STAFF PICKS
Lindsay –Les Imprimes, Delgados
Dario – Bonnie Prince Billy
Kimber – Swervedriver reissues
Caleb – Neil Young
Zach – Jungle, Bonnie Prince Billy

LUSH – Split LP reissue (4AD)
Featuring the singles ‘Desire Lines’ and ‘Hypocrite’, Split is the second full studio album by Lush. Produced by Mike Hedges – famed for his work on The Cure’s Seventeen Seconds & Siouxsie and the Banshees’s A Kiss in the Dreamhouse– and mixed by Alan Moulder, Split sees the band hit a poppier sound whilst retaining their almost pitch-black feel.

LUSH – Spooky LP reissue (4AD) 
With a few EPs and a mini-album (Scar) having set the scene, Spooky is Lush’s 1990 debut studio album. A key text for British indie music at the turn of a decade, it was produced by label mate Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) and features the singles ‘Nothing Natural’, ‘For Love’ and ‘Superblast!’.

LUSH – Lovelife LP reissue (4AD)
Lush’s final studio, Lovelife, landed whilst Britpop was in full swing (Jarvis Cocker even duets with Miki on the track ‘Ciao!’), managing to fit in whilst sticking to the rules they set themselves with prior albums. Produced by Pete Bartlett (Therapy?, Kitchens of Distinction), it features three of the band’s biggest singles in ‘Single Girl’, ‘Ladykillers’ and ‘500 (Shake Baby Shake)

THE CULT – Ceremony LP [Reissue/1991] (Beggars Banquet)
On limited red/blue vinyl Beggars Arkive will release a vinyl reissue of THE CULT’S fifth album Ceremony on August 11th. Two editions will be available. Blue/Red is exclusive to independent retail, black vinyl will be available everywhere. Originally released in 1991, the follow up to the massive Sonic Temple marked a turning point in the band’s sound and style and it was their first without longtime bassist Jamie Stewart. The album was a commercial success, reaching No. 25 on the Billboard chart and it remains a fan favorite and an important album in The Cult’s discography. The Cult continued to develop their sound on this album, and it is heavily influenced by Native American culture. Ceremony is a testament to their ability to evolve and adapt while staying true to their roots and it’s songs are about spirituality, love and rebellion. It includes the singles “Wild Hearted Son” and “Heart Of Soul”.

THE CULT – Sonic Temple LP reissue (Beggars Banquet)
Beggars Arkive will release a vinyl reissue of THE CULT’S fourth album Sonic Temple. This edition is pressed on translucent green and is exclusive to independent retail. THE CULT is fronted by Ian Astbury on vocals and Billy Duffy on guitar. Their fourth album Sonic Temple is not just an iconic record, but a sonic tour de force that defies classification. Released in 1989, the album’s sound is rooted in classic rock and heavy metal, but incorporates a range of influences, from punk to psychedelic rock, creating a sound that is both familiar yet unique. The album’s production is slick and polished, thanks to the contributions of legendary producer Bob Rock, who helped to craft a sound that was both commercially appealing and artistically adventurous. Sonic Temple had four massive hits; “Fire Woman”, “Edie (Ciao Baby)”, “Sun King” and “Sweet Soul Sister ”.

TY SEGALL & EMMETT KELLY – Live At Worship LP (Drag City)
A sunny night from July of 2022 as “Hello, Hi” was just about to drop: in advance of the album release shows at LA’s mighty Teragram Ballroom, Ty and Emmett stage a spontaneous acoustic show at a Highland Park clothing boutique. With the packed crowd drawing magnetically toward the players, their performance elevates to the roof, intimate in nature, but epic in response to the audience’s open hearted enthusiasm.

BONNIE PRINCE BILLY – Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You CD/LP/CASS (Drag City)
Includes limited edition flexidisc,while supplies last. Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You is a tale old as time. It’s an album. Its songs and music are by and for people together. For listening together. Before it gets too late. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy stands at the nexus of all the kinds of music he can summon, with friends, with family and community. all roads roll though him. There can be no holding back. A million billion moments are on the line.

