CDs + Vinyl:
Daniel Ash – Stripped CD (Main Man)
Released on vinyl for RSD 2015 — now available on CD. For over 35 years, he has been one of the seminal figures in alternative music; whether for his wildly experimental guitar playing or for his sardonic vocal stylings, or perhaps even for throwing in a bit of saxophone, Daniel Ash has been one of modern music’s most engaging figures. Having defied categorization by fusing elements of electronica with punk, goth, and glam rock, Ash has earned the status of a living legend. In 2014, he embarked on a new solo outing with the help of his fans, launching a successful PledgeMusic campaign that would result in an album of revisited classics from throughout his repertoire.
Jon Balke – Warp CD (ECM)
Warp situates the solo piano of Norway’s Jon Balke within a subtle architecture of composed soundscapes, in fluctuating dimensions of space.
Tony Banks – A Curious Feeling [Reissue/1979] CD+DVD-A/LP (Cherry Red)
Tony Banks – The Fugitive [Reissue/1983] CD+DVD-A/LP (Cherry Red)
Reissues of the first two proper solo studio albums by the Genesis founding member and keyboard player. CD versions add 5.1 surround sound DVD-Audio discs, while the vinyl editions are single-disc, HQ-180gm. [Deluxe hardbook CD+DVD-A edition of The Fugitive is also available.]
Boxcars – Familiar With The Ground CD (Mountain Home)
New album from the two-time Bluegrass Instrumental Band of the Year.
Hayes Carll – Lovers And Leavers CD/LP+MP3 (Hwy 87)
Hayes Carll is at the forefront of a generation of American singer/songwriters. A Texas native, his style of roots-oriented songwriting has been noted for its plain-spoken poetry and sarcastic humor. He was nominated for a 2016 Grammy award for Best Country Song, and American Songwriter awarded him with Song of the Year for “Another Like You” in 2011, the same year he was nominated for Artist of the Year at the Americana Awards. Now Hayes returns with a powerful and raw set of songs produced by Joe Henry entitled Lovers And Leavers. The record marks a new chapter for Hayes — he has gone through much personal change in the five years since his last release, and he mines the depths of these experiences on this record. Sonically, he has stripped away some of the country sounds that marked his previous records, thus highlighting his well-worn voice and placing his straightforward and heartfelt lyrics at the center.
Tony Conrad with Faust – Outside The Dream Syndicate [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Superior Viaduct)
Outside The Dream Syndicate, originally released in Europe only in 1973, is Conrad’s stunning debut. Two side-long tracks—“The Side Of Man And Womankind” and “The Side Of The Machine”—show just how far Conrad had moved beyond his minimalist peers. Werner Diermaier’s repetitive drum beat and Jean-Hervé Peron’s stripped-down bassline conjure a tense, ascetic groove, while Conrad’s seamless violin, initially so controlled, reveals a surprising adaptability. The music shifts almost on a subliminal level, pushing and pulling to the drone’s internal pulse.
Cult Of Luna – Mariner CD/2xLP (Indie Recordings North America)
“Since its formation in 1998, Cult Of Luna has released seven albums, been awarded the top rock/ metal award at the Swedish national radio awards and cemented their status as one of the true progressors of the metal genre, respected by most metal aficionados. For their eight effort, the post-metal pioneers join forces with the talented Julie Christmas (Battle Of Mice, Made Out Of Babies) from Brooklyn, whom bring an even larger depth to Cult Of Luna’s sound — powerfully displayed on Mariner.” – Blabbermouth
