New Releases - 5/14/21

Hitting The Racks

Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's

New Releases

The Black Keys – Delta Kream CD/2xLP (Nonesuch)

The Black Keys follow-up 2019's Let's Rock with their tenth studio album, Delta Kream. The record celebrates the band's roots, featuring eleven Mississippi hill country blues standards that they have loved since they were teenagers, before they were a band, including songs by R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, among others. The duo recorded Delta Kream at Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville; they were joined by musicians Kenny Brown and Eric Deaton, long-time members of the bands of blues legends including R. L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. The album takes its name from William Eggleston's iconic Mississippi photograph that is on its cover. The full circle Delta Kream release is a fitting tribute to these architects of hill country blues and further recognition of their enduring contributions to American music. [Limited-edition indie store exclusive smokey color vinyl.]

St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home CD/LP/Cassette (Loma Vista)

Daddy's Home, the sixth album from St. Vincent, is the latest facet of an ever-evolving artist regarded by many as the most consistently innovative and intriguing presence in modern music. Warm Wurlitzers and wit, glistening guitars and grit, with sleaze and style for days. Taking you from uptown to downtown with the artist who makes you expect the unexpected. "Daddy's Home collects stories of being down and out in downtown NYC," Clark notes. "Last night's heels on the morning train. Glamour that's been up for three days straight." The album was first teased in late 2020 when Clark completed an interview with Mojo. "I felt I had gone as far as I could possibly go with angularity," she said of the album's creation process, which she mentioned represents a "tectonic shift." She continued with: "I was interested in going back to the music I've listened to more than any other – Stevie Wonder records from the early ‘70s, Sly And The Family Stone. I studied at the feet of those masters."

Ryan Adams – Wednesdays LP (Pax Americana)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Ryan Adams' first album in three years, Wednesdays, is purely raw, vulnerable, and honest. The music takes you on a deep dive exploring the complex heart of Ryan Adams, through a journey of love, pain, and heartbreak. The album so effortlessly creates an immediate connection with anyone who has ever experienced love lost - the type of love that haunts you in quiet places of your mind. While the lyrics walk you through the vast emotional layers of grief, they also remind you of the rich memories of a love that will forever remain a part of you. [Includes bonus 7”]

Alostmen – Kologo LP (Strut)

Formed by Stevo Atambire and produced by Wanlov (Fok'n Bois) and Percy Yip Tong, Alostmen's music is based around the Frafra traditions of the kologo, a stringed lute, using traditional instrumentation in entirely new ways.

Armand Hammer & The Alchemist – Haram CD/2xLP (Backwoodz Studioz)

Haram is a mercurial collaboration between incendiary rap duo Armand Hammer, and living legend The Alchemist. With their unmatched penchant for stirring imagery and incisive storytelling, the two rappers dive into an ocean of Alchemist's creation: warmly inviting on the surface, black and bone-crushingly cold at depth. Haram is a collection of the profane and the pure; a reminder that that which is forbidden is also sacrosanct. [180-gram audiophile black vinyl.]

Balmorhea – Wind 2xLP (Deutsche Grammophon)

Copious creative influences run through Balmorhea's Deutsche Grammophon debut album. The Wind comprises a dozen tracks inspired by meditations on the natural world and its fragility, an ancient tale of a saint who carried the wind to an airless French valley, and thoughts of climate activist Greta Thunberg crossing the Atlantic on the catamaran La Vagabonde.

Benny The Butcher – The Plugs I Met 2 CDEP (Next)

Acting as the sequel to Benny's June 2019 EP The Plugs I Met, The Plugs I Met 2 continues the theme of using visuals from the 1983 crime film Scarface and, this time around, is entirely produced by Harry Fraud.

Phoebe Bridgers - Copycat Killer EP (Dead Oceans)

Copycat Killer is a 12" featuring 4 new versions of songs from Phoebe Bridgers’ wildly acclaimed Punisher album. The EP was first released as exclusive content for Rough Trade after being named one of their Top Albums of 2020. On May 14th, Phoebe Bridgers and Dead Oceans release Copycat Killer worldwide and for the first time on color vinyl. Due to the special nature of this release, orders are limited to one (1) per person/household. Available in the shop or in our webstore.

