Forced Exposure New Releases for the Week of 2/26/2024

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: AG 132LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

For those who are not familiar with Misery, they are a band from Minneapolis that started playing at the end of the '80s and released many records during all these years without changing their style for the trendier shit or losing their incredible dose of rotting and angry power. This record compiles their very first releases (except for the Your Leaders Were Lying! EP, because the band doesn't like the sound of it), so you'll find: Born Fed Slaughtered EP, Blindead EP, Children Of War EP, and the two Split EPs with Assrash and Hellspawn. A total amount of 13 tracks for nearly 40 minutes of dirty, pissed and stinky crust punk! Comes with a four-page booklet with all the images taken from their original records, lyrics and info.

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: AG 133LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Agipunk announces the release of Astio's Bocche Stanche. Astio come from Trento (northern Italy) and have members who have played with bands like Left In Ruins, Impulso, and Tuono. This new combo delivers something really far from their typical fast/crusty/old schoolish noise; indeed this is catchy peace/post-punk sung in Italian with hints of saxophone here and there. Imagine Wipers playing Gang Of Four (or vice versa) after having listened all day to Chain Cult.

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: AG 134LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Canadian powerhouse Warkrusher are back after their self-titled demo tape, Pils Sessions #11 Tape and the Epitaph 7". Now, a few words about the music: the perfect combination between old school stench core a la Axegrinder, Deviated Instinct, early Hellshock, and early '90s Bolt Thrower. Not to talk about the artwork: simply insane with all those little details and stuff.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: BANG 176LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

The Zeros is an American punk-rock group formed in 1976 in Chula Vista, California. The band was originally formed with Javier Escovedo (vocals/guitar), Robert Lopez (guitar), H?ctor Penalosa (bass) and Baba Chenelle (drums). Often referred to as "the Mexican Ramones," they were just one of many contributors to the city of Los Angeles' punk explosion in the late '70s, although they never received the acclaim like their contemporaries Black Flag, Circle Jerks, or Germs and Wipers. They have more followers and fans outside of the United States, especially Europe and Spain in particular. The label "the Mexican Ramones" did not take into account their other revealing influences: pre-punk and garage-rock bands. The Zeros make it evident on this album, releasing covers of New York Dolls among others. But the originals, for example "They Say (That Everything's Alright)" and "Handgrenade Heart," also exploit the spirit of loud, strident rock. There are also slow and melodic, sloppy and dirty pop songs to satisfy all tastes. The quartet broke up in 1981, reformed sporadically for live shows, and recorded a 1999 album Right Now!. An excellent album. Ideal to have a good time and enjoy good rock.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: BEAT 101LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue of the legendary Brazilian crushers fourth album, released in 1989, with the original vocals in Portuguese. 21 tracks of pure neck crushing mayhem that would open the doors of the international scene for the band and made the record an instant classic: a masterpiece of crossover thrash still to be topped today. Includes three bonus tracks and reproduction of the original fold out color/black and white insert. A classic masterpiece of crossover thrash still to be topped today.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: BEAT 102LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Reissue of Ratos de Por?o?s fifth album, originally released in 1990 and since considered a crossover thrash milestone. With a more thrash metal-oriented sound than their previous efforts, it is a classic that reinforced the Brazilian band's legendary status among fans all over the world. Includes two bonus tracks and reproduction of the original insert. A must for any crossover thrash or extreme music fanatic! A metal/hardcore crossover classic by these Brazilian beasts!

 

PRICE: $36.50

CAT #: BEC 5611185

FILE UNDER: SOUNDTRACK

100% new original songs done by the psychedelic French garage duo The Liminanas and German-French music composer David Menke for the forthcoming Arte documentary Thatcher's Not Dead dedicated to Margaret Thatcher. Features Oliver Howlett.

 

PRICE: $32.00

CAT #: BORNBAD 166LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

The French equivalent of the English "Derby Service," the Kiosque d'Orph?e, formerly at 7 Rue Gr?goire de Tours in the 6th arrondissement, was taken over by Georges Batard in 1967 and moved to 20 Rue des Tournelles in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The adventure lasted until 1991. Georges Batard was a sound engineer who used a Neumann tube engraver to engrave acetates from the tapes he received, before printing the precious vinyls in the press factories of the day, where he was able to produce very small runs of between 50 and 500 copies. Le Kiosque d'Orph?e was neither a label nor a publisher, but a structure that allowed you to press your own vinyl, at a time when it was quite an adventure to get your first 45 rpm or 33 rpm album released! When you finally had your own record, you could give it away or sell it to friends, family or after concerts. You could also drop it off at the nearest record shop, with undisguised pride. It was also a calling card that could be sent to radio stations or music labels, in the hope of launching a career. At the time, the advertisements published in the press by the Kiosque d'Orph?e opened up the field of possibilities for provincial composers. It was now possible to make their own record, without having to go through the process of signing with a label. This album is the conclusion of a long investigation, begun six years ago. It took a long time to find the records, scattered all over the place, in the homes of collectors and sometimes the musicians themselves, and then to listen to them, sometimes painstakingly, to unearth these moments of grace. From this work, 23 tracks remain, but there are dozens of others that could have been included, so Born Bad had to choose, and the choice had to be as universal as possible. Featuring Mar Vista, K?nnlisch, Crystal Eyes, Walrus, G?rard Alfonsi, Geoffroy, Amphyrite, Eole, Capucine, Rictus, Inscir Transit Express, Polaris, Jo?l Boutolleau, Spotch Forcey, Demon & Wizard, Temple Sun, Chantal Weber, Jean Claude Zemour, Rhodes & Co, Guidon, Edmond et Clafoutis, Dominique A, Didier Bocquet, and Alain Meunier.

 

PRICE: $12.00

CAT #: BORNBAD 173CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Gwendoline's music doesn't give a fuck. Doesn't make proper plans, as they keep telling anyone who'll listen. Everyone will hear what they want on C'est a? moi, c?a, new album by two Brest-based boys on Born Bad. Some would have them be Joy Division or les Be?ruriers Noirs. Some would brand them cold-wave, dark-wave, chav-wave, you name it. You can't sing that much about pub culture without paying your dues. Their first album was literally written on the counter. They have every right to shit on gyropod-riding suits when they've stolen their favorite bars. Just listen to "Le sang de papa et maman" to check from which well they draw the muddy liquor that gushes from this record. Though they won't brag about it, they are definitely ripping new assholes to every social injustice warrior out there, with gusto. Some songs can be sung, because they manage enough room for listeners in there. You can join on the chorus as one would for a soccer song, but they're not going for stadiums. Pierre Barrett and Mickae?l Olivette, two magnificent losers for whom "the end of the world began when they were born," just tell it like it is. They "don't give a damn about writing like Beaudelaire." Their lyrics taste like damp coasters and smell like retired microphones living in the bottom drawer. Every track is an opportunity to spit on every aspect of life that asked for it: vacation clubs, the generation before, the one after, low-cost living, trash TV. And themselves, no doubt, because they've got more important things to do than draw up socially responsible plans. French duo doesn't get it when, after years of loose ends, the it-crowd wants to take selfies with them. And it's not going to get any better with this new album, conceived and recorded at home, in Brittany. The dark, radical, no-nonsense instrumentals (Jake and Romain, guitar/keyboards) give Pierre and Micka a strong ladder to go piss on the parade from a great height. Love them, and it probably already pisses them off. Their anger feels single-breasted and fair.

 

PRICE: $20.00

CAT #: BORNBAD 173LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Gwendoline's music doesn't give a fuck. Doesn't make proper plans, as they keep telling anyone who'll listen. Everyone will hear what they want on C'est a? moi, c?a, new album by two Brest-based boys on Born Bad. Some would have them be Joy Division or les Be?ruriers Noirs. Some would brand them cold-wave, dark-wave, chav-wave, you name it. You can't sing that much about pub culture without paying your dues. Their first album was literally written on the counter. They have every right to shit on gyropod-riding suits when they've stolen their favorite bars. Just listen to "Le sang de papa et maman" to check from which well they draw the muddy liquor that gushes from this record. Though they won't brag about it, they are definitely ripping new assholes to every social injustice warrior out there, with gusto. Some songs can be sung, because they manage enough room for listeners in there. You can join on the chorus as one would for a soccer song, but they're not going for stadiums. Pierre Barrett and Mickae?l Olivette, two magnificent losers for whom "the end of the world began when they were born," just tell it like it is. They "don't give a damn about writing like Beaudelaire." Their lyrics taste like damp coasters and smell like retired microphones living in the bottom drawer. Every track is an opportunity to spit on every aspect of life that asked for it: vacation clubs, the generation before, the one after, low-cost living, trash TV. And themselves, no doubt, because they've got more important things to do than draw up socially responsible plans. French duo doesn't get it when, after years of loose ends, the it-crowd wants to take selfies with them. And it's not going to get any better with this new album, conceived and recorded at home, in Brittany. The dark, radical, no-nonsense instrumentals (Jake and Romain, guitar/keyboards) give Pierre and Micka a strong ladder to go piss on the parade from a great height. Love them, and it probably already pisses them off. Their anger feels single-breasted and fair.

 

PRICE: $11.50

CAT #: SAUNA 078CS

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

On Fluorescent Standard, guitarist Anthony Vine and clarinetist Gareth Davis present two luminous and serene worlds of harmonic sound. The duo entwine sustained tones, glowing with the resonant hues of their instruments, into enveloping and expansive atmospheres. Clarinet sonorities, swelling guitar chords, and tumbling elegiac piano fragments drift quietly through time in elusive cycles that subtly change and expand with each return. Every vibration is interconnected, aligned and fused attentively, causing the instruments to dissolve into themselves and emit residual vibratory energies, like fluorescence. What emerges is a music that invites quiet contemplation and rewards deep listening. While Vine and Davis met through the world of modern classical music, Fluorescent Standard finds itself in the realms of drone, ambient, and new age. The music is grounded in early minimalist aesthetics of composers like La Monte Young and Phill Niblock, but also shares the sensibilities of contemporary artists like Fennesz, Sarah Davachi, and Stars of the Lid.

 

PRICE: $36.50

CAT #: CNLP 073LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Following the release of the first volume of the Koto: Tapestry series, Cinedelic completes the series of three with the release of the remaining two valuable albums. Tapestry: Koto is a three-album series produced by Nippon Columbia in the mid-1970s dedicated to one of the main instruments of Japanese traditional music: the koto. The beauty of the trilogy curated by composer Kiyoshi Yamaya, whose chapters are respectively dedicated to sea, hillside and country, lies in the fact that they are a modern translation of tradition using newer and more avant-garde sound idioms, integrating the koto with jazz musicians. An original mix, a "crossover" that allows for the awakening and the consequential spread of traditional music in larger contexts. The extreme accuracy of the marvelous recordings is also remarkable. The performers on this fabulous album are: Toshiko Yonekawa who learned to play the koto at an early age, performing in a public concert as early at eight years old. For three years, from 1941 to 1944, she won prizes as the best performer in the Japanese Cultural Federation's competition for traditional trios. She also received an award from the Prime Minister. Many other important recognitions followed until she became president of the Reichokai and executive director of the Sankyoku Association. In 1996, she was appointed Living National Treasure. As a koto player, her best-known characteristics are her extreme precision of intonation and rhythm and the unparalleled beauty of her sound. Kiyoshi Yamaya was born in 1932 and attended the Kunitachi College of Music. Between 1956 and 1960, he performed with Nobuo Hara and His Sharps & Flats (clarinet, saxophone, etc.) and was responsible for composition and arrangement. In 1959, he formed the Modern Jazz Three Association with Norio Maeda and Keitaro Miho, which contributed to the improvement of the level of composition and arrangement in Japanese jazz. In 1965, he became conductor of the Tokyo Union Orchestra and received the Japan Record Award's Arrangement Award. His name appears on more than 100 albums. An unmissable session for those seeking new sounds. Original masters licensed by Nippon Columbia for the first ever reissue. Includes OBI and insert.

