New Releases - 1/18/19

Hitting The Racks

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

Jump to… New Releases Reissues & From The Vaults Compilations, Best Of's & Sundry Collections New on Vinyl Books

New Releases

Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow CD/LP (Jagjaguwar) 

Remind Me Tomorrow was written in stolen time. In the four years since Are We There, Van Etten guest-starred in The OA, performed in David Lynch's Twin Peaks revival, and wrote her first film score and song for TV - for Kathering Dieckmann's Strange Weather Tig Notaro's show Tig, respectively. Van Etten also had a child and began studying psychology. In the scraps of hours between these endeavors, Remind Me Tomorrow was born [Limited clear blue vinyl pressing.]

Neyla Pekarek - Rattlesnake CD/LP (S-Curve) 

Neyla Pekarek, formerly of The Lumineers, releases her debut album. A fitting subject for Neyla's first solo release, Rattlesnake is a concept record about one of the strongest independent women and unsung heroes of the old west, Kate Slaughterback, better known as Rattlesnake Kate (who earned her nickname on October 28th, 1925 when she single-handedly defended herself and her 3-year-old son against 140 migrating rattlesnakes. Kate killed all 140 snakes using a shotgun). The 13 original songs on Rattlesnake, produced by Matt Ward (M. Ward, She & Him), were written as a "Folk Opera" shining a light on some of the incredible tales from Kate's life, including her triumph over a pack of rampaging rattlesnakes, a 40-year love letter correspondence she maintained with a man she never actually met, and more. Neyla Pekarek will perform a free, all ages live set at Grimey's on Sunday, January 20th, at 2PM!

Deerhunter - Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared? CD/LP+MP3 (4AD) 

Deerhunter's eighth LP forgets the questions and makes up unrelated answers. It gets up, walks around, it records itself in several strategic geographic points across North America. It comes home, restructures itself and goes back to bed to avoid the bad news. From the opening harpsichord and piano figures of "Death in Midsummer", it is impossible to tell where the record came from. Is "No One's Sleeping" an outtake of an aborted Kinks recording session in 1977 Berlin with Eno producing? No. That is nostalgia. If there is one thing Deerhunter are making clear it is that they have exhausted themselves with that toxic concept.

Toro Y Moi - Outer Peace CD/LP+MP3 (Carpark) 

Following the ever-emotive Boo Boo, Toro Y Moi's new album Outer Peace is a time capsule that captures our relationship to contemporary culture into one comprehensive, sonic package. As both a producer and designer, Chaz Bear utilizes abstract sound pairings with recognizable samples for his most pop influenced record to date, including features from ABRA, WET, and Instupendo. This is no departure from his funk and disco roots, which can be heard on "Ordinary Pleasure" later fusing into variations of house with tracks like "Freelance" and "Laws Of The Universe". Smooth interludes melt into fast paced beats, paralleling the feeling of driving through the Bay Area, where Bear spent most of his time writing the album. Outer Peace is duality. It embodies whatever form you choose to inhabit in the moment. Listen and let your imagination become the universe. [Limited indie-exclusive vinyl pressing.]

Steve Gunn - The Unseen In Between CD/LP+MP (Matador) 

Getting to The Unseen In Between itself was not easy for Steve Gunn. In the summer of 2016, Gunn released Eyes On The Lines, his winning and elliptical debut for Matador. It should have been a triumphant moment, but exactly two weeks later, Gunn's father and namesake died following a two-year struggle with cancer. This experience yielded the emotional centerpiece of the album. "Stonehurst Cowboy" is a duet for Gunn's raw acoustic guitar and spare basslines by Bob Dylan's musical director Tony Garnier, who's featured throughout the album. The song distills the lessons Gunn learned from his father and it is a solemn but tender remembrance, a tribute to his father's reputation as a tough, wise, and witty guy from far west Philadelphia.

Pedro The Lion - Phoenix CD/2xLP+MP3 (Polyvinyl) 

Capping off a fruitful 12-year long solo career, singer/songwriter David Bazan resurrects and reunites with both the moniker and mindset of his profoundly influential indie rock outfit, Pedro The Lion, with the follow up to their 2004 opus, Achilles Heel. The band's new album, Phoenix, marks a return to form for the beloved group, while mapping out the emotional intricacies and childhood experiences of growing up in Phoenix, AZ - a process that would ultimately shape Bazan's adult life. [Limited colored vinyl pressing.]

