CD + Vinyl:
1349 – Massive Cauldron Of Chaos CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
The Norwegian black metal tyrants deliver aural hellfire with new album. Over four years in the making, Massive Cauldron Of Chaos builds on their storied career and sees the band sharpen their orthodox black metal assault with a thrashier edge. (Limited quantities pressed on black, white, and transparent vinyl.)
ABBA – Live At Wembly 2xCD/3xLP (Polydor)
This fantastic live release encapsulates 25 songs from ABBA’s landmark gig at Wembley Arena, London in 1979. As well as featuring a full rendition of classics, this is also the first time the track “I’m Still Alive” has ever been released. This is the first time this concert full of classic hits has been released.
Bryan Adams – Tracks Of My Years CD (Verve)
Covers album featuring a diverse collection of time honored classics from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Highlights include: Chuck Berry’s ”Rock & Roll Music,” Ray Charles’ ”I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and Beatles’ ”Any Time At All.” The album also includes a brand new track, “She Knows Me.”
Alabama – Angels Among Us: Hymns & Gospel Favorites CD (Eagle)
Twelve gospel tracks, featuring “Church In The Wildwood,” “I’ll Fly Away,” “The Old Rugged Cross” and an all-new recording of their hit “Angels Among Us.”
Alabama & Friends – At The Ryman 2xCD/2xCD+DVD/2xLP (Eagle)
Join Alabama for a once in a lifetime concert event, filmed at the historic Ryman Auditorium, featuring on stage collaborations with country’s biggest stars: Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Trisha Yearwood, Florida Georgia Line, Jamey Johnson and the Eli Young Band. Also available on stand-alone DVD.
Sam Amidon – Lily-O CD (Nonesuch)
Lily-O is a collection of reimagined folk songs by Vermont-born singer/fiddler/banjoist/guitarist Sam Amidon. The album features the innovative jazz guitarist and composer Bill Frisell, along with Amidon’s other frequent collaborators, bassist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Chris Vatalaro. Lily-O’s ten songs are mostly traditional folk songs gathered from disparate sources and refashioned in Amidon’s signature way. Vinyl version due October 27.
Steve Aoki – Neon Future I CD (Ultra)
International DJ and producer Steve Aoki has always been at the forefront of future music. As the founder of Dim Mak Records and a Grammy-nominated electronic musician, his projects have grasped the attention of influencers and music enthusiasts worldwide. Given that he’s an avid follower of forward- thinking and evolving technology, it’s only fitting that the new album from Aoki being titled Neon Future.
Joshua Abrams – Represencing CD (Eremite)
Recorded at home in Chicago in 2011, Abrams again organizes small group statements around the resonant grooves of the North African ceremonial instrument the guimbri with a unique and broadly assimilative compositional voice.
Lydia Ainsworth – Right From Real CD (Artutus)
“Like a fever dream of Julia Holter merging with Grimes, Lydia Ainsworth’s future visions weave neoclassical flourishes and enchanted melody-mangles into cool ‘80s sound-beds.” — Dazed Vinyl version due October 14.
Herb Alpert – In The Mood CD (Shout! Factory)
On the heels of his 2014 Grammy win for his 2013 album Steppin’ Out, legendary trumpeter Herb Alpert presents his latest album. A collection of original compositions and modern takes on classic standards, In The Mood continues Alpert’s tradition of pushing his own musical boundaries.
Amplifier – Mystoria CD (Superball Music)
With a career that spans over a thousand shows of every conceivable size over 16 years and five studio records, Amplifier have by this point progressed past being simply a band and have become a zen-like state of being. Behemoth double album The Octopus (2012) ultimately and justifiably proved a great success, garnering praise from the BBC, Drowned In Sound and Classic Prog, among others.
Ian Anderson – Homo Erraticus (Tour Edition) CD+DVD (Kscope)
The Jethro Tull frontman’s latest album has been expanded with a DVD featuring the exclusive videos to each album track, as seen at the shows, set to hi resolution 24-bit stereo audio. Also includes a live performance of “Enter The Uninvited” and new interview footage.
Steve Arrington – Way Out: 80-84 CD (Tummy Touch)
Ohio funk legend/ambassador Steve Arrington releases a retrospective album, covering 30 years of unreleased and reworked material. Way Out: 80-84 is a compilation of sorts, blending more obscure cuts from earlier in his career with touched-up wonders that simply never left the cutting room floor.
Ausmuteants – Order Of Operation CD (Goner)
Order Of Operation is nasty and free of juvenile bullsh!t, but still 100% Australian, and opens with guitarist Shaun Connor’s forehead and thigh-slapping musical and lyrical debut, “Freedom of Information.” From there, songs range from balls-to-the-wall punkers (“Felix Tried To Kill Himself,” “Boiling Point”), well-considered workouts (“Family Time,” “Tunnel Vision”) and unguarded tenderness (“Wrong,” “Looney Bin”). Vinyl version due October 14.
Avec le Soleil Sortant de Sa Bouche – Zubberdust! CD/LP (Constellation)
Debut album from Montreal kraut-funk supergroup led by J.S. Truchy of Fly Pan Am.
Jonathan Badger – Verse CD/LP (Cuneiform)
The guitar and percussion tracks of Verse were recorded to half-inch tape, after which Jonathan brought in a number of Baltimore musicians to help orchestrate the pieces with wind, brass, voice, reeds and strings. Dueling mezzo sopranos weave light into sparse, cavernous structures. A guitar finds its way alongside a piano. Choirs of trumpets and flugelhorns warn us, but we don’t listen.
Between The Buried And Me – Future Sequence: Live at the Fidelitorium CD+DVD (Metal Blade)
Between The Buried And Me perform The Future Sequence live in a small studio with guest contributions by a group of auxiliary musicians, including percussionists, saxophone, flute, and a string quartet. Also available on stand-alone Blu-ray.
Big Brother On Acid – Big Brother On Acid CD (Alrealon)
Big Brother On Acid meshes dubstep bass sounds and beats with Coil-esque experimental sounds and samples.
Bloodwork – World Without End CD (Endtime Productions)
Raw, unpolished and extreme old school metal untainted by fashion and fueled by a hunger for aural violence. Sharing the ethos of the early ‘90s masters, World Without End brutally blends crushing guitars, insane death, and old school madness to form a sound that has been carefully crafted from years of rehearsal amongst the dead in tombs of urban decay.
Gui Boratto – Abaporu CD/2LP+CD (Kompakt)
On Abaporu, the Brazilian dancefloor virtuoso displays his expertise in bouncing prime-time cuts and sophisticated pop vignettes. Includes the summer singles “Take Control” and “Too Late.”
Lenny Breau – La Bootleg 1984 CD (Linus)
Lenny Breau is regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, both by fans and fellow guitarists. On the 30th anniversary of his untimely death (his murder remains unsolved) a newly discovered live recording containing songs never previously recorded or released by the revered jazz guitarist, is being released globally, alongside his best selling catalog — many of which have been unavailable for several years.
Jeff Bridges & The Abiders – Live CD (Mailboat)
On Live, Jeff and the band present great new renditions of songs associated with his career as well as some new songs, including their presentation of classics like “So You Want To Be A Rock And Roll Star” (The Byrds), Townes Van Zandt’s “To Live Is To Fly,” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.”
Peita Brown – Paradise Outlaw CD (Red House)
Paradise Outlaw was recorded in four days at Bon Iver mastermind Justin Vernon’s April Base studio in Wisconsin with a supporting cast that includes Vernon, Amos Lee, Brown’s troubadour father, Greg Brown and various members of an experimental group of players she calls the Sawdust Collective. “When Pieta sings you’re aware of something effortless and natural, like rain on earth.” — Mark Knopfler
Buffalo Tooth – Gardeners Of The Devil’s Lettuce CD/LP (Captcha)
Thrashy, no-bullsh!t hard rock. These dudes are on the wild-living-and-uncontrolled-freedom tip. These jams will serve you if you happen to find yourself stealing gasoline for your chopper or skateboarding to the corner store to score some prime snacks. Possibly not the ditties for you if you’re wearing a badge.
The Butcher Babies – Uncovered CD (Century Media)
Taking a page from heroes Metallica and Guns & Roses, Los Angeles metal act The Butcher Babies have recorded an EP of cover tunes.
Colbie Caillat – Gypsy Heart CD (Republic)
Gypsy Heart is the fourth album from the singer/songwriter. For the album, Colbie worked with Grammy award winning and legendary producer Kenneth ”Babyface” Edmonds, in-demand songwriter David Hodges, and longtime friend Jason Reeves. Songs like ”Land Called Far Away” pair her distinct delivery with breezy acoustic guitars and a distinctly organic energy. Meanwhile, ”Floodgates” begins with shimmering keys and propulsive handclaps as she carries a soaring hook. ”Never Getting Over You” builds into a powerful refrain after a subtle verse. Features the hit “Try.”
