21 MAY 2013
>Airbourne – Black Dog Barking CD (Roadrunner)
There’s something about the kind of potent rock & roll fury that Airbourne cranks out, all cylinders firing, that makes you want to chug a beer straight down your throat and punch the air as though it’d touched your wife inappropriately.
>Alpine – A Is For Alpine CD (TNO/Turnout)
“The angular meets the angelic with Alpine, a Melbourne-based band of art-pop Aussies who have delivered one of the most original and eclectic albums of the year. A Is For Alpine melds the dual-harmonized, pixie-ish vocals of frontwomen and longtime friends Lou James and Phoebe Baker with brisk, scattered beats and some ridiculously inventive guitar play” – Direct Current Music
>Baptist Generals – Jackleg Devotional To The Heart CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
The Denton, TX band, known for its haunting, claustrophobic take on drunken folk, needed ten full years to bare its hearts for this sophomore LP. The band's vibraphones, guitarrons and ambient feedback combine like a mess of ventricles, aortas and veins.
>Bazooka – Bazooka LP (Slovenly)
Bazooka is a severely crusty unit from Athens, Greece. Perhaps the most savage crew of the incredibly corrosive rock & roll scene that includes Acid Baby Jesus and Gay Anniversary, they have concocted an evil, grungy stomper of an album.
>The Beach Boys – Live: The 50th Anniversary Tour 2xCD (Capitol)
Double-disc, 41-track live collection culled from the 50th anniversary reunion tour of The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks).
>JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – Howl CD/LP (Bloodshot)
New release from Chicago's modern soul band. Throughout Howl, the dark side of love and longing is explored by frontman JC Brooks' starkly personal lyrics and the Uptown Sound's willingness to bare all their influences and let the grooves fall where they may. A collective evolution has been made where influence meets experience, and this organic progression results in 11 songs that are more open than ever both in message and vibe.
>Clairy Brown & The Bangin’ Rackettes – Baby Caught The Bus CD (Vanguard)
Baby Caught The Bus is the debut release from Aussie neo-soul phenoms Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes.
>Captain Beyond – Live In Texas October 6, 1973 CD (Cleopatra)
A never before released full-length concert album from ‘70s rockers Captain Beyond. Formed in 1971 by members of Deep Purple, Iron Butterfly and Johnny Winter’s band, Captain Beyond is heavy, spacey and most definitely far out.
>Club 8 – Above The City CD/LP (Labrador)
Swedish electronic phenomenon Club 8 return with a blend of ‘80s-era Madonna with Florence And The Machine.
>Come – Eleven:Eleven [Deluxe Edition/Reissue 1992] 2xCD/2xLP+7” (Matador)
Come was the result of a collision between Boston/NY guitarist/vocalist Thalia Zedek and Oberlin product/guitar wizard Chris Brokaw, and one of the more powerful rhythm sections of the last half century, drummer Arthur Johnson and bassist Sean O'Brien. Despite being one of Matador's best albums, it has been out of print for way too long. That situation is being rectified with a deluxe, double-disc reissue comprising the original album plus a bonus disc featuring Come's 10/10/92 performance at the Vermonstress Festival. The vinyl version includes a bonus 7".
>Daft Punk – Random Access Memories CD/2xLP+MP3 (Columbia/Sony)
Random Access Memories is the new album from Daft Punk. Collaborators include Nile Rodgers, Chilly Gonzalez, Giorgio Moroder, Julian Casablancas, Pharrell Williams, Paul Williams, Todd Edwards, Panda Bear and DJ Falcon.
>Dirty Beaches – Drifters/Love Is The Devil CD/2xLP (Zoo Music)
Dirty Beaches, a.k.a. Alex Zhang Hungtai, started off as a one-man band in 2005 in Montreal. A trans-Pacific nomad and genre-hopping sound-smith, he has released music ranging from drone instrumentals to film scores, and possesses a fascination for dissecting popular American music like blues, rockabilly, soul, R&B and hip-hop, often rendering it to a point where it is no longer recognizable.
>Fan-Tan – A Strange Game CD/LP (Good Night)
Known for their intense live performances, melding guitar noise with icy rhythms, haloed by sharp, lilting vocals, Fan-Tan recall a more dramatic Jesus & Mary Chain, or a less rigid My Bloody Valentine. "For additional post-punk brilliance, cross your fingers that springtime -- and therefore, A Strange Game -- arrives quickly.” -- Filter Magazine
>French Montana – Excuse My French CD (Interscope)
Debut album from the Morocco-born/Bronx-based rapper features collaborations with Max B, Birdman, Rick Ross, C.A.S.H., DJ Khaled, Snoop Dogg, Scarface, The Weeknd, Jeremih, Diddy, Drake, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Ne-Yo, Raekwon and others. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks.
>The Front Bottoms – Talon Of The Hawk CD/LP (Bar/None)
At the core of Talon Of The Hawk is the crazy hybrid of slamming rock drumming and acoustic guitar The Front Bottoms are known for, but this time the band augments their sound with electric guitars, synths, and even a little accordion. Brian Sella's confident heartfelt vocals will have you laughing one minute, crying the next and then maybe pumping your fist and singing along when you least suspect it.
>Grim Tower – Anarchic Breezes CD/LP (Outer Battery)
Grim Tower features Stephen McBean of Black Mountain and Imaad Wasif. The album was written around the central idea of a New Acoustic Death Folk, yet could be heard as equal parts Harry Smith and Harry Pu$$y. Both songwriters, Canadians now based in L.A., come together on this album to explore a mutual interest in the darker traditions of song and detuning found in the American Primitive Archives.
>Guerilla Toss – Guerilla Toss CD (Tzadik)
This five-piece ensemble mixes noise, improvisation, complex composition and song forms with a punk rock aesthetic that verges on madness.
>Beth Hart/Joe Bonamassa – Seesaw CD (J&R Adventures)
Seesaw reunites force-of-nature blues-rock vocalist Beth Hart and guitar hero Joe Bonamassa for a second album of choice covers from various musical eras.
>Have Mercy – Earth Pushed Back CD/LP (Topshelf)
Recorded at The Magpie Cage in their hometown with indie icon J. Robbins producing, Earth Pushed Back finds Have Mercy expanding on the powerful, yet melodic sounds they cultivated on 2012’s My Oldest Friend EP.
>Bob James & David Sanborn – Quartette Humaine CD (Sony Masterworks)
Quartette Humaine is the first creative collaboration between keyboardist-composer Bob James and alto saxophonist David Sanborn since their million-selling, Grammy-winning album, Double Vision, twenty-five years ago.
>Les Rhinocéros – Les Rhinocéros II CD (Tzadik)
For their second CD for Tzadik, this fabulous trio takes a step toward tradition with a heavy CD of music for the classic format of guitar, bass and drums. Recorded at Bill Laswell’s Orange Studio by James Dellatacoma, the sound is as intense and powerful as the music. Les Rhinocéros II is a strong second release by this tight and razor sharp new band of musical renegades.
>Emma Louise – Vs. Head Vs. Heart CD (French Kiss)
US debut of gold selling Aussie artist.
>Lovesliescrushing – Ghost Colored Halo CD (Projekt)
Somewhere between My Bloody Valentine and ambient music, the duo of Scott Cortez and Melissa Arpin-Duimstra has been crafting lo-fi dreamscapes since the fall of 1991. Melissa's angelic vocals and voice fragments loop within a cavernous space upon Scott's cascading guitar waves of immense, billowing, ethereal colorburst.
>Majical Cloudz – Impersonator CD/LP (Matador)
With rich vocals atop quiet looped waves of white noise, filtered synths and sparse thuds, Montreal songwriter Devon Welsh aka Majical Cloudz cites Elliott Smith and Arthur Russell as the two biggest influences on his songwriting.
>Man Or Astroman – 5..4..3..2..1 CD (Communicating Vessels)
Nearly 12 years since the band last released their intergalactic sonic wave forms, Man Or Astroman have returned to Earth as tuneful and energetic as ever. 5..4..3..2..1 combines the familiar Astro audio tones and the well-established playing ferocity with an undeniable evolution that is both intuitive, logical, and well crafted. Steve Albini is yet again behind the board and the countdown has started. Vinyl version due June 4.
>Audra McDonald – Go Back Home CD (Nonesuch)
McDonald's first solo album in seven years. After four seasons spent in Los Angeles playing Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC's hit medical drama Private Practice, the acclaimed singer and actress returned to New York and Broadway last year, winning her record-tying fifth Tony Award for her role in The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess. With Go Back Home, the Grammy Award-winning soprano, whose voice Stephen Sondheim has hailed as "one of the glories of the American theater," makes her highly anticipated return to recording.
>Pat Metheny – Tap: Book Of Angels Vol. 20 CD (Tzadik)
Virtuoso guitarist and musical mastermind Pat Metheny takes on John Zorn's Masada songbook to create some of the most soulful and adventurous sounds yet heard in the Book Of Angels series.
>Willy Moon – Here’s Willie Moon CD (Interscope)
Although just 23 years old, Willy Moon proves that age is just a number as he slinks through different decades with a swift ease. Inspired by the physical energy of Cab Calloway and Michael Jackson, the concision of The Ramones, and the style of film noir, Moon appreciates these musical giants through the gaze of his wit and irrefutable sound.
>The National – Trouble Will Find Me CD/2xLP (4AD)
“Trouble Will Find Me may draw on some of the creativity of their early work, but it is firmly rooted in the sound that the band has so assuredly developed over the last two albums. The members have said that this album is more complex and aggressive, suggesting a noticeable departure from High Violet. But this characterization may say more about the members’ relationships to their music than it does about the album itself. For most fans, Trouble Will Find Me will not sound like a departure at all.” [A-] – Pretty Much Amazing
>New Politics – A Bad Girl In Harlem CD (RCA)
You will likely recognize New Politics’ single "Harlem" from the wildly popular Taco Bell Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco TV commercial.
>Scout Niblett – It’s Up To Emma CD/LP (Drag City)
“I love an album that knows how to make an entrance, an album that makes its presence known. Scout Niblett’s upcoming LP, It’s Up To Emma, very much obliges. Setting the tone with album-opener ‘Gun,’ a caustic fuck you from the vantage point of a jilted lover, Niblett douses the track in gasoline and then proceeds to dance around it, watching it burn.” – Aquarium Drunkard
>A Pale Horse Named Death – Lay My Soul To Waste CD/LP (Steamhammer)
New album from the metal project of Sal Abruscato, co-founder of Type O Negative.
>Palisades – Outcasts CD (Rise)
Palisades is a post-hardcore band from Iselin, New Jersey.
>Richard Pinhas – Desolation Row CD (Cuneiform)
Pinhas is one of France's best-known experimental musicians and is a key figure in the international development of electronic music fused with rock. Desolation Row features him in collaboration with well-known avant-garde/experimental music names like Lasse Marhaug and Oren Ambarchi, [both of whom have collaborated with sunn O)))], Noël Akchoté and Etienne Jaumet (half of the French duo Zombie Zombie).
>Radiation City – Animals In The Median CD/LP (Tender Loving Empire)
“With vintage synth grooves, ethereal harmonics and vocals that effervesce with power, Radiation City has mastered the art of packaging daydreams on their new album.” – Vox Magazine
>Darius Rucker – True Believers CD (10 Spot)
Third country album from the Hootie & The Blowfish frontman.
>Saturday Looks Good To Me – One Kiss Ends It All CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
One Kiss Ends It All has a spontaneous and breezy vibe, drawing on the reference points of ‘60s pop and early indie rock, all filtered through the band's skewed pop lens. Available on CD and on white vinyl.
>Section 25 – Love And Hate [Reissue/1988] CD (Factory Benelux)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the fourth studio album by Section 25, originally issued by Factory Records in 1988. The seven bonus tracks include both remixes of 'Bad News Week' by Bernard Sumner of New Order, released as a Factory maxi single. Also includes 'Crazy Wisdom' also features (produced by Sumner with Donald Johnson of A Certain Ratio), along with several previously unreleased demo tracks and remixes.
>Shannon And The Clams – Dreams In The Rat House CD/LP+MP3 (Hardly Art)
Shannon And The Clams features Shannon (of Hunx And His Punx) and Cody (aka King Lollipop) on songwriting duty and shared vocals. Their sound binds together doo-wop, early rock and R&B, girl group classics, vintage garage/psych, surf, and glints of punk.
>Soundtrack – Fast & Furious 6 CD (Def Jam)
The soundtrack to Fast & Furious 6 includes songs by Peaches, T.I, 2 Chainz, Ludacri featuring Usher and David Guetta, The Crystal Method and more.
>Source Family – Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD/LP (Drag City)
In 2007, the release of Isis Aquarian's book The Source: The Untold Story Of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13 & The Source Family, opened the doors on the mysterious and influential doings of The Source Family -- and now sees a definitive documentary film on the subject, entitled The Source Family. This is the soundtrack.
>Thirty Seconds To Mars – Love Lust Faith + Dreams CD/LP (Virgin)
The fourth album from the band led by Jared Leto. Written and recorded around the world from Europe, to India, to the bands studio in California, Love Lust Faith + Dreams was produced by Leto with previous collaborator Steve Lillywhite (U2, The Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel) co-producing four of the 12 tracks.
>Timo Tolkki's Avalon – Land Of New Hope CD/CD+DVD (Frontiers)
New album from former Stratovarius songwriter/guitarist Timo Tolkki. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a DVD featuring a making of the album documentary and videoclip for “Enshrined In My Memory.”
>Townes Van Zandt – High, Low And In Between [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Omnivore)
Townes Van Zandt – The Late Great Townes Van Zandt [Reissue/1972] CD/LP (Omnivore)
Reissues of Van Zandt's critically acclaimed fifth and sixth albums, which were originally released in 1971 and 1972, respectively.
>Various Artists – Enjoy The Experience: Homemade Records 1958-1992 2xCD/2xLP (Now Again)
A collection of psych, funk, folk, jazz, lounge, boogie and straight up weirdness from American private press albums, Enjoy The Experience is the most comprehensive overview of the American "private press" movement. Take note: this is not a novelty freak show. Contained in this anthology are examples of some of the most highly regarded rock, soul, jazz, funk and singer/ songwriter cuts from the ‘60s through the early ‘80s. (The associated book, Enjoy The Experience: Homemade Records 1958-1992 by Johan Kugelberg, is also available, but sold seperately.)
>The Wild – Dreams Are Maps CD/LP (Asian Man)
Dreams Are Maps earnestly explores the intersection of the political and personal aspects of life. The Wild’s earthy songwriting is both urgent and peaceful, combining folky storytelling with punk rock energy. Produced by Against Me's Laura Jane Grace.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Queen – On Fire: Live At The Bowl [Reissue] 2xDVD (Eagle Vision)
Live At The Hollywood Bowl was filmed on the Hot Space tour on June 5, 1982 at the Milton Keynes Bowl. Disc One features the concert in its entirety. Disc Two features bonus interviews, a photo gallery and bonus performances from Tokyo & Vienna.
>The Rolling Stones – Crossfire Hurricane DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle Vision)
Directed by Brett Morgen, Crossfire Hurricane is released as part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations of The Rolling Stones. This superb new film tells the story of the Stones unparalleled journey from blues obsessed teenagers in the early sixties to their undisputed status as rock royalty. All of The Rolling Stones have been newly interviewed and their words form the narrative arc that links together archive footage of performances, news coverage and interviews, much of it previously unseen. 147 minutes.
Vinyl:
>Adult. – The Way Things Fall CD (Ghostly International)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Way Things Fall the Adult's first full length since 2007's Why Bother? is a record that sounds both focused and coherent, flowing with a conceptual ease.
>Caribou – Stop Breaking My Heart [Reissue/2001] LP+CD (Leaf)
Caribou – Milk Of Human Kindness [Reissue/2005] LP+CD (Leaf)
It’s hard to believe it’s been twelve years since Dan Snaith released his first album as Manitoba back in the spring of 2001. In fact, April 2013 marks the tenth anniversary of his breakthrough album Up In Flames, still the biggest selling album in The Leaf Label’s history. To celebrate, Leaf is re-releasing his first three albums, making them available on vinyl for the first time in years.
(Up In Flames is due June 11.)
>Crow 44 – Crow 44 LP (Stone’s Throw)
Crow 44 is aesthetically wedged somewhere between de-tuned surf breeze, lo-fi jams, and new age.
>Dead Gaze – Dead Gaze LP (FatCat)
Such emotionally honest, hippy-laced lyrics bring to mind Yoshimi-era Flaming Lips, but the album covers a vast sonic terrain from thrashy pop-punk of Buzzcocks intensity to the tidal wash of "Future Love's & Sing Abouts," and the psychedelic swirl of "There's Time To Be Stupid." Sits comfortably alongside contemporaries such as Cloud Nothings, White Fence & Ty Segall.
>Digable Planets – Blowout Comb [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Modern Classics)
Double vinyl LP pressing of the 1994 sophomore album by Brooklyn-based hip-hop trio Digable Planets. Following the gold-selling commercial success of their debut, they here set out to prove their artistic prowess. This is intelligent, alternative Hip Hop that sounded like party music. Its lyrics are dense with wit, social commentary and politics -- and its original inner sleeve was modeled on the newspaper of the Black Panther movement.
>Frightened Rabbit – Sing The Greys [Reissue/2006] LP (FatCat)
Vinyl reissue of Frightened Rabbit’s debut LP. For those only acquainted with the lush later works of the band, their first album will give insight into where those raw-nerve breakup ballads and biting pop songs got their start.
>The Handsome Family – Wilderness LP+MP3 (Carrot Top)
Recently released on CD – now available on Regular and Deluxe vinyl. The deluxe version comes in a box with a 72-pg book, an 11x17" poster, and a six postcard set. Appalachian holler, psychedelic rock, Tin Pan Alley, and medieval ballads continue to inform The Handsome Family’s unique brand of Americana, while an affinity for parlor ballads and clawhammer banjo has crept in with Wilderness. This is haunting music in the most wonderful way–brilliant, emotionally charged and completely unique.
>Komodina 3 – Komodina 3 LP (Slovenly)
Back in 2005 this Thessaloniki, Greece crew of degenerates records an album, makes 80 compact disc copies, and hand-delivers them to some local kooks. Fast forward to the present and this mysterious freak punk beater is finally getting the proper vinyl treatment. The disastrous, teeth-grinding missing link between The Penetrators King Of Basement Rock LP, The Rip Offs uber-classic Got A Record, and the current garage punk scene.
>k-os – BLack On BLonde LP (Nettwerk)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Recorded at Hayden Christensen's deserted Laurel Canyon mansion, BLack On BLonde is comprised of two essential records: an album of rock tracks on which k-os sings and plays drums, guitar and bass, and an album of hip-hop jams. Featured guests include Black Thought of The Roots and Cory Hart.
>Maninkari – Phantasmes 12” (Three Four)
Soundtrack to Thomas Pantalacci's film Phantasmes. Maninkari is an instrumental duet combining improvisation and original composition, with a hint on ambient, gloomy, minimalist, jazz, rock and surreal sounds that forms organic layers of ancestral, dark and repetitive tunes that blend percussion instruments, viola, cimbalom, keyboards, and samples to reach mysticism at its climax.
>Om – Gethsemane Dubplate 12” (Drag City)
The second of two dub-inspired remix 12"s on Drag City for OM. Features "Gethsemane" from Advaitic Songs and "Garden Of Gethsemane" from Alpha & Omega.
>Primus – Sailing The Seas Of Cheese [Reissue/1991] LP (Interscope)
HQ-200 audiophile vinyl reissue of Primus’ remastered 1991 debut. Deluxe and expanded double-disc (CD+DVD) version due June 11.
>Public Enemy – 25th Anniversary Vinyl Collection 9xLP (Def Jam)
The Public Enemy 25th Anniversary Vinyl Collection celebrates a landmark 25 years since the band’s first release, bringing together the complete original Def Jam studio album catalogue on HQ-180 vinyl, in a limited edition box set.
>Emeli Sandé – Our Vision [2012] LP (Capitol)
2012 debut album from the British singer/songwriter. She has written for a number of artists, including Cher Lloyd, Parade, Susan Boyle, Preeya Kalidas, Leona Lewis, Alesha Dixon, Cheryl Cole, and Tinie Tempah.
>Sic Alps – She’s On Top 12” (Drag City)
She's On Top is a three-song 12" single, a B-12-booster shot extract straight from the heart of Sic Alps to the inner lining of your own poor broke-crippled ripcage ribself. This is how the other half lives, laughs and loves! It's fun and exciting, a picture from the airplane! Sic Alps are like you. They're your friends -- the better, smarter, faster, stronger ones!
>Sqürl – EP 1 12”+MP3 (ATP Recordings)
Sqürl is a new trio comprised of Jim Jarmusch, Carter Logan, and Shane Stoneback. The group’s sound is slow, psychedelic, and atmospheric. Elements as diverse as the doom-laden instrumentalist drone of sunn O))) and Wooden Shjips, can be found as well as the classic Americana of Neil Young's Crazy Horse, and a hazy, distorted ‘50s country twang recalling nighttime Memphis.
>The Virgins – Prima Materia b/w Island Girl 7”+MP3 (Cult)
The New York indie-darlings continue to channel the quintessential early downtown punk sound of Television or The Modern Lovers.
14 MAY 2013
>Chris Abrahams – Memory Night CD (Room40)
Abrahams is the pianist for Australian liminal improvisation trio The Necks. Memory Night is what can only be described as a profound rendering of contemporary composition -- a powerful yet delicate evocation of sound where instruments and electronics melt and are reformed.
>Trace Adkins – Love Will CD (Show Dog)
This collection of sexy grooves, heart-wrenching ballads and up-tempo anthems about the world’s greatest emotion are worthy additions to Adkins long list of career hits.
>Adult. – The Way Things Fall CD (Ghostly International)
The Way Things Fall, the band's first full length since 2007's Why Bother?, is a record that sounds both focused and coherent, flowing with a conceptual ease. Vinyl version due May 21.
>Sam Amidon – Bright Sunny South CD (Nonesuch)
Bright Sunny South features a band made up of Bartlett and multi-instrumentalists Shahzad Ismaily and Chris Vatalaro. Jazz trumpeter Kenny Wheeler also makes a cameo. Amidon himself not only sings but also plays banjo, fiddle, acoustic guitar, and piano on the album.
>Anamanaguchi – Endless Fantasy CD (Dream.Hax)
Anamanaguchi, the band behind Scott Pilgrim Vs.The World: The Game's soundtrack, is back with their second full length album. Vinyl version due June 11.
>Anonymous – Inside The Shadow [Reissue/1976] CD/LP (Machu Piccu)
This 1976 album combines the adventure of West Coast ballroom groups, the 12-string majesty of The Byrds, and breathtaking multi-part harmonies to forge something inimitable and one-of-a-kind.
>Arckanum – Fenris Kindir CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
Sweden's black metal troll Arckanum return with his eighth opus, Fenris Kindir. Equal parts ripping riffs and howled vocals from the edge of Ragnarok, the album expands on the darkness of Helvítismyrkr and finds them taking a battle-axe to the world.
>Beaches – She Beats CD/LP (Chapter Music)
Second album from the sprawling Melbourne psych-rock five-piece.
>Bibio – Silver Wilkinson CD/LP (Warp)
“Stephen Wilkinson seems to occupy his own universe. Using his home studio, the producer is able to craft warped, woozy nuggets of electronic pop music which seem to break rules you hadn't even considered were capable of being broken.” – clashmusic.com
>Blank Tapes – Vacation CD/LP+MP3 (Antenna Farm)
Blank Tapes is Matt Adams, a soft-spoken kid from a Southern California suburb who learned to play practically every instrument a good garage band needs, and then started making beautifully idiosyncratic records on his trusty home eight-track. Full of the kind of three-part harmonies the Wilson Brothers used to love, Vacation has songs that transplant the style and sentiment of immortals like Ray Davies and Robyn Hitchcock, Kris Kristofferson and Lou Reed, into modern garage pop.
>Jason Boland And The Stragglers – Dark & Dirty Mile CD (Proud Souls)
New album from the old school country purists, co-produced with Shooter Jennings.
>Boxer Rebellion – Promises CD/LP (INgrooves)
New studio album from London based indie rock quartet. Moving away from the more analog and darker soundscapes that enveloped the band's previous album, Promises is a significant step in a different direction for the four-piece -- a hi-fi, soaring piece of work that truly delivers on the band's epic, signature sound, and individual skill as musicians.
>Randall Bramblett – The Bright Spots CD (NWT)
Bramblett's tenth studio album finds familiar territory with the Southern-driven funk and Americana soul he has long been known for. Vinyl version due June 4.
>Brother JT – The Svelteness Of Boggietude CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Brother JT is Central, PA’s John Terlesky whose freewheeling boundless music has been released under many different monikers: Brother JT & Vibrolux, Brother JT3, and most commonly Brother JT. Brother JT is a moniker that finds Terlesky’s songwriting and ample guitar skills taking a decidedly psychedelic form but never deviating too far from the classic song structure.
The Svelteness Of Boogietude is a typical of JT s output in certain ways -- rockers mixed with ballads, all of them crafted with casual elegance -- but there are new elements here as well.
>Cindytalk – A Life Is Everywhere CDEP/LP (Editions Mego)
An ecstatic mix of rhythm, noise, drone, texture, and melody. Simultaneously heartfelt and not for the faint-hearted.
>Classixx – Hanging Gardens CD/2xLP (Innovative Leisure)
“California production duo Classixx made their name as remixers, but their new album Hanging Gardens is a worthy individual endeavor, one that brings a swooning Cali-pop melodic slickness to the stripped-down, synthetic thump of ye olde Chicago house music. Active Child and LCD Soundsystem’s Nancy Whang guest on the album, and it’s a fun and breezy listen” -- Stereogum
>The Cleaners From Venus – The Cleaners From Venus, Vol. 2 4xCD (Captured Tracks)
The Cleaners From Venus – Songs From A Fallow Land LP (Captured Tracks)
The Cleaners From Venus – Wartime Conditions LP (Captured Tracks)
The Cleaners From Venus – In The Golden Autumn LP (Captured Tracks)
The Cleaners From Venus – A Dawn Chorus LP (Captured Tracks)
The legendary lo-fi band The Cleaners From Venus formed in the small town of Wivenhoe, southeast England at the turn of 1980s by Martin Newell. The man, the myth, but to rock singer and part-time kitchen porter with a love of sunny 1960s pop music, punk rock and musical comedy. These four albums span the next chapter in the unveiling of the entire discography from the band (1981-1985). One album included here contains 12 unreleased songs, making it the first new release from the band in over 25 years, dubbed A Dawn Chorus: Early Cleaners And Beyond.
>Mike Cooper – White Shadows In The South Seas CD (Room40)
A Pacific sunset-like dream spanning the horizon in pulsing waves of richly colored rhythms, tropical sound fields and island-inspired slide guitar.
>Cristal – Homegoing CD (Hand-held Recordings)
J. Anthony, G. Darden and R. Donne (Labradford, Spokane, ex-Aix Em Klemm) journey through simmering electronic, wide-screen vistas to seismic, swelling and undulating soundscapes. File alongside latter-day Biosphere, Deathprod (especially both Helge Sten and Cristal’s attention to the minutest sonic detail), and the later, electronically based Zoviet France releases.
>Deep ?urp!e – Now What?! CD/CD+DVD/2xLP (Eagle Rock)
Produced by Bob Ezrin, who has worked on various Kiss or Alice Cooper records but also on Pink Floyd's legendary album The Wall, Deep ?urp!e have managed to record an album that has the excellence and elegance of Perfect Strangers and the wild freedom of Made In Japan. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. a bonus track and a bonus DVD featuring Deep Purple in conversation plus additional audio material.
>The Del-Lords – Elvis Club CD (Megaforce)
Elvis Club finds the New York-bred foursome pretty much picking up where they left off, embodying the same musical swagger and true-believer passion that originally made them one of America’s most compelling rock & roll bands, while adding a new sense of experience and perspective that lends new depth to Kempner’s personally-charged songwriting and the band’s infectiously gritty urban garage-roots-rock.
>Depeche Mode – Sooth My Soul CDEP (Columbia)
New two-track single from the recently released Delta Machine features the non-album track “Goodbye (Gesaffelstein Remix).”
>The Dillinger Escape Plan – One Of Us Is The Killer CD (ADA)
“Known for their incendiary live performances as much as they are their polarizing musical output, The Dillinger Escape Plan continues to tread a volatile course throughout One Of Us Is The Killer. Following a similar trajectory to that of Option Paralysis, this latest affair pits melody against a whirlwind of challenging sonic shrapnel.” – theprp.com
>Dump – I Can Hear Music [Reissue/1994] 2xCD/3xLP (Morr Music)
Reissue of the second album by the solo project of James McNew (Yo La Tengo) -- expanded with bonus material.
>Dungeonesse – Dungeonesse CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
Dungeoness is the pop project of Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Flock Of Dimes) and Jon Ehrens (White Life). The charming strength of their music rests in the dichotomy formed by of a bold re-introduction of the beautiful imperfections of the human voice into a landscape of what is an increasingly mechanized process of music making.
>Eluvium – Nightmare Ending 2xCD (Temporary Residence)
Nightmare Ending is the first proper Eluvium album released since 2010's Similes, the unexpectedly vocal-heavy ambient-pop record that simultaneously delighted and confounded longtime fans. But the Nightmare Ending story actually began years earlier, as it was intended to be the follow-up to the watershed album, Copia. Conceived as a way of helping loosen his self-imposed ideals of perfection, Cooper labeled each Nightmare Ending track as either a "dream," or an "imperfection" a way of differentiating the philosophical concept of "dream vs. reality."
>Tommy Emmanuel/Martin Taylor – Conel & The Governor CD (Mesa Bluemoon)
New collaboration between two world-class guitarists.
>Escape The Fate – Ungrateful CD/CD+DVD/2xLP (Eleven Seven Music)
The fourth album from the Las Vegas-based post-hardcore band, Ungrateful was produced by John Feldmann, who also produced the band's second album This War Is Ours. It is also the first album without bassist Max Green, and features his replacement TJ Bell (ex-Motionless In White) and new full-time member Michael Money on rhythm guitar. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds two bonus audio tracks with two official music videos and the full live show from The Roxy in L.A.
>Eve – Lip Lock CD (From The Rib)
Lip Lock, the Philly native's fourth album, marks the singer’s confident return to music under her own label, and some new songs in tow. The album features collaborations with Pusha T, Juicy J, Snoop Dogg, Gave Saporta of Corbra Starship, Chrisette Michele, Dawn Richard, and more.
>Agnetha Fältskog – A CD (Verve)
The siren songstress from ABBA returns with a new album.
>Four Tet – Rounds [Reissue/2003] 2xCD/2xLP+CD (Domino)
Domino’s ten-year anniversary reissue features the original album as well as a live bonus CD recorded in Copenhagen near the time of the album's initial release.
>The Features – The Features CD (BMG)
Falling somewhere in the middle between mainstream and hipster, The Feature’s sound is an amalgamation of influences and inspirations - spanning elements of Krautrock, indie, psychedelia, and classic AOR. Vinyl version due May 28.
>Gold & Youth – Beyond Wilderness CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)
Beyond Wilderness evokes memories of neo-noir L.A.’s cinematic haze and midnight solitudes. Dark and expansive synthetic textures are punctuated by programmed drums and interwoven with melancholy vocals, detuned synth melodies and understated guitars. The album varies from the cold, industrial sound of Depeche Mode to the tenderness of Avalon-era Roxy Music.
>Gotye – Like Drawing Blood [Reissue/2006] CD/LP (Republic)
US pressing of this 2006 album from the Belgium born/Australia-based singer/songwriter. All sounds on the album were collected and assembled or performed by Wally De Backer in bedrooms around Melbourne between 2003 and 2005. Musically, it's another mixed bag with a subtle thread holding it all together- alt-pop with a broad sonic and thematic palette.
>Amy Grant – How Mercy Looks From Here CD (Amy Grant Productions/Sparrow)
Working closely with highly acclaimed producer, Marshall Altman (Brooke Frasier, Natasha Beddingfield, Matt Nathanson), Grant releases her first studio album in over 10 years.
>John Grant – Pale Green Ghosts CD/LP (Partisan)
Recorded in Iceland and featuring Sinead O’Connor on guest vocals, the brilliant Pale Green Ghosts adds sublime notes of dark, gleaming electronica to the anticipated velveteen ballads, calling on all of Grant's influences and tastes, presenting an artist at the peak of his powers.
>Grey March – Grey March CD (Hand/Eye)
Grey March is a powerful musical collaboration with members each contributing from widely varied influences, drawing from the American punk movement and the European underground. Gritty and honest -- coming from the darker side of popular music, their sound reflects a post-punk sensibility.
>The Handsome Family – Wilderness CD (Carrot Top)
Appalachian holler, psychedelic rock, Tin Pan Alley, and medieval ballads continue to inform The Handsome Family’s unique brand of Americana, while an affinity for parlor ballads and clawhammer banjo has crept in with Wilderness. This is haunting music in the most wonderful way–brilliant, emotionally charged and completely unique. Vinyl version due next week.
>Head East – Raise A Little Hell CD (CME Records & Film)
New album from the classic good-time rockers, best known for their signature song “Never Been
Any Reason” (which was popularized by the film Dazed And Confused).
>Pete Holmes – Nice Try, The Devil CD+DVD (Comedy Central)
In his first hour-long special on Comedy Central, comedian and podcast host (You Made It Weird) Pete Holmes perfects his signature silliness and really gets into that time Juan won one. While he may look like a youth pastor, he's as comfortable talking about religion as he is secretly hating his girlfriend's friends and being a straight man who is 100% Gay for Ryan Gosling.
>The Hot 8 Brass Band – Tombstone CD (Tru Thoughts)
Tombstone is the second part of a two-album project, and is dedicated to the fallen members of the Hot 8 Brass Band. Far from being downbeat, this is an inspiring and raucous collection.
>Immolation – Kingdom Of Conspiracy CD (Nuclear Blast)
“Kingdom Of Conspiracy is not a state-of-the-art death metal record. Whether you're judging by speed and technicality or by sheer enveloping atmosphere -- see recent releases by Wormed and Defeated Sanity on one hand, or Portal and Abyssal on the other -- you'll have no trouble finding albums with more impressive on-paper stats. What this ninth Immolation full-length is, though, is something even more satisfying: a state-of-the-art Immolation LP, and a continuation of a hot streak by one of the most rewarding veteran acts in the genre.” [8.0] – Pitchfork. Vinyl version due June 11.
>Iron Forest – Body Horror CD (Crucial Blast)
The eight songs on Body Horror are forged from gleaming metallic drones, glitchy electronica and vast clouds of interstellar synthesizer that wind around fractured, doom-laden riffs.
>Jaga Jazzist - Live With the Britten Sinfonia CD/2xLP (Ninja Tune)
“Yes, yes, we know what you're thinking. It's a live album, and when are those ever very exciting? But just remember that they really can be, and trust us when we say that this one really, truly is. Like a modern day Live At Leeds, like the benevolent, neon twin of Live Evil, Jaga Jazzist's wondrous new record is just that; a brilliant album on its own terms. It's a psychedelic Bond soundtrack twisting and turning from the stage, propelling the listener forward on an epic emotional voyage. At times it seems to explode from the speakers in pure, exuberant color, making you wonder if you've recently developed synesthesia.”
>Jah Cure – World Cry CD (SoBe)
“Jah Cure’s sixth album, 'World Cry,' shows Jah Cure in a different light compared to his previous albums. Where The Universal Cure – his fifth album – was reggae influenced by contemporary R&B, it’s the other way around with World Cry. This set is mostly contemporary R&B and electronic dance music spiced with dancehall and reggae.” – unitedreggae.com
>Jenny – Love & Politics CD (Sudden Death)
This explosive four-piece, hailing from Calgary, Canada, adroitly combines tales of love, politics and—perhaps—the Canadian soul itself. Their blend of heartfelt folk and riveting punk offers simply four chords and the truths.
>Glenn Jones – My Garden State CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Jones’ fifth album is a collection of original compositions for solo acoustic 6 and 12-string guitar and 5-string banjo. Features guest appearances from Laura Baird and Meg Baird (Espers).
>Kadavar – Abra Kadavar CD (Nuclear Blast)
New album from the riff-heavy hard rockers, the follow-up to their self-titled debut.
>Kings Of Leon – The Collection Box 5xCD+DVD (Legacy)
The Collection brings together, in one custom collectible box, all five KoL albums, each featuring bonus tracks previously only available on international pressings, as well as 2009's Live At The O2 London, England DVD.
>Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood – Black Pudding CD/LP (Ipecac)
Lanegan, never one to shy away from unique collaborations, has previously worked with Isobel Campbell, Greg Dulli and as a member of The Screaming Trees, Queens Of The Stone Age and Soulsavers. On this collaboration, Lanegan says: ''Duke Garwood is one of my all-time favorite artists -- working with him has been one of the best experiences of my recording life.'' Lanegan and Garwood met a few years ago while playing on the same bill and Garwood was a frequent opener on Lanegan's recent European tour.
>La Vida Bohème – Sera CD (Nacional)
This Caracas, Venezuela band takes its influence from late '80s punk, disco, funk, electronic music, jazz, salsa, reggae and dance music.
>Ben Lee – Ayahuasca: Welcome To The Work CD (Ten Fingers)
“Ayahuasca: Welcome To The Work is Ben Lee's most ambitious work to date. The 10-track set is meditative, atmospheric, often joyous and yet sometimes also dark. An exhilarating listen, Ben has described the album as a ‘sonic document’ of his experiences with the medicinal plant Ayahuasca. A jungle vine found in South America, Ayahuasca is known as the ‘death vine,’ or ‘vine of souls’ and has been used as a healing medicine by shamans for thousands of years.” – lojinx.com
>Huey Lewis & The News – Sports [30th Anniversary Edition] 2xCD (Universal)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition pairs each of the original album's nine songs (four of which were Top Ten hits in 1983-84) with choice live versions on a second disc, many of which have never before been released.
>Demi Lovato – Demi CD (Hollywood)
Actress/vocalist Demi Lovato began making a name for herself after starring alongside the Jonas Brothers in the 2008 Disney Channel movie Camp Rock. Her fourth album features the single “Heart Attack.”
>Christian McBride & Inside Out – People Music CD (Mack Avenue)
Jazz bassist Christian McBride is regarded as a virtuoso, and is one of the most recorded musicians of his generation, having appeared on close to 300 recordings as a sideman before the age of 40.
>Bobby McFerrin – Spirityouall CD (Sony Masterworks)
Bobby McFerrin brings it all back home with his new album, Spirityouall, re-imagining Americana with beloved spirituals and original songs.
>Mindless Self Indulgence – How I Learned To Stop Giving A Sh!t & Love CD (Metropolis)
Mindless Self Indulgence is an inflammatory band mixing influences of punk rock, hip-hop, and driving electronic music to create an unrestrained sound.
>Mors Sonat – Comforts In Atrocity CD (Crucial Blast)
Across six long tracks, Comforts In Atrocity blends darkly gorgeous chamber music sounds (aided by guest cellist Aaron Martin), blasts of excoriating black noise, pools of cloudy dark ambience, clanking industrial horror and vicious bouts of power electronics abuse.
>PJ Morton – New Orleans CD (Young Money/Republic)
The Maroon 5 keyboardist/backing vocalist makes his major label debut.
>MS MR – Secondhand Rapture CD/LP (Columbia)
Secondhand Rapture is the debut album from NYC-based indie-pop duo comprised of Lizzy Plapinger (MS) and Max Hershenow (MR). In May of 2012 MS MR mysteriously released the eye-catching video for their single "Hurricane," which was named ‘Best New Track’ by Pitchfork.
>Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon CD (Columbia)
Sing To The Moon is the critically acclaimed debut album by Laura Mvula. The 26-year-old classically trained singer-songwriter's music fuses orchestral soul with velvety harmonies and emotional vocals, utilizing her formal training at the Birmingham Conservatoire along with hints of her Caribbean background.
>Angel Olsen – Half Way Home CD (Bathetic/Jagjaguwar)
Olsen’s critically acclaimed 2012 LP is now available on CD. Half Way Home is a continuation of her elegance brought forth on Strange Cacti, a collection of both new and old music, honed and matured, thoughts revisited. We're hearing this same beautiful girl with that same beautiful voice, this time brought up to a new level, in no doubt a growth and reach brought on by several roadtrips with the one and only Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & crew.
>OMD – English Electric CD+DVD (BMG)
Deluxe edition featuring bonus DVD. 12th studio album from the British synthpop legends and the second since the reformation of the original band (Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes). Andy McCluskey says of the album: “The overarching feel tends to be a sense of loss, of melancholia, that things haven’t turned out the way you wanted them to, whether it be with technology or personal relationships.”
>The Orange Peels – Sun Moon CD/LP (Minty Fresh)
Navigating post-rock, indie-pop and nouveau psychedelia with melody as their compass, Allen Clapp & Co. deliver not just a collection of songs, but a panoramic view of Northern California life.
>Orchid – The Mouths Of Madness CD (Nuclear Blast)
This San Francisco heavy rock band walks in the footsteps of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and even Pink Floyd Vinyl version due May 28.
>pacificUV – After The Dream You Are Awake CD/LP (Mazarine)
An expansive sonic terrain that includes dream-pop, spacerock, shoegaze, and post-rock elements, working with a rotating cast of all-star musicians that has included members of Phosphorescent, Dream Boat, Of Montreal, and Olivia Tremor Control.
>Peals – Walking Field CD/LP+7” (Thrill Jockey)
Peals is a new band led by William Cashion (Future Islands) and Bruce Willen (Double Dagger), members of two of Baltimore’s most dynamic live bands. Formed in early 2012, the duo has turned inward for their debut Walking Field, crafting a meditative and exploratory headphone panorama of the highest order. From the first moment, they set aside the basses of their high-profile post-punk outfits for acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, tambourines, toy pianos, and other sonic tools in pursuit of a stripped-down, warm living-room atmosphere. Vinyl edition features a bonus 7” with two non-album tracks.
>Phantom Limb – The Pines CD (Naim Audio Ltd)
Phantom Limb sits at the exceptional crossroads between country and soul music. The massive Aretha Franklin-esque voice of Yolanda Quartey blends with a super-talented country blues band and some CSN&Y harmonies to form a unique sound that you would never expect to come from Britain, of all places.
>Pinkish Black – Razed To The Ground CD/LP (Century Media)
As one of the heaviest bands of late to feature no stringed instruments, Pinkish Black uses aura and emotions to attain what other bands fail to do. All this was found on the band's self-titled debut. Razed To The Ground continues where their eponymous album Pinkish Black left off: gloomy and unsettling doom creating inexplicable results.
>Pop Evil – Onyx CD/LP (eOne)
Pop Evil’s brand new third album is a triumph of hard rock perseverance and rabble-rousing attitude, the type of record that inspires likeminded outsiders to optimism.
>Jessica Pratt – Jessica Pratt CD/LP (Birth)
“To say that Jessica Pratt is an old soul would be a vast understatement,” says Jenn Pelly of Pitchfork. “The young San Francisco singer/songwriter’s deeply intimate folk sounds so sincerely cast in from the 1960s that it’s hard to believe she didn’t release a proper LP during that period of time.”
>Mike Pride – Birthing Days CD (AUM Fidelity)
Mike Pride – Drummer’s Corpse CD (AUM Fidelity)
Singularly gifted drummer/composer Mike Pride is prolifically active as a leader/accompanist in a wide variety of groups and genres: metal, noise, avant-garde rock, free music, and modern jazz. This May, AUM Fidelity presents two of the most profound and potent albums he has created to date.
>Project Pitchfork – Black 2xCD (COP International)
Epic and anthemic, Project Pitchfork’s return is laden with moving hymns, timeless melodies, and deep poetic lyrics. But as always, their immortal trademark sounds lurk in the new material and unite with new impulses to form an explosive cocktail of sound, showering the electro world in a novel, fascinating light.
>Pure X – Crawling Up The Stairs CD/LP (Acephale)
Crawling Up The Stairs is the second LP from Austin, TX psych rockers Pure X. They stay true to the dense sound they explored on their last album, Pleasure, but add twinkling atmospherics and a new clarity to their carefully cultivated, emotionally heavy songs.
>R.E.M. – Green [25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] 2xCD/LP (Rhino)
Expanded, remastered reissue of R.E.M.’s 1989 album features a disc of live performances taken from the penultimate show of their epic 130-date Green World Tour. The set is packaged in a hard clamshell box (similar to previous R.E.M. reissues) and comes with four postcards and a foldout poster, plus insightful liner notes by Uncut editor, Allan Jones.
>The Resistance – Scars CD (Eagle Rock)The Resistance consists of former members of In Flames, The Haunted, and Grave. Their debut album is a pure reminiscence to the good old days of Swedish death metal back in the 1980s/1990s. Vinyl version due May 28.
>Saltland – I Thought It Was Us But It Was All Of Us CD/LP (Constellation)
New project led by Montreal cellist Rebecca Foon (Esmerine, A Silver Mt. Zion, Set Fire To Flames), featuring Jamie Thompson (Unicorns) and guest players from Little Scream, Patrick Watson Band, and Bell Orchestre. Multi-layered cello and hushed vocals at the intersection of drone, no-wave, improv, dream-pop and minimalism.
>Slightly Stoopid & Friends – Live At Roberto’s TRI Studios 2xCD+DVD (Stoopid)
On September 13, 2011, Slightly Stoopid was invited by the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir into his state-of-the-art TRI Studios for a live webcast and in-studio performance. Utilizing the technology of their studio's Constellation sound system, Slightly Stoopid had the privilege to invite some of their close friends and family down to record Live at Roberto's TRI Studios, performing alongside Weir as well as Karl Denson, Don Carlos, Ivan Neville, Ian Neville and host Tommy Chong.
>Small Black – Limits Of Desire CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
Where 2010's New Chain was a lesson in maximalist pop, Limits Of Desire finds the band trimming their sound to the essentials, yet hitting new and unexpected heights with the addition of live drums, electric guitar and trumpet to their existing palette. The title track whirls softly, and channels luminaries Tears For Fears and The Blue Nile.
>Snowden – No One In Control CD/LP (Serpents & Snakes)
After more than a half-decade after their breakthrough debut album, Snowden returns with No One In Control. Jordan Jeffares -- the multi-talented mind behind Snowden -- toiled for almost six years, pushing himself and his music ever closer to madness, and that hermetic intensity can be heard in each facet of the record, finely etched with the help of producer Bill Skibbe (John Spencer, Blues Explosion, The Kills, Fiery Furnaces).
>Standish/Carlyon – Deleted Scenes CD/LP (Felte)
Debut album by the futurist dub pop duo (comprising bassist/vocalist Conrad Standish and guitarist Tom Carlyon) both formerly of noir rock group Devastation. In rich baritone or impressive falsetto, Standish intones dark, absurdist lyrics over the band’s shimmering take on dub, a sensual, ultramodern gloss disturbed by deep vibrations.
>George Strait – Love Is Everything CD (MCA Nashville)
The country music legend releases his 40th album.
>Survival – Survival CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Survival is an album of dark and meditative heavy rock. Hunter Hunt-Hendrix (Liturgy), Greg Smith, and Jeff Bobula have been playing together for over a decade and recorded this album as Survival with Colin Marston (Krallice, Dysrhythmia) at The Thousand Caves. Syncopated riffs, intricate rhythms and atypical time signatures create dramatic and complex melodic lines that provide a bed for chant-like lyrics.
>Chip Taylor – Block Out The Sirens Of This Lonely World CD (Train Wreck)
Chip Taylor follows his string of critically acclaimed and Top 10 Americana albums with an astonishing album of moody, sometimes foreboding songs that find dark clouds everywhere but a few silver linings as well.
>Irma Thomas – In Between Tears [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Alive)
Produced by legendary soul singer / songwriter / producer Jerry Williams Jr., aka Swamp Dogg,
and featuring Duane Allman on two songs, In Between Tears is finally back in print with its original cover for the first time since 1973. “A lost classic that captures deep soul at its most poignant and resonant, couchin Thomas’ deeply affecting vocals in earthy arrangements that emphasize the singer’s gospel roots.” – AMG
>Marques Toliver – Land Of Canaan CD (Bella Union)
Toliver’s debut full length is a blend of R&B and classical music. Vinyl version due June 11.
>Tone Of Arc – The Time Was Right CD (No. 19 Music)
Tone Of Arc is the project of Dead Seal's Derrick Boyd and Zoe Presnick. The tracks they've put out (and the performances they've played) have revealed a distinctly pop-oriented sound, looping vocals and guitar over melodic house beat.
>Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Mind Control CD/2xLP (Metal Blade)
Imagine the original Alice Cooper band jamming in a cell with early Black Sabbath and the Stooges, whilst sitting on murder charges, and you may get a glimpse into their fuzzed up world of exploding tube amps and cymbal smashing mayhem.
>Vår - No One Dances Quite Like My Brothers CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
What began as the extremely lo-fi two-piece of Elias Rønnenfelt (Iceage) and Loke Rahbek recording on 4-track has evolved into an experimental noise/industrial/techno pop quartet. On this album Vår utilize everything from acoustic guitar, power electronics, bass, trumpet, multi-tracked vocals, and various percussive instruments, to broken glass and sheet metal samples.
>Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires Of The City CD/2xLP (XL)
Modern Vampires Of The City is Vampire Weekend's third album, and it is a bustling world of voices and visions from the death of Henry Hudson to the Orthodox girl falling in love at an uptown falafel shop, from Hannah Hunt tearing up the New York Times on a distant beach to the lethal chandelier of "Everlasting Arms," from the ardent yearning of "Don't Lie" to the harmonized voice of hope in "Young Lion". The album has a grandeur and romanticism evocative of the city where it was conceived.
>Various Artists – Everybody Has A Story CD (Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital At Vanderbilt)
Many great Nashville based artists lend their talents to songs written by patients at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt through its Music Therapy program. Each song was a result of a clinical music therapy session involving the patient and a music therapist. Contributing artists include Kix Brooks, Melinda Doolittle, Fisk Jubilee Singers, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Faith HIll, Alison Krauss, Maura O'Connell, Johnny Reid, SHEL and Phil Vassar.
>Various Artists – Kenya Special: Selected East African Recordings From The 1970s & ‘80s 2xCD/3xLP+7”+MP3 (Soundway)
32 extremely rare recordings from East Africa -- an area barely touched by modern compilations.
>Various Artists – Mirror To The Soul: Music, Culture And Identity In The Caribbean 1920-72 2xCD+DVD/2xLP+DVD+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Over two years in the making, Mirror To The Soul is a new compilation and documentary film about the Caribbean, a unique collaboration between Soul Jazz Records and British Path‚, made up entirely of newsreel footage filmed during the period 1922-1970. British Path‚ was established in London in 1910 to produce newsreels screened in cinemas throughout Britain before main feature films. In the 1950s, to compete with the new medium of television, Path‚ began adding entertainment, cultural, musical and educational stories to hard news items. Path‚ eventually closed production in 1970 after accumulating over 3,500 hours of documentary history and Soul Jazz Records/Films were given full access to these film vaults for the making of this new film.
>Various Artists – Wizzz French Psychorama 1966-1970 Volume 2 CD (Born Bad)
The second volume in this classic '60s French psych compilation series features weirdo tracks from artists such as Brigitte Fontaine, Jean Et Janet, Bruno Leys, and others.
>Wampire – Curiosity CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
After forming Wampire, Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps quickly made a name for themselves in Portland, OR. Produced by Unknown Mortal Orchestra's Jacob Portrait, Curiosity is an instantly memorable album.
>Wild Nothing – Empty Estate CD/LP (Captured Tracks)
“The one-man lo-fi project that is Wild Nothing just keeps going from strength to strength. While last year's Nocturne long player heralded a more beat-laden approach for Jack Tatum than the C86 inspired song structures of predecessor Gemini, Empty Estate takes him another step further towards completing his mission of touching on every musical genre known to man.” – contactmusic.com
>The Wonder Years – The Greatest Generation CD (Hopeless)
The Greatest Generation is a realistic record. It’s three guitars turned way the f##k up. It’s a rhythm section that’s trademarked by broken cymbals and bloody bass strings, and Soupy and the band screaming their hearts out of their chests until you feel every moment of desperation and every moment of joy in the songs. Vinyl version due May 21.
>Zeromancer – Bye-Bye Borderline CD (COP International)
“Cynical, sleek, tongue-in-cheek, and always entertaining, Zeromancer belong in some perennial nightclub scene from the crammed prose of one of Bruce Sterling or William Gibson’s cyberpunk sagas.” -- Sea Of Tranquility
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Kaskade – Freaks Of Nature Tour DVD (Ultra)
The DVD from the July 27, 2012 Staples Center appearance features over 40 tracks with some of Kaskade’s best mashups and biggest hits, as well as behind-the-scenes moments and his performance at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium show in San Francisco, along with 40 other stops on the tour.
Vinyl:
>10,000 Maniacs – Music From The Motion Picture LP (Org Music)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Music From The Motion Picture is the first studio album from 10,000 Maniacs in over a decade.
>Atlas Genius – When It Was Now LP (WB)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Australian indie rockers Atlas-Genius turned heads last year with their debut single “Trojan.” “With a colorful groove, stirring beats and catchy melodies, it’s hard not to like them.” – Cause A Scene
>Bass Drum Of Death – Shattered Me b/w Crawling After You 8” (Innovative Leisure)
The lead single from BDoD’s forthcoming eponymous LP (due June 25) captures the essence of his blown-apart pop music. Pressed on a custom 8" vinyl (part of the Innov8 series) with the backing Wavves-meets-Roky Erickson track "Crawling After You."
>Bring Me The Horizon – Sempiternal 2xLP (Epitaph)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fourth studio album by the British metalcore band.
>Brown Bird – Fits Of Reason LP (Supply And Demand)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fits Of Reason retains Brown Bird’s blues and American roots music foundations while exploring heavier territory with a more prominent display of the band's Middle Eastern, metal and psych-rock influences.
>Candy Hearts – The Best Ways To Disappear 12” (Bridge Nine)
Candy Hearts’ sugary brand of punk-tinged indie delivers just the right amount of ‘90s nostalgia.
>Christie Front Drive – CFD [Reissue/1993] LP (Magic Bullet)
20th anniversary remastered reissue of Christie Front Drive’s first LP, originally issued on Freewill Records in 1993. CD version due June 7. Color vinyl.
>Cloakroom – Infinity LP+MP3 (Run For Cover)
Cloakroom channels the visceral vocals of David Bazan (Pedro The Lion), laid over quiet ethereal guitar hums that slowly grow into pounding walls of sound, at times bringing to mind a more stoned, yet delicate Jesu.
>Cvlts – Realiser LP (Aguirre)
This Kansas post-hypnagogia psych enigma create a strange distillation of improvisation, keyboards, loops and field recordings. Song-length carpets of sound with the occasional attempt at dream pop.
>The Dear Hunter – Migrant LP (Equal Vision)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fifth album from the band led by Casey Crescenzo, formerly of post-hardcore outfit The Receiving End Of Sirens.
>Discordance Axis – Jouhou [1997] LP (Hydra Head)
First time on vinyl for this 1997 release, which originally came one year before Nasum's Inhale/Exhale and four years before Pig Destroyer's Prowler In The Yard. An influential album, Jouhou signaled a sea change in world of grindcore.
>Nick Drake – Bryter Later [Reissue/1970] LP (Motown/PGD)
An exact replica of the original 1970 release, pressed on heavyweight audiophile vinyl, and remastered from near-original master tapes by the album's original engineer John Wood. Packaged in a box containing the original shop poster, a smaller 'Live' poster/brochure and a reprint of Nick's handwritten set list used for his live appearances, together with reproductions of the master tape and box lids.
>Drowningman – Busy Signal [Reissue/1999] LP (Hydra Head)
Drowningman’s debut full length is back in print on vinyl for the first time in 15 years.
>Ekin Fil – Ekin Fil LP (Students Of Decay)
Operating out of Istanbul, Ekin Fil is the solo project of Turkish musician Ekin Üzeltüzenci. Her music first came to the ears of many by way of Language, a 2011 cassette release on the Root Strata label that presented listeners with a fractured, hazy sound-world in which half-remembered melodies and wraith-like vocals cohered into dark and hypnotic masses.
>Henry Flynt – Graduation 2xLP (Superior Viaduct)
Henry Flynt took a highbrow approach to so-called lowbrow music. Combining sounds from his native North Carolina with an avant-garde sensibility honed in New York City’s loft scene in the 1960s, Flynt created what he describes as “new American ethnic music.” Shelved upon its completion in 1980, Graduation was not released until after the turn of the century. In 2013, it still sounds years ahead of its time.
>Freescha – Kids Fill The Floor [Reissue/2001] 3xLP+MP3 (Attack9)
Limited triple-vinyl LP pressing of Freescha's 2001 debut album in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket. Includes a bonus 12" of previously unreleased material, an 18" x 24" fold-out poster, out-take artwork and a digital download package with MP3s, videos, ringtones, and wallpaper. Highly recommended melodic electronica for fans of Boards Of Canada or Casino Versus Japan.
>The Gits – Second Skin 7” (Broken Rekids)
“Second Skin” was the Gits anthem and is perhaps their most powerful and popular song.
The pressing of this edition consists of 100 clear vinyl singles that were left over without covers from the ‘90s.
>The Invisible Hands – The Invisible Hands 2xLP (Abduction)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The Invisible Hands is a brand new project of Alvarius B in his patented sinister style; drenched in lovely psychedelic folk arrangements. This double-LP includes both the English and Arabic vocal versions of the record.
>Chuck Johnson – Crows In The Basilica LP+MP3 (Three Lobed)
Johnson’s songs are based on raga improvisations and Chinese melodies, the Piedmont Blues of Carolina pioneer Elizabeth Cotten and the mountain guitar of Appalachian legend Roscoe Holcomb.
>Magazine – Real Life [Reissue1978] LP (Vinilisssimo)
Vinyl reissue of punk band’s 1978 debut.
>Major Lazer – Free The Universe LP (Secretly Canadian)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the Diplo-fronted Jamaican music homage features a star studded cast, including: Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Peaches, Wyclef Jean, Bruno Mars, Tyga, as well as Amber of Dirty Projectors and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, and more.
>Man Or Astro-Man? - Analog Series Vol. 3 7” (Chunklet)
Man or Astro-Man? return with the third of three new 7"s, all preceding a new full length in 2013. Three tracks (including a non-album B-side) recorded by Steve Albini.
>Sean McCann – Prelusion LP (Root Strata)
"Our Silhouette," which blankets the whole of the first side with jewel-like piano runs and distant fading synths, may be one of the artist's most elegant moves. The reverse holds two tracks of long-form organ/string plateaus that float elegantly in space, refracting light and sound in patterns around the head.
