Author: Reckless

3/13/20 NEW RELEASES

Gonna keep it light for now. Weird week. STAY HEALTHY!

TREY GRUBER – Herculean House of Cards LP (Numero)
The Chicago musician Trey Gruber died tragically of an overdose at 26. While listening to these posthumous recordings released by Numero, it’s impossible not to imagine what could have been. His songs & lyrics are ridiculously mature & well-crafted. You can hear bits of John Lennon, Dylan, Syd Barrett, Pete Ham & outsider songwriters like Martin Newell. This really 

is an incredible collection. RIP TREY GRUBER. 

HORSE LORDS – The Common Task LP (Northern Spy)
First album for Baltimore’s HORSE LORDS since 2016’s “Interventions” and this one’s a doozy. Avant-garde, polyrhythmic rock mutations that owes as much to the classical minimalists of the late 20th Century (STEVE REICH, PHILIP GLASS, LA MONTE YOUNG etc.) as to psych-prog outfits like HAWKWIND or KING CRIMSON and even to free jazz composers like PETER BROTZMANN and ALBERT AYLER. “The Common Task” is rooted in a radical left utopian vision, liberating the mind by liberating the body to move. HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

PORCHES – Ricky Music LP/CD (Domino) deluxe LP w/ bonus Rangerover 7”
Aaron Maine returns for his fourth album as PORCHES, and brings to the table contributions from DEV HYNES (known by most as BLOOD ORANGE) and ZSELA. “Ricky Music” expands further on the steely, raw-nerve synth pop of Maine’s previous material.

OTHER IMPORTANT NEW RELEASES
DARWIN DEEZ – Darwin Deez LP (Lucky Number) 10th Anniversary Edition w/ bonus 7”
DUNGEN – Live (Mexican Summer) silver vinyl ltd to 300 at Milwaukee Ave!
EARLY DAY MINERS – Placer Found LP (Secretly Canadian) 
THE FRIGHTS – LP/CD Everything Feels Like Yesterday (Epitaph)
HONEY CUTT – Coasting LP (Kanine)
JOYFULTALK – A Separation of Being LP (Constellation)
BARNEY KESSEL – Live at the Jazz Mill 1954, Vol. 2 LP (Modern Harmonic) gold vinyl
MADISON MCFERRIN – You+I LP (Digger’s Factory)
MONOPHONICS – It’s Only Us LP/CD (Colemine)
OXZ – Along Ago 1981- 1989 LP (Captured Tracks)
PORRIDGE RADIO – Every Bad LP/CD (Secretly)
ROOKIE – ROOKIE LP/CD (Bloodshot)
ULTRAÍSTA – Sister LP (Partisan)

AFRICAN HEAD CHARGE reissues – Songs of Praise 2LP / In Pursuit of Shashamane Land 2LP / Vision of a Psychedelic Africa 2LP / Voodoo of the Godsent 2LP / Churchical Chant of the Iyabinghi LP / Drumming is a Language 5CD (On-U Sound)
Some essential reissue material here from the trailblazing psychedelic dub band AFRICAN HEAD CHARGE. Rangy, punkish music that should appeal to the fans of A CERTAIN RATIO, THE POP GROUP or 23 SKIDOO. These are very obviously RECOMMENDED!

STEPHEN MALKMUS – Traditional Techniques LP/CD (Matador)
After a brief foray into synths & electronic beats, Stephen Malkmus is back with another “JICKS-less” solo album for 2020. This one is also a step in a
different direction but it’s more logical than where he went on “Groove Denied.” This is mostly
an acoustic record with tons of 12 string guitars, lap steel, flute & some Tuareg sounding guitar 
soloing. The end result is a psychedelic folk record that owes as much to ESPERS & SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE as it does COMUS & INTERNATIONAL STRING BAND while still managing to sound like Stephen J.Malkmus. 

CAROLINE ROSE – Superstar LP/CD/TAPE (New West) ltd. edition with a signed poster!
Following her breakthrough “LONER” in 2018, New York based songwriter CAROLINE ROSE has delivered an off- beat concept album about big Hollywood ambitions and failures. ROSE develops upon the quirky, synth-laden sound of her previous record, focusing on hooks and melody without getting bogged down in maximalism.

U.S. GIRLS – Heavy Light LP/CD (4AD)
Meg Remy continues to impress on her 7th album as U.S. GIRLS. The songs are a mix of upbeat art rock, hints of soul, disco & R&B but that really only scratches the surface because this is some unique pop music that is honestly pretty difficult to describe. Sure there are hints of greats like Patti Smith & Kate Bush but Remy’s footing is firmly in 2020 & looking forward. Really good stuff. RECOMMENDED.

