CDs + Vinyl:
Airbourne – Breakin’ Outta Hell CD/LP (Spinefarm)
Fourth album from the mighty bearers of the stadium-rock torch.
Allegaeon – Proponent For Sentience CD (Metal Blade)
New album from the Fort Collins, CO melodic death metal band. [Vinyl edition due October 7.]
AlunaGeorge – I Remember CD/LP (Interscope)
Released last week on vinyl – now available on CD. I Remember is the second studio album by English electronic music duo AlunaGeorge aka Aluna Francis and George Reid. The album includes collaborations with Popcaan, Zhu, Leikeli47, Dreezy, Flume and Pell.
Devendra Banhart – Ape In Pink Marble CD/LP (Nonesuch)
“In the three years since he released Mala, more and more artists have found space for themselves in the surrealist, freak-folk world Devendra Banhart has inhabited for over a decade. Smartly, instead of trying to shout over the din of a packed room, he dials things back, and Ape In Pink Marble feels inviting and intimate, if a bit somber. The album is one of his sparsest; most tracks subsist on little more than Banhart’s vocals and a few lines of intertwining guitar. Single ‘Middle Names’ is truly bewitching, a tribute to the lingering feeling of missed connections written about his friend Asa Ferry, the singer of Kind Hearts and Coronets, who passed away last year. The guitars sweep along the mix dutifully, but Banhart’s voice is mesmerizing, and his delicate intonation says as much as his atmospheric lyrics. It’s a stunning track that beautifully captures a sentiment often difficult to evoke.” – The Line Of Best Fit
Beach Slang – A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Polyvinyl)
Beach Slang’s sophomore album is a raucous collection of shout-along punk rock anthems anchored by frontman James Alex’s trademark heart-on-sleeve lyricism. “Alex opens Beach Slang’s fantastic new LP, A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings, by demanding that you play him something loud and fast and also ‘something that will always last.’ Typical rock & roll fare, in other words. And the band’s still playing music for those same outsiders. Alex’s worldview, however, isn’t an ‘Us v. Them’ mentality. Instead, he’s simply writing songs that say, ‘If you have unwavering faith that rock music can save your life, and your preferred hymn of choice is ‘Born To Run’ — welcome to our congregation’” – The Line Of Best Fit. [Limited blue color vinyl pressing also available.]
Biosphere – Departed Glories CD/LP (Smalltown Supersound)
Widely regarded as one of the chief ambient producers the world has ever seen, Biosphere follows up his Deathprod collaboration with new LP Departed Glories on his home country Norway’s Smalltown Supersound imprint. Five years in the making, the album’s core influence stems from the recently discovered work of Russian photographer Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky.
Joe Bonamassa – Live At The Greek 2xCD/4xLP (J&R Adventures)
Blues rock master Joe Bonamassa delivers a musical tribute to The Three Kings Of the Blues (Albert, Freddie and B.B.) at the legendary Greek Theatre — recorded in August 2015. For the set Bonamassa is backed by a stellar band of blues musicians including Anton Fig (drums), Michael Rhodes (bass), Reese Wynans (keys), Lee Thornburg (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (saxophone), Ron Dziubla (saxophone), Kirk Fletcher (guitar), Mahalia Barnes, Jade MaCrae and Juanita Tippins (vocals). Playing on a warm summer night to a nearly sold-out crowd, Bonamassa’s handpicked setlist of songs was called “spectacular” by Premier Guitar; Los Angeles Times said the show “had swing and polish” and that “Bonamassa evoked the signature licks of all three icons while managing to put his own stamp on things.” [Standalone DVD and Blu-ray editions also available.]
David Bowie – Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976) 12xCD/13xLP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976) is the second box set spanning David Bowie’s career, and is the follow-up to Five Years (1969-1973). The set includes Diamond Dogs, David Live (in original and 2005 mixes), Young Americans, and Station To Station (in original and 2010 mixes) as well as The Gouster, Live Nassau Coliseum ’76, and a new compilation entitled Re: Call 2, which is a collection of single versions and non-album B-sides.
Boxed In – Melt CD/LP+MP3 (Nettwerk)
With comparisons to LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip, Boxed In is intellectual without being pretentious, wide-ranging yet accessible. [Limited red color vinyl pressing also available.]
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry – Shine A Light: Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad CD/LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Recorded at various train stations during a four-day trip travelling by train, Shine A Light features songs originally made famous by Hank Williams, Lead Belly, The Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Glenn Campbell, Gordon Lightfoot and more. In March 2016 Billy Bragg and Joe Henry, guitars in hand, boarded a Los Angeles-bound train at Chicago’s Union Station looking to reconnect with the culture of American railroad travel and the music it inspired. Winding along 2,728 miles of track over four days, the pair recorded classic railroad songs in waiting rooms and at trackside while the train paused to pick up passengers. “With this project, we wanted to explore the transformative power that the coming of the railroad had on the lives of ordinary people by taking these songs back to the places that inspired their creation,” Bragg says. “Travelling on the train and recording the songs as we went allowed us to both visit places that were important 125 years ago when the lines were laid, but to also explore the viability of the railroad as a means of transport in the 21st century.”
Jakob Bro/Thomas Morgan/Joey Baron – Streams CD (ECM)
On his second leader album for ECM following on from the prizewinning Gefion, Danish guitarist Jakob Bro continues to refine his trio project, with its emphases on melody, sound, space, layered textures and interaction.
Budderside – Budderside CD (Motörhead Music)
Doused in the (street) waters of Los Angeles, Budderside is fronted by Patrick Stone, who was with the likes of Quiet Riot, Velvet Revolver and Adler’s Appetite before realizing the ultimate dream of his own band and singing his own songs to the world.
Carnophage – Monument CD/LP (Unique Leader)
Sophomore album from the Turkish technical death metal assassins.
Charred Walls Of The Damned – Creatures Watching Over The Dead CD (Metal Blade)
Ask Charred Walls Of The Damned drummer, founding member and principal songwriter Richard Christy what he wants to achieve with the band’s third full-length, Creatures Watching Over The Dead, and his answer is as succinct as it gets: “To bring the metal!”
Kristin Chenoweth – The Art Of Elegance CD (Concord)
Throughout a remarkable career that encompasses stellar work in live theatre, television, film, music and concerts, Kristin Chenoweth has established herself as one of the preeminent interpreters of American songcraft. After having covered country, Christian and Christmas music, the iconic artist continues her personal exploration on The Art Of Elegance – her first album of American Songbook classics. The 13-song set, produced by veteran producer and vocalist Steve Tyrell, finds Chenoweth tackling timeless, beloved classics by the likes of George Gershwin (“Someone to Watch Over Me”), Harold Arlen (“Let’s Fall in Love”), Rodgers and Hart (“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”), Burt Bacharach and Hal David (“A House Is Not a Home”), Hoagy Carmichael (“I Get Along Without You Very Well”) and Johnny Mercer (“Skylark”). Although The Art Of Elegance’s 13 songs represent a diverse assortment of periods and styles, the material, along with Chenoweth’s personally charged performances, share the attitude that provides the album’s title.
