Columbia Records and Legacy Recording, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Bob Dylan - The Complete Budokan 1978 on Friday, November 17.

A deluxe box set celebrating Bob Dylan's 1978 world concert tour and the 45th anniversary of the artist's first concert appearances in Japan, The Complete Budokan 1978 presents two full shows originally recorded on 24-channel multitrack analog tapes at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan Hall on February 28 and March 1, 1978 and offers fans 36 previously unreleased Dylan performances. The Complete Budokan 1978 will be available in 4CD, 8LP (Japan only) and digital configurations. 

The Bob Dylan World Tour 1978 marked the artist's first international concert dates since 1966 and his first live shows since the Rolling Thunder Revue blasted through North America in 1975-76. A major international musical event, the year-long tour found Bob Dylan performing 114 shows in Asia, Oceania, North America and Europe, to a combined audience of two million fans.

The tour launched in February 1978 with eleven historic performances: Dylan' first-ever concerts in Japan which included eight shows at the revered Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo. Two of the Budokan shows--February 28 and March 1, 1978--were recorded on 24-channel multi-track analog tape with 22 performances excerpted from those shows appearing on Bob Dylan At Budokan, a 2LP set first issued on Columbia Records as a Japan-only release in November 1978, followed by a global release in April 1979 in response to widespread demand. The Complete Budokan 1978 marks the first time any of Dylan's complete performances from his 1978 world tour have been officially available.

For his 1978 performances, Dylan (rhythm guitar, harmonica, vocals) led an ensemble featuring Billy Cross (lead guitar), Ian Wallace (drums), Alan Pasqua (keyboards), Rob Stoner (bass, vocals), Steven Soles (acoustic rhythm guitar, vocals), David Mansfield (pedal steel, violin, mandolin, guitar, dobro), Steve Douglas (saxophone, flute, recorder), Bobbye Hall (percussion), Helena Springs (vocals), Jo Ann Harris (vocals), and Debi Dye (vocals). The original Bob Dylan At Budokan album was produced by Don DeVito, who also helmed Dylan's Street-Legal, recorded and released during the 1978 world tour, featuring the same musicians.

According to Tetsuya Shiroki, co-producer of The Complete Budokan 1978, the newly restored, remixed and remastered recordings "…capture(s) two days of this history-making tour. Nothing has been removed or altered in any way."

Many individuals involved in the original Bob Dylan at Budokan album reunited for the new release. Under the supervision of Heckel Sugano, the CBS Sony product manager for Bob Dylan in Japan at the time, the engineer responsible for the 1978 recording has worked on the new 2023 remix using the original 24-channel multi-tapes, while the album cover showcases artwork by the same photographers as the original.

Chief engineer Tom Suzuki says, "We mixed the record with the keyword 'passion' in mind. The result is a mix that surpasses the original 1978 release, providing a crisper and clearer sound where each instrument and Bob Dylan's voice are distinctly audible."

Heckel Sugano says, "The completed album documents the remarkable sound of the legendary Budokan shows that are forever etched in history. We tried to faithfully reproduce the sound the Japanese audience would have heard in the concert hall.."

Presented in a luxurious deluxe box, The Complete Budokan 1978 includes newly remixed complete live recordings from the two Budokan concert dates featuring 36 previously unreleased tracks; facsimile memorabilia such as concert tickets, pamphlets, posters, and flyers; 60-page full-color photo book of previously unpublished photos of Dylan on-stage and behind-the-scenes at the airport, press conferences and more; exclusive liner notes. The 2LP Another Budokan 1978 features 16 previously unreleased tracks from the Budokan box.

In her liner essay for The Complete Budokan 1978, music critic Edna Gundersen notes that the original Bob Dylan At Budokan album "has undergone a sober reappraisal over the decades as consumers and critics grew to admire its adventurous arrangements and provocative performances." She heralds the new restored and remastered release, writing that "Captured at Budokan, Dylan is in good spirits and fully engaged. He sings with brio and urgency, his voice clear and melodic and his phrasing impeccable as ever....The band crackles with careening energy.... (Dylan) saw the stage as a proving ground that brought his tunes to life."

