| Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of the new releases hitting the racks at Grimey's.
Jenny Lewis - The Voyager CD/LP (WB)
This is the former Rilo Kiley frontwoman's third solo album and first in six years, following 2006's Rabbit Fur Coat (with The Watson Twins) and 2008's Acid Tongue. The Voyager's rootsy, golden glow comes courtesy of Lewis and the artists she chose to produce various tracks, including Ryan Adams (who, alongside Mike Viola, produced all but three of the tracks), Beck, and Lewis' longtime collaborator Johnathan Rice.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Hypnotic Eye CD (Reprise)
Hypnotic Eye is the 13th studio album from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and the first album from the band in four years. "I knew I wanted to do a rock & roll record," Petty told Rolling Stone in April. "We hadn't made a straight hard-rockin' record, from beginning to end, in a long time." Vinyl has been delayed. We'll tweet & facebook when it arrives.
Beck/Various - Beck Song Reader CD (Capitol)
The now legendary Beck Song Reader - 20 Beck compositions previously released exclusively as stunningly illustrated sheet music in partnership with McSweeney's - is now available as a traditional release on CD. The 20-track all-star collection features exclusively recorded versions of Song Reader charts by the likes of Jack White, Jeff Tweedy, David Johansen, Jason Isbell, fun., Eleanor Friedberger, Lord Huron, Norah Jones, Laura Marling, Jarvis Cocker, Sparks, and several more including Beck himself.
Shabazz Palaces - Lese Majesty CD/2xLP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Lese Majesty is the second album the Seattle-based experimental hip-hop group featuring Palaceer Lazaro (aka Ishmael Butler, formerly of Digable Planets) and Fly Guy 'Dai (aka Tendai Maraire). The album is not a launching pad for the group's fan base increasing propaganda. It is a series of astral suites, recorded happenings, shared.
Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens - Cold World CD/LP+MP3 (Daptone)
With Gabriel (Bosco Mann) Roth at the helm, Naomi and company went into the studio summer 2013, and cut onto tape what can only be described as bonafide soul excitement of the highest order. At the heart of it, Cold World is a soul record but the cross section of sub-genres the album weaves through makes it difficult to label it plainly as such.
Stardeath And White Dwarfs - Wastoid CD/LP (Federal Prism)
"Stardeath & White Dwarfs' heavy, gods-hammering sound owes as much to sludgy prog-rock influences like King Crimson and Pink Floyd as it does to Uncle Wayne's oeuvre." -- The Guardian
Wildest Dreams - Wildest Dreams CD/LP (Smalltown Supersound)
"Said to be inspired by the 'landscape of L.A.,' Wildest Dreams was reportedly recorded a couple of years ago over the course of a week. The alias is said to indulge the instrument-led side of Harvey's production style, which is evidenced by its lead track 'Last Ride, ' which features some pretty raucous drums and guitars along with Harvey's vocals. The album follows on from 2011's Locussolus, which cut a middle path between electronic and acoustic production." - Resident Advisor
Van Dyke Parks - Super Chief CD/LP (Yep Roc)
From VDP: "I've made an orchestral fantasy illustrating my first trip across the USA by rail, in 1955. This suite is drawn from over a score of years, and as many films, now re-recorded from my archives as a film-music composer. Most of this music has been faintly presented, under the din of horse hooves, gunplay, and voice-over. Much of it has never been heard at all, having ended up on editing room floors from entirely re-cut films, or movies that never made it past a box office. I felt it was high time to give it a proper listen."
Marc Broussard - Life Worth Living CD/LP (Vanguard)
Louisiana's favorite son returns with a set that's part laid back soul, part blistering R&B, and all Marc Broussard, as they say down in Carencro.
The Muffs - Whoop Dee Doo CD (Burger)
Whoop Dee Doo is the pop/punk band's first full-length of new material in a decade. Vinyl version due August 12.