Greensky Bluegrass - All For Money CD/2xLP (Big Blue Zoo) 

For more than 18 years, the members of Greensky Bluegrass have been creating their own version of bluegrass music, mixing the acoustic stomp of a string band with the rule-breaking spirit of rock & roll. As they continue to evolve and further define that sound they are breaking barriers with their seventh studio album, All For Money. Recorded at Echo Mountain Recording in Asheville, NC alongside co-producers Dominic John Davis (Jack White s longtime bassist) and Glenn Brown, this set of 12 new songs finds the band pushing boundaries and breaking new ground, welcoming old fans and new audiences alike. They're going full steam ahead into this new era with both the passion and vigor of a band in their infancy and the knowledge and power of one that s been together for almost two decades and counting.

The Twilight Sad - It Won't Be like This All The Time CD/LP (Rock Action) 

From their unassuming origins as a group of school friends drawn together by a shared passion for music to the global touring force (supporting The Cure and Editors at arenas and stadiums), they have quietly become, Scotland's The Twilight Sad's ascent has been forged the old way with grit, graft and four exceptional studio albums. Now signed to country mates and seminal rock band, Mogwai's Rock Action Records, the bands fifth album does not disappoint and will certainly not disappoint fans of their previous works. It will also appeal to fans of The Cure, Frightened Rabbits, The National, Interpol and Editors.

Night Beats - Myths Of Man CD/LP (PIAS America) 

Written during a particularly destructive period of Night Beats, Myths Of Man is populated by fallen angels, blood-sucking wanderers, and vindictive lovers - sketches of people the band has surely come across during their cosmic roving through the underground - but the character most present is frontman Danny Lee Blackwell, himself. "Myth Of A Man can be summed up as a personal display of vulnerability and guilty conscience," he explains, "Destroying the mythos of what it means to live and function in society." With its bold steps forward, the album serves as both a takedown and reintroduction of the band as we know it - the strongest evidence that you'll never be able to pin Night Beats down. While Blackwell has always fed off the musical legacy of his Texas roots - Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators, The Red Krayola, The Black Angels and more paving the way for the napalm-coated psych-rock head-trip of past albums - Myth Of A Man has him pulling from the surrogate wellspring of Nashville, TN. It was there that he worked with the eminent Dan Auerbach and a murderer's row of battle-worn session musicians. Sorry but vinyl for this title will not arrive until next week...

M. Ward - What A Wonderful Industry CD/LP (M. Ward Productions) 

What A Wonderful Industry takes on a subtler shade of music industry beef, writing about the heroes and villains he's encountered over 20 years. M. Ward's solo work is a mixture of folk and blues-inspired Americana analog recordings; he has released nine albums since 1999, primarily through independent label Merge Records. In addition to his solo work, he is a member of pop duo She & Him and folk-rock supergroup Monsters of Folk, and also participates in recording, producing, and playing with multiple other artists. [Limited clear vinyl pressing.]

Maggie Rogers - Heard It In A Past Life CD/LP (Capitol) 

Acclaimed producer/songwriter/performer Maggie Rogers' new album, Heard It In A Past Life, includes the Pharrell Williams endorsed song that introduced Rogers to the world, "Alaska", as well as follow-up singles "Fallingwater", praised by NPR as "a celebration of the terrifying yet thrilling process of change" and "Give A Little", which Pitchfork hailed as a "cathartic pop song about empathy and unity." Co-produced with Greg Kurstin and Kid Harpoon, Rogers describes the single "Light On" as "a letter to my fans about the last two years of my life. There was so much change that happened so fast, I wasn't always sure how to make all this stuff feel like me."

Alice Merton - Mint CD/LP (Mom+Pop) 

Platinum-selling English born, German-based singer-songwriter Alice Merton releases her much-anticipated debut album. Written by Alice and longtime co-writer/producer Nicolas Rebscher the "Why So Serious" single is a song that brings positive light into this sometimes too serious world we live in. Although sticking to Alice's electric guitar riff-laden sound she's come to form, this song brings a more pop filled positioning with a well-honed production and strong melody and chorus leading into a well-written bridge. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]

Juliana Hatfield - Weird CD/LP (American Laundromat) 

Fast on the heels of 2018's acclaimed Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John comes Juliana Hatfield's self-produced all-originals album, Weird. Freda Love Smith (Blake Babies, Sunshine Boys) and Todd Philips (Lemonheads, The Juliana Hatfield Three) each played drums on multiple songs while Hatfield played all of the other instruments (and some additional drums). Weird is an album about disconnection and discomfort. "I often feel cut-off from other people, from my feelings, from technology, from popular culture," says Hatfield.

