New Releases for March 17, 2015

CDs + Vinyl:

23 Skidoo – Beyond Time CD+DVD (Les Disques Crepuscule)

Beyond Time is the first album by acclaimed experimental group 23 Skidoo in fifteen years, released in a special double-disc edition combining the soundtrack music to the 2011 documentary film of the same name, and a DVD of the film itself. Directed by Alex Turnbull and Pete Stern, Beyond Time is a journey into the life and work of artist William Turnbull, from his modest roots as the son of a Dundee shipyard engineer to his standing as one of the world’s most highly regarded modern sculptors. Narration is by Jude Law.

Adelitas Way – Deserve This CDEP (Wild Wild West)

New EP from the Las Vegas hard rockers.

Akatombo – Sometime Never CD (Hand-Held Recordings)

Following his critically acclaimed False Positives and Editions Mego collaborations with E.G. Lewis of Wire/Dome, ex-pat Scotsman and long-time resident of Hiroshima Paul Thomsen Kirk delivers his fourth album. Sometime Never contains 10 tracks of atmospheric, powerful, beat-driven, electronic-based compositions.

Angst Hase Pfeffer Nase – Bidden CD (Glistening Empire)

Six compositions spanning 1996 to 2009, including the previously unreleased 20-minute “Feldweg” by one-time secret weapon for Caroliner, Fat Worm Of Erro and Deerhoof. Tiny Mix Tapes is pretty sure Bidden can easily “satisfy your deep and abiding desire for your head space to get crackled,” while Bhob Rainey is equally reassuring: “No one [else] handles so many skittering, teeming particles with such (alien) bar room elegance.”

The Answer – Raise A Little Hell CD/2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Napalm)

Gritty guitar work, smoky vocals, and the blues infused spirit of AC/DC and Thin Lizzy. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a six-track bonus disc.

Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield – Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliot Smith CD/LP (Ramseur)

“The songs of Elliott Smith are widely revered — especially by those who came of age in the ‘90s — but a new generation of listeners is only beginning to discover him. Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield Sing Elliott Smith is likely to expose new fans to the great singer-songwriter. Smith released five albums in his lifetime and died in 2003 from two stab wounds to the chest; he’d left a suicide note. His songs, which often dealt with depression and desperation, were beautiful and frequently quiet. This album, by Jessica Lea Mayfield and The Avett Brothers’ Seth Avett, was made over a four-year period with great love for the man and his songs. The production is lean, the harmonies are beautiful, and the words and melodies are kept at the center of all 12 songs.” — NPR

AWOLNATION – Run CD/LP (Red Bull)

Los Angeles-based electronic rock outfit AWOLNATION exploded onto the UK scene with their global smash “Sail,” featured on a BMW TV advert. The single would go on to be the longest serving song on the Billboard 100 Chart (79 weeks) exceeded by Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive.” The band’s success racked up the charts across Europe, America, Australia and beyond. Run is the highly anticipated follow-up to their chart-topping debut Megalithic Symphony.

The Bad Chapter – Cheers To The Down And Outs CD (Invogue)

Debut album from ex-Attack Attack! and I Am Abomination vocalist Phil Dryor. Sing-along choruses, creative guitar work, and hard-hitting breakdowns.

Bad Veins – The Mess Remade CD (Dynamite Music LLC)

The Cincinnati based indie rock duo remakes their 2012 album The Mess We Made, adding two new songs.

Berner – 20 Lights CD (Bern One Entertainment)

Seven new tracks from the cannabis champion and master cookie maker. Features guest appearances by Wiz Khalifa, The Jacka, Ampachino, Mac Dre and more.

Bigg Robb – Showtime CD (Music Access Inc.)

Bigg Robb presents his eleventh solo album. Showtime showcases his trademark style of Southern funk and includes 10 tracks such as “Hotter Than Fish Grease,” “Swing It For Me,” “Good Love” and “Country Girl” which was recorded live from Greenwood, MS.

Per Bloland – Chamber Industrial CD (Tzadik)

Per Bloland studied at Stanford with Brian Ferneyhough and Mark Applebaum, has worked at IRCAM and Oberlin, and currently teaches at Miami University. His innovative sound world brilliantly blends custom built electronics with instrumental textures to create unique soundscapes unlike anything you’ve heard before. His work has been performed worldwide to great acclaim and Tzadik is proud to present his first full CD release. Passionately performed by ECCE Chamber Industrial is an exciting CD of acoustic and electroacoustic compositions filled with surprise and dramatic tension.

Jakob Bro/Thomas Morgan/Jon Christensen – Gefion CD (ECM)

Gefion is Danish guitarist Jakob Bro’s first ECM album as leader, following recordings for the label as sideman with Paul Motian and Tomasz Stanko. Like the work of those masters, Bro’s balladeering distils a sense of jazz history in its specific and highly personal atmospheres. The open forms of Bro’s compositions leave plenty of space for his companions drum legend Jon Christensen and creative bassist-of-the-moment Thomas Morgan — to make their statements, interactively and in parallel. Vinyl version due May 19.

Bunny Brunel – Invent your Future CD (Brunel Music)

Featuring jazz-fusion notables Patric Moraz to Virgil Donati to Patrice Rushen, and many more, Brunel wows us with his virtuoso bass playing, imaginative arrangements, and exciting compositions by both him and Chick Corea.

O.B. Buchana – The Best Of O.B. Buchana CD (Ecko)

O.B. Buchana has firmly established himself as one of the top artists in Southern soul. This set contains 14 of his best tracks including two brand new and previously unreleased cuts.

Chocolate Milk – Action Speaks Louder Than Words [Reissue/1975] CD (Nature Sounds)

Originally formed as a four-piece in Memphis, Chocolate Milk released this debut album after relocating to New Orleans to become the house band for legendary producer Allen Toussaint. The title cut was a #15 R&B hit, reaching the Pop charts and providing the band with their signature song.

The Choir Vandals – Collection CD (6131)

Collection gathers the Missouri indie rock four-piece band’s recently released At Night EP and earlier Darker Things EP onto one CD, along with four previously unreleased bonus tracks, and acoustic versions of songs from both EPs recorded as live sessions.

Anat Cohen – Luminosa CD (Anzic)

Luminosa sees clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen play dancing originals, interpret Brazilian classics by the likes of Milton Nascimento, and even reimagine electronica as acoustica with an ingenious arrangement of a Flying Lotus tune.

Da Mafia 6ix – Watch What U Wish CD (S.A.T. Ent. Music)

New album from the hip-hop collective formerly known as Three 6 Mafia, featuring guest appearances by Insane Clown Posse, Lil Wyte, Fiend, La Chat, Locodunit, Billy Wes, Wacy Loco, Mariah Jane and Lil Infamous.

Destruction Unit – Live In San Francisco CD/LP (Castle Face)

The sixth entry in the Live In San Francisco series features a set from the Arizona garage psych ensemble.

Mark Egan – Direction Home CD (Wavetone)

Contemporary jazz bassist and composer Mark Egan has released his eighth recording as a leader on Wavetone Records in a dynamic trio setting featuring master drummer Danny Gottlieb and brilliant pianist Mitch Forman. While Mark is best known for his work with the Pat Metheny Group, Sting, Joan Osborne, Larry Coryell, Pat Martino and Gil Evans, Direction Home continues with the trio featuring Marks powerful yet eloquent solo playing as well as his special ability to support and provide creative interplay for his bandmates.

