STAFF PICKS
Lindsay – Nada Surf, Mystery Lights and Nala Sinephro
Dario – Nala Sinephro
Kimber – Nada Surf and Allah-Lahs reissue
Jake – Floating Points, Porches, Nilüfer Yanya
Zach – Nilüfer Yanya
Ash – Johnny Pacheco

JESUS LIZARD – Rack CD/LP (Ipecac)
Formed in 1987 and known for their crazy live show, the Jesus Lizard is returning with their first new music since 1998. The Jesus Lizard is one of the leading noise rock bands of all time, influencing newer acts such as Idles and Fucked Up. The band has also had their time in the mainstream with a split release with Nirvana, and David Yow has recently done guest vocals on an Idles album and is an actor appearing in the remake of Toxic Avenger and other indie films such as Dinner In America and Rattlesnake. Since their initial breakup, they have reformed for tours in 2008 and then again in 2017-2019. [An indie store exclusive silver color vinyl pressing is available.]

NADA SURF – Moon Mirror CD/LP (New West)
Moon Mirror, Nada Surf’s new record, has everything fans love and expect from them. Bittersweet anthems that begin quiet but explode into soaring harmonies? Check. Songs that are play-on-repeat heart punches? Check. Songs that are poetic and thought-provoking while also being absolute belt-at-the-top-of-your-voice-with-the-windows-down masterpieces? Check. It’s all here. Moon Mirror is a thrilling and moving leap forward for Nada Surf. The songs on the album are true to the human experience—as meaningful and mysterious and sometimes absurd as it is. There’s love, yes, but also grief, deep loneliness, doubt, wonder, and hope. [Deluxe CD and vinyl (including a galaxy splatter colorway) versions feature 10 Mirror Mirror demos. A single-LP coke bottle clear pressing is also available.]

PORCHES – Shirt CD/LP (Domino)
Part angsty fantasy, part confessional melodrama, Shirt – the sixth studio album from Porches – is a rock album that oscillates between reality and make-believe to reflect both the innocence of suburban youth and the frayed reality of adulthood. A fusion of chaotic impulses, insatiable desires, and a perpetual yearning, Shirt plays with the tension between one’s person and persona – the weight of your dreams crashing up against your reality. The result is something both familiar and uncanny, an anthemic tribute to this intrinsic duality built on crashing and caressing sounds. Grungy guitars that shine with a menacing glint, drums and bass that punch you warmly in the stomach, interspersed with moments of eerie calmness to create a physical sense of tension and release that resonates with each track. [A pink color vinyl pressing is available.]

TINDERSTICKS – Soft Tissue CD/LP (City Slang)
Petrol Eco color Tindersticks’ 14th album Soft Tissue showcases their exploratory spirit, mixing intimate songwriting with experimental soundscapes. The album evolves from their previous work, balancing introspective lyrics with innovative musical textures. Band members, including singer Stuart Staples, emphasize the collaborative nature of the creation process, fostering a dynamic dialogue that shapes their music. [An eco mix color vinyl pressing is available.]

NILUFER YANYA – My Method Actor CD/LP (Ninja Tune)
One of the most exciting musicians today, Nilüfer Yanya returns with a brand-new studio album My Method Actor. With a unique blend of soulful melodies, indie rock grit, and jazz influences, Yanya’s music continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Recommended if you like Arlo Parks, King Krule, Sharon Van Etten, Helado Negro, Sudan Archives. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available, including an indie store exclusive autographed transparent green pressing.]

TOM VERLAINE – Some Other Things LP (Real Gone)
Teal colorway. “The true test of originality for any musician comes when you hear an instrument being played and you instantly know who’s playing it. For electric guitarists, certainly Hendrix qualifies; Page and Clapton, too. Maybe Eddie Van Halen before the legion of imitators. You probably have your own list, but to us, standing toe-to-toe (or pick-to-pick) with those legends is Television guitarist and solo artist Tom Verlaine. His self-taught, jazz-influenced style, largely devoid of effects, and vibrato tone (oh, that tone!) makes any Verlaine solo unmistakably a Verlaine solo. That he was quite an accomplished, idiosyncratic songwriter is just a bonus.”

