Boo Boo Records

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.

[Read more…] about New Releases for September 23, 2016

CDs + Vinyl:

Against Me! – Shape Shift With Me CD/2xLP+MP3 (Total Treble)

Seventh full-length studio album from punk rock band, dropping right before lead singer Laura Jane Grace’s memoir titled Tranny: Confessions Of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout (due mid-November.) [Limited white color vinyl edition also available.]

Alex G – DSU CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Run For Cover)

Two years after its initial release on boutique Brooklyn label Orchid Tapes, Alex G’s fourth LP DSU is back in print across all formats. Considered by many to be the record that shone a spotlight onto the longtime lo-fi Bandcamp-favorite, DSU is an indie rock record empowered and enlightened by Alex Giannascoli’s bedroom-pop sensibilities.

Joey Alexander – Countdown CD (Motema)

New release from the 13-year-old jazz pianist. Joey Alexander’s jaw-dropping ability and beyond-his-years artistry brought him to some of the grandest stages, from performing at the Grammys and the White House, to appearing on The Today Show and 60 Minutes.

Devon Allman – Ride Or Die CD (Ruf)

Son of Greg Allman, Devon Allman’s new album Ride Or Die contains twelve soulful and powerful tracks that showcase Allman’s maturity as a songwriter.

Dorothy Ashby – The Fantastic Jazz Harp Of Dorothy Ashby CD/LP (Spellbound Music)

A reissue of Dorothy Ashby’s sixth album, originally released in 1965. Ashby was a Detroit born jazz harpist who passed away in her early ‘50s in 1986. She left a rich legacy of music with The Fantastic Jazz Harp Of Dorothy Ashby being one of her milestones. It is an utterly progressive effort and the pop sensibility of many tracks make it a great joy to spin.

Albert Ayler – Ghosts [Reissue/1965] CD (Skokiaan)

Ayler and his mates — Don Cherry on trumpet, Sonny Murray on drums and Gary Peacock on bass guitar — are definitely on par with the other free jazz gods like John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman on this 1965 release.

Bad Suns – Disappear Here CD/LP+MP3 (Vagrant)

Sophomore record from Los Angeles’ Bad Suns. “The band’s first new music in over two years does not disappoint, picking up right where they left off with a stadium-sized chorus tucked neatly into a song that screams Bad Suns. From lead singer Christo Bowman’s booming tenor to Gavin Bennett’s resilient bass, ‘Disappear Here’ marks a resounding return. Bad Suns’ arrangements tend to be a warm and equal blend of instruments that work together as a whole, rather than individually. “Disappear Here” is exactly such an arrangement: A strong bass line coupled with a frisky drum beat drives the rhythm forward as Bad Suns go about reintroducing themselves. Lead guitar and a light keyboard support Bowman’s voice as he carries the melody through short, sinusoidal phrasings. Bowman goes for the jugular when he jumps into a melting falsetto in the chorus, but the stunning impact of such a move would be lost without the instrumental backup around him.” – Atwood Magazine

Dave Ball – Photosynthesis CD (Cold Spring)

Dave Ball (Soft Cell, The Grid) and Jon Savage present Photosynthesis. They explain how Photosynthesis developed: “We started composing some quasi pop/classical pieces that gradually morphed and evolved into one, hour-long piece. Via digital recording and processing of vintage analog sound sources (i.e. mini Moog, Sequential Circuits, Prophet 5 synthesizers etc.) the piece gradually took shape. The title Photosynthesis was re-appropriated from the botanical process. Sitting in the garden surrounded by trees and plants on a sunny day, the idea of organisms using sunlight to synthesize nutrients from carbon dioxide and water became an inspiration to us.”

Barishi – Blood From The Lion’s Mouth CD/LP (Season Of Mist)

Gritty progressive metal quartet Barisi release their adventurous new album Blood From The Lion’s Mouth. More than simply “progressive,” Barishi strikes a deft and unique balance between elegance and aggression. Tracks such as “Grave Of The Creator,” “Bonesetter,” and the title track are ruthlessly heavy and oddly beautiful, and delivered with purpose and poise that belies the quartet’s young age. “…Willfully avant-garde prog-metal… which mixes melodic and psychedelic tendencies with hardcore bite and bitterness and the same sort of autistic-savant creativity of Ihsahn’s solo output. Magic, in a word.” – No Clean Singing

Matt Berry – The Small Hours CD/LP+MP3 (PIAS America)

The Small Hours is the new long player from the swooning, hysterical and critically acclaimed Matt Berry. Following on from Witchazel And Kill The Wolf through to 2014’s Music For Insomniacs (which saw the musician, writer and celebrated actor explore the effects of sleeplessness through a range of modular equipment) The Small Hours explores themes of death, religion, loneliness and the changing of the seasons.