TRACK LISTING

Live At Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan - February 28, 1978
CD1
1. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall*　
2. Repossession Blues*
3. Mr. Tambourine Man*
4. I Threw It All Away*
5. Shelter From The Storm
6. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
7. Girl From The North Country*
8. Ballad Of A Thin Man*
9. Maggie's Farm*
10. To Ramona*
11. Like A Rolling Stone*
12. I Shall Be Released*
13. Is Your Love In Vain? *
14. Going, Going, Gone*
CD2
1. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *
2. Blowin' In The Wind*
3. Just Like A Woman*
4. Oh, Sister*
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. You're A Big Girl Now*
7. All Along The Watchtower*
8. I Want You*
9. All I Really Want To Do*
10. Tomorrow Is A Long Time*
11. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
12. Band Introductions*
13. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
14. Forever Young
15. The Times They Are A-Changin'
Live At Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – March 1, 1978
CD3
1. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall*
2. Love Her With A Feeling*
3. Mr. Tambourine Man
4. I Threw It All Away*
5. Love Minus Zero/No Limit*
6. Shelter From The Storm*
7. Girl From The North Country*
8. Ballad Of A Thin Man
9. Maggie's Farm
10. One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
11. Like A Rolling Stone
12. I Shall Be Released
13. Is Your Love In Vain?
14. Going, Going, Gone
CD4
1. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *
2. Blowin' In The Wind
3. Just Like A Woman
4. Oh, Sister
5. I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) *
6. You're A Big Girl Now*
7. All Along The Watchtower
8. I Want You
9. All I Really Want To Do
10. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
11. The Man In Me*
12. Band Introductions*
13. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)*
14. Forever Young*
15. The Times They Are A-Changin'*

*Previously Unreleased

A 2LP highlight edition of the 4CD box set, features 16 select unreleased live performances.

TRACK LISTING

Live At Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan - February 28, 1978
LP1 - Side A
1. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall　
2. Repossession Blues
3. Ballad Of A Thin Man
4. To Ramona
LP1 - Side B
1. Like A Rolling Stone
2. Blowin' In The Wind
3. All Along The Watchtower
4. Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Live At Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – March 1, 1978
LP2 - Side A
1. Love Her With A Feeling
2. I Threw It All Away
3. Girl From The North Country
4. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)
LP2 - Side B
1. I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
2. You're A Big Girl Now
3. The Man In Me
4. Forever Young

Time Out of Mind is the thirtieth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, originally released on September 30, 1997, through Columbia Records. For many fans and critics, the album marked Dylan's artistic comeback after he appeared to struggle with his musical identity throughout the 1980s; he had not released any original material since Under the Red Sky in 1990. Time Out of Mind is hailed as one of Dylan's best albums, and it went on to win three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year in 1998.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Love Sick
2. Dirt Road Blues
3. Standing In The Doorway
4. Million Miles
Side B
1. Tryin' To Get To Heaven
2. 'Til I Fell In Love With You
3. Not Dark Yet
Side C
1. Cold Irons Bound
2. Make You Feel My Love
3. Can't Wait
Side D
1. Highlands

Grace is the only studio album by American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, originally released on August 23, 1994, by Columbia Records. Featuring Buckley’s definitive cover of Hallelujah and frequently cited by critics as one of the greatest albums of all time.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Mojo Pin
2. Grace
3. Last Goodbye
4. Lilac Wine
5. So Real
Side B
1. Hallelujah
2. Lover, You Should've Come Over
3. Corpus Christi Carol
4. Eternal Life
5. Dream Brother

Leftism is the debut studio album by English electronic music duo (now solo project) Leftfield, originally released in 1995 on Columbia Records. It contained a mixture of new tracks along with reworked versions of previous Leftfield singles. The album contains guest spots from musicians not associated with dance music at the time such as John Lydon from Public Image Ltd. (and formerly of Sex Pistols) and Toni Halliday from Curve. The album was described as progressive house, although some journalists found that label too limiting, suggesting the album incorporated many genres.