NALA SINEPHRO – Endlessness LP (Warp)
Nala Sinephro’s sophomore album, titled Endlessness, expands her scope from the inward journey of Space 1.8 into widescreen orchestral ambient jazz compositions. Consisting of 10 tracks, the music was composed, produced, mixed and recorded by Nala Sinephro and includes contributions from James Mollison (Ezra Collective), Morgan Simpson (black midi), Sheila Maurice-Grey (Kokoroko), Nubya Garcia, Lyle Barton, Natcyet Wakili (Sons of Kemet) and Dwayne Kilvington (Wonky Logic).

MYSTERY LIGHTS – Purgatory CD/LP (Wick)
The Mystery Lights return with their most ambitious offering to date. With Wayne Gordon back in the producer’s chair, the group delivers an eclectic mix of real-deal psychedelia, punk, art rock, and even a splash of country via the Kinks(y) pop earworm “I’m Sorry I Forgot Your Name”. The psychedelic highlights of the album, “Purgatory”, “Cerebral Crack” and “Can’t Sleep Through the Silence”, are dark and trippy, landing somewhere between the guitar-driven, lysergic mayhem of the 13th Floor Elevators and the punked-up, tongue-in-cheek insanity of The Monks. But throughout there’s a cohesiveness threaded by the elevated musicianship, earnest lyrics and attention to detail that make for a fiercely raw, yet unabashedly catchy album–dripping with all the sing along hooks that have made Mystery Lights one of the most exciting live bands on the scene. [A coke bottle clear color vinyl pressing is available.]

ALLAH-LAS – Worship  [Reissue/2014]  LP (RHR)
Orange colorway. Allah-Las’ second album, Worship The Sun, expands on the sound established by their maiden effort, honing their fusion of West Coast garage rock & roll, Latin percussion and electric folk. As richly textured and timeless as a Southern California beach break, the songs are evocative of Los Angeles’ storied past. Beatniks, artists, surfers, nomads. Remnants of a bygone Sunset Strip. Golden tans and cosmic sunsets. One can feel the warmth of the sun, but the band deftly avoids the kitsch so often indulged by lovers of these things. Hints of Byrds, Love, Felt, and those who follow are threaded into the tapestry.

LONDON GRAMMAR – The Greatest Love CD/LP (UK Orchard)
Eleven years after London Grammar’s double platinum-selling debut If You Wait, the band releases their fourth album, The Greatest Love. It’s a celebration of creative freedom for a group who’ve carved a unique path, performing to stadium crowds while swerving celebrity. [A yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]

MAC DEMARCO – Salad Days (10th Anniversary Edition) 2xLP (Captured Tracks)
Salad Days is the follow-up to Mac DeMarco’s lauded 2012 album two, which saw the Edmonton local propelled into the limelight. Written and recorded around a relentless tour schedule, Salad Days gives the listener a very personal insight into what it’s all about to be Mac amidst the craziness of a rising career in a very public format. In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of DeMarco’s career-defining album, this limited edition 2xLP compiles both the original Salad Days and Salad Days demos into a unique ‘Chamber Of Reflection’ package complete with full color poster, 12-page booklet with DeMarco’s Salad Days tour dates, original rider, previously unpublished photos, and new liners written by Mac. Pressed on holographic black vinyl.

MEAT PUPPETS – Meat Puppets I [Reissue/1982] CD/LP (Megaforce)
Reissues of the alt rock band’s first and fifth studio albums.
MEAT PUPPETS – Out Of My Way [Reissue/1986] CDEP/12” (Megaforce)
Reissue of the Meat Puppets’ EP Out My Way. Originally released in 1986, it features a harder rock sound than previous releases.

THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. – Ready To Die (30th Anniversary Edition) 2xLP (Bad Boy)
September 13th marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Biggie’s debut LP, which has gone on to earn its place as Rolling Stone’s #1 hip-hop album of all time, become a radio staple, and influenced generations of MCs, fans, and athletes.

