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Rough Trade Records freut sich, das fantastische Debütalbum von Tyler Ballgame ankündigen zu dürfen: For the First Time, Again erscheint am 30. Januar 2026. Mit zwölf Songs, die zwischen Classic Rock, Indie und Americana oszillieren - Ballgame zeigt, wie große Stimmen und starke Melodien Herzen bewegen und Horizonte öffnen können. Die erste Single I Believe in Love, eine hymnische Mischung aus Lennon und Orbison, ist ab sofort mit Video erhältlich - gefilmt von engen Freunden in Ballgames WG. Entstanden am Küchentisch und inspiriert vom Rat seines Produzenten Jonathan Rado ("Schreib den größten Song der Welt"), wurde daraus eine Ode an die Liebe selbst - und an die Narren, die sie macht. Produziert von Jonathan Rado (Foxygen, Weyes Blood, Miley Cyrus) und Ryan Pollie (Los Angeles Police Department), bringt das Album analoge Wärme, akustische Energie und üppige Harmonien zurück - mit Unterstützung von Amy Aileen Wood (Fiona Apple) am Schlagzeug und Wayne Whitaker am Bass. Ballgames Weg hierhin war alles andere als geradlinig: Vom Kellergeschoss in New England über Coverband-Auftritte in Rhode Island bis hin zum mutigen Neustart in Los Angeles. Offenheit, Risiko und der Glaube an sich selbst prägen seine Songs - und werden live zur großen Bühne.

Ace’s small but ever-evolving “Black America Sings…” series has been quiet of late, but it springs back into action this month with the 2-LP and CD releases of “Highway Of Diamonds” – a second dip onto the catalogue of Bob Dylan, as reimagined by some of the foremost African-American artists of the 20th century.

From almost the start of his songwriting career, Dylan’s words and music have impacted on black American music, with ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’, speaking to an America that was still mostly segregated and becoming an anthem for all colours and creeds. As Dylan’s own career progressed, so did the number of covers he received, with a significant amount coming from what might be termed ‘non-traditional’ sources such as those heard here.

The 20 songs on “Highway Of Diamonds” continue the story that was told in part on the earlier “How Many Roads” compilation, with an almost entirely different selection of artists lending their voices to some of the best songwriting of the 20th century, and an almost entirely different selection of songs (with the exception of ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ itself, which provides a common thread linking the story told across the two sets).
Big names from the worlds of soul, gospel and jazz, timeless songs and, for many, new ways of appreciating ever-durable material make “Highway Of Diamonds” as essential a purchase as its predecessor.

As ever, the great audio is complemented by a handsomely illustrated package on both CD and double vinyl, with a plethora of illustrations and in depth song-by-song-and-track-by-track annotation by Ace legend Tony Rounce.

Earl Morgan and Barry Llewellyn joined by Naggo Morris in 1978, with the genius engineer Sylvan Morris and the mighty Niney the Observer at the controls, and a crack band featuring Sly Dunbar. Every Day Life and Mr. Do Over Man Song are crucial, tip-top Heptones.

On Air is the second solo release by Alan Parsons following the split of The Alan Parsons Project. One of the creative forces was APP long-time guitarist Ian Bairnson. The concept of the album revolves around the history of airborne exploration.

The theme of “Too Close to the Sun” is escaping the labyrinth of the Minotaur. “Brother Up In Heaven” is an emotionally driven song, about the unfortunate death of Ian Bairnson’s cousin. “One Day To Fly” is a song about Leonardo da Vinci’s search to design a flying machine.

A who’s-who of lead vocalists are featured on this album; Christopher Cross, Eric Stewart, Neil Lockwood, Steve Overland and Graham Dye. The amazing looking artwork was recreated for this vinyl edition by none other than Peter Curzon of Storm Studios. Although On Air might be the most underrated Alan Parsons albums, many consider this as one of his best albums. The package includes an insert with lyrics and pictures.

In 2023 Ace Records released the album “28 Little Bangers From Richard Hawley’s Jukebox” where the acclaimed Sheffield musician, singer and songwriter compiled together some of his favourite records. These were instrumentals and vocals records that he had collected over the years and found musically addictive. The album received fantastic reviews and allowed his
extensive fanbase to discover and enjoy tracks like Ronny Kae’s ‘Swinging Drums’ and King Curtis’ ‘Hot-Rod’ that were on the juke box in his home.

Now, three years later, Richard has lifted the lid, taken those 7” out and replaced them with another favoured selection. One again, this second version of “Little Bangers” is full of cracking records such as Chet Atkins ‘Boo Boo Stick Beat’, Frank Minion’s ‘Watermelon’, Johnny Todd’s ‘Pink Cadillac’, Sunshine Theatre’s ‘Mountain’, Jet Harris’ ‘Man From Nowhere’, Tracy Rogers ‘Baby’ and the Ventures ‘Fuzzy And Wild’.

A with the first album there are 28 tracks spread across two albums or shoehorned onto one CD. The extensive liner notes see Richard discussing each and every track and what the record or artist meant to him. As he states himself in the introduction, “the record you hold in your hand is the result of a lifetime obsession.”
Listen for yourself and you will discover that this was time well spent.

