New Releases for June 28, 2024 - Boo Boo Records (2024)

AIMS Marketing Program/ Featured Titles Promoted This Week:

200 Stab Wounds – Manual Manic Procedures CD/LP (Metal Blade)

Cleveland death metal legends-in-waiting 200 Stab Wounds return with Manual Manic Procedures. A superlative sophom*ore effort that follows their tour de force debut, 2021’s Slave To The Scalpel, the new album Manual Manic Procedures is a brutal slab of old-school death metal with a contemporary edge. Not for the faint-hearted, the record may well be the album that puts classic gore-themed ferocity back into the metal community’s collective consciousness. [A red olor vinyl pressing is available.]

Omar Apollo – God Said No CD/LP/Cassette (WB)

Traversing the bounds of genre and language in his songs, singer-songwriter Grammynominated Omar Apollo captures the adventurous spirit that this multi-hyphenate moment in pop demands, returning with his highly anticipated sophom*ore album, God Said No. God Said No is Omar’s interpretation of “lo que sera, sera” which translates to “whatever will be, will be”. The phrase embodies the album with Omar’s tongue-in-cheek humorous outlook on the suffering that comes from surrendering and accepting whatever is thrown at you by life, a relationship, or lover. Omar believes his natural state is longing for love or stability, and elements of the album are about surrendering to that. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available, including indie store exclusive gold.]

Wade Bowen – Flyin CD/LP (Bowen Sounds)

“More than ever, people need to hear songwriters talk about their lives. We don’t always have to search for monster hits. We can just write about our lives and maybe that might actually work. That’s what this record is a lot of. A lot of massive songs, but also a lot of me just writing authentically and honestly about my life. Flyin symbolizes the next phase of my career. I feel like I’m flying into this chapter where I’m the best version of myself that I’ve ever been. Y’all better catch up or you’re getting left behind. I’m on fire!”

Lupe Fiasco – Samurai CD/LP (1st And 15^th Too)

Samura is the ninth album from rapper Lupe Fiasco. Following 2022’s Drill Music In Zion, which was fully produced by Soundtrakk, Fiasco and the producer join forces once again for Samurai. Musically, the album finds Lupe delighting in the simple pleasures of assembling assonant syllables into playful and poignant narratives. The eight-track album is smooth, yet cerebral, brimming with ideas, but always radiating Lupe’s pure love for the art of emceeing and committing himself as a servant of the rap game. The album was produced in full by longtime collaborator and friend, Soundtrakk (“Superstar,” “Kick, Push,” “HipHop Saved My Life”), their second time linking up on a full album after 2022’s Drill Music In Zion and is also the first time Lupe, Trakk, and longtime manager Charles “Chill” Patton were in the studio together since Patton’s release from prison in 2023. [An indie store exclusive olive color vinyl pressing is available.]

Liana Flores – Flower Of The Soul CD/LP (Verve)

Transformation became the watchword for Liana Flores’ debut album, Flower Of The Soul, whether it be the changing of the seasons or the evolving nature of love. It’s a theme that can be heard throughout much of the London-based British-Brazilian songwriter’s music, which pairs dream-like vignettes of her intimate world with wistful, drifting guitar melodies to get lost in. Written over the course of three years, Flower Of The Soul is an 11-track meditation on impermanence, told through an intoxicating blend of stylistic influences, from classic jazz, ’60s Brazilian pop, and British folk. It’s an ambitious sonic leap forward which finds Liana truly at home with her sound.

Aaron Frazer – Into The Blue CD/LP (Dead Oceans)

“Into The Blue is the clearest portrait of who I am as an artist. It’s me through and through,” says multi-instrumentalist Aaron Frazer. A daring blend of soul, psychedelia, spaghetti western, disco, gospel and hip-hop, Into The Blue represents the impressive range of Frazer’s sonic talents. Frazer maintains the unmistakable falsetto and classic songwriting he’s known for, but plants Into the Blue firmly in the now with a hip-hop mentality at its core, weaving together genres and production techniques to form something new. Into The Blue was conceived, like so many classic records, out of actual heartbreak. Frazer moved cross-country from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and embarked on a journey that’s reflected in the album’s themes of grief, loneliness, and searching for healing. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Kat Hasty – Downing In Dreams CD/LP (Jackie Java)

Born and raised in west Texas, Kat Hasty’s upbringing pours through her songwriting in tales of desert highways and the hustle and bustle of oil towns. Laced with heartache, joy, loss and female angst, her songs are ingenious and uniquely her own. Hasty’s 2021 debut album Drowning In Dreams is now available for the first time on CD and vinyl.

Imagine Dragons – Loom CD/LP (Interscope)

Imagine Dragons’ sixth studio album Loom represents the pinnacle of their artistic journey of self-discovery and marks the best body of work they’ve ever made. Loom, produced entirely by Imagine Dragons and their longtime collaborators Mattman and Robin, finds the perfect balance between the classic sounds that have made them superstars and the freshness that brought them joy in the studio. Featuring 9 brand new tracks including hit single “Eyes Closed,” Loom signifies new beginnings on the horizon – the excitement for a new day, moments yet to come. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available, including co*ke bottle green and indie store exclusive translucent blue with alternate cover art.]

Local Natives – But I’ll Wait For You CD/LP (Loma Vista)

Local Natives’ sixth studio album, But I’ll Wait For You, is the expansion of their last project, Time Will Wait For No One – the completion of a statement. It serves as an obligatory reminder of the transient nature of time and the necessity of prioritizing tenderness amongst the noise. Local Natives’ sound is characterized by lush vocal harmonies, intricate percussion, and melodic guitar lines, drawing comparisons to artists like Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. They are known for their dynamic live performances, which often feature intricate vocal arrangements and energetic stage presence. [An indie store exclusive iridescent white/blue color vinyl pressing is available.]

Nothing More – Carnal CD/LP/Cassete (Better Noise)

Three-time Grammy nominees and San Antonio, Texas-born quartet, Nothing More return with their highly awaited 8th album Carnal. The album features 15 songs with introspective philosophical lyrics with unapologetically massive anthems. Since their emergence in 2003, Nothing More has earned rock radio chart history with #1 singles with both “This is the Time (Ballast)” and “Go To War” and already has seven Active Rock Radio Top-10 singles in their repertoire. Carnal further proves their expertise in the rock genre and beyond. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available.]

NxWorries – Why Lawd? CD/LP (Stones Throw)

The long-awaited second album from NxWorries – the iconic duo of superstar vocalist Anderson .Paak and Grammy Award-winning beatmaker and producer Knxwledge. Eight years after their breakthrough debut Yes Lawd!, NxWorries return with Why Lawd? – a winning combination of Knx’s unmistakable beats and .Paak’s instantly recognizable vocals. This time, special guests are invited along for the ride. Featured artists include H.E.R., Snoop Dogg, Thundercat, Earl Sweatshirt, Rae Khalil and more. [An indie store exclusive smoke brown w/ blue splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]

Previous Industries – Service Merchandise CD/LP (Merge)

Previous Industries is three Chicagoans with a deep, shared history-Open Mike Eagle, Video Dave, and STILL RIFT – who currently reside in L.A. In a city where transplants often say they find it hard to connect with new people, these guys found a way around that by delving into the past to rekindle old connections. When that connection was made, they seemed to stay in the past, rapping about anything and everything but always bolstered by nostalgia and shared memories. Service Merchandise, their debut LP as a unit, is named after a largely defunct retail chain, as are many of the songs on the album. Orbiting the dead mall as a spiritual concept, Previous Industries tackle nostalgia, heartbreak, joy, and disposability from three distinct points of view, weaving in and out of beats by Child Actor, Quelle Chris, and Smoke Bonito to create something new from a discarded past.

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – South Of Here CD/LP (Concord/Stax)

South Of Here, the fourth full-length studio release from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, reckons with a lifetime of pain and trauma and transforms it into a stirring and soul-baring rumination on love, loss, hope and resolve. Following Rateliff’s 2020 solo album, And It’s Still Alright, and The Night Sweats’ acclaimed 2021 release, The Future, the new album blends both sides of his immense talent: emotionally potent, vivid storytelling and the rugged, R&B revivalism that has powered the band to world-wide acclaim over the past decade.

Silverada – Silverada CD/LP (Edgewater Music Group)

While writing during the spring of 2022, frontman and chief songwriter for the Austin Texas based band Silverada found a wealth spring of inspiration between his back yard and the used book selection at the local goodwill. Following their 2021 release One To Grow On, Harmeier had been on the road for a year straight and he and the band were burning out. After returning from tour the songs weren’t coming as easy either, when he found time to sneak into his tiny backyard studio. In a search for a jumping off point to write a new album, Mike turned to some of his songwriting heroes on a search for new techniques. A longtime fan of the band Wilco, he was excited to dive into his wife’s Christmas present to him, Jeff Tweedy’s two books Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) and How To Write One Song. The inspiration came almost instantaneously as he turned each page. Armed with a yellow highlighter, field notes and a pen, he began to free write, make word ladders and even steal a few lines from the books he was reading.

