October Program Titles Released This Week:
Adam’s House Cat – Town Burned Down CD/LP (ATO)
Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers formed Adam’s House Cat in Muscles Shoals, Alabama in 1985. Their songs and friendship became the foundation on which Drive-By Truckers was built. Town Burned Down, their one and only “lost” album from 1990 was remixed by David Barbe, mastered by Greg Calbi and is now available for the first time with archival photos and extensive liner notes from Hood. It can at last be properly heard the way Adam’s House Cat always wanted it to be heard, its raw soul and boisterous enthusiasm already hinting at what was yet to come. Songs like “Runaway Train” and “Cemeteries” display dark edges that surely must’ve intimated audiences in their time but now sound startlingly heartfelt and full of fiery joy, energized by drummer Chuck Tremblay and bassist John Cahoon’s versatile, dynamic backing and of course, the ever-present, undeniable chemistry between Hood and Cooley. [Yellow colored vinyl pressing also available.]
AJR – The Click CD (AJR Productions)
AJR is a pop band formed by three brothers from Manhattan, New York, USA. On their second album, Adam, Jack, and Ryan deliver playful electro-pop anthems about growing up. There are soaring sing-alongs in the spirit of Passion Pit and fun. (“Netflix Trip”), string numbers that sound like Vampire Weekend for the high-school set (“Sober Up: feat. Rivers Cuomo), and plenty of EDM flourish (“Weak”). But the highlights are earnest, confessional ballads, like “Turning Out”, that sound like something a teenager might belt from their bedroom window. [Vinyl edition due September 28.]
Joe Bonamassa – Redemption CD/2xLP (J&R Adventures)
Redemption, Joe Bonamassa’s third album in a row of all original material, sees him at his most ambitious yet redefining and pushing the barriers of blues-rock. The album opens with a tip of the hat to Led Zeppelin on “Evil Mama” that burrows into a deep groove before ripping into the rockabilly-tinged boogie blues of “King Bee Shakedown”. Next, Bonamassa dips into his Black Country Communion influence to tell a tragic tale with timeless hard rock riffs for “Molly-O” and “Deep In The Blues Again” changes the course yet again with a driving rhythm meant for the car stereo. “Self-Inflicted Wounds” is most telling of Bonamassa’s progression as a true singer-songwriter, and Joe claims it as his best song writing yet. “Pick Up The Pieces” channels Tom Waits for a late night after hours while “The Ghost of Macon Jones” sees Joe trade vocals with Nashville country singer Jamey Johnson as they recount a cautionary tale of a rural renegade.
Carl Broemel – Wished Out CD/LP (Stocks In Asia)
Years before Carl Broemel joined My Morning Jacket – the Grammy-nominated, globetrotting rock band featuring his guitar playing, saxophone solos, harmony singing, pedal steel riffs, and songwriting support – he wrote his very first songs in his Indiana bedroom. From the start, he was a multi- instrumentalist with a singer’s gift for melody. A sideman capable of handling a frontman’s job. As his guitar-playing career blossomed, Broemel continued writing songs of his own, carving out a personal, introspective sound that reached beyond My Morning Jacket’s sonic landscape. With his third solo album, Wished Out, he merges articulate, pensive songwriting – including ruminations about science, love, the passing of time, and the grind of the artistic struggle with energetic, rock-inspired songs.
Christine and The Queens – Chris CD/2xLP+CD (Because Music)
Christine and The Queens’ eagerly anticipated second album Chris was written, arranged and performed by French singer/songwriter/producer Héloïse Letissier and follows-up her already-iconic debut record Chaleur Humaine. “Chaleur Humaine was about teenage years, most of it,” says Letissier. “Loneliness, really true feelings, and there is a softness in the way I wrote as well, because I was properly introducing myself.” Chris arrives on different terms. “It gets to be a bit more exhilarating, because I get to say, okay, I’ve been introduced now. I get to be more confident, and it matches what happened in my life as a woman. The second album could have been me finding a fancy producer in L.A. and doing the pop sh*t,” she adds, “but actually, no. I wanted to make it even more personal, if it’s possible.” Alongside songs that explore unabashed female desire and complex sexuality that defies categorization, there are songs which find a new intimacy in emotions and personal turmoil, making explicit the kind of themes that were hinted at on Chaleur Humaine.
Denzel Curry – TA13OO CD/LP (Loma Vista)
Denzel Curry’s highly-anticipated third album TA13OO is presented in three acts: Light, Gray and Dark. Each early single represents one of the album’s acts, as “Sumo” represents Light, “Clout Cobain” represents Gray, and “Percs” represents Dark, which come together cohesively to form TA13OO. Across the three sections of TA13OO, Denzel explores topics including molestation, the presidential election, fame, hatred, paranoia, revenge, love, the current state of music and personal tales of his own near-death experiences. Sonically, the album ranges just as widely as its subject matter, sounds of paranoia, fear of loss, brooding melancholy and mood swings straight from hell all find their way onto TA13OO. The album bridges the gap between the older generation of hip-hop and the budding generation of SoundCloud rappers that he helped birth in sound and style, all while commanding respect from them both with lethal lyricism and deeply personal storytelling. [“Red slushy” colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Billy F Gibbons – The Big Bad Blues CD/LP (Concord)
ZZ Top guitar giant Billy Gibbons follows-up his much-admired Afro-Cuban inspired 2015 solo debut Perfectamundo with second album, The Big Bad Blues. The focus of the new set is the lifetime love of blues and rock ‘n’ roll that has fueled Gibbons’ entire career. Its 11 tracks showcase a combination of his new blues originals and interpretations of such numbers as “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and “Standing Around Crying”. “We successfully made our way through those uncharted waters with the Cubano flavor of Perfectamundo and completed the journey,” says Gibbons, explaining how the new project differs from the last. “The shift back to the blues is a natural. It’s something which our followers can enjoy with the satisfaction of experiencing the roots tradition and, at the same time, feeling the richness of stretching the art form.”
Metric – Art Of Doubt CD/2xLP (BMG)
Toronto rockers Metric emphasize guitars on Art Of Doubt, a collection of 12 new songs packed with massive riffs, driving rhythms and raw/smooth vocals – all elements of the band’s instantly identifiable signature sound. Produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen (M83, Beck, Nine Inch Nails), Metric’s seventh LP addresses a climate of cultural and political anxiety while refusing to give despair the upper hand. In many ways, it’s the most Metric album the band has ever made as Emily Haines, Jimmy Shaw, Joshua Winstead and Joules Scott-Key rediscover their shared love of music and how good they are at making it together. “This felt like the culmination of a lifetime spent playing together and trusting each other and going for it,” Shaw says. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Mutual Benefit – Thunder Follows The Light CD/LP (PIAS America)
Thunder Follows The Light contemplates the ongoing destruction of the outer world and how it shapes the storms of our inner ones. There are meditations on the environment, collective struggle, death, rebirth, reasons to believe it’s worth the fight. For nearly a decade, Jordan Lee aka Mutual Benefit has crafted pop experiments blending orchestral instrumentation and ambient electronic sounds. Thunder Follows the Light is a testament to the power of music as a space for collective processing and emotional response. Like his other releases, it is a highly collaborative document. Its sprawling chamber folk features many returning collaborators – violinist Jake Falby, guitarist Mike Clifford, percussionist Dillon Zahner – as well as first-time players – vocalist Johanne Swanson (of Yohuna), drummer Felix Walworth (of Told Slant), saxophonist Gabriel Birnbaum (of Wilder Maker).
