New Releases & Staff Picks - 9/5/25

STAFF PICKS
 DARIO - Jason Molina tribute comp
ASH - Sister Nancy Reissue 
JAKE - Shame
KIMBER - David Byrne and Big Thief 
MARY - Big Thief and Don Cherry reissue 
ZACH - El Michels Affair and Big Thief 
DREW - LARD reissue 

BIG THIEF - Double Infinity CD/LP (4AD) 
It was winter in Manhattan. The streets were frozen and still the band rode bicycles to the Power Station on 53rd and back to Brooklyn for three weeks. Three weeks that would mark the birth of Double Infinity - the album that constitutes a grand departure for Big Thief. An ultramodern community of musicians gathered in the warm wooden room where Bruce once stood. They all tracked together – simultaneously – improvising arrangements and making collective discoveries. Laraaji created drones with zither and an iPad and sang intuitive vocal melodies. Joshua Crumbly played bass; Mikey Buishas made live tape loops and played keys; Mikel Patrick Avery, Jon Nellen, and Caleb Michel played percussion; Adam Brisbin played guitar; and Hannah Cohen, Alena Spanger and June McDoom sang background vocals. Along with core members Adrianne, Buck, and James, the group played for nine hours a day. Double Infinity is the archive of this play. It could only have been produced, engineered, and mixed by longtime Big Thief collaborator Dom Monks.

DAVID BYRNE - Who Is The Sky? CD/LP (Matador Records)  
In 2023, as his triumphant American Utopia era came to a close, David Byrne began jotting down the occasional groove, chord or melody and assembling them into demos he recorded with just an acoustic guitar atop a programmed beat or loop. The prior three years had given him, and much of humanity, the opportunity to ask, Do I like what I'm doing? Why am I writing songs, or working this job, or whatever? Does any of it matter? Byrne's attempts to answer those weighty questions can be found on Who Is The Sky?, a first-time collaboration between himself, producer Kid Harpoon aka Tom Hull (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus) and New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra, and featuring guest appearances by Paramore's Hayley Williams, longtime collaborator St. Vincent and The Smile drummer Tom Skinner. The album builds upon the optimistic themes laid out by American Utopia and it's supporting tour, but more specifically spelled out by the Grammy-winning Broadway show and subsequent movie. With this offering, Byrne continues his lifelong exploration of human connection and the potential for societal unity against the chaotic backdrop of the world. Who Is the Sky? is particularly personal, cinematic, humorous and joyful, but often with a lesson baked in - that love is unexplainable, that enlightenment means very different things to different people and that it's always a good idea to moisturize, whether you wake up the next morning with skin like a baby or not. Most importantly, the songs evince Byrne's gift for riding the razor's edge of avant-garde and accessible pop.

EL MICHELS AFFAIR - 24 Hr Sports CD/LP/CASS (Big Crown)
Leon Michels has quietly become one of the most sought-after producers in music. His signature sound has caught the attention of the mainstream while continuing to inspire the underground. His new album 24 Hr Sports marks the highly anticipated return to recording under his own moniker, El Michels Affair. 24 Hr Sports was inspired by the fashion and graphic design of '80s & '90s Sports Illustrated magazines, MF DOOM's Special Herbs albums, the sample sources used on them, and gospel music a la Pastor T. L. Barrett. The sum of those influences with Michels' impeccable creative touch prove to be the recipe for an instant classic that will surely be one of the most heralded releases of 2025.

SAINT ETIENNE - International CD/LP (Heavenly)  
After Saint Etienne's 35-year excursion through pop, International, is their final album-length statement. A dreamlike drift with friends and collaborators, International features cameos from the higher echelons of pop - 80s chart heroes, electro, acid house and all points in-between - from Vince Clarke to Nick Heyward, Confidence Man to Erol Alkan, Chemical Brothers, Orbital, Doves and Xenomania, through to the lesser known, but equally exhilarating Augustin Bousfield and Flash Cassette. Saint Etienne are the 90s band who never left us, never imploded, and never adhered to clichéd excess. They are a testament to getting along, getting on with creating something new and, of course, getting away with it.