The Chills – Scatterbrain CD/LP (Fire)

Scatterbrain is the new studio album from the Dunedin (NZ) songsmiths The Chills helmed by the enigmatic Martin Phillipps. The project's seventh studio album overall is a glorious self-examination of Phillipps' songwriting hot on the heels of Snowbound (2018) and the critically acclaimed movie The Chills: The Triumph And Tragedy Of Martin Phillipps a year later. Scatterbrain is a thought-provoking and evocative take from a man who has lived through good times and bad. A mature and honest reflection on life, destiny and the fate of our times delivered in beautiful melodies with Phillipps' trademarked incisive turn of phrase. Viewed from the perspective of a man understanding his age and indeed his own mortality, the new album takes a mature look at matters arising with a side order of perspective. [Limited-edition indie store exclusive blue marble vinyl.]

The Coral – Coral Island 2xLP (Run On)

The wheels rattle into the thrilling unknown on The Coral's first new music since 2018, finding the unsurpassed, metamorphic gonzo-pop five-piece in the company of crooks, sell-by-date candyfloss and plastic skeletons. Single "Faceless Angel" precedes a new and vividly evocative body of work from the legendary Merseyside band in the form of their tenth and first, ever double-album: Coral Island. [Heavy weight green vinyl with gatefold sleeve.]

Current Joys – Voyager CD/LP+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)

Voyager, the seventh LP from Current Joys, rattles with the live-wire feeling that's thrummed through all of Rattigan's previous releases: quavering, scream-itself- hoarse vocals and self-interrogation via song. But here, that bristling, sentimental rock 'n' roll cacophony is overlaid with a soundtrack orchestra guiding it along. It's an odyssey, a grand-sounding journey of self-discovery spread across sixteen tracks. Part ekphrasis, part personal, it's Rattigan learning new ways to understand his own feelings and identity while inspired by the highly stylized, striking storytelling of filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Terrence Malick, Agnès Varda, and Andrei Tarkovsky. [Limited edition opaque purple vinyl.]

Riley Downing – Start It Over CD/LP (New West)

Riley Downing (The Deslondes) sat down one day and decided he wanted to record a song or two for a simple 45rpm vinyl release. The Deslondes had been on a hiatus for a while and Downing had the creative itch to put something down on record. He had been in contact with his bandmate, John James Tourville, and they decided to work on a split 7" with a friend. The recording session felt like a breath of fresh air and the communion of talented musicians produced more songs than expected. Downing left the session energized and continued to record and trade demo's with Tourville. Downing and Tourville decided that there were enough ideas to make an album. Start It Over is the result of that creative effort. An album where each song was crafted with a different idea in mind. Some of the songs are more nostalgic than others and some were just written for good ol' fashion fun. [Limited-edition ‘sea glass’ and turquoise color vinyl. All copies at Grimey’s are signed by Riley! Available in the shop or in the Grimey's webstore.]

Eminem – Music To Be Murdered By – Side B 4xLP (Aftermath)

Released last year on CD – now available on opaque grey color vinyl. 16 new tracks (13 tracks + 3 skits). Executive produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre, the deluxe album features Skylar Grey, DJ Premier, Ty Dolla $ign, Dr. Dre, Sly Pyper, MAJ and White Gold.

Evile – Hell Unleashed LP (Napalm)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Classic thrash metal with a contemporary yet hard-edged touch.

David Gray – Skellig CD (Laugh A Minute)

Skellig is the 12th studio album from singer/songwriter David Gray. The second LP to be produced by Ben de Vries, the thirteen-track album departs from the shimmering electronics of 2019's Gold In A Brass Age and embarks on a sparser, communal soundscape with the atmospheric songs centering themselves around six-part vocals with Gray trading his signature gravel for a softer tone. Recorded prior to the pandemic, the album sessions took place at Edwyn Collins' Helmsdale studio on the Sutherland coast, with de Vries and Gray finessing the mix throughout lockdown. [Vinyl is due 5/28.]

