New Releases - 3/17/23
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
100 Gecs – 10,000 Gecs CD/LP (Atlantic)
100 Gecs, the duo comprised of Dylan Brady and Laura Les, return with their sophomore album, 10,000 Gecs. Following their breakout debut album 1,000 Gecs, the anticipation of their next body of work has been high and the band's teases have been plentiful. The new album includes previously released singles "Mememe" which has been described as "an ebullient carnival of ska-inflected verses that bounce off a chorus of thrash guitars and a squiggling synth line" along with the ‘90s alt rock-inspired "Doritos & Fritos", which The Fader noted is "unlike any other Gecs track before it". [Indie store exclusive clear vinyl.]
3Phaz - Ends Meet LP (Souk)
The sophomore album from a true fixture in Cairo's seething electronic scene who should, by now at least, remain anonymously famous behind the 3Phaz moniker. Though connections are inevitable and welcoming with home turf artists such as ZULI or Rozzma, the Souk catalog or percussion obsessed travelers like DJ Plead or errorsmith, 3Phaz's dalliance with the traditional sounds of Shaabi and Mahraganat and possible intersections with grime, techno, and bass-heavy subcultures feel very much their own. Through seven percussion workouts summoned from hard-hitting kicks, flinty hand drums, darting rhythmic excursions and traditional flute-like synth melodies, 3Phaz creates a set of raw and ever-intriguing DJ tools for adventurous dancefloors that escape the mere functionality associated with the term to bristle with a life of their own.
All Time Low – Tell Me I’m Alive CD (Fueled By Ramen)
All Time Low has undeniably carved out their own corner of popular culture. The multi-platinum Maryland pop-punk quartet topped charts, sold out arenas worldwide, and served up a series of instantly irresistible anthems in the process. Their influence remains pervasive: 5 Seconds Of Summer have covered their tunes, Cheat Codes and Pierce The Veil have jumped at the chance to collaborate, and they've contributed music to films by visionaries such as Tim Burton and Diablo Cody. Speaking of their impact, Rolling Stone even named So Wrong, It's Right among its 50 greatest pop punk albums. Tell Me I’m Alive is their ninth album and is preceded by the title track.
Atoll – Prepuce 12” (Unique Leader)
Essential listening for fans of Stillbirth, Devourment, Party Cannon and Vulvodynia.
The Band Of Heathens – Simple Things CD/LP (Boh)
New album from the Texas rock ‘n’ roll band. “The Band of Heathens are not Pollyannas. They know the light at the end of the tunnel may be a train headed in our direction, ready to run us over. The songs on Simple Things express the courage to keep going even when life seems dark. One doesn’t need to be naïve to appreciate our gifts and be grateful.” – Steve Horowitz, Pop Matters [Limited-edition clear vinyl.]
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Blonde (Soundtrack From The Netflix Film) CD/LP+MP3 (Invada)
Original soundtrack to the 2022 film. Blonde boldly reimagines the life of one of Hollywood's most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe. From her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements, Blonde blurs the lines of fact and fiction to explore the widening split between her public and private selves. Cave and Ellis reflect on the making of the score: "Working with Andrew Dominik is always a challenging, but ultimately mind-blowing experience. Creating the score for this terrifying and complex reimagining of the Marilyn Monroe story was no different and, as always, it was a complete privilege to work with him. The darkest of films with a gorgeous spiritual score." [Limited edition pink vinyl.]
Daddy Long Legs – Street Sermons CD/LP+MP3 (Yep Roc)
The alternative, punk blues-bashers Daddy Long Legs return with their fourth studio album: Street Sermons. The expansive, new territory that the New York City-based trio cover on Street Sermons is thanks to producer Oakley Munson (The Black Lips). Featuring contributions from legends like John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful and Stiff Records veteran Wreckless Eric, Daddy Long Legs punch a necessary hole in the 21st Century landscape, both sonically and spiritually. [Limited-edition red vinyl.]