Washed Out – Notes From A Quiet Life CD/LP (Sub Pop)

The music of Washed Out has always levitated over a timeless frontier. You can sense it in his immersive, amorphous vocals, the expansive soundscapes, the wistful storytelling. It’s a sweet spot where, says its creative force, Ernest Greene, “any sort of association or memory from the past can transport you instantly. I love that.” Greene’s transcendent output has earned him the moniker of “Godfather of Chillwave” by Pitchfork and a co-sign from Portlandia, which borrowed his track, “Feel It All Around,” for its utopian theme song. His latest, Notes From A Quiet Life arrives after delivering more than a decade of distinct and disparate creative re-imaginations at a remarkably high level (five albums, two EPs). Notes is bold in its intuitiveness: Greene has left the treadmill of music-as-a-business, instead letting his artistic interests lead the way. “Each album,” says Green, who also paints and sculpts, “is a world-building exercise.” [A honeydew melon green color vinyl pressing is available.]

Additional Social Media Program Titles:

No additional social media program titles this week.

CDs + Vinyl:

200 Stab Wounds – Manual Manic Procedures CD/LP (Metal Blade)

The Academy: Segunda Misión – The Academy: Segunda Misión CD (WB)

The Academy: Seguna Misión features collaborations with mega urban artists such as Myke Towers, Yandel, María Becerra, Arcángel, Eladio Carrión, de la Ghetto, Jay Wheeler, Ryan Castro, iZaak, Randy, Zion, Omar Courtz, Bryant Myers, Dei V and Natti Natasha.

Marsha Ambrosius – Casablanco CD (Aftermath)

Marsha Ambrosius is a Grammy-nominated, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter who is gearing up for her highly anticipated album, Casablanco. Executive produced by Dr. Dre, Casablanco is a combined mix of R&B, jazz and hip-hop which blends in a fulfilling and nostalgic soundscape that has the listeners wanting more. [Autographed CD and gold color vinyl versions are available.]

Omar Apollo – God Said No CD/LP/Cassette (WB)

Bob Baldwin – It’s Okay To Dream CD (BFD)

Bob Baldwin – Songs My Father Would Sing CD (BFD)

Funky, jazzy, Afropop and contemporary/smooth jazz.

Chayce Beckham – Bad For Me CD/LP (Wheelhouse)

Debut album by the country/Americana singer-songwriter.

Gerry Beckley – Gerry Beckley CD/LP (Blue Élan)

Gerry Beckley says there was a pragmatic reason for putting his own name as the title for his 10th solo album. “There wasn’t an obvious title that was leaning in its favor, and I’ve never done a self-titled album, so it felt like, OK, this might be it,” he says with a small chuckle. True to form, Gerry Beckley the album contains 12 outstanding tracks including first single “Crazy,” the most self-professed auto-biographical song in “Well Worn Shoes,” and the soulful “Red And Blue” which leaves no mystery as to its subject matter. Produced, arranged, engineered and mixed all by Gerry along with his good buddy Jeff Larson, Gerry also plays the bulk of the instruments on the album.

Wade Bowen – Flyin CD/LP (Bowen Sounds)

Kaitlin Butts – Roadrunner! CD/LP (Soundly Music)

A truly one-of-a-kind artist, Kaitlin Butts has a deep affinity for country music’s more theatrical side: the extravagant storytelling, dazzling showmanship, songs embedded with both unbridled emotion and quick-fire humor. After discovering her passion for performing as a little girl, the Tulsa native later brought her boundless energy and radiant voice to her own unapologetic yet soulful songwriting. When it came time to create her third album, the Nashville-based musician leaned into her lifelong love of musical theater and dreamed up a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favorite musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! The result: a high-concept but candidly autobiographical LP called Roadrunner!, whose 17 powerhouse songs show the full force and extraordinary depth of Butts’ artistry for the very first time. [A red color vinyl pressing is available.]

Camila Cabello – C,XOXO CD/LP (Interscope)

C,XOXO is written by Camila and brought to life with executive producer El Guincho (Rosalia, FKA twigs, Frank Ocean) and co-producer Jasper Harris (Lil Nas X, Baby Keem, Jack Harlow). Camila describes C,XOXO as having “an emotional immediacy and rawness” and goes on to proclaim C,XOXO as her “boldest solo album.” C,XOXO is a full on modern pop album. There are ballads, upbeat songs, cool songs with great features throughout. It’s a fun album, perfectly timed for summer, about being free, dealing with heartbreak, etc. [A blue color vinyl pressing is available.]

Can – Live In Aston 1977 CD/LP (Mute)

Live in Aston 1977 is a whole new lens through which we can view a unique band with seemingly inexhaustible energy for live performance. It comes at a difficult period for Can; their recently released eighth studio album, Saw Delight, had been badly received and although posterity has been kinder, the reviews on release were savage. It might be expected that the live performances from this time would reflect some of the criticisms of the album, that they were slowing down, perhaps even feeling a little jaded, but it cements the notion that Can live, at any period, was mercurial.

Johnny Cash – Songwriter CD/LP (American Recordings)

Johnny Cash recorded an album’s worth of self-penned songs in 1993. Shortly thereafter, he released the American Recordings albums and re-established himself as one of the world’s greatest songwriters, introducing him to a new generation of fans. Songwriter‘s unreleased 11 songs have been updated and produced by his son John Carter Cash and co-producer David Ferguson. [An indie store exclusive white/black color vinyl pressing is available.]

Kate Clover – The Apocalypse Dream LP (Songvest)

Now available on CD. SVR punk rock recording artist Kate Clover’s sophom*ore LP, The Apocalypse Dream, was recorded and produced by Jonah Falco (F***ed Up, Chubby and the Gang, The Chisel) and mixed by Carlos de la Garza (The Linda Lindas, Paramore). She describes the record as “Sonically inspired by ‘70s punk, power pop, and a bit of The Kinks. Lyrically inspired by Beat poet Charles Plymell. Reflecting on topics such as self-destruction, politics, love, and the desire to find oneself in a world gone mad.”

Chick Corea – Paint The World [Reissue/1993] CD/2xLP (Candid)

In 1993 Chick Corea – the venerated 27-time Grammy winner and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master – unveiled the second incarnation of the Elektric Band. With the brand-new lineup of guitarist Mike Miller, bassist Jimmy Earl and drummer Gary Novak, and saxophonist Eric Marienthtal (the lone holder over from the first iteration of the Elektric Band,) Corea, approached this ambitious outing in the same way he had done everything throughout his career, by pushing the boundaries of what modern jazz is.

Danava – Live CD/LP (Heavy Psych Sounds)

Live album from the Portland based psychedelic-progressive rockers. [Multiple colorways are available on vinyl.]

Deep Purple – Pictures Of You CDEP/12” (earMUSIC)

New release from the legendary hard rockers.

Eliane Elias – Time And Again CD/LP (Candid)

Multi-Grammy winner, internationally celebrated pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger Eliane Elias returns to her signature style of Brazilian jazz with Time And Again. Recorded in Sao Paulo, Time And Again showcases Elias’ exceptional songwriting with eight new songs including three newly revisited and revised from across her storied career.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds – Struck Down CD/LP (Stony Plain)

Formed in 1974, the band celebrates their 50th anniversary with the release of their first new studio album in eight years – Struck Down. Struck Down features nine original new songs co-written by Hamilton bluesman Steve Strongman & Kim Wilson and a stellar cover of Memphis Minnie’s song “Nothin’ in Ramblin. Guests include Billy Gibbons on the first single “Payback Time”, and Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’ and Mick Fleetwood on the sole cover song on the album, Memphis Minnie’s “Nothing In Rambling”.

Fastball – Sonic Ranch CD/LP (Sunset Blvd)

Multiplatinum hitmakers Fastball are remembering it’s okay to have hits. Reflecting on their meteoric rise with chart-topping debut The Way guitarist/vocalist Miles Zuniga wryly remarks, “I like to say that The Way gave us the freedom to continue doing what we do.” And what Fastball does is write hits. Their latest, Sonic Ranch, produced by David Garza (Fiona Apple) and John Fields (Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus), is ten sing-along gems, combining pop smarts and the wisdom of 30 years together.

The Felice Brothers – Valley Of Abandoned Songs CD/LP (Million Stars)

The Felice Brothers, recently signed to Conor Oberst’s [Bright Eyes] new record label, Million Stars, and have released Valley Of Abandoned Songs. The 13-song collection consists of recordings primarily from sessions for the band’s 2019 album, Undress, as well as their most recent release, 2023’s Asylum On The Hill, both of which were captured live in an 1870s church with the band’s current lineup of Ian Felice (guitar/vocals), James Felice (piano/vocals), Jeske Hume (bass), and Will Lawrence (drums). [A burgundy color vinyl pressing is available.]

