New Releases - 10/26/18

Hitting The Racks

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

Jump to… New Releases For the Holidaze Reissues & From The Vaults Compilations, Best Of's & Sundry Collections New on Vinyl Soundtracks Live & In Concert

New Releases

Saves The Day - 9 CD/LP (Equal Vision) 

Saves The Day's ninth studio record tells the story of the band from the perspective of its founder, Chris Conley. It offers this first ever autobiographical look into the group's history in a way that is as exhaustive as it is poetic and makes the listener a part of the songwriting process. On the surface, 9 chronicles the epic story of New Jersey kids who realized their dream and became an international sensation. On a deeper level, it shows how Conley "woke up" and became aware of his own consciousness through his relationship with music and the unbelievable adventures it has inspired since he formed the act in 1997. The band has been through a lot over the past two decades: Van accidents, member changes, the emo explosion, and the adventures that carried them and their fans from adolescence to adulthood. [Exclusive indie store-only colored vinyl pressing also available.] Don't miss Saves The Day when they rock the shop at Grimey's on release day for their new album - Friday, October 26th, at 6PM!

Ty Segall - Fudge Sandwich CD/LP (In The Red) 

Take a tour through Ty Segall's musical psyche with his new solo album, Fudge Sandwich, a collection of Segall's take on eleven songs that were originally done by other people. These aren't just cover versions. Cover versions happen at weddings and high school band battles. The songs here are what happens when someone loves a song so much, they need to get inside it and let it propagate and transform into what it would have been if they had actually written it. We've got the vinyl in stock but due to a shipping snafu, CDs will not arrive until next week.

Julia Holter - Aviary CD/2xLP+MP3 (Domino) 

Aviary is an epic journey through what Julia Holter describes as "the cacophony of the mind in a melting world." Throughout the album, we travel a world populated by birds, angels, and ghosts - at once characters in a mystery of uncertain denouement and a stand-in for the memories and thought-images that seem to fly through the mind on their own volition. Inklings of impending doom ("Everything Is an Emergency") hover side-by-side with ecstatic professions of love ("Turn The Light On") and moments of triumphant solidarity ("Voce Simul"). Like other recent projects - composing and performing a live score to Carl Theodor Dreyer's The Passion Of Joan of Arc, as well as arranging her album Tragedy for opera, in 2017 - Aviary sees Holter juxtaposing ancient and contemporary reference points. Time collapses, with references to the deep past - Joan of Arc, the Christian Crusades, the mass hysteria of the dance of Saint Vitus - seeming to double as metaphors for our hopes and anxieties in the present. Jetting between medieval chamber music and proggy jazz-rock transports, plaintive balladry and android robotics, it's a journey full of wild twists and turns - but it's one that seems to cling to a sense of radical hope, even in its most somber moments. [Exclusive indie store-only colored vinyl pressing.]

Dean Wareham Vs. Cheval Sombre - Dean Wareham Vs. Cheval Sombre CD/LP+MP3 (Double Feature) 

Dean Wareham offers up an album of Western dream-pop recorded with his friend Cheval Sombre (aka Chris Porpora). Featuing a backing band rounded out by Britta Phillips (Luna), Anthony LaMarca (War on Drugs) and Will Halsey, the duo takes turns on lead vocals singing Western-themed songs from old Hollywood movies and songwriters like Marty Robbins, Ricky Nelson, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt and Magnetic Fields. This title shipped late and will arrive on Friday.

David Crosby - Here If You Listen CD/LP (BMG) 

Here If You Listen is David Crosby's fourth solo album in five years and features the three musicians who helped lend his 2016 album Lighthouse - and the tour in support of the album - its captivating grace: Michael League of Snarky Puppy, Michelle Willis and Becca Stevens (Crosby's "Lighthouse" band). But in a purposeful departure from Lighthouse, Here If You Listen emerges as a highly collaborative effort, with all four artists trading off lead vocals and bringing their distinct songwriting to the mix. Produced by League and co-produced by Stevens, Willis and Crosby, Here If You Listen bears a stripped-down, acoustically driven sound centered on the band's stunning harmonies. But despite its sonic simplicity and minimal percussion, the album unfolds in infinitely shifting textures that find each musician tapping into their own carefully honed palette and idiosyncratic sensibilities. Attuned to the chaos of the present day but visionary in perspective, the songs question, challenge, and demand self-reflection just as often as they illuminate and soothe.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - IC-01 Hanoi CD/LP (Jagjaguwar) 

While recording Unknown Mortal Orchestra's latest release, Sex & Food, Ruban Nielson, his longtime collaborator Jacob Portrait and his brother Kody Nielson, found themselves in the Vietnamese city of Hanoi playing and recording with local musicians at Phu Sa Studios. The studio, normally used for traditional Vietnamese music, found the band jamming on sessions dubbed IC-01 Hanoi: exploring the outer edges of the band's influences in jazz, fusion and the avant-garde. The musicians, along with Ruban and Kody's father, a jazz musician in his own right, helped lay down the unique textures heard throughout Hanoi. At its core it's a record of exploration, finding its closest antecedent in Miles Davis' experimental On The Corner - itself a record full of nods toward avant-garde composers and jazz outsiders alike.

Daughters - You Don't Get What You Want CD/2xLP (Ipecac) 

By titling their fourth full-length You Won't Get What You Want, Daughters send a crystal-clear message. The quartet once again follow the same internal compass that guided them to blur the lines of fickle heavy music sub-genres in the first place and quietly ignite a cult fervor typically reserved for grindhouse phenomena. In fact, the best way to describe the philosophy and the sound of the quartet is simply: rock 'n' roll. The minimal wail of first single "Satan In The Wait" belies Alexis's intense spoken word-style delivery as gothic keys magnetically draw the spotlight. Follow-up "The Reason They Hate Me" hinges mechanized riffing and glitchy electronics as the frontman's haunting and hypnotic intonation curls around the hook. Elsewhere, "Less Sex" dips into a bluesy guitar that could've easily soundtracked a dark moment of True Detective Season 1, while the seven-minute "Ocean Song" spirals into numbing noise oblivion.

Ian Sweet - Crush Crusher CD/LP/Cassette (Hardly Art) 

In writing Crush Crusher, Ian Sweet's Jilian Medford committed herself to exploring her own issues with self-image, self-respect/worth, and the responsibility she has felt to others. Album opener "Hiding" was one of the first songs she wrote for the record while living in a frigid Brooklyn apartment during a winter break amidst her grueling tour schedule. In the song, Medford reflects on an interpersonal relationship that fell apart because of an inability to feel supreme comfort in sharing all the pieces of herself with someone. Nevertheless, a hopeful demeanor shines through on "Hiding" and in her writing across the album, with lyrics that embrace life's hurdles and make them feel a little less scary. Recorded at Rare Book Room studios with producer/engineer Gabe Wax (Deerhunter, The War on Drugs, Soccer Mommy), Crush Crusher is full of dissonant open chords and abnormal progressions, finding beauty in a level of conflict not seen on the trio's 2016 Shapeshifter. By the end of the recording process, Ian Sweet wound up with an unconventional assortment of songs featuring disparate elements of psych-rock, trip-hop, and shoegaze that together forged a sound uniquely Medford's own.