Fabiano Do Nascimento – Dança dos Tempos CD/LP (Now Again)

Dança dos Tempos is the debut album from thrilling, young Brasilian guitarist Fabiano do Nascimento, and it features legendary percussionist Airto Moreira in his first album project in over ten years. Dança dos Tempos follows folkloric Brasilian music as experienced through the mind and able fingers of an expansive musician, not yet thirty years old, and combines the heady ‘60s and ‘70s experimentalism of Hermeto Pascoal and Baden Powell with the childlike elegance of music played and passed down by native Brasilians for generations.

Father Murphy – Croce CD/LP (The Flenser)

The fifth full length from Father Murphy, one of the most mysterious and enigmatic musical entities to emerge from Italy in recent years. This dark psychedelic/industrial cabaret is a religion-themed concept album — one side representing suffering and sacrifice and the flip reflecting what comes after-the end of suffering, resurrection, or perhaps oblivion. From the shadowy atmospheres of Croce spring forth unexpected blurts of impossibly catchy noise pop, at times operatic like some twisted musical detailing the trials and tribulation of the crucifixion. Male and female vocals by Freddie Murphy and Chiara Lee intertwine over distorted blasts of guitar crunch, anchored by stuttering, homebuilt percussion. This sound is textural and nuanced yet noisy and chaotic, carefully sculpted into jagged shards of fragmented pop.

Game Theory – Real Nighttime [Reissue/1985] CD/LP+MP3 (Omnivore Recordings)

Reissue of Game Theory’s second full-length release, and first with longtime producer Mitch Easter (Let’s Active). This expanded 30th anniversary edition adds 13 bonus tracks, 10 of which have never before been released. Real Nighttime positioned the band alongside R.E.M., The Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, and The Three O’Clock as one of the premier American indie bands crisscrossing the country in a rental van, carrying gear in and out of small clubs by night and serenading college radio stations by day. Also available on translucent red vinyl.

Ghostpoet – Shedding Skin CD/LP (PIAS America)

“An artist who draws on hip-hop, spoken word, electronics, jazz and goodness knows what else, Ghostpoet is in a constant state of evolution. New album Shedding Skin marks another step forward.” – Clash Music

Ron Hacker & The Hacksaws – Goin’ Down Howlin’ CD (Ron Hacker)

On his latest album, blues guitarist and vocalist Ron Hacker pays respect to the bluesmen and women before him while also remaining true to his unique style. A rich blend of original and traditional songs both acoustic and electric, Goin’ Down Howlin’ features Artis Joyce on bass and Ronnie Smith on drums.

Glen Hansard – It Was Triumph We Once Proposed CD/LP (Overcoat)

Upon the passing of Jason Molina, Glen Hansard gathered friends Jeff Panall, Jennie Benford and Dan and Rob Sullivan, who had recorded and toured with Jason for years in Songs:Ohia and were the core musicians on the Magnolia Electric Co. album. For one afternoon, in a recording studio, they all forgot about the pain and plowed through a number of their favorite Molina originals, serving as both therapy and tribute to their fallen friend. All proceeds go to the estate of Jason Molina. Covering five Songs:Ohia tracks. Artwork by Jason Molina.

Hic Hessler – Soft Connections CD/LP+MP3 (Captured Tracks)

The making of Soft Connections was a lengthy process that took place during a crucial period of musical growth and self-exploration. It’s an optimistic and introspective record about being in-and-out of feeling — on the brink of a personal breakthrough, yet still seeking direction, purpose, truth and permanence. Anchored by the Catwalk favorite “Please Don’t Break Me” — a song that, at one point, could very well have launched Nic into “indie celebdom” – this record is now a send-off to Nic’s lost time; he’s moved forward, sounding better than ever and ready to soundtrack your long road trip or failed crush. This will be the first record in what we all hope to be a lengthy string of great albums.

Houndmouth – Little Neon Limelight CD/LP (Rough Trade)

Not a metal band but in fact catchy pop at its finest, Houndmouth have released another eleven track album for anybody who loves to bob their head to a sturdy beat with some polyphonic vocals thrown in. Little Neon Limelight sees the Indiana quartet continue on its path of unpretentious and terribly pleasant pop songs.

Inventions – Maze Of Woods CD (Temporary Residence)

Second album from Matthew Cooper (Eluvium) and Mark T. Smith (Explosions In The Sky) utilizes an array of instruments, samples, found sounds, beats, chants, and raw bursts of noise, with a much greater emphasis on strong vocal accompaniment in every song.

Cyrus James – Dreamers Of The Day CD (Smith Music Group)

New album from the country singer/songwriter.

Jarboe & Helen Money – Jarboe & Helen Money CD/LP (Aurora Borealis)

Jarboe (ex-Swans) joins forces with visionary cellist Helen Money.

J-Diggs & Jacka – Mobb Nation (X) CD (Thizz Nation/Romp’t Out)

J-Diggs and Jacka team up with J Stalin, Philthy Rich, Boss Hogg and others.

Jefferson Airplane – Bark [Reissue/1971] CD (Iconoclassic)

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this 1971 album from the Bay Area legends features selections from the 1971 album sessions and an extended jam on Jorma’s “Feel So Good.” The artwork features a recreation of the stunning original album graphics.

Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon CD/LP (True Panther Sounds)

Goon is the debut album from Tobias Jesso Jr. A songwriter first and foremost, the album is a collection of timeless songs, all written on piano in Tobias’ living room in N. Vancouver and recorded with added production and instrumentation in a range of studios in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Nashville and Vancouver.

Stone Jack Jones – Love & Torture CD/LP (Western Vinyl)

Stone Jack Jones takes the image of a world-weary wandering folksmith to new levels. While everyone from Woody Guthrie to Justin Townes Earl can wander the ol’ dusty plains slinging an acoustic guitar and a notepad of observations, only Stone Jack Jones can claim to have wandered both the astral as well as the dusty plains.

The King Khan & BBQ Show – Bad News Boys CD (In The Red)

After a five-year hiatus, rock & roll’s renegade-angel savior The King Khan & BBQ Show returns with 12 soulful, rocking cuts delivered in high-energy, lowbrow fashion. Known as the hottest duo from Montreal to come out of Berlin, The King Khan & BBQ Show is dirty, funny, irreverent and always a good time. Their raw, stripped-down mix of doo-wop, early rock & roll, soul and punk is drenched in pure energy. Vinyl version due March 31.

Mark Knopfler – Tracker CD/CD+DVD+2xLP (Verve)

Ninth solo album from the British guitarist, singer/songwriter and former Dire Straits mainman. Tracker features eleven new Knopfler songs inspired by a wide range of subjects including Beryl Bainbridge and Basil Bunting. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks. Also available as a Super Deluxe edition box set which includes the double-LP vinyl pressing and a bonus DVD. Stand-alone vinyl version due March 31.

Kenrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly CD (Interscope)

“To Pimp A Butterfly is jazzy. It’s soulful. It’s (p-)funky. There are even elements of gospel and spoken word. It incorporates nearly every genre of black music and mashes them together flawlessly. Beats switch fairly frequently and each track bleeds into the next, making for a holistic, seamless experience. While it’s near-impossible to discern production credits, the hypnotic keys on ‘How Much A Dollar Cost’ scream Dr. Dre (who also speaks briefly on ‘Wesley’s Theory’). To compare it to Kendrick’s past work, it’s more Section.80 than it is good kid, m.A.A.d city, but it’s most certainly a beast of its own—and that’s a good thing.” – Section Eighty

Bill Laswell – Kauai: The Arch Of Heaven CD (Metastation)

The Arch Of Heaven gathers some of the natural, environmental ambient sounds and traditional, tribal music of Kauai. Chants and melodies of a rich culture with its strong connection to southern Polynesia. Unique percussive textures emulating echoes of wood and stone. The strong, pure voice of the earth meets the rippling on the water. The phrasing and rhythmic pulses of Kauai set nicely alongside Jamaican dancehall, dub and reggae. Even glimpses of West African afro-beat drift in and out of focus.

