CDs + Vinyl:
Agrimonia – Awaken CD (Southern Lord)
Agrimonia’s sound has always been dense, immersive, ambitious even, and on Awaken their prog-infused form of expansive metal has evolved into something more energetic, dynamic, and powerful. [Vinyl edition due February 16.]
Phil Anselmo & The Illegals – Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue CD/LP (Housecore)
Instead of treading the same ground as his previous bands Pantera and Down, Phil Anselmo and his band mates ”The Illegals” – Jose Manuel ”Blue” Gonzalez [drums], Stephen Taylor (moved from bass to guitar), and new extreme additions ”Metal” Mike DeLeon (guitar), and Walter Howard (bass) – open up another doorway altogether with their release. Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue is extreme, abrasive, aggressive, and anthemic.
Robbie Basho – Live In Forli, Italy 1982 CD (ESP Disk)
Robbie Basho (1940-86), who died young after a stroke, never got his due in the culture at large, but steel-string guitar enthusiasts have known for decades that he was one of the greats of “American Primitivism”. Technically adept and compositionally imaginative, fusing the music of many cultures into a mesmerizing solo style, he has been an inspiration for many; his music has generated a surge of interest in recent years. This 1982 concert was part of a four-show Italian tour. [Vinyl edition due February 23.]
Jaap Blonk & Terrie Ex – Thirsty Ears CD (Terp)
Jaap Blonk is a Dutch avant-garde composer and sound poet. He is primarily self-taught, both as a sound artist and as a visual/stage performer. One of his early influences was Kurt Schwitters, whose Ursonate he first heard in 1979; he memorized the entire work, and it became one of the cornerstones of his repertory; he has recited portions of the piece hundreds of times in various public places. His performances of sound poetry are unique and world renowned, making use of words and phonetic snippets as well as clicks, hisses, and other vocal manipulations. He hooked up with The Ex guitarist Terrie Ex in 2006 and they did several gigs after that. In 2012 The Ex brought Blonk over to Ethiopia for a special sound poetry project. This combination, Thirsty Ears, is an adventure in improvising sound and poetry; electronics, guitar and vocals. [Vinyl edition due February 9.]
Brainticket – Zurich/Lausanne 2xCD (Purple Pyramid)
Live archive release containing a pair of full-length unreleased live recordings. Features Joel Vandroogenbroeck, the founder of pioneering electronic behemoth Brainticket. Includes compositions not found on any other album
Dennis Brown – Stick By Me CD (Abraham)
A collection of tracks from Jamaica’s favorite singer Dennis Brown, also dubbed the “Crown Prince of Reggae”.
Calexico – The Thread That Keeps Us CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
The ninth studio album from Calexico is a timely snapshot of the Arizona-bred band: a family portrait capturing their stylistic variety and unpredictability while still finding solace in limitless creativity. In bringing The Thread That Keeps Us to life, vocalist/guitarist Joey Burns and drummer John Convertino found a spiritual home in unusual surroundings – not in Arizona, but on the Northern California coast in a home-turned-studio called the Panoramic House. Built from debris and shipyard-salvaged timber – and dubbed “The Phantom Ship” by the band – the grandiose house and its edge-of-the-world-like ambience soon made their way into the songs. With less polish and more grit than ever before, The Thread That Keeps Us both honors enduring traditions and reveals Calexico’s confidence in songwriting, ultimately setting a whole new standard for the band.
Celtic Woman – Homecoming: Live From Ireland CD/CD+DVD (Manhattan)
Recorded in Dublin, Ireland in September 2017. Both an accomplished recording ensemble and a one-of-a-kind live act, Celtic Woman combines the country’s finest musical talents with epic stage production to present a uniquely inspiring live experience. [Stand-alone DVD edition also available.]
Club 8 – Golden Island CD/LP (Labrador)
Tenth album from Swedish act Club 8 and the duo’s biggest leap since they formed in the small town of Åhus in 1995. Golden Island is a place somewhere between the real and the imaginary. It dwells on quietness and subtle moves created by odd instruments, field recordings and sampled voices creating embracing atmospheres pending from soothing to haunting.
Robert Cohen-Solal – Les Shadoks CD/LP (We Release Whatever The F**k We Want)
The complete soundtrack of cult French animated TV series Les Shadoks (1968-1974). Electro-acoustic pioneer and eminent member of the illustrious GRM (Groupe de recherches musicales, the French equivalent of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop), Robert Cohen-Solal has explored music and sound alongside luminaries such as Bernard Parmegiani, Pierre Henry, Luc Ferrari, and Iannis Xenakis, and is responsible for numerous projects in the field of applied music, soundtracks (documentaries, shorts etc.), and experimental recordings. His work on Les Shadoks is simply extraordinary — a fascinating and bizarre collage of wacky electro pop (à la Jean-Jacques Perrey), drones, musique concrète, classical, and dadaist sound experiments seamlessly mixed into a cohesive and cinematic listening experience.
Hollie Cook – Vessel Of Love CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
Hollie Cook combines her unique vocal talent and charisma to craft a dynamic strand of lovers rock with enduring tropical vibes, weaving a path from her West London roots to an arena of diverse collaborations, critically acclaimed records, and iconic live appearances around the world. Cook’s ability to surprise, delight, and progress solidifies her position as one of the most exciting voices in reggae, and this is clear on her third full-length Vessel Of Love. Acclaimed producer Martin “Youth” Glover lends his venerable production expertise to the album. Cook sits in good company on Glover’s impressive production list, joining Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, The Verve, Primal Scream, Pink Floyd, and Depeche Mode. Glover describes Cook’s songs as “sharp lyrical observations and clever word play combined with an exquisite and informed pop sensibility.”
Cornelius – Mellow Waves CD/LP (Rostrum)
Acclaimed Japanese producer, composer, and recording artist Cornelius first proper studio album in over 11 years. “One second, we’re careening through mathy guitar pop reminiscent of fellow Tokyo residents Toe on ‘Somewhere / Someplace,’ the next, we’re in the midst of ‘Surfing On Mind Wave Pt. 2’’s six minutes of blissful ambience,” reveals Merry Jane Media. “By the album’s end, you’ll have heard soaring pop choruses, robot-voiced grooves, samba rhythms, and some of the finest acoustic guitar/synth pairings in recent memory.” [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
The Dangerous Summer – The Dangerous Summer CD/LP (Hopeless)
First album in almost five years from the Ellicott City, Maryland-based alt-rockers. [Limited blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Chris Dave And The Drumhedz – Chris Dave And The Drumhedz CD/2xLP (Blue Note)
Chris Dave has drummed for everyone from Adele to Bieber and Dolly to D’Angelo; Questlove once described Chris as his “worst nightmare” and Rolling Stone named him one of the 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time. The Drumhedz’ debut LP showcases a family of musicians whose credits coil like ivy around nearly every pillar or modern sound. It’s a place without genre, where elements of funk, soul, gospel, hip-hop and jazz mix until they’re an indistinguishable surging mass of solid groove. Musicians include Anderson .Paak, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Bilal, SiR, Anna Wise and dozens more.
Craig David – Time Is Now CD (RCA)
Seventh studio album by the British singer. Guests include JP Cooper, Bastille, AJ Tracey, Ella
Mai, Kaytranada and GoldLink.
Deadheads – This One Goes To 11 CD/LP (High Roller)
Third album from the Gothenburg, Sweden raw power rock ‘n’ roll band.
Dirtmusic – Bu Bir Ruya CD/LP+MP3 (Glitterbeat)
Dirtmusic return for their fifth album, a full-scale collaboration with Turkish-psych visionary Murat Ertel from Baba Zula. Recorded in Istanbul, Bu Bir Ruya navigates hypnotic rhythms, cinematic atmospheres and dark political realities.
Django Django – Marble Skies CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Django Django – David Maclean (producer/drummer), Vincent Neff (vocalist/guitarist), Jimmy Dixon (bass) and Tommy Grace (synths) – return, exploring new sounds with their third full-length album, Marble Skies. It’s a concise and focused album that recalls their dynamic, genre-blurring debut and its handmade, cut-and-paste approach. Following the release of their 2012 Mercury Prize-nominated debut and 2015’s Born Under Saturn, the process for Marble Skies began with a back-to-basics approach in line with the DIY ethos of the band’s early days. In late 2016, Django Django (minus Maclean) assembled at Urchin Studios in Tottenham, London with Metronomy drummer Anna Prior to experiment with new material. After ten days of recording, there was plenty of raw demos to send to Maclean for him to edit, refine and evolve before the band rejoined for recording proper. Marble Skies was completed in mid-2017 in their small, equipment-crammed studio in north London – a similar environment to the first record, which was recorded in Maclean’s bedroom.
