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LISTINGLetter To You is Bruce Springsteen’s new studio album with the E Street Band, and is a rock album fueled by the band's heart-stopping, house-rocking signature sound. Recorded at his home studio in New Jersey, Letter To You is Springsteen’s 20th studio album, and is his first album including the E Street Band since 2012’s High Hopes and their first performances together since 2016’s The River Tour.
“I love the emotional nature of Letter To You,” says Springsteen. “And I love the sound of the E Street Band playing completely live in the studio, in a way we’ve never done before, and with no overdubs. We made the album in only five days, and it turned out to be one of the greatest recording experiences I’ve ever had.”
Letter to You includes nine recently written Springsteen songs, as well as new recordings of three of his legendary, but previously unreleased, compositions from the 1970s, “Janey Needs A Shooter,” “If I Was The Priest,” and “Song For Orphans.” Springsteen is joined on Letter To You by Roy Bittan, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, Garry Tallent, Stevie Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, Charlie Giordano and Jake Clemons. The album was produced by Ron Aniello with Bruce Springsteen, mixed by Bob Clearmountain and mastered by Bob Ludwig.
2020 release, the first album in eight years from hip-hop icon Busta Rhymes. The album is a sequel to his 1998 album E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front. Includes the single "The Don and The Boss", a collaboration with dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel.
2020 release. It Was Good Until It Wasn't is the second studio album by Asinger and songwriter Kehlani. It is her first project since her 2019 mixtape While We Wait and first full-length record since her 2017 debut studio album SweetSexySavage. Includes the first single "Can I" featuring Tory Lanez.
Gregory Porter, the world’s best-selling contemporary Jazz/Soul artist with over 3 million worldwide album sales returns with ALL RISE, his sixth studio album. The album marks a return to Porter’s beloved original songwriting – heart-on-sleeve lyrics imbued with everyday philosophy and real-life detail, set to a stirring mix of jazz, soul, blues and gospel. Produce by Troy Miller (Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum, Emili Sande), the set also represents the evolution of Porter’s art to something even more emphatic, emotive, intimate, and universal too. After 2017’s Nat King Cole & Me, Porter knew two things: one, he’d bring in an orchestra for his next LP, and two, the music is medicine. In the spirit of that latter revelation, ALL RISE brims with songs about irrepressible love, plus a little protest, because the road to healing is bumpy.
Since his world-beating 2013 Blue Note debut, ‘Liquid Spirit’, which won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album, Gregory hasn't let down his legion of fans, whether collaborating with Disclosure on ‘Holding On’, releasing his dance hit ‘Liquid Spirit – Claptone Remix’ which became one of the most popular tracks in Ibiza, scoring another Grammy for ‘Take Me to the Alley’ (2016), or telling his life story through Cole's songbook. Porter is still surprised by his runaway success, but he has a theory: "I was soothed by my voice as a child and I think that's the same thing others get from it. I'm trying to heal myself with these songs."
Not only has Gregory made chart history by bringing jazz back to the masses, graced the iconic Pyramid Stage and the world’s most prestigious gig venues, performed for the Queen, appeared on the biggest TV shows as well as presented his own series (‘Gregory Porter’s Popular Voices’ on BBC Four), 2019 saw the singer launch and host his own podcast, ‘The Hang’, featuring such distinguished guests as Annie Lennox and Jeff Goldblum.
Pop Smoke's legacy continues with the release of his posthumous debut album, Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon. The album finds Pop's voice in concert with collaborators both old and new such as Quavo, 50 Cent, Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby, and more. Staying true to his intention to use his debut album to show the breadth of his artistry, on songs like “Got It On Me”, “Enjoy Yourself ft. Karol G”, and “Something Special”, fans will discover a Pop Smoke that they had yet to see -- one that is singing, stepping outside of the Brooklyn drill sound that he helped bring to a global level and more. The release follows breakout mixtapes Meet the Woo and Meet the Woo 2. Before his untimely passing, Pop Smoke was on his way to becoming a mainstream hip-hop giant.
Multi-Platinum, GRAMMY-winning megastar Toni Braxton releases her latest album, Spell My Name, via Island Records August 28th. Includes hit single, “Do It” as well as a new version with Missy Elliot, and fan-favorite “Dance”. Braxton has sold over 67 million records throughout her career over the past three decades.
2020 release from the British jazz, pop, new age, and electronica musician.
2020 release, Ledisi's The Wild Card, which is scheduled to be released on August 28th, 2020. I-t's gonna be a long, hot summer, and we're looking forward to this collection from one of our favorite artists to heat things up. The highly-anticipated album from the R&B singer/songwriter. Includes the single "Anything For You".
Internationally renowned, 3-time Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter KEM returns with his sixth studio album “Love Always Wins”. The album features the chart-topping single “Lie To Me.” Alongside Kem, stand-out features include legendary multi-platinum artist Toni Braxton and beloved contemporary gospel artist Erica Campbell. The Platinum-selling KEM is a household name and continues to create timeless R&B music. The CD releasing via Motown Records 8/28.
The album is about relationships, love and self-discovery. She's calling it Chilombo after her father's chosen last name, and more specifically after the journey of self-discovery she went through as she created the album. She spent months in Hawaii recording, meditating and working on discovering and healing herself. Her message of self-actualization, self-worth and self-love is both timely and relevant.
2020 release, the seventh album from the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning R&B/pop singer, songwriter, and actress. B7 is her first studio album since Two Eleven (2012). The album was preceded by the release of "Freedom Rings" as well as lead single "Baby Mama" featuring Chance the Rapper. Brandy's collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar, "Love Again" is also included on the album.
2020 release, the sixth solo studio album by Ceelo Green. The new album CeeLo Green is Thomas Callaway from CeeLo Green The album was produced by Dan Auerbach.
Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, Jessie Reyez will unveil her debut album Before Love Came To Kill Us on March 27th. The album includes the RIAA Gold-certified single "Imported" with 6LACK and capitalizes on the release of the acclaimed Kiddo and Being Human in Public EPs which have garnered more than 750 million combined global streams to date. The Toronto-born, Colombian-bred powerhouse has racked up award nominations and wins including Juno Awards (Breakthrough Artist winner), MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards, iHeart Radio Music Awards and more. She's also flexed her songwriting prowess on records for other artists including Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa's "One Kiss", Calvin Harris & Sam Smith "Promises", Normani's "Slow Down" and more. Her list of collaborators include Eminem, Daniel Caesar, 6LACK, Kehlani, Karol G, Tainy, Pink $weats and more.
