Archive for the ‘CLASSIC ALBUMS’ Category

The MUTE GROUP – ” Sinster Hand “

Posted: July 7, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The Mute Group met and live in Nashville, Tennessee, the band are made up of John Westberry, Ryan LaFave, Zachary Gresham, and Amy Gill. They have produced a sound which is so unusual and obscure, thats is nothing short of brilliant. They describe their sound as ‘music that skews less vintage than ancient, medieval geologic. These are songs that might just as easily ward off the evil eye as entertain.’ This is a band which you can share with your friends and they will marvel in your well rounded musical appreciation while thanking you in the process.

The Mute Group has done what many bands have failed to do, they have maintained their unique sound from the first track to the last and that is what makes you happy that you have been engulfed into the abstract world of The Mute Group and their album Sinister Hand

The Mute Group perform songs composed in the spirit of Laurie Anderson, The Philip Glass Ensemble, Dirty Projectors, Black Moses–era Isaac Hayes, and the haunted, medieval folk songs unearthed by Thomas Ravenscroft.

This is theater music for strange, unwritten operas; chants for undiscovered liturgies; ballads for forgotten minstrels. This is music that skews less vintage than ancient, medieval, geologic. These are songs that might just as easily ward off the Evil Eye as entertain.
The Mute Group met and live in Nashville, Tennessee. The band is a collaborative project between a Byzantine chanter, a classical organist, a NOLA-trained jazz drummer, and a utility man of hitherto inexhaustible potential.

Band Members:
Amy Gill, Zachary Gresham, Ryan LaFave & John Westberry

From the 2019 album ‘Sinister Hand’ available on YK Records

INDIAN QUEENS – ” God Is A Woman “

Posted: July 7, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Indian Queens have done something that every band should do before releasing their first long player: they have built very strong foundations for it to stand on. The balance of rough and delicate vocals, the hard-edged, almost trance-like bass lines, the lively changes of rhythm dictated by drums. It is a sound very specific to this band, which plays heavily in creating an atmospheric mood but doesn’t shy away from harsher sounds when they are needed. In this sense, “God Is A Woman”, the band’s debut album out in early April, is the logical culmination of a fairly linear trajectory. It is certainly a very “Indian Queens-sounding” album, but with a number of imperfections now whittled down and removed, and some additional depth. The vocals still preserve their peculiar quality of being fluid in places and scratchy in others, but they are now generally more full-bodied; the haunting bass is still there, even more noticeable than in the past, also thanks to a very tight and attentive production.

The sense of familiarity is increased by the fact that live gig attendees will immediately recognise a number of favourites in the track list. The intense, almost hypnotic ‘I Get No Rest‘ gets an airing, placed in a core point at the centre of the album, and so do old singles ‘Pretty Little Thing,’ featuring one of the trademark riffs of this album and some beautifully dirty guitars, and ‘Us Against The World,’ which only deceptively seems a lighter piece compared to the intensity and complexity of other tracks. Indian Queens have always had a fairly wide range of nuance and this record is a good display of that: from the more delicate touches offered by tracks like ‘Concrete Lips‘ (which, in spite of the title, has a very soft touch and airy atmosphere, aided by an excellent interplay of vocals) to a bold use of distortion in songs such as ‘Warning Sign,’ which starts with an almost outlandish sound and then plays with more subtle touches of dissonance around its guitars, or ‘Shoot For Sexy,’ which has an inventive, immediately recognisable opening and a very bold command of high notes, and is one of the most original songs on this record.

They are also a band of many influences, and it is an interesting experiment to try and track them all, as pleasant as it also is to just jump in without too much cerebral thinking and go with the flow. There is something distinctly grunge in the choices made with the rhythm section, particularly in the bass, and a touch of psychedelic rock, ’80s style, in tracks like ‘You Came Over Late‘. A tinge of blues emerges also in some of the slower songs, and is possibly openly alluded to in the title of ‘Some Kinda Blue,’ one of the tracks where it is felt the strongest. The Beatles surface here and there, and one could argue that they are a background presence throughout the record, and they’re directly quoted, lyrically and musically, in album opener ‘Bubblewrap‘ which leads the listener into the record with a very bold statement: all else aside, Indian Queens remain first and foremost a rock band, and they’re not going to let anyone forget it. It is not by chance that the two songs that go harder on the rock mood are the first and the last on the album the latter, ‘Walk,’ featuring very throaty vocals and somewhat of a ’60s vibe.

“Who wants to start a revolution?” asks title track ‘God Is A Woman‘ (another very Beatles-y song, but with a very grunge bass line, fittingly; it almost sums up the entire record). This is not just a throwaway line as much as it is a statement of intent for the whole record. What kind of revolution Indian Queens are aiming to start, remains to be seen, but it’s easy to have some suspicions: to start with; one in which female vocalists are not pigeonholed in an imaginary ‘female-fronted music’ category that is bound to sound in a very specific way. The takeaway from this album, ultimately, is that Indian Queens sound like Indian Queens, and no one else – female-fronted or otherwise.

It is a debut that has the band’s fingerprints all over it, and in a way it feels like the end of something as much as the start of something new. It’s a starting point, but also the culmination of a chapter in the personal history of a band that now feels quite ready to go and explore more, new directions. They move forwards from a very strong position, and it will certainly be an interesting ride.

God Is A Woman was released April 3rd on Cool Thing Records.