 

PRICE: $36.50

CAT #: CNLP 074LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Following the release of the first volume of the Koto: Tapestry series, Cinedelic completes the series of three with the release of the remaining two valuable albums. Tapestry: Koto is a three-album series produced by Nippon Columbia in the mid-1970s dedicated to one of the main instruments of Japanese traditional music: the koto. The beauty of the trilogy curated by composer Kiyoshi Yamaya, whose chapters are respectively dedicated to sea, hillside and country, lies in the fact that they are a modern translation of tradition using newer and more avant-garde sound idioms, integrating the koto with jazz musicians. An original mix, a "crossover" that allows for the awakening and the consequential spread of traditional music in larger contexts. The extreme accuracy of the marvelous recordings is also remarkable. The performers on this fabulous album are: Toshiko Yonekawa who learned to play the koto at an early age, performing in a public concert as early at eight years old. For three years, from 1941 to 1944, she won prizes as the best performer in the Japanese Cultural Federation's competition for traditional trios. She also received an award from the Prime Minister. Many other important recognitions followed until she became president of the Reichokai and executive director of the Sankyoku Association. In 1996, she was appointed Living National Treasure. As a koto player, her best-known characteristics are her extreme precision of intonation and rhythm and the unparalleled beauty of her sound. Kiyoshi Yamaya was born in 1932 and attended the Kunitachi College of Music. Between 1956 and 1960, he performed with Nobuo Hara and His Sharps & Flats (clarinet, saxophone, etc.) and was responsible for composition and arrangement. In 1959, he formed the Modern Jazz Three Association with Norio Maeda and Keitaro Miho, which contributed to the improvement of the level of composition and arrangement in Japanese jazz. In 1965, he became conductor of the Tokyo Union Orchestra and received the Japan Record Award's Arrangement Award. His name appears on more than 100 albums. An unmissable session for those seeking new sounds. Original masters licensed by Nippon Columbia for the first ever reissue. Includes OBI and insert.

 

PRICE: $15.00

CAT #: CVSD 106CD

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

From a night of music in Holland that's become legendary among NRG Ensemble enthusiasts, Hold That Thought presents a blazing concert of the quintet's unique sound. With Mars Williams and Ken Vandermark on reeds, Kent Kessler and Brian Sandstrom on basses (the latter doubling on trumpet and electric guitar), and Steve Hunt on drums, this incarnation of the band was arguably its tightest and mightiest, taking the inspiration of founder Hal Russell (1926-1992) and running with it. All the way. The quirkiness and eccentricity of Russell's vision remained a lasting part of the fabric of NRG, but the level of discipline and craftsmanship achieved by this version of the combo is arguably taken to a whole other level. Working with original material, mostly by Williams and Vandermark, NRG Ensemble had its signature pugilistic feel, with lots of time changes and dynamic shifts, quick starts and hard stops. Williams certainly knew how to push up the energy/NRG with a strangulated solo or a sudden burst of beautiful melody; all his years in creative music, from time spent as Roscoe Mitchell's copyist to countless weeks on the road kicking ass with the Psychedelic Furs, led him to a core understanding that linked many kinds of noise-making -- rock, funk, soul, free jazz, squeaky-bonk improvised music. Those tributaries meet in NRG Ensemble, with his longstanding colleagues gathered to joyfully up the ante. Williams chose this beautiful recording as one of three archival tapes he wanted released as soon as possible, and he approached CvsD with the job of shepherding them into the world just before his tragically early death from cancer in November, 2023.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: JACK 040CV-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

This live set gets Heep in their prime on February 8th, 1974 in front of a hugely appreciative audience. Here is an example of a '70s rock gig that puts you (via that nifty time machine) in the midst of the sweating, stomping, singing masses who gathered around the great bands who ruled the world stages of the era.

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: JACK 043CV-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Pink color vinyl version. Echo & The Bunnymen recording from 1983. The group sent "Porcupine" to 2nd place in the UK and was in the midst of their great heyday. This work was recorded on July 11, 1983 in Glasgow. The performance was the 5th performance of "UK # 3."

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: JACK 043LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Echo & The Bunnymen recording from 1983. The group sent "Porcupine" to 2nd place in the UK and was in the midst of their great heyday. This work was recorded on July 11, 1983 in Glasgow. The performance was the 5th performance of "UK # 3."

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: DMOO 032LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

One of the best-known rock singers of the 1960s, Janis Joplin made a lasting impact with a powerful mezzo-soprano voice and an electrifying stage presence, drawing on blues, country, and gospel. Little Girl Blue gathers some of her earliest performances, dating from just after she ditched her native Texas for the San Francisco Bay Area; recorded at the Folk Theatre in San Jose and at SF's Coffee Gallery, the awesome power of her voice is already apparent on a cover of Ma Rainey's "Leavin This Mornin" and "Daddy Daddy Daddy," the latter written with future Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen. A must for all Janis fans!

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: DMOO 054LP

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

An innovative and idiosyncratic pianist, Thelonious Monk has been hailed as one of Be-Bop's founding figures, with unexpected melodic shifts and dramatic hesitation hallmarks of his work. Monk By Five is one of the lesser-known sessions recorded for Riverside in the late 1950s and is one worthy of a wider audience; it features the bright swing of the new "Jackie-ing" and the more dissonant "Played Twice," alongside engaging revisits of "Straight No Chaser," "I Mean You" and "Ask Me Now," the interplay between Monk, cornetist Thad Jones and saxophonist Charlie Rouse especially noteworthy. Definitely worth investigating.

 

PRICE: $17.00

CAT #: DIS 196LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Eleven songs by J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines). Recorded at his Baltimore-based studio, The Magpie Cage, between 2021 and 2022 with the assistance of Brooks Harlan (bass), Darren Zentek (drums), Gordon Withers (cello and guitar), John Haggerty (guitar), and Dave Hadley (pedal steel).'We were all fired up and we did a second session in March 2022. In the interim I enlisted some collaborators: Gordon Withers to add cello and second guitar to a few songs, Janet Morgan and her two sisters to sing some harmonies, Dave Hadley to play pedal steel on 'Not The End,' and Chicago punk legend John Haggerty to add an actual blazing guitar solo to the song 'Exquisite Corpse.' And I went on working on vocals and overdubs at home. The lyrics were (as always) somewhat therapeutical: 'Automaticity' came out of thoughts on aging and remaining present in a world increasingly going on auto-pilot; 'Last War' and 'Dead Eyed God' work out fears prompted by January 6th and the rise of neo-fascism. More personal matters were trying to work themselves out as well. Recurring childhood dreams ('Deception Island'), surrealist games ('Exquisite Corpse'), and trephination guru Amanda Feilding ('Open Mind') were also in the mix. Another result of pandemic isolation was that I had also been working on more abstract, electronic based music (inspired by my love of film soundtracks, Peter Gabriel's music, and by studio work I had done not long ago with the band Locrian), using granular synthesis, sampling, and software synths. So as Basilisk come together, I wanted to see if I could pull those sounds into the flow of the record, open up its vocabulary a little and still make something cohesive.' --J. Robbins"

 

PRICE: $35.50

CAT #: ACV 4001LP

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

2024 repress. This record marks a turning point in jazz history. It may be the earliest recorded example of what Ornette Coleman later called free jazz, and it represents the first rumblings of the revolutionary movement which eventually shifted jazz thinking away from bebop. This double LP includes the complete show recorded live at The Hillcrest Club of Los Angeles in 1958 and is pressed on audiophile clear vinyl (ACV) in a limited edition.

 

PRICE: $35.50

CAT #: ACV 4009LP

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

2024 repress. Doxy present a combined reissue of legendary jazz harpist and poly-instrumentalist Dorothy Ashby's Hip Harp and In A Minor Groove, both released separately in 1958. Both albums feature Frank Wess. Dorothy Ashby had a unique soul jazz harp sound, and although the instrument she used is probably more thought of in terms of bedtime lullabies, she actually makes it swing nicely, and with a soulful sound that draws back to traditions of African stringed instruments. Ashby was part of the same scene as Yusef Lateef, and like Lateef, she managed to use odd instrumentation in new contexts, to get a very unique jazz sound. 140 gram clear vinyl; First pressing comes in an edition of 500 (numbered).From the original liner notes for Hip Harp: "In Hip Harp in addition to the interpretations of standards like 'Moonlight In Vermont', 'Dancing In The Dark', 'Charmaine' and 'There's A Small Hotel', Dorothy and Frank work out on three Ashby tunes: 'Pawky', a minor-key blues, 'Back Talk', major-key blues and 'Jollity', a medium-up original. Dorothy Ashby has added to the basic territory that the harp previously occupied. In fusing her sometimes guitar-like, swinging line to the expected harp effects, she has added another step to the instrument-scope of jazz (...)"

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: DRO 022LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

In 1983, Spain exploded with Punk Que Punk?, a compilation LP spitting defiance in the face of turmoil. Bands like Siniestro Total and Espasm?dicos raged with distinct styles, united by raw lyrics and punk fury. Not just music, it became a defiant roar, a cultural revolution etched in the hearts of a generation. Also featuring P.P. Tan Solo, Urgente, No, N.634, KGB, Seguridad Social, Camaleones, Carne De Psiquiatr?co, and P.P. Tan Solo.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: MIR 100737LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

2024 repress; LP version. Scientist was only 20 years old when, working with fellow producer "Junjo" Lawes, he came up with this 1980 stunner, a sinuous groove party with cartoonlike special effects (a lot of bongs and boings like pans hitting one another, blips and squeals that sound like a Pac-Man game). All the "song" titles are references to boxing (a motif that Scientist was obviously mining for all it was worth), and all are great individual bits of dub sound that cohere into a meaningful whole. As it says on the jacket, "This ya a youthful sound fe come mash y'down."

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: MIR 100740LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

2024 repress; LP version. With this 1982 album, Scientist delivers one of his most progressive mixes, deconstructing the originals down to their skeletal base and adding just the right amount of mixing board-generated Echoplex and reverb with his patented minimal sound. A landscape resplendent with steely piano, depth-charge drums, and futuristic dub effects; a mind-warping yet eminently enjoyable way to check into dub central.