>Daniel Menche – Marriage Of Metals LP (Editions Mego)
Marriage Of Metals is comprised of recordings of rare and ancient Gamelan gongs, heavily processed and extending the language of the Gamelan into brave new worlds.
>Messages – Mirage LP (Root Strata)
Third full-length from NY drone duo, recorded in 2008 and unreleased until now. Mirage documents the duo's earliest long-form drone explorations and intonations. Mixing orbits of homemade acoustic instruments, electric drones and percussion, this is a humid transmission sent straight from the womb.
>Mind Over Mirrors – High & Upon LP (Aguirre)
Jaime Fennelly plays his pump organ through a battery of oscillators and effects that extend and distort its tones to obtain in-the-red highs, chest-rattling mids, and low notes as bulbous and squeezable as a slightly underinflated inner tube. The end results are slow, constructive growing, repetitive melodies, and a warming wilderness of vivid harmonic depth.
>Mpala Garoo – Ou Du Monde LP (Aguirre)
Wondrous, spaced-out and multi-layered electronics that float somewhere between Ducktails and Sean McCann. "Music crafted for the sunny and tropical paradises of our minds. Seasonal temperament is shared via magnetic vibes; we can all exist in the same balmy and tropical head-state no matter what our physical locale may be. Pure vibrations that ebb and flow on the appeal of tidal moons."
>Slingshot Dakota – Dark Hearts LP (Topshelf)
Released late last year on CD – now available on vinyl. Slingshot Dakota is a two-piece in the likes of Mates of State whose blend of indie pop songs are full of hooks and passion.
>Rod Stewart – Time 2xLP (Capitol)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Time is Rod Stewarts first album of new material in almost 20 years.
>Tidal/Rambutan – Sound of The Future/Trapdoor To Infinity LP (Aguirre)
Two wonderful, long, straight-running drone pieces: Tidal blesses us with a Popol Vuh-esque ride to the future, while Rambutan contributes a beautiful accompanying magical piece to the B-side.
>Various Artists – Five Days Married & Other Laments: Songs & Dance From Northern Greece 1928-1957 LP (Angry Mom Archives)
This collection of rare music from Northern Greece circa 1928-1958 ranges from plaintive, ancient dirges to hypnotic, droning dance pieces, accompanied by liner notes and lyric translations as well as original artwork by Robert Crumb.
>We Were Skeletons – Blame And Aging LP (Top Shelf)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. With the musical prowess and aggression of bands like Fugazi and Shotmaker, We Were Skeletons’ unique brand of technical, groovy, and emotional hardcore should appeal to long-time fans of the genre while still pushing its boundaries.
07 MAY 2013
>AM & Shawn Lee – Numérique CD (Park The Van)
La Musique Numérique (French for “Digital Music”) is the second full-length record from Los Angeles/London electro soul, retro-futurists AM & Shawn Lee. LA Weekly, San Francisco Guardian, and the Seattle Weekly have lauded them as one of the "best live bands of the year.”
>Aziz Ansari – Dangerously Delicious CD (Comedy Central)
On Dangerously Delicious, Aziz regales the audience with stories about his frustrations with women, the difference between a rock tour and a stand-up tour, helping his infamous Cousin Harris write a college essay, and discovering that rapper 50 Cent does NOT know what a grapefruit is.
>Apparat – Kreig Und Frieden (Music For Theatre) CD/2xLP (Mute)
Krieg Und Frieden is an album of music based on Sebastian Hartmann’s German theatre production of Tolstoy’s War & Peace. Hartmann, considered one of the biggest innovators of contemporary German theatre, called upon Sascha Ring (aka Apparat) to contribute to this mammoth project.
>Atrocity – Okkult CD (Napalm)
The latest Atrocity opus, Okkult, is the start of an album trilogy. The band utilizes lots of bombast and big choirs, while simultaneously serving up heavy and authentic metal.
>The Bevis Frond – White Numbers 2xCD (Woronzow)
White Numbers follows in the style of 2011's The Leaving Of London, with great songs played in a panoply of styles all fed through the Bevis Frond's psychedelic mincer. We have heavy guitars, gentle acoustic balladry, punk, some great psych/pop, and even a smattering of prog organ, and if there was one complaint about the last record, it was that there were not enough of the Frond's signature guitar wig-outs. Vinyl version due May 21.
>Beware Of Darkness – Orthodox CD/LP (Bright Antenna)
Spin called Beware Of Darkness’ 2011 debut single, "Howl," a "face-stomper... think a more suped-up Black Keys concerned with pleasing the ladies with some fire-and-brimstone-y religious undertones for good measure."
>The Child Of Lov – The Child Of Lov CD/LP (Double Six/Domino)
The Child Of Lov is the debut album from Cole Williams. Cole's singing style is rich in the cadences of funk, blues and soul. His musical influences range from Stevie Wonder, Prince and J Dilla to Beck and even Tom Waits. The album features collaborations with Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) MF DOOM (Madlib) and Thundercat (Erykah Badu, Flying Lotus).
>Co La – Moody Coup CD/LP (Software)
Co La is the primary project of musician and producer Matt Papich, whose explorations of sample-based electronic music have culminated in Moody Coup. The emotional palette of the album is more complex than its exuberant predecessor Daydream Repeater. Where that record's relentlessly bucolic tone drew from the saccharine core of reggae, exotica, and ‘60s girl groups, the bedrock of Moody Coup is elusive and abstract.
>James Cotton – Cotton Mouth Man CD (Alligator)
The world famous blues harp legend teams up with some high-profile guests, including Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Ruthie Foster, Warren Haynes, Delbert McClinton, and Keb Mo, on this joyous collection of raucous boogies, sunny country blues and brash Chicago shuffles.
>Mikal Cronin – MCII CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
“On Mikal Cronin's first album for Merge, the Ty Segall collaborator balances the ‘power’ and ‘pop’ elements of his sound with aplomb, while sounding utterly out of sync internally. It's pop poetry for the aloof, and Cronin's most fully realized, beautifully arranged, well-crafted work to date. [BNM 8.4]” -- Pitchfork
>Daily & Vincent – Brothers Of The Highway CD (Rounder)
From the very beginning of their partnership in late 2007, Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent established themselves as fresh voices in traditional music. Their vocal blend, unique and powerful, rivaling any blood-related sibling harmony group, has gained them attention from bluegrass, gospel, and traditional country fans and critics alike.
>Deerhunter – Monomania CD/LP (4AD)
“On Deerhunter’s swaggering fifth album, Monomania, they almost completely jettison the dreamy ambience that usually characterizes their work in favor of straight-up raw, bleeding garage rock, populating the songs with junkyards, leather jackets, and motorcycles. [BNM 8.3]” – Pitchfork
>Delain – Interlude CD+DVD (Napalm)
Interlude is a blend of exclusive songs, special versions and mixes of popular tracks by the Dutch symphonic metallers. Includes a DVD featuring live footage and all video clips from the band's career.
>Fitz And The Tantrums – More Than Just A Dream CD (New Elektra)
“L.A. indie-pop group is back with an '80s-meets-Motown sophomore effort. It’s as if Phil Spector recorded his new supergroup consisting of James Brown, Hall and Oates and Foster the People.” – sheknows.com
>Gamba Bomb – Terror Tapes CD (AFM)
Stylistically rooted in 1980s thrash metal, Gamba Bomb have stated influences include acts such as Nuclear Assault, Kreator, Agent Steel, Sodom, old Slayer, and early Megadeth.
>Patty Griffin – American Kid CD/CD+DVD (New West)
American Kid is the first album of Griffin’s that’s completely rooted in the Americana sound, and includes appearances from the North Mississippi Allstars’ guitarist Luther Dickinson and drummer Cody Dickinson. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe Edition includes bonus DVD featuring "The Making Of American Kid - An Interview With Patty Griffin," the "Ohio" music video, and hi-res audio of the album. Vinyl version due June 11.
>Havoc - 13 CD (Nature Sounds)
New album from the rapper, best known as one-half of hip-hop duo Mobb Deep. Features guest appearances from Lloyd Banks, Royce Da 5'9'', Raekwon, Styles P, Twista and Masspike Miles.
>Daniel Higgs – The Godward Way CD/LP (Latitudes)
A one-track, 24-minute brain-melter from the always-enigmatic Lungfish/Skull Defekts frontman.
>Bobby Kalphat & The Sunshot All Stars – Zion Hill CD (Pressure Sounds)
Pressure Sounds return to the Phil Pratt vaults to reissue this long lost instrumental dub album originally issued as an unsleeved white label in 1977 and sought after ever after by collectors. Features keyboardist and melodica player Bobby Kalphat playing across a collection of classic Sunshot riddims, many of which were vehicles for Horace Andy and Al Campbell. Vinyl version due May 21.
>Talib Kweli – Prisoner Of Conscious CD/2xLP (Javotti Media)
Prisoner of Conscious (P.O.C.) features Miguel, Kendrick Lamar, Curren$y, Busta Rhymes, Nelly, Melanie Fiona, Marsha Ambrosius, Seu Jorge and more, and includes production by J Cole, RZA, Harry Fraud, Symbolic One (Kanye West), Sean C and LV (Jay-Z).
>Lady Antebellum – Golden CD (Capitol Nashville)
“It’s good that those Nashville darlings Lady Antebellum named their new album Golden. The songs fulfill every meaning of the word. They’re sun-kissed, expensively constructed, and bound to reap a mint.” – NY Daily News
>Little Boots – Nocturnes CD (Kobalt)
The second album from British electropop singer/songwriter Victoria Hesketh aka Little Boots features key contributions from Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford and Hercules & Love Affair's Andy Butler. Musically, the album celebrates '90s house, '70s disco and futuristic electronics.
>Natalie Maines – Mother CD (Columbia)
Mother is the solo debut from Natalie Maines, the always provocative, multi-platinum, Grammy-Award winning singer of the Dixie Chicks. Heavily influenced by the more rock-based, edgy and intense sound of title track, and Pink Floyd cover, "Mother," Maines teamed up with singer/songwriter Ben Harper, who co-produced the album with Maines. Vinyl version due June 4.
>Ruth Moody – These Wilder Things CD (Red House)
These Wilder Things is full of timeless tunes from the haunting gospel sounds of “Trouble And Woe” to the bluegrassy “One Light Shining” (featuring Jerry Douglas) to the Irish-flavored “Life Is Long.” The album delves deeper into darker, indie-pop sounds, especially on songs like the moody title track or “Pockets,” which features veteran roots-rocker Mark Knopfler on guitar and vocals.
>Murder Junkies – A Killing Tradition CD/LP (MVD Visual)
Brand new fury from the incomparable Murder Junkies. A Killing Tradition builds on the classic Murder Junkies punk glam sound and lyrical sickness.
>Pistol Annies – Annie Up CD/LP (Sony Nashville)
Pistol Annies -- comprised of Miranda Lambert (Lone Star Annie), Ashley Monroe (Hippie Annie) and Angaleena Presley (Holler Annie) – return with the follow-up to 2011's Hell On Heels.
>Joshua Redman – Walking Shadows CD (Nonesuch)
Walking Shadows is comprised of twelve ballads, and is first recording to include an orchestral ensemble, which plays on many of the tracks. Produced by Redman's friend and frequent collaborator, Brad Mehldau.
>Joe Satriani – Unstoppable Momentum CD (Epic)
“Not since the heyday of hearing ‘Satch Boogie’ and ‘Cliffs Of Dover’ on the radio has instrumental guitar rock been so fun. Now that Joe Satriani has found an outlet for his more commercial output with Chickenfoot, it’s almost like the pressure is off and he can sit back, relax, and play. On Unstoppable Momentum, Satch sets aside the futuristic slant from his last few outings and gives his strongest performances since his self-titled 1995 release.” – Premier Guitar
>Savages – Silence Yourself CD/LP+MP3 (Matador)
“Thus far, this year's hotly tipped alt-rockers have sounded weirdly flaccid and aimless: listening to the albums behind the hype, you find yourself wondering how the bands could be bothered to make them. That is not a problem with the debut from London quartet Savages, which burns with a feverish sense of purpose: the sheer intensity with which ‘She Will’ or ‘City's Full’ are delivered is breathtaking. You can hear echoes of the music that inspired them: frequent comparisons to Siouxsie aren't, as the band have intimated, a reflection of a sexist media's inability to see beyond a singer's gender so much as a reflection of the fact that singer Jehnny Beth sounds not unlike Siouxsie; while Sonic Youth's ghost lurks around the whirlwinds of feedback on ‘I Am Here’ and spooked, clangorous instrumental ‘Dead Nature.’” – The Guardian
>She & Him – Volume 3 CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
With eleven Deschanel originals and three covers, Volume 3 is an effortlessly effervescent, bleached-in-the-sun pop record. The album features some of the most dynamic, complex songs Deschanel has ever written, allowing for tempo shifts, disco grooves, string arrangements on multiple tracks, and horn flourishes. Guests include NRBQ's Joey Spampinato, Mike Watt, Tilly And The Wall, Pierre de Reeder from Rilo Kiley, and Tom Hagerman from Devotchka. Also available on blue vinyl.
>Sodom – Epitome Of Torture CD (Steamhammer)
New album from the veteran German Teutonic thrash metal band -- available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe comes in a digipak and features two bonus tracks. Vinyl version due May 21.
>Soundtrack - Music From Baz Luhrmann's Film The Great Gatsby CD (Interscope)
The soundtrack to the forthcoming film features songs performed by Jay-Z, Beyonce & Andre 3000, will.i.am, Florence & The Machine, Lana Del Rey and many others.
>Rod Stewart – Time CD (Capitol)
Time is Rod Stewarts first album of new material in almost 20 years.
>Still Corners – Strange Pleasures CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Strange Pleasures is the second album by London's Still Corners. Where its predecessor, Creatures Of An Hour, soared on sugared layers of shoegazing-infused retro-futurism, Strange Pleasures proffers a leaner, more acute extrapolation of '80s-suffused song and studio craft, navigating a sinuous trajectory between velveteen noir-pop and the glacial, mellifluous territory mapped by Modern English, The Cure and The Passions.
>Straight No Chaser – Under The Influence CD (Atlantic)
Under The Influence sees the acclaimed a cappella group reimagining a selection of their all-time favorite songs alongside a cast of special guests, including Phil Collins, Jason Mraz, Dolly Parton, Rob Thomas, Seal, Stevie Wonder, Sara Bareilles, and Elton John.
>The Uncluded – Hokey Fright CD/LP (Rhymesayers)
While on tour supporting his album, indie rapper/producer Aesop Rock wrote a fan email to folk singer/songwriter Kimya Dawson. A few years later they reconnected during the creation of a arts-and-oddities blog, which in turn sparked the pair's collaborative musical efforts. After appearing on each other's respective recent solo records, both found more worth pursuing within the group dynamic, and The Uncluded were hatched. Their debut album Hokey Fright was recorded over the course of a year using a variety of locations and devices, from voice memo recorders to fleshed-out studios.
>Various Artists – Good God! Apocryphal Hymns CD/LP (Numero)
The third installment in Numero's series of otherworldly gospel, rodeb funk, and spiritual soul penned by some of the genre’s lesser-known disciples. Here, heavenly harmonies, psychedelic guitars, damaged sacred steel, a bleeding French horn, off-kilter choirs, and consumer-side electronic percussion decorate the World, with performance modes that stray far from the flock, but hew always to the message.
>The Vibrators – On The Guest List CD (Cleopatra)One of the most legendary punk bands still bashing heads and flinging their sweat on stage is joined by a slew of VIP guests to celebrate their 37 years of punk mania, including Ty Segall, members of The Damned, MC5, The Stranglers, The Dictators, UK Subs, The Dickies, and The Dead Tricks. Vinyl version due May 23.
>We Are Loud Whispers – Suchness CD/2xLP (Hardly Art)
Suchness’ electronic orchestration and parade of horns, timpani, loops and effects breathes with an organic ease. The layers of complexity never sound cluttered, melding together in Zen simplicity, as airy whisper floats above heartbeat percussion, evoking the emotive electro of Lali Puna and The Notwist.
>Shannon Wright – In Film Sound CD (Ernest Jenning)
Crashing out of the gates with the aptly titled ''Noise Parade,'' Wright immediately reintroduces listeners to her trademark cutting guitars with a distinctive bittersweet fury that jumps from the speakers. In Film Sound bursts with urgent immediacy, a kind of direct intention-into-thought that's as raw as it is focused.
>X Ambassadors – Love Songs Drug Songs CDEP (Interscope)
This “genre-bending rock band” from Brooklyn is influenced by everyone from The Stooges and Phil Spector, to George Harrison and Ginuwine on their new EP.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>John Cage – Variations V DVD (Mode)
This is the first commercial release of John Cage's Variations V, from the legendary studio production made by NDR German Television, Hamburg, in 1967. It marks an early pinnacle in recorded Cage/Cunningham collaborations and is one of the few available films of a Cunningham Dance Company performance from the 1960s. Includes booklet with liner notes by Gordon Mumma and Rob Haskins plus period photos. 47 minutes (feature) + 90 minutes (bonus materials).
Vinyl:
>Blackout Beach – Blues Trip LP+MP3 (Soft Abuse)
Blues Trip is Carey Mercer's (Frog Eyes, Swan Lake) retooling of the album F##k Death from 2011. Almost a year later, Mercer and his blues trio (wife and Frog Eyes conspirator Melanie Campbell on drums and ex-Wolf Parade bassist Dante DeCaro) revisited the songs.
>Django Django – Hi Djinx LP (Ribbon)
Hi Djinx is a remix album from the English/Scottish four-piece, and features contributions from Tom Furse, Adrian Sherwood, Chris Carter, Steve Mason and others.
>English Singles – Ordinary Girls 7” (Slumberland)
English Singles are a staple of Sacramento, CA's excellent DIY pop/punk scene that mines a rich tradition of DIY pop that stretches from Swell Maps and The Television Personalities through to the McTells and the Sea Lions.
>Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight: Expanded Edition 2xLP (Fat Cat)
Special double-LP edition of Frightened Rabbit’s sophomore album, packaged with their live album Quietly.
>Liam Hayes - A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III (Music From The Motion Picture) LP+MP3 (Night Fever Music)
A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III features a score by Liam Hayes, who has made music under the name Plush since the early ‘90s. Liam was contacted by Coppola after the director became a huge fan. "I just got so absorbed by his music," Coppola recently told GQ (UK). The resulting affinity between director and musician has produced a highly imaginative, atmospheric, cinematic score. HQ-180 vinyl features seven bonus tracks not on the CD, including "Aguas De Marco" performed by Katheryn Winnick and Charlie Sheen.
>Otis G. Johnson – Everything: God Is Love ‘78 LP (Numero)
For outsider gospel visionary and Detroit native Otis G. Johnson, the Holy Ghost was in the machine...in this case a rhythm-equipped Hammond organ. This album is a singular 1978 mid-fi document, which features android percussion against chords of Otis' own invention, possessed by minor tonality and frequent bum notes. Lifting it further are extemporaneous vocal homilies to the rapture, love, and everything, plus occasional "other" voicings that scratch at the periphery of the mix. Homespun gospel rarely entered this dirge-like, intuitive space, nor did it commonly achieve such a spectral and captivating hymn to its darkest conventions.
>Mr. Dibbs – Deadworld Reborn LP (Rhymesayers)
Mr. Dibbs has become one of the most respected and innovative turntablist/DJ style producers in the game. Deadworld Reborn features a long list of artists and producers such as Brother Ali, The Black Keys, Grayskul, Murs, JEL, Skandal Da Ruckus Man, along with many more. Picture disc.
>Numinous Eye – Clockwork Moon LP (No & Smile)
Comin’ on like Saucerful Of Secrets-era Pink Floyd mixed with Yahowha 13, Clockwork Moon ebbs and flows with psychedelic explorations of inner and outer space.
>Symarip – Skinhead Moonstomp [Reissue/1970] LP (Secret)
HQ-180 vinyl reissue of the classic 1970 ska/reggae album.
>Some Stranger – Some Stranger 12” (Robotic Empire)
Striking out from the wastelands between indie and experimental rock, Some Stranger emerges with an incredibly catchy debut release. Blissful, melodic vocals soar over a powerful and driving rhythm section and the guitars run through one of the largest vintage pedal collections in the world; the five haunting tracks are the work of seasoned veterans combining forces to yield amazing results.
>von Grey - Live At Criminal Records 01.01.13 LP (Criminal Records)
Criminal Records is proud to present its series of live recordings starting with von Grey, a quartet of sisters from the Atlanta area. The young band recently performed an acoustic set on a cold and rainy New Year's Day, and this 12" vinyl record is the result of that in-store show. Even at their young age -- the oldest is eighteen, the youngest twelve -- von Grey are already accomplished road warriors, having toured coast to coast with Sarah McLachlan, Amanda Palmer, Lindsey Stirling, Cory Chisel and Company of Thieves, and they performed on Letterman just over a month after their show presented here.
30 APRIL 2013
>!!! – Thri!!!er CD/LP+MP3 (Warp)
The band explain the album title: “Over the course of many long van rides and post-coffee verbal riff sessions, Thriller didn’t merely come to represent the selling of a lot of records… it became synonymous with an artist(s)’ and/or genre(s)’ artistic high-watermark. INXS’ Kick is the Australian Thriller… Alanis’ Jagged Little Pill is the Canadian Thriller… Wham!’s Make It Big is the blow-dryer’s Thriller… every recording by the 13th Floor Elevators is the dosed-man’s Thriller… ”Sister Ray” by the Velvet Underground is the Thriller of musical fever dreams. One day at the studio, Nic [Offer, vocalist] drew Thri!!!er on a napkin and I liked it… then we made our Thriller.”
>Abyssal - Novit Enim Dominus Qui Sunt Eius CD (Profound Lore)
Abyssal are a mysterious trio from the UK that plays death metal in a twisted, avant-garde manner, encapsulating pure dread and inevitable doom.
>Agrimonia – Rite Of Separation CD (Southern Lord)
This neo-crust/post-hardcore band could be described as the bastard child of the epic, bittersweet sounds of groups like Counterblast and Neurosis, together with the simplicity and murk of Bolt Thrower and Bathory. Vinyl version due June 11.
>The Airborne Toxic Event – Such Hot Blood CD (Island)
“The Airborne Toxic Event begins their third studio album Such Hot Blood in the same way they became recognizable: a second-person perspective of the protagonist agonizing over his lost love in the middle of a dance — to the tune of epic guitars and strings galore.” – theowlmag.com
>Akron/Family – Subverses CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
“Inspired by the works of artists Michael Heizer and James Turrell, Akron/Family set out to make a record about the stuff of America; dust and stone, light and space. It’s about the desert and the country that they and countless other musicians have existed in, and Sub Verses is an attempt to recreate that world through song. It’s typically hippy-ish stuff, but the infectious way in which the band tells their tales makes it believable and achievable.” – The Line Of Best Fit
>Altar Of Plagues – Teethed Glory And Injury CD (Profound Lore)
Realized primarily on analog equipment in the studio, Teethed Glory And Injury incorporates more ambient, noise, and electronica elements in the signature Altar Of Plagues sound, distancing them further from the so-called post-metal movement.
>Alessi’s Ark – The Still Life CD/LP (Bella Union)
“Alessi’s Ark, the vessel for singer-songwriter Alessi Laurent-Marke’s precocious talent, now has a third studio album with the release of The Still Life. The blossoming West London artist has yet to celebrate her 23rd birthday, but Laurent-Marke’s voice is striking, capable of simultaneous seduction and subversion. The singer would be a shoe-in for the kind of outwardly puzzled, yet knowing heroine you might find in a David Lynch work.” – Consequence Of Sound
>Amorphous – Circle CD/CD+DVD (Nuclear Blast)
At the peak of the second decade of the musical journey, Finnish melancholic dark rock/metal masters Amorphis give birth to their eleventh mind-child. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a DVD.
>Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa – Open The Crown CD/LP (K Records)
You may have experienced Arrington de Dionyso's Malaikat dan Singa as an unexpected live force, pushing up through the earth like daffodils in late winter; or maybe you're familiar with their previous exploits in the studio, Malaikat dan Singa and Suara Naga, which burn clean with fragrant traumas. Open The Crown is similarly passion-filled, with new vistas (channeled hallucinations) exploring English (previously only the Indonesian language was employed) as their stomping ground to expand parallel themes anew.
>Avantasia – Mystery Of Time CD (Nuclear Blast)
Avantasia’s newest record features Bill Byford (Saxon), Eric Martin (Mr. Big), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Unisonic), Bruce Kulick (ex-Kiss, ex-Meatloaf), Ronnie Atkins (Pretty Maids), Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, ex-Vengeance) and legendary former Deep Purple, Rainbow and Yngwie Malmsteen vocalist Joe Lynn Turner.
>Aidan Baker With Plurals – Glass Crocodile Medicine CD/LP (Latitudes)
Aidan Baker brought British tour-mates Plurals into the studio with him. The result is a gradual unfurling of intricate layers of sound, which builds and envelopes the listener over opener "Dead Foxes In The Street.” "Turning Children Into Mice" is a brooding, decidedly sinister beast, weaving a repetitive and increasingly dark threat, until it explodes into a hive of noise. Available on CD and on blue vinyl.
>Beacon – The Ways We Separate CD (Ghostly International)
Beacon draw from elements of hip-hop and a wide gamut of electronic music, marrying intricate beats and subtle textures to honeyed pop melodies that belie the album's conceptual depth. Vinyl version due May 28.
>Big Country – The Journey CD (MRI)
New album from the Scottish band now featuring The Alarm's Mike Peters on vocals and guitar and former Simple Minds’ member Derek Forbes on bass. The band also includes Jamie Watson, who joins his father Bruce Watson on guitar. The elder Watson along with drummer Mark Brzezicki are the sole remaining members of the band's classic lineup present on The Journey.
>Dean Blunt – Redeemer CD/LP (Hippos In Tanks)
Ever the mysterious figure, UK-based Blunt is one half of the Hyperdub-signed duo Hype Williams, known for their pop culture-referencing experimental music. The Redeemer promises a "notable lifting of the veil of tape hiss and blurred signifiers” of his previous work over 19 new tracks.
>The Body – Master, We Perish CDEP/12”/Cassette (Sickroom)
These three brand new tracks push The Body’s experimental doomed and blackened heavy sound ever forward – a perfect precursor to their forthcoming album, which is due on Thrill Jockey autumn 2013.
>Cathedral – The Last Spire CD (Metal Blade)
The Last Spire is the tenth studio album by the British doom metal band Cathedral. This will be their final album before their planned retirement.
>Cayucas – Bigfoot CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
Cayucas: Pronounced "ky-yook-us", is the monikered homage to a sleepy little seaside town in San Luis Obispo County, CA. Their debut album bears little resemblance to the sound of modern California that's been so omnipresent over the past few years. Instead, Bigfoot possesses flirty rhythmic sensibilities both snappy and sparkling, a rosy, near-tropical warmth, and a loose and conversational feel that position you right in the line of singer/songerwriter Zach Yudin's wry gaze.
>Ceramic Dog – Your Turn CD/LP (Northern Spy)
Five years after their critically acclaimed debut release, Ceramic Dog, the power trio featuring Marc Ribot (guitar), Shahzad Ismaily (bass/electronics) and Ches Smith (drums), is back with the hard-hitting tour de force Your Turn. Time Out New York called Ceramic Dog Ribot’s “rawest band in ages” while the New York Times wrote, “The musicianship is intense regardless of the subtext, with all three players hurling themselves into their effort.”
>Kenny Chesney – Life On A Rock CD (Blue Chair Records, LLC)
Co-produced with long time collaborator Buddy Cannon, Life On A Rock captures the thematic core of the 10-song set that's been recorded and mixed in Los Angeles, Hawaii, Jamaica, Key West, London and Nashville.
>Coliseum – Sister Faith CD/LP (Temporary Residence)
Coliseum’s fourth album features guest appearances from members of Boris, Cursed, Jawbox, and Sebadoh, and bristles with galvanizing melodies at the collision point between punk and noise-rock.
>Coyote Clean Up – 2 Hot 2 Wait CD (100% Silk)
A sentimental, sensual odyssey blending house, R&B, and screwed up hip-hop elements. Vinyl version due May 14.
>Cristal – Homegoing CD (Hand-Held)
First-time CD release of album available previously as a free digital download with the “Swedish Child” 7”. Features two unreleased bonus tracks, including a Pan American remix. The Richmond, VA trio’s sound tinges their blinged-up moniker with a healthy dose of irony, encroaching as it does upon the world of dark ambience and phantasmic soundscapes occupied by the kind of artists you'd hear on labels like Type and Miasmah.
>Daughter – If You Leave CD (Glassnote)
“London singer-guitarist Elena Tonra, or Daughter, likes her single word song titles. There are 10 of them on her debut album, If You Leave, and the economy she brings to labeling is a reflection of the concentrated themes that ripple through this record. Potent images of life and death entwine with the ever-present subject of lost love. The album is a catalogue of heartbreak; a song cycle of such damaged fallout that it begs the question of who these heartless bastards just might be” – Consequence Of Sound. Vinyl version due June 25.
>Daylight – Jar CD/LP (Run For Cover)
Daylight spent the past few years honing their grunge buzzing, and desperate sad sound across four EP's, showcasing and perfecting a talent for writing both jarringly heavy and delicately emotional songs. Now the Pennsylvania four-piece deliver Jar, their debut full-length.
>deadmau5 –At Play In The USA Vol. 1 (Play)
This compilation includes proven clubland monsters and dirty dancefloor bombs from the Canadian whizz, alongside some of his finest collaborations to date.
>Deep Purple – Now What CD (Eagle Rock)
As one of the all-time great British rock bands, Deep Purple need no further introduction. Eight years have passed since their last studio album, Rapture Of The Deep, and they now release their latest album, Now What, produced by Bob Ezrin.
>Tav Falco And The Panther Burns – Sugar Ditch Revisited/The Shake Rag [Reissue/1985+1986] 2xCD/2xLP (Stag-O-Lee)
The master of a raw and shambolic fusion of rockabilly, blues, and fractured noise, Falco was, along with the Cramps, one of the earliest purveyors of what would come to be known as psychobilly (though his version of the sound lacked the campy horror movie ambience others brought to it), and he anticipated the fractured but hard-hitting blues wailing of the Gories and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion by close to a decade. This reissue adds a previously unreleased 11-song/45-minute live show from the Messepalast Vienna recorded in 1989.
>Guided By Voices – English Little League CD/LP (GBV Inc.)
The fourth album from the reunited “classic” Guided By Voices lineup of Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Greg Demos, Mitch Mitchell and Kevin Fennell hums like angry birds along the full spectrum of rock’s highways and byways (especially the byways), from rock to roll and back again. Pollard’s rebus system of songwriting (sounds made visible, abstract concepts symbolized) strung like fairy lights from the opening song “Xeno Pariah” to the galvanic closer “With Glass In Foot,” kettles along at full steam throughout, punctuated by the airier constructs of Sprout (“The Sudden Death Of Epstein’s Ways,” with its sweet/creepy emphatic refrain of “Jesus,” is a particular standout).
>Cheick Hamala Diabate – Prudence CDEP (Electric Cowbell)
Destined to become a world-class burner, Prudence highlights an ancient-to-the-future aspect of Cheick Hamala’s breadth as a genre-bending experimental artist who has one foot firmly planted in a roots tradition with a keen, focused eye on limitless possibilities of cross-cultural exchange via global collaboration with artists outside of his legacy as a musician and a historian in the West African griot tradition of the Republic of Mali. Vinyl version due May 7.
>Hands – Synethesia CD/LP (Kill Rock Stars)
“Burgeoning L.A. indie dance-rockers Hands have been causing a bit of a fuss stateside, with support slots alongside Foster The People, shows at SXSW and Time magazine ranking them in their '11 Bands You Don’t Know (But Should)' list. They've been likened to Hot Chip or Tanlines, and their new single 'Trouble' is a delirious combo of funk-bass, needlepoint guitar and hazy synths that all blend to make a deliciously infectious sound.” -- thefourohfive.com
>Hanni El Khatib – Head In The Dirt CD/LP (Innovative Leisure)
Head In The Dirt has cut-to-the-bone rhythm 'n' blues and over-cranked, Stooges-style stompers, as well got bottomless Black Sabbath riff-outs and dub-a-delic garageland rockers that summonthe spirits of The Clash.
>The Haxan Cloak – Excavation CD/2xLP (Tri Angle)
Excavation is awash with serrated beats and cavernous sub-bass, meshing with classical drones and ghostly details. For Fans of Tim Hecker, Raime, and Andy Stott.
>Head East – Raise A Little Hell CD (CME Records & Film)
New album from the classic good-time rockers, best known for their signature song “Never Been Any Reason” (which was popularized by the film Dazed And Confused).
>Heaven Shall Burn – Veto CD/2xCD (Century Media)
The German technical metalcore group's brutal new album is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus live disc.
>The Heliocentrics – 13 Degrees Of Reality CD/LP (Now Again)
The Heliocentrics continue to search for an alternate galaxy where the orbits of funk, jazz, psychedelic, electronic, avant-garde and "ethnic" music all revolve around.
>Hessian – Manegarmr CD (Southern Lord)
A furious blizzard of cold black metal violently crashing into a maelstrom of ultra-metallic dark hardcore. Vinyl version due June 11.
>HIM – Tears On Tape CD/CD+DVD (Razor & Tie)
“The Finns' formula remains as distinctive as ever on their eighth studio album, their cobwebbed melodies, lovelorn pathos and grubby metallic crunch all intact. A vast improvement on 2010's anaemic Screamworks, Tears On Tape harks back to the incisive crowd-pleasing of 2003's Love Metal, wherein every song boasted an irresistible, radio-friendly chorus, but the riffs still left a bruise or two” – The Guardian. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD featuring videos.
>Human Eye – 4: Into Unknown CD (95 Gone)
Full of Sabbath-esque sludge-bass, trash-incinerating guitars and blown-out organs, 4: Into Unknown will convince any would-be aficionado that the throbbing heart of rock & roll is alive and well in Detroit. Vinyl version due May 14.
>Iggy And The Stooges – Ready To Die CD (Fat Possum)
Better 40 years later than never, Ready To Die is the follow-up to the first record ever to bear the Iggy & The Stooges logo -- the immortal proto-punk masterpiece Raw Power. Vinyl version due May 14.
>Tom Keifer – The Way Life Goes (ADA)
Tom Keifer's (Cinderella) debut solo album ranges from intimate, organic, acoustic tracks to driving hard rock. It embraces the blues, rock and country roots that have always been present in his unique sound that has generated the sale of over 15 million records worldwide for Cinderella.
>Mark Kozelek & Jimmy Lavalle – Perils From The Sea CD (Caldo Verde)
Debut collaboration by The Album Leaf’s multi-instrumentalist Jimmy LaValle and Sun Kil Moon singer/songwriter Mark Kozelek. For the album LaValle chose a more minimalist approach to the music than TAL's large sonic soundscapes. Kozelek's storytelling narratives playing against LaValle's hypnotic synth sounds and drumbeats should come as a pleasant surprise to fans.
>Lights – Siberia Acoustic CD (Last Gang)
When electro-rock sensation Lights first hit the music scene in 2008, she was just a songwriter with a synth and a dream. Her name may have been pluralized but Lights Poxleitner was a one-woman show who played and programmed her own instruments and sang her own lyrics. Siberia Acoustic is a stripped-down re-imagining of her 2010 album removing the skittering beats and synths to reveal the pretty melodies at the core of her heart wrenching and emotional songwriting.
>LL Cool J – Authentic CD (Savoy Jazz)
The rapper’s 14th album features guest appearances by Brad Paisley, Seal, Eddie Van Halen, Snoop Dogg, Fitz & The Tantrums, Monica, Earth Wind & Fire, Travis Barker, Tom Morello, Charlie Wilson, Fatman Scoop, Melody Thornton, Bootsy Collins, Z-Trip and Mickey Shiloh.
>Melvins – Everybody Loves Sausages CD (Ipecac)
13-track covers album featuring tracks originally by he album features covers of songs by Venom, The Stooges, The Jam, Divine, and more.
>Method Of Defiance - Nahariama 4th Column CD/LP (M.O.D. Technologies)
The second instrumental offering from Method Of Defiance, Bill Laswell's international music collective of interchangeable columns. Nahariama features cornetist, Graham Haynes (son of jazz icon, drummer, Roy Haynes), keyboardist Robert Burger (John Zorn, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson), Senegalese master percussionist Aiyb Dieng, and DJ Krush.
>Scott Morgan – Three Chords And A Cloud Of Dust 3xCD (Easy Action)
This triple-disc, career-spanning anthology of Detroit guitar legend Scott Mogan’s key tracks spanning his 40+ years as a songwriter/performer. From his years as a member of Sonic Rendezvous Band, The Hellacopters, and The Hydromatics, the set contains many unreleased tracks including studio cuts from the short-lived Guardian Angel and rare recordings of 7" singles.
>Neon Neon – Praxis Makes Perfect CD/2xCD/LP (Lex)
Neon Neon (Gruff Rhys and Boom Bip) present their new album and follow-up to 2008's Mercury Music Prize nominated Stainless Style. Praxis Makes Perfect is a musical biopic of Italian publisher, Giangiacomo Feltrinelli's colorful life viewed through the lens of Gruff Rhy's highly original song writing and Boom Bip's shimmering synth-heavy production. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a four-track EP.
>Carla Olson – Have Harmony, Will Travel CD (Busted Flat)
New album from The Textones singer/songwriter consists of twelve cover songs, each featuring a duet with a guest vocalist — Richie Furay (Poco, Buffalo Springfield), Juice Newton, John York (Byrds), Peter Case, James Intveld, Rob Waller and more.
>Pan American – Cloud Room CD/LP (Kranky)
With percussionist extraordinaire Steven Hess (Locrian) now a full-fledged member, Mark Nelson and Pan American deliver their first album since White Bird Release from 2009. Begun with the duo rehearsing for a series of shows, these songs were written together as a group to be played live. Bobby Donne (Labradford/Cristal) plays bass on multiple tracks, further emphasizing the live band feel. Mark Nelson's deft production touches abound, while Hess shows a mastery of understated rhythms.
>Ola Podrida – Ghosts Go Blind CD/LP (Western Vinyl)
David Wingo is a busy man. In the years since the release of his last record as Ola Podrida, he's written and recorded soundtracks for several movies including Take Shelter (winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2011), MUD (starring Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon), and Prince Avalanche (starring Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch and co-composed with Explosions In The Sky).
>Os Mutantes – Fool Metal Jack CD (Varese Sarabande)
New album from psychedelic legends Os Mutantes, the group originally formed in the ‘60s, and currently kept alive by founding member Sergio Dias.
>Charlie Poole With The Highlanders – The Complete Paramount & Brunswick Recordings, 1929 CD (Tompkins Square)
Archival recordings from one of the most popular rural string bands from 1926-30, remastered Christopher King with notes written by old-time musician and scholar Kinney Rorrer.
>The Postelles – …And It Shook Me CD (+1 Records)
The sophomore album from the New York-based indie band, ...And It Shook Me, is the follow-up to The Postelles' 2011 self-titled debut album which they co-produced with The Strokes' Albert Hammond, Jr.
>Rainbow – Live In Munic CD (Eagle Vision)
This concert from their European tour in 1977 features the line-up responsible for the Long Live Rock N Roll album released later that year, including vocalist Ronnie James Dio and drummer Cozy Powell. 211 minutes. Also available on stand-alone DVD.
>R.A. The Ragged Man – Legends Never Die CD (Ingrooves)
Legends Never Die is the much anticipated follow-up to the Long Island, New York rapper's critically acclaimed 2004 album, Die, Rugged Man, Die. It features Tech N9ne, Talib Kweli, Brother Ali, Hopsin, and Vinnie Paz (of Jedi Mind Tricks).
>Randy Rogers Band – Trouble CD (MCA Nashville)
Teaming up for the first time with producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Cage the Elephant, The Wallflowers), the Texas five-piece vocalist/guitarist Randy Rogers, guitarist Geoffrey Hill, bassist Jon Richardson, fiddle player Brady Black, and drummer Les Lawless dove headfirst into songs of loss, love and, above all, truth.
>Rittz – The Life & Times Of Jonny Valiant CD (Strange Music)
Debut album from the Southern rapper and Tech N9ne/Yelawolf affiliate. The Life & Times Of Jonny Valiant features guest appearances from Mike Posner, Krizz Kaliko, Big K.R.I.T., and Yelawolf, while producer credits go to DJ Burnone, Matic Lee, and Posner.
>Xenia Rubinos – Magic Trix CD/LP (Ba Da Bing!)
An oblique assemblage of uncommon rhythms, forceful singing and dance-’til-you-puke styles combine to make Magic Trix one of the most exciting debuts in years.
>Alice Russell – To Dust CD/2xLP (Tru Thoughts)
“The British Invasion of the 1950s brought the groovy mod sounds of British boy bands that changed the landscape of music in America. Fifty years later we find ourselves in the midst of a new invasion. Unlike the former, these new British artists are making their mark on R&B and soul music. Singers like the late Amy Winehouse and Adele, just to name a few, have burst onto the music scene with their brand of British Soul and have taken the world by storm. Add to that list Alice Russell. Her voice is equally as powerful as the aforementioned singers, but it possesses a little more flavor.” – irockjazz.com
>The Saints – King Of The Sun CD (Highway 125)
“Chris Bailey is revered around the world as a punk legend on the strength of The Saints scathing first three albums, released 1977 – 1978 and spawning such era-defining songs as ‘I’m Stranded,’ ‘Demolition Girl’ and ‘Know Your Product.’ King Of The Sun is a collection of throbbing, pulsating, mostly mid-tempo songs that remind us how much we need artists like Bailey to reconnect us with the true drive behind creating for it’s own sake – not for fame or money, but for art, because the artist has something to say.” – magazine.100percentrock.com
>Secret Circuit – Tactile Galactics CD/LP (RVNG International)
Secret Circuit is the guise of Eddie Ruscha Jr. (Medicine). His music is derived from a dance lineage promoting feel over form; rhythmically explored without abandon (or audience) in mind by the krautrock fringe, put to the slow motion disco test at Daniele Baldelli's Cosmic Club, jacked into a House format via the Chicago imprint Trax and honored today via peer psychonauts like Hieroglyphic Being and Lindstrom.
>Sharks – Selfhood CD/LP+CD (Rise)
Selfhood is the follow up to their striking 2012 offering No Gods, which NME called, "joyous blue-collar punk from Leamington Spa... a starry-eyed celebration of yearning on a US factory floor, as idealised by British spa town punks."
>The Shivas – Whiteout CD/LP (K Records)
Like their Burger Record cassette-mates Thee Oh Sees before them, The Shivas' sweet harmonies and sunbaked sound harkens back to the origins of surf rock, and are too compelling for the physical senses to refuse.
>Sister Crayon – Cynic CDEP (Fake Four, Inc.)
An off and on recluse, Terra Lopez spent countless hours in her Northern California bedroom each day recording hundreds of gritty, personal demos with her classical guitar and MPC. Staring at the ceiling of her apartment, she taught herself how to sing by studying vocalists Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Jeff Buckley. It was during this time that Lopez started to form the sound and scope of what would become Sister Crayon.
>Solar Bears – Supermigration CD/LP (Planet Mu)
A real sense of drama runs through Solar Bears' music, and Supermigration, their second album following 2010's critically lauded She Was Coloured In, is full of all kinds -- from the intimate to the psychedelic, from the chase to the suppression.
>Sole – No Wising Up, No Settling Down CD (Black Canyon)
No Wising Up, No Settling Down features collaborations with Goldpanda, Sean Bonette of Andrew Jackson Jihad, The Hood Internet & Shapers, Man Mantis, Dosh, Loden, Cars & Trains, Skyrider, Spencertron and Snubluck. A decent chunk of the production is handled by DJ Pain 1, who’s produced tracks for Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane and 50 Cent.
>Spin Doctors – If The River Was Whiskey CD (Ruf Records)
The Spin Doctors, one of the little alt-rock bands to break out big in the early '90s, are back with a new blues-inspired album.
>Streetlight Manifesto – The Hands That Thieve CD (Victory)
The oft-delayed new album from the New Jersey-based ska/punk band finally sees the light of day.
>Colin Stetson - New History Warfare 3: To See More Light CD/2xLP (Constellation)
New History Warfare 3 signals the full flourishing of Stetson's unique talents as both composer and performer, pressing his arsenal of virtuosic saxophone techniques into the service of vivid, impassioned and conceptually astute songcraft. Features vocal contributions from Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) on four songs.
>Svarte Greiner – Black Tie CD/LP (Miasmah)
Split into two distinct movements, “Black Tie” and “White Noise,” we are exposed to the yin and yang of Erik Skodvin's (Deaf Center) patented acoustic doom, and all the gravitas that it might contain. "Black Tie" stops time around its creaking cello, plucked strings and whispering ambience. On "White Noise" he allows panoramic synthesizer drones to take control while Middle Eastern strings chime in the distance.
>Toxic Holocaust – From The Ashes Of Nuclear Destruction CD (Relapse)
“On this collection, [Toxic Holocaust] culled 22 tracks’ worth of rough, primitive blackthrash, D-Beat, speed metal, and just a little sleazy rock‘n’roll from his extensive catalogue, and thrown them to the wolves as both a gift to the diehards and a history lesson for the newbies.” -- Pitchfork
>Valleys – Are You Gonna Stand There And Talk Weird All Night? CD/LP (Kanine)
Dreamy sound captures the guitar essence of ‘90s Creation Records legends Slowdive, while their synths and Moogs bring strong connections to Kraftwerk.
>Vandaveer – Oh, Willie, Please… CD/LP (Quack!)
Latest effort from the folk collective is a re-imagining of age-old murder ballads and songs of self-ruin plucked almost entirely from the public domain. The result is a spacious, honest album that balances reverence and respect for the source material with a healthy coat of contemporary color.
>Various Artists [Maceo Plex] – DJ Kicks CD/LP (!K7)
Texas bred deep house don, Maceo Plex, has an earnest sound and an honest tongue. Born Eric Estomel, his first DJ-Kicks mix arrives this week; an aural concoction that goes down smoothly with its sharpness while maintaining the cloudy haze of a dirty martini. Blending old-school disco cohorts with deep basslines effortlessly, the whiz of heart-wrenching productions draws crowds thirsty for skilled sound manipulation.
>Various Artists – John Morales Presents The M+M Mixes Volume 3 3xCD (BBE)
Various Artists – John Morales Presents The M+M Mixes Volume 3 Instrumentals 2xCD (BBE)
This superb triple-CD presents some of John's finest works, and takes the M+M Mix legacy to yet a higher level. Discs One and Two feature some of the greatest tracks of all time, from Barry White’s “Never, Never Gonna Give You Up,” to the classic rework of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You.” Disc Three features some of the best from the vaults of the Salsoul and West End labels, anthems like Loleatta Holloway’s “Hit & Run” to legendary Paradise Garage favorite Loose Joints “Is It All Over My Face?” Double-disc instrumentals version also available.
>Various Artists – Ethnic Minority Of Southern China CD (Sublime Frequencies)
Fifth volume in Laurent Jeanneau's amazing Sublime Frequencies documentation of vanishing indigenous music of the rural Asian frontiers. Supremely infectious vocal styles and folkloric instrumentals.
>Various Artists – Imaginational Anthem Vols. 1-5 6xCD (Tompkins Square)
Since 2005, Tompkins Square label's Imaginational Anthem compilations have featured some of the greatest acoustic guitarists in the world, with recordings spanning five decades. More than mere samplers, these albums have served as state-of-the-art dispatches from the front lines of the art form. This set collects the first five volumes in the series, and adds an exclusive live disc from William Tyler (Lambchop), entitled Elvis Was A Capricorn.
>Various Artists – Imaginational Anthem Vol. 6 CD (Tompkins Square)
If American Primitive Guitar begins with John Fahey and the Takoma School, then the actual origins of this sound is found within this collection of fourteen classic solo guitar performances. Recorded between 1923 to 1930, this set is the "Rosetta Stone" of style and repertoire tapped into deeply by Fahey, Basho & Rose, among many others. Sam McGee, Riley Puckett, Bayless Rose, Sylvester Weaver, Lemuel Turner, Frank Hutchison and Davey Miller are the rural artists included in this anthology.
>Various Artists – The Rough Guide To African Disco 2xCD (World Music Network)
As the 1970s dawned, the all-glittering, all-dancing sounds of disco were reverberating right around the globe. Creative scenesters put their own spin on the disco sound, mashing together the rhythmic pulse of funk, soul and Latin with African grooves; soukous, Afrobeat, township jive and more. Dig the far out sounds of Osibisa, Tony Allen, Mango Groove and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
>Various Artists – The Rough Guide To Latin Psychedelia 2xCD (World Music Network)
During the 1960s and 1970s in Latin America, revolution was in the air youth subculture was breaking its bonds, minds were expanding and music was turning inside out. This Rough Guide features a lovingly re-mastered selection of classic cuts by Joe Cuba and Johnny Rivera alongside contemporary psychedelic pioneers Brownout and Ocote Soul Sounds.
>The Weeks – Dear Bo Jackson CD/LP (Serpents & Snakes)
Drawing inspiration from such iconic works as The Band's Music From The Big Pink, The Weeks enriched their well-seasoned sonic stew with the classic flavors of soul, R&B, funk, and heavy boogie to create their own unique take on contemporary Southern rock.
>Wolf People – Fain CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
Recorded in an isolated house in the Yorkshire Dales, Fain is the sound of a band at the peak of their creative powers. It's an honest and natural album that allows its stories and melodies to breathe. The album draws on more traditional English and Scottish folk melodies than anything they've done before, but not straying from the dropout fuzz-rock route they've made their own.
>Youngblood Hawke – Wake Up CD/2xLP (Universal Republic)
Inspired by the Herman Wouk novel of the same name, Youngblood Hawke was born out of late night creative musings between longtime friends Sam Martin and Simon Katz. The L.A. indie pop band’s first single, “We Come Running,” has become a ubiquitous anthem in its own right. With danceable cadence and a massive refrain, the song resounds with arena-ready energy.
>Zs – Grain CD/LP (Northern Spy)
The two side-length tracks (coming in at a total of 42 minutes) bear the marks of their sound -- repeated phrases, looped or played in situ; buried drones and harsh electronic tones -- but it does sound very much like a new band.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>The Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet - Concert For Fukushima Wels 2011 DVD (Pan Rec)
A film by Pavel Borodin featuring the Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet benefit concert at the 2011 Music Unlimited festival in Wels with guests Toshinori Kondo, Michiyo Yagi, Yoshihide Otomo and Akira Sakata. 105 minutes.
>The Eagles – History Of The Eagles 3xDVD/3xBlu-ray (Jigsaw Productions)
History Of The Eagles explores the band's creation and rise to fame in the ‘70s through their breakup in 1980, then from their 1994 reunion though the Hell Freezes Over tour to the present day. Includes an exclusive concert filmed Live at the Capital Centre in March 1977.
>Rainbow – Live In Munic DVD (Eagle Vision)
This concert from their European tour in 1977 features the line-up responsible for the Long Live Rock N Roll album released later that year, including vocalist Ronnie James Dio and drummer Cozy Powell. 211 minutes. Also available on stand-alone CD.
Vinyl:
>Adventure – Weird Work LP (Carpark)
Weird Work remains in the same sonic space as Lesser Known but abandons its sing-alongs. It's the result of Adventure's 8-bit tendencies running free in an IDM landscape built on Aphex Twin and early Warp Records.
>Bone Sickness – Alone In The Grave 12” (20 Buck Spin)
The maelstrom of death metal savagery Bone Sickness conjures on Alone In The Grave recalls Repulsion’s Horrified LP and early Master/Deathstrike recordings, and exhumes Napalm Death when still commanded by domineering, barbaric drummer Mick Harris. No Incantation worship or goats ’n’ gasmasks posing; just American death metal disfigured by grindcore.
>Broderick & Broderick – Broderick & Broderick 10”+CD (Team Love)
Broderick & Broderick is internationally renowned multi-instrumentalist and composer/songwriter Peter Broderick and his father Stephen Broderick. The self-titled release is comprised of six songs, mostly instrumental, with a vocal contribution by Peter's sister Heather Woods Broderick.
>Child Bite – Vision Crimes/Monomania LP (Joyful Noise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This album collects Child Bite's two sibling EP's into one brutal package. For years, we have watched Child Bite change, contort, and rearrange itself in to the gnarly powerhouse that exists in its current period. Since the inception of their now steady relationship with JNR, the sounds have become more abrasive then their spastic avant-pop beginnings.
>Loren Connors – The Departing Of A Dream [2002] LP (Family Vineyard)
Vinyl reissue of master guitarist Loren Connors' modern classic -- the first of what would become a three volume series based loosely as tribute to Miles Davis' He Loved Him Madly. This album finds Connors exploring slowly churned darkened hues each collapsing onto themselves like echoes of Miles' muted trumpet and Connors' signature ghost melodies.
>Damon & Naomi - Wondrous World Of Damon & Naomi (Bootleg Edition) LP (20|20|20)
In 1995, Damon & Naomi went into the studio with Galaxie 500 producer Kramer to record their debut for Sub Pop. Not everything went according to plan, however; or rather, it turned out Kramer and Damon & Naomi each had a different plan for what should result. This version is comprised of different mixes and track sequence. Limited-edition vinyl pressing, with official bootleg art.
>Dead Can Dance – In Concert 3xLP (PIAS)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Last year, Dead Can Dance embarked on a world tour behind Anastatis, their first album in 16 years. In Concert is a collection of live tracks taken from their massive trek.
>Field Report – Field Report LP (Partisan)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. Field Report is the creation of Chris Porterfield, who cut his musical teeth with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and the members of Megafaun in the band DeYarmond Edison. The result is a haunting set of songs that’s crafty, lyrical, and poignant.
>Gravetemple – Ambient/Ruin 2xLP (Ideologic Organ)
Gravetembple was formed in 2006 as a side-project of Sunn O))) by Oren Ambarchi, Stephen O'Malley and Attila Csihar. Elements of tape collage, concrete, and field recordings blend within a strong suite of heavy minimalist/maximalist music, black/death metal and drone.
>Gruppo Di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza - Musica Su Schemi [Reissue/1976] LP+MP3 (Superior Viaduct)
In the early 1970s, Franco Evangelisti assembled Gruppo Di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza, a collective of Italian composers that included Ennio Morricone on trumpet. Gruppo aspired to revolutionize composition through group improvisation and — like their peer, Karlheinz Stockhausen — musique concrète, aleatory (controlled chance) techniques and early electronic music. One significant influence in the studio was their use of chess to define key parameters of their music.
>Helado Negro – Invisible Life LP (Asthmatic Kitty)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Press play on Invisible Life and you lose your season. Roberto Lange AKA Helado Negro is talking to you in Spanish. He's talking to you, perhaps with more volume, in the language he's been teaching us all over the past three years through the lessons of the seductive full-length Canta Lechuza, the sub-narrative exploration EP Island Universe Story One, and the all-in collaboration, OMBRE, with Juliana Barwick. This immersive curriculum, paired with our own capacity for feeling, will make Invisible Life visible. At least as much Roberto Lange wants us to see of himself.
>Koji – Crooked In My Mind LP (Run For Cover)
This is Koji’s most soulful and tuneful yet album yet. His voice brittle and bold all at the same time, tapping into the same poignancy Elliott Smith conjured at this best. Twanging acoustic guitar chimes with powerfully rhythmic drums and delicate, singing strings in a downright mesmerizing and moving way. CD version due May 14.
>Rilo Kiley – Rkives 2xLP (Little Record Company)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Rkives is a collection of unreleased songs, B-sides, and rarities spanning Rilo Kiley's decade-
long career.
>Panabrite – Sub-Aquatic Meditation LP (Aguirre)
Solo project of Norman Chambers, utilizing analog synthesis, vintage drum machines, various effects and occasional guitar. The outer space and the deep blue sea collide into two sides of spellbinding adventures reminiscent of the early work of Oneohtrix Point Never and Dolphins Into The Future.
>Ty Segall + Chad & The Meatbodies - Ty Segall + Chad & Meatbodies: LAMC Vol. 7 7” (Famous Class)
Split between the San Francisco psych wunderkind Ty Segall and the heavy, groovy, psychedelic Chad & The Meatbodies.
>Slava – Raw Solutions LP (Software)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Raw Solutions is the debut full-length by Slava. Following his 2012 EP Soft Control, Raw Solutions finds Slava exploring the darker, denser corners of Chicago House and Footwork in an ever-broadening context.
>Songs: Ohia – Hecla & Griper [1998] LP (Secretly Canadian)
Secretly Canadian is proud to announce the 15th Anniversary reissue of a Songs: Ohia classic, the Hecla & Griper EP, now appearing for the first time on vinyl with previously unreleased bonus material.
>Sorcerer – Step Pyramid/Universal Vision 12” (Catune)
Dan Judd (Windsurf) is Sorcerer. Side A's "Step Pyramid" works perfectly on dance floors keeping the melodies minimal, but with bright synth sounds and vocal cut up loops lock you into a breezing groove, and also features a remix by Traks Boys. Side B's "Universal Vision", also a DJ friendly cut, features vocals and synth, and a remix by The Beat Broker.
>Whiles – Somber Honey LP+MP3 (Anyway)
Somber Honey displays frontman Joe Peppercorn’s strong sense of melody and sharp song craft, with orchestral arrangements courtesy of violinist Samantha Kim (Ghost Shirt). The album recalls hints of Colin Blunstone’s finest work, Eric Matthews and the pop sensibilities of Tommy Keene, early Cat Stevens and The Byrds.
>Denison Witmer – Denison Witmer LP (Asthmatic Kitty)
Denison Witmer is Denison Witmer, a culmination of a story that started at the birth of independent music in the early 2000s. He began his career in 1998 with Safe Away. Three albums, dozens of hard, long tours, and several years later, Denison released his most popular record Are You a Dreamer? in 2005. The industry changed quickly though -- losing its focus on singer/songwriter folk music. Instead of bowing to the pressure to follow musical trends, Denison continued to refine his sound, becoming more confident in creating something subtle and sublime.
Cassette:
>The Body – Master, We Perish (Sickroom)
Three brand new tracks push The Body’s experimental doomed and blackened heavy sound ever forward. Also available on CD and vinyl. New album on Thrill Jockey due Autumn 2013.
>Daniel Higgs – Surrender To Love (Wild Sages)
Wild Sages presents Daniel Higgs hypno-poetry Surrender To Love and the door opts to open and blow off the hinges revealing the Milky Way. Drone riffs and banjo tide pools are the musical instrumentation amidst reverbs and vintage Depression-era EQs. Two-sided cassette.\
23 APRIL 2013
>Amplifier – Echo Street CD (K-Scope)
Amplifier mix epic space rock jams with accessible pieces boasting three-part vocal harmonies. Available in Regular and Special editions. Special edition features alternate packaging with expanded booklet.
