New Releases & Staff Picks - 5/10/24

STAFF PICKS
Lindsay - Pokey LaFarge, Arab Strap, and Shannon and The Clams
Dario - Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements, and Jim White and Marisa Anderson
Kimber -  Jim White and Marisa Anderson
Jake - Amen Dunes and Water From Your Eyes
Zach - Shannon and the Clams
Ash - Mulatu Astatke

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS – The Moon Is In The Wrong PlaceCD/LP (Easy Eye Sound)
The Moon Is In The Wrong Place is an upbeat, yet poignant narrative on grief and resilience from Shannon & The Clams. Woven from the threads of devastating loss and communal ties in the aftermath of profound loss - the sudden passing of Shannon's fiancée just months before their wedding - this record unfolds as the Clams' most introspective to date. With Dan Auerbach's production, the album delves deep into themes of heartache and healing, and showcases the band's trademark wry psychedelia, energetic nostalgia, and flourishes of retro beauty. It's a tribute to the power of art and community to triumph over tragedy, and a milestone in Shannon & The Clams' venerable oeuvre. [An indie store exclusive blue w/ pink & black splatter color vinyl pressing is available.]

AMEN DUNES – Death Jokes CD/2xLP (Sub Pop)
With Death Jokes, for the first time since the project's incarnation in 2006, the spiritual reflections and meditations of Amen Dunes are turned away from himself, and out sharply towards the world. The album is also a drastic turn musically and thematically, rooted in the electronic music of raves and of rap music he grew up with but never imagined himself able to make, playing like a scathing electronic essay on America's culture of violence, dominance, and destructive individualism. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]

JIM WHITE AND MARISA ANDERSON - Swallowtail LP (Thrill Jockey)
The collaboration between renowned drummer Jim White and acclaimed guitarist Marisa Anderson is a natural union of two of the most intuitive players and listeners working in music. Their sophomore album, Swallowtail, finds the duo completely attuned to each other, fluidly moving as wind and water. They avoid preconceived movements, instead focusing on their musical conversation. As Anderson puts it: “The ideas aren’t the music, they are the pathway into the musical possibilities.” Their skillful interplay creates an effervescence throughout the album. The ebb and flow to the duo’s motions bring a sense of serenity and ease to spontaneous transitions, each swell and retraction sounding as free as it does inevitable. White and Anderson’s preternatural alchemy as a duo allows each fleeting gesture to feel featherlight and stirring while maintaining an inquisitive spirit.

ARAB STRAP – I’m Totally Fine With It / Don’t Give A Fuck AnymoreCD/LP (Rock Action)
Almost 28 years after their debut, Arab Strap have never sounded more essential, and this new record is a fierce testament to their laser focus on wider horizons. Written and performed exclusively by Malcolm Middleton & Aidan Moffat, and finessed with longtime collaborator Paul Savage, the album furthers the band's transformation from swooning, slow-core romantics to raging, alt-pop chroniclers. [An indie store exclusive gold color vinyl pressing is available.]

RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE – Love Hate Music Box CD/LP (New Elektra)
Making a bold return, genre-defying, North Carolina-bred quartet and live sensations Rainbow Kitten Surprise will unveil their first full-length album in six years, Love Hate Music Box. After years of struggling with her own mental health that resulted in writer’s block, on-stage episodes, and tour cancellations, RKS singer/songwriter/front person Ela Melo was properly diagnosed and treated in 2023, vastly improving her quality of life. As if suddenly struck by creative intervention, songs once again poured out of her, writing at least one a day for an entire year and forming the backbone of their 22-track opus Love Hate Music Box. This epic mosaic of sound and emotion was fully realized once the band reconvened in the studio, adding another dimension sonically. Produced by Daniel Tashian (Kacey Musgraves) along with Konrad Snyder (Noah Kahan) and Melo, the much-anticipated album ponders life’s ups and downs, and traces the turbulent trajectory of relationships, painted out loud in hues of pop, electronic, rock, and hip-hop. As such, it finds the musicians at their most vulnerable, vibrant, and vital. [Several colorways are available on vinyl, including indie store exclusive milky clear, and baby blue. 

