The latest mini LP from Coyote sees them continue to explore the realms of emotionally charged electronic music. From dreamy horizontal soothers to more ecstatic uplifting refrains. 'Both Gone' is an embrace from the sun as it sets gently into the horizon, 'People Take It' is an early afternoon watching the shimmering sea with a mint tea, 'We Got Lost' is a cautioning tale to all, 'Beltane' a celebratory Pagan dub, 'Show Me' is a poolside midday smiler, 'Cirrus' is an ecstatic sunrise anthem. So hurry up, and Live!

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Is It Balearic? It is a bit Balearic, yeah but it's not the sort of dreamy barely-there Balearic that sends me into an inattentive dream, it's brave and imaginative electronic music that conjurs the feeling of a beachside bar on a sunny day, in the Balearic islands.

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. "Both Gone"
2. "People Take It Too Seriously"
3. "We Got Lost"

Side 2
1. "Beltane"
2. "Show Me"
3. "Cirrus"

Running elbows in quick from the City of the Big Shoulders with Wake Up Applauding. Delivered loudly, dripping in unintelligible menace with the occasional flash of dark humor, their bathtub mixture of dope-sick guitars claws at your purse, ramming into an unhealthy sense of propulsion and repetition that seems chemical, unreal.

This is villains-plotting-evil kinda punk, mutants in the sewers emerging and wreaking havoc… Mothra shorting out high-voltage power lines and melting, screaming, onto a fleeing populace. Corrosive, driving, repetitive, pissed off, these guys deliver that evil cruisin’ vibe, tight and pushing 100 but with just a rotted off stump of a hand grossing everyone out and shifting gears.

TRACK LISTING

1. Reclaimed Would
2. Jason Polak
3. Speed Camera
4. No Wave Jose
5. Interlude A
6. We Never Close
7. Ghost Bag
8. Fucktown Reality
9. Interlude B
10. Wake Up Applauding
11. Art Seen

A.R. Kane were formed in 1986 by Rudy Tambala and Alex Ayuli, two second-generation immigrants who grew up together in Stratford, East London. From the off the pair were outsiders in the culturally mixed (cockney/Irish/West Indian/Asian) milieu of the East End, with Alex and Rudy’s folks first generation immigrants from Nigeria and Malawi, respectively. The two of them quickly developed and fostered an innate and near-telepathic mutual understanding forged in musical, literary and
artistic exploration. Like a lot of second-generation immigrants, they were ferocious autodidacts in all kinds of areas, especially around music and literature. Diving deep into the music of afro-futurist luminaries such as Sun Ra, Miles Davis, Lee Perry and Hendrix, as well as devouring the explorations of lysergic noise and feedback from contemporaries like Sonic Youth and Butthole Surfers, they also thoroughly immersed themselves in the alternate literary realities of sci-fi and ancient history (the fascination with the arcane that gave the band their name), all to feed their voracious cultural thirsts and intellectual curiosity.

It was seeing the Cocteau Twins performing on Channel 4 show the Tube that spurred A.R. Kane into being - “They had no drummer. They used tapes and technology and Liz Fraser looked completely otherworldly with those big eyes. And the noise coming out of Robin’s guitar! That was the ‘Fuck! We could do that!

The duo debuted with the astonishing ‘When You’re Sad’ single for One Little Indian in 1986. Immediately dubbed a ‘black Jesus & Mary Chain’ by a press unsure of WHERE to put a black band clearly immersed in feedback and noise, what was immediately apparent for listeners was just how much more was going on here – a tapping of dub’s stealth and guile, a resonant umbilicus back to fusion and jazz, the music less a conjuration of past highs than a re-summoning of lost spirits.

The run of singles and EPs that followed picked up increasingly rapt reviews in the press, but it was the ‘Up Home EP’ released in 1988 on their new home, Rough Trade that really suggested something immense was about to break. SimonReynolds noted the EP was: Their most concentrated slab of iridescent awesomeness and a true pinnacle of an era that abounded with astounding landmarks of guitar-reinvention, A.R. Kane at their most elixir-like.

If anything, the remastered ‘Up Home’ is even more dazzling, even more startling than it was when it first emerged, and listening now you again wonder not just about how many bands christened ‘shoegaze’ tried to emulate it, but how all of them fell so far short of its lambent, pellucid wonder. This remains intrinsically experimental music but with none of the frowning orthodoxy those words imply. A.R. Kane, thanks to that second generation auto-didacticism were always supremely aware about the interstices of music and magic, but at the same time gloriously free in the way they explored that connection within their own sound, fascinated always with the creation of ‘perfect mistakes’ and the possibilities inherent in informed play. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Baby Milk Snatcher
2. W.O.G.S
3. One Way Mirror
4. Up

‘Make It Up’ is the long player follow up to FEET’s debut album ‘What’s Inside Is More Than Just Ham’ which catapulted them into the indie-rock spotlight in 2019. Crowd pleasing thrillers such as ‘Petty Thieving’, ‘the anthemic ‘English Weather’ and more recent crowd favourite ‘Changing My Mind Again’ have solidified the band as one of the most exciting guitar acts on the scene.

‘Make It Up’ distils the FEET of old with a fine-tuned, cohesive, and compelling new output that builds on the sonic DNA of their debut, while effortlessly taking it to the next level.

“There’s no throw away ideas on this album and everything has to have its place. It has to be ironed out and perfected,” explains frontman George Haverson. “I don’t like to say polished, but it is perfected to a point where everything can be done in its fullest form. I feel like we’ve got 12 complete songs on this album and not 12 ideas. We’ve made the FEET machine and now it’s a case of inserting the right idea and the output is a great song. Before, it felt a bit more like we were throwing shit at the wall. This time round, everything feels a bit more refined.”

“Being in a band is a big chunk of time in your life, but this is a choice we all make, and we don’t ever have to even think about coming back to FEET. It’s like our child, really, and we’re all the surrogate fathers of this band! That keeps us together, this desire to create and make something that’s truly great.”

TRACK LISTING

1. Better Than Last
2. The Real Thing
3. I’m Wrong
4. Greasy Boy
5. Why Would I Lie
6. Truly Awful
7. Sit Down
8. No Vision
9. When You’re Feeling Strange
10. Bullseye
11. On The Wire
12. Goodbye (So Long, Farewell)

A live performance of the "Ragged Glory" album, recorded at a club in Toronto in 2023

“Why do these old songs live so vividly now? They do to me.”

Neil Young with Crazy Horse in all their “Ragged Glory”.

Neil & The Horse have played together for over 50 years and the performances of these songs is a true highlight of that long relationship.

9 songs over 2LPs with the original song titles replaced with selected lyrics. (“Farmer John”, being a cover, retains its original title.)

The album was recorded in 2023, with this line-up:

Billy Talbot – Bass, vocal
Ralph Molina – Drums, vocal
Micah Nelson – Guitar, vocal, piano
Nils Lofgren – Guitar, vocal, piano
Neil Young – Guitar, vocal, harmonica

Neil: “In the spirit it’s offered…made this for the Horse lovers. I can’t stop it. The horse is runnin’. What a ride we have. I don’t want to mess with the vibe. I am so happy to have this to share.”

TRACK LISTING

1. City Life
2. Feels Like A Railroad (River Of Pride)
3. Heart Of Steel
4. Broken Circle
5. Valley Of Hearts
6. Farmer John
7. Walkin' In My Place (Road Of Tears)
8. To Follow One's Own Dream
9. Chance On Love

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.

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.

Gatefold jacket, green / smoke coloured vinyl. Coloured vinyl version of the cult classic movie.

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.

Taken from Paul Weller's upcoming seventeenth studio album. Available on transparent red 7" vinyl.

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.

This is a live performance of the "Ragged Glory" album, recorded at a club in Toronto in 2023

Iconic UK indie band Flowered Up, seen as London’s answer to Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses, reissue their debut album ‘A Life With Brian’ (from 1991) via London Records. The reissue follows a BFI documentary on the video of ‘Weekender’ and it’s legendary status in UK club culture of the time. The album remastering was overseen by Flowered Up keyboard player Tim Dorney.

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklist:

A1. Sunshine
A2. Take It
A3. Crackerjack
A4. Mr Happy Reveller
A5. Hysterically Blue
B1. It's On
B2. Silver Pan
B3. Phobia
B4. Egg Rush
B5. Doris... Is A Little Bit Partial
C1. Weekender
D2. Weekender - Weatherall’s Weekender (Audrey Is A Little Bit Partial Mix)

CD Tracklist:

CD1
1. Sunshine
2. Take It
3. Crackerjack
4. Mr Happy Reveller
5. Hysterically Blue
6. It’s On
7. Silver Pan
8. Phobia
9. Egg Rush
10. Doris…..Is A Little Bit Partial
11. Weekender – Original Version
12. Weatherall’s Weekender (Audrey Is A Little Bit Partial Mix)

CD2
1. Weekender (BTWS Re-Animation)
2. It’s On (Feel Pain Mix)
3. Phobia (Paranoid Mix)
4. I’ll Be Your Dog
5. Take It (Pure Sexy Dub)
6. Flapping
7. Crackerjack – Clive Langer Version
8. Don’t Talk Just Kiss
9. Better Life
10. Take It (Edge Of The Box Mix)
11. Weatherall’s Weekender (Audrey Is A Little Bit More Partial Mix)
12. Crackerjack – Everyone You Know Naughty Remix

Experience the rebirth Of Jim Spencer’s musical vision through Piya Malik’s captivating rendition in say she she’s limited 45 rpm edition of ‘Wrap Myself Up’. Malik’s artistry infuses fierce elegance into the original tune, honoring spencer’s legacy, with spencer himself featured on the B-side.

TRACK LISTING

1. Say She She - Wrap Myself Up In Your Love
2. Jim Spencer - Wrap Myself Up In Your Love

With time, we come to understand the way the joy of connection is mirrored by the void of loss, how the constancy of love is matched only by the impermanence of life, the simple idea that we could not create light if we did not risk the dark—we’d never need to.

So it is with METZ, a band once known for blowing out eardrums with songs of joyous rage who have, over their past few records, begun exploring ways to turn abrasiveness into atmospherics, the evolution of their sound not only a reflection of the maturing of the band themselves but also of a changed world that demands nuance and compassion to comprehend and to survive.

It was a journey already underway on 2020’s Atlas Vending, but one that reaches new heights on Up On Gravity Hill, where the Canadian trio creates a kaleidoscopic sonic world as tender as it is dark, aided once again by engineer Seth Manchester (Mdou Moctar, Lingua Ignota, Battles, The Body). Deep, detailed, and unyieldingly personal, it is not only METZ’s most powerful record to date but also their most beautiful.

Still three punks from Ontario at heart, guitarist and vocalist Alex Edkins, drummer Hayden Menzies, and bassist Chris Slorach waste no time as opener “No Reservation/Love Comes Crashing” sweeps in like a wave, sonically and thematically setting the scene for the record to come. A dynamic song about feeling suspended in stasis, layers of dissonance melt into a restlessly heady outro marked by escalating crescendos of shimmering noise that reach for the stars—and is that a violin quivering brightly beneath those elegant swells of guitar, those charging drum fills, those intricate bass lines? It is indeed, courtesy of composer Owen Pallett; his presence an immediate indicator that METZ are thinking more cinematically than ever before.

The change is partially inspired by Edkins’ work as a scorer for film and television and his pop-leaning solo project, Weird Nightmare, where, he says, he learned to write more intuitively, letting his emotions lead the way. But make no mistake: Up On Gravity Hill is a total band effort, the work of three musicians who have been playing together for over a decade, with all the trust that entails.

For those who believe in the power of the rock band to exemplify the highest resonance of human connection, there is much on Up On Gravity Hill to lift the spirit, a puzzle worth repeated listening to unlock or just to get lost in again and again. Rather than the music being flattened into a single plane, the band explores “the space above the cymbals,” resulting in some of the most spacious, sympathetic, and accessible songs—could we call them pop?—of their career. If this seems contradictory, well, METZ has always been something of a contradiction. “We’ve never been heavy enough for metal or hardcore purists, but we're way too heavy for indie rock. We just don't have a lane—and that's okay. We exist outside the lines of delineation. I think this record is even more like that,” says Edkins.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Thumping percussion and soaring guitars, beneath a shoegaze-indebted wall of sound and Edkins' snarling, harmonised vocal on top. It's an absorbing and perfectly paced punky blast.

TRACK LISTING

1. No Reservation / Love Comes Crashing
2. Glass Eye
3. Entwined (Street Light Buzz)
4. 99
5. Superior Mirage
6. Wound Tight
7. Never Still Again
8. Light Your Way Home

Ponyland are a psychedelic punk, force of nature, a multi-limbed monster of scuzzed-out riffs and thunderous ritualistic grooves. Combining the grinding onslaught of Lightning Bolt, the ecstatic spectacle of Sun Ra and the irreverent spirit of System of a Down, this unhinged, masked menagerie have to be seen to be believed. Intoxicating rhythms meet hook driven waves of riffage, with ecstatic energy that will make your legs rattle uncontrollably.

Following on from their debut album Mora Mora, this new full length LP HARE BRAINS sees Ponyland embrace a new edge to their visionary sound world. Keeping the trademark, pulverising double drum kit engine and fuzz-drenched psychedelic soundscapes, the band have supercharged their songwriting with focused riff-based hooks and driving punk-edged vigour. Prominent female vocals channel Bikini Kill and Warpaint, whilst gritty, melted electronics flow around a classic thrashing guitar sound. Hare Brains is a celebration of dysfunction, a call to arms against human apathy, a psychotropic odyssey of eroded power structures, post-apocalyptic landscapes and mutant pigeons.

The anarchic pagan ecology of Ponyland’s vision grabs the listener and catapults them into a visceral NOW, full of defiant life, movement, and human connection.

TRACK LISTING

A SIDE
1. The Zone
2. Giant Mutant Pigeon
3. Happy Hare Core
4. Ritual

B SIDE
5. Chum
6. Do It All Again
7. Washer Spacer
8. Dysfunctional

Charlie Ingui a veteran blued eyed soul singer who formed the band The Soul Survivors In the 60's is back with a brand new single.

'Wake Up Old World' is a song about making the world a better place.

Charlie explains 'This has always been a theme in our songs inspired very much by our collaboration with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff of Philadelphia International Records whose songs like "Love Train" and "Love Is The Message" had a positive and spiritually uplifting message.'

In 1967, Charlie Ingui formed the band The Soul Survivors. They scored a #2 record with Gamble and Huff' first major hit with the song "Express Way To Your Heart.' They were a bunch of hoods from The Lower East Side of New York.

They were part of the same scene in NY with The Rascals, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, The Soul Survivors, The Vanilla Fudge, and many other Blue Eyed Soul Bands that paved the way for folks like Hall and Oates.

Originally they were a trio and had a third singer, Kenny Jeramiah, who went on to have success in Atlantic City.

They went on to have several other great records. The first was in 1969 with Muscle Shoals producer. Rick Hall. The Swampers with Duane Allman played on that one. In 1974, Gamble and Huff got a custom CBS label – Philadelphia International Music and signed the Soul Survivors once again. They made a fantastic record with their amazing band, Charlie and Richie Ingui, John "Beedo"Dzubak The amazing Fred Beckmeier on bass. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Wake Up Old World
2. Movin' In Love's Direction'

'Up To The Glass' is a delicate exploration of finding yourself in your twenties against a backdrop of love, self-acceptance and loss. Morgan Harper-Jones explores her emotions through confessional narratives and soaring dream-pop soundscapes on her debut album. Quickly becoming one of the UKs most exciting new voices, featuring four tracks in the global #1 Netflix film 'Love At First Sight' at the end of 2023 at reaching #8 in the global Shazam charts.

“My favourite moments in other people’s songs are where it feels like someone has just reached through the speaker or headphones and grabbed my hand and said: ‘Hey don’t worry, you’re normal – I feel that too.’ I hope above anything else that my songs can be that for someone else too.”

The idea that writing & distilling my own (sometimes overwhelming) emotions and experiences into a 3 minute moment might bring someone some comfort, help someone feel or express something, understand themselves more deeply or just feel like they aren’t alone is really the most important motivation for me to share what I’m writing.” - Morgan Harper-Jones

TRACK LISTING

1. Swimming Upstream
2. Boombox
3. Leaves
4. Alone With You
5. Main Character
6. Forever For Now
7. Lose A Tooth
8. Joshua
9. Little Avalanches
10. 2D
11. Amelia
12. Easy

Ivan The Tolerable is the alter ego solo project of Middlesbrough based musical wizard Oli Heffernan. Aside from his solo work as ITT, Oli has played in numerous bands over the years including Year Of Birds, King Champion Sounds with members of the Ex, Detective Instinct, and Shrug, and has collaborated with icons like Mike Watts of the Minutemen, and J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.

Ivan The Tolerable started by accident in 2013 when Heffernan recorded a bunch of songs for his band at the time (Year Of Birds). These were a bit too left-field for a speedy garage band, so Oli decided to put them out on tape himself, and hasn’t looked back since with releases on Up In Her Room, Stolen Body Records and Library of the Occult to name just a few.

