CDs + Vinyl
The Americans – I’ll Be Yours CD/LP (Loose)
Having started out as a roots band enthralled by pre-war American country and blues, The Americans have evolved into a blistering amalgamation of those influences, injected with a fiery blue-collar rock ‘n’ roll attitude, absorbing and reconfiguring the history of American music from Chuck Berry and Tom Waits to Bruce Springsteen. The band was plucked from obscurity by Jack White, T Bone Burnett and Robert Redford to appear in the PBS documentary series American Epic.
Apples – Mind Twister [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Odion Livingstone)
An essential reissue from the Nigerian archives, the Afro-funk rarity Mind Twister.
Applewood Road – Applewood Road CD/LP+MP3 (Gearbox)
Applewood Road is singer-songwriters Emily Barker, Amber Rubarth and Amy Speace, who first met in Nashville in September 2014 where they wrote and recorded the song entitled “Applewood Road.” Six months later they reconvened to write twelve more songs and turn this exciting new collaboration into a full album project which was received to critical acclaim in 2016. The LP version is a limited package for the US market with an exclusive 7” single featuring “Losing My Religion” and “My Dear Companion” recorded live at Union Chapel in London. “Losing My Religion” also features as an extra track on the US version of the CD.
Bloodclot – Up In Arms CD/LP (Metal Blade)
At its purest, there is little that can match the visceral thrill and empowering spirit of hardcore. As frontman of New York City hardcore kings Cro-Mags, this is something John Joseph knows very well, and with Up In Arms, he and his Bloodclot compatriots deliver a furious collection that hits hard on every level. “In this band we’re doing what each of us have always done: give it our all,” he states plainly. Every track lives up to the rallying cry of the album’s title – the bursts of high energy hardcore act as the perfect accompaniment to Joseph setting his sights on injustice and the seemingly endless flaws of the contemporary world. From the moment the opening title track explodes to life, it’s clear that everyone involved is having a blast and playing from the heart, and that this is no frills / no bullsh*t music at its most passionate – every song evoking mental images of utter chaos in a heaving mosh pit.
Bonzie – Zone On Nine CD/LP (Beevine)
The second album from Chicago-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bonzie, Zone On Nine pulls off the sublime feat of feeling both intensely intimate and otherworldly in scope. “All of my songs basically start as a conversation I’m having with myself alone in my room,” says 21-year-old Nina Ferraro, who’s created under the moniker of Bonzie since age 17. “It’s how I process and interpret things that have happened to me or in life in general; it’s my way of trying to understand the world.” Throughout Zone On Nine, Ferraro eschews the confessional singer-songwriter approach and claims her role as a fiercely honest observer and commentator who delivers her lyrics with powerful abandon. Kaleidoscopic in texture and spiked with startling intensity, the album opens with the jagged guitar riffs and measured fury of “Crescent.” That intensity sustains for the dusky urgency of songs like “Combback,” and for the synth-laced title track’s anthemic determination. “I think we’re here to experience things and express our experience, and to notice and enjoy how we each have our own different perspective,” says Ferraro. “I feel obligated to participate in life that way, on a very visceral level. To me there’s a rhythm that already exists in the world, and I want to be a part of that.”
Boris – Dear CD/2xLP+MP3 (Sargent House)
In the 25th year of their existence Boris deliver an album they describe as “heavenly-far beyond heavy.” Though Boris has traversed a broad swath of sonic territories, they have always been consistent in their embracing of excess, pushing their myriad of approaches and stylistic forays to points of intoxicating absurdity.
Breakfast Muff – Eurgh! CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
Debut full physical album from the Glasgow three-piece. 13 tracks of in your face vitriolic punk thrash.
Cyrus Chestnut – There’s A Sweet, Sweet Spirit CD (HighNote)
A decorated veteran of the Betty Carter Trio, pianist Cyrus Chestnut came out the experience relatively unscathed with a style and directive clearly his own. It’s one steeped in the gospel church traditions of his native Baltimore, but also enlivened by an open ear aimed at a multitude of other influences. He has enjoyed stints with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Vanessa Williams, Freddie Hubbard and Joe Lovano. He also speaks fondly of his valuable tenures with vocalists Jon Hendricks and Joe Williams. With the fleetness of Bud Powell and his own distinctive two-handed lushly impressionistic harmonies, Cyrus offers an imaginative set with his long-time friends Buster Williams and Lenny White. Together they breathe new life into the venerable jazz piano trio format.
Alex Chilton – Baton Rouge 1985 CD (Klondike)
The entire Louisiana Public Broadcast (WLPB) of Alex Chilton performing live at the VFW Hall, Baton Rouge on September 27th, 1985.
Daley – The Spectrum CD (BMG/The End)
Daley is a singer, songwriter and recording artist hailing from Manchester, UK. A British boy who grew up on the sounds of Prince, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott, D’Angelo, Radiohead and Oasis – Daley first became prominent after co-writing and featuring on the Gorillaz hit “Doncamatic” under the wing of the band’s creator Damon Albarn in London. He has since become one of the UK’s most respected musical exports, recording and touring on both sides of the Atlantic and working with the likes of Pharrell Williams, Miguel, Jessie J, Emeli Sande, Maxwell, Jill Scott and Marsha Ambrosius. “Daley, intentionally or unintentionally, has curated an intriguing imagery around him. He goes solely by his surname as his stage moniker. He has an iconic aesthetic — round glasses, perfectly coiffed ginger hair — and an even more iconic voice: His inimitable falsetto has ultimately separated him as a matchless talent, and one that should not be ignored; in short, he has firmly planted himself within the music industry as an artist worthy of note.” – Atwood Magazine
Dasher – Sodium CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
After a string of well-received 7″ releases on labels like Suicide Squeeze and Die Slaughterhaus, Dasher songs new and old have finally been smelted down into their debut album, Sodium. Dasher knifes out the chop-crunch guitar of latter-day post-punk with a seething screech echoing the hardest horizons of the early 90’s underground.
Dayseeker – Dreaming Is Sinking /// Waking Is Rising CD (Spinefarm)
Dayseeker’s conceptual third full-length album maintains an inimitable and infectious intensity while representing a marked evolution for the Orange County group. Since 2012, the group has quietly sent shockwaves throughout the scene. The DNA of this story is an amalgam of the coma suffered by a friend of Rory Rodriguez’s ex-girlfriend, Alex Garland’s book The Coma, and Boys Night Out’s 2005 concept record Trainwreck – a personal favorite of the frontman. [Vinyl edition due August 18.]
The Dears – Times Infinity Volume Two CD/LP (Dangerbird/Paperbag)
Following 2015’s Times Infinity Volume One, The Dears’ new album, Times Infinity Volume Two, is the darker side of the two-part release. The band, led by husband-and-wife duo Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak, recorded Times Infinity Volume Two in a similar two-year span that they recorded Volume One. Propelled by driving bass-lines, fractious early single “Of Fisticuffs” doubles down on the propulsive agitation of Times Infinity’s first installment, typifying the universal, everyday tightrope of choosing which battles to fight. For Lightburn and Yanchak, a sense of protecting what’s important runs deep through Volume Two, though rendered with disarming tenderness.
Dishwalla – Juniper Road CD (Pavement Music
Juniper Road is the first new album from Dishwalla since the band reformed in 2008 with new vocalist Justin Fox.
DJ Stingray – Kern Vol. 4 CD/2xLP (Tresor)
For the fourth instalment in Tresor’s Kern mix series, DJ Stingray (Urban Tribe/Drexciya) presents a device for decoding time in all directions, a sonic prism that refracts our senses into auxiliary components of a total future-rush. With a far-reaching selection that has been worked into his own unique form, DJ Stingray wraps the listener’s vertigo around a gritty pneumatic bump with high-velocity swing.
Don Drummond – Don Cosmic CD/2xLP+MP3 (Studio One)
Don Cosmic is a new Studio One compilation that chronicles the legacy and influence of Don Drummond, one of Jamaica’s most legendary performers during the ska era. This collection features a handful of Don Drummond rarities, many of which have never been featured on prior albums. You can hear Drummond’s timeless sound all across the Studio One catalog, and Don Cosmic is the perfect vehicle for shedding light on the trombonist’s unrivaled legacy
Expulsion – Nightmare Future CD/LP (Relapse)
Just in time for the end of civilization as we know it, old-school grindcore barges back with a vengeance in the form of Expulsion. Across seven songs and fourteen minutes of throat-shredding vocals, relentless blast beats, buzzsaw riffs and raw bass tones, Expulsion will leave you horrified with their vile brand of classic, ‘80s sickness.
Art Feynman – Blast Off Through The Wicker CD/LP (Western Vinyl)
Blast Off Through The Wicker documents Art Feynman looking for life in the lifeless, questioning what it means to be living. There is a calm, disciplined pocket to be felt in everything Feynman does; krautrock slink, staccato bounce, and pentatonic bursts of Nigerian Highlife fuzz pour on the temporal canvas with unquestionable ease, never falling in the wrong place.
French Montana – Jungle Rules CD (Epic)
The rapper’s new set boasts a bevy of guests including the Weeknd, Pharrell Williams, Future, Travis Scott, T.I., Quavo, Young Thug and more.
Gospel Youth – Always Lose CD (Rise)
Formed in 2014, the UK-based pop-punk group have shared the stage with Mallory Knox, Deaf Havana, Hands Like Houses and more. Always Lose features10 powerful, anthemic tracks that are sure to attract the interest of pop-punk aficionados.
Derek Gripper – Libraries On Fire CD (Wrasse)
Master guitarist Derek Gripper furthers his exploration of works from Mali’s great kora maestros; Toumani Diabaté, Ballaké Sissoko and Sekou Batourou Kouyate, creating a new form of classical guitar music out of Africa’s richest musical traditions.
Philippe Hallais – An American Hero CD/2xLP (Modern Love)
Philippe takes inspiration from the TV biopics of high-performance athletes for an album of exceptional emotive impact; somewhere between pastiche, tragedy, and electronic futurism. Fascinated by the sports documentaries mass-produced by the US TV channel ESPN, Hallais transcribed and amplified its dramatic recipes. These form the material of tearful soap operas which develop the same narrative ad nauseam; the rise to the top, the betrayal, decline, salvation, comeback, and ultimately, nostalgia and regret.
Integrity – Howling, For The Nightmare Shall Consume CD/LP (Relapse)
Known for being one of the most incendiary and influential bands in hardcore and modern metal history, apocalyptic heavy music icons Integrity return with their highly anticipated twelfth studio album Howling, For The Nightmare Shall Consume. A conceptual foretelling of the final days of Armageddon, Howling… is a manifestation of Pentecostal nightmares and religious depravities, wrought with fire and brimstone sermons and occult prophecies bathed in waves of destruction. Now with almost 30 years of creating dark and terrifying anthems under their belt, Integrity have honored their past musical legacy while fearlessly moving forward into unchartered territory on what is undoubtedly their most elaborate and ambitious effort to date.
