New Releases & Staff Picks - 10/3/25

STAFF PICKS
 DARIO - Pharoah Sanders 
ASH - Nilüfer Yanya
 JAKE - Snooper
KIMBER - S. Carey 
MARY - Phantogram
ZACH - Upchuck and Sound of Animals Fighting
DREW - George Harrison 

AFI - Silver Bleeds Black Sun CD/LP/CASS (Run For Cover)  
For more than three decades, AFI has been in a nearly constant state of reinvention. The band have made it a point to evolve with every album-sometimes dramatically so-never allowing themselves to become too comfortable in one genre or rest on any of their impressive career laurels. It's an approach that has grown their audience but also challenged it with a sonic identity that can shift in wild, unexpected directions. Now with their twelfth album, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun..., AFI are once again at the start of a bold new chapter, only this time they've even managed to surprise themselves. Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... is dark and otherworldly, but also grandiose and stately, biting and beautiful in equal measure-in other words, it's very AFI, yet not quite like any version of the band you've ever heard before.

SNOOPER - Worldwide CD/LP/CASS (Third Man Records) 
“Push pull/ Side to side/ This way/ That way/ Can’t decide/ Pressure! Pushing in/ Flattened me out from end to end,” Blair Tramel sings on ‘Worldwide,' the title track from Snooper's new album. The song captures the dizzying headspace of the band’s rapid ascent from the Nashville DIY circuit to global touring and notoriety in far-flung corners of the world's underground music scene. But though the band was feeling the pressure - the song is partially inspired by hydraulic press YouTube videos - all the challenges presented opportunity for transformation. Worldwide is a mission statement for the record not just thematically, but also aesthetically, showcasing Snooper's stylistic exploration. Newly inspired by electronic music, the rhythm of Worldwide is unrelenting and mechanistic - capturing the frenzied pace at which Snooper's lives were moving, but allowing for release in Tramel's yelps and Connor Cummins' scuzzy guitar breaks. Worldwide introduces us to the next chapter of Snooper - more personal, more cathartic, sharper, bolder, catchier.

SAY SHE SHE - Cut & Rewind CD/LP (Drink Sum Wtr) 
There's nothing more resonant than the human voice. It contains timbres and textures no other instrument can replicate, but most importantly, it's immensely powerful: One voice can spark an uprising, but many voices in unison create a movement. Nya Gazelle Brown, Sabrina Cunningham, and Piya Malik, the three women who front NYC punk-chic, discodelic band Say She She, understand how to wield such power. They soar above irresistible grooves, locking together in gorgeous three-part harmonies that cleverly disguise the feeling of righteous rebellion permeating their music. Theirs is a multi-pronged call to action: Move your body, expand your mind, and recognize your strength. Say She She, whose name pays homage to Nile Rodgers, made Cut & Rewind, their third record, almost immediately after wrapping the tours supporting 2023's Silver.

UPCHUCK - I’m Nice Now  LP (Domino)  
As KT puts it, there’s never been a moment when she didn’t have rage. As the singer of Upchuck, the Georgia punk band whose music is as sharp as a scythe, KT has felt fierce energy inside her well before she had the band as an outlet through which to channel it. Upchuck’s Domino debut is I’m Nice Now recorded at Sonic Ranch Studio in Texas with producer Ty Segall. But don’t mistake newfound niceness for weakness. It’s self-preservation. “In this world of constant distractions and stressors it’s important to keep your mind, body, and spirit sane and sound enough to continue through this seemingly never-ending fight,” she says. With I’m Nice Now, Upchuck channels their feverishness into an album that, yes, is filled with rage. But in addition to being a continuation of their musical exorcism, the album delivers a sharp critique of the powers that be, lamenting why they still have to be those in power.

TAYLOR SWIFT - Life of a Showgirl CD/LP (Republic)
Taylor Swift's 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, will be released worldwide October 3, 2025. The LP includes 12 songs on Portofino Orange Glitter Vinyl, Double gatefold jacket, unique front and back cover, and never before seen photos and album lyrics.

EMILY HINES - These Days CD/LP (Keeled Scales)
Emily Hines was raised on a small farm in rural Ohio and now lives in Nashville. Her songwriting pulls from folk, country, and pop with influences as varied as Norah Jones, Feist, and Karen Dalton. Her sound feels singular and fully formed. Her debut album These Days will be released August 1 via Keeled Scales.

WAYLON JENNINGS - Songbird CD/LP (Son Of Jessi)  
Waylon Jennings returns to the modern music landscape with the first of three completely new, previously unheard albums compiled and mixed by Shooter Jennings at Sunset Sound Studio 3. Songbird is a collection of recordings captured between 1973 and 1984 in various studios, produced by Waylon and Richie Albright and featuring his all-star band including Albright, Ralph Mooney, Tony Joe White, Jessi Colter and more!

