+Ron Sexsmith - Exit Strategy Of The Soul CD (Yep Roc) On his latest album, Sexsmith expands his musical canon with vaulted yet direct string arrangements and sweeping horn sections, resulting in a work equal in both musical breadth and emotional depth. Recorded in both the cold of classical London and the sweaty flamboyance of Havana, Exit Strategy Of The Soul is a study of the beauty that can come from the heartfelt melding of seemingly contrary ideas, be they musical, cultural, or emotional. Available for audition in one of our fab listening stations.
+Sigur Rós - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust CD (XL)
Inspired by the unfettered feeling of the acoustic performances filmed during Heima, Sigur Rós adopted a looser approach in creating their fifth album -- which is consequently fresher and more human than anything they've previously released. This is their first album recorded outside of Iceland, working with Flood (U2, Depeche Mode, PJ Harvey) and the first featuring English lyrics. CD now, vinyl TBA. "[They] give each track its own distinct character. Thus we've two three-minute 'pop songs,' acoustic folk, a soaring rock ballad and the tree-thumping Ewok-techno madness that is [album opener] 'Gobbledigook'..." -- Q Magazine
Hercules And Love Affair - Hercules And Love Affair CD/2xLP (Mute)
Debut album from the electro outfit led by Andrew Butler and featuring Antony (Antony & The Johnsons), Nomi, and Kim Ann. Co-produced by Butler with Tim Goldsworthy of DFA. Pitchfork describes it as "Lush, melancholic, gregarious, generous, both precise and a little bit unhinged" before going on to proclaim "this is the most original American dance album in a long while. [9.1]"
+Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal CD/2xLP (Back Porch)
Alejandro Escovedo’s ninth solo album is a collective journey through his various musical incarnations from punk rock to string quintets and is as introspective as it is retrospective. The thirteen original tracks unravel Escovedo’s musical autobiography while presenting him as a masterful American musician, whose palette encompasses eloquent string quintets and shattering blasts of punk rock. Produced by Tony Visconti (David Bowie, The Stranglers, Morrissey). The double-LP includes two bonus tracks.
+Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville CD+DVD (ATO)
Deluxe 15th Anniversary Edition of the groundbreaking indie rock release includes three previously unreleased tracks plus a Liz-hosted DVD documentary, Guyville Redux, where she interviews all the original "guys" (Gerard Cosloy, Steve Albini, Ira Glass, John Cusack, Urge Overkill's Nash Kato, etc.) of Guyville. CD now, vinyl soon.
+Augustus Pablo - The Mystic World Of Augustus Pablo 4xCD+DVD Box Set (Shanachie)
Subtitled: The Rockers Story. First comprehensive box set of the reggae legend includes 65 tracks -- from classic cuts to rare 7"-only tracks. Also includes a live performance DVD.
+My Brightest Diamond - A Thousand Shark’s Teeth CD/LP+MP3 (Asthmatic Kitty)
A Thousand Shark’s Teeth is charming, playful, daring, foreboding, graceful, eclectic, exciting, and visceral. The songs marry vast instrumentation -- marimbas, harps, clarinets, French horns, rabid guitars, vibraphones and more -- to create an unequaled amalgamation of style and color.
+The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me CD/Deluxe CD (Domino)
The Notwist make music that is at once impossibly personal and hugely inviting. Frontman Markus Acher's singular voice surrounds you with all the comfort of familiarity -- the euphoria of re-acquaintance. The deluxe limited edition CD is packaged in a hardbound book with a 24-page insert. CD versions now, vinyl due July 8.
+Ocote Soul Sounds & Adrian Quesada - The Alchemist Manifesto CD (ESL)
Jazz/funk project spearheaded by Martin Perna (Antibalas, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, TV On The Radio).
+Adem - Takes CD (Domino)
Adem, the toast of the UK nu-folk scene, serves up a carefully crafted album of covers featuring material from the cream of independent and avant artists of the recent past: Bedhead, PJ Harvey, Lisa Germano, Pinback, Aphex Twin, Yo La Tengo, Smashing Pumpkins, Tortoise, Bjork, The Breeders, and Low.
+The Impossible Shapes - The Impossible Shapes CD (Secretly Canadian)
Right on.
+Gary Wilson - You Think You All Know Me - The Gary Wilson Story DVD+CD (Plexifilm)
Championed by the likes of Beck and Matt Groening and obsessed over by record collectors, Gary Wilson’s album, You Think You Really Know Me, is widely considered one of the most unique and personal musical statements of the 1970s. Director Michael Wolk set out to learn more about the man behind this esoteric record, only to find that he had all but vanished shortly after its original release. You Think You Really Know Me - The Gary Wilson Story is a look at the fascinating yet bittersweet life of a musician and artist well ahead of his time and ripe for rediscovery.
