New Releases & Staff Picks – 3/12/21
Staff Picks
Kimber – Gang Of Four
Lindsay – Nils Frahm, Gang Of Four, Soul Slabs
Dario – Anohni, Soul Slabs
Anohni – I Will Survive b/w R.N.C. 2020 7”+MP3 (Secretly Canadian)
Anohni shares an emotive cover of Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 classic “I WIll Survive”. The track was a staple of her early live shows and opens with a graceful string arrangement by Maxim Moston, paired with piano performed by Anohni. “R.N.C 2020”, is a track inspired by the Republican National Convention which took place in August and the dread Anohni felt while watching it.
Various Artists – Soul Slabs Vol 2 3LP (Colemine)
Soul Slabs Vol. 2 is a collection of A-sides from the 7-inch catalog of Loveland Ohio’s Colemine Records. Specializing in heavy soul, funk, and R&B, Colemine prides itself on authenticity and an old school production style, while still making songs that seem fresh and are moving the genre of soul forward. This 3LP collection of 27 tracks puts their diverse catalog on full display, many of these songs being presented for the first time on an LP. Featuring artists such as Durand Jones & The Indications, Kelly Finnigan, Ben Pirani, Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Monophonics, Ikebe Shakedown, The Dip, The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Soul Scratch, and more!
Nils Frahm – Tripping With Nils Frahm LP+MP3 (Erased Tapes)
When Nils Frahm kicked off his world tour at Funkhaus Berlin in January 2018 to bring his highly acclaimed studio album All Melody to the stage, an ambitious journey was just to begin. In December 2018, Nils Frahm eventually returned to Funkhaus Berlin to host another set of four shows Tripping With Nils Frahm is an illustration of Nils’ lauded ability as a composer and passionate live artist as well as the enchanting atmosphere of his captivating, and already legendary Funkhaus shows: An extraordinary musical trip – rare and exclusive, close and intimate, bringing a unique concert experience to the screen and wax. [CD edition due April 9.]
Gang Of Four – 77-81 5xLP+Cassette+Book (Matador)
77-81 is a stunning box set gathering the band’s hugely influential early work. The set contains remastered editions of Entertainment! and Solid Gold, an exclusive Singles LP, and an exclusive double-LP of the never officially released Live At American Indian Center 1980. Additionally, the package includes a cassette tape compiling 26 never-before-issued outtakes, rarities and studio demos from Entertainment! and Solid Gold. The box also includes a 100-page handbound book detailing the history and legacy of the original Gang Of Four with never before seen photos, contributions from surviving original band members, rare posters, ephemera, flyers, essays, artwork, liner notes and more. It also marks the first official publication of their lyrics. [CD edition due April 23.]
EyeHateGod – A History Of Nomadic Behavior CD/LP (Century Media)
EyeHateGod, “the quintessential Southern sludge band” (Pitchfork) that Rolling Stone dubbed one of “America’s great live bands,” return with their first album in seven years: A History of Nomadic Behavior. The album is introduced with “High Risk Trigger”. Lyrically, the song is cryptic and abstract, but it touches on the all-pervasive fears bred by an invisible germ storm sweeping through the nation and a society sickened by police brutality: “Infection is the way, disruptive crowd takes aim/Burn down the rail yard house, destroy the U.S.A.” [A limited indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is available.]
Valerie June – The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers CD (Fantasy)
Produced by Jack Splash (Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys, John Legend) and Valerie June, The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers achieves a transcendent effect thanks in no small part to the splendor of its sound, an exquisitely composed tapestry of folk, soul, gospel, country, blues, psychedelia, and time-bending symphonic pop. The result is a selection of songs both ornate and elegant, each moment crafted with a profound awareness of what’s most essential in creating enduring beauty. The follow-up to June’s widely adored The Order Of Time – a 2017 effort that earned the admiration of Bob Dylan and landed on best-of-the-year lists from the likes of Rolling Stone and the New York Times – The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers is a potent catalyst for that kind of magic. With her spellbinding vocals and infectious sense of wonder, Valerie June gently eases the listener into a far more charmed state of mind, one that quickly restores a powerful feeling of joyful possibility. [Vinyl edition due March 19.]
Lake Street Dive – Obviously CD/LP (Nonesuch)
Lake Street Dive’s new album, Obviously, was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Elizondo who is best known as a songwriting collaborator for Dr. Dre, Eminem, and 50 Cent and has also served as a record producer for Fiona Apple, Mary J. Blige, Carrie Underwood, and 21 Pilots, among many others. Utilizing Elizondo’s hip-hop record-making expertise coupled with the permanent addition of keyboardist Akie Bermiss, Lake Street Dive’s wide-ranging taste in pop, rock, R&B, and jazz has blended together to make an impressively cohesive sound, combining retro influences with a contemporary attitude. [A limited indie store exclusive vinyl pressing is available.]