Nashville Pussy – Pleased To Eat You CD/LP (earMUSIC)
“It just wouldn’t be the Pussy without their trademark humor, most certainly. Take the first song, ‘She Keeps Me Coming’ which is all about, you guessed it, sex. With a line like ‘She’s the queen of making dead men cum,’ you get the point pretty quick regarding the direction and tone of the record. This isn’t Bono and U2 looking for a Grammy; this is whiskey drinkin’, backstage bangin’, sleazy rock ‘n’ roll. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. ‘She Keeps Me Coming’ has an almost a Reverend Horton Heat rockabilly feel to it while the second song ‘We Want A War’ is straight-ahead rock. What I truly love about Nashville Pussy and this record is their honesty. They’re sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll in a politically correct, politically censored world. And I love it. It’d be too easy to write this band off as a one-trick pony. Rather, Nashville Pussy is the heart and true essence of what rock ‘n’ roll has always been about: rebellion, volume, and a big middle finger to the mainstream. Pleased To Eat You is all of this and more.” – New Noise
Crystal Shawnda – Voodoo Woman CD (True North)
Sometimes, even the most instinctive singers need a little time to find their true voice. Just ask Crystal Shawanda. The celebrated Canadian-born, Nashville-based songwriter and musician has built a decade-long career on her hugely emotive performances, scoring a major label deal, chart hits, critical acclaim, marquee tours and a fervent fan following along the way. She was even the subject of a reality show, Crystal: Living The Dream on the CMT television network. Yet it has taken Shawanda until studio album number five – the gritty, soul-drenched, and positively electrifying Voodoo Woman – to pinpoint her essence as a blues singer, even though her previous albums would mostly be filed under country and she has been performing since her teens.
Slash featuring Miles Kennedy and The Conspirators – Living The The Dream CD/2xLP (Roadrunner)
“I always planned on getting back together with the Conspirators as soon as possible, and continuing on with what we started,” Slash says. Which brings us to Living The Dream, the new full-length offering from the group – which, in addition to Slash and singer Myles Kennedy, also includes bassist Todd Kerns, drummer Brent Fitz and, making his recorded debut after several years of live work with The Conspirators, rhythm guitarist Frank Sidoris. From the barnstorming, high-octane riffery of opener “Call Of The Wild” to the wah-drenched funk rock of “Read Between The Lines”, the haunting majesty of “Lost Inside The Girl” to the swaggering deep-in-the-pocket ‘70s grooves of “Serve You Right”, the stately, quasi-classical melodic themes of “The Great Pretender” to the massive hooks and anthemic, singalong choruses of first single “Driving Rain,” Living The Dream packs a compendium of sounds and styles into 12 tightly arranged and sharply executed tracks, all of it shot through with Slash’s trademark electrifying and dynamic riffing and high-wire, lyrical solos. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
The Story So Far – Proper Dose CD/LP (Pure Noise)
“Proper Dose is the highly anticipated fourth full-length record release by American pop-punk band The Story So Far … a record that is in some ways The Story So Far as you know them, but taking a new direction and pushing their works into new and exciting places. In a statement released by vocalist Parker Cannon, ‘We were so burnt… playing the same songs over and over again…we knew we had to take a step back.’ And in talking about the record, ‘I just think it’s leaps and bounds ahead of anything we’ve ever done’. The record opens up with ‘Proper Dose’, and straight away this is the sound you expect from these guys. Cannon’s iconic gravelly voice, strong drum beats and stringy guitar that get you moving. The lyrics hit you with the realization he’s talking about medication and if this is how his life is going to be now.” – Amplify
CDs + Vinyl:
Aborted – TerrorVision CD/LP (Century Media)
TerrorVision lifts death metal to a higher level of intensity, atmosphere and brutality, pushing the boundaries of the entire genre by combining over-the-top musicianship with skilled songwriting, a clear yet organic production and inexorable brutality that has no equals. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Advance Base – Animal Companionship CD/LP (Run For Cover)
Owen Ashworth’s albums have always been about the human condition, and his latest is no exception. That may sound strange, given that his project Advance Base’s new album is called Animal Companionship, but it’s as human as anything he’s done before. After hearing problems forced the end of his electronic pop project Casiotone For The Painfully Alone in 2010, Ashworth started making quieter music as Advance Base. Blissful drones and lush synthesizer textures envelop soft electric piano arpeggiations and spare drum programming, creating an almost hypnotic backdrop for Ashworth’s lyrical narratives. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
AJJ – Ugly Spiral: Lost Works 2012-2016 CD/LP (SideOneDummy)
Since 2004, the folk/punk (not folk-punk) band has been a sort of desert prophet, emerging regularly from the 120° Arizona heat to take America to task for all the hypocrisies it won’t admit. White privilege, violent impulses, religious madness.
Alborosie – Soul Pirate – Acoustic CD/CD+DVD (Geejam Music)
An album of acoustic sessions from the reggae singer. [Deluxe CD+DVD digipack edition features the CD album and a bonus DVD featuring music videos from the sessions together with in-depth interviews with Alborosie. Vinyl edition due September 28.]
Mandy Barnett – Strange Conversation CD (Dame Productions)
A singer since the age of five, Mandy Barnett is a world-class vocalist whose style is deeply rooted in the classic country and pop crooning of the all-time great singers. Think Lee Hazlewood and the Tams meet Tom Waits and Greg Garing with a little Mable John thrown in. [Vinyl edition due November 2.]
Beak> – >>> CD (Temporary Residence)
Long-awaited third album by the acclaimed UK out-rock trio comprised of Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, Robert Plant bassist Billy Fuller and Will Young aka Moon Gangs. [Vinyl edition due October 5.]
BEiTTHEMEANS – Alabama Calling CDEP/12” (Cornelius Chapel)
The authentic southern rock and roll band’s new EP showcasing the Alabama power trio’s dynamic blues-infused melodic metal songwriting.
Betzefer – Entertain Your Force Of Habit CD/LP (Metalville)
Founded in 1998, Israeli groove metal veterans release their seventh studio release.
Blackboxred – Salt In My Eyes CD/LP (Butler)
“This is one boy/girl duo who aren’t dealing in cute and cuddly lo-fi. Fast, furious, and possessing more attitude in their smudged eyeliner than should be legal.” [Limited edition red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Broken Baby – Broken Baby CD/LP (Palo Santo)
L.A.-based Broken Baby is an uncompromising rock band with post-punk edges and melodic appetites.
Kate Campbell – Damn Sure Blue CD (Large River Music)
Singer-songwriter Kate Campbell turned to the Man in Black for inspiration on her latest album, Damn Sure Blue. Two of the songs from this soulful collection stem directly from Johnny Cash’s prolific catalog the folk classic, “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” and his self- penned “Forty Shades of Green”. Produced by Will Kimbrough, Damn Sure Blue breathes with Americana soul and features a cast of stellar musicians including Will Kimbrough (guitars, bass, mandolin, banjo, mandola, keyboards, and harmony vocals), Kevin Gordon (guitars and harmony vocals), Dave Jacques (upright bass), Bryan Owings (drums and percussion), Phil Madeira (accordion), and Chris Carmichael (violin, viola, and cello).