+My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges CD/2xLP+CD (ATO)
"There's a theme of moral confusion that runs through the whole record," says Jim James, frontman of My Morning Jacket, explaining the title of the band's new album. It's ambitious territory for the group's fifth full-length, and it's matched by the most far-ranging, surprising and satisfying sound of their career. Available for audition in one of our listening stations. Double LP includes a copy of the album on CD.
+Joan As Police Woman - To Survive CD (Cheap Lullaby)
Songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist Joan Wasser (ex-Antony And The Johnsons) delivers an album of unashamedly heartfelt songs. Special guests include Rufus Wainwright and David Sylvian.
+Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes CD/2xLP+MP3 (Sub Pop) Seattle's Fleet Foxes traffic in baroque harmonic pop, drawing influences from the traditions of folk, pop, choral, gospel, Sacred Harp singing, West Coast music, traditional music from Ireland to Japan, film scores and their Northwest peers. Double-LP includes the Sun Giant EP and an MP3 download coupon. "Supremely crafted and confident." [8.7] -- Pitchfork
+Shearwater - Rook CD/LP+MP3 (Matador) Rook meditates on man's intersection with the natural world -- the world after human beings are gone. Jonathan Meiburg's bold, soaring voice still anchors the songs, which broaden his pastoral prog-folk chaotic celestial mind-f#ckery into new realms. Beyond the continuing touchstones of late Talk Talk, Nico, and John Cale, there are now allusions to Van Morrison and hints of Joni Mitchell. All set in a newly lush sonic gorgeousness of harp, strings and woodwinds atop magnificent rhythms. HQ-180 vinyl includes an extra track and an MP3 download.
+Ed Harcourt - The Beautiful Lie CD (Dovecote) Long-awaited stateside release for this gorgeously grandiose album from the UK songwriter. Graham Coxon (Blur) lends guitar on a track and renowned session man B.J. Cole adds mournful pedal steel throughout.
+Spiritualized - Songs In A&E CD (Sanctuary/Fontana) Much anticipated sixth album, more than two years in the making. This eighteen-track opus was inspired in part by Jason Spaceman's serious bout with pneumonia. Deluxe edition and double-vinyl available next month.
+John Hiatt - Same Old Man CD/CD+DVD (New West) Self-produced release is recorded with friends (Luther Dickinson) and family (daughter Lilly Hiatt). The songs take an autobiographical look back at the acclaimed songwriter's life. Limited, deluxe edition contains a DVD with six live performances recorded throughout his 30-year-plus career.
+Various Artists - Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump CD (Strut) The sound of post-independence Nigeria, a time of celebration and wealth but, ultimately, of political oppression. The music reflected the times -- traditional rhythms and big band highlife mixing with the new rock, soul and jazz sounds from Europe and the US crackling through transistor radios. Packaged in a deluxe digipak with a sixteen-page booklet featuring extensive sleeve notes by West African musician/scholar John Collins.
+Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down In The Light CD/LP (Drag City) Wow, out of nowhere -- a brand new Bonnie "Prince" Billy album! Coloring the sound of Lie Down In The Light is a subtle backdrop of percussive slaps and shakes (but nary a drum kit), touches of keys and pedal steel, harmonious vocal arrangements and other sweet surprises that might send some sad-sack fans back to their auto-erotic dungeons, fresh toys in hand.
+Scarlett Johansson (Tom Waits) - Anywhere I Lay My Head CD (Rhino) Debut album from the actress features her inspired vocal interpretations of ten Tom Waits songs plus one original track. Produced by David Andrew Sitek from TV On The Radio, the album also spotlights the vocals of David Bowie on two songs as well as the guitar work of Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs). CD now, vinyl due June 24. "A graceful work of unparalleled beauty. Oh yeah, and she sings, too." -- Hieronymus Doosch
+Orchestra Baobab - Made In Dakar CD (Nonesuch) Already a huge hit in England, this album includes contemporary re-workings of the Senegalese collective's classic '70s work alongside first-rate new material. "...masters of an urban style that pairs rippling, fast-flowing guitar lines with impassioned vocals and sophisticated dance rhythms." -- The Guardian (UK)
+Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs CD (Atlantic) New album from Ben Gibbard & Co. "...largely paints itself as the darker, mysterious cousin to 2005's Plans album -- raw rather than polished, heartbroken rather than optimistic, enigmatic rather than energetic." -- All Music Guide
+The Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost CD (Light In The Attic) The second full-length album from Austin's darkest drone-rockers. With tidal rhythms and rasping epics, Directions To See A Ghost is a driving, psychedelic masterpiece. Available for audition in one of our listening stations. CD now, vinyl TBA.
