New Releases - 4/28/23
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
The 69 Eyes – Death Of Darkness CD/LP (Atomic Fire)
Finnish goth 'n' roll pioneers The 69 Eyes have been haunting stages all over the world for 33 years and seem to be a truly immortal part of the dark rock/metal scene. With Death Of Darkness they open a new hard rocking chapter of their career. [Limited-edition translucent blue vinyl.]
Bedroom – Thread LP (Danger Collective)
Thread, Noah Kittinger's fourth LP under the Bedroom moniker, is the album the singer-songwriter and producer has strived to release throughout his career. It's a stunning portrait of self-exploration, as Kittinger aims to find his place in life after a tumultuous period both in his personal life and artistry.
Pi’Erre Bourne – Good Movie 2xLP (Interscope)
Double purple color vinyl pressing. Pi'Erre Bourne's emerged as one of the pre-eminent rap producers of the late 2010s, scoring major hits with Playboi Carti and 6ix9ine, in addition to working with Kanye West, Travis Scott, 21 Savage and others. His third studio album, Good Movie, includes features with Don Toliver ("Psane") and Young Nudy ("Moving Too Fast"). It also includes the tracks "Ex Factor," "Where You Going," and "DJ In The Car."
Braids – Euphoric Recall CD/LP+MP3 (Secret City)
For their fifth full-length, Euphoric Recall, Braids intuitively pursued the playful joy and spontaneity they'd been craving in the absence of live performances - the "kinetic and exciting" (The New York Times) energy that's become their superpower. Self-produced and for the first time composing and arranging string parts, the band welcomed the guiding flourishes of an ensemble on cello, viola, and violins. The sound is lush and sprawling yet captured with in-the-room clarity; it grooves viscerally, freer, and wholly anew.
Jakob Bro / Joe Lovano – Once Around The Room: A Tribute To Paul Motian LP (ECM)
Released last December on CD – now available on vinyl. ECM recording artists and key jazz musicians from several generations unite on Once Around The Room to celebrate the musical legacy of drum icon Paul Motian in a big way. Jakob Bro and Joe Lovano lead an ensemble through fiery originals that recall the idioms and idiosyncrasies which Motian brought to light over six influential decades behind the drums. Featuring Larry Grenadier, Thomas Morgan and Anders Christensen on bass, as well as Joey Baron and Jorge Rossy on drums.
Kat Brock’s Dazed with Vaughn Walters - Kat Brock's Dazed LP (self-released)
Kat Brock (Dixie Dirt) is back with a new album featuring Vaughn Walters on bass and Rachel Grimes (the Rachels) on piano. Produced by Carissa Stolting Kat Brock's Dazed was recorded at LaLa Land by Anne Gauthier.
Jonathan Butler – Ubuntu CD (Artistry Music)
Legendary singer-songwriter Jonathan Butler traveled back to his home country of South Africa to craft his most exciting and deeply personal album to date. Featuring producer/bassist Marcus Miller, Ubuntu is a reintroduction of Butler's life story, going back 60 years to his upbringing in apartheid-era Capetown, which shaped his world view, prompted years of advocacy, and instilled the ideology of 'Oneness' (Ubuntu). Featuring special guests Keb' Mo' and Stevie Wonder, the album serves both as a rebirth of musical creativity and reconciliation with systemically biased history to forge a brighter future.
Mya Byrne – Rhinestone Tomboy CD/LP (Kill Rockets Stars)
Playing Americana steeped with potent branches of blues, rock, glam and country music, Mya Byrne is every bit the voice of the outsider that built the foundation of the genre, where we behold stages beaming with the light of those who are so willing to stand tall and confident in the entirety of their truth. Here Byrne stands too. Americana has many champions, but there are scarce few like Byrne; a queer trans woman creating ripples that will find themselves born again and again as waves. On Rhinestone Tomboy, we are treated to a portrait painted with shades of Byrne's youth, one spent listening to stacks of her mama's dusty 45s, and thrift store 8-tracks blasting from blown speakers out the window of an old Chevy. Songs that opened the trailhead to a lifelong journey that informed Byrne's musical landscape. [Limited edition deep purple vinyl.]
Brìghde Chaimbeul - Carry Them With Us CD/LP (Tak:Til/Glitterbeat)
Scottish smallpipes player Brìghde Chaimbeul is a leading purveyor of experimental Celtic music; her piping has earned her a BBC Young Folk Award and a BBC Horizon Award. Her second album Carry Them With Us is an exhilarating weave of rich textural drones, trance atmospheres and instrumental folk traditions, featuring collaborations with acclaimed Canadian sound explorer and saxophonist Colin Stetson. The Scottish smallpipes, with their double-note drones, were in danger of falling into obscurity before Brìghde (pronounced Bree-chuh) Chaimbeul, a native Gaelic speaker from the Isle of Skye, became part of their more recent revival. Carry Them With Us is undoubtedly Chaimbeul's vision, but Stetson's contributions helped her realize it. With the constancy of the drone as their foundation, and small changes to the melodies as they progressed, the music becomes immersive as Chaimbeul and Stetson weave over and around each other. Together, they created an album of stories.
The Chemical Brothers – No Reason 12” (Casablanca)
The Chemical Brothers present their new single on 12" red color vinyl.