Capital Cities – Solarize CD (Capitol)
Second studio album from indie pop duo.
Chicano Batman – Cycles Of Existential Rhyme / Joven Navegante 2xCD (ATO)
Chicano Batman – Joven Navegante [Reissue/2012] LP (ATO)
Chicano Batman – Cycles Of Existential Rhyme/Joven Navegante [Reissue/2014] LP (ATO)
Chicano Batman reissues two of the band’s early releases Cycles Of Existential Rhyme and Joven Navegante EP on a double CD and separately on vinyl. Both releases have been out of print for many years. The albums include the fan favorite tracks “Cycles of Existential Rhyme” and “Magma”. “Chicano Batman aren’t your typical rock band. Four Latinos from the L.A. area and beyond (drummer Gabriel Villa is from Cali, Colombia), they’ve developed a cult following in the city with their ‘L.A. Tropicalia’ blend of soulful music lifted from all over Central and South America.” – The Guardian
Louis Cole – Time CD/2xLP+MP3 (Brainfeeder)
New album from the L.A.-based multi-instrumentalist, known for being one half of the electronic, jazz-fusion duo, KNOWER. “There’s a clear pop sensibility on Time. The tracks are incredibly catchy and danceable (ugh… what an awful word), but for those looking for their music to be pushed to its technical limits, there’s a huge amount here into which you can dig your fingers. Louis Cole’s music is fundamentally relatable in a multitude of ways. It uses complex musical ideas to craft something catchy; drawing out visceral physical responses from the listener, whilst being honest about its own inherent neuroticism, and then responds to that neuroticism with a massive middle finger to the rest of the world. So, whether you’re a music nerd looking for a challenge or just someone searching for something honest, and a little out-there, then Time might just be what you’ve been looking for.” – Healthy Music Obsession
Danish String Quartet – Prism 1 CD (ECM)
The prize-winning Danish String Quartet, hailed by the Washington Post as “one of the best quartets before the public today” and as “simply terrific” by The Guardian inaugurates a series of five albums on which the group will present one of Beethoven’s late string quartets in the context of a related fugue by J.S. Bach as well as a linked masterwork from the modern quartet literature.
Dead Letter Circus – Dead Letter Circus CD/LP (BMG Rights Management)
Brisbane five-piece Dead Letter Circus return with an organic new self-titled set. Lead single “The Armour You Own” features crunching guitar riffs, driving rhythms and showcases frontman Kim Benzie’s soaring signature vocals over huge hooks. [Limited picture-disc vinyl edition also available.]
The Debutantes – The Debutantes CD/LP (Beatrocket)
Jan McClellan and a rotating cast of Motor City kitties shattered hearts and glass ceilings from ‘64 to ‘69, busting out three sought after 45s and quietly putting to tape nine more recordings. The tapes have been found and those nine unreleased cuts combine with the coveted six to form the first-ever Debutantes LP. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Deicide – Overtures Of Blasphemy CD/LP (Century Media)
The godfathers of US death metal return with their twelfth studio album. [Limited 180gm bloodshot translucent vinyl pressing also available.]
Delta Moon – Babylon Is Falling CD (Jumping Jack)
New album from the veteran blues/rockers. Babylon Is Falling features a catchy mix of original tunes that includes spirited cover renditions of traditional American roots music like the title track and innovative takes on Marvin Gaye, Tom Petty, R.L. Burnside, and Howlin’ Wolf.
Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard – Sing Me Back Home: The DC Tapes, 1965-1969 CD/LP (Free Dirt)
Beloved bluegrass trailblazers Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard are revered as pioneers of the form, who challenged the norm at a time when bluegrass remained largely in the purview of men. Nowhere is this clearer than on a set of newly unearthed recordings, Sing Me Back Home: The DC Tapes, 1965-1969. Sourced from Alice’s private archive and digitized with help from the Southern Folklife Collection at UNC Chapel Hill, the recordings invite us in to witness the creative process of these towering figures-just two voices and a handful of instruments working out arrangements at home.
Dragon Lord – Dominion CD/LP (Spinefarm)
New album from the fantasy symphonic black/death metal project of Testament guitarist Eric Peterson.
Toby Driver – They Are The Shield CD/LP (Blood Music)
The mastermind behind prog/avant metal bands maudlin of the Well and Kayo Dot returns with his third solo album. Notes of singer-songwriter sensibilities bubble beneath a fog of synthesizers, expansive soundscapes, lush chamber strings, and sullen atmospheres, punctuated and driven with a soft percussive heartbeat.
William Fitzsimmons – Mission Bell CD/LP (Nettwerk)
Singer-songwriter and music producer William Fitzsimmons’ latest record, Mission Bell is a chronicling of the tumultuous last year of his life, particularly of the separation from his second wife. An initial version of the album was originally recorded in Fitzsimmons’ home studio in the summer of 2017 but was subsequently abandoned during the course of, and as a result of, the separation. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters – Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters CD (Home Perm)
With two critically acclaimed independently released studio albums and a live EP, and a tour history which includes Bonnaroo and Bumbershoot, Delfest, the High Sierra and Vancouver Folk Fests and on the road with the likes of Todd Snider and the Wood Brothers, Ashleigh Flynn continues making a name for herself in Americana music. [Vinyl edition due November 8.]
Macy Gray – Ruby CD/LP (Artistry Music)
Gray reaffirms and reasserts that signature rarity fans treasure with her tenth full-length album, Ruby. Channeling the spirit of the “grimy” R&B and smoky jazz closest to her heart, Macy made a leap forward by looking back to formative inspirations. However, she updated those elements with enriched, entrancing, and enigmatic soundscapes brought to life by producers Johan Carlsson (Michael Bublé, Maroon 5), Tommy Brown (Jennifer Lopez, Fifth Harmony, Travis Scott), and Tommy Parker Lumpkins (Janet Jackson, Justin Bieber). [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Josh Groban – Bridges CD (Republic)
Eighth album from the multi-platinum award-winning singer/songwriter and global superstar. Bridges finds Josh singing in multiple different languages that include English, French, Italian and Spanish. This is Groban’s first album with original music since the massively successful 2013 album Stages. [Deluxe edition featuring two bonus tracks also available.]
Heartthrob Chassis – Arrhythmia CD/LP (Milan)
Latest release from the Detroit-based glam garage rock band headed by Margaret Dollrod, former songwriter and member of the sensational Demolition Doll Rods. Described as “loud, futuristic reflective rock ‘n’ roll” and compared to Patti Smith meets Ziggy Stardust, Heartthrob Chassis have become a mainstay of the Motor City music scene with their boisterous live shows and their relentless rockin’ sound.
Amy Helm – This Too Shall Light CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
During the This Too Shall Light sessions, Amy Helm was literally taken 3,000 miles out of her comfort zone – leaving the family studio in Woodstock, NY for Los Angeles, CA’s iconic United Recording Studios, the same compound where The Beach Boys recorded Pet Sounds. It was there that Helm began her collaboration with Joe Henry, the three-time Grammy-winning producer known for his work with artists like Bonnie Raitt, Elvis Costello and Lizz Wright. Together, in just four days, the pair traversed decades of material, stretching from early ‘70s Allen Toussaint through contemporary Americana darlings the Milk Carton Kids. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Colin James – Miles To Go CD/LP (Stony Plain)
With his new album, Miles to Go, acclaimed guitarist Colin James is getting back to the blues. Miles to Go serves as James’ ambitious sequel to his critically-acclaimed 2016 LP, Blue Highways, and continues his story with a collection of carefully curated songs handpicked from some of the greatest blues artists.