Vinyl release of the album from 2023. Black vinyl in a standard sleeve. “out of love in the face of a shadow” is the new album from Credit Electric. Exploring the human unconscious through impressionistic pop vignettes, the album represents a significant evolution of the band’s sound that originally stemmed from limitations put in place by the global pandemic, before blossoming into something altogether new and unexpected. What started to emerge was a body of work that drew upon lo-fi jazz, dub, post-rock, ambient music, 70’s studio experimentation, and 90’s indie rock as much as the rustic folk of their past releases. The resulting album “out of love in face of a shadow” calls to mind influences as disparate as Hiroshi Yoshimura, American Football, Scientist, and Magnolia Electric Co, all the while inhabiting a world completely of their own design. Highly anticipated sophomore album from Credit Electric. Press coverage on recent releases includes reviews and features in New Commute (Albums of the Year), Various Small Flames, Raven Sings the Blues, Psychedelic Baby Magazine, and more. UK/EU Publicity handled by Chris Carr & Mal Smith. “…the band crafts American hymns that peer through fogged glass, tracing the lines of lament in hazy relief…” - Raven Sings the Blues // Albums of the Year - New Commute

"Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller only worked together twice, briefly in 1925 in Erskine Tate's band and four years later in the New York revue Connie's Hot Chocolates. But Waller made an indelible enough impression for Satchmo to record the tribute album Satch Plays Fats in 1955, when such ideas were new. The mid-'50s was a fertile time for Armstrong, and this makes for a stellar package." - ****1/2 Cub Koda, All Music Guide






[f] 6 Honeysuckle Rose [alternate Take]





[l] 12 Ain't Misbehavin' [alternate Take]

Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars are captured in rare form during this live recording from 1956. The album features a great collection of tunes which had become staples of Armstrong's live shows, including his perennial opener, "Indiana"; the crowd favorite, "Tiger Rag"; the always joyful, "When The Saints Go Marching In"; and the great title-track, "Basin Street Blues". Satch's frontline band at the time boasted the very distinctive sounds of trombonist Trummy Young and clarinetist Ed Hall.

Throughout a professional career defined by early pop successes, every single one of Andy Fairweather Low's performances has been shaped by his blues, gospel and soul influences, and although the many hits he has enjoyed have to some extent overshadowed his undeniable credentials as a great bluesman - his talent for the blues hasn't escaped the notice of some of the world's finest artists who have drawn on his skills as a guitarist and singer Eric Clapton of course leads this impressive list of Andy's discerning employers and collaborators which includes, BB King, Benmont Tench, Bill Wyman, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Charlie Dore, Charlie Watts, Chris Barber, Chris Rea, Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Dave Edmunds, David Crosby, David Gilmour, David Sanborn, Donald 'Duck' Dunn, Edie Brickell, Elton John, Emmylou Harris, Garth Hudson, George Harrison, Georgie Fame, Gerry Rafferty, Helen Watson, Jackson Browne, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Joe Cocker, Joe Satriani, John Mayall, Kate Bush, Levon Helm, Linda Ronstadt, Lonnie Donegan, Mary J. Blige, Mick Hucknall, Otis Rush, Paul Weller, Paul Young, Pete Townshend, Phil Collins, Richard and Linda Thompson, Rick Danko, Ringo Starr, Roger Waters, Ronnie Lane, Sheryl Crow, Steve Gadd, Steve Winwood, Stevie Nicks, The Impressions, The Who, Van Morrison, Warren Zevon, and hundreds more. But, despite the blues having become such a hugely popular genre internationally these days, and Andy having been in the thick of it for most of his professional life, he has largely missed the recognition he deserves in that field because up until now, he has never released a blues album. That's why I wanted to make a record that reveals the identity of the Invisible Bluesman to the world beyond his existing loyal fans. Meet Andy Fairweather Lowdown!

Dr Sure's Blue & Bubble tapes compiled and pressed on vinyl for the first time.
Another fruitful collaboration between Swish Swash Records (France) & Marthouse Records (Aus) who bought us the unholy 'Scomo Goes To Hawaii/While Aus Burns' combination.
Dr Sure's in-between-albums tapes offer an intimate look at artist in perpetual purgatory; music as constant; comfort and catharsis; to protest or profess.

This is an entry for "Record Day DAY 2." Released on 180g heavyweight vinyl!

This 1995 debut album was produced by Yasushi Ide, with artwork by Mitsuo Shindo.
Includes eight tracks, including "Orange" and "Maze of Love"
Features an impressive lineup of guest musicians at the forefront of the music scene at the time, including former ORIGINAL LOVE member Ryutaro Kihara, former Roosters member Tomio Inoue, Freedom Sweet's Hiroshi Yamashita, and Cool Spoon's Ikichi Sasanuma.

Jillian Jacqueline aus Nashville kehrt auf „MotherDaughterSisterWife“ mit einem intimen Album zurück, dass sich den vielen unterschiedlichen Rollen verschreibt, die Frauen in der heutigen Zeit verkörpern. Mit ihrer charakteristischen Mischung aus poetischer Lyrik, gefühlvollem Gesang und genreübergreifender Produktion liefert Jacqueline 13 neue SongsSongs, die roh, ehrlich und zutiefst menschlich sind. Das ist mehr als Musik – "MotherDaughterSisterWife" ist eine Hommage an Frauen auf der ganzen Welt, die mit dem Spagat zwischen all diesen Rollen zu kämpfen haben.