Ben Copperhead – Wailing Viridescence LP (Shimmy Disc)
A key inspiration for Ben Copperhead's new album, Wailing Viridescence, can be traced back to his appreciation of old recordings using analog reel to reel tape. Years ago, while on tour in the UK, Copperhead found a book called Tape Music Composition. Cherishing the warming qualities of magnetic sound, he started teaching himself through experimentations in recording techniques. Utilizing a restored four-track machine, he relished the challenge imposed upon himself by the constraints and parameters of the medium. The results yielded what he believes to be his strongest album to date.
Country Westerns – Forgive The City CD CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Nashville rockers Country Westerns return with their sophomore album, Forgive The City. Marking the band's second full-length release for Fat Possum, this barn-burning collection is also their second to be helmed by famed producer Matt Sweeney (who even contributes his lead guitar stylings to a few tracks). The album is heralded by the sinewy, melodic new track "It's A Livin'," which is out now via all DSPs and is once again accompanied by an official music video directed by Miranda Zipse (Miranda and the Beat).
Spencer Cullum - Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2 LP (Full Time Hobby)
Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2 sees the Nashville-based musician step further from the pedal steel and towards center stage. This new collection of tracks is a kaleidoscopic collection of folk, jazz, and pop, cut though with immaculately-rendered songwriting. Much in the same way that the album doesn’t wear its influences (Amon Duul II, Skip Spence, Ennio Morricone, Chu Kosaka, Michael Chapman) lightly but rather is steeped in them and toys with them, Cullum brought in a host of guests to turn …Coin Collection 2 loose from being a purely solo effort. Yuma Abe provides fractured, low-register chorus vocals that accentuate the ever-so-slightly mournful air to ‘Kingdom Weather’, while Dana Gavanski provides beautiful harmony lines in ‘What A Waste Of An Echo’. Despite the number of collaborators and players (also including Rich Ruth, Erin Rae, and Caitlin Rose) things never seem too crowded or brimming with too many ideas. Instead Cullum marshalls each moving party expertly. The album was tracked in two days (in Nashville, naturally), then vocals and strings were added afterwards.
The Damned – Darkadelic CD/LP (earMUSIC)
46 years after releasing the groundbreaking debut Damned Damned Damned, The Damned return with Darkadelic, their twelfth studio album and their first one since 2018's Evil Spirits. The album catches the band that launched punk and invented goth once again innovating and expanding upon their unique universe. The lead single and video for "The Invisible Man" is a showcase for Captain Sensible's riffadelic guitar work and David Vanian's snarling baritone vocals. Darkadelic barrels along from there and features some of The Damned's sharpest songwriting and genre-bending performances reaching peaks with "You're Gonna Realise" and "Beware Of The Clowns" drenched in classic horror movie references, nods to swinging ‘60s London, and a refined palette of musical influences. [Limited-edition clear vinyl w/ slip mat.]
Danava – Nothing But Nothing CD (Tee Pee)
Rising from the depths of hell with fury and rage, Danava return new album Nothing But Nothing, a devastating soundtrack for the inevitable decline of western civilization. Formed in 2003, Danava has delivered a sound that incorporates hard rock, heavy metal and a fire forged in the spirit of Iommi and Schenker. Their scorched earth approach has blazed brightly over psychedelic metal solos, glam-rock flair, fretboard wizardry and a white line fever reminiscent of Lemmy at his most lethal.
The Defiled – The Highest Level CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
When it comes to straight-forward, bone-crushing death metal, Tokyo's Defiled delivers.
Rudy de Anda – Closet Botanist LP (Colemine/Karma Chief)
Closet Botanist was recorded directly to tape to channel a classic rock 'n' roll sound. Rudy points to The Velvet Underground and The Kinks for direct inspiration. "I glorify those bands - I'm a ‘60s psych-rocker at heart." For the seasoned listener, there's a trail of psychedelic breadcrumbs to find throughout the track list. Rudy dedicates the album to those who love so hard that they neglect to water their own garden. Even in a much colder climate, the closet botanist continues to grow. [Limited edition transparent red vinyl.]
Indigo De Souza – All Of This Will End CD/LP+MP3 (Saddle Creek)
"I was finally able to trust myself fully," says Indigo de Souza of making her masterful third album All Of This Will End. Across eleven songs, the LP is a raw and radically optimistic work that grapples with mortality, the rejuvenation that community brings, and the importance of centering yourself now. These tracks come from the most resonant moments of her life: childhood memories, collecting herself in parking lots, the ecstatic trips spent wandering Appalachian Mountains and southern swamps with friends, and the times she had to stand up for herself. Like the hues of reds and oranges that her mother painted on the LP cover, All Of This Will End marks a warmer and unmistakably audacious era for her. It's a statement about fearlessly moving forward from the past into a gratitude-filled present, feeling it all every step of the way, and choosing to embody loving awareness. [Indie store exclusive emerald tower green vinyl.]
Empyre – Relentless CD/LP (Kscope)
Joining the Kscope family, British band Empyre bring their distinctive brand of dark rock to a wider audience. The band blend their huge riffs with deeply personal lyrics, brought to life by the impassioned vocals of frontman Henrik Steenholdt.