Antônio Carlos Jobim – Brazil’s Greatest Composer CD/LP (Jazz Images (William Claxton))
Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist Antonio Carlos Jobim (1927-1994), known in Brazil as Tom Jobim, was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style.
Joyce Manor – Million Dollars To Kill Me CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
The punk band is back with a new album. Frontman Barry Johnson along with co-founding guitarist Chase Knobbe, new drummer Pat Ware and longtime bassist Matt Ebert worked long-distance with one of Johnson’s musical heroes, Impossibles’ guitarist/vocalist Rory Phillips, with whom he had been co-writing long distance, to match the ones written at full volume. “Bedroom charm versus live rock band,” Johnson explains. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Kid Rock – Greatest Hits You Never Saw Coming CD (WB)
Comprised of fifteen remastered tracks, all recorded since 1998, Greatest Hits You Never Saw Coming reflects 20 years of cross-genre hits from the superstar during his Warner Music Group era. The tracklist plays out like the ultimate Kid Rock set, reflecting his indelible imprint on rock, country, pop, and hip-hop.
Living With Lions – Island CD/LP (No Sleep)
Fifth studio album from Canadian emo punk-rock band.
Brian Marsella Trio – Outspoken – The Music Of The Legendary Hasaan CD (Tzadik)
This remarkable project features three Philadelphia musicians paying tribute to one of Philly’s most enigmatic and important musical visionaries—The Legendary Hasaan. Hasaan Ibn Ali was born in 1931 and made only one commercial release in his lifetime which has of course become a cult classic. Combining the craggly dissonances of Monk with the spidery lines of Elmo Hope, and the muscular intensity of Cecil Taylor, his music and theories were a huge influence on Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, and countless others. Here Brian Marsella, Christian McBride, and Anwar Marshall interpret the quirky compositions of this obscure musical master with a deep respect and a fresh imaginative voice. Includes an unrecorded Hasaan original and a tribute piece by Brian Marsella.
MIKE – Renaissance Man CD/LP (Lex)
Born in New Jersey, MIKE moved to London with his mother before settling in The Bronx for the remainder of his later teenage years. Both regions have had an audible influence on the young rapper’s music – in England, he was immersed in grime and the music of King Krule, and in the United States, he was turned on to Earl Sweatshirt and MF DOOM.
Mountain Man – Magic Ship CD/LP (Nonesuch)
The acclaimed trio Mountain Man’s first album in eight years, Magic Ship includes eleven original songs written by the group – Amelia Meath, Alexandra Sauser-Monnig and Molly Sarlé – as well as interpretations of Ted Lucas’ “Baby Where You Are”, Michael Hurley’s “Blue Mountain”, and the traditional hymn “Bright Morning Stars”. A reflection on the joys, follies, and oddities of existence, Magic Ship distills eight years of experience since their 2010 debut, Made The Harbor, of sights seen, pleasures had, feelings hurt, forgiveness extended. “Mountain Man share that rare, innate gift of almost supernatural harmonizing,” says NPR. “Hauntingly beautiful.”
The Necks – Body CD (Northern Spy)
“The Necks’ 20th album is as laser-focused on repetition as ever. But for the first time, the trio indulges its rock’n’roll instincts, resulting in one of the most powerful albums in the band’s catalog.” [8.0] – Pitchfork
Night Birds – Roll Credits CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Night Birds are entering an era comparable to that of Poison Idea’s five-piece, Feel The Darkness lineup, or even Black Flag around the time of Damaged.
Oneness Of Juju – African Rhythms [Reissue/1975] CD/2xLP (Strut)
Best known for the Larry Levan mixed “Every Way But Loose” and the rare groove anthems “African Rhythms” and “River Luv Rite,” Oneness Of Juju were one of the first bands to successfully fuse elements of avant garde jazz, funk and touches of Sun Ra cosmology, all topped with the powerhouse jazz vocals and messages of Eka Ete Jackie Lewis.
The Original Skatalites and Friends – Ska Authentic CD/LP (Studio One)
The original Ska Authentic LP was released in 1964 and after the first pressing sold out it was not reissued, becoming one of the rarest albums in the catalog. This new Studio One release marks the first time in fifty-three years that the original landmark album has become available again.
Pale Waves – My Mind Makes Noises CD/2xLP (Dirty Hit)
Pale Waves – an 80’s style pop group from Manchester, England making infectious, glittering earworms while slathered in corpse paint – follow-up their well-received 2018 EP All The Things I Never Said with their full-length debut.
The Paper Kites – On The Train Ride Home CD (Nettwerk)
The Paper Kites – On The Corner Where You Live CD (Nettwerk)
The Paper Kites – On The Train Ride Home / On The Corner Where You Live 2xLP (Nettwerk)
Melbourne, Australia indie-folk quintet The Paper Kites present two full length albums in 2018. On The Train Ride Home, released digitally in April 2018, shines a light on the simple beauty of lead singer Sam Bentley’s songwriting with minimal instrumentation and stripped harmonies. Meanwhile, On The Corner Where You Live calls upon the full band for a more robust album full of fuzzy guitars and more uptempo – yet still moody – melodies. Recommended if you like: The War On Drugs, Phoebe Bridgers, The National, Sharon Van Etten and Julie Byrne.
Richard Reed Parry – Quiet River Of Dust 1 CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
A meditative, widescreen musical experience with Beach Boy harmonies and a hypnotic pulse. Layered songs that move in a linear fashion, following a current rather than circular composition. Japanese folk myths, death poems and British folk music are tributaries flowing into a river of avant-garde composition and traditional song craft, written and performed by a member of the Grammy-winning rock band, Arcade Fire. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Leonie Pernet – Crave CD/LP (Infine)
Léonie is unique – drummer (as discovered in the band with Yuksek), pianist, arranger, and singer with a wide vocal range. Written in a solitude that only the producer Alf (Stéphane Briat) pierced through for the mixing process, Crave is a relentless album, as multiple and complex as the talents and influences of his author. When African Melancholia reminds us of the mechanical animals of Marilyn Manson, there is the appearance in Crave of the baroque spectrum of Klaus Nomi. Elsewhere are the echoes of Mansfield Tya, the memory of Jeanne Moreau, Rachmaninov or even Philip Glass and Caribou.
Prince – Piano & A Microphone 1983 CD/LP+CD (WB)
Recorded in 1983 at Prince’s Kiowa Trail home studio in Chanhassen, MN & engineered by Don Batts, Piano & A Microphone 1983 is a nine track, 35-minute album features a previously unreleased home studio cassette recording of Prince at his piano. [The Deluxe LP+CD format includes a 12″ booklet featuring brand new liner notes written by Prince’s then engineer Don Batts, as well as candid shots of Prince including never before seen images.]