Other Important New Releases
LAUREN AUDER – Two Caves In LP (Harvest)
DANNY BARNES – Man on Fire LP (ATO) color vinyl
BONNIWELL MUSIC MACHINE – Bonniwell Music Machine LP (Real Gone) color vinyl
SYLVAIN CHAUVEAU – Simple: Rare & Unreleased Pieces 1998 – 2010 LP (Fatcat)
NOEL GALLAGHER & THE HIGH FLYING BIRDS – Blue Moon Rising LP (Capitol) color vinyl while supplies last
HONEY HARPER – Starmaker LP (ATO) clear vinyl
JAMES HUNTER SIX – Nick of Time LP/CD (Daptone) color vinyl
JADEN – ERYS LP (Roc Nation)
MANSIONS – Dig Up The Dead LP (Bad Timing)
NEGATIVE APPROACH – Tied Down LP (TOUCH & GO) color vinyl
P.E. (PILL + EATERS) – Person LP (Wharf Cat)
PHANTOGRAM – Ceremony LP (Rebublic)
SWAMP DOGG – Sorry You Couldn’t Make It LP/CD (Joyful Noise)
HORACE TAPSCOTT QUINTET – The Giant is Awakened LP (Real Gone) color vinyl
2PAC – Me Against the World LP (Interscope) 25th anniversary edition
USE NO HOOKS – The Job LP (Chapter Music)
THE WHO – Kids are Alright LP (Polydor)
THE WHO – Quadrophenia LP (Polydor)

CARIBOU – Suddenly LP/CD (Merge)
A glorious return for Dan Snaith, aka CARIBOU, with the first release in over five years, sees the polymath pulling from sample-heavy beat production a la J DILLA or THE AVALANCHES and the lite synth pop of TAME IMPALA. This music is joyful, infectious and well, well worth the wait. RECOMMENDED!

ALABASTER DePLUME – To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1 LP/CD (International Anthem)
The next artist to join the Int’l Anthem roster is London-based saxophonist and bandleader ALABASTER DePLUME. Adding to the IA canon, “To Cy & Lee” draws from many sources, from Japanese folk to Ethio-jazz to traditional Celtic music. The result is a stirring collection that recreates an “ancient” or “primitive” sound, sounding like folk music in the same way that composers like MAURICE RAVEL and BELA BARTOK imagined their pieces, while maintaining the intuitive senses of artists like JULIUS EASTMAN or ARTHUR RUSSELL. OBVIOUSLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

PRISCILLA ERMEL – Origens Da Luz LP (Music From Memory)
Attention MUSIC FROM MEMORY fans! Another release by one of our favorite labels, this time focusing on the Brazilian composer & multi-instrumentalist Priscilla Ermel. Ermel studied filmmaking & anthropology & she traveled around Brazil sometimes living with indigenous people & collecting instruments & studying their music. She would later use these instruments along with synths & field recordings she made along her journey. These recordings were made between 1986-1994 & they’re a wonderful mix of crisp, 80’s digital sounding recording with acoustic instruments. Fans of the label, Japanese environmental music & the releases on labels like EG will love this. RECOMMENDED.

HIS NAME IS ALIVE – Return to Never: Home Recordings 1979-1986 Vol. 2 LP (Disciples)
The second volume of home demo recordings from WARREN DEFEVER continues to draw from musique concrète and drone, seeing a teenage DEFEVER make mature ambient soundscapes from echoed guitars and field recordings. This is about as good of an ambient collection as you can find. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

POLVO – Cor-Crane Secret LP (Merge) 90s noise rock classic back in print on color vinyl 
    with new artwork
POLVO – Today’s Active Lifestyles LP (Merge) 90s noise rock classic back in print on color 
   vinyl with new artwork
Two of the most important 90s art rock records have been criminally out of print for many years but thankfully Merge has finally done the right thing & brought them back. The North Carolina band playfully experimented with SONIC YOUTH’s alternate guitar tuning style & invented their own unique style of twisted indie rock psychedelia. Even Better, there are great songs buried under all of the barely-in-tune guitar noise & these records still sound crazed & interesting in 2020. Both records also have new artwork inspired by the original covers. RECOMMENDED!

