Japanese-British singer and producer Miso Extra has made her infectious journey through everything from tongue-in-cheek rap and sultry R&B to tuned-up hyperpop and dancefloor electronica, with each wandering sound guided by her expert ear. Her debut album, Earcandy– featuring collaborations from DJ Boring, Metronomy, AK Paul, Samo, Tyson and MICHELLE – cements her status as an irrepressible and confident new talent, capable of transforming the exciting, spontaneous moment of creation into delight for the ears. Decamping to Damon Albarn’s Studio 13 in London over summer 2024, she co-produced the album with Grammy Award-winning engineer Riccardo Damian (Mark Ronson, Ezra Collective, Jorja Smith, Sampha). Across 12 tracks, she takes us on a journey of lovelorn vulnerability, growth, and self-empowerment, while traversing the K-Pop and UK Garage references of the earworming “POP," the lovesick lyricism and bass-heavy R&B beats of “Good Kisses," the synth-house swing of “Certified," and the reverb-laden ‘80s melodics of “Ghostly." On Earcandy, Miso expands her sonic universe to produce the fullest expression of her restlessly roving sound.
Ken Pomeroy exists in the intersection of past, present and future; effortlessly channeling the ancestral wisdom of her elders and her lived experience through her lyrical and instrumental composition. Writing as a cathartic release has culminated in Pomeroy’s highly anticipated album, Cruel Joke. The 12-track contemporary folk collection creates a wild but safe space of Pomeroy’s own––a space that, like 22-year-old Pomeroy, is brutally honest, proudly Native American, and undeniably brilliant.
With their debut album,Afterglow,Sleep Theory is carving out space at the forefront of modern hard rock, stacking stadium-sized hooks with genuine emotional weight. If their meteoric rise is any indication, this is only the beginning.The album, which offers astunning display of diverse rock flavors, was produced by David Cowell andmixed by Zakk Cervini (Bring MeThe Horizon, Bad Omens, Architects).
Revolver put it best: “The band’s mix of metalcore, pop, and R&B is clearly connecting in a big way—and has positioned Sleep Theory as one of heavy music’s biggest breakouts.”
Sleep Theory isn’t just another rock band climbing the ranks—they’re an unstoppable force rewriting the genre’s rules in real time. Frontman Cullen Moore doesn’t just sing; he commands, delivering lung-busting hooks that sit comfortably between modern rock’s heaviest hitters and the emotional pull of early-2000s alt-metal.Sleep Theory’s sound blends anthemic rock, metalcore energy, and smooth R&B-inspired melodies, drawing comparisons to Linkin Park’s more dynamic moments. Moore’s vocal range allows for a mix of soaring melodies and intense screams, adding depth and versatility to their music.
In under two years, the Memphis-based quartet—Moore, bassist Paolo Vergara, guitarist Daniel Pruitt, and drummer Benjamin Pruitt—had rocketed from internet obscurity to festival mainstages and the momentum hasn’t slowed. With over 220 million streams on their first eight songs, Sleep Theory is proving that viral moments can have serious staying power.
The industry is watching. Sleep Theory closed out 2024 as the fifth most-played artist on Active Rock radio, with multiple singles cracking year-end rock and metal charts. Heavyweights like Jelly Roll and Disturbed’s David Draiman are openly singing their praises, while Shinedown, Beartooth, Wage War, Daughtry, and Falling in Reverse have already taken them on tour across the U.S. and Europe.
Hailing from northeast England, Fender is a British songwriter with a penchant for euphoric, hard-hitting guitar anthems. Bursting onto the scene with a BRITs Critics’ Choice win in 2018, his first two albums, Hypersonic Missiles (2019) and Seventeen Going Under (2021), both debuted at Number 1 on the UK’s Official Albums Chart and earned Platinum status. With over two billion global streams, Fender has headlined stadiums in Newcastle, toured arenas across the UK and Ireland, and headlined at major festivals like Reading/Leeds, while also supporting icons like The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.
If Seventeen Going Under – Fender’s sophomore album and second to debut at Number 1 on the UK’s Official Albums Chart – was his “coming of age” album, his forthcoming work is his next step – colorful stories and observations of everyday characters living their everyday, but often extraordinary, lives. Sam produced People Watching alongside bandmates Dean Thompson and Joe Atkinson over two years, working first in London in 2023 with producer Markus Dravs, and then earlier this year in Los Angeles with Granduciel. See below for track listing.
Sunny War, also known as Sydney Ward, found inspiration for her latest album Armageddon In A Summer Dress while living in her late father's 100-year-old house in Chattanooga, TN. She initially thought the house was haunted. Eerie sounds and visions led her to write the song "Ghosts." However, she later discovered that hallucinations were caused by gas leaks, shifting her understanding of those experiences but not her artistic focus. Armageddon In A Summer Dress explores themes of memory, loss, and the ghosts of past selves.
After the success of her 2022 album, Anarchist Gospel, Sunny spent more time touring with artists like Bonnie Raitt and Mitski. To avoid falling back into past struggles with alcohol, she channeled her energy into music, crafting intricate demos and experimenting with sound. This process involved shifting from acoustic to electric guitar, aiming for a fuller band sound.
Tracks like "One Way Train" and "No One Calls Me Baby" highlight her blend of punk and roots influences, emphasizing the rebellious spirit shared by both genres. A notable collaboration on the album is with Steve Ignorant from Crass, whose participation in "Walking Contradiction" reflects Sunny's admiration for the band and its critique of modern society.
Armageddon in a Summer Dress serves as a reflection on identity and choices, balancing heavy themes with empowerment. Sunny War encourages listeners to live authentically and resist societal pressures. Committed to continual growth, she sees every performance and song as an opportunity for exploration. Through her music, Sunny War captures the complexities of life, loss, and the transformative power of creativity.
"So Close To What” is the third studio album by Tate McRae. This LP represents the journey of growing up when the road ahead feels infinite and the destination increasingly elusive.
Powerhouse vocalist Jordan Smith invites listeners to church with a dynamic collection of Gospel standards. Produced by Tommy Sims and Colin Linden, The People's Hymnal showcases stirring arrangements that are familiar yet reimagined by "The Voice" winner. Featuring "How Great Thou Art," "Oh Happy Day" and more, the contemporary Gospel, pop-tinged recording spotlights Smith's effortless vocals that are pristine yet uninhibited, as he skillfully chronicles his influences with heart and soul.
When it comes to songwriting, less is more and simplicity is strength. Just ask Paul Thorn, who’s spent three decades turning soulful grooves and small syllables into songs that pack a big wallop. Maybe he learned the power of minimalism from his years as a pro boxer, maybe it just comes naturally. But whether he’s targeting heads, hearts, hips or the occasional funny bone, he somehow manages to condense large nuggets of wisdom into tight little mantras, the kind embroiderers stitched onto pillows before internet memes existed.
Thorn’s new album, “Life Is Just a Vapor, contains some beauties. “Life is a vapor, let’s live it while we can”; “tough times don’t last, but tough people do” (from “Tough Times Don’t Last”); “any mountain up ahead is just a hill” (from “Old Melodies”). They’re words of advice, comfort, support, encouragement, often meant to uplift, especially in times of struggle.
“I like for people to be touched by music and get something from it, something that they can take with them throughout the day,” Thorn says. “Every song on this album, there's a message in it of some sort about how to live life.”
American Blues Scene writer Don Wilcock calls Thorn “an everyman (who) addresses things we all think about, but few can articulate with the kind of candor, humor and folksy truth that immediately endear him to almost everyone lucky enough to hear his music.”
Irish rock band The Murder Capital Return with their third studio album, Blindness, recorded in Los Angeles earlier this year with producer John Congelton (St Vincent, Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten) and featuring the recently released single ‘Can’t Pretend To Know’ and coming single ‘Words Lost Meaning’.
Blindness is the vividly realised, clear-sightedly ambitious new album from The Murder Capital. A record that’s both momentous and charged with momentum. That’s intimate and simultaneously expansive. Eleven songs that don’t hang about in terms of grabbing the listener.
Sunny War, also known as Sydney Ward, found inspiration for her latest album Armageddon In A Summer Dress while living in her late father's 100-year-old house in Chattanooga, TN. She initially thought the house was haunted. Eerie sounds and visions led her to write the song "Ghosts." However, she later discovered that hallucinations were caused by gas leaks, shifting her understanding of those experiences but not her artistic focus. Armageddon In A Summer Dress explores themes of memory, loss, and the ghosts of past selves.
After the success of her 2022 album, Anarchist Gospel, Sunny spent more time touring with artists like Bonnie Raitt and Mitski. To avoid falling back into past struggles with alcohol, she channeled her energy into music, crafting intricate demos and experimenting with sound. This process involved shifting from acoustic to electric guitar, aiming for a fuller band sound.
Tracks like "One Way Train" and "No One Calls Me Baby" highlight her blend of punk and roots influences, emphasizing the rebellious spirit shared by both genres. A notable collaboration on the album is with Steve Ignorant from Crass, whose participation in "Walking Contradiction" reflects Sunny's admiration for the band and its critique of modern society.
Armageddon in a Summer Dress serves as a reflection on identity and choices, balancing heavy themes with empowerment. Sunny War encourages listeners to live authentically and resist societal pressures. Committed to continual growth, she sees every performance and song as an opportunity for exploration. Through her music, Sunny War captures the complexities of life, loss, and the transformative power of creativity.
Featuring what may be his only recordings on the Prophet keyboard, these once lost performances expand the omniverse of Ra across a stellar set of lengthy cuts! All recorded in a single day and finally making their terrestrial debut, pressed on red vinyl and packaged with a Prophet keyboard brochure plus notes from Ranthropologist Brother Cleve! What happens when a Prophet meets a Prophet? The answer lies within these grooves. Amongst the hundreds of recordings issued by Sun Ra and his Arkestra, under their various guises, the majority were recorded in concert or in makeshift studios such as their early 1960s set-up at NYC's Choreographer's Workshop. Beyond those, roughly 22 albums were recorded at Variety Recording Studio in New York's Times Square. However, on August 25, 1986, Sun Ra and cohorts entered Mission Control, a state-of-the-art 24-track studio north of Boston, which was teeming with electronic keyboards and otherworldly sound generators. Nestled within that arsenal was a brand-new digital ultra keyboard - the Prophet VS ("Vector Synthesizer"). Of all the keyboards Ra played throughout his half-century career, the Prophet was one of the most sophisticated. There's no evidence that he had played either of the instrument's earlier incarnations, the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 and Prophet-10. Created using microprocessors, a then-new technological advance, under the auspices of engineer Dave Smith in 1978, the Prophet-5 revolutionized electronic music as the first polyphonic and, most importantly, programmable synthesizer. Ra was intrigued by the Prophet (surely by the instrument as well as by the name). Recorded during a single day, it's about time that these once lost performances have now been found.