Fats Domino – The King Of New Orleans Live! 3xCD (Sunset Blvd)
A mammoth three-CD, 50-song collection, compiled from a wealth of in-concert performances.
Dommengang – Love Jail CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Dommengang have adapted to the arid climate of Los Angeles, and imbued their particular brand of rock with a heavy dose of the best of 1970s rock aesthetics, including at least one ballad. Over the course of ten songs, Dommengang draw widely from the American rock music lexicon, primarily influenced by electric blues.
Wayne Escoffery – Vortex CD (Sunnyside)
On this recording, jazz saxophonist Wayne Escoffery presents this great quartet on a number of original pieces, a standard and an original piece by the ensemble’s brilliant drummer, Ralph Peterson, who Escoffery has worked alongside since Escoffery’s arrival in New York in 2000. The rest of the band is equally pedigreed. Pianist David Kikoski has been a regular collaborator in the Mingus Big Band and with Eddie Henderson, and bassist Ugonna Okegwo has been driving the rhythm section of Tom Harrell’s ensemble for the entirety of Escoffery’s tenure. Escoffery’s quartet is augmented by the percussion of Jaquelene Acevedo on a number of pieces.
Etant Donnés with Michael Gira – Offenbarung Und Untergang by Georg Trakl [Reissue/1999] CD/LP (Munster)
A reissue of this 1999 collaboration between Etant Donnés (Eric and Marc Hurtado) and Michael Gira (Swans), featuring Mark Cunningham (Mars) and Saba Komossa (Delkom). The album is based upon the text Offenbarung Und Untergang (“Revelation and Demise”), written by the Austrian expressionist poet Georg Trakl in 1914. The music is filled with drones, noise, rumblings, bits of percussion, Gira’s deep and entrancing voice, Komossa’s sensual interventions, and Cunningham’s martial trumpet.
Evidence – Weather Or Not CD/2xLP (Rhymesayers)
Weather Or Not represents the fourth and final chapter in Evidence’s Weatherman series, and features an all-star lineup of guests and friends, including Slug (Atmosphere), Rakaa (Dilated Peoples), Alchemist, Styles P, Rapsody, Jonwayne, Defari, Krondon, Khrysis, Mach Hommy and Catero. While Evidence holds his own on the boards, he’s also tapped a stellar cast of producers to share duties with, including Alchemist, DJ Premier, Nottz, DJ Babu, Twiz The Beat Pro, Sam I Yam and Budgie.
Sin Fang, Sóley, and Örvar Smárason – Team Dream CD/2xLP+MP3 (Morr Music)
Team Dreams is the collaborative album of Sin Fang, Sóley, and Örvar Smárason of múm and FM Belfast. It combines the individual strengths of the three acclaimed musicians, and blends folk sensibilities with futuristic pop beats. [Vinyl edition features an etched D-side.]
Forever Pavot – La Pantoufle CD/LP (Born Bad)
Here is Émile Sornin the (new) father, the dubbed artist, the one-man-studio fully aware of his essential influences (French ’70s movie soundtracks—Philippe Sarde, François De Roubaix, Francis Lai—ather than Italian giallo soundtracks, synth pioneers such as Wendy Carlos or Mort Garson, library music à la Camille Sauvage,Claude Vasori, and Roger Roger); the captain of a dense, tight live band.
Nils Frahm – All Melody CD/LP+MP3 (Erased Tapes)
For the past two years, Nils Frahm has been building a brand-new studio in Berlin to make his seventh studio album All Melody. Since the day Nils first encountered the impressive studio of a family friend, he had envisioned to create one of his own at such a large scale. Fast forward to the present day and Nils is now the proud host of Saal 3, part of the historical 1950s East German Funkhaus building beside the River Spree. It is here where he has spent most of his time deconstructing and reconstructing the entire space from the cabling and electricity to the woodwork, before moving on to the finer elements; building a pipe organ and creating a mixing desk all from scratch with the help of his friends. His new album is born out of the freedom that his new environment provided, allowing Nils to explore without any restrictions and to keep it all about the melody. Despite being confined within the majestic four walls of the Funkhaus, buried deep in its reverb chambers, or in an old dry well in Mallorca, All Melody is, in fact, proof that music is limitless, timeless, and reflects that of Nils’ own capabilities. From a boy’s dream to resetting the parameters of music itself.
Jeffrey Gaines – Alright CD (Omnivore)
Soulful singer-songwriter-guitarist Jeffrey Gaines returns with his first collection of new songs in 15 years. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer/multi-instrumentalist Chris Price (whose production resume includes acclaimed recent comeback efforts by Emitt Rhodes and Linda Perhacs, as well as his own widely celebrated second solo effort, Stop Talking), Alright features an all-star studio band consisting of guitarist Val McCallum (Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow, Lucinda Williams), bassist Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello, Cracker, John Hiatt), and drummer Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello, Squeeze, Elliott Smith), who also record on their own as Jackshit.
Alright vibrates with positivity and enthusiasm, lending an unmistakable immediacy to such effervescent new Gaines originals as “Feel Alright,” “Firefly Hollow,” “Seems to Me” and “Frowned Upon.” The new songs showcase Gaines’ sublime melodic gifts, his vivid lyrical insight and ingratiating performing skills, while drawing strength from the unmistakable chemistry of the studio team, which cut all of the album’s backing tracks in a marathon three-day session.
Mary Gauthier – Rifles & Rosary Beads CD/LP (In The Black/Thirty Tigers)
Co-written with US veterans and their families, the 11 deeply personal songs on Rifles & Rosary Beads reveal the untold stories, and powerful struggles that these veterans and their spouses deal with abroad and after returning home. Each year it’s estimated that over 7400 current and former members of the US Armed Services take their own lives. The songs were all co-written as part of SongwritingWith:Soldiers, a non-profit program that facilitates retreats bringing professional songwriters together with wounded veterans and active duty military.
Half Japanese – Why Not? CD/LP+MP3 (Fire)
“Half Japanese have returned to peel further layers from their onion. They have a new album that’s a square further on in their unpredictable musical snakes and ladders board. Why Not? is a magical thing – it’s Springsteen’s Born To Run recorded in a cupboard, it’s an ode to love, it’s a Wire song with two dueling guitarists being Zappa on helium, it’s Parquet Courts in a tantrum, it’s The Crickets contorted into ? And The Mysterians, it’s everywhere and nowhere, baby, it’s where it’s at.”
Hamferð – Támsins likam CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Doomster Hamferð from the Faroe Islands return with an album bustling with elements ancient and familiar, violent and strange, earthen and spectral – all the while fiercely seeking to surprise and move the listener. [Limited light-gray/black marbled vinyl pressing also available.]
Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa – Black Coffee CD/2xLP (J&R Adventures)
Four years have gone by since the Grammy nominated, No. 1 Billboard Blues album Seesaw was released by singer-songwriter and blues-rock powerhouse Beth Hart and guitar hero Joe Bonamassa. Since then, they’ve both been on fire, both in the studio and live. So, the time was ideal to reunite for another collection of 10 soul gems that encompass Hart’s breathtaking vocals and Joe’s masterfully expressive guitar playing. With producer extraordinaire Kevin ‘The Caveman’ Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Rush) back at the helm, the results dig deep into the soul catalog where they honor and re-imagine songs from Edgar Winter, Etta James, Ike & Tina Turner, Steve Marriot, Ella Fitzgerald, Lil’ Green, LaVern Baker, Howlin’ Wolf, Lucinda Williams and Waldeck. [Limited red colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Hooded Menace – Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
New album from the Finnish doom metal band. Hooded Menace expertly weave dreary funereal atmospheres with melodically driven songwriting, which only adds to the crushing Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed’s emotional gravitas.
Howling Sycamore – Howling Sycamore CD/LP (Prosthetic)
Jason McMaster (WatchTower, Dangerous Toys), Davide Tiso (Ephel Duath) and Hannes Grossmann (Necrophagist, Obscura) unite to create an extreme metal project that traverses all aspects of progressive music. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Janis Joplin – Little Girl Blue: Early California Sessions CD/LP (Copacetic/Wax Love)
Recorded in part at the Folk Theatre in San Jose, 1962 where Janis is joined by Steve
Talbot on stage, and the remainder at the Coffee Gallery in San Francisco, 1962.