We are delighted to bring you our next entry from the Ivan The Tolerable archive reissue series, 2019’s ‘Wild Nature!’ Originally released on CD by Ack Ack Ack Records back in 2019, the album has now been remastered and repackaged, and will be released on super ltd edition orange wax. Here’s a bit about the album in Oli’s own words.

‘Wild Nature was originally recorded sporadically during the first half of 2019. It started life in one house, then I moved and it was finished in another. I remember screenprinting the original CD artwork on the sly at my old job during my lunch breaks and hand-assembled a small run of about 50 that are all long gone. I also remember walking around Albert Park early one morning in thick fog with a field recorder to capture the sounds that were then processed to form 23 Minutes Over Albert Park (condensed to 4 mins for the reissue due to time constraints). I think this was also the last album I recorded vocals on and also the last one I recorded completely by myself - all instruments, recording, mixing, mastering and artwork done by me at home. I know the first and last tracks were recorded as a birthday present for someone but I cant remember much about the other songs i'm afraid - 4 years is a long time in my speedy world. I've been asked a bunch over the years about a vinyl edition of this one - so here it is. Enjoy - especially everything that went through the delay pedal, which is sadly no longer with us.’
Peace,
Oli Heffernan,
Jan 2024

TRACK LISTING

A SIDE
1. Queen Of Quilts
2. The Contrarian
3. Black Ink

B SIDE
1. The Cat Song
2. 4 Minutes Over Albert Park
3. Rubbing Teeth
4. Queen Of Baths

Mute celebrates the 25th Anniversary Edition of Looper’s 1999 album, Up A Tree, featuring never-before-released songs.

Initially released on Sub Pop, Up A Tree is the debut record by the Scottish lo-fi band led by Stuart David (co-founder and bass player of Belle & Sebastian) and his wife Karn David. Upon release, the album reached #24 on the UK independent album charts and received acclaim for its gentle sound and honest lyrics, being described by singer-songwriter Ben Folds as “…a gift of a record.”

The anniversary edition also features alternative artwork designed by Karn and includes new sleeve notes by Sub Pop’s Jenny Hayo, who recounts working with Looper on their first records and first US tour, alongside words from Stuart’s sister Karla Black, who takes us back to Glasgow School of Art in 1998, reminiscing about the first Looper show.

The vinyl edition of Up A Tree comes with a Flexi Disc of ‘Brilliant Paper’, an unreleased track by Looper and Sue Tompkins (Life Without Buildings) and the double CD includes a remix by Pulp (credited as The Chocolate layers).

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklist
1. The Treehouse
2. Impossible Things #2
3. Burning Flies
4. Festival '95
5. Ballad Of Ray Suzuki
6. Dave The Moon Man
7. Quiet And Small
8. Columbo's Car
9. Up A Tree Again
10. Back To The Treehouse

FLEXI DISC
1. Brilliant Paper

CD Tracklist
CD1
1. The Treehouse
2. Impossible Things #2
3. Burning Flies
4. Festival '95
5. Ballad Of Ray Suzuki
6. Dave The Moon Man
7. Quiet And Small
8. Columbo's Car
9. Up A Tree Again
10. Back To The Treehouse

CD2
1. Back To The Treehouse (Ambient Mix)
2. Ray's Golden Fist (Bananahand Remix)
3. Burning Flies (Acoustic)
4. Columbo's Car (Peugeot 403 Mix)
5. Blurred Stars
6. Up A Tree Again (The Chocolate Layers St. John's Ambulance Mix)
7. Quiet And Small (Acoustic)
8. Dave The Moon Man (Scott Twynholm Remix)
9. Impossible Things
10. Up A Tree Again (Acoustic)

"Matasuna Records", on a mission to unearth musical treasures of the past for the last 7 years, presents an exciting discovery of the present with the band "Bidaide" from Barcelona. This 7-inch vinyl single not only marks Bidaide's vinyl debut, but also unveils their captivating versatility and musicality with two previously unreleased tracks, "Batua" and "Love Me & Give Up".

Soul, funk, psychedelic rock, reggae-dub and library music merge seamlessly in Bidaide's recordings, forming a unique sound. Two great tracks that are now available on vinyl!

"Batua" on the A-side is the energetic prelude to this 45. A dynamic, unfiltered rhythm section provides the foundation, while two guitars engage in an agile conversation underscored by sharp keys and fantastic brass overdubs. Recorded in the band's studio on multiple tracks using analog methods and equipment, the song boasts an opulent, organic sound. Batua is a funky, psychedelic journey interspersed with soulful & harmonious interludes and stirring percussive breaks.

Flipping to the B-side, "Love Me & Give Up" offers a more soulful, relaxed contrast, showcasing the band's versatility. A laid-back beat sets the stage, with keys and guitars weaving a soulful sound tapestry.The chorus, delivered with restrained conviction and backed by a warm organ, evoke a Motown-esque charm.

Founded in 2019, Bidaide began as a duo with "Asier del Álamo" and "Juan Cruz Chiappara". With the arrival of "Sergio Caño" (keyboards), "Manuel Diaz" (drums), and "Nacho Llauradó" (Telecaster), the duo blossomed into a vibrant band. Through experimentation and maturation, they forged their own distinct sound, reflected in their 2021-2022 recordings titled "BATUA" (Basque for "unity"). These recordings embody the spiritual essence of a group that has found and solidified its own powerful sound, showcasing its talent for arrangements and harmonies.

Some members of Bidaide, who already knew Matasuna and their releases through their involvement in the "Gatzara Soundsystem", sent Matasuna their demo of the recordings in mid-2003. Their fresh, impressive sound immediatelyfound open ears. This connection paved the way for Bidaide's exciting vinyl debut, marking a new chapter in their musical journey.

TRACK LISTING

1. Batua
2. Love Me & Give Up

Snakes Don't Belong In Alaska have firmly established themselves as a prominent force in the underground UK psych scene, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in the current generation of psych rock. Notably, they collaborated on a mesmerising album with the legendary Japanese psych artist, Junzo Suzuki, and have had the privilege of performing alongside esteemed bands like Hawklords, 10000 Russos, and The Myrrors, among others.

Originating from the vibrant city of Newcastle upon Tyne, SDBIA embraces an experimental genre non-conforming psych style, blending elements of stoner, kosmische, space rock, prog, and post rock. This captivating fusion of sounds creates a unique musical experience that continues to captivate audiences far and wide.

Their latest offering ‘Navegando Al Paraiso’ sees a slight change of pace from the band, but none less potent. As we’ve now become accustomed to with SDBIA, the band invite you on a transcendent musical journey, effortlessly blending psychedelic rock with waves of folk and post-rock. This album immerses listeners in a dreamscape where ethereal melodies ebb and flow like the tides. Each track evokes a sense of wanderlust, drawing inspiration from timeless musical traditions while pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration. Snakes Don't Belong in Alaska paint an otherworldly soundscape that invites you to lose yourself in the euphoria of musical and introspective discovery.

TRACK LISTING

A SIDE
1. First Breath Of Paradise
2. Eternal Sunday

B SIDE
1. The Worship Of An Orange Sky God
2. My Void Is Full Of Colour

Heels & Souls Recordings roll into reissue number eight with a double dose of early '90s UK street soul magic, splitting the sides between two sought-after cuts from Elaine Vassell and 3rd Zone.

Step back to 1993, house music has hit, UK Soul is in full flow and its rawer, DIY street soul sibling is making its mark across the UK’s underground. Fuelled by accessible, affordable production gear and ignited through enthusiasm and an influx of ideas and sounds, two acts drew inspiration from a melting pot of genres they were exposed to, providing their take on soul as they saw it.

Up first, Elaine Vassell - ‘Never Give Up’. A rough breakbeat-driven, mid-tempo groover from a North West London production triple threat, made up of Longsy D, Pinky and Murray. Utilising Pinky’s home studio with its DX7, Juno 106, LinnDrum and 808, they masterminded a track that sits at the intersection between soulful house, hip hop and R&B. Its crunching drum loop, chest-rattling low-end and serene synth lines, lay the foundation for Elaine’s powerful yet emotive voice to take centre stage. ‘Never Give Up’ should have been a future classic, but never quite found its feet.

On the flip side another 1993 gem, as Sansel Ali and twin brothers Mark and Stephen Anglin joined forces to form 3rd Zone. Conceived in Mark’s makeshift bedroom studio, the trio laid down their first foray into recorded music, ‘You Stole My Heart’. Originally promoed as a limited whitelabel in 1991, it officially landed on the group's one and only EP ‘No Real Reason' in '93.

Armed with a handful of synth modules, a drum machine and a Korg M1, Mark, Stephen and Sansel hit with a tough but tender, underground triumph. Part dance, part romance, layering synth strings, chunky breaks and M1 stabs underneath Sansel’s heartstrung vocals and Stephen’s hip house rap interlude, it provides another perfect example of house seen through the street soul prism.

Two timeless tracks that fly the flag for the fact that big studios and big budgets aren't necessary to create songs that really resonate. Each side also contains an alternate version, with the A housing a beatless reprise of ‘Never Give Up’ and the B a tougher, bassier remix of ‘You Stole My Heart’.

Licensed from Pinky Music and 3rd Zone respectively and remastered from the original DATs by Justin Drake.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Elaine Vassell - Never Give Up
A2. Elaine Vassell - Never Give Up (Chill Zone Mix)
B1. 3rd Zone - You Stole My Heart (Vinyl Mix)
B2. 3rd Zone - You Stole My Heart (Remix)

Fucked Up’s now classic 2008 album "The Chemistry Of Common Life" synthesizes numerous diverse impulses into an expansive epic about the mysteries of birth, death, and the origins of life (and re-living). Merging elements of hardcore songwriting with up to 70 tracks of guitars, organs, winds and vocals, (including 18 guitars on the first single, the fatalistic “No Epiphany”), the music remains iconoclastic and startling, with Pink Eyes’ vocals front and center. Guest musicians, of course, abound, notably gorgeous voices such as Brooklyn’s Vivian Girls and Toronto’s Katie Stelmanis.

TRACK LISTING

1. Son The Father
2. Magic Word
3. Golden Seal
4. Days Of Last
5. Crooked Head
6. No Epiphany
7. The Peaceable Kingdom
8. Black Albino Bones
9. Royal Swan
10. Twice Born
11. Looking For God
12. The Chemistry Of Common Life

Roisin Murphy’s ‘Take Her Up To Monto’ stands out as an adventurous exploration, showcasing Murphy’s ability to both expand her sonic palette and maintain her distinctive style.

In this album, Murphy presents ‘Mastermind’, a disco epic that mirrors the expansive, shapeshifting quality of ‘Toys’ and echoes the grandeur found in her 2012 marathon single, ‘Simulation’. Despite the brevity of ‘Whatever’, it retains the intimate allure that distinguished her previous work.

Unlike the seamless journey of ‘Hairless Toys’, ‘Take Her Up To Monto’ offers a wilder ride. Murphy surprises listeners by steering them in diverse directions with little warning. The track ‘Thoughts Wasted’ encapsulates this diversity, seamlessly transitioning from sleek to lush to lamenting.

Throughout, Murphy pushes her signature sounds to extremes, delivering an engaging and unpredictable experience.

TRACK LISTING

1. Mastermind
2. Pretty Gardens
3. Thoughts Wasted
4. Lip Service
5. Ten Miles High
6. Whatever
7. Romantic Comedy
8. Nervous Sleep
9. Sitting And Counting

Wicked previously unreleased late '80s combination tune from Icho Candy & his brother Prince Junior, who are sometimes confused for each other. On the same rhythm as King Kong's "Agony and Pain" (also repressed this week). Lyrically about the struggle for freedom of the day, as resonant today as it was nearly 40 years ago.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Icho Candy muses on the struggle for the freedom over King Kong's "Agony And Pain" riddim. Its another winner from the selection of Jah Life Time reissues we've been luckily blessed with this week.

TRACK LISTING

A. Free Up
B. Free Up Dub

Another previously unreleased killer from the early '80s Radics / Scientist days, this one was played on dubplate by Volcano in JA and Jah Life in NY, alongside other cuts of the rhythm (also eventually to be released). This is Peter Ranking the singer, not the more well known deejay.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: My favourite of this week's Digikiller / Jah Life reissues. The dub of this track is really summat to behold and up there with any of Scientist's mixing desk experiments.

TRACK LISTING

A. Love Up
B. Dub Up

Roy Hamilton, Cosmo Bowen and Dennis Palmer go back a long way to the early 80's when they were members of a 9 piece funk outfit called Breeze - playing regularly Upstairs at Ronnie Scott's along with bands like Hi Tension and Gonzalez. In 1984 they linked up for this one and only 12" on their own HBS imprint - a laid-back stomper that has become in-demand on the UK soul/funk collectors scene - now given a fresh new cut & press thanks to Freestyle Records' 12" reissue initiative!

TRACK LISTING

1. Turn Up The Music
2. Turn Up The Music (Instrumental)

Torchbearers for British guitar music, The Vaccines - Justin Young (lead vocals, guitars), Árni Árnason (bass, vocals), Timothy Lanham (guitars, keys, vocals) and Yoann Intonti (drums) - are back with their sixth studio album Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations. The title comes from a misheard lyric from Don McClean's "American Pie," a song that for Young fittingly evokes the death of innocence and the American Dream. After he moved to Los Angeles - a city the band has grown up being captivated by - he was forced to wrestle with the disillusionment that comes when expectations, dreams, and reality don't quite meet. Yet, though Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations is an album about reconciling with loss, it's also filled with gratitude for the people and places we once loved. "Pink carnations symbolise gratitude and tell a person they’ll never be forgotten," says Young. "So whether it's the loss of a lover, or a friend, or even just a dream, the record is a reminder that they’ll live on in whatever capacity the mind allows them to. And it's a reminder to keep on dreaming.” Produced by Andrew Wells (Halsey, Phoebe Bridgers) with Mixing from Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, The Flaming Lips), Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations is an immediately anthemic addition to the band's discography. With a mammoth five UK Top 5 albums – including a Number 1 with 2012’s Come of Age – and a fierce live reputation forged through arena-filling headline shows and unforgettable slots at Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds, The Vaccines continue to be a vital band in the British rock canon.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: A brilliantly produced ode to the follies of human existence and joys of persistence from London indie-rockers, The Vaccines. Bright guitars and snappy synths punctate the wry delivery of vocalist, Justin Hayward-Young. It's a brilliantly nuanced and uplifting return for the band.

TRACK LISTING

1. Sometimes, I Swear
2. Heartbreak Kid
3. Lunar Eclipse
4. Discount De Kooning (Last One Standing)
5. Primitive Man
6. Primitive Man
7. Another Nightmare
8. Love To Walk Away
9. The Dreamer
10. Anonymous In Los Feliz 

This record is massive and amazing. Nowhere To Go But Up is Guided By Voices’ third album of 2023 (and thirty-ninth overall) and is a sprawling, wild adventure. With virtually no choruses and just two repeated lyrics in forty minutes, GBV is audacious and unafraid.

One of the most fully realized works that Guided By Voices has created, Nowhere To Go But Up showcases an expert rock band at the top of their game. The band is on a roll and unstoppable.

Following their monumental 40th Anniversary Celebration in Dayton, Ohio, GBV begins their fifth decade with a bang!

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: You'd think that by an artists THIRTY NINTH album, they'd have a struggle coming up with the goods, but Pollard & co have once again crafted a beautifully psychedelic blast of epic proportions. It's got tons of heft, and packed to the brim with melody too.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Race Is On, The King Is Dead
2. Puncher's Parade
3. Local Master Airplane
4. How Did He Get Up There?
5. Stabbing At Fractions
6. Love Set
7. We're Going The Wrong Way In
8. Jack Of Legs
9. For The Home
10. Cruel For Rats
11. Song And Dance

Released in 1998, Up is the eleventh studio album from R.E.M. In the UK ‘UP’ is platinum certified and charted at #2 on release. The album, featuring the singles "Daysleeper,” “Lotus,” “Suspicion” and “At My Most Beautiful,” draws inspiration from electronic music, using a wide range of tools to create a dreamy pop landscape that is reflective and moody. It was the band's first album without drummer Bill Berry, who retired from the group in October of 1997. This deluxe reissue celebrates the album’s 25th anniversary.   

“All these years later, it still has resonance... Up will always remain a strikingly gorgeous [album]” - Stereogum.

