New Releases & Staff Picks - 11/8/24

STAFF PICKS
Lindsay – Ivy, Hypnosonics, and Mk.Gee 
Dario – Grant Green reissue
Kimber – Tsunami
Jake – They Are Gutting A Body Of Water reissue 
Zach – Richard Swift and Cass McCombs 
Ash – Cass McCombs 

Cass McCombs – Seed Cake On Leap Year – Unreleased Songs [1999-2000] CD/LP (Domino)
A collection of early, previously unreleased music recorded at Jason Quever's apartment at 924 Fulton in San Francisco while McCombs was living in Berkeley between 1999-2000. The Bay Area in the late ‘90s housed a special community of artists including Papercuts, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Chris Cohen’s Curtains, and Mt. Egypt. The ethos was for maximum integrity and intimacy, and often music would only be shared with close friends. Graffiti writers, skaters and old timers from the 60s were never far away or far from mind. 

Primal Scream – Come Ahead CD/2xLP (BMG)
Primal Scream defy easy categorization - constantly evolving and challenging expectations, making intelligent and uncompromising music. Come Ahead is their first studio record since 2016's Chaosmosis, is no different and is produced by David Holmes with artist Jim Lambie collaborating on the cover art.

The Charlatans – Up To Our Hips [Reissue/1994] 2xLP (Beggars Banquet)
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Charlatans’ third album Up To Our Hips, comes an expanded edition of the album. The set features the original album in addition to 10 bonus tracks comprised of live session recordings, rare mixes and more, all curated by Tim Burgess. The special package has brand new reimagined artwork by Nik Void and the LP is pressed on petrol blue bio vinyl.

Charlie XCX – Brat And It’s The Same But There’s Three More Songs So It’s Not 2xLP (Atlantic)
Limited double white colored vinyl LP pressing. Charli's smash studio album expanded with three bonus tracks. For her sixth studio album, the dance/electronic music album Brat, Charli XCX worked with the likes of Gesaffelstein and Hudson Mohawke.

Hypnosonics - It's Not Like That Anymore LP (Modern Harmonic)
More lost recordings from Mark Sandmanʼs (Morphine) archives! Two lost shows from the Hypnosonics! The LP version is culled from a rare NYC show & legendary Boston gig, and unveils three new Mark Sandman songs that became eventual Morphine cuts served up by his “secret band.” The CD version boasts two complete shows featuring unheard Hypnosonics recordings, eventual Morphine songs, and three lost compositions. A rare NYC show & a legendary Boston gig, rival for space in your player!

Spoon – They Want My Soul (Deluxe More Soul Edition) 2xCD/2xLP (Matador)
Along with the record’s original 10 tracks – including all-time Spoon classics “Inside Out,” “Do You,” and “Rent I Pay” – They Want My Soul: Deluxe More Soul Edition features 11 demos and alternate versions, almost all of them previously unreleased. The reissue underlines the album’s vaunted place amid one of rock’s most bulletproof catalogs and offers a glimpse at the creative process behind a pivotal moment in ongoing the Spoon story.

Talking Heads - 77 2LP (Warner)
Double vinyl LP pressing. Returning to where it all began, Talking Heads proudly presents the expanded 2LP version of Talking Heads: 77. The 2LP features a new remaster of the original album on LP1, while LP2 features a collection of rarities encompassing outtakes and previously unreleased alternate versions, including the never before heard 'Psycho Killer (Alternate Version)' and 'Pulled Up (Alternate "Pop" Version)'.

Mk. Gee – Two Star & The Dream Police LP (Many Hats)
Green vinyl. Two Star & The Dream Police is the latest album by songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Mk. Gee. Two Star & The Dream Police blends '80s pop, rock, and R&B, the record brimming with expansive, genre-defying, and loosely structured songs that evoke dreaminess and emotion. 

Elliott Smith – From A Basement On The Hill [Reissue/2004] LP (Kill Rock Stars)
Brand new digital transfers from the original 1/4” tape mixes by Rob Schnapf & Joanna Bolme. Remastered by the official Elliott Smith archival team of Larry Crane (Jackpot! Studio/Tape Op) and Adam Gonsalves (Telegraph Mastering). From A Basement On The Hill is Smith's final recording and finds Smith returning to an edgier, guitar-driven sound, alongside his trademark heart-rending balladry. Available on blue and black vinyl.