SONIC YOUTH – ” Perspectives Musicales SYR 1 Anagrama “

Posted: July 7, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Sonic Youth’s summer instrumental EP, Perspectives Musicales is, at first glance, a full-blown tribute to the 20th century French avant guard. From the EP’s title, to the exquisitely, tottering pretentious song titles — “Anagrama,” “Improvisation Ajoutee,” “Tremens,” and ” Mieux: De Corrosion.” The connections don’t stop there, the vinyl is Coke can red, adding a whiff of both socialism and aesthetics (the best and most effective red-vinyl release I’ve seen since J. Geils’ 70’s album, Bloodshot.

But the connections do stop with the music. While the French avant-guard, from Celine to Sartre to Foucoult, focus on the Absurd and are always tinged with a hint of nihilism, all four of the tracks on Perspectives Musicales are melodious, if not always harmonious, celebrations, and instead of a reign of disorder, Sonic Youth creates beautiful, often exquisite order out of what seems like thin-air.

This first release since 1995’s not entirely satisfying Washing Machine is a wonderful example of what Sonic Youth does best. While cutting apart and putting back together beautiful, even poppy melodies, Moore, Gordon, Shelley and Ranaldo never sound as if they’re lost in some sort of psychedelic jam; in every step along the journey, there’s tremendous lyricism and harmony…which seem contradictory for a band whose trademarks include the meticulous musical dissection of harmonies. At their best, like on Washing Machine’s “Diamond Sea,” the results are glorious. And Perspectives Musicales, an all-instrumental effort in which all energy is focused on music and none of lyrics, is glorious. Perhaps only Genet could have appreciated music this celebratory.

The EP’s opener, the nine-minute plus “Anagrama,” sets the tone for what’s to come. Moore and Ranaldo weave around each other gently, slowing building to a peak; sometimes aggressively, sometimes downright prettily, they build droning melodies up to huge peaks and come back down again. Gordon and Shelley are working both as a rhythm section and also operate on their own level; on every song, Gordon’s bass-lines and Shelley’s drumming do as much to establish the melodic and harmonic structure of the song, and behind Renaldo and Moore, no strangers to melody themselves, that’s no small feat.

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Perspectives Musicales is the first in a series of EPs Manhattan’s coolest hipsters are planning to release, according to Ranaldo. If they’re all as good as this, it’ll be a nice year indeed for Sonic Youth fans.

Originally released May 5th, 1997

MARK EITZEL – The Ugly American

Posted: July 6, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The Ugly american

A lull after the electronically ambient album ‘The Invisible Man ‘ (2001) Mark Eitzel’s recording output was followed by two releases: a covers album ‘music for courage and confidence’ (2002) and an album of solo and American Music Club songs re-interpretations ‘The Ugly American’ (2003) performed by a band with traditional greek musicians. The Ugly American‘ was originally mooted as an ep after an invitation to Athens, Greece to reinterpret certain songs under the guidance of respected local musician Manolis Famellos. the trip to Athens, Greece materialized in november 2001 and a full-blown 10 track album was agreed.

The subsequent album was recorded and released in 2003 on cd only. seventeen years later, with a rejigged artwork and an abbey road cut, The Ugly American‘ ‘is unveiled for the first time on vinyl. the ten tracks cover a varied period of Mark Eitzel’s solo output, the cult band American Music Club albums, and a sole composition from manolis famellos (‘love’s humming’). all songs were recorded with the addition of traditional greek instruments (bouzouki, tzouras, cretan lyra & zournas) under the guidance of Manolis Famellos and his band. at a time were American Music Club albums where hard to obtain re-interpretations of ‘Western Sky’, ‘Last Harbour’ and ‘Jenny’ were treated with effervescence and stunning new arrangements. ‘anything‘ (originally on ‘the invisible man‘) as a stark and bleak electronica track, is now heightened to a majestic instrumentation opus. the album retains the heartfelt tales of sadness that you would expect from self-deprecating mark eitzel in a folk and pastoral context.

Before the album was even recorded, the trip to Greece was deemed in certain quarters as controversial, an ‘unnecessary excursion’ with cries of ‘sacrilege’ buoyed on by a skewered conception of greek music, thus expecting a ‘freak novelty’. today this beautiful recording is revered for its haunting arrangements and Mark Eitzel’s deep warm and rich vocal delivery. a revisionist detour that casts Mark Eitzel’s impressive song-writing skills in a renewed and sparkling adaptations. “…grace and beauty that few can match” hot press // “this is not the most obvious coupling…but it’s a beautiful affair nonetheless” .

SUFJAN STEVENS – ” America “

Posted: July 6, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The Ascension

Sufjan Stevens is releasing a new album, “The Ascension”, on September 25th via Asthmatic Kitty. When it was announced on Tuesday it was promised that the album’s first single, 12-minute long closing track “America,” would be released today. Accompanying the song is a video of an American flag slowly blowing in the wind. With a title like “America,” its timed release the day before July 4th is no accident and in a press release Stevens says it’s “a protest song against the sickness of American culture in particular.” ‘The Ascension’, the eighth solo studio album from singer, songwriter and composer Sufjan Stevens – and the long awaited follow-up to ‘Carrie & Lowell’.

“Don’t do to me what you did to America,” Stevens sings in the chorus. “Don’t do to me what you do to yourself.” A press release further says the song “is an indictment of a world crumbling around us—and a roadmap out of here.”

Stevens says The Ascension is “a call for personal transformation and a refusal to play along with the systems around us.” Could this be his protest album?

And while “America” may seem written for these times, it was actually written six years ago, prior to the election of Donald Trump, when he was working on his last fully fledged studio solo album, 2015’s Carrie & Lowell.