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Thundercat is set to release his new album It Is What It Is on Brainfeeder Records on April 3, 2020, and shares the first music; 'Black Qualls (featuring Steve Lacy and Steve Arrington). The album, produced by Flying Lotus and Thundercat, features musical contributions from Ty Dolla $ign, Childish Gambino, Lil B, Kamasi Washington, Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, BADBADNOTGOOD, Louis Cole and Zack Fox. It Is What It Is follows his game-changing third album Drunk (2017). That record completed his transition from virtuoso bassist to bonafide star and cemented his reputation as a unique voice that transcends genre. 'This album is about love, loss, life and the ups and downs that come with that,' Bruner says. 'It's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but at different points in life you come across places that you don't necessarily understand' some things just aren't meant to be understood.'
CD – Hardcover Book w/ 32-page booklet
Pearl Jam will release their much-anticipated eleventh studio album, Gigaton, on March 27th. It marks the band's first studio album since 2013. "Making this record was a long journey," explains Mike McCready. "It was emotionally dark and confusing at times, but also an exciting and experimental road map to musical redemption." 2020 officially marks 30 years of Pearl Jam performing live, with over 85 million albums sold worldwide and a 2017 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Jesus Is King is the ninth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on October 25, 2019, through GOOD Music and distributed by Def Jam Recordings. The album follows a Christian theme, with West describing it as "an expression of the gospel."
The Weeknd's latest chapter, After Hours which features the global hits "Heartless" and "Blinding Lights" is due to release on March 20th, via XO/Republic Records. Filtering R&B, pop, and hip-hop through an ambitious widescreen lens, quietly took over popular music and culture on his own terms. As a result, the multi-platinum two-time GRAMMY® Award winner has emerged as one of the most successful and significant artists of the 21st century.
Most known for his confident wordplay, revealing accounts of his life growing up in Detroit, overcoming addiction, and holding Rap peers accountable, Royce sits with Hip-Hop’s elite and continues to be one of raps most trusted brands. Through his hard work and dedication to his craft, Royce has built and maintained a cult following and the artistic pedigree of Ryan Montgomery has never been called into question. Instead, through recent releases, including Layers (2016), and The Book Of Ryan (2018), Royce has been credited as a leader in the culture by making thought-provoking, thematic releases. The once self-proclaimed “best-kept secret” of Rap, this platinum-selling, list-topping MC continues to earn his accolades though his ability to release new music with an unmatched consistency.
10 Times GRAMMY Award winning artist CHAKA KHAN returns home to Chicago’s Harris Theatre to perform a selection of her greatest hits in front of an enthusiastic hometown audience. HOMECOMING features CHAKA KHAN and her 12-piece band performing hit songs from the span of her entire career.
Jah Cure is a musical adventurer, exploring rhythms, moods and meaning with his latest album “Royal Soldier,” his first since “The Cure” in 2015. Cure writes songs about love and consciousness and reality. His music moves between classic roots and smooth R&B and often challenges the boundaries of the reggae genre. Cure’s presence and influence among Caribbean fans has reverberated around the globe and earned him top status among reggae artists internationally. The music videos for set- up tracks “Telephone Love,” “Risk It All” and “Marijuana” are all +1 million streams on YouTube Guest appearances on Royal Soldier include Melanie Fiona, Mya, Phyllisia Ross, Popcaan, Damien ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley, Tory Lanez among others.
Penned by Emmy winner Lena Waithe and helmed by Grammy Award winner Melina Matsoukas in her feature directorial debut, Queen & Slim is in theaters November 27. The accompanying multi-genre soundtrack, released by Motown on November 15,showcases a range of talent across Black artists. It includes classic songs by Roy Ayers, Bilal and others plus new music from Lauryn Hill, Megan Thee Stallion, BJ the Chicago Kid, Vince Staples, Lil Baby, Tiana Major9 & EarthGang and JAMESDAVIS.
Mahalia (pronounced “Ma-hay-lia”) is a 21-year old R&B/soul artist based in London, England. Featured on Rudimental’s 2015 anthem “We The Generation”, Mahalia has a rich sound that recalls the likes of Erykah Badu, Sade, and Lauryn Hill. Her debut album Love And Compromise features the UK hit “Do Not Disturb” and “Simmer” featuring Burna Boy.
Love Renaissance (LVRN)/Interscope Records is thrilled to announce the release of Summer Walker’s long-awaited debut, Over It. Executive-produced by in-demand producer London on da Track, the 18-song album is an auditory odyssey through the heart and soul of one of R&B music’s most exciting new voices. The collection boasts stellar guest turns from fellow Atlanta native, Usher, on “Come Thru,” Jhene Aiko on the feisty anthem, “I’ll Kill You” and Bryson Tiller, who hopped on the extended version.
Rising superstar and multi-platinum singer Jacquees will release his second full-length R&B album, King of R&B, on December 20th on Cash Money Records. For the album, he attracted an A-list crop of collaborators, including Atlanta royalty T.I. who delivers an unforgettable verse on the aptly titled "King," Tory Lanez who lends his unmistakable vocals to "Risk It All." While Bluff City and Migos front-man Quavo appear on the heartfelt "All You Need."
Calvin Richardson has for the past 20 years been one the best male vocalists to emerge out of the neo-soul movement, beginning with his breakthrough hit "Keep On Pushing." He wrote Charlie's Wilson's hit "There Goes My Baby," recorded duets with Angie Stone, guested on Raphael Saadiq's "Excuse Me" and has regularly hit the Urban AC charts. Gold Dust delivers the "straight-from-the-heart" real soul music with a contemporary ?air that has won Calvin a loyal and passionate fan-base. Includes the hit single "Let Me Love On You".