Juliana Hatfield – Blood CD/LP+MP3 (American Laundromat)

Blood is Juliana Hatfield's 19th solo studio album of originals, and a deep dive into the dark side. The album is a brutal and critical look at modern human psychology and behavior, at personal and societal sickness. "I think these songs are a reaction to how seriously and negatively a lot of people have been affected by the past four years," says Juliana. "But it's fun, musically. There's a lot of playing around. I didn't really have a plan when I started this project.” “Chunks” and “Had A Dream" are gritty and abrasive while "Mouthful Of Blood" and "Gorgon" are groovy and ultra-melodic. All of it is eminently hummable and thought-provoking. Sophisticated but catchy. Challenging but danceable. "I always love coming up with melodies and then trying to fit words into them-it's like doing a puzzle," says Juliana. "And I always find places to use the Mellotron flutes and strings, on every album, because those sounds are so beautiful to me. They are a nice counterpoint to the damaged lyrical content." [Limited-edition indie store exclusive black with blood red splatter vinyl.]

Harry Hudson – Hey, I’m Here For You 2xLP (Roc Nation)

Limited double blue and white marbled vinyl pressing. Harry Hudson is no stranger to defying expectations with his maturity, unwavering self-assurance and a refined worldliness most don't achieve until far later in life. At 20, the budding artist was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma, just as he was finding his footing. Immediately undergoing chemotherapy with the support of loved ones, he defeated the illness. Hey, I'm Here For You digs deeper into his psyche than ever before, according to Hudson.

Alan Jackson – Where Have You Gone CD (EMI Nashville)

New release from the country music icon. Where Have You Gone is Jackson’s first country release in over five years.

Damien Jurado – The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania CD/LP (Maraqopa)

On The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania, Damien Jurado gathers up ten stories of people determined not to be broken by their dire circumstances. The world is a liar, the stars are a must, he sings over brushed drums, a circling bassline, and acoustic guitar on “Helena”, which opens his 17th album, the first release from Damien's own Maraqopa Records. Dire circumstances have long been fixtures of Jurado's songs, which are filled with ghosts, killers, cruel lovers, and the occasional UFO cult or false messiah. But here, the scenes are earthy, drawn from ordinary but no less immense calamities: hurricanes moving toward town, strained connections, amnesiacs in the front yard.

Myles Kennedy – The Ides Of March CD (Napalm)

Iconic frontman and instrumentalist Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge, Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators) proves that tumultuous downtime can spark creative genius with The Ides Of March - the full-length follow up to his 2018 solo debut, Year Of The Tiger. The Ides Of March once again showcases the organic side of Kennedy's musical spectrum and one-of-a-kind voice, but while bright inclusions of lap steel and mandolin have replaced some of the pummeling kick drum and downtuned electric riffage his other renowned projects are known for. [Vinyl is available for special order.]

Nubiyan Twist – Freedom Fables LP (Strut)

Woven around soul searching, cautionary tales and parables for modern life, the Freedom Fables is the most accomplished yet by the Leeds/London collective, effortlessly fusing different soul, jazz and global styles with great musicianship and lyrics. [Limited edition green vinyl.]

The Pine Hill Haints – The Song Companion Of A Lonestar Cowboy CD/LP (Single Lock)

On the Pine Hill Haints' latest long player, The Song Companion Of A Lonestar Cowboy, they go there and to other colorful places on the Americana and Appalachian trail. Available in the shop and in the Grimey's webstore.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela – The Jazz EP 12” (ATO)

Limited color vinyl pressing. Three new covers from renowned guitar virtuosos Rodrigo Y Gabriela, following the Mettal EP (which took on Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer), The Jazz EP takes on Kamasi Washington, Snarky Puppy and Astor Piazolla.