+T Bone Burnett - Tooth Of Crime CD (Nonesuch) Recorded immediately after his production work on the Robert Plant/Allison Krauss collaboration Raising Sand, this album can be seen as an extension of those sessions, featuring many of the same musicians.
+Quiet Village - Silent Movie CD (K7) Comprised of master crate-digger Joel Martin and rising dance-music star Matt Edwards (aka Radio Slave--one of lunatron's faves), Quiet Village make the old sound new and vice versa. Influenced by Italian film soundtracks, BBC library music, disco edits, acid rock, vintage soul and easy listening, they combine the most unlikely elements: bluesy guitar, chamber strings, air-raid sirens, shuffling breakbeats -- even flutes and seagull cries -- into an hour-long reverie with in soft focus.
+The Last Shadow Puppets (Arctic Monkeys) - The Age Of The Understatement CD (Domino) The Last Shadow Puppets are Arctic Monkeys' lead vocalist/guitarist Alex Turner and The (UK) Rascals' guitarist/vocalist Miles Kane. Inspired by Scott Walker, early Bowie and David Axelrod, the album's backing orchestration was recorded by the 22-piece London Metropolitan Orchestra. CD now, vinyl later this week. File under: Arctic Monkeys.
+No Age - Nouns CD (Sub Pop) The Sub Pop debut by this L.A. duo opens with a symphony of distortion and sometimes creeps, sometimes smashes through a sonic headlock befitting Daydream Nation-era Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and experimental noise.
+Nortec Collective Presents: Bostitch + Fussible - Tijuana Sound Machine CD (Nacional) A mix of sly street sounds, hip rhythms, heavy funk with Mexican instrumentation.
+Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid CD (Geffen) Latest from the Mancunian five-piece mines a rare vein -- intelligent, progressive pop music. Recommended.
+Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
If amazing, delightful, and hilarious is your idea of funny, then prepare for undisappointment. These fifteen songs pay homage to Pet Shop Boys, censorship, Marvin Gaye, sexism, Shabba Ranks, and backhanded compliments. Free 2x3-foot poster with purchase (while supplies last).
+Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons... CD/CD+DVD/2xLP (Rhymesayers) ... You Paint That Sh!t Gold. The sixth studio album from Slug and Ant. The deluxe edition is packaged as a 40-page gold-embossed hardcover book featuring an illustrated children's story written by Slug and includes a bonus DVD with over an hour of live footage and extras. The double-LP is a limited pressing on yellow vinyl and comes with candy and a poster.
+Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Momofuku 2xLP+MP3 (Lost Highway) New album is currently vinyl-only, CD available May 6. Features guest spots from Jenny Lewis, Jonathan Rice, Tennessee Thomas (drummer Pete Thomas' daughter), "Farmer" Dave Scher (Beachwood Sparks), David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) and Jonathan Wilson.
+Mark Kozelek - Nights Of Passed Over AUTOGRAPHED BOOK+CD (Caldo Verde)
Mr. Kozelek was kind enough to sort us out on a handful of his beautiful new book, 'Nights Of Passed Over.' Rife with lyrics, set lists, guitar tunings, and a discography--this hardback, super-limited edition tome (only 2500 were produced) also comes with a 12-song CD of unreleased material entitled; 'Nights.' LUNA is the only retail outlet with this set. Furthermore, we are the only folks with AUTOGRAPHED copies. Wow! Please email mr. lunatron, to check availability, as they are going out the door quite quickly...if you are interested in purchasing a non-autographed copy, visit the Caldo Verde site! Thanks again, M...
+M83 - Saturdays=Youth CD (Mute) For M83's chief stargazer Anthony Gonzalez, his youth is something he looks back upon with affection, something that has become the defining theme of his enchanting new album. Recorded with producer/engineer Ken Thomas (Psychic TV, Sigur Ros, The Sugarcubes, Suede, Clinic, etc.) and Ewan Pearson (Tracey Thorn, The Rapture, Ladytron), Saturdays=Youth delivers the rich sonic textures for which M83 is well known -- this time with a more focused approach to song structure, form and production -- sounding like a lost electro-pop classic from 1983.
+Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! CD (Anti) Last seen under the gleeful guise of 2007's Grinderman, a no-nonsense rock & roll excuse to head down to the basement and shout, Nick Cave now returns to his full time Bad Seeds co-conspirators. "Grinderman was deliberately spare and the concepts were pretty simple," explains Cave. "With Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! we allowed ourselves to get expansive." It picks up where Grinderman left off, filled with Stooge-ified electric guitar, driving beats, and Cave's literate, seductive, and firmly tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Deluxe CD packaging includes a 55-page lyric book. Available for audition in one of our listening stations. Vinyl bumped until June.
+Foals - Antidotes CD/LP+7"+MP3 (Sub Pop) Debut from Oxford, England's five-piece dance-rock band -- completing the circuit between the minimalism of American composer Steve Reich and guitars that sound like insects. Driving percussion high in the mix, guitars played above the twelfth fret, no chords, and splashes of synth color all come together like the schematics for a piece of precision engineering. Includes two bonus tracks exclusive to the US release. The vinyl adds a 7" 45 and an MP3 download.
+Fleet Foxes - Giant Sun CDEP (Sub Pop) Seattle's Fleet Foxes make such complex, harmonic, '70s-inspired folk-rock -- it's hard to believe that the band's principle songwriter is only 21-years-old. Giant Sun is a precursor to the band's debut, Ragged Wood, out in June.
+Jim Noir - Jim Noir CD (Barsuk) Jim's eponymous second album is one of the most expansive pop records you'll hear this year. His music has always been a melange of different styles and influences, and this album sees him delving more into his electronic side and going further with melody and vocals than before. "Noir's elaborately multi-tracked recordings make his gentle bitching irresistible. He writes killer songs." -- Blender
+Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours CD (Modular) "Cut Copy's fusion of indie rock and trancey electro-pop will absolutely make the band Modular's most listened-to and respected outfit yet." -- XLR8R
+The Black Keys - Attack & Release CD/LP+CD (Nonesuch) Ditching their low-tech DIY approach, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney hook up with eclectic producer Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, The Grey Album) and record in a real studio, albeit one with awesome vintage equipment. Nice production touches and added instrumentation (piano, organ, moog synthesizer) expand the sonic palette, as do guest spots from members of Tom Waits' band -- Marc Ribot and Ralph Carney (Patrick's uncle). The audiophile vinyl is half-speed mastered and includes a CD copy of the entire album. Available for audition in one of our listening stations.
+Sun Kil Moon (Mark Kozelek) - April 2xCD (Caldo Verde) Haunting new release from Mark Kozelek spotlights guest vocals from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), and Eric Pollard (Retribution Gospel Choir). Initial pressing includes a bonus CD with alternate versions. File under: Mark Kozelek. CD now, vinyl soon. "From 10-minute, three-guitar jams to heartbreaking acoustic ballads, 'April' shines with the most evocative music of Kozelek's career." -- Billboard
+Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now Youngster CD (Arts & Crafts) Featuring the songs "Death To Los Campesinos!" and "You! Me! Dancing!" -- both of which were included in Rolling Stone's Top 100 Songs Of 2007. Available for audition in one of our listening stations. Initial quantities include a free button-pack with purchase.
The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely CD (Third Man/WB) Second album is rush-released to hype-tacular effect. Here it is! Available everywhere at the same time! Sort of! In every format! Sort of! CD in stock now. Tri-fold, 180-gram, mastered from 2" master tape double-LP in now as well. (Props for the cover of Terry Reid's "Rich Kid Blues".)
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple CD (Atlantic) Latest from Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse also rush-released. Vinyl coming out second week of April--2-LP, 180g pressing, too!
DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist - Present The Hard Sell (Encore) CD (Pillage Roadshow) Chapter Three in the Freeze/Product Placement series. Eight turntables, four mixers, a couple guitar pedals and piles of 7" 45s -- all mixed live. Cover art shows giant robotic jukeboxes destroying iPods. Cool.
Destroyer - Trouble In Dreams CD/2xLP+MP3 (Merge) Trouble In Dreams cements Dan Bejar (New Pornographers) as an artist as quirky and enigmatic as David Bowie, as symphonic and grandiose as Scott Walker, and as quixotically literary as Bob Dylan. Bonus MP3 download with the vinyl.