Island People – Island People CD/2xLP (Raster Music)
Island People is a new band project consisting of mastering engineer Conor Dalton, Grammy award winning producer David Donaldson, musician and DJ Graeme Reedie, and guitarist Ian “Chippy” Maciennan. On their first self-titled record, they present their collaborative work that evolved over the past three years via long-distance collaboration, wherein their delicate sound structures, field recordings, and other sound sources were heavily processed and rendered unrecognizable.
Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Anthems For The Apocalypse CD (MRI Associated)
Anthems For The Apocalypse is a fast paced, cinematic 10 song alt-rock record that revives the raw passion of the early ‘90s grunge movement.
Japanese Breakfast – Soft Sounds From Another Planet CD/LP+MP3 (Dead Oceans)
Japanese Breakfast’s Soft Sounds From Another Planet is less of a concept album about space exploration so much as it is a mood board come to life. Over the course of 12 tracks, Michelle Zauner explores a sonic landscape of her own design, one that’s big enough to contain her influences. There are songs on this album that recall the pathos of Roy Orbison’s ballads, while others could soundtrack a cinematic drive down one of Blade Runner’s endless skyways. Zauner’s voice is capacious; one moment she’s serenading the past, the next she’s robotically narrating a love story over sleek monochrome, her lyrics more pointed and personal than ever before. While Psychopomp was a genre-spanning introduction to Japanese Breakfast, this visionary sophomore album launches the project to new heights. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
The Kickback – Weddings & Funerals CD (Julian)
The Kickback immediately enter the front ranks of contemporary rock ‘n’ roll with Weddings & Funerals, a furious, exhilarating, and deeply emotional collection that somehow captures all of the shared experiences that bring us together – joy and sorrow, unity and separation, love and hate, life its own self. Produced by Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello, Wavves), the album sees singer-songwriter Billy Yost rending his chest to bare his own dark heart while grappling with intense personal trauma. [Vinyl edition due July 21.]
Kirstin – Love CDEP (RCA)
Debut solo EP from the Pentatonix singer-songwriter.
Anton Kubikov – Whatness CD/LP (Kompakt)
Weaving airy and iridescent sonic tapestry, Whatness takes up where Kubikov’s excellent contributions to Kompakt’s Pop Ambient compilations left off.
Laibach – Also Sprach Zarathustra CD/LP (Mute)
Also Sprach Zarathustra is an update of the music Laibach created for the play, directed by Matjaž Berger for the Anton Podbevšek Theatre (APT) in Novo Mesto, Slovenia.
k.d. lang – Ingénue (25th Anniversary Edition) [Reissue/1992] 2xCD/2xLP (Nonesuch)
Expanded 25th Anniversary edition released to celebrate the double platinum-selling, Grammy Award-winning album’s silver anniversary. This double-disc set includes remastered versions of the album’s original ten tracks, including its huge hit “Constant Craving,” along with eight previously unreleased performances from Lang’s 1993 MTV Unplugged episode.
The Last Four Digits – Don’t Move CD/LP+CD (Family Vineyard)
The Last Four Digits were a pioneering Indiana new wave band, gigging steadily between 1980 and 1982. Two versions of the band existed, both are documented here. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Jim Lawrie – Slacker Of The Year CD/LP+MP3 (Barely Dressed)
Melbourne’s finest purveyor of heartbroken folk-rock, Jim Lawrie is a songwriting gem. On record and live, his performances are gorgeous and Jim’s trademark vocal purity is a highlight; melodic, harmonious, warm and human. Slacker Of The Year is the culmination of years of creative introspection, Lawrie’s own stunning take on the building blocks of classic rock and folk.
JoAnna Lee – So Free CD (Cutmore)
With its ear catching, beautiful melodies and heartfelt, memorable lyrics So Free is a remarkably confident debut. With an astonishingly, explosive voice, JoAnna brings soul-filled country tracks such as the lead single “The Real Thing” and the emotionally heartbreaking “Drinking By Myself.”
The Linecutters – Anthill CD/LP (Slope)
The Linecutters play a killer punk style with tinges of ska and metal weaving their way into the blend of early ’80s and new school hardcore sounds.
Livid – Beneath This Shroud, The Earth Erodes CD (Prosthetic)
Minneapolis dwellers Cole Benson, Chad Padelford and Tim Leick first got together in 2013 playing instrumental post rock. It wasn’t long after that the trio’s influences of Eyehategod, the Melvins, Boris, Tool, Evoken and Mournful Congratulation began to manifest naturally through their music creating a more sonically cathartic endeavor. By the Fall of 2016, Livid began work on their debut album, Beneath This Shroud, The Earth Erodes. The political climate of that time, combined with various struggles each member had, helped create an extremely dark, extremely moody, heavy and angry sounding album. [Vinyl edition due August 11.]
Charles Lloyd New Quartet – Passin’ Through CD/2xLP (Blue Note)
Saxophonist, flutist, composer, and jazz mystic Charles Lloyd’s latest Blue Note offering is a passionate live recording that marks the 10th anniversary of his acclaimed and enduring New Quartet featuring pianist Jason Moran, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Eric Harland, a simpatico unit that teems with intuition, contemplation and playfulness. The album is a dynamic seven-song collection of Lloyd compositions old and new.
Lo Tom – Lo Tom CD/LP (Barsuk)
Lo Tom is made up of David Bazan (Pedro The Lion), Trey Many (Velour 100, Starflyer 59), TW Walsh (Pedro The Lion, The Soft Drugs), and Jason Martin (Starflyer 59). Recorded over two different sessions when they could find the time to spare, the four friends gathered with half-formed riffs and beats to see what would come out of it. The album’s thematic direction is loose and conceptual. The melodies recall Pedro The Lion and TW Walsh, the guitars sparkle with hints of Starflyer 59, and the songs hurtle through the major keystones of guitar rock tight conversation between percussion and guitar, heavy fuzz, and some genuinely joyful breakdowns that give way to catharsis.
Lourdes Rebels – Lolita CD/LP (Aagoo)
Lourdes Rebels is a duo from Parma, in the north of Italy. They play toy-keyboards, samplers, electric and bass guitars, drum-machines and filtered microphones.
Royce Lovett – Love & Other Dreams CD (Motown)
New album from Motown Gospel recording artist. This genre-bending collection of music organically fuses hip-hop, soul and rock to showcase Lovett’s unmistakable voice, guitar-driven melodies, and profound lyricism with a unique urban flair.
Nick Lowe – Nice The Knife [Reissue/1982] CD/LP (Yep Roc)
Nick Lowe – The Abominable Showman [Reissue/1983] CD/LP (Yep Roc)
Nick The Knife is Lowe’s third solo LP, and his first since the 1981 breakup of his band Rockpile. However, the record still has several Rockpile ties, as Lowe’s former bandmates Billy Bremner and Terry Williams play on the album. The Abominable Showman was recorded with his post-Rockpile touring band Noise To Go. Following the blueprint of Rockpile, the band also featured a second lead vocalist in erstwhile Ace frontman Paul Carrack and had been featured on the Lowe-produced Carrack album, Suburban Voodoo.
Lucky+Love – Lucky+Love CD/LP (Lucky+Love)
Los Angeles-based duo Lucky+Love present their self-titled debut album. Across eight electrified tracks they successfully incorporate synth-heavy bass with polyphonic harmonies and crystalline vocals, which propels the music into trance-inducing territory.
Magnetix – Live In San Francisco CD/LP (Castleface)
Next up on Castle Face’s Live In San Francisco series: France’s most prolific and distorted rock ‘n’ roll band.
Russell Malone – Time For The Dancers CD (HighNote)
With this, his third outing as a leader on HighNote guitar master Russell Malone returns with his talented quartet, featuring the potent pianism of Rick Germanson, the solid underpinnings of Luke Sellick on bass, and drummer-extraordinaire Willie Jones III. Malone possesses phenomenal technique, a warm luminous tone, an innate sense of swing, and his distinctive chording. Time For The Dancers consists of a wide range of songs including funk, ballads, uptempo hard bop performances and even a pop tune and a TV theme.
Mammút – Kinder Versions CD/2xLP (Bella Union)
Icelandic bands often resemble a force of nature, and Mammút (“mammoth”) is no exception. What’s more, the quintet’s spectacular new album Kinder Versions is exactly the kind of volcanic presence sorely lacking in 21st century rock. Likewise their unpredictable and uncategorizable shapeshifting sound, like a very modern twist on psychedelia.
The Memories – Royal United Song Service CD/2xLP+MP3/Cassette (Burger)
Royal United Song Service was created by The Memories (featuring members of White Fang, Colleen Green, Free Weed, Unkle Funkle, Totally You, Jerry Rogers and more) to raise funds for their first European tour. Through this service The Memories created custom, made-to-order tunes about any topic or theme and with any lyrics, chords or time-signatures for the low, low price of $100. Everyone has a song inside them and this double album speaks to that — the Memories making songs about other people’s memories.
Natalie Merchant – The Natalie Merchant Collection 10xCD (Nonesuch)
The Natalie Merchant Collection comprises ten discs, including all eight of her solo studio albums from the past three decades. A ninth disc, Butterfly, is a new studio set featuring four new songs and six reinterpreted selections from her catalog, all arranged for string quartet. The final disc is Rarities, a collection of fifteen rare and previously unreleased tracks recorded between 1998 and 2017, which offers a unique view of Merchant’s creative experimentation through home studio demos, album outtakes, live tracks, and collaborations with diverse artists like Billy Bragg, David Byrne, The Chieftains, Cowboy Junkies, and Amy Helm.
Mr. Flannery And His Feelings – Try Your Hardest CD/LP (Rhyme & Reason)
Mr. Flannery’s first album as a frontman is a repository of everything he’s learned in a lifetime spent on the creative edge of show-business. The songs on the set reflect the breadth of his taste: here he pulls effortlessly and with equal confidence from new wave, punk, island music, reflective acoustic singer-songwriters of the ’70s, exuberant electro-funk acts of the ’80s, and the willfully obscure and quietly confrontational college rock of the 1990s. Try Your Hardest includes the overdriven, swaggering glam-rock stomp of “NYC CITY”, the ruminative reggae of “Embers Of Dead Fires”, and the anxious Cars-like party-starter “Dance Of Love” — all unified by Mr. Flannery’s personality, vision, and distinctive sense of humor, too.
Mura Masa – Mura Masa CD (Downtown)
Prince-style wired funk sits next to trap with tropical-inflected house and acoustic balladry intertwined across the record. It’s singularly Mura Masa’s vision of what pop music should look like in 2017. Mura Masa features an extraordinarily diverse mix of collaborators: ranging from Damon Albarn, Christine & The Queens and Charli XCX to A$AP Rocky, Desiigner, Jamie Lidell, A. K. Paul, and affiliates of Alex’s own Anchor Point family (like Nao, Bonzai and Tom Tripp). [Vinyl edition due August 4.]