ARCHITECTS are back and charging forward in the heavy rock world with their latest sonic masterpiece, The Sky, The Earth & All Between. After two relentless years on the road—featuring massive European summer tours with Metallica and top billing at festival stages across North America, from Sonic Temple to Aftershock—the band has returned to the studio to deliver their most powerful collection of songs yet.With the creative force of Jordan Fish (Bring Me The Horizon) behind the boards, ARCHITECTS have captured the explosive energy of their live performances while elevating their signature melodic edge. This album reflects the perfect blend of raw intensity, emotional depth, and innovative production. Already making waves, singles like “Curse” and “Seeing Red” have drawn rave reviews from Metal Injection, Alternative Press, and Loudwire. Idobi crowned “Seeing Red” an “anthem powerhouse,” and the track’s global success landed it in the top 10 of charts worldwide—amassing over 45 million streams along the way.
The Sky, The Earth & All Between builds on the momentum of their 2022 album, the classic symptoms of a broken spirit, which stormed to the top of the UK Rock and Metal Charts. With this new release, Architects are once again set to push the boundaries of modern heavy music, cementing their status as one of the most exciting and essential bands of our time.
After more than 20 years, NIGHTINGALE’s's celebrated fourth full-length, “Alive Again”, is available again, remastered (CD/LP) by songwriter/frontman/producer Dan Swano (Opeth, Katatonia, Oceans Of Slumber). Originally released only on CD in 2003, “Alive Again” starts the build-out of NIGHTINGALE's harder rock tendencies as they bridge '70s rock, AOR, prog and metal. The group's international profile also saw them pull in friend Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One) to guest on "Falling". “Alive Again” features stand-out tracks "Shadowman", "The Glory Days", "Shadowland Serenade" and the 11-minute saga "Eternal". The definitive re-issue edition of “Alive Again” is now available as a Ltd. Digipak 2CD (10 + 20 bonus tracks) with O-card and for the first time ever on vinyl, as 180g LP (10 tracks). Restored, renewed and extended, fans will revel at NIGHTINGALE's brilliant “Alive Again” once more.
World renowned rapper, singer, dancer and style icon, LISA, will release her debut solo album "Alter Ego" on February 28, 2025 via LLOUD Co./RCA Records. With "Alter Ego", LISA emulates five unique characters, showcasing her versatility and edge. The album will include previously released singles, "Rockstar", "New Woman" ft. Rosalia, and "Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)", which have a combined 1.2B global streams.
Columbia Records and Searchlight Pictures present ‘A Complete Unknown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'on CD. Featuring 23 tracks recorded live from the film like “A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall,” “Like A Rolling Stone,” and “Girl From The North Country,” the soundtrack includes performances from Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan, Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, and Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash.
Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota arrives with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music. He forges intimate relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking and controversial performance that reverberates worldwide. Timothee Chalamet stars and sings as Bob Dylan in James Mangold's A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, the electric true story behind the rise of one of the most iconic singer-songwriters in history.
Stand Together is Aloe Blacc’s powerful exploration of unity, connection, and humanity. Known for his breakout hits like “I Need a Dollar” and the chart-topping “Wake Me Up” with Avicii, Aloe brings his signature soulful sound to this compelling collection. Each song is dedicated to a different organization or cause for social change while weaving themes of love, empowerment, and togetherness. With Stand Together, Aloe Blacc delivers a record that uplifts and inspires both new listeners and lifelong fans while driving meaningful action.
On Sinister Grift, Panda Bear’s first solo album in five years, he has returned with another statement that feels equally cumulative and unprecedented in his catalog. While his solo records have ranged from starkly intimate expressions of grief to colorful, electronic opuses, his music has never before sounded so warm and immediate. Working in his Lisbon, Portugal home studio with Animal Collective bandmate Josh “Deakin” Dibb, Lennox transforms Panda Bear into something resembling an old-school rock ensemble, playing nearly all the instruments himself and inviting kindred spirits into the process such as Cindy Lee, Spirit of the Beehive’s Rivka Ravede, and—for the first time on a Panda Bear solo album—each of his Animal Collective bandmates.
The beauty of The Devil Makes Three is the way they take an old-time musical genre and, by putting their own imprint on it, turn it into something that lives and breathes anew, passing the torch to a new generation, just as stateside rock fans learned about the likes of pioneers Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly from the first wave of British Invasion bands. With their latest album, Spirits, the band continues this tradition by incorporating their signature punk, folk and bluegrass sound along with country and singer-songwriter leanings.
“That’s what we set out to do. We wanted to use these musical forms to talk about current issues,” explains Pete Bernhard. “We didn’t want to just sing about trains and mining and drinking. For myself, it didn’t seem relevant. Folk music should be about what’s happening now, just as it was when Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan did it. Our music is not just a re-enactment of something old and dusty.”
The song titles alone describe the band’s return to a stripped-down, drum-less sound and songs that reflect the ongoing struggle to survive amid the uncertainties of the current volatile climate: “Dark Gets the Best of You,” “Divide and Conquer,” “Ghost are Weak,” “Hard Times,” “I Love Doing Drugs,” “Poison Well” and “The Devil Wins.” The tracks were recorded at Dreamland, part of a converted church compound outside Woodstock in upstate New York which offered some haunted moments of its own, with plenty of spooky thunderstorms and lightning.
“There’s definitely a theme of ghosts and death running through this album,” acknowledged Bernhard, who lost his mother, brother and closest childhood friend while making the record. “It also has a good amount of political material, a reflection on how divided people are these days, just trying to find common ground. Not being able to perform our music live led to some deep reflections.”
The Devil Makes Three have a very loyal, dedicated and diverse fan base that wouldn't necessarily spend much time together. With Spirits the band hope to continue to bring together all sides to listen to the band's take on personal hardships as well as shared struggles.
Spiritbox’s sophomore album, Tsunami Sea, builds on the band’s massively successful 2021 debut album, Eternal Blue, which topped charts and dominated critic’s year-end lists, and 2023’s Fear of Fear EP, which earned the band two consecutive Grammy nominations. The album, co-produced by Spiritbox’s Mike Stringer and Dan Braunstein, features the band’s signature visceral sound, elevated to new heights of intensity and musicality highlighted in singles “Soft Spine” and “Perfect Soul.”
The highly anticipated final Juice WRLD album has arrived. The Party Never Ends as Juice rounds out his legacy with a final gift. The Party Never Ends finds Juice diving down different alleyways of his colorful, complex psyche. With features from Eminem, Fall Out Boy, Nicki Minaj, Offset, The Kid LAROI, and production from benny blanco, Nick Mira, and Cashmere Cat among many more collaborators, the posthumous set is a fitting celebration of a once-in-a-generation artist. See the tracklist below.
Embrace your Lovergirl era with this limited edition pressing of Rachel Bochner’s genre-defying album. Drawing influence from alt-pop, indie rock, and 2000s nostalgia, Lovergirl delivers an irresistible mix of bold hooks, gritty guitar riffs, and deeply personal storytelling. This exclusive release highlights Rachel’s unique ability to blend raw vulnerability with unapologetic energy, making it a must-have for fans of pop music and lovers alike.
“Lovergirl feels like the accidental, romanticized diary of the past year or so of my life. As a whole, the project documents the way my heart has moved and stumbled and shapeshifted in that time. In a lot of ways, Lovergirl feels like a character - a version of myself that needed a chance to bask in the light as I got to experience a sense of freedom I had been unknowingly yearning for.”
Bob Mould - "Here We Go Crazy" [Multicolor Smush LP] Alt-rock legend Bob Mould returns with his new album, Here We Go Crazy. The former frontman of Hüsker Dü and Sugar delivers 11 slices of anthemic, emotional driving alternative rock. Featuring singles "Here We Go Crazy," "When Your Heart Is Broken," and "Breathing Room," the album finds Bob in top form. Available on multicolor smush vinyl. Limited Edition. Indie Exclusive.
Smith/Kotzen "Smith/Kotzen is the musical collaboration between musicians Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden and Richie Kotzen who is a member of the Winery Dogs and also a solo artist in his own right. White Noise is the debut single from the hugely anticipated second album, Black Light/White Noise, by the world class partnership of vocalists/guitarists, Adrian Smith & Richie Kotzen. This thrilling track takes their unique collaboration up a notch, as their modern approach, both on the fretboard and vocally evokes their love of classic hard rock. This anthemic, call to arms once again showcases the songwriting prowess of these two musicians for their worldwide legions of fans."
Tomb Of The Forgotten – NECROPSY’s early demos reissued on vinyl in January via Svart Records NECROPSY is one of the few really legendary bands of the obscure Finnish death metal scene of the late ’80s / early ’90s. Dark and twisted death metal in the vein of early SENTENCED, early AMORPHIS, CONVULSE, DEMIGOD, PURTENANCE, DEMILICH andABHORRENCE. The band hailing from Lahti, Finland was formed in 1987 and released the material presented on this compilation before taking a 14 year long hiatus starting in 1994. Founding member Janne Kosonen along with his brother Tero re-established NECROPSY in 2008 and they are still active to this day.
Tomb of the Forgotten (The Complete Demo Recordings 1989-1993), originally released by Century Media in 2013, is the first ever official demo compilation fully authorized by the band and includes NECROPSY’s all early recordings with 40 tracks in total. The entire audio material has been carefully remastered from the original master tapes at DMS Mastering (GRAVE, MORBID, ASPHYX) for the best possible audio quality. Includes extensive interview with the band, tons of pictures, scans of concert flyers, demo artwork, fanzine reviews, and more.
