STAFF PICKS
Lindsay – Anna Calvi, The Smile
Dario – Flower Festival and M. Ward reissues
Kimber – William Elliott Whitmore
Jake – The Smile
Zach – Flower Festival, MIKE, Ty Segall, and The Smile

SMILE – Wall Of Eyes CD/LP (XL)
The Smile is Radiohead’s Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood + Sons of Kemet’s Tom Skinner. Wall of Eyes was recorded between Oxford and Abbey Road Studios, and is produced and mixed by Sam Petts-Davies. It features string arrangements by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Wall of Eyes is the follow up to their 2022 debut LP A Light for Attracting Attention.

 

FLOWER FESTIVAL – Age LP (Moone)
Flower Festival is Micah Dailey (Phoenix resident and also brother to very own Caleb Dailey). Beginning with an instrumental opening, Flower Festival’s latest album Age offers up an invitation to tilt your ears between jittery analog texture and elegantly fluid drumbeats. But it’s the inward-looking songwriting that makes the best case for Flower Festival’s relatability from his professions of self-hatred to an overall detachment from common culture.  

INDIGO DE SOUZA – Cassette Box Set 2018-2023 (Saddle Creek)
This box set includes Indigo De Souza’s first three albums on cassette – including I Love My Mom for the first time! All three cassette tapes are printed on a transparent smokey shell, which is exclusive to this box set.

 

TY SEGALL – Three Bells CD/LP/CASS (Drag City)
A fifteen song cycle that takes a journey to the center of the self. Ty’s been on this kind of trip before, so he’s souped up a vehicle that’s all his own – a sophisticated machine – to take us there this time. The conception of Three Bells arcs, rainbow-like, into a land nearly beyond songs – but inside of them, Ty relentlessly pushes the walls further and further in his writing and playing to cast light into the most opaque depths.

FUTURE ISLANDS – People Who Aren’t There Anymore CD/LP (4AD)
On their seventh release, People Who Aren’t There Anymore heralds a new chapter. For Future Islands, albums aren’t a static reflection of a moment in time, they are a fluid chapter in their lives that can change and mutate. People change and pull away. The band is no different, coming up against their future while staring at their past. People Who Aren’t There Anymore reflects the transience of a band’s existence; the rare privilege of traveling all over the world contrasting with the sadness of fleeting moments in and out people’s lives. Being everywhere but also nowhere. Remembering the lives lost and the living they’ll never see again, cherishing the present and being grateful for the past.

HELLA – Hold Your Horse Is (Deluxe Reissue) LP (5RC)
Super limited orange vinyl + 7″. On their debut Hold Your Horse Is, Hella’s style started to transform, organically. Zach was pushing the envelope rhythmically, and Spencer began to simultaneously play both rhythm and melody on the same instrument. 2023 marks the 21st anniversary of HYHI, which is being repressed as a commemorative re-release by KRS, including both the remastered original album and the 3 song demo which landed them their deal with KRS in 2001.

MIKE – Burning Desire LP (10k Records)?
Burning Desire is the ninth studio album by Mike, released via his own 10k label. The expansive new record has guest features from Earl Sweatshirt, Larry June, LIV.e, Venna, Lila Ramani (from Crumb), El Cousteau, Niontay, mark william lewis, Klein, and TAKA. A dark romantic horror with comedic twists. It tells the tale of a fire deeply rooted in revenge and devastation, masked with an intricate beauty. Almost entirely self-produced under Mike’s dj blackpower alias, and follows Faith is A Rock, his collaborative album with The Alchemist and Wiki. Burning Desire is one of Mike’s most considered projects to date, and incorporates live instrumentation for the first time, adding more depth and rich musicality to his universe. The album was aptly described by Pitchfork as “self-assured and clear-eyed, ushering in an ambitious new era for the hometown hero.”

MENZINGERS – Some Of It Was True CD/LP (Epitaph)
The Menzingers are an absolute institution. The Philadelphia punk legends’ multi-decade reputation as road warriors with an unbeatable catalog is cemented as hard truth-and their seventh album, Some Of It Was True, stands as their most immediate-sounding and energetic record to date. The follow-up to 2019’s sensational Hello Exile accomplishes the daunting task of capturing the Menzingers’ distinctive live energy in the confines of the studio, resulting in a sound that’s both rich, raw, and complementary to the group’s increasingly prismatic songwriting approach. More than 15 years in, the Menzingers are still holding their listeners square in the immediate present, and Some Of It Was True documents that power in thrilling fashion.

ALKALINE TRIO – Blood, Hair and Eyeballs CD/LP (Rise)
Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs is Alkaline Trio’s new album! Produced by Bill Stevenson of All, Descendents, Black Flag, whose credits include As I Lay Dying, Rise Against, NOFX, Against Me! And many more. Plus guest appearance from Tim of Rise Against!