DJ Black Low – Impumelelo 2xLP (Awesome Tapes From Africa)
There's more than a hint of ambition on the double LP sophomore effort from Sam Austin Rabede, the producer known as DJ Black Low. Pretoria, South Africa-born and based, the young man makes amapiano with new ways of expressing this local-turned-global style of dance music. In DJ Black Low's musical imagination, the songs manage to smoothly vacillate between dreamy and firmly grounded. Adorned with vocalists across most of the twelve tracks, there's a new dimension to Black Low's now-signature approach to abstract, angular deconstruction of the rhythmic developments in his songs.
Drake – Honestly, Nevermind CD (Republic)
Drake / 21 Savage – Her Loss CD (Republic)
Honestly, Nevermind is Drake's seventh studio album. Producers include longtime collaborators like Noah (40) Shebib, Oliver El-Khatib, and Noel Cadastre, as well as Black Coffee, who has recently worked with David Guetta and Usher. Her Loss is Drake’s collaborative studio album with Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. Features a guest appearance from Travis Scott. Includes the single "Circo Loco".
El Michels Affair & Black Thought – Glorious Game b/w Grateful 7” (Big Crown)
El Michels Affair & Black Thought treat us to an unstoppable new 45; two standout tunes from their forthcoming Glorious Game record (due April 14).
Foretoken – Triumphs CD/LP (Prosthetic)
Utilizing traditional narratives of myths, legends, and folklore from a wide range of Western and Middle Eastern origins, Triumphs examines the ignored collateral damage of the cost of victory through these established mythoi. Taking musical inspiration from melodic and tech death metal, as well as power, folk and black metal, Foretoken's core sound on Triumphs is bolstered by subtle and captivating use of traditionally Scandinavian, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern instruments for atmospheric depth within the album's 51-minute runtime. [Limited edition ‘battlefield aftermath” vinyl with blood & dirt swirl.]
Kamelot – The Awakening CD/2xLP (Napalm)
Kamelot’s first album in five years, The Awakening shines as a massive and diverse offering mixing symphonic, melodic, and power metal styles, yielding some of the heaviest tracks in the band’s history. With crystal clear modern production helmed by the band and longtime producer Sascha Paeth, plus mastering by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios, Kamelot's score-like 13th studio album is accented by guest contributions - from genre star Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum) to renowned instrumentalists like violinist Florian Janoske and Grammy nominated, soundtrack-featured cellist Tina Guo. Kamelot's intense brand of ultramodern gothic and symphonic theatricality is amplified further and with more emotionality than ever on this inspiring, anticipated addition to their legacy. [Indie store exclusive silver vinyl.]
Julian Lage – The Layers CD/LP (Blue Note)
The Layers is a stunning companion piece to guitarist Julian Lage's acclaimed 2022 album View With A Room. The collection features six original pieces recorded during the same sessions which found Lage discovering new orchestration possibilities by augmenting his deeply attuned trio of bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King with the addition of guitar icon Bill Frisell. Intimate and gorgeous, exploratory, and embracing, imbued with vibrant colors and exquisite interplay, The Layers is a welcome additional offering from this meeting of two of modern jazz's most distinctive voices with one of the music's most skilled and inventive rhythm sections.
M83 – Fantasy CD/LP+2xMP3 (Mute)
Over the span of two decades, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez has firmly established himself as an artist whose work transcends mere escapism in favor of full-on worldbuilding. Whether it be via his celebrated studio albums, film soundtracks, or compositions for stage productions, Gonzalez has proven that nothing surpasses his ability to perfectly encapsulate a specific time, emotion, or sense of place. Now with the project's ninth studio album Fantasy, the Platinum selling, Grammy-nominated artist returns with his most personal album to date. Featuring long-time collaborator Justin Meldal-Johnsen and Joe Berry, M83's touring keyboardist and sax player, the album was born out of extended jam sessions that lasted nearly a year. The result is an exuberant, live-sounding record where trademark M83 goosebump moments abound. [Indie store exclusive blue vinyl.]