Tomb of the Forgotten (The Complete Demo Recordings 1989-1993) is available on Svart exclusive 4LP slipcase edition with multicolor vinyls, limited petrol green vinyls, and classic black vinyls. Release date January 10th 2024.
LP 1
SIDE A 1. Mental Disturbance 2. Extricate From The Life 3. Slippery Games 4. Intro-Appearing Lunacy 5. Scars Beyond Recovery SIDE B 1. Fetchers Of Soul 2. Imminent Prophecy 3. Curse 4. L.G.I.
LP 2
SIDE C 1. Intro-Sanctify The Crucifixion Ritual 2. Dust Thou Art 3. Allienced With Darkness 4. Fall-Out 5. G.A.B.G. SIDE D 1. Chronic Agony 2. Formal Absurdity 3. Charge Of Undead 4. Never To Be Forgotten 5. Dark Fantasies
LP 3
SIDE E 1. Refusal Of Cross 2. Under The Masses 3. White Perfect Fume 4. Locked SIDE F 1. Born And Begotten In Sin 2. Dance Among The Dead 3. Cross Of Deceased Flesh 4. Garden Of Rotting 5. Cold Inert Mass Of Meat
LP 4
SIDE G 1. Intro 2. Blasphemous Degradation 3. White Perfect Fume 4. From The Depths 5. Under The Masses 6. The Morass SIDE H 1. Implicit Confidence 2. Shattered 3. Rune Of Suffering 4. Black Dyed Dawns 5. Martyrdom 6. Anointing Of The Sick"
New album on Cloudy Black Ice Colored Vinyl. New York Hardcore band Combust take you into the Belly of the Beast on their new album set for release through Triple B Records in March 2025. Marking the band's second album and fourth release, Belly of the Beast is 100% pure hardcore. Recorded with Zach Miller at Landmine Studios, the twelve tracks bounce through unique grooves, menacing riffs, and a tough vocal delivery. The guest heavy record showcases community within the hardcore scene and beyond, with features from members of Terror, Mindforce, Crown Of Thornz, Dmize, Imposter, and rapper Rome Streetz.
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jason Isbell is one of the most respected and celebrated artists of his generation. The North Alabama native possesses an incredible penchant for identifying and articulating some of the deepest, yet simplest, human emotions, and turning them into beautiful poetry through song. Isbell sings of the everyday human condition with thoughtful, heartfelt, and sometimes brutal honesty.
After releasing multiple albums and touring the world with his band, the 400 Unit, Isbell will begin 2025 with a change of pace. He will hit the road on his own, performing solo this winter and early spring at historic music venues across Europe and the US. In conjunction with these much anticipated shows, Isbell will be releasing a new album featuring only his voice and an acoustic guitar, an all-mahogany 1940 Martin 0-17. These recordings further demonstrate his pure talent as a songwriter and musician. Produced by Gena Johnson and Jason Isbell, and recorded at Electric Lady Studios in NYC, ‘Foxes in the Snow’ is set to be released on March 7th.
"Fortnite Remix Chapter 2" - Various Artists [Blue LP] A Fortnite compilation vinyl featuring all 4 artists tied to the Fortnite Chapter 2 Remix - Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice, and Juice WRLD. The vinyl will feature 2 songs from each artist. Limited Edition.
LEE HAZLEWOOD , LOVE AND OTHER CRIMES / Lee Hazlewood made his bones producing and co-writing with guitarist Duane Eddy during the '50s, and then cemented his immortality with the classic sides he produced for Nancy Sinatra during the '60s. Over the past few decades, though, attention has turned to Lee's idiosyncratic solo work, the heart of which he recorded for the Reprise label and his own LHI Records. Issued in 1968, Love and Other Crimes is one of his Reprise releases, and it's one of the weirdest records in his entire catalog. Recorded in Paris with such legendary Wrecking Crew members as guitarist James Burton and drummer Hal Blaine, Hazlewood sounds every bit the bon vivant (read: half drunk) as he swings from country ballads to lightly psychedelic pop highlighted by his rockin' cover of Bonnie Dobson's "Morning Dew." Other highlights include "Rosacoke Street," which presents him at his most psychedelic lounge lizard-esque, (think a Hunter Thompson character from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) and his moving "Wait and See," an apology for bad behavior to an absent lover. We've enlisted Mike Milchner to remaster this one for vinyl... don't miss Lee's stream-of-consciousness back cover notes, either. Pressed in sea blue viny.
Two Sasamis exist in harmony. First is Sasami Ashworth, the conservatory-trained classical French horn player, producer, and composer—an artist with a studious approach to craft. And then there is all-caps SASAMI, the fearless performer and protagonist of her three increasingly audacious albums. For Blood On the Silver Screen, these two sides fused for her most epic and realized music to date: the all-out Sasami pop record.
After establishing herself with the poised melancholia of her eponymous 2019 debut, Sasami embraced volume and control on 2022’s Squeeze—touring with a metal band—but her goal on Blood On the Silver Screen was to speak her truth with conviction by singing. Working with co-producers Jenn Decilveo and Rostam, with Sasami as sole writer, each Blood On the Silver Screen track viscerally captures a different thread of love, sex, power, and embodiment. “Pop music is like fuel,” Sasami says. “It’s just invigorating.”
Across Blood On the Silver Screen, Sasami’s lyrics narrate the ecstasies and agonies of being “a modern lover,” she says—writing about “big city dating endeavors” even as she found herself relocating, on a whim, from Los Angeles to rural Northern California. The anthemic “For the Weekend” explores “modern intimacy, where you can get deep without the relationship being defined,” while the irrepressible “Just Be Friends” bottles the dizzying longing that can overtake those in-betweens.
“I wanted to go all out with this album,” Sasami continues. “I wanted to, in my tenderness and emotionality, have the bravery to undertake something as epic as making a pop record about love. I hope it makes people feel empowered and embodied, too. It’s important to not box yourself in.”
Oceanside Countryside is the latest of Neil Young's great “lost” albums to be released as part of his Analog Original Series. The album was recorded from May to December 1977, preceding the release of Comes A Time in 1978. The two albums share the same country/folk sound, and three songs (“Goin’ Back”, “Human Highway” and “Field of Opportunity”) appear on both albums. The vinyl release of Oceanside Countryside includes some tracks that are on the CD of the same name in Neil Young’s Archives Vol. III. However, this track list is how Oceanside Countryside was originally planned to be released. Recorded on tape, these are the original mixes done at the time of recording. All the songs on “Oceanside” are performed solo by Neil Young. On “Countryside,” Young is joined by a band of his friends: Ben Keith (Steel Guitar), Rufus Thibodeaux (fiddle), Karl T. Himmel (drums), Joe Osborne (bass). On “The Old Homestead” Tim Drummond plays bass and Levon Helm plays drums. “Pocahontas” is Young solo. Please note that while the songs on Oceanside Countrysideappear on Archives Vol.III, the versions are not always the same and the track list is the running order for the original Oceanside Countryside album. On this analog original vinyl release, the versions of “Lost in Space,” “Captain Kennedy” and “The Old Homestead” are from Hawks & Dovesin 1980. “Sail Away”, “Goin’ Back”, “Human Highway”, “It Might Have Been”, and “Pocahontas” are the same versions as on Archives Vol. III in digital. “Field of Opportunity” and “Dance Dance Dance” are the original versions that have Young on backing vocals instead of Nicolette Larson as they appeared on Archives Vol.III.
TRACKLIST:
Side A: Oceanside
1. Sail Away 2. Lost in Space 3. Captain Kennedy 4. Goin’ Back 5. Human Highway
Side B: Countryside
1. Field of Opportunity 2. Dance Dance Dance 3. The Old Homestead 4. It Might Have Been 5. Pocahontas
Benmont Tench - "The Melancholy Season" [Transparent Blue LP] BENMONT TENCH's new album, The Melancholy Season, is his second solo record after four decades at the keyboards in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Released on Dark Horse Records, The Melancholy Season is Tench's true arrival as a singer-songwriter, without compromise or doubt. It was produced by Jonathan Wilson (an acclaimed singer-songwriter and touring guitarist for Roger Waters), Father John Misty and Margo Price. The album's core studio band included Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith on guitar, Sebastian Steinberg of Soul Coughing on bass and Wilson on drums, among other instruments, with contributions from Jenny O. and Sara Watkins. Tench "couldn't be happier" about finding a home for The Melancholy Season at Dark Horse Records, saying it's "An emotionally resonant label for me. And they have George's music, Cat Stevens, Joe Strummer - these are writers. To be in that company, it's perfect." Available on transparent blue vinyl. Limited Edition. Indie Exclusive.
MINNIE ((G)I-DLE) - "HER" [2035C Ver.] MINNIE of (G)I-DLE releases her first solo album titled, HER. MINNIE's first story is filled with many colors showcasing her vocal charm. Contents of the album include: CD, Sleeve, Booklet (80 pages), Lyrics poster, Photo Card (random 2 of 6), Bookmark, Pocket Digipack, 2 Cover Postcards, Special Poster and Colored Pencil. US/EU Exclusive: Photo Card (random 1 of 2). Virgin Music; CUBE Entertainment; K-Pop
El Dorado is Shakira’s 11th studio album, containing a total of 14 songs with three in English. This album was inspired by Shakira’s live experiences and personal life. It contains the hit single “La Bicicleta” with Carlos Vives and the mega hit “Chantaje.” 2 LP set pressed on metallic gold vinyl. 45 RPM.
From the legendary Salsa singer Celia Cruz, celebrating her 100th birthday. Includes the hits ”Yo Vivire”, “Ella Tiene Fuego”, “Rie y Llora” plus many more. 2 LP set on silver vinyl. 45 RPM.
The complete vinyl works of Ozzy Osbourne's original solo material in a limited edition, numbered black vinyl box set. There will be 2,000 copies made, and it will feature a total of 18 albums including the rarities compilation album, Flippin' The B-Side, as well as his most recent releases Ordinary Man and Patient Number 9. This super deluxe box also includes 10 brand-new full-size posters of vintage photos, a gold bat vinyl slipmat, and an individually numbered vellum certificate of authenticity personally signed by Ozzy Osbourne.
