CD + Vinyl:
Allah-Lahs – Worship The Sun CD/LP (Innovative Leisure)
Worship The Sun expands the sound established by the Allah-Lahs’ maiden effort, honing their fusion of West Coast garage rock, Latin percussion and electric folk. The album is richly textured and timeless as a Southern California beach break, evocative of L.A.’s storied past full of beatniks, artists, surfers, nomads, remnants of a bygone Sunset Strip, golden tans and cosmic sunsets.
Anjou – Anjou CD (Kranky)
The culmination of four years writing and editing, Anjou marks the first collaboration between Labradford’s Robert Donne and Mark Nelson since the release of that groupʼs Fixed::Context LP. Combining modular synthesis, Max/MSP programming and live instrumentation, Anjou deftly weaves noise with gentle ambience and melody with texture. Guitar, bass and Steven Hessʼ (Locrian, Fennesz, Pan American) live percussion give the eight pieces immediacy and create a framework for the more abstract sounds of digital and analog synth programming.
Antropomorphia – Rites Ov Perversion CD (Metal Blade)
New album from the Dutch necromantic death metal act.
Mike Auldridge/Jerry Douglas/Rob Ickes – Three Bells CD (Rounder)
Three Bells is a collaboration between Dobro masters Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge (The Seldom Scene), and Rob Ickes (Blue Highway).
Aurelio – Lándini CD (Real World)
On a narrow peninsula on Honduras’ Caribbean coast — in Plaplaya, a small village without electricity — singer, guitarist and Garifuna activist Aurelio Martinez learned music at his mother’s knee. At day’s end, workers returned from the sea, gathering to hear paranda — the guitar-driven music of Garifuna troubadours. Aurelio joined in from a tender age, set atop a table by his uncles.
He may be among the last generation in Honduras to grow up with Garifuna traditions, passed down over 300 years since shipwrecked African slaves intermarried with native Indians on St. Vincent in the 1600s. Their families were forcibly deported to the Central American coast by British colonials three centuries ago — but their unique culture still endures. Lándini (‘landing’) is an exuberant yet bittersweet homage to his beloved home and to his Garifuna people.
The Bacon Brothers – 36¢ CD (MRI Associated)
Long before Kevin launched his prolific stage and screen career, and before Michael became known as a go-to composer for film and television, they were just two brothers growing up playing music together. Nearly 20 years ago, they decided to make it official and formed The Bacon Brothers. 36¢ is the band’s newest offering.
Aiden Baker – Triptychs: Variations On A Melody CD (Important)
Triptychs takes inspiration from Erik Satie’s compositions “Gymnopédies” and his notion of “furniture music” — each “triptych” is based around a simple, slow-moving melodic line, which repeats three times with the addition of a harmonic line upon each repetition, culminating in a three-part harmony.
Beach Beach – The Sea CD/LP+MP3 (La Castanya)
12 cuts with a distinct radio jingle with fast paced rhythms, overdriven basses and beautiful background vocals, percussion arrangements, guitar solos, instrumental parts, and harmonic vocals.
Marco Benevento – Swift CD/LP (The Royal Potato Family)
Marco Benevento is used to doing things for himself. Since launching his solo career six years ago, Benevento has co-founded the label that releases his music, The Royal Potato Family, and built the studio, Fred Short Sound, where he works whenever he s not on the road. He’s written, arranged and played his largely instrumental anthems, leading a band from behind his customized piano and a tiny armada of drum-machines and sequencers, keyboards and pedals. But until Benevento set out to complete his fifth solo album, he’d never sung his own songs, a strange omission for music that s so often been lyrical. That changes decisively, assuredly, triumphantly on Swift, the boldest and most bracing album of Benevento’s career.
Broncho – Just Enough Hip To Be A Woman CD (Dine Alone)
Harkening back to punk rock’s glory days of the ‘70s, Broncho captures the aggression, authenticity and youthful exhilaration of a bygone era. With echoes of The Replacements, Iggy and the Stooges and The Ramones, Broncho is a blisteringly cathartic flash of gritty, crunching guitar work supported by an assaultive rhythm section and made whole by songwriter Ryan Lindsey’s aggressive, yelping vocal work. Vinyl version due October 7.
Chris Brown – X CD (RCA)
New album from the R&B superstar. The production team for X includes Grammy-winning producer Timbaland (David Guetta, Katy Perry, Black Eyed Peas) and Danja (Mary J. Blige, P!nk), both of whom worked on 2012’s chart-topping album Fortune. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks.
Ann Hampton Callaway –From Sassy To Divine: The Sarah Vaughan Project CD (Shanachie)
Tony nominee, Platinum Award winning songwriter and Theater World Award winner, jazz/cabaret diva Ann Hampton Callaway is at the height of her vocal powers, and for one magical night those magical powers were on full display at the world famous Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola.
Cannibal Corpse – A Skeletal Domain CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Boasting twelve-ominous tracks in forty-four spine-fraying minutes, A Skeletal Domain is a massive, belligerent, and deliberate aural attack that finds the band at their peak of their notoriously hyper kinetic, meticulously executed brutality.
Andrea Carri – Chronos CD (Psychonavigation)
Chronos is the fourth studio album released by the Italian pianist and composer Andrea Carri, the first with Psychonavigation records. The main theme of the album is time, how we approach it, our relationship with past, how we live the present and what we expect from the future. In particular starting from the concept that “time flies,” is there something that make us eternal? Music is the solution, suggested by this journey made by the notes of a piano.
Colossus – Badlands CD (Facedown)
Badlands combines the ambition and spirit of the band’s debut with their progressive hardcore aesthetic and an ambience relatively new to their sound.
The Contortionist – Language CD (E1)
Bottom heavy open chords that resonate strong enough to shake the core of the Earth. Skyrocketing bursts of oscillating guitar leads layer an ominous and dark undercurrent of rhythm. The band’s signature brand of forward thinking heavy metal has made them stick out as progressive metal favorites.
Dark Horses – Hail Lucid State CD (Last Gang)
Brighton’s Dark Horses once again team up with the ever talented Richard Fearless (Death In Vegas) for their latest sonic offering, Hail Lucid State. A pioneering blend of Siouxsie & The Banshees meets T-Rex. Urgent, catchy, and irresistible.
Mike Doughty – Stellar Motel CD/LP (Snack Bar)
Doughty’s new album is led by the tranced-out, banjo-driven single “Light Will Keep Your Heart Beating In The Future.” Produced by DJ Good Goose, Stellar Motel features a menagerie of guests, from the rappers Jay Boogs, HJA, Miss Eaves, and MC Frontalot, to drums and sax trio Moon Hooch, to long-time sideman Andrew “Scrap” Livingston, to Japanese rap star Kim Uhnellys.
Dream Boat – The Rose Explodes CD/LP (Cloud)
The Rose Explodes is the lush and percussive sophomore album from Athens, GA psychedelic collective Dream Boat. The band began as a collaboration between Page Campbell and Dan Donahue. Two artists/musicians who were born on the same Aquarian day. Together, they bridge several generations of Athens’ psychedelic collectives and musical freak families.
The Earls Of Leicester – Earls Of Leicester CD (Rounder)
The Earls of Leicester features the ”who’s who” of Bluegrass whose music and their very name pays tribute to the contributions to the bluegrass genre made by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. Band members include: Jerry Douglas (dobro) Shawn Camp (guitar, lead vocals), Johnny Warren (fiddle), Charlie Cushman (banjo), Barry Bales (bass), and Tim O’Brien (mandolin). Vinyl version due October 21.