 

PRICE: $37.50

CAT #: EXT 024LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

"Juan Manuel Cidr?n has always been immersed in music. As a child, he fell in love with a radio adorned with flashing lights -- radio is now one of his professions. He was equally captivated by the music that enveloped him. With whatever little money he had as a child and during his youth, he would spend all his money on records and analog machines. Music is everything to him, and that's why we understand his compositions as a celebration of life. The vastness that his electronic keyboards offer us is akin to the immensity of the desert, snow, and wind. Albums like Tau or Sonido Para Acciones belong to the realm of Spanish electronic music and are cherished by enthusiasts of sonic poetry. This vinyl edition holds a special place as it marks a return to analog, a medium Cidr?n reveres and continues to embrace. In this way, it becomes a classic, a testament to his unwavering commitment to the quality that arises from the harmonious blend of natural and artificial rhythms. The result is always him: a tangible presence that brings us closer to dreams and the unadorned face of the world." --F. Labordeta BlancoAll tracks were written, produced, and mixed by J.M. Cidr?n between 2017-2019 at the Extrarradio Studio in Almeria.

 

PRICE: $31.00

CAT #: FTR 742LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Beautiful third LP helmed by multi-instrumentalist/tape manipulator, Brian Lucas. Following up on 2021's The Incandescent Switch (FTR 606LP) and 2022's The Air's Chrysalis Chime (FTR 675LP), Quartz Hive is a post-pandemic swirl of cloud sound based on the kind of music that makes all your inner walls melt like wax. Lucas has a wonderful way of creating clusters of texture that circle the room, slowly accreting bits of lovely ambient sound that transform themselves from vague suggestions into full-blown songs without adhering to any logic other than their own. Some of the players colluding here are Old Million Eye vets, like Steven R. Smith, Sheila Bosco, and Kevin Van Yserloo. But there are many new heads on the scene as well, like harpist Ceylan Hay (Bell Lungs) and saxophonist Zekarias Thompson (Agnes Martian), who adds a distinct Canterbury flavor to the tunes on which he plays. Like Lucas's other current outfits, like 43 Odes and Dire Wolves, Old Million Eye makes psychedelic music that glides through your head with startling originality. There's very little here that hews to stereotypical psych formulae, but its tendrils still manage to engage all your dream receptors with delicate power and grace. Music as deep as any tab in any ocean. Quarts Hive is a sonic delivery vehicle of singular beauty. Gorgeous stuff." --Byron Coley, 2024

 

PRICE: $25.50

CAT #: FTR 754LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Finely thuggish debut LP by a trio led by guitarist Micah Blue Smaldone, a well-known figure in the same South Portland Maine scene that gave us Big Blood and other treats. Indeed, Micah's fourth solo album was a split with Big Blood, but the fingerpicking sound of his solo recordings is a far cry from Wake in Fright. WIF are a trio. Micah plays guitar, Greg Bazinet plays bass, Jonas Eule plays drums, and all of them add vocals. It was Greg who sort of got things going when he convinced Micah to record some demos in 2022. Because of the lousy quality of almost everything in that year, the material Micah put together ended up being a lot harsher and hard-edged than anything he'd done since his days with the Pinkerton Thugs. Greg and Jonas eventually decided to assemble WIF to perform these songs the way they were supposed to be played -- loud, proud and punky. The models Micah had used while writing were largely '70s Australian bands -- from AC/DC to the Saints -- but to my ear, he has gotten pretty close to recreating the same vibe as that which drove early '80s Mission of Burma. Indeed, many of WIF's songs have the same lop-sided anthemic weirdness that Clint Conley's tunes in Burma did. There is also a whiff of the Twin Cities in their propulsion. I can hear echoes of both the Suicide Commandos and mid-period Husker Du inside WIF's manic churn. And like both those bands, they display a lot of attention to central riffs as a compositional motif, with the vocals howling to keep up. Very cool stuff. I can almost close my eyes and imagine these guys on stage at the Underground in Allston during the long cold winter of 1981, when Reagan had just been sworn in as president and we really thought the world was gonna end. So maybe this is just the kinda music everyone needs when it's Crisis Time. Which means we probably need Wake in Fright right now. As much as we've ever needed anything in our lives. Selah, motherfucker." --Byron Coley, 2024

 

PRICE: $25.50

CAT #: FTR 741LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

"This album is part of a triptych. I spent between January 2021 and June 2022 recording, shaping, crafting and moulding a whole set of songs which ebbed and flowed and took different directions over time. Unlike the first album, I collaborated with friends on some of these new songs, which brought them to life in a beautiful manner, that I definitely couldn't have achieved if I had done them alone. The concept of collaboration is a beautiful thing where you get to share your art with others and the process brings you closer to the players and also to the song. The songs on this album are varied stylistically, but there is a common thread running through it all, namely that of love. Combining psych, drones, minimalism, free jazz, electronic music and dub in this work, this is another album's worth of musical joy and wonder for all to enjoy. When the label honchos at Cardinal Fuzz (UK) and Feeding Tube Records (USA) heard the cassette, they loved it so much that they requested to release it on vinyl. I duly agreed, and as well as vinyl, there also a limited edition run of CDs in a gatefold sleeve, designed by Sam Giles." --Ajay SaggarAll songs conceived, written, played, sung and recorded by Ajay Saggar at Soundation Studio between January 2021 and June 2022. Featuring Holly Habstritt Gaal (vocals on "Won't You Wait?") and Ab Baars (shakuhachi on "I Love You So"). Mastered by Chris Hardman. Sleeve design by Oli Heffernan. Inside photo by Rob Verweij.

 

PRICE: $25.50

CAT #: FTR 748LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Cardinal Fuzz (UK) and Feeding Tube Records (USA) once again join forces to release this behemoth of an album. Attack Of Sound is an unapologetic swooning love letter to pop music. It's the perfect album, where dissonant and harsh guitars are juxtaposed with almost bubblegum pop. Sheets of feedback over inept tribalism and sugared by amazingly sweet vocals. This album works brilliantly as Ajay & Holly show their innate love of classic '60s pop and psychedelia as much as the Stooges. The ghosts of Love and Phil Spector haunt the wasted grooves of "What The Girl Does" and "Damned And Drowned," while the lurching punk noise mayhem of "How We Made It Seem" resurrects the in-yer-face Detroit icons like the MC5. Attack Of Sound remains a touchstone for all the people who ever believed that rock was for waking you up. Equal parts Beach Boys' melody and Velvets' minimalism. It still provides that visceral thrill -- an attack of sound! Recorded and mixed at Soundation Studio by Ajay. Mastered by Chris Hardman. Sleeve design by Oli Heffernan. Band photo by Rob Verweij. Limited-edition of 300 copies.

 

PRICE: $29.50

CAT #: FILM 002LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

2024 restock; LP version. Includes download code. After the widely noticed performance at the "Acht Br?cken Festival 2016" at Cologne's Philharmonic Hall, Gregor Schwellenbach, Hauschka, Erol Sarp (of Grandbrothers), Daniel Brandt and Paul Frick (both of Brandt Brauer Frick) and John Kameel Farah release their interpretation of Steve Reich's "Six Pianos" as a studio recording via FILM. The re-recording of this piece is an interpretation of Reich's composition but still far more than just that - it is a modern approach to his idea behind it. The basic idea came up at the beginning of the '70s at the Baldwin Piano & Organ Company in New York. During a rehearsal phase, which Steve Reich spent in this very piano store, the idea emerged of writing a composition for all the grand pianos available to him at the company. By the time of the finished piece, the actual number of pianos had settled down to six, where "Six Pianos" developed in 1973. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, the six pianists declare their love to Steve Reich with this release. Shaped by electronic club music as well as their classical education, they form "Six Pianos" in dignified modernity and top it off with today's sound aesthetics and technical recording possibilities. Presented here is not the recording from the K?lner Philharmonie (Cologne Philharmonics), but the ensemble playing six different grand pianos in six different locations throughout Germany. Each pianist performed his part on his piano using his typical studio equipment and passed the recording over to the next one. Thus the six characteristic and individual timbres of the performers overlay to create the overall picture - "Six Pianos" the way it should be looked at in 2016. Jan Brauer mixed "Six Pianos" in the studio while Lukas Vogel provided delays for the "Keyboard Study #1". "Keyboard Study #1" by Terry Riley is a worthy companion for Reich's composition. The piece is kind of a building set of ever lengthening, repetitive patterns played against each other with the right and left hand displaced. The composition proposes various possible combinations for the performer to choose from and repeat at will. And what the performers have chosen proves Gregor Schwellenbach's assumption: "Terry Riley's and Steve Reich's music are open doors for pianists socialized by pop music and their audience."

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: FS 4470LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Reissue, originally released in 1970. The combination of Jorge Ben and Trio Mocot? had already produced great things when For?a Bruta first appeared in 1970. Ben's self-titled album of the year before had reeled off a succession of Brazilian hits, including "Pa?s Tropical" and "Cad? Teresa," and made the four musicians very busy as a result. For?a Bruta was a slightly different album, a slice of mellow samba soul that may perhaps have been the result of such a hectic schedule during 1969. One of the hidden gems in Jorge Ben's discography, it's a wonderful album because it kept everyone's plentiful musical skills intact while simply sailing along on a wonderful acoustic groove that may have varied little but was all the better for its agreeable evenness. The songs may have been more difficult to distinguish -- virtually every one began with acoustic guitar, similar instrumentation, and Ben's caressing vocals over the top -- but it made the record one of the best in Ben's hearty career.

 

PRICE: $23.00

CAT #: GONG 007LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2024 restock. "Ancestral Swamp is the 20th full-length album by legendary rambler, cartoonist, 'outsider' folk singer, and guitarist Michael Hurley. It arrives just in the nick of time for the rabid Snockophile. A batch of new vittles and encores of some of his classic tunes, Ancestral Swamp bubbles with laid-back ease and tre-molodic goodness. Most songs have the simplest of arrangements: Hurley singing solo, accompanied by his guitar, Wurlizter organ, or fiddle. Tara Jane O'Neil helps lend a nice touch to 'El Dorado,' and Snock calls upon frequent past accomplices Dave Reisch and Louie Longmeyer for their graceful touch on sleepy winners like 'New River Blues' and 'Gamblin' Charlie.' As with all Hurley's albums, once one sets the needle down, one is put in a certain peace and place. His voice and songs are unique, shuffling with characters and visions clear and wild. With Ancestral Swamp, it seems Snock has left his front door open a bit wider than usual. If you lean in close, you can inhale a little of the vapor rising off the water, and enjoy a tale or two."