James Lloyd – Here We Go CD (Shanachie)

The smooth jazz hitmaker’s new album features Grammy-nominated saxophonist Gerald Albright.

Liz Longley – Liz Longley CD (Welk/Sugar Hill)

Liz Longley is the self-titled label debut from this talented singer/songwriter. A Berklee College of Music graduate, Liz has been touring solo for several years, building a loyal following across the country. Vinyl version due May 5.

Lunden Reign – American Stranger CD (Cleopatra)

The debut album from L.A.-based melodic progressive rock band fronted by powerhouse vocalist Nikki Lunden with guitarist Lora G.

Marina And The Diamonds – Froot CD/LP (New Elektra)

With Froot, Marina and the Diamonds’ first new noise since the death of alter ego Electra Heart in 2013, Marina Diamandis has made a grand statement of intent. It’s a cathartic rebirth in nearly every way, and sees her veer away from the last LP’s stylistic and thematic intentions, instead returning to basics for a new chapter in her career and life. From the existential tribulations of “Immortal,” harking back to her days as lithe ivory-tinkling balladeer, to the relentless funk of “Better Than That,” to the wit and juxtaposition of “Happy” to the ’70s-flecked “I’m A Ruin”, this is all Marina And The Diamonds.

Pat Martino With Jim Ridl – Nexus CD (HighNote)

Recorded at the Tin Angel in the Old City section of Philly, Nexus represents a rare look at jazz guitar master Pat Martino in the stripped down setting of duos with one of his most empathetic partners to date, pianist Jim Ridl. On Nexus Martino’s signature voice is instantly revealed in these intimate recordings with Ridl, a longtime member of the guitarist’s working quartet and a valued duet partner for ten years.

Marcus Miller – Afrodeezia CD (Blue Note)

New release from the world-renowned electric bassist, his first for Blue Note. After being named UNESCO Artist For Peace and an ambassador for the Slave Route Project, he was inspired to compose this album, pairing great black music forms with his distinct groove and recognizable bass sound, often imitated, never equaled.

Modest Mouse – Strangers To Ourselves CD/2xLP+MP3 (Glacial Pace/Epic)

“As of 2007, Modest Mouse had released five studio albums in eleven years since their conception. They were bonkers and ever changing, but their studio output was reliable. It’s been eight years since that year’s album We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. A break of this length between studio albums is almost exclusively labeled with the ‘hiatus’ tag. In Modest Mouse’s situation though, calling this time period as a break of any kind would be an injustice, and in fact it’s potentially been the most interesting and compelling near-decade of their existence. The result brings together every line-up change, potential collaboration, cancelled tour and old/new song that hasn’t yet found home on a full-length, and whatever Strangers To Ourselves brings, it’s bound to be as obtuse and unusual as Modest Mouse have made their name for being.” – DIY

Moonspell – Extinct CD/CD+DVD/2xLP+MP3+DVD (Napalm)

On the eleventh studio album from the Portuguese pioneers, somber vocals collide with modern riffing, blackened melodies and operatic grandeur. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes bonus tracks and a DVD.

Allison Moorer – Down To Believing CD (eOne)

Allison Moorer’s new album follows her recent nominations for an Academy Award for Best Song and a Grammy. Down To Believing features Moorer’s warm, distinctive vocals on twelve genre-crossing tracks that explore a wide range of topics, drawn from her own true life experiences, both positive and negative.

Fabiano Do Nascimento – Dança dos Tempos CD/LP (Now Again)

Dança dos Tempos is the debut album from thrilling, young Brasilian guitarist Fabiano do Nascimento, and it features legendary percussionist Airto Moreira in his first album project in over ten years. Dança dos Tempos follows folkloric Brasilian music as experienced through the mind and able fingers of an expansive musician, not yet thirty years old, and combines the heady ‘60s and ‘70s experimentalism of Hermeto Pascoal and Baden Powell with the childlike elegance of music played and passed down by native Brasilians for generations.

Nocturnus – Nocturnus [Reissue/1993] CD (Moribund)

Formed in 1987 in Tampa, Florida by former Morbid Angel drummer Mike Browning, Nocturnus stood out from the death metal crowd for their heavy use keyboards and science fiction themed lyrics (both virtually non-existent in extreme metal at the time).

The Notations – Still Here 1967-1973 CD/LP (Numero)

From the dawn of doo-wop to the death of disco, the Notations saw—and sang—it all. Persisting through changing trends and technologies, on major labels and minor ones, produced by both Syl Johnson and Curtis Mayfield, nothing could stop the Notations from representing Chicago’s Southside for decades. The first overview of their indie label golden age, Still Here 1967–1973 finds The Notations at a musical crossroads, turning from simmering R&B ballads to socially-conscious soul. Offering up a platter of golden-dipped harmonies, inventive arrangements, and super-powered soul, the Notations survived as unheralded legends in their own time.

Oceanwake – Sunless CD (Vicisolom Production)

New album from the Finnish post-doom-metal band.

The Order Of Apollyon – The Sword And The Dagger CD/LP (Listenable)

“Between the dimensions of black and death metal, there is a turbulent force whose mighty power is fed by the souls of the lost and is perpetuated the unquenchable thirst for turmoil and chagrin. Capitalizing on those factors, The Order Of Apollyon summon the pure destructiveness on their new album The Sword And The Dagger.” – Metal Temple

Oz Noy Trio – Asian Twistz CD (Abstract Logix)

Recorded during their very successful tour of Asia in 2014, Oz Noy Trio featuring the amazing Dave Weckl on drums and Etienne Mbappe on bass deliver their first live album.

Papa Mali – Music Is Love CD (429)

Music Is Love was produced by veteran roots producer John Chelew, a three time Grammy winner for his work with Blind Boys Of Alabama who has also worked with Donovan, Charlie Musselwhite, Vic Chesnutt, Richard Thompson and John Hiatt. Built upon the foundation of Papa Mali’s electric, acoustic and slide guitars, vibes, pedal steel and the irrepressible pockets of NOLA drum legend Johnny Vidacovich (Professor Longhair, Johnny Adams, James Booker, Mose Allison), the colorful 12-track tripscape features a mix of uniquely refashioned covers of lesser known gems by Al Green, Crosby, Randy Newman, and more.

The Pinehill Project – Tomorrow You’re Going CD (Signature Sounds)

An evocative, sometimes rollicking, and deeply moving collection of eleven dazzling interpretations of some of Lucy and Richard’s favorite songs. Rarely have two singers sounded so perfectly suited for each other, and in each case, they bring a fresh, vibrant energy to songs from writers as diverse as Gillian Welch (“Wichita”), Greg Brown (“Lately”), Nick Lowe (“I Live On A Battlefield”), even U2 (“Sweetest Thing”).