Easy Star All-Stars – Dub Side Of The Moon [Anniversary Edition] CD (Easy Star)
This reissue the reggae translation of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon features new artwork, an in-depth liner note booklet and two bonus tracks (including a new version of the song “Breathe” featuring additional vocals by Eric Rachmany of Rebelution, Metric Man, and Ruff Scott of the Easy Star All-Stars).
Engineers – Always Returning CD (Kscope)
“Now a trio and counting electronic producer Ulrich Schnauss (who joined the band prior to In Praise) among their numbers, Engineers still play loud and lovely music, but it would be inaccurate to simply call them a shoegaze band. Always Returning opening track ‘Bless This Painter’ is more interested in percussive trances, while ‘Drive Your Car’ floats effortlessly, with synths and vocals that pair together like an Air track.” – Stereogum
English Dogs – The Thing With Two Heads CD (Candlelight)
Franticly intense, the veteran hardcore/punk band’s new album is chock full of epic riffs and killer production.
Mike Farris – Shine For All The People CD (Compass)
This long-awaited follow up to 2007’s Salvation In Lights includes both original material and Farris’ trademark interpretations of traditional gospel steeped in the influence of rock, vintage Memphis soul and the swagger of New Orleans. Farris’s musical vision has coalesced into a sound that, at once, harkens back to early soul records yet emerges completely fresh with this new studio record. Shine For All The People is saturated with horns, B3, and gospel backing vocals, but Farris is the star here, as his voice is one of the greatest of our time while staking his claim as sole proprietor of a musical style uniquely his own.
The Fauntleroys – Below The Pink Pony CD/LP (Plowboy)
The Fauntleroys is a new combo featuring four seasoned, idiosyncratic talents beloved troubadour Alejandro Escovedo, fabled axe hero Ivan Julian, eclectic tunesmith Nicholas Tremulis and propulsive percussive force Linda Pitmon who’ve pooled their distinctive sensibilities into uniquely raucous, rousing rock & roll on their startling inaugural collaboration. The raw-nerved six-song set encompasses five new original tunes plus a pummeling, possessed reading of the Incredible String Band’s classic “Chinese White.”
Kevin Lee Florence – Given CD/LP (Fluff And Gravy)
Flecked with folk influences, finger-picked guitar lines and distinctive harmonies provided by his sister Kelly, Kevin Lee Florence’s Given falls somewhere between Sam Beam’s hushed, vivid folk and Simon’s own conversational, quirky lyrical genius.
Flyleaf – Between The Stars CD/LP (Loud & Proud)
Flyleaf and Kristen May found each other at just the right time. You could chalk it up to serendipity. Pulled together during a mutual moment of uncertainty, the frontwoman and the band’s original core Sameer Bhattacharya (guitar), Jared Hartmann (guitar), Pat Seals (bass), and James Culpepper (drums) immediately thrust themselves into creating what would become the group’s fourth full-length album.
Freak Kitchen – Cooking With Pagans CD (Laser’s Edge)
Freak Kitchen consists of world renowned guitarist Mattias IA Eklundh, bassist Christer Ortefors and drummer Bjorn Fryklund, The trio offers an intense blend of progressive metal and rock, often served up with a wicked dose of humor. RIYL Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, and Bumblefoot.
Freeway & The Jacka – Highway Robbery CD (Golden Mean)
New collaboration between Philadelphia rapper Freeway and Bay Area MC The Jacka. Guests include Trae Da Truth, Paul Wall, Freddie Gibbs, Cormega, Husalah, Rydah J Klyde, and Ampichino and production from Jake One, Traxamillion, Young L, RobLo and Jeffro.
Generationals – Alix CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Built up with layer upon layer of rhythmic lines, computer noises, RZA beats, and poppy vocals that sometimes sound like a Janet Jackson/Prince face-off, Alix is: old and new, vinyl and YouTube, vocal chord and Microkorg, gathered up and arranged with great care into a good-smelling, subtly sexy, catchy-or-die mish-mosh of sensibilities and time-warp senselessness, lightly peppered with that signature Swiftian element, but undeniably Generationals in taste. As Swift had decreed: tis a good idea to tear down and rebuild, but it s not always necessary to start from scratch. Available on CD and on green vinyl which includes download.
Girl – Live In London CD (Cleopatra)
An electrifying live recording from the short-lived but thrilling proto-glam metal band featuring vocalist Phil Lewis, later of L.A. Guns, and guitarist Phil Collen who went on to monstrous success with Def Leppard. Features raucous versions of songs from the band’s debut album Sheer Greed including “Hollywood Tease,” “Doctor, Doctor,” “Take Me Dancing, “Strawberries” and more.
Glass Ghost – LYFE CD/LP (Western Vinyl)
Since the release of their debut album Idol Omen in 2009, Glass Ghost’s founding members Eliot Krimsky and Michael Johnson have kept busy. In addition to playing dozens of shows, including a tour with White Rabbits, Johnson joined Dirty Projectors as their new drummer, Krimsky has been collaborating with Here We Go Magic on keys, and the duo welcomed two new members to the group, Tyler Wood on keyboards and percussion, and Aerial East on vocals. “A fractured bit of art-pop featuring intoned falsetto over some spare production & airy beats.” – Pitchfork
Robert Gordon/Link Wray – Cleveland ’78 (Cleopatra)
Two legends of rockabilly and early rock, vocalist Robert Gordon and hugely influential Link Wray, storm the stage together on this live album recorded in 1978.
Sid Griffin – The Trick Is To Breathe CD (Prima)
The Trick Is To Breathe is the first solo album from ex-Long Ryder Sid Griffin in a decade. Known as a founder of today’s Americana/alt-country genre for his groundbreaking work with the Long Ryders then (and the Coal Porters since) Sid Griffin has never been far from the cutting edge.
GRMLN – Soon Away CD/LP (Carpark)
With Soon Away, GRMLN veers from the pop-punk-rooted road the band started on with last year’s Empire. It’s an aggressive album, darker and heavier than what’s come before. While it carries these characteristics, there is also a certain peace to Soon Away, thanks to songwriter Yoodoo Park’s personal growth. (Limited copies pressed on blue vinyl.)
Lili Haydn – LiliLand CD (MRI Associated)
LiliLand features a blend of quirky pop hooks, soulful melody, and raw grooves. It’s all unified by Haydn’s unique brand of violin virtuosity, nakedly honest vocals, and poignant lyrics that reflect her passion for social justice and personal soul-searching.
Monica Heldal – Boy From The North CD/LP+CD (Warner Music Norway)
Part Americana, part bluegrass, part Irish folk, Heldal’s acclaimed debut album, Boy From The North, which spent 21 weeks on the Top 40 albums chart in Norway, arrives in the US. The album is the culmination of Heldal’s many musical influences — including Nick Drake, Emmylou Harris, Irish blues artist Rory Gallagher, and acoustic segments from Led Zeppelin’s portfolio — that allows the Bergen, Norway native to capture the increasingly popular Americana/Bluegrass vibes such as artists like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers.