 

PRICE: $23.00

CAT #: GONG 013LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2024 restock, originally released in 2009. "Michael Hurley is one of the last remaining ramblin' American folk troubadours. Hobo-ing around the country, making music since the days Bob Dylan first set foot in New York City's Gaslight club, Hurley recorded his first album for Moses Ash's legendary Folkways label in 1964 and continued to release albums for both Warner Brothers and Rounder. His mid-'70s Have Moicy! album was among the top ten for the decade selected by Rolling Stone magazine. While many of his contemporaries are long past their prime (or deceased), Hurley's muse is still intact. Hurley's songwriting talent hasn't gone unnoticed by a new generation of musicians. In recent years, he was invited to tour with alt-country heroes Son Volt and Lucinda Williams. He's also shared bills with Smog and Palace Brothers, played with the Giant Sand rhythm section, and has of course appeared with (and been covered by) Vetiver and appeared on their records. His songs have also been covered by indie stars Cat Power and Yo La Tengo, among others. So, the matter at hand, a new album of recordings sung and played by Hurley, backed by Ida, appropriately titled Ida Con Snock: Snock himself marvels at this 21st studio album, recorded at Levon Helms' studio in Woodstock, NY. Ida's less-is-more finesse shines on these rich recordings, melding perfectly with Hurley's playing and singing. Many of these songs are already well familiar to Hurley's devotees. There are seven originals and five loving covers of '50s rock 'n' roll, C&W, and vintage folk, each tune capturing Hurley and band at peak performance levels."

 

PRICE: $16.00

CAT #: JKDBAG 077LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Limited restock. Killer compilation of archetypal late seventies style American and Australian punk rock, which brings together many of the best tracks to be found on the various volumes of the Killed By Death series. Featuring Queers, Child Molester, Nervous Eaters, Rocks, Psycho Surgeons, News, Violators, Hollywood Squares, Lewd, Mad, Unnatural Axe, Freestone, Nasal Boys, and Leftovers.

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: HPS 281CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Repress of Witchthroat Serpent's debut album. The trio were formed at the end of 2011 by Fredrik Bolzann, leader of the avant garde black metal band Darvulia and former bassist of Malhkebre, who recruited bassist Lo Klav and drummer Niko Lass to help him realize his doom-laden dreams. Mining a very similar territory to Witchsorrow, or the first Electric Wizard album, Witchthroat Serpent sound at once refreshingly distinct and instantly familiar. Their eerie, heavy-as-balls sound is going to make doom fanatics across the globe very happy indeed. The main success of Witchthroat Serpent's self-titled doom debut lies in the contrast between the raw vocals and the fuzzy guitars, both of which are produced by Fredrik Bolzann.

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: HPS 281LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Repress of Witchthroat Serpent's debut album. The trio were formed at the end of 2011 by Fredrik Bolzann, leader of the avant garde black metal band Darvulia and former bassist of Malhkebre, who recruited bassist Lo Klav and drummer Niko Lass to help him realize his doom-laden dreams. Mining a very similar territory to Witchsorrow, or the first Electric Wizard album, Witchthroat Serpent sound at once refreshingly distinct and instantly familiar. Their eerie, heavy-as-balls sound is going to make doom fanatics across the globe very happy indeed. The main success of Witchthroat Serpent's self-titled doom debut lies in the contrast between the raw vocals and the fuzzy guitars, both of which are produced by Fredrik Bolzann.

 

PRICE: $29.50

CAT #: HPS 281LTD-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Yellow color vinyl. Repress of Witchthroat Serpent's debut album. The trio were formed at the end of 2011 by Fredrik Bolzann, leader of the avant garde black metal band Darvulia and former bassist of Malhkebre, who recruited bassist Lo Klav and drummer Niko Lass to help him realize his doom-laden dreams. Mining a very similar territory to Witchsorrow, or the first Electric Wizard album, Witchthroat Serpent sound at once refreshingly distinct and instantly familiar. Their eerie, heavy-as-balls sound is going to make doom fanatics across the globe very happy indeed. The main success of Witchthroat Serpent's self-titled doom debut lies in the contrast between the raw vocals and the fuzzy guitars, both of which are produced by Fredrik Bolzann.

 

PRICE: $37.50

CAT #: HPS 281ULTRA-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Red/black/white splatter vinyl. Repress of Witchthroat Serpent's debut album. The trio were formed at the end of 2011 by Fredrik Bolzann, leader of the avant garde black metal band Darvulia and former bassist of Malhkebre, who recruited bassist Lo Klav and drummer Niko Lass to help him realize his doom-laden dreams. Mining a very similar territory to Witchsorrow, or the first Electric Wizard album, Witchthroat Serpent sound at once refreshingly distinct and instantly familiar. Their eerie, heavy-as-balls sound is going to make doom fanatics across the globe very happy indeed. The main success of Witchthroat Serpent's self-titled doom debut lies in the contrast between the raw vocals and the fuzzy guitars, both of which are produced by Fredrik Bolzann.

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: HPS 282CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Repress of the sophomore album from Witchthroat Serpent. "The whole tone of the album is one of pure doom, though shades of psych rock and stoner metal do appear to show you there is much more to the band's sound. Though this will take a few listens to fully appreciate, as Witchthroat Serpent have created quite a complex album at times. Tracks such as 'Lady Sally, Into The Black Wood' and 'Mystical Detective' even venture into the world of prog rock as some of the guitar solos can only be described as epic." --Outlaws of the Sun

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: HPS 282LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Repress of the sophomore album from Witchthroat Serpent. "The whole tone of the album is one of pure doom, though shades of psych rock and stoner metal do appear to show you there is much more to the band's sound. Though this will take a few listens to fully appreciate, as Witchthroat Serpent have created quite a complex album at times. Tracks such as 'Lady Sally, Into The Black Wood' and 'Mystical Detective' even venture into the world of prog rock as some of the guitar solos can only be described as epic." --Outlaws of the Sun

 

PRICE: $29.50

CAT #: HPS 282LTD-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Purple color vinyl. Repress of the sophomore album from Witchthroat Serpent. "The whole tone of the album is one of pure doom, though shades of psych rock and stoner metal do appear to show you there is much more to the band's sound. Though this will take a few listens to fully appreciate, as Witchthroat Serpent have created quite a complex album at times. Tracks such as 'Lady Sally, Into The Black Wood' and 'Mystical Detective' even venture into the world of prog rock as some of the guitar solos can only be described as epic." --Outlaws of the Sun

 

PRICE: $37.50

CAT #: HPS 282ULTRA-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. White/black/red vinyl. Repress of the sophomore album from Witchthroat Serpent. "The whole tone of the album is one of pure doom, though shades of psych rock and stoner metal do appear to show you there is much more to the band's sound. Though this will take a few listens to fully appreciate, as Witchthroat Serpent have created quite a complex album at times. Tracks such as 'Lady Sally, Into The Black Wood' and 'Mystical Detective' even venture into the world of prog rock as some of the guitar solos can only be described as epic." --Outlaws of the Sun

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: HPS 290CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Disastroid's latest outing, Garden Creatures, is a record about the darkness in the hidden corners of suburban landscapes -- sinister overgrown gardens, secret collections kept in basements, the crime just beneath the surface, the pervasive loneliness under a veneer of normalcy. Accordingly, it's a dark and atmospheric record, trading the stripped-down approach of 2020's Mortal Fools for a thicker, heavier, and more layered sound. Legendary producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Neurosis) builds mixes that range from dark and dreamy to a thick, sludgy crunch, slowly puling the listener through a range of sounds and textures, making sure things stay interesting. Singer/guitarist Enver Koneya's vocals are soulful and sometimes haunting, drifting above Disastroid's characteristically off-kilter, grunge-influenced riffs.

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: HPS 290LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Disastroid's latest outing, Garden Creatures, is a record about the darkness in the hidden corners of suburban landscapes -- sinister overgrown gardens, secret collections kept in basements, the crime just beneath the surface, the pervasive loneliness under a veneer of normalcy. Accordingly, it's a dark and atmospheric record, trading the stripped-down approach of 2020's Mortal Fools for a thicker, heavier, and more layered sound. Legendary producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Neurosis) builds mixes that range from dark and dreamy to a thick, sludgy crunch, slowly puling the listener through a range of sounds and textures, making sure things stay interesting. Singer/guitarist Enver Koneya's vocals are soulful and sometimes haunting, drifting above Disastroid's characteristically off-kilter, grunge-influenced riffs.

 

PRICE: $29.50

CAT #: HPS 290LTD-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Violet color vinyl. Disastroid's latest outing, Garden Creatures, is a record about the darkness in the hidden corners of suburban landscapes -- sinister overgrown gardens, secret collections kept in basements, the crime just beneath the surface, the pervasive loneliness under a veneer of normalcy. Accordingly, it's a dark and atmospheric record, trading the stripped-down approach of 2020's Mortal Fools for a thicker, heavier, and more layered sound. Legendary producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Neurosis) builds mixes that range from dark and dreamy to a thick, sludgy crunch, slowly puling the listener through a range of sounds and textures, making sure things stay interesting. Singer/guitarist Enver Koneya's vocals are soulful and sometimes haunting, drifting above Disastroid's characteristically off-kilter, grunge-influenced riffs.

 

PRICE: $37.50

CAT #: HPS 290ULTRA-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Orange/black splatter vinyl. Disastroid's latest outing, Garden Creatures, is a record about the darkness in the hidden corners of suburban landscapes -- sinister overgrown gardens, secret collections kept in basements, the crime just beneath the surface, the pervasive loneliness under a veneer of normalcy. Accordingly, it's a dark and atmospheric record, trading the stripped-down approach of 2020's Mortal Fools for a thicker, heavier, and more layered sound. Legendary producer Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Neurosis) builds mixes that range from dark and dreamy to a thick, sludgy crunch, slowly puling the listener through a range of sounds and textures, making sure things stay interesting. Singer/guitarist Enver Koneya's vocals are soulful and sometimes haunting, drifting above Disastroid's characteristically off-kilter, grunge-influenced riffs.