Makoto Kawabata/Richard Pinhas/Tatsuya Yoshida – Trax CD/LP (Bam Balam)
Richard Pinhas is one of the more atypical French musicians of the last 40 years. He has been surprising everyone all these years — Always appearing where you expect him the least. Makoto Kawabata, who has been a big follower of Heldon, has also been a longtime friend and partner of Tatsuya Yoshida. So naturally, these three reunited in 2016 at the Studio Condorcet in Toulouse (France) to record a series of fiery improvisations and experimentations. Free noise, blues, and psychedelia are all intertwined, but there is an uneasiness to it, some anxiety matting the mix.
Jonathan Kawchuk – North CD/LP (Paper Bag)
North’s evocative soundscapes and delicate melodies were inspired and recorded by a cast of musicians and friends spread across Canada, the UK, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, and Israel. In his final act of creation, Kawchuk broadcast the album through speakers and into the forests of Norway’s Jostedalsbreen National Park, home to the largest glacier in continental Europe. North, as you hear it, is the re-recorded result.
Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo CD/LP/Cassette (Dead Oceans)
Whereas Khruangbin’s 2015 debut album The Universe Smiles Upon You was influenced by ‘60s and ‘70s Thai cassettes and compilations of southeast Asian pop, rock and funk, Con Todo El Mundo hops east over India to take inspiration in similarly under discovered funk and soul sounds of the Middle-East, particularly from Iran.
Kirlian Camera – Hologram Moon CD/2xCD/2xLP (Dependent)
Hologram Moon is the first Kirlian Camera album after five years. [Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a disc of bonus tracks.]
Limiñanas – Shadow People CD/LP+CD (Because Music)
“The Limiñanas, a Perpignan, France-based duo consisting of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Lionel and drummer/vocalist Marie have been making music since 2009. In that time, they have released four studio albums to great acclaim in their native France, and elsewhere in Europe. Though they have failed to establish much of a following in the US, American audiences should pay attention, lest they miss a truly distinctive musical experience. The Limiñanas’ sound, best described as eclectic, traces its roots to Serge Gainsbourg’s yè yè movement in French pop from the 1960s, to Ennio Morricone’s film scores, to The Cult’s iconic driving guitar riffs. In between, one can hear shoegaze, psychedelia, and even a bit of Motown. On their fifth studio album, Shadow People, the duo distills these diverse influences into a genuinely unique and surprisingly listenable record that is sure to be a classic.” – Cryptic Rock
Machine Head – Catharsis CD+DVD (Nuclear Blast)
If heavy music stands for anything, it’s freedom. Formed in Oakland, California in 1991, Machine Head have forged a formidable reputation and huge global fan base by never surrendering their artistic liberty or compromising their belief in the power of heaviness. Includes a 22-track live DVD. [Vinyl edition due February 2.]
Mammoth Grinder – Cosmic Crypt CD/LP (Relapse)
New album from the underground extreme metal trio consisting of current and former members of Power Trip, Iron Reagan, and Darkest Hour.
Marc 4 – Original Italian Library Music From The Vaults Of Nelson Records CD/LP (Vampisoul)
Culled from the llibrary of Nelson Records, founded in 1970 by the musicians Maurizio Majorana, Antonello Vannucchi and Roberto Podio after establishing the recording studio Telecinesound, (right where the New Italian Library Sound was created), this is the sound that many collectors, musicians, record producers and film directors still like, look for, rediscover and re-use for their work. The New Italian Library Sound has the signature of I Marc 4, a quartet that recorded 20 albums from 1970 to 1980 but who also collaborated with the great masters of Italian soundtracks of the ’60s and ’70s, especially with Armando Trovajoli, bringing their own style into this new sound, mixing jazz, pop, rock and psychedelic music.
Marie/Lepanto – Ten Killer CD/LP (Big Legal Mess)
Songwriting extraordinaires Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster (Water Liars) and Will Johnson (Centro matic) join forces on a collection of quiet (mostly) acoustic songs.
Marmozets – Knowing What You Know CD (Roadrunner)
“Spaces between heartbeats quickly shrink. Adrenaline rushes into the system. Body parts move involuntarily. This is the effect of hearing British post-hardcore young guns Marmozets. The band packed heat with their 2014 debut The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets, filling it with shredding guitars, massive hooks, and frontwoman Becca McIntyre’s distinctive howl. Four years later, no time is wasted getting to the hook, opening with Becca roaring ‘One, two, three, play!’ before the first beat on album opener and first single ‘Play.’ There’s less of the scream that punctuated every line of their first big hit ‘Why Do You Hate Me?’ Instead, her voice has become more powerful and dynamic; her ferocity still intact. She stretches notes to their limits on the gut-punching chorus of ‘Habits,’ and spits each syllable in ‘Major System Error’ with the same force and deadliness of a machine gun, exploding when she shrieks, ‘Can you keep it together?’ Knowing What You Know Now is a massive improvement on Marmozets’ excellent debut, showing massive growth in their wild and wonderful world.” – Hysteria [Vinyl edition due February 2.]
H.C. McEntire – Lionheart CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
H.C. McEntire, frontwoman of Mount Moriah, strikes out on her own with her debut solo album Lionheart, a collection of songs inspired by the American South and a desire to reclaim ‘country’ music from the hetero-normative, homogenous shtick of tailgates and six-packs and men chasing women. Stereogum describes her voice as “weary, wise, and bright as morning sunshine all at once,” and that sunshine glows throughout the triumphant Lionheart. For the album, McEntire collaborated with many of her favorite musicians, including Kathleen Hanna, Angel Olsen, Amy Ray, Tift Merritt, William Tyler, Mary Lattimore, and Phil Cook, while remaining bravely devoted to her most authentic self throughout the process. Lionheart was recorded during the first few months of 2017 with additional recording and mixing taking place on the run as McEntire toured the world as a member of Angel Olsen’s band.
Ben Miller Band – Choke Cherry Tree CD/LP (New West)
On their new record Choke Cherry Tree, the Ben Miller Band has taken another step forward in both style and content. With lyrics ranging from irreverent to introspective, offering views on American history and the societal issues of today, the band delivers a career-defining album. What sets it apart sonically from previous albums is the addition of two new members, Smilin’ Bob and Rachel Ammons. The musical palette has expanded with four-part harmonies and a new batch of instruments from cello to homemade, one-off musical creations, forging a sound that is at once familiar and strange. As always, the songs are grounded by the pulsing washtub bass of Scott Leeper, raw vocals and the rhythmic slide guitar work of Ben Miller. The band’s ongoing evolution into an exciting new phase shows what has made this band so special and points to what will make it great in the years to come.
Jeff Mills – & Then There Was Light [OST] CD (Axis UK)
Poignant, aggressive, but serene sound track created by Jeff Mills for & Then There Was Light, a Japanese film directed by Tatsushi Omori based on the novel Hikari by Shion Miura.
Mimicking Birds – Layers Of Us CD/LP (Glacial Pace)
Mimicking Birds is a three-piece rock band fronted by singer/songwriter Nate Lacy. Dream-like, immersive, and awash in texture, Layers Of Us explores daunting topics like life, death, and eternity with a gentle touch. Lacy tenderly serenades us though this epic 10-song expedition that presents the full prismatic array of musical color.
Wes Montgomery – In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording 2xCD (Resonance)
In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording captures jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery on his only tour of Europe on the night of March 27, 1965 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. The first official release of this legendary concert, In Paris has been released in partnership with the Institutnational de l’audiovisuel (INA) with remastered, high-resolution audio transferred directly from the original tape reels. The concert was organized by jazz producer and impresario Alan Bates to the great delight of European audiences who had long wanted to see Wes perform live, but his severe fear of flying had kept him in the states. Featuring an all-star band with pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Arthur Harper and drummer Jimmy Lovelace, with special guest tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, the deluxe double-CD set includes an extensive 32-page booklet with stunning archival photos taken at the concert from famed music photographer Jean-Pierre Leloir; essays from historian and director of operations in jazz studies at Rutgers University, Vincent Pelote, Resonance producer Zev Feldman and associate producer Pascal Rozat from INA; plus interviews with pianist Harold Mabern, renowned guitarist Russell Malone and more.