On its release, the album was well received from the British press with positive reviews from the NME and Q. The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 1995. Critics have praised the album as one of the major album-length works of dance music, with Q referring to it as "the first truly complete album experience to be created by house musicians and the first quintessentially British one".

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Release The Pressure
2. Afro-Left
3. Melt
Side B
1. Song Of LIfe
2. Original
3. Black Flute
Side C
1. Space Shanty
2. Inspection (Check One)
3. Storm 3000
Side D
1. Open Up
2. 21st Century Poem

It Was Written is the second studio album by American rapper Nas, originally released on July 2, 1996, by Columbia Records. After the modest commercial success of his debut album Illmatic (1994), Nas pursued a more polished, mainstream sound for It Was Written. Produced largely by Trackmasters, it departed from the debut's raw, underground aesthetic and embraced mafioso and gangsta themes. The recording also marked the first appearance of Nas's short-lived supergroup The Firm, featuring the rappers Foxy Brown, AZ, and Cormega.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Album Intro
2. The Message
3. Street Dreams
4. I Gave You Power
Side B
1. Watch Dem Niggas
2. Take It In Blood
3. The Set Up
Side C
1. Black Girl Lost
2. Suspect
3. Shootouts
4. Nas Is Coming
Side D
1. Affirmative Action
2. Live Nigga Rap
3. If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)
4. Silent Murder

Dreamland is the debut studio album by Robert Miles. Originally released on 7 June 1996 to critical acclaim. The US version of the album which the NAD release replicates features the single “One and One” with Maria Nayler on vocals.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Children
2. Fable
3. Fantasya
Side B
1. Landscape
2. In My Dreams
Side C
1. Princess Of Light
2. Fable (Dream Version)
3. In The Dawn
Side D
1. One & One (Club Version) Feat. Maria Nayler
2. Children (Original Version)
3. Red Zone

Possibly the best 'break-up' album ever made, a heartfelt classic!

Bob Dylan was at several crossroads in the mid-1970s. Artistically, he was largely written off as being past his prime. Emotionally, he was suffering through a painful divorce from his then-wife Sara Lowndes. Creatively, he appeared at a stalemate, his previous decade’s unprecedented run of transformational brilliance finished. Then came Blood on the Tracks.

A start-to-finish cycle that documents a lover’s pursuit of, entanglement with, and loss of a woman, the bracingly intimate 1975 effort remains one of the most encompassing break-up albums ever made and ranks as the most personal statement of the Bard’s career. To hear it is to experience the agony, frustration, trauma, highs, lows, confusion, sadness, and, ultimately, requisite redemption associated with intimate relationships gone astray. Dylan maintains it’s a work of fiction, but it’s evident close-vested autobiographical premise is what helps make it universal: It’s the icon singing through tears, going out of his mind, battling hallowing emptiness, firing shots across the bow, and accepting culpability. It is, in short, a consummate expression of love’s darker sides and the consequences of what happens when dreams unravel.

For all the melancholic pain, unresolved questions, shattered memories, wasted times, unrequited dialogs, and weary regret within, Blood on the Tracks remains as daring as it is reflective. Rather than follow for a monotone caustic vibe, Dylan’s songs burrow into the subconscious for the manners in which they are even-keeled, mellow, and occasionally, even peaceful. Dignity, honor, poignancy, and fairness—all traits uncommon in any situation in which partners dissolve histories, change hearts, and attribute blame—instill the record with equilibrium on par with the consistency of the flowing melodies.

Throughout, tunes come on and proceed as if they could continue forever, Dylan spinning poetic verses and conversations amidst finely tied knots of acoustic notes, chords, and fills, the deceivingly simple architecture conjuring the intertwined refractions of a bezeled jewel, various angles, colors, and textures conjoining into a gorgeously inseparable whole. Backed by Tony Brown’s flexible albeit subtle bass, Buddy Cage’s country-streaked pedal-steel guitar, and Paul Griffin’s soul-baring organ—an instrument used to shadow, tuckpoint, and illuminate here as effectively as any time in rock history—Dylan pours soulful emotion, open his veins, and bleeds.