Retribution Gospel Choir (Low) - Retribution Gospel Choir CD (Caldo Verde) Low visionary Alan Sparhawk cranks the amps for a radical stylistic departure. Crude, mangy guitars collide with trudging stoner-rock rhythms and catchy melodies. Three of the tracks you may know from their Low versions. Produced by Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek. File under: Low.
She & Him (Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward) - Volume One CD (Merge) Debut from M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel, paired together by director Martin Hynes to perform the Richard and Linda Thompson tune "When I Get To The Border" for his film The Go-Getter (2007). Their match sparked the idea for Volume One. File under: M. Ward.
Mlle Caro & Franck Garcia - Pain Disappears CD (Buzzin' Fly)
'Pain Disappears' is a superb collision of Air meets New Order, or as Clash calls it, 'A melodic, melancholic masterpiece that marries tech house bump and indie jangle with expertise.' Call it an early tip or nepotism or a weighted prediction, but the debut full-length from Mlle Caro and Franck Garcia will be one of our best selling/most played releases of 2008.
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash CD/2xLP+MP3 (Matador) Stephen Malkmus has never made a record that covered nearly as much stylistic ground as this nor, it could be argued, has he made an album that has packed as much of an emotional wallop. "Cold Son," "Out Of Reaches" and "We Can't Help You" are amongst the more gorgeous, contemplative songs Malkmus has recorded, though we should stress a) there's no shortage of dark humor scattered through Real Emotional Trash, and b) Malkmus remains a sh!t-hot guitarist. The three-sided vinyl LP includes a full MP3 download. Available for audition in one of our listening stations.
Born Ruffians - Red Yellow & Blue CD/LP (Warp) Produced by Rusty Santos, the New York mixer behind Animal Collective and Panda Bear albums, Red Yellow & Blue exemplifies the Ruffians' brand of self-described "hootin' and hollarin'." With songs like the jangly ''Hedonistic Me'' and the sugary sweet ''Foxes Mate For Life'' to the foot stomping ''Badonkadonkey,'' the band constantly pushes the boundaries of musical arrangement. Available for audition in one of our listening stations. "Born Ruffians are the Vampire Weekend you don't have to fret over -- all the witty wordplay and jingle-jangle joy, none of the nagging questions about Afro-pop appropriation and Ivy League privilege. 8.0." -- Pitchfork
Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree CD/CD+DVD (Mute) Fourth album from the genre-busting pop pioneers was recorded at their studio deep in the English countryside. The album shimmers and shines with the warmth of a hazy summer, an electric whirlpool of sound over which Alison Goldfrapp's glistening voice soars. The limited deluxe edition adds a lyric book, poster, art cards, a DVD with an exclusive documentary and the video for the single "A&E" -- all housed in a nice cloth-bound box. For you first lucky folks, we have a super nice PROMO 7" PICTURE DISC! Free of charge, with purchase of 'Seventh Tree.'
Pete Rock - NY's Finest CD (Caroline) First album in four years finds the revolutionary rap producer rubbing elbows with Little Brother, Raekwon, Masta Killa, Redman and many more. CD now, vinyl soon.
Beach House - Devotion CD (Carpark) While critics have compared the duo's 2006 debut to the work of early '90s dream popsters like Mazzy Star, Galaxie 500 and Slowdive, on Devotion listeners will also hear the band's longtime admiration for '60s Motown and country folk. Initial quantities include a free poster with purchase. CD now, vinyl soon.
The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust CD/LP+7"+MP3 (Vice) Highly recommended. The Danish duo returns with an album that perfectly distills their '60s noir-pop songcraft and fuzz-guitar clamor into a melodic, sensuous voyage through the many facets of desire. Sune and Sharin create a compelling combination of sexy pop songs and rock & roll urgency that makes this an excellent companion to Magnetic Fields' Distortion album. Previously available on import, this release includes two North America-only bonus tracks. Vinyl includes a bonus 7" 45 and full digital album download.
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar) Pronounced "bohn eevair," French for "good winter" and spelled wrong deliberately. Justin Vernon, the primary force behind Bon Iver, moved to a remote cabin in the woods of Northwestern Wisconsin at the onset of winter, alone for three months. This solitary time fed a bold, uninhibited new musical focus. All his personal trouble, lack of perspective, heartache, longing, love, loss and guilt that had been stockpiled over the past six years was suddenly purged into song. Available for audition in one of our listening stations.