Rob Zombie – The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy CD/LP (Nuclear Blast)
As a shock-rock icon and filmmaker with a unique vision, Rob Zombie has continuously challenged audiences as he stretches the boundaries of both music and film. October 2020 saw the release of his first new track in over four years – “The Triumph Of King Freak (A Crypt Of Preservation and Superstition)” which ushers in the new slab of Zombie madness, The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy. Produced by Zeuss, the follow-up to 2016’s The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser is a classic Zombie album through and through with high-energy ragers like “The Eternal Struggles Of The Howling Man” and “Get Loose” to heavy-groove thumpers like “Shadow Of The Cemetery Man” and “Shake Your Ass-Smoke Your Grass”. Speaking to NME, Zombie said: “I think it’s the best record we’ve ever made.” [Limited red swirl color vinyl pressing.]
Dies Occidendum is a mythical voyage across fog-laden, scorched earth terrain from the original friar of dark hip-hop, DJ Muggs the Black Goat. Known and revered as the sonic mastermind behind both Cypress Hill and his own Soul Assassins imprint, here Muggs sheds the MCs and presents his latest dark-soaked productions as an illuminated manuscript of sorts; a fully immersive, instrumental soundtrack to the mysterious Dies Occidendum. Combining ingredients of psych rock, gypsy folk with modern elements of trap, forged together under layers of his signature sonic grime, Muggs has created yet another blueprint for the utmost sonic menace and macabre.
Madness was one of the leading bands of the UK ska revival of the late ’70s and early ’80s. As their career progressed, Madness branched away from their trademark nutty sound and incorporated large elements of Motown, soul, and British pop; their songwriting becoming ever-more nuanced and sophisticated. Although the band enjoyed one crossover American hit with “Our House” in 1983, they remained a British phenomenon, but their influence on several successive generations of international musicians looms large.
Roosevelt – Polydans CD/LP+MP3 (City Slang)
Roosevelt is always looking for that special moment. The producer – Marius Lauber – utilizes outstanding electronics, matching club tropes to pangs of melancholy, all wrapped up in gorgeous melodies. Inventive early singles such as “Montreal” led to the outstanding debut album Roosevelt and the bold, addictive follow-up Young Romance, but increased success seemed to take him away from his core desires, from his musical roots. After that meteoric success, he decided to refocus himself on the more intimate, immediate bond he’d felt initially with electronic music. Hearkening back to the intimate rooms that he got his start in, he longed to reclaim the beating heart of the genre, the connection and shared unity with fans. Polydans is built around those bonds. It’s got the energy of a club experience, the implicit communication between a musician and the crowd.
Linda Smith – Till Another Time: 1988-1996 CD/LP (Captured Tracks)
When Linda Smith purchased a 4-track cassette recorder in the mid-1980s, it was not with the intention of launching a solo career. At the time, she was playing guitar in a band called the Woods and thought it would be useful for sharing demos with her bandmates. In the end, the 4-track outlasted the Woods, but Smith had already started toying around with her own songs. Till Another Time: 1988-1996 is the first retrospective collection of Smith’s charmingly lo-fi music, situating her as a pioneer of the home recording boom that persists today. Sparse and gentle, Linda’s music is tinged with lovelorn melancholy despite the sweetness of her voice.
Cabaret Voltaire – Shadow Of Funk 12” (Mute)
Cabaret Voltaire is Richard H. Kirk, who has also released countless acclaimed solo albums, including under other monikers such as Sandoz. He also invented bleep techno along the way via his groundbreaking work in Sweet Exorcist. The industrial funk tracks on this EP were recorded in the sessions for Cabaret Voltaire’s 2020 full length Shadow Of Fear, the project’s first studio album in 26 years. Shadow Of Funk delves deeper into Cabaret Voltaire’s arsenal of vocal samples, harsh rhythms and threatening detonations.
Cannibal Ox – Blade Of The Ronin [Reissue/2015] 2xLP (Babygrande)
2015’s Blade Of The Ronin solidified the triumphant return of Cannibal Ox as one of the kings of underground hip-hop, as Vast and Vordul capture their trademark sound with Bill Cosmiq at the helm for the majority of the album’s production. Together, this trio created an album that personifies a sense of insightful lyricism and poignant production that has arguably been absent from the scene since The Cold Vein. The album also features guest appearances from MF Doom, U-God (of Wu-Tang Clan), Elzhi, Artifacts and more.
FLEET FOXES – Shore CD/LP
LANA DEL REY – Chemtrails Over The Country Club CD/LP
CHRIS CORNELL – No One Sings Like You Anymore CD/LP
RINGO STARR – Zoom In CD/LP
LORETTA LYNN – Still Woman Enough CD/LP
ARAB STRAP – As Days Get Dark LP
MIDDLE KIDS – Today We’re The Greatest CD/LP
CHAD VANGAALEN – World’s Most Stressed Out Gardner CD/LP
STEVE EARLE + THE DUKES – J.T. CD/LP
RYAN ADAMS – Wednesdays CD/LP
EXEK – Biased Advice LP
GUIDED BY VOICES – Propeller CDLP
MINT JULEP – In A Deep and Dreamless Sleep CD/LP
MONO – Beyond The Past Live In London w/The Platinum CD/LP
WOODS – Reflections Vol 1 LP
KARIMA WALKER – Waking The Dreaming Body LP
GREEN DAY – Insomniac LP
DIZZEE RASCAL – Boy InThe Corner LP
VALERIE JUNE – Moon + Stars:Prescriptions For Dreamers LP
CODY JINKS – Adobe Sessions LP