New Releases - 7/1/22
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
Automatic – Excess LP (Stones Throw)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl, including and indie store exclusive blue color pressing. Automatic's second album Excess rides the imaginary edge where the '70s underground met the corporate culture of the '80s - or, as the band puts it, "That fleeting moment when what was once cool quickly turned and became mainstream, all for the sake of consumerism." Using this point in time as a lens through which to view the present moment, Excess takes aim at corporate culture and extravagance. The overarching themes of alienation and escapism emerged as Automatic put Excess together, taking writing retreats to flesh out the new songs before decamping to the studio for sprint recording sessions with producer Joo Joo Ashworth (Sasami, FROTH).
Naima Bock – Giant Palm CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
The roots of Naima Bock's music are far reaching. Born in Glastonbury to a Brazilian father and a Greek mother, Naima spent her early childhood in Brazil before eventually returning to England and various homes in South-East London. This heritage combines with more recent pursuits in Naima's music; from the Brazilian standards that the family would listen to driving to the beach, to the European folk traditions she tapped into on her own, and the pursuits that interest her today – studies in archaeology, work as a gardener, and walking the world's great trails – Naima's music draws from family, the earth, and the handing down of music through generations. Naima's debut album Giant Palm is undoubtedly infused with the Brazilian music of her youth and regular family visits. She found inspiration in "the percussion, the melodies, chords - and particularly the poetic juxtaposition of tragedy and beauty held within the lyrics". [A limited-edition orange color vinyl pressing shipped late and will arrive next week.]
Chagall Guevara - Halcyon Days CD (Burnt Toast Vinyl)
On paper, Chagall Guevara were an absurd proposition: Start with five musicians in their mid 30s who were already years deep into reasonably profitable music careers. Have them junk those careers completely and cram into a van to play remote clubs in the American South, subsisting on convenience store snack and scraping together their per diems to pay the bills and buy the occasional cheap gift for their wives and children. Appoint an absentee manager, fire the staff of their record company, and have them try to break into the mainstream almost a year before “Smells Like Teen Spirit” made al rock the lingua franca of American Radio. Oh, and also: Give them a band name that no one can pronounce. On the other hand, absurdism was a crucial part of Chagall Guevara’s DNA. [the band] imagines Jonathan Swift writing for The Stooges, pairing razor-edged social satire with searing guitars in songs that pierce like poison-tipped arrows. At the time, the band was fond of saying that they were trying to play intelligent music like mindless fools. As frontman Steve Taylor wryly put it during a 1991 press conference at a festival in the UK: “We got the last part right, I think.” Critics took note: A glowing, three-and-a-half-star review in Rolling Stone raved, “Not since the Clash has a group so effectively turned militant discontent into passionate rock & roll.” And while the band didn’t scale the heights of rock stardom to which it seemed they were destined, what’s striking now, thirty years later, is how prescient the band seems. A Kickstarter campaign allowed the band to finish mixing their follow-up album of songs, Halcyon Days, with Matt Wallace (Faith No More). The fans demanded a follow-up and here it is! [Also released this week - a live recording from the vaults, from 1991, see below in 'reissues' section.]
Kit Downes/Petter Eldh/James Maddren – Vermillion LP (ECM)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Kit Downes joins forces with long-time collaborators Petter Eldh on bass and James Maddren on drums for a carefully assorted piano trio program that treads gentle lyricism and bold creative outbursts in equal measures. Replete with subtle twists and turns, the trio offers its idiosyncratic take on the piano trio format, producing unexpected harmonic alterations and animated rhythmic flashes as they flesh out distinct musical forms.
The Dream Syndicate – Ultraviolet Battle Hymns And True Confessions CD (Fire)
The brand-new album from The Dream Syndicate blends vintage Krautrock, Eno-like ambience, Neu-inspired rhythmic groove, and a Californian sunbaked sheen into their classic psychedelic, melodic, hue. The Dream Syndicate has moved well past their early Velvet Underground influences and taken on British glam, German prog, and more. [Vinyl edition – including an indie store exclusive translucent violet color pressing – due July 15.]
Charlie Gabriel – Eighty Nine CD (Sub Pop)
Charlie Gabriel's first professional gig dates to 1943, sitting in for his father in New Orleans' Eureka Brass Band. As a teenager living in Detroit, Charlie played with Lionel Hampton, whose band then included a young Charles Mingus, later spending nine years with a group led by Cab Calloway drummer J.C. Heard. While he's also fronted a bebop quintet, played and/or toured with Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet, Aretha Franklin and many more, this is the first time his name appears on the front of a record, as a bandleader. Since 2006, Gabriel has been a member of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Eighty Nine was different, and not simply due to a smaller ensemble. "We had no particular plan, or any particular insight on what we were gonna do. But we were enjoying what we were doing, jamming, having a musical conversation," Charlie says, further musing, "Musical conversations cancel out complications." Eighty Nine includes six standards and three newer pieces on which Gabriel is a writer [Vinyl edition due July 22.]
