quête:california

BRIDGE - WAITING PATIENTLY b/w LOVE’S IN YOUR CORNER

Paul Tillman Smith is a significant figure within in the music community of The San Francisco Bay Area, California. His connections and collaborations read like a who’s who of famous musicians.

As leader of 70s Buddah Records group VITAMIN E and then BRIDGE, the subsequent band cut an album in 1981 for the CBS distributed Bang label that never saw the light of day.

It was released by First Experience Records as a double LP and CD in 1999 and is recognised as being one of the finest unreleased discoveries within its genre.

IZIPHO SOUL revisit the album and release two gems from this magnificent body of work.

WAITING PATIENTLY - Modern Soul with all the right ingredients - lead vocal Derick Hughes, backing vocals courtesy of The Satin Shadows, driven along by Butch Haynes’ conga playing. Presented here as an extended version crafted by Phil Ward.

On the flip - LOVE’S IN YOUR CORNER (Remastered) featuring the supreme voice of Debravon Lewis (RIP) and Larry Sampson. There’s importance in documenting this great song, as this demo paved the way for the Norman Connors’ version.

On November 7, 2025, the Belgian label Sdban Records will release a reissue of the mythical Open Sky Unit (1974) by the eponymous jazz fusion group featuring Micheline and Jacques Pelzer, Steve Houben, Ron Wilson, Janot Buchem and Michel Graillier. The album returns on vinyl, highlighting a pivotal moment in Belgian jazz history, where soul, funk, and free improvisation came together in a vibrant and family-driven project.

Formed in the early 1970s as a homage to Dave Liebman's group Open Sky, Open Sky Unit grew out of informal jam sessions in Liège, Belgium, into a unique collective. One of the central figures was Jacques Pelzer, father of drummer and vocalist Micheline Pelzer, alongside his second cousin, saxophonist/flutist Steve Houben, bass player Janot Buchem, percussionist Michel Graillier and American pianist/composer Ron Wilson.

Their 1974 debut album was released on the Duchesne classical music label, run by Pelzer's brother-in-law. The group's sound carefully balanced jazz and soul and was largely directed by Wilson, a Californian pianist and singer who settled in Liège and nearby Maastricht after his army service. Wilson composed the entire repertoire. Open Sky Unit was recorded live at Jazzland club in Liège, and the band made several short tours in Belgium and abroad (including Tunisia) until around 1975-1976, when Houben left for Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music.

Although the original live recording from 1974 was not technically perfect, the group succeeded in capturing their heartfelt live energy. Tracks such as Open Sky, Sunshine Star, and Passion and Compassion are striking examples of this. Years later, the album version of Sunshine Star found its way onto Funky Chicken (2014), the compilation that not only brought the track back into the spotlight but also marked the beginning of Sdban Records.

In addition to the standard reissue, a limited edition of 200 copies will be released for collectors, featuring a 7" single of Ron Wilson's Sunshine Star as a special bonus. This single was originally released in 1973 with the acoustic version of Sunshine Star (piano and vocals) on the B-side, recorded a few months before the longer jazz-funk version later featured on the LP Open Sky Unit. The A-side, Peace Is The Answer, was only released on that single at the time and is now being reissued for the very first time. The 7" is thus a faithful and long-awaited reissue of a rare piece of Belgian jazz history, it's intimate, soulful, and an ideal complement to theexisting and well-known LP.

Although the band never achieved a major international breakthrough, they were highly valued in progressive European jazz circles and later secured a place in anthologies such as Utopic Cities: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968-1979. The reissue of Open Sky Unit brings their music back into the spotlight and reaffirms their role as key figures in the Belgian jazz scene of the seventies.

Smith & Liddle are two young artists from the North of the United Kingdom who have never been to the desert and whose mere existence was a long way off the horizon in the 1970s, yet their music wouldn't be out of place on the FM waves in a Cadillac driving through the California desert at that time.

"Songs For The Desert" is Smith & Liddle's debut album, a collection of great songwriting, beautiful harmonies and wonderful musicianship that also offers an unashamedly a large dose of nostalgia harking back to some of the best eras there ever was.

These songs were created during one of their hometowns rainiest year, offering the duo an escape via their creations, dreaming of being transported to California at a time when the music scene there drifted from legendary stars of Laurel Canyon to the soft rock icons of Fleetwood Mac and The Doobie Brothers.

Elizabeth Liddle & Billy Smith grew up 25 miles away from each other in small towns but only met when Billy was on the lookout for a vocalist years later. The chemistry between the pair was instant, and over time their intertwined musical sensibilities evolved into something unique.

Following years of swapping records and building a transcendent musical connection, Smith & Liddle worked alongside producer Josh Ingledew to record 9 songs that blend Soft Rock, West Coast soul & 60s beats to produce their debut album "Songs For The Desert".