Music has been the genesis of Common’s creative life. Let Love is the culmination of a journey. Common spent 2018 and 2019 immersed in self-care and, ultimately, catharsis. In the process, he underwent a transformation as he examined God, faith, fatherhood, community, and love. He unites with prominent forces from different eras of the culture to deliver a timeless dedication to hip-hop. As such, the record details his past and present and shines a light on a bold and bright future. Of hip-hop, Common admits on lead single HER Love, “You gave me a voice in the world, it’s been hard to choose another girl.” “a State of the Rap Union as he addresses the rise and expansion of hip-hop throughout the past 25 years” – VIBE “his most impactful body of work yet,” - OkayPlayer. “Common’s homage to hip-hop” – Rolling Stone
Jimmy Lee is the new album from Raphael Saadiq, the Grammy Award- winning musician, songwriter and go-to collaborator/producer Raphael Saadiq. This collection is Raphael's first new album in eight years, and is the follow-up to 2011's Stone Rollin.' The album was announced in June, 2019 with the release of the single Something Keeps Calling Me." Jimmy Lee is a deeply personal, musically ambitious work inspired by his brother's struggles with addiction that explores the razor s edge people walk as they pursue pleasure that leads to pain a brilliantly incisive and empathetic work from a master at the peak of his art. The album takes the listener from Saadiq's native Oakland to Rikers Island as he traces the everyday struggles of addiction and incarceration, taking in both the thrills and pitfalls he witnessed throughout his brother's life. Comprising narcotic funk, steely gospel affirmations, and quaking protest soul, Jimmy Lee is a resonant examination of modern life, in all its exuberance, destruction and consequence. Jimmy Lee was self-produced by Raphael Saadiq and recorded at Blakeslee Recording Co. in North Hollywood. The album features contributions from Brook D Leau, Kendrick Lamar, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Raphael Saadiq came up in the 80s and 90s with the multi-platinum R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! before embarking on a critically acclaimed solo career. He also has been active as a producer, co-writing career-defining hits for D'Angelo ("Untitled (How Does It Feel) ) and Solange ("Cranes in the Sky") and working with artists like John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder.
2019 release. R&B icon Angie Stone comes full circle with her strongest album of original material to date. Includes the blockbuster single "Dinosaur" that has been lighting up the air waves all over the US, cracking into the Top 30 of the Urban AC chart, as well as "Gonna Have To Be You," a special duet track with another R&B superstar, Jaheim.
Free Spirit is the second studio album by Khalid, set to be released on April 5, 2019, through RCA Records. It is the follow-up to his 2018 EP Suncity, and includes the single "Talk". Khalid also announced the release of a short film directed by Emil Nava to accompany the album.
The first new album in 15 years from UK reggae legends. ''Acclaimed as the greatest British reggae band when it emerged in 1978, Steel Pulse is perhaps the last great old-school reggae band left.” NPR, All Things Considered Mass Manipulation marks Steel Pulse's first album since 2004's African Holocaust. Hinds said of the new LP, ''For when it comes to addressing the current issues of the world, we hope that this album will be able to sharpen the minds of man to uproot all negativity, and foster embracement; presenting each and every one of us a higher level of consciousness for a harmonious future.'' In the years since African Holocaust, Steel Pulse has released a handful of singles such as ''Put Your Hoodies On (4 Trayvon),'' in honor of Trayvon Martin, and ''Paint it Black,'' which was released in 2013 to mark what would have been the 100th birthday of Rosa Parks.
The Lion King —like the original 1994 version—features unforgettable music by an award-winning team, including Oscar and GRAMMY-winning superstar Elton John and Oscar and GRAMMY-winning lyricist Tim Rice, who’ve written an uplifting new song, “Never Too Late,” performed by John, that features an African choir and will appear in the film’s end credits and also on the Walt Disney Records original motion picture soundtrack.
“Just hearing that music strikes you deeply,” Favreau said. “Even if you don’t know the film or stage show, there is a spiritual strength in it. But if you know the film, and if you grew up with this music—now it can suddenly and immediately evoke the story itself, as well as all the connected memories and emotions that you have from your own past experience with ‘The Lion King,’ or from the time of your life that you were in, or your childhood, or the life events it’s connected to.
” Added Mitchell Leib, president of music and soundtracks for The Walt Disney Studios, “The incredible musical talents who came together to contribute to this project are unparalleled. Jon Favreau’s deep love and instinct for musical collaboration inspired Hans Zimmer, Lebo M, Pharrell Williams, Elton John, Tim Rice, Beyoncé, Donald Glover and the entire music team to an awesome level of generosity, spirit and commitment, resulting in a powerful journey of song, production and performance.”
“The Lion King” original motion picture soundtrack features new recordings of the original songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice, score by Oscar and GRAMMY-winning composer Hans Zimmer, plus African vocal and choir arrangements by GRAMMY-winning South African producer and composer Lebo M (Rhythm of the Pride Lands). Oscar-nominated and GRAMMY-winning singer, songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams (“Hidden Figures”/producer, “Happy”), produced five songs on the soundtrack.
In revisiting the score for “The Lion King,” Zimmer realized the original themes and music were the “emotional spine of the story.” He brought back many who worked on the original film, including Lebo M, orchestrator Bruce Fowler, conductor Nick Glennie-Smith, arranger Mark Mancina, plus several singers from the choir including Carmen Twillie (who performed “Circle of Life” in the 1994 movie).
Zimmer wanted to approach the score differently for the new film and enlisted the Re-Collective Orchestra (led by founders Matt Jones and Stephanie Matthews), along with the Hollywood Studio Symphony (comprised of Los Angeles-based session players), and his band. The goal was to rehearse and record the score like a live concert performance.
Music from the animated film released in 1994 won two Academy Awards (original song and original score), four GRAMMYS and two Golden Globes. The soundtrack was No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart for 10 nonconsecutive weeks and was certified Diamond by the RIAA, for 10 million units sold.
There's a timeless groove to the R&B of Yuna on her fourth forthcoming album Rouge, one that s been two years in the making. It s the most ambitious project the songwriter has ever taken on, and the first album she's putting out as a fully realized woman. It's also an LP that she worked harder than ever on, re-visiting songs, editing them down, adding new layers, enriching every single moment to make it the most luscious musical experience for her audience. Yuna makes soulful pop that contains the sultriness of Sade, the flair of Aaliyah, and the sweetness of Brandy. Via her three pre-existing albums, Yuna has built her palette of melodic, uplifting soul. Her third album Chapters in 2016 was something of a breakthrough, featuring production from Fisticuffs and features with Usher ("Crush") and Jhene Aiko. Her new album s list of features is mouth-wateringly impressive. It includes: Little Simz, Kyle, G-Eazy, Jay Park and Masego. Together with executive producer Robin Hannibal and a team of producers (Jason "J. Lbs" Pounds, Fisticuffs, Cardiak, Jordan Reyes) she explored sampling culture for the first time. The title Rouge is for the color red, which has been calling to her at this moment. "It's a feeling I'm having right now. I just got married. I've become the woman I've always wanted to be. The whole album is about how I am with myself: I'm comfortable with my relationship, with my focus on my career. It s the color of becoming this woman that I am."
