New Releases & Staff Picks - 5/24/24

STAFF PICKS
Lindsay - DIIV, Vanishing Twin, and Young Jesus
Dario - Vanishing Twin, La Luz, and Tom Skinner
Kimber - Andrew Bird 
Jake - DIIV and Tom Skinner
Zach - Young Jesus, Gravediggaz reissue, DIIV, and Aquabats reissues 
Ash - Lonnie Smith

DIIV – Frog In Boiling Water CD/LP (Fantasy)
Produced by Chris Coady and written by DIIV (pronounced Dive), Frog In Boiling Water, the band’s fourth full-length LP, is a collection of snapshots that explore the brutal realities of end-stage capitalism and overwhelming technological advances. Across 10 dark and dazzling tracks, DIIV documents the collapse from various angles with unusual sensitivity and depth of purpose while expanding their grand, hypnotic shoegaze to create a transportive, sensual work of hope, beauty, and renewal. [An indie store exclusive green color vinyl pressing is available.]

Twenty One Pilots – Clancy CD/LP/Cassette (Fueled By Ramen)
Clancy marks Twenty One Pilots’ first studio album in three years and follows their RIAA Gold certified LP, Scaled And Icy. With details of the release teased to fans via cryptic mailings and covert artswaps on streaming services, “Overcompensate” welcomes listeners back to the band’s immersive world of Trench. Co-produced by Joseph and Paul Meany, Clancy marks the final chapter in an ambitious multi-album narrative first introduced in the band's 2015 multi-Platinum breakthrough, Blurryface. Twenty One Pilots extended the ambitious concept laid out in Blurryface with their 2018 Platinum-certified album Trench. [An indie store exclusive clear with red splatter color vinyl pressing is available.] 

Wallows – Model CD/LP (Atlantic)
Multi-platinum alt-rock trio Wallows release their highly anticipated third studio album, Model. Wallows (composed of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters and Cole Preston) have been best friends since the age of 11. They began playing music together in the L.A. music program Join the Band almost two decades ago and haven’t stopped since. In March 2022, the band released their sophomore album, Tell Me That It’s Over, produced by 3x Grammy Award-winner Ariel Rechtshaid (Vampire Weekend, Haim, Adele). Tell Me That It’s Over saw Wallows continuing their ever-evolving journey of sonic exploration, fusing a vast array of musical ideas – from lo-fi post-punk and indie-folk to early ’90s dance-pop psychedelia – into their own one-of-a-kind creative vision. [An indie store exclusive purple/red horizon color vinyl pressing is available.]

Andrew Bird Trio – Sunday Morning Put-On CD/LP (Loma Vista)
Inspired by a lifetime of listening to jazz and woodshedding, Andrew Bird on his new album Sunday Morning Put-Onpresents his take on the Great American Songbook. Andrew Bird Trio features Ted Poor (drums) and Alan Hampton (bass), and transcends nostalgia, pushing his limits as an improviser. Replacing saxophones with violin solos and showcasing Andrew's signature vocal prowess, the trio reimagines jazz standards completely live in Southern California’s legendary Valentine Studios. [An indie store exclusive translucent ruby red color vinyl pressing is available.]

Danger Mouse & Jemini – Born Again CD/LP (Lex)
Celebrated producer and musician Danger Mouse and prodigiously talented New York rapper Jemini are gearing up to release their long-delayed second collaborative album, Born Again. Enthused by the response to Ghetto Pop Life, soon after Danger Mouse and Jemini began to tour and to write and record Born Again. Finally, having been recorded two decades ago and indefinitely shelved until now, Born Again will finally be released to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of Ghetto Pop Life. [An indie store exclusive Pacific blue color vinyl pressing is available.]

