos – Una Rosa CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Music maker Xenia Rubinos uses her powerful voice to create beats and melodies from scratch. Her sound grows from a wide palette of influences ranging from Caribbean rhythms and beat music to minimalism and indie rock all delivered with a soulful punk aura. Una Rosa, Xenia’s first full-length album in five years, was visually structured before all the music was done – it’s a cinematic obra – an imagined nighttime-space where you’re transported through the lives of various characters, all of whom are sonically painted in each track. Sonically, the album is somewhat of a departure from her earlier work- rather than striving for pitch-perfect vocals and tight live instrumentation, she cut most of the vocals in a single take, only tinkering with them after the fact. It’s also the most electronic music she’s ever made – full of layered beats, a driving clave rhythm, bolero, flavors of ‘90s R&B, romance, tragedy, aggressivity, and emotional and theatrical vocals.
Santana – Blessings And Miracles CD (BMG)
Multi-Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana returns with the star-studded, masterful new album, Blessings And Miracles. The record’s dazzling first single, “Move”, sees the music legend and guitar icon reteamed with Matchbox 20 singer Rob Thomas. Blessings And Miracles is one of the most ambitious, inspired and magical albums of Santana’s storied career, on which the legendary guitarist aims higher than ever. In addition to Thomas, Blessings And Miracles sees Santana collaborating with a diverse host of brilliant artists, writers and producers including Chris Stapleton, G-Eazy, Diane Warren, Steve Winwood, Chick Corea, Rick Rubin, Corey Glover, Kirk Hammett, Ally Brooke, American Authors and Narada Michael Walden, among others, on genre-bending, hook-filled knockout musical celebrations. The record also features bravura performances from members of Santana’s touring band (including drummer Cindy Blackman Santana and singer Tommy Anthony), as well as impeccable vocals and keyboards by the guitarist’s son, Salvador Santana, and stunning lead vocals by daughter, Stella Santana. [Vinyl edition due March 18.]
Various Artists – Pokémon 25: The Album CD (Capitol)
Pokemon 25: The Album features new tracks by J Balvin, Lil Yachty, Vince Staples, Jax Jones with Sinead Harnett, Mabel, Tierra Whack, Katy Perry, Post Malone and Louane. “I’ve always been a huge Pokémon fan and I jumped at the opportunity to be on the album. I love the record I did for it called ‘Believing’ and I hope it inspires my fans to chase their dreams,” Lil Yachty says about the project. “P25 Music has been an incredible journey in which we’ve been able to collaborate with so many amazing musicians to help us celebrate 25 years of Pokémon,” shares Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing, The Pokémon Company International. “As we countdown to the launch of Pokémon 25: The Album and the culmination of this yearlong adventure, we’re looking forward to Lil Yachty, Tierra Whack, and Jax Jones joining the party and adding their own unique sounds and fresh takes on Pokémon inspired songs to this celebratory compilation.” [Vinyl edition due February 25.]
Additional Social Media Program Titles Released This Week:
Babymetal – 10 Babymetal Budokan CD (Cooking Vinyl)
In October 2020, Babymetal entered their 10th anniversary year; to celebrate the milestone, the band played a series of ten exclusive shows at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan from January to April 2021. It’s all documented on 10 Babymetal Budokan. Babymetal’s Moametal told Billboard Japan: “I consider the Budokan shows as the period we properly display everything we’ve gained in our journey over the past ten years, and our gratitude to everyone who encountered us along the way.” [Vinyl edition due December 17.]
Cleopatrick – Bummer LP (Nowhere Special)
Cleopatrick’s debut album Bummer sees the Canadian duo harness all the magic they’ve been brewing over their two-decade friendship and funnel it into a record that aims to reinvigorate the rock landscape from the ground up. Recorded with 21-year-old NRM peer and producer Jig Dubé, Bummer is a time capsule of a record – nodding to their insular, small-town beginnings but reaching for something altogether more exciting, utopian and full of life. “We want our music to feel as big as hip hop does in the club – big subs and loud drums and vocals right up front. But lyrically, we want to sing songs that everyone in the crowd feels comfortable singing along to. Luke Gruntz asserts. “We’ve been comparing the album to the Voyager One probe – it has everything about us in it and we don’t know if people will get it or if people will care, but it feels so good to have it out there. It feels like a small way to live forever.”
Melvins – Five Legged Dog 2xCD (Ipecac)
The Melvins deliver their most ambitious project yet with Five Legged Dog, a 36-song newly recorded, acoustic offering featuring a career-spanning collection of songs, from 1987’s Gluey Porch Treatments to 2017’s A Walk With Love & Death, the entire gamut of the legendary band’s catalogue is represented. “I knew I wanted to do something ridiculously big,” explains Buzz Osborne of the band’s first ever acoustic offering. “36 songs reimagined by us acoustically is certainly ridiculous, but it works. The magic of the songs is still there regardless of it being acoustic. Since we weren’t touring, we had the time to do something of this size. I’m very excited about this record. Dale and Steven did a fantastic job on this. I think it’s a very special record. I can’t think of anyone else who’s done something like this.” [Limited edition color vinyl edition due January 28.]
North Americans – Going Steady LP (Third Man)
Originally released in 2018 in extremely limited numbers, Going Steady features North Americans main man Patrick McDermott playing acoustic guitar and Moog alongside contributions from Meg Duffy, Juliana Barwick, Hayden Pedigo, Dylan Baldi, and Joel Williams – creating a gorgeous dusky instrumental album of cosmic pastoral sounds. Each song on Going Steady glimmers and shines and taken in its entirety is like a beautiful sunset transforming into a star-filled evening. It is the American Songbook read, ingested and transformed into something completely new for our post-everything world. [A limited-edition indie store exclusive pressing is available.]
Lucinda Williams – Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 3: Bob’s Back Pages: A Night Of Bob Dylan Songs CD/2xLP (Highway 20)
While the first two installments found Williams tackling Tom Petty and southern soul, Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 3 features eleven nuanced numbers from the great Bob Dylan catalog including “It Takes A Lot To Laugh”, “Not Dark Yet”, “Blind Willie McTell”, “Idiot Wind”, “Make You Feel My Love” and more.
Lucinda Williams – Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 4: Funny How Time Slips Away: A Night Of 60’s Country Classics CD/LP (Highway 20)
Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 4 includes a selection of 60’s country classics like “Apartment #9,” “Together Again,” “Make The World Go Away,” “Long Black Limousine,” “Fist City,” “Gentle On My Mind” and “Funny How Time Slips Away” among others.
Yves Tumor – The Asymptotical World EP 3×7”+MP3/12”+MP3 (Warp)
The Asymptotical World EP is Yves Tumor’s successor to 2020’s lauded Heaven To A Tortured Mind, featuring some of Sean Bowie’s most anthemic rock moments to date. A bold outfit of variegated styles across EP highlights, from the progressive climaxes of “Crushed Velvet” to the breakneck pace of “Secrecy Is Incredibly Important To The Both of Them” and the new standard of contemporary stadium music heard on “Jackie”.
CDs + Vinyl:
Aeon – God Ends Here CD/LP (Metal Blade)
New album from the extreme metal band. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
The Alarm – History Repeating 1981 – 2021 2xCD/2xLP (Twenty First Century)
The Alarm’s 40th Anniversary release, History Repeating, is a double album featuring 44 of their biggest singles and greatest songs. Spanning all eras of The Alarm timeline, this collection brings together all the band’s crown jewels including a brand new and previously unreleased recording of the title track.
Alcatrazz – V CD (Silver Lining Music)
Fifth album from the melodic heavy metal band.
Apostolica – Haeretica Ecclesia CD (Scarlet)
Apostolica is the heretic, powerful and anthemic heavy metal antidote to the age of spiritual slavery.
Craig Armstrong – Nocturnes – Music For Two Pianos CD (Modern Recordings)
“The decision to compose for two pianos gave me the ability to write more abstract compositions, blurring the melodies and harmonies to make a diffused sound. Other Nocturnes are purer and focus on delicate melodic fragments, revealing their compositional process as they develop. Each short piece should stand on its own however the atmosphere and intention of each movement work together as a whole. Writing the work, which was composed and recorded at home was in a way therapeutic amidst the pandemic. I would like to think the beauty of the sound and reflectiveness of the music communicates and in turn perhaps might help the listener find some solace in these strange times.” [Vinyl edition due November 5.]
