New Releases - 4/11/25
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
Bon Iver - SABLE, fABLE 2xLP/CD/cassette (Jagjaguawar)
Bon Iver’s three-song collection SABLE, was a prologue mired in darkness, a controlled burn clearing the way for new possibilities. fABLE is the book that follows. Where SABLE, was a work of solitude, fABLE is an outstretched hand. Radiant, ornate pop music gleams around Vernon’s voice as he focuses on a new and beautiful era. On every song, his eyes are locked with one specific person. It’s love, which means there’s an intense clarity, focus, and honesty within fABLE. Now SABLE and fABLE are available as a physical release, packaged together. [Limited edition black & salmon color vinyl.]
Gerald Clayton - Ones & Twos CD/LP (Blue Note)
Pianist and composer Gerald Clayton returns with his third Blue Note album, Ones & Twos, featuring vibraphonist Joel Ross, flutist Elena Pinderhughes, trumpeter Marquis Hill and drummer Kendrick Scott, with post-production work by Kassa Overall. The album is an experiment - an idea inspired by the art of turntablism with Clayton setting out to create a record where the A side can be played simultaneously with the B side - a nod to that moment in the club when the DJ transitions from one song to the next and you hear two separate pieces at the same time.
Cold Specks - Light for the Midnight LP (Mute)
Cold Specks returns with her fourth album, Light for the Midnight. Following the acclaim of her first three records, Cold Specks (Al Spx) has solidified her reputation as a singular voice in modern music. From her spellbinding acapella performance on Later... with Jools Holland to collaborations with Moby, Massive Attack, and Michael Gira of Swans, Cold Specks has consistently delivered artistry that resonates. With Light for the Midnight, she embarks on her most personal journey yet. At it's core, the album is a raw and deeply emotional reflection on endurance, survival, and transformation. A collection of fervent ballads and atmospheric pop songs, it channels Spx's soulful voice into expansive sonic worlds.
Bootsy Collins - Album of the Year #1 Funkateer CD/2xLP (Roc Nation)
23rd album from the iconic funk bassist features collaborations with Wiz Khalifa, Dave Stewart, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, Musiq Soulchild and many more! Meet Bootsy Collins at lowbar (below the Basement East) on Wednesday, April 16 at 6PM!
Joy Crookes - Skin LP (Sony)
Skin is the debut album and hugely personal body of work from one of the UK's boldest and brightest young talents, Joy Crookes. A collection of songs built and honed throughout her adolescence and into her early twenties, it weaves through topics such as mental health, relationships, and politics all with grace and sensitivity. Recorded between Abbey Road & Konk & produced by Blue May (Kano, Blood Orange), the end product is a debut record that is both perfectly of the moment, and entirely timeless.
Lawrence English - Even the Horizon Knows its Bounds LP (Room40)
From Lawrence English: "This record is the product of an invitation by curator Jonathan Wilson to create a sound environment, reflecting on the Naala Badu building at the Art Gallery Of NSW. The building's name, which translates from the Gadigal language to 'seeing water', was opened in 2022 and this piece was offered as an atmospheric tint to visitors walking through the building throughout the year following its opening. This composition is one born out of generosity and acoustic solidarity. Even The Horizon Knows Its Bounds is composed not just of my sounds, but also that of an incredible array of artists who have also operated in the orbit of the Art Gallery Of NSW. The players include Chuck Johnson, Claire Rousay, Dean Hurley, and Jim O'Rourke, among others. The piece was constructed around two long form sound prompts that each musician responded and con-tributed to. The work could not exist without the substantial offerings these artists made, and I am immensely grateful to each of them."
Epica - Aspiral CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
2025 marks a new chapter for symphonic metal innovators Epica, with the announcement of their 9th studio album titled Aspiral. For more than 20 years now, Epica have been standing tall. And while already their last efforts clearly showcased their commitment to the game, it is Aspiral that truly distills the very heart of their trademark sound. [Limited edition red/gold vinyl.]
Galactic with Irma Thomas - Audience with the Queen CD/LP (Tchoup-Zilla Records)
The Crescent City's chameleonic funk-rock-pop veterans Galactic reunite with the "Soul Queen of New Orleans" Irma Thomas for a full album of new music on Audience With the Queen, an uplifting joint-effort that shines new light on the Grammy-winning singer's timeless sound. Now 84, Thomas has contributed era-defining hits to New Orleans' R&B "Golden Age," earned worldwide acclaim for her blues masterpiece After the Rain and remains among the city's most celebrated gospel singers. With Galactic at her side across 8 high-energy, groove-laced originals and a dazzling revamp of Nancy Wilson's "How Glad I Am," Thomas sounds more vibrant than ever. This unique full-length LP featuring two of New Orleans' most beloved music acts is a must-have for fans of any genre. [Indie store exclusive sky blue & gold vinyl.]