 

PRICE: $14.50

CAT #: HPS 292CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"The theme of the album, titled Echoes from the Universe, is the attempt, as human and temporal beings, to escape the idea of an alleged destiny predetermination by managing to build one's own individual life path trough will power. The concept album is based on the of the Norse Norns myth, who weave the threads of universal destiny on a tapestry, in which all existence, in a continuous mix of past, present and future, intersect and influence each other, thereby generating a kaleidoscopic vortex of infinite and unpredictable possibilities. For this reason, we have used them as a symbol of freedom of choice, which never excludes but indeed implies, the element of chance. The artwork, interpreted by the artist Django Nokes, reflects the concept perfectly. Echoes from the Universe is an evocative soundscapes trip and fresh breeze of groovy beats and psychedelia swaying between sweet moments and massive progressive deliriums." --Mr. Bison

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: HPS 292LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. "The theme of the album, titled Echoes from the Universe, is the attempt, as human and temporal beings, to escape the idea of an alleged destiny predetermination by managing to build one's own individual life path trough will power. The concept album is based on the of the Norse Norns myth, who weave the threads of universal destiny on a tapestry, in which all existence, in a continuous mix of past, present and future, intersect and influence each other, thereby generating a kaleidoscopic vortex of infinite and unpredictable possibilities. For this reason, we have used them as a symbol of freedom of choice, which never excludes but indeed implies, the element of chance. The artwork, interpreted by the artist Django Nokes, reflects the concept perfectly. Echoes from the Universe is an evocative soundscapes trip and fresh breeze of groovy beats and psychedelia swaying between sweet moments and massive progressive deliriums." --Mr. Bison

 

PRICE: $29.50

CAT #: HPS 292LTD-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version, violet color vinyl. "The theme of the album, titled Echoes from the Universe, is the attempt, as human and temporal beings, to escape the idea of an alleged destiny predetermination by managing to build one's own individual life path trough will power. The concept album is based on the of the Norse Norns myth, who weave the threads of universal destiny on a tapestry, in which all existence, in a continuous mix of past, present and future, intersect and influence each other, thereby generating a kaleidoscopic vortex of infinite and unpredictable possibilities. For this reason, we have used them as a symbol of freedom of choice, which never excludes but indeed implies, the element of chance. The artwork, interpreted by the artist Django Nokes, reflects the concept perfectly. Echoes from the Universe is an evocative soundscapes trip and fresh breeze of groovy beats and psychedelia swaying between sweet moments and massive progressive deliriums." --Mr. Bison

 

PRICE: $37.50

CAT #: HPS 292ULTRA-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

LP version. Black/white/pink color vinyl. "The theme of the album, titled Echoes from the Universe, is the attempt, as human and temporal beings, to escape the idea of an alleged destiny predetermination by managing to build one's own individual life path trough will power. The concept album is based on the of the Norse Norns myth, who weave the threads of universal destiny on a tapestry, in which all existence, in a continuous mix of past, present and future, intersect and influence each other, thereby generating a kaleidoscopic vortex of infinite and unpredictable possibilities. For this reason, we have used them as a symbol of freedom of choice, which never excludes but indeed implies, the element of chance. The artwork, interpreted by the artist Django Nokes, reflects the concept perfectly. Echoes from the Universe is an evocative soundscapes trip and fresh breeze of groovy beats and psychedelia swaying between sweet moments and massive progressive deliriums." --Mr. Bison

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: SUBURBIA 026LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Originally released by the Norway Ramones fan club on CD only in 2004, this is the first time on vinyl for the hardest to find of all Ramones cover albums, recorded in the early '00s by a short-lived spin off project from members of The Yum Yums and the Kwyet Kings. Mastered by the one and only Daniel Rey. Revised exclusive artwork by Dyna Moe.

 

PRICE: $27.50

CAT #: HOS 786LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Intersection of the Wyrding Module and Salford Electronics. Full wingspan hi-fi wide screen sound design, synthetic down tempo, and dirty Mancunian-street breaks. Presented on clear vinyl. Photography by Becka Diamond. Digital download included.

 

PRICE: $13.50

CAT #: IMPREC 525CD

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Strange Times is a virtuosic realization of contemporary electroacoustic soundscapes composed and performed by Stephen Ruppenthal and Gary R. Weisberg. With masterful employment of electro-acoustic techniques and tools, including the original '70s Buchla Music Easel Ruppenthal used in the Electric Weasel Ensemble, these two artists create an essential, psychedelic, electro-acoustic experience. Strange Times is a hallucinatory journey into these epidemic-ridden times through a collection of startling sonic landscapes. From epic acoustic journeys into re-imagining myth to the phantasmal soundscape world of the Bardo, Strange Times is not for the innocent or delicate listener. Time turns elastic, and folds in on itself; you are approaching the event horizon of a black hole. The only way to make sense of any of it is to mentally rewind; speed up or slow down the voices in your head in random attempts to find your way through this electroacoustic aether. Strange Times explores the ability of sound to alter consciousness, creating sonic environments, mental and physical states where one can allow the experience of listening to become transformative. Stephen was a founding member, along with Don Buchla and Allen & Pat Strange, of the Electric Weasel Ensemble, and more recently, with Brian Belet and Pat Strange, of SoundProof, and is known internationally for his live electroacoustic performances, and writings on text-sound composition. Gary R. Weisberg, composer-sound designer-digital audio artist was born 1951 in Brooklyn, NY. Gary moved to San Francisco in 1976 and was involved in a loosely knit collective of jazz and experimental musicians and artists, operating a small performance space called The Blue Dolphin. He studied music, computer programming and electronics at San Francisco State University, graduating with a degree in Electronic Music Composition. He spent two years building a modular analog synthesizer, and began composing electronic music and text-sound compositions for art/photography gallery openings. From 1986-1994, Gary maintained a MIDI project studio for the production of his own music, as well as sound and music for TV/Film/Video productions. Since 1994, Gary has been composing PC-based experimental electronic music, as well as pieces for electronic and acoustic instruments, occasionally performing with other composers and collaborating with visual artists.

 

PRICE: $13.50

CAT #: IMPREC 531CD

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Colliding Bubbles (surface tension and release) is a composition for string quartet and harmonica quartet, meaning that Quatuor Bozzini is playing string instruments while playing harmonicas. "The title refers to different kinds of bubbly matter which are set to collide within the composition, leading to different ruptures and possible release of surface tension. The collision of bubbles unfolds partly in relation to sound, where small fluctuations appear in the encounters between harmonicas and string instruments and partly in relation to a more performative or conceptual bubble where instruments representing different systems, or bubbles, will collide; the very celebrated instruments within the classical string quartet and the perhaps more prosaic harmonica." --Niels Lyhne L?kkegaardThis release was made possible with generous support from Augustinus Fonden, The Danish Conductors Association, The Danish Composers' Society & Conseil des arts lettres du Que?bec. Cover photos by Niels Lyhne L?kkegaard (Bubble studies, 2023).

 

PRICE: $31.00

CAT #: INT 30041LP

FILE UNDER: EXPERIMENTAL

"2024 re-release. The renowned and widely acclaimed music label Intuition, well known since the 1980s, is proud to announce the release of its most important and successful back-catalogue titles on vinyl under the name 'Intuition Master Series'. The American trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist Jon Hassell (March 22, 1937-June 26, 2021) was an international legend despite never having managed a popular breakthrough. Hassell was a musical visionary and pioneer, one who was inspired by ambient sounds and new music. He appreciated the music of avant-gardists such as Stockhausen, in whose Cologne school he also studied. He came into contact with Terry Riley and his minimalistic music early on and played on his first albums. Hassell was also a musically driven person, someone who had to get to the bottom of styles. Thus, he was intensively involved with Far Eastern, but especially Indian music. Using the ingredients he learned, he created a completely new way of playing on and with the trumpet. He created language-like modulated air currents flowing through the instrument to produce seemingly alien, microtonal sounds. He combined this technique with ethnic polyrhythms, electronic alienation, soundscapes and jazz to create his own style, which he called 'Fourth World'. With this kind of music, he significantly influenced numerous emerging styles such as world music, nujazz or ambient. It is no mistake to say that without Hassell's ideas, these types of music would have taken a very different course. Hassell's influence on the music world cannot be overestimated, even if he himself was always unimpressed by the praise. 'It's the invisible things that buzz around us. You just have to bring them to light and make them visible.' In a tried and tested association with Brian Eno (as producer), his first completely live-recorded album was released at that time. The individual pieces, which were recorded in Paris, Vancouver, Hamburg and Brussels, reflect the special atmosphere that made every (rare) Jon Hassell concert something extraordinary. Intuition's 1987 The Surgeon of the Nightsky Restores Dead Things by the Power of Sound is undoubtedly one of his best works."

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: ISL 896473LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Reissue of the third PJ Harvey studio album To Bring You My Love. Produced by PJ Harvey with Flood and John Parish, and originally released in February 1995, To Bring You My Love features the singles 'Down By The Water,' 'C'mon Billy,' and 'Send His Love To Me.' The album received wide critical acclaim on release, with nominations for Grammy Awards and the Mercury Music Prize. Reissue is faithful to the original recording and package."

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: ISL 898541LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"PJ Harvey's fifth studio album Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea. Produced by PJ Harvey, Rob Ellis, and Mick Harvey. Originally released in November 2000, it features 'Good Fortune,' 'A Place Called Home,' and 'This Is Love.' Includes duet with Radiohead's Thom Yorke on 'This Mess We're In.' In 2001 it won the Mercury Music Prize. Faithful to the original recording and package, cutting by Jason Mitchell at Loud Mastering under the guidance of longtime PJ Harvey producer Head."

 

PRICE: $26.00

CAT #: ISL 989528LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"The fourth PJ Harvey studio album Is This Desire? Produced by PJ Harvey with Flood and Head, and originally released in September 1998, Is This Desire? features the singles 'A Perfect Day Elise' and 'The Wind.'"

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: GG 220-2CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"Snakefinger surely needs not much of an introduction. Born Philip Charles Lithman in London, he moved to San Francisco in 1971. His roots lie in the British blues scene, but he soon became friends with The Residents who also gave him the name Snakefinger based on a photograph of Lithman performing, in which his finger looks like a snake about to attack his violin. In 1972 Lithman returned to England and formed the pub rock band Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers. After the lack of success of the second album, he returned to the states and work on his first solo album began. Chewing Hides The Sound came out in 1979 on Ralph Records. It includes classics such as his Kraftwerk cover 'The Model,' 'What Wilbur?' and 'Picnic In The Jungle.' The songs on the album were co-written with The Residents. The music showcased Lithman's distinctive slide guitar playing and often surreal imagery. At the same time, a string of singles was released. All tracks that were exclusive to these releases are added as bonus tracks here. Very recently, a so far unknown remix of the whole album was discovered in the Residents' archive. It was made in 1987 in preparation for the Snakey Wake by The Residents and has never been published in any form. Klanggalerie present this lost gem for the first time ever on this double CD."

 

PRICE: $19.00

CAT #: GG 458CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"This project started four years ago with the intention of rediscovering the messages behind a book that seems never to be truly understood but somehow appears as an evergreen source of purity, a message of hope for humanity that seems to forget its real motivations. Even during his lifetime, Zarathustra himself, as written in the Avesta, was always opposed by the mediocrity of the common thought of his contemporaries, fighting against ritualism, respecting animal life and nature especially in a period in which non-violence was not even idealistic. Four different languages to give a multicultural vision of Nietzsche's text from four important old and new cultures, somehow connected to that book: the German, the English, the Iranian and the Russian one. For Nietzsche 'Der Grosse Mittag' was a secondary option for the title of Also Sprach Zarathustra. The main person behind Zarathustra is Mirco Magnani, a Berlin-based Italian composer and producer, co- founder of the bands Minox, Technophonic Chamber Orchestra, and 4DKiller. Mirco has performed onstage with Steven Brown, Blaine L. Reininger, Luc Van Lieshout of Tuxedomoon, Lydia Lunch, Krisma, Mad Professor, and been remixed by Murcof, Nobukazu Takemura, The Gentle People, and Daedelus. Recent important publications have been the collaborative improvisation sessions with Polish-Berlin friend Lukasz Trzcinski. Guest vocals come from Steven Brown and Nikolas Klau (Tuxedomoon), Sainkho Namtchylak, and Paganland."

