New Releases & Staff Picks - 8/15/25

STAFF PICKS
 DARIO - Alick Nkhata and Chicago Underground
ASH - Cass McCombs
 JAKE -  Chicago Underground and Pile
KIMBER - Steve Gunn
MARY - Cass McCombs and the Cranberries reissue
 ZACH - Shaki Tavi, Pile, and Mae Powell
DREW - Negative Approach

CASS MCCOMBS - Interior Live Oak CD/LP (Domino)  
Interior Live Oak draws from everything Cass has created over two decades of experimentation to cut through with a direct and clarifying light. Throughout, his attitude is hopeful, which may sound odd for someone who often sings about the more extreme aspects of modern life. Interior Live Oak, however, is the resolve of someone who has lived those extremes. Named after a tree species native to Northern California, the album sees McCombs incorporate the more economical song structures of his prime material with the help of some of his earliest musical cohorts, including Jason Quever (Papercuts) and Chris Cohen. McCombs recorded much of the new material in the Bay Area, not far from where they had cut their musical teeth (as documented on last year’s archival release, Seed Cake On Leap Year). Additional recording in New York City brought with it contributions from other perennial collaborators such as Matt Sweeney and Mike Bones.

PILE - Sunshine & Balance Beams CD/LP/CASS (Sooper Records)  
Sunshine and Balance Beams, Pile's ninth album, is a Sisyphean parable concerned with labor and living. To write it, singer Rick Maguire inhabited a dark place, wrestling with the concept that there is no enlightenment, no end to suffering. Maguire explores workaholism, the myth of meritocracy, and acceptance of mortality-all through a devilish allegory of trudging through a shadowy forest towards the uncertain dream of a bright clearing. Pile wrestles with existential and social contradictions by evoking sonic in-betweens. The music exists somewhere in the temporary equilibrium of light and shadow, chaos and order. Heated rain-like guitars, shifting drums that pave sinuous roads in sound and pace, eerie synths, and aqueous strings add to a panoramic production of loud-quiet dynamism matching the emotionality of the band's thunderous performances.

MARISSA NADLER - New Radiations CD/LP (Sacred Bones)  
The last we heard from Marissa Nadler, she was soaring through The Path of the Clouds and it's companion EP, The Wrath of the Clouds. Now, on her tenth official full-length record, New Radiations, she returns with a raw, intimate, and breathtaking collection of eleven otherworldly songs. From the first note, Nadler's lush voice and intricate fingerpicking are front and center. She layers Everly Brothers-style harmonies over dreamlike, lonesome soundscapes-fuzzed-out distortion, Hammond organ, and ominous synthesizers-that elevate her warm vulnerability with texture and atmosphere. Each track unfolds like a vignette of a life lived, delivering emotional weight that resonates with quiet intensity. Lyrically, she shape-shifts through time and space-inhabiting characters in an airborne Cessna, a spaceship, a getaway car, and alternate dimensions. Her storytelling is cinematic in scope and deeply personal in impact and the contrast between sweet, catchy melodies and dark, visceral lyrics runs deep. Whether singing from the first-person narrative or channeling these other people, the album taps into the universality of love and loss with gravitas and empathy.

CRANBERRIES - No Need To Argue CD/LP/2xLP [Reissue/1994] (Island)  
Celebrating 30 years of their seminal sophomore album, comes The Cranberries' No Need To Argue, their worldwide multi-platinum masterpiece. Available as a single LP or a 2 CD / 2 LP set that includes newly mixed, remastered audio from the original album's producer Stephen Street, 2 brand-new remixes from Chvrches' Iain Cook, unreleased live music from Woodstock '94 and the unearthed demo of fan favorite ‘Zombie.’