TRACK LISTING

Up (2LP Remastered Vinyl):
Side A
1. Airportman
2. Lotus
3. Suspicion
Side B
1. Hope
2. At My Most Beautiful
3. The Apologist
4. Sad Professor
Side C
1. You’re In The Air
2. Walk Unafraid
3. Why Not Smile
4. Daysleeper
Side D
1. Diminished
2. Parakeet
3. Falls To Climb

2CD + Blu Ray (Deluxe):
CD1 – Up
1. Airportman 
2. Lotus 
3. Suspicion 
4. Hope 
5. At My Most Beautiful 
6. The Apologist 
7. Sad Professor 
8. You're In The Air 
9. Walk Unafraid 
10. Why Not Smile 
11. Daysleeper 
12. Diminished 
13. Parakeet 
14. Falls To Climb
CD2 - Party Of Five Recording
1. Introduction 
2. What's The Frequency, Kenneth? 
3. Lotus 
4. Daysleeper 
5. Country Feedback 
6. Walk Unafraid 
7. Losing My Religion 
8. Parakeet 
9. The Apologist 
10. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) 
11. I'm Not Over You 
12. Man On The Moon
Blu Ray
1. Up - 5.1 Surround Sound 
2. Up - Hi-Resolution Audio 
3. This Way Up (press Kit) 
4. Uptake (performance) 
5. Daysleeper (music Video) 
6. Lotus (music Video) 
7. At My Most Beautiful (music Video)

2CD:
CD1 – Up
1. Airportman 
2. Lotus 
3. Suspicion 
4. Hope 
5. At My Most Beautiful 
6. The Apologist 
7. Sad Professor 
8. You're In The Air 
9. Walk Unafraid 
10. Why Not Smile 
11. Daysleeper 
12. Diminished 
13. Parakeet 
14. Falls To Climb
CD2 - Party Of Five Recording
1. Introduction 
2. What's The Frequency, Kenneth? 
3. Lotus 
4. Daysleeper 
5. Country Feedback 
6. Walk Unafraid 
7. Losing My Religion 
8. Parakeet 
9. The Apologist 
10. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) 
11. I'm Not Over You 
12. Man On The Moon

'Tema di Susie' is one of the main themes from the soundtrack composed by Alessandro Alessandroni for the 1976 Italian noir Sangue di sbirro, known in English as Blood and Bullets, as well as Knell, Bloody Avenger (the Susie in the original title refers to the female love interest of the film's hero, who is on a mission to seek revenge for the gangland murder of his policeman father).

At once sweet and sentimental, haunting and melancholic, 'Tema di Susie' stands out from the other tracks in the film, which are more action oriented. Like the rest of the score, however, it exemplifies the way in which, during the '70s, Italian film composers created their own version of the sound of American blaxploitation cinema, with its groovy blend of funk, jazz, and soul. It is no coincidence that the film's director, B-movie specialist Alfonso Brescia, specifically requested music in the style of Shaft, the iconic film that defined that sound in 1971.

Though seemingly simple, 'Tema di Susie' is a perfect example of Alessandroni's style – in particular his unique ability to effortlessly blend groove and melody, funk and feeling, into one musical piece. So, we invited different artists with different backgrounds, influences and approaches to bring their individual take on this elegant and now timeless tune.

With his characteristic style, enigmatic French producer Mounika has spun Alessandroni's dreamy melody into a remix that resonates with the soul.

Right from the first note, Mounika sets the stage for an uplifting journey. The track's opening, with its hauntingly isolated piano, lays the foundation for what's to come. As the music swells, you'll feel an irresistible surge of positivity and motivation, culminating in a joyous crescendo that celebrates the heart of the composition. Along the way, he weaves in elements that are reminiscent of the French touch sound and the bold beats of the late '90s, all while steering clear of overpowering rhythms or any hint of nostalgic retro vibes.

What emerges is a remix that's nothing short of a breath of fresh air. It's the kind of music that not only makes you move but stirs something deep within. Mounika's touch is like a painter's brush, layering sonic texture and dynamics to bring new emotional depth to Alessandroni's masterpiece.

The RELOVED series - is co-curated with fellow independent label Little Beat More.

TRACK LISTING

1. Don't Give Up (feat. Mounika.)
2. Tema Di Susie

Limited one sided 12” featuring an extended edit by IOJ label boss Jura Soundsystem that teases out the vocal and pulls back on the sax with judicious amounts of delay and reverb to create a 11’25 mins dubby disco excursion.

Super limited copies, one time pressing - you know what to do! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Matt Says: Swaying, sumptuous, disco-reggae dubbed out to the max with a lil' bit of lover’s rock flavour about it. This is fuckin' incredible - miss at your peril!

TRACK LISTING

Never Gonna Give U Up (Jura Soundsystem Dub Edit)

Scottish turntablist & producer Krash Slaughta is back with another cut-n-paste epic of vintage hip-hop joints and stitched-together boom-bap mastery! The project comes in four parts corresponding to four sides of 12" vinyl which weigh in at approximately fifteen minutes each and each side of which took around a month to make! This bad boy pieces together classic vocal loops, rare breaks, library records and obscure samples along with remixes of Stetsasonic, O.C., Tanya Winley, Jurassic 5, Edan, Nas, ODB, Gang Starr, Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud (any one of which would be straight fire on 7" or 12") along with pretty much whatever the hell else he wanted to put on there. Pressed at 45 rpm, this one features two differently-coloured slabs of wax: one mauve and one blue while even the centre labels and cover art get in on the cut n paste vibe having been created by hand by Krash homie Saleem Andrew McGroarty. As with previous such efforts from the KS camp, there will be no re-press! Sleep at your peril.

TRACK LISTING

Eden Remix
Gang Starr 
J5 Remix 
MF Doom Remix  
Music Evolution Remix
NAS Remix 
OC Times Up Remix
ODB Shimmy Shimmy Ya Remix
Stetasonic Remix
Super Lover Cee Remix
Sweet Tee Remix
Two Kings Reix

"Half multimedia art studio, half experimental musical group- the Vancouver-based collective better known as Crack Cloud took over Evolutionary Arts Hackney with their massive genre-bending sound in October 2022.

Fresh from the September 16th release of their sophomore record Tough Baby, this performance with six piece choir and strings (the band totalled seventeen on stage), for one night only was recorded and documented on film and presented here as Crack Cloud - Crackin Up Live in London. A legendary band at a legendary venue"

Mixing Up The Medicine is a new career-spanning compilation containing 12 of Bob Dylan’s greatest songs, including “Knocking On Heaven’s Door”, “Like A Rolling Stone” and “Hurricane”. It serves as the companion piece to the Mixing Up The Medicine book, which offers an unprecedented look into the Bob Dylan Archive. Set for release on Oct. 24, 2023, this magnum opus will include nearly 1,000 images, most of which have never been seen by the public, alongside original essays by prominent writers and artists.

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A:
Times They Are A-Changin’
Blowin’ In The Wind
Like A Rolling Stone
Subterranean Homesick Blues
All Along The Watchtower
Lay Lady Lay
Forever Young (slow Version)
SIDE B:
Tangled Up In Blue
Hurricane
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
Make You Feel My Love
Things Have Changed

The Counts formed in Michigan in 1964 as the Fabulous Counts, releasing two singles, ‘Jan Jan’ and ‘Get Down People’ on the Moira label in 1968 and 1969 that became R&B chart hits. This led to the album “Jan Jan”, issued by Cotillion in 1969.

Snapped up by Westbound, the line-up that recorded “What’s Up Front That Counts” included Mose Davis (Organ), Leroy Emmanuel (guitar), Demetrius Cates (sax) and Andrew Gibson (drums). Although tenor player Jim White is on the front cover, he left the band shortly before the album was recorded. Extended, mostly instrumental tracks like ‘Why Not Start All Over Again’ and the title track are now recognized as some of the juiciest funk ever laid down in the studio. Shorter tracks like ‘Rhythm Changes’, ‘Thinking Single’ and ‘Bills’ are equally sweet. What gives the album such powerful musical chemistry was the fact that the Counts were jazz players weaned on the likes of Miles Davis who were also into the funk of James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone so every track features groove-driven interplay. One might argue this is the sound that Miles Davis was trying to find on his early 70s albums.

The Counts were to tour with Funkadelic and record more singles and albums but it is this 1971 offering that is, and remains, an all-time classic. Indeed, the track ‘What’s Up Front That Counts’ has been sampled by artists like Queen Latifah and Eric B & Rakim, keeping the music of the Counts firmly in the minds of a young contemporary audience.

Out of print on vinyl for nearly two decades, Ace is proud to reissue this beauty. 

TRACK LISTING

Side One
1. What’s Up Front That – Counts
2. Rhythm Changes
3. Thinking Single
Side Two
1. Why Not Start All Over Again
2. Pack Of Lies
3. Bills 

On her long-awaited debut album, Showing Up, the former Friends-frontwoman Samantha Urbani goes out to bat for her beliefs, and pours a decade of tumult and personal growth into the sort of irresistibly loose-limbed, retro-leaning alt-pop that has always been her specialty.

It’s Urbani’s innate ability to hit the sweet spot between heady pop melodies and unfettered experimentation that makes Showing Up such a compelling collection, from the celestial disco shimmer of ‘Isolation’ and ‘Guiding Star’ to the Jam & Lewis stylings of ‘c u clear’ and the Santigold-esque funk-pop of ‘Time Keeps Slipping’. With shades of Rapture-era Blondie meets LCD Soundsystem, ‘One Day At A Time’ features louche slap bass and sliding Talking Heads-esque synths whilst ‘Evidence’, powered by gated drums, is 80s new wave/freestyle by way of Miami Sound Machine/Lisa Lisa/Nu Shooz.

Co-produced by Samantha with Nick Weiss (Nightfeelings), the album is in keeping with Urbani’s predilection for spontaneity, with an organic approach to collaboration and contributions from close friends including Eric Cross, John Caroll Kirby, Rostam Batmanglij, Molly Lewis and Sasha Desree, as well as Sade’s right-hand man Stuart Matthewman.

‘Showing Up’ is a deeply uplifting record – created on Urbani’s own terms – and one that’s testament to the spirit of survival. And as overdue as its release might feel for fans, Samantha firmly believes Showing Up couldn’t have arrived a single second sooner.

TRACK LISTING

1. Showing Up
2. One Day At A Time
3. Fine Lines
4. Common Sense (lovebombed)
5. Guiding Star (ft. Sasha Desree)
6. Isolation
7. An Opportunity
8. Time Keeps Slipping (ft. Rexy)
9. Evidence
10. More Than A Feeling
11. C U Clear

More movements from the hardcore continuum sees brand new label Deadbeat enlist RNBWS for a five tracker full of vintage vocal snips, jagged edge breaks and warehouse-levelling sub-woofer bass. Pressed on limited edition140g vinyl it's already getting hype from Adam Curtain and Adam Shelton amongst others and will sit right nice next to your DJ Absolutely Shit and Innercore Project releases as well as working alongside newer bass mutants like Overmono and Two Shell. Recommended! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Jagged and hard-edged modern bass-n-ruckus with a hardcore-influenced mindset that's bang on the money right now.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Slow Moving
A2. 54321
B1. Wake Up
B2. Don’t Say A Word
B3. Spinner

Ireland’s Clive and Scott Sullivan return to Disco Halal with another genre and preconception busting hit! Described by label head, Moscoman as ‘Nirvana playing with grime’, lead track “Steady Up” features another Irishman, Pat Lagoon and is an outrageous slice of alternative dance music that should appeal to fans of Real Lies, The Chemical Brothers and sounds a little like Erol Alkin’s remix of Fontanes DC!

“Dreamer” takes things in more expansive and hypnotic directions, long synth sweeps and stuttered ethereal vox conjuring up images of vast vistas and scorching sunsets. “We Gotta Tell The World” has a nocturnal energy and urgency, more gated vox and searing guitar lines its trademark. Finally “Fear Forever” leaves an indelible mark on our sense with its anthemic chords and end-of-night sensuality. A seriously strong four track EP from these rising stars of the Irish dance scene. Most recommended! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: It's a bit marmite but that "Steady Up" track's a winner for me! The Irish accent lending itself wonderfully to a witty rap from Pat Lagoon, while a filthy yet stadium friendly indie-disco-techno aesthetic encompasses the instrumental tracks. Interesting stuff that's defo worth checking.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Steady Up Ft. Pat Lagoon 
A2. Dreamer 
B1. We Gotta Tell The World 
B2. Fear Forever Ft. Talee 

Legendary DJ and edit king Mr K is back on Most Excellent Unlimited with the latest in their essential collaborative series. As always this is a slab of wax that offers up two gorgeous cuts that have been skilfully cut down to a maximum 7" 45rpm format. The first is Luther Vandross's 'Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)' which David Bowie later reworked to become one of his many hit singles 'Fascination.' In its original form, it has rickety soul grooves and lavish stings next to the soaring vocals. The tune second is Zulema's 'Giving Up' which has a dramatic intro, Mr K remasters it and allows the rolling piano, great string ensemble and guitar sounds to really cut through clearly. Two bonafide dancefloor delights.

TRACK LISTING

Funky Music
Giving Up

A 6 track EP / mini-album featuring some slammin' remixes / reworks of old new wave, disco and rock tracks given brand new life from the prolific Swede and the man of many aliases. Eurythmics, Chic, Adele and a few more, all get surgically enhanced - nobody's safe when Beatconductor is in town! Lock up your classics! 

Limited pressing. Don't sleep on this one. Hand stamped white label business. Bar DJs take note!! 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Crowd-pleasing mash-ups by the no.1 surgeon in the game, Beatconductor! Hard not to crack a smile at some of these well executed blends, even if our favourite Swede hasn't exactly dived down the cracks of obscurity for the source material! Bar DJs think ahead towards silly season!

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. Don't Go
2. EWF Vs KC (EDM Mix 1) 
3. Sweet Ride
Side 2
1. Higher Emotions
2. Rollin With The Tiger
3. Sin City Music

The Make-Up's second full-length LP, released in 1998.

Ian Svenonius vocals
James Canty guitar, organ, vocals
Michelle Mae bass, vocals
Steve Gamboa drums

TRACK LISTING

1. Black Wire Pt. 1
2. Live In The Rhythm Hive
3. Joy Of Sound
4. Watch It With That Thing
5. Drop The Needle
6. Earth Worm Pt. 1
7. Do You Like Gospel Music?
8. Come Up To The Microphone
9. Centre Of The Earth
10. (I've Heard About) Saturday Nite
11. Earth Worm Pt. 2
12. Time Machine
13. Caught Up In The Rapture
14. Black Wire Pt. 2

‘Mellifluous’... is a word you won’t hear much when conversation turns to early Pooh Sticks records. But ‘noise pollution’, sure: that comes up. I’ve even used it myself. So look away now if you must: ‘Straight Up: Noise Pollution C88-90’ is a selection of some of the most loved/despised/ignored tracks released by The Pooh Sticks on however many records it was before it all went wilfully ‘American’ sometime around dotted-lining for BMG mega-corp in 1991.

The record has highlights and lowlights. You and me, we’d probably agree on most of them. We chose a reasonable cross-section, I think (although there could’ve been more tambourine), including:

- “On Tape” - zeitgeist-nailin’ strum and strangle.

- “I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well” - long title

- “Teenage High” - breathy sweetness sneaked onto the depraved Sympathy For The Record Industry label.

- “Dying For It” - the Vaselines cover which beat Nirvana by a full two years (though theirs sold better).

... and more! It’s like Christmas (no, blocking up the chimney won’t help: we’ve cut spare keys). And all of this in a nice gatefold sleeve, and on Steve McQueen’s- eyes blue vinyl. And there’s even a repro poster for the March ’89 Pastels/Pooh Sticks/Vaselines gig up London way (“I swear I was there”, people say).

On behalf of the group, I hope you enjoy it. No, really. It was all a long time ago but I remember we had fun. Maybe you were even there having fun with us.
Trudi xx

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. On Tape
2. Time To Time
3. Heroes And Villains
4. Just Another Minute
5. Teenage High
6. 123 Red Light
7. When The Night Falls
Side 2
8. Dying For It
9. I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well
10. Sex Head
11. Foxy Boy
12. Dare True Kiss Promise
13. Do It Again (A Little Bit Slower)
14. Indiepop Aint Noise Pollution

FullTime Production present the new vinyl edition of Kano's "Turn It Up / Unconditional Lover" featuring remixes by Danny Krivit, Les Inferno, Fresco Edits and Dr Packer.

TRACK LISTING

Turn It Up Danny Krivit Extended Edit
Turn It Up Les Inferno Dude Boogie Remix
Turn It Up Fresco Edits Remix
Unconditional Lover Dr Packer Remix

Wonderful timeless folk-tinged pop from James Yorkston. He's been compared to everyone from Shane Macgowan to John Martyn, and there's definitely a bit of Nick Drake in there too. The more I listen to this album, the more I love it! 

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2023 EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

From Bob Marley and the Wailers world renowned 5th studio album (first release on Island Records) "Catch A Fire" this RSD exclusive will feature an unreleased version of Stir It Up Alternate Jamaican version and an instrumental version to celebrate the albums 50th anniversary 7".

TRACK LISTING

1. Promo/Stir It Up Alternate Jamaican
2. Stir It Up Alternate Jamaican Instrumental

The internationally acclaimed quintet from Denmark continue to develop their creative process, embracing other peoples’ affection and letting it blend into their songwriting. The result of this journey is Keep Up The Good Work, the band’s most sincere work to date. Sometimes the support we need doesn’t lie in complex answers. Sometimes it can be found in the simplest encouragement. This reflection is embodied throughout their third album, Keep Up The Good Work.

This music has been forged within a maelstrom of lockdown restrictions and critical life events; often working together virtually, and eventually being together physically and writing as a group.

