More minimal synth madness from (Max) Brotman and (Jesse) Short, with a 2012 cassette release "Distance Unknown" pressed up onto wax where it belongs by the good folks over at Chondritic Sound! - dig it:

"LP version of the tape released May 2012 and the project that kicked off Chondritic's return to vinyl. One of my favorite duos after I picked up their excellent (yet hard to track down) debut LP "Heights". Modern minimal wave as aware of the genre's predecessors as it is of its future. Dark, stripped down minimal synth vascillating between energetic force and languid, somber burns. 300 copies on black vinyl, printed jacket, insert."

We loved this bad-boy when it was on cassette - here's what we said back then: "We absolutely loved Brotman and Short's best-of list topping "Heights" LP from last year (so much so that we've continually restocked it to present day).  So you know we couldn't be more stoked to present their follow-up tape "Distance Unknown".  We previously touted "Heights" as a really catchy, minimal, dark and dingy-basement groovy record that sounds authentically 80s, yet, like any good pop record should, completely timeless. Unlike many of the folks aping the genre's forefathers, Brotman and Short keep it simple and concise, at times sounding a bit like a more minimal, less angry Pop. 1280 on a heavy Cabaret Voltaire, Suicide, Throbbing Gristle, and Tuxedomoon (John) Bender (get it? Bender?). There's no hint of cheesiness (sometimes a distracting factor on other records in the genre) at all, just dark, minimal, synthetic drums and key waves with the blasé vocal mixed just right.  The same can be said about this new tape.  Fresh jams, with a few more dancefloor friendly moments, but all in all, a killer continuation of the B&S sound that we can't get enough of.  Ten possibly posthumous and positively potable analogically RECOMMENDED jazz-funk greats…" YEP - we still agree with every word. Recommended back then, and (now that it's on wax) RECOMMENDED even MORE. But act fast - it's limited to 300 copies that are liable to disappear faster than you could say "synthesizer"!

French glue wave / synth destroyers, Plastobeton, finally get an vinyl version of their much sought after and previously only CDr only album  "Glam Mort" with some nearly lost bonus material tacked on for extra heft.  Here with the details is Tanzpocesz Records, who pressed this bonkers synth punk opus to wax:

"12" vinyl version of plastobéton "glam mort" first opus initially (after a top-secret private version) released on tanzprocesz as a cdr including 7.3 billions of inserts and surprises in 2008 we finally raised the money and the energy for the dj version dirty synth, raw lyrics, crippled drum machines inc. boys from ah kraken, the dreams, noir boy george, the feeling of love, scorpion violente etc."

If those aforementioned bands caught your attention, you know exactly what yer in for.  BRING ON THE FRENCH WEIRDNESS.  Plastobeton rises from the mysterious and always challenging music collective of Centre D'Hygiene De L'Est / Do You Like Sushi, and shares a few shadowy members with such excellent bands as the Anals, Feeling Of Love, AH Kraken and Scropio Violente, all of whose records we here at the shop just can fuckin get enough of.  You might already be running out the door to grab this one, but if not, just know that Plastobeton's post industrial nightmare of Suicide, Throbbing Gristle, Silver Apples and the Screamers is like nothing else you'll hear all year long.   A haunting, manic, spine chilling synth horror show this eerie and way out there will of course GET OUR HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION.   The French government probably won't let many copies of "Glam Mort" escape the country, so grab one now!

Get ready to rocket into the far depths of space with Fire Talk Records' latest release, "Westerner" by Denver's mind-altering psych rockers, TJUTJUNA:

"It's been a wild couple years since we last heard from Tjutjuna. A lineup shift or two, the addition of a new touring drummer and the subtraction of a long time founding member. All that and on this, the bands Sophomore follow up to 2010's S/T LP, Tjutjuna reminds us why we fell into their primordial trance in the first place. Seven new-ish mind melters just in time for the Spring thaw. Dig. First pressing limited to 200 copies w/ digital download card." - Firetalk

Mind melting is right!!!  TJUTJUNA (whose name is pronounced “choo-choo-na,” taken from the Russian equivalent of the Sasquatch) might just be the mythical beast you discerning music junkies have been looking for all along.  "Westerner" finds TJUTJUNA's droned out kaliedoscopic psych rock earworming itself into the dark corners of your mind with hints of Spacemen 3's druggy haze, Acid Mother Temple's extendo space explorations, Amon Duul II's acid soaked, warped improvisational skills and even some of the warm analog touches of Cluster / Can's kosmische ambience.   Fans of shop favorites, Cave, Verma, Mind! and Wooden Shjips will certainly wanna jump down this rabbit hole with TJUTJUNA now!!!!  We have several times already.   A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SPIN, whether chemically enhanced or not!!!!!!! 

Full-length effort from Montreal troubador Devon Welsh, a.k.a Majikal Cloudz! "Impersonator" is released by the good folks over at Matador Records - air up the balloon and let's see what we can discover up in the Cloudz!:

"With rich vocals atop quiet looped waves of white noise, filtered synths and sparse thuds, Montreal songwriter Devon Welsh aka Majical Cloudz, is one of 2013’s most unique and essential new voices.  His 2012 Turns Turns Turns EP, an audacious distillation of Welsh’s ideas that brought his vocals to the fore. “Musically, I wanted to try saying ‘no’ to possibilities, and create negative space in the songs,” he says. “To put the emphasis on the voice and lyrics.” Impersonator brings Welsh’s songs into even sharper focus; its expressive power and swagger belie the extremely minimal music. These are intensely lyrical songs about death, patience, family, friendship, and desire.  Welsh cites Elliott Smith and Arthur Russell as the two biggest influences on his songwriting. While Impersonator sounds like neither, Smith’s lyricism is evident, as is Russell’s ability to distill a number of seemingly contradictory stylistic ideas into a single focused statement.  Though they stand stylistically apart from other artists in their Montreal scene - which includes Grimes, Doldrums, Blue Hawaii, Mac DeMarco, and others - Majical Cloudz are proud beneficiaries of its camaraderie."