Jimi Hendrix – The Cry Of Love [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Sony Legacy)
Jimi Hendrix – Rainbow Bridge (Original Motion Picture Sound Track) [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Sony Legacy)
Released in 1971, The Cry Of Love revealed the new music Hendrix had been preparing for First Rays Of The New Rising Sun, the ambitious double album the guitarist was working on at the time of his death. The album was compiled and mixed by Hendrix’s longtime engineer Eddie Kramer and drummer Mitch Mitchell. Later that year, Rainbow Bridge premiered signature classics such as “Dolly Dagger” and further outlined the exciting new creative direction in which Hendrix had steered his music. Available for the first time on CD and reissued on HQ-200gm vinyl.
Holly – Maps And Lists CD/LP (Outer Sunset)
Produced and mixed in pure analog in collaboration with John Vanderslice, Maps And Lists is a breath of fresh air for those tired of overly digitized sounds, auto-tuned vocals, and bad lyrics that only your teenage cousin could love. The album features eight original songs, all recorded live in one or two takes, and a band of ringers including cellist Teddy Rankin-Parker (Iron And Wine, Glen Hansard), drummer Daniel Pearce, and bassist Patrick Taylor.
Hostage Calm – Die On Stage CD/LP (Run For Cover)
Hostage Calm confronts the darker realities of a modern America as a means of survival. In 2010, the acclaimed Connecticut band funneled their heroes’ protest energy into a hybrid of punk, pop and new wave, only to see hopes filtered out through the Great Recession on 2012’s bruised Heartland rocker Please Remain Calm. Die On Stage celebrates the subsequent post-millennial fatalism with timeless grandeur. It’s not a political statement but an honest portrait of growing up in America, embracing all that’s fleeting while clutching what semblance of dreams remain for a generation future endeavored.
Lia Ices – Ices CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
“Ices is a celebration of flight, levity, and the conviction that you can leave earth. Flight became a metaphor for the ignition of the imagination. The process created a lightness in me, a freedom and positive energy that I¹d never before felt or explored.”
Ides Of Gemini – Old World/New Wave CD (Neurot Recordings)
“Musically Ides Of Gemini is known for its dark, ‘dream doom,’ as their sound is mainly described. In practice they produce a very rich, compelling sound of their own and finding a proper common tag could be difficult. I think I have a good idea though: imagine a Saturday evening and it’s a little cold outside. You decide to go for a walk and, whatever it is that made you decide to go for that walk, that’s what the album sounds like.” – Bearded Gentlemen Music
Ingurgitating Oblivion – Continuum Of Absence CD (Willowtip)
Dark, brooding atmospherics mix with chaotic blasts and riffs that will easily appeal to fans of Gorguts, Immolation, and Morbid Angel.
Iron Reagan – Tyranny Of Will CD/LP (Relapse)
Fronted by the venomously lyrical Tony Foresta (Municipal Waste), on paper Iron Reagan is a Richmond, VA supergroup (the band also features Phil Hall of Municipal Waste, Cannabis Corpse, etc. as well as Ryan Parrish of Darkest Hour together with members of Mammoth Grinder). Tyranny Of Will is a 24-song wrecking ball of hardcore-punk/thrash fury.
James – La Petite Mort CD/2xLP (BMG Rights Management)
“La Petite Mort, the band’s first album in four years, is about death. No surprise there. The title translates to English as ‘The Little Death’ and there’s a Day Of The Dead skull in profile on the cover. Tim Booth recently lost his mother and a close friend, giving the lyrics some extra weight, naturally. Sometimes the music goes along the same path and at other times it does not. La Petite Mort finds James at a crossroads, but it’s not the kind of crossroads that presents new opportunities and game-changers. It’s a crossroads that asks the band and its fans if the James formula really suits their every approach. Because for subject matter so introspective, there’s not much subtlety to the music inside of La Petite Mort.” – Pop Matters
The Jigsaw Seen – Old Man Reverb CD/LP+CD (Vibro-phonic)
From intricate orchestral arrangements to primal rock, The Jigsaw Seen seamlessly combine diverse elements that support the album’s themes of nature and music. Soaring Mellotrons embrace husky baritone guitar figures, while glammy guitars and ornamental piano runs support a Vocoder laugh track.
Hamish Killgour – All Of It And Nothing CD/LP (Ba Da Bing!)
Debut solo release from the veteran New Zealand musician. Incredibly, after all his work as a founding member of both The Clean and The Mad Scene, Hamish Kilgour has never released a proper solo album of his own, until now. All Of It And Nothing is an ode to the power of jangle, highlighting Kilgour’s innate ability to both gleam the melodic cube and let the choogle of a chord progression ride itself to greatness.
Kim Ki O – Bir, Iki… CD/LP (S-s Records)
This Turkish duo’s music is lo-fi minimal synth with a post-punk/cold wave feel. The cool/warm dual female vocals are eerie and dreamy, referencing classic post-punk as well as traditional Turkish melodies but remaining understated.
King Jammy – More Jammys From The Roots 2xCD (VP)
More Jammys From The Roots puts a spotlight mid to late eighties Jammy’s productions of some of reggae’s finest rhythms both vintage (“Stalag,” “Real Rock,” “African Beat,” “Satta”) and up-to-the-time (“32 Chip,” “Run Down The World”). Featured vocalists include Junior Murvin, Dennis Brown, Horace Andy, Johnny Osbourne and Wailing Souls. Multiple tracks in the collection are available here for the first time on CD. Vinyl version due September 30.
Le Butcherette – Cry Is For The Flies CD (Ipecac)
The garage-punk trio Le Butcherettes is like the brilliant offspring of surrealist Luis Bunuel and intrepid rock icon PJ Harvey. Led by 24-year-old vocalist/guitarist/pianist Teri Gender Bender (a recent transplant to L.A. from Guadalajara, Mexico) Le Butcherettes bring a brazen intensity and playful, hook-laden simplicity that hacks to pieces all forms of pretension and excess. Features guest appearances from Shirley Manson and Henry Rollins.
Lowell – We Loved Her Dearly CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)
Toronto-based artist Lowell first cut her teeth on a collaborative mini-album project with the Apparatjik collective, featuring Grammy-winning producer Martin Terefe, members of Aha, Coldplay, and MEW. With her solo debut on Arts & Crafts, the self-styled singer/songwriter/producer and video artist takes a bold leap forward with celebratory pop songs buoyed by contagious melody and Lowell’s sensual, provocative, artful and invulnerable one-up on artists like Lyyke Li and Santigold.
The Madden Brothers – Greetings From California CD (Capitol Music Group)
The Madden Brothers is the new project led by Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden. The album is split into two ‘sides’, the first filled with upbeat, sunny pop/rock produced by their long-time collaborator Eric Valentine. The second side is an earthy blend of folk, Southern rock, and ‘70s-era FM pop produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Joe Chiccarelli, known for his work with The White Stripes, The Strokes The Shins and many others. Vinyl version due September 30.
The Mattson 2 – Agar CD (Um Yeah Arts)
The new album finds the Mattsons striding into a new realm of sound that blends their signature jazz soundscapes with ethereal sonic structures and haunting splashes of improvisational raga techniques. Vinyl version due November 11.
Maveth/Embrace Of Thorns – Plague Through The Heavens CD (Dark Decent)
Split release from Finland’s Maveth and Greece’s Embrace Of Thorns, a vicious eight-track affair spanning over 37 minutes.