“We know each other really well after 8 years as friends, colleagues and collective creators. We know what we’re each going through in life, and we can hear it in the music we make together; it’s always a personal reflection of us in the given moment. You can hear that we’ve become older, that we have more to tell. During the pandemic we experienced both the joys of having children and the sorrow of losing people we cared for. Life and death struck us, you could say, which maybe seems rather banal or cliché to be writing about. But for that reason, we think this record speaks universally, and has the potential of resonating with many people.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: An uplifting and beautifully constructed selection of synthy, post-rock indebted instrumentals topped with found sound mantras and soaring folky vocals. It's a bafflingly large influence pool to be drawing on, but it's put together impeccably and flows as smoothly as you'd like.

TRACK LISTING

1 What A Day
2 Seasons
3 Keep Up The Good Work
4 Happen
5 Feel Someone
6 The Fish
7 Yagaily
8 You Are Good And I Love You
9 Lead Me
10 1321
11 Nothing Much
12 Took A Day Off Feeling Sad
13 The We The You The I
14 Mouth

Over their six albums The Go! Team have taken sonic daytrips to other lands-musically dipping into other cultures. But now on this, their seventh-they’ve bought around-the-world ticket....Benin, Japan, France, India, Texas and Detroit-all stops along the way. Wildly different voices from wildly different cultures side by side but all still sounding unmistakably Go! Team. Setting the course for a kaleidoscopic, cable access, channel hop.

On the vocal roll call there’s Star Feminine Band, an all-girl group from West Africa, the Indian Bollywood playback singer Neha Hatwar, Kokubo Chisato from J-Pop indie band Lucie Too, 19 year-old Detroit rapper Indigo Yaj, Hilarie Bratset (ex-Apples in Stereo), Brooklyn rapper Nitty Scott, and a whole host of others, alongside Go! Team staple Ninja.

“Maybe it's an anti-Brexit reflex,” says Parton. “A rejection of flag-waving and inward-facing. But this is no Coke ad, some Valium vision of joining hands on a hillside. The Go! Team has always been about knowing what’s happening but focusing on the good shit. It’s about where you let your attention settle”.

Picking up from 2021’s “Get Up Sequences Part One”, Part Two continues the feeling of Technicolour overload. “A feeling that there is so much good shit out there that you are grabbing it all at the same time. The record is saying: “Look at this. Look at this”. When you listen to it I just want the saturation of the world to be turned up”.Simultaneouslymessy and tight, chaotic and coherent both albums have an obsession with the power of a bassline and a backbeat. "For me each successive Go! Team record just gets fucking groovier and for me grooviness is life”, Parton says.

It’s a journey spanning Cyclone Tracey wig-outs, chroma key sitar psychedelia, Casiotone anthems, spoken word melodrama and kalimba callouts. Brill building melodies leading to musical handbrake turns, four track into panoramic. Eighteen years after their debut LP The Go! Team are still unlike anyone else and on "Get Up Sequences Part Two" they sound as fresh as a club soda....

TRACK LISTING

Look Away, Look Away
Divebomb
Getting To Know (All The Ways We're Wrong For Each Other)
Stay And Ask Me In A Different Way
The Me Frequency
Whammy-O
But We Keep On Trying
Sock It To Me
Going Nowhere
Gemini
Train Song
Baby

With One Day, Fucked Up have delivered one of the most energizing and intricate albums of their career, a massive-sounding record that arrives in deceptively small confines. The Canadian hardcore legends have been known for their epic scale in the past, so it might be a surprise that Fucked Up’s sixth studio album is their shortest to date, written and recorded in the confines of one literal day (hence the title). Don’t mistake size for substance, though: The band’s sound has only gotten bigger, more hard-charging, with even denser thickets of melody.

“I wanted to see what I could record in literally one day.” That singular idea came to mind for guitarist Mike Haliechuk in the closing months of 2019. Haliechuk got himself into a studio and proceeded to write and record the record’s ten tracks over three eight-hour sessions, reconnecting with the core the band’s songwriting essence in the process.

Initially, Fucked Up vocalist Damian Abraham was also set to complete his vocals in similar fashion—that is, before the lockdowns of 2020 took place. As it turns out, the isolation yielded creative dividends, as Abraham returned to contributing lyrics as well for the first time since 2014’s Glass Boys. “It almost felt like it might be the last time I’d ever get to record vocals for anything,” Abraham says of the stakes he felt while putting his part to tape, before reflecting on how he approached the lyrical process: “What do I want to say to friends who aren’t here anymore? What do I want to say to myself?”

Over swarms of tuneful noise that evoke Sonic Youth circa Daydream Nation, Abraham lets loose on gentrification in “Lords of Kensington,” which was inspired by an “incredible” Toronto neighborhood that was regularly subject to life-ruining police surveillance and structural violence. “The police chief during that era he just opened a cannabis store,” Abraham explains. “It’s so cynical and gross, what society has come to but by being in a band, we’re culpable in changing the neighborhood, too, since the punk spaces and cool happenings that pop up are part of gentrification. Are you building a culture? Or are you ruining something that’s already been there?”

Then there’s the dusky burn of “Cicada,” a sonic cousin to Dose Your Dreams’ excellent standout “The One I Want Will Come for Me” that features Haliechuk taking lead-vocal duty. The song is dedicated to lost friends, and in his words, it’s about “what life is like after you lose people, and our responsibility to carry them forward into the future, using the things they taught us as a light. I like to imagine the sound of cicadas as a metaphor for our strange life in the subculture we all just live these weird little hidden lives under the dirt, and then once in a generation, one of us gets to bust out of the dirt and intone their song so loud that it can be heard allover.”

One Day is an undeniable work of confidence from a band that continues to operate at the top of their game, making music that’s guaranteed to last a lifetime and beyond.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Never a band to rest on their laurels, Fucked Up have been constantly moving and shifting their focus for a good couple decades now, and 'One Day' sees them turning back to the solid foundation of melodic hardcore and scathing percussive blasts. There are definitely echoes here of the post-hardcore luminaries of the early 00's (Hot Water Music, Icarus Line etc) but with Fucked Up's singular stylistic focus.

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A
1. Found
2. I Think I Might Be Weird
3. Huge New Her
4. Lords Of Kensington
5. Broken Little Boys
SIDE B
6. Nothing’s Immortal
7. Falling Right Under
8. One Day
9. Cicada
10. Roar

Monks Road Social are an ever-changing collective of artists (some well-known, some just starting out) all with one thing in common - a love of making music.

Following the three genre bending albums MRS has already released this time round Richard Clarke turned to WONDERFULSOUND head honcho Miles Copeland to navigate the the vibe alongside mainstay of the band, the inimitable Dr Robert of Blow Monkeys fame.

Miles first showed up on debut album Down The Willows with the dreamy 'Golden Day' featuring Isle Of White favourite Angelina.

First single 'I’ll Keep On Searchin’ featuring Dr Robert on vocals is a lilting soulful slice of summer pop combining sweet melancholy and wistful chord changes.

Dr Robert explains “The song came from a piece of music Miles presented to me. It put me in mind of “Friends” era Beach Boys or early Smokey so the song came very quickly. Lyrically its informed by a kind of yearning. A desire for change, growth and connection. The things we’ve all been missing so much that give life meaning”

Miles continues… “The idea for this single came about from these 2 loops sampled from some charity shop record creating this infectious lazy, jazzy groove but I knew the music needed to change and become its own thing… so when the Monks Road Social posse came knocking I knew the calibre of musicians involved would be able to flip it around, and that’s how a majority of the LP was written”.

TRACK LISTING

1. Rise Up Singing! (Feat Paul Weller)
2. I'll Keep On Searchin' (Feat Dr Robert)
3. By The Water's Edge (Feat Neil Jones)
4. Spirit Level (Feat Romy Deighton & Orphy Robinson)
5. Let Love Prevail (Feat Matt Deighton)
6. Borderline (Version) (Feat Angelina)
7. Lizabethan (Feat Matt Deighton)
8. Smoke & Mirrors (Feat Dr Robert)
9. Serafina (Feat Romy Deighton)
10. Easy Pickings (Feat Arthur Melo & Leah Weller)

Rise Up Singing! feat Paul Weller is the new single... It’s a collaboration between Miles-WONDERFULSOUND-Copeland, Dr Robert & Paul Weller. It is a spiritual call to arms coming out of this period of lockdowns

"Miles had this demo which I worked on a bit, added a guide and sent it to Paul who instantly got the vibe, it’s great to be working with him again”, says Dr Robert and this sets the tone for the rest of the LP... Sketches, grooves in a style of Miles’s old band The Superimposers bounced around to the Monks Road family. Miles Continues... “when we were doing The Superimposers we were always influenced from old records, so this is how I write. With the calibre of musicians involved in Monks Road I knew we could make these initial demos sparkle & shine.”

The resulting track album is a timeless, mellow, soulful cinematic classic that rewards repeated listening and pops up with some wonderfulsounding surprises along the way... Enjoy!

Monks Road Social Is a band in the loosest sense of the word. It’s more a celebration ofmusical talents and friendships - new and old. The line up may vary but the heartland soul remains. The ethos is in the word Social. A gathering once a year of musicians and producers with simply the goal of making the best music they can within the parameters set for that particular record.

TRACK LISTING

A Side: Rise Up Singing
B Side: Rise Up Singing (Instrumental)

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known venues. Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognisable—as utterly distinct and thoughtful as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 30 years ago. Back in 2010, Suzanne began re-recording and releasing songs from her extensive back catalogue as the “Close-Up” Series. She thought that her fans might like to hear the songs of her past stripped of their original productions, to hear them in an intimate setting, something more personal, that felt like she was singing to them alone. During the recording process for these four albums, Suzanne also decided to rearrange the songs by theme, so people could rediscover them out of their original contexts The Close Up Series, originally released over a decade ago, is now available in a beautifully packaged and designed Bookpack and is limited to just 2,000 copies worldwide. It includes the Close-Up albums Volumes 1-4, each as a different colour 180g heavyweight vinyl LP. It also contains a 28-page booklet featuring a foreword by Suzanne Vega, a brand new essay by Lenny Kaye and the full lyrics for each song.

TRACK LISTING

1. Small Blue Thing
2. Caramel
3. (If You Were) In My Movie
4. Gypsy
5. Marlene On The Wall
6. (I'll Never Be) Your Maggie May
7. Harbor Song
8. Headshots
9. Songs In Red And Gray
10. Stockings
11. Some Journey
12. Bound

Hot Hot Heat’s classic debut album, filled with smart, energetic, dance-punk hits, returns to vinyl with this fully remastered LP edition. AllMusic called the album “an addictive, densely packed pop gem that ranks among 2002’s best albums,” and Pitchfork agreed, including it on their list of the best albums of 2002. Following closely on the heels of their critically-acclaimed Knock Knock Knock EP, Make Up the Breakdown is Hot Hot Heat's first full-length, recorded with Jack Endino at Vancouver, BC’s Mushroom Studios (with engineering help from Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie). SPIN Magazine had this to say about Knock Knock Knock: “Some retro new wavers hang themselves on their own skinny ties. While their peers lip-sych to Cure 45s, these Canucks take subtler cues from early-‘80s synth disco. It’s not new-wave worship, it’s the sound of punk teaching itself to dance.” Make Up the Breakdown delivered on the promise hinted at on the EP. Hot Hot Heat (along with peers like Radio 4 and The Rapture) blended angular post-punk twitch with danceable pop, effectively (and finally) persuading white dopes on punk to get on the good foot in the early 2000s.

TRACK LISTING

Naked In The City Again          
No, Not Now              
Get In Or Get Out         
Bandages     
Oh, Goddamnit              
Aveda (Remastered)                 
This Town (Remastered)                         
Talk To Me, Dance With Me                        
Save Us S.O.S.                
In Cairo            
Apt. 101            
Move On

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known venues. Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognisable—as utterly distinct and thoughtful as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 30 years ago. Back in 2010, Suzanne began re-recording and releasing songs from her extensive back catalogue as the “Close-Up” Series. She thought that her fans might like to hear the songs of her past stripped of their original productions, to hear them in an intimate setting, something more personal, that felt like she was singing to them alone. During the recording process for these four albums, Suzanne also decided to rearrange the songs by theme, so people could rediscover them out of their original contexts The Close Up Series, originally released over a decade ago, is now available in a beautifully packaged and designed Bookpack and is limited to just 2,000 copies worldwide. It includes the Close-Up albums Volumes 1-4, each as a different colour 180g heavyweight vinyl LP. It also contains a 28-page booklet featuring a foreword by Suzanne Vega, a brand new essay by Lenny Kaye and the full lyrics for each song.

TRACK LISTING

1. Rosemary
2. Honeymoon Suite
3. World Before Columbus
4. As You Are Now
5. Soap And Water
6. Widows Walk
7. Blood Sings
8. Bad Wisdom
9. Ludlow Street
10. Tired Of Sleeping
11. Pilgrimage
12. Brother Mine
13. The Silver Lady
14. Daddy Is White

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known venues. Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognisable—as utterly distinct and thoughtful as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 30 years ago. Back in 2010, Suzanne began re-recording and releasing songs from her extensive back catalogue as the “Close-Up” Series. She thought that her fans might like to hear the songs of her past stripped of their original productions, to hear them in an intimate setting, something more personal, that felt like she was singing to them alone. During the recording process for these four albums, Suzanne also decided to rearrange the songs by theme, so people could rediscover them out of their original contexts The Close Up Series, originally released over a decade ago, is now available in a beautifully packaged and designed Bookpack and is limited to just 2,000 copies worldwide. It includes the Close-Up albums Volumes 1-4, each as a different colour 180g heavyweight vinyl LP. It also contains a 28-page booklet featuring a foreword by Suzanne Vega, a brand new essay by Lenny Kaye and the full lyrics for each song.

TRACK LISTING

1. Luka
2. Zephyr & I
3. New York Is A Woman
4. In Liverpool
5. Calypso
6. Fat Man And Dancing Girl
7. The Queen And The Soldier
8. Rock In This Pocket (Song Of David)
9. Angel's Doorway
10. Ironbound/Fancy Poultry
11. Neighborhood Girls
12. Tom's Diner
13. Man Who Played God

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known venues. Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognisable—as utterly distinct and thoughtful as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 30 years ago. Back in 2010, Suzanne began re-recording and releasing songs from her extensive back catalogue as the “Close-Up” Series. She thought that her fans might like to hear the songs of her past stripped of their original productions, to hear them in an intimate setting, something more personal, that felt like she was singing to them alone. During the recording process for these four albums, Suzanne also decided to rearrange the songs by theme, so people could rediscover them out of their original contexts The Close Up Series, originally released over a decade ago, is now available in a beautifully packaged and designed Bookpack and is limited to just 2,000 copies worldwide. It includes the Close-Up albums Volumes 1-4, each as a different colour 180g heavyweight vinyl LP. It also contains a 28-page booklet featuring a foreword by Suzanne Vega, a brand new essay by Lenny Kaye and the full lyrics for each song.

TRACK LISTING

1. Undertow
2. When Heroes Go Down
3. My Favorite Plum
4. Solitude Standing
5. Cracking
6. Last Years Troubles
7. Solitaire
8. Tombstone
9. Blood Makes Noise
10. 50-50 Chance
11. Penitent
12. Straight Lines
13. Pornographer's Dream
14. Instant Of The Hour After

In celebration of the 21st Anniversary of Snow Patrol’s second album, they are releasing the vinyl LP When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up, now with the original artwork for the first time. Originally released on 12th March 2001 on CD only, a limited edition was finally released on vinyl format in 2019 with adapted artwork. Now, it is being made available with the original artwork.

The second album by Snow Patrol was written and recorded by the three original members: Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland and Jonny Quinn and also features members of Belle and Sebastian on some tracks. The singles released from the album at the time were ‘Ask Me How I Am’ and ‘One Night Is Not Enough’ but the star track from the album ended up being ‘An Olive Grove Facing The Sea’ which was favoured and supported on radio by both Zane Lowe and Colin Murray.

The album was a follow up to their critically acclaimed debut ‘Songs For Polarbears’ released in 1998. It was recorded in November 2000 at Substation in Cowdenbeath, Fife, Scotland with Michael Brennan Jr as producer.

TRACK LISTING

1. Never Gonna Fall In Love Again Ask Me How I Am
2. Making Enemies
3. Black And Blue
4. Last Ever Lone Gunman
5. If I’d Found The Right Words To Say Batten Down The Hatch
6. One Night Is Not Enough
7. Chased By... I Don’t Know What
8. On/Off
9. An Olive Grove Facing The Sea
10. When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up Make Love To Me Forever
11. Firelight

Michigan and Smiley’s all-time Studio One anthem,the latest in the series of all-time classic Studio One party bombs available on super loud 12”. Michigan and Smiley’s ‘Nice Up the Dance’ issimply one of the biggest, wickedest dancehalltunes ever made.

Originally released in 1979, Michigan and Smiley’sclassic rhyming over the seminal ‘Real Rock’ has proved one of the most enduring tunes in reggaeever. 100% essential monster tunes that rock anydancefloor.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Soul Jazz return to their loud-cut 12" classics series, giving another run to the dancehall staple, "Nice Up The Dance". You know the riddim - but doubt you'll have heard it this crisp n bassy! Update your scratchy 7" with this full fidelity 12" version! Niiiice up!