KHRUANGBIN + MEN I TRUST – Live at RBC Echo Beach LP (Dead Oceans)
It’s only fitting that Khruangbin’s first-ever official live releases would be albums paired with their tourmates: artists whose music they love and admire, friends who’ve become family along the way. Khruangbin’s series of live LPs traces just one small slice of the band’s flight plan through the years: it’s a taste of some of their most beloved cities, stages and nights. Each release comes with a limited-edition unique album cover exclusive for the recording’s home turf, just a little something extra for the fans that bring a little something extra. Most of all, this series ignites both sides of the band’s magic: the warm, prismatic feeling of their albums and the bewitching energy of their performances. Live at RBC Echo Beach features performances by Men I Trust and Khruangbin

DAVID BOWIE – Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars CD/LP
Available on CD and gold vinyl. David Bowie retired Ziggy Stardust, his most famous alter-ego, in front of 5000 stunned fans at London’s Hammersmith Odeon. Now, the fully restored film and soundtrack will be released for the first time for the 50th anniversary of the show.

LES IMPRIMES – Reverie CD/LP (Big Crown)
The stirring and ethereal sounds of Les Imprimés have been making fans of anyone who hears them since their first 7″ single hit the speakers. Morten Martens is the man behind the band. Born, raised, and working in Kristiansand, Norway, he keeps a low profile while making his heartfelt, highly infectious, and unique music. This album is a long time coming for Martens and it is sure to make him a name to be reckoned with.

HIVES – Death Of Randy CD/LP (Disques Hives)
Available on black and colored vinyl. Undisputed icons of rock and roll The Hives are back, channeling the electrifying energy of the group’s greatest hits with their first new album in over 10 years. Their colossal new album, The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons, reignites the band’s lore in arresting fashion, exploring the disappearance of the band’s mysterious sixth member Randy Fitzsimmons even leading them to dig up his grave. What they found inside the casket is what you can now hear on record. Go fetch!

JUNGLE – Volcano CD/LP (Thanks for your)
Volcano follows Jungle’s previous album Loving In Stereo, which proved to be a landmark moment for the acclaimed UK duo. The free-spirited energy that runs right through Volcano reflects how organically it came together. J and T had written most of the record on tour before starting the recording process while staying in an Airbnb in Los Angeles. It was later completed back home in London at their favourite location, Studio B at Metropolis Studios. This time around, the duo wanted to include a wider variety of voices within the album. In addition to Erick The Architect, they reunited with Bas (who previously featured on the ‘Loving In Stereo’ single ‘Romeo’) for ‘Pretty Little Thing’, as well as calling on talents in the shape of Roots Manuva, Channel Tres and JNR Williams.

NEIL YOUNG – Chrome Dreams CD/LP (Reprise)
Chrome Dreams is another of Neil Young’s legendary “lost” albums; finished albums that for various reasons Neil decided not to release at the time. The recent releases of Homegrown and Toast also fall into this category. Chrome Dreams features 12 songs recorded between 1974 and 1977. If the album was released in 1977 as originally planned, it would certainly be considered as one of the masterpieces in Neil’s long career. The album contains some of Neil’s most iconic songs: “Pocahontas”, “Like A Hurricane”, “Powderfinger”, Homegrown”, “Too Far Gone” and “Star of Bethlehem”. Most of the tracks were subsequently released on later Neil Young albums (e.g.: American Stars ‘N’ Bars, Hawks & Doves, Hitchiker, Archives Vol II), although Chrome Dreams includes unreleased versions of two much loved songs: “Sedan Delivery” and “Hold Back The Tears”. Four of the songs are making their vinyl debut.

LIAM GALLAGHER – Knebworth 22 CD/LP (Warner)
2023 live release. Returning to the scene of the era-defining Oasis gigs of the ’90s, the huge audience stretched from fans who had been present some 26 years earlier right through to teenagers relishing the excitement of their first big gig. Knebworth 22 is a must-have live album for any fan who wants to relive the experience. ‘Knebworth 22’ is released alongside a live video of the weekend’s surprises. ‘Roll It Over’ originally featured on the Oasis album ‘Standing On The Shoulder of Giants’.

DAVID BYRNE & FATBOY SLIM – Here Lives Love LP reissue (Nonesuch)
David Byrne & Fatboy Slim’s acclaimed 2010 album Here Lies Love receives its first-ever vinyl release to coincide with a new production opening on Broadway this summer. Here Lies Love is a double-disc song cycle – improbably poignant, decidedly surreal, surprisingly thought provoking – about the rise and fall of the Philippines’ notorious Imelda Marcos. It was conceived by David Byrne; composed by Byrne and DJ/recording artist Fatboy Slim, AKA Norman Cook; and performed by a dream cast drawn from the worlds of indie rock, alt country, R&B and pop.