3xLP (1x Rot / 1x Weiß / 1x Blau) 140g Vinyl in stabiler Box mit abnehmbarem Deckel, UV-Glanzlackierung + 24x12-Poster

Soft Centre is the new album by Iko Chérie, the solo project of French-born, London-based multiinstrumentalist Marie Merlet. She blends dub-inflected textures, pop tinged vocals, reverbdrenched guitars, Casio drones, and warm experimental noises - creating her own intimate, fragile sound. Self-produced and largely performed by Merlet, the album grew from an introspective process, with many sketches recorded in transit between tours. The result is a deeply personal work, balancing light and dark in a Lynchian dream-pop haze. Songs such as We Smoke That Peace Pipe and Bilbao shimmer between vulnerability and resilience, while the single Ghosted Ghosters of the Holy G captures the immediacy of a one-take dub bass. Some pieces retain the quality of improvised snapshots (Intelligent Women, Half a Metaphor) while others reveal her meticulous production process and songwriting craft (Tears in the Sea, Luciférine). Merlet defines Soft Centre as alive in radical tenderness, unguarded, open, and vivid. Influenced by Clarice Lispector"s prose, Diane di Prima"s poetry and Rachel Carson"s environmentalist writing, as well as Marie"s fascination with a vintage Roland Space Echo, the album is an invitation to connection that she describes as "... hopefully a meditation into healing." A versatile musician trained in classical piano, jazz, and electroacoustic composition, Merlet has long moved between different worlds of sound. She has worked with Laetitia Sadier in Monade, performs with Gina Birch (The Raincoats), Malphino, Yama Warashi, and several other groups. She recently appeared as guest singer on the latest Stereolab album. Her debut solo LP, Dreaming On (Elefant Records, 2015), revealed her singular melodic instincts; with Soft Centre she ventures further inward, shaping her own distinctive voice in experimental pop.

SoftSun was formed in 2023 by guitarist Gary Arce (Yawning Man) and bassist/vocalist Pia Isaksen (PIA ISA). On their second album they are joined by Robert Garson on drums. The band is experimenting with sounds and are difficult to place in a specific genre. They have a style of their own with contrasts of softness and distortion, beauty and noise and emotional peaks and valleys. The music is patient, heavy and dreamy, with haunting vocals and beautiful guitars drenched in distortion and reverb over patient and thought out drums. The songs are flowing slowly and take inspiration from both the Californian desert landscapes to the Norwegian oceans where the two founding members come from. On this second record SoftSun has developed their sound further and sound both moody, experimental, beautiful, and raw.

Aqua Blue vinyl, limited to 350 copies. SoftSun was formed in 2023 by guitarist Gary Arce (Yawning Man) and bassist/vocalist Pia Isaksen (PIA ISA). On their second album they are joined by Robert Garson on drums. The band is experimenting with sounds and are difficult to place in a specific genre. They have a style of their own with contrasts of softness and distortion, beauty and noise and emotional peaks and valleys. The music is patient, heavy and dreamy, with haunting vocals and beautiful guitars drenched in distortion and reverb over patient and thought out drums. The songs are flowing slowly and take inspiration from both the Californian desert landscapes to the Norwegian oceans where the two founding members come from. On this second record SoftSun has developed their sound further and sound both moody, experimental, beautiful, and raw.

On November 7, 2025, the Belgian label Sdban Records will release a reissue of the mythical Open Sky Unit (1974) by the eponymous jazz fusion group featuring Micheline and Jacques Pelzer, Steve Houben, Ron Wilson, Janot Buchem and Michel Graillier. The album returns on vinyl, highlighting a pivotal moment in Belgian jazz history, where soul, funk, and free improvisation came together in a vibrant and family-driven project.

Formed in the early 1970s as a homage to Dave Liebman's group Open Sky, Open Sky Unit grew out of informal jam sessions in Liège, Belgium, into a unique collective. One of the central figures was Jacques Pelzer, father of drummer and vocalist Micheline Pelzer, alongside his second cousin, saxophonist/flutist Steve Houben, bass player Janot Buchem, percussionist Michel Graillier and American pianist/composer Ron Wilson.

Their 1974 debut album was released on the Duchesne classical music label, run by Pelzer's brother-in-law. The group's sound carefully balanced jazz and soul and was largely directed by Wilson, a Californian pianist and singer who settled in Liège and nearby Maastricht after his army service. Wilson composed the entire repertoire. Open Sky Unit was recorded live at Jazzland club in Liège, and the band made several short tours in Belgium and abroad (including Tunisia) until around 1975-1976, when Houben left for Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music.

Although the original live recording from 1974 was not technically perfect, the group succeeded in capturing their heartfelt live energy. Tracks such as Open Sky, Sunshine Star, and Passion and Compassion are striking examples of this. Years later, the album version of Sunshine Star found its way onto Funky Chicken (2014), the compilation that not only brought the track back into the spotlight but also marked the beginning of Sdban Records.