Pyramids – A Northern Meadow CD (Profound Lore)

Pyramids emerged seemingly out of nowhere with their self-titled debut LP released by Hydra Head Records in 2008. Drawing on elements of shoegaze, black metal, ambient/drone, avant-garde and industrial, the record generated massive amounts of buzz and acclaim within experimental and extreme metal circles. The band followed its release by collaborating with Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer), Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins), Albin Julius (Der Blutharsch) and Colin Marston (Gorguts/Krallice/Dysrhythmia), and releasing albums with Nadja, Horseback and Mamiffer. A Northern Meadow is Pyramids’ proper follow-up to their lauded 2008 debut. Dark, dreamy and lush while at the same time claustrophobic, mechanically crawling and surgically cold.

Ranger – Where Evil Dwells CD/LP (Spinefarm)

A relentless onslaught of turbo-charged old school heavy/speed metal in the vein of old Slayer, Running Wild, and Tyrant. Where Evil Dwells is an analogue recording, featuring the sound of melting Marshall amps. True to the old school form, it will also be available in LP and Cassette formats.

Herman Rarebell & Friends – Herman’s Scorpions Songs CD (Soulfood/Massacre)

The former Scorpions drummer’s new album features rock singers (Bobby Kimball, Tony Martin, Don Dokken, Doogie White and many more), doing their own versions of 13 worldwide Scorpions hits.

Ronnie Reno – Lessons Learned CD (Rural Rhythm)

Ronnie Reno, whose musical talents helped forge the sound and songs of so many legendary bluegrass and country music entertainers, celebrates 60 years in entertainment with the release of his new album, Lessons Learned.

Max Richter – The Blue Notebooks [Reissue/2004] CD/2xLP (Deutsche Gramophone)

The Blue Notebooks was Max Richter’s second solo album, a distinctive and adventurous work that is beautifully recorded and cinematic in scope. Opening with a text from Franz Kafka over a sparse piano melody, the album moves through heart-wrenching strings of On The Nature Of Daylight to lyrical piano pieces. Using piano, cello, violin and viola, alongside electronic beats (made using a variety of antique electronics and Reaktor), spoken word passages and the occasional field recording (including a very realistic crow that you probably think comes from your garden); other sounds were generated via old guitar pedals and vocoders.

Xavier Rudd – Nanna CD (Nettwerk)

New album from the Australian musician, activist, and surfer. Xavier Rudd’s voice is soaring, plaintive and deeply emotive. There’s a poignancy, intimacy and gravitas he achieves with each utterance that makes nearly every moment worth remembering. Vinyl version due April 14.

San Cisco – Gracetown CD/LP (Island City)

San Cisco, an Australian indie-pop quartet, made a name for themselves back in 2012 when they first emerged with debut single “Awkward.” Coming out of the small coastal resort of Fremantle, a beautiful town nestling in the shadow of Perth’s gleaming monoliths and separated from the more fashionable parts of Oz by thousands of miles of red dirt, you might expect the music of San Cisco to be limited in vision, comprising flimsy surf-ditties extolling the ephemeral pleasures of sun, surf and sex. You would be wrong, however.

Santana – 1968 San Francisco CD (Cleopatra)

Live performance featuring early incarnations of “Evil Ways,” “Soul Sacrifice” and other jams.

Scharpling & Wurster – Best Of The Best Show 16xCD+Book (Numero)

16CD+book set culled from the vaults of WFMU, featuring over 20 hours of mind-bending, hilarious phone calls between the renowned comedy duo of Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster. From 2000 to 2013, their tremendous imaginations took over the WFMU airwaves every Tuesday night with bizarre tales from a fictional town called Newbridge, NJ and the desperate denizens that inhabit it. Included inside this definitive collection are 75 calls over 16 CDs, edited by Scharpling & Wurster (over 50 of them previously unreleased or unaired), a 108-pg hardcover book that features essays by Patton Oswalt, Julie Klausner, Damian Abraham (F**ked Up) and The Best Show associate producer Michael Lisk (aka A.P. Mike), a definitive interview, notes on the evolution and inspiration behind each bit written, a USB drive with all of the calls plus four hours of bonus material, a fold-out map of Newbridge, Philly Boy Roy and Timmy von Trimble Paper Dolls, postcards, and temporary tattoos with The Best Show catch-phrases.

Sleeping With Sirens – Madness CD (Epitaph)

New album from the screamo/metalcore band.

Mary Stallings – Feelin’ Good CD (HighNote)

Writing about Mary Stallings, The New York Times declared that “perhaps the best jazz singer singing today is a woman almost everybody seems to have missed.”

Thoughts Detecting Machines – Work The Circuits CD/LP (Twelve Inch Records)

Thoughts Detecting Machines is the latest project from Rick Valentin, the man behind the pioneering late-‘80s alternative band, Poster Children and its concurrent electronic side project Salaryman.

Pat Travers – Retro Rocket CD/LP (Cleopatra)

Retro Rocket, as its name suggests, finds Travers digging deep into the early years of his career, finding inspiration in the fiery grooves of 1978’s Heat In The Street and his 1979 live album Go For What You Know.

Twin Shadow – Eclipse CD/LP+MP3 (WB)

The third album from George Lewis, Jr. aka Twin Shadow. Eclipse follows up on the success of 2012’s Confess. “That moment when something pure and constant is broken, where you’re filled with vulnerability, that moment is what I live for in art,” says Lewis. “I’ve always chased that in my music, and when I find it I try to reign it back right before it falls over the edge.” Confess was hailed by Pitchfork as Best New Music for its “brash lyrics [and] laser-focused songwriting,” Uncut called “an impeccable sequel to an immaculate debut,” and NME dubbed it a “thrill ride.” Also available on white vinyl.

The Untouchables – Free Yourself: Ska Hits CD (Cleopatra)

A collection of career highlights from the SoCal mod/ska band — widely credited as America’s first ska group. Vinyl version due March 31.

Uovi – Uovi CD (Offshoot)

“In 92/93 I bought my first real synth. A Roland SH-101. I have been making noises ever since. I have released tracks/experiments/albums under various guises over the years. Always learning and creating new methods. Testing my production skills. Making music of different genres simply to learn. Uovi is my main personal project. It’s the sound of my synths going out of control. It’s about less computer interaction. It’s about the sounds and their dynamic relationship with each other. They have their own personalities when you get to know them. It’s about going back to basics whilst using the modern methods available. It’s the music that I love the most. Pure ambient electronica I hope.”

Various Artists – Ho-Dad Hootenanny 2 CD (Crypt)

A collection containing 32 cuts of mid-‘60s frat-rockin’ garage blowouts, complete with liner notes, band photos and label scans. Includes tracks by: The Loving Machines, The Stratacasters, The Pendletons, Royal Playboys, The Shanels, The Hotbeats, The Checkmates, The Sabers, The Intruders, The De Rons, The Nightcaps, The Pharoahs, Sir Kenneth & The Yorkshire Coachmen and more. Vinyl version due April 7.

Various Artists [Jon Hopkins] – Late Night Tales CD/2xLP (Night Time Stories)

“Putting this album together was a unique opportunity for me to present music that I have been listening to for years, free from the constraints of a club setting or from trying to stick to one genre. I chose tracks not just because they have been important to me but because of how they sit together, putting as much thought into the transitions and overall narrative as I did into the track choices. I mixed by key and by texture more than anything else, using original sound design, pivot notes, and often recording new synth or piano parts to link things together in a way that flows as naturally as possible.” — Jon Hopkins

Various Artists – Spiritual Jazz 6: Vocals CD/2xLP (Jazzman)

Solemn chanting, intense wailing, earnest poetry, and ardent recitation in between bouts of exquisite singing, in tracks encompassing modern jazz, the avant-garde, jazz fusion, and styles from the long and winding path of the African diaspora, including Cuban, Brazilian, Caribbean, and other Pan-American rhythms. Includes cuts from Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Sadaka, Clifford Jordan, Pharoah Sanders, Gary Bartz, Vibration Society, and more.