RATBOYS – Printer’s Devil LP/CD/TAPE (Top Shelf) ltd. “mist” vinyl
Chicago’s own RATBOYS got the “Bernie Bump” when they opened for a Sanders rally ahead of the Iowa Caucus. If hearing an old man from Brooklyn say “Thank you to the RATBOYS” didn’t get you hyped for their next LP, hopefully the music itself does the trick. The band’s approach is no-nonsense, making good use of power-pop hooks, washed-out guitars and a snappy rhythm section that locks into a groove with ease, all creating a canvas for singer and guitarist Julia Steiner’s high register vocals to cut through. Steiner’s voice gives us FRANCES QUINLAN or WAXAHATCHEE vibes, but with a bit more “country”. RECOMMENDED!

REAL ESTATE – The Main Thing LP/CD (Domino)
Jingle-janglers REAL ESTATE return for the first time since 2017’s “In Mind”, bringing with them more of the trademark lock-tite grooves, bright guitar tones, hazy harmonies, and sun-soaked vibes that made the band an indie staple a decade ago. A true return to form here!

Other important new releases
CHET BAKER – Chet Baker Sings LP (180GRM, Tone Poet Series, Analog pressing) (Blue 
    Note)
BLACK MARKET BRASS – Undying Thirst LP/CD (Colemine)
JEREMY CUNNINGHAM – The Weather Up There LP/CD (Northern Spy) ltd. “sepia” vinyl
DANIEL DAVIES – Signals LP/CD (Sacred Bones)
ANGELA GARCIA – Cha, Cha Palace LP (Spacebomb)
GRIZZLY BEAR – Horn of Plenty LP (Kanine)
HAPPY MONDAYS – Bummed LP (London)
KEVIN KRAUTER – Full Hand LP (Bayonet)
MYSTERY KINDAICHI BAND- Adventures of Kindaichi Kosuke LP (We Wants Sounds)
KASSA OVERALL – I Think I’m Good LP (Brownswood)
JORDAN REYES – Fairchild Soundtrack & Border Land LP (White Sepulchre)
SOCCER MOMMY – Color Theory LP/CD/TAPE (Loma Vista)
LEO TAKAMI – Felis Catus & Silence LP (Unseen Worlds)
VATICAN SHADOW – Opium Crop Airstrikes LP (Hospital)
XASTHUR – Funeral of Being LP (Oracular Visions) reissued!
WAJATTA – Don’t Let Get You Down 2LP (Brainfeeder) Reggie Watts & John Tejada!

COURTNEY BARNETT – MTV Unplugged: Live! In Melbourne LP/CD (Mom + Pop)
This unplugged set provides us with some nice takes of COURTNEY BARNETT classics now pared back and intimate, along with some fresh covers – including a wonderful version of LEONARD COHEN’s “So Long, Marianne”. Also featuring guest spots from MARLON WILLIAMS and EVELYN IDA MORRIS, this live set does not disappoint.

CALIFONE – Echo Mine LP/CD (Jealous Butcher)
The first CALIFONE release in four years accompanies a dance performance – also titled “Echo Mine” – from choreographer Robyn Mineko Williams that reflects both entities’ rough, painterly approach to their respective crafts and shared affinity for abstraction.

ELUVIUM – Virga 1 LP (Temporary Residence) limited edition
Matthew Cooper returns to the ambient realm with “Virga 1”. Absolutely beautiful & crushing songs drenched in reverb with deep & enveloping tones. RECOMMENDED.

FRANCE GALL – 1968 LP (Third Man) first ever U.S. vinyl pressing!
FRANCE GALL – Baby Pop LP (Third Man) first ever U.S. vinyl pressing!
FRANCE GALL – Poupee De Cire LP (Third Man) first ever U.S. vinyl pressing!
Over the past few years Third Man has gone deeper into the reissue realm, this time with three albums by the French pop star & one of the most recognizable singers of the ye-ye sound, France Gall. These are the first ever U.S. reissues of these classic albums that featured production & arrangements by legends like Serge Gainsbourg, Alain Goraguer & David 
Whitaker. Any fan of 60s French music & 60s pop & beat music in general will want to pick these up. RECOMMENDED!

CINDY LEE – What’s Tonight To Eternity LP (W. 25th)
This is the 5th album by the former WOMEN member Patrick Flegel under the CINDY LEE name. Lo-fi recordings & a mix of experimental sound collage, 
50s rock & roll songs that sound like they’re coming from three rooms away, some Lynchian Twin Peaks vibes & some songs that remind us of the earliest Angel Olsen songs. This is really unique stuff & we’re very intrigued!