Somber and minimal songs - some of which (musically) border on straight up melodic drones, with Welsh crooning over the top. Welsh's vocals are super intimate and confessional - referencing specific conversations or interactions that we (as listeners) aren't privy to, creating a dark air of mystery and ennui. Welsh's voice - albeit somber - still lilts along in a hopeful confession, he's almost the Canadian equivalent to Daughan Gibson. A bewitching listen - and also RECOMMENDED!

We flipped our wigs over Vision Fortune's stunning single on Mannequin and now they have resurfaced with their first proper full length.  Gringo Records is behind this one so we'll let the label folks get ya started:

"Mas Fiestas con el Grupo Vision Fortune is an album borne out of desperate economic uncertainty, loosely based on John Kay’s infamous ‘Parable of the Ox’ – itself a thinly veiled allegory for unbridled capitalism. The album represents the tragic life and death of the aforementioned ox, whose weight is solely determined by the aggregated ‘wisdom of the crowd’. The music contained within embodies both the self-interested nature of hysterical spectators, and the agonising sense of culpability following the animal’s eventual demise.
Mas Fiestas con el Grupo Vision Fortune is Vision Fortune’s first long player and hears the band settling in to their droning, repetition based repeater punk over two sides of wax. Although their battering strobe light that features in their crushing live show isn’t literally in your front room as you listen to the record, it’s certainly there in spirit as the band expertly guide us through 8 tracks of hulking riffs, drawn out drones, ethereal vocals and cyclical drum patterns." - Gringo Records

Vision Fortune is blending strong arm tribal drumming patterns with pulsing bass lines and swirling effects to create some boss psychedelia.  When not locking shit down with their mind blowing rhythm section, Vision Fortune is stretching out with lush drone work and hypnotic instrumental ambiance.  Those hombres on the cover are a bit misleading to say the least, cuz this group is supplying killer spacey modern krautrock inspired tunes in the vein of Disappears, Oneida, My Disco and Mugstar.  Snatch this sucker up quick like.  Yep, you guessed it… Recommended.

An LP full of bangers from The OBN IIIs - recorded in a live setting when they stopped by Jersey radio station extraordinaire WFMU in 2012 to play on Evan "Funk" Davies' radio show! Released on Gereard Cosloy's 12XU label - check it (but don't wreck it):

"During the OBN III's first visit to the East Coast last June, they stopped by Evan "Funk" Davies' WFMU program to perform selections from their 2 Tic Tac Totally studio albums, as well as weigh in on some of the more important social issues of the day. After the ensuing firestorm of angry phone calls and threats from the vaunted free-form radio station's financial benefactors, we have decided to delete those portions from this commercially available LP. To this day, i feel the band were being set up by Mr. Davies, and if being The Bill Grundy Of Jersey City is the kind of thing he's comfortable with, so be it.
Still, there's some consolation in the 11 songs recorded live, and it's a fair representation why some of us (radio dj's looking to make a name for themselves aside) expect nothing short of a global takeover from this Austin quintet sometime in the very near future.  We're not making very many of these and when they're gone, they're gone."

Live albums are tricky beasts - when they're great, they're GREAT - we're talkin' yer "Live At Budokan"s, yer "Live at the Harlem Square Club"s, yer "Live At The Apollo"s… but many end up falling flat. Austin TX's OBN III's have unleashed a few singles and two LPs (both on Tic Tac Totally) of high-octane, driving R'n'R akin to Sonic's Rendevous Band, The Stooges, and The Saints that capture the sweat and raw energy of shirtless rock and ROLL with gleeful aplomb. The REAL place to capture these dudes is in a live setting and THIS is what this album delivers - no edits, no overdubs, just the boys cranking it in the studio. Is it gonna be the next "Budokan"? Who knows? Time will tell - but for now, we're just gonna turn it UP and try not to overthink it! As with everything these dudes do - it's fuckin' RECOMMENDED.

Sacred Bones Records is always bringing the best of the best in new music and here's what they're saying about their latest:

"Margaret Chardiet was born and raised in New York City. She has been making power electronics / death-industrial music under the name Pharmakon for five years. As a founding member of the Red Light District collective in Far Rockaway, NY she has been a figurehead in the underground experimental scene since the age of seventeen. She describes her drive to make noise music as something akin to exorcism where she is able to express, her "deep-seated need/drive/urge/possession to reach other people and make them FEEL something [specifically] in uncomfortable/ confrontational ways." Engineered by Sean Ragon of Cult of Youth at his self-built recording studio Heaven Street, Abandon is Pharmakon's 1st proper studio album and also her first widely distributed release."

Fuck yeah!  It's been a minute since we've heard a good noise record and Pharmakon's debut for Sacred Bones is a threatening document of violence and harshness.  "Abandon" melds terrifyingly harsh feedback and guttural screams with ambient washes and eerie loops.  Tight and structured compositions of battering rhythms, insectoid buzzing and raw female vocals make up the content on "Abandon", an album not for the faint of heart.  Brings to mind acts like early Swans, Throbbing Gristle, Diamanda Galas and Sewer Goddess.  These four extended tracks of terror are nothing short of severe aural punishment.  It'll find you keeping the lights on for a bit longer than you usually do.  Well done!  Supremely Recommended.