Babymetal – 10 Babymetal Budokan CD (Cooking Vinyl)
In October 2020, Babymetal entered their 10th anniversary year; to celebrate the milestone, the band played a series of ten exclusive shows at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan from January to April 2021. It’s all documented on 10 Babymetal Budokan. Babymetal’s Moametal told Billboard Japan: “I consider the Budokan shows as the period we properly display everything we’ve gained in our journey over the past ten years, and our gratitude to everyone who encountered us along the way.” [Vinyl edition due December 17.]
Jon Batiste – We Are [Deluxe Edition] CD (Verve)
We Are is a career-changing, chart-topping album from musician and activist Jon Batiste. The album celebrates Black American culture and music while exploring themes of lineage, authenticity, excellence and evolution. This album is about honoring roots and traditions, while looking forward to the future and constantly evolving. Featuring Mavis Staples, Zadie Smith, Kizzo, and many more. This expanded deluxe edition includes new features from Tori Kelly, BJ The Chicago Kid, & a new remix from Big Freedia.
The Beatles – Let It Be [Reissue/1970] CD/2xCD/5xCD+Blu-ray Audio+Book/LP/4xLP+12”+Book (Capitol)
The Let It Be album has been newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell. All the new Let It Be releases feature the new stereo mix of the album as guided by the original reproduced for disc version by Phil Spector and sourced directly from the original session and rooftop performance eight-track tapes. The Special Edition double-CD edition includes bonus CD of outtakes and 40-page booklet. The Super Deluxe Special Edition CD and vinyl box set editions each add a wealth of previously unreleased outtakes, studio jams, rehearsals as well as a 105-page hardbound book.
Robert Levon Been – The Card Counter Original Songs From The Motion Picture CD (BMG)
Original soundtrack to the 2021 film composed by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Robert Levon Been.
The Bellamy Brothers – Covers From The Brothers CD (Belamy Brothers)
New covers album from the veteran country music duo. The Bellamys interpret some of their favorites by Bob Dylan (‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”) and Stevie Wonder (“I Just Called To Say I Love You”) and also perform some tracks they’ve played countless times, like Joe South’s “Games People Play”.
Bound In Fear – Penance CD (Unique Leader)
New album from one of the heaviest bands to ever emerge from the shores of the UK. [Vinyl edition due March 11.]
Zac Brown Band – Comeback CD (Warner Nashville)
The seventh album from chart-topping country group Zac Brown Band features guest appearances by guitarist Marcus King and jazz vocalist Gregory Porter.
John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, Daniel Davies – Halloween Kills (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
The scream team is back with Halloween Kills, and John Carpenter has returned to the studio with son Cody Carpenter and godson Daniel Davies to further expand on the iconic score that forever changed the course of horror cinema and synthesizer music.
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Sticky CD/LP (Int’l Death Cult)
The new album from Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes is the sonic eruption of a year-plus of suppressed energy. While it’s an escapist experience, recent reality is never too far away. It’s there in “Go Get A Tattoo”, which was inspired by Carter’s experience of having to shut his first London based tattoo parlour, Rose Of Mercy, almost immediately after it opened. It’s just as present in “My Town”, a suburban vignette of society’s collective mental health quickly unravelling. [A clear vinyl pressing is also available.]
David Ornette Cherry – Organic Nation Listening Club (The Continual) CD/2xLP (Spiritmuse)
New album by ‘cosmic nomad’ David Ornette Cherry following his father’s tradition, the legendary jazz innovator Don Cherry. This a mosaic of healing soundscapes blending spiritual jazz, leftfield electronica, Eastern & native, indigenous sounds into musical parallels that transport the listener through doorways of ancient pathways to futurist crossroads.
Cherubs – SLO BLO 4 FRNZ & SXY CDEP/12” (Relapse)
Austin, TX’s cult noise rock trio Cherubs return with their new EP. A follow up to their critically acclaimed Immaculada High (2019), the new EP capitalizes on the musical frenzy and shining moments of the latest full length, resulting in another dose of the legendary band’s take on punk infused noise rock. [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Coldplay – Music Of The Spheres CD/LP (Atlantic)
Coldplay’s ninth studio album, Music Of The Spheres, was produced by hitmaker Max Martin and features twelve tracks, five of which are represented by emojis. The British pop-rock giants follow-up to 2019’s Everyday Life is introduced by the cosmic lead single “Higher Power” and experimental 10-minute closer “Coloratura”, an exhilarating, space-bound epic that includes namechecks for Galileo, Oumuamua and Betelgeuse. The band hints at further sci-fi themes with the note, “Everyone is an alien somewhere.” [A limited-edition color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Cold Weather Company – Coalesce CD (Deko Music)
Steadily building their artistic style and audience for the past seven years, New Jersey based alternative folk band Cold Weather Company carries a diverse sound, rich with harmonies and instrumental builds. For fans of Tall Heights, Sufjan Stevens, and indie folk. [Vinyl edition due November 26.]
David Crosby – If I Could Only Remember My Name [Reissue/1971] 2xCD/LP (Atlantic)
50th Anniversary reissue. If I Could Only Remember My Name is the debut solo record from David Crosby. Recorded in 1970 after the passing of his girlfriend Christine and released in February of 1971, the album explores themes including loss and disorientation. The album features a who’s who of contributors from the San Francisco Bay area including Paul Kantner and Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, and Santana, and his cohort from Los Angeles including Graham Nash, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell. The album has attained a cult status over the last 50 years, hailed for its spooky, psychedelic, and truly unique sounds. [The expanded two CD edition features a full CD of session versions of the songs as well as demos, outtakes, and alternate versions.]
Chelsea Cutler – When I Close My Eyes CD (Republic)
Sophomore album from the Platinum-certified singer/songwriter and producer.
The dB’s – I Thought You Wanted To Know: 1978-1981 CD (Propeller Sound)
23 tracks of remastered early singles, demos, and live recordings. Most of these tracks predate the release of Stands For deciBels by two to three years and were the basis of the signing of the band to Albion Records (UK) in 1980. Some songs are being released to the public for the first time in this package. [Vinyl edition due October 22.]
Dean & Britta – Quarantine Tapes CD/LP (Double Feature)
Dean & Britta’s Quarantine Tapes album was recorded in home studio during the pandemic and released to streaming services in fall 2020, is now presented on CD and vinyl with the added track “The Carnival Is Over”. The record contains other covers of songs by the Bee Gees, the Clash, Kraftwerk, Luna, The Cars, the Seekers.
Diskord – Degenerations CD (Transcending Obscurity)
Eccentric Norwegian death metal band Diskord has made quite a reputation for themselves over the years for playing some twisted, unhinged death metal that takes the best elements of old school death metal, dissonant death metal, technical death metal, even progressive and jazz music, and then some. Their death metal is wonderfully concocted, full of unpredictable twists and turns, while retaining ample causticity and drive throughout.
The Driver Era – Girlfriend CD (BMG)
Second album from the alt-pop duo comprised of brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch.
Enhypen – Dimension : Division [Charybdis Version] CD (Belift Lab)
Enhypen – Dimension : Division [Odysseus Version] CD (Belift Lab)
Enhypen – Dimension : Division [Scylla Version] CD (Belift Lab)
Third album from K-pop sensations, available in three collectable editions.
Fetid Zombie – Transmutations CD (Transcending Obscurity)
Death metal band Fetid Zombie is the brainchild of the legendary artist Mark Riddick.
Finneas – Optimist CD/LP/Cassette (Oyoy, Inc)
Eight-time Grammy-winning artist Finneas delivers his debut solo album Optimist which features 12 new, never before heard tracks, plus the previously released, “What They’ll Say About Us”, a heartbreaking ballad written in lockdown as a moving dedication to human strength and connection when faced with life’s tribulations.
Gemini Syndrome – 3rd Degree – The Raising CD (Gemini Syndrome)
New release from Los Angeles alternative metal band. [Vinyl edition due April 22.]
The Georgia Thunderbolts – Can We Get A Witness CD (Mascot)
Whether it be on the banks of the Mississippi River or deep in the heart of the English countryside, rock ‘n’ roll lives, breathes, and burns on the outskirts. Hailing from Rome, GA, at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, The Georgia Thunderbolts rise with a scorching signature style steeped in soulful southern swagger. [Vinyl edition due November 26.]