>Appleseed Cast – Illumination Ritual CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Graveface)
Appleseed Cast’s first full-length since 2009's Sagamartha embraces not only a new line-up, but also hopscotching time signatures and a tumultuous anthemic energy that rivals anything else in their consistently impressive catalog.
>Michael Bublé – To Be Loved CD (Reprise)
To Be Loved is Michael Bublé's seventh studio album featuring four original songs and classic covers.
>Paula Cole – Raven CD (675 Records)
Raven is Cole’s new album and first independent release, with a nod to her Harbinger-styled, Americana storytelling roots evoking themes of longing, sex, and feminism.
>Peter Daltrey & The Asteroid No. 4 – Journey CD/LP (Poppydisc/Revola)
Philadelphia-based neo-psych band The Asteroid No. 4’s new album is a collaboration with Peter Daltrey, vocalist from the ‘60s UK psychedelic rock group Kaleidoscope.
>Fantasia – Side Effects Of You CD (J-Records)
The fourth album from the Grammy-award winning soul vocalist features guest appearances by Missy Elliott, Kelly Rowland and more.
>Uri Gurvich – Babel CD (Tzadik)
The second album from one of the most exciting players coming out of the new Israeli jazz scene features his tight touring quartet with special guest Brahim Fribgane on oud.
>Har Mar Superstar – Bye Bye 17 CD/LP (Cult/Frenchkiss)
“Har Mar, who we know off stage as Owatonna, MN native Sean Tillmann, has long been regarded as a shrewd composer with an ear for pop melodies. Yet throughout his career, he has made a point of separating out his ‘serious’ songwriting and publishing it under aliases like Sean Na Na, while devoting his Har Mar stage name to a much baudier, more flamboyant performance style. For the first time, Bye Bye 17 finds Har Mar merging all sides of his persona into one unified front.” – The Current
>Heaven + Earth – Dig CD/2xLP+MP3 (Quarto Valley)
Taking up from where iconic bands like Deep Purple and Bad Company have left off, Heaven + Earth is on a mission to resurrect the sanctity of rock in its purest, most accessible form on their third studio album, Dig.
>Henry Fool – Men Singing CD (K-Scope)
The new album from the band featuring members of No-Man, I Monster, and Roxy Music. Sometimes playful, sometimes intense, sometimes eerie and ethereal, Men Singing is equal parts dynamic drums, spiky guitars and atmospheric washes of fluttering flutes and vintage keyboards.
>Killdozer – Twelve Point Buck [Reissue/1987] CD (Touch & Go)
Back in print on CD. Killdozer, natives of Madison, WI, began an epic thirteen-year career in the early eighties. They started out as a harsh underground trio that combined elements of primitive country blues with distorted Birthday Party style antics. By 1991, they had evolved into a slower more experimental style of musical drudgery, still always keeping with their wrong side of town meets Communist Manifesto lyrics.
>Tom Jones – Spirit In The Room CD (Rounder/Concord)
Spirit In The Room features all new repertoire made up of gospel, blues and Americana, and includes songs by Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Odetta, Paul McCartney, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. Produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Kings Of Leon, Ray LaMontagne, Laura Marling) the album marks a new, adventurous path for Jones, one that is rootsy, bluesy, bold, and raw.
>Junip – Junip LP (Mute)
Sophomore album from the Swedish band featuring singer/songwriter José González. The album’s first single “Line Of Fire” showcases a bolder, more mature Junip – once again eager to embrace you with their infectious blend of percussion and passionate, immeasurable waves of genuine emotion. Unleashing an opulent melody atop of hypnotic grooves, the track splits itself into a dance between flamenco syncopation and krautrock repetition, while González’s heartfelt vocals crest with unbridled sentiment.
>Juno Reactor – The Golden Sun Of The Great East CD (Metropolis)
Juno Reactor’s eighth album hones the exotic mix of surging trance beats, cinematic vision, and lustrous world music flavors that characterized its predecessors, from propulsive turbo-opener “Final Frontier” to evocative satellite serenade finale “Playing With Fire” and its panoramic chorale of synths, strings, and haunting voices.
>Kid Cudi – Indicud CD (Universal)
Third album from the Grammy Award winning, gold-selling rapper, featuring guest appearances by Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky, RZA, Too $hort, Michael Bolton and Haim. Vinyl version due April 30.
>k-os – BLack On BLonde 2xCD/LP+MP3 (Nettwerk)
Recorded at Hayden Christensen's deserted Laurel Canyon mansion, written while k-os was falling in love; BLack On BLonde is comprised of two records: an album of rock tracks on which k-os sings and plays drums, guitar and bass, and an album of hip-hop jams. Featured guests include Black Thought of The Roots, Sam Roberts, Travie McCoy, Emily Haines, and Cory Hart. Also available on picture disc vinyl (abbreviated to 10 tracks).
>Lilacs & Champagne – Danish & Blue CD (Kemado)
Turning away from the suspense and dread of their other band Grails, Emil Amos and Alex Hall pursue a different angle of playfulness and perversion with their newest project, Lilacs & Champagne. Their second record manages to be even grander and more ambitious, yet somehow more damaged and bugged-out.
>Charles Lloyd – Quartets 5xCD (ECM)
This 5xCD box set in ECMs Old & New Masters series, issued in time for Charles Lloyd’s 75th birthday in March 2013, looks back at the beginning of the great saxophonists association with ECM. It includes the albums Fish Out Of Water, Notes from Big Sur, The Call, All My Relations, and Canto.
>Jon Madof – Zion80 CD (Tzadik)
Zion 80 explores the music of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach through the lens of the Afrobeat funk master Fela Kuti.
>Bob Marley – Kaya [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Universal)
Kaya has been completely remastered and expanded with a bonus non-LP track “Smile Jamaica” (the original B-side to the “Satisfy My Soul” single written for the people of Jamaica after the assassination attempt on Marley s life at the Smile Jamaica unity concert in 1976).
>Massacre – Love Me Tender CD (Tzadik)
One of the first and longest-running improv rock bands presents a special collection of live recordings culled from the private collection of guitarist extraordinaire Fred Frith.
>Steve Martin/Edie Brickell – Love Has Come For You CD/LP (Rounder)
Although these new musical partners have already built widely respected individual bodies of work, their inaugural duo effort is a substantial departure, for both artists. Love Has Come For You features 13 eloquently rootsy Martin/Brickell compositions that combine the former's inventive, expressive five-string banjo work with the latter's heart-tugging vocals and vivid, detail- rich lyrics. Guests include Esperanza Spalding, Waddy Wachtel, Nickel Creek alumni Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins, as well as the Steep Canyon Rangers.
>Lori McKenna – Massachusetts CD (1-2-3-4 Go!)
There are strong resemblances between Lori McKenna's Massachusetts and the real thing. Both are infused with history, where every turn takes you down some road with a tale to tell, maybe a story of your own or of the ones who came before, with hopes and dreams and loves and losses just like yours.
>Alanis Morissette – Live At Montreux 2012 CD (Eagle Rock)
On July 2nd, 2012 Alanis Morissette returned to Montreux as part of her Guardian Angel Tour in support of her recent album Havoc And Bright Lights. Also available in stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray.
>Paul Motian – Paul Motian 6xCD (ECM)
This six-CD set, with recordings from 1972 to 1984, includes the albums Conception Vessel, Tribute, Dance, Le Voyage, Psalm and It Should’ve Happened A Long Time Ago. Paul Motian’s innovative drumming with the great trios of Bill Evans and Paul Bley had already assured him of a place in jazz’s history books, but Motian had not considered life as a bandleader until ECM proposed a recording session under his own name.
>The Neighbourhood – I Love You CD (Columbia)
“On their debut album I Love You, the Neighbourhood reach into the stratosphere and craft 11 moody, atmospheric rock tracks. The Los Angeles newcomers adore soaring textures and add them liberally to such tracks as ‘How,’ ‘Everybody's Watching Me (Uh Oh)’ and ‘Let It Go’ – along with doses of mechanical drums, opaque tones and cloudy vocals from frontman Jesse Rutherford.” – Rolling Stone
>No Joy – Wait To Pleasure CD (Kemado/Mexican Summer)
Wait To Pleasure is the result of the Montreal noise-pop band's first foray in a fully furnished studio environment, and is rooted heavily in ripcurls amid devastating melody, finishing sentences whispered long ago with depth, variance and force.
>Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin CD/LP (Castle Face)
"These songs occur in the mindset of a world that's perpetually war-ridden. Overall, it's pretty dark, and much heavier than our other albums." -- John Dwyer
>OMD – English Electric CD+DVD (BMG)
Deluxe edition featuring bonus DVD. 12th studio album from the British synthpop legends and the second since the reformation of the original band (Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes). Andy McCluskey says of the album: “The overarching feel tends to be a sense of loss, of melancholia, that things haven’t turned out the way you wanted them to, whether it be with technology or personal relationships.” Vinyl due May 28.
>Phoenix – Bankrupt! CD/2xCD/LP+MP3 (Glassnote)
The polite Frenchmen release their first new album since 2009’s ridiculously massive Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe version comes in alternate soft pack with a bonus CD featuring 71 “demos and sketches.”
>Queensrÿche – Frequency Unknown CD (Cleopatra)
Five years after the Mindcrime revolution, the Rÿche returns with their 13th studio album. Vinyl version due May 21.
>Steve Roach – Future Flows CD (Projekt)
The evolving, inexplicable nature of Steve Roach's musical soundworld is fully realized on his new textural electronic/ambient release, Future Flows. Within the eight tracks on this seventy-minute album, a renewing, contemplative mood emerges by way of the shifting interconnected sonic forms that emerge from a constant source somewhere in the near future.
>The Rolling Stones – The Very Best Of The Rolling Stones 1964-1971 CD (ABKCO)
16-track compilation featuring some of the band’s most memorable hits spanning the years 1964-1971.
>Bill Ryder-Jones – A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart CD/2xLP+MP3 (Domino)
Bill Ryder-Jones left The Coral after their fifth studio album, Roots & Echoes, on which his arrangements hinted at a deeper and spectacular compositional talent. A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart marries his masterful capacities as arranger and composer with his first firm steps as a singer/songwriter.
>Adrian Sherwood – Never Trust A Hippy [Reissue/2003] CD (Realworld)
Never Trust A Hippy is Adrian Sherwood's eclectic, compelling and lovingly crafted solo debut.
>Slava – Raw Solutions CD (Software)
Raw Solutions is the debut full-length by Slava. Following his 2012 EP Soft Control, Raw Solutions finds Slava exploring the darker, denser corners of Chicago House and Footwork in an ever broadening context. Vinyl version due April 30.
>Snoop Lion – Reincarnated CD/LP (RCA)Reincarnated is the rapper’s reggae and dancehall influenced album executive produced by Diplo and the Major Lazer production team. Guests include Miley Cyrus, Akon, Collie Budz, Drake, Angela Hunte, and others. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks.
>Soundtrack – Injustice: Gods Among Us! CD (WaterTower Music)
Original soundtrack to the 2013 video game features new and unreleased music from Rise Against, Depeche Mode, Portugal. The Man, and MSTRKRFT.
>Tate Stevens – Tate Stevens CD (RCA)
The self-titled country music debut from the second season winner of The X Factor.
>Laura Stevenson – Wheels CD/LP (Don Giovanni)
Wheels features strings by Grammy winning violinist Rob Moose (Bon Iver, Antony & The Johnson), brass accompaniment from Kelly Pratt (Beirut, Arcade Fire, St. Vincent), and was produced and mixed by Kevin McHahon (Swans, Titus Andronicus, Real Estate). Scrappy, large-hearted indie-pop and rock. "[...] somewhere between the jangly bluster of Swearin' and the bright-eyed folk-pop of Thao & The Get Down Stay Down." – Pitchfork
>Dandy Teru – Adventures CD (Ubiquity)
Adventures is the debut full-length album by French producer Dandy Teru. His opus is chock-full of notable guest vocalists and MC's and also includes remixes by Tall Black Guy, Belgian production duo Monkey Robot and his partner-in-crime Quiet Dawn. Vinyl version due May 7.
>Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart CD/LP (Interscope)
Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features two bonus tracks. “Frank Turner has followed a unique trajectory, from the playing fields of Eton via hardcore punk with Million Dead to political arena-filling indie-folk. However, while his libertarian worldview has become controversial and his 2006 song ‘Thatcher F##ked The Kids’ topical, his fifth album finds him taking a more personal sidestep, with songs about romantic disasters, mortality, lonely days and crazy nights.” – The Guardian
>Jozef Van Wissem – Nihil Obstat CD/LP (Important)
Wissem's long form, graceful melodic lute layers, preceded by suspenseful deep bass movements, create a transcendental and pastoral world where hypnotic minimalist figures are repeated to slow the act of listening.
>The Vitals – Qualia CD/LP (ORG Music)
The music of The Vitals is a strong combination of ambience, rock & roll, psych, and is driven heavily by groove, lyrics and an extremely personal live show.
>will.i.am - #Willpower CD (Interscope)
The fourth album from the Black Eyed Peas rapper/songwriter/producer features Britney Spears, Hit Boy, Waka Flocka Flame, Lil Wayne and Diddy. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds three bonus tracks.
>Luke Winslow-King – The Coming Tide CD/LP (Bloodshot)
Luke Winslow-King is a 29-year-old guitarist/singer/composer/lyricist known for his slide guitar work, and interest in pre-war blues and traditional jazz. Coming Tide is an eclectic mix, taking in delta-folk music, classical composition, ragtime, and rock & roll; juxtaposing original songs with those from a bygone era.
>Xiu Xiu/Eugene S. Robinson – Sal Mineo CD (Important)
Sitting at the crossroads between Oxbow’s Eugene S. Robinson and Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart, Sal Mineo is a pure/impure distillate of experimentalism based on 30-second to three-minute-long focused bursts of sonic crime, which plumbs the cooling depths of a pleasure-cruise death trip.
>Young Galaxy – Ultra Marine CD/LP+CD (Paper Bag)
Ten tracks of shining, glimmering electronic pop songs that scatter across the dancefloor, swim through headphones, ringing out like a cold new summer. Also available on white vinyl.
>Rob Zombie – Venomous Regeneration Vendor CD/LP (UMe)
Rob Zombie has continuously challenged audiences as he stretches the boundaries of music, film, and publishing. Now, the seven-time Grammy-nominated artist releases his fifth album, Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor, which includes the first single, 'Dead City Radio And The New Gods of Super Town.”
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Insane Clown Posse – Riddle Box Weekend 2xDVD (Psychopathic)
Get ready to relive one of the most devastating two-day events in Psychopathic Records history -- Juggalo Weekend 2013. This special two-disc set captures the historic flavor that went down that winter weekend in Insane Clown Posses’ home base of Detroit.
>Alanis Morissette – Live At Montreux 2012 DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle Rock)
On July 2nd, 2012 Alanis Morissette returned to Montreux as part of her Guardian Angel Tour in support of her recent album Havoc And Bright Lights. 98 minutes.
Vinyl:
>Trinidad James – Don’t Be S.A.F.E. LP (Def Jam)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Debut album from the up-and-coming rapper now on Def Jam, with his unique "New Atlanta" sound.
>Waylon Jennings – Goin’ Down Rockin’ LP (Sundazed)
Released last year on CD – now available on vinyl. HQ-180 vinyl pressing of intimate final acoustic recordings by country music legend, originally recorded in 2002 before his death.
>June Of 44 – Four Great Points [Reissue/1998] LP (QuarterStick)
Back in print on vinyl! The various members of June of 44 all tell tales of how this album was the "weirdest thing they have ever done" and how they, at different times, "left our bodies behind and looked down on the going on in the room," experimenting not only in songwriting, but also in instrumentation and recording. Violins, percussion, echoed effects, Fred's trumpet, and the sounds of a typewriter all work together in an earthy, cohesive sound.
>Low & Dirty Three – In The Fishtank [Reissue/2004] 12” (Fishtank)
Low & Dirty Three collaborate on a truly amazing set of songs here -- the combination of Low's open, desolate sound and the melancholic yet folky violin of Dirty Three's Warren Ellis inspired Low to indulge in a more crooning way of singing and to add banjo to the works.
>Mood Rings – Pathos y Lagrimas b/w 333 7” (Mexican Summer)
The lead single from Mood Rings’ forthcoming debut, VPI Harmony (due in June) on Mexican Summer, is a moody, sexy pop song cloaked in an air of mystery, but loaded with enough reverberant guitar hooks to soar the track skywards. They switch up the tone on B-side "333;" barbed, catchy guitar pop with psychedelic flourishes and a crunchy, fuzzed-out finish.
>The Mourning Reign – Satisfaction Guaranteed LP (Sundazed)
Always mentioned in the same breath as the South Bay's hallowed trio-the Syndicate Of Sound, the Chocolate Watchband and Count Five-the Mourning Reign has been woefully under-represented on wax-until now.
>No Warning – Ill Blood 2xLP (Bridge Nine)
Expanded vinyl edition of the Canadian hardcore band’s 2002 sophomore album.
>Oneohtrix Point Never – Betrayed In The Octagon [Reissue/2007] LP+MP3 (Software)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Zones Without People [Reissue/2009] LP+MP3 (Software)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Russian Mind [Reissue/2009] LP+MP3 (Software)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Drawn And Quartered LP+MP3 (Software)
Oneohtrix Point Never – The Fall Into Time LP+MP3 (Software)
Following the success of the sold-out one-time release of Rifts in a 5xLP boxset, Software is presenting each LP for sale individually. Tracks originally released on tapes in 2009 on Catholic Tapes, Utmarken, NNA Tapes.
>Tortoise & The Ex – In The Fishtank 5 [Reissue/1999] 12” (Fishtank)
Tortoise & The Ex morph into one behemoth of sound -- Tortoise working at a more introspective AND subdued level, adding layers and texture, with The Ex adding dynamics and tension.
16 APRIL 2013
>ADR – Chunky Monkey CD/LP (Hippos In Tanks)
Chunky Monkey is the latest release from ADR, the avatar of Aaron David Ross, multimedia artist and member of the of the critically acclaimed Gatekeeper duo. Lauded as “bright, erotic and alive” by The New York Times, ADR has demonstrated his spirited, panache production style across a variety of projects over the last several years.
>Anciients – Heart Of Oak CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
“The foursome’s brand of metal is thunderous yet always focused on melody, striking a strong balance between commanding and catchy. Unlike much of today’s mainstream metal acts, these guys know how to write honest-to-goodness songs, showing tremendous discipline amidst all the instrumental flamboyance, and are primed to put their young peers to shame.” – Pop Matters
>Anika – Anika CDEP (Stones Throw)
On the heels of her Geoff Barrow-produced debut album, Anika returns with this seductive self-titled EP. Her version of The Kinks’ lovelorn classic “I Go To Sleep” leads the EP, which also features brand new covers of songs by The Crystals (“He Hit Me”), Chromatics (“In The City”) and Shocking Blue (“Love Buzz”) as well as dub versions of previous singles “Yang Yang” and “No One’s There” by Bristol producer Ratman.
>Art Brut – Top Of The Pops 2xCD (The End)
Double-disc ‘best-of.’ Disc One contains the best and most popular songs from their career in chronological order plus two brand new tracks. Disc Two contains rare songs that Freddy Feedback rescued from their vaults including live songs, covers, hard to acquire B-sides and unreleased demos.
>Joan Baez – Play Me Backwards [Reissue/1992] 2xCD (Razor & Tie)
Reissue of Baez’s 1992 album, paired with a disc of bonus tracks.
>Aiden Baker – Already Drowning CD/LP (Gizeh)
While still retaining his trademark sense of ambience and texture, the tracks on Already Drowning are much more structured and song-oriented, embracing a minimalist post-rock, slowcore style and featuring a different vocalist on each track.
>Barn Owl – V CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
V is a whole new direction for this San Francisco duo as they augment their arsenal of guitars and effects with an array of electronics, vastly expanding the album's sounds and textures. "... a dream pairing of their deep listening drones and frostbitten synths.” - Self-Titled Magazine
>Beatallica – Abbey Load CD (Oglio)
Beatallica return with a vengeance on their third full-length studio album, exploring the question, what would Abbey Road sound like if they were originally recorded by Metallica?
>Blank Realm – Go Easy CD/LP (Fire)
“Over the course of five years and more than a dozen releases, Brisbane art-rockers Blank Realm have veered in and out of sonic focus, sometimes going all in for abstract, hiss-smothered synthscapes, sometimes weird, clattering outsider pop, and various places between and beyond. Go Easy is by far their most accessible yet, balancing the arty with the party beautifully to make for a set of danceable, hook-filled songs that bubble and bloom with an almost biological rampancy, shooting out tendrils of strange, snaking melody in every direction like vines enveloping a ruin.” – guardian.co.uk
>Blind Melon – Blind Melon/Sippin’ Time Sessions CD (Capitol)
Blind Melon's self-titled 1992 debut album, Blind Melon, featuring the now-iconic 'bee girl' on its cover, has been remastered for the first time and expanded with the band's previously unreleased Sippin' Time Sessions EP.
>Born Ruffians – Birthmark CD/LP (Yep Roc/Sargent House)
The songs on Born Ruffians’ third LP, Birthmark, came out of a dusty living room in an old house, in between chopping wood and building bonfires, playing crokinole at the kitchen table, cooking family dinners and shooting beer cans with a bow and arrow. Built from demos recorded by Luke Lalonde over the course of three years at home, on tour, in Toronto, Montreal, Europe, Australia, anywhere and everywhere.
>David Bowie – Aladdin Sane [40th Anniversary Edition] CD (EMI)
Digitally remastered 40th Anniversary edition of Bowie’s classic 1973 album.
>The Boys – The Boys [Reissue/1977] 2xCD/LP+CD+MP3 (Fire)
The Boys – Alternative Chartbusters [Reissue/1978] 2xCD/LP+CD+MP3 (Fire)
35th Anniversary expanded reissues, each featuring a wealth of bonus material. “The Boys were perhaps punk's saddest casualty. They could -- indeed, should -- have been enormous. Certainly they were one of the finest live acts around, but still they were to languish in comparative obscurity, with even their continental success seemingly working against them. Even worse, when their debut album was reissued on CD, it arrived with a sticker on the front proclaiming the involvement of '80s AOR superstar John Waite -- a claim which has absolutely no grounding in reality.” – AllMusic
>Sarah Brightman – Dreamchaser CD (Simha LLC)
The first album in six years from the world's biggest selling three-octave soprano.
>Carla Bruni – Little French Songs CD/CD+Blu-ray+DVD (Verve)
Carla Bruni's fourth album is written and performed in French, English and Italian. It is the follow up to her critically acclaimed Comme si de rien n'etait (As if Nothing Had Happened). Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. The limited edition deluxe version includes the standard album plus two bonus tracks, the album as Blu-ray Audio, and a DVD featuring five music videos from the sessions.
>Charli XCX – True Romance CD (Atlantic)
Over the course of a few years, Charli has released a series of singles and mixtapes, toured the globe supporting the likes of Coldplay, Santigold, Sleigh Bells and Justice and garnered champions from practically every tastemaker blog and magazine on both sides of the Atlantic.
Collaborators Ariel Rechtshaid (Usher, Major Lazer, Solange), Patrik Berger (Lana del Rey, Robyn) as well as hotly tipped blog favorites Blood Diamonds and J£zus Millions helped hone her vision for a dark, emotional pop record.
>Clothilde - Queen of the French Swinging Mademoiselle 1967 CD (Born Bad)
Compilation of songs from French '60s pop singer and queen of the "Swingin' Mademoiselles." Characteristic, archetypical, saucy French ye-ye in the same vein as Francoise Hardy, France Gall, Jacqueline Taieb, and Christine Pilzer.
>John Coltrane - Sun Ship: The Complete Session 2xCD (Verve)
John Coltrane's Sun Ship was one of the last -- and finest -- chapters in the story of his classic quartet. The album profiles the saxophonist in transition, from the secular to the sacred. Deepening his spiritual journey, Trane discovers the sound -- the urgent cry -- that marks his mystique and assures his immortality. But it was released four years after Coltrane's death, in 1971, culled from session tapes by Coltrane's wife Alice. This double-CD set is the result of an extraordinary discovery: the entire session as it was recorded on August 26, 1965, with Trane, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones, with producer Bob Thiele.
>Coma – In Technicolor CD/LP (Kompakt)
Gleaming pop collides with the spectrum of modern techno and house strains.
>Cyanide Pills – Still Bored CD/LP (Damaged Goods)
A storming 17 track punk pop blast dealing with alienation, despair, politics and impotence. There's also a punk rock/geography/history lesson with “Johnny Thunders Lived In Leeds.”
>Dead Can Dance – In Concert CD (PIAS)
Last year, Dead Can Dance embarked on a world tour behind Anastatis, their first album in 16 years. In Concert is a collection of live tracks taken from their massive trek. Vinyl version due April 30.
>Dead Confederate – In The Marrow CD/LP (Spiderbomb)
“If Kurt Vile's new album inhabits the sunny side of the art-psych divide, then Dead Confederate's could be its evil twin. The Athens quintet favors claustrophobic, slow-burning numbers that are pregnant with tension and drama, as with the bittersweet organ-driven "Dead Poetry," which boasts what is perhaps the group's most indelible hook to date. The album's explosive and dynamic sweep, and frontman Hardy Morris' falsetto, recall Manchester Orchestra at times.” – Creative Loafing
>The Casey Donahew Band – Standoff CD (Almost Country/Thirty Tigers)
Over the past decade, Burleson, TX native, Casey Donahew, has carved out an impressive niche for himself on the country music scene.
>Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ – Songs From The Psychedelic Time Clock CD (Almost Loaded)
“With jangly fuzz filled guitars, killer harmonies and spacey melodies DNC transports the listeners into the world of classic garage rock. Way before the Strokes, Black Keys, White Stripes or the Mooney Suzuki garnered any success with their low-fi rock there were the13th Floor Elevators, the Pretty Things, The Kinks and The Count Five laying the groundwork. SFPTC is a homage to those bands that laid the groundwork.” – The Examiner
>Dust – Hard Attack/Dust [Reissue 1971/1972] CD (Sony Legacy)
Think the phrase "proto metal," and the usual suspects come to mind -- Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, etc. But only a select few have known that an obscure Brooklyn, New York-based band, Dust, was one of the first stateside bands to crank their amps up to ten and let it rip.
>Steve Earle & The Dukes (& Duchesses) – The Low Highway CD/LP (New West)
The Low Highway features his live band and was co-produced by Earle and Ray Kennedy (whose production partnership known as the "Twangtrust" was behind Lucinda Williams' Car Wheels On A Gravel Road). Between the opening title track and the reflective closing of "Remember Me," The Low Highway is very much Steve Earle's road record, and one that has seen many miles. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes a bonus DVD featuring four performances from Austin City Limits, a mini-documentary on the making of the album, a music video for "Invisible," and 24bit/96khz audio of the album.
>Fallout Boy – Save Rock And Roll CD/2xLP (Universal Republic)
They've taken a three-year hiatus, but now Fall Out Boy is back with a newer, harder sound. Guests include 2 Chainz, Courtney Love, and Sir Elton John.
>Feeling Of Love – Reward Your Grace CD/LP (Born Bad)
Feeling Of Love has performed around Europe and in the US with such bands as Thee Oh Sees, Girls, Ty Segall, and White Fence. Reward Your Grace is influenced by Suicide, Spacemen 3, Velvet Underground, Can, and Syd Barrett.
>Flaming Lips – The Terror CD/2xLP (WB)
The Terror was produced by the band s long-time collaborator Dave Fridmann and The Flaming
Lips at Tarbox Road Studios. It is comprised of nine original compositions that reflect a darker-
hued spectrum than previous works, along with a more inward-looking lyrical perspective than
one might expect but then again, maybe not.
>Jonny Fritz – Dad Country CD/LP (ATO)
Nashville, TN; January 2013: Nashville songwriter Jonny Fritz's work ethic and boldness have paid off in spades. It's been a big year for Jonny with opening stints for Alabama Shakes, Deer Tick, Dawes, Shooter Jennings and kudos from CMT and Rolling Stone, among many others. Dad Country has a Nashville sound kept aloft on a sure Southern Californian wind, no doubt from the influence of his backing band: Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith, Tay Strathairn and Wylie Gelber of Dawes, and his Nashville band: Spencer Cullum Jr, Joshua Hedley, Taylor Zachry and Jerry Pentecost.
>Futurebirds – Baba Yaga CD/LP (Fat Possum)
The second by Athens, GA band is “a beguiling blend of warmly catchy tunes, stirringly evocative lyrics, distinctive sonic textures and unexpected melodic twists. The music is both intense and uplifting, capturing a good deal of the soaring, primal, sweat-soaked spirit of Futurebirds' live shows, which have already won the group a rabidly devoted fan base and a reputation as a singularly inspired, bravely unpredictable performing unit.” – Mercy Lounge
>Ghost B.C. – Infestissumam CD/LP (Loma Vista)
“The music currently being made by Ghost B.C. is not metal. It borrows heavily from the imagery of metal (specifically occult Satanism) and once in a while throws in a guitar tone that you might also find on a King Diamond record (or a Ke$ha record, or a Meat Loaf record), but what you’re hearing here is retro-psychedelia, prog-based pop, Broadway rock. It’s not metal!” -- Stereogum
>Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge –Twelve Reasons To Die CD/2xCD/LP (Soul Temple)
Twelve Reasons To Die is a concept album based on a comic book of the same name. The album was entirely produced and composed by Adrian Younge, and executive produced by RZA. Available in Regular and Deluxe Editions. Deluxe edition includes a bonus CD containing the instrumental version of the album.
>JJ Grey & Mofro – This River CD/LP (Alligator)
This River is chock-full of vibrant characters and compelling stories set to Stax-worthy soul, greasy Southern rock and funk and glorious ballads that stay with you long after the last notes fade. Gutsy vocals, rugged horns and muscular grooves come together to create a down-home musical celebration.
>The Greyboy Allstars - Inland Empire CD (MRI)
Fourth album from the San Diego-based funk/jazz group and their first in six years. Recorded at Elgonix Sound labs and mixed by Grammy Award winning producer/engineer Mickey Petralia (Beck, Peached, Eels, Flight Of The Conchords) Island Empire is a mixture of influences from the five very distinct members of the group.
>David Grubbs – The Plain Where The Palace Once Stood CD/LP (Drag City)
New album David Grubbs, punkademic godfather/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work with Squirrel Bait, Bastro and Gastr del Sol. Plain Where The Palace Stood finds him twining together the diverse strands of his vast interests with collaborators Andrea Belfi (drums, electronics) and Stefano Pilia (guitar).
>Haiku Salut – Tricolore CD/LP (How Does It Feel To Be Loved?)
“Haiku Salut aren't your stereotypical band. Although I'm sure if they were their wares wouldn't be any less fascinating. Born out of the East Midlands DIY/lo-fi scene, members could be found playing in shambolic indie outfit The Deidres not so long ago. However, Haiku Salut are more likely to be found listening to obscure electronica or browsing novels on Japanese postmodernism than discussing the merits of Sarah Records or which is their favourite era of Primal Scream. Unconventional in so many ways, and yet utterly alluring too.” – Drowned In Sound
>Halestorm – The Strange Case Of CD (Atlantic)
Deluxe/expanded edition of Halestorm’s 2012 album adds four bonus tracks.
>Heavy Hawaii – Goosebumps CD/LP (Art Fag)
After a number of releases since forming in 2010, Heavy Hawaii presents their debut full-length album. Goosebumps is an extended journey through floating keyboards, peculiar guitars and lush harmonies. These ten hazy and strange compositions showcase frontman Matt Bahamas’s unique take on California life.
>Houses – A Quiet Darkness CD/LP (Downtown)
“Houses weave a tale of longing within its steadily simplistic beats and soft, electronic keyboard, discovering the line between the native and the modified in its second release, A Quiet Darkness. The record tells the story of a husband and wife trying to reunite throughout a nuclear disaster and each song takes place in an abandoned house they’ve stayed in during their journey to reconnect. There is even sound recorded from actual abandoned houses featured on the album, which gives a unique authenticity to the imaginary dilemma.” – dailytarheel.com
>Inter Arma – Destroyer CDEP (Gilead Media)
“Richmond’s Inter Arma totally floored me with their furious mix of black metal,
Southern stoner style and Neurosis-style imperial riffage.” – Brooklyn Vegan
>Iron & Wine – Ghost On Ghost CD/LP+CD (Nonesuch)
For Ghost On Ghost, Sam Beam sought to move from what he called the "anxious tension" of his two previous records. "This record felt like a reward to myself after the way I went about making the last few," he says. “As eerie Americana has given way to widescreen folk-rock, Ghost On Ghost finds Iron & Wine backed by Bob Dylan's musicians and drawing softly but deeply on a well of American traditionalism stretching from Simon & Garfunkel to The Beach Boys, with unlikely funk and jazz embellishments along the way.” – The Guardian
>Kobra And The Lotus – Kobra And The Lotus CD (Simmons/UMe)
Debut album from female-fronted Canadian metal band signed to Gene Simmons label Simmons Records. Their musical style is often referred to as classic NWOBHM and is compared to bands such as Iron Maiden, Dio, and early Iced Earth.
>K-X-P – II CD/LP (Melodic)
Where their 2010 debut was an exercise in Kraut-tronica, II finds the band unleashing their inner pop deviance. It is an album full of rock & roll shamanism, glam-punk madness, grinding dance music, techno, and a bit of Krautrock, too.
>Leatherette – Leatherette CD/2xLP (Ninja Tune)
Drawing on Bangalter-inflected house but giving it a rumble and wing, Letherette make infectious, beat-driven music which is as fun and un-self-conscious as it is clever and technically cutting edge.
>Life Coach – Alphawaves CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Life Coach is a new collaborative project featuring Phil Manley (Trans Am), Jon Theodore (Queens Of The Stone Age, Mars Volta), Isaiah Mitchell (Golden Void), and Michael Elrod (Date Palms).
>Locust – You’ll Be Safe Forever CD/LP (Editions Mego)
First album in 12 years from Mark Van Hoen (original member of Seefeel). Showcases prime examples of his compulsively hypnotic beats and abstracted pop vocals.
>Major Lazer – Free The Universe CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
New album from the Diplo-fronted Jamaican music homage features a star studded cast, including: Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Peaches, Wyclef Jean, Bruno Mars, Tyga, as well as Amber of Dirty Projectors and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, and more.
>Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Electro Acoustic Ensemble – The Space Between CD+DVD (Delmark)
A multi-faceted sound/visual orchestration based on the idea of multiplying forces and the space between these forces. Both macro and micro, this new work from composer Mazurek and video artist Marianne M. Kim, along with member of Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra, pursues the heavens with the idea of the Indra's Net, a continuous reflection of, but always changing reality of, our universe and what is not seen or heard.
>Main – Ablation CD/LP (Editions Mego)
Robert Hampson (Loop) resurrects his beloved project that laid the foundations during the 1990s for much of the love of abstract guitar treatments in electronic music throughout the 2000s. Here he teams up with Stephan Mathieu, who adds extra tonal color and an obscure rhythmic palette to Hampson's exacting treatments and detailed use of layered concrete sounds to create an emotionally-charged and fascinating work.
>Meat Puppets – Rat Farm CD/LP (The Royal Potato Family)
Curt Kirkwood, the band's singer/guitarist and primary songwriter, described the album as "real blown-up folk music". He elaborated: "I tried to write stuff that would stand on its own - just the chords and the melodies, and play it kind of straight... I think that was the guiding boundary that I gave myself. It was one of those things where a lot of times, in the past especially, [bassist Cris Kirkwood] would go, `Well, that's all there is? Let's put a Prog Rock part in the middle.' But I tried to hold it off as much as I could."
>Merzbow - Takahe Collage CD (Handmade Birds)
A dynamic bouquet of densely crafted sonic structures and a soaring achievement for experimental music.
>Jane Monheit – The Heart Of The Matter CD (Emarcy)
Monheit’s eleventh album is an homage to great songwriters and voices from a variety of musical genres, ranging from “Golden Slumbers/The Long And Winding Road” by The Beatles to Buffy St. Marie’s “Until It’s Time For You To Go” to “Depende de Nos” by Ivan Lins, and more.
>Olly Murs – Right Place, Right Time CD (Sony)
Olly Murs' rise to fame began after he auditioned in 2009 for Britain's top singing competition show, The X Factor, with "Superstition." Simon Cowell said it inspired "the easiest yes I've ever given." Right Place, Right Time is Murs’ US debut, and features the hit "Heart Skips A Beat" ft. Chiddy Bang and the pop anthem "Troublemaker" ft. Flo Rida.
>Willie Nelson And Family – Let’s Face The Music And Dance CD/LP (Sony Legacy)
Turning 80, Nelson drops a new album featuring American standards and country classics by Irving Berlin, Carl Perkins, and Django Reinhart, as well as Willie-penned originals. The result is a beautiful, cohesive set songs about love and reflection in Willie's inimitable style.
>Octaves – Which Way The Wind Blows CD/LP (Bridge Nine)
Octaves craft intricate post-hardcore intercut with strained, barked turns of phrase and corrosive, atmospheric guitar layering.
>Shuggie Otis – Inspiration Information/Wings Of Love 2xCD (Sony Legacy)
“The son of R&B bandleader Johnny Otis, Shuggie Otis spent his childhood soaking up soul, blues and rock influences. His greatest achievement remains 1974's often-sampled psychedelic soul masterpiece Inspiration Information, here repackaged with an extra disc of pieces recorded since then, which show his abilities undiminished by age.” – independent.co.uk
>John Parish – Screenplay CD/2xLP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Bristol musician John Parish is best known as a long-term collaborator with PJ Harvey, releasing two acclaimed albums with her and producing her Mercury-winning Let England Shake, a partnership that began when she joined his band Automatic Dlamini in the late 1980s. He has penned the soundtracks to four films, moments of which have been selected to comprise the album Screenplay.
>Pharaohs – Replicant Moods CD/LP (100% Silk)
Bunkered between an arrangement of stackable synths, the Pharaohs squad jams workshop-style, an endearing, funky, spirited live-thrive. Replicant Moods is one part airy coastal jazz, that Ibeatha-meets-Madchester baggy style the group melted soles with on their first 12-inch Uhh Uhh, and two parts sci-fi soar into the new age, complete with Philip K. Dick winks, tech-know wonks and sleek Daft Punk-choreographed boogies.
>Rainbow Arabia – F.M. Sushi CD/LP (Time No Place)
Rainbow Arabia’s follow-up to Boys & Diamonds is full of vaporous FM-synthesized melodies that streak across the planet's neon sky, and disintegrate into its plush, hypnotic atmospheres.
>Jonas Reinhardt – Mask Of The Maker CD/LP (Not Not Fun)
Vintage synthesizer music has ballooned from a fringe interest into something approaching an outright renaissance across the past half-decade, but few wield as much radical mastery in the realm as Jonas Reinhardt.
>Kim Richey – Thorn In My Heart CD/LP (Yep Roc)
Kim Richey's Yep Roc debut album is a smart, sensual understatement that may be one of her best. The dozen songs themselves show that Richey's still dreaming up fetching melodies that arc and bend in unexpected ways, and still discovering fresh angles from which to articulate matters of the heart. The array of top-tier guests include Trisha Yearwood, Jason Isbell, Wilco's Pat Sansone, My Morning Jacket's Carl Broemel, and Will Kimbrough.
>Frank Rosaly – Cicada Music CD (Delmark)
Jazz drumer Frank Rosaly delivers his debut as a leader, which is an extension of his original soundtrack work from the documentary Scrappers.
>Simple Minds – Celebrate: Greatest Hits 2xCD/3xCD (Virgin)
Celebrate contains the band's biggest hits and album tracks plus two new songs: “Blood Diamonds” and “Broken Glass Park.” Available in double and triple-disc versions, each featuring 36 and 50 tracks, respectively.
>Micah Blue Smaldone - The Ring of the Rise CD/LP+MP3 (Immune)
"Smaldone sings with an achy, folk-tinged voice – weary but wise – as he explores a world he sees as deeply troubled but ultimately brimming with hope.” – NPR
>Soundtrack – NCIS: Los Angeles CD (Artists Addiction)
Original soundtrack to the television series features new and exclusive tracks from Daughtry, Jakob Dylan, Taio Cruz, Gaslight Anthem, Alex Clare, Ice Cube, Ryan Bingham, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Allen Stone and others. Series star LL Cool J offers up “No More” featuring Ne-Yo.
>Tiago Sousa - Samsara CD/LP (Immune)
Solo piano album from this Portuguese composer. RIYL: Nils Frahm, Dustin O’Halloran,
Peter Broadrick, Rachels, Max Richter, Ólafur Arnalds, or Deaf Center.
>Spacehog – As It Is On Earth CD (Hog Space)
2013 is the official return of Spacehog as they release their first album in ten years. As It Is On Earth carries forth the profound influences of T Rex, Iggy Pop, Queen, David Bowie & The Spiders, and by colliding these influences with a wall of distorted guitars and the stupendous daring of their lead vocals.
>Stirrup – Sewn CD (482 Music)
Stirrup is Fred Lonberg-Holm, Nick Macri, and Charles Rumback. The Chicago trio first played together as "the shimmering rhythm section of the Horse's Ha," (Time Out Chicago), a group featuring vocalist Janet Bean of Freakwater and Eleventh Dream Day, and decided to form their own trio in 2009 to explore deep grooves, moody harmonies, and extended structures.
>Styles P – Float CD (Nature Sounds)
New album from the rapper, who is part of the Lox and D-Block collective. Float, produced by A-lister Scram Jones (Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, etc.), features guest appearances from Jadakiss, NORE, Raekwon and Sheek Louch.
>The Summer Set – Legendary CD (Fearless)
Third album from the Scottsdale, AZ pop/punk band.
>The Sunflower Logic – Clouds On The Polar Landscape CDEP (Pink Banana)
The debut release from Robert Pollard’s new project The Sunflower Logic, Clouds On The Polar Landscape combines rock, psychedelic weirdness, UFOs, and Pollard’s erudite lyrics. Crafted entirely in his home studio and clocking in at just under fourteen minutes, the EP explores the catchy hooks and witty lyricism of “UFO Nights,” “F##k You Mr. Smith” and three more gems.
>Tail Dragger – Stop Lyin’ CD (Delmark)
On September 29, 1982 blues singer Tail Dragger recorded nine songs with Johnny B. Moore and Jesse Lee Williams, guitars; Eddie 'Jewtown' Burks, harmonica; Willie Kent, bass; Larry Taylor, drums. Unfortunately producer Iron Jaw Harris didn't live long enough to see the album issued. Jimmy Dawkins, operating his Leric label, made an arrangement with Tail Dragger to release the 45 My Head Is Bald backed with So Ezee featuring overdubbed piano by Lafayette Leake. The remainder of the session sat in Tail Dragger's home for thirty years. Until now.
>Terra Melos – X’ed Out CD/LP+MP3 (Sargent House)
X'ed Out is the culmination of an arc begun on Tera Melos' first proper full-length, Patagonian Rats (2010) -- a supercollider of ‘60s pop hooks, Minutemen garage-prog, post-punk evisceration, wiry psychedelia and nearly everything else in-between.
>The Thermals – Desperate Ground CD/LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
“Portland trio the Thermals have been cranking out urgent, strident, catchy-as-all-hell pogo-punk anthems for more than a decade now, and recent jams like “Born To Kill” and “The Sunset” show absolutely no signs that they’re showing down.” – Stereogum
>Turnover – Magnolia CD/LP (Run For Cover/MRI)
For fans of Mineral, Sunny Day Real Estate. “The most unusual thing about Virginia Beach pop-punk outfit Turnover is how quickly they’ve developed a sweet spot in their sound. On the band’s debut full-length Magnolia, Turnover have trimmed the fat in the previous incarnation of their sound with near-perfect accuracy. Gone is the grating vocal style and homogenized pop-punk formula present on their self-titled EP, and in its place is more of the band’s subdued and darker side.” – Sputnik Music
>Ugly Kid Joe – Stairway To Hell CD (MRI)
This new covers EP heralds Ugly Kid Joe’s return to the world of music.
>Urban Mystic – Love Intervention CD (Sobe Entertainment)
The fourth album from the Ft. Lauderdale-based rapper features guest appearances from Jadakiss, Styles P, Busta Rhymes and Bun B.
>Various Artists - Acid: Mysterons Invade The Jackin Zone: Chicago House 1986-93 2xCD/2xLP (Soul Jazz)
Heavyweight legendary acid house music figureheads such as Larry Heard, DJ Pierre, Spanky, Marshall Jefferson, K-Alexi, Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk, and more all feature in Soul Jazz Records' new highly stylized album compilation of Chicago acid and experimental house music from 1986-1993. Includes graphic novel. Vinyl edition sold as two separate double-LP volumes.
>Various Artists – London Is The Place For Me: 5 & 6 2xCD (Honest Jon’s)
Latest in the compilation series spotlighting London-recorded Caribbean and African music from the '50s and '60s.
>Various Artists – Arts & Crafts 2003-2013 2xCD (Arts & Crafts)
This deluxe package curated from a decade of releases includes some of the label’s most recognizable songs, as well as never-before-heard rarities from Broken Social Scene, Zeus,
The Stills, Feist, Apostle Of Hustle, Amy Millan, The Most Serene Republic, Jason Collett,
New Buffalo, Feist, Timber Timbre, Dan Mangan, Stars, Los Campesinos!, and more.
>Various Artists – Bop Lives! CD (Delmark)
Coleman Hawkins with Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Forrest, Sir Charles Thompson with Charlie Parker, Francine Griffin, Bud Powell, Cecil Payne, Donald Byrd and Babs Gonzales. Bop has been around for more than 65 years and still going strong. This release covers it from the very first bebop recording to recent recordings by Cecil Payne and the wonderful jazz vocalist Francine Griffin.
>Various Artists - Mukunguni: New Recordings from Coast Province, Kenya CD/2x10”+CD (Honest Jon’s)
A collection of recent field recordings of the Mijikenda tribes of coastal Kenya. Includes music for healing, love-songs, spiritual music for weddings and burials, and more, with a range of unique percussion and traditional instruments.
>Various Artists – Way To Blue: The Songs Of Nick Drake CD (Story Sound)
Nick Drake's original producer, Joe Boyd, put together a series of concerts in the UK, Australia and Italy to celebrate Nick's greatness as a songwriter. The concerts are called Way To Blue and they have involved singers as diverse as Teddy Thompson, Green Gartside (from Scritti Politti), Robyn Hitchcock, Vashti Bunyan and Lisa Hannigan, as well as bass master Danny Thompson (who played on Nick's records), and the arrangements of Robert Kirby. These recordings are the edited highlights of concerts in New York and London.
>Vhöl - Vhöl CD (Profound Lore)
The duo incorporate influences from both metal and hardcore punk—from the likes of old-school bands such as Discharge and classic Judas Priest.
>Jessica Ware – Devotion CD/LP (Interscope)
Domestic edition of Ware’s critically acclaimed 2012 debut (which was previously only available overseas) features two new songs "Imagine It Was Us," and a remix of "Wildest Moments" featuring A$AP Rocky. A regular collaborator of SBTRKT, the English singer/songwriter’s debut is a unique offering that combines her distinct vocals with electronic pop and dance. Devotion features the hit singles "Running" and "110%." “BNM [8.5]” -- Pitchfork
>Allison Weiss – Say What You Mean CD (No Sleep)
Called a “strong and impressively tart new album” by New York Times, Say What You Mean tugs earnestly at the heartstrings of listeners with its passionate tales of loss and love. The album features ten tracks that showcase her songwriting and style which fuses upbeat pop and heartfelt indie rock.
>Andrew Wyatt – Descender CD/LP (Downtown)
Debut solo album from the Miike Snow frontman. Descender is a 32-minute meditation into the darker side of Andrew Wyatt not seen on his latest endeavors with Miike Snow. The album weaves intricate soundscapes and is explored with the use of Prague's Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Adam Klemens.
>Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Mosquito CD (Interscope)
After being out of the game for four years, NYC gang Yeah Yeah Yeahs have returned with their fourth LP, Mosquito. The New Yorkers have teamed up with a myriad of collaborators on their latest output, ranging from Dr Octagon, James Murphy, Dave Sitek and Nick Launay and with these varied contributors comes a veritable buffet of audio morsels. The album has been labeled as YYYs “soul’ record however there are also touches on roots reggae and flashes of abstract electronica. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks.
>Zomes – Time Was CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Asa Osborne's (Lungfish) Zomes project is now expanded to a duo with the addition of
Swedish vocalist Hanna Olivegren “Asa’s organ drones have never sounded so beautiful, guiding Hanna’s vocals to float effortlessly alongside. It is the perfect complement, and opens up a new level of seamless observance.” -- Impose
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Snoop Lion – Reincarnated DVD (Vice Films)
Reincarnated traces the life and career of hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, as he embarks on a journey of reincarnation of self that is equal parts career reinvention and spiritual reawakening. The close-up documentary, directed by Andy Capper, seamlessly showcases his journey and controversial transformation from hip-hop star to reggae singer while he was recording his forthcoming album Reincarnated (which is due April 23). 120 minutes.
Vinyl:
>1939 Ensemble – Howl & Bite LP (Jealous Butcher)
Comprised of percussionists Jose Medeles (Breeders) and David Coniglio, 1939 Ensemble generates a breeze that blows the drums, metal, wood and vibes in continual wind chime motion, before the drummers break the spell trying to top each other's cacophony. Consider it random precision through noise.
>Felicia Atkinson - Visions/Voices 2xLP (Umor Rex)
An odd collection of subtly deranged and detuned musical instruments; a piano, a
Celtic harp, some guitars, keyboards, electronics, and a female voice deeply lost in the woods.
>Avett Brothers – I And Love And You [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (American)
Back in print on vinyl!
>Barbarossa – The Load 7” (Memphis Industries)
“Befitting for a day when the lonely need a pick-me-up, ‘The Load’ trudges along a seemingly hopeless avenue before the gentle but entirely uplifting chorus clenches a fist and shakes it adversity. Everything about the track screams inspirational movie montage; the bravery of its slow pace, deep seductive organ and chillingly repetitive synth line all provide stirring ingredients.” – The Line Of Best Fit
>Bardo Pond – Ticket Crystals [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (Fire)
Vinyl reissue of 2006 album from Philadelphia's foremost purveyors of psychedelic space rock. Exemplifies the quintet's signature doom tempo, multi-layered drones while introducing a lighter pastoral feel. Double-LP with band new artwork.
>Bibio - A Tout a l'Heure 7” (Warp)
First single from the forthcoming full length Silver Wilkinson (due May 14). Features exclusive B-side "Bequeath."
>Black Label Society – The Blessed Hellride [2003] LP (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
Black Label Society – Mafia [2005] 2xLP (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
BLS’s fourth and sixth albums are now available on vinyl.
Caravels – Lacuna LP (Topshelf)
Caravels is a five-piece band from Las Vegas who play an interesting mix of post-hardcore, ‘90s screamo, and indie/emo.
>Catholic Spray – Earth Slime LP (Born Bad)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Catholic Spray are weirdo garage punks from Paris. "A true delight for the trash surf lo-fi garage fans with a dark twisted noisy psychedelic taste." -- Audio Pleasures
>Wild Billy Childish + Chatham Forts – All Our Forts Are With You 7” (Damaged Goods)
Another year and another name. This band is a little different to the recent stuff coming from Mr Childish, for a start he’s back on lead vocals, the sound is more akin to The Mighty Caesers/Headcoats with even a little of The Pop Rivets in there as well, a slightly angular, new wave approach.
>Eric Church – Sinners Like Me LP (Capitol)
Vinyl pressing of the 2006 debut album from the country singer/songwriter.
>Cosmonauts – If You Wanna Die Then I Wanna Die [2012] LP (Ayo Silver!)
Punk, rock & roll, and psychedelic music, reminding the contemporary big names of the style, such as Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Moon Duo, or The Growlers.
>Deepchord – 10/11/12 [Reissue/2001] 3x12” (Echospace)
Triple marbled vinyl housed in individual color sleeves and double-wide spine jacket. Deepchord re-open their archive to reissue and remaster some of their rarest, most sought-after early emissions.
>J Dilla – Anthem/Trucks 12” (Play Jay)
First single from Dilla's long lost vocal album, The Diary (which is due sometime this Spring). Clear vinyl.
>Klaus Dinger - Japandorf LP (Groenland)
Although Neu! multi-intrumentalist and onetime Kraftwerk drummer Klaus Dinger passed away in 2008, some of his unreleased late-career work has been slowing seeing the light of day. This is the final installment in a trilogy of unheard album-length excursions helmed by Dinger — who's also made albums as La Düsseldorf — backed by a cast of Japanese experimental musicians.
>Disappears – Kone 12”+MP3 (Disappears)
Disappears take 30 plus minutes to stretch out into the void, get abstract and make something that's rare these days -- music that asks the listener to listen. Two different versions of "Kone" (the B-Side "Edit" ends in a lock groove to infinity!) plus one new cut to boot.
>DJ Rashad – Rollin’ 12” (Hyperdub)
Four future-facing but rootsy footwork constructions from Rashad, including collaborations with DJ Manny and DJ Spinn.
>Eleh – Homage 3xLP (Taiga)
Presenting a unified whole, the Homage triple-LP boxed set contains Homage To The Square Wave, …Sine Wave and …Pointed Waveforms, all out of print until now. Initially released separately in 2008, 2009 and 2012 respectively with custom letterpress jackets, this collection includes new retrospective artwork by John Brien. Each disc comes in its own one-color silkscreen jacket using the same blue, orange and green from the original editions; all housed in a rigid white satin-coated slipcase with spot varnish printing hand-numbered out of 800.
>The Electric Prunes/The Shadows Of Knight – All The King’s Horses b/w I Never Knew 7” (Stag-O-Lee)
Sneak preview from the upcoming Fuzztones tribute album In Fuzz We Trust. The Electric Prunes track features guest appearances by The Pretty Things, Sean Bonniwell (Music Machine) and Arthur Lee (Love). The Shadows Of Knight track features original Fuzztones member Elan Portnoy on guitar.
>Expo 70 – Virtually From The Unknown LP (Sonic Mediations)
This release is from a quick live recording at FOKL in Kansas City, Kansas the week before the first annual KC Psychfest this past May. The three tracks that total 58 minutes were edited down to fit onto this vinyl release.
>Fennesz – 17.02.12 2xLP+CD+DVD (Song Cycle)
Double-LP box set features Christian Fennesz performing in front of a live audience at the Marino Marini Museum in Florence, Italy in February 2012. The set also includes a 12-page photographic book, a CD-ROM with a virtual gallery of the museum and a DVD featuring the 1927 silent film Symphony Of A Great City by German filmmaker Walter Ruttmann Berlin.
>Foxes in Fiction & Benoit Pioulard – Ground Glass 7” (Wool)
“A-side ‘Ground Glass’ is an aptly titled mood piece; the beatless song straddles the line between shoegaze and drone during its six minutes of gnarled sublimity, manifesting its essence with dense textures of distortion, limitless reverb, and slow-plucked bass notes." -- Pitchfork
>Eddi Front – Meat 7” (Fat Possum)
Eddi Front is the moniker of Ivana Carrescia. There is an unmistakably noirish quality to her exquisitely poised ballads and her words, backed simply with shivering piano and guitar, are full of sweet menace. But her voice -- breathy and beguiling -- belies the force, and sometimes filth, of her lyrics. As an old-fashioned purist when it comes to building and recording a track, it means her songs are haunted with a creaking, dusty, old music hall quality.
>Fuzz – Sleigh Ride 7” (In The Red)
Fuzz more than lives up to their name with a a sludgy, heavy, psyched-out proto-metal sound that is steeped in shredding fuzztone guitar. Comparisons to Blue Cheer, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Black Sabbath have been made and are not far off the mark.
>Rory Gallagher – Blueprint [Reissue/1973] LP (Eagle Rock)
Vinyl reissue of the early-‘70s blues-rock classic.
>The Grenadines – The Grenadines LP (Communicating Vessels)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Pure dream-drenched rock n roll cut through Southern lens.
>Guided By Voices – Noble Insect 7” (GBV Inc.)
The fifth single from the forthcoming album English Little League (due April 30), “Noble Insect” continues the noble tradition of Pollard writing a song over a Sprout instrumental (see, for example, “Hot Freaks”). In this case, the result is practically Japanese. The flip features jaunty Sprout piano-based shard “Waves of Gray” and a similarly piano-based, though Lennon-raw, Pollard snippet called “See You Soon.” We have every reason to believe he means it.
>Xander Harris – New Dark Age Of Love LP (Not Not Fun)
From the first shimmering hovercraft tones that kick off album opener "Night Fortress," the growth is glaring; gone is the slasher camp and horror tropes of Urban Gothic, replaced by sleek, streamlined post-industrial cold-wave dystopias.
>Jim Haynes – The Wires Cracked LP (Editions Mego)
Haynes' sound work draws from shortwave radio static, electric field disturbances, controlled feedback manipulation, and numerous textural scrapings, manifesting broken minimalism of magnetic drones and volatile tactility.
>Karl Hector & The Malcouns - Ngunga Yeti Fofa LP (Now Again)
Vinyl-only EP by the world/psych/funk ensemble.
>Kings Of Leon – Youth And Young Manhood [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Kings Of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak [Reissue/2005] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
KOL’s first three albums are back in print on HQ-180 gatefold vinyl.
>Kings Of Leon – Rarely LP (Sony Legacy)
Vinyl-only collection featuring rarities, live tracks and B-Sides from the King's Of Leon's first three albums, hand-picked by the band.
>Kleenex Girl Wonder – Let It Buffer LP (This Will Be Our Summer)
New LP from 20-year-old NY-based pop/rock band who specialize in earworm-grade melodies and laureate-class multisyllabic-rhyme-bejewelled lyrics.
>Alexander Lewis – A Luminous Veil LP (Blackest Ever Black)
Six tracks of heart-sore modern industrial and S-M techno.
>Alan Licht – Four Years Older LP (Editions Mego)
Documents the development of a solo electric guitar piece that has been played for the last four years. The guitar is pushed to sound more like a suitcase synth, a church organ, a hornet's nest, and a malfunctioning PlayStation than a guitar per se.
>Marquis de Tren & Bonny Billy – Solemns LP (Drag City)
Vinyl-only three-track EP. The 'Prince' and the Marquis (Mick Turner of Dirty Three) unfurled the scroll together, with Tren Brother Jim White (Dirty Three, Cat Power) rumbling and banging things and playing drums, and the Bonny gang crew of Van Campbell, Emmett Kelly and Angel Olsen added invaluable dimensions to the moments herein.
>Steve Martin/Edie Brickell – Love Has Come For You LP (Rounder)
Although these new musical partners have already built widely-respected individual bodies of work, their inaugural duo effort is a substantial departure, for both artists. Love Has Come For You features 13 eloquently rootsy Martin/Brickell compositions that combine the former's inventive, expressive five-string banjo work with the latter's heart-tugging vocals and vivid, detail-rich lyrics. Guests include Esperanza Spalding, Waddy Wachtel, Nickel Creek alumni Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins, as well as the Steep Canyon Rangers. CD version due April 23.