Danger Mouse & Jemini – Ghetto Pop Life [Reissue/2003] LP (Lex)
Ghetto Pop Life is a collaborative studio album by Danger Mouse and Jemini The Gifted One. Originally released on Lex Records in 2003 it has been out of print for several years and is now being reissued to coincide with the release of Born Again. Features guest appearances from Tha Liks, J-Zone, Prince Po, and the Pharcyde.

La Luz – News Of The Universe CD/LP (Sub Pop)
"I was in a dream, but now I can see that change is the only law." With a credo adapted from science fiction author Octavia E. Butler, an album title from a collection of metaphysical poetry, and an expansion in consciousness brought on by personal crisis, guitarist and songwriter Shana Cleveland learns to embrace a changing world with unconditional love on News Of The Universe, the new full-length from California rock band La Luz. News Of The Universe is a record born of calamity, a work of dark, beautiful psychedelia reflecting Cleveland's experience of having her world blown apart by a breast cancer diagnosis just two years after the birth of her son. It's also a portrait of a band in flux, marking the first appearance for drummer Audrey Johnson and the final ones from longtime members bassist Lena Simon and keyboardist Alice Sandahl, whose contributions add a bittersweet edge to a record that is both elegy for an old world and cosmic road map to a strange new one. [An orange crush color vinyl pressing is available.]

Rival Sons – Head Down [Reissue/2012] CD/2xLP (Sacred Tongue)
Grammy-nominated band Rival Sons release a remastered version of their 2012 album Head Down. The critically acclaimed third full-length album was widely celebrated as a game-changer for the band garnering accolades from across the globe. Head Down includes the hit single and fan favorite “Keep On Swinging”, plus poppy retro dance numbers “Until The Sun Comes” and “Wild Animal”. An album that showcases the versatility of Rival Sons, Head Down also includes the classic ballad of death and loss “Jordan” and “Manifest Destiny Parts 1 & 2”, an epic stonking room shaker of betrayal and revenge of the Native American People. 

Paul Weller – 66 CD/LP (Capitol)
In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary music, few artists possess the enduring influence and innovative spirit of Paul Weller. A recording career that began in 1977 now takes in the release of his 17th solo album and his 28th in total. Weller has always demonstrated an unwavering commitment to pushing artistic boundaries while staying true to his roots. 66 promises to be no exception, offering a captivating journey through his continuing musical evolution. [An indie store exclusive blue color vinyl pressing is available.]

The Aquabats – The Return Of The Aquabats [Reissue/1996] 2xLP (Gloopy)
The Aquabats – The Fury Of The Aquabats! [Reissue/1997] 2xLP (Gloopy)
The Aquabats – The Aquabats Vs. The Floating Eye Of Death! [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Gloopy)
Originally released in 1996, The Return Of The Aquabats marks the debut of The Aquabats, establishing their unique musical style, signature look, and chaotic attitude. A ska-centric explosion, the album also takes its cues from the Orange County surf, new wave, and punk scenes that shaped the identities of the band's members. Nostalgia, science fiction, and a heavy dose of sarcasm set the tone for the future of the world's greatest group of punk rock superheroes. [Various colors are available.]

Rayland Baxter – Imaginary Man [Reissue/2015] LP (ATO)
Clear vinyl pressing. Imaginary Man followed Baxter's highly praised debut Feathers & Fishhooks. Of the album, Baxter comments, "To me, Imaginary Man is an audible record of my journey down the bright blue river of imagination. It is a multicolored dream of song, a sonic birdbath if you may. The sounds and songs are as visual as they are tactile and it shows a bit more of who I have become as an artist, as continual and never-ending as that process is."

David Bowie – Diamond Dogs [50th Anniversary Half-Speed Master] LP (Rhino/Parlophone)
Diamond Dogs is the eighth studio album by David Bowie, originally released in 1974. Bowie produced the album and recorded it in early 1974 in London and the Netherlands, following the disbanding of his backing band the Spiders from Mars and the departure of producer Ken Scott. Musically, it was Bowie's final album in the glam rock genre, though some songs were influenced by funk and soul music, which Bowie embraced on his next album, Young Americans (1975). [A limited-edition picture disc pressing is available.]