Allen Stone – Mystery 12” (ATO)
Clear vinyl pressing. While working on his next studio album, Allen Stone realized he had enough material for multiple records and thus the Mystery EP was born. Features seven new songs, including the title track produced by 5-time Grammy-winner PJ Morton (Stevie Wonder, Maroon 5) and "Can't Explain This Love," produced by Eric Krasno of Soulive.

Brainiac – Smack Bunny Baby [Reissue/1993] LP (Craft Recordings)
Limited emerald green color vinyl pressing. In 2023, Brainiac celebrated the 30th anniversary of their debut album, Smack Bunny Baby, by bringing it back into print on vinyl. Upon its initial release in 1993, SPIN called the album, "a noisy little devil that benefits greatly from a fondness for Moog synth and a good ear for (buried) melody." With its reputation established, the band went on to open for Beck, The Breeders and The Jesus Lizard. Members of Nine Inch Nails, Death Cab For Cutie, Muse and more have cited Brainiac as an influence.

Buffalo Tom – Birdbrain [Reissue/1990] LP (Beggars Banquet)
Buffalo Tom - Let Me Come Over [Reissue] LP (Beggars Banquet)
Buffalo Tom – Big Red Letter Day [Reissue/1993] LP (Beggars Banquet)
From the first notes of Buffalo Tom's second album, Birdbrain, it was clear the band had done more than their share of growing up since their self-titled debut, which had come out the year before. The title cut leaps out of the gate with a tight snap that leaves anything on the first album in the dust; drummer Tom Maginnis and bassist Chris Colbourn sound far tighter and more unified as a rhythm section, and guitarist and vocalist Bill Janovitz reveals a taut, slashing authority that was quite a change from the sloppy, sometimes meandering sound he'd summoned up his first time at bat. Just as roadwork had firmed up Buffalo Tom's sound, their songwriting was also steadily improving. Big Red Letter Day found the band doing what they do very well indeed, but with more body and gloss to the production.

They Are Gutting A Body Of Water – Gestures Been [Reissue/2018] LP (Many Hats)
They Are Gutting A Body of Water (abbr. TAGABOW) are a Philly based, noisy shoegaze band with obscure vocals and a massive stage presence. Gestures Been is the band's beloved debut record, released in April 2018, featuring hit track “jadakiss”. TAGABOW has been critically acclaimed from Stereogum, PAPER, The Fader, WXPN, Office Mag, and more. 

Tsunami – Loud Is As 5xLP (Numero)
Sprung from the DC punk and politics that inspired Dischord, TeenBeat and the Riot Grrrl revolution, Washington, DC's Tsunami crashed into the ‘90s with wit, distortion and a sharp-tongued feminist spirit. This five LP box set collects eleven 7"s, 4-track demos, 1993's Deep End, 1994's The Heart's Tremolo, plus the first-ever vinyl pressing of 1997's acclaimed A Brilliant Mistake. Drawing on the suitcase archives of their own Simple Machines Records, Tsunami's ambition - from all-ages basement shows to the second stage of Lollapalooza - is captured in essays, photos, and ephemera, revealing the DIY history of the alternative music revolution. [A color vinyl pressing is available.]

The Twilight Sad – Forget The Night Ahead [Reissue/2009] 2xLP (Fat Cat)
The Twilight Sad are celebrating the 15th Anniversary of their second studio album, Forget The Night Ahead, with an eagerly awaited vinyl repress featuring a new variation of the original artwork. Forget The Night Ahead was an even darker set than its hallowed predecessor, Fourteen Autumns And Fifteen Winters, with James Graham's portentous knack for unsettling lines, forcefully delivered in his own Caledonian burr remaining very much on point.

Violent Femmes – Hallowed Ground [Reissue/1984] LP (Craft Recordings)
Hallowed Ground is the 1984 follow-up to the Violent Femmes' legendary self-titled debut album. Similar to the first album, all of the songs were written by lead singer Gordon Gano while still in high school. The band's sophomore title, however, pushed the band in new directions and made sure they did not rest on their laurels - featuring fan favorites (and live staples) "Country Death Song," "Jesus Walking on the Water," "I Hear The Rain," "Black Girls" and "Never Tell." [An indie store exclusive orange w/ smoke colorway is available.]