The Queers – Live In Philly ’06 CD+DVD (Universal Warning)
The Queers kicked it off live in the winter of 2006 at one of Philadelphia’s faves, The North Star. Joe and company ripped through a blazing set as the drunken rowdy crowed screamed for more. This CD features the ultra HQ multichannel board audio, with a three camera pro shot DVD.
Ramones – Road To Ruin [Reissue/1978] CD/LP+2xCD (Rhino/WB)
Digitally remastered 49th Anniversary reissue of the fourth studio album by the punk pioneers. [Deluxe edition contains two different mixes of the album, unissued rough mixes for every album track, and an unreleased 1979 concert recording of the Ramones in New York.]
Max Richter – White Boy Rick (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) CD (Deutsche Grammophon)
White Boy Rick stars Matthew McConaughey and newcomer Richie Merritt and features an original score by Max Richter. The American crime drama which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival earlier this month is directed by Yann Demange and arrived in theaters on September 14th.
Kenny Rogers – Through The Years: The Best Of Kenny Rogers CD (Capitol Nashville)
In celebration of Kenny’s 80th birthday this year, a career-spanning hits collection including “The Gambler”, “Lucille”, “Coward Of The Country” and many is now available on CD.
Christian Sands – Facing Dragons CD (Mack Avenue)
Not yet 30, Christian Sands is currently one of the most in-demand pianists working in jazz. Facing Dragons is Sands’ return to the recording studio with an indestructible band and an unwavering allegiance to the groove.
Travis Scott – Astroworld CD (Epic)
The third studio album by the rapper features guest vocals from Kid Cudi, Frank Ocean, Drake, The Weeknd, James Blake, Swae Lee, Gunna, Nav, 21 Savage, Quavo, Takeoff, Juice Wrld, Sheck Wes and Don Toliver, among others. P [Vinyl edition due October 19.]
Sha La Das – Love In The Wind CD/LP+MP3 (Daptone)
Direct from Staten Island, the Sha La Das (a play on their surname, Schalda) is a musical family in every sense of the phrase. Real-deal, shoot-from-the-hip group harmonies rooted in doo wop, blues and soul. The band is comprised of Patriarch, Bill – who honed his skill and cultivated his ear for harmonies at an early age, singing on the streets of Brooklyn with other neighborhood kids – and his sons Will, Paul and Carmine, all musicians in their own right (The Extraordinaires, Swivs, Paul And The Tall Trees).
Soundtrack – Blaze: Original Cast Recording CD (Light In The Attic)
The cornerstone of blues and country music is storytelling, but only the ablest messengers can carry the words of another as their own. So goes the story of Texas singer/songwriter/poet Blaze Foley, whose vision has been kept alive by legendary artists like Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Lucinda Williams and John Prine. It’s in the spirit of this great musical tradition that writer/director Ethan Hawke and his cast and crew set out to create the first ever “Gonzo Indie Country-Western Opera” film, Blaze. As the cameras rolled, the actors began to sing and the singers began to act, and in many ways what’s captured in the film is the spirit of music itself. Found in the atmospheric noises of clinking beer bottles, birds, and the cast cheering each other on are the makings of any good album-a group of artists with a collective vision of creating something eternal, and doing it all, as Van Zandt put it best, “for the sake of the song.” [Vinyl edition due September 28.]
Sumac – Love In The Shadow CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Listeners who followed the Northwest trio Sumac down the tangled briar of mathematical riffs and hypnotic battery on The Deal or through the unfettered eruptions and methodical dissonance of What One Becomes are aware that Sumac eschews the conventional balladry typically associated with odes to our spiritual connectedness. Saccharine sweetness or fatalistic tales of unrequited affection are nowhere to be found on third full-length album, Love In Shadow.
Supersuckers – Suck It CD (Acetate)
With the Supersucker odometer clicking on three decades this very year, the self-proclaimed Greatest Rock n’ Roll Band in the World is marking the occasion with a loud, resounding new album. [Vinyl edition due October 5.]
The Textones – Old Stone Gang CD (Blue Elan)
After a 30+ year hiatus, The Textones have reunited and delivered the follow up to their ‘80s releases Midnight Mission (1984) and Cedar Creek (1987) both released on A&M Records. The new album once again shows the tenacity of a band with a long history, one of considerable achievement in the face of some tough breaks. The Textones are, in vocalist/guitarist Carla Olson’s words “A hard-rockin’ The-Who-Meets-The Stones kind of band, with a little Byrds or Beatles jangle thrown in.”
Tilian – Skeptic CD (Rise)
New solo album from Dance Gavin Dance clean vocalist Tilian Pearson.
Marcos Valle – Mustang Côr De Sangue [Reissue/1969] CD/LP (Odeon France)
Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Marcos Valle was raised on a staple diet of classical, Brazilian popular music and North American jazz, becoming one of the most influential musicians (on guitar, piano and vocals) of the bossa nova period. He straddled North and South America for over twenty years taking part in some of the most important recordings by artists including Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jobim, Sérgio Mendes, Leon Ware, Chicago and Airto Moreira.
This is a Marcos Valle must-own album, another leap forward that incorporated rock, soul and pop idioms, all stamped with Valle’s own melodic style.
Various Artists – George Jones and Friends 50th Anniversary Tribute Concert Soundstage Classic Series CD+DVD (BMG Rights Management)
A live tribute to George Jones’ 50th year as a recording artist. The cast of guests includes Vince Gill, Harry Connick Jr., Aaron Neville, Amy Grant, Sammy Kershaw, Randy Travis, Trace Adkins, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Wynonna, Shelby Lynne, Joe Diffie, Trick Pony, Lorrie Morgan, and Kenny Chesney.
Villagers – The Art Of Pretending To Swim CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Always restless and inventive while always true to the power and glory of songwriting and melody, Conor O’Brien has made another great leap forward with Villagers’ fourth studio album, The Art Of Pretending To Swim. Following the exquisitely sparse, intimate aura of 2015’s Darling Arithmetic, O’Brien’s new record reconnects with the multi-faceted approach of Villagers’ 2010 debut Becoming A Jackal and 2013’s {Awayland} while adding a new-found soulfulness, rhythmic nous and dazzling panoply of sonic detail, both analogue and digital, creating feverish moods while writing effortlessly accessible tunes.
Voivod – The Wake CD (Century Media)
Currently celebrating their 35th anniversary, Canadian progressive sci-fi metal innovators Voivod mark the occasion with new album, The Wake. Drummer Michel “Away” Langevin, who also provided the artwork, notes, “The music is like a futuristic prog thrash metal trek with many twists and turns, and the story involves the usual Voivodian topics: disasters, chaos, conflicts, strange plots and alternate consciousness.” [Vinyl edition due October 19.]
Robert Walter’s 20th Congress – Spacesuit CD/LP (The Royal Potato Family)
Every time organ master and keyboard virtuoso Robert Walter reconvenes his 20th Congress, he delves deeper and deeper into the wellspring of his most formative influences: hip-shaking vintage soul, window-rattling ‘60s-‘70s funk, and the sounds of classic organ jazz. However, for his latest outing, Spacesuit, Walter switched his source of inspiration from digging through the crates to gazing speculatively skyward, imagining new worlds rather than emulating classic records. The results lose none of the explosive funk and soul grooves that Walter has become known for and it takes those sounds into outer space, blending inspiration from science fiction movies, comic books and art with wide-ranging influences encompassing everything from dub reggae to krautrock to early jazz-rock fusion.
