New Releases - 8/28/20
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
Ruston Kelly - Shape & Destroy CD/LP (Rounder)
With his sophomore album, Shape & Destroy, Nashville-based artist Ruston Kelly documents his experience in maintaining sobriety, and finally facing the demons that led him to drug abuse in the first place. But while Kelly recounts that journey with an unvarnished honesty, his grace and conviction as an artist ultimately turn Shape & Destroy into a work of unlikely transcendence. Kelly says, "Making this record definitely taught me that I don't want to be selfish: I want to channel something larger than myself and give myself to the process as fully as possible, because these songs also become the story of whoever hears them. Whatever someone might get out of listening to this record and hearing me express myself in this way, it's completely theirs." Features guest contributions from Kacey Musgraves, Gena Johnson and Abby Kelly.
Molly Tuttle - but I'd rather be with you CD/LP (Compass)
In March 2020, Nashville-based artist Molly Tuttle experienced the devastating tornado that tore through much of East Nashville, followed by the global pandemic. Tuttle, who grew up in California and has toured as a solo artist for years, suddenly found herself - along with the rest of the musician community - sheltering at home. She found solace in revisiting favorite songs in an attempt to "remind myself why I love music." She conceptualized an idea for a record with renowned L.A. producer Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, Andrew Bird) to be recorded over 2,000 miles apart. Tuttle taught herself how to use Pro Tools, recorded and engineered all of her parts alone at home before sending them to Berg in Los Angeles, who enlisted legendary session musicians to add instrumentation in their respective home studios. The result is 10 tracks that cross the musical spectrum and the decades, from FKA Twigs to Cat Stevens, from Rancid to Karen Dalton. Limited indie store exclusive vinyl pressing.
Angel Olsen - Whole New Mess CD/LP+MP3 (Jagjaguwar)
An intimate and vulnerable emotional portrait that shows her grappling with a period of personal tumult, Whole New Mess presents Angel Olsen working through her open wounds and raw nerves with just a few guitars and some microphones, isolated in a century-old church in the Pacific Northwest. It follows All Mirrors, Olsen's grand 2019 masterpiece (and a top 10 critically acclaimed record). At least 9 of the 11 songs should sound familiar to anyone who has heard All Mirrors. "Lark," "Summer," "Chance" - they're all here, at least in some skeletal form and with slightly different titles. But these are not the demos for All Mirrors. Instead, Whole New Mess is its own record with its own immovable mood. [Limited clear smoke tranluscent vinyl pressing.]
Ambrose Akinmusire - on the tender spot of every calloused moment LP (Blue Note)
Ambrose Akinmusire follows his acclaimed, genre-busting 2018 manifesto, Origami Harvest, with another visionary statement on his new album on the tender spot of every calloused moment. The trumpeter examines blackness on an uncompromising set of modern jazz laced with a heavy blues feeling. The album presents 11 new compositions by Akinmusire, featuring his quartet - pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan, drummer Justin Brown - with guest vocals from Genevieve Artadi and Jesus Diaz.
The Allman Betts Band - Bless Your Heart CD (BMG)
If Down To The River was the sound of The Allman Betts Band's combustible sparks igniting, then Bless Your Heart is their bonfire, built for the summer of 2020 and beyond; a double-album follow-up fueled by road-forged camaraderie and telepathic musical intensity, vibrantly reflecting the individual and collective experiences of these seven, all drawing inspiration from the band's symbolic hometown - a place Devon Allman calls "the United States of Americana." A conflagration of influences and invention, confidence and ambition, Bless Your Heart captures a vast, panoramic scope throughout a baker's dozen of modern rock. Ragged and stomping. Heady and frayed. Soaring and scorching. Generational and genteel. West Coast scenes and Gulf Coast shores. Gateways of the Midwest and swamplands of Florida. Wyoming's Big Sky. New York's Big Apple. Chicago's Broad Shoulders. [Vinyl edition due October 9.]
