'Sometimes fate deals up a wild card. There's a lot to be said for one of these wild cards and from what I've learned over the fifty or so years of our friendship, Chris is a card from the unexpected deck' - from the foreword by Debbie HarryMusician, photographer, storyteller, and longtime partner to Debbie Harry, Chris Stein defined the sound of an era, catapulting the icon band Blondie to #1 and selling over 20 million copies of Parallel Lines. In this no-holds-barred autobiography, Stein reveals himself-this time not in songwriting or photography, which he's previously been known for, but in words.

From a Brooklyn boyhood, a move across the river to the gritty and fecund East Village in the late 1970s allowed Stein to tap the explosive creativity that defined the era in the city. It was a time when David Bowie and the Ramones were also making music, when Andy Warhol was still alive and promoting Jean-Michel Basquiat's work, when cool was defined not by where you came from but by what you could contribute to culture. UNDER A ROCK is a plunge into that vanished time period, and into the moments that turned the fresh sound and new look of punk and new wave into a giant artistic and commercial sensation.

Stein takes us there in this revelatory, propulsive, distinctive memoir.

Dennis Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer and one of the most popular artists in the history of Jamaican recorded music. Bob Marley cited Brown as his favourite singer, dubbing him “The Crown Prince of Reggae”, and Brown would prove influential on future generations of reggae singers. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Brown at number 67 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. This album includes the classic tracks “Silhouettes “, “Lips of Wine”, “Changing Times” and “I Didn’t Know”.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Concentration (Ver 1)
2. Concentration (Ver 3)
3. Silhouettes
4. Wichita Lineman
5. He Can't Spell
6. Musical Heatwave

Side B
1. I Didn't Know (Ver 1)
2. I Didn't Know (Ver 3)
3. How Could I Let You Get Away
4. Lips Of Wine
5. Let Me Down Easy
6. Changing Times

There is NO LIGHT at the end of this tunnel! BROWN ACID: The Nineteenth Trip fires ten more savage nails deep into the coffin of ‘60s psychedelic idealism. This series is THE premier top dog journey into the rarest and most wasted early local eruptions of heavy rock, unleashed at a time when harsh reality, human nature and disillusionment drove prevailing underground rock glimpses of a ‘better’ world into ever darker selfabsorbed comedowns. Mind expanding ’60s love energies transform into toxic aggression right before your ears! The great thing is that these moves are totally justified, ‘we are all one’ is cosmically good in theory but ‘get it while you can’ ends up perhaps better advice in the light of human history. Both of those angles of awareness can coexist, some of these bands deliver unrelenting sideways positive energy but they aren’t over-thinking it, they are youthfully driven by hunger for life and satisfying the undeniable urges their DNA thrusts upon them. Sonically, the results in the BROWN ACID series never fail to breathe hot and heavy, the guitars kill it every time, the variety of approaches these tracks take keep the scenery shifting into new places. The key element that makes this stuff so potent is that THEY (the bands) are in control. Captured genuinely with no compromise, right out of the gate. No doubt they had ambition with high hopes for the future when they laid down these primal efforts, the fact that they captured their energy so vividly at a moment in time when the only direction imaginable was UP creates a hard hitting life affirming subtext to the proceedings. That is the core energy of blues and rock and roll, dealing with the struggles of existence by flipping a gigantic ‘what the fuck’ high energy bird right in the face of the moronic defective reality these bands were born into. If you take this stuff too ‘seriously’ you are utterly missing the point, it is beyond analysis, it is life itself! No amount of thinking will get you there quicker! BROWN ACID: The Nineteenth Trip is scary... the bottomless pit of deranged vintage heavy rock the series presents continually expands over time... one deadly dose too many and you might be trapped in the bad trip loop forever... enjoy it or lose your mind!

Originally made back in 2002, this tune has never had a well deserved single release, so here it is remastered and backed with a version previously unreleased on vinyl! U Brown tells a story of his involvement in the soundsystem scene since the late 60’s, so come take a ride on this heavy musical excursion...

Produced by Jah Warrior, mixed by Dougie Wardrop at Conscious Sounds Studio, mastered by Sam John at Precise Mastering.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Biiiiig modern digi cut with plenty of rub-a-dub flavour and a sounds shaking sensibility few will be able to resist.

TRACK LISTING

U Brown - Rougher Than The Rest
Jah Warrior - Rougher Dub

Vince Guaraldi’s score for 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' came out for the first time ever for the special’s 50th anniversary and charted as a top Jazz, soundtrack and children’s album upon its release, selling out all available copies. The complete soundtrack to the celebrated animated holiday television special, written and created by Charles Schulz, directed by Bill Melendez and Phil Roman and produced by Melendez and Lee Mendelson, includes the long-awaited release of many of Guaraldi’s classic compositions and performances along with never-before-heard bonus material. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Charlie Brown Blues
2. Thanksgiving Theme
3. Thanksgiving Theme (Reprise)
4. Peppermint Patty
5. Little Birdie
6. Thanksgiving Interlude
7. Is It James Or Charlie?
8. Linus And Lucy
9. Fife & Drums Theme
10. Charlie Brown Blues (Reprise)
11. Thanksgiving Interlude (Reprise)
12. Thanksgiving Theme (2nd Reprise)
13. Thanksgiving Theme (3rd Reprise)
14. Thanksgiving Theme (Alternate)
15. Peppermint Patty (Bonus Mix)
16. Linus And Lucy (Bonus Mix)
17. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate Take 2, 4, And 6)
18. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate Take 10)
19. Thanksgiving Interlude (Alternate Take 14)
20. Is It James Or Charlie? (Bonus Mix With Whistling)
21. Clark And Guaraldi

The incomparable Dimitri From Paris returns with the latest installment of his acclaimed DFP Vaults series, showcasing the deep cuts that solidify his reputation as one of the premier remixers, DJs, and champions of crate-digging culture in dance music today. This particular release holds a special place in Dimitri's heart, as he explains in his own words below:

"James Brown, the undisputed godfather of soul and the hardest working man in show business, is one of the few artists for whom the term 'legend' feels like an understatement. With a career spanning five decades, countless albums and singles, his unique voice and sound have become synonymous with dance music. Beyond his own recordings, thousands of James Brown samples have permeated our ears since sampling became a cornerstone of music production in the mid-80s—across genres from Hip-Hop to House, Drum 'n' Bass, and everything in between.

This release is particularly meaningful to me. Since my early days as a DJ, I’ve watched James Brown light up dance floors across cultures and generations with his inimitable swagger and irresistible energy. I bought my first James Brown record in 1981—Soul Syndrome, featuring the track 'Funky Men.' At the time, I was a bit disappointed as it didn’t have the classic 'Funky Drummer' style I was expecting, so it ended up buried in a pile of other James Brown classics.

Fast forward over 40 years, and I hear 'Funky Men' again, played by my good friend Alex From Tokyo, and it sounds fresher than ever. The unusual disco beat accompanying James Brown’s vocal, which once made the track stand out in a strange way, has now become its greatest asset! I quickly took it to the edit board, using a mix of old and new techniques, to create my 'Special Version' of 'Funky Men,' which has already been tried and tested on dance floors near you.

For the flip side, I wanted to explore the later, lesser-known disco side of James Brown. The J.B.'s, his personal live band, released a few tracks of their own under his production. Most were instrumentals featuring the breakbeat-heavy sound typically associated with James Brown. However, 'Just Wanna Make You Dance,' with female vocals by Maxxi, offers an almost Caribbean disco vibe. Uniquely, it was released as a 12’’ single with a DJ-friendly remix that included different breaks and drops—something quite rare for a James Brown production at that time. Here again, I’ve given it my own 'Special Version' treatment, respectfully enhanced for maximum DJ impact."

DFP Vaults is the sister label to Le-Edits Records, both of which are highly collectible. While Le-Edits focuses on classic songs remixed from original master tapes, DFP Vaults takes a more eclectic, DJ-friendly approach, spotlighting underdogs and unreleased versions straight from Dimitri's vault. True to Le-Edits' highest production standards, this release features state-of-the-art mastering, cutting, and pressing, all housed in a heavy 'Tip-On' vintage replica custom sleeve.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Another of those highly desirable, buy-on-sight tweaks from the DFP Vaults. Two fiery joints from JB and co. given maximum titivation and extended nicely for dancefloor enjoyment.

TRACK LISTING

A. James Brown - Funky Men (DFP Special Version) 
B. The J.B.'s Feat. Maxxi - Just Wanna Make You Dance (DFP Special Version) 

Premier release of Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack for "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" (1972)

Newly re-discovered in the vaults, the original recording sessions for Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack for "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" now remastered for audiophiles and Peanutsr fans and election lovers everywhere. All versions of this release include the original 15 tracks of cues from the special - with extended performances available for the first time ever - plus 10 extra bonus tracks never before heard since their recording in 1972.

Guaraldi brought Dixieland jazz, his classic favourites, and even his voice (for the first time in Peanutsr) to the soundtrack that provides the score for Linus's campaign for student body president. Some highlights include: the complete (over five minute) "Joe Cool" where Guaraldi sings about one of Snoopy's most famous alter egos; multiple versions of "Incumbent Waltz" written for the special; probably his saddest tune "Deserted Charlie Brown; classic Linus and Lucy updated for the 70s; and several of the eponymous "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" tunes. There are bonus tracks for "Joe Cool," alternate takes of songs like "Blue Charlie Brown" and a bonus of "African Sleigh Ride."

In addition to the composer's piano playing, guitar and vocals, the maestro's cabinet (band) is comprised of legends who lent their talents for this wonderful campaign. The music will get you in a great mood for any election. The album was remixed at Bones and Knives by Terry Carleton, and restored and mastered by Vinson Hudson, and produced by Sean Mendelson and Jason Mendelson.

TRACK LISTING

Incumbent Waltz (Not Elected)
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (Not Elected)
Oh, Good Grief! (Not Elected)
Cookin' Snoopy (Fast Piano Jazz) (Not Elected)
Blue Charlie Brown (Not Elected)
Incumbent Waltz (Reprise) (Not Elected)
Linus And Lucy
Poor Charlie Brown (Not Elected)
Joe Cool (Vocal) (Not Elected)
Incumbent Waltz (2nd Reprise) (Not Elected)
Elect Linus (Dilemma)
Woodstock's Wake Up (Not Elected)
Joe Cool (Unused Reprise) (Not Elected)
Oh, Good Grief! (Reprise) (Not Elected)
Deserted Charlie Brown (Not Elected)
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (Reprise) (Not Elected)
Linus and Lucy (Reprise) (Not Elected)
You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown (2nd Reprise - End Credits) (Not Elected)
Joe Cool (Alternate Take 1) (Not Elected - Bonus)
Joe Cool (Alternate Rehearsal Take) (Not Elected - Bonus)
Blue Charlie Brown (Alternate Take 1) (Not Elected - Bonus)
African Sleigh Ride (Not Elected - Bonus)
Cookin' Snoopy (Fast Piano Jazz - Alternate Take 1, 2 &3) (Not Elected - Bonus)
Incumbent Waltz (2nd Reprise Alternate Take 1) (Not Elected - Bonus)
Incumbent Waltz (2nd Reprise Alternate Take 3) (Not Elected - Bonus)
Incumbent Waltz (Unused Cue) (Not Elected - Bonus)
Linus And Lucy (Acoustic Piano Mix) (Not Elected - Bonus)

Former Pulled Apart By Horses guitarist James Adrian Brown has been tirelessly sculpting his new sonic identity since early 2021. After making the transition from fuzz-soaked guitars to swarming synthesizers, Brown has been regularly releasing singles, remixes, collaborations and composing scores over the past three years. July 19th marks the release of his first EP titled “Terra Incognita.”

This expansive and cinematic journey, comprising six tracks, represents a meticulously crafted electronic odyssey delving into Brown's psyche during a challenging period. The EP vividly captures the landscape of Brown's mental health struggles, which felt dark and all-encompassing. Yet, through self-discovery and resilience, Brown found his way back to the surface, illuminating a path forward. Initially conceived as Brown's debut album, "Terra Incognita" evolved naturally, reflecting shifts in his life and musical direction.

The EP showcases Brown's use of tape recording hardware, analogue synthesizers and physical instrumentation, some of which were sourced from the Yorkshire Dales, where his studio is based. From stone xylophones crafted out of railway line sleepers to scaling radio masts to capture air traffic control messages with homemade antennas, "Terra Incognita" explores themes of self-exploration, mental discovery, and inner healing.

Reflecting on "Terra Incognita," Brown shares, “I had this musical journey in my head, a kind of road trip almost. The intention of creating an album free from expectations, focusing instead on experimenting with instrumental compositions inspired by emotions. All the recording sessions were really immersive and deep physical experiences, incorporating the landscape, countryside, and anything I could find we could capture audio from. As the boundaries of the work became clear and my mental health improved, it just felt artificial to force additional pieces to complete a full record. Rather than store these tracks away to make way for an album, it felt right to release them out into the wild as an EP.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: All-round musical powerhouse James Adrian Brown here with his eagerly awaited first EP and boyyyyy it's a doozy. Emotionally wrought but flecked with beauty, it's a deeply charged and thematically rich monolith but most importantly, it's brilliantly enjoyable electronic music. I can't shake the NIN Fragile-era comparison, and for me that's a massive thing indeed. Brilliant.

TRACK LISTING

1. Limbic System 
2. Down In The Doldrums 
3. Olympus Mons 
4. UVB-76 
5. Master Life Clock 
6. Terra Incognita

Two great soul vibes from the master of funk, Mr James brown. First up from the 'There It Is' LP is one of favourites "Never can say goodbye" which is just an amazing groove and bass vibe. Killer horn lines - Smokin' stuff. On the flip is another soul class from the man. "You Took My Heart" from the getta up offa that thang LP. It has such a lovely swing to it, loads of movement!!! Essential! 

TRACK LISTING

1. Never Can Say Goodbye
2. You Took My Heart

Queer country rock from south of the Mason-Dixon line. High school
folkie Charles Brown teamed up with regional rural rock rascals Sleepy
Creek, triggering an unrequited inter-band love story and this album’s melancholy title track.

This 15-song LP gathers Brown’s solo and band work from 1976-’82, and Jon Freeman’s accompanying essay dissects the origin story of this private press pioneer.

TRACK LISTING

1. Just Want To Talk To You
2. Tennessee Woman
3. Talk Too Much Blues
4. Restless
5. The Hurtin’ Kind
6. Livin’ In A Suitcase
7. Circles
8. Trouble Is
9. All The Time
10. Like A Stone (Love Without Love)
11. Where Did The Love Go?
12. Colorado (My Lady Says)
13. On The Corner
14. The Hurtin’ Kind (Demo)
15. I Just Want To Talk To You (Live

Produced by Sly & Robbie, Brown Sugar was first released on the TAXI label in 1986, then reissued in 1988 on the RAS RECORDS label.

