The Fat Angel Sings

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Ramones. This collection includes their earliest known studio recordings for Sire Records, 

Housed in a sleeve featuring a fantastic photo of “Da Bruddas” riding the New York City subway, the self-explanatory “1975 Sire Demos” includes Ramones’ earliest-known studio recordings, helmed either by Tommy Ramone or Red Star Records’ mogul, Marty Thau. Most of the songs “53rd & 3rd”, “Loudmouth”, “I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You”, “Chainsaw” would shortly feature in official form on The Ramones’ game-changing self-titled debut album, but even these early takes of the songs fizz with a barely controlled excitement, suggesting something new and extremely seismic would soon be blowing up on a much wider scale.

“The Spotlight Kid” is the sixth studio album by Captain Beefheart. Originally released in 1972, it is the only album credited solely to Captain Beefheart rather than Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, although every member is featured, and its material is considered part of the band’s repertoire. Released for RSD 2024 as a 2LP in gatefold jacket with milky clear coloured vinyl.

Captain Beefheart’s sixth album, “The Spotlight Kid”, is often referred to as his “commercial” album. Admittedly, such a claim is easier to make when one considers that it arrived in the slipstream of such courageous titles as “Trout Mask Replica” and “Lick My Decals Off, Baby”, but even allowing for that, 

“The Spotlight Kid” is atypically linear and accessible by Beefheart’s usual arcane standards. Despite lacking an official credit for The Magic Band, Don Van Vliet’s usual crew were all present and correct for the recording, which includes numerous highlights – not least “I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby”, “Grow Fins” and the splendidly titled “Alice In Blunderland”. Taking its place among the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases, “The Spotlight Kid” now returns to the limelight on “milky clear” double vinyl and in a smart gatefold sleeve.

Live soundboard recording of “Yes – Live At The Yale Bowl 1971” and is from July 24, 1971 during the “YES” album tour. It was recorded at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut.

Yes were riding high in 1971 following the release of their third album, “The Yes Album”, which brokered the band’s commercial breakthrough in both the UK and the US. Consequently, stateside demand for the prog-rock legends-in-waiting was high, and the band didn’t disappoint when they crossed the Atlantic for a series of shows in Canada and North America in the summer of that year.

Indeed, the jubilant atmosphere of those shows was captured by this excellent soundboard recording of the group’s final US gig of the year, at the cavernous Yale Bowl, in New Haven, Connecticut, on 24th July 1971. Imperious versions of “The Yes Album” highlights such as “Yours Is No Disgrace”, “I’ve Seen All Good People” and “Perpetual Change” ensures the release’s spot among the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases.

Drums, Percussion: Bill Bruford Bass, Vocals: Chris Squire Percussion, Vocals: John Anderson Acoustic Guitar: Steve Howe Electric Guitar: Portuguese Guitar: Vocals: Moog, Organ, Piano: Tony Kaye

Excited to announce the upcoming reissue of Lowell’s  only solo album by rock and roll singer-songwriter his debut solo effort. “Thanks, I’ll Eat It Here” by Lowell George is to be released as a “Deluxe Edition”, A 2 record set for Record Store Day on Saturday, April 20, 2024. While George is best known for his work with the band Little Feat, by 1977 Lowell felt that they were moving increasingly into jazz-rock, a form in which he felt little interest. As a result, he began working on his own album. “Thanks I’ll Eat It Here” is an eclectic mix of styles reminiscent of Little Feat’s earlier albums – in particular “Dixie Chicken”, on which the track “Two Trains” originally appeared.

The release will be 3,500 units, only available on vinyl for now. A CD release will only be considered if there is a demand for it and this package sells out immediately. . Released weeks before his untimely death in 1979, this exclusive Record Store Day reissue Includes the original album cut from the original master tapes and a bonus album including previously unreleased alternate versions and outtakes from the recording sessions plus liner notes from the George family.

Originally released on Warner Brothers Records, this Rhino Records release looks to be very nice. Darryl Norsen did the layout, cleaning up the cover art by Neon Park, adding the additional outtake and alternate takes to the track listing on the back cover while maintaining the original design elements. He also gave the sleeve inserts a facelift. Huge props go out to Jason Jones, Director of A & R and Mark Pinkus, President of Rhino Entertainment Company

Mudhoney’s major-label-released 90s recordings previously snuck out together on CD as “Real Low Vibe: The Reprise Recordings”, in 2020, but this reissue of that collection, under the new name of “Suck You Dry: The Reprise Years“, marks the first time the material has been issued in a vinyl box set. Easily one of the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases, the collection again frontloads the Seattle grunge icons’ three Reprise albums, “Piece Of Cake”, “My Brother The Crow” and “Tomorrow Hit Today”, but it also includes two bonus LPs of live tracks; liner notes by Keith Cameron, author of the book Mudhoney: The Sound And The Fury From Seattle; and fresh artwork by illustrator Edwin Fotheringham.