Shadow Kingdom presents Dylan performing revelatory 21st century versions of songs from his storied back catalog – including fan favorites like "Forever Young" and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," and deep catalog gems like "Queen Jane Approximately" and "The Wicked Messenger."

Originally reinterpreted for an exclusive streaming film event, which aired in July 2021, Shadow Kingdom will now be available on vinyl, CD, and streaming platforms for the first time. The album's setlist includes 13 original songs handpicked by Dylan for his Shadow Kingdom performance plus the closing instrumental, "Sierra's Theme."

TRACK LISTING

When I Paint My Masterpiece
Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)
Queen Jane Approximately
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
Tombstone Blues
To Be Alone With You
What Was It You Wanted
Forever Young
Pledging My Time
The Wicked Messenger
Watching The River Flow
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
Sierra's Theme

It's our lucky day, here we have a beautiful official repress of this soul classic by Freddie Hubbard, plucked out of the furthest reaches of the Columbia vaults. Lifted from Hubbard's lauded 1979 LP 'The Love Connection', this sublime piece of melodic, deep, soul / jazz will have ears and minds open with its instantly recognisable opening string sequence. Used to devastating effect on Pepe Bradock's all-time 1999 deep-house classic 'Deep Burnt', those sweeping strings capture us and lead us into a epic journey with the wondrous vocal stylings of the legendary singer Al Jarreau. This is prime early morning music, pushing all the right buttons and spreading light wherever it is played, a beautiful beautiful record indeed. What is essentially an extended and rearranged version of Hubbard's 1967 original, the '79 version of 'Little Sunflower' boasts a sumptuous arrangement and production from the mighty Claus Ogerman (Ben E King, Mel Torme, Bill Evans, Antonio Carlos Jobim & more). A truly wondrous piece of music, reissued on a single side in its full 12" length of 9+ minutes from the source archive audio.

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: On the off chance you've never been to a nightclub, I'll inform you that this was the jazz cut which Pepe Bradock flipped for the seminal deep house anthem “Deep Burnt”. Thing is, even though it spawned the essential deep house track, it's actually better in its original form...

TRACK LISTING

A. Little Sunflower
B. Little Sunflower

'Off The Wall' was a massive success, spawning four Top Ten hits (two of them number ones), but nothing could have prepared Michael Jackson for 'Thriller'. Nobody could have prepared anybody for the success of 'Thriller', since the magnitude of its success was simply unimaginable - an album that sold 40 million copies in its initial chart run, with seven of its nine tracks reaching the Top Ten - "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "The Girl Is Mine", "Thriller", "Beat It", "Billie Jean", "Human Nature" and "PYT (Pretty Young Thing)". This was a record that had something for everybody, building on the basic blueprint of 'Off The Wall' by adding harder funk, hard rock, softer ballads, and smoother soul - expanding the approach to have something for every audience. It's all Thriller, no filler!

Only The Strong Survive is the new album from Bruce Springsteen, and his first new album since 2020’s Letter To You. The album is a collection of soul music gems, that celebrate the legendary songbooks of Gamble and Huff, Motown, Stax and many more.

Only The Strong Survive features vocals from Springsteen and instrumentation primarily from his longtime producer Ron Aniello. The album also features guest vocals from Sam Moore, as well as contributions from The E Street Horns, full string arrangements by Rob Mathes and backing vocals from Soozie Tyrell, Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore, Curtis King Jr., Fonzi Thornton and Dennis Collins. 

