New Releases - 1/26/24
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
Alkaline Trio - Blood, Hair and Eyeballs LP/CD (Rise)
10th studio album from the American punk band.
Chatham County Line - Hiyo LP (Yep Roc)
Hiyo is a coming out party in a lot of ways for a band that has been a staple of the American Folk Music scene for over two decades. Co-Produced and engineered by Nashville's Rachael Moore and including performances by Jamie Dick (Drums), John Mailander (fiddle) and Maya de Vitry (vocals), the album Hiyo pushes the sound of CCL past anywhere it has been before. For a band that spent 15 years performing around a single microphone, CCL has found new inspiration in all of the sounds the world has to offer. "Synthesizers, drum machines, banjo... The world is really open right now to what constitutes folk music and we are grabbing on to that inspiration with both hands and not letting go," says leader Dave Wilson.
Doctor Bionic - Terrestrial Radio LP (Colemine)
Doctor Bionic is back on the airwaves. The newest album from Cincinnati-based executive producer Jason Grimez is an instrumental collection of classic soul, jazz, and hip-hop sounds. The first installment of a three-part series, Terrestrial Radio offers 37 minutes of carefully curated jams.
Future Islands - People Who Aren’t There Anymore LP (4AD)
their seventh release, People Who Aren't There Anymore heralds a new chapter for Future Islands. For Future Islands, albums aren't a static reflection of a moment in time, they are a fluid chapter in their lives that can change and mutate. People change and pull away. The band is no different, coming up against their future while staring at their past. They're not the same people they were when Future Islands began nearly two decades ago. They are now spread about, some settled down and some still moving. "We're like waves, we're all changing," says William. People Who Aren't There Anymore reflects the transience of a band's existence; the rare privilege of travelling all over the world contrasting with the sadness of fleeting moments in and out people's lives. Being everywhere but also nowhere. Remembering the lives lost and the living they'll never see again, cherishing the present and being grateful for the past. [Indie store exclusive clear vinyl.]
Sarah Jarosz - Polaroid Lovers LP/CD (Rounder)
Polaroid Lovers is the 7th studio album from four-time GRAMMY winner Sarah Jarosz. Produced by Daniel Tashian, Polaroid Lovers is a bold, creative statement that sees Jarosz exploring new sonic territory. The 11 songs on the album, all co-written by Jarosz with songwriters including Tashian, Jon Randall, Ruston Kelly and Natalie Hemby, touch on themes both personal and universal: love, longing, and finding one's place in the world. [Indie exclusive blue/green splatter vinyl.]
Atte Elias Kantonen - a path with a name LP (Soda Gong)
Atte Elias Kantonen is a composer and sound designer based in Helsinki, Finland. On a path with a name, Kantonen places his listeners within an auditive diorama, affording them myriad views of the microscopic landscapes contained therein. An oneiric narrative is established from the opening track, in which a heavily treated voice proposes a dialogue and introduces us to the wonders of the soundscape. This speaker appears at various points throughout the record, functioning as guide, confidant, and friend. Those familiar with Kantonen's prior output will immediately recognize the shapeshifting, 3D timbral constructions presented here, arrangements that are positively overflowing with glimmering, delicate, polyphonic detail. This is a record that invites and welcomes speculation about the nature of the quest that it sets its listeners out upon, with Kantonen offering up trail markings to provide (dis)orientation before turning them loose to explore the soil, moss, and tide pools.
Katy Kirby - Blue Raspberry LP/CD (Anti-)
The follow up to Katy Kirby’s renowned debut album Cool Dry Place, from 2021. Blue Raspberry, made with the same band and producers (Logan Chung and Alberto Sewald) as the debut, hits the gas and enters completely new territory as we see Katy truly step into her own as a songwriting force. She fearlessly leans far into baroque piano pop on tracks like 'Redemption Arc' and the title track 'Blue Raspberry', and lyrically she explores themes of loss and queer love. [Indie store exclusive crystal clear vinyl.]
Lil Tecca - TEC LP (Republic)
TEC is a journey through the past four years, reflecting on Lil Tecca's rapid ascent, subsequent challenges, and ultimate triumph as he has navigated his evolution. With TEC executive produced by Lil Tecca and Taz Taylor, Tecca embraces his comfort in his own skin and a newfound confidence, diving deeper into his roots and personal narrative.
Mac Saturn - Hard To Sell LP/CD (Saturn Sounds)
Bursting out of Detroit Rock City and hailed by The Michigan Daily as "the past, present, and future of rock n' roll," Mac Saturn has grooves at it's heart, playing with a buoyant energy that makes dancing a command rather than an option. As drummer-turned-frontman Macc - who sings everything with the assurance and swagger that's as much Harry Styles as Mick Jagger - puts it: "The songs are rock, but they've got that other thing going on - that funky, dancey, Motown, whatever you want to call it - that makes them our own thing."
Masta Ace & Marco Polo - Richmond Hill LP (Fat Beats)
The highly anticipated follow up to Masta Ace and Marco Polo's Breukelen Story, inspired by Marco's childhood in the titular neighborhood, a small town in Ontario, just outside of Toronto. Between interstitials about Marco's passion for hip-hop and cartoons, his struggle with addiction, and the support of his parents, Marco Polo and Masta Ace tackle the issues of the day head-on with clarity, the rapper using his decades-worth of rapping experience to slice through the producer's warm soul samples and crisp percussion. A cinematic journey that explores how the past echoes through the present, the album welcomes guest appearances from notable names from all eras of rap history, including Inspectah Deck, Coast Contra, Blu, Che Noir, Speech of Arrested Development, Masta Ace's longtime collaborators Stricklin and Wordsworth, and many more.
The Menzingers - Some of It Was True LP/CD (Epitaph)
The Menzingers are an absolute institution. The Philadelphia punk legends' multi-decade reputation as road warriors with an unbeatable catalog is cemented as hard truth-and their seventh album, Some Of It Was True, stands as their most immediate-sounding and energetic record to date. The follow-up to 2019's sensational Hello Exile accomplishes the daunting task of capturing the Menzingers' distinctive live energy in the confines of the studio, resulting in a sound that's both rich, raw, and complementary to the group's increasingly prismatic songwriting approach. More than 15 years in, the Menzingers are still holding their listeners square in the immediate present, and Some Of It Was True documents that power in thrilling fashion. [Indie exclusive strawberry shortcake splatter vinyl.]
Nas - Magic 3 LP/CD (Mass Appeal)
Magic 3 is the seventeenth studio album by rapper Nas. The album serves as a third installment to Nas' Magic series, following up Magic 2. [Limited edition black ice color vinyl.]
Office Dog - Spiel LP (New West)
Introducing Office Dog, hailing from Ōtepoti/Dunedin and residing in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. The trio, led by Kane Strang on guitar/vocals, alongside Rassani Tolovaa on bass and Mitchell Innes on drums, present their debut album 'Spiel'. Assembling intricate musical collages, Office Dog fearlessly explore the depths of complex emotions through layers of tension, release, and celestial lyricism.
Red Clay Strays - Moment of Truth LP/CD (Hbyco)
Amid a digital world focused on perfection, as autotune and electronic instruments run rampant within studios, it can be a difficult endeavor to find authenticity amongst music in this day and age. The era of albums crafted as true listening experiences has gone by the wayside, yet the Red Clay Strays have artfully brought it back in style with their debut LP, Moment of Truth. Recorded in a studio in the hills of Huntsville, Alabama, the album was tracked in an old-school manner, completely in analog as their heroes did in days gone by. As they banded together in one room cutting every song live, the Strays captured the chemistry from their live performances whilst ushering in a new era of sound that aptly describes who they are and where they've been.
Gruff Rhys - Sadness Sets Me Free LP/CD (Rough Trade)
And so it was that Gruff and his band - Osian Gwynedd (piano), Huw V Williams (double bass) and former Flaming Lips drummer turned Super Furry Animals archivist Kliph Scurlock (drums) piled into a van driven by the late, legendary tour manager "Dr" Kiko Loiacono and raced from Dunkirk, where they had just played the final show of a tour of Spain and France, to the outskirts of Paris in the early hours of a March morning in 2022. There, in La Frette Studios, a recording facility installed in a 19th-century house, Gruff and his road-hardened group tracked Sadness Sets Me Free in just three days. Backing vocals were added along the way by Kate Stables from This Is The Kit along with additional strings and orchestration and it was mixed between Marseille and Cardiff. What finally emerged from these intense bouts of cross-continental activity was Gruff's most accomplished and beautiful record to date. [Indie exclusive blackberry Neapolitan color vinyl.]
Ty Segall - Three Bells LP/CD/Cassette (Drag City)
A fifteen song cycle that takes a journey to the center of the self. Ty's been on this kind of trip before, so he's souped up a vehicle that's all his own - a sophisticated machine - to take us there this time. The conception of Three Bells arcs, rainbow-like, into a land nearly beyond songs - but inside of them, Ty relentlessly pushes the walls further and further in his writing and playing to cast light into the most opaque depths.
The Smile - Wall of Eyes LP/CD (XL Recordings)
Radiohead's Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood + Sons of Kemet's Tom Skinner! The Smile's 2024 album Wall of Eyes was recorded between Oxford and Abbey Road Studios, and is produced and mixed by Sam Petts-Davies. It features string arrangements by the London Contemporary Orchestra and is the follow up their 2022 debut LP A Light for Attracting Attention, which received critical acclaim from the likes of The Guardian, Pitchfork, The Observer, The Needle Drop, Rolling Stone, New York Magazine, Uncut and MOJO, and more.
Conner Smith - Smoky Mountains LP/CD (Valory)
Just 23 years old and already a seasoned veteran of Nashville's elite songwriting community, Conner Smith has become one of Country's most anticipated new artists, a talent mixing prime-of-life passion with old-soul perspective. Continuing to deliver next level music to his loyal fan base, Smith showcases his authentic storytelling and soulful voice throughout his full-length debut Smoky Mountains.
Thee Heart Tones - Forever & Ever b/w Sabor Ami 7” (Big Crown)
Hailing from Hawthorne, California, Thee Heart Tones are the newest band to join the Big Crown roster. Just out of high school their music has both the innocence and charm of young love and the intensity of young heartbreak. Their forthcoming debut album was recorded at Diamond West Studio in five days with producers Leon Michels and Tommy Brenneck. This first set of songs on this unstoppable two-sider give a glimpse of what is to come while their album is getting the finishing touches.
Torres - What An Enormous Room LP/CD (Merge)
What an enormous room is not only the title of the album by Torres, it is an incantation, a phrase she has had in her head now for several years. In the video for What an enormous room's debut single "Collect," Scott finds herself alone in rooms that stretch beyond the frame of the camera. You can observe details of the rooms-the rubble and support beams in one, the lighting in the other-but they neither define their purpose nor explain her presence in them; these are large spaces whose lack of definition invites anxiety and even fear. What does Scott do when cast against that kind of uncertainty? She dances. She throws herself against it. When she sings "look at all the dancing I can do," it's an invitation to awe, and there is much here to be awed by. What an enormous room contains wry, Laurie Anderson-esque art rock, Nirvana's rage, and ABBA's strut. Rather than fear the unknown, Scott has chosen to fill it with as much of herself as possible, an artist unwilling to be stifled. [Limited edition blue & white peak vinyl.]
The Umbrellas - Fairweather Friend LP/CD (Slumberland)
Hitting play on The Umbrellas’ Fairweather Friend has a similar effect to putting on a pair of rose-tinted glasses. Though their intimate lyrics traverse everything from pseudo-political relationships to abandoned dreams, their sound is immovably idealistic. Tambourines clash with jangly guitars and harmonised vocals to fuse a romantic indie pop sound capable of inducing nostalgia in those who weren’t even born in the 1980s and 1990s. [Limited edition wine red vinyl.]
Reissues, Comps, Live Recordings, Vault Excavations...
Terry Adams - Terrible 2xLP/CD (Omnivore)
Terry Adams' first solo album Terrible is exactly the opposite - it is a thing of beauty! Released in 1995, the NRBQ founder invited fellow New Rhythm & Blues Quartet bandmates Johnny Spaminato (guitar), Joey Spaminato (bass) and Tom Ardolino (drums) to the Terrible party alongside other guest musicians, notably Marshall Allen (alto sax), Tyrone Hill (trombone) and Dave Gordon (trumpet) from the Sun Ra Arkestra. Roswell Rudd (Archie Shepp, Carla Bley) also checked in on trombone to add his talents to Adams' instrumental compositions. The 12 originals, now augmented by four bonus tracks, run the range from beautiful ballads to swinging romps, tangos and calypsos, some delivered with a wink, some with a knowing nod, all expertly and brilliantly played. By enlisting friends overflow-ing with musical talent, Adams was free to explore his compositions' whims, ideas and notions, and express them utilizing a unique palette of instrumentation. Thankfully this solo outing wasn't a one-time happening. Terrible set the table for wonderful solo projects to follow, but it took nearly 30 years for Terrible to return. Now, sporting new cover art, new liner notes, remastered audio and 4 previously unissued bonus tracks.
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath LP (Rhino)
50th anniversary reissue of Black Sabbath’s 5th LP, released on smoky color vinyl as part of Rhino’s Start Your Ear Off Right program.
Karate - Some Boots LP (Numero)
On 2002's Some Boots, Boston indie rock trio Karate further plumb the depths of their omnidirectional musical explorations. Every chord and beat works to deepen the pensiveness of Geoff Farina's impressionistic lyrics, that explore the emotional complexities of nostalgia. The eight-song LP is housed in a tip-on jacket, and includes a replica lyric sheet for the original kids and spies alike. [Limited edition translucent light blue & gray vinyl.]
Fela Kuti - Excuse-O LP (Knitting Factory)
Fela Kuti - Kalakuta Show LP (Knitting Factory)
Fela Kuti - Noise For Vendor Mouth LP (Knitting Factory)
Fela Kuti - Why Black Men They Suffer LP (Knitting Factory)
No one could build a groove to last a full album side like the King of Afrobeat. These 4 Fela Kuti LPs are reissued in various color vinyl versions and belong on your turntable.
Maserati - Pyramid of the Sun 2xLP (Temporary Residency)
Originally released in 2010, Pyramid of the Sun was Maserati's landmark album. It was the band's final recording with drummer Jerry Fuchs, completed and released one year after his tragic passing. It became their defining album, and remains the keystone of Maserati's storied catalog. As the final piece in the celebration of Maserati's 20th anniversary, Pyramid of the Sun - Anniversary Edition has been repackaged, remastered from the original master tapes by Josh Bonati, and augmented with a scorching live set from the 2009 SXSW Music Conference. Also included are the side-long bonus tracks, "Pyramid of the Moon" and "Pyramid of the Moon (The Field Remix)." [Limited edition translucent purple with magenta color vinyl.]
John Moreland - In The Throes LP/CD (Old Omens)
10th anniversary reissue of John Moreland’s second solo LP. [Indie store exclusive ‘green grass’ color vinyl.]
Colin Newman - Bastard LP/CD (Swim)
Reissue of the sixth album from the Wire lead singer and guitarist. The album is almost entirely instrumental, with tracks largely built from guitar loops and samples.
Stevie Nicks - Street Angel 2xLP (Atlantic)
Stevie Nicks - Trouble In Shangri-La LP (Atlantic)
New reissues of these Stevie Nicks solo albums from 1994 and 2001 respectively. Released as part of Rhino’s Start Your Ear Off Right series. Street Angel is on translucent red vinyl while Trouble In Shangri-La is on translucent sea blue vinyl.
Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez – A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack Volume One [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Clouds Hill)
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Solar Gambling [Reissue/2009] LP (Clouds Hill)
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Xenophanes [Reissue/2009] LP (Clouds Hill)
El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Cryptomnesia [Reissue/2009] LP (Clouds Hill)
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Mantra Hiroshima [Reissue/2010] LP (Clouds Hill)
El Trío De Omar Rodriguez-López – Ciencia De Los Inutiles [Reissue/2010] LP (Clouds Hill)
A grip of solo albums released by Omar Rodríguez-López (The Mars Volta, At The Drive In). Many are available on vinyl for the first time (outside of the 57-LP box set, Amor de Frances released last month). These are the titles we chose to stock. More are available for special order. Hit us up if there’s one you want we don’t have.
The Smithereens - The Lost Album LP (Sunset BLVD Records)
In the Fall of 1993, between contracts with Capitol and RCA, The Smithereens ventured into Crystal Sound Studios NYC to write and record a new album for their own label. The results of those one month marathon recording sessions is this album, unheard by the outside world until now, and appropriately titled "Lost Album". [Limited edition metallic gold vinyl.]
Ben Webster - Soulville LP (Verve)
Verve Acoustic Sounds audiophile release. Soulville is quintessential Ben Webster: intimate, tender, endlessly expressive. Webster was internationally recognized as one of jazz's elder statesman when he recorded this album in 1957, but the youthful fire that had marked his playing with the Duke Ellington Orchestra two decades earlier was undiminished. Soulville is easily the best of his albums for Verve, with Webster's breathy tones given a fitting accompaniment by Oscar Peterson and his group, then including bassist Ray Brown, guitarist Herb Ellis, and understated drummer Stan Levy. Leading this stellar combo through a program consisting mostly of vintage pop tunes, the great tenor saxophonist is at his peak. Versions of "Lover Come Back To Me" and "Makin' Whoopee" sound excellent, but bluesy originals such as "Last Date" and the title track are truly outstanding. A quality set from start to finish.
Hiroshi Yoshimura - Surround CD/LP (Temporal Drift/Light in the Attic)
Temporal Drift proudly presents the long-awaited, first-ever reissue of Surround, Hiroshi Yoshimura’s sought-after ambient classic. Originally released as an album in January 1986, Surround was recorded by Yoshimura as a commission from home builder Misawa Homes, intended to function as an “amenity” designed to enhance the company’s newly built living spaces. A pioneer in the field of environmental music, Yoshimura’s previous works included Music For Nine Post Cards (1982) and the acclaimed and popular GREEN (1986); the two albums are described by Hiroyoshi Shiokawa in his liner notes as being Yoshimura’s yin and yang. [Indie store exclusive blue vinyl is available.]