Pedro The Lion & Lync - B  7"(Suicide Squeeze)
The early ‘90s Olympia trio Lync harnessed the same raw energy and passionate discord of the era’s San Diego and DC chapters of post-hardcore while building their songs on the foundation of the Pacific Northwest indie rock scene’s clever hooks and sophisticated melodies. In celebration of the recent reissue of Lync’s sole LP, These Are Not Fall Colors, singer-songwriter David Bazan has re-envisioned the album opener “B” under his Pedro the Lion moniker, stripping away the celebratory distortion and riotous clamor of the original for a hushed acoustic rendition in line with Bazan’s most austere slow-core moments. Paired together as a 7” single on Suicide Squeeze Records, these two versions of “B” highlight the multifaceted power of the original song, with Pedro the Lion’s version elevating its fundamental melodic weight, idiosyncratic chord structure, and poetic power, and the original Lync version reminding us how their distinctive brand of expressive dissonance and adrenalized execution transformed their cerebral pop songs into jagged masterpieces of the post-Nevermind punk underground.

Wormrot - Left To Rot LP (Earache)
Ferocious Grindcore in the grand tradition of early Earache releases like Napalm Death, Brutal Truth & Terrorizer with a modern twist. 34 tracks of bone-shattering vibrations from Singapore’s finest underground export. Wild, Feral and downright unhinged Grindcore. A compilation of EPs and rarities, this is the first time many of these tracks are available on vinyl and a must have for any fan. Wormrot are the first band from Singapore to play the world famous Glastonbury Festival (Featured live on BBC TV). Touring the world and playing major festivals to this day. Just completed a European tour with Napalm Death and will return to Europe for more festival dates this summer including Hellfest.

Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness LP (Earache)
Pressed on blue and black vinyl. 35th Anniversary Pressing!  The revolutionary kings of death metal Morbid Angel with their seminal debut album Altars Of Madness. Features some of the most legendary Death Metal tracks of all time including "Immortal Rites", "Maze Of Torment" and "Chapel Of Ghouls".

The Body - The Crying Out Of Things CD/LP (Thrill Jockey)
Known for the monolithic force of their music and their inventive production techniques, The Body’s albums are benchmarks in the expansion and evolution of heavy music. Tightly packed with deceptively nuanced arrangements and exhilarating, challenging distortion, their compositions are possessed of an unmistakably singular sound. The Crying Out of Things is no exception; a culmination of all that The Body have done before, highlighting their mastery of dynamic and monumental music that pushes toward the unmistakable sound of oblivion.

Ivy - Long Distance LP (Bar/None)
Originally released in November 2000 Ivy's third studio album, Long Distance is considered by many to be their breakthrough album. It's heavily influenced by trip hop and new wave while maintaining the blend of indie pop and rock they had become known for. Long Distance includes some of Ivy's most recognizable songs like "Worry About You," "Undertow" and their signature song "Edge of the Ocean." This 25th Anniversary edition includes a rare Ivy outtake "All I Ever Wanted." Produced by Lloyd Cole in 1996 while recording their album Apartment Life. It was shelved and has gone completely unheard until now. Also included are a remix and the original demo for Edge of the Ocean.

Big Thief - Capacity LP (Saddle Creek)
Reissue on maroon colored vinyl, limited to 1,500.

Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage LP reissue (Blue Note)
Indie exclusive reissue on blue vinyl. Even by the high-water marks set by Herbie Hancock's tremendous 1960s output for Blue Note, 1965's Maiden Voyage remains one of the pinnacle artistic achievements of the great pianist's career. Hancock is joined by his Miles David Quintet bandmates, Ron Carter (bass), Tony Williams (drums), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) and George Coleman (tenor saxophone). The quintet embarks on an oceanic exploration of five original Hancock compositions, several of which have since become enduring standards of the jazz lexicon, including "Eye of the Hurricane," "Dolphin Dance" and the title track.

