STAFF PICKS
Lindsay – Jeremie Albino
Dario – Surya Botofasina
Kimber – Robert Glasper
Jake – J Spaceman
Zach – Peter Perrett and The Cure

The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World CD/2xCD+Blu-ray/LP/indie exclusive LP (Capitol)
After 16 years, The Cure is back with their 14th studio album, Songs Of A Lost World. Songs from the record were previewed during their 90-date, 33-country ‘Shows Of A Lost World’ tour for more than 1.3 million people to overwhelming fan and critical acclaim. Speaking about “Alone,” the opening track on the album, Robert Smith says, “It’s the track that unlocked the record; as soon as we had that piece of music recorded, I knew it was the opening song and I felt the whole album come into focus… that was the moment when I knew the song – and the album – were real.” [Deluxe Edition in 6-panel digisleeve includes the album and instrumentals on two CDs, plus a Blu-ray with Hi-Res stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes. An indie store exclusive marble grey color vinyl pressing is also available.]

Elliott Smith – From A Basement On The Hill [Reissue/2004] CD (Kill Rock Stars)
Brand new digital transfers from the original 1/4” tape mixes by Rob Schnapf & Joanna Bolme. Remastered by the official Elliott Smith archival team of Larry Crane (Jackpot! Studio/Tape Op) and Adam Gonsalves (Telegraph Mastering). From A Basement On The Hill is Smith’s final recording and finds Smith returning to an edgier, guitar-driven sound, alongside his trademark heart-rending balladry.

J Spaceman & John Coxon – Music For Wiliam Eggletson’s Stranded In Canton CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Stranded In Canton is a black-and-white film portrait of Memphis in 1974, shot in bars and on street corners, showing Eggleston’s friends carousing, playing music and firing pistols into the night sky. It is raw, greasy, Quaalude-y and hot. Jagged and intimate, the film is a handheld window into a different world; “Hogarth on Beale Street” as writer Richard Williams describes it in the album’s liner notes. Restored and re-edited by Eggleston in collaboration with the author Robert Gordon, the 77-minute film was screened in 2015 as part of Doug Aitken’s Station to Station, a 30-day arts festival in London and Aitken recruited J Spaceman to provide a live score.

American Football – American Football [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Polyvinyl)
Silver colorway. After quietly releasing their self-titled debut album in 1999 while still in college, American Football disbanded after the album’s release to focus on other projects, only to reunite 15 years later to a fanbase that had been consistently growing throughout the underground / emo scene. The album later appeared on Rolling Stone’s “40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time” list at #6, with Pitchfork giving its deluxe reissue the “Best New Reissue” title, calling it the “most influential album in the genre.” To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the album’s release, Polyvinyl is thrilled to announce a new remastered edition of the album with re-imagined artwork and packaging.

Robyn Hitchcock – 1967 Vacations In The Past CD/LP (Glowing Green Frog)
1967: Vacations in the Past is a collection of covers from 1967 (with one original song by Robyn) recorded to accompany his memoir, 1967: How I Got There and Why I Never Left.

Robert Glasper – In December LP (Loma Vista)
2024 holiday EP release. Multi-Grammy and Emmy-winning artist and producer Robert Glasper releases a new holiday EP, In December. Featuring an esteemed roster of frequent collaborators – PJ Morton, Alex Isley and Andra Day – the eight-track project is an evocative and moving addition to Glasper’s critically lauded catalog. In December sees Glasper’s unique approach to contemporary R&B and jazz, encapsulated in his famed Black Radio series, applied to what is a sonically unique take on holiday music.

Peter Perrett – The Cleansing CD/LP (Domino)
The Cleansing doesn’t only match Peter Perrett’s best work but expands it: an ambitious double album comprising 20 songs, with his uniquely narcotic and alluring melodies, gorgeous South London drawl and ravishing rock dynamic now allied to a wider span of musical arrangements and lyrical concerns. Alongside his trusted team of sons Jamie (guitar / production) and Peter Jr (bass) plus members of his live band, Perrett is assisted by a roster of starry guests including Johnny Marr, Bobby Gillespie and Fontaines DC’s Carlos O’Connell.  He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter for the rock band the Only Ones.

Illiterate Light – Arches LP (Thirty Tigers/Red Book)
It’s dangerous to put Illiterate Light in a box, especially with the release of their new album, Arches. Are they a guitar-driven indie rock duo? Kaleidoscopic neo-psychedelia? Synth-kissed, harmony-laden folk? What does one do with an album beginning with “fake tits and diet coke,” then pivoting to train derailments in rural Ohio and never-ending black holes? These prolific farmers-turned-rockers have captured the energy of their live shows – fans crowd-surfing, moshing, crying, and crooning-and infused it into their latest release. Illiterate Light’s third album, Arches, is not a passageway but an arrival. “We’re no longer striving to define a sound,” said drummer Jake Cochran. “We’re leaning into sides of ourselves that have felt off-limits, sticking to what feels right rather than concerning ourselves with comparison.” Turquoise colored vinyl.