Capsize – Angst In My Veins CD/LP (Equal Vision)
New album The San Diego, CA-based melodic hardcore outfit.
Chrome – Alien Soundtracks I & II [Reissue 1977/1988] CD (Cleopatra)
The complete Alien Soundtracks saga now available on one disc. Experimental dystopian sci-fi rock from the spaciest San Francisco-based proto-industrial legends, originally released in 1977. The landmark Alien Soundtracks has been widely proclaimed one of the most innovative rock albums ever and was subsequently revisited by the band in 1988 with a sequel that explores similar musical and lyrical themes.
The Stanley Clarke Band – Up CD (Mack Avenue)
The legendary bassist’s new album is equal parts electric and acoustic bass.
Davenport Cabinet – Damned Renegades CD/LP (Equal Vision)
Davenport Cabinet features Travis Stever of Coheed And Cambria.
Decapitated – Blood Mantra CD/CD+DVD (Nuclear Blast)
Sixth album from the death metal band. With their emphasis on inventive songwriting and technical prowess, Decapitated has earned the respect of their musical peers and have gained a devoted fan base. Vogg, the band’s musical mastermind, creates songs that often feature blazing tempos, crushing riffs and memorable guitar solos. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD.
Madi Diaz – Phantom CD (Nettwerk)
Madi Diaz’s Phantom is an open-faced and undeniably honest chronicle of falling down, getting back up, and heading to the horizon. The songs expand upon Madi’s brand of sophisticated indie pop, taking on grungy, pulsating bass lines that open up to shimmering, expansive chords, punchy drum beats and unfettered vocal swagger.
Drottnar – Stratum CD (Endtime Productions)
Ending seven years of silence, Norway’s Drottnar return fire with a hail of sonic bullets. Through eight tracks of disharmonic bunker metal, they force seemingly formless structures into terrifying monoliths of industrial strength.
Kat Edmonson – The Big Picture CD (Sony Masterworks)
The Big Picture introduces extraordinary new layers of pop craft, highlighting Kat’s uniquely infectious vocal style as well as her equally exceptional songwriting skills, blending memorable hooks with lyrics that are witty, wise and tender. The album is a delicious batch of pop perfection with songs that are tight, polished and more upbeat than anything she’s done before. Edmonson draws from a wellspring of ’50s and ’60s pop, AM radio, present-day pop-rock, and movie soundtracks.
Electric Wizard – Time To Die CD/2xLP+MP3 (Spinefarm)
Electric Wizard return with their first new album since 2010. Their astounding eighth album Time To Die fizzes and crackles with the malevolent energy of a giant black sun blotting out the sky; this is their heaviest album since magnum opus Dope Throne (2000), their most evil since fan favorite Come My Fanatics (1997), and the most acidic and psychedelic of their career to date.
Electric Youth – Innerworld CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
“Crafted in the image of nu-romantic synth-pop acts like Soft Cell and Yaz, Electric Youth’s Innerworld is awash in ’80s earmarks. In fact, Yaz’s Vince Clarke lent a hand (and a Yamaha CS80) to the album. The arpeggiated melodies and programmed drums that course through Innerworld evoke memories of lost ’80s hits, hinting at the likes of Berlin, Nu Shooz, Scandal and Regina, especially in tracks like ‘Without You’ and the slower ballad ‘If All She Has Is You.’ Electric Youth operates with a sense of remove, though, evocative of icy Italo hits of that same era.” – NPR
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – The Hightone Years 3xCD (Rockbeat)
This triple-disc collection contains Jack Ellliot’s two most popular albums, Friends Of Mine and The Long Ride. Both feature artists such as Tom Russell, Emmylou Harris, Dave Alvin, Bob Weir and more. Also included a rare 1997 concert with Jack singing his signature songs and telling stories about his life as a troubadour.
Melissa Etheridge – This Is M.E. CD/LP (M.E. Records)
Recorded in New York and Los Angeles, This Is M.E. features 11 new songs all written or co-written by Etheridge along with writers such as Jon Levine (Andy Grammer), Jerrod Bettis (Birdy, Adele), Jerry Wonda and Roccstar and includes tracks produced by Levine, Bettis and Mark Batson (Grace Potter & The Nocturnals).
Evergrey – Hymns For The Broken CD (AFM)
Three and a half years after Glorious Collision, Swedish metallers return with a brand new album.
Excel – Split Image [Reissue/1987] CD/LP (Southern Lord)
Following their 2013 reunion, the Californian hardcore/thrash metal crossover band Excel has teamed up with Southern Lord for this expanded reissue their debut album (originally released through Suicidal and Caroline Records in 1987). Widely regarded as a classic album, Split Image was produced by Randy Burns (Death, Possessed, Megadeth, Kreator, Suicidal Tendencies).
The Fervor – Bleeder CD (Karate Body)
Louisville’s The Fervor formed around the husband/wife pair of Natalie (voice and keys) and Ben (guitar and harmony) Felker. The accumulating thunderhead of “Moment Of Truth” and the sly, snapping shifts in “The Void” move forward toward bringing light to mysteries of personality amd intimacy — but without any pretense of a definitive answer, and far removed from any calming platitudes.
Finch – Back To Oblivion CD (Razor & Tie)
In 2003, Finch took the post-hardcore world by storm with its gold-selling, debut record, What It Is To Burn. In 2006, the band released their sophomore album, Say Hello To Sunshine. In 2013 (after a band hiatus), Finch reunited for a 10 Year Anniversary Tour of What It Is to Burn, playing the album from start to finish in venues all over the world. Back To Oblivion is there first new album in five years. Vinyl version due November 10.
Finnegan’s Hell – Drunk, Sick & Blue CD (Heptown)
New album includes their Celtic Punk hit ”Drunken Christmas,” which was voted ‘best Christmas song of the year’ in 2013 by the readers of Sweden’s biggest music Magazine, Gaffa. Also includes the band’s classic version of ”The Molly Maguires,” which has become an underground hit on YouTube with more than half a million views.
Flying Colors – Second Nature CD/LP (Mascot)
Flying Colors is the talent-ridden supergroup consisting of guitarist Steve Morse, drummer Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, bass player Dave LaRue and the comparatively new talent, pop singer/songwriter Casey McPherson. The band challenge conventional wisdom about combining virtuoso music and melodic songwriting on their new album, Second Nature.
Freak Kitchen – Cooking With Pagans CD (Thunderstruck)
This Swedish trio has always been a tremendously respected live act, and for the first time their energetic live vibe has been captured in the studio. Influences stretch from AC/DC to classical South Indian music.
Fumaca Preta – Fumaca Preta CD/LP (Soundway)
Fumaca Preta’s (pronounced Foomassa Pretta – meaning Black Smoke) hard hitting, free-wheeling debut album brings together elements of tropicalia, psychedelic rock, fuzz funk, musique concrète, acid house, audiophonic electronics, hair metal, voodoo and African, Brazilian and Latin rhythms.
Function/Vatican Shadow – Games Have Rules CD/2xLP (Hospital Productions)
Collaborative album of evocative and classic techno and ambient.
Lee Gamble – Koch CD/2xLP (Pan)
Sharing some stylistic affinity with his previous records, which excavated his deeply personal history with UK jungle and rave, and techno, this new work dives even deeper to reveal a singular and intimate musical vantage point, shifting to approaching music as projection, state, hallucination, an other place. With Koch we experience an artist constructing a future after time spent deconstructing the past. If you dig recent stuff on Modern Love (Andy Stott, Demdike Stare, Miles, G.H.), then you need to own this album.
Genesis – R-Kive 3xCD (Atlantic)
Three-CD collection containing the prog band’s biggest hits plus solo recordings from the key members. Chronologically ordered, R-Kive features Genesis’s biggest hits including “Invisible Touch,” “Turn It On Again,” “Land Of Confusion,” and “I Can’t Dance.” Along the way it also visits Mike + The Mechanics’ classics “The Living Years” and “Over My Shoulder,” Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” and his Philip Bailey duet “Easy Lover,” and Peter Gabriel’s “Solsbury Hill.”
Alice Gerrard – Follow The Music CD/LP (Tompkins Square)
Alice Gerrard is a trailblazing folksinger who famously collaborated with Hazel Dickens. Their classic recordings for Folkways and Rounder in the ‘60s and ‘70s “rank among the most influential recordings in folk music history,” (AllMusic), and laid the groundwork for many artists, especially female bluegrass and folk musicians. Follow The Music features traditional tunes and original songs by Alice, produced by Hiss Golden Messenger’s M.C. Taylor, and features members of Hiss Golden Messenger and Megafaun.
Robin Gibb – 50 St. Catherine’s Drive CD (Rhino)
The last solo album by the legendary songwriter, performer and founding Bee Gee, Robin Gibb, who died in May 2012. 50 St Catherine’s Drive was compiled by his wife Dwina Gibb and son RJ Gibb, and includes most of the tracks originally recorded for the album, plus the last tracks written and recorded by Robin Gibb.
