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What's New 5-26-23
Third ManAt the end of the day, Guitar Romantic is simply a fucking awesome power-pop record that would've been just as relevant and engaging twenty-five years ago, and will undoubtedly be just as fun twenty-five years down the road. It may seem glaringly retro on the surface, but The Exploding Hearts have released an album that is, at its core, ageless.
WarpSome people have commented that Tinariwen have always been a country band, albeit a North African take on the genre. That idea is magnified here as the Tuareg band’s trademark snaking guitar lines and hypnotic rhythms blending seamlessly with pedal steel, piano and strings from guest musicians including Daniel Lanois, the embellished arrangements lending the songs an epic, universal application.
Thirty TigersThe three-time Grammy nominees sound refreshed on 10 new songs distilled to the essence of The Milk Carton Kids: two voices blended together in spellbinding harmony, accompanied by subtly perfect acoustic instrumentation. Turns out that’s a tough sound to get just right, but I Only See the Moon shows just how much the duo were willing to work for it.
AtlanticThe tongue-in-cheek and aloof record finds its roots in covert sapphic, and paradoxical narratives, kaleidoscopic soundscapes and cool, grunge-fueled vocals. Complete with obscure and frank lyricism, I Am The Dog staples itself as one of this year's best. Featuring songwriting contributions from Teddy Geiger (Caroline Polachek, Sylvan Esso) and Sarah Tudzin (Weyes Blood, Slowdive).
RounderThis is a body of work born from a shared passion for pushing the limits of blues music. Produced by the legendary Jon Spencer, Death Wish Blues melds eclectic sensibilities into a batch of songs both emotionally potent and wildly combustible and helps fulfill their shared longtime mission of opening up the genre to entirely new audiences.
Sub PopAperture is Jadagu’s coming-of-age mixtape, chronicling bad breakups (scuzzy garage rocker “What You Did”), sibling allyship (the glitchy “Admit It”) and leaving behind a religious upbringing (distorted diary entry “Letter To Myself”); while opener “Explanation”’s hazy vocals and synthesized strings is Mazzy Star updated for the TikTok generation.
Sub Pop"The Become EP is a collection of 5 songs from the Once Twice Melody sessions. We didn't think they fit in the world of OTM, but later realized they all fit in a little world of their own. To us, they are all kind of scuzzy and spacious, and live in the spirit realm. It's not really where we are currently going, but it's definitely somewhere we have been. We hope you enjoy these tunes.” - Alex and Victoria
Jealous Butcher RecordsPart experimental indie and part ‘70s soft rock, Califone’s first record in three years reaches new levels of harmony, fragility, and confidence. Whether detailing aging goths retaining their identity through year-long spooky decorations, an imagined conversation with an inbred monarch, or the conflicts between identity and technology, Villagers spreads out and luxuriates in the messy darkness of modern life.
CapitolA source of empathy through emotional lows and affirmations through emotional highs, Broken By Desire… is a continuation of, more than an evolution from, his debut. Channelling sadness and self-doubt to forge connection, this album is what Lewis’ music has always strived to be: a testament to the strength that can be found in heart-wrenching sincerity.
Loma VistaGhost follows last year’s opus Impera as intended from the start with Phantomime, a diverse and spellbinding sampling of the band’s musical DNA. Featuring covers of classics by Television, Genesis, The Stranglers, Iron Maiden and Tina Turner, Phantomime pays tribute to these unlikely bedfellow influences while stamping them all with Ghost’s undeniable sonic signature.
UMeRock and classical royalty unite on brand new album Drastic Symphonies. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, Def Leppard have drastically deconstructed and reimagined some of their biggest hits, collaborating with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This bold new approach to the orchestral hits formula sees new vocal and guitar recordings from the band.
Metal BladeCattle Decapitation’s extreme metal will be the soundtrack to the end of the world when it inevitably arrives. Here they’ve once again penned an album to accompany the end of times and make us all feel terrible about it. At the end of the day are we not human parasites that feed off the Earth’s life force? A Terrasite?
