New Releases & Staff Picks - 5/2/25

STAFF PICKS
 DARIO - Esther Rose and Pink Floyd reissue
 ASH - Analog Africa comp
 JAKE - Car Seat Headrest and American Analog Set
 KIMBER - American Analog Set
 MARY - Car Seat Headrest and Glixen
 ZACH - Sextile and Cash Langdon  

CAR SEAT HEADREST - Scholars CD/LP (Matador)
The first studio album from Car Seat Headrest in five years, The Scholars. From Shakespeare to Mozart to classical opera, Car Seat Headrest’s Will Toledo pulled from the classics when devising the lyrics and story arc of The Scholars, while the music draws, carefully, from classic rock story song cycles such as The Who’s ‘Tommy’ and David Bowie’s ‘Ziggy Stardust.’ “One thing that can be a struggle with rock operas is that the individual songs kind of get sacrificed for the flow of the plot,” Toledo notes. “I didn’t want to sacrifice that to make a very fluid narrative. And so this is sort of a middle ground where each song can be a character and it’s like each one is coming out on center stage and they have their song and dance.”

JENNY HVAL - Iris Silver Mist CD/LP (4AD)
Iris Silver Mist is the new album by Norwegian musician, writer and artist Jenny Hval. Named after the fragrance by Serge Lutens with the same name, the album too moves like a perfume—between flower and smoke, ghostly yet alive. The album didn’t start with music, but with its absence. When live music disappeared during the pandemic, Jenny Hval was left with a void that was hard to pinpoint until she found herself drawn to perfume. Smelling and collecting, reading and writing: she put away the music, and surrounded herself with the notes and accords of fragrances instead. It was only later that she understood why: she was searching for another way to sense presence, to fill the emptiness music had left behind. When she eventually returned to making music, each song was infused with smells.

VARIOUS - Roots Rocking Zimbabwe - The Modern Sound of Harare' Townships 1975-1980 CD/LP (Analog Africa)
The 25 songs presented in this project showcase the birth of the modern music industry in Zimbabwe and the explosion of creativity bands of the 1970s and 80s delivered is endlessly rewarding. It was a time of wild experimentation before established genres had crystallised. Rock, rumba, soul and traditional grooves all collide beautifully in this collection, which also includes never-before-released tracks by Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi and many other Zimbabwean artists!

VARIOUS - Soul Jazz Records Presents Secret Superstar Sounds LP  (Soul Jazz)
Soul Jazz Records’ new Secret Superstar Sounds brings together a wealth of punk/power pop tunes from late-70s/early-80s British group’s that you have probably never heard of! Power pop mixed together a love of lyrical and melodically beautiful 60s pop and garage sounds together with the energy and attitude of 70s punk. Almost completely out of kilter with the fashions of the day (punk, new wave and post-punk) these bands managed to fall between the musical cracks at almost every step of the way - leaving them practically unknown to all but a few.

ESTHER ROSE - Want CD/LP (New West)
Esther Rose was on a long solo drive when she started writing the opening title track of Want, her stunning fifth album. At first, the words seemed almost like a joke, something to keep herself amused as the miles passed. "I want a puppy, but I don't want a mess. I want to know where I'm going without GPS," she sang from behind the wheel. Soon, the idea snowballed into a list of desires that spanned existential, spiritual, and mundane; romantic to platonic to familial; at once wildly ambitious yet piercingly relatable; all set to a catchy melody that blends her pop instincts with country storytelling. "For me, these songs felt like revelations," she explains, comparing the 11-song record to a memoir, alive with kinetic storytelling and personal insight. In it's newly direct and stirringly nuanced writing, you'll hear about rock bottom encounters, shifting relationships with substances, evolving perspectives on adult partnership, and, as evidenced by those early lines in "Want," a few jokes along the way. Vivid and bracing, Want places you in the passenger seat while each of these feelings arrive.

DUCKS LTD - Harm’s Way LP (Carpark)
Ducks Ltd. make inviting and frenetic guitar pop for when life feels overwhelming. While the band’s songs are ostensibly breezy, a palpable anxiety boils underneath that communicates something deeper about everyday existence. On their latest album Harm’s Way, the Toronto duo of Tom McGreevy and Evan Lewis hones in on interpersonal and societal collapses, urban decay, and the near-impossibility of keeping a level head when everything around you seems to be falling apart.