Charlie Haden/Jim Hall – Charlie Haden/Jim Hall CD (Blue Note)
Archive release of a previously-unreleased performance by these two recently departed masters at the 1990 Montreal International Jazz Festival. At first this might seem an unusual pairing – the dean of the avant-garde bass and a fellow that defined mainstream jazz guitar – but Charlie Haden and Jim Hall shared much common ground.
Happy Family – Minimal Gods CD (Cuneiform)
Happy Family first appeared in the mid 1990s as part of the explosion of exciting, underground bands roaring out of Japan at that time. They released two albums of over-the-top avant-rock for Cuneiform Records in 1995 and 1997 and then fell silent. Reforming with original personnel, they are back and just as heavy and intense as they ever were.
Heads – Everybody Knows We Got Nowhere [Reissue/2000] 2xCD/2xLP (Rooster)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this 2000 album including bonus B-sides, demos and more. Broken hands, lost Rickenbackers, and sliced tendons aside, Simon Price (guitar, vocals), Hugo Morgan (bass), Wayne Maskell (drums) and Paul Allen (guitar) hit many highs during this time. It represents the full force of the Heads’ psychedelic pummel, their trippiest, most psych collection, brutal yet beautiful. The hardcover, full-color box set wrapped in a specially printed tote bag, includes a 70-plus-minute CD of previously unreleased material culled from Price’s CD-R archives.
The History Of Apple Pie – Feel Something CD/LP (Marshall Teller)
Feel Somthing is the follow-up to last year’s Out Of View debut, which saw the British indie band propelled into the spotlight – hitting #8 in the UK Indie Breakers Chart, #2 in the UK Record Store Chart and winning fans the world over with their infectious fuzzed-out candied pop sound. Feel Something features ten tracks including the piano-laden lead single “Tame” and last year’s surf rock referencing “Don’t You Wanna Be Mine?” Recorded over the last few months at Sublime Studios in London, like its predecessor, it was again produced and engineered by the band’s Jerome Watson with additional engineering by Joshua Third of The Horrors and Charles Reeves.
Hot Rize – When I’m Free CD (Ten In Hand)
Ever since Tim O’ Brien, Pete Wernick, Nick Foster, and Charles Sawtelle first appeared onstage together in 1978, Hot Rize has been one of bluegrass music’s most beloved and critically-acclaimed bands punctuated by winning the IBMA’s first Entertainer Of The Year Award. Although it’s been almost 25 years since their last studio album, the foursome – with guitarist Bryan Sutton taking the place of the late Sawtelle – hasn’t lost a step, as they prove on their new record, When I’m Free.
How To Disappear Completely – Daughters Of Eve CD (MRI Associated)
How To Disappear Completely formed in the spring of 2012 when singer/guitarist James Bailey and bass player Thomas Calandra both formerly of Syracuse hardcore band Architect got together. They then approached violinist/keyboardist Devon Robillard and shortly after his addition they recruited drummer Ian MacNeil for percussion duties. Within a few months after writing and demoing songs, HTDC got Kyle Heath to fill in the empty second guitar spot.
Engelbert Humperdinck – Engelbert Calling 2xCD (MRI Associated)
New double-disc duets album featuring Humperdinck’s collaborations with Elton John, Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, Willie Nelson, Lulu, Gene Simmons, Shelby Lynne, Andrea Corr, Smokey Robinson, Johnny Mathis, Neil Sedaka, Dionne Warwick, Wynonna Judd, Ron Sexsmith, and many others.
Chris Herbert – Constants CD (Room40)
Sounds sourced from field recordings and domestic environments are augmented by shortwave radio, degraded cassettes, processed guitars, cymbals, and more.
Itchy-O – Burn The Navigator CD/LP (Alternative Tentacles)
This throbbing 32-piece band of masked chaos invites all to dissolve the performer/audience divide and melt into the bedlam. Denver’s Itchy-O Marching Band is a percussion-centered electronic ensemble and the mobile arm of the experimental film/music troupe Itchy-O. With a driving tribal drum corps complemented by an arsenal of special surround sound effects units (including synthesizers, theremin, vocoders, and several other hand held electronic devices), Itchy-O immerses the listener from every angle in an electric bog of music, ephemera and spectacle.
Lady Antibellum – 747 CD (Capitol Nashville)
Fifth album from the seven-time Grammy winning trio. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks.
La Flingue – Adhesif Scotch Zero Trois LP (P. Trash)
A blend of razor sharp guitar salvos, hard-hitting punky backbeats, and cranky vocals in their catchy, and unique French/English mixed style.
Les Marinellis – Les Marinellis LP (P. Trash)
Sweeping, frisky ‘60s garage pop.
Liminanas – (I’ve Got Trouble In Mind) 7” & Rare Stuff 2009/2014 CD/LP+MP3 (Trouble In Mind)
New compilation of The Liminanas’ out of print singles and compilation tracks, some making their first appearance on vinyl. Every non-album track you need is here, from the out-of-print Hozac single, to the Trouble In Mind 2011 limited tour single to their appearances on various compilations and tributes, all in one handy place.
The Liptones – Sidospår CD/LP (Amty)
Following the overwhelming response to a ‘hidden track’ on their second album which was sung in Swedish, the band decided to take this concept one step beyond by recording a full album with all tracks sung in Swedish. Continuing with their brand of high-energy ska, The Liptones combine the sounds of 2-Tone, punk, and original ‘60s ska and soul.
Jon Lord/Deep Purple & Friends – Celebrating Jon Lord The Rock Legend 2xCD (Eagle Rock)
The 2014 edition of The Sunflower Jam was divided into two parts the first part spotlighting Jon Lord’s classical music compositions and this second part featuring highlights of his career as a rock musician. Spread out over two CDs, the first disc features Deep Purple Mk III songs played by Paice with the old friend Glenn Hughes, together with Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, Rick Wakeman of Yes fame, Steve Balsamo (who sang in the late Jon Lord band and in his last studio album Concerto), members of The Temperance Movement, ex-members of Whitesnake, Marsden and Moody and “The Modfather” Paul Weller. The second disc features a set performed by the current Deep Purple lineup.
Madchild – Switched On CD (Battle Axe)
Madchild is notorious for his work as the lead MC with Canadian hip-hop phenoms, Swollen Members.
Jimbo Mathus – Jimmy The Kid CD (Big Legal Mess)
Jimmy The Kid was recorded in 2006-2007, and signaled a departure from the more bluesy recordings he had been releasing since disbanding Squirrel Nut Zippers and doing a four year stint with blues patriarch Buddy Guy. The recording includes some of Mathus’s best songwriting and some true honky-tonk gems like “Check Out Time,” and “Highway At Night,” as well as some good-old redneck rock and roll.
Meshuggah – Ophidian Trek 2xCD+DVD/2xCD+Blu-ray (Nuclear Blast)
Formed in the college town of Umea in northern Sweden in 1987, Meshuggah is one of the few purely and honestly lateral-thinking forces, genuinely dedicated to pushing the boundaries of extreme music. Ophidian Trek captures their entire live gig at Brixton, London in 2013, and is paired with a DVD or Blu-ray film of the show.
Raul Midon – Don’t Hesitate CD (Artistry Music)
Singer/songwriter, guitarist and multi-instrumental virtuoso Raul Midon returns with a new collection of jazz, R&B and folk infused selections.
Montibus Communitas – The Pilgrim To The Absolute CD/LP+MP3 (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond)
New album from the Peruvian sound collective. Each of the album’s six songs is a chapter in which we find the titular pilgrim (which is the band/listener/everything at once) on another stage of this massive, mesmerizing, metaphysical road trip. Heavy, heady stuff, without question. This is nothing less than a spiritual, ambient-art, high-altitude, altered-state, improvisational sonic prayer that’s equally human & down-to-earth (which is floating in space).
Monty Python – Monty Python’s Total Rubbish: The Complete Collection 9xCD/10xLP (Virgin)
Following the release of Monty Python Sings (Again), the Pythons also unveil a career spanning box set. Monty Python’s nine UK albums Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Another Monty Python Record, Monty Python’s Previous Record, Matching Tie And Handkerchief, Live At Drury Lane, Holy Grail, Life Of Brian, Monty Python’s Contractual Obligation Album, and The Meaning Of Life are united for the first time to create the ultimate collectors’ edition purchase. Both CD and LP releases also include a limited edition 7” Single of their 1974 flexi-disc “Monty Python’s Tiny Black Round Thing.”
Mr. Big – …The Stories We Could Tell CD (Frontiers)
New studio album from the melodic hard rockers.
Nico Muhly – Two Boys 2xCD (Nonesuch)
Double-disc release of Nico Muhly s opera Two Boys, recorded live during the Metropolitan Opera’s 2013 production with conductor David Robertson and director Bartlett Sher. The two-act opera, which features a libretto by award-winning playwright Craig Lucas, is loosely based on true events and follows a lonely detective whose investigation of a seemingly simple crime draws her into a complex web of online intrigue.
Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers – Another Day From Life CD (Rebel)
In a relatively short time, Ohioan Joe Mullins has established himself and his group as one of the leaders of today’s crop of traditional bluegrass bands. But what may seem like a short time is really more like a lifetime of involvement with the music: the son of a noted fiddler, promoter, and DJ Paul Mullins, Joe has extended the family’s extremely successful track record, adding ownership of several radio stations to the highlights of a unique career.
No-Man – Together We’re Stranger [Reissue/2003] CD (Kscope)
Originally released in 2003, No-Man’s fifth album Together We’re Stranger saw the duo of Tim Bowness and Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson further extending the reach of its panoramic soundscapes and cracked, mournful, ballads. Boasting impressive performances from Ben Castle (clarinets), Roger Eno (harmonium) and Gramophone’s David Picking (percussion, trumpet), amongst others, the album is a powerful and emotionally direct statement that has deservedly garnered cult acclaim. This 2014 version has been remastered by Steven Wilson and includes two bonus tracks with the included booklet features sleeve notes from Mojo Magazine’s Johnny Black.
Nonpoint – The Return CD (Razor & Tie)
After 17 years in the game, the Florida nu-metal quintet sustains the same energy that sparked its foundation back in 1997. In February 2014, the guys entered Groovemaster Studios with Grammy Award-nominated producer Johnny K (Disturbed, Staind, Megadeth) and engineer Daniel Salcidoto.
Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? [Reissue/1995] CD/3xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Big Brother Recordings)
Oasis’ multi-platinum follow up to Definitely Maybe has been remastered reissued as a standard single-disc as well as Deluxe triple-CD and double-LP set (which features a digital download bundle of all bonus CD content). Previously unheard demos of She’s Electric and Rockin Chair recorded at Mark Coyle’s Manchester studio. Highlights of the bonus material: Demos of “Some Might Say,” “Hey Now,” and “Bonehead’s Bank Holiday” recorded by Mark Coyle for the first time at the band’s soundcheck at Club Quattro in Tokyo in September 1994; Live recordings from legendary gigs such as Knebworth House, Maine Road Stadium, Earls Court, and Bath Pavilion’ All of the Morning Glory B-sides including “Talk Tonight,” “Acquiesce,” “The Masterplan,” and “Underneath The Sky.” (Also available as a Super Deluxe set which includes three CDs, two LPs, a cassette, plus a 7” and 12” single.)
Overcharge – Accelerate CD (Dark Descent)
Awesome album of Italian punk-rock and speed metal ala Motörhead.
Christopher Owens – A New Testament CD/LP (Turnstyle)
Second solo album from the former Girls frontman. “The album finds Owens tackling some heavy themes and playing around with classic American sounds like gospel and old-timey country. But there’s a summery, chipper lightness to many of the songs here, and if I had to guess, I’d name Buddy Holly as the single greatest influence on the whole project.” – Stereogum
Phobocosm – Deprived CD (Dark Descent)
Darkened death metal from Canada.
Pine Hill Haints – Majik Sounds Of The Pine Hill Haints CD/LP (K Records)
This is the fourth Halloween dance party long player the Haints have cut for K.
Prince – ART OFFICIAL AGE CD (WB)
While it plays like a classic Prince album, produced, arranged, composed, and performed by the Man in Purple, ART OFFICIAL AGE is also a contemporary concoction of soul, R&B and funk.
Prince & 3rdeyegirl – Plectrumelectrum CD (WB)
Plectrumelectrum is a classic band record, with 3rdeyegirl – a funk band comprised of Prince, Donna Grantis (guitar), Hannah Ford Welton (drums) and Ida Nielsen (bass). Recorded live and in analog, the album is an electrifying funk-rock statement. Many of the tracks were performed live on the “Hit & Run” tours of the UK earlier this year – incendiary performances in a series of historic venues – which led The Guardian to declare ”These are performances by one of the greatest funk-rock bands ever.”
Rapoon – Cultural Forgeries CD (Alrealon Musique)
Robin Storey explains: “In 2013 I was asked by my friend Robert Pepper (Pas Musique) if I wanted to do an ‘unplugged’ album. I was intrigued by the idea and agreed. I thought of ways of constructing pieces that did not involve any ‘processing.’ I wanted to make something that was essentially acoustic recordings but which were composed and arranged to give some depth and intricacy to them. The treatments and processing are as much a part of composition as are the instruments and the recordings. In a way I failed to make an unplugged album but I did make something which was outside of my usual work process and for that i am thankful.”
Duncan Reid And The Big Heads – The Difficult Second Album CD (LBH)
Second solo album from legendary punk rocker Duncan ‘Kid’ Reid, best known for his work with The Boys. As singer and bass player of Joey Ramone’s favorite band, Duncan rode on the crest of a wave during punk’s original late-‘70s heyday as part of a wider collective of friends and peers that included Sex Pistols, The Clash, Generation X and a host of other power-chord pioneers.
Django Reinhardt –Best Of The Broadcast Performances 2xCD (Fuel 2000)
Double-CD anthology is drawn entirely from recordings made between 1940 and 1950.
Calvin Richardson – I Am Calvin CD (BMG Rights Management)
Dubbed as the ‘Prince of Soul,’ Grammy-nominated recording artist Calvin Richardson has made it his mission today’s keeper of yesterday’s soul music.
J Rider – No Longer Anonymous [Reissue/1996] CD/LP+MP3 (Machu Picchu)
After the 1976 release of Inside the Shadow, the band Anonymous decided to change their name to J Rider and pursued a similar rich vein of impeccable songwriting, but this time adding more hard rock to the mix. Remastered and restored by Warren Defever for maximum brilliance.
Ritual Howls – Turkish Leather CD/LP (Felte)
This three Detroit three-piece mixes industrial, death rock, and Spaghetti Western guitar sounds.
Roberto Rodriguez – Aguares: The Book Of Angels Volume 23 CD (Tzadik)
Roberto Rodriguez’s dynamic blending of Cuban music with the Jewish tradition has produced some of the most popular and best selling CDs on the Radical Jewish series. Here he turns his brilliant arranging skills and fabulous all-star ensemble to nine beautiful melodies from Zorn’s lyrical Book Of Angels. Recorded in Israel with some of the strongest musicians out of the exciting Israeli music scene the music is at once familiar and surprising, touching on traditions while bringing them into the 21st century with imagination, wit and a passionate creativity.
Steve Rothery Band – Live In Rome CD (Inside Out U.S.)
The legendary guitarist and founding member of Marillion, Steve Rothery has long been known for his unique playing style, and in the live setting the experience cannot be matched. This brilliant live set sees Rothery airing tracks from his forthcoming solo album, The Ghosts Of Pripyat, which was financed by an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign that reached its target in the first 24 hours.
Ruby Fray – Grackle CD/LP (K Records)
Coming a long way from her debut album, Pith, Ruby Fray’s new album Grackle blends Americana sweetness with sludgy dissonance. Helmed by Emily Beanblossom, the band teamed up with Pith producer, Ben Hargett, to record the album at Dub Narcotic Studio in Olympia, WA. Their 2014 recording preserves the playful jangly genre-bouncing enervation found in their previous work while insisting on a more disciplined approach to songwriting.
The Rural Alberta Advantage – Mended With Gold CD/LP (Saddle Creek)
Mended With Gold is the third album from the Canadian folk indie folk outfit. The ideas and moods created in these songs tie back to the album title Mended With Gold, embracing the idea that the breakage and repair of an object becomes part of its unique history and ultimately makes it more valuable instead of a blemish to disguise. The Rural Alberta Advantage have taken all of their successes, losses, adventures, and heartbreaks over the past few years, and forged them together into an unforgettably powerful work of beauty. (Limited vinyl version pressed on clear wax with metallic gold splatter.)
Dylan Ryan/Sand – Circa CD (Cuneiform)
Two years after the release of their impressive debut Sky Bleached, Dylan Ryan/Sand release Circa, a purposeful continuation of the aesthetic that the group had fostered on its first record. Circa, which features guitarist Timothy Young (David Sylvian, Reggie Watts, Wayne Horvitz), bassist Devin Hoff (Nels Cline Singers, Yoko Ono, Cibo Matto) and leader/composer/drummer Dylan Ryan (Herculaneum) has a wholly unique styling, which ranges from the fearlessly improvisational to the tender; the abrasive to the understated.
SPM – The Son Of Norma 2xCD (Dope House)
SPM (South Park Mexican) embody the elements of Texas southern rap. He has garnished a cult following built up through the Texas rap scene through numerous high chart topping releases and his association with legendary DJ Screw ‘Chopped & Screwed’ culture.