Nightmares On Wax – Shape The Future CD/LP+MP3 (Warp)
One of the most influential artists of a generation and a long-standing member of the Warp Records family, Nightmares On Wax releases his new album. Shape The Future is a perfect marriage of soul, hip-hop, dub and timeless club sounds that act as a salvo masterpiece of contemporary and classic genre-blending, brilliantly solidifying Nightmares On Waxs place as an inspirational electronic music figurehead.
No Age – Snare Like A Haircut CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)
“Been a while, hasn’t it? Fuzz punks No Age have been dwelling in slumber since they released An Object, their last and most thoughtful record in a back catalogue full of discarding and distorting. Here comes the shred: they’re back with Snares Like A Haircut and it sounds like they’re gonna make one of their famous, churning rackets.”
Orphaned Land – Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs CD/2xLP (Century Media)
One of the pioneers of oriental metal are back with a new album. Features guests Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Steve Hackett (ex-Genesis), and Tomas Lindberg (At The Gates).
The Persuasions – Acappella [Reissue/1970] CD (Greyscale)
If one is to indulge in a bit of what is these days called ‘profiling’, one would probably have imagined that The Persuasions were a street band, too poor to buy instruments, who had come together in the mid-1950s, singing on street corners. Wrong! They were one of the leading lights of the Doo Wop revival in the late 1960s and this, their first record, was made under the tutelage of none other than Frank Zappa.
Portal – Ion CD/LP (Profound Lore)
Fifth full-length album from enigmatic Australian avant-garde death metal surrealists.
Idan Raichel – Piano – Songs 2xCD (Cumbancha)
After 15 years as leader of The Idan Raichel Project, international music icon Idan Raichel recently began focusing on the basic essence of his songs with the solo piano concert entitled Piano – Songs. Throughout 2016 and 2017, Idan presented his melodies, lyrics and the stories behind them in their pure, stripped down form, as they were originally written at home or in the studio. Most of the recordings on this new live double album were recorded during a 17-concert run at the 1400-seat Shuni Ampitheater in Binyamina, Israel.
Jamie Saft – Solo A Genova CD/LP (RareNoise)
Solo A Genova is Saft’s highly emotive take on jazz standards and other uniquely American compositions. Recorded at the beautiful Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova, Italy in an acoustically marvellous space, Solo A Genova showcases Saft on a 9-foot Steinway Model D piano in the service of a number beguiling piano arrangements of tunes by Curtis Mayfield, Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis, John Coltrane, ZZ Top, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Charles Ives, Miles Davis and Bill Evans.
Hama Sankaré – Ballébé – Calling All Africans CD (Clermont Music)
Alpha Ousmane “Hama” Sankaré (aka Pedro) is a legend. He has anchored the bands of many great artists of Mali: Ali Farka Toure, Afel Bocoum, le Troupe Regionale de Niafunké, l’Orchestre de Gao, Songhoy Allstars, and Mamadou Kelly’s BanKaiNa, and he can be heard on many of the seminal recordings of Mali’s music. He is the master of contemporary calabash percussion and defined it’s the playing style. [Vinyl edition due February 9.]
Ty Segall – Freedom’s Goblin CD/2xLP/Cassette (Drag City)
A head-spinning compendium of stompers, weepers, ballads, screamers, bangers and funker-uppers, all marking a different impasse, like a flag whirling into a knot, exploding and burning
on contact, in the name of life and loathing and the pursuit of what you love.
Sly And Robbie meet Dubmatix – Overdubbed CD/LP+CD (Echo Beach)
In reggae, all roads lead to the “Riddim Twins”, Sly & Robbie. They’ve been revered as style-defining icons for years, and together and individually have a massive influence on the genre. Here, Canadian producer and multi-instrumentalist Dubmatix reworks classic Sly & Robbie tracks.
Soundtrack – American Folk CD/LP (American Folk)
Soundtrack to the award-winning 2018 independent film starring Joe Purdy and Amber Rubarth. In addition to both original compositions and classic folk song renditions by Purdy and Rubarth, the soundtrack includes John Prine’s “Some Humans Ain’t Human” and Jerry Garcia & David Grisman’s “Freight Train.”
Soundtrack – Babylon Berlin 2xCD (BMG)
Babylon Berlin is a German period drama television series which premiered in October 2017 on Sky 1, a German-language entertainment channel broadcast by Sky Deutschland. The first series is made up of eight episodes and is set in the Berlin of the 1920s. It is based on novels by Volker Kutscher, the plots of which span from 1929 to 1934. “Babylon Berlin is one of the most innovative scores I heard this year; Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer used very few sounds and instruments but combined them in fascinating ways both as sound and as pace. Both modern and retro, this score kept me interested from start to finish for a very rewarding standalone listening experience.” – Soundtrack Dreams [Vinyl edition due March 9.]
Spook School – Could It Be Different? CD/LP (Slumberland)
If a debut LP is an artist’s introduction to the world and their sophomore release is their now or never moment, their third is their most cathartic: they’ve made it out, they’re here. Glasgow, Scotland’s indie-pop optimists The Spook School, despite personal and political obstacle, made it out, and their latest full-length Could It Be Different? is here. It’s been a journey of self-discovery and feel-good realism; modern, dance-friendly indie-pop fueling the fun. They made a name for themselves for their exultant and empowering pop, and now, they’ve shown real growth in nuance.
Rick Springfield – The Snake King CD (Frontiers)
Springfield’s new album finds him travelling down a dusty dirt road to explore the blues side of his rock ‘n’ roll.
Steep Canyon Rangers – Out In The Open CD (Ramseur)
“The sessions that produced Out In The Open were brisk and instinctive, expansive yet intimate, visceral and immediate – and they would have had to be, for herein are songs that tell the big story by drawing the small ones. There is, to my ear, as much of Raymond Carver’s literate and humane influence on display as the Osborne Brothers, as much Welty in the pointed details – both sublime and confounding – as Clark and Van Zandt. Compassion and determination act as connective tissue when, throughout this song cycle, the bones, muscle, and blood of daily life dance with loose-limbed motion toward the inevitable, guided by an ethos best articulated by Sam Beckett who directed that when we falter, we try again and ‘fail better.’” – Joe Henry
Stick In The Wheel – Follow Them True CD/LP (From Here)
East London five-piece folk band Stick In The Wheel are headed by singer Nicola Kearey, and guitarist/producer Ian Carter. Their debut From Here (2015) was MOJOs Folk Album of the Year, with four BBC Folk Award nominations since their inception in 2013.
Thor – Electric Eyes CD (Deadline Music)
The unreleased album from metal heroes Thor recorded in 1979 as a follow-up to their blockbuster debut Keep The Dogs Away.
Tiny Moving Parts – Swell CD/Cassette (Triple Crown)
Following 2016’s acclaimed Celebrate, the delightfully chipper trio from Benson, Minnesota bring you their brand-new record Swell. The collection finds Tiny Moving Parts building on its predecessor and throwing into the melting pot, their impressively complex instrumentation, infectious melodies and killer hooks to create a tight, mathy melodic punk combination that’s hard to resist. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and a spring to your step. [Vinyl edition due February 2.]
Tribulation – Down Below CD/LP (Century Media)
Fourth album from the Swedish metal band. [Limited silver colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Vardan – Nostalgia – Archive Of Failures Part 4 CD (Moribund)
Vardan – Nostalgia – Archive Of Failures Part 5 CD (Moribund)
Vardan – Nostalgia – Archive Of Failures Part 6 CD (Moribund)
Vardan – Nostalgia – Archive Of Failures Part 4-6 3xCD (Moribund)
Volumes 4-6 in the Nostalgia – Archives Of Failures series, provides all the somber, melancholic, atmospheric and reflective black metal that Vardan fans have come to expect. [Deluxe three-disc set includes a box and patch.]
Various Artists – Dustin E. Presents: Cornflake Zoo Episode Eleven CD (Particles)
Episode Eleven of Cornflake Zoo assembles a selection of the most delightful, juvenile absurdity to reach the auditory senses in a captivating collection. 20 tracks recorded between 1966 and 1970. Features The Difference, The Shakers, The Pussycats, The League 66, Anders Nelson, G-Bros, The Megas, The Rivets, The Tony Hendrik Five, The Vipers, The Raits, The Bats, Cheers, Exploding Mushroom, Steampacket, The Clarks, The Regines, Roeks Family, and Toxic.