SHIT YEAH! The debut 1968 album from Dutch psychedelic masters Group 1850 remastered and reissued in a repro of the original 3-D cover (WITH the 3-D glasses too!)! TRIPPPPPPPYYYYYYY!!!! Missing Vinyl from Greece took their sweet time with this baby and the care and attention shows - take a trip with them and find out more about "Agemo's Trip…":

“First ever audiophile edition, taken from the original vinyl masters for this psychedelic masterwork, originally released on Philips in 1968. Official, deluxe 180g vinyl pressing from the original analogue masters, exact reproduction of the original 3D cover (3D glasses included). Audiophile edition pressed by Music On Vinyl Records (Netherlands)." There is little doubt that "Agemo's Trip to Mother Earth" is cut from the same cloth as Pink Floyd's "Saucerful of Secrets.” In retrospect, Group 1850's work is more imaginative—which one may expect from a Continental band without any commercial restraints. There are many pure psychedelic moments to be had - but just hearing the title track (technically titled 'I Put My Hands on Your Shoulder') should inspire awe who in people for whom this classic of psychedelia is a new discovery. The fuzz guitar, the trippy voices, the acid induced phased effects, and the drumming—there just flat out wasn't anything else like this in 1968. It's a true masterpiece of psychedelic music."

"Agemo's Trip To Mother Earth" is front to back filled with GREAT stuff that's alarmingly adventurous without sacrificing coherence and hooks for "lysergic compatibility" (if you know what we mean). Definitely traversing the same sonic landscape as Pink Floyd / Mothers / Arthur Brown / Captain Beyond, but from a decidedly Dutch standpoint. We're hearing echoes of The Outsiders (specifically the weirder stuff from CQ) as well as Q65 or Cosmic Dealer! Tune in, turn on and BUY THIS NOW before it takes a trip back into the out of print wonderland from whence it came! Pressed up on glorious 180gm vinyl and housed in a glossy, fabulously restored gatefold sleeve - this record hasn't looked or sounded this great since, well - 1968! RECOMMENDED - you seriously can't (Neder)beat it!

Stellar Leeds, UK outfit, Hookworms avoid the sophomore slump with "Pearl Mystic"! Their previous longplayer on Faux Discx was (technically) a 12-inch EP, but those 4 extended tracks took up both sides of that platter and filled our eardrums with some grade-A motorik psych-rock burners! "Pearl Mystic" was released by UK label Gringo Records and doesn't stray too far from that apt description, but the quintet has found it's legs on this album - the mellower tunes swoon and swell with more finesse and the heavier parts are more interesting and densely constructed.  The UK psych-explosion of the late-Eighties/early-Nineties is an obvious touchstone for these guys, with the ghosts of Spectrum, Loop and Spacemen 3 all milling around bumming smokes, but there's a palpable whiff of the new guard of psychedelic acts raising their hands here too - Cosmonauts, Wooden Shjips, Cave and even Carlton Melton too.  Hookworms are definitely carving out their own niche, though - there's a real swagger to these young bucks that often times has a Rolling Stones-y vibe, riding out the groove with rollicking, soulful reverie peppered by squalling fuzz-flanged guitar and synth. We were impressed by their EP, and this album takes it to the next logical plateau - can't wait to hear more (US Tour, please?) RECOMMENDED, but act fast - this one's already sold out at the source and these will NOT stick around for long! GET IT!

The ongoing Latitudes series has released some of the finest recordings by some of today's most interesting and limit testing artists.  So when we dropped the needle on their latest installment by Daniel Higgs we knew we were in for quite the journey and "The Godward Way" delivers and then some.  When Daniel Higgs performed at the Chicago shop he had completely transfixed the crowd into a conscious altering trance with his bewitching banjo skills and here on the "The Godward Way" he is supplying the same alchemical wizardry. Higg's banjo raga and sage like voice combine to draw the listener into an ever spiraling vortex of roots music that betrays any since of limits or pre-set conditions and sets course for nothing short of the center of the sun if not entire universe itself.  This spirit filled experimental devotional music and Higgs will make you a believer.  Mega Recommended.

More killer Iranian pop reissues coming from the purveyors of pop from the non-Western world - Pharaway Sound, who set their sights on classy Iranian pop princess Ramesh! We'll let Pharaway phill you in:

"In 1970s Tehran, the classically-trained Ramesh played the serious, quiet marquess against Googoosh's langorous pop princess. Both singers made the papers every time they changed their haircuts and appeared on TV frequently. However, while Googoosh now runs a cosmetics company in Los Angeles, they say Ramesh was killed in the political turmoil of the late '70s because she was a lesbian. Nobody knows for sure. What we do know is that she was a funky queen whose rich voice sits like a fat mink coat, twirling its melancholy way around long-necked lutes, backed by flurries of frame and goblet drums. And the sleazy, Western brass, strings, and synths are here too, slathered across rare singles for your shameless dancing pleasure. Welcome to the unpredictable world of pre-revolutionary Iranian pop music. Comes with booklet including extensive liner notes and pictures."