The new album from Lizzo, featuring the hit singles "Juice" and "Truth Hurts"
Ed Sheeran celebrates the announcement of his No.6 Collaborations Project – which arrives everywhere on July 12 – with the release of new song “Cross Me” featuring Chance the Rapper and PnB Rock. This new collaboration follows the release of “I Don’t Care” with Justin Bieber, which shot straight to #1 on the Billboard Digital Songs chart and #2 overall on the Hot 100. All 184 Top 40 radio stations added the track, making it only the fifth song in the modern era to win support from the full panel of Mediabase-monitored pop stations. Likewise, all 97 adult radio stations in the country added the song. An instant worldwide phenomenon, “I Don’t Care” hit #1 in the UK, Australia, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and more.
Africa Speaks is the new energy-infused, full-length album from Santana. It features the soulful vocals of Afro-Latin singer Buika and was produced by legendary producer Rick Rubin. Santana and his eight-piece band (featuring his wife, Cindy Blackman Santana, on drums), convened at Rubin’s Shangri La Studios in Malibu, and in a joyous and stimulating 10-day period they recorded an astonishing number of tracks, many of them in one take. Inspired by the melodies, sounds and rhythms of Africa, Santana has created a truly memorable and powerful experience that also promises to be one of his most groundbreaking albums yet.
Raheem DeVaughn, The Love King, is back with his 7th album. Following the R&B hit “Don’t Come Easy”, The Love Reunion is a collection of all new songs including the new single “Just Right”.
K.R.I.T. IZ HERE is the new album from southern rap superstar Big K.R.I.T. The album has notable features including, but not limited to, a long awaited and much anticipated collaboration with J.Cole as well as Baby Rose, Yella Beezy, Lil Wayne, and more. In addition, the album features production from heavy hitters such as Danja Handz, Camper, Wallis Lane, Don Corleon and Rico Love.
R&B icon Angie Stone comes full circle with her strongest album of original material to date! Includes the blockbuster single "Dinosaur" that has been lighting up the air waves all over the US, cracking into the Top 30 of the Urban AC chart, as well as "Gonna Have To Be You," a special duet track with another R&B superstar, Jaheim! Available on both digipak CD and PURPLE vinyl!
Mavis Staples returns with a brand new studio album produced and written by Ben Harper. Backed by Mavis’ critically acclaimed live band, We Get By features 10 songs of longing, strength, and spirituality, presented with simplicity, grit and sublime beauty. Highlights include the buoyant, “Anytime”, the cathartic, “Change”, and the title track, an uplifting duet with Ben Harper.
You're The Man is the first-ever planned 'lost' Tamla/Motown album from Marvin Gaye. Includes three tracks newly mixed by SaLaAM ReMi. The album also includes a rare long version of Marvin Gaye's cancelled Christmas single, as well as an unreleased vault mix of its instrumental B-side, and new essay by Marvin's biographer, David Ritz. You're The Man was the album originally proposed to follow-up the monumental What's Going On. The release coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Motown label and also Marvin Gaye's 80th Birthday (April 2).
While he was working on Oxnard, the ever-ambitious Anderson .Paak was recording Ventura at the same time. As he explains it, both albums showcase the duality that has inspired the Grammy-award winning artist throughout his career. “Growing up in Oxnard gave me the grit and the church to find this voice of mine. One town over I went further and found my depth. [I] held one [album] back because that would have been too many songs to perform live!” Now with a more soulful sound representative of the beautiful, scenic Ventura, Anderson .Paak gives us “King James”, “Make It Better”, and more – with features including Smokey Robinson, André 3000, Nate Dogg among others. Welcome to Ventura!
Worthy is the new full length album from r&b/soul legend India.Arie
Rap or Go To the League is the 5th studio album of the multi-platinum, Grammy Award winning MC, 2 Chainz. A&Red by Lebron James, the 14-track album also features Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, Chance the Rapper, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, Ty Dolla $ign, E-40, Marsha Ambrosius. On Rap or Go to the League, Chainz uses the ever changing lifestyle and genre of trap music to relay his message: inner city children do not need to “rap or go to the league” to be successful.
George Benson gets back to Americana basics on Walking to New Orleans, the jazz guitar legend's double-barreled tribute to both piano-pounding hit machine Fats Domino and the original rock guitar hero and poet, Chuck Berry. Walking To New Orleans is out on April 26, 2019 on Mascot Label Group/Provogue Records. The album toggles between tracks written and/or recorded by Berry and Domino as though Benson were moderating a musical conversation between Missouri and Louisiana. It kicks off with a rock-solid rendition of Berry's 1964 post-incarceration story song "Nadine (Is It You?)," which Benson makes his own by scatting in unison with his guitar solo. Then a horn section pumps up Fats's 1951 R&B hit "Rockin' Chair" and his first R&B-pop crossover smash, "Ain't That a Shame," from 1955, with Benson's guitar standing in swingingly for the originals' sax solos. The Chuck Berry songbook is also represented on Walking to New Orleans by the good-timey "You Can't Catch Me," the sinuous "Havana Moon," the rollicking "Memphis, Tennessee," and the bluesy "How You've Changed." Fats Domino weighs in with the rollicking "I Hear You Knocking," "Blue Monday," and the album's iconic title track.
Anderson .Paak's new album, Oxnard, is a nod to the Southern California city where Anderson grew up. It is the Grammy-nominated artist’s 3rd studio album and the first to be released on Dr. Dre’s label Aftermath Entertainment. Oxnard will include his latest single, “Tints” featuring Kendrick Lamar along with album features from J. Cole, Pusha T and many more. Earlier this year, Anderson .Paak shared with Rolling Stone that "… this is the album [he] dreamed of making in high school, when [he] was listening to [Jay-Z]'s The Blueprint, The Game's The Documentary, and [Kanye West's] The College Dropout."
Beres Hammond is the voice of Jamaican reggae. Widely regarded as the best in the business, Beres is a true original. The new album is finally here, with 14 new recordings in collaboration with top studio talents including Willie Lindo, Kirk Bennett, Handel Tucker, Errol ‘Flabba’ Carter, Leroy & David Heywood aka “Mafia & Fluxy,” Winston ‘Bopee’ Bowen, Dean Fraser and Robbie Lyn among others.
A previously unheard home studio cassette recording of Prince performing at his piano in 1983 will be released as Piano & A Microphone on Sept. 21. The nine-track, 35-minute project from the Prince Estate in coordination with Warner Bros. Records is planned for what would have been the rock icon's 60th birthday.
This rare, intimate glimpse finds Prince working through songs including "17 Days" and "Purple Rain" (which would both be released the following year), a cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You," "Strange Relationship" (issued in 1987 on the Sign O' The Times album) and "International Lover," as well as a rare recording of the pre-Civil War spiritual "Mary Don't You Weep," which will be heard on the end credits of Spike Lee's upcoming film BlacKkKlansman, due out in August.