Ray Davies - Working Man's Caf CD/CD+DVD (New West) Previously import-only, the latest from the leader of The Kinks is now available stateside with three bonus tracks. Deluxe edition adds a fourth bonus track as well as a DVD with the short film Americana: A Work In Progress. "As good as anything Ray has written in decades." -- Mojo
Various Artists - BIPPP: French Synth Wave 1979-85 CD (Everloving) Delicious lo-fi synth-pop from Les Froggerland previously overlooked in the transition between post-punk and new wave.
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? CD/LP+CD (Rough Trade) The third album by Brighton-based rockers British Sea Power is a thrilling mixture of classic Pixies-esque guitar rock and the joyous bombast of Arcade Fire. "It's our version of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde," says guitarist Martin Noble. "It's about cherry wood and Kevlar -- about the good and the bad. There are good reasons for anxiety at the moment -- but if we're in danger let's address the danger with optimism, loud distorted chords and the knowledge that we're at least trying. That's rock music, isn't it?" The vinyl includes a copy of the album on CD -- yay!!
Kelley Stoltz - Circular Sounds
The fourth LP from San Francisco's Stoltz is a stereophonic advance on the lo-fi psych-fuzz of 2004's Antique Glow and the mid-fi piano-rock of 2006's Below The Branches. Both made #24 in Mojo's "Best Albums" list for their respective years. Circular Sounds is very much a pop record in the classic '60s mold. Radio-ready yet retaining the organic warmth that gave his earlier work its character.
Nada Surf - Lucky
Along with their previous two albums, 2003's Let Go and 2005's The Weight Is A Gift, Lucky is the final piece of a rather astounding trilogy that, taken as a whole, manages to express more about the frustrations and joys of modern life than most artists can expect to assemble over a career. Guest appearances include Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), Sean Nelson (Harvey Danger), Ed Harcourt (English singer-pianist), Phil Wandscher (Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter) and John Roderick (The Long Winters). This deluxe, limited edition version includes a bonus disc featuring two acoustic versions plus two non-album B-sides. Once sold-out, only the single CD version will be available. CD now, vinyl TBA.
Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
Third full-length release and the follow up to their critically acclaimed album The Warning. This new installment shows Hot Chip at their best -- wonderfully quirky, clever, soulful and poppy. Their sound is evolving towards wilder, heavier electronics, though still coupled with their signature pop aesthetic. Made In The Dark also shows that the band is equally at home creating songs of intimacy and melancholy as they are with dancefloor fillers. With this release, the hipsters (you know who you are) who found and love Hot Chip will still be lured in by their originality and inventiveness, whereas the undeniable infectiousness and catchiness of their music should bring them a wider audience. Limited first pressing comes with a live DVD. Vinyl arriving soon.
YOUR 33 BLACK ANGELS - LONELY STREET
One of the freshest, most direct records we have heard in a long time. Hailing from various points East, the now NYC-based Y33BA bring enough VU Lou and effortless Indie slack, coupled with great songs, that make us want to push repeat anytime we play this in the shop. We also have just a clutch of the limited (only 250!) hand-numbered, hand-screened lps left--get it now!
VAMPIRE WEEKEND - S/T
Preppy Afrobeat? This NYC four-piece draw on their diverse backgrounds and interests -- experimenting with African guitar music, the Western classical canon, hazy memories of Cape Cod summers, winters in upper Manhattan and Reggaeton. The backlash is already in full swing for these critically lauded kids, but give it a listen and you'll be treated to one of the freshest, most enjoyable records of this young year. Perhaps the backlash needs a good backlash of its own. CD now, vinyl due February 19.
CHRIS WALLA (Death Cab For Cutie) - FIELD MANUAL
The debut solo album from Death Cab For Cutie founding member, guitarist and producer (Decemberists, Tegan & Sara) -- an extraordinary collection of atmospheric and politically minded alternative pop that displays his singular songwriting vision while simultaneously showing the degree to which his aesthetic has informed Death Cab's sound over the years. Available in two versions: standard digipak and limited edition cloth-bound hardcover. We are pretty darned excited about the new Chris Walla album -- and we've made it even more exciting for you to pick it up here at LUNA! Simply purchase a copy of Field Manual between January 29 and February 4 and you will receive a unique code and a URL where you can access three special MP3s (two demo versions of album tracks and one studio recording of a new song).
CAT POWER - JUKEBOX
As if the cover foto of Chan doing her best Mick was not enough, resident CP authority, Magical, only has had this to say after having the record since last November; "Awesome." We have to agree. This stunning collection of covers, including one of her own best-loved songs, "Metal Heart," is simply gorgeous in performance and restraint. We also recommend you pick up the limited version with the lovely foil blocking and extra five songs!!!