The Struts - Young & Dangerous CD (Interscope) 

Sophomore album from the British rockers. The Struts' influences include Queen, The Darkness, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, The Killers, The Smiths, Oasis, The Libertines, The Strokes, and My Chemical Romance. The band has been described as unabashedly over the top retro-fetishist classic rock, glamorous and dangerous. [Vinyl edition due December 7.]

Robyn - Honey CD (Interscope) 

Honey is the eighth studio album by Robyn, and her first since Body Talk (2010). The album features the lead single "Missing U" and second single "Honey", a version of which featured in the final season of the HBO series Girls in 2017 before being released in full in 2018. The album features collaborations with Joseph Mount of Metronomy, Klas Åhlund, Adam Bainbridge, Mr. Tophat, and Zhala.

Boy George & Culture Club - Life CD/LP (BMG) 

2018 marks a new era for Boy George and Culture Club - reunited in 2014 - releasing their first new music in 20 years. Life is introduced by the brand-new single "Let Somebody Love You", produced by Future Cuts and written by Boy George, Roy Hay, Michael Craig, Jon Moss and Ritchie Stevens. "I just feel that we've made an album that we've been trying to make maybe since (1983's quadruple-platinum) Colour By Numbers," George tells Billboard. "It's funny when you say it sounds very Culture Club; We do often say that about tracks. But it just feels looser. It's very catchy. The songs are really strong, really melodic. It just has an ease about it that I really like." [Limited colored vinyl pressing.]

Oh Pep! - I Wasn't Only Thinking Of You... CD/LP (ATO) 

Melbourne, Australia's Oh Pep! are back with their sophomore effort, I Wasn't Only Thinking About You... which follows up their critically acclaimed 2016 debut Stadium Cake. The return at once captures their spirit, their curiosity, their imminent likability. Throughout, the new LP thoughtfully explores the melody-rich expanse between indie pop and alt-folk, while coming of age and seeing the world. The duo burst first onto the scene with a series of EPs that caught the attention of legendary artists and critics alike. NPR called them "thoughtful, deep, funny, and poetic," while The New York Times marveled at how adept they were at "sharing a melody that's both angular and affectionate."

Blackberry Smoke - The Southern Ground Sessions CDEP/12" (3 Legged Records) 

Created as an accompaniment, to their acclaimed new album, Find A Light, this six-song EP was recorded live at Southern Ground studio in Nashville, TN and features acoustic versions of five album tracks as well as a rendition of Tom Petty's "You Got Lucky" featuring Amanda Shires.

Whitey Morgan and The 78's - Hard Times And White Lines CD/LP (Whitey Morgan Music) 

Whitey Morgan and The 78's anticipated new album features collaborations with acclaimed songwriters Travis Meadows and Ward Davis plus a cover of ZZ Top's '"Just Got Paid". Alongside Morgan, The 78's consist of Brett Robinson (pedal steel guitar), Joey Spina (guitar), Alex Lyon (bass) and Eric Savage (drums). In a career spanning 15 years, Morgan has released live studio albums and a live recording from his hometown of Flint, Michigan. Additionally, he has toured relentlessly averaging over 125 shows annually. Rolling Stone has described him as a "Waylon Jennings acolyte... modern-day outlaw [with a] hard-hitting, blue-collar brand of music" while NPR Music hailed, "Staying close to the sound and subject matter of classic outlaw artists like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard and David Allan Coe, Morgan is poised to lead this hard-worn brand of country to the next generation." His last LP, Sonic Ranch (2015), was released to critical acclaim and praised by Detroit Free Press as, "a bold, well-crafted album that doesn't forsake the gritty undercurrent running through Morgan's stuff."

Tor Miller - Surviving The Suburbs CD/LP (Glassnote) 

Tor Miller returns with his sophomore album, Surviving The Suburbs. Leaner and simpler than the lush, full-bodied arrangements of his debut album American English, Surviving The Suburbs is an honest self-reflection framed as a musical coming of age. It's a step forward into vibrant territory where the vitality of a live backing band gives Miller more Americana flavor, as if, he explains, "Elton John made a Bruce Springsteen record". On the electrified title track, he intones on the chorus that "we can't get out of here," reflecting on how, when he returned to live with his parents, he reconnected with his townie friends who had never left and drowned his sorrows with them in alcohol and pills. The remorse sets in on the wistful "Sunday Scaries", a piano-driven promise to oneself that, after a weekend of binge-drinking and partying, he'll never do it again, only to repeat the same cycle once Friday rolls around.

Lukas Graham - 3 (The Purple Album) CD (WB) 

New album from the Danish soul-pop band. Easy pop hooks alongside soul-baring poignancy.

Laura Gibson - Goners CD/LP (Barsuk) 

Goners, the fifth album from acclaimed singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Laura Gibson, is her best, and her strangest. There are hauntings and transformation, odd birds and harbingers. Women become wolves, men metamorphose into machines, ghost-children wave in the rearview mirror, a scar becomes a vessel for memory. Her lyrics are populated with sharp objects: a needle, a thistle, a sickle, a scythe, claws and animal teeth.

Cloves - One Big Nothing CD (Interscope) 

Debut album from Melbourne singer-songwriter Kaity Dunstan featuring "California Numb" and "Kiss Me In The Dark".

Gavin James - Only Ticket Home CD (Capitol) 

The Irish singer-songwriter's second studio album features the chart-topping singles "Always", "Hearts On Fire" and "Tired". [Vinyl edition due November 2.]

William Prince - Earthly Days CD (Glassnote) 

New release from the Canadian folk and country singer/songwriter. From ruminations on life and love's little treasures to tales of everyday homegrown heroes, the music of William Prince unfurls like a classic campfire story, midnight road trip conversation, or well-worn, dog-eared novel passed down through generations. Each line delivered in his dusky baritone evokes a journeyman, troubadour spirit buoyed by stained glass soul with the gusto to reach steeple-size heights. Given this emotional heft, it makes sense that the art form bears a metaphysical significance for the Juno Award-winning singer and songwriter. [Vinyl edition due November 30.]

Dillon Carmichael - Hell On An Angel CD/LP (Riser House) 

Merging a sonically progressive palette with a tasteful reverence for the past, Burgin, KY native Dillon Carmichael has crafted a slice of solid country gold - one that's fueled by plainspoken lyrics and a rich baritone voice - on his Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Strurgill Simpson, Jason Isbell) produced debut Hell On An Angel. The album captures vivid snapshots of the people Carmichael grew up around: hardworking, bighearted folks taking life one day at a time, sticking together through the good times and the bad with honesty, dignity and faith. The record opens with the slow-and-steady power of "Natural Disaster", a track that sounds tailor-made for Carmichael's force-of-nature vocals and sets the stage perfectly for an album that faces hard times and pain with equal parts humor and heart. The driving title track pays tribute to the mothers and sisters and lovers who stand by their men through even the roughest of patches, while the tender waltz of "Might Be A Cowboy" turns the western trope of riding off into the sunset on its head, and the shuffling "Hard On A Hangover" showcases Carmichael's sparkling lyrical wit on top of the brilliant pedal steel work of Robby Turner (Waylon Jennings, George Jones).

Seth Lakeman - The Well Worn Path CD (Cooking Vinyl) 

Fresh from his whirlwind world tour with rock legend Robert Plant, charismatic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman releases his stunning, ninth solo album The Well-Worn Path. Recorded in Seth's garden studio on Dartmoor in January 2018 on a short break from touring with Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, it's a return to a no-nonsense, organic, classic folk-rock approach with hints of Fairport Convention, Neil Young, Nick Cave and Billy Bragg. Plus Lakeman's trademark foot-stomping, fiddle bow-shredding and soaring vocals.