 

 

JOHN MORELAND – In The Throes CD/LP (Old Omens)
Digitally remastered edition of John Moreland’s 2013 album In The Throes.

 

 

 

 

TORRES – What An Enormous Room CD/LP (Merge)
What an enormous room is not only the title of the new album by Torres, it is an incantation, a phrase Mackenzie Scott has had in her head now for several years, for as long as some of the songs found here. What An Enormous Room is an entirely new look at Torres. Scott’s undeniable skill as a guitar player is still the engine driving her songs, but in “Collect,” it’s pushed through a polyphonic octave generator, creating a sound that is sexy and alien and peak Torres, a provocative statement of purpose that’s both a call to arms and a call to the dance floor.

M WARD – Transfiguration of Vincent CD/ LP [Reissue/2003] (Merge)
REISSUED!!! In 2003, everything broke open for M. Ward with the release of Transfiguration of Vincent. Critically lauded and long beloved, Pitchfork hailed it as an album that “broadcasts timelessness and defies genre constraints,” and Slant placed it on their list of the best albums of the 2000s. On Transfiguration of Vincent, Ward’s elegant fingerpicking, evocative croon, and heartrending lyricism came into full bloom, casting a spell so powerful that even a song as universal as David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” felt not only new but irrevocably his. One of the most cherished albums in the Merge catalog, Transfiguration of Vincent is both a great place to begin your love affair with M. Ward and a deep, stunningly realized work that listeners have returned to over and over again for 20 years.

M WARD – Duets For Guitars #2 CD/LP [Reissue/1999] (Merge)
REISSUED!!! Duet for Guitars #2 introduced us to M. Ward’s characteristic rasp and fingerpicking prowess. More minimal in scope than future records, the songs run the gamut from lullabies to rocking declarations of love. Released on Co-Dependent Records in 1999, one of the initial 1,000 copies found its way to Howe Gelb, who re-released it in 2000 on Ow Om. It went out of print and remained a hard-to-find piece of the M. Ward catalog until 2007, when it was reissued on Merge with three new tracks. More than an origin story, Duet for Guitars #2 is a beautiful, assured album that is sure to make lo-fi and Americana aficionados swoon, to say nothing of M. Ward fans new and old.

LAPALUX – Nostalchic (10 Year Anniversary Edition) LP [Reissue/2013] (Brainfeeder)
Originally released in 2013 and now repressed on crystal clear vinyl, Nostalchic is the debut album by British artist Lapalux aka Stuart Howard. Emerging during an era in which upstart DIY talent was flooding the gates of electronic music, Howard’s voice was singular, as a brilliant artist always should be. Now considered a classic of the era, Nostalchic is a record characterized by its devastating emotional force, melding his beloved R&B and soul into elements of house and hip hop, all with the trademark Lapalux finish: infectious, lopsided swing and achingly deep texture.

ANNA CALVI – Peaky Blinders: Season 5 & 6 (Original Score) LP (Domino)
Anna Calvi’s captivating and atmospheric compositions, her first foray into scores, for seasons 5 and 6 of Peaky Blinders, the BBC’s record-breaking TV show, will now be released via Domino Soundtracks. Peaky Blinders: Season 5 & 6 (Original Score) comprises 37 tracks over a double LP or double CD.

 

HOTELIER – Home, Like Noplace Is There LP [Reissue/2014] (Dreams of Field)
Take The Hotelier (previously The Hotel Year), whose second full-length Home, Like Noplace Is There is comprised of what can only be described as anthemic, cathartic rock songs, sent occasionally to delicate and destructive extremes. 

 

 

MICROSTORIA – init ding + _snd LP (Thrill Jockey)
Few records have weathered the fast-moving, fickle trends in electronic music like those of Microstoria. The duo brings together two of the most prescient, playful minds in the German electronic underground – Jan St. Werner (Mouse on Mars) and Markus Popp (Oval). Nearly 30 years on from their original release, both init ding and _snd still offer thrilling new revelations with every listen. Much like the nature of their creation, these are records that reward deep listening. The expanded reissue of these two classic albums highlights their enduring influence and uncanny genius, standing essential titles from two artists still shaping the landscape of contemporary music today.

KATY KIRBY – Blue Raspberry LP (Anti)
Blue Raspberry is Katy Kirby’s follow up to her renowned debut album Cool Dry Place, which came out in February 2021. Singer/songwriter Katy Kirby introduced her warm, articulate vocals, perceptive lyrics, and playful adult-alternative style on her debut album as she toured tirelessly supporting bands like Waxahatchee, Andy Shauf, Julia Jacklin and Alex G. That record was a tried-and-true folk collection, perfectly displaying the chops of a young songwriter and emanating the warm feel of a band in a room; Blue Raspberry, made with the same band and producers (Logan Chung and Alberto Sewald), hits the gas and enters completely new territory as we see Katy truly step into her own as a songwriting force.