Napalm RecordsSanta Barbara outlaws Devildriver are still wringing righteous thunder from those clouds over California on pummeling 10th album. If there is any question as to whether the band is slowing down any time soon, Dealing With Demons Vol. II proves that 20 years into their career, even with their demons in tow – they move forward at the forefront of metal.
Pure NoiseFrom start to finish, The Amity Affliction's whisper-to-a-scream energy and Dan Brown's masterfully dynamic guitar work underscores each track. With a musicality as heavy and hard-hitting as singer Joel Birch's intensely emotional lyrics-about suicide, gun violence, religion and mental illness- Not Without My Ghosts finds TAA at their brutal best.
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New Release Round-Up 05-26-23
AJJ - Disposable Everything - Hopeless Records
Phoenix-based indie punk band, AJJ, is back with their 10th studio album, Disposable Everything. After years of cult-like indie success and underground critical acclaim, AJJ has continued to evolve with each album, adding more layers and texture musically, while still maintaining their trademark wit and irreverent lyricism. Not every band can juxtapose apocalyptic despair with the warm comfort of an electric blanket, while hitting fans with rousing punk anthems one minute, and beautiful acoustic balladry the next. With Disposable Everything, AJJ has created an album that is both important and beautiful, that will make you feel better about everything while telling you just how terrible everything is, and will be sung loudly at shows for years to come.Bayonne - Temporary Time - Nettwerk Records
Deeply informed by a deliberate transformation of his musical process, Bayonne's third full-length Temporary Time ultimately makes for his most expansive work to date-an album of both painfully raw introspection and otherworldly beauty. On Temporary Time, Bayonne channels vast imagination into an elegant, yet wildly experimental form of electronic pop, equal parts meditative and mesmerizing. In the making of his latest body of work, the Austin-based artist/producer/multi-instrumentalist otherwise known as Roger Sellers found himself in even greater need of an outlet for his kinetic creative impulses, thanks to an intense convergence of events in his personal life: his father's diagnosis with and eventual death from cancer, the end of a significant relationship, and an overwhelming struggle with depression and anxiety. "Right Thing" and "Perfect" are focus tracks.Steely Dan - Countdown To Ecstasy - Geffen Records
At long last, the classic Steely Dan catalog is back on vinyl. Led by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan released 7 albums from 1972-1980. The vinyl series continues with Countdown To Ecstasy, the band's sprawling 1973 sophomore LP with standouts such as "Bodhisattva," "Show Biz Kids" and "My Old School."ALSO OUT THIS WEEK
For more information on these and other releases out this week, check out our New Releases charts by week section.
Arlo Parks - My Soft Machine [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Transparent Green LP]
The Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic: Expanded & Remastered [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Pink/Yellow Wisp Clear LP]
Kings Never Die - All The Rats [Limited Edition Glow In The Dark LP]
Jack Harlow - Jackman.
Matchbox Twenty - Where The Light Goes
Black Country, New Road - Live at Bush Hall
Calexico - Feast of Wire: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Baby Rose - Through And Through
Billy Woods - Maps
Weezer - SZNZ: Summer EP
Sparks - The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte
Charli XCX - True Romance Original Angels Repress [Silver LP]
Tame Impala - Lonerism: 10th Anniversary [Super Deluxe 3 LP Boxset]
Water From Your Eyes - Everyone's Crushed
Big Star - #1 Record [RSD Essential Metallic Gold LP]
Alan Menken / Howard Ashman / Lin-Manuel Miranda - The Little Mermaid (Live Action) [LP]
Incendiary - Change The Way You Think About Pain [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Violet/Grey/Neon Violet Mix LP]
Sirenia - 1977
Simple Plan - No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls [Limited Edition Crystal Clear LP]
Rico Nasty - Ruinas [Indie Exclusive Coke Bottle Clear LP]
Joe Perry - Sweetzerland Manifesto Mkii [Limited Edition Opaque Purple LP]
Immortal - War Against All
Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane - Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane
Al Green - Call Me: 50th Anniversary [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Tigers Eye LP]
& More .....UPCOMING RELEASES
Jack Johnson - In Between Dub - Republic Records
