New Releases - 11/30/18
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
Jump to… New Releases Reissues & From The Vaults Compilations, Best Of's & Sundry Collections New on Vinyl Soundtracks Live & in Concert For the Holidaze….
New Releases
Jeff Tweedy - Warm CD/LP (dBpm)
Jeff Tweedy presents, Warm, an 11-track solo album of all new material, recorded at Chicago's now legendary studio, The Loft (with help from some of his usual collaborators - Spencer Tweedy, Glenn Kotche and Tom Schick). Warm follows the acoustic retrospective release, Together At Last (2017), and Wilco's 2016 album, Schmilco. Tweedy describes lead single "Some Birds" as, "like a lot of songs on Warm, being a confrontation between self and shadow self simultaneously feeling I'm to blame and not to blame, present and gone, and utterly confused, but determined to hold someone accountable." From the liner notes: "'Warm' is one of the most joyful, celebratory, infectious collections of songs I've heard in a long time. It's intimate and yet vast and feels lovingly made, by actual people, in some particular place, and not inside a computer. As I was listening, I kept picturing a tight little cabin in the woods somewhere (the woods of Chicago?), under a big yellow moon, and four or five Jeffs in there, all playing different instruments, and Spencer on drums, and Susie and Sammy are there, too, and there's a fire going, and a feeling of love and discovery and fondness in the smoky air. Also in there, I think, is the spirit of Jeff's father, Bob Tweedy, who passed away in 2017." - George Saunders. Free tote bag and poster with purchase!
Neil Young - Songs For Judy CD (WB)
Recorded during Neil Young's fabled November 1976 solo acoustic tour of the US, the archival 23-track live collection Songs For Judy includes performances of all-time classics like "Heart Of Gold", "After The Gold Rush" and "The Needle And The Damage Done", along with a number of rarer selections, including one song, "No One Seems To Know", that has not appeared on any previous official release. "Campaigner", recorded on November 22nd, 1976 at Boston's Music Hall, serves as the album's first "single". Curated by director Cameron Crowe and producer/photographer Joel Bernstein, both of whom contribute to the fascinating liner notes, Songs For Judy marks the debut release from Young's Reprise Records imprint, Shakey Pictures Records. "The tour had been so satisfying, and so different from all that rock would become in the ensuing years, something indelible was captured in our humble collection," explains Crowe. "Listening to it today is a little like discovering postcards from home. It was a precious time in Neil Young's journey, a breath of oxygen in between some of his biggest adventures." [Vinyl edition due December 14.]
The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships CD/2xLP (Dirty Hit)
Singer Matty Healy on the new 15-track record to NME: "Our first three albums are the story of a person; it's always kind of been my story. It spanned adolescence to maturity, success and trying to mediate the two, and the third one is where we are now." He ambitiously adds to Uproxx: "If you look at third albums, [Radiohead's] OK Computer or [The Smiths'] The Queen Is Dead, that's what we need to do. I want a legacy. I want people to look back and think our records were the most important pop records that a band put out in this decade." Join us for a 1975 listening party on release day - Friday, November 30th, at 6PM!
Daniel Romano - Finally Free CD/LP (New West)
Finally Free marks Daniel Romano's eighth long playing album in the last eight years. He has had what understatedly would be considered a prolific output of incredibly entrancing, poignant and creative records in this span of time. He has been called a shapeshifter, contrived, a chameleon, a Charlatan, the best living songwriter, an asshole and a genius. His last record, Modern Pressure received outstandingly high acclaim and praise from every notable publication out there and was acknowledged by most reputable "for-profit-prize-corporations" as well as a plethora of voguish "music-as-competitive-sport" year-end lists. Despite being the bronze placeholder in most of these dogfights, he is most often noted as a person of astounding influence on all of his musically economic successors. Finally Free could stand alone as being pivotal if it were only its profound and breathtaking prose on paper. Writing now like an agnostic Whitman in his prime, Romano explores and uncovers new language and meaning for old sentiments grown tired. [Indie-store exclusive split color transparent red & green colored vinyl pressing.]
Bryan Ferry And His Orchestra - Bitter-Sweet CD/LP (BMG Rights Management)
Bitter-Sweet further explores Ferry's jazz influences, includes reinterpretations of Roxy Music cuts like "While My Heart Is Still Beating" and "Dance Away". Ferry is also tinkering with some of his own solo songs, such as the title track, which Ferry's refashioned as a sumptuous, smoky affair buoyed by melancholic horns.