Drive By Truckers – English Oceans [Reissue/2014] 2xLP (ATO)
10th anniversary edition of the tenth studio album by Drive-By Truckers. English Oceans was lauded with 4-star reviews from MOJO and Uncut Magazine upon its release in 2014, while The Guardian proclaimed, "it finds their soulful, classic-rock storytelling at its best." Limited edition sea glass blue LP with a new Side D etching.

Laibach – Opus Dei [Reissue/1987] CD/LP (Mute)
Opus Dei is the third studio album by Slovenian band Laibach, released in 1987. It features "Geburt einer Nation" ("birth of a nation"), a German language cover version of Queen's "One Vision", and two reworkings of the Austrian band Opus' sole international hit single "Live Is Life". The Opus song became the German language "Leben heißt Leben" and the English language "Opus Dei". "The Great Seal" is the national anthem of the NSK State, the lyrics taken from Churchill's "We shall fight on the beaches" speech. A new arrangement of the song appears on Laibach's album Volk, with the title "NSK".

Bill MacKay - Locust Land LP (Drag City)
Rolling and tumbling in his own sweet way, guitarist Bill MacKay discovers a territory all his own: Locust Land. New vistas abound: Bill adds a measure of keyboard playing to his picking mastery, sings a few more, and, a devout and ceaseless collaborator, features a few other players (Sam Wagster, Mikel Patrick Avery and Janet Beveridge Bean). Whether played solo or with companions, Bill’s music projects the strength of the universal collective. 

Carlos Niño - Placenta CD/LP (International Anthem)
Placenta is the fourth collection of imaginative and highly collaborative Carlos Niño & Friends music released on International Anthem since 2021. Perhaps more notably for the zeitgeist of today, it's the first new music to be released by Carlos Niño & Friends following the November 2023 release of André 3000’s New Blue Sun – which Carlos produced alongside André, co-writing, co-creating/playing, and co-mixing every song. The announcement of Placenta comes while Carlos is on tour with André, where Carlos offers an immense presence as music director, bandleader and percussionist, performing alongside several of his closest collaborators who are featured on his & Friends albums, including Placenta.

Goat - Gallows Pole: Original Score LP (Rocket)
Following the original, digital only, release of Goat’s score for ‘The Gallows Pole’ TV series, we are now thrilled to announce an expanded, ltd edition vinyl version. The Gallows Pole is a three-part Element Pictures production, written and directed by Shane Meadows which was aired in the UK on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. This new vinyl version of the ‘The Gallows Pole: Original Score’ differs from the previous digital release as it now only features the music which was specifically written for the series itself – it doesn’t include the three, previously released back catalog tracks. Instead, this vinyl edition contains three ‘unused/unreleased’ tracks: ‘Goat Witch’, ‘Timeless Awareness’ and ‘Kampsång (Instrumental)’. These tracks have not, up-to-now, been heard by anyone apart from Shane Meadows himself. 

Machinedrum – 3FOR82 LP+MP3 (Ninja Tune)
Following last year's formidable 4#TRAX EP- a love letter to the TRAX community that helped shape a young Travis Stewart into the phenomenal producer we know today- Machinedrum returns with his first studio album since 2020, 3FOR82. 3FOR82 features an incredible cast of collaborators including the likes of Tinashe, Tanerélle, Duckwrth, Mick Jenkins, AKTHESAVIOR, KUČKA, deem spencer, Jesse Boykins III, Deniro Farrar & Topaz Jones. The record builds on the themes of reflection, this time a letter to his teenage self as he set out making music. The album deftly switches across hip hop, soul, UKG, liquid drum and bass, footwork, R&B, maximalist electronica, and abstract jazz beats.