“I was dumbfounded by the song when I first wrote it,” Stevens says in the press release. “Because it felt vaguely mean-spirited and miles away from everything else on Carrie & Lowell. So I shelved it. “But when I dug up the demo a few years later I was shocked by its prescience. I could no longer dismiss it as angry and glib. The song was clearly articulating something prophetic and true, even if I hadn’t been able to identify it at the time. That’s when I saw a clear path toward what I had to do next.”

Stevens then re-recorded “America” and used it as a jumping off point for The Ascension.

The B-side for the “America” single, non-album track “My Rajneesh,” was also written around the same time. The two songs will be released as 12-inch single on July 31, with “My Rajneesh” getting an earlier digital release on July 10th, Musically, “America” is much closer to the experimental and disorientating sounds of his 2010 album The Age of Adz, rather than the more delicate folk of Carrie & Lowell.

Stevens recorded most of The Ascension himself, on his computer, and basing it around a drum machine and synthesizers. Stevens calls it a “lush, editorial pop album,” one that finds us all at a “terrifying crossroad.” “My objective for this album was simple: Interrogate the world around you,” Stevens adds. “Question anything that doesn’t hold water. Exterminate all bullshit. Be part of the solution or get out of the way. Keep it real. Keep it true. Keep it simple. Keep it moving.”

RECORD STORE DAY 2020 – Release 29th August

Posted: July 6, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Record Store Day has been split into three standalone “RSD Drop” days, occurring on August 29th, September 26th, and October 24th.  That’s not the only thing changing this time around. As the first RSD Drop Day approaches, shops are beginning to consider what records to order.  With that in mind, we thought we’d share a sampling of what we’re looking forward to on RSD Drop Day 1 on August 29th – with further coverage to come as we get closer to the date.  There are lots of exciting titles due, so get in touch with your nearest participating retailer soon.

America, Heritage II: Demos (Omnivore Recordings, LP, 1,700 copies)

Eleven previously unissued demos and alternate tracks from 1971-1976, including the long-rumoured 13 minute acoustic jam “Jameroony.”  Liner notes by the band’s Gerry Beckley.

SIDE A:  1. Cornwall Blank (Demo #2), 2. Jameroony (Acoustic Jam), 3. Mandy (Demo)

SIDE B:  1. What Does It Matter (Demo), 2. You (Vocals/Strings Excerpt), 3. Mad Dog (Demo/Track Mix With Backing Vocals), 4. Simple Life (Alternate Mix), 5. Lovely Night (Demo), 6. Today’s The Day (Alternate Mix), 7. Amber Cascades (Acoustic Mix/Take 3), 8. Letter (Alternate Mix)

The Black Keys, Let’s Rock (45rpm Edition) (Nonesuch, 2LP, 5,000 copies)

Exclusively for Record Store Day, The Black Keys will be releasing the limited edition 45 RPM version of their chart-topping 9th album “Let’s Rock.” The album, which was originally released on June 28th via Easy Eye Sound/Nonesuch Records has spawned three Top 10 radio singles and was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2019. The 45 RPM version of the album is limited to 7,500 pieces worldwide/5,000 copies in the US. It’s a gorgeous 180-gram 2-LP set in a deluxe holographic gatefold jacket, with each piece individually numbered.

 

Black Crowes, Lions (eOne Music, 2LP, 3,000 copies)

A1 Midnight from the Inside Out 4:20, A2 Lickin’ 3:42, A3 Come On 2:58
B1 No Use Lying 4:56, B2 Losing My Mind 4:26, B3 Ozone Mama 4:00, B4 Greasy Grass River 3:20
C1 Soul Singing 3:53, C2 Miracle To Me 4:42, C3 Young Man, Old Man 4:13
D1 Cosmic Friend 5:22, D2 Cypress Tree 3:40, D3 Lay It All On Me 5:29

David Bowie, CHANGESNOWBOWIE (Parlophone, CD or LP, quantity TBD)

CHANGESNOWBOWIE is a 9-track session recorded for radio and broadcast by the BBC on David’s 50th birthday on 8th January, 1997. The broadcast originally featured an interview with David by Mary Ann Hobbs interspersed with specially recorded birthday messages and questions from the likes of Scott Walker, Damon Albarn, Bono, Robert Smith and many more. The interview and birthday messages do not feature on this album. This mostly acoustic session was a stripped back affair featuring some of David’s favourites of his own compositions and was produced by Bowie himself, Reeves Gabrels, and Mark Plati.

The Man Who Sold The World / Aladdin Sane / White Light, White Heat / Shopping For Girls / Lady Stardust / The Supermen / Repetition / Andy Warhol / Quicksand

David Bowie, I’m Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) (Parlophone, 2LP or 2CD, quantity TBD)

I’m Only Dancing – Taken from recently discovered sources in The David Bowie Archive, I’m Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) was recorded mostly during David’s performance at the Michigan Palace, Detroit on 20th October, 1974, with the encores taken from the Municipal Auditorium, Nashville on 30th November, 1974.

The Soul Tour was a radical mid-tour departure from Bowie’s 1974 Diamond Dogs theatrical extravaganza. During a three week break in late 1974, the Diamond Dogs Tour’s elaborate six-ton Hunger City stage set was drastically stripped back, and the tour’s set list overhauled to include as-yet-unreleased tracks from the Young Americans sessions at Sigma Sound in Philadelphia. The Soul Tour also featured a revamped band, augmented to include musicians and vocalists from those sessions, and rechristened The Mike Garson Band.

I’m Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) follows on from the previous Record Store Day 2 LP release Cracked Actor (Live Los Angeles ’74) and is an incredible historical document of a performer and band at the height of their live powers. The artwork for both the 2 LP and 2 CD releases is based on the original design for the programs available at venues for dates on The Soul Tour. The Soul Tour has taken on mythical status among Bowie fans, as the tour only visited 17 cities in the East and South of the U.S.. This is the first time that any audio from this incarnation of the tour has ever been officially released.