Reverend Horton Heat - Whole New Life CD/LP (Victory)
Jim Heath and longtime confidant and slap-bass general Jimbo Wallace have polished up their twelfth release, Whole New Life, which Heath calls "the most positive material I have ever written. It focuses heavily on rock and roll but there is a human interest parallel - songs about growing up poor, vices, marriage, having children and walking the rapturous streets of America." Call it a new twist on an old sound, Whole New Life was recorded between Fun Guy Studios and Modern Electric in the band's hometown of Dallas. The 11-track rumination features new drummer Arjuna 'RJ' Contreras. The Texas based jazz pupil came to the band's attention from a friend's reference in the summer of 2017 and brought a whole new backbeat to the legendary rockabilly administration. After clicking with Contreras, Heath hired a new pianist in 2018, Matt Jordan, to flesh out the sound with the pomp and power of Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. "I love playing with these guys, it truly is a whole new band, so the title fits perfectly," Heath adds. "Whole New Life brought out something in me where I am screaming more and making more throaty sounds. It's got some Louisiana feel to it, a bit of gruff and some Roy Orbison style in it." [Indie-store exclusive vinyl pressing.]
Wheeler Walker Jr. - WW III CD/LP (Pepper Hill)
Wheeler Walker Jr. embarks on his third album, appropriately named, WW III. Following up 2016's Redneck Sh*t and 2017's Ol' Wheeler, the new 11-track collection marks the foul-mouthed trailblazer's third collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell) and is ushered in by the rollicking singles "Save Some Titty Milk For Me" and "I Like Smoking Pot (A Lot)." "This new album is a departure for me," Wheeler offers. "The record is about my recent marriage and newborn son...Country music has turned into a bunch of lame mainstream pop garbage. I'm here to save it. America owes me a thank you gift when this album is released."
Dennis Quaid & The Sharks - Out Of The Box CD (Omnivore)
Dennis Quaid & The Sharks origins can be traced to a night when Quaid went to see actor Harry Dean Stanton and his longtime band perform in Los Angeles. Quaid was invited to join the band onstage. At first reluctant, because of his decade-long layoff from music, Quaid finally acquiesced, and his performance planted a seed with Jamie James, guitar player in Stanton's band. Soon after, James approached Quaid about starting a group of their own. Their debut album, Out Of The Box, features Dennis Quaid originals and songs by The Doors, Van Morrison & more.
Blake Mills - Look CD (Verve)
Blake Mills is a guitarist, composer, and Grammy Award nominated producer. Look is a concentrated soundscape experience inspired by Japanese synth guitars from the 1970s. An exciting excursion from his previous singer-songwriter material, this release fits in line with similarly groundbreaking records such as Brian Eno's Music For Airports.
Alessia Cara - The Pains Of Growing CD (Def Jam)
New release from the Canadian vocalist and winner of the Best New Artist Grammy Award in January.
Jon Bellion - Glory Sound Prep CD (Capitol)
After disappearing for two years, Bellion's sophomore album Glory Sound Prep does not disappoint. The record features a seamless blend of hip-hop, rap, pop, a New Orleans jazz band, and completely random background sounds of clinking, beeping and children yelling to complete Bellion's well-known signature style. When listening, it's impossible to ignore the musical talent of a writer, singer and producer such as Bellion. The synth, trumpets and guitars work together to create beautiful transitions between genres. Throughout the record, Bellion consistently proves his lyrics are worth every goosebump, every "AHA!" moment, and demand to be heard as what they really are: art. With lyrics such as "If they don't feel your thoughts, start dreaming in braille", from the track "Adult Swim", or the heartbreaking "When she meets God, He'll tell her all about it/When my mother was a mother to her mom" from the eight-minute-long "Mah's Joint", Bellion easily weaves a large range of topics into GSP.
Kodie Shane - Young Heartthrob CD (Epic)
Debut release from Atlanta upstart Kodie Shane. Outfitted with 15 tracks total, Young Heartthrob is minimal with the features, only producing two additional voices with TK Kravitz on the previously-released Flex On Me and Trippie Redd on Love & Drugz II after Kodie lent her vocals on A Love Letter To You 3 select Negative Energy. Behind the scenes, you'll find production from the hands of Matty P, Wundagirl, Dallas Austin, OZ, Reske, and Mark Murille among others. [Vinyl edition due December 21.]