Backed by the TAXI GANG (Sly & Robbie accompanied by Robbie Lyn: synth, Lloyd "Gitsy" Willis:guitar), this album contains the classic REVOLUTION, a huge Dennis Brown track.Based on the original 1986 tapes, and after impeccable mastering, Diggers Factory is proud topresent this must-have Dennis Brown opus, as a 180 g LP, in a 350 g sleeve, to give the listeneroptimum listening comfort and a definitive version of this masterpiece.

TRACK LISTING

1. Revolution Part One
2. Have You Ever
3. Hold On To What You Got
4. Sitting And Watching
5. Revolution Part Two
6. Can't Keep A Good Man Down
7. All Over The World

EIGHTEEN AND I LIKE IT… if you survived trips 1-17 with one tiny speck of psychedelic sunshine intact, Brown Acid The 18th Trip will be your coming of age nightmare. Vintage underground '70s hard rock, coming at you from bizarre angles, local scene wasteland America when everybody was out for themselves and the drugs went bleak. The guitars kill, the attitude is twisted, even the sex is headed down the wrong road. Real people, no compromise, pure and potent. Get stoked, take the 18th Trip and know that the artists will get paid for pulverizing your soul!

"People… are you ready?, 'cause the music now is getting so heavy"… Back Jack out of St. Louis, Missouri in 1974 launch our trip with "Bridge Waters Dynamite". It's an invocation to rock flashing on Mark Farner whooping up a Grand Funk crowd, then getting to the point quickly with berserk guitar assaults. Heavy riff with power chord stalks beneath as you take their advice… get loose and blow up the past.

Smokin' Buku Band dropped my jaw with the audacious track "Hot Love" coming on like some fractured fever dream burlesque of Led Zep moves out of Hollywood in 1980. Swooping elongated vocals above, a total Zep chord move at the end of each verse. Writer/producer Steve Shauger aka Shag Stevens gets a brilliantly messed up sound quality here, the ideal polar opposite of slick. The extended guitar break is an epitome of serendipitously crude virtuosity, simply outrageous!

Coming at you from way outta left field is "Moby Shark" by Atlantis, a hilarious and strange Baltimore pre-punk vibed dose of D.I.Y. meets hard rock. Lon Talbot is the mastermind, the flip side of this impossibly rare Mekon Records label single was featured in an obscure 1978 B-movie titled "The Alien Factor". Follow the lyrics closely, when the ominous jaws jaws jaws start coming after you you you… the song's big hook is so preposterously catchy the shark attack feels like good news. Inquiring minds should know that the band formerly known as Atlantis can now be found by searching for the Lon Talbot Group!

Tommy Stuart and the Rubberband's "Peeking Through Your Window" from 1970 opens with a spooky organ riff, slips into a gushy fuzz/organ groove akin to "Mustache In Your Face” by Pretty. The singer creates downright creepy vibes,

a stalker peeking through the girl's mind like a peeping Tom at the window up to no good. The lyrics evoke a disturbing scenario. Tommy Stuart also made a strange LP titled Hound Dog Man in 1977 and some terrific rare garage singles under the names Magnificent Seven and The Omen & Their Love in the mid '60s.

Nothing better than an angry two chord guitar attack with cowbell to set the stage for this rant about getting "Ripped Off" by love. Taken from their rare 1977 LP on Dynamite Records, Chicago Triangle was Marvey Esparza, Dave Guereca, Jose 'Tarr' Perez and Robert Aguilera. They unleash such strong brain-scrubbing wah wah frenzy in the guitar break here that it seems to perversely mock it's own intensity! Like I said, Brown Acid the 18th Trip comes at you from all kinds of uncanny angles.

Damnation of Adam Blessing out of Cleveland, Ohio unleashed a stone killer psychedelic hard rock classic "Cookbook" in the late '60s, this track "Nightmare" from 1973 has them cooking again at full power. A different singer, name change to Damnation and then Glory, unleashing a deadly dose of dark progressive heavy rock drama peaking when spooky 'oooo-wa-oooo' background vocals emerge during a bizarre spoken bit. It unfolds like a mini-epic and includes some remarkably brutal guitar and turbulent organ, too.

"Swing your sword, all aboard… bid farewell to the dreamer" Dalquist exclaims. Cynical view of human nature, idealism is over, war is coming, it always does. Opens with a cold menacing riff and atmosphere reminiscent of "Synthezoid Heartbreak" by Maya. Mournful despondent vocals ride an insistent churning groove, gnarly guitar break moves into free noise territory. This rare track is from a local various artists benefit album titled Kangaroo Jam issued for the Waco Family Abuse Center in Texas circa 1980.

The Pawnbrokers "Realize" is prime proto heavy rock emerging out of psychedelic garage roots in 1968 Fargo, North Dakota. Unusual arrangement, terrific sustain guitar tones like on the first Blue Cheer LP, even a rip on Hendrix "Manic Depression" with unison voice and guitar ascent near the end. They made three 45s and were active from '65 to '69. Hats off to Blake English, Kent Richey, Paul Rogne and Steve Harrison, you nailed it in just a hair over two minutes! As pure and creative as the original psychedelic garage hard rock gets.

Parchment Farm from Union, Missouri gigged with the likes of ZZ Top and Foghat back in the day and unleashed the amazing "Songs Of The Dead" in 1971. Primitive riff/chord pattern dosed with some funky prog moves, sky turning black, 'is this heaven or hell' type disoriented confusion… may as well grab your guitar and sing songs to the dead. Robert 'Ace' Williams on bass, Paul Cockrum on guitar, Gary Reed on keys and Micky Waterman on drums, replacing Mike Dulany (R.I.P.) Cool that they use the Blue Cheer misspelling from Vincebus Eruptum for the band name!

Ominous organ, thick minimalist fuzz riff, funky psychedelic wah wah flashes and freaky sex combine in one twisted dance titled "Rockin' Chair" by Brothers Of The Ghetto. Out of Chicago in 1975 with some Santana atmospherics and a delicious fuzz wah screamin' guitar break, the groove is highlighted by an off the wall vocal which sounds eerily detached in a subtly sleazy way. Rene Maxwell is the writer of this hard-rock boogie-down hybrid straight out of the twilight zone. It was issued on Ghetto, a subsidiary of the peculiar Kiderian label that released the Creme Soda LP. Now that your head is totally skewered, go Back Jack and play side one again! (Words by Paul Major).

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A
Back Jack - Bridge Waters Dynamite
St. Louis, Missouri 1974

The Smokin' Buku Band - Hot Love
Hollywood, California 1980

Atlantis - Moby Shark
Baltimore, Maryland 1975

Tommy Stuart & The Rubberband - Peeking Through Your Window
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1970

The Chicago Triangle - Ripped Off
Chicago, Illinois 1977

SIDE B
Parchment Farm - Songs Of The Dead
Union, Missouri 1971

Glory (Damnation Of Adam Blessing) - Nightmare
Cleveland, Ohio 1973

Dalquist - Farewell To The Dreamer
Waco, Texas 1980

The Pawnbrokers - Realize
Fargo, North Dakota 1968

Brothers Of The Ghetto – Rockin' Chair
Chicago, Illinois 1975

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.

Imagine you've made it. You and your friends have hit the big time in music and you're going to be a star. But then, quite suddenly, it's over.

Your best friends don't want you anymore, and you're on the outside. Perhaps they're tired of your bad habits, they think you're not good enough, or they sense you just don't want it as much as they do. Whatever the cause, you're a reject.

So, what do you do next?Featuring a player rejected by both Nirvana and Soundgarden who became a decorated special forces soldier, Britpoppers who spiralled into addiction before becoming novelists and missionaries, the terrifying story of Guns N' Roses' first drummer, super-rejecting band leaders, self-destroying rappers, troubled hard rock bassists and girl-band burnouts, The Rejects takes an intimate, thoughtful look at people who've been kicked out of bands, what they experienced and what came afterwards. Coming from a writer with twenty years' music industry experience, The Rejects is a sympathetic study of some of music's most fascinating characters, and what happens when the dream comes crashing to an end. The result is a compelling alternative history of popular music.

Bella Brown & the Jealous Lovers Unveil "Soul Clap" LP: A Fusion of Retro Soul/Funk and Modern Grooves

Los Angeles-based retro soul/funk sensation Bella Brown & the Jealous Lovers are set to ignite the music scene with their highly anticipated LP, "Soul Clap." Born from the creative genius of Grammy Award-winning vocalist/songwriter Carol Hatchett, Bella Brown emerges as a diva with a fiery stage presence, drawing inspiration from the likes of Tina Turner and Sharon Jones, and channeling the empowered female leads of 70s Blaxploitation films. Led by producer/bassist/songwriter Daniel Pearson, The Jealous Lovers assemble an impressive ensemble of A-list musicians, boasting pedigrees that include names like Mick Jagger, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Prince, and Stevie Wonder. This musical collective is on a relentless quest to redefine the boundaries of music, infusing soul and funk with elements of jazz, rock, and Afro-Caribbean influences.

The essence of "Soul Clap" is derived from the cultural phenomena it is named after—a shared and improvised rhythm-making by a collective. The LP, spanning 40 minutes of pure musical bliss, invites the audience to immerse themselves in the groove and discover their individual truths in the music.

The title track, "Soul Clap," and the infectious "Living Proof" serve as funky dance bangers, echoing the spirit of Bohannan and The Tramps. These tracks, punctuated with jazzy improvisations and soulful horn arrangements, are simple yet joyful expressions of shared humanity and self-love.

"Coming For You" is Bella's audacious response to the soul/funk classic Apache, boldly announcing her and The Jealous Lovers' arrival on the modern soul landscape. "I Found You" takes a northern soul love song approach, reminiscent of Gloria Jones with a touch of modern influence, giving it a distinct Amy Winehouse feel.

Bella Brown seamlessly weaves social commentary into her art. "Bang Bang Bang," an uptempo, funky Motown groove, cleverly uses Curtis Mayfield's sense of sarcasm to reflect on American gun culture. "Lady Time" takes a driving afrobeat groove, employing brassy horns and reggae-like echoes to address the issue of homelessness.

However, the album is not without its lighthearted moments. "Fast As Lightning" celebrates a cleaner future by imagining Jimi Hendrix joining Ike and Tina Turner's band to create a classic Chuck Berry car song. "There Is Love" blends horns, strings, and vocals reminiscent of The Stylistics over a Chi-Lites style rhythm section, to create a lush message of support to those among us that may find the world a bit overwhelming at moments. Finally, "What Will You Leave Behind," is a revamped version of the group's sold-out vinyl 45 release. This track serves as a powerful call to action for a better future, delivered over a straight-up Motown groove with a funky Sly Stone finish.

Bella Brown & the Jealous Lovers have crafted an album that transcends genres, embracing the roots of soul and funk while pushing musical boundaries.

"Soul Clap" is a celebration of individual truths, shared experiences, and the timeless power of music.

TRACK LISTING

1. Soul Clap
2. Lady Time
3. What Will You Leave Behind
4. Coming For You
5. Bang Bang Bang
6. Living Proof
7. I Found You
8. Fast As Lightning
9. There Is Love

Detroit spitter Danny Brown is a fan favourite for a reason. Few MCs have taken true-blue lyrical ferocity and draped it in a persona as arresting as Danny’s. By the time he released breakout album XXX, he was spearheading a movement of avant-garde internet hip-hop that we still live in the shadow of today.

“Quaranta”, Brown’s sixth studio album, peels back the curtain to unveil the inner monologues of an artist who’s mystified fans for over a decade. According to Brown, Quaranta is the spiritual sequel to XXX (2011), that infamously catalogued a life lived on the edge at thirty. Quaranta’s core mission statement is of growth, pain, progression, and the view from atop the hill.

Fresh from a tour with JPEGMAFIA promoting their collaborative album “Scaring the Hoes,” coupled with a period of personal growth, this experience points to heightened productivity that shows no signs of slowing down.

STAFF COMMENTS

Liam says: Another outstanding outing from Detroit MC master Danny Brown, 'Quaranta' is a more introspective expedition into Brown's psyche. The flows are as superb as ever, the production is sublime and Brown's lyrics are at some of his best - don't sleep on this!!!

TRACK LISTING

1. Quaranta
2. Tantor
3. Ain't My Concern
4. Dark Sword Angel
5. Y.B.P. Feat. Bruiser Wolf
6. Jenn’s Terrific Vacation Feat. Kassa Overall
7. Down Wit It
8. Celibate Feat. MIKE
9. Shakedown
10. Hanami
11. Bass Jam

SCARING THE HOES is the debut collaborative project from JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown. Released in March 2023 after being teased for over a year, the record arrived to wide critical acclaim.

STAFF COMMENTS

Liam says: With absolutely batshit use of samples and production from JPEGMAFIA, Scaring The Hoes is one of the most inventive experimental hip-hop records in years - with Danny Brown's lyricism as sharp and funny as ever. A dream collaboration, the chemistry between Brown and Peggy is unbridled and makes us wish the two of them could make music together forever!

TRACK LISTING

1. Lean Beef Patty
2. Steppa Pig
3. SCARING THE HOES
4. Garbage Pale Kids
5. Fentanyl Tester
6. Burfict!
7. Shut Yo Bitch Ass Up / Muddy Waters
8. Orange Juice Jones
9. Kingdom Hearts Key (ft. Redveil)
10. God Loves You
11. Run The Jewels
12. Jack Harlow Combo Meal
13. HOE (Heaven On Earth)
14. Where Ya Get Ya Coke From? 

Lucky number 17? You better believe it. We here at Brown Acid have been scouring the highways and byways of America for even more hidden stashes of psych/garage/proto-punk madness from the so-called Aquarian Age. There’s no flower power here, though—just acid casualties, rock stompers and major freakouts. As always, the songs have been officially licensed, and all the artists get paid.

Kicking off this trip, Grapple’s “Ethereal Genesis” is a heavy psych gem from 1969 written by J. Bruce Svoboda, a.k.a. Jay Bruce, formerly of The Hangmen and The Five Canadians (who were actually the same San Antonio band). The latter’s 1966 garage favorite “Writing on the Wall” has been endlessly covered, but Grapple were never heard from again.

With a guitar riff that blatantly rips off Sabbath’s “Black Sabbath,” Image’s mostly instrumental lysergic obscurity “Witchcraft ’71” (originally unveiled that very year) also boasts a horror-movie organ intro, a voodoo drum break and some championship chanting. Private press heads might recall late Image drummer John Beke from his ’80s reemergence with country rockers Crossfyre.