Tim McGraw – Sundown Heaven Town CD (Big Machine Records)
New album from the country superstar. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds five bonus tracks.
Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood – Juice CD/LP (Indirecto)
Juice combines the group’s signature grooves with a newfound lyrical melodicism over a program of original compositions and four covers including a powerful hymn-like version of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and a dizzying dub deconstruction of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.” Throughout, Juice showcases the quartet’s dynamic interplay and razor-sharp improvisational acumen.
Metallica – Live Sh*t: Binge & Purge (3xCD+2xDVD)
Back in print on Metallica’s Blackened Recordings. The CDs contain recordings from concerts in Mexico City on the Nowhere Else To Roam tour. The DVDs feature footage from concerts in San Diego on the Wherever We May Roam Tour and Seattle on the Damaged Justice Tour.
Blake Mills – Heigh Ho CD/2xLP+MP3 (Verve)
Recorded in Los Angeles at the legendary Ocean Way studios in a room built for Frank Sinatra and used by everyone from Bob Dylan to Ray Charles, Mills created an album that references a range of genres without really belonging to any. To that end, Mills asked several of his musical heroes – including Jim Keltner, Don Was, Jon Brion, Benmont Tench, Mike Elizondo, and Fiona Apple (who duets on the slow-burning “Seven” and timeless sounding “Don t Tell Our Friends About Me”) to collaborate on what would become Heigh Ho.
Ministry – Twelve Inch Singles [Reissue/1987] 2xCD (Cleopatra)
Deluxe expanded reissue of the classic Wax Trax collection, featuring nine bonus tracks covering the complete early ‘80s output from Ministry on Wax Trax, including B-sides and previously unreleased tracks.
Misericordia – Throne Of Existence CD (Deepsend)
New album of ferocious and melodic Swedish death metal.
Hafez Modirzadeh – In Convergence Liberation CD (Pi Recordings)
In Convergence Liberation represents the latest step in saxophonist/composer/theorist Hafez Modirzadeh s thirty-year quest to create a seamless exchange between different musical cultures of the world. It follows on the heels of his 2012 release Post Chromodal Out!, which was a New York Times Critics Pick that topped many year-end best-of lists. The new work further explores the concept of ‘chromodality’, a cross-cultural musical approach that allows for the co-existence of different musical temperaments from around the world, which Modirzadeh originally developed from his own American jazz and Iranian dastgah heritages.
Moon Hooch – This Is Cave Music CD/LP (Hornblow)
This Is Cave Music refers to the term Moon Hooch coined to describe their unique sound: it’s like house music, but more primitive and jagged and raw. Horn players Mike Wilbur and Wenzl McGowen do this by utilizing unique tonguing methods, or adding objects — cardboard or PVC tubes, traffic cones, whatever’s handy — to the bells of their horns to alter their sound. Not to be outdone, drummer James Muschler gets swelling, shimmering sounds from his cymbals, and covers the head of his snare with a stack of splash cymbals to emulate the sound of a Roland TR-808 drum machine’s clap.
Mortuus – Grape Of The Vine CD (Ajna Offensive)
New album of purposeful and contemplative Swedish black metal.
Motionless In White – Reincarnate CD/LP (Fearless)
New album from Pennsylvania’s electro-tinged metallers. Features cameos by Dani Filth (Cradle Of Filth) and Tim Sköld (Marilyn Manson).
Nick Mulvey – First Mind CD (Harvest)
Nick Mulvey, former founding member of Mercury Prize-nominated jazz collective, Portico Quartet, has already made huge waves in his native England as a solo performer. With everyone from The Guardian, The Sun and Q Magazine giving his debut album, First Mind four stars and The Telegraph weighing in with 5 out 5 stars calling it a “mesmerizing debut…A lovely, rewarding record.”
My Brightest Diamond – This Is My Hand CD/LP+MP3 (Asthmatic Kitty)
This Is My Hand is a journey beyond the composition of music. “I had this ‘back-to-basics’ moment of reading how humans were making sounds before we were using words,” says Shara. Produced by Shara herself and keyboardist Zac Rae, This Is My Hand is a bold chapter in the unfurling MBD story. Its exploration of music and its rhythmic urgency escort Shara’s chamber-music aesthetic out of the chamber and back into the dance hall and rock bar.
Myrkur – Myrkur CD/LP (Relapse)
Emerging from the darkness of Scandinavia comes the debut EP by one-woman black metal band Myrkur. Combining the rawness of second wave black metal bands like Ulver and Darkthrone with a natural sonic, ethereal beauty, Myrkur has created a wholly unique perspective on the genre.
New Model Army – Between Wine And Blood 2xCD (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
Between Wine And Blood is a brand new studio mini-album of and new songs and an 11-track live album recorded on the band’s current Between Dog And Wolf tour.
The Notwist – Nook [Reissue/1992] CD (Big Store)
The Notwist – 12 [Reissue/1995] CD (Big Store)
The Notwist – Shrink [Reissue/1998] CD (Big Store)
Early releases from the German post-hardcore band back in print.
Num Skull – Ritually Abused [Reissue/1988] CD/LP (Relapse)
Reissue of a lost thrash classic. Sounding like a demonic blend of Possessed and Slayer, Ritually Abused contains moments of death-metal, grind, thrash and speed.
Obey The Brave – Salvation CD (Epitaph)
Canadian metalcore band Obey The Brave first emerged onto the landscape of aggressive audio in 2012, combining ex-members of heralded deathcore outfit Despised Icon and metalcore quintet Blind Witness.
Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable – Leave Me Alone CD/LP (Schnitzel)
Former Kyuss/Queens Of The Stone Age member Nick Oliveri plays all the instruments on his debut solo album, including drums, guitar, bass and vocals. Guests include: Phil “Zoomster” Campbell (Motörhead ), Dean Ween, Stephen Haas (Moistboyz), Mike Pygmie (Mondo Generator), Marc Diamond (The Dwarves), Blag Dahlia (The Dwarves) and Bruno Fevery (Kyuss Lives, Vista Chino).
Omar & The Howlers – Big Town Playboy CD (Big Guitar Music)
Omar Kent Dykes gathered a group of his best friends to release a cover album of their favorite tracks by some of their favorite blues greats. Gathering to record Big Town Playboy are guests Jimmie Vaughan, James Cotton, Lazy Lester, Gary Clark, Jr., Lou Ann Barton, Derek O’Brien, Wes Starr, and Ronnie James.
Joell Ortiz – House Slippers CD (Penalty Ent. LLC)
Brooklyn, New York native Joell Ortiz is a Puerto Rican emcee and a quarter member of Slaughterhouse who established a name for himself after releasing a series of rhyme marathons entitled 125 Grams.
Otherwise – Peace At All Costs CD/CD+DVD/LP (Century Media)
Fourth album from the Las Vegas hard rock band, produced by David Bottrill (Tool, Muse, Staind, Stone Sour). Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD.
The Pineapple Thief – Magnolia CD (Kscope)
“Magnolia is a gorgeous album – immaculately produced, and assembled with real love and imagination.” “Small but perfectly formed pockets of 21st century prog.” Vinyl version due September 30.
The Polyphonic Spree – Psychophonic CD/LP (Kirtland)
A remix companion EP to last year’s Yes It’s True.
Red Zone Rider – Red Zone Rider CD (Magna Carta)
For lovers of hard rock, classic rock and blues rock.