Liverpool-based four-piece Courting's new album Lust for Life, Or: 'How To Thread The Needle And Come Out The Other Side To Tell The Story,' is centered around duality. The intention is to bring together everything Courting have created thus far into a succinct, direct, record. Each song on the album is 'twinned', with another, existing within the same type of world. Take for example the opening and closing bookends of the record, both featuring the same string melody but with the first serving as an orchestral introduction, and the second as a speeding dance punk track. The aim is clear as Courting balance the indie and pop songwriting of their previous records with their most experimental moments, each detail more refined than the last time.
Steven Wilson - "The Overview" [180g Half-Speed Mint Green LP]Steven Wilson releases his eighth studio album, The Overview, on Fiction Records. Two tracks, 42 minutes, wildly ambitious and brilliantly audacious in equal measure, the album features endlessly engaging conceptual lyrics that move seamlessly between the cosmic and the quotidian, set to genre-defying, ultra melodic music... it promises to be an utterly unique release in 2025. Available on 180g mint green color vinyl and mastered at half-speed. Limited Edition. Indie Exclusive
Croatian folk metal band MANNTRA will release their new album Titans on February 21, 2025, via Napalm Records. Formed in 2012 by Marko Matijevic Sekul, this marks their eighth studio album. MANNTRA combines raw metal riffs and industrial elements with traditional folk instruments, creating catchy metal anthems. They have made a name for themselves live, supporting acts like In Extremo and performing at festivals like Wacken Open Air. Titans opens with the title track and includes energetic songs like “Higher” and “Riders In The Dawn.” The band blends folk with modern sounds in tracks like “My Sandman” and “Teuta,” while the two-part “Forgotten” showcases their genre-crossing abilities. Overall, Titans delivers a high hit density, proving MANNTRA is at the peak of their creative journey!
Join the ranks of Super Earth's finest with the official Helldivers 2 (Original Game Soundtrack) vinyl, composed by Wilbert Roget, II and additional music by Ross Tregenza. This explosive score captures the chaos, camaraderie, and relentless drive of the Helldivers as they bring democracy to the galaxy - one mission at a time. From the high-stakes intensity of battle to moments of triumph, every track immerses you in the fight for freedom. Pressed on a translucent yellow vinyl, this vinyl is a must-have for fans of the game and Wilbert's incredible music. Packaged in a single-pocket jacket with a credit insert, it's the ultimate way to experience the pulse-pounding spirit of Helldivers 2. Enlist now and take home the sound of freedom!
Because of their mix of hellified gangster shit and progressive compositions, I once jokingly called Clipping "Deathrow Tull." Well, it's not a joke anymore. While Clipping's last few projects have been record-long concepts like classic prog rock, their cyberpunk-infused new album Dead Channel Sky is mixtape-like, a carefully curated collection in which every track is a love letter to a possible present. It sounds crisp and classic at the same time. When something strikes us as retrospective and futuristic at the same time, it's a reminder of how slipshod our present moment truly is. Juxtaposing high-tech, corporate command-and-control systems (the "cyber") with the lo-fi, D.I.Y. underground (the "punk"), cyberpunk proper starts in 1982 and ends in 1999, from Blade Runner to The Matrix. Concurrently, hip-hop matured, went through it's Golden Era, then melted into further forms: it went from from Fab 5 Freddy to Public Enemy to Missy Elliott. While other genres flirted with it, hip-hop was fickle and fey. Rap and rock birthed mutant offspring maligned by most, and hip-hop's relations with electronica rarely fared any better.What if someone explicitly merged hip-hop and cyberpunk - those twin suns of the '80s and '90s - into one set and sound? After all, both movements are the result of hacking the haunted leftovers of a war-torn culture that's long since moved on.On Dead Channel Sky, Clipping texture-map the twin histories of hip-hop and cyberpunk onto an alternate present where Rammellzee and Bambaataa are the superheroes of old; where Cybotron and Mantronix are the reigning legends; where Egyptian Lover and Freestyle are debated endlessly, and Ultramag and Public Enemy are the undeniable forefathers; where the lost movements of 1980s and the 1990s are still happening: rave, trip-hop, hip-house, acid house, drum & bass, big beat-the detritus of a different timeline, the survivors of armed audio warfare. Clipping are no strangers to sci-fi: two of their records were nominated for Hugo Awards (one of science fiction's top literary prizes), and a novella spun-off from their music was nominated for a third. On Dead Channel Sky, Clipping's co-conspirators include everyone from the guitarist Nels Cline, to their labelmates Cartel Madras, rapper/actor Tia Nomore, and wordsmith Aesop Rock. Diggs is known for intricate lyrics and rapid-fire rapping, and the tracks that Snipes and Hutson build in the background are no less complex. All of the above serves to give us a glimpse of an adjacent possible present, where hip-hop and cyberpunk are one culture.Binary stars are often perceived as one object when viewed with the naked eye. Like those twin sun systems, it'll take some special equipment and some discerning attention to pull the stars apart on this record. As Diggs barks on the fire-starting "Change the Channel": Everything is very important!
Across a remarkable run of releases in barely half a decade, London's Loraine James has established her identity through a blend of refined composition, gritty experimentation, and unpredictable, intricate electronic programming. While titles released under her given name on Hyperdub tend toward IDM-influenced, vocal-heavy collaborations, James reserves her Ghostly International-signed alias, Whatever the Weather, for an inward gaze that explores innate "emotional temperature" and environment (shown in degree-based track titling). Her second full-length is a markedly warmer outing compared to it's predecessor, as signaled by the shift from LP1's arctic cover photo to LP2's desert climes. Common to both albums is the mastering work of friend and collaborator Josh Eustis (aka Telefon Tel Aviv), who lends his keen ear to James' complexities to craft a strikingly three-dimensional sonic experience. Flowing from hypnotic atmospheres to mottled rhythms to processed collages of diaristic field recordings, Whatever the Weather II is a compelling union of organic and human elements from one of electronic music's most imaginative talents.The lead single and closing track to Whatever the Weather's (Loraine James) new LP, "12°C", drifts from bustling human spaces into a concrete groove, weaving melody and texture into a truly unusual, soul-stirring fullness. In it's final moments, a languid acoustic guitar and gentle, finger-tapped beat join her pitch-shifted voice. Whatever the Weather II is full of such passages, where formal composition appears like a film in negative, and conventions are upturned with wit, intelligence, and skill.
Nels Cline -"Consentrik Quartet" [180g 2xLP] [Signed Insert] Guitarist, sonic explorer, and Wilco bandmember Nels Cline presents the debut recording by his Consentrik Quartet, featuring Ingrid Laubrock on saxophones, Chris Lightcap on bass, and Tom Rainey on drums. Cline's fourth Blue Note album, Consentrik Quartet, features 12 evocative and far-ranging soundscapes composed by Cline. 2 LP set on 180gram Heavy Vinyl with signed insert included. Limited Edition. Indie Exclusive.
A Boy Named Goo is the Goo Goo Dolls fifth studio album, originally released on March 14, 1995. Driven by the smash hit “Name”, the album catapulted the band to mainstream success, and it was certified double platinum within a year of the release. The album also included the singles “Flat Top”, “Naked”,“Only One”, and “Long Way Down”.
Streetcleaner (35th Anniversary Edition) [Yellow LP] Godflesh have been heralded as innovators within the music scene, generating an austere and hypnotic sound that pioneered the formation of the 'industrial' genre. Spawned in Birmingham in 1988 by Justin Broadrick (formerly the guitarist with Napalm Death) and bassist Christian Green, the simplicity of the line-up characterized Godflesh's infamous appeal, with the onstage use of a drum machine and various collaborative contributions from musicians within the industry. 35th Anniversary Edition of their 1989 debut album, Streetcleaner, on limited-edition yellow vinyl. Indie Exclusive.
choke enough, the full-length studio debut from French artist Oklou, is a patient, masterful execution of ephemeral soft club electronic and texturally alluring indie pop. Features Bladee, underscores, with production from Danny L Harle, A. G. Cook, Nick Leon, and more. Her critically acclaimed mixtape, Galore, led her on tours with Caroline Polachek, Oneohtrix Point Never, and Sampha, before being coined “a taste of the future of pop music” by NME.
Coheed and Cambria presents their forthcoming album, The Father of Make Believe, out via Virgin Music Group.
The new full-length marks the 10th studio album from the New York band and continues the narrative of The Amory
Wars / Vaxis universe, following their 2022 album, Vaxis Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind.
Breath Of Fresh Air marks a defining moment in Shordie Shordie's career as he steps into the spotlight as an independent artist. After making history as Baltimore's first ever multi-platinum hip-hop sensation, he’s now ready to carve his own path, unbound by industry expectations. The album exudes a newfound energy—its title is a nod to the liberation and creative freedom that come with independence. With a blend of laid-back melodies, catchy hooks, and introspective lyricism, Shordie Shordie crafts a sound that’s both refreshing and personal. Breath Of Fresh Air is more than just a project; it’s a declaration of autonomy, a celebration of self-expression, and an invitation for fans to vibe with the new chapter of his journey—one where the only limits are the ones he sets for himself.
Daggomit! Marks the dynamic debut solo album from acclaimed banjo player, songwriter, and author Max Wareham. A protege of bluegrass legends Bill Keith and Tony Trischka, Wareham brings soulful originality and deep roots in jazz and folk to his first solo project. Produced by Grammy-winner Peter Rowan, Daggomit! #features Wareham's compelling originals and spirited co-writes with Rowan, backed by a stellar lineup of Nashville musicians, including Chris Eldridge, Laura Orshaw, and David Grier. While Wareham has toured widely with the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, this release showcases his individual voice and creativity, infusing the spirit of early bluegrass with fresh, boundary-pushing energy that redefines tradition and pays homage to the genre's pioneers. DAGGOMIT! #will be available on LP 3/21/25.
