New Releases - 4/16/21
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
Greta Van Fleet – The Battle At Garden’s Gate CD/2xLP (Republic)
Described as "a bold evolution" from the band's 2018 debut Anthem Of The Peaceful Army, Greta Van Fleet's highly anticipated second album The Battle At Garden's Gate came together primarily on the road or while in the studio after the runaway success of 2017's "Highway Tune" led to the band packing up, leaving home, and eagerly soaking up new experiences on an extended road trip around the world. The melding of all these experiences opened their eyes to amazing new worlds of culture, history, philosophy and spirituality – and ushered in an entirely new way of looking at life and the approach to their music. [Limited edition indie-exclusive white vinyl. One per customer.]
Tom Petty – Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions) CD/2xLP (WB)
Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions) – the latest offering of Tom Petty music, curated with help from his loving family, bandmates and collaborators – features tracks, which were previously released on the Super Deluxe 9xLP version of 2020's Wildflowers & All The Rest. It gathers 16 studio recordings of alternate takes, long cuts and jam versions of Wildflowers songs as Tom, band members and co-producer Rick Rubin worked to finalize the album in 1994. The release offers fans further deep access into the writing and recording of Wildflowers, as well as realizing the full vision of the project as Tom had always intended. The collection was produced by Tom's longtime engineer and co-producer Ryan Ulyate who listened to 245 reels of 24-track tape, revealing Tom and his collaborators' evolutionary process, and finding the group willing to do whatever it took to discover the essence and magic in the material. [Limited-edition indie store exclusive gold vinyl.]
Brother Brothers – Calla Lily LP (Compass)
Green color vinyl pressing. “Intimate acoustic folk anchored by butter-smooth close-harmony vocals and minimalist-yet-sophisticated arrangements” – Rolling Stone Country
Cannibal Corpse – Violence Unimagined CD/LP (Metal Blade)
Already well known for the level of extreme technicality they bring to every record, on Violence Unimagined, Cannibal Corpse have further upped their game. Comprised of eleven tracks, Violence Unimagined is state of the art death metal played with passion and breathless precision, making for another flawless addition to what is inarguably one of the premier catalogues the genre has thrown up. "It really follows the path we've been going down for a few years now," states bassist and founding member Alex Webster. "I think we approach the writing in a similar way most every time: each of us try to write the heaviest, most memorable songs we can. We want each song to have its own identifiable character. Showing my age, I like to say you can ‘drop the needle' on any point of one of our albums and quickly tell which song you're listening to." [Limited-edition indie store exclusive white with olive green melt vinyl.]
Eric Church – Heart CD/LP (UMG Nashville)
Country hero Eric Church's new Heart & Soul project, which is his follow-up to 2018's Desperate Man, will be released in two installments, in quick succession. The collection was made with producer Jay Joyce and a creative team who recorded one track per day in sessions in early 2020 in the mountains of North Carolina. Speaking at the 2020 CMA Awards, Church said: "The interesting thing about this process is that Jay kept asking me the last three or four days, ‘Are we done?' I kept saying, ‘God, this is going to be really hard. There's a lot here. Is this a double album? And if it's a double album, how do we leave out these five or six songs?' I am the hardest critic on making sure every song deserves to be on the record, and I beat this thing to death going, ‘This can't be that good. But it was just a special, special time, and a special, special project that I think will be among our best...That's where Heart & Soul came from. That was everything we had."
Lucky Daye – Painted LP (RCA)
Painted is the debut studio album by American singer Lucky Daye. The album received a nomination for Best R&B Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards, while the album's lead single “Roll Some Mo” received nominations for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. Album cut “Real Games” received a nomination in the Best Traditional R&B Performance category.