Hooray For Earth - Racy CD/LP (Dovecote)
True Loves won Hooray For Earth a well-deserved round of huzzahs from all of the key tastemakers. Following up a critically acclaimed debut album, Noel Heroux plotted the band's sophomore album Racy by ignoring expectations and stripping away baggage, musical and otherwise. Heroux says, "I wanted everything loud and direct so you don't have to guess at what you're getting into." "[Hooray For Earth] display a precocious knack for massive, major-key hooks that are 'indie-rock' in name only" - Pitchfork
Brian Reitzell - Auto Music CD/LP+CD (Smalltown Supersound)
You might not immediately recognize his name, but you'll certainly have stumbled across at least one corner of his massive portfolio, whether as the drummer in Redd Kross and with French electronica artists Air, or as one of Hollywood's most sought-after music supervisors and composers.
Land Observations - The Grand Tour CD/LP (Mute)
"Land Observations recorded The Grand Tour with nothing but his electric guitar whilst sitting on the edge of the Bavarian Alps (sweet tax write-off) and will probably stretch the John Fahey/Takoma-style guitar explorations further into the motorik-kraut direction that his debut record did, thus becoming its own Grand Tour by expanding the mind through the exploration of the treasures of layering rhythm, timbre, and melody, inspired by key sites throughout Europe." - Tiny Mixtapes
Kahoots - Take To The Fields CD/LP (Telegraph Harp)
Kahoots write brilliant, catchy pop songs with thoughtful lyrics, more hooks than a pirate ship, and all the trappings of a good old-fashioned indie rock band.
Theory Of A Dead Man - Savages CD (Roadrunner)
Fifth album from the Canadian hard rockers. Vinyl was delayed...
Soundtracks...
James Brown - Get On Up: The James Brown Story OST CD (UMe)
Features studio and standout live versions of many of Brown's top soul/funk hits - from his first, 1956's "Please Please Please" to "Out Of Sight," "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Try Me," "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," "It's A Man's Man's Man's World," and "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine." Also included are two previously unreleased concert recordings heard in the new film.
Fela Kuti - Finding Fela OST (Knitting Factory Works)
The soundtrack to the film Finding Fela which tells the story of Fela Kuti's life, his music, and his social and political importance. This in-depth look at the man who created Afrobeat (the fusion of jazz, traditional West African rhythms, funk, highlife, and psychedelic rock) includes 17 of Fela's classic tracks plus a never-before released live version of "Colonial Mentality" recorded at the New Afrika Shine in Fela's hometown of Lagos and features Femi Kuti on saxophone.
Reissues & From The Archives...
The Allman Brothers Band - The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings 6xCD/3xBlu-ray/4xLP (Mercury)
The Allman Brothers Band's cornerstone LP, At Fillmore East, compiled from the four sets recorded on the weekend of March 12-13, 1971, has been expanded, stretching over six CDs with fifteen unreleased tracks. Additionally, this reissue contains the complete June 27 performance during the iconic venue's final weekend, after the band was handpicked by impresario Bill Graham to headline closing night. Also available on Blu-ray audio (5.1 surround sound) and HQ-200gm vinyl.
Jefferson Airplane - Live At The Fillmore Auditorium 10/15/66:
Signe's Farewell CD (Relayer Friday Records) Bootlegged for decades, Relayer Friday presents another installment in their Jefferson Airplane Original Masters Series.
Cass Elliot - Don't Call Me Mama Anymore Plus Rarities - Her Final Recordings CD (Real Gone Music)
As the title indicates, 1973's Don't Call Me Anymore marked a real break with Elliot's previous incarnation as Mama Cass of The Mamas And The Papas; at RCA Records, Cass was able to take control of her recording career, choosing songs that she wanted to sing. This digitally reamastered reissue is expanded with six unreleased album outtakes, which constitute her final recordings.
Rick Wakeman - Journey To The Centre Of The Earth [Reissue/1974] CD (Write Notes)
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of his landmark concept album, Rick Wakeman presents the repackaged, re-recorded, extended Journey To The Centre Of The Earth. Based on the novel by Jules Verne, which will also mark its 150th anniversary in 2014, the album is one of the rock era's landmark achievements. Vinyl version due August 12.