Tasha - Alone At Last CD/LP (Father/Daughter) 

On her debut album, Tasha celebrates the radical political act of being exquisitely gentle with yourself. For years, the Chicago songwriter has dreamed hard of a better world-she's worked with the local racial justice organization Black Youth Project 100 and has been on the front lines at protests around the city. But as she returned to the guitar, an instrument her mother first taught her to play when she was 15 years old, she began exploring the ways music can be a powerful force for healing. It might not fix a deeply broken world all by itself, but it can offer comfort and respite for those who, like her, dare to imagine a thriving future.

The Greeting Committee - This Is It CD (Harvest) 

The Greeting Committee's debut album This Is It is a coming-of-age story, a reflection on growing up but defiantly holding onto a certain innocence. All between the ages of 19 and 21, the Kansas City-based band delivers an undeniably original selection of songs that feel as intimate as a basement recording but unfold in intricate textures and melodic sophistication. With delicate yet powerful vocals, frontwoman Addie Sartino instills This Is It with an openheartedness that transcends age and time, bringing both dreamy sensitivity and wide-eyed wisdom to every track. [Vinyl edition due November 2.]

Arlington - A Walk Through Jackson County CD (Rise) 

After hitting the studio with legendary producer Matt Bayles (Minus The Bear, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam), Arlington walked out with 11 anthemic tracks, creating an album filled with addicting melodies, powerful vocals and plenty of killer riffs.

The Ar-Kaics - In This Time CD/LP (Wick) 

The Ar-Kaics wade in the waters of troglodyte teenbeat '60s-style punk. They backstroke in the 'proto' gray area eras before these subgenres of rock and roll had names or rules.

Pill - Soft Hell CD/LP+MP3 (Mexican Summer) 

A raucous, splintering dispatch from New York City, animated by the madcap ingenuity of a foursome finding a palpable sense of joy and play in expressions of caustic, black humor. Like the contradiction of the album title, which references our acceptance of everyday miseries, it's a slew of dichotomies, a frenzied cutup. It's bleeding saxophone and lustrous feedback sounding somehow pastoral, and winking hooks subtly infused with venom.

Super Unison - Stella CD/LP (Deathwish, Inc.) 

The Oakland trio's new album Stella was recorded by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, Jawbreaker), produced by Don Devore (Ink & Dagger), and mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker). It's an aggressive and sonically dynamic outpouring of post punk emotion. [Cassette version due November 9.]

Satan's Satyrs - The Lucky Ones CD/LP (Bad Omen) 

A punky, sleaze rock groove (perhaps even a whiff of '70s glam) meets NWOBHM melodic fury, Blue Cheer mass and volume, and Ozzy's dramatic charisma condensed into a sound all its own.

The Blue Stones - Black Holes CD/LP (E1) 

The Blue Stones - guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Tarek Jafar and percussionist/backing vocalist Justin Tessier - present their new album, Black Holes which showcases an incredibly diverse palette of influence. Although they're a duo, it's unfair to limit the comparisons just to The Black Keys and The White Stripes. The weight of Led Zeppelin, the grit of Jimi Hendrix and groove from hip-hop artists like J. Cole and Kanye are all here. "There's nothing quite like the thrill of good ole dirty rock 'n' roll. The ruthless crunch of driving guitars, the thump of the pounding bass, the gutsy howls of an unapologetic singer, and the steady crash of the drums: These are the hallmarks of a timeless genre with boundless energy. While acts like The Black Keys and Foo Fighters have long been a beacon of rock music's resilience in the twenty-first century, recent up-and-comers like The Struts, Cardboard Kids and now The Blue Stones provide fresh voices and new hope for a blighted genre." - Atwood Magazine

Eric Bibb - Global Griot 2xCD (Stony Plain) 

On the heels of Eric Bibb's Grammy nominated Migration Blues comes his ambitious new project - the double-disc set Global Griot. "Griot - (in West Africa) a member of a caste responsible for maintaining a oral record of tribal history in the form of music, poetry and storytelling." "It's an honor and a great pleasure to introduce you to my fellow Global Griots with this gathering of the tribes" (Eric Bibb). It is easy to point to Eric's accomplishments. A five-decade career recording with folk and blues royalty. Two Grammy nominations and multiple Blues Foundation awards. A following that not only crosses borders, it crosses continents. His father, the late Leon Bibb, was an activist, actor, and folk singer who marched at Selma with Dr. Martin Luther King. During his youth, Eric was deeply influenced by Odetta, Richie Havens, and Taj Mahal. And he has synthesized all of that into his inimitable style. Troubadour is the word that best describes him. He slides neatly between genres as he builds bridges with musicians from the UK and Europe, pickers from North America, and kora players from West Africa. 

The Teskey Brothers - Half Mile Harvest CD (Glassnote) 

With its raw combination of blues and soul, The Teskey Brothers' debut Half Mile Harvest has already become essential listening for lovers of old-school music. Featuring songs penned by all four members, the record was put to tape in their home studio in Warrandyte on Melbourne's leafy fringes, self-produced and released independently on their own label in 2017. Throughout Josh Teskey sings of love, longing and heartbreak; his flawless smoked whiskey vocal rises and cracks with undeniable authenticity. Around him the band conjures a groove and tone akin to those emanating from Stax Records sessions circa '67. [Vinyl edition due November 9.]

Keith Sweat - Playing For Keeps CD (Red Music) 

New release from the veteran R&B vocalist.

Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler featuring Dames Brown - The One CD/LP (Session Sounds) 

Written and performed with vocalist/keyboardist Amp Fiddler (Parliament/ Funkadelic, Was Not Was, Mahogani Music) and Dames Brown (a female vocal trio), The One is an album that tells the story of a man's search for the love of his life, and the trials and tribulations that surround their budding romance within the city of Detroit. Stylistically the album has roots that go deep into late- '70s progressive funk, soul and boogie, with layers of live/electronic drums and percussion, funky synth and slap bass lines, snappy guitars, classic analog synths, Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, tight horns, and lush string arrangements, all accompanied by the vocal stylings of Amp and the Dames.

Christian McBride's New Jawn - Christian McBride's New Jawn CD (Mack Avenue) 

If there's one thing the acclaimed bassist knows, it's that when it comes to grit there's no better resource to draw from than his own hometown, Philadelphia. So, McBride turned to one of the city's most beloved colloquialisms to christen his latest project, Christian McBride's New Jawn (all-purpose term for a person, place or thing). On the band's eponymous debut, four stellar musicians (including trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, and drummer Nasheet Waits) ably walk the razor's edge between thrilling virtuosity and gut-punch instinctiveness. [Vinyl due 11/16]

Jon Porras - Voices Of The Air CD/LP (Ba Da Bing!) 

One of the most incisive comments on how best to appreciate art came from the Indian musician Gita Sarabhai. In a recorded conversation with John Cage, Sarabhai described art's effect as serving "to sober and quiet the mind, thus rendering it susceptible to divine influences." Some of the best exploratory music incorporates this approach, and Jon Porras (Barn Owl) adopted it as a conceptual foundation for his new album, Voices Of The Air.