The Shootouts – Bullseye CD/LP (The Shootouts)

The Shootouts mix supple Western swing with brash barroom country to A-plus results. Chuck Mead, a torchbearer for such vintage sounds, produced the group's new album Bullseye - it's a match made in honky-tonk heaven. [Limited-edition ‘rattlesnake swirled’ color vinyl.]

Sons Of Kemet – Black To The Future CD/2xLP (Impulse!)

Black To The Future finds the UK-based jazz quartet at their most dynamic - showcasing harmonically elegant arrangements and compositions, coupled with fierce, driving material that will be familiar to initiated fans. This album features prominent UK vocalists and a strong emphasis on lush compositions and arrangements. Guest artists include Kojey Radical, Moor Mother, and more.

The Steel Woods – All Of Your Stones CD/LP (Wood Music)

The Steel Woods co-founder and leading light Jason "Rowdy" Cope passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on January 16, 2021. The cause has yet to be determined. The autobiographical title track, written by Cope, lead singer Wes Bayliss and Jamey Johnson, is an inspirational song about harnessing negativity and creating something positive with it. The 42-year-old guitarist/songwriter/producer was loved by many. His superb playing can be heard on albums by such artists as The Secret Sisters, Lindi Ortega, The Oak Ridge Boys and Jamey Johnson, who he played with for nine years. The surviving members of The Steel Woods – Bayliss, bassist Johnny Stanton and drummer Isaac Senty – and Cope's family made the difficult decision to move forward with the band and release the album. Everyone who knew Cope knows that it is exactly what he would have wanted.

Andy Stott – Never The Right Time 2xLP (Modern Love)

In early 2020 - with a new album almost done and an offer to produce for a mainstream artist on the table - personal upheaval and a pandemic brought everything to a sudden standstill. Months of withdrawal eventually triggered a different approach. Recording hours of raw material; slow horns, sibilance, delayed drums, wondering flutes - whatever, whenever. With vocals recorded by Alison Skidmore, the album was finally completed late last year- taking on a different shape. Its songs desolate, melancholy, defiant, beautiful - often all at once. The sounds echoed music around Stott during those months: Prince, Gavin Bryars, A.R. Kane, Bohren & der Club of Gore, Robert Turman, Cindy Lee, Leila, Catherine Christer Hennix, Junior Boys, László Hortobágyi, Nídia, Prefab Sprout - the unusual / the familiar.

Three-Layer Cake – Stove Top CD/LP (RareNoise)

Bassist Mike Watt, drummer/percussionist Mike Pride and guitarist/banjoist Brandon Seabrook have all built their careers on kicking down the barriers between genres, so why would they let a little pandemic-induced isolation and geographic distance stand in their way? Convening for the first time as Three-Layer Cake, these three dizzyingly inventive artists bake up a long-distance set of singular, boundary-defying collaborations on their combustible debut, Stove Top. [Limited-edition green vinyl.]

Tokimonsta – Oasis Nocturno CD/2xLP (Young Art)

Over the last 10 years, Grammy-nominated producer/DJ Tokimonsta has made an indelible mark on electronic music, and on pop culture at large. Toki's journey gained global attention after having starred in Netflix series Explained. She was diagnosed with a rare, potentially fatal disease known as Moyamoya. After an astonishing recovery and monumental few years, her last critically acclaimed release, Lune Rouge, was nominated for a Grammy Award as 2019's Electronic Album of the Year.

Manuel Wilkins – Omega 2xLP (Blue Note)

After making a striking appearance on Joel Ross' KingMaker, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins delivers an expansive opus about the Black experience in America on his own debut album Omega, which was produced by Jason Moran and features a next-generation quartet with pianist Micah Thomas, bassist Daryl Johns, and drummer Kweku Sumbry.

Zombi – Liquid Crystal 12” (Relapse)

Limited blue color vinyl pressing. A five-track EP, Liquid Crystal sees Steve Moore and A.E. Paterra continue to explore the very melodic sensibilities, synthscapes, and driving rhythmic section that propelled the band upon the release of their latest critically acclaimed full-length, 2020.