LIGHTNING BOLT – Ride the Skies LP (Thrill Jockey) limited blue vinyl reissue
THRILL JOCKEY continues their much needed LIGHTNING BOLT reissue campaign with their second record, RIDE THE SKIES. From the stories of the original press that came in silk screened prints selling faster than they could make them, to the fact that tracks like “Saint Jacques” and the title track have been covered by free jazz groups while serving as the theme music for surreal cartoons, RIDE THE SKIES is one of the Two Brians’ most stone-cold of classics. Front to back, these tracks take the unhinged fury of their self-titled release and throws them into PHILIP GLASS-esque song structures, creating a magical hypnosis of frantic arpeggios and breathless drumming that makes time fold into itself like a mobius strip. That might sound like pretentious drivel, but trust us, that’s exactly the kind of magic Chippendale & Gibson specialize in, and RIDE THE SKIES is truly the first time their spell gets cast without a hitch. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!

SIGHTLESS PIT – Grave of a Dog LP/CD (Thrill Jockey) limited pink vinyl
Big time collaboration between Lee Buford (THE BODY), Kristin Hayter (LINGUA IGNOTA) and Dylan Walker (FULL OF HELL) finds a way to accentuate all three artists’ strengths. Buford’s pummeling, ritualistic percussion, Hayter’s operatic tendencies and knack for crescendo, and Walker’s primal, confrontational bellows make for a virtuosic heavy industrial release, building tense atmospheres and keeping listeners on their toes by subverting expectations. Those familiar with THE BODY and FULL OF HELL’s collaborations in the past will be happy to hear that sound taken a step further. RECOMMENDED.

Other Important New Releases
RASHIED ALI & FRANK LOWE – Duo Exchange (Survival)
RASHIED ALI QUINTET – First Time Out (Survival)
BEST COAST – Always Tomorrow LP/CD (Concord)
DADAMAH – This Is Not a Dream LP (Grapefruit)
DISCHARGE – Protest & Survive: Anthology LP (BMG)
GREG DULLI – Random Desire LP/CD (BMG)
EYELIDS – Accidental Falls LP (Jealous Butcher)
FRUIT BATS & VETIVE – Live at Spacebomb Studios LP (Spacebomb Arc)
ELLEN FULLMAN – In The Sea LP (Superior Viaduct)
JON GIBSON – Songs & Melodies 1973- 1977 LP (Superior Viaduct)
GRIMES – Miss Anthropocene LP/CD (4AD) limited pink or black vinyl
GUIDED BY VOICES – Surrender Your Poppy Field LP/CD (GBV)
MASUMI HARA – 4 X A Dream LP (Numero Group)
KING KRULE – Man Alive! LP/CD (Matador) limited color or black vinyl
LAVENDER FLU – Barbarian Dust LP (In The Red)
MHYSA – NEVAEH LP (Hyperdub)
JACK PENATE – After You LP/CD (XL)
LEE RANALDO & PAUL REFREE – Names of North End Women LP (Mute)
SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE – Companion Rises LP/CD (Drag City)
TOO FREE – Love in High Demand LP (Sister Polygon)
WASTED SHIRT – Fungs II LP/CD (Famous Class) Ty Segall & Brian Chippnedale!
WREKMEISTER HARMONIES – We Love to Look at the Carnage LP/CD (Thrill Jockey)
V/A – Apala: Apala Groups in Nigeria 1967-70 2LP/CD (Soul Jazz)

BEACH BUNNY – Honeymoon LP/CD/TAPE (Mom+Pop) 
Following the smash success of their “Prom Queen” EP in 2018, local heatseekers BEACH BUNNY make their very anticipated full-length debut. “Honeymoon” develops lead songwriter Lili Trifilio’s lyrical style further, exploring heartbreak, anxiety and the oppressions of unattainable beauty standards with a deft grace and an easy sense empathy that communicates those complex emotions into a disarmingly straightforward manner. But more than anything else, what sticks out are the hooks; this is power pop of the earworm variety, with enough attack and potency to remain stuck rattling in your cerebral cortex for months and years. This is one of the most exciting local releases of recent memory, and fans of CHARLY BLISS, BEST COAST or good pop music in general should know this one comes RECOMMENDED!