JOHN CALE – Words For The Dying LP reissue (All Saints)
Limited clear vinyl LP pressing. Includes digital download. First time vinyl repress of a John Cale album originally released on the Opal label in 1989, produced by Brian Eno. Words For The Dying has at its heart The Falklands Suite, Cale’s baroque if heartfelt response to the Anglo-Argentinian War, which finds him setting the poems of his beloved Dylan Thomas to music. When building songs around another’s words, the results often sound forced, but Cale does a magnificent job of compressing Thomas’s lyricism into neat melodic phrases, themselves just components of a vast harmonic mega-structure scored for the USSR’s Orchestra of Symphonic & Popular Music of Gostelradio. A project that could easily have collapsed under the weight of its own ambition is instead a late masterpiece, thanks to Cale’s deep-seated compositional genius, and unobtrusive but resonant production from Brian Eno.” Kiran Sande

DELGADOS – Hate LP reissue (Chemikal Undergound)
Clear blue vinyl reissue. the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band the Delgados originally released in 2002.

PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED – End Of World CD/2xLP (PiL Official)
Public Image Ltd. (PiL) release their 11th studio album, End of World. The band began writing and recording End Of World in 2018, during their 40th anniversary tour. After The Great Pause, the band regrouped in the studio and “there was just this massive explosion of ideas,” Lydon says. The result is 13 of some of the best tracks they have ever written. Celebrating their 40-year anniversary in 2018, the band is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential bands of all time. With a shifting line-up and unique sound – fusing rock, dance, folk, pop, and dub – Lydon guided the band from their debut album First Issue in 1978 through to 1992’s That What Is Not, before a 17-year hiatus. Lydon reactivated PiL in 2009, touring extensively worldwide and releasing two critically acclaimed albums This Is PiL in 2012 followed by their 10th studio album What The World Needs Now… in 2015.

CHASTITY BELT – No Regrets 10th Anniv LP (Suicide Squeeze)
Black & white swirl color vinyl reissue of the Walla Walla, WA indie rock band’s – led by Julia Shapiro – debut album.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Eccentric Northern Soul LP (Numero)
Northern soul floor fillers of the Eccentric variety. Compiling 17 handpicked gems from across the Numeroverse, this album keeps the faith for both newcomers and veterans alike. Soaring vocals, driving beats, and syrupy strings… expect a blend of classic Motown-inspired sounds with a unique British flair that is sure to get your feet moving. The only northern soul record you’ll ever need.

JULEE CRUISE – Floating Into The Night LP [Reissue/1989] (Sacred Bones)
Julee Cruise’s 1989 album Floating Into the Night is a hauntingly beautiful, critically acclaimed work that showcases her unique vocal style and the atmospheric, dreamlike music of composer Angelo Badalamenti. The album was produced by Badalamenti and David Lynch, who had previously worked together on the soundtrack for Lynch’s film Blue Velvet. Today in the wake of both Julee Cruise and Angelo Badalamenti’s passing it’s important to honor their musical legacy and contribution to both the sonic and cinematic landscapes. The album is widely regarded as a masterpiece, a definitive moment in the development of the Dream Pop genre, and the unofficial soundtrack to the cult classic television show Twin Peaks. And while the album’s best known song may be the show’s iconic theme song “Falling,” it also contains many of Cruise’s most beloved hits including “Rockin’ Back Inside My Heart” and “The Nightingale.” Each of the album’s 10 tracks showcase Cruise’s ethereal vocals, which have often been described as “angelic” and “otherworldly,” gliding over Badalamenti’s lush, cinematic arrangements, perfectly complementing his combination of retro styles and modern ambience.

INNOCENCE MISSION – We Walked In Song LP reissue (Badman)
With eleven songs, plus two bonus demo versions, that are memorable and genuinely moving, We Walked In Song, originally released in 2007, continued Innocence Mission’s progression toward intimate recordings where each note played and sung seems essential. From the shining opening track, “Brotherhood of Man”, in which Karen speaks of connectedness to strangers in everyday moments, to the longing of the closing lines of “My Sisters Return from Ireland,” Karen Peris’ hauntingly beautiful voice communicates with immediacy. The album is available now on opaque light blue vinyl, and marks the 16th anniversary of the initial release of the record.

NEW YORK DOLLS – Dawn Of The Dolls LP reissue (Cleopatra)
Pink and black splatter. The first ever studio recordings made by groundbreaking, gender-bending punk troop NY Dolls, recorded prior to their massively important 1973 debut album! Features original drummer Billy Murcia and production by famed punk/new wave producer Marty Thau (The Ramones, Blondie, Suicide)! The audio has been completely remastered making this the best sounding version of these recordings ever made available!