2017 release, the first album in five years from the rapper. Living legend Too $hort returns with the release of The Pimp Tape. The album is the first full-length release since 2012's No Trespassing. The album boasts all-star features from G-Eazy, E-40, Ty Dolla $ign, Jeremih, French Montana, T.I., 2 Chainz, Snoop Dogg, Mistah F.A.B., Ray J, and Jazze Pha.
Producer, arranger and musician Jake Savona (pka Mista Savona) brought together a stellar assortment of Cuban and Jamaican musicians to create this collection of re-interpreted classics and original songs as a soundtrack to an upcoming documentary of the same title. Havana Meets Kingston is a tour through these two historic island nations highlighting the common ground between the two, through rhythm and culture.
GRAMMY® Award-nominated multi-platinum hip hop trio Migos (Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff) return with their anxiously awaited full-length album, Culture II, almost exactly a year after the record breaking first installment. Lead single “Motorsport (feat Nicki Minaj & Cardi B)” is already topping charts, followed by the Pharrell produced smash, “Stir Fry”. Standard weight, black vinyl
Eminem returns with his highly anticipated ninth album Revival. Production was handled by various record producers, including Rick Rubin, Skylar Grey, Eminem himself, and executive producer Dr. Dre. The albnum features guest appearances from artists Beyoncé, Phresher, Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, X Ambassadors, Grey, Kehlani, and Pink.
The soundtrack is a perfect complement to the film available on 3 CDs for the Zappa completist. Showcasing 69 total songs, with 12 previously unreleased recordings from archive along with the 1978 Saturday Night Live performance; 24 additional Zappa songs from the catalog spanning 4 decades; songs from Zappa's labels Straight / Bizarre Records; 2 classical compositions by Edgard Varese and Igor Stravinsky; and 26 Original Score cues newly composed by John Frizzell for the documentary.
One of Australia's greatest self-made successes, Tash Sultana is a one-person powerhouse who commands multiple instruments and gear, whether on-sage or in-studio. A globe-trotting sensation with a live show that needs to be seen to be believed, the 25-year-old's second album Terra Firma is a natural evolution of their multi-dimensional jams. The follow-up to 2016's ARIA-winning Flow State was recorded in a custom-built studio over nearly a year. From the expansive 'Coma' to the evocative 'Greed', almost every note was composed, arranged, performed and engineered by Tash. Improving significantly as a singer, player, producer and arranger, the solo star - for the first time - opened up to like-minded collaborators, including Matt Corby and Dann Hume, Jerome Farah, and Josh Cashman. Spiritually, Terra Firma finds the artist reconnecting to their roots, returning to earth after the dizzying heights of success, and reminding themselves who they are and what it means to be human. Musically however, its 14 tracks take root into far-reaching sonic territory, departing from loops and layers towards meditative combinations of soul, funk, RnB, folk, rock, hip hop ' you name it.
Since forming in 2007, Icon For Hire (composed of singer Ariel Bloomer and guitarist Shawn Jump) have quietly amassed a legion of followers. Currently sitting at over half a million monthly listeners on Spotify, Icon For Hire are the sleeping giants of the modern rock scene, and are now ready to step into the forefront with new album ‘Amorphous’.
Icon For Hire’s sound is one that effortlessly blends heavy riffs, elements of electronic production and soaring vocal lines into a powerful & bold sonic explosion.However, at the heart of Icon For Hire’s music is a message of positivity, self-love and personal empowerment from the painfully relatable and rousing lyrics of Ariel.
For Amorphous, the band worked with Grammy Nominated engineer Romesh Dodangoda (known for his previous work producing the last Bring Me The Horizon album as well as acts such as Don Broco, Busted, and Kids in Glass Houses).
The album has been completely funded by fans through Kickstarter. This success was achieved thanks to the band’s highly dedicated ICON Army fanbase that support them on Patreon and have been there for the band though thick, thin, litigation, addiction and more.
Having overcome both personal and professional adversity, Icon For Hire are living proof that you can take control of your life—and that’s perhaps the greatest success anyone can hope to accomplish.
Los Angeles, CA’s Weezer will release their fourteenth studio album, entitled OK Human, on Friday, January 29th on Crush Music/Atlantic. The album’s first single, “All My Favorite Songs,” can be heard now.
The world may seem like a pretty strange place right now, but if nothing else that’s forced us into realizing that being human is a shared experience. That sentiment lies at the core of Earth Is A Black Hole, the second full-length from the Los Angeles rock act Teenage Wrist.
The album also marks the group’s first release as a duo, with guitarist Marshall Gallagher stepping up as frontman, and longtime drummer Anthony Salazar backing him up in spectacular fashion. Gallagher explains. “I wanted to keep this band going and we didn’t know exactly what that would look like, so I wrote two songs and demoed them myself to see if everyone was still on board.” Those songs turned out to be the jangly power ballad “Yellowbelly” and spacey rocker “Wear U Down”—and with that, a new era of Teenage Wrist was born.
The artistic liberation of this lineup change, coupled with the past two years the band spent touring alongside genre-smashing acts such as Thrice, allowed Teenage Wrist to expand on the shoegazing sound that helped establish them as one of the most exciting rock bands around today. From lush, guitar-driven songs like “High Again” to the atmospheric ambience of “Stella” and syncopated aggression of “Earth Is A Black Hole,“—most evidently on the swirling anthem “Silverspoon,“— Earth Is A Black Hole sees the band shifting their songwriting focus to a more modern sound that showcases the limitless potential of the band.
The Pretty Reckless’ new album Death By Rock And Roll is their most ambitious release yet. It was written through the heartbreaking losses of Chris Cornell, who was one of frontwoman Taylor Momsen’s musical muses, and longtime collaborator Kato Khandwala. The titular single became their fifth #1 at Active Rock Radio, a first for a female-fronted group. Features “25”, “And So It Went” w/ Tom Morello, & “Only Love Can Save Me Now” w/ Matt Cameron & Kim Thayil.
Double LP features a special etching on Side D.
Loretta Lynn introduced the world to a crucial aspect of American life that was rarely acknowledged when she released her 1970 autobiographical album, Coal Miner’s Daughter. Already a country star with chart-topping singles, this title track, led a string of #1 hits and became her first recording inducted into the GRAMMY® Hall Of Fame. In addition, she was among a notable list of singer/songwriters who brought a woman’s perspective to country music. Celebrating 50 years.
Reissue of DIO’s long out of print 2008 Live release.