BELA FLECK  – Remembrance CD/2xLP (Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers)
Remembrance serves as a moving final document of the profound creative and personal rapport that banjoist Béla Fleck and pianist Chick Corea first showcased at album length with 2007's Latin Grammy-winning The Enchantment. It's also a crucial addendum to Corea's legacy, featuring three previously unreleased Corea compositions as well as five short free improvisations, or impromptus, that Fleck has infused with written music. "We pushed this duo to a new place before we ran out of time," says Fleck, who produced Remembrance. "We have here another cool look at Chick Corea, at the different ways that he can play that we wouldn't have had. There's a lot of great Chick Corea out there, and this is different."

KINGS OF LEON – Can We Please Have Some Fun CD/LP (Capitol)
Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum rock band Kings Of Leon return big with their ninth full-length studio album, Can We Please Have Fun. As the title suggests, it's a document of one of this era's great rock 'n' roll bands cutting loose, trying new things, and, yes, having some fun. Recorded at Dark Horse studio and produced with new collaborator Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Florence + The Machine) the album sees a new side of Kings Of Leon. On Can We Please Have Some Fun, the band harkens back to their gritty origins while simultaneously finding new gears. It's the sound of a band unified in vision and purpose, freed from any expectations, and the album the band says they've always wanted to make. [An indie store exclusive apple red color vinyl pressing is available.]

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Ghana Special 2: Electronic Highlife & Afro Sounds In The Diaspora 1980-93 3xLP (Soundway)
A collection of 18 burger highlife, electronic Afrobeat and reggae tracks, highlighting a time when the burgeoning Ghanaian diaspora across Europe and North America was utilizing new music technology and recording techniques. A period of movement, emigration, and innovation.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Studio One Down Beat Special 2xLP+MP3 (Soul Jazz)
Soul Jazz Records' Down Beat Special is a roller-coaster 'greatest hits' ride through many of the all-time classic tunes hand-picked from across the mighty vaults of, without doubt, Jamaica's finest ever record label and pioneering powerhouse of reggae music.

WATER FROM YOUR EYES - Somebody Else’s Song LP (Exploding In Sound)
In the years since the release of Water From Your Eyes’ groundbreaking effort, Somebody Else’s Song, the duo have taken the world by storm, becoming one of the most consistent and beloved experimental pop bands of the era. They’ve toured with Interpol, Squid, Palm, Real Estate, and Pavement, earning a reputation as critically acclaimed songwriters and a stellar live act with a boisterous presence. This October marks five years since the release and Exploding In Sound Records are celebrating with a limited edition reissue on green vinyl with purple and black splatter!

TOM SKINNER - Voices of Bishara Live at 'mu' LP (International Anthem)
In January 2023, Tom Skinner and his ensemble performed material from his recently released album Voices of Bishara at London club “mu”— a venue founded by the curators at Brilliant Corners and named after the seminal Don Cherry live album. The set was augmented by a rendition of Tony Williams’ “Red” and three pieces by Abdul Wadud, whose 1977 self-released solo cello album, By Myself, was a primary inspiration for Voices of Bishara. Hearing Skinner’s compositions - flexed and stretched with extended improvisation, and in context with works by Wadud and Williams - both places them and this band firmly in the creative music continuum they honor, and provides us with an unobstructed view of where that continuum is leading us. 

I JORDAN - I am Jordan LP (Ninja Tune)
Having amassed numerous accolades and achievements, the electrifying DJ and producer I. JORDAN (they/them) is set for a huge year with their debut album, I AM JORDAN. Thanks to this extraordinary forthcoming album, complemented by consistently breathtaking visuals and creative concepts, Jordan is poised to breakthrough to the mainstream in 2024. 

WITCH – Witch [Reissue/2006] LP (Tee Pee)
WITCH – Paralyzed [Reissue/2008] LP (Tee Pee)
Two new colorways: ochre gold, and blue (respectively). When J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr And long-time friend Dave Sweetapple decided to form a hard rock band, they found conspirators Kyle Thomas and Asa Irons, in the local avant-folk outfit Feathers. Witch's self-titled debut harkens back to the classic heavy metal sound of the ‘70s with the "all in" assault of modern rock and roll production and neatly side-steps "Stoner Rock" pigeon holes by packing more righteous riffs into a single jam than their contemporaries combined. Follow-up Paralyzed was released in 2008, delivering even speedier riffs and raging backbeats that allowed the band's punk and thrash roots to shine through.