A killer collection of stuff we'd probably never had thought to check out of it weren't for Pharaway! Musically, Ramesh's sound lies somewhere in a fine line between the soaring sunshine-pop influenced sound of bands like Free Design or 5th Dimension and the slinky, pseudo-funk that pulls from elements of Seventies soul/funk (specifically soundtrack) records like Shaft/Trouble Man/Love Unlimited Orchestra or even Bond soundtracks like Goldfinger, but peppered with Eastern melodies. Phased sitars and guitars dance around each other before collapsing onto a bed of gurgling synthesizers all lured to the rocks by the siren's song of Ramesh's silky vocals! Apparently Ramesh was murdered for her overt and open sexuality (a severe taboo - even in Seventies Iran) which only adds to the ennui and longing in her voice. A killer comp of funky flavors that is sure to spice up your collection! RECOMMENDED!!!

We are always thrilled to get a new Umberto record round here and the latest "Night Has A Thousand Screams" is as riveting as they come.  Pressed up and set loose in the wild by the formidable Rock Action Records, "Night Has A Thousand Screams" was originally performed at the Glasgow Music and Film Festival in February 2012 as a live score to 1982 cult classic slasher flick Pieces.  Umberto's known admiration and inspiration from 70's and 80's horror movies is longstanding and his skills are showcased here where with finesse, subtly and a studied know-how set the scene for the gruesome chainsaw wielding lunatic slicing up co-eds on a Boston campus.  All the "song" titles are scene titles, i.e Opening Credits, The Investigation, The Locker Room and so on which is a nice touch in our opinion.  Here you'll find the Umberto you've come to know and love: ghostly synth builds, ticking hi-hats, arpeggiated crystalline loops, lurching funky bass lines and jump cut scare tactics more blood curdling than ever.  This comes housed in a full color gatefold sleeve and comes with a handy dandy download.  Super Recommended.

EXTREMELY rare soundtrack to this sexy Henry Chapier film recorded by Vangelis early on in his career (possibly while STILL in Aphrodite's Child) reissued by Greek label Missing Vinyl! Feel "The Power" and listen to what they have to say:

"Sex Power was Vangelis’ first Henry Chapier movie. It was released in 1970 only in Greece and France nd only sold a few copies. Nowadays it is the holy grail for Vangelis collector worldwide, with prices of mint copies reaching 1000+ euro. Deluxe 180g vinyl edition from the original analogue masters; exact reproduction of the original first pressing, gatefold cover, audiophile edition pressed by Music On Vinyl Records (Netherlands)." "This soundtrack-album was the first full-length solo-effort by Vangelis. All the future Vangelis trademarks are already there in rudimentary form—not really surprising, given the fact that around this time Aphrodite's Child were moving from melancholic pop towards "666", a move largely due to Vangelis, musically speaking. Already his gift for rounded melodies, the full arrangements, strange sound effects, elaborate percussion, use of choirs and that Mediterranean touch are amply demonstrated. The fact that this is also the soundtrack to an erotic movie can't really be anything but unfortunate (and a source of embarrassment to Vangelis, thus the fact that it has not been reissued until now). Making this record was probably the only opportunity that happened to come along for this still virtually unknown Greek instrumentalist in France at that particular time."

A truly weird soundtrack that on the surface has elements of traditional soundtrack interludes, but more attentive listening reveals the strangeness and avant-leanings Vangelis adopted in the later Aphrodite's Child albums like "666" with sampled bits of ambient audio (traffic, handclaps, dialogue) interspersed throughout. A large portion of the tunes however have the sort of progressive-cum-krautrock vibe of his early works like "The Dragon", with sinewy, serpentine rhythm section and persuasive keyboards and out-of-nowhere percussion peppering the mix. Plus bongos too. KILLER bongos. Heck, with a soundtrack like this it makes up want to watch the movie to see how all this music fits into the narrative, 'cuz it is some bizarre shit. Like Kenneth Anger or Jodorowsky-sounding bizarre shit.  This 2013 reissue of "Sex Power" is housed in a beautiful gatefold and pressed up on 180gm vinyl for all you maximum audio-philiacs out there! RECOMMENDED? With every fiber of our sexy beings, YES.

One of the best things (aside from the music, of course) about the vinyl format is the artwork, and this record has some incredible artwork all over it.  From the tip-on gatefold jacket to the 12" x 36" poster, to the full-color printed inner sleeves, there's a virtual gallery's worth of art included in this record, and it's good too - all created by the renowned pop surrealist / fine artist Tim Biskup.  Tim and his brother Mike have been recording under the Big Butter moniker for nearly 30 years.  This brand new double LP was derived from tapes dating back 27 years.  The development of the band over time shows in the eclecticism of the tracks, but all of these tracks are pretty timeless.  They could've been recorded at anytime over the last 40 or so years (the Residents' first album came out in 1974).  If the Residents name-dropping piqued your interest, you should totally read on (or buy this now, rather).  It's a fantastic record that will appeal deeply to fans of experimental / esoteric / electronic / avant pop music.  Ed. Note - The Residents and Jad Fair are thanked in the liner notes.  Although Ralph Records distributed the Big Butter records in the late-80s, it's a damn shame that Big Butter never released anything on Ralph, as they would've fit in very naturally among the esteemed label's ranks and it would've garnered them the wider audience they deserve.  For more on the history of "Brainsled", we take you to our graphic artist correspondent, Mr. Tim "Big Butter" Biskup:

"Brainsled was a necessity. In 1989 we were coming off of the high of releasing our first full-length LP, "Step In and Do A Certain Something". It was an experiment, which was always the case with Big Butter. The album was compiled from hours of tape recorded as far back as 1986. It was somewhat coherent in the traditional sense of having songs with titles and lyrics. The B-side got pretty out there with Kalaallit Nunaat 71º - 85º taking a spin into modern classical territory. We still had hours of tape that we couldn't quite place within the format of an album or even a "song". It was these experiments that were the driving force for us to make music in the first place so it seemed a shame to let them flounder in obscurity. We decided to edit together a handful of those odds and ends and came up with Bearded Horses single. Something about the jump-cuts and un-hinged energy were just what we needed to free our hands and open us to a new way of working.  We set to make Brainsled in the same spirit.  The cassette format was perfect because it was cheap and we could make the sides long ands sprawling.  There was never a big picture of how the piece would be composed but we always thought about it as a single composition.  If there are points of focus in Brainsled they would have to be the two long drone sections.  One appears near the beginning of side A (of the vinyl version) and the other comprises the majority of side B with a reprise near the mid-section of side D.  These sweeping walls of ambient sound represent a departure from the more light-hearted bend that informs the majority of Big Butter's music and are the inspiration for our Soundwithces side-project that emerged a few years later.  Brainsled has endured as one of our favorite and most inspiriing projects.  We hope you enjoy it."

We certainly did!  And we think you will too.  Grab one of these before they melt away!  Everything's better with (Big) Butter!

"(LIMITED EDITION COLORED LP) Modern Vampires of the City is the third album from New York's Vampire Weekend following 2008's Vampire Weekend and 2010's Contra. The album is a bustling world of voices and visions - from the death of Henry Hudson to the Orthodox girl falling in love at an uptown falafel shop, from Hannah Hunt tearing up the New York Times on a distant beach to the lethal chandelier of "Everlasting Arms," from the ardent yearning of Don't Lie to the harmonized voice of hope in Young Lion." - XL Recordings

"The Way Things Fall the band's first full length since 2007's Why Bother? is a record that sounds both focused and coherent, flowing with a conceptual ease. "[The album] flowed efficiently and agreeably for us," says Miller. "We have never worked better together. We believe this is because we exorcised all of our demons through our past records, we have no baggage, we started anew. We left behind the self-conscious adolescents." And indeed, ADULT. have never sounded so self-assured, so poised, and so vital." - Ghostly International

"The Black Angels’ most revelatory collection thus far, Indigo Meadow marks the Austin, Texas-based band’s fourth full-length release, following 2010′s acclaimed Phosphene Dream. Once again The Black Angels prove themselves the undisputed avatars of contemporary psychedelic rock, simultaneously exalting the genre’s kaleidoscopic past as they thrust it further into the future.  

Now a four-piece – ably supported behind the board by producer/mixer John Congleton (David Byrne & St. Vincent, Explosions In The Sky, Clinic) – the band have brought new focus to their wide-ranging songcraft, the righteous riffs and dogmatic drones gaining increased power as they fuel a more expansive emotional terrain. 

The ominous organ grooves and carpet-bombing beats surely resonate with blood and fire, but songs like “Love Me Forever” and the deep blue title track also see a little light entering the Black Angels’ notorious heart of darkness.  A 21st century trip as transcendent as any in the canon, Indigo Meadow masterfully affirms the Black Angels’ full-throttle commitment to the psychedelic ethos of creativity, community and boundless experimentation.

Founded in 2004, The Black Angels have been at the spearhead of the post-millennial psychedelic movement, picking up the mantle of their hometown’s long lysergic history and reinvigorating it with progressive political commentary and unrestrained creativity and ambition." - Blue Horizon Records

"The charming strength of the resulting Dungeonesse rests in the dichotomy formed by of a bold re-introduction of the beautiful imperfections of the human voice into a landscape of what is an increasingly mechanized process of music making. The fun resides in the listen." - Secretly Canadian

"Grateful Dead Dick's Picks Volume 4 on Numbered Limited Edition 180g 6LP Box Set

Historic Live Concert Series Appearing On Vinyl for the Very First Time!

Featuring Artwork, Packaging and Mastering All Approved by the Band!

Vol. 4 is Presented Here as a 6 x 180g LP 12" x 12" Box Set Limited to Only 2000 Hand Numbered Units!

Culled from a Performance at the Fillmore East, New York on February 13-14, 1970!

"I am very proud to announce that Brookvale Records will be releasing the entire Dick’s Picks Series on vinyl. We are working very closely with The Dead on every aspect of these releases. The Dead will be reviewing and approving all artwork, packaging, and mastering. We are honored to be working on this project. Growing up my favorite bands were (and still are) The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and The Grateful Dead. To now own a record label and to be working with The Grateful Dead is truly a dream come true. As a fan first, I realize that these vinyl releases must be handled professionally and meticulously put together. It is my responsibility to make sure these releases come to the fans in the very best packaging and sound possible...We hope you enjoy these vinyl releases as much as we do. They look and sound amazing!" - Karl Groeger Jr./President Brookvale Records

The Grateful Dead launched an official live concert series called Dick's Picks in 1993, named after the band's beloved tape vault archivist Dick Latvala, who selected his favorite shows with the band's approval and oversaw production of the subsequent releases. After Latvala's death in 1999, David Lemieux became the Dead's tape archivist and took over responsibility for the Dick's Picks releases going forward.

Now, this historic series is being released on vinyl for the very first time courtesy of Brookvale Records. All of the recordings have been painstakingly remastered specifically for vinyl release and were pressed at the prestigious Gotta Groove Records Plant in Ohio. The albums are pressed on 180g vinyl for the highest fidelity possible. All releases will also be hand numbered and very limited!