Fitz and The Tantrums – Head Up High CD (Elektra)
In short, Head Up High is an album by Fitz and The Tantrums. The longer story is that this is more of a collaborative album between the band itself and its frontman, Michael Fitzpatrick, who goes by the stage name FITZ. The album was a product of FITZ’s solo work during quarantine, writing songs to fill the time after the band’s tour was canceled due to the pandemic. So, in many ways, Head Up High is as much a solo album as it is a Fitz and The Tantrums album. It’s a product of FITZ’s individual work and experience while still retaining the integrity of the band as a whole.” – UT Daily Beacon
Fuoco Fatuo – Obsidian Katabasis LP (Profound Lore)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. With their latest opus Obsidian Katabasis, Italian doom metal cult Fuoco Fatuo has implemented their most towering, suffocating, darkest and most abstract work yet. Elements of a dreadful nature which find cohesion for a rich and thick sound manifest into a visionary descent though multi-layered guitars, skull-crushing low-tuned chords and sepulchral tremolos filtered through analog sounds for wider landscapes marred with obsessive drumming and infernal growls.
Garage A Trois – Calm Down Cologne LP (The Royal Potato Family)
Garage A Trois return in the form from which they were born 22 years earlier with a new studio album, Calm Down Cologne. Comprised by guitarist Charlie Hunter, saxophonist Skerik and drummer Stanton Moore, OG GAT released its debut album Mysteryfunk to wide acclaim in 1999. The band evolved over the pursuant years in various configurations before eventually going on hiatus following its 2015 album, Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil.
Mat Kerekes – Amber Park 12” (Many Hats)
White, purple, blue tri-color vinyl. Mat Kerekes is the frontman of Citizen with a vibrant solo career of his own. After Ruby, Kerekes has struck out on his own again with the release of Amber Park. Amber Park was written and recorded during isolation through the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zara Larsson – Poster Girl LP (Epic)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Poster Girl is the third studio album by Swedish singer Zara Larsson.
Leon III – Antlers In Velvet LP (Monosonic)
This is a new label project called Monosonic (mono like Spanish for monkey, not mono like mono) which marries an ongoing musical project of Andy Stepanian - Leon III - with the growth and trajectory of his Howler Brothers surf/outdoor lifestyle clothing brand. Antlers In Velvet includes a stellar cast of characters (William Tyler, Matt Pence, Kai Welch, Dana Colley from Morphine) and the whole affair was produced by Mark Nevers. [Limited-edition orange color vinyl pressing available.]
Lo Talker – A Comedy Of Errors LP (Arts & Crafts)
A Comedy Of Errors is a lush, intricate and quirky album of expansive noisy folk rock augmented by the psychedelic whirr of fractured tape loops. It documents the American panorama of the last few years, jumping from lamentations on the brutality of living, to co-dependent relationships, to the fall of the American empire, and through the Trump presidency. They have a gift for writing observational moments with unexpected verve, and sometimes some much-needed humor.
Imelda May – 11 Past The Hour CD (Decca)
Imelda May's sixth studio album, 11 Past The Hour, is a record that brims with sensuality, emotional intelligence, spirituality and intuition, marking a new chapter for the Irish star and showcasing her at her most authentic. With pals and collaborators like Ronnie Wood, Noel Gallagher and Miles Kane, and with inspired contributions from feminist thinkers and activists such as Gina Martin and Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, the album is an invigorating blast of rock 'n' roll, with a purpose.
The Offspring – Let The Bad Times Roll CD/LP/Cassette (Concord)
Legendary So-Cal punks The Offspring return with their tenth full-length album – and first new offering since 2012 – the blistering and triumphant Let The Bad Times Roll. Once again produced by Bob Rock who worked on their last two studio efforts, the group describes the album as "the most cathartic thing we've done. The messages might be dark, but at the end what's left is that communication is important, working through feelings is important and most of all, hope is important." Frontman Dexter Holland explains how the title track single anchors the album, "I feel like we're in a unique period in history where instead of our world leaders saying, ‘We're doing our best,' it's more like they're saying, ‘F**k it,' and it's really scary." Guitarist Noodles adds, "Folks are saying, ‘If it's all going to Hell, we might as well make the most out of it, or at least go out swinging,' Let The Bad Times Roll!" [Limited-edition indie store exclusive translucent orange crush vinyl.]
Dima Pantyushin & Sasha Lipsky – Peshekhod LP (RVNG Int’l)
The debut album from Dima Pantyushin & Sasha Lipsky oscillates through an immaculate synth-pop ecosystem in which every shift feels both accurate in its absurdity and divinely danceable. A window into the inner life of a wandering Muscovite, Peshekhod is a picaresque in miniature, a record that explores the stations of the day in deft detail with a distinctly dry Russian wit.