M. Geddes Gengras - Light Pipe 2xCD (Room40)
A tireless artist, whose output sprawls across experimental dub, ambient and low-key techno, Gengras' wide-ranging discography reveals a curiosity that serves as a primary driver for creation. On this two-and-a-half-hour release, Gengras charts out evocative landscapes of texture and harmony, working with very simple elements to create a tidal sound space, where sound layers flow seamlessly, rising and falling with an ever-changing sense of motion. Each disc in this edition focuses specifically on either interior or exterior spaces; the indoor and the outdoor, reflecting the specific conditions of how sound operates in these types of situations. It's music that is ideal for deep immersion; for sleep, for flying and for any creative states within which a sense of expansion is needed. 

Saloli - The Deep End CD/LP (Kranky) 

Portland, Oregon resident Mary Sutton's solo debut materialized in the wake of a performance she gave at a clothing-optional soaking-pool sauna: "I had never composed for synth before but wanted to make something people sitting motionless and naked in hot bubbly water would want to hear." It was while in this headspace that she reconnected with Satie's entrancing cyclical motifs, particularly the way "he subtly spins melodic fragments, and pivots harmonies and phrases so the repetitions feel new and surprising yet soothingly familiar, as if casting a spell." The nine intuitive instrumentals comprising The Deep End accomplish exactly that, threading complementary shades of soft-hued hypnosis, dazed modal introspection, icy amusement park reverie, and lunar lullaby into a prismatic suite of contemplative melody and synthetic communion.

Janek Schaefer (for Robert Wyatt) - What Light There Is Tells Us Nothing CD/LP+MP3 (Temporary Residence) 

For over 20 years, British sound artist Janek Schaefer has earned significant acclaim and awards for transforming the power of half-forgotten memories into otherworldly works that are often as ambiguous as they are evocative. Primarily occupying the space and similarities between sadness and joy, his compositions relish in the unpredictability of emotional gravity. It is this transience that makes his new album, What Light There Is Tells Us Nothing, so resonant. [Limited gold colored vinyl pressing.]

Andrea Bocelli - Si CD/2xLP (Verve Label Group) 

Andrea Bocelli, one of the most beloved tenors in the world, returns with his first album of new material in fourteen years. A return to his roots, Sì is an intimate collection of powerful, emotional songs, some featuring interpolations of classical themes (Bach and Massenet), and an all-encompassing celebration of love, family, faith, and hope. Sì was recorded at his home in Italy and was produced by Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Lou Reed). It includes sensational duets with globally renowned artists and is introduced by the lead single "If Only", co-written by Francesco Sartori and the late Lucio Quarantotto - who helped pen one of Bocelli's biggest hits, "Con Te Partirò". "I wanted to go back to my memories of being a young man, playing at a piano bar," Bocelli explains. "Obviously since then, I've produced lots of albums, sung lots of covers, performed many other things. But at a certain point I said to myself: 'Maybe the time has come to put my effort into finding new songs.' Like starting all over again, as it were, in my career." [Deluxe edition CD featuring four bonus tracks also available.]

J.P. Bimeni & the Black Belts - Free Me CD/LP (Tucxone Records)
Burundian-born JP Bimeni astonishes with a voice that recalls Otis Redding in his prime, while resonating with the soul of Africa. A refugee who's been living in London since the early 2000s, Bimeni sings songs of love and loss, hope and fear, with a conviction that comes from the extraordinary experiences life has thrown at him, having fled Burundi at age 15 during the 1993 civil war and later having two other near-death experiences. "If I didn't have music I don´t know how I would have survived everything", he says. With its classic 60s-sounding Motown and Stax inspired grooves the album was written by musical director Eduardo Martínez and songwriter Marc Ibarz and Bimeni imbues these tales of love and loss with his tragic experiences.

Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz - Mona Lisa CD (Mello Music Group) 

Detroit producer Apollo Brown has made a name for himself as one of hip-hop's most legendary new producers while maintaining a golden era sound. His production credits are a who's who of greats from Danny Brown to Ghostface Killah, Ras Kass to Westside Gunn. Brooklyn's Joell Ortiz started on none other than Dr. Dre's Aftermath label and built a huge buzz in the industry. He's worked with legends like Just Blaze, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Akon, and Big Daddy Kane. Now the pair team up for their first collaborative album. [Vinyl edition due November 16.]

Nas - Nasir CD/LP (Mass Appeal/Def Jam) 

Now available on CD. The hip-hop artist's first new album since 2012's Life Is Good, Nasir features seven tracks produced by Kanye West and serves as the fourth of five consecutive weekly albums produced by West, each with seven tracks: Pusha T's Daytona, Kanye West's ye, the Kids See Ghosts collaboration between West (out this week) and Kid Cudi and Teyana Taylor's K.T.S.E. The album features an appearance from Kanye West, as well as Puff Daddy, 070 Shake, Tony Williams, and The-Dream.

Slasher Dave - Slasher Dave's Frights CD/LP (20 Buck Spin) 

Slasher Dave, the formidable frontman of Detroit's Acid Witch, delivers a special treat for this year's Halloween loot bag. On Frights, his fourth solo record, Dave introduces a heavier side to the instrumental synth album world. Terrifying industrial rhythms pulse through a stark electronic soundscape of analog synthesizers, pounding bass, distorted guitars, warped lo-fi horror samples and sedulous sound design.

Skull Fist - Way Of The Road CD/LP (Napalm) 

This quartet from Toronto, Canada are locked in a life long struggle with a twist on nostalgic heavy metal and a persistent desire for spiritual glory and personal peace.

Within Destruction - Deathwish CD (Unique Leader) 

"Deathcore has changed over the years. Where the original purveyors of the genre have either turned their hand to more melodic pastures or are still rocking the same blueprint as before, the modern generation seems to be dragging the genre to the deepest parts of hell. Within Destruction is one such band, dead set on seemingly trying to actually injure the listener with a hearty slice of music so abusive, it'll actually make your head hurt. The middle chunk of Deathwish really is a collection of the best examples of modern deathcore at its most extreme. 'Downfall Of Humanity' will level all those who listen to it with an astounding mid song breakdown, whilst the primal and frankly horrifying vocals that appear in 'Human Defect' all glisten behind the well balanced and extremely well produced sound. There are always tendencies for the songs to saturate when things really do get out of hand but Within Destruction do a fantastic job of balancing their thick sound, something they are utterly reliant upon." - Distorted Sound. [Vinyl is available for special order]

Bloodbath - The Arrow Of Satan Is Drawn CD/LP (Peaceville) 

Bloodbath is a titan of death metal from Stockholm, Sweden, notable for the inclusion of Katatonia and Opeth members, with the band's recent line-up beckoning Nick Holmes of UK doom legends Paradise Lost to join in the brutality.

Haken - Vector 2xCD (Inside Out U.S.) 

Fifth album from the UK's new kings of progressive metal. [Vinyl edition due November 30.]

Hate Eternal - Upon Desolate Sands CD/LP (Season Of Mist) 

Legendary death metal juggernaut Hate Eternal return on Season Of with Upon Desolate Sands, their heaviest and most ambitious album to date. Helmed by extreme metal luminary Erik Rutan, the new record sees the band take another huge step forward in their quest to push death metal to its outermost limits.