NILUFER YANYA - Dancing Shoes EP  LP  (Ninja Tune)  
Nilüfer Yanya is back with a new EP, Dancing Shoes. Dancing Shoes was written alongside a collection of tracks that Nilüfer re-approached with her creative partner Wilma Archer when she returned from touring her latest record, My Method Actor. The EP is something of a celebration of the one year anniversary of My Method Actor, which was released to overwhelming critical praise with a Best New Music stamp from Pitchfork and the New York Times describing it as, “A melodically rich meditation on identity, desire and the reverberations of heartache.”

SOUND OF ANIMALS FIGHTING - Maiden LP (Born Losers Records)
Masked rock collective The Sound of Animals Fighting started in 2004. Core members The Nightingale (Rich Balling, Hospital Gown, ex-Rx Bandits), The Skunk (Anthony Green, Saosin, Circa Survive, L.S. Dunes), The Walrus (Matt Embree, Rx Bandits), and The Lynx (Chris Tsagakis, Rx Bandits) form the hub of the experimental, subversive group, guiding its patchwork tinkering and rewiring of musical form with the ghostly energy of a loved one speaking in tongues. As fluid as its sound is the shift in shape of notable collaborators and musicians that ebb and flow with the band as they traverse space and time. The Maiden is the bands first full length LP since 2008's The Ocean and the Sun.

OASIS - What's The Story Morning Glory? CD/LP (Big Brother Recording)  
Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition featuring newly unplugged versions of five classic tracks ‘Cast No Shadow’, ‘Morning Glory’, ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Acquiesce’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’, all newly mixed by Noel Gallagher. The follow-up to the 1994 debut album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? was recorded between May and June 1995 in Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire, with Owen Morris and Noel Gallagher producing. Released on October 2nd 1995, it sold a record-breaking (at the time) 347,000 copies in its first week.

MY MORNING JACKET - Z (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) LP [Reissue/2005] (ATO Records)  
Often referred to as My Morning Jacket's OK Computer and considered one of the 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone, Z was the pinnacle of the bands early career upon it's release in 2005 and has gone on to sell nearly half a million copies. This 20th anniversary edition was remastered from original tapes by Emily Lazar and includes 14 unreleased outtakes and demos, and reworked artwork. Contains fans favorites and live staples: ‘Off The Record,’ ‘Dondante’ and ‘Wordless Chorus.’

BOBBY HUTCHERSON - Montara (Blue Note Tone Poet Edition) LP [Reissue/1975](Blue Note Records)  
A high-water mark of Bobby Hutcherson's 1970s Blue Note output, Montara, is a feel-good album that found the vibraphonist conjuring up an intoxicating hybrid of Latin jazz and fusion grooves from the percolating rhythms of La Malanga, Yuyo, and Oye Como Va to the alluring Montara and Love Song. This stereo Blue Note Tone Poet Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket.

PHANTOGRAM - Eyelid Movies LP [Reissue/2010] (Barsuk)  
With well over a billion streams and a million records sold in the US alone, Phantogram is one of the most beloved artists of recent years. Barsuk is excited to reissue the band's indie-classic debut album Eyelid Movies, in clear vinyl with yellow swirl, at a fan-friendly price point.

PHAROAH SANDERS - Izipho Zam (My Gifts) LP [Reissue/1973] (Strata-East)  
Pharoah Sanders' Izipho Zam (My Gifts) is a groundbreaking jazz masterpiece. Recorded in 1969, two years after John Coltrane's passing, and released in 1973 on Strata-East, the album features a 13-member ensemble, including Sonny Sharrock, Lonnie Liston Smith, Cecil McBee, and Leon Thomas. Blending Eastern influences with expansive jazz, Sanders’ genius is highlighted with "Prince of Peace," showcasing Thomas' unique vocals, and the 28-minute title track, offering an exploration of dissonance and harmony with West African percussion and meditative chants. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI) and mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, the vinyl edition comes in high-quality, glossy tip-on gatefold jackets. It also includes new liner notes by Harmony Holiday and never-before-seen photos, making this release a must-have for jazz enthusiasts and collectors alike.

MICHAEL HURLEY - Armchair Boogie LP [Reissue/1971] (Mississippi Records)
A great record from the offbeat legend Michael Hurley - a set that features both spare tunes and others done with a larger band that's full of unusual instrumentation!

S. CAREY - Watercress LP (Jagjaguwar)  
There's a cool, clean strum that introduces Watercress. An immediately noticeable shift in mood from the last time we checked in with S. Carey. He was heavy-hearted on 2022’s Break Me Open - crestfallen and reckoning after a big love lost. And so, Watercress sets us off with the ringing of hard-won hope. It is in fact only in the clear, shallow waters that watercress grows. And these are the very places that Sean Carey the human being returns to again and again -to fish, to reflect, and to grow.

PIGEONS PLAYING PING PONG - Feed The Fire LP (No Coincidence)  
With their eighth studio album, Feed The Fire, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong unveil a triumphant new chapter. Building on their signature blend of funk, rock, and jam, the band pushes forward with inventive arrangements, unique time signatures, and an ever-expanding sonic palette. PPPP's 12-track expedition ventures into uncharted territory while staying grounded in the improvisational spirit and funk-fueled roots that have defined their sound for over 15 years.