Saigon – G.S.N.T 3: The Troubled Times Of Brian Carenard CD/LP (Squid Ink Squad, LLC)
Rapper/actor/reality TV star Saigon is back with his third album.
The Script – No Sound Without Silence CD (Columbia)
Fourth studio album from the multi-platinum selling Irish rock trio from Dublin, which has been called “Ireland’s biggest band since U2.”
Sea Oleena – Shallow CD/LP (Lefse)
Charlotte Oleena began writing simple soundscapes as Sea Oleena in early 2010, shaped by melancholy and never wanting to leave her bedroom. With an initial focus on recording, she began playing shows by herself regularly a year after the release of her first EP. Since then she’s played shows with a handful of musicians, but has recently been playing alone again, moving pointedly in the direction of wide and open ambient worlds. At the end of 2012, following two self-released EPs, Oleena began writing what would become her first label-released album, Shallow. Her tactful use of textures and instrumentation make for a blissful, cinematic listen that’s centered on what matters most: her captivating voice.
Sempiternal Dusk – Sempiternal Dusk CD (Dark Descent)
Ritualistic and dark death metal.
David Shea – Rituals CD (Room40)
Electro-acoustic deconstructions and semiotic acoustic renderings with contributions from Oren Ambarchi and Lawrence English.
Blake Shelton – Bringing Back The Sunshine CD (WB)
New album from the country superstar.
Elizabeth Shepherd – Signal CD (Linus)
Velvety-voiced pianist Elizabeth Shepherd arrived on the international scene in 2006 when her debut album Start To Move was voted one of the top three jazz albums of the year by the listeners of the influential Gilles Peterson Show on BBC Radio Worldwide. Since then, the Canadian soul-jazz innovator has released three widely acclaimed records and toured extensively in North America, Europe, Japan and Latin America. Along with Esperanza Spalding, Robert Glasper, and Jose James she is seen as part of a wave of young jazz musicians bringing the art form to a new generation of music fans.
Sick Of It All – Last Act Of Defiance CD/LP+CD (Century Media)
Sick Of It All’s tenth album — 14 anthems of heartfelt, no-holds-barred hardcore.
Ricky Skaggs And Sharon White – Hearts Like Ours CD (Skaggs Family)
The multiple Grammy, CMA and Dove Award winners are married both on stage and off in this tender work that they have waited their whole professional careers to craft in perfect harmony together. Hearts Like Ours captures a modern take on a classic country.
Slow Magic – How To Run Away CD/LP (Downtown)
Sophomore album from masked producer. “”Moody and full of super-intense synth sounds and catchy percussion… dreamy yet as refreshing as ever, this is your smooth soundtrack to the last days of summer.” – Stereofox
David Smith/Bill Laswell/John Zorn – The Dream Membrane CD (Tzadik)
This fabulous collaborative musical project features the legendary magus David Chaim Smith reading selections from his mystical text The Awakening Ground along with the magical pioneer of dark ambient music Bill Laswell on bass and drones, and John Zorn on shofar and alto saxophone. Evocative and meditative, this is a rare and unique project that synthesizes Kabbalah, mysticism and the hypnotic swirls of dark ambient music.
Soft Swells – Floodlights CD/LP (Modern Outsider)
Drums shake, organs swell, guitars rock and vocals soar.
Sons Of Bill – Love And Logic CD/LP (Gray Fox)
Charlottesville, Virginia’s Sons Of Bill find inspiration in the region’s rich literary and cultural traditions. With Grammy nominated producer and former Uncle Tupelo/Wilco drummer Ken Coomer at the helm, the band has elevated their artistry to new heights by making an album that is as current as it is rooted in the foundations of early alt-country, long before the term Americana was coined.
Soulbender – Soulbender II CD (Rat Pak)
Formed over a decade ago in Seattle, Washington, Soulbender is comprised of Queensrÿche guitarist Michael Wilton, vocalist Nick Pollock (My Sisters Machine), guitarist Dave Groves (ex-Tin Pan/Fallen Angel) and drummer Wes Hallam (ex-Assault/Fallen Angel). Michael Wilton describes Soulbender as a very progressive, hard rock band with very intense musicians and a couple of the members are prodigies.
Sparzanza – Circle CD (Black Cult)
Seventh release from the Swedish band. The production of Circle is the most natural sounding in their discography. The dark feel that was present on Death Is Certain Life Is Not is subtler this time, allowing more space for their raw grooves and heaviness.
Stiff Little Fingers – No Going Back CD (Mondo Music)
New album from the veteran Irish Punk band led by Jake Burns. Stiff Little Fingers are a seminal punk rock band from Northern Ireland, formed in 1977. No Going Back is their first album in a decade.
Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives – Saturday Night/Sunday Morning CD/2xLP (Superlatone)
On his new double-album, Stuart captures all the authentic neon and stained-glass hues of country music from love and sex to heartache and hardship to family and God across its twenty-three tracks.
Sylvian/Fripp – First Day [Reissue/1993] CD (DGM)
Sylvian/Fripp – Damage [Reissue/1994] CD (DGM)
Experimental yet accessible, song driven yet leaving ample room for instrumental exploration, The First Day is a great advert for such occasional meetings insofar as it manages to showcase the individual strengths of both artists while drawing something new and unexpected from their joint work. Damage was recorded at the final London concerts in December 1993 and issued in 1994. Whereas the studio album had a measured grace and power, the live album was even more muscular on the rock pieces, drawing some extraordinary performances from all contributors.
Tantric – Blue Room Archives CD (Pavement Ent.)
This collection of songs includes acoustic versions of their two biggest singles ”Breakdown” and ”Mourning.” Also included are rare and unreleased tracks extending over Tantric’s entire career.
Tape – Casino CD (Hapna Sweden)
Tape’s sixth full-length begs to be listened to on headphones, for its quiet splendor, its swelling tones, and the microscopic details scuttling across the floor of the mix.
Team Spirit – Killing Time CD/LP (Vice)
“Historically, every time rock ‘n’ roll has started to seem terminally stagnant some group of young musicians will power-wash away the stylistic and philosophical cruft that the genre’s accumulated, relocating its live-wire heart and giving it new life by connecting it to the core principles that it’s forgotten about. In the past, that task has fallen on punks, alt-rockers, and garage rock revivalists, and today it’s falling on a loosely affiliated community of bands that combine all the above with the kind of frills-free, gut-punch energy that’s made legends out of bands like the Stooges and AC/DC. One of those groups is Team Spirit, founded by former Passion Pit keyboardist Ayad Al-Adhammy after an aesthetic epiphany where he ditched synthesizers for a six-string. Killing Time is a raging gang fight of classic rock guitar riffing and sugar-sweet pop-punk hooks with the potential to connect with van-driving, horns-throwing headbangers as deeply as it does with stage-diving punk kids.” – Entertainment Weekly
The Time And Space Machine – Presents: The Way Out Sound From In CD/2xLP (Ample Play)
Ample Play Records releases a heavy-duty collection of Richard Norris’ recent Time And Space Machine mixes. A man of many guises, he has operated as a duo—as The Grid with Dave Ball, as Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve with Erol Alkan—but when it’s time for some solo sonic action, he records and remixes as The Time And Space Machine. Here he remixes tracks by Warpaint, Tame Impala, Jagwar Ma, Psychemagik, Temples, The Sufis, and more.
Torch Runner – Endless Running CD/LP (Southern Lord)
“North Carolina grindcore trio Torch Runner have been a force to be reckoned with since their inception, previously releasing two excellent full lengths as well as a split with their similarly bleak and harsh peers in Young And In The Way. Endless Nothing marks the band’s third LP and their first for new label Southern Lord, and it’s the most intense material from the band to date by a long shot and undoubtedly one of the heaviest, most volatile and overall best extreme records I’ve heard from any band in any genre in 2014.” – Toxicbreedsfunhouse.blogspot.com
Tove Lo – Queen Of The Clouds CD (Island)
Highly anticipated debut album from the Swedish songbird. Tove Lo first entered the pop arena earlier this year in March with the release of her critically acclaimed debut EP, Truth Serum, and widely appraised live performances at this 2014’s SXSW in Austin, TX. Vinyl version due October 14.
The Tragic Thrills – The Tragic Thrills CD (Washington Square)
The Tragic Thrills manage to infuse a poignant narrative into meticulously crafted music. The band incorporates strands of rock, pop, folk, and country to create a modern and alternative take on those genres for their enthralling debut album.
Trigger Hippy – Trigger Hippy CD (Rounder)
“You can see this as a player’s band,” explains co-founder Steve Gorman, who also co-founded The Black Crowes, “but it really is a band, in the true sense of that word.” Vocals are shared by multi-platinum singer Joan Osborne and veteran recording artist Jackie Greene. Rounding out the broup are lead guitarist Tom Bukovac and bassist Nick Govrik, who wrote many of the band’s songs. The Nashville-based quintet’s debut album Trigger Hippy draws on the strengths of all five, both individually and collectively, and showcases influences and inspiration from Memphis soul to rock, country and blues. One can sense The Band here, and Little Feat, some Led Zeppelin, and a tent revival. Gorman rightly calls it a “rock band that can jam.” Vinyl version due November 24.