"We're in the joy business," says frontman Ketch Secor, who launched the Grammywinning band in 1998. "From the very start, a lot of the virtues of Christmas -- the revelry, the singalongs, the happiness -- have been present in our show." Nowhere is that more apparent than OCMS XMAS , the group's first holiday album. Decorated with seasonal spirit and string-band stomp, it's the rare breed of Christmas record that packs a punch all year long, shining new light on the band's chart-topping version of American roots music. Old Crow Medicine Show aren't just reinterpreting their favorite yuletide standards; they're adding new songs to the canon, too, from "Jolly Man" -- a country-blues number inspired by Mississippi John Hurt and laced with harmonica, sleigh bells, and resonator guitar -- to the Zydeco- flavored "All About A Baby." They're telling fresh stories, too. On "Corn Whiskey Christmas," a bootlegger drives his Chevrolet through the snow on Christmas Eve, bringing moonshine to those craving a cup of cheer. On the John Prine-worthy "Bethlehem, PA" -- a sly reimagining of Jesus' birth story, with lyrics that substitute Steel Country for Jerusalem -- the band heads to the Keystone State to witness the Nativity, making stops at Wawa and Motel 6 along the way.

"Grandpa's Gone" grapples with the loss of a family figure during the holiday season, while the wicked "Krampus Night" puts a minor- key spin on the Christmas catalog, paying tribute to a folkloric creature who, according to Secor, "just might leave ya coal and steal your soul." Old Crow have thrived for more than a quarter century. Like many of their heroes, they've become torchbearers of classic folk music, reshaping those sounds for the modern world. They're creators, not replicators, and OCMS XMAS finds them tackling another tradition -- the time- honored Christmas album -- with humor, hillbilly twang, and novel ideas. Supported by the band's first-ever "Holiday Hootenanny" tour, OCMS XMAS just might be the start of a new tradition itself: a celebration of the seasonal sounds, shared joy, and holiday rituals that bring us all together. Christmas just got a new soundtrack.

Comprising of sisters Eva and Grace Tedeschi, The Cords are the brightest new indiepop band from Scotland and this is theri debut. They started playing drums when they were little kids and later found that they liked 80s and 90s indie music more than their peers did, and so formed a band, just the two of them, with Grace on drums and Eva on guitar - and the songs started to flow. With only a cassette and a flexi single released so far (both of which sold out in a matter of hours), Eva and Grace honed their skills by playing a whole series of gigs with some of the biggest names in Scottish pop. Their first show was with The Vaselines, and since then they have played with Camera Obscura, Belle and Sebastian, BMX Bandits and others, while also sharing stages with the new generation of indiepop stars: the Umbrellas, Chime School, Lightheaded. Like all great pop bands, The Cords have taken familiar ingredients and created something utterly fresh. Older indie fans will hear echoes of The Shop Assistants, The Primitives, Tiger Trap and Talulah Gosh, but they will hear something else too: a yearning, dreamy melodic power that takes the songs into darker, stranger places. Younger pop fans won't care about these old reference points: what they will hear is the sound of two young women doing something utterly exciting: playing loud guitar and loud drums, taking analogue instruments and hitting them hard in the service of immediate and infectious pop tunes, and not giving a second thought about the digital world that wants to own everything we do. The Cords sound free: they remind us that pop music, played right, is expressive, liberating, joyful and deeply personal. First single `Fabulist' is a sweet and catchy pop song that races along, so headlong and hooky that, on first listen, you could miss the fact that it's a wholehearted take-down of people who lie for a living. And the album is a fun rollercoaster ride from that point onwards, with the real stars of this record being Eva's sinuous guitar and silky vocals, and Grace's clattering, expressive sing-song drums. It's the sound of two sisters having an intense musical conversation with each other, pushing each other on to greater heights, exhilarated by the set of perfect pop songs they have magicked up. DIGIPAK CD, LP on BABY BLUE VINYL.

MJ Lenderman is a songwriter born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. The anatomy of an MJ record might go something like this: warped pedal steels and skuzzed out guitar; a voice reminiscent of the high-lonesome warble of a choirboy; the keen observations and reflections of a front stoop philosopher. Songs snake their way from a lo-fi home recording to something glossier made with longtime friends at Asheville's Drop of Sun studios, but the recording setting
doesn't seem to matter much - at its core, a Lenderman song rings true.

MJ Lenderman was recorded, mixed and mastered for digital in 2019 by Colin Miller in Asheville NC, and was self-released online to quiet but firm acclaim. Now available as a Double LP and remastered for vinyl by Heather Jones, it offers a glimpse into the formative steps of a style; focused and precise, yet expansive and rough around the edges, that remains consistent across MJ's catalogue to date.

Looking as firmly to the legacy of 90s slowcore as it does to the tenor of Magnolia Electric Co. and sound wall of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, these 9 songs clock in at just over an hour and offer warm, patient worlds of heavy colour that blow by breezily. These are songs that wrap mysterious and urgent feeling in layers of patience and clarity that unfold anew with each timeless listen.