STEVIE NICKS – Trouble In Shangri-La LP [Reissue/2001] (Atlantic)
Limited, clear vinyl pressing. 

 

 

 

 

STEVIE NICKS – Street Angel LP [Reissue/1994] (Atlantic)
30th Anniversary Edition of Stevie Nicks’ fifth studio album, pressed on transparent red vinyl. Originally released in 1994, the album peaked at #45 in the US, and #16 in the UK. The Gold-certified album features the singles “Blue Denim”, “Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind,” & “Street Angel” featuring David Crosby.

 

 

BLACK SABBATH – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath LP [Reissue/1973] (Rhino)
Limited edition smoke colored repress for the 50th Anniversary. 

 

 

 

 

NAS – Magic 3 LP (Mass Appeal)
Magic 3 is the seventeenth studio album by rapper Nas. The album serves as a third installment to Nas’ Magic series, following up Magic 2.

 

 

 

 

WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE – Silently The Mind Breaks LP (Station House)
Troubled souls who need an ally on the rocky road of life may find a kindred spirit in Iowa’s William Elliott Whitmore. Continuing to dispense hard wisdom more than two decades after his debut, this plainspoken country-folk troubadour ponders existential angst and other primal issues on the compelling Silently, The Mind Breaks. The good news: We’re all in this together. The bad news: We’re all going to die.

BENNY THE BUTCHER – Everybody Can’t Go LP (Def Jam)
Everybody Can’t Go is the perfect fuse of gritty, street lyricism and sharp storytelling. On his Def Jam debut – produced by Hit Boy and The Alchemist – Buffalo, New York’s Benny the Butcher is determined to prove that he is a respected artist, combining his signature street sensibility with traditional hip hop flair. Benny invites fans into his world, ready to prove that his time as the king of New York is now. The album features Lil Wayne, Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, Jadakiss, and more. 

NEW MODEL ARMY – Unbroken LP (Earmusic)
Described as “Dark Motown” by New Model Army’s Justin Sullivan himself, Unbroken features a diverse collection of tracks that touch on topics ranging from social and political commentary to deeply personal reflections. The album is a powerful and emotionally intense body of work ranging from rebellious tracks as “I Did Nothing Wrong”, to contemplative songs like “First Summer After”. With this album, the band continues to push the boundaries of their signature sound while staying true to the themes that have made them a force to be reckoned with in the music world. Unbroken is the first studio album since 2019’s long-player “From Here” and the 16th studio album of the band.

SARAH JAROSZ – Polaroid Lovers CD/LP (Rounder)
Polaroid Lovers is the 7th studio album from four-time GRAMMY winner Sarah Jarosz. Produced by Daniel Tashian, Polaroid Lovers is a bold, creative statement that sees Jarosz exploring new sonic territory. The 11 songs on the album, all co-written by Jarosz with songwriters including Tashian, Jon Randall, Ruston Kelly and Natalie Hemby, touch on themes both personal and universal: love, longing, and finding one’s place in the world.

GRUFF RHYS – Sadness Sets Me Free CD/LP (Rough Trade)
In a career that has taken him from the slate-mining towns of north-west Wales, down to the expat communities of Patagonia, up to the Mandan tribe of the Great Plains of North America and across to the Tuareg rock groups of the Saharan Desert, Gruff Rhys, one of Britain’s most beloved and successful singer-songwriters, has always been willing to follow an opportunity wherever it may lead him. And so it was that Gruff and his band – Osian Gwynedd (piano), Huw V Williams (double bass) and former Flaming Lips drummer turned Super Furry Animals archivist Kliph Scurlock (drums) – piled into a van to La Frette Studios, a recording facility installed in a 19th-century manor house on the outskirts of Paris, to record Sadness Sets Me Free in just three days.

MIA LOUCKS – Sisko Sisko Demos LP (Gilgongo)
Despite now having a handful of releases in her discography (dating back to 2015’s Sister Honey Demos – released on cassette by Related Records and again on LP via Gilgongo in 2016), Mia remains an enigmatic presence, a bedroom artist for the bedroom listener (you have not seen her on tour, nor as an opener in her hometown). However, the playfulness and lighthearted feel to her approach is misleading – Mia is an authentic and dedicated artist whose work is in fact a product of intention. Gilgongo Records is honored to release another collection of her incredible songs. Edition of 200 copies, released January 2024.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
J MASCIS – What Do We Do Now CD/LP
RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE – RKS LP
RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE – Seven + Mary LP
VASELINES – Way Of The Vaselines LP
AALIYAH – Self Titled LP
ALKALINE TRIO – Remains LP
PHISH – Round Room LP
DJ SEINFELD + CONFIDENCE MAN – Now U Do 12″
PIG – SwiningRed Raw + Sotre LP
MEDESKI MARTIN + WOOD – It’s a Jungle In There LP
WILLI CARLISLE – Critterland LP
VARIOUS – Eccentric Soul – Westing Label LP