Masego - Lady Lady CD (Caroline)
Debut studio album by Jamaican-American singer. "His music is sophisticated, steeped in 1980s quiet-storm R&B with hints of smooth jazz along the fringes. Lady Lady is a grand coming-of-age record that displays the playful and reflective halves of Masego, illuminating his versatile nature with the promise of more to come." - Pitchfork.
GospelbeacH - Another Winter Alive CD/LP (Alive)
Another Winter Alive reflects on the GospelbeacH California rock and roll dream and pays homage to friend and founding member Neal Casal by covering his most well-known song "Freeway To The Canyon". The album features five previously unreleased studio tracks recorded during the band's sessions for last years Another Summer Of Love plus five live songs recorded in London during their California Fantasy tour, revisiting stripped down live versions of songs from their debut album Pacific Surf Line.
Foxwarren - Foxwarren CD/LP (ANTI-)
Foxwarren's backstory reads like a page torn from the manual of rock & roll authenticity. They are siblings and childhood friends who formed a band in college. They went on to live as roommates and recorded an album in the basement of a rented house. Even the band's namesake comes from the brothers (Avery and Darryl) Kissick's family home. The band's self-titled debut is subtle and thoughtful, it draws parallels to frontman Andy Shauf's solo work while leaning on collaboration and looseness rather than Shauf's meticulous arrangements. Where Shauf leaves space for orchestration, Foxwarren take time to ruminate on passages and themes. Propped up by warm driving rhythms and a familiar voice, and colored with soft electronics and coarse guitars, Foxwarren is a record that ultimately hinges on sincerity.
Yowler - Black Dog In My Path CD/LP (Double Double Whammy)
Maryn Jones' first release under the moniker Yowler, a 2015 cassette (and later LP), The Offer, was a wintery cold reflection on unwanted change, sadness, and the facing down of the realities of loneliness and mental unrest. The songs are somehow quiet even when the instrumentation builds, and clear, even when there is a hazy quality to the recordings. This is likely due to Jones' voice, which is at once soft and penetrating, warm and distant, and which floats assuredly among the woven arrangement of guitars, synths and harmonies surrounding it. Yowler's newest album, Black Dog in My Path, expands on these sounds, while exploring past unexplored territory of heavier fuzzy guitars, full band arrangements, and genre-bending tendencies.
Distant Cousins - Next Of Kin CD (Julian)
L.A.-based folk-pop trio Distant Cousins, a multi-layered collaboration of three songwriters/producers/performers (cousin Ami, cousin Dov, and cousin Duvid) offers up a blend of music that, like the band name, suggests both deep connections and a wide variety of genres. The 11 tracks on Next Of Kin traverse folk-pop, anthemic pop, heartland pop-rock, and bluesy hues. Select standout cuts include "Lights On", "Running", "In My Blood", and "Mighty Love". Stanky James Brown grooves, swampy New Orleans second line funk, flourishes imbue "Lights On", a be-true-to-yourself banger. Subtle layers of meaning provoke thought on the stirring sing-along "Running". Cultural pride swells on the tender slow burner "In My Blood", and the rousing "Mighty Love" is a stark reminder to hold your next of kin close to protect them in these volatile times.
Tory Lanez - Love Me Now CD (Interscope)
Third studio album by Canadian rapper features guest appearances from Chris Brown, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Trippie Redd, Lil Babyand Bryson Tiller, among others.
Trippie Redd - Life's A Trip CD (10K Projects)
Following a relentless string of EPs and mixtapes, breakout 19-year old multi-platinum Ohio rapper/singer Trippie Redd offers up his official full-length debut album, Life's A Trip which includes "Dark Knight Dummo," featuring Travis Scott and produced by Honorable C.N.O.T.E and "Taking A Walk" produced by Scott Storch/Avendon. Life's A Trip is themed around the inevitability of death and inspired by the loss of his peers XXXTentacion and Lil Peep. "Life's A Trip is a triumph, because it paints Trippie's painful past as something visceral and real to listeners. On his debut, the Canton rapper proves the shadows and ghosts looming over his career only needed to be eclipsed by proving he is a relatable man behind the scars." - XXL [Limited red & yellow colored vinyl pressing also available for special order.]