Crobot – Welcome To Fat City CD/LP+MP3 (Wind-Up)
Sophomore album from the Pennsylvania hard rock/blues rock/funk rock quartet. “The second album. Quite often talked about in hushed tones as being difficult and when Crobot released one of the best ever debut albums, Something Supernatural originally back in 2014, there is a fleeting thought of are they going to be able to top that? But as the opening riffs of Welcome To Fat City flow through the speaker, and the soaring vocals of Brandon Yeagley make a welcome return, all that rock goodness you come to expect from this band is very much apparent. Taking you on a musical extravaganza of deep-set bass lines and a pulverizing beat, ‘Play It Cool’ not only has cowbell, which is excellent just by itself, but the powerful vocals compliment the heavy set guitar that Chris Bishop manages to make sing with the range of riffs and notes in each song. This is classic Crobot, but a brighter, better Crobot that has just taken their sound to yet another level” – RockAndRollCreations.com. [Limited clear yellow vinyl pressing with “interactive anamorphic art packaging” also available.]
Andrew Cyrille Quartet/Bill Frisell/Richard Teitelbaum/Ben Street – The Declaration Of Musical Independence CD (ECM)
The great avant-jazz drummer Andrew Cyrille whose associations have ranged from a long, vintage collaboration with Cecil Taylor to co-leading current all-star collective Trio 3 with Oliver Lake and Reggie Workman makes his ECM leader debut with The Declaration Of Musical Independence.
Danny & The Darleans – Bug Out CD/LP (In The Red)
Centering around Danny Kroha’s (Gories) feral howls and masterful guitar clanging, Bug Out, Danny & The Darleans sophomore album, refines some of the savage bombast of the Gories while ditching almost all of the glam camp of Kroha’s other long-running act, the Demolition Doll Rods. Backed by fireball drummer Richie Wohlfeil (Detroit Cobras, Mother Whale, Saturday Looks Good To Me, and many others) and bassist Colleen Burke (once keyboardist for Chicago art-punks We Regazzi), they’re something of a party band.
Delerium – Mythologie CD/LP (Metropolis)
New album from the dark ethereal/ambient/industrial/electronic pop music group. “Five singers blended within a gorgeous palate of electronica.”
Katie Dey – Flood Network CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Joy Void)
Australian recording artist Katie Dey’s ‘nightmare pop’ weaves through gorgeous and unexpected soundscapes – at times weirdly off-putting, at others beautiful and ethereal – all anchored by a hypnotic sense of melody. [Limited color vinyl pressing also available.]
Dysrhythmia – Veil Of Control CD (Profound Lore)
Having established themselves as one of the most notable progressive and unique instrumental metal bands since their inception more than 15 years ago, NY-based powertrio Dysrhythmia mirrors the definition of their moniker. The band has, over six albums, shown the ultimate in musical fortitude with wondrous, jaw-dropping compositions that go beyond jazz-infused, avant-garde technical extreme metal. [Vinyl edition due October 7.]
Every Time I Die – Low Teens CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
“Low Teens’ razor-sharp sound and auditory barbarism was abetted by engineer and producer Will Putney (Acacia Strain, Body Count, Exhumed). Low Teens’ guest vocalists further demonstrate these polarized extremes, with formidable bellower Tim Singer (Deadguy, Kiss It Goodbye, No Escape) roaring alongside Buckley on opening track ‘Fear And Trembling’ and longtime friend Brendan Urie (Panic! At The Disco) providing a melodic counterpoint on ‘It Remembers.’ Yes, Every Time I Die has always juggled hardcore urgency, metal brutalism, and rock melodies, but never has it felt this instinctive or this vicious.” – Punk Rock Theory
Ex-Cult – Negative Growth CD/LP (In The Red)
“This collection of songs was conceived in Memphis and finalized in Los Angeles, with the help of our family doctor Ty Segall. It was created in February 2016, when we traded Memphis misery for a week of California sunshine. Negative Growth is a nine-track nightmare, a death trip in the crystal ship. The Hollywood Heat Seeker takes ten years off your life.”—Chris Shaw of Ex-Cult
Expire – With Regret CD/LP/Cassette (Bridge 9)
Expire return with their third full-length, With Regret. A little heavier and just as fierce as ever, the Midwest Blood champions cruise across sub-two-minute juggernauts purging their feelings on damaged relationships and introspective exorcisms.
Fleetwood Mac – Mirage [Reissue/1982] CD/2xCD/3xCD+LP+DVD (Rhino)
Fleetwood Mac’s streak of five consecutive multi-platinum albums began in the ‘70s and continued in 1982 with Mirage. This new double-CD edition expands on the original album with newly remastered sound, a second disc with 19 tracks dedicated entirely to outtakes and rarities, as well as the stories and pictures behind the album. [Super Deluxe edition adds a disc of live performances recorded in Los Angeles during Fleetwood Mac’s 1982 US tour, a DVD-Audio disc featuring 5.1 surround and hi-res 24/96 audio mixes, and a copy of the original album on vinyl. Single-disc edition of the remastered album also available.]
Flock Of Dimes – If You See Me, Say Yes CD/LP+MP3 (PTKF)
Flock Of Dimes is the solo project of Wye Oak frontwoman Jenn Wasner. “Flock Of Dimes is finally releasing its full-length debut, a slyly infectious and characteristically reflective set of synth-pop songs. The album’s first single, ‘Semaphore,’ is a snaky jam fueled by roiling bass and a throbbing earworm of a chorus. But much of If You See Me, Say Yes treads moodier ground, as Wasner sets a dreamy pace across an assortment of stirring ballads that incorporate everything from vocal effects (‘Minor Justice’) to subtle doses of slide guitar (‘The Joke’) and fingerpicking (‘Apparition,’ ‘Given/Electric Life’). Throughout the album, Wasner demonstrates her gift for atmospheric, patiently building slow burns, but she also has a way with softly swaying pop songs like ‘Birthplace.’ In that track, Wasner quickly re-creates a gift she showcases so frequently in Wye Oak: a way of mixing self-doubt and self-knowledge to form real insight.” – NPR
Forma – Physicalist CD/2xLP (Kranky)
Physicalist is the third album from New York City synthesis trio Forma. Since their acclaimed self-titled debut in 2011, Forma have been perfecting a distinctive style of improvised kosmische and minimalism that blends swirling arpeggios, ambient soundscapes, and driving motorik beats. Artwork by Robert Beatty.
