New Releases for March 23, 2018
CDs + Vinyl:
American Pleasure Club – A Whole F**king Lifetime Of This CD/LP/Cassette (Run For Cover)
Released last week on vinyl and cassette – now available on CD. The longtime project of Baltimore’s prolific Sam Ray (Ricky Eat Acid, Julia Brown) has never been weighed down by expectations of genre, fidelity or album length. 2016 gave us the 26-song epic It’s the Big Joyous Celebration, Let’s Stir the Honeypot and the more concise follow up Bonus EP, but on this album, a striking amount of balance provides the groundwork for A Whole F**king Lifetime Of This.
Courtney Marie Andrews – May Your Kindness Remain CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Although May Your Kindness Remain was predominately written on the road it’s not a road record like its predecessor. That is, it’s not so much inspired by Courtney Marie Andrews’ life on the road so much as it is by the people she’s met along the way. It’s an inward reflection on the connectivity of their stories and her own. The album is full of vivid depictions of complex people and places with all too common struggles. Every instrument and sound have their proper place, across diverse styles: proud piano ballads (“Rough Around The Edges”); easygoing, country-tinted rock (“Kindness Of Strangers”); and biting, sarcastic folk gems (“I’ve Hurt Worse”). Gospel singer C.C. White adds backing vocals throughout, including on the stunning title track, a striking statement of purpose that blooms at the end thanks to layers of soulful harmonies. Andrews’ own vocals are notably more powerful and soulful – especially on the organ-heavy blues number “Border,” with a ragged weariness that honors the immigrant’s resilience in the face of blatant thoughtlessness and racism; and “Took You Up,” a take on accepting love as a simple offering before any illusion of wealth or success. Her vocal performances reflect her recent listening habits, which include Motown and soul, as well as albums by the eclectic rock band Little Feat. They also point to her confidence and growing range as a live vocalist.
Army Gideon – Forsake Not CD (Uhuru Boys)
High-energy reggae fusion with lyrical content advocating equal rights, justice, universal love and Rastafari awareness through a militant persona.
The Art Of Lovin’ – The Art Of Lovin’ [Reissue/1968] CD (Early Dawn)
A reissue of The Art Of Lovin’s one and only album, originally on the legendary US label Mainstream in 1968. An album full of interesting and imaginative female-fronted psychedelic folk rock. For fans of Jefferson Airplane, Fort Mudge Memorial Dump, Yankee Dollar, etc.
Auri – Auri CD (Nuclear Blast)
Nightwish leader/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen has joined forces with his wife, Finnish singer Johanna Kurkela, as Auri. Auri celebrate a kind of epic-romantic ethno pop that seems to float in quaint spheres, which are intangible yet unleash multi-faceted sounds capes filled with powerful imagery. These sound cascades are based on Celtic traditional sounds, atmospheric-cinematic dream sequences, melancholic melodies and a touch of transfigured mysticism; beautiful instrumentation yielding an unfathomable depth.
Alice Bag – Alice Bag CD/LP (Don Giovanni)
Based in Los Angeles, Alice Bag is a punk rock singer, musician, author, educator and feminist archivist. She was lead singer and co-founder of The Bags, who were among the first wave of punk bands to emerge from that city during in the mid-1970s. Recorded last year, Alice Bag includes a revolving cast of friends and Los Angeles-based musicians, including the members of Bags’ current backing band, as well as guest vocals from Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, The Julie Ruin), Allison Wolfe (Bratmobile, Sex Stains), Francisca Valenzuela, and Teri Gender Bender.