When manufacturing the Dick’s Picks for vinyl, Brookvale had some things to really consider. With the time limitations on vinyl sides they did their best to preserve the jams the band is famous for and make the vinyl flow as best as possible. Vol. 4 was culled from a Grateful Dead performance at the Fillmore East, New York on February 13-14, 1970 and is presented here as a 6 x 180g LP 12" x 12" Box Set with all records housed in high quality poly lined sleeves. The set will be limited to only 2000 hand numbered units! Side 2 of the 6th LP will be blank.

Featuring definitive live takes on such concert favorites as "Casey Jones," "China Cat," "I Know You Rider," "Dark Star," "Lovelight," "Not Fade Away" and "We Bid You Goodnight" to go along with the extended psychedelic jams the band is known for and literally pioneered!

Engineer Jeffrey Norman on mastering Vol. 3 & 4:
“I was excited to get the chance to remaster the early Dick’s Picks’ releases for vinyl...they were originally mastered for CD in 1995-96, and I was looking forward to hearing the 1/4″ source tapes once again, 17 years later. What I didn’t expect was the dramatic improvement the new mastering gives to these classic releases. The original CD resolution is 44.1KHz/16bit (as is any released CD), while the mastering I am now doing for the vinyl releases is 96KHz/24bit. I’m now using a state-of-the-art analog to digital converter (Pacific Microsonics Model 2)….and I’ve probably gotten better at doing this over the years! I used the original CDs as a guide for the new mastering, but when listening to the CDs I feel like I’m listening in black and white, while the new mastering feels like I’m listening in color. It’s very exciting!

"A few observations: the mixes for Dick’s Picks Vol. 3 and Vol. 4 couldn’t be more different. The Pembroke Pine show (Vol.3) is quite bass strong and powerful. The Fillmore East show (2/13-14/12) on the other hand is very bright and a little bass shy. Both represent the ears and interpretations of the mixers at the time (Betty Cantor Jackson at Pembroke Pines, and Bear at the Fillmore East), and both capture the quality and excitement of these shows. I did some equalization on both shows to enhance the presentation but kept true to what the original mixers intended. As typical of all Grateful Dead shows, both these two shows are very dynamic….there’s a wide range of volume from quiet to very loud. I tried to keep the dynamics intact, with very little limiting, using limiting mainly as protection against digital overs.

"In choosing the songs for each side of vinyl, the goal was to be true to the flow of the show and keep the fidelity as high as possible. There is a physical limitation to the length of a vinyl side.if it gets too long there is a loss of bass and level. Ideally the sides would be no longer than 20 minutes, and for the most part that was accomplished. However there are a few sides that are longer than ideal, but because of the way the music lays out there was no way around a few longer lengths. Also because of those side length constraints, there are some songs that had to be split in two (i.e. Vol.4 Dark Star, The Other One, and Lovelight)…sorry, you’re going to have to flip the record to get the entire “good stuff”.

"Considering that these tapes are 40 years old (in the case of Vol. 4, Fillmore East), they sound phenomenal! There are some issues on the original recording that can’t be fixed (i.e.. L/R movement side to side in Vol. 3 Eyes of the World), but that in no way takes away from this great music.”

Features:
- 6 x 180g LP 12" x 12" Box Set
- Hand Numbered Limited Edition of 2000 Units
- Featuring artwork, packaging and mastering all approved by the band
- Performance at the Fillmore East, New York on February 13-14, 1970
- First time on vinyl" - Brokevale Records

"Overgrown is the anxiously awaited sophomore full-length from acclaimed singer, songwriter, and producer James Blake and follow-up to his universally lauded self-titled 2011 debut. Preceded by the transfixing lead single "Retrograde" and featuring collaborations with RZA and Brian Eno, Overgrown stands marked by the artist’s staunch adherence to progression. 

The stylistic elements that enchanted fans and critics the first time around serve as building blocks for a more dynamic and diverse listening experience. Moments of darkness fade into genuine bliss as he bends the foundations of post-dubstep, pop, hip hop, and house to his whim.

Upon releasing his eponymous first collection stateside, James Blake was instantly embraced by both music fans and critical gatekeepers. Acclaim abounded across the board. It was ranked one of the top albums of 2011 by Pitchfork, Mojo, and Uncut. 

Rolling Stone wrote, “Like Radiohead, Blake‘s sonic empty spaces highlight human distance,” while Spin added an apropos description, “Using lo-fi digital techniques to play up rough edges and raw emotion, Blake‘s rare talent is to make music so naked seem unshakable.”" - Universal Records

"Crawling Up The Stairs is the second LP from Austin, Texas' Pure X. Made up of principal members Nate Grace, Jesse Jenkins and Austin Youngblood, they stay true to the dense sound they explored on their last album, Pleasure, but add twinkling atmospherics and a new clarity to their carefully cultivated, emotionally heavy songs.  Where Pleasure was built on syrup-slow hooks and a weighty, sexy haze, Crawling Up The Stairs is the sound of Pure X emerging from that humid cocoon to stare all the screwed up parts of life directly in the face and embrace them. When Grace's voice, cracked and worn, breaks through a fog of downtempo drums and misty guitar on "Someone Else," the pain that used to be visible in his face when he was on stage is pushed to the forefront of their sound, his voice growling and moaning with barely contained anger and apocalyptic worry in anguished falsetto. Crawling isn't a record about escape, it's about what you do after you've realized that escaping isn't an option and you just have to face the world you live in head on." - Acephale

"The Replacements Songs For Slim EP on Limited Edition 180g 12" Vinyl 

First New Replacements Release Since 1990's All Shook Down!