DRAMA – Dance Without Me LP (Ghostly)
Amazing debut by the Chicago duo DRAMA featuring  producer Na’el Shehade & vocalist Via Rosa. Soulful  electronic pop with hints of Chicago house, dubstep & R&B. This is one of those records that finds its way into your head & before you know it multiple songs are stuck in your head. We think this is going to be a big one folks. RECOMMENDED.

LURKER OF CHALICE – Tellurian Slaked Furnace LP (Nuclear War Now)
The 2005 album by LURKER OF CHALICE is one of our favorite black metal records OF ALL TIME at Reckless. L.O.C. is the side project of Jef Whitehead’s better known LEVIATHAN project. Before he released that album he released two limited CD-R demos that have been 
re-compiled by Whitehead for this release. Those of you that know the album might be surprised by the experimental nature of these recordings. Yes there are black metal songs, but there are also lengthy acoustic passages, almost gothic folk tunes that remind us of artists like CURRENT 93, dark ambient drones & more. TOTALLY EPIC STUFF.

KALI MALONE – Sacrificial Code LP (Ideal Recordings)
This record disappeared very quickly on its initial release in 2019 & we’re so very excited to be able to stock more copies. Kali Malone is a Swedish musician that recorded these minimal organ pieces at Stockholm’s Kungliga Musikhögskolan (the Royal College of Music). 
Despite being recorded in a massive building, the organ was close-mic’d so the organ drones/dirges have an incredibly intimate sound. You can hear the air from the pipes & this gives everything such a unique & mellow texture. In some ways this makes us think of Laurie 
Spiegel’s incredible “Expanded Universe” if it was played on an acoustic instrument. SO VERY RECOMMENDED.

MAXIMUM JOY – Station M.X.J.Y LP (1972) amazing early 80’s post-punk classic available 
    Again!
We were surprised to learn that this is the first ever vinyl reissue of this classic 1982 post-punk/
dance-punk album by MAXIMUM JOY. It’s not too surprising that these guys blended elements of funk & reggae in their songs especially considering that they featured ex-members of GLAXO BABIES & POP GROUP. Fans of those groups & bands like early A CERTAIN RATIO, AFRICAN HEAD CHARGE, THE SLITS, ESSENTIAL LOGIC etc… will love this. RECOMMENDED.

Other important new releases
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE – Life Support 7” (Deathwish)
BAMBARA – Stray LP/CD (Wharf Cat)
CHARLY BLISS – Supermoon EP 12” (Barsuk)
DAVID BOWIE – Alabama Song 7” picture disc (Rhino)
GRATEFUL DEAD – Dick’s Picks Vol. 24: Cow Palace, Daly City, CA 3/23/74 4LP (Real Gone)
HELDON – Un Reve Sans Consequence Speciale LP (Bureau B) 
HELDON – 6 – Interface LP (Bureau B) 
HELDON – Stand By LP (Bureau B) 
JUNG JE IL – Parasite (Soundtrack) LP (Sacred Bones)
THE MEN – Mercy LP/CD (Sacred Bones)
MOONDOG – On the Streets of New York LP (Mississippi) after numerous delays we finally 
  got some of these!
BOBBY PATTERSON – My Thing Is Your Thing – Jetstar Strut From Bobby Patterson LP 
   (Modern Harmonic) 
PERSONALITY CULT – New Arrows LP (Dirtnap)
BEN PIRANI & THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION – That’s the Way it Goes 7” (Colemine)
BYRON POPE / SPEED OF LIGHT – Music for Earthdwellers & Starseekers LP (Tidal Wave)
POST ANIMAL – Forward Motion Godyssey (Polyvinyl)
NATHANIEL RATECLIFF – And It’s Still Alright LP (Fantasy)
RIKI – RIKI LP/CD (Dais)
STEVE ROACH – Quiet Music Vol. 1 (Telephone Explosion)
STEVE ROACH – Quiet Music Vol. 2 (Telephone Explosion)
STEVE ROACH – Quiet Music Vol. 3 (Telephone Explosion)
RAPHAEL SAADIQ – Instant Vintage LP (Get On Down)
SIGN LIBRA – Sea to Sea LP (RVNG)
TAME IMPALA – Slow Rush LP/CD (Interscope) Indie only red/blue vinyl or regular green
TENNIS – Swimmer LP (Mutually Detrimental)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Diamond Distance & Liquid Fury: Sonny Vincent Primitive 1969-76 
   LP (Hozac)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – We Were Living in Cincinnati: Punk & Underground Sounds From 
    Ohio’s Queen City (1975-1982) LP (Hozac)
  

ANTIBALAS – Fu Chronicles LP/CD (Daptone)
The seventh record for Afrobeat ensemble ANTIBALAS shows that the 12-piece hasn’t missed a step one bit in their twenty-plus year career. More extended Afro-Latin polyrhythmic jams in the FELA style, with a keen eye towards social commentary. RECOMMENDED.