TRACK LISTING

CD TRACKLIST:
Only The Strong Survive
Soul Days Feat. Sam Moore
Nightshift
Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore
Turn Back The Hands Of Time
When She Was My Girl
Hey, Western Union Man
I Wish It Would Rain
Don’t Play That Song
Any Other Way
I Forgot To Be Your Lover Feat. Sam Moore
7 Rooms Of Gloom
What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
Someday We’ll Be Together

VINYL TRACKLIST:
DISC 1, SIDE A
Only The Strong Survive
Soul Days Feat. Sam Moore
Nightshift
Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore
DISC 1, SIDE B
Turn Back The Hands Of Time
When She Was My Girl
Hey, Western Union Man
I Wish It Would Rain
Don’t Play That Song
DISC 2, SIDE C
Any Other Way
I Forgot To Be Your Lover Feat. Sam Moore
7 Rooms Of Gloom
What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
Someday We’ll Be Together
DISC 2, SIDE D
ETCHING

Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah & Songs from His Albums is the first-ever official, career spanning album from songwriter, musician, poet, novelist, and visual artist Leonard Cohen. Comprised of 17 classic tracks from Cohen’s expansive career, this anthology features an unreleased and unforgettable live performance of “Hallelujah” from the 2008 Glastonbury Festival. The album is inspired by the new documentary, Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen a Journey, a Song.

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A 
1 Hallelujah (Live At Glastonbury)
2 Suzanne 
3 Bird On The Wire 
4 Famous Blue Raincoat
SIDE B
1 Chelsea Hotel #2 
2 Who By Fire 
3 Dance Me To The End Of Love
4 I'm Your Man  
SIDE C
1 Anthem
2 The Future
3 In My Secret Life
4 Recitation W/ N.L. (Live In London)
SIDE D
1 Show Me The Place
2 Come Healing
3 You Got Me Singing
4 You Want It Darker
5 Thanks For The Dance

Kasabian make a most welcome return this summer with a series of must see shows, armed with a high-octane new album fuelled by their trademark swagger. New single ‘Scriptvre’ arrives in the wake of their snappy track ‘Alygatyr’ and heralds a brave new world from Serge’s magic kingdom.

Produced by Serge Pizzorno and Fraser T Smith, mixed by Spike Stent and written by Serge, ‘Scriptvre’ is one of the many standout tracks on their eagerly anticipated new album ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’. Serge says: ‘Scriptrve is about rewriting the story you tell yourself. Editing your own script’. Of the new album, Kasabian’s seventh, he adds: “One thing about this record I feel over the other ones, is it definitely feels like a body of work that belongs together. It was a beautiful moment in mastering hearing it as a piece. I think it really holds up in our seven albums….The Magnificent Seven”.

Originally released in May 1982, ‘Combat Rock’ is the final album from The Clash of Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon. Featuring two of the band’s most well-known songs, ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’ and ‘Rock The Casbah’. Now re-released as a 180g 3LP special edition and a 2CD special edition, with an additional 12-tracks compiled by The Clash.

Having returned to London following their pivotal 17-show residency at New York’s Bond’s Casino in 1981, the band rehearsed and recorded at The People’s Hall in the squatted Republic of Frestonia near Latimer Road in London and from there they embarked on a tour of the East and South East Asia, during which the album sleeve image was captured by Pennie Smith in Thailand.

The tracks on ‘The People’s Hall’ chart the period from what was their last single Radio Clash right up to the release of Combat Rock, including unheard, rare and early versions of tracks.

TRACK LISTING

Combat Rock - SIDE A
Know Your Rights
Car Jamming
Should I Stay Or Should I Go
Rock The Casbah
Red Angel Dragnet
Straight To Hell
Combat Rock - SIDE B
Overpowered By Funk
Atom Tan
Sean Flynn
Ghetto Defendant
Inoculated City
Death Is A Star
The People’s Hall - SIDE A
Outside Bonds
Radio Clash
Futura 2000
The People’s Hall - SIDE B
First Night Back In London
Radio One - Mikey Dread
He Who Dares Or Is Tired*
Long Time Jerk
The Fulham Connection [aka The Beautiful People Are Ugly Too]
The People’s Hall - SIDE C
Midnight To Stevens
Sean Flynn
Idle In Kangaroo Court
Know Your Rights*
NB: SIDE D IS BLANK

*Previously Unreleased

30 is the first new music from Adele since the release of her third studio album 25 in November 2015. The album is produced with former collaborators Greg Kurstin, Max Martin and Shellback and Tobias Jesso Jr., as well as new collaborators Inflo and Ludwig Goransson.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Adele is back! This time following her naming convention from 21 and 25, bringing in a more mature and thematically rich selection of heartfelt balladry on the wonderful '30'. It's not particularly my cup of tea, granted but there's no denying she's a hugely talented and important artist and this is definitely the best work of her career.