Game Theory – The Big Shot Chronicles [Reissue/1986] CD/LP+MP3 (Omnivore)
30th anniversary expanded reissue of Game Theory’s third album, which was originally released in 1986. Once again helmed by Mitch Easter (R.E.M., Let’s Active), The Big Shot Chronicles features an expansion of the band’s sound, and contains the MTV 120 Minutes staple, “Erica’s Word.” The Chicago Reader said the album was “ambitious and elaborate . . . packed with sunny, ultra-catchy melodies, sweet vocal harmonies, and soft-focus psychedelia.” For this reissue, 13 tracks have been added—nine of which are previously unissued. From demos, outtakes, rough mixes, and live tracks, one can see the sonic trajectory the band was on—leading up to their arguable magnum opus, Lolita Nation. In addition to alternate versions of originals, this set includes a wealth of covers of songs by Todd Rundgren, Roxy Music, Big Star, The Velvet Underground, and more. [Limited lime green color vinyl edition includes a download of the entire 25 track CD program.]
Giraffe Tongue Orchestra – Broken Lines CD/LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Giraffe Tongue Orchestra is a new hard rock supergroup comprised of William DuVall of Alice In Chains, Ben Weinman of Dillinger Escape Plan, Brent Hinds of Mastodon, Pete Griffin of Dethklok and Thomas Pridgen of The Mars Volta. [Limited blue and white marble color vinyl pressing also available.]
Goldroom – West Of The West CD/LP (Downtown)
Josh Legg has achieved success for his balmy, melodic productions under the Goldroom moniker. West Of The West is his debut album. “I’ve wanted to center Goldroom around honest songwriting, and in late 2015 things poured out in a way they just hadn’t before,” Legg commented on the album. “Classic American songwriting is something I’ve tried hard to honor and push forward. Although I make electronic-based music, I think of this as Americana at its emotional core. I was aching to write something more simple and earnest, devoid of cynicism.”
Greensky Bluegrass – Shouted, Written Down & Quoted CD (Big Blue Zoo)
Greensky Bluegrass is Anders Beck (dobro), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), Mike Devol (upright bass) and Paul Hoffman (mandolin). For more than a decade and a half, the members of Greensky Bluegrass have created their own version of bluegrass music, mixing the acoustic stomp of a string band with the rule-breaking spirit of rock & roll. Shouted, Written Down & Quoted is the group’s sixth album. [Vinyl edition due October 21.]
Skylar Grey – Natural Causes CD (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope)
Second studio album from the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter. Skylar Grey rose to fame in 2011, when she sang memorable hooks for Eminem/Dr. Dre and Lupe Fiasco.
How To Dress Well – Care CD/2xLP+MP3 (Weird World)
On How to Dress Well’s fourth LP, Care, Tom Krell sings about what it really means to care—for others, for the world, and for himself. The album is a beaming pop record—the product of a fruitful collaborative relationship with a group of trusted producers including Dre Skull, ambient sound sculptor Kara-Lis Coverdale, experimental electronic producer and regular How To Dress Well collaborator CFCF, as well as Jack Antonoff and the refined work of mix engineer Andrew Dawson. Care is an intimate album that goes big, filled with stadium-sized choruses, rollicking guitar solos, vocal tenderness, and Celine Dion-inspired melodies. “Each of the eleven tracks is an outrageous pop hybrid. Balearic beats clash with classical piano, crashing synth, bouncy indie guitar lines, theatrical vocals and those huge, trademark choruses that make you want to punch the air, Breakfast Club style. Cathartic and clever, Care is Krell’s most accessible, most adventurous record to date.” – The Skinny
Insomnium – Winter’s Gate CD/LP+MP3 (Century Media)
Insomnium is known for their brand of melancholic, mournful melodic death metal which they’ve been doing since 2004, but their latest offering, Winter’s Gate, sees the band venturing further into the realms of doom, progressive and black metal. [Limited color vinyl edition also available.]
Kansas – The Prelude Implicit CD/2xLP+MP3 (Inside Out Music)
Kansas returns with their 15th album and first in over 16 years. The Prelude Implicit features 10 tracks and according to the progressive band’s original drummer Phil Ehart, it marks “a new musical beginning” for the band as reflected in the album’s artwork featuring a Phoenix flying from the past into the feature. Original guitarist Richard Williams adds, “Whether it is the trademark prog epic like ‘The Voyage Of Eight Eighteen,’ biting rocker such as ‘Rhythm In The Spirit,’ or mindful ballad like ‘The Unsung Heroes,’ there is something on this album for every kind of Kansas fan. [CD is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds two bonus tracks. Three-sided vinyl edition includes an etching on Side D.]
Jim Kweskin and Geoff Muldaur – Penny’s Farm CD (Kingswood)
Penny’s Farm is a laid-back romp through some of Jim and Geoff’s favorite roots songs. They’re joined by some world-class musician friends, like pioneering steel guitarist and dobroist Cindy Cashdollar, blues fiddler Suzy Thompson, renowned composer Van Dyke Parks, and vocalist Juli Crockett (The Evangenitals).
Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam – I Had A Dream That You Were Mine CD/LP (Glassnote)
Released last week on vinyl – now available on CD. New collaboration between Hamilton Leithauser (formerly of The Walkmen) and Rostam Batmanglij (formerly of Vampire Weekend). In the spirit of collaborative albums, not unlike those of David Byrne and Brian Eno, each musician’s individuality remains intact while both Hamilton’s identity as a singer and Rostam’s as a producer reach new heights.
Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials – The Big Sound Of Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials CD (Alligator)
Raucous, pure Chicago blues.
Norberto Lobo – Muxama CD/LP (Three Four)
Adding live effects to his guitar playing, Norberto Lobo distorts the time and space to bring music in a new dimension. Modulating volume, intensity, phase and pitch he enters in a nonlinear, free interpretation of his pieces.
LVL UP – Return To Love CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)
“Hidden Driver,” the opening track of LVL UP’s third album Return To Love, never stops moving. What starts with unassuming guitars and vocals adds new lines, depths, and intensity, until its unrestrained, triumphant finish. “God is peeking, softly speaking,” repeats the chorus, working through the relationship between spirituality and creative inspiration, and introducing a band that is always pushing further. The music itself grows from a shared melodic and experimental sensibility, as well as a nod to iconic influences like Neutral Milk Hotel and Mount Eerie. . Pitchfork says of LVL UP: “Homespun, 1990s-indebted indie pop… A uniquely vulnerable songwriting voice makes LVL UP distinct.”
Madeira – Bad Humors CD/LP+MP3 (Carpark)
Madeira is a collection of brilliantly composed songs featuring irresistible melodies and lucid production — a rich blend of electronic pop encompassing late night ballads like the comedown closer “Parquet” and the sunset party of “Let Me Down.” The grooves on Bad Humors take their shape from a new pop twist on the tropical disco of Balearic beat. [Limited violet color vinyl pressing also available.]