Beware Of Darkness – Are You Real? CD/LP+MP3 (Bright Antenna)

Beware Of Darkness is a hard rock band with an old soul, pissed at life in the modern age. Where the band’s earlier material may have fallen more on the side of leather and metal, Are You Real? hearkens to the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Royal Blood, The Struts, Wolf Alice, Cage The Elephant, Skaters, and Nirvana.

Bitori – Legend Of Funaná: Forbidden Music Of The Capes CD/LP (Analog Africa)

A masterpiece that many Cabo Verdean consider the recording of Funaná (a frenetic, soca-style dance music made by and for the working classes). Despite its roots in colonial oppression, here is the sound of absolute joy.

Mykki Blanco – Mykki CD/LP+MP3 (!K7)

A singular artist who has made an indelible mark on the pop music landscape with a string of street-level releases and mixtapes, Mykki Blanco releases his debut album.

Blue States – Restless Spheres CD/LP (Memphis Industries)

Blue States’ fifth album, Restless Spheres, doffs its cap to the soundtracks of Budd and Morricone, to ‘60s Greek bands such as The Forminx, to German electronic pioneers Dieter Moebius and Michael Rother and to American minimalist composers Steve Reich and Phillip Glass.

Richard Bona & Mandekan Cubano – Heritage CD (Membran)

Originally from Cameroon, Richard Bona remains true to his roots on Heritage, his 8th album as a leader and the first one with his Afro-Cuban band Mandekan Cubano. An energetic, life affirming and truly fantastic album, it explores the alchemy of African rhythms in Cuba.

Matt Brewer – Unspoken CD (Criss Cross)

Upright bassist Matt Brewer presents an inspired quintet recording, convening tenor saxophonist Ben Wendel, pianist Aaron Parks, guitarist Charles Altura, and drummer Tyshawn Sorey, all top-of-the-pyramid under 40 improvisers and consequential composers in their own right, to perform a nine tune program that includes seven Brewer originals and reimagined versions of Bill Frisell’s “Twenty Years” and Charlie Parker’s “Cheryl.”

Thomas Brinkmann – Certain Degree Of Stasis CD (Frozen Reeds)

Thomas Brinkmann – A 1000 Keys CD/LP (Frozen Reeds)

Often associated with sparse electronic music, A Certain Degree Of Stasis sees Thomas Brinkmann in command of a maximalist’s palette. A sonic counterpart to Agnes Lux’s visual work, featured on the sleeve, the piece explores both fiercely distorted textures and sustained crystalline calm. He takes his seductive reductionism to the next level with A 1000 Keys, a harsh meditation on the expressive qualities of digital sound production.

Peter Brötzmann/Steve Noble/John Edwards – …The Worse The Better CD (Otoroku)

Originally released on vinyl in 2012 – now available on CD. Café OTO is a concert venue operating in Dalston, East London, specializing in various strains of avant-music: free-jazz, song, electronics, etc. OTO have been professionally recording various shows on and off since the venue opened in 2008. The Worse the Better is a recording of the stunning first set performed by the trio of Peter Brötzmann, Steve Noble and John Edwards at Café OTO in January 2010 during Brötzmann’s first residency at the venue. It was also the first time this trio had played together.

Brujeria – Pocho Aztlan CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast)

First new album in 16 years from the death metal/grindcore band.

Michael Bundt – Electri City [Reissue/1980] CD/LP (Bureau B)

Having played his way through the 1970s in various rock combos (Medusa, Nine Days’ Wonder), Michael Bundt embarked on a solo career in the latter part of the decade, releasing three albums which saw him explore the vast potential of electronic music. Delightfully varied and typical of his willingness to experiment, his music orbits around krautrock, Berlin School electronica, space-futurism and synth pop.

[Read more…] about New Releases for September 16, 2016