May 26, 2017 —

New Releases & Staff Picks 5/26/17

STAFF PICKS

Kimber – Justin Townes Earle
Lindsay – Underworld, Sam Amidon
Dario – Sam Amidon
Brittany- Pet Symmetry

THIS WEEK’S NEW RELEASES

Sam Amidon – The Following Mountain CD (Nonesuch)
New solo album by experimental folk artist, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. The Following Mountain represents a new approach for Amidon, who shifts here from his previous norm of re-working traditional folk songs and presents nine wholly original compositions, with some lyrics drawing on traditional sources. The album also features a rare guest appearance by drummer Milford Graves, known initially for his work in the 1960s with free jazz legends Albert Ayler and Sonny Sharrock.

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band [Reissue/1967] CD/2xCD/4xCD+DVD+Blu-ray (Capitol)
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Beatles landmark album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has been remixed and remastered by George Martin and repackaged in a variety of configurations for the collector, including: a standard single-CD featuring George Martin’s new stereo mix; an expanded Deluxe double-disc CD featuring 18 unreleased alternate takes of the album’s 13 songs (the double-vinyl edition includes 13 of these bonus tracks), all newly mixed in stereo; and a Super Deluxe six-disc box set edition containing over 100 minutes of Sgt. Peppersessions on discs two and three and, on the fourth CD, the original 1967 mono mix of the album and bonus tracks including three previously unreleased mixes. The accompanying Blu-ray and DVD discs feature the fully restored 1992 documentary The Making Of Sgt. Pepper, including interviews with Paul, George and Ringo and fascinating in-the-studio footage introduced by George Martin. Restored promotional films for “A Day In The Life,” “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” are also included, as well as hi-res 5.1 surround mixes and a 144-page hardback book.

The Charlatans – Different Days CD/LP (The End)
For this new album, the core quartet of vocalist Tim Burgess, bassist Martin Blunt, guitarist Mark Collins and keyboard player Tony Rogers, opened their doors to allow an enviable cast of friends to contribute to their latest work. Initially, this happened out of necessity: following the passing of founding drummer Jon Brookes in 2013. So the first call went to Pete Salisbury, the former Verve drummer. Anton Newcombe from Brian Jonestown Massacre was sent an early version of “Not Forgotten” and had sent back some thoughts within 15 minutes. The admiration for the bands’ new ideas continued, Johnny Marr dropped by for an hour but stayed for five and features on three songs including lead single “Plastic Machinery.” Similarly, Stephen Morris, of New Order, who briefly helped out on Modern Nature, extended his role on this album to seven tracks of drumming and programming. Both Ian Rankin and Kurt Wagner offer spoken word contributions. As the spirit of collaboration prospered, Burgess fast-tracked a long-discussed team-up with Paul Weller, the expansive, album finale “Spinning Out.”
 
College – Shanghai CD/2xLP+MP3 (Lakeshore)
College returns with its third full length album, a rich, glowing and nostalgic synth-based offering reminiscent of 2010’s “A Real Hero” (which was featured on the Drivesoundtrack), but at the same time explores a unique and conceptual world. On Shanghai, College’s textural and atmospheric work gains a new dimension.

Crescent – Resin Pockets CD/LP+MP3 (Domino)
Resin Pockets, the first album from Crescent in ten years, and nestles beautifully into a long history of visionary outsider English pop craft in the same vein as the isle’s solitary voices, all singing against the grain: the playfulness of Kevin Ayers; the grace of Vashti Bunyan; the rhapsody of Robert Wyatt; the melancholy of Epic Soundtracks; the revelations of Bill Fay.
 
Danzig – Black Laden Crown CD (Nuclear Blast)
Following on his historic reunion with the classic Misfits lineup attended by record numbers at last year’s Riot Fest in Denver and Chicago as well as the recent confirmation of a headlining set at this year’s Blackest Of The Black festival, Glenn Danzig releases his first Danzig album of all new material since 2010’s widely acclaimed Deth Red Sabaoth. In a 2015 interview with Noisey, Glenn Danzig was asked what it is that keeps him coming back to the creative well. He responded: “It’s so many different things. There’s always stuff to write about, but I think that the whole punk thing helped a lot. If it gets boring, change it, fix it, make it exciting, make it relevant again, and that’s what I did without sacrificing the music.” [Vinyl edition due June 30.]
 
Justin Townes Earle – Kids In The Street CD/LP (New West)
Kids In The Street marks a decade into Earle’s recording career and follows his acclaimed companion albums Single Mothers (2014) and Absent Fathers (2015). The deeply soulful set is both emotionally riveting and effortlessly uplifting. Now embracing sobriety, marriage, and impending fatherhood, Earle is enthusiastically looking to the future. “Life has changed a lot for me in the last few years,” Earle reflects. “I got married and am getting ready to become a father, and this is the first record that I’ve written since I’ve been married. There’s definitely an uplifting aspect to this record in a lot of ways, because I’m feeling pretty positive. When I wrote songs in the past, I was looking in on what I was feeling, but this record’s more about looking outward on what’s happening, and writing about subjects like gentrification and inner-city strife. This record also has more of a soul influence to it, and it’s got a deeper connection to the blues than anything I’ve done before.”