Lupe Fiasco – Samurai CD/LP (1st And 15^th Too)

Liana Flores – Flower Of The Soul CD/LP (Verve)

The Folk Implosion – Walk Through Me CD/LP (Joyful Noise)

How the f*** are we going to turn this into a song?” That’s the question Lou Barlow and John Davis have asked themselves since co-founding the Folk Implosion in the early 1990s. Beginning with improvised jams featuring Barlow on bass and Davis on drums, the duo develop their beat-driven pop collages from the ground up. It’s the process they used on their debut cassette, Walk Through This World With The Folk Implosion, and one they’ve returned to 30 years later on their spellbinding, self-referencing reunion, Walk Thru Me.

Matt Fratti – Sentir Que No Sabes CD/LP (Unheard Of Hope)

A sense of destiny hangs over Sentir Que No Sabes, Mabe Fratti’s fourth solo-credited album released in a five-year span. Her work has always possessed a finely tuned sense of drama capable of expressing a range of emotional states, and across this new album, she conveys the struggle to process various relationships or situations-and the actions that come next. Sentir Que No Sabes is urgent and clear, poppy, generous and approachable, while showcasing a considerable emotional hinterland. It is also, as Fratti is quick to mention, “groovy.” [A color vinyl pressing is available.]

Aaron Frazer – Into The Blue CD/LP (Dead Oceans)

Fu Manchu – The Return Of Tomorrow CD/2xLP (At The Dojo)

2024 release. The Return Of Tomorrow is Fu Manchu’s first new album in six years, and they made sure that it was worth the wait. Their 14th album is their first double LP of new material, and it was conceived of as a vinyl listening experience. [A double white, blue, and black color vinyl pressing is available.]

Will Gregory Moog Ensemble – Heat Ray: The Archimedes Project CD/LP (Mute)

Will Gregory Moog Ensemble present their debut album, Heat Ray: The Archimedes Project, made in collaboration with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. This neo-classical electronic album is filled with spirals of melody, circular structures, sequences, and patterns inspired by the works of the Greek mathematician Archimedes. The ensemble, as the name suggests, is led by Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory and has been active on the live circuit since 2005.

Guided By Voices – Strut Of Kings CD/LP (GBV Inc)

Building on 40 years of GBV history, the majestic and triumphant Strut Of Kings is the forty-first album by indie rock royalty Guided By Voices. Largely recorded in Kings County, New York (Brooklyn), the album is perhaps a gesture towards the malevolent “kings” on the world stage. As the “Serene King” waltzes across the battlefield, Emperor Pollard evokes castles, King Kong and strutting roosters, a surreal yet regal journey.

Kat Hasty – Downing In Dreams CD/LP (Jackie Java)

Madeline Hawthorne – Tales From Late Nights & Long Drives CD/LP (Hawthorne Records)

The miles we travel make up the stories we tell. The soles of your favorite boots or the tread on your prized car’s tires soak up the experiences and wisdom of the road under your feet. Born in New England, based in Bozeman Montana, and tried, tested, and proven on the stage across the continent, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Madeline Hawthorne pens the kind of tunes you listen to on a cross-country trek to start anew or in the dead of night when you just need a reminder somebody’s listening. [An indie store exclusive vinyl edition is available.]

Hiatus Kaiyote – Love Heart Cheat Code CD/LP+MP3 (Brainfeeder)

Three-time Grammy nominated Hiatus Kaiyote return with their eagerly anticipated new album Love Heart Cheat Code. The band have warmed up fans with standout single “Everything’s Beautiful” and what awaits is a masterfully crafted album from a band who are firing on all cylinders and totally in sync. LHCC is a mix of their classic neo-soul sound, fused with jazz, soul and rock – which is on full display on their cover of the Jefferson Airplane classic “White Rabbit” and a fan favorite from their live shows, “Cinnamon Temple”. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available, including blue and indie store exclusive blue w/ white.]

Imagine Dragons – Loom CD/LP (Interscope)

Janel And Anthony – New Moon In The Evil Age 2xCD/2xLP (Cuneiform)

Janel Leppin and Anthony Pirog are frequently cited as highly influential within Washington D.C.’s respected and evolving music scene as bandleaders and creative voices. Their Cuneiform Records debut Where is Home (2012) is considered a crucial recording from the burgeoning region. The two have crafted a double-LP opus which crosses genres and mirrors their exploratory and dialogic working methods. New Moon In The Evil Age is their long-awaited follow up to Where Is Home and will have immediate appeal to fans of jazz, modern composition and indie music.

Robert Jon & The Wreck – Red Moon Rising CD/LP (Journeyman)

Red Moon Rising, released via Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records, is a bold declaration of evolution and rebirth, capturing the essence of the band’s transformative years and setting a new course for their musical odyssey. The album’s lead single and title track emerge as a beacon of this new era of rock music.

jxdn – When The Music Stops CD/LP (Elektra)

Defying the rules with style and substance, jxdn bends and breaks the boundaries as he moves between subcultures to position himself as a rockstar for the new generation. Born Jaden Hossler in Dallas, TX, jxdn struggled to find his voice in high school as an outsider. In 2018, he took control and developed a presence online through a consistent stream of engaging and clever content. He quietly exploded on Tik Tok, attracting 7.2 million followers and 250 million likes. After witnessing an arena show by the late Juice WRLD, he dove headfirst into music and unleashed his independent debut single “Comatose.” [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Kaipa – Sommargryningsljus CD/2xLP (Inside Out U.S.)

In the summer of 1964 Hans Lundin’s musical career started when he became a member of his first band as organist and singer. He says that the following years were “the best education I could ever get”. Nine years later in 1973 he formed the group Kaipa. Now 60 years into his career he and his current bandmates Per Nilsson, Jonas Reingold, Darby Todd, Patrik Lundström & Aleena Gibson are proud to announce the release of Kaipa’s 15th studio album Sommargryningsljus (Summer Dawn Light).

Janel Leppin – Ensemble Volcanic Ash: To March Is To Love CD/LP (Cuneiform)

A composer and cellist who’s honed a singular synthesis of composition, orchestration and improvisation, while heavily involved for decades with Washington D.C.’s vibrant new music, jazz, rock and improvised music scenes Janel Leppin steps forward as a bandleader once more with the second, even stronger, release by her acclaimed Ensemble Volcanic Ash. The six-piece group melds an illustrious array of D.C. talent into a glimmering expressive organism that surges, expands, ebbs and dances in multiple directions at once and features musicians from noted, forward-thinking ensembles such as Irreversible Entanglements, The Messthetics, Priests, Silt Trio, Kyp Malone, Marissa Nadler and more.

Limbonic Art – Opus Daemoniacal CD/LP (Kyrck Prod. & Armour)

New album by the Norwegian black metal pioneers. [A blue/violet color vinyl pressing is available.]

Local Natives – But I’ll Wait For You CD/LP (Loma Vista)

Loma – How Will I Live Without A Body? CD/LP (Sub Pop)

A a gorgeous, unique, and oddly comforting album about partnership, loss, regeneration, and fighting the feeling that we’re all in this alone. Many of its songs have a feeling of restless motion; faceless characters drift through meetings and partings, tangling together and slipping away. [A transparent smoke color vinyl pressing is available.]

The Del McCoury Band – Songs Of Love And Life CD/LP (McCoury Music)

Seven years after its last LP, the Del McCoury Band returns to take on the challenge with Songs Pf Love And Life. A glorious 13-song collection, the album follows 2021’s celebrated release, Almost Proud, and once again features Del touching down on a diverse set of tracks-vintage and contemporary-as he and his crackerjack Band nod to icons Kenny Rogers, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley, as well as welcome next-generation talent, Molly Tuttle, to the party.

Medium Build – Country CD/LP (Island)

Medium Build’s new album Country exists as a duality, running the spectrum of human emotions from playful optimism and visceral affirmations of life to heartbreak, loss, fear, and loneliness. Raised in Georgia, educated in Tennessee, and transformed in Alaska, his stories speak to the spectrum of those experiences and eagerly draw outside the clear lines of genre binaries – pulling from classic country, ’80s new wave, ’90s pop, and early ‘00s emo in equal measure.

The Mountain Goats – The Coroner’s Gambit [Reissue/2000] CD/LP (Merge)

Originally released in October 2000, The Coroner’s Gambit finds John Darnielle between physical and sonic spaces, five of its sixteen songs recorded in Simon Joyner’s Omaha, Nebraska, studio, five more at home in Colo, Iowa, and the rest in Ames. The album came together slowly; The Mountain Goats had released music every year from 1991 to 1998, but between the release of that year’s New Asian Cinema EP and The Coroner’s Gambit, 1999 passed without an official Mountain Goats release. The additional time that went into The Coroner’s Gambit paid off: It is a breakthrough for Darnielle as a songwriter and practitioner of the full-length album.

Nothing More – Carnal CD/LP/Cassette (Better Noise)

William Parker – Heart Trio CD/LP (Aum Fidelity)

Heart Trio features three lifelong-devoted fellow travelers on the path of healing through sound. World-renowned & revered bassist-composer-leader William Parker has performed and recorded extensively with both Cooper-Moore & Hamid Drake over the past 30+ years. And the three of them are core since 2012 in Parker’s reborn In Order To Survive quartet. Heart Trio is, remarkably then, their debut as a trio on record. William here plays doson ngoni, dudek, and flutes of bamboo, cedar & walnut. Cooper-Moore on his hand-crafted ashimba and harp; Hamid Drake on frame drum and drum kit. All this music was collectively composed at the time of its creation.