In addition to the standard reissue, a limited edition of 200 copies will be released for collectors, featuring a 7" single of Ron Wilson's Sunshine Star as a special bonus. This single was originally released in 1973 with the acoustic version of Sunshine Star (piano and vocals) on the B-side, recorded a few months before the longer jazz-funk version later featured on the LP Open Sky Unit. The A-side, Peace Is The Answer, was only released on that single at the time and is now being reissued for the very first time. The 7" is thus a faithful and long-awaited reissue of a rare piece of Belgian jazz history, it's intimate, soulful, and an ideal complement to theexisting and well-known LP.

Although the band never achieved a major international breakthrough, they were highly valued in progressive European jazz circles and later secured a place in anthologies such as Utopic Cities: Progressive Jazz in Belgium 1968-1979. The reissue of Open Sky Unit brings their music back into the spotlight and reaffirms their role as key figures in the Belgian jazz scene of the seventies.

Musikalisch schwebt das Gespenst von Leonard Cohen aus seiner mittleren Schaffensphase über dem Album, und die Band räumt ein, dass dies eine wichtige Inspiration war – „das ist der wichtigste Maßstab – die Art von dystopischen Songs, die er mit einer satirischen Haltung schrieb, trugen dazu bei, den düsteren politischen Ton dieses Albums zu prägen“ – Alexi.

The Spice of Life, released in November 1969, stands as Marlena Shaw's second--and final--studio album for Cadet Records, produced and arranged by the renowned Richard Evans and Charles Stepney. From the opening, Shaw's voice--both playful and powerful--cuts through the lush yet tight-knit arrangements, weaving together a vibrant tapestry of soul, proto-funk, jazz, gospel, and blues. The album features two defining classics: her deeply resonant original of 'Woman of the Ghetto' and a signature take on Ashford & Simpson's 'California Soul', both staples in sampling culture (you'll probably find that you're more familiar with Shaw's material than you thought.) Evans and Stepney's arrangements are far from mere support--they're panoramic and inventive. You'll hear kalimba flourishes, psych-tinged guitar accents, and bongo-fueled organ textures that elevate each track, keeping the atmosphere rich but never overwhelming. Moments like the Bacharach-styled 'Looking Through the Eyes of Love' or the dramatic flair of 'Stormy Monday' showcase their widescreen sensibility and Shaw's versatility. Beneath its musical elegance, "The Spice of Life" carries a weighty current of social commentary. Tracks such as 'Woman of the Ghetto' and the succinct, fierce 'Liberation Conversation' bring political and feminist themes into a soulful, expressive framework--adding unexpected depth to the sophisticated sonic palette. This album offers an immersive journey through soul-jazz mastery, one that rewarded listeners with sampling gold for decades to come. Reissue on 180g 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!

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!

Originally released in 2012, "Choice of Weapon" was recorded in the California desert with Chris Goss at the helm and finished by long-time collaborator Bob Rock. Driven by the lead single For the Animals, "Choice of Weapon" earned iTunes" Rock Album of the Year in 2012 and debuted at #1 on the UK Rock Chart. Out of print since the original pressing, it has become one of The Cult"s most sought-after modern releases. Pressed on Limited Edition colour-in-colour effect vinyl: LP1 red & black, LP2 purple & black. Gatefold Sleeve.

"“Their best album in years – probably decades.” – Record Collector
Pressed on Limited Edition colour-in-colour effect vinyl: LP1 red & black, LP2 purple & black in a Gatefold Sleeve.

Originally released in 2012, Choice of Weapon was hailed as The Cult’s most vital work since their ’80s heyday – a powerful, mature record that proved Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy still had fire to burn. Recorded in the California desert with Chris Goss at the helm and finished by long-time collaborator Bob Rock, the album channels the lush guitar layers, earworm melodies, and gothic swagger fans love, while venturing into fresh territory – from the blues of A Pale Horse to the stomping drama of Honey From a Knife.

Driven by the lead single For the Animals, Choice of Weapon earned iTunes’ Rock Album of the Year in 2012 and debuted at #1 on the UK Rock Chart. Out of print since the original pressing, it has become one of The Cult’s most sought-after modern releases."