VILLAGERS - That Golden Time CD/LP (Domino)
Following the kaleidoscopic adventure of Villagers’ fifth album Fever Dreams, award-winning Dublin singer-songwriter-instrumentalist-dramatist Conor O’Brien returns with the intimate inventory that he has named That Golden Time. No less intense than its more feverish predecessor, the exquisite new album un-furls O’Brien’s trademark melodic flair, his gift for simultaneously vivid and subtle arrangements and lyrics that couch his hopes, fears and dreams in richly absorbing poetry. 

POKEY LAFARGE  – Rhumba Country CD/LP (New West)
After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois- born singer/ songwriter/ actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm--a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm. "I'd be pushing a plough or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me," he recalls. "It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form." While farming, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, Tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock ‘n’ roll.

SIR RICHARD BISHOP - Saginaw Racket LP (Unrock)
Double vinyl LP pressing. Saginaw Racket, the new double album by Sir Richard Bishop, features the first new recordings from the former Sun City Girls guitarist in over five years. It is a singular work for electric guitar in four parts with each part being a full side. Each of the four parts were recorded in one take and they are presented in the order they were originally recorded. But this is also a circular work with no fixed beginning or end. One can start the record with any of the four sides, with the remaining sides then played in order. Known for his interpretations of Spanish, North African, Middle and Far Eastern guitar and string compositions, Richard Bishop never remains long in any one musical territory. There are no Eastern or exotic touches here. It is more reminiscent of early '70s underground rock (unrock). The entire work is improvised, with recurring motifs and melodies. It is similar in approach to Neil Young's Dead Man Soundtrack, but Saginaw Racket is louder, more energetic and more complex, while retaining its cinematic quality. The tone of the guitar is the voice of the record. It is noisy at times but it is not "noise." It definitely is a racket, though, and it unleashes all the pent-up energy of the last few years, during much of which, SRB never even picked up a guitar. So in a sense Richard Bishop is returning to his roots in the form of a spontaneous soundtrack to old Saginaw where he grew up and first learned to play the guitar - a Saginaw that certainly doesn't exist anymore.

STURGILL SIMPSON – Metamodern Sounds In Country Music 10 Year Anniversary Edition CD/LP (High Top Mountain)
Metamodern Sounds In Country Music is the second studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson. The album was produced and engineered by Dave Cobb and was released on May 13, 2014, through High Top Mountain/Thirty Tigers. Metamodern Sounds In Country Music' 10 Year Anniversary Edition features fully reimagined album artwork for the CD and vinyl release.

ALKALINE TRIO – From here To Infirmary [Reissue/2001] LP (Vagrant)
Black and red splatter colorway. Already known for playing paradoxically dour but upbeat pop/punk, the Trio dove a little deeper and darker on From Here To Infirmary than on previous efforts. But even with an obsidian sheen, they still play catchy, riff-saturated edgy pop. From Here To Infirmary is simply tuneful, consumable, and guiltily satisfying.

MULATU ASTATKE - Mulatu of Ethiopia LP (Strut)
This release is very limited. Recorded in New York in 1972, this pivotal album marks a juncture in Astatke's musical journey when he aptly fused various styles to craft the distinctive genre known as Ethio-jazz. For this special edition, the release features the original stereo mix of the full album, as well as a special ‘mono-mix’ of each track retrieved from the original 2" tapes, pressed on opaque white vinyl 2LP. 

MARY LATTIMORE AND WALT MCCLEMENTS - Rain On The Road CD/LP (Thrill Jockey)
Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements are two of contemporary music’s most renowned innovators. Each has managed to expand the perception of their instrumentals capabilities. Lattimore’s inventive harp processing and looping has brought the instrument to a new audience. Her prolific run of celestial solo albums and evocative film scores have redefined the instrument in the modern consciousness. Her genre-agnostic collaborations include work with Kurt Vile, Steve Gunn, Jeff Zeigler, Meg Baird, and Thurston Moore. McClements, who tours as a member of Weyes Blood, is an acclaimed composer in his own right, sculpting glacial atmospherics from the accordion. The Los Angeles based duo became quick friends on overlapping tours, sharing both a drive to push the sonic possibilities of their instruments and roots in North Carolina. Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements debut collaboration Rain on the Road blossomed out of that time spent on the road together, capturing the liminal existence of touring life in deeply cinematic compositions. 

BILLIE HOLIDAY – At Storyville [Reissue/1976] LP (Org Music)
Billie Holiday was captured live at Storyville in Boston in 1951 and 1953. The discreet recordings capture Lady Day in prime emotive voice. On most selections she is accompanied by the Carl Drinkard Trio, but six others find her joined by Buster Harding's Trio; the great tenor Stan Getz sits in on three of these numbers.

KENNY BURRELL – A Night At The Vanguard [Reissue/1960] LP (Verve)
Highlighting an extraordinary guitar trio at the height of their powers in one of jazz's most hallowed spaces, Kenny Burrell's A Night At The Vanguard on Argo makes a strong case for Burrell as one of the most influential voices on his instrument. Featuring bassist Richard Davis and drummer Roy Haynes.

KENNY BURRELL – Guitar Forms [Reissue/1965] LP (Verve)
A cornerstone of any jazz library. Kenny Burrell's concept for this album was to demonstrate a variety of jazz guitar styles. And he does so, masterfully. Of particular interest "Moon And Sand" by Burrell and the Gil Evans Orchestra showcases an engaging guitar performance with a Latin combo.

LES SAVY FAV – OUI, LSF CD/LP (French Kiss)
Les Savy Fav are back with their first new album in 14 years. Almost out of necessity, Les Savy Fav's sixth LP was born in a pocket reality: singer Tim Harrington's Brooklyn attic. Different from anywhere they'd ever recorded, the space allowed for a much-needed rebirth for the long-running post-hardcore band. In that in-between, they pieced together what would become their latest evolution, OUI, LSF, growing the album's title and cover art out of a patch of grass. "The record grew organically - literally and figuratively," Harrington notes wryly.

DEHD – Poetry CD/LP (Fat Possum)
Following the whirlwind success of Dehd’s fourth album Blue Skies and hit single “Bad Love”, they first gathered at Kempf’s off-grid Earthship in Taos, New Mexico where they chopped wood to stay warm and wrote songs during the daylight. They then traveled to a cabin on the Puget Sound to set up their second writing camp where, surrounded by chilly waters, time was marked only by the movement of the tides. “Eating, Sleeping, Breathing, Living - our only purpose was to write,” Kempf recalled.  This was the first time the band traveled to distinctly notable locations to write and inspire themselves. Leaving Chicago proved to be a watershed moment. They finalized the songs that became Poetryback in Chicago in the warehouse they’ve called home for nearly a decade, where they rehearsed and wrote their entire catalog. For fans of classy garage rock, The Strokes, a happy and upbeat Velvet Underground, The Jesus and Mary Chain without the fuzz but with all the hooks and Weezer. [An indie store exclusive ‘plutonium-green’ color vinyl pressing is available.]

PAUL WESTERBERG / GRANDPABOY – Stereo / Mono[Reissue/2002] 2xLP (BMG)
The album Stereo/Mono by Paul and Grandpaboy Westerberg was originally released in 2002. This album showcases the musical talents of Paul Westerberg, who is known for his work as the lead singer and songwriter of The Replacements. Stereo / Mono is a double album that features two distinct sides: Stereo and Mono. Each side offers a unique listening experience, with Stereo showcasing Westerberg's melodic pop sensibilities and Mono delving into a raw and gritty rock sound.

HOT WATER MUSIC – Vows CD/LP (Equal Vision)
Hot Water Music is excited to release Vows, the long-standing, influential punk outfit's 2024 album. Helmed by veteran producer Brian McTernan, Vows features high-profile guest appearances from the likes of Daniel Fang and Brendan Yates of Turnstile, Thrice, Dallas Green of City and Colour and Alexisonfire, The Interrupters, and Popeye Vogelsang of Calling Hours and melodic hardcore greats Farside. Leading the collection is the album opener "Menace" and blistering "Burn Forever", two towering tracks that right out of the gate illustrate the power that the members of Hot Water Music - Chuck Ragan (vocals/guitar), Chris Wollard (vocals/guitar), Chris Cresswell (vocals/guitar), Jason Black (bass) and George Rebelo (drums) – put forth across this intense and musically daring 12-song showcase. [An indie store exclusive clear vinyl pressing is available.]