CRAYON FIELDS – All the Pleasures of the World LP (Chapter)
This is a reissue of a 2009 album by the Melbourne band CRAYON FIELDS. This one came out & basically sold out immediately & was bizarrely out of print since then. Top-notch indie pop with a 60’s influence that will appeal to fans of everything from ZOMBIES, STEREOLAB, BELLE & SEBASTIAN, CAMERA OBSCURA, CORNELIUS etc…

ENVY – Fallen Crimson 2LP/CD (Temporary Residence)
This is the first album from the legendary Japanese post-hardcore band ENVY. Lush & atmospheric arrangements, tons of chorus-y guitars & epic riffs that will appeal to fans of everything from MOGWAI to MONO, ALCEST to EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY. 

KHRUANGBIN & LEON BRIDGES – Texas Sun EP LP/CD (Dead Oceans) limited orange vinyl
KHRUANGBIN is a mostly instrumental group with some simple, almost “background vocals” only singing. We’ve often wondered what this amazing group would sound like with a lead singer so why not get one of the best contemporary soul singers around, Mr. Leon Bridges, to do it?? This really works well & we truly hope they continue this collab in the future. RECOMMENDED!

GIL SCOTT-HERON & MAKAYA MCCRAVEN – We’re New Again LP/CD (XL) 
  With limited silk-screened poster while supplies last!
Makaya McCraven is a shooting star right now & there’s no denying it. In honor of its 10th anniversary, McCraven has re imagined the incredible final album by Gil Scott-Heron “I’m new Here.” If you don’t remember, the album was remixed by Jamie XX back in 2010 but McCraven has reinterpreted the songs in new ways, added full band arrangements, changed the mood of some tunes & more. It’s pretty remarkable that Gil Scott-Heron’s last work has continued to breathe & reach new fans & McCraven is the perfect musician in 2020 to continue that legacy. RECOMMENDED.

Other important new releases
ISOBELL CAMPBELL – There is No Other LP/CD (Cooking Vinyl)
DE LA SOUL – The Grind Date LP (BMG)
GREEN DAY – Father of All LP/CD (Reprise)
GIL SCOTT-HERON – I’m New Here: 10th Anniversary Expanded Edition 2LP/2CD (XL)
HOMESICK- Big Exercise LP/CD (Sub Pop) color vinyl Loser Edition while supplies last
LIL TECCA – We Love You Tecca LP (Galactic)
NADA SURF – Never Not Together LP/CD (Barsuk)
JEFF PARKER – Suite for Max Brown LP (International Anthem) BACK IN STOCK!
BOBBY PATTERSON – It’s Just a Matter of Time LP (Real Gone)
SEPULTURA – Quadra CD (Nuclear Blast)
SHOPPING – All or Nothing LP (Fatcat)
OMAR SOULEYMAN – Shlon LP/CD (Mad Decent)
COLINE STETSON – Color Out of Space (soundtrack) CD (Sony)
SUPER WHATEVR – Don’t You Wanna Be Glad? (Hopeless)

CHROMATICS – Closer to Grey LP (Italians Do It Better)
For the past few years, a new CHROMATICS records called “Dear Tommy” has been teased relentlessly. Supposedly the album was actually finished & pressed but after head honcho Johnny Jewel almost drowned in Hawaii he  allegedly destroyed the entire pressing. Thankfully Johnny is alive & well & instead of “Dear Tommy” we now get the most mellow CHROMATICS record yet called “Closer to Grey.” Like the previous album, this one starts off with a cover, this time a subdued version of the Simon & Garfunkel classic “The Sound of Silence.” Ruth Radelet seems to be more present than ever & her smooth & silky voice sounds great as always. Hopefully we’ll get to hear “Dear Tommy” someday but any new record by these guys is welcome. 