Lil Yachty – Teenage Emotions CD (Quality Control Music, LLC)
Teenage Emotions merges Lil Yachty s signature gleeful sing-rap and auto-tuned transmissions with hip hop bombast, pop and eighties cultural touchstones. The 19-year-old Atlanta native is proudly genre-defying, mining hip-hop, alternative, indie sounds as well as his hometown Atlanta trap DNA to solidify his mosaic approach.The album features collaborations with Migos, YG, Kamaiyah, Diplo, Grace, Evander Griim and Stefflon Don. Producers include WondaGurl, Earl The Pearl, Burberry Perry, Digital Nas, K Swisha, Southside, 30 Roc and others.

Logic – Everybody CD (Def Jam)
“Logic has returned with what may be his most impressive and ambitious long player to date, Everybody. The album features fellow spitters Black Thought, Chuck D, Killer Mike, Juicy J and vocalists Alessia Cara, Khalid, Lucy Rose, Ansel Elgort, and Damian Lemar Hudson, as well as recurring appearances from Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tackling the topic of race and his own internal struggle with being biracial, Logic turns in an album that is filled with gems, like an exclusive J. Cole verse on ‘AfricAryaN,’ that keeps listeners on their toes.” – XXL
 
Moonchild – Voyager CD/2xLP (Tru Thoughts)
Voyager is the third album from the LA-based trio Moonchild – whose candid style of soul and new-school jazz has propelled them onto a swirling, emotionally charged journey of the heart.

Pet Symmetry – Vision CD/LP+MP3 (Polyvinyl)
Pet Symmetry is a power-pop power trio consisting of Evan Weiss, Erik Czaja, and Marcus Nuccio. Czaja and Nuccio are both founding members of Dowsing, a still-active Chicago-based group that has released three albums, two on regional powerhouse Count Your Lucky Stars and its most recent on seminal punk label Asian Man (who also released Pet Symmetry’s first album). Weiss rose to prominence as Into It. Over It., a solo recording project that morphed into a full band.
 
The Chainsmokers – Memories…Do Not Open LP (Sony)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. Memories…Do Not Openis the debut full-length album from Grammy Award winning artist/producer duo The Chainsmokers. Comprised of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart, The Chainsmokers have evolved into a dominating musical force with a diverse repertoire of songs that have led them to become today’s hottest young artist/producer duo. With a signature sound that deftly reaches across indie, progressive and pop realms, their original tracks and remixes have topped the charts throughout the world.
 
John Mayer – The Search For Everything 2xLP+MP3 (Columbia)
Recently released on CD – now available on vinyl. In his first release since Paradise Valley back in 2013, The Search For Everything (rolled out in a series of four “Waves”) sees John Mayer come back strong with several nods to his roots.

Sia – Some People Have Real Problems [2008] 2xLP (Monkey Puzzle/Hear Music)
First-time vinyl edition of the fourth studio album by the Australian singer.
 
Underworld – Beaucoup Fish [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (UMe)
Following the success of the single “Born Slippy (NUXX)” from its use in the film Trainspotting, Beaucoup Fish was Underworld’s most anticipated release. It spawned several successful singles, including “Moaner.” “Push Upstairs” and “Jumbo” were both hits on the dance charts and in clubs. Beaucoup Fish was well-received critically (one review calling it “electronica’s The Dark Side Of The Moon) and remains Underworld’s most successful album.

West Coast Experimental Pop Band – Vol. 3: A Child’s Guide To Good & Evil [Reissue/1968] LP (Jackpot)
Released in July 1968 on Reprise Records, Vol.3: A Child’s Guide To Good & Evil is considered to be the band’s most accomplished work and a masterpiece of the psychedelic genre. Released just nine months after Vol. 2, the band explores their incredibly creative psychedelic pop song writing with an accomplished mastery of studio techniques.

 

NEXT WEEK’S NEW RELEASES

ALT J – Relaxer CD/LP
DAN AUERBACH – Waiting On A Song CD/LP (black and colored vinyl)
BLEACHERS – Gone Now CD/LP
BEACH FOSSILS – Somersault CD/LP/Colored LP
BENJAMIN BOOKER – Witness CD/LP
FLOGGING MOLLY – Life Is Good CD/LP
CHASTITY BELT – I Used To Spend CD/LP
ST ETIENNE – Home Countries CD/LP
THE GARDEN – Life + Times Of A Paper Clib CD/LP
MARIKA HACKMAN – I’m Not Your Man CD/LP
INSTITUTE – Subordination CD/LP
MUTOID MAN – War Moans CD/LP
ROYA – Self-Titled CD
HALSEY – Hopeless Fountain Kingdom CD/LP
NORTH MISSISSIPPI  ALLSTARS – Prayer For Peace CD/LP
U2 – Joshua Tree CD reissue
ROGER WATERS – Is This The Life We Really Want CD/LP
SKATALITES – Independence Ska CD/LP
TOPS – Sugar At The Gate CD/LP
MEKONS – Existentialism CD
BROKEBACK – Looks At The Bird LP reissue
BROKEBACK – Field Recordings LP reissue
DANZIG – Skeleton’s Bone CD/LP
SUN KIL MOON – Common As Light LP