SMITHS – Self-Titled LP reissue (Rhino)
Arriving in an era dominated by Synthpop and gloomy Post-Punk, The Smith’s eponymous debut was the beginning of a new era. Johnny Marr’s inventive songwriting and ringing guitars were catchy and melodic and were made all the more original by Morrissey’s vocal style and lyrics. Although The Smiths continued to improve over the course of their career, the songs here are vital and alive, making sure that their debut remains startling and exciting to this day.

SWERVEDRIVER – Mezcal Head LP reissue LP (Music On Vinyl)
30th anniversary edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on blue marbled 180-gram audiophile vinyl. Swervedriver are an English alternative rock band formed in Oxford in 1989 around core members Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge. Mezcal Head is their second studio album, originally released in 1993.

SWERVEDRIVER – Raise LP reissue (Music On Vinyl)
Limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on flaming coloured 180-gram audiophile vinyl. The Oxford based alternative rock band Swervedriver continued to develop themselves by implementing different music into their alternative rock and shoegaze sound. Their first album Raise can be categorized as an album with a heavy sound, but also some melodic parts.

AZYMUTH – Telecommunication LP [Reissue/1982] (Craft)
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. This 40th-anniversary pressing of Azymuth’s funky, samba-instilled fusion record, Telecommunication, marks the first vinyl reissue of the album since its original release in 1982. This electronic-jazz opus by the Brazilian trio was remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at RTI.

DE LA SOUL – Art Official Intelligence : Mosaic Thump [Reissue/2000] CD/2xLP/Cassette (Chrysalis)
DE LA SOUL – AOI : Bionix [Reissue/2001] CD/2xLP/Cassette (Chrysalis)
Multi-format reissues of the legendary conscious hip-hop group’s fifth and sixth albums.

FREDDIE GIBBS – Freddie LP [Reissue/2018] (ESGN)
Freddie is the fourth studio album from acclaimed rapper, Freddie Gibbs. One of the most consistent and polished artists from the blog era, Freddie Gibbs has yet to release an album that does not achieve widespread acclaim, proving that he’s able to compete in any era. At 10 tracks, the album comes at a blistering yet concise pace, showcasing his raw and energetic flow over thundering trap-influenced beats. Aside from a tasteful appearance from 03 Greedo, Freddie Gibbs mainly relies on himself to carry the album, and features production from hip-hop heavyweights such as Kenny Beats, Dupri, RichGains and more. Marking the 5 year anniversary since release, Freddie is back in print for the very first time.

XXXTENTACION – Members Only Vol 4 LP reissue (Members Only)
Members Only is a group XXXTentacion formed as he was still bubbling beneath the surface of the mainstream. Group members have included Ski Mask the Slump God, Kid Trunks, Craig Xen, Killstation, Coolie Cut, Bass Santana, Flyboy Tarantino, Tankhead and Kin$oul. Following the release of their fourth project, Members Only IV, the collective has gone on an indefinite hiatus, with some of its most prominent members such as Craig Xen and Wifisfuneral exiting the group. Three former members including XXXTentacion have died.

LUPE FIASCO – Food & Liquor [Reissue/2006] 2xLP (Atlantic)
Lupe Fiasco, 12-time Grammy nominee and winner, has the spirit of brilliant thinkers, impassioned activists, and unapologetic rebels.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
TALKING HEADS – Stop Making Sense LP reissue
MARGARET GLASPY –  Echo The Diamond CD/LP
HOZIER – Unreal Unearth CD/LP
GRACE POTTER –  Mother Road CD/LP
RHIANNON GIDDENS – You’re The One CD/LP
JON BATISTE – World Music Radio CD/LP
TEDDY THOMPSON – My Love Of Country CD/LP
DINERS – My Love Of Country CD/LP
DURAN DURAN – Girls On Film LP
DEYARMOND EDISON – Epoch LP
FOLK IMPLOSION – Take A Look Inside LP
GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV – Appaloosa Songs CD/LP
RINGWORM – Seeing Through Fire LP
STEPHEN STEINBRINK – Disappearing Coin CD/LP
TALLEST MAN ON EARTH – Too Late For Edelweiss LP
VIKTOR VAUGHN – Vaudeville Villain LP
JOEL PATERSON – Wheelhouse Rag LP
TASH SULTANA – Sugar EP LP
JACK HARLOW – Jackman CD/LP
MAPACHE – Swinging Stars CD/LP
DIPLO – Diplo LP