DAN DEACON – Mystic Familiar LP/CD ltd. silver vinyl
What better way to cap off the first month of 2020 than with DAN DEACON’s first proper studio album since 2015’s GLISS RIFFER. In those 5 years, DEACON has scored 2 different documentaries, and his knack for soundtrack composition is immediately evident on MYSTIC FAMILIAR. As always, there are the layers upon layers of instruments and sounds, buthere they take on an even more cinematic and downright inspiring mood. But while some moments feel film-ready, with their PHILIP GLASS-esque arpeggios, other points wouldn’t be entirely out of place on a mixtape with a triumphant, early 00’s ARCADE FIRE track. Every time I listen to DAN DEACON, I feel like I could fly up & punch a hole in the moon, but I wouldn’t because I’d rather make the world a better place – and that’s the kind of feeling we could all

DESTROYER – Have We Met LP/CD (Merge) ltd. seafoam green “Peak Vinyl” edition
The endearingly haggard Dan Bejar returns as DESTROYER with his first album since 2017’s “Ken”, and continues to pursue the breezy, yacht-rock influences that has bolstered his expressionistic chanson for the past ten years. Like a MOUNT EERIE or MARK KOZELEK, this music seems to serve as a canvas for their post-modern self- deprecating tongue-firmly-in-cheek poetry, but Bejar’s plastic soul has an elegance and romanticism that elevates both the humanism and empathy present in his lyrical worldview. This is literate pop music of the highest order. VERY MUCH RECOMMENDED!

FRANCES QUINLAN – Likewise LP/CD/TAPE (Saddle Creek) ltd. pink vinyl
The first solo outing for HOP ALONG’s lead singer and songwriter continues her upward trajectory, elevating the writing to totally new heights. FRANCES QUINLAN is a razor-sharp lyricist, able to manufacture lines of observation without sacrificing phonetics. While “Likewise” sees QUINLAN using more electronics in the arrangements than on previous HOP ALONG albums, the organic instruments are the ones that truly shine, in particular the propulsive and snappy rhythm section (kind of sounding like the earlier two records from Reckless favorite BIG THIEF). But to no surprise, the most striking element is QUINLAN’s voice: bright, forceful, raspy and expressive. Folks, this is the genuine article. RECOMMENDED.

SQUAREPUSHER – Be Up A Hello LP/CD (Warp)
One of Warp Records’ most storied artists from across it’s history returns after a five-year hiatus. The man best known as SQUAREPUSHER has been pushing the boundaries of braindance for the past quarter of a century, but “Be Up A Hello” brings him back to his acid-soaked, break-laden roots. GET IT GET IT GET IT.

WIRE – Mind Hive LP/CD (Pink Flag)
They’re back again with new music for the first time since 2017’s “Silver & Lead”, and it doesn’t seem like WIRE has lost a step. “Mind Hive” leans more in the band’s pop stylings, but there’s no loss of angularity or heaviness in these tracks.

Other important new releases
ANDRAS – Joyful LP (RVNG)
BOBBY BROWN – Bobby Brown Live: Dignity & Divinity of All Life LP (HoboAngelMutt)
BOBBY BROWN – Enlightening Beam of Axonda LP (HoboAngelMutt)
COIL – Swanyard 3LP (Infinite Fog)
EMINEM – Music to be Murdered By CD (Interscope)
FREDDIE GIBBS & MADLIB – Bandana Beats LP (Keep Cool/RCA)
POLICA – When We Stay Alive LP (Memphis Industries) 
SEVERED HEADS – Clean 2LP (Dark Entries)
SQURL – Some Music for Robby Muller LP (Sacred Bones) ltd color or black vinyl
TALL TALL TREES – A Wave of Golden Things LP (Joyful Noise)
TORRES – Silver Tongue LP/CD (Merge) ltd. silver & green split “Peak Vinyl” edition
WILD NOTHING – Laughing Gas EP (Captured Tracks)

TERRY ALLEN & THE PANHANDLE MYSTERY BAND – Just Like Moby Dick LP/CD 
   (Paradise of Bachelors)
The Texas songwriter Terry Allen returns with his first new album since 2013. Allen is a masterful lyricist & on this one he tells stories about dead strippers, a vampire circus, endless wars & much more. RECOMMENDED.

BLACK LIPS – Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart LP/CD (Fire)
Legendary garage-rock contortionists, BLACK LIPS, are back with their 9th (count em) NINTH LP! Acquaint yourself with 12 tracks of country-fried, rootin-tootin’, twangified,quarry-swimmin’, moon howlin’, saloon-shufflin’ FUN! Black Lips dangerously reimagine the country genre while paying homage to the greats (Cash, Lynn, Parton, Nelson).  This record proves you can achieve maturity without

DHAIMA – Love Lives Forever LP (Numero Group) color or black vinyl
The is the first collection of songs by the late Miami singer Dhaima. She released music in the 80s & 90s & her music was a mix of reggae/dub & soul absolutely DRENCHED in 80s production with plenty of vocoder, gated snare drums & MIAMI VICE cool. FANTASTIC.