IVY - Traces Of You CD/LP (Bar/None Records)  
With Adam Schlesinger's untimely passing from COVID-19 in 2020, the Ivy trio never thought there would be another album. But the band had actually been storing a large trove of unfinished songs and demos in a Rhode Island storage locker dating back to their beginnings. In 2023, while prepping the recent vinyl releases of their catalog, Andy Chase and Dominique Durand took a trip to Rhode Island and listened to the tapes they had left there all those years ago; tapes labeled with notes like Adam's Wacky Idea 1997, Stupid Cat 2005 or This one might be good for Shallow Hal.The pair, along with their longtime friend Bruce Driscoll (Freedom Fry), decided to return to the studio and flesh out the bones of those recordings. While they would never feel right about putting out an album under the Ivy moniker without Adam, they realized they didn't have to. Adam had already written and recorded his parts - he is on every song. The trio also enlisted friends that had been involved with making Ivy's records through the years to join them in the studio to bring these songs to life.Traces of You encapsulates everything that we love and have always loved about Ivy.

SHAME - Cutthroat CD/LP (Dead Oceans)  
Cutthroat is shame at their blistering best. An unapologetic new album with Grammy winning producer John Congleton at the helm; it's souped up and supercharged. It's exactly where you want shame to be. Still in their twenties, the five childhood friends - Charlie Steen, guitarists Sean Coyle-Smith and Eddie Green, bassist Josh Finerty and drummer Charlie Forbes - have grown Shame exponentially, with ambitious sonic ideas and the technical chops to execute them. Having proved themselves several times over with legendary live shows and three critically-acclaimed albums under their belts, Shame went into Cutthroat ready to create a new Ground Zero.

MF DOOM - Metal Fingers Presents: Special Herbs Series -  CD/CASS/LP (Rhymesayers)  
One of the most expansive instrumental Hip Hop series to date, MF DOOM’s lauded Special Herbs collection assembles a mountainous collection of his beats, ranging from series exclusives to slightly reworked favorites he produced for himself and others. Released under the alias Metal Fingers, Special Herbs succeeds at capturing DOOM’s highly influential sound which continually breaks and reinterprets the rules of the game in favor of The Super-Villain. The world is a treasure trove of sounds, and the Metal-Fingered DOOM accepts no limits; ’70s Soul/Funk classic, ’80s R&B hits, rap nostalgia, and even soundbites from children’s records & TV all find their place in the ingredients needed to perfect his recipes.

HOT CHIP - Joy In Repetition LP (Domino) 
Joy In Repetition covers Hot Chip's work, from their landmark EMI/DFA debut, The Warning, and traces their artistic evolution up to the present day. Alongside new track "Devotion," the comp is packed with stone-cold bangers from across their career: "Ready For The Floor,” “I Feel Better,” and “Flutes,” to name a few. "Devotion" sees the band in full voice, merging pop hooks with their unique dance floor mentality. Joy In Repetition highlights the consistency of their stellar career so far and cements their status as one of the most important British groups in the last two decades. To complement this, the album comes housed in a cover designed by legendary British pop artist Peter Blake, mastermind behind the iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band artwork, and features a little monkey with a miniature cymbal (a little nod to "Over and Over")

CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN - Telephone Free Landslide Victory CD/LP [Reissue/1985] (Cooking Vinyl)  
To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Camper Van Beethoven’s groundbreaking debut Telephone Free Landslide Victory, the album is being reissued in a deluxe edition featuring a previously unreleased 11 track demo recorded in 1983 plus B-sides and rarities. It also includes a 16-page booklet and sleevenotes from Victor Krummenacher. Featuring the cult classic “Take the Skinheads Bowling”, the album showcases Camper Van Beethoven’s unique blend of folk, punk, ska, and absurdist wit. Beloved for its playful, offbeat charm and eclectic instrumentation, Telephone Free Landslide Victory cemented the band’s status as pioneers of alternative music.

