New Releases - 1/15/21

Hitting The Racks

Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's

New Releases

Jeff Tweedy - Love Is The King LP/CD (dBpm Records)

Love Is The King, a "beautifully honest ode to love and hope," is the follow-up to 2018's Warm and 2019's Warmer, and comes on the heels of Tweedy's second book, How To Write One Song. "At the beginning of the lockdown I started writing country songs to console myself. Folk and country type forms being the shapes that come most easily to me in a comforting way. ‘Guess Again’ is a good example of the success I was having at pushing the world away, counting my blessings - taking stock in my good fortune to have love in my life," comments Tweedy. "A few weeks later things began to sound like 'Love Is The King' - a little more frayed around the edges with a lot more fear creeping in. Still hopeful but definitely discovering the limits of my own ability to self soothe." -Jeff Tweedy Available here on CD and limited edition clear colored vinyl while supplies last. Indie exclusive clear vinyl.

Kurt Vile - Speed, Sound, Lonely KV EP/CD (Matador)

Kurt Vile’s new EP, Speed, Sound, Lonely KV (ep), was recorded and mixed in sporadic sessions that spanned four years at The Butcher Shoppe studio right here in Nashville. It includes five songs — covers of John Prine and “Cowboy” Jack Clement as well as two originals — and was recorded alongside a cast of local heavies including Bobby Wood, Dave Roe, Kenny Malone and Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Superwolf). Most importantly, it features what Vile has called "probably the single most special musical moment in my life” – a duet with the late John Prine on “How Lucky.” Speed, Sound, Lonely KV (ep) is available tor here on vinyl and CD.

Tyler Childers - Long Violent History LP (Hickman Holler Records)

Long Violent History is the powerful and poignant new album from Tyler Childers, which finds the singer addressing civil unrest and systemic racism with unflinching candor. Released on 140 gram black vinyl on 1/15/2021 by RCA Records and available to order here. 100% of net proceeds from Long Violent History will support underserved communities in the Appalachian region through the Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund.

Beach Bunny - Blame Game EP (Mom+Pop)

A new EP, following the band's 2020 Billboard Top 10 debut album Honeymoon. Where Honeymoon centered on the highs and lows of new love, Blame Game takes aim at toxic masculinity, sexism and the emotional labor of unreliable relationships. Blame Game was written in quarantine and recorded in Chicago over a week in August. The four new original songs are produced by Joe Reinhart (Hop Along, Joyce Manor, Modern Baseball, Remo Drive). Hot pink vinyl with sticker sheet.

Pearl Charles - Magic Mirror LP (Kanine Records)

Some say life only makes sense in reverse, from the vantage point of your rear view -Magic Mirror is a looking glass of sorts. Like a modern day Alice inWonderland, Pearl Charles beckons you to slip and fall into her world.You'll find yourself drifting with the tide - the ups, downs, and all-arounds of a life well-lived and well- loved.From start to finish you float along a reflective river, dancing in your own/the personal/private Studio 54 of your living room, decked out in sequins or nothing at all. It's a feel good album that asks us to actually take the time to feel good. Magic Mirror follows the cartography of a girl,growing into a woman, as she moves through life from singledom, to the expansive space of self-reflection, and the newly appreciated perspective of coming back together again and finding yourself, this time with someone new.A love letter to the self, a dance party for life, and at times as introspective as your best trip, Pearl takes us on a journey that, like life &love, has the tendency to surprise, delight, and leave you breathless. All you have to do is let yourself enjoy it. Blue vinyl with poster + MP3.

Conny Frischauf - Die Drift LP (Bureau B)

Viennese artist Conny Frischauf's music is a whirl of kraut, left-field electronica, and synth pop. She playfully shines a new light on tradition to create a fresh, contemporary sound. A work of sonic depth, the record marries free music with irresistible pop appeal. Frischauf deploys a wide range of instruments, adding a wealth of color whilst balancing her playful approach with unfailing transparency, each element clearly arranged to create a particular sound. Sounds shimmer like fragmented reflections in a rush of echo loops, yet these are never used for mere effect, instead they represent careful brushstrokes on the broader fabric.

Dave Hause - Patty/Paddy CD (self-released)

Dave Hause has two new EPs, Patty and Paddy, which honor the work of Patty Griffin and Patrick “Paddy” Costello of Dillinger Four. The EPs feature appearances by Brian Fallon, Will Hoge, Jake Blount, Lilly Hiatt, Laura Stevenson and Bartees Strange. Vinyl due 2/05.