LOREN ODEN / ADRIAN YOUNGE - Adrian Younge Presents: Loren Oden LP (Linear Labs) 
Adrian Younge presents Loren Oden is the debut album showcasing the soul-stirring voice that has graced some of Younge's most iconic projects. From Something About April to The Midnight Hour, Oden's vocals have captivated audiences worldwide. Oden strives to vibrate frequencies relatable to lovers from all walks of life: a forgotten tenet derivative of '70s soul. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

JASON ISBELL - Something More Than Free CD/LP [Reissue/2015] (Southeastern Records)  
How does an artist follow a critically-acclaimed breakthrough record like Southeastern? For Jason Isbell, the answer was Something More Than Free. With songs like 24 Frames, Flagship, and Children of Children, the 2015 album found Isbell tackling the subjects he knows best: the dignity of work, the difficulty of love, the friction between the present and the past.

SPARKS - Madder! CD/10” (Transgressive) 
First ever EP release from Sparks, Madder! Is a companion to their record-breaking 28th studio album MAD!, which gave them their career-best UK chart position (#2, May 2025). The EP follows on the tail of their rapturously received tours of Europe and Japan, and is announced just ahead of their North American dates.

THRICE - Horizons / West CD/LP (Epitaph)  
Horizons/West completes the thematic arc begun with Horizons/East (2021), pairing personal reflection with sweeping sonic ambition. Self-produced by the band, engineered by guitarist Teppei Teranishi, mixed by Scott Evans, and mastered by Matthew J. Barnhart, Horizons/West balances cinematic tones with spacious atmosphere. Teranishi calls it less dense, while vocalist Dustin Kensrue sees it as their first sequel-two halves of a larger emotional and political panorama. Blending post-rock textures from their earlier albums Beggars and Major/Minor, with rhythmic complexity from Horizons/East, the band sharpens it's edge without losing nuance.

STANLEY TURRENTINE - In Memory Of (Blue Note Tone Poet Edition) LP [Reissue/1964] (Blue Note Records)  
Stanley Turrentine's stellar 1964 album, In Memory Of, traversed swinging hard bop, beautiful balladry and African rhythms with the saxophonist fronting a tremendous sextet with Blue Mitchell (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Herbie Hancock (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass), and Otis Candy Finch (drums). This stereo Blue Note Tone Poet Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

MGMT - Time To Pretend EP LP [Reissue/2005]  (Cantora) 
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of MGMT's debut EP, Time to Pretend, the band's early work is being revived on vinyl for the first time in a decade. Featuring unique, hand-made versions of the hit songs "Kids," and "Time to Pretend," the 6-song set is pressed on banana yellow vinyl with original artwork by the French visual artist SKWAK.

GEORGE HARRISON - All Things Must Pass CD/LP [Reissue/1970]  (Dark Horse)  
All Things Must Pass was released by Apple Records in November 1970. Co-produced by Harrison and Phil Spector, many musicians contributed to the album, including Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Pete Drake, Gary Wright, Klaus Voormann, members of Badfinger, players from Delaney and Bonnie band, and John Barham. The triple-LP topped charts around the world and earned universal acclaim as a rock masterpiece. This 3 LP set on 180g vinyl includes a new remix of the original album and an original poster with the back containing notes by Dhani Harrison and Paul Hicks on remixed the album.

BABYTALK & WATUSSI - Shaking Moving Dancing People LP  (DFA)  
Eric Broucek was the ur-engineer of the most fertile era of DFA Studios, from about 2003 to 2008 (no one knows anything precisely about that time, as it's all lost in the fog of chaos). His hand was on all of the remixes, LPs, dance 12s. He was there in that over-designed gear dungeon almost every day, recording, mixing, struggling to not roll his eyes at Tim and me. And somewhere in that fog, he quietly dropped limited runs of three 12-inch delayed reaction bombs on his own label Stickydisc Recordings—two under the name Babytalk, and one as Watussi with another DFA regular, Morgan Wiley.
Back in the day, Eric did not want his music released on DFA. He wanted to forge his own identity, which he did, sending out music that wandered from the DFA path with its uniquely wonky, upended and understated power. His music is so unlike everything else of that era, so profoundly singular, that it still sounds completely out of time. A few years back, I started DJing the tracks again, and saw how the world was still surprised by what Eric had made, and the idea of this compilation was born. So, in the end, Eric, we totally got to release your records anyway. We heart you, man.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
ST PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES - S/T CD/LP
ANTLERS - Blight CD/LP
MJ LENDERMAN - And The Wind (Live And Loose) LP Reissue
JAY SOM - Belong CD/LP
MADISON CUNNINGHAM - Ace CD/LP
JERSKIN FENDRIX - Once Upon A Time.. CD/LP
CHARLES MINGUS - Mingus At Monterey LP Reissue
EBO TAYLOR - Ebo Taylor LP Reissue
TRISTEZA - Dream Signals In Full Circles LP Reissue
APPLESEED CAST - Two Conversations LP Reissue