After a decade making the most of improvised recording spaces set in warehouses, trailers and lofts, Japanese Breakfast's fourth album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), marks the band's first proper studio release. Produced by Grammy Award winner Blake Mills, the record sees front-woman and songwriter Michelle Zauner pull back from the bright extroversion that defined it's predecessor Jubilee to examine the darker waves that roil within, the moody, fecund field of melancholy, long held to be the psychic state of poets on the verge of inspiration. The result is an artistic statement of purpose: a mature, intricate, contemplative work that conjures the romantic thrill of a gothic novel.For Melancholy Brunettes follows a transformative period in Zauner's life during which her 2x GRAMMY nominated breakthrough album Jubilee and her bestselling memoir Crying In H Mart catapulted her into the cultural mainstream, delivering on her deepest artistic ambitions. Reflecting on that success, Zauner came to appreciate the irony of desire, which so often commingles bliss and doom. "I felt seduced by getting what I always wanted," she says. "I was flying too close to the sun, and I realized if I kept going I was going to die."The plight of Icarus and other such condemned ones lends For Melancholy Brunettes it's most persistent theme, the perils of desire. Like light dispersed, it's spectral parts take the album's characters through cycles of temptation, transgression and retribution. On "Orlando in Love" - a riff on John Cheever's riff on Orlando Innamorato, an unfinished epic made up of 68 ½ cantos by the Renaissance poet Matteo Maria Boiardo - the hero is a well meaning poet who parks his Winnebago by the sea and falls victim to a siren's call, his 69th canto (even in the lofty realm of classical myth Zauner has a soft spot for innuendo). "Honey Water" plumbs the quiet rage of a woman married to an unfaithful man, watching him cede again and again to lust like a base insect perpetuating it's own demise.Sadness is indeed the dominant emotional key of this record, but it is sadness of a rarified form: the pensive, prescient sadness of melancholy, in which the recognition of life's essentially tragic character occurs with sensitivity to it's fleeting beauty. Zauner finds space enough inside it for glimmers of hope. They are the consolations of mortals that poets before her have called out to and that poets after will continue to rediscover: love and labor, and though they run like tonic resolutions through the record's many episodes, they sound most saliently on it's final song, "Magic Mountain," an engagement with Thomas Mann's famous novel of the same name. For her, making any work feels like scaling a mountain, but from the perch of For Melancholy Brunettes, she surveys the future.
The Horrors - "Night Life" [Crystal Clear LP] Nearly 20 years since they first began, there are few bands who've created a canon as determinedly innovative and consistently critically acclaimed as The Horrors. They're musicians who'll funnel everything they are into the process, at the expense of health, wealth and sometimes sanity. And so, whilst sixth album Night Life sees the band once more shapeshift into a new form with a new sonic outlook and - this time - a new line up, in some ways The Horrors are still as they ever were. Available on crystal clear vinyl. Limited Edition. Indie Exclusive.
For more than 25 years, My Morning Jacket have achieved an incredibly rare feat in rock & roll, upholding a long established cultural legacy while sustaining the curiosity and creative hunger of their earliest days. For their 10th studio album, the band teamed up with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Brendan O’Brien (Springsteen, Pearl Jam) for what may be their most masterfully realized work yet, once again expanding the limits of their sound while elevating their artistry to unprecedented heights. Available on "Blue Iceberg" color vinyl with custom inner sleeve and 4-page insert. Limited Edition. Indie Exclusive.
For the first time ever, Vince Guaraldi's 1974 "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (Original Soundtrack Recording - Peanuts 75th Anniversary Edition)" premieres, with the complete 19 track score plus 1 special bonus track - on 12" 45RPM Easter Purple BioVinyl LP.
The holiday classic was written by Charles Schulz, directed by Phil Roman and produced by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson. The Guaraldi score is finally available on CD, vinyl and digital. Mixed and mastered for audiophiles, jazz lovers, and Peanuts® fans everywhere from the original 2" session tapes to a 192kHz/24bit master.
The record Includes Guaraldi hits like "Peppermint Patty," "Easter Theme," and "Snoopy and Woodstock". And includes a special bonus track: "Woodstock's Medley" performed by Guaraldi torch-bearer David Benoit (piano) with original Guaraldi sidemen Seward McCain (Bass) and Mike Clark (drums) - recorded 50 years later at the same Hyde Street studio where the soundtrack was recorded in San Francisco.
Limited to 2000, individually numbered, Easter Purple BioVinyl only at independent record stores.
Beyond the composer's playing on piano, electric piano, harpsichord, and electric guitar, McCain plays electric bass, Robert Clare plays flute, Glenn Cronkhite and Eliot Zigmund play drums, and John Scott Trotter supervised the music.
This album is a wonderful Easter treat 50+ years in the making. The album was mixed by Clark Germain at WonderWorld Studio, and restored and mastered by Vinson Hudson, and produced by Sean and Jason Mendelson. The vinyl includes a 4-page insert with art from the special and liner notes that give a track-by-track analysis by producer Sean Mendelson and notes by producer Jason Mendelson and Derrick Bang (author of "Vince Guaraldi at the Piano"). The vinyl has additional photographs and images of historical artifacts.
The new album from the Stylistics! It's called "Falling In Love With My Girl" and features the following guest artists:
• Shania Twain
• The Elton John Band including Nigel Olsson and Davey Johnstone
• Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones
• Bill Champlin of Chicago
• Jay Graydon
• Gene Simmons of Kiss
• Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top
• Justin Hawkins of The Darkness
• The Real Thing
• Tower of Power
• Steve Lukather
• Nathan East
• Ray Parker Jr.
The album features The Stylistics’ original members, Airrion Love and Herb Murrell, together with Jason Sharp, who joined the group in 2011, and sings high falsetto vocals.
Celebrate 25 years of Disturbed's debut album, The Sickness, with this limited-edition 1-LP and 3-CD box set. It includes the original album, b-sides, unreleased demos, and an unreleased 14-track concert from The Palladium in LA from April 2001. Plus a book featuring rare memorabilia, an essay with new interviews with the members of Disturbed, and producer Johnny K. The box also includes a poster, a cloth patch, backstage pass, and a set of guitar picks. An exclusive lithograph signed by the band is included with the limited-edition D2C format.
Spec: BOX SET
LP 1: The Sickness (silver vinyl)
CD 1: The Sickness
CD 2: B-Sides, Demos and Rarities
CD 3: Live at the Palladium concert, plus one live track from Chicago and London.
Packaging & memorabilia:
13” x 13” case-wrapped hardcover book style package printed on rainbow foil
Outer sleeve artwork printed on "rainbow" paper (mirror effect)
Large interior pocket on the left hand side of the gatefold book for LP, book and poster.
4 interior wallets on the right hand side of the gatefold book for CD's and merch.
12" x 12" soft cover 24 page book including extensive liner notes by Katherine Turman from new interviews with David, Dan, Mike, Fuzz and Johnny K.
The book also includes many unseen photographs and band memorabilia from the era.
Goya Gumbani loves getting dressed, guided not by stylists or trends but by his own research and self-expression, an excitement for fabrics, fits, and fundamentals. The Brooklyn-born, South London-based artist approaches Warlord of the Weejuns, his first LP on Ghostly International, after years of acclaimed self-releases with the same mentality. Borrowing the album title from a magazine headline once placed upon Mile Davis (given how well he wore the iconic Weejun loafers), here he channels not just that storied style from the king of cool but an artistic ingenuity and timeless sensibility, redefining his recording project with rich, full-band arrangements. Goya outfits his flow between London's new jazz generation and New York City's hip-hop storytelling legacy, a shared musicality that welcomes various players and guests, including Fatima, lojii, Seafood Sam, Yaya Bey, and many others. Marked by unguarded ambition and introspection, Warlord of the Weejuns is a triumph of taste, heritage, and pride from one of rap music's most dexterous talents.
In the Fall of 2022, Phil Cook found himself living alone in a small home at the edge of field and forest in North Carolina's Piedmont. For most of Cook's life he lived near the hearts of the towns he had called home, near the groan of traffic and hubbub of coffee shops. Such close quarters helped make the gregarious Cook a prolific collaborator, from co-founding Megafaun to working with The Blind Boys of Alabama, Bon Iver, Hiss Golden Messenger, and endless others. But Cook's closest neighbor now was a trailhead, so he went and listened, enraptured first by the stillness and then by the manifold birds. He began leaving his windowsill slightly cracked each night, so that the dawn chorus greeted him. Cook began recording these tangled bird songs, and he slowly joined them. With the sun finally high, Cook would listen to the day's recordings and improvise in real time on the instrument that remains the first and most steadfast love of his musical life, the piano. When Cook left that cabin after a year, he moved into a home of his own in Durham, with plenty of space for his two boys to play and for something he'd never actually owned-a proper piano. Over the next several months, Cook spent untold hours drilling down on these pieces. During lessons with the Southern gospel great Chuckey Robinson, the pianist had challenged Cook to sustain fewer notes, to stop clouding and crowding his melodies by using the instrument's pedals as crutches. His music suddenly had more clarity, with the sounds and the feelings they ferried given more room to function. Cook dug into the danger and delight, into the idea that we twist our bodies into knots trying to understand what is best for our hearts. In April 2024 Cook returned to Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley where he was raised. His lifelong friend and bandmate, Justin Vernon, had just finished an overhaul of April Base, the studio compound where Cook has worked on more than a dozen records during the last 15 years. Cook asked Vernon to produce Appalachia Borealis as simply as possible-merely to listen and offer feedback in two extended afternoon sessions, to talk about the right takes and make sure that they'd captured the heart. It, of course, got more complicated, as they experimented with the process. Vernon would add or subtract the bird songs to Cook's headphones, seeing how they impacted his playing. Or they would route his notes through a massive reverb chamber, Cook responding in gossamer improvisations. Appalachia Borealis is a deeply poignant and personal set of 11 piano meditations, built with the emotional range of a full and open existence. Inspired by those windowsill improvisations, it reflects not only the turmoil and sadness of a fraught time for Cook but also the hope, light, and joy of looking for the other side. You can sometimes still hear the birds whose tune and time helped to inspire so many of these songs. Even when they're not within earshot, their essence remains.