KMRU - Peel 2LP (Editions Mego)

KMRU is the moniker of Joseph Kamaru, a sound artist and producer based in Nairobi, Kenya. One of the leading exponents of the burgeoning experimental music scene in Nairobi and beyond, he was listed by Resident Advisor as one of "15 East African Artists You Need To Hear" in 2018. Peel is an exquisite mix of field recordings and electronics that unravel at a repetitive and leisurely pace to expose a rich tapestry of sound. The subtle calming atmosphere within Peel belies Kamaru's compositional prowess, as layers of delicate sounds wrap around each other creating a hybrid new form of ambient music, captivating in its textural depth and kaleidoscopic patterns.

Buck Meek - Two Saviors LP (Keeled Scales)

Two Saviors is Buck Meek's second album, following 2018's self-titled LP. The Big Thief lead guitarist worked with producer and engineer Andrew Sarlo on this album (who's produced all four of Big Thief albums, as well as co-producing Bon Iver's i, i). Andrew agreed to record it only if it was made under his conditions- that they make the album in New Orleans during the hottest part of the year, spend no more than seven days tracking live, on an 8-track tape machine, with only dynamic microphones and no headphones, and not allowing the players to hear back any of the takes until the final day. Morning smoke vinyl.

Midnight Sister - Painting The Roses LP (Jagjaguwar)

Midnight Sister, multi-disciplinary LA artists Juliana Giraffe and Ari Balouzian make motion pictures. Yes, sometimes with moving images - but most often only with the music they create together. Balouzian's serpentine, string compositions are movie scenes that allow Giraffe, a brilliant character actor, to cloak herself in a new roles and voices. A bit of Jon Brion's score work; some old Hollywood strings; a solid dose of glam and outsider disco from 70s independent cinema. Any perceived artifice is always matched by an indelible human fingerprint, something perfectly off. Giraffe and Balouzian's respective work in fashion, visual art, video and film scoring - along with the gang of virtuosos with which they surround themselves - all wonderfully coalesce as Midnight Sister.

Passenger - Songs For The Drunk & Broken Hearted 2xLP/CD (Black Crow Records)

Mike Rosenberg, better known as Passenger, is a multi-award winning, platinum-selling singer-songwriter from Brighton, England. Although still known for his busking, he long ago made the journey from street corners to stadiums. For his latest album "Songs For The Drunk and Broken Hearted" Rosenberg explains, “I chose the album title because a lot of the songs are about drinking and the emotions felt around it” he explains. There are personal references Rosenberg adds, “I’ve recently gone through a break-up, which is always a rough time but can actually be very inspiring too. I spent a few months going out and drinking too much which was fun and heartbreaking and awful all at once. Some of the material is personal and some of it is about other people, either people I’ve met or fictional characters. That’s always been a Passenger thing: sad stories about people drenched in disappointment with that sense of what could have been.”

The Red Pinks & Purples - You Might Be Happy Someday LP (Tough Love Records)

Deep amidst San Francisco's Richmond neighborhood misty air and washed-out pastel blocks, Glenn Donaldson has been diligently creating minor masterpieces with rudimentary home technology for some time now. With The Reds, Pinks & Purples, Donaldson has finally created a vivid reflection of this dreary scene. You Might be Happy Someday is an oblique strand of SF outer-avenue cloud cover that stretches across the Atlantic to the grey docks of Bristol as captured in Sarah Records' fetishized insert photos. Despite the deceptively congenial presentation, Happy is often a heavy record. After a litany of Donaldson's past iterations (from experimental abstraction to post-punk and pop), The Reds, Pinks & Purples is Glenn D's most personal project. Balanced awkwardly atop almost ironically upbeat jangles and rhythms Mitch Easter might have captured on his reel-to-reel are prime cuts of bummer pop. Pastel pink vinyl.

Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou - The Helm Of Sorrow EP (Sacred Bones)

The Helm of Sorrow is the companion EP to Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou's 2020 collaborative LP, May Our Chambers Be Full. It was recorded during the same 2019 sessions that yielded the album, and it includes the project's cover of The Cranberries' "Hollywood." 45 rpm, includes download.

Shame - Drunk Tank Pink LP (Dead Oceans)

There are moments on Drunk Tank Pink where you almost have to reach for the sleeve to check this is the same band who made 2018's Songs Of Praise. Such is the jump Shame have made from the riotous post-punk of their debut to thesprawling adventurism and twitching anxieties laid out here.The South Londoner's blood and guts spirit, that wink and grin of devious charm, is still present, it's just that it's grown into something bigger, something deeper, more ambitious and unflinchingly honest. Ltd edition opaque pink vinyl.

Sleaford Mods - Spare Ribs LP (Rough Trade)

In 2021, Sleaford Mods will take stock of an astonishing rise with the release of their newest creation Spare Ribs. They will bring British political correctness, in the truest, purest sense of those words directly to the masses. Because Sleaford Mods are sincerity incarnate. Sleaford Mods are peerless. Ltd edition clear green vinyl.