Reissues, Compilations, Live Recordings & Vault Excavations...

Arcade Fire & Owen Pallett – Her (Original Score) LP (Milan)

Limited 180gm white color vinyl pressing in gatefold jacket. Composed by Grammy Award-winning band Arcade Fire and their long-time collaborator and bandmate Owen Pallett, the score for Spike Jonze s critically acclaimed 2013 film Her has never been released, until now. The film's lush, piano-driven soundtrack received a nomination for Best Original Score at the 2014 Academy Awards and is regarded as one of the best film soundtracks of the past decade.

Ray Charles ‎– Genius + Soul = Jazz [Reissue/1961] LP (Verve)

Ray Charles was best known for his work in the idioms of R&B, rock 'n' roll and even successful forays into country. But he also recorded influential jazz albums, including the groundbreaking Genius + Soul = Jazz originally released in 1961.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Déjà Vu [50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] LP+4xCD (Atlantic)

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Déjà Vu was the most-anticipated new album in America in 1970. More than 50 years later, it's one of the most famous albums in rock history with legendary songs, including "Carry On" and "Teach Your Children", that still resonate today. Atlantic Records honors the intense creative journey that led to this milestone album with an expansive vinyl LP+4xCD collection that includes a pristine version of the original album on both 180gm vinyl and CD, plus hours of rare and unreleased studio recordings that provide incredible insight into the making of the record.

Miles Davis With John Coltrane And Sonny Stitt ‎– In Stockholm 1960 Complete [Reissue/1992] 4xCD (Dragon)

Legendary rare live recordings from Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue era.

Dolores Diaz & The Standby Club – Live At O’Leaver’s LP (15 Passenger)

Dolores Diaz & The Standby Club is Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Corina Figueroa Escamilla, Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes), Roger Lewis (The Good Life), Matt Maginn (Cursive), Dan McCarthy (McCarthy Trenching), Ben Brodin, Phil Schaffart, and Jim Schroder. These are recordings taken from shows they performed in 2016 and 2018, at the Omaha pub owned by members of Cursive. The album is a collection of country covers by Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline.

The Gil Evans Orchestra ‎– Out Of The Cool [Reissue/1961] LP (Verve)

A classic big-band album and one of the first-ever releases on the Impulse! Label, this 1961 recording features a superb line-up including Jimmy Knepper on trombone, Ron Carter on bass and a fiery Elvin Jones on drums.

Roger Fakhr - Fine Anyway CD/LP (Habibi Funk)

Beautiful melange of original singer-songwriter compositions with touches of folk, jazz and soul, recorded in the late 1970s in Beirut, Lebanon and in Paris, where he briefly lived in exile. At the time of recording, Fakhr also played guitar for Fairouz, one of the most famous singers of the Arab world, and Ziad Rahbani.

Fleetwood Mac – Tusk [Reissue/1979] 2xLP (Rhino)

Fleetwood Mac's legendary album Tusk, originally released in October 1979, went on to sell four million copies worldwide and was certified Gold in Germany and France, Platinum in the UK, Netherlands and New Zealand and 2X Platinum in the US.

Mark Fry – Dreaming With Alice [Reissue/1972] CD (Now Again)

Mark Fry was 19 - recently graduated from high school and in Italy studying painting - when he walked barefooted into RCA's Italian subsidiary, played some songs he'd written on his guitar and was signed to record the album that would become legend. The first recordings he made proved stuff, so he was paired with members of the Scottish band Middle of the Road, who were in Rome while under contract to RCA Italiana. Convening in a basement home studio with two 4-track reel-to-reel recorders, Mark's visions coalesced in a dreamy, airy manner - Nick Drake meets Dr. Strangely Strange with a touch of Lewis Carroll The Word Magazine would later write. [Vinyl is available for special order.]