Compilations, Best Of's & Sundry Collections
Kate Bush - Remastered Part 2 11xCD (Rhino/Parlophone)
Kate Bush - Remastered In Vinyl III 6xLP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Kate Bush - Remastered In Vinyl IV 4xLP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Digitally remastered albums from Kate Bush's esteemed catalog. Includes the albums Aerial (2005), Director's Cut (2011), 50 Words For Snow (2011), Before The Dawn (Original Mastering, 2016, 11-CD set only) plus four compilations only available in this box: 12" Mixes, The Other Side 1, The Other Side 2, and In Others' Words (a compilation of cover versions performed by Kate, 11-CD set only).
Various Artists - Soul Of A Nation: Jazz Is The Teacher, Funk Is The PreacherCD/2xLP+CD (Soul Jazz)
A powerful collection of radical jazz, street funk and proto-rap made in the era of Black Power (1969-75). Features a number of important and ground-breaking African-American artists - The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Don Cherry, Funkadelic, Gil Scott-Heron and more - alongside a host of lesser-known artists all of whom in the early 1970s were exploring new Afrocentric poly-rhythmical styles of music - radical jazz, street funk and proto-rap - while at the same time exploring the Black Power and civil-rights inspired notions of self-definition, self-respect and self-empowerment in their own lives. Def Leppard - The Story So Far - The Best Of CD/2xCD/2xLP+7" (Mercury) Def Leppard's greatest hits and songs from their illustrious career. [Single-CD is comprised of 11 tracks. Double-CD includes 35. 16-track180gm vinyl edition features the bonus 7" single "Personal Jesus" b/w "We All Need Christmas".]
Pink Martini - Non Ouais! The French Songs Of Pink Martini CD (Heinz)
Non Ouais! includes some of this little orchestra's biggest international hits, including "Sympathique" (Je ne veux pas travailler), nominated for Song of the Year in France. Featuring special appearances by French stars Georges Moustaki and Philippe Katerine.
For the Holidaze...
Various - Season's Greetings From Nashville: A Holiday Compilation from Musician's Corner CD (Musician's Corner)
Nashville's free outdoor music series Musicians Corner releases a holiday compilation. The album features classic and original songs performed by Nashville artists including Lera Lynn, Sun Seeker, The Sweetheart Deal (Paul McDonald & Emily Kinney), Tristen, Kyshona, Molly Parden, Becca Mancari, Amber Rubarth, The Daybreaks, Matthew Perryman Jones, and Angel Snow.
Soundtracks
Dolly Parton - Dumplin' CD (RCA)
Original soundtrack to the 2018 Netflix motion picture Dumplin' - a musical comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Kristin Hahn. The soundtrack was composed and performed by country music legend Dolly Parton and features guest performances by Elle King, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Sia, Mavis Staples and Rhonda Vincent, among others.
Live & in Concert
Phish - The Baker's Dozen Live At Madison Square Garden 3xCD/6xLP (Jemp)
In 2017, Phish performed The Baker's Dozen, a milestone 13-show run at Madison Square Garden held over 17 nights. During the run, the band performed 26 unique sets featuring a grand total of 237 songs with not one repeated.
David Bowie - Glastonbury 2000 2xCD/2xCD+DVD/3xLP (Rhino)
This release documents Bowie's legendary Sunday night headline performance on June 25th at the most famous festival on earth. The package includes the full 21 song greatest hits set and for the first time, a DVD of the entire show (only 30 minutes of which has ever been broadcast on TV) including the Glastonbury performance of "Heroes", a highlight of the record-breaking David Bowie Is... exhibition and the only track that has been previously released.
Gary Numan - Savage (Live At Brixton Academy) CD (BMG Rights Management)
2017 saw the release of Numan's 21st album, Savage (Songs From A Broken World). Working once again with producer Ade Fenton, Numan used a post-apocalyptic Earth as the setting for the release, charting humanity's struggle for survival and its inevitable downfall.
Beth Hart - Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2xCD/3xLP (Provogue)
Beth Hart live in front of a sold-out crowd at The Royal Albert Hall on May 4th, 2018. [Stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions also available.]
Elvis Presley - '68 Comeback Special 50th Anniversary Edition 5xCD+2xBlu-ray (Sony Legacy)
Elvis Presley - King In The Ring 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
The definitive chronicle of the now legendary NBC-TV show includes all the known audio recordings from RCA's vault and all the videotaped performances. The CD + Blu-ray box set includes an 80-page book with a new, oral history on the special crafted from interviews with producer Steve Binder, recording engineer Bones Howe, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Priscilla Presley, Emmylou Harris, and Scotty Moore. The double-vinyl release King In The Ring features both of the electrifying, intimate sit-down sets from the special - available on vinyl for the first time.