Various Artists – Obscure Rock & Pop From The British Isles: Mixed UP Minds Part 13 CD (Particles)
Another tantalizing dose of forgotten dreams from the suburban drifts of Britain. Features Cheep Boots, Tangerine Peel, White Plains, Jigsaw, P. C. Kent, Murray Head, Sadies Expression, Honeybus, Red Pepper, The London Boys, Festival, Pete Atkin, Elliot Mansions, Charles Brutus McClay, Barry Ryan, Zakatek, The World, andJo Ann And Number One.
Various Artists – The Rough Guide To Holy Blues: Reborn and Remastered CD (World Music Network)
From the extraordinary recordings of the true guitar evangelists Blind Willie Johnson and Reverend Gary Davis to classic spiritual renditions by legendary bluesman Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Skip James, this handpicked selection highlights the mutual influence between Gospel and blues.
Various Artists – Soul Jazz Records Presents: Brasil [Reissue/1994] CD/LP (Soul Jazz)
Soul Jazz Records Brasil album was recorded in Rio de Janeiro in 1994 with a host of legendary Brazilian musicians including Sivuca, Raul de Souza and singer Joyce Moreno and has remained one of the key defining early releases from the record label. Out-of-print for over 20 years, the album has been fully digitally remastered for this new 2018 edition.
Various Artists – Strange Angels: In Flight With Elmore James CD (Sylvan Songs)
Strange Angels: In Flight With Elmore James brings together a group of amazing artists to pay tribute to the legendary Elmore James in this 13-song collection of his classic blues standards. Warren Haynes, Billy Gibbons, and Mickey Raphael feature on a rendition of “Mean Mistreatin’” Mama.” Crooner Tom Jones lends his voice to “Done Somebody Wrong.” Keb Mo’ performs “Look On Yonder Wall” and Bettye LaVette sings “Person To Person.” Also featured are Rodney Crowell, Jamey Johnson, Shelby Lynne, Allison Moorer, Chuck E. Weiss, and many others. Proceeds benefit Musicares and Edible Schoolyard NYC. Elmore James was known as King of the Slide Guitar and was noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice. [Vinyl edition due April 27.]
Sarah Walk – Little Black Book CD/LP (One Little Indian)
Cat Power, Feist, Sharon Van Etten, and Bat For Lashes are just a few of the trailblazing artists Sarah Walk has drawn comparisons to. The rising Minneapolis singer-songwriter-pianist deals in songs that are as confessional as they are gut-wrenching and swathed in emotion. [Limited blue colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Waterparks – Entertainment CD (Equal Vision)
Sophomore album from Houston, Texas-based pop-rock trio. Lead single “Blonde” features incredibly catchy verses and a chorus that will have you singing along. [Vinyl edition due February 9.]
DVDs + Blu-ray:
Celtic Woman – Homecoming: Live From Ireland DVD (Manhattan)
Recorded in Dublin, Ireland in September 2017. Both an accomplished recording ensemble and a one-of-a-kind live act, Celtic Woman combines the country’s finest musical talents with epic stage production to present a uniquely inspiring live experience
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
ABBA – ABBA: The Album [Reissue/1977] 2xLP (UMe)
Half-speed master, 45rpm double-LP vinyl reissue of the fifth studio album by the Swedish pop group.
Action Bronson – Blue Chips 7000 LP (Atlantic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Action Bronson, the Flushing, Queens chef-turned-rapper releases the third and final installment in his highly popular Blue Chips series.
Agitation Free – Last [Reissue/1976] LP (Wah Wah)
Vinyl reissue of the third LP by the krautrock legends.
As I Lay Dying – Frail Worlds Collapse [Reissue /003] LP (Metal Blade)
Two pressings of As I Lay Dying’s sophomore album: Limited yellow & brown colored and limited yellow and blue colored.
AtomTM & Lisokot – Walzerzyklus LP (Raster Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Walzerzyklus’ seven tracks, created in collaboration with Russian singer Lisokot, are subdivided into three pieces of two-minutes each and four pieces of three-minutes each, intentionally reflecting the 3/4 time of a classic waltz. Throughout the release, Lisokot’s delicate vocals are put into different relations to AtomTM‘s rather cool machine music, either complementing or contrasting each other. In the same line, the three shorter “leitmotifs” provide the main theme that is taken up repeatedly in the course of the release. One-sided; Laser-engraved B-side.
Badfinger – Wish You Were Here [Reissue/1974] LP (Rhino)
Translucent green colored vinyl pressing. Part of 2018’s Start Your Ear Off Right vinyl reissue campaign.
Chuck Berry – The Great Twenty-Eight [Reissue/1982] 5xLP (Geffen)
Super deluxe five colored vinyl LP box set. Includes the original two-LP, 28-song compilation with an additional LP, More Great Chuck Berry, containing 14 more hits, rarities and B-sides missing from the original, as well as a rare live album, Oh Yeah! Live in Detroit. The collection also includes a newly created bonus 10” EP Berry Christmas, featuring four holiday-themed classics on “Rudolph-Red” vinyl, with one song on vinyl for the first time as well.
Big Business – Head For The Shallow [Reissue/2004] LP (Joyful Noise)
Big Business – Here Come The Waterworks [Reissue/2007] LP (Joyful Noise)
Big Business – Mind The Drift [Reissue/2009] LP (Joyful Noise)
Jared Waren (Karp) and Coady Willis (Murder City Devils) formed Big Business in 2003 in Seattle, WA. Their first full-length album, Head For The Shallow, was released in 2005, followed by Here Come The Waterworks in 2007 and Mind The Drift in 2009. The timeline of writing and recording Here Come The Waterworks is intertwined with the band’s move to Los Angeles to play with the Melvins.
Big D & The Kids Table Vs. Moe Pope – Fluent In Moe LP (Asbestos)
A punk/ska/pop/hip-hop fusion from Boston’s Big D, Moe Pope, and DJ BC.
The Body and Thou – Released From Love/You, Whom I Have Always Hated 2xLP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Both collaborative albums from The Body and Thou are available together on vinyl for the first time. Featuring brand new and expanded artwork both are presented in a gatefold jacket with flooded black pockets, black paper inner sleeves and a deluxe 12 -age 11″ x 11″ booklet .The Body and Thou are bands with Southern roots that have been pushing the boundaries of heavy metal for over a decade. On their two collaborative releases they showcase their unique ability to create music that is emotionally affecting and unrelenting.
Buio Mondo – Herederos De La Bestia [Colonna Sonora Originale] 10” (One Way Static)
Herederos De La Bestia is a documentary film about Álex de la Iglesia’s classic 1995 apocalypse-horror story El Dia de la Bestia (The Day Of The Beast). Buio Mondo is a project that pays tribute to the giallo and the slasher genres and is best known for their previous (and very successful) album Italia Violenta. Mixing wild metal riffs, powerful electronics and dark brooding Carpenter-esque synth atmospheres results in a nightmarish soundscape that will haunt you in your dreams.
Centuries – The Lights Of This Earth Are Blinding LP (Southern Lord)
Ten new tracks of the band’s harrowing, metallic, punk/crust-influenced hardcore, delivered with a calculated, very deliberate approach.
Chewing On Tinfoil – Marrowbone Lane LP (Asbestos)
US debut for one of Ireland’s best punk bands. For Fans of Menzingers/Bouncing Souls/Gaslight Anthem.
Coil – Astral Disasters Sessions Un/finished Musics LP (Acme)
Previously unissued mixes of Coil tracks that were recorded as part of the legendary Prescription label album sessions in the late 1990s, some of which resulted in the album Astral Disaster.
John Coltrane – Live At Penn State University LP (Wax Love)
When John Coltrane performed in 1963 at Penn State University, it was with the group that is now considered his most “classic” group: the quartet featuring McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. Featuring an epic, 25-minute long “Bye Bye Blackbird”, among other early ’60s originals and covers, this is the sound of an artist coming into his own and truly shining. Coltrane at the top of his modal/post-bop powers.
Alice Cooper – Easy Action [Reissue/1970] LP (Rhino)
Alice Cooper – Killer [Reissue/1971] LP (Rhino)
Alice Cooper – Welcome To My Nightmare [Reissue/1975] LP (Rhino)
Colored vinyl pressings. Part of 2018’s Start Your Ear Off Right vinyl reissue campaign.