Das zweite Album Liquid Skin (1999) brachte Gomez noch mehr Aufmerksamkeit und kletterte bis auf Platz 2 der UK-Charts. Mit einer Mischung aus Blues-Rock, Folk und Indie-Sounds wurde die Band mit Künstlern wie Beck oder Pearl Jam verglichen. Die Singles “Rhythm & Blues Alibi”, “Bring It On” und “We Haven’t Turned Around” erreichten allesamt die UK Top 40. Diese Edition erscheint auf grünem Transparent-Vinyl mit dem Remaster von 2019

Chicago-based indie punks Sincere Engineer started as a solo acoustic punk act playing dive bars and open mics. Singer/guitarist/songwriter, Deanna Belos, decided to forego dental school for punk music, trading in teeth for corn dogs (as referenced in her fan favorite song "Corn Dog Sonnet No. 7"), and touring the world with bands like Hot Mulligan, Alkaline Trio, The Menzingers, and Joyce Manor. In 2020, she released Bless My Psyche, her first sophomore album on independent powerhouse Hopeless Records. Featuring the Sirius XM Faction hit "Trust Me," the album explored themes of insecurity, failure, and coming of age and was built for gut wrenching sing-a-longs. With the upcoming Cheap Grills, Sincere Engineer now takes a massive leap forward with catchy melodies, witty and sharp lyrics, and the sincerity of a person that wants to do the right thing in a world that doesn't always reward that. Working with producer Mike Sapone (Taking Back Sunday, Brand New), Sincere Engineer/Deanna Belos has crafted an album that sees her emerge as a face of the new generation of melodic punk. For Fans Of: The Menzingers, Alkaline Trio, Hot Mulligan, Jeff Rosenstock

Mungo Sound Machine have leveled up! After delivering our best selling EP on Nuts & Volts, the California duos set their sights on TSOL. After over a year of work, they’ve assembled their strongest outing to date, featuring their pièce de résistance, ‘Vamos A La Beach’. Equal parts brain tingling, body moving, and even a bit anthemic, it works on just about every dancefloor out there. See you on the beach!

Bangs and Talbot get back to business with a stonking new 45 for 2025, their take on the instrumental classic ‘K Jee’.

Originally by US band the Nite Liters (an instrumental precursor to soul act New Birth), this classic track has been a club favourite for decades. It was later covered by MFSB and included in the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

Taken from their forthcoming album on Acid Jazz, this latin disco funk flavoured jam is written by Motown hit producer Harvey Fuqua and Charles Hearndon. It features Mick Talbot on Wurlitzer, organ and piano, ably assisted by German funk guitarist Felix Fraenkel, Italy’s Donato Greco on flute, brass from California’s Dan C, and drums, percussion, and bass from original Acid Jazz DJ/producer Chris Bangs.

On the flip is a Mick Talbot-original ‘Re-Micks’ from the ‘Back to Business’ sessions, which gets a heavy-duty live boom bap rework by hip hop pioneer DJ Premier Inn.

Presented on black vinyl in a new colour version of the current Acid Jazz house-bag, with labels reminiscent of the classic RCA design for an authentic ’70s touch…

The fiery second album from the Northern California squad, originally released in 1995.

In This Moment is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed by singer Maria Brink
and guitarist Chris Howorth in 2005.
Their seventh studio album, Mother was released in 2020.

The band have received two nominations of Alternative Press Music Awards, including two for Best Hard Rock Artist and
one for Best Live Band. They have also received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.
Mother is available as a numbered limited edition of 1000 copies on white coloured vinyl.
This 2LP comes in a gatefold sleeve and contains a 4 page booklet.

Formed in Brussels in 2017, Milk TV has drunk from many sources, quenching an enormous thirst for inspiration to create a singular universe, imbued with nostalgia and cynicism towards Anglo-Saxon pop culture. That of cheap TV programs, giant milk bottle ads, but above all of the underground, from New York no-wave to the Californian noise scene. With "NEO GEO", a new album on Brussels label EXAG' Records, the trio take their music to even more versatile playgrounds, an art-rock kaleidoscope, perhaps more intuitive and effective than its predecessor. While the band's trademark bass chorus and jerky rhythms with a hint of exotica are still present, some tracks give way to a more punky, immediate energy.

WRWTFWW Records is extremely happy to present the official reissue of Safari's self-titled album from 1984. The Japanese jazz-fusion super gem is available now as a limited-edition transparent vinyl LP housed in a heavyweight sleeve with obi.

Originally released on fabled label VAP, Safari is a one-of-a-kind city pop-adjacent summer blend of AOR, smooth jazz, and sun-drenched boogie. The sole album from the all-star outfit was the brainchild of keyboardist Toshiyuki Daitoku and Japan-based Californian jazz-funk-latin-fusion bassist Gregg Lee. Together with a large team of experienced musicians, they created a lush, immaculately-arranged 8-track cruise filled with poolside grooves, breezy rhythms, and feel-good vocal harmonies.

Safari features the well-known title track which acted as the theme song for an 80s sports program on Fuji Television, the night-swim chill music tune "All Right in The Night", and the fan-favorite buoyant vacation hit "The Morning After".

The official reissue is fully licensed and sourced from the original masters, with an audiophile cut by Sidney Meyer at Emil Berliner Studios, ensuring the warm, pristine sound this lost treasure deserves.