Introduction – Memory Of A Free Festival / Rebel Rebel / John, I’m Only Dancing (Again) / Sorrow / Changes / 1984 // Moonage Daydream / Rock ‘n’ Roll With Me / Love Me Do > The Jean Genie / Young Americans // Can You Hear Me / It’s Gonna Be Me / Somebody Up There Likes Me / Suffragette City // Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide / Panic In Detroit / Knock On Wood / Foot Stomping > I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate > Foot Stomping / Diamond Dogs > It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It) > Diamond Dogs

Gary Clark, Jr., Pearl Cadillac (ft. Andra Day) (Warner Records, pearl color 10″, 3,000 copies)

Exclusive RSD 10″ single from the multiple GRAMMY© Award winning artist Gary Clark, Jr. Originally released on his acclaimed 2019 album “This Land”, this limited edition release includes two remixes of the track “Pearl Cadillac” featuring Andra Day, and is pressed on pearl colored vinyl.

Dr. John, Remedies (Get On Down, mardi gras splatter LP, 1300 copies)

Arriving on the heels of the socially conscious Babylon, Dr. John’s 1970 album Remedies marked his 3rd studio release under his eccentric, voodoo-inspired “Night Tripper” persona, and his first not to be produced by Harold Battiste; he instead turned to famed rock producer Tom Dowd. Featuring a psychedelic and progressive take on Dr. John’s signature style of swampy, hazy New Orleans boogie-woogie rock, undoubtedly inspired by his then recent stint in a psych ward.

1. Loop Garoo 2. What Goes Around Comes Around 3. Wash, Mama, Wash 4. Chippy, Chippy 5. Mardi Gras Day // 1. Angola Anthem.

Steve Earle, “Times Like These / It’s About Blood”  (Modern Harmonic, 7″, 1,350 copies)

This is a limited edition 7″vinyl  recorded during the Ghost Of West Virginia recording sessions (that new album, based on Earle’s music for the off-Broadway play Coal Country, came to record stores May 22nd). “Times Like These “is exclusive to this 7” and “Devil Put The Coal In The Ground” will be on the new album.

 

Brian Eno, Rams: Original Soundtrack (UME/USM UK, white LP, 2,500 copies)

RAMS: Original Soundtrack Score is the complete soundtrack from the film Rams, produced and directed by Gary Hustwit. All instrumentals are previously unreleased and are written, performed and produced by Brian Eno. This Record Store Day release is pressed on solid white vinyl.

1. Bright Clouds of Metal, 2. Harmonic Guitar, 3. Unusual Temperament, 4. A Warm Sweet Bed, 5. Beautiful Metals, 6. Designer Piano // 1. Generative Lounge, 2. Design as Reduction, 3. Al’Khwarizmi Piano, 4. Shimmering Future, 5. For A New Design

 

Glass Animals, Tokyo Drifting (Republic, picture disc, 2,000 copies)

Glass Animals will be putting out a special 12″ picture disc, featuring smash single “Tokyo Drifting” featuring Denzel Curry and an instrumental version of the track, exclusively for Record Store Day.

“Tokyo Drifting feat. Denzel Curry” / “Tokyo Drifting (Instrumental)”

Andrew Gold, Something New: Unreleased Gold (Omnivore Recordings, gold LP, 1,200 copies)

Andrew Gold’s first recordings as a solo artist. Contains 12 previously unissued demos from 1973. Liner notes by Peter Asher. Pressed on colored vinyl for RSD and already available on CD.

1. Something New (Band Version), 2. Come Down To Me (Solo Demo), 3. What You Do Is What You See (Solo Demo), 4. The World Tomorrow Brings (Solo Demo), 5. You Are Somewhere Within Me (Solo Demo), 6. Sometimes When A Man’s On His Own (Solo Demo) // 1. Prisoner (Band Version), 2. Ten Years Behind Me (Solo Demo), 3. Timothy Corey (Solo Demo), 4. Almost Love (Solo Demo), 5. Penny Arcade (Solo Demo), 6. Don’t Bring Me Down (Solo Demo)

Al Green, Green Is Blues (Fat Possum, green and blue LP, 3,000 copies)

Al Green’s first release for Hi Records, celebrating its 50th anniversary with a special split green/blue 180g vinyl release, with liner notes and a tip-on jacket. Available first at record stores for Record Store Day 2020.

1. “One Woman” 2. “Talk To Me” 3. “My Girl” 4. “The Letter” 5. “I Stand Accused” 6. “Gotta Find A New World” 7. “What Am I Gonna Do with Myself?” 8. “Tomorrow’s Dream” 9. “Get Back Baby” 10. “Get Back” 11. “Summertime”

Bert Jansch, Live in Italy (Earth Recordings, 2LP, 450 copies)

Previously unreleased live recording of Bert Jansch’s stunning concert in Mestre at the Teatro Corso, Italy 1977. The performance also features appearances from Martin Jenkins, Sam Mitchell and Leo Wijnkamp, Jr.  Includes download card.