Newly remastered & newly created cover art
LIMITED EDTION VINYL VERSION INCLUDES LENTICULAR 3D ALBUM SIZED ART PIECE ALONG WITH 3LP 180g BLACK VINYL/ TRIPLE GATEFOLD
Also Available in 2CD Deluxe Mediabook and 3LP 180g Black Vinyl/Triple Gatefold Standard Edition
Features the legendary DIO album HOLY DIVER performed live in its entirety plus DIO classics from across his career including Black Sabbath and Rainbow!
Recorded Live at the London Astoria
Reissue of DIO’s long out of print 2005 Live release
Newly remastered & newly created cover art
LIMITED EDTION VINYL VERSION INCLUDES LENTICULAR 3D ALBUM SIZED ART PIECE ALONG WITH 3LP 180g BLACK VINYL/ TRIPLE GATEFOLD
Also Available in 2CD Deluxe Mediabook and 3LP 180g Black Vinyl/Triple Gatefold Standard Edition
Features the complete live show experience as if you were there, including never before released version of “Lord Of The Last Day” and an amazing Simon Wright drum solo not on the original release!
Both 3LP Vinyl Versions feature special mini 4 track bonus from the 1996-2004 studio albums featuring “This Is Your Life” (from Angry Machines), “Fever Dreams” (from Magica), “Push” (from Killing The Dragon) & “The Eyes” (from Master Of The Moon)
"Music is medicine to the people" – Common A Beautiful Revolution finds Common returning to his hip-hop roots. A full length continuous listening experience, the EP features 2 interludes and 7 new songs that Common refers to as “Movement Music”; music to uplift, heal, and inspire listeners dealing with racial and social injustices. It’s recognition. It’s elevation. It’s music to go with a movement. To help channel pain and outrage into something productive, inspirational and good. Includes the song, “Don’t Forget Who You Are,” which was written and recorded by Common for Bookmarks, an impactful new children’s show produced by the Obamas for Netflix. Lead single and performance video "Say Peace" featuring Black Thought is set to air on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in late 2020. Limited Indie Red/White/Blue Marble LP
On February 5th, XO/Republic will be releasing a career spanning album from The Weeknd pulling together a collection of his biggest songs from the last ten years.
Medicine at Midnight is the new album from Foo Fighters, and packs nine new songs into a tight-ass 37 minutes. This collection includes the smoldering new single, “Shame Shame.” Medicine at Midnight is produced by Greg Kurstin and Foo Fighters, and is the band’s 10th album.
Foo Fighters are Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, and Rami Jaffee.
Every now and then an artist comes along who makes you remember why you started listening to albums in the first place: Aaron Lee Tasjan is that artist. With his off-center charm and restless creative dazzle, he makes music with conviction that has its roots in rock’s murky past, armed with an arsenal of songs that spill over with humor, intelligence, irony, and at times prophecy.He updates the idea of androgyny but dispels the emotional and social ambiguity with lyrics that reflect his own geographic and artistic wanderings.
Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! is 11 songs. The man who began the album, is not the same man who completed it, transformed both by the experiences that inspired the songs and crafting them. This is not anxious music for anxious times, but rather music as an antidote for anxious times. It is the sound of the future arriving.
There are box sets and then there are BOX SETS. John Mayall’s The First Generation 1965-1974 set sits firmly in the latter category, being substantial both in the artefacts contained within and the superb music it encompasses.
The first set of this size to be released documenting John Mayall’s early years sees not only all albums from his much lauded formative career, but also unreleased tracks aplenty. Featuring Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Blue Mitchell, Jon Mark and many more outstanding musicians, this mammoth package contains 35 CDs, a beautiful hardback book and much more.
Not for nothing did Mayall earn the moniker ‘Godfather of the British Blues’. For a short but compelling time in the 60s and 70s he recognised raw talent, took it in, nurtured it, and everyone thrived and benefitted as a result. Many of the best musicians of the period passed through the hallowed ranks of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. All are on show here in a stunning set crammed with musical highlights.
Put together with John Mayall’s full co-operation, the full list of contents is as follows:
• 35 DISCS, inc. 3 CD singles & 8 previously unreleased discs, alongside newly remastered versions of the original Decca & Polydor albums
• MUSIC FROM SEVEN UNRELEASED GIGS (inc. Windsor 1967, Gothenburg 1968, Berlin 1969 and San Francisco 1970)
• 28 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED BBC TRACKS featuring Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor
• HARDBACK BOOK inc. many rare photos and memorabilia plus a full gig listing for the period • INDIVIDUALLY SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
• FAN CLUB BOOK of letters and correspondence • 2 REPLICA POSTERS - Ten Years Are Gone and 1968 tour poster
• REPLICA PRESS PACK for John Mayall Plays John Mayall
'For the first time' is the highly anticipated, debut album from 'Black Country, New Road' - a new UK based seven-piece, who have gained huge tastemaker press and radio support in the UK, US and internationally including NPR, KEXP, WFUV, The Fader, The Guardian, Loud & Quiet and more, off the back of just two singles releases in 2019. They are the latest stars from the famed Brixton Windmill scene - other acts from this scene include black midi, Squid, Fat White Family and Shame. First single 'Athen's France' was released on tastemaker label Speedy Wunderground, helmed by producer Dan Carey (Kate Tempest, Natasha Khan), 'Sunglasses' followed on Thurston Moore affiliated, Blank Editions. Recorded with Andy Savours (My Bloody Valentine), the album is the perfect capturing of a new band and all the energy, ferocity and explosive charge that comes with that.
Various Artists
A Benefit For Equality Vol. 1 [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition LP]
Vinyl: $18.98 Buy
A Benefit For Equality Vol. 1 celebrates Black Artistry in the blues genre. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the NAACP.
Highly anticipated debut from 2020 breakthrough artist, london-based musician and poet Arlo Parks.
"My album is a series of vignettes and intimate portraits surrounding my adolescence and the people that shaped it. It is rooted in storytelling and nostalgia - I want it to feel both universal and hyper specific."
Recent press features have seen her grace the cover of NME and Dork Magazine as well as being included on the 2020 Dazed 100 List. And all whilst performing stand-out shows for the revered COLORS and NPR's Tiny Desk series - plus being one of only three artists to perform at Glastonbury this year.
Arlo has also been named an ambassador for the British mental health charity, CALM. Whilst her songwriting has seen her gain new fans in; Billie Eilish, Florence Welch, Michelle Obama, Angel Olsen and Wyclef Jean, among others.