Danny Strimer - New Love Songs: Bossa Nova & Beyond LP/CD (Strimersongs)

“Vocalist-guitarist Danny Strimer expands his repertoire into the realm of jazz and numbers influenced by the Great American Songbook on his most recent release. It’s a delightfully sung and well-played 10-tune selection of originals, predominantly devoted to celebrating love’s joys and beauty. Strimer co-wrote all the selections with top songwriter Alan Miller, better known for cuts by The Mavericks and Rick Trevino. Incidentally, Mavericks leader Raul Malo co-wrote “Not Enough” one of the best selections on the album.” —The Nashville Scene.

Matthew Sweet - Catspaw LP/CD (Omnivore Records)

Matthew Sweet played in bands in Athens, Georgia as that scene exploded, collaborating with R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, playing in Linda Stipe’s Oh-OK, and The Buzz Of Delight. That work scooped him up into the major label world making countless acclaimed solo records, forming the supergroup The Thorns with Shawn Mullins and Pete Droge, and beginning a series of covers albums with The Bangles’ Susannah Hoffs. Now, it’s time for Matthew to just plain rock out by himself again. Omnivore Recordings is proud to announce the release of Catspaw—written, produced, recorded, mixed, and entirely preformed (save ferocious drumming from Ric Menck of Velvet Crush) by Matthew at his home studio. Mastered by Bob Ludwig, the Hofner bass and Novo guitars sing and howl, harkening back to classics like Girlfriend and Altered Beast—all while retaining the hooks that dig into the listener. Well, like a cat’s paw. Ltd edition orange vinyl.

Reissues, Compilations, Live Recordings & Vault Excavations...

Frank Bretschneider & Taylor Deupree - Balance LP (Keplar)

Originally released in 2002. A keystone of the click & cuts scene and (ambient-)glitch music movement of the late '90s and early 2000s. These two masters of microscopic sounds and sine wave/white noise-based music constructed these seamlessly mixed pieces around rhythms and melodies. Realized entirely on Nord Modular synthesizers, Bretschneider and Deupree exchanged patch files through email and began constructing foundation loops. The result is a looping and churning rhythmic work that is both synthetic, warm, dubby, and tonally challenging.

Buffalo Springfield - Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield LP (Rhino)

Start Your Ear Off Right reissue on 180-gram vinyl. Remastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.

Josie Cotton - Convertible Music LP (Bomp Records)

Josie Cotton is a classic example of an artist whose entire career is overshadowed by one song. This album's hit, the in-dubious-taste "Johnny Are You Queer?," was such a controversial song at the time of its 1982 release that the rest of this fine album was overlooked in the brouhaha. That's a shame, because Convertible Music is a classic of the whole California girly pop scene of the early '80s, on a level with the Go Go's' Beauty and the Beat, Bonnie Hayes' Good Clean Fun, and the first Bangles EP. Ltd edition color vinyl.

Doves - Lost Souls 2xLP (Heavenly)
Doves - The Last Broadcast 2xLP (Heavenly)
Doves - Some Cities 2xLP (Heavenly)

180 gram black vinyl reissues of the UK band’s first 3 LPs, download included.

Fleetwood Mac - The Best of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac 2xLP (Sony)

Comprehensive collection of the first era of Fleetwood Mac, spotlighting material recorded with original founder and grossly underrated guitarist Peter Green. This collection gathers material from both the Blue Horizon label and Reprise.

Mayer Hawthorne - Rare Changes CD/LP (Big Bucks)

A collection of songs released digitally as singles in 2019 and 2020. Mayer DJed in Michigan at the height of Detroit hip-hop. He was there. Before Em blew, when Dilla was still alive. He was spinning records and making rap beats. Now he’s making soul records and rappers are sampling him. Circle of life. Mayer’s been digging in the crates and you can hear the influences in his music. A touch of Shuggie Otis here, some Bob Marley there, a sprinkle of Sly Stone…

Graeme Jefferies - Messages For The Cakekitchen LP (Ally Records)

Graeme Jefferies remains a fixture in the New Zealand and international underground music scene. Messages For The Cakekitchen, originally released in 1988 on Flying Nun, has been out of print for nearly 20 years and this is the first domestic pressing since 1993. This seminal release contains Graeme’s intended full-color version of the original jacket artwork and insert for the first time.

Jefferson Starship - Red Octopus LP (Friday Music)

180 gram vinyl reissue of the first true Jefferson Starship LP, a blockbuster hit in 1975 that saw Marty Balin return to the fold, bringing hit single “Miracles” with him.