Red Fang – Red Fang [Reissue/2008] LP+MP3 (Sargent House)
Limited silver and red splatter color vinyl LP pressing. Red Fang is the formation of long time friends and collaborators Bryan Giles (Last of the Juanitas, Party Time), Aaron Beam (Dark Forces, Lachrymator), David Sullivan (Party Time, facedowninshit, Shiny Beast) and John Sherman (Party Time, Bad Wizard, Trumans Water, All Night). Unleashed on New Year's Eve of 2006 in Portland, Oregon, Red Fang stormed out of the gates, introducing a sweaty, seething basement to a new kind of unforgettable fist-pumping, beer-chugging rock music.

Nathaniel Russell – Songs Of LP (Psychic Hotline)
Nathaniel Russell is a multi-disciplinary artist from Indiana who creates drawings, paintings, prints, murals, objects, videos, and music, often with friends and fellow artists. And in 2023, he packed up his car and drove from his home in Indiana all the way to North Carolina to record new music with his long-time friend Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso, The A's) at Betty's, the wooded studio haven of Sylvan Esso, where recent releases from The Tallest Man on Earth, Caroline Rose, Wednesday, The A's, The Mountain Goats, Flock of Dimes, Indigo de Souza, and many more have been born. This record began with a funny and sad idea Russell had about a funeral.

Lonnie Smith – Funk Reaction [Reissue/1977] LP (Mr Bongo)
Funk Reaction finds Hammond B3 organ virtuoso Lonnie Smith at his most dancefloor friendly. Dripping with groove and swagger, this album skates between jazz-funk, cosmic disco radiance, beat-laden slow-jams, and conscious psychedelic soul.

Various Artists – PUNK 45: There Is No Such Thing As Society Get A Job, Get A Car, Get Drunk! Underground Punk And Post-Punk in the UK 1977-81 [Reissue/2013] 2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
A collection of seminal, classic, obscure, and rare punk and post-punk singles from the likes of The Mekons, Johnny Moped, The Killjoys, The Rings and many more which all chart the rise of independent music and Do It Yourself culture that exploded in the wake of punk and during the years of Britain under Margaret Thatcher. The album comes complete with text, biographies on each of the bands, exclusive photos and original record artwork and is newly available as a limited-edition super-loud, super-heavy double gatefold-sleeve vinyl edition.

Sun Ra – Excelsior Mill LP (Modern Harmonic)
Limited violet color pressing. The outsized sounds emerging from the Excelsior Mill organ captured here constitute a unique chapter in the Sun Ra story, a dizzying phantasmagoria that offers a whole new view on what Ra could do. It might thrill you; it might unnerve you; it might strum your heartstrings; it might spook the living daylights out of you. Most likely you'll experience all the above before the jolting musical jeremiad is done.

Xymox – Twist Of Shadows [Reissue/1989] LP (Rubellan Remasters)
Pink & yellow colorway. After two independent albums, in which the term 'darkwave' was coined to describe their music, Clan Of Xymox (temporarily) became known as simply Xymox and signed with major label Wing/Polygram. The first album after these changes was Twist Of Shadows. Released in 1989 and produced by Peter Walsh (of Simple Minds fame), the album added a crystalline sheen to the still gothic-tinged music.

Dead Boys - Third Generation Nation LP (Cleopatra)
Lost sessions remastered and presented with all-new artwork! These songs showcase the Dead Boys' raw, energetic sound that made them one of the most revered punk rock bands of all-time!

Fania All-Stars - Latin - Soul - Rock LP (Fania)
A star-studded collab between Fania All Stars and guests such as Jorge Santana, Billy Cobham, Manu Dibango and Jan Hammer that was recorded live and in the studio. Live tracks were taken from the historic "Live At Yankee Stadium" and the Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente Stadium show. Featuring "El Raton," "Soul Makossa" and other tracks that demonstrate the All Stars' ability to fuse jazz, rock, soul and salsa as only they could do. 50th Anniversary LP on 180g vinyl in paper-wrapped gatefold jacket.