The Grandmaster – Skywards CD (Frontiers)
A musical alliance between Brazilian singer Nando Fernandes, a vocalist whose style follows in the tradition of the great metal singers of the ’80s and ’90s (think Ronnie James Dio, Jorn Lande, Russell Allen, etc.) and power metal guitarist Edguy’s Jens Ludwig.
Hate – Rugia CD/LP (Metal Blade)
New release from the Polish blackened death metal band. [A limited black & silver color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Hexen – State Of Insurgency [Reissue/2008] CD/2xLP (M-Theory Audio)
Now available on CD. L.A.’s Hexen doesn’t merely rely on the cloning of old thrash metal classics, but they take in a variety of influences to keep their sound fresh and relatively unique.
Ryan Hurd – Pelago CD (SME Nashville)
New release from the country music singer/songwriter.
Illudium – Ash Of The Womb CD/LP (Prophecy)
The sophomore full-length from California’s Illudium was born in the fiery pandemonium of the burning season of 2020 when huge tracts of the sunshine state went up in flames, while skies glowed orange at night. The many layers of dark and harsh metal shading on this album can easily be seen as a residue from those events. [A limited-edition ash grey color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Jerusalem In My Heart – Qalaq CD/LP+MP3 (Constellation)
One of the most renowned and uncompromising entities working in 21st century avant-garde Arab-Levantine art and music, Jerusalem in My Heart presents a new album of vital and haunting electronics and electroacoustics, framed by founder and producer Radwan Ghazi Moumneh’s spoken and sung Arabic, buzuk-playing and sound design.
Norah Jones – I Dream Of Christmas CD/LP (Blue Note)
Norah Jones has been a steady voice of warmth and reassurance for nearly 20 years since her cozy 2002 debut album Come Away With Me became a familiar musical companion for millions of people around the world. Now the nine-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist has made her first-ever holiday album with I Dream Of Christmas, a delightful and comforting collection of timeless seasonal favorites and affecting new originals that explore the complicated emotions of our times and our hopes that this holiday season will be full of joy and togetherness.
The Joy Formidable – Into The Blue CD/LP+7” (Enci)
The Welsh trio with a predilection for delivering stadium-sized riffs with shoegazey vistas and dreamy post-punk riffage, return with a stunning new album. [A limited-edition white color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Judas Priest – Reflections: 50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music CD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)
16 tracks including remastered studio recordings and seven previously unreleased live cuts from the band’s archive ranging from 1978 to 1991. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Kadabra – Ultra CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Written throughout the 2020 global pandemic, Kadabra’s debut album Ultra presents an aesthetic that nears that classic rock charm and energy. The group has meshed the droned flow of psychedelic clamor with an abrasive fuzzed riff drive. Their sound is a mixture of psychedelic rock and hard rock riffing; the vocals are choral and magnetic. [Two color vinyl variants are available: green and red.]
Toby Keith – Peso In My Pocket CD (Show Dog, LLC)
Singer/songwriter Toby Keith releases his first all-new in more than five years. Peso In My Pocket was co-produced with Kenny Greenberg and features the highest Billboard Country Airplay chart debut of his career with the lead single “Old School”. Though Keith has accomplished much since the 2015 release of 35 MPH Town – perhaps most notably in writing the Clint Eastwood inspired “Don’t Let The Old Man In” – a new studio album was long overdue. Peso In My Pocket has more than a little to do with the worldwide pandemic. “My whole musical career, I haven’t been off the road this long,” Keith says, calling 2020 “a reset button I never would have hit.” [Vinyl edition due December 10.]
Pokey LaFarge – In The Blossom Of Their Shade CD/LP (New West)
Pokey LaFarge’s seventh studio solo album, In The Blossom Of Their Shade, showcases the positivity of coming out of the darkness and into the light. When the 2020 global pandemic hit, LaFarge’s rigorous work ethic powered him through the potentially challenging creative period. As days became a couple months, songs blossomed from embryonic ideas into full-formed ones and he was ready to move on, which typified his mindset as a working artist. With this record LaFarge captures the thematic notion of being the perfect summer afternoon soundtrack…the type of music you want to listen to while having a cocktail with your significant other. It makes sense musically as well – LaFarge intentionally crafted songs that created space and have melodies that can glide throughout a composition that’s a far cry from the swing and blues-infused songs of his earlier work. [A limited-edition indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is available.]
Le Ren – Leftovers CD/LP+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)
The debut album from Montreal’s Le Ren stitches together a patchwork of personal songs about different relationships: those we share with mothers, lovers, and friends. Lauren Spear, the artist behind Le Ren, created a physical quilt to mirror the assemblage of stories that comprise her album: a coming-of-age collage that collects over four years of past experiences and finds their present meaning.
Leverage – Above The Beyond CD (Frontiers)
Leverage continue to showcase their contemporary heavy rock sound on their new album.
Lords Of Black – Alchemy Of Souls, Pt. II CD/2xLP (Frontiers)
New album from the melodic metal band. [A limited-edition gold color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Nick Lowe – Impossible Bird [Reissue/1994] CD (Yep Roc)
Nick Lowe – Dig My Mood [Reissue/1998] CD (Yep Roc)
Digitally remastered versions of two albums from the veteran British singer/songwriter. [Vinyl editions due February 11. A pink color vinyl pressing of 1979’s Labour Of Lust is also available this week.]
Melvins – Five Legged Dog 2xCD (Ipecac)
The Melvins deliver their most ambitious project yet with Five Legged Dog, a 36-song newly recorded, acoustic offering featuring a career-spanning collection of songs, from 1987’s Gluey Porch Treatments to 2017’s A Walk With Love & Death, the entire gamut of the legendary band’s catalogue is represented. “I knew I wanted to do something ridiculously big,” explains Buzz Osborne of the band’s first ever acoustic offering. “36 songs reimagined by us acoustically is certainly ridiculous, but it works. The magic of the songs is still there regardless of it being acoustic. Since we weren’t touring, we had the time to do something of this size. I’m very excited about this record. Dale and Steven did a fantastic job on this. I think it’s a very special record. I can’t think of anyone else who’s done something like this.” [Limited edition color vinyl edition due January 28.]
Nils Petter Molvær – Stitches CD/LP (Modern Recordings)
Nils Petter Molvær is one of the most prominent performers within an electroacoustic jazz hybrid that has, since the 1990s, become a genre all of its own. In this domain, sometimes referred to as ‘future jazz’ or ‘nu jazz’, the Norwegian composer is both a pioneer and a veteran having been one of the first jazz musicians to embrace the new digital and electronica tendencies at the turn of the century. With his signature sound that brings together poignant trumpet and dynamic electronic soundscapes, Molvær has achieved heavyweight status for showing a path forward for the genre in a new age, a path which, faithful to jazz’ past, remains cool all the way.
Tom Morello – The Atlas Underground Fire CD (Mom + Pop Music)
Following the 2018 release of his most ambitious album yet, The Atlas Underground, legendary musician and two-time Grammy winner Tom Morello returns with his latest project – a follow-up album entitled The Atlas Underground Fire. Morello’s remarkable guitar playing is on full display on the record fusing rock, alternative and electronic music together with collaborations from a mix of music icons and cutting-edge artists. The acclaimed list of collaborators includes Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Chris Stapleton, Mike Posner, Damian Marley and others. [Vinyl edition due April 1.]
Necrogod – In Extremis CD (Transcending Obscurity)
Necrogod is the perfect expression of atavistic death metal brutality spearheaded by none other than Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Revolting, Eye of Purgatory) who has teamed up with the revered The Master Butcher (Morbid Stench, Insepulto) to make this feat possible.
Never End – The Cold And The Craving CD (Brutal)
Never End is a power trio that breaks the boundaries between metal, hardcore, grunge, and rock.
Buffalo Nichols – Buffalo Nichols CD (Fat Possum)
Austin, TX-based vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Buffalo Nichols – Fat Possum’s first solo blues signing in nearly 20 years – delivers his self-titled debut album on the label. The album sees Nichols wrestling with prescient topics, such as empathy and forgiveness on the poignant, ever-building melody of “How To Love”; regret and loss on moving, violin-inflected “These Things”; and the pitfalls of lives lived too close to the edge on the smooth, dynamic “Back On Top”. [Vinyl edition due December 3.]
