New Releases & Staff Picks - 5/15/25

STAFF PICKS
 DARIO - Michael Hurley reissues
 ASH -
 JAKE -
 KIMBER -
 MARY -
 ZACH - Grails and Quelle Chris reissue

TUNE-YARDS - Better Dreaming CD/LP (4AD)  
The songs of Better Dreaming came to Garbus and Brenner with unusual ease. They asked themselves what would happen if they simply let the songs come out, following any trail they wished - first thought, best thought style. There was a strong desire to move, to make music that would enter the ear and immediately loosen up the joints, get the whole body wiggling. After covid-isolation, and time away from touring and live shows, the desire to be moved by music was undeniable. The insane experience of growing an actual human being influenced this as well.

SURPRISE CHEF - Superb Cassette/LP (Big Crown)
Australia's world-renowned cinematic soul outfit Surprise Chef return with new album Superb. A record that represents a change in their creative approach and turns up the heat in their music. Trading in their meticulous writing and recording techniques for a looser and less planned approach with the intentions of bringing more levity to the process, and it comes through in spades. The high caliber musicianship is still front and center, but they push their sound into a more energetic and fun place on this album.

HOZIER - Hozier CD/LP [Reissue/2014] (Sony Legacy)
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hozier's debut album with this special edition vinyl release. Featuring "Take Me To Church," now RIAA certified DIAMOND, and additional bonus-tracks "In The Woods Somewhere," "Arsonist's Lullabye" plus several others. This 2-LP anniversary edition is pressed on opaque custard color vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket. Following up his two early EPs, Hozier co- produced the self-titled album with Ron Kirwan (PJ Harvey and Depeche Mode). Tastemakers and critics alike wholeheartedly embraced Hozier's spirited and soulful sound. He's drawn praise from NPR, New York Magazine, KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, MTV Buzzworthy, Consequence of Sound, to name just a few.

SLOWDIVE - Just For A Day LP [Reissue/1991] (Sony Legacy)
SLOWDIVE - Souvlaki LP [Reissue/1992] (Sony Legacy)
SLOWDIVE - Pygmalion LP [Reissue/1995] (Sony Legacy)
LP reissues of Slowdive’s three classic 90’s albums

FRIENDSHIP - Caveman Wakes Up LP (Merge Records)
An album for sleeping and waking, walking and driving, hunting and fishing, for loitering outside a roadhouse on the haunted tundra. Okay in elevators, not great for dinner. On Caveman Wakes Up, Friendship's new album and second for Merge Records, the band's historically capacious definition of country music grows wider still. Shambolic guitars are offset by flute pads, bleary poetry is set against a Motown rhythm section, a song about Jerry Garcia and First Lady Betty Ford fades out with a drum solo, like if Talk Talk came from a dingy Philadelphia basement and was fronted by James Tate.

DINOSAUR JR - Without A Sound LP [Reissue/1994] (Cherry Red)
Limited green splatter colored vinyl LP pressing. Without a Sound is the sixth studio album by Dinosaur Jr., originally released in 1994.

GRAILS - Miracle Man CD/LP (Temporary Residence)
Grails - the experimental rock institution who have cultivated a quarter-century career out of crate-plunging cultural curiosities - returns a mere two years after the lauded Anches en Maat with their most personal and emotionally resonant album to date. While the band still revel in rearranging bizarre and obscure sources into something often revelatory and surreal, Miracle Music does so with an ascendant melodic power that feels hallowed. The Miracle Music lineup includes cofounders Emil Amos (Om, Holy Sons, Lilacs & Champagne) and Alex Hall (Lilacs & Champagne), alongside returning members, AE Paterra (Zombi, Majeure), Jesse Bates, and Ilyas Ahmed. Produced by Amos, Miracle Music reunites the group with recording engineer Jason Powers and his Type Foundry studio in Portland, Oregon, where the earliest Grails records were made more than two decades ago.