Cat and Mouse, Daybreak, Blues Run The game, Bittern, Kingisher, Come Back Baby, Running From Home, Pretty Saro, Alimony, Avocet, Una Linea Di Dolcezza, Sweet Mother Earth, Angie, Cluck Old Hen (Unrehearsed Number with Martin Jenkins, Sam Mitchell, and Leo Winkamp Jr), Encore No.1 (Improvised number with Martin Jenkins, Sam Mitchell and Leo Winkimap Jr), Encore No 2, “Jigs” (Martin Jenkins Solo)

 

Elton John, Elton John (UMe/USM-UK, 2LP purple, 7,000 copies)

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Elton John’s first U.K. album with this limited edition Record Store Day exclusive deluxe gatefold 2LP version. Pressed on transparent purple vinyl, the first disc features the 2016 remaster of the original album, while the second contains a selection of bonus tracks from the 2008 CD Deluxe Edition, never previously released on vinyl, as well as two previously unreleased demos of ‘Border Song’ and ‘Bad Side Of The Moon’.

1. Your Song, 2. I Need You To Turn To, 3. Take Me To The Pilot, 4. No Shoe Strings On Louise, 5. First Episode At Hienton / 1. Sixty Years On, 2. Border Song, 3. The Greatest Discovery, 4. The Cage, 5. The King Must Die // 1. Your Song (Piano Demo), 2. I Need You To Turn To (Piano Demo), 3. Take Me To The Pilot (Piano Demo), 4. Sixty Years On (Piano Demo), 5. Border Song (Piano Demo), 6. Bad Side Of The Moon (Piano Demo) / 1. Thank You Mama (Piano Demo), 2. All The Way Down To El Paso (Piano Demo), 3. I’m Going Home (Piano Demo), 4. Bad Side Of The Moon, 5. Grey Seal, 6. Rock And Roll Madonna

 

 

Jethro Tull, Stormwatch 2 (Parlophone, LP, 6,500 copies)

Stormwatch 2 features the tracks from the Stormwatch 40th Anniversary Force 10 Edition that were not on the original vinyl album. All tracks have been remixed by Steven Wilson.

1. Broadford Bazaar 2. Crossword 3. Dun Ringill (Early Version) 4. Dark Ages (Early Version) // 1. Urban Apocalypse 2. Kelpie 3. Man Of God 4. Sweet Dream Fanfare 5. Sweet Dream (Live)

John Lennon/Yoko Ono with The Plastic Ono Band,  Instant Karma (2020 Ultimate Mixes) (UMe, 7″, 7,000)

Written, recorded and released January 1970, in a span of just ten days, “Instant Karma!” was to become one of John Lennon’s most popular singles, reaching No. 5 in the U.K. and No. 2 in the U.S. Featuring George Harrison alongside bassist Klaus Voormann, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Billy Preston, it marked the first time any Beatle collaborated with legendary producer Phil Spector, who later that year worked on the band’s final album (Let It Be) and solo albums from John and George. Newly mixed audio. Artwork is a faithful reproduction of original U.K. sleeve.

Instant Karma! (2020 Ultimate Mix) / Who Has Seen The Wind? (2020 Ultimate Mix)

Bob Marley and The Wailers, Redemption Song (UMe/Tuff Gong/Island, clear 12″ single, 7,000 copies)

A recreation of the original limited edition U.K. 12″, this 40th Anniversary edition will be available in the U.S. for the first time. Pressed on clear vinyl, the B-side features the rare “Band Version” of the song, and a live “I Shot the Sheriff” from the 1977 Rainbow Theatre concert, both on vinyl for the first time in 40 years.

1. Redemption Song // 1. Redemption Song (Band Edit Version), 2. I Shot The Sheriff (Live At The Rainbow)

 

Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, “See Emily Play”/”Vegetable Man” (Legacy, 12″, 4,000 copies)

From the dynamic drummer heard on every Pink Floyd album, Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets offers the opportunity to experience the group’s early body of work in concert, including songs from The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn and A Saucerful Of Secrets. Alongside guitarists Gary Kemp (of Spandau Ballet), keyboardists Dom Beken and Lee Harris (of Ian Dury and The Blockheads), and longtime Pink Floyd touring bassist Guy Pratt, Mason drew rapturous crowds throughout North America and Europe in 2018 and 2019 – including dates at The Roundhouse in London, the historic venue that counted Pink Floyd as its first performance in 1966. Ahead of a dazzling audiovisual release of material from the Roundhouse sets during May 2019, this collectible 12″ single features two performances from those sets (including Pink Floyd outtake “Vegetable Man,” played for the first time ever on this tour) backed by a custom etching.

“See Emily Play”/”Vegetable Man”

Paul McCartney, McCartney: 50th Anniversary Edition (Half-Speed Master) (UMe/MPL/Capitol, LP, 7,000 copies)

One of the greatest solo debuts in rock history, Paul McCartney’s McCartney, will receive a special 50th anniversary release in a limited-edition half-speed mastered vinyl pressing for Record Store Day.  Originally released in April 1970, one month before The Beatles’ swansong Let It Be, McCartney saw Paul getting back to basics. Writing every song and playing every instrument (with backing vocals from Linda McCartney), the eponymous album represented a creative rebirth, bursting with new ideas, experiments, playfulness and freedom. Sonically, McCartney’s bare-bones home recording aesthetic imbued the album with an authentic lo-fi spirit, a much sought after sound that continues to retain a contemporary edge 50 years on. The 50th anniversary Record Store Day limited edition of McCartney was pressed from a master cut by Miles Showell at half speed using the original 1970 master tapes at Abbey Road Studios. It was made as a vinyl specific transfer in high resolution and without digital peak limiting for the best possible reproduction.