Stone Hedge were a seven-piece rock band out of Michigan with a penchant for Creedence and anthropomorphism. “Smokey Bear” is their 1972 tribute to the official mascot of the U.S. Forest Services—not to mention the A side of their sole single—and it recalls the kind of organ-drenched swamp jam that soundtracked many a Burt Reynolds flick back in the day.

If you think being a Southern rock band from Milwaukee doesn’t make much sense, that’s probably why Crossfire changed their sound along with their name—to Bad Boy—after signing with United Artists. Bad Boy’s severely underappreciated second album, Back To Back, is a 1978 hard rock jewel, but you can hear their boogie-woogie roots on this rare 1975 single.

With a band name like Primevil and song title like “Too Dead To Live,” you probably expect some gnarly proto-metal riffage. Instead, you a get a harmonica-drenched, soul-infused rock rave-up from 1972. Primevil would release their sole LP two years later: Entitled Smokin’ Bats at Campton’s, it’s a reference to their trusty singer, harp player (and bat smoker?), Dave Campton.

Brown Acid regulars already know Pegasus from their appearance with “The Sorcerer” on our Seventh Trip. “Ready to Rave” is the flipside to that 1972 single, in which they explain how they like their whiskey cold and their women hot. It’s another killer glimpse of what might have been if these one-and-done Baltimore hard rockers had been able to keep it together.

One of two obscure singles released by Texas musician Bobby Mabe in 1969 (the other appears under the name The Outcasts), “I’m Lonely” delivers a heavy dose of vocal soul to the otherwise psych-garage presentation. Fans of fellow Houstonians the Moving Sidewalks—whom Bobby and his Outcasts may well have gigged with—will especially dig this one.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, may not be known as a cultural mecca, but they did give us Truth & Janey. This deadly hard rock trio delivered their holy grail full-length, No Rest for the Wicked, back in 1976. “Around and Around” is a Chuck Berry cover that originally appeared on a 1973 single the band released under the earlier name Truth.

Originally released in 1973, “High School Letter” is the debut single from San Diego rock squad Glory. This infectious bonehead cruncher features future Beat Farmer Jerry Raney and the original rhythm section of Iron Butterfly in bassist Greg Willis and drummer Jack Pinney. Glory is what they got up to after their former bandmates left for L.A.’s garden of Eden.

“Jack the Ripper” is a mercilessly bootlegged Cleveland classic from 1978 with a serrated punk edge and vocals that recall Mick Blood of Aussie savages the Lime Spiders. Or maybe it’s the other way around—the Lime Spiders formed the year after Strychnine carved off this lethal paean to the infamous Whitechapel slasher of olde.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
Grapple “Ethereal Genesis” - San Antonio, Texas 1969
Image “Witchcraft 71” - Illinois 1971
Stone Hedge “Smokey Bear” - Battle Creek, MI 1972
Crossfire “I Gotta Move” - Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1975
Primevil “Too Dead To Live” - Hancock County, Indiana 1972

Side B
Pegasus “Ready To Rave” - Baltimore, Maryland 1972
Bob Mabe & The Outcast “I’m Lonely” - Galveston, Texas 1969
Truth & Janey “Around And Around” - Ames, Iowa 1973
Glory “High School Letter” - San Diego, California 1973
Strychnine “Jack The Ripper” - Cleveland, Ohio 1978

Apollo Brown's made quite the impact here at Piccadilly this year, and tops off a wonderful year with this album together with Joell Ortiz - a New York rapper formerly signed to Dre's Aftermath and one quarter of the supergroup Slaughterhouse.

Fans of Brown's traditional, MPC-based production should be familiar with his infectious hooks and boom-bap beats by now; and the smattering of grooves and hooks is unquestionably high. Ortiz delivers complex, full bars without fuss and follows the great NY heritage of catchy choruses and succinct rhymes.

If you've enjoyed AB's collaborations with Ugly Heroes and Locksmith, then you're most certainly gonna get down to this. It also serves addition to Joell Ortiz's explosive catalogue. Most recommended. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Brushstrokes
2. Reflection
3. My Block
4. Cocaine Fingertips
5. Grace Of God (feat. DJ Los)
6. That Place 
7. Word...
8. Flashback
9. Decisions
10. Timberlan'd Up (feat. Royce Da)
11. Come Back Home 
12. Mona Lisa 

Sixteen trips might fry the fragile psyche of your average teenager, but us hoary old heads at Brown Acid boiled our brain pans long ago! As such, we’re bringing you EVEN MORE hard rock, heavy psych, and garage rock rarities from the North American wasteland of the 1970s. From L.A. to Youngstown, OH, from Toronto to Charlotte, The Sixteenth Trip has got you covered. As always, original copies of these 45s would cost you a pretty penny—if you could find ’em in the first place. And by now you know the drill: This ain’t no bootleg. All songs are officially licensed.

Our 16th installment kicks off with “Shuckin’ and Jiving,” a seven-minute power jam from L.A.’s kings of garage psych, the Seeds. The song appeared as a single in 1972 with “You Took Me By Surprise” on the flipside. It was the only release on Productions Unlimited, a label created by (or for) the Seeds at the tail end of their late ’60s/early ’70s run as Sky Saxon and the Seeds. Get shucked!

Very little is known about the band Nothing, beyond the fact that “Young Generation” is the flip of “Sittin’ On Top Of The World,” one of four singles released by the ASG label out of Cincinnati in the mid-70s. What we can tell you for sure is that “Young Generation” is a funk-injected hard rock banger of Buckeye State proportions, complete with what sounds like anonymous oral…

Macbeth released their one and only 45 in 1978, with the steamrolling “Freight Train” as the B-side to “Didn’t Mean (To Come This Far).” Boasting a thick-ass riff, a tasty stereo-panned guitar solo and at least one space laser sound effect, this one should satisfy fans of Blue Cheer and Grand Funk alike. Macbeth’s bassist, Ned Meloni, went on to play with UFO guitarist Paul Chapman, Virgin Steele guitarist Jack Starr and do a brief stint with doom legends Pentagram.

As it turns out, Saturday night ain’t just for fighting. One-and-done Canadian psych-rock warriors Sarawest will tell you it’s also for gettin’ “Hot & Heavy,” and they’re not wrong. This swirling 1974 freak rock fuzz-bomb will get the party started every time. And that porno guitar? Outta sight.

After releasing their full-length debut, Cuttin’ Loose, in 1976, North Carolina rockers Brotherhood Of Peace shortened their name to BOP and dropped this single two years later. “Feel The Heat (In The Driver’s Seat)” is freeway funk-rock in the classic Southern style.

Released in 1969 as the flip to “School Daze” (which opened The Eighth Trip in high style), Attack’s "Dream” was written by Thom Strasz. That’s the same St. Clair Shores, Michigan, resident who penned the highly sought-after garage-rock diamond “City Of People” under the name The Illusions in ’66. And this acid-drenched rocker rocks hard.

Brown Acid favorite Marty Soski rides again! After appearing on our third & eighth trips with his band Inside Experience and the fifth with Lance’s “Fireball,” the Ohio guitarist/vocalist graces our 16th with “Marilyn,” the 1976 A-side to “Fireball.” This time, our man unwinds a psychedelic threnody to the artist formerly known as Norma Jean Mortenson, perhaps inspired by Elton John’s then-recent “Candle In The Wind.”

Formed by three brothers—David, Bruce and Barry Flynn, all GM factory workers—along with organist Tom Applegate, The Headstones (also known as simply Headstone) lent their 1974 garage boogie “Carry Me On” to The Fourth Trip. This time, the Midwest psych rockers return with their killer 1975 instrumental “Snake Dance.” You can hear echoes of this particular guitar style in the recent work of Swedish adventure rock overlords Hällas.

The band Clinton might’ve been from Pennsylvania, but that didn’t stop them from writing about New York City. “Midnight In New York” is the flipside to their sole single, 1976’s “Falling Behind.” Stylistically and thematically, it’s not unlike something famous New Yawker Ace Frehley would’ve written for KISS around the same time.

TRACK LISTING

1. Seeds - “Shuckin’ And Jivin'”
2. Nothing - “Young Generation”
3. Macbeth - “Freight Train”
4. Sarawest - “Saturday (Hot & Heavy)”
5. Brotherhood Of Peace - “Feel The Heat (In The Driver’s Seat)”
6. Attack - “Dreams”
7. Lance - “Marilyn”
8. Headstones - “Snake Dance”
9. Clinton - “Midnight In New York”

"An expertly-researched, densely detailed, and likely definitive bio ... The book that finally tells the full story of the music and madness that was the relatively brief--but era-defining--lifespan of the Mamas and the Papas."--Houston Press

"Given the personal lives of these singers, Scott Shea's book might qualify for the horror genre rather than history or biography. But then there's the music--which was startling, distinctive, and unforgettable. For a generation, these songs have served as monuments to major moments in life. All the Leaves Are Brown is a hard read for its sorrow, but rewarding for its insights into the art of a unique and profoundly influential band."-- Mike Aquilina, songwriter, TV host, and co-author of Dion: The Wanderer Talks Truth

"Scott Shea takes us on the wild ride that was The Mamas & The Papas with terrific detail, refreshing honesty, and perhaps best of all, a true love of their music. All the Leaves Are Brown had me from page one."--Sheila Weller, author of New York Times bestseller Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon and the Journey of a Generation

"The Mamas & The Papas' story is wilder than any work of fiction and Scott Shea is the first author to tell it objectively and in full. This is a book I could not put down."--Bill Flanagan, author of Fifty in Reverse: A Novel

Drawing on previously published memoirs of band members and new interviews with those who knew them, radio producer Shea crafts an impersonal but intriguing compilation of the accounts, song development, and relationship entanglements that led to the fast rise and extraordinary fall of the Mamas & the Papas. The book primarily focuses on John Phillips, from his troubled childhood as the son of an abusive, alcohol-addicted parent, to his complicated first marriage and his attempts to become a serious folk musician. Then Phillips met aspiring model Michelle Gilliam, and their relationship became the catalyst for his best-known songs, "California Dreamin'" and "Monday, Monday." Phillips soon brought Cass Elliot into the group, along with tenor Dennis Doherty. As a band, the Mamas & the Papas recorded five albums, with 10 hits, in the 1960s. Drugs, affairs, jealousies as Mama Cass becomes the breakout star, and an embarrassing set as the closing act for Phillips's Monterey International Pop Festival soon led to the band's demise. VERDICT Shea's matter-of-fact journalistic style prevents sensationalism from overtaking this study of the Mamas & the Papas' powerful influence and importance.

When two artists as esteemed & talented as Apollo Brown & Stalley come together, they shine, even in the dark.

"Blacklight" represents the combination of two titans of hip- hop, both largely recognized as legends in their own right while also being overlooked by some when the discussions of "best alive" come up. Apollo Brown just recently produced the #1 R&B album in the US on iTunes earlier this year (Raheem DeVaughn - Lovesick). Stalley continues to prove his place in hip- hop, tying together mainstream recognition with world class skills.

TRACK LISTING

Hidden
Blacklight
Love Me, Love Me Not (feat. Skyzoo)
No Monsters
We Outside
Humble Wins
Breathe
Lost Angels
Catch Up
Bobby Bonilla (feat. Joell Ortiz)
The Realest
Broad Spectrum
Stay Low
What The Hook Gon Be
Omari's Lament (feat. Omari Hardwick)

Originally issued in 1959 to capitalize on the crossover success of his single 'Try Me', James Brown's debut LP Please,Please, Pleaseis a collection of 16 of his A and B-sides recorded for the Federal label between 1956 and 1958. It was also the debut studio album for the Famous Flames, and Originally released as 'James Brown and His Famous Flames'. Evenly split between ballads and up-tempo shouters, the songs here all fall into the same sax-driven, gospel-influenced style that you could hear in any Southern chicken shack or nightclub during the late 1950s. James Brown: lead vocals plus: The Famous Flames: Kenny Burrell, Nafloyd Scott, John Faire, Eddie Freeman (guitar), Clarence Mack, Edwyn Conley, Carl Pruitt (bass), Alvin "Fats" Gonder, Ernie Hayes (piano), Edison Gore, Reginald Hall, "Panama" Francis (drums), Wilbert "Lee Diamond" Smith, Ray Felder, Cleveland Lowe, Clifford Scott (tenor saxophone), George Dorsey, John B. Brown (alto saxophone), Bobby Byrd, Johnny Terry, Sylvester Keels, Nashpendle Knox, Bill Hollings, J.W. Archer, Louis Madison (background vocals). Produced by Ralph Bass, Andy Gibson. Recorded at King Studios, Cincinnati and Beltone Studios, New York City (NY) between 1956 and 1958.

TRACK LISTING

1. Please, Please, Please
2. Chonnie-On-Chon
3. Hold My Baby's Hand
4. I Feel That Old Feeling Coming On
5. Just Won't Do Right
6. Baby Cries Over The Ocean
7. I Don't Know
8. Tell Me What I Did Wrong
9. Try Me
10. That Dood It
11. Begging, Begging
12. I Walked Alone
13. No, No, No, No
14. That's When I Lost My Heart
15. Let's Make It
16. Love Or A Game
17. This Old Heart

Unbelievably killer and super, super heavy brand new Psychedelic Rock/Krautrock album coming out of nowhere from the group Brown Spirits, new on Soul Jazz Records!

Brown Spirits are from Melbourne, Australia. Their stripped down and tight musical unit is a trio (think Cream or Hendrix!) of raw bass, drums and shared guitar/keyboards meets the D-I-Y attitude and punk/post-punk intensity giving them a unique hi-octane sound.

With a range of influences that range from Neu! to Soft Machine, Gang of Four, Miles Davis, Hendrix, Argent, Lonnie Liston Smith, King Crimson and beyond, their powerfully progressive hard and hypnotic sound is truly unforgettable.

After two exclusive 100-pressing white label 45s sold out in less 30-mins, Soul Jazz Records are now releasing this their first album for the label.

Like their labelmates Trees Speak, Brown Spirits have a love all things Krautrock - mixed with an overwhelmingly powerful lo-fi psych and punk attitude. The album features super heavy and raw drums, tough basslines, heavy fuzzed-out wah and psyche guitar and analog moog synthesizers, all recorded on analogue ¼ inch tape.

In short – they rock!

TRACK LISTING

1. Repeat Transmission
2. Space Race
3. Dead End Exits
4. Ode To Dorothy
5. Seven 8ths Of Madness
6. Solar Kollektiv
7. Who’s At The Door

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 22ND ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.



IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 24TH).



Limited Edition vinyl release of a never-before-heard collaboration between music veteran, Bruce Hornsby, and Concord Jazz artist Butcher Brown. The limited edition 12" LP pressed on Metallic Copper vinyl includes two tracks "Secret House" and "Thirty One". Exclusive release for RSD 2023.