BRET MCKENZIE - Freak Out City LP (Sub Pop)  
Bret McKenzie is a Grammy and Academy Award winning artist most well known for his band Flight of the Conchords and their eponymous television show. McKenzie is internationally renowned for singing and writing funny, strange, and unique songs primarily for film and television. Bret's songs have been sung by Kermit the Frog, Celine Dion, Lizzo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brittany Howard, Homer and Lisa Simpson, Fred Armisan, Miss Piggy, Amy Adams, Jason Segal, Ricky Gervais, Benee, Isabela Merced, Spongebob Squarepants, Tony Bennett, Mickey Rooney, and more.This year he is releasing his second solo record, Freak Out City, made up of songs developed while on the road with his eight-piece band. Freak Out City was recorded in both Los Angeles and New Zealand, and co-produced by Bret and his long time collaborator Mickey Petralia.

LARRY JUNE  - Life Is Beautiful  CD/LP  (Freeminded)  
A coast-to-coast celebration of luxury, lessons, and longevity, Life Is Beautiful unites three generational talents at the height of their crafts: Larry June, 2 Chainz, and The Alchemist. Over a collection of Alchemist's warm, soul-soaked loops and refined production, Larry and Chainz trade bars soaked in game, gratitude, and grown-man perspective. It's a record that marries the smooth Polish of West Coast cruising with the Southern charm and swagger of Atlanta, all anchored by the smoky jazz textures and dusty drums that only Alchemist can deliver.

R.J.F. - Cleaning Out The Empty Administration Building LP (Dais)  
Cleaning Out The Empty Administration Building is Ross Farrar's latest offering of raw, spoken word abstraction and experimental sound design, presented here as R.J.F. The front man for American bands Ceremony and SPICE realized his solo recording project initially as a challenge, to write songs from the ground up, learning the instrumentation and excavating his subconscious in the process. The point was not fluency in musicianship as much as vulnerability; to pull something honest from a moment, unguarded, unpolished, unapologetically amateur and pure. The collection finds Farrar engaged in open-ended poetic dialogue, crossing drum patterns and found sounds with stabs of guitar, bass, and keys. After over twenty years in the comfort and chaos of collaboration, Farrar sheds it all as a test. The results are distinctive and stirring. Farrar's punk pathos is present in traces of Cleaning, while his clearest cues come from music built more through repetition: drone, no-wave, Avant-jazz, and beyond.

EVIDENCE - Unlearning Vol. 2 CASS/LP (Rhymesayers)
On the opening track of Unlearning Vol. 2, his fifth solo album, Evidence signals a shift. Set the autopilot, cruising speed, he raps-an image of ease that he quickly upends. The song, fittingly titled ‘Plans Change,’ sets the tone for an album that favors reinvention over routine. Since his days with Dilated Peoples, Evidence has embodied cool precision. But like it's 2021 predecessor, Unlearning Vol. 2 pushes back against the comfort of legacy. It's not just a stylistic evolution-it's a deeper, more instinctive exploration. Instead of leaning on familiar patterns, Evidence delves into raw emotion and personal growth, creating a sound that's both grounded and experimental. His voice cuts through with lyrical complexity and lived-in weight, especially on standouts like ‘Nothing's Perfect’ and ‘Laughing Last.’ Featuring a multi-generational cast of collaborators including The Alchemist, DJ Babu, Blu, Larry June, Conductor Williams, and more, the album is united by a clear mission: to keep growing, keep challenging, and keep turning pain into purpose through sharp, intentional creativity.

SCIENTIST DUBS CULTURE - Into A Parallel Universe LP (Diggers Factory)  
What do you get when you mix a Culture LP with the dub stylings of the master of dub Scientist? An extraordinary LP that is, simply put, out of this world! By implementing the vocals of the great Joseph Hill from Culture and flavoring these with his dub touch, Scientist has flavored this concoction in a way that only he is capable of doing. This stellar release will take you where no man has gone before. Deep into a solar system that has no bounds and where the infinite endless vastness of space has no beginning. And no end. Take the journey beyond our galaxy into a parallel universe and rediscover a dubwise experience that will have you drifting weightless into the inexplicable unknown. Let your mind and body go.