Proceeds to Benefit Friend and Former Bandmate Slim Dunlap

New West Records is proud to announce Songs For Slim, a newly recorded EP from The Replacements. The proceeds of this project will benefit friend and former Replacements guitarist, solo artist and Minneapolis post-punk scene veteran Slim Dunlap, who has been partially paralyzed since suffering a massive right-brain stroke in February of 2012.

Dunlap's condition was exacerbated by a fall, which caused a hemorrhage in the left-brain and was further complicated by extensive brain swelling. He was hospitalized for nine months and his recovery has been slow - hindered by pain, paralysis of the left side and the inability to swallow. Dunlap is currently at home, being cared for by his family and a team of aides, nurses and therapists. Insurance does not pay for long term care and the general prognosis for Dunlap is that he will likely need around-the-clock care for the rest of his life.

In September of 2012, Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson reunited and entered Flowers Studio in Minneapolis (with Kevin Bowe on guitar and Peter Anderson on drums) to record Dunlap's song "Busted Up." Knocked out by the result, they roared through a few more numbers including Leon Payne's (by way of Hank Williams) "Lost Highway," Gordon Lightfoot's (by way of Nico) "I'm Not Sayin'," and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" from the Broadway show Gypsy. Original Replacements drummer Chris Mars had already recorded a scorching one-man- band version of Slim's "Radio Hook Word Hit," and all 5 tracks were combined onto this EP." - New West Records

"Saltland is the new project led by Montreal-based cellist Rebecca Foon (Esmerine, ex-Silver Mt. Zion), joined by Jamie Thompson (Unicorns, Esmerine) on miniature percussion, programming and signal processing.\013\013I Thought It Was Us But It Was All Of Us is a beautifully restrained debut album that telescopes the directness and delicacy of Foon's compositional and vocal styles into lush, twilight atmospheres aglow with luminescent tendrils and flickering particles. Foon sings of childhood innocence lost, of serene utopic reveries and downcast dystopic horizons, and the search for soft, stoic strength in a darkening world, in most cases propelled by Thompson's handmade percussion and understated programming/processing.\013\013The album's ambience also owes much to the work of Mark Lawson, the award-winning producer (Arcade Fire) who collaborated closely with Foon to record and mix these songs. With contributions from Laurel Sprengelmeyer and Jess Robertson (Little Scream), Mishka Stein (Patrick Watson), Colin Stetson (Bon Iver), Sarah Neufeld and Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire) among others, Saltland offers up an unassumingly immersive debut album of searching songs that blend several core influences into a distinctively naturalistic sound. Saltland stakes out a unique space where minimalism, shoegaze, dream-pop, coldwave, chamber music, drone and ambient/electronic coexist and coalesce." - Constellation

"What began as the extremely lo-fi two-piece of Elias Rønnenfelt (Iceage) and Loke Rahbek recording on 4-track has evolved into an experimental noise/ industrial/ techno pop quartet. On this album Vår utilize everything from acoustic guitar, power electronics, bass, trumpet, multi-tracked vocals, and various percussive instruments, to broken glass & sheet metal samples. No One Dances Quite Like My Brothers is a remarkable debut, an emotional rollercoaster of sorts which at times is profoundly uplifting, at times decidedly morose but remains unfailingly moving throughout." - Sacred Bones

"Empty Estate is the follow-up EP to the critically acclaimed Nocturne, which received several year-end accolades including album of the year in Under The Radar and iTunes. The 7-song EP was recorded in Brooklyn at Gary's Electric by Al Carlson in January." - Captured Tracks

Geweih Ritual Documents has released a powerhouse of a 10 inch and here's they're back story:

"Insect Ark is the new solo project from Dana Schechter, known for her work with Bee and Flower and M. Gira’s Angels of Light (Swans). Based in Brooklyn, Insect Ark is composed and performed as an analog-electronic hybrid: one woman, a sampler, a bass, a lapsteel and a keyboard.

Creating her personal soundtrack to the human psyche’s underbelly, Schechter’s sounds weave a brooding, textural landscape, a starless night spiked with sparkling moments of light and flash. Intimate and cold at the same time, this foray into her aggressive and experimental musical side braids a strong sense of melody into the twists and turns with delay drenched lapsteel, distorted synthesizers and bass, and sparse drum programming." - Geweih Ritual Documents

"Long Arms" provides 3 extended tracks of instrumental dark sonics.  Blurry swirling melodic textures give way to powerful drum patterns, undulating basslines, psychedelic lapsteel squelches and industrialized keyboard sorcery.  The time spent in the Angels Of Light can be heard in the spiritually inclined intensity and dreamlike hover of decaying loops.  The delayed lapsteel passages add an almost Wovenhand kinda vibe to the music, but the overall mood is such darker with a cinematic quality more akin to noir-ish sonics of later period Earth.  However you slice it, Insect Ark are a new and interesting act bringing the goodies and most certainly one to keep an eye on.  This 3 track EP comes housed in multi-color screen printed fold-over jacket with an interlocking slot. And it comes with the Permanent Records Recommendation!