William Parker & Ellen Christi – Cereal Music CD/LP (Aum Fidelity)

Cereal Music is bassist-composer-leader-poet William Parker’s first spoken word album -observations from a profound life devoted to the path of finding truth in beauty & speaking truth to power. Parker’s words are further illuminated by deeply sensitive sound design created by likewise devoted artist on the same path, producer and singer Ellen Christi.

Petite Biscuit – Discipline CD/LP (Ecurie)

Having started his career at the age of 15, the French electro wunderkind has already conquered the world with his dream pop hits and captivating melodies. Following the worldwide success of his previous releases, the 24-year-old producer/songwriter/performer is now ready to unveil his new creations, with his own voice at the heart of his songs. Petit Biscuit, the celebrated French electronic music producer, stands tall as an independent artist in today’s music landscape. His remarkable success and global recognition are a testament to his unique talent, carving his own path and maintaining full control over his creative vision and musical direction. [A transparent orange color vinyl pressing is available.]

Madeleine Peyroux – Let’s Walk CD/LP (Just One Recording, Inc.)

Let’s Walk is the 10th album from the acclaimed singer-songwriter; her most assured, courageous work to date. Powered by the distinctive, honeyed croon that delivered her from the Paris streets to concert halls, these ten unabashedly personal songs, all co-written by the versatile Peyroux, deftly interweave jazz, folk, and chamber pop, with themes ranging from the confessional to the political, from whimsy to yearning. In every note, Peyroux digs deep, rendering this exquisite work with the disarming grace and gravitas of an artist in peak form.

Prefuse 73 – New Strategies For Modern Crime Vol. 1 CD (Lex)

Prefuse 73 – New Strategies For Modern Crime Vol. 2 CD (Lex)

Prefuse 73 – New Strategies For Modern Crime Vol. 1 & 2 2xLP (Lex)

Pioneering electronic musician, composer and producer: Prefuse 73 aka Guillermo Scott Herren releases his new album, New Strategies for Modern Crime Vol. 1 & 2. His first new album(s) since 2018s Sacrifices, New Strategies for Modern Crime sees Herren delving further into his groundbreaking take on experimental hip-hop through orchestrated arrangements via the optic of the media’s sensationalism of crime, blended with influences from lost soundtracks, musique concrète, jazz and beat-tape music to create something wholly unique. [A maroon color vinyl pressing is available.]

Previous Industries – Service Merchandise CD/LP (Merge)

Kati Rán – SÁLA CD/2xLP (Svart)

Five years after the 15-minute single “Blodbylgje” signaled the birth of a new, more primordial, and immersive vision after the dissolution of her band L.E.A.F., Nordic dark folk artist Kati Rán has expanded on its oceanic theme for her long- awaited full-length album, SÁLA. Embarking on a far-reaching musical and personal travelogue, it’s a reawakening of both the feminine narratives submerged and fragmented within Norse mythology, and the enduring, healing powers held within. [A clear w/ smoke color vinyl pressing is available.]

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – South Of Here CD/LP (Concord/Stax)

Redd Kross – Redd Kross CD/LP (In The Red)

In 1979, two school-kids all hopped-up on punk-rock started their own group in their hometown of Hawthorne, Los Angeles (birthplace of the Beach Boys) and soon found themselves opening shows for notorious scene pioneers Black Flag. Jeff McDonald was fifteen, his brother Steven McDonald only eleven. But that didn’t stop their group from becoming one of the most remarkable, enduring and unique outfits punk-rock ever belched up. 2024, then, marks Redd Kross’s forty-fifth birthday and the brothers are celebrating the event with a veritable multimedia extravaganza.

Residents – Demons Dance Alone [Reissue/2002] CD/2xLP (Cryptic Corporation)

Originally released in 2002, Demons Dance Alone explored The Residents’ response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, primarily through contemplations on denial, loss and grief. A modern masterpiece among the group’s extensive body of work, and packed with songs that have continued to endure, both in reworked studio and live form.

The Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus – The Dream We Carry CD/LP (Nine X Nine)

Formed in Liverpool in 1985, The Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus is a unique experimental ensemble whose work goes beyond music. For over thirty-five years the band’s cult following has grown. Their mesmerizing material is influenced by diverse cultural perspectives and stimulates a deeply personal and subjective awakening. Ethereal vocals, ambient compositions, chants, acoustic instrumentation and field recordings generate beautiful and emotionally intense soundscapes. The Dream We Carry is the band’s fifth album and perhaps their most coherent body of work to date. [A marble color vinyl pressing is available.]

Scene Queen – Hot Singles In Your Area CD/LP (Hopeless)

Hot Singles In Your Area explores & pays homage to the early internet era as well as all the sex workers who have laid the foundation for Bimbocore to exist. As an outspoken advocate for LGBTQIAA rights and a fearless crusader against misogyny, body-shaming, & sex-shaming, Scene Queen proves that you can name every song after a different category of p*rnography and be valiantly sex-positive while doing a two-step into a metal/hardcore breakdown. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available, including an indie store exclusive pink w/ blue pressing.]

Silverada – Silverada CD/LP (Edgewater Music Group)

Sonata Arctica – Clear Cold Beyond CD (Reigning Phoenix Music)

New album by the power metal band. Includes two bonus tracks. Sonata Arctica have been many things in their storied career. Finnish power metal messiahs, relentlessly touring powerhouses, champions of sublime melody. First and foremost, however, they have been stalwarts in showcasing the magic and the enchantment flowing through heavy metal.

Sparks – No. 1 In Heaven [Reissue/1979] 2xCD (Absolute Label Services)

Noël/Sparks – Is There More TO Life Than Dancing? [Reissue/1979] 2xCD (Absolute Label Services)

An exclusive 45th anniversary double release of Paste Magazine’s #1 synth-pop album of all time No. 1 In Heaven by Sparks, and the Sparks-composed-and-produced lost gem Is There More To Life Than Dancing? by Noël. Released in 1979, the Giorgio Moroder-produced No. 1 In Heaven became the blueprint album for all electronic music to come.

Staples Jr Singers – Searching CD/LP (Luaka Bop)

It happens at times that a stone-cold classic from a bygone era gets rediscovered. But how often does that rediscovery happen when the band is still around? And how often does it lead to a new album? That’s the surprising circ*mstance behind the Staples Jr. Singers’ long-awaited second album, Searching. You likely know the Staples Jr. Singers-the family band from Aberdeen, Mississippi-from their first and only record, 1975’s When Do We Gate Paid. They made that record themselves when they were only teenagers. Finally, the family is back with their sophom*ore album, Searching.

Still Woozy – Loveseat CD/LP (Interscope)

One of the most inventive and multifaceted new voices in the alt-pop world, Still Woozy returns with his sophom*ore album, Loveseat. Over dreamy guitar licks and driving beats, the Northern California native crafts a patchwork soundscape of psychedelia, pop hooks, and lyrics dosed in magical realism.

Sunbomb – Light Up The Sky CD/LP (Frontiers)

Light Up The Sky is the sophom*ore release from the musical alliance between two steadfast warriors of the US hard rock/metal scene, Tracii Guns and Michael Sweet. This is once again a tribute to the classic heavy metal of the ‘80s melding influences of classic metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Dio and Judas Priest.

Two Tons O’ Fun – Get The Feeling – The Complete Fantasy / Honey Recordings 2xCD (Real Gone Music)

Before they achieved stardom the world over with “It’s Raining Men,” Weather Girls Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead made waves in the thriving San Francisco music scene as Two Tons o’ Fun (and, later, The Two Tons). The powerhouse duo began working with gender- and genre-defying artist Sylvester at Fantasy Records, singing background and lead vocals on many of his most memorable recordings. In 1980, they struck out on their own and teamed with legendary Motown veteran Harvey Fuqua (who had also helmed Sylvester’s beloved albums) for two remarkable LPs on his Honey Records imprint. Fusing disco, dance, soul, funk, and R&B with roof-raising, gospel-tinged vocals, both Two Tons o’ Fun and Backatcha put the extraordinary voices of “Queen of Clubland” Wash and Armstead out front.

TWS – TWS 2^nd Mini Album “Summerbeat!” (OUR Ver.) CD (Pledis Entertainment)

TWS – TWS 2^nd Mini Album “Summerbeat!” (NOW Ver.) CD (Pledis Entertainment)

New release from the K-pop boyband.

Vex – New Sick Music CD/LP (Heptown)

Vex is a dance-punk, synth-pop band from Malmö, Sweden. The band is easily recognizable by their signature yellow appearance. The music is upbeat electronic pop with a punk attitude, reminiscent of bands like Devo, B52s, Pete Shelley, New Order or just the eclectic energy from any early 1980s weirdo.