BLONDSHELL - If You Asked For A Picture LP/IEX (Partisan Records) 
If You Asked For A Picture, the 2nd album from Sabrina Teitelbaum, aka Blondshell, is a collection of songs from an artist at the peak of her powers. The album is alive with vital nuance both sonically and thematically, gesturing towards a deeper autobiographical story that taps into something painfully universal without being too overt. It's a no-skips, triumphant record that captures the unresolved process of figuring out who you are, too wise to suggest that it has a definitive answer.

LUCIUS - Lucius CD/IEX (Fantasy)
“Our fourth studio album is the four of us, just as we first started recording together as a band. It's raw and honest and feels like coming home; something that resonates deeply in this moment of our lives. We are home in so many senses of the word; in the last couple of years we've started setting roots, finding life partners, building families, growing gardens. We got dogs (you can hear them in the background if you listen close). We wrote songs about life and relationships. We recorded them in our home studios. We saw the beginnings and endings of life cycles while making this record, the beauty and fragility of the human experience. So, it's only fitting that this album is self-titled, it's our story, who we are now and how we got here. Welcome to our living room.” - Lucius

PINK FLOYD - Pink Floyd At Pompeii - Mcmlxxii CD/LP (Pink Floyd Records)
Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMLXXII, the groundbreaking 1972 film directed by Adrian Maben, has been digitally remastered and remixed by Steven Wilson. Set in the hauntingly beautiful ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy, this unique film captures Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert. This audio companion contains the live performances from the film as well as two additional tracks, including a previously unreleased extended version of A Saucerful Of Secrets.

PUP - Who Will Look After The Dogs? CD/LP (Rise Records)
Toronto alt-rock weirdos Pup return with their brand-new album, Who Will Look After The Dogs? Hot off touring in Europe supporting Jimmy Eat World, and Canada supporting Sum 41, the band deliver their strongest record to date. Featuring singles, ‘Paranoid,’ ‘Hallways,’ and ‘Get Dumber,’ the album sees Pup deliver their classic anthemic yet raw sound across 12 killer tracks.

AMERICAN ANALOG SET - Fun Of Watching Fireworks LP (Numero)
The dreamy debut album from Texas's new wave of American krautrock. Recorded at home in 1996, The Fun Of Watching Fireworks straddles the aerodynamic drag between lo-fi and Living Stereo, huffing hypnotic chem trails, Ampex 456 polyfibre dust, and subtropical ozone while the Farfisa warms up. Remastered from the original analog tapes as a reminder of what life was like in the before times. Trespassers encouraged.

GLIXEN - She Only Said LP (Winspear)
Arriving as a standout group in the current American shoegaze renaissance, Phoenix four-piece Glixen transcend all expectations of what the genre should currently look and sound like. The band creates a profoundly heavy sonic experience with their music, paying respects to their predecessors but resulting in something completely modern. An amalgamation of influences like Björk, My Bloody Valentine, Godflesh, t.A.T.u, and Hum, their sound crawls with intensity and introspection to contrast lead singer Aislinn Ritchie’s lulling vocals. Ritchie, began the project in 2020 enlisting guitarist Esteban Santana, drummer Keire Johnson, and bassist Sonia Garcia. Their approach to music has landed them on expansive tours and shows with rock music titans and contemporaries alike, supporting acts like Interpol, DIIV, Narrow Head and Nothing. Glixen has released a steady stream of music since their inception, with one EP and a handful of singles under their belt. She Only Said, was first released last summer with taste making Philly label Julia’s War Records, bringing them to the attention of the national DIY scene. Working with producers like Jack Endino (Nirvana) and Sonny DiPerri (My Bloody Valentine, DIIV) for recent releases, this year has seen them take their sound to the next level, previewing a continuous sonic evolution.

BRISTON MARONEY - Jimmy CD/LP (Atlantic)
Briston Maroney's highly anticipated third album, JIMMY, is a raw, explosive exploration of self-discovery and acceptance, born from the artist's complex journey between two contrasting worlds-his upbringing in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the free-spirited energy of Florida. Inspired by a figure from his past-a Florida man who embodied the carefree, rugged spirit Maroney admired-the album follows the artist as he navigates the chaos of youth, mental turmoil, and existential questions. Tracks like "Real Good Swimmer" and "Better Than You" capture the struggle of finding your true self, while the album's title reflects Maroney's own search for authenticity. Blending grunge rock with moments of introspective balladry, JIMMY is both a personal reflection and a universal anthem for anyone wrestling with identity, expectations, and the quest for meaning. With a mix of humor, vulnerability, and defiant spirit, Maroney invites listeners on an unforgettable journey of personal revelation and liberation.