Nick Murphy – Missing Link CDEP/12”+MP3 (Downtown)
Murphy’s first release since announcing last fall that he’ll record and perform under his given name and step away from his Chet Faker moniker.
David Nance – Do The Negative Boogie CD/LP (Ba Da Bing!)
David Nance, Omaha veteran of warble and hiss, returns with Negative Boogie, his concoction of chug, throb and greasy swagger. It’s a bit like Canned Heat but with Pere Ubu’s queasy rhythms and someone playing five finger fillet with Swell Maps.
Night Argent – The Fear CDEP (Cooking Vinyl)
Night Argent is an alternative pop/rock band hailing from Washington State. Their music combines flawless musical talent and infectious pop melodies with the high-energy live performance of an anthemic rock powerhouse.
Nu:Logic – Somewhere Between The Light CD/LP (Hospital Productions)
The Nu:Logic duo return with their combined genius to present a second full-length collaborative effort. As two pioneers of the signature Hospital sound, brothers Nu:Tone and Logistics have become influencers and tastemakers in the genre with a deep back-catalogue of smooth, soulful, liquid drum & bass.
Offa Rex – The Queen Of Hearts CD/LP (Nonesuch)
The Queen Of Hearts is the debut album from Offa Rex, an adventurous new project featuring English singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Olivia Chaney and The Decemberists. Produced and recorded by Tucker Martine (Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Neko Case) and Colin Meloy at Martine’s studio in Portland, OR, and mostly arranged by Chaney, the album’s 13-tracks draw largely on traditional English-Irish-Scottish repertoire to create a transatlantic musical conversation that flirts with psychedelia and folk rock while maintaining its own inimitable identity. From the heady harpsichord swirl that engulfs album opener “The Queen Of Hearts” to the warm, delicate drone of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” or the cold, grey riff that heralds “Sheepcrook And Black Dog,” it’s evident that Offa Rex is different indeed, upending its folk roots and imbuing these songs with exploratory verve.
Oh Wonder – Ultralife CD (Republic)
Sophomore album from the British synth-pop duo. [Vinyl edition due July 21.]
Nick Oliveri – N.O. Hits At All Vol. 2 CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)
The second volume of N.O. Hits At All, featuring Nick Oliveri in various bands. Vol. 2 features The Dwarves, Royale Daemons, Turbonegro, The You Know Who, Kyuss, and Lightnin’ Woodcock.
Yoko Ono – Fly [Reissue/1973] CD/2xLP+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)
Yoko Ono – Approximately Infinite Universe [Reissue/1973] CD/2xLP+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)
Yoko Ono – Feeling The Space [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
What you hear on Fly is Yoko Ono’s disarming combination of opacity and visceral, personal transparency in full bloom. It’s one of the most unbridled, most captivating soul albums ever made. And that’s right where she wants you: vulnerable, wide open to any-and-everything, ready to have your world tipped onto its head. There’s a fury at the core of Yoko Ono’s 1973 rock opus Approximately Infinite Universe that was not apparent on previously recorded efforts. Ono has always been a master of turning pain and sadness into art, but here, there’s a clenched-fist intensity that sets it apart in her deep, unparalleled catalogue. Feeling The Space is Yoko Ono’s fourth solo album, her last one on Apple Records and her last release of the 1970s. The entire album adopts a feminist theme, focusing on the plights of women in the 1970s.
Jeff Özdemir And Friends – Vol. 2 CD/2xLP (Karaoke Kalk)
New collaborative beast led by Jeff Özdemir and featuring F.S. Blumm, Andrew Pekler, Benjamin Wild and many more.
Picturesque – Back To Beautiful CD (Equal Vision)
“Like their neighbors in Too Close To Touch, Lexington, Kentucky’s Picturesque tap into a vein of cinematic, yet remarkably candid post-hardcore, drenched in emotion.” – RockSound.tv
Psychic Temple – Psychic Temple IV CD/LP (Joyful Noise)
Produced and composed by band/cult leader Chris Schlarb, Psychic Temple IV was recorded in Los Angeles over a series of eight large scale sessions. In the spirit of the classic Wrecking Crew sessions for Phil Spector and the Beach Boys, the band was often tasked with recording four songs per session.
Psychic TV – Pagan Day [Reissue/1984] CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
Psychic TV – Allegory And Self [Reissue/1988] CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
Beginning in 1982, the conceptual audiovisual troupe labeled Psychic TV set out on a multimedia journey filled with subversion, liberation and rebellion. While the members’ previous works took root in the counterculture zeitgeist of late ’70s UK punk and conceptual art, it was no longer a question of how to rebel against authority, but rather how to carefully subvert it through collective infiltration.
Quaeshning & Schnauss – Synthwaves CD/LP+MP3 (Azure Vista)
Synthwaves pays homage to the masters of the past, yet feels fresh and enchanting. Crisp, interlocking patterns are modulated and mutated with mathematical precision into eight pieces of pristine, post-kosmische sounds to float away to. During two intense weeks in Berlin, Quaeschning and Schnauss – both students of the great, late maestro Edgar Froese – locked themselves in a studio full of vintage synthesizers, analog sequencers and drum machines, and the result is a gorgeous set of purely electronic music.
RAC – EGO CD/LP (Counter)
RAC (pronounced Ar-Ay-Cee) is the project of André Allen Anjoswill. With EGO, Anjos re-directs RAC to songwriting which accounts for the record’s intimate but full-lunged tone, as heard on lead single “This Song” (feat. Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij) and follow-up “I Still Wanna Know,” featuring vocals and a guitar solo from Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo as well as additional production by Classixx. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Raw Power – Inferno CD/LP (Demons Run Amok)
“Italy’s premier hardcore band Raw Power demonstrate why, once again, they are aptly named with their latest furious opus.” — Invictamag
Red Pill – Day Drunk [2015] CDEP (Mellow Music Group)
Rapper and MMG wunderkind Red Pill brings his self-deprecating best to this EP featuring production from Oddisee, Paul White, and Exile.
Marc Romboy & Dortmunder Philharmoniker – Deconstructing Debussy CD/2xLP+MP3 (Hyperharmonic)
After studying countless composers of the last centuries, Marc Romboy decided to accept the challenge to edit, remix, and reconstruct several works of his favorite French composer. On Deconstructing Debussy, Romboy performs together with the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra, the renowned conductor Ingo-Martin Stadtmüller, the well-respected Düsseldorf based concert master Miki Kekenj, and sound programmer Ali Khalaj. The recordings were directed December 12th, 2016. It’s the first live recording ever released on an album where electronic sounds and classical components are merged in such manner.
RPWL – A New Dawn 2xCD/2xLP (Gentle Art Of Music)
New release from the German progressive rock band.
See Through Dresses – Horse Of The Other World CD (Tiny Engines)
See Through Dresses – See Through Dresses [Reissue/2013] LP+MP3 (Tiny Engines)
Recorded in 2016 in two locations — ARC Studios with Ben Brodin (Pile, First Aid Kit, The Good Life) and at the band’s home studio, Little Machine, by Mathew Carroll — it signals a sonic leap into a more ethereal, soundscape-driven aesthetic. Reverb-drenched and synth-laden, Horse Of The Other World blends Carroll and Bertuldo’s masterful mood creation and technical prowess while further exploring the depths of the band’s dynamics. “Pretty Police” mixes sparkle and bounce with brood, while “Violet” cuts sharply via crystalline keys and arpeggiated chords. [Vinyl edition due July 28. Debut album See Through Dresses reissued on vinyl and also available this week.]
Sextile – Albeit Living CD/LP (Felte)
This Los Angeles band combines the raw energy of ‘70s punk with the intricate, sophisticated structural elements of ‘80s post-punk and synthwave.
Shabazz Palaces – Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Born On A Gangster Star came into the world in a big damn hurry, like nightfall on an island. You can see it happening, but then again, it’s so gradual that the next thing you know – it’s dark. Imbued with the energy and ideas from all the creative embers floating in the atmosphere like fireflies, Shabazz Palaces recorded this entire album over the course of two weeks with Blood in Seattle. New gear and new equipment disintegrated comfort zones into dust and a new path appeared in the rubble. Herein the Palaceer continues the tale of Quazar, a sentient being from somewhere else, an observer sent here to Amurderca to chronicle and explore as a musical emissary. Born On A Gangster Star flirts with a pop sensibility, but through the prism of Shabazz Palaces’s fire and fury. For the Palaceer, that sense is all about how the groove is moving, and the supernatural telepathy that occurs amongst his cohort. Appearing here, in body or in spirit, are Julian Casablancas, Thundercat, Darrius Willrich, Gamble and Huff, Loud Eyes Lou, Thaddillac, Ahmir, Jon Kirby, Sunny Levine, and Blood.
Shabazz Palaces – Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines is Shabazz Palaces’ extra-spatial twin to Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star. The album, featuring highlights “30 Clip Extension,” “Julian’s Dream (ode to a bad)” and “Effeminence” includes guest appearances from Fly Guy Dai of Chimurenga Renaissance, Amir Yaghamai, John Carroll Kirby, Thaddillac, Morgan Henderson, The Shogun Shot, Laz, and Purple Tape Nate. Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines is a second, fully-realized album of new material that expands the Quazarz universe, and tells the tales of Quazarz, that sent sentient from some elsewhere. A wave warrior wielding his sonic sword. Posted to the turnt-up states of Amurderca here on the Gangster Star to chronicle, explore and enjoy as a musical emissary. He discovers a world where humankind’s relationship with their tech-devices has become weirdly sensual, seducing a sedentary seamlessness with humans, while capturing and incarcerating the results of their imagination. Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines finds our protagonist with his dazzling cohorts rising a collective Nah to the device and the guilds that proliferate them.
Silverstein – Dead Reflection CD/LP+MP3 (Rise)
These 12 songs are each uniquely crafted to showcase the band’s signature mixture of emotional screams and soaring melodies. [Colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Epic Soundtracks – Film Soundtracks CD (Troubadour)
Film Soundtracks is a recently discovered eleven-track album by the late ex-Swell Maps, Jacobites, Crime & The City Solution and Those Immortal Souls musician. As a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Epic Soundtracks released three critically acclaimed solo albums, and two more were released posthumously. Notable fans of his solo work include Evan Dando and Thurston Moore. [Vinyl edition due July 28.]