Grace Bowers was baptized by rock ‘n’ roll music. She cut her teeth on sweat soaked stages inside dive bars and found fellowship in the divine playing of B.B. King. She once studied six-string scripture – written by Slash and Leslie West – for hours a day, mastering her favorite riffs on a ‘61 cherry-finished Gibson SG.
She’s a bandleader and songwriter preparing to leave her mark on some of the biggest stages in music. Her debut album, Wine On Venus – produced by ace guitarist and songwriter John Osborne (of hitmaking country group Brothers Osborne) – is out now.
On the album, Bowers and The Hodge Podge graduate from traditional rock and blues influence to sounds inspired by Parliament-Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone/ Bowers co-wrote most of Wine On Venus in Nashville songwriting circles – a creative exercise that took her “a hot second” to comfortably navigate.
“I love it,” she said. “Seeing where I can go with it, I still have so much to learn.”
Recycled Rainbow Tie Dye Splatter Vinyl Variant
"This is made from recycled vinyl material and, as referenced in the name, each vinyl is a random color. The Random Color Eco-Regrind is a favorite vinyl option for a number of reasons - not only is it recycled but it also generates a unique color scheme/design/appearance from one record to the next - each one is slightly different and therefore highly collectable."
"This is made from recycled vinyl material and, as referenced in the name, each vinyl is a random color. The Random Color Eco-Regrind is a favorite vinyl option for a number of reasons - not only is it recycled but it also generates a unique color scheme/design/appearance from one record to the next - each one is slightly different and therefore highly collectable."
MINNIE ((G)I-DLE) - "HER" [2035C Ver.] MINNIE of (G)I-DLE releases her first solo album titled, HER. MINNIE's first story is filled with many colors showcasing her vocal charm. Contents of the album include: CD, Sleeve, Booklet (80 pages), Lyrics poster, Photo Card (random 2 of 6), Bookmark, Pocket Digipack, 2 Cover Postcards, Special Poster and Colored Pencil. US/EU Exclusive: Photo Card (random 1 of 2). Virgin Music; CUBE Entertainment; K-Pop
Bloodywood is a metal band from India known for pioneering a sound that seamlessly fuses Indian folk instruments w/ metal to devastating effect. Expect to hear the percussive power of the mighty Dhol, the melancholic flute, the single stringed Tumbi and several other uncommon, yet distinctly characteristic sounds from India. A combination of thunderous Hindi/Punjabi choruses and meaningful yet unforgiving rap verses along with the ethnic instrumentation makes Bloodywood a truly unique experience.
This special release marks the 20th anniversary of The Grind Date. De La Soul’s seventh studio album features guest appearances by Ghostface, MF Doom, Carl Thomas and Common. This limited edition 2 LP set is pressed on splatter color vinyl and includes 4 bonus instrumental versions of the leading tracks, “The Grind Date,” “Verbal Clap,” “Shopping Bags,” and “Days of Our Loves.”
Nearly 20 years since they first began, there are few bands who've created a canon as determinedly innovative and consistently critically acclaimed as The Horrors. They're musicians who'll funnel everything they are into the process, at the expense of health, wealth and sometimes sanity. And so, whilst sixth album Night Life sees the band once more shapeshift into a new form with a new sonic outlook and - this time - a new line up, in some ways The Horrors are still as they ever were.
El Cabron is the second studio album from Texas-based country artist, Pug Johnson. The songs on El Cabron are simple yet three-dimensional, offering vivid glimpses into the stories and thoughts of characters who all tend to run on pure instinct, unable to escape their own depravity, all the while displaying a deep sense of self-awareness. Intertwining personal stories with fiction, Pug explores themes of corruption, desire, perseverance, love, loss, and then love again. Pulling from a wide variety of musical genres prevalent in the Southeast Texas region he calls home, Pug effortlessly mixes Tejano, Zydeco, Texas Swing, Honky-Tonk, R&B, Dixieland, and down-home Rock and Roll -- all behind a voice that is pure Country.
Korine is a Philadelphia based ‘dark pop’ duo consisting of members Morgy Ramone and Trey Frye. The pair blends new wave, emo, and punk with a modern pop sensibility, contrasting upbeat rhythms against sullen, emotionally evocative lyrics. Their latest album ‘Tear’ showcases the band’s ability to blur the past and present seamlessly, creating a timeless nostalgia that could grab audiences at any point over the last four decades.
Widely regarded as “one of the best songwriters of her generation” (Rolling Stone), Lucy Dacus returns with Forever Is A Feeling on 3/28. Following a career defining run with boygenius that earned her three GRAMMY® Awards, her fourth solo studio album explores falling in and out of love, the tumult of desire, and larger than life romance. Across 13 tracks that range from lush arrangements to simple declarations, Dacus makes a serious inquiry into what it looks like to dedicate one’s life to true love, and a valiant attempt to capture the elusive, fleeting feeling of forever.
Lonely People With Power is the metal band’s follow-up to 2021’s Infinite Granite, with Justin Meldal-Johnsen returning as producer.
Lonely People With Power is out March 28. It’s Deafheaven’s first album for Roadrunner Records; their previous albums arrived via Deathwish, Anti-, and Sargent House. The band—featuring vocalist George Clarke, guitarists Kerry McCoy and Shiv Mehra, bassist Christopher Johnson, and drummer Daniel Tracy—invited Interpol’s Paul Banks and Boy Harsher’s Jae Matthews to guest on the new album.
Meghan Trainor's debut album TITLE (10th Anniversary Edition) pressed on black vinyl comes in a rainbow holographic jacket that also includes a 12-page booklet. The 2-LP includes the original album along with 2 new tracks, All About That Bass (Remastered) and Better When I'm Dancin' (j.bird Timeless Tour Version) plus 6 tracks from Live from Spotify London.
For nearly four decades, Alison Krauss & Union Station have upheld their legacy as one of the most influential and widely celebrated acts in bluegrass and roots music. Krauss is a 27-time Grammy winner and was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2021. Known for an immaculately crafted but endlessly surprising sound that transcends the boundaries of roots, country, rock & roll, and pop, Alison Krauss & Union Station are making their long-awaited return with Arcadia – their first LP since the 2011 masterpiece Paper Airplane—a critically lauded, multiple Grammy Award winning LP that debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country, Bluegrass, and Folk Album charts. This spring, they will embark on a 73-date tour of North America, their first since 2015.
Arcadia was produced by Alison Krauss & Union Station with additional production by 10-time Grammy winning producer Gary Paczosa, who has worked extensively with the band. The players – Alison Krauss (fiddle, lead vocal), Jerry Douglas (Dobro, lap steel, vocals), Ron Block (banjo, guitar, vocals), Barry Bales (bass, vocals), and welcoming highly acclaimed and celebrated tenor vocalist Russell Moore (guitar, mandolin, lead vocal) as the newest member – are five distinct personalities, each of whom also enjoys a flourishing solo career. But when they come together, they transform into a peerless group of musicians who share a singular focus.
The Waterboys - "Life, Death and Dennis Hopper" [Psychedelic Waves 2 LP] Inspired entirely by the life and mythos of actor Dennis Hopper, Mike Scott and The Waterboys created this expansive album as tribute to one of American popular culture's most compelling public figures. Deeply conceptual, this album of all original songs brings together high-profile featured artists like Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, and Steve Earle to musically weave through Hopper's life, including a song for each of Hopper's wives. 2 LP set on psychedelic waves color vinyl. Limited Edition. Indie Exclusive. EXPLICIT
Babe Rainbow’s ‘Slipper imp and shakaerator’ is a sun-soaked celebration of psychedelic acid-pop, infused with the laid-back magic of Australia’s Gold Coast. A return to their roots, the album blends nostalgic riffs, shimmering ‘80s funk, flowing rhythms, and lysergic jams into an effortlessly joyful, homegrown album that’s wild, radiant, and ready to be shared.
Djo, the musical project of Joe Keery, returns with his third studio album, 'The Crux' —a deeply reflective and sonically adventurous body of work. Following the massive success of his single “End of Beginning” which topped the Global Spotify chart and amassed over 1.5 billion streams worldwide, 'The Crux' was crafted at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York. Drawing inspiration from the turbulence and growth of navigating one’s 20s, the album explores themes of self-discovery and connection, all wrapped in a narrative that serves as a love letter to those who matter most to Djo. Aptly titled 'The Crux', this album captures a moment suspended between the past and an undefined future.
When you hear music like this—the wild, loose and woozy drags of guitar; the impossible beauty of it all—what kind of landscape presents itself in your mind? Vistas big enough to be forgotten in. Deserts which stretch back to the beginning of time. Infinite horizons melting into pink bokehs. It’s Texas, isn’t it? Formed in 2017 in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley Glare aren’t so much genre traditionalists as they are painters of wide realms and intense moods. The four-piece band has already accumulated a large audience, both in the flesh with their reputation for sell-out shows, and on the internet, a place where people go to short-circuit feelings through their screens. Sunset Funeral, the band’s debut LP, is a fog of dreamy grief, where feeling supersedes language. It’s music, as guitarist Toni Ordaz puts it, “for people who don’t know how to talk about how they feel.” An album that’s been years in the making, Sunset Funeral is a document of unspeakable grief, charting the process of mourning and how it travels through our subconscious and dreams. One of the great charms of Sunset Funeral, and of Glare overall, is how they approach such a large, celestial sound with humble materials. Among the shoegaze revivalists, Glare come to the canvas with a more resourceful, DIY perspective than many of their peers. Glare’s music is too sublime, too huge to sound like it came from any kind of man made instrument, tiny amp box or otherwise. On first listen, Sunset Funeral—which scans as vast as desert sand—may overwhelm the senses. But look closer, and you’ll find a multiplicity of heavily crushed textures, treasures. ‘Guts’, with its sweetly chugging guitar line, dissolves the borders between bliss and despair. ‘2 Soon 2 Tell’, one of the album’s most gauzily romantic tracks, is both tense and transcendent. Nü Burn, a crunchy and lilting number, harkens back to the band’s grittier hardcore roots. But even when they deign to go hard, you can hear a softening in Glare’s sound compared to any of their previous releases, as well as an attempt to lean into more traditional pop song structures. The music drifts heavenward, to be sure, though it’s still tethered down by steady foundations. It’s beautiful. It’s humid. It’s delirious. It’s music made by people whose feelings speak louder than their words.