Marconi Union – Ghost Stations CD (Proper)
After fourteen years of writing and performing, the trio Marconi Union — founding members Richard Talbot and Jamie Crossley with keyboard player Duncan Meadows — have steadily developed and refined a unique musical identity; evoking emotions from gracefully blending elements of dub, jazz, ambience and electronica within their richly melodic compositions. With Ghost Stations, Marconi Union’s music continues to straddle the worlds of artistic credibility and musical accessibility. [Vinyl edition due October 7.]
Brian McKnight – An Evening With Brian McKnight CD (Sono Recording Group)
An Evening With Brian McKnight is a live concert recorded in January 2016 at Los Angeles’ historic Saban Theatre. The collection includes live versions of all of Brian’s best-known songs plus three new studio recordings. [Stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions also available.]
Shawn Mendes – Illuminate CD (Island)
Sophomore album from the multi-platinum singer/songwriter. [Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds three bonus tracks. Vinyl edition due October 21.]
Idina Menzel – Idina. CD (WB)
Menzel is known for originating the role of Elphaba in the hit Broadway musical, Wicked, for her role as Maureen in Rent (musical and movie), the voice of main character Elsa in Frozen and for her recurring role as Shelby Corcoran on Glee since 2010.
Merchandise – A Corpse Wired For Sound CD/LP (4AD)
Formed nearly a decade ago, galvanized by Tampa hardcore and inspired by its miscreant noise, A Corpse Wired For Sound signals a new chapter for Merchandise. Following 2014’s After The End — a full-band effort recorded in a closet — the band stripped back to its core of Carson Cox (vocals, electronics), Dave Vassalotti (guitar, electronics) and Pat Brady (bass). The trio travelled to Rosà, Italy for their first ever sessions in a recording studio, with a local, ICIO. The nine-song, nocturnal A Corpse Wired For Sound was recorded half in the studio and half at home, in Tampa as well as Cox’s newly adopted bases of New York and Berlin – the culmination of a long-distance collaboration between Cox and Vassalotti.
My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade/Living With Ghosts 2xCD/3xLP (Reprise)
Tenth anniversary expanded reissue of My Chemical Romances iconic third LP, which went platinum after its 2006 debut and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The fresh take features 11 previously unreleased demos and outtakes from original recording sessions with producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Eric Clapton). Among the rare cuts included are an early version of lead single “Welcome To The Black Parade,” demos of “Mama” and “Disenchanted,” and five previously unheard tracks. “Living With Ghosts is a glimpse into MCR’s creative process unlike anything to which fans have previously had access, stripping away some of the mystery in MCR’s writing process. One could argue that isn’t a good thing when considering the very personal experiences fans often have with the band’s music. But as often as fans want to build their own narrative into MCR’s work, they also want to psychoanalyze it and theorize about the songs’ intended meanings and inspirations. For the diehards, playing ‘spot the difference’ between the roughs and the finals will be a truly enlightening treasure hunt.” – Alternative Press
Neurosis – Fires Within Fires CD/2×12” (Neurot)
Three decades in the making, striking their signature balance between light and dark, beauty and repulsion, Neurosis’ eleventh album, Fires Within Fires, gives due to its predecessors while progressing forward into the unfamiliar and formidable.
Operation: Mindcrime – Resurrection CD (Frontiers)
Resurrection is the second chapter of Operation: Mindcrime’s trilogy which follows debut album, The Key. Musically, Resurrection follows in the same direction of its predecessor, with inspired performances and a blend of progressive metal with more anthemic songs.
Orchid – Sign Of The Witch CD (Nuclear Blast)
Previously import-only – now available domestically. 2015 EP from the San Francisco-based classic doom metallers.
ØY – Space Diaspora CD (Crammed Discs)
The duet consisting of Ghanaian-Swiss vocalist and musician Joy Frempong and producer and musician Lleluja-Ha return with a space opera – a highly danceable avant-garde electronica album based on a core of vocal loops and drumming. [Vinyl edition due October 7.]
Paper Route – Real Emotion CD/2xLP (Kemosabe)
Third album from the Nashville-based alt-rock trio.
Passenger – Young As The Morning Old As The Sea CD+DVD/2xLP+MP3 (Nettwerk)
Eighth studio album from Mike Rosenberg, the Brighton-born folk rock singer/songwriter better known as Passenger. [CD is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes six acoustic bonus tracks and a DVD. Vinyl edition includes the six bonus acoustic tracks as well.]
Pigeon John – Good Sinner CD (Dine Alone)
New album from the Los Angeles-based hip-hop genre bender. Single “Good Sinner” is being used for the Season 5 trailer for HBO’s Veep.
Monte Pittman – Inverted Grasp Of Balance CD (Metal Blade)
New album from the ex-Prong guitarist. “I knew exactly the album I wanted to make,” he states. “I wanted to make the heaviest and craziest music I ever have.” The results speak for themselves, and from the explosive thrash opener “Panic Attack” through to the epic strains of closing track “New Blood Keeps Us Alive,” the quality doesn’t dip once, making this an essential metal releases of 2016.
Puff – Living In The Party Zone CD/LP (Slovenly)
These mysterious dumpster dwellers deliver 10 tracks of electro-analog chaos, heavy on the attack and decayed beyond recognition.
Reckless Kelly – Sunset Motel CD (No Big Deal)
Reckless Kelly celebrates their 20th anniversary with Sunset Motel, their follow up their Grammy Award winning 2013 release Long Night Moon. “Sunset Motel finds the band in familiar musical territory — bounding fearlessly between the sounds of jangling heartland rock and scrappy, hardscrabble country, with stories that refuse to dumb themselves down for mass appeal” – Rolling Stone. [Vinyl edition due October 14.]
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Nagasaki: Memories Of My Son [OST] CD (Milan)
In 2015 Ryuichi Sakamoto composed the music for Nagasaki: Memories Of My Son, the latest film by legendary Japanese filmmaker Yoji Yamada whose career has spanned six decades and over 80 films. The film tells the story of Nobuko Fukuhara, a mother who has lost he son in the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Sakamoto’s beautiful soundtrack evokes a nostalgic landscape of the humble everyday life of Japanese people while successfully paying homage to the film music of the Golden Age of Japanese cinema.
John Scofield – Country For Old Men CD (Impulse!)
With the help of frequent collaborators drummer Bill Stewart, organist and pianist Larry Goldings, and bassist Steve Swallow Scofield renders 12 country tunes through the prism of vigorous modern jazz.
The Searchers – The Very Best Of The Searchers CD (Varese Sarabande)
The Searchers were one of the most influential and popular Merseybeat groups of the British Invasion. This is the first new domestic hits collection by the group in years. Most of their early singles were covers of American hits, including “Sweets For My Sweet” (UK#1), “Sugar and Spice” (UK #2), “Don’t Throw Your Love Away” (US#16, UK #1), and “When You Walk In The Room” (US #35, UK #3). The collection also features their top hits “Love Potion Number Nine,” and “Needles and Pins.”