Novelty – How Are You Coping With This Century? CD/LP (Think Like A Key)
The debut album from Liverpool’s Novelty Island is a highly enjoyable trip through sunny, quasi-psychedelic songcraft. Criss-crossed with cello, harmonium, horns and banjo, How Are You Coping With This Century? is an engine of parts that appear random, yet purrs with cultured reliability.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Architecture & Morality – The Singles CD/3×12” (Republic)
40th anniversary set of singles from 1981’s Architecture And Morality by electronic pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Includes three international hits, “Souvenir”, “Joan Of Arc” and “Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan Of Arc)” as well as unreleased demos, studio sessions and live performances of tracks from the album. [A color vinyl pressing is available.]
The Ossuary – Oltretomba CD/LP (Supreme Chaos)
The Italian word ‘Oltretomba’ stands for the underworld but is also a tribute to the golden age of Italy’s cinematic culture in the ‘70s and ‘80s with horror films by Fulci, Argento, Bava and the music of Morricone. The magical, strong-willed and at the same time obscure attraction is also inherent in the third album of The Ossuary. The album tells of the various abysses of the human being, sometimes touching occult realms. The quartet creates their own niche in hard rock, pairs the classic twin guitars with an earthy sound, classic rock elements with a certain proximity to the prog of the ‘70s are celebrated here with fresh power. [A limited-edition brown color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Reaping Asmodeia – Darkened Infinity CD/LP (Prosthetic)
The Minneapolis, Minnesota three-piece present twelve tracks of rhythmically acerbic modern technical death metal and thematically dauntless songwriting, weaving together a conceptual story of transcendence, consciousness and humanity’s ongoing struggle with the psychological self. [A limited-edition white color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Xenia Rubinos – Una Rosa CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Music maker Xenia Rubinos uses her powerful voice to create beats and melodies from scratch. Her sound grows from a wide palette of influences ranging from Caribbean rhythms and beat music to minimalism and indie rock all delivered with a soulful punk aura. Una Rosa, Xenia’s first full-length album in five years, was visually structured before all the music was done – it’s a cinematic obra – an imagined nighttime-space where you’re transported through the lives of various characters, all of whom are sonically painted in each track. Sonically, the album is somewhat of a departure from her earlier work- rather than striving for pitch-perfect vocals and tight live instrumentation, she cut most of the vocals in a single take, only tinkering with them after the fact. It’s also the most electronic music she’s ever made – full of layered beats, a driving clave rhythm, bolero, flavors of ‘90s R&B, romance, tragedy, aggressivity, and emotional and theatrical vocals.
Santana – Blessings And Miracles CD (BMG)
Multi-Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana returns with the star-studded, masterful new album, Blessings And Miracles. The record’s dazzling first single, “Move”, sees the music legend and guitar icon reteamed with Matchbox 20 singer Rob Thomas. Blessings And Miracles is one of the most ambitious, inspired and magical albums of Santana’s storied career, on which the legendary guitarist aims higher than ever. In addition to Thomas, Blessings And Miracles sees Santana collaborating with a diverse host of brilliant artists, writers and producers including Chris Stapleton, G-Eazy, Diane Warren, Steve Winwood, Chick Corea, Rick Rubin, Corey Glover, Kirk Hammett, Ally Brooke, American Authors and Narada Michael Walden, among others, on genre-bending, hook-filled knockout musical celebrations. The record also features bravura performances from members of Santana’s touring band (including drummer Cindy Blackman Santana and singer Tommy Anthony), as well as impeccable vocals and keyboards by the guitarist’s son, Salvador Santana, and stunning lead vocals by daughter, Stella Santana. [Vinyl edition due March 18.]
Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters – Destiny Waving CD/2xCD/LP (Bureau B)
The new release by electronica producer Ulrich Schnauss and the Engineers guitarist Mark Peters, Destiny Waiving completes a collaborative trilogy that began with 2011’s Underrated Silence and followed by 2013’s Tomorrow Is Another Day (Schnauss also became a full-time member of Engineers at this time). [A deluxe double-CD edition is also available.]
Seether – Vicennial – 2 Decades Of Seether CD (Craft Recordings)
A career-spanning compilation of the RIAA Platinum-selling group’s greatest hits, including 16 #1 original singles, as well as the fan-favorite cover of “Careless Whisper”. [Vinyl edition due January 7.]
Julia Shapiro – Zork CD/LP (Suicide Squeeze)
Zorked (adj.) – what happens when you end up thunderbaked, as in extremely stoned – or in any situation where you feel not sober. You can feel so tired you’re zorked. And Julia Shapiro, of Chastity Belt, Childbirth, and Who Is She? – much like everyone on this earth with a pulse – was zorked on more than one occasion in 2020. In March, she packed up her things and traded Seattle’s late-winter gloom for the perennial sunshine and seemingly endless opportunity of Los Angeles only to be forced into near-total isolation. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, she began working on her second solo album, Zorked. On the resulting batch of songs, we’re given Julia’s vision of Los Angeles: a wasteland melting in slow-motion, a place to commune with ghosts and warped legacies.
Sun Of The Suns – Tiit CD (Scarlet)
Sun of the Suns is a scary, groovy relentless extreme metal machine.
Thronehammer – Incantation Rites CD/LP (Supreme Chaos)
The seven bludgeoning, epic tracks on Incantation Rites unmercifully cleave and crush the cranium of the unsuspecting listener asunder brought down by Thronehammer’s ground shaking heavy doom. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Gino Vannelli – (More Of) A Good Thing CD (Sono Recording Group)
Gino Vannelli’s (More Of) A Good Thing is part new album and part re-issue of the 2009 release A Good Thing. Gino went back into the studio and remastered and reimagined the nine original songs. He also added three songs including a duet with Brian McKnight on his classic “The River Must Flow” and special guest jazz saxophonist Mike Phillips on “Eye On You”.
Various Artists – Pokémon 25: The Album CD (Capitol)
Pokemon 25: The Album features new tracks by J Balvin, Lil Yachty, Vince Staples, Jax Jones with Sinead Harnett, Mabel, Tierra Whack, Katy Perry, Post Malone and Louane. “I’ve always been a huge Pokémon fan and I jumped at the opportunity to be on the album. I love the record I did for it called ‘Believing’ and I hope it inspires my fans to chase their dreams,” Lil Yachty says about the project. “P25 Music has been an incredible journey in which we’ve been able to collaborate with so many amazing musicians to help us celebrate 25 years of Pokémon,” shares Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing, The Pokémon Company International. “As we countdown to the launch of Pokémon 25: The Album and the culmination of this yearlong adventure, we’re looking forward to Lil Yachty, Tierra Whack, and Jax Jones joining the party and adding their own unique sounds and fresh takes on Pokémon inspired songs to this celebratory compilation.” [Vinyl edition due February 25.]
The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground: A Documentary Film By Todd Haynes – Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack 2xCD (Polydor)
This double-CD soundtrack is curated by the documentary’s director, Todd Haynes, and music supervisor Randall Poster. It includes well-known and rare tracks from the band as well as songs and performances that influenced The Velvet Underground, including the doo-wop of The Diablos, the groundbreaking rock ‘n’ roll of Bo Diddley, and the avant-garde compositions of La Monte Young.
Vildhjarta – Måsstaden Under Vatten CD (Century Media)
With a decade between releases, Vildhjarta remain as inscrutable and as close to anonymity as a band can be. Vildhjarta’s down-tuned, staccato riffs and pulverizing grooves are the sound of music stripped to its essence. Yet, the Swedish collective’s long-awaited album, Måsstaden Under Vatten, is far more than a recitation of djent values. Clocking in at 80 minutes, it thematically picks up where the dark Swedish fable of 2011’s Måsstaden left off and delivers on the promise that record hinted at. [Vinyl edition due October 29.]
Wage War – Manic CD (Hopeless)
Wage War has forged an ironclad hybrid of battering ram grooves, gnashing guitars and melodic hooks in the heat of those extremes. Following the most trying year in recent history, the Florida quintet only strengthened their creative bond on their fourth full-length offering, Manic. Musically, the band struck a seamless balance between bludgeoning grooves, soaring melodies, electronic fits, and battering ram riffs, straining their past, present, and future into one cohesive statement. [Vinyl edition due February 18.]