Witchcraft – Witchcraft [Reissue/2004] CD/LP (Rise Above)
Witchcraft – Firewood [Reissue/2005] CD/LP (Rise Above)
Witchcraft – The Alchemist [Reissue/2007] CD/LP (Rise Above)
CD and colored vinyl reissues of the first three albums from the Swedish doom rock legends.
Wolfhounds – Hands In The Till: The Complete John Peel Sessions CD/LP (Slumberland)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. At the peak of media attention over the NME’s C86 cassette, The Wolfhounds recorded three four-song sessions for the BBC’s legendary John Peel Show between March 1986 and January 1987, capturing all the excitement and youthful exuberance of a band just catching the public imagination. With an energy born of sweaty, rammed gigs in London pubs and a willful experimentation nurtured in suburban bedrooms and garages away from watchful eyes, The Wolfhounds blasted their raw live sound straight to tape with little in the way of overdubs or the more considered studio polish of their excellent albums.
Thalia Zedek Band – Fighting Season CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Thalia Zedek is an unparalleled voice in rock music. Her music straddles the line between intimate and visceral. Zedek has received wide acclaim for her intense vocal performances and guitar playing in past projects Come, Uzi, Live Skull, and most recently her new trio E with Gavin McCarthy (Karate) and Jason Sidney Sanford (Neptune). Since the dissolution of Come, Zedek has focused her solo efforts on more vulnerable, stripped back arrangements. Her new album Fighting Season combines the grit of her past with the fragility of her solo releases, spinning tales of discord and struggle from the personal to the political and featuring performances by old friends Chris Brokaw (Come) and J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.).
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
Amorphous – Queen Of Time CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Released last May on CD – now available on two new colored vinyl pressings: red and splatter. 13th album from the Finnish metal band. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Brad Armstrong – Empire LP (Cornelius Chapel)
Empire finds equal comfort in softly delivered yet piercingly poignant lyrics over faintly played instruments as it does in the familiar crunch of sonic space his guitar has been filling for the Dexateens and former band, 13 Ghosts, for decades. A dozen fresh songs that paint an effervescent picture of brotherhood, debauchery, love and loss, all perfectly laid out in an indie meets folk soundscape that perpetuates the true poetry of Armstrong’s brilliant prose.
Bomb The Music Industry! – Vacation [Reissue/2011] LP+MP3 (Really)
Limited “hot hot pink and high high highlighter” yellow colored vinyl reissue. 2011’s Vacation is the sixth and final studio album by D.I.Y. punk rock band Bomb the Music Industry! Band leader Jeff Rosenstock considers the record to be BTMI’s finest effort and it features guest contributions from members of Fake Problems, Bayside, AJJ, and Good Luck. The band plays a blend of several musical styles anchored onto ska and punk.
Butthole Surfers – Independent Worm Saloon [Reissue/1993] LP (Plain)
Originally issued by Capitol Records in 1993, Independent Worm Saloon is the major label debut by the Butthole Surfers. Riding the wave of the early-90s alternative explosion the band used some of that major label muscle and hired former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones as producer and the result is a tight in your face album that didn’t tone down the band one iota. Gibby Haynes is in fine form with his often hilarious and bizarre vocals and lyrics. Limited blue colored vinyl pressing.
Gary Chandler – Outlook [Reissue/1972] LP (Tidal Waves Music)
Outlook is one long steamroller groove after another and a true lost soul-jazz-funk classic. [Limited blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Gene Clark – White Light [Reissue/1971] LP (Intervention)
As a founding member of folk-rock pioneers the Byrds, Gene Clark emerged as a uniquely gifted singer/songwriter and master of the minor key melancholy ballad. His departure from the group in 1966 was met with critical anticipation and commercial indifference. White Light remains one of Gene’s most accessible and much-loved recordings among fans and critics, topping several Best Album of the Year lists. 100% analog mastering from the real analog tapes and pressed on 180gm vinyl.
Coil + Zos Kia + Marc Almond – How To Destroy Angels LP+MP3 (Cold Spring)
Cold Spring Records present the complete recording of “How To Destroy Angels (A Slow Fade To Total Transparency)”. Recorded on August 24th, 1983 at the Air Gallery in London, UK. Personnel for the performance: John Balance (Coil), John Gosling (Zos Kia), Marc Almond (Soft Cell), and live mix by Peter Christopherson (Coil, Throbbing Gristle). Features: “How To Destroy Angels”, the complete 23-minute piece; “How To Destroy Angels (Zos Kia Remix)”, a nine-minute, unheard remix by John Gosling; and “Baptism Of Fire”, an unreleased recording of Zos Kia/Coil at Recession Studios, London, England on October 12, 1983. [Limited red/black splatter colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Holly Cole – Temptation [Reissue/1995] 2xLP (Analogue Productions)
Along with Cassandra Wilson and Patricia Barber, the Canadian songstress has helped redefine the world of the female jazz vocalist. In Cole’s case, this can be directly linked to her ability to defy genre categorization and her ambitious musical choices. These abilities come into full focus on her 1995 Blue Note masterpiece, Temptation, which finds Holly skillfully interpreting material by the-one-and-only Tom Waits.
Common – Finding Forever [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (Geffen)
Enlisting Kanye West as his executive producer and chief beatsmith, with 2007’s Finding Forever Common crafted an LP for his fans past, present and future. For the “heads” there’s the raw banger “The Game” featuring scratches by DJ Premier. Common, the intellectual, gets sexual and flirtatious on the “I Want You” produced by Will.I.Am with vocals by Bilal, and “So Far To Go”, produced by late great J Dilla and featuring the elusive D’Angelo. Walking the line between raw hip-hop and crossover smash is “Drivin’ Me Wild”, his collaboration with British chanteuse Lily Allen. On “Misunderstood” producer Devo Springsteen flips a dramatic Nina Simone into a soundscape for Common to turn griot.
Counterweight Collective – Counterweight LP (Wide Hive)
Set in jazz with rock and international overtones, Counterweight is cerebral yet soulful uplifting music.
Deathgrips – Year Of The Snitch LP (Harvest)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Year Of The Snitch is the sixth studio album by experimental the hip-hop group comprised of Stefan Burnett (aka MC Ride) and production team Zach Hill and Andy Morin. “In the process of trying to sabotage their career at every turn, Death Grips became career artists. Regardless of how you classify their prolific output thus far, the noise-rap art project has averaged one album per year, with enough variation and quality control to make their ‘will they or won’t they break up’ shtick background noise. They’re industrious, downright reliable, even. So, on their 10th release in seven years, Year Of The Snitch, Death Grips stay politically agnostic, persistently agitated—in a word, noided. It’s kinda quaint. Maybe even comforting.” – Pitchfork [Limited indie-only clear vinyl pressing also available.]
Herber Eimert – Epitaph Für Aikichi Kuboyama / Sechs Studien [Reissue/1966] LP (Fantôme Phonographique)
Herbert Eimert was a German music renaissance man, with his expertise ranging from theory, to composition, editing, radio production, and criticism. He wrote numerous books on music theory, worked for years at the British occupational forces run Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk. It was there in 1951 that he established a studio for electronic music that he ran until 1961, which hosted recordings from Stockhausen, Xenakis, and Cardew, among others.
