CDs + Vinyl:
Ages And Ages – Something To Ruin CD/LP+MP3 (Partisan)
Something To Ruin confronts the debris of our collective failures and asks whether we might be better off letting go and starting over. With all members hailing from Portland, Oregon, the album explores what it’s like to watch your hometown implode in a frenzy of real estate development and lifestyle branding. Songs like “Kick Me Out” and “I’m Moving” describe the “manufactured wilderness” that former bohemian sanctuaries like Portland and other cities have become. The album’s lead track “They Want More,” also draws a line in the sand to confront the changing landscape of music, art, cities and lifestyles. While writing this record, the band’s leaders, Rob Oberdorfer and Tim Perry, embraced synthetic sounds and artificial textures– a marked difference from the organic and documentarian approach on their previous albums. The record is also more groove-laden, with electronic experimentation pushed to the surface. The richly layered harmonies of Sarah Riddle, Annie Bethancourt, Colin Jenkins and Oberdorfer mirror themes about the power (and impotence) of the individual and the need for community. Isaac Brock’s unmistakable, marbled baritone vocals jump out on on “So Hazy” and traces of old Modest Mouse can also be heard in the discordant guitar and mechanical noise that interrupts or ends the album’s title track and “All Of My Enemies.”
AJJ – The Bible 2 CD/LP+MP3 (Side One Dummy)
New album from AJJ, the Phoenix, AZ band formerly known as Andrew Jackson Jihad. “1.) We are not Muslims, and as such, it is disrespectful and irresponsible for us to use the word jihad in our band’s name. 2.) We no longer wish to be a living reminder of President Andrew Jackson. Interesting historical figure as he was, he was an odious person and our fascination with him has grown stale.” [Limited color vinyl edition also available.]
Aktion – Groove The Funk [Reissue/1975] CD/LP (PMG)
Reissue of an essential and influential early Afro-funk album. Lot’s of fuzz guitar and bad-ass keyboard playing. Certainly a great look into Nigerian scene.
Akwassa – La’lla [Reissue/1975] CD/LP (PMG)
Akwassa were among the best Afro-beat bands coming from Nigeria.
Ashra – Correlations Complete 5xCD (MG.Art)
Limited one-time collectors’ edition released in 2008 and previously only available from MG.Art’s mailorder. The first disc is a remastered version of the 1990 Virgin CD reissue of Correlations, recorded and mixed at Panne-Paulsen Studio, Frankfurt, in 1978 by Mick Glossop and originally released by Virgin in 1979. The second disc is the first release of Phantasus, Manuel Göttsching and Udo Arndt’s original 1978 recording and mix of the album that was partially re-recorded and totally remixed to become Correlations (Phantasus was Göttsching’s intended title, which he changed to Correlations after UK fans told him that the English can’t pronounce “phantasus”). The third, fourth, and fifth discs are The Making Of, which includes a 12-page booklet. Performed by Manuel Göttsching (guitar, synthesizer, sequencer), Lutz Ulbrich (guitar, synthesizer, piano, mellotron), and Harald Großkopf (drums, percussion, synthesizer).
Bad Omens – Bad Omens CD (Sumerian)
New album from the L.A. metal/alt rock outfit.
Bent Life – Never Asked For Heaven CD/LP (Bridge Nine)
Bent Life are Midwest Blood Fest veterans, having churned out brute-force hardcore since 2010, but they reach a special zenith on their first full-length. Never Asked For Heaven showcases the band evolving into an aggressive powerhouse with clarity and precision, capable of thudding riffs and surprisingly memorable, gutting hooks.
Steve Black – Village Boogie [Reissue/1979] CD/LP (PMG)
After starting his musical career back in 1968, the Nigerian artist, drummer, singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Steve Black released his fantastic and unique Afro-funk album Village Boogie in 1979.