Dean Wareham – I Have Nothing To Say To The Mayor Of L.A. CD/LP (Double Feature)
Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna) returns with his first new songs in seven years, a politically minded collection of indie guitar beauty. Produced by Jason Quever (Beach House, Cass McCombs), I Have Nothing To Say To The Mayor Of L.A. features eight songs by Wareham, plus covers of “Duchess” by Scott Walker and “Under Skys” by obscure Massachusetts late-‘60s band Lazy Smoke.
Marcin Wasilewski Trio – En Attendant CD (ECM)
The multifaceted Polish group illuminates a characteristically wide span of music on En Attendant, an album of collectively created pieces other works including Carla Bley’s timeless “Vashkar”, The Doors’ hypnotic “Riders On The Storm” and a selection from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations.
Whyzdom – Of Wonders And Wars CD (Scarlet)
New album from the French symphonic metal band.
Wilderado – LP CD/LP (Bright Antenna)
“It seems appropriate that Tulsa, OK indie rockers Wilderado have managed to tour with Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, both veterans of Fleetwood Mac. Musically there doesn’t seem to be much overlap between the two bands, with Wilderado playing through louder amp and faster drumming, but lyrically both bands manage to create wildly relatable songs. On LP, their first full-length after a handful of EPs, Rainer and his bandmates cover topic like depression, love, life and death, boredom – emotions we all must face, but the band manage to make poetry out of shared sentiments. All while harnessing influences that sound like the aforementioned Fleetwood Mac, Mt. Joy and Kings Of Leon, among many others.” – New Noise
Lucinda Williams – Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 3: Bob’s Back Pages: A Night Of Bob Dylan Songs CD/2xLP (Highway 20)
While the first two installments found Williams tackling Tom Petty and southern soul, Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 3 features eleven nuanced numbers from the great Bob Dylan catalog including “It Takes A Lot To Laugh”, “Not Dark Yet”, “Blind Willie McTell”, “Idiot Wind”, “Make You Feel My Love” and more.
Lucinda Williams – Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 4: Funny How Time Slips Away: A Night Of 60’s Country Classics CD/LP (Highway 20)
Lu’s Jukebox Vol. 4 includes a selection of 60’s country classics like “Apartment #9,” “Together Again,” “Make The World Go Away,” “Long Black Limousine,” “Fist City,” “Gentle On My Mind” and “Funny How Time Slips Away” among others.
Danny George Wilson – Another Place CD/LP (Loose Music)
Danny George Wilson (Bennett Wilson Poole, Danny & The Champions Of The World, Grand Drive) unveils a radically surprising new solo album Another Place to a world coming up for air. Celebrating the future returning with a vibrant and diverse collection of startling, impressionistic songs produced in tandem with Sussex-based, studio-wizard Hamish Benjamin and his frequent collaborator Henry Garratt, helped along by pedal steel maestro Iain Sloan (Peter Bruntnell, Wynntown Marshals), and with memorable guest appearances from Emma Swift (Blonde On The Tracks), Gerry Love (Teenage Fanclub), and Jeff Tweedy (Wilco).
The Wonderful World Of Louis Armstrong All Stars – A Gift To Pops CD (Verve)
The Wonderful World Of Louis Armstrong All Stars is the cream of the crop of current New Orleans musicians, paying tribute to the musician who started it all in the Crescent City. Comprised of new arrangements and recordings of music associated with Louis by a rotating cast of key New Orleans players including guest features from Wynton Marsalis, Common, and more. [Vinyl edition due December 17.]
Yes – The Quest CD/2xCD+Blu-ray (Inside Out U.S.)
The Quest is the latest studio album from the legendary progressive rock band. Produced by Steve Howe, and featuring the line-up of Howe, Alan White, Geoff Downes, Jon Davison & Billy Sherwood, this stunning new record sees the band demonstrating why they are still such a revered group of musicians. [A deluxe double-CD including Blu-ray edition is also available. Vinyl edition due December 31.]
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Acid Mammoth – 1782 / Acid Mammoth LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Split release from two heavy doom bands, each offering three new tracks.
Chris Acker – Odd Ordinary & Otherwise LP (Gar Hole)
Red color vinyl pressing. The third full-length record from the New Orleans country-folk songsmith is a collection of songs brimming with true tales, eloquent songwriting, and fearless honesty.
Alkaloid – Liquid Anatomy [Reissue/2018] LP (Season Of Mist)
Limited color vinyl reissue. With a pedigree including current and former members of Blotted Science, Obscura, Necrophagist and more, Alkaloid has spent decades advancing extreme, forward-thinking metal.
Autograph – Turn Up The Radio – The Anthology 2xLP (Deadline Music)
Blue color vinyl companion to the ’80s metal retrospective from Los Angeles-born and bred band. Includes the original studio demo version of the Autograph’s monster hit single “Turn Up The Radio” plus more pre-Sign In Please demos, which landed the group a major label deal with RCA in 1984.
Julia Bardo – Bauhaus, L’Appartamento LP (Wichita)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Bauhaus, L’Appartamento, produced and mixed by Younghusband’s Euan Hinshelwood, firmly establishes Bardo’s musical adventurousness and prowess, and marks a cathartic and self-affirming moment for an artist who found her voice by realizing it’s been there all along. Each track on the album opens a new door.
Bruno Bavota – For Apartments: Songs & Loops 2xLP+MP3 (Temporary Residence)
In the early months of 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak ravaged his home country of Italy, prolific composer Bruno Bavota did what we all would eventually do: isolated and waited. What followed was a year of fear, anxiety, and dread. Eventually, fear gave way to fatigue, and the anxiety metamorphosized into nervous energy. The compulsion to create became more powerful than the compression and weight. And so were born Apartment Songs and Apartment Loops. Representing two separate but intersecting paths of Bavota’s creative journey, Apartment Songs is a suite of sparse solo acoustic piano works, while Apartment Loops are expansive explorations for synthesizers and outboard effects processors.
Big Country – The Buffalo Skinners [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Chrysalis)
Big Country’s self-produced sixth studio album, The Buffalo Skinners is an impassioned explosion of rock, pulling themes of working-class masculinity, love of full-throated guitar and sense of political and social outrage together in one rousing, melodic, lyrical onslaught.
Black Stone Cherry – Kentucky [Reissue/2016] LP (Mascot)
Color vinyl reissue. Named after the band’s home state, Black Stone Cherry’s fifth album is very much a ‘back to their roots’ affair, with the four-piece working with the same engineer in the same ‘local’ studio, Barrick Recording, where they crafted their eponymous debut, eight years prior.
The Blasters – Live 1986 [Reissue/2011] LP (Rockbeat)
Color vinyl reissue. The Blasters were lauded by the critics and developed a loyal following mainly because of the intensity of their live shows. Phil drenched in sweat, Dave wailing on the guitar while Bazz and Bateman were pushing the rhythm into overdrive. With all that energy and talent, the Blasters never resorted to histrionics and that added to their appeal and authenticity. Live 1986 was recorded on February 14, 1986, at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.
Born Without Bones – Presents: Baby [Reissue/2013] LP (Pure Noise)
Color vinyl reissue. Born Without Bones has always been a band that didn’t quite fit in. While rooted in the Massachusetts DIY punk scene, they’ve always pulled from a wide range of influences. Traces of the big guitars and even bigger hooks of ’90s alternative mix with the storytelling and subdued tones of heartland singer/songwriters, forming a sound that is distinctly their own.
Bus – The Unknown Secretary [Reissue/2016] LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Three vinyl variants of the debut album from the stoner/doom metal band: red, blue and standard black.
Cannabis Corpse – Left Hand Pass [Reissue/2017] LP (Season Of Mist)
Color vinyl reissue. Turning a classic album title such as Entombed’s do into a weedy phrase would normally be punishable by having to listen to the worst of Modern Talking on continued play. Under the influence of the genre legends who preceded them, the trio give rise to an unrelenting piece of crushing, weed-themed death replete with their signature, THC-fueled, horror fiction lyrics.
Tommy Castro – Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town LP (Alligator)
Coke bottle green color vinyl pressing. Internationally beloved soul-blues rocker tells a timeless tale of young man bitten by the blues bug. He masters the craft and sets out for fame and fortune, only to realize that what he left behind is what he’s been looking for all along. An infectious collection of songs that stand on their own tell the story in vivid lyrics backed by Castro’s patented roadhouse rock, soulful ballads and deep, greasy grooves.