HANK MOBLEY - Roll Call (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition) LP [Reissue/1960] (Blue Note Records)
Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley was on a serious roll when he recorded his 1960 album Roll Call, the follow-up to his classic Soul Station, which reconvened the same rhythm section of pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey, with the addition of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet for an invigorating 6-song hard bop masterclass. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

VARIOUS - Chet Baker Re:Imagined CD/LP (Blue Note Records)
Chet Baker Re: imagined, a collection of songs recorded by a varied selection of international talent to celebrate the legacy of one of the most unique, charismatic and influential figures in the history of jazz. Released to mark the 70th anniversary of seminal album Chet Baker Sings, the 15-track compilation presents modern reworkings of the trumpeter and singer's repertoire and underscores the enduring influence of one of 20th century music's most creative artists.

MICHAEL HURLEY - Fatboy Spring LP [Reissue/2011] (Mississippi Records)
Great early versions of classic Hurley songs such as ‘Automatic Slim & The Fatboys,’ ‘Drivin' Wheel,’ 'Ghost Woman Blues,' ‘Watchin' The Show’ and ‘The Portland Water’ that come off for the most part better than later releases of these songs. Hurley is backed up by 'The Fatboys' - not the rotund hip hop crew from the film 'Disorderlies' but rather a bunch of not so fat nice guys in Vermont who played mostly for the local dairy farmers (Later they were known as 'Sheriff Mocus & the Deranged Cowboys'). A laid back countryish album sure to please the hard core Hurley fan & casual listener too. Deep & breezy. Cover painting by Michael.

MICHAEL HURLEY - Back Home With Drifting Woods LP [Reissue/2012] (Mississippi Records)
Recorded by Fred Ramsey as part of the same sessions that resulted in Michael's First Songs LP on Folkways. Michael Hurley was a great American song writer with his own unique way of seeing the world & this LP is a great testament to his vision. RIP to the freak-folk king!

MANTECA - Rito Y Sabor LP [Reissue/1978] (Mr Bongo)
Mr Bongo Proudly presents the reissue of the sought-after 1978 album Ritmo y Sabor from Cuban master bongo player, Manteca. A deep, hypnotic, sonic excursion of Afro-Cuban/mambo rhythms to get lost within. Released in 1978, there are a number of different pressings of the album coming out on labels including GRC, Desca Records and Sound Triangle Records. Stripped-back and low-fi, this is a pulsating hit of instrumental Latin-jazz dance magic. A Cuban legend, Manteca rose to fame playing with Ernesto Lecuona and the Cuban Boys. Although he featured on numerous recordings in his home of Cuba, only a handful exist of his as featured soloist or band leader. A whirlwind of percussive brilliance, 'Ritmo y Sabor' is brimming with energy regardless of the tempo of the track.

QUELLE CHRIS AND JEAN GRAE - Everything’s Fine  LP [Reissue/2018]  (Mello Music Group)  
Non-toxic, lobotomy free Hip-Hop from New York Queen of Rap Jean Grae and the King of introspective, observant, and witty rap Quelle Chris. This one of a kind album features some of comedies biggest names including Nick Offerman, Michael Che, John Hodgman, Hanibal Burress and more. This essential, politically astute rap album gets a tri color in color vinyl pressing in gorgeous bubble gum, ice blue, and purple. A Mello Music Group classic limited to just 500 copies.

STANLEY TURRENTINE - Look Out! (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition) LP [Reissue/1960] (Blue Note Records)
Stanley Turrentine's 1960 debut album Look Out! Announced the arrival of a deeply soulful saxophonist who imbued every note he played with feeling. Along with the tried-and-true rhythm section of pianist Horace Parlan, bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood, Mr. T delivered a superb set of hard bop that commenced a decade-long Blue Note run. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

YOUR GRANDPARENTS - Dial LP (Drink Sum Wtr)
Your Grandparents are fascinated with time. It can neither be created nor killed; there's never enough of it, but it can stretch on forever. Time is a form of currency that can be saved, spent, and gambled away. In the end, it makes fools of us all. On their drink sum wtr debut, The Dial, the Los Angeles trio - producer Cole Thompson and vocalists DaCosta and Jean Carter - deeply consider these disparate ideas. The record works as a meditation on time, but posits that in order to truly grasp the concept and all of it's ambient qualities, one must remain rooted in the present. The group, who met in middle school inCulver City and are now in their mid-late 20s, has bee nmaking music for a decade, patiently watching the pieces of their career fall into place.