The Avett Brothers - The Third Gleam CD (Loma Vista)
Grammy Award-nominees The Avett Brothers release the highly-anticipated third installment in their ongoing Gleam series. The Third Gleam marks a return to The Avett Brothers' roots, both sonically and in form with Seth and Scott Avett playing as a trio with longtime bassist Bob Crawford, and follows in the band's tradition of sharing what's on their minds and in their hearts as their lives, and the world around them, continue to evolve. Seth and Scott express that while The Third Gleam was recorded ahead of the pandemic and social reform movements that have swept the nation, the new music captures their personal experiences and perspectives on themes that are undeniably universal and timely. Throughout the eight-song collection, the band delves into isolation, incarceration, and injustice, as well as resilience, redemption, and love, offering a gleam of hope in a dark and uncertain time. [Vinyl due 9/14]
Mandy Barnett - A Nashville Songbook LP (BMG)
Released last week on CD - now available on vinyl. Mandy Barnett has been called "a song's best friend" and she demonstrates why with the on A Nashville Songbook, a multi-genre, multi-generational celebration of songs that made Nashville famous. Here she performs songs originally recorded by artists as diverse as Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, Elvis, Tammy Wynette, Hank Williams, The Everly Brothers, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, and more - including Meghan Trainor.
Alan Braufman - The Fire Still Burns CD/LP (Valley Of Search)
45 years after his debut album Valley Of Search (1975), jazz saxophonist Alan Braufman returns. The Fire Still Burns has that gritty, forthright sensibility we hope to hear in sonic collaborations borne out of beauty and struggle, but there's a populist ease that comes with age and reflection. Put simply, it is natural music - complementary, individual, and full of the sweet, hot taste of celebration.
John Carpenter - Skeleton b/w Unclean Spirit 12" (Sacred Bones)
Blood red colored vinyl.Legendary composer/director John Carpenter has returned with his first non- soundtrack music since 2016's Lost Themes II. Collaborating again with son Cody Carpenter and godson Daniel Davies, his bandmates and co-composers for the David Gordon Green-directed Halloween films, Carpenter is sharing the propulsive new single "Skeleton" and its B-side, the haunting "Unclean Spirit".
Erica Case - Top Bitch LP (self-released)
Erica Case is a Nashville native, singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and self proclaimed rockstar who skirted the local punk scene in 2012 with her debut EP Gimme Some. Eight years later she reemerged with an all new 10 song LP unapologetically titled Top Bitch. It includes intricate tracks with styles ranging from the sounds of Tammy Wynette to Joan Jett with a little sad girl folk in between.
Disclosure - Energy CD/2xLP (Capitol)
Grammy and Mercury Music Prize-nominated U.K. duo Disclosure (brothers Guy & Howard Lawrence) release their third album, Energy, featuring a global spectrum of talented artists including, for the first time, rappers. Appearances from Mick Jenkins, ChannelTres, Aminé and slowthai sit comfortably alongside the legend that is Common. Other features include the inimitable Kelis, who opens the album, and Fatoumata Diawara, who the boys have also linked up with previously. Cameroon's Blick Bassy brings his own flow to the table while a powerhouse team of Kehlani and Syd ease the pace with their contribution.Through an epic process of creation and distillation the path to producing their shortest, most direct album - 11 songs, 39 minutes - ran through around 200 tracks: everything from drum loops to fully realized songs.
The Empty Hearts - The Second Album CD/LP (Wicked Cool)
Even though The Empty Hearts band features members of Blondie, The Cars, Chesterfield Kings and The Romantics - as well as being christened by Little Steven Van Zandt from his super-secret list of unused band names - this is no cynically constructed super group. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Clem Burke, two-time Grammy nominated guitarist Elliot Easton, bassist Andy Babiuk and lead singer/rhythm guitarist Wally Palmar have parlayed a combined lifetime of rock 'n' roll into The Second Album, a sterling collection of influences that include '50s American roots rock 'n' roll, '60s British Invasion and '70s garage-punk that is anything but retro, rather a refreshing return to core musical values. Single "Remember Days Like These" features Ringo Starr on drums.
Tigran Hamasyan - The Call Within LP (Nonesuch)
The fourth recording from pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan. The album takes inspiration from Hamasyan's interest in maps from different eras, along with poetry, Christian and pre-Christian Armenian folk stories and legends, astrology, geometry, ancient Armenian design, rock carvings, and cinematography - blurring lines between historic reality and the imaginary world. It comprises ten original compositions and features Evan Marien on electric bass and Arthur Hnatek on drums, along with special guests Tosin Abasi on the Armenian prog tune "Vortէx" and Areni Agbabian and Artyom Manukyan on "Our Film".