>Miles – Faint Hearted 2xLP (Modern Love)
Debut album proper from Miles Whittaker (Demdike Stare). Eight analog constructions veering from robust and stripped techno to washed-out jungle and ambient mutations.
>Ashley Monroe – Like A Rose LP (WB)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Monroe has been creating music for more than half of her life -- attracting along the way kudos from such music world giants as Dolly Parton, Guy Clark, Vince Gill and Jack White.
>Punch Brothers – Ahoy! 10” (Nonesuch)
This tour edition EP consists of five previously unreleased tracks recorded during the sessions for the group's 2012 LP, Who's Feeling Young Now?.
>Quicksails – Mayville Dream LP (Spectrum Spools)
Ben Billington opens the LP with a concrete flutter before doing a complete 180 into a total color storm of melody and syncopated percussion.
>Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement – Black Magic Cannot Cross Water LP (Blackest Ever Black)
Two long-form, minimal synth/dark ambient compositions with field recordings. Sourced from a box of cassettes found at a market in Port Moresby, it was thought to be recorded by a group of Christian missionaries prior to their unexplained disappearance during the 1980s.
>Gemma Ray – Down Baby Down LP (Bronzerat)
Recorded in a few days at Candy Bomber (ensconced in the former CIA headquarters wing of Berlin’s intimidating Tempelhof Airport), with a handful of musicians, namely Thomas Wydler (of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds) on drums, Rory More on organ, and Wilhelm Stegmeier on bass, Down Baby Down is 30 minutes of largely instrumental compositions coated with choral enhancements and ominous yet beautiful vocal motifs. Gemma herself takes care of all vocal, guitar, piano, clavioline, glockenspiel, melodica and dulcimer duties.
>The Replacements – Songs For Slim LP+MP3 (New West)
Songs For Slim is a fundraiser for former Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap's medical costs. Members Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson reunited and recorded an original Slim Dunlap song plus three additional covers. Original Replacements drummer Chris Mars also recorded a Slim cover and all five tracks were combined on this vinyl-only EP.
>Ring Them Bells – Ring Them Bells LP (Burnt Toast)
Ring Them Bells blend reverbed noisy guitars, driving drum beats and bass lines, and vocal pop melodies in the school of Jesus & Mary Chain, Spacemen 3, and Velvet Underground.
>Rich Ristagno – What It Would Be Like To Be Rich LP (Drag City)
Initially intended as an autobiographical release in 1981, What Would It Be Like To Be Rich was to be an autobiographical concept album. Hiring local funk band Soular Flight, Ristagno's angsty delivery mixed with Soular Flight's disco tendencies seemingly anticipates industrial and techno, and reflects contemporaries like The Contortions or DNA. In reality, Ristagno remained blissfully ignorant, and cites influences such as Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, and the perennially influential Beatles.
>The Sleepers – The Sleepers 7” (Superior Viaduct)
The Sleepers’ debut five-song EP, originally released in 1978, is one of the truly essential records to come out of California in the late ’70s. It is 100% punk in spirit and yet avoids every punk cliché.
>Spacemen 3 – Performance [Reissue/1990] 2xLP (Fire)
Recorded in Amsterdam in 1988, the live Performance documents a set from the Perfect Prescription tour; the emphasis here is on the group's loud, noisy origins -- only the closing "Feel So Good" hints at the more subdued atmospheres and textures which emerged as their primary focus as they approached Playing With Fire. Orange vinyl.
>Spacemen 3 – The Perfect Prescription [Reissue/1987] 2xLP (Fire)
HQ-180 baby blue vinyl pressing of Spacemen Three’s second album.
>Strokes – All The Time b/w Fast Animals 7” (RCA)
New single lifted from Comedown Machine featuring non-album B-side “Slow Animals.”
>Tenacious D – Tenacious D [12th Anniversary Edition] 2xLP (Epic)
Biting, sometimes base satire and humor populates this comedy-rock debut from actor-musician Jack Black and his band, Tenacious D, originally released in 2001 on CD and never-before available domestically on vinyl.
>Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin LP (Castle Face)
"These songs occur in the mindset of a world that's perpetually war-ridden. Overall, it's pretty dark, and much heavier than our other albums" -- John Dwyer. CD version due April 23.
>Tilth – Angular Music LP (Soft Abuse)
Through seven meditative pieces, the duo of Nathan McLaughlin (tapes, etc.) and Cody Yantis (guitar, etc.) take a trip into fatigue, informed first-hand by the conditions from which this music springs. Angular Music is inspired and provoked by Bill Dixon's idea of going to the center, and is one of the most engaging concrete works to emerge in years.
>The Urinals – The Urinals [Reissue/1978] 7” (Superior Viaduct)
The Urinals – Another EP [Reissue/1979] 7” (Superior Viaduct)
The Urinals – Sex b/w Go Away Girl [Reissue/1980] 7” (Superior Viaduct)
Hailing from the late-’70s underground of Los Angeles, The Urinals were often called “the American Wire” for their graceful tension, wild energy and trademark brevity.
>Various Artists - Harafin So: Bollywood Inspired Film Music From Hausa Nigeria LP (Mississippi/Little Axe)
First ever international release of film soundtrack tunes from Northern Nigeria -- where the film industry is modeled on Bollywood. Autotuned robotic vocals combine with frenetic drum machines and pitch bending synths for a singular hybrid of local styles and Indian influence. Featuring smash hits by Hausa superstars Fati Niger, Abubakar Sani, and the exuberant Sani Danja.
>Various Artists – Jim Jam Gems Volume 1 10” (Stag-O-Lee)
Teenage hoodlums in leather jackets standing on street corners, chewin' gum and eyeing conspicuously every invader on their turf. Revvin' up the engine of a hopped-up Ford, kissing in back alleys, flashin' a flicknife in the dark -- that's the sound of a bad boy serenade. Artists include: Larry Williams, Connee Boswell, Tony Casanova, Du-Droppers, Little Will John, Bobby Lester, Archibald, Danny Taylor, Paul Gayten, and Annie Laurie.
>Various Artists - Jim Jam Gems Volume 2 10” (Stag-O-Lee)
Another volume of wild '50s rhythm and gospel, with tracks by: Rod Willis, Savannah Churchill, Lance Fortune, Laverne Baker, Otto Bash, Golden Gate Quartet, The Chords, Dorsey Burnette, Roy Hogsed, and Mahalia Jackson.
>Various Artists – The Music Is You: A Tribute To John Denver 2xLP (ATO)
Tribute album covers of Denver's most popular songs by a diverse group of artists including Dave Matthews, My Morning Jacket, Train, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and many others. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Wilderness Society in Denver's name. Free tote bag with purchase – while supplies last!
>Vondelpark – Seabed LP (R&S)
“The UK R&B trio Vondelpark mix indie-pop vulnerability with sonic luxuriance. Arriving after a couple of EPs, their debut LP is the fullest realization of the project's immersive smoothness.” [7.8] – Pitchfork
>Wareika Hill Sounds - No More War 10” (Honest Jon’s)
Hypnotic, thunderous, urgent, mystical, with dubwise bass drums embedding the Light Of Saba veteran's gorgeous trombone classicism.
>Wild Smiles – Tangled Hair b/w Sweet Sixteen 7” (Invada)
Wild Smiles make the sort of fuzzy, fucked-up yet super-melodic rock that can trace its roots through alt legends J Mascis and Bob Mould, the immaculate power-pop of Teenage Fanclub and Big Star, all way back to the Velvet Underground and The Beach Boys.
Cassette:
>Terminator 2 - Terminator 2 (Handmade Birds)
"For those of you who may be unacquainted with the raw, sludgy, noise driven behemoth that is Terminator 2, then you are missing out on one of the most innovative debuts to grace the year 2013." -- The Ritual
Books:
>Harmony Korine – A Crackup At The Race Riots (Drag City)
Korine's first novel presents fragments of a portrait in multimedia: print, photographs, drawings, news clippings, handwriting, a poem, attempted diagrams, clip art -- but mostly text, including hard luck stories, off-and-on-color jokes, script-scraps, found letters, free rhymes, drug flashbacks and other missing scenes, exploring the world of showbiz with fingers prying in the cracks and feet set lightly in the black humors of the real world.
09 APRIL 2013
>Blaak Heat Shujaa - The Edge Of An Era CD/LP (Tee Pee)
Blaak Heat Shujaa’s transcendental tension between their heavy rock roots and an organic inclination to drift towards psychedelia pays homage to the vast collection of mind-expanding sounds the trio grew up on: neo-psychedelia, surf rock, spaghetti westerns, Middle Eastern scales and even Far Eastern melodies.
>James Blake – Overgrown CD/2xLP (Universal Republic)
“Overgrown is underdeveloped, in the best possible sense, employing the sonic palette of state-of-the-art, digital dance music to pursue something almost completely contrary to the clubbing experience. These beats are not hard, the sounds are not polished. It is music of emotion and imagination, shifting perspectives in ways that are deliciously intangible, intent on moving the heart rather than the feet.” – telegraph.co.uk
>Bored Nothing – Bored Nothing CD (Cooperative Music)
Debut album from the brainchild of Melbourne musician Fergus Miller. He's been recording most of his songs at home on a simple four track recorder, combining influences of `90s slacker and grunge with sweet melodies reminiscent of the late Elliott Smith.
>Broadheds – Broadheds CD (Dangerbird)
New band fronted by Dangerbird co-founder Peter Walker (formerly of Eulogies) with an all-star supporting cast, including Denny Weston Jr. who plays drums in the longstanding West Coast indie outfit, Earlimart, James King, sophisto sax dude from Fitz And The Tantrums and Justin Meldal-Johnsen, (whose credits include Nine Inch Nails and Beck) on the bass, who also executive produced the record with all songs credited to Walker. RIYL: Sonic Youth, John Zorn, "skronky punk."
>Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg CD (Mercury)
Jake Bugg (born Jacob Edwin Kennedy 1994 in Nottingham) is an English singer/songwriter influenced by Donovan, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Oasis, Don McLean, Johnny Cash, and The Beatles.
>Child Bite – Vision Crimes/Monomania CD (Joyful Noise)
This album collects Detroit’s Child Bite's two sibling EPs, which are a punked-up mixture of Big Black and Jesus Lizard. Vinyl version due April 30.
>Eric Church – Eric Church Live: Caught In The Act CD (EMI Nashville)
Recorded at Chattanooga’s Tivoli Theatre last fall, Caught In The Act features songs from Church’s previous three albums, 2011’s Chief, 2009’s Carolina, and his 2006 debut, Sinners Like Me. Vinyl version due April 20.
>Geater Davis – Lost Soul CD/2xLP (Luv N Haight)
A comprehensive collection of material recorded by Geater Davis for the House Of Orange label. The name of the album is an accurate description of the life and career of the legendary blues and soul singer who passed away at age 38 while on the verge of breaking through.
>Dawes – Stories Don’t End CD/LP (HUB)
Los Angeles folk-rockers Dawes return with their third album. Taking its title from Joan Didion’s 1984 novel Democracy, Stories Don’t End marks the first release on the band’s new label following their split from ATO Records last year. Recorded in five weeks last September in Asheville, NC, the album features clean production from Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Norah Jones), who helped the band break out of its vintage mold, though they don't completely strip away that Laurel Canyon sound.
>Deadstring Brothers – Cannery Row CD/LP (Bloodshot)
Through four albums this Detroit-based band wove a Glimmer Twins groove into the fiber of their hometown's feral sonic legacy. It was urban blues filtered through London's ‘60s Carnaby St., it was hard country goosed by the rhythms of the auto plant. Unapologetic rock & roll. In 2010 founder and frontman Kurt Marschke reversed the great Southern Migration, decamped from his hometown and moved to Nashville. Cannery Row throws the doors open wide to an even broader sound, with Kurt's new home clearly influencing the lyrics and style.
>Device – Device CD (WB)
Device is a collaboration between David Draiman of Disturbed, and ex-Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo. Their eponymous debut takes strands from hard rock, industrial, and electronica, and features guest appearances by Serj Tankian, Tom Morello, veteran rocker Glenn Hughes, and others.
>Drowning Pool – Resilience CD (Eleven Seven)
Fifth album from the Dallas metal band – their first with new vocalist Jasen Moreno.
>Face To Face – Three Chords And A Half Truth CD/2xLP (Rise)
The punk band's new album was self-produced and recorded at frontman Trevor Keith's home studio in Nashville, TN.
>Glis – Phoenix 2xCD (Alfa Matrix)
A mixture sound of 4AD versus early industrial from Wax Trax -- a must-have release for fans of Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, NIN, and 4AD’s ethereal era. Features a bonus disc of instrumental tracks.
>House Of Love – She Paints Words In Red CD (Cherry Red)
Brand new studio album from one of the most critically acclaimed indie rock bands of the late-‘80s/early-‘90s.
>Infectious Garage Disease – Infectious Garage Disease CD (Negative Reaction)
Intense thrashing and obnoxious late-‘80s gutter punk from Northern California.
>Boney James – The Beat CD (Concord)
The three-time Grammy nominee’s new album fuses his R&B/jazz roots with Latin rhythms and percussion. The initial inspiration for the album was Sergio Mendes, "Batucada (The Beat)," which is re-imagined as a funk tune, with the aid of trumpet great Rick Braun.
>JP – Son Of Jack CD (429)
After cutting his teeth recording a critically-acclaimed album with Chrissie Hynde and fronting the UK band, Grace, JP has recorded his first solo album entitled Son Of Jack. Written and recorded far from the shores of Wales for inspiration, it is a lushly orchestrated album graced with JP's graveled, scratchy tenor and sweet falsetto, and features a collaboration with Chrissie Hynde.
>The Knife – Shaking The Habitual 2xCD/3xLP (Mute)
Swedish dark electronic duo the Knife release their first album in seven years, a 98-minute double-CD/triple LP (also available as a pared-down, single CD version). “It’s a delicious feeling to listen to an album so pointedly on edge, holding your breath, occasionally checking over your shoulder, sat frozen and tracking the shadows… wondering, hoping that all the doors are locked. Their darkest masterpiece.” – Loud And Quiet
>Little Women – Lung CD (Aum Fidelity)
Tone poem evocation, pop group melodicism, all-four-vocal-chords-as-one intonation, and unparalleled shrapnel-sharp/laser-beam-focused shredding are some of the sonic vistas moved through during Lung.
>Steve Mason – Monkey Minds In The Devil’s Time CD/LP (Domino)
The Beta Band singer self-produced 11 songs and Dan Carey worked on the other nine songs on Mason's politically-influenced second solo release. “If Mason’s last album Boys Outside was a window on his struggles with mental ill-health, Monkey Minds moves from micro to macro as he harnesses his strong sense of social justice, while continuing to hone the crisp electronics that so perfectly soundtrack his ghostly, exhortatory vocals.” – The Quietus
>John Medeski – A Different Time CD (Sony Masterworks)
With A Different Time, his first solo piano project, Medeski once again takes his sound in a completely unexpected direction. It is a far more introspective, meditative collection than fans of MMW's lively, groove-driven music might expect.
>Paal Nilssen-Love – Gored Gored CD (Konkurrent)
Gored Gored is hard jazz free-style with a punk attitude, but with the complexity of the most experimental sides of avant-garde jazz. Terrie Ex (The Ex) creates raw, untreated guitar sounds in compassion with the hectic energetic drums of Paal Nilssen-Love. Recorded during the Sonic Protest Festival in Paris, April 2012.
>Conny Ochs – Black Happy CD/LP (Soulfood)
Providing a much darker take on acoustic, Ochs has attracted the attention of a wealth of notable lost souls, in particular doom lord Wino. Deeply rooted in the blackened parts of the human soul, he carves a mixture of melancholy and catharsis.
>OMD – English Electric CD (BMG)
12th studio album from the British synthpop legends and the second since the reformation of the original band (Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes). Andy McCluskey says of the album: “The overarching feel tends to be a sense of loss, of melancholia, that things haven’t turned out the way you wanted them to, whether it be with technology or personal relationships.” Deluxe double-CD version due April 23. Vinyl due May 28.
>The Omega Experiment – The Omega Experiment CD (Listenable)
The Omega Experiment is a concise yet detailed introduction to their sound; heavy guitars, euphoric synths and rich layered vocals come together to create a wall of progressive rock lushness.
>Brad Paisley – Wheelhouse CD (Sony Nashville)
The inspiration for the title of Brad Paisley’s latest album, Wheelhouse, came from the phrase “in your wheelhouse,” which is a reference to the baseball term for the strike zone’s sweet spot, where a batter can comfortably hit a ball with maximum power and precision. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds four bonus tracks.
>Paramore – Paramore CD (Fueled By Ramen)
Paramore’s new album is their first without founding members Josh and Zac Farro. Vinyl version due April 16.
>The Postal Service – Give Up [Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition] 2xCD/3xLP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
The Postal Service’s sole album, 2003’s Give Up, is given the 10th anniversary treatment, expanded with an additional disc of 15 bonus tracks, including two brand new songs, "A Tattered Line Of String" and "Turn Around,” as well as remixes by Matthew Dear and Styrofoam, live performances, and covers by The Shins and Iron & Wine.
>The Proclaimers – Like Comedy CD (429)
The Reid brothers' latest album is another collection of pop, folk and country, delivered in their inimitable, earnest style. “Proving that a lack of surprises does not have to mean a lack of musical audacity, The Proclaimers serve up more uncomplicated joy, plaintive passion and a sliver of mischief on their ninth album.” – The Scotsman
>Molly Ringwald – Except Sometimes CD (Concord Jazz)
Multi-talented actress, author and singer Molly Ringwald releases her debut jazz recording.
>Todd Rundgren – State CD/2xCD (Cherry Red)
Todd Rundgren's latest is a contemporary fusion of rock, soul and electronica that is at once danceable, ground-breaking, spiritual, challenging and infectious. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features recordings from a sold-out concert in Amsterdam, 2012.
>Soundtrack [Mike Patton] – The Place Beyond The Pines OST CD (Milan)
Mike Patton delivers a sweeping and brooding score for Derek Cianfrance’s recent crime drama.
>Sparks – Two Hands One Mouth: Live In Europe 2xCD (Lil’ Beethoven)
Ron and Russell Mael present a double-CD of Sparks’ recent Two Hands One Mouth European tour that saw the American brothers playing shows as a duo for the first time. With no band and no computers, Ron (two hands, on keyboards) and Russell (one mouth, on vocals) captured the very essence of Sparks and their extensive catalog. This unique performance is now available on Sparks’ first live album.
>Stonesour – House Of Gold & Bones Part 2 CD (Roadrunner)
House of Gold & Bones is a two part concept album that follows a story written by singer Corey Taylor. Part 2 concludes the epic story and is led by the first single and video "Do Me A Favor."
>Terror – Live By The Code CD (Victory)
Frontman Scott Vogel claims Live By The Code "hits harder than Keepers Of The Faith (2010). It's the dirtiest, rawest and most hardcore record we've done since Lowest Of The Low.”
>Twin Tigers – Death Wish CD/LP (Old Flame)
Since releasing their Gray Waves debut LP in 2010, Athens, GA indie rockers Twin Tigers have played full US tours with Interpol and Minus The Bear as well as runs with The Hold Steady, Deerhunter, Les Savy Fav, We Are Scientists, and The Antlers. Their new album, Death Wish was recorded in a studio on loan from Interpol.
>Tyga – Hotel California CD (Young Money/Universal Republic)
New album from the rapper features Tupac, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Jadakiss, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, Chris Brown, and Future.
>Various Artists - Just Another Heartache: The Northern Soul Of Nashville CD (CB Soul)
A sizzling collection of 27 northern soul rarities from Nashville, Tennessee, including cuts from Joe Simon, Ann Sexton, Little Hank, Little Richie and many more soul smashes.
>Kurt Vile – Walkin’ On A Pretty Daze 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Matador)
This 69-minute double album is comprised of sweeping, expansive songs that are both very intimate and conversational. Also available on vinyl, with limited quantities pressed on blue wax with customizable artwork. “Kurt Vile distills thousands of hours spent with classic American guitar music into one very singular and sublime vision." – Pitchfork
>Villagers – {Awayland} CD/LP (Domino)
{Awayland} is the follow-up to Villagers 2010 Mercury Prize-nominated debut Becoming A Jackal. Since the release of their debut record, one that also earned songwriter Conor O'Brien an Ivor Novello songwriting award, Villagers have shared stages with artists like Neil Young, Tindersticks, Fleet Foxes, and Grizzly Bear.
>Volbeat – Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies CD/2xLP+MP3 (Universal Republic)
Volbeat is a Danish rock band from Copenhagen. They play a fusion of rock and roll, heavy metal, punk and rockabilly.
>Wumpscut – Madman Szpital CD (Metropolis)
Rudy Ratzinger’s new album is dark, menacing, and as evil as ever.
>Young Man – Beyond Was All Around Me CD (French Kiss)
Chicago based singer/songwriter Colin Caulfield releases the final installment in his Young Man trilogy.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>The Avett Brothers – Live, Volume 3 [Reissue/2010] DVD (American)
Back in print! Live, Volume 3 is comprised of highlights from the group’s August 8, 2009 show Bojangles Coliseum, shot in HD. Additionally, the DVD includes documentary-style episodes, interspersed with interviews from the band and fans in attendance.
>Joan Baez – Love Is Just A Four Letter Word DVD (IMV Blueline)
Rare live performance from Italy, 1970. 44 minutes.
>The Stranglers – Hanging Around DVD (IMV Blueline)
Rare live TV performance recorded in Paris (France) 1979.
Vinyl:
>The Avett Brothers – Live, Volume 3 LP (American)
Released in 2010 CD – now available on vinyl. This electric performance was recorded on August 8, 2009 at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC.
>The Civil Wars & T Bone Burnet – A Place At The Table LP (Sensibility Music)
The Civil Wars & T Bone Burnet team up for the soundtrack to the 2013 documentary, A Place At The Table. “The combination of The Civil Wars (Joy Williams and John Paul White) and T-Bone Burnett stands up with a dark, smoking feel. Although a few songs include vocals, many short instrumentals are incorporated as would be expected with most soundtracks. The hidden treasure here is to experience the artist’s talents in instrumentals. This includes Williams haunting play on piano and White’s slide guitar work, all accented by the deep blues guitar of Burnett.” – The Phantom Tollbooth
>Fifth On The Floor – Ashes & Angels LP (eOne)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Fifth On The Floor's style of rowdy rock & roll is everything you’d expect from four Kentucky gentlemen. Their new album, Ashes & Angels was produced by Shooter Jennings. "Fifth On The Floor have positioned themselves as the next great Southern rock group." -- No Depression
>Keaton Henson – Birthdays LP+CD (Anti)
Singer/songwriter Keaton Henson's second album Birthdays really is an album of two halves. It develops the hushed and emotionally frail sound found on his bedroom produced debut effort Dear. But crucially it introduces some explosive new elements, which as the title suggests really does sound as if Henson is now giving birth to the different sonic possibilities of his compositions. While it's still rather melancholy and shoe-gazing, Birthdays has a venomous streak waiting to emerge in its latter half that's worth sticking around for.” – Contact Music
>Kids On A Crime Spree – Creep The Creeps b/w New Ex-Boyfriend 7” (Slumberland)
Punchy, handclap-driven power-pop of the very highest order, with a driving dance beat. "New Ex-Boyfriend" on the flip adds some minor-key drama and echoed surf guitar leads to the mix.
>Kishi Bashi – It All Began With A Burst b/w Prologue 7” (Joyful Noise)
Kishi Bashi – Bright Whites b/w This Must Be The Place 7” (Joyful Noise)
Kishi Bashi – Manchester b/w A Sunday Smile 7” (Joyful Noise)
A three-part 7” series featuring singles from last year’s 151a, each backed with non-album B-sides.
>Skaters – I Wanna Dance (But I Don’t Know How) b/w Armed 7” (WB)
“New wave bass beats mix with fuzzy guitars steeped in a ’77 sound here to create a wave of toe-tapping, arm-flailing rock music. The vocals pour out in an affected punk-rock sneer as the rhythms switch between unrestrained noise and anxious anticipation. The song is pure energy.” – All Things Go Music
>Vampire Weekend – Diane Young b/w Step 7” (XL)
This single features two songs from Vampire Weekend's upcoming third album, Modern Vampires Of The City (due May 14).
>A Whisper In The Noise – To Forget [2012] LP (Soulfood)
Lovers of slowcore and especially fans of Low will surely gravitate to the brooding and dark sounds of A Whisper In The Noise.
02 APRIL 2013
>Alkaline Trio – My Shame Is True CD/2xLP+MP3 (Epitaph)
40 minutes of passionate punk-filled rock recorded by Bill Stevenson of The Descendents.
>Olafur Arnalds – For Now I Am Winter CD (Mercury Classics)
Purveying a neo-classical style with an array of influences, which range from electronica to minimalism, Arnalds is an artist who draws from a variety of sources whilst maintaining his own unique sound. Vinyl version due April 20.
>Authority Zero – The Tipping Point CD (Ingrooves)
Fifth album from the Arizona punk band pays tribute to their punk rock forefathers while expanding their musical boundaries into unconventional reggae and rock tinges beyond the typical punk rock aesthetics.
>The Band Perry – Pioneer CD (Republic Nashville)
Sophomore album from the superstar country trio. Building on the musical foundation demonstrated by the band on their first album, Pioneer is steeped in country tradition, with rock & roll elements both on performance and songwriting.
>Besnard Lakes – Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
“Each of the eight tracks takes off, coasts, and lands smoothly, with a jubilant slow burn of its own momentum for the benefit of the larger picture. They create a distinct and dreamy headspace, an enigmatic and somehow familiar placelessness. "A magnificently oceanic meld of Beach Boys harmonies, My Bloody Valentine tidal waves and Phil Spector girl-group siren songs shot through with soaring guitar." -- Rolling Stone
>Jello Biafra And The Guantanamo School Of Medicine – White People And The Damage Done CD/LP (Alternative Tentacles)
The second full-length from Jello Biafra + Co. picks up where last fall’s Shock-u-py! left off. Covered in gruesome detail this time are corruption (“The Brown Lipstick Parade”), “Werewolves Of Wall Street,” “Road Rage,” and corporate McMedia making pop stars out of small-time crooks to shield the big ones (“John Dillinger”) or tabloid pop stars to lobotomize everyone else (“Hollywood Goof Disease”).
>The Black Angels – Indigo Meadow CD/LP+MP3 (Blue Horizon)
The Black Angels' most revelatory collection thus far, Indigo Meadow marks the Austin, TX based band's fourth full-length release, following 2010's acclaimed Phosphene Dream. Once again The Black Angels prove themselves the undisputed avatars of contemporary psychedelic rock, simultaneously exalting the genre's kaleidoscopic past as they thrust it further into the future.
>Bleached – Ride Your Heart CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
On the heels of three well-received singles comes the bombastic debut album by L.A. band Bleached. Sisters Jennifer and Jessie Clavin match their ability to blend a mix of freewheeling '77 punk with vintage sunny Southern California melodic rock & roll; creating blindingly bright hooks and dark heartfelt lyrics about love, loss, and the crazy fun moments in between.
>Bombino – Nomad CD/LP (Nonesuch)
New album from the Tuareg guitarist and singer/songwriter Omara "Bombino" Moctar. At the invitation of The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, the Niger-born artist and his band traveled to Nashville for the recording, helmed by Auerbach at his studio, Easy Eye Sound.
>Bonobo – The North Borders CD/2xLP+MP3 (Ninja Tune)
“Bringing everything from strings and woodwind to bear over his liquid hypnotic beats, Bonobo has stuck to his inimitable signature sound on his fifth LP. Electronic, but overwhelmingly naturalistic, the listening experience is akin to slowly regain consciousness in a sun-drenched forest; walking around in dazed contentment before stumbling into the E’d up crowd of a gentle, isolated rave.” – Drowned In Sound
>Charles Bradley – Victim Of Love CD/LP (Daptone)
Though quite at home among the music that has affirmed Daptone as a proper authority on soul music, Victim Of Love proves to be a genre-bending masterpiece, picking up where the early ‘70s Temptations left off and edging boldly forward into psychedelic soul exploration.
>Bring Me The Horizon – Sempiternal CD (Epitaph)
Fourth studio album by the British metalcore band. Vinyl version due May 14.
>Brown Bird – Fits Of Reason CD/LP (Supply And Demand)
Fits Of Resason retains their blues and American roots music foundations while exploring heavier territory with a more prominent display of the band's Middle Eastern, metal and psych-rock influences.
>Caravels – Lacuna CD (Topshelf)
Caravels is a five-piece band from Las Vegas who play an interesting mix of post-hardcore, ‘90s screamo, and indie/emo. Vinyl version due April 16.
>Caveman – Caveman CD/LP (Fat Possum)
“The latest offering from Caveman sees the New York five-piece continuing to explore the warm, spacious sound that made 2011’s CoCo Beware such an inviting debut. Single ‘Over My Head’ is a rich, art-rock lullaby that’s somber but not delicate and straightforward but far from plain.” – The Fader
>Petula Clark – Lost In You CD (The End)
Clark’s latest is a mix of new songs and covers.
>Cold War Kids – Dear Miss Lonelyhearts CD/2xLP (Downtown)
The fourth album from the Long Beach-based indie rockers. “The band is balancing between indie cred and mainstream fame, and the album reflects moments of both. Slow-building fiery rock songs are interspersed with their classic high-strung intelligent pop.” – Pigeons And Planes
>The Dear Hunter – Migrant CD (Equal Vision)
Fifth album from the band led by Casey Crescenzo, formerly of post-hardcore outfit The Receiving End Of Sirens.
>Klaus Dinger - Japandorf CD (Groenland)
Although Neu! multi-intrumentalist and onetime Kraftwerk drummer Klaus Dinger passed away in 2008, some of his unreleased late-career work has been slowing seeing the light of day. This is the final installment in a trilogy of unheard album-length excursions helmed by Dinger — who's also made albums as La Düsseldorf — backed by a cast of Japanese experimental musicians. Vinyl version due April 16.
>Dutch Uncles – Out Of Touch In The Wild CD/LP+MP3 (Memphis Industries)
An inspired and unique amalgam of art pop, funk and electronics that's drawn comparisons to Hot Chip, Japan and Field Music.
>The Eagles – The Studio Albums 1972-1979 6xCD (Elektra/Asylum)
Contains all six of the Eagles' Asylum studio albums from 1972 – 1979: Eagles, Desperado, On The Border, One Of These Nights, Hotel California, and The Long Run, all packaged in a sleek, black clamshell box, with the albums in paper mini-jackets utilizing recycled paper stock.
>Generationals – Heza CD/LP (Polyvinyl)
Heza finds Generationals more satisfied in songs that breathe and grow over time. As hooks develop in the space and rhythms, the band has matured as serious songwriters who aren't afraid to dig deeper for gems than in their previous work. Tracks like "You Got Me" and "Put a Light On" use minimalist electronic frameworks to match the intensity of more straightforward guitarwork on "Spinoza" and "I Never Know."
>Xander Harris – New Dark Age Of Love CD (Not Not Fun)
From the first shimmering hovercraft tones that kick off album opener "Night Fortress," the growth is glaring; gone is the slasher camp and horror tropes of Urban Gothic, replaced by sleek, streamlined post-industrial cold-wave dystopias. Vinyl version due April 16.
>Beth Hart – Bang Bang Boom Boom CD (Macot)
“The new album from California chanteuse Beth Hart runs the gamut of musical styles from low down blues to swinging cabaret, rock, gospel and soul with one simple theme holding the songs together: love.” – No Depression
>A Hawk And A Hacksaw – You Have Already Gone To The Other World CD/2xLP (L.M. Dupli-cation)
The duo explores new territories of folk psychedelia that explodes with rich ornamentation. It’s also the band’s most dynamic album since they began their Eastern European adventure, with the thundering percussion and dramatic arcs of violin on the title track counterpointed by majestic solo pieces for Persian Santur, and piano, stately organ-led processionals and original sound and melodies from the film woven throughout.
>Heavy Hawaii – Goosebumps CD (Art Fag)
Goosebumps is an extended journey through floating keyboards, peculiar guitars and lush harmonies. These ten hazy and strange compositions showcase frontman Matt Bahamas’s unique take on California life. Vinyl version due April 16.
>Hem – Departure And Farwell CD (Waveland)
“Making music that’s categorically neither country nor folk but a flexible citified mix of the two, its songs send one branch toward the hymnal, another into droning soft rock, and a third toward the kind of film music that evokes prairie sunsets…Beautiful.” writes The New York Times of the band’s process.
>Heterotic – Love & Devotion CD/LP (Planet Mu)
Hazy, dreamy, '80s-influenced electronic pop shot through with the dynamics and space of modern electronic dance music.
>Hiss Golden Messenger – Haw CD/LP+MP3 (Paradise Of Bachelors)
“Haw borrows freely from a bunch of rural musical genres, sticking generally to folk-ish acoustic blues, but dipping also into slinky, Stax-style R&B, bluegrass and Neil Young-esque country rock.” -- Dusted
>HK119 – Imaginature CD (One Little Indian)
Heidi Kilpeläinen (aka HK119) is renowned for her live shows, which have drawn flattering comparisons to the likes of Grace Jones, David Bowie, Nina Hagen and Iggy Pop. Imaginature is an album of pitched-down, Finnish exploratory pop. Vinyl version due May 14.
>Hookworms – Pearl Mystics CD (Gringo)
The debut full-length release for the British indie rock quintet includes influences from psychedelic and krautrock.
>Hypocricy – End Of Disclosure CD (Nuclear Blast)
New album from the Swedish death metal monsters.
>Implodes – Recurring Dream CD/LP (Kranky)
There has always been an organic component to Implodes' music, and not just because the band is comprised of humans. Its music is tied to those very earliest of our sonic traditions, to the sounds of Earth and space and deep water and simple machines. Recurring Dream is about waking up in the dark and witnessing the slow birth of consciousness, still tethered to fantasies and nightmares, and walking into the unknown.
>Io Echo – Ministry Of Love CD (Iamsound)
Io Echo blend pop melodies with dark '90s industrial influences and far Eastern elements.
>June Of 44 – In The Fishtank 6 [Reissue/1999]CD (Fishtank)
June of 44 kept going, whether it was night or day, combining adventurous rock with experimental jazzy musicality, experiencing the studio as a bunker: an old organ, a tube radio-set that had been lying around, even sound engineer Zlaya was incorporated to generate some tones for the release.
>Killswitch Engage – Disarm The Descent CD/CD+DVD (Roadrunner)
Disarm The Descent marks the return of original singer Jesse Leach to the lineup. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes bonus DVD of the making of the album.
>Albert King – Born Under A Bad Sign [Reissue/1967] CD (Fantasy)
The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame guitarist's most celebrated album is remastered and expanded with five previously unreleased bonus tracks.
>Kinski – Cosy Moments CD/LP (Kill Rock Stars)
Kinski’s sixth full length is filled with dense, intricate and occasionally nearly deafening noise, a musical style that is almost completely contradictory to their album title.
>Kopecky Family Band – Kids Rising Kids CD/LP (ATO)
”While co-founder Kelsey Kopecky is the namesake of the band, the six members take the family moniker to heart, each playing various instruments to produce a warm homegrown sound wholly their own. In many ways, Kopecky Family Band encapsulates their hometown of Nashville: emergent, vibrant, Southern, and deeply rooted in a musical background that creates a truly distinctive character.” – Paste Magazine
>Josh Krajcik – Blindly Lonely Lovely CD (BMG)
Third album from the Columbus, OH-based singer/songwriter best known as the runner-up in the first season of The X Factor USA in 2011.
>The Lonely Wild – The Sun As It Comes CD (Ursa Major)
“With their debut album, The Lonely Wild set up camp somewhere between Bruce Springsteen and Ennio Morricone, occupying that rarely-visited place where mariachi horns, four-on-the-floor percussion, vocal harmonies and rafter-reaching rock & roll all intersect.” – American Songwriter
>Lower Plenty – Hard Rubbish CD/2xLP (Fire)
Raw and delicate, Hard Rubbish was recorded on eight-track reel-to-reel tape, often in just a single take. Their folk-tinged indie rock is flecked with experimentation whilst retaining a firm hold on some fantastically memorable melodies. "Hard Rubbish is unrelentingly bleak... But it's undeniably beautiful too. Cripplingly so." -- The Vine
>Luxury Liners – They’re Flowers CD/LP (Western Vinyl)
Clear, twinkling, pop-laced sunny sound. "I actually thought the record was going to come out like Nick Drake judging from the original arrangements, but being on tour so much with Lower Dens, I had to bend them to fit the laptop."
>Mad Season – Above [Legacy Edition] 2xCD+DVD (Sony Legacy)
Mad Season featured Layne Staley of Alice in Chains on vocals, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam on lead guitar, Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin and bassist John Baker Saunders of the Lamont Cranston Band. This is the expanded Legacy Edition of their 1995 album, Above. Disc One features the original album plus an unreleased acoustic instrumental titled "Interlude," three new songs from the band's unfinished second album with newly recorded vocals and lyrics by Mark Lanegan and a remixed version of the band's John Lennon cover "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier." Disc Two features the full audio set from the bands historical performance at the Moore Theater in Seattle on April 29, 1995, remastered in stereo sound. The DVD features the first official release of Live At The Moore -- Mad Season's last show ever performed.
>Matt Mayes – Coyote CD/LP (Sonic)
Coyote delivers rootsy heartland rock with a unique, atmospheric twist that comes across in psychedelic detours like "Airstrike," "Rochambo," and "Madre Padre."
>Midas Fall – Wilderness CD (Monotreme)
Combining elements of electronica, post-rock and alternative rock with subtle progressive undertones, UK band Midas Fall have spent three years carving a distinctive and captivating sound, creating taut, shimmering soundscapes led by the hauntingly melancholic vocals of Elizabeth Heaton.
>Milk Music – Cruise Your Illusion CD (Fat Possum)
“All output from Olympia, Washington nostalgia- punk quartet Milk Music before their full-length Cruise Your Illusion pointed pretty directly to the influence of SST record’s roster of late-’80s and early-’90s guitar-centric post-punk bands. The angular ruggedness barely concealing pop cores recalled Hüsker Dü, the stripped-down production aesthetic hinted at the economical approach of the Minutemen, and just about everything else echoed resoundingly of Dinosaur Jr. With this 12-song debut, the band keep their backward-looking esthetic but also manage to deliver a sound that’s developed past its immediately recognizable influences. This change isn’t due to the usual polished production values that sometimes clean up a band’s sound” – Exystence Music Blog
>Monitor – Monitor [1980] CD (Superior Viaduct)
An errant project of suburban Los Angeles art collective World Imitation Productions, Monitor was the sonic outlet of four young artists grappling with their terror and amazement in the convergence of the late 1970s punk scene and Southern California’s consumerist decadence. Vinyl version due May 14.
>Moss – Horrible Night CD (Metal Blade)
Recorded during the summer and autumn of 2012 at Hampshire's Earth Terminal and London's Earthworks studios, Horrible Night is the sound of Moss emerging from its cocoon a much more savage, intelligent and all the more terrifying beast.
>Mudhoney – Vanishing Point CD/LP (Sub Pop)
Mudhoney’s new album was written from the rare vantage point of a band who went through the rock & roll meat-grinder and not only lived to tell the tale, but came out full of the wisdom and dark humor such a journey provides. Vanishing Point is filled with dread, psychoanalysis and Nuggets-on-fire riffs; the sort of uninhibited rock music that is harder and harder to locate these days.
>New Kids On The Block – 10 CD (The Block)
All five original members are present and accounted for: brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.
>Don Nix – Living By The Days [Reissue/1971] CD (Real Gone Music)
It s only a slight stretch to say that without Don Nix, there might not have been a Stax Records or a Memphis Sound. Nix started out as a saxophonist in the Mar-Keys, and, when the Mar-Keys splintered into Booker T & the MGs and the Memphis Horns, stepped into a producer/executive role at Stax while continuing to play as a sideman on numerous sessions. Later, he befriended Leon Russell and recorded for Russell's Shelter label while continuing to produce artists like Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker, Tracy Nelson, Albert King, Freddie King and others for Stax, Shelter and Memphis' Ardent Studios.
>Port St. Willow – Holiday CD/LP (Downtown)
New release from Port St. Willow, a music and art project from Brooklyn's Nicholas Principe. Principe is a collaborator and childhood friend of The Antlers frontman Pete Silberman. They share musical ideas, but The Antlers are more typical of a rock band that prefers demonstrative, emotional storytelling and skyscraping choruses, while Port St. Willow are more attuned to impressionism and studied musicianship.
>Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - 50th Anniversary: Singles Collection 1962-1972 3xCD (Motown)
Featured among the set's 82 tracks are the group's 10 top ten Pop and R&B hits and a full disc of unreleased tracks from the legendary Motown vault.
>Rilo Kiley – Rkives CD/2xLP (Little Record Company)
RKives is a collection of unreleased songs, B-sides, and rarities spanning Rilo Kiley's decade-long career.
>Jonas Reinhardt – Mask Of The Maker CD (Not Not Fun)
Mask Of The Maker fuses deep kosmische moods with jet-propulsion lab experiments, classic galactic Italo, soaring starblood synth workouts, funky astral ragas, psychedelic dust clouds and rare mantric guest vocals. Vinyl version due April 16.
>The Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out: Rolling Stones in Concert! (Expanded Edition) 3xCD+DVD (ABKCO)
This edition includes three CDs and one DVD: the first CD is a remastered version of the original Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out release. The second CD contains five bonus tracks from the original Madison Square Garden concert. The third CD contains 12 bonus tracks by opening acts B.B. King and Ike & Tina Turner. The DVD features a new short film with never-before-seen archive footage by the legendary Maysles Brothers. The film chronicles the Rolling Stones epic performance at Madison Square Garden in November of 1969, backstage footage with both Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin present as well as scenes of Keith Richards in the studio and footage of the Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! album cover session.
>Slightly Stoopid & Friends – Live At Roberto’s TRI Studios 2xCD+DVD (Stoopid)
On September 13, 2011, the band was invited by the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir into his state-of-the-art TRI Studios for a live webcast and in-studio performance. Utilizing the technology of their studio's Constellation sound system, Slightly Stoopid had the privilege to invite some of their close friends and family down to record Live at Roberto's TRI Studios, performing alongside Weir as well as Karl Denson, Don Carlos, Ivan Neville, Ian Neville and host Tommy Chong.
>Soundtrack [Alfred Newman] – The Diary Of Anne Frank [1959] CD (Real Gone)
The original stereo film soundtrack album for the first time on CD with the original album artwork and new liner notes.
>Spock’s Beard – Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep CD (Inside Out)
Spock’s Beard plays a brand of progressive rock with pop music leanings (drawing much influence from Yes and Genesis), and is also well known for their intricate multi-part vocal harmonies (such as those found on certain Gentle Giant songs).
>Telekinesis – Dormarion CD/LP (Merge)
Michael Benjamin Lerner crafts songs that embody control and precision — which makes a whole lot of sense, given that he's 1) a drummer at heart; and 2) Telekinesis' only member. For his third album, Dormarion, the 26-year-old multi-instrumentalist sheds his do-everything-yourself ethos enough to work with another drummer in producer Jim Eno of Spoon, whose songs embody control and precision in their own right.
>BJ Thomas – The Living Room Sessions CD (Wrinkled)
An intimate acoustic reimagining of 12 of his most renowned songs with guests Richard Marx, Vince Gill, Keb' Mo', Lyle Lovett, Isaac Slade (The Fray), and producer/songwriter turned popular contemporary standards singer Steve Tyrell.
>Thy Art Is Murder – Hate CD (Nuclear Blast)
New album from the Australian deathcore outfit.
>Transit – Young New England CD/LP (Rise)
Through a relentless tour schedule and incredible work ethic, Transit has shared the stage with artists such as Taking Back Sunday, Saves The Day, Four Year Strong, The Wonder Years and many more as well as the entire Vans Warped Tour.
>Tyler The Creator – Wolf CD (Columbia)
Third studio album from the Odd Future leader features collaborations with Hodgy Beats, Frank Ocean, Pharrell, Earl Sweatshirt, Erykah Badu, and many others. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe comes in a lift off box measuring 5 1/16" height x 5 3/32" width x 9/16" depth, that includes the Wolf CD in a mini-jacket, the CD booklet, a poster, a calendar, and a sticker.
>Various Artists – Kev Beadle Presents: Private Collection Independent Jazz Sounds From The Seventies & Eighties CD/2xLP (BBE)
A collection of some of the rarest independent underground jazz, fusion, and Latin tracks from the ‘70s and ‘80s compiled by Kev Beadle one of the UK's original jazz dance DJ's.
>Various Artists – The Music Is You: A Tribute To John Denver CD (ATO)
Tribute album covers of Denver's most popular songs by a diverse group of artists including Dave Matthews, My Morning Jacket, Train, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and many others. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Wilderness Society in Denver's name. Vinyl version due April 16. Free tote bag with purchase – while supplies last!
>Vondelpark – Seabed CD (R&S)
“The UK R&B trio Vondelpark mix indie-pop vulnerability with sonic luxuriance. Arriving after a couple of EPs, their debut LP is the fullest realization of the project's immersive smoothness. [7.8] – Pitchfork. Vinyl version due April 16.
>Charles Walker & The Dynamites – Love Is Only Everything CD (Gemco)
“It’s not a nostalgia act, nor is it a tribute -- it’s 100 percent genuine, all-original soul smoke and funk fire, every show turning whatever venue happens to be fortunate enough into an episode of Showtime at the Apollo.” -- Paste Magazine
>Margaret Whiting – The Wheel Of Hurt [Reissue/1966] CD (Real Gone Music)
Margaret's first album for London incorporated contemporary and country influences (to which she was no stranger, having charted with all those Jimmy Wakely duets in the '40s and '50s) into her sound and scored a Top 40 hit with the title track in 1966. This remastered reissue includes 13 rare singles including her German-language version of "Wheel of Hurt."
>Gin Wigmore – Gravel & Wine CD (Mercury)
Sophomore album from the New Zealand singer/songwriter and actress. Proving that radio is not the only outlet for an artist, Wigmore's single "Black Sheep" appeared in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy and an episode of Teen Wolf, and she appeared singing it on ABC's Revenge. Her song "Man Like That" is the song used in the James Bond Skyfall tie-in spot from Heineken.
>Gretchen Wilson – Right On Time CD (Redneck)
Right On Time is an album of new material and includes the single 'Still Rollin''. Overall, Wilson has charted 13 singles on the Billboard Country charts, of which five have reached Top Ten: the #1 "Redneck Woman," as well as "Here For The Party," "When I Think About Cheatin'," "Homewrecker," and "All Jacked Up."
Vinyl:
>Felicia Atkinson – Visions/Voices 2xLP+MP3 (Umor Rex)
Truly eerie soundscapes built with an odd collection of subtly deranged and detuned instruments; piano, Celtic harp, guitars, keyboards, electronics, and a female voice deeply lost in the woods.
>Audacity – Finders Keepers 7”+MP3 (Suicide Squeeze)
Young brash power pop that is both aptly sunny and gritty -- a perfect blend of SoCal's good weather and endless concrete. Translucent green vinyl.
>Beach House – Beach House [Reissue/2006] LP (We Are Free)
Beach House’s debut album is back in print on vinyl.
>David Bowie – The Next Day 2xLP+CD (Columbia)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Includes three additional tracks plus bonus CD edition.
>The Brian Jonestown Massacre – And This Is Our Music [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (A. Records)
HQ-180 white vinyl with red and blue splatters.
>Classixx – Holding On 7” (Innovative Leisure)
'90s disco meets 2013 electro on Jerome LOL's remix of Classixx latest single "Holding On." The reworked dance track offers an alternative to break dancing in favor of some fist pumping. Debut album Hanging Gardens, due May 14.
>Colomach – Colomach [Reissue/1974] LP (Soundway)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Reissue of one of the rarest Afro-rock LPs ever made, originally released in 1974. Fusion of traditional music from the arid Sahel region of West Africa with raw "garagey" psych-rock that was honed playing alongside similar "cultural" bands of the era such as Hedzoleh Soundz and Edzayawa.
>Keb Darge/Cut Chemist – Lost And Found: Rockabilly And Jump Blues [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (BBE)
“It would be easy to understand rockabilly fans raising an eyebrow when the beat-obsessed blokes at BBE put together a rock & roll compilation. Surprisingly though, Lost And Found: Rockabilly And Jump Blues resurrects a host of long-lost '50s jump tunes, with precious little overlap with music that already appears on CD. The two curators, Keb Darge and Cut Chemist (each takes one disc), provide copious notes on nearly every title, displaying a knowledge of the form that is formidable (especially in Darge's case).” -- AllMusic
>Dawes – Stories Don’t End LP+MP3 (HUB)
Limited Edition indie-store only bootleg blue-marble vinyl edition! (Regular black vinyl version and CD due next week). Los Angeles folk-rockers Dawes return with their third album. Taking its title from Joan Didion’s 1984 novel Democracy, Stories Don’t End marks the first release on the band’s new label following their split from ATO Records last year. Recorded in five weeks last September in Asheville, NC, the album features clean production from Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Norah Jones), who helped the band break out of its vintage mold, though they don't completely strip away that Laurel Canyon sound.
>Elephant – Skyscraper 7” (Memphis Industries)
Amelia Rivas' vocals swoon and swoop over a backdrop that twists familiar ‘50s doo-wop stylings into something new and alluring.
>J.D. Emmanuel – Time Traveler 2xLP (Aguirre)
A collection of live material from the electronic wizard, including unreleased tracks. Assembled on his tour with Dolphins Into The Future through Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Germany and Holland.
>Fort Romeau – SW9 12” (Spectral Sound)
A warm and affectionate take on the sound of Chicago house, mixing thick analog pad sounds with a 4/4 kick that's insistent without ever being overpowering, skittering hi-hats and a beautifully uplifting vocal sample.
>Grass Widow – Grass Widow 7”+MP3 (HLR)
Reissue of San Francisco trio's second release, originally out on Captured Tracks in 2009. Three originals plus a Urinals cover.
>Guided By Voices – Xeno Pariah b/w Little Jimmy The Giant 7” (GBV Inc.)
The fourth single from English Little League (album due April 30). B-side “Little Jimmy The Giant” is a garagey reprise of one of the oldest songs ever written by Guided By Voices (included on the first Suitcase compilation, it was originally recorded in 1984).
>Gun Outfit – Hard Coming Down LP (Post Present Medium)
Slow burning dirge-y jams align the group with the most downbeat and darkened in die-folk.
>Mary Lattimore – Withdrawing Room LP (Desire Path)
The nuanced notes of the harp strings sing and reverberate amid subtle electronics.
>Merzbow/Mats Gustasfsson/Balazs Pandi – Cuts 2xLP (Rarenoise)
If jazz, as the eminent critic Whitney Balliet once wrote, is the ''sound of surprise,'' Cuts, an intensely cathartic, fiercely turbulent collaboration between Japanese noise purveyor Masami Akita (AKA Merzbow), Hungarian drummer Balazs Pandi and Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustasfsson, is the ''sound of shock and awe.''
>Maria Minerva – Bless 12” (100% Silk)
Busting out with sweet ’n’ swingy single “Black Magick,” Minerva caters her classic la-la lyrics about an occult / joke-cult romance over a new waif, Schneider-esque pop-Rock Lobsta beat. “Space 4 U” slips echo-drone vocal monologues over a LaFace-style R&B booty bumper, while “Symbol of My Pleasure” sneers with a “Walk This Way” funk lick, both reminding fans of Minerva’s naughty/playful creep-creativities.
>Mark Mulcahy – Low Birthweight Child b/w Cottage That We Rented Had A Name 7” (Tongue Master)
“The former Miracle Legion frontman has the kind of male voice you just don't hear anymore: breathy, acrobatic, sensual, utterly, rapturously in-touch." -- The Guardian
>Painted Palms – Carousel bw/ Click7”+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Lead track from their upcoming album, with exclusive B-side.
>Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – Rise Again [2011] 2xLP (M.O.D. Technologies)
The Upsetter celebrated his 75th year of life with the release of this 2011 album, which featured eleven new songs mixed and produced by Bill Laswell and featuring vocals by TV On The Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, Ethiopian chanteuse Gigi Shibabaw and Jamaican toaster Hawk(man).
>Pick A Piper – Pick A Piper LP (Mint)
Debut from Toronto group lead by Brad Weber (Caribou). Airy, polyrhythmic percussion, atmospheric sound design and loopy melodies.
>Praxis – Profanation: Preparation For A Coming Darkness [2011] LP (M.O.D. Technologies)
Praxis’ 2011 album is now available on vinyl. Since 1992, the core trio of Praxis Buckethead (guitars), Bill Laswell (bass) and Brain (drums) has churned out an eclectic series of albums rooted in aggressive avant-rock improv with a healthy slab of hip-hop, psychedelic funk and space jazz thrown in.
>Psychic Twin – Strangers 7”+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Intensely personal, nervously rhythmic, and indebted to the '80s new-wave of Erin Fein's youth. White vinyl.
>Quiet Evenings – Impressions LP (Aguirre)
Duo of Grant (Nova Scotian Arms) and Rachel (Motion Sickness Of Time Travel) Evans. Far from the realm of pure ambient drift, subtle forces build within their disarming restraint and provide a stunning balance between light and shade.
>Restorations – LP2 LP+MP3 (Side One Dummy)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Sophomore album from Philadelphia indie rock band.
>Sadistik – Flowers For My Father LP (Fake Four, Inc.)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Evolving his style to a more synthesized rendition of a signature cinematic Seattle sound, the new album displays a distinct combination of Sadistik's complex, vulnerable writing with textured, ambient production handled by the likes of Blue Sky Black Death and Kno of CunninLynguists. Guests include Cage, Deacon The Villain, and Astronautalis.
>Spacemen 3 – Sound Of Confusion [Reissue/1986] LP (Fire)
Spacemen 3 – The Perfect Prescription [Reissue/1987] LP (Fire)
Spacemen 3 – Performance [Reissue/1990] LP (Fire)
HQ-180 vinyl reissues now available. “Spacemen 3 were psychedelic in the loosest sense of the word; their guitar explorations were colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s. Instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia, relying on heavily distorted guitars to clash and produce their own harmonic overtones; frequently, they would lead up to walls of distortion with overamplified acoustic guitars and synths. Often the band would jam on one chord or play a series of songs, all in the same tempo and key.” – AllMusic
>Transmuteo – Transmuteo LP (Aguirre)
New age transmissions and hypnagogic meditations to soothe the mind and soul from Jonathan Dean and his group of musical and visual collaborators.
>Tully – Loving Is Hard CD/LP (Chapter Music)
Reissue of third and final album from the Australian psychedelic icons, originally released in 1972. Features two bonus tracks from their one and only single, the sparse and somber 1971 release “Krishna Came/Lord Baba.”
>White Woods – Big Talking b/w Corner Town 7”+MP3 (Suicide Squeeze)
White Woods is the alias for Julia Kugel (Coathangers). A-side takes the Coathangers attitude, unplugs it from the amps, and delivers its admonishment with a graceful AM radio vibe. B-side "Corner Town" conjures the sex and strut of David Lynch's pop-culture nods to the '50s.
>Young Statues – Age Isn’t Ours LP+MP3 (Run For Cover)
New Jersey group expand on the atmospheric Americana inspired rock from their s/t full length. Theirs is a world of smart and sophisticated indie-pop.
26 MARCH 2013
>Tandyn Almer – Along Comes Tandyn CD/LP (Sundazed)
Composer/pianist/producer/MENSA member Tandyn Almer first emerged in pop culture consciousness as the writer of the 1966 smash single by the Association, “Along Comes Mary.” Along Comes Tandyn is a lost pop-psych classic of the '60s.
>David Archuleta – No Matter How Far CD (E1)
New album from the American Idol runner-up is a mix of new and previously unreleased material.
>Sebastian Bach – Abachalypse Now 2xCD+DVD (Frontiers)
Live album package from former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach. The DVD includes footage from 2012’s GrasPop Festival in Belgium, the full Hellfest set from France, and the Live At Nokia show from Los Angeles. Includes all Skid Row hits and the best songs from Sebastian’s solo career.
>Iva Bittova – Iva Bittova CD (ECM)
Czech singer/player/composer Iva Bittova has said “the violin is a mirror reflecting my dreams and imagination. I believe there are fundamentals to my performance, such as the music’s vibration and resonance between the violin and my voice.”
>James Blackshaw/Lubomyr Melnyk – Watchers CD (Important)
The Watchers is a collaboration between pianist Lubomyr Melnyk and guitarist James Blackshaw, who met at a festival called Hea Uus Heli in October 2008.
>Blu – No York CD/4xLP (Nature Sounds)
With trails of psych rock, dub, broken beats, and jazz, Blu has moved past the sample-heavy traditionalism of his early work for No York, creating a balance between golden era hip-hop and the future of music. Features production from beat icons including Flying Lotus, Exile, Shafiq Husayn of Sa Ra, Daedalus, Dibia$e, and Samiyam..
>Joe Bonamassa – An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House 2xCD (J&R Adventures)
Live acoustic set recorded at the historic Vienna Opera House last July during a very special two-week long unplugged tour. Also available on stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray. Vinyl version due April 2.
>Bongripper – Live At Roadburn 2012 2xCD (Outer Battery)
Double-live CD from the doom kings.
>Crystal Bowersox – All That For This All That For This CD (Shanachie)
Sophomore album from the 2010 American Idol runner-up.
>Ces Cru – Constant Energy Struggles CD (Strange Music)
Third album from the Kansas City hip-hop group featuring collaborations with Tech N9ne, Liz Suwandi, JL B Hood and Mac Lethal.
>Gene Clark – Here Tonight: The White Light Demos CD (Omnivore)
Gene Clark will always be best remembered for his two-year stint as a vocalist with the Byrds between 1964 and 1966. He was a superb songwriter and one of the founding fathers of country-rock. Here Tonight: The White Light Demos offers a glimpse into the songwriting craft of Clark at the inception of the compositions that would become his first ’70s solo album, White Light, for A&M Records, released in August of 1971.
>Gloria Coates – At Midnight CD (Tzadik)
A varied program of music for solo piano, a string quartet, her exciting violin concerto, a piece for bass and piano and a fabulous piece for two tuning guitars.
>Crime And The City Solution – American Twilight CD/LP (Mute)
First new album since 1990's Paradise Discotheque. The band now includes additional members David Eugene Edwards (16 Horsepower/Woven Hand) and Jim White (Dirty Three).
>The Cyclist – Bones In Motion CD (Stone’s Throw)
Lo-fi techno producer from Liverpool combines traditional dance music with experimental sounds.