Joe Jackson - Fool CD/LP/LP+7" (earMUSIC) 

Fool once again showcases Joe Jackson's incredible musical diversity and unique artistic vision. If the album had a theme, it would be Comedy and Tragedy and the way they're intertwined in our lives. It begins with the powerfully mysterious "Big Black Crowd", which foreshadows a collection that is impossible to describe in one word but undoubtedly musically and lyrically powerful and touchingly beautiful. The striking "Fabulously Absolute" shows a different side of the record with Jackson portraying an almost snarky attitude in his voice and the music showing a very melodic drive. Despite what the title may suggest, none of Jackson's remarkable songwriting, although multi-faceted, does in any way sound foolish. It is rather a sense of masterful craftsmanship and intent that defines Fool. The listener will find jazz, classic and - of course - pop influences that fuse to make an artistically valuable experience. 

Guster - Look Alive CD/LP (Nettwerk) 

Guster's first new album in four years opens with a stark, haunting synth refrain and veers in unexpected directions from there. Despite having access to room after room of well-maintained analog keys, producer Leo Abrahams (Regina Spektor, Brian Eno/David Byrne, Belle and Sebastian) gravitated to a cheap Ensoniq Mirage synth from the 1980s. [Limited yellow vinyl pressing]

Switchfoot - Native Tongue CD/2xLP (Fantasy)
Before we learn to hate. Love is our Native Tongue.' - Jon Foreman. For their new album Native Tongue, alternative rock band SWITCHFOOT step beyond their trademark epic soundscapes and explore new textures and themes that genuinely reflect this fraught cultural moment. From the hard-hitting anthemic title-track to more reflective songs such as 'Prodigal Soul,' 'Joy Invincible,' and 'Voices,' co-written and produced with their friends in One Republic, the band interlace empathy and introspection, urging us to 'use our lungs for love and not the shadows.' [Limited indie-exclusive vinyl pressing.]

The Flesh Eaters - I Used To Be Pretty CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc) 

One of Los Angeles punk rock's most widely admired yet little-heard bands makes a striking return with a new album. On I Used To Be Pretty, Flesh Eaters founding vocalist/songwriter Chris Desjardins is backed by the legendary all-star edition of the band, originally heard on the 1981 set A Minute To Pray, A Second to Die: Dave Alvin (guitar) and Bill Bateman (drums) of the Blasters; John Doe (bass) and D.J. Bonebrake (marimba and percussion) of X; and Steve Berlin (saxophones) of the Plugz (and later the Blasters and Los Lobos).

The Steel Woods - Old News CD/LP (Woods Music/Thirty Tigers) 

The Steel Woods' sophomore album, Old News, represents a creative leap for the southern roots rock songwriting team of Alabama native Wes Bayliss and his North Carolina partner Jason "Rowdy" Cope, who completed their first recordings barely months after they first met. Part Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, dual-guitar southern blues-rock with elements of R&B, country, bluegrass, gospel, blues, folk and metal, the descriptively named, Nashville-based band deepens its resolve on a theme-driven album that joins the mystery train of the past with the full-speed loco-motion of the present, seeking to bring people together with the universality of music.

Frances Cone - Late Riser CD/LP (Living Daylight/Orchard) 

"Timing is everything to Frances Cone. Even the band's moniker is a nod to band mastermind Christina Cone's family's own impeccable chronology, borrowing the name from her great-grandfather and father, both born on September 11th decades apart. Then there's the fact that Cone met her future bandmate and beau, Andrew Doherty, at just the right moment on just the right date - 12/12/12 - for their lives to align. This acknowledged connection to cosmic scheduling also explains why the duo have been so patient in releasing their follow-up to 2013's Come Back LP. It's a patience that comes through on each of the 10 tracks that make up Late Riser. Carefully crafted soar on indie pop updrafts on songs like "Failure" or the melodic opener "Wide Awake". "Unraveling", a lush pop number with gripping harmonies, hints at Cone's association with Lucius, while "Arizona" hints towards Justin Vernon's style of songwriting. Then there's the title track, a beleaguered and powerful folk number that finds Cone at her most aggressive. Whatever the influence or particular style of sound, each song feels complete, fully realized as a coherent effort from an artist who appreciates the value in taking your time to reach the finish line." - Consequence Of Sound

Cody Johnson - Ain't Nothin' To It CD/2xLP (Warner Nashville) 

New album from former rodeo bull rider turned prison guard turned budding country star. [Vinyl edition features a pair of live bonus tracks.]

Orgōne - Reasons CD/LP (Killion Sound) 

Orgōne delivers dirty, organic, California soul with heart; music that grabs you by the collar, pulls you to your feet and shoves you wantingly onto the dance floor. One of the most exciting groups in the new generation of funk bands, Orgone recalls such legendary groups as Rufus and Sly & The Family Stone at their best. The band hits their stride on Reasons, capturing the raw power and refined sensibilities that define them, as well as incorporating new influences, from vocal harmonies channeling late 70s Fleetwood Mac to synth lines evoking Bernie Worrell's tenure in the Talking Heads. Powerhouse vocalist Adryon De León recalls the deep soulfulness of Chaka Khan and the bedroom sweetness of Minnie Ripperton, and her versatile vocal performance firmly places her in the top echelon of soul singers today. 