Bettye LaVette - Blackbirds CD/LP (Verve)
Blackbirds, whose release will coincide with Bettye LaVette's induction into the Blues Music Hall of Fame, represents another step in the 5x Grammy-nominated vocalist's artistic evolution. Working again with Things Have Changed producer Steve Jordan, who also plays drums, and a group of celebrated musicians (Smokey Hormel on guitar, Monty Croft on vibes, bassist Tom Barney and veteran keyboardist Leon Pendarvis), LaVette delivers impassioned readings of songs associated with African American female vocalists of the 1950s.In curating the songs for Blackbirds, LaVette has established a dialogue with the great women who preceded her while reaffirming herself as a vital, living presence.
Donna Missal - Lighter LP (Harvest)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. "True to its title, Lighter is full of high-intensity moments primed for a stadium crowd to whip out phones. It's a raw break-up record, from the sparse desperation of rock ballads like 'Carefully', to the vulnerable vibrato of folk song 'Bloom'. Missal's deep husk of a voice is an immense instrument, and while she does a lot of belting, it's at its most impactful when she shows a spectrum of restraint and power within one song, as she does on the smoldering 'Just Like You', and the acoustic guitar-peppered opener 'How Does It Feel?' (the latter feels made for summer movie credits)." - The Guardian
Brenda Nicole Moorer - Marrow CD (Atlanta Records)
In her latest musical endeavor, a collaborative concept jazz record entitled MARROW, - the Atlanta based artist dreams up a sound fusion of eclectic melodies and piano, with elements of jazz, folk, and chamber. Amidst its eccentric textures and intricate rhythms, MARROW finds Moorer achieving profound complexity in her lyrics, expounding on the purpose of life, ultimately creating music that inspires the soul. The album is co-written with pianist Kenny Banks Jr and guitarist Trevor Wolford, produced by London based Troy Miller (Gregory Porter, Jacob Collier, Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum).
Bob Moses - Desire LP (Domino Recording Co.)
Bob Moses have written a concept record for the club. Presented over six continuously mixed tracks, it's a love tale for the digital age: all about the positives and pitfalls of humanity's driving wants, especially in these technology-driven times.
Jason Mraz - Looking For The Good 2xLP (BMG)
Jason Mraz's new album begins and ends with the same phrase: "look for the good." Those four words are not just a lyric or the title of his seventh studio album, but also an all-encompassing world philosophy for the musician, who believes that in dark and challenging times we should search for something positive. While the songs on Look For The Good harken back to Mraz's formative releases, including his 2002 debut Waiting For My Rocket To Come and 2005's Mr. A-Z, the album looks forward, hinting at a musician who isn't bound by genre or expectation.
My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall II CD/LP (ATO
The Waterfall II completes The Waterfall, My Morning Jacket's acclaimed 2015 record. Originally intended to be a sprawling triple album, the band were advised to hold back and keep some of it on the shelf. Frontman Jim James says, "this is simply the second half of a long snapshot of life for me as a writer in the years leading up to 2014, and the life of us as a band as we lived and worked in and around Stinson Beach, CA during these recording sessions." [Limited clear vinyl pressing and limited 180gm orange and green colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Narrow Head - 12th House Rock LP (Run For Cover)
The Houston-based band's latest entry is the distillation of the greatest moments in '90s alternative and hard rock with a fresh set of ears, thirteen tracks of their signature brand of bludgeoning lullabies bursting at the seams with creative ideas, new directions and yes, massive, monolithic riffs.
Necrot - Mortal CD/LP (Tankcrimes)
Bay Area death metal/punk trio Necrot deliver their long-anticipated second full-length, Mortal. Recorded by Grammy award winning engineer Greg Wilkinson (High On Fire, Autopsy) and mastered by Alan Douches (Cannibal Corpse, Cattle Decapitation, Mastodon) at West West Side, the follow-up to the band's critically adored Blood Offerings is at once earth rupturing and memorable, spewing forth seven tracks of meticulously executed vile and maniacal death metal supremacy. Easily their most precise performance to date, Mortal foams at its mouth with Chad Gailey's destructive rhythms, Sonny Reinhardt's intricate guitar leads, and the guttural domination of vocalist/bassist Luca Indrio.
Needtobreathe - Out Of Body CD/LP (Elektra)
Seventh album from the Knoxville-based Christian rock band ushers in a new era for the platinum-certified band. Now a trio with the departure of member Bo Rinehart, Needtobreathe deliver a fun, experimental and even danceable new record. On Out of Body, the platinum-certified trio-Bear Rinehart [vocals, guitar], Seth Bolt [bass, vocals], and Josh Lovelace [keys, vocals]-examine life, family, and friends through a youthful prism. The guys take stock of not only two decades as a band, but also first-time fatherhood and the future over a rich soundtrack of soulful rock with stadium-size scope and poetic intimacy. After spending a week at a beach house in Charleston to gather thoughts and ideas, the trio headed to Nashville, to record alongside producers Cason Cooley and Jeremy Lutito. As they cultivated a team atmosphere, the songs organically came to life.