New on Vinyl
Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino b/w Anyways 7" (Domino)
7" vinyl single of the title track from the Arctic Monkeys' Mercury Prize-nominated 2018 studio album Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino b/w the exclusive B-side "Anyways". Anyways.
Brian Jonestown Massacre - Forgotten Graves 10" (A. Records)
BJM return with a new single, Forgotten Graves. The first track is exclusive "Forgotten Graves"; the second track is "Tombes Oubliées" with Rike (Friedrike) Bienert on vocals which is from the forthcoming self-titled BJM album. The single is released in the same month as the world commemorates the hundredth anniversary of World War I ("the war to end all wars"); this war never ended any other war; more forgotten graves are being added every day.
Brian Eno - Music For Films [Reissue/1976] LP (Astralwerks)
180gm vinyl reissue of Brian Eno's seventh album. Music For Films is a conceptual work intended as a soundtrack for imaginary films, although many of the pieces had already appeared in actual films. The album is a loose compilation of material from the period 1975 to 1978, composed of short tracks ranging from one-and-a-half minutes to just over four, making it the antithesis of the long, sprawling, ambient pieces he later became known for.
Mercury Rev - Deserter's Songs [Reissue/1998] LP (Excelsior Melodies)
Fully cementing Mercury Rev's rebirth as purveyors of a cosmic brand of the popular American songbook, Deserter's Songs is an album of grandiose proportions. Merging jazz, folk, sweeping orchestration, and a dose of 60's rock, the album was intended as the band's swan song and therefore made with utter abandon. However, it became the band's most acclaimed platter and remains one of the essential records of the past 30 years.
Gary Numan - The Fallen 12" (BMG Rights Management)
Numan follows-up 2017's Savage (Songs From A Broken World) with a special edition tricolor 12" vinyl EP featuring three new songs.
Cher - Dancing Queen LP(WB)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. The one and only Cher returns with Dancing Queen, a new album of all Abba hits. The Oscar, Emmy and Grammy Award winning icon was inspired to record the album following her stunning performance in the recently-released mega-hit film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
Josh Groban - Bridges LP (Republic)
Released in September on CD - now available on vinyl. Eighth album from the multi-platinum award-winning singer/songwriter and global superstar. Bridges finds Josh singing in multiple different languages that include English, French, Italian and Spanish. This is Groban's first album with original music since the massively successful 2013 album Stages.
Gwen Stefani - You Make It Feel Like Christmas [Deluxe Edition] LP (Interscope)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Stefani's 2017 holiday album has been expanded with five bonus tracks. Limited white colored vinyl pressing.
The Roots - Undun [Reissue/2011] LP (Def Jam)
Despite being rap veterans at the time, The Roots maintained a sense of artistic urgency, crafting this conceptual album with a loose narrative that follows Undun's imaginary protagonist, Redford Stevens, through a journey of imbalance, self-reflection, and triumph. Couched in an impoverished setting, it is an existential concept album entirely produced by Roots' drummer Questlove featuring stellar guest features from Big K.R.I.T, Bilal, Phonte, and more, and vocals from the group's formidable MC, Black Thought.
Yelawolf - Radioactive [Reissue/2011] LP (Shady)
Yelawolf's debut studio album Radioactive, known as Radioactive: Amazing And Mystifying Chemical Tricks, was recorded within two weeks in Las Vegas Valley. Executive produced by Eminem, the 15-track project features appearances from Kid Rock, Lil Jon, Gangsta Boo, FeFe Dobson, and Killer Mike, among others. Its features production from J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Diplo, Jim Jonsin, and more.
Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves - Roll With You [Reissue/2008] LP (Yep Roc)
Released last week on CD - now available on vinyl. Tenth anniversary reissue of this vital, gospel-tinged mix of sweaty, up-tempo numbers and aching, lovelorn ballads that connect instantly thanks to the passion of Eli Paperboy Reed and his former band, The True Loves.
Lenny Kravitz - Let Love Rule [Reissue/1989] 2xLP (Virgin)
180gm double-vinyl reissue. Let Love Rule established the template for Kravitz's exploratory nature as an artist, as evidenced by the elegiac buildup of the title track and the poignant social commentary of "Mr. Cab Driver", a song as relevant today as it was when it was released 30 years ago.
Semisonic - Feeling Strangely Fine [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Geffen)
Limited double 180gm colored vinyl reissue of Semisonic's second album, expanded with bonus tracks.