Compilations, Best Of's & Sundry Collections

Various Artists - Muscle Shoals: Small Town, Big Sound CD (BMG) 

Muscle Shoals, Alabama - since the 1960s, the city has been known for music, developing the "Muscle Shoals Sound", as local recording studios (including FAME Studios in the late 1950s and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in 1969) produced hit records that shaped the history of popular music. This tribute to those songs and that history reigns supreme with some of the most popular and influential artists participating in music history today. From Chris Stapleton, Willie Nelson, Lee Ann Womack and Jamey Johnson, to Demi Lovato, Steven Tyler, Keb' Mo, Grace Potter and Aloe Blacc, an absolute cavalcade of stars lend their own personal embellishment to these classic songs.

Chevelle - 12 Bloody Spies: B-sides And Rarities CD (Epic) 

As the title suggests, 12 Bloody Spies: B-sides And Rarities culls together songs that haven't appeared on the standard editions of the band's eight studio albums, offering remastered versions of the tunes. [Vinyl edition due November 2.]

Maggie Roche - Where Do I Come From 2xCD (StorySound) 

A 32-track double-CD collection of songs by Maggie Roche (1951-2017) that spans forty years, providing a glimpse into one of our most original American songwriters. Maggie was at the center of the long-running and much-admired music group The Roches, created with her sisters Terre and Suzzy. Maggie composed her songs for three voices to sing, fashioning the signature sound of The Roches.

New on Vinyl

Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel Of Love [Reissue/1987] 2xLP+MP3 (Sony Legacy) 

Bruce Springsteen - Human Touch [Reissue/1992] 2xLP+MP3 (Sony Legacy) 

Bruce Springsteen - Lucky Town [Reissue/1992] LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy) 

Bruce Springsteen - MTV Unplugged [Reissue/1993] 2xLP+MP3 (Sony Legacy) 

Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost Of Tom Joad [Reissue/1995] LP+MP3 (Sony Legacy) 

Vinyl reissues of Springsteen's eight, ninth, tenth, and eleventh albums plus his 1992 live album In Concert/MTV Unplugged.

Blondie - Heart Of Glass [Reissue/1978] 12" (Numero) 

The song that burst Blondie out of the streets of the Bowery to No. 1 on the charts, "Heart Of Glass" was the pivotal moment in punk's choreographed slamdance with the mainstream. Inspired by Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder, Blondie transformed their campy "Disco Song" into a Roland-driven juggernaut and never looked back. Explored and exploded via six distinct versions remastered from the original analog tapes, the history of "Heart Of Glass" is documented here in a copious essay and its art re-imagined by noted American illustrator Shepard Fairey.

Advance Base - Animal Companionship LP (Run For Cover) 

Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Owen Ashworth's albums have always been about the human condition, and his latest is no exception. That may sound strange, given that his project Advance Base's new album is called Animal Companionship, but it's as human as anything he's done before. After hearing problems forced the end of his electronic pop project Casiotone For The Painfully Alone in 2010, Ashworth started making quieter music as Advance Base. Blissful drones and lush synthesizer textures envelop soft electric piano arpeggiations and spare drum programming, creating an almost hypnotic backdrop for Ashworth's lyrical narratives. [Limited colored vinyl pressing.]

Tropical F**k Storm - A Laughing Death In Meatspace Slime LP (Joyful Noise) 

The phantasmagorical debut album by Tropical F**k Storm delivers a fraught vision of algorhythmic apocalypse. Featuring Gareth Liddiard and Fiona Kitchin from Australian heroes The Drones, Tropical F**k Storm is an end-of-days consciousness-stream across nine seething tracks. The debut dive-bombs into the realms of mortality and immortality, moralizing and amorality; the passing of time, and how little we have left. These are lurid songs, urgently told through Gareth Liddiard's barbed and byzantine lyricism, abrasive guitar slashes, drum adrenalin, raunchy bass and electronic undercurrents.

Seasick Steve - Can U Cook? LP (BMG) 

Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Can U Cook? finds Seasick Steve mixing up all of his much-loved ingredients to deliver a good ol' mix of boogie, blues, rock, Americana and folk-music. "Just seems there's all kinds of sunshine and colors on this record," Steve notes. "Maybe it's because we made most of it down in Key West, Florida?...It was made down south, way down south, as far south as you can go and still have your boots in America."

Moe Tucker - I'm Sticking With You: An Introduction To Moe Tucker LP (Modern Harmonic) 

The unmistakable beat of the Velvet Underground was malleted out on the unconventional kit of Moe Tucker. Her (at times) childlike, fallen angelic voice also shines on some VU fan favorites. Here Moe reinterprets some Velvet gems, sometimes playing all instruments, other times accompanied by the likes of Jonathan Richman, Jad Fair, Kim Gordon and more. In addition to VU faves, the compilation contains rough and jubilant covers of her favorite early rock & roll hits, and memorial odes to Sterling Morrison and Andy Warhol, all stuck in a Warholian package with removable sticker and liners by David Fricke. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing.]

Tom Odell - Jubilee Road LP+MP3 (Columbia) 

Although its title may be a fictional street name, Jubilee Road is Tom Odell's most honest and personal album, thus far. Packed with his signature melodies and ebullient performances, Jubilee Road documents real life stories of the time Tom spent living in a house in East London.

St. Lenox - Ten Fables About Young Ambition & Passionate Love LP (Anyway) 

Written at the cusp of his 40's, Ten Fables is author St. Lenox's tribute to the tumultuous pursuits of love and professional success - a memory album in two parts capturing slices of young living from the author's colorful past. Written, performed and recorded in off hours at night and on weekends, the author - now an attorney in midtown Manhattan - reworks two classic themes from the indie canon, with a mixture of melodic free verse, stream of consciousness, poetry and folk storytelling.

Jorge Ben - Jorge Ben [Reissue/1969] LP (Verve)

Jorge Ben is a Brazilian popular musician. His characteristic style fuses samba, funk, rock and bossa nova with lyrics that blend humor and satire with often esoteric subject matter. In 1969, Jorge Ben released his self-titled album amid the excitement of the cultural and musical Tropicália movement. Drawing from American soul music and using, for the time, state of the art audio effects, and blending traditional Brazilian rhythms into his international breakthrough album.

David Bowie - Heathen [Reissue/2002] LP (Friday Music) 

Limited 180gm colored vinyl reissue - four colored vinyl variants: translucent gold; brown white & gray swirl; red & orange swirl; and platinum and orange swirl. 2002's Heathen reunited David Bowie with producer Tony Visconti (Space Oddity, Heroes, The Man Who Sold The World) for the first time in 20 years and featured guest appearances by Who legend Pete Townshend and Foo Fighter Dave Grohl.

Bauhaus - In The Flat Field [Reissue/1980] LP (4AD) 

Bauhaus - Mask [Reissue/1981] LP (4AD) 

Bauhaus' first two albums - mastered from HD audio files transferred from the original tapes and pressed on colored vinyl. Bauhaus practically invented the blueprint of goth music.

Skinny Puppy - Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse [Reissue/1986] LP (Nettwerk) 

Skinny Puppy - Cleanse Fold And Manipulate [Reissue/1987] LP (Nettwerk) 

Vinyl reissue of the pioneering electronic industrial band's second and third albums.