Grey Daze – The Phoenix CD/LP (Loma Vista)
Grey Daze, Chester Bennington's pre-Linkin Park band, releases the new album, The Phoenix, the follow-up to 2020's Amends, which featured newly recorded music with remastered vocals from the group's long out-of-print and largely undiscovered catalog. "Amends was more emotional and reflective," explains drummer and songwriter Sean Dowdell of the different mood and feel displayed on The Phoenix, which also sees contributions from Dave Navarro, Richard Patrick and Bennington's daughters, Lily and Lila Bennington. "We felt sad when we were writing it. Now that we're a couple of years removed, it's very clear what we were going through. We were at a different stage of grief. We went through the shock and the sadness. Now, we're back to gratitude. So, The Phoenix is more of a celebration of our friend, his talent, and the music. It captures Chester's angst and energy that people fell in love with. It's much more aggressive. If you love Chester's scream, you'll love this record." [Indie store exclusive grey vinyl.]
Guided By Voices – Tremblers And Goggles By Rank CD/LP (GBV Inc.)
You gotta feel for the unlucky bastard that must pen a one-sheet for the next GBV album. Yet, a living must be earned: “Tremblers And Goggles By Rank marks a new phase in Robert Pollard's songwriting evolution. His songs have always included non-traditional approaches to form and song structure, but with this album, he has pushed it further than ever. While the familiar Guided By Voices pop-craft and melodic virtuosity always occupies center stage, the first-time listener will never be able to predict what's coming next in a song.” [Our order shipped late and will be here early next week.]
Gwenno – Tresor CD/LP (Heavenly)
Tresor (Treasure), Gwenno Saunders's third full-length solo album, and the second almost entirely in Cornish (Kernewek). Written in St. Ives, Cornwall, just prior to the Covid lockdowns of 2020 and completed in Cardiff during the pandemic along with her producer and musical collaborator, Rhys Edwards, Tresor reveals an introspective focus on home and self, a prescient work echoing the isolation and retreat that has been a central, global shared experience over the past two years.
Hercules & Love Affair – In Amber CD/2xLP (Skint)
Ultimately, Hercules & Love Affair pull off the subversive hat trick of infusing pop-oriented electronics with a defiantly punk-rock spirit of rebellion and dogged resistance, creating an album loaded with humanity. And the remixes planned are going to be slaying the dancefloors. Includes collaborations with Anohni. [An indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is available for special order.]
Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 2xCD (Interscope)
Deluxe double-CD edition. Executive produced by Rick Rubin, Imagine Dragons present Mercury - Acts 1 & 2. Act 1, which includes the hits "Follow You", "Wrecked", and "Enemy", featuring JID. Act 2 features 18 additional songs including the new single, "Bones".
Island of Love - Songs of Love 7" (Third Man Records)
Third Man London's first signing are feedback-fuelled adolescents with a depth of songwriting unheard since Teenage Fanclub's formative 'Catholic Education', and late '80s Dinosaur Jr . So mind-bendingly good are the group that Third Man co-founder and owner Ben Swank presented an offer approximately thirty seconds after they played the opening weekend of Third Man's new London digs.No longer a bedroom project, the four-piece's first release with Third Man is the EP 'Songs of Love': twelve minutes of adrenaline, awashed with guitar distortion, Linus and Karim's dark harmonies and contemplative lyrics beyond their teenage years.
Larry McCray – Blues Without You LP (KTBA)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Poised to become a genre-shaping staple with the release of two major label albums in the ‘90s, rustbelt blues singer and guitarist Larry McCray proves he's been hiding in plain sight with the release of his first album in nearly seven years, Blues Without You. Produced by blues-rock titan Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith, the 12-track collection is released via Bonamassa's Keeping the Blues Alive Records (KTBA Records), and features performances by Bonamassa, Warren Haynes, Joanna Connor, and Reese Wynans.
Midland – The Last Resort: Greetings From LP (Big Machine)
Recently released on CD – now available on limited transparent green color vinyl pressing Midland likes their music straight-up. Hardcore country, the kind you find in forgotten bars in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas - wherever the neon's buzzing but not quite dead. The Grammy-nominated trio plots a resurgence of their thick harmonies, tart lyrics, and steel guitar with The Last Resort: Greetings From. Unfiltered, they want their country 120-proof. Whether it's a cheating song, a heartbreak ballad, or a shoot-out-the-lights romper, they savor the emotions gusto.