Wand – Golem CD/LP+MP3 (In The Red)

Following up their debut full-length on Ty Segall’s God? label, Wand presents their second album, Golem, on In The Red. Wand is one of L.A. garage rocker Cory Thomas Hanson’s many fine entanglements; the list also includes Mikal Cronin, Meatbodies, together PANGEA, and Hanson’s own WHITE.

Eberhard Weber – Encore CD (ECM)

Encore is a companion volume to Résumé, the widely praised solo album issued in 2011. Eberhard Weber returns once more to the many live recordings of his tenure with the Jan Garbarek Group, isolating his bass solos and reworking them into new pieces with the addition of his own keyboard parts.

Webbie – Money Good CD (Empire Distribution)

Webbie is a southern rapper who crashed onto the scene in the early 2000’s with an album with Lil Boosie called Ghetto Stories. After the successful album series, Savage Life, Money Good is his latest release.

John Zorn – Simulacrum CD (Tzadik)

Extreme organ trio touches upon metal, jazz, minimalism, atonality, and noise. Performed by John Medeski (MMW), Matt Hollenbert (Cleric) and Kenny Grohowski (Abraxas).

Rutger Zuydervelt – Sneeuwstorm CD (Glistening Example)

A dense and dynamic thirty-one minutes, created by Dead Neanderthals’ saxophonists Colin Webster and Otto Kokke improvising with an electronic framework composed by Ruger Zuydervelt, who then restructured, processed, and looped the results, and added field recordings, samples and electric guitar.

DVDs + Blu-ray:

Shuggie Otis – Live In Williamsburg DVD (Cleopatra)

This professionally filmed, multi-camera DVD includes performances of his classics “Strawberry Letter 23,” “Inspiration Information,” “Sparkle City,” “Aut Uh Mi Hed” and more plus an exclusive performance of “Ice Cold Daydream” not found on the CD or vinyl version. 90 minutes.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Aye Aye – Aye Aye LP+MP3 (Richie)

Aye Aye is comprised of members of Bardo Pond, Birds Of Maya, Purling Hiss, and Watery Love. The Gibbons Bros’ unmistakable slow-motion, big-chord fuzz will be familiar to anyone who’s taken a plunge into the Bardo Pond soundpool over the last few decades, though a cultivated ear will note more grits & butts and less pedal-board worship here.

BADBADNOTGOOD/Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul LP (Lex)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “Everything about the formula for Sour Soul screams instant classic. Toronto trio BADBADNOTGOOD made a name for themselves over the last couple of years via a retro fusion of jazz and instrumental hip-hop. Part of that notoriety came from whip-smart covers of tracks by the likes of Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame, but also from imaginative, expressive originals — the keys/bass/drums trio acting as a younger generation of The Bad Plus, choosing their covers from the hip-hop and electronic canon rather than pop and rock. Pairing the Canadians with Ghostface Killah, a rap legend who excels over soulful, spacy throwback production, would seem to be beyond a no-brainer” – Consequence Of Sound. (Limited copies pressed on gold vinyl.)

Aidan Baker – The Confessional Tapes LP (Pleasence)

Aidan Baker’s The Confessional Tapes is another of his more song-oriented albums, though here drifting between slowcore, dreampop, abstract jazz, and glitchy electronica.

Jeff Beck – Rough And Ready [Reissue/1971] LP (Friday Music)

HQ-180gm vinyl reissue of Beck’s third solo effort one of his most revered in his long lasting and huge catalog of classic recordings.

Boston – Don’t Look Back [Reissue/1978] LP (Friday Music)

HQ-180gm clear vinyl reissue of Boston’s second album.

Thad Cockrell – To Be Loved [2009] LP (Dualtone)

With To Be Loved, Thad Cockrell has established himself as a singer/songwriter set apart. He, along with producer Jason Lehning (Alison Krauss, Mat Kearney, Roman Candle), created an album that has been praised as “one of those rare albums that contains music that inspires from the kick off” and “the kind of record that puts things in perspective”. The beautiful lyrics on “Loved” are equally matched by Thad’s voice making this a sincere album resplendent with heart-wrenching, soul-stirring passion.

J. Cole – 2014 Forest Hills Drive LP (Roc Nation)

Released late last year on CD – now available on vinyl. “2014 Forest Hills Drive is a concept album. Its name comes from the address of a home that he once lived in, a home that was eventually taken from his mother and one that the star now owns. The trajectory of Cole’s career and of this project’s storyline centers around this same type of journey: a yearning for stability, a dream realized, a disappointment and a triumphant return.” – The Urban Daily

Connie Converse – How Sad, How Lovely LP+MP3 (Omnian)

Elizabeth Eaton Converse grew up in Laconia, New Hampshire in 1924. Described as a polymath, she attended Mt. Holyoke College, but by 1944 she decided to leave college and, in 1949, she made her way to New York City. Over the course of the next decade, in addition to acquiring her new moniker, “Connie” wrote and recorded songs that captured the hearts of those close to her. Some were recorded by the artist in her Greenwich Village apartment, others by friends enamored of the music. At first listen, Connie’s music seems to keep close company with the female folk artists who were her contemporaries. The knack for plaintive storytelling shares much with Peggy Seeger and Susan Reed, but Connie’s music stands out from that of the American folk revival of the 1950s.

Contortions – Buy [Reissue/1979] LP+MP3 (Futurismo)

It’s just over 35 years since James Chance first assaulted turntables with the juddering jazz punk fusion that permeate the tracks immortalized on Buy. Under the moniker Contortions, explosive saxophonist James Chance aka James White, alongside several other noted New York art scene luminaries, spearheaded a sub-genre dubbed No Wave; a deconstructionist approach to rock & roll that mirrored New York’s degradation and dissonance through avant garde compositions and articulated noise, considered by many to be the missing link between modern jazz and punk. Limited HQ-180gm color vinyl pressing in gatefold sleeve including two bonus tracks and digital download.

Damon & Naomi – Fortune LP+MP3 (20/20/20)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the duo best known for their work as two-thirds of Galaxie 500. Fortune is an LP released in tandem with Naomi Yang’s video piece of the same name. She refers to the work as a silent movie, though the visuals are so bound up in the music (and vice versa) that it’s more of a long-form music video, a visual poem set to the metronome of a textural score. The eleven new songs don’t require visual accompaniment — Damon & Naomi have constructed the sequence to communicate through sound alone.

Danny Elfman – Batman: The Animated Series 12” (Mondo)

Die-cut 12″ single featuring main titles and end credits from the television show, housed in an incredible gatefold jacket designed by Phantom City Creative, and pressed on black vinyl with gray splatter. Vinyl is die-cut into the shape of the bat-symbol.

Faith No More – Superhero 7” (Ipecac)

First single to their upcoming album Sol Invictus (due May 19).

Lee Fields & The Expressions – Emma Jean [The Instrumentals] LP (Truth & Soul)

Instrumental version of last year’s Emma Jean album by the veteran contemporary soul artist. Lee Fields & The Expressions have forged a distinct soulful sound and a grown style with this album. They’ve pushed their sound in new directions, moving from being content as contemporary soul music royalty to instead delving into and exploring its next steps.