Unit 731 – The Hive Mind CD/LP (Deathwish Inc.)
Unit 731 is a hardcore metal band formed in Pittsburgh in 2005. The band combines death metal, hardcore, and slam to create a heavy and chaotic sound that Pittsburgh bands are notable for. Influences include Dying Fetus, All Out War, Irate, and Built Upon Frustration.
Various Artists [Tim Gane] – Kollektion 01: Sky Records Compiled by Tim Gane CD/LP (Bureau B)
First release in this compilation series is an overview of the hugely-important German Krautrock label Sky Records, compiled by Tim Gane (Stereolab). Artists include: Cluster, Moebius, Roedelius, Gunter Schickert, Michael Rother, and Asmus Tietchens.
Various Artists – Arkansas at 78RPM: Corn Dodgers & Hoss Hair Pullers CD (Dust-To-Digital)
A collection of original 78RPM hillbilly and song-based country music from 1928-1937.
Various Artists – The Soul Of Designer Records 4xCD (Big Legal Mess)
If passion and fervor were electricity, the performances on The Soul Of Designer Records could put the glow in every neon sign in the city on the Mississippi River where they were recorded. Between 1967 and 1977 Designer label founder Style Wooten and his studio main man Roland Janes (a heroic figure in Memphis music), produced between 400 and 500 gospel singles. Many of the artists they recorded came from Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas, but as the label’s reputation grew they began arriving from more far flung locales—Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, Ohio, the Carolinas, Florida, California—sometimes literally waiting in line for their turn to cut at Janes’ Sonic Studios. Many of these numbers share a badass, wild-eyed energy—the same primitive, reverb-soaked mojo that drives the classic Memphis rockabilly, garage rock and blues that was Janes’ specialty.
Various Artists – We Are The Music Makers! Preserving The Soul Of America’s Music 2xCD (Music Maker)
The Music Maker Relief Foundation celebrates its 20th Anniversary with this comprehensive double-disc compilation (released in conjunction with a new book and traveling exhibit). The 44-track collection includes Taj Mahal, Guitar Gabriel, John Dee Holeman, Etta Baker, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Leyla McCalla, Ironing Board Sam, and many others, with over two hours of music.
Violent Soho – Hungry Ghost CD/LP (Side One Dummy)
“The Buddhist concept of the ‘hungry ghost’ neatly sums up the urgency, the want, the search of Violent Soho’s music. Amid the riffs, hooks and wail of frontman Luke Boerdam is a stark examination of the way we view the world, and the way consumer culture feeds relentlessly on itself and its urges. A fitting theory for an unapologetic, no-bullshit post-grunge cacophony, as laid bare on the Brisbane four-piece’s second album, Hungry Ghost.” – JB Hi-FI
Gerard Way – Hesitant Alien CD/LP (Reprise)
Debut solo album from the My Chemical Romance frontman. “Opening track ‘Bureau’ is built around descending chords that find Way’s new backing band The Hormones all dressed up in Suede: Way’s most obvious touchstone here is Brett Anderson’s damaged theatrical glamour. ‘No Shows’ flits between epic anthemics and fuzzy soloing, and the prowling bass of ‘Zero Zero’ dominates the song’s distorted vocals. But it’s ‘Get The Gang Together’ that’s the outstanding highlight – riff-heavy and sleazy, it’s like Queens Of The Stone Age after an androgynous makeover. Elsewhere however, British influences abound. Aladdin Sane-era Bowie informs the punchy strut of each song. ‘Maya The Psychic’ is drawn from Ash’s book of radio bangers and the hazy tambourine shake of ‘Drugstore Perfume’ makes sense of Way’s recent live covers of The Jesus And Mary Chain’s ‘Snakedriver.’” — NME
Weedeater – Sixteen Tons [Reissue/2002] CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
Notorious sludge outfit Weedeater’s sophomore album is reissued on CD and made available for the first time on vinyl.
Lucinda Williams – Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone CD/2xLP+CD (Highway 20)
Recorded off and on between September of 2013 through March of 2014, Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone finds Lucinda tapping into her southern roots for this double album, which features guest appearances by Greg Leisz, Tony Joe White, Pete Thomas, Gia Ciambotti, Bill Frisell and Jakob Dylan.
Willi Williams – Unification: From Channel One To King Tubby’s CD (Shanachie)
Willi Williams is a legendary roots reggae artist who scored the all time classic hit “Armageddon Time,” which was covered by The Clash. The song was featured in Jim Jarmusch’s acclaimed feature film Ghost Dog. Unification: From Channel One To King Tubby’s is a great lost roots classic recorded by Willi in association with fellow roots legend Yabby You in 1978-1979 at both the fabled Channel One and King Tubby’s studios.
Luke Winslow-King – Everlasting Arms CD/LP+MP3 (Bloodshot)
Reminiscent of early ‘50s blues and soul 45s but with an updated pop-inflected rootsy twist, Everlasting Arms is equal parts Delta punk rock, jivin’ city blues and understated elegance.
Witch Mountain – Mobile Of Angels CD (Profound Lore)
Witch Mountain are probably Portland, Oregon’s oldest currently active metal band; they date back to 1997, formed by guitarist Rob Wrong and drummer Nathan Carson, at a time when Portland’s heavy music scene was practically non-existent. Their new album Mobile Of Angels maintains the massive, heavy, bluesy and melodic tone the band is known for.
Yelle – Complètement Fou CD/LP (Kemosabe)
New album from the French electropop group (when translated Complètement Fou basically means “Completely Mad”) The album was entirely produced by American hitmaker Lukasz Gottwald, best known as Dr. Luke, producer behind some of the biggest hits from Katy Perry, Kesha and Becky G.
Zodiac – Sonic Child CD (Prosthetic)
“If you’re a fan of old-school prog rock or classical metal, this is right up your alley” – Metal Injection. Vinyl version due October 14.
John Zorn – Valentines Day CD (Tzadik)
An exciting new world of instrumental rock featuring three generations of Downtown superstars—Marc Ribot (Ceramic Dog, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello), Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Melvins, Fantômas) and Tyshawn Sorey (Steve Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Vijay Iyer).
Zurich – Zurich CD (Important)
CD version of long-lost album from members of Slowdive, Seefeel, and Knives Ov Resistance, expanded with unreleased archival material from the early ‘90s.
DVD + Blu-ray:
Alabama & Friends – At The Ryman DVD (Eagle)
Join Alabama for a once in a lifetime concert event, filmed at the historic Ryman Auditorium, featuring on stage collaborations with country’s biggest stars: Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Trisha Yearwood, Florida Georgia Line, Jamey Johnson and the Eli Young Band.
Between The Buried And Me – Future Sequence: Live at the Fidelitorium CD+DVD (Metal Blade)
Between The Buried And Me perform The Future Sequence live in a small studio with guest contributions by a group of auxiliary musicians, including percussionists, saxophone, flute, and a string quartet.
Dream Theater – Breaking The Fourth Wall: Live From The Boston Opera House DVD/Blu-ray (Roadrunner)
Live performance recorded at Boston Opera House on March 25, 2014.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
About Blanks – The Ignore This Product LP (P. Trash)
Loud, snotty bullsh!t from the guys that brought you 12 Boring Blasts.
Tony Allen – Black Voices [Reissue/1999] LP (Kindred Spirits)
Part of the Tony Allen reissue series on Kindred Spirits, featuring remastered versions and original restored artwork. Black Voices is a must for Afrobeat fans. Without question, it is one of the highpoints of his post-Fela catalog.
Angus & Julia Stone – Angus & Julia Stone 2xLP (American Recordings)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The third album from the Australian brother-sister folk-blues duo, produced by Rick Rubin. “The whole thing is heart-breakingly beautiful and brilliantly recorded.” — Zane Lowe/BBC Radio 1
Bad Channels – Bad Channels 12” (Kingfisher Bluez)
Reverby, garagey, punky pizza-pop tunes from this Vancouver, BC-based quartet.
Battlecross – War Of Will LP (Metal Blade)
2013 release from the Canton, Michigan-based metal band – now available on vinyl. The band describes their sound as “blue collar thrash metal.”
Liam Betson – Cover Of Hunter LP (Double Double Whammy)
Fourth album from the Titus Andronicus guitarist. Limited copies pressed on white vinyl. “Much like his once-and-former bandmate Patrick Stickles, Betson sometimes hits the wrong note to strike the right feeling.” – Pitchfork
Boothroyd – Idle Hours 12” (Tri-Angle)
“Since few of us have heard much from Boothroyd (real name: Peter Boothroyd) thus far, it’s hard to work out how representative ‘NYC’ is in relation to his other material, but if you’re into the pounding textural experimentalism of Fis, the woozy, low-light patchwork of Forest Swords and the kind of horror-flecked soundscapes of the Haxan Cloak then you’ll probably be very happy indeed.” – Fact
James Brown – Live In New York LP (Cleopatra)
Ten stellar vintage live performances of Brown’s best, pressed on red vinyl.