Hank Williams III – Risin’ Outlaw [Reissue/1999] LP (Curb)
Limited color vinyl pressing. 25th Anniversary of Hank Williams III’s debut album Risin’ Outlaw that presents 13 tracks that show Williams’ affection for authentic, rough around the edges country. From the catchy, driving album opener “I Don’t Know” to his honky tonk vocals on “You’re the Reason,” Hank III blends his famous heritage with his own musical outlook. 

Weezer – CD (Geffen)
Often revered as one of the most important debut albums of all-time, Weezer’s “blue” album celebrates 30 years with an extensive edition: Deluxe 3xCD now, 4LP box coming soon! The album has been newly remastered from the original analog tapes and the set includes 50 total tracks with 36 previously unreleased, including 8 Kitchen Tape Demos, 22 early practices & live recordings, 6 BBC radio recordings (2 never broadcasted) and 4 tracks from their LMU sessions. Karl Koch updates the history on the album with new liner notes in issue #18 of the weezine, along with laying out all the artwork throughout the boxset filled with unreleased photos.

Drive-By Truckers – American Band (Deluxe Edition) 2xLP (ATO)
American Band is the 11th studio album by Drive-By Truckers and was released during the tumultuous year of 2016, its politically charged lyrics reflecting those troubled times. The Chicago Tribune called it “one of the band’s strongest front-to-back albums.” Rolling Stone and NPR deemed it one of the best albums of that year. It is reissued here, in another election year, with a bonus LP of live recordings, updated liners from Patterson Hood and repackaged with archival artwork from Wes Freed. Shadow wave/frosted silver colorway.

Jeremie Albino – Our Time In The Sun CD/LP (Easy Eye Sound)
Jeremie Albino, the magnetic Canadian singer-songwriter, presents his Easy Eye Sound debut, Our Time In The Sun. Produced by Dan Auerbach, this album melds the rich textures of soulful folk, Americana, and gritty blues, showcasing Albino’s evocative voice and sincere storytelling. Deeply personal, grounded in his own history and infused with a palpable, raw energy, the collection is an intimate and powerful listening experience, affirming Albino’s place as a resonant force in contemporary music.

Willie Nelson – Last Leaf On The Tree CD/2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Lovingly curated and produced by his son Micah Nelson, Last Leaf On The Tree finds Willie covering songs from moody indie rock (Beck), psych alt-pop (The Flaming Lips) and punk-informed folk (Sunny War, Micah’s Particle Kid) to thought-provoking soul jazz (Nina Simone) and lesser-known gems from legends like Tom Waits, Neil Young, Keith Richards, and Warren Zevon. In addition, the album features new takes on one of Willie’s oldest songs (“The Ghost” from 1962) plus a new one penned with Micah (“The Color Of Sound”) that joins Willie’s collection of Zen-soaked classics. In addition to producing, Micah Nelson plays many of the instruments and even designed the album cover. He is joined by a host of celebrated musicians plus guest spots from legendary producer and musician Daniel Lanois, John Densmore of The Doors and harmonica master Mickey Raphael, who has played alongside Willie for over 50 years. [A gold w/ smoke color vinyl pressing is available.]

Nena – Nena [Reissue/1983] CD/2xLP (BMG)
This comprehensive and stylishly compiled anniversary edition gives old and new fans the opportunity to rediscover the magic of this legendary album. In addition to the remastered Nena album, the anniversary edition contains a second LP with further unreleased material – including “Amour Candide,” a version of the song “Nur Geträumt” in French from 1983 that appeared in the rock ‘n’ roll archives, energetic and previously unheard live tracks from Nena’s 1984 concerts, as well as rare demos and B-sides. 

Trent Reznor / Atticus Ross – Challengers Soundtrack LP (Milan)
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in gatefold jacket. Includes trading cards and bumper sticker. Academy Award-winning composers Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross deliver a propulsive, hard-hitting original score to the high-stakes world of professional tennis for Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed 2024 film CHALLENGERS starring Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. The deluxe gatefold release features vinyl-exclusive extras alongside the 16-track original score pressed on 180 gram black audiophile vinyl. Including fan favorite score moments “Challengers: Match Point”, “Yeah x10” and the original end credits song “Compress / Repress” co-written with Luca Guadagnino and performed by Trent Reznor & Mariqueen Maandig Reznor.  Included in the package is a custom interior gatefold collage featuring on-set photos by photographer Alessio Bolzoni, a collectible set of three player trading cards featuring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist as Tashi, Patrick and Art, as well as an exclusive Phil’s Tire Town bumper sticker.

Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel 1: Car [Reissue/1977] LP+MP3 (Real World)
Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel 2: Scratch [Reissue/1978] LP+MP3 (Real World)
Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel 4: Melt [Reissue/1980] LP+MP3 (Real World)
Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel 4: Security [Reissue/1982] LP+MP3 (Real World)
Peter Gabriel – So [Reissue/1986] LP+MP3 (Real World)
New color vinyl reissues of Peter Gabriel’s first five solo albums.

Surya Botofasina – Ashram Sun LP (spirit muse)
Ashram Sun, Surya Botofasina’s much-anticipated album follows his hugely acclaimed debut ‘Everyone’s Children’ and his first offering since his contribution to ‘New Blue Sun’ and global touring alongside André 3000. It is an ode to Surya’s upbringing and musical teachings in the tradition of Swamini Turiyasangitananda – aka Alice Coltrane, by the spiritual jazz colossus Herself, at Her Sai Anantam Ashram in California. ‘Ashram Sun’ is a deep listening, spiritual masterpiece with close collaborators Carlos Niño and Nate Mercereau, and is produced by the prolific Carlos Niño, whose vision has become a pivotal point for contemporary progressive jazz music.

Planes Mistaken For Stars – Do You Still Love Me? LP (Deathwish Inc.)
A harrowing document of life, death and transcendence, Do You Still Love Me? is the fifth album from Planes Mistaken for Stars (PMFS), the band’s first new music since 2016. It is also the first PMFS release since the death of frontman Gared O’Donnell, whose cancer diagnosis loomed heavily over the recording and whose ghost guided the mix. Chemo and radiation would not stop him from making this masterpiece, in which the band finds itself reeling from the gut-wrenching horrors of their leader’s unimaginable absence.

Saves The Day – Through Being Cool LP reissue (colored) (Equal Vision)
Limited colored vinyl LP pressing. From there the album takes you back to the earliest days of the band’s history of playing house shows on the crunchy, riff-driven “Side By Side” and drops you into what it’s like to be to on tour with your best friends when all cylinders are firing on the instantly catchy, psychedelica-tinged “Kerouac & Cassady.” Next we move onto the band’s unplanned rise to stardom and relentless work ethic on the driving and uplifting rocker, “It’s Such A Beautiful World.” “This song is about the Through Being Cool era and things are starting to heat up,” Conley says of the latter track, which sounds like an unholy amalgam between Weezer and glam metal. “At this point we are flying to performances all over the world so in the first stanza I say, ‘If we get stuck on a plane, we’re skydiving to the show.’ It’s such an incredible life to get to live and we were nuts for it and enjoying every second of it.” Ultimately 9 is sonic evidence not only that there’s a reason we are alive in the world, but it’s a miracle that Conley rightfully encourages us to celebrate.

Elvis Costello – Kings Of America & Other Realms 2xCD (UMe)
Elvis Costello returned to his folk-rock and pub rock roots with King Of America, creating one of his most affecting and personal records with the hit single “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and other popular songs such as “Brilliant Mistake,” “American Without Tears,” and “Indoor Fireworks.” The double-CD version is anchored by CD1: a new 2024 remaster of the album King Of America from the original master tapes. CD2: a collection of songs featuring studio recordings, previously unreleased demos, outtakes and live recordings from this wild and wonderfully odd odyssey. The Super

Usher – Confessions [Reissue/2004] 2xLP (Sony Legacy)
Confessions 20th Anniversary Edition contains alternative album artwork and orchestral versions of “Burn” and “Superstar” as bonus tracks.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
PRIMAL SCREAM – Come Ahead CD/LP
CHARLI XCX – Brat and It’s the Same But There’s Three More Songs LP
SPOON – They Want My Soul CD/LP
MK.GEE – Two Star + Dream Police LP
THEY ARE GUTTING A BODY OF WATER – Gestures Been LP
TWILIGHT SAD – Forget the Night Ahead LP reissue
ANDERSON PAAK – Venice LP reissue
BRAINIAC – Smack Bunny Baby LP reissue
BUFFALO TOM – Big Red Letter Day LP reissue
BUFFALO TOM – Birdbrain LP
BUFFALO TOM – Let Me Come Over LP
KNOCKED LOOSE – Different Shade Of Blue LP reissue
CASS MCCOMBS – Seed Cake On Leap Year LP
TALKING HEADS – 77 LP reissue
VIOLENT FEMMES – Hallowed Ground LP reissue
NEIL YOUNG – On The Beach LP (50th Anniv)
SIR – Heavy LP
BECKY + THE BIRDS – Only Music Makes Me Cry Now LP
CHARLATANS UK – Up To Our Hips CD/LP expanded reissue