JOHNNY PACHECO – Canonazo [Reissue/1964] LP (Craft)
Cañonazo was the first release on Fania Records in 1964. It was recorded by Pacheco y Su Nuevo Tumbao, led by salsa legend Johnny Pacheco, featuring Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez on vocals. The album includes covers of popular Cuban artists from the ¢50s and ¢60s like “Fania” by Reinaldo Bolaños and the title track, except for “Dakar, Punto Final,” which was written by Pacheco. Featuring (AAA) lacquers cut from the original masters, this 180-gram vinyl reissue celebrates the album’s 60th anniversary.

SNOW PATROL – The Forest Is The Path CD/2xLP (Polydor)
The Forest is the Path is an album rooted in reflection, introspection and interrogation. One of its key building blocks, says Gary Lightbody – lead singer of Snow Patrol – was the idea of love from a distance. [A marble blue color vinyl pressing, and a hardback CD version are available.]

SUKI WATERHOUSE – Memoir Of Sparklemuffin CD/LP/Cassette (Sub Pop)
Suki Waterhouse’s music sounds like a collage of her inspirations, experiences, and emotions stitched together by honeyed vocal delivery, bright-eyed melodies, and evocative storytelling. It doubles as a mirror image of her life as a consummate creative, artist, actress, model, and mother, yet it also breaks the glass to unveil raw truth. She leans on an ever-evolving sonic palette to convey what she’s feeling—whether it be folky Americana, ‘90s alternative, turn-of-the-century indie, or handcrafted otherworldly pop. You’ll hear Suki’s longing in a swooning chorus, fearlessness in a crunchy chord, elation in a danceable waltz, and wonder in a soft coo befitting of a lullaby. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]

JACK WHITE – No Name CD/LP (Third Man)
Jack White’s back in a big, big way. Here he slides back into the raw, blown out garage rock that he’s so well known for, and man does it sound good. The riffs are piled high all over this album and he’s never sounded so urgent and utterly relevant. Everything distorts in just the right places and the hooks are guaranteed to stay in your head for a long, long time. He’s stripped everything back and come back bigger, badder and better than ever. 2024 needs this man big time.

WATCHHOUSE – This Side Of Jordan LP (Yep Roc)
Yellow colorway. At its core, Watchhouse (formerly known as Mandolin Orange) is a duo – Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz – from Chapel Hill, NC. Their harmonies are ethereal, their chemistry vibrant, recalling the atmosphere invoked by classic duos such as Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons, or Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Andrew and Emily provide the foundation of the group’s timeless Americana sound, while enlisting a full band to flesh out their dynamics.

CLARK – In Camera LP (Throttle)
Clark has expanded his score for Naqqash Khalid’s award-winning debut feature film In Camera, into a mesmerising new album. Containing timeless synth instrumentals like ‘Running Dreams’, a bittersweet cover of the Carpenters / Sonic Youth classic ‘Superstar’, and the first single, epic, rising builder ‘Green Breaking’, it’s a deeply rewarding listen. Further honing his experiments in sound as subconscious vernacular, Clark’ original score was created in close collaboration with director Naqqash Khalid, whereby music and picture become an inextricable whole. Evoking the modern malaise, thematically In Camera fits perfectly alongside Clark’s last two albums Playground In A Lake and Sus Dog, also marking a new addition to his formidable canon of soundtracks.

TR/ST – Performance LP (Dais)
The 4th full-length studio album by Robert Alfons aka TR/ST (fka Trust), Performance, sinks even further into the nasty synth-pop psychodrama that the project has pioneered and, finally, perfected across over a decade of evolution. Recorded in Los Angeles, the songs seethe with dread, lust, reckoning, and abandon, backlit by the light pollution of a thousand dead end city streets. Alfons co-produced the collection with versatile composer and producer Nightfeelings, achieving a thick, smoky balance of eerie synths, fog machine low end, and bruised, crooning voice. [Multiple vinyl colorways are available.]

CURSIVE – Devourer CD/LP (Run For Cover)
Very few bands manage to last decades, and for the ones that do, it’s often easy to settle down and get a little too comfortable. But there’s nothing comfortable about Devourer, the explosive new album from Cursive. The iconic Omaha group is known for their intensity, ambition, and execution, and has spent 30 years creating a bold discography that’s defined as much by its cathartic sound as its weighty, challenging lyrical themes. And Devourer is as daring as ever. Full of intense and incisive songs, the album proves exactly why Cursive have been so influential and enduring-and why they remain so vital today. [A red/black color vinyl pressing is available.]