Bria Skonberg – Bria CD (Portrait)
With a unique fusion of modern-day pop sensibility, combined with sizzling musicianship, Bria Skonberg makes a firm claim on fresh territory in the sophisticated pop landscape pioneered by Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall and Michael Bublé. Bria features standards plus five original songs.
Sonic Youth – Confusion Is Sex [Reissue/1983] CD/LP (Goofin’)
Originally slated to be a 7” single to follow up their self-titled debut, Sonic Youth ’s Confusion Is Sex blossomed into the band’s first album: a brain-bludgeoning, completely fried endeavor of dissonance and disarray. This was the sound of 1983 New York City: nothing like London where punks were starting to scrub their faces and sounds to get on Top Of The Pops , and nothing like the jangly roots of college radio rock starting to formulate in Athens, Georgia.
Soundtrack – The Man Who Fell To Earth [1976] 2xCD (UMe)
This is the first release of the soundtrack to David Bowie’s 1976 cult film The Man Who Fell To Earth. Includes music by Stomu Yamash’ta, Gordon Jenkins Orchestra and Choir and Louis Armstrong, John Phillips, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and George Hurst, The Kingston Trio, Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra and Robert Farnon, and more. [Vinyl and boxset editions due November 25.]
Bruce Springsteen – Chapter And Verse CD/2xLP+MP3 (Columbia)
Chapter And Verse is the audio companion to Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography, Born To Run. Five of the album’s eighteen tracks are previously unreleased. As such, Springsteen selected the songs to reflect the themes and sections of the book. The compilation begins with two tracks from The Castiles (Springsteen’s Freehold, NJ high school band), featuring a teenaged Springsteen on guitar and vocals, and ends with the title track from 2012’s Wrecking Ball. Recordings from Steel Mill and The Bruce Springsteen Band feature musicians who would go on to play in The E Street Band. Solo demos of “Henry Boy” and “Growin’ Up” were cut in 1972 shortly before Springsteen began recording his debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. The package includes lyrics and rare photos.
Stick To Your Guns – Better Ash Than Dust CDEP/12” (Pure Noise)
New five-track EP from the Orange County, CA based hardcore band.
The Sword – Low Country CD (Razor & Tie)
After nine months on the road, The Sword returned to the studio to experiment with the songs from High Country, seeing if they could deliver more stripped back, acoustic renditions of the tracks from the disc. Bassist Bryan Richie produced and J. Robbins mixed the effort. “The album eases in with the short, sweet breezy shuffle of ‘Unicorn Farm’ followed by the quirky guitar interplaying from John D. Crone and Kyle Shutt in ‘Empty Temples.’ The stirring verses with lead vocals from John feature a chorus of ‘Let go of all that bind you, your God will always find you.’ Other songs of note are the title track with its bleak grooves that follow the uptempo bluesy intro. ‘Mist And Shadow’ is so laid back, you can hear fingers sliding across guitar strings. ‘Early Snow’ is the heaviest track here with a distorted bass guitar groove, punctuated by a piercing guitar solo and a brass section. The haunting melodies of ‘The Dreamthieves’ just wash over you through headphones. A touch of ‘Solsbury Hill’ in the intro of ‘Ghost Eye’ leads into an emotionally heavy lyric of ‘Ghost eye watches that sees into your soul’ repeated in the outro and the album ends with the stirring, uplifting folk patterns of ‘The Best Of Spring.’” – Planet Mosh
Too Close To Touch – Haven’t Been Myself CD (Epitaph)
Melodic post-hardcore from Lexington, KY. Maybe you saw them on the Cyclops Stage at Vans Warped Tour ’16.
Trap Them – Crown Feral CD/LP (Prosthetic)
10 chest-pounding tracks awash in the group’s famed blend of metal, d-beat punk and darkened hardcore. [Limited white color vinyl pressing also available.]
True Widow – Avvolgere CD/2xLP (Relapse)
Avvolgere rocks and rolls with serene, rounded climaxes and steep, jangling choruses that engulf the listener with waves of downbeat, saccharine melodies and mesmerizing distortion. True Widow’s signature alternation between male and female vocals helps further blur the boundaries between the heft of stoner rock, the droning atmosphere of shoegaze, and the twangy catchiness of blues and indie rock.
Various Artists – Perpetual Dawn – Year One CD (Tigerbeat6)
Perpetual Dawn is an underground all-night techno club in Los Angeles that combines the free spirit and “anything goes” vibe of European clubs like Berghain and Bangface with the vivacious and much needed L.A. illegal warehouse party scene spearheaded by Droid Behavior, VSSL, Mount Analog, Rhonda, and Far Away. Composed of rad songs from the raddest acts who’ve performed at Perpetual Dawn since inception in June 2015, this compilation’s got dance-floor jams from Peaking Lights Acid Test, Personable (M. Geddes Gengras’s live techno project), Kid606, Map.Ache (Geigling/Kann Records), Kit n C.L.A.W.S (Kit Clayton and Brian Hock), KRON, and Dntel. Meanwhile, Xiu Xiu, Mark Van Hoen (Locust), Yann Novak, Baseck, Sana Shenai, Golden Hits, Live for Each Moon, and S&ndC&stl& provide freakedout experimental electronics and blissed-out ambient jams.
Various Artists – Secret City Records 10th Anniversary Compilation 2xCD+MP3 (Secret City)
34 tracks representing a decade of Secret City releases, including: Patrick Watson, Miracle Fortress, Plants And Animals, Basia Bulat, Diamond Rings, Daniel Isaiah, The Barr Brothers, Suuns, Owen Pallett, Jesse Mac Cormack, Emilie & Ogden, and Thus Owls. Includes a download for an additional five tracks.
Bradley Walker – Call Me Old-Fashioned CD (Gaither Music Group)
Country singer Bradley Walker is a storyteller. His unmistakable, baritone vocals are refreshing yet warmly familiar as are his songs about life, love, family and his Christian faith. [Stand-alone DVD edition also available.]
Warpaint – Heads Up CD/2xLP (Rough Trade)
Warpaint return with their third album. “The absolute pleasure of listening to the voices possessed within this band remains as staggering as ever. But it’s the canvas over which they are being pulled which has a new texture. Tracks are carried with a more frantic and frenzied energy, even those which may remind you of Warpaint-past. Instantly familiar and yet set apart from expectation ‘New Song’ is full of the exact sort of determination obvious from the start. It’s as pop as this band will probably come so it’s sweet, simple and includes sounds that feel bad for you, but there is a hard edge or resignation in there somewhere” – The Line Of Best Fit. [Limited pink & black color vinyl edition also available.]
Wife – Standard Nature CD (Profound Lore)
Wife is the solo electronic music project of multi-instrumentalist producer James Kelly, also known as the mastermind behind forward-thinking acclaimed post-black metal band Altar Of Plagues.