Written and recorded over 20 days, ‘Who Believes In Angels?' is a collaborative studio album between Elton John and Brandi Carlile. It mixes Elton-led songs and Brandi-led songs, with long term collaborator Bernie Taupin and Brandi both contributing lyrics, and producer and co-writer Andrew Watt acting as the producer, mediator and creative conduit. They are backed by a world class band of musicians comprising of Chad Smith, Pino Palladino and Josh Klinghoffer.
Anika channels her frustration, anger, and confusion with the world into her third album, Abyss. Recorded live to tape at Berlin's legendary Hansa Studios, the album captures raw energy with minimal overdubs, resulting in a visceral and urgent 10-track journey fueled by intense emotions. The recording process, done in just a few days with a live band, emphasizes immediacy, offering a sound that's both physical and direct. Abyss reflects Anika's desire to create a space where people can unite and feel free to express themselves amidst the chaos of the world. With influences ranging from 90s grunge and Courtney Love to Patti Smith and Genesis P-Orridge, the album is driven by a rebellious spirit. Tracks like "One Way Ticket" critique the rise of fascism, while "Hearsay" takes on the divisiveness of fake news, revealing Anika's determination to confront the complexities of our current moment. The album's raw, emotional power is matched by it's physicality. Anika's goal is to take listeners out of their heads and back into their bodies, offering a release through the music and live performances. This is a space to reclaim the connection between mind and body-something she feels is increasingly lost in today's world. Her desire to create that energy on stage is reflected in Abyss's dense, pounding rhythms, which build on the energy of 90s alt-rock. Abyss also delves into the intense tensions between the left and right in contemporary society, exploring the complexities of human imperfection and healthy debate. From the thrashing intensity of "Oxygen" to the melancholic "Buttercups," the album refuses to shy away from uncomfortable truths. Anika boldly confronts her own raw emotions, as exemplified in the candid lyrics of "Walk Away," where she reflects on discontent with herself and the world. With Abyss, Anika invites listeners into a space for release, rebellion, and honesty, creating an album that speaks to the turmoil of our times while offering an emotional outlet. As she puts it, "This is a space for you."
ALO - "Frames" The 10-song LP boasts a seamless fusion of rock, electronic, alt-pop, R&B, folk, funk and a touch of subtle wit, played by an exceptional group of musicians - all of whom write and sing lead. When things may seem a bit dark, Frames offers a joyful escape by a band of life-long friends who became serious artists, who don't take themselves too seriously while creating some seriously well-crafted songs, including "Blank Canvas" which features a melodic guitar riff and easy-going vibe, and much-needed optimism.
Babe Rainbow’s ‘Slipper imp and shakaerator’ is a sun-soaked celebration of psychedelic acid-pop, infused with the laid-back magic of Australia’s Gold Coast. A return to their roots, the album blends nostalgic riffs, shimmering ‘80s funk, flowing rhythms, and lysergic jams into an effortlessly joyful, homegrown album that’s wild, radiant, and ready to be shared.
World-renowned pianist, Hiromi, releases her 13th studio album OUT THERE, a vivid display of electrifying fusion jazz. Joined by her band Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, the album features Adam O’Farrill (trumpet, w/pedals), Hadrien Feraud (bass) & Gene Coye (drums), following the release of Sonicwonderland (2023). Available as a 2-LP, CD and digitally. Hiromi has performed at the world’s finest jazz festivals and has been celebrated by the New York Times, NPR, NPR Music, the Washington Post and beyond.
Written and recorded over 20 days, ‘Who Believes In Angels?' is a collaborative studio album between Elton John and Brandi Carlile. It mixes Elton-led songs and Brandi-led songs, with long term collaborator Bernie Taupin and Brandi both contributing lyrics, and producer and co-writer Andrew Watt acting as the producer, mediator and creative conduit. They are backed by a world class band of musicians comprising of Chad Smith, Pino Palladino and Josh Klinghoffer.
Smith/Kotzen is the musical collaboration between musicians Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden and Richie Kotzen who is a member of the Winery Dogs and a solo artist in his own right. "White Noise" is the debut single from their hugely anticipated second album, Black Light/White Noise.
Inspired entirely by the life and mythos of actor Dennis Hopper, Mike Scott and The Waterboys created this expansive album as tribute to one of American popular culture's most compelling public figures. Deeply conceptual, this album of all original songs brings together high-profile featured artists like Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, and Steve Earle to musically weave through Hopper's life, including a song for each of Hopper's wives.
Forever Howlong is Black Country, New Road’s first studio release since 2022's UK #3 album Ants From Up There, which gave the band their second Top 5 UK album in 12 months alongside their Mercury Prize shortlisted debut For the first time, and follows 2023's Live at Bush Hall, an album The Guardian claimed was a “magical resurgence” in a triumphant five-star review. Now, on studio album three, the band are once again building from the ground up in yet another miraculous musical transformation.
The long-awaited new record was produced by James Ford (Fontaines D.C., Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Blur) and sees Black Country, New Road settled into a new shape in which vocal duties – and most of the song writing – is split between Tyler Hyde, Georgia Ellery, and May Kershaw. “It created a real through line for the album, having three girls singing," says Ellery. "It's definitely very different to Ants From Up There, because of the female perspective - and the music we've made also compliments that."
Forever Howlong is an ambitious, meticulously detailed record that includes everything from folk to prog via baroque pop and touches of alt-rock – with nods to everything from Joanna Newsom to Randy Newman via Fiona Apple and Janis Ian – yet all the while retaining that unmistakably unique sound that only this combination of musicians can come up with. Although hugely varied and expansive, the album also feels deeply cohesive and focused, as it takes three distinct voices and styles and seamlessly intersperses them into a new collective sound.
"Jellywish" is the fifth record from NY based indie folk quartet Florist, out April 4th 2025 via Double Double Whammy. "Jellywish" sees a departure of Florist's former foray into meandering soundscapes and improvisational tendencies of their previous self-titled album, instead embracing shorter stripped back song structures and an emphasis on melody. The result is a succinct and focused 10 track album showcasing Florist's dynamic growth and Emily Sprague's gift of empathic songwriting.
Fronted by Bosnian-Canadian filmmaker Nina Ljeti, “L.A.'s most electrifying new rock singer" -LA Times, Kills Birds are known for visceral & cathartic live performances, and have toured with Foo Fighters, Sleigh Bells & Viagra Boys. The Crave EP reaches beyond the post-punk & grunge influences of their earlier work, incorporating elements of dance, industrial rock, & nu-metal, pointing toward more melody-driven songwriting. Recorded with producer/mixer Aron Kobayashi Ritch (Momma, Been Stellar).
Magnolia Park doesn't do subtle. Since 2018, the Orlando quintet has fused punk, rock, pop, hip-hop, and metalcore into a genre-smashing whirlwind that's as thrilling live as it is on record. With viral Halloween mixtapes, their breakout debut Baku's Revenge, and tours alongside Simple Plan and Sum 41, they've cemented their spot as a must-see act at festivals like Welcome To Rockville, When We Were Young, Reading and Leeds.Magnolia Park, featuring vocalist Joshua Roberts, guitarists Tristan Torres and Freddie Criales, drummer Joe Horsham and bassist Vincent Ernst - are set to unleash their most ambitious effort yet: VAMP, a neo-gothic concept album diving deep into the dark, anime-inspired world of Nocturne Nexus. Think Star Wars meets Dracula, where rulers and rebels clash in a fight for the future.Recorded with top-tier producers like Andrew Wade and Zakk Cervini, VAMP is a sonic juggernaut - industrial undertones, colossal breakdowns, and vocalist Joshua Roberts' electrifying delivery. Magnolia Park has gone bold, heavy, and unforgettable. This is the album that will leave fans craving more.
Heartbreaker” that “kicks down the door of this next musical chapter” (American Songwriter) and the title track, “Honkytonk Hollywood.” 2 LP set on forest green color vinyl. Limited Edition. Available at Indie Retailers.
The Crescent City’s chameleonic funk-rock-pop veterans Galactic reunite with the “Soul Queen of New Orleans” Irma Thomas for a full album of new music on Audience With the Queen, an uplifting joint-effort that shines new light on the Grammy-winning singer’s timeless sound. Now 84, Thomas has contributed era-defining hits to New Orleans’ R&B “Golden Age,” earned worldwide acclaim for her blues masterpiece After the Rain and remains among the city’s most celebrated gospel singers. With Galactic at her side across 8 high-energy, groove-laced originals and a dazzling revamp of Nancy Wilson’s “How Glad I Am,” Thomas sounds more vibrant than ever. This unique full-length LP featuring two of New Orleans’ most beloved music acts is a must-have for fans of any genre.
RSD Essential 069 - One of the most influential albums of the 90s, featuring “Today,” “Disarm” and “Cherub Rock,” on exclusive Red Smoke 180 Gram Color Vinyl.
Produced by M. Ward, Owls, Omens, and Oracles is a transformative record featuring vocals from The Blind Boys of Alabama, and an excerpt from Valerie’s book Maps for the Modern World. This album is a full-circle moment, revisiting her indie roots while still pushing forward with an evolved sound. It centers on a joyful and spiritual outlook, celebrating growth and resilience - an album that is meant to inspire, heal, and unite people through shared emotions.
Daughter of Swords is the solo project of North Carolina singer-songwriter Alex Sauser-Monnig (they/she), who has also released music with bands Mountain Man and The A's. Their solo debut, Dawnbreaker, was a hushed folk record released in 2019; in the years since, Sauser-Monnig found a new understanding of self, personally and musically. Across the last several years, Daughter of Swords' music has grown thornier, an unpredictable and knotty tangle of technicolor synths, heady guitar, bubbling rhythms, a sheen enveloping songs about raw human intensity writ large - crushes, desire, anger, alienation, the horrors of late-stage capitalism, the cascading paradigm shifts it seems we're all hurtling toward. Enter Alex, Daughter of Sword's sinewy new record. Recorded at Betty's (Sylvan Esso's studio), Alex was built out by Sauser-Monnig's longtime friends/collaborators Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso, Mountain Man, The A's), Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Flock of Dimes), Nick Sanborn (Sylvan Esso, Made of Oak), TJ Maiani (Weyes Blood, Neneh Cherry), and Caleb Wright (Hippo Campus, Samia). There's a sharp cerebral tension between the stories at the core of these songs and the electrifying, playful buoyancy of the sound, the wink with which Sauser-Monnig can deliver a withering observation. Reckoning with pleasure-seeking, boundary-breaking, and their place in the world, Alex heralds a fresh chapter of exploration and liberation for Sauser-Monnig, yielding the truest representation of their identity via song yet.