Now More Than Ever – Creatrix 12” (Creatrix/Thirty Tigers)
All-American Rejects co-founder Tyson Ritter didn't start Now More Than Ever in 2018 with the expectation it would turn into a real band - but a real band is very much what it has become. In tandem with veteran musicians/songwriters/producers Scott Chesak (All-American Rejects, Panic! At the Disco, Weezer) and Izzy Fontaine (Taking Back Sunday, Tegan & Sara, Glassjaw), Ritter has begun a meaningful and exciting new chapter in his music career with Now More Than Ever's debut album Creatrix.
Doug Paisley – Say What You Like CD/LP (Outside Music)
Doug's new record, Say What You Like, underscores his prowess as a songwriter, while exploring new sonic terrain with producer Afie Jurvanen (aka Bahamas). Distilled from more than 250 songs penned by Paisley over the last decade, the 11 tracks selected by Jurvanen combine folk, country, and pop sensibilities to showcase his rich sense of melody and remarkable way with words. This is Doug at his best - honest, exposed, searching - comforting in his ability to communicate the universal in the struggles of the individual. [Indie store exclusive sky blue vinyl.]
Papa Roach – Ego Trip LP (New Noize)
Papa Roach delivers their most diverse album yet, bringing together themes of rock, rap, alternative and pop in a style that is authentically their own, on 2022’s Ego Trip, their 111th full-length album of their 22-year career. Tracks released prior to the album include the hard left turn of "Swerve" featuring Jason Aalon of Fever 333 and Sueco, "Kill The Noise", the anthemic "Dying To Believe", and the energetic latest single "Stand Up". The band continue to veer across traditional boundaries that most bands barely have the nerve to occupy, creating one of the most diverse and fearless discographies in rock music. [Indie store exclusive translucent purple vinyl.]
Skins - Never Cursed LP (O___O?)
Never Cursed is an unpredictable introduction to skins' ethereal, drifting meditations. A onetime producer for Metro Zu and Goth Money, his early, collage-style productions are here mixed with a palette of piano, organ, violin, guitar, and washed-out effects. The flux of styles reflects a life in transit from his parents' home in Jaffna, Sri Lanka to Toronto, CA, where the instrumental parts were recorded at St. James Cathedral, and ultimately to London, where he is now based, and whose mutant underground patently informs his nods to the post-everything scuzz, the radical ends of rap, and ambient-pop-noise. As debut statements of intent go, Never Cursed leaves a heady impression. The plangent, instrumental blooz of "my life, my soul, and all that i sacrifice" sounds like some Sade breakdown wafting over a Cocteau Twins instrumental from another room; harmonized, cascading guitar and whirling sax -- blissed and immeasurably sad. From here, the album runs like a downbeat mixtape, submerged hip hop drums, melancholy, psychedelically-activated texturing.
Smino – Luv 4 Rent 2xLP (Motown)
Recently released on CD – now available on translucent green color vinyl. Luv 4 Rent is the third studio album by Smino. The album includes guest appearances from J. Cole, Doechii, Fatman Scoop, Cruza, Lucky Daye, Phoelix, Cory Henry, Ravyn Lenae, Lil Uzi Vert, and Reggie.
U2 – Songs Of Surrender CD/2xLP/4xCD/4xLP (IGA)
Songs Of Surrender delivers 16 new acoustic and reimagined recordings from the U2 catalog, produced and compiled by The Edge, including "One", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "Pride (In The Name Of Love) ." "Music allows you to time travel," explained The Edge, "And we became curious to find out what it would be like to bring our early songs back with us to the present day and give them the benefit, or otherwise, of a 21st century reimagining. What started out as an experiment quickly developed into a personal obsession as so many of our songs yielded to a new interpretation. Intimacy replaced post punk urgency. New tempos, new keys, and in some cases new chords and new lyrics arrived. A great song, it turns out, is kind of indestructible.” [Super Deluxe four-disc CD and vinyl editions – each featuring 40 tracks total – are available. An indie store exclusive white color vinyl pressing is also available.]