TRACK LISTING

A1. Nice Up The Dance
B1. Michigan & Smiley & Sound Dimension - Nice Up The Dance (version)

Another unmissable 7” release from Public Possession ; “Up To You” is a celestial yet driving folk rock record with an irresistible groove. One of those perfect crossover moments that accidently skirts into Balearica without sounding forced or cliched.

The B-Side cut “New Tie Bow” is more like deep, spiritual, desert electronica. Tranquil, a rich and well balanced mix comprising of hovering synths and brushed drums; it possess a warming, calm quality that’s hard to place but impossible to ignore. Aiden Ayers is proving to be a diverse and skilled songwriter / instrumentalist, and we’re thrilled to share his musical journey. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Vancouver's Aiden Ayers continues to make splashes in the Balearic ocean. A skilled song writer whose more than a one trick pony, we also glimpse into his more electronic flavoured side on B-side track, "New Tie Bow". One to watch for sure. Manchester debut please!

TRACK LISTING

Up To You 
New Tie Bow 

Up The Bracket arrived like a raging bull in a tired post-Britpop china shop and introduced the world to The Libertines, a new gang of London bohemians, whose ragged tunes, red military tunics, opiated poetry and ‘live now pay never’ lifestyle came to define the millennial angst of the early noughties. At the heart of the band is the blood bond bromance between the ramshackle Music Hall Jagger/Richards, Peter Doherty and Carl Barat, ably assisted by the rock solid rhythm twins John Hassall and Gary Powell. Any bookie worth his salt would have given you short odds on this quartet surviving more than a month or two, given the teetering on the brink lifestyle they chose to lead, but here we are two decades later and our Byronic heroes, though older and wiser, are still fighting the good fight and making music every bit as vital as their debut. The belief, talent and fervour that Doherty spoke of in their earliest manifesto has stood them in good stead.

Up The Bracket, justly considered one of the greatest albums of the noughties, was originally released on October 21st 2002 by Rough Trade Records. The album, a heady stew of indie rock, skiffle, blues, dub and English bucolic pop, was a huge shot in the arm to a largely redundant music scene and helped to inspire the rebirth of guitar music, going on to influence countless artists who followed in its wake.

Up The Bracket, which was produced by Mick Jones of The Clash, takes you on a wondrously poetic journey into the band’s mythical world and their fevered dreams of Albion, a land of squalid glamour, liberty, equality, fraternity, gin palaces and chip shops. Quite simply Pete, Carl, Gary and John created a hugely compelling timeless British rock'n'roll classic debut as relevant now as it was upon its release.

TRACK LISTING

2LP & 2CD Tracklisting

LP1/CD1 – Up The Bracket (Remastered)
Vertigo
Death On The Stairs
Horror Show
Time For Heroes
Boys In The Band
Radio America
Up The Bracket
Tell The King
The Boy Looked At Johnny
Begging
The Good Old Days
I Get Along

LP2/CD2 - Live At The 100 Club
Horrorshow
Vertigo
The Delaney
What A Waster
Begging
Time For Heroes
Death On The Stairs
Boys In The Band
I Get Along



BOXSET Tracklisting
LP1 – Up The Bracket (Remastered) (black Vinyl)
Side One 
1. Vertigo
2. Death On The Stairs
3. Horror Show
4. Time For Heroes
5. Boys In The Band
6. Radio America
Side Two
1. Up The Bracket
2. Tell The King
3. The Boy Looked At Johnny
4. Begging
5. The Good Old Days
6. I Get Along

LP2- Live At The 100 Club (White Vinyl)
Side One 
1. Horrorshow
2. Vertigo
3. The Delaney
4. What A Waster
5. Begging
Side Two
6. Time For Heroes
7. Death On The Stairs
8. Boys In The Band
9. I Get Along

7” - Up The Bracket – Blue Vinyl
Side A – Up The Bracket – Original Audio Not Remastered
Side AA – Boys In The Band – Original Audio Not Remastered

7” – Time For Heroes – Red Vinyl
Side A – Time For Heroes – Original Audio Not Remastered
Side B – The 7 Deadly Sins (Demo) – Original Audio Not Remastered

CD1 – Album Studio Outtakes
1. Up The Bracket – Take 4
2. Vertigo – Take 2
3. Ha Ha Wall – Take 1
4. Horror Show – Take 3
5. Bangkok – Take 1
6. Time For Heroes – Take 3
7. Begging – Take 1
8. What A Waster – Take 1
9. Breck Road Lover – Take 1
10. Never Never – Take 2
11. Tell The King – Take 1
12. The Domestic – Take 1
13. Don’t Talk To Me -Take 1
14. The Wolfman – Take 2
15. Radio America – Take 2
16. The Good Old Days – Take 1
17. 7 Deadly Sins – Take 3
18. Sweets – Take 4
19. Mocking Bird – Take 6
20. Boys In The Band – Take 1
21. Skag & Bone Man – Take 2

CD2 – Demos/Radio Sessions/B-Sides/Live Etc
1. Vertigo – Demo
2. The Boy Looked At Johnny - Demo
3. Death On The Stairs - Demo
4. Horror Show - Demo
5. All At Sea (Misty) - Demo
6. Wolfman - Demo
7. Plan A – Demo
8. Up The Bracket – Evening Session
9. Boys In The Band – Evening Session
10. Time For Heroes – Evening Session
11. I Get Along/mayday – Evening Session
12. Jo Whiley – Christmas Live Lounge
13. Skag & Bone Man – Up The Bracket B-Side
14. The Delaney - Up The Bracket B-Side
15. Plan A - Up The Bracket B-Side
16. General Smuts (Demo) – Time For Heroes B-Side
17. Bangkok (Demo) – Time For Heroes – B-Side
18. Mr. Finnegan (Demo) – Time For Heroes B-Side
19. Sally Brown (Demo) – Time For Heroes B-Side
20. 7 Deadly Sins (Demo) – Time For Heroes B-Side
21. Up The Bracket – Live At The ICA – 3/6/02
22. Mayday – Live At Nottingham Rock City – 30/10/02
23. Begging - Live At Divan Du Monde, Paris – 7/11/02
24. The Boy Looked At Johnny – Live At Divan Du Monde, Paris – 7/11/02
25. Death On The Stairs – Alt Guitar Version

DVD
HD Videos Of –
Up The Bracket
Time For Heroes
I Get Along
Up The Bracket & Boys In The Band – Jools Holland Dec 2002
Time For Heroes – Top Of The Pops March 2003
Exclusive Extras – Still Tbc

Cassette – Early Demos
1. I Get Along – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
2. Time For Heroes – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
3. Never Never – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
4. Horror Show – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
5. Boys In The Band – 12/01 – Nomis Demo
6. Up The Bracket – 01/02 – Nomis Demo
7. Begging - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
8. What A Waster - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
9. Skint & Minted - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
10. General Smuts - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
11. Bangkok - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
12. Mayday - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
13. Mr Finnegan - 01/02 – Nomis Demo
14. Tell The King – 25/1/02 - Demo
15. Death On The Stairs – 25/1/02 – Demo
16. Time For Heroes – 1/3/02 - Demo
17. I Get Along – 1/3/02 - Demo
18. Horror Show – 1/3/02 – Demo
19. Boys In The Band – 1/3/02 - Demo
20. General Smuts – 1/3/02 – Demo

After the 2021 Re-Release of “Schwingungen” (MG.ART612) we proudly announce “Seven Up” as Part 2 of the authorised 50th Anniversary “A.R.T.” Re-Edition Series.

“Seven Up” is the third studio album by Ash Ra Tempel and their only album recorded in collaboration with American Ph.D. in psychology, Dr. Timothy Leary. The Coverart for “Seven Up” was designed by famous Swiss Artist Walter Wegmüller. Recorded in August 1972 at Sinus Studio in Berne, Switzerland, remixed September 1972 at Dierks Studios in Stommeln, Germany. First release in spring 1973 by OHR Musik – the first release on the new sub-label "Kosmische Kuriere", Kat-Nr. KK 58001.

We release “Seven Up” in a Re-Cut carefully overseen by Manuel Göttsching himself, on September 9th 2022, also being Manuel Göttsching´s 70th Birthday. Our Edition features the full original text for the “7 levels of consciousness” by Timothy Leary in English, i.e. “Instruction Manual for Pleasure Panel” plus a previously unreleased glimpse view of the original scripts incl. notes and mark ups as well as partly unreleased photos from the recording session.

As for the music itself we again refer to Julian Cope´s review and remarks from his book “Krautrocksampler” (published by Head Heritage, 1st ed. 1995):

“When the Leary Mob met the Kaiser Gang, the sparks flew ever Up-wards… 7up is a stone classic in every way. Yes, it is unlikely to find Timothy Leary singing lead vocal in a cosmic group, but even weirder that he chose to sing a wild yelping freaked out blues !

Manuel Göttsching and Hartmut Enke had begun their careers in The Steeple Chase Blues Band back in the mid-'60ies, and they quickly felt their way through what Barritt and Leary were aiming for. They reconciled it all as a kind of West Coast chordless psychedelia, where blues riffs sparkle out of nowhere and the sheer weight of synthesizers renders everything with an unreal Pere Ubu/early Roxy Music quality.

The greatness of Ash Ra Tempel burned so brightly on 7Up that there is really nothing else like it. Hartmut Enke and Manuel Gottsching here returned to their riffy roots. It can hardly be called a retro act, though, as the context of music is everything. And with Dierks at the controls, even the New Kids on the Block would have sounded psychedelic.7Up is like a late night radio show glimpsed through a shattered tuner where all but the most truly dangerous sounds have been allowed to stay, to drift and to dance around the performers.The result is an extreme gem, a flash of hysterical white lightning, and a pre-punk Technicolour yawn in the grandest of traditions.

In typical Ash Ra Tempel style, the record is divided into two pieces, “Space” and "Time”. Within this, though, Timothy Leary’s ideas are allowed to free-flow and the two sides are therefore divided into mini-songs all segued together. The highlight of Side 1 is “Power Drive”, a West Coast burn-up that transcends any W. Coast music I ever did hear. Leary and Barritt present the greatest twin-vocal of all time, coming on like Jagger and Morrison but too caught up in their own maelstrom to be anything less than Heralds of the Punkfuture still five years away.

In chaos it was conceived and in chaos it was recorded. Yet Dieter Dierks, the great Aural Architect of the Cosmic Couriers, turned 7Up into a personal triumph and a Kosmische dream.”

Timothy Leary & Ash Ra Tempel – “Seven Up”
TIMOTHY LEARY - voice
BRIAN BARRITT - voice
MICKY DUWE - voice & flute
LIZ ELLIOTT - voice
BETTINA HOHLS - voice
PORTIA NKOMO - voice
HARTMUT "HAWK" ENKE - bass, guitar & electronics
MANUEL GÖTTSCHING - guitar & electronics
STEVE A. - organ & electronics
DIETMAR BURMEISTER - drums
TOMMY ENGEL – drums
DIETER DIERKS - synthesizer & Radio Downtown

TRACK LISTING

Space (16:03):
Downtown
Power Drive
Right Hand Lover
Velvet Genes
Time (21:15):
Timeship
Neuron
SHeeee

For Fans Of: The Flying Stars Of Brooklyn NY, Durand Jones & The Indications, Como Mamas, Eli Paperboy Reed, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens.

Things are looking up for The Harlem Gospel Travelers, who return here with a new album, a new lineup, and a new lease on life. Produced by Eli Paperboy Reed, Look Up! marks the group’s first full-length release as a trio, as well as their first collection of totally original material, and it couldn’t have come at a more vital moment.

The music still draws deeply on the gospel quartet tradition of the ’50s and ’60s, of course, but there’s a distinctly modern edge to the record, an unmistakable reflection of the tumultuous past few years of pandemic anxiety, political chaos, and social unrest. The songs are bold and resilient, facing down doubt and despair with faith and perseverance, and the performances are explosive and ecstatic, fueled by dazzling vocal arrangements punctuated with gritty bursts of guitar and crunchy rhythm breaks.

Born out of an non-profit music education program led by Reed, The Harlem Gospel Travelers—singers Thomas Gatling, George Marage, and Dennis Bailey—released their debut LP, He’s On Time, to rave reviews in 2019, with Pop Matters hailing the album’s “musical transcendence” and AllMusic praising it as “dreamlike and joyous.” The record charted on Billboard, earned the Travelers high profile fans like Elton John (who invited them to appear on his Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music), and landed them festival slots everywhere from Pilgrimage to Telluride Jazz.

TRACK LISTING

1. Look Up!
2. Hold On (Joy Is Coming)
3. God's In Control
4. Help Me To Understand
5. Nothing But His Love
6. Fight On!
7. Hold Your Head Up
8. That's The Reason
9. Let Me Tell You
10. God Will Take Care Of You
11. I'm Grateful

Recorded over 6 months by Jon Drew at Giant Studios in Toronto, Year of the Ox is the band's fourth record in the continuing 12-year cycle and adds to its evolving retinue of guest musicians. The patient and building Year of the Ox features Nika Rosa Danilova of Zola Jesus for a guest vocal passage and Toronto's string quartet, New Strings Old Puppets. B-side "Solomon's Song," a gothic vampire love tribute to Twilight, features a 5-minute saxophone solo from Aerin Fogel of the Bitters and heavy synthing from Trust.

TRACK LISTING

A Year Of The Ox (13:00)
B Solomon's Song (11:50). 

Pink Floyd release two physical versions of their first newly recorded music in over 25 years, ‘Hey Hey Rise Up’. The single, which was initially released digitally in April in support of the people of Ukraine and was #1 in 29 countries, is available on 7” and CD single. Both formats also feature a newly reworked version of ‘A Great Day For Freedom’ from the band’s 1994 album, The Division Bell. The track sees David Gilmour and Nick Mason joined by long time Pink Floyd bass player Guy Pratt, with Nitin Sawhney on keyboards and a lead vocal by Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Ukrainian band Boombox. It also has vocal harmonies by Romany and David Gilmour

When the track was first recorded at the end of March, Andriy, who left his band’s US tour to return home and fight for his country, was in a hospital bed in Kyiv recovering from a shrapnel injury. Proceeds for the physical release and the ongoing digital proceeds will go to Ukraine humanitarian relief.

For this limited edition release, David Gilmour revisited The Division Bell track ‘A Great Day For Freedom’. He has reworked the song using the original tapes which, as well as David, feature Nick Mason on drums and Richard Wright on keyboards, along with backing vocals from Sam Brown, Claudia Fontaine and Durga McBroom. The artwork for the track ‘The Sunflower Look’ features a painting of the national flower of Ukraine with a twist by the Cuban artist Yosan Leon. The cover is a direct reference to the woman who was seen around the world giving sunflower seeds to Russian soldiers and telling them to carry them in their pockets, so that when they die sunflowers will grow.

A new studio album by the German progressive / hard rock legends. In the 1970s, Birth Control were one of the most internationally successful German rock bands . Since their spectacular album debut in 1970 on the cult label Ohr, the band has released more than thirty long players, including timeless classics such as "Operation", "Hoodoo Man" (which includes the disco hit "Gamma Ray") and "Plastic People".

Their 21st regular album is the first since the death of the band mastermind, singer and drummer Bernd Noske. Birth Control has always had a completely unique sound, showing the creativity and range of the current line-up on this album and gets to the heart of their wealth of ideas in 54 minutes, bringing 8 new studio tracks to the turntable, including a reworking of the 1972 hit Gamma Ray. Furthermore, seven new songs from the compositional pen of their songwriter duo Kühn/Ettrich, a brilliant mix of progressive/hard rock, blues and funk.

TRACK LISTING

1. Gamma Ray 2.0
2.The Last Word
3. Wrestling Mama
4. Open Sesame
5. I Don't Mind
6. Wannabe
7. Plans Get Lost
8. These Are The Days

Σtella makes her Sub Pop debut with the mesmerizing Up and Away, an old-school pop paean to the pangs and raptures of love. From the Greek folk-inflected get-go, we’re swept up in Σtella’s world – and it’s quite the captivating place to be.

The singer-songwriter joined forces with artist and producer Tom Calvert (aka Redinho), and it was a match made in Athens; the results are heavenly. Tom caught one of Σtella’s gigs on a visit to the city. He reached out, they started hanging out, and the pair soon clicked creatively. Both mention chemistry when asked about their collaboration and it’s clear, from what we hear, they had it in spades. The meld is seamless. Σtella’s songs have always riffed on American and Greek mid-century pop but Up and Away doubles down on the vintage aesthetic. Tom says he styled the record “as if it was a rare gem from the ’60s found in a box of records in Athens,” and Σtella notes she was ready for a more “deeply Greek touch – it felt comfortable and right, smoothly fusing with the pop.” The bouzouki appears on a full five tracks played by Christos Skondras who, she says, “was brilliant at improvising,” while Sofia Labropoulou on the kanun “brought an insane amount of dreaminess to the last two songs. Having these amazing musicians play for Up and Away – I couldn’t be more grateful.”