Zephaniah OHora - Listening To The Music CD/LP (Last Roundup)
Zephaniah OHora is a New York City-based singer-songwriter and a pillar of the burgeoning NYC Country-Western music community. Zephaniah has received praise from publications such as Wide Open Country and American Songwriter who wrote, "Channeling the country icons of decades past is something of a trend these days, but only a handful of artists are able to pull off such homage without devolving into mimicry. Brooklyn's OHora is one of those artists."
Ondara - Folk N' Roll Vol. 1: Tales Of Isolation CD (Verve Forecast)
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter J.S. Ondara, now mononymously known as Ondara, releases Folk N' Roll Vol 1: Tales Of Isolation, a new collection of songs written in direct response to the current global pandemic. The album was composed and produced by Ondara while in lockdown in Minneapolis over the course of a week, and came out of Ondara's deep need to create as a form of therapy during this incredibly uncertain time. "As I'm sure it has for all of us, I found the period of isolation to be wearing down the equilibrium of my sanity," Ondara says. "After being stuck in a mental rut for four weeks, I woke up one morning and spent three days writing these songs and three more days recording them in a friend's living room in Minneapolis. It was a kind of vomit of words and melodies, compulsive and without any control or forethought. I wasn't trying to make a record, I wasn't trying to do anything really; I was only trying to provide myself with some kind of therapy, a desperate attempt at preserving my sanity. They are stories about the ramifications of a whole population isolating; about the personal, political and economic scars that will linger for the rest of our lives long after we have found our way past this." [Vinyl edition due September 18.]
Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Sound LP (Smalltown Supersound)
Kelly Lee Owens' masterful second album Inner Song finds the convention-blurring techno producer and singer/songwriter diving deep into her own psyche-excoriating the struggles she's faced since the release of her breakout 2017 self-titled debut and exploring personal pain while embracing the beauty of the natural world.
Palm Haze - Reve Bleu LP (YHS Records)
Following their debut "Tangy Dream," Palm Haze's "Rêve Bleu" is another story told by the unconscious. A different kind of dream, but with a similar energy curve. While "Tangy Dream" feels very tangible and achievable, "Rêve Bleu" will bring up chaotic emotions and thoughts, taking you much further from reality and closer to the wonders of uncertainty. Where could you go? What could you do? It's a fantasy you fall on accidentally, revealing risky and forbidden paths. It's the kind of dream you're afraid of, but also tempted to.
Katy Perry - Smile CD/LP (Capitol)
Colorful pop princess Katy Perry follows-up 2017's Witness with the new studio album, Smile which she describes as "finding the light at the end of the tunnel" and her "journey towards the light, with stories of resilience, hope, and love." The playful cover art perfectly aligns with Perry's flair for costumes and eye-catching covers and features the pop singer as a dispirited clown, sporting a red nose. Perry has released a number of singles to roll out Smile including the Gold-certified "Never Really Over", the earworm "Harleys In Hawaii", atmospheric ballad "Daises" and the infectious title track which all but affirm Billboard's assertion that "the Katy Perry Renaissance is here, undeniably and spectacularly. Perry is making her most exciting music in years, and within the span of a few months, she has completely shifted expectations for her next project among pop junkies." [Limited white colored vinyl pressing.]
Pig Destroyer - The Octagonal Stairway CDEP/12" (Relapse)
Pig Destroyer return with a new EP. A blistering dose of grindcore, harsh noise, and industrial swagger, The Octagonal Stairway features six new tracks from the legendary band, B-side noise tracks, and a special appearance from Igor Cavalera. [Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.]
Gregory Porter - All Rise CD/2xLP/3xLP (Blue Note)
Gregory Porter, the world's best-selling contemporary jazz/soul artist, releases his sixth studio album, All Rise. The record marks a return to Porter's beloved original songwriting - heart-on-sleeve lyrics imbued with everyday philosophy and real-life detail, set to a stirring mix of jazz, soul, blues and gospel. Produced by Troy Miller (Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum, Emili Sande), the set also represents the evolution of Porter's art to something even more emphatic, emotive, intimate, and universal too. After 2017's Nat King Cole & Me, Porter knew two things: one, he'd bring in an orchestra for his next LP, and two, the music is medicine. In the spirit of that latter revelation, All Rise brims with songs about irrepressible love, plus a little protest, because the road to healing is bumpy. [The deluxe colored vinyl triple-LP and deluxe CD editions include the two bonus tracks, "Real Truth" and "You Can Join My Band", plus alternate cover art.]