THE MARIAS - Superclean Vol. I & II LP  (Monostereo)  
The Marías' Superclean Vol. I & II are two captivating EPs released in 2017 and 2018 that together form a seamless, dreamy collection of tracks. Infused with soft indie pop, subtle jazz influences, and a hint of psychedelia, the band-helmed by vocalist María Zardoya and drummer/producer Josh Conway-craft a sound that's both timeless and refreshingly unique. This stunning double EP marked an impressive debut, inspiring a wave of Hispanic indie artists and solidifying The Marías' place in the genre.

ALISON GOLDFRAPP - Flux CD/LP (AG Records)  
Alison Goldfrapp's return isn't just a next chapter-it's an artistic rebirth. With the arrival of her second solo album Flux on August 15, the pop icon charts a shimmering new path: bold, vulnerable, and wholly her own. Backed by a legacy of critically acclaimed releases and global acclaim, Flux is poised to be another high-water mark in one of pop's most visionary careers. Built with sonic architect Richard X and synth-pop mastermind Stefan Storm, Flux pushes beyond 2023's The Love Invention into something more expansive and emotionally resonant.

WAYNE SHORTER - The Soothsayer (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition) LP [Reissue/1979] (Blue Note)  
Two months after recording his masterpiece Speak No Evil, saxophonist Wayne Shorter was back in the studio recording The Soothsayer, featuring Freddie Hubbard, James Spaulding, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. The sextet delivers deeply engaged performances of five beguiling Shorter originals plus an arrangement of Sibelius' "Valse Triste." 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.

SHAKI TAVI - Minor Slip LP (Felte Records)  
Minor Slip is the Felte debut from Shaki Tavi, the main project of Oklahoma-born, LA-based DIY lifer Leon Manson and a cadre of friends and commiserators. Through layered squalls of fuzzed-out guitars and overdriven drums, deceptively beautiful pop hooks emerge, illuminated by Manson's weathered, harmonized baritone and knack for inventive structures.

LEE MORGAN  - The Procrastinator (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition) LP [Reissue/1978]  (Blue Note) 
Recorded in 1967 but not released until 1978, Lee Morgan's The Procrastinator stands in hindsight as one of the monumental achievements of the trumpeter's prolific late-60s output. Featuring a phenomenal sextet with Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Billy Higgins, the date produced sublime performances of six pieces by Morgan and Shorter. 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 - Sand Worms (The Songs of Howe Gelb and Giant Sand) LP (Fire Records)
Delving into the Great American Songbook of Howe Gelb, Sandworms is a new collection that rephrases and rephases the legacy of Giant Sand across generations. This release offers bold reinterpretations from Water From Your Eyes, Deradoorian, Jesca Hoop & John Parish, Lily Konigsberg, Holiday Ghosts, Ella Raphael, Monde UFO, The Golden Dregs, and Gently Tender. The ever-present Giant Sand and their one-man cerebral traveller, Howe Gelb, are anchored by a reputation for idiosyncratic storytelling. A “natural storyteller,” Gelb’s multifarious musical delivery adds an enduring sense of wonder as he extols the virtues of happenstance. This collection celebrates the esoteric and singular journey Giant Sand have taken, through alt-country, jazz, lo-fi experiments, and beyond, while their legacy is reimagined here by a new generation of artists paying tribute to their lasting influence.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD - City Of Evil 20th Anniversary Edition LP [Reissue/2005] (Hopeless Records)  With over 2.5 millions copies sold worldwide, City of Evil continues to be one of Avenged Sevenfold's most popular albums. Hopeless Records celebrates 20 years of City with a limited orange and red swirl vinyl.

NEGATIVE APPROACH - Tied Down LP [Reissue/1983] (Touch & Go Records) 
Born in 1981 in Detroit, MI, Negative Approach were the undisputed champs of Midwestern hardcore in the early to mid-'80s. Led by John Brannon's hoarse wail, with OP Moore on drums and brothers Rob and Graham McCulloch playing guitar and bass respectively, the band concocted an extreme sound devoid of frills. This was first documented on their 10 Song 7” released on Touch and Go Records in 1982. The band released the more metallic-sounding Tied Down in 1983. After disbanding Negative Approach in 1985, John Brannon went on to form Laughing Hyenas. For over three decades, Negative Approach's minimalist and aggressive brand of punk has inspired countless hardcore bands around the globe. Their classic LP, Tied Down, is still considered paramount by most hardcore fans new and old.