Rachel Yamagata – Tightrope Walker CD/LP (Frankenfish)
Rachael Yamagata’s latest album Tightrope Walker showcases her calling card ability to articulate humanity’s struggles within relationships and the freedom that comes from celebrating that which we face alone and head on. The production is riskier and cinematic — think Tom Waits meets Roberta Flack, Nick Cave hanging with Rufus Wainwright. Rachael confounds a labeled genre and instead embraces the production that serves the story. The paradox of her art mirrors that of her career and proves that we are never simplistic, but always full of surprises.
Dwight Yoakam – Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars… CD (Sugar Hill)
“Has any country artist made a more convincing case for the hipness of hillbilly sensibilities than Dwight Yoakam? He’s built a singular career out of challenging the opposition between what’s perceived as artless and rustic and what’s seen as cultivated and citified. Yoakam once described his music as “electrified bluegrass,” and in more recent years he’s stepped into the studio with such first-generation bluegrass giants as Ralph Stanley and Earl Scruggs. But Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars… is billed as Yoakam’s first-ever bluegrass album, though it isn’t quite the simple, back-to-roots affair the concept suggests. Not only is this album a chance for Yoakam to prove that his material does in fact work in a bluegrass context, but he also reinterprets his songs with some of the genre’s most celebrated pickers behind him: guitarist Bryan Sutton, fiddler Stuart Duncan, banjo player Scott Vestal, mandolinist Adam Steffey and bassist Barry Bales. Yoakam made a deliberate choice to amplify his expression in this unamplified setting, because in his memory, bluegrass has always rocked. His version does, too.” — NPR
DVDs + Blu-ray:
The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds Classic Album Series DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
The latest in the Classic Album Series tells the story behind the making of The Beach Boys groundbreaking album Pet Sounds, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The documentary explores the band’s relationship during period Brian Wilson wrote and recorded the masterpiece through interviews with all the surviving Beach Boys and others involved in the creation of the album.
Joe Bonamassa – Live At The Greek 2xDVD/Blu-ray (J&R Adventures)
Blues rock master Joe Bonamassa delivers a musical tribute to The Three Kings Of the Blues (Albert, Freddie and B.B.) at the legendary Greek Theatre — filmed in August 2015. For the set Bonamassa is backed by a stellar band of blues musicians including Anton Fig (drums), Michael Rhodes (bass), Reese Wynans (keys), Lee Thornburg (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (saxophone), Ron Dziubla (saxophone), Kirk Fletcher (guitar), Mahalia Barnes, Jade MaCrae and Juanita Tippins (vocals).
Brian McKnight – An Evening With Brian McKnight DVD/Blu-ray (Sono Recording Group)
An Evening With Brian McKnight is a live concert experience recorded in January 2016 at Los Angeles’ historic Saban Theatre. The multi-camera recording includes all of Brian’s best known songs plus three new compositions.
Twin Peaks – The Original Series, Fire Walk With Me & The Missing Pieces 9xBlu-ray (Paramount)
A comprehensive collection with every episode from the complete television series; both the US and international versions of the series’ pilot; David Lynch’s follow-up feature Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me; and nearly 90 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes from the film. The set also features newly transferred high definition Log Lady introductions for each episode; picture upgrades to many shots in the TV series; and hours of material which dives into the fascinating story behind the celebrated pop culture classic.
Bradley Walker – Call Me Old-Fashioned DVD (Gaither Music Group)
Country singer Bradley Walker is a storyteller. His unmistakable, baritone vocals are refreshing yet warmly familiar as are his songs about life, love, family and his Christian faith. Hosted by Rory Feek.
This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:
30 Second To Mars – A Beautiful Lie [Reissue/2005] LP (Virgin)
Black vinyl reissue of 30 Seconds To Mars’ (Jared Leto) sophomore album.
The Allman Brothers Band – Live From A&R Studios: New York, August 26, 1971 CD (Allman Brothers Band Recording Company)
Released early last April on CD – now available on vinyl. Live From A&R Studios was initially a radio broadcast that originally aired on WPLJ. This set features the band steamrolling through a set of songs including “Statesboro Blues,” “Trouble No More,” “One Way Out,” “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” and “Hot ‘lanta.” Limited color vinyl pressing in a gatefold sleeve.
Justin Bieber – Under The Mistletoe [2011] LP (Def Jam)
Bieber’s holiday-themed album (some classics, some new tunes) is now available on vinyl. Christmas comes early.
Bloodhound Gang – One Fierce Beer Coaster [Reissue/1996] LP (MVD Audio)
Second album from the controversial rap rockers, back in-print on limited yellow vinyl.
Camberwell Now – The EP Collection LP+MP3 (Light In The Attic)
Camberwell Now – The Ghost Trade [Reissue/1986] LP+MP3 (Light In The Attic)
Camberwell Now formed from the ashes of This Heat, the art-noise group. Not so much a supersession as a continuation of that group, Camberwell Now featured This Heat’s vocalist/drummer Charles Hayward, who assembled an unusual line-up comprising Stephen Rickard, a former BBC sound engineer, on field recordings and tape manipulation and Trefor Goronwy on bass, vocals and ukulele. Their two EPs, reissued as The EP Collection, were borne of a similar process but each with unique yields. The tracks that eventually formed The Ghost Trade were songs forged in the bleak beauty of Thatcher’s London.
Glen Campbell – That Christmas Feeling [Reissue/1968] LP (Capitol Nashville)
This classic holiday album by Glen Campbell features contemporary Christmas favorites as well as traditional holiday standards including “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Pretty Paper,” “The Christmas Song,” “Christmas Is For Children” and many more.
Centre Negative – Emotion Is Cringey LP/Cassette (Ever/Never)
Usually this type of oblique noise and no-expense-spent recording reveals itself in Texas, but this f**ked-up album of DIY psych-punk was recorded in a room without windows in Auckland.
Ray Charles – The Atlantic Years – In Mono 7xLP (Atlantic)
180gm vinyl pressings in a hard-bound box and with replicated artwork and labels from the original studio albums. The boxset includes a 12″ x 12″ 29-page booklet with period photos by Lee Friedlander and liner notes by Grammy-winning writer David Ritz. A music legend beyond compare, who almost single-handedly laid the groundwork for soul music, American artist Ray
Charles proved his mastery with countless jazz, country, R&B, and pop masterpieces during a career that spanned seven decades.
Guy Clark – Workbench Songs [2006] LP (Dualtone)
Guy Clark’s Grammy-nominated 2006 album available on vinyl for the very first time.
Crystal Castles – Amnesty (I) LP (Last Gang/Casablanca)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Crystal Castles fourth album (and first in four years) is their first without original singer Alice Glass. “Amnesty (I) comes as the group’s first record since the critically acclaimed Crystal Castles (III) from 2012. Recent single ‘CHAR’ is led by frantic synths and ghastly vocals, dropping the band’s previously abrasive sound and adds a more creepy and lighter sound.” – Immortal Reviews
Katie Dey – Flood Network (Joy Void)
Australian recording artist Katie Dey’s ‘nightmare pop’ weaves through gorgeous and unexpected soundscapes – at times weirdly off-putting, at others beautiful and ethereal – all anchored by a hypnotic sense of melody.