Voidgazer – Dance Of The Undesirables CDEP/12” (Reigning Phoenix)

Founded in late 2015 by mastermind Manny Watts, extreme prog merchants Voidgazer released their debut EP Years Of Exile the following year. The band jammed around the Midwest over the next three years, naturally evolving the music and band until the current line-up. Although they first jammed together in 2019, the covid pandemic forced them put their live performances on ice as well as hit pause on release of their second EP, Dance Of The Undesirables.

The Warning – Keep Me Fed CD/LP (Republic)

The Warning draw strength and power from a lifetime of sisterhood and music. They have logged thousands of miles on the road, generated hundreds of millions of streams and left countless fans in awe. All of this tireless work and dedication has shaped and sharpened their sound with knifepoint precision, arming alternative anthems with universally catchy hooks and an uncompromising hard rock kick.

Washed Out – Notes From A Quiet Life CD/LP (Sub Pop)

Wendy & Bonnie – Genesis [Reissue/1969] 2xCD/2xLP (Sundazed Music)

Expanded double-CD edition. A slice of soft psych heaven! Sisters Wendy & Bonnie Flower’s radiant sunshine pop, breezy melodic arrangements and sophisticated soft rock flourishes make this a must-hear album. [A stand-alone single-disc green color vinyl pressing is available.]

Winter – Into Darkness [Reissue/1990] CD/LP (Svart)

Perpetually out of print, much sought after and universally worshipped amongst those in the know, Winter’s “Into Darkness” was a game-changing classic. Formed in New York circa 1988, Winter played slow, deep and hard nuclear doom with a crust punk rawness, that came across like Hellhammer jamming with Amebix. Their penchant for mammoth sized and funeral-paced, wasteland droning has become a touchstone reference for bands across the whole spectrum of underground metal. [A limited-edition violet w/ smoke color vinyl pressing is available.]

X-Cops – Xcab CD/LP (Pit)

After 25 years on the lam, the original Bad Boys of Law Enforcement have returned, bringing their unique brand of heavy metal with them.

Yes – Fragile (Super Deluxe) 4xCD+LP+Blu-ray Audio (Atlantic)

Fragile (Super Deluxe Edition) is the definitive version of the Yes’ fourth album, the record that launched the group to new heights when it was originally released in 1971 with hits like “Roundabout” and its beloved B-side, “Long Distance Runaround.” This album version includes four CDs, one LP, and a Blu-ray disc. Introducing, a newly remastered version of the original album on both CD and vinyl, rare and unreleased recordings. A Blu-ray disc completes the collection with Steven Wilson’s 2024 mixes, including the album in Dolby Atmos and 5.1 Mix DTS-HD MA.

Neil Young with Crazy Horse – Early Daze CD/LP (Reprise)

Early Daze is a collection of rare and unreleased studio recordings by Neil Young with Crazy Horse. The 10 songs were all recorded in 1969 with a Crazy Horse line-up of Danny Whitten (guitar and vocals), Ralph Molina (drums and vocals), Billy Talbot (bass and vocals), Jack Nitzsche (keyboards, tambourine, and vocals). Only one track on the album has been previously released (“Dance Dance Dance”). [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]

Young Fresh Fellows – Fabulous Sounds Of The Pacific Northwest (40th Anniversary Edition) 2xCD/LP (Omnivore)

Formed (conceptually) by Scott McCaughey and Chuck Carroll in Seattle, WA in 1981, The Young Fresh Fellows, with the addition of Chuck’s mad-drumming cousin Tad Hutchison, began work on their debut effort in 1983. Friend Conrad Uno volunteered to produce and record the trio in his basem*nt/garage Egg Studios (no money exchanged hands), and Uno’s fledgling label PopLlama Products insisted on pushing the record out into the world, beyond a small circle of friends. Starting with the magical success of this album, PopLlama would become a fixture in the still-floundering Seattle music scene and the home of bands including Fastbacks, The Posies, Dharma Bums, and The President Of The United States Of America (whose Uno-produced debut would go on to be certified Triple Platinum by the RIAA.) Inspired by a 1960’s single from Pacific Northwest Bell to promote tourism, the cover plays homage to that release, with sound bites as “narrator” from that original record (and now, either thankfully or regretfully, omitted from this cut-to-the-rock’n’roll-chase remix). [The original 15-track LP is available on limited-edition turquoise vinyl.]

Zhu – Grace CD/3xLP (Astralwerks)

Grammy-nominated artist Zhu recorded most of Grace in his hometown of San Francisco at iconic Grace Cathedral. Zhu teamed up with Devault and BabyJake on “Revelations,” the album’s first single, which earned a spot on Rolling Stone’s list of “All The Songs You Need To Know This Week” upon its release. [A red color vinyl pressing is available.]

DVDs + Blu-ray:

Nektar – Journey To The Other Side: Live At The Dunellen Theater June 10, 2023 Blu-ray+2xCD (Deko Music)

Formed in Germany in 1969, Nektar favored extended compositions and concept albums over the constraints of pop. They were among the progenitors of the progressive rock movement of

the 1970s as well as the jam-band scene that arose in the late 1990s.

This Week’s Vinyl Exclusives:

Amery – Continue As Amery LP (Night School)

Continue As Amery is the debut album by Montreal-based artist Amery. Formerly recording under the moniker Alpen Glow, Continue As Amery sees the songwriter step out into a bold, colorful world full of pop hooks, snagging feelings of abandon and the mornings after. Amery Sandford began releasing as Alpen Glow in 2020 after years playing in punk groups in Newfoundland and as half of Montreal pop duo Born At Midnite (Arbutus).

Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion [Reissue/2009] 2xLP+MP3 (Domino)

Merriweather Post Pavilion, Animal Collective’s ninth studio album, sees the American art-rock collective in heartwarmingly baffling form, combining upbeat indietronica with mind-warping samples. For its 15th anniversary, the 2xLP has been pressed on color vinyl for the first time, bluish and translucent green, and is housed in a reflective foil deluxe gatefold jacket.

Richard Ashcroft – These People [Reissue/2017] 2xLP (Cooking Vinyl)

These People is the fourth studio album from British singer and musician, Richard Ashcroft, originally released in 2016.

Jorge Ben – África Brasil [Reissue/1976] LP (Future Shock)

One of the greatest classics of Brazilian popular music, with Jorge Ben mixing funky samba, Afro-Brazilian beats, and crunching guitars. Jorge Ben was the most prominent figure of the samba soul and samba funk scenes of the ’70s in Brazil, and África Brasil is probably the most famous of his ’70s recordings.

Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter 2xLP (Columbia)

Now available on 180gm vinyl with printed inner sleeves and a 40-page photo booklet featuring never-before-seen images and a folded collectible 24”x36” poster. Cowboy Carter includes a pair of covers: Parton’s “Jolene” and The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” It also includes collaborations with Miley Cyrus (“II Most Wanted”), Post Malone (“Levii’s Jeans”), and Shaboozey (“Spaghettii”).

Gabriel Birnbaum – Patron Saint Of Tireless Losers LP (Western Vinyl)

On his acclaimed LPs with his experimental rock band Wilder Maker, Brooklyn singer-songwriter Gabriel Birnbaum’s animus has been breaking molds. Records like 2018’s sprawling concept album Zion and last year’s guest-lead-singer-filled treasure trove Male Models highlighted the 37-year-old musician’s penchant for formal adventurousness, stylistic pivots, and lyrical verbosity – the kind that mirrors the flow of a warm and spirited conversation, betraying a fascination with influences from Bob Dylan to Billy Woods. On his albums billed to Gabriel Birnbaum, he focuses on economy and direct emotional resonance, bending classic American songforms to his will.

Danny Brown – Quaranta LP+MP3 (Warp)

Pink colorway. As the intro notes, Quaranta is Italian for “forty.” According to Brown, Quaranta is the spiritual sequel to XXX, his breakout album released on Fool’s Gold in 2011, that infamously cataloged a life lived on the edge at 30. The whirlwind of parties, tours, collaborations, and achievements that followed that landmark release seemed to fly by fast–ten years later, when COVID-19 brought the world to a halt, Brown found himself in downtown Detroit, living alone for the first time ever. After years of escapist escapades, he was forced to adjust to the stillness and silence, and the bars on Quaranta are diaristic in a distinctly Danny Brown way. There’s no shortage of Brown’s typical blitzing verses over angular, mesmerizing production from some of his oldest collaborators including Quelle Chris, Paul White & SKYWLKR, but the Alchemist produced “Tantor” is just the kind of cold-steel contradistinction which he’s been celebrated throughout his career.

Cher – Living Proof [Reissue/2002] LP (WB)

Cher – Closer To The Truth [Reissue/2013] LP (WB)

Clear and champaign clear (respectively) color vinyl reissues. Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer and actress. Recognized for having brought the sense of female autonomy and self-actualization into the entertainment industry, she is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in various areas of entertainment, as well as for continuously reinventing both her music and image which has led to her being called the Goddess of Pop.