Caroline Polachek – Standing At The Gate: Remix Collection LP (Caroline Polachek)
Caroline Polachek has already lived an extraordinary life in music: her previous band Chairlift formed in 2006 whilst Caroline was still in art school; and in 2008 the band was thrust into the spotlight when Bruises was synched in an iPod commercial as the Brooklyn indie scene peaked as an international export. Caroline's idiosyncratic vocal style and synth textures quickly became their sonic trademark and continued to evolve through their three critically acclaimed albums into a new, more modular kind of pop experimentation.
Various Artists [Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge] – Jazz Is Dead 6: Gary Bartz LP (Jazz Is Dead)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. There's early work with Eric Dolphy and McCoy Tyner in Charles Mingus' Jazz Workshop, work with Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln, a stint in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and also one with Miles. There's his groundbreaking and highly influential Ntu Troop albums of the early ‘70s and his jazz-funk work including two classic albums with the Mizell Brothers, one of which supplied A Tribe Called Quest with a sample that was smooth like butter. That's not to mention appearances on beloved albums by Pharoah Sanders, Donald Byrd, Norman Connors, Roy Ayers, Gene Ammons, Phyllis Hyman, Jackie McLean and many others. This is what Gary Bartz brings to the Jazz Is Dead project and as can be expected, his questing spirit fits the JID style like a glove and has produced an album that's a cutting-edge addition to his immense canon as he effortlessly interfaces with a new generation.
Lucinda Williams – Runnin' Down A Dream: A Tribute To Tom Petty CD/2xLP (Highway 20)
Revered singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams is working to help independent music venues during this time with the announcement of Lu's Jukebox. Scheduled as a six-episode series of mostly full-band, HD video performances in-studio, Lu's Jukebox will feature a themed set of songs by other artists curated by the multi-Grammy award winner. Lucinda has poured her heart and soul into each of these episodes. From hand-selecting the songs to giving it her all in the studio, this series has been a journey you won't want to miss. Tracked live by Grammy Award-winning producer Ray Kennedy, the first episode kicked off in October 2020 with Running Down A Dream: A Tribute To Tom Petty, featuring songs from his celebrated career in advance of his 70th birthday. Includes takes on "Runnin' Down A Dream", "I Won't Back Down", "Wildflowers", "You Don't Know How It Feels", and "Room At The Top" among others.
Reissues, Compilations, Live Recordings & Vault Excavations...
Apparat – Soundtracks 4xLP (Mute)
Soundtracks is the complete set of Apparat's (aka Sasha Ring) four film score chapters, released digitally across 2020 and now available for the first time on vinyl. The box set comprises the successive releases Capri-Revolution, Stay Still, Dämonen and Equals Sessions. Capri-Revolution, the Italian-language directed by Mario Martone, won Best Soundtrack at the Venice Film Festival alongside a David di Donatello, the Italian equivalent of an Academy Award. Stay Still is an independent German/Italian film directed by Elisa Mishto. Based on a theatrical production of Dostoevsky's Demons, Dämonen was originally performed live by Ring and frequent collaborators, Philip Thimm and Christoph Hamann. The tracks were later re-arranged for Apparat's second collaboration with director Sebastian Hartmann after Krieg und Frieden (Tolstoy's War and Peace). Equals Sessions, from the American film Equals, stars Kristen Stewart directed by Drake Doremus, and premiered at the 72nd Venice Film Festival in 2015.
Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School Of Medicine – Tea Party Revenge Porn LP (Alternative Tentacles)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Hear the inimitable Mr. Biafra skewer the place the country has put itself in like no one else would-or could-as he and The Guantanamo School Of Medicine capture the full power of their live shows on disc as never before.
Alan Braufman – Valley Of Search [Reissue/1975] CD (The Control Group)
In late 1974, India Navigation label owner Bob Cummins set up microphones in a New York City building's storefront, documenting two short sets by the band with no alternate takes or additional cuts. These recordings became Alan Braufman's debut album Valley Of Search. Valley Of Search has enjoyed a cult status and captures a unique and very alive historical slice of New York's creative improvised underground.