Idle Heirs - Life Is Violence CD/LP (Relapse)
Idle Heirs make their Relapse Records debut with Life is Violence. The band, featuring Coalesce vocalist Sean Ingram (making his return to a proper album recording for the first time in over a decade), and acclaimed producer and musician Josh Barber, hail from the Kansas City area, and is a tight knit unit that hums with creativity and revels in the freedom of creating exactly what their hearts desire. For over a decade Ingram's focus had been elsewhere; due to the prolonged hiatus of Coalesce, music was no longer at the forefront of his artistic endeavors. When events - on both a global and personal level, and specifically, where the two intersect - conspired to bring Ingram to a place where music once again became essential, the seed for Idle Heirs was planted.
Valerie June - Owls, Omens and Oracles CD/LP (Concord)
Owls, Omens, and Oracles is a transformative record featuring vocals from The Blind Boys of Alabama, and an excerpt from Valerie's book, Maps for the Modern World. This album is a full-circle moment, revisiting her indie roots while still pushing forward with an evolved sound. It centers on a joyful and spiritual outlook, celebrating growth and resilience - an album that is meant to inspire, heal, and unite people through shared emotions. Produced by M. Ward. [Indie store exclusive canary yellow vinyl.]
Kills Birds - Crave 12” EP (Lucky Number)
The Los Angeles four-piece are certainly emerging as a sizeable force to be reckoned with in the rock scene, having already previously released two albums which garnered the support of stalwarts in the likes of Dave Grohl and Kim Gordon. But on Crave, time is clearly of the essence – in a blazing burst of just five short tracks, Kills Birds firmly put a stamp on what it means to produce truly edgy rock music in this day and age, and they will only continue to rise further in the golden ranks for it.
The Mars Volta - Lucro Sucio Los Ojos Del Vacio CD/2xLP (Clouds Hill)
The Mars Volta's ninth studio album represents a significant milestone for the band, which has been continually reinventing itself for more than 20 years. With "Lucro sucio; Los ojos del vacio," they deliver an album that celebrates their roots, allowing them to reconnect with their origins. Fans are invited to embark on a musical journey.
Nellie McKay - Hey Guys Watch This CD/LP (Omnivore)
Under the lonesome cry of the midnight train, stars twinkling over hillbilly lights in the mountain fog, Nellie McKay returns with her new album, Hey Guys, Watch This. Recorded in Charleston, West Virginia with The Carpenter Ants-Michael Lipton, Ted Harrison, Jupie Little, and Mark Bates-and a roving retinue of musical compadres, Hey Guys, Watch This traces the haunted sounds of Appalachia through lush sonic textures. So unpack your washtub bass, fill up your red cup, and pull on your shitkickers-'cos the night is young and the moon is bright, even if we're not.
The Mekons - Horror LP (Fire)
Legendary postmodern, post punk, post human, past caring collective Mekons return with a brand-new album for 2025. Their first release on Fire Records, ‘Horror’ provides a horribly prescient reflection of the world in its current miasma and how we got here. ‘Horror’ looks at history and the legacies of British imperialism with mashed up lyrics set against a typically eclectic sound that amalgamates everything from dub, country, noise, rock & roll, electronica, punk, music hall, polka and you can even take your partner for a nice waltz on ‘Sad And Sad And Sad’. [Indie store exclusive red vinyl.]
Muscadine Bloodline - …And What Was Left Behind CD/LP (Stancaster Music)
For nearly a decade, Muscadine Bloodline have delivered a soulful and potent form of country music indelibly colored by their Alabama heritage. But in the making of their latest body of work, the Mobile-bred duo dug deeper into their roots than ever before, dreaming up a batch of songs inspired by the places they know best: the blue-collar melting pot of their coastal hometown, bustling Cajun fishing villages and desolate timberlands, the untamed and idyllic spaces where they ran wild as children. What Was Left Behind features a batch of 11 new studio recordings, and serves as a continuation of the sounds and stories from the group's 2024 release 'The Coastal Plain,' which was released just weeks before the band set off on their biggest tour yet - a 2 month supporting role on Post Malone's F 1-Trillion tour which brought the band in front of over 250k die hard music fans. This new collection of songs, produced by Gary Stanton, Charlie Muncaster and Ryan Youmans, includes guest artists Ben Chapman and Josh Meloy and showcases the groups ability to weave deeply personal stories with their signature blend of southern genres and influences.