LUCERO - Nobody's Darlings (20th Anniversary) LP (Liberty & Lament)  
It would be difficult to find a band that is more self-aware than longtime touring band Lucero. Since forming in Memphis in the late 90's, Lucero's base musical hallmarks have remained similar to the band's initial sound established with their first record The Attic Tapes. In the history of their expansive discography, Lucero has evolved and embraced everything from southern rock to Stax-inspired Memphis soul, whilst simultaneously maintaining their distinctive sonic foundations. Years later, dedicated fans of the group still flock to hear the band's punchy driving rhythms, punk-rooted guitar licks, and lyrics that evoke the whiskey drenched sentimentality of Americana singer-songwriters. Originally released in 2005, Nobody's Darlings garnered positive reviews and helped launch the band into the next phase of their career. The original LP has been out of print for years, and has now been remastered and exclusively repressed for the 20th anniversary on a limited amount of opaque white vinyl & classic 140g black vinyl.

VARIOUS ARTISTS - I Will Swim To You: A Tribute to Jason Molina LP (Run For Cover)  
Jason Molina was an artist who didn't like to look back. Throughout the singer-songwriter's life and career, a restless and evolving creative pulse propelled him forward, training his focus on what was next. His unyielding creativity and work ethic bore sacred fruit. In his short life, Molina achieved what most musicians strive for: a sound that is instantly recognizable but rarely repeats itself.  From the banks of Lake Erie in his hometown Lorain, Ohio, to international stages with his bands Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co., Molina performed his vast catalog of mysterious, romantic, tempestuous, and monumental songs that were at once innovative and rooted in American tradition. He consistently tinkered with his sound, image, band, and homebase in order to sate his muse. Tenor guitar-toting misfit. Lovesick lo-fi indie rocker. Dirgey slowcore bard. 21st century roots-rock trailblazer. Canonical Midwestern songwriter. Jason Molina planted his creative flag in all of these territories - to stake his claim, convey how far he'd traveled, and leave behind a trail of precious talismans.  With I Will Swim to You: A Tribute to Jason Molina - named after a line in Molina's song ‘Lioness’ - Run For Cover Records and a coterie of affiliated artists honor the songwriter's enduring impact. The compilation of Molina covers is performed by some of today's most visionary singer-songwriters, including MJ Lenderman, Hand Habits, Horse Jumper of Love, Sun June and more, and includes singular interpretations of Molina fan favorites and deep cuts from his solo albums and lesser-known EPs. As part of the tribute, 10% of the profits from each record will be donated to MusiCares, a nonprofit that helped Molina when he was struggling with addiction.

SPINAL TAP - This Is Spinal Tap O.S.T. LP (Polydor)  
This Is Spinal Tap is newly remastered by Bernie Grundman from the soundtrack's original stereo analog master tapes to celebrate the new movie out on September 12th.

LA DISPUTE - No One Was Driving The Car CD/LP (Epitaph)
It's been six years since La Dispute released their last album, Panorama. The fifth studio LP is the first entirely produced by the group, and it came together in Grand Rapids and Detroit, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Philippines. Partly inspired by the 2017 psychological thriller First Reformed, No One Was Driving The Car reckons with malaise in the shadow of the looming apocalypse, which has noticeably been worsened by the advancement of tech. The title comes from a quote from a police officer Dreyer read in a news article about a lethal self-driving Tesla crash, an absurd event which raises questions about the amount of control we have in our own lives. In fourteen dynamic tracks, the band grapples with the existential topic and the human need to find comfort and a sense of security in an existence where we're often thrust into chaos without permission.