In the liner notes to this grooving 1969 album, featuring a big band led by drummer Louis Bellson and arranged by Impulse! star Oliver Nelson, the Godfather of Soul explains that he is a “jazz man at heart.” Brown’s soul consigliere, saxophonist Maceo Parker, helps make this a swinging, spirited and satisfying set of standards and JB hits.

Verve By Request Series features 180-gram vinyl, pressed at Third Man in Detroit..

TRACK LISTING

1. Homestretch (Side A)
2. If You Could See Me Now (Side A)
3. Passin’ The Buck (Side A)
4. Soulin’ (Side B)
5. Soulsphere (Side B)
6. My Secret Passion (Side B)

Guitarist Mel Brown’s 1967 Impulse! debut is possibly both the funkiest and most unique album ever released on the label. Brown’s clean blues picking style—honed while playing in John Lee Hooker’s and T-Bone Walker’s bands—marinates funkily with the swinging soul-jazz organ of Gerald Wiggins. Especially noteworthy are the title track, “Greasy Spoon” and the simmering lament of “I’m Goin’ to Jackson”. Audio transferred from the analog tapes.

Verve By Request Series features 180-gram vinyl, pressed at Third Man in Detroit.

TRACK LISTING

1. Chicken Fat (Side A)
2. Greasy Spoon (Side A)
3. Home James (Side A)
4. Anacrusis (Side A)
5. Hobo Flats (Side B)
6. Shanty (Side B)
7. Sad But True (Side B)
8. I’m Goin’ To Jackson (Side B)
9. Slalom (Side B)

Mansur Brown returns with ‘NAQI Mixtape’ - a vinyl release that combines both ‘NAQI’ EPs from earlier in the year.

Side A was made for the summer - hard hitting drums and low-end sub, whereas Side B is more for the winter - introspective songs that are cinematic and otherworldly in sound.

TRACK LISTING

No Way
My Luck
Fever
Rise
Me And You
Mission
Naqi
Path
Touch
Meikai

Lo and behold, the Fifteenth Trip is upon us, and it’s another mind-melting dose of brilliant long-lost, rare, and unreleased hard rock, heavy psych, and proto-metal tracks from the 60s-70s. Our crate-digging mining expeditions, and growing network of the original artists keeps on giving with more and more incredible discoveries every time we go back for more. Like we’ve done throughout this series, all of these tracks were painstakingly licensed legitimately and the artists were paid.

Make yourself comfortable and prepare for yet another deep, deep dive into the treasure trove of dank, subterranean, wild-eyed and hairy rock ’n’ roll of yesteryear: As usual, this Trip opens strong, as “Take The Time” swaggers along with switchblade stabs of guitar twang and frantic drumming that sounds like Nick Cave’s 80s post-punk barbarians The Birthday Party on this 1969 single from the mysterious Boston area band The Looking Glass (not to be confused with the 70s soft-rock one-hit-wonders of “Brandy [You’re a Fine Girl]” fame.) But, as one might expect of a band this ahead of their time, the Looking Glass were soon to disappear down the rabbit hole. The Zoo’s “444” is a 1969 single out of Michigan that’s exactly the brand of rolling, grooving MC5/Stooges/Bob Seger System made famous in the Motor City. And this anthem slams as hard as the best of those well worn classics, which begs the question — whither The Zoo’s day in the limelight? We can only imagine that these animals were too wild to tame in the studio. Black Hawk was a trio out of Long Beach, CA who frequently played the SoCal club scene. Their lone 1971 single "Little Suzie Looker" features stomping pop hooks driven by some mean soundin’ Leslie West style guitar riffing. Originally named SMG for the members’ initials Sam/McCoy/Giles, the new name assigned by their management failed to take wing, and this Black Hawk was down permanently. Truth & Janey might be familiar to you from their 45-only “Midnight Horseman” single heard way back on the Sixth Trip, and/or their incredible 1976 LP No Rest For The Wicked. But their super-driven soul leaning cover of “Under My Thumb” gives the track more of a “lean in” to the descending riff than the original, which adds to its power. It’s almost like The Who had penned the track, with relentless drums, jackhammer rhythm guitar and near-falsetto vocals. Negative Space toil in the dark web of The Seeds, and dwell in the mystic haze of working class suburbs in Camden, NJ circa 1970. Their angry, nasty guitar sounds and frustration-bogged frontman Rob Russen ensure that the aggro fueled “Forbidden Fruit” — in which he confesses his love for his sister-in-law — will hit you right in the face. Russen self-financed and hand-stamped the otherwise plain white sleeves of their sole LP, proving that DIY aggression predates punk rock by several years. Scrapiron, out of Carteret, NJ provided history with only this 1971 lone single, “Roxanne” backed with “Poopsie.” The quartet’s over-the-top wailing vocals and warbling sounding guitars and organ give the sexually-charged paean a hint of (Crazy World of) Arthur Brown’s mania, mixed with early Deep Purple’s free-flowing style. White Lightning returns to the series here, last heard on The Twelfth Trip, and their blazing theatrical drumming, sizzling melodic riffs and Jim Dandy howls of “Under Screaming Double Eagle" perfectly sums up the raison d’être of this series. The Minneapolis band formed by guitarist Tom “Zippy” Caplan after he left garage psych heroes The Litter, later shortened its name to Lightning. The group only issued one proper album before disbanding in 1971. However, with the late 1990’s reissues and revival of The Litter, Lightning’s bevy of unreleased recordings also surfaced as a self-titled LP and Strikes Twice 1986-1969 CD compilation. Crazy Louie remains to this day a celebrated novelty rock act in their Rapid City, South Dakota home, reuniting from time to time to ensure that the insanity defense remains intact in the band’s psych ward files. "My Pants" is a chugging bit of tongue-in-cheek bravado that would do Bonn Scott proud. The release date of this B-side to “What The People Say” is unknown, but predates their Intro Into Craziness album from 1982. We’re not sure if they chose their name after the popular British cider or otherwise, but Strongbow’s "Change" is an ultra-slick and tight tune, anchored around a shimmering Hammond B-3 organ riff reminiscent of The Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein” meets Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold.” The 1975 B-side to the single “If You’re Goin’ To The City” is a fun dose of throw-everything-at-the-wall prog rock outta Columbus, OH. Closing out this wild psych sesh is the hooky, heavy funk groove of Detroit’s Robert Stark. Fully credited to Robert Starks & The Geniuses this dose of lysergic Hendrix worship is summed up nicely by its title, “Space Traveling (Part 2).” The lo-fi recording adds to the haunted vibe of this deep Mississippi swamp blues jam, replete with Exuma-esque drum breakdowns. We recommend listening to “Space Traveling (Part 2)” not necessarily stoned, but… beautiful.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
The Looking Glass "Take The Time"
The Zoo "444"
Black Hawk "Little Suzie Looker"
Truth And Janey "Under My Thumb"
Negative Space ?Forbidden Fruit?
Side B
Scrapiron "Roxanne"
White Lightning "Under Screaming Double Eagle"
Crazy Louie "What The People Say"
Strongbow "Change"
Robert Starks "Space Traveling (Part 2)

A stone-cold classic conscious Lovers Rock tune from the seminal British reggae group Brown Sugar. ‘I’m In Love With A Dreadlocks’ was originally released in 1977, and is now pressed loud for the first ever time on this new one-off press edition 12” on Soul Jazz Records.

Brown Sugar formed in London in 1976, made up of teenagers Pauline Catlin, Caron Wheeler and Carol Simms. After Brown Sugar, Caron Wheeler became known worldwide as the vocalist in Soul II Soul. Carol Simms launched a successful solo career under the name Kofi.

I’m In Love With A Dreadlocks’ was originally released on the Lovers Rock label, a fledgling reggae label formed by Dennis Bovell, John Kpiaye and producer Dennis Harris.

Brown Sugar were unique - not only were they one of the most important of the first wave of lovers rock groups, they were the only group who managed to successfully blend together a reggae roots consciousness with a lovers rock sensibility.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: One of two loud-cut Soul Jazz reggae twelves this week. The lover's rock classic by Brown Sugar has become of the most enduring tracks of this homegrown sub-genre. Complete with dub version there's simply no better pressing of this currently available!

TRACK LISTING

1. I’m In Love With A Dreadlocks
2. I’m In Love With A Dreadlocks (Version)

With such iconic tracks as “Christmas Time is Here” and the instantly recognizable “Linus and Lucy”, the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas shares the title of best-selling jazz album in history, and was certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA in late 2016. 

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. O Tannenbaum
2. What Child Is This
3. My Little Drum
4. Linus & Lucy
5. Christmas Time Is Here (instrumental)
Side 2
1. Christmas Time Is Here (vocal)
2. Skating
3. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
4. Christmas Is Coming
5. Für Elise
6. The Christmas Song

Deluxe Editions Bonus Tracks:
O Tannenbaum (Take 2/Recorded September 21, 1965)
O Tannenbaum (Take 3/Recorded September 21, 1965)
Greensleeves (Take 6/Recorded October 28, 1965)
Linus And Lucy (Take 1/Recorded September 17, 1965)
Christmas Time Is Here (Take 1/Recorded September 17, 1965)
Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) (Rehearsal/Recording Date Unknown)
Christmas Time Is Here (Take 4/Recording Date Unknown)
Skating (Take 1/Recorded September 22, 1965)
Jingle Bells (Takes 1–4/Recorded September 21, 1965)
Christmas Is Coming (Take 3/Recorded September 17, 1965)
Christmas Is Coming (Take 3/Recorded September 21, 1965)
Für Elise (Takes 1–2/Recording Date Unknown)
The Christmas Song (Take 8/Recorded October 28, 1965)

Sarah Brown releases her debut album ‘Sarah Brown Sings Mahalia Jackson’, the record sees Sarah offer her interpretations of some of the classic tracks of arguably the most famous gospel singer of the last century who gave Brown hope and sanctuary through hard times faced over the years. Having recently appeared on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour performing her debut single ‘I’m On My Way’, she is currently on tour with Simple Minds with whom she has been playing with for the last 15 years.

Sarah explains: “For as long as I can remember, Mahalia Jackson with her fever pitched performances have been a soothing note to my tapestry. At 10 years old, I remember hopelessly trying to sing along to her bellowing thunder of a voice. In my bedroom I would become her. I chose these songs because they tell of my story. Growing up in a Caribbean home to parents who were a long way from their home. Anger and fear were the two prominent emotions that I lived with.

The style I was trying to achieve was influenced by early jazz, blues and the spirituals. I am happy with the sound/style of the album. It was always going to be an experiment but I had no idea that it was going to sound as good and as authentic as it does. ‘Didn’t It Rain’ as a jazz feel. ‘Nobody Knows’ as a spiritual feel then it goes into swing jazz. ‘Walk over God’s Heaven’ as a hint of rock & roll with a bit of early swing.”

You may not know Sarah Brown’s name but you’ll definitely have heard her voice. From her collaborations with the likes of George Michael, Stevie Wonder, Duran Duran, Simply Red, Roxy Music, Pink Floyd, Simple Minds … Sarah Brown is one of the most prolific and in-demand vocalists in the world. Jim Kerr from Simple Minds comments: “In a sane world Sarah’s colossal talent would ensure that she would be front of stage every night, so I would be in the front row. Every night. I am her biggest fan after all”

Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) is widely considered as a major influence on Mavis Staple, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Donna Summer, Ray Charles, and a civil rights icon (Malcolm X noted that Jackson was "the first Negro that Negroes made famous”, Harry Belafonte stated "there’s not a single field hand, a single black worker, a single black intellectual who did not respond to her”, and it was Mahalia who prompted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to improvise the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

TRACK LISTING

1. Nobody Knows
2. I’m On My Way
3 Didn’t It Rain
4. Summertime
5. Walk Over God’s Heaven
6. Just A Closer Walk
7. Trouble Of The World
8. Joshua Fought The Battle
9. Amazing Grace

Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey Featuring Tennishu and R4ND4ZZO BIGB4ND, deconstructs big band jazz and reshapes it in the band’s eclectic image. The album sounds nothing like your grandparents’ 45s. Randazzo adapted Tennishu’s rap beats for Butcher Brown and 10 other Richmond musicians, turning them into bold suites. Tennishu finds new pockets of rhyme amidst party-starting originals, while the ensemble delivers a blend of contemporary genre-smashing injected into the past.

TRACK LISTING

01. Intro
02. Freeze Me
03. Liquid Light
04. Lawd Why
05. Git Along
06. 777 Intro
07. 777
08. 777 Outro
09. Breevin
10. Cusian
11. Unbelievable
12. Outro

BONUS 7” (with Blue Vinyl Edition Only):
Side A: Guitarmy
Side B: Peace

Natural Brown Prom Queen is Sudan Archives’ second album following her widely celebrated 2019 debut Athena. Over its 18 epic and ambitious tracks, Natural Brown Prom Queen shows a new side to Sudan Archives: Brittney Parks or Britt, the girl-next-door. On this album, Sudan explores themes of race, womanhood and family.

Natural Brown Prom Queen features the singles “Home Maker” and “Selfish Soul”, released in Spring 2022 to great acclaim. Available on standard black vinyl, indies Orange Dream vinyl and CD.

TRACK LISTING

1. Home Maker
2. NBPQ (Topless)
3. Is This Real? (Can You Hear Yourself?)
4. Ciara
5. Selfish Soul
6. Loyal (EDD)
7. OMG BRITT
8. ChevyS10
9. Copycat (Broken Notions)
10. It’s Already Done
11. FLUE
12. TDLY (Homegrown Land)
13. Do Your Thing (Refreshing Springs)
14. Freakalizer
15. Homesick €

The forthcoming latest edition of the popular compilation series featuring long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles, Brown Acid: The Thirteenth Trip will be available on Halloween 2021. Check out the first single "Run Run", released in 1970 by Montreal hard rockers Max is available to hear & share via Metal Injection HERE. (And, direct YouTube and Bandcamp)

The Brown Acid series is curated by L.A. label RidingEasy Records and retailer/label Permanent Records. 

About The Thirteenth Trip:
Max, from Montreal, QC — originally known as Dawn, before Tony Orlando & Dawn forced a name change — kick things off with “Run Run” from their lone 1970 single. It’s a hard-hitting rocker with scale climbing crunching guitars and powerful Bonham-esque drumming. Sadly, the band didn’t last long due to poor management and various other factors, so this is the only surviving document according to guitarist Gerry Markman. And what a document it is, paired with the A-side “The Flying Dutchman.”

You might remember Ralph Williams and the Wright Brothers from their track “Never Again” on Brown Acid: The Tenth Trip. Here they make their return to the series with the A-side of their 1972 Hour Glass Records 45, which sounds like Blue Cheer mangling Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” (that’s right, several years before Van Halen actually did so.) Alas, Ralph and these Wright Brothers soon disappeared from terrestrial airspace.

