STAFF PICKS
Lindsay – Lucinda Williams
Dario – Khanate
Kimber – Neko Case
Jake – Braniac
Zach – Atmosphere and Passion Pit

Travis Scott – Utopia 2xLP (Epic)
Diamond-certified, eight-time Grammy Award-nominated Travis Scott returns with the long-awaited Utopia. The fourth full length #1 studio album contains 19 tracks including “I Know?”, “K-Pop” with Bad Bunny and The Weeknd, “Delresto (Echoes)” feat. Beyoncé, and “Fe!n” feat. Playboi Carti. This double-LP vinyl version contains “Meldown” feat. Drake which was not on the initial pressing of the vinyl. [An indie store exclusive orange color is available.]

 

Death Grips – Government Plates LP (Harvest)
Govt Plates‘ 10 year anniversary pressed exclusively for RSD Essentials is back with new album art! Government Plates is the third studio album by experimental hip hop group Death Grips. It was released for free download on November 13, 2013. Limited pressing on clear vinyl!

 

 

Peter Gabriel – i/o 2xCD/2xLP (Real World)
i/o is Peter Gabriel’s first album of new material since 2002’s Up. During 2023, Peter has been releasing a new song from the album on the occasion of every full moon. Being revealed roughly every four weeks, each track has been allowed to find its own time and space, to enjoy its own orbit. “It’s a little like getting a Lego piece each month,” Peter explains. Now it’s time to stand back and admire the final, completed creation. And what a creation – 12 tracks of grace, gravity and great beauty that provide welcome confirmation of not only Peter’s ongoing ability to write stop-you-in-your-tracks songs but also of that thrilling voice, still perfectly, delightfully intact. Throughout the album the intelligent and thoughtful – often thought-provoking – songs tackle life and the universe.

Atmosphere – Talk Talk CDEP/12” (Rhymesayers)
The title of the previous Atmosphere album, So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, evokes the multiversal storytelling that’s recently vaulted into the mainstream consciousness. Now with their latest effort, the irrepressible Talk Talk EP, Slug and Ant dart across space-time to grab hold of the timeline where they became titans of the electro-rap that was foundational to their youths. Evoking artists like Kraftwerk and Egyptian Lover, Atmosphere makes decades old visions of the future seem new once again. [A limited-edition pink color vinyl pressing is available.]

 

Brainiac – Smack Bunny Baby [Reissue/1993] LP (Craft Recordings)
Upon its initial release in 1993, SPIN called Brainiac’s debut album ”a noisy little devil that benefits greatly from a fondness for Moog synth and a good ear for (buried) melody.” With its reputation established, the band went on to open for Beck, the Breeders, and The Jesus Lizard. Members of Nine Inch Nails, Death Cab For Cutie, Muse, and others have cited Brainiac as an influence. [An indie store exclusive violet color is available.]

 

Neko Case – Live From Austin TX LP (New West)
Limited ‘crystal vin rose’ color vinyl pressing. This debut Austin City Limits performance on August 9, 2003, captures songs from Case’s three seminal releases at the time. Combining elements of country, gospel, and punk for a very unique sound… Which is a good thing.

 

 

Soft Shoulder – It’s All A Small World After LP (Gilgongo)
Intended to sync up with a return to all of our our normal routines, It’s All A Small World After resists the temptation to step away from remarking on the mundane (accidentally collecting cardboard, cutting your hand on plastic, the dog’s favorite toys, avoiding potential muggings, keeping the floor clean and the 7th and 8th editions of the groups “Repeat” tracks). Recorded alongside March 2023’s Smile Building’s Exit, the genres again are simultaneously vague yet synonymous with the group, but with influences that can be easy to pin when the right listener puts the record on. This is where the write-up tries to not reference specific groups (The Fall? Scissor Girls? etc), and instead says the LP pays homage to a hypothetical cross-pollination of the entire Fast Product catalog. Written and recorded by James Fella in late 2021, mastered by John Dieterich.

Duran Duran – Pop Trash [Reissue/2000] 2xLP (BMG)
Pop Trash is the tenth studio album by Duran Duran, originally released in 2000.

 

 

 

 

F.U.S.E. – Dimension Intrusion [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (Warp)
The first full-length studio album by Richie Hawtin, who was 22 years old at the time and living in Windsor, Canada. It was first released in June 1993 under the F.U.S.E. name on Hawtin’s own Plus 8 Records imprint and again on Warp Records as part of the Artificial Intelligence series. Remastered back in 2019, the reissue features original artwork from Richie’s brother, Matthew Hawtin.