1. The Lovely Linda, 2. That Would Be Something, 3. Valentines Day, 4. Every Night, 5. Hot As Sun, 6. Junk, 7. Man We Was Lonely // 1. Oo You, 2. Momma Miss America, 3. Teddy Boy, 4. Singalong Junk, 5. Maybe I’m Amazed, 6. Kreen-Akore

 

Pink Floyd, Arnold Layne Live 2007 (Legacy, 7″, 7,400 copies)

To celebrate Record Store Day 2020, Pink Floyd release a live recording of the band’s first single, original singer and songwriter Syd Barrett’s best-known song, “Arnold Layne”. The limited-edition, one-sided Record Store Day 7″ represents the last live performance of the song by Pink Floyd with David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright, all together in 2007. This special performance of “Arnold Layne” took place at the Syd Barrett Tribute Concert at The Barbican on 10th May 2007, with Pink Floyd members augmented by Jon Carin on keyboards and vocals, and Andy Bell from Oasis on bass guitar. After a star-studded line-up throughout the evening, Pink Floyd took to the stage for an incredibly emotional finale. The B-side features an etching that echoes the sleeve and the song’s lyrics.

A: “Arnold Layne (recorded live at the Barbican Centre, London at the Syd Barrett Tribute Concert, 10th May 2007)” / B: Exclusive new etching

The Pretenders, Live! At the Paradise, Boston, 1980 (Rhino/Warner, LP clear and red, 6,500 copies)

In celebration of the band’s 40th anniversary, this reissue of a promo-only Warner Bros. Music Show release is pressed on clear with red color-in-color vinyl and with new artwork, including photos from the show.

John Prine, The Atlantic Albums (Rhino/Atlantic, 4LP, 2,000 copies)

A special four LP 180g boxed set containing the legendary first four John Prine albums, presented in their original packaging:John Prine, Sweet Revenge, Diamonds in the Rough, and Common Sense.

The Who, Odds and Sods: Deluxe (UMe, 2 LPs, 7,000 copies)

One of the very first ‘rarities’ collections, released to try and defeat the bootleggers, the original 11-track album was released in 1974. Compiled by bassist John Entwistle, the set features the single “Long Live Rock”, the unedited, unreleased version of “The Seeker”, the studio version of “Young Man Blues”, alternative versions of “Dogs Part Two” and “Water”, amongst many other gems. This reissue includes the original album on disc one and adds 14 bonus tracks – B-sides, rarities & extras on disc two, Odds & Sods Too – to create a definitive, 25-track double LP. Pressed on red (LP1) and yellow (LP2) vinyl. Includes Pete Townshend’s original track annotation.
The stunning artwork and design restore the original ‘die-cut’ front sleeve. Graham Hughes shot the cover for Odds and Sods – “I’d stayed up the night before with Letterset, designing the letters on the American football helmets with each of the band’s names printed on. When I finally managed to get them together in one place, which happened to be the bathroom, Pete and Roger’s helmets didn’t quite fit so that’s why their wearing each other’s. That Quadrophenia tour wasn’t very pleasant and the band were arguing a lot. When I showed Pete the blow-up of the cover, he didn’t like it and told me so. I was so frustrated by this time, I started ripping it up . . . That’s when he decided he liked it! I stuck it back together with adhesive tape and Roger said, ‘call it a bunch of odds and sods.”
LP1 / SIDE A –
1. Postcard, 2. Now I’m A Farmer, 3. Put The Money Down, 4. Little Billy, 5. Too Much Of Anything, 6. Glow Girl
LP1 / SIDE B –
1. Pure And Easy, 2. Faith In Something Bigger, 3. I’m The Face, 4. Naked Eye, 5. Long Live Rock
LP2 / SIDE A –
1. Zoot Suit (remix with fade), 2. Here Tis (previously released on 30 Years… box set), 3. Leaving Here (from ‘Pye’ acetate), 4. Baby Don’t You Do It (from ‘Pye’ acetate), 5. Young Man Blues (alternate studio version, included on 1998 CD), 6. Dogs Part Two (B-side, the single mix; included on Tommy SDE), 7. Here For More (B-side single mix), 8. The Seeker (long unedited version; unreleased)
LP2 / SIDE B –
1. Heaven And Hell (B-side single mix), 2. Don’t Know Myself (B-side single mix), 3. When I Was A Boy (B-side single mix), 4. Waspman (B-side single mix), 5. We Close Tonight (included on 1998 CD), 6. Water (B-side single mix)
Yusuf/Cat Stevens, But I Might Die Tonight  (UMe, 7″ light blue, 5,000 copies)
7″ single of Cat Stevens’ song “But I Might Die Tonight” from the album Tea For The Tillerman. The B-side features the alternative version of the song, from the movie Deep End (starring Jane Asher), reworked specifically for the film and previously unavailable until now! Pressed on light blue vinyl.

Various Artists, The Land of Sensations & Delights: The Psych Pop Sounds of White Whale Records, 1965-1970 (Craft Recordings, 2LP, 2,000 copies)

This double LP compilation features alternative ’60s hits and rarities from the catalog of Los Angeles’ great White Whale label, including such artists as Jim Ford, JK & Co, The Clique, Nino Tempo & April Stevens, Lyme & Cybelle, and more. Two standard weight black vinyl LPs in a gatefold.  Produced by Andrew Sandoval, Steve Stanley, and Cary E. Mansfield.  Also coming on CD.