“Feelin’ Dead” is extremely heavy blues from this also extremely rare 1974 single by Detroit, MI’s Master Danse, which was only released as a promo 45. Think Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You” and you’re on the right track. A little dose of Hendrix acid blues and a heartfelt groove, and you’ll wonder why this single never even made it to official release. The unavoidable tell in the lyric, “help me get this damn thing out of my arm” hints at the post-Vietnam heroin epidemic as a potential clue why we never heard more from Master Danse.

Folks, Gary Del Vecchio is “Buzzin’” hard on this one, and from what sounds like an in-studio party of yelps and chatter at the start of the song, it seems that the whole band was in on the festivities. The funky blues riff, reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker” and rollicking rhythmic changes certainly keep the buzz a rollin’.The recording is technically credited as Gary Del Vecchio with Max, though not the same band as the one that kicks off this Trip.

John Kitko’s 1973 heavy psychedelic rager “Indecision” is the only recording known to exist by the mysterious artist. The Twin Record Productions release features a different artist, Tom Poff on the B-side, which is truly a shame, considering the smoldering ashes Kitko leaves of the turntable by song’s end. It starts out more like a late 60s Acid Rock jam before leaping into a blazing double-time gallop, whipped into a frenzy by wailing, neck-pickup guitar squeals and Kitko’s barely audible howls.

Tampa, FL’s Bacchus made their Brown Acid debut way back on the very first Trip with “Carry My Load.” This 1972 B-side, “Hope” is a huge sounding swinging rocker replete with roadhouse piano bolstering the chunky riffs and confident vocals. After relocating to Southern California a few years later, the band morphed into Fortress, an 80s melodic metal act whose Hands In The Till album of Pomp Rock on Atlantic Records still draws chatter today.

Orchid’s “Go Big Red” is perhaps the most garage-y sounding offering here, with loose rhythms and straightforward stop-and-start riffing. Nonetheless, the stomping energy and fried-amp guitar tone make this one a charming skull thwack. The band’s 1973 single on American records, backed with a cover of Johnny Russell and Voni Morrison’s “Act Naturally” (popularized by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos) is their only release, so the world never did see this Orchid fully blossom.

By the title alone of Dry Ice’s “Don’t Munkey with the Funky Skunky” you know you’re in for a good time. The 1974 barnstormer seems aimed to the novelty tunes crowd, with its kooky lyrics and silly-voiced spoken catchphrase break, “peeyew, you’ll be sorry if you do.” But, the Ohio band’s maniacal drumming, crunching guitars and, of course, drug euphemistic lyrics make it a shoo-in for the Brown Acid series of erudite rock’n’roll.

Good Humore’s swaggering 1976 rocker “Detroit” is a slick and smooth paen to the Motor City. It most likely doesn’t predate “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss, also released in 1976, and it has more rock’n’roll swing, but it could fit comfortably alongside the era’s arena anthems. Not much else is known about the one-off release on P.V. Records, but songwriter Mike Moats is noted to also have been a recording engineer in later years and this well produced track sounds like a labor of love. 

It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Music from the Soundtrack) features some of the most iconic tracks in pop culture, including the instantly recognizable “Linus and Lucy,” as well as the languid, lyrical “Great Pumpkin Waltz.” The music was recorded on October 4, 1966 at Desilu’s Gower Street Studio in Hollywood, California by Guaraldi (piano) and his longtime friends and trio sidemen — bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Colin Bailey — joined by Emanuel Klein (trumpet), John Gray (guitar) and Ronald Lang (woodwinds). The entire scoring process was overseen by composer, arranger and conductor John Scott Trotter, well known for a three-decade run as Bing Crosby’s music director and close friend.

The slowdown of the pandemic gave the Mendelson family, (Lee Mendelson was the Executive Producer of the TV Special), an opportunity to dig deep through their archives and they discovered what were previously thought to be lost to time: the original analog session reels for It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. What you will hear on most tracks of this new and improved “best” version of It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown are the musical cues as recorded by Vince and crew before they were edited for the television special, in show order, as well as a selection of alternate takes.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Linus And Lucy
2. Graveyard Theme
3. Snoopy And The Leaf/Frieda (With The Naturally Curly Hair)
4. The Great Pumpkin Waltz
5. Linus And Lucy (Reprise)
6. Charlie Brown Theme/Charlie Brown Theme (Minor Theme)/Graveyard Theme (Reprise)
7. The Great Pumpkin Waltz (Reprise)
8. The Red Baron/Military Drum March
9. The Great Pumpkin Waltz (2nd Reprise)/The Great Pumpkin Waltz (3rd Reprise)
10. Graveyard Theme (Trick Or Treat) (2nd Reprise)
11. Fanfare/Breathless/ Graveyard Theme (Trick Or Treat) (3rd Reprise)
12. Charlie Brown Theme (Reprise)
Side B
1. Breathless (2nd Reprise)
2. It’s A Long Way To Tipperary/There’s A Long, Long Trail A-Winding/Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag/Roses Of Picardy
3. Graveyard Theme (Trick Or Treat) (4th Reprise)
4. Linus And Lucy (2nd Reprise)/Linus And Lucy (3rd Reprise)
5. Charlie Brown Theme (2nd Reprise)
6. Linus And Lucy (Alternate Take 1)
7. Graveyard Theme (Alternate Take 1)
8. Charlie Brown Theme (Alternate Reprise Take 1)
9. Linus And Lucy (Alternate Take 2)
10. The Great Pumpkin Waltz (Alternate Take 2)
11. Linus And Lucy (Alternate Reprise Take 1)
12. Charlie Brown Theme (Alternate Reprise Take 2)

Sunny Ozuna is a living legend and a man worthy of praise on many levels. In the Texas and Latin Music pantheon, few have been at it longer and are more revered by their fans and peers than Sunny is. He became a star right out of high school in the late ‘50s and hasn’t looked back in the seven decades since. Among countless other honors and notable achievements, Sunny was the ­rst Latino artist to appear on Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” (in 1963). He penned "Smile Now, Cry Later," a hit for him and The Sunliners, which along with the theater masks that grace the album's cover, became staples in the Chicano Soul and Lowrider Soul cultures. We have been fans of Sunny & The Sunliners' music for a long time. We fi­rst got in touch with Sunny to try to reissue some of his records in 2013 but we didn't sign a deal until 2015.

It took a trip to San Antonio and then two years of steady phone calls before they decided "if you have been chasing us for this long, you must be serious." With Sunny's blessing we started getting everything mastered, scanned, and planned. First we released 2017's Mr Brown Eyed Soul Vol. 1 compilation that put rare 7" sides next to some of his biggest hits and mixed in some choice album cuts for good measure. In the wake of that, we released three of Sunny's full lengths with their original track lists and art: Smile Now, Cry Later, Little Brown Eyed Soul, and The Missing Link all of which were Record Store Day releases that raised money for the victims of 2017's Hurricane Harvey. For the 7" collectors, we reissued ­ve 45s, making some very hard to come by sides widely available again and pressing some tunes on the format for the ­rst time. In 2020, as an homage to Sunny, we released Dear Sunny... a compilation of Big Crown artists covering Sunny & The Sunliners songs.

Through all of this we were able to do what we set out to do: get Sunny's music to a new audience of people and make it all accessible and available again to his existing fanbase. Sunny still keeps a busy schedule and loves performing as much as he did as a teenager. His music and the music that it directly in‑uenced are seeing a resurgence in popularity in the last few years.

With any luck at all, our efforts played some small part in that, and on that note, we present Mr Brown Eyed Soul Vol. 2 – another compilation curated by us, where we dig a little deeper into Sunny's catalog and pull some lesser known gems that hold court with his hits. Hats off again to Mr Brown Eyed Soul himself, San Antonio's own, Sunny Ozuna, we are sure you will enjoy the music

TRACK LISTING

1 I Can Remember
2 Sitting In The Park
3 Give Me Time
4 Should I Take You Home (Keyloc Version)
5 If I Could See You Now
6 Come Back Baby
7 Viva Mi Triestesa 
8 Runaway
9 Sharing You
10 I’ve Never Found A Girl
11 Together
12 I’m No Stranger
13 Best Of Both Worlds
14 Baby, I Apologize

Peter Doherty's is the last of the great rock 'n' roll stories - bad boy and public enemy. To his devoted fans, he is a cult hero, a modern-day Rimbaud. Musically, he has defined the past twenty years of indie rock with his sound, lyrics, lifestyle and aesthetic.

Since The Libertines rose to international fame, Doherty has proved endlessly fascinating. A whirlwind of controversy and scandal has tailed him ever since the early 2000s, so much so that all too often his talents as a songwriter and performer have been overlooked; for every award and accolade, there is a scathing review. Hard drugs, tiny gigs on the hoof, huge stadium shows, collaborations, obliterations, gangsters and groupies - Doherty has led a life of huge highs and incredible lows.

With his wildest days behind him, Doherty candidly explores - with sober and sometimes painful insight - some of his greatest and darkest moments, taking us inside the creative process, decadent parties, substance-fuelled nights, his time in prison and tendency for self-destruction. With his trademark wit and humour, Doherty also details his childhood years, key influences, pre-fame London shenanigans, and reflects on his era-defining relationship with supermodel Kate Moss and the other significant people in his life including Libertines co-founder Carl Barat. There is humour, warmth, insight, baleful reflection and a defiant sense of triumph.

A Likely Lad is Doherty's version of the story - the genuine man behind the fame and infamy. This is a rock memoir like no other.

Epitomising the very best of their hometown’s unparalleled musical heritage, Dames Brown are fully-fledged members of the extended Defected family following the release of slick, funk-filled record ‘What Would You Do?’ and features on a number of the label’s vocal house hits. The Detroit trio continuously impress with their exquisite releases, striking lyricism and a hefty dose of house authenticity across their outputs. Now Athena Johnson, Teresa Marbury and LaRae Starr step out to properly introduce themselves to the wax lovers, with Detroit musical icon Amp Fiddler on production duties. Releasing ‘Introducing Dames Brown’ on 7”, this package also includes the Instrumental, as Detroit’s finest deliver a taste of what’s to come on their forthcoming album, capturing funk, house and soul from across the spectrum.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Second single from the next superstars of disco-funk. This one ACTUALLY sounds like the JBs! With Amp Fiddler on production, it's nice to see Detroit soul kickin' and back on the map with serious intention.

TRACK LISTING

A. Introducing Dames Brown
B. Introducing Dames Brown (Instrumental)

‘Black Pride’ is the seminal Lovers Rock tune from Brown Sugar, pressed loud for the first ever time on this new one-off press edition 12” on Soul Jazz Records.

Brown Sugar formed in London in 1976, made up of teenagers Pauline Catlin, Caron Wheeler and Carol Simms. After Brown Sugar, Caron Wheeler became known worldwide as the vocalist in Soul II Soul, and Carol Simms launched a successful solo career under the name Kofi. 

‘Black Pride’ was originally released on the Lovers Rock label, a fledgling reggae label formed by musicians Dennis Bovell and John Kpiaye and producer Dennis Harris. Brown Sugar were unique - not only were they one of the most important of the first wave of lovers rock groups, they were also the only group who managed to successfully blend together a reggae roots consciousness with a lovers rock sensibility. The classic ‘Black Pride’ perfectly reflects this unique sound.

STAFF COMMENTS

Martin says: As lover's rock fever takes over one of the seminal hits of the genre is given a timely repress from the good folks at Soul Jazz

TRACK LISTING

A. Black Pride
B. Proud

Epitomizing the very best of their hometown’s unparalleled musical heritage, Detroit’s Dames Brown are the vocal trio you may not yet know by name but are sure to know by voice. Lending their exquisite range to a number of modern house essentials, including Sophie Lloyd’s ‘Calling Out’, The Vision featuring Andreya Triana ‘Heaven’ and David Penn’s ‘Nobody’ in recent years, Athena Johnson, Teresa Marbury and LaRae Starr now release ‘What Would You Do?’ on a limited 7” package. Produced by long-time collaborator of the group and fellow Motor City native Amp Fiddler and Mahogani Music regular Andrés, this slick, funk-filled and typically soulful vinyl release features the exceptional original version as well as Lyon house superstar Folamour’s remix, with his signature groove a perfect match for the Dames mesmerizing vocal. Don’t sleep!

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Massive massive massive! Andres and Amp Fiddler on production! Bumps hard, kicks like a mule. With a bassline that'll cause ceilings to collapse.

TRACK LISTING

A. What Would You Do?
B. What Would You Do? (Folamour Remix)

Tim Burgess is lead singer of one of the defining bands of the ’90s, The Charlatans. In One Two Another, the singer presents and annotates his lyrics – from The Charlatans to The Chemical Brothers – allowing an insight into a very idiosyncratic and creative song-writing process.

As Tim writes: ‘That’s the thing. I imagine almost everybody writes songs in different ways, but then again each person may use all the different ways to come up with the lyrics to a song. From lists to experiences and stories, there are no rules. A good song is a good song whoever writes it and however the writing happens. I only know what I do. In this here book I have collected some of the ideas and thoughts and words.’

‘Tim Burgess is a crusader and vinyl’s epic voyager. He knows why pop’s art, a culture and a cure. Learn and listen. He knows good things’ Johnny Marr

‘You can’t feel blue around Tim. He makes you feel happy, not just about music but about life. Even the most cynical of souls (mine) become infected by his gorgeous energy. Plus he gives good vinyl’ Sharon Horgan

That’s right, we’ve reached a toker’s dozen editions of brilliant long-lost, rare, and unreleased hard rock, heavy psych, and proto-metal tracks from the 60s-70s. Clearly this has become a bonafide archaeological movement as each new installment leads us to more exciting new discoveries. Like we’ve done throughout this series, all of these tracks were painstakingly licensed legitimately and the artists were paid. Make yourself comfortable and prepare for yet another deep, deep dive into the treasure trove of dank, subterranean, wild-eyed and hairy rock ’n’ roll.

The Waters start this Trip off right with swampy fuzz- and phaser-soaked dueling guitars oozing from the grooves of their 1969 single “Mother Samwell.” The Louisville, KY trio somehow failed to make much of a splash however, only issuing two 45s, one in ’68 and this rocker the following year, before eventually evaporating in ’72. The bassist went on to play in Hank Williams Jr.’s band for a couple of decades, so the band’s fortunes weren’t entirely sunken.

Hamilton, Ontario launched the Village S.T.O.P.’s freak-out heavy psych marauding, but it was after frequent trips to NYC that the Canadian band really learned to let their freak flag fly. Sometimes the band played with their faces painted black & white, other times draped in fluorescent ink & blacklight, with strobe lights and the whole nine yards of theatrics… occasionally even adding a few extra inches of male nudity. Musically, their 1969 track “Vibration” is a bopping number nodding to Frank Zappa, Hendrix and some really brown acid doses.