While not exclusively a confessional artist, Σtella is always intimate – when she sings, it’s personal. She writes “about things I feel passion for. Stories about me, about others, about all that’s there in love and war.” Σtella was “in a very emotional state at the time, which came through in the lyrics and vocals.” And it’s true, her honeyed voice – layered in those unmistakable harmonies of hers – thrillingly runs the gamut from tender to terse, by turns bracing and smitten, aching and forlorn. But it’s the lyrics that feel key. Across her output, Σtella has proven herself a strong storyteller, and Up and Away is no exception (the guise of the medieval bard she assumes on the cover is telling).

Past releases have been studded with gem-like vignettes – a diverse array of stories set tightly together to form non-linear narratives unified by emotion. Her latest feels singular in that it seems to trace a longer-form tale across songs, with each track escalating the record’s erotic arc. By the end of the album, Up and Away’s core concerns are clear: the conflicting and conflicted emotions inherent in love, that live on in ways we can’t always understand or control. Love is like this record: when it’s over, you still feel it for time to come.

TRACK LISTING

Up And Away
Nomad
Manéros
Charmed
Another Nation
Black And White
Titanic
The Truth Is
Who Cares
Is It Over

Marina proudly present the first ever vinyl issues of three classic albums by Glasgow’s finest, The Pearlfishers: “The Young Picnickers” (1999), “Across The Milky Way” (2001) and “Up With The Larks” (2007). 

Three albums of masterful, classic pop music, driven by main man David Scott’s exceptional songwriting which was often compared to Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Webb, Todd Rundgren and Brian Wilson. The beautifully crafted arrangements include woodwinds, trumpet, flugel horns, banjo – and real strings! “David Scott’s compositions sound something like The Carpenters and Burt Bacharach – except much more poppy, upbeat, and current!” (Babysue).

These albums also feature some of the finest Scottish musicians. Duglas T Stewart of BMX Bandits co-wrote two songs. Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub contributed backing vocals on “The Young Picnickers” and co-produced four tracks on “Up With The Larks”. Mick Slaven, one of the most unique guitarists ever (Jazzateers, James Kirk, Paul Quinn & The Independent Group), plays on “Across The Milky Way”. So does trumpet maestro Colin Steele who later recorded an entire album of Pearlfishers songs in terrific jazz arrangements (“Diving For Pearls”, 2017).

TRACK LISTING

A
Up With The Larks
The Bluebells
Send Me A Letter
The Umbrellas Of Shibuya
B
Womack And Womack
London’s In Love
Eco Schools
With You On My Mind
C
Fighting Fire With Flowers
Blue Riders On The Range
Ring The Bells For A Day
I Just See The Rainbow
D Bonus Tracks
Always Running Away From The Pretty Things
Clumsy
Come Home Pretty Bird
How Do You Start Again

A nine-track compilation gathering David era-appropriate rarities and B-sides, all of which were previously available only on 7”.

TRACK LISTING

1. Queen Of Hearts (Demo)
2. What Would You Do
3. Do All Words Can Do
4. Into The Light
5. Byrdsdale Garden City
6. What They Didn't Know
7. The Truest Road
8. Remember Me
9. Octavio Made The Bomb

Following on almost exactly a year to the day from the release of their acclaimed debut “For the first time”, the band have harnessed the momentum from that record and run full pelt into their second, with “Ants From Up There” managing to strike a skilful balance between feeling like a bold stylistic overhaul of what came before, as well as a natural progression.

Their debut “For the first time” is a certain 2021 Album of the Year, having received ecstatic reviews from critics and fans alike as well as being shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. Released in February to extensive, global, critical support - perhaps best summed up by The Times who wrote in their 5/5 review that they were "the most exciting band of 2021" and The Observer who called their record "one of the best albums of the year" - the album made a significant dent on the UK Albums Chart where it landed at #4 in its first week, a remarkable achievement for a largely experimental debut record. The album also reached #1 on Any Decent Music, #2 at Album Of The Year and sat at #1 on Rate Your Music for several weeks, remaining the record to generate the most fan reviews and site discussion there this year. Black Country, New Road were also declared Artist Of The Week and Album Of The Week by The Observer, The Line Of Best Fit and Stereogum, and saw features, including covers and reviews, from the likes of Mojo, NPR, CRACK, Uncut, The Quietus, Pitchfork, The FADER, Loud & Quiet, The Face, Paste, The Needle Drop, DIY, NME, CLASH, So Young, Dork and more.

With “For the first time” the band melded klezmer, post-rock, indie and an often intense spoken word delivery. On “Ants From Up There” they have expanded on this unique concoction to create a singular sonic middle ground that traverses classical minimalism, indie-folk, pop, alt rock and a distinct tone that is already unique to the band.

Recorded at Chale Abbey Studios, Isle Of Wight, across the summer with the band’s long-term live engineer Sergio Maschetzko, it’s also an album that comes loaded with a deep-rooted conviction in the end result. “We were just so hyped the whole time,” says Hyde. “It was such a pleasure to make. I've kind of accepted that this might be the best thing that I'm ever part of for the rest of my life. And that's fine.”

TRACK LISTING

LP
Side A
A1. Intro
A2. Chaos Space Marine
A3. Concorde
A4. Bread Song
Side B
B1. Good Will Hunting
B2. Haldern
B3. Mark’s Theme
Side C
C1. The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
C2. Snow Globes
Side D
D1. Basketball Shoes

CD 
Intro
Chaos Space Marine
Concorde
Bread Song
Good Will Hunting
Haldern
Mark’s Theme
The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
Snow Globes
Basketball Shoes

4LP Box Set / Deluxe CD
Ants From Up There
Side A
A1. Intro
A2. Chaos Space Marine
A3. Concorde
A4. Bread Song
Side B
B1. Good Will Hunting
B2. Haldern
B3. Mark’s Theme
Side C
C1. The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
C2. Snow Globes
Side D
D1. Basketball Shoes

Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall 
Side A
A1. Mark’s Theme (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
A2. Instrumental (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
A3. Athens France (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Side B
B1. Science Fair (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
B2. Sunglasses (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Side C
C1. Track X (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
C2. Opus (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
C3. Bread Song (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Side D
D1. Basketball Shoes (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall) 

Produced by Jonathan Wilson (Dawes, Father John Misty, Conor Oberst), Erin Rae's highly anticipated new album Lighten Up is a timeless amalgam of classic pop, cosmic country and indie rock, recorded earlier this year in California’s Topanga Canyon. Three years have passed since the release of her critically acclaimed debut Putting On Airs, which drew high praise from publications from Rolling Stone to NPR Music. She mostly spent her time on the road, performing at Newport Folk and Red Rocks, sharing stages with Iron & Wine, Jason Isbell, Jenny Lewis, Hiss Golden Messenger and Father John Misty, before her touring came to a sharp halt at the start of the pandemic. The solitude of the road and then the pandemic created space for Rae to undergo a sonic and philosophical shift where she found personal catharsis in creating an album that reflected on her newfound lessons of self acceptance, alongside finding the confidence to offer social commentary on the environment, gender identity and equality.

“My last record was a lot of self-assessment and criticism, and trying to kick old habits and ways of relating and not relating to people,” Rae acknowledges. “This one is about blossoming, opening up, and living a little more in the present moment. Fully experiencing what it is to be human.” With a renewed sense of agency, Rae also took a more active role in creating the kaleidoscopic soundscape that became Lighten Up, setting out to reflect a sound she calls, “an emotional pallet, I could get lost in.” Alongside Erin and Jonathan Wilson, who contributed various instruments, the album also features guest appearances from fellow rising star singer songwriters, Meg Duffy, Ny Oh, and Kevin Morby.

TRACK LISTING

1. Candy + Curry
2. Can’t See Stars
3. True Love’s Face
4. Gonna Be Strange
5. California Belongs To You
6. Cosmic Sigh
7. Modern Woman
8. Drift Away
9. Enemy
10. Mind - Heart
11. Lighten Up And Try
12. Undone

After 13 and a half inglorious years and a MILLION shows, Waited Up 'til It Was Light, that seminal johnny foreigner debut album, is FINALLY released on limited vinyl via Alcopop! Records, with much kindness to Best Before for letting it happen. Pressed on beautiful red/green ghost splatter wax with a few carefully chosen extra tracks - relive, relearn, rejoice. johnny foreigner are BACK baby. Waited Up 'til It Was Light 2008 press:"The best and most important record not only of this year, but possibly of this decade" - The Line of Best Fit "If you can't laugh at naming a song 'Salt, Pepa, and Spinderella', what can you laugh at?" - Consequence "Awash with striding, bubblegum-blowing cuts, this is an exhilarating and triumphant debut" - The Skinny "Brash, messy, gloriously noisy and tinged with moments of beguiling honesty" - NME "A defnite contender for home-grown debut of the year" - Drowned In Sound "Rebellious, cheeky, funny, loose, and musically solid" - Pop Matters

TRACK LISTING

1. Lea Room 
2. Our Bipolar Friends 
3. Eyes Wide Terrifed 
4. Cranes And Cranes And Cranes And Cranes 
5. The End And Everything After 
6. Hennings Favourite 
7. Salt, Peppa And Spindirella 
8. Yes! You Talk Too Fast 
9. DJs Get Doubts 
10. Sometimes In The Bullring 
11. Yr All Just Jealous 
12. Absolute Balance 
13. The Hidden Song At The End Of The Record 
14. Champagne Girls I Have Known 
15. The Houseparty Scene Is Killing You 
16. I Heard, He Ties Up Cats 
17. What Burlesque Won't Stand

Arriving in the wake of his critically acclaimed debut solo album ‘A Quickening’, Week’s forthcoming record once again leans into themes of new life & parenthood, but whereas his previous work catalogued the emotions, expectations and anxieties that accompany imminent parenthood, Hop Up is an altogether more joyous and life affirming statement.

Featuring inspiring contributions from Katy J Pearson, Willie J Healey and Ben Reed (best known as part of Frank Ocean’s live band, he also played bass on the seminal ‘Blonde’ album ).

Weeks notes “It started with the idea of wanting to fill in some of the blanks that I felt I had left with ‘A Quickening’, but quite quickly it turned into something broader. The choice was always to take the more positive and uplifting sounding step. Perhaps it shouldn’t have, but as an approach it felt surprisingly novel to me.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Hop Up is an unashamedly upbeat and undeniably lovely collection of synth-pop abstractions and a wonderful testament to Weeks' abilities as a songwriter. 'Look who's Talking Now' mixes 80's pop groove with crisp production and swimming, echoic bliss.

TRACK LISTING

1. Deep Down Way Out
2. Look Who’s Talking Now
3. Bigger
4. Yup Yup Yup Yup
5. High Kicking (featuring Willie J Healey)
6. No End To Love
7. Hey You Hop Up
8. Make You Happy
9. Big Skies Silly Faces (featuring Katy J Pearson)
10. Silver
11. Way To Go

In 2011, Toronto’s Fucked Up delivered an album that chafed the edges of punk rock’s conceptual boundaries –a set of songs that splayed freely into unexpected instrumentation, psychedelic drift, and situationist philosophy. Its ambition was limitless and its run time opulent.

Which is to say, they made a concept album.

On December 10th, Matador Records will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Fucked Up’s titanic 78-minute early ’10s masterpiece, David Comes to Life, with a limited-edition 2xLP reissue on lightbulb-yellow vinyl.

David Comes To Life is a story of lost love, global meltdown, depression, bombs, guilt and madness. Or is it? A modern-day morality tale set amid the dour backdrop of a British industrial town in the late ’70s, it’s a four-part play that follows the dark moods and inner psyche of the titular hero. At the same time, the reliability of the narrator gets called into question. The tables are turned, responsibility shifts, and the story goes meta. Of course,you could always ignore the backstory and just listen to a fiercely imaginative double album of blistering, melodic rock'n'roll shot through with all manner of psychic weirdness.

TRACK LISTING

1. Let Her Rest
2. Queen Of Hearts
3. Under My Nose
4. The Other Shoe
5. Turn The Season
6. Running On Nothing
7. Remember My Name
8. A Slanted Tone
9. Serve Me Right
10. Truth I Know
11. Life In Paper
12. Ship Of Fools
13. A Little Death
14. I Was There
15. Inside A Frame
16. The Recursive Girl
17. One More Night
18. Lights Go Up

Mere weeks before the world went into lockdown, King Krule had performed a handful of European shows which featured tracks from his critically acclaimed third album Man Alive! Performed with a ferocious intensity, the recordings offer fans a glimpse into a live tour that never was, while also reminding them of the artist's unique stage presence and incredible performances delivered across his entire catalogue. Available on double LP and CD, You Heat Me Up, You Cool Me Down features a setlist of 17 songs that span the acclaimed artist’s entire discography including fan favourites “Easy Easy,” “Baby Blue,” “Out Getting Ribs” and more.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: 'You Heat Me Up..' perfectly displays the energetic live show that Marshall has become so known for, and includes some of the biggest tracks from the past couple LP's we've sold so many of in the past few years. A wonderfully immersive and thoroughly worthwhile listen.

TRACK LISTING

Out Getting Ribs
Emergency Blimp
A Slide In (New Drugs)
The Ooz
Cellular
Stoned Again
Slush Puppy
Rock Bottom
Comet Face
Perfecto Miserable
Alone, Omen 3
Baby Blue
Half Man Half Shark
Underclass
Energy Fleets
Please Complete Thee
Easy Easy

Following the huge acclaim earlier this year for Matt Berry’s eighth studio album The Blue Elephant, Acid Jazz Records release Gather Up, a compilation album encompassing the singular musical adventures this extraordinary musician has taken over the past decade, offering a revelatory and fascinating insight into the working process of a genuine musical maverick and sonic explorer.

Over 10 years with Acid Jazz Records Berry has released nine incredibly diverse albums (including one live album). From the tangled-folk rock thickets of Witchazel and Kill The Wolf (which features the song from which this box gets its name), to the out-there explorations of Music For Insomniacs or TV Themes’ retro-kitsch delights, through the soul power in Matt Berry & The Maypoles Live or the twilight grooves of The Small Hours to the classic pedal-steel songwriting of Phantom Birds and the smorgasbord of psychedelic sounds on The Blue Elephant, Berry’s journey has produced a feast for the ears that twists and turns down more unexpected avenues than most artists could manage over several careers. 

Gather Up pulls together an excellent 21-track career spanning collection expertly compiled by Berry, available as a separate, standalone release on 2LP or single CD, including non-album tracks such as ‘Snuff Box Theme’. No easy achievement considering the sheer breadth, diversity and volume of his exceptional musical output. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Take My Hand
2. Something In My Eye
3. Medicine
4. Badger's Wake
5. World In Action
6. One By One
7. Take A Bow
8. October Sun
9. So Low
10. Summer Sun
11. Gather Up
12. Theme From Snuff Box
13. Middle Of The East
14. Like Stone
15. Phantom Birds
16. Music For Insomniacs Part IV
17. Say It Again
18. The Innkeepers Song Live
19. Obsessed & So Obscure
20. Woman
21. Solstice 

Gather Up is the culmination of ten years on Acid Jazz for Matt Berry. Gather Up comes as a beautifully packaged 5LP Box set with a 64 page booklet or 4CD Hardback book-set with a 28 pages of illustrations and notes.

The 55 tracks are split between an anthology compilation that tracks the very best tracks from his 8 albums and associated singles for the label over the last decade, an album of unreleased tracks and rarities, a demo version of his 2020 album Phantom Birds and the previously unreleased Live At A Festival LP which showcases Matt & his band the Maypoles in full flight.

The book included in both formats has an extended essay by Chris Catchpole which review Matt’s musical career and an exclusive set of photo images culled from the archive of Matt’s long time photographic collaborator Ben Meadows.

The LP Box is strictly limited to 1500 copies and comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Matt.

TRACK LISTING

CD 1 - Gather Up
1. Take My Hand
2. Something In My Eye
3. Medicine
4. Badger's Wake
5. World In Action
6. One By One
7. Take A Bow
8. October Sun
9. So Low
10. Summer Sun
11. Gather Up
12. Theme From Snuff Box
13. Middle Of The East
14. Like Stone
15. Phantom Birds
16. Music For Insomniacs Part IV
17. Say It Again
18. The Innkeepers Song Live
19. Obsessed & So Obscure
20. Woman
21. Solstice

CD 2 - Rare & Unreleased
1. Bigger Than A Dog - Original Witchazel Intro
2. Take My Hand - Live On Absolute Radio
3. Autumn - Witchazel Outtake
4. The Dawn - From Myspace EP 'Summer Sun' 2010
5. Snuff Box - Live Loop Used Live Between 2005 - 2012
6. Catch Me In Time
7. Dark Beach - From Myspace EP 'Summer Sun' 2010
8. The Hangman - Acoustic Version 2007
9. Wonder Theme - Became 'Something In My Eye’
10. Music For Insomniacs - Alternative Intro
11. Theme From 'Sorry’ - Live From Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe 2007
12. Music For Insomnaics - Rejected Theme
13. Walk With Samuel - Devil Inside Me’
14. Blankety Blank - Vocal Intro
15. The Blue Elephant - Trip Two
16. Sweet Velvet - Became 'Seasons On Fire’
17. The Blue Elephant - Alternative

CD 3 - Phantom First
1. Covered In Clowns
2. Get Her Out Of My Mind
3. I'm Going
4. Make It Go Away
5. Peter Cleopatra And The Windmill
6. Play On
7. Take A Bow
8. The Preacher's House
9. A Shot Rang Out In The Forest
10. The Wrong House
11. Where's My Love?
12. You Danced All Night

CD 4 - Live At A Festival
1. Medicine / So Low
2. Silver Sun
3. Theme From Snuffbox
4. Solstice
5. The Pheasant

To write the songs for Here’s to Shutting Up, we gathered in Jim’s garage (he lived way out in the woods) a couple times a week for what seemed like months. We started from actual scratch with no demos or concepts, just playing instrumental music with our usual gear plus a Casio. Sometimes one of us would play the keys instead of our normal instrument, or Jon would hop on guitar and we’d use the Casio drum machine for the beat. We ended up with a LOT of ideas and plenty of good names for them—“Frank’s Bath,” “There’s Something About Marvin,” and “Bestial Warning” to name a few. We recorded practice onto MiniDisc or cassette, and I would ride around listening to these demos and thinking of words. The subject matter, in retrospect, has a lot to do with touring and travel (“Out on the Wing,” “What Do You Look Forward To?”), coming home (“Rainy Streets,” “Act Surprised”), the 2000 election (“Florida’s on Fire”), and late-stage capitalism (“Late-Century Dream,” “The Animal Has Left Its Shell”).