Claude Speeed – Infinity Ultra CD/LP (Planet Mu)
Infinity Ultra takes inspiration from sleep paralysis, monumental artworks, children’s anime, abandoned places, ghostly rave pasts and terrifying Silicon Valley futures, and the limitless anger of the digital present. These influences have been channeled into an impressionistic burst of varied creativity: Shimmering VSTs; monolithic noise; euphoric blocks of colorful sound; trance stabs and the citrus rush of hardcore; towering drones, and skynet math rock – all rendered against cold, sinister space and nostalgic synth melodies. The album reveals the artist’s Scottish roots, viewed at a hazy distance from his Berlin home – a series of memories of Glasgow’s experimental psychedelic underground, its DIY rock scene and defiant club hedonism. These genre relationships are blurred and at times they contrast with audible brutality; the result is a hybrid, sculptured way of rendering music – minimal specifics, maximum emotions.
Dusty Springfield – A Brand New Me: The Complete Philadelphia Sessions CD (Real Gone Music)
This collection brings together all of the historic recordings made by Dusty at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia with Gamble-Huff Productions for Atlantic Records. The 17 selections cover the ten 1969 recordings issued on Springfield’s 1970 album A Brand New Me— including the hit title song—plus seven additional tracks from 1970 including the single “I Wanna Be A Free Girl,” outtakes not issued until the 1990s on various compilations, and a previously unreleased track, “Sweet Charlie.”
SQÜRL – EP #260 CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
SQÜRL is: Carter Logan and Jim Jarmusch. An enthusiastically marginal rock band from New York City who like big drums and distorted guitars, cassette recorders, loops, feedback, sad country songs, molten stoner core, chopped & screwed hip-hop, and imaginary movie scores.
Status Quo – The Last Night Of The Electrics 2xCD/3xLP (earMUSIC)
A sensational live set recorded at Status Quo’s emotionally charged, barnstorming set at London’s O2 in 2016. [DVD due July 21.]
Sun Seeker – Biddeford CDEP/12” (Third Man)
Sun Seeker has carved out a universe all their own in Nashville, TN. Biddeford, their first EP and second release on Third Man Records, is near combustion level with beautiful atmospherics, willful lyricism and a supernatural ear for atypical pop hooks which should ring immediately familiar to fans of their debut 7’’ “Georgia Dust”. Six charming vignettes explore friendship, romance, and the daydreams populating the space between them. EP highlight and single, “Won’t Keep Me Up At Night”, gives us the best of singer and principal songwriter Alex Benick – his ability to breathe life and a depth of scenery into a song, especially with the clever rhythms of drummer Ben Parks and guitarist Asher Horton’s near-perfect pop instinct. Sun Seeker has climbed into broad daylight, into blessed dynamics, and every song blossoms as a result of it.
Teenage Bottlerocket – Stealing The Covers CD (Fat Wreck Chords)
Teenage Bottlerocket s put their pogo-punk stamp on 14 cover songs. Instead of going the traditional route of covering well-known hits, TBR take the opposite approach by putting their unique twist on songs from obscure and unsigned acts that have caught their fancy over the years. The result is just as satisfying as any of their original work, packed with pop-punk power and ear catching melody from start to finish. [Vinyl edition due July 21.]
The Telescopes – As Light Return CD/LP (Tapete)
The Telescopes are back with their ninth album, As Light Return. Founded by Stephen Lawrie in 1987, the band has been through various phases and a long list of different members and associates. New album As Light Return maintains the balance of its predecessor, setting a parallel course between song-based noise structures and freeform impressionism, while containing some of The Telescopes’ most crucial listening so far.
Television Personalities – …And Don’t The Kids Just Love It [Reissue/1981] CD/LP (Fire)
Television Personalities – Mummy You’re Not Watching Me [Reissue/1982] CD/LP (Fire)
Television Personalities – They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles [Reissue/1982] CD/LP (Fire)
Television Personalities – Painted Word [Reissue/1983] CD/LP (Fire)
With the formidable Daniel Treacy at its core, Television Personalities remain one of new wave’s longest serving and seminal artists with a career spanning over three decades. The indie pop visionaries influenced many people across the industry including Battles, Black Dice, Crystal Stilts, MGMT and Creation Records’ Alan McGee. Their first four albums have been reissued by Fire Records. Ahead of its time, …And Don’t The Kids Just Love It was Television Personalities’ influential debut album released in 1981. The legendary lo-fi release sees them produce British inspired ’60s pop and post-punk that captured the period and “sounds remarkably prescient” (Pitchfork’s Best 100 Albums of the 1980s).
Terry – Remember Terry CD/LP (Upset The Rhythm)
Terry is a band of two boy-girl couples from Melbourne, Australia. Described as something as an Aussie indie supergroup, they are respectively associated with bands such as Constant Mongrel, School Of Radiant Living, Mick Harvey Band, Primo, Eastlink, Total Control, Russell St Bombings, UV Race, Dick Diver and Total Control.
Twisted Pine – Twisted Pine CD (Signature Sounds)
Boston song machine Twisted Pine delivers a cabinet of inventions with their self-titled debut. The album showcases a new force in Americana: four versatile players and singers writing and improvising across forms in bluegrass, folk, funk, jam, and vintage radio pop.
Us And Us Only – Full Flower CD/LP/Cassette (Tiny Engines)
Full Flower is an exercise in letting the light in – the result of a band exploring sonic space throughout its thirteen tracks, weaving smaller, more production intensive vignettes into the larger fabric of Us And Us Only’s trademark see-sawing dynamics. In allowing its home in bedroom ambiance to work in harmony with high fidelity studio prowess, Full Flower is a rock album viewed through the morning haze of half-open eyes.
The Vamps – Night & Day (Night Edition) CD (Island)
New album from the British boy band.
Various Artists [DJ Tennis] – DJ-Kicks 2xCD (!K7)
Next up on DJ-Kicks is Life And Death label founder DJ Tennis. His knack for the musical and emotive side of things characterizes both cerebral mixes he has put together here including versions of tunes by Pole and Frank Brettschneider. All in all it’s a thoughtfully composed mix that’s subversive yet seductive in equal measure. [Vinyl edition due July 28.]
Various Artists – Punk Goes Pop Vol. 7 CD (Fearless)
Punk Goes Pop Vol. 7 features 13 brand new unreleased recordings of your favorite Top 40/Pop hits covered by an assortment of pop/punk acts. The latest in the series features artists such as Andy Black (lead singer of Black Veil Brides), State Champs, Dance Gavin Dance and Amity Affliction covering Billboard Top Ten hits from the likes of Justin Bieber, Twenty One Pilots, The Chainsmokers, Bruno Mars and more.
Various Artists – Space, Energy & Light: Experimental Electronic And Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88 CD/3xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
A collection of music by early electronic and synthesizer pioneers (from the 1960s through the 1970s), mid-1970s proto-new age gurus and 1980s guerrilla D-I-Y cassette-era electronic artists, spanning in total over a near 30-year time frame. All of these artists used electronic advancements in music technology as a means of exploring not only space and the idea of the future, but also of looking inwards to the soul and of creating music in harmony with the natural world.
Voigt/465 – Slights Still Unspoken (1978-1979) CD/LP (Mental Experience)
An expanded reissue of Voigt/465’s 1979 album Slights Spoken. Formed in Sydney in 1976, Voigt/465 was a truly unique band from the exciting days of the Australian post-punk scene. Heavily influenced by such luminaries as the Velvets, Stooges, Syd Barrett, Pere Ubu, Can, Faust, Henry Cow, Slapp Happy, and Eno’s Roxy Music, they created an abrasive sound in which krautrock, DIY, avant-garage, post-punk, psych, art-rock, and free improv-noise combined to form a sound unlike any other.
Waxahatchee – Out In The Storm CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
Out In The Storm is the blazing result of a woman reawakened. Her most autobiographical and honest album to date, it is a self-reflective anchor in the story of both Katie Crutchfield’s songwriting and her life. The album tells the story of taking control of a volatile situation, embracing flaws, and exploring a new sonic freedom. Crutchfield’s voice oscillates between effortless grace and commanding righteousness, taking the listener with her on an explicitly personal journey. Songs like “Hear You” and “No Question” are lyrically unapologetic and musically resolute, while the softer acoustic songs like “A Little More” and “Fade” let fear and melancholy seep through. But it is on the atmospheric “Sparks Fly” where we feel an essential redemption. The track acts as an inner dialogue and marks the first time since the inception of Waxahatchee that any semblance of self-love has shone through. This moment is a perspective we’ve yet to see from Crutchfield: it is a rediscovery of herself, and the realization of a full life she is completely worthy of. [Regular and Limited Deluxe vinyl pressings also available. Deluxe includes a poster.]
Wild Rocket – Disassociation Mechanics CD/LP (Art For Blind)
A fuzzed out serving of psych, kraut and space punk.
Link Wray – Live… My Father’s Palace 1978 CD (Klondike)
The entire WLIR-FM broadcast recording of Link Wray live at My Father’s Place, Roslyn, NY on June 22, 1978.
Xordox – Neospection CD/LP (Editions Mego)
“If Conrad Schnitzler and Lorenzo Senni soundtracked a new version of Jodorowsky’s thwarted Dune, it may well sound something like JG Thirlwell aka Xordox’s mind-bending Neospection.” — Boomkat
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
14KT – Nowalataz LP (Karat Gold Music)
“”Here it is…a project I unofficially had done since 06′. It started when Dilla passed February of 06′. To cope with the death of my unofficial “musical mentor” & favorite producer, I started making ‘donuts,’ uncontrollably. I never planned to release any of the material out of respect for Dilla & his craft. I’ve shared some of the music with others, in which they would constantly ask me to hear it, so I decided to put a lil sumthing together and make it official.” – 14KT
808 State – Don Solaris [Reissue/1996] 2xLP (Music On Vinyl)
1996’s Don Solaris found 808 State exploring a more organic post rave sound, incorporating vocals from M. Doughty (Soul Coughing), Louise Rhodes (Lamb) and James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers).
Against Me – Transgender Dysphoria Blues [Reissue/2014] LP+MP3 (Total Treble)
Limited translucent blue vinyl pressing of the punk band’s sixth album, which was released shortly after Tom Gabel publicly came out as transgender.
Alessandro Alessandroni – Barocco & Romantico [Reissue/1980] LP (Dagored)
Dagored present the first ever reissue of Alessandro Alessandroni’s Barocco & Romantico, originally released in 1980 by the legendary Flower label. Barocco & Romantico is another wonderful and almost unknown gem from maestro Alessandro Alessandroni. Great cinematic atmospheres in a selection of fantastic mellow tunes inspired by ancient melodies. Limited pink color vinyl pressing.
As Cities Burn – Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest [Reissue/2005] LP (Solid State)
Limited colored vinyl reissue of the post-hardcore band’s debut album.
Bardo Pond/Yo La Tengo – Parallelogram a La Carte: Bardo Pond & Yo La Tengo LP (Three Lobed)
Bardo Pond and Yo La Tengo have long traveled in similar circles as underground lifers, but have never shared space on a non-compilation release. In 2015 Three Lobed Recordings was ecstatic to dedicate one of the albums of the Parallelogram collection to righting this cosmic wrong.