 

PRICE: $16.00

CAT #: KRANK 219CD

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

2024 restock. "Received an 8.5 Best New Music rating from Pitchfork. Experiential composer Tim Hecker's ninth official full-length, Konoyo ('the world over here') was largely recorded during several trips to Japan where he collaborated with members of the gagaku ensemble Tokyo Gakuso, in a temple on the outskirts of Tokyo. Inspired by conversations with a recently deceased friend about negative space and a sense of music's increasingly banal density, Hecker found himself drawn towards restraint and elegance, while making music both collectively and alone. As with the Icelandic choir he arranged on 2016's Love Streams, the heights of Hecker's talent emerge in his manipulation of source material, bending and burnishing it into fantastical new forms. Keening strings are stretched into surreal, pixelated mirages; woodwinds warble and dissipate as fractal whispers of spatial haze; sparse gestures of percussion are chopped, isolated, and eroded, like disembodied signals from the afterlife. Both in texture and intent, Konoyo conjures a somber, ceremonial mood, suffused with ritual and regret. Visions flutter and fade; dreams gleam and decay."

 

PRICE: $19.00

CAT #: LUS 86301LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"To mark its 35th anniversary, Lusafrica has decided to reissue the must-have tracks from its discography. Olivier N'Goma (Noli to his friends) was born in Mayumba, in south-west Gabon, in 1959. In 1988, during a television internship in Paris, he met Manu Lima, then one of the best producers on the African scene. Interested in the melodies Oliver brought him, Manu Lima took on the artistic direction of his first album. When it came out, it was the song 'Bane' which, after a small initial success (thanks in particular to radio Africa N?1, Gilles Obringer on R.F.I., then discotheques), became a colossal hit in 1990 throughout Africa, France, and as far afield as the West Indies. The album became one of the biggest sellers in African music history. 'Bane' is one of the greatest hits of modern African music, on a par with Franco's 'Mario,' Alpha Blondy's 'Brigadier Sabari,' Zao's 'Ancien Combattant,' and Kanda Bongo Man's 'Kwassa Kwassa.' More than 30 years after its debut, Oliver N'Goma's music, that unprecedented combination of West Indian zouk and the rhythmic and harmonic richness of Africa, remains as exciting as on its first day."

 

PRICE: $19.00

CAT #: LUS 86302LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"Bonga recorded his first album, Angola 72, in Rotterdam via the Morabeza label dedicated to Cape Verdean musicians. The album is a genuine masterpiece. Its ten songs, which are inexpressibly sad (although their heartrending melancholy is relieved by upbeat tempos), are an account and summary of his experiences in Luanda. 'On this record,' says Bonga, 'you find all the emotions that filled my heart at the time, along with echoes of experiences that would later prove crucial in my life. For the arrangements, I chose acoustic guitar and dikanza and other percussion instruments. The music is semba, with numbers that switch from fast to slow, like spirituals.' Bonga was encouraged by the critical success of this first effort. He added the sweet melodies of Cape Verdean morna and the rhythmic texture of Congolese rumba to his new songs. Two years later, he felt ready to record a second album, Angola 74, again on the Morabeza label. On it, Bonga sang 'Sodade,' an Amandio Cabral number that Djunga had released as a single. The Angolan wanted to record it as soon as he heard it for the first time. Today, the gravel-voiced singer is still continuing on his musical path, enlarging a repertoire that remains rooted in the social and cultural history of a land that was ravaged for so long by unremitting war. It was important to re-release these two recordings. They have a place of choice among the finest of modern African musical productions."

 

PRICE: $19.00

CAT #: LUS 86303LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

"Since his debut in 1972 with his masterpiece Angola 72, Bonga has established himself as one of the greatest voices in world music. This Best Of Bonga proves it, if proof were needed, with a selection of his most essential tracks: 'Mulemba Xangola' (duet with Lura), 'Mona Ki Ngi Xica,' his biggest hit, 'Kaxexe,' 'Bairro,' 'Agua Rara,' and his version of 'Sodade,' created long before Cesaria Evora -- as well as two previously unreleased remixes of 'Sodade' and 'Kaxexe' by Dutch collective Arp Frique. 20 tracks, for an album that retraces the best of Bonga's discography, the golden voice of Angola."

 

PRICE: $23.00

CAT #: MIG 2402CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"The story of Epitaph begins in the winter of 1969/70 at the then very popular Dortmund music club of the time, Fantasio, where the band (James McGillivray, Bernd Kolbe, and Cliff Jackson) rehearsed and worked their set while performing weekly at the club among greats like Black Sabbath, Rory Gallagher, Yes, and Argent. Even at this time, Epitaph was showing its full professionalism. Their big chance came when Champion Jack Dupree canceled his gig at Fantasio and renowned blues pianist G?nter Boas stepped in with Epitaph as his backing band. Producer G?nter Boas recognized the potential of this band and it didn't take long for Epitaph to sign their first contract with Polydor. Then they moved to Hanover, shortened their band name from Fagin's Epitaph to Epitaph, and started recording their first and eponymous self-titled album with Klaus Walz (later Jane) as second guitarist in London's Wessex Studio, which was released in the fall of 1971. Concerts throughout Germany followed, as well as an invitation from Radio Bremen's legendary TV show Beat-Club, which resulted in the first television appearance of Epitaph in 1972. Already in April 1972 the band was back in the studio to record Stop Look And Listen (Polydor). Again, numerous appearances followed, among them the most important German festivals of that time. Could the band have imagined that 50 years later they would still be one of the hottest bands in the country when they met for the first time in Dortmund's Fantasio music club in the winter of 1969/70?"

 

PRICE: $30.00

CAT #: MGART 603LTD-LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Transparent vinyl with blue streaks. "In 1976 Michael Hoenig had a brief collaboration with Ash Ra Tempel's Manuel G?ttsching in Berlin; a 48-minute recording of one of the sessions was released in 1995 under the title Early Water on Bernd Kistenmacher's Musique Intemporelle label. The album was deleted and unavailable for a long time. Now, finally, a re-issue of Early Water is available again. Michael Hoenig still remembers: 'While I had been working on the Departure From The Northern Wasteland album, Manuel G?ttsching had asked me if I would team up with him for some concerts in France, since his group had just gone through one of its hibernation periods. We rehearsed in my place for three or four weeks. One evening we got a call regarding some missing guarantee, which ultimately led to the decision to cancel the tour. Just for fun, we played one of the planned sets for a last time. Even though I do not recall pressing a record button, somebody recently dug up a Revox tape of that very set. After performing some digital sonic archaeology on it, it was just released under the very appropriate title Early Water.' Manuel G?ttsching adds: 'Unfortunately, some of the concert dates were not confirmed in time and we had to cancel the complete tour just on the day before we wanted to leave for France. On that evening, nevertheless, we recorded our last rehearsal 'just in case.' It turned out as a flowing harmonic piece, reflecting much of the optimistic air of 1976. Michael made his 'departure' to Los Angeles in the early 1980s. When we met again in November, 1994, I proposed to release this old track of ours. Michael took the original tape to Los Angeles, lovingly restored it and --well, here is it again!'"

 

PRICE: $30.50

CAT #: MOBILEE 031LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

2024 repress, Gatefold, Vinyl color: clear marble. Electronic music visionary Rodriguez Jr. presents his third album Blisss on the revered Berlin-based label Mobilee. The LP sees his creative imagination run free and results in his most inspired work to date. Rodriguez Jr. has championed a captivating sound of melodic house and techno that cannot be pigeonholed, his vast experience of electronica making him the world-renowned producer and live performer he is today. In 2017 he released the stunning Baobab album, the follow up to his impressive debut Bittersweet (MOBILEE 013CD, 2011) and Blisss is the next exciting chapter to be unveiled. Inspired by the deep rooted and wide-ranging influences of Olivier Mateu including the literary atmospheres of Modiano and monochromatic paintings of Pierre Soulages, Blisss rewards fans both old and new alike. The album also sees a new pop influenced side of Rodriguez Jr. on two tracks, collaborating with Nouvelle Vague singer Liset Alea, creating beautiful moments of serene disruption. Transparent blue vinyl; gatefold sleeve, 4c printed inner sleeves.

 

PRICE: $33.00

CAT #: MMLP 020LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

New release on the Monster Melodies label of an unreleased album by Grand Nebuleux et ses Laveurs de Conscience. The group's final production after Les Pirates du Cortex released in 1976 on the Hocco Mitu label, this second album by the group, after various personnel changes over the years, comes from sessions recorded in 1979. It includes tracks with vocals, unlike the first album which was only instrumental, which mixes funk jazz and psychedelic rock sounds. The group joins here the universes of Zappa and Gong, while keeping its own originality. In 1975, Jean-Pierre Gormond (singer), Christian Nys (bassist), Mickey Blow (singer, harmonicist) and Jean-Patrick Rochow (guitarist), living in the suburbs of Paris, on the banks of the Seine and Marne and the Seine St Denis, got together frequently to play music. Christian and Jean-Pierre were already members of Impact, a group that gained some notoriety in the region before being renamed Amn?sie. Other members join the quartet, Bidou (flute and saxophones) and Fran?ois Abbou (percussionist). The latter offered in December 1975 to record a demo in a studio located in Yonne, "La Pense Folie" equipped with an 8-track. Thierry Jouberteix, familiar with the place, joins them on keyboards. After listening to the demo, a friend from the studio, Colin du Li?ge, decided to produce the group and have it recorded in the same studio, this time equipped with a 16-track Otari. For the occasion, he invites a brass section made up of three members of Urban Sax: Patrice Quentin (Alto Sax), Antoine Duvernet (Tenor Sax, Soprano and Flute), and G?rard Amsellem (Baritone Sax). Drummer Robert Plisson completed the composition of the group. Le Grand N?buleux et les Laveurs de Consciences is born. Le Grand N?buleux and les Laveurs de Consciences was one of the first groups to claim the influences of ethno-electric African music (Fela, Don Cherry) and jazz (Miles Davis) mixed with a rock sound.

 

PRICE: $16.00

CAT #: MBT 034CD

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"The much sought after 1970 Red Dirt album. A psych blues classic, plus bonus tracks. Red Dirt were a blues band formed in East Yorkshire around 1968 comprised of Dave Richardson (vocals), Steve Howden (guitar), Kenny Giles (bass), and Steve Jackson (drums) who built up an impressive live reputation in clubs and venues in the North of England. When released in 1970, on the Fontana label, their self-titled debut album sunk without trace and legend -- or rumor -- having only sold around 100 copies."

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: MR 450LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

This kind of girl group pairing with punk rock was unusual at the time and it provided a much-needed antidote to the male dominated skinny tie brigade. Nikki looked like Pam Dawber (Mindy from Mork and Mindy) and sounded like Clare Grogan (of Altered Images) what was not to be instantly smitten by. Born and bred in Detroit, Miss Corvette reportedly ran away from home at age 16 because her mother refused to allow her to attend an MC5 show. Greg Shaw wrote the following in the liner notes to the 20th Anniversary label compilation, Destination Bomp!: "Nikki was a tireless worker. Like some coalminer's daughter, she'd travel around the country with her band. Playing 200 shows a year. She knew everybody and was a lot of fun to hang out with so, I figured that if all her friends bought the record... so I signed her. The girl had style and attitude galore plus, she had master guitarist/songwriter and former Romantic Peter James. One of Detroit's most savvy cats." The lady herself kindly supplied the following summary: "We went to LA and signed with Bomp in maybe 1979 but Greg wasn't sure what to do with us. We did the Honey Bop single with Ronny Weiser at Rollin Rock and a couple songs with the Kessel Brothers. We started something with Kim Fowley that did not work out. They kept trying different producers until we finally decided to go back to Detroit and do the album on our own. We didn't have a lot of experience but we knew what we wanted and Detroit was part of that so we recorded the album and had a blast doing it. Peter wanted us to be poppier and I wanted to be more punk. We sort of met in the middle with what I've always called bubblegum punk. I can't believe it's been 43 years since this came out and there are still kids discovering it and people who grew up with it that still listen to it. I constantly hear from people all different ages, all over the world about how much they love it album and that really means so, so much to me!" Includes bonus tracks.