Tom Skinner - Voices of Bishara: Live at Mu CD/LP (International Anthem)
In January 2023, Tom Skinner and his ensemble performed material from his recently released album Voices of Bishara at London club “mu”— a venue founded by the curators at Brilliant Corners and named after the seminal Don Cherry live album. The set was augmented by a rendition of Tony Williams’ “Red” and three pieces by Abdul Wadud, whose 1977 self-released solo cello album, By Myself, was a primary inspiration for Voices of Bishara. Hearing Skinner’s compositions - flexed and stretched with extended improvisation, and in context with works by Wadud and Williams - both places them and this band firmly in the creative music continuum they honor, and provides us with an unobstructed view of where that continuum is leading us. 

Vanishing Twin - Age of Immunology pink reissue LP (Fire)
Vanishing Twin’s seminal LP, The Age Of Immunology, receives a LTD edition pressing on None ‘Pink’ and Sine ‘Teal’ vinyl, limited to 500 units each and paired with matching sleeve art. As essential take on psych-pop futurism and a must for fans of Broadcast, Sun Ra and Ennio Morricone.

Young Jesus - The Fool CD/LP (Saddle Creek)
John Rossiter (Young Jesus) had quit music to study permaculture and to work in landscapes and gardens. His last album, Shepherd Head, was too much time spent on the computer. Working with soil and plants gave him some life back. He said, “You know, when gardening, the right decision to make for the landscape is usually the one that is already happening. It just takes time to read what that is." So, John left the orchard to meet Shahzad Ismaily (Feist, Lou Reed, Arooj Aftab) for lunch. They instantly bonded, talking about improvisation, rhythm, the heart. On a lark, Shahzad invited John to New York. Songs started to form, songs about shame and grief, love and redemption. They came fast, a song a day for two weeks. It was different from past albums, which felt like years of hammering out lyrics and ideas. This one came in the wake of a long illness, where tunes came in a rush, as if they were physical, as if the body couldn’t heal without them. An almost involuntary outpouring, overrunning his usual self-consciousness.

Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep LP reissue (Gee Street)
2 LP, blood splatter. "Digging graves of the mentally dead and resurrecting their state of unawareness and ignorance." Frukwan describes the meaning of the group's name. Helping give birth to hip-hop’s subgenre of Horrorcore and one of hip-hop's first supergroups, Gravediggaz was born at a time when all four members were at low points in their careers. Already one of hip-hop’s most legendary producers, Prince Paul was at a crossroads in his career resulting in experimenting with darker-sounding beats. He recruited a young soon-to-be legendary producer RZA, who was at a different type of crossroads in his career, not having the best experiences with various labels before going on to start the global phenomenon that is The Wu-Tang Clan

COMING NEXT WEEK!
MARIAS - Submarine CD/LP
BAT FOR LASHES - Dream Of Delphi CD/LP
AROOJ AFTAB - Night Reign CD/LP
LUCIUS - Wildewoman (The New Recordings) CD/LP
CROWDED HOUSE - Gravity Stairs CD/LP
HABIBI -Dreamachine CD/LP
MAYA HAWKE - Chaos Angel CD/LP
RICHARD THOMPSON - Ship To Shore CD/LP
JOHN MORELAND - Visitor CD/LP
SOFTIES - Holiday In Rhode Island LP
THOU - Umbilical LP
JPEGMAFIA - All My Heroes Are Cornballs LP reissue
JPEGMAFIA - LP LP reissue
JPEGMAFIA - Veteran LP reissue
BONNIE PRINCE BILLY / NATHAN SALSBURG - Hear The Children Sings The Evidence LP
ERIC CHENAUX TRIO - Delights Of My Life CD/LP
R.E.M. - Fables Of The Reconstruction CD/LP reissue
OMAR APOLLO - Friends LP reissue