UK producer Tom Carruthers returns with a scorching 5-tracker for Skylax Records, diving headfirst into the primal roots of jackin’ house, proto-italo, and early machine funk. Known for his raw MPC-driven grooves on L.I.E.S., Clone Jack For Daze, Syncrophone, and Craigie Knowes, Carruthers channels the energy of the underground circa ’86—pure drum machine soul for the dancefloor faithful. Side A kicks off with the title track “Neutralise”, all sharp snares, warped synths and hypnotic repetition—a jack track in the truest sense. “Deep North” follows with ghostly pads and relentless drum programming, while “No More” brings metallic tension and stripped-down funk with a heavy nod to Chicago’s original blueprints. On the flip, “Pascals” weaves cosmic arps through rugged percussion, merging italo sensuality with bleep-era minimalism. The closer, “Cosmic Ride”, is exactly that: a journey through spacey chords, dusty rhythm boxes, and that unmistakable feeling of warehouse euphoria at 4 a.m. Neutralise EP is a raw, timeless record that strips dance music down to its essence—jacking, emotional, physical. To match the sonic purity and timeless aesthetic of the release, we enlisted the iconic H5 studio—a name synonymous with visionary design in music and culture. Known for their groundbreaking work with Daft Punk, YSL, and numerous award-winning visual campaigns, H5 brings a level of artistic sophistication that elevates this EP into a complete sensory object. Their clean, modernist design echoes the stripped yet futuristic vibe of Tom Carruthers’ sound—a perfect fusion of form and function, underground and high art. Vinyl only. No digital. No compromise. For fans of: Virgo Four, Baby Ford, Larry Heard, early Warp, Mr. Fingers, and Beppe Loda.

The album Fuyu Kukan, featuring the track “Midnight Pretenders” recently brought back into the spotlight after being sampled by The Weeknd is set to be
repressed on clear blue vinyl!
Produced by Masatoshi Nishimura of FENCE OF DEFENSE, this innovative album blends elements of new wave and rock with mellow tunes and experimental
sounds.
Originally released in 1983, it has gained renewed popularity in recent years thanks to the global city pop revival.
Tracks like the mellow “I’m In Love” and “Midnight Pretenders”, as well as the cosmic sounding “Hannya”, have captivated a new generation of listeners both in
Japan and abroad.

Experience the modern era of Madness with 'Hit Parade Vol. 2 1992-2024'. This 22-track 2LP set relives the more modern, contemporary years of Madness; containing a selection of hit singles, fan favourites and much-loved tunes. Including 'NW5', 'Shame and Scandal', 'Sorry', 'Drip Fed Fred', 'Mr Apples' and the Top 10 single 'Lovestruck'.

Beautifully packaged in a deluxe, gatefold sleeve, this 2LP collection is pressed on translucent blue vinyl. The fully illustrated inner sleeves contain new liner notes with various band members and long-time producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, in conversation with renowned author and journalist Paul Sexton.

Firmly established as national treasures and as one of the UK’s most cherished and beloved bands, Madness are adored by their loyal and huge following. Their consistently sold-out shows illustrate their enduring qualities resulting in their popularity continuing to grow and grow.

Beautifully packaged in a deluxe slipcase, this 4LP box set combines the red vinyl.

Volume 1 and blue vinyl Volume 2 2LP collections. The fully illustrated inner sleeves contain new liner notes with various band members and long-time producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley,

in conversation with renowned author and journalist Paul Sexton.

Yamauchi Tetsu (Bass, Guitar, Vocal) / Eleanor Barooshian (Vocal) / Narita Masaru (Vocal) / Pipi Shibata (Guitar) / Ohno Katsuo (Keyboards) / Harada Hiroomi (Drums, Percussions) / Tsunoda Hiro
(Drums, Percussions) / Charlie (Percussions)

Strong groove and sharp guitar sound
Yamauchi Tetsu's first solo album recorded in Japan while still in Free
Yamauchi Tetsu, who became the bassist for the British band Free after playing for Mickey Curtis & Samurai, recorded his first solo album during a temporary return to Japan in 1972.
This is a full album with plenty to listen to, including the edgy guitars on "Wiki Wiki," the groovy funk rock on "First Time," "How To Cook," and "Orange Dog," and Eleanor's languid vocals
on "Alexander Stone," "Why," and "Baby Blue." Reissued with remastering by Makoto Kubota.

Commentary: Shinichi Ogawa
Remastering: Makoto Kubota

e 5Hey Negrita (Inspiration By Ron Wood) Steven Wilson Remix 2025
[f] 6Melody (Inspiration By Billy Preston) [Steven Wilson Remix 2025]





[e] 5Hey Negrita (Inspiration By Ron Wood) [Steven Wilson Remix 2025]
[f] 6Melody (Inspiration By Billy Preston) [Steven Wilson Remix 2025]





[e] 5Hey Negrita (Inspiration By Ron Wood) [Steven Wilson Remix 2025]
[f] 6Melody (Inspiration By Billy Preston) [Steven Wilson Remix 2025]

NOW Music proudly presents the next release in our “NOW That’s What I Call An Era” series – NOW That's What I Call An Era - Disco: 1973-1980 – a dazzling celebration of the golden age of disco.



This stunning 3LP set, pressed on blue, violet and pink vinyl, showcases 48 essential tracks that lit up the dancefloors, charts, and airwaves at the height of disco fever — an era when glittering anthems, euphoric grooves, and iconic vocal performances defined nightlife around the world.