Combo Daguerre – Fracassines LP (Barbes)

After dealing in mostly Latin tropical styles for over a decade with the psychedelic cumbias of his band Chicha Libre, Brooklyn-based Olivier Conan now leads Combo Daguerre, a group that performs original French tunes with a psychedelic edge and a mostly Latin crew. Its hybrid style is informed by boleros, cumbia, ‘60s rock, French chanson, Gainsbourg and 1930s surrealism.

Copywrite – The Last Supper LP (Man Bites Dog)

Underground hip-hop veteran and esteemed lyricist, Copywrite enlists indie golden age emcees & producers from his early Rawkus, Eastern Conference & Fondle ‘Em Records days with his seventh studio album, The Last Supper.

Mikaela Davis & Circles Around The Sun – After Sunrise LP (Jealous Butcher)

Blue colorway. After Sunrise, the new collaboration from Circles Around The Sun and Mikaela Davis reunites the disco cosmonauts and acclaimed harpist for further explorations of the synergy first showcased on the title track of CATS’ 2023 album, Language.

Joseph Decosimo / Luke Richardson / Cleek Schrey – Beehive Cathedral LP (Dear Life)

In April 2021, Joseph Decosimo, Luke Richardson, and Cleek Schrey – three of the most compelling interpreters in the American traditional music scene-gathered at a cabin in Tennessee to explore their collective repertoire of old-time fiddle and banjo tunes, gleaned from visits with older players, field recordings, and vintage 78s. In between roaming the surrounding limestone bluffs, hunting morels, and foraging ramps, they nestled into their music and recorded themselves in the cabin-turned-studio. Working with fiddle, hardanger d’amore (a fiddle with sympathetic strings), banjos, and a 19th-century pump organ, the trio captured both the sonic details of their instruments and a generous musical interplay rooted in a dozen years of collaboration. Their debut album, Beehive Cathedral, presents resonant, thoughtful, and expansive explorations of Appalachian and American music. The results showcase deep study and enveloping, exhilarating performances.

Dirty Three – Love Changes Everything LP (Drag City)

Dirty Three Ahoy! Appropriately disheveled, the Three emerge from the unending waves of time to pick up their guitar drum and viola/violin/piano/synthesizer/loops/percussion for their first album in a decade. Their playing encompasses ALL – from the original fury of their unlikely power trio to an impressionist cinema later on; mercurial, tumultuous to ambient to adagio, mood and emotion drawn up to dazzling heights from the humble human scale.

Eric Dolphy – The Complete Uppsala Concert, Vol. 1 LP (Honeypie)

Recorded live in Sweden in September 1961, the Uppsala Concert is an important document from Dolphy’s first Swedish tour as leader of an obscure but talented local quartet featuring Rony Johansson (piano), Kurt Lindgren (bass), and Rune Carlsson (drums). Master Dolphy shines, as always, on all his instruments alto sax, bass clarinet, and flute.

Earthtones – We Can Live Together LP (Wonderwheel)

We Can Live Together is based in folkloric futurism, a movement that explores the convergence of global folk traditions with technology. Channeling the influence of proto house and techno pioneers like Mr. Fingers, Kevin Saunderson and Inner City, Earthtones combines analog synthesizers and vintage drum machines with folkloric vocals and instrumentation in a way uniquely his own. It’s a celebration of the intersection of past and future, here and there, ancestry and technology. It celebrates themes of spirituality, feminism, love, and most of all, peace.

Melissa Errico – Sondheim In The City 2xLP (Concord)

Released last February on CD – now available on vinyl. Melissa Errico is the “Sondheim woman” in Sondheim In The City. Devoted to Stephen Sondheim’s songs about New York – from the beginning of his career to its climaxes – Melissa’s latest album highlights Sondheim’s artistry while she inhabits one leading lady after another. From uptown to downtown and from sophisticated skyscraper heights to naïve basem*nt depths, Sondheim In The City is a celebration of New York and it’s legendary musical theatre composer.

Feet – Make It Up LP (Submarine Cat)

Make It Up is the long player follow up to Feet’s debut album What’s Inside Is More Than Just Ham which catapulted them into the indie-rock spotlight in 2019. Crowd pleasing thrillers such as ‘Petty Thieving’, ‘the anthemic ‘English Weather’ and more recent crowd favorite ‘Changing My Mind Again’ have solidified the band as one of the most exciting guitar acts on the scene

Flamingods – Head Of Pomegranate LP (The Liquid Label)

Green colorway. Flamingods return with new album Head Of Pomegranate, recorded in Atlanta by Grammy award-winning producer Ben H. Allen (Animal Collective, Deerhunter, M.I.A.).

The much-loved London quartet have now been crafting their distinctive genre-defying music for over a decade now. Stylistically and in typical nature of a Flamingods record, there are a lot of genres and sounds covered. Weaving through genres of psychedelia, new wave, electronica and punk – often within the same song – is a bit of a specialty for the band, as is their knack for blending in influences from their unique cultural heritages and love of ‘70s British rock and roll.

Lee Greenwood – American Patriot [Reissue/1992] LP (Capitol Nashville)

This special edition of Lee Greenwood’s American Patriot comprises his most popular songs in a single LP collection. Includes patriotic hits like “God Bless the U.S.A.,” “America The Beautiful,” and “The Star Spangled Banner.” First time on vinyl – white with red and flue fireworks splatter.

Heavy Makeup – Here It Comes LP (Sony Legacy)

On stage and on their new sophom*ore release, Here It Comes, Heavy Makeup-CJ Camerieri (trumpet player for yMusic, CARM) Edie Brickell and Trever Hagen (producer, electronic musician and fellow trumpeter)-improvise complete songs, spinning elements of pop, folk, electronic, rock, jazz, chamber music and the avant-garde into two- and three-minute gems that are at once radio-worthy and experimental.

Eric Hilton – Out Of The Blur LP (Eric Hilton/Emerald Wave)

New release from downtempo electronic producer Eric Hilton, his first full length album of ambient music. Out of the Blur is Hilton’s debut release for the Emerald Wave label, a new imprint specializing in healing music. Eric Hilton’s masterful ability to combine disparate musical genres was well established as co-founder of the globally successful downtempo group Thievery Corporation. But for Out Of The Blur, a more reductive compositional approach was required.

Johnny Hodges – Blues-A-Plenty [Reissue/1958] LP (Verve)

Johnny Hodges’ 1958 album Blues-A-Plenty showcases the great alto saxophonist backed by an all-star group featuring Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Vic Dickenson, and an Ellingtonian rhythm section formed by Billy Strayhorn on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Sam Woodyard on drums. Hodges was perhaps the most important soloist and sideman in Duke Ellington’s orchestra from 1928 up to Hodges’ death in 1970. The self-taught player made many solo forays during his long career – one of his ’50s outfits included a young John Coltrane – but history remembers Hodges for his virtuosic sidemanship, particularly his sensitive rendering of ballads.

Homeshake – Horsie LP (Shhoamkee)

Following March’s album Wallet, Homeshake presents his second album of 2024, Horsie. Written and recorded at his home studio in Toronto, it explores Sagar’s complicated feelings about returning to live performance. Deepening his relationship to loneliness and anxiety, the record examines those themes in the context of touring. Horsie employs various textures influenced by artists like Four Tet and My Bloody Valentine, the rhythmic forms of D’Angelo and Sade, and moments of ambient Americana found in the works of Ry Cooder. The cornerstone pieces of gear used were an Ensoniq EPS and Roland Juno 60, though the album also employs a great deal of electric guitar, along with his beloved SP-404.

Matt Hunter & The Dusty Fates – Reindeer Soul LP (Dromedary)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. After more than three decades as a member of such indie rock luminaries as New Radiant Storm King, Silver Jews, and Savak, multi-instrumentalist Matt Hunter tries his hand as bandleader, working with a group of longtime musicians from bands like King Missile, Yo La Tengo, Band of Susans, The Sharp Things, and Phantom Tollbooth. The result is a collection of mature, well-written songs, expertly played, simultaneously diverse and cohesive, each track surrounding Hunter’s grizzled, road-weary, campfire songs with skillful musicianship

Idaho – Lapse LP (Arts & Crafts)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Idaho returns with its first new album in more than 13 years. Emerging in the early ‘90s, often linked to the seminal bands of the influential slowcore movement pioneered by Low, Songs: Ohia, Codeine, and others, Idaho is uniquely distinguished by the ragged elegance of frontman Jeff Martin’s powerful songcraft, the gentle angst of his poetry leading the airy, earthen synergy of his sonic desertscape. As ever, Lapse – which marks Idaho’s first full-length release since 2011’s You Were A Dick – is engraved with the painterly strains of four-string guitar feedback that has long been Idaho’s signature, it’s lush melancholia lavished by Martin with bittersweet delivery on ten heartrending, cinematic new songs, charged with the undying love of being a band.

Alan Jackson – Don’t Rock The Jukebox [Reissue/1991] LP (Sony Legacy)

Alan Jackson – What I Do [Reissue/2004] LP (Sony Legacy)

Vinyl reissues of the country superstar’s second and twelfth albums.