Chicano Batman – Cycles Of Existential Rhyme [Reissue/2014] LP (ATO)
Color vinyl reissue of the Latin/funk/soul/folk band’s sophomore album.
Cleopatrick – Bummer LP (Nowhere Special)
Cleopatrick’s debut album Bummer sees the Canadian duo harness all the magic they’ve been brewing over their two-decade friendship and funnel it into a record that aims to reinvigorate the rock landscape from the ground up. Recorded with 21-year-old NRM peer and producer Jig Dubé, Bummer is a time capsule of a record – nodding to their insular, small-town beginnings but reaching for something altogether more exciting, utopian and full of life. “We want our music to feel as big as hip hop does in the club – big subs and loud drums and vocals right up front. But lyrically, we want to sing songs that everyone in the crowd feels comfortable singing along to. Luke Gruntz asserts. “We’ve been comparing the album to the Voyager One probe – it has everything about us in it and we don’t know if people will get it or if people will care, but it feels so good to have it out there. It feels like a small way to live forever.”
Coven – Half A Century Of Witchcraft 5xLP (Prophecy)
On the sunset eve of the ‘60s, as flower power was wilting and the winds of change blew a cold breeze over Altamont, Coven struck the first chords of major label satanic rock. Half A Century Of Witchcraft is a tribute to 50 years of sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll and, of course, demon worship.
Marshall Crenshaw – #447 [Reissue/1999] LP (MRI Associated)
Color vinyl reissue. 1999’s #447 served as Crenshaw’s fourth for the independent Razor & Tie imprint and it finds him further refining the masterful pop songwriting.
Blair Crimmins & The Hookers – Okay, Boom! LP (New Rag)
Blair Crimmins and the Hookers have been recording their own brand of ragtime jazz for 10 years, and while their previous albums have been exclusively original songs, their live performances always include an eclectic mix of cover tunes. Their new release Okay, Boom! has all those crowd-pleasing cover songs spanning the decades from Louis Armstrong to Bob Dylan to Iggy Pop. With their signature bright punchy banjo, stride piano and classic New Orleans horn section, Blair Crimmins & The Hookers have put their stamp on these 12 timeless covers.
Ted Curson – Pop Wine [Reissue/1971] LP (Souffle Continu)
Originally from Philadelphia, invited to New York by Miles Davis, playing at Antibes in 1960 with Charles Mingus and Eric Dolphy, here is trumpeter Ted Curson in 1971… in Paris. With him, a legendary trio: Georges Arvanitas (piano), Jacky Samson (double bass) and Charles Saudrais (drums). A new transatlantic alliance in the service of jazz of all kinds: classic, modal, fusion and even free… Pop Wine is – between Coltrane and Miles with a nod to roots in the club the Caveau de la Huchette – an explosive cocktail but which leaves no stains.
Cynic – Kindly Bent To Free Us [Reissue/2014] LP (Season Of Mist)
Over four years in the making, 2014’s Kindly Bent to Free Us was a new apex in the evolution of progressive rock visionaries Cynic. The album’s eight tracks are rich, vibrant, and evocative and the mark of a band that are truly masters of their craft.
Destroy Boys – Open Mouth, Open Heart LP (Hopeless)
Debut album from the San Francisco-based punk band. Identifying as majority female, non-binary, LGBTQA+, and POC, Destroy Boys are known as a band that uses their platform to be outspoken advocates for a myriad of social justice issues, especially when it comes to racial equality, LGBTQA+ rights and inclusion for all.
DJ Manny – Signals In My Head LP (Planet Mu)
Limited pink color vinyl pressing. DJ Manny is both known and unknown. Despite being firmly embedded within the footwork elite and being regarded by many as a DJ’s DJ, Manny has yet to receive the kind of attention his peers have. He openly admits that his goal for the new album was to do something that nobody (in footwork) had ever done before which is an R&B love type of album but keeping it footwork, juke, house, techno, with a few breaks.
Fennesz Sakamoto – Cendre [Reissue/2007] 2×10” (Touch)
Cendre is a duet between Christian Fennesz (guitar/laptop) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (piano/laptop) – a continuing collaboration between two highly regarded composers.
Four Stroke Baron – Planet Silver Screen [Reissue/2018] LP (Prosthetic)
Color vinyl reissue. An energetic blend of new wave and heavy progressive rock, Four Stroke Baron aspire to bring forth a lively and refreshing new voice to the music scene. Though comprised of only three members, (Kirk Witt on guitars and vocals, Matt Vallarino on drums, and Keegan Ferrari on bass) the group manages to craft massive and immersive soundscapes juxtaposed over catchy, pop-like song structures.
Fuckin Whatever – Fuckin Whatever LP (Born Losers)
Limited clear colored vinyl LP pressing. Featuring Anthony Green of Circa Survive, Adam Lazzara and John Nolan of Taking Back Sunday and additional percussion from Benjamin Homola of Grouplove, Fuckin Whatever is a fluid project born of longtime friendships and late nights on the road, but what it could grow to become is entirely unwritten. Using just their voices and a stomp or two in lieu of percussion … before they even realized it, Fuckin Whatever was born.
Bobby Gillespie & Jehnny Beth – Utopian Ashes LP (Third Man)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “During the course of a 35-year career, ‘sensitive’ and ‘mature’ are not adjectives that have often been wheeled out to describe Bobby Gillespie’s lyrics. Indeed, the Primal Scream lead singer’s canon of work has generally favored MC5-lite rebel posturing over insight and depth. All of which makes this collaboration with former Savages frontwoman Jehnny Beth such a welcome surprise. The pair have written a set of songs located within the wreckage of a marriage that is falling apart, with both parties torn between looking back with remorse and nostalgia on what’s been lost and moving on and making a new start alone. Recorded with Gillespie’s Scream bandmates, as well as Beth’s regular foil Johnny Hostile, as much care has gone into the arrangements as the lyrics.” – The Guardian
Gong Gong Gong 工工工 – Phantom Rhythm 幽靈節奏 Remixed 12” (Wharf Cat)
A globe-spanning collaboration featuring remixes that organically expand the palette of Gong Gong Gong into ambient club tracks, thumping dance music, cinematic soundscapes, and doomy bit-crushed psych.
The Good Old Boys – Live: Drink Up And Go Home LP (Rockbeat)
Legendary live bluegrass super group performance featuring Jerry Garcia. Some of the greatest musical moments happen only once, in a live setting, and if you’re not there to experience them at the time, they’re lost to history. But every now and then, a buried treasure is discovered that brings a lost moment back to life and thrills music fans. Such is the case with this recently unearthed live recording of the all-star bluegrass band the Good Old Boys playing at Margarita’s Cantina, a Santa Cruz club, in February of 1975. Most Jerry Garcia fans know of his early interest in bluegrass music, which was an essential part of Garcia’s development as an instrumentalist and songwriter, but many Garcia fans are unaware that in 1975, during a Grateful Dead’s hiatus, Jerry produced a seminal album for another bluegrass group called the Good Old Boys, featuring guitarist David Nelson from the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and Frank Wakefield, one of the greatest mandolin players in the genre.
Guy Contact – Drinking From The Mirage LP (Butter Sessions)
Perth, Australia’s Guy Contact treads effortlessly between acid-stained techno, dreamy braindance and trancelike downtempo that acutely grip the neural network.
Sammy Hagar & The Circle – Lockdown 2020 LP (Mailboat)
Now available on vinyl. The Circle is a supergroup consisting of vocalist Sammy Hagar, original Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham, and guitarist Vic Johnson. The band would jam to these tracks as they warmed up before live shows. The set contains covers of classics from AC/DC, Bob Marley, The Who, Buffalo Springfield, Van Halen, and more.
Sinéad Harnett – Ready Is Always Too Late LP (Thairish Limited)
Sophomore album from lauded UK, now Los Angeles-based, R&B singer and songwriter. Through this cohesive body of work, Sinéad delivers uplifting anthems with messages around empowerment, individualism, unity, and community alongside more raw and vulnerable songs that explore how darker times of her past have affected who she is now as an artist.
