Belle and Sebastian – How To Solve Our Human Problems (Part 2) 12”+MP3 (Matador)
The second installment of three new EPs. The How To Solve Our Human Problems EP project is the latest installment in a career that has always pursued a singular and delightful vision of what pop represents and what it can achieve, a career that has seen them triumph against the odds to win a Brit award, be one of the first bands to curate their own festival, and play at the London residence of the US ambassador. Belle and Sebastian’s new music has the timeless blend of joy and melancholy that has always characterized them.

Corrosion Of Conformity – No Cross No Crown 2xLP (Nuclear Blast)
Released last week on CD – now available on vinyl. “It’s been a dozen years since C.O.C. recorded new material with vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan at the helm. In that time, there have been rumors, whispers and outright allegations that the legendary Southern rock outfit would reunite to blow the doors off the whole damn scene again. In 2014, after nearly a straight decade traversing the globe as a guitarist with New Orleans supergroup Down, Keenan reconnected with the core C.O.C. trio of Woody Weatherman, Mike Dean and Reed Mullin to hit the road hard and write and record the band’s highly anticipated tenth album, No Cross No Crown.”

Tommy Emmanuel – Accomplice One CD/LP (CGP Sounds)
Accomplice One is a testament to Tommy Emmanuel’s musical diversity, the range of expression that stretches from authentic country-blues to face-melting rock shredding, by way of tender and devastating pure song playing. The songs are a mix of new takes on indelible classics and brand new originals from Tommy and his collaborators. The artists who stepped forward to join Tommy in the studio are an impressive list of some of today’s most respected performers, from across the musical spectrum – a lineup including Jason Isbell, Mark Knopfler, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Douglas, Amanda Shires, Ricky Skaggs, J.D. Simo, David Grisman, Bryan Sutton, Suzy Bogguss and many more.

First Aid Kit – Ruins CD/LP+MP3 (Columbia) Get a free postcard pack with purchase. While supplies last
Swedish duo First Aid Kit’s new album Ruins follows the band’s Columbia Records debut Stay Gold, a lush and ambitious 10-song collection that beautifully captured their vivid storytelling, landing the group on countless “Best of 2014” accolades. Produced by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Laura Veirs), the album was recorded in Portland, OR where Klara (vocals/guitar) and Johanna Söderberg collaborated with top rate musicians like REM’s Peter Buck, Wilco’s Glenn Kotche and Midlake’s McKenzie Smith. Rolling Stone calls lead single “It’s A Shame,” a “Dylan-meets-Emmylou Harris shot of country-rock sunshine” while the duo note that follow-up, “Postcard” is one of the most traditional sounding songs we’ve ever written, and we wanted the production to mirror that. It’s not a resentful song, but more of a reaching out to a lover to wish them well on their journey in the midst of having to let them go.”

Ron Gallo – Really Nice Guys CDEP (New West)
Really Nice Guys is a concept EP by Thyme Magazine’s “Man Of The Year,” Ron Gallo. The EP is another thought provoking and inspired installment, extending an already prolific calendar year by Gallo which saw the release of the critically acclaimed full-length album Heavy Meta as well as the 7” singles, “Temporary Slave” and “Sorry Not Everybody Is You.” Really Nice Guys finds Gallo exploring new sonic frontiers and instrumentation in the form of what might be called a conceptual art piece. Whatever you call it is wholly original and Gallo continues to melt faces and free minds.

Ghost B.C. – Ceremony And Devotion 2xCD/2xLP (Loma Vista)
Ceremony And Devotion was recorded during the band’s critically exalted Popestar tour during the summer of 2017 and documents Ghost’s unforgettable live show in pursuit of becoming the world’s next great arena band. Ceremony and Devotion was produced and mixed by Tom Dalgety and features fan favorites spanning the band’s entire catalogue from Opus Eponymous (2010) to Infestissumam (2013) to Meliora (2015) to the Popestar EP (2016). Ghost’s most recent studio album, Meliora, and its accompanying EP Popestar, earned the Swedish rock band a Grammy Award for ‘Best Metal Performance’. Along the way Ghost have racked up both widespread critical acclaim and adoration from a legion of fans across the globe in a genre stagnated by Nü metal for nearly two decades.

The Go! Team – Semicircle CD/LP+MP3/Cassette (Memphis Industries)
Unlike The Go! Team’s 2015 effort The Scene Between – which was essentially a solo project that followed the dissolution of the previous line-up – Semicircle finds leader Ian Parton collaborating with current live players Simone Odaranile (drums) and Angela ‘Maki’ Won-Yin Mak (vocals), as well as two original members, guitarist Sam Dook and rapper Ninja. Annelotte de Graaf (aka Amber Arcades), previous collaborator Julie Margat (aka Lispector), and a crew of unexpected musicians feature throughout.

Great Lake Swimmers – Great Lake Swimmers [Reissue/2003] LP (Paper Bag)
Great Lake Swimmers have hugely affected the music world with their ambient-independent-folk sound. Paper Bag Vintage are pleased to reissue the Canadian indie darlings’ debut self-titled album on colored vinyl. Originally released in 2003, the haunting collection was recorded over several months in an abandoned grain silo in Southern Ontario and exhibits their familiar thematic threads of beauty in the natural world, environmental issues and explorations of close personal ties that hold us together.

Glen Hansard – Between Two Shores CD/LP+MP3 (Epitaph)
Following up 2015’s Grammy nominated Didn’t He Ramble, and his 2012 solo debut Rhythm and Repose, Glen Hansard’s third solo album Between Two Shores was produced by Hansard himself for the first time. The culmination of more than six years of writing and recording, Between Two Shores came together in only a matter of weeks. In March 2017, Hansard booked himself time at Black Box Studios in France with the original idea of taking inventory of his songbook. Working again with former Frames bandmate and producer David Odlum, Hansard was in search of a direction for his next record. As he reviewed his previous sessions, various ideas and home recordings, a sketch of an unplanned record began to take shape. The album’s title comes from Hansards ongoing love of sailing and the sea. When one is equal distance between their starting point and their destination they are in essence “between two shores.” A less than ideal time to wonder whether you should turn back or continue on, but a thought that inevitably rears its head. With Between Two Shores, Hansard has managed to capture that feeling of the big soulful sound of his large touring band while still retaining the intimate introspective nature of his acoustic shows. To which way the wind will blow on his next record remains to be seen.

Hot Snakes – Automatic Midnight [Reissue/2000] CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Hot Snakes – Suicide Invoice [Reissue/2002] CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Hot Snakes – Audit In Progress [Reissue/2004] CD/LP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
San Diego’s influential post-hardcore all-stars Hot Snakes – boasting members of Pitchfork, Rocket From the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Earthless, Obits, Burning Brides, OFF!, The Delta 72, and more – released three of Sub Pop’s favorite rock records of the past 20 years: Automatic Midnight, Suicide Invoice, and Audit in Progress. All three were originally issued on Swami Records, with art by singer/guitarist and visual artist Rick Froberg. As we await the somewhat-later-in-2018 release of their first new album since 2004, the label is pleased to reissue this trio of classics back on vinyl.