Miles Davis – Plays For Lovers [Reissue/1965] LP (Wax Love)
Vinyl reissue of reissue of this collection of Miles Davis recordings made between 1953 and 1956 originally released in 1965. Plays For Lovers is a look at the more sensitive and sensual side of the great trumpeter, focusing on his sultry and smoky late night ballads. Mostly featuring his
legendary mid-50s quintet of John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and “Philly” Joe Jones, this collection highlights that groups ability to slow things down to a soulful, brilliant simmer. Classic jazz ballads that swing, perfect for late nights with a lover at your side.
Day Of Phoenix – Wide Open N-Way [Reissue/1970] LP (Vinilisssimo)
Digitally remastered and expanded vinyl reissue of this 1970 album from the Danish prog rock band.
Dr. John – Professor Bizarre’s Funknology 2xLP (Run Out Groove)
Deluxe individually numbered double 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in a gatefold tip-on Stoughton sleeve. New collection that includes an LP of the best Atco tracks and an additional LP of unreleased demos recorded by Dr. John between the years 1968-1974, all previously unavailable on any format.
Kim Byoung Duk – Experiment No. X LP (Daehan Electronics)
Growing up in the bustling port city of Busan and running his own record shop there from the late ’70s, Kim Byoung Duk had a front-row seat to the finest in foreign record imports and a taste for the psychedelic that naturally evolved into spiritual, ambient and avant-garde sounds. His growing interest in Tao philosophy and the meditative music that accompanied it provided a fertile environment for his audio imagination. Unhampered by limited access to musical gear, he made use of a wide assortment of self-sourced pots of various sizes and curvature, cymbals, wooden sculpted flutes and percussion tools-each chosen for its unique harmonic vibration-to create an entirely new and unique body of work.
Brian Eno – Here Come The Warm Jets [Reissue/1973] LP (Astralwerks)
Brian Eno – Another Green World [Reissue/1975] LP (Astralwerks)
The standard vinyl reissue editions of Eno’s first and third album are now available.
Fates Warning – Perfect Symmetry [Reissue/1989] LP (Metal Blade)
Limited violet blue marbled color vinyl pressing. [Vinyl reissue of 1991’s Parallels due February 9.]
Mark Fox – Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth [OST] LP (Pure Destruction)
The original soundtrack from The Shocking Truth documentary and a few selected songs from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1974 motion picture.
Peter Frampton – Fingerprints [2006] LP (Phenix Phonograph)
First-time vinyl edition – an impressive 14-tune collection of guitar mastery that crosses several musical borders, from funked up R&B to razor-edged rockers to rootsy blues to country-flamed beauties to jazzy Django swing to reflective impressionism.
Serge Gainsbourg – Du Jazz Dans Le Rain [Reissue/1966] LP (Rumble)
Gainsbourg, the original bad boy of French pop, the man who updated the French chanson and made it hip again infusing it with the youth culture of the late ’50s and ’60s, ruled by jazz, drugs, and free love. Very different from his celebrated later works, the music captured on this vinyl edition finds Gainsbourg mixing traditional chanson and big-band jazz rather than the avant garde pop that went on to define his career outside of France.
Augustine Mayuga Gonzales – Undertale On Piano 2xLP (iam8bit)
Latest in the ongoing vinyl collection dubbed Series 88.
The Green Child – The Green Child LP (Upset The Rhythm)
Broadly retro-futuristic in scope, verdant acres of lushly evocative synthesizers and blippy drum machines underpin most of their upbeat yet decidedly uncanny songs.
Charles Hayward/Thurston Moore – Improvisations LP (Care In Community)
Earlier in 2017 iconic artists Charles Hayward (This Heat) and Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) spent an afternoon improvising. Charles Hayward on drums and Thurston Moore on guitar. This LP is the result.
Heldon – Un Rêve Sans Conséquence Spéciale [Reissue/1976] LP (Souffle Continu)
Heldon – Heldon.6. Interface [Reissue/1977] LP (Souffle Continu)
Heldon – Stand By [Reissue/1979] LP (Souffle Continu)
Heldon was a French prog/space rock band formed in 1974 by Richard Pinhas. Colored vinyl reissues now available.
John Hiatt – Bring The Family [Reissue/1987] LP (A&M)
John Hiatt – Slow Turning [Reissue/1988] LP (A&M)
The rock guitarist, pianist, singer-songwriter’s eighth and ninth albums are back in-print on vinyl.
High Rise – II [Reissue/1986] LP (Black Editions)
High Rise exploded onto Tokyo’s underground music scene with the roar and reckless abandon of a motorcycle accelerating headlong into a dead man’s curve. Born from the explosive chemistry of bassist/vocalist Asahito Nanjo and frenetic guitarist Munehiro Narita, the band blazed a wild new stream of psychedelic guitar music.
Billie Holiday – Billie’s Blues [Reissue/1962] LP (Wax Love)
A vinyl reissue of Billie Holiday’s Billie’s Blues, originally released as Ladylove in 1962. Includes five bonus tracks.
Douglas Holmquist – Smash Hit/PinOut 2xLP (iam8bit)
The deliciously synthy sounds of both Smash Hit and PinOut are packed into this translucent double LP.
John Lee Hooker – Burning Hell [Reissue/1964] LP (Rumble)
Blues legend John Lee Hooker cut countless records beginning with his debut for Modern in 1948 and going some 50+ years until his death in 2001. With such a vast discography it can be easy to lose track of some records and Burning Hell, recorded in Detroit in 1959 with just his guitar and vocals, is one such lost record. But this album deserves so much to be rediscovered, a brilliant set from his “acoustic” period, this is raw southern acoustic blues at its best and a truly brilliant collection of songs.
Whitney Houston – I Wish You Love: More From The Bodyguard LP (Sony Legacy)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A variety of live and studio recordings from The Bodyguard (many previously unreleased or unavailable), including an alternate mix of “I Will Always Love You,” which features a spoken word intro of Whitney as Rachel Marron, an a capella version of “Jesus Loves Me,” which has never been heard before and a live recording from The Bodyguard World Tour 1993-1995 of “Run To You,” which Whitney rarely performed. Also included are film and live versions of “I Will Always Love” You,” “I Have Nothing,” “Queen Of The Night” and more. Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.
Takashi Iizuka and Jun Senoue – Sonic Adventure [OST] 2xLP (Brave Wave)
Takashi Iizuka and Jun Senoue – Sonic Adventure 2 [OST] 2xLP (Brave Wave)
Limited double 180gm colored vinyl LP pressings gatefold jackets. A selection of both games’ best tracks remastered especially for vinyl and handpicked by Sonic Adventure series lead composer and sound director Jun Senoue and the team.
Trevor Jones – The Dark Crystal [OST/Reissue/1982] LP (Enjoy The Ride)
Limited deluxe 35th Anniversary crystal-clear vinyl LP pressing. The Dark Crystal: The Original Soundtrack features Trevor Jones’ musical score written and arranged for the film. The album was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at the legendary Abby road studios in 1982. This is the first vinyl reissue since the film’s original release.
B.B. King – Story From My Heart & Soul: The ‘Modern’ Label Singles 1957-1962 LP (Wax Love)
Mostly recorded in King’s home base of Memphis, Tennessee – some even recorded and produced by Sam Phillips of Sun Records fame – these sides are some of the most important and classic blues and R&B tracks of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Alexis Korner – R&B From The Marquee [Reissue/1957] LP (Rumble)
Featuring originals penned by Korner, Davies, and Baldry as well as American blues legends Jimmy Witherspoon and Muddy Waters, this is a killer piece of British blues history, finally back in print on vinyl.
Konami Kukeiha Club – Kid Dracula [OST] 10” (Ship To Shore)
Second release in the Konami Kukeiha Club Museum Series is the soundtrack to the 1990 Famicom release Kid Dracula. Limited ten inch colored vinyl pressing.
Leah – Of Earth & Angels [2012] LP (Inner Wound)
Leah – Otherworld [2013] LP (Inner Wound)
Leah – Kings & Queens [2015] 2xLP (Inner Wound)
First-time vinyl editions of the Canadian symphonic metal band’s first three albums.
Alvin Lucier – Criss Cross/Hanover LP (Black Truffle)
Black Truffle present the premier recordings of two recent works by legendary American experimental composer Alvin Lucier. Lucier has been crafting elegant explorations of the behavior of sound in physical space since the 1960s and is perhaps best known for his 1970 piece I Am Sitting In A Room. Includes contributions on guitar by Oren Ambarchi and Stephen O’Malley. LP design by Stephen O’Malley.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO – Wembley Or Bust+MP3 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Triple 180gm vinyl LP pressing in single three-disc jacket including digital download. A special release commemorating the June 24th, 2017 performance by Jeff Lynne’s ELO at the famed Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Major Parkinson – Blackbox LP (Karisma)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fourth studio album by the Norwegian cult prog rock outfit.