ROLLING STONES  – The Rolling Stones, Now [Reissue/1965] LP (Abkco)
The Rolling Stones, Now! is the third American studio album by The Rolling Stones, originally released in 1965. The album mostly consists of songs released earlier in the United Kingdom, as well as the group's recent single in the United States, "Heart Of Stone".

ORNETTE COLEMAN – Tomorrow Is The Question! [Reissue/1959] LP (Destination Moon)
Removing the obligatory piano from his group for Tomorrow Is The Question! gave an inkling of Ornette Coleman's need to break free from traditional jazz structures. Though not nearly as wild as what was to follow, on Tomorrow Coleman and trumpeter Don Cherry make use of every opportunity to bust loose musically, as heard on "Giggin" and "Rejoicing", even as the rhythm section strives to keep things anchored and grounded. There's a touch of blues bordering on funk on "Tears Inside" too, and "Endless" switches timeframes repeatedly. This is Ornette on the brink of major change - an engaging, instructive listen with unexpected twists.

ANGUS AND JULIA STONE – Cape Forestier CD/LP (Nettwerk)
"Cape Forestier holds a really special place in our hearts - a chapter in the ever-unfolding book about the road we're traveling together. It feels reminiscent of our earlier records in terms of style; there's a real acoustic rawness to the sound. However, the songwriting and performances are naturally tied to the humans we are right now, with all the branches of experience hanging in there. We couldn't be more excited to share this music. It's been an incredible experience writing and recording these songs together." [Multiple vinyl colorways are available, including indie store exclusive orange marble, and gold.]

SUNSET RUBDOWN – Random Spirit Lover LP (Jajaguwar)
Blue colorway. The woven lyrics and singular songwriting style heard in Sunset Rubdown invoke a mythological world, where magical narratives and tiny metaphors give shape to ordinary objects in the room; sometimes beautiful, sometimes beastly. The moniker was first born to bare the solo bedroom recordings of Spencer Krug but has since evolved into a full-fledged band. Now enter Sunset Rubdown's third full-length record, Random Spirit Lover, featuring twelve songs that bleed in and out of each other, mixing portents with theatrics, confusions with conversions.

UNIVERSAL ORDER OF ARMAGEDDON – Universal Order Of Armageddon LP (Numero)
From the ashes of Moss Icon, Universal Order Of Armageddon blasted out of Annapolis, MD in a fiery maelstrom of punishing riffs, syncopated breakbeats, and terrifying shrieks. Compiled here are the complete Gravity, Vermin Scum, and Kill Rock Stars recordings, remixed and remastered from the original session tapes, and housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket with a chunky 24-page book packed with photos, notes, and iconography from their 1993-'94 run. [A clear vinyl pressing is available.]

COMING NEXT WEEK!
SHELLAC - To All Trains CD/LP
SYLVAN ESSO - Self Titled LP 10 yr anniversary reissue
BEN FOLDS - Whatever and Ever Amen LP reissue
MODEST MOUSE - Good News For People Who Love Bad News LP reissue
CAGE THE ELEPHANT - Neon Pill CD/LP
BILLIE EILISH - Hit Me Hard and Soft CD/LP
AVETT BROTHERS - Self Titled CD/LP
BLITZEN TRAPPER - 100s of 1000s, Millions of Billions CD/LP
BETH GIBBONS (PORTISHEAD) - Lives Outgrown CD/LP
MAVERICKS - Moon and Stars CD/LP
GATECREEPER - Dark Superstition CD/LP
GUSTER - Ooh La La CD/LP
HAVE A NICE LIFE - Voids LP
MANNEQUIN PUSSY - Romantic LP reissue
OF MONTREAL - Lay On The Cusp CD/LP
PALLBEARER - Mind Burns Alive CD/LP
QUASI - When The Going Gets Dark LP reissue
GROWLERS - Hung At Heart LP reissue
HOW TO DRESS WELL - I Am Toward You LP