Enforced – War Remains CD/LP (Century Media)
Firing up audiences on tour with the likes of At The Gates, Obituary and Municipal Waste, as well as European festivals including the UK's Bloodstock, Richmond Virginia's Enforced take their spot as torchbearers for crossover thrash with War Remains. [Limited-edition blue vinyl.]
Fever Ray – Radical Romantics LP+MP3 (Mute)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Radical Romantics documents Fever Ray's struggle with love, relationships, identity, and self-preservation. Featuring collaborations with Olof Dreijer (The Knife), Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Vessel, Aasthma and more, this album feels like the apex of their career, incorporating elements of The Knife and early Fever Ray, while looking steadfastly into the future. Includes the single "What They Call Us" which Pitchfork awarded with Best New Track. [Limited-edition red vinyl.]
funcionário - Lisbon Dreams LP (Groovement Organic Series)
Following Chari Chari and Rui Maia's albums, Organic Series releases another collection of beautiful music by funcionário, artistic alias of multitalented Pedro Tavares. Lisbon Dreams is a conceptual album shaped by Pedro that evokes his travels between Setúbal and Lisbon, while studying fine arts at the Portuguese capital city. Music-wise, Lisbon Dreams represents an unfolding new world, full of overwhelming feelings translated into musical landscapes and possibly inspired by contemporary producers like Nuno Canavarro or Susumu Yokota. But when Pedro talks about his album, he likes to quote John Cage: "don't try to create and analyze at the same time. They're different processes."
Gideon – More Power. More Pain. LP (Equal Vision)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New release from Alabama metalcore warriors.
Great Lake Swimmers – Uncertain Country CD (Fontana North)
Doubt, followed by discovery. Demos that ended up as finished tracks. New beginnings, rear-view reflections, and ruminations on the fluidity of time. Great Lake Swimmers' new album, Uncertain Country, captures these feelings and so much more, featuring singer/songwriter Tony Dekker's first new music in nearly five years.
Ryan Hamilton – Haunted By The Holy Ghost CD/LP (Wicked Cool)
Recently released on vinyl – now available on CD. Texan indie-rocker Ryan Hamilton, formerly of the band Smile Smile, presents his third solo album Haunted By The Holy Ghost. Continuing the rough and ready power-pop/garage-rock chops of its predecessor 1221, Hamilton addresses his experiences growing up in an extremely conservative religious household. He recorded the album at The Old Cider Press, UK and Ryan's Home Studio in Stephenville, TX. The album’s 10 tracks were written by Ryan Hamilton and produced by Dave Draper and features a guest appearance from Jessie Wagner.
Dave Hause – Drive Like It’s Stolen CD/LP (Dave Hause)
Drive It Like It's Stolen is Dave's sixth solo LP, following 2021's Blood Harmony, and he describes the album's style as "post-apocalyptic Americana." Drive It Like It's Stolen was produced by Will Hoge and is inspired in part by Dave's experience as a father. [Limited-edition blue vinyl.]
Tony Holiday – Motel Mississippi LP (Forty Below)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Combining the sounds of north Mississippi hill country, delta blues, and Memphis soul, Motel Mississippi is equal parts hypnotic blues, driving soul, and juke joint stomper.
Illenium – Illenium CD/2xLP (WB)
As one of the most successful crossover electronic artists today, Grammy Award nominated producer/DJ and instrumentalist Illenium (born Nick Miller) elevates dance music via his bold, progressive take on the genre. His is an expansive sound, which mixes elements of celestial electronic, mellow alternative, crushing dubstep, emotional indie, and pop-tinged bass music. [Limited-edition translucent orange vinyl.]
Jawny – It’s Never Fair, Always True LP (Johnny Utah, LLC/Interscope)
Recently released on CD – now available on green color vinyl. Jawny's highly anticipated debut album, It's Never Fair, Always True, is a raucous, wild rush that traces all the twists and turns of life and love in its purest moments; a series of genuine, intricate stories about a boy falling in and out of love. The doomed tale unfolds as Jawny weaves his way through the uncertainty against a milieu of ballads, larger than life anthems, technicolor melodies, a collaboration with Grammy award-winning artist Beck and much more. Featuring "Fall In Love" along with the previously released songs "True", "Wide-Eyed", "Adios", "Strawberry Chainsaw", and "Take It Back", Jawny shares, "I feel like I made my dream album that I wish I had the ability to make when I was 17.”
Rickie Lee Jones – Pieces Of Treasure CD (Modern Recordings/BMG)
Pieces Of Treasure, Rickie Lee Jones' newest album, has been a long time coming. In a career that has spanned more than four decades, the renowned singer songwriter has interpreted an extraordinarily wide range of songs from writers and artists she loves, often collected on the same album – showtunes, blues, folk, rock (David Bowie publicly praised her take on "Rebel Rebel"). Pieces Of Treasure – the title a callback to Jones' seminal album Pirates – is a reunion with legendary producer Russ Titelman, who had, with former Warner Bros. Records head Lenny Waronker, co-produced her star-making 1980 debut LP Rickie Lee Jones and the follow up, Pirates. Titelman had followed Jones' career over the many years since they'd last collaborated, faithfully going to hear her play whenever she came through New York City. They recently started having phone conversations and then meeting up for lunch; each time Titleman would tell her the same thing: "We're going to make a jazz record. We're going to make a jazz record." [CD is here now, vinyl shipped late and will arrive next week.]