ICE - Afro Abgan LP [Reissue/1974] (Strut)
Strut proudly presents a long-coveted gem from the discography of the legendary Ice, AKA Lafayette Afro-Rock Band, now available on vinyl LP. Afro Agban is the closest album in Ice’s catalogue to capturing the signature sound of the Lafayette Afro Rock Band. It showcases the band’s hallmark intricate rhythms and masterful soloing, delivering a collection of solid compositions that defined their first four records. Likely recorded during the Soul Makossa and Malik sessions, Afro Agban (The Afro-Instrumental LP) is arguably their finest work, pushing further into jazz-rock territory with extended, dynamic arrangements. A consistent treasure trove for sample hunters, Afro Agban continues to resonate with jazz-rock enthusiasts worldwide. The album’s standout track, Ozan Kouklé, has long been a vinyl collector’s dream, finally receiving the reissue treatment. Strut is thrilled to present this full album as an authentic replica reissue, featuring an extensive remaster by The Carvery. Blending funk, jazz, and African rhythms across seven mostly instrumental tracks, and once again produced by the prolific Pierre Jaubert—one of 1970s France’s most influential producers—Afro Agban is an essential addition to the Topomic/Parisound catalogue.

BACAO RHYTHM & STEEL BAND - Big Crown Vaults Vol. 4 - LP (Big Crown)
Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, the mysterious steel pan outfit hailing from Hamburg, Germany made significant noise in 2024 when French film Anatomy of a Fall won an Academy Award for best original screenplay. Bacao's cover of 50 Cent's ‘PIMP’ was featured so heavily in the film and plays such a huge role in the storyline that it became synonymous with it's success. Subsequently, they ushered in the first appearance of steel pans in the orchestra pit at the Academy Awards so they could play the tune as director Justine Triet walked on stage to accept the award. All of this brought a lot of new fans to Bacao and pushed the streaming numbers of PIMP well past 40 million. For those in the know, this tune made it's way into underground fame back in 2008 when it was first pressed on band leader Bjorn Wagner's own Mocambo imprint and was often mistaken for the original sample source from which 50 made his hit.All accolades and international fame aside, PIMP is literally just the tip of the Bacao iceberg. With four full length albums and a tall stack of 7 singles that have become staples to DJs around the world, they have been prolific since signing with Big Crown in 2014. Despite the constant releases and elaborate catalog, every recording session has borne more fruit than could fit on an album, leaving a handful of tunes in the recording vault. Here on Big Crown Vaults Vol. 4 we open up that vault and give all (well, most of) those tunes a proper pressing and release.

CASH LANGDON - Dogs LP (Seasick Records)
Dogs is Cash Langdon’s second record under his own name, but the first joined by his band Meadow Dust (bassist Matt Whitson and drummer Reagan Bruce). Mostly recorded at Portside Studios (the former location of the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound) in just two days, engineer Brad Timko (Dan Sartain, St. Paul and The Broken Bones) captured the trio sounding fierce and tight. Their fuzzy take on heavy country rock recalls Neil Young & Crazy Horse and gives off the heat of Langdon’s native Birmingham. Like Young, his voice is simultaneously earnest and world-weary, but there’s a sense of humor too, and a resignation to keeping on (“Dogs”). These songs are beautiful, searing, southern-gothic testaments to the ongoing violence of being awake to the world around you (“Lilac Whiskey Nose”) and the resolve to stay awake anyway (“Magic Again”).

SEXTILE - Yes Please LP (Sacred Bones)
Some bands find their groove and stick to it; others reinvent themselves constantly.Sextile belongs to the latter camp, embracing the thrill of an ever-changing roadmap. The LA duo of Melissa Scaduto and Brady Keehn craft music with a lust forlife, drawing inspiration from no wave to hardstyle. Their latest album, yes, please, pushes their sound into bold new territory, fusing anarchic electro fire with rawpersonal recollections-and enough beefed-up bass to bust a speaker or two. yes, please is an album of contrasts: a vulnerable record that bares it's soul as much as it revels in excess, showing just how far you can push your sound when you shake off your inhibitions. Together, the pair betray a confidence that never wavers, making a bold splash on the speedy intro with a rave siren cut from a '00s New York house party or sweaty Brooklyn warehouse.