LARD - Pure Chewing Satisfaction LP (Alternative Tentacle)  
Lard's Pure Chewing Satisfaction is the second landmark album of the industrial-hardcore collision between vocals of Jello Biafra with the patented wall of noise assault and studio wizardry of Ministry founders Paul Barker and Al Jourgensen! Originally released in 1997, Pure Chewing Satisfaction is a dark, frightening look at everything wrong in America, and it rings as true now as it ever has. Lyrically it's pessimistic and apocalyptic, tackling topics like looking for work, the legacy of the Me Generation and their failures, to environmental disasters. Sonically, the album is an avalanche of both real and electronic drums, menacing effects galore, and layers of machine gun guitars. Not quite punk rock, nor completely industrial-this is Lardcore for the people! A must have for fans of Jello Biafra's work and of Ministry, the result remains another classic release from this legendary collaboration. This long awaited repress now features in addition to the wide release on black vinyl, a limited solid-pink vinyl edition! Praise The Lard!

LONDON SUEDE - Antidepressants LP (BMG)
The London Suede are back with their 10th studio album Antidepressants. The album is a milestone achievement that sees the band at the top of their game. It follows the success of their critically acclaimed ninth UK Top 10 album Autofiction, released in September 2022, which charted at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and was their highest-charting release in over 20 years.

N8NOFACE - As Of Right Now LP (Stones Throw) 
As Of Right Now is synth-punk/new wave artist N8NOFACE’s (pronounced “Nate-no-face”) Stones Throw debut. A collection of love songs on which N8 explores his vulnerable, tender side, singing of loving life in the present – as of right now.

ORCUTT SHELLEY MILLER - Orcutt Shelley Miller LP (Silver Current)  
Orcutt Shelley Miller is an avant-rock trio comprised of three highly celebrated figures of experimental music: Bill Orcutt (Harry Pussy), Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) and Ethan Miller (Howlin Rain, Comets On Fire). Following in the footsteps of the high-firing free jazz and European outer-rock bands of the '60s and '70s and the Pacific Rim's subterranean reimagining of rock form in the '90s, Orcutt Shelley Miller utilize explosive group chemistry, focused intention and chance to pursue the creation of song in it's rawest, purest form. The landscape Orcutt Shelley Miller inhabits lies deep in the stoner American bedrock, fed by volcanic riffage and hypnotic phrasing with rhythmic nods to the SoCal '60s and atonal slash piled on a mid '80s SST punk-fusionoid substrate, ultimately blasting a 'big rock statement' that treads the line between good times and blown minds. -Tom Carter

SISTER NANCY - One Two LP [Reissue/1982] (VP Records)
Sister Nancy ‘Bam Bam’ on the Stallag Riddim is arguably the most licensed dancehall track, for advertising and film backgrounds with multiple uses since 2000. The song has also displayed amazing lasting power for club DJs, with it's instantly recognizable hooks. This album, originally release in 1982, showcased Sister Nancy for the world on the heels of a hit that has only gotten bigger over the decades. This is the first legimate re-issue of the album, since the death of producer and Techniques label founder, Winston Riley.

DON CHERRY - Complete Communion (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) LP [Reissue/1965] (Blue Note Records)  
Cornetist Don Cherry first rose to prominence as part of the revolutionary Ornette Coleman Quartet in 1959, but it wasn't until he signed with Blue Note in 1965 that he began his leader career with a run of fiery albums including his bold debut, Complete Communion, featuring Gato Barbieri, Henry Grimes and Ed Blackwell. This stereo Blue Note Tone Poet Series 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.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
FRUIT BATS - BABY MAN CD/LP
DEVENDRA BANHART - Cripple Crow LP Reissue
JOHN PRINE - Lost Dogs + Mixed Blessings CD/LP
JENS LEKMAN - Songs For Other People’s Weddings CD/LP
MICHAEL HURLEY - Broken Homes & Gardens CD/LP
KARATE - If You Can Hold Your Breath LP Box Set
DANCE GAVIN DANCE - Pantheon CD/LP
TWENTY ONE PILOTS - Breach CD/LP
ED SHEERAN - Play CD/LP
SPINAL TAP - The End Continues CD/LP
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - Blue Nowhere CD/LP
LA LOM - Live At Thalia Hall LP
KING PRINCESS - Girl Violence LP
MARK WILLIAM LEWIS - Self Titled CD/LP