 

PRICE: $27.00

CAT #: MR 452LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

With his seemingly endless capacity for creating compositions which have an alluring quality, and which are often wrapped in a mesmerizing arrangement that pays homage to those towering sound constructions made by Phil Spector, Shadow Morton, Brian Wilson and the likes, veteran New York polymath Marc Jonson is also deserving of household name status. Involved in making records since the mid-sixties, Jonson's latest long-play collection is a particularly special glimpse into a secret stash of recordings made between 1979 and 2012 in his tiny flat on Cornelia St., New York's Greenwich Village, during the years we spend living (and surviving) there. These tracks are only now seeing the light of day, with many featuring Jonson at his melodic, awe-inspiring best; soul-baring, honest and vulnerable. Spanning these grooves are such delightfully told stories as "The Man Who Walks On Air," "November Paint Brush," the atypical jazz stylings of the instrumental title cut, plus the revealing light that is "The Moon" and the magical, wide eyed beauty as conjured by "Ages Of Wonder."

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: MR 7364EP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

With a short discography consisting of just two singles -- one of them was even released in Argentina with an alternative cover -- the band All & Nothing has become one of the icons of Spanish underground rock of the '70s and their records are among the most sought-after pieces by collectors. The group was really nothing more than a studio project, put together by journalist and record producer Jos? Luis ?lvarez, who never performed in public. Their goal was to record songs in the same style that the emerging Andalusian rock scene was already doing in the south of Spain under the influence of the latest international rock trends -- imported through the US military bases -- and the local musical idiosyncrasy. Although most of the recorded songs -- some of whom remained unreleased for years -- succeeded in reflecting the original goal, for this first single of All & Nothing their producer instructed the band to record something similar to Iron Butterfly's classic In-a-gadda-da-vida, and Underground Vibrations No. 2 seems to be a very accomplished effort. The record has become a very sought-after item for those collecting the lesser-known side of '70s Spanish underground rock. The stunning rhythm section on both sides of the single plus the overwhelming organ solos and firing wah-wah and fuzz guitars explain the high interest on this elusive 45, a must in the top DJs record boxes. Munster Records presents this amazing All & Nothing debut 7" for the first time, remastered from the original tapes and featuring the 1970 sleeve artwork.

 

PRICE: $38.00

CAT #: MOV 1937COL-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

"First Utterance is the debut album of the progressive folk band Comus. It was released in 1971, with the opening song 'Diana' being released as a single. The album was notable for its unique blend of progressive rock, folk, psychedelia, with elements of paganism and the macabre. The overall thematic tone of the album is of vulnerable innocence facing abusive power, the songs dealing with violence ('Drip Drip'), rape ('Diana,' 'Song to Comus'), and insulin shock therapy ('The Prisoner'). References to Comus by other bands and artists include Opeth, citing its lyrics in album and song titles. Experimental outfit Current 93 also covered 'Diana' as the opening song on their 1997 LP Horsey. The cover artwork was drawn in ball point pen by Roger Wootton, lead singer and songwriter of the band. The centerfold artwork was painted by guitarist Glenn Goring. First Utterance is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on crystal clear vinyl and includes an insert."

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: PC 7981LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

The Cure's John Peel Sessions, recorded between 1979 and 1981.

 

PRICE: $12.50

CAT #: RADK 7031CS

FILE UNDER: ROCK

During the late 1970s, after No Wave pioneer Lydia Lunch met saxophonist James Chance, she began setting her angry and disjointed poetry to anti-music, founding her ground-breaking band Teenage Jesus and The Jerks with Lunch's shouted lyrics matched by her non-conventional use of electric guitar. The group's self-titled debut EP is a fast and furious affair, produced by Robert Quine of the Voidoids/Lou Reed, with future Nick Cave drummer Jim Sclavunos on bass and Bradley Field on minimalist percussion; steeped in aggression and audacity, it's an awesome disc that rebuffs punk's easy cliches and refuses to be categorized. This reissue also includes the "Pre" EP and the tracks from the legendary No New York compilation. Essential!

 

PRICE: $12.50

CAT #: RADK 7032CS

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Visionary no wave legend Teenage Jesus and The Jerks created a confrontational sound, with a shifting line-up as a platform for Lydia Lunch's shouted vocal shocks, accompanied by her jagged guitar noise, non-melodic bass, and minimalist drums. This must-have live anthology is culled from six performances undertaken during their heyday, these atonal, in-your-face blasts somehow even more caustic than their studio work, rendering an aural assault not for the fainthearted. Benefitting from the presence of James Chance on select numbers, this uncompromising collection of staccato eruptions will get right up your nose -- a must for all Jerks fans.

 

PRICE: $12.50

CAT #: RADK 7033CS

FILE UNDER: ROCK

After the demise of Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, Lydia Lunch launched her solo career with Queen Of Siam, arguably her greatest LP. In true no wave style, the album is a mishmash of irritants, but her palette is far broader here, lurching from slow dirges, excessive feminist exhortations, and raucous personal purges to a touch of disco and lounge music exoticism, as conjured by Voidoids/Lou Reed guitarist Robert Quine, Contortions bassist Jack Ruby, and John Cale's drummer, Douglas Browne. Spirited, surprisingly broad and defiantly dissonant, Queen Of Siam's dense layers were designed to provoke and inflame; listen closely to fully decode.

 

PRICE: $22.50

CAT #: RRS 216B-LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

During the late 1970s, after No Wave pioneer Lydia Lunch met saxophonist James Chance, she began setting her angry and disjointed poetry to anti-music, founding her ground-breaking band Teenage Jesus and The Jerks with Lunch's shouted lyrics matched by her non-conventional use of electric guitar. The group's self-titled debut EP is a fast and furious affair, produced by Robert Quine of the Voidoids/Lou Reed, with future Nick Cave drummer Jim Sclavunos on bass and Bradley Field on minimalist percussion; steeped in aggression and audacity, it's an awesome disc that rebuffs punk's easy cliches and refuses to be categorized. This black vinyl reissue also includes the Pre EP and the tracks from the legendary No New York compilation. Essential!

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: RRS 245LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

Hailing from Adelaide, South Australia in 1985, the "debut" full-length by Where's the Pope? established the band as a bridge between greasy, hardcore punk thrills and manic thrash attacks. After a hiatus and a slight line-up change, Sunday Afternoon BBQs diverts from the typified, aural reference points in critical UK punk icons such as Disorder and Discharge but sees the band refined as they carve out a passage soaked entirely in their own electric stink. This is a record rejoicing in the lore of beery adolescents on the edge of the city streets with the dark, frenetic menace of "Geek Attack," or the tumultuous sludge of "Tourist Dream" insurmountably evidential in just how profoundly important the band was to the Australian circuit.

 

PRICE: $24.00

CAT #: RR 387LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Born in Birmingham to Jamaican parents, lover's rock queen Audrey Scott began her singing career while attending Southwark College, forming the Sadonians with schoolmate Janette Edwards in 1977 and leading their defining hit "Goodbye My Love" two years later. Her debut solo album Step By Step was recorded in 1988 for producer Jah Larry, whose Clarendon Sound label was based between Spanish Town and London. The carefully chosen cover tunes are done over in the romantic reggae subgenre of lover's rock, with the Heptones on backing vocals, capturing the best of Audrey's abilities at her peak. A smooth, easy, and appealing LP.

 

PRICE: $17.00

CAT #: ROG 134CD

FILE UNDER: JAZZ

"Encounters, cross-fertilizations, confrontations and hybridizations are inherent to jazz. PNY Quintet is one of those groups made up of seemingly unlikely encounters. Michel Edelin already has a long career behind him, one in which linearity is clearly not the primary characteristic. He has always been keen to experiment with a wide variety of musical approaches, and his discography is only a partial illustration of this. When the opportunity arose, he never missed a chance to play with American musicians visiting Paris. It's been a long time since Steve Swell decided to devote his energies to his own music and to choosing the musicians with whom he wishes to play. By way of example, and to illustrate the directions in which he can go, this can range from his three albums of tributes to Bartok, Messiaen, or Berio to his quartet, Steve Swell's Fire into Music, with the late Jemeel Moondoc, William Parker, and Hamid Drake. Also of note is his regular collaboration with Rob Brown, another pillar of New York's avant-garde jazz scene. Rob Brown, indisputably one of the greatest alto saxophonists, unfortunately insufficiently recognized as such. From his unique and brilliant debut album with William Parker and Denis Charles in the early '80s to his most recent albums, everything is up for grabs. Although John Betsch recently returned to his native Florida, he has long lived in France. He was a regular partner of Michel Edelin, notably in his trio with Jean-Jacques Avenel. His drumming is as delicate as his tempo, and his solos surprising. In addition to his regular collaborations, notably with Steve Lacy, he was always in great demand by American musicians visiting France. Peter Giron, another American expatriate in France, was also often heard alongside Michel Edelin or John Betsch. While his bass playing is assertive, he is also a solid pillar who allows everyone to take the necessary risks, so that the music can surely develop in complete insecurity."

 

PRICE: $19.00

CAT #: SMALL 062EP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

Dial Records boss makes a welcome return to Smallville in March of 2024 with a fresh four-tracker EP Gravity Hill. Peter Kersten, better known to most as Lawrence, has been at the forefront of underground house and techno for decades now. His Dial imprint, co-founded alongside Carsten Jost, has grown to become a north star for many seeking out raw, emotive and understated electronic music and Lawrence's own productions follow a similar path, finding a home on many beloved labels beyond Dial such as Mule Musiq, Ghostly International, Giegling, Pampa and of course Smallville, that he co-founded together with Stella Plazonja and Julius Steinhoff in 2005. Title-track "Gravity Hill" opens the project and perfectly sets the tone with Lawrence's distinct atmospheric haze of keys, chords and pads billowing atop swaying bass tones and crisp drums. "Beaver" follows next and edges into dubbed out realms with expansive stab delays, rounded subs, modulating percussive flutters and a robust rhythmic drive. "The Swamp" then leads the B-side, diving into a deeper territory via airy Rhodes melodies and subtly unfurling pads, intertwined with organic percussion and a jazz-tinged bass line. "Stargazer" then concludes the package and shifts back to a more straight, dance floor- oriented feel via a twitchy acid bass, circling resonant synth licks, hypnotic textures and a swinging drum groove. Smallville 62 artwork by Stefan Marx as always, and this is the first 12" Smallville cover in full color, after 61 black/white releases.