Private World - Aleph CD/LP (Dais)
In a sense, the songs that comprise Aleph are soothing vehicles that dart about pop history, stopping at touchpoints throughout the '80s to borrow from jazz-tinged synth, ambient music, and even cinéma vérité.Yes, the album's sounds work back to the masters of synth-pop but the actual journey bounds forward with vivid personality and contemporary control. [Limited transparent purple colored vinyl pressing.]
PVRIS - Use Me CD/LP (WB)
PVRIS deliver their highly-anticipated third studio album Use Me. On the new record, frontwoman, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer Lynn Gunn steps into a new chapter, as she owns her role as PVRIS' leader and sole architect. The result is 11 pop conjurations of glitchy beat-craft, airy guitars, and spell-binding vocals. Lynn explains that lead single "Dead Weight" is "about being a people pleaser, holding others up and never asking for anything back. Quite often that can being taken advantage of and can be hard to say/set boundaries, this feels amplified especially as a woman. This song is about stepping into my power as a woman, shedding old skin and taking nurturing/caretaker feminine nature and turning it into a super power." That newfound sense of freedom lies at the core of Use Me. [Limited indie store exclusive vinyl pressing.]
Bobby Rush - Rawer Than Raw CD/LP (Deep Rush)
Bobby Rush pays homage to the great bluesmen from Mississippi on his 27th studio album, Rawer Than Raw. This is Rush, stripped down - just his guitar, harmonica, singing, and foot tapping. There's a song from Skip James, Robert Johnson, Sonny Boy Williamson, Willie Dixon, and Howlin' Wolf. One song is Public Domain originally recorded for the Library of Congress by Alan Lomax, but later made famous by Muddy Waters ("Honey Bee, Sail On"). Rawer Than Raw is the follow up to 2019's Grammy nominated Sitting On Top Of The Blues and showcases Bobby Rush in his truest form without a backing band.
Samia - The Baby LP (Grand Jury)
New York-based singer/songwriter Samia Finnerty's debut album, The Baby, is about learning how to be yourself, by yourself. Embarking on her first tours - far away from friends and alone in green rooms across the country - she began to untangle just how much of her own identity had been created by those she held close. Each of the album's twelve songs find Samia holding up her relationships as a mirror, reflecting her own truths and learning how to show up for herself when there's no one else around. The result of this introspection is an album that is bold and authentic, philosophizing while surgically examining the mundane. [Limited blue vinyl.]
Seether - Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum CD/2xLP (Fantasy)
Produced by Shaun Morgan and engineered and mixed by Matt Hyde (Deftones, AFI), Seether's new album Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum, (which translates to "If you want peace, prepare for war") was recorded in Nashville, TN over two months in December 2019 and January 2020. The follow-up to 2017's Poison The Parish, Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum is the eighth album of the band's illustrious career and features Shaun Morgan's, aggressive, highly melodic songwriting, some of the most expressive, politically charged music he's ever made. Seether is joined on the record by their newest member, Cory Lowery (former guitarist/vocalist for Saint Asonia and Stuck Mojo) who adds a broad new sonic dimension to the band's studio and live work.
Self Defense Family - Make Me A Pallet Fire On Your Floor b/w Local Clerics 7" (Run For Cover)
Over the years Self Defense Family's revolving lineup and improvisational writing process has led to the band often recording new music while on tour, putting the focus on capturing a specific moment between the current collaborators. The Island singles have been snapshots of the band in studios all over the world, from Jamaica, to Iceland, to Scotland, and now Australia. The songs on "Make Me A Pallet Fire On Your Floor" b/w "Local Clerics" are marked by a raw, spacious recording, winding guitar lines mixed with swirling organ, and of course Kindlon's one-of-a-kind vocals and unflinching lyricism. Limited blue colored vinyl pressing.
Silvia Tarozzi - Mi Specchio E Rifletto LP (Unseen Worlds)
Inspired by the poetry of Alda Merini and her studies with composer Garret List, Italian violinist-composer Silvia Tarozzi turned to the song form after being involved for many years in contemporary music and free improvisation. Over the course of nearly a decade, Tarozzi practiced setting the poetry of Alda Merini to music and then replacing it with her own to reflect her own life experiences. As a result, Mi Specchio E Rifletto is a wondrous combination of baroque folk, avant-garde, and progressive music art-song that feels both poetic and earnestly autobiographical.