Safari is the second release from WRWTFWW's City Pop Series, following Momoko Kikuchi's beach classic Ocean Side, also available on transparent vinyl LP. The series, complete with a visual identity designed by Lopetz/Büro Destruct, also comes with a limited merch capsule, and more sun-soaked gems lined up for the future.

It's spring of 2023 in the North Carolina Piedmont, and songwriter and singer M.C. Taylor - leader of the band Hiss Golden Messenger - is feeling alive. Joyful. Eternal, he might say. For the Grammy-nominated musician, whose albums have traced an internal path through adulthood, fatherhood, spirituality, and depression for well over a decade, this is something new. "The tunes on Jump for Joy were composed in free moments throughout 2022, a year during which Hiss was on the road more or less constantly," explains Taylor. "And perhaps because the post-pandemic energy out in the world felt so chaotic and uncertain, I found myself thinking a lot about the role that music has played in my life and how exactly I ended up in the rarefied position of leading a band and crew all over the globe through dingy graffiti-scrawled green rooms, venerated music halls, dust-blown roadside motels.

Sometimes playing in front of 5,000; sometimes 200. Sleeping sitting up. Laughing until my stomach hurts. Not being able to fall asleep at 3 a.m. in some anonymous bed because my mind is spinning with anxiety or depression or adrenaline, or because my ears are still ringing. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, then robbing Paul to pay Peter back. Over and over again. It's an outlaw life but one, I'm coming to realize, that makes me happy." The songs that make up Jump for Joy - the sharpest and most autobiographical that Taylor has written under the Hiss name - read as a sort of epistolary, postcards between the present-day songwriter and his alias Michael Crow, a teenaged dreamer very much like Taylor himself, who trips his way through the 14 tunes that make up the record. In this way, Jump for Joy is a meditation on a life lived with art, and the ways that our hopes and dreams and decisions bump up against_ and, with a little bit of luck, occasionally merge with real life. "Creating this character became the way that I could explore these vulnerable, tender moments that were so decisive in my life, even if I didn't know it at the time," explains Taylor.

Produced by Taylor and engineered by longtime Hiss compatriot Scott Hirsch over two weeks in the late fall of 2022 at the fabled Sonic Ranch studio in Tornillo, TX, just a short walk from the Mexican border, Jump for Joy dances with joyful, spontaneous energy that feels like a fresh chapter in the Hiss Golden Messenger oeuvre. Taylor is accompanied throughout the album by his crack live band: guitarist Chris Boerner, bassist Alex Bingham, keyboardist Sam Fribush, and drummer Nick Falk, a collection of musicians that have helped make Hiss Golden Messenger's live performances legendary affairs

Wenn sie nicht gerade aus dem Fenster auf die stürmische Skyline von Manhattan blickte, verbrachte Margo Guryan ihre dreißiger Jahre damit, Ohrwürmer für Leute wie Bobbie Gentry, Jackie DeShannon, Claudine Longet, Carmen McCrae und Julie London bei CBS's April Blackwood Music zu schreiben. Guryans zeitlose Gedanken über Liebe, Sonntage, Erdbeben, Weinen und Jungs namens Timothy haben unzählige Filme und virale Videos unterlegt. Meisterwerke aus früheren Zeiten. 28 ihrer Songwriting-Demos aus den 60er und 70er Jahren sind auf dieser 25-jährigen Jubiläums-Doppelalbum-Edition.

Shelter is a Hardcore punk band formed by Ray Cappo. After releasing previous works through independent labels, the band signed a deal with the legendary heavy metal and hard rock label Roadrunner Records. Originally released in
1995, the critically acclaimed album Mantra was the first
release by the band on the label.


By the time Shelter released the album Mantra, the punk rock scene was in evidence in America, especially in California, with bands like Bad Religion, Rancid, The Offspring and Green Day achieving mainstream popularity.
With Mantra the band moved away from the more punk pop style and created a melodic hardcore style. The song Here We Go' became an anthem. Lyrically the album focused mainly on Hare Krishna philosophy and the problems the Western Civilization creates. The first song, Message of the Bhagavad', is introduced by an excerpt of a Bhagavad Gita verses reading.

This classic album is now finally available again on vinyl!

A guitar player, writer, producer, and composer, Stevie Salas has recorded on over 70 different albums with artists as diverse as George Clinton, Justin Timberlake, Buddy Miles, T.I., Mick Jagger, and Rod Stewart. Having sold over two million solo albums around the world, Stevie has been cited as one of the top 50 guitarists of all time. Dreaming of a career in music, Stevie left the small town of Oceanside, California in 1985. Eight months later he was discovered by funk music legend George Clinton as the lead guitarist for Clinton's albums. Stevie received his first major label producer credit with Was (Not Was) when he co-produced the UK hit "Out Come the Freaks" from the album "What up Dog?" Rolling Stone Magazine listed "What up Dog?" as one of the top 100 records of the decade. With an extensive solo career, Stevie has now teamed up with Deko Entertainment to reissue some of these albums starting with the 30th Anniversary of "Back From The Living (Deluxe Edition)"













k MUCH ADO ABOUT BUTTIN' [SUCKERMANGRUBBY MOUTH MIX]