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Skynyrd's Innyrds: Their Greatest Hits [Reissue/1989] LP (Geffen)
World renowned for their hard driven Southern rock attack, magnificent melodies and tragic past, Lynyrd Skynyrd remain one of the greatest rock acts of all time. Vital and vibrant anthems like "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" continue to enthrall each passing generation, propelled by a searing trio of guitars and evocative, unapologetic Southern rock vocals. Back on vinyl for the first time in decades is the band's 5x platinum 1989 greatest hits package Skynyrd's Innyrds which in addition to the above cornerstone cuts gathers more essential Southern rock boogie gems like "Gimme Three Steps", "Saturday Night Special", "What's Your Name", "That Smell", "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and a cover of J.J. Cale's "Call Me The Breeze".
Jethro Tull - Aqualung - The 2011 Steven Wilson Stereo Remix LP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Deluxe vinyl edition of Jethro Tull's best-selling 1971 multi-platinum album Aqualung. The audio is the 2011 Steven Wilson Stereo Remix and the packaging contains a 24-page booklet all house in a hard card gatefold sleeve.
Various Artists - American Banjo: Tunes And Songs In Scruggs Style[Reissue/1957] LP (Smithsonian Folkways)
Although there is debate among musicologists and banjo players as to who "invented" the three-finger style of five-string banjo playing, there is no disagreement that the style was popularized by Earl Scruggs in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The three-finger style enabled banjo players to play harmony and to solo on bluegrass tunes and songs. This 1957 release assembles examples of the three-finger style by bluegrass banjo players including Scruggs' older brother Junie and Snuffy Jenkins, who may have had an influence on the style as well.
Del McCoury - Del McCoury Sings Bluegrass [Reissue/1968] LP (Smithsonian Folkways)
Delano Floyd "Del" McCoury has been a presence in bluegrass music since the 1960s when he was a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys. Regarded for both his guitar playing and his distinctive "high lonesome" vocals, McCoury recorded his first album as a band leader in 1967. Performing his arrangements of bluegrass standards and originals, the recording features fellow Bill Monroe alumni fiddler Billy Baker and banjoist Bill Emerson with Wayne Yates on mandolin and Tommy Neal and Dewey Renfo on bass.
Pete Seeger - Goofing-Off Suite [Reissue/1955] LP (Smithsonian Folkways)
Originally issued as a 10" album in 1955, Goofing-Off Suite finds Pete Seeger playing a mix of classical, popular, and folk music.
Jackson C. Frank - Jackson C. Frank LP (Antarctica Starts Here)
Born in Buffalo, New York, Frank used the settlement from a childhood accident to sail to London, where he quickly became a fixture of the bustling folk scene and met fellow ex-pat Paul Simon, who would put up the money to record Frank's legendary only LP. From the rugged, world-weary opener 'Blues Run The Game' to the stunning melancholy of 'Milk And Honey,' Frank's nimble acoustic guitar and passionate howls are all that is needed to power such authentic songwriting. Captured in a single-day session, these ten tracks are sparsely produced: stark, gritty, and seemingly out-of-place with time.
Oren Ambarchi, Jim O'Rourke & U-zhaan - Hence LP (Editions Mego)
Hence is the third collaborative release from Oren Ambarchi and Jim O'Rourke, following on from Behold. Building on the refined combination of electronics and acoustic instrumentation found on their previous releases, Hence presents two side-long pieces combining synthesizers, heavily effected guitar tones, and tabla rhythms played by special guest Uzhaan.
Technical Space Composer's Crew - Canaxis 5 [Reissue/1969] LP (Grönland)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Holger Czukay made his first solo foray with the experimental electronic album Canaxis 5 (1969), on which he worked with co-producer Rolf Dammers. "...Canaxis 5 is an intriguing work...a delightful piece of history for those interested in the development of world music and collectors of Czukay's output." - Bleep
Clouds - Heavy the Eclipse 3LP (Electric Deluxe)
Scottish duo Clouds present an apocalyptic techno epic. Ravaged and warped breakbeats haunted by wailing euphoric noise, vivid and graphic reflections of fractured post-industrial hardcore, moments of poetry flashing within a thick impending fog. A unique and visionary achievement; a wholly original future of beauty and despair: brutal, gritty, alive and urgent, blooming in the ruins, spiraling and raw, howling with life.