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – V CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
Created between Palm Springs, California and Hilo, Hawai'i, V is the first double album from the Hawaiian-New Zealand singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Ruban Nielson's Unknown Mortal Orchestra band. Designed to play as one continuous movement and road-tested on dry California freeways, V is the definitive Unknown Mortal Orchestra car record. It's also the fifth full-length album Ruban has released in twelve years. Across fourteen sun-bleached songs - written solo or with his brother Kody - Ruban draws from the rich traditions of West Coast AOR, yacht rock, weirdo pop and Hawaiian Hapa-haole music. Over a laidback blend of singalong anthems and cinematic instrumentals, he evokes blue skies, afternoons spent lounging by hotel swimming pools and the alluring darkness that lurks below perfect, pristine surfaces. [Limited edition ‘gold nugget’ color vinyl.]
Reissues & From The Archives
The Animals – The Best Of The Animals [Reissue/1966] LP (Abkco)
The Best Of The Animals is the first greatest hits collection by the British rock group the Animals. MGM Records originally released the album in February 1966 in the United States. It showcases the Animals' tough-edged pop hits combined with their more devoted blues and R&B workouts.
As Meninas / Jorginho Telles – Redondo Sambão b/w Brasileiro 7” (Mr Bongo)
The enticing and exotic samba “Redondo Sambão” is pure Brazilian fire. With beautiful female vocal-group arrangements, floating flutes and vibrating rhythms, this song oozes charm. Originally released in 1967 on the Som Maior imprint. “Brasileiro” is taken from Jorginho Telles' self-titled 1971 album and switches between a hoarse male vocal crooner and a rough and raw psych-guitar, R&B banger.
The Black Crowes – Shake Your Money Maker (Live) CD/2xLP (Silver Arrow)
During the 30th Anniversary tour of their breakout album Shake Your Money Maker, The Black Crowes recorded and chose the best performances of each album track.
Waltel Branco – Meu Balanço [Reissue/1975] CD/LP (Mr Bongo)
Meu Balanço was originally released on CBS Records Brazil in 1975. It is Brazilian big band, orchestrated jazz-funk at its finest. Echoing the library and film productions created in Europe and the USA at the time, it also displays the hallmarks of Waltel's heritage with distinct threads of Brazilian flavor running throughout. The musicians on the record include under-the-radar players that were the backbone of the Brazilian music industry in the 1970s including Luizão Maia on bass, Edmundo Maciel on trombone and Paulinho Braga on drums. The album flirts between jazz-funk, cinematic library excursions, breaks and beats, easy-listening, and ‘70s cop show instrumentals.
Bill Charlap – All Through The Night [Reissue/1998] LP (Anagram Music)
One of the most acclaimed trio albums by New York City-born pianist Bill Charlap. Jazz critic Scott Yanow granted All Through The Night four out of five stars on AllMusic, stating that, "This trio outing by pianist Bill Charlap with Peter and Kenny Washington is a superior modern mainstream set. An enjoyable outing."
Current Joys – A Different Age [Reissue/2018] LP (Current Joys)
Current Joys – Live At Kilby Court [Reissue/2020] 2xLP (Current Joys)
Hear Current Joys tear through a live set of fan favorites recorded winter of 2020 at Kilby Court in Salt Lake City, Utah. The 14-track double LP is the first time one of Current Joys' visceral live performances has been captured for vinyl. Also available on vinyl: the band’s 2018 album A Different Age.
Dojo Cuts featuring Roxy Ray – Pieces 2008 – 2020 LP (Dojo Cuts)
After half a century of constant development, inspiration and hothouse flowerings, certain genres have found their perfect expression - soul-funk is one of them. Dojo Cuts are one perfect expression of this perfect expression. Lean, mean, and heavy (in the true sense) there is not a bass-note or hi hat beat out of place - everything is slave to the groove. Working from, and building upon, the original late ‘60s/early ‘70s Stax/Atlantic template, Dojo Cuts is the undisputed champions of the soul sound. [A limited-edition orange color vinyl pressing is available.]
Dropkick Murphys – Blackout [Reissue/2003] LP (Hellcat)
Translucent red color 20th Anniversary vinyl pressing of the fourth studio album by Dropkick Murphys, originally released in 2003.