Momma – Household Name CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Following Momma's beloved 2020 LP Two Of Me, which introduced the world to the symbiotic writing style and profound creative intuition of founders Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten, the band's third studio album Household Name reveals an exciting new chapter marked by both personal and artistic growth. Mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Emily Lazar, the album is a tightly stitched collection that is magnetic and dynamic. [Limited edition red vinyl.]
Origami Angel – Somewhere City LP (Counter Intuitive)
Color vinyl pressing. Origami Angel (vocalist/guitarist Ryland Heagy and drummer Pat Doherty) have mapped out their Washington D.C. home base and hell, even the Hoenn region of the Pokémon universe - so let them be your guide through a green-tint utopia. They've even written their debut LP about it; an acrobatic, energetic panorama that promises more than simple travel tips. Somewhere City has no gods or masters (Somewhere City claims Philly producer Jake Checkoway, though). The real power, as with much of Gami's self-help dialogue, lies within. All who enter become better. Even you.
Savage Necromancy – Feathers Fall To Flames LP (20 Buck Spin)
The cruel sound and influences displayed on the Savage Necromancy debut album Feathers Fall To Flames is instantly familiar, and when done with such magisterial fervor and conquering fire become not occasion for admonishment but cause for debauched blood-soaked celebration. Tried and true bestial ferocity, profane mockery and spike-fisted black metal victory that leaves no cross unturned.
Shinedown – Planet Zero CD/2xLP (Atlantic)
Multi-platinum rock band Shinedown's seventh studio album Planet Zero serves up an incisive look at the issues at hand: cancel culture run rampant, the corrosive effects of social media on mental health and society, and the increasingly toxic division among those of differing ideologies. Featuring Shinedown's explosive yet artfully crafted sound and urgent lyrics, single "Planet Zero" rings the alarm on a dystopian warning of the dangerous consequences to come when it all goes too far, and we begin to lose our respect for those with differing opinions and our compassion for one another.
Σtella – Up And Away CD (Sub Pop)
Σtella makes her Sub Pop debut with the mesmerizing Up And Away, an old-school pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. From the Greek folk-inflected get-go, we're swept up in Σtella's world – and it's quite the captivating place to be. The singer-songwriter joined forces with artist and producer Tom Calvert (aka Redinho), and it was a match made in Athens; the results are heavenly. Σtella's songs have always riffed on American and Greek mid-century pop but Up And Away doubles down on the vintage aesthetic. Past releases have been studded with gem-like vignettes – a diverse array of stories set tightly together to form non-linear narratives unified by emotion. Her latest feels singular in that it seems to trace a longer-form tale across songs, with each track escalating the record's erotic arc. [Vinyl edition due July 8.]
Teddy & The Rough Riders - Teddy & The Rough Riders LP/CD (Appalachia Record Co.)
Weaving elements of Flying Burrito Bros, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Dave Edmunds/ Rockpile and The Band, these beloved Nashville native country rockers release their debut studio LP. Produced by independent country artist, Margo Price, featuring her on backup vocals along with appearances by husband and fellow recording artist, Jeremy Ivey, as well as long time sidemen like Third Man artist Luke Schneider on searing hot country steel. T&RR’s self titled album comes after a handful of DIY releases and 7”s from Third Man Records.
Tedeschi Trucks Band – I Am The Moon: II. Ascension CD (Fantasy)
The fifth studio project from the Tedeschi Trucks Band is the most ambitious and, at the same time, intimate record that America's best rock 'n' roll big band has ever made: a genuinely epic undertaking in four episodes and 24 songs inspired by classical literature but emotionally driven by the immediate drama, isolation and mourning of the pandemic era.
TV Priest – My Other People CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
My Other People intentionally maintains a strong sense of earth-rooted emotion, taking full advantage of the opportunity to physically connect. Using "Saintless" (the closing song from Uppers) as something of a starting point, Charlie Drinkwater set about crafting lyrics that allowed him to articulate a deeper sense of personal truth, using music as a vessel to communicate with his bandmates about his depleting mental health. My Other People relies on the band's tight-knit working method, with Nic Bueth once again at the self-producing helm. Following their own intuition as part of a "feverish" writing process, they looked inwards for inspiration rather than attempting to ape any sonic heroes, ending up with something that feels much more like affirmingly widescreen alt-rock than it does post-punk. [Limited-edition pink color ‘Loser edition’ vinyl.]