Barry Adamson - Memento Mori Anthology 1978 - 2018 2xLP (Mute) 

Memento Mori (Anthology 1978-2018), is a 40th anniversary release charting Barry Adamson's writing and recording career. It charts the artist's career from 1978's Magazine track, "Parade" (co-written by Adamson, from their debut album Real Life); to his work as founding member, alongside Nick Cave, of The Bad Seeds ("From Her To Eternity," co-written by Adamson); through his nine solo albums, from 1988's Moss Side Story to the latest Love Sick Dick EPs, bringing everything up to date with a brand new unreleased track, "The Hummingbird." [Limited gold colored vinyl pressing.]

The Skiffle Players - Skiff LP (Spiritual Pajamas) 

Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Supergroup featuring Cass McCombs, Farmer Dave, Neal Casal and Dan Horne from Circles Around The Sun & Aaron Sperske (Beachwood Sparks). "This is acoustic dance music at its finest. It is also refreshingly contradictory, irreverent and mystical, deeply personal and communal, and traditional and profane."

Cobra Man - Toxic Planet LP (Goner) 

Released alongside the full-length video from The Worble skate collective, Toxic Planet is Cobra Man's follow up to their 2017 debut album New Driveway Soundtrack. The Los Angeles power disco duo blends the essence of classic disco funk, the raw power of warehouse punk, and the supernatural qualities of their favorite slasher films to create something unique.

Carbonas - Your Moral Superiors: Singles And Rarities LP (Goner) 

Fast, tight, and irresistibly tuneful, Atlanta's Carbonas took America by storm in the mid-2000s with a slew of catchy singles and hit-laden albums. The group dragged into it's orbit some of the best and brightest of Atlanta's burgeoning punk scene, launching careers and developing a rabid fan following (and inspiring at least five tattoos). At the height of their popularity, they disbanded, leaving the masses clamoring for more material. Moral Superiors is a collection of all the hits and misses from Atlanta's finest.

Pat Thomas - I Ain't Buyin' It LP (Empty Cellar) 

"Pat Thomas has been known as a driving singing / writing / bass-playing force behind San Francisco band Cool Ghouls for years and, over those years, in tandem with the band's group effort, has cultivated an interesting voice as a solo act. 'Solo' isn't really the correct word though because the tracks on I Ain't Buyin' It showcase recordings complete with fully fleshed out arrangements, not unlike other ambitious California classics like The Beach Boys or Love." - Emmett Kelly (The Cairo Gang)

Colossal - Welcome The Problems [Reissue/2004] LP (Asian Man) 

Colossal is an indie-rock four-piece from Elgin, IL. Drawing comparisons to bands such as Seam, American Football and Tortoise, their beloved 2004 full-length debut, Welcome The Problems articulates a dynamic balance between unconventional arrangements and pop melodicism. [Limited white colored vinyl pressing also available.]

The Dig - Moonlight Baby / Afternoon With Caroline LP (Roll Call) 

The Dig release a special physical edition of El Dig: A Year Of Music, featuring their two EPs from 2018: Moonlight Baby and Afternoon With Caroline. The Dig's music has been featured in HBO's Crashing, AMC's Animal Kingdom and Netflix's The Defenders.

Shinji - In Colour LP (Cold Busted) 

Australian rhythm-twister Shinji refers to his music as "eclectic hip-hop instrumentals with no regard for genre or tempo" and promises that he'll "flip even the most obscure samples into soulful beats." This modus operandi is evident in his new album, In Colour. Twelve captivating beat constructions reveal the breadth of Shinji's record collection and the absence of stylistic boundaries.

Post Malone - Beerbongs & Bentleys 2xLP (Republic) 

Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Double-clear vinyl pressing. After much anticipation, Post Malone, born Austin Post, has made his return with a mix of ethereal bops, acoustic tearjerkers, and upbeat party tracks on his newest musical installation, Beerbongs & Bentleys. As a whole, the album presents a diverse mix of big-name features to accompany Post on the tracks - Swae Lee, 21 Savage, Ty Dolla $ign, Nicki Minaj, G-Eazy and YG.

Homeboy Sandman & Edan - Humble Pi LP (Stones Throw) 

Humble Pi is the collaborative album from two NYC-based rappers, Homeboy Sandman and Edan. Sandman's goofy and self-effacing but incisive raps are a perfect foil for Edan's electric- fried psych beats.

Pete Rock/InI - Lost Sessions LP (Vinyl Digital) 

Limited black and white vinyl LP pressing of some almost forgotten and seemed-to-be lost beats of the legendary mid- '90s era.

Smif 'n' Wessun - Dah Shinin' 2LP (HHV)
Another milestone of hip-hop's Golden Era gets an all official vinyl re-release through HHV. Smif-N-Wessun's debut album Dah' Shinin is an early Boot Camp Clik release with features by Black Moon, Heltah Skeltah and the Originoo Gunn Clappaz and entirely produced by Da Beatminerz. 

Roc Marciano - Behold a Dark Horse CD (Marci Enterprises)
Sixth full length studio album from legendary emcee/producer Roc Marciano featuring Busta Rhymes, Black Thought, Q-Tip, Knowledge The Pirate, and more.

Busta Rhymes - Extinction Level Event - The Final World Front [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Omerta, Inc.) 

Remastered double split cream and orange colored vinyl pressing. Features the hit single "What's It Gonna Be?!" with Janet Jackson (which is still Busta's highest charting single), The Grammy nominated "Gimme Some More" and guest spots from Ozzy Osbourne and Mystikal.

Blowfly - The Weird World of Blowfly LP (8th Records)
The first album released by Clarence Henry Reid as Blowfly, his raunchy outlet for sexually-explicit and humorous parodies of popular songs. This album features famed R&B sidemen Timmy Thomas & Benny Latimore on keys, and Little Beaver on guitar. Across 16 tracks Reid and his collective of session musicians would turn classic soul and R&B hits by the likes of James Brown, Otis Redding, and Sam & Dave, and twist them into bluntly graphic parodies, regularly diving headlong into realms sexual, scatological, beyond naughty.

Blowfly - Blowfly's Disco Party LP (8th Records)
1978's Blowfly's Disco Party is no less lewd than its predecessors, putting a funky-disco spin on Reid's signature blend of explicit parodies, and deliberately cheeky tracks. No track is safe from Reid's dirty lyrics, as he parodies classic Motown hits, Delta blues songs, and even his own discography. (His naughty spin on his own deep soul hit "Nobody But You, Babe", becomes "Nobody's Butt But Yours, Babe".)

Sisters Love - With Love LP (Get On Down)
As the '70s dawned and Motown relocated to the West Coast, the era of their honey-toned '60s girl groups came to a resounding halt. The Sisters Love were the antithesis of the traditional Motown group and came to the label from A&M, armed with a lot of funk, sass and attitude, paired with some of Motown's finest writers and producers - Hal Davis, Gloria Jones, Pamela Sawyer, Paul Riser and Willie Hutch. Sisters Love had long been rumored to have recorded a complete album for the Motown subsidiary MoWest, which went unreleased until now. Get On Down Records combed the vaults with Motown's help and the result is the original 10 cut album, plus a bonus cut, "Give Me Your Love."

Harlem River Drive - Harlem River Drive LP (Get On Down)
This 1971 album from Eddie Palmieri may have been recorded towards the end of the Latin soul era, but it features that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk. Palmieri worked with an incredibly talented crew of Latin and R&B session musicians to create this quintessential New York vibe, a synthesis of funk and Afro-Cuban sounds. An over-arching theme of Harlem River Drive is the thought that, as Palmieri puts it "The U.S. is richest country, all this immense wealth, side by side with the most intense poverty, racial prejudice; how is that possible?"