Reverorum Ib Malacht – De Mysteriis Dom Christi CD (Ajna Offensive)
Transcendent and cosmic black metal from Sweden exploring the Catholic mysteries.
Tom Russell – The Western Years 2xCD (Rockbeat)
Russell’s The Western Years is populated by fable-worthy folk whose often-complex back stories are told in painterly character sketches.
Myles Sanko – Forever Dreaming CD/LP (Legere Recordings)
Debut solo album from the UK-based Soul singer/songwriter. Dubbed as the lovechild of soul music, Myles Sanko began his music career by singing and rapping alongside disc jockeys in nightclubs. He has fronted popular bands such as Bijoumiyo, plus working with funk kings Speedometer who were touring with James Brown’s 35 years soul sister Ms. Martha High.
Shintaro Sakamoto – Let’s Dance Raw CD/LP (Other Music)
Sakamoto a lap steel guitar and learned how to play the instrument just prior to writing and recording Let’s Dance Raw, and it enriches the post-apocalyptic exotica on these ten songs, fusing together the bright and breezy shimmer of Hawaiian slack-key hula melodies, the dusty shuffle of southwestern desert blues, and the space-age bachelor-pad music of postwar suburban dreamers. The result is an album that revisits the soundtracks of musical escapism made popular in postwar American and Japanese cultures—and deftly updates them. It’s all anchored by deep, jazzy grooves straight out of a ‘70s AM radio broadcast, and peppered with flourishes of Brazilian and Latin percussion throughout.
Scruffy The Cat – The Good Goodbye: Unreleased Recordings 1984-1990 CD (Omnivore)
Boston’s Scruffy the Cat were Nashville heroes and college radio mainstays during their late 1980s run. With their infectious mix of barroom swagger and twang, Scruffy the Cat helped usher in the alt-country movement. This compilation features 23 songs, one originally only issued as a rare, 1989 split single with Young Fresh Fellows, and all the others previously unheard. From demos to live performances to studio tracks, the CD traces Scruffy The Cat’s musical journey in a way that’s never been presented before.
Sepultura & Les Tambours Du Bronx – Metal Veins: Alive at Rock in Rio CD (Magna Carta)
This show was recorded at the legendary Rock In Rio festival in Sepultura’s native Brazil on the September 19th, 2013. It is a spectacular performance that sees the band accompanied throughout by the French industrial percussion group Les Tambours du Bronx. The sheer volume of sound and the powerful presentation of the songs sets this apart from any previous Sepultura concert release. Also available on stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray.
Shaman’s Harvest – Smokin’ Hearts & Broken Guns CD (Mascot)
After scoring a big hit with their single “Dragonfly,” Shamans Harvest make their return with a new full-length.
Shellac – Dude Incredible CD/LP (Touch & Go)
This is Shellac’s fifth LP. Recording took place sporadically over the past few years at Steve’s Electrical Audio studios in Chicago. The record was mastered by Steve Rooke at Abbey Road. There is no comma in Dude Incredible; like Sir Duke or King Friday, for example QC Audio quality is paramount, as always, with Shellac. The LP was mastered entirely in the analog domain, using the DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) process. The LPs are being manufactured at RTI in Camarillo, CA, using their HQ-180 system. The pressings are 180gm audiophile quality.
Sir Sly – You Haunt Me CD (Cherry Tree/Interscope)
Debut album from the Los Angeles-based indie-pop band. “With big, momentous builds driven by heart-beating drums, nostalgic guitar melodies, and a radio-ready, sing-along chorus, album single ‘You Haunt Me’ has ‘hit’ written all over it.” — HillyDilly
Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – World On Fire CD/LP (Dik Hayd)
A full throttle and in-your-face, a hunk of burning rock & roll that takes no prisoners.
Sleepwave – Broken Compass CD/L{ (Epitaph)
Spencer Chamberlain, singer/frontman and songwriter for Underoath, is back with his new band, Sleepwave.
So Cow – The Long Con CD (Goner)
So Cow are of the mind that they sound like The Chills or McLusky, but they’ve lost all perspective at this stage so don’t go taking their word for it. Similarly, lyrics telling of joyriding local politicians, John Deacon’s post-Queen level of contentment, and the terror of turning 30 can probably now be interpreted any number of ways. Vinyl version due September 23.
Steelism – 615 To Fame CD/LP (K7!)
New to the Nashville music scene are two extraordinary young musicians. One American and one Englishman at the helm of the instrumental band Steelism. Jeremy Fetzer on guitar and Spencer Cullum on pedal steel are joined by a team of the finest young musicians in Nashville. Following in the traditions of instrumental artists such as Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Ennio Morricone and Booker T. & the M.G.s, Steelism let their instruments do the talking, creating intoxicating melodies and hooks that are thoroughly modern, with a nod to their instrumentalist forebears.
George Strait – Cowboy Rides Away: Live From At&T Stadium CD (Universal Nashville)
A 20-track live album recorded at his momentous The Cowboy Rides Away Tour finale at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX.
Barbara Streisand – Partners CD/LP (Columbia)
Streisand’s new album features 12 duets with the some of the world’s most popular male vocalists, including: Michael Bublé, Stevie Wonder, Joyn Mayer, Babyface, Billy Joel, Blake Shelton, Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli, Jason Gould, John Legend, Josh Groban, and um, Elvis Presley.
Supernatural Endgame – Touch The Sky: Volume II CD (10T)
From Dallas, TX, Supernal Endgame specializes in melodic symphonic progressive rock infused with elements of hook-filled power-pop, classic AOR hard rock, and a touch of ambient music and Celtic folk.
Teach Me Equals – Knives In The Hope Chest CD/LP (Minorlit)
Teach Me Equals’ sound originates with wooden instruments and swells from that natural place to haunting, cataclysmic refractions of pop music with ease. At the heart of their debut, Knives In The Hope Chest, is Erin Murphy (guitar, violin, vocals) and Greg Bortnichak’s (cello, sequencing, vocals) shared affinity for writing along the edges and exploring the limitations of their instruments.
Texas In July – Bloodwork CD (Equal Vision)
Fans have embraced Texas In July’s new frontman, one of their own who was selected from his impressive metal covers on YouTube.
This Will Destroy You – Another Language CD/2xLP+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)
Since 2004, This Will Destroy You has been forging some of the world’s most brutal, dynamic, and precariously visceral instrumental rock. In addition to a vigorous tour schedule, their celebrated discography and critically renowned soundtrack work for feature films and documentaries have earned them a sizable and fervent international following. Another Language, TWDY’s fourth full length LP, marks their euphonious return from a prolonged vacuous dark period that threatened to break both the band and the members themselves.
Mia Doi Todd – Floresta CD (City Zen)
In March of 2014, Los Angeles singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd spent ten days at the beautiful Estúdio El Rocha in São Paulo, Brazil and recorded an album of her favorite Brazilian songs – some famous, some obscure – all about nature. The album is entitled Floresta, or “Forest” in Portuguese. Vinyl version due September 30.
Train – Bulletproof Picasso CD/LP (Columbia)
New release from the Grammy-winning pop/rock outfit.
Pat Travers Band – Live! Snortin’ Whiskey At The Warfield (Official Bootleg) CD (Cleopatra)
A vintage 1980 concert recording from Canadian classic rocker Pat Travers performing live at the Warfield in San Francisco.