Illuminati Hotties – Let Me Do One More LP (Hopeless)
Recently released on CD – now available on neon yellow color vinyl. Illuminati Hotties is the moniker of the Los Angeles-based songwriter and producer Sarah Tudzin. Let Me Do One More features guest appearances by Buck Meek and Alex Menne of Great Grandpa and will scratch the unending itch of indie heads everywhere. For Fans Of: Waxahatchee, Hope Along, Charly Bliss.
Jaguar Skills – Savage Planet LP (NOPE23)
Utilizing a band of experienced musicians to create the project, The Savage Planet is 8 tracks, 23 minutes and 23 seconds of experimental hip-hop funk, interwoven with official adverts and sound bites direct from the NOPE23 vault.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Live In Adelaide ’19 3xLP (Drastic Plastic)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Live In Paris ’19 3xLP (Drastic Plastic)
In 2020, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard put together the “Bootlegger” project: a series of live albums & demo collections that they allowed anyone to put onto any audio format. Needlejuice Records has created stunning vinyl versions of each of these albums.
Makoto Kubota & Sunset Gang – Sunset Gang [Reissue/1973] LP (Wewantsounds)
Makoto Kubota & Sunset Gang – Hawaii Champroo [Reissue/1975] LP (Wewantsounds)
These cult albums feature his blend of Japanese folk, blues and R&B blended with Hawaiian, Okinawan and New Orleans influences. The reissues are done in collaboration with Makoto Kubota and come with original artwork and audio newly remastered by Kubota himself.
Arthur Lee & Love – Complete Forever Changes Live LP (Rockbeat)
Blue color vinyl pressing. As mercurial as Arthur Lee could be, he showed no concern in playing before 65,000+ Glastonbury concertgoers who all came to see if Arthur Lee & Love could pull off Forever Changes in a festival setting. Love’s musical director was the link between the ensemble of Swedish string and horn players and this loud, kick ass, take-no-prisoners rock-and-roll outfit. It was Mozart meets Thin Lizzy.
Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes [Reissue/2011] 2xLP (Atlantic)
This expanded vinyl reissue features Wounded Rhymes in full (with seminal singles “I Follow Rivers”, “Get Some”, and “Youth Knows No Pain”), three officially unreleased Lost Sessions demos, and two remixes from The Magician & Tyler, The Creator.
Lost Dog Street Band – Homeward Bound [Reissue/2014] 2xLP+MP3 (Anti-Corp)
Double-LP reissue with an etched D-side. “Benjamin Tod and Ashley Mae split from their previous band Barefoot Surrender to follow their own muse as a duo. This terrific album more than justifies that decision with its excellent blend of folk, country and even a little bluesy jazziness. Benjamin handles all lead vocals, songwriting, guitar, and banjo, with Ashley providing harmonies and some beautiful fiddle playing that along with the vocals gives their sound it’s signature. The songs never get above a sedate mid-tempo but there is plenty of diversity thematically and musically on this beautifully arranged and conceived recording. The atmosphere created is often one of a ‘homely’ nature but always with an appealingly edgy feel, in many ways as if they are just sitting on their front porch playing for themselves and a few neighbors. Fortunately, that is not the case, and we can all share in their excellent music.” – American Roots
Nick Lowe – Labour Of Lust [Reissue/1979] LP (Yep Roc)
Limited pink color vinyl pressing. Labour Of Lust was recorded and released at the same time as Dave Edmunds’ Repeat When Necessary and features the same Rockpile personnel. It led off with “Cruel To Be Kind”, Lowe’s only major US hit.
Parker McCollum – Gold Chain Cowboy LP (MCA Nashville)
Born and raised in Houston, McCollum’s been based in Austin since 2013 when he released his first independent single. His debut album, Gold Chain Cowboy, includes the Platinum #1 single “Pretty Heart” and the Top 40 hit “To Be Loved By You”.
Fergus McCreadie – Cairn LP (Edition)
Fergus McCreadie is a complete and well-rounded musician, a passionate communicator and consummate performer. He is a composer of elegant, nuanced and captivating music as well as a pianist and improviser of exceptional ability and originality. Cairn is the highly anticipated follow-up to Fergus’ debut, inspired by the tradition and landscape of his native Scotland. It declares itself with an energetic freshness of sound and originality reminiscent of the dynamism and personality with which the likes of piano trios The Bad Plus and EST emerged almost two decades ago.
Merzbow – Flare Blues LP (ROOM40)
Flare Blues reimagines two of Merzbow’s long out of print EPs from 1994, Flare Gun and White Blues. Revisiting the original pieces and adding previously unreleased materials recorded during these sessions, Flare Blues tethers together a set of Merzbow’s most exploratory work, creating a visceral linkage between a pair of vital works.
Mac Miller – Faces [Reissue/2014] 3xLP (WB)
Yellow color vinyl pressing. With his first album he became a grassroots rap megastar. With his second he bared his weird soul and was praised for it. His 11 mixtapes boast a couple bucket lists’ worth of collaborators, from Bun B and Kendrick Lamar to Rick Ross and Juicy J. And in the same year that he toured the US backed by a psychedelic soul band, he rapped all over Europe with Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz. He did indie. He’s doing major. He even bought himself a ridiculous house in the Los Angeles hills and made a TV show about it. Hell, he made a jazz record. As if that wasn’t enough, his highest accomplishment was an overdose of cocaine, fentanyl, and alcohol, which took his life at 26.
The Mr. T Experience – Shards Vol. III LP (Sounds Rad)
Shards Vol. III is the third of a three-volume collection of rarities and outtakes-versions of song previously scattered on numerous B-sides, and compilations. As the last of this series, the tracks represent rarities from often obscure titles throughout the mid- ‘90s-considered the most prolific period of The Mr. T Experience musical output.
Neck Deep – All Distortions Are Intentional LP (Hopeless)
Yellow color vinyl pressing. With All Distortions Are Intentional, Neck Deep want to continue carving out their own unique space within rock, punk, and alternative music.
Nielson – Diamant LP (Vinyl Base)
The title of Nielson’s third album says it all. Diamond is colorful and versatile, and every time you look (or listen) to it, you discover something new. Diamond represents the renewed Nielson, who shows himself from a different side on this album. His new sound sounds different, feels different and is different: electronic, mature and international.
North Americans – Going Steady LP (Third Man)
Originally released in 2018 in extremely limited numbers, Going Steady features North Americans main man Patrick McDermott playing acoustic guitar and Moog alongside contributions from Meg Duffy, Juliana Barwick, Hayden Pedigo, Dylan Baldi, and Joel Williams – creating a gorgeous dusky instrumental album of cosmic pastoral sounds. Each song on Going Steady glimmers and shines and taken in its entirety is like a beautiful sunset transforming into a star-filled evening. It is the American Songbook read, ingested and transformed into something completely new for our post-everything world. [A limited-edition indie store exclusive pressing is available.]
Omara Portuondo – Omara Portuondo [Reissue/2000] LP (World Circuit)
In 2000, the leading lady of the Buena Vista Social Club, Omara Portuondo, released her debut solo album for World Circuit. Often hailed as the Billie Holiday of Cuba, the stunning affair takes as its theme ‘Unrequited Love – love lost and found’ and was recorded in Havana with a dream band, orchestrated by Demetrio Muñiz, and including Rubén González, Cachaíto López, Guajiro Mirabal and Jesus ‘Aguaje’ Ramos. To top it off special guest contributions come courtesy of Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo and Eliades Ochoa.
Quickly Quickly – The Long & Short Of It LP+MP3 (Ghostly Int’l)
Portland, Oregon-based musician/polymath Graham Jonson straddles jazz, hip hop, R&B, and psych-pop while suggesting a wholly genre-less path forward. [A limited forest green color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Reinforcer – Prince Of The Tribes LP (Scarlet)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The five-piece from Paderborn, Germany combines classic heavy metal with an epic power metal approach full of dual lead guitars and heroic melodies.
Josh Ritter – Sermon On The Rocks [Reissue/2015] LP (Pytheas Recordings)
Blue & white color vinyl reissue. Climbing into the top 10 on several Billboard charts, 2015’s Sermon On The Rocks was produced by singer/songwriter Josh Ritter and Trina Shoemaker (Queens of the Stone Age, Emmylou Harris). The 12-song album was recorded over two weeks at New Orleans’ The Parlor Recording Studio and features Matt Barrick from The Walkmen on drums, Zachariah Hickman on bass, Josh Kaufman on guitar and Sam Kassirer on piano.