Gin Blossoms – Live In Concert LP (Cleopatra)

Limited edition color vinyl pressing (available in both green and clear vinyl) of the Gin Blossom’s first-ever official live album featuring the hits “Follow You Down,” “Till I Hear It From You” and others.

Green Day – 39/Smooth 2xLP+2×7” (Reprise)

Limited edition transparent green and opaque white color vinyl LP reissue of Green Day’s 1990 album, including the 7” EPs 1,000 Hours [1989] and Slappy [1990] repressed on black vinyl.

I Speak Machine – The Silence LP+MP3 (Lex)

I Speak Machine is filmmaker Maf Lewis plus vocalist and synth-nerd Tara Busch. Together they make brooding soundtracks and sci-fi horror films, creating audio and visual in unison and giving both elements equal prominence. Their approach is inspired by Spaghetti Western cinema duo Ennio Morricone and Sergio Leone, who used to play with score ideas for scenes while scripts were being written.

Jamie T – Carry On The Grudge LP+MP3 (Epitaph)

Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. British punk-inspired singer/songwriter Jamie T is a gold-selling, Mercury prize-nominated artist from Wimbledon, South London named by the NME as “one of the most original, exciting musicians of the last decade.” He was attracted to Epitaph with its rich punk heritage, the perfect home for his rattling post-Clash rhythms, with irreverent tips of the hat to Prince Buster, Madness and The Who.

Jawbox – My Scrapbook Of Fatal Accidents [1998] 2xLP+CD (Arctic Rodeo)

First time available on vinyl for this collection of rare and unreleased Jawbox songs, originally released on CD one year after the band had decided to call it quits in 1997.

Joan Jett And The Blackhearts – Glorious Results Of A Misspent Youth [Reissue/1984] LP+MP3 (Blackheart Records)

Standard vinyl reissue of Joan Jett’s fourth studio album.

Billy Joel – Cold Spring Harbor [Reissue/1971] LP (Friday Music)

HQ-180gm vinyl reissue of Billy Joel’s debut album.

Kitty – Kitty LP (Medical Records)

Medical Records presents a very special release and selection of works from Austin, Texas’ undiscovered and never before released electronic/ambient artist Kitty from the early 1990s. This band should have had a proper release in the ‘90s, so for a lot of people, this is a long overdue accomplishment. Formed in 1994 by guitarists Dain Luscombe and Brandon Loe, the band eventually became a trio with the inclusion of drummer Clint Thorman. Over a handful of four-track cassettes, CDR’s, and one unreleased EP, Kitty developed a sound unique even in the burgeoning psychedelic and electronic music scene that occurred along the I-35 corridor from Austin, Texas north to Denton as well as a rabid cult following. HQ-180gm blue vinyl.

Lilacs & Champagne – Midnight Features Vol. 2: Made Flesh LP+MP3 (Temporary Residence)

Instrumental psychedelic hip-hop hybrid Lilacs & Champagne spent their first two albums shining a light on the darkest corners of vintage European cinematic oddities. Their eponymous debut album and the follow-up, Danish & Blue, were warped, psychedelic takes on damaged funk and B-movie film scores. Midnight Features Vol. 2: Made Flesh skins traditional hip-hop to its bones, then builds it back up with the flesh of Eastern European private press psych records, obscure film soundtracks, indistinguishable radio broadcasts, library tapes, and who knows what else from who knows where else.

George Lowell – Thanks I’ll Eat Here [Reissue/1979] LP (Friday Music)

After reaching very successful heights with Little Feat, Lowell decided it was time to record a solo album with 1979’s Thanks I’ll Eat It Here. The album finds Lowell George groovin’ back to the earlier boogie and New Orleans rock and R&B feel found on his earlier Little Feat albums. HQ-180gm.

Lucky Dragons/Seabat – Special Effect [OST] LP (Vestibule)

The first release on Brooklyn’s newly minted Vestibule label, Special Effect presents two experimental electronic duos channeling the spirit of Andrei Tarkovsky’s ethereal cinematic masterpiece Stalker. Seabat create an immersive, cinematic mood with fogged out trance-inducing synth drones, flute, and environmental sound design. Lucky Dragons take a different route with minimalist, binaural vocal samples and midi patterns that pull the listener along on a cerebral journey through inner space.

L7 – Bricks Are Heavy [Reissue/1992] LP (Plain)

Bricks Are Heavy was the third album by L7 originally released in 1992. Produced by Butch Vig the album is somewhat poppier with more focused songwriting than their previous LP’s and was the bands breakthrough album fueled by the success of the single “Pretend We’re Dead.”

Mean Jeans – Singles LP (Dirtnap)

Three punk rock goofballs who deliver fast, loud, and hooky tunes and revel in the pleasures of pizza, sex, and getting wasted, Mean Jeans have become one of the better-known bands on the Pacific Northwest punk scene for their sloppy but relentless attack, raucous live shows, and fierce commitment to the art of partying. Singles is a 20-song collection of odds and ends, including compilation appearances, a few covers, a track from the vaults.

Charles Mingus – The Black Sain And The Sinner Lady [Reissue/1963] LP (Superior Viaduct)

Charles Mingus – Mingus Plays Piano [Reissue/1963] LP (Superior Viaduct)
Bassist/composer Charles Mingus is one of the most radical figures in American music. While Mingus received many honors posthumously as well as during his career, perhaps his greatest achievement was transcending the restrictive label of jazz.

Wes Montgomery – Boss Guitar [Reissue/1963] LP (Fantasy/Concord)

Towards the end of his Bop period, legendary jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery reunited with fellow Hoosier, and Hammond B-3 master, Melvin Rhyne on several sessions. The first of that series was 1963’s Boss Guitar, featuring the outstanding Jimmy Cobb on drums.

Ennio Morricone – Il Sorriso Del Grande Tentatore LP (Roma)

First official LP reissue of this 1974 classic. Spiritual cousin to the psyche-liturgy of The Electric Prunes’ 1968 Mass In F Minor and William Sheller’s 1972 masterwork Lux Aeterna, Il Sorriso Del Grande Tentatore is a vital, beautiful, frightening and yet essentially forgotten chapter in the storied discography of lauded composer Ennio Morricone. Limited HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold sleeve including two bonus tracks, exclusive liner notes, original poster artwork and photos.

Mos Def – Black On Both Sides [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Interscope)

Black On Both Sides was the debut album of Mos Def, now known as Yasiin Bey, originally released in 1999 on Rawkus Records. The album features an emphasis on live instrumentation and socially conscious lyrics and has features from Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes and Talib Kweli.

Nudity – Astronomicon LP (Iron Lung)

Astronomicon features driving uptempo beats, ringing choruses, and twin-guitar harmonies that segue into improvised jams invoking the MC5 at their Sun Ra-channeling best, cruise through talkbox-laden breakdowns and finish with pulse-revving big bang crescendos. Inspiration for the tracks came from places as lofty as long summers spent working fire lookouts on remote mountaintops, to lowly as a need for cathartic musical release after inter-band fights.

Jimmy Page – Burn Up LP (Cleopatra)

Limited red vinyl edition of rare, early recordings by legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page jamming with and a host of friends including bassist John Paul Jones throwing down some monstrous blues rock.