"A minor key moonbeam"
NPR
“Her songs are the results of an alchemy that combines shiver-inducing highs with sweet, molasses-coated lows”
W Magazine
“gritty, visceral storytelling that shines through her songwriting”
Pigeons & Planes
"Arlo Parks gives teen angst a human face"
The FADER
Like the great river that flows through Memphis, the music of Lucero keeps rolling on, twisting and turning through the years, the same dark and brooding steadiness always at work. Since forming in late the ‘90s, this group of Memphis road-dogs has mixed heartfelt lyrics with the sounds of early rock and roll, classic punk, country-folk, and deep-fried Southern soul. It’s a sound that stands on the pillars of American music, born more of feeling than technique, delivered night after night to legions of fans in dive bars and theaters, and on stages as august as Red Rocks Amphitheater and the Ryman. In short, it’s music that is built to last, impervious to trends. For their tenth studio album, When You Found Me, the band continues its natural evolution, this time tapping into a more atmospheric, widescreen vision (one that wouldn’t seem out of place on a Reagan-era FM dial) while still staying tethered to its roots. “I wanted a very classic rock sound for this album,” says songwriter and frontman Ben Nichols. “I wanted it to sound like stuff I heard on the radio growing up. I didn’t want to make a retro record at all, but I did want to reference some of those sounds and tones and moods. I think we struck a nice balance between nostalgia and something that still sounds like contemporary Lucero.”
'Film Music 1976 - 2020' - This long-awaited album brings together 17 tracks from Eno's most recognisable film and television work spanning 5 decades. Eno's music has been used in hundreds of films and he has composed more than 20 soundtracks for some of the best known directors in the world including David Lynch, Danny Boyle, Peter Jackson, Michelangelo Antonioni, Derek Jarman and Michael Mann. Compositions such as "Ship in a Bottle" in "The Lovely Bones", "Prophecy Theme" from "Dune", "Deep Blue Day" in "Trainspotting", "Late Evening in Jersey" in "Heat", "Beach Sequence" in Antonioni's last film "Beyond The Clouds" and "An Ending (Ascent)" from Al Reinert's ground-breaking "For All Mankind" have contributed significantly to memorably iconic scenes. Eno has also scored extensively for television, including all 3 series of the gritty UK crime drama, "Top Boy" for which he received a Bafta, and Danny Boyle's "Mr Wroe's Virgins" which earned him and his brother Roger a Bafta nomination. This release features over an hour of classic Eno compositions and includes several previously unreleased tracks.
Written as an intense version of therapy after Dikembe guitarist/vocalist Steven Gray's mother passed away, and with the most exhaustive and extensive recording process since their inception, Dikembe's new album Muck digs deep into the "sticky feelings" surrounding mental illness, depression and anxiety. Facing fear and an absence of hope, Muck accepts the harsh realities of life, and deals with the choices we have to make when faced with difficult decisions: "Why swim when you can sink?"
Out on dBpm Records, Love Is The King, a “beautifully honest ode to love and hope,” is the follow-up to 2018’s WARM and 2019’s WARMER, and comes on the heels of Tweedy’s second book, How To Write One Song, out October 13th via Penguin Random House's Dutton. “At the beginning of the lockdown I started writing country songs to console myself. Folk and country type forms being the shapes that come most easily to me in a comforting way. 'Guess Again' is a good example of the success I was having at pushing the world away, counting my blessings — taking stock in my good fortune to have love in my life,” comments Tweedy. “A few weeks later things began to sound like 'Love Is The King' — a little more frayed around the edges with a lot more fear creeping in. Still hopeful but definitely discovering the limits of my own ability to self soothe." –Jeff Tweedy
Eminem is back with "Music To Be Murdered By - Side B" Deluxe Edition. Features 16 new tracks (13 tracks + 3 skits). Executive produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre, the deluxe album features Skylar Grey, DJ Premier, Ty Dolla $ign, Dr. Dre, Sly Pyper, MAJ and White Gold.
Beach Bunny announce their new EP Blame Game out January 15, 2021 via Mom+Pop Music. The new EP follows the band’s 2020 Billboard Top 10 debut album Honeymoon, which received 4 STARS from Rolling Stone - and a print profile - a multi-page critic’s essay from The New Yorker and features with The Cut, i-D, Paper, Nylon and many more. Where Honeymoon centered on the highs and lows of new love, Blame Game takes aim at toxic masculinity, sexism and the emotional labor of unreliable relationships. Blame Game was written in quarantine and recorded in Chicago over a week in August. The four new original songs are produced by Joe Reinhart (Hop Along, Joyce Manor, Modern Baseball, Remo Drive).
Mike Rosenberg, better known as Passenger, is a multi-award winning, platinum-selling singer-songwriter from Brighton, England. Although still known for his busking, he long ago made the journey from street corners to stadiums – most notably with 'Let Her Go', which reached number 1 in 19 countries and which has now notched more than two billion plays on YouTube. For his latest album "Songs For The Drunk and Broken Hearted" Rosenberg explains, “I chose the album title because a lot of the songs are about drinking and the emotions felt around it” he explains. There are personal references Rosenberg adds, “I’ve recently gone through a break-up, which is always a rough time but can actually be very inspiring too. I spent a few months going out and drinking too much which was fun and heartbreaking and awful all at once. Some of the material is personal and some of it is about other people, either people I’ve met or fictional characters. That’s always been a Passenger thing: sad stories about people drenched in disappointment with that sense of what could have been.”
2020 Deluxe Limited Edition LP of Beck’s 2019 album, Hyperspace, available December 4th! The LA native is partnering up with NASA for visual space missions tied to tracks from the album. Packaged in a holographic jacket; includes new 24-page booklet with AI images and NASA data for each track. The vinyl features two unreleased songs, ‘Dark Places (Soundscape)’ and ‘I Am The Cosmos (42420)’, plus brand-new 2020 mixes of ‘Star’, ‘Hyperspace’, ‘See Through’ and ‘Die Waiting’.
Nothing about Call Me Spinster is ordinary. The closer you look at this trio of sisters from Chattanooga, Tennessee, the harder it is to locate something about their sound, background, or energy that delivers predictable results. From their arrangements that employ both pristine vocal harmonies and unorthodox instruments to the streaks of self-aware humor that sneak into their videos and social media presence, Call Me Spinster blurs old-timey traditions with modernized pop fun without ever landing in expected territory.
On their first EP of original material, Call Me Spinster manages to illuminate various keystones of their sound as they explore new impulses, the songs cohering around their steadfast musical vision, intricate personalities, and the type of telepathic musical connection that only siblings can share. It’s a brief introduction to their wide-reaching but somehow singular sound, and a stellar starting point for becoming acquainted with a band that’s truly unlike any other.