Steve Goodman – It Sure Looked Good On Paper: The Steve Goodman Demos CD/2xLP (Omnivore)

It Sure Looked Good On Paper: The Steve Goodman Demos presents an unparalleled look into Goodman's two decade career from a songwriting and an ‘in the studio' perspective, before the world lost him far too young. Luckily, the recordings of his thoughts and works in progress live on. From demos of the now classic "City Of New Orleans" and "You Never Even Call Me By My Name", to early versions of "The Auctioneer", written by Leroy Van Dyke and Buddy Black and the traditional, "The Water Is Wide", this collection finds Goodman artistically exploring. Also included are tracks written for film projects including "Face On The Cutting Room Floor" – written for the Steve Martin comedy Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, co-penned with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Jimmy Ibbotson, and later covered by that band, and "Six Pack", written for inclusion on the soundtrack for the 1980 Kurt Russell movie, Used Cars. Neither film submission made it to the final feature, but it's enticing to imagine a Kenny Rogers version of "Six Pack", as it was Rogers for whom this demo was intended.

Sarah Jarosz – Build Me Up From Bones [Reissue/2013] LP (Craft Recordings)

First released in 2013, Build Me Up From Bones finds the singer, songwriter and multi- instrumentalist exhibiting an assured and striking musical voice, proving the promise of her early acclaim. It features the title track, Grammy-nominated for Best American Roots Song, as well as covers of Joanna Newsom's “The Book Of Right-On” and Bob Dylan's “Simple Twist Of Fate” which reflect the breadth of Jarosz' evolving influences.

Byard Lancaster – My Pure Joy [Reissue/1992] LP (Strut)

From A Love Supreme to The Sex Machine! The personal musical mantra of the late Philadelphia reedman Byard Lancaster informed an open-minded and varied lifetime in jazz. [CD edition due May 28.]

Steve Miller – Live! Breaking Ground August 3, 1977 CD/2xLP (UMe)

Steve Miller has dug deep into his archives and found an unreleased, full-length concert recording. The album captures Miller's legendary 1977 lineup at the beginning of the band's turn from playing ballrooms and theatres to arenas and football stadiums. Recorded at the Capital Centre in Landover, MD on multi-track tape and newly mixed and mastered.

Morse/Portnoy/George – Cover 2 Cover [Reissue/2012] 2xLP+CD (Century Media)

Neal Morse (vocals, keyboard, guitar), Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals) and Randy George (bass, keyboards) are each widely acclaimed as progressive rock musicians in their own fields, but fans worldwide know that, together, they can always be relied upon to create a particular magic. On their Cover 2 Cover series, the trio has covered songs from such greats as, Paul McCartney, Cream, The Who, Jethro Tull, Steely Dan, and many more.

Mother Mother – Eureka [Reissue/2011] LP (Last Gang)

Eureka is the fourth record from seminal Canadian alt-rock band Mother Mother, who have experienced a resurgence in online attention based on a series of viral Tik Tok trends this past year. Eureka celebrates its 10-year anniversary and is available for the first time ever on translucent green vinyl.

Mother Trucker – Mother Trucker [Reissue/1974] LP (Sundazed)

Limited blue color vinyl pressing. Brazen guitar heavy all girl glam. A truckload of rootsy yet lumbering cuts with funk grooves and glammy swagger. Where do you find a funked out southern rock feel without any y chromosomes? The West London borough of Hounslow, of course. Billboard called them a 'women's lib rock group,' which fits as they were liberally liberating hooks while being proud of their sexuality.

Nebula – Nebula - Live In the Mojave Desert: Volume 2 LP (Giant Rock)

A livestream concert film series created deep in the deep sand and huge boulders of some insanely beautiful California wilderness, with performances from Earthless, Nebula, Spirit Mother, Mountain Tamer, and Stoner (a new band by Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri). Live In The Mojave Desert was inspired by Pink Floyd's Live At Pompeii.

Annette Peacock ‎– X-Dreams [Reissue/1978] CD/LP (Sundazed)

Limited color vinyl pressings. Assembling a crew of 22 musicians (including Mick Ronson on guitar and Bill Bruford on drums), Peacock delivers impassioned vocal performances alongside an improvisational jazz-rock fusion masterpiece of musicianship, almost all of which was recorded in one take on 1978’s X-Dreams.

