Now then, you’ll be relieved that under these abnormal circumstances it has’nt stopped a load of excellent records from being released this week, covering the usual baffling array of genres and styles. It’s here! ‘The Metrobolist’ by David Bowie, complete with Tony Visconti mix, is in on LP and CD. Will you get sent a coloured vinyl edition? David Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World gets a 50th anniversary reissue under its original title, “Metrobolist”. Gold and white coloured vinyl are randomly inserted amongst the standard black vinyl, so hopefully you’re lucky enough to bag something extra special.
The Flaming Lips reissue ‘Transmissions From The Satellite Heart’ on a limited black and white mix coloured vinyl.
Very nice looking 5LP expanded set from Wilco for their ‘Summerteeth’ record Wilco’s “Summerteeth” turned 21 this year and gets a very handsome deluxe edition to celebrate. A box edition with a five-LP set featuring the remastered studio album as well as the unreleased demos, alternates and outtake recordings pressed on 180-gram vinyl.. Lupin is the (almost) self-titled debut solo LP from Hippo Campus’ Jake Luppen. Really smart pop this, sounds huge but still handcrafted. Really good.
Neil Young issues a new double live album with Crazy Horse, ‘Return To Greendale’ was recorded on the 2003 tour. It’s another fantastic live record from Neil Young & Crazy Horses from their tour supporting the Greendale album. “Return to Greendale” is the next instalment in Neil Young’s Performance Series and features a concert (audio and on film) from the historic and unique tour. Some big ol’ riffs here.
New West Records look back at the influential early albums of Pylon, reissuing “Chomp” and “Gyrate”, as well as the lovely Pylon Box Set.
PUP release their new EP, “This Place Sucks Ass” on coloured vinyl
Noise rockers Hey Colossus return very much at full throttle with the excellent Dances / Curses on Wrong Speed Records. Full of drive, but also really quite hypnotising in its long drones. Nice double clear vinyl pressing too.
David Bowie – “Metrobolist”
November 2020 sees the 50th Anniversary of the release of David Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World in North America. The album marks the beginning of a collaboration with guitarist Mick Ronson that would last through classic works including Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane—as well as the first in a 10-year series of indispensable albums stretching through 1980’s Scary Monsters…
Originally titled Metrobolist, the album’s name was changed at the last minute to The Man Who Sold The World. The 2020 re-release of the album under its Metrobolist moniker has been remixed by original producer Tony Visconti, with the exception of the track ‘After All’ which Tony considered perfect as is, and is featured in its 2015 remaster incarnation.
The Metrobolist 50th anniversary artwork has been created by Mike Weller who was behind the historically controversial “dress” cover which Mercury Records refused to release. As with the Space Oddity 50th anniversary vinyl, as well as a 180g black vinyl edition, it will come in 2020 limited edition handwritten numbered copies on gold vinyl (# 1971 – 2020) and on white vinyl (# 1 – 1970) all randomly distributed.
Neil Young and Crazy Horse – “Return to Greendale”
Return to Greendale is the next installment in Neil Young’s Performance Series and features a concert from the historic and unique 2003 tour supporting the release of the Neil Young with Crazy Horse album Greendale. On the 2003 tour, Neil Young and Crazy Horse were joined on stage by a large cast of singers and actors to perform the story Neil Young wrote about the small town of Greendale and how a dramatic event affects the people living there. The ten songs from the powerful original album are performed in sequence, with the cast speaking the sung words – adding to the intensity of the performance. The film of the ambitious live show captures the vibrancy of Neil Young and Crazy Horse on stage in a unique multi-media experience. It seamlessly blends together the live performance, the actors portraying each song, with the story occasionally enhanced by scenes from the Greendale – The Movie. Both the live concert film and the Inside Greendale documentary are directed by Bernard Shakey and produced by L. A. Johnson.
The Flaming Lips – Transmissions from the Satellite Heart
Transmissions from the Satellite Heart is the Flaming Lips’ sixth album, released in 1993. The Norman, Oklahoma, quartet makes modern rock that doesn’t sound like anyone else; head music, they’d have called it in psychedelia’s heyday, weird soundscapes that conjure the bizarre alternate universe on the other side of the funhouse mirror. Transmissions, their second major-label release after a long indie apprenticeship has a mellower feel than early fans might expect, with lots of acoustic guitar and dreamy interludes to shame more-era Pink Floyd, but it’s no less weird than their last two efforts. strange sounds float in and out of the mix, and Wayne Coyne’s twisted hick vocals are convincingly demented. Coyne’s lyrics tend toward a dadaist stream of consciousness with occasional forays into junk culture; this is familiar modern rock territory, but songs such as She Don’t Use Jelly, Chewin the Apple of your Eye, and Be my Head are more effective and less annoying than the would-be gonzo efforts of Frank Black and Sonic Youth because they’re catchier and less pretentious. The Flaming Lips may be transmitting to the satellites, but when all is said and done, they live in Oklahoma.