Oded Tzur – Isabela CD (ECM)
On his second release for ECM, New York-based saxophonist Oded Tzur introduces a heightened sense of urgency and a conceptually augmented approach to his distinctive voice, weaving one underlying musical idea through a series of elaborate and impassioned designs. Throughout Isabela, Oded and his collaborators apply their subtle dialect in a more intense space, exploring the nuances and colors of his self-fashioned raga in a suite-like sequence of quiet meditations and powerful exclamations.
Reissues & From The Archives
Arrow – Hot Hot Hot – The Best Of Arrow CD/LP (BMG)
No one has brought it better than Arrow!. Famous for his hit single "Hot Hot Hot", the artist was at the center of the beating heart of Soca Music and managed to single handedly bring the unmistakable Calypso rhythm to the mainstream. Hot Hot Hot: The Very Best Of Arrow offers up 2022 remastered editions of ten of Arrow's most recognizable tracks, including: "Hot Hot Hot", "Gimme Gimme", and "Don't Touch My Tempo", among many more. [A limited color vinyl pressing is available.]
Jorge Ben – Samba Esquema Novo [Reissue/1963] LP (Philips)
Limited clear vinyl pressing. First released in 1963 on Phillips Records, this was Jorge Ben's debut album. Samba Esquema Novo ("New Style Samba") deliberately sets a new standard in Brazilian music. A beautiful, fresh, and vital combination of Ben's percussive guitar and smooth/rough voice backed by big band style horns, percussion (the great Dom Um Romao), and strings. In 2007, it was listed by Rolling Stone Brazil as one of the 100 best Brazilian albums in history.
Chagall Guevara - The Last Amen CD/LP (Burnt Toast Vinyl)
Chagall Guevara's 1991 self-titled debut can still be heard wherever fine music is streamed. But their live show is a fading memory for those who saw them back-in-the-day performing in clubs, a handful of music festivals, and as the opening act for Squeeze on their U.K. tour. On November 15th of 1991, at the height of the band's musical powers, Chagall Guevara's live show was recorded to 24 tracks of analog splendor in front of a very rowdy hometown crowd at Nashville's legendary 328 Performance Hall. With the band's full cooperation, it has now been lovingly mixed by Russ Long, who began his illustrious career as a recording engineer and producer by mixing Chagall Guevara's live shows. That live album, now entitled The Last Amen, is finally ready to be heard.
Faster Pussycat – Whipped! [Reissue/1992] LP (Real Gone Music)
Any band that names itself after a Russ Meyer film has a reputation to uphold. And with tracks like "Big Dictionary" (get it?), the fourth track on their 1992 album Whipped!, Faster Pussycat did just that, along with other blasts of Sunset Strip braggadocio. Clear vinyl pressing.
Fleet Foxes – A Very Lonely Solstice CD/LP+MP3 (ANTI-)
Robin Pecknold brings light to the bleakest of winters with Fleet Foxes' A Very Lonely Solstice, a 13-track career spanning collection recorded in December 2020, at Brooklyn, NY's St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church. Now being released for the first time on CD and vinyl, A Very Lonely Solstice captures a poignant moment in time. The recording was originally broadcasted as a live-stream event on the winter solstice of 2020, just days after New York declared a state of emergency tightening restrictions again in response to increasing COVID-19 cases. Pecknold describes the set as "me by myself on the longest night of the year...honoring the loneliness of 2020 with a nylon string and some songs new and old." [Indie store exclusive clear vinyl.]
Jethro Tull – Aqualung – The 2011 Steven Wilson Stereo Remix LP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Generally considered the pinnacle of the band’s recorded output, frontman Ian Anderson’s songwriting was quickly evolving from British folk-blues roots and helping define prog-rock. While pushing the envelope for the era in taking about God and organized religion, it was guitarist Martin Barre who was establishing equal ground with Anderson’s flute as an instrumental voice of the band. Joining Tull after Toni Iommi (Black Sabbath) who himself had replaced original guitarist Mick Abrahams (Blodwyn Pig, Mick Abrahams Band) departed after only a few days, both Barre’s opening riffs and lead breaks became indelibly imprinted to generations of classic rock.
The Judds – Love Can Build A Bridge: Best Of The Judds CD/LP (Curb)
2022 collection from the award-winning country music mother-daughter duo. Love Can Build A Bridge features ten classic including "(Grandpa) Tell Me 'bout the Good Ol' Days". "Mama, He's Crazy", "Young Love", and more.
Lissie – Watch Over Me (Early Works 2002-2009) LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Yellow color vinyl pressing. Watch Over Me (Early Works 2002 - 2009) is collection of previously unreleased songs from Lissie's archives which chronicle formative moments from the early years of her career until the release of her iconic debut album Catching A Tiger.