Erra – Neon LP (Sumerian)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Erra follow-up 2016’s well-received Drift with new album Neon. It serves as the Birmingham, Alabama modern progressive metalcore outfit’s fourth album overall and second with frontman J.T. Cavey (formerly of Texas In July). Chock full of catchy riffs, alternating melodic and searing lyrics and breakdowns galore, the ten-track beast is introduced by the explosive lead singles “Disarray” and “Breach”.
Wolfgang Flür – Eloquence [Reissue/2015] 2xLP (Cleopatra)
Vinyl reissue of recent recordings by the percussionist from electronic pioneers Kraftwerk.
G.I. Gurdjieff – Improvisations LP (Fantôme Phonographique)
G.I. Gurdjieff was an Armenian and Greek philosopher, spiritual teacher, and musician, whose teachings of The Fourth Way influenced thousands worldwide and created communities that still exist to this day. His goal was to teach humans to reach a higher consciousness out of the “waking sleep” he considered most to be living in. Music was an important part of his teachings and these brilliant harmonium improvisations were recorded in 1949 in Paris, just a short time before his death. Droning and ethereal, these beautiful pieces mark a pinnacle in the work of a legend of human spirituality.
Roland Hanna – Perugia: Live At Montreux 74 [Reissue/1975] LP (ORG Music)
Recorded live in Switzerland at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1974, Perugia exemplifies the incredible expertise of American jazz pianist, Roland Hanna. The brilliant recording has been remastered for vinyl at Infrasonic Mastering, and pressed on audiophile-grade vinyl at Pallas Group in Germany.
Pierre Henry – Orphée Ballet [Reissue/1964] LP (Fantôme Phonographique)
Scored for Maurice Béjart’s choreography to the Orphée Ballet, based on the Greek god, Orpheus, this is one of Pierre Henry’s finest works of musique concrète, the genre in which Henry was an early innovator and to which he devoted his career.
Roscoe Holcomb & Wade Ward – The Music Of Roscoe Holcomb & Wade Ward [Reissue/1962] LP (Fantôme Phonographique)
A magical collection of Kentucky’s own Roscoe Holcomb, one of the most legendary figures of Appalachian music and a huge influence on the ’60s folk scene, and Wade Ward, a Virginia fiddle and clawhammer banjo player whose style has been often imitated.
In The Branches & Bluetech – Behind The Sky LP (Digger’s Factory)
Debut collaboration between In The Branches and Bluetech. Featuring cinematic and emotional soundscapes, this EP is full of melodic, dreamy, and high-fidelity ambient music made for contemplating what lies behind the sky.
Ital Tek – Bodied 2xLP (Planet Mu)
As on his last album, the sounds on Bodied are highly designed, but this time barely a whisper of dance music remains. Instead it’s built around acoustic elements and ghostly choral arrangements, refracted and transformed into atmospheric, alien forms which are given the time to settle and transform. Rhythm is used only as a tool to give his world a sense of dark, mechanical momentum.
Femi Kuti – One People, One World 2xLP (Knitting Factory)
His tenth full-length effort, One People, One World sees Femi returning to the music’s African roots. Hints of reggae, highlife, soul, R&B and other African, Caribbean and African American flavors swirl through the mix, adding depth and complexity to the arrangements, but the influences don’t distract from Femi’s signature sound.
Lenny Kravitz – Mama Said [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Virgin)
Lenny Kravitz – Are You Gonna Go My Way [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Virgin)
Lenny Kravitz – Circus [Reissue/1995] 2xLP (Virgin)
Lenny Kravitz – 5 [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Virgin)
Deluxe double 180gm vinyl reissues of Lenny Kravitz’ second through fifth albums. His retro style incorporates elements of rock, blues, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, pop, folk, and ballads. In addition to singing lead and backing vocals, he often plays all of the instruments himself when recording.
Lemmy & The Upsetters with Mick Green – Blue Suede Shoes – Paradise [Reissue/1990] 12” (Cleopatra)
Limited pink-colored twelve-inch vinyl pressing. Famed Motörhead frontman Lemmy meets British rock guitarist Mick Green (The Pirates, Van Morrison, Paul McCartney) on this double A-side 12″ single.
Lifelover – Sjukdom [Reissue/2011] LP (Prophecy)
Vinyl reissue of the final album from the Swedish avant-garde depressive black metal band.
Liturgy – Aesthethica [Reissue/2011] 2xLP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Acclaimed Brooklyn based Liturgy is Hunter Hunt Hendrix, Greg Fox, Tyler Dusenbury, and Bernard Gann. Aesthethica, originally released in May 2011, is finally available once again after being sold out since 2016.
Gary Louris – Vagabonds [Reissue/2008] 2xLP (Run Out Groove)
Expanded 180gm double-LP edition includes bonus disc of outtakes, demos and acoustic tracks, with many making their vinyl debut as well as several never having been released on any physical format. To fans of alt-country and melodic songwriting, the name Gary Louris is an important one. As founding member of the Jayhawks and intermittent member of Golden Smog, the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter is largely responsible for moving the former from folk-country towards a more progressive, pop sound. In 2008, Louris released his debut solo album, Vagabonds, produced by Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson and recorded in Laurel Canyon; famous for being the epicenter of the 1970s singer-songwriter scene.
Drew Mcdowall – The Third Helix LP (Dais)
For this third release on Dais, Drew McDowall reaches into concept, ritual, and immersion, in an exercise of unravelling the DNA of hallucination. The Third Helix is McDowall’s product of deconstructive exploration, twisting the fibers of being into new structure, shape, pattern, and pulse, without reconstituting its inscribed template.
MC5 – Total Assault: 50th Anniversary Collection 3xLP (Atlantic)
The MC5 only released three albums, but they were ferocious, adventurous, and confrontational enough to secure the group’s place as one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands ever. This year is the 50th anniversary of the recording of the band’s incendiary debut, Kick Out The Jams, which was recorded live over two nights at Detroit’s Grande Ballroom in October 1968. To celebrate, Total Assault: 50th Anniversary Collection collects all three of the band’s albums pressed on colored vinyl. Along with Kick Out The Jams, the set also includes Back In The USA (1970) and High Time (1971).
Ron Morelli – Disappearer LP (Hospital Production)
Disappearer claws and tears its way through 13 tracks at 54 minutes long, touching upon everything from cold, stripped-back electronics, to hints of 1990s Hague scum techno, to grim passages reminiscent of early tape minimalists, the amalgamation forming a nasty sonic narrative that reaches an explosive unsettling apex. This is a definitive return to tense, urgent punk roots; the minimal beat construction, unexpected acid burned vocals, and stark atmospheres touch upon Morelli’s full spectrum of influences with his signature rusted razor production.
Nas – Nasir LP (Mass Appeal/Def Jam)
The hip-hop artist’s first new album since 2012’s Life Is Good, Nasir features seven tracks produced by Kanye West and serves as the fourth of five consecutive weekly albums produced by West, each with seven tracks: Pusha T’s Daytona, Kanye West’s ye, the Kids See Ghosts collaboration between West and Kid Cudi and Teyana Taylor’s K.T.S.E. [CD and vinyl editions due September 28.]