>Dark Sermon – In Tongues CD (E1)
Dark Sermon conjures the fist raising melody of European death metal, the blackened underbelly of bleak blast beating musical warfare, and the churning malevolence of technical death metal.
>Depeche Mode – Delta Machine CD/2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Columbia)
Depeche Mode’s 13th studio album is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes a bonus disc with four additional new tracks, accompanied by a 28-page hardcover book including photos by longtime artistic collaborator Anton Corbijn. Martin Gore said of the release, "Writing this album was incredibly daunting as I wanted the sound of this collection to be very modern. I want people to feel good about listening to this record, to get some kind of peace. It's just got something magical about it."
>Dido – Girl Who Got Away CD (RCA)
Working once again with her brother Rollo Armstrong, who produced the majority Girl Who Got Away, Dido collaborated with a "who's who" of hit makers including Brian Eno, Jeff Bhasker, Rick Nowels and Greg Kurstin to create an album of finely, self-penned songs and soul-baring pop with electro, folk, hip hop, ambient and dance infusions.
>Durag Dynasty – 360 Waves CD (Nature Sounds)
Debut album from the hip-hop group featuring Killer Ben, Alchemist, Tristate, and Planet Asia, with guest appearances from Prodigy, Phil The Agony, Evidence, Iman Thug and others.
>Dave Hause – Resolutions CD/2xLP (Rise)
"You're only as good as the company you keep." If that's the case then Dave Hause is in great shape. Having spent two years on tour with The Gaslight Anthem, AFI, Frank Turner, Social Distortion, Chuck Ragan, and more, Dave Hause is doing something right. Resolutions is raw and emotional, and is already becoming a staple "must have" album in the adult punk rock community.
>Hierophant – Great Mother: Holy Monster CD/LP (Bridge Nine)
Hierophant play blackened metallic hardcore in the vein of His Hero Is Gone, Darkthrone, Neurosis, Catharsis, and Entombed, and have been accurately described by Hardboiled as "an otherworldly experience of dark, cold, grimy and almost dehumanized hardcore."
>I Am Empire – Anchors CD (Tooth & Nail)
Anchors find I Am Empire ascending to the modern day alternative/indie rock ranks alongside influences like Thrice, Brand New and Circa Survive, though there’s also a grungy feel that echoes the classic shades of Smashing Pumpkins or Garbage.
>Iron Maiden – Maiden England ’88 2xCD (UMe)
Remastered and expanded double-CD edition of this live release recorded in November 1988 at the Birmingham N.E.C. Arena during the band's Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son tour. This edition includes the full and complete release of the entire show (including previously unreleased encores), which had been edited when initially released. Also includes two tracks from the main show that were cut due to time constraints. Also available on stand-alone DVD.
>Bob Irwin & The Pluto Walkers – The Throwaway Age CD/LP (Sundazed)
Fuzz-filled surf/drag/sci-fi/exotica nuggets that are as imaginative as they are catchy. Also featured on the album are four memorable tracks by The Pluto Walkers’ mysterious alter-ego outfit El Futuro Sonidos, who offer moody, lilting acoustic textures with a Latin touch and a tropical twist.
>Alan Jackson – Precious Memories Volume II CD (EMI)
Jackson releases a second volume of hymns that his late mother loved.
>J. Period & Nas – Best Of Nas CD (E1)
Highly regarded as one of the most talented DJ's in the game, award-winning DJ/remixer J. Period (Q-Tip, The Roots, Lauryn Hill, etc.) teams up with Nas.
>Kvelertak – Meir CD (Roadrunner)
With the explosive first single "Bruane Brenn" to the slowed down guitar crunching of "Evig Vandrar" to the brutally chaotic "Nekrokosmos," Meir features tight rhythms, inventive guitar hooks and melodies. Vinyl version due April 9.
>Lil Wayne – I Am Not A Human Being II CD (Cash Money)
Wayne’s tenth album features production assistance from David Banner, Soulja Boy and Juicy J plus guest appearances from Nicki Minaj, Big Sean, Gunplay, 2 Chainz and others. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features three bonus tracks.
>Little Green Cars – Absolute Zero CD/LP (Glassnote)
With influences ranging from early R.E.M., to Elliott Smith and Woody Guthrie, this Irish band’s sound is accomplished and belies their young ages of just 20.
>Lorna – Heart Of Wire CD (Words On Music)
Lorna’s forth record finds this Nottingham, England quartet delivering bittersweet melodies and delicate harmonies that alternately flirt with Scottish pop and Lynchian closing time ballads. Steeped with woodwinds, strings and the occasional addictive electronics, Heart Of Wire still takes time to breath with more serene compositions.
>The Milk Carton Kids – The Ash & Clay CD/2xLP (Anti)
After forming in 2011, the duo of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan quickly built a devoted following with the simple purity of their music, touring with a host of established acts (Old Crow Medicine Show, Punch Brothers, and more), appearing on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series and charming audiences with their deadpan on-stage humor.
>OneRepublic – Native CD/LP (Interscope)
The Colorado Springs band’s third full-length album is infused their high-powered rock-pop hybrid, featuring elements of electronic music, gospel, blues, and folk.
>Pet Bottle Ningen – Non-Recyclable CD (Tzadik)
Trio of sax, guitar and drums combines composition, improvisation, rock, jazz and noise.
>A Rocket To The Moon – Wild & Free CD (Fueled By Ramen)
A distinctive blend of country, rock, folk, and pop. Guests include Stephen Barker Liles (of country duo Love And Theft), Elizabeth Huett (known for her longtime work with Taylor Swift), and Josh Jenkins (of Green River Ordinance).
>Saxon – Sacrifice CD/2xCD/LP (Capitol)
Saxon’s 20th studio album features a thrashier ‘80s perspective, plus five classic tracks revisited.
>Klaus Schulze – Shadowlands CD/2xCD (Synthetic Symphony)
New album from Berlin born Klaus Schulze, who is an iconicic electronic musician who founded Ash Ra Tempel some 40 years ago, and developed his own art form as a communicative hermit after his stint behind the drum kit of Tangerine Dream. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions.
>Kendrick Scott Oracle – Conviction CD (Concord Jazz)
Scott’s second recording showcases his incredible subtlety and intensity and highlights his strengths as a drummer, composer and bandleader.
>Senses Fail – Renacer CD (Workhorse Music)
“Renacer” means “to be reborn” in Spanish, which is fitting, as the album is much more aggressive and heavier that previous releases.
>Sevendust – Black Out The Sun CD (7 Brothers)
“Sevendust never hold anything back. However, on their ninth studio album, Black Out The Sun, they go harder than ever before. In some ways, it's like they've transmuted the ferocity of their classic self-titled debut, Home, and Animosity into the sharp, succinct songwriting sensibility of Cold Day Memory. Be prepared to down a Molotov cocktail of razor sharp riffs, pounding rhythms, and soulful hooks.” – Artist Direct
>Rhian Sheehan – Stories From Elsewhere CD (Darla)
Sheehan is a New Zealand composer and producer of cinematic music who is known for his unique melding of experimental electronica with orchestral music and environmental sound recordings.
>Blake Shelton – Based On A True Story CD (WB)
New album featuring his current smash hit, "Sure Be Cool If You Did."
>Harper Simon – Division Street CD/LP (PIAS America)
Simon’s sophomore album is a departure from his self-titled debut, as it is more rock guitar driven than his previous alt-country work.
>Stephen Stills – Carry On 4xCD (Rhino)
Carry On is a four-disc set, spanning 50 years and includes more than five hours of music and includes a 113-page booklet. Produced by Graham Nash and Joel Bernstein with Stephen Stills, this anthology spotlights the remarkable scope of stills career with essential recordings, live cuts, new mixes, and 25 previously unreleased tracks.
>The Strokes – Comedown Machine CD/LP (RCA)
“Comedown Machine isn't a major deviation from the rest of the Strokes' catalogue, but it might be their most sonically ambitious since their debut. While it follows rather closely in form and content to their last album, Angles, its baby steps away from the group's established genre of catchy pop/rock make it a fresh and highly engrossing record.” -- Sputnik Music
>Tartufi – These Factory Days CD/LP+MP3 (Southern)
San Francisco trio Tartufi's penchant for lush sonic textures and gentle guitar picking shines through in every track of their sixth full-length.
>Voodoo Circle – More Than One Way Home CD/2xLP (AFM)
German melodic hard rock/metal band Voodoo Circle is back with their third album.
>Wavves – Afraid Of Heights CD/LP+MP3 (Mom + Pop/WB)
Now a duo consisting of guitarist Nathan Williams and bassist Stephen Pope, Wavves sound bigger, brasher, and shockingly more professional than ever on Afraid Of Heights, which positions the band to take their rightful place amongst the pop-punk gods. Also available on purple vinyl.
>Wax Idols – Discipline & Desire CD/LP (Slumberland)
Wax Idols’ sophomore album embodies a dark, full, twisted sound: something that feels more appropriate to the foggy, damp British climate than that of sunny California.
>Wire – Change Becomes Us CD (Pink Flag)
In Spring 2012, Wire's plan had been to review the rudimentary blueprints of songs that had never made it beyond a few live performances in 1979 and 1980 -- a time when each member was in creative overdrive yet the band itself was disintegrating. The aim wasn't simply to resuscitate and record old songs. Rather, the objective was to approach that unrealized work as an oblique strategy, a potential springboard for their contemporary, forward-looking processes -- a possible point of departure for new compositions.
>Y La Bamba – Oh February CD (Tender Loving Empire)
Six songs of Mexi-influenced folk Americana that pick up where 2012's Court The Storm left off. In a sulty cross genre dream accented by lush guitars, lively accordion and expert percussion, Oh February features Y La Bamba's most immediately listenable songs to date. Produced by The Decemberists' Chris Funk.
>John Zorn – Mysteries CD (Tzadik)
Second volume from the trio of Bill Frisell, Carol Emanuel, and Kenny Wollesen. One of Zorn's most beautiful and evocative projects, the music here follows in that tradition -- a minimalist modal lyricism distinguished by complex rhythmic twists and turns, Zorn's dramatic ever-shifting sound blocks and of course the brilliant improvisations of guitar wizard Frisell.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Joe Bonamassa – An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House 2xDVD/Blu-ray (J&R Adventures)
Live acoustic album recorded at the historic Vienna Opera House last July during a two-week long unplugged tour. 155 minutes.
>Iron Maiden – Maiden England ’88 2xDVD (UMe)
Now available on double DVD, this live show was filmed across two sold-out nights at Birmingham N.E.C Arena, UK in November 1988 during the band's Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son World Tour. Disc one contains the concert which has been specially upgraded and extended from the existing 1989 longform VHS release and now includes three previously unreleased encores: “Running Free,” “Run To The Hills” and “Sanctuary” thereby completing the full concert with a total running time of 110 minutes.
Vinyl:
>Capitol Cities – Capitol Cities LP (Capitol)
Los Angeles-based electro-pop duo Capital Cities isn't afraid to let the Southern California sunshine seep into their music. Synth-tastically bright, danceable and catchy, yet maintaining a depth that reflects the band's roots in San Francisco, Paris and Armenia.
>Cult Of Luna – Vertikal LP (Density/Workhorse Music Group)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Sixth studio album from the Swedish powerhouse and first for Density/Workhorse. Vertikal is thematically influenced by the classic film Metropolis: a hypnotic backdrop of machinery and repetition. Vinyl version due February 5.
>El Sportivo + The Blooz – Nights + Weekends 2xLP (White Iris)
Taking cues from the dark side of '70s country and rock & roll, Daron Hollowell's songs speak to dreams of escapism, lust for adventure and truth, and his ever-surreal perception of the world as it spins unsteadily around him.
>Greg Ginn & The Royal We – Fearless Leaders LP (SST)
Decades after his Black Flag-days and in live performance, Ginn's one-man-band merges DJ aesthetics along with instrumentation including guitar, theremin, and synth. Dreamy and evolving instrumental electronic dance music.
>Hum – You’d Prefer An Astronaut [Reissue/1995] LP+MP3 (Shop Radio Cast)
Limited edition white vinyl reissue of the third studio album by the Champaign, IL post-hardcore band. You’d Prefer An Astronaut was first released in 1995 by RCA as the band's major label debut.
>Bob Irwin & The Pluto Walkers – Coffin Dragger b/w Arabesque 7” (Spinout)
Stomping, fuzztone-infected tribute to the legendary biker film soundtracks of decades past.
>Land Lines – Land Lines LP (Learning Curve)
Land Lines is Martina Grbac (cello, vocal, percussion), Ross Harada (drums and percussion) and Anna Mascorella (cello, vocal, percussion).
>Tim McGraw – Two Lanes Of Freedom 2xLP (Big Machine)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Tim McGraw's new record explains there are both kinds of freedom: country and western.
>Brooke Waggoner – Originator LP (Ingrooves)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “In the span of time between the release of my last album, Go Easy Little Doves, in 2009 and the beginning of production on Originator in 2011, I spent my time producing albums for other bands, writing music for short films, and playing piano in Jack White's all-female band, The Peacocks,” Brooke remarked. “It’s been a good time to ‘fill my well’ so to speak.” – Direct Current
>Wild Belle – Isles LP (Columbia)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. A unique combination of bold songwriting, studio wizardry and late night vibes hailing from Chicago, IL.
19 MARCH 2013
>Ellen Allien – Lism CD (Bpitch Control)
Rarely has an LP from the circle of Bpitch Control artists deviated so far from the club context as this one.
>Duane Allman - Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective 7xCD (Rounder)
This seven-disc set, produced by Duane's daughter Galadrielle Allman and esteemed reissue producer Bill Levenson, shows the full breadth and depth of Duane's work, from early recordings (with Gregg) in bands such as The Escorts, Allman Joys and Hour Glass; to his studio work with Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Boz Scaggs, Delaney & Bonnie, Ronnie Hawkins and many others; to a live jam session with the Grateful Dead.
>Alpha Rev – Bloom CD (Kirtland)
Third album from the Austin-based band fronted by songwriter Casey McPherson.
>And So I Watch You From Afar – All Hail Bright Futures CD/LP+MP3 (Sargent House)
Dominated by a sunnier disposition, a positive uplift that more closely matches the euphoria the Northern Ireland trio has been instilling in audiences through their music in a live setting for the last five years.
>Anthrax – Anthems CDEP (Megaforce)
Anthems features cover versions of songs originally performed by some of the band's favorite acts including AC/DC, Rush, Thin Lizzy and others. Also included is a new remix of “Crawl,” which originally appeared on 2011’s Worship Music.
>Black Pus – All My Relations CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Solo project of Brian Chippendale, drummer for noise rock titans Lightning Bold and Mindflayer. His furious drumming style is ever present and instantly recognizable, but the pop element, which was explored in more contained ways on earlier solo releases, is more fully integrated.
>Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Specter At The Feast CD (Vagrant)
“The bleary San Francisco fuzz-rockers originally considered making their sixth studio album a double, but evidently had the wisdom to realize that two discs' worth of uncharacteristic downtempo melancholia would numb the listener. The 12 tracks that made the grade comprise one of BMRC's better releases. They were written after the sudden death of their sound engineer, Michael Been – father of bassist Robert Been – and are heavy with loss” – The Guardian. Vinyl version due March 26.
>Billy Bragg – Tooth & Tail CD/CD+DVD/LP (Cooking Vinyl/Essential Music)
Far from solving England’s ills, Tooth & Nail promises to reflect the uncertain times in which Brits live on a personal level. Recorded across five days with Joe Henry, guests include Greg Leisz (Bon Iver), Patrick Warren (Lana Del Rey), Jay Bellerose (Regina Spektor) and David Piltch (Ramblin' Jack Eliot). Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features expanded packaging and a DVD of ten promotional videos that Billy made for his singles spanning 1986 - 2002.
>Brandt Brauer Frick – Miami CD/2xLP (!K7)
New release from the German techno trio consisting of Daniel Brandt, Jan Brauer and Paul Frick. Brandt Brauer Frick have made a name for themselves producing techno without the technology using classical instruments in preference to synthesizers and computers.
>Alex Calder – Time CD/LP (Captured Tracks)
A strong love for classic ‘60s/’70s guitar pop (Beach Boys, Beatles) as well as soft spots for Prince and Hall And Oates display Alex Calder’s self-proclaimed "fascination with pop music." While his influences certainly shape his work it is his natural ear for melody and movement, which make Calder’s work both fluid and engaging. His knack and ambition both in his songwriting and production provide a solid foundation for his music to drift in an out of psychy realms.
>Call Of The Void – Dragged Down A Dead End Path CD (Relapse)
Dragged Down A Dead End Path’s crust and grind elements seamlessly merge to conjure visions of grind godfathers Pig Destroyer while effortlessly treading the abrasive caustic nature of Converge’s hybrid progressive hardcore and Mastodon’s technical metal-tinged rock mastery.
>Cannibal Corpse - Dead Human Collection: 25 Years of Death Metal 13xCD+LP (Metal Blade)
Released to coincide with their 25th anniversary, Dead Human Collection contains all 12 full length studio albums in a foldout case with new artwork, plus Torturing And Eviscerating Live on CD and vinyl picture disc LP, and 12”x12” graphic prints of all 13 original album covers, as well as a 2013 Cannibal Corpse calendar.
>Alex Cline – For People In Sorrow CD+DVD (Cryptogramophone)
The twin brother of Wilco guitarist Nels Cline is a talented drummer, percussionist and composer in his own right. For People In Sorrow is a poignant re-imagining of the landmark composition by Roscoe Mitchell recorded live at the 2011 Angel City Jazz Festival.
>Clutch – Earth Rocker CD (Weathermaker)
“Two decades and 10 albums into its career, the Maryland band has made its most straightforward hard-rock album to date. The group's more extensive forays into the blues and jam-band territory are reined in here (save the surprisingly quiet ‘Gone Cold’ and a delightful go-go beat in ‘D.C. Sound Attack’ that works so, so well), and the result is a leaner, meaner 44 minutes, propelled by Neil Fallon's massive Southern bellow” – NPR. Free lithograph with purchase – while supplies last!
>Death Wolf - Death Wolf II: Black Armoured Death CD (Century Media)
“A cross between The Misfits and Black Sabbath.” – The Age Of Metal
>Deptford Goth – Life After Defo CD/LP (Cooperative Music)
Beautifully crafted sweet synth pop, with R&B hooks ala the xx.
>Simone Dinnerstein & Tift Merritt – Night CD (Sony Classical)
Pianist Simone Dinnerstein and singer/songwriter Tift Merritt join forces for the first time on a unique collaboration merging classical, folk, and rock worlds, exploring common terrain and uncovering new musical landscapes.
>Dump – Superpowerless [Reissue/1993] CD/2xLP (Morr Music)
Reissue of the legendary 1993 debut album by solo project of James McNew (Yo La Tengo). Contains all that was great about the few short moons of tape-hiss: collaborations triggered not even remotely by virtuosity (had Chris Knox ever played trumpet before that afternoon?); cardboard boxes as bass drums; the victory of enthusiasm over perfection (have Half-Japanese been covered with more empathy?). Contains bonus material.
>Dur-Dur Band – Volume 5 CD/LP (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
Remastered from a cassette copy source -- a document of the band after establishing itself as one of the most popular bands in Mogadishu. The complex, soulful music penetrates the hiss.
>Ensemble Pearl – Ensemble Pearl CD/2xLP (Drag City)
Members of Earth, Boris, sunn O))), Ghost, White Heaven, Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter and others collaborate to form Ensemble Pearl. Cosmic heavy amplified rock drops and ripples, auras radiate and expand into cloud forms, through which lightning bolts. Tides rise, the moons wax upon a place somewhere between Link Wray, Hex-era Earth and early Tangerine Dream.
>Fol Chen – The False Alarms CD/LP (Asthmatic Kitty)
The False Alarms continues Fol Chen's electro-pop odyssey, now with a honed character and a more distinct palette of sounds.
>Freefall – Power And Volume CD (Nuclear Blast)
Debut album from the Swedish rockers featuring guitarist Mattias Bärjed (Soundtrack Of Our Lives) and drummer Ludwig Dahlberg (The International Noise Conspiracy). Freefall plays a personally composed "freedom rock" that swings hard with an energetic, authoritarian and uncompromising sound.
>The Good the Bad & The Zugly – Anti World Music CD/LP (Fysisk Format)
The debut album by Norwegian scum punk revivalists.
>Colleen Green – Sock It To Me CD/LP (Hardly Art)
The constant presence of time-tested four-chord progressions and Green’s faithful drum machine keep Sock It To Me grounded in pure pop, but the breathy, emotive vocals have taken an enormous leap forward, evoking all-time heroes such as Rose Melberg and Tina Weymouth.
>Liam Hayes - A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III CD (Night Fever Music)
Original music from the motion picture A Glimpse Inside The Mind of Charles Swan III by Chicago native, Liam Hayes, who has been making music under the name Plush sine the early ‘90s. Vinyl version due April 16.
>Lee Hazlewood – Trouble Is A Lonesome Town [Reissue/1963] CD/2xLP (Light In The Attic)
Expanded reissue of Hazlewood’s debut album in its original mono mix with 15 bonus tracks.
>The Heligoats – Back To The Ache CD (Greyday)
Back To The Ache is the latest release from Washington-based singer/songwriter Chris Otepka and his Chicago-based band, The Heligoats. This is the first recording and musical collaboration between Chris Otepka and drummer Nate Lanthrum in the seven years since their time together in Chicago based indie/punk band Troubled Hubble.
>Imperium Dekadenz – Meadows Of Nostalgia CD (Season Of Mist)
If you are looking for the soundtrack to a bleak dark day, look no further.
>Intronaut – Habitual Levitations CD (Century Media)
Fourth album from the post-metal prog act.
>Inter Arma – Sky Burial CD (Relapse)
“A windswept, monolithic beast of apocalyptic Neurosian sludge and lashings of black metal riff storms.” – This Is Not A Scene
>Invisible Hands – Invisible Hands CD (Abduction)
Brand new project of Alvarius B. English language vocals edition delivered in AB's patented sinister style; drenched in lovely psychedelic folk arrangements.
>Isengrind/Twinsistermoon/Natural Snow Buildings – The Snowbringer Cult 2xCD (Ba Da Bing!)
Isengrind – The Snowbinger Cult LP (Ba Da Bing!)
TwinSisterMoon – The Snowbringer Cult LP (Ba Da Bing!)
Natural Snow Buildings – The Snowbringer Cult LP (Ba Da Bing!)
Following up on 2012’s fearsome four-LP box set Night Coercion Into The Company Of Witches, Ba Da Bing! presents the second large-scale reissue of another obscurity from French duo Natural Snow Building’s past. Originally released on double-CD by the amazing Students of Decay in 2008, The Snowbringer Cult is a grandiose quadruple-album that combines Mehdi Ameziane’s and Solange Gularte’s solo projects, TwinSisterMoon and Isengrind, on disc one and their collaboration as Natural Snow Buildings on disc two. Each album is also available individually in vinyl.
>Jerusalem In My Heart - Mo7it Al-Mo7it CD/LP (Constellation)
JIMH has forged a modern experimental Arabic music that weds melismatic singing in classical Arabic modes to electronic compositions with a punk-rock sensibility.
>Julia Kent – Character CD/LP+CD (Leaf)
Opportunities for introspection have come few and far between for Canadian-born, New York City-based cellist Julia Kent. After coming to prominence as a member of the cello-driven group Rasputina in the ’90s, she went on to arrange and play on numerous recordings and tour extensively as a member of Antony and the Johnsons, among other projects.
>Krief – Hundred Thousand Pieces CD (Rock Ridge)
New solo album from Montreal-based artist Patrick Krief (longtime guitarist for The Dears). The 10 songs on the album deal with his anxieties about growing older and continuing down the financially precarious road of a professional musician.
>Lapalux – Nostalchic CD/LP (Brainfeeder)
Nostalchic is Lapalux’s most focused document to date, adding his beloved R&B and soul into elements of house and hip-hop, all with the trademark Lapalux finish; infectious, lopsided swing and achingly deep texture.
>Legz Diamond – 9 Pistolas CD (Psychopathic)
Load your Tommy gun, shine those bucks, adjust the brim of your fedora and prepare yourself for a crime saga like no other in 9 Pistolas, the full-length debut album from Psychopathic Records artist Legz Diamond.
>Low – The Invisible Way CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
On Low’s tenth album, Mimi takes on more vocals and the band employs lots of piano and an acoustic guitar. Still slow, quiet, and sometimes pretty. Recorded with Jeff Tweedy.
>Chico Mann – Magical Thinking CD/2xLP (Soundway)
Mann’s fifth album draws as much on '80s funk, boogie, and electro as merengue and Afrobeat.
>Brian McKnight – More Than Words CD (E1)
15th album from the R&B singer/songwriter features the single “Sweeter: as well as a collaboration with Colbie Caillat.
>Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer Different Park CD (Mercury Nashville)
Kacey was born and raised in the small town of Golden, TX, and started performing at opry houses when she was still a child. She started out in Nashville as a demo singer, and quickly earned a publishing deal with Warner/Chappel. She has toured with the likes of Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, and Lady Antebellum, and her song, “Merry Go ‘Round” was named one of Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Singles of 2012.
>Muslimgauze - Satyajit Eye [Reissue/1993] CD (Staalplaat)
Bryn Jones’ 1993 album draws from Indian music for inspiration; but also with breezy, desert-like rhythms and sounds.
>Muslimgauze – Al Jar Zia Audio CD (Staaplaat)
Volume 6 in the Muslimgauze archive series.
>Nails – Avandon All Life CD (Southern Lord)
New album from the amazing thrash grinders -- recommended for fans of Napalm Death.
>The Ocean Blue – Ultramarine CD (Korda)
Reunited indie-pop outfit The Ocean Blue — best known for their chiming 1989 debut single “Between Something And Nothing” — release their first new album in 13 years.
>Palma Violets – 180 CD/LP+MP3 (Rough Trade)
Primitive, wild rock & roll music offering echoes of ‘60s garage and soul but with a defiant Englishness at its core. The band radiates a ferocious energy, encapsulated in the tense and tactile interplay between Chilli Jesson and Sam Fryer but driven forward by the incessant beat of Will Doyle’s drumming.
>Panopticon – Kentucky CD (Handmade Birds)
Panopticon is intensely emotional and atmospheric black metal that transcends the genre
with both boots deeply submerged in the grim aggression that keeps the underground flame burning.
>Zeena Parkins – Adorables CD (Cryptogramophone)
New album from the eclectic harpist (Bjork, and the NY downtown scene) mixes lush acoustic orchestration with live electronics, beats, and unusual instruments. Visceral, unearthly, exquisitely rich sounds with drones, crafted sound processing, feedback and the guts of harp strings.
>Phosphorescent – Muchacho CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
Muchacho reprises the understated melancholia and sensuous minimalism of Pride, while kicking up a little of Here's To Taking It Easy's dust, but it also strikes out into more adventurous waters via rhythm and electronic textures.
>Elvis Presley – Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite: Legacy Edition 2xCD (Sony Legacy)
This set collects 1973’s Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite and 1988’s The Alternative Aloha, packaged with a booklet featuring rare photos and a new liner notes essay written by BBC presenter, producer and musician Stuart Colman.
>Prurient – Through The Window CD/LP (Blackest Ever Black)
Through The Window represents the ultimate expression of Prurient’s affection for European techno forms, and his ability to apply them to his own uniquely lacerating purpose. Unlike his claustrophobic, inward-looking recordings as Vatican Shadow, the album is widescreen, open, and expansive. Nonetheless, the goal is exorcism and self-knowledge, not ecstasy.
>Purling Hiss – Water On Mars CD/LP/Cassette (Drag City)
Water On Mars reveals a center to the Hiss maelstrom, with Mike Polizze's guitars slugging, sizzling and spiraling their way around the rhythm throb, drawing from the wells of the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s rock to inform their own sound. This is heavy stuff, unknotting the strings that tangled all their previous records together so righteously to reveal another, greater storm within.
>Josh Rouse – The Happiness Waltz CD/LP+CD (Yep Roc)
Sonically, The Happiness Waltz takes a trip back into Rouse's early-2000's period, a time when so many of his longtime fans really came on board. A number of the new tracks could easily find a home on the AM radio of the late 1970's, nestled between some of the biggest songs of the day. Lyrically, the album is very much an album in the present, featuring some of Rouse's most personal songs to date.
>Six Feet Under – Unborn CD (Metal Blade)
Tampa, FL’s Six Feet Under has been delivering unapologetic death metal since 1993. S
>Alice Smith – She CD (Rainwater Recordings)
Smith’s sophomore album and first since her 2007 debut. “Her four octave voice runs and flares and blares and booms and blasts, yet it never feels like she’s over singing. There’s no overuse of melisma, no autotune, no back-up — just Alice in the raw on full blast giving every song her gutsy, soulful all.” – clutchmagonline.com
>The Staves – Dead & Born & Grown CD/LP (Atlantic)
The Staves are three sisters from Watford, England who share vocal duties in addition to some contributions on guitar and ukelele.
>Marnie Stern – Chronicles Of Marnia CD/LP (Kill Rock Stars)
Stern attacks her musical evolution with full frontal bravado, reveling in musical risk instead of relaxing in the comforts of the known.
>Stornoway – Tales From Terra Firma CD/LP (4AD)
Stornoway's new album is a record of stories birth, death, marriage, coming of age: The Big Stuff. The songs were mostly written in a camper van in land-locked Oxford but on listening, the yearning for adventure and the freedom of the coast and wild places is palpable. As is true of classic songwriting partnerships, lyricist Brian Briggs eloquence coupled with his crystalline voice unite with Jon Ouin’s stunning arrangements and alchemise to form a musical mirror.
>Stygian Stride – Stygian Stride CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Stygian Stride is the solo guise of Jimy SeiTang of Psychic Ills and Rhyton. Gauzy electronic music reminiscent of Gas and the classic era of Mille Plateaux and Chain Reaction, with nods to Manuel Gottsching and Popul Vuh.
>Suede – Bloodsports CD (INgrooves)
Suede’s first collection of new material since 2002. Throughout the '90s, they were one of the
biggest and best UK bands to come from the Britpop music scene.
>Sun City Girls – Eye Mohini: Sun City Girls Singles 3 CD (Abudction)
Third volume in the series of singles, compilations, and rare tracks, consists of material recorded
between the mid-‘80s and early ‘90s. Much of this collection reflects the Arabic guitar
instrumental and acoustic pseudo-Asian vocal folk styles of the band from the period when they
recorded relentlessly.
>Swollen Members – Beautiful Death Machine CD (Suburban Noize)
Swollen Members are back with their eighth studio album, a record that preserves their signature brand of dark, sinister, spell-binding hip-hop.
>Justin Timberlake – 20/20 CD/2xLP (Columbia)
Timberlake’s third solo album is the long-awaited follow-up to his album FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006). 20/20 features collaborations with producers Timbaland and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon as well as a guest appearance from rapper Jay-Z on the album's first single “Suit & Tie.”
>William Tyler – Impossible Truth CD/2xLP+MP3 (Merge)
Rooted in apocalyptic expectation and bittersweet nostalgia, Tyler describes the record as “my ’70s singer/songwriter record; it just doesn’t have any words.”
>Various Artists - 20 Jahre Kompakt/Kollektion 1 2xCD (Kompakt)
Two discs jam-packed with floor favorites, towering chart-toppers and secret weapons from the rich history of one of Germany's most-loved techno labels. Here, Kompakt compiled their proudest moments -- classic records that defined their sound today.
>Various Artists – Love For Levon: A Benefit To Save The Barn 2xCD (Time Life Entertainment)
Dozens of rock, soul, and country music luminaries gathered at the Meadowlands Arena on October 3, 2012 for an incredible tribute to Levon Helm, The Band’s late drummer/singer/mandolin player who passed away in early 2012. Contributing artists include: Grace Potter, Joan Osborne, Ray LaMontagne, John Mayer, Dierks Bently, Roger Waters, My Morning Jacket, Josh Walsh, Robert Randolph, G.E. Smith, and more. Also available on DVD and Blu-ray in variety of configurations.
>Various Artists - The RZA Presents Shaolin Soul Selection: Volume 1 2xCD/3xLP (Soul Temple)
Dug out from the archives of Stax Records, this collection of deep soul has been personally curated by The RZA himself. Containing heavy cuts from such legends as Isaac Hayes, Booker T & The MGs, Albert King, The Emotions, and many more, it’s not hard to see the genius and ideas these songs and artists inspire, and their influence on the very history of The Wu-Tang Clan.
>Various Artists – Spring Breakers OST CD (Big Beat)
Soundtrack to Harmony Korine's 2013 film features Skrillex, Birdy Nam Nam, The Black Keys,
Waka Flaka Flame, Gucci Mane, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, The Cool Kids, The Weekend, Ellie
Goulding as well as an orginal score by Skrillex and Cliff Martinez.
>Ben Von Wildenhaus – Great Melodies From Around CD/LP (Molasses Manifesto)
Ben Wildenhaus (Federation X) is a guitar player on par with modern guys like Alan Bishop and Sandy Bull. Drawn to the vast space, windblown grit and non-Western twang of desert guitar/loud music, Wildenhaus has always made good use of tools like a light touch, melody and subtlety in his songs -- this is music built around tones, careful dynamics and strange, non-linear melodies, played on guitar with sine wave generator and spare touches on looping pedals.
>Thalia Zedek Band – Via CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
The fourth solo album from former Uzi/Live Skull/Come member features some of her noisiest material in some time.
>Zeus! – Opera CD/LP (Three One G)
Second effort from crazy prog grinders Zeus!
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Miles Davis – Live At Montreux 1991 DVD/Blu-ray (Eagle Vision)
This concert from July 8th, 1991 was the last of Miles Davis many appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival and took place only a few months before his death. 133 minutes.
>O.A.R. – Live On Red Rocks Blu-ray (Wind-Up)
Filmed and recorded live at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater on July 15, 2012, Live On Red Rocks captures O.A.R. in their element -- performing an inspired and energetic show to a packed house in the middle of summer.
>Various Artists – Love For Levon: A Benefit To Save The Barn 2xDVD/2xDVD+2xCD/2xBlu-ray/2xBlu-ray+2xCD (Time Life Entertainment)
Dozens of rock, soul, and country music luminaries gathered at the Meadowlands Arena on October 3, 2012 for an incredible tribute to Levon Helm, The Band’s late drummer/singer/mandolin player who passed away in early 2012. Contributing artists include: Grace Potter, Joan Osborne, Ray LaMontagne, John Mayer, Dierks Bently, Roger Waters, My Morning Jacket, Josh Walsh, Robert Randolph, G.E. Smith, and more.
Vinyl:
>100 Flowers – 100 Flowers [Reissue/1983] LP (Superior Viaduct)
100 Flowers (previously known as The Urinals) were a power trio whose sole 1983 album is an enduring document of the Southern California underground. Based in crime-ridden ’80s Los Angeles against the backdrop of juvenile hardcore and vapid hard rock, 100 Flowers crafted a sound that rests between the inspired bursts of The Minutemen and the pastoral jangle of the Dream Syndicate with similarities to the equally oblique Monitor and The Gun Club (who even included a Urinals cover in their set).
>Atoms For Peace – Judge Jury And Executioner 12” (XL)
Limited edition 12" featuring a track from Atoms For Peace debut album and a non-album B-side “S.A.D.” with foil stamped embossed sleeve.
>Harold Budd – Bandits Of Stature [2011] 2xLP (Darla)
On Bandits of Stature, the minimalist pianist/composer has created 14 elegantly simple, avant-garde string quartets, each with his own unique and subtle tension and abstraction and sometimes-pastoral but as-often otherworldly mood shining through.
>R.L. Burnside – A Bothered Mind [2004] LP (Fat Possum)
First time available on vinyl.
>Califone – Heron King Blues [Reissue/2004] LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Califone’s third album from 2004 is back on vinyl. Combines the bands more pop-oriented qualities alongside their more spaced out ethereal thoughts.
>Cannibal Corpse – Tomb Of The Mutilated [Reissue/1992] LP (Metal Blade)
Limited edition picture disc repress of Cannibal Corpse’s third album.
>Coathangers/Nu Sensae – Derek’s Song b/w Throw 7”+MP3 (Suicide Squeeze)
Derek's song" is a party-banger perfectly encapsulating the quartet's capacity for sharp hooks and jagged instrumentation. On Nu Sensae's contribution to the split, Brody McKnight unleashes foreboding guitar squalls while bassist/vocalist Andrewa Lukic rages like Kim Gordon at her most incendiary moments and Daniel Pitout beats his drums to a bloody pulp.
>Dave Alvin – Ashgrove [2004] 2xLP (Yep Roc)
Alvin’s 2004 debut for Yep Roc is now available on vinyl.
>Dead Skeletons – Dead Magick [2011] 2xLP (A. Records)
“From the opening drones, distorted organs and guitars wobbling from the effects of heavy-duty tremolo, 'Dead Mantra' is battle of life winning over death and the sonic palette that colours the struggle between fight and surrender is consistent throughout. In the middle of this hypnotic maelstrom come the otherworldly vocals. Bathed in echo and reverb, they attempt to find their way from a spiritual battleground that suggests a strange ambiguity over whether the desire for life can keep mortality away for just that bit longer. “ – thequietus.com. Color vinyl (one disc burgundy, the other blue).
>Desecration/Possessed – Possessed/Desecration LP (Foad)
Picture disc gathers Possessed’s Demo 1991 for the very first time on vinyl adding a handful of bonus tracks that were completely unreleased and never heard before. Desecration’s side includes the early demos (“Psycho” and “Cowboys in bondage”) and some unreleased studio outtakes, recorded from 1985 to 1986, all this for the first time on vinyl.
>Dinosaur Jr. – Now The Fall 7” (Jagjaguwar)
Two previously unreleased songs recorded during the I Bet On Sky sessions.
>Dope Body – Saturday 7” (Drag City)
Refocusing on the sonic principles that they were striving for when they got their tight-ass sloppy shit together in the first place, Dope Body return with a two-song single acting as a snapshot of a band taking care of business in lean, road dog stance, ready to f##k or run, whatever happens first.
>Fawn Spots/C#m Stain – Wedding Dress LP+MP3 (Bad Paintings)
Split LP from UK noise-drenched pop band Fawn Spots and California weirdo scuzz renegades C#m Stain.
>Bill Fay – Time Of The Last Persecution [Reissue/1971] LP (4 Men With Beards)
HQ-180 vinyl reissue of Fay’s final album for the Deram label. Time Of The Last Persecution is an absolute classic of melancholy (borderline morbid) folk-rock that falls somewhere between Pearls Before Swine, Leonard Cohen, and a suicide prevention hotline.
>The Fireworks – The Fireworks EP 7” (Shelflife)
Simple catchy songs with blistering squalls of feedback, sharp chiming guitars, rambunctious drums and bass, and Matthew and Emma's perfectly matched vocals. A beacon of hope in the saturated sea of "copycat" noise pop groups.
>Eddie Gale – Eddie Gale’s Ghetto Music [Reissue/1968] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Eddie Gale – Black Rhythm Happening [Reissue/1969] LP (Four Men With Beards)
HQ-180 vinyl reissues of Gale's first two Blue Note albums. Both are a blend of funky grooves, a gospel street choir of singers and late '60s free form freak-outs. Recommended for fans of Sun Ra and Brother Ah, Coltrane's Love Supreme, and Max Roach's It's Time.
>Hanni El Khatib – Family b/w Penny 7” (Innovative Leisure)
Two lead singles from the forthcoming sophomore LP, Head In The Dirt (due April 30).
>Guided By Voices – Trash Can Full Of Nails b/w Build A Bigger Iceburg 7” (GBV Inc.)
Third single from the forthcoming album English Little League. Its propulsive, off-kilter rhythm underscores the melancholic melody, delivered with characteristic aplomb by songwriter Robert Pollard. Backed with a Tobin Sprout-penned psych-pop song called “Build A Bigger Iceberg,” which is solid advice.
>Daniel Higgs – Beyond & Between LP (La Castanya Records)
On Beyond & Between, Higgs (Lungfish) sang and played banjo and was accompanied by Marc Clos at the vibraphone, marimba, flexatone, drum, tamborello, tamtam, gong, tar, bendir, timpani and vocals.
>How To Destroy Angels – Welcome To Oblivion 2xLP+CD (Columbia)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the project of Trent Reznor, Mariqueen Maandig (Reznor’s wife), Rob Sheridan, and Atticus Ross.
>Jacob Kirkegaard – Conversion LP (Touch)
Two pieces interpreted by classical instruments in collaboration with Danish ensemble Scenatet. Pieces include: "Church" from 4 Rooms and "Labyrinthitis" from Labyrinthitis.
>Krallice – Years Past Matter [2012] 2xLP+MP3 (Gilead Media)
Fourth studio album from one of America’s best avant-garde black metal bands.
>LCD Soundsystem – Yeah [Reissue/2004] 12” (DFA)
Originally released in 2004 on the heels of the massively successful singles “Losing My Edge” and “Give It Up,” LCD Soundsystem’s “Yeah” is a choice dance-rocker with everything one expects from the DFA hit factory—infectious baselines, killer disco beats and percussion, disaffected vocals and burning keyboards. Back in print on vinyl.
>Las Ardillas – Linda Nina 7” (Slovenly)
Las Ardillas features members of Davila 666. There's a powerful undertow of nostalgia to their late ‘70s punk, proto-punk, and powerpop inspired songs. The lyrics soaked in classically unquiet desperation combined with full-throated vocal harmonies and darkly hooky choruses tap into everything that's been making teenagers around the world fall in love with punk for a long time.
>Los Vigilantes – Mi Siento Azul 7” (Slovenly)
Three new sides from these Puerto Rican rock & rollers. "Mi Siento Azul" is a pure panty wetting pop scorcher with the sweetest vocals you'll ever hear from a pack of crusty Caribbean street rats. The flip side features the band cranking out a two minute juvenile delinquent punk rock workout.
>Melt Yourself Down – Fix My Life 12” (Leaf)
Melt Yourself Down is a London supergroup of sorts, led by Acoustic Ladyland’s Pete Wareham (also a member of Polar Bear), alongside vocalist Kushal Gaya (Zun Zun Egui), Shabaka Hutchings (Sons Of Kemet, Heliocentrics), Tom Skinner (Hello Skinny, Mulatu Astatke), Ruth Goller (Acoustic Ladyland) and Satin Singh (Fela!, Transglobal Underground), and produced by Leafcutter John (Polar Bear).
>Merzbow + Oren Ambarchi – Cat’s Squirrel LP (Black Truffle)
Live recording of performance in Campbelltown, Australia in May 2012. A massive wall of sound that moves from the cavernous to the blisteringly psychedelic, laying down shifting low-end structures over which pointillist details ricochet across the stereo field.
>Fred Neil – Fred Neil [Reissue/1966] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Fred Neil – Sessions [Reissue/1967] LP (4 Men With Beards)
Fred Neil – The Other Side Of This Life [Reissue/1971] LP (4 Men With Beards)
HQ-180 vinyl reissues from the American folk music legend. Although the long, meandering, raga influenced Sessions is a bit perplexing at first, its rewards increase with each subsequent listening session. An under-rated LP from one of American folk's finest voices. The Others Side features a side of live recordings of some of his most lasting and well-known compositions as well as a side of studio sessions featuring Les McCann and Gram Parsons. May not be his most memorable album but it's still head and shoulders above most other singer/songwriter material of the era.
>Obits – Refund b/w Suez Canal 7” (La Castanya Records)
Originally released on the Spanish label La Castanya to coincide with the band’s recent Spanish tour, this new Obits single features two excellent new songs, “Refund” and “Suez Canal,” available exactly nowhere else.
>Om – Addis Dubplate 12” (Drag City)
First of two dub-inspired remix 12"’s.
>Tijuana Panthers – Tony’s Song b/w One Way Ticket 7” (Innovative Leisure)
Tijuana Panthers fuse simple mid-‘60s rock & roll with the ‘80s gritty punk output that made the Long Beach area legend. Backed with a cover of the Nerves "One Way Ticket.”
>Carmen Villain – Sleeper LP (Smalltown Supersound)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. Let's get this out of the way first -- Carmen Villain used to be a very successful model. Her face has appeared on the covers of Vogue and Nylon, and high profile cosmetic ad campaigns. It turns out Carmen Hillestad (Carmen Villain) has been a spy in the house of fashion. Behind the scenes, she was channeling her frustrations into a set of songs with a defiantly DIY underground free-rock sound. Now she's stepping off the glossy page and emerging as a major new songwriting voice and multi-instrumentalist. With acid in her airbrush, she reminds us of This Heat, Bikini Kill, Sonic Youth, Royal Trux.
>Vulgar Fashion – Vulgar Fashion LP (Handmade Birds)
Visceral-dark-analogue-night pop duo from Denton, TX.
>Wampire – The Hearse b/w Das Modell 7”+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
"The Hearse" is a preview of Wampire's debut full-length, Curiosity (due May 14). B-side is a cover of Kraftwerk's "Das Modell." Purple vinyl.
>Why? – Waterlines b/w The Water You Walk 7” (Anticon)
Limited edition tour 7” single featuring an unreleased B-side.
>Witch – Lazy Bones [Reissue/1975] LP (Now Again)
Witch – Lukombo Vibes [Reissue/1976] LP (Now Again)
Archival reissues of garage-psych-funk Zamrock masterpieces.
>Youthbitch – I’m In Love With Girls 7” (Dirtnap)
Portland, OR based four pieces that draws comparisons to the Exploding Hearts and deserves a vaunted spot next to Gentleman Jesse's self-titled debut in taxonomies of contemporary classics. Wired-up geeky garage/pop jams.
>Frank Zappa – Finer Moments 2xLP (Zappa)
Released late last year on CD, this set of live recordings form the Mothers Of Invention recorded between 1967-1972 is now available on vinyl.
Cassette:
>Raleigh Moncrief – Dusted (Anticon)
In the wake of his acclaimed debut LP Watered Lawn, Sacramento producer Raleigh Moncrief continues his unpredictable journey through unexplored aural territories. As both a solo artist and behind-the-scenes support—most notably with the Dirty Projectors and fellow Sacramentan Zach Hill—Moncrief has displayed rare comfort in a variety of genres, possessing an uncanny ability to pair the familiar with the unfamiliar.
12 MARCH 2013
>Adrenaline Mob – Coverta CD (Elm City)
Adrenaline Mob bring together some of the biggest names in metal and prog metal, from singer Russell Allen (Symphony X), to drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater and Avenged Sevenfold), to John Moyer (Disturbed) and guitarist Mike Orlando. Coverta is a covers album featuring tracks originally by Badlands, Rainbow, Led Zeppelin, Dio, The Doors, and Van Halen.
>Aina Haina – Aina Haina CD (Badman)
Portland’s Aina Haina (pronounced “Eye-na High-na”) is a power duo that traces its roots back to Hawaii where members Mike Ailes and Dylan Magierek met while attending the University Of Hawaii.
>Arkona – Decade Of Glory 2xCD (Napalm)
Double-disc live set from the Russian Pagan metal band, recorded early last year in Moscow.
>Devendra Banhart – Mala CD/LP+CD+7” (Nonesuch)
Mala was co-produced by Banhart and his longtime bandmate, Noah Georgeson. The duo plays most of the instruments themselves, using borrowed equipment and a vintage Tascam recorder (often used in early hip-hop recordings) they'd found in a pawnshop. Vinyl version includes CD and bonus 7".
>Biffy Clyro – Opposites CD/2xLP (WB)
Sixth album from the critically acclaimed Scottish trio – originally released overseas last year as a 22-track, double-disc edition – which has now been pared down to a 15-track, single-disc for the stateside release. Vinyl version features 20 tracks.
>Bon Jovi – What About Now CD (Island)
Bon Jovi’s twelfth studio album -- available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe edition adds three bonus tracks.
>David Bowie – The Next Day CD/2xLP (Sony)
Bowie’s first studio album in ten years and his 30th studio recording overall -- available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes three bonus tracks and is packaged in a digipak sleeve.
>Carmen Villain – Sleeper CD (Smalltown Supersound)
Let's get this out of the way first -- Carmen Villain used to be a very successful model. Her face has appeared on the covers of Vogue and Nylon, and high profile cosmetic ad campaigns. It turns out Carmen Hillestad (Carmen Villain) has been a spy in the house of fashion. Behind the scenes, she was channeling her frustrations into a set of songs with a defiantly DIY underground free-rock sound. Now she's stepping off the glossy page and emerging as a major new songwriting voice and multi-instrumentalist. With acid in her airbrush, she reminds us of This Heat, Bikini Kill, Sonic Youth, Royal Trux.
>Eric Clapton – Old Sock CD/LP (Brushbranch/Surfdog)
Old Sock is a collection of some of Clapton’s favorite songs spanning from his childhood to present day that highlights his vast appreciation and knowledge of music, from Leadbelly to J.J. Cale; Peter Tosh to George Gershwin; Hank Snow to Gary Moore and Taj Mahal. The album explores romantic standards of the ‘30s, reggae, soul, rock, and includes a stand out playful collaboration with Paul McCartney.
>Durag Dynasty – 360 Waves CD (Nature Sounds)
Debut album from the hip-hop supergroup featuring Killer Ben, Alchemist, Tristate, and Planet Asia. Guests include Prodigy, Phil The Agony, Evidence, Iman Thug and others.
>Fifth On The Floor – Ashes & Angels CD/LP (eOne)
Fifth On The Floor's style of rowdy rock & roll is everything you’d expect from four Kentucky gentlemen. Their new album, Ashes & Angels was produced by Shooter Jennings. "Fifth On The Floor have positioned themselves as the next great Southern rock group." -- No Depression
>Golden Grrrls – Golden Grrrls CD/LP+MP3 (Slumberland)
Inspired by the ‘80s New Zealand and Australian indie pop scenes, DIY punk and Glasgow's own rich pop history (think The Vaselines, The Pastels), and, like contemporaries Twerps and Sea Lions, Golden Grrrls have joined a storied lineage of pop essentialists such as The Clean, The Bats and The Feelies.
>Matthew Good – Old Fighters CD (Frostbyte)
Old Fighters is a personal compilation of Matthew's favorite compositions from his vibrant eighteen-year musical career.
>Heavatar – All My Kingdoms CD (Napalm)
Heavatar is the new project from Van Canto Mastermind Stefan Schmidt.
>Hot Lunch – Hot Lunch CD/LP+MP3 (Tee Pee)
''A blast of '60s acid rock seemingly unearthed after decades of rock & roll mediocrity necessitated its rebirth.'' -- Thrasher. ''A glorious tangle of sixties style psych, eighties punk rock, hairy fuzzy proto-metal and seriously shredding guitar mastery.'' -- Aquarius Records
>Shooter Jennings – The Other Life CD/LP (eOne)
The Other Life sees Shooter using all the colors of the pallets of previous recordings, and bringing them together to make his most diverse and interesting album to date. Guests include Scott H. Biram, Patty Griffin, and Black Oak Arkansas’ Jim Dandy.
>Library Of Sands – Side To Side CD (Wild Sages)
Music by Naynay Shineywater (Brightblack Morning Light) along with a Chicago-based horn combo.
>Heather Maloney – Heather Maloney CD (Signature Sounds)
Third album from the singer/songwriter hailed by The Huffington Post for “lyrics that cut to the chase.” DigBoston wrote that she “deserves the type of cult following that has allowed the likes of Aimee Mann and Ani DiFranco that long standing success and influence they have had.”
>Mindless Behavior – All Around The World CD (Interscope)
In just the past few years, teen-pop/R&B quartet Mindless Behavior have opened up sold-out shows for the likes of Justin Bieber and Janet Jackson, taken the stage at two White House events, and backed up their hit-packed debut album with a national tour that's soon to be the subject of their own feature-length documentary and concert movie.
>The Mary Onettes – Hit The Waves CD/LP (Labrador)
“Sure, the Mary Onettes fit nicely into the tradition of sleek, well-crafted Swedish indie-pop, but it’s never a case of style over substance with the veteran band, which manages to strike the right balance between earnest feeling and a polished sound.” – Pop Matters
>Napalm Death - Enemy Of The Music Business [Reissue 2000] CD/LP (Secret)
Reissue of the punk/grind band’s 2000 album. CD version adds the 1999 six-track mini album of covers, Leaders Not Followers, as bonus tracks.
>Natural Self – Neon Hurts My Eyes CD (Tru Thoughts)
“Neon Hurts My Eyes marks a striking shift in direction for Brighton producer Nathaniel Pearn, aka Natural Self. Previously known for an aesthetic that drew upon funk, jazz and Latin influences while ultimately remaining anchored within a hip-hop paradigm, Pearn has now reinvented himself as a singer/songwriter. Thankfully, that hasn’t meant eschewing electronica for acoustic guitar-led balladeering: the sonic tapestry underpinning Neon Hurts My Eyes is, if anything, more complex and eclectic than on any of Pearn’s earlier records.” – theskinny.co.uk
>Off With Their Heads – Home CD (Epitaph)
New album from the pop/punk band produced by Bill Stevenson of The Descendents.
>Orange Goblin - Eulogy For The Fans: Orange Goblin Live 2012 CD+DVD (Candlelight)
The CD contains their complete set live at Bloodstock Open Air festival on August 11, 2012 at Catton Park, Derbyshire in the United Kingdom. The DVD includes the complete pro-shot sets live at Bloodstock Open Air festival on August 11, 2012 at Catton Park, Derbyshire in the United Kingdom and Hellfest on June 15, 2012 in Clisson, France, and more.
>Orianthi – Heaven In This Hell CD (Waterfront)
Orianthi is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series, and as the lead guitarist in Alice Cooper's live band.
>Phil Perry – Say Yes CD (Shanachie)
A soulful mix of originals and inspired reinterpretations of classic songs by Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Michael McDonald and Carly Simon And Sam Cooke. Features guest performances by singer Chanté MooreaAnd saxophonist Najee.
>The Saint James Society - Bab(a/y)lon Rising CD/LP+MP3 (Tee Pee)
''A black-lit amalgam of glam swagger, leather-jacketed hard rock, and occult psychedelia.'' --Austin Chronicle. ''Ideal music for black lights and bong hits at midnight.'' -- Vegas Seven
>Stratovarius – Nemesis CD (Eagle Rock)
Fans of Elysium will be blown away by Stratovarius’ new album Nemesis. It's melodic, powerful, fresh and technically elaborated.
>David Sylvian – Uncommon Deities CD (Samadhi Sound)
New collaborative album by Sylvian and friends features English-language readings of Norwegian poetry, set to improvisational music from trumpeter Arve Henriksen and vocalist Sidsel Endresen.
>Third World All Stars – Rebel Rock [Reissue/1977] CD/LP (Pressue Sounds)
Rebel Rock is a ten track set of instrumentals originally released in 1977 on Third World, a label initially set up by Jamaicans to supply a varied catalogue of music to the small but vibrant sound system culture in the UK. Rebel Rock features some of the top session musicians residing in the UK at the time. Rico Rodriguez, Eddie 'Tan Tan' Thornton, Lester Sterling, and Ranny 'Bop' Williams are all featured on this superb jazz-tinged album.
>Various Artists [Above & Beyond] - Anjunabeats 10 CD (Ultra)
On Anjunabeats Volume 10, Above & Beyond present 30 exclusive and largely unreleased tracks from over 20 artists that now make up their diverse, talented label family. Covering the best in modern progressive, trance and big room club sounds, four exclusive Above & Beyond productions are among the compilation's many highlights.
>Various Artists - Eccentric Soul: The Dynamic Label CD/2xLP (Numero)
Dynamic was run by San Antonio music and real estate mogul Abe Epstein, and the imprint issued over 20 singles during its two-and-a-half-year run in the mid-'60s. One of its biggest hits was the Commands' 1966 chart-making "No Time For You," which is preserved on the compendium. Other artists showcased on the set include the Tonettes, Little Jr. Jesse & The Tear Drops, Don & The Doves, Willie Cooper & The Webs, Bobby Blackmon & His Soul Express, and Doc & Sal.
>Various Artists – Sound City Real To Reel OST CD/2xLP (RCA)
Companion album to the documentary directed by Dave Grohl. Brand new collection of all-new all-original songs, composed and recorded exclusively for the film within its own 24-hour session on the Sound City console after it was reinstalled in Grohl and his Foo Fighters' own 606 Studios. Collaborators include Paul McCartney, Nirvana/Foo Fighters members, Stevie Nicks, Rick Springfield, Trent Reznor, Joshua Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age), Rick Nelson (Cheap Trick), Lee Ving (Fear), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford (Rage Against The Machine). Free poster with purchase – while supplies last!!
>Various Artists – Spring Breakers OST CD (Big Beat)
Soundtrack to Harmony Korine's 2013 film features Skrillex, Birdy Nam Nam, The Black Keys, Waka Flaka Flame, Gucci Mane, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, The Cool Kids, The Weekend, Ellie Goulding as well as an orginal score by Skrillex and Cliff Martinez.
>Watsky – Carboard Castles CD (Steel Wool)
Whip-smart, engaging hip-hop from YouTube sensation Watsky.
>Wild Belle – Isles CD (Columbia)
Debut from this duo consisting of siblings Natalie and Elliot Bergman. Wilde Belle is a unique combination of bold songwriting, studio wizardry and late night vibes hailing from Chicago, IL. Natalie and Elliot wrote, produced and recorded the album by themselves with engineer Bill Skibbe. Features the single “Keep You.” Vinyl version due March 26.
>The Woggles – The Big Beat CD/LP+CD (Wicked Cool)
New album from the garage rock band. “It's no surprise that The Woggles' tough but tight garage classicism appeals to the ear of old-school rocker and radio host Little Steven Van Zandt, who released Rock And Roll Backlash on his own Wicked Cool label.” -- NPR
Adrian Younge Presents The Delfonics - Adrian Younge Presents The Delfonics CD/LP (Wax Poetics)
The Delfonics’ William Hart teams up with L.A. songwriter/producer Adrian Younge (Black Dynamite, Ghostface Killah). “Their cross-generational link results in songs that capture the relationship between The Delfonics' music and hip-hop — songs that get under your skin and stay there.” -- NPR
>Rachel Zeffira – The Deserters CD/LP (Paper Bag)
Debut solo album from Rachel Zeffira, best known as the vocalist from Horrors offshoot band Cat's Eyes. The Deserters is both beautiful and beguiling -- a rapturous tour de force that recalls the baroque pop of John Cale and the hazy experimentation of My Bloody Valentine and This Moral Coil.
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DVD + Blu-ray:
>Bill Daniel - Who Is Bozo Texino: The Secret History Of Hobo Graffiti DVD (Wild Sages)
A documentary film by Bill Daniel originally released in 2005, this film has toured the USA and Europe ever since. This mostly-factual account of the epic search and unlikely discovery of Hobohemia’s most legendary boxcar artist, faithfully photographed in realistic black and white film at considerable risk from speeding freight trains, will likely amuse and confound you in its sincere attempt to understand and preserve this mysterious art form.