 

 

Khanate – Khanate [Reissue/2001] 2xLP (Sacred Bones)
Khanate – Things Viral [Reissue/2003] LP (Sacred Bones)
Khanate’s self-titled debut (2001) has all the pleasant ambiance of a plane crash site, a bleak urban waste of mangled and torn metal beams and hissed alarms. When Khanate first issued Instructions To The Void in 2001, the band was embraced as the next iteration of guitarist Stephen O’Malley’s tube-cracking forays into amplifier variance; a fascinating further step of vocalist Alan Dubin and low-frequency shifter James Plotkin’s space charts; and a warning for the crawling-pace hammers of Tim Wyskida’s drums. Sensing that defenses to their contagion were down, Things Viral (2003) withdrew from any familiar or friendly shapes. On their second offering, the band decelerated to its own tempo, freezing the decay of the debut in a shocking and powerful stasis.

Khruangbin – Live At Sydney Opera House 2xLP (Dead Oceans)
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. Across five releases, this series ignites both sides of Khruangbin’s magic: the warm, prismatic feeling of their albums and the bewitching energy of their performances. Closing out this collection, Live At Sydney Opera House is a double LP of front-to-back Khruangbin.

 

Minor Threat – Out Of Step Outtakes 7” (Dischord)
In January 1983, Minor Threat went into Inner Ear Studio for the first time as a five-piece (Brian Baker had moved from bass to second guitar and Steve Hansgen was now playing bass). They had six new songs that would end up being the centerpiece of what became the Out Of Step 12″ EP. The band had also decided to re-record the song “Out Of Step” with some extra language to try to clarify the lyrics, as well as “Cashing In”, a tongue-in-cheek song about the DC punk scene which they had only played live once. After much debate, “Cashing In” was added as a hidden track on the original vinyl release though not listed on the cover or label. There was still blank tape on the reel, so they decided to record an instrumental with the working title, “Addams Family” and then recorded new versions of “In My Eyes” and “Filler” to hear what they sounded like with two guitars. “Addams Family” ended up being used as a coda to “Cashing In”, but the other two songs were never mixed and largely forgotten for over 35 years until the multitrack tapes were taken into the studio to be digitized in 2021. Surprised by the discovery, Ian and Don Zientara mixed the two songs along with the complete take of “Addams Family”. These outtakes are now being released on a 7″ to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Out Of Step. Clear vinyl.

No Doubt – Beacon Street Collection [Reissue/1995] LP (Interscope)
Produced by No Doubt and recorded in various locations around Southern California, including the band’s homemade studio on Beacon Avenue in Anaheim, California, the originally self-distributed The Beacon Street Collection features 10 tracks that the band released independently during the creative period prior to their blockbuster debut album, Tragic Kingdom. Now officially available on vinyl for the first time.

 

 

Passion Pit – Chunk Of Change [Reissue/2008] 12” (French Kiss)
Yellow colorway. Boston’s Passion Pit is the brainchild of Michael Angelakos with live band consisting of Ian Hultquist (synths), Ayad Al Adhamy (synths, samplers), Jeff Apruzzese (bass, synths), Nate Donmoyer (drums). Michael is a songwriter’s songwriter drawing from a variety of influences, from the classic pop of Randy Newman to the synth work of Giorgio Moroder.

 

 

McCoy Tyner – Extensions [Reissue/1970] LP (Blue Note)
McCoy Tyner looked to Africa on his far-reaching 1970 album Extensions, the only recorded collaboration between Tyner and Alice Coltrane who plays harp on three of the album’s four tracks – including the expansive opener “Message From The Nile” – along with Wayne Shorter, Gary Bartz, Ron Carter & Elvin Jones. This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes.

 

Weezer – SZNS: Winter LP (Atlantic)
SZNZ: Winter is the tenth EP by American rock band Weezer, and the last of four EPs in their SZNZ (pronounced “seasons”) project. Rivers Cuomo described the project’s overall emotion as sadness. Cuomo said that the songwriting would be stylistically like Elliott Smith featuring “lots of loss and despair”. [An indie store exclusive clear pressing is available.]