Travers & Appice – Live In Europe CD (Cleopatra)
Together again on this very special live album recorded in 2004, guitarist Pat Travers and drummer Carmine Appice along with special guest bassist Tony Franklin (The Firm), bring the house down with some of the realest, rawest classic rock you’ve ever heard.
Unaussprechlichen Kulten – Baphomet Pan Shub-Niggurath CD (Dark Descent)
Wicked new album of underground Chilean death metal.
Various Artists [Franz Ferdinand] – Late Night Tales CD/2xLP (Night Time Stories)
Franz Ferdinand are welcomed into the Late Night Tales family with a diverse 20 track selection of musical influences, inspirations, diversions and discoveries. Hear them join the dots between Can, Serge Gainsbourg and The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Sandy’s Nelson’s percussion work-out ‘Let There Be Drums’, the irrepressible Ian Dury, funky sensations Zapp and the Disco Dub Band and sonic explorer Lee Scratch Perry.
Various Artists – Dead Man’s Town: A Tribute To Born In The U.S.A. CD/LP (Lightning Rod)
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Springsteen’s greatest-selling album comes this tribute, featuring twelve Americana and alternative artists covering the Born In The U.S.A. album, song by song, start to finish. Featuring: Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, Apache Relay, Quaker City Nighthawks, Blitzen Trapper, Joe Pug, Low, Holly Williams, Ryan Culwell, Trampled By Turtles, Justin Townes Earle, Nicole Atkins, and North Mississippi Allstars.
Various Artists – Def Jam 30th Anniversary: Greatest Hits 3xCD/6xLP (Def Jam)
Rick Rubin curated collection from the legendary label. Each package comes with an exclusive Def Jam 30th anniversary t-shirt and a 12-page book. The entire package comes in a box that is designed to look like a turntable.
Vessel – Punish, Honey CD/LP (Temporary Residence)
Using sheets of metal as percussion, sawing up bikes to make flutes and creating harmonic guitars all by his own hand, Vessel created his own set of crude instrumentation exclusively for this record. Combined with an interest in notions of national identity, Vessel asking himself the question “What does Englishness in music really mean?” Punish, Honey is an uncompromising and dizzying experience.
The Vibrators – Punk Mania: Back To The Roots CD (Cleopatra)
UK legends punk out with their junk out on this brand new studio album that finds Knox, Eddie & Co. going back to their rebellious roots with razor sharp riffs, pounding percussion, and rousing songs.
Warner Drive – City Of Angels CD (Cyber Tracks)
L.A.’s Warner Drive is fast, furious, and heavy on the riffage.
White Arrows – In Bardo CD/LP (Votiv)
White Arrows, a five-piece who met in Los Angeles, began touring almost as soon as they formed, hitting the road with Cults, White Denim and The Naked And Famous, and performing at festivals like Coachella and Sasquatch.
Jesse Winchester – A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble CD (Appleseed)
A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble is the late Southern singer/songwriter Jesse Winchester’s final studio CD, written and recorded while he was in remission from the cancer that eventually returned and claimed him in April 2014. “A gentle collection of playful songs about love, memory and gratitude that amounts to one of the most moving, triumphant albums of Winchester’s 45 year career.” — Rolling Stone Country
DVD + Blu-ray:
Anthrax – Chili On Hell DVD/Blu-ray (Megaforce)
Live concert video filmed at the Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile on May 10, 2013. 119 minutes.
Sepultura & Les Tambours du Bronx – Metal Veins: Alive at Rock in Rio DVD/Blu-ray (Magna Carta)
This show was filmed at the legendary Rock In Rio festival in Sepultura’s native Brazil on the September 19th, 2013. It is a spectacular performance that sees the band accompanied throughout by the French industrial percussion group Les Tambours du Bronx. The sheer volume of sound and the powerful presentation of the songs sets this apart from any previous Sepultura concert release. 85 minutes.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Activations – Radio On b/w Attack 7” (Big Neck)
The Activations play wildly abandoned punk rock, cut with ‘70s rock & roll riffs. They hail from Pittsburgh, PA and two of the founding members are rampant in the punk/garage/rock scene. Max the drummer comes from a long line of amazing bands, Nashville Pussy, Cynics, and The Teen Idols. These songs rip through your needle and will shred your speakers to tear out your thoughts.
Ryan Adams – Jacksonville 7” (Pax Am)
New 7” single contains three songs totally unrelated to his new self-titled album released last week.
Aliment – Nightmare Girl b/w Cementiri 7” (La Castanya)
After several singles that led to the release of “Holy Slap”, Aliment are back with a single titled “Nightmare Girl”. It includes for the first time a song sung in Catalan, “Cementiri”, a language in which Edu Bujalance manages himself perfectly in his other band, UNIVERS (with whom he toured the States recently). 2 songs with a rawer than usual production that still project the same garage-punk slap somewhere in between The Ramones or The Gories classic legacy & contemporary landmarks such as Jay Reatard.
Arkells – High Noon LP (Dine Alone)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Named after a street in their native Hamilton, Ontario, the Juno award winning band creates an accessible style of pop rock.
Baths – Ocean Death 12” (Anticon)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. At just five songs and a shade over 20 minutes, the exquisite Ocean Death is not over-thought. Songs were perfected, not embellished. “Ocean Death” reclines in the aquatic seabed, its lyrics at once simple, bleak and celestial. The 3:00 a.m. introspection and heartbeat pulse—reminiscent of Four Tet or Pantha Du Prince—are almost minimal techno, but suffused with maximalist emotion.
The Beach Boys – Concert [Reissue/1964] LP (Capitol)
The Beach Boys – Friends [Reissue/1968] LP (Capitol)
The Beach Boys – 20/20 [Reissue/1969] LP (Capitol)
The Beach Boys – Live In London [Reissue/1970] LP (Capitol)
The Beach Boys – In Concert [Reissue/1973] LP (Capitol)
The Beach Boys – Love You [Reissue/1977] LP (Capitol)
Vinyl reissues now available.
Andrew Bird – Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of… CD (Virtual Label)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The latest self-released album by Andrew Bird consists of his versions of songs by a band he has loved for many years: The Handsome Family.
Black Star – Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Blackstar LP [Reissue/1998] LP (Rawkus)
Limited edition two-tone black on black picture disc reissue. An intelligent, progressive, and funky piece of work that showcases two great MCs, both of whom have internalized the best parts of Guru, Rakim, and Q-Tip.
Wil Blades – Field Notes LP (The Royal Potato Family)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Having released a critically acclaimed co-led duo album Shimmy with Medeski Martin & Wood drummer Billy Martin in 2012, Blades returns with a deeply soulful and sinuous nine-track effort, Field Notes, on which he’s found fronting his own trio featuring Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker and New Orleans’ drummer Simon Lott. From the recording’s outset, it’s easy to picture Blades fingers free-flowing across the keys, feet gliding along the bass pedals in a continuous dance.
Bolt Thrower – Who Dares Wins [1997] LP (Earache)
First time on vinyl for the British death metal band’s 1997 EP collection.
Brotherhood – Till Death LP (Southern Lord)
The definitive album of pissed, cathartic, raging hardcore from Seattles’ own Brotherhood. These raw recordings from 1988 are the catalyst and undeniable roots that started it all.