Enslaved – Vikingligr Veldi [Reissue/1994] LP (By Norse Music)
Vinyl reissue of the progressive black/Viking metal band’s 1994 album.
The Fall – Slates [Reissue/1981] 10” (Superior Viaduct)
If The Fall truly is a cult band, then Slates both benefits from and reinforces such shrouded obsessions. In presenting these six particular songs as a 10″ EP, the inherent and attractive difficulty of The Fall’s sound is made physical, framing the urgency of their singles from this period alongside lengthy rumblings normally restricted to long players. Truly one of Mark E. Smith’s finest, busiest and most enigmatic performances, equally matched by a band at the peak of their powers.
Merle Haggard – Merle Haggard’s Christmas Present [Reissue/1973] LP (Capitol Nashville)
While Merle keeps the mood light with selections such as “Santa Claus And Popcorn” and more traditional fare, he also has some bite with the high and lonesome “Daddy Won’t Be Home For Christmas.” His matter-of-fact tale about layoffs at the factory, “If We Make It Through December,” has become timeless in tough times.
Emmylou Harris – Red Dirt Girl [Reissue/2000] 2xLP+MP3 (Nonesuch)
Emmylou Harris’s first Nonesuch recording, Red Dirt Girl, was released in September 2000 and won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album of the year. Back in print on 2x140gm LPs.
Ernie Hines – Electrified [Reissue/1972] LP (Stax)
On vinyl for the first time since its original release, this 1972 funk rarity has been long sought-after by DJs.
Hollies – Evolution [Reissue/1967] 2xLP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Hollies – Butterfly [Reissue/1967] 2xLP (Rhino/Parlophone)
The Hollies, known for their pioneering and distinctive three-part vocal harmony style, released two albums in 1967 – their sixth and seventh overall. Both titles are back in-print on vinyl in their original mono and stereo mixes.
Troi Irons – Turbulence EP 12” (Def Jam)
Troi Irons is a twenty-something singer/songwriter guitarist. Her mom is ‘80s recording artist Anne G. and her dad Eddie drummed for the ‘70s soul/funk/disco group Brick.
Albert King – Lovejoy [Reissue/1971] LP (Stax)
Limited vinyl LP repress of the sixth studio album by the blues great. 1971’s Lovejoy was Albert King’s most fully realized attempt to bridge the divide between blues and rock.
Kronos Quartet – Pieces Of Africa [1992] 2xLP (Nonesuch)
This “potent new brew of folk influences, minimalism, and European forms by eight black, brown, and white African composers,” as Time described it, became a cross-cultural and commercial landmark: the first album to top both the Classical and World Music Billboard charts. Now on vinyl for the first time.
Mary Lynn – My Animal LP (Anyway)
Singer/songwriter Mary Lynn’s debut on Anyway Records finds her stepping into the sheen of a full rock band to bring powerful songs on love, growing pains, and relationships. Based out of Columbus, OH, and armed with her piano, voice, and emotions, she has the superpower ability to spin a phrase with the catchiest hooks imaginable.
Archy Marshall – A New Place 2 Drown LP+MP3 (True Panther Sounds)
Archy Marshall, the London singer/songwriter and producer better known as King Krule releases a new mixed-media project, A New Place 2 Drown, originally released digitally in compliment to a 208-page coffee-table book of artwork, poems and photographs assembled in collaboration with Marshall’s brother.
Justin Moore – Kinda Don’t Care LP (Valory)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the country singer/songwriter and ACM New Artist Of The Year.
Randy Newman – The Randy Newman Songbook 4xLP (Nonesuch)
Nonesuch’s Randy Newman Songbook series—comprising solo recordings of songs from throughout Randy Newman’s five-decade career—previously included two volumes, released on CD in 2003 and 2011; this box set marks their first release on vinyl. Sixteen additional songs from a newly released third volume, along with five bonus join those first two volumes in a new, thematic sequencing, to create this new complete Songbook vinyl collection.
Of Mice And Men – Cold World LP+MP3 (Rise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fourth full-length album from the SoCal metalcore band. Limited color vinyl pressing.
Parquet Courts – Performing Human 12” (Rough Trade)
New Parquet Courts 12″ featuring an alternate studio version of “Human Performance” and remixes by Eaters, and Chris P of Future Punks.
Patton Oswalt – Talking For Clapping LP (A Special Thing)
An exclusive vinyl pressing of Oswalt’s 2016 Netflix comedy special Talking For Clapping. On stage in San Francisco, CA the comedian covers such diverse topics as old people getting drugs, his worst stand-up set, gay proms and a horrible birthday clown.
Pink Floyd – Meddle [Reissue/1971] LP (Sony Legacy)
Pink Floyd – Obscured By Clouds [Reissue/1972] LP (Sony Legacy)
180gm vinyl reissues of Pink Floyd’s sixth and seventh albums.
The Pooches – The Pooches LP (Lame-O)
The Pooches takes influence from the Stiff Records sound of bands like Any Trouble and Squeeze, whilst simultaneously carrying on the tradition of Glaswegian indie-pop legends The Pastels and Teenage Fanclub. [CD version due November 4.]
Prince – Lotusflow3r [Reissue/2009] 2xLP+CD (Because Music)
Double-LP set with both Lotusflow3r and MPLSound albums + a CD containing both albums.
Jack Rose – Red Horse, White Mule [Reissue/2002] LP (VHF/Eclipse)
Jack Rose – Opium Musick [Reissue/2003] LP (VHF/Eclipse)
Jack Rose – Raag Manifestos [Reissue/2004] LP (VHF/Eclipse)
Part of a collaboration with Jack Rose’s estate and Three Lobed Records to restore all of his LPs to print, VHF presents new vinyl editions of the celebrated guitarist’s first three solo albums, newly cut by John Golden Mastering from the original source material.
Hope Sandoval And The Warm Inventions – Help Me Get There 10” (Tendril Tales)
A two track black vinyl piece with the lead single “Let Me Get There featuring Kurt Vile.” The lead track will be off the upcoming studio album, Until The Hunter, while the B-side is exclusive to this 10”.
Selector Dub Narcotic – This Party Is Just Getting Started LP (K Records)
The debut album by Selector Dub Narcotic is an exercise in ecstatic genre-smashing, blending and up-ending. Calvin Johnson of the K label and such Olympia combos as Dub Narcotic Sound System, Beat Happening, Halo Benders and most recently The Hive Dwellers has been working under the nom de plume Selector Dub Narcotic since founding the Dub Narcotic Studio in 1993. This Party Is just Getting Started is a collaboration with NW hip-hop producer Smoke M2D6, who first began working with K producing the All Your Friend’s Friends compilation. As a member of the Oldominion crew Smoke M2D6 has produced almost every major hip-hop artist in Washington and Oregon. This Party Is Just Getting Started began with the song “All for the Sake of Rhymin'” (which samples K artist Mahjongg) and snowballed into an entire album of dance pop garage soul with Calvin’s trademark melodica wafting overall. [CD version due October 28.]