LP1 opens in iconic style with Chic’s monumental ‘Le Freak’ followed by Sister Sledge’s equally legendary ‘We Are Family’, and Gloria Gaynor’s empowering #1 ‘I Will Survive’. Anthems follow from Sylvester with ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’ and Chaka Khan with ‘I’m Every Woman’, ahead of the timeless ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ by Candi Staton and the first side finishes with production by Chic’s Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards on massive hits for Diana Ross with ‘Upside Down’, and Sheila & B. Devotion with ‘Spacer’. Flip the LP over for Amii Stewart’s version of ‘Knock On Wood’ followed by The Three Degrees, Eruption and the first smash from Boney M., ‘Daddy Cool’. The Village People topped the chart with ‘YMCA’ which has become an enduring party favourite, which leads to the infectious ‘Let’s All Chant’ from the Michael Zager Band, Lipps Inc. with ‘Funkytown’ and to close the first LP, sci-fi disco from Dee D. Jackson with ‘Automatic Lover’.



LP2 begins with Donna Summer’s epic version of ‘MacArthur Park’, before Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions bring pure euphoria on ‘Boogie Wonderland’, and McFadden & Whitehead with the floor-filling ‘Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now’. Great vocals from Marvin Gaye and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes come ahead of George McCrae’s ‘Rock Your Baby’, one of the collections’ earliest and inspirational moments. UK artist Tina Charles hit the top with ‘I Love To Love’, and Andrea True Connection complete the side with the ear-worm ‘More More More’ whilst over on the other side legends Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons hit dancefloor gold and the #1 spot with ‘December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)’, ahead of The Trammps with their era-defining ‘Disco Inferno’. A Taste Of Honey, Grace Jones and a second appearance from Diana Ross are up next – before the LP closes with an enduring classic, ‘Follow Me’ from Amanda Lear, Patrick Juvet’s ‘I Love America’, and Frantique with ‘Strut Your Funky Stuff’.



LP3 bursts to life with the international smash and UK #1, ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’ from Baccara, before a huge hit cover from Belle Epoque with ‘Black Is Black’. Next; Alicia Bridges, Rose Royce and UK chart toppers The Real Thing, ahead of funk-infused disco brilliance from Kool & The Gang and Barry White – whilst the side closer is Yvonne Elliman’s ‘If I Can’t Have You’, from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and over on the final side there’s a stellar run of Disco nuggets: kicking off with Elton John’s irresistible ‘Are You Ready For Love’, originally released in 1979 and a #1 in 2003 along with ‘Boogie Nights’ from Heatwave, The Emotions with ‘Best Of My Love’, and LaBelle’s influential ‘Lady Marmalade’. The anthemic ‘Got To Be Real’ from Cheryl Lynn is next ahead of the trio of closing tracks: Odyssey with the sublime ‘Native New Yorker’, Thelma Houston’s Grammy-winning ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’, and fittingly, Donna Summer’s iconic ‘Last Dance’, ending the collection in perfect style.



An unforgettable journey through the songs that defined the dancefloor: NOW That’s What I Call An Era – Disco: 1973-1980 — the definitive celebration of disco’s golden age.

Mit dieser exklusiven Picture Disc wird das musikalische Erbe von Aretha Franklin auf besonders stilvolle Weise gefeiert. Die Auswahl vereint einige der ikonischsten Songs ihrer Karriere - kraftvoll, emotional und zeitlos. Ob Soul, Gospel oder R&B - Aretha Franklins Stimme hat Generationen geprägt und ist bis heute unerreicht. Diese Edition bringt ihre größten Klassiker in einem hochwertigen Sammlerformat auf den Plattenteller - visuell eindrucksvoll und klanglich ein Genuss. Die kunstvoll gestaltete Picture Vinyl ist nicht nur ein musikalisches Erlebnis, sondern auch ein optisches Statement.

Eines der größten Talente der britischen Blues-Szene. Er wurde bei den UK Blues Awards in den letzten drei Jahren in Folge (2020, 2021, 2022) zum „Young Artist of the Year” gewählt. 
Als Teenager verschlang er die Musik von Eric Clapton und Ray Charles – „Ray hat mich als Person und meine Einstellung zur Musik völlig verändert.” Von alten Delta-Platten über Soul-Künstler wie Sam Cooke, Bill Withers und den Stax-Sound bis hin zu Jazz-Sängern wie Billie Holiday und Frank Sinatra sowie Singer-Songwritern wie Van Morrison, Townes van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Nick Drake und zeitgenössischen Künstlern wie Ray LaMontagne, Norah Jones und Foy Vance.
Seine Musik hat eine zeitlose melancholische Qualität. Mit seiner Ehrlichkeit und Offenheit, die jeden ansprechen, schöpft er aus Angst und Verletzlichkeit, vermittelt dies jedoch mit einer weltgewandten Eleganz. Für Connor Selby sind keine Grenzen gesetzt. Das ist leicht zu verstehen, wenn man seine gefühlvolle Mischung aus Blues und seinen emotional introspektiven Songtexten betrachtet, die sein beeindruckendes Gitarrenspiel ergänzen. Die Songs auf „Connor Selby“ sind kleine Vignetten der verschiedenen Musikstile, die ihn inspirieren.