Malibu Ken (Aesop Rock and Tobacco) - Malibu Ken CD (Rhymesayers) 

Aesop Rock has been credited as one of the most verbose MC's in hip-hop today. Known for his dense and abstract wordplay, he manipulates language to illustrate elaborate stories and difficult concepts with sharp clarity. Tobacco is a member of psych-electronic band Black Moth Super Rainbow. Known for working with pre-digital electronic instruments like analog synths and tape machines, he crafts distorted, experimentalist beats that intertwine feelings of tension and anxiety with sensations of bemusement and pleasure. Together, Aesop Rock and Tobacco are Malibu Ken. [Colored vinyl edition comes in a die cut gatefold jacket with a 2-panel wearable perforated pop out mask with elastic string, and a 4-panel full color insert with full album lyrics.]

Subjective - Act 1: Music For Inanimate Objects CD/2xLP (Masterworks) 

DJ, producer, visual artist, actor and visionary Goldie joins forces with revered engineer and producer James Davidson under the alias Subjective on their first collaborative project. Act 1: Music For Inanimate Objects features Goldie at his uncompromising, unapologetic best - fusing classical, ambient and electronic elements with the ingenuity that only a trailblazer as himself could do. Combine this with James' own creative flair, and an engineering prowess that allows them to explore a range of tempos, emotions and sonic landscapes with complete freedom, and it's clear to see Subjective is the making of two artists born with a predestined compatibility.

Sourakata Koite - En Hollande CD/LP (Awesome Tapes From Africa) 

Sourakata Koite is a Paris-dwelling kora-player from Senegal. He is a griot, which means he is a story- and history-teller and singer. He accompanies himself on the kora. The kora (a harp-lute with 21 strings) is the most representative instrument of Manding music and culture.

Lost Under Heaven - Love Hate What You Become CD/LP (Mute) 

Love Hates What You Become captures the Manchester-based duo comprised of Ebony Hoorn and Ellery James Roberts at their most musically raw and visceral. The band wrote the album in Ellery's native Manchester before traveling to Los Angeles to record with producer John Congleton, known for his Grammy-winning work with St. Vincent, Swans, Explosions in the Sky and Sigur Rós. Vinyl has not shipped yet.

Buke & Gase - Scholars CD/LP (Brassland) 

Three years ago, Buke and Gase embarked on a major refinement and modernization of their instrumental creations - and embraced electronic music. Scholars began not as the title of their new record, but a new moniker for their artistic project. In a way, their long and roundabout journey has resulted in a sound that's coincidentally in sync with our most forward-thinking contemporary artists - James Blake, Bjork/Arca, Frank Ocean. They have embraced the same computer-and synthesizer-driven creative tools that make EDM and trap music function, while existing entirely in their own, fully imagined universe of sound.

Machinefabriek - With Voices CD/LP (Western Vinyl) 

With Voices is the newest recording by Dutch composer Rutger Zuydervelt under the moniker Machinefabriek. True to it's title, the album's eight pieces exhibit Zuydervelt's use of tone generators, radios, synths, and other hi-fi curio to construct bewildering aural architecture around vocal contributions from Marissa Nadler, Peter Broderick, Richard Youngs, and others. [Scarlet red colored vinyl pressing also available.]

The End Of The Ocean - -aire CD/LP (Equal Vision) 

New album from the Columbus, Ohio based post rock band.

Hold Close - Time CD/LP (Hopeless) 

Missouri emo rockers Hold Close release their debut full-length. Building on their success on their previous two EPs (I'll Never Go Back / I Was Never Meant To Stay), the band use Time to explore topics such as love, loss and, of course, the passing of time. 

Altitudes & Attitude - Get It Out CD (Megaforce) 

Altitudes & Attitude is a project featuring Anthrax bassist Frank Bello and Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, will release their debut album, which follows-up their eponymous 2014 EP. Boasting a deep bench of guest stars, including Ace Frehley (ex-Kiss; the track "Late"), Gus G. (Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind), Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper), Christian Martucci (Stone Sour) and Satchel (Steel Panther), the record represents the fulfillment of a lifelong but little-known ambition for two uniquely gifted artists. As Bello puts it, "All I ever wanted to do was write good songs. I've always been a melody guy. I love hooks; I love catchy songs with a good riff." A kind of rock 'n' roll primal-scream therapy, Get It Out is the result of nearly four years of writing and recording sessions - and decades of touring, searching, striving and living.