Tyler, The Creator returns with his highly anticipated 6th studio album ‘CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST’ with features from Pharrell Williams, Brent Faiyaz and Lil Wayne. The album includes the previously-released songs "LUMBERJACK" and "WUSYANAME" as well as "JUGGERNAUT”.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Interesting fact: Tyler, The Creator is probably our most requested rapper, in person over-the-counter anyway. The kids love 'im! And so do we, as the ingenious lyricist returns with another sprawling epic.

TRACK LISTING

SIR BAUDELAIRE (feat. DJ Drama)
CORSO
LEMONHEAD (feat. 42 Dugg)
WUSYANAME (feat. Youngboy Never Broke Again & Ty Dolla $ign)
LUMBERJACK
HOT WIND BLOWS (feat. Lil Wayne)
MASSA
RUNITUP (feat. Teezo Touchdown)
MANIFESTO (feat. Domo Genesis)
SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE (feat. Brent Faiyaz & Fana Hues)
MOMMA TALK
RISE! (feat. Daisy World)
BLESSED
JUGGERNAUT (feat. Lil Uzi Vert & Pharrell Williams)
WILSHIRE
SAFARI

The latest chapter in Columbia/Legacy's highly acclaimed Bob Dylan Bootleg Series revisits an often-forgotten, rich vein in Dylan’s vast and complex catalog, shining fresh light on the provocative new musical directions Dylan was taking as a songwriter and a recording artist from 1980 through 1985. In the early 1980s, while the music industry was grappling with the arrival of new trends and technology, from MTV to compact discs to digital recording, Bob Dylan was writing and recording new songs for a new decade, creating an essential new chapter in his studio catalog. Bob Dylan - Springtime In New York (1980-1985) celebrates the rich creative period surrounding Dylan's albums Shot Of Love, Infidels, and Empire Burlesque with previously unreleased outtakes, alternate takes, rehearsal recordings, live performances and more. 

The third album from Grammy award winner Leon Bridges and it's a suitably sunny, soulful and sumptious affiar. With beautifully flowing, organic song writing, complimented by lush and live instrumental tracks; it's got green gardens, sizzling BBQs and long hot sexy nights eminating off practically every single track! The production is sublime - balancing the traditional instrumentation with just a flurry of electronic umph; adding a brand new sheen and energy to what could easily, otherwise, be mistaken for a classic late 70s soul album. 

Opening with a juicy collaboration with Robert Glasper, the album drips effortlessly through its opening quarter, a delicate mix of jazz-informed drumming, picked guitar lines and a liquid gold, syrupy deliver from Bridges. "Steam" arrives, three tracks in with a resplendent chorus and subtle, anthemic qualities.

Opening side B with the title track, garnished with fluffy horns and a slo-mo MPC beat it's an instrumental side akin to some of Madlib's more laid back beats. Thankfully the LP shows little willing to get carried away; sitting beauitfully nestled on a nearly-horizontal plane; sun lounge angle let's say. With soulful droplets woozing languidly off the record, there's little to worry about other than the temperature of your margarita in the sunshine... It's rather something special indeed; intimate, unhurried, as fragile as a flower and simply perfect for timeless and serene afternoon in the garden. Recommended! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Beautifully bridging the gap between traditional soul and more modern beat-heavy electronic music, 'Gold-Diggers Sound' brilliantly illustrates Bridges' unparalleled ability as a songwriter and mastery of his wonderfully understated and horizontally cool output. An exciting and fitting follow-up to his excellend collaborative LP with Khruangbin and 2018's wonderful 'Good Thing'.