TURNOVER - Peripheral Vision 10th Anniversary Edition LP (Run For Cover)
Celebrate a decade of Turnover’s iconic sophomore album Peripheral Vision with this 10 Year Anniversary Edition. Retaining the album’s iconic cover art, the packaging has been completely overhauled to include a new lyric poster & printed photo inner sleeve. This special limited edition is pressed on limited edition color vinyl also includes two bonus tracks from the era - “Humblest Pleasures” and “Change Irreversible.”

COLLEEN GREEN - I Want To Grow Up - LP [Reissue/2015] (Hardly Art)
Hardly Art is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Colleen Green's acclaimed album, I Want to Grow Up, which was initially released on February 24th, 2015. This new pressing of the album is on limited-edition clear pink vinyl. I Want to Grow Up was recorded at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN and was Green's first album professionally recorded in a studio. It features Jake Orrall of JEFF The Brotherhood on guitar and Diarrhea Planet's Casey Weissbuch on drums. The album received accolades from publications such as Pitchfork, Stereogum, Rolling Stone, LA Times and The New York Times.

LAEL NEALE - Altogether Stranger - LP (Sub Pop)
Limited Loser Edition on lavender vinyl. Lael Neale's minimalist drone pop draws inspiration from the Transcendentalists, the alienation of modern life, and a rich array of musical influences-ranging from Dionne Warwick and John Lennon to primitive American gospel and Spacemen 3. Her expansive new record, Altogether Stranger, was written and recorded in the early morning quiet of Los Angeles. Clocking in at just 32 minutes, the 9-song LP covers an unexpected breadth of musical and lyrical terrain-from garage rock nursery rhymes and creation myths to Motorik dance dirges and solitary Omnichord meditations. A brilliant lyricist, Neale has a unique ability to uncover the extraordinary within the mundane, tackling themes of polarity that recur throughout her work-country vs. City, humanity vs. #technology, isolation vs. #society. This album is her third collaboration with producer Guy Blakeslee who helps expand the tonal palette while staying true to Neale's commitment to the raw immediacy and hand-made intimacy of home recording.

PROPAGANDHI - At Peace LP (Epitaph)
Canadian punk stalwarts Propagandhi are set to unleash their latest opus, At Peace, on May 2, 2025. Known for their incisive political commentary and genre-blurring soundscapes, the band continues to challenge both the status quo and their own musical boundaries. At Peace promises a fusion of their signature punk ethos with progressive elements, delivering a sonic assault that's as thought-provoking as it is relentless. As the follow-up to 2017's Victory Lap, this album is poised to reaffirm Propagandhi's place at the forefront of politically charged punk rock.

THE WALTERS - Good Company LP (Alternate Side)
When it comes to The Walters, it's easier to start at the present: The Chicago-formed, LA-based indie-rock quartet are finally releasing their debut LP, Good Company, more than a decade after forming at a DePaul University house party in 2014. In that time, they've seen the first song they ever wrote, ‘I Love You So,’ become a viral sensation, netting 2 billion streams and 10 billion TikTok views. They've played a triumphant set at their hometown Lollapalooza, broken up, reunited, signed to a major label, and gone independent again. All these experiences combine on Good Company to create a swirl of musical escapism: layers of harmonies inspired by vocal groups like The Beach Boys and The Four Tops; the richly textured, progressive-pop charm pioneered by Pet Sounds; the quiet, contemplative lyricism of folk legends like Neil Young; the swagger of more modern acts like Dr. Dog and The Strokes. It's a a genre- (and generational-) spanning set that speaks to audiences with poise and maturity.

CRYSTAL CASTLES - II LP [Reissue/2010] (Pias)
Originally released in 2010, cult electronic duo Crystal Castles' groundbreaking second album, Crystal Castles (II), solidified the band's status as pioneers of chaotic, lo-fi electro with a dark, melancholic edge. The album features some of their most iconic tracks, including ‘Celestica,’ ‘Baptism,' and the glitch-heavy aggression of ‘Doe Deer.’ ‘Not In Love’ - later reworked with The Cure's Robert Smith - stands as one of their most celebrated songs, blending icy synths with raw emotion. A perfect mix of beauty and brutality, Crystal Castles (II) captures the band at their peak and is essential listening for fans of experimental electronica and darkwave.