The Original Lineup Reunited
For the first time since their iconic run in the early 1960s, all five founding members—Eric Burdon, Alan Price, Hilton Valentine, Chas Chandler, and John Steel—came together for a raw, soulful reunion. This is the Animals with the benefit of age, experience, and no pressure to chase hits—just great playing.
A Gritty, Understated Gem
Recorded with minimal fanfare in 1977, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted is a return to the blues and R&B roots that shaped the band's early success. It's stripped-down, honest, and deeply musical—a perfect record for fans of The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, or Bob Dylan.
Dylan, Jimmy Reed, and the Blues Canon
The album features a standout cover of Bob Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", along with classics from Jimmy Reed, Joe Tex, and Gospel/Blues deep cuts, reinterpreted with grit and grace.
Cult Classic with Lasting Legacy

‘Icon’ is an overused word when it comes to describing singers and musicians, but when it comes to Nina Simone there are few artists that the word describes more accurately. The ‘High Priestess Of Soul’ is surely one of the most iconic singers of the 20th century, and one whose fame and acclaim stretches far beyond conventional black American music circles. 

Nina Simone has featured on Ace and Kent CDs before but this is the first time she’s had one all to herself. “Let It All Out” is the first and only Nina Simone collection to draw repertoire from every label she recorded for between the late 1950s to the late 1970s. 

Not a traditional ‘Best Of’ or ‘Greatest Hits’ package (although the performances included here ARE among her very best, and do include most of her Greatest Hits!) it is a singles collection that presents Nina Simone’s soul and R&B-slanted 45s in chronological order. Invariably they are the definitive versions of the songs, whether she recorded the original versions or not. 

As well as almost all of her American pop and R&B chart hits from 1960 onwards, “Let It All Out” also contains all of Simone’s UK chart hits from the same period – several of which were more successful here than they were back home, including both versions of her biggest British hit ‘Ain’t Got No; I Got Life’, a UK #2 that did not chart at all in the US as was the case with the belated UK Top 5 hit ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’ which also made no chart impression on its home turf…

Carefully curated and concisely annotated, “Let It All Out” lets the listener in to two dozen of Nina Simone’s most celebrated singles. There have been many compilations of her works since she passed away 20+ years ago, but none that gets to the heart – and soul – of her catalogue in quite so direct a manner as this one does. 

Synthetica ist das fünfte Studioalbum der kanadischen Indie-Rock-Band Metric mit den Singles ”Youth
Without Youth” und ”Speed the Collapse”. Klanglich futuristisch und doch organisch klingt Synthetica wie
der Höhepunkt eines Jahrzehnts der Entwicklung, das die frühen Jahre der Band geprägt hat – ein Album,
das heute noch genauso mutig und nachhallend ist wie bei seiner Veröffentlichung im Jahr 2012.
Jetzt exklusiv in Opaque Baby Blue gepresst.

It runs through the minds of men and women of a certain age, complexion, and place who grew up during the era of segregation and who defied their parents, the law, and all genteel propriety and custom by answering one bluesman's invitation to cross the color line and join him getting lowdown and dirty as he serenaded a generation from the bandstand, on jukeboxes, and through the radio.

To them, the slurred guttural sound of a wise man singing "Hush, Hush," putting down the "Big Boss Man" or advising the listener to "Take Out Some Insurance" before they behold the "Bright Lights, Big City" was a siren's call they had no choice but to answer. Even if they tried, they couldn't resist the steady, dirty rhythm punctuated by the twanging sting of an electric guitar note and the sweet wail of a harmonica. And when they leaned in close, they could even hear the barely perceptible sound of a woman's voice whispering forgotten lyrics into an ear.

Ain't nobody can do Jimmy Reed like Jimmy Reed could. But this drive down Jimmy Reed Highway with fellow Mississippian Kent "Omar" Dykes at the wheel with Jimmie Vaughan (older brother of the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan) riding shotgun and folks like, Kim Wilson, Miss Lou Ann Barton, James Cotton, Delbert McClinton, and Gary Clark, Jr., joining the duo, comes mighty close. As Omar guns the engine and peels rubber on the two- lane blacktop lined with no- good women, empty whiskey bottles, too many cigarette butts and bad intentions, he leaves John Law trailing behind eating his dust. Hop in for a ride and turn up the volume. The electric bluesman who shaped the minds and moves of a musical generation is alive and well. (by Joe Nick Patoski)

This festive vinyl brings together the best of blues and R&B holiday spirit! From Sonny Boy Williamson's soulful "Sonny Boy's Christmas Blues" to Carla Thomas's sweetly nostalgic "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas," each track adds a unique flavour to the season. Detroit's wild Nathaniel Mayer shouts out in "Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby)," while Chuck Berry gives us a laid-back "Merry Christmas Baby." The set captures raw teen R&B from the `50s with Cleveland's Hepsters and their catchy "Rock 'n Rollin' with Santa Claus," plus California's Youngsters spinning a cautionary tale with "Christmas in Jail." The classic Penguins bring warmth with "A Christmas Prayer," and Jimmy McCracklin's "You're the One" adds a bluesy, downbeat edge. Closing with the Ronettes' lush "Sleigh Ride," Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva's spirited duet on "The Christmas Song," and Babs Gonzales' jazzy New Year's ode "Watch Them Resolutions," this collection is the ultimate groove for a holiday celebration that lasts right through New Year's. Perfect for any record player, it's a swinging, soulful holiday feast!