In March 2020, Jack Johnson reached out to Lee “Scratch" Perry to produce a dub remix album based on Jack’s most loved recordings. On August 29, 2021, the project was brought to a halt as Scratch departed this physical world. In 2022, Jack and Subatomic Sound System, Perry’s band of the last decade, connected directly and discovered they had all the pieces to bring Lee “Scratch” Perry’s three creations to completion. The LP also features dubs from Dennis Bovell, Scientist, Mad Professor, Nightmares on Wax, and more.Tom Waits - Closing Time: 50th Anniversary - ANTI
Closing Time foreshadows the distinctly lyrical storytelling and original blending of jazz, blues, and folk styles that would come to be associated with Tom Waits. It is on this debut album that Waits performs enduring classics of his career “Ol’ 55” (famously covered by the Eagles), the heartbreaking “Martha” and the gentle acoustic folk of “I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You”. Reissued for the first time as a double LP to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the landmark debut with newly half speed mastering at Abbey Road Studios.Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A Dream - Warner Records
Avenged Sevenfold’s new album, Life Is But A Dream is a timeless work of art that blurs genres. Best served as a whole and consumed en masse to truly appreciate its musical breadth and sonic depth, it marks their boldest statement and most revolutionary work to date. Written and recorded over the span of 4 years, it was produced by Joe Barresi and Avenged Sevenfold in Los Angeles and mixed by Andy Wallace in the Poconos, PA. Inspired by Albert Camus’ The Stranger, the album is a journey through an existential crisis; a very personal exploration into the meaning, purpose and value of human existence with the anxiety of death always looming. Immerse into this experience…Rancid - Tomorrow Never Comes - Epitaph
Rancid - the legendary Bay Area punk rockers are back with their 10th studio album, Tomorrow Never Comes on Epitaph Records. Emerging from the blue-collar swamps of Berkeley, California, Rancid has now been a living, breathing punk rock band for over a quarter century.Neil Frances - There Is No Neil Frances - Nettwerk Records
There is no Neil Frances. OK, sort of. Neil Frances is not a solo artist, it's the name of a duo comprised of Sydney-born Jordan Feller and Southern California native Marc Gilfry. To help you remember that Neil Frances is not a person, the duo has named it's debut LP There Is No Neil Frances. Neil Frances' signature sound is beat-driven pop infused with a more organic warmth than most modern music. Putting special emphasis on their enthralling live sets-the group quickly developed a reputation as a must-see stage artist opening for SG Lewis, Jungle, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The band explains, "Our new album is about self-realization and becoming the person that you dream of. The concept is that we are insects on earth who ascend into outer space to become divas at a galactic ball." The album features both GRAE and Benny Sings..Kenny Rogers - Life Is Like A Song - UMe
A collection of unreleased songs from Kenny Rogers' archives that tells the story of the love, life, loss and faith between Kenny and his wife, Wanda, and their two children. The album features the long sought after "Goodbye" written by Lionel Richie, interpretations of Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and "I Wish It Would Rain" originally recorded by The Temptations, and "Tell Me That You Love Me" a lost duet between Kenny and Dolly Parton.Norah Jones - Little Broken Hearts: Reissue - Blue Note Records
Norah Jones defied expectations with her 5th studio album Little Broken Hearts, a striking collaboration with Danger Mouse that arrived a decade after her debut Come Away With Me, prompting SPIN to call it "the 2nd essential record of Norah Jones' career." Deluxe Edition features an expanded 31-track set curated by Jones with rare bonus tracks, alternate versions, remixes, and a previously unreleased live version of the album recorded for Austin City Limits in 2012.
Music Releases 05-26-23
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Movie Releases 05-30-23
Artist | Title | Price | Video |
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Dungeons & Dragons [Movie] | Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves [4K] | New Blu-Ray: $37.99 |
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65 [Movie] | 65 [4K] | New Blu-Ray: $45.99 |
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Carole King | Home Again: Carole King Live In Central Park [DVD] | New DVD: $21.99 |
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A Good Person [Movie] | A Good Person | New Blu-Ray: $34.98 |
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The Lost King [Movie] | The Lost King | New DVD: $27.97 |
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