Kenny Rogers – 21 Number Ones 2xLP (Capitol Nashville)

A collection of chart-topping hits that include his greatest duets, “Islands In The Stream” with Dolly Parton, “We've Got Tonight” with Sheena Easton, “Every Time Two Fools Collide”, “What Are We Doing In Love”, “All I Ever Need Is You” as well as “Lady” and many more.

Screamers – Screamers Demo Hollywood 1977 LP (Superior Viaduct)

These songs were recorded a few months after the Los Angeles punk scene began. These five statements of intent transcend Punk and project forward into the future: to the analog synth wave of the late '70s and beyond, to the present day, four decades later, when they finally receive an official release. Sourced from the original reel-to-reels, they are a revelation compared to the countless copies that have been circulating by multiple generations of tape-traders. Here, for the first time, is the Screamers' initial and legendary manifesto. The Screamers concept was simple, yet audacious: take the spirit and the look of Punk-the pseudo-psychotic aggression, the spiky hair, vacant stares and barely concealed sadomasochism-and match it to a different configuration than the typical '60s rock template.

Elliott Smith – Either/Or [Reissue/1997] LP+MP3 (Kill Rock Stars)

Vinyl reissue of the third studio album by singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Either/Or was recorded in several locations, mostly in Portland, Oregon - while Smith was still a member of Heatmiser - and was produced by Smith, Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf.

This Will Destroy You - Variations & Rarities: 2004-2019 Vol. I LP (Dark Operative)
This Will Destroy You - Variations & Rarities: 2004-2019 Vol. II LP (Dark Operative)

Vol. I features six selections of completely unheard material from roughly a three year period in the middle of the band's career. Whereas traditional rarity collections can feel like an archive dump, Vol. I has been meticulously crafted to flow seamlessly from beginning to end, communicating a long-form narrative that can only be experienced in full when listening to the piece in its entirety. The second installment focuses heavily on the Self-Titled era, giving all a previously unseen and unheard glimpse behind the curtain at some of the early stages and ideas for songs that ultimately became the band's most successful album to date.

Traffic ‎– Mr. Fantasy [Reissue/1967] LP (Island)
Traffic ‎– Traffic [Reissue/1968] LP (Island)
Traffic ‎– John Barleycorn Must Die [Reissue/1970] LP (Island)
Traffic ‎– The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys [Reissue/1971] LP (Island)
Traffic ‎– Shootout At The Fantasy Factory [Reissue/1973] LP (Island)
Traffic ‎– When The Eagle Flies [Reissue/1974] LP (Island)

180gm vinyl reissues. Traffic formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason. They began as a psychedelic rock group whose early singles were influenced by The Beatles and diversified their sound using instruments such as keyboards like the Mellotron, reed instruments, and by incorporating jazz and improvisational techniques in their music. After disbanding in 1969, during which time Winwood joined Blind Faith, Traffic reunited in 1970 to release the album John Barleycorn Must Die. The band's line-up varied from this point until they disbanded again in 1975, although a partial reunion, with Winwood and Capaldi, took place in 1994.

Keith Urban – The Speed Of Now Part 1 2xLP (Capitol Nashville)

Double vinyl pressing of the country superstar’s 2020 album.

Various Artists – Impulse Records: Music, Message And The Moment 2xCD/4xLP (Impulse!)

Celebrating 60 years of Impulse Records. Includes tracks by John Coltrane, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Oliver Nelson, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp and other legendary Impulse artists.

Various Artists – Sound Storing Machines CD/LP (Sublime Frequencies)

Sound Storing Machines gathers some of the first commercial recordings from Asia made in Japan in 1903 - Japanese gagaku, shakuhachi, shamisen, storytelling, folksong and more - collected and compiled by sound artist Robert Millis. This was the beginning of Japan's homegrown record industry, including a few sides taken from Japan's notorious bootleg 78rpm industry.

Will Orman