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – The Commandments According To SCAC LP (SCACUNINCORPORATED/Virtual Label Group)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “It has been twenty-four years since Slim Cessna parted ways with The Denver Gentlemen, that grand progenitor of the peculiar strain of Gothic Americana unique to the Mile High City, to form Slim Cessna’s Auto Club with a group of talented peers. Many bands with a long and successful run like that would stick close to its roots. But rather than rest on well-earned laurels, the Auto Club challenged itself to break with well-worn modes of operating for the new record.”
Steve ‘n’ Seagulls – Brothers In Farms 2xLP (Spinefarm)
Steve ‘n’ Seagulls is, basically, a YouTube lark gone horribly, horribly wrong. In 2014 a bunch of Finnish musicians played a version of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” in their barnyard. The video got millions of views in weeks and landed the band on the websites and magazine pages of elite metal media. Since the last album, the band have played 175 shows and toured in 20 countries. The country cousins are back breathing some fresh countryside air to another batch of immortal rock classics from Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Megadeth, AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Nirvana.
Tall Heights – Neptune LP (Masterworks)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Neptune is the major label debut album from Boston progressive folk duo. The Wall Street Journal has compared their emotive harmonies and poignant lyrics to the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, Sigur Ros and Bon Iver.
James Taylor – At Christmas [2012] LP (UMe)
Get into the holiday spirit with this collection of 14 holiday favorites recorded by Taylor throughout the years, including “Mon Beau Sapin,” a French rendition of “O Christmas Tree,” which is only available on this collection. James Taylor At Christmas also features his jazzy renditions of “Winter Wonderland” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” Taylor’s unique take on “Jingle Bells,” a heartwarming rendition of “The Christmas Song” (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire), and a moving version of George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” which Taylor recorded with cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
The Temperance Movement – Pride [Reissue/2012] EP 12” (Earache)
Earache Records is proud to announce the signing of British rock ‘n’ roll group The Temperance Movement. The band formed in 2011 in London by Glasgow-born vocalist Phil Campbell and guitarists Luke Potashnick (ex-Rooster and Ben’s brother) and Paul Sayer. The rhythm section consists of former Jamiroquai bassist Nick Fyffe and the Australian-born drummer Damn Wilson, who has played with the likes of Ray Davies, The Waterboys and Feeder. The Pride EP is a six-song set which showcases both their soulful and rocking sides.
Various Artists – Chapter VII: All Men Are Liars [1998] LP (Fat Possum)
On vinyl for the first time — Fat Possum’s 1998 blues sampler featuring tracks from Cedell Davis, Bob Log III, Johnny Farmer, 20 Miles, Junior Kimbrough, T-Model Ford, The Neckbones, Paul “Wine” Jones, Elmo Williams, Hasil Adkins, Robert Cage, and R.L. Burnside.
Various Artists – A Very Special Christmas [Reissue/1987] LP (A&M)
The first volume of A Very Special Christmas was issued on behalf of the Special Olympics organization in 1987. Fifteen notable artists contributed their time and talent, along with producer extraordinaire Jimmy Iovine who helped create the series, and the late Keith Haring whose design graces the covers for this global cause. Includes tracks by Eurythmics, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, U2, Madonna, Bob Seger, Bon Jovi, The Pointer Sisters, The Pretenders and many others.
Stevie Ray Vaughan – In Step [Reissue/1989] LP (Acoustic Sounds)
The Vaughan Brothers – Family Style [Reissue/1990] LP (Acoustic Sounds)
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble – The Sky Is Crying [Reissue/1990] LP (Acoustic Sounds)
200gm remastered vinyl reissues. With his astonishingly accomplished guitar playing, Stevie Ray Vaughan ignited the blues revival of the ’80s. Vaughan drew equally from bluesmen like Albert King, Otis Rush and Hubert Sumlin and rock ‘n’ roll players like Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Mack, as well as the stray jazz guitarist like Kenny Burrell, developing a uniquely eclectic and fiery style that sounded like no other guitarist, regardless of genre.
Wretch – Wretch LP (Prosthetic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Following in the wake of frontman Karl Simon’s titanic and much-respected former outfit The Gates Of Slumber, Wretch — the power trio he formed with drummer Chris Gordon and bassist Bryce Clark — issue forth a fearsome salvo of cast-iron riffage and heartfelt traditional heavy metal heraldry.
Jesse Colin Young – Song For Juli [Reissue/1973] LP (Audio Fidelity)
As the lead singer of rock band The Youngbloods, Jesse Colin Young took the nation by storm with the worldwide No. 1 hit single “Get Together” which became a prominent soundtrack for hippie peace movement. After seven albums with the group, Jesse went on to release more than fifteen celebrated solo albums including 1973’s Song For Juli. Enlisting some of the same musicians who worked with Van Morrison, the album incorporates similar blues, country, and Cajun sounds to great effect and charted higher and longer than any of his former outfit’s records.
Cassettes:
Beach Slang – A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings (Polyvinyl)
Beach Slang’s sophomore album is a raucous collection of shout-along punk rock anthems anchored by frontman James Alex’s trademark heart-on-sleeve lyricism.
Centre Negative – Emotion Is Cringey (Ever/Never)
Usually this type of oblique noise and no-expense-spent recording reveals itself in Texas, but this f**ked-up album of DIY psych-punk was recorded in a room without windows in Auckland.
Katie Dey – Flood Network (Joy Void)
Australian recording artist Katie Dey’s ‘nightmare pop’ weaves through gorgeous and unexpected soundscapes – at times weirdly off-putting, at others beautiful and ethereal – all anchored by a hypnotic sense of melody.
Expire – With Regret (Bridge 9)
The Milwaukee hardcore punk band returns with their third (and reportedly last) full-length, With Regret. A little heavier and just as fierce as ever, the Midwest Blood champions cruise across sub-two-minute juggernauts purging their feelings on damaged relationships and introspective exorcisms.
LVL UP – Return To Love (Sub Pop)
“Hidden Driver,” the opening track of LVL UP’s third album Return To Love, never stops moving. What starts with unassuming guitars and vocals adds new lines, depths, and intensity, until its unrestrained, triumphant finish. “God is peeking, softly speaking,” repeats the chorus, working through the relationship between spirituality and creative inspiration, and introducing a band that is always pushing further. The music itself grows from a shared melodic and experimental sensibility, as well as a nod to iconic influences like Neutral Milk Hotel and Mount Eerie. . Pitchfork says of LVL UP: “Homespun, 1990s-indebted indie pop… A uniquely vulnerable songwriting voice makes LVL UP distinct.”
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