1. You Got The Love, 2. I’ll Be In, 3. Got A Good Love, 4. Little Girl, Little Boy, 5. We Must Find A Way, 6. Darlin’ You Can Count On Me // 1. I Can’t Get Nowhere With You, 2. Song #7, 3. Vegetables, 4. The Chair, 5. Goin’ It Alone, 6. Sunshine Dreamin’, 7. Land Of Sensations & Delights
1. Superman, 2. Look At You Now, 3. All At Once, 4. Time To Be A Woman, 5. Love Story, 6. If It Weren’t For You, 7. Summer Dream // 1. Cheyenne, 2. My Door Is Always Open, 3. Constantly, 4. The Proud One, 5. Won’t You Say You’ll Stay, 6. In The Garden

Various Artists, Sunrise on the Blues: Sun Records Curated by Record Store Day, Vol. 7 (ORG Music/Record Store Day, LP, 3,500 copies)

This limited edition compilation LP was curated from the classic Sun Record Company catalog by participating Record Store Day stores, and marks the seventh installment of the ‘Sun Records Curated by Record Store Day’ series. Volume 7, Sunrise on the Blues, highlights some of the incredible blues artists in the Sun Records archive. While the iconic label is best known for launching the careers of superstars like Elvis and Johnny Cash, Sam Phillips’ Sun Records initially started as a rhythm and blues label. The track list for this compilation was carefully curated by the hardworking people in record stores themselves. This Record Store Day 2020 exclusive release is limited to 4,000 copies worldwide.

SIDE A: 1. HOWLIN’ WOLF “Everybody in the Mood” 2. LITTLE JUNIOR’S BLUE FLAMES “Mystery Train”3. ROSCO GORDON “Let’s Get High” 4. JOHNNY ADAMS “I Won’t Cry” 5. EARL HOOKER “Going On Down The Line” 6. LOST JOHN HUNTER & HIS BLIND BATS “Cool Down Mama” 7. BIG WALTER HORTON “Grandma Told Grandpa”

SIDE B: 1. SLEEPY JOHN ESTES “Policy Man Blues”2. LITTLE MILTON “If Crying Would Help Me” 3. JAMES COTTON “Cotton Crop Blues” 4. DOCTOR ROSS “Cat Squirrel” 5. THE PRISONAIRES “That Chick’s Too Young To Fry” 6. PAT HARE “I’m Gonna Murder My Baby” 7. JOE HILL LOUIS “We All Got To Go Some Time”

Aug. 29: RSD Drops
Andrew Gold, Something New: Unreleased Gold (LP)
Ace Frehley, Trouble Walkin’ (LP)
America, Heritage II: Demos (LP)
Black Keys, ‘Let’s Rock’ (45 RPM edition)
Black Crowes, Lions (LP)
Brian Eno, Rams: Original Soundtrack (LP)
Canned Heat & John Lee Hooker, Hooker ‘N Heat (LP)
Collective Soul, Half and Half (12-inch vinyl)
Cure, Seventeen Seconds (12-inch picture disc; Bloodflowers (2LP picture disc)
Dave Davies, Rock Bottom: Live at the Bottom Line (2LP)
David Bowie, ChangesNowBowie (CD/LP); I’m Only Dancing: The Soul Tour ’74 (CD/LP)
Def Leppard, Rock N Roll Hall of Fame
Dio, Annica (12-inch picture disc)
Dr. John, Remedies (LP)
Drive-By Truckers, “The Unraveling” b/w “Sarah’s Flame” (7-inch vinyl)
Elton John, Elton John (LP)
Emerson Lake & Palmer, Live at Waterloo Field, Stanhope, New Jersey, U.S.A., 31st July (LP)
Gong, Live! at Sheffield 1974 (LP)
Hawkwind, At the BBC 1972; Quark, Strangeness & Charm (LP)
Iggy Pop, Kiss My Blood: Live in Paris 1991 (3LP)
Jethro Tull, Stormwatch 2 (LP)
John Lennon, “Instant Karma!: 2020 Ultimate Mixes” (7-inch vinyl)
John Prine, The Atlantic Albums (4LP)
Lou Reed & John Cale, Songs For Drella (2LP)
Kinks, Kink Kronikles (LP)
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, “See Emily Play”/”Vegetable Man” (12-inch vinyl)
Motorhead, “Ace of Spades”/”Dirty Love” (12-inch vinyl)
Pretenders, Live! At the Paradise, Boston 1980 (LP)
Pink Floyd, “Arnold Layne Live 2007” (7-inch vinyl)
Roxy Music, Roxy Music: The Steven Wilson Stereo Mix (LP)
Tommy Bolin, Tommy Bolin Lives! (LP)
U2, 11 O’Clock Tick Tock: 40th Anniversary Edition (12-inch vinyl)
Who, Odds and Sods: Deluxe (2LP)
Yusuf / Cat Stevens, But I Might Die Tonight (7-inch vinyl)

TORRES – ” Live In Berlin “

Posted: July 6, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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This is a recording of the last show I played with my band before the world slowed down. I hope that it brings joy and a little solace where people need it most. Torres’ Live in Berlin, recorded at Kantine am Berghain on March 11th, 2020, is available now .

From Mackenzie Scott of TORRES: “This is a recording of the last show I played with my band before the world slowed down. I hope that it brings joy and a little solace where people need it most. Lots of love and thanks to my bandmates for taking the ride with me and to every fan who’s made live music possible.”

Lots of love and thanks to my bandmates, Erin Manning, J.R. Bohannon, and Bryan Bisordi, for taking the ride with me, for their fire performances, and to Brian Esselbrugge for engineering and recording this set! . And thanks especially to every fan who has made live music possible. This is such an intimate concert recording that it feels like Torres is singing directly to me. Torres sings her heart out, perhaps knowing that this would be her last show for a while.