Felt – Gold Mine Trash [Reissue/1987] LP (1972)
Felt – Bubblegum Perfume [Reissue/1990] LP (1972)
Lawrence Hayward knew that he wanted to be a pop star as a teen, and he devised a plan to release ten albums and ten singles over ten years to make that dream come true. A particular and determined individual, he would only be known as Lawrence from that day forward. His hopes for stardom would be pinned on his newly formed band, the succinctly named Felt. Soon signed to Cherry Red Records, Lawrence's achingly cool vocals and the group's way with walking melodies brought them underground fame.
The Flaming Lips – Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell [Reissue/2003] LP (WB)
The Flaming Lips – Fight Test [Reissue/2003] LP (WB)
Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell is comprised of seven Yoshimi-era tracks that were included in the six-CD Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots 20th Anniversary Box Set released in November 2022. Originally released as CD EP in 2003, it is now being released on vinyl for the first time. It features two versions of the title track (one remixed by Jason Bentley), a remix by The Postal Service of "Do You Realize?", and four non-album tracks. This limited-edition version is pressed on glow in the dark green vinyl. Fight Test was the third single released from Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots and is now available on pink color vinyl.
The Four Tops – Four Tops Reach Out [Reissue/1967] LP (Anagram Music)
One of the best Four Tops records of the '60s, Four Tops Reach Out includes the glorious "Reach Out, I'll Be There", "Standing In The Shadows Of Love", and "Bernadette".
Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse: 10th Anniversary Edition CD/2xLP (Atlantic)
Scottish indie rockers Frightened Rabbit were among the most acclaimed bands of the 2000s, earning wide-ranging critical applause and a fervent international fan following with their emotionally exhilarating melodies and scathingly frank lyricism. The band's 2013 acclaimed fourth album Pedestrian Verse served as their first for Atlantic Records and is home to the signature singles "State Hospital" and "The Woodpile.". In celebration of the cornerstone album's 10th anniversary, it's been reissued in an expanded edition with 11 bonus tracks. [Indie store exclusive color vinyl.]
GA-20 – Live In Loveland CD/LP (Karma Chief)
Featuring 11 rowdy, blistering performances (including five songs from 2022's Crackdown, three from their 2019 debut Lonely Soul and three previously unrecorded tracks, Live In Loveland captures GA-20 feeding off the energy of the wall-to-wall crowd and delivering each song with raw emotion and body-shaking force. The set is a mix of band originals and vintage covers, from early electric blues and honky-tonk country to proto rock 'n' roll, all performed live with deep feeling and punk energy. [Limited-edition pink swirl vinyl.]
The Get Up Kids – Eudora [Reissue/2001] LP (Vagrant)
Limited green color vinyl pressing. Eudora is a collection of B-sides, rarities, and covers by The Get Up Kids, originally released in 2001. The album contains several cover songs which had been recorded for singles or compilations, by artists such as David Bowie, The Pixies, The Cure, and The Replacements.
Greenflow – I Got’Cha b/w No Other Life Without You 7” (Numero)
Languid yacht-soul from the mind of L.A.-native A.J. Greene and his Greenflow collective. Originally issued as a QCA-custom job in 1977, the group's lone album appeared after years of performing their brand of Sausalito-friendly, seafood AOR up and down the west coast. The LP's standout track is "I Got'Cha," with Greene's sister Eleanor providing innocent "doo-doo-doo-doo-doos" around funky keys, muted trombone, and come-hither whispers.
Herbie Hancock – Empyrean Isles [Reissue/1964] LP (Blue Note)
Pianist Herbie Hancock showcased the full breadth of his artistry on his masterful fourth Blue Note album Empyrean Isles recorded in 1964. The album presented four diverse original compositions including the hit song "Cantaloupe Island" performed a deeply attuned quartet featuring Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums.
Inspiral Carpets – The Complete Singles CD/2xLP (BMG)
Formed in Oldham in 1980, Inspiral Carpets rose to prominence alongside such bands as The Stone Roses, The Charlatans & The Happy Mondays as part of the Madchester scene in the late '80s/early '90s. The Complete Singles features all their biggest hits, including collaborations with Mark E. Smith & John Cooper Clarke plus material from their 2014 self-titled album.