Toots and The Maytals - Got To Be Tough CD/LP (BMG)
Reggae pioneers Toots and The Maytals release their first original studio album in more than 10 years following 2010's Flip And Twist. With Toots taking on horn and production duties himself, Got To Be Tough features Sly Dunbar on drums, Zak Starkey on guitar, and Cyril Neville on percussion. The album also includes a cover of Bob Marley's "Three Little Bird" with Ziggy Marley. "This album is speaking out about injustices while pointing to a better time," Hibbert tells Rolling Stone. "This album is teaching a path to recovery and a step to better days on the journey ahead. Got To Be Tough is a bind builder of positive objectives."
Walter Trout - Ordinary Madness CD/2xLP (Provogue)
For Walter Trout, there is no 'us' and 'them'. Across his five-decade career, the great bluesman's music has always been a lifeline and call-to-arms, reminding listeners they are not alone. Now, as the world seeks solace from a tragedy that has touched us all, he comes armed with a boundary-exploring new studio album and eleven searing, honest songs that bring his fans even closer. "There's a lot of extraordinary madness going on right now," considers Trout, of the COVID-19 crisis. "This album started because I was dealing with the flaws and weakness inside me. But it ended up being about everyone." Ordinary Madness was completed mere days before the US shutdown, its cathartic songcraft and themes of shared troubles couldn't chime better with a period in which our souls and spirits are under fire from tumultuous global events. [Limited edition colored vinyl pressing.]
Venomous Concept - Politics Versus The Erection CD/LP (Season Of Mist)
If the state of today's society is reflected in music, hardcore punk/grindcore veterans Venomous Concept return to the stage with a fitting soundtrack. On Politics Versus The Erection, Kevin Sharp (Brutal Truth), Shane Embury (Napalm Death), Danny Herrera (Napalm Death) and John Cooke (Corrupt Moral Altar) voice criticism and opinions with satirical animations, venomous lyrics, and 30 minutes of short, sharp musical blasts, creating a true hardcore punk spirit. This band's fourth full-length frontal assault manifests a no-nonsense, outspoken and angry tone, resonating with the chaos that reigns over the world today.
Colter Wall - Western Swing & Waltzes And Other Punchy Songs CD/LP (La Honda)
The music industry is no stranger to cowboys - but it's been a long while since any with an authentic affinity for the North American West came along and carried around a love for heroes like Ramblin' Jack Elliot and Ian Tyson. Enter 24-year-old Colter Wall, whose dusty baritone voice and deep well of stories are almost single-handedly carrying traditional western music into the future. Wall's approach is that of a preservationist, pure as the prairie wind, and is on full display on his new self-produced album Western Swing & WaltzesA Other Punchy Songs. Wall's 10-track ode to the themes and labors of western life picks up where his last album left off, with a reverence for his "working cowboy kin" and a whole mess of cowboy songs.
Widowspeak - Plum CD/LP (Captured Tracks)
With Plum, the songwriting partnership rooted in the creative rapport between singer Molly Hamilton and guitarist Robert Earl Thomas continues to expand on shared visions, delving deeper into what was always there: dusty guitars, ear-worm melodies, warm expansive arrangements. Each entry to their catalog has marked a subtle reimagining of Widowspeak's sound, though perennial points of reference remain the same: '90s dream pop, '60s psych rock, a certain unshakeable Pacific-Northwestness. [Limited edition white colored vinyl pressing.]
Reissues & From The Archives
Louis Armstrong/Oscar Peterson - Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson [Reissue/1959] LP (Verve)
Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson is a brilliant undertaking in which Verve's legendary house pianist encountered one of jazz's most revered giants. Backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio - bassist Ray Brown, guitarist Herb Ellis and frequent fourth member Louis Bellson on drums - the heavyweights created an album that is utterly compelling, radiantly jubilant and consummate in artistry.
The Awakening - Hear, Sense And Feel [Reissue/1972] LP (Real Gone Music)
Remastered. The Awakening fit somewhere between the free jazz and Afrocentric explorations of the Art Ensemble and the rhythm-heavy soul jazz.
Walter Bishop Jr. - Coral Keys [Reissue/1971] CD/LP (Real Gone Music)
Think Herbie Hancock's '60s Blue Note recordings gently polished with a soul jazz sheen; this is some tasty stuff that's been hard to find for way too long.