Ahmad Jamal – Live At Bubba’s LP (Who’s Who In Jazz)

This intimate center stage recording from Bubba’s Jazz Restaurant in 1980 is a potent reminder of how good Ahmad Jamal’s live performances could be.

Malcomlm Jiyane Tree-O – True Story LP (New Soil)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Described by Zimbabwean journalist Liam Brickhill as “a new star in the southern sky”, and by his legendary mentor, Bra Johnny Mekoa, as “the future Jonas Gwangwa”, Malcolm Jiyane is a cornerstone of the contemporary South African Jazz scene.

Daniel Johnston – Fun [Reissue/1994] LP (Org Music)

Blue colorway. Daniel Johnston’s major label debut Fun was originally released in 1994 on Atlantic Records while he was housed in a mental institution. Featuring some of Daniel’s finest songwriting and boasting the most “accessible” sound of his eccentric and deep catalog, producer Paul Leary (Butthole Surfers) eloquently preserves the singer/songwriter’s earnest appeal and wraps it in sympathetic musical support. The aspiring cartoonist’s playful, symbol-heavy sketches have graced many of his album covers, including Fun.

Kasbo – The Learning Of Urgency LP (Foreign Family Collective)

Clear vinyl pressing. New (third) album by the Swedish electronic music wunderkind.

Little Big – Lobster Popstar LP (Little Big)

Lobster Popstar is the latest full length from rave-punk-pop group, Little Big. Known for their over-the-top visuals and viral hits, this album is Little Big at their best.

Steve Lacy – Reflections: Steve Lacy Plays Thelonious Monk [Reissue/1959] LP (Sowing)

Clear vinyl pressing. This was the very first Thelonious Monk tribute album, recorded at least 20 years before jazz musicians found it fashionable to play Monk tributes.

Los Campesinos! – Sick Scenes [Reissue/2017] LP (Wichita)

Limited pink colored vinyl LP pressing. Finally back in print, the fan favorite sixth LP from UK seven piece Los Campesinos!

Love Battery – Straight Freak Ticket LP (Bang Bang)

The fourth album by Love Battery, Straight Freak Ticket (1994), now out for the first time on vinyl. Remastered by Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden, etc.) Straight Freak Ticket is the fourth album by Seattle alternative rock band Love Battery. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer called the album “a solid, well-produced album of guitar-based rock with catchy hooks and a strong dose of psychedelia.”

Low Hum – Terra Incognita LP (Last Gang)

Opaque citrus vinyl. Low Hum, the kaleidoscopic creation of artist Collin Desha, lives in a lo-fi meets hi-fi futurism: blending heavy fuzzed-out riffs, oceanic tranquility, and pop sensibilities, juxtaposed alongside melodious synths and honeyed, harmonious vocals. Terra Incognita explores uncharted sonic territories in a journey through psychedelic soundscapes with grounding lyrical concepts that call to our courageous self; to face the unknown.

Luci – They Say They Love You LP (Don’t Sleep Music)

Charlotte-born-and-raised artist Luci has always sought music as a refuge. The Don’t Sleep signee’s catalogue, buoyed by 2022’s debut EP, Juvenilia showcases a blend of R&B, hip-hop, trip-hop, and whatever else she has the whim to explore. The future is now for Luci, whose debut album, They Say They Love You, was recorded in Ambridge, Pennsylvania as well as L.A., and explores themes of love, loneliness, perseverance amid uncertainty, self-care, and coming of age.

Mestizo Beat – Jaraguá LP (F-Spot)

Jaraguá (haa-raa-WAH) noun – a tall forage grass known for its resistance to adverse environments. From a melting pot of influences and cultures, Mestizo Beat takes the lead, offering the next wave of instrumental West Coast Latin Funk to come out of Southern California. Their sophom*ore LP, Jaraguá, highlights the group’s dedication and resistance to keep pushing many boundaries while paying respect to the generation that came before them. Blending the sounds of early 70s funk & soul, Latin-jazz, and Afrobeat, Mestizo Beat takes musicianship and production to their highest level, offering a complete package of masterfully crafted recordings and original compositions into a brand new, hot off the press, 12″ LP.

Milly – Your Own Becoming LP (Dangerbird)

Black ice colorway. Your Own Becoming was produced by Sonny DiPerri (NIN, Narrow Head, My Bloody Valentine) and contains 10 new tracks, including their lead single titled “Drip From The Fountain”. “By far the most infectious song of their entire catalog with an explosive chorus and airtight melodic hooks that recall early Death Cab For Cutie, the track serves as the North Star for the entire LP.”

Hank Mobley with Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan – Hank Mobley with Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan [Reissue/1957] LP (Sowing)

Clear vinyl pressing. Hank Mobley with Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan, also known as Hank Mobley Sextet, is an album by American jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on November 25, 1956, and released on Blue Note the following year. The sextet features trumpeters Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan, backed by rhythm section Horace Silver, Paul Chambers, and Charli Persip.

My Diligence – Death.Horses.Black LP (Listenable)

Green w/ black smoke colorway. Originally from Brussels, My Diligence unveils its fourth album, Death.Horses.Black marking a bold new step in the band’s evolution. This latest release promises to captivate both hearts and ears hungry for musical innovation. For fans of Cult Of Luna, The Ocean, Russian Circles, Gojira.

Molly Nilsson – Solo Paraiso [Reissue/2014] LP (Night School)

Solo Paraiso is Molly Nilsson’s mini album from 2014 recorded during a 2-month residency in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For its 10th Anniversary, Night School and Dark Skies Association is making the most sought-after long player in Molly Nilsson’s catalogue available again on a new format with new artwork. [A white colorway is available.]

Noelle & The Deserters – High Desert Daydream LP (Speakeasy Studios SF)

Noelle & The Deserters bring South-Western honky tonk and songs of heartbreak from the high deserts of New Mexico to the golden hills of California. Fronted by singer-songwriter Noelle Fiore, their music draws inspiration from the likes of Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, Marty Robbins, J.J Cale, Gene Clark, Townes Van Zandt, and the great outlaw country players.

Daniel Nunnelee – June, Baby LP (One Riot)

Through evocative lyricism, Daniel Nunnelee creates nostalgia in its purest form. He uses his music to offer fans their own community built on vulnerability and connection.

Ortrotasce – Dispatches From Solitude LP (Dark Entries)

For over a decade, Nic Hamersly has been using the Ortotrasce (pronounced: or-tro-task) moniker to unleash brooding-yet-propulsive darkwave anthems upon the world. Hamersly’s work explores the intersection between industrial and synth pop, drawing a line from the sounds of the past to the present. Recorded during the Covid and post-Covid era, Dispatches from Solitude brings eight tracks of tightly wrought synth-pop exploring grief, romance, and our strange world-which just keeps getting stranger.

P.O.D. – Veritas LP (Mascot)

Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. New studio album from hard rock icons. [Multiple colorways are available, including red and clear.]

pruz – No Glory LP (MTN Laurel)

Shortly after the release of their gorgeous debut EP Again, There last year, Brooklyn songwriter h. pruz (Hannah Pruzinsky) upended their whole life. After the end of a long-term relationship, they fell deep into the throes of new love; they quit their full-time job to spend most of their time playing music. The result of that being the nine-song album, No Glory.

Queen Of Jeans – All Again LP (Run For Cover)

Amber gold swirl colorway. With their signature ethereal vocals and introspective songwriting, Queen Of Jeans delivers a collection of tracks that are both intimate and anthemic. The shimmering melodies and lush instrumentation create a sonic landscape that is both nostalgic and contemporary, drawing listeners in with its emotional depth.

Rezz – Can You See Me? LP (Virgin)

Silver smoke colorway. A 10-track LP full of powerful collaborations which span a range of genres within bass music.

Round Robin Monopoly – Alpha [Reissue/1974] LP (Craft Recordings)

Originally released in 1974 on the Stax imprint Truth Records, The Round Robin Monopoly’s funk-soul extravaganza Alpha returns to vinyl for the first time in 50 years. Evoking the feeling of a car chase scene in a mid-’70s action movie, Alpha lives right at the intersection of top-notch musicianship and immaculate vibes.

Saafir – Boxcar Sessions [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Rarebreed)

Reggie Gibson, aka Saafir, is a producer, actor and underground Oakland California legend known for his abstract form of emceeing. Saafir made his recording debut on Digital Underground’s The Body-Hat Syndrome in 1993, followed by an appearance on Casual’s Fear Itself in 1994, which led to his solo release Boxcar Sessions. The production was handled by Jay-Z, J Groove and Big Nose, with Sleuth and Saafir serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Big Nose, King Saan, Poke Martian and Rashinel.

saib. – Around The World 2xLP (Cold Busted)

Historically Casablanca has been known as a global melting pot; a place where cultures mingle and fuse. This quality is evident in the dazzling music of Casablanca-based beat-maker and guitarist saib., who has revealed his debut long-player, the appropriately titled Around The World album. These tunes showcase saib.’s worldly vibe, tied together with his intricate guitar playing which deftly keeps up with all the styles represented on the album. Hip hop beats form the backbone as saib.’s musical palette skips from jazz flavors to lounge experiments to Asian textures… and sometimes within a single track.