Grant Green - Idle Moments LP (Blue Note)
Indie exclusive reissue on blue vinyl. Time and troubles seem to melt away during the fifteen enrapturing minutes of "Idle Moments," the opening track of Grant Green's sublime 1963 album of the same name. As the piece unhurriedly unfurls, all the unique colors of the ensemble present themselves with Green's soulful guitar joined by Duke Pearson's elegant piano, Bobby Hutcherson's crystalline vibraphone, Bob Cranshaw's reassuring upright bass, Al Harewood's subtle drums and Joe Henderson's magnificent tenor saxophone. The pace quickens for the rest of this tremendous set, including the nimble Green original "Jean de Fleur," a bluesy take on John Lewis' MJQ standard "Django," and a driving performance of Pearson's original, "Nomad."

Anderson, Paak - Venice LP (Giant)
2LP reissue in single sleeve. Available on black and limited purple vinyl.

Rival Schools - Found LP (Run For Cover)
Green vinyl. Rival Schools' Found is a collection of rarities, demos and alternate takes of songs collected in the years following the release of their 2001 debut United By Fate. Initially released over ten years ago, the band has teamed up with Run For Cover Records for a limited reissue to release alongside the reissue of their 2011 album Pedals. Found features eleven songs that show the range of sounds the band tinkered with in the ten years between these albums - it's a must have for any fan of the band, available again on limited color vinyl. Rival Schools started as the once-new project of vocalist/guitarist Walter Schreifels, who as a member of Youth of Today, Gorilla Biscuits and Quicksand routinely reinvented the sound of hardcore. In Rival Schools he was joined by bandmates Ian Love, Cache Tolman and Sammy Siegler, whose other projects at the time include Iceburn, CIV and Glassjaw.

Rival Schools - Pedals LP (Run For Cover)
Pink vinyl. Rival Schools and Run For Cover Records have once again been united by fate to release the band's 2011 sophomore LP Pedals, available for the first time on vinyl in years. Much like the 2022 reissue of Rival School's first LP, this reissue features packaging updates curated specifically by the band to create the definitive version of this record. The album's artwork has been updated with new gatefold packaging and a slip-case cover along with an updated set of lyrics and liner notes. In addition to all ten original tracks, the second disc of this edition includes three b-sides and four live tracks.

Richard Swift - 4 Hits & a Miss - the Essential Richard Swift LP (Secretly Canadian)
Devotees of Richard Swift know that his catalog is sprawly and imaginative, packed with as many finely-honed stone cold classics as one-take, madman experiments. The gems take all shapes and sizes, and while it doesn't phase the diehard, it does make Swift's music tricky to introduce to the newcomer: Where to start? What makes the cut? How many crooners? How many wild ones? It's with this in mind that Secretly Canadian presents 4 Hits & A Miss, a humble swing at gathering the forty-seven minutes and fourteen songs that can initiate the uninitiated.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
ST VINCENT - Todos Nacen Gritando CD/LP
UNDERWORLD - Strawberry Hotel CD
MF DOOM - Mm..Food 20th Anniversary Reissue LP
JON BATISTE - Beethoven Blues CD/LP
RHIANNON GIDDENS / SILKROAD ENSEMBLE - American Railroad CD
JOHN CALE - Academy In Peril CD/LP
JOHN CALE - Paris 1919 CD/LP
JIMMY DALE GILMORE + THE FLATLANDERS - All American Music CD
LESS THAN JAKE - Uncharted CD/LP
GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS - Woodland CD/LP
COWARD BROTHERS - Self Titled CD/LP (T-Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello)
ALVVAYS - Self Titled LP 10 year anniversary reissue
MAGAZINE - Correct Use Of Soap LP reissue
MAGAZINE - Real Life LP reissue
MAGAZINE - Secondhand Delight LP reissue
TV ON THE RADIO - Desperate Youth Bloodthirsty Lovers LP reissue
JPEGMAFIA - Lay Down My Life For You LP
SIR - Seven Sunday LP
MAJOR LAZER - Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do LP reissue
XENO & OAKLANDER - Via Negativa CD/LP
JOSH ROUSE - Nashville LP reissue
WARREN HAYNES - Million Voices Whisper LP