John Cale – Academy In Peril [Reissue/1972] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Cale’s 1972 album reissued on HQ-180gm vinyl in a die-cut custom gatefold jacket. Academy In Peril is an exploration of Cale’s influences and training in classical music and features mainly instrumental compositions including two tracks with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He balances the rock-classical fusion on the record with touches of humor while the music itself is beautiful and subtle showing his skills at composition and arranging.
Contents Are – Through You [Reissue/1967] LP+2×7” (Machu Picchu)
Limited one-time LP pressing of 1967 album includes exact reproductions of the group’s two non-album 7” singles. “Rumours of a limited demo LP pressing from this renowned Iowa garage/folk rock band remained unconfirmed until a copy popped up at a 2005 Austin Record Show. Skillfully arranged three-minute gems from the point where beat and folk rock turn into melodic psychedelia.” — Acid Archives
The Damned – Black Album [Reissue/1980] 2xLP (Drastic Plastic)
Vinyl reissue of fourth album from the British punk founding-fathers, originally released in 1980. Available on HQ-200gm black, 150gm red opaque, and 150gm dark grey vinyl.
Death – Spiritual Healing [Reissue/1990] LP (Relapse)
Originally released in 1990, Spiritual Healing marked a new turn in the Death discography, one which ushered in cleaner production, a new level of boundary pushing musicianship and songwriting skills that were previously unimaginable from a metal band.
Bo Diddley – Go Bo Diddley [Reissue/1959] LP (Friday Music)
HQ-180gm vinyl reissue.
Kenny Drew – Undercurrent [Reissue/1960] LP (Blue Note)
Undercurrent is the seventh recording by pianist Kenny Drew. Recorded in 1960, this is Drew’s second and last Blue Note album. Featuring Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums, this hard bop essential has been reissued as part of the overall Blue Note 75th anniversary reissue campaign.
The Drums – Encyclopedia 2xLP+MP3 (Minor Records)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. The Drums music often explores the themes of loss, nostalgia, redemption, vulnerability, and love with critic’s raves embracing both the lyrics and their sonic signature. This time around, they’ve embraced a darker sound while making it as grand and majestic as they please.
Tom Ellard – ‘80s Cheesecake [Reissue/1892] LP (Dark Entries)
Tom Ellard is the creative force behind Australian post-punk band Severed Heads. In 1982 he self-released two cassettes of solo material, ‘80s Cheesecake and Snappy Carrion. These cassettes document the transitional period between the early experimental Severed Heads’ albums Clean and Blubberknife before the start of something new with Since The Accident. With the advent of the then new Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer, a machine synonymous with the acid house sound, Tom began to write more beat driven material. The rhythms are made by a TR-808 drum machine, Kawai S100F and SH-1 synthesizers, plus various televisions, radios, cassette decks and pedals.
Estrogen Highs – Hear Me On The Number Station LP+MP3 (Trouble In Mind)
The New Haven, CT band have always had one foot in the musical waters of New Zealand and the influence of kiwi-pop forefathers, but the band incorporates more of the avant textures of the Xpressway discography this time around.
Eyeswan/Hidden Cabins – Weathered [Split] 10” (Engineer)
Split vinyl release featuring two groups that specialize in folk rock with a dose of gut and grit.
Fozzy – Do You Wanna Start A War CD (Century Media)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “We wanted to do something a little different. We love, obviously, Avenged Sevenfold or Five Finger Death Punch, we love Iron Maiden, we love Ozzy. But we also love Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin and Queen and U2 and The Beatles, bands that would always broaden their horizons, but still sound… the core of the band’s sound was still there, but they would different things.”
Genital Hospital – Street Mummy LP (P. Trash)
Ten catchy, forceful, and rousing KBD-garage punk tunes mired in psychedelic intoxication.
Grade – Separate The Magnets [Reissue/1997] LP (Second Nature/Dine Alone)
Deluxe vinyl reissue of the Nineties-bred screamo tacticians’ 1997 10” EP, reissued on HQ-180gm vinyl mastered at 45RPM with updated artwork.
Freddie Hubbard – Ready For Freddie [Reissue/1961] LP (Blue Note)
Ready For Freddie by jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard features Grammy winner Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, McCoy Tyner on piano, Art Davis on bass, Elvin Jones on drums and Bernard McKinney on euphonium. Reissued as part of the overall Blue Note 75th anniversary reissue campaign.
IKO – ’83 [Reissue/1982] LP (Medical Records)
This coveted album by minimal synth aficionados around the globe has been out of print and very rare since it’s original release in 1982. Hailing from Montreal, Canada, IKO has always been shrouded in mystery. All three members come from an academic background (electroacoustic composition, etc), and they met at the University of Montreal in the music department. Taking from their collective influences of ‘60s pop, prog and minimalist composers as well as early industrial, they played in a few early bands before solidifying the all-synth incarnation of IKO in it’s definitive lineup. HQ-180gm yellow and black vinyl.
In Flames – Siren Charms 2xLP (Sin UK)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Siren Charms is the eleventh album from the Swedish metallers.
Jimmy Eat World – Futures [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Shop Radio Cast)
HQ-180gm blue audiophile vinyl with bonus tracks, gatefold sleeve, and insert.
King Jammy – More Jammys From The Roots LP (VP)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 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.
Peter Criss – Peter Criss [Reissue/1978] LP (UMe)
Kiss – Alive II [Reissue/1977] 2xLP (UMe)
Kiss – Alive: The Millennium Concert 2xLP (UMe)
HQ-180gm vinyl represses released to coincide with the band’s 40th Anniversary. Remastered to high definition 192kHz/24-bit audio for maximum fidelity.
Fela Kuti – Box Set #3 7xLP (Knitting Factory Works)
The third of the long-awaited vinyl reissues from the Fela Kuti catalog. Limited to 2000 pieces. These seven albums were chosen by long-time admirer, Brian Eno. Includes: London Scene (1971), Shakara (1972), Gentleman (1973), Afrodisiac (1973), Zombie (1976), Upside Down (1976), and I.T.T. (1980). Also includes a 12-page booklet and poster.
Talib Kweli & Hi Tek – Reflection Eternal [Reissue/2000] 2xLP (Rawkus)
Talib Kweli – Quality [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (Rawkus)
Vinyl reissues now available.
Annie Lennox – Nostalgia LP (Blue Note)
Annie Lennox pays tribute to some of the greatest artists of the 20th century – including Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Billie Holiday and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – and interprets compositions that have moved her, stripping them down to their emotional and musical core and making them her own. CD version due October 21.
LVL UP – Hoodwink’d LP+MP3 (Double Double Whammy)
Hoodwink’d is an ambitious piece of work, with 15 songs that showcase the LVL UP’s ability to draw from a diverse set of influences, ranging from ‘90s indie rock, to ‘80s new wave and ‘70s power pop. Limited quantities pressed on white vinyl.
The Madden Brothers – Greetings From California LP (Capitol Music Group)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 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.
Major Kong – Doom For The Black Sun [2012] LP (Transubstans Sweden)
Let yourself be drawn into the debut album by Polish psych-doomsters Major Kong. Creating instrumental landscapes full of fuzzed heaviness, they suck you straight to the bottom of a hellish swamp. Limited copies pressed on green vinyl.
Marble Sky – Marble Sky [2008] LP (Students Of Decay)
First time on vinyl LP for this highly coveted and beloved project by Jeff Witscher of Rene Hell. Marble Sky was the moniker under which chameleonic nomad Witscher recorded his most intimate and contemplative music. The material that comprises this eponymous release was originally released in the late aughts as short-run cassettes – highly coveted and personal releases that imparted mystery and a strange sense of hermetic romanticism.
Milky Chance – Sadnecessary LP+MP3 (Republic)
Hailing from Kassel, Germany, Clemens & Phillip have been making music together since meeting in an 11th grade music class. The group describes their music as a “singer-songwriter spirit mixed with electronic beats. Somehow, it’s always a little bit melancholy, but there’s a positive spin.” CD version due October 14.
Minus The Bear – They Make Beer Commercials Like This [Reissue/2004] 12” (Suicide Squeeze)
Beer Commercials came out in between MTB’s two most classic full lengths, 2002’s Highly Refined Pirates and 2005’s Menos El Oso, and, like those albums, it contains some of their most essential songs from the early years.
Joni Mitchell – Hejira [Reissue/1976] LP (Elektra)
Hejira is a 1976 folk/rock/jazz album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. The album title is a transliteration of the Arabic word hijra, which means “journey.”