OK Go - And the Adjacent Possible LP (Paracadute)
OK Go's eagerly anticipated 5th album is finally here, and the vinyl package is the mind-blowing art project you'd expect: a 3-dimensional sculpture pops up when you open it. The first pressing of just 3,000 is a 2xLP set on 180-gram, 45RPM discs in a gorgeously foil-stamped gatefold with full-color inner sleeves. Retail shops will receive an exclusive color variant. The band recently exploded back onto the scene with their tour de force single and video for "A Stone Only Rolls Downhill," which broke the Internet, trended on Shazam, and left fans and reviewers alike commenting on the song. [Vinyl edition due out 4/25.]
Jon Pardi - Honkytonk Hollywood LP (Capitol)
Award-winning singer/songwriter/producer Jon Pardi releases his fifth studio album, Honkytonk Hollywood. Featuring 17 tracks, including “Friday Night Heartbreaker” that “kicks down the door of this next musical chapter” (American Songwriter) and the title track, “Honkytonk Hollywood.”
Anoushka Shankar - Chapter III: We Return to Light LP (Leiter)
The third and final instalment of the trilogy of mini-albums Shankar began with Chapter I: Forever, For Now in October 2023, and followed with the Grammy-nominated Chapter II: How Dark it Is Before Dawn in April 2024. "Three chapters, three geographies," Shankar scribbled in a diary at a café in Goa on New Year's Day in 2023, manifesting an ambitious trilogy that she hoped would span multiple geographies with nods to her roots, across continents and collaborators. Looking back now, it's safe to say that the 11-time Grammy Award nominee has outdone herself. Chapter I was recorded in Berlin acknowledging Shankar's European heritage (she was born and lives in London), while Chapter II was captured in California, where she moved aged 11 and lived for over 15 years. Central to Chapter III is the mindfulness of India at the root of all her music.
Nell Smith - Anxious CD/LP (Bella Union)
Posthumous record releases are always charged with emotion but when the release comes from a 17 year-old artist that was just getting started it is heartbreaking. Anxious is a mesmorizing selection of songs that explore the highs, lows and uncertainty of teenage life through the eyes of Nell and is the follow up to her debut collaboration with The Flaming Lips that explored the works of Nick Cave. Guided by the talented Jack and Lily Wolter who helped shape Nell's songs, some of which had been in the works since she was twelve years old, the result is an album brimming with emotion, playful melodies and a depth that hints at what Nell's future may have held.
Trousdale - Growing Pains CD/LP (Trousdale)
Trousdale’s upcoming second LP, Growing Pains, was primarily recorded live in the room and co-produced by the band and John Mark Nelson. Across 12 remarkable and relatable tracks, Growing Pains points a finger at the weight of life and offers a light at the end of the tunnel. [Limited edition yellow vinyl.]
Reissues, Comps, Live Recordings, Vault Excavations...
Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan LP (Sony Legacy)
Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A-Changing LP (Sony Legacy)
New MONO reissues of Bob Dylan’s first and third LPs. His debut features his interpretations of folk and blues standards with only two original songs, while the third LP is his first to contain all original compositions. Presented in pristine mono.
Manu Dibango - Dibango 82 LP (Wewantsounds)
A previously unreleased live recording by Manu Dibango taped in Marseille, December 1982. The electrifying live concert features the African legend alongside his stellar eight-piece group, blending funk, jazz, and African rhythms. Highlights include "Africa Boogie" and "Waka Juju." This album, released in partnership with INA and Soul Makossa, Dibango's label, captures the African legend at the top of his game. Remastered from the original tapes with liner notes by Graeme Ewens and concert organizer Christian Ducasse, it features a front cover photo by key African Paris-based photographer Bill Akwa Bétotè. Manu Dibango, who passed away in 2020 at 86, is one of the most celebrated African musicians alongside Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba, and Youssou N'dour. In a career spanning six decades, Dibango revolutionized African music and had a worldwide hit in the process in the form of "Soul Makossa" in 1972.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Nonagon Infinity Live 2xLP (Fuzz Club)
Second pressing of Fuzz Club's King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 'Nonagon Infinity Live' bootleg. A live version of the cult Australian psych-rock band's breakthrough 2016 album 'Nonagon Infinity' compiled by Fuzz Club (with the help of the /KGATLW Reddit community) out of live recordings captured at Bonnaroo Festival (2022), Brussels' Ancienne Belgique (2019), the Red Rocks Amphitheatre (2022) and Chicago's The Salt Shed (2023). All of the tracks have been mixed by King Gizz's own Stu Mackenzie and remastered exclusively for this Fuzz Club bootleg by James Plotkin. The second edition arrives on clear red nonagon-shaped double vinyl with printed inners and a gatefold jacket with metallic red foil detailing and an exclusively licensed photo by Jamie Wdziekonski / Sub-Lation on the inside that nods to the inside-gatefold photo on the original studio album.