September 2001: Here’s to Shutting Up was meant to be released on September 18, 2001. On September 11, obviously the world changed. Our release date moved a couple weeks, but our tour dates remained and we flew to Japan in October. It was a WILD time to be traveling the world. Receptions ranged from “thank you for giving us something else to think about” to “why are you here?” We flew home from Japan and left for the UK the day the US started bombing Afghanistan. This was the climate, and the climate was not great for playing rock music. People were thinking about other things. Our friend Annie Hayden (of the band Spent) joined us on keyboards and guitar for the US leg which was an exciting expansion of our lineup and a fun way to play old songs in a new way. We had some great shows along the way and got to tour with excellent openers like Rilo Kiley, The Good Life, and Aereogramme. But the fear in the air and the length of the tour was exhausting. 

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A
1 Late Century Dream
2 Rainy Streets
3 Phone Sex
4 Florida’s On Fire
5 Out On The Wing

SIDE B
6 The Animal Has Left Its Shell
7 Act Surprised
8 Art Class (Song For Yayoi Kusama)
9 What Do You Look Forward To?
10 Drool Collection

LP Bonus CD | CD2:
1 Late-Century Dream (acoustic Demo)
2 Rainy Streets (acoustic Demo)
3 The Hot Break (acoustic Demo)
4 Florida’s On Fire (acoustic Demo)
5 Act Surprised (acoustic Demo)
6 A Collection Of Accounts (acoustic Demo)
7 Art Class (Song For Yayoi Kusama) (acoustic Demo)
8 Flying Aka Out On The Wing (acoustic Demo)
9 Becoming A Speck (acoustic Demo)
10 Frank’s Bath Aka Phone Sex (acoustic Demo)
11 The Animal Has Left Its Shell (acoustic Demo)
12 Corp Song Aka What Do You Look Forward To? (acoustic Demo)
13 Drool Collection (acoustic Demo)

Following the release of their debut album Crocodiles and the subsequent EP Shine So Hard, Echo & The Bunnymen returned with their second studio album Heaven Up Here. The album spawned the single A Promise as well as Over The Wall in Australia. The album artwork was shot by frequent collaborator Brian Griffin, on a beach in the South Wales town of Porthcawl and won the Best Dressed LP at the 1981 NME Awards.

Seen as a darker album to their debut Crocodiles, the album was well-received by fans and press alike, cementing their cult status in the UK. Heaven Up Here went on to peak at #10 in the UK album charts, being certified Gold in the process, as well as being the band’s first album to chart in the USA. It won the 1981 NME Best Album award and ranks amongst Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all time.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Show Of Strength
2. With A Hip
3. Over The Wall
4. It Was A Pleasure
5. A Promise
Side B
1. Heaven Up Here
2. The Disease
3. All My Colours
4. No Dark Things
5. Turquoise Days
6. All I Want

The 2nd in the series of Richard Hawley music boxes.

Wind the handle to play the gorgeous refrain from Open Up Your Door.

An absolute gem!

Amyl and the Sniffers are a punk band possessed by the spirit of seventies Australian rock. Amy Taylor (vocals), Bryce Wilson (drums), Dec Martens (guitar) are former housemates who formed the band, wrote a handful of tunes and released their debut EP, Giddy Up, all in a span of twelve hours. Completing their line up with Gus Romer on bass, the band take their cues from a diverse bunch of legends including AC/DC, Cosmic Psychos, Dolly Parton and Die Antwoord, setting out to have as much fun as possible.

Their 2nd EP, Big Attraction, was released in February 2017, kicking off a stellar year for these young punks. Growing buzz around their blistering live show made the band a hot tip at Bigsound in Brisbane, while the band was added to festival lineups including Meredith and CherryRock17. The band and were invited to join the Cosmic Psychos on their forthcoming November/December tour and capped off the year with a sellout NYE show at the legendary Tote in their home town of Melbourne.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Amyl And The Sniffers have been a force to be reckoned with on the Australian punk scene (and indeed over here), and this early document of their first two EP's are an absolutely essential purchase. Every bit as incendiary and uncompromising as their LP's, an essential purchase.

TRACK LISTING

1 I'm Not A Loser
2 Blowjobs
3 Mole (Sniff Sniff)
4 Balaclava Lover Boogie
5 Westgate
6 70's Street Munchies
7 Pleasure Forever
8 Caltex Cowgirl
9 Mandalay
10 Stole My Pushbike

Hamburg-based Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band offer up another 7” double header on the amazing Big Crown label. On side A they take on J Dilla’s “Raise It Up”, earnestly reconstructing the track with live brass, guitars & glockenspiels and hitting the MAXIMUM NOD setting on the drummer’s program set. Not only is this a great twist on the Dilla instrumental for creative rappers to freestyle over; it’s a head-turning alt version to populate your next mixtape or club session with.

On side B Galt MacDermot’s “Space” gets reworked by the band. Made famous by the Busta Rhymes track “Woohah Got You All In Check” it’s another instant crowd pleaser with nice, chilled, laid back mood that’ll surely be the staple in countless DJ sets over the next few months. TIP! 

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A: Raise It Up
SIDE B: Space

Bouquet Records features Olive T. for their sixth EP release on vinyl to infuse their 2021 roster with the desired verve and energy that dormant club kids are thirsting for.

Releasing in early summer, the energetic dance tracks herald a return to the dance floor, uplifted by soul-stirring synthesiser orchestral strings.
The native New Yorker and scene fixture was influenced by 90's house, inspired by Raze, Deee-lite, Green Velvet, and smooth disco flows.
The ascension sensation of 'Goin' Up' builds on familiar house grooves with digital synths and a thoughtful utilisation of today's technology.

Known to play a range spanning hip hop to club, jazz to funk, disco to garage, and more, Olive T has DJ'd countless venues and over international airwaves.
An early exposure to house and techno, combined with a wide span of diverse musical taste, shaped her unique style. In 2020 she started her own 2 hour radio show on The Lot Radio.

Olive T worked with Tiro! due to her admiration of his use of traditional sounds of the 90's era, sensing he also listened prolifically to 90's house and techno. Tiro!'s remix of 'This Is A Bop' adds organic flare to the original.
A long-time fan of Matt Karmil, she invited him to remix 'Opaque' - He flips the track upside down to reveal a different, but still vibrant interpretation, with his technical approach to remixing.

Olive T has released singles and remixes on Nervous records, 2MR, and on her own. The four track record 'Goin' Up' marks Olive T's first label-released EP, and first release on San Diego-based Bouquet Records.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Opaque
A2. Opaque (Matt Karmil Remix)
B. This Is A Bop
B. This Is A Bop (Tiro ! Remix)

In honor of 50 years of The Beach Boys’ timeless and often underappreciated albums, Capitol/UMC will release an expansive 5CD box set titled Feel Flows – The Sunflower and Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971 on Aug 27 that chronicles and explores in depth this metamorphic and highly influential 1969-1971 period of the band’s legendary career. Assembled by Mark Linett and Alan Boyd, the team behind 2013’s GRAMMY® Award-winning SMiLE Sessions, the expansive collection features newly remastered versions of Sunflower and Surf’s Up and boasts 135 tracks, including 108 previously unreleased tracks, live recordings, radio promos, alternate versions, alternate mixes, isolated backing tracks and a capella versions, culled from the album sessions.

Housed in a book style package, the set is rounded out with a 48-page book loaded with unreleased and rare photos, lyric sheets, tape box images, recording artifacts, insightful new liner notes by noted radio veteran and Beach Boys afficionado Howie Edelson, and new and archival interviews from Al Jardine, Brian Wilson, Bruce Johnston, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, and others. Feel Flows will also be released in abbreviated versions including 4LP on black vinyl, 2LP black vinyl and 2CD editions.

On “Get Up Sequences Part One” Ian, Ninja, Nia, Simone, Sam and Adam have created a musical world distinctly of their own making. A place where routine is outlawed and perfection is the enemy. Where Ennio Morricone meets the Monkees armed with flutes, glockenspiels, steel drums and a badass analogue attitude. We’re talking widescreen, four- track, channel hopping sounds that are instantly recognisable.

In The Go! Team's world, old’s cool, the future's bright and melody is the star. Just check the second cut “Cookie Scene” with a bouncing flute and junk shop percussion it introduces guest rapper Indigo Yaj who delivers an old school vocal that continues this sonic trip. Pow channels Curtis Mayfield and enter stage centre, the inimitable Ninja in full flow and you don’t stop, you wont stop to this flute driven free for all.

By way of demonstrating The Go! Team’s old school manifesto, comes the 'needle-in-the-red' “I Love You Better” a defiant message to an ex love, spelling out exactly how he’s fucked up – and then there’s those steel drums. Following that comes the soda fountain soul courtesy of “A Bee Without Its Sting”, a groovy protest song that makes its point with a tambourine – hey only The Go! Team.

The musical wagon train then takes you into the wide screen, windswept western that is Tame the Great Plains heading off into a polyrhythmic panorama that’s full of hope. Slappin’ you back to reality comes “World Remember Me Now”, a timely reminder that when you’re lost in the routine of life, you can always count on The Go! Team.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: It's exactly what you'd expect from the Go! Team, this it's bright and bold and chaotic and absolutely on-brand. Summery steel drums and syncopated percussion, offset tinny melodies and jangling percussion, topped with jubilant vocal swathes. Brilliantly bright and wonderfully fun.

TRACK LISTING

1. Let The Seasons Work
2. Cookie Scene
3. A Memo For Maceo
4. We Do It But Never Know Why
5. Freedom Now
6. Pow
7. I Loved You Better
8. A Bee Without Its Sting
9. Tame The Great Plains
10. World Remember Me Now

‘Rolled Up’ features US indie star Mac DeMarco.

This is the third single from Benny Sings’ forthcoming album, following ‘Music’ and ‘Sunny Afternoon’.

Guests on the forthcoming album also include KYLE, Tom Misch, Emily King and Remi Wolf, among many others.

7” features the original version of ‘Rolled Up’ on the A-side and an exclusive instrumental version on the flip.

For fans of Jordan Rakei, Tom Misch, Real Estate, Connan Mockasin, Nick Hakim.

TRACK LISTING

Rolled Up (feat. Mac DeMarco)
Rolled Up (Instrumental)

Steadily working their way through my teenage mixtapes, West Coast Classics pair 2 Pac's most emotive moment (I'm happy to have that arguement with anyone - ed) with a slice of low slung gangsta shit from King Tee (and Ice Cube and Breeze). 
2 Pac's heritage, lineage and prominence within the civil rights continuum is second to none, and never did he express his opinion with more power and poetry than on 1993 single "Keep Your Head Up". Musing on the struggle of his community, misogyny, absent fathers and abortion rights, as well as black excellence, Tupac treats us to some of his most famous and pointed lyrics - seriously, it's shockingly relative to 2021! Musically, the Zapp-sampling beat is sweet and soulful, perfectly complimented by Dave Hollister's vocal interpolation of "Ooh Child". 
The B-side brings the lowest slung West Coast shit 1991 had to offer, King Tee's "Played Like A Piano". DJ Pooh slices up a Grover Washington Jr. sample into the kind of shit that makes your Alpine shake, while King T, Ice Cube and Breeze give us that cypher style delivery with maximum attitude. 

TRACK LISTING

A. 2 Pac - Keep Ya Head Up
B. King Tee - Played Like A Piano (feat. Ice Cube & Breeze)

Harlem Hipshake sees the welcome return of The Bongolian AKA multi-instrumentalist and Big Boss Man front man Nasser Bouzida. This, the sixth album under The Bongolian moniker, follows the highly acclaimed Moog Maximus. Harlem Hipshake finds The Bongolian deeply immersed in his lifelong love for the music of the sixties New York’s Latin Soul scene, particularly the music of Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria and Joe Bataan. Principally a drummer, percussionist by trade, Nasser has once again delivered another set of heavy breaks and percussive grooves underpinning this brand-new collection of songs which he has written and produced. Whilst Nasser performs many of the instruments (as is usual with Bongolian albums) on the album, it also features a prominent use of additional UK musicians on brass duties. These include Terry Edwards (Trumpet, Trombone, Sax, Flute), Gareth James Bailey (Trombone) and Craig Crofton (Alto Sax), James Morton (Alto Sax), Andrew Ross (Tenor and Baritone sax) and Ralph Lamb (Trumpet). From the East Side to the West Side, get ready for the Harlem Hipshake

STAFF COMMENTS

Martin says: I've been shaking a leg or two to this in my living room of a Friday night. My girlfriend loves it too. Not my usual cup of tea but sometimes the funk just gets ya!

TRACK LISTING

1. Give The Drummer Some
2. Harlem Hipshake
3. East Side Rumble
4. LSD Got A Hold On Me
5. Flatfoot Hustle
6. Soul Drums On 110th Street
7. Do You Like It Like That. West Side:
8. Manhattan Cornbread
9. El Beardo
10. West Side Stories
11. Mojito Time Baby
12. Tito's Pay Off
13. Swinging At Palm Gardens

Growing Up is the debut physical release by Newcastle quartet Club Paradise, released on Kids Records (The Wombats, The Whip, Band of Horses, I Like Trains) featuring four epic guitar-pop tracks each, in the words of CMU: "featuring a chorus that will fill every corner of any room you'd care to put it in".

The band have built a fierce local following and have already shared the stage with the likes of Vistas, Apre, Larkins, Kashmere, Vant, Saint Raymond, The Navettes and Only The Poets, as well as picking up early attention from the likes of Clash Magazine, Shortlist and a legion of blogs. Made up of school friends Ryan Young (vocals/guitar), Jackson Vert (lead guitar), Harry Webb (bass) and Nathan Hogg (drums), the band cite the likes of Foals, The Midnight, Jungle and The Horrors as influences, writing tracks reminiscent of an 80s Sunset Boulevard movie montage.

Expanded editions of Wrong Way Up with John Cale, and Spinner with Jah Wobble, will be available on August 21. It is the first time either album has been available in a physical format for 15 years, and marks the 30th anniversary of the Eno/Cale album, and the 25th anniversary of the Eno/Wobble album.

Wrong Way Up marked the historic coming together of two icons of leftfield music. Having both started their careers as creative forces in seminal bands (Eno’s unique synthesizer treatments in Roxy Music and Cale’s viola and bass contributions to the Velvet Underground), they’ve appeared as guest musicians on each other’s records as far back as 1974, the year in which they also made a historic live album with Nico and Kevin Ayers at the Rainbow Theatre in London. They remained friends, and the year prior to Wrong Way Up, Eno produced Cale’s Words For The Dying album. This paved the way for the pair to write and record an album together, notably the first time Eno had delivered a collection of song-based recordings since Before And After Science in 1977. The resulting album is a triumph for both artists, containing the singles “Spinning Away” and “Been There Done That”. “Brian Eno and John Cale’s 1990 collaboration is an album of contention, contrasts, cycles, and pop songs so layered and euphoric it ranks among the best albums either artist has ever made.” - Pitchfork

TRACK LISTING

Vinyl Tracklist:
Side One
1. Lay My Love
2. One Word
3. In The Backroom
4. Empty Frame
5. Cordoba
Side Two
1. Spinning Away
2. Footsteps
3. Been There Done That
4. Crime In The Desert
5. The River
Bonus Tracks Accessible Via Download Card
Grandfather’s House
Palanquin

Non-LP Tracks Originally Released As The B-side To The Spinning Away Single

Tracklist For Both CD Formats:
01. Lay My Love
02. One Word
03. In The Backroom
04. Empty Frame
05. Cordoba
06. Spinning Away
07. Footsteps
08. Been There Done That
09. Crime In The Desert
10. The River
11. Grandfather’s House
12. Palanquin

Tracks 11 And 12 Are Non-album Tracks Originally Released As The B-side To The Spinning Away Single

Crawling Up The Stairs is the sophomore album from Austin underground luminaries Pure X, re-issued on 180 gram vinyl by Fire Talk.