THIEVERY CORPORATION - Cosmic Game (20th Anniversary Reissue) LP (Primary Wave)
The Cosmic Game is the fourth studio album by electronic music duo Thievery Corporation, originally released in February of 2005. Featured guests on the album include The Flaming Lips, David Byrne (Talking Heads), Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction/Porno For Pyros), Gunjan, Notch and more. The album debuted at number 74 on the UK Albums Chart, and has sold over 151,000 copies in the United States. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of it's release, Primary Wave are re-issuing The Cosmic Game (currently out of print).

AGNOSTIC FRONT / GORILLA BISCUITS / SICK OF IT ALL - Live In N.Y.C. '91 LP (Wargod Collective)  
THREE NYHC LEGENDS. ONE NIGHT. FIRST TIME ON VINYL. The historic ’91 show, finally official and on vinyl, remastered by Zeuss (Rob Zombie, Hatebreed)

JANE REMOVER - REVENGESEEKERZ LP (Deadair)
New album from prolific and genre-bending artist Jane Remover, released April 4th 2025 on deadAir. Featuring Danny Brown on track ‘Pyschoboost’

ALICK NKHATA - Radio Lusaka LP (Mississippi Records)  
Country, township jazz, and pop hits from the height of Zambia’s freedom movement. Vocalist, guitarist, and bandleader Alick Nkhata moved effortlessly between lonesome country slide, big band pop, and air-tight vocal harmonies, all with roots in Bemba and other African traditional songs and rhythms. It’s a dizzying, inclusive, expansive blend from an artist and music archivist who became the voice of his nation’s fight for freedom. Despite Nkhata’s role in Zambian independence and his influence on future generations of African artists, this LP is the first time his music is being reissued on vinyl.

HIBOU - Hibou LP [Reissue/2015] (Barsuk)  
Hibou’s self-titled LP continues to hold a very warm place in the hearts and ears of many fans, ten years after its original release — with several songs logging millions of streaming plays, Peter Michel's debut full-length is a hazy bedroom-pop indie classic. Written, recorded and played by Michel at home in Seattle before he decamped to Paris, Hibou's 11 songs feature a lush, driving mix of '80s inspired pop, fueled by twisting reverbed-out guitar melodies, elegant arrangements, and a love of soda and summertime nostalgia. Long out of print on vinyl, Barsuk is happy to be celebrating the album's 10th anniversary with a new colored vinyl pressing including an insert with new artwork.

RISE AGAINST - Ricochet LP  (Loma Vista) 
Rise Against return with new album Ricochet, their most resounding and reinvigorating music to date. Twelve songs, produced by GRAMMY-winner Catherine Marks and mixed by Alan Moulder, these punk rock pathfinders find a world of constant stimuli, algorithms intended to aggravate and divide. They ask fans to consider who ultimately benefits from this collective division and displeasure. An album massive in sound but centered around the small parts of the psyche that lead to the biggest positive change.

TRES LECHES - Smooth Sounds LP (Brainfeeder)  
What started out a joke for a truly demented promotional campaign became so much more…originally envisioned as the soundtrack to an imaginary supermarket in the album promo for Hiatus Kaiyote’s Love Heart Cheat Code, these sultry and sensual renditions of Hiatus Kaiyote classics soon took a life of their own. And thus was born Tres Leches, a trio of heart wrenching troubadours who aren’t afraid to turn the lights down low and set the mood to “sexy”. Lovingly recorded and mixed in various hotel rooms on off days of a North American tour, these raunchy re-imaginings of Hiatus Kaiyote’s back catalogue are certain to stir the passions, ignite the senses and soothe the savage beast within. So for all the lovers out there, let tonight be the night you surrender yourself to Tres Leches. Tres Leches consists of Hiatus Kaiyote members Paul Bender & Simon Mavin and touring member SilentJay. The trio reimagine Hiatus Kaiyote classics like "Nakamarra", "Red Room", "Make Friends" and more.