Patsy Cline – Walkin’ After Midnight: The Essentials 2xLP (Cleopatra)
Limited pink color vinyl pressing. A comprehensive career retrospective of country and pop legend.
Lloyd Cole – Antidepressant [Reissue/2006] LP+7” (earMUSIC)
Antidepressant, originally released in 2006, is Lloyd Cole's follow-up album to the critically acclaimed Music In A Foreign Language. It is a vivid album, recorded entirely by Cole himself, yet sounding like the production of a full band - a drastic change from the stripped-down sound of Music In A Foreign Language. Above all reigns Cole's characteristic voice with his distinguished lyricism, ranging from the heartfelt to the sarcastic, which established him as one of the most articulate songwriters of the post-punk era.
Deftones – White Pony (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) 4xLP (WB)
On June 20, 2000, Deftones released their third studio album, White Pony, which was immediately acclaimed as a masterpiece by fans and critics alike. Fueled by the successful singles “Change (In The House Of Flies)” and “Digital Bath”, the album won the 2001 Grammy for Best Metal Performance for the song “Elite”. In the twenty years since release, White Pony has continued to grow in stature and influence. Inspired by DJ Shadow's Entroducing..., Deftones had the idea to have DJ Shadow reimagine the entire White Pony album and call it Black Stallion. 20 years later, Deftones hand-picked a diverse and brilliant collection of artists, including DJ Shadow, to make that idea a reality.
Eve – Scorpion [Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Interscope)
20th anniversary vinyl reissue of rapper/Ruff Ryder's first lady Eve's critically acclaimed and landmark platinum-selling album, Scorpion.
Guster – Goldfly [Reissue/1997] LP (Nettwerk)
Since forming at Tufts University in 1992, Guster has become one of the leading indie/alternative bands, releasing eight critically acclaimed albums in 25 years. Their 1997 album Goldfly is back in-print on black vinyl.
Hypnosonics – Drums Were Beating: Fort Apache Studios 1996 CD/LP (Modern Harmonic)
Hypnosonics – Someone Stole My Shoes: Beyond The Q Division Sessions CD/LP (Modern Harmonic)
Prior to founding the band Morphine, Mark Sandman launched Hypnosonics, built around a stripped-down drum kit with no toms and a piece of plywood in place of cymbals, played by Jay Hilt. With funk in its heart, Hypnosonics was originally a five piece with Sandman on guitar and organ, Tom Halter and Russ Gershon of the Either/Orchestra on trumpet and sax, and Mike Rivard, who later founded Club dâ'Elf, on bass. After Morphine took off, Dana Colley joined Hypnosonics, Hilt added hi-hat cymbals to his kit, and the horn section started singing.
Keith Jarrett – Budapest Concert 2xLP (ECM)
The second complete show to be issued from Keith Jarrett's 2016 European tour, following the acclaimed Munich 2016 concert. This double album documents the pianist's solo performance at Budapest's Bela Bartok National Concert Hall. Jarrett, whose roots go back to Hungary, saw it as a homecoming; the context inspired much creative improvisation. His later concerts are comprised of independent movements, each a marvel of spontaneous resourcefulness and creative energy.
Jethro Tull – A (A La Mode) [The 40th Anniversary Edition] 3xCD+3xDVD (Rhino/Parlophone)
This 40th Anniversary Collection expands Jethro Tull’s 1980 album A with Steven Wilson's newly remixed version of the original, plus unreleased studio and live recordings, and a remixed version of the Slipstream (1981) video collection.
Norah Jones – Til We Meet Again Live CD/2xLP (Blue Note)
Norah Jones' first-ever live album, ‘Til We Meet Again, presents globe-spanning performances from the US, France, Italy, Brazil, and Argentina that were recorded between 2017-2019. The first single "It Was You", was recorded at the 2018 Ohana Festival in Dana Point, CA with Pete Remm on organ, Christopher Thomas on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. Additional musicians featured on the album include bassist Jesse Murphy, guitarist Jesse Harris, flutist Jorge Continentino, and percussionist Marcelo Costa. The album closes with Jones' stunning solo piano performance of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun", a tribute to Chris Cornell that was recorded at the Fox Theatre in Detroit just days after Cornell's death following a performance at the same venue.