Field Music - Field Music (Measure) [Reissue/2010] 2xLP+MP3 (Memphis Industries)
Limited yellow colored vinyl reissue of the third full-length studio album by the indie rock band.Following a self-imposed three-year hiatus, Sunderland's Field Music returned in 2010 with a 20 track double album. Powered, as ever, by brothers and co-front men Peter and David Brewis Field Music (Measure) is a gloriously rich collection that entwines the brother's renewed love of the rock music cannon with a rediscovery of some of pop's overlooked adventurers.
Peter Gabriel - Plays Live [Reissue/1983] 2xLP+MP3 (Real World)
Double 180gm vinyl pressing, half-speed remastered. Contains hi-res download card. Recreates the original LP release with wide-spine jacket and printed inner sleeves. All visuals newly re-scanned for best possible reproduction. Plays Live was compiled from live recordings made at four venues across the American Midwest in late 1982. It is effectively a sign-off to the first phase of Peter Gabriel the solo artist.
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto [Reissue/1964] LP (Verve)
Limited 180gm vinyl pressing in deluxe gatefold jacket. The marvelous album, Getz/Gilberto, had a profound influence upon the face of jazz and American popular music. The stunning 1964 collaboration between Stan Getz, one of the most respected tenor saxophonists of the era, and the remarkable Brazilian guitarist Joao Gilberto, launched the bossa nova craze and the career of Joao's wife Astrud Gilberto with iconic hit "The Girl from Ipanema".
Joe Henderson - State Of The Tenor: Live At The Village Vanguard Volume 1 [Reissue/1986] LP (Blue Note)
Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Ron Carter (bass) and Al Foster (drums) captured live during their 1985 peak at NYC's historic Village Vanguard. Reissued as part of The Blue Note Tone Poet Series: all-analog, remastered 180gm vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Bobby Hutcherson - The Kicker [Reissue/1999] LP (Blue Note)
The Kicker was vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson's first session (1963) via Blue Note but wasn't released until 1999. Reissued as part of The Blue Note Tone Poet Series: all-analog, remastered 180gm vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
In Flames - Clayman [Reissue/2000] CD/2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Sweden's influential and long revered heavy metal giants In Flames are celebrating two major milestones in 2020 with their 30th anniversary as a band, and 20th anniversary of their seminal, critically acclaimed album, Clayman. [Limited white colored vinyl edition.]
Job For A Cowboy - Sun Eater [Reissue/2014] LP (Metal Blade)
2014's Sun Eater, the fourth offering from Job for a Cowboy, is an aural achievement and the band's definitive statement. Along with producer Jason Suecof, vocalist Jonny Davy, guitarists Al Glassman and Tony Sannicandro, bassist Nick Schendzielos, and session drummer Danny Walker crafted a cerebral and accomplished piece of technical death metal. Limited colored vinyl pressing also available.
Kennélmus - Folkstone Prism [Reissue/1971] LP (Modern Harmonic)
Maybe it's their proximity to all that funny-tasting cactus, but Arizona has produced more than its share of mind-bending rock combos and Kennélmus might just be the wildest of the bunch. The Chantays sand wrestling with the Electric Prunes, refereed by Captain Beefheart almost certainly describes the mind-bending sound of Kennélmus.
Jackie McLean - It's Time! [Reissue/1965] LP (Blue Note)
This impassioned 1964 quintet session weaves post-bop and free jazz into spirited original compositions by Jackie McLean and young trumpet sensation Charles Tolliver. They were joined by Herbie Hancock (piano), Cecil McBee (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums). While the style was considered new at the time, the searing cry of the blues is ever-present in McLean's brilliant alto saxophone playing. Reissued as part of The Blue Note Tone Poet Series: all-analog, remastered 180gm vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Metallica & San Francisco Symphony - S&M2 2xCD/4xLP/2xCD+DVD/2xCD+Blu-ray/4xLP+2xCD+Blu-ray (Blackened Recordings)
S&M2 is a landmark release in the Metallica catalogue, both sonically and visually. Produced by Greg Fidelman with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, the S&M2 live album captures more than two and a half hours of James, Lars, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo joining forces with the nearly 80-strong San Francisco Symphony, legendary Musical Director of the orchestra Michael Tilson Thomas, and conductor Edwin Outwater. The concert film is a brand-new edit done by Joe Hutching (Through The Never) and both the audio (newly remixed and remastered) and visuals have been taken to the next level from the October 2019 theatrical version that played in over 3,700 cinemas worldwide. [The colored vinyl four-LP + double-CD + Blu-ray deluxe box set comes complete with an exclusive 28-page book featuring photos by Anton Corbijn, sheet music, five guitar picks, a 24" x 36" poster, and more. Stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions are also available.]