The Meters - Zony Mash LP+MP3 (Sundazed) 

For the first time anywhere - an entire album filled with vintage rarities and non-album B-sides by the Meters, pressed on high-definition blue colored vinyl.

Barry White - The 20th Century Records Albums (1973-1979) 9xLP (Mercury) 

Marking 45 years since the release of his debut solo album, soul/R&B legend Barry White's nine 20th Century Records albums have been remastered from their master tapes for a new box set. Across the nine albums he released with 20th Century Records between 1973 and 1979, White established the new sound of orchestral soul that became an enduring R&B staple. Fifteen years after his untimely death in 2003 at the age of 58, The 20th Century Records Albums (1973-1979) honors and celebrates White's legendary career by restoring these classic albums and presenting them together in one package. [Stand-alone vinyl reissues of each title are also available.]

Bee Gees - Timeless - The All-Time Greatest Hits 2xLP+MP3 (Capitol) 

Released last year on CD - now available on vinyl. 21 classic tracks from one of the world's most commercially successful and acclaimed bands in the history of popular music.

Jacob Miller - Who Say Jah No Dread (The Classic Augustus Pablo Sessions 1974-75) [Reissue/1992] LP (Greensleeves) 

The late reggae singer Jacob Miller is an icon from reggae's golden era of the 1970s. A contemporary of Bob Marley who helped raise the genre to an international level as the lead singer of Inner Circle, his work is among reggae's most highly regarded. His cameo role in the film Rockers and the documentary Roots Rock Reggae have ensured his legacy. In 1974-1975, he recorded a series of 45s with the producer and melodica player Augustus Pablo for the emerging Rockers label. This LP collection was first issued by Greensleeves in 1992, representing some of the strongest roots reggae of the mid-70s, presented in the "showcase" style that features both the vocals and the instrumental in sequence.

Monophonics - In Your Brain LP (Ubiquity)
2012's In Your Brain sits on the fuzzy psych side of soul and funk. Paying homage to innovators such as Sly Stone, Norman Whitfield and Funkedelic's George Clinton, the 6 piece outfit displays their ability to put a moody stamp on each composition. Touching on everything from cinematic soul, heavy funk, 60's rock and spaghetti western laced with yellow sunshine acid, the album is sure to leave you tuned in and turned on!

Kev Brown - Delve Into Classical Moog LP (Redefinition) 

"Kev Brown has done his homework and he's back to teach us a new lesson with his Delve Into Classical Moog. Artists are often measured by not just talent, but their portfolios. Pursuing one idea after the next and absorbing inspiration from an array of sources, some of the most memorable and storied artists are also great storytellers. With over 15 years in the business, Kev Brown has consistently been at the forefront of hip-hop production. His instantly recognizable yet often imitated sound is a fabled treasure that makes his legacy not only a work in progress, but a work of art."

Chicago - Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 2xLP (Rhino) 

Chicago's live performance from Aug. 28, 1970 at the Isle Of Wight, where they co-headlined with Jimi Hendrix and the Doors.

Dexter Gordon - Sophisticated Giant [Reissue/1977] LP (Sony Legacy) 

Dexter Gordon's celebrated late '70s Columbia session Sophisticated Giant is back in-print on vinyl to coincide with the new biography by Maxine Gordon that shares it's title. Sophisticated Giant was recorded shortly after Gordon's triumphant return to the States after a dozen years living in Europe. Originally recorded in June of 1977, the album finds Gordon on both tenor and soprano saxophone joined by an all-star "Dextette", 10 crack players including trumpeters Woody Shaw and Benny Bailey, Frank Wess on alto and flute, trombonists Slide Hampton and Wayne Andre, Howard Johnson on tuba, vibes master Bobby Hutcherson, and the rhythm section of George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass and Victor Lewis on drums.

Don Byrd & Gigi Grice - Jazz Lab LP (8th Records)
Hard bop saxophonist Gigi Grice led the way in early usage of quartal harmony, which would become a standard during the era of cool jazz, and regularly utilized unorthodox forms of harmonization, instrumentation, and meter, which regularly walked the line between experimental and contemporary. He and Donald Byrd got together with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Art Taylor as backing to produce seven cuts of smoothly textured hard bop, under the banner of Jazz Lab. The resulting record proved to be an exceptional critical hit, and is now considered a paragon of the sub-genre, and a more than worthy introduction to hard bop.

Big Bliss - At Middle Distance LP (Exitstencil) 

At Middle Distance marks a new, unprecedented milestone for Big Bliss. Recorded and mixed at Tony Maimone's (Pere Ubu) Studio G and Thump Recordings in Brooklyn, producer Jeff Berner (Psychic TV) evokes the tonal clarity and emotive noise that constitutes Big Bliss's special brand of dark-tinged melodic euphoria.

Koray Kantarcıoğlu - Loopworks LP (Discrepant)
Loopworks compiles Turkish visual and sound artist Koray Kantarcıoğlu's (b. Ankara 1982) loop-based work composed of samples taken from Turkish records released in '60s and '70s as source material, resulting in a "haunted ballroom" effect, and showing how technology and geography create different and original approaches to the standard western interpretation of field recordings and sound manipulation. Sometimes the music is dreamy and calm like aquarium music, elsewhere sounding like part of a John Carpenter or David Lynch film yet to be made.

Ron Morelli - Disappearer 2xLP (Hospital Productions)
The L.I.E.S. Records boss returns with Disappearer, his third full-length, touching on everything from cold, stripped-back electronics, to hints of 1990s Hague scum techno, to grim passages reminiscent of early tape minimalists, the amalgamation forming a nasty sonic narrative that reaches an explosive unsettling apex. This is a definitive return to tense, urgent punk roots; the minimal beat construction, unexpected acid burned vocals, and stark atmospheres touch upon Morelli's full spectrum of influences with his signature rusted razor production. 

Penelope Trappes - Penelope Two LP (Houndstooth)
The antipodean vocalist, musician, and soundscaper presents her sophomore album. Elements from multiple sources are subsumed by Trappes's sonic presence; one hears Badalamenti and Julee Cruise's work for Blue Velvet (1986) and Twin Peaks, Galaxie 500 and Slowdive's dreampop, the scorched comedowns of early Primal Scream, Tuxedomoon and Colin Newman's dark melancholia, plus contemporaries like Grouper, Tropic Of Cancer, and Sky H1. A deeply melodic record, with her intimate, maternally-tender voice floating in the middle of each three-dimensional, womb-like sonic space. 

Eli Keszler - Stadium 2xLP (Shelter Press)
For his ninth studio album, Keslzer was inspired by the constant motion and ever-changing landscapes of Manhattan, helping him modify and shape his sound into a new kind of film noir. There is a startling amount of expression at play on each track, where intersections of melody, restraint and rhythm are used to challenge the idea of memory, impression and space. He produces almost impossible textures through self-realized organic methodologies: cascading melodies, a shadow of voices, and a unique pointillist materiality, pushed to new levels with string and brass arrangements. Although playing with the intensity of digitally-created music, his communications are done live with no processing, giving Stadium its depth and warmth. 