New on Vinyl

Snow Patrol - Final Straw [Reissue/2003] 2xLP (A&M) 

Snow Patrol - Eyes Open [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (A&M) 

Snow Patrol - Hundred Million Suns [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (A&M) 

Snow Patrol - Final Empires [Reissue/2011] 2xLP (A&M) 

Vinyl reissue of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth studio albums by the Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band.

Lee Ranaldo - Electric Trim Live At Rough Trade East LP (Mute) 

Recorded at London's Rough Trade East in the autumn of 2017, this album depicts an intimate solo performance, the first UK date on his extensive Electric Trim tour before Lee Ranaldo returned later that year with the Electric Trim trio. Live At Rough Trade East extends the work of Ranaldo's solo canon, through his collaboration with Fernandez, Ranaldo moves into some rich new sonic territories and production techniques, experimenting with electronic beats and samples alongside live players.

Julian Lynch - Rat's Spit LP (Underwater Peoples) 

New release from the experimental rocker and member of Real Estate. He cites acts as varied as Tears for Fears, Kate Bush, George Clinton, and Yes as influences behind the sound of Rat's Spit.

John Medeski - John Medeski's Mad Skillet LP (Indirecto) 

Led by the hugely influential keyboardist and featuring guitarist Will Bernard and the legendary Dirty Dozen Brass Band rhythm section of sousaphonist Kirk Joseph and drummer Terence Higgins, Mad Skillet is first and foremost a product of New Orleans.

Jonny Greenwood - There Will Be Blood [Reissue/2007] LP (Nonesuch) 

First-time vinyl pressing of the Radiohead guitarist's original orchestral score to the Paul Thomas Anderson film.

Warsaw - An Ideal for Living - The Demos LP (Lively Youth)
Before there was Joy Division, there was Warsaw. The group was founded after a 1976 Sex Pistols gig, and the late great Ian Curtis joined the group soon after. By their first official gig, in 1977, they were already the talk of NME and a rush to sign and record led the group to RCA. Recording in Manchester's Arrow Studios in May 1978 brought a full album's worth of songs but the band ultimately didn't like the direction of the production and asked to be released from their contract. Here is that mythical unreleased album along with the earliest demos from the group, recorded in 1977.
Gun Club - Destroy The Country LP (Cleopatra) First ever authorized issue of this classic 1984 European bootleg. Features a performance recorded live in Italy in 1983. Limited green colored vinyl LP pressing.

Antena - Camino Del Sol [Reissue/1982] LP (Numero) 1982, Brussels: The former au pair for Rick Wakeman of Yes and two of her teenage friends are at the doorstep of Les Disques Du Crepuscule, ready to cut an album with Gilles Martin. Living on busking wages and next door to Tuxedomoon, their work results in a contemporary bossanova record that would provide a missing link between Antonio Carlos Jobim and Kraftwerk. Camino Del Sol was issued and promptly forgotten, with Isabelle Antena moving toward jazz in Asia and the others returning to France.

David Bowie - Reality [Reissue/2003] LP (Friday Music) Limited 180gm translucent gold & blue swirl audiophile vinyl reissue. Reality offers a gritty soundscape that's everything we've come to expect from the musical icon.

Deep Purple - Deep Purple In Rock [Reissue/1970] LP (Rhino) Deep Purple - Fireball [Reissue/1971] LP (Rhino) Limited edition purple colored vinyl reissues. Deep Purple's In Rock was originally was released on June 3rd, 1970 an was the band's fourth studio album and the first to feature the classic Mark II line-up of Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Ian Paice plus the two newest members of the band, Ian Gillan and Roger Glover. Their 1971 follow-up, Fireball, was their first UK number one album.

Rickie Lee Jones - Rickie Lee Jones [Reissue/1981] LP (Other Side Of Desire) Rickie Lee Jones - Pirates [Reissue/1981] LP (Other Side Of Desire) Vinyl reissues of the Chicago-born singer/songwriter's first two albums.

John Denver - John Denver's Greatest Hits [Reissue/1973] LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy) John Denver's Greatest Hits was released in late 1973 for the holiday shopping season. The collection included material from his earlier days as a songwriter (going back to 1965 on For Bobbie) to his later hit Rocky Mountain High (1972).

Vintage Trouble - Chapter II - EP 1 12" (McGhee Entertainment) Since forming in 2010, Vintage Trouble have quietly become rock 'n' roll's best kept secret. Distilling swaggering rock, soulful blues, R&B (rhythm& blues) grooves, and pop ambition into a bold and brash brew, the quartet-Ty Taylor [vocals], Nalle Colt [guitar], Rick Barrio Dill [bass], and Richard Danielson [drums]-have logged 3,000 shows across 30 countries on tour with divinities such as The Who, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Lenny Kravitz, and Bon Jovi, to name a few. Chapter II - EP 1 includes five brand-new studio recordings, plus five acoustic versions of those songs.