White Lightning’s blazing double-kick drum, sizzling melodic riffs and Jim Dandy howls on “1930” is a power metal rocker from 1969 that perfectly epitomizes the raison d’être of this series. The Minneapolis, MN band formed by guitarist Tom “Zippy” Caplan after he left garage psych heroes The Litter, later shortened its name to Lightning. The group only issued one proper album before disbanding in 1971. However, with the late 1990’s reissues and revival of The Litter, Lightning’s bevy of unreleased recordings also surfaced as a self-titled LP and Strikes Twice 1986-1969 CD compilation.



The blues runs deep in the veins of “Woman (Don’t You Go)” by Bay Area rockers Shane. The biracial group may have borrowed its heavy syncopated groove and lead singer/organist aesthetic from locals Sly & The Family Stone, but their troglodyte fuzz riffs and beastly drums owe just as much to blazing proto-metal hellfire. Sadly, they only released this 1968 single before these men decided to go.

Ace Song Service probably thought they were pretty clever with their risqué acronym name, but it’s their B-side “Persuasion” that really kicks A.S.S. Rollicking, relentless drums, walking bass, staggering guitars and shimmering Hammond organ shake the foundations while crooning blue-eyed soul vocals remind you that this is still the late-60s. The Dallas, TX band only issued this lone (star) 2-song single before crawling back up from whence they came.

Opus Est’s strange 1974 headbanger “Bed” has a bit of “Hocus Pocus” by Focus style mania — and we mean that in the best lunacy inducing way. However, it’s the Belgian trio’s heavy panting and squealing vocals in the amorous breakdown that nods to a particular whole lotta nub that gives this song its, um, thrust. After just two singles, Opus Est came and went.

The Mopptops’ heavy riff of “Our Lives” starts of sounding like Greg Ginn’s frantic guitar work on Black Flag’s Nervous Breakdown, before wah-wah and high harmony vocals turn it into more of a Blues Magoos-meets-Iron Butterfly tune. This Hawaiian Islands based quartet took its inspiration more from the British Invasion than local traditions and were quite popular for their gritty long-hair R&B but remained isolated from the world at large. They did however release a handful of 45s between 1965 and the early 70s. This 1968 banger on Fantastic Records is, well, fantastic.



Youngstown, OH artists Artist weren’t too creative with their band name, instead saving that energy to create meaty midwestern rock’n’roll like “Every Lady Does It.” Harmonized guitar leads and driving cowbell power their hook-filled lone 1977 single. Not much is known about the obscure band, other than singer/guitarist Al Tkach later fronted something he called Reality Rock.

Rural hard rock bar band Stagefright hailed from Carthage, MO and their 1980 album D-Day is a highly collectible selection of landlocked rippers. Album opener “Comin’ Home” is a barnstorming romp led by vocalist/drummer Jim Mills who somehow smoothly sings while simultaneously playing wild Keith Moon style drum rolls.

Dickens “Sho’ Need Love” / “Don’t Talk About My Music” 45 is one of those record collector’s Holy Grail type of releases. The 1971 single only exists as a demo, printed as a white label promo pressing for Scepter Records. Dickens were, essentially, a mockery of the era’s hard rock shenanigans, comprised of NRBQ’s road crew and some band members all playing instruments they didn’t know how to play. This recording happened essentially by accident when studio time became available after Gomer Pyle actor and balladeer Jim Nabors cancelled a session. The group quickly cut a few songs, which an enthusiastic A&R man had pressed up, before the label president nixed it and fired the VP for allowing such nonsense. It’s believed that only about 50 copies survived. It’s a shame, since this Flipper-before-Flipper dirge-metal freakout was way ahead of its time.

That’s that for this edition of Brown Acid, but the hits keep on a-bubblin’ up from the primordial rock’n’roll sludge. So, stay tuned for more as we continue to find wilder and weirder treasures from the underground comedown. 

We’re now in the double digits of brilliant long-lost, rare, and unreleased hard rock, heavy psych, and proto-metal tracks from the 60s-70s and clearly this has become a bonafide archaeological movement as each new edition leads us to more exciting new discoveries. Like we’ve done throughout this series, all of these tracks were painstakingly licensed legitimately and the artists were paid. Make yourself comfortable and prepare for yet another deep, deep dive into the treasure trove of dank, subterranean, wild-eyed and hairy rock ’n’ roll.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Adam Wind - Something Else (1969)
2. Grump - I'll Give... (1969)
3. Bagshot Row - Turtle Wax Blues (1973)
4. Larry Lynn - Diamond Lady (1970)
5. Renaissance Fair - In Wyrd (1968)
Side B
1. Zendik - Mom's Apple Pie Boy (1970)
2. Daybreak - Just Can't Stay (1977)
3. West Minist'r - I Want You (1975)
4. Debb Johnson - Dancing In The Ruin (1969)
5. Crazy Jerry - Every Girl Gets One (1973)

The tenth edition of the popular compilation series featuring long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles. As the celebrated series reaches landmark double-digits, there are no indications it will slow down in the near future. The Brown Acid series is curated by L.A. label RidingEasy Records and retailer/label Permanent Records.

Here is what they have to say about the record:

"Here we are, arriving at the tenth edition of Brown Acid in just half as many years! As always, we packed in the highest highs of the dankest hard rock, heavy psych, and proto-metal tracks previously lost to the sands of time. Like we've done throughout this series, all of these tracks were painstakingly licensed legitimately and the artists were paid. It's hard to believe we're already up to 10 volumes of this lysergic Neanderthal wail, but the long-lost jams just keep-a-coming like Texas crude to fuel your rock 'n' roll engine and melt your metal mind.

This Trip kicks off with the Hammer of the Gods howl of "Plastic Thunder" by Bitter Creek. The Atlanta, GA quintet's lone single from 1970 on Mark IV Records is rated #6 of the Top 50 Heaviest Songs Before Black Sabbath by GuitarWorld Magazine. You can hear why in the ominous riff and larynx-ravaging chorus that merges the deepest of Deep Purple sludge with The Who's rollicking psychedelia.

Not much is known about The Brood's 1969 bluesy paean to dirtbag weed consumption "The Roach" on the It's A Lemon imprint, except that it's a big, growling rocker with a crazed in-the-round blowout of wailing guitar solos, screeching organ blasts, wildly overlapping vocals and drum rolls for days.

Nova Scotia, Canada sextet Brothers and One's double-entendre laden single "Hard On Me" certainly pushes the boundaries of what would be acceptable at the time (especially amongst their ever-polite Canadian brethren.) Their lone full length was released in 1970 on short-lived Audat label, the group featuring two sets of brothers (hence the name) recorded the album while all members were between age 13-18-years-old. This glam-influenced single was privately released on the band's own label nearly 4 years later.

Louisville, KY quartet Conception's excellent revision of Blue Cheer's "Babylon" (1969, Perfection Records) adds heavy phaser effect on the guitar and a more driving rhythm to make the song entirely their own. Lead guitar and high harmony vocals by Charlie Day (not to be confused with the Sunny Philadelphian actor) are assertive and commanding as he implores listeners onward to hallucinagenic nirvana.

Not exactly a typically psychedelic band name for the era, but First State Bank's "Mr. Sun" (1970, Music Mill) pays hearty dividends of boogie bustle. The Central Texas band led by guitarist/vocalist Randy Nunnally released only 3 singles in its career from 1970-1976. For those keeping score at home, their song "Before You Leave" was featured on The Third Trip back in 2016. "Mr. Sun" is the heavy B-Side to "Coming Home To You."

Clearly inspired by Jimi Hendrix, Tucson quartet Frozen Sun topped the local charts in 1969 with this barnstorming rocker "Electric Soul" (Capt. Zoomer Records.) The song is replete with guitarist/vocalist (with big Hendrix hair) Ron Ryan's spoken interlude, "Well have you been electrically stoned? You know, living in the danger zone?" We say yes.

Ralph Williams and the Wright Brothers took flight with "Never Again" on Hour Glass Records in 1972, and apparently never landed after this 45 with "Dark Street" on the A-side. The serpentine riff and sexually-charged backing vocal grunts drive this archetypical tale of a young man's chemical odyssey... or, should we say, trip?

Sounds Synonymous pretty much epitomized heavy fuzz from Michigan with their 1969 single "Tensions" on the Wall Productions label. The Hendrix "Fire" meets Arthur Brown's "Fire" track lunges and lurches with glee throughout its 3-minutes and change of unbridled crunch. Tabernash's "Head Collect" (1972) is the suburban Denver quartet's only release following the name change from The Contents Are and a move from Davenport, IA. This more stately psych-rock chune features Byrds-like harmonies, twangy reverse-looped guitar soloing and Keith Moon-esque drumming that should've made it a chart-topper, but we all know there's no justice in rock'n'roll.

The Tenth Trip closes, appropriately, with the "War Pigs" reminiscent fuzz of New Orleans quartet The Rubber Memory's 1970 tune "All Together." The band self-released only 110 copies of their lone album, making it an incredibly sought-after rarity for decades. Alongside a limited edition reissue in 2000, the group reformed for a one-off show before quickly bouncing back into our collective cosmic consciousness."

TRACK LISTING

01. Sounds Synonymous "Tensions"
02. Ralph Williams And The Wright Brothers "Never Again"
03. Conception "Babylon"
04. Bitter Creek "Plastic Thunder"
05. The Rubber Memory "All Together"
06. First State Bank "Mr. Sun"
07. Brothers And One "Hard On Me"
08. Frozen Sun "Electric Soul"
09. The Brood "The Roach"
10. Tabernash "Head Collect"

In the ten years since Danny Brown’s magnum opus XXX was released, he has permeated both underground and mainstream music culture with an authentic and ever-evolving persona and a sound wholly his own, transcending genres and any parameters the world around him might impose. He set the blueprint for many of today’s critical darlings and opened doors for so many following his personally audacious start. Today, Brown announces his long awaited and much anticipated return with his fifth studio album uknowhatimsayin¿, slated for a physical release on November 8th via WARP. Executive production is from the iconic rapper and producer Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. Q-Tip’s involvement in uknowhatimsayin¿ marks the first time the legendary artist has executive produced an album since Mobb Deep’s The Infamous. Brown’s lyrics balance earnest storytelling with laugh-out-loud one-liners, especially apparent on “Dirty Laundry” as Danny raps about his sexual exploits and reminisces on his rocky path to stardom. Brown’s star turn as an artist and individual are both clearly demonstrated on uknowhatimsayin¿, the next stop on Brown’s journey and one that solidifies his reputation as an innovator and hip-hop’s favorite curiosity. In the truest sense, it is a modern classic that defies genre and reimagines what a hip-hop album can and should be in 2019.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: One of the most recognizable voices in modern rap, and a flag bearer for Detroit, comes through with a new album. A tasty bunch of collaborators, Q-tip (!!) on production duties plus Brown's completely unique lyrical style mean this'll be a last minute entry to rap albums of the year. Check!

TRACK LISTING

01. Change Up
02. Theme Song
03. Dirty Laundry
04. 3 Tearz (feat. Run The Jewels)
05. Belly Of The Beast (feat. Obongjayar)
06. Savage Nomad
07. Best Life
08. Uknowhatimsayin¿ (feat. Obongjayar)
09. Negro Spiritual (feat. JPEGMAFIA)
10. Shine (feat. Blood Orange)
11. Combat

The ninth edition of the popular compilation series featuring long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles. 

Some of the best thrills of the Internet music revolution is the ability to find extremely rare music with great ease. But even with such vast archives to draw from, quite a lot of great songs have gone undiscovered for nearly half a century -- particularly in genres that lacked hifalutin arty pretense. Previously, only the most extremely dedicated and passionate record collectors had the stamina and prowess to hunt down long forgotten wonders in dusty record bins -- often hoarding them in private collections, or selling at ridiculous collector's prices. Legendary compilations like Nuggets, Pebbles, ad nauseum, have exhausted the mines of early garage rock and proto-punk, keeping alive a large cross-section of underground ephemera. However, few have delved into and expertly archived the wealth of proto-metal, pre-stoner rock tracks collected on Brown Acid.

Lance Barresi, co-owner of L.A./Chicago retailer Permanent Records has shown incredible persistence in tracking down a stellar collection of rare singles from the 60s and 70s for the growing compilation series. Partnered with Daniel Hall of RidingEasy Records, the two have assembled a selection of songs that's hard to believe have remained unheard for so long.

"I essentially go through hell and high water just to find these records," Barresi says. "Once I find a record worthy of tracking, I begin the (sometimes) extremely arduous process of contacting the band members and encouraging them to take part. Daniel and I agree that licensing all the tracks we're using for Brown Acid is best for everyone involved," rather than simply bootlegging the tracks. When all of the bands and labels haven't existed for 30-40 years or more, tracking down the creators gives all of these tunes a real second chance at success.

"There's a long list of songs that we'd love to include," Barresi says. "But we just can't track the bands down. I like the idea that Brown Acid is getting so much attention, so people might reach out to us."

TRACK LISTING

01. White Lightning "Prelude To Opus IV"
02. Peacepipe "The Sun Won't Shine Forever"
03. Magi "Win Or Lose"
04. Fiberglass Vegetables "Pain"
05. Erik "Rebel Woman"
06. Stonewall "Outer Spaced"
07. ICE "Running High"
08. Space Rock "Going Down The Road"
09. Buckshot "Barstar"
10. 29.9 "Paradiddle Blues"

After inaugurating the label with a tape in 2015, our local friend Richard Brown (AKA Brown Irvin) returns to Motion Ward with an oblique two-track 12" entitled "Run Me That Soul". "Locution" flexes a wobbly equilibrium of dubbed dancefloor energy and amorphous acid while "Overcast" coats the B Side in a smeared gradient of ambient wash and shape-shifting stasis. A persuasive pair of parallel worlds for winding up and winding down.

RIYL: Ghostride The Drift, Huerco S, City-2 St. Giga, Caveman LSD etc etc.

Being lost in the outer recesses of the solar system never sounded so good!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Locution
B1. Overcast

The second full-length LP from Jungle Brown, ‘Full Circle’, drops on Mr Bongo and features collaborations with Sampa The Great, Fliptrix (High Focus) and Terri Walker amongst other super-talents. The trio - Ric Flo, MAEAR & Tony Bones - have spent the last two years redefining soulful hip-hop - the sound is bigger, more thought-provoking, and it has matured with a rich soulful underpinning. They have also entered territories fans are yet to hear as they glide effortlessly over Tony Bones’ productions that introduce trap and house into their repertoire. The project is an eclectic array of their influences, twisted and blended together to create a ground-breaking release for UK music.