The Montgomery Express – Montgomery Movement [Reissue/1972] LP (Numero)
Funk’s answer to the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Florida’s Montgomery Express stood at the crossroads of politically conscious soul and mystically awakened dance music. Comprised of two blind musicians in their 20s and a teenage rhythm section, their lone LP was cut in 1972 for Orlando’s Dove label, then reissued on Folkways two years later.
Murmurs – Bound LP/Cassette (Dead Broke Rekerds)
First official full length from members of Snuggle, Pipsqueak, No Hi-Fives To Bullshit, Black Hole of Calcutta, Makai, Transient, and More. Mastered by Dave Edwardson of Neurosis.
Musk – Musk LP+MP3 (Holy Mountain)
Whether working the muggy Southern Gothic angle or treading knee-deep in NYC’s pungent sewers, all routes on Musk lead to a cold, shuddering finality.
Narco States – Wicked Sun LP (Pinata)
Garage-psych acolytes Narco States’ debut takes everything that was exciting about their debut 7”, drives it all into the desert at night, pumps it full of DMT, and holds its eyes open as the sun rises. The churning organ, the wailed yowl, the wild guitar solos all return, but they’ve grown.
Stevie Nicks – 24 Karat Gold: Songs From The Vault 2xLP+MP3 (Reprise)
New release from the beloved rock/pop songbird and Fleetwood Mac membe. 24 Karat Gold consists of 14 never-before-released tracks. CD version due October 7.
The Notting Hillbillies – Missing: Presumed Having A Good Time [Reissue/1990] LP (Rhino)
Limited vinyl LP pressing of this 1990 album from the country/folk side project led by Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits).
Null And Void – Happiness And Contempt/Montage Morte [Reissue/1980/1982] LP (Medical Records)
Double A side reissue of Fullerton, CA band Null And Void. Null And Void recorded three albums (1980’s Happiness And Contempt, 1982’s Montage Morte and a third in 2012). Hailing from a very diverse musical scene, Null And Void forged their own sound fusing elements of new wave, post-punk, cabaret and less characterized roots. HQ-180gm blue vinyl.
Oracles – Stanford Torus LP+CD (Clouds Hill)
Six-track mini-album/EP from German psych/shoegaze/Krautrock band. Blends elements of Afrobeat, early electronica, Krautrock and SalSoul-era disco with psychedelic pop-laden hooks. HQ-180gm vinyl with CD insert and download.
The Pineapple Thief – Magnolia 2xLP (Kscope)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “Magnolia is a gorgeous album – immaculately produced, and assembled with real love and imagination.” “Small but perfectly formed pockets of 21st century prog.”
Plebeian Grandstand – Lowgazers 2xLP (Basement Apes)
This predominantly black metal band out of Toulouse, France fuses a good deal of black metal and hardcore, exploding with explosive energy and blisteringly epic compositions.
((Pressures))/Roladex – Roladex/((Pressures)) Split 7” (Medical Records)
(Pressures)) hail from New Orleans. They craft their unique futuristic icy tracks on a museum’s worth of analog synths and drum machines. Roladex hails from Seattle by way of Texas. Blending girl/boy vocals with catchy pop hooks drenched in a seductive melancholy, Roladex also use a plethora of vintage gear.
Rollerskate Skinny – Shoulder Voices [Reissue/1993] LP (Medical Records)
Hard to characterize, Shoulder Voices is a true masterpiece, featuring elements of severely catchy pop, heavily distorted guitar and keyboard sounds, weird experimental passages and other unclassifiable styles. Over the years, and with revived interest in the early ‘90s sound, this record is becoming increasingly popular with a new cult following, joining the legions of fans who were obsessed with it the first time round. HQ-180gm red vinyl.
Rosetta – The Anaesthete 2xLP (War Crime)
Rosetta has been carving their name into the walls of the den of post-metal since 2005. Distinguishing themselves from the swarm of everyone else with their 2010 opus A Determinism Of Morality, they saw their name on many Best Of 2013 lists. The Anaesthete proved experimentation bodes them well. Orange swirl vinyl.
The Sensational Saints – You Won’t Believe It [Reissue/1973] LP (Numero)
Pressed in 1973 by Cleveland gospel magnate James Bullard on his King James label, the group’s lone long-player perfectly encapsulates the intersection of funk and gospel as only the religious conversion of a Bill Wither’s tune can do.
Joan Shelley – Electric Ursa LP (No Quarter)
Electric Ursa is the second solo album by Joan Shelley. Recorded in her hometown of Lousiville, KY with producer Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Andrew Bird, Houndmouth), the album is comprised of eight songs, startling in their quietness and closeness. The Chicago Reader wrote that “she sings with striking intimacy, as though addressing someone sitting just a few feet away.”
Sleepwave – Broken Compass LP+CD (Epitaph)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Spencer Chamberlain, singer/frontman and songwriter for Underoath, is back with his new band, Sleepwave.
Sonic Avenues – Sonic Avenues [Reissue/2009] LP (Dead Broke)
Sonic Avenues features members of several Canadian punk/garage acts such as The Steve Adamyk Band and others.
Joe Takamaki Trio – Universal Mind [Reissue/1982] LP (Arc Light Editions)
Vinyl reissue of the forgotten Finnish spiritual improv jazz album, originally released in 1982. Takamaki also played in the Finnish jazz/rock/improv collective Krakatau.
Thievery Corporation – Sounds From The Thievery Hi-Fi [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Eighteenth Street Lounge)
Thievery Corporation – The Mirror Conspiracy [Reissue/2000] 2xLP (Eighteenth Street Lounge)
Thievery Corporation – The Richest Man In Babylon [Reissue/2002] 2xLP (Eighteenth Street Lounge)
Vinyl reissues now now available.
Mia Doi Todd – Floresta LP (City Zen)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. 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.
Touché Amoré – TA Live On BBC Vol. 2 7”+MP3 (Deathwish)
Touché Amoré /Title Fight – Split 7”+MP3 (Secret Voice)
Limited edition white vinyl.
Stanley Turrentine – That’s Where It’s At [Reissue/1962] LP (Blue Note)
That’s Where It’s At features Les McCann on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass and Otis Finch on Drums. This is saxophonist Turrentine’s sixth album. Reissued as part of the overall Blue Note 75th anniversary reissue campaign.
Vampillia – Alchemic Heart 12” (Temple Of Torturous)
Alchemic Heart is a special project presented by Vampillia who have colored these two colossal compositions with beautiful contributions by members of the Boredoms, Jarboe (ex-Swans), Inswarm and Japanese Noise-God Merzbow. Layered strings, piano, bass, noise and
voices are mysteriously woven and expand as two magnificently parallel aesthetic worlds.
Various Artists – BART: Bay Area Retrograde (Vol. 2) LP (Dark Entries)
Dark Entries’ second compilation of underground music from San Francisco (and the greater Bay Area) made between 1978-1983. Towards the end of the ‘70s, San Francisco’s experimental music scene clashed with the aftermath of punk and gave birth to a vibrant underground. By the early to mid-‘80s the DIY music scene of the Bay Area was a hotbed for experimental and quirky new wave, post punk, and synthpop, quite similar to New York’s No Wave scene and Berlin’s Neue Deutsche Welle. This compilation connects the (transit) lines between these varied musical offerings and tells the secret story of eleven forgotten Bay Area bands.
Frank Zappa – Apostrophe [Reissue/1974] LP (Zappa)
Vinyl reissue of Frank Zappa’s highest-charting album. The eleven song package, which includes Zappaclassics such as “Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow” (his first charted single) and “Cosmic Debris,” featured an all-star recording band interpreting the maestro’s exotic compositions and their topical yet comical lyrics. HQ-180gm.
Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues [Pink Vinyl] LP (Total Treble)
Courtney Barnett – The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas [Pink Vinyl] LP (Mom+Pop)
In This Moment – Blood [Pink Vinyl] LP (Century Media)
Jason Isbell – Southeastern [Pink Vinyl] LP (Southeastern)
Lucius – Wide Woman [Pink Vinyl] LP+MP3 (Mom+Pop)
Nothing – Guilty Of Everything [Pink Vinyl] LP (Relapse)
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes – Are We Not Men? We Are Diva! [Pink Vinyl] LP+MP3 (Fat Wreck Chords)
Kellie Pickler – The Woman I Am [Pink Vinyl] LP (Black River Entertainment)
St. Paul & The Broken Bones – Half The City [Pink Vinyl] LP+MP3 (Single Lock)
Temples – Sun Structures [Pink Vinyl] LP+MP3 (Fat Possum)
Ten artists reissue their most recent LPs on pink vinyl to raise breast cancer awareness.
Cassettes:
Murmurs – Bound (Dead Broke Rekerds)
First official full length from members of Snuggle, Pipsqueak, No Hi-Fives To Bullshit, Black Hole of Calcutta, Makai, Transient, and More. Mastered by Dave Edwardson of Neurosis.
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