TRACK LISTING

1.Born Again (feat. Robert Glasper)
2.Motorbike
3.Steam
4.Why Don’t You Touch Me
5.Magnolias
6.Gold-Diggers (Junior’s Fanfare)
7.Details
8.Sho Nuff
9.Sweeter (feat. Terrace Martin)
10.Don’t Worry (feat. Ink)
11.Blue Mesas

Brock’s newfound bruised optimism sent the album that the single appeared on, 2004’s ‘Good News For People Who Love Bad News’, into the stratosphere, turning the local yokels from America’s Pacific Northwest into Platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated titans of the ‘00s indie scene. It’s a mindset that the six-piece also explore on their seventh record, ‘The Golden Casket’, albeit with the good news dialled up and the bad news dialled down.

The album is a masterful psychedelic patchwork, bouncing between eerie soundscapes (opener ‘Fuck Your Acid Trip’), knotty post-punk (‘Walking And Running’) and maximalist pop melody (the ludicrously good fun ‘The Sun Hasn’t left’). Sometimes they combine all three elements on the same song, as on turbo-charged indie anthem ‘We Are Between’, the album’s massive lead single.

In a recent interview with NME, the 45-year-old frontman explained that ‘The Golden Casket’ was inspired by both domestic bliss – he’s had two children since the last Modest Mouse album, 2015’s less accessible ‘Strangers To Ourselves’ – and his general baked-in pessimism: “I don’t think shit’s gonna get easier for everyone… [But] I just had to kinda look at that and find a way to make it sound OK.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: This sounds like Classic Modest Mouse, catchy guitar riffs and Brock's recognisable vocal talents, but there are moments here of typically odball MM behaviour (thank goodness), with blipping synth lines and angular, sudden stylistic shifts. It's been a long five years, but the result is entirely worth it. A brilliantly bright and wonderfully fun record.

Rag’n’Bone Man’s 2017 landmark debut Human was a phenomenal success. Shooting straight to No.1 upon release in the UK, the 4x Platinum record became the fasted-selling album by a male artist that decade, earning him both BRIT and Ivor Novello Awards.

Fast forwarding a few years, he travelled to Nashville to write and record what would become Life By Misadventure. The bulk of the album was produced and recorded by Grammy Award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Elizondo at his studio. Longtime collaborators Ben Jackson-Cook (keys, co-songwriter and co-producer of the album), Bill Banwell (bass and co-songwriter) and Desri Ramus (backing vocals) are joined by drummer Daru Jones and guitarist Wendy Melvoin on the record. One song was even recorded in Rag’n’Bone Man’s garage!

STAFF COMMENTS

Martin says: it's been a long time coming but this newest Rag 'n Bone man release sees all of the clever wordplay and superb songwriting that I went absolutely batshit for on 2017's 'Human'. I will DEFINTIELY be unlockig my hips and getting down to this one.

TRACK LISTING

1. Fireflies
2. Breath In Me
3. Fall In Love Again
4. Talking To Myself
5. Anywhere Away From Here
6. Alone
7. Crossfire
8. All You Ever Wanted
9. Changing Of The Guard
10. Somewhere Along The Way
11. Time Will Only Tell
12. Lightyears
13. Party’s Over
14. Old Habits

In 1994, hip-hop was going through an at-times painful growth spurt. Since NWA’s and Ice-T’s ascent in the late 80s, the rap game was no longer owned by the East Coast. After the worldwide popularity of Dr. Dre’s ‘The Chronic’ in 1992, things were looking even worse for hip-hop’s hometown. The East Coast / West Coast feud that would later indirectly claim the lives of Biggie and 2Pac was still in its infancy, but New York needed a shot in the arm. The hype behind young Queensbridge native Nasir “Nas” Jones had been in full swing months before his smash debut album ‘Illmatic’, thanks to Columbia Records’ promo machine. From his earliest appearance on Main Source’s ‘Live At The BBQ’, to his own accomplished debut ‘Half Time’ (as Nasty Nas, in late 1992), it was clear that this kid was something special. In fact, the pressure on him must have been overwhelming at times. April 19, 1994 couldn’t have come soon enough. And as soon as the first lines of ‘NY State Of Mind’ kick in, bolstered by perhaps DJ Premier’s darkest beat of all time, the entire East Coast breathed a collective sigh of relief. God’s Son had arrived.