B.B. King – Completely Well [Reissue/1969] LP (Friday Music)
180-gram translucent gold vinyl. 1969 was a very successful year for B. B. King as he was riding all the sales charts with newfound crossover fame thanks to his many years of touring, many television appearances, and making consistently great recordings like his 1969 crossover smash Completely Well. This particular masterwork earned The King Of The Blues a 1971 Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance of his super smash hit "The Thrill Is Gone".
Motörhead – Snake Bite Love [Reissue/1998] CD/LP (BMG)
Motörhead – We Are Motörhead [Reissue/2000] CD (BMG)
Originally released on March 10, 1998, Snake Bite Love is Motörhead's 14th studio album. The album shows the less heavy side of the band, with several tracks that are slower than one might expect from Motörhead. 2000’s We Are Motörhead features a cover of the Sex Pistols song “God Save The Queen” for which the band recorded a video atop an open top London Routemaster bus. The album is indicative of the bands grimy attitude and is tight, blistering, and typical of their long-established sound. [A limited-edition translucent red vinyl colorway of Snake Bite Love is available.]
Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer Different Park (10th Anniversary) LP (Mercury Nashville)
Limited-edition Zoetrope picture disc vinyl pressing. Same Trailer Different Park is the debut studio album by country music artist Kacey Musgraves, originally released in 2013. Musgraves co-wrote all 12 tracks and co-produced the album with Luke Laird and Shane McAnally. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
The Neanderthals – The Modern Stone-Age Family [Reissue/1999] LP (Sundazed)
The Neanderthals – The Neanderthals In Space [Reissue/2005] LP (Sundazed)
Limited-edition color vinyl pressings (gray and yellow, respectively). Since first bursting on the rock 'n' roll scene in 1994, there has been much speculation about the origins, identity, and the possible hidden agenda of the cave beat combo, The Neanderthals. Were they actual prehistoric hominids brought to modern times through means unknown?
Pierce The Veil – Flair For The Dramatic [Reissue/2007] LP (Equal Vision Records)
Released on June 26, 2007, The Fuentes boys and company have moments when it seems lightening is dying to get out of the bottle. For a pure example of that, wait till just before the minute mark, when these guys rival the gruesome metallic energy, Pantera. Let's get down to brass tacks, this album is phenomenal at moments.
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – Watchout [Reissue/1966] LP (Anagram Music)
Watchout is the fourth studio album and fifth album overall by Martha & The Vandellas, led by Martha Reeves, one of the most underrated female soul singers ever. It includes the top 10 hit singles, "I'm Ready For Love" and "Jimmy Mack", as well as the ballad "What Am I Gonna Do Without Your Love?", and was recorded in 1966 by a cross-section of Motown's leading producers, including Holland/Dozier/Holland, William "Smokey" Robinson and William "Mickey" Stevenson.
Sam Rivers – Fuchsia Swing Song [Reissue/1965] LP (Blue Note)
A saxophonist of striking originality, Sam Rivers arrived fully formed on his debut album Fuchsia Swing Song recorded for Blue Note in 1964. Though a strong avant-garde undercurrent flowed through his music, Rivers kept a foot planted firmly in post-bop and the blues on this impressive set of originals including his stunning ballad "Beatrice."
Kurt Rosenwinkel – Intuit [Reissue/1998] 2xLP (Anagram Music)
Philadelphia-born guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel is best known for his multiple recordings on the Verve label. His 1998 LP Intuit marked his second album as a leader and the only one he recorded for the Criss Cross label. A quartet session devoted entirely to standards; it reveals the depth of the guitarist's expertise in the bop idiom.
Leon Russell – Signature Songs [Reissue/2001] CD/LP (BMG)
A collection of intimate, stripped-down piano and vocal recordings, including takes on his timeless songs "A Song For You", "Tight Rope", "Stranger In A Strange Land", and "Hummingbird". Originally released in 2001 and long out of print, it is being reissued on CD and pressed for the very first time on vinyl.