WAR ON DRUGS – Live Drugs Again LP (Sho)
The second installment of the beloved Live Drugs series, featuring performances from The War on Drugs over the past three years of touring across the globe. Meticulously assembled and mixed by the band. 2xLP set packaged in a tip-on style gatefold jacket with two pockets and a 4-panel poster, 24×24 flat. 140g vinyl.

DALE CROVER – Glossolalia LP (Joyful Noise)
Dale Crover’s (Melvins) third LP under his own name and arguably his most focused statement yet as a solo artist: 11 catchy yet eccentric tracks that move from Nuggets-y garage rock to crafty proto-metal riffage and gorgeously hazy psych-pop, touching on everything from a bad teenage trip to the charms of the late, great Jane Birkin, and featuring input by illustrious guests including Ty Segall, Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil and none other than Tom Waits. 

FLOATING POINTS – Cascade CD/LP (Ninja Tune)
Floating Points releases his new album, Cascade. Cascade pushes Floating Points’ sound forward into new places. The eight songs here are allowed to smolder and spark for up to eight minutes at a time, allowing for more expansive exploration of sounds and grooves than before. [A black with clear sparkle color vinyl pressing is available.]

LEGIONS OF DOOM – The Skull 3 LP (Tee Pee)
Banded together out of mutual respect, admiration, history, and a strong desire to move ever forward, LEGIONS OF DOOM brings together split-duty lead singers Scott Reagers (Saint Vitus) and Karl Agell (Lie Heavy, Karl Agell’s Blind, Leadfoot), bassist Ron Holzner (The Skull, Trouble, Earthen Grave), guitarists Lothar Keller (The Skull, Sacred Dawn) and Scott Little (Leadfoot), and drummer Henry Vasquez (The Skull, Saint Vitus, Blood Of The Sun), and was born as a project following the death of The Skull vocalist Eric Wagner (also ex-Trouble) in 2021. 

NICK LOWE – Indoor Safari CD/LP (Yep Roc)
Nick Lowe returns with Indoor Safari, his first studio album in over a decade. Backed on every track by Nick’s trusted collaborators Los Straitjackets, Nick exhibits his razorsharp songwriting ability through a multitude of sonic environments. [A yellow color vinyl pressing is available.]

LOUIS ARMSTRONG – Wonderful World: Best Of LP (Verve)
Today, with the advent of streaming and the resurgence of popularity in vinyl, there is more music available to the public to listen to than at any previous time in history. Yet, year after year, people from around the world still choose to listen to Louis Armstrong more than any other artist born at the turn of the 20th century. The question remains: Why? This new collection, the first authorized Louis Armstrong hits collection to be released in decades, helps to provide answers.

ART BLAKEY & THE JAZZ MESSENGERS – Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers [Reissue/1958] LP (Verve)
From the first bars of the immediately recognizable ‘Alamode’, this album is an explosion of beauty. This first sextet iteration of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers includes a young Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Bobby Timmons (piano) and Jymie Merritt (bass). The band ferociously pushes the pace with each track, leaving no prisoners in their wake.

COLDPLAY – Parachutes [Reissue/2000] LP (Atlantic)
COLDPLAY – A Rush Of Blood To The Head [Reissue/2002] LP (Atlantic)
COLDPLAY – X&Y [Reissue/2005] LP (Atlantic)
Vinyl reissues of the British alt-rock band’s first three albums.

FOXING – Foxing LP (Many Hats)
Ice blue w/ black splatter colorway. This self-titled record is Foxing’s fifth full length record. The St. Louis based band is known for pushing boundaries with their genre-blending indie rock with emo and electronic elements. Foxing follows in that vein of unwieldy experimentalism, with hardcore moments that haven’t been seen from the band before, and true depth of lyricism bound to take listeners on a journey.