Moon Duo - Escape: Expanded Edition LP (Sacred Bone)
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Moon Duo's long-out-of-print 2010 debut Escape, Sacred Bones is proud to present a new deluxe version of the album. The new reissue includes the original album in its entirety plus three additional rare tracks taken from Moon Duo's wild early days. Limited pink colored pressing also available.
My Morning Jacket - Z [Reissue/2005] 2xLP+MP3 (ATO)
Limited 15th anniversary purple colored vinyl reissue. My Morning Jacket has built a reputation as a group who consistently challenges the paradigms in which they are placed. From psychedelic to soul to classic rock & roll, MMJ's range has remained steadfast throughout the band's 20 plus years. While much of the John Leckie (XTC, Radiohead) produced Z (2005) came as a shock, even the surprises should seem perfectly natural in hindsight. The combination of the hushed, indie balladry of their early records with the spacious guitar rock of 2003 breakout It Still Moves was to be expected, but here they deliver newer, more exotic rhythms and textures, which made it clear that this was a great band, doing great things, who were maybe playing it safe previously.
Opeth - Orchid [Reissue/1995] 2xLP (Spinefarm)
Limited double pink with white & red marble swirl colored vinyl pressing of the debut studio album by the Swedish progressive metal band.
Dan Penn And Spooner Oldham - Moments From This Theatre [Reissue/1999] LP (The Last Music Company)
Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham have now been friends and cohorts for many years, and this long overdue vinyl edition of their timeless classics celebrates, with characteristic understatement, this partnership for the ages, providing captivating evidence of their chemical deal together which adds up to quiet brilliance.
Elliott Smith - Elliot Smith [Expanded 25th Anniversary Edition] 2xCD/2xLP (Kill Rock Stars)
When Elliott Smith's self-titled second album came out in 1995, it was ignored by the press but championed by artists from the Beastie Boys to Fugazi. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Elliott Smith, the Kill Rock Stars label is releasing a special deluxe package, which includes a new remastering of the original record; a 52-page hardcover book of previously unseen photographs by JJ Gonson with handwritten lyrics, and reminiscences from Smith's friends and colleagues; and a bonus disc documenting the earliest-known recording of Smith performing as a solo act.
Various Artists - AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs Of Marc Bolan & T. Rex 2xLP (BMG)
Indie store exclusive vinyl pressing. CD due September 4. The genius and pioneering influence of Marc Bolan's T. Rex - 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of the great rock musicians of all time - is celebrated with AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs Of Marc Bolan & T. Rex. The collection features 26 songs culled from Bolan's vast body of work released as T. Rex and Tyrannosaurus Rex from 1968-77. A wide-ranging cast of wizards and cosmic dancers have joined together to re-imagine Bolan's work including Nick Cave, U2 featuring Elton John, Joan Jett, and Peaches among others - sometimes in radical fashion - resulting in a collection that is less tribute than bold new work.
Various Artists - Sowas Von Egal 2: German Synth Wave Underground 1981-1984 LP (Bureau B)
LP version. For the second volume of this compilation of Neue Deutsche Welle music, the beating heart of this endeavor is once again invigorated by the synchronous passions of bespoke Hamburg label Bureau B and the label's Damaged Goods nights where they present rare, obscure synth and wave discs from the early 1980s. After research and rich encounters with input from musicians, friends, and acquaintances, Bureau B revised their target list several times over -- some artists simply could not be found, a few had actually passed away. In contrast to the first volume, most of the acts on Sowas Von Egal 2 were only active in the early 1980s and have not released any records since then. The tape artists were particularly invested in the DIY ethic -- as is often apparent in their sound aesthetics and the unbridled energy which has lost none of its intensity today. The photograph on the cover beautifully captures the paradoxical tensions which pervaded the atmosphere of the early Eighties: new beginnings, renewal, protest and self-empowerment on one side, frustration, hedonism, future anxiety, and destructive rage on the other. The DIY spirit ingrained in the music and attitude of the bands and artists gathered here is also brought into focus, whilst simultaneously establishing a connection to Hamburg.