Joe Pass and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – Chops [Reissue/1979] LP (Fantasy/Concord)

With high-energy playing and skilled interplay, the duo of legendary guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen flash their masterful chops on an ad-lib blues performance and nine jazz standards, including a three-quarters version of “Lover Man,” plus “Oleo,” “Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars,” “Tricotism” and “Yardbird Suite.”

Peine Perdue – Disparitions LP (Medical Records)

Peine Perdue was born in 2010 from the meeting of Berlin-based artist and musician Stephane Argillet and Coco Gallo. Peine Perdue finds its inspiration in a certain geometry, poetry and clearness in music and art such displayed by the cold abstractions of XVIIIth century harpsichordists (Couperin, Pancrace Royer etc) to the graceful minimalism of Erik Satie, the sugar uncluttered pop of the ‘60s yeye and finally to the arithmetic synthpop of the early 80s.

Gianfranco Plenizio – La Gatta In Calore [1972] LP (Roma)

Limited HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressing including four bonus tracks, extensive liner notes, original artwork and rare photos. First-ever official LP reissue of this rare 1972 classic. “The perfect giallo score, from the opening tones of Edda Dell ‘Orso, through jazz-bossa into dissolving dissonance, disarray and pathological destruction.” – Alvin Lucia

The Pogues – Red Roses For Me [Reissue/1984] LP (Rhino)
The Pogues – Rum, Sodomy And The Lash [Reissue/1985] LP (Rhino)
The Pogues – If I Should Fall From Grace With God [Reissue/1988] LP (Rhino)
The Pogues – Peace And Love [Reissue/1989] LP (Rhino)
The Pogues – Hell’s Ditch [Reissue/1990] LP (Rhino)

HQ-180gm vinyl reissues of the legendary Irish band’s first five albums, most of which have been out-of-print on the format for years.

Polecats – The Very Best Of LP (Cleopatra)

Limited edition pink vinyl compilation of the best tracks from the rockabilly revival legends.

Pond – Man It Feels Like Space Again LP (Caroline)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Australian psych band featuring members of Tame Impala. Not to be confused with the band from Portland, Oregon that was on Sub Pop in the ’90s, Australia’s Pond were conceived by two members of Tame Impala’s touring group, guitarist Nick Allbrook and drummer Jay Watson, along with Joseph Orion and Jamie Terry. Like Tame Impala, Pond experiment with psychedelia in their fuzzy, modern brand of glam pop.

Predatory Light – MMXIV 10” (Pesanta Urfolk)

“Lurking somewhere within the borders of New Mexico is yet another hugely exciting new project; a project that leaves behind any trace of affectation and theatrical pomp, delivering dense and primordial black metal with a sound as vast and cavernous as the indigenous landscapes. Boasting members of Drought and USBM notables Ash Borer, Predatory Light is the metaphorical beast residing in their basement; darkly disquieting and utterly unnerving, with a melancholic streak that serves only to darken this trio’s already atramentous universe.” — Cvlt Nation

Quantic Feat. Shinehead – Spark It 12” (Tru Thoughts)

“Spark It sees producer Quantic go back to the reggae/dancehall vibes he once stepped a toe in with his Flowering Inferno concept. Featuring guest vocals from late ‘80s/early ‘90s Jamaican singer/toaster/rapper from New York Shinehead, don’t expect any cumbia here, this is pure retro UK dancehall, roots & catchy!” – Paris DJs

Rabit – Baptizm LP (Tri-Angle)

“After Kanye West’s performance in London this week, grime seems poised to get some well-deserved attention in the U.S. The British street music, best epitomized by Dizzee Rascal’s Boy In Da Corner, has its fans in America, no doubt, but no one of West’s influence has ever embraced it to the extent that he’s been rumored to on his next album. Still, grime has already made some inroads in America. Rabit, a grime producer from the red-blooded city of Houston, Texas is primed to ride the coming wave. In fact, he’s already been featured by a different iconic musician, Björk.” — NPR

Rainbow – Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow [Reissue/1975] LP (Polydor/UMGD)
Rainbow – Rainbow Rising [Reissue/1976] LP (Polydor/UMGD)
Rainbow – On Stage [Reissue/1977] LP (Polydor/UMGD)
Rainbow – Long Live Rock N Roll [Reissue/1978] LP (Polydor/UMGD)
Rainbow – Down To Earth [Reissue/1979] LP (Polydor/UMGD)
Rainbow – Difficult To Cure [Reissue/1981] LP (Polydor/UMGD)
Rainbow – Straight Between The Eyes [Reissue/1982] LP (Polydor/UMGD)
Rainbow – Bent Out Of Shape [Reissue/1983] LP (Polydor/UMGD)

HQ-180gm vinyl reissues. Rainbow was founded by Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple. Their first album, appropriately titled Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, was recorded in Germany and released in August 1975. Rising, their second album, was released the following year with a further five studio albums and the live album On Stage released before the band split in 1984.

Rush – 2012 [Reissue/1976] LP (Mercury)
Rush – All The World’s A Stage [Reissue/1976] 2xLP (Mercury)

HQ-200gm reissues of a pair 1976 albums by the Canadian prog/rock band. The unique reissue of 2012 showcases a custom, limited-edition, hand-etched hologram of the ‘Red Star of the Federation’ pressed in the album’s dead wax runout of side two. To reveal the spinning hologram, fans can use any focused source of light, such as the LED flashlight on a smartphone, directly above the turntable while playing. The original vinyl edition of All The World’s A Stage was formatted for auto-change continual play turntables and this edition matches that original vinyl release with Disc One featuring sides A & D and Disc Two featuring sides B & C.

Arthur Russell – Calling Out Of Context [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Audika)

Recently reissued on CD – now back-in-print on vinyl. In 2002, Audika Records entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with the estate of Arthur Russell to compile and issue previously unreleased and out of print material from Arthur’s vast archive. This first album Calling Out Of Context, features 12 previously unreleased tracks of Buddhist Bubblegum Alt Disco Pop recorded during Arthur’s prime years 1985-‘90.

Mike Shiflet & High Aura’d – Awake LP (Type)

Awake is a record that might sound electronic in parts — indeed, echoes of Tim Hecker or Yellow Swans are present throughout — but has the guitar at its core. The album is a direct descendent of GY!BE or even Glenn Branca, but has been smudged, distorted, and delayed beyond recognition. What’s left are traces — the ghosts and outlines of songs, trapped in a fog of white noise and overdrive — and the end result is disarmingly serene.

Shlohmo – Emerge From Smoke 7” (True Panther Sounds)

Shlohmo’s music thus far exists in the poles between the subtle textured tracks of 2011’s Bad Vibes and the booming sinister synths and hi-hats of his production work and remixes (split EP with Jeremih, Banks’ Brain, remixes for Drake + The Weeknd). Black and white drip color vinyl. New LP Dark Red due April 7.

Howard Shore – Scanners/The Brood LP (Mondo)

For the first time ever on vinyl, the soundtrack to two of David Cronenberg’s most iconic films, and the start of his decades long collaboration with Howard Shore: Scanners and The Brood. Featuring two pieces of original artwork by Sam Wolfe Connelly (each representing one of the films) and containing liner notes by Shore expert Royal S. Brown. Pressed on 180-gram gray vinyl with green splatter and housed in deluxe gatefold jackets.

Carly Simon – The Best Of Carly Simon [Reissue/1978] LP (Friday Music)

HQ-180gm audiophile vinyl reissue. The 1978 smash LP features her biggest hit singles and album tracks from her finest albums on Elektra Records.