Green vinyl. This festive vinyl brings together the best of blues and R&B holiday spirit! From Sonny Boy Williamson's soulful "Sonny Boy's Christmas Blues" to Carla Thomas's sweetly nostalgic "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas," each track adds a unique flavour to the season. Detroit's wild Nathaniel Mayer shouts out in "Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby)," while Chuck Berry gives us a laid-back "Merry Christmas Baby." The set captures raw teen R&B from the `50s with Cleveland's Hepsters and their catchy "Rock 'n Rollin' with Santa Claus," plus California's Youngsters spinning a cautionary tale with "Christmas in Jail." The classic Penguins bring warmth with "A Christmas Prayer," and Jimmy McCracklin's "You're the One" adds a bluesy, downbeat edge. Closing with the Ronettes' lush "Sleigh Ride," Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva's spirited duet on "The Christmas Song," and Babs Gonzales' jazzy New Year's ode "Watch Them Resolutions," this collection is the ultimate groove for a holiday celebration that lasts right through New Year's. Perfect for any record player, it's a swinging, soulful holiday feast!

"Dubrovnik Blues" on Vinyl: The Australian Super-Band That Changed Everything! Attention all lovers of raw, unfiltered rock'n'roll! Bang! Records proudly presents the vinyl reissue of "Dubrovnik Blues", the celebrated debut LP from The Dubrovniks - the Australian super-group born straight from the beating heart of the country's punk underground. Formed in Sydney in 1986 (originally as The Adorable Ones), The Dubrovniks brought together true icons of the Aussie scene: James Baker, legendary drummer for Beasts of Bourbon, founding member of Hoodoo Gurus, and a driving force in The Scientists; Roddy Radalj, co-founder of Hoodoo Gurus and veteran of The Scientists; and Boris Sujdovic, who also played with both The Scientists and Beasts of Bourbon. Far from being "just another debut," Dubrovnik Blues was an instant statement of intent - a wild blend of garage rock grit, glam swagger, punk attitude and classic rock'n'roll hooks. Think The Troggs and T. Rex colliding with the spirit of the New York Dolls. Originally released in August 1989 on Timberyard Records, the album went on to earn a nomination for Best Independent Release at the ARIA Awards in 1990. Now, Bang! Records brings this cult gem back to life on vinyl - a must-have for collectors, vintage-sound purists, and anyone ready to relive (or discover) the raw, electric energy of late-80s Australian rock at its finest.

OOOOH! by Alex Bad Baby Lukashevsky with Cocoa Corner (2025)

Celebrated veteran of Toronto’s music scene, known for his boundary-pushing approach to folk and avant-garde music, twists rock music into strange and brilliant new shapes with the help of young jazz players, U.S. Girls, and his own immensely talented son.



OOOOH! is hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Made in the spirit of unity,
humanity, and poetry — disobediently renouncing the glory of personal triumph for the
generosity of an honest experiment. On the last track of the album you’ll hear “Or do you only ever never want to make a single enemy? / That’s not freedom or humility / It’s nothing, honestly.” Oooh, that's a bad baby!

A celebrated Toronto songwriter and performer, Alex Lukashevsky has always been disobedient. Which simply means, nothing is off the table when he’s looking for his
poetic voice; when trying to find the realest I of the teller. As he sings on the lead track “that musician that’s dead” The musician is radical/ it’s the world that’s demented/ listening with their eyes, the music looks dented/ they’re over-represented.
OOOOH! was recorded in January 2024 at Sound Department in Toronto, engineered by Patrick Lefler (ROY), mixed by Grammy-nominated producer Matt Smith. All the songs were tracked live off the floor in two days, with one extra day for recording vocals, to keep the recording fully alive and breathing. As leader of Deep Dark United, as a solo performer, and a sideman in Brodie Wests’ Eucalyptus and Luka Kuplowsky’s Ryokan Band, Alex has been an outsized influence on the Toronto music scene that spawned acts like Broken Social Scene and Owen Pallett. (Pallett, who has toured with Lukashevsky, went so far as to record an entire album’s worth of Alex’s songs, backed
by a full orchestra.)

Lukashevsky has approached each of his albums and projects as something completely new, using only the musical boundaries he creates with each song. Even when he
has recorded songs with nothing but his voice and his own acoustic guitar accompaniment, the results are never “stripped down” or “back to basics,”
Gong! How do you get to heaven / have fun! have fun!
It’s cool to approach music as a game of “spot the influence”; Burt Bacharach-meets-Black Flag; Lana Del Rey-meets-LCD Soundsystem etc. Glorified mash-ups are promising because of their conversational nature. But they can turn us into hyperboreans; blowing cold air beyond ourselves while doing what we can to remain warm. To devise a game or a narrative is to have a winner and a loser, but we all know that just as you win/ so you lose. And does anything really change? Alex Lukashevsky and Cocoa Corner are more at ease drawing blind contours or playing an old game like consequences. They let things add up without knowing particularly how. Cognition is recognition.