Rick Wakeman - Return To The Centre Of The Earth [Reissue/1999] CD (Write Notes)
Originally released in 1999 as a sequel to Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, Return To The Centre Of The Earth has been out of print and unavailable for many years. Vinyl version due August 12. Compilations, Best Of's & Sundry Collections...
The Dream Academy - The Morning Lasted All Day... 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
With their varied instrumentation, intimate song stylings, and poetic, allusive lyrics, the Dream Academy always stood apart from their 80s British rock brethren; that they dedicated their hit song, "Life In A Northern Town," to Nick Drake and minimalist composer Steve Reich spoke volumes as to the reach of their intellectual and artistic ambition. This 24-track set is chock-full of rarities and includes the new track "Sunrising" recorded specifically for this release.
Dee Dee Warwick - The Complete Atco Recordings 2xCD (Real Gone Music)
Sharing the same gospel background as her sister and other members of her family (the renowned Drinkard Singers whose line-up included famed aunt, Emily Cissy Houston), Dee Dee's career in secular music began in 1961 when she and sister Dionne (as part of The Gospelaires, a group they had formed as teenagers) were invited to sing backgrounds for a recording by saxophonist Sam The Man Taylor. Dee Dee became a consistent and well-known New York session singer during the early '60s, and could be heard on recordings by Dinah Washington, Aretha Franklin (at Columbia Records at the time), Nina Simone and a bevy of soul stars including Garnet Mimms, Maxine Brown, Chuck Jackson, Esther Phillips, The Drifters, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke and her sister s hits for Scepter Records among others.
L.C. Cooke - The Complete SAR Records Recordings CD (Abkco)
L.C. Cooke recorded what was to be his debut album (tracks 1-10 on this collection) during the first half of the 1960s for his older brother Sam's SAR Records, notable for being one of the first artist-owned labels and having a roster that included Billy Preston, the latter-day Soul Stirrers (featuring Johnnie Taylor), and The Valentinos, the secular iteration of gospel's Womack Brothers. Shortly after Sam Cooke s death in December of 1964, L.C.'s album was shelved. SAR did manage to release the bulk of these recordings on a series of singles between 1960 and 1964, which are all included here.
Vinyl...
Pujol - Live at Freakin' Weekend 7" blue flexi (Philthy Phonographic Records)
Our local boy Pujol live at Freakin' Weekend!
Apple Brains - Fruit Confusion Blues 7" red flexi (Philthy Phonographic Records)
Songs for children about healthy eating, featuring King Tuff.
Conspiracy of Owls - Puzzle People / Ancient Robots 7" (Philthy Phonogrpahic Records/Burger)
New tracks from Conspiracy of Owls.
Colleen Green - 4 Loko 2 Kayla / Kayla Rolls On Molly 7" (Philthy Phonographic Records)
These songs originally available on a super limited edition handmade CD-R. It's their first time on vinyl.
Kim Richey - Thorn In My Heart: The Work Tapes Version LP (Yep Roc)
Thorn In My Heart shows that Richey's still dreaming up fetching melodies that arc and bend in unexpected ways, and still discovering fresh angles from which to articulate matters of the heart. The array of top-tier guests include Trisha Yearwood, Jason Isbell, Wilco's Pat Sansone, My Morning Jacket's Carl Broemel, and Will Kimbrough.
Jungle - Jungle LP (XL)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Based around a core musical duo known simply as 'J' and 'T' who expand to a thrilling seven piece live band, Jungle make mesmeric, modern soul with true global appeal. Combining what The Guardian notes as "tribal in terms of rhythm but postpunk in sensibility" and Brooklyn Vegan proclaims has "a real vintage-ness here, recalling the period of funk and soul just as those genres started transitioning into disco," Jungle has quickly perked the curiosity of media across the globe.