New 5LP box set featuring the Godfather’s of Grunge’s three Reprise studio albums and an EP as well as two bonus LPs of live tracks, B-Sides and unreleased demos all making their debut on vinyl. This limited set includes the first North American pressing of their Reprise debut: “Piece Of Cake”

Originally aligned with the legendary 2 Tone label, Birmingham ska-pop heroes The Beat established their legend with their brilliant 1980 debut album, “I Just Can’t Stop It” an infectious hits-stuffed affair which climbed to No.3 in the UK. Musically wider in scope, the group’s 1981 follow-up, “Wh’appen?”, embraced reggae, dub and African influences on gentler tracks including “Drowning”, “Doors Of Your Heart” and “Dream Home In New Zealand“, although the hard-hitting social commentary inherent in songs such as “Cheated” and “Get A Job” showed that Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger and company remained as politically aware as ever. 

“Wh’appen” went Top 5 following its original release, and it now returns with an additional disc’s worth of non-album singles and remixes, making for a real highlight among the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases.

After Ian McCulloch left Echo And The Bunnymen in 1988, he launched a solo career, releasing two solo albums, “Candleland” and “Mysterio”, while his former bandmates continued under the Echo And The Bunnymen moniker, recruiting new frontman Noel Burke and releasing the underrated “Reverberation” in 1990. The split was less than harmonious, but McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant later buried the hatchet and teamed up to form Electrafixion in 1994, along with bassist Leon De Sylva and drummer Tony McGuigan.

Released that same year, the group’s lone album, “Burned”, ultimately acted as a bridge to The Bunnymen’s full-blown 1997 reunion record, “Evergreen”; but as the likes of “Zephyr”, “Sister Pain” and the Johnny Marr co-write, “Lowdown”, reveal, it was a quality release on its own terms.

Composed by Georges Delerue and Hal Shaper, “Interlude” was originally recorded by US soul singer Timi Yuro as the theme song for the 1968 film of the same name starring Oskar Werner and Barbara Ferris. In 1994, this dark, dramatic song resurfaced when The Smiths’ former frontman, Morrissey, and Siouxsie Sioux reinterpreted it as a duet, with their sweeping, widescreen version of the song – issued under the banner Morrissey And Siouxsie – peaking at No.25 in the UK.

Featuring both of these singular artists at their spine-tingling best, Interlude is ripe for rediscovery, and this gold-coloured 12” pressing makes for a regal entry among the best Record Store Day 2024 vinyl releases.

The extremely good post-punk band Fontaines D.C. — one of Ireland’s greatest musical exports, according to one very reputable publication — is teasing some new music. The Irish post-punks Fontaines D.C. return with their new single “Starburster” alongside news of their highly-anticipated fourth album, “Romance”

Fontaines D.C. took the world by storm with their 2019 debut album “Dogrel”, 11 tracks of evocative barroom philosophizing set to a bracing twin-guitar assault. Beyond its glowing critical reception, the record was a surprising commercial success, both nominated for a Mercury Prize and cracking the top 10 of the UK charts.

“I’m gonna be big,” Chatten memorably proclaimed on “Dogrel’s” first track, and indeed, the band has only gotten bigger from there. “Dogrel’s” follow-up, 2020’s “A Hero’s Death”, was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards. And their most recent LP, 2022’s “Skinty Fia”, reached No. 1 on both the Irish and UK album charts.

Chatten released his debut solo album, “Chaos for the Fly”, last June. Since then, Fontaines D.C. has contributed to a limited edition “Ceasefire“ 12-inch alongside Massive Attack and Young Fathers to raise money for Doctors Without Borders’ emergency operations in Gaza and the West Bank. And now, they appear to be gearing up for a new album rollout.

After changing the profile picture on all of their social media pages to a new eye-poppingly bright green and pink logo, the band took to TikTok to post a snippet of an unreleased song.

“I wanna see you alone / I wanna sharp the stone / I wanna bounce the bone / I wanna mess with it,” frontman Grian Chatten sings in his distinct Skerries accent over a trip-hop-inflected beat.

The music plays over footage — presumably from a music video shoot? — of a shirtless, very beaten-up Chatten wearing lime green pants, hanging out and petting a small pig.

Fontaines D.C. also posted a similar image from the same shoot on their official Instagram account.

Dehd have announced that their fifth studio album, “Poetry”, will be released on May 10th via Fat Possum Records. Alongside the announcement, they’ve shared the lead single “Mood Ring,” which comes paired with an accompanying video. The song, about falling for a boy with a motorcycle, features raucous distortion, eager drum fills, and a charming doo-wop-inspired rhythmic underbelly.

Following the success of the band’s fourth album, “Blue Skies“, Dehd turned a writing session into a road trip. They hit Taos, New Mexico; a borrowed cabin on the Puget Sound; and, eventually, returned to their Chicago warehouse space. They recruited Ziyad Asrar of Whitney to co-produce the album alongside Dehd’s own Jason Balla at Palisade Studio.

Dehd’s “Mood Ring,” off of their new album ‘Poetry’, due out May 10th, 2024, on Fat Possum.