Rod Gator – For Louisiana LP (Blue Élan)
Louisiana-bred southern songwriter Rod Gator (Rod Melancon) takes a hard look at his old stomping grounds with For Louisiana. It’s an album rooted in Bayou soul, greasy country-rock, Texas blues, and electrified funk.
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Medicine Songs [Reissue/2017] LP (True North)
Red color vinyl reissue. Medicine Songs includes both new material and contemporary re-recordings of some of her older songs.
Scrimshire – Nothing Feels Like Everything LP (Albert’s Favourites)
The sixth studio album from Scrimshire is an atmospheric and emotional experience. Moments of swirling orchestral energy perfectly countered by quiet, meditative calm. Moving string arrangements sit alongside delicate synthesizer-soaked rhythms.
Richard Sinclair – Caravan Of Dreams [Reissue/1992] 2xLP (New Platform)
Special limited-edition vinyl reissue of this classic album by Richard Sinclair (ex-Caravan member).
Skepticism – Companion LP (Svart)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Finnish funeral doom pioneers celebrate their 30th anniversary with the release of their sixth full length album, Companion. On the album, Skepticism further refine their signature sound to engulf the listener in a cavernous heavy wall of organ and guitars laid to rest under an ominous cascade of hammering drums.
Slade – Old New Borrowed And Blue [Reissue/1974] LP (BMG)
Slade’s fourth studio album Old New Borrowed And Blue was conceived and recorded amid various touring and promotional activities in late 1973. Entering the UK charts at No. 1, it’s the sound of Slade at the height of their success striking out for new territory and blending their trademark foot-stomping rockers with a more mellow songwriting sensibility.
The Sweet And Innocent & The Memphis Mustangs – Cry Love b/w I Don’t Know What You’re Full Of [Reissue/1972] 7” (Numero)
A product of North Memphis’ segregated Dixie Homes housing complex, The Sweet & Innocent arrived during the Soulsville U.S.A. renaissance in the early ’70s. While Al Bell was busy across town turning Stax into a national Black powerhouse, Ron and Sari Bledsoe’s short-lived Active imprint operated out of a storefront on Chelsea Avenue, using nearby Manassas High as a talent pool. Rubye James and Linda Royston – Sweet And Innocent – joined a roster that included The Epics, First Company, and The Memphis Mustangs, groups all lost to the tide of time. The Sweet And Innocents are a rare blend of atmospheric blues, post-Beehive girl group harmony, and Jacksons-inspired kid soul.
Times Of Grace – Songs Of Loss And Separation 2xLP (Wicked Good)
Recently released on CD – now available on white color vinyl with an etched D-side. Songs Of Loss And Separation, the sprawling second album from Times Of Grace is insistent in its bluesiness, bleeding distortion and emotion, weaving effortlessly between pensive, heavy, midtempo rock riffs and atmosphere. The band’s sophomore effort and first since 2011 channels a haunting romanticism and deep spiritual yearning that collide in beautiful melancholy. The vocal interplay of Adam Dutkiewicz and Jesse Leach makes for a rich, dense, and enthralling concoction, powering through various trips through dark nights of the soul and mind-expanding excursions into the wild.
TK & The Holy Know-Nothings – The Incredible Heat Machine LP (Mama Bird)
Hailing from Portland OR, TK & the Holy Know-Nothings deliver their much-anticipated sophomore album The Incredible Heat Machine. The band is led by frontman Taylor Kingman, whose equally irreverent, delicate, and cerebral first-person narratives somehow merge seamlessly with the group’s bar band ethos. The Incredible Heat Machine takes the band’s half-facetiously self-described psychedelic doom boogie and delves further into the struggles of the working-class musician with themes of substance abuse and redemption, companionship as salvation, and the ever-present shadow of disillusionment. [CD edition due October 29.]
The Trash Can Sinatras – I’ve Seen Everything [Reissue/1993] LP (Last Night Glasgow)
Limited opaque red color vinyl pressing. On its release, Tim Harrison of the Ealing Leader described I’ve Seen Everything as a “melodic, velvety concoction” with “a lot of subject matter” and “strong echoes of The Housemartins”. He concluded: “I’ve Seen Everything [is] an economic, restrained and sensitive collection well worth listening to.” The Irish Independent wrote: “Their debut was a fine beginning, but on its successor, they’ve hardened their approach and broadened the scope of their songwriting. Whereas before they tended to sit back and admire their pretty chord structures, they’re now audibly relishing the opportunity to get stuck into the material.”
Vandor – On A Moonlit Night LP (Scarlet)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Swedish power metal band.
Sonny Vincent – Snake Pit Therapy LP (Svart)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Living legend Sonny Vincent (Testors, The Limit) celebrates raw incendiary rock, leaving pretenders in the shade with new album Snake Pit Therapy, a whirlwind of soulful punk with a badass backbone. Snake Pit Therapy is raw, real deal blazing protopunk with lashings of psychedelia and hard rock, all taken to the edge with Vincent’s secret weapons, the naked aggression in his passionate voice and his trademark caustic guitar.
Virginity – Pop Mortem LP (Smart Punk)
Sophomore album from the vine-ripened Central Florida punk outfit.
Weak Signal – Bianca LP (Colonel)
Mike Bones has made deep and deeply loved solo albums as a singer and guitarist, and with ad hoc supergroup Soldiers of Fortune. The versatile instrumentalist has also played on albums by Cass McCombs, Endless Boogie and Run The Jewels. Weak Signal, the band he’s put together with Sasha Vine and Tran Huynh, is his hardest and leanest group to date, the quality of the songs and music on this album is matched by the supreme style of the band members. Weak Signal represent a constant on the NYC underground… The trio’s dark cinematic pop evokes late summer nights, apathy and urgency, buzz guitars over garbage trucks.
Paul Weller – Days Of Speed [Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Craft Recordings)
Paul Weller – Illumination [Reissue/2002] LP (Craft Recordings)
180gm vinyl reissues. Days Of Speed is an acoustic, double live album featuring songs from across Weller’s career including the Jam classics. Illumination was originally released in September 2002 and is Weller’s 2nd solo #1 in the UK. It includes the hit singles “It’s Written In The Stars” (#7) and “Leafy Mysteries” (#23) and features guest performances from Carleen Anderson, Jocelyn Brown, Kelly Jones and Noel Gallagher.
Windir – Sóknardalr [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Windir – Arntor [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Windir – Likferd [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Windir was founded by Terje Valfar Bakken in 1994 and released four albums in the period of 1997-2003. The Norwegian band gained a massive following with their unique blend of black and heavy metal with elements of old Norwegian folk music.
Amy Winehouse – Back To Black [Reissue/2006] LP (Republic)
Limited picture disc vinyl pressing of the second and final studio album by Amy Winehouse, originally released in 2006. Influenced by the pop and soul music of 1960s girl groups, Winehouse collaborated with producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, along with Sharon Jones’ band The Dap-Kings, to assist her on capturing the sounds from that time period while blending them with contemporary R&B and neo-soul music.
Yves Tumor – The Asymptotical World EP 3×7”+MP3/12”+MP3 (Warp)
The Asymptotical World EP is Yves Tumor’s successor to 2020’s lauded Heaven To A Tortured Mind, featuring some of their most anthemic rock moments to date. A bold outfit of variegated styles across EP highlights, from the progressive climaxes of “Crushed Velvet” to the breakneck pace of “Secrecy Is Incredibly Important To The Both of Them” and the new standard of contemporary stadium music heard on “Jackie”.
Warren Zevon – Excitable Boy [Reissue/1978] LP (Friday Music)
Limited 180gm translucent red color vinyl pressing of Warren Zevon’s third studio album. It includes the single “Werewolves Of London”, which reached #21 and remained in the American Top 40 for six weeks. The album brought Zevon to commercial attention and remains the best-selling album of his career.
Cassette:
Finneas – Optimist (Oyoy, Inc)
Eight-time Grammy-winning artist Finneas delivers his debut solo album Optimist which features 12 new, never before heard tracks, plus the previously released, “What They’ll Say About Us”, a heartbreaking ballad written in lockdown as a moving dedication to human strength and connection when faced with life’s tribulations.
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