Joseph – The Sun CD/LP+MP3 (ATO)
The Sun is the fourth studio record from Joseph (sisters Natalie, Meegan and Allison Closner) and the follow-up to Good Luck, Kid (2019). It builds on its predecessor's cinematic pop, bringing a thrilling new energy into each of the album's ten elegantly sculpted tracks. Joseph worked with acclaimed producers Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, First Aid Kit) and Christian "Leggy" Langdon (Amos Lee, BANKS) to build an irresistibly vibrant sound ranging from moody grandeur to pure anthemic glory. [Limited-edition translucent orange vinyl.]
Wednesday Knudsen - Soft Focus Volume One LP (Feeding Tube Records)
Vinyl edition of the first half of Soft Focus, the recent solo CD by Wednesday Knudsen. The project was begun deep in the Plague Era, when it was hoped things might be turning better. It is virtually all unaccompanied work, apart from a little harp by PG Six on the first track. Wednesday displays her sweetly abundant chops on woodwinds, guitar, keyboards and vocals. The mood is abstract and wistful, bright at some moments, shrouded in the fog of mystery at others. Wednesday describes the record's sound as 'ambient,' which is true, but there's more here than that term often infers. There's a lovely pop sensibility hiding in them that hillocks.
Laibach – Love Is Still Alive LP+MP3 (Mute)
Limited pink color vinyl LP pressing. Legendary Slovenian group Laibach return with their EP, Love Is Still Alive. The EP is a 40-minute country, dance, and electronic masterpiece, featuring different versions of the song “Love Is Still Alive”.
Kip Moore – Damn Love CD/2xLP (MCA Nashville)
Kip Moore's fifth studio album features 13 tracks including the single "Kinda Bar". Kip's previous albums include Up All Night, Wild Ones, Slowheart, and Wild World. Moore has charted 12 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. He has also written songs for Frankie Ballard, Thompson Square, and James Wesley.
Morgan & The Organ – M.O.D.S. LP (K. Records)
Featuring Tobi Vail (Bikini Kill, Frumpies, Spider and The Webs and The Real Distractions) as well as scene stalwarts James Maeda, Olivia Ness (C.O.C.O.) and vocalist Sara Peté, and recorded live on a 1/2" 4 track and mixed by Capt. Tripps Ballsington in Olympia WA, M.O.D.S. continues the rich tradition of DIY bands crafting instant pop hits entirely on their own terms, which has long been the hallmark of the Olympia Underground.
The National – First Two Pages Of Frankenstein CD/LP+MP3 (4AD)
Anchored by evocative melodies and an enthralling lyrical narrative, First Two Pages Of Frankenstein signals a new chapter in the band's beloved discography. The album features guest appearances by Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens. First Two Pages Of Frankenstein channels the group's revitalized chemistry into a body of work that beautifully balances elegant musicality with The National's more idiosyncratic impulses. Tracks such as "Grease In Your Hair" and "Ice Machines" were road-tested in 2022 before they were recorded, allowing the band to hone the material in real time (another song, "Weird Goodbyes" featuring Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, was released as a standalone track in August 2022). "To me the power of this record has to do with the intentionality and structure of the music meeting with a lot of accidental magic," says Aaron Dessner. [Indie store exclusive red vinyl.]
Arturo O’Farrill – Legacies CD (Blue Note)
On his Blue Note album Legacies, composer/arranger/bandleader Arturo O'Farrill puts the emphasis back on his striking pianistic abilities with a nine-song set that juxtaposes stunning solo piano flights. Dynamic trio performances are accompanied by his son, drummer Zack O'Farrill, and bassist Liany Mateo. The repertoire includes pieces by Bud Powell ("Un Poco Loco"), Thelonious Monk ("Well, You Needn't"), his father Chico O'Farrill ("Pure Emotion"), his own "Blue State Blues", and more.
Joy Oladokun – Proof Of Life CD/2xLP (Republic)
Nigerian-American musician/songwriter/producer Joy Oladokun, one of music's most unique and vulnerable voices, returns with her third full-length album, Proof Of Life. The album captures the human experience with a profound simplicity. Across thirteen tracks, Oladokun celebrates the little details and simple pleasures of being alive, while also giving voice to some of life's most complex experiences in a way only she can. In addition to "Changes" - a reflection on Oladokun's own growth as well as the changing world around her - the new record includes the previously released songs "Keeping The Light On" and the instant-classic duet, "Sweet Symphony" featuring Chris Stapleton, as well as collaborations with Manchester Orchestra, Mt. Joy, Maxo Kream, and Noah Kahan. [Joy will perform a free set at Grimey’s next Thursday, May 4th, at 4:20pm, and will greet fans and sign records following her performance. Purchase Proof Of Life at Grimey’s for your wristband to go through the signing line!]
The Orb – Prism CD/2xLP (Cooking Vinyl)
The Orb's pulsating discography grows ever huger, with their 18th album, and third helmed by the core duo of Alex Paterson and Michael Rendall. Despite the connotations of its title, here they continue to rollick freely without inhibition across ambient, house and dub, but also tangent into poetry, pop, full-blown drum ‘n' bass and reggae. The release features electronic musicians David Harrow (whose cv includes Anne Clarke, Psychic TV, Razormaid, Adrian Sherwood and Andy Weatherall) and Gaudi (whose credits include Max Romeo, Capleton, Johnny Clarke and Desmond Dekker). Other guests include Orb regular Youth, violinist Violeta Vicci, Kompakt records alumnus Leonardo Fresco, Metamono man Jono Podmore, guitarist and Alex's old schoolchum David Lofts, plus vocalists Eric Von Skywalker, Andy Cain and Rachel D'arcy. [Indie exclusive ‘citrus’ vinyl.]