DWARVES - How To Win Friends And Influence People LP (Greedy)
Limited vinyl LP pressing. Alternate versions of classic Dwarves songs played live in studio 2000. Hyped frenetic tempos. Standout tracks include Follow Me, Speed Demon, Dominator, Surfing the Intercourse Barn.

DON TOLIVER - Love Sick LP [Reissue/2023] (Atlantic)
One time pressing for the 2 Year Anniversary of Love Sick release. Gatefold 2LP, Includes 24x24" poster.

LEE PARKER - ROLLIN' WITH LEO LP (Blue Note)
Leo Parker was the first bebop baritone sax player and a member of Billy Eckstine's Unholy Four saxophone section with Dexter Gordon in the mid-40s. Sidelined in the '50s due to personal troubles, he made a tragically brief comeback in 1961 recording two Blue Note dates, including Rollin' With Leo months before he died. 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.

KOOL KEITH - Karpenters LP (Post Up Music)
Karpenters, the latest album from Kool Keith, produced by Grant Shapiro, stays true to the essence of Hip-Hop: boom bap beats, clever samples, and heavyweight guest features. Hip-Hop legends like Tash (Tha Alkaholiks) and Marc Live (Analog Brothers/Black Elvis) add to the project, complementing Kool Keith's signature eccentric flow. This marks Kool Keith's first official album since the cult classic Black Elvis 2 -a long-awaited release for dedicated fans. The album boasts mixing by J-Styles (Keith's in-house engineer) and mastering by Grammy winner Steve Steve B Baughman, ensuring top-tier sound quality. Leading the charge is the official music video for Super Hits, directed by Wayne Campbell-known for his work on Kool Keith's Love Infringement and videos for artists like Benny The Butcher. With executive production by Kool Keith and distinctive, hard-hitting beats from Grant Shapiro, Karpenters is a project fans have been craving-raw, authentic, and unforgettable.

LIGHTS - A6 LP (Virgin)
Lights' A6 is exactly what it says it is: Album Six. A testament to years of crafting beautiful, affirming and transportive art, A6 draws from a rich well of Lights' experiences - grief, growth, love, and self-discovery. Sonically, it blends Midwest emo, nostalgic new wave, and immersive synth-wave. Written and produced by Lights from her home in British Columba and inspired by sights and sounds of Berlin, A6 captures life's fleeting moments - like notes kept in a journal, too personal to say aloud.

JEFF GOLDBLUM & MILDRED SNITZER ORCHESTRA - Still Blooming CD/LP (Decca)
Jeff Goldblum & the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra presents their new album, Still Blooming. Fresh from his starring roles in Kaos and the hit Wicked movie, Goldblum returns to the piano, joined by guest vocalists Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Scarlett Johansson and Maiya Sykes. The album showcases reimagined jazz standards alongside original compositions, highlighting Goldblum's enduring passion for jazz.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
JEFFREY LEWIS - Even More Freewheelin’ CD/LP
MARK PRTICHARD / THOM YORKE - Tall Tales CD/LP
SLEIGH BELLS - Bunky Becky Birthday Boy CD/LP
SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS - Naturally LP Reissue
ANDRE 3000 - Moving Day LP
RILO KILEY - That’s How We Choose To Remember It CD/LP
THE HEAD AND THE HEART - Aperture CD/LP
SLEEP TOKEN - Even In Arcadia CD/LP
PARTYNEXTDOOR / DRAKE - $OME $EXY $SONGS 4 U CD/LP
SLY & THE FAMILY STONE - SLY LIVES LP
PREOCCUPATIONS - ILL AT EASE LP
DEVO - RECOMBO DNA LP
ROYKSOPP - TRUE ELECTRIC LP
LIGHTNIN HOPKINS - California Mudslide LP Reissue
BUTTHOLE SURFERS - Live At The Leather Fly LP
BELA FLECK - Flight Of The Cosmic LP Reissue
COLA - Gloss LP Reissue
TIM HEIDECKER - Fear Of Death LP
INXS - Listen Like Thieves LP Reissue
ARCADE FIRE - Pink Elephant CD/LP
PETER MURPHY - Silver Shade CD/LP