Chuck Berry – The Complete Chess Singles As & Bs 1955-61 3xLP (Real Gone Music)
Every A & B side released by Chuck Berry during his phenomenal formative years, pressed on red vinyl.
Big Big Train – The Second Brightest Star 2xLP (Plane Groovy)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from the progressive rock outfit. The Second Brightest Star is a companion album to Folklore and Grimspound and features seven new songs (about 40 minutes) which “explore landscapes, rivers and meeting places and take the listener on voyages of discovery across the world and to the stars.
Blackstreet – Another Level [Reissue/1996] 2xLP (Music On Vinyl)
1996’s Another Level is the breakthrough second album from ’90s R&B juggernaut Blackstreet, co-founded by pioneering producer Teddy Riley (the architect of New Jack Swing) and Chauncey ‘Black’ Hannibal. 180gm numbered vinyl reissue.
Blind Guardian – Live Beyond The Spheres 4xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New concert album from the German progressive power metal pioneers, recorded at various shows during their European tour in 2015.
Blockhead – Uncle Tony’s Coloring Book [2007] 2xLP (Young Heavy Souls)
Uncle Tony’s Coloring Book was originally released in 2007 and for years available exclusively on CD. Blockhead originally intended for the album to be more upbeat, contrasting the introspective production of his previous two releases. Over the years the album gained a cult following, one that grew substantially after Blockhead made the album available digitally in 2015. The demand increased for a proper vinyl release of the album and after over 10 years it’s finally here.
Boney M. – Oceans Of Fantasy [Reissue/1979] LP (Sony)
Boney M. – Boonoonoonoos [Reissue/1981] LP (Sony)
Boney M. – Kalimba de Luna – 16 Happy Songs [Reissue/1984] LP (Sony)
Boney M. – The Complete Boney M. 9xLP (Sony)
Vinyl reissues from the Frank Farian-produced vocal/disco/dance group. The vinyl box set The Complete Boney M. contains 180gm pressings of the following albums: Take The Heat Off Me, Nightflight To Venus, Love For Sale, Kalimba de Luna, Boonoonoonoos, Oceans Of Fantasy, Eye Dance, Ten Thousand Lightyears and the Christmas Album along with a 50-page photo book.
Jackson Browne – Live In Chicago, November ’76 LP (Live On Vinyl)
Live at WTTW Studios, Chicago Illinois on November 6th, 1976.
James Brown and The Famous Flames –Think! [Reissue/1960] LP (Dol)
Vinyl reissue of James Brown and The Famous Flames’ third studio album. Absolutely essential early R&B.
Dave Brubeck – The Dave Brubeck Quartet At Carnegie Hall [Reissue/1963] 2xLP (Doxy)
Many critics regard Dave Brubeck’s Carnegie Hall concert from February of 1963 as his greatest ever live appearance.
Chacalón Y La Nueva Crema – Chacalón Y La Nueva Crema [Reissue/1978] LP (Discos Horoscopo)
Lorenzo Palacios Quispe “Chacalón” is a myth. More than a musical star, he is both a religious and secular phenomenon for the masses. Chicha music is neither a replica or a copy, despite using Western instruments, such as the electric guitar, bass, drums and organs, and mixing them with cymbals, congas and tropical Guiros.
Vic Chesnutt – Ghetto Bells [Reissue/2005] 2xLP+MP3 (New West)
Ghetto Bells matches the poetic power of Vic Chesnutt’s words with some of the most elegantly simpatico backing he’s ever been blessed with, including jazz icon Bill Frisell on guitars, legendary writer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Van Dyke Parks on piano, accordion and organ, Don Heffington of Lone Justice and the Jayhawks on drums and percussion, classically trained session-man Dominic Genova on double bass, Tina Chesnutt on electric bass and Liz Durrett on exquisite backing vocals.
CKY – The Phoenix LP (Metal/E1)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “Raw, authentic, earth shaking rock ‘n’ roll, liberated from useless pretense. There’s heavy, dark, signature CKY grooves, driving, and almost danceable stuff, big melodies, total ear candy, immense diversity… There are even parts that sound like maybe Quincy Jones was given the keys to Rancho De La Luna and just ran amok with the dudes in CKY.”
Arnett Cobb – Ballads By Cobb [Reissue/1960] LP (Analogue Productions)
Originally released in November 1960, Ballads by Cobb, as its title suggests, is all slow ballads, putting the emphasis on the Texas tenor’s warm tone. A Texas tenor player in the tradition of Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb’s accessible playing was between swing and early rhythm & blues. This vinyl reissue is part of the ultimate audiophile Prestige stereo reissues from Analogue Productions — 25 of the most collectible, rarest, most audiophile-sounding Rudy Van Gelder recordings ever made.
Coby And The Prisoners – Candy Queen LP (Record Machine)
Coby And The Prisoners began in 2012 during some downtime between projects for songwriter and founder Coby Hartzler. Candy Queen hones in on Hartzler’s knack for pop hooks layered with sounds that can feel somewhat classic yet modern at the same time. Guitar licks and melodies that pay homage to classic rock or the Nashville country of old, yet never retreading over already worn down or recycled territories.
Coca Leaf – Deep Marble Sunrise LP (Wharf Cat)
Coca Leaf was a collaborative birthed in the hot Florida swamp years ago. Deep Marble Sunrise was sculpted from a series of brain-fried studio sessions in NYC taking place in the summer 2015. The manic ramping-up and the inevitable come-down intertwine here. The party and the empty vacuum that follows. For this LP, the group is comprised of multi-instrumentalists ZZ Ramirez (Ukiah Drag), David Vassalotti and Carson Cox (Merchandise), and Ben Greenberg (Hubble). The cuts follow their impulses freely, coming up with a strange combination of hard funk, jazz, noise, no-wave, free improvisation, and dub.
Loren Connors – Evangeline [1998] LP (Recital)
From the endless treasure chest of Loren Mazzacane Connors comes this necessary vinyl edition of Evangeline, where Connors takes the role of instrumental narrator, retelling the story of forlorn 17th C. lovers from the perspective of Evangeline, the heroine of an epic-poem written in 1847.
Contaminated – Final Man LP (Regain)
Debut album from Australia’s Contaminated, a sickening wasteland of authentically ’90s death metal sickness: gurgling and gangrenous, fetid and filthy, and just utterly pulverizing. [CD edition due July 28.]
Mike Cooper – Raft LP+MP3 (ROOM40)
With Raft, Cooper charts his interests in ambient exotica and collides it with his research into various South Pacific musical traditions. The record extends his palette considerably, stretching away from the hypnogogic flows of his master piece Rayon Hula, into a more oceanic setting.
Cri – Someone Else LP (Young Art)
Canadian electronic music producer Cri is quickly striding forward in exciting directions, bringing the current signature Montreal sound of house synths, syncopated snares and fluid basslines into a new era.
The Cult Of Percolation – Elegant Interactions Laboratory LP (Piñata)
Ass-shaking feminist propaganda, incubated seven million light years.
D&G – The Scepter & The Sword 2xLP (Basement Addicts)
A double-LP rap odyssey featuring guests Masta Ace, Rock (from Heltah Skeltah), Sadat X, Kokane and Pacewon alongside longtime friends/emcees Joe Harvey, JO and Otomatik.
Dauwd – Theory Of Colours LP (Technicolour)
Dauwd Al Hilali’s releases have been met with as much expectation as they have intrigue. Spending the last few years out of the limelight and in his Berlin studio, Dauwd’s music has continued to ripple through clubs as his singular, sometimes thrillingly uncertain process of experimentation has continued. Pulling inspiration from electronic music legends like Terry Riley, Raymond Scott, and the seminal Radiophonic Workshop period in the late ‘50s and ‘60s, new effort Theory Of Colours draws a unique line between influences as disparate as hazy Detroit house and early German Krautrock.
The Dead Mauriacs – Beauté Des Mirages LP (Discrepant)
Beauté Des Mirages picks up on the same themes of frantic, abstract exotica and concrete cocktails the French act is known for. Running for two, long 18-minute sides full of fake (?) vintage atmospheres and armchair jungle hallucinations, Beauté Des Mirages is an abstract journey into a beautiful (and sometimes scary) world of mirages.
Decapitated – Anticult LP (Nuclear Blast America)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Seventh album from the Polish metal band. Limited “bone with blood splatter” pressing.
Francesco De Masi – 7 Hyden Park – La Casa Maledetta LP (Sub OST)
The disturbing soundtrack of 7 Hyden Park – La Casa Maledetta, directed by Alberto De Martino in 1985 and composed by Francesco De Masi, author and Roman arranger already famous for classic B-movie soundtracks such as 1982’s Lo Squartatore Di New York (The New York Ripper) and 1983’s Fuga Dal Bronx (Escape From The Bronx). The music — sometimes a bit of a timbral, but often deliberately descriptive and overwhelming — pin of synths and analog machines, capable of defining the desperate plot of the film. Limited red colored vinyl pressing available.
Kyle Dixon/Michael Stein – Stranger Things: Deluxe Edition 1 2xLP (Lakeshore)
Kyle Dixon/Michael Stein – Stranger Things: Deluxe Edition 2 2xLP (Lakeshore)
Double 180gm multi-colored vinyl LP pressings with new covers including posters and 4” x 6” character cards.
Eric Dolphy – Outward Bound [Reissue/1960] LP (Analogue Productions)
Eric Dolphy had left his native California and come East as part of Chico Hamilton’s group, settling in New York in 1960 and becoming part of Charles Mingus’s group. This first recording as a leader brought comparisons with Ornette Coleman, but the two were really parallel figures in the then-emerging avant-garde style. Dolphy did not eschew “changes,” as Coleman did, but he used them in new ways. This LP was significant not only for his alto saxophone but introduced his individual approach to the flute and, particularly, the bass clarinet. This vinyl reissue is part of the ultimate audiophile Prestige stereo reissues from Analogue Productions — 25 of the most collectible, rarest, most audiophile-sounding Rudy Van Gelder recordings ever made.
Drum Library – Lost Volumes 2xLP (Super Break)
The Drum Library series, which began back in 2001, has prided itself on compiling the hardest, crunchiest and most rarefied drums from every source imaginable.
DSR Lines – Spoel [2014] 2xLP (Black Sweat)
David Edren’s organic minimal electronics are never majestic or magniloquent (like Schulze or Froese), and never neurotic or aggressive for that matter. It is a soft music, delineating echoes of sacred geometry in the emotional balance between oscillations, frequency modulations, and rhythmic pulsations.