Bill Orcutt – Jump On It LP (Palilalia)
"It's been ten years since Bill Orcutt released A History of Every One (2013), a compendium of hacksaw renditions of American standards on acoustic guitar - and since ten years is a blink of an eye, you are forgiven for not immediately realizing that we've gone an entire decade waiting for Jump On It, the next Orcutt solo acoustic record. As those of us of 'a certain age' will tell you (ad nauseam), a decade is a blink of an eye containing an infinity of experiential moments, and if this record is any gauge, the weight of those experiences have squashed Orcutt's rough edges, feathered his stop-motion timing into a languid lyrical flow, and snapped the shackles tethering his instant compositional skills to the imperative to deconstruct guitar history. In short, Jump On It is a collection of canonical, mature acoustic guitar solo to contrast against the fractured downtown conceits of previous acoustic releases..." – Tom Carter [This title shipped late and will arrive early next week.]
Reneé Rapp – Everything To Everyone (Deluxe) CD (IMG)
Indie store exclusive autographed CD. The actor-turned-pop darling expands on her evocative digital-only debut EP, Everything To Everyone.
Josh Ritter – Spectral Lines CD/LP (Pytheas Recordings)
Josh Ritter has been thinking a lot about space exploration. It has nothing to do with his new album, Spectral Lines, except that in a way, it really does. "The Voyager spacecraft went up in '77 and now it's out there in a place that no one's ever been before, and it's sending back all these messages," Ritter says. "I feel like songs do that in their own little way. They're probes: they go out into the world, and sometimes you hear stories back from them, but really, they go off on their own." Ritter, too, is sending back messages, in the form of twn new songs that are atmospheric and impressionistic. [Indie store exclusive orange cream color vinyl. All copies at Grimey’s are signed by Josh!]
Scratcha DVA & Menzi – Beyond gqom & Grom 12” (Hakuna Kulala)
A fluid back-and-forth between these two musical vanguards excavates commonalities in their approaches and exploits sonic loopholes, reworking their respective sounds into an energetic fusion of android diasporic bass pressure.
Skinny Pelembe – Hardly The Same Snake CD/LP (Partisan)
Hardly The Same Snake is Skinny Pelembe's sophomore album, but his first fully embracing his artistic self. Visceral yet inherently soulful, Hardly The Same Snake is the sound of the Johannesburg-born, Doncaster-raised artist finally finding his voice - both literally and figuratively. In practical terms, that involved finding the courage to foreground his gravelly baritone in these gloriously genre-agnostic productions. As Skinny puts it today, in his soft South Yorkshire drawl, "This album is what I would have created, first time round had I rated my own voice." Determined that the album shouldn't sound like a band record, but equally mustn't feel "too button push-y", Skinny assembled songs by sampling instrumentation originally recorded live, including chopped and looped versions of the brilliantly complex beats played by Malcolm Catto of The Heliocentrics. [Limited-edition translucent red vinyl.]
Lonnie Liston Smith / Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge – Jazz Is Dead 17 CD/LP (Jazz Is Dead)
Coursing through the cosmic pulse of jazz-funk is the inimitable influence of Lonnie Liston Smith. For over five decades, the legendary keyboardist and bandleader has been a driving force in shaping the genre's sound. Smith made his recording debut as a sideman for heavyweights Miles Davis, Pharoah Sanders, Gato Barbieri and Leon Thomas. He later formed his own ensemble, Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes which delivered an incredible run of classic albums through the 1970s. His music has served as the foundation for immortal hip-hop samples and ecstatic dance floor revelry. Jazz Is Dead 17 is a full-bloom tribute to the multitude of sonic strains that all lead back to the fingertips of the maestro himself.
Nate Smith – Nate Smith CD (SME Nashiville)
Like Nate, his eponymous 20-song collection is honest, raw, real, and threaded together with optimism. He fearlessly takes on vulnerability - a characteristic evident not only in his lyrics, but also in his fragile yet robust delivery. While each song tells its own story, Nate unveils two sides of his artistry through the project: deep, heartfelt ballads and fun-loving, drink in the air, country jams. The two are intertwined with undeniable hooks and his signature velvet thunder vocals.
Shakin’ Stevens – Re-Set LP (BMG)
New release from the veteran Welsh rocker. Shakin' Stevens, one of the most enduring figureheads in rock and pop history, makes a triumphant return with the release of Re-Set. Its ten songs combine deeply heartfelt, meaningful lyrics with the most impassioned vocal performances he has ever summoned from himself, well over 50 years since his first recordings. The seeds for the album were planted before lockdown, and on the very day that restrictions were lifted, in the spring of 2021, Stevens and his fellow songwriters reconvened at co-producer and longtime collaborator John David's Berry Hill Studio. Re-Set is the result. [CD is available to special order.]