Lord Huron - Strange Trails 2xLP (Imperial Distribution)
10th Anniversary Edition of Lord Huron's seminal, multiplatinum album Strange Trails. Includes re-illustrated artwork and brand-new 20-page comic book, The Yawning Grave.
Mississippi Fred McDowell - I Do Not Play No Rock n’ Roll LP (Jackpot)
Recorded in 1969, this album, as Mississippi Fred McDowell's titular quote suggests, is not just a collection of songs but a significant piece of musical history. It's a masterclass, a confessional, a musical statement, and a history lesson all in one. Despite it's seemingly simple nature, it's a profound work. Regarded as one of the greatest blues albums of all time, I Do Not Play No Rock 'N' Roll is a must-listen, a testament to one of the greatest musical forces that has directly influenced The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, The Black Keys & Bonnie Raitt (to whom McDowell taught slide guitar). In 1959, McDowell's talent was first captured by folklore musicologist Alan Lomax, and from there, he quickly rose to stardom with his live recordings and festival appearances across the US and UK. This album is a testament to McDowell's unique voice and guitar style, dominating the air and filling it with raw power and authenticity. This new pressing is mastered by Kevin Gray.
Megan Thee Stallion - Traumazine 2xLP (300 Entertainment)
Traumazine is the second studio album from Megan Thee Stallion. It includes the RIAA platinum-certified single "Sweetie Pie" featuring Dua Lipa, and the gold-certified singles "Pressurelicious" and "Her". The album debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, becoming her fifth top 10 placement. It also peaked at #3 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop chart. This marks the first time the album is being released on vinyl.
Opeth - Heritage 2xLP (Music On Vinyl)
Heritage is the tenth studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth. The album was recorded in early 2011 at Atlantis Studios in Stockholm and produced by Mikael Åkerfeldt, engineered by Janne Hansson, and mixed by Steven Wilson (the first album since 2003's Damnation on which he worked with the band, although not as producer). It takes on more of a progressive rock sound, something the band had wanted to do for some time, resulting in a stark contrast to the progressive death metal sounds of their past albums. A critical and commercial success and charted at number 19 on the Billboard 200. [Includes poster.]
Arvo Pärt - Silentium LP (Mississippi Records)
Four pieces by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, a pioneer of "holy minimalism." The album centers around a never-before-released rendition of "Silentium," the second movement of Pärt's most famous concerto, Tabula Rasa, performed by Boston-based chamber orchestra A Far Cry. The group plays "Silentium" at nearly half the speed of the best-known version, released on ECM in 1984. The piece, known for it's healing properties for the dying and often used in palliative care facilities (one patient famously called it "angel music"), is breathtaking at half speed, seemingly stilling time itself. The album compiles some of the most stunning renditions of Pärt's music ever recorded. "Vater Unser (Arr. For trombone & string ensemble)" is somehow warm and austere at once. A miniature epic. Pianist Marcel Worm's solo version of "Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka" is as beautiful as anything we've ever heard. "Fratres for Strings and Percussion" is one of Arvo Pärt's most celebrated works. The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra's version is iconic, filled with emotional playing right on the verge of overly romantic, but never tipping over. Pärt's approach to both music and life is as sparse as the compositions he creates. He once said, "I have nothing to say... Music says what I need to say. And it is dangerous to say anything, because if I've said it already in words there might be nothing left for my music." Silentium continues Mississippi Records' fascination with this great contemporary composer.