SBTRKT - Transitions 001 12"+MP3 (Young Turks)
SBTRKT - Transitions 002 12"+MP3 (Young Turks)
SBTRKT - Transitions 003 12"+MP3 (Young Turks)
The Transitions series is the first new music from SBTRKT since his debut album is released on three individual 12" records. Each record features artwork and 2D Moire animation by A Hidden Place. When removing the sleeve from its inner casing it creates a unique visual effect that ties in beautifully with the effect created by moving the mouse on the Transitions website. New album coming later this year.
Takuya Kuroda - Rising Son 2xLP (Blue Note)
Recently released on CD - now available on vinyl. Ascendant trumpeter and composer Takuya Kuroda makes his Blue Note debut with Rising Son, which was produced by Jos� James. Kuroda, who is best known for his inspired presence in James' band, steps forth here to helm that remarkable band which features keyboardist Kris Bowers, electric bassist Solomon Dorsey, drummer Nate Smith, and trombonist Corey King.
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue [Reissue/1963] LP (Blue Note)
Part of Blue Note's 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign. Guitarist Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue features Stanley Turrentine on tenor sax, Major Holley Jr. on bass, Bill English on drums and Ray Barretto on conga.
Donald Byrd - Black Byrd [Reissue/1973] LP (Blue Note)
Part of Blue Note's 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign. One of Blue Note's best-selling albums of all time, Black Byrd is a celebrated jazz funk classic.
Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban [Reissue/1955] LP (Blue Note)
Recorded in 1955, Afro-Cuban is the jazz trumpeter's first classic album.
Joe Henderson - Mode For Joe [Reissue/1966] LP (Blue Note)
Part of Blue Note's 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign. Mode For Joe is the fifth studio album by jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson. Released in 1966, this is Henderson's last Blue Note studio album as a leader.
Cassandra Wilson - Traveling Miles [Reissue/1999] 2xLP (Blue Note)
Part of Blue Note's 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign. Released in 1999, Traveling Miles is a tribute album by Cassandra Wilson to Miles Davis.
Soundtrack - Ghostbusters [Reissue/1984] LP (Sony Legacy)
The original chart-topping soundtrack album to the hit film Ghostbusters, out of print on vinyl for years, returns to the format for its 30th anniversary. Featuring the Oscar and Grammy-nominated worldwide hit "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr., plus tracks by Air Supply, Thompson Twins and Laura Branigan.
Isaac Hayes - Shaft [Reissue/1971] 2xLP (Fantasy)
Of the many wonderful blaxploitation soundtracks to emerge during the early '70s, Shaft certainly deserves mention as not only one of the most lasting but also one of the most successful. Isaac Hayes was undoubtedly one of the era's most accomplished soul artists, and with "Theme From Shaft," he delivered an anthem just as ambitious and revered as the film itself, a song that has only grown more treasured over the years, after having been an enormously popular hit at the time of its release. Purple vinyl.
3rd Bass - The Cactus Album [Reissue/1989] LP (Def Jam)
The Cactus Album was the debut album from 3rd Bass. It was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. Released at the end of the '80s, this album sums up all that was fun about rap/hip-hop at the time.
The Specials - Live At The Moonlight Club LP (Rhino)
In May 1979, the day before the British general elections that saw Margaret Thatcher come to power, The Specials played a set at the Moonlight Club in Hampstead, London. Reportedly secretly recorded by Decca Records, who had an office next to the Moonlight Club, it made its way to the bootleggers and wasn't officially released until 1992, through Chrysalis Records.
Various Artists - The Best Of 2 Tone 2xLP (Parlophone)
To celebrate the music and cultural movement that the label helped inspire, Parlophone has created a new compilation that brings together the best tracks from the label's history. The Best of 2 Tone features 18 tracks, including the first single from Madness ("The Prince"), the Beat's classic cover of Smokey Robinson's "Tears Of A Clown," and Bodysnatchers' "People Do Rocksteady," plus three more songs by The Selecter: "On My Radio," "Three Minute Hero" and "Missing Words."
Harvey Danger - Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone? [1997] LP (No Sleep)
Nearly two decades after its release, Seattle indie rock band Harvey Danger's cherished debut full-length album, Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?, is available on vinyl for the first time.
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