Samiam – Astray [Reissue/2000] LP (Hopeless)

Yellow colorway. Oakland’s Samiam unleashed their sixth album, Astray, in 2000, and it’s a heart-wrenching masterpiece. Samiam blends punk energy with alt-rock vibes and a melancholic undertone, all wrapped in a smartly produced soundscape. Astray doesn’t shy away from darkness, confronting heavy themes like suicide with raw honesty and searing emotion. The music itself reflects the weight, rumbling bass-heavy guitars amplifying the somber mood.

Gustavo Santaolalla – The Last Of Us [10^th Anniversary Vinyl Box Set] 4xLP (Sony Classics)

Celebrate a decade of the game and its music with the release of The Last Of Us 10th Anniversary Vinyl Box Set. The box set contains music from the original The Last Of Us and The Last of Us Volume 2 albums, including the famous main theme. Pressed on four color vinyl LPs with exclusive cover art designed by Ashraf Omar. The box also boasts two exclusive lithographs – one designed by Omar and the other showcasing original The Last Of Us game sketch art, all housed in a meticulously crafted outer slipcase.

Shudder To Think – 1987 (100,019 Men Go Wow Wow Wow) LP (L.G.)

A band with many chapters and an ever-changing sound, Shudder To Think’s story began in 1986 in Glover Park, Washington DC. Bass player Stuart Hill and drummer Mike Russell had just recruited Chris Matthews to play guitar in their fledgling hardcore band Stüge (1984-86) when they suddenly found themselves in need of a new singer as well. Matthews suggested his friend Craig Wedren for the role. At the audition, Wedren’s style clashed with the style of the band’s previous singer, but the group all sensed that they might have stumbled into a “chocolate-in-my-peanut-butter” situation with intriguing potential. The group changed their name and headed into new territory.

Silverstein – A Shipwreck In The Sand [Reissue/2009] LP (Victory)

15th anniversary pressing of Silverstein’s fourth studio album. The concept album chronicles a ship setting out to find land to no avail, causing the crew to turn on the captain. Upon its 2009 release, the album reached #3 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and was dubbed an “enjoyable, catchy album that digs deeper than most bands in its genre” by AbsolutePunk.

Skullflower – Lost Shot At Heaven [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (No Holiday)

First vinyl pressing of the long out of print 1993 classic many consider not only Skullflower’s apex, but one of the finest noise rock records of the ‘90s. Clear smoke 2xLP in deluxe embossed sleeve.

Small Brown Bike – Dead Reckoning [Reissue/2001] LP (No Idea)

Michigan’s yearn-and-burn emo skippers returned with their third full-length album in 2001, and completely obliterate everything they’ve done before. Eleven expertly charted tracks from a band who knows how to navigate the scene’s most troubled waters. Re-cut for vinyl by Lucky Lacquers, this landmark, genre-defining, thin crispy pizza with a side salad rocks harder than ever.

SML – Small Medium Large LP (International Anthem)

SML is Anna Butterss, Jeremiah Chiu, Josh Johnson, Booker Stardrum, Gregory Uhlmann. Small Medium Large was engineered and recorded in stereo direct to Nagra by Bryce Gonzales at ETA, Los Angeles, CA and compiled, arranged and edited with additional production recording and studio composition by Jeremiah Chiu, Josh Johnson, Booker Stardrum, and Gregory Uhlmann at home studios in Los Angeles, CA and Kingston, NY.

Soft Machine – Hovidkodden 1971 4xLP (Cuneiform)

This well recorded and carefully mastered set captures the most famous version of the band (the ‘classic quartet’) on their final European tour on two consecutive nights on February 27 and 28, 1971. While the two sets from the second night have been released before, this is the first time that the entire two- night stand has been released. So half of this is previously completely unreleased.

Soundtrack – The Garfield Movie [OST] LP (Republic)

Orange w/ black splatter colorway. Straight from the hit animated film The Garfield Movie, this diverse album showcases the adventurous talents of, and features hit singles by, Keith Urban, Snoop Dogg, Jon Batiste and Calum Scott. With a special performance from Hannah Waddingham.

Storefront Church – Ink & Oil 2xLP (Storefront Church)

Ink & Oil is a 12-song epic with a full live orchestra on every song. Written and performed in Los Angeles, the record is sweeping and cinematic, it follows the inner world of Singer/ Songwriter and composer Lukas Frank, as he has visions of lost family members visiting him in the night. The music is evocative of Scott Walker, Nick Cave, Brian Wilson and contemporaries such as Black Country New Road or Weyes Blood.

Dudu Tassa & The Kuwaitis – Dude Tassa & The Kuwaitis 2xLP (World Circuit)

Dudu Tassa, one of Israel’s leading rock stars, is the grandson of Kuwaiti musician, Daoud Al-Kuwaiti, whose musical collaborations with his brother Saleh, as the Al Kuwaiti Brothers became famous in the Arabic world between the 1930s and 1950s. Dudu Tassa and the Kuwaitis opened the Coachella festival a few years ago and were also chosen by Radiohead as support act on one of their US tours. The Al Kuwaiti brothers were among the greatest composers and musicians in Baghdad during the first half of the 20th century.

Turnover – Myself In The Way Remixes LP (Run For Cover)

Turnover have teamed up with a team of collaborators to release Myself In The Way: Remixes, a new vinyl release that features reimagined versions of the band’s infectious and trippy album Myself In The Way.

Various Artists – Shanghai’d Soul Episode 12 LP (Numero)

Everybody’s still talking about the good ol’ days! A rough and rugged collection of ol’ dirty classics that have inspired swarms of killer beats. A head nod to the sounds of Shaolin, the twelve chambers of Shanghai’d Soul have moved lyrical chefs and production geniuses alike to compose some of their most ominous hip-hop. Gods and Earths alike will appreciate the raw funk and smoother-than-a-Lexus soul that come together like Voltron on this special compilation.

As sampled by J. Cole, The Game, Cappadonna, The Avalanches, Kanye, Hudson Mohawke, Anderson.Paak, Loyle Corner, Meek Mill, T.I., Quavo, Danny Brown, and hundreds more. [Multiple colorways are available.]

The Vaselines – The Way Of The Vaselines [Reissue/1992] 2xLP (Sub Pop)

The Vaselines have long been celebrated by musicians and music enthusiasts across genres and across the globe, including super-fan Kurt Cobain. Emerging in the mid-eighties under the wing of The Pastels’s Stephen McRobbie, The Vaselines came to define the sly wit and irresistible pop hooks of the era’s Scottish indie scene.

Tessa Violet – Maybe Trapped Mostly Troubled [Reissue/2014] LP (Many Hats Dist.)

Purple vinyl. Growing up an only child in a small town in Oregon, Tessa Violet always had a deep desire to create authentic connections with people. YouTube was the first platform which allowed her to foster those connections; as she grew up, and the platform evolved, it became a place for many budding musicians to flock. After moving to L.A., Tessa released her debut album Bad Ideas in Fall 2019 – rounding out a breakout year for the rising artist. Tessa’s sophom*ore album, MY GOD!, was released in July 2023, to much praise from her engaged and excited fanbase.

Waler & Royce – No Big Deal 2xLP (Dirtybird)

Embarking on a four-part mission to bring the party back to dance music, Walker & Royce have embraced the boisterous, unruly nature of their over-the-top signature to deliver ten non-stop anthems.

Worst Case Scenario – Studies In Pessimism LP (L.G.)

A collection of early recordings by this short-lived hardcore-influenced Unwound spinoff band.

John Wright – South Side Soul [Reissue/1960] LP (Craft Recordings)

John Wright’s 1960 debut album, South Side Soul, was originally released on the Prestige label and recorded at Van Gelder Studios. Along with Wright (piano), the album features Wendell Robert (bass) and Walter McCants (drums).

Youthsayers – Don’t Blame The Youth LP (Wah Wah 45s)

Youthsayers was established in 2016 and ever since has consistently provided free of charge opportunities for young people to come together, learn an instrument and perform music under the tutelage of Robin and Idris. This has been made possible, in part, through donations from local businesses and private benefactors, but also live fundraisers and now through commercially released music. Don’t Blame The Youth is a snapshot of the current Youthsayers band, and recent alumni, who’ve gone on to form other bands in the world of jazz, reggae, and beyond, including recent signings to Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood imprint Oreglo. Over the course of eight tracks the band deliver their own unique takes on classic and contemporary pieces of music from the world of dub and Afro-jazz, including covers of Theon Cross, Fela Kuti, Cedric I’m Brooks, The Fontanelles, and of course, Soothsayers themselves.

Cassettes:

Omar Apollo – God Said No (WB)

Nothing More – Carnal (Better Noise)

New Releases for June 28, 2024 - Boo Boo Records (2024)

References