Hugh Masekela – Hope [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Analogue Productions)
Hugh Masekela, the outstanding South African trumpeter, assembled a seven-piece group and recorded this great set live at Washington, D.C.’s Blues Alley. Audiophile 200gm vinyl pressing.
Suzanne Menzel – Goodbyes and Beginnings [Reissue/1981] LP (Frederiksberg)
Vinyl reissue of a sought-after rarity featuring a blend of ambient, new-age, ’60s-inspired folk music.
Mhysa – Fantasii LP (Halcyon Veil)
Mhysa is in possession of a totally compelling voice and production style, both feeding into a sound that’s prone to intuitively explore and reassert the limits of R&B, electronica, or modern soul.
Mind Spiders – Furies LP (Dirtnap)
Since 2012’s Meltdown, Mind Spiders have been perfecting an aggressive, relentless, frenetic and melodic style of punk that is a long, dark shadow of Devo but carries something much more sinister in its jaws. It’s a sound for the new dark ages, emboldened by urgency and sped along by some good old-fashioned panic.
Adrian Moore – Framed [OST] LP (iam8bit)
The sultry, sneaky score to the award-winning game, Framed.
Willie Nelson – Stardust [Reissue/1978] 2xLP (Analogue Prod.)
Audiophile 200gm vinyl reissue of Nelson’s pop standards album, originally released in 1978.
The New York Rock & Soul Revue – Live At The Beacon [Reissue/1991] 2xLP (Rhino)
Part of 2018’s Start Your Ear Off Right vinyl reissue campaign.
The Octopus Project – Hello Avalanche [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (Peek-A-Boo)
It’s been 11 years since the release of The Octopus Project’s third album and perennial fan-favorite Hello Avalanche. As such, it felt appropriate to re-release the record in a deluxe incarnation-newly remastered, visually redesigned, and pressed on two LPs. That second LP contains 2009’s Golden Beds EP (ninth anniversary alert!) and a full side of never-before-heard demos from that era, giving fans a look into an expanded Avalanche universe for the first time.
Off With Their Heads – Live! From The Rock Room LP (Asbestos)
Live session from the Live From the Rock Room web series.
Roy Orbison– Crying [Reissue/1962] 2xLP (Analogue Productions)
Limited audiophile 200gm 45rpm vinyl LP reissue of the second Roy Orbison issued by the Monument label.
Panic! At The Disco – All My Friends We’re Glorious: Death Of A Bachelor Tour 2xLP (Fueled By Ramen)
Live double-album recorded on the band’s 2017 Death Of A Bachelor Tour.
Tess Parks – Blood Hot [Reissue/2013] LP (Optic Nerve)
Limited colored vinyl LP pressing of Tess Parks’ 2013 Mazzy Star-esque debut.
Julia Reidy – All Is Ablaze LP (Feeding Tube)
Reidy plays both an acoustic 12 string and an electric, both of which sound unusually raw and exciting in her hands. There is an organic depth and weight to the music here, displaying an exceptionally wide breadth of influence, knowledge, chops and imagination.
RJD2/The Insane Warrior – Glass Bottle b/w A Fugue State 7” (Electrical Connections)
Two unreleased songs. Dual heat for a cold winter.
John Saint-Pelvyn – Clerical Error In Shasta County Shouldn’t Have 2×10” (Seeland)
For years, the only way to hear the music of John Saint-Pelvyn was to search him out in one of Minneapolis’s notorious underground venues, or unearth one of his long out-of-print cassette releases. Finally, this set brings his idiosyncratic and very personal music out into the open air. Primarily a guitarist, the root of his playing is akin to traditional stride, but rich with quivering whammy bar wobble and shimmering feedback. He often plays the tailfin strings of his archtop like one would play harmonics, or retunes seamlessly mid-stream to create a shifting temperament across the length of a piece.
The Sea And Cake – Everybody [Reissue/2007] LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
The Sea And Cake – Car Alarm [Reissue/2008] LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
The Sea And Cake – Runner [Reissue/2012] LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Colored vinyl reissues. New album due this year!
Shudder To Think – Ten Spot [Reissue/1990] LP (Dischord)
Originally released in 1990 and long out of print, this was the band’s second album and first record on Dischord. Formed in 1986, Shudder was part of a wave of younger punk bands making music that was inspired by, but also independent from, the established Dischord scene. Their music was theatrical, merging punk, progressive rock, and glam.
Sixx:A.M. – The Heroin Diaries 10th Anniversary Edition LP (Eleven Seven)
Recently reissued on CD – now available on vinyl. Originally released in 2007, The Heroing Diaries was created as a companion piece to Nikki Sixx’s (Mötley Crüe) book of the same title, which chronicles his severe heroin addiction in 1987. Limited double 180gm red and black marbled colored vinyl LP pressing.
Slow Bloom – Hex Hex Hex LP (No Sleep)
Northern Californian outfit Slow Bloom manages to combine the visceral post-punk of iconic mainstays like Refused and At The Drive In with the alt sensibilities of Nirvana. The four piece captures a wild energy that feels as raging and aggressive as it is fresh.
Smoking Popes – Live! From The Rock Room LP (Asbestos)
Live session from the Live! From the Rock Room web series.
Jay Som – Pirouette b/w O.K., Meet Me Underwater 7” (Polyvinyl)
Unreleased material from the Everybody Works sessions.
Soundtrack – Mother 2 2xLP (Ship To Shore)
Limited colored vinyl LP pressing housed in a jacket with authentic Japanese art design, complete with an Obi strip. First ever vinyl release of the classic Super Nintendo soundtrack. Mother 2, released as EarthBound in the West, is revered as one of the most offbeat and memorable RPGs. Citing influence from artists such as Brian Wilson, Frank Zappa and John Lennon, Suzuki and Tanaka created a diverse soundscape quite unlike anything that came before it.
Soundtrack – The Lobster [OST] LP (Fire Soundtracks)
Academy award nominated film and winner of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival Jury prize (among many others), The Lobster is a dystopian comedy-drama directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogstooth, The Killing Of A Sacred Deer) and co-written by Efthymis Filippou that stars Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman. The soundtrack “brings the film’s edgy tension and menace to the fore” (Screen Daily) with orchestral renditions of Beethoven, Stravinsky and Shostakovich alongside Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds with Kylie Minogue on “Where The Wild Roses Grow” and Sophia Loren with Tonis Maroudas on “Ti Ein Afto Pou To Lene Agapi.” Limited colored vinyl LP pressing also available.
Soundtrack – Steven Universe: The Complete Vol. 1 4×10” (iam8bit)
Limited quadruple translucent colored vinyl ten-inch vinyl set. Steven Universe is a one-of-a-kind animated opus, fusing musical ce7lebration with storytelling in a way that inspires nothing short of spectacular smiling. Its songs are lively, jubilant and often emotional works of aural art, spreading a sensation of total glee to all ears within listening distance.
Sun Ra – Nothing Is… [Reissue/1966] LP (ESP Disk)
In 1966, ESP-Disk’s founder Bernard Stollman put together a multi-artist tour of five New York colleges and sent audio engineer David B. Jones on the road with it. When they returned, 39 minutes of music from a May 18th, 1966 concert at St. Lawrence University in Potsdam, NY was chosen to be released as Nothing Is… Now, fifty years later, it is back on its original vinyl form.
Sun Ra – Sleeping Beauty [Reissue/1979] LP (Art Yard)
One of the more delicate recordings of Sun Ra’s 28-strong Arkestra, Sleeping Beauty drifts in on a cloud of cosmic dust, sounding unlike anything before or after. With drummer Luqman Ali keeping the narcotic funk, but with dreamy solos from other key Arkestra players like John Gilmore, Michael Ray, and Marshall Allen, no Sun Ra collection is complete without this LP. Inspired space-age lullaby music.