"Wild animals, tall tales, & dark stories from American history populate the lyrics of "Wilderness". Appalachian holler, psychedelic rock, tin pan alley, & medieval ballads inform The Handsome Family's unique brand of Americana, while an affinity for parlor ballads & clawhammer banjo has crept in with "Wilderness." - Carrot Top

"Debut album by futurist dub pop duo STANDISH/CARLYON, comprising bassist/vocalist Conrad Standish & guitarist Tom Carlyon, both formerly of noir rock group DEVASTATIONS. The atmosphere throughout is one of surreal chic. In rich baritone or impressive falsetto, Standish intones dark, absurdist lyrics over the band's shimmering take on dub, a sensual, ultramodern gloss disturbed by deep vibrations. " - Felte

ANY new Limiñanas wax is cause for celebration around these parts - they're one of our favorite modern bands that have yet (in our opinion) to make a bad recording. They're alarmingly consistent and with each subsequent single and full-length have systematically refined their dead-cool French slither. This new 45 on French label Nasty Product finds the band treading the darker waters of their oeuvre - "La Melancholie" lopes along with an almost bluesy/country vibe, with a delicately plucked mandolin leading the way down a dusty path, with vocalist Nadége's smoky drawl leading you to what portends to be a very sexy doom. The flip "Votre Cote Yeye" bounces along with what's now become The Limiñanas patented stabs of deadly fuzz guitar punctuating the singsong verses of Lio Limiñana and guest vocalist Francesca Cusimano which seem to be referencing Godard in a very 'Nancy and Lee' sorta way. Ooh la la! Another absolutely KILLER release to whet our appetites while Lio and Marie prepare their next full-length! RECOMMENDED? Bien sûr!

We got another fine single from the Chrondritic Sound label and here's the details they're supplying:

"My personal favorite selection from the criminally limited debut tape "Last Letters from the Leper Colony" and a new song on the B-side. Bleak yet danceable minimal wave. Nihilist pop for lonely nights. Edition of 225 copies in offset printed gluepocket sleeve with lyric insert."

Image Of Life drop 2 tracks of dark minded minimal wave shrouded in mystery.  Both tracks are up-tempo fog frolickers with buzzing synths, skittering drum machines and baritone laments of full moon blight.  These tracks are mega catchy and hook you in immediately.  Perfect for the 39 Clocks, Horrid Red, Teenage Panzerkorps set or even for fellow LA synth creepers MERX.  Totally Recommended

.

The Nostilevo label has all the info on their latest here:

"Two sides of stark and melodic analog synth pop rooted in tradition. THe uptempo hopelessness of "Crawling Through" compliments the lumbering thud of "Evaporation" which ruminates on the end. Released on Nostilevo. Edition of 345 copies in offset printed gluepocket sleeves." - Nostilevo

Pure Ground have a fine outing with this 2 track single of synth pop cold wavery.  The blurred vocals and dance-y rhythms mix nicely with the multiple layers of synthesizer passages.  The keyboard structures are reminding us of some video games from days past, plus these guys would fit in great with the Minimal Wave Records roster or the amazing BIPPP comp we're always goin' on about.  Most Certainly Recommended.

Hotlanta's skuzziest rock n rollers, Wymyns Prysyn, have TWO new slabs of blown out, high octane punk fury to lay down on yer turntables, a self titled EP on No Breaks Records and the "Waste Your Life" b/w "Keep in Simple" 7 inch on Pygmy Records.   Both are culled from a 2012 Tour Only Cassette and mixed for maximum distortion, speaker rattling and debauchery.

"Waste Your Life" is deviant feedback damaged anthem that channels both 80s hardcore and budget rock n roll in one swift, high volume train wreck.  The B Side, "Keep It Simple" could be the Wipers and Hot Snakes in a drunken knife fight over which Touch and Go record to play next at your party, YES!  Someone's gotta keep it down n dirty, since the Carbonas imploded!   Severely limited and TOTAL RECOMMENDED!  You need this mayhem now!

Hotlanta's skuzziest rock n rollers, Wymyns Prysyn, have TWO new slabs of blown out, high octane punk fury to lay down on yer turntables, a self titled EP on No Breaks Records and the "Waste Your Life" b/w "Keep in Simple" 7 inch on Pygmy Records.   Both are culled from a 2012 Tour Only Cassette and mixed for maximum distortion, speaker rattling and debauchery.

The self-titled ep blasts off with wall of massive guitar riffs, snarling vocals and pummeling drums, all fuzz coated, deranged and trashy as can be.  Wymyns Prysyn rips through these four songs in one quick breath and before you know it you'll be flipping this one over and over again, til yer needle is melted, that we can promise.  Equal parts KBD punk, thrashy SoCal hardcore and warped garage punk, Wymyns Prysyn's self titled ep will certainly make yer ears ring with pleasure like Action Swingers, Pussy Galore and Drive Like Jehu did back in the good ol' days.   And that of course makes it, HUGELY RECOMMENDED!!!! 

You cannot contain Bass Drum Of Death's fuzzy garage rock to a mere 7 inch single, so Innovative Leisure pressed this Record Store Day double shot on the next best thing, 8 INCHES OF WAX!!!!

"Limited-Edition Record Store Day Exclusive (500 copies).  The Fourth Volume in our INNOV8 8″ Series marks Bass Drum of Death’s debut for Innovative Leisure.  ’Shattered Me’ is the lead single from the record capturing the essence of blown-apart pop music with the backing Wavves-meets-Roky Erickson track ‘Crawling After You’"

"Shattered Me" and "Crawling After You" finds that sweet spot between reverbed garage rock and sunshiny power pop that we here at the shop can never get enough of.  Ty Segall, Bare Wires, Terry Malts, Heavy Times and Jay Reatard junkies like us will need this Bass Drum Of Death fix now.  Super limited and SEVERELY RECOMMENDED. 

"Man or Astro-Man? return with the 3rd of 3 new 7"s, all preceeding a new full length in 2013. "I Disintegrate" & "Defcon 0" will appear in some form on the impending full length while "Baby's First Spacewalk" is exclusive to this release. Recorded by Steve Albini & Daniel Farris (ST. VINCENT). Enough with the filler, here comes the killer. " - Chunklet