Dunbarrow – Dunbarrow LP (Riding Easy)
Trondheim, Norway quintet Dunbarrow draws inspiration from freezing winter nights, unpolished demo tapes from the ’70s and Swedish throwback rock from the beginning of the 21st century. The result is Norwegian proto-doom with a back-to-basics sound, from Pentagram and Witchfinder General to Quicksilver Messenger Service. The band’s clean, unadorned sound shares the unpretentious brilliance of classic heavy progenitors playing basements and barns, before the big budgets.
Missy Elliott – Supa Dupa Fly [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Atlantic)
Vinyl reissue of the producer/songwriter/singer/rapper’s Timbaland-produced 1997 debut.
Enya – Amarantine [Reissue/2005] LP (Reprise)
First-time vinyl edition of the sixth studio album by the Irish singer.
Ersen – Dünden Bugüne [Reissue/1977] LP (Pharaway Sounds)
Ersen – Ersen 2: Ömür Biter Yollar Bitmez [Reissue/1978] LP (Pharaway Sounds)
Synth-wizz, funk breaks, and fuzzed-out prog riffage back one of Anatolian rock’s best vocalists — Turkish psych-rock with some amazing funk drums and fuzzed-out guitars.
Booker Ervin – Exultation! [Reissue/1963] LP (Analogue Productions)
Intensity marked everything that Booker Ervin played. In his harmonic concept, slashing attack, and broad Texas sound, Ervin demanded attention and constantly built improvisations of searing drama and epic sweep. His primary legacy is a series of albums recorded for Prestige in the 1960s, of which this was his first, a riveting quintet recital where the alto saxophone of Frank Strozier supplies an urgent complement and the rhythm section is piloted by Horace Parlan, Ervin’s longtime compatriot from their days together in the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop and in a cooperative quartet that worked at Minton’s Playhouse. This vinyl reissue is part of the ultimate audiophile Prestige stereo reissues from Analogue Productions — 25 of the most collectible, rarest, most audiophile-sounding Rudy Van Gelder recordings ever made.
Faithless – Sunday 8PM [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Sony)
Faithless – Outrospective [Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Sony)
180gm vinyl reissues of the British electro collectives second and third albums.
The Fall – Perverted By Language [Reissue/1983] LP (Superior Viaduct)
The Fall returned to Rough Trade in 1983 to release a pair of singles and Perverted By Language, their sixth proper studio album. Perverted By Language hints at the band’s shift towards a distinctly pop approach, one that they would perfect via their Beggars Banquet output that immediately followed.
Fastplants – Spread The Stoke LP (Beer City)
Following in the tradition of legendary skaterock bands The Faction, JFA, and Los Olvidados, Fastplants bring you 11 original hard hitting, ass kicking, tuneful skaterock/punk rock songs.
Fieldhead – We’ve All Been Swimming LP (Home Assembly)
Tensely wound synths lead throughout We’ve All Been Swimming, shifting from the breathless momentum of the opening track through to pulses reminiscent of Colin Stetson on “Ton”. The unique violin playing of Elaine Reynolds glides sparingly across the record, tempering the constantly shifting arpeggios and accentuating the human elements within the record’s machine-like core.
Flowers Of Evil – City Of Fear LP (Deranged)
What started as more or less of a studio project with Brandon Welchez from Crocodiles and David McDaniel from Young Boys has turned into a band that has delivered not one but two solid hardcore punk albums in the last two years. City Of Fear showcases a band comfortable with their punk roots and delivers some classic sounding snotty hardcore jams. Reminiscent of early Career Suicide, this album blends the high velocity in-your-face sound of first era hardcore like The Germs with a good dose of melody to keep things catchy and infectious.
Future – Pluto [2012] 2xLP (Omerta)
Atlanta rapper/singer Future’s breakthrough 2012 album Pluto is now available on vinyl for the first time. Includes guest features from Drake, R. Kelly, Juicy J, Snoop Dogg, T.I., Big Rube and Trae The Truth. 180gm blue, purple & white tie-dye colored vinyl.
John T. Gast – Wygdn 10” (Blackest Ever Black)
Two new productions: a remix project gone awry/gone to road. “wygdn_bashmenttk9”: high-tech dancehall battering ram with an ethereal, mournful edge; rhythm and blooz for the sentimental gun man. “wygdn_tryagen (5)”: deep and desolated pop-ambient. Vocals from the source squished, hacked, and splattered across an infinite horizon of vaporous, funereal string-pads.
Gensu Dean – R.A.W. (Refined Alkaline Water) LP (Mello Music Group)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. Veteran producer Gensu Dean (for David Banner, Ol Dirty Bastard, CL Smooth, Planet Asia, etc.) comes back with his first compilation since Lo Fi Fingahz. The new project is as rugged as the name implies and features artists like Diamond D, Homeboy Sandman, Roc Marciano and more.
Glenn Underground – Atmosfear [Reissue/1996] 2xLP (Peacefrog)
Glenn Underground – CVO Trance [Reissue/1996] 12” (Peacefrog)
Glenn Underground’s essential debut album was originally released in 1996 and set the standard for sophisticated dance music. Dreamy melodies, heavy basslines and acid grooves blend beautifully with jazz vibes and Detroit techno. The CVO Trance EP fuses deep warm Chicago beats and jazzy Detroit bleeps.
GoldLink – At What Cost 2xLP (Squaaash Club/RCA)
At What Cost is the newest project from surging Washington, D.C. rapper D’Anthony Carlos aka GoldLink. Includes features from Kaytranada, Wale, Shy Glizzy, and more. Blue colored vinyl pressing.
Philipp Gorbachev & The Naked Man – I Don’t Give A Snare LP+MP3 (Arma)
A wild ride from the Russian musician and DJ that jumps genres, switches paces, and alters tones frequently.
Grimez – Mental Slave LP (Chiefdom)
Deep instrumental B-movie hip hop grooves featuring ‘70s sounding thick drums, fat bass lines, Hammond organ, soulful guitar riffs and splashes of obscure sounds. For fans of El Michels Affair and Adrian Younge.
The Group – The Group [Reissue/1978] 2xLP+MP3 (Svarte)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this Finnish jazz fusion band’s only album, originally released on Finnlevy’s prog rock imprint Hi-Hat in 1978.
Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza – Azioni / Reazioni 1967-1969 5xLP+DVD (Die Schachtel)
Deluxe edition of Gruppo Di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza’s Azioni collection, comprehensively highlighting the early years of one of the most important, widely influential musical explorers at their late 1960s best. All the material here was salvaged from the archives of Gruppo member Walter Branchi, and serves to illustrate his work in the collective – along with Franco Evangelisti, Ennio Morricone, Ivan Vandor, Roland Kayn, Egisto Macchi, Mario Bertoncini and John Heineman – like some kind of document to the “big bang” of their unique electro-acoustic microcosmos.
Gunn/Vile – Parallelogram – LP (Three Lobed)
Kurt Vile and Steve Gunn collaborated on record in 2015 for their contributions to Three Lobed Recording’s Parallelogram series. That previously ornate and limited title is now released in a non-limited format standing along and outside of that prior collection. The two artists, originally connected by mutual friends and geographic proximity, have long pushed the other’s continued artistic development. Despite sharing many live stages over the years, this collaborative album represents the first time that the two have worked together in the studio.
Dick Higgins – Poems And Metapoems [Reissue/1982] LP (Recital)
First time vinyl edition of a rare cassette-only release. Many know Dick Higgins as the father of intermedia, a key player in the birth of fluxus, and the owner/operator of the fabulous Something Else Press.
Hiss Golden Messenger/Michael Chapman – Parallelogram a La Carte: Hiss Golden Messenger and Michael Chapman LP (Three Lobed)
Matching up kindred spirits and mutual influences, this volume of Three Lobed Recording’s Parallelogram series collects 2015 recordings from Hiss Golden Messenger and Michael Chapman. Both M.C. Taylor (Hiss Golden Messenger) and Michael Chapman have consistently won praise for possessing a certain songwriting prowess and earnest delivery.
Homewreckers – Machinekiss LP (Kalakuta Soul)
The Ruhr valley-raised trio has been heavily involved in the underground dance music scene for many years and the soulfulness of their output is unquestioned. On new album Machinekiss, micro particles of guitar chords, organ sounds, and drum elements reappear in new contexts and are fused with contemporary synthesizer and bass motifs.
Hood Reishi – Hood Reishi LP (Shula)
Hood Reishi is a genre defining album produced entirely by Ruckazoid. He’s released music on Kanye West’s G.O.O.D music label with Hudson Mohawke, as well as albums with J-Dilla and DJ Shadow.
Human Leather – Lazy Karaoke LP (Cercle Social)
A full-length LP from Salt Lake City’s ultimate homage to the ’80s, transporting you flawlessly from dark underground clubs to tropical beaches of neon lit daydreams, Human Leather is near goth pop perfection, reminding us of the days Depeche Mode were not just a band, but the biggest band in the world. Translucent yellow wax.
Hurula – Vapen Till Dom Hopplosa LP (Deranged)
New album by Robert Hurula of classic cult punk bands Masshysteri and The Vicious.
Illa J – Home LP (Jakarta)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “”I see myself as a singer songwriter first. I just grew up in the generation of rap, so the two styles just fused together naturally. I started writing poems around eight or nine years old, then songs, and then raps. I eventually put it all together…22 years later…the journey to my heart, through all the ups and downs of my career trying to discover my voice, who I am, all my travels around the globe.” – Illa J
Jet – Get Born [Reissue/2003] LP (Rhino)
Jet – Shine On [Reissue/2006] LP (Rhino)
You’ve probably heard every riff on Jet’s breakout 2003 Dave Sardy-produced debut Get Born before, but these Australian rockers combine the swagger of countrymen AC/DC with the bite of the White Stripes and mix it up with a splash of Sweet and Oasis to make it all sound fresh.
Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti – Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti [Reissue/1982] LP (Mr. Bongo)
Razor-sharp production of the highest order from two of the masters of the early ‘80s
Rio de Janeiro boogie sound.
Jungle Giants – Quiet Ferocity LP (Amplifire Music)
Sparkling alt-pop & fervent indie-rock from the Brisbane quartet.
Kauders – In Another Land Part I LP (God)
In Another Land Part I is the first part of a planned trilogy. It is more or less electronic music, generated through long processes of editing and sampling. It’s experimental in terms of that its shape and its meaning were not planned, were unclear during its creation and still now are not evident, but somehow hard to reveal.
Kenji Kawai – Ghost In The Shell [OST] LP/LP+7” (We Release Whatever The F**k We Want)
The first ever official vinyl pressing of the soundtrack for Mamoru Oshii’s critically acclaimed and all around legendary 1995 science fiction anime film. Two pressings: Regular and Deluxe. Deluxe adds a bonus 7”.
K-def – Night Shift: Late Edition LP (Redefinition)
Long out of print, K-def’s debut album is back as a special edition reissue. Night Shift, first released in the fall of 2011, boasts its original track line-up with added bonus cuts of alternate mixes and some rare or previously unreleased tracks on LP.