Ethyène - Brotherly Love 2LP (Moonrise Hill Material)
French producer and DJ Ethyène's debut album Brotherly Love is a seamless blend of uplifting dance music styles, featuring elements of Chicago and Manchester house and techno from his previous releases and seasoned with new touches that add more depth, bouncing between Detroit-influenced jazzy-house, Parisian '90s-friendly grooves and deep, hazy hip-hop cuts.
Akiko Yano - Tadaima. CD/LP (Wewantsounds)
Originally released in 1981. Tadaima. ("I'm home" in Japanese), Yano's fifth studio album, is a synth-pop masterpiece, co-produced by her then husband Ryuichi Sakamoto and featuring all the musicians from Yellow Magic Orchestra (Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, and Sakamoto). A piano child prodigy, Yano started her solo recording career in 1976 at just 21, recording her debut album with no less than Little Feat as the backing band. She went on to record a series of superb albums mixing funk, electro, and city pop, which found her writing, composing, and producing all her own work, a true maverick in a male-dominated industry. As Yano's first foray into the synth sounds of the early '80s, Tadaima. is a fascinating electro pop opus showcasing her talent as a writer, musician, and singer, and creating her own unique universe.
Brainwaltzera - Poly-Ana 2x12" (Film)
On Poly-Ana, Brainwaltzera explores sounds ranging from luscious, downtempo grooves and expertly reduced brain-dance cuts with nods to early '90s experimental IDM to harder, more caustic outings, all bound together by a recurring theme of otherworldly ambience. Production techniques range from more traditional hardware synthesis to the incorporation of a modified dot matrix printer acting as a modulation source for MIDI parameters. Sample sources include VHS material from the producer's own childhood and ambient Bullet Train samples from a production session traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto.
Miss Rayon - Eclipse LP (Xray)
Members of Miss Rayon have done time in The Gossip, Summer Cannibals, Cat Hoch Band, and Deathlist, among others. Residing somewhere on the spectrum between New York no wave and Manchester post-punk, one can hear influences as broad as Sonic Youth, Yoko Ono, ESG and Magazine.
Surfbort - Friendship Music LP (Fat Possum)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Surfbort, a four-piece punk band from Brooklyn, New York, channels inspiration from the '80s punk scene to produce rousing, explosive music.
Shai Maestro Trio - The Dream Thief LP (ECM)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Features the gifted pianist fronting his superlative trio with fellow Israeli Ofri Nehemya on drums and Peruvian bassist Jorge Roeder. Expressions of joy, introspective thoughts and heightened intensity all come to the fore. Maestro's differentiated touch is special; he can convey a range of fleeting emotions in a single phrase.
Mark Turner/ Ethan Iverson - Temporary Kings LP (ECM)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. The initial musical connection between saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Ethan Iverson was made in 1990s jam sessions in New York City, with both going on to individual success Iverson in hit trio The Bad Plus and Turner as a solo leader and in such groups as the trio Fly (recording in both capacities for ECM). A decade after their first meeting, the saxophonist and pianist began an association in the Billy Hart Quartet, the two players featuring sympathetically on two widely lauded ECM albums by that band. Now with Temporary Kings, their debut on record as a duo, Turner and Iverson explore aesthetic common ground that encompasses the cool-toned intricacies of the Lennie Tristano/Warne Marsh school, as well as the heightened intimacy of modernist chamber music.
Marcus Strickland - People Of The Sun LP (Blue Note)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. On his thrilling new LP, People Of The Sun, saxophonist Marcus Strickland blazes a trail fully at the helm of his music-performing, writing, and producing with his Twi-Life band on deck and special guests including Bilal and Pharoahe Monch along for the ride-as he sonically and socially traces the African diaspora from present to past in an effort to unpack his identity. It's an album that's busy and beautiful, inventive and contemplative, an amalgam of influences from West Africa and America.
MDCIII - Dreamhatcher LP (W.E.R.F.)
After their self-titled debut EP, saxophonist Mattias De Craene and his drummers Simon Segers and Lennert Jacobs launch their full-length debut, Dreamhatcher. De Craene's sensationally strident sax parts elevate the hypnotizing grooves of rhythmic duo Segers and Jacobs to an ecstatic level. The almost alarming sound that stems from this combination leaves every listener in a kind of cinematic daze that would excite even directors like David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino. As prodigies of the new wave of Belgian jazz, De Craene and his two soul-mates effortlessly marry the virtuosity and free spirit of jazz to influences from the other end of the musical spectrum, from tribal rhythms and roots to far-out electronics.