Sure Fire Soul Ensemble – Live At Panama 66 LP (All-Town Sound)
The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble is a nine-piece heavy, instrumental funk band from San Diego, CA. Their influences are vast and include hip-hop groups like Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest, as well as funk and soul masters like Isaac Hayes, The Meters, and James Brown. [A limited-edition clear w/ orange swirl pressing is available.]
Synthia – So Low b/w You And I 7” (Big Crown)
7" offering from supergroup, Synthia. Both songs produced by Leon Michels and featuring vocals from two very special guests. Side A, "So Low" has the ethereal, haunting, yet sweet charm that could soundtrack a scene from Lost In Translation and features vocals by Claire Cotrill as her and producer Leon Michels do their own bottom heavy version of the obscure ‘80s cult classic by Carol. Side B, "You And I" is a low-fi banger carried by synth lines and an echoed-out drum loop. Helsinki's MALLA is the perfect complement to the track singing about looking to leave an old love and find a new one with an energy that leaves this one stuck in your heart and your head.
Taj Mahal – Savoy LP (Stony Plain)
Taj Mahal can rightfully be called a living legend for his contributions to popular music. With a voice as instantly recognizable as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, or Dr John, Taj Mahal has throughout his career pushed the envelope of American music forward by incorporating sounds from the Caribbean, Africa, traditional blues, and jazz. With Savoy, Taj takes a new direction in his musical journey, exploring classics from the American songbook with his good friend and acclaimed record producer John Simon, whose resume includes producing classic albums by The Band, Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Simon & Garfunkel, Gordon Lightfoot, Mama Cass Elliot, David Sanborn, and Michael Franks.
Yves Tumor – Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply Hot Between Worlds) LP+MP3/LP+MP3/LP+7”+MP3/Cassette (Warp)
Yves Tumor reveals a complex intimacy with each album: offering glimpses in familiarizing with Sean Lee Bowie, while simultaneously elevating the beautiful myths and fantasies that embolden our connections to art and music. Praise A Lord... offers the widest narrative shot yet, opening with a literal breath and a naked voice that's spoken to you from a dark nightmarish depth and ending in an almost spiritual church-like celebration; uniquely different songs struck cohesively as album that begs to be reopened and re-experienced. The listener is empowered in that spectrum between moody darkness and bright excitement with songs that carry a wild variety of exalting emotion from highs to lows, making for a radical artistic statement redefining pop experience in that authentic engagement. Yves Tumor's sound is clear and unmistaken yet unpredictable, with an identity that is universally charismatic through an androgynous presentation that is sexual, poetic, and honest: an overall presence that will never need to conform because it is continuously shifting and redefining what the pop world begins to emulate. [A limited-edition yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]
Jessie Ware – That! Feels! Good! CD/LP (Interscope)
Ware’s fifth album, That! Feels Good!, is the follow-up to 2020's What's Your Pleasure? which proved her status as one of the UK's most influential artists. Last year saw Jessie support Harry Styles in the US on tour as part of a fantastic run of live shows, including career-defining sets at Glastonbury and Primavera Sound. Jessie Ware continues to cement herself as a formidable force at the forefront of pop.
Reissues, Comps, Live Recordings, Vault Excavations...
Aesop Rock & Blockhead – Garbology (Instrumental Version) 2xLP (Rhymesayers)
Multicolor yellow w/ green & black pressing. As Aesop explains, "Garbology is defined as the study of the material discarded by a society to learn what it reveals about social or cultural patterns. I find a lot of parallels between that and the idea of picking up the pieces after a loss or period of intense unrest and seeing what's really there. Furthermore - the idea of digging through old, often neglected music from another time - with an ear tuned to taking in that data in a different way than your average listener - is exactly what Blockhead does." Following the success of the full Garbology album, it's only right to offer the instrumentals for further examination and repurposing efforts.
Chet Baker – Blue Room: The 1979 VARA Studio Sessions In Holland 2xCD (Elemental Music)
Blue Room: The 1979 VARA Studio Sessions In Holland features two recordings of Chet Baker at the VARA Studio 2 in Hilversum, the Netherlands for the KRO Radio program Nine O'Clock Jazz. The April 10th session features Phil Markowitz (piano), Jean-Louis Rassinfosse (bass) and Charles Rice (drums). The November 9th session features Frans Elsen (piano), Victor Kaihatu (bass) and Eric Ineke (drums).
William S. Burroughs – Nothing Here Now But The Recordings CD/LP (Dais)
In 1980, Genesis P-Orridge and Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson of (then-)Throbbing Gristle travelled to New York City to meet up at the fortified apartment, known as The Bunker, of famed beat writer and cultural pioneer William S. Burroughs and his executor James Grauerholz. Genesis and Sleazy started the daunting task of compiling the experimental sound works of Burroughs, which, up until that point, had never been widely heard. Inspired by the original Industrial Records release of William S. Burroughs's Nothing Here Now But The Recordings, Belgian record label Sub Rosa worked with Burroughs to release another album: Break Through In Grey Room. Originally compiled in 1986 by producer Bill Rich, the album features Burroughs's experimental recordings from 1961 to 1976, featuring field recordings by Burroughs of the Master Musicians of Jajouka, experimental collaborations with mathematician Ian Sommerville and painter/cut-up originator Brion Gysin. [Limited-edition clear vinyl and standard black.]