Son Lux – Brighter Wounds [Reissue/2018] LP+MP3 (City Slang)
Limited gold color vinyl pressing. Son Lux is the grand genre-less dream of Los Angeles composer Ryan Lott brought to roiling, vivid life with the help of two New Yorkers, guitarist Rafiq Bhatia and drummer Ian Chang. Each is a writer, producer, and performer with omnivorous taste and a penchant for wild improvisation—a band whose mix of electronic pop, unusual soul, and outright experimentalism feels more inviting than ever on the project's fifth album, Brighter Wounds. The songs therein leave behind Son Lux's typically universal themes for deeply personal fare. While making Brighter Wounds, Lott became a father to a baby boy and lost a best friend to cancer.
Steven Sondheim / Sara Bareilles – Into The Woods (2022 Broadway Cast Recording) LP (Craft Recordings)
Into The Woods (2022 Broadway Cast Recording) - starring multiplatinum-selling, Grammy-winning and Tony Award-nominated artist Sara Bareilles, along with a cast of Broadway superstars - is the album of the smash-hit Broadway revival. Featuring an enchanting score by legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, Into The Woods turns the world of fairy tales upside down and teaches us the responsibility that comes with getting what you want.
Cecil Taylor – The World Of Cecil Taylor [Reissue/1961] LP (Candid)
The World Of Cecil Taylor is an album by Cecil Taylor recorded for the Candid label in October 1960. The album features performances by Taylor with Archie Shepp, Buell Neidlinger and Denis Charles. Some of the tracks the pianist chose to release on this album were improvised, single-take pieces, while others were the result of multiple takes.
Clark Terry – Color Changes [Reissue/1961] LP (Candid)
Color Changes is considered by many to be one of the finest albums by trumpeter and pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, Clark Terry. Rather than have the usual jam session with the stellar sidemen he'd assembled, Terry utilized specific arrangements by Yusef Lateef, Budd Johnson, and Al Cohn for the date. At the time of this recording, he had recently finished a stint with Charles Mingus' group and one can hear the subtle influence that association had on these sessions.
Ten Years After – A Space In Time [Reissue/1971] 2xCD/2xLP (Chrysalis)
A Space In Time is Ten Years After's sixth, and bestselling album, and was originally released in August 1971. Featuring their most well-known track "I'd Love To Change The World", which regularly features in movies and TV shows, saw the band taking a more melodic direction from previous releases and showcased the band at their peak. This new (delayed) 50th Anniversary edition of the album features a brand-new mix by the original producer/engineer, Chris Kimsey (Rolling Stones/Emerson Lake & Palmer/Marillion), using the original 2" multitrack tapes. [Indie store exclusive clear vinyl.]
Various Artists – Soul Jazz Records Presents: Studio One Funk [Reissue/2004] CD/2xLP+MP3/Cassette (Soul Jazz)
18 years on from its original release Studio One Funk remains one of our Studio One releases most in-demand titles. Studio One Funk is made up of rare and unreleased reggae funk from the vaults of Studio One. Since the birth of funk in America, the sound has been an ever-present ingredient in the melting pot of Studio One's musical output. The music on this release is a combination of originals, US covers and versions of existing Studio One cuts, one of the finest selections of reggae and funk you will ever hear. [Limited-edition transparent red vinyl.]
Various Artists – Space, Energy & Light: Experimental Electronic And Acoustic Soundscapes 1961-88 3xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Soul Jazz Records' Space, Energy & Light is a collection of music by early electronic and synthesizer pioneers (from 1960s to1970s), mid-1970s proto-new age gurus and 1980s guerrilla D-I-Y cassette-era electronic artists, spanning 30 years.
Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) [Reissue/2013] 2xLP (Snapper)
The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) is the third solo album by British musician Steven Wilson, originally released in 2013. Each track on the album is based on a story of the supernatural. Alan Parsons, who had previously been involved in the creation of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon was responsible for engineering the album.