Wilco’s third album, Summerteeth, arrived in March 1999 to glowing reviews for its daring arrangements, lush harmonies and revealing lyrics. More than 20 years later, the Chicago-based band expand one of its best with multiple collections packed with hours of unreleased studio and live recordings.
Summerteeth introduced many fan-favourite classic tracks that the band continues to play live today, including I’m Always In Love, A Shot In The Arm and Via Chicago. The 24 previously unreleased recordings that debut on the deluxe edition explore the making of the critically acclaimed album with demos No Hurry and I’ll Sing It, outtakes I’m Always In Love (Early Run Through)and Viking Dan, and alternate versions Summer Teeth (Slow Rhodes Version)and Pieholden Suite (Alternate).
Limited to 6,000 copies, the five-LP set features the remastered studio album as well as the unreleased demos, alternates and outtake recordings pressed on 180-gram vinyl. However, instead of the Colorado concert included in the CD package, the LP version contains a special, exclusive performance from early 1999 titled, An Unmitigated Disaster, a previously unreleased live in-store performance at Tower Records on March 11, 1999, just two days after the album was released. The 10-song set, which was broadcast on Chicago radio station WXRT-FM, highlights several tracks from Summerteeth (We’re Just Friends, How To Fight Loneliness and Can’t Stand It). This show is only available in the LP collection.
Pylon was born in 1979 in Athens, Georgia. Throughout their brief history, they were able to create influential work that would help foster the post-punk and art-rock scene of the early 80s. Their 1979 single Cool b/w Dub has reached legendary status with Rolling Stone calling it one of the “100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time,” and was followed by their albums Gyrate (1980) and Chomp (1983). The band would break up upon Chomp’s arrival, but their music would continue to influence genres, musicians and fans for years to come. New West Records is proud to present Pylon Box — A comprehensive look at the band that features their studio LPs GyrateandChomp, both of which have been remastered from their original tapes, the 11-song collection Extra which includes rarities and 5 previously unreleased studio and live recordings, as well as Razz Tape, Pylon’s first-ever recording: a 13-song unreleased session that pre-dates the band’s seminal Cool b/w Dub debut.
Pylon Box also Includes a hardbound, 200 page full color book featuring pieces written by the members of R.E.M., Gang of Four, Steve Albini, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney, Sonic Youth, Interpol, B-52’s, Bradford Cox of Deerhunter, Mission of Burma, Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and K Records, Anthony DeCurtis, Chris Stamey of the dB’s, Steve Wynn of the Dream Syndicate and many more. Includes an extensive essay chronicling the band’s history with interviews with the surviving members of the band as well as members of R.E.M., B-52’s, Gang of Four, Method Actors, and more. It also features never before seen images and artifacts from both the band’s personal archives as well as items now housed at the Special Collection.
Pylon – “Gyrate”
Before they were a band, Pylon were art-school students at the University of Georgia: four kids invigorated by big ideas about art and creativity and society. Pylon was less a band, however, and more of an art project, which meant they had very specific goals in mind as well as an expiration date. While their time together as a band was short lived (1979-1983), Pylon had a lasting influence on the history of rock and roll. Throughout their brief history, they were able to create influential work that would help foster the post-punk and art-rock scene of the early 80s..Artists like R.E.M., Gang of Four, Sonic Youth, Sleater-Kinney, Interpol, Deerhunter and many more claim inspiration from the band.
In 1980 the band released its first record, Gyrate and began touring across the country in support of the release. The band would soon develop a following across the country and specifically in the bustling music scene in New York City. One of their earliest gigs was opening for the Gang of Four in the big apple. Following the critical acclaim of their debut release, Pylon went back into the studio. While in the studio they gleefully pulled their songs apart and put them back together in new shapes, revealing a band of self-proclaimed non-musicians who had transformed gradually but noticeably into real musicians. The resulting album, Chomp was barely off the press when Pylon were booked to open a run of dates for a hot new Irish band called U2 (after previously playing two arena shows with them in the month leading to the album release). Most bands would have jumped at the opportunity, but Pylon were skeptical. At a critical point in the life of Pylon, they opted to become a cult band rather than stretch their defining philosophy too far.
Pylon – “Chomp”
Before they were a band, Pylon were art-school students at the University of Georgia: four kids invigorated by big ideas about art and creativity and society. Pylon was less a band, however, and more of an art project, which meant they had very specific goals in mind as well as an expiration date. While their time together as a band was short lived (1979-1983), Pylon had a lasting influence on the history of rock and roll. Throughout their brief history, they were able to create influential work that would help foster the post-punk and art-rock scene of the early 80s..Artists like R.E.M., Gang of Four, Sonic Youth, Sleater-Kinney, Interpol, Deerhunter and many more claim inspiration from the band.