>The Dear Hunter – The Color Spectrum Live DVD (Triple Crown)
On the night of May 9, 2012 The Dear Hunter took to the stage of the Somerville Theater just outside of Boston to perform the entire Color Spectrum in one evening, three hours of music captured in pristine high definition and presented in digital 5.1 surround sound. 180 minutes. New album, Migrant, due April 2.
>Amos Lee And Pennebaker - Amos Lee: Live From The Artists Den DVD (Artist Den)
Amos Lee made a triumphant return to Tucson with an epic show at the Fox Theatre. The acclaimed singer/songwriter came back to the city where he recorded Mission Bell and invited a number of his friends along, including local heroes Calexico. 118 minutes.
>Queen – Live At Wembley 2xDVD (Eagle Rock)
Over a summer weekend in 1986, Queen performed two sell out shows at Wembley. Disc One features the Saturday performance, while Disc Two features the previously unreleased Friday, July 11th performance, along with previously unseen bonus features. The DVD footage has been restored for the Anniversary edition and the sound has also been remastered with a brand new stereo mix and 5.1 surround sound. 275 minutes.
>Rammstein - Videos 1995-2012 3xDVD/2xBlu-ray (Workhorse Music)
Rammstein's first official video collection features nearly 500 minutes of footage. The set contains over seven hours of material featuring 25 music videos, 24 behind-the-scenes clips of the making-of-the-videos and a 56-page booklet.
>Sound City - DVD/Blu-ray (RCA)
Sound City, the film, was conceived by Grohl after purchasing the legendary custom-built Neve 8028 recording console from Sound City Studios last year. The board, built in 1972, is considered by many to be the crown jewel of analog recording equipment, having recorded such artists as Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Guns and Roses, Metallica, NIN, Rage Against The Machine and countless other musical legends over the past 40 years. 147 minutes.
Vinyl:
>Acid Mothers Temple & Melting Paraiso UFO - Cometary Orbital Drive To 2199 2xLP (Nod And Smile)
Japan's ultimate psychedelic warriors revisit some of their older sounds. Contains three new versions of the AMT live staple, each taking the song to new stretches of space, including as close as they've ever come to dance/trance. CD verson due April 9.
>Alcoa – Bone & Marrow LP (Bridge Nine)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Bone & Marrow is country-tinged with pop sensibilities and features upright bass, banjo, fiddle, pedal steel, piano/organ, and charming guy/girl dueling vocals.
>Cyclopean – Cyclopean 12” (Mute)
Collaboration from Burnt Friedman, Jono Podmore and Can founding members Jaki Liebezeit and Irmin Schmidt.
>Darondo - Luv N Haight Edit Series Vol. 5 12” (Ubiquity)
A certified banger with re-works of Luv N'Haight's legendary Darondo by beat wunderkinds Tall Black Guy and Dandy Teru.
>GB (Gifted & Blessed) - Luv N Haight Edit Series Vol 4 12” (Ubiquity)
Features a rework of Harry Whitaker's Black Renaissance classic "Magic Ritual" by GB (Gifted & Blessed). The deep spiritual vibe of the original is present in the edit/remix but is transformed into an electronic, percussion-heavy beast.
>Good For You – Life’s Too Short To Not Hold A Grudge LP (SST)
Punk guitar legend Greg Ginn (Black Flag, Gone) has come together with professional skateboarder and vocalist Mike Vallely (Mike V. And The Rats) to form Good For You, an abrasive high-energy, bare-bones grungy-punk duo.
>Merle Haggard And The Strangers – Swinging Doors And The Bottle Let Me Down [Reissue/1966] LP (EMI)
Vinyl reissue of the #1 country album of 1966. Includes the hits "Swinging Doors" and "The Bottle Let Me Down."
>Hey Ocean! – Is LP (Nettwerk)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Third album from the Vancouver-based trio. CBC Music called the single “Big Blue Wave,” with its infectious hook and captivating melodies, the band's crossover hit. Elsewhere on the record, "Make Up A New Dance" shimmies and shakes with a snappy guitar and propulsive beat, while the band beautifully captures longing on the poetic and poignant "Islands."
>IASOS - Inter-Dimensional Music [Reissue/1975] LP (Wild Sages)
Inter-Dimensional Music is considered one of the first (and finest) records of the “new age” movement. Fans include Alan Watts and R. Buckminster Fuller.
>Wanda Jackson – Rockin’ With Wanda [Reissue/1960] LP (EMI)
“Absolutely the best collection of Wanda Jackson's rockabilly recordings, including her key 1956-1960 singles – ‘Fujiyama Mama,’ ‘Mean Mean Man,’ ‘Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad,’ and others. Rockin' With Wanda is the leading candidate for the best female rock & roll album of the 1950s.” – All Music
>Library Of Sands – Before Us LP (Wild Sages)
Solo music by Naynay Shineywater (Brightblack Morning Light) recorded in 2010 and 2011 in an Earthship in New Mexico as well as a tented-hut in the California desert. The album has been decribed by John Zorn as a "masterwork.”
>Bruno Mars – Unorthodox Jukebox LP (Atlantic)
Released late last year on CD – now available on vinyl. For Unorthodox Jukebox, Mars and his songwriting/production team The Smeezingtons (Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine) partnered with heavyweight producers including Jeff Bhasker, Mark Ronson and Diplo.
>Carlos Niño & Friends - Luv N Haight Edit Series Vol 3 12” (Ubiquity)
Features a re-work of the spiritual jazz classic "The Healer/Don't Break" by E.W Wainwright's African Roots Of Jazz.
>Otis Redding – Lonely & Blue: The Definitive Soul Of Otis Redding LP (Fantasy)
Recently released on CD – now available on blue vinyl. A stunning album combining the soul legend's most poignant and heart-breaking ballads, including "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "These Arms Of Mine," "My Lover's Prayer," and more.
>Rhye – Women LP (Universal Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. L.A.-based duo Rhye formed under the guise of creating art inspired by classic beauty and honest emotion. Recorded in Copenhagen and Los Angeles, their sound brings together elements of their modern cultural aesthetics mixed with an homage to classic sensibilities; lush strings and melodies intertwined with simple electronic production and soft and sultry vocals – a marriage between refined decadence and modern elegance.
>Kenny Rogers – The Gambler [Reissue1979]
Remastered HQ-180 vinyl reissue of the classic album that also doubles as a lifestyle.
>Superdrag – Regretfully Yours [Reissue/1996] LP (Side One Dummy)
“In the glut of grungy power pop bands that flooded the mid-'90s, it was pretty easy to write off Superdrag as ‘just another rock band.’ The difference is that Superdrag is essentially a pop band, as Regretfully Yours proves. Most of the songwriting lives up to the promise of the album's saccharine-rush single, ‘Sucked Out’ -- full of hooks and tightly constructed.” -- AllMusic
>The Upsetters – Kung Fu Meets The Dragon [Reissue/1975] 2xLP (Secret)
Kung Fu Meets The Dragon is a stone cold classic dub album. Recorded at Lee “Scratch” Perry's Black Ark studio and featuring Augustus Pablo as well the classic Upsetters, this one took dub to the next, otherwordly level in 1975. Now reissued on HQ-180 double vinyl with bonus tracks.
>Various Artists [The Cinematic Orchestra] - Late Night Tales [2010] 3xLP+CD (Late Night Tales)
Released back in 2010, this edition has gone on to become one of the most successful albums in the series' 12-year history. Cut using the unique "half speed" mastering technique, this is the ultimate audiophile format, with each disc beautifully pressed disc is housed in a special anti static inner sleeve and comes with a special 30cm cover art print and the package also includes the original CD mixed disc and 12 page booklet.
>Various Artists [MGMT] – Late Night Tales [2011] 2xLP+CD (Late Night Tales)
2011 collection curated MGMT features a recording exclusive to this release: a cover of the Bauhaus classic "All We Ever Wanted Is Everything". Also includes tracks by The Velvet Underground, Suicide and Julian Cope, Disco Inferno, The Durutti Column, The Chills, The Jacobites and Felt.
>Veronica Falls – Teenage b/w Talk About You 7”+MP3 (Slumberland)
Lead single from their recent album Waiting For Something To Happen is backed with a non-album B-side, "Talk About You."
Cassettes:
>Filthy Huns – Filthy Huns (Not Not Fun)
Cheap, grease-stained drum machine rhythms, desolate highway guitar lines, reverbed keyboard loops, and road-burned vocals cruise like a midnight rider through dead, dusty towns in the Black Hills.
>Library Of Sands – Wavy Heat (Wild Sages)
Wavy Heat is a five-song, one-sided cassette features Naynay Shineywater on vintage keys, including a tube organ found on the side of the road, along with Colm O’Ciosoig (My Bloody Valentine, Hope Sandoval) on drums. Deconstructionalist and minimalist in scope, a vortex opposite of Satie yet as graceful a relationship to the morphed blazing sun. Wavy Heat is as bonged as it is fuzzy.
>Moonwheel – Moonwheel (Not Not Fun)
Moon Wheel is the solo project of former Melbourne resident Olle Holmberg. A former member of Pissypaw, Holmberg has strong connections with some of Melbourne’s stranger pop groups including Superstar and Fabulous Diamonds.
>Super Jam - Presents: Upper Layer Cruisers/Rush Consequence (Not Not Fun)
Fractured fidelities with a fresh pharmacopia of terraformed sound-forms: opiated labyrinth ragas, destabilized midi grooves, bold proggy flute-setting vamp-outs, brief blasts of electric shrapnel, and beyond.
05 MARCH 2013
>Apple And Three Oranges - Free And Easy: The Complete Works 1970-1975 CD/2xLP (Now Again)
Soul and funk from the L.A. drummer/singer/songwriter Ed "Apple" Nelson and his band. "Thick slices of rhythmic soul that are clearly indebted to J.B. and Sly, yet are completely their own things, loose, at once joyous and accusatory, and grounded in that distinctive New Orleans drumming that blows today's beat-heads' lids" – L.A. Weekly
>Ólöf Arnalds – Sudden Elevation CD/LP (One Little Indian)
Recorded in her native Iceland, Sudden Elevation, Ólöf Arnald’s third full album and her first sung entirely in English, captures a rare and idiosyncratic songwriting talent in full bloom. From the breezily skipping rhythm of opener "German Fields" to the pealing vocals of closer, "Perfect," Sudden Elevation’s particular brand of heartache is magical, dislocated and otherworldly; its harmonies complex and quietly electrifying.
>At The Drive-In – Acrobatic Tenement [Reissue/1996] CD (Twenty First Chapter)
ATDI’s 1996 debut is back in print.
>Autechre – Exai 2xCD/4xLP (Warp)
"As Autechre, Sean Booth and Rob Brown have produced some of the best electronic music of the past 20 years. Characterized from the beginning by gloom and intricacy, their sound has grown more complex and austere over time." – BBC
>Stefano Battaglia Trio – The River Of Anyder CD (ECM)
Stefano Battaglia first made waves as a classical pianist, playing music from baroque and early music to 20th century composition touring the European festivals in this capacity, before making the transition to music that incorporated improvisation. A strong feeling for structure, a legacy from the ‘classical’ years, continues to inform all his work.
>B/B/S/ - Brick Mask CD/LP (Miasmah)
Debut album from collaboration between Miasmah label boss Erik Skodvin (Svarte Greiner, Deaf Center), experimental don Andrea Belfi, and metal stalwart Aidan Baker (Nadja). Like Supersilent, but rooted in metal instead of jazz.
>Blue Hawaii – Untogether CD/LP (Arbutus)
Untogether frames a time of warmth and novelty, featuring dense female harmonies, tape saturated synths, guitars and drum machines.
>Marcus Canty – This Is Marcus Canty CD (Epic)
Guided by his idol, Epic president L.A. Reid, R&Bs latest breakthrough vocal powerhouse Canty describes his sound as R&B with a pop twist, a la Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Usher.
>The Cave Singers – Naomi CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
On Naomi, The Cave Singers have charted new territory for the band, both musically and spiritually, while remaining true to their distinctive brand of brushfired folk. After some time in the dark wealth of the unknown, they have returned to the light with a revitalized purpose.
>Chelsea Light Moving – Chelsea Light Moving CD/LP+7" (Matador)
New band from Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, featuring the backing talents of Keith Wood, Samara Lubelski and John Moloney, all of whom featured as Thurston's backing band on his last solo record, Demolished Thoughts -- but this time it hits hard with rock noise.
>Cloud Cult – Love CD (Earthology)
"Love is packed with optimistic theories about how we connect to each other and the world around us. Also true to form, the music that surrounds those messages bursts with warmth, whether in spare examinations of faith or in big-hearted explosions of ecstatic celebration." – NPR
>Dirty Beaches – Water Park OST CD/10" (A Records)
The instrumentation of oscillators, heavily reverberated strings, mellotron/chamberlain, and experimental electric guitar sets the mood for this bizarre plastic tropical paradise that's within a shopping mall. Also available on 10" white vinyl.
>Family Atlantica – Family Atlantica CD/2xLP (Soundway)
Musicians from London, Venezuela and Nigeria/Ghana, fuse blues, calypso, spiritual jazz and psychedelia.
>Fiction – The Big Other CD (Cooperative Music)
Debut album and a bit of a cracker if you like ‘80s inflicted classic angular indie pop. Think Field Music mixed with a large dash of prime time Orange Juice.
>Gnod – Chaudelande CD (Rocket)
Beat-driven, shamanistic space-noise.
>Helado Negro – Invisible Life CD (Asthmatic Kitty)
Press play on Invisible Life and you lose your season. Roberto Lange AKA Helado Negro is talking to you in Spanish. He's talking to you, perhaps with more volume, in the language he's been teaching us all over the past three years through the lessons of the seductive full-length Canta Lechuza, the sub-narrative exploration EP Island Universe Story One, and the all-in collaboration, OMBRE, with Juliana Barwick. This immersive curriculum, paired with our own capacity for feeling, will make Invisible Life visible. At least as much Roberto Lange wants us to see of himself.
>Jimi Hendrix – People, Hell & Angels CD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)
People, Hell & Angels is a new album of twelve never before released Jimi Hendrix studio recordings. It showcases the legendary guitarist working outside of the original Jimi Hendrix Experience trio.
>Robin Hitchcock – Love From London CD/LP (Yep Roc)
New album from Robyn Hitchcock celebrates life in a culture imperiled by economic and environmental collapse. "These are exciting times," Robyn says. "We are surfing on the momentum of chaos. If a consensus on global warming comes from the people, then the media, the politicians, and the corporations will have to adapt to it. Rock & roll is an old man's game now, so I'm staying in it."
>Hollis Brown – Ride On The Train CD/LP (Alive)
The NYC-based band releases a debut album full of gritty jams and soft, sweet ballads.
>How To Destroy Angels – Welcome To Oblivion CD (Columbia)
New album from the project of Trent Reznor, Mariqueen Maandig (Reznor’s wife), Rob Sheridan, and Atticus Ross. Vinyl version due March 19.
>Icona Pop – Iconic CD (Big Beat)
Entertainment Weekly, Washington Post and Pitchfork appointed Icona Pop's summer single, "I Love It" as one of the best of 2012, while MTV picked the single as the official theme tune for the current season of J-Wow And Snooki. Iconic gathers their first two EPs ahead of their forthcoming LP.
>Javelin – Hi Beams CD (Luaka Bop)
"Unlike their first album which the band made themselves on the cheap with a computer, Hi Beams was recorded at Machine With Magnets studio in Pawtucket, RI using vintage equipment, real microphones and the like." – Brooklyn Vegan
>Marsen Jules – Endless Change Of Colour CD (12k)
Endless Change Of Colour ripples and pulses, set within a field of color that sometimes feels like water, sometimes like air and sometimes like glass. Electronic tones hum with warmth and the softness of slumber.
>Julia Kent – Character CD/LP (Leaf)
Third album from the cellist and arranger. For fans of Nils Frahm, Low, Dirty Three, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Colleen, Hauschka, Rachel's, and Ólöf Arnalds.
>The Kingsbury Manx – Bronze Age CD/LP (Odessa)
The Kingsbury Manx’s sixth (say that really fast ten times in a row) album pushes their blend of folk-pop melodicism further out into the reaches of psychedelia and even '70s prog rock territory. Also available on white vinyl.
>Krokus – Dirty Dynamite CD (The End)
For almost 40 years, Krokus has stood for high-quality, honest-to-goodness, hand-made power rock. Krokus guitarist Mark Kohler has this to say: "This is not just another Krokus album. I think we have definitely passed another rock milestone with this record."
>Lady – Lady CD/LP (Truth & Soul)
Lady unites the mellowness and pop flair of ‘60s soul with the driving beat of hip-hop, and the silky rhythms of modern R&B.
>The Last Bison – Inheritance CD (Universal Republic)
The Last Bison transports listeners into the untamed heart of Virginia with sweet melodies and intricate instrumentation. These elements converge and yield the band's self-proclaimed 'mountaintop chamber' sound, as they channel a rustic spirit through an artful amalgam of folk, classical, and rock. Vinyl version due March 26.
>Long Tall Deb – Raise Your Hands CD (Vizztone)
Features striking performances on ten of Long Tall Deb's original songs with help from some heavy hitters in the blues world including Jimmy Thackery, Reese Wynans (Stevie Ray Vaughan), Victor Wainwright, Damon Fowler, JP Soars, Sean Carney, Big Llou, Colin John and members of Roomful Of Blues, among others.
>The Men – New Moon CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
New Moon is simultaneously an expansion of palette and a contraction of focus, hedged with as much leaden dirge and ecstatic abandon as it is genuine saccharine steel-string levity and an ever-tightening, no apologies pop concision.
>Stephan Micus – Panagia CD (ECM)
"On Panagia I focused mainly on strings," explains Micus about the recording, made in his own studio on the island of Mallorca, where he has lived for many years. "The string instruments come from Bavaria, India, Pakistan, Chinese Xinjiang plus my own invention, a 14-string guitar."
>Modestep – Evolution Theory CD (Interscope)
Debut album from London dubstep-rock band.
>Ashley Monroe – Like A Rose CD (WB)
Monroe has been creating music for more than half of her life -- attracting along the way kudos from such music world giants as Dolly Parton, Guy Clark, Vince Gill and Jack White.
>MopMop – Isle Of Magic CD/LP (Agogo)
Isle Of Magic contains 13 tracks of pure Voodoo jazz, Caribbean flavors, Afro funk, exotic rhythms and soul music.
>Kate Nash – Girl Talk CD/2xLP (Ingrooves)
Third album from UK pop singer/songwriter, which introduces her new rockin' sound with the first singles "3AM" and "Deathproof" (which was inspired by the Quentin Tarantino film of the same name).
>Madeleine Peyroux – The Blue Room CD (Decca)
The Blue Room features Madeleine reinterpreting songs from Ray Charles seminal album Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music, as well as other artists including Randy Newman and Leonard Cohen, whose legacies are herein enveloped into a similar melting pot of the variety of American popular song.
>Benoit Pioulard – Hymnal CD/LP (Kranky)
"Hymnal" contains some of Thomas Meluch's (aka Benoit Pioulard) most expansive instrumental works and fully realized pop compositions, making for a rich and dynamic long-playing arc. "Benoit Pioulard finds beauty in the raw and corroded." – NPR
>Raekwon – The Tonight Show CD (Siccness)
New album from the Wu-Tang rapper.
>Otis Redding – Lonely & Blue: The Definitive Soul Of Otis Redding CD (Fantasy)
A stunning album combining the soul legend's most poignant and heart-breaking ballads, including "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "These Arms Of Mine," "My Lover's Prayer," and more. Vinyl version (blue wax) due March 12.
>Rhye – Women CD (Loma Vista)
L.A.-based duo, Rhye, formed under the guise of creating art inspired by classic beauty and honest emotion. Recorded in Copenhagen and Los Angeles, their sound brings together elements of their modern cultural aesthetics mixed with an homage to classic sensibilities; lush strings and melodies intertwined with simple electronic production and soft and sultry vocals -- a marriage between refined decadence and modern elegance. Vinyl version due March 12.
>Josh Ritter – The Beast In Its Tracks CD/LP+CD/LP+CD+7" (Pytheas)
The Beast In Its Tracks is Ritter's first studio album in almost three years. It may as well go down as his divorce record, as it was written and recorded in the wake of his 18-month marriage suddenly dissolving. Vinyl version is available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus 7'' with two unreleased tracks, and is pressed on HQ-180 clear vinyl.
>Caitlin Rose – The Stand-In CD/LP (ATO)
Rose is the former front woman for Nashville group Save Macaulay. Her vocal performance and lyrics have led to comparisons to Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, and Iris DeMent.
>Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy (Do What Thou Wilt) CD/2xLP (Season Of Mist)
On Kata Ton Daimona Eytoy, Rotting Christ embellish their signature dark metal with Sumerian and Incan poetry and as well as flourishes from Romanian folk song, and lyrics inspired by tales of undead Russian water spirits, Voodoo, Zoroastrianism and other sources.
>Boz Scaggs – Memphis CD/LP (Savoy)
The Grammy-award winning rock legend returns with a mix of new originals and choice covers.
>Soilwork – The Living Infinite 2xCD (Nuclear Blast)
Ninth studio album from the Swedish death metal band. Vinyl version due April 2.
>Son Volt – Honkey Tonk CD (Rounder)
From his earliest recordings in the 1990s as a founding member of Uncle Tupelo, Jay Farrar has been a keen observer of the American landscape: its beauties and its tragedies, salvations and poisons. His two-decades of touring and travel as the leader of Son Volt as well as a solo artist have deepened and sharpened his gift for capturing the sights and sounds of his American journey a gift which is in evidence once again on Son Volt’s sixth studio album, Honky Tonk. Vinyl version due March 19.
>Suuns – Images du Futur CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
Images du Futur builds upon the intensity of Suuns' 2010 debut, but often does so through new textures and subtler dynamic maneuvering. Album standout "Edie's Dream" begins with a single bass line repeated from which layers build and rise first drums, then a wash of white noise; echoes of guitar, then chanted vocals. The song's clever shifts are jazz-touched and delicate, almost subliminal. It all makes for a stark, skeletal boogie more an astral projection than a song.
>Swamp Dogg – Total Destruction To Your Mind [Reissue/1970] CD/LP (Alive)
Swamp Dogg – Rat On! [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Alive)
Total Destruction To Your Mind has been called ''one of the most gloriously gonzo soul recordings of all time.'' Swamp Dogg's second album, Rat On!, was ranked as having one of the top ten worst album covers of all time, an achievement he is rightfully proud of. Vocally, Mr. Dogg sounds like a cross between General Johnson (of Chairmen Of The Board) and Van Morrison; as a songwriter, he's his own man.
>They Might Be Giants – Nanobots CD (Idlewild)
Nanobots features 25 tracks; most of them are extremely short songs. The album features guest appearances from Stan Harrison, Jon Graboff, Mike Doughty, Jedediah Parish, and Chris Thompson. Vinyl version due March 19.
>Ulfur – White Mountain CD/LP (Western Vinyl)
With influences ranging from cult cinema, esoteric literature and contemporary music, Ulfur presents a unique twist on the supernatural.
>Various Artists - Elektronische Musik 2: Experimental German 1971-83 2xCD/2xLP (Soul Jazz)
Soul Jazz’ second voyage into the world of Krautrock and German electronic music from the 1970s and early 1980s, including Can, Faust, Popul Vuh, Neu!, Cluster, Amon Duul II, La Dusseldorf) as well as lesser known and more obscure groups and artists such as Agitation Free, Broselmachine, Niagara and many more. (Vinyl version is spread across two separate double-disc volumes.)
>Brooke Waggoner – Originator CD (Ingrooves)
"In the span of time between the release of my last album, Go Easy Little Doves, in 2009 and the beginning of production on Originator in 2011, I spent my time producing albums for other bands, writing music for short films, and playing piano in Jack White's all-female band, The Peacocks," Brooke remarked. "It’s been a good time to ‘fill my well’ so to speak." – Direct Current. Vinyl version due March 26.
>Waxahatchee – Cerulean Salt CD/LP+MP3 (Don Giovanni)
On her second full-length record as Waxahatchee, former P.S. Eliot singer Katie Crutchfield’s compelling hyper-personal poetry is continuously crushing. Cerulean Salt is a collection of minimal acoustic-guitar pop with sharp and hooky songwriting. Also available on blue vinyl with download.
>Young Dreams – Between Places CD/LP (Modular)
Young Dreams is a Norwegian symphonic pop outfit led by Matias Tellez. With a fluctuating line up that blossoms up to as many as 12 members, they have already captured the imaginations of dreamy pop lovers internationally. Tellez composes the lion's share of the Young Dreams sound, after which a variety of instruments and voices are added by a clutch of likeminded optimists.
>Youth Lagoon – Wondrous Bughouse CD/2xLP (Fat Possum)
Sophomore album from Boise native Trevor Powers AKA Youth Lagoon. Powers says this album spawned from what he describes as becoming more ''fascinated by the human psyche and where the spiritual world meets the physical world.'' He describes the writing process of his first album as a way for his mind to communicate with his body, not the other way around. It seems the same can be said for Wondrous Bughouse.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Noel Gallagher - International Magic Live At The O2 2xDVD/Blu-ray+CD (UME)
International Magic Live At The O2 features Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds live at London's O2 on Feb 26, 2012, along with an acoustic set by Noel at The Mod Club Toronto, the Ride The Tiger video trilogy plus footage of live performances from 2012's NME Awards. Blu-ray adds a CD Faster Than The Speed Of Magic, featuring album demos and B-sides.
>Sigur Ros – Valtari Experiment DVD (XL)
Sigur Ros gave a dozen filmmakers the same modest budget and asked them to create whatever came into their head when they listened to songs from their most recent album Valtari. Among the filmmakers are Floria Sigismondi, Ramin Bahrani, Alma Har'el, John Cameron Mitchell, and many more. All 16 films are collected here for a limited edition, one-time pressing.
Vinyl:
>Apache Dropout – Magnetic Heads LP (Family Vineyard)
This is not a new Apache Dropout platter, but an archival sidestep into the Fugs n' fried view of their early beginnings. Before the Indiana trio cemented their unique red-level, distorto proto-punk they focused on a more obliterated bent on traditional forms. Fiddle, distortion and echo drive most of these songs, as sung by Sonny Blood, that tout distrust of banks, ballot uncertainties and magnetic heads.
>Badbadnotgood – Flashing Lights 12" (Innovative Leisure)
Toronto musicians Matthew A. Tavares, Chester Hansen and Alex Sowinski first met in Humber College's Music Performance program, bonding over a common love for Odd Future, Gucci Mane and Lil B. This is their first physical release.
>Julianna Barwick – Pacing 7" (Suicide Squeeze)
Two new compositions -- one vocal arrangement, one solo piano.
>B/B/S/ - Half Moon 7" (Miasmah)
Three songs from trio of Miasmah label boss Erik Skodvin (Svarte Greiner, Deaf Center), experimental don Andrea Belfi, and metal stalwart Aidan Baker (Nadja). Like Supersilent, but rooted in metal instead of jazz.
>Big Boys – Where’s My Towel/Industry Standard LP+MP3 (Modern Classics)
Reissue of the skate punk's 1981 debut.
>Bloody Amateur – Bloody Amateur LP (Teenbeat)
Andy Comer (Prosiacs) began Bloody Amateur in late 2009 as a two-night stint by Andy at NYC's storied space, The Kitchen. It's a recording of dark and personal beauty -- spare and assertive, intricate and electric. RIYL: The Feelies, Colin Newman, Unrest, The Chills, Roy Montgomery and The Go-Betweens.
>The Blue Angel Lounge – Narcotica [2010] LP (A. Records)
The Blue Angel Lounge (Hagen, Germany) re-release their second studio album on Anton Newcombe's A Records. While staying true to their Nico and Velvet Underground inspired colors, broader timeless inspiration of new wave, post punk, and shoegaze are accentuated throughout Narcotica.
>BOY – Mutual Friends LP (Nettwerk)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. An intoxicating mixture to lift even the dullest day out of the doldrums and the direct result of the refreshingly lively and humorous personalities of the band members. BOY sing smart, sharply observed songs with catchy hooks and heartfelt lyrics.
>John Carpenter/Alan Howarth – They Live 2xLP (Death Waltz)
For the score to one of his most iconic films, Carpenter and Howarth created what can only be described as electronic blues. They Live has a dusty, slow pulsating western feel that really does give it a life of its own. HQ-180 yellow vinyl.
>Converge – All We Love We Leave Behind 2xLP (Deathwish Inc.)
2012 album now available on vinyl. All We Love continues to blaze a new path over 17 tracks of desperation led by the scathing guitar work of Kurt Ballou and tortured howls of frontman Jacob Bannon, creating what is being considered the best album of their legendary two decade long reign as kings of metallic hardcore.
>Dead C Vs. Rangda – Dead C Vs. Rangda LP (Ba Da Bing!)
Split album between US and New Zealand "supergroups." Dead C tracks date to the late '80s and are outtakes from the sessions for their Eusa Kills album. Rangda tracks were recorded recently at Russian Recording in Bloomington, IN.
>Deafheaven – Demo [2010] 12" (Sargent House)
In advance of their upcoming full-length slated for late 2013, Deafheaven's Demo has been remastered and is available for the first time on vinyl.
>Falty DL – She Sleeps: Part 1 12" (Ninja Tune)
FaltyDL – She Sleeps: Part 2 12" (Ninja Tune)
New two-part single from Hardcourage features a collaboration with Friendly Fires’ vocalist Ed Macfarlane. Part 1 includes remixes by Gang Gang Dance and Ital, while Part 2 features remixes by Martyn and 2000 Black.
>Fireworks – Lit Up! LP (Bang!)
This slab of brutally loud and distorted swamp-noise psychobilly conjures Pussy Galore covering The Scientists and The Cramps on a psycho bad trip of metallic, rusted scrap.
>Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse LP (Atlantic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Frightened Rabbit is one of the most acclaimed bands of the past decade, earning wide-ranging applause and a fervent international fan following with their emotionally exhilarating melodies and scathingly frank lyricism.
>Ghost – Tune In Turn On Free Tibet [1999] 2xLP (Drag City)
Originally released in 1999 on CD – now available for the first time on vinyl. "What can one man do? Does he dare disturb the universe? Ghost insist ‘tune in, turn on, and do the nonviolent sabotage!’ Free Tibet while you're at it."
>Justin Greaves – Devil’s Business 2xLP (Death Waltz)
Dealth Waltz's first foray into new contemporary film music. The score by Greaves, the main protagonist of Crippled Black Phoenix, is a beautiful eerie listen, minimal yet epic and soaked in a smoky atmosphere.
>Guided By Voices – Islands 7" (GBV Inc.)
The second single from the upcoming LP English Little League features a typically lush Tobin Sprout pop construction, "Islands (She Talks in Rainbows)," which could have come off an early (very early) Bee Gees record. It’s backed with the sweet acoustic ballad "She Wore Blue And Green" and a deranged piano and echo soaked psych workout, "Full Framed Luberon."
>Hair Police – Mercurial Rites LP (Type)
As dirt-sodden and gruesome as the band has ever sounded, Mercurial Rites marks an evolution in industrial noise without straying far from their original intentions. Tape-saturated bells and gongs push up awkwardly against pounding, funereal percussion and the kind of disembodied screams we last heard on '80s-era Whitehouse sides. While the result might terrify some, it re-affirms what made the noise scene so alluring in the first place.
>Jimi Hendrix – Are You Experienced? [Mono] LP (Sony Legacy)
Jimi Hendrix – Are You Experienced? [UK Sequence/Mono] LP (Sony Legacy)
Jimi Hendrix – Axis: Bold As Love [Mono] LP (Sony Legacy)
HQ-200 gram mono pressings of these two Hendrix classics are now available.
>Herbcraft – Astral Body Electric LP (Woodsist)
Once the isolationist bedroom-psych project of Matt Lajoie, Herbcraft has in recent years sprawled out in many different full-band incarnations — duo, trio, quartet, sextet — for tours and heady super-sessions at their HQ in Maine. Their third album finds the most enduring lineup of the band at its peak: songs half-composed, half-improvised, and played with freewheeling first-take intensity.
>Lena Hughes – Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar LP (Tompkins Square)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Impossibly rare recordings by the legendary finger-picker. Notes by John Renbourn.
>Syl Johnson – Total Explosion [Reissue/1976] LP (Hi Records/Fat Possum)
"During his eight-year stint with Hi Records, Johnson was in the shadows of both Al Green and Ann Peebles. His albums never flew off the shelves but he could be trusted to release two or three good singles a year. By 1975, Johnson's partnership with Hi Records started to yield even more success. As this album's predecessors had Johnson vacillating between being a romantic and a wretch, Total Explosion explores his unrepentant side with good results." – AllMusic
>Jon Mueller – Death Blues LP (Taiga)
The six songs that comprise Death Blues are each their own doorway to both a bold new musical statement from the renowned drummer/percussionist and an unprecedented journey into a conscious contemplation of death -- and the life that surrounds it. Released in tandem with a multi-part manifesto, Death Blues transcends its own existence as a 34-minute, earth-cracking rock album.
>The Ouroboros - Ouroboros LP (Innovative Leisure)
The Ouroboros often represents self-reflexivity or cyclicality, especially in the sense of something constantly re-creating itself, the eternal return, and other things perceived as cycles that begin anew as soon as they end. It can also represent the idea of primordial unity related to something existing in or persisting from the beginning with such force or qualities it cannot be extinguished.
>Scott & Charlene’s Wedding – Two Weeks 7" (Critical Heights)
A shuddering feat of shaggy-dog jangle and perfectly bruised lyrics. B-side is a tale of unexpected betrayal, lost romance and falling out of love with sausages.
>Survival Knife – Traces Of Me 7" (Sub Pop)
Debut release from two-thirds of Unwound. "Traces Of Me" pulls together elements of Drive Like Jehu/Hot Snakes, Black Flag's mid-period mathematical lurch, King Crimson and of course Unwound for a taut and catchy post-hardcore crunch.
>The Thermals – More Parts Per Million [Reissue/2003] LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
The Thermals – F##kin A [Reissue/2004] LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
The Thermals – The Body, The Blood, The Machine [Reissue/2006] LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Vinyl reissues now available. New album, Desperate Ground, due April 16.
>Underworld – Rez (Bassnectar Mix) 12" (OM)
Underworld’s "Rez" is remixed by Bassnectar.
>Various Artists - CiTR Pop Alliance Vol. 3 LP (Mint)
CiTR’s Duncan McHugh (the host of CiTR FM’s Duncan’s Donuts) has recruited fourteen of Vancouver’s finest, including Jay Arner, Movieland, Korean Gut (RIP), Peace and more. Many songs are unreleased, and all proceeds from the release will go back to CiTR 101.9 FM — the birthplace of Mint Records.
>Various Artists - RZA Presents: Shaolin Soul Selections Vol. 1 3xLP (Soul Temple)
Legendary soul from the vaults of Stax Records that inspired the classic sound of The Wu-Tang Clan. Heavy cuts from Isaac hayes, Booker T & The MGs, Albert King, The Emotions, and more.
>Various Artists – West Of Memphis: Voices For Justice 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Voices For Justice is music from and inspired by the documentary West Of Memphis. Features tracks by: Henry Rollins (featuring Nick Cave and Warren Ellis), Lucinda Williams, Tonto’s Giant Nuts (Johnny Depp & co.) Marilyn Manson, Band Of Horses, Citizen Cope, Eddie Vedder, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, and more.
>Woolen Men – Woolen Men LP (Woodsist)
Punk-influenced DIY music in the Pacific Northwest tradition of Dead Moon and The Wipers.
>Savvas Ysatis + Taylor Deupree – Origin LP (12k)
Cryptic, noisy and warm, Origin searches for details in the layers.
26 FEBRUARY 2013
>10,000 Maniacs – Music From The Motion Picture CD (Org Music)
The first studio album from 10,000 Maniacs in over a decade. Vinyl version due March 26.
>Alcoa – Bone And Marrow CD/LP (Bridge Nine)
Singer/songwriter Derek Archambault has spent the last four years on tour with progressive hardcore/punk band Defeater, and has had a solo project called Alcoa going for even longer. Alcoa’s debut full-length, Bone & Marrow, is country-tinged with pop sensibilities; full of songs about life, love and regret. Also prevalent on the album is the addition of instrumentation like upright bass, banjo, fiddle, pedal steel, piano/organ, and charming guy/girl dueling vocals.
>Alvin & Alyosha – All The Times We Had CD/LP (Dualtone)
Ivan & Alyosha's debut full-length album encapsulates the personalized blend of rousing songcraft, infectious melodic hooks and thoughtful lyrical introspection that's already endeared the band to just about anyone who's witnessed one of their effortlessly uplifting live shows, or who's heard either of their two prior indie EP releases. "Like their Seattle brethren in The Head And The Heart, Band Of Horses and Fleet Foxes, Ivan & Alyosha create luscious, enjoyable folk-pop." – Paste
>Joan Armatrading – Starlight CD (429)
"This isn’t a jazz album, anymore than her UK charttopper Into The Blues was about something so simple as the blues. She’s always had a roving eye, a restless muse. As with each of her more recent projects, Armatrading plays all of the instruments — save for drums, which she programs with an idiosyncratic verve. They are sometimes strangely busy, often weirdly off-kilter. This gives the album more of a found-art avant-pop sensibility, and in that way recalls almost nothing that she’s done before." – somethingelsereviews.com
>Atoms For Peace – AMOK 2xCD/LP/2xLP+MP3 (XL)
Atoms For Peace is Thom Yorke, Nigel Godrich, Mauro Refosco, Joey Waronker, and Flea. They came together by playing in support of Thom's Grammy nominated album The Eraser. They got a big buzz from those shows and discovered loads of energy from transforming the music from electronic to live, so they carried on for a few days in the studio and decided to make it a loose, on-going thing. Both CD and vinyl are available in Regular and Deluxe editions, which feature unique packaging (foil embossed sleeves) and bonus tracks.
>Autre Ne Veut – Anxiety CD/LP (Software)
Autre Ne Veut’s influences range from David Byrne to Lee Scratch Perry, Laurie Anderson and Annie Lennox to Katy Perry and Rihanna. However, their primary influence is karaoke -- the solitary person singing along with their favorite song. There are club bangers on Anxiety, for sure; "Counting" -- a cybernetic sea shanty, tips its hat to Timbaland; and opening track, "Play By Play" rolls out like a slowly evolving Top 40 operetta with nods to Dr. Luke and Patti LaBelle in equal measure.
>Syd Barrett – The Madcap Laughs [Reissue/1970] CD (Capitol)
Syd Barrett – Barrett [Reissue/1970] CD (Capitol)
Syd Barrett – Opel [Reissue] CD (Capitol)
Digitally remastered reissues -- each featuring bonus tracks.
>Don Bikoff – Celestial Explosion [Reissue/1968] CD/LP (Tompkins Square)
A kid from Oyster Bay, LI, Bikoff got his start in Greenwich Village, annoying Dave Van Ronk and playing the folk/blues circuit where he met Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Jesse Fuller and Mississippi John Hurt. The comparisons to John Fahey’s and Robbie Basho’s work stated in the LP liner notes touched a nerve with Fahey himself at the time.
>Bilal – A Love Surreal CD (eOne)
"A Love Surreal, Bilal's fourth studio album, cultivates the stratospheric vibe of John Coltrane's spiritual jazz masterpiece, A Love Supreme, which inspired its title. Most songs here float around as if in zero gravity, anchored by subtle melodic hooks and producer Steve McKie's gently assertive drums. Bilal's tenor, taut and shiny as copper wire, spins out stories of complicated love." – NPR
>Boduf Songs – Burnt Up On Re-Entry CD/2xLP+MP3 (Southern)
Burnt Up On Re-Entry is an infinite space where dark psychedelics are crafted using a combination of raw electronics, manipulated samples and heavy rock guitar. The songcraft remains centered around a heavy melodic and melancholic core, which has been prevalent across the entire Boduf Songs canon.
>BOY – Mutual Friends CD/LP (Nettwerk)
BOY is comprised of Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass (neither of which are boys). Steiner sang in several bands in her native Switzerland before moving to Germany, where Glass grew up, playing the cello in classical orchestras as a child, and later working as a bass player for several pop bands. The duo met when they both participated in a prestigious music workshop in Hamburg.
>Anthony Coleman – Composer Series: End Of Summer CD (Tzadik)
Coleman’s work blends the edge of improvisation with the meditative minimalism of Morton Feldman and Scelsi filtered through his tortured wandering aesthetic and an impish sense of humor. End Of Summer is a collection of most recent chamber compositions and features his fabulous new ensemble Survivors Breakfast.
>Darkthrone – The Underground Resistance CD/LP (Peaceville)
A continuation of the free spirited metallic lands the duo of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have been roaming for a long time, The Underground Resistance contains Darkthrone's trademark masterful riffing in a broad range of styles, effortlessly bounding through the annals of classic metal, taking in thrash, black metal, and a dose of punk.
>Deathfix – Deathfix CD/LP (Dischord)
Formed in 2009 after Brendan Canty (Fugazi) and Rich Morel (Morel, Blowoff) met while touring in Bob Mould's band -- and discovered a shared affinity for the sounds of 1972 -- particularly glam and progressive rock.
>Chris Duarte Group – My Soul Alone CD (Blues Bureau Int’l)
My Soul Alone continues in the tradition of smokin' blues with spurts of jazz and psychedelic influences popping up throughout, and contains a heavy dose of Duarte's legendary blues guitar chops over a diverse set of grooves and lyrical themes.
>Exquisites – Exquisites CD/LP (Asian Man)
Urgent rock highlighted by driving drums, walls of guitar, and singer Jason Clackley's soulful howl, which Greg Cartwright fans will find all too welcoming.
>Bill Frisell – Silent Comedy CD (Tzadik)
At times sounding like he has eight hands, Frisell’s guitar playing is filled with complex harmonies and voicing, rich orchestral sonorities, intense screams, delicate phrasing, wild noises and an incredible simultaneity.
>Gold Fields – Black Sun CD/2xLP (Astralwerks)
Gold Fields debut album is armed with pop hooks, tribal beats, danceable rhythms, and plenty of emotion. "Those longing for the glory days of ‘80s synthpop will be glad to find Gold Fields, an Australian band with a knack for slick hooks and sleek, streamlined anthems." -- Billboard Magazine
>Grave Babies – Crusher CD/LP+MP3 (Hardly Art)
Grave Babies are a band whose sound might suggest the need for drugs that stabilize mood, while also creating a desire for ones that enhance them. The center of their sound is the sonic equivalent of thwarted desire.
>Wayne Hancock – Ride CD/LP+MP3 (Bloodshot)
Produced by Wayne and his longtime producer/collaborator Lloyd Maines (Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Dixie Chicks, Joe Ely), Ride further cements Wayne's life-long calling as a modern-day traditionalist through his signature mélange of roadhouse blues, hepcat boogie, rockabilly, and juke joint swing.
>Emmylou Harris/Rodney Crowell – Old Yellow Moon CD (Nonesuch)
Old Yellow Moon features four songs written by Crowell as well as interpretations of songs such as Hank DeVito's "Hanging Up My Heart," Roger Miller's "Invitation To The Blues," and Allen Reynolds' "Dreaming My Dreams," among others. Produced by Brian Ahern (Johnny Cash, George Jones, Roy Orbison), this is the first official collaboration from the duo since Crowell joined Harris' Hot Band as guitarist and harmony singer in 1975. In addition to Harris and Crowell, the album features world-renowned musicians including Stuart Duncan, Vince Gill, and Bill Payne, as well as members of the original Hot Band.
>James Hunter – Minute By Minute CD (Concord Music Group)
The British retro-soul sensation returns with a horn-fueled blast of deep soul and R&B.
>Ill Bill – The Grimy Awards CD+DVD (Fat Beats)
New album from the New York rapper and producer, best known for his work with Non Phixion and La Coka Nostra. Tangential and biographic, The Grimy Awards sees Bill addressing the formative touchstones of his life, offering "what-ifs" and describing historical events, many gruesome, that shaped the suspicious, futurist, political, analytical persona he's been putting on wax for the better part of three decades. Guests include A-Track, H.R., Shabazz The Disciple, Lil Fame, El-P, Jedi Mind Tricks and others.
>Dora Juarez Kiczkovsky - Cantos Para Una Diàspora CD (Tzadik)
Tracing her lineage from her parent's roots in Eastern Europe and Spain, on to Argentina, Israel (where Dora was born) and finally to Mexico where she was raised and still lives, this is an intensely personal and passionate Jewish story told through traditional Sephardic songs in Ladino and Yiddish.
>KatzKab – Objet N°1CD (Projekt)
KatzKab is electro-punk-cabaret rising from the ashes of the late, much-heralded Katzenjammer Kabarett to awaken the dancing skeleton that sleeps within each of us. Female vocals courtesy of the seductive and charismatic Viktor B ride atop their hybrid music and syncopated rhythms, telling tales of alcohol, murder, voodoo and the edges of human nature.
>KMFDM – Kunst CD/LP (Metropolis)
KMFDM enter their 30th year with a new album.
>Lenz – Ways To End A Day CD/LP (1-2-3-4 Go!)
Self-described as "ice pop," Lenz deliver a seamless set of hook-laden, introspective pop that is equal parts cosmic, jangly, and punchy. A modern, occasionally prog-ish, take on ‘80s indie/pop like Modern English and Echo & The Bunnymen.
>The Lions – This Generation CD (Stone’s Throw)
"L.A.’s The Lions are a dozen-piece outfit with members including actor/singer Alex Désert (known for roles in movies Swingers and High Fidelity and the ska band Hepcat) and deejay Black Shakespeare, a cousin of bass god Robbie Shakespeare who’s known around L.A. for his ice cream truck-turned-mobile-soundsystem. A quick listen to the LP reveals a vintage reggae style that recalls Daptone Records’ new-generation spin on classic R&B." – okayplayer.com
>Charles Lloyd/Jason Moran – Hagar’s Song CD (ECM)
Hagar’s Song, a collection of intimacy and homage, features pieces especially dear to Lloyd, ranging from compositions by Billy Strayhorn ("Pretty Girl a/k/a Star-Crossed Lovers"), Duke Ellington ("Mood Indigo") and George Gershwin ("Bess, You Is My Woman Now") to a standard strongly associated with Billie Holiday ("You’ve Changed"), Brian Wilsons most famous Beach Boys ballad ("God Only Knows") and a Bob Dylan song definitively interpreted by the Band ("I Shall Be Released").
>The Lovely Bad Things – The Late Great Whatever CD/LP (Volcom)
Hyperactive omnitalented and relentlessly hilarious garage-pop.
>Johnny Marr – The Messenger CD/LP (New Voodoo/Sire)
Debut album from the legendary Smiths guitarist. Marr has written not just the music, as he did in the Smiths, but also the lyrics for all 12 songs, and stepped forward to be the singer too. Every song opens with a guitar intro, and there are even some blazing guitar solos — all big departures for a musician who has always prided himself on his collegiality, rather than seeking the spotlight.
>The Mavericks – In Time CD (Valory)
The first album in 10 years from the reunited group led by Raul Malo draws on myriad influences, from Buck Owens' tonk to Roy Orbison's heartbreak, Ravel's eroticism to Buena Vista Social Club's infectious rhythms, Patsy Cline's brazen emotion and that little Mavericks' magic.
>Mister Lies – Mowgli CD/LP (Lefse)
"Opener Ashore is a softly-softly and suave introduction to young Zanca’s complex electro, even if it only stirs fully to life in its final minute. Any fears of Mowgli being dupstep-lite fodder are allayed by the playful yet forceful beats of Dionysian and Lupine, which establish Zanca’s knack for tempered rhythms, which he later indulges with an enthusiasm bordering on the feral. This album was not named after the character in Rudyard Kipling’s classic for nothing." – bowlegsmusic.com
>Mount Moriah – Miracle Temple CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
Fiercely contemporary yet rich with classic influences, Mount Moriah’s Miracle Temple sports bigger arrangements, louder guitars, bolder vocals, and more soulful rhythms than their acclaimed self-titled debut. Through their artful personal storytelling, the band develops a piercing portrait of a "New South" where progressive traditions are still fitfully breaking free from conservative ones.
>NEXT Collective – Cover Art CD (Concord Jazz)NEXT Collective is an ensemble recording by the next generation of jazz greats exploring their own interpretations of songs by such contemporary artists as Bon Iver, Drake, N.E.R.D, Little Dragon and more.
>Pearl Necklace – Soft Opening CD (Smalltown Supersound)
Pearl Necklace define their soundworld by an open-minded approach to sampling, using source material of various fidelities -- field recordings, library records, dusted disco cuts, etc., and live, primarily synth-based instrumentation, plus definitive use of an MPC1000 sampler.
>Popstrangers – Antipodes CD/LP (Carpark)
Popstrangers are Joel Flyger, Adam Page and David Larson, three native New Zealanders who make "pop" music that's hard-driving, punk-influenced and sonically inimitable.
>Taddy Porter – Stay Golden CD (Primary Wave)
"Co-produced by Dave Cobb (Chris Cornell, Shooter Jennings) and Mark Neill (The Black Keys), Stay Golden is an 11-song collection that marks a newly expanded sound for the band — one where British Invasion meets Motown soul, with a healthy dose of Southern blues thrown in for good measure." – Guitar World
>Ruins – Place Of No Pity CD (Listenable)
Place Of No Pity marks the fourth release from Tasmanian (Australia) black metallers Ruins and the first of which, to feature all four members of the current ‘live’ touring unit.
>Section 25 – Dark Light CD (Factory Benelux)
Brand new album from the post-punk trailblazers marks a return to the smooth electro and synth-pop textures first explored on their seminal 1984 album From The Hip.
>Sally Shapiro – Somewhere Else CD/2xLP+MP3 (Paper Bag)
Swedish electro-pop duo's melancholic harmonies and ‘80s disco feel are still present, but there are also indie pop influences, as well as touches of funk, IDM, trance, jazz and ambient. Also available on white vinyl.
>Shout Out Louds – Optica CD/LP (Merge)
"Optica plays like a marvelous '80s mixtape, albeit one with modern production values and a good deal of subtlety. The references aren't all pop, either — the album-opening "Sugar" sounds like The Cure's Robert Smith stepping in to lead The Smiths — but the results, in all their sweet and sunny glory, invariably chime and shine." – NPR
>Stratovarius – Nemesis CD (Eagle Rock)
Melodic, powerful, fresh and technically elaborated, Nemesis is heavy with an incredible sense of melody.
>Various Artists [J Period & Kanye West] – G.O.O.D. Music Remixed & Unreleased CD (RBC)
Highly regarded as one of the most talented DJ's in the game, award-winning DJ/ remixer J Period (Q-Tip, The Roots, Lauryn Hill, etc.) teams with Kanye West on the latest collection of music from his G.O.O.D. Music stable, including cuts from Common, GLC, Consequence, Mr. Bentley and more.
>Vietnam – An A.merican D.ream CD/LP (Mexican Summer)
Vietnam return after a bit of a hiatus with a new dose of their signature apocalyptic street blues -- a cinematic dark concrete ride that revs through demons and detours with greasy grace.
>Wake Owl – Wild Country CDEP (Vagrant)
"Singer/songwriter Colyn Cameron has a pleasing, unflashy voice, and he employs it adequately for subdued Southern California folk. With bands like Mumford & Sons and the Lumineers currently riding the charts, it would seem that Wake Owl's debut EP is poised to ride that trend." – punknews.org
>Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) CD/Blu-ray/2xLP (K-Scope)
New album from the Porcupine Tree frontman. Wilson's current band is a collection of stellar musicians: lead guitarist Guthrie Govan, bassist Nick Beggs, Marco Minnemann on the drums, Theo Travis playing saxophone/flute, and Adam Holzman on keyboards. The record has been engineered by legendary producer/engineer Alan Parsons and consists of six songs, three of which are 10 minute plus epics and are based on stories of the supernatural. The Blu-ray edition features 24-bit stereo files, 5.1 mixes, instrumental versions, plus a bonus track.
>John Zorn – Composer Series: Lemma CD (Tzadik)
Two major new works for solo violin and an enigmatic suite of 12 miniatures for two violins.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>The Eagles – Farewell: Live From Melbourne [2004] Blu-ray (Rhino)
Their momentous 2004 farewell tour filled stadiums around the world, and this set captures one of the most stellar events from that now-historic global sweep. 190 minutes.
Vinyl:
>The Ambulars – Dreamers Asleep At The Wheel LP (Salinas)
A dense record, thick with heartbreak, but bright with bits of indie-rock and power-pop that balance the brooding pop/punk of teenage hearts.
>Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare [Reissue/2007] LP (WB)
Vinyl reissue of Arctic Monkeys sophomore album.
>Bitchin Bajas – Krausened LP (Permanent)
New 12" from Cooper Crain of Cave and Dan Quinlivan formerly of Mahjongg. Two-side long pieces on this nearly 40-minute EP were written on their 2012 European tour. Recorded and mixed over three days by Bitchin Bajas at Minbal Studio in Chicago.
>Casino Versus Japan – Go Hawaii [Reissue/2000] 2xLP (Wobblyhead)
A defining moment in the landscape of ‘90s ambient bedroom electronics: lush, warm, colorful, melodic, yet sometimes isolated and claustrophobic, and always deceptively simple. 13 years ago, when the now-antiquated compact disc was issued, Go Hawaii already felt sweetly nostalgic. Name-checked by several generations of underground shoegazers since, now it finally sees the proper Wobblyhead delivery in the form of a sublime double album.
>Crooked Hooks – Safety Meeting 12" (Safety Meeting)
This Connecticut three-piece effortlessly channels the early Sabbath, Blue Cheer era of heavy, fuzzed out blues rock.
>Diamond Version – EP3 12" (Frontiers)
The latest by the collaboration between Alva Noto and Byetone is the third in a series of five 12" EPs that bridge the gap between gallery and dancefloor. New LP due sometime this year.
>Down – Down IV Part I: The Purple EP 12" (Down Records)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. The first in a series of four EP's marks the band's first studio release since 2007's Down III: Over The Under.
>Nick Drake – Pink Moon [Reissue/1972] LP (Island)
HQ-180 virgin vinyl LP repressing of this 1972 album. Nick Drake's third and final album, many consider to be his finest moment, was a radical departure from his previous work, stripped of the lush orchestral arrangements, Pink Moon featured Drake alone on vocals, acoustic guitar and the occasional piano accompaniment.
>Allen Ginsberg – First Blues [Reissue/1983] LP+MP3 (Allen Ginsberg Inc)
This seven-track vinyl release has returned complete with a recreation of the original newsprint insert of lyrics and liner notes. Original track arrangements by Bob Dylan, Arthur Russell, David Amram, The Clash, Anne Waldman, and, of course, Allen Ginsberg himself. Contains digital download of 17 bonus tracks.
>The Hecks – Trust & Order 7" (Moniker)
Adorned as "Chicago's Best New Rock Duo" by the Chicago Reader, these critically acclaimed newcomers can't be contained by classification. Commonly connected with critical genres "garage" and "noise", Zach Hebert and Andrew Mosiman move beyond those confines to create winding pop gems that steadily shift between pulsating rhythms, unexpected fragments, and unrestrained feedback
>Syl Johnson – Dresses Too Short [Reissue/1968] LP (Numero)
"Johnson's debut album was a decent but derivative mix of cheery, uptempo Southern soul, somewhat in the mold of Joe Tex." -- AllMusic
>Syl Johnson – Is It Because I Am Black? [Reissue/1970] LP (Numero)
Coming hot on the heels of his first full-length, the self-proclaimed "most sampled artist of all time," released this groundbreaking black concept album. Throwing away the notion of a sophomore jinx, Syl delivered this politically charged document.
>The Normal – Warm Leatherette [Reissue/1978] 7" (Mute)
Reissue of Mute’s first release. The track has been covered by many other artists including Grace Jones, Boyd Rice, Trent Reznor and Chicks On Speed.
>Carmen Villian – Lifeissin 12" (Smalltown Supersound)
First single from Carmen Villain's Sleeper (with remix by Prins Thomas on the flip), due in March 2013. Villain draws on a lineage of sprawling, taboo-busting lo-fi rock: Sonic Youth, Royal Trux, Broadcast, Bikini Kill and The Stooges, while she equally admires the cut 'n' paste productions of J Dilla, Wu-Tang Clan and avant garde post-punkers This Heat.
19 FEBRUARY 2013
>The Asphodells – Ruled By Passion, Destroyed By Lust CD/LP (Rotters Golf Club)
Andrew Weatherall pairs up with Timothy J. Fairplay as The Asphodells. Weatherall has left behind the rock and roll leanings of Wrong Meeting and A Pox On The Pioneers and looks back over his shoulder to the purer electronics of the Kraftwerk-inflected Two Lone Swordsmen.
>Atlas Genius – When It Was Now CD (WB)
Australian indie rockers Atlas-Genius turned heads last year with their debut single “Trojan.” “With a colorful groove, stirring beats and catchy melodies, it’s hard not to like them.” – Cause A Scene
>Baptists – Bushcraft CD/LP (Southern Lord)
Debut album of unrelenting, chaotic, punishing hardcore.
>Beach Fossils – Clash The Truth CD/LP (Captured Tracks)
With a full time drummer (and co-writer of two tracks on the LP) Beach Fossils entered the studio in the fall of 2012 with producer Ben Greenberg of The Men. Instead of merely going from a "bedroom DIY" project to a "better fidelity studio project" the deliberate decision to work with Ben was determined to capture, if not in style, the spirit and enthusiasm of punk and aggressive music in general.
>Big Wreck – Albatross CD (Rounder)
New album from alt-rockers after an eleven year hiatus.
>Black Boned Angel – The End CD (Handmade Birds)
Final album from New Zealand doom duo.
>Black Sunroof! – 4 Black Suns & Sinister Rainbow 2xCD (Handmade Birds)
New double-disc album from members of Skullflower and Voltigeurs.
>Black Twig Pickers – Rough Carpenters CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Rough Carpenters, which was recorded in the same two-day session as 2012's Whompyjawed EP, can be seen as an inward-gazing foil to that EP's long-form hoedown epics. With the addition of Sally Anne Morgan on fiddle to the trio of Mike Gangloff, Isak Howell, and Nathan Bowles, dance has become a more prominent part of the group's formula. The Black Twig Pickers are indeed rough carpenters, building unpolished but finely crafted records that embody the spirit of a timeless old-time scene.
>Peter Brotzmann – Long Story Short 5xCD (Trost)
Five-disc set of 18 performances highlighting the musical scope of the German free jazz saxophonist, compiled from the Unlimited Festival, Wels, Austria. This extensive compilation emphasizes the vitality and variety of his current work, encompassing a wide range of his comrades and collaborators such as Paal Nilssen-Love, Mats Gustafsson, Bill Laswell, Masahiko Satoh, and Ken Vandermark.