GARDENS + VILLA – Ultra Terrestrial LP (Gardens and Villa)
Color vinyl pressing. Some band names take on a talismanic quality, revealing mystical depths the musicians may never have intended. For Gardens & Villa, the name became downright prophetic. The quartet took their moniker from Villa Avenue, where they first shared a home – and a garden – in Santa Barbara, California. Now, a decade and a half later, the band releases their fifth album, Ultra Terrestrial. The record finds Gardens & Villa returning to the roots of their namesake, highlighting the expansive growth they’ve weathered, and the familial bonds they’ve forged over their 15 years together.

GHOSTFACE KILLAH – Set The Tone (Guns & Roses) CD/LP (Mass Appeal)
Ghostface is ready to Set The Tone with his new album, featuring a blend of tracks catering to both male and female audiences. Expect a mix of hard-hitting New York rap and melodic, laid-back records. Additionally, Ghostface has collaborated with hip-hop heavyweights such as Nas, Kanye West, Ja Rule, and many others. A red w/ black marble color vinyl pressing is available.]

ALBERT KING – Live Wire/Blues Power [Reissue/1968] LP (Craft Recordings)Live Wire/Blues Power is a live album from Albert King recorded in 1968 at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, California. Featuring originals and King’s rendition of classics, the album demonstrates Albert King’s blues prowess.

FRANK ZAPPA – Apostrophe(‘) [Reissue/1974] 5xCD+Blu-ray Audio/LP (Zappa Records)
Arguably the most popular album in the Frank Zappa catalog, Apostrophe(‘) has consistently been a best-seller. It was Zappa’s first Gold Record Award in the U.S., peaking at #10 on the Billboard 200 chart. The “Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow” single also made the Billboard Top 100 Hits chart, peaking at #87. The success of Apostrophe(‘) brought along a new awareness for Zappa and through the years, the album has been a go-to for most when discovering his music. Along with the expanded Super Deluxe 5xCD+Blu-ray Audio edition, a single-disc gold nugget color vinyl pressing is available.]

WE ARE WINTER’S BLUE AND RADIANT CHILDREN – No More Apocalypse Father CD/LP (Constellation)
We Are Winter’s Blue & Radiant Children (WAWBARC) is the new quartet of Mat Ball(Big Brave), Efrim Manuel Menuck (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Thee Silver Mt. Zion), and Jonathan Downs and Patch (both Ada). On No More Apocalypse Father they present six modal lullabies drenched in seared distortion, slathered across striding electronic pulses.

COMING NEXT WEEK
A$AP ROCKY –  Don’t Be Dumb CD/LP
MIDLAND –  Barely Blue CD
JAMIE XX – In Waves CD/LP
JP HARRIS – JP Harris Is A Trash Fire CD/LP
MANU CHAO – Viva Tu CD/LP
AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT – Glory LP
BRIGHT EYES – Five Dice, All Threes CD/LP
DALE CROVER – Glossolalia CD
HIPPO CAMPUS – Flood CD/LP
JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN – Lemons + Limes + Orchards CD/LP
KAREN O / DANGER MOUSE – Lux Prima LP
MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND – Fight The Real Terror CD/LP
SUNSET RUBDOWN – Always Happy To Explode LP
DAVE GUY – Ruby LP
BLUE HAWAII – Under 1 House LP
LUTALO – Academy CD/LP
LIJADU SISTERS – Horizon Unlimited CD/LP
BUTTHOLE SURFERS – Cream Corn From The Socket of Davis LP reissue
BUTTHOLE SURFERS – Hairway to Steven LP reissue
BUTTHOLE SURFERS – Locust Abortion Technician LP reissue
PERFUME GENIUS – Too Bright LP reissue
POWER TRIP – Nightmare Logic  LP reissue
TANUKICHAN – Circles LP
VARIOUS – Penrose Showcase II LP
SADE – Love Deluxe LP reissue
SADE – Lovers Rock LP reissue
SADE – Soldier Of Love LP reissue
PHOTAY – Windswept LP
SOPHIE – Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides LP
DOROTHY ASHBY – Afro Harping LP
CHAPPEL ROAN – Rise and Fall Of A Midwest Princess LP reissue