Rush - In Rio [Reissue/2003] 4xLP (Atlantic) Following a nearly five-year break from touring, Rush returned to the stage in 2002 to support the trio's seventeenth studio album, Vapor Trails. During the tour, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart played to some of the biggest crowds of the band's career, including 40,000 people at the tour's final stop in Rio de Janeiro. First-time vinyl pressing.

Outrageous Cherry - Meet You In The Shadows LP (Burger) Outrageous Cherry combined psychedelia, folk rock, art rock, and bubblegum music across more than 12 albums and nearly three decades. They attracted an international cult following and were a longstanding fixture in the Detroit rock and roll scene since their first gigs in 1991. Meet You In The Shadows is their final studio album, completed before the passing of founding lead guitarist Larry Ray.

Alkaline Trio - Goddamnit picture disc LP (Asian Man Records)
A limited one-time picture disc pressing celebrating the 20th anniversary of the group's landmark debut album. Only 300 copies pressed.

Various Artists - 80's Symphonic 2xLP (Rhino) Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. 80's Symphonic combines the original classic tracks from David Bowie, a-ha, Foreigner, Simple Minds, Simply Red, Tina Turner, Pretenders, Ultravox and more with brand new symphonic and string arrangements performed by the 50-piece London Studio Orchestra.

Donald Byrd - Fuego LP (Down at Dawn)
Down At Dawn present a reissue of Donald Byrd's Fuego, recorded in 1959 and released by Blue Note in 1960. Fuego features trumpeter Donald Byrd at the head of an all-star quintet with Jackie McLean on alto sax, Duke Pearson on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums. A fine classic Blue Note album with the magnificent Byrd-McLean horn section driving the combo through different sound territories from a hard bop to soul jazz to post bop.

Elvin Jones - Illumination! LP (8th Records)
While Elvin Jones' connection to the John Coltrane Quartet is inescapable, he also expanded the role of the jazz percussionist in the post-bop era and helped bridge the gap to more avant-garde styles of drumming through his virtuosic style. He also regularly collaborated with bassist and fellow Coltrane Quintet compatriot Jimmy Garrison. 1964's Illumination! featured the rhythm section pair joined by McCoy Tyner, also from the Coltrane Quintet, on piano, as well as strong session turns from Sonny Simmons (Alto Sax/English Horn), Charles Davis (Bari Sax), and William Lasha (Clarinet/Flute). A highly sought after set of advanced hard bop, featuring some of Jones' most powerful percussion chops.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - With the Tabernacle Choir LP (Down at Dawn)
All the deep fervor of gospel is contained in Sister Rosetta Tharpe's voice. A unique blend of devotional spirit and secular dance music. Among inspirational songs, up-tempo rhythms, ballads, and with the vocal support of the Tabernacle Choir, this disc represents a fine introduction to Tharpe's soulful take on gospel, blues, and even jazz.

Various Artists - This Is Soul LP (Atlantic) Released last June on CD - now available on vinyl. This compilation has integral historical grounding and features the absolute best of Stax and Atlantic artists from Aretha Franklin to Percy Sledge, Otis Redding to Ben E. King. 

Various Artists - 1-800-New-Funk LP (8th Records)
One of the first releases on Prince's NPG Records, a compilation showcasing things to come from the upstart imprint. In addition to new material from Prince, it featured new and unreleased tracks from funk/soul veterans like George Clinton and Mavis Staples, as well as up-and-comers like Mayte Garcia and Nona Gaye, as well as tracks from Prince side-projects like Madhouse, and his backing band The New Power Generation. While the compilation was not a major commercial success on par with Prince's solo works, the album has over time become a must-have for record collectors, and is an indelible part of any Prince completist's catalogue.

Deee-Lite - Dewdrops in the Garden LP (Get On Down)
Following the departure of DJ Towa Tei and addition of junglist DJ Ani, Deee-Lite's 1994 album struck a remarkable balance between the celebratory grooves of World Clique, which featured hit single "Groove is in the Heart," and Infinity Within, their social justice-driven second album. The material on Dewdrops reflects insight gained from vocalist Lady Miss Kier's world travels, applying a spirit of global togetherness to their house-funk grooves. Ranging from the atmospheric techno bounciness of "Bring Me Your Love" to the spacious funk-house track "Call Me," the record remains an unheralded favorite among dance music devotees for its coupling of infectiously bright, soulful melodies with banging dance-floor grooves and unshakably optimistic vibes. Various Artists - Italo Funk 2xLP (Soul Clap) A compilation of DJs and producers who don't fit into any conventional music scene and learned their music, by listening to avant-garde shades of Italo house, or by traveling abroad, trying to embrace the more daring sides of electronic boogies.