The Living – 1982 LP (Loosegroove Inc.)
Limited color vinyl pressing of a previously unreleased punk album recorded in 1982. The Living features Duff McKagan (of Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver) and Greg Gilmore on drums (of Mother Love Bone).
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Live At Knebworth ‘76 2xLP+DVD (Eagle Rock)
Previously available on CD+DVD — now on vinyl+DVD. Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd celebrate their historic Live At Knebworth ‘76 performance with this new multi-format reissue. Originally only available on the 1996 film Freebird… The Movie, this latest installment gives fans the opportunity to enjoy the 1976 performance in its entirety. Live At Knebworth ‘76 chronicles the band's original legendary line-up featuring Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Leon Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle, Billy Powell, and The Honkettes, and honors those who were lost in the tragic 1977 plane crash. The band performed at the day-long festival with the likes of Todd Rundgren's Utopia and The Rolling Stones, playing to a crowd of over 150,000 people, and effectively stealing the show to create a historic moment for Southern Rock.
Midland – The Sonic Ranch CD (Big Machine)
In 2014, Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson spent ten days in El Paso, TX at Sonic Ranch Recording Studio to record a demo album. During those days, a brotherhood was forged. A sound was established. Midland was born. Six years later, Midland is a multi-platinum selling band that has toured the world over, received two Grammy nominations and won ACM New Group Of The Year. The Sonic Ranch album collects those original recordings for first-time release.
Mirah – Advisory Committee [Reissue/2002] LP+MP3 (Double Double Whammy)
Mirah – C’mon Miracle [Reissue/2004] LP+MP3 (Double Double Whammy)
Limited color vinyl reissues. Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn has been creating incorruptible independent pop music since the late ‘90s.
Sun Ra – Astro Black [Reissue/1973] LP (Modern Harmonic)
One of a handful of albums Sun Ra released on the legendary Impulse! label in the early '70s, Astro Black provides a comprehensive picture of where the Arkestra was around the time, drawing to the end of their ultra-free period and beginning to investigate more traditional jazz forms, and even the fringes of funk.
Toro y Moi – Underneath The Pine [Reissue/2011] LP+MP3 (Carpark)
Limited 10th anniversary color vinyl reissue. Columbia, South Carolina's Chaz Bundick (aka Toro y Moi) rose to the fore of the music blogosphere in summer 2009 when he and a few peers made their hazy bedroom recordings the most talked-about sound of the season. His second album for Carpark, Underneath The Pine, is an album evocative of R. Stevie Moore's homespun ruminations, David Axelrod's sonic scope, Steve Reich-ian piano phrasing, and the pervasive funk of his first record. Underneath the Pine announces a new phase for an artist whose talent defies classification.
Various Artists – Soul Jazz Presents: Two Synths, A Guitar (And) A Drum Machine – Post Punk Dance #1 CD/2xLP (Soul Jazz)
A new collection of current D-I-Y post-punk bands shaped by the mutant sounds of no wave, punk funk and New York Noise bands from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s that collided with the world of underground dance music found at the Paradise Garage, Mudd Club in NYC. Other influences include Manchester and Sheffield's industrial 1980s post-punk sounds as well as 1970s German electronic experimentalism. Featured artists include LA D-I-Y band Automatic, Toronto's New Fries, German Toresch, Susumu Makai from Japan/UK, Vex Ruffin, Philippines/California, and Madmadmad, Gramme, Tom of England and other UK groups.
Witch – Lazy Bones [Reissue/1975] LP (Now-Again)
Part of Now-Again's Zambian Archival Reissue series, this LP release covers Zamrock legends Witch's third album, Lazy Bones. Packaged in an exact duplication of the original Zambian issue of this album, Witch's unique blend of American and UK hard rock and psychedelia and native Zambian folk rhythms and melodies shines through in this, their masterpiece.