[q] TELL YOUR STORY WALKIN' [MUG MASHER REMIX]
[r] CRACK KILLED APPLE JACK [GRAVY BOOTY REMIX)











[k] MUCH ADO ABOUT BUTTIN' [SUCKERMANGRUBBY MOUTH MIX]





[q] TELL YOUR STORY WALKIN' [MUG MASHER REMIX]
[r] CRACK KILLED APPLE JACK [GRAVY BOOTY REMIX)

From Long Beach, California, “A Lil Lovin Sometimes” became a significant northern soul release, and in 2004 came to the UK to perform the song live. The UK Capitol released original has sold for close to £500. The record was produced by Jimmy Mack also worked with Otis Redding before becoming an actor. “True Love” was not issued at the tape and was only part of a limited and now much sought after reissue.

Indie exclusive Peak Edition on Orange & Black Swirl Vinyl, in a gatefold cover + poster.



It's spring of 2023 in the North Carolina Piedmont, and songwriter and singer M.C. Taylor - leader of the band Hiss Golden Messenger - is feeling alive. Joyful. Eternal, he might say. For the Grammy-nominated musician, whose albums have traced an internal path through adulthood, fatherhood, spirituality, and depression for well over a decade, this is something new. "The tunes on Jump for Joy were composed in free moments throughout 2022, a year during which Hiss was on the road more or less constantly," explains Taylor. "And perhaps because the post-pandemic energy out in the world felt so chaotic and uncertain, I found myself thinking a lot about the role that music has played in my life and how exactly I ended up in the rarefied position of leading a band and crew all over the globe through dingy graffiti-scrawled green rooms, venerated music halls, dust-blown roadside motels.

Sometimes playing in front of 5,000; sometimes 200. Sleeping sitting up. Laughing until my stomach hurts. Not being able to fall asleep at 3 a.m. in some anonymous bed because my mind is spinning with anxiety or depression or adrenaline, or because my ears are still ringing. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, then robbing Paul to pay Peter back. Over and over again. It's an outlaw life but one, I'm coming to realize, that makes me happy." The songs that make up Jump for Joy - the sharpest and most autobiographical that Taylor has written under the Hiss name - read as a sort of epistolary, postcards between the present-day songwriter and his alias Michael Crow, a teenaged dreamer very much like Taylor himself, who trips his way through the 14 tunes that make up the record. In this way, Jump for Joy is a meditation on a life lived with art, and the ways that our hopes and dreams and decisions bump up against_ and, with a little bit of luck, occasionally merge with real life. "Creating this character became the way that I could explore these vulnerable, tender moments that were so decisive in my life, even if I didn't know it at the time," explains Taylor.

Produced by Taylor and engineered by longtime Hiss compatriot Scott Hirsch over two weeks in the late fall of 2022 at the fabled Sonic Ranch studio in Tornillo, TX, just a short walk from the Mexican border, Jump for Joy dances with joyful, spontaneous energy that feels like a fresh chapter in the Hiss Golden Messenger oeuvre. Taylor is accompanied throughout the album by his crack live band: guitarist Chris Boerner, bassist Alex Bingham, keyboardist Sam Fribush, and drummer Nick Falk, a collection of musicians that have helped make Hiss Golden Messenger's live performances legendary affairs

*Long overdue reissue of the first album by The Hanging Stars to coincide with their tour support slot with Edwyn Collins – initial 300 copies come with 12 x 12 print*

“In late-Sixties California, the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers combined traditional country music with hippy rock to great success. The influence lingered and whatever cultural relevance it has this is a delightful, transporting listen” – The Times 4/5

London-based psych-folk outfit The Hanging Stars re-release their much-loved debut album Over the Silvery Lake on Crimson Crow. Blending folk pastoralism with swampy 60s Americana, they sound like the missing link between the California desert sun and the grey skies of London Town. The album was recorded between LA, Nashville and Walthamstow, with each of these vastly different places leaving an indelible mark on the songs.

Now signed to the Loose Records label and fronted by London-based songwriter, singer and guitarist Richard Olson (The See See, Eighteenth Day of May), The Hanging Stars are essentially a loose collective of people who weave together a blissed-out psychedelic tapestry. The rest of the core band is made up of Sam Ferman on bass and Paulie Cobra on drums, Horse on pedal steel and Patrick Ralla on banjo, guitar. They jam rather than write and hang out rather than rehearse, harnessing a kind of tipsy euphoria resplendent with luscious arrangements and glorious vocal harmonies.