COKE - Coke LP [Reissue/1972] (Mr Bongo)
Presenting an official reissue of Coke's audacious, engrossing self-titled album from 1972, originally released on Manuel J. Mato's collectible Sound Triangle Records imprint. It's a heavy hit of Miami Latin-funk, dosed up with psychedelic garage rock and gritty soul excellence, making for an intoxicating blend of styles and genres on this highly sought-after LP. Predominately sung in English, Coke's only album under this moniker is a sumptuous melting pot of influences, tied together with bright funk drumming, flavourful organs and zesty horns. With a garage band attitude and sensibility, the lineup consisted of Paul Garcia on guitar, Ariel Hernandez on bass, Ruben Perez on drums, Jose Rubio on the keys, a host of guest horn players and Peter Fernandez on vocals, whose tone and delivery was often mistaken for that of a woman.

VARIOUS - Eccentric Modern Soul LP (Numero)
A dazzling 11-track journey through the rich, handpicked gems of Numero's finest. Blending the timeless warmth of classic soul with a fresh, modern twist, Eccentric Modern Soul delivers an expansive soundscape that feels both nostalgic and new.

BUDDY GUY - This Is Buddy Guy! LP [Reissue/1968] (Craft Recordings)
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in a replica tip-on jacket. The Bluesville Series from Craft Recordings & Acoustic Sounds! Remastered from the Original Tapes by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab! This Is Buddy Guy! Is an electrifying live album recorded and released in 1968 on Vanguard Records. The live performance took place at New Orleans House in Berkeley, CA. Showcasing Guy's guitar prowess and mastery of multiple styles, he plays both originals and classics such as ‘Knock on Wood,’ ‘I Had a Dream Last Night,’ and more.

REGINA SPEKTOR - Begin To Hope LP [Reissue/2006] (Warner Records)
REGINA SPEKTOR - Far LP [Reissue/2009] (Warner Records)
REGINA SPEKTOR - What We Saw From The Cheap Seats LP [Reissue/2012] (Warner Records)
Limited colored vinyl reissues of the the songwriter’s biggest albums.

ADRIAN YOUNGE - Adrian Younge Presents: Something About April IILP (Linear Labs)
Adrian Younge presents: Something About April II synthesizes the boundaries between Black American soul and classic European cinema. The album features an array of entrancing vocalists: Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab), Bilal, Raphael Saadiq, Loren Oden and Israeli star, Karolina who delivers haunting chants over concertos. Younge is the experimental spirit of the modernist vanguard, looking into the past to create the future. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

BELA FLECK, EDMAR CASTANEDA AND ANTONIO SANCHEZ  - Beatrio LP (Bela Fleck Production)
Banjo. Drums. Harp. Huh? To be sure, the new all-star trio of Béla Fleck, harpist Edmar Castañeda and drummer Antonio Sánchez features instrumentation that might safely be called uncommon. Unless, of course, you're already familiar with 19-time Grammy-winner Fleck - the genre-blurring virtuoso who has done more to expand the possibilities of the banjo than any other player in the instrument's history. From his bluegrass beginnings through his otherworldly Flecktones, his duo with Chick Corea and his reimagining of Rhapsody in Blue, Fleck's work never fails to surprise.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
STEREOLAB - Instant Holograms CD/LP
THESE NEW PURITANS - Crooked Wing CD/LP
XMAL DEUTSCHLAND - Gift The 4AD Years 2CD/3LP
SPARKS - Mad CD/LP
FLORRY - Sounds Like… CD/LP
JAMES FELICE - Little Ones CD/LP
SOPHIE - Oil Of Every Pearl's Un-Insides LP Reissue
GREEN DAY - Saviors Deluxe CD/LP
STEELDRIVERS - Outrun LP
MARC RIBOT - Map Of A Blue City CD/LP
CINDYTALK - Camouflage Heart LP
DANDY WARHOLS - Thirteen Tales… LP Reissue
GROGANS - Stagger LP
HEADPHONES - S/T LP Reissue
HOME IS WHERE - Hunting Season LP
PINBACK - Information Retrieved LP Reissue
MILITARIE GUN - Life Under The Sun LP
PACHYMAN - Another Place LP