TRACK LISTING

Keep It Movin
Wicked Ft Fliptrix
Ikoja Ft Elde
Huami Ft Terri Walker
Sometimes Ft Ruby
Wayside
Time Ticks
U&I
We On Ft Sampa The Great
Situationships Ft K. Waltz
Custom Made Ft Ayo The Yung African Pioneer

On Neon Brown, Velvet Negroni is a griot relaying the life and times of his own island—it’s a singular place, with the squeak and thrum of guitar strings looped over drum machine beats accented by steely marimbas, all creating a pocket for one of the most authentic and original artistic voices ever committed to tape.

You follow his voice as it rhymes in double time, or hiccups and la-las through a break, or croons from a room down the hall, as it unfolds into another story of lost love, or another joke about lost drugs, as he tries to make sense of a life spent in the (sometimes harrowing) pursuit of communion.

Turns out what sounds like a lonely island is in fact the city of Minneapolis. Velvet Negroni grew up in an outer suburb of the Twin Cities as Jeremy Nutzman, a black kid adopted into a white evangelical Christian family. His fundamentalist missionary of a mother drove him to virtuosity, both as a classically trained concert pianist and a competitive figure skater, but he had to climb out his bedroom window to play guitar in his first band.

In 2016 after years of performing under a schizophrenic rotation of various aliases, Nutzman finally landed on a persona that he felt he could be proud of. It was in a fancy cocktail bar in Austin, Texas that he hatched Velvet Negroni. A tour opening for Bon Iver followed, as well as a writing credit on Kid Cudi and Kanye West’s “Feel the Love” off their 2018 album Kids See Ghosts. That same year, he released his first singles on b4, “First Time” and “Crybaby.”

It was in the summer of 2018, together with his friends, producers Psymun (Future, Young Thug, Dua Saleh) and Tickle Torture, that Velvet Negroni composed the stories on NEON BROWN, stories he’s been waiting a lifetime to tell.

TRACK LISTING

1. One One
2. Wine Green
3. Kurt Cobain
4. Poster Child
5. Confetti
6. U.Dunno
7. Choir Boy
8. Scratchers
9. Nester
10. Feel Let
11. Ectodub

- Portable LP record storage carry case
- Protective chrome effect trim on corners and all edges of the box
- Hinged lid with 2 closing clasps and carry handle in matching colours
- Holds approx up to 50 LPs / 12"s in their sleeves
- 3.8 KG

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2019 EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

1000 only. “A wandering troubadour in search of treasured happenstance, Howe Gelb is an enigma.” The Quietus // Long out of print, Howe Gelb’s debut solo album ‘Dreaded Brown Recluse’ is re-imagined on for Record Store Day on brown vinyl. Back then, circa 1991 Howe’s main squeeze Giant Sand were nothing short of prolific, songs were oozing from every pore, their creative id was effervescing, overflowing. With Giant Sand’s colossal new album of ’91 ‘Ramp’ imminent what to do with those further outpourings? An idea: Disguise the band as Howe Gelb solo and produce a song cycle that, on repeat, melds into an eclectic stew that’s easy to dip in and out of but still remains potent several hours in the oven. It’s music as soundtrack to your day, a playful, anarchic piece of situationism that unfolds like all the best dramatic prose. ‘Dreaded Brown Recluse’ includes a rethunk ‘Warm Storm’ with strings (it also appeared on ‘Ramp’). It also features songs about faxing (how quaint), blankets and the insect world, as it straddles territory lost somewhere between psychotic ramshackle punk and slimmed down acoustic reverie. Track List A1 Spirit Lie A2 Picture Shows A3 Loretta and the Insect World A4 Actually Faxing Sophia A5 Cello of the City A6 Still too Far B1 Warm Stone B2 Always Horses Coming B3 Vigdis B4 Vienna Two-Step Throw Away B5 Bible Black Book II B6 Brown Recluse B7 Blanket for Tina

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2019 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 13th ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON. IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 12.01AM SATURDAY APRIL 20th.

First issued in 1971. Available digitally, CD is out of print. Vinyl has been out of print since at least the mid-90s. 3000 only worldwide. Sho is Funky Down Here and The Grodeck Whipperjenny are a pair of albums that are the result of an unlikely but highly productive musical relationship between James Brown, a superstar at the creative and commercial peaks of his long career, and David Matthews, a then young arranger-musician whose limited professional experience had little or nothing to do with the funk and soul of his collaborator. James Brown’s psychedelic album, created by his then-bandleader David Matthews, and issued at the same time as Matthews’ classic The Grodeck Whipperjenny. Underground, fuzzy, rambling psych-funk. The genesis of Brown’s “Talking Loud And Saying Nothing,” a 1990s hip hop sample staple, informing A Tribe Called Quest, Large Professor, Brand Nubian and others. Lacquered directly from the original master tapes at Capitol Studios. This is the first official reissue of both of this rare titles. Contains an extensive booklet with full annotation, liner notes by Brown historian Alan Leeds and never-before-published photos. Tracks : A Side 1. Sho Is Funky Down Here 2. Don't Mind 3. Bob Scoward B Side 1. Just Enough Room For Storage 2. You Mother You 3. Can Mind.

Ian Brown's comeback record is everything you'd want from the funky monkey. Care-free, breezy, uplifting vibes with words that mix the cosmic with a conscience, this record was made almost totally independently. Just Ian, his sons and his old engineer provide that unique blend of the groovy, quirky, and endlessly catchy that we've all come to love and expect.

There's mellow, soulful, bluesy funkers, a rock reggae cover, a reggae reggae cover, a couple of slinky, bouncy, elastic shufflers, some massive, psych-tinged slowies (Syd meets Lennon!) and his most Roses sounding tune so far: evidently a ballad ABOUT The Roses (insert broken-hearted emoji here!?)

Soundwise this is Ian's most beautifully produced record by a mile. Warm, fat and analogue, with killer basslines and a big bottom end, there's a sparseness in the textures but a depth and width in the mix that's more akin to late 70's reggae than any old 'indie' rock. Ripples is all about the SPACE. Ian's voice and words, as charismatic and enigmatic as ever, are central to it all. And he's never sounded better. Self produced, self written (bar 3 co-writes with his sons. What could be more natural?) and with zero session musicians in sight, this feels like Unfinished Monkey Business, the Second Chapter. But with way better songs, way lusher production; a glorious combo of Tunes, space and sound. The dream belongs to the dreamers!

TRACK LISTING

First World Problems
Black Roses
Breathe And Breathe Easy (the Everness Of Now)
The Dream And The Dreamer
From Chaos To Harmony
It’s Raining Diamonds
Ripples
Blue Sky Day
Soul Satisfaction
Break Down The Walls (warm Up Jam)

The Craig Brown Band is back with a dizzying new garage-country 7”, their first songs since the release of debut album The Lucky Ones Forget. Much has happened for the group since the album’s release, from touring with Dwight Yoakam (based solely on Dwight’s observance of the magnetism of their powerful live show) to opening for Jack White at the huge Little Caesars Arena concert in Detroit. And now, this new single will be accompanying Craig and the band on their first trip overseas to Europe, featuring new bassist and longtime Liquor Store co-conspirator Derek “Block” Warren.

“Big City Small Town” is a little country rock groover that depicts a very familiar scene for anyone who’s lived in a midsize city; word travels quickly, so own who you are and what you do 100%. “Tell Me” is a charmingly concise and heartfelt appeal for a little fulfillment, from answering life’s big questions to enjoying a good song with someone who cares.

Everybody’s favorite source for the hard stuff is back in business, with ten more lethal doses of rare hard rock, heavy psych and proto-metal! Hard to believe we’re eight Trips in and we haven’t lost any steam since the get-go. As usual, we’re laying the heaviness on you in the most legit way possible. These obscure tracks have all been licensed, the bands have been paid, and the sources are all analog. The quality of tracks seems increase along with the number of Trips and this cohesive collection comes outta the gate with both guns blazing!

Pegasus recorded one single in Baltimore in 1972 and they made it count. “The Sorcerer” is a throbbing ripper that prior to this was basically unknown. However, it doesn’t seem too far fetched to speculate that Black Flag lifted the riff for “No Values” from this track eight years later. Unlikely, but possible, especially considering how big a Black Sabbath fan Greg Ginn is. Pegasus was lauded back in the day for “how much they delivered that Black Sabbath feel.”

You may read the track title for the Nobody’s Children 45 and start thinking, OH NO, the guys behind Brown Acid have given up on bad trips. Fret not, “Good Times” was originally written as a joke, but when Ron Chapman of the Sump’N Else TV show heard it he passed it along to the folks behind GPC records and they quickly pressed 100 copies. Unfortunately, the evening it was slated to be played on the local Dallas radio station KLIF, Robert Kennedy was murdered and premier was pre-empted by a Classical music tribute to him. The song has since been bootlegged numerous times and even covered by the Butthole Surfers, but this is the first time it’s been fully licensed.

Youngstown, Ohio is the most commonly referred to city of the entire Brown Acid series. This town of just under 150,000 people may’ve had the highest (literally and figuratively) per capita output of heavy 45s. Blue Amber recorded this in 1971 at Gary Rhamy’s analog Mecca, Peppermint Recording Studios. This two-riff boneheaded banger sounds like a caveman protest song with an extraordinary amount of delay on the vocals. No wonder this 45 fetches three-figures on the rare occasion it comes up for sale.

Batting clean-up, we have Negative Space, the only LP sourced track on this album. This crunchy jam comes off the band’s 1970 record entitled Hard, Heavy, Mean, & Evil. At over six and a half minutes, “The Calm After the Storm” is the longest track included on this volume, but it never gets dull. Fun fact: before changing the name to Negative Space, Rob Russen called his band Snow and released the “Sunflower” 45 in 1969 — you might recall that groover from the First Trip.

We generally stick with American artists for this series, but every now and again something foreign grabs us and shakes us to the core. One example is this Swedish 45 by Zane. These crazy Swedes did one incredibly damaged (hence the title) record on the MM label in 1976. These proto-punkers relied heavily on synth for this tune and mixed the drums so obnoxiously loud, you might think the kit is in the room with you. This is a weird one that somehow sounds like Zolar X covering Wicked Lady. Brown Acid material all the way!

B must be short for Bangers, ‘cuz this Side is full of ‘em! The flip of this Trip begins with a virtually unknown Oklahoma record from 1973. Blizzard was Rod McClure’s high school band, but you couldn’t possibly guess that teenagers recorded this heavy slab on the Token (should’ve been Toking) label. It’s one of the best we’ve comped and it sounds like a hypothetical MC5/Hendrix collaboration.The “Under the Ice” level drum fills will knock your socks off if the heavy shred doesn’t first.

OOOOk-lahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain and apparently where the fuzz goes seepin’ in your brain! Third World is the second Okie inclusion on this Trip and we couldn’t be more stOOOOOked to be sharing this very obscure single with y’all. If the heavily distorted two-note riff doesn’t grab ya, the apocalyptic Grand Funk vibes will. Once they get their mitts on ya, Third World will take you back to 1971 and leave ya there. Can we hitch a ride too?

Ever heard of Virginia, Minnesota? We hadn't either until we got in touch with Calvin Haluptzok and got the back story on his band Sweet Wine. This bitchin' one-off 45 must've melted the snow off the roofs of the households brave enough to play it when it came out in 1970 and it's still red hot nearly 50 years later. This vino may be sugary, but it packs an incendiary punch! Sadly, Calvin passed before we could get his music re-released, but it was nice to have reached him before it was too late. The Sweet Wine legacy lives on thanks to the Brown Acid archivists.

C.T. Pilferhogg wins the award for most puzzling band name in our series. What’s not puzzling is how righteous both sides of their self-released 1973 single are! Featured here is the A-side “You Haul” which is one of the best examples of a poor man’s Deep Heep (Deep Purple meets Uriah Heep) we’ve ever heard and the demonic Echoplex-laden laughs mixed into this track are out of control. The band was touted as “Southwest Virginia’s Finest Boogie Band”, but don’t let that fool ya. They could bang heads with the best of ‘em.

The closer on the Seventh Trip is one we hold very near and dear. Not only is this record the one that’s taken us the longest to secure the rights to, it’s also one of the very best examples of heavy psych you’ll ever hear. The track rings your bell (literally) straight out of the gate and the dank psychedelic vibes kick in immediately. “The Darkness” was recorded in a basement studio in Kansas City in 1969 when the lead guitarist was only 16. The band was from a rural Missouri town, played only one impromptu gig in Clinton, and pressed only 125 copies of this, their only single. It should come as no surprise that it sells for hundreds of dollars when it’s offered. That’s a small price to pay for such greatness

TRACK LISTING

1. Pegasus - The Sorcerer
Baltimore, Maryland
Self-released
1972

2. Nobody's Children - Good Times
Dallas, Texas
GPC Records
1967

3. Blue Amber - We Got Love
Flush Records
Youngstown, Ohio
1971

4. Negative Space - The Calm After The Storm
Castle Records
Camden, New Jersey
1970

5. Zane - Damage
MM Records
Malm?, Sweden
1976

6. Blizzard - Peace Of Mind
Token Music
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1973

7. Third World - End Of Time
McAlester, Oklahoma
Rocktron Records
1971

8. Sweet Wine - Things You Told Me
Arcaide Records
Virginia, Minnesota
1970

9. C.T. Pilferhogg - You Haul
Norton, Virginia
Self-released
1973

10. Summit - The Darkness
Clinton, Missouri
North Room Records
1969

Now ain't this summat spesh.... A re-vamped selection of Dennis Brown songs recorded and produced at Jammy's and now remixed and remastered with a selection of new vocalists, deejays and toasters adding ad-libed lines and improvisations to the original compositions!

The A-list selection of vocalists includes Protoje, Dre Island, Alborosie, Romain Virgo, Agent Sasco and more (no Chronix though?! - ed). Some of Dennis Brown’s finest performances for King Jammys, remixed and refreshed with 21st century flavor, the album also includes a newly remastered solo feature for Dennis Brown, “You Satisfy My Soul” (a King Jammy personal favorite). The vinyl LP includes the special bonus addition of the Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley feature "Can’t Keep (A Good Man Down)" backed with "Can’t Keep Version".

King Jammy is one of reggae’s most prolific and innovative producers, with "Tracks Of Life" he shows himself strong once again. Part tribute and part greatest hits, this album will win new listeners and inspire fans to dig into the original songs. The album is a blend of raw and vibrant vocal performances revisiting vintage Dennis Brown from the King Jammy catalogue.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: One of my favourite reggae producers of the 80's, maybe ever, shines a light on the incredible vocal talent currently spearheading Jamaica's roots n culture renaissance.