The anticipated follow-up to debut ‘Pleasure,’ the new record places Nate Grace’s ragged vocals upfront in the mix with more clearcut, refined production choices, while still imbued with the jagged sexual tension and undercurrent of catastrophe that has won them fans across the world.

More accolades from the press followed, notably Pitchfork calling the record ‘sophisticated and self aware,’ lending a further upward trajectory to the band’s steadfast cult status. The duality of vocals from Grace and Jenkins for the first time evoke an even more enthralling immediacy to Pure X’s continued evolution of their nightmarish visions, a spellbinding combination that will find appeal in old fans and new listeners alike.

TRACK LISTING

Crawling Up The Stairs
Someone Else
Written In The Slime
I Fear What I Feel
Things In My Head
Shadows And Lies
I Come From Nowhere
Never Alone
How Did You Find Me
Thousand Year Old Child
Rain At Dawn
All Of The Future (All Of The Past)

Wake UP! is the debut album from Californian-based singer songwriter Hazel English. It features the 60s psych-influenced single Shaking, written by Hazel and frequent collaborator Blake Stranathan (Lana Del Rey) as well as timeless dream-pop tunes Off My Mind and Five And Dime. The album was recorded over a two year period and made in LA with super-producer Justin Raisen (Sky Ferreira, Charli XCX, Angel Olsen) and in Atlanta with Ben H. Allen (Deerhunter, M.I.A, Animal Collective).

TRACK LISTING

Born Like
Shaking
Wake UP!
Off My Mind
Combat
Five And Dime
Like A Drug
Waiting
Milk And Honey
Work It Out

Two more floor-friendly 45s from the Deptford Northern Soul Club’s record box.

Featuring fifty quid’s worth of excellent brasspowered psyche soul that originally turned up on Buddah Records in 1969. An absolutely huge Blackpool Mecca 45 with a backflip moment at around 40 seconds that repeats for all stomping excessives.

Backed with the legendary Lee Dorsey’s mighty ‘Give It Up’ from the same year. A swampy soul stew with a funky feel by the hugely underrated singer. An Allen Toussaint

TRACK LISTING

Lou Courtney ‘Trying To Find My Woman’
Lee Dorsey ‘Give It Up’

Their one and only single was originally released in 1985 on Creation and spent 19 weeks in the independent chart. From East Kilbride in Scotland, they morphed into Motorcycle Boy.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
Don’t Slip Up

Side B
Here It Comes

Second release on the reissue series MTMB (Music Take Me Back) features two amazing dance floor tracks by U.X.B., the six-piece disco band founded by lead singer Keith Pole in the early 80’s. Both “Sting Me” and “Your Starring” were dedicated to Keith’s first love who he eventually married. After being featured on a Disconet Program Service compilation in 1982, Sting Me was later picked up by Belgian label Rainbow to receive a single release including an extended vocal and dub version. A 7″ single was pressed too that included the otherwise unreleased “Your Starring”.

Incl insert which states:

''The bees are in trouble!

By purchasing this record you have donated 1 euro to Buglife, a nonprofit organisation that helps them thrive and survive''

TRACK LISTING

A1. Sting Me (vocal Version)
B1. Your Starring
B2. Sting Me (dub Version)

When he's not busy laying down tracks with A$AP Rocky and Das Racist or hosting shows for VICE Fat Tony kicks back with close bud and producer Taydex spitting close to the bone, observational bars. This, his first release on Carpark records drops right on cue with his riotous live dates with Black Midi and Blackalicious. For "Wake Up", Fat Tony invited a cast of talented peers, including Sophia Pfister, Negashi Armada, Dai Burger, Clarence James, and Revenge Wife, to spit verses on the album. The record’s lead singles “Godly” and “Get Out My Way” show the musical and conceptual range the album has to offer. Fat Tony hopes that the creative risks taken on the album gesture a leap forward in his discography while retaining the charisma and sincerity his fans know him for.

Nigerian-American rapper and entertainer Fat Tony’s fifth studio album, "Wake Up", a collaboration with producer Taydex, is saturated in the candid confidence that has carried him through his tenure in underground Hip Hop. "Wake Up" is an anthemic return to form after 2018’s "10,000 Hours". Inspired by quietly groundbreaking rap records like De La Soul’s "Buhloone Mindstate" and Ghostface Killah’s "Supreme Clientele", "Wake Up" shows Fat Tony widening the scope of his storytelling while maintaining his light-hearted and selfreflective demeanor. Taydex’s instrumentals provide a colorful and turbulent backdrop to Fat Tony’s anecdotal and satirical verses. 

Fat Tony explains. “After that, I just decided, let’s make an EP together.” The pair began recording a five-track EP in December 2018 at Taydex’s studio, which would lay the groundwork for Wake Up. Fat Tony and Taydex put the project on pause for about three months while Fat Tony was living in New York and co-hosting Viceland’s late-night variety show VICE LIVE. After the show ended in April 2019 Fat Tony flew back to LA and spent a month and a half with Taydex recording new tracks and elaborating on what they had already started.

“I thought it would be more interesting to make it an album than an EP, and that the time we spent apart before making the second batch of songs would make it a more interesting and diverse body of work.” By the end of the second session, Fat Tony and Taydex had created a complex collage of sounds, stories, and references that flexes the MC’s growth as a writer the producer’s masterful assembly. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Everyone here will no doubt tell you i'm not a massive fan of a lot of modern hip-hop, but there's something about this superb outing from Fat Tony (not fat) and Taydex that really does it for me. Maybe it's the weighty, synthpop production, or possibly the weird gamey vibes, either way, it's superb and it's going on the player, RIGHT NOW.

TRACK LISTING

1. Get Out My Way (ft. Sophia Pfister)
2. Godly (ft. Negashi Armada)
3. Big Ego (ft. Sophia Pfister, Dai Burger)
4. Magnifique
5. Run It Up (feat. Sophia Pfister)
6. Omaha (ft. Clarence James)
7. Wake Up
8. Cut That
9. Make It (ft. Revenge Wife)

Limited to 1000 copies on red vinyl “Squad Up” is from Street Life and Method Man's forthcoming album. Street Life and Method Man's relationship spans back to their childhood days in Staten Island, and while the two have collaborated on music for decades, this is their long rumored first official full-length album together. “Squad Up” claws with a menacing beat and Method Man, Street and Havoc each pay homage to Mobb Deep’s Prodigy on their verses. The history between Mobb Deep and Method Man goes back to 1995 and includes Meth’s appearance on “Exortion” from Mobb Deep’s ‘Hell On Earth.’ Mobb Deep also appeared on Meth’s ‘Tical 2000’ (“Play 4 Keeps” – which also features Street Life). Street Life played an instrumental role in writing the hook to Method Man’s 1996 "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By", featuring Mary J. Blige which won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. He has been featured on all of Method Man’s albums, and all of Wu Tang Clan’s albums (except for ‘Enter The 36 Chambers’). Street Life and Method Man’s long list of collaborations together includes “Mr. Sandman,” “Run For Cover,” “Dangerous Grounds,” “Thing,” “Built for This” and “Straight Gutter.” Method Man Presents: Street Life “Street Education” (2005) is Street Life’s first and only official full-length release until now as well. 

TRACK LISTING

A. Squad Up
B. Squad Up (Instrumental)

Big Stick's recordings resonate among a wide cross section of so-called "alternative," rock, pop, punk and industrial music enthusiasts - their new Christmas release proves it's still difficult to pigeonhole or categorize Big Stick down to one particular genre of the various music scenes.

Big Stick's John Gill says, "I honestly never thought I'd write a Christmas song, but I felt compelled to share the story of what happened to me at the age of five. There was even a photograph taken (featured on the record cover) to prove the slightly humorous, though somewhat heart warming childhood story, of the day when my folks took me to the local shopping mall and I wound up sitting on what was a visibly 'Sauced Up Santa's' lap." Hence, the title track "SAUCED UP SANTA" that's featured in both regular and extended versions on this, Big Stick's first ever Christmas themed EP release. Gill adds, "When the photo of me sitting on an extremely inebriated shopping mall Santa's lap surfaced in my family photo album many years later in my life, I simply had to write a song about it. I activated my memory banks to recall that distant December day of my childhood and put it into song."

The song isn't a derogatory diss of the intoxicated Santa, rather, it's more of a song expressing grace, forgiveness and humility, highlighting the fact that despite Santa being “sauced up,” he was still as friendly and jovial as his alcohol-affected faculties would permit. Gill explains, "It's not meant to be a judgemental song, it's more of a heartfelt, sentimental Christmas song, telling of a time when I recall the innocent joy of that day, the warmth of my family, the loving congeniality and a feeling of harmony and peace.” Big Stick's Yanna Trance and John Gill agreed that since "SAUCED UP SANTA" is reminiscent of a childhood memory, it would only be fitting to add a touch of aural authenticity by assembling a choir of children to perform on the song's choruses. Yanna is credited with conducting and coaching the children's choir. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Sauced Up Santa
2. Christmas Island
3. The Boisterous Birds Of Christmas Eve
4. Sauced Up Santa (Extended Version)
5. Christmas Island (Tremolo Violinist Mix)
6. Christmas Island (Enchanted Ethereal Mix)

Andy Cabic’s musical being is, like many curious 21st century musicians, shaped and sustained by divergent tangents. If he’s not crafting a melancholy folk rock diamond in his Northern California studio, he’s moving a dance floor with bossa nova and house DJ sets, or helping curate a compilation of Japanese City Pop.

What’s magic about this new Vetiver LP Up On High is the way these tangents colour the ten songs without undermining a distinct move to more elemental, spacious and natural arrangements. At the heart of each of these ten songs is Cabic’s voice: sweet, tender and weathered - a welcome and soothing old friend if ever there was one. There are other familiar friends: the album also features longtime engineer and collaborator Thom Monahan and the same resourceful and versatile band that helped Cabic make the more dense and layered Complete Strangers from 2015.

Up On High was written on acoustic guitar. Having moved twice since Complete Strangers, increasingly accustomed to a life in and out of boxes, it was the easiest instrument to reach for in moments of inspiration. The basic tracking of the album took place over a few Spring days at a friend’s house in the high desert of California. This simple set-up captured the organic immediacy of a roomful of friends playing together on the floor. It’s alive and ever so subtly crackling with the intensity of a band working together, teasing out the melody and rhythms of songs with warmth and intimacy. Cabic and Monahan took the fruits of this session to Los Angeles and finished the album at Monahan’s studio over the summer as other friends popped by to lend their talents.

This album reflects the world that Cabic created and lives in: Jorge Ben phrasings peek out from behind Tom Petty's Wildflowers outtakes, a gentle jangle lifts whispers of REM’s Murmur on a breeze up from Compass Point Studios. But Up On High is most clearly Cabic and his band inhabiting the realm the band was born in—sleek, economical, soulful, and sometimes sadness-tinged melodies riding on the gentle choogle and sway of an ensemble moving in beautiful unison. This is an album that breathes with you in real, lived in, natural time.

TRACK LISTING

1. The Living End
2. To Who Knows Where
3. Swaying
4. All We Could Want
5. Hold Tight
6. Wanted, Never Asked
7. A Door Shuts Quick
8. Filigree
9. Up On High
10. Lost (In Your Eyes)

Dal Forno beckons a bold new era in her peerless output pushing her dub-damaged DIY dispatches to the limits of flawless dream-pop. In a transformative move towards crystal clear vocals and sharpened production, "Look Up Sharp" is an evolutionary leap from the thick fog and pastoral stillness of her Blackest Ever Black missives, "You Know What It’s Like" (2016) and "The Garden EP" (2017). Three years since her plain-speaking debut album, the Melbourne-via-Berlin artist finds herself absorbed in London’s sprawling mess. The small-town dreams and inertia that preoccupied dal Forno’s first album have dissolved into the chaotic city, its shifting identities, far-flung surroundings and blank faces. "Look Up Sharp" is the story of this life in flux, longing for intimacy, falling short and embracing the unfamiliar. Dal Forno connects with kindred spirits and finds refuge in darkened alleys, secret gardens and wherever else she dares to look.

In her own territory between plaintive pop, folk and post-punk dal Forno conjures the ghosts of AC Marias, Virginia Astley and Broadcast through her brushwork of art-damaged fx and spectral atmospheres. The first half of the record is filled with dubbed-out humid bass lines, which tether stoned hazes of psychedelic synth work as on ‘Took A Long Time’ and ‘No Trace.’ These are contrasted with songs like ‘I’m Conscious and ‘So Much better’ that channel the lilting power of YMG and are clear sequels-in-waiting to dead-eyed classics like ‘Fast Moving Cars.’

The B-side begins with the feverish bass and meandering melody of ‘Don’t Follow Me,’ which takes The Cure’s ‘A Forest’ as its conceptual springboard. It’s the clearest lyrical example since ‘The Garden’ of dal Forno’s unmatched ability to unpick the masculine void of post-punk and new wave nostalgia to reflect contemporary nuance. Look Up Sharp reaches its satisfying conclusion with ‘Push On’ - dal Forno’s most explicit foray into an undiscovered trip hop universe between Massive Attack and Tracey Thorn. The album’s last gasp finds personal validation in fragility: ‘I push on / I’m the Place I’m Going,’ a self discovery lifted by reverberant broken beats and glass-blown vocals.

Adding further depth to Look Up Sharp are the instrumentals, which flow seamlessly between the vocal-led pieces. ‘Hype Sleep’ and ‘Heart of Hearts’ drink from the same stream as The Flying Lizard’s dubbed-out madness and the vivid purple sunsets of Eno’s Another Green World. While ‘Creep Out of Bed’ and ‘Leaving for Japan’ funnel the fourth-world psychedelia of Cyclobe’s industrial-folk into the vortex of Nico’s The Marble Index.

Conceived as a whole, Look Up Sharp is a singular prism in which light, sound and concept bend at all angles. A deeply personal but infinitely relatable album its many surfaces are complex but authentic, enduring but imperfect, hard-edged but delicate. A diamond. Look up sharp or you’ll miss it.

TRACK LISTING

1 No Trace
2 Hype Sleep
3 So Much Better
4 Leaving For Japan
5 I'm Conscious
6 Don't Follow Me
7 Heart Of Hearts
8 Took A Long Time
9 Creep Out Of Bed
10 Push On

The second album Normal Life from Southend singer-songwriter David Woodcock follows his self-titled debut album which had strong support from Steve Lamacq ('New Favourite Band' & 'Rebel Playlist Winner') and Marc Riley (Live In Session) both on BBC 6 Music, John Kennedy ( X-Posure Hot One) and Gary Crowley (BBC London + Amazing Radio). The album was recorded and produced by David and Joe Lamb, over a two year period of various recording sessions. The results being distilled into a thirteen song selection that makes up Normal Life. Kevin Feazey who worked on the debut album returned again to mix the tracks in London whilst also undertaking some additional recording in Southend. For fans of David’s debut there will be much to love and cherish with this new selection of songs. It sees him expand and develop but the riotous spirit is still very much alive and kicking. 

While recording a group of songs that would end up being part of
This World Just Eats Me Up Alive, Brian Crook took a break outside
with his bandmates. A small girl nearby ran up to a woman saying
“Mommy, mommy! There’s a vampire here!” The mother asked how
the girl knew it was a vampire, and the girl said, “He talks like this,”
and proceeded to do a growling impression of a New Zealand accent.
At the time, Brian was in a dark suit and had super long hair, and was
playing badminton….

Crook’s new solo album comprises eight years of recording, so
perhaps his undead appearance is not surprising; it comprises a span
of inspiration that seems almost vampiric, with themes suggested
by Greek mythology, a favorite 1960s author, to the abstract
electronics of Aphex Twin and Arca as influences. The album came
together in parts, slowly assembled with various contributors and
recording locations, the earliest trace having lyrical origins from 1991,
and was done during during sessions for The Terminals, Crook’s
other band (you can also add NZ legends Scorched Earth Policy and
Flies Inside The Sun to that list).

A near decade provides a lot of material for reflective songwriting.
In Crook’s revelations about life in New Zealand and his tenebrous
lyrical style there is more than a touch of comedy, albeit of a blackly
humorous, “South Island New Zealand” nature. The lyrics and music
come from a similar place as New Zealand painters Bill Hammond
and Tony de Latour, evoking a kind of ceremonial primitivism.

TRACK LISTING

1. Black Mariah
2. Dragged Both Ways
3. This World Just Eats Me Up
4. The Smoking Singularity
5. Sissyphus
6. Poisoning The Well
7. Joyce Carol Oates

The 10 year anniversary remaster of ‘Up From Below’, the rousing, anthemic and wildly adventurous debut album from California’s Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros featuring the hit single ‘Home’.

Drenched in choral psychedelic folk rock, it was recorded onto used 2 track tape using a 24 track tape machine made in 1979.

Available on 180g black double vinyl with embossed gatefold sleeve and 16-page deluxe booklet including never before seen photos and stories.

TRACK LISTING

40 Day Dream
Janglin’
Up From Below
Carries On
Jade
Home
Desert Song
Black Water
Come In Please
Simplest Love
Kisses Over Babylon
Brother
Om Nashi Me