Kings Of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak [Reissue/2004] LP (RCA/Legacy)
Remastered gatefold 180gm double-LP reissue. New album from the Compton rapper with production from Steve Lacy (Internet), Badbadnotgood and 9th Wonder. Includes “Loyalty” featuring Rihanna and “XXX” featuring U2.
The Kingstonians – Sufferer [Reissue/1970] LP (Music On Vinyl)
“Sufferer” was one of the classic tunes from the skinhead/boss reggae era of the late-60s, with its popularity, along with a number of subsequent follow-ups, leading to a debut album of the same name by the vocal trio The Kingstonians who had burst on the Jamaican music scene in 1967. Showcasing a dozen of the group’s best known works cut with esteemed Kingston-based producer, Derrick Harriott, the LP features a number of sizable Jamaican hits
Kozmonaut – Flieg [Reissue/1986] LP+MP3 (Mental Experience)
Vinyl reissue of an ultra-rare DIY minimal/synth-pop/industrial/dark wave album.
Diana Krall – The Very Best Of Diana Krall [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (Verve)
Selections from six albums of the multi-platinum vocalist’s extensive repertoire.
Kendrick Lamar – Damn 2xLP (Aftermath)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl.
Little Brother – The Listening [Reissue/2003] 2xLP+7” (ABB)
Somewhere between the jazzy, feel-good grooves of A Tribe Called Quest and the yin-yang chemistry of Outkast lies Little Brother. The Durham, NC trio make music that brilliantly splits the line between art and commercialism, all while maintaining their fun-loving hip-hop purist stance. The group’s members; MC’s Phonte and Big Pooh, along with DJ/producer 9th Wonder met in 1998 while attending North Carolina Central University. Limited white colored vinyl pressing with bonus 7” single.
Arrigo Lora-Totino – Out Of Page LP (Recital)
A collection of recordings by the Italian sound and concrete poet Arrigo Lora-Totino (1928-2016).
Gabi Losoncy – Security Besides Love LP (Recital)
The first side voyeuristically and objectively documents Gabi’s external experiences and habitats; in this instance, a conversation heard while riding public transportation. The second side of this record turns back in on the artist herself with an associative monologue, in which an understanding of her own artwork is examined. It is fair and honest and walks through the whole house leaving windows open.
Dion Lunadon – Dion Lunadon LP (Agitated)
From cutting his teeth back home in New Zealand as a member of The D4 to his current role as bassist of Brooklyn-based A Place to Bury Strangers, Dion Lunadon has played in some form of a rock ‘n’ roll band his entire life. During a short break in touring with APTBS, Lunadon had a rush of inspiration in the form of a Dion Lunadon creative spasm-a neurotic impulse to make a batch of songs and do it right then and right there. What resulted is quite a jump away from his work in APTBS and draws more influence from bands like Toy Love and The Gun Club, as well as New Zealand unknowns such as Gestalt and Supercar.
Tarquin Manek/Martina Quake – Locks On Our Doors Not On Our Hearts LP (Blackest Ever Black)
Locks On Our Doors Not On Our Hearts utilizes EMS VCS3, Oberheim OB-Xa, and ARP 2600, in combination with cheap, contemporary consumer electronics. It is, in all intents and purposes, a short, cautionary story about love. It is also a folk-tale, a science fiction, a suicide note.
Alec Mansion – Alec Mansion [Reissue/1983] LP (Be With)
A sublime slice of boogie-funk.
MarQ Spekt and Gary Wilson – Broken Mazes LP (Grilchy Party)
A collaboration between MarQ Spekt and experimental, proto-new wave musician Gary Wilson. A pure creative expression that meshes hip-hop, psychedelic, jazz and funk.
Merrimack – Omegaphilia LP (Season Of Mist)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The latest salvo of blasphemous brutality from the French black metal heretics. Clear vinyl pressing.
Thurston Moore and John Moloney/Bishop, Orcutt, Corsano – Parallelogram: a La Cart LP (Three Lobed)
Thurston Moore, Alan Bishop, Bill Orcutt, John Moloney, and Chris Corsano are five of the most uncompromising and visionary voices to emerge out of the last quarter century of American underground rock. Three Lobed Recordings was honored to capture all of these artists within the confines of a single album for this raucous and boundary-free volume of their Parallelogram series.
Miles Mosley – Uprising LP (Verve)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut album from world-class bassist Miles Mosley. Miles has toured the globe with jazz superstar Kamasi Washington, and played and recorded with artists including Christina Aguilera, Kendrick Lamar, and Jeff Beck. On Uprising, Miles channels classic R&B and funk music combining these with impressive lead vocals to create a compelling sound all his own.
Motorpsycho – Begynnelser 2×10”+CD+DVD (Rune Grammofon)
This music was written for a project Motorpsycho was invited to be a part of by Trøndelag Teater in 2015. It eventually ended up as the play Begynnelser (“Beginnings”); directed, designed and dramatized by the independent theatre group De Utvalgte based on a new text written by Norwegian author Carl Frode Tiller.
Phill Niblock – Rhymes With Water LP (God)
For his premiere recording on God Records, Phill Niblock confirms his minimalistic musical approach and composes two monumental pieces for flutes and additional voices, respectively. Commissioned by Erik Drescher and Natalia Pschenitschnikova, Niblock again delivers an almost stripped, uncompromising one-way sound monolith.
Roy Orbison – At The Rock House [Reissue/1961] LP (ORG Music)
Vinyl reissue of the first full length album by the great Roy Orbison, comprised of material recorded in 1956-57 and released by Sun Records in 1961 when he had already begun his successful tenure with Monument Records.
O Veux – O Veux 2xLP (Onderstroom)
Unreleased and live recordings from 1981-1982 by the Belgian post punk band.
Augustus Pablo – Greek Theater – Berkeley 1984 LP (Cleopatra)
Previously unreleased live performance by the melodica master on limited edition red colored vinyl.
Charlemagne Palestine – Arpeggiated Bösendorfer + Falsetto Voice LP (Alga Marghen)
Previously unreleased 1974 recordings. In 1974, Ileana Sonnabend commissioned Charlemagne Palestine to create a limited edition, double LP in conjunction with a performance to celebrate the opening of her new Soho gallery at 420 West Broadway. Charlemagne made several recording attempts, first at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania where they had a Bösendorfer Imperial Piano in their theater. He recorded “Bösendorfer + Voice”, “Voice Piece” as well as some Bösendorfer tests, with Mayo Thompson as producer and Kurt Munkacsi as sound engineer. These ecstatic Swarthmore recordings, recorded late at night in the big empty theater space, represented the original elements on which Charlemagne Palestine later created the piano pieces for Four Manifestations On Six Elements.
Paul Panhuysen – Twenty-Three Carillon Sudokus (Number Made Visible – Number Made Audible) LP (Edition Telemark)
Carillon Sudokus is the sonic counterpart to Oog & Oor (Eye & Ear), the last work that Dutch sound and visual artist Paul Panhuysen (1934-2015) realized. Oog & Oor was a design made with his daughter Sappho Panhuysen for a temporary installation in the lighted column of the Rietveld bus shelter next to the town hall of Eindhoven. It is a further development from Eight Double Sudokus, a series of large-scale prints exhibited at Museum De Pont in Tilburg in 2012. Both designs were created using sudoku puzzles and comprise various shapes of different colors whose structure was derived from the number sequences present in individual sudokus.
Terrence Parker – God Loves Detroit 2xLP (Planet E)
Terrence Parker has established himself as a producer, remixer and DJ of the classic sound of Detroit House Music, and is known as the pioneer of the music genre known as “Inspirational House Music.” Parker’s new effort God Loves Detroit features collaborations with vocalist and producer Merachka and multi-talented vocalist, percussionist and songwriter Coco Street.
Patricia – Several Shades Of The Same Color Part 1 LP (Spectral Sound)
Patricia – Several Shades Of The Same Color Part 2 LP (Spectral Sound)
Patricia – Several Shades Of The Same Color Part 3 LP (Spectral Sound)
This grouping of audio recordings is for aural use only. Any emotional content perceived herein is borne of its listener, and is in no way intended by its author. Any sounds resembling speech are not intended to convey meaning. Taken altogether, Several Shades Of The Same Color is kaleidoscopic, a multi-faceted techno trip.
The Peep Tempel – The Peep Tempel LP (Wing Sing)
There isn’t a single moment on The Peep Tempel (the name comes from a strip club in an Inspector Rex episode) that sounds played-out or predictable. It’s hard to know how much of the narrative, which includes tales of unemployment and police brutality, is based on the band’s inner-city west Melbourne existence and how much is fiction. One thing is certain: this debut is very near to rock and roll perfection.
Praed – The Fabrication Of Silver Dreams LP (Annihaya)
Praed is a part-Swiss, part-Lebanese collaboration, boldly drawing new connections between the Arabic genre of Shaabi and electronic/free jazz/psych-rock music(s). Fourth record The Fabrication Of Silver Dreams is a typically wild torrent of sounds and styles, all whipped up into a frantic groove.
Proles – Moreton Crescent LP (Overground)
Formed in Co. Durham in 1976, The Proles had a short run punctuated by a well-liked split EP and a ’79 single released on Small Wonder and championed by John Peel. Here are their best recordings, presented as they should’ve been.
Quindar – Hip Mobility LP+MP3 (Butterscotch)
Mikael Jorgensen (of Wilco) joins art historian James Merle Thomas as Quindar. Hip Mobility, the duo’s first full-length LP, is built upon deep research into the audio archives of NASA’s golden era, the 1960s and ‘70s. These Space Age recordings – and specifically the tiny, iconic communication beeps known as Quindar Tones – form the basis for Hip Mobility’s electronic compositions. Quindar manipulates these archival recordings beyond recognition, samples and plays them as unique instruments, blends them with Jorgensen’s vintage analog synths, and sometimes simply plays them back verbatim.
Ring 13 – Nothing New Nothing Learned [1984] LP (Beer City)
Early-‘80s hardcore/punk on vinyl for the first time.
Ruby Suns – Sprite Fountain LP (Sellout! Music)
The Ruby Suns, the band-ish pseudonym of nomadic Californian-New Zealander Ryan McPhun, return after four years with a brilliant record, Sprite Fountain. It began in earnest upon moving to Oslo, Norway from Auckland in 2013’s twilight with impending fatherhood tapping him on the shoulder. A slowly ripening thing, it was made amidst child rearing and touring with NZ pals Lawrence Arabia. Having released on Sub Pop and Memphis Industries in the past, Ruby Suns’ Sprite Fountain, a pithy nine songs running over thirty-three minutes, is stylistically an amalgam of the four previous Ruby Suns records. Rhythmically and harmonically complex, McPhun’s influences are eluded to like snatches of a jukebox heard across a busy motorway. The touchstones are brief – ELO for four bars, a hint of Julia Holter in an arrangement – before they disappear into a kaleidoscopic tapestry that reveals McPhun to be a singular savant, hinted at by his diverse back catalog.