Sweet Slag – Tracking With Close-Ups [Reissue/1971] LP (Lion Productions)
Formed in 1969, this UK outfit went on to record only one ultra-collectable album in 1971 for President Records. Originally the album was going to be titled Guerilla Jazz Rock but came instead to be renamed Tracking With Close-Ups, which is a good thing, as this is certainly not a jazz rock album. The band toured extensively, supporting the likes of Deep Purple, Stray, Nucleus, Graham Bond, Black Cat Bones and Third Ear Band.
Testament – Live At The Fillmore [1995] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Testament – Demonic [Reissue/1997] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Testament – The Gathering [Reissue/1999] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Testament – First Strike Still Deadly [Reissue/2001] LP+7” (Nuclear Blast)
Testament – Live At Eindhoven ‘87 [Reissue/2009] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Limited 140gm colored vinyl pressings housed in gatefold sleeves.
Armando Trovajoli – 7 Volte 7: Colonna Sonora [OST] LP (Beatball)
A classic score by legendary Armando Trovajoli for the comedy-action-spy movie directed in year 1968 by Michele Lupo and produced by Marco Vicario. Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.
Typhoon – White Lighter [Reissue/2013] LP (Roll Call)
Typhoon is a band built out of contradictions. The 11-piece Portland, OR supergroup is both wild and tightly structured, punk and symphonic. Frontman Kyle Morton’s lyrics are concerned primarily with death, but Typhoon’s songs are resoundingly triumphant.
Unearth – The Oncoming Storm [2004] LP (Metal Blade)
Charging out of the late ‘90s Massachusetts underground in a storm of thunderous riffs and focused aggression, Unearth proudly stand at the forefront of modern metal. Metal Blade Records is pleased to offer up a vinyl reissue of the band’s seminal 2004 label debut The Oncoming Storm which Fuse named one of the “27 Albums Every Metalhead Should Own.” [Limited black and gold colored pressing also available.]
The Vandals – When In Rome Do As The Vandals Do [Reissue/1985] LP (Kung Fu)
Limited yellow vinyl LP pressing of the 1985 full-length debut album from the L.A. punk legends.
Various Artists – The B-Music Of Jean Rollin 1968-1973 LP (Finders Keepers)
Rising out of the smoky Parisian Mai 68 shrapnel and claiming his stake as the first French vampire movie director, the inimitable father of European horrortica, Jean Rollin (1938-2010) has smudged the painted face of surrealist cinema for over five decades. Dragging his roots from beneath the Letterist/Situationist movements, avant-garde theater, and Belgian fine art groups and entwining them around the minds of sexual revolutionaries, the European comic book cognoscenti and the Parisian free jazz and rock scenes, Rollin stopped at nothing to bring his macabre fantasies of zygotic vampyrism and backwoods blood cults to Gallic cinémathèques and beyond.
Various Artists – Classic Latin Tunes Become Salsa Hits 2xLP (Grosso Recordings)
Classics tunes from Caribbean music that became great successes of salsa; compiled by Pablo Yglesias, aka DJ Bongohead.
Various Artists – Cold Waves Of Color Volume 5 LP (Lion Productions)
The fifth volume in Lion’s received compilation series of 1980’s electronic tracks from the Color Tapes label. As with the other volumes you can find great examples of cold wave, minimal wave and synth electronics made by obscure British bands such as Berserk In A Hayfield, Disintegrators, Lives of Angels, The Lord plus a rare track by post-Alternative TV avant-garde band The Good Missionaries.
Various Artists – Kaminari Volume 2: Nineteen More Japanese Garage Monsters LP (Groovie)
19 exciting underground bands from all over Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hokkaido, Kobe). If garage rock, trash punk, ’60s beat, fuzz or surf is your thing then you’ll dig Kaminari like candy.
Various Artists – Naino! Spanish Gipsy Soul Funk Disco 1974/1984 LP (Adarce)
a compilation dedicated to the fusion of black music and gipsy music created during the last century in Spain.
Sylvie Vartan – En Ecoutant La Pluie LP (Wax Love)
Sylvie Vartran’s family emigrated from Bulgaria to Paris in 1952 when she was just a child. Soon she would fall in love with the cosmopolitan Parisian music scene as well as American jazz and rock and roll, and by 1961, at the young age of 17, she began her recording career, one that would prove to be among the most illustrious in French pop music of 20th century. Known for her tough and sultry vocals, Vartran was an early star of the yé-yé scene and these first singles show why. Featuring many French language re-workings of rock and R&B hits from The Isley Brothers to Mel Torme, Paul Anka to Del Shannon, this collection is essential for any fan of ’60s French pop.
Veil Of Maya – False God LP (Sumerian)
Released last October on CD – now available on vinyl. A maelstrom of polyrhythmic guitars, sweeping vocals, and shuddering beats.
Veruca Salt – Eight Arms To Hold You [Reissue/1997] LP (Geffen)
Vinyl reissue of Veruca Salt’s second album. This was the last album to feature original band members Nina Gordon, Louise Post, Steve Lack, and Jim Shapiro until the 2015 reunion album.
Virginia Trance – Virginia Trance LP (Bym)
Virginia Trance is the solo project of Scott Ryan Davis (formerly of Images and Psychic Ills) – a light, groovy piece with expressive drumming, reverb-dipped vocals, and dewy guitar.
Young Thug – Beautiful Thugger Girls 2xLP (300 Entertainment)
Beautiful Thugger Girls sees the visionary multi-art form superstar singing all 14 tracks on a collection of songs recorded earlier this year. It marks Young Thug’s first release since the widely acclaimed mixtape, Jeffery. The album features guest appearances from Future, Gunna, Jacquees, Lil Durk, Millie Go Lightly, Quavo, and Snoop Dogg.
Zanov – Green Ray [Reissue/1976] 2×10” (Wah Wah)
Zanov – Moebius 256 301 [Reissue/1977] 2×10” (Wah Wah)
Under the alias of Zanov we find the works of French electronic pioneer Pierre Salkazanov, who had started playing guitar in the 1960s in a Shadows styled band, Les Ambassadors.
Cassettes:
Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo (Dead Oceans)
Whereas Khruangbin’s 2015 debut album The Universe Smiles Upon You was influenced by ‘60s and ‘70s Thai cassettes and compilations of southeast Asian pop, rock and funk, Con Todo El Mundo hops east over India to take inspiration in similarly under discovered funk and soul sounds of the Middle-East, particularly from Iran.
No Age – Snare Like A Haircut (Drag City)
“Been a while, hasn’t it? Fuzz punks No Age have been dwelling in slumber since they released An Object, their last and most thoughtful record in a back catalogue full of discarding and distorting. Here comes the shred: they’re back with Snares Like A Haircut and it sounds like they’re gonna make one of their famous, churning rackets.”
Pulse Emitter – Meditative Music 1 (Immune Recordings)
Pulse Emitter – Meditative Music 2 (Immune Recordings)
Pulse Emitter – Meditative Music 3 (Immune Recordings)
Pulse Emitter – Meditative Music 4 (Immune Recordings)
Pulse Emitter – Meditative Music 5 (Immune Recordings)
Originally self-released in four annual installments from 2007-2010, with a fifth installment recorded in 2015, Meditative Music is a series whose arc is as informed as much by the meditative intent of each piece as it is indicative of Pulse Emitter’s ability to explore and cultivate sounds with unmatched subtlety.
Ty Segall – Freedom’s Goblin (Drag City)
Ty Segall goes all the way, flipping the Freedom coin to find passion, laughter and savagery on both sides.
Tiny Moving Parts – Swell (Triple Crown)
Following 2016’s acclaimed Celebrate, the delightfully chipper trio from Benson, Minnesota bring you their brand-new record Swell. The collection finds Tiny Moving Parts building on its predecessor and throwing into the melting pot, their impressively complex instrumentation, infectious melodies and killer hooks to create a tight, mathy melodic punk combination that’s hard to resist. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and a spring to your step.
Book:
Mayo Thompson – Art, Mystery (Drag City)
Mayo Thompson’s first published work of fiction since the 1960s. He is best known for his work with the psychedelic band, The Red Krayola. “Perlat Tile, Pablo Pablon, Ms. Jasmine, and the Beast of Bern tussle and conspire with other assorted gangsters and PhDs over an illicit Pollaiuolo statuette. The action unfolds in Tirana, between the National Museum and a bar named Tiranosaurus Tex, leading to a denouement in Venice. Mr. Thompson has given us the perfect cocktail of suspense and whimsy. Very highly recommended—even the most humorless of art historians will be tickled by Art, Mystery!”—Dr. Emmelyn Butterfield-Rosen
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