 

PRICE: $20.50

CAT #: SVVRCH 062LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

During the late 1960s, when guitarist Scipio Sargeant left his native Trinidad for New York, he hooked up with another Trinidadian guitarist, Bert Bailey, for a psychedelic rock project, with Sargeant relegated to bass, Bert's brother Herb on drum duties, fellow Trinidadian Lou Phillips as frontman, and African American keyboardist Earl Arthur on prog-like organ. Impacting the club circuit, they were nearly signed by Columbia, but wound up cutting their sole LP for Calla in one brief afternoon. The result is a hard-rocking trippy set with echoes of the Chambers Brothers, Hendrix, and Sly Stone. A lost classic, ripe for rediscovery.

 

PRICE: $17.50

CAT #: MAGIC 036EP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

The first remix EP of Noema's new album, ONE, contains five exciting tracks reimagined by rising producers Kalabrese, Lauer, Mehmet Aslan, Panthera Krause, and Shubostar. Noema's ONE is a comprehensive art piece that includes music, remixes, interactive performance installations, videos, costumes, and choreography. In ONE, Noema tells the story of his interdimensional space explorations, in which he manifests as four different entities. Because of the energetic state of humanity, these entities became trapped in our dimension and now put on performances to re-power their portal. During the performances five actors invite up to 120 people from the audience to join the action. Sun Ra meets Steve Reich meets Larry Levan -- imagine it as a "happening" from the '70s.

 

PRICE: $18.00

CAT #: TMR 173LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2024 restock. "Blind Willie McTell's Volume 2 from our highly-anticipated Document Records reissue series on black, 180-gram vinyl."

 

PRICE: $13.50

CAT #: RELTIME 008CD

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

The third album by Rico Friebe is a clearance, an outcry, an universe within itself, a hope and a message at once -- sending out Anthems For A Lost Generation! After his preceding albums of intimacy Word Value (RELTIME 005CD, 2023) and Faces Meet (RELTIME 006LP, 2023), based on personal tragedies and the accompanying struggles, Rico Friebe has something to tell to a whole generation and delivers ten radiant and distinct top-notch productions that find a most modern and futuristic sound within different styles of pop music while his soft and emotive voice is hovering above all. Originally, Anthems For A Lost Generation has been recorded as an acoustic double-album, but Rico Friebe threw it all out, wrote new songs and found a truly more fitting sound after he realized that there could only be one musical outcome to tell these stories: Songs like "Bad Seed," "I Like Memes," "Redo," "Games," or "Lazy, Bored And Sad" are milestones of capturing a complete zeitgeist and beyond. Each line within the lyrics is taken from close and personal experiences and interactions that made him undergo a whole spectrum of emotions, creating deep worries and sadness, but also a far hope. Feel lost? Be found! With Anthems Of A Lost Generation.

 

PRICE: $33.00

CAT #: RELTIME 008LP

FILE UNDER: ELECTRONIC

LP version. The third album by Rico Friebe is a clearance, an outcry, an universe within itself, a hope and a message at once -- sending out Anthems For A Lost Generation! After his preceding albums of intimacy Word Value (RELTIME 005CD, 2023) and Faces Meet (RELTIME 006LP, 2023), based on personal tragedies and the accompanying struggles, Rico Friebe has something to tell to a whole generation and delivers ten radiant and distinct top-notch productions that find a most modern and futuristic sound within different styles of pop music while his soft and emotive voice is hovering above all. Originally, Anthems For A Lost Generation has been recorded as an acoustic double-album, but Rico Friebe threw it all out, wrote new songs and found a truly more fitting sound after he realized that there could only be one musical outcome to tell these stories: Songs like "Bad Seed," "I Like Memes," "Redo," "Games," or "Lazy, Bored And Sad" are milestones of capturing a complete zeitgeist and beyond. Each line within the lyrics is taken from close and personal experiences and interactions that made him undergo a whole spectrum of emotions, creating deep worries and sadness, but also a far hope. Feel lost? Be found! With Anthems Of A Lost Generation.

 

PRICE: $28.50

CAT #: VAMPI 290LP

FILE UNDER: SOUNDTRACK

Mega rare soundtrack to the obscure Venezuelan sexploitation film Sobre la Hierba... Virgen originally released in 1976 and almost impossible to find in any condition. The album includes a wide variety of music to enjoy, from thrilling psychedelic jazz-funk to spacey experimental tracks, killer drum-breaks or romantic instrumental tunes. Composer and keyboard player Pablo Schneider had an outstanding body of work for the TV/film industry and recorded with the likes of Baby Bell, Grupo Syma, Vytas Brenner as well as huge mainstream artists like Jos? Luis Rodr?guez and Pecos Kanvas. He was also producer to Phirpo Y Sus Caribes's highly collectable only LP, a brilliant Afro-Latin funk masterpiece. His much sought-after 1975 solo album on Polydor anticipated the sounds comprised on Sobre la Hierba... Virgen, featuring a variety of exotic arrangements ranging from Latin mood to jazz funk to electronic psychedelic. Sobre la Hierba... Virgen is one of the best recordings of Pablo Schneider at the peak of his career.

 

PRICE: $28.50

CAT #: VAMPI 295LP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

The Bronx in the 1970s, marked by the presence of notorious gangs, presented a complex and challenging urban landscape. Amidst the crumbling infrastructure and economic decline, neighborhoods bore the scars of disinvestment, reflected in abandoned buildings and neglected public spaces. The prevalence of street gangs, such as the Ghetto Brothers, contributed to an atmosphere of heightened tension and occasional violence. Graffiti adorned subway cars and buildings, expressing both social unrest and the vibrant creativity of the community. Despite the challenges, there was a resilient spirit among residents, evidenced by grassroots efforts to address social issues. The Bronx during this era was a dynamic yet tumultuous mix of cultural expression, social struggle, and the determined spirit of a community facing adversity. The Ghetto Brothers, originating from the Melendez family who moved from Puerto Rico to the South Bronx in the 1950s, faced challenges involving violence and crime. Despite this, Benjy, a key figure, directed the group towards community improvement. The Ghetto Brothers embraced music, crafting a potent, NYC-flavored musical fusion that caught the attention of record mogul Ismael Maisonave (Salsa Records). Their collaboration resulted in the recording of eight tracks in a single electrifying day at Manhattan's Fine Tone Studios, skillfully produced by Latin studio maestro Bobby Marin (Harvey Averne, La Lupe, Brooklyn Sounds). This musical odyssey showcases the band's ability to seamlessly blend genres, creating a NYC-flavored stew that captivates listeners with its authenticity. The hypnotic rhythms, infectious guitar riffs, and impassioned vocals reflect the Ghetto Brothers' commitment to expressing their unique experiences and uplifting their community through the universal language of music. Power-Fuerza is not just an album; it's a sonic testament to the Ghetto Brothers' fusion of resilience, cultural richness, and musical innovation. Each track is a vibrant tapestry, weaving together the raw energy of the South Bronx streets and the soulful melodies born from the trio's Puerto Rican heritage. Embrace the timeless resonance of the Ghetto Brothers' Power-Fuerza, one of the best Latin funk albums ever recorded.

 

PRICE: $15.50

CAT #: VAMPI 45101EP

FILE UNDER: WORLD

Peru enjoyed a thriving and exciting music scene since the mid-1960s. Bands such as Los Saicos, Los Shain's, and Los York's, to name just a few, released a number of brilliant records that drove young fans crazy and set an example for many to follow. The end of the decade brought about an evolution in sound and new music genres, as Peruvian bands kept an eye on the groundbreaking British and US artists. One of them was Traffic Sound, founded in Lima in 1967. Over a very short period of time the band managed to successfully develop their career. In 1971 Traffic Sound recorded La Camita where their Latin influences overpowered the psychedelic prog vibe of their previous records. The song became a local hit and several versions were recorded by different Peruvian artists. On the other side of this single we find Black Sugar, a Peruvian band considered to be a pioneer group in Latin America in mixing funk influences with rock and Latin rhythms. In 1976, following their gig at Coliseo Amauta in Lima, opening the night for the legendary Spanish band Barrab?s, they started to show a growing interest in disco music, resulting in some line-up changes with members leaving the project due to their lack of interest in the new sound and new ones joining in. Their own take on "La Camita" was released in 1978 and adds a modern twist to the original song, becoming decades later a winner spin at the most discerning dance floors worldwide. Latin party music in all its glory!

 

PRICE: $28.00

CAT #: VL 900082LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

2024 repress. Transa is the fourth album by Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso, released on 1972 by PolyGram. Like its predecessor, it was recorded while the artist was exiled in London, though he returned to Brazil shortly after completing it. Evocative, eclectic, intimate, and rhythmically complex, Transa contains everything that has made Caetano Veloso the most distinctive and, arguably, most important voice in modern Brazilian music. The record was cut in 1972, shortly after Veloso's return from political exile in England. Though the songs are not overtly political, they seem allegorical, celebratory, and plaintive at once, and point to a tension between the artist's expressive impulse and the strictures of his native country. This tension is further heightened by the presence of lyrics in both English and Portuguese. The beautiful, desperate "You Don't Know Me" may be the world's first bilingual bossa nova/folk-punk anthem of identity. The jazzy "Nine Out of Ten" gives way to the gear-shifting "Triste Bahia," which features webs of accelerating Brazilian percussion. A spare treatment of the classic samba "Mora Na Filosofia," the cosmic ditty "Neolithic Man," and the 12-bar "Nostalgia," (ending with the wise line "That's What Rock 'n Roll Is All About") close out the set. Transa is a jewel in Veloso's discography and a must for anyone interested in Brazilian pop -- or brilliant, original pop in general. 180 gram vinyl.

 

PRICE: $28.00

CAT #: YAI 002LP

FILE UNDER: ROCK

The fifth album put out by Mohama Saz is a balance of primitive sound both organic and tribal with a flare of timeless psychedelic vanguard. Dystopian synths, chorus, percussion sustained by strong rhythms surround the sound of the electric Baglama Saz melodies. M?quina De Guerra is an instruction manual to escape the innocuous and the complacent and to keep fighting against the establishment. The record is oriented towards the south of Spain, as well as Eastern Europe, Anatolia, kaleidoscopic Kraut, Flamenco as well as music from the Andes and from North Africa. M?quina de Guerra forces the listener to fight against the international reactionary that wants to devour everything. Because each song contained in this record is its own world, and the new world is a M?quina de Guerra. The music of Mohama Saz is an enormous explosion of sound. For fans of Erkin Koray, Orkestra of Spheres, Triana, Sun Ra, Goat, Tinariwen, Las Grecas, or Neu. M?quina de Guerra has been produced by Carlos D?az and Mohama Saz. It was recorded, mixed and mastered by Carlos D?az at the El Cortijo de Santa Mar?a de la Vega (Granada, Spain). And with the original works of Oscar Rey Atellier on cover and back cover art, a Spanish painter based in Berlin. This album is published by YaiYai Records, limited to 300 copies.