>Buckcherry – Confessions CD/CD+DVD (Century Media)
Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe includes two additional audio tracks plus a bonus DVD. Confessions is a loose concept album that revolves around the notion of the seven deadly sins and is inspired by events in singer Josh Todd's childhood. Todd said that Confessions is "definitely a heavier, musically, record than we've ever had, and more melodic.”
Free Valentine candy with purchase!
>Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Push The Sky Away CD/CD+DVD/LP (Bad Seeds Ltd.)
New album available in Regular and Deluxe editions. The limited Deluxe edition includes a hardback book bound in linen with 32 stitched-in pages, containing beautifully reproduced hand typed lyrics and band imagery and a DVD with specially created visuals by artists Iain Forysth and Jane Pollard. “Seedy and slick, grandiose and intimate, mysterious and matter-of-fact, Nick Cave's songs unfold like short stories from bygone eras — that is, until Hannah Montana and Wikipedia make their jarring appearances. On Cave's 15th album, Push the Sky Away, the Australian singer and writer assembles a string of slow-burning ballads that seethe and surprise, punctuated with Warren Ellis' gorgeous strings and bits of Cave's own grabby, pervy innuendo.” – NPR Free lithograph with purchase – while supplies last!
>Coma – Don’t Set Your Dogs On Me CD (Eagle Rock)
Sixth album from Poland's finest grunge/metal band.
>Concrete Knives – Be Your Own King CD/LP (Cooperative Music)
Fusing youthful exuberance with an artistic prowess far beyond their years, Concrete Knives are have illuminated stages around Europe with their unique blend of resonating guitars, elaborate melodies, charging, pounding rhythms and euphoric collective vocals.
>Dark New Day – Hail Mary CD (Pavement Entertainment)
American hard rockers Dark New Day formed in 2004 with a line up consisting of Will Hunt (Evanescence), Clint Lowery (Sevendust), Brett Hestla (Virgos Merlot), Troy McLawhorn (Evanescence), and Corey Lowery (Stereomud, Eye Empire).
>The Datsuns – Death Rattle Boogie CD/2xLP (Hellsquad)
Death Rattle Boogie is the sound of one of the world’s premiere rock & roll bands, rediscovering the ferocious energy that first drove them to pick up their instruments with new interpretations of their influences and instincts coupled with a new found sophistication that comes at no cost to their trademark adrenalized immediacy.
>Dobie – We Will Not Harm You CD/2xLP (Big Dada)
Thirteen tracks of deep, beautifully worked instrumental music, based in hip-hop but touching on techno, house, dubstep, Latin, two-step, jazz, soul, funk and everything in between.
>Durutti Column – The Return Of The Durutti Column [Reissue/1980] CD (1972)
The Return Of The Durutti Column has proved as influential as anything released on Factory in the early ’80s. Its sonic innovations have been echoed through experimental electronic to chillwave, and Reilly’s inventive guitar playing (a mixture of Bert Jansch, Fred Frith and Bill Frisell) continues to influence the solo guitar scene.
>Durutti Column – LC [Reissue/1981] CD (1972)
As equally powerful and in some ways better than the Durutti Column’s debut, LC expands on the emotional promise of that album by continuing to transcend genre while offering a more song-oriented and accessible take on an increasingly unique approach to composition. It’s an understated and inspiring masterpiece from the pre-shoegaze guitar maestro.
>Endless Boogie – Long Island CD/2xLP+MP3 (No Quarter)
New York rockers Endless Boogie’s music is a meltdown of metal, psychedelic and classic rock with a heavy dose of riffage, a kick-ass beat and super-cryptic lyrics.
>Flea – Helen Burns CDEP/12” (Original Recordings)
Six-song EP by the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist which was originally released in July 2012 as a limited run exclusively through the Silverlake Conservatory Of Music website. Helen Burns marks the first solo release for Flea, who has previously only released solo work on soundtracks. It is nearly all instrumental except for an appearance by Patti Smith on the title track and a choir on the final track.
>Flume – Flume CD/LP (Mom + Pop)
Debut album from Australian producer Flume is a soulful blend of lush beats, chopped vocals, saw synths and intricate percussion.
>Robben Ford – Bringing It Back Home CD/LP (MRI)
Bringing It Back Home is a study in soul, style and virtuosity that cuts to the heart with its exceptional, emotion-laden musicianship. The disc also brings the five-time Grammy nominated stage and studio legend back to his earliest roots as a performer, playing blues
>Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside – Untamed Beast CD/LP (Partisan)
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside vigorously mines a sweet spot between modern and vintage. Sallie's voice has elicited comparisons to classic jazz and blues icons, yet it is stoked with the fire of youth and rebellion, too, an instrument capable of conveying raw emotion and nuanced artistry in the same breath.
>Dan Friel – Total Folklore CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Total Folklore is an urban album, the jagged, overblown electronics mimicking the grit and chaos of Brooklyn. As a fan of the epic walk, Friel channeled the commuter while writing and recording these songs. Throughout, he includes short intermissions, improvisations and field recordings, as if the listener is waiting on the corner for the walk signal. From the screeching glissando of the synths of ''Scavengers'' to the frenetic pulse of ''Thumper'', Total Folklore captures the energy and irreverence of punk, while keeping a foot firmly planted on the streets of electronic pop.
>The Garbage & The Flowers – Eyes Rind As If Beggars CD/2xLP (Bo Weavil)
A sprawling collection of fragile melodies, abrasive improvisations and velvet voices. The story of The Garbage & The Flowers, by some measure Wellingtons most brilliant pop band, is equal parts classic underground rock & roll and a hazy ramshackle history pockmarked with bursts of genius and stoned rehearsals.
>Jerry Garcia Band - Garcia Live Volume One: Capitol Theatre CD (ATO)
The first release from the newly-launched Garcia Live series features a recording from the historic Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey on March 1, 1980. The band performed an early and a late show on this evening, as was common at the time. The shows were originally multi-tracked on a 24-track mobile rig for WNEW's broadcast of the early show.
>Godflesh – Hymns [Special Edition] 2xCD/2xLP (The End)
Deluxe double-disc remastered Special Edition of Godflesh’s final album (originally released in 2001) includes a bonus disc of demo versions and is packaged in a six panel eco-friendly softpak with expanded artwork and notes.
>Paul Hardcastle – Paul Hardcastle VII CD (Trippin’ & Rhythm)
Well into this third decade crafting signature songs of our time, churning out chart topping mega-hits with ease, Paul Hardcastle adds another branch to his musical tree.
>The High Strung – Sure As Hell [2002] CDEP (Paper Thin)
Sure As Hell is five ardent songs recorded in 2002. Thought to be lost forever, Sure As Hell has been unearthed and available for the first time as a CD. Recorded entirely on 1/2 inch tape, the EP has an organic sound and gives interesting cues of what's to come before the band's first Tee Pee release.
>Howling Hex – The Best Of The Howling Hex CD/LP (Drag City)
This is not a greatest hits compilation, but is a new album by a new incarnation of The Howling Hex. Don't fret -- the album is still square state rock with sharp corners; southern lights refocused on a more northern steppe, yet still awash in the vibration of the west, red as the rocks that the Indians danced upon not so very long ago. CD version features a hidden bonus track.
>Iceage – You’re Nothing CD/LP+MP3 (Matador)
Just out of their teens, it seems Copenhagen's Iceage have only added to the anxiety and tension that made their debut album, New Brigade, so compelling. But now, they're challenging their raging emotions instead of simply expressing them. You're Nothing, Iceage's sophomore album, is the sound of a band pushing their singular mix of punk, goth, hardcore, and post-punk to even further extremes.
>Inc. – No World CD/LP (4AD)
Inc. is the nom de plume of brothers Andrew and Daniel Aged. Their debut full length is a soulful opening statement that provides a calm, inviting, smoke-filled place where voices carry, drums crack through an empty room, and deep lows envelope the air.
>Inspectah Deck With 7L & Esoteric – Czarface CD/2xLP (Brick)
New from the collaborative effort between the Bostonian duo and the Wu-Tang swordsman. Features guest appearances by Ghostface Killah, Action Bronson, Mr. MFN eXquire, Roc Marciano, DJ Premier, Oh No and more.
>Trinidad James – Don’t Be S.A.F.E. CD (Def Jam)
New album from the Trinidad/American rapper discovered through various YouTube postings. Includes the single "All Gold Everything.”
>The Jealous Sound – A Gentle Reminder CD/2xLP (Rise)
New album available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe digipak version includes four bonus tracks including the 2008 Got Friends EP. The double vinyl LP version also includes two remixes of the song "Got Friends,” including one by Jimmy Tamborello of The Postal Service.
>Mark Kozelek – Like Rats CD (Caldo Verde)
A 13-song covers record featuring Kozelek's (Sun Kil Moon/Red House Painters) acoustic versions of Bad Brains, Misfits, The Decendents, Josh Turner, Ted Nugent, Sonny and Cher, and more.
>Mark Kozelek – Live At Phoenix Public House Melbourne CD (Caldo Verde)
Recorded June 11, 2012 at Phoenix Public House, Melbourne.
>Lady Lamb The Beekeeper – Ripely Pine CD (Ba Da Bing!)
“Despite the darling twee implications of her name, Lady Lamb The Beekeeper (nee Aly Spaltro) is anything but shy and cutesy. Yeah, she might name tracks for eggplants and the romanticized but macabre art of taxidermy, and yeah, she plays the banjo and ukulele. But please toss those images aside and replace them with a bright artist displaying skill and youthful eagerness—no shtick.” – CMJ. Vinyl version due March 5.
>Jamie Lidell – Jamie Lidell CD/2xLP (Warp)
“Merging electronic beats and sounds with those of classic soul, Lidell has created a new future-retro R&B that simultaneously evokes and revitalizes the sound of a bygone era.” -- The Believer
>Little Caesar & The Consuls – Still Hangin’ On CD (Crystal Music)
25 career-spanning tracks from this Canadian garage rock combo.
>Bobby Long – Wishbone CD/LP (ATO)
Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Ted Hutt (Gaslight Anthem, Lucero, Old Crow Medicine Show), the well-crafted songs on Wishbone live up to the expectations put upon a young man the Wall Street Journal touted as a ''promising talent'' with ''much more to say,'' after the release of his Liam Watson produced debut album A Winter Tale.
>Lotus – Build CD/LP (Sci Fidelity)
Built on a foundation of beats evoking vinyl breaks, house and big-beat, Build is a funky dance party from start to finish. The album’s ten tracks showcase live drums, guitar, organ, and horns that come drenched in classic analog luxuriance, with electronic elements peppered throughout. Vinyl version due April 2.
>Lusine – Waiting Room CD/2xLP (Ghostly International)
As with all of his work as Lusine, Waiting Room is characterized by diversity and coherency. It's an album that's both cerebral and visceral, a record that's both rewarding of a serious headphone session and also warm and melodic enough to make listening as engaging in an emotional sense as it is in an intellectual one.
>Daphne Lee Martin – Moxie CD/LP (Telegraph)
Moxie swaggers through the seamy underbelly of the red light district with a cast of wrecked lovers and ingénues. It takes Daphne's beloved traditional southern roots and runs them through megaphones, mellotron, a very old tube amp, a swamp and a dark alley or two.
>Matmos – Marriage Of True Minds CD/2xLP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Expanding upon the ambitious premise of their recently released The Ganzfeld EP, Baltimore-based electronic duo Matmos release their first new full-length album in five years. The Marriage Of True Minds features an array of sonic tactics, and a broad swathe of musical styles, but this diversity is joined together with a common purpose: the translation of this archive of psychic experiments into a delirious hybrid of conceptual noise and electronic pop.
>Maxmillion Dunbar – House Of Woo CD/2xLP (RVNG International)
House Of Woo is the new album from rogue house producer and one half of DC dance captains Beautiful Swimmers. It is a pure blast of bliss that works on a Funktion One just as well as it does a blown set of speakers at a house party gone woozy with punch drunk love.
>Dawn McCarthy/Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – What The Brothers Sang CD/LP (Drag City)
Bonny and Dawn of Faun Fables present What The Brothers Sang as no mere gesture of nostalgia; these new versions rethink The Everly Brothers for the audience of listeners today, people who naturally might have no knowledge or experience with those songs.
>My Gold Mask – Leave Me Midnight CD (Goldy Tapes)
My Gold Mask have been the buzz of the internet and blogosphere, featured on Gossip Girl, included in Vogue fashion shows and remixed by The Hood Internet. The follow up is a wall of sound that creates a spooky realm for these songs to flourish. "It’s only a matter of time before people fall head over heels for their spooky racket." -- Time Out Chicago. Vinyl version due March 12.
>Conny Plank – Who’s That Man: A Tribute To Conny Plank 4xCD (Gronland)
Four-disc box set features a vast selection of Plank’s most iconic work, along with a series of productions that exemplify his unique sound design. Disc Three features reworks by a host of contemporary artists of the original 24 track, magnetic tapes found in the Plank-archive. As a previously unreleased gem, the box will contain a live concert by Moebius/Steffen/Plank recorded on tape while touring Mexico in 1986.
>Psychic Ills – One Track Mind CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
When it comes to following the beat of their own drum, New York's Psychic Ills have exemplified the phrase since their beginnings in 2003. The early years saw several releases for Social Registry, tons of time on the road, and collaborations with artists as diverse as Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers) and Sonic Boom (Spacemen Three/Spectrum). In 2011, their first effort for Sacred Bones, Hazed Dream traded in the synthesizer space-outs and raga rumbles, and delivered a record of sunburned psych pop, awash in warm tones and blues damaged songwriting. One Track Mind is perhaps the most straight-forward rock record the Ills have ever made.
>Relatives – The Electric Word CD/LP (Yep Roc)
Psychedelic-Gospel-R&B. Not a combination you hear very often. If Jimi Hendrix and James Brown had teamed up to spread the Word, it might have sounded a lot like this. The Electric Word is the first studio album from Dallas, TX's The Relatives; and their first proper studio recordings in over three decades.
>Rumer – Boys Don’t Cry CD (Atlantic)
Rumer's sophomore effort is a retro soft rock covers album that finds the vocalist tackling tracks by various male artists of the 1970s. As with her acclaimed 2010 debut, Seasons Of My Soul, Boys Don't Cry showcases Rumer's gentle and sweetly soulful vocal style that is clearly perfectly suited to this material. In fact, for anyone already familiar with her, it almost goes without saying that Rumer sounds a lot like soft pop icon Karen Carpenter.
>Sadistik – Flowers For My Father CD (Fake Four Inc.)
Evolving his style to a more synthesized rendition of a signature cinematic Seattle sound, Flowers For My Father displays a distinct combination of Sadistik's complex, vulnerable writing with textured, ambient production handled by the likes of Blue Sky Black Death and Kno of CunninLynguists. Features guest performances from indie hip hop heroes such as Cage, Deacon The Villain, Astronautalis and others. Vinyl version due April 2.
>Sin Fang – Flowers CD/LP (Morr Music)
Third and most accessible album from Seabear's founder unleashes a melodic spring storm and explores the corners of the lush and baroque gardens he spent the last five years in.
>The Sound – All Fall Down [Reissue/1982] CD/LP (1972)
At the time their third album was released, The Sound was one of the UK’s most acclaimed bands and were on the precipice of a commercial breakthrough. Having been upgraded from the Korova label (also home to Echo & The Bunnymen) to WB, the group was met with label demands to deliver a more commercial release. In what many consider to be a willfully defiant move, The Sound delivered the challenging and more experimental All Fall Down, a record many of their most ardent fans still consider their most accomplished. It remains one of the great post-punk albums of the early ’80s.
>Alexander Split – A Breathtaking Trip To That Otherside CD (Decon)
Having cut his teeth in ciphers in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, Alexander Spit relocated to Los Angeles two years ago to hone his craft, and over the course of the subsequent two mix-tapes and an instrumental masterpiece (this summer's Mansions), he's now offering a distillation of his craft in this album, completely self-produced and awash in head-spinning, hallucinatory subject matter and aural stimulants. A Breathtaking Trip To That Otherside is an exercise in psychedelia from a consummate Californian, characterized by tales of women, weed, and whips seemingly scrawled on blotter paper.
>STRFKR - Miracle Mile CD/2xLP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
STRFKR has provided the soundtrack to over 100 ecstatic sold-out dance parties in tiny, sweaty rooms for over two years. Miracle Mile is a record with swirling keyboards that take you up, down, and all around, rhythmic guitars, irresistible basslines, and drums that keep an unrelenting beat. Also available on cream-color vinyl.
>Suffocation – Pinnacle Of Bedlam CD/CD+DVD (Nuclear Blast)
Death metal godfathers’ relentless new album. Vinyl version due April 2.
>$wingin’ Utter$ – Poorly Formed CD/LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
New (eighth) album from the California punk stalwarts.
>Robin Trower – Roots And Branches CD (V-12)
Trower pays homage to his early influences, and demonstrates his guitar mastery on new material too.
>Marcos Valle – Previsao Do Tempo [Reissue/1973] CD/LP (Light In The Attic)
Previsao Do Tempo was originally released in 1973 and quickly became a favorite of Valle disciples. Still committed to political/cultural criticism through his music, Marcos was reaching a plateau in terms of sound and vision. Fans new and old will finally have easy breezy access to these once hard-to-find Brazilian classics.
>Various Artists – Change The Beat: Celluloid Records Story 2xCD/2xLP (Strut)
Celluloid Records was formed in Paris during the late ‘70s by Jean Georgakarakos (often referred to by the shorter name Jean Karakos), who had spent the previous decade co-running French record shops and the spiritual jazz label BYG. The label gathered steam following Karakos’ fateful trips to New York in the early ‘80s. It was there that he met Bill Laswell, who had himself landed fresh in the Big Apple from Michigan, Karakos began releasing the full spectrum of Laswell’s early work, from the avant-rock cacophony of Massacre to his fluid, dance/post-punk production outfit, Material.
>Various Artists [Chango Suasiuk, Maurice El Medioni & More] – Latin Noir: Everything Happens On The Beach CD (Piranha)
This compilation features a selection of happy sad musical treasures from Cuba, Argentina, Colombia, New York and both sides of the Mediterranean Sea. If you are looking for hip shakin', hands-in-the-air party music for your next holiday cruise, this album is not for you. Latin Noir much rather pays a gloomy homage to a new generation of the wretched of the earth and their Sisyphean journeys between shipwreck and redemption, despair and hope.
>Various Artists [Fatboy Slim] – Big Beach Bootique 5 CD+DVD (The End)
Big Beach Bootique 5 is a recording from his hometown show in Brighton and is everything you'd expect from a Fatboy Slim live set; bodacious, four-to-the-floor, in-your-face dirty house tunes. Featuring cuts from Chuckie, Basement Jaxx and Nicky Romero in amongst his biggest bangers that he teases in and out of the mix. Includes bonus DVD that contains a full length film with exclusive tracks plus behind the scenes interviews with Fatboy Slim and more.
>Various Artists [Al Kent] – Disco Love Vol. 3: Even More Rare Disco & Soul Uncovered CD/2xLP (BBE)
Disco Love is a series of fabulous disco records that you have probably never heard of. All superb records presented to you by the legendary Al Kent from the unlikeliest disco haven of Glasgow.
>Various Artists – These Men In Love: Northern Soul Rarities CD (Crystal Music)
25 Northern Soul rarities. Featuring the Parisians, The Midniters, The Fantastics, Soul Brothers Inc., and more.
>The View – Cheeky For A Reason CD (429)
New album from Scotland’s irrepressible purveyors of propulsive indie rock is described by frontman Kyle Falconer as Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours done by The Clash.
>Voigt & Voigt – Die Zauberhafte Welt Der Anderen CD/2xLP (Kompakt)
“A following on from their Erdingertrax EP series, the latest fruit of Wolfgang and Reinhardt Voigt's renewed fraternal bond is a proper album, arguably their strongest collaborative work since mid-2003 neo-trance banger “Vision 04.” While the recent 12" cuts were largely about restating the core club values of Kompakt, Die Zauberhafte Welt Der Anderen is altogether more leftfield and ambitious, covering surreal instrumental pop, ping-ponging electro-acoustic sketches, sullen ambient and pneumatic, Profan-style techno, often in the space of the same track.” -- Boomkat
>Widowmaker – Widowmaker [Reissue/1976] CD (Angel Air)
1976 saw the launch of a new rock super group. The band was formed by former Mott The Hoople and Spooky Tooth guitarist Luther Grosvenor, also known as Ariel Bender. The original line-up featured vocalist Steve Ellis from Love Affair, guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton from Hawkwind, Australian bassist Bob Daisley of Chicken Shack and drummer Paul Nicholls who had played with Lindisfarne. This is their self-titled debut from 1976. A great mix of blues, country, folk and hard rock.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Green Day – Between Us There Is Nothing 2xDVD (Pride)
This double-DVD set celebrates the longevity and startling impact that Green Day has had across more than a 1/4 of a century. Featuring a disc of video interviews with the band from throughout their career, plus a second disc which documents their rise to global prominence and their activities once such heights had been achieved, this deluxe package will delight the group's millions of fans old and new. 154 minutes.
>Michael Jackson – Moscow Case 1993: When The King Of Pop Met The Soviets DVD (MVD Visual)
The Moscow Case is a 52-minute documentary with never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson in Moscow during the Dangerous tour. This film tells the behind the scenes story of Jackson's ill-fated concert in September 1993 with candid archival footage.
>Mudhoney – I’m Now: The Story Of Mudhoney DVD (King Of Hearts Productions)
This documentary tells the story of Mudhoney from their very beginnings, to following them on their recent world tour and everything in between. Complete with testimonials from friends, music industry veterans, and musicians such as Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore & Kim Gordon, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, and Mudhoney themselves. 102 minutes.
>Scissor Sisters – Live In London DVD (Wienerworld)
Live performance at Victoria Park in London, on 17 July 2011. Colorful and glitzy as ever, the New York outfit who brought garish costumes and twisted disco sounds to the capital, fully embraced the festival's flamboyant spirit. 58 minutes.
Vinyl:
>Actress – Silver Cloud 12” (Werkdiscs/Ninja Tune)
12" precedes his sequal to Hazyville, entitled Ghettoville, which is due sometime this year through Werkdiscs.
>Aleister X – Half Speed Mastered LP+DVD (Nod & Smile)
Debut LP of decadent party jams produced by Andrew W.K. A mix of pop, dub, rap, goth and experimental music combined with one of the best lyricists in the game. CD version due March 5.
>Boom Bip/Charlie White – Music For Sleeping Children 12” (Lex)
Music For Sleeping Children is an EP of dance based tracks, created around in-depth interviews of teenage girls.
>Jesse Boykins III – Perfect Blues Remixes 12” (Ninja Tune)
If the original wasn't salivating enough, the remixes seal the deal. Jaques Greene further demonstrates his talents with a remix that can only be described as house-blues, or as simply brilliant. The melody bleeds through like sunlight between the clouds, Jesse's vocal all the more beautiful in its sudden exposure.
>The Bug – Hardcore Lover 7” (Acid Ragga)
The Bug's Acid Ragga assault continues with the third single to drop on his 7" imprint. “Warrior Queen” on the A-side and a return for “Miss Red” on the flip. Yellow vinyl.
>Casiokids – Skip I Natten/Offerdans LP (Splendour)
Casiokids returned with a catchy, dancy, beautiful synth pop offering on a limited edition 12" for their fall Norway tour. The songs are exclusive to this 12".
>Chatham County Line –Speed Of The Whippoorwill [2006] LP (Yep Roc)
Originally released in 2006, Speed Of Whippoorwill continued the band's quest to unite their love for the power of rock with their faith in their home state's fine heritage of pure, engaging, traditional music.
>Julie Doiron & The Wooden Stars – Julie Doiron & The Wooden Stars [2000] LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
First time available on vinyl for this 2000 Juno award winning album. Combining elements of rock and jazz a la Joni Mitchell's early '70s work, Doiron somehow translated the coldness of the Canadian winter into one of the warmest and most tender records to be produced in the Eastern province in years.
>DRGN King – Paragraph Nights LP (Bar None)
2012 album now available on vinyl. Singer/songwriter Dominic Angelella and hip-hop producer Ritz Reynolds are the masterminds behind Philly group DRGN KING. Discovering a mutual love of The Flaming Lips and Wu Tang, they set out on a song cycle that led to Paragraph Nights, their debut full length. Bruce Warren (WXPN/Paste) says, "This is otherworldly soulful pop for now people."
>Eat Skull – III LP+MP3 (Woodsist)
Third album from Portland noise-pop band. A more psychedelic and perfectly circular outing then their previous classics of paranoid ecstasy Wild & Inside and Sick To Death. Somewhere in between the subatomic joy of Primal Scream's "Keep Your Dreams" and the desperate loneliness of Same Place The Fly Got Smashed-era Guided By Voices.
>Guided By Voices – Flunky Minnows b/w Jellypop Smiles 7” (GBV Inc.)
The first single from their upcoming long-player English Little League is a classic Pollard-penned power-pop gem. B-side “Jellypop Smiles,” a reverb-heavy acoustic number with out-of-tune recorder, wouldn’t sound out of place next to Bee Thousand’s “Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory.”
>The Hookers – Horror Rises From The Tombs LP (Planetworks)
Legendary punk metal masters return with their first full-length in nearly a decade.
>Ital Tek – Hyper Real 12” (Civil Music)
Dexterous dancefloor electronica, techy IDM-driven dubstep, glitch-hop, and post-dubstep forms.
>The Jesus And Mary Chain – Barbed Wire Kisses (B-Sides And More) [Reissue/1988] LP
(1972)
The Jesus And Mary Chain – The Sound Of Speed [Reissue/1993] LP
Two collections of B-sides, outtakes and rare tracks, originally released on CD in 1988 and 1993,
respectively.
>Las Robertas – Dissected Affair 7” (Art Fag)
After a two-year absence, Costa Rica’s Las Robertas return with a new vinyl EP featuring two originals and a cover of “Foggy Eyes” by their heroes Beat Happening.
>Leech – Tusks 12” (100% Silk)
Latest from the deconstructed dance alter-ego of Brian Foote (Nudge, Fontenelle). Approaches acid, teases techno and jumbled jazz.
>Jens Lekman – I Know What Love Is Isn’t b/w That’s The Way Love Is 7” (Secretly Canadian)
Title track of his 2012 album is paired with an exclusive B-side cover of Ten City's "That's The Way Love Is."
>Lust For Youth – Chasing The Light 12” (Sacred Bones)
What began as a lo-fi, atonal, bedroom synth drone project in 2009 has slowly but surely been evolving into a full frontal synth-pop assault.
>Cass McCombs/White Magic – LAMC Vol. 6 7” (Famous Class)
The sixth release in the LAMC 7” series. The tracks will also available on the Famous Class bandcamp page with 100% of the digital proceeds going to the Ariel Panero Memorial Fund at VH1 Save the Music.
>MV & EE – Fuzzweed LP+CD+MP3 (Three Lobed)
With each successive release, MV & EE strive to map new territory and to travel more distant orbits. It makes sense that this mission is their furthest reaching yet. While they’ve long been comfortable navigating the same planes as such cosmic explorers as Sun Ra and Alan Silva, Fuzzweed sees them planting their freak flag in the sorts of different galaxies where the atmospheres counterpoint the music of the spheres with the more earthbound plaints of the blues. Be sure to pop your LP cover under a blacklight to see some super-reactive hot pink ink.
>Night Marchers – Allez Allez LP+MP3 (Swami)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Sophomore album from ex-members of Hot Snakes, Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Delta 72, and Bardo Pond.
>NOFX – 30th Anniversary Box Set 14xLP (Epitaph)
A deluxe LP collection of every studio album they have released, from 1988's Liberal Animation through 2012's Self Entitled. Included is the first release of all the tracks from the famous 7” of the Month Club, compiled on a double LP for this box set only. All packaged in a hardbound box.
>Jeffrey Novak – Baron In The Trees LP (In The Red)
Second solo album from Cheap Time frontman. Shades of Syd Barrett, Ray Davies, Kevin Ayers, David Bowie and Sparks.
>Public Enemy – Most Of My Heroes Still Don’t Appear On No Stamp 2xLP (Eastlink)
2012 album now available on vinyl. Eleven tracks laden with the sonic and word fury Public Enemy has been known for. Chuck D, Flavor Flav, DJ Lord, Professor Griff, the baNNed and S1WS all contribute.
>Red Lamb – Red Lamb LP (Made In Germany)
New school rock produced by Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) featuring members of Anthrax and Nine Inch Nails.
>Martin Rev – Martin Rev [Reissue/1980] LP (Superior Viaduct)
In 1980, shortly after Suicide’s second full-length, Martin Rev released his first solo album on preeminent No Wave label Infidelity (Lust/Unlust). Uninhibited by the trappings of a collaborator, Rev was freed to explore his most experimental and pop leanings with dirty synths, dark melodies and dreamlike textures, and produced a masterpiece of modern alienation that captures a uniquely New York landscape.
>Shams – Piano Sound 12” (100% Silk)
The occasionally polarizing performer and producer does much more than just antagonize Brooklyn crowds with his party pranks; he also creates careful and caressing chill-out tracks for escapist addicts, comfort creeps, and hedonistic pleasure-seekers heaven bent to sway around the trance/dance floor. Better than a classic Café Del Mar compilation, “Piano Cloud” offers the sweet samplings of Balearic ambience mixed with the cheeky love-hangover of a disco-dance-Diana instrumental.
>M. Ward – The Transfiguration Of Vincent LP [Reissue/2003]
Back in print on vinyl! Ward's third album that is clearly progressive while simultaneously sounding regressive, feeling dusty with age, and manifesting a genius that is pure and untempered.
>Wartorn – Iconic Nightmare LP (Southern Lord)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Punishing, dark, political, metallic crust that completely devastates! For fans of Wolfbrigade, From Ashes Rise, Tragedy.
>Paul Weller – Dragonfly b/w Portal To The Past 7” (Yep Roc)
Fourth single from Sonik Kicks. B-side is previously unreleased "Portal To The Past." Clear vinyl.
>Wingdale Community Singers – Night Sleep Death LP (Blue Chopsticks)
Third full-length album finds the core trio of Hannah Marcus, Rick Moody, and David Grubbs augmented by a cast of effortlessly sympatico guests including Jolie Holland, Tanya Donnelly, and Oneida’s Kid Millions, and featuring lyrical content from Walt Whitman. Vinyl-only.
>Witch – In The Past [Reissue/1974] LP (Now Again)
Archival reissue of the garage-psych Zamrock masterpiece.
12 FEBRUARY 2013
>Allman Brothers Band – Macon City Auditorium, Macon, GA 2/11/72 2xCD (Allman Brothers Band)
Allman Brothers Band – Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 5/1/73 2xCD (Allman Brothers Band)
Allman Brothers Band’s 2/11/72 set at Macon City Auditorium featured the unified front that was the five-man version of the band as it gamely carried on following the loss of Duane Allman. Their 5/1/73 show at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY marked a much different line-up for the Allman Brothers Band. Keyboardist Chuck Leavell (who would later go on to The Rolling Stones) had joined the group in mid-1972 just before founding bassist Berry Oakley’s untimely death. Jaimoe’s childhood friend Lamar Williams was chosen to replace Berry Oakley six months prior to the Nassau recording.
>Black Tape For A Blue Girl – Tenderotics CD (Projekt)
A new re-imagination of BTFABG’s 2009 album 10 Neurotics, featuring fourteen newly reworked tracks and remix contributions from the likes of Android Lust, Steve Roach and Attrition.
>Bullet For My Valentine – Temper Temper CD/LP (RCA)
New album from the Welsh metal band – heavy and hypnotic. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds two bonus tracks. Free patch with purchase – while supplies last!
>Matt Costa – Matt Costa CD (Brushfire)
Costa’s new album was recorded in Scotland and produced by long-time Belle & Sebastian/Mogwai collaborator Tony Doogan at his Castle of Doom studio. Belle & Sebastian’s Stevie Jackson, Chris Geddes and Bobby Kildea are also featured throughout.
>Crispy Ambulance – The Plateau Phase [1982] CD (Factory Benelux)
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the 1982 debut album by Manchester post-punk group Crispy Ambulance. Bonus tracks include extended 12'' single “The Presence” and “Concorde Square,” produced by the legendary Martin Hannett, and farewell single “Sexus.”
>The Creole Choir Of Cuba – Santiman CD (Real World)
Freedom songs passed down through generations of Haitian emigrants in Cuba are brought to life with vibrant harmonies, lilting melodies and rich, deep Caribbean rhythms.
>C2C – Tetra CD (Universal Republic)
New album from the French turntable group (formerly known as Coups2Cross). C2C is not yet a household name for electro/urban music enthusiasts, but the three-letter name is nonetheless legendary in the world of turntablism.
>Nataly Dawn – How I Knew Her CD/LP+CD (Nonesuch)
How I Knew Her, comprising 12 autobiographical, introspective songs by Dawn, was produced by her longtime partner Jack Conte. The album was recorded at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati, CA with a group of accomplished musicians including Ryan Lerman (Ben Folds, A Fine Frenzy) on electric guitar, mandolin, banjo, and acoustic guitar; David Piltch (k.d. lang, Bill Frisell, Bonnie Raitt) on upright bass; Louis Cole (Louis and Genevieve, Pomplamoose); and Matt Chamberlain (Brad Mehldau, Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Jon Brion) on drums.
>Day Joy – Got To Sleep, Mess CD/LP (Small Plates)
Beautiful lush dream folk landscapes caressed with crooning and heartfelt melodies and deep poetic lyricism.
>The Deer Tracks – The Archer Trilogy Pt. 3 CD/LP (The Control Group)
The Deer Tracks are an electronica duo, David Lehnberg and Elin Lindfors, who call Gavle, Sweden their home. These two versatile multi-instrumentalists and singers, handle every aspect of their music from writing to recording to production. On The Archer Trilogy Pt. 3; the band exhibits their signature sounds, Elin sings breathlessly over an anxious synthesizer melody and suddenly a hard-edged guitar riff snaps the song in two, only to fall away as strings and bass sweeps in for a soaring chorus.
>Dva Damas – Nightshade CD (Downwards America)
This L.A. duo mixes the western sounds of Ennio Morricone, the processed mechanics of late-'70s industrialists, and the heavy heartbeat and conceptual production of dub, exploring a territory somewhere between the spacious vistas of a Sergio Leone film and the claustrophobic, menace-filled spaces defined by masters like Stanley Kubrick.
>Fear Of Men – Early Fragments CD/LP+MP3 (Kanine)
Early Fragments is a compilation of singles and B-sides set out in reverse chronological order and packaged on marbled vinyl. Born of an art school project, Fear Of Men has turned into one of the most promising bands of 2013. Drawing their inspiration from art and philosophy, they deliberately juxtapose iconic museum imagery and lyrical themes of loneliness and fragmentation with buoyant pop melodies.
>The Bryan Ferry Orchestra – The Jazz Age CD/LP (BMG)
The Jazz Age is a step back to the classic jazz era of the 1920s. By re-recording hits with top jazz musicians, Ferry has given a new sound to his back catalog and the album includes hits such as "Don't Stop The Dance" and "Slave To Love."
>Foals – Holy Fire CD (WB)
Detroit. Willesden. Olympos, on the Greek island of Karpathos. The inside of our skulls. These are the places that make up Foals third album Holy Fire. Foals have stepped up from, as Yannis puts it, "songs for indie clubs" to something much, much bigger. Their third album might not sound like Depeche Mode or Nine Inch Nails, but it has much of the same ambitious spirit and grandiose aesthetic that led to those groups touching the lives of millions.
>Frontier Ruckus – Eternity Of Dimming 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Quite Scientific)
The 20 song strong Eternity Of Dimming is the closing chapter of Frontier Ruckus’ suburban memory landscape series, and is the embodiment of real things -- not of the world that now contains paper-thin computers and full length records clocking in at 25 minutes. This is the gorgeous and inevitable disintegration of all that we once knew ourselves by, blurring into the graininess of gradual dusk.
>Jacco Gardner – Cabinet Of Curiosities CD/LP (Trouble In Mind)
Debut album from the Dutch multi-instrumentalist and producer. Cabinet Of Curiosities deftly explores the loss of innocence in a far more accomplished and mature way than you would expect from a 24 year-old, fulfilling the promises made by his first two singles. His melodic palette colors music with a more UK-sensibility, where minor chords and plush harmonies brush up against strings, mellotrons, harpsichords and an occasional squeezebox. The overall feel is more Zombies than Left Banke and more Nirvana and Billy Nicholls than Beach Boys and Van Dyke Parks.
>Lisa Germano – No Elephants CD (Badman)
“No Elephants is a gorgeous album, but maybe the most interesting thing about it is the way it bites through the beauty. Unsettling lyrics and ominous noises pierce right through the surface loveliness, leaving it still lovely, but more dangerous than you thought.” -- Dusted
>Wanda Jackson - The Best Of The Capitol Singles CD (Omnivore)
The world can't get enough of that rockabilly wild woman these days. These singles Jackson cut for Capitol Records represent her best rockers and torch songs released between 1956 and 1963.
>Roger Knox & The Pine Valley Cosmonauts – Stranger In My Land CD/LP (Bloodshot)
Stranger In My Land is a collection of songs originally written by Aborigine artists who were Knox’s peers and predecessors; some tunes previously recorded but difficult to find as well as several unrecorded, handed-down folk songs (which without this recording, could have been lost forever). It is powerful and moving material, heartbreaking and hilarious, downtrodden and uplifting, suffused with longing, alienation, resilience and hope; universal themes arising out of largely unexplored context.
>Maston – Shadows CD/LP+MP3 (Trouble In Mind)
Imagine if David Lynch had set Twin Peaks in Malibu instead of the Northwest, and you'll start to peek inside the world of Maston. Brass, woodwinds, organs and piano mix with haunting melodies and eerie guitar lines that seem to spring forth from the very fingers of Alessandro Alessandroni himself. Maston plays all the instruments himself herein (save the harp, played by Ana Caravelle). This is a man who appreciates the historical musical tradition of the 1960s Los Angeles, and he succeeds without iron or pastiche.
>Mazes – Ores & Minerals CD (Fat Cat)
An eccentric, ambitious return that finds the band melding their scuzzy indie rock to primitive electronics.
>Pat Metheny – The Orchestrion Project 2xCD (Nonesuch)
The Orchestrion itself is an assemblage of computer-operated acoustic instruments, all controlled by Metheny's guitar. The full instrumental array includes several pianos, drum kits, marimbas, "guitar-bots," dozens of percussion instruments and even cabinets of carefully tuned bottles. Through Metheny's guitar, the instruments are struck, plucked, and otherwise played via the technology of solenoid switches and pneumatics. Metheny worked for months with a brilliant team of scientists and engineers to develop and assemble the Orchestrion.
>Joni Mitchell – Studio Albums 1968-1979 10xCD (Rhino)
Contains 10 of Mitchell's studio albums from 1968 to 1979 and includes her critically and commercially acclaimed albums Blue and Court And Spark.
>The Names – Swimming [Reissue/1982] CD/2xLP (Factory Benelux)
Between 1979 and 1982 The Names recorded a string of excellent records for Factory, Factory Benelux and Les Disques du Crepuscule, all helmed by legendary producer Martin Hannett. Recorded at Strawberry Studios in Manchester, Swimming has come to be regarded as a European cold wave classic, combining strong songwriting from Michel Sordinia and poised, tasteful delivery by guitarist Marc Deprez and keyboards player Christophe Den Tandt.
>Thenewno2 - Beautiful Creatures OST (Water Tower)
Beautiful Creatures: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the companion to the film directed by Oscar nominee Richard LaGravenese. It also includes two unreleased songs in the film from Thenewno2, including “Run To Me” with Ben Harper and Liela Moss (The Duke Spirit) and “Never Too Late” also featuring Liela Moss.
>Pissed Jeans – Honeys CD/LP (Sub Pop)
On Honeys, Pissed Jeans trucks in menacing songs about insecurity. The album is an ode to the misery and shackles of being a responsible adult, and the shame of one's own narcissism. Refined, but no less intense. Catchiness at Black Flag velocity.
>Placebo – Once More With Feeling: Singles 1995-2004 CD (UMe)
While Oasis and Blur may have been grabbing all the headlines at the height of the Britpop craze, Placebo were releasing hit singles and gaining a huge following that continues to this day. Once More With Feeling features the best of their singles from 1996 to 2004, including 13 Top 30 hits.
>Psychic Friend – My Rocks Are Dreams CD (Dangerbird)
With My Rocks Are Dreams, the debut album by his new group Psychic Friend, Will Schwartz updates California chamber or piano pop, aided by drummers Patty Schemel and Tripp Beam and instrumentalist/co-producer Bo Boddie. The result is the freshest and most personal chapter in Schwartz’s musical story, one that has ranged from the guitar pop of Imperial Teen to the D.I.Y. dance music of Hey Willpower.
>PVT – Homosapien CD/LP+MP3 (Felte/PVT)
The fourth album from PVT is a seamless collage of instruments, electronics, old keyboards, and machines, and sounds like pop music from some distant future where song craft is as important as glitz and glamour.
>The Rouge – Blurry CD (The Rouge)
After The Rouge moved to Nashville and started working with producers Adam Landry and Justin Collins (Deer Tick, k.d lang), they began using a very stripped-down approach, eschewing ProTools and other modern recording conveniences for an old-school, lets-do-it-in-one-take recording session. The songs took on a more organic feel, with warmer hues and an acoustic base.
>Ulrich Schnauss – A Long Way To Fall CD (Domino)
A Long Way To Fall marks German-born electronic artist Ulrich Schnauss' first solo album in six years and fourth studio album. It's a return to the punchier rhythms and pronounced lead work of his landmark 2003 album, A Strangely Isolated Place, while incorporating some new textures and sounds from his earlier sonic explorations. Vinyl version due March 19.
>Al Scorch & The Couthry Soul Ensemble – Tired Ghostly Town CD/LP (Orange Twin)
Tired Ghostly Town touches on the agile musicianship of country/bluegrass greats like Flatt & Scruggs & Bill Monroe while also incorporating the storytelling of such great artists as Woody Guthrie & Bob Dylan. Features Laura Carter (Elf Power/Neutral Milk Hotel).
>Stone Foxes – Small Fires CD/LP (INgrooves)
The core of any rock band worth their salt is a deep respect for the fundamentals a feel that's redolent of the scare-the-parents, back country, wild juke joint origins and an abiding drive to carve out one's own unique territory. The friction between these impulses is where good things happen, and it's the place San Francisco's The Stone Foxes have resided since their 2008 debut, young men dedicated to keeping rock engaged and succulently alive.
>S.U.N. – Something Unto Nothing CD (Waterfront)
S.U.N. is what you might refer to as a super group, with each member having been a part of several other bands that any music fan would know. Both guitarist Brian Tichy and bassist Michael Devin have played with Whitesnake (Tichy actually played drums), along with many other notables. Drummer Tommy Stewart has played with Godsmack and Fuel, and vocalist Sass Jordan is a multi-platinum selling Canadian artist and Juno Award winner.>Texas Is The Reason – Do You Know Who You Are? The Complete Collection CD (Revelation)
Complete recorded discography featuring the Do You Know Who You Are? LP and the s/t EP, as well as two B-sides never before on CD and two previously unreleased tracks. Vinyl version due March 12.
>Various Artists [Ben UFO] – FabricLive 67 CD (Fabric)
Born in London in 1986, Ben UFO is among a handful of specialist DJs who possess the talent, care and breadth of taste required to project their personality solely through other people’s records. Previously having released a well-received mix CD for Rinse FM, Ben used FabricLive 67 as an opportunity to represent Hessle Audio as a label, the nights that they run at Fabric, and the music that they stand for.
>Various Artists – Ultra Dance 14 2xCD (Ultra)
This double-disc package includes all the biggest dance/pop hits blowing up the charts now and impacting through 2012 from a collection of gold and platinum artists.
>Veronica Falls – Waiting For Something To Happen CD/LP (Slumberland)
The quartet easily throw off the tongue in cheek references to ghostly romances and suicides to elegantly distill the essence of an aimless twenty-something existence -- the collective anxieties, tensions and confusion of moving from adolescence into full-fledged adulthood -- into a set of immaculately conceived and perfectly wrought pop songs.
>The Virginmarys – King Of Conflict CD (Wind-Up)
British band The Virginmarys are a powerhouse trio who've spent the past two years tearing through Europe with a sound the BBC hailed as "raw, intoxicating rock and roll in the finest traditions of the genre." Kerrang! hailed the group with a four-star review, praising them for "channeling the pure rock grooves of Zeppelin; tight, explosive and wired."
>The Wonder Years – Sleeping On Trash: A Collection Of Songs Recorded 2005-2010 CD/LP (No Sleep)
An 18 track epic featuring various rarities, original demos, cover songs and more from the Philadelphia pop punkers.
Vinyl:
>Steve Adamyk Band – Third LP+MP3 (Dirtnap)
You could call this aptly titled third LP from Canada's Steve Adamyk Band aggressive pop/punk, keeping it tight and far from over-produced. The formula is simple -- no one is trying to reinvent the wheel. With that said they're staying clear of cheese and cliches.
>Battalion Of Saints – Second Coming [Reissue/1984] LP (Taang!)
Vinyl reissue of the masterful San Diego hardcore/punk/metal band’s 1984 release.
>Blurt - Live In Berlin 10”+7” (Factory Benelux)
Vinyl reissue of the debut album by frenetic post-punk outfit Blurt, originally issued in 1981.
>D.Y.S. – Brotherhood [Reissue/1983] LP (Taang!)
Brotherhood, the Boston hardcore classic debut album produced by legendary punk producer Lou Giordano, is back in print on vinyl.
>Goodly Thousands – Honest b/w I Wish 7” (Shelflife)
Goodly Thousands draw inspiration from many of the beloved UK guitar pop groups of the mid-‘80s.
>Green Day – ¡Tre!.LP (Reprise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Third and final installment in their album trilogy ¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tre!.
>La Big Vic – Cold War LP (Underwater Peoples)
Cold War hones in on the power of a soulful hook without forfeiting the cosmopolitanism that made its predecessor so unique. The arrangements are lusher and crisper than ever. More grounded in hip-hop beats and melodic synth leads than its predecessor.
>Led Zeppelin – Celebration Day 3xLP (Atlantic)
Now available on vinyl! On December 10, 2007, Led Zeppelin took the stage at London’s O2 Arena to headline a tribute concert for dear friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. What followed was a two-hour-plus tour de force of the band’s signature blues-infused rock ’n’ roll that instantly became part of the legend of Led Zeppelin.
>Pantha Du Prince/The Bell Laboratory – Elements Of Light LP (Rough Trade/Matador)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Elements Of Light is a logical continuation of Pantha Du Prince's previous work, but the music does in no way constitute a walk down beaten paths. The result of this unusual project is an original piece, crafted in the intersection between electronic elements and classical composition.
>Quitapenas – Mas Tropical b/w Que Te Pasa 7” (White Iris)
"My first live Quitapenas show was when they opened up for Fool's Gold at the Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park in downtown Los Angeles. They jammed backstage for hours before their set, jammed in the parking lot during the post-show load out, and then crashed my friend's party at midnight – set up in his living room and supplied the music for an all-night dance party! These are exactly the type of musicians I love to have in the White Iris studio…" – Lewis Pesacov
>Stereolab – Emperor Tomato Ketchup [Reissue/1996] 2xLP (1972)
Stereolab – Dots And Loops [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (1972)
Emperor Tomato Ketchup mines the music of the '60s & early '70s, as the band employs Farfisas and Moogs, melodies from Bacharach and Hardy, soft-rock, bubblegum, dub and hip-hop sounds to augment their core influences of krautrock, punk, jazz and space rock. Dots And Loops is Stereolab's fifth studio album and the first to completely ditch the motorik drone that had been a trademark since their inception; predominated by lush lounge and jazz textures, it showcases the band's most complex set of rhythms yet.
>tUnE-yArDs – tUnE-yArDs As Yoko 10” (Chimera Music)
tUnE-yArDs cover Yoko Ono's "We're All Water" and remix "Warrior Woman", with all proceeds to benefit charity. One-sided with etching on flip side.
>Uncle Kracker – Midnight Special LP (Sugarhill)
2012 album – now available on vinyl. New album from the singer/songwriter who has made a comfortable transition from rock/hip-hop to roots/country over the course of his career.
05 FEBRUARY 2013
>Airstrip – Willing CD/LP (Holidays For Quince)
Airstrip's guitar-driven ''Nightmare Pop'' is dark, hypnotic and strangely infectious.
>Terry Allen – Bottom Of The World CD (TLA)
Bottom Of The World is Terry Allen's first studio release in over 14 years. Widely heralded as a progressive artist of contemporary country music, Allen digs into modern-day concerns with a gutsy, liberal perspective, while maintaining a firm musical grounding in regional country and folk traditions.
>Apache Dropout – Magnetic Heads CD (Family Vineyard)
“Rawer and bleaker than last year’s Bubblegum Graveyard, the 10-track Magnetic Heads is a combination of two of their early cassette releases, 2008’s Cha Cha Cha and 2009’s Lysergic Caveman Choogle: Not For Pigs, originally released on Magnetic South Recordings. The songs are drenched in fuzz and echo with the occasional fiddle (!?) accompaniment.” – Tiny Mix Tapes. Vinyl version due March 5.
>Avant – Face The Music CD (Mo-B)
On his new album, Avant pulls inspiration from R&B legends such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Luther Vandross and Kenny Babyface Edmonds.
>Nils Bech – Look Inside CD/LP (Fysisk Format)
New album from the Norwegian art-pop eccentric: Idiosyncratic pop at its best. Look Inside is his darkest and most ambitious project so far. It is a journey through the different emotions and tensions of a relationship and involves the listeners through states of vulnerability and suspicion, but also joy and bliss.
>Bette Serveert – Oh, Mayhem! CD/LP (Second Motion)
“Like Wire, Bettie Serveert are only getting fiercer with age. The 50-something Dutch rockers, who found college-radio indie fame in the ‘90s, make a surprise return with an album big on catchy melodies and tough lyrics delivered forcefully by Carol van Dijk. Her strong voice (think Kim Deal or Liz Phair) remains the focal point, though wild guitars and thunderous drumming give Oh Mayhem the foundation it needs to soar.” – Now Toronto
>Bjork – Bastards CD/2x12” (One Little Indian)
Collection of remixed tracks from Bjork's 2011 album Biophilia. Features collaborations with Current Value, Death Grips, Hudson Mohawke, Alva Noto, Matthew Herbert, Omar Souleyman, 16-bit, These New Puritans, and The Slips.
>Boats – Fairway Full Of Miners CD (Kill Rock Stars)
There are still plenty of manic, sloppy-on-purpose junk-store pop tunes that burst with pop-rocks-and-Coke energy, but the new record also sees the band stretch out over more ambitious epics and heartfelt ballads.
>Erin Boheme – What A Life CD (Heads Up)
Sophomore album from the Wisconsin-based jazz vocalist. The album was produced by Michael Buble and features his touring band as her backing unit.
>Broadway Calls – Comfort/Distraction CD/LP (No Sleep)
Broadway Calls is a sometimes pop, sometimes punk, always ultra-catchy band hailing from Rainier, Oregon. Vinyl version due February 19.
>The Bronx – The Bronx (IV) CD/LP (ATO)
After two albums under the moniker Mariachi El Bronx, Los Angeles punks the Bronx are back with riotous riffs and howling, shout-along choruses on their fourth self-titled LP.
>Brother Lynch Hung – Mannibalector CD (Strange Music)
Sacramento, CA veteran emcee Brotha Lynch Hung wraps up his Strange Music trilogy.
>Terri Lyne Carrington – Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue CD (Concord Jazz)
The release of Grammy-winning drummer, composer and bandleader Terri Lyne Carrington’s homage to Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Max Roach is scheduled to coincide with the 50th anniversary of their iconic 1963 album Money Jungle.
>Cheatahs – Extended Plays CD/LP (Wichita)
Cheatahs present this compilation of their two 2012 EPs. The sound recalls the glory days of Shoegaze (Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine, The Boo Radleys, etc.), but with a level of songcraft so many of their contemporaries lack.
>Coheed And Cambria – The Afterman: Descension CD (Hundred Handed)
Second volume of their double concept album The Afterman. Musically, The Afterman series sees the band perfecting their powerhouse progressive rock, soul and even pop landscapes.
>Como Mamas – Get An Understanding CD/LP (Daptone)
There are only three instruments on this recording: the powerful, raspy voice of Ester Mae Smith, the deep soothing voice of Angela Taylor, and the energetic, spirited vocals of Della Daniels.
>Harry Connick Jr. – Smokey Mary CD (Sony)
Named after the famed New Orleans Mardi Gras parade float, Smokey Mary coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Krewe Of Orpheus, the Mardi Gras supergroup which Connick co-founded in 1993.
>Darkstar – News From Nowhere CD/2xLP (Warp)
News From Nowhere offers a brighter take on synth-driven pop. Its pace is more rapid, its chords more buoyant. There's still an eerie quality to Darkstar's music: ghostly chords waver in and out of tune, while reverb haunts many of the timbres here.
>Mark de Clive-Lowe & The Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra – Take The Space Trane CD (Tru Thoughts)
Take The Space Trane is a modern take on the big band sound, with orchestral jazz grooves and a nod to club productions. Alongside brand new original material, the album includes a cover of the classic Caravan as well as Mark de Clive-Lowe’s Masters At Work released tune, “Relax Unwind.”
>Robert Delong – Just Movement CD (Glassnote)
Having performed his genre-bending songs since 2010, Delong uses MIDI interfaces, a full drum set, drum pads, keyboards, laptops and game controllers, looping his music live to fuse electronic dance beats with striking melodies and lyrics with emotional heart.
>Dogbite – Velvet Changes CD/LP (Carpark)
After self-releasing his sample-based psych-folk records and sitting in the production chair for a few fellow Georgians, Phil Jones was picked up for a single and EP on the Young Turks label. Velvet Changes sees Jones eschewing samples and expanding his palette to incorporate the dreamy aesthetics often associated with vintage 4AD bands like A.R. Kane and Cocteau Twins.
>Eels – Wonderful, Glorious CD/2xCD/2x10” (Cobraside)
The tenth studio album from Eels and mastermind, E! It’s the first album to follow his highly successful trilogy Hombre Lobo, End Times, and Tomorrow Morning, which spanned eighteen months in total. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions.
>Feeding People – Island Universe CD/LP (Innovative Leisure)
Fresh off of recording their debut album (produced by Hanni El Khatib and Johnny Bell of Crystal Antlers), these teenagers from Orange County make some of the heaviest music around. It sounds like Jefferson Airplane meets Black Sabbath with one of the most powerful female voices in rock music since Janis Joplin and Grace Slick. Beautiful ballads with a dose of psychedelia.
>Fire! Orchestra – Exit! CD/LP (Rune Grammofon)
Fire! is a Swedish trio comprising Mats Gustafsson (The Thing), Johan Berthling (Tape) and drummer Andreas Werliin (Wildbirds & Peacedrums). Fire! is where they go to stretch their instrumental skills and to play outside their comfort zones, or collaborate with prestigious guests.
>Fonda – Sell Your Memories CD/LP (Minty Fresh)
Fuses classic pop hooks with kaleidoscopic shoegaze.
>Frank-N-Dank – 48 Hours [Reissue/2003] CD/LP/2xLP (Delicious Vinyl)
Reissue of the timeless underground classic debut of Frank-N-Dank – which is a strong first full length statement for the duo – and a significant milestone in the J Dilla production canon. It has more of a straight up, street ready rhyme style than was typical for Dilla productions at the time – with smoky, pulsing production and unpredictable beats.
>Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse CD (Atlantic)
“Pedestrian Verse sees Frightened Rabbit make a triumphant return to the magnificent songwriting present on their lauded second album, The Midnight Organ Fight. It’s all down to devices like the gorgeously raw, booming components of ‘The Woodpile’, with heavy, staggered drums accompanying a deep instrumental presence and an uncluttered, masterfully-composed guitar solo leading up to the final meaty chorus.” – The Line Of Best Fit. Vinyl version due February 12.
>Funeral For A Friend – Conduit CD (The End)
Seminal Welsh rock band release their sixth album, choosing again to work with producer Romesh Dodangoda after their success partnering on the bands last couple of records.
>Al Green – Love Songs Collection CD (Fat Possum)
Excellent collection of heart-warming recordings from one of the greatest Soul vocalists of the '70s (and of all time for that matter). 18 tracks including “Let's Stay Together,” “L-O-V-E (Love),” “Here I Am (Come And Take Me)” and many more.
>Josh Groban – All That Echoes CD (Reprise)
Groban co-wrote seven of the twelve tracks that appear on All That Echoes, which also includes five covers, including Stevie Wonder’s “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever),” Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová’s “Falling Slowly” (the Oscar-winning song from the film Once), and Jimmy Webb’s “The Moon’s A Harsh Mistress.” Special guests on the album include trumpet player Arturo Sandoval and Italian superstar vocalist Laura Pausini.
>Grouper – Dragging A Dead Dear Up A Hill [Reissue/2008] CD/LP (Kranky)
This album marked a departure of sorts for Liz, which sees her turn down the fuzz boxes which caged her sound and allows her voice to ring out above everything else a bit more than before. An album steeped in the world of dream-pop - a genre pioneered by the likes of Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil and far from shying away from the reference, Liz has instead grabbed on with both hands, creating an album's worth of perfect, left-field pop songs.
>Grouper – The Man Who Died In His Boat CD/LP (Kranky)
The Man Who Died in His Boat is an album of unreleased songs recorded alongside the Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill album. "On this wonderful, foggy dream of a record, Portland's Liz Harris has gone & bested nearly everything she's done as Grouper. Music this lovely could almost change the world." -- XLR8R
>Hayden – Us Alone CD/LP (Arts & Crafts)
Having spent nearly two decades creating uniquely affecting music defined by folk and rock flourishes, personal sentiment and a voice that channels Neil Young's falsetto highs and the wavering, raspy lows of Leonard Cohen, Hayden releases his seventh full length. Vinyl version due February 19.
>Helen Money – Arriving Angels CD (Profound Lore)
Avant-classical virtuoso cellist Alison Chesley's third album mixes classical composition and progressive, dirge-like metal, performed almost entirely on the cello.
>Jewel – Greatest Hits CD (Rhino)
Career-spanning collection that includes new recordings of two classic hits with guest vocalists: "Foolish Games" with Kelly Clarkson and "You Were Meant For Me" with the Pistol Annies.
>Jim James – Regions Of Light And Sound Of God CD/LP+MP3 (ATO)
Solo release from the My Morning Jacket frontman. Regions Of Light And Sound Of God was written, produced and all instruments performed by Jim James (with the exception of strings and percussion) in Louisville, KY. The music on the album is inspired by life and the novel in woodcuts Gods' Man by Lynd Ward.
>Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds – Conjure Man 7” (In The Red)
New single from veteran guitarist and former member of Gun Club, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and The Cramps precedes his upcoming new full-length album Haunted Head. Two exclusive tracks. B-side is a Seeds cover.
>Erkin Koray – Elektronik Turkuler [1974] CD/LP (Pharaway Sounds)
Erkin Koray – Arap Saci [1976] 2xCD/2xLP (Pharaway Sounds)
Master of the fuzz saz, Turkey's answer to Eric Clapton brings his burly axe attacks to the snaky folk melodies of Anatolia. Long proven to cause just the brain-rot you're looking for, here are a few collections taken from singles and LPs for your acid-drenched pleasure.
>Fela Kuti – The Best Of The Black President 2 2xCD/2xCD+DVD/LP (Knitting Factory)
This second volume includes more of Kuti’s finest recordings spanning his entire career. Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a bonus DVD.
>Tim McGraw – Two Lanes Of Freedom CD (Big Machine)
New album available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds bonus tracks. Vinyl version due March 26.
>Abbass Mehrpouya – Soul Raga: Anthology 2xCD/3xLP (Pharaway Sounds)
Compilation from Iranian sitarist, collected from several 45s and his sole LP released between 1968-1976.
>Mumford & Sons – Babel [Gentlemen Of The Road Edition] 2xCD+DVD/2xCD+DVD+LP+MP3 (Glassnote)
Live performance recorded at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado in summer 2012, bundled with a copy of last year’s Babel and the Road To Red Rocks DVD. A Special Deluxe adds a copy on vinyl and a 96-page book.
>Night Beds – Country Sleep CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
Think of a space between Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon, Red House Painters), Gram Parsons and the dreamier side of My Morning Jacket; a heavenly place of pure country soul.
>Jenny O. – Automechanic CD/LP (Holy Trinity)
Tracks off her demo, the Home EP, were licensed for campaigns by Subaru, Toyota, Roxy, and Target, TV shows like True Blood, Wilfred, Off The Map, and the video game Rocksmith. Soul legend James Gadson plays drums, Jake Blanton of The Killers plays bass.
>Mike Oldfield – Tubular Beats CD (Eagle Rock)
Tubular Beats contains Mike Oldfield's greatest hits remixed in collaboration with the multi-platinum German producer Torsten York Stenzel (whose credits include Tina Turner, Moby and more).
>Matt Pond – The Lives Inside The Lines In Your Hand CD/LP (BMG)
New album from the Philadelphia-born singer/songwriter. The Lives Inside The Lines In Your Hand is the follow-up to The Dark Leaves (2010). Removing the 'PA' that has accompanied his name for nearly a decade, this is his first official solo release.
>Rio En Medio – Peace Sequence CD (Womens Work)
Nine reveries on a borrowed Martin guitar, several of which feature veteran koto master Shoko Hikage. Also guesting on organs on two songs is psychedelic multi-instrumentalist Nathan Shineywater.
>Roxy Music – The Complete Studio 1972-1982 Recordings 10xCD (Virgin)
The Complete Studio Recordings includes each of the eight Roxy Music studio albums released in the ten-year period of 1972-1982, plus two discs of rare bonus tracks.
>Ron Sexsmith – Forever Endeavour CD (MRI)
Ron Sexsmith isn’t a superstitious man, otherwise he wouldn’t have waited for his 13th album to make what he says is his most personal to date. Forever Endeavour shows the singer/songwriter reflecting on themes of mortality and mutability with his usual gift for incisive writing, all wrapped in an orchestrated wall of guitar, woodwinds and brass.
>Wayne Shorter – Without A Net CD (Blue Note)
Without A Net consists of live recordings from the Wayne Shorter Quartet's European tour in late 2011, the one exception being the 23-minute tone poem “Pegasus” which features the quartet with The lmani Winds recorded at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
>Silverstein – This Is How The Wind Shifts CD/LP (Hopeless)
A concept album that showcases the bands innovative ability, This Is How The Wind Shifts musically picks up right where the band last left off, showcasing darker, more aggressive sounds and textures while staying true to the soaring melodies the band is known for.
>Ballaké Sissoko – At Peace CD (Six Degrees)
The second collaboration with French trip hop cellist Vincent Ségal, who has played with Cesaria Evora and Blackalicious. Sissoko plays the kora, a lute-harp indigenous to Mali and together the two musicians forge a global approach to chamber music that results in a classical style with a fresh edge. The record also features Malian players on guitar, balafon and ngoni, the African ancestor of the banjo.
>The Spinto Band – Cool Cocoon CD/LP (Spintonic)
“The key to The Spinto Band sound is that, regardless of your mood, they will put a smile on your face. The lead single ‘Shake It Off’ is laid back yet invigorating melodic trip. ‘What I Love’ is a gorgeous ode that's seems destined to be a wedding staple for those in the know. Meanwhile, few hooks are as sharp of dig as deeply as the ones you'll hear coming your way on ‘Enemy.’” – Snob’s Music
>Chris Stamey – Lovesick Blues CD/2xLP+CD (Yep Roc)
This project was inspired by Stamey's work arranging and performing the Big Star Third shows. Many of the musicians, including members of The Old Ceremony, who have collaborated on those shows, play on Lovesick Blues. There are strings, horns, acoustic guitars and big harmonies. This is a late night/early morning record -- mellow, moody pop.
>The Stark Reality – Acting Thinking Feeling 3xCD (Now Again)
Three-disc set of psychedelic jazz, restored and remastered from the original tapes. Contains the entire Discovers Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop, the 1969 album Acting, Thinking, Feeling, and a bonus disc of previously unreleased tracks.
>Taj Mahal – Complete Columbia Albums Collection 15xCD (Sony Legacy)
Set contains thirteen albums, including what many consider Mahal's finest work, chronicling his recording career from its inception to worldwide acclaim. Also includes The Hidden Treasures Of Taj Mahal 1969-1973 which adds a full disc of previously unreleased studio material and a second disc which premiers a live concert recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in London on April 18, 1970.
>Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - We The Common CD/LP (Ribbon)
“Produced by John Congleton, your go-to studio hand for musicians who stuff their songs with surprises, We The Common finds room for a fellow iconoclast in Joanna Newsom; in the shuffling ‘Kindness Be Conceived,’ the two find middle ground between Nguyen's hookiness and Newsom's eccentricity. But there's always been room for both of those qualities in any given Thao Nguyen song, where playful punches to the upper arm so often turn into body blows at a moment's notice.” – Stephen Thompson (NPR)
>Richard Thompson – Electric CD/2xCD/2xLP (New West)
The guitar and folk music legend returns with a brand new studio album, produced by Buddy Miller. Electric was made at Buddy Miller’s home studio in Nashville, TN, and features Alison Krauss on the song "The Snow Leopard." Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features an additional disc with seven bonus tracks.
>Tosca – Odeon CD/2xLP (!K7)
If geography has an impact on music, then Vienna has colored Tosca's music at every turn. Over the course of a career spanning two decades, the Austrian capital has inspired Richard Dorfmeister (of Kruder & Dorfmeister fame) and Rupert Huber to make electronic mood pieces colored with Mitteleuropean melancholy.
>Unknown Mortal Orchestra – II CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
II builds on the break-beat, junk-shop charm the 32-year-old multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ruban Nielson came to be renowned for following Unknown Mortal Orchestra's self-titled 2011 debut, and signals the solidification of the band's position as an endlessly intriguing, brave psychedelic band. UMO is unafraid to dig deeper than the rest to lock into their intoxicating, opiate groove and bring rock & roll's exaggerated myths to life.
>Townes Van Zandt – Sunshine Boy: The Unheard Studio Sessions & Demos 1971-1972 2xCD (Omnivore)
A double-CD set of previously unavailable music from the Texas singer/songwriter's classic
albums High, Low & In Between and The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Disc One features
outtakes and alternate takes/mixes of tracks from the sessions for those LPs; Disc Two highlights
solo demos. 28 tracks total.
>Various Artists – L.I.E.S. Presents: American Noise 2xCD (L.I.E.S.)
Double-disc compilation of out-of-print tracks and new and unreleased material from Long Island Electrical System's stable of modern underground electronic music.
>Various Artists – Tisheh O Risheh: Funk Psychedelia Pop CD/2xLP (Pharaway Sounds)
Third compilation of Iranian pop from the 1970s. Features totally remastered tracks spanning Western rock blasters, gypsy fiddles, crime jazz piano and Abba knock-offs.
>When Nalda Became Punk – A Farewell To Youth CD (Shelflife)
Spaniard Elena Sestelo started WNBP as a solo project in 2006. Inspired by the classics (Dolly Mixture, Heavenly, and Helen Love) as well as some of Spain's finest (Moving Pictures, La Pequena Suiza, and Vacaciones), Elena's vocals simply shine over the jangly guitars and playful synths and drum machines. Their songs are quirky and fresh, with plenty of spirit.
DVD + Blu-ray:
>Mumford & Sons – The Road To Red Rocks (The Film) DVD/Blu-ray (Glassnote)
The English folk rock band captured live in performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado in summer 2012. As well as footage of the concert itself the journey of the band to Red Rocks is explored, from their humble origins in the West London music scene to their ability to sell out the spectacular 10,000 capacity open-air amphitheater. 88 minutes.
>Olivia Wyatt – Pierced Heart & The Machete DVD (Sublime Frequencies)
Latest chapter in Sublime Frequencies' stunning Folk Cinema series. A vivid, unflinching exploration of two annual Vodou pilgrimages in Haiti.
Vinyl:
>1991 – High Tech High Life LP (Boomkat Editions)
Vinyl version of 2012 album, originally released on cassette on Opal Tapes. 1991 is reminiscent of Boards of Canada, Oneohtrix Point Never, JD Emmanuel and the hauntological afterglow of Pye Corner Audio or Grouper's instrumentation.
>Bad Indian – Are On The Other Side LP (CQ)
This Michigan band brings their brand of rust belt garage, psych, jangle and rock & roll over 13 tracks on their second full-length. ‘60s style punk rave-ups, organ laced c86 jangle, haunting ballads and psych freak-outs.
>Bong – Mana-Yood-Sushai [2011] LP (Ritual Productions)
HQ-180 vinyl version of UK stoner rock/doom metal outfit's 2011 album.
>Circuit Des Yeux – CDY3 10” (Magnetic South/Family Vineyard)
The focus remains Fohr's haunted, mournful melodies, where the edges of her voice twist toward inner conflict and white light aggression, and intricate feedback architecture of her guitar playing.
>Matthew Dear – Fighting Is Futile 12” (Spectral Sound)
Third single off Beams, accompanied by four remixes from Seth Troxler, Kink, Benoit & Sergio, and Laid Back.
>Gehenna – Negotium Perambulans In Tenebris [2000] LP+MP3 (A389)
Pure raw brutality, seething with primitive fury and laying waste with barbaric execution. For fans of Integrity, Infest and Hellhammer.
>God’s America – Our Bones Will Bleach In The Sun 7”+MP3 (A389)
Crushing and abrasive powerviolence/grindcore from Las Vegas. For fans of Infest, Phobia, and Magrudergrind.
>Adam Green/Binki Shapiro - Adam Green/Binki Shapiro LP (Rounder)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With deceptively pretty arrangements that echo filigreed late-sixties folk-pop and an easygoing rapport between singers, this duets collaboration between Adam Green (Moldy Peaches) and Binki Shapiro takes just one listen to enchant. Both artists are notable figures among indie-pop fans, cherished for their off-kilter sensibility (him) and elegantly quirky style (her).
>Gunman & The Holy Ghost – Things To Regret Or Forget LP (A. Records)
From The Third Sound frontman comes this gem of a solo album, melancholic songs that echo Spiritualized, religious dialogs and alt-country music.
>Hank IV – Depravity’s Rainbow b/w Your Mind Is A Disco 7” (Holy Mountain)
Recorded in a lacerating hi-fidelity previously unheard on their other 7” singles, “Depravity’s Rainbow” is something of an alternate-universe rock ’n’ roll pop hit vista for Hank IV. But these songs aren’t any sort of gauzy or hazy faux-California summer jams—this is some straight up TV-MA-LSV sh!t and the screen’s inside your eyelids.
>Haunted Hearts – Something That Feels Bad Is Something That Feels Good 7” (Zoo Music)
Debut single from lead members of Dum Dum Girls and Crocodiles. Sounds like a 50/50 split between the two.
>J Dilla – 48 Hours Instrumentals 10” [Reissue/2003] (Delicious Vinyl)
Vinyl LP pressing of J. Dilla's beats used for the Frank-N-Dank album 48 Hours. This 2003 album was produced by the late J. Dilla and shelved for a decade.
>J. Dilla – Music From The Lost Scrolls 1 10” (Delicious Vinyl)
Last year, Dilla’s estate announced plans to release more previously-unheard music from the dearly departed producer via a series of releases under the umbrella The Lost Scrolls. The release notes promise that “the beats are prime, vintage Dilla start to finish,” and that the songs also feature Dilla on the mic.
>Ladyfinger (NE) – Errant Forms LP+CD (Saddle Creek)
Mixes early ‘70s classic rock with punk and hardcore of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Available as a limited edition (of 500) LP, pressed on clear vinyl. LP jacket includes 3D elements which can be viewed with included glasses. LP also includes copy of entire album on CD. Recorded at ARC Studios by Matt Bayles (Minus the Bear, Cursive, Mastodon).
>Left For Dead – Devoid Of Everything LP+MP3 (A389)
Collects Left For Dead’s entire studio recorded output from 1996-1997, taken from the original 1/4" multi track reels. Featuring members of legendary Canadian hardcore band Chokehold, whose members went on to form Cursed, The Swarm, Haymaker, Pick Your Side and Burning Love. CD version due February 19.
>My Chemical Romance – Number Five 7” (Reprise)
The final of the five releases which features "Surrender The Night" and "Burn Bright”. These are unreleased tracks that were recorded prior to Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys.
>Thee Open Sex – Thee Open Sex LP (Magnetic South/Family Vineyard)
With their first proper full length, Thee Open Sex approach the midwestern American alienation of Rocket From The Tombs as reductionists, aligning with German art rock robotics from the viewpoint of John Lydon.
>Ugandan Methods – A Cold Retreat 12” (Boomkat)
Trio of noise techno neologisms by producers Regis and Ancient Methods.
>Umberto – Confrontations LP (Not Not Fun)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Kansas City’s goblin king of neo-Giallo, brood-blooded dark fantasy soundtracking returns with his third official full-length, two years after the badass psychodrama of Prophecy Of The Black Widow.
>UUVVWWZ – The Trusted Language LP+CD (Saddle Creek)
An avant-blues quartet from Lincoln, NE. The Trusted Language aspires to braid music theory with experimental poetry, which functions as a conduit toward a schizo-cultural critique and embodied project. Skronk-tastic.
>Various Artists – Your Victorian Breasts 2xLP+MP3 (Three Four)
Collection of 20 unreleased tracks by the likes of Alastair Galbraith, Black To Comm, Arp, Pigeons, Ignats, Alvarius B, William Tyler, Supreme Dicks, Filipe Felizardo, Hamilton Yarns, and Circuit Des Yeux. It also hosts three new collective projects: Mendrugo (featuring Josephine Foster joining forces with husband Victor Herrero, Jose Luis Herrero, Jose Luis Rico and Takuhiko Nochimoto); Raajmahal, the reunion of Pat Murano (No-Neck Blues Band), Carla Baker, and Santa Wolanczyk; and Syracuse Ear, a first-class improv gathering featuring David Maranha, Chris Corsano, Manuel Mota, and Margarida Garcia.
>Weekend Nachos – Watch You Suffer 7”+MP3 (A389)
Two brand new tracks from Chicago's reigning champions of hardcore/powerviolence. B-side exclusive to this single. For fans of Despise You, Infest, and Magrudergrind.
29 JANUARY 2013
>Amor De Dias – The House At Sea CD/LP+MP3 (Merge)
Second album from Alasdair MacLean (Clientele) and Lupe Nunez-Fernandez (Pipas). The fast pace of the sessions resulted in a rawer, more urgent album, recorded on vintage ‘70s valve equipment with a feeling for space and a deliberately limited palette, all the elements of which had to count. The theme of the sea threads its way throughout the record along with a gentle sense of drifting and departure, of being lost, of saudade -- a sadness at lost things.
>Bleeding Rainbow – Yeah Right CD/LP (Kanine)
Philly's favorite indie-pop duo, formerly known as Reading Rainbow, is now a full-blown rock quartet. Yeah Right is the follow up to their 2010 breakout Prism Eyes, and it has a much bigger sound directly influenced by the band's teenage musical taste: Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Nirvana and Yo La Tengo (to name a few).
>Buke & Gase – General Dome CD/LP (Brassland)
New York skronk pop duet Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez (and their homemade instruments) make up the indefinable band Buke & Gase. Their new album, General Dome, was recorded with the instruments that make up their name: a “buke” (a baritone ukulele) and a “gase” (a guitar-bass hybrid).
>Eric Burdon – ‘Til Your River Runs Dry CD/LP (ABKCO)
The lead singer of The Animals returns with his most personal album to date.
>Gabriele Coen – Yiddish Melodies In Jazz CD (Tzadik)
Tapping into modern Yiddish swing, Coen's exciting arrangements and fabulous band has created a true melting pot music, bringing together a variety of jazz styles in this beautiful and lyrical collection.
>Cult Of Luna – Vertikal CD (Density/Workhorse)
Sixth studio album from the Swedish powerhouse and first for Density/Workhorse. Vertikal is thematically influenced by the classic film Metropolis: a hypnotic backdrop of machinery and repetition. Vinyl version due February 5.
>Brett Dennen – Definitive Collection CD (Dualtone)
Celebrates Dennen's already impressive body of work and includes the best work from these past releases as well as three tracks never before released on CD.
>Destiny’s Child – Love Songs CD (Sony Legacy)
Generally known for their dance floor pop and R&B anthems, Destiny's Child demonstrate their equally compelling command of contemporary torch songs and ballads throughout Love Songs, which is comprised mainly of romantic gems recorded between 1997 and 2004
>Ducktails – The Flower Lane CD/LP (Domino)New album from the increasingly less solo endeavor of Matt Mondanile (guitarist from Real Estate). The Flower Lane was recorded and mixed over the summer of 2012 with Al Carlson (Peaking Lights, Oneohtrix Point Never) and includes contributions from members of Big Troubles, Oneohtrix Point Never, Ford + Lopatin, Real Estate and Cults.
>The El Caminos – Get To The Top CD/LP (Uncle Punk)
These Atlanta punk rockers have causing trouble for close to 20 years.
>Fiction Family – Fiction Family Reunion CD (Rock Ridge)
Fiction Family Reunion sees Jon Foreman (Switchfoot) and Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) offering up their blend of folk, pop, and songcraft.
>Fleetwood Mac – Rumors [Expanded Edition] 3xCD/4xCD+DVD+LP (WB)
Expanded triple-disc edition includes the original 1977 album and the B-side "Silver Springs," a dozen unreleased live recordings from the group’s ‘77 world tour, and an entire disc filled with unreleased takes from the album’s recording sessions. Also available: a Super Deluxe edition which features an additional 18-track compilation of session outtakes originally released in the 2004 reissue of the album, the original album on 140-gram vinyl, and a DVD with “The Rosebud Film." This 1977 documentary by Michael Collins includes interviews, rehearsal footage and live performances. Cocaine not included.
>Ryan Francesconi/Mirabai Peart – Road To Palios CD (Cooperative Music)An exquisite cycle of instrumental duets for acoustic guitar and violin by Portland-based composer and mult-instrumentalist Ryan Francesconi (Joanna Newsom) and his partner, Mirabai Peart. Vinyl version due March 5.
>Adam Green/Binki Shapiro - Adam Green/Binki Shapiro CD (Rounder)
With deceptively pretty arrangements that echo filigreed late-sixties folk-pop and an easygoing rapport between singers, this duets collaboration between Adam Green (Moldy Peaches) and Binki Shapiro takes just one listen to enchant. Both artists are notable figures among indie-pop fans, cherished for their off-kilter sensibility (him) and elegantly quirky style (her). Vinyl version due February 5.
>Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite – Get Up! CD/CD+DVD/LP (Stax)
Ben Harper has teamed with renowned harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite to create a piercing song-cycle of struggle and heart.
>Hatebreed – The Divinity Of Purpose CD/LP (Razor & Tie)
Sixth album from the metalcore stalwarts.
>Hey Ocean! – Is CD (Nettwerk)
Third album from the Vancouver-based trio. CBC Music called the single “Big Blue Wave,” with its infectious hook and captivating melodies, the band's crossover hit. Elsewhere on the record, "Make Up A New Dance" shimmies and shakes with a snappy guitar and propulsive beat, while the band beautifully captures longing on the poetic and poignant "Islands." Vinyl version due February 12.
>Lena Hughes – Queen Of The Flat Top Guitar CD (Tompkins Square)
Impossibly rare recordings by the legendary finger-picker. Vinyl version due March 5.
>Lee Hyla – My Life On The Plains CD (Tzadik)
Combines the complexity of atonal classical concert music with the energy of experimental jazz, rock and improvised music.
>Indians – Somewhere Else CD/LP (4AD)
Indians is the musical alter ego of Copenhagen's Soren Lokke Juul. “He's already cultivated a delicate and distinct sound. He hits a few familiar indie-pop reference points as he works his way through Somewhere Else -- Bon Iver's wounded melancholy, The Shins' sweetly soaring grace -- but Juul finds a way to swirl them all together, seal the mix in a time capsule and send it hurtling into the cosmos.” – NPR
>Kris Kristofferson – Feeling Mortal CD (KK Records, LLC)
The third Don Was-produced album in Kristofferson’s twilight years trilogy.
>Local Natives – Hummingbird CD/LP (Frenchkiss)
Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe comes with bonus tracks, printed inner sleeves and two fold-out posters in a die-cut slipcase. Shining opener "You & I" is the album's calling card, bathing synthetic drums in warm organs and surfy guitars, and the band's signature sky-high harmonies.
>Lisa Loeb – No Fairy Tale CD (429)
Lisa Loeb's (you know, the “Stay (I Missed You” single from Reality Bites) first rock album in 8 years.
>Lost Animal – Lost Tropical CD/LP (Hardly Art)
Jarrod Quarrell uses his keyboard to explore new sounds and evoke distant locations. Magnificently catchy pop songwriting and expansive drone soundscapes; booming rhythms and slow-burning nods towards the ecstatic. Quarrell is joined by bassit ShagsChamberlain and producer John Lee, who contributed some guitar, percussion, and synthesizers.
>Mice Parade – Candela CD/LP (Fat Cat)
Heady moments of pop brilliance amongst abstract, restrained eloquence.
>Ninetail – The Vultures Are Circling CD (Hand/Eye)
The Vultures Are Circling finds the band in top form, dealing out plenty of the aggressive metal they have always been known for, plus rapid fire drums and tremolo picking alternate with moments inspired by classical music and even lute-guitar interludes.
>On An On – Give In CD/LP (City Slang)
On An On's ten-track debut album is a dream-washed textural journey armed with a biting perspective on life, love, and the commonality of loss. It is an affair that sizzles with electricity and calls one in with its unnerved openness. In the studio, the band members explored a natural chemistry and honed their sound; synthesizers, scattershot electro beats and ambient ear candy gave guitars, bass and drums a ghostly sheen.
>Jeffrey Osborne – A Time For Love CD (Saguaro Road)
Over 30 years after creating some of the biggest hits in R&B together, Jeffrey Osborne and George Duke have reunited, taking on classic love songs and pop standards in A Time For Love.
>The Resistance – Rise From Treason CDEP/7” (Eagle Rock)
The Resistance is not a super-group, or a side project. It is a band; it's a gang, embracing the musical attitude and sounds of Swedish old school metal and the old "no compromise" values of hardcore.
>Rock Candy Funk Party – We Want Groove CD+DVD (J&R Adventures)
New project featuring guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Tal Bergman (Billy Idol, Joe Bonamassa, LL Cool J, Rod Stewart), bassist Mike Merritt (The Basic Cable Band on Conan), guitarist Ron DeJesus (Planet Funk), and keyboardist Renato Neto (Prince). We Want Groove is an instrumental record, bringing in sounds from jazz, funk and rock that captures the vibe of the early ‘70s and ‘80s. Vinyl version due February 5.
>Ruby Suns – Christopher CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
On Christopher, band-leader Ryan McPhun runs with his enthusiasm for the ecstatic dance-floor energy of Scandinavian gloss-pop; McPhun has stopped thinking so much and joined the party. McPhun and A-list engineer Chris Coady (Beach House, Grizzly Bear, Gang Gang Dance) spent two weeks in NYC polishing Christopher to an opalescent sheen, yielding the kind of expensive-sounding, future-leaning ear candy typically in the province of Top 40 radio.
>Matthew Shipp – Greatest Hits CD (Thirsty Ear)
One of the most consistently brilliant pianists of his generation, Matthew Shipp's Greatest Hits is his compendium of essential listening. The singular energy Shipp brings to the piano easily ranges from a sweaty punk band, to reflective and melodic to beats and programming.
>Swing Out Sister – Private View CD+DVD (So)
An intimate, jazzy, mainly acoustic re-imagining of some of their most popular songs such as
"Breakout," "Are You The Same Girl" and "La La Means I Love You" as well as newer material such as "Now That You’re Not Here," "Incomplete Without You," and "Flowers Will Grow."
>Tall Firs – Out Of It And Into It CD/LP+MP3 (Frenchkiss)
Out Of It And Into It is sort of like if country blues never detoured through Chicago on its way to Electric Avenue, or like two people playing Gamelan melodies on the same piano whilst narrating the end of the world in loose harmony. Also available on white vinyl with download card that unlocks five additional bonus tracks, all cover versions.
>Tegan & Sarah – Heartthrob CD/LP+CD (WB)
Hearththrob represents not just a different sound, but a whole new way of making music for the sister duo. For the first time, they actually wrote a lot of the songs together, and then surrendered creative control to three different producers and a handful of outside musicians.
>Tomahawk – Oddfellows CD/LP (Ipecac)
Fourth album from rock supergroup, comprised of Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, etc.), Duane Denison (Jesus Lizard), John Stanier (Helmet, Battles) and new bassist Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, etc.).
>Stevie Ray Vaughan – Texas Flood [30 Anniversary Collection] 2xCD (Sony Legacy)
Features the complete 1983 album Texas Flood plus a never-released concert performance by Stevie Ray And Double Trouble from Philadelphia that same summer.
>Trixie Whitley – Fourth Corner CD (Strong Blood)
New album from the Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter. Whitley burst into public consciousness in 2011 as the lead singer of Black Dub, super-producer Daniel Lanois' (U2, Bob Dylan) project.
>Charles Wilson – Love, Charlie CD (RCA)
New album from the R&B icon. Wilson, whose career began with his brothers as the incomparable and funky Gap Band, has been enjoying an extraordinary solo career which includes two Grammy nominations for each of his last two albums, Uncle Charlie and Just Charlie.
>John Zorn - Filmworks XXV: City Of Slaughter/Schmatta/Beyond The Infinite CD (Tzadik)
Three radically different pieces for solo piano.
Vinyl:
>Dicks – Peace? 7” (Alternative Tentacles)
The three-track Peace? 7” was the first release from the reconstituted Dicks and revealed the unit to be as intimidating as ever. Alternative Tentacles is proud to present this essential document of 1980s punk, remastered with love by Jello Biafra.
>Dropout Patrol – Dropout Patrol LP (Exotic Fever)
Formerly the solo project of singer-songwriter Jana Sotzko from Berlin, Germany. First self-titled album after 10 years of existence finds Jana paired with three close friends to deliver an album full of beautifully interspersed pictures and personal observations.
>Feeling Of Love - La Peur Est Un Illusion: Singles 2006-08 LP (Captcha)
Before this Metz, France combo was fully formed it was the work of one man, who cranked out 5 7"s in the space of two years. Later two more members were added and the group cut their first full-length album. This compilation is the story of those hard to find pieces of wax finally coalesced into one LP. Taking 12 tracks from five early singles and adding two unreleased songs this is a release for the completest or newcomer alike.
>Fidlar – Fidlar LP+MP3 (Mom + Pop)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Any given song will give you a Germs influenced guitar solo, the catchy "Ooo's" and "Ah's" of the Misfits, and lyrics in the same family as Black Flag's Six Pack and TV Party. Surfier, faster, more fuzzed-out, more personal and a lot more drunk.
>Hands – I Want To Know b/w Exactly Sharp 7” (White Iris)
Music like a rip tide, swirling in overlapping loops and riffs, slowly enveloping you. Often within the same song, they move from rock to synth-pop to skyrocketing stadium anthem.
>Harouki Zombi – Objet Petit A 2x7”+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Brainchild of Nina Barnes (Of Montreal) and Orenda FInk (Azure Ray). Four original tracks and two remixes. Purple vinyl.
>Albert King – The Big Blues [Reissue/1962] LP (Sundazed)
Freddie King – Goes Surfin’ [Reissue/1963] LP (Sundazed)
HQ-180 vinyl from the original King mono masters.
>The Kustom Kings – Kustom City U.S.A. [Reissue/1964] LP (Sundazed)
HQ-180 vinyl reissue of the long lost hot-rod classic featuring Bruce Johnston.
>Led Zeppelin – Celebration Day 3xLP (Atlantic)
Now available on vinyl! On December 10, 2007, Led Zeppelin took the stage at London’s O2 Arena to headline a tribute concert for dear friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. What followed was a two-hour-plus tour de force of the band’s signature blues-infused rock ’n’ roll that instantly became part of the legend of Led Zeppelin.
>The Lewis Connection – The Lewis Connection LP (Numero)
With insurance money from a recently overturned Buick Century, brothers Andre and Pierre Lewis went on a recording tear through the Twin Cities in '78, cutting a half-dozen songs in as many studios. Combining the astrosexuality of Parliament with the sophisticated flammability of Earth, Wind & Fire, their misspelled debut captures the Minneapolis Sound's founding fathers -- Prince among them -- at the paradigm-shifting confluence of funk, jazz, and pop for which the Land Of 10,000 Lakes is famed.
>Lord Of The Isles – Gee Chic/Radio Lollipop 12” (Catune)
Born in Scotland, Neil McDonald (Lord Of The Isles) is a DJ/producer that suddenly rose up in the Disco/Balearic scene in 2010, with a bag full of original tracks and re-edits.
>The Missing Links – The Missing Links [Reissue/1965] LP+7” (Sundazed)
HQ-180 vinyl reissue includes The Links Unchained, the band's mega-rare 1966 EP. “The best cuts, ‘Wild About You,’ ‘Some Kinda Fun,’ ‘You're Drivin' Me Insane,’ ‘Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut,’ and ‘Speak No Evil,’ are tremendous '60s punk, with blistering, feedback-ridden guitar and cord-shredding vocals.” – AllMusic
>Om – Conference Of The Birds [Reissue/2006] LP (Holy Mountain)
Picture disc version! Comprised of two songs that build on their use of cyclical rhythm, riff and vocal intonation, Om’s 2006 album blends metal, chant, drone, dub and psychedelia.
>Pantha Du Prince/The Bell Laboratory – Elements Of Light LP (Rough Trade/Matador)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Elements Of Light is a logical continuation of Pantha Du Prince's previous work, but the music does in no way constitute a walk down beaten paths. The result of this unusual project is an original piece, crafted in the intersection between electronic elements and classical composition.
>Radar Brothers – Eight LP+CD (Merge)
Featuring an expanded band of brothers including Stevie Triechel and Be Hussey from The Illustrated Garden as well as new members Dan Iead (Cass McCombs, The Broken West) on guitar/pedal steel, Brian Cleary on keyboards and Ethan Walter on piano and synthesizers. Between the two keyboards and Iead and Putnam s guitars, the band orchestrates a swirling fervor that glides over Triechel and Hussey s rhythmic aggressions.
>The See See – The Rain & The Snow b/w Snowdrop 7” (Sundazed)
Debut US single from prolific UK psych-pop ensemble -- a melancholic, gray sky entreaty to a fading love, laced with electric guitar filigrees, insistent organ and a stoic drumbeat bearing witness to heartbreak.
>Simo – Shake It b/w AOH 7” (Sundazed)
Nashville-based power trio featuring multi-talented axeman J.D. Simo – a player who can float a gentle, lilting line and then launch a ferocious fretboard attack in the space of a few measures.
>Sonny Smith – 100 Records 3 LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
In 2010, Sonny Smith invited 100 artists to design album covers for 100 fictional bands, while Smith recorded the music for these imagined records. Now available for the first time on vinyl, 100 Records Vol. 3 is the third (and final) installment to be officially released from this ambitious project. White vinyl.
>Sweet Apple – Wish You Could Stay A Little Longer b/w Traffic 7” (Outer Battery)
The first single from Sweet Apple's forthcoming LP is a power pop monster. Features J Mascis pulling double duty on both drums and lead guitar and a duet with Mark Lanegan. Blue vinyl.
>Various Artists – Columbian Blend CD (AEMMP)
Four bands created nearly overnight, each writing and recording one song in a matter of six days. That's what Columbia College's students have been up to on Columbian Blend -- which is also the name of the student run label. Includes four tracks, mixing R&B, folk, funk & acoustic pop/rock into one eclectic EP.
>Wiz Khalifa – O.N.I.F.C. 2xLP (Atlantic)
Now available on vinyl! The follow-up to Wiz Khalifa’s gold-certified major label debut, Rolling Papers.
22 JANUARY 2013
>Arbouretum – Coming Out Of The Fog CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Arbouretum continue to mine the same breadth of styles made familiar on The Gathering and Song Of The Pearl, notably the languid ballads, fuzzed-out burners, and heavier songs that have defined the group's unique doom laden folk-rock sound.
>Ash Borer – Ash Borer CD (Profound Lore)
Available on CD for the first time, Ash Borer’s 2011 album captures the vitriolic, ambient black metal fury for which they are renowned.
>Bad Religion – True North CD/LP (Epitaph)
In a world still brimming with rampant anti-intellectualism, inequality and oppression, their signature brand of sonically charged humanist dissent seems as relevant as ever. Here they revisit and refine the powerful and melodic Southern California sound they helped define.
>Patricia Barber – Smash CD (Concord Jazz)
The imaginative pianist, vocalist and composer continues her crusade to retrieve the ground that jazz musicians long ago ceded to pop and rock: the realm of the intelligent and committed singer/songwriter. With a new band and a dozen new compositions, she tackles even familiar subjects (like love and loss) with a nuance and depth beyond the limits of the Great American Songbook.
>Bell Gardens – Full Sundown Assembly CD/LP (Southern)
Debut from duo of Brian McBride (Stars Of The Lid) and Kenneth Gibson (Apendics, Furry Things). Here, they embark upon an exploration of cinematic pop sound that often belies their respective backgrounds in the fields of experimental electronic, techno and minimalist music. For their first long-player, the duo expand on their strange yet beautiful soundscapes, favoring piano melodies, horns, pedal steel and lush vocal harmonies.
>Big Harp – Chain Letters CD/LP+CD (Saddle Creek)
The follow up to their 2011 debut White Hat, Chain Letters is built on a foundation of crackling fuzz bass and angular electric guitars and keyboards, and plays like a series of character sketches centered around escape and surrender, and the blurred borders where the two become indistinguishable.
>The Blue Nile – A Walk Across The Rooftops 2xCD [Reissue/1984] 2xCD (EMI)
The Blue Nile – Hats [Reissue/1989] 2xCD (EMI)
This Scottish folk-ambient band has enjoyed a mystique contrived by its inaccessibility and the infrequency of its recordings, but it has also made a series of critically acclaimed discs.
>Brokeback – Brokeback And The Black Rock CD/LP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
New from the longstanding project of Douglas McCombs (Tortoise, Eleventh Dream Day, Pullman). Features an entirely new band assembled by McCombs that includes members of Tight Phantomz, Pinebender, and Head Of Skulls.
>Tyler Bryant And The Shakedown – Wild Child CD/LP (Carved)
Tyler Bryant is a 21 year-old guitar prodigy who has been playing since he was 6.
>Camper Van Beethoven – La Costa Perdida CD (Savoy)
CVB’s eighth studio album (and first since 2004) is steeped in their connection to Northern California, specifically the areas where the band members first nurtured their musical talents Redlands, Santa Cruz and San Francisco. With a geographical jumping off point, the band fills in the dramatic, joyous, interpersonal and psychological aspects of the locales as only CVB can.
>Dakota Suite – An Almost Silent Life CD/LP (Glitterhouse)
“Dakota Suite have quietly built up an extensive back catalogue since the mid 1990s. Their latest, An Almost Silent Life is by my estimation their 13th full length. It’s also a step away from their recent esoteric releases, back towards more conventional guitar music.” – Meg
>Chris Darrow – Artist Proof CD/LP+CD (Drag City)
Musical wunderkind Chris Darrow’s debut album, lost for 40 years is a rich and powerful dose of California country rock, played with grit and precision by a cast of great players including Ed Black, Loren Newkirk, Arnie Moore, Mickey McGee and John Ware. Vinyl version includes a CD of Chris Darrow's debut album with bonus tracks.
>Diamond Youth – Orange CD/LP (Topshelf)
Combines the best parts of Third Eye Blind and Jimmy Eat World.
>Drgn King – Paragraph Nights CD (Bar None)
Singer/songwriter Dominic Angelella and hip-hop producer Ritz Reynolds are the masterminds behind Philly group Drgn King. Discovering a mutual love of The Flaming Lips and Wu Tang, they set out on a song cycle that led to Paragraph Nights. Vinyl version due February 12.
>Ex Cops – True Hallucinations CD/LP (Other Music)
True Hallucinations is effortlessly catchy, built from a timeless blend of gentle, somnambulant harmonies, chiming guitars, and loose swinging rhythms. You can detect influences ranging from vintage British and New Zealand indie pop (imagine the Chills covering Nick Lowe), to Factory Records atmospherics, and closer to home, a little Velvets/Feelies jangle, along with a good dose of classic power-pop and the guitar-heavy sound of Teenage Fanclub.
>Falty DL – Hardcourage CD/2xLP (Ninja Tune)
Hardcourage is the NYC-based Lustman's masterpiece: an electronic opus inspired by love and crafted with renewed intent and dedication. Lustman often makes mention of attempting to channel the music in his head, to allow it to pour forth direct from his subconscious.
>Fidlar – Fidlar CD (Mom + Pop)
Any given song will give you a Germs influenced guitar solo, the catchy "Ooo's" and "Ah's" of the Misfits, and lyrics in the same family as Black Flag's Six Pack and TV Party. Surfier, faster, more fuzzed out, more personal and a lot more drunk. Vinyl version due January 29.
>Lee Fields – Let’s Talk It Over [Reissue/1979] CD (Truth & Soul)
Lost funky soul from Lee Fields – the underground deep soul singer who's really been making a comeback in the indie deep funk scene. Although Lee's recent albums have been getting a lot of play, his older recordings are just about impossible to find – making this set all the more important. Vinyl version due January 29.
>Föllakzoid – II CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
Föllakzoid began in Santiago, Chile from what they describe as the result of "a product of a trance experience between friends, sort of a soul abduction in which they've been living since 2008." This is one of the finest kraut-rock records in years. For fans of Moon Duo, Psychic Ills, Silver Apples.
>Foxygen - We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace & Magic CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
A precocious and cocksure joyride across California psychedelia with a burning, bursting punk rock engine.
>Frustration – Uncivilized CD/LP+7” (Born Bad)
Second album from French post-punk band, heavily influenced by Joy DIvision, Killing Joke, Crisis, The Fall.
>Gliss – Langsom Dans CD/2xLP+MP3 (Modern Outsider)
Late night art pop. "The feedback is molten -- the guitars fed through an untold assortment of pedals and blown amps. The volume is surging forward... and sure beats anything the Silversun Pickups have dreamt up." – Pitchfork
>Max Gomez – Rule The World CD (New West)
Max Gomez packs a complicated agenda into a seemingly humble package with his aptly titled Rule The World. On the surface, the native of Taos, NM comes across as a straightforward singer/songwriter, playing his acoustic guitar and singing about love. Yet his lyrics have tricky layers of darkness to them, and unlike the traditional unassuming vocals of his genre, Gomez barely suppresses some crooner tendencies in his delivery. Also, Rule The World stirs into the roots-tinged folk brew an improbable combination of pop hooks and bluesy grit.
>Jenn Grant – Beautiful Wild CD/LP (Ba Da Bing!)
Soulful and ornate, with lush guitars, pianos, horns, banjos, strings and even a boys' chorus.
>The Growlers – Hung At Heart CD/LP+MP3 (Everloving)
Sunburned, psychedelic beach goth for fans of Black Lips, Ty Segall, White Fence.
>Guided By Voices – Down By The Racetrack CDEP/7” (GBV Inc.)
This new 6-song EP is the opening shot of GBV's extended 2013 campaign.
>Petra Haden – Petra Goes To The Movies CD/LP (Anti)
Stunning a capella renditions of classic movie themes from Psycho to Taxi Driver to The Social Network. With guests Brad Mehldau, Charlie Haden and Bill Frisell.
>Chris Hardwick – Mandroid CD (Comedy Central)
The Nerdist himself, Chris Hardwick celebrates all things nerdy on his first Comedy Central album. Hipster nerds beware: there is no irony in Chris's affinity for juggling, The Twilight Zone, and Atari. Mandroid features candid stories that cover nerdiness, sex, fishing, childhood, adulthood (which, in his case, is simply an extension of childhood) and a myriad of other topics.
>Helloween – Straight Out Of Hell CD (The End)
14th studio album from the German power metal band -- available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe features alternate packaging and two bonus tracks.
>Hilly Eye – Reasons To Live CD/LP (Don Giovanni)
This post-punk duo features Amy Klein (formerly of Titus Andronicus) and Catherine Tung. Their sound is drawn from a distinctly post-riot-grrrl energy, expertly crafted by two musicians with ears for dark, hypnotic dynamics.
>The Holydrug Couple – Noctuary CD/LP (Sacred Bones)
While Awe and their Ancient Land EP had a bluesier, woodsy sound, Noctuary plays out like a slow-motion ‘60s beach party dream that you never want to wake from.
>Jose James – No Beginning, No End CD/LP (Blue Note)
James has already established himself as a trailblazer for his intoxicating blend of jazz, R&B and electronica from his previous three albums. He is a musical omnivore, an artist that resists being pigeonholed, equally at ease on stage with jazz legend McCoy Tyner as he is in the studio with rapper Oh No or electronic pioneer Flying Lotus.
>Keith Jarret – Hymns/Spheres 2xCD (ECM)
Hymns/Spheres, Keith Jarrett’s celebrated 1976 encounter with the Trinity organ of Ottobeurens Benedictine Abbey, is at last released in its entirety on CD in this double-disc set prepared from the original analog tapes. No overdubs or technical ornamentations were utilized, only the pure sound of the organ in the abbey is heard.
>Billy Joel – She’s Got A Way: Love Songs CD (Sony Legacy)
She's Got A Way: Love Songs are the love songs, ballads and sentimental favorites comprising a Billy Joel playlist for old and new romantics alike, bringing new context to classics like "Just The Way You Are," "Honesty" and "She's Always A Woman" and more.
>The Joy Formidable – Wolf’s Law CD/LP (Atlantic)
Wolf's Law is an unashamedly intricate record. Lyrically, it touches politics of both the personal and global type, "The Leopard And The Lung" focuses on Kenyan environmental activist Wangari Maathai while "Tendons" is, according to Ritzy, "the closest we have ever got to a love song, albeit a very peculiar, f***ing love song."
>Kromosom – Live Forever CD (Southern Lord)
Borne from the ashes of Pisschrist, the dirty crust roots of this longstanding outfit paved the way for a more stripped down approach to the genre. First-ever CD release from these filthy f##kers.
>The Lone Bellow – The Lone Bellow CD (Descendent)
The Lone Bellow (formerly known as Zach Williams & The Bellow) have made a name for themselves with their acclaimed live shows in New York and across the country during their stint opening for Grammy Winners The Civil Wars.
>Love And Death – Between Here & Lost CD (Tooth & Nail)
Love And Death is the solo project of Brian 'Head' Welch, former member and co-founder of the multi-platinum selling band Korn.
>Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition - White Buffalo CD (Fat Possum)
The late Memphis producer Jim Dickinson once called Jimbo Mathus ''the singing voice of Huck Finn.'' Outside the South, Mathus is likely known as the ringleader of the hyper-ragtime outfit Squirrel Nut Zippers. In his native Mississippi and throughout the South, however, Mathus is the prolific songwriter of born-in-the-bone Southern music, the torchbearer for Deep South mythology and culture. Vinyl version due February 5.
>Menagerie – They Shall Inherit CD/3xLP (Tru Thoughts)
Menagerie is the new spiritual jazz project from the prolific Australian producer/songwriter Lance Ferguson, best known for his eclectic and highly acclaimed work under the Lanu And The Bamboos monikers. They Shall Inherit features a guest appearance from the legendary US jazz/funk vibraphonist Roy Ayers.
>Mountains – Centralia CD/2xLP+MP3 (Thrill Jockey)
Centralia is defined by slow builds, subtle transformations and textures, and melodic lines that evolve in a variety of ways to create grand soundscapes and acutely detailed compositions.
>Aaron Neville – My True Story CD (Blue Note)
Neville's first release for Blue Note Records is a collection of twelve classic doo-wop numbers, performed in his utterly inimitable vocal style, and co-produced by Blue Note President Don Was and Keith Richards.
>Nightlands – Oak Island CD/LP (Secretly Canadian)
Solo project of War On Drugs’ bassist. Each distorted, silver-voiced melody is wrapped in the sounds of ‘70s AM gold -- plucked acoustic guitars, trumpets, dulcimers and hand percussion.
>Night Marchers – Allez Allez CD/LP (Swami)
Sophomore album from ex-members of Hot Snakes, Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Delta 72, and Bardo Pond.
>Nosaj Thing – Home CD/LP (Innovative Leisure)
On Home, Toro Y Moi and Kazu Makino (Blonde Redhead) provide ethereal vocals for two tracks. The rest of the album is rounded with Nosaj's signature cinematic soundscapes that explore the space from where Drift left off.
>Otep – Hydra CD (Victory)
Hydra is a concept album based on a graphic novel that Otep had been writing for over two years.
>Parson Red Heads – Yearling CD/LP (Second Motion)
The Parson Red Heads are a west coast folk-pop band comprised of friends, family members, and lovers.
>Pillowfight – Pillowfight CD/LP (Bulk Recordings)
Dan The Automator has teamed up with Emily Wells in a new collaborative project called Pillowfight. The delivery is a deft combo of down tempo sexy cool, brimming with the Automator’s pristine multi-layered production. Wells sings with effortless sultry appeal, while the band drops the beat like no one ever started suing over sample use. Amazingly so, the band also includes Kid Koala nimbly shredding on the 1’s and 2’s, and Lateef The Truthspeaker on backing vocals.
>The Pogues – The Very Best Of The Pogues CD (Shout Factory)
Led by the inimitable Shan MacGowan, English-Irish band The Pogues fused punk rock, Irish music and many other genres to create a unique and influential body of work throughout the '80s and '90s.
>Ra Ra Riot – Beta Love CD/LP (Barsuk)
“Ra Ra Riot has gone through quite a bit of change over the course of its six years as a band -- changing labels, changing lineups, and changing the place they call home. But the band’s upcoming album may mark its biggest shift yet. Inspired by futurist author Ray Kurzweil and cyberpunk novelist William Gibson, Ra Ra Riot began gravitating towards a more electronic, synth-heavy sound for their new album Beta Love.” – soundcheck.wnyc.org
>Alasdair Roberts & Friends – A Wonder Working Stone CD/LP+CD (Drag City)
A Wonder Working Stone continues the legendary NYC guitarist’s long-standing love affair and deeply creative interaction with the traditional music of has native Scotland (and beyond). Roberts delivers his unique 'scordatura' finger style guitar and distinctive tenor vocals with the backing of a core group of among Glasgow's finest, with special guest vocals from Olivia Chaney.
>Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin – Reverse Shark Attack CD/LP+MP3 (In The Red)
Reissue of out-of-print 2009 collaboration.
>The Shadowboxers – Red Room CD (Rcam)
The Shadowboxers debut reveals an uncommonly intelligent, remarkably accomplished young band equally adept at taut three-part harmonies, deep gut grooves and sophisticated songcraft.
>Lenny Smith – Who Was And Is And Is To Come CD (Great Comfort/Sounds Familyre)
A gospel album of simple but certain declarations about the primacy of Maker over everything else.
>Speck Mountain – Bad Water CD/LP+MP3 (Carrot Top)
Third album from Chicago "ambient soul" band. Marie-Claire Balabanian's soulful, breathy vocals heat the record, providing the warm tonal blanket to cowriter Karl Briedrick's swirling, luminous guitars, both swelling together in search of some distant release.
>This Town Needs Guns - 13.0.0.0.0 CD/LP (Sargent House)
13.0.0.0.0 is their first album featuring their new vocalist Henry Tremain following the amicable departure of former lead singer Stuart Smart in 2011. The lineup shows considerable growth and cohesion with Tim Collis' signature bluegrass style finger-picking electric guitar lines weaving around brother and drummer Chris Collis' stop 'n' go syncopated rhythms ad Tremain's rich vocals glide across the proceedings. But it's the band's earnest songwriting that really shines herein.
>Shugo Tokumaru – In Focus? CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
“Freakishly gifted Japanese bedroom-pop artist with an effortless command of hundreds of instruments” -- Pitchfork. “Tangles lines with Van Dyke Parks' West Coast baroque, the prog-pop bounce of the Asthmatic Kitty stable and Michel Gondry's surrealist freedom.” -- Mojo. Also available on clear vinyl.
>Toro Y Moi – Anything In Return CD/LP (Carpark)
Anything In Return shows a pervasive sense of peace with Bundick's tendency to dabble in both the producer and songwriter sides of the modern music-making spectrum, and he sounds comfortable engaging in intuitive pop production. The producer's hand is prominent, not least in the sampled “yeah’s” and “uh’s” that give the album a hip-hop-indebted confidence. Many songs feature the 4/4 beats and deftly employed effects usually associated with house music.
>The Traditional Fools – The Traditional Fools CD/LP+MP3 (In The Red)
Reissue of sole album from surf-garage-punk band featuring Ty Segall.
>Trapt – Reborn CD (FOF)
New album from the SoCal hard rock band – available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds six bonus tracks.
>The Used – Vulnerable [Deluxe Edition] 2xCD (Hopeless)
Deluxe version of their 2012 album featuring unreleased tracks that include brand new songs, remixes and acoustic versions of original album tracks.
>Townes Van Zandt – Sunshine Boy: The Unheard Studio Sessions & Demos 1971-1972 2xCD (Omnivore)
A double-CD set of previously unavailable music from the Texas singer/songwriter's classic albums High, Low & In Between and The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Disc One features outtakes and alternate takes/mixes of tracks from the sessions for those LPs; Disc Two highlights solo demos. 28 tracks total.
>Various Artists – 12-12-12: The Concert For Sandy Relief CD (Sony)
Live recordings and highlights from the Madison Square Garden concert that took place on 12/12/12 in NYC to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy. Performers included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Roger Waters, Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Alicia Keys, The Who, Billy Joel, Chris Martin, Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, and others. This is a charity record, where all proceeds will be donated to The Robin Hood Foundation, making help available to many still suffering the after effects of the disaster.
>Various Artists [Zip] – Fabric 67 (Fabric)
Steward of Berlin's respected Perlon imprint, Zip's fabric 67 mix is a dusty selection of refreshingly obscure yet reassuringly warm deep house grooves. The Perlon curated experience is all about the natural human dynamic that's conceived simply to make people dance. With all the verve and blissful energy of his DJ sets, Franzmann builds his own musical universe across Fabric 67, re-contextualizing forgotten classics with futuristic unreleased cuts from his leftfield co-conspirators.
>Various Artists – Pop Ambient 2013 CD/LP+CD (Kompakt)
The stalwart German electronic label’s annual Pop Ambient series rolls on – this time featuring tracks from Marsen Jules, Mikkel Metal, Wolfgang Voigt, Leandro Fresco, Michael Mayer, Jens-Uwe Beyer, Triola, Anton Kubikov, and Terrapin.
>Various Artists - Pop Yeh Yeh - Psychedelic Rock From Singapore And Malaysia 1964-1970 CD (Sublime Frequencies)
Malaysian beat, pop, and psychedelic classics from 1964-1970.
>Various Artists - R&B Hipshakers Vol. 3: Just a Little Bit of the Jumpin' Bean CD/10x7” (Vampisoul)
Rockin' R&B and early soul from the King/Federal/DeLuxe catalog. Compilation of tracks from 1955-1964 by essential artists such as Hank Ballard, Little Willie John, Joe Tex, Freddy King, and Eugene Church. Vinyl version features ten 7” inch singles with replica King/Federal bags and labels.
>Various Artists – Shapes 12:01 CD/2xLP (Tru Thoughts)
The latest in Tru Thoughts’ series of essential label compilations, compiled by A&R and label owner Robert Luis. The compilation brings the best of the current sound of the label, with a handful of upfront exclusives and cuts previously only available on other formats, as well as a few classic sounds for good measure. Artists include Nostalgia 77, Anchorsong, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Freddie Cruger, Anthony Mills, Zed Bias, Quantic, Riz MC, Hint, Drumagick and Kinny.
>Various Artists - Stones Throw And Leaving Records Present Dual Form CD (Stones Throw)
A compilation that features contributions from Sun Araw, Dntel, and UK producer the Cyclist. 19 new recordings from the cassette-centric label.
>Various Artists – Studio One Sides CD/2xLP (Soul Jazz)
Studio One Ironsides refers back to a time in the 1960's and 1970's when Clement Dodd was at the height of his powers, releasing so much amazing music that Studio One had to invent new label names to trick radio DJs, wary of playing too much music from the legendary studio, into playing records. These creatively titled new label names included Ironsides, Money Disc, ND Records, BongoMan, Forward and more.
>Voivod – Target Earth CD (Century Media)
Produced by Pierre Remillard and mixed by Sanford Parker, Target Earth is out right in time for the band’s 30th Anniversary.
>Yoshi Wada – Singing In Unison CD/3xLP (EM)
Singing In Unison is the latest in a series of recordings from acclaimed sound artist, composer and performer Yoshi Wada. Recorded live over two nights, March 14 and 15, in 1978, at New York City's legendary performance space The Kitchen, this set is a dramatic yet meditative work: modal improvisations for three male voices, singing, with great gravitas, in purposeful unison.
>War Torn – Iconic Nightmare CD (Southern Lord)
Punishing, dark, political, metallic crust that completely devastates! For fans of Wolfbrigade, From Ashes Rise, Tragedy. Vinyl version due February 19.
>Widowspeak – Almanac CD/LP (Captured Tracks)
Widowspeak is an American band comprised of Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas, known for its dreamy, western-tinged take on rock and roll. Their self-titled debut was praised for its reverential spaciousness, Hamilton's haunting voice, and Thomas's sinister Morricone-esque guitar lines. On their second album, Almanac, the duo explores denser arrangements and new sonic territory, from Saharan rhythms to Appalachian-inspired melodies, all delivered with stoic, wistful restraint.
>Renny Wilson – Sugarglider CD/LP (Mint)
After almost a decade of struggle, strain and delay, the debut record from Edmontonian Renny Wilson sees the light. Sugarglider draws from disco keystones like “Bad Girls” and Arthur Russell as well as elements of chillwave, krautrock and a healthy dose of Haunted Graffiti, employing bold, tempo-matched digital delay.
Vinyl:
>A$AP Rocky – Long.Live.A$AP 2xLP (RCA)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New album from the rising rapper features guest appearances by Schoolboy Q, Santigold, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson and Big K.R.I.T. A$AP Rocky takes the reins as producer and co-producer on several tracks along with Danger Mouse, Jim Jonsin, Rico Love, Clams Casino, Skrillex, Hit-Boy and more. “BNM [8.5]” – Pitchfork
>100 Flowers – 100 Flowers [Reissue/1983] LP (Superior Viaduct)
Vinyl reissue of underground L.A. classic originally released in 1983. Previously known as The Urinals). Rests between the inspired bursts of The Minutemen and the pastoral jangle of the Dream Syndicate with similarities to the equally oblique Monitor and The Gun Club.
>At The Drive In – Vaya [Reisue/1999] 10” (Fearless)
Reissue of their seminal 1999 EP on white vinyl.
>California X – California X LP (Don Giovanni)
Teetering between various pockets of the punk spectrum, California X draws influences from the worlds of noisy ‘80s Western Mass rock, fuzzy ‘90s garage pop, and classic post-hardcore SST sounds.
>Loren Connors – A Fire LP (Family Vineyard)
Single-sided LP from the master guitarist. Recorded live in Philadelphia, this 23-minute piece follows in the style and visual presentation of the recent Red Mars CD. Instead of sculpting multilayer tape-recorded pieces, the NYC guitarist is expounding on spontaneous sound, either rattling screams from his Telecaster or bending the avant-garde blues style synonymous to him since the late ‘70s.
>The Crystal Ark – The Crystal Ark 2xLP+MP3 (DFA)
Latest album from the collaborative, body-centric NY pop project of Gavin Russom and Viva Ruiz.
>Deftones – Koi No Yokan LP (Reprise)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. “2012 Album Of The Year.” – Revolver Magazine
>Detroit Cobras – Original Recordings: Singles & Unreleased 1995-1997 [2008] LP (Munster)
LP version of the singles and unreleased recordings circa 1995-1997 by garage-rock cover band.
>German Shepherds – Music For Sick Queers LP+7”+MP3 (Superior Viaduct)
Vinyl reissue of the band’s only LP, originally released in 1985. Bonus 7" contains unreleased material. "A masterpiece of minimal synth combined with experimental and noisy synth punkish elements." -- Mutant Sounds
>Ben Harper And Charlie Musselwhite – Get Up! LP (Stax/Concord)
A striking mix of blues, gospel, roots and R&B, Get Up! features ten vivid musical character studies, skillfully rendered in cinematic detail, all written or co-written by Harper. Vinyl version available now; standard CD and deluxe CD+DVD versions due next week.
>Hinder – Welcome To The Freakshow LP (Republic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. On Welcome To The Freakshow Hinder experiments with rock, pop and even a little country.
>Hunx/Cassie Ramone – LAMC No. 5 7” (Famous Class)
The fifth release in the LAMC 7” Series.
>The Imperial Dogs – This Ain’t The Summer Of Love b/w I’m Waiting For The Man 7” (Munster)
Reissue of this L.A. proto-punk band's posthumous single. Released in 1978 on fanzine Back Door Man's record label after Blue Oyster Cult had a hit with a cover of “This Ain't the Summer Of Love.”
>Jasper TX – An Index Of Failure LP (Handmade Birds)
Final album from Swedish multi instrumentalist.<