MF Doom - Special Herbs Vol. 3 & 4 2LP (Metal Face Records)
2019 repress. The most mysterious figure in hip-hop has also become one of the most popular, supplying beats and rhymes for Gorillaz, De La Soul, Madlib, Danger Mouse, and Wu-Tang Clan, and drawing praise from heavyweights like Just Blaze, Nas, and Mos Def. Since 2002, DOOM has released numerous volumes of Special Herbs, one of the longest-running instrumental series in hip-hop history. Volumes three and four of the acclaimed series are now available with a brand new cover. With obscure loops and dusty samples galore, Special Herbs Vol. 3 & 4 is a must-have for any DOOM fan or hip-hop head.

Shigeto - Weighted 12" (Ghostly Int'l) Limited colored vinyl LP pressing. One year after Michigan-based artist Zach Saginaw released his third album as Shigeto, a genre-blending Detroit love letter called The New Monday, he returns with another eclectic display of affection for the musical community that makes Motor City music tick. The four new tracks on his Weighted EP, including a sumptuous remix from Detroit house luminary Andrés, continue to refine and augment the patchwork of jazz, hip-hop, and electronics that Shigeto has built his catalog with.

LAPS - Who Me? LP (DFA) The second release from MIC comes from Ladies As Pimps - LAPS for short - an anarchic Glasgow duo formed by Cass Ezeji of Golden Teacher and Alicia Matthews (Sue Zuki/ Organs Of Love). Their duets take center stage on Who Me?: the vocal performances range from the stretched, soulful projections of "Ode To Daughter" to the lawless, clipped, sweet & sour, spat-not-spoken word of "Edges". Spirited percussion scatters in all directions and bass is smothered in tape delay, as the five tracks beat through dub, RnB, house, and way beyond, circling around acts like Madame X, The Bug, Stuart Argabright, Francois K, mashing absurdity with dread.

Objekt - Cocoon Crush 2xLP (Pan) Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Written between 2014 and 2018 in Berlin and on the road, Cocoon Crush once again sees Objekt jettisoning the functional requirements of the dancefloor. Marking a further evolution from the youthful exuberance of Flatland, Cocoon Crush explores a more introspective side, with themes of human interaction resonating throughout the record as it ruminates on a spectrum of complex moods rooted in four years of sometimes turbulent personal experience.

Stapleton/Tibet - Threats Of Memories Double 2xLP (Dirter Promotions) The Sadness Of Things Leaders of England's hidden reverse, Stapleton and Tibet, compile four visionary highlights of their collaborations between 1991-1998, including a previously unreleased outtake of their Musical Pumpkin Cottage album. "The Sadness Of Things" was originally released as Side One of Steven Stapleton and David Tibet's The Sadness Of Things (1991). "The Dead Side Of The Moon" and "BubbleHead" were, respectively, sides one and two of Stapleton and Tibet's Musicalische Kürbs Hütte (1996). "DreamBreath" is a previously unreleased outtake from Musical Pumpkin Cottage (1996)

Lucy Railton - Paradise 94 LP (Modern Love)
2019 repress. Lucy Railton is a prolific cellist and performer who has appeared with many important figures in contemporary music over the last few years. Her solo debut both plays up to and shatters expectations of her music, harnessing a duality of energies -- acoustic/electronic, iconic/iconoclastic, pissed-off/romantic -- resulting in a visceral emotional insight and rare narrative grasp. Drawing from archival, studio, and location recordings, Railton probes, sculpts, and layers her sounds through a broad range of techniques and strategies, placing particular focus on non-linear structural arrangements and exploring the way her cello becomes perceptibly synthetic through collaging, rather than FX. RIYL: Alvin Lucier, Beatrice Dillon, Nate Young, Popol Vuh.

Nocturnal Emissions - Spiritflesh LP (Mannequin Records)
Nocturnal Emissions are one of the best kept secrets of the industrial genre since the 1970s. Led by Nigel Ayers and Caroline K, the band was one of the first to use tape cutting, avant-garde art, and underground video works to create a stage experience that was being cultivated by like-minded artists like Throbbing Gristle, SPK, and Cabaret Voltaire. Originally self-released in 1988 on Earthly Delights, Spiritflesh finds Nigel Ayers playing church harmonium, chime, and music box and incorporating samples of chimpanzees, cattle, and African and European wild birds. A major reference for the early drone/dark ambient minds.