JEFF PARKER – Suite For Max Brown LP/CD (International Anthem)
The L.A. via Chicago musician Jeff Parker dedicated his 2016 solo album to his father & this follow-up “Suite for Max Brown” is dedicated to his mother.
The record opens with a mid-tempo, funky track featuring Parker’s talented daughter Ruby on vocals. This song would fit in nicely next to some songs from Solange’s excellent “When I Get Home.” Like “New Breed” this album is made of studio experiments with Parker on a variety of instruments besides guitar including samplers, synths & some great bass playing. Once again Parker flirts with funk, fusion, jazz & electronic music. Trust us, Making music this “cool” isn’t easy but Jeff Parker certainly makes it seem that way. RECOMMENDED

SILKWORM – In the West 2LP (Comedy Minus One)
SILKWORM’s second LP is available here for the first time on vinyl, on a double LP with liner notes from the incomparable TIM MIDYETT. And the cover is a bit brighter than the original CD version. Honestly, if you do not already know that you need to buy this guy, I don’t want to speak to you. VERY RECOMMENDED.

Other important new releases
ANGELO BADALAMENTI – Music From Twin Peaks LP (Rhino) color vinyl with original art
EAST VILLAGE – Hotrod Hotel LP (Slumberland)
EN ATTENDANT ANA – JUILLET LP/CD (Trouble In Mind) color or black vinyl
GLASS BEACH – The First Glass Beach Album LP/CD (Rat Castle)
ROBERT HAIGH – Black Sarabande LP (Unseen Worlds)
MIDNIGHT – Rebirth by Blasphemy LP (Metal Blade)
MORPHINE – Good 2LP (Run out Groove) numbered limited ed. reissue
HELADO NEGRO & THE SMILE BAND – Live at KCRW LP (RVNG)
OKAY KAYA – Watch This Liquid Pour Itself LP (Jagjaguwar)
PET SHOP BOYS – Hotspot LP/CD (X2)
POD BLOTZ – Transdimensional System LP (Dais) 
RAMONES – It’s Alive 2LP (Rhino) color vinyl reissue
RECONDITE – Dwell LP (Ghostly International) 
SEX PISTOLS – Never Mind the Bollocks… LP (Rhino) color vinyl reissue
ANDY SHAUF – Neon Skyline LP (Anti-) color vinyl
SUPERGRASS – Strange Ones 1994-2008 2LP (BMG)
TNGHT – Tnght II LP (Warp)
WOLF PARADE – Thin Mind LP/CD/CS (Sub Pop) color vinyl Loser Edition while supplies
   last

ALGIERS – There Is No Year LP/CD (Matador)
BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY – This is Far from Over 7” (Palace Records)
CURSIVE – Get Fixed LP (15 Passenger)
DESERTA – Black Aura My Son LP (Felte)
BILL FAY – Countless Branches LP/DELUXE LP (Dead Oceans) 
KEELEY FORSYTH – Debris LP (The Leaf Label)
LIGHTNING BOLT- Lightning Bolt LP (Thrill Jockey) 
MURA MASA – Raw Youth College LP (Polydor)
OF MONTREAL – UR Fun LP (Polyvinyl) 
OOGBOGO – Oobogo 12” (God?)
OOIOO – Nijimusi LP (Thrill Jockey)
OVAL – Scis LP (Thrill Jockey)
PALE SAINTS – The Comforts of Madness LP/2LP/2CD (4AD)
PINEGROVE – Marigold LP/CD (Rough Trade) on black or color vinyl
PULSE EMITTER – Swirlings LP (Hausu Mountain)
GEMMA RAY – Psychogeology LP (Bronzerat)
ROSE CITY BAND – Self-Titled LP (Thrill Jockey)
SMITHEREENS – Covers LP (Sunset Blvd)
THE TWILIGHT SAD – Killed My Parents and Hit the Road LP (Fatcat
YES – FRAGILE (Original Master Recording) Ultradisc One-Step pressing 2LP boxset
   45RPM  (Mobile Fidelity)
DWIGHT YOAKAM – Blame the Vain LP (New West)

Plus we got some goofy Led Zeppelin Hot Wheels cars!