Solutions – Life Of Joy 12” (Iron Lung)

One-sided player. More straightforward grind/punk from members of Gas Chamber.

Soundtrack – Nekromantic [1987] LP/Cassette (One Way Static)

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the 1987 soundtrack. Nekromantik is known to be frequently controversial, banned in a number of countries, and has become an international cult film over the years due to its transgressive subject matter (including necrophilia) and audacious imagery. The Nekromantik score strikes a perfect balance of beauty, horror, joy and dissonance. The score is both minimalistic and hauntingly atmospheric at the core, and yet remarkably complex at the same time. A wide variety of instruments and sound effects are utilized throughout it’s making. In sharp contrast to the quieter moments are the tracks that sound as if they are from an old school industrial album. Harsh noise, clanging metal, pounding drums, synthesizers, and various sound effects come together to create a truly dark and desolate picture.

Al Stewart – Past, Present And Future [Reissue/1974] LP (Friday Music)

Al Stewart’s Past, Present And Future launched the artist from being an English coffeehouse staple into a worldwide rock superstar thanks to the intriguing lyrics and melodies contained within the two sides of this 1974 masterwork.

Sur Une Plage – Legerdemian LP (Jagjaguwar)

Pop songs stripped of their organic beginnings to reveal a colder, more cynical outlook towards an uncertain future. Sparse instrumentation with vocals, harkening back to an age simultaneously of singer/songwriters and the first forays into synthesized music.

The Thing – Garage [2004] LP (The Thing)

Vinyl edition of the third album from the Scandinavian free jazz trio, originally released on CD in 2004.

Timeghost – Cellular LP (Load)

At once both bone dry and oozing wet, Timeghost’s first LP breaks the molds cast by current trends in modular synth fetishism. Providence’s Adam Morosky, active as Timeghost since 2008, records and performs using an array of hardware altered by sensors that pierce through his face like a human patch bay. A concept-heavy record, Cellular approaches its concerns through algorithmic cut-ups, rhythms generated by cell phone interference and electrically induced muscle spasms. Limited HQ-180gm vinyl LP pressing in die-cut silk-screened jacket.

TRTRKMMR – Avec La Souillure Nous Entrons Au Règne De La Terreur LP+MP3 (Iron Lung)

Four years in the making, TRTRKMMR’s Avec La Souillure Nous Entrons Au Règne De La Terreur is an aural assault rifle set to unleash a blackened unorthodox power-electronic hell upon you. Since the first scribble, its author has endured organ ruptures, physical and mental collapse, deaths and unheated Wisconsin winters. That pain and more comes through in the unearthly maelstrom of “music” created using chopped/crippled vinyl records, mountains of literary research, AK-47s and a plethora of secret sound equipment.

UFO – A Conspiracy Of Stars 2xLP (Steamhammer)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. UFO’s new album features meaty riffs, distinctive hooks, diverse songwriting, intelligent lyrics and that generally laid-back attitude which has been associated with the veteran metal band.

Various Artists – Devil Got My Woman: 16 Classic Blues Songs From 1926-1937 LP (Hi Horse)

Includes the title track “Devil Got My Woman” by Skip James and 15 more songs by other great blues singers including Charley Patton, Willie Brown, Skip James Blind Blake, Ma Rainey and others. 12 of the 16 songs on the album have the original artwork promoting these songs when they were first released. All tracks are newly re-mastered from the finest copies of the original 78rpm records.

Weather Report – Black Market [Reissue/1976] LP (Friday Music)

This brilliant masterwork features the all-star line-up of Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius (his debut), Chester Thompson, and Alex Acuna. Featuring the classic Zawinul hit track “Black Market,” Shorter’s “Elegant People” and their tribute to Cannonball Adderley, “Cannonball.”

Paul Westerberg – Suicaine Gratification [1999] LP (Plain)

Suicaine Gratifaction is the third solo album by the former Replacements frontman, and is an introspective, somber affair with a relaxed vibe, even on the few rockers that sprinkle the album. On vinyl for the first time. HQ-180gm.

Wovenhand – Wovenhand [2002] LP (Bang!)

First vinyl edition of Wovenhand’s 2002 debut – the first effort by David Eugene Edwards after 16 Horsepower. Foggy and shady passages of folk and blues.

Cassettes:

Äss – Live in New Jersey (Ba Da Bing!)

The rage of rebellion refried and roaring, Äss (“Ahh-sss”) marries Monoshock, Electric Eels and Red Transistor with Judas Priest and UFO in an unauthorized ceremony still illegal in most states. Made up of the underground scourges Andy Kman (TeePee Records), Brian Turner (WFMU), Andrew Shumway and Chris Larsen (honored former member, since replaced by the Crucif**ks drummer), Äss tear through a set recorded live in Hoboken where you can feel the scum on the walls and sweat clouds in the air. Rock festers on in the crevices.

Eye – The Future Will Be Repeated (Ba Da Bing!)

Eye is among the finest of New Zealand’s rich improvisational scene, and The Future Will Be Repeated follows their stunning Winterwork LP of last year. Including Peter Stapleton (The Terminals, The Pin Group, Flies Inside The Sun), Peter Porteous (Empirical), Nathan Thompson (Sandoz Lab Technicians) and Jon Chapman (Double Leopards, Rory Storm And The Invaders), the group incorporates percussion, guitar, piano and electronics into a beautiful melee. These tracks come from three different performances, one notably done at the famed Chicks Hotel in Port Chalmers.

Family Underground – No Host. No Guest. (Ba Da Bing!)

Denmark’s greatest drone rock duo unveils an epic record of beauty. Family Underground has released numerous records with Not Not Fun, Into The Lunar Night, Chocolate Monk and Turgid Animal over their ten-plus years of existence. No Host. No Guest. displays the group at their best, delving to ominous lows and intense highs with equal skill and precision. For fans of The Dead C, Yellow Swans, Prurient and Burning Star Core.

Richard Francis – Talking Machines (Banned Production)

Live recordings made with oscillators, signal generator, spring reverb, EQ filters, delay, noise, microphone, dried seed pods, hands, paper, loop maker, and computer.

Peter Kolovos – A Wolf Should Only Be Lone (Ba Da Bing!)

Los Angeles guitarist Peter Kolovos’s last release was the epic 3xLP Black Colors. While not quite as immense, A Wolf Should Only Be Lone, the artist’s first cassette release since his days with Open City, hits the beautiful red space in fits and starts. These two tracks carry his distinct style of annihilating common notions of guitar playing. Bruce Russell once likened his playing to “Derek Bailey covering The Resident’s Duck Stab,” while David Keenan has described him as having the “dexterity of Bailey directed more towards Mars-style tonal confusion.”

Soundtrack – Nekromantic (One Way Static)

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the 1987 soundtrack. Nekromantik is known to be frequently controversial, banned in a number of countries, and has become an international cult film over the years due to its transgressive subject matter (including necrophilia) and audacious imagery. The Nekromantik score strikes a perfect balance of beauty, horror, joy and dissonance. The score is both minimalistic and hauntingly atmospheric at the core, and yet remarkably complex at the same time. A wide variety of instruments and sound effects are utilized throughout it’s making. In sharp contrast to the quieter moments are the tracks which sound as if they are from an old school industrial album. Harsh noise, clanging metal, pounding drums, synthesizers, and various sound effects come together to create a truly dark and desolate picture. The moog synthesizer, also makes a few appearances.