Liza Minnelli – Live In New York 1979 CD/2xLP (Real Gone Music)
Live archive release. When the Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winning superstar (and future Grammy Legend) took the stage at the legendary Carnegie Hall on September 4, 1979, the concert was already a hotly anticipated event. It would be the first of eleven consecutive shows through September 14th - the longest run in the Hall's history. includes the stunning original cover art by Andy Warhol. The insert has new introductions by both Ms. Minnelli and Great American Songbook champion Michael Feinstein, both of whom served as executive producers for this release, plus photos of the artist and liner notes from reissue producers Joe Marchese and Charles L. Granata. [A limited-edition red color vinyl pressing is available.]
Mötley Crüe – Too Fast For Love [Reissue/1981] CD (BMG)
Mötley Crüe – Shout At The Devil [Reissue/1983] CD (BMG)
Mötley Crüe – Theatre Of Pain [Reissue/1985] CD (BMG)
Mötley Crüe – Girls, Girls, Girls [Reissue/1987] CD (BMG)
Mötley Crüe – Dr. Feelgood [Reissue/1989] CD (BMG)
Digitally remastered editions of the Los Angeles metal band’s first five albums. [Vinyl reissues due July 22.]
Roxy Music – Flesh And Blood [Reissue/1980] LP (Republic)
Roxy Music – Avalon [Reissue/1982] LP (Republic)
Half-speed remastered vinyl reissues the influential art/glam rock band’s final two albums.
Seether – Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum [Reissue/2020] 2xCD (Fantasy)
Digitally remastered and expanded double-CD edition. Produced by Shaun Morgan and engineered/mixed by Matt Hyde (Deftones, AFI), Seether's album Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum was recorded in Nashville over two months in December 2019 and January 2020. The album has been expanded to include all 21 songs recorded during the SVPPB session along with the alternate version of "Wasteland."
Terror – BBC Sessions LP (Velocity)
With almost 20 years of unwavering dedication behind them, hardcore legends Terror finally release The BBC Sessions. This collection of songs was recorded in 2005 and features the band's iconic lineup.
Doris Troy - Just One Look LP (Real Gone Music)
Limited emerald green vinyl LP pressing. The late Doris Troy was one of America's great female soul singers. Discovered by James Brown while working as an usherette at the Apollo Theater, Doris became a founding member of The Sweet Inspirations along with Cissy Houston and Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick, was signed by the Beatles to their Apple record label, and sang back-up with Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon), the Rolling Stones ("You Can't Always Get What You Want"), Carly Simon ("You're So Vain"), and on many other legendary recordings. She was also unusual among her contemporaries in being an accomplished songwriter; it was Doris (under the name "Doris Payne") that wrote the all-time classic "Just One Look" along with seven other tunes - including the British hit "What'cha Gonna Do About It" - on this, her debut LP on Atlantic from 1963. Produced by the legendary Artie Ripp, Just One Look has somehow escaped vinyl reissue till now.
Various Artists – Minions: The Rise Of Gru Soundtrack CD/2xLP (Decca)
Set in the 1970s, Minions: The Rise Of Gru tells the origin story of how Gru (Oscar nominee Steve Carell), the world's greatest supervillain, first met his iconic Minions, forged cinema's most despicable crew and faced off against the most unstoppable criminal force ever assembled. The funk-fueled soundtrack features a star-studded line-up. Following the recent release of her 2021 hit album Thank You, Diana Ross ft. Tame Impala leads the way with the joyous, dance-inducing first single "Turn Up The Sunshine". The soundtrack celebrates a range of dazzling funk, disco and soul classics with brand-new versions of some of the biggest hits of the 1970s from some of today's hottest talent. From St. Vincent's new take on Lipps Inc's 1979 hit "Funkytown" and H.E.R.'s rendition of Sly and The Family Stone's 1967 smash "Dance To The Music", to Bleachers version of John Lennon's 1970 track "Instant Karma!" and Phoebe Bridgers' interpretation of The Carpenters' 1972 single "Goodbye To Love", every track has been reimagined by each artist with ingenious results. [Indie store exclusive picture disc vinyl.]
Various Artists – Soul Jazz Record Presents: Studio One Women Vol. 2 CD/2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Soul Jazz Records follows up one it's most popular Studio One releases with a selection of rare and classic releases by women in reggae. Featuring legendary artists such as Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley and Hortense Ellis, alongside a host of rarities from lesser-known names such as Nina Soul, Nana McLean, Denise Darlington, Myrna Hague and also Doreen Schaeffer, a vocalist who was a founding member of The Skatalites.