Coliseum – Coliseum [Deluxe Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Deathwish)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. To celebrate Coliseum’s 10th anniversary, this 20-song collection features their classic self-titled debut album (out of print since 2006) paired with eight essential bonus tracks from their primordial years. Originally recorded by Jason Loewenstein of Sebadoh and now fully remixed by Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaust, the release also features new deluxe packaging, insightful liner notes, and cover artwork by John Baizley of Baroness.
Crayon – Brick Factory [Reissue/1994] LP+MP3 (Happy Happy Birthday To Me)
Crayon took the burgeoning sound of twee pop and added punk elements, sounding something like a cross between UK indie pop bands like the Pastels and more abrasive American bands like Unwound. Accompanying download includes 21 bonus songs.
Emptiness – Nothing But The Whole LP (Dark Decent)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A unique album of darkened black-death metal.
The Flamin’ Groovies – Jumpin’ In The Night [Reissue/1979] LP (4 Men With Beards)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissue of the band’s third and final album, originally released on Sire Records in 1979.
The Front Bottoms – Rose LP (Bar None)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 2014 recordings of fan favorites including the sing-along go-to graduation number “12 Feet Deep.” Six songs in all.
G.B.H. – Leather, Bristles, Studs And Acne [Reissue/1981] LP (Cleopatra)
Special limited edition white vinyl reissue of the monumental 1981 debut album by legendary English punkers.
Lee Gamble – Kuang 12” (Pan)
Lee Gamble is a UK-based artist and electronic music producer with roots in the original jungle-techno and extreme computer music fields. The Kuang EP heralds the release of Gamble’s keenly-awaited second LP Koch (due September 30) with three tracks of dissociative ambient/techno.
Grateful Dead – Live At The Cow Palace 1976 5xLP (Friday Music)
This amazing limited HQ-180gm vinyl box set edition treasure trove features 22 stellar first time audiophile performances. Many favorite Dead classics and superior rarities abound in this lengthy audiophile dream box like the long-awaited live vinyl releases of “Bertha,” “Wharf Rat,” “Eyes Of The World” and The Jerry Garcia solo favorite “Deal.” Known for their stellar jamming “Playing In The Band,” “Sugar Magnolia,” “Scarlet Begonias” and others are included.
Gust – Gust LP (Southern Lord)
Gust combines crushing D-beat rhythms with a classic hardcore punk directness, and brings forth a maelstrom of metallic riffs, amalgamating into one brutal and arresting sonic assault. Fans of Cursed and Converge especially will enjoy.
Paul Hardcastle – Moovin & Groovin LP (Trippin & Rhythm)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Moovin & Groovin is a collection of disco infused pieces that recall an era where music was all about getting your ‘move on’ with Barry White, Donna Summer and Saturday Night Fever casting their respective spells on the masses.
Hate Eternal – Conquering The Throne [1999] LP (Earache)
First time on vinyl for the death metal band’s debut album.
Have A Nice Life – Deathconsciousness [Reissue/2008] 2xLP+Book (The Flenser)
Deathconsciousness is rhythmic, primal and expansive and is a gloomy-post-punk masterpiece; a mediation on death, loss and unrequited love. Color vinyl.
Hercules & Love Affair – The Feast Of The Broken Heart LP (Big Beat)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Feast Of The Broken Heart sees visionary founder Andy Butler and his ever-evolving musical collective pushing the boundaries of house music, disco, and pop to create a collection of stunningly original new dancefloor anthems.
impLOG – Holland Tunnel Drive [Reissue/1980] 12” (Dark Entries)
impLOG was the solo project of Don Christensen after leaving New York No Wave group The Contortions in 1979. He began making music using found sounds, a Univox drum machine, guitar stomp boxes, Casio keyboards and percussion instruments.
Intelligence – Boredom And Terror/Let’s Toil [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (In The Red)
Double-vinyl reissue of the Intelligence’s debut album. This is lo-fi post-punk electro garage-core, equal parts Devo, The Fall and something altogether its own.
Kirlian Camera – Uno LP+Flexi (Dark Entries)
2002 collection of early recordings from seminal Italian electronic act – now available on vinyl. Kirlian Camera’s clean, minimalist new wave is marked by strong haunting melodies, slow-moving synth washes and stark, dramatic vocals.
Wayne Kramer – The Hard Stuff [Reissue/1995] LP+MP3 (Industrial Amusement)
120gm red opaque vinyl reissue of the iconic MC5 guitarist’s first solo album, originally released in 1995.
Talib Kweli & Hi Tek – Reflection Eternal [Reissue/2000] 2xLP (Rawkus)
Talib Kweli – Quality [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (Rawkus)
Talib Kweli – The Beautiful Struggle [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Rawkus)
Vinyl reissues now available. The Beautiful Struggle is a picture disc.
The Lees Of Memory – Sisyphus Says 2xLP+MP3 (Side One Dummy)
Debut album from the new band featuring Nick Slack and both John Davis and Brandon Fisher of Superdrag.
Melted Toys – Melted Toys LP (Underwater Peoples)
Culminating three years after their acclaimed Washed & Dried EP first unveiled the group’s distinct blend of hazy, plaintive pop and psychedelic electronica, the full-length reigns in squarely as the group’s most definitive vision yet. It comes on as a sort of sanctuary-in-transit, inspired both by the shifting visions of dreams and global travel, so that each of the twelve passages flicker and flame with equal impression.
Metallica – Kill ‘Em All [Reissue/1983] LP (Rhino Blackened)
Metallica – Ride The Lightning [Reissue/1984] LP (Rhino Blackened)
Metallica – …And Justice For All [Reissue/1988] 2xLP (Rhino Blackened)
Metallica – Death Magnetic [Reissue/2008] 2xLP (Rhino Blackened)
Back in print on Metallica’s Blackened Recordings.
Method Man – Tical [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Def Jam)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 20th Anniversary vinyl reissue of the Wu-Tang Clan member’s debut solo album.
Michael Psycho – Think [Reissue/1990] LP (S-s Records)
In 1990, Michael Psycho released a great punk rock record that almost no one heard. A Boston-transplant and veteran of Sacramento’s early ’80s hardcore scene (Industrial Hate, Inducore), Psycho said “fug it” to his former bandmates and recorded Think by his lonesome. The sound is a stripped-down, high-energy, nasty-attitude cross of garage punk, hardcore and DIY with a vocal sneer that resembles No Alternative’s Johnny Genocide.
Mickey & The Motorcars – Hearts From Above LP (Mickey & The Motorcars)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Austin band featuring two brothers and founding members Micky Braun (lead vocals and guitar) and Gary Braun (guitar, mandolin, harmonica, and vocals) has been invigorated and supercharged by a transfusion of new blood from fresh recruits Dustin Schaefer (lead guitar), Joe Fladger (bass), and Bobby Paugh (drums).
Moonface – City Wrecker LP (Jagjaguwar)
“’City Wrecker’ is the title track of the EP. I wrote it before Miley Cyrus released ‘Wrecking Ball,’ but I cannot prove it. Oh well. In describing the song (and maybe the whole EP) I would say it’s the aesthetic opposite of ‘Wrecking Ball’ by Miley Cyrus, which is not to say that’s a good thing or a bad thing, just an apple for you to hold up beside your orange. Regardless of all that, my friend Eetu, who recorded this EP, still likes to call the song ‘Wrecking Ball and to sometimes call me Miley, but that’s okay cuz we’re buddies.”
Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer – The Flower Of Muscle Shoals LP (Trade Root Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. While offering up the comforting sounds of country and western’s roots, The Flower Of Muscle Shoals plays more like a new classic than a dusty Nashville relic; glimmers of influence from the days of Hank Williams all the way to Dwight Yoakam pepper the album’s twelve tracks. The album lilts and swings through graceful arrangements of guitars, pedal steel, fiddle, bass and percussion, with a rich texture and genuine approach that is sure to rouse any fan of country and old-time music.
The New Order – The New Order [Reissue] LP (Cleopatra)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Not to be confused with the synth pop band of the (sorta) same name, this is the mythical mid- ‘70s proto-punk rock project featuring Stooges alumni Ron Asheton and Jimmy Recca with MC5 drummer Dennis Thompson.
Nightfell – Living Ever Mourn LP (Southern Lord)
Nightfell unites Portland, Oregon musicians Todd Burdette (Tragedy, His Hero Gone) and Tim Call (Aldebaran, Mournful Congregation). Purely epic metal, bridging morose heaviness with melodic destruction.
People Skills – Tricephalic Head LP+MP3 (Siltbreeze)
Self-described “lo-fi loner pop,” Tricephalic Head offers up morose but chilled out songs from the mind of bandleader Jesse De. It perhaps sounds like Vic Chesnutt and Stephin Merritt hanging out together, when you put it that way, but De cites musique concrete pioneer Graham Lambkin as a key influence. Loose and heartfelt songs with a slightly out of focus vibe.
Phish – A Picture Of nectar [Reissue/1992] 2xLP (Jemp)
Double-LP reissue of Phish’s third album on HQ-180gm vinyl.
Soul Side – Trigger/Bass-103 [Reissue/1988/1989] LP (Dischord)
Though Soul Side initially played music that emulated the fast and heavy sound of their DC forebears, Trigger found the band evolving a more unique style, with oblique song structures and a strong reggae and hip hop influence in the rhythm section. Members went on to perform in Girls Against Boys, Rain Like The Sound Of Trans, and Obits, along with other bands.
Soundtrack [David Lynch & Alan R. Splet] – Eraserhead [Reissue/1982] OST (Sacred Bones)
Official, expanded, re-release of the soundtrack to David Lynch’s landmark 1977 film. This edition includes: a 16 page booklet, a four panel fold out double sided poster, and digital download. The bonus song “Pete’s Boogie” is a newly discovered Peter Ivers recording taken from the original audio tapes and mixed by Lynch himself. It was previously only available on the long out of print limited edition LP.
Soundtrack – Guardians Of The Galaxy 2xLP (Hollywood)
Double-disc vinyl features Awesome Mix 1 (the collection of songs featured in the film) as well as the original score by Tyler Bates.
Tierney Sutton – Paris Sessions CD (Shanachie)
Paris Sessions is an intimate, acoustic follow-up recording to After Blue, Tierney Sutton’s tribute to Joni Mitchell and her fifth consecutive Grammy nomination. Recorded in Paris, France in the winter of 2013, this recording shows her vulnerable side as she sings standards.
Joe Jack Talcum – Home Recordings 1993-1999 LP (Happy Happy Birthday To Me)
Second volume of home recordings from the Dead Milkmen guitarist.
Teenage Guitar – More Lies From The Gooseberry Bush LP (GBV Inc.)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Robert Pollard, head lunatic of the Guided By Voices’ asylum, has a surfeit of original thoughts. (Most people are lucky to have even one, ever.) That this even needs to be expressed is evidence enough for its “truth,” as only obvious or obviously untrue things can ever hope to be true. Or to approach the truth. Something Pollard does with uncanny regularity, and which is further on display on every track on the gloriously unkempt, roiling-with-ideas More Lies From The Gooseberry Bush, the second record Pollard has released under the nom-de-rock Teenage Guitar.
Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats – Runaway Girls 7” (Rise Above)
Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats – Mind Crawler 7” (Rise Above)
Quite possibly his catchiest tune yet, Uncle A looks ever closer toward world domination. Beware: “Runaway Girls” isn’t an ordinary tale of girls on the run. Here is a tale of fatherless girls disillusioned in a loveless world… their intentions are fatal and their desires deadly.
Tim Woulfe – Joyce 7” (Apollonian Sound)
A small slice of primitive psychedelia for the 21st century romantic. This is the lead single from Woulfe’s debut The Uncouth Swain. Clear vinyl.
Tim Woulfe – The Uncouth Swain LP+MP3 (Apollonian Sound)
An album of existential love songs, Taoist hymns and Alf references filtered through Tim Woulfe’s psychedelic sound. “Melodiously walking in the footsteps of Slowdive.” — Magic RPM
Tim Woulfe & Matt Keval – Keval & Woulfe LP+MP (Apollonian Sound)
Four songs from Matt, three from Tim – all seven on the ambient/psychedelic edge of a knife.
Various Artists – Temporary: Selections from Dunedin’s Pop Underground 2011-2014 LP (Ba Da Bing!)
New collection of modern New Zealand indie bands. The tiny city of Dunedin, located in the Otago Region of New Zealand, is synonymous with smart bands, incredible melodies and a wholly distinct and innovative music. Thanks to The Clean, The Chills, The Bats, The Verlaines, and The Dead C, Dunedin has amassed a worldwide reputation for innovative music. Local label Fishrider Records has taken on the mission of compiling and producing an album that casts a light toward the Dunedin of today. These bands have all created their own sound away from the shadow of their city’s past, yet like many of their predecessors they retain the air of slightly disturbed melancholia along with a sense of space and distance from the rest of the world. Whether it is dark Synthpop, teen angst Noise Pop, guitar-and-organ jangle, or all-out Psychedelic weirdness, these songs all come from a place on the edge of the world where the young still read books in abundance and fend off boredom by creating music and art in cold houses. CD version due September 30.
Yob – Clearing The Path To Ascend 2xLP (Neurot)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Long-awaited brand-new album from Northwestern doom icons.
Cassettes:
Luca Lozano – Isolation Distorts (100% Silk)
Wheezing sci-fi samples ebb into Martian techno expanses; quiet organ melodies lilt under lunar acid; dead-end synth-pop burrows into creeped craters of dust. Lozano’s pacing emphasis patience, loops and melodies hung across long alien canyons, pivoting from one tranced conspiracy passage to another.
Lunate – Far Shores (100% Silk)
Bogota believer Manuel Cortes conjures a specifically spare schematic of autobiographical street house. Jams emerge from visions and lived insights into lean rhythm assemblages bouncing through zones of bass, acid, ballroom, warrior funk, tripped-hop: Lunate. Like the narcotic medication his alias echoes, Far Shores shivers with a blurry pulse through wavering doses of nocturnal lament.
Book:
Primus – Over The Electric Grapevine (Hardcover) (Akashic)
Over The Electric Grapevine is a fascinating and beautifully curated hardcover book featuring captivating photographs and brand new information about the band that has never been revealed before. The journey is an inspiration to all musicians and lovers of music, and fans of Primus are sure to be drawn to this insightful, expansive collection that serves as a completely exclusive, all-encompassing, behind-the-scenes look at life in the band. Contributors include Les Claypool, Trey Anastasio (Phish), Steward Copeland (The Police), Chuck D (Public Enemy), Kirk Hammet (Metallica), Tom Waits, and more.
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