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All my love,
Mackenzie

The Band:
Bryan Bisordi: drums
Erin Manning: Moog, synthesizers, vocal harmonies
J.R. Bohannon: pedal steel, guitar
Mackenzie Scott: vocals + guitar

Released July 3rd, 2020

SWEET WHIRL – ” Something I Do “

Posted: July 6, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Image may contain: one or more people, text that says 'EET WHI Somelhing Do'

Esther Edquist is Melbourne artist Sweet Whirl. She is also one of the best songwriters you have heard in a very long time. The debut Sweet Whirl album “How Much Works” was released May 29th  on ltd white vinyl, black vinyl and digital. Gorilla Vs. Bear just premiered the album’s lead single and video “Something I Do”, calling it “one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard thus far in 2020…a perfect introduction to the album’s quiet, yearning intensity and understated, poignant brilliance.”

“Something I Do” is a languid lament accompanied by an evocative video directed by James Thomson. Esther says of the song, “To be honest I was inspired to write this song while I was seeing this total a-hole and felt like I had to carry the flame of my desire around with me all the time, lest it die.” How Much Works is Sweet Whirl’s debut album proper, after a handful of releases acclaimed by the likes of Gorilla Vs Bear, The Guardian and Clash Magazine. How Much Works arrives fully formed, a classic ten song album from an artist with both a command of history and a drive for new expression.

The album is a beautifully crafted triumph over bleak moments. It’s the love-addled confessions of a seasoned party girl, romantic yet sardonic, a troubadour who sings of the heart with a knowing sense of the timeless victory of song. Esther dissects experiences with wit and depth, emerging as a powerful, indomitable voice. Musically and lyrically, How Much Works draws on wells as deep as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Jean-Paul Sartre and Sheryl Crow.

It distills personal, reflexive narratives into something universal and wondrous. Esther produced the album and plays almost everything on it, with guitar and therevox from engineer Casey Hartnett (Sui Zhen, Sleep Decade) and drums from Monty Hartnett (Dreamin Wild, Sleep Decade). Fellow Chapter Music recording artist Gregor contributes backing vocals to Make That Up For Me and Conga Line. Esther has previously served in Melbourne duo Superstar, who released two delay-drenched albums during the mid 10s. She has also been a member of Scott & Charlene’s Wedding.

Love for previous Sweet Whirl releases: “An exquisitely bleary-eyed gem” – Gorilla Vs Bear, “With music this soft on your skin, small acts of rebellion feel big.” – The Guardian “A gentle sense of grace, an unhurried sense of beauty” – Clash

HOLY WAVE – ” Interloper “

Posted: July 5, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Interloper sees the band adding new layers to their lush and mesmerizing songwriting style. Written about the duality between life at home and life on the road, it sees the band expanding on their most esoteric and thought-provoking themes. Holy Wave have never been your average Austin psych band. With a keyboard-forward sound that favours groovy krautrock rhythms and sunshine harmonies, they’ve always been closer to Stereolab or The Free Design than The 13th Floor Elevators or The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Their music is more interesting and varied than their rather generic name might suggest.

If you’re unfamiliar with Holy Wave, “Interloper” is a pretty good place to start. The layers of keyboards and harmonies are warm and comforting, and more than a little trippy. Much of Interloper has a half-awake feel to it, like an afternoon nap on a sunny day, and the synthesizer lines on “Escapism” and the title track float like specks of dust suspended in a beam of light pouring through the blinds. There are also a few motorik jams (“Hell Bastards,” “Buddhist Pete”), and couple milquetoast stabs at festival fodder (“R&B” sounds like Tame Impala covering Mac DeMarco), but Interloper mostly makes for a great chilled-out, lazy summer day listen. In particular, the “Schmettering” and “No Love,” with their funky, baroque arrangements, sound like a picnic under a tree. “Anyone could sing ‘la la la’ and you’d be alright,” a line from “Interloper” goes, which encapsulates the breezy vibe nicely.

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“I’m Not Living in the Past Anymore” is a mantra about breaking the cycle of the mundane, “Escapism” is a dream-like meditation. “Interloper” serves as the centerpiece for this self-expanding record, asking, what happens when the world beneath your feet changes so much that you feel like a stranger in your own shoes? The band turns inward, to blissed-out moments on album opener “Schmetterling”, the saccharine haze of “R&B”, and the freak-out catharsis of live favorite “Buddhist Pete”.

Rleased July 3rd, 2020 on Reverberation Appreciation Society.

BDRMM –  ” Bedroom “

Posted: July 5, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Debut album from promising new UK shoegaze band who have clearly studied the classics, Hailing from Hull/Leeds, shoegazers bdrmm are young but they clearly understand the power and allure of distorted, effects-laden guitars and the loud-quiet-loud dynamic. Following a number of singles and EPs, they’ve now released their debut album, “Bedroom”(a title that also serves as a pronunciation guide for their voweless name), which is out via Sonic Cathedral, a label that has all but cornered the market on classic-sounding shoegaze.

I don’t think bdrmm have quite figured out their own sound just yet, but they are currently expert borrowers and have studied the classics, from Disintegration,Nowhere and Siamese Dream, to slightly more obscure groups like The Chameleons, Straightjacket Fits and Clearlake. They’ve got a good handle on dynamics, and show it off as they play through a few different sub-styles: mopey and spacious (“Push/Pull”), bright and propulsive (“Happy”), and the towering skyscraper of guitars (“Time to Celebrate,” “If…”).

Lyrics and vocals seem to be beside the point here, mixed low for the most part, if there at all. Opening track “Momo,” one of the album’s most sweeping songs, is an instrumental. That’s fine, as bdrmm are playing to their many strengths with their guitars saying enough for now.

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Limited-edition clear and black marble vinyl pressing of the debut album by bdrmm. The first 50 copies were posted out with ‘Creating Bedroom’, a photo zine documenting the recording of the album, plus a bdrmm pin badge.

released July 3rd, 2020

Music and words by bdrmm

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