 

 

Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels On A Gravel Road [Reissue/1998] LP (Mercury)
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams’ classic 1998 album now on vinyl. The album won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. It features the songs “Can’t Let Go” and “Car Wheels On A Gravel Road”. [An indie store exclusive yellow colorway is available.]

 

 

Speedy J – Ginger 2LP (Warp)
Debut studio album by Dutch electronic music producer and DJ Speedy J (real name Jochem Paap), Ginger was originally released in June 1993 as part of Warp Records’ Artificial Intelligence series. Remastered in 2021, the reissue contains the original design by longtime Warp collaborators The Designers Republic.

 

 

Boy Harsher – Country Girl Uncut LP (Nude Club)
Boy Harsher – Lesser Man LP (Nude Club)
Boy Harsher – Yr Body Is Nothing LP (Nude Club)
Boy Harsher – Runner Soundtrack LP (Nude Club)
Boy Harsher’s entire catalogue as strictly limited indie editions on colored vinyl

Dead Moon – Going South LP (Mississippi)
An incredibly intense live recording from Dead Moon’s legendary 20-date first tour of New Zealand. Recorded before an audience of about 40 people in Invercargill (Keith Richards called it the arsehole of the world), this is Dead Moon at their most savage and intense, the way they were meant to be heard.

 

 

Deer Tick – War Elephant [Reissue/2007] LP (Partisan)
Limited heavy metal gray color vinyl pressing. John McCauley III wrote, arranged, played, and recorded War Elephant at the tender age of 21. The album is full of songs wiser and more nuanced than John should have been able to produce according to natural law. The words are deliberate and heartfelt and follow the lead of singer/songwriter heroes of John’s like Townes van Zandt, Neil Young and Richie Valens.

 

The Donnas – Get Skintight [Reissue/1999] LP (Real Gone Music)
The Donnas – Turn 21 [Reissue/2001] LP (Real Gone Music)
Color vinyl reissues of the Detroit all-girl garage rock band’s third and fourth albums. Blessed with a formidable front woman in Brett Anderson, a guitar heroine in Allison Robertson, and a pummeling rhythm section in bassist Maya Ford and drummer Torry Castellano, The Donnas were one of the greatest punk bands of the ’90s, male or female, bringing a uniquely hedonistic yet feminist viewpoint to the genre.

Mac Miller – Watching Movies With The Sound Off [Reissue/2013] LP+10” (Rostrum)
Red colorway. 10th anniversary deluxe edition of Mac Miller’s second studio album Watching Movies With The Sound Offon heavyweight galaxy vinyl. Includes a bonus 10″ zoetrope picture disc with bonus track “The Star Room (OG Version)” and a never released vinyl exclusive track “The Quest”.

 

 

Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle [Reissue/1993] 2xLP (DRR/Gamma)
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Snoop Dogg’s multi- platinum Doggystyle, heralded as one of the most important albums of all time, Death Row Records brings it back to retail with the original 1993 track listing on vinyl. This new 30th Anniversary edition includes the track “Gz Up, Hoes Down” which has not been on the album since it’s pressing in 1993. For new and old fans alike, this is the definitive version of the classic album that launched Snoop’s solo career and helped define the sound of Los Angeles in the process. [Two colorways are available: indies store exclusive green w/ black smoke and limited-edition clear.]

Chris Whitley – Din Of Ecstasy [Reissue/1995] LP (Real Gone Music)
Clear w/ smoke colorway. Din Of Ecstasy is the second studio album by singer-songwriter and guitarist, Chris Whitley. It was originally released on Columbia Records in 1995.

 

 

 

COMING NEXT WEEK!!
FIONA APPLE – Idler Wheel LP reissue
FIONA APPLE – Tidal LP reissue
FIONA APPLE – When The Pawn LP reissue
BIG THIEF – Masterpiece LP reissue colored
BOYGENIUS – Self-titled LP reissue colored
CAR SEAT HEADREST – Tales From The Masquerade LP
NEIL YOUNG – Before and After CD/LP
ANDREW BIRD – Hark CD
C-CLAMP – Dream Backwards LP
FIELD MEDIC – Haunted Haiku Tattoo LP
HUM – You’d Prefer An Astronaut CD/LP
AARON FRAZER – Bring You A Ring 7″
LARRY JUNE/CARDO – Night Shift CD
JAMES ELKINGTON – Me Neither CD/LP
MICHAEL NAU –  Accompany LP