In 1980 the band released its first record, Gyrate and began touring across the country in support of the release. The band would soon develop a following across the country and specifically in the bustling music scene in New York City. One of their earliest gigs was opening for the Gang of Four in the big apple. Following the critical acclaim of their debut release, Pylon went back into the studio. While in the studio they gleefully pulled their songs apart and put them back together in new shapes, revealing a band of self-proclaimed non-musicians who had transformed gradually but noticeably into real musicians. The resulting album, Chomp was barely off the press when Pylon were booked to open a run of dates for a hot new Irish band called U2 (after previously playing two arena shows with them in the month leading to the album release). Most bands would have jumped at the opportunity, but Pylon were skeptical. At a critical point in the life of Pylon, they opted to become a cult band rather than stretch their defining philosophy too far.
“We fully intended Pylon to be an almost seasonal thing that we were gonna do for a minute and then get on with our lives,” says Curtis Crowe, drummer for the band. “But it just never went away. It still doesn’t go away. There’s a new subterranean class of kids that are coming into this kind of music, and they’re just now discovering Pylon. That blows my mind. We didn’t see that coming.” New West Records is proud to partner with Pylon to reissue the albums “Chomp” and “Gyrate” back into the masses. Beautifully remastered from the original audio sources and pressed on vinyl for the first time in over 30 years.
Pup – This Place Sucks Ass
After recording their acclaimed 2019 album, Morbid Stuff, PUP was left with a handful of songs that didn’t make the final track list, largely because they were too frenetic or too unhinged. And for an album that fantasized about the world exploding, that’s saying a lot. “We usually save the really dark songs for the end of an album,” says frontman Stefan Babcock. “But we felt that Morbid Stuff was already pretty fucking dark by the time we got there.” The Toronto four-piece loved these thematic stragglers so much, though, that instead of forcing them onto the record or hiding them away forever, they decided that they deserved to stand on their own. The excluded tracks are now seeing the light via a six-song EP, This Place Sucks Ass.
For This Place Sucks Ass, however, they say it was relieving to let loose and put something into the world that values pleasure over perfection. “Our expectations are so high. Every album we make, we want it to be better than the last,” says Babcock. “But just putting out songs we like and think are fun, that’s also pretty rewarding. Taking a breather from the pressure we put on ourselves has been so positive for us.” Like all of their material,This Place Sucks Assis a document of the band PUP is – at times thoughtful and introspective and at other times wildly cathartic. And they hope that fans will take its sentiments of anger, frustration, and bitterness that run throughThis Place Sucks Ass and find collective empowerment and joy in turning them outward along with them. “Everything sucks and that’s OK, because it sucks for everybody,” says Babcock. “And we can make it a little bit better by being together in the shittiness.”
Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention – “Carnegie Hall”
Carnegie Hall is a quadruple live album on 3CD’s by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, It is a mono recording of the two shows given on October 11, 1971 at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Anna Von Hausswolff – “Ceremony”
Anna von Hausswolff is a 26-year-old from Gothenburg (and daughter of CM von Hausswolff) but her music sounds like it’s dug from ancient Viking rituals. She’s an artist whose scope, ambition
and dynamics actually warrant a comparison to Kate Bus. On the sprawling Ceremony she goes from straight up pop to ethereal Drones to rural psychedelia. Arguably ‘Ceremony’s most significant ingredient is the church organ of Gothenburg’s vast Annedalkyrkan, whose pipes are featured on the album’s striking cover. It’s featured on nine of the thirteen songs on the albumincluding the eight minute centerpiece Deathbed. Think Nico’s Desert Shore as sung by Kate Bush.
David Bowie – “Outside in Budapest”
Superb Bowie Performance From The Earthling Tour. David Bowie’s 20th studio album was originally released in February 1997 on Arista Records. Earthling showcased an electronica-influenced sound partly inspired by the industrial and drum and bass culture of the 1990s. It was the first album Bowie self-produced since 1974’s Diamond Dogs.
The Earthling Tour started on 7th June 1997 at Flughafen Blankensee in Lübeck, Germany, continuing through Europe and North America before reaching a conclusion in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 7th November 1997. On August 14, ‘97, Bowie performed at Hungary’s Student Island Festival in Budapest, where he put on a quite extraordinary show, accompanied as he was by Reeves Gabrels on guitar, Gail Ann Dorsey on bass, Zack Alford on drums and Mike Garson on keyboards. Playing just a few tracks from the new record plus a fine selection of back catalogue gems, the entire show was broadcast, both across Eastern Europe and indeed in the US too on selected FM stations. Previously unreleased this remarkable gig is now available
The Fat Angel Sings 