Pharrell – In My Mind [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (Interscope)
After producing his share of hits and featuring on several songs by other artists, musical polymath Pharrell Williams released his Grammy-nominated debut solo effort In My Mind in 2006. The album does a good job of highlighting Pharrell’s diversity with a relatively equal mix of rap and R&B numbers and finds many of his former collaborators returning the favor such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Nelly, Slim Thug and Pusha T.
Pile – Odds And Ends LP (Exploding In Sound)
Never afraid to switch styles, Pile’s music has morphed over the years, embracing both the ferocious and gentle sides of punk, indie, folk, and noise rock, delivering their own brand of gnarled intensity.
RAMP – Come Into Knowledge [Reissue/1977] LP (Verve)
A man decades ahead of his time, composer, vibraphonist and bandleader, Roy Ayers has made a significant impression with his contributions to American music genres funk, soul, R&B, disco, hip-hop and jazz. Beginning his career as a jazz player, Ayers released several albums with Atlantic Records before bringing his brand of soul-jazz to Verve and Polydor where he released a succession of landmark albums such as Ubiquity, Vibrations, Mystic Voyage and Everybody Loves The Sunshine. 1977’s Come Into Knowledge is the lone album released under the Roy Ayers Music Productions moniker.
Mark Ribot – Songs of Resistance 1942 – 2018 LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Recently last week on CD – now available on vinyl. With his new album Songs of Resistance 1948 – 2018, Ribot—one of the world’s most accomplished and acclaimed guitar players—set out to assemble a set of songs that spoke to this political moment with appropriate ambition, passion, and fury. The eleven songs on the record are drawn from the World War II anti-Fascist Italian partisans, the U.S. civil rights movement, and Mexican protest ballads, as well as original compositions, and feature a wide range of guest vocalists, including Tom Waits, Steve Earle, Meshell Ndegeocello, Justin Vivian Bond, Fay Victor, Sam Amidon, and Ohene Cornelius.
Greg Sage – Straight Ahead [Reissue/1985] LP (Luxury Products)
Few, if any punk musicians had dared step so far out of their safety zone as Greg Sage did here, re-defining the definition of what “punk” could be. Arriving two years after the release of Wipers’ seminal Over The Edge LP, Straight Ahead was Sage’s first proper release of new material since signing to a major label (Enigma-offshoot, Restless Records) – a statement itself in an era where “selling-out” was a looming concern in the DIY community. Despite this, Sage’s first solo album remains even more insulated from the outside world than the Wipers – a quality exacerbated by the stripped-down instrumentation and themes of alienation. Today, some might call it “death folk” but in 1985 there were few precedents for the spectral, echo-laden folk-punk of this album.
Skeletonwitch – Beyond The Permafrost [Reissue/2007] LP (Prosthetic)
Vinyl reissue of the Ohio metal quintet’s second album. Skeletonwitch’s mighty sonic fortress is an amalgamation of classic Bay Area thrash, Scandinavian death/black metal and NWOBHM. [Limited green colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Jerry Solomon – Past The 20th Century [Reissue/1971] LP (Modern Harmonic)
Jerry Solomon – Virginity For All! Private Press 45s 1966-1969 2xLP (Modern Harmonic)
The rarity and bizarre content of Jerry Solomon’s releases have music connoisseurs clamoring for them, though he funded, wrote, recorded, and self-distributed his uniquely fascinating music for no reason other than to simply put it out there. Equal parts strange, entertaining, and foreboding, Jerry’s music is always engaging, and one can’t help but feel these recordings offer a glimpse through a murky portal into the unadulterated creative experience.
John David Souther – John David Souther [Reissue/1972] LP (Omnivore)
John David Souther – Black Rose [Reissue/1976] LP (Omnivore)
John David Souther – Home By Dawn [Reissue/1984] LP (Omnivore)
Before he was co-writing No. 1 Eagles hits like “Best Of My Love,” “New Kid In Town,” and “Heartache Tonight” with Glenn Frey and Don Henley, JD Souther formed Longbranch/Pennywhistle with Frey when they were roommates. Their downstairs neighbor was a fellow by the name of Jackson Browne, who took Souther to audition for his boss, David Geffen, who had recently formed the Asylum Records label. After hearing two songs, Geffen told Souther to “go make a record.” And, that’s exactly what he did. John David Souther arrived in 1971, and was immediately a critical success, establishing the future Songwriters Hall of Fame member as a major talent.
STAR – Ah Mer Ah Su LP (DERO Arcade)
“STAR’s essence is reminiscent of the power behind Solange’s A Seat at the Table and the poignancy of Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer. Expanding on themes from her first full-length EP, Rebecca, in which she critiques the white gaze of Blackness at the intersection of trans womanhood, STAR provides anthems for anyone searching for autonomy in not only their romantic life, but in society as well.”—them.us.
The Stargazer’s Assistant – Remoteness Of Light 2xLP (House Of Mythology)
The Stargazer’s Assistant explore worlds beyond earthly light with a new double album. As with previous releases, Remoteness Of Light eschews and subverts genre identification, instead drawing the listener into an unfamiliar, richly atmospheric, and elemental sound world populated by bursts of freeform percussion, spectral melodies and seething, haunted airs.
St. Lucia – Hyperion 2xLP+MP3 (Sony)
Emotional moments are South African musician Jean-Philip Grobler’s specialty. Under the name St. Lucia, he crafts high-energy, artful pop that tugs at the heartstrings as it pulls you onto the dance floor.
Tangerine Dream – The Sessions I LP (Invisible Hands Music)
Tangerine Dream return to the pioneering days of their early live shows with a series of new half-hour improvisations, each recorded on a different every night. The first installment of the best of these improvisations are gathered on Sessions I, with side one recorded live in Budapest and side two in Hong Kong.
Terror Jr – Bop City: Bopular (A Collection Of Our Most Well Regarded Bops) 2xLP (Effess)
Limited edition purple colored vinyl pressing. The duo has been described as “bleeding-edge millennial-friendly electro-pop” by Interview Magazine and “irresistible” by The FADER.
Thou – Summit [Reissue/2010] 2xLP+MP3 (Gilead Media)
Thou – Tyrant [Reissue/2007] 2xLP+MP3 (Gilead Media)
Deluxe vinyl reissues of the first and third albums from the Baton Rouge, LA doom/sludge songsmiths.
T.I. – Trap Muzik [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (Grand Hustle)
Double LP reissue in widespine jacket and high quality, color, printed inner sleeves. “It’s called trap music, so you know it’s gonna be dealing with all aspects of the trap. And if you don’t know what the trap is, that’s basically where drugs are sold. In T.I. country, the majority of us live in a neighborhood where drugs are sold, whether we like it or not.”
The Vandals – Internet Dating Superstuds [Reissue/2002] LP (Kung Fu)
Vinyl reissue of the 2002 studio album from L.A.-based power pop punk band.
Stian Westerhus – Amputation LP (House Of Mythology)
A triumph of experimentation and abstraction, marrying a fearless innovative drive with stark emotional resonance. Otherworldly and exhilarating, it’s the sound of a virtuoso musician throwing away both caution and co-ordinates and taking a dive into the unknown, with spellbinding results. “It’s music I’ve dropped to the floor repeatedly, maybe even on purpose. It’s music in a cracked mirror portraying the time it was created.”
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