The Kinks - The Kinks LP (Sanctuary/BMG)

Ltd edition red vinyl reissue of The Kink’s debut album.

Stevie Nicks - Live In Concert: The 24 Karat Gold Tour 2xCD/DVD/2xCD (BMG)

95 minutes of Stevie’s greatest hits performed live in concert. Also includes the first-ever live recording of “Crying In The Night” and other rarities in addition to the hits. Available as a 2CD set or 2 CDs with DVD.

Razor - Armed & Dangerous EP (Relapse)
Razor - Live Osaka Saikou 2xLP (Relapse)

Reissue of the legendary Canadian thrash metal band’s debut EP along with a most aggressive and unrelenting live set.

Dax Riggs - Say Goodnight To The World LP (Fat Possum)

10th anniversary reissue. Louisiana’s own dark star and orpheus of the underground, Dax Riggs - the fool in your tarot deck - trippin’ over his own tombstone, reaching into the atmosphere, and pulling spirits from the air. An alchemy of all roots music, doom metal and glam-punk poetry. It sounds like voodoo, feels like redemption and puts off heat like a burning oil rig. In the service of tears and the ghost of all all sorrows… say goodnight to the world

Shackleton with Ernesto Tomasini - Devotional Songs 2xLP (Honest Jon's Records)

2020 restock. Devotional Songs is Shackleton's most expansive, ecstatic and hallucinatory music to date. Four long-form pieces developing the free-flowing compositional aesthetic of his recent Deliverance series (2014-2015): fiery rhythmic-melodic turbulence channeling Congotronics way to the east - with an aura of restrained mania reminiscent of the feral pomp and gallows humor of Coil's "moon-musick" phase - all earthed by dub-wise bass. The presence of cult singer Ernesto Tomasini's four-octave voice, swooping from deep growl to piercing falsetto, both heightens the theatricality of Shackleton's music and makes explicit his kinship to the occult energies of the UK's post-industrial underground. These shadowy songs are rich with allusions to bodily ritual and psychic exploration, with Tomasini's lyrics framed by luminous whirls of hand-struck drums and synthetic gamelan, bells and tumbling organ melodies.

Talk Talk - It’s My Life LP (Parlophone)

180 gram purple vinyl reissue of the UK band’s 2nd album from 1984.

Mary Timony - Mountains 2xLP (Matador)

Deluxe 20th anniversary expanded double LP featuring 4 alternate versions and an essay by Mary.

Trampled By Turtles - Songs From A Ghost Town LP (Banjodad/Thirty Tigers)

1st time on vinyl for the first 2 albums from progressive bluegrassers Trampled By Turtles. Indie store exclusive color vinyl, limited to 500 copies.

Uriah Heep - Demons & Wizards LP (Sanctuary/BMG)

Reissue featuring re-imagined artwork by renowned artist Roger Dean Ltd edition white vinyl

Various - The Great March On Washington LP (Motown)

Recorded on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington. D.C., August 23, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom, a.k.a. `The Great March on Washington.' Additionally, the album includes a performance of "We Shall Overcome," the traditional gospel song that became an anthem of the civil rights movement, by Motown artist Liz Lands, in which she is accompanied by `The Voices of Salvation.'

Various Artists - SOS Music Vol. 1 LP (SOS Music)

Birthed from a radio show and event series with iconic Los Angeles radio station Dublab, SOS Music's goal is to provide a platform for diverse and forward-thinking electronic music, with a keen emphasis on womxn talent from around the world. This compilation showcases dance music from some of the most renowned producers working at the moment, including rRoxymore, Violet, Nightwave, Umfang, LCY, and Minimal Violence -- lovingly curated to uplift and celebrate the global electronic community in a time of deep uncertainty in the music industry. SOS Music Vol. 1 is international to its core, drawing on influences from the artists' respective backgrounds including the UK, US, Serbia, Spain, Japan, Slovenia, Portugal, Germany, and Canada.

Faye Webster - Faye Webster LP (Secretly Canadian)

Faye Webster's self-titled, debut album is available on vinyl for the first time! Originally released in 2017, this 2021 repress is available on white vinyl with dark blue splatter.

Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Jazz is Dead LP (Jazz is Dead)

2021 repress. Under Jazz Is Dead, younger artists are elaborating upon conversations started decades ago; jazz icons are utilizing vintage equipment to create new masters with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad; the same equipment that recorded their coveted catalogs. The vitality embedded in the newmasters epitomizes our quest for new life in music: Jazz Is Dead. This compilation features legendary artists Roy Ayers, Gary Bartz, Marcos Valle, Azymuth, Doug Carn, Joao Donato, & Brian Jackson, who will each have their own individual release, working alongside Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad.