New Releases - 12/18/20
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
Paul McCartney – Paul McCartney III CD/LP (Capitol)
50 years following the release of his self-titled first solo album McCartney, featuring Paul McCartney playing every instrument and writing and recording every song, Macca delivers McCartney III. Paul hadn't planned to release an album in 2020, but in the isolation of "Rockdown," he soon found himself fleshing out some existing musical sketches and creating even more new ones. Before long an eclectic collection of spontaneous songs would become McCartney III: a stripped back, self-produced and, quite literally, solo work marking the opening of a new decade, in the tradition of 1970's McCartney and 1980's McCartney II. Recorded earlier in 2020 in Sussex, McCartney III is mostly built from live takes of Paul on vocals and guitar or piano, overdubbing his bass playing, drumming, etc. atop that foundation. McCartney III spans a vast and intimate range of modes and moods, from soul searching to wistful, from playful to raucous and all points between.
Drive-By Truckers – The New OK CD/LP (ATO)
Drive-By Truckers released The Unraveling in January 2020 and set out for what was supposed to be a full year of touring. Needless to say, it did not go as planned. The New OK is a phrase Patterson Hood found himself saying a lot these past few months. This new album, made up of songs left over from The Unraveling sessions and new ones written and recorded since, hopefully balances out the darkness of our current situation with a hope for better days and nights ahead. [Limited color vinyl.]
Sara Bareilles – More Love – Songs From Little Voice Season One LP (Epic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After quietly teasing its arrival, Grammy Award-winner and Tony and Emmy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles releases More Love – Songs From Little Voice Season One. For the surprise album, Sara personally performed and recorded the ten tracks she had originally penned for Little Voice (Original Series Soundtrack). Taking the creative reins, she produced the project alongside Tyler Chester. This notably marks the first time she has unveiled her renditions of these songs. Among its ten tracks, the record includes her version of the lead single "More Love".
The Brummies – Automatic World LP (Sandbox)
Limited canary yellow colored vinyl LP pressing. The Brummies, who have played together since high school, grew up outside of Birmingham. They count The Beatles, Elton John, ELO, and My Morning Jacket among influences.
Nils Frahm – Empty CD/LP (Erased Tapes)
Conceived of just before Nils broke his thumb and composed the similarly intimate solo piano album Screws, Empty is a soothing vessel of eight simple and serene pieces originally recorded as the music to a short art film he shot with his friend and film director Benoît Toulemonde.
Ghostemane – Anti-Icon LP (Blackmage)
Anti-Icon tours Ghostemane's mind, for better and worse. He mined his darkest experiences, tore open the wounds of his past, conjured every sound he's ever loved to conceive the heaviest experience he could envision. The rise and fall. Ecstasy in pain. The fragility of the quiet moments after the crash. The deafening silence filling your brain, forcing you to scream it away. The battles raging inside you.
Jay Electronica – Written Testimony CD/LP (Roc Nation)
Jay Electronica delivers his long-awaited official debut album, A Written Testimony, which the New Orleans-born rapper/producer says was "recorded over 40 days and 40 nights, starting from December 26th." With nods to his Big Easy upbringing and Muslim faith, Electronica handles most of the production himself while additional guest collaborators include AraabMuzik, Hit-Boy, Swizz Beatz, The Alchemist, No I.D., Travis Scott, James Blake, James Fauntleroy, and The-Dream. [Limited edition white colored vinyl.]
K-Lone - Cape Cira LP (Wisdom Teeth)
Yellow vinyl. The lush, hypnotic debut album from the acclaimed British producer K-Lone. In contrast to his clubbier productions, Cape Cira sees the producer exploring the full melodic and textural potentials of his sound, drawing influence from ambient, fourth world, and modern classical music to create a work more closely related to the outputs of Jon Hassell, Burnt Friedman, or Visible Cloaks. The result of a short creative burst during a grim British winter, the record explores music as escapism, comprising a series of lush, warm vignettes that demonstrate music's unique transportive power, with FM synthesizers mimicking acoustic instruments, tuned percussion, and bird song, and found sounds and field recordings processed with a hyperreal sheen. The artful and intuitive simplicity of the record's melodies belies the complexity of their composition, where looping polyrhythms create shifting, unresolved patterns and ever-changing counterpoints.
Alicia Keys – Alicia 2xLP (RCA)
Double white colored vinyl pressing of the recent studio release from the R&B superstar. Alicia features the singles “Show Me Love”, “Time Machine”, and “Underdog”.
Lake Turner - Videosphere LP (Kompakt)
The lush ambient-disco-techno dreams of Videosphere were constructed and completed in Lake Turner's (aka Andrew Halford) London studio and at his parents' arable and sheep farm in Worcestershire, which might help explain the hazy, unhurried pastoralism of the album. A student of archaeology and ancient history, Turner is no doubt carefully attuned to the twisting cogs of history and memory, and it's no surprise that Videosphere has a nostalgic, melancholic cast. But there's also a sense of forward movement, despite the life stasis we find ourselves collectively bound by in 2020; there's also a yearning for the communal, for community, as Halford aimed to make an electronic record with an almost ceremonial or ritual feel.
Melanie Martinez – After School 12” (Atlantic)
Limited blue colored vinyl pressing. Multi-platinum pop phenomenon Melanie Martinez releases her After School EP, a supplement to the internationally acclaimed album and accompanying full-length film K-12 released in 2019. After Schoolfeatures seven brand new songs, including The Bakery, produced by Blake Slatkin and accompanied by an equally engaging companion video directed and designed by Melanie herself.
Sinéad O'Connor – Trouble Of The World 7” (Heavenly)
Sinéad O'Connor marks her long-awaited return with a stunning interpretation of "Trouble Of The World", a traditional song made famous by exalted gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. Sympathetic to its origins, her heartfelt, evocative tones propel this impassioned rendition into the present.
Savoy Motel - Love Your Face LP (Official Memorabilia Records)
Ten New Savoy Motel songs on twelve Inches of black vinyl, including an inner sleeve with printed lyrics and credits for every track, brought to you by the fine people at OM/AMG. Savoy Motel's last record was amazingly heartless, sterile, mechanized funk from the pit of the '70s, but Love Your Face travels back in time and comes up with an easygoing, coastal '60s folk sound. Reminds me of Jefferson Airplane. It just shows how talented they are that they can shift from one album to the next so easily. Favorite track: Love Your Face.
Testament – Titans Of Creation 2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Orange colored vinyl pressing. Twelve tracks of unstoppable energy from these originators of Bay Area thrash.
Reissues, Compilations, Live Recordings, & Vault Excavations
Dave Alvin – From An Old Guitar: Rare And Unreleased Recordings CD (Yep Roc)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. This 16-song collection features studio performances that Dave Alvin recorded over the years for his own albums or for tribute albums but mainly they're just things he did for the pure kicks of playing music he loves with musicians he loves and admires. The songs range from some originals to interpretations of compositions by dear friends like Peter David Case, Chris Smither and the late Bill Morrissey to tunes written by heroes like Willie Dixon, Bob Dylan, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Earl Hooker and Marty Robbins. The music ranges from acoustic blues and ballads to electric barroom blues, folk/rock and even a little country/rock.
Between The Buried And Me – Colors [Reissue/2007] 2xLP (Craft Recordings)
Digitally remixed and remastered edition of the critically acclaimed fifth studio album from the Grammy-nominated progressive metal five-piece.
The Black Keys – Brothers [Reissue/2010] CD/2xLP/9x7” (Nonesuch)
Deluxe digitally remastered and expanded Anniversary edition celebrates the 10th anniversary of the duo's breakthrough album. Both CD and vinyl formats include three previously unavailable songs. The extensive booklet features new liner notes written by David Fricke and previously unseen photos. [Limited edition 7” box set contains a 60-page book.]
Mariah Carey – The Emancipation Of Mimi [Reissue/2005] 2xLP (Def Jam)
Double vinyl LP pressing, including four bonus tracks, of Mariah Carey's 10th album. The Emancipation Of Mimi features collaborations with Jermaine Dupri, Snoop Dogg, Twista, Nelly and Pharrell Williams.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – So Far [Reissue/1974] LP (Atlantic)
Vinyl reissue of the fourth album by Crosby, Stills & Nash, their third as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and the first compilation album released by the group.
The Decemberists – Castaways And Cutouts [Reissue/2002] LP+MP3 (Kill Rock Stars)
The Decemberists – Her Majesty [Reissue/2003] LP+MP3 (Kill Rock Stars)
Castaways and Cutouts is the first full-length album by The Decemberists, originally released on May 21, 2002. The album's title is taken from a lyric of the song “California One/Youth And Beauty Brigade”. For all intents and purposes, 2003's Her Majesty could best be described as the charming older brother to Castaways And Cutouts. And, while being recognizably related to its predecessor, it's an altogether different beast. Present and accounted for are the Victorian literary tropes, the rakish mariners, and the Dickensian downtrodden that slouched their way across the laser imprinted surface of Castaways; in Her Majesty a new cast of characters is introduced as well, giving further depth to the richly bizarre songcraft of Colin Meloy.
Dr. John – Gumbo Blues LP (Purple Pyramid)
Limited edition colored vinyl pressing. Revered New Orleans musical genius Dr. John mixes with contemporary blues artists to make a most delicious multi-flavored musical gumbo!Includes performances by blues veterans Sonny Landreth and Joe Louis Walker plus newcomers Chantel McGregor, King Solomon Hicks and Mike Dawes as well as fellow New Orleans icon Doug Kershaw.
Peter Gabriel – Growing Up Live LP (Real World Prod. Ltd.)
First time vinyl pressing. In 2002 and 2003, following the release of his album Up, Peter Gabriel went on the road with his Growing Up tour, once again collaborating with production designer Robert Lepage to create a spectacular and theatrical live experience. The tour took in thirty-two cities across the USA, Canada and Europe and this concert performance was recorded over two nights at the Filaforum in Milan in May 2003, with Gabriel and the band performing in the round at the center of the arena. It includes special guest appearances by The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sevara Nazarkhan, Dr. Hukwe Zawose and Charles Zawose and the voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
The Kinks – Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part One [Reissue/1970] CD/2xCD (Sanctuary)
Newly remastered from original HD master tapes. Recorded and released in 1970 the concept album Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part One is a satirical appraisal of the music industry and life on the road. [The deluxe double-CD edition adds alternate mono/stereo versions and mixes, new remixes, live and film tracks. [Super deluxe triple-CD+2x7” box set edition due January 22.]
Mariah - Utakata No Hibi 2xLP (Everland Music)
A reissue of the sixth album from Japanese art pop band Mariah, originally released in 1983. A fusion of dreamy synthesizer pop and haunting new wave music, somewhat in the vein of Tears for Fears or more adventurous David Bowie stuff with a touch of Kraftwerk or Eno here and there, but all this gets spiced up with an atmosphere of Japanese traditionalism. The progressive, wacky art pop of this project was led by the popular Japanese composer and musician Yasuaki Shimizu, a relentlessly exploratory saxophonist who even dared to rework Johann Sebastian Bach’s cello suites for saxophone. An amazingly colorful album with songs that are based on solid substance rather than cheap pop structures. Essential for 80s synth and art-pop aficionadoes.
Mac Miller – Swimming In Circles 4xLP (WB)
Swimming In Circles collects Miller's two final studio albums, which were conceived by the late artist as companion albums, into one deluxe presentation.
Mastodon – Medium Rarities 2xLP (WB)
Standard black vinyl edition. Medium Rarities is the first rarities collection from Mastodon covering their entire career. The compilation features one brand new song – "Fallen Torches". It also includes a bevy of classic covers, soundtrack contributions, instrumentals, B-sides, and live recordings on one complete package for the very first time. Among an eclectic array of covers, the musicians tackle "A Commotion" by Feist, "A Spoonful Weighs A Ton" by The Flaming Lips, "Atlanta" by Butthole Surfers, and "Orion" by Metallica. It also features soundtrack cuts such as "White Walker" (from the Game Of Thrones inspired mix tape) and the soundtrack song "Cut You Up With A Linoleum Knife" (Aqua Teen Hunger Force). Meanwhile, they get under the hood with instrumental versions of "Asleep In The Deep", "Toe To Toes", "Jaguar God", and "Halloween".
Maggie Rogers – Notes From The Archive: Recordings 2011-2016 2xCD (Debay Sounds)
Grammy-nominated producer/songwriter/performer Maggie Rogers releases a special collection of archival music: Notes From The Archives: Recordings 2011-2016. The 16-track collection features newly remastered versions of tracks from Maggie's early albums and six previously unreleased songs. Rogers' 2019 Capitol Records debut album, Heard It In A Past Life entered Billboard's Top Album Sales Chart at No. 1, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread critical acclaim. [Vinyl edition due February 19.]
Santana – Abraxas [Reissue/1970] LP (Sony Legacy)
Limited HQ Sony Legacy 180gm vinyl pressing in gatefold jacket with poster of the second studio album by the Latin rock band led by guitar legend Carlos Santana.
George Thorogood and The Destroyers – Live In Boston 1982: The Complete Concert 4xLP (Craft Recordings)
This new, comprehensive reissue from George Thorogood and The Destroyers lets fans re-live the band's legendary November 1982 concert at Boston's Bradford Ballroom. The 27-track Live In Boston, 1982: The Complete Concert captures the band's fiery set in its entirety, including spoken introductions. An earlier edition of the album, released in 2010, only offered highlights from the evening. This newly-remastered version adds 12 previously-unreleased tracks – including many of the band's most iconic songs, like "Who Do You Love?" and "Cocaine Blues", as well as "Bad To The Bone".
Various Artists - Funky Coup: Korean Soul, Funk, & Rare Groove Nuggets 1973-1980, Vol. 1 2xLP (Beat Ball Music)
This compilation brings together, for the first time, the hottest soul/funk gems that moved the clubs and dancefloors during one of the darkest chapters of Korea’s modern history under the Yushin dictatorship. It serves as a perfect guide to proto K-pop, featuring various hits from era-defining divas, relatively less-known rare tracks, as well as two previously unreleased instrumental tracks. These tunes offer an excellent primer on how soul, funk, jazz, and disco were adapted to Korea at the time, with most of the tracks sourced from the original master tapes (6 tracks sourced from vinyl).
The Wedding Present & Friends – Not From Where I’m Standing 2xLP (Come Play With Me)
Not From Where I’m Standing is a collection of 20 Bond themes covered by current and former members of The Wedding Present. 100% of the profits from this benefit album's sales will be donated to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). It arrives ahead of the release of the long-awaited new 2021 James Bond film, No Time To Die. A band always exploring new ways to showcase their music, this serves as fascinating insight into the strength and diversity of its members.