Various Artists - A New Life, Vol. II: Independent and Regional Jazz in Great Britain 1968-1988 2LP (Jazzman Records)
A New Life, Vol. II continues the first volume's excavation of overlooked jazz gems from across the under-appreciated world of British jazz private pressings and indie obscurities. When the major labels and the record industry left jazz out in the cold, musicians and jazz enthusiasts took the initiative. Indie labels made space for established artists and experimental outsiders alike, while local groups and youth bands turned to private pressings to document their music and build their own scenes. From London blues renegade Billy Jenkins's spiritual tribute to Pharoah Sanders and the swinging vocal artistry of Belfast-born Gerry McClelland, to the thunderous big band sound of Leicester's Music Explosion and the modal drama of the Don Rendell Five, A New Life, Vol. II reveals another fascinating layer of forgotten Brit jazz history.
Toquinho - Toquinho [Reissue/1970] LP (Mr. Bongo)
Brazilian guitarist and singer Toquinho (real name Antônio Pecci Filho) was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in the 1940's. His first major hit single was "Que Maravilha", as featured here, that he wrote with Jorge Ben. This album also features "Zana" and the ultra-famous "Carolina Carol Bela", also written with Ben. Toquinho had a prolific career releasing a huge number of albums and writing on even more. He released many records with Vinicius de Moraes during the '70s.
Eumir Deodato/Os Catedráticos - Ataque LP (Far Out Recordings)
Originally released in 1965. One of Brazil's most prolific artists, Deodato has racked up 16 platinum albums, won a Grammy, and sold over 250 million records in the USA alone, having worked as a composer, arranger, producer, and keyboardist artists such as Aretha Franklin, Kool & the Gang, Frank Sinatra, and Björk, to name a few. In the mid-sixties in Brazil, Deodato recorded a string of albums with his lesser known instrumental samba jazz and bossa nova ensemble Os Catedráticos. A masterpiece of hip Brazilian swing, Ataque reflects the deeper, groovier side of that magical, hazy sound of sixties Rio, with monster samba grooves backing big brass arrangements and scorching organ solos.
Meshuggah - Meshuggah [Reissue/1989] 12" (Nuclear Blast)
Meshuggah - Contradictions Collapse [Reissue/1991] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Meshuggah - None [Reissue/1994] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve [Reissue/1995] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Meshuggah - Chaosphere [Reissue/1998] LP (Nuclear Blast)
Limited colored vinyl reissues of the Swedish prog metal band's first three albums and two EPs.
Reissues & From The Archives
Big Brother & The Holding Company - Sex, Dope & Cheap Thrills 2xCD/2xLP+MP3 (Columbia/Legacy)
Columbia/Legacy Recordings celebrates the 50th anniversary of Big Brother & The Holding Company's major label debut with the premiere release of Sex, Dope & Cheap Thrills. Issued at long last under its original title (nixed by the label as too controversial a half century ago), Sex, Dope & Cheap Thrills restores the band's vision and intent in an essential new collection of 16 rare performances including 12 previously unreleased demos and outtakes from the mythic 1968 sessions that generated Big Brother & The Holding Company's Cheap Thrills, the breakout album that introduced Janis Joplin to the world. It also includes liner notes penned especially for this commemorative release by Jefferson Airplane frontwoman Grace Slick and Big Brother & The Holding Company drummer David Getz. Originally released in August 1968, Cheap Thrills was an out-of-the-box smash, a No. 1 album that - building on the heat she'd generated at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival - established Janis as rock's foremost primordial psychedelic soul singer, a musical archetype whose influence has never waned.
Badfinger - Badfinger [Reissue/1974] CD (Real Gone Music)
Badfinger - Wish You Were Here Reissue/1974] CD (Real Gone Music)
Expanded CD reissues of Badfinger's brilliant but ill-fated Warner Bros. albums, each featuring an unreleased song and session outtakes.
Uriah Heap - Demons And Wizards [Reissue/1972] CD/LP (Sanctuary)
Although renowned heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio would become the eventual undisputed expert on dungeons, dragons, and wizards, one of the first heavy metal bands to tackle such subject matter was Uriah Heep on their 1972 release, Demons And Wizards.
Leftöver Crack - The E-Sides And F-Sides CD/2xLP (Fat Wreck Chords)
A 30-track smorgasbord of B-sides and rarities spanning the NYC punk band's entire career.