Chicano Batman – Chicano Batman [Reissue/2010] LP (ATO)
Blue w/ white color vinyl pressing. Chicano Batman source their high-spirited alternative synthesis from Tropicália, West Coast psychedelia, and late-'60s/early-'70s soul. ATO Records presents a colored vinyl LP reissue with foil-board jacket of the Los Angeles psych-soul four-piece's self-released self-titled 2010 debut featuring the fan favorite song "Itotiani."
Kelly Clarkson – Meaning Of Life [Reissue/2017] LP (Atlantic)
Limited translucent pressing. Meaning Of Life is Clarkson's second documented large-scale foray into soul and R&B music, after her debut single “Miss Independent”, departing from the predominant pop and pop rock sound established from her previous studio releases and returning to her multi-genre performances on American Idol. Inspired by the music of the 1990s and prominent singers Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, En Vogue and Bonnie Raitt, Clarkson wanted the album to evoke a music like the early works of those artists-with the overall goal of emoting a "soulful" spirit.
Charles Curtis / Alan Licht / Dean Roberts – May 99 LP (Blank Forms Edition)
In the spring of 1999, Charles Curtis, Alan Licht, and Dean Roberts brought an unconventional mix of drone, improvisation, and experimental rock on an eleven-stop tour of Europe. The concept was straightforward, yet novel: each night, they would improvise a single piece while sustained sine waves played for the duration of the concert. May 99, culled from three shorter pieces recorded for a radio program at Amsterdam's VPRO near the end of the tour, represents an early high watermark in the collision of minimal and rock sensibilities that started to become prevalent in the late ‘90s and is an ear-opening listen even for those familiar with the musicians' other projects. May 99 combines resonant sine waves in the style of eminent downtown New York composer La Monte Young's Theater of Eternal Music with scratchings, scrapings, and warblings produced by Licht and Roberts's guitars, Curtis's cello, and a variety of electronics.
Death Cab For Cutie – Codes And Keys [Reissue/2011] 2xLP (Barsuk)
Death Cab for Cutie's seventh studio album, Codes And Keys was originally released in 2011 and is back in stock. Available in standard-weight vinyl as a gatefold double-LP, this album includes fan-favorites "You Are A Tourist", "Underneath The Sycamore", and the title track “Codes And Keys".
Candy Dulfer – Live At Montreux 2002 CD+DVD (Mercury Studios)
Candy Dulfer has combined a highly successful solo career with guest spots for a host of musical greats including Van Morrison, Blondie, Aretha Franklin, Pink Floyd, Dave Stewart (with whom she scored the hit, "Lily Was Here") and, perhaps most notably, Prince. She has played at Montreux on several occasions with her band, Funky Stuff. This set focuses on her concert from 2002 and features bonus tracks from 1998.
Tommy Emmanuel – Accomplice Two CD (CGP Sound)
Tommy Emmanuel's duet album, Accomplice Two, has an amazing variety of artists and styles. There are songs with the rock legends Michael McDonald, Jorma Kaukonen and Little Feat; be amazed by bluegrass superstars such as Billy Strings, The Del McCoury Band, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Sierra Hull and David Grisman. Also featured are the country icons Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jamey Johnson, and Raul Malo, and guitar heavyweights Yasmin Williams, Larry Campbell, and Richard Smith. With each of Tommy's accomplices, this album gives listeners a little bit of everything.
Bill Evans – Treasures: Solo, Trio & Orchestra Recordings From Denmark (1965 – 1969) 2xCD (Elemental)
A set of previously unreleased recordings by jazz piano icon Bill Evans, either live or in Danish TV and radio studios. Highlights include trio performances from 1965 with bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen; the only solo piano version of "My Funny Valentine" by Evans known to exist; a 1966 orchestral suite with the trio accompanied by the Danish Radio Big Band and more. Includes rare photos, liner notes and interviews.
Keith Jarrett – Book Of Ways [Reissue/1987] CD (ECM)
Keith Jarrett's album, Book Of Ways, was recorded on July 14, 1986 in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Rather amazing is the great variety of sound and rhythm - Jarrett alternately played one or two instruments simultaneously. Beyond unmistakable echoes of lute music and Japanese Koto, the whole range of modes of expression the clavichord is capable of is being fathomed out. All this has been supported by studio techniques, which recorded the sound of the instrument with rarely heard intensity.
Wynton Kelly Trio / Wes Montgomery – Smokin’ At The Half Note [Reissue/1966] LP (Verve)
Essential listening for anyone who wants to hear why Wes' live shows were considered the pinnacle of his brilliant and incredibly influential guitar playing. He never played with more drive and confidence than he does here, supported every step of the way by a genuinely smokin' Wynton Kelly. Reissued as part of Verve's Acoustic Sounds Series featuring transfers from analog tapes and remastered.
Kero Kero Bonito – Intro Bonito CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Polyvinyl)
Originally released in 2013, Kero Kero Bonito's debut mixtape, Intro Bonito, was a monumental success in the underground hyperpop scene bubbling up throughout the band's hometown of South London. The trio, featuring Gus Lobban, Jamie Bulled, and Sarah Midori Perry, started crafting their unique blend of electronic pop music after school friends Gus & Jamie met Sarah on the internet. [Limited-edition hot pink vinyl.]