Ruckazoid – Amazing Lover LP (Steady Trippin’)
Ruckazoid – Scratchgod Presents: Killin’ DJs – The Quadrilogy LP (Scratchgod)
Ruckazoid & Teeko – Findings LP (BeatDiscoveryRecordings)
Before boogie funk had a resurgence, Ruckazoid was dropping rare funk albums. Some may also be familiar with his seminal work as a turntablist and hardware designer.
Santana – Lotus: Deluxe Edition 3xLP (Sony)
This deluxe of Santana’s 1974 album uses the high-definition DSD 11.2MHz master (which was used for Japan-only SACD Lotus Complete Edition – HYBRID 4.0. The cutting was handled by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab and pressed by RTI. The package faithfully replicates its original LP design (22 panel) by Tadanori Yokoo.
Seramic – I Got You 12” (Parlophone)
Funkadelic indie-pop with heavy influences of soul and R&B. “Prince meets D’Angelo meets Tom Waits meets Joe Cocker” – The Sunday Times
Shed Seven – See Youse At The Barras: Live In Concert 2xLP (Secret)
Archive live release from the Britpop underdogs, recorded at Barrowlands Glasgow in December 12, 2002. Shed Seven belonged to the post-Smiths wave of British musicians such as The Sundays and Marion, with a sound relying heavily on complex guitar arpeggios often in a minor key, and wailing vocals.
Sheer Mag – Need To Feel Your Love LP (Wilsuns RC)
Sheer Mag’s full-length debut sounds like a mix of a classic ’70s rock, power pop and obscure English DIY. Think of the power pop delight of Protex, the lo-fi nature of The Seize, the riffs of Thin Lizzy and the powerful female vocals of Suzi Quatro.
Paul Simon – Paul Simon [Reissue/1972] LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy)
Remastered 180gm vinyl repress of Simon’s debut solo album. Including the signature hits “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” the 1972 effort is ranked by Rolling Stone as the 266th Greatest Album of All Time.
Six Organs Of Admittance and William Tyler – Parallelogram: a La Carte LP (Three Lobed)
Mutual influence is always fun to see in action, especially when it is between modern long-form guitar composition greats Ben Chasny (Six Organs of Admittance) and William Tyler. This volume of Three Lobed Recording’s Parallelogram series allows both artists room to stretch out and breathe.
Sleepmakeswaves – Make Of Breath Only LP (Pelagic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from Sydney’s post-rock trailblazers.
Sly & The Family Drone / Dead Neanderthals – Molar Wrench LP (Hominid Sounds)
The noise giants team up with the free jazz outfit.
Chris Spedding – Joyland [2015] LP (Cleopatra)
Limited vinyl LP pressing of the fantastic 2015 studio album from guitar legend Chris Spedding. On Joyland, Spedding is supported by a star-studded guest list including Johnny Marr, Bryan Ferry, Robert Gordon, Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, Arthur Brown, Steve Snips Parsons, Andy Fraser, Andy Mackay and others.
Noah Sterba – 13-Bar Blues LP (Grapefruit)
The debut vinyl release from the Omaha underground hero distills folk, blues, punk and country.
Sun Ra – Just Outta This World: Rare Tracks 1955-1961 LP (Jambalaya)
This singles collection compiles rare, early Sun Ra productions and performances from Juanita Rogers, Yochanan, Little Mack, and Sun Ra & His Myth-Science Arkestra, from 1955-1961. A retrospective on the early days of this legendary music guru.
Taking Back Sunday – Louder Now [Reissue/2006] LP (WB)
Limited vinyl reissue of Taking Back Sunday’s third studio album – their first on a major label.
Theocracy – As The World Bleeds [Reissue/2011] 2xLP (Ulterium)
Limited double transparent red vinyl LP pressing of the Christian power metal band’s 2011 album.
Three 6 Mafia – Most Known Unknown [Reissue/2005] 2xLP (Omerta)
The Memphis collective’s biggest album is available for the first time on vinyl.
TLC – TLC LP (852 Musiq)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After a 15-year wait and a Kickstarter campaign that became the crowdfunding site’s fastest-funded pop project ever, TLC, the duo’s first independent album — and, the members say, their final recording, has seen the light of day. “A new TLC record could be written off as a nostalgia play; indeed, this summer the group will join the I Love ’90s: The Party Continues tour with fellow throwback acts like Biz Markie and Naughty by Nature. But the sound that TLC pioneered is more influential than at any point since the ’90s, especially in the slinky sounds and sexy-tomboy styles of nouveau R&B’s current wave of rising stars like Tinashe, Kehlani and Jhené Aiko. TLC’s lasting imprint on pop goes far beyond any of its memorably outré fashions or dancefloor jams. Long before the current era of woke pop, TLC made hits with a message. (It’s probably not a coincidence that Katy Perry donated to the group’s Kickstarter.) The resulting record is stacked with uplifting, summer-barbecue-ready tunes like first single ‘Way Back,’ featuring Snoop Dogg.” – Billboard
Tomb Mold – Primordial Malignity LP (Blood Harvest)
Across the eight swift tracks at 32-minutes total, a sense of the familiar vs. foreign is waged, that whiff of death metaled deja vu that’s soon erased with a foul, fetid freshness of approach. Indeed, the duo’s Finnish-isms are foul and fetid here, but are shot through with a preternaturally adept knowledge of what made such classic death metal work – and, crucially, how to expand upon it without compromising its essence.
Tombs – The Grand Annihilation LP (Metal Blade)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Mike Hill is not a man interested in appeasing his existing audience or modifying the music he makes in the hope of luring in a broader one. Anyone doubting this need only look to the recorded output Tombs have dropped over the past decade, which while ultimately remaining rooted in the blackened, post-metallic sound vomited up on 2007’s self-titled EP, has constantly diversified and evolved.
Tranquil Eyes – Fact & Fiction LP (OnderStroom)
Poignant and exciting synth-wave songs, drenched in an eternal ’80s feel.
Twinsmith – Stay Cool LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
“Stay Cool sees Twinsmith’s sound evolving from hazy surf rock to a fuller, more dynamic guitar-and-keys pop appeal. The fresh, slick new direction produces results that will have you bopping, hopping and electric sliding with glee. Clear out some space in your basement, dining room or wherever and get ready to feel good.” – Under The Radar
Upseters – Double Seven [Reissue/1973] LP (Music On Vinyl)
This classic album from 1973 saw its creator, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry exploring synths and starting to develop his Black Ark sound – the enigmatic producer was at the time in the process of building his famous studio and honing his ideas about dub as a musical form.
Various Artists – Nasi Hostia: Experimental Studio Bratislava Series 3 LP+CD (4MG)
This series of electro acoustic music and musique concrète was started in 2015 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Experimental Studio Bratislava. The seven recordings on Series 3 all date from 1968-1982, with compositions by: Milan Slavický, Georg Katzer, Lothar Voigtlaender, Zoltán Pongrácz, Alois Piňos, and more.
Various Artists – Nie Wieder Streit 2xLP (Lehult)
Nie Wieder Streit is one of those versatile records that offers something for every situation, one that never leaves your bag. There’s chilled, intricate songs for the early and late hours on the dancefloor, dark and vibe-y jams for the dungeons, joyful and weird peak-time stuff, and some straight-up groove monsters — all on one release.
Alan Vega – It 2xLP (Fader)
The final album written and recorded by Alan Vega, frontman of seminal electronic duo Suicide, before his passing in July 2016. Double-LP gatefold with never-before-seen drawings, writings, and photos.
The Vines – Highly Evolved [Reissue/2002] LP (Capitol)
2017 celebrates the 15th anniversary of Highly Evolved, the breakthrough rock ‘n’ roll album from The Vines, who was part of the garage rock revival of the early 2000s.
Christian Wolff – Berlin Exercises LP (God)
Christian Wolff on Berlin Exercises: “‘Exercise’ indicates relatively shorter pieces in which the process of work, of practicing and of trying things out within specified limits, in short a kind of discipline in process, are being attempted. I regard them as both exercises in composing and for performers, especially as the performers function as members of an ensemble.”
Wowflower – Balloons LP (Street Corner Music)
“While preparing for my radio show about a year ago, I put a kite out to the kids that I was looking for some heat to play. This kid sent me a 20 second clip of a work in progress. It was sublime. He kept sending beats per my request. It was exciting how consistently good the shit was. Blissful, downtempo escapism. His production took me somewhere else, in a time where a retreat from the increasingly stressful day to day is more than welcomed. That first track he sent, ‘Huey,’ starts off Balloons, Wowflower’s debut LP, just as it started the dialogue between the two of us. The Street Corner faithful will not be disappointed. This sh*t is fantastic.” — House Shoes
Zaquoir – Asino Sardo [Reissu/2015] LP (SVS)
Asino Sardo playfully finds itself somewhere between early Rephlex releases, AFX’s Ambient Works and The Other People Place.
Cassettes:
The Memories – Royal United Song Service (Burger)
Royal United Song Service was created by The Memories (featuring members of White Fang, Colleen Green, Free Weed, Unkle Funkle, Totally You, Jerry Rogers and more) to raise funds for their first European tour. Through this service The Memories created custom, made-to-order tunes about any topic or theme and with any lyrics, chords or time-signatures for the low, low price of $100. Everyone has a song inside them and this double album speaks to that — the Memories making songs about other people’s memories.
Us And Us Only – Full Flower (Tiny Engines)
Full Flower is an exercise in letting the light in – the result of a band exploring sonic space throughout its thirteen tracks, weaving smaller, more production intensive vignettes into the larger fabric of Us And Us Only’s trademark see-sawing dynamics. In allowing its home in bedroom ambiance to work in harmony with high fidelity studio prowess, Full Flower is a rock album viewed through the morning haze of half-open eyes.
Book:
Charles Duvelle And Hisham Mayet – The Photographs Of Charles Duvelle: Disques Ocora And Collection Prophet 2xCD+Book (Sublime Frequencies)
Disques Ocora, a French label dedicated to capturing and publishing the sounds of folkloric culture from around the world, is held in the highest possible regard in the realms of professional and amateur ethnomusicology. Instigated in 1958 by Pierre Schaeffer, the founder of musique concrète, Disques Ocora’s sterling reputation is largely built on composer and musicologist Charles Duvelle’s pioneering field recordings, as well as his now-iconic photographs and graphic design. This 296-page fine-art photography book comprises an exhaustive collection of Charles Duvelle’s field photography from 1959 to 1978, demonstrating that this master musicologist had an equally unerring eye for photography.
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