CHICAGO UNDERGROUND - Hyperglyh LP (International Anthem)  
Hyperglyph is the first new album in 11 years from composer/trumpeter/synthesist Rob Mazurek and composer/percussionist Chad Taylor’s long-running Chicago Underground Duo project. Mazurek and Taylor have played music together in a multitude of formations over nearly three decades, including their ongoing partnership in Mazurek’s large-format-skyward-expressionism vehicle Exploding Star Orchestra, in the expanded Chicago Underground Trio, Quartet and Orchestra (all with guitarist Jeff Parker), as well as a plethora of other assemblages.

STEVE GUNN - Music For Writers LP (Three Lobed Records)  
Steve Gunn’s compositions, from either his instrumental or vocal-accompanied work, have always been studies in tension. Music for Writers, the first Gunn album under only his name since 2021, takes those studies to a new level. It is an instrumental album based around guitar, synths and more, it leads the listener to tightly and deeply focus on minute changes and variations in style. It is a masterpiece in fragile, small-scale world-building that occupies a unique space within Gunn's wider discography. Composed and recorded during Gunn’s time at the Pedvale Art Residency in Latvia, the tracks result from Gunn pairing new audio to the experiences in the area surrounding the compound and photography he took while on the grounds. The results range from the wistfully evocative and inquisitive “Park Entrance” to the inviting and exploratory “Pedvale Sunrise”. This listener keeps getting pulled into the entrancing gravitational pull of “Slow Singers On The Hill”.

MAE POWELL - Making Room For The Light LP (Karma Chief)
Making Room for the Light, Mae Powell's debut for Karma Chief Records, is the campfire at dawn, when the firepit is replaced with the first stirring of day. Embers, ashes, and smoke of memory give way to percolating coffee and cast-iron breakfasts. Powell's jazz-assured vocals wrap around the headphones with a gauzy dew, as shimmering chords and keys radiate with coming warmth. It's sound is dream, fully giving way to morning, shared with friends and lovers both absent and present. Writing the album over a transitional period in her life, Powell's sophomore album presents the singer/songwriter as both healer and healed, grounded by her connection to nature and sound, ever seeking out spaces to stretch and grow as an artist. Produced by Loving's multi-instrumentalist David Parry, the album was recorded at Risque Disque studio off the coast of Vancouver Island. Making Room for the Light is as much an album title as it is Mae Powell's artist manifesto. Join Mae Powell at the creekside campsite, dip your toes into the warm waters, and luxuriate in the afterglow of this summer record.

SABRES OF PARADISE - Haunted Dancehall LP [Reissue/1994] (Warp)
SABRES OF PARADISE - Sabresonic LP [Reissue/1993] (Warp)
Limited LP reissues, long out of print. Remastered from the original tapes by Matt Colton.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
MAC DEMARCO - Guitar CD/LP
DEFTONES - Private Music CD/LP
LAUFEY - Matter Of Time CD/LP
SUPERCHUNK - Songs In The Key Of Yikes CD/LP
LSD & THE SEARCH FOR GOD - S/T LP Reissue
HOT MULLIGAN - Pilot CD/LP
NOURISHED BY TIME - Passionate Ones CD/LP
CASE OATS - Last Missouri Exit LP
WATER FROM YOUR EYES - It’s A Beautiful Place LP
TYLER THE CREATOR - Cherry Bomb LP Reissue
WOLF ALICE - clearing CD/LP
HAND HABITS - Blue Reminder LP
MINUS THE BEAR - Menos El Oso LP Reissue
DUSTER - Contemporary Movements Anniversary LP Reissue
SMASHING PUMPKINS - Machina LP Reissue