During 2015, prior to this album’s original release the band released two critically acclaimed singles via The Great Pop Supplement (both of which also appear on the album). “Golden Vanity” was premiered by The Line of Best Fit who said; “you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd just unearthed a rare deep cut from the late 60s/early 70s boom of psychedelia infused Americana” and “The House on The Hill” was described by The Guardian as; "a hazy, desert-dream of a song, nicely sharpened with steely-eyed guitars, Mersey-laced harmonies and just a whiff of the Gun Club”.

There are a number of allusions to nature and the weather on the album, borne in part out of the contrasting surroundings in which it was produced. The band’s fascination with Americana led them to record some of the material Stateside, laying down some of the parts at Battle Tapes Studios in Nashville (Lambchop, Paperhead), as well as at Vision Quest Studios in Los Angeles with Rob Campanella. His work with The Quarter After, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Beachwood Sparks The Tyde, and GospelbeacH was a perfect match to capture their sound and they even had San Franciscan legend Chrystof Certik step in on lead guitar for a couple of tracks.

Following the LA recordings, a trip to the Californian desert provided the core notion of what they wanted to produce - a shard of light that they clung on to whilst recording the rest of the album in the significantly more rain-soaked atmosphere of Walthamstow, London, under the watchful eye of Brian O'Shaughnessy at Bark Studios (The Clientele, Comet Gain). As the band explained at the time: “Ultimately we hope you can hear both the sand and the rain in this record.”

The Hanging Stars place themselves firmly as part of a long folk tradition encompassing European and North American influences – as a continuation rather than a pastiche of these styles. This is the sound of a band really coming in to their own, fully formed and in no doubt of their vision. With Over the Silvery Lake they succeeded in producing a record, which has the country, blues and folk traditions at its heart.

Selector Dub Narcotic hat uns beim letzten Mal gewarnt: "The Party Is Just Getting Started". Das ist OK, wir wollten nie, dass sie endet. 9 Jahre später beehrt Selector Dub Narcotic uns wieder einmal mit ihrer Präsenz und präsentiert "When Boys Cry" KLP309, eine vier Songs umfassende EP von unvergleichlicher Pracht. "When Boys Cry" ist eine echte Schnulze, die vier Taschentücher eingebracht hat - eins für die Beats, eins für die Reime, eins für die dunkle Schokoladenfrisur und eins für ich weiß nicht was, aber es bringt alle zum Tanzen. Wieder einmal arbeitet Selector Dub Narcotic mit dem Northwest Hip-Hop Produzenten Smoke M2D6 zusammen. Der Titelsong "When Boys Cry" schwebt in einem melancholischen Dunst; "Love Don't Come Around" sinniert über die Muse und alle unbeabsichtigten Konsequenzen; "Excuse Moi" ist eine freche kleine Nummer; "California Trippin'" erinnert uns daran, dass in jedem unserer Unternehmungen Freude steckt. "When Boys Cry" wird von drei digitalen Vorab-Singles begleitet, bevor es als 45rpm 12" EP in den Plattenläden des Planeten erscheint. Perfekt für die nächste gesellige Veranstaltung oder das antisoziale Grübelfest.

lim. Colored Vinyl Edition (Oxblood)

Part 2 of our series of official reworks of The Warmer Music catalogue
For this new 12 Inch we are still in the warm Michael Franks land. A full MF compilation will be coming later.
After our first 12 Inch with DoctorSoul Reworks, we now return with more smooth, high class Edits/Reworks by 3 outstanding modern producers of soulful/jazzy dance vibes.
Michale Franks is one of the most prolific musicians of the Californian Westcoast/Jazz/AOR/Yacht scene, the one and only Michael Franks, who approved personally the new version. Over the languorous course of 33 years and 16 albums, Michael Franks has mesmerized an international legion of fans with his one-of-a-kind artistry. Seamlessly weaving lyrics of stunning sensuality, wit, reflection and literary eloquence over music that tastefully utilizes top shelf shadings of jazz, soul, pop, chamber and music from around the globe. His music was covered by countless international stars, like The Carpenters, Shirley Bassey, Rin

Occasionally, one experiences serendipitous events in life. On the 13th of July this year, I received a message from Tim Trapnell, who had discovered an unknown 60’s track on YouTube and expressed his admiration for its exceptional quality. Intrigued by the message, I clicked on the link and was immediately captivated by the musical composition. Within minutes, I embarked on a quest to uncover more information about the band and the particular track. On the 16th of July, only three days after, I’ve received a message from Jim Bojorquez (aka JC), the lead vocalist of the Baron of Soul, “Hello Yann, I was delighted to hear that you have discovered and enjoyed my original composition, ‘Time or vs Tide.’ It was written by myself and Clark Baldwin. that the recording was performed live and this song was never released in any format back in the day. I have reached out to Jim Bojorquez the next day and we spent a considerable amount of time conversing via video chat about his illustrious 60-year music career as an artist in San Jose, California.