Bon Iver’s three-song collection SABLE, was a prologue mired in darkness, a controlled burn clearing the way for new possibilities. fABLE is the book that follows. Where SABLE, was a work of solitude, fABLE is an outstretched hand. Radiant, ornate pop music gleams around Vernon’s voice as he focuses on a new and beautiful era.
On every song, his eyes are locked with one specific person. It’s love, which means there’s an intense clarity, focus, and honesty within fABLE. It’s a portrait of a man flooded and over whelmed by that first meeting (“Everything Is Peaceful Love”). There’s a tableau defined by sex and irrepressible desire (“Walk Home”). This is someone filled with light and purpose seeing an entire future right in front of him: a partner, new memories, maybe a family.
There’s something undeniably healing about infatuation. Cleaving to someone else can feel like light pouring in from a door that’s suddenly swung wide. But there’s a reason SABLE, is of a piece with fABLE; the shadow still rears its head in lighter times. Even when you’ve reached a new chapter, you’ll still find yourself back in your own foundational muck. A fable isn’t a fairy tale. There’s good stuff: unbridled joy and trips to Spain. But fables aren’t hinged on happy endings; they’re here to instill a lesson.
As the album winds to a close, he acknowledges the need for patience and a commitment to put in the work. There’s a selfless rhythm required when you’re enmeshing yourself with another person. The song—and by extension the entire album—is a pledge. He’s ready to find that pace.
Released in 1957 on Prestige Records, Walkin' features a collection of songs that were originally recorded in 1954. With Davis on trumpet and as band leader, the recordings also feature Horace Silver, Lucky Thompson, J.J. Johnson, Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke. This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series on 180-gram vinyl pressed at RTI with all-analog mastering from the original tapes at Cohearent Audio and a Stoughton Tip-On Jacket.
Released in 1955 on Prestige Records, The Musings of Miles is the first album from legendary trumpet player Miles Davis released in the 12" LP format. With Davis as bandleader, other players include Red Garland (piano), Oscar Pettiford (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums). This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series on 180-gram vinyl pressed at RTI with all-analog mastering from the original tapes at Cohearent Audio and a Stoughton Tip-On Jacket.
Graham Jonson is drawn to the comforts of melody
and noise. How the two conspire in tension, tonally
and atonally, stirring up memory and mood. This
quality animates the technicolor world of quickly,
quickly, the psych-pop project that emanates from
Kenton Sound, his basement studio in Portland,
Oregon. “Everywhere your eye lands, there’s
another curio to marvel over,” noted Pitchfork’s
Philip Sherburne when he visited Jonson’s
recording space for a Rising feature just after the
release of his “strikingly original” 2021 debut LP, The
Long and Short of It. Since then, Jonson formed a
live band, released his Easy Listening EP in 2023,
and navigated the up-and-downs of a young
musician, the sustainability of tours and
relationships. While shaped by personal bouts and
fallouts, his highly-anticipated full-length follow-up
finds Jonson making music that’s universal,
open-ended, and rewarding, like great songwriters
can do. He set out to make a folk album but
couldn’t help coloring it in with noise; a confluence
of lush instrumentation and unexpected sounds.
Ambitious yet intimate, hi-fi yet homespun, the
idiosyncratic songs on I Heard That Noise curve
around the contours of everyday life with warmth,
wit, and dissonance.
The bastard child of a Ramones/Strokes one night stand, Bad Nerves play ferociously fast distorted pop songs and drew acclaim with their previous releases ‘Dreaming’, ‘Baby Drummer’, & ‘Can’t Be Mine’. It would appear to be in the DNA of rock music, particularly punk music, that the music itself happens by some kind of happy accident. Nothing truer could be said of the Essex five piece speed punk band. For frontman Bobby, the formation of the band itself was an unintentional happenstance that just wound up taking off in unexpected but very exciting directions. Did band life choose Bad Nerves or did Bad Nerves choose band life? It's hard to say. On the eve of releasing their second album, the brilliantly titled Still Nervous, the boys are still reeling from their surprise success. Their self-made, self-funded debut put them in the hearts and minds of the cream of the alternative crop in 2020; from tastemakers such as Dan P Carter to Alyx Holcombe, and from peers like Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong to Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard, Bad Nerves were instantaneously heralded with the poisoned chalice of saviours of a type of punk that promises to never die. They’ve toured with Royal Blood and The Darkness, and have drawn comparisons to Supergrass, the Ramones and Jay Reatard. And despite all that, their pop rock is a unique – and very fast – whack over the head that reminds us all of the future life left in hell-raising loud and fast music. Speaking from his dad's garage-come-studio in Colchester, frontman Bobby recounts how he and bandmate Will had always played in bands. By chance of a random text at the end of 2015 (“let's do a band!”), Bobby relented once more unto the breach. “Seems like a terrible idea,” he recalls. “Really?! Another band?!” However with “nothing else to do”, it became the only choice. Bad Nerves began to write songs, and promised to never play live, but the songs were so much fun they were forced to reconsider. The only challenge was the pace of said songs. “Finding a drummer was a nightmare,” he laughs. But what started off as a laugh has now become a fated mission. Gone is the blasé motivation, now Bad Nerves are laser-focused on this being the best thing they've ever done. “It feels like this is the main thing that any of us will do in our lives,” says Bobby. “If we're remembered for anything…” Given that rock doesn't have as much of a look-in on the air and in the press, Bad Nerves feel a calling to try and revive rock from the rust. Their second LP, Still Nervous, is due for release Spring 2024. Did they feel pressure approaching the sophomore slump, so to speak? Not at all. The process was more or less the same; Bobby demoing the tracks in his dad's garage, and then the band re-recording everything “properly” with their friend Mike Curtis. The only difference was in trying to ensure that they were still writing for themselves, and not just to satiate their new audience. “When I write songs thinking about what people expect I end up mimicking the first record, but not well,” says Bobby. That internal battle was new, but Bobby quickly realised you can't write like that, and in the process of being “pissed off trying to write a Bad Nerves song”, he found some of the best tracks on the album, doing whatever he wanted. Bad Nerves have been blazing at two hundred miles an hour across the live circuit for a few years now, and are showing no signs of slowing down. Despite the speed and chaotic nature of their music, they have taken great pride in challenging the traditional punk method, by playing tight and trying to replicate the sound of their record in the live setting. “We wanna deliver the songs well,” says bassist Jon. And that's why people have taken notice. Bad Nerves set the bar much higher. One of the band's most iconic gigs to date was a headliner at Sebright Arms in London in 2022, which was so electric they decided to release a live recording of it. “I'm surprised no one died that night,” says Jon. “That ceiling is so low! I've never seen so many people sweat. It was crazy. We were all sick afterwards.” The magic of rock music is in the chaos of the live performance. Bad Nerves understand that. They chase it. They crave it. They know how to create it. “My favourite Ramones record is the live one,” says Bobby. “The stakes are high. That's what makes it.” The future is loud for Bad Nerves. They proactively seek to make the type of in-your-face, opposite-of-sterile, rock music that the genre was built on. They want to play as much as they can for as long as possible, in the hope of inspiring the next generation, before it’s too late. It feels as though they have arrived just in time.
Electric War is an electrifying collaboration between British power trio, Little Barrie (Barrie Cadogan and Lewis Wharton, who wrote and performed the theme to Better Call Saul) and acclaimed producer/drummer, Malcolm Catto, fusing unique talents into a mesmerizing exploration of raw, experimental sound. Electric War delivers a blend of sharp guitar lines, thunderous drums, and swirling textures that evoke a post-apocalyptic soundscape teetering between chaos and harmony.
Justin Robinson and Rhiannon Giddens are two of the few
people from the Black community caretaking Joe Thompson’s
family tradition of fiddle and banjo music. For both, their Black
banjo bodylands are primarily rooted in the North Carolina
Piedmont, where Joe mentored them. The term “Black banjo
bodylands” describes the deep connection between banjos,
land, and the Black musicians who breathe life into them.
Intimate engagements with place, nature, and community
around this musical practice are essential to the tradition’s
continuation. These bodylands constitute not just the individual
player but the traditions, knowledge, and spirit handed down
from their musical ancestors.
On What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, Rhiannon
Giddens and Justin Robinson simply chose to bring the places
and people—even the season—with them. Heralded by the
cawing of American crows, shot through with the round
thrumming of periodical cicadas, these recordings represent
the music exactly as it is: a particularly engaging piece of a
particular place’s rich sonic ecosystem. Giddens and Robinson
emphasize place, communication and collaboration in these
sound offerings from the North Carolina Piedmont homes of
Joe Thompson and Etta Baker and the historic Mill Prong
House. This record is not about flashy arrangements, or
displays of virtuosity for its own sake. It’s about the relaxed,understated flow that arises at the junction of long friendship, a
sense of belonging, and monstrous technical proficiency. We
make this music, we make it together, and we make it here.
This record refuses to be removed.
A Study Of Losses is the seventh studio album from Beirut, the musical project of Zach Condon. The project originated in spring 2023, when Viktoria Dalborg, director at the Swedish circus Kompani Giraff, reached out to Condon, asking if he would be interested to provide the music for their next project, a show based on an adaptation of a novel by German author Judith Schalansky.
The main themes in Schalansky´s book and in the adaptation for the circus show deal with the concept of loss and the impermanence of everything known to us: from extinct animal species, lost architectural and literary treasures to more abstract concepts of loss through the process of aging.
In close collaboration, A Study Of Losses, turned into a rather unexpected piece of music - at 18 songs and nearly an hour long, it is by far the largest album Beirut has ever done, and amongst some of their most beautiful work to date.