Lukashevsky, in addition to writing all the songs, plays guitar and sings on OOOOH!, doing both in ways that are soulful and spikey at the same time. Joining him on guitar and vocals is his oldest child, Charlie Lukashevsky, who, at 23, is already a talented performer and songwriter in his own right. Cocoa Corner also includes Aidan McConnell, an in-demand drummer and composer, Jack Johnston, a jazz bassist and Barry Harris acolyte, and percussionist Evan Cartwright (The Weather Station, U.S. Girls, Cola, Tasseomancy), who plays steel pan and marching drum.

Working with his son and with other younger musicians is central to the album’s
unpredictable aesthetic. It reinvigorated the sound in unexpected ways. Lukashevsky says, “I had to reconsider my own instincts. I had to deal with being 99 years old.”
In addition to these performers, the album includes a tasty contribution from Meg
Remy, the visionary musician and producer who is the leader of the critically acclaimed
project U.S. Girls. Remy duets with Lukashevsky on the imagistic and sprawling album
closer “things keep happening.”
About that album title: OOOOH! is taken straight from “that musician that’s dead” an
arch and unhinged comment on the exertion required to navigate a lifetime of music making.
Lukashevsky’s delivery of that one emotive word is a kind of cultural posture, but also a
hundred percent primitive expression. The impact is never less than visceral. His vocal
delivery ranges through rich baritone blues to keening falsettos to a kind of sprechstimme that periodically steps out from the music to grab the listener’s shirt. He
doesn’t sound too nice, but he is sincere. When life gives you lemons lament.
For OOOOH! his first official full-length album since 2012’s Too Late Blues, (a collection of knotty-yet-effervescent tunes built upon the enchantingly serpentine harmonies of Lukashevsky and his vocal collaborators, Felicity Williams (Bahamas, Bernice) and Daniela Gesundheit (Snowblink, HYDRA)), Alex has once again broken apart and rebuilt his own approach to music. Or rather (because that sounds too over-determined), he
has allowed his music to build itself into strange new shapes that only fleetingly and
coincidentally, but happily, resemble anything that might be called rock and roll. There is some editorializing within the song’s lyrics— Lukashevsky even cheekily contributes to the “spot the influence” game with the line “Muddy Waters, Rite of Spring!” a funny preemptive strike against anyone already reaching for some variation of avant-blues to describe what the song is up to here. In fact there are many names checked on this record (literally and in spirit); they are the lily pads that trace the path of this expression! Palestrina, Peter Pears and Benjamin Brittain, Andrés Segovia, Stravinsky, Lotte Lenya, Alice Coltrane, Skip James, Chuck Berry, D’Gary, Betty Carter, Mukhtiyar Ali, Chuck D, Yoko Ono, Hailu Mergia, David Bowie, Jane Siberry. rhythm is a skeleton mansion / haunted by melody / feckless prodigy / the world is under a spell / cast by some demon angel / Practice day and night / Try as hard as hell / no one can sing that well Musicians are often worried by the way in which they are prepared to fail rather
than how they would like to succeed; it’s such a deep concern that it tempers their creativity and shackles their process. Current cultural proclivities, tend to comfort a certain kind of artistic failure and abnegate another kind. How many testimonials, full of heartfelt care and investment, have you heard for Taylor Swift, and yet a craftsman like Chris Weisman is often dismissed easily as though he’s doing something anti-social. what’s throwing itself in my ears and my eyes / arrogant devil ad hominem christ.
The music you will hear on this recording veers off in multiple directions at once,
and features a rock and roll spirit with a divergent heart. This is no sclerotic clomp of the Average Rock Song, but in fact a flood of humanity in all its darkness and moodiness and unpredictability. If most performers make songs that are like sports cars or pickup trucks to drive around, Lukashevsky has built something more akin to a rowboat in a tree: it’s weird and beautiful.

Get ready to trim your tree with a rollicking mix of mid-century Rhythm & Blues holiday gems. This vinyl is packed with everything from soulful longing to boisterous celebration, featuring legendary artists like Charles Brown's heart-wrenching "Please Come Home for Christmas" and the Dominoes' gorgeous "Christmas in Heaven" with a young Jackie Wilson on vocals. Dive into the bluesy mischief of Jimmy Butler's playful "Trim Your Tree" and the fiery gospel of Marvin Williams' "When Was Jesus Born." From the sweet soul stomp of Big Dee Irwin & Little Eva's "I Wish You a Merry Christmas" to Lightnin' Hopkins' funky "Happy New Year," each track captures a unique holiday spirit. This lively collection is sure to be a December favourite, filled with both cheer and heartbreak, grit and grace_an unforgettable Christmas party on vinyl!

Pink vinyl. Get ready to trim your tree with a rollicking mix of mid-century Rhythm & Blues holiday gems. This vinyl is packed with everything from soulful longing to boisterous celebration, featuring legendary artists like Charles Brown's heart-wrenching "Please Come Home for Christmas" and the Dominoes' gorgeous "Christmas in Heaven" with a young Jackie Wilson on vocals. Dive into the bluesy mischief of Jimmy Butler's playful "Trim Your Tree" and the fiery gospel of Marvin Williams' "When Was Jesus Born." From the sweet soul stomp of Big Dee Irwin & Little Eva's "I Wish You a Merry Christmas" to Lightnin' Hopkins' funky "Happy New Year," each track captures a unique holiday spirit. This lively collection is sure to be a December favourite, filled with both cheer and heartbreak, grit and grace_an unforgettable Christmas party on vinyl!