I proposed to Jim that I could release two songs from The Barons of Soul through Epsilon Record Co. I re-mastered both songs and made a deal with Jimmie that same day. So today, I am so pleased to present these two previously unissued tracks. "Time or Tide" is a powerful uptempo piece featuring an exceptional brass section and a Hammond B3. The vocals are exceptionally punchy and catchy, ensuring an unforgettable listening experience. "I Loved and I Lost” is a remarkable take of the Impressions classic written by Curtis Mayfield’s If you are an enthusiast of 60s uptempo music like Tim and myself, then this new and exceptional 45 is an absolute must-listen and must have!

[g] 7The Twenty-one Song Salute (Owed to G.G. Shinn and Cleoma Falcon) [feat. Tyler Bryant]

g 7The Twenty-one Song Salute (Owed to G.G. Shinn and Cleoma Falcon) [feat. Tyler Bryant]







[g] 7The Twenty-one Song Salute (Owed to G.G. Shinn and Cleoma Falcon) [feat. Tyler Bryant]

JayWood - the nom de plume of Jeremy Haywood-Smith - is embracing new pastures having moved his music-making from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Montreal, and his new album Leo Negro chimes with a different tone as it looks to reconnect the self and grapple with one's identity. Marking a moment of meaningful change where controlled chaos takes the lead, it philosophises on what it truly means to be an experimentalist building a multi-faceted world where genre is infinite through sounds braver, more playful, and truthful than he's dared deliver before. Despite its astute sampling with layers of twists and turns, Leo Negro doesn't showboat but roars in the presence of vulnerability as it considers one's absolutes as a way of navigating the identity crisis. "Always looking for attention, I admit it, I can't help it, I'm a Leo," he reasons between vintage hip-hop scrubs on `Pistachios,' recalling a childhood need to be the centre of attention then stepping out of the spotlight as a grown-up. "Leos are confident and sure about themselves, but this record isn't that; so really, when translated, the title inspires `black confidence.' It's an uncomfortable, weird, and surreal term which bends the truth and embodies everything within." Experimenting in both life and music, Leo Negro and its first cut, `Big Tings' (feat. California, art-pop duo Tune-Yards) couldn't be further from 2023's Grow On EP and the previous year's slick LP Slingshot. Moving with flow akin to D'Angelo with Toro Y Moi textures, its twinkling intro of whirling synth and playful approach circles back to Jeremy's adolescence when he'd reverse, slow down, and speed up his favourite songs through the media player on his computer. Encouraged by his musical squad Will Grierson, Arthur Antony, Brett Ticzon, and enlisting his stylist and thrifter friends to capture the Leo Negro aesthetic, JayWood's big `in' for 2025 is collaboration, with the tight-knit crew of likeminded musical colleagues captured in session photo grins beaming from his Instagram grid. Nominated for Canada's coveted Polaris Music Prize, it'd be easy to be the cowardly lion; to rinse and repeat what's worked up to this point. But for JayWood, leaning into his natural `what if?' curiosity to make up his own rules as he goes along ("I never really knew what they were to begin with") and venture into honesty's unsafe space to seek comfort, confidence and make even greater connections, really is the only option. After all, he can't help it; he's a Leo.

Es dürfte schwierig sein, eine Band zu finden, die selbstbewusster ist als die langjährige Tournee-Band Lucero. Seit ihrer Gründung in Memphis Ende der 90er Jahre sind die musikalischen Grundzüge von Lucero ähnlich geblieben wie der ursprüngliche Sound, den die Band mit ihrem ersten Album ,The Attic Tapes" etabliert hat. Im Laufe ihrer umfangreichen Diskografie hat sich Lucero weiterentwickelt und alles von Southern Rock bis hin zu Stax-inspiriertem Memphis Soul aufgenommen, ohne dabei ihre unverwechselbare Klanggrundlage aufzugeben. Auch Jahre später strömen treue Fans der Gruppe noch immer herbei, um die kraftvollen, treibenden Rhythmen, die punkigen Gitarrenriffs und die Texte zu hören, die an die whiskeygetränkte Sentimentalität amerikanischer Singer-Songwriter erinnern.

Gatefold sleeve Insert Seventh studio album by black metal band Satyricon Includes the single "Black Crow n A Tombstone" and “My Skin Is Cold” Originally released in November 2008 through Roadrunner Records, The Age of Nero is the seventh studio album by black metal band Satyricon. Most of the album was written in a forest cabin, with the collaboration of Snorre Ruch (Thorns).

It was recorded in part at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California. In this studio bands like Metallica and Nirvana had also recorded. In support of the release The Age of Nero the band did a full European headlining tour in November /December 2008. The album includes the single "Black Crow on a Tombstone" and “My Skin Is Cold” (also released as 5 track EP prior to album release). Available on black vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve and it includes an insert.