BLO – Phase IV [Reissue/1976] CD/LP (PMG)
“Rightly regarded as the holy grail of Afro boogie, Phase IV is an extraordinary blend of highlife, rock, blues and soul that sounds just as good through headphones as it does on the dancefloor.” — Peter Moore
Blood Incantation – Starspawn CD (Dark Decent)
“I’m not one for much guitar wankery, but if done correctly my ears will smile. The opener ‘Vitrification Of Blood (Part I)’ does just that. What a killer opener that crashes through the speakers and pounds the drums straight into your face. It’s also the longest track on the album, which ain’t bad because there’s no wasted time, nor did I get a feeling like I needed them to get on with it. The guitars of Paul Riedl and Morris Kolontyrsky just shred up and down in the best way possible towards the closing. No disjointed Kerry King chaos work here.” – Kvlt Of Brewtality
Blood Orange – Freetown Sound CD/2xLP+MP3 (Domino)
Freetown Sound is the third full-length album from Devonté (Dev) Hynes aka Blood Orange. Written and produced by Hynes, Freetown Sound is a tour de force, a pastiche of Hynes’ past, present, and future that melds his influences with his own established musical voice. For well over a decade, Dev has proven himself a virtuoso of versatility, experimenting with almost every conceivable musical genre and working with a wide variety of artists as a writer and producer. On his solo work he has created a singular style of urgent, delicate pop music by carefully stitching a sound palette that gently recalls elastic funk, slinky R&B, and pure pop. Thematically, the album is profoundly personal and unapologetically political, touching on issues of race, religion, sex, and sexism over 17 shimmering songs.
David Brent & Foregone Conclusion – Life On The Road [OST] CD (Caroline International)
Since The Office ended in 2003, the world has been starved of David Brent (Ricky Gervais). He popped up in the American version of The Office, as well as featuring in the odd segment for Comic Relief (most recently with Doc Brown for their song “Equality Street”), but now he’s back and bigger than ever! New movie and soundtrack Life On The Road sees the former reality TV star turned rep head out on tour with his band Foregone Conclusion to try and achieve his dream of being a rock star. [Vinyl edition due September 2.]
Peter Broderick – Partners CD/LP+MP3 (Erased Tapes)
For close to a decade, Portland’s Peter Broderick has cut his own unpredictable path through the world of contemporary music. So far, his wanderings have led him from solo works into the realms of film, dance and documentary scores, as well as art installations. Now Peter takes that unpredictability one step further. For his latest album, a series of voice and piano recordings, he experiments with chance, surrendering an entire song’s composition to the roll of dice. It was John Cage’s tendency to remove himself from his music, to somehow automate his own process, which inspired the strange mechanics with which this record was created. In the words of Cage himself, “the world is teeming; anything can happen.”
Carl Broemel – 4th Of July CD/LP (Stocks In Asia)
4th Of July is the second solo album by My Morning Jacket guitarist Carl Broemel. He put together the album in Nashville between MMJ studio sessions and tour cycles. “This album is just me trying to compete with my own abilities — it was a challenge to do it on my own,” Broemel said in a statement. For the effort, Broemel collaborated with My Morning Jacket bandmates Bo Koster and Tom Blankenship, with both appearing on the LP and Koster co-writing a few tracks. Guest appearances also include Neko Case, Laura Veirs, Russ Pollard, Shelly Colvin, Richard Medek and Jordan Caress.
The Brotherhood Of Lizards – Lizardland [Reissue/1989] CD/2xLP+MP3 (Captured Tracks)
By late May of 1989, Cleaners From Venus man Martin Newell and Peter Nice aka Nelson finished their first album, Lizardland, and handed it over to upstart indie Deltic Records. Though there is a fair amount of Cleaners From Venus DNA in the mix due to the charms of the definitely lo-fi recording methods, the music of the Brotherhood Of Lizards has a sharp sound all its own.
Rhea Butcher – Rhea Butcher CD (Kill Rock Stars)
Rhea Butcher is a Los Angeles-based standup comic, actor and writer who has appeared on Comedy Central, NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Buzzfeed and Funny Or Die Presents. Originally from the Midwest, Rhea grew up skateboarding the mean streets of Akron, Ohio. Her blue collar brand of cool has endeared her to audiences nationwide, both in her live appearances opening for comics like Pete Holmes, Anthony Jeselnik, Maria Bamford and Cameron Esposito in large theatre venues, or her podcast appearances on shows like You Made It Weird, How Did This Get Made? and Sklarboro Country.