Love And Rockets – Earth Sun Moon [Reissue/1987] LP (Beggars Banquet)
Love And Rockets – Love And Rockets [Reissue/1989] LP (Beggars Banquet)
Love And Rockets is the seminal, groundbreaking trio of Daniel Ash (vocals and guitar), David J (vocals and bass) and Kevin Haskins (drums). Formed in 1985 after the first split of their band Bauhaus, Love And Rockets provided a clean slate and an opportunity to plumb the depths of imagination and influences.
Carly Pearce – 29: Written In Stone (Live From Music City) 2xLP (Big Machine)
Recently released on CD – now available on gold color vinyl. 2021 CMA Female Vocalist and 2022 ACM Awards Female Artist of the Year, Carly Pearce has come a long way from the pain she felt writing 29. Filled only with happy tears, she looks ahead chronicling her critically acclaimed and commercially lauded album with 29: Written In Stone (Live From Music City). The set includes special guests Lee Brice, Ashley McBryde, The Isaacs, Matthew West, and Jenee Fleenor.
The Rolling Stones – Between The Buttons [Reissue 1967] LP (Abkco)
Between The Buttons marked a high point in The Rolling Stones’ career - arguably the richest straight pop collection The Rolling Stones ever made. The US version includes the hits "Let's Spend The Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday", and includes Keith's first solo vocal on "Something Happened To Me Yesterday". Brian Jones' talents as a multi-instrumentalist are showcased with accordion, electric dulcimer, kazoo, marimba, organ, piano, recorder, and theremin.
Rush – Signals [Reissue/1982] LP+CD+4x7”+Blu-ray Audio/LP (Mercury)
The Signals Super Deluxe celebrates 40 years with new Hugh Syme artwork throughout nd the 2015 remaster on CD for the first time. The album vinyl was cut at half-speed via DMM and pressed on 180gm black vinyl for optimal vinyl quality. A Blu-ray Audio disc features brand-new Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround mixes by Richard Chycki, 48kHz 24-bit stereo and two bonus music videos. Other bonus items include a 40-page book, four 7” singles, three lenticulars, five lithos and a double-sided poster. [A single picture disc vinyl edition is available.]
Samiam – Samiam [Reissue/1990] LP (New Red Archives)
Clear vinyl pressing of the 1990 debut album from Berkeley CA punk rock heroes.
Stephen Stills – Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971 CD/2xLP (Omnivore)
In 1971 Stephen Stills embarked on a US tour, opening each show with an intimate acoustic first set, and closing each night with a riveting electric set featuring the Memphis Horns. These historic, previously unreleased recordings took place over two nights at the Berkeley Community Theater, with David Crosby joining him on vocals and guitar for "You Don't Have To Cry" and "The Lee Shore". Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971 finds Stills at peak performance in both vocal delivery and musicianship, effortlessly incorporating alternate instrumentation on his instantly recognizable tracks, including a seamless medley of "49 Bye Byes" and "For What It's Worth" (unexpectedly played on piano). Timeless and era defining performances personally selected by Stills.
Sonny Stitt – Boppin’ In Baltimore: Live At The Left Bank 2xCD (Elemental Music)
Boppin' In Baltimore: Live At The Left Bank is a previously unreleased recording of saxophone master Sonny Stitt captured live at the famous ballroom in Baltimore on November 11, 1973. Recorded by Left Bank founder Vernon Welsh, it features an all-star rhythm section of pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes.
Sun Ra & His Solar-Myth Arkestra – The Solar-Myth Approach 2xCD (Charly)
Sun Ra & His Solar-Myth Arkestra – The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 1 LP (Charly)
Sun Ra & His Solar-Myth Arkestra – The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 2 LP (Charly)
This release showcases both the prolific output and unparalleled creative verve of Sun Ra, the man who created his own genre. Upgrading his celebrated band The Arkestra to the rank of Solar Myth Arkestra, the bandleader-composer-pianist-keyboardist produced enough music in his lifetime to fill a universe, and these sessions, though their precise date and place of recording remain unknown, are among the finest he released in the '70, which was an action-packed decade for him. [The vinyl edition is spread across two separate volumes.]
Superheaven – Jar [Reissue/2013] LP (Run For Cover)
Expanded tenth anniversary violet color vinyl pressing of the Superheaven’s breakthrough debut album. The eastern-Pennsylvania four piece had been building anticipation for their first full-length for years, releasing multiple EPs and playing shows with local contemporaries like Tigers Jaw and Balance and Composure. Working with producer Will Yip (Turnstile, Title Fight) at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, PA, these songs showcase a talent for writing both jarringly heavy and delicately emotional songs, mixed with the size and clarity of major label grunge breakthrough records like Nirvana's Nevermind or Failure's Fantastic Planet.
Weedeater – Sixteen Tons [Reissue/2002] LP (Season Of Mist)
Translucent green colorway housed in gatefold jacket. Following 2001's massive debut ...And Justice For Y'All, the crushing second full-length Sixteen Tons kept the buzz growing the following year, while critics were still struggling to put a tag on their sound. Nearly everybody agreed that stoner rock, doom, sludge, and some crusty elements were part of the mix, which the band simply calls "weed metal". Produced by renowned engineer Billy Anderson (Eyehategod, Neurosis).