Sho-Nuff - Body Pressure LP (Wewantsounds)
A reissue of Sho-Nuff's highly sought-after album Body Pressure from 1983. Recorded for Japanese label King Records, the album was only ever released in Japan and disappeared without a trace, making it one of the most coveted modern soul/boogie albums on the international collectors scene. Sextet Sho-Nuff, who hailed from Jackson, Mississippi were formed in the mid-seventies. They started creating a stir on the local music scene before signing with Stax and releasing their debut album in 1978. After two further albums for local label Malaco Records, the band began to attract international attention, resulting in regular tours in Japan. They signed a deal with King Records in Tokyo for an album to be released on their sub label Constellation. For Body Pressure, Sho-Nuff were joined by Japanese jazz funk guitarist Takao Naoi (who played with Akira Ishikawa and Yuji Ohno among many others). The album was never released outside of Japan, making it one of the rarest '80s soul albums on the international scene.
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream 2xLP (Virgin)
RSD Essentials release. One of the most influential albums of the 90s, featuring "Today," "Disarm" and "Cherub Rock," on exclusive Red Smoke 180 Gram Color Vinyl.
Various Artists - Midnight in Tokyo Vol. 4 2LP (Studio Mule)
Tsunaki Kadowaki curates the fourth installment of Midnight in Tokyo, themed around Ambient Kayō. The Midnight in Tokyo series by Studio Mule focuses on Japanese music, serving as a soundtrack for Tokyo nights -- whether for home listening, club play, or as a driving BGM, transcending location and space. The fourth volume takes "Ambient Kayō" as its new perspective, compiling genre-defying tracks released between 1977 and 1999 to explore the intersection of Japanese ambient and pop music. The focus was on music that deeply moves the listener, is open-minded and evocative, brims with inspiration and spiritual insight, and embodies the "utagokoro" (singing heart) of Japanese artists.
Various Artists - Sweet Rebels: The Golden Era Of Algerian Pop-Rai - The Ecstatic Electro Sound Of Original Rai Cassettes 1986-91 Selected By Cheb Gero LP (Wewantsounds)
This compilation showcases the raw energy of the Algerian Raï scene from the '80s and early '90s and its young stars Cheb Zahouani, Chaba Zohra, and Abderrahmane Djalti, bringing together eight cassette tracks from the electrifying period when Raï music was evolving from a more traditional sound to the mesmerizing electro funk sound of the '80s. Raï music was born in the seedy parts of Oran, the port city north-west of Algeria, during the 20th century. Mixing elements of Arabic music and western influences, the music was raw and urban, emanating from the cabarets and nightclubs of the city. Mainly performed by female singers such as Cheikha Rimitti and Cheikha Djenia, Raï songs would talk about love and social hardship in direct and often crude ways. The style evolved after the war and it was revolutionized in the 1980s by a new wave of singers who infused their sound with synthesizers and drum machines to instill tough messages of youth rebellion, political criticism, and heartbreak.
Various Artists - Tokyo Bliss: Japanese Funk, Boogie And City Pop From King Records 1974-88 LP (Wewantsounds)
LP version. Following the success of the Tokyo Glow and Funk Tide sets, Wewantsounds has teamed up once again up with Tokyo-based DJ Notoya for a breezy selection of funk and boogie recorded in Japan for King Records in the '70s and '80s. Most tracks here are making their debut on vinyl outside of Japan. For Tokyo Bliss, Japanese Funk expert DJ Notoya has picked a diverse selection of great funk, boogie and city pop tracks recorded between 1974 and 1988 for King Records, one of the most venerable record labels in Japan. These tracks -- which are in demand on the Japanese groove scene -- are mostly new to international ears and showcase the breadth and quality of Nippon music recorded during the '70s and '80s.
Regulator Watts - The Mercury LP (Solid Brass Records)
Debuting on vinyl domestically, The Mercury LP by Regulator Watts builds on the Washington, D.C. punk band's debut EP, adding assorted odds and ends recorded between 1996 and 1997. After the Dischord Records band Hoover broke up in 1994, guitarist and singer Alex Dunham teamed up with Cret Wilson (bass, vocals) and Areif Sless-Kitain (drums) to widen his sonic vision. Together they quickly developed a powerful sound rooted in punk rock and post-hardcore while indulging more experimental impulses.
June Tyson - Saturnian Queen of The Sun Ra Arkestra LP (Modern Harmonic)
The voice of Afrofuturistic science non-fiction! Undoubtedly the most sublime constellation in the Sun Ra cosmos, June Tyson's voice is the perfect guide through one of the most challenging and varied musical legacies ever to be encountered. Capable of strong, fierce, and emotive vocalizations as well as intricate weavings, her voice transcends genre. This collection affirms June Tyson's unassailable gravity in Sun Ra's realm. Includes a full color zine-style insert featuring rare photos and extensive liner notes! [Limited edition red vinyl.]