Backed by an absolute all-star cast of New York’s top-shelf producers - Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Q-Tip and a youngster named LES - the album never lets up. Serious to a fault, and lyrically dense to an extent that has possibly never been matched, the 20-year old Nas stood on the shoulders of his predecessors and proudly proclaimed, “Don’t f*** with the East… we are BACK”. ‘Illmatic’ was actually a slow-burn, which might surprise fans that have come to its genius more recently. Despite an unheard-of “5 Mics” rating in The Source – breaking an unwritten rule of never awarding classic status to debuts - it didn’t go gold until early 1996, and didn’t hit platinum status until late 2001. But when you dive deeper that shouldn’t be a shock: like Black Moon and Wu-Tang’s debuts, it was a dark, hard record, made for heads in New York, not teeny-boppers in Des Moines. There were no dance beats, no crossover love songs. Just boom-bap and rhymes, skills and heart.

TRACK LISTING

The Genesis
NY State Of Mind
Life's A Bitch
The World Is Yours
Halftime
Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)
One Love
One Time 4 Your Mind
Represent
It Ain't Hard To Tell

"Some Rap Songs" is the follow-up to 2015’s critically acclaimed "I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside". In the New Year of 2018, Earl promised the release of new music on Twitter, which would bring an end to his close to 4 year absence from the rap game.

After performing multiple unreleased tracks during live shows, and following a personally rough year for the rapper, including the death of his father, Keorapetse Kgositsile, Earl indicated on social media that new music was imminent as we neared the closure of 2018.

During the first week of November, Earl’s social media pages released three daily videos, each featuring complex visuals and snippets of forthcoming audio, strongly believed to be linked to the forthcoming album, with the final video confirming an upcoming single titled “Nowhere2go.”

The album was finally announced on Earl’s Instagram account, after having released the second single for the album, “The Mint.” Fans will not be disappointed: his distinctive, effortless drawl winding through suffocated, sweltering beats; taking cues from the stop-start, cut-n-paste ethic of Madlib and with a similar, trunk-boppin' weight in the low end. Infact, it's this attention to the low end that I guess sets it apart from the two albums which precede it, which tended to be lo-fi in nature and somewhat tailored towards headphone listening. This new album is gonna BANG in the jeep or the club, while his lyrical content is as on point and as poignant as ever; immediately introspective, cryptic and littered with observation. In short, there's no one quite like Earl, and "Some Rap Songs" sees the troubled rapper working through his trials and tribulations with an honest, analytical and at times heartfelt methodology. A masterpiece!

TRACK LISTING

1. Shattered Dreams 
2. Red Water 
3. Cold Summers 
4. Nowhere2go 
5. December 24 
6. Ontheway! (Ft. Standing On The Corner) 
7. The Mint (Ft. Navy Blue) 
8. The Bends 
9. Loosie 
10. Azucar 
11. Eclipse 
12. Veins 
13. Playing Possum (Ft. Cheryl Harris & Keorapetse Kgositsile) 
14. Peanut 
15. Riot! 

"Welcome Oblivion" is the debut album on Columbia Records, by post-industrial group How To Destroy Angels who are fronted by 'Nine Inch Nails' main-man Trent Reznor.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Wake-Up
2. Keep It Together
3. And The Sky Began To Scream
4. Welcome Oblivion
5. Ice Age
6. On The Wing
7. Too Late, All Gone
8. How Long?
9. Strings And Attractors
10. We Fade Away
11. Recursive Self-improvement
12. The Loop Closes
13. Hallowed Ground

Collaborating once again with legendary producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Tom Petty), "Home Before Dark" is a vivid 12 track masterclass in compelling songwriting and the follow up to 2005's highly acclaimed "12 Songs". "Home Before Dark" features twelve original songs written by Neil Diamond and was recorded in Los Angeles with guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench (from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), along with bassist/acoustic guitarist Smokey Hormel and guitarist Matt Sweeney. Highlights on the album are many, including the stunning lead single "Pretty Amazing Grace" and a striking duet with the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines on "Another Day (That Time Forgot)".