50 years following the release of his self-titled first solo album McCartney, featuring Paul playing every instrument and writing and recording every song, Paul McCartney will release McCartney III on December 11th. Paul hadn’t planned to release an album in 2020, but in the isolation of “Rockdown,” he soon found himself fleshing out some existing musical sketches and creating even more new ones. Before long an eclectic collection of spontaneous songs would become McCartney III: a stripped back, self-produced and, quite literally, solo work marking the opening of a new decade, in the tradition of 1970’s McCartney and 1980’s McCartney II. Recorded earlier this year in Sussex, McCartney III is mostly built from live takes of Paul on vocals and guitar or piano, overdubbing his bass playing, drumming, etc. atop that foundation. McCartney III spans a vast and intimate range of modes and moods, from soul searching to wistful, from playful to raucous and all points between — captured with some of the same gear from Paul’s Rude Studio used as far back as 1971 Wings sessions. And Paul's array of vintage instruments he played on the new album have an even more storied history, including Bill Black of Elvis Presley's original trio's double bass alongside Paul's own iconic Hofner violin bass, and a mellotron from Abbey Road Studios used on Beatles recordings, to name but a few. Just as McCartney’s 1970 release marked Paul’s return to basics in the wake of the biggest band break-up in musical history, and the 1980 avant-garde masterpiece McCartney II rose from the ashes of Wings, McCartney III finds Paul back on his own, turning unexpected circumstances into a personal snapshot of a timeless artist at a unique point in history.
Taylor Swift has announced her ninth studio album, evermore; folklore's sister record. These songs were created with Aaron Dessner, Jack Antonoff, WB and Justin Vernon. The deluxe physical edition will include two bonus tracks.
The desire for change stirs from the inside. We either listen to it-or not. Aluna chose to listen. After widespread critical acclaim as one-half of multi-platinum duo AlunaGeorge, the singer, songwriter, and producer established an unpredictable and undeniable signature sound on her 2020 solo debut, Renaissance.
Mac Miller's family announces a double-disc vinyl box set of his albums Swimming and Circles. Swimming In Circles collects Miller's two final studio albums, which were conceived by the late artist as companion albums, into one deluxe presentation. Now, fans will be able to listen to both releases on vinyl side by side for the first time, experiencing the full narrative arc expressed across the two albums. The new box set will be available on November 20, 2020 through Warner Records.
Circles was released in January 2020 and was the most pre-added album in Apple Music history upon its release. It also debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 Chart, marking Miller's sixth consecutive Top 5 debut on the chart. The album was completed with the assistance of producer Jon Brion, with whom Miller worked on Swimming and had been working together on Circles at the time of his passing.
GRAMMY-winning artist James Blake releases a Limited-Edition Indie 12” Vinyl of his Before EP on December 18th. Paying homage to his London club days, BEFORE sees Blake return to his roots whilst showcasing the evolution of his music. For James, this EP is the expression of “a yearning for the dancefloor elation”, and a statement of “finally having confidence to put his own voice on dancefloor rhythms”.
Every December, Christchurch, NZ enjoys the start of summer as Saskatoon, SK begins to freeze over. For as far apart as these places may seem, you would never know it from the sound of Plastic Bouquet, the debut collaborative album between Saskatoon duo Kacy & Clayton and Christchurch singer and songwriter Marlon Williams.
While on tour across Europe in 2017, Kacy & Clayton quite literally stopped Marlon in his tracks. As if playing by divine design through the radio, the pair’s “Springtime of the Year” immediately enchanted him. Soon thereafter, Marlon hopped a flight to Saskatoon and they wrote and recorded the bulk of what would become Plastic Bouquet. They unlocked undeniable chemistry.
With Plastic Bouquet, these three musicians find common ground in dusty country spun through a kaleidoscope of psychedelic soul and dreamy fifties delivery. They created an ethnosphere that is more than the sum of its parts. It’s also the beginning of something very exciting.
The Avalanches’ new album, We Will Always Love You, will be released by Astralwerks on December 11. An exploration of the vibrational relationship between light, sound and spirit, The Avalanches have moved beyond the party-up exuberance of their youthful music to a tender, reflective sound infused with hard-earned life wisdom. Building on the sample-based approach of their classic albums Since I Left You and Wildflower, We Will Always Love You is their most song-oriented album yet, made with an array of guest singers and writers.
The Kills have compiled an extraordinary career spanning b-sides and rarities album titled, appropriately, Little Bastards. The songs date back from the band’s first 7-inch singles in 2002 through to 2009. All of the material has been newly remastered for release on 2 x LP, CD & Digital and marks the first ever vinyl pressing for some of these tracks.
First ignited over trans-Atlantic mixtapes shared between two kindred spirits at the turn of the Millennium, the past two decades have seen The Kills master a savage balance, unleashing artful detonation and subtle vocal and guitar violence. That’s five albums and four EPs where Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince reimagined the possibilities of modern duality - alchemizing garage rock, punk, and blues into smoke clouds, psychic carnage, and a smoldering nocturnal slink into a northwest passage between Outkast and Suicide. Their last album, Ash & Ice (2016), was universally lauded, and their most recent release - a 2018 cover of Saul Williams’ “List Of Demands” b/w Peter Tosh’s “Stepping Razor” – marked 15 years since their first album as The Kills, 2003’s Keep On Your Mean Side. As performers, their chemistry is unmatched and unfettered; magnetic and enthralling whether drenched in guitar feedback or delivering a piano-led torch song under a single spotlight. The Kills have transcended whatever genres first claimed them and inhabit an entirely unique place in music culture. They are themselves. Inimitable and unparalleled, Little Bastards is a musical refresher manifest as a shot of pure adrenaline. Enjoy the memories. Long may they blaze.
Tim Heidecker
Fear of Death [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Sunset Orange LP]
This opaque orange Fear of Death vinyl is limited edition and only available at independent record stores.
Fear of Death is a Serious Album about Serious Topics – a doomed future, abandoning life in the city, and the inevitability of death. It’s Heidecker’s biggest sounding and most fleshed out album yet featuring an all star band comprised of Weyes Blood’s Natalie Mering (vocals and piano), Drew Erickson (Jonathan Wilson, Dawes), The Lemon Twigs’ Brian and Michael D’Addario, Jonathan Rado, and string arrangements by Spacebomb’s Trey Pollard (Foxygen, Bedouine, The Waterboys, Natalie Prass).