Zuli - Terminal 2LP (UIQ)
On his debut album, Cairo-based electronic prism-pusher Ahmed El Ghazoly explores themes of identity, both hyper-local and global, expanding his sound to encompass melancholic ambient composition and grimy rap from prominent Egyptian MC Abyusif and mysterious Mecca-based vocalist MSYLMA. Meshing the rhythmic grammar of hip hop and club styles with the Arabic dialects of his MCs and vocalist and the free syntax of ambient music, Zuli dissolves and undermines outmoded ideas of exotification, presenting an image of himself that's more akin to the reality of Cairo and the sci-fi idea of Philip K. Dick's scramble suits than any cliche conjured by music media. 

Kali Malone - Organ Dirges 2016-2017 LP (Ascetic House)
Unique, engrossing room recordings of Kaliff pipe organ dirges played by composer, sound technician, and multi-instrumentalist Kali Malone. In four pieces recorded at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, these dry recordings bring out a fragile warmth and intimacy that's rarely associated with this multi-faceted, sacred instrument, enhanced by Malone's capacity to produce rich, swirling, gaseous overtones. There's a preternatural sensitivity toward these peripheral sounds, coaxing intoxicating spectrums of quivering hi-register fluctuations and sonorous bass at a pace that draws the listener in and seems to reduce everything around to a meditative serenity. 

A Pale Horse Named Death - When The World Becomes Undone 2xLP (SPV) "Brooklyn Lords of Doom" A Pale Horse Named Death siphon strangely blissful melodies from apocalyptic heavy metal awash in swells of cavernous gothic keys and grunge songcraft. [Deluxe numbered box set edition featuring an exclusive colored vinyl version, a copy of the CD, a beanie, a patch, a guitar pick and a sticker is available for special order.]

Arch Enemy - Covered In Blood 2xLP (Century Media) Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup, from Halmstad, formed in 1995. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, Nevermore, and Eucharist. Covered In Blood is a compilation of all the covers the band has recorded throughout their career. [Limited gold colored vinyl pressing.]

Goatwhore - A Haunting Curse [Reissue/2006] LP (Metal Blade) More molten than its gloomier predecessor, A Haunting Curse stays true to the band's original irreverent Bathory-meets-Baal (the god of thunder) in a bullpen sensibility with punkish resolve and those inimitable Louisiana grooves for which the band has become known.

Reissues & From The Archives

Soul Asylum - While You Were Out / Clam Dip & Other Delights CD (Omnivore) 

Soul Asylum's last raucous indie releases before signing to major Label, While You Were Out (1986) and the mini-album Clap Dip & Other Delights (1988) have been remastered and expanded with 7 bonus cuts, including 4 never-before released, and includes liner notes by Jon Wurster (Superchunk). While You Were Out was produced by much revered Minneapolis musician Chris Osgood, leader of the groundbreaking 1976 punk band The Suicide Commandos. This set includes the full U.K.-only EP track list of the Clam Dip & Other Delights EP. [Vinyl edition due February 8.]

Laurie Spiegel - The Expanding Universe [Reissue/1980] 2xCD/3xLP (Unseen Worlds) Laurie Spiegel - Unseen Worlds [Reissue/1991] CD/2xLP (Unseen Worlds) 

Expanded CD and vinyl reissues of the first two albums by the composer and computer music pioneer. 

Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady - Bear's Sonic Journals: Before We Were Them CD (Owsley Stanley) 

Recently discovered and previously unreleased music from Jefferson Airplane's fabled guitar and bass players before they became known as Hot Tuna.

Compilations, Best Of's & Sundry Collections

Various Artists - Imagine: John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert2xCD/2xCD+DVD/2xLP (Blackbird Production Partners) 

20 performances of Beatles and Lennon solo classics recorded at The Theatre At Madison Square Garden by Aloe Blacc, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Brandon Flowers, John Fogerty, Peter Frampton, Juanes, Kris Kristofferson, Pat Monahan, Tom Morello, Willie Nelson, The Roots, Spoon + Chris Stapleton.

Books

Enlightenment Now - Stephen Pinker (Penguin Books)

Is the ideal of progress obsolete? In this elegant assessment of the human condition in the third millennium, cognitive scientist and public intellectual Steven Pinker urges us to step back from the gory headlines and prophecies of doom, which play to our psychological biases. If you think the world is coming to an end, think again: people are living longer, healthier, freer, and happier lives, and while our problems are formidable, the solutions lie in the Enlightenment ideal of using reason and science. With intellectual depth and literary flair, Enlightenment Now makes the case for reason, science, and humanism: the ideals we need to confront our problems and continue our progress.