Various Artists - Saigon Supersound Vol. 2 2xLP (Saigon Supersound)
This new volume digs deeper to share the beautiful music of a short but significant period in Vietnam's history. As the result of the Geneva Accords in 1954, Vietnam was divided into two; subsequently, in the North, only Resistance Music, promoting socialism, patriotism, and anti-capitalism, was allowed on national radio, while musicians in the South continued to incorporate French influences, as well as Anglophone imports like the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and Elvis Presley. Constantly changing and learning from different cultures, the modern music of Vietnam cuts a window into the soul of a Vietnamese person and the country's history as a whole. 

Colossal - Welcome the Problems LP (Asian Man Records)
COLOSSAL is a four-piece band from Elgin, IL. They've been on hiatus for a good 5 years. This vinyl re-issue was garnered from the constant requests from folks for vinyl. Only 600 pressed. This will not be pressed again anytime soon. Fully remastered for the perfect analog listening experience. ENJOY!!

NOFX - The Greatest Songs Ever Written... By Us [Reissue/2004] 2xLP+MP3 (Epitaph) 

Vinyl reissue of the punk band's 2004 best-of compilation.

Anaal Nathrakh - A New Kind Of Horror LP (Metal Blade) 

Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. When writing about A New Kind Of Horror in the record's liner notes, Anaal Nathrakh vocalist Dave Hunt is succinct in his description: "This is not a happy album, it is bitter, vengeful, sarcastic, sardonic, violent, terrified and horrified, terrifying and horrifying in equal measure. Above all, it is human, and all that that entails. It's as sincere as we could make it." [Limited colored vinyl pressing.]

Hissing - Permanent Destitution LP (Profound Lore) 

Seattle, Washington's Hissing engage in dark, dissonant, cacophonous, inverted death metal noise and with their debut album, Permanent Destitution, the three-piece have created a nihilistic vision of deranged otherworldly audial pandemonium. A soundscape of pure enveloping darkness and unrelenting chaos, it deconstructs and builds itself through walls and layers of pummeling turmoil and disarray generated through twisted, angular guitar work and fretboard annihilation, surgically cold and calculated death march drums and monolithic bass, all with a dark overbearing ambience.

King Diamond - Deadly Lullabyes (Live) [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Metal Blade) 

Limited picture disc vinyl reissue - Part of Metal Blade's King Diamond vinyl picture disc reissue campaign.

Soundtracks

Thom Yorke - Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film) CD/LP (XL Recordings) 

Yorke's original score to the 2018 motion picture includes five original songs from the remake of Dario Argento's cult classic Suspiria. The Luca Guadagnino directed film stars Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton. Deserving an update of its own, the insanely awesome artwork is by Stanley Donwood.

For the Holidaze

John Legend - A Legendary Christmas CD (Columbia) 

New holiday release from the acclaimed soul artist. A Legendary Christmas was executive-produced by Raphael Saadiq. The album features Esperanza Spalding and Stevie Wonder (playing harmonica on "What Christmas Means To Me"). Includes classic holiday songs as well as new Christmas originals. [Vinyl edition due December 7.]

Mike Love - Reason For The Season CD/LP (BMG) 

The Beach Boys' lead singer Mike Love gets into the Christmas spirit this year, releasing his new collection of holiday songs, Reason For The Season. The album features a 12-track mix of original holiday songs and Christmas classics, including "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" and "Little St. Nick", which the Beach Boys recorded back in 1964. Hanson even hops on a song, the jubilant tune "Finally It's Christmas".

Gwen Stefani - You Make It Feel Like Christmas [Deluxe Edition] CD (Interscope) Stefani's 2017 holiday album has been expanded with five bonus tracks. [Vinyl edition due November 30.]

Joel Paterson - Hi-Fi Christmas Guitar CD (Bloodshot) 

Holiday release by Chicago guitarist Joel Paterson (who savvy folks might know from Devil In A Woodpile), featuring classic holiday songs played in a variety of genres including jazz, western swing, rock & roll and classic country.

Reissues & From The Archives

The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society [Reissue/1968] CD/2xCD/2xLP/3xLP+3x7"+5xCD (Sanctuary) 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018, The Kinks present special editions of their 1968 masterwork The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society including this Super Deluxe 3xLP + 5xCD + 3x7" box set (174 audio tracks total, three previously unreleased tracks, 55 previously unreleased versions). Included here are new stereo and mono remastered editions of the album from original HD tape transfers, bonus tracks and alternative versions, live performances, previously unreleased home demos, 7" picture sleeve singles, a 52-page book and memorabilia galore. The proceedings are beautifully packaged in a rigid card box with debossed cover, gold foil and metallic text, wrapped in special linen cloth finish. A bespoke accessories holder is also included. [Standard single disc and double-vinyl editions comprised of the 2018 remastered audio are also available.]

Pixies - Come On Pilgrim... It's Surfer Rosa 3xCD/3xLP (4AD) 

The CD for this much-anticipated 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Pixies' debut EP Come On Pilgrim and LP Surfer Rosa is now available. Expanded with a 1986 radio session Live From The Fallout Shelter. Vinyl is still delayed... 

NRBQ - All Hopped Up [Reissue/1977] CD/LP (Omnivore) 

Released in the spring of 1977, with recordings covering a two-year period from November 1974 to November 1976, All Hopped Up is NRBQ's fifth album. But in many ways it showcases a new band with a new spirit, a new energy, and a new approach. It's the first album with drummer Tom Ardolino, who joined in August 1974 at the age of 19 and entered the recording studio just three month later. His joining signals the start of the edition of NRBQ that spanned almost 20 years while gaining notoriety for their blockbuster live performances and classic recordings.

Art Ensemble Of Chicago - Art Ensemble Of Chicago "Les Stances À Sophie" [Reissue/1970] CD/LP (Soul Jazz) 

As the legendary Art Ensemble Of Chicago celebrates its 50th anniversary, Soul Jazz Records release a new remastered edition of the group's seminal album "Les Stances A Sophie", which features the great singer Fontella Bass on the opening track "Theme de Yoyo", a stunning 9-minute opus that continues to startle and compel new audiences today.

Kelsea Ballerini - Unapologetically [Deluxe Edition] CD (Black River Ent.) 

Originally released last year, the second studio album by country music artist Kelsea Ballerini has been expanded with four bonus tracks. [Vinyl edition due November 16.]

Miserable - Loverboy / Dog Days CD (Sargent House) 

Two EP's from the solo-project of Kristina Esfandiari, best known as the vocalist for doom rock band King Woman, issued together on one disc.

Live & In Concert

Keith Jarrett - La Fenice 2xCD (ECM) 

This recording of Keith Jarrett's extraordinary 2006 solo performance at Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice finds Jarrett entering one of Italy s most famous classical venues and channeling the flow of inspiration to shape something new. In this case, a suite of eight spontaneously created pieces referencing everything from the blues to atonality to heart-rending ballads.

Charlie Haden/Brad Mehldau - Long Ago And Far Away CD (Impulse!) 

Live archive recording from Charlie Haden and Brad Mehldau's performance at Enjoy Jazz Festival, Christuskirche Mannheim on 5 November 2007.

KMFDM - Live In The USSA CD (earMUSIC) 

Recorded during their roaring USA tour in late 2017, Live In The USSA features a diverse and selection of six of their favorite songs from their latest studio album Hell Yeah and six of their classic hits.