TRACK LISTING

1. High Grade Morning Feat. Protoje
2. Gun Town Feat. Dre Island
3. Wash Dem Away Feat. Agent Sasco
4. Love And Live Feat. Alborosie
5. Back To Africa Feat. DYCR & Tristan Palma
6. Give Love A Try Feat. Projexx
7. Real Love Feat. Aza Lineage
8. Run The Track Feat. Romain Virgo
9. The Magic Touch Feat. Jesse Royal
10. You Satisfy My Soul
11. Can't Keep Feat. Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley
12. Can't Keep (Jammys Version)

The forthcoming latest edition of the popular compilation series of long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles. The series is curated by L.A. label RidingEasy Records and retailer/label Permanent Records. If you’d told us when we started this epic journey that we’d have six volumes worth of licensed tracks released in just three years, we would’ve laughed in your face! Doing the Dark Lord’s work isn’t an easy job, but somebody’s gotta do it, so here we are with six Trips under our belt and more lined up. You heads just can’t get enough obscure hard rock, heavy psych, and proto-metal from the late-60s & 70s! And for that, we’re grateful for the opportunity to keep laying these slabs in your lap.

This isn’t just a random mixtape we threw together off the Internet. We find the records, track the bands and transfer the tapes, so you don’t have to. The bands did their job back in the day by writing, recording and releasing this material, most times against all odds, and you’ve squandered your hard earned scratch on this record, so I guess the least we can do is continue to compile quality Rock’n’Roll cuts from the golden age of heaviness. This time around we have 10 deep cuts from across the continental US of A and one from our neighbors up North. This Trip kicks off with an outrageous number from Gold out of San Francisco circa 1970. The band used to open their sets with this over-the-top frantic jammer which is absolutely mind-blowing and also leads one to believe that the only band that could’ve held a candle to Gold back in the day would’ve been the mighty Blue Cheer. As we delve deeper into the depths, Canadians continue to prove that they could bang heads with the best of ‘em! Heat Exchange from Toronto released the rollicking ripper “Inferno” on the Yorkville label way back in 1968 and it’s still thumping almost 50 years later! Missouri isn’t a state that brought us a lot of heavy 45s, but there are a handful of outstanding tracks from the Show Me State, one of which is the funk-laced anthem “Give Me Time” by Backwood Memory from Kansas City. Speaking of Show Me, many thanks to our KC pal Jeffrey Harvey for turning us on to this one and helping put us in touch with the band.

The longer we do this, the more we begin to believe that Youngstown, Ohio was the Hard Rock Mecca back in the day. Travis is yet another Youngstown group that aimed to get asses out of seats and out in the streets. “Lovin’ You” is a groovy banger with a sultry riff originally released on the prolific Starshine Productions imprint. Six years prior to his Arcadian synth-funk novelty hit “Space Invaders” from 1980, Victor “Uncle Vic” Blecman took Flight into the studio with a list of relationship requirements. Amongst which are his need for “Luvin’, Huggin’, & More”, with emphasis on the “More” part if we’re to believe the urgency with which he delivers this fist-pumper. If you don’t immediately recognize the Truth & Janey moniker, you need to get with it and familiarize yourself with their incredible 1976 LP “No Rest For The Wicked”. It’s a protometal masterpiece that’s been reissued on Rockadrome. Released four years earlier than their debut LP, “Midnight Horseman” is a 45-only track backed with a cover of “Under My Thumb”. Dennis Bergeron from Rockadrome was crucial in helping us obtain the rights to this Iowa burner.

Another Iowan group, West Minist’r, self-released three 45s between 1969 and 1975. They’re all great in their own way, but “My Life” hit the crunchy sweet spot in ’71 with vocals sounding like a fresh from primal scream therapy John Lennon over a zonked-out Hendrix groove. You can count on hearing more from West Minist’r on future Trips. It’s nearly impossible that Dayton, Ohio’s Purgatory didn’t seize the “Strange Days” and join “The Soft Parade” while “Waiting for the Sun”. And although “Polar Expedition” wears its influences on its sleeve, 1969 would have been at least a little worse off if the band hadn’t self released this single.

Johnny Barnes was definitely “smokin’ that reefer” and “drinkin’ that wine” when he released “Steel Rail Blues” in 1976. The label states that you could order a copy of this 45 for by sending $1 to a PO Box in Boston and it’s the only record on the Brown Acid series that seems to be obtainable currently for about the same amount it was sold for over three decades ago. That said, it’s doubtful that it will remain so cheap for much longer. With a track as heavy as “Is There No Peace” it’s easy to let the name of the label on this 45 slide. In Chicago in 1970 PSLHRTZ seemed like as good a label name as any for the guys in Zendik to release this insane recording on. Halfway through the track you might be wondering to yourself, “How was this not a hit?”, and then you hear the lyrics to the last bit of the song and understand. Thank Christ for Zendik, even if he is dead. Well, there ya have it. Months worth of record digging and detective work for about 40 minutes worth of music. Some people might think this is a waste of time, but we don’t and we hope you don’t either. This is the stuff that makes life worth living, at least until the next Trip…

TRACK LISTING

1. Gold - No Parking
2. Heat Exchange - Inferno
3. Travis - Lovin You
4. Enoch Smoky - It's Cruel
5. Backwood Memory - Give Me Time
6. Flight - Luvin, Huggin & More
7. Truth & Janey - Midnight Horsemen
8. West Minst'r -My Life
9. Purgatory Polar Expedition
10. Johnny Barnes - Steele Rail Blues
11. Zendik - Is There No Peace 

If you thought we were getting close to the end of the Brown Acid series with our last Trip, you were dead wrong…we’re only just getting rolling. The well of privately released hard rock, heavy psych, and proto-metal 45s is deep and we are nowhere near tapped out. Most of these records were barely released and never properly distributed so they ain’t easy to find, but they’re out there if you’re willing to dig…and we aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty. Hard calluses have formed from handling the shovel and we’ve sifted through a lot of dirt, but we’ve dug up another ten tremendous records to share with all the heavy heads out there. This volume brings together eight insanely rare and skull-crushingly heavy 45s as well as two previously unreleased bangers. You may remember the Zekes’ jaw dropper “Box” from the First Trip. If you don’t, you better go back and refresh your memory, you stoner.

That song rips! And so does this previously unheard recording we legally obtained from the Beverly Hills records vaults. “Comin Back” is the longest tune we’ve yet to include on this series and it’s a full-on rager! The only surviving copy of this recording came to us on the original 1/4” master tape from Hollywood’s long-defunct Demars & Duffy Music. We did our best to preserve the recording and we think you’ll appreciate the rawness. There have been numerous groups named Bad Axe over the years, but the one you hear here is the baddest.

This five-piece fresh outta high school kicked out this jam (and a few others) in a Chicago studio in 1973 just for the hell of it. As a garage band, they were previously named The Burlington Express and they went on to be known as Bitch, but these dudes hit their stride as Bad Axe and “Coachman” is their crowning achievement. It went completely unreleased until 2014 when Permanent Records issued it and “Poor Man, Run” as a limited edition 45 with a killer picture sleeve. It’s long out-of-print and only obtainable now on Brown Acid. The rest of the records included on this volume vary in rarity, but at least two of them were virtually unknown until we discovered them. You’ll win the lottery before you find copies of all of the original 45s in even the best record stores. Many of the records included in this volume are owned only by the members of the bands and some of the band members don’t even have personal copies.

That’s just how hard these guys hit it back in the day! We’re lucky some of these guys are still alive and well enough to give us permission to use their masters. And for that, we thank them. And you, for all your support. Brown Acid is here to stay…as long as you’ll have us. Plug in, turn up, and freak out…this is what RocknRoll is all about.

TRACK LISTING

1. Kanaan 
2. Leave It Stone Garden 
3. Oceans Inside Me Headstones 
4. Carry Me On Wrath 
5. Rock N? Roll Fever Bungi 
6. Numbers Erving Forbush 
7. The Train Zekes 
8. Comin Back (previously Unreleased)
9. Bad Axe 
10. Coachman Ash 
11. Warrant Axas 
12. Lucifer

"Atrocity Exhibition" is an album of Danny Brown’s typically vigorous rap, paired with challenging production inspired by the work of Talking Heads and Joy Division. It sounds like nothing else from the past or present. Brown began work on "Atrocity Exhibition" in the summer of 2014, linking up with producer and frequent collaborator Paul White on the bulk of the album’s cuts. Other contributions come from producers like Evian Christ, Petite Noir (who also lends vocals to the world weary clang of ‘Rolling Stone’), Black Milk and the Alchemist, who lays down the beats for the masterful "Really Doe". Joined by Kendrick, Ab-Soul and Earl Sweatshirt, Brown goes wild over a killer rhythm track, resulting in the LP's stand out moment. 

TRACK LISTING

Downward Spiral
Tell Me What I Don’t Know
Rolling Stone (featuring Petite Noir)
Really Doe (featuring Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul & Earl Sweatshirt)
Lost
Ain’t It Funny
Goldust
White Lines
Pneumonia
Dance In The Water
From The Ground (featuring Kelela)
When It Rain
Today
Get Hi (featuring B-Real)
Hell For It

An absolute classic! The Stooges debut album sounded like nothing else when it was released in 1969. With a kind of Stones-ey swagger and a heavy dose of garage rock they also embraced the more experimental scene that was flourishing in NYC at the time, led by The Velvet Underground.
 
They had an energy and attitude that epitomised punk 7 years before punk was invented! Including "1969", "No Fun", "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "Real Cool Time", it's an album that still sounds as exciting and dynamic today.

TRACK LISTING

1 1969
2 I Wanna Be Your Dog
3 We Will Fall
4 No Fun
5 Real Cool Time
6 Ann
7 Not Right
8 Little Doll 

The first legit reissues of these rare, stellar LP's by DC-based singer/songwriter Bob Brown. Richie Havens took Bob under his wing, produced both albums, and released them on his Stormy Forest label distributed by MGM. Although they failed to make a commercial impact at the time, cosmic-folk enthusiasts and vinyl-heads have long placed these albums in high esteem alongside the works of exploratory greats like Tim Hardin and Tim Buckley. 

D'Angelo's debut album breathed new life into the mid-90s soul / R&B scene, taking inspiration from 70s soul classics, but reinvigorating the sound with hip hop swagger. Recorded using vintage instruments the album ushered in the more organic neo-soul sound, moving away from the crisp electronics of the late 80s / early 90s new jack swing era. Includes the smash hit "Brown Sugar" (has there been a better love song to Mary J?), a cover of Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'", or the bluesy "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker". A perfect after hours soul seduction album.

This is the first time 'Brown Sugar' has been reissued since 2006!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Brown Sugar 4:22
A2. Alright 5:15
A3. Jonz In My Bonz 5:56
B1. Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine 4:46
B2. Shit, Damn, Motherfucker 5:14
B3. Smooth 4:18
C1. Crusin' 6:28
C2. When We Get By 5:48
D1. Lady 5:47
D2. Higher 5:27

Future Brown are a crew comprised of producers / artists Daniel Pineda, Asma Maroof, Fatima Al Qadiri and J-Cush. The supergroup construct their sonic corridors by fitting together intangible obelisks collected through artistic community, collaboration and global travel.

From US regional rap mutations to UK grime, dancehall to reggaeton, Future Brown weave a deep, hallucinatory electronic aesthetic to reveal the innate connections between global street sounds.

Collaborators on the album include: Kelela, whose ‘Cut 4 Me’ mixtape won her praise from tastemaker press and artists alike, including Björk, Solange and Kendrick Lamar; Tink, currently working on her debut album with Timbaland and Andre 3000; Roachee, member of Roll Deep along with Wiley, Skepta and others; Rapid & Dirt Danger, founding members of East London’s Ruff Sqwad.

“A kind of gold standard for the global underground” - Pitchfork

Linden is Joe McAlinden, a name from the 90’s still much loved by his loyal aficionados. Joe was the main man in Superstar, a former Creation band, contemporaries and great friends with Teenage Fanclub. Joe grew up in Lanarkshire, was schoolboy pals with Norman Blake, with whom he used to listen to Orange Juice records. Following a self imposed hiatus, James Endeacott invited Joe into the AED fold. He is currently finishing off recording his album with Edwyn Collins and Sebastian Lewsley at West Heath Studios, due for release in early 2012. The album features Joe’s unique vocal style, lush arrangements and contributions from Paul Cook on drums and James Walbourne on guitar.

TRACK LISTING

A Side: Brown Bird Singing
AA Side: If I Had Wings

Subtitled "The Funky Side Of P&P Records", this box set feature seven super funky 45s, all packaged in one beautiful box. The two Ps, Peter Brown and Patrick Adams, are well known for the disco tracks they produced for their own P&P imprint, but this box set takes a look at the soul and funk 45s they cut for the label as well. Includes tracks by Eddie Owen, Wild Honey, Otis Turner And The Mighty Kingpins, Henry Brooks, Sons Of Darkness, and Ella Hamilton.

This release contains the finest songs the old man has ever committed to tape - a smorgasbord which encompasses expansive sonic meanderings, unselfconscious indie-rock thrashing, sad-eyed melodrama and the kind of wised-up humour we might expect from a statesman and scholar with such a track record, but which is a rarity in these youthquaking, moronically-earnest and docile times. Here we have George Washington Brown comprehensively topping his past endeavours, having created a truly cherishable thing - a humanistic modern record, a gift from one adventurer to others. For fans of Guided by Voices, Animal Collective, Van Dyke Parks and the Elephant 6 collective.

With influences ranging from Simon and Garfunkel, Jackson C. Frank, The Band, Spirit and Family to Funkadelic and Kraut-rock Findlay has a deep vein to mine for musical inspiration. These solo acoustic songs were recorded in the bedroom of his producer, Simon Lord, formerly the singer with psyche rockers Simian. They illustrate Fin's understanding of the craft of song-writing, an understanding he shares with the likes of David Crosby or Jose Gonzalez. Blessed with a voice that will inevitably melt hearts, Findlay drapes "Losing The Will To Survive" in lush vocal harmonies, reminiscent of a long lost classic. "I Will (Ghost Ship)" is a heart breakingly beautiful and intimate ballad. This is the first release on new label All Good Things, whose philosophy is to release accessible records big on personality, right across the musical genres.

Cheeky title, but what do you expect? This collects all his singles plus his two excellent collaborations with UNKLE. There's also three re-recorded, and far superior takes on a couple of B-sides and the gorgeous "Forever And A Day." As a romantic lover of the old '45' this is probably Ian's favourite LP that he's done. The photos and artwork are lush and the songs themselves are super-vibrant, catchy and groovy. If you only get one